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It has come to our attention that an inappropriate supplication that was offensive to those of Jewish faith, was made in our downtown mosque, Masjid Toronto.

Such language is unacceptable and against the values and practices of the Muslim Association of Canada (MAC), Masjid Toronto and the Muslim Community at large.

Masjid Toronto condemns all forms of hate and racism towards any faith group or others and is committed to offering a safe spiritual space for all congregants.



O Allah! We ask you [to give us] victory over the enemies.O Allah! Raise the standing of Islam and the Muslims. O Allah! Give victory (help) to your oppressed slaves all over the world, east to west. O Allah! Give victory (help) to your slaves who believe in the oneness of Allah, O the Lord of the Worlds! O Allah! Destroy the criminals. O Allah! Destroy anyone who inflicts injustice on your slaves, O the Lord of the Worlds! O Allah! Count their number; slay them one by one and spare not one of them. O Allah! Do not defer [it] on them.O Allah! Seize them with the seizure of One Mighty, Omnipotent [referring to a Quranic verse that deals with the punishment Allah inflicted on Pharaoh and his people].



[O Allah!] Give us victory over the disbelieving people O Allah! Give victory to Islam and raise the standing the Muslims. And humiliate the polytheism and polytheists. O Allah! Give victory (help) to your slaves who believe in the oneness of Allah, O the Lord of the Worlds!O Allah! Give them victory over the criminal people. O Allah! Destroy anyone who killed Muslims. O Allah! Destroy anyone who displaced the sons of the Muslims. O Allah! Count their number; slay them one by one and spare not one of them. O Allah! Purify Al-Aqsa Mosque from the filth of the Jews! O Allah! Purify Al-Aqsa Mosque from the filth of the Jews!



O Allah! Raise the standing of Islam and the Muslims.And humiliate the polytheism, the polytheists, the infidels and the atheists. And Give victory (help) to your slaves who believe in the oneness of Allah.O Allah! Give victory to our oppressed and deprived Muslim brothers and the mujahideen (those who engage in jihad) everywhere.O Allah! Pour on them patience and steadfast their feet. And give them victory over the disbelieving people. And give them victory over the evildoersAnd give them victory over the criminals.



Supplications at Masjid Toronto Mosque: Slay them one by one and spare not one of them (click HERE )

) Will Mayor John Tory denounce the hatred coming from the Masjid Toronto mosque? (click HERE)

On February 20, 2017 Masjid Toronto mosque has issued the following statement On February 18, 2017 CIJnews exposed excerpts from supplications (originally in Arabic) recited by Aymen Elkasrawy and Shaykh Abdool Hamid at Masjid Toronto mosque in 2016:See also:People inside Masjid Toronto are upset at what videos discovered by @Jonathanhalevi show and will apologize. Watch for story soonJewish Defence League alleges hate crime | Toronto News | Toronto Sun Joe Warmington @MeirWeinstein
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After searching Ben Taub Hospital twice and interviewing witnesses about a reported shooting, the Houston Police Department gave an "all clear" Tuesday afternoon and returned control of the hospital back to medical staff.

Although an early report indicated a shooter had been cornered on a floor of the hospital, Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo said that no evidence was found of an active shooter or shooting.

"It wasn't a mistake, there was a specific reason (we responded)," Acevedo said. "We had multiple witnesses that heard a man yell, 'Drop the gun, drop the gun.' Multiple people heard two large bangs, whether or not those were gunshots is subject to further investigation."

But Acevedo, who arrived on the scene shortly after SWAT officers arrived, said there was no evidence of a shooting, such as bullet casings, broken windows or bullet holes. Police did not find any victims during their first and second checks.

"All patients and employees are safe at this point," Acevedo said.

Reports started coming in about 2 p.m. of shots fired, Houston police spokesman Kese Smith said.

Medical providers hid inside their offices at Ben Taub Hospital as Houston police responded to reports of shots fired inside the building. Others barricaded themselves in available areas of the hospital.

Patients in the Emergency Room told the Chronicle that hospital staff originally said the flurry of action was part of a drill but then began disconnecting patients from their IVs. Images showed nurses and others bringing patients outside on hospital beds and gurneys.

More patrol units as well as members of the SWAT team were en route at 2:15 p.m.

Texas Southern University student Pegah Nassiri was working the second day of her job when she heard staff announce a "code white" over the hospital's loud speaker.

"I didn't know what code white meant, but we knew we needed to lock ourselves in a room," Nassiri said.

She said she and another student stayed locked in a first floor room for 15 minutes before police found them and told them to get out.

Barbara Mushinski, who has been a nurse at Ben Traub for nine years, said colleagues on the second floor told her they heard gunshots and heard someone say to put down a gun.

She said 10 people near the eye clinic on the second floor were told to shelter in place. But the clinic is a busy, noisy place, where banging noises are not uncommon.

"It was completely unreal, terrifying actually," Mushinski said. "This doesn't happen all the time," adding that she has seen three similar incidents during her nine years with the hospital.

Around 2:00 p.m. Eva Arroyo was registering patients into the emergency room located on the first floor of Ben Taub, when she heard reports that there was an active shooter in the hospital.

A code white was issued and Arroyo said she and other hospital employees immediately began sheltering in place. Nurses blocked off the doors with stretchers.

"We know we need to close the doors, windows and stay still, " Arroyo said.

She said she positioned herself by two police officers who were monitoring a patient, who is also a prisoner.

"If anything, there's two police officers out there, so I feel safe in a way, " She recalls thinking while inside.

Eventually a doctor told them it would be safer for them to evacuate outside of the hospital.

As she anxiously stood outside Ben Taub, waiting to receive updates, she said sometimes she worries about someone walking into the hospital with a gun.

"I mean who's going to see what they have under their jacket or in their briefcase?" She wondered.

While she waited, hospital employees gathered a group of emergency room patients at picnic tables.

Other hospital employees checked their phones and looked onward at the hospital, waiting to receive word on if they could go back inside.

Students at St. Marks Episcopal School in Bellaire were apparently in the hospital's cardiology unit not long before the reports of a shooting were made. Harris Health System posted on Twitter a photo and Tweet praising fifth grade students for donating artwork to the cardiology clinic.

The school would not answer a reporter's questions about whether the students were still at the hospital when the building was locked down.

By about 3:45 p.m., at least three patients had been transferred by ambulance to other hospitals as other patients wandered around outside.

Baylor College of Medicine's security department issued an emergency notification of an "active shooter situation" about 2:15 p.m. The notification instructed college employees not to go to Ben Taub and ordered those already there to follow emergency response guidelines.

The last shooting at Ben Taub happened in October 2016, when an officer shot an inmate who had taken a medical student hostage.

Ricky Hall, 46, was facing a parole violation and a host of new charges when he was shot by a sheriff's deputy after he took up an "edged weapon," according to Chronicle archives.

Days before his violent outburst, Hall - who struggled with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, his mother said - was taken to the hospital for treatment of seizures. Hall ultimately died from his wounds.

More recently, a gun-wielding patient was shot by off-duty sheriff's deputies after he opened fire Jan. 3 inside the North Cypress Medical Center in northwest Harris County, sending receptionists diving under their desks.

The 21-year-old gunman, whose name was not released, survived the incident after being shot multiple times, according to authorities.

Check back for more details on this developing story.
Electronic LittleBits at the library

Children in grades 3 through 6 will enjoy the third session of TinkerSpace starting 4 p.m. Wednesday, March 1, in the Plattsmouth Public Library auditorium.

Activities are based on littleBits, a fantastic collection of electronic parts that children will use to build their own machines. The kits includes buttons, buzzers and even a small fan that all connect with magnets.

The building blocks are fun and easy to work with, and there are limitless ways to put them together. The free program runs from 4- 5 p.m., and snacks are provided. No registration is required; drop-ins are welcome. Call Kirsten Wood at 402-296-4154 Ext. 21 for more information.

This program is sponsored by the Nebraska Library Commission and funded in part with state funds allocated through the Nebraska Legislature.
ABU SAIF, Iraq  Iraqi troops worked to secure a strategic hilltop overlooking Mosuls international airport and a nearby military base on Tuesday, fearing the Islamic State group, which still holds both facilities, may launch another wave of nighttime counterattacks.

The U.S.-backed Iraqi forces advancing on western Mosul from the south have not seen the waves of car bombs that troops confronted when they moved into eastern Mosul late last year. But the latest battle, launched on Sunday, is still in its early stages.

As the militarized Federal Police stationed in the hilltop village of Abu Saif scanned a nearby cluster of houses for militants, they spotted around a dozen civilians waving white flags. The soldiers called out for them to approach.

Theyre scared, said federal police Officer Hashem Ali, adding that he has seen the extremists target fleeing civilians with sniper and mortar fire.

When the family got close enough, a group of soldiers moved down to search them before bringing them back to the base. They handed the men cigarettes and water before whisking them away to be questioned.

We will put them in one of these empty houses, Ali said. If their area is liberated soon, then they can return.

The troops expect to encounter far more civilians once they enter western Mosul, the more densely populated half of Iraqs second largest city. Iraqi forces declared the half of the city stretching east of the Tigris River fully liberated last month after nearly three months of fierce fighting, but still occasionally come under attack there.

Federal Police Capt. Asad Abdullah pointed down at Mosuls airport and the Ghazlani military base, the next targets of the offensive. But he said the focus now is erecting dirt berms to guard their front-line position.

We have seen it before when the enemy sends many car bombs, he said.

Since the new push for western Mosul began two days ago, Iraqi forces have retaken nearly 50 square miles south of the city, said Brig. Gen. Yahya Rasool, an Iraqi military spokesman.

Islamic State mortar rounds hit Iraqi positions on Tuesday, and rockets struck the main staging base to the south, in Hamam al-Alil, which was captured last year. At least two soldiers were wounded in the rocket attack, according to Maj. Ghassan al-Wattar, a doctor at a front-line clinic.

The extremists have also deployed car bombs south of Mosul, though not as many as in earlier stages of the 4-month-old offensive. Four suicide car bombs struck Iraqi forces late Monday, and another five were destroyed by air strikes before hitting their targets, Federal Police Maj. Gen. Saleh Nasr said.

Al-Wattar, the Federal Police doctor, said at least eight troops had been killed over the past two days and dozens wounded. He said the casualty rates were nothing like the first days of the Mosul offensive in October, when he admitted 90 people in a single day.

Susannah George and Qassim Abdul-Zahra are Associated Press writers.
JERUSALEM  An Israeli soldier who shot an incapacitated Palestinian attacker in the head was sentenced to 18 months in prison Tuesday, in a case that has divided Israelis and prompted calls for his pardon.

Col. Maya Heller, a judge speaking on behalf of a military panel in Tel Aviv, reminded the defendant, Sgt. Elor Azaria, that his conviction for manslaughter was grave and that he could have faced up to 20 years in prison.

The acts of the defendant are serious, the judge said, according to a pool report from Israel Radio. The accused damaged the purity of arms which is so holy in the Israel military, she added. There is a need to safeguard humanity.

Azaria, now 20, was convicted in January by a panel of military judges for the death of Abdel al-Fatah al-Sharif in Hebron in March. Widely shared video showed the sergeant shooting al-Sharif, who was lying still on his back, in the head. Al-Sharif and another Palestinian had stabbed and wounded an Israeli soldier at a checkpoint. Israeli soldiers killed the other man and wounded al-Sharif.

The case unfolded against a backdrop of random attacks by Palestinians using guns, knives and vehicles that had killed at least 28 Israelis in a little over four months. The decision to prosecute Azaria rapidly emerged as a flash point in the debate over the Israeli military and its role as the nations conscience and most trusted institution.

Conservatives in Israel expressed outrage, with Naftali Bennett, the education minister, accusing the generals of being quick to pounce on the soldier, while others launched a bitter campaign against the defense minister, Moshe Yaalon. Many Israelis said Azaria should not have been punished for putting his life on the line in the military; service is required for most young Israelis and is held in high esteem in the country.

Palestinians and Israeli rights advocates said the events showed a callousness to Palestinian life. An Israeli legal and human rights advocacy group that opposes Israels occupation of the West Bank, Yesh Din, has said that before the case involving Azaria, only one Israeli soldier had been charged and convicted of homicide after more than 260 investigations into Palestinian fatalities since the beginning of the second Palestinian uprising in 2000.

Traditionally, generals have preached restraint in the face of Palestinian violence and adherence to open-fire regulations, which dictate that soldiers should shoot only to neutralize a threat. But under the pressure of continued violence last winter, that consensus had eroded.

Ian Fisher is a New York Times writer.
EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/Getty Images

BRUSSELS  Vice President Mike Pence told a rattled Europe on Monday that President Trump fully supported crucial European institutions  despite the presidents perplexing comments and occasional insults  and said he supported the firing of the national security adviser.

The president did ask me to come here to Brussels, to the home of the European Union, and deliver an additional message, Pence said while standing next to Donald Tusk, president of the European Council and a former prime minister of Poland. So today its my privilege on behalf of President Trump to express the strong commitment of the United States to continued cooperation and partnership with the European Union.
NEW YORK  Russias ambassador to the United Nations, a veteran diplomat known as a potent and personable voice for his countrys interests as he sparred with his Western counterparts, died suddenly after falling ill Monday in his office at the mission.

Vitaly Churkin, 64, was taken to a hospital in New York, where he died, said Russias deputy U.N. ambassador, Vladimir Safronkov. The cause of death wasnt immediately known.

He had been Russias envoy at the United Nations since 2006 and was considered Moscows great champion at the U.N. Diplomatic colleagues from around the world mourned Churkin as a powerful and passionate voice for his nation, with both a deep knowledge of diplomacy and a large and colorful personality. He was the longest-serving member of the Security Council, the U.N.s most powerful body.

Among many other issues, he had recently made Russias views heard on the conflict in Syria, sparring with diplomats from the U.S. and other Western countries over whether to impose sanctions or take action to end the conflict. President Vladimir Putin praised Churkins professionalism and diplomacy, according to the state news agency TASS.

Russias foreign ministry called Churkin an outstanding diplomat and expressed condolences to his friends and family. Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Churkin was an extraordinary person. A bright man. We have lost a dear one.

Churkins death came at the start of a week when the Security Council is expected to discuss Ukraine and Syria.

Our thoughts go to his family, to his friends and to his government, said U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq.

Calling Churkin a diplomatic maestro and deeply caring man, former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Samantha Power tweeted that he had done all he could to bridge differences between the U.S. and Russia.

Edith M. Lederer and Jennifer Peltz are Associated Press writers.
The Santa Fe Police Department's internal affairs unit on Monday opened an investigation of the local police union president for incendiary posts shared on his Facebook page, including memes disparaging Muslims, African Americans and the transgender community.

The investigation comes after SFR emailed Police Chief Patrick Gallagher seven screenshots taken from Sgt. Troy Baker's Facebook page, representing just a small sample of questionable posts shared by the officer over several years. Baker has not been placed on leave.



Here's one of the images we emailed to Gallagher, followed by Baker's explanation to us, which he gave via phone:



Baker's view: "That is a joke and taken as such. We don't need to be running over people intentionally, but people shouldn't be blocking roadways either."

Heres another:



Baker's explanation: "Your gender is what you're born with. You can't change it just because you say you are what you say. By that logic, I am royalty, right? Because I say I am. And I'm black because that's what I am."

Heres one more:

Baker's view: "I don't have anti-Muslim views. I have anti-radical Islam views. I have friends that are Muslim. It's not against a religion. It's against radical Muslims. The people in that photo are from ISIS."

(Scroll down for more examples of Baker's Facebook posts.)



The Santa Fe Police Department does not have a social media policy, but the department personnel code does prohibit "conduct unbecoming of an officer."



When asked whether Baker's posts reflect broader positions of the police department, Gallagher tells SFR, "Emphatically, no." He adds: "Posts such as this have the potential to make officers' jobs more difficult by eroding police-community relationships."



Baker says personal views expressed on his Facebook post do not affect his on-duty behavior. "I'm not bringing it to work," he tells SFR. "You find one person I am not giving appropriate community service to due to their gender, race or ethnicity. Find one."



Baker briefly lost his job after a 2010 incident in which a man claimed he and four other officers used excessive force when arresting him for disorderly conduct in a Walmart parking lot. An external review board reinstated Baker and another officer, Steve Cosban. (We asked the police department for additional complaints filed against Baker. We'll keep you updated with any responses.)



Baker, a 22-year veteran of Santa Fe city police, was elected president of the Santa Fe Police Officers Association about a year ago. The union represents roughly 150 sworn officers and civilian employees, according to Baker.



Not every one of Baker's Facebook posts expresses his political views. For example, he routinely posts memorials for fallen officers. He also occasionally shares personal news, including a photograph of the trophy he received after the Santa Fe Police Department awarded him 2016 Supervisor of the Year.





But much of Bakers social media activity involves sharing overtly racist or sexist content, often derived from the pages of right-wing icons like Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher (better known as "Joe the Plumber") and Milo Yiannopoulos, the provocateur who was recently dropped as keynote speaker for the Conservative Political Action Committee after a video of him defending pedophiles surfaced.

Baker frequently uses his Facebook page to express his views on immigration. Like this one:

Another post of his from June 2016 links to a story about a US Congressional bill that would pull federal funding from so-called "sanctuary cities," jurisdictions that do not cooperate with federal deportation authorities. Bakers post predated the election of President Donald Trump, who has promised to do the same thing. Santa Fe is a sanctuary city.

While Baker does not say whether he condones pulling federal funding from sanctuary cities, he makes his view clear in a phone call with SFR. Why should a city be rewarded for violating federal law? Baker says. I have a lot of friends who are here illegally too. I am absolutely against the criminal element and making the city an absolute safe haven, but again, thats my personal opinion and has nothing to do with the police department.

Baker also often uses his Facebook page to make generalizations about Muslims and refugees fleeing war-torn Syria. Like this one:

While Baker typically doesnt add substantial commentary to the memes he posts, the sergeant became quite verbose in November 2015, when Mayor Javier Gonzales called on Gov. Susana Martinez to welcome more Syrian refugees into New Mexico. He went from honoring our veterans last week, to kicking us in the balls today, Baker, whose Facebook profile picture is a US Army uniform, wrote of the mayor. We have enough issues here in Santa Fe for our overworked, underpaid, and understaffed police department. We dont need to add international terrorists to our citizens. Our proximity to LANL, SNL and Kirtland AFB, make us a prime target." Santa Fe is hardly the first police department to conduct internal investigations over content shared or posted by officers on social media. Just 50 miles south, the Albuquerque Police Department became one of the first in the nation to implement a social media conduct policy after journalists (namely, former Albuquerque Journal reporter and current SFR contributing editor Jeff Proctor) flagged offensive posts made by officers. One detective was temporarily suspended for listing his job description as human waste disposal, a detail reporters noticed after he fatally shot a man during a traffic stop. In another example, a detective was fired after posts referencing swastikas, pistol-whipping and disparaging comments about Muslims. Taken together, the Albuquerque officers' posts offered one of the first public windows into deeply rooted problems surrounding civil rights, use of force and a dim view of the public at the state's largest law enforcement agency. After a 16-month investigation of Albuquerque police by the US Department of Justice, federal officials would describe it in a blistering set of findings issued in April 2014 as a "culture of aggression" that led to widespread excessive force and one of the highest rates of police shootings in the nation. The Department of Justice most recently referenced social media posts expressing discriminatory views in a scathing report of civil rights violations by the Chicago Police Department. After coming across Bakers Facebook page, SFR reviewed the Facebook pages of the rest of the Santa Fe Police Department roster. Of those who set their pages to public, we could not find any posts with the same tenor, tone or offensive content as Baker's. Baker set his page to private after SFR called him for comment.

While Baker typically doesnt add substantial commentary to the memes he posts, the sergeant became quite verbose in November 2015, when Mayor Javier Gonzales called on Gov. Susana Martinez to welcome more Syrian refugees into New Mexico. He went from honoring our veterans last week, to kicking us in the balls today, Baker, whose Facebook profile picture is a US Army uniform, wrote of the mayor. We have enough issues here in Santa Fe for our overworked, underpaid, and understaffed police department. We dont need to add international terrorists to our citizens. Our proximity to LANL, SNL and Kirtland AFB, make us a prime target."

Santa Fe is hardly the first police department to conduct internal investigations over content shared or posted by officers on social media. Just 50 miles south, the Albuquerque Police Department became one of the first in the nation to implement a social media conduct policy after journalists (namely, former Albuquerque Journal reporter and current SFR contributing editor Jeff Proctor) flagged offensive posts made by officers.



One detective was temporarily suspended for listing his job description as human waste disposal, a detail reporters noticed after he fatally shot a man during a traffic stop. In another example, a detective was fired after posts referencing swastikas, pistol-whipping and disparaging comments about Muslims.



Taken together, the Albuquerque officers' posts offered one of the first public windows into deeply rooted problems surrounding civil rights, use of force and a dim view of the public at the state's largest law enforcement agency.



After a 16-month investigation of Albuquerque police by the US Department of Justice, federal officials would describe it in a blistering set of findings issued in April 2014 as a "culture of aggression" that led to widespread excessive force and one of the highest rates of police shootings in the nation.



The Department of Justice most recently referenced social media posts expressing discriminatory views in a scathing report of civil rights violations by the Chicago Police Department.



After coming across Bakers Facebook page, SFR reviewed the Facebook pages of the rest of the Santa Fe Police Department roster. Of those who set their pages to public, we could not find any posts with the same tenor, tone or offensive content as Baker's.

Baker set his page to private after SFR called him for comment.

Here are more examples of his Facebook posts: Jeff Proctor contributed to this story.8:16 PM: This story has been updated to reflect Sgt. Baker's involvement in an alleged excessive force case in 2010.

Santa Fe Reporter
Rakon director Peter Maire has resigned after 16 years at the company, with the board expecting to appoint new directors in the next few weeks.

"My decision to leave the Board now is because my other business interests are demanding much more of my time and with the arrival of Siward as a high quality major shareholder and potential future business partner, my specific skills are well replaced by their involvement," Maire said.

Rakon has tested investors' patience with the founding Robinson family's influence becoming a bone of contention at the 2016 annual meeting last November, with executive director Darren Robinson ousted from the board. While chairman Bryan Mogridge retained his seat, he indicated he would serve one more term and that founder Warren Robinson was prepared to step down before the next AGM.

Taiwan's Siward Crystal Technology, which took a 17 percent stake in Rakon in February for $14.1 million, will also appoint a director to its board as part of that deal. The board said today it was confident it is compliant with listing rules around the number of independent directors it needs, with Mogridge and Bruce Irvine filling those roles.

Rakon tilted its focus to the telecommunications sector after rivals in the smart wireless market caught up, turning what was once a niche product into a commoditised one. The shift helped Rakon return to profitability in the March 2015 year, but a slump in spending by network operators weighed on the Kiwi firm in 2016 and pushed it back into the red, with the company reporting a first-half loss of $5.7 million last year.The company said it will use the $14.1 million raised from Siward to repay debt, which was at $22.8 million as at Sept. 30, 2016, up $100,000 from a year earlier.

The shares were unchanged at 20 cents.

BusinessDesk.co.nz

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Meridian Energy's revenues from offshore activities are closing in on 10 percent of total income, with political uncertainty in Australia about the use of renewable energy offering both opportunities and risks for the Wellington-based renewable electricity generator and retailer.

In the six months to Dec. 31, international income totalled $104 million, all but $2 million of which was earned in Australia from a combination of wind farm operations and the growth of its Powershop retail brand, which has most recently launched in the state of Queensland and boasts 91,000 customers across the ditch.

For the half-year, the company reported earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, amortisation and changes in the value of financial instruments of $352 million, up 6 percent, despite a slight fall in total income for the period of $1.13 billion, from $1.21 billion in the previous comparable period.

Trading conditions in New Zealand were relatively flat during the half-year, with demand and wholesale electricity prices suppressed by a combination of mild winter weather, reduced irrigation demand because of a wet spring, and some loss of load caused by contracts with major industrial customers coming to an end and being only partially offset by new signings from small and medium-sized customers.

In Australia, however, total generation volumes rose by 19 percent and the company's international segment produced an 88 percent uplift in ebitdaf over the same period a year earlier, at $32 million, just $2 million short of ebitdaf for the whole of the previous financial year.

Powershop retail sales of 78 gigawatt hours were up 48 percent as the brand expanded its footprint into Queensland and was nominated 'greenest' Australian energy supplier by the environmental lobby group Greenpeace for the second year in a row.

However, political turmoil in Australia's electricity sector was becoming an issue, with the recent storm-related outage in South Australia being tied back to the country's pursuit of increased contributions from renewable, particularly wind, energy to offset Australia's heavy reliance on coal and natural gas to produce electricity.

It was unclear whether political support was sufficiently solid for the federal government's 2020 Renewable Energy Target to see the target met, although this was leading to some firming in prices for renewable electricity under Australia's scheme, which produces a spot price for renewables under a Large-Scale Generation Certificates scheme.

"This inability to provide political certainty for investors is seeing the build rate to meet Australia's 2020 RET rise to a point where most commentators do not deem it realistically achievable," directors said in the Meridian interim report, published today. "The flip side to this has been a strong price for LGCs, which has been a contributor to improved generation prices."

Meanwhile, Meridian believes its largest customer - the Rio Tinto-controlled aluminium smelter near Bluff - "remains cash positive at current prices and exchange rates". Since Jan. 1, the smelter has been paying a new, higher price for electricity, but is also now able to announce termination of supply at any time under complex renegotiations that occurred before Meridian's partial privatisation in October 2013.

The smelter consumes about 12 percent of all electricity generated in New Zealand.

Meridian chair Chris Moller and chief executive Mark Binns noted that global aluminium prices had firmed by around 4 percent at the same time as the New Zealand dollar had weakened about 3 percent against the US dollar, with early signs that the new regime in the US may bolster metal prices.

"It will be interesting to see if the new US president, with both a pro-growth agenda and a stated intention of addressing perceived unfair trade practices, has an impact, on both the supply and demand sides of the world aluminium market," they said. "Initial indications have been positive, with the aluminium price on the London Metal Exchange having improved by 7 percent from the date of the US presidential election through to the end of January."

The company also this morning announced an intention to raise to an unspecified sum via an issue of unsecured, unsubordinated, fixed rate seven-year retail bonds of which further details will eventually emerge.

The company announced a slight increase in interim dividend to 5.33 cents per share, 88 percent imputed, and a special dividend of 2.44 cents.

Meridian shares were trading late morning at $2.67, a 0.2 percent rise on yesterday's close. In the last 12 months, the shares have risen 25 percent.

BusinessDesk.co.nz

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NEW DELHI: India today discussed several issues, including proposed restrictions on American work visa and intellectual property rights (IPRs), with the visiting U.S. lawmakers.

These issues were deliberated upon during a 45-minute long meeting between Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and the eight-member US delegation here.

While India raised its concerns regarding H-1B visa restrictions, which will have adverse bearing on the Indian IT industry, the US side flagged the IPR and copyright related matters, sources said.

Besides, both sides also discussed market access of certain agricultural products.

The US delegation was led by Bob Goodlatte, chairman, Judiciary committee, House of Representatives. He is also scheduled to meet IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.

The proposed overhaul of popular H-1B visa regime by US President Donald Trump has raised concerns among Indian IT firms, as any changes in the visa regime may result in higher operational costs and shortage of skilled workers for the USD 110-billion Indian outsourcing industry.

Indian IT sector, which contributes 9.3 pct to the country's GDP, is one of the largest private sector employers of 3.7 million people.

The US accounts for nearly 62 pct of the exports, while EU is the second largest market for the Indian IT services exporters with around 28 pct contribution.

Recently, a US legislation (Lofgren Bill) has been introduced that proposes doubling of the minimum wages of H-1B visa holders to USD 130,000. The current H-1B minimum wage of USD 60,000 was fixed in 1989 and has since remained unchanged.

Such protectionist stance by the US could also spell more trouble for IT firms that are already facing strong headwinds from currency fluctuation and cautious client spending.

Read Also:

No Cap On Visa For Indian Students: British Envoy

India, EU Discuss Long Pending Free Trade Agreement
NEW DELHI: Britain today said there is no cap on visa for Indian students and they are free to access world-class education in top notch UK universities.



British High Commissioner to India Dominic Asquith said that the UK had announced 600 scholarships for Indian students aspiring to study in the UK.



"UK has no cap on visas for students from India or anywhere else. All are treated same. Whoever comes will join almost half a million international students who come in the UK to access word-class education in the world-class universities," he said here.



Asquith was speaking at the India launch of the report of the UN Secretary General's High Level Panel on Women's Economic Empowerment.



India has time and again asked Britain to relax student visa rules for greater mobility of students.



UK's visa policy requires students to return home after their courses end -- a move that has led to fall of Indian students enrolling in British universities by 50 pct.



As per estimates, the number of study visas issued to Indian nationals have fallen drastically.



Asquith also said that the UK is participating in several initiatives of the Indian government to promote skilling.



He said the UK is already investing and supporting about 75 start-up businesses and they provided access to financial services to women in India.



British companies, on an average, are spending 7 pct of their revenues on training and skilling employees in India and are also creating more opportunities for women, Asquith said.

Read Also:

Steel Exports Surge 224 Pct In January

India, South Korea Industrial Partnership Growing Fast
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02:40 Consensus in the US right now is Republicans will take the House Former White House director of communications Anthony Scaramucci says he believes the Republicans will take the House and Senate in the US midterms...

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Sergio's family says he was messing around with his friends, playing a game in which they ran down the culvert from the Mexican side and up the U.S. side to touch an 18-foot fence. Mesa arrived on a bicycle and detained one person while the others scampered back across the culvert, actually the dry bed of the Rio Grande River. He then shot Sergio as the boy ran toward a pillar supporting an overhead rail bridge. Mesa and other agents who arrived rode away on their bikes, without checking on the boy or offering medical aid, the family says.
According to the affidavit, Cochrane said she decided to speak out after reading an Associated Press article that said Bedke had temporarily stripped Rep. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard, of her committee assignments in January for accusing female lawmakers of only moving ahead in the Statehouse by trading sexual favors. Scott has since been reinstated to her assignments, but her far-right supporters, which include Redoubt News, have since cried foul and demanded increased scrutiny over the actions and comments made by legislative leadership.
A rally in downtown Los Angeles also drew thousands. Demonstrators there called attention to Trump's crackdown on immigration and his party's response to climate change and the environment. Organizers said they chose to rally on the holiday as a way to honor past presidents by exercising their constitutional right to assemble and peacefully protest.
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Liberal politician Mark Parton has sought the advice of the ACT's ethic and integrity advisor over a series of radio and television ads he appeared in for a Canberra car dealership.

A Canberra Liberals spokesman confirmed on Monday the Member for Brindabella had gone to Stephen Skehill for advice on the matter but was yet to hear back as to whether he was in breach of any assembly codes.

A screenshot from a social media advertisement for Rolfe Honda featuring Mark Parton. Mr Parton has asked for advice on the ad from the ACT ethics and integrity adviser. Credit:Screenshot/Rolfe Honda

The advertisements were made for Rolfe Honda before Mr Parton was elected to the assembly last year but have continued to play in the intervening months.

In his declarations of interests, Mr Parton said he began winding down his marketing business upon taking office.
It didn't take long for Carwoola's Toni Glaab to know something was wrong when she smelt smoke on Friday.

A quick glance at an emergency services website showed the fire speeding towards her home was attached with a 'Watch and Act' alert level, and she left her home.

The Glaab family were renting a home at Carwoola and it is now gone due to the fire. Toni and her husband Carl Glaab, and their children Christina 8, and Alexander, 9. Credit:Jamila Toderas

By the time she arrived at Bungendore, radio alerts told residents on her road, Widgiewa Street, to leave.

"It was so fast," she said.
Stephen Raymond Stubbs, the Canberra criminal solicitor who was found guilty last year of fraud, was jailed in the 1970s for dishonesty offences, a court has heard.

Stubbs, 63, faced a sentencing hearing in the ACT Supreme Court on Tuesday, after a jury found him guilty on December 15 of 14 counts of dishonestly obtaining property by deception.

Over the course of about a year in 2008 and 2009, Stubbs had demanded money for legal work from both a client's mother, Anne Duffy, and Legal Aid ACT, a legal funding service for socially or economically disadvantaged people. The total amounts he was found guilty of dishonestly taking were $25,000 and $4,000 respectively.

Stubbs did not deny taking the money. The prosecution had argued he was dishonest because he told both parties the other was not contributing to the defence of Alexander Duffy - who was facing a serious charge of conspiracy to commit murder.

In a victim impact statement read by the prosecutor on Tuesday, Ms Duffy described Stubbs' crimes as "the cruelest of all betrayals".
The Canberra Times recently reported that the water in Lake Burley Griffin is slightly improving - but the data failed to change many member's of the public's strong stance that they won't be jumping in any time soon.

According to the National Capital Authority, which manages the lake, if fewer people had gym memberships they might give it a try.

University of Canberra professor Ross Thompson testing water quality at Lake Burley Griffin. Credit:Rohan Thomson

But a Canberra water scientist thinks it has more to do with the lingering foul smells, murky appearance and pollution.

And unfortunately for the people who are turned off for those very reasons - he believes it will take at least a decade until they are fixed, despite state and federal government efforts to clean up the lake.
The AFL tribunal won't sit on Tuesday after Brisbane recruit Jack Frost accepted a one-match ban and four other players accepted fines.

Frost, who crossed from Collingwood in the off-season, will miss the Lions' round-one clash against Gold Coast after accepting the ban for his crude tackle on the Suns' Brandon Matera.

The pair were chasing a loose ball out of bounds in the third quarter of Sunday's pre-season competition clash when Frost slung Matera to the turf, causing a brief melee.
Bank staff are pressured not to "rock the boat" by calling out unethical or unlawful behaviour, the union representing finance workers says.

In a submission to a parliamentary inquiry calling for greater whistleblower protections, the Finance Sector Union says while employers have whistleblower policies in place, workers are afraid to access the policies because of pressure from management.

The union says staff have reported instances where they have been warned by managers not to report unethical behaviour and occasions when they have been directed to undertake unethical behaviour.

Staff have also reported being subjected to onerous procedures after speaking out about unlawful activity, it said.
Caltex is to review its operations  including its franchise model  as it prepares to push further into convenience retailing in a bid to drive growth to counter a looming loss of earnings from severing a large contract to supply Woolworths-branded petrol stations from year end.

BP is hoping to complete the $1.8 billion acquisition of the Woolworths petrol stations by year end, with Caltex moving to ensure the lost earnings will be offset by acquisitions or further operating efficiencies.

The loss of the Woolworths business comes as Caltex is ramping up efforts to push into the convenience retailing sector, via tie-ups with the likes of Sumo Salad, Boost Juices, Guzman Y Gomez, along with laundry and parcel pick-up (for internet transactions) service operators. Non-fuel sales already run at $1.1 billion a year, which gives it a ready platform that it is now moving to expand with greater convenience store sales. The recent purchase of Melbourne sandwich and coffee bar operator Nashi, which has nine outlets, was part of that push.

Caltex has been refining its new convenience retailing concept at its petrol stations, recently launching The Foodary at a petrol station in Sydney, with the expectation it could take another year or two to refine the model sufficiently to support a broader roll-out across its network nationwide. The company told analysts on Tuesday that a five-year development plan was under way, but it would only be in years three to five that there would be a "meaningful level" of contributions from the convenience store revamp.
One of the more interesting asides to the earnings season was provided by Peter Allen, the boss of Westfield spin-off Scentre Group.

The shopping centre operator could have been crimped pretty badly by the recent failures of Allphones, Marcs, David Lawrence, Pumpkin Patch and Payless Shoes.

But these people were schooled by billionaire Frank Lowy, and they certainly know how to smell blood in the water. Or in Allen's words, know which retailers are in danger of "going dark".

One of the analysts on the conference call for Scentre's half-year results on Tuesday asked Allen about the prospect of future bankruptcies and whether there were any tenants that "might be in a bit more trouble than usual".
The 1st UNWTO World Conference on Smart Destinations was organized by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in cooperation with the Ministry of Industry, Tourism and the Digital Agenda of Spain and the Region of Murcia on 15-17 February. More than 100 speakers from 20 countries convened in Murcia, Spain to present solutions and experiences for smart destinations.

Smart destinations are key to sustainable development and contribute not only to advances in the tourism sector but also in societies at large. The use of technological solutions contributes effectively to evidence-based decision making, prioritization of measures and anticipation of future scenarios, which is essential for responsible management of tourism and its impacts.

Topics such as smart destination systems for regular and timely measurement, intelligent promotion of tourist sites and digital accessibility formed part of the parallel presentations given over the three days.

Improved accessibility of destinations thanks to new solutions, the opportunities and challenges deriving from geo-referenced data, big data and open data platforms, and enhanced environmental protection through smart tools were also part of the discussions. Furthermore, changing travel behaviours and increasing personalized customer experiences, new business models and the role of entrepreneurs, improved participatory processes supported by smart solutions, the relation between travellers and local communities, and the sharing of existing applications were at the core of the conference.

Smart tourism is not a trend, but the future of tourism development, said UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai opening the conference. The International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development 2017 is the perfect framework to conduct such an event, as it addresses major challenges and opportunities of the tourism sector in the coming years, he added.

Spain has not only accepted the concept of smart tourism, but it has also launched related projects and actions, such as the conversion of the island of El Hierro and other cities such as Palma into smart destinations, or the development of normative work on this topic, said State Secretary of Spain for Tourism, Matilde Asian.

Destinations have to assume the new global framework: a complex context in which tourists behaviour and new technologies are changing economic structures and related policies; we are in a new scenario of continuous evolution, said the President of the Murcia region, Pedro Antonio Sanchez.
The former lover of Seven West Media chief Tim Worner said she wanted to "destroy" him and promised to unleash a "reign of terror", emails tendered in court reveal.

In a dramatic hearing in the NSW Supreme Court on Tuesday, lawyers for the media company released a string of emails in which former executive assistant Amber Harrison said she was "out to get" Mr Worner.

The company is seeking an order permanently restraining the 39-year-old from publishing embarrassing details about her two-year affair with the Seven chief executive, which ended in 2014.

But Ms Harrison's barrister told the court she was far from a "venomous harridan setting up poor Mr Worner" and Seven did not need to be protected from an "unemployed woman living down in Melbourne".
Charter Hall Retail REIT is looking at a range of capital management tools to deploy cash at a time when the supply of regional and neighbourhood centres is tightening.

These could range from a share buy to an equity return to investors, but only if cash cannot be deployed into new acquisitions.

Charter Hall Retail REIT added the Arana Hills Plaza, Queensland, to its assets. Credit:UA Creative

It comes as its major tenants, being Wesfarmer's Coles and Woolworths supermarkets, have shown some strength and the Aldi chain has also increased its presence and is now the eighth tenant in the portfolio in term of base rent paid.

Charter Hall Retail's chief executive Scott Dundas said a buy back or equity return, if they occur, "are both equivalent to buying more of an improved residual portfolio and therefore increasing the growth from it".
Family-owned commercial and high-rise residential builder Crema Constructions has leased an older-style industrial building in Port Melbourne. Another securely tenanted medical facility on Hastings Road has sold for $3.1million to a local developer. Colliers International's Ben Baines and Adrian Rowse said the 1821 sq m site generated more than 100 inquiries and sold on a yield of 6.1 per cent. Mornington School uniform supplier Bob Stewart has leased a large office/warehouse at 364-368 Darebin Road, Alphington. A Mornington Peninsula hotel popular with newly weds and for functions has sold for around $9 million. The Best Western Plus Brooklands hotel on the beachside of Nepean Highway at 99 Tanti Avenue has 53 four-star guest rooms, four function rooms, a heated indoor pool and gymnasium on a 9000 sq m site. CBRE's Scott Callow said the buyer was an experienced accommodation operator from Melbourne.

Windsor The successful auction of a property at 86-90 High Street prompted the off-market sale of a neighbouring property at 92 High Street to Quattro Group chief executive Peter Quattro. Colliers International's Ben Baines and Jeremy Gruzewski negotiated the sale of the two-level creative-style office/showroom for $2,775,000. Epping A local transport business has paid $1.65 million for a new office warehouse at 9 Newmarket Lane. The business, which is expanding, will move from an older facility into the 1250 sq m on a 1808 sq m site, Knight Frank's Daniel DeSanctis and Scott Braithwaite said. Moorabbin

A 3200 sq m second-grade industrial building has sold within two weeks, said Colliers International's James Stott. Vendor Bert Tuckwell walked away with $3.3 million after the property at 1-7 Sullivan Street sold off market. Mr Stott said the south-eastern suburbs had experienced strong capital growth throughout 2016. Meanwhile, Ace Fencing is moving to Pakenham from Dandenong South after purchasing a 1362 sq m warehouse for $1,482,000. The 2632 sq m property is Carmega Properties' last remaining lot at SouthEast Business Park, Gordon Code and Michael Burne said. Moorabbin Crabtrees Real Estate successfully sold out Phoenix Business Park at 143 Keys Road. Six warehouse shells sold on a sq m rate between $2750 and $2955. "The Moorabbin market is very strong at the moment. There is simply very few options available," said Luke Pitcher. LEASES Ravenhall

Fast-growing fitness group The HIIT Factory has expanded its Victorian footprint, leasing out warehouse four at 24-28 Eucumbene Drive. Colliers International's Ashley McIntyre negotiated the terms at $95 per sq m for two years, plus the option for two years. Ms McIntyre said HIIT decided to open near Caroline Springs to take advantage of the growing population. Alphington School uniform supplier Bob Stewart has leased a large office/warehouse at 364-368 Darebin Road. The firm will move its warehouse from Kew into the 2600 sq m building leased by CBRE's Guy Naselli and Gray & Johnson on a five-year term for $180,000 per annum. It's retail shop will remain in Kew. Port Melbourne Family-owned commercial and high-rise residential builder Crema Constructions has leased an older-style industrial building at 90 Turner Street. Gray Johnson's Rory White said the firm took a three-year lease plus three-year option on starting gross annual rental of $242,000 with no incentives.
Retail has had a rough and ready couple of months, but some companies are hitting it out of the park.

Shopping centre owner GPT Group has singled out jewellery retailer Pandora and cosmetics chains Mecca and Mac as star performers.

"Over the past 12 months, total centre sales were up 3.2 per cent, with an improvement in department stores (up 4.2 per cent) and supermarkets (up 2.4 per cent), while the discount department stores [were] still showing declining sales growth (down 2.6 per cent)," GPT, which controls a $4.9 billion retail portfolio across 14 centres, told investors.

Discount department stores include well-known brands such as Target, Kmart and Big W.
One of Australia's largest IVF providers has suffered an almost 18 per cent fall in first-half profit as demand for IVF treatments in Australia sinks.

Virtus Health reported a 17.6 per cent fall in first-half profit to $14.7 million, citing lower market activity and weakness in Victoria, with revenue for the six months to December 31 down 0.7 per cent to $131.4 million.

The company said it was anticipating pressure in Queensland as a result of increased low-cost competition. Credit:Getty Images

While the assisted reproductive services (ARS) market contracted 6 per cent in the half year, Virtus' fresh cycle activity in Australia dropped by 7.2 per cent on a like-for-like basis.

However, Virtus chief executive Sue Channon said revenue had improved in its diagnostics business, where revenue for pre-genetic screening services (PGS) rose 37.9 per cent.
The fizz is going out of China's beer market.

Consumption volume has declined in the last two years, and is set to continue to do so for the next five, according to BMI Research.

The reasons include intense competition, changing tastes, growing health awareness and a slower economy, which is squeezing out lower-income consumers, the research arm of Fitch Group said.

Asahi Group Holdings is looking to exit its 19.9 per cent stake in Tsingtao Brewery after eight years, epitomising the troubles operators face in the market.
Pakistan is also vesting significant hope in the new port. Inland lie huge deposits of minerals (iron, lithium and deposits of rare earths). Opening a transport route could transform the region; but that's been the case for years. What's changed now is that real money is backing the project.

China is devoting an enormous sum, nearly $A60 billion, towards the project. Once opened, it will allow China to escape the "string of pearls"  the maritime choke points in the South China Sea that act like a garrotte around the superpower. Understanding this is the key to unravelling the new determination behind the development of the port.

It will, however, require much more than just willpower to hold back the desert. Despite plans for new coal-fired power and desalination plants, almost as soon as any capacity comes online more is urgently needed and it's difficult to know where it will come from. The hinterland is bare  which is why it hasn't already been developed.

Jamaldini (who studied for a PhD at the University of Queensland) is, necessarily, pushing the doors that are open as he tries to fire up the port. That doesn't mean it will be enough. While the beating sun would appear to offer an ideal opportunity for solar power, this isn't planned at the moment and generating power, like obtaining fresh water, will remain problematic. New techniques are, however, being introduced. Customs' collector Saeed Akram has increased revenue by 50 per cent by using the "light touch" of indirect taxes. As part of an effort to encourage more companies to move, the port itself will also become a tax-free zone.

Hopeful rhetoric has surrounded this project for years. What's changed now is that dollar signs are attached. What happens over the coming 12 months will be the key to making or breaking the project, and that's why a lot will depend on speed.
Melbourne might be the self-proclaimed coffee capital of the known universe, but what floats this Melburnian's boat is the humble, daggy cup of tea.

I can go for days without coffee, and have even (oh the shame!) been known to sneak a cup of instant. Tea, however (made in a pot, with leaves) is a matter of survival. I can well understand why Jeannie Gunn, in the Australian classic We of the Never Never, written in the early years of the 20th century, describes how vital tea was to the functioning of her remote Northern Territory cattle station. Everything would grind to a halt if the tea ran out; people would risk life and limb to ensure that supplies arrived.

Tea: The warmth starts as your hands wrap around the mug, and steals gently into your soul. Credit:Louise Southerden

I grew up in the middle of tea plantations in the subcontinent, where tea is the beverage that keeps the nation on its feet. Any Indian will tell you, it is never too hot for a cup of tea, and there is always, always time for one.

Every time we moved house in India, we packed our crockery in old tea chests. To this day I can picture them: big boxes made of ply, covered in stencils of exotic place names, lined with tin, with traces of the leaves still in the corners and the faintest aroma of tea.
This is what's still happening despite any protestations from the government, despite any pretence that it's taking serious action. Last week, two women died violently on the same day. This year, seven all up that we know about, as well as at least two deaths in remote communities where getting any consistent public reporting is nearly impossible. Over the past three years, more than 200 women have been killed.

It's such an urgent problem across the world that United Nations special rapporteur Dubravka Simonovic is conducting a sweeping study. She is in Australia now assessing violence against women here and meeting everyone she can  representatives at federal, state and territorial level among the legislative and judicial branches, the Australian Human Rights Commission and various rights commissioners, as well as with a broad range of civil society representatives.

I met her in Sydney last week and her laser focus on the issue of violence against women was compelling. She urged us all to have the best data we could collect and acknowledged those involved in what she described as the femicide census or femicide watch, including the work of Destroy the Joint's Counting Dead Women.

She has said: "Violence against women continues to be one of the most pervasive human rights violations globally, affecting every woman worldwide and Australia is no exception."

Which is why Batty continues with her inhuman workload. Last year, she spoke at more than 150 events. This year, there are many more to come. She's sure that one particular area would do much to stop family violence  in particular the deaths of children  and that's the reform of the Family Court. She has begged and pleaded with everyone to take stock and to stop the harm. Instead of those changes, she's seen back-pedalling and the rise of One Nation.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has criticised the United Nations for a recent resolution condemning Israeli settlements while reiterating Australia's continuing support for a two state solution to the Middle East conflict, ahead of an historic visit by the Israeli prime minister on Wednesday.

Writing for News Corp, Mr Turnbull welcomed Israel's leader Benjamin Netanyahu to Australia and appeared to censure both the UN and those who "insisted government take the side of those in the international community who seek to chastise Israel  and it alone  for the continuing failure of the peace process."

"In a speech to the UN General Assembly in 2015, Prime Minister Netanyahu pointed out that in the preceding 12 months, the General Assembly had adopted 20 resolutions critical of Israel, compared to just one in response to the war in Syria, which has resulted in more than 250,000 killed and millions driven from their homes," Mr Turnbull wrote.

"My government will not support one-sided resolutions criticising Israel of the kind recently adopted by the UN Security Council and we deplore the boycott campaigns designed to delegitimise the Jewish state."
Australians overwhelmingly believe keeping asylum seekers on Manus Island and Nauru indefinitely is cruel, but are evenly split on whether they should be resettled in Australia, a survey has found.

The poll by Roy Morgan Research shows attitudes towards those held on remote foreign islands are heavily based on age, gender, geography and political affiliation, with young progressive voters strongly supporting resettlement in Australia.

The chief executive officer of Roy Morgan Research, Michele Levine, said those who took part in the poll were invited to comment on the policy that has left more than 2000 asylum seekers on Manus and Nauru for more than three years.

"Even those who said: 'Don't bring them to Australia' would still say: 'It's really cruel, I'm concerned at the way they are living'," Ms Levine told Fairfax Media. "There is an overwhelming concern and response to the human suffering that seems to cut across everything."
There's not much the Kardashian/Jenner clan won't do for fame, especially with momager, Kris Jenner, at the helm cracking the whip, so it will come as no surprise that Kim Kardashian West has kept the details of her Paris robbery for the 13th season of her family's reality television show, Keeping up with the Kardashians.

Appearing on the Ellen DeGeneres Show on Monday, Jenner explained that her second-eldest daughter (and main cash cow) found it "therapeutic" to speak about the October heist for the cameras.

"When we started filming again and started getting up and running, obviously Kim was around because we all practically lived together on the same street. We started filming and what was coming out of that was very therapeutic for her I think, to just to explain to us and walk us through," Kris said.

"Now we are seeing some of the stuff that had come out of those days and no one can even get through the first five minutes without being hysterical. I get choked up just thinking about it and talking about it. But it's remarkable to listen to her tell the story."
HSC courses could be sold to countries with the best performing education systems, with Asian countries keen to teach the NSW syllabuses in their schools, according to the board responsible for exams and curriculum.

The chair of the NSW Education Standards Authority, Tom Alegounarias, said the HSC was in demand around the world.

"The HSC is one of the state's greatest assets," Mr Alegounarias said. "We have had Chinese schools and systems wanting to buy our syllabuses."

The standards authority, formerly the Board of Studies, released new syllabuses for English, Maths, Science and History on Tuesday after a four-year consultation period with teachers, interest groups and academics.
Essendon, July 10, 1978: Catastrophe and comfort, the warmth of the burning plane and the blazing house somehow made a haunting contrast that cold winter's evening.

The plane had hit the house, slewed across the back fence and slammed into the rear brick wall of the backyard neighbour's place.

Three men were still trapped in the wreckage.

The ABC television evening news had just started as neighbours rushed with hoses and buckets to put out the fire engulfing the twin-engine Partenavia aircraft.
A major Islamic organisation thrown into turmoil by an internal coup has been stacked with new executives that include two sacked school leaders and a halal certifier suing anti-Islam campaigner Kirralie Smith.

Fairfax Media reported on Monday that a group of former executive members of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils (AFIC), who either stepped down or were banned last year, entered the organisation's Zetland headquarters late at night last week with a locksmith.

Hafez Kassem (second from right) resigned as AFIC president but now claims it was only temporary.

AFIC administers millions of dollars worth of halal certification, sits on $65 million worth of assets and runs six Islamic schools.

All six schools risked having their federal funding revoked after audits uncovered years of mismanagement, nepotism and financial impropriety by AFIC.
The Bishop of Parramatta, Vincent Long Van Nguyen, has told a royal commission he suffered sexual abuse by a member of the clergy after arriving in Australia as a refugee from Vietnam in 1981.

Bishop Long told the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse he had enormous empathy for victims.

Bishop of Parramatta Vincent Long Van Nguyen has told a royal commission the Catholic church needs reform. Credit:Nic Walker

"I was also a victim of sexual abuse by clergy when I first came to Australia, even though I was an adult," he said.

"That had a powerful impact on me and I want to walk in the shoes of other victims and endeavour to attain justice and dignity for them."
The morning Caroline Byrne was found dead at the bottom of a cliff, her boyfriend Gordon Wood went to view her body in the morgue.

Accompanied by his mother and sister, Mr Wood was told by a counsellor that he could hold Ms Byrne's hand to say goodbye, Mr Wood's barrister Bruce McClintock, SC, told the NSW Supreme Court on Tuesday.

Caroline Byrne, whose body was found at the bottom of a cliff at The Gap, in Watsons Bay, in June 1995.

But Ms Byrne's former boyfriend, Andrew Blanchette, told a false and "sinister" story about Mr Wood's visit to the morgue on June 8, 1995, Mr McClintock said.

Mr Blanchette, then a police officer, also visited the morgue that morning and made a statement in 2000, which was read to the court as part of Mr Wood's claim against the state of NSW for malicious prosecution.
A man who claimed his pet pug dog was stolen at knife-point in Sydney Olympic Park earlier this month has been charged with making a false report to police about the late-night armed robbery, which police allege never happened.

However, police are still searching for the 14-week-old puppy, named Egg, who has been missing since February 9 when his owner claimed he had been stolen.

On that night, the 29-year-old man told police he was walking Egg near the corner of Australia Avenue and Parkview Drive about 10.30pm when he was confronted by three men who were armed with knives.

The man told police the offenders demanded his wallet and backpack, which he handed over to them.
Aussie hip hop act Bliss n Eso will play a tribute show to the Gold Coast stuntman killed while filming a music video for their latest single.

Popular stuntman Johann Ofner died last month while filming an "Asian gangster" scene using prop guns and blanks in an underground Brisbane bar, shocking the industry.

Fairfax Media has been told it's suspected a piece or pieces of debris exited the barrel of a prop shotgun used in the scene and penetrated the performer's chest.

On Friday, the band announced plans to push back its album launch and play a tribute show for the 28-year-old in his hometown.
Emergency vehicles are automatically turning Brisbane's lights green to enable them to get to their destinations up to 26 per cent quicker.

The technology has been rolled out across 13 Brisbane road corridors at a cost of $1.1 million, jointly funded by Brisbane City Council and the Queensland state government.

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said the technology could shave almost 30 seconds off an emergency vehicle's travel time, a relatively small amount of time that could have life-saving ramifications.

"In an emergency, every second counts and this priority emergency technology is about making sure we see emergency vehicles, be they ambulances or fire and rescue vehicles, get to where they need to go quickly," he said.
The pilot of the plane that crashed at Essendon Airport killing himself and four passengers on Tuesday was the subject of an ongoing investigation by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau that had been deferred on three separate occasions.

Max Quartermain, the 63-year-old owner and pilot for charter company Corporate and Leisure Aviation faced referral to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority and possible suspension of his aviation licence over a "near collision" with another plane on Mount Hotham in September 2015.

But the draft investigation report has been delayed for more than eight months because of "competing priorities and workload of the investigator in charge", according to a recent update from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.

"Completion of the draft investigation report has been further delayed by the involvement of the investigator in charge on other aviation safety investigations and tasks."
There are heavy delays Altona-bound on the Western Ring Road after two crashes.

The first one, is about to clear, at Sydney Road, where a truck is being pushed out of the way of the right hand lane but the trouble is further down at Airport Drive.

A couple of trucks have collided in a noses-to-tails crash. The three right-hand lanes are closed and it is not clear how long it will take to shift the trucks out of the way.

Only the left lane is getting through. VicRoads and emergency services are on the way.
Detectives have visited the home of missing Melbourne mother Karen Ristevski.

Police confirmed the worst on Tuesday afternoon, saying a body found in Mount Macedon belonged to Ms Ristevski.

Missing Melbourne mother Karen Ristevski has been confirmed dead.

Karen Ristevski with her husband, Borce, and daughter, Sarah.

Two plain-clothes officers arrived at the Oakley Drive house in Avondale Heights shortly before 5pm on Tuesday.

They left alone about 5.45pm.

Ms Ristevski's husband Borce and their 21-year-old daughter Sarah live at the house.

It comes after a badly decomposed body was found in bushland at the base of Mount Macedon on Monday.
Premier Daniel Andrews has rejected the State Coroner's push for a safe injecting room to help reduce deadly drug overdoses, adding fuel to the political battle between Labor and the Greens in a key inner-city seat.

Despite recommendations from Coroner Jacqui Hawkins that a safe injecting room for heroin users be trialled, Mr Andrews on Tuesday said his Labor government had no plans to set such a facility up.

Premier Daniel Andrews is resisting calls to trial a safe injecting room Credit:Rick Stevens

"I have been very, very clear prior to the election and since. We have no plans to introduce a facility like that," Mr Andrews said.

Thirty-four people died in 2016 in an area centred around Victoria Street in Richmond.
Professor Buxton said the Essendon Airport DFO was "one of the most extensive commercialisations of any airport in Australia and it has put thousands of extra people daily within the airport boundaries". He said state governments had failed to strongly oppose bad developments at airports  despite the dangers they introduced. Premier Daniel Andrews, asked on Tuesday if Essendon Airport should shut after the latest accident, pointed to its importance as a transport hub for Victoria. Aviation analyst Neil Hansford said the crash raised questions about whether Essendon Airport's operators should have been allowed to develop the site. "The DFO sits on what used to be cleared land for the airport. If the DFO hadn't been there, [the plane] would have come down on the airport estate," he said.

But Peter Bruce, deputy chair of Swinburne University's aviation department, said there was tight regulation to prevent developments on airport grounds interfering with safety. "This is a freak sort of thing," Dr Bruce said. There have been 287 incidents, three serious, and three "accidents" at Essendon Airport in the past decade, according to Australian Transport Safety Bureau data. The most recent before Tuesday's was in December, when a Royal Flying Doctor Service plane's landing gear collapsed and it overran the runway.

Helen van den Berg was spokeswoman for a campaign to close Essendon Airport for 13 years  but the group wound itself up two years ago after realising the fight was pointless. "Why argue when nobody will act? You saw today, the premier shut down the argument about closing so quickly because commerce takes precedence over people," she said. Labor's 1996 federal election campaign promised to shut the airport and turn it into film studios. Ms van den Berg, who lives in Niddrie, said air safety bureaucrats had warned at that time that Essendon needed a far bigger buffer around its runways. Approached for a response on the safety of airport development, and resident safety, Essendon Airport issued a statement on Tuesday saying: "Planning on and around airports is subject to an extensive public consultation process including the local community and all relevant authorities."

It was not appropriate to comment further on the incident until safety investigations were complete, the statement said. Ms van den Berg said the aircraft in Tuesday's accident might have had more chance of reducing the crash severity if there had been open space around it. "If I buy a ticket for Tullamarine, I know there is a buffer of green space around it. At Essendon, there's nothing." Arun Chandu completed his PhD last year into the history of Melbourne's airports, which looked at Essendon from its use as a major airfield from 1919. "It was on the outskirts at that time, miles from everything," he said. He argued that the crash was due to an aircraft issue, and the focus shouldn't be on the development around the airport.

But Essendon Fields residents on Tuesday voiced their concerns about the height of buildings close to the airport. Stephen Moore saw the aftermath of the plane crashing into the shopping centre. He was surprised "a building of that height that close to an airport" had been allowed. Mr Moore was also concerned about other surrounding developments, including apartments being built on a hill on Bulla Road, across the Tullamarine Freeway from the DFO. "It seems high for being that close to the airport," he said. However he said he didn't believe the airport should be shut or buffer zones increased. "It's a rare event so we have to take that into context," he said. Loading
The Ristevski house in Avondale Heights. Credit:Pat Scala

June 29: Karen Ristevski disappears from her Avondale Heights home about 10am after an argument with her husband, Borce.

July 4: Karen's daughter, Sarah, makes a plea for public information about her mother's disappearance.

July 8: Karen's husband Borce Ristevski is questioned by police over the disappearance.
Work to duplicate the Western Highway between Ballarat and Stawell has been suspended indefinitely because VicRoads failed to renew an expired planning permit for the project.

The administrative blunder has put the biggest regional road project in Victoria in limbo, because VicRoads has lost its authority to proceed with the next stage of the $675 million highway upgrade.

The Western Highway, between Ararat and Stawell, is set to be duplicated. Credit:Paul Jeffers

It is the latest in a series of costly errors made by the authority, which won environmental approval for an earlier stage of the project on the basis of a wildly inaccurate estimate that it would cut down no more than 221 large old trees.

It went on to destroy almost 900 such trees, which were classified as "of very high conservation significance".
The evidence in favour of a supervised drug injecting room is now too compelling to ignore.

The voices in support of such a centre have become louder after Coroner Jacqui Hawkins recommended a trial.

Yet Premier Daniel Andrews remains stubbornly opposed to a measure that is widely accepted as saving lives.

The official line from MPs is against an injecting room but privately many support it.
The man allegedly behind the wheel of the Toyota Landcruiser that crashed head-on into Jenni Pratt's car on the Bussell Highway near Capel on Saturday has been identified as Shaun Southern.

The 45-year-old remains in a critical condition in hospital and is yet to be interviewed by detectives investigating the horrific fatal crash and his alleged erratic behaviour in the moments beforehand.

Homicide detectives are trying to determine why the father-of-two seemingly deliberately drove onto the wrong side of the highway, forcing dozens of oncoming motorists to swerve or drive their vehicles at high speed into roadside ditches to avoid a collision.

Ms Pratt was returning from an outing with a friend when her RAV4 was hit head-on by the 4WD Mr Southern was driving. She died at the scene.
"I have a dream..."

Two pensioners from Port Kennedy who used their last $11 in change to buy a Monday Lotto ticket are WA's latest millionaires.

A Port Kennedy couple have had an extraordinary win in Monday Lotto. Credit:Viki Lascaris

The self-described battlers - both in their 60s - purchased the ticket only after the wife dreamt she had won Lotto.

Just days later she scooped the $1 million Division One prize.
A child rapist will not return to school after a public outcry from parents who were not told the offender was at the same school as their children.

The 10-year-old, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to sexually penetrating a child and threatening to kill following an incident where he raped an eight-year-old boy in a local park at knifepoint in December.

The boy's sentencing was delayed on Tuesday after a magistrate expressed concerns he may not have the capacity to understand the legal process.

Around 50 parents who had planned to pull their children out of the school if the child returned held a meeting on Tuesday afternoon following the court delay.
The houses in the Rockaways sat empty. The next year, Hurricane Sandy struck the Queens neighbourhood with great force, causing massive property damage. The city created the "Build It Back" program to provide assistance for reconstruction. Clean-up and reconstruction began on Beach 120th Street, but not at the two empty homes, and that may have been the first time someone discovered they were vacant. A woman named Donata Rea, 53, lived five blocks away. She would later tell the authorities that she had known Connors from the neighbourhood, and helped her in later years when she was ill. She took a new interest in Connors' property after the storm. In January 2013, Rea created the Karen M. Connors Living Trust - more than a year after Connors had ceased living - in a document bearing what was purported to be Connors' signature, according to a criminal complaint released last week. The document gave the dead woman's jewellery, her furniture, a bank account containing more than $US32,000 ($41,000) and the two homes to Rea, according to the complaint.

Five months later, Rea submitted paperwork to obtain power of attorney over Connors, again with the dead woman's signature. A month after that, Rea began a scheme that would eventually lead to her arrest, according to the complaint. She applied for Build It Back funds for repairs to the houses. "It's that last sort of greedy step that ends up being her undoing," said Mark Peters, the commissioner of the city's Department of Investigation, which worked on the case with the Queens district attorney's office. The program went on to approve more than $US60,000 in payments for work done on the houses, according to the complaint. Rea turned the former Connors summer home into an apartment with three units and leased them to tenants. One of those tenants, Patricia Struse, 70, arrived in 2014.

She and other tenants were told that Karen Connors was the landlady, but they never saw her, Struse said. Neighbours said they thought she had died. Struse said she didn't want trouble, and wrote her monthly $US1100 check to Rea. "I was just happy to have a roof over my head," she said. In 2015, investigators received a tip that something was amiss on Beach 120th Street. By then, Rea had sold property that Connors had owned in Florida for $US146,000, according to the complaint. She went on to collect $US50,000 in rent from the three apartments and put the house up for sale, the complaint states. In November last year, Rea entered into a contract with a buyer to sell that house for $800,000, the complaint states. It was then that the public administrator's office first learned of Connors and her assets, said Gerard Sweeney, a lawyer for the office. "We brought proceedings to recover the real estate," he said. Rea agreed to vacate the deeds, giving the property to the public administrator. She was arrested on Wednesday, charged with grand larceny and released on her own recognisance. A woman at her home responded to a reporter's knock on Thursday by saying: "She's not here."

If convicted, Rea faces up to 25 years in prison, according to the district attorney. Her lawyer, Joseph Mure jnr, said Rea had been trying to help Connors, not knowing she had died. "The woman was missing," he said Friday. "Sandy hit, and she attempted to help out her friend, getting into the house, fixing things up." The criminal case led to the realisation of what had become of Connors' remains. "A destitute person looks just the same as a person with a million dollars in real estate if there's no one there to tell a story," Sweeney said.

Connors was born in 1948 to Mary and Michael Connors, not long after Michael Connors had returned from Europe, where he fought in World War II as a member of the 82nd Airborne Division. She attended Saint Leo College in Florida (now Saint Leo University), where she participated in the drama club, student government, the dance company and the riding club; a yearbook photo showed her on horseback at Tampa Downs, her long blonde hair pulled back beneath a riding hat. She graduated in 1972 with a degree in theatre and philosophy. Her father died of a heart attack in the summer house on Beach 120th Street in 1966. Her mother died in 1976. Connors returned to the two-storey home. Neighbours last week described her as a recluse in her later years, more prone to complain about noisy children than start a conversation. The office plans to auction Connors' homes next month, and the proceeds will eventually be divided among any cousins who come forward. But first, the office will pay to have Connors disinterred from Hart Island. It has found the cemetery in Long Island where her mother and father are buried. There is no room there, but a plot is available at a nearby Catholic cemetery; that is where Connors will be buried, said Lois Rosenblatt, the public administrator.
South of Mosul: US-backed Iraqi forces battling Islamic State fighters have fought their way close to Mosul's airport on the second day of a ground offensive on the jihadists' remaining stronghold in the western side of the city.

Federal police and elite interior ministry units known as Rapid Response are leading the charge toward the airport on the southern outskirts of Mosul and plan to turn it into a close support base for the push into western Mosul, military commanders said.

They dislodged Islamic State fighters from the hilltop village of Albu Saif which overlooks the airport, reaching its "vicinity," an Iraqi military statement said.

The militants were said to be essentially under siege in western Mosul, along with an estimated 750,000 civilians, after they were forced out of the eastern part of the city in the first phase of the campaign that ended last month after 100 days of fighting.
The bill, authored by state Senator Jacob Anderegg, a fellow Utah Republican, would commission a study on whether there's a pay gap between male and female workers in the state. It would require certain employers to adopt a uniform criteria that will be used to determine whether someone should get a raise based on performance, and would create a pay index that states the average pay range for each occupation based on years of experience. SB 210 was introduced on Monday. Shortly after its publication, Green's letter was met with such a sharp response, within two days, Green wrote an apology and resigned from his post as vice chair of the Wasatch County Republican Party. State Representative Tim Quinn, a Republican who represents Utah's 54th district, which includes Wasatch County, denounced the comments and distanced himself from Green. Wasatch County, with a population of a little more than 29,000, is located about 160 kilometres outside of Salt Lake City. "I am shocked and appalled to learn how James Green feels about equal pay for women. I don't know where this belief came from," Quinn said in a statement, according to Fox affiliate KSTU.

"I do not subscribe publicly or privately to the words or the spirit behind these words, thoughts or ideas. Of course, the Wasatch County Republican Party and I are for equal pay and rights for all people." The Utah Women's Coalition, which supports SB 210, took to social media with its criticism of Green's comments. "Are we really having this conversation in 2017?" asked a Facebook post sharing a local story about Green. The coalition's Stephanie Pitcher told Fox affiliate KSTU that the bluntness of Green's remarks were "very disappointing" and contradicts the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, as well as anti-discrimination provisions in state law. "He was very straightforward and blunt about his thoughts on women in the workforce and that was really surprising, but the first thing I noticed was a very open recognition that there is a pay disparity between men and women," Pitcher told KSTU of Green.

Green told KSTU that he has been in "hot water" since his letter was published. "You wouldn't believe the hateful, vile comments and messages I've received," Green told KSTU, adding that he decided to resign from his position because he "didn't want to hurt the party," which he said was getting blamed for his comments. Green then wrote a second letter saying his comments are not representative of the Wasatch County GOP or the Republican Party in general and apologising to those who have been offended. "I want to clarify that the main focus of my letter was to express that I don't feel the government should be dictating to private establishments what they must do in regard to employment, hiring, or wages," Green wrote, according to KSTU. "There was no offence intended toward Women, whatsoever. And yet some took it that way. To those who were offended, I profusely apologise. I sincerely did not mean to do that."

He also said he values women's contributions in the workforce, and that he was only pointing out the "historical reasons for pay disparity". "While I worked my fingers to the bone (with numerous extra side jobs) so my Wife could say in the home and raise our two Sons, who are now both Physician/Surgeons (plus one also has a Law Degree), I realise not everyone is so fortunate," Green wrote. A spokeswoman for the Utah GOP told the TV station Green had resigned. Efforts to reach the Utah GOP were unsuccessful. Women in Utah make 71 cents for every dollar paid to men for the same occupation, according to the National Women's Law Centre. That's lower than the US average, which is 80 cents for every dollar paid to men. Black and Latina women in the state make 56 cents and 47 cents for every dollar paid to white men, respectively, according to the centre. Both numbers are below the national averages: 63 cents for black women and 54 cents for Latina women.
Malaysia has labelled North Korea "delusional" over claims that include the man assassinated at Kuala Lumpur airport last week was not the estranged half-brother of North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un.

Foreign minister Anifah Aman said Malaysia is "deeply insulted" by North Korea's questioning of the investigation into the poisoning of 46 year-old Kim Jong-nam by two women in what South Korea says was a long planned operation by North Korea's spy agency.

Mr Anifah hit back in a statement saying "these allegations are culled from delusions, lies and half-truths."

"In all civilised nations, it is the norm for cases such as these to be comprehensively investigated," he said.
French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen stirred controversy on the second day of her trip to Lebanon, refusing to wear a headscarf to meet a top Islamic leader and pledging to restore ties with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad if elected.

Officials at the Dar al-Fatwa, Lebanon's highest Sunni authority, said Ms Le Pen had been told in advance she'd need to put on a headscarf before meeting Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdel-Latif Derian. Reminded again on arriving at his Beirut headquarters, she refused and left. "Dar al-Fatwa regrets this inappropriate behaviour," the council said.

Ms Le Pen disputed she broke a prior agreement. "I told them Monday that I wasn't going to wear a headscarf. They didn't cancel the meeting and so I therefore assumed that they had then accepted that I wouldn't be wearing a headscarf," she told reporters after the incident, according to Agence France-Presse.

She reportedly also told her hosts that she hadn't worn a veil when meeting Egypt's Grand Imam of al-Azhar in May 2015, and she would not do so now, Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported.
US Secretary of Defence Jim Mattis, second from right, is greeted by US Ambassador Douglas Silliman as he arrives at Baghdad International Airport, Iraq, on Monday. Credit:AP And high on Pence's to-do list on his return to Washington was a meeting with Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, to do more smoothing of Canberra's ruffled feathers after the madness of Trump's "worst" phone call with Malcolm Turnbull. And in a separate meeting with Bishop, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was to do a bit more smoothing. And the Swedes? So far no one in Washington has had time to wrap their head around damage control in the wake of Trump's unfounded claim at a rally in Florida on Saturday, that something terrible had happened in Sweden overnight Friday. Oh, and by the way, the country was a cot-case because its migrant communities were crime-ridden  which they are not. Jim Mattis speaks during the Munich Security Conference on Friday. Credit:AP There's a huge problem in all this double talk from Washington  who to believe?

Vali Nasr, dean of the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, who was at a Munich security conference also attended by Mattis and Pence, spoke of the defence secretary as "the one island of stability". But Nasr went on: "The key is that nobody knows the extent of his influence. Right now, we're tight with trans-Atlantic unity, but who knows what to believe?" Mike Pence, left, and EU Council President Donald Tusk in Brussels. Credit:AP If Trump pre-emptively rattles the cages of the world, these contrary assurances from his saner underlings have an uncertain value; particularly because in making their pitches of comfort, none of them addresses a fundamental  why did Trump say what he said in the first place? Trump disparages the European Union and NATO; he's in love with Vladimir Putin and Russia; and he's all over the shop on the Middle East. But if his emissaries are to be believed, the US still sees itself as a deterrent to Russia and China; as Europe's staunch ally; and as an honest broker in the Middle East. National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster says the US is exploring "a range of options" to respond to North Korea. Credit:AP

It's as though two administrations are working from two scripts  and that's scary. The best that can be said, is that a new normal is being worked out  or as a hopeful British defence minister, Michael Fallon, said at the weekend, "You know, new administrations, you know, can take time to settle down". US Vice-President Mike Pence, left, and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at NATO headquarters in Brussels. Credit:AP Perhaps. But for now there is a dissonance that can't go on unresolved. The notion that this is a deliberate good-cop/bad-cop strategy offers little comfort, because Trump was running at the mouth on these issues before he had any good cops to perform the other side of a double-act that, for now, is reducing global diplomacy to a crapshoot. Not surprisingly, scepticism abounds despite, and because of utterances by the administration, congressional and think tank emissaries who travelled to Europe.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson meets with other foreign ministers to discuss Syria in Bonn on Friday. Credit:Getty Images "Let's put it this way, the discrepancy between the President's news conference [last Thursday] and the way his cabinet is trying to reassure Europeans couldn't be wider," Michael Werz, a senior fellow at the Centre for American Progress, told The New York Times. Volker Perthes, the head of the German SWP policy research group, was as disbelieving. "Mattis speaks of 'defending the rules-based international order'. I hope he can explain this to his boss." US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis shakes hands with Iraqi Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani in Munich on Friday. Credit:AP Donald Tusk, president of the European Council and a former prime minister of Poland, for one, was playing the glad game.

After meeting Pence on Monday, he explained his sense of reassurance in a statement, in which he said he had asked the vice president if Washington was committed to maintaining an international order based on rules and laws; if Trump was committed to NATO and to "the closest possible trans-Atlantic cooperation"; and if Europe could count "as always in the past, on the United States' wholehearted and unequivocal, let me repeat, unequivocal support for the idea of a united Europe". "In reply to these three matters," Tusk said, "I heard today from Vice President Pence three times 'yes'. After such a positive declaration, both Europeans and Americans must simply practice what they preach." Not all are convinced. "Of course European Union officials are happy to have Pence here, and they are happy about what he said, but that's not going to cancel out the deep and lingering doubt in many other European capitals about what the White House and President Trump actually want," Guntram Wolff, director of Bruegel, a Brussels think tank told the Times. "What Europe still has to do is to be prepared for the worst, and to try to work with partners around the world to support and defend multilateralism, and to do so without being antagonistic."

Zbigniew Brzezinski, national security adviser in the Carter administration, casts Trump's erratic arrival on the world stage in alarmist terms. "The global order is in disarray. The world is sliding into significant disorder with no international structure capable of handling the kinds of problems that are likely to erupt almost simultaneously," he wrote in a weekend op-ed. Urging a clearly stated "Trump Doctrine", he argued that to date, the President had failed to formulate any significant, relevant statements about the global condition. Instead, the world had been left to interpret statements from Trump's team that, at times, were irresponsible, uncoordinated and ignorant. "A vulnerable world needs an America characterised by clarity of thought and leadership that projects optimism and progress. 'Make America Great Again' and 'America First' are all very well as bumper stickers, but the foreign policy of the United States needs to be more than a campaign slogan." Confirming his role as Trump's chief Republican critic, Senator John McCain shredded Trump's world view in a speech to the Munich conference  thereby accentuating the split personality of the new administration. "I know there is profound concern across Europe and the world that America is laying down the mantle of global leadership," he said.
The organisers of this week's Conservative Political Action Conference rescinded their controversial booking of Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulos on Monday, following an outcry after the right-wing speaker's critics resurfaced videos of him criticising age of consent laws and joking about a teenaged sexual encounter with a Catholic priest.

The famed internet troll's book deal has also been cancelled.

"Due to the revelation of an offensive video in the past 24 hours condoning paedophilia, the American Conservative Union has decided to rescind the invitation," the group's chairman, Matt Schlapp, said in a statement.

He added, "We realise that Mr Yiannopoulos has responded on Facebook, but it is insufficient. It is up to him to answer the tough questions and we urge him to immediately further address these disturbing comments."
David Taylor speaks with his parents from his holding cell at Denpasar District Court on Tuesday. Credit:Alan Putra "The victim was still alive when he left and he died later from swelling of the brain. We believe therefore the appropriate article to charge him with is group attack leading to death." One of Mr Taylor's lawyers, Haposan Sihombing, said it was "more gentlemanly" to admit the scuffle happened instead of asking to be freed. "It was committed by more than my client," he said. Sara Connor covers her face with a fan at the holding cell at Denpasar District Court on Tuesday. Credit:Alan Putra He said he would ask the judges for leniency because Mr Taylor was young and had no intention to kill.

Both Mr Taylor and Ms Connor face the same three alternative charges - murder, fatal group assault or assault leading to death - but are being tried separately. The charges carry maximum sentences of 15 years', 12 years' and seven years' jail respectively. Sara Connor arriving at Denpasar District Court on Tuesday. Credit:Alan Putra He appeared relaxed when he arrived at Denpasar District Court, smiling and chatting with his parents from his holding cell. His lawyer, Erick Sihombing, said prior to the trial starting that Mr Taylor had been prepared for a maximum of 12 years' jail - for fatal group assault - because his legal team believed it had been proven there was no intent to kill. David Taylor arriving at Denpasar District Court last week. Credit:Alan Putra

"Of course he is tense, he is in prison, who wouldn't be?" The trial, which began in the Denpasar District Court on November 9 last year, has heard that Mr Taylor visited Bali in August last year in the hope of a romantic holiday with his girlfriend of just four months. David Taylor at Denpasar District Court on Tuesday. Credit:Alan Putra He had left Australia in a hurry after his wife, with whom he was separated, "had gone behind his back" and informed immigration of his newly single status. Mr Taylor had hoped to return to Australia on a new visa. However the romantic sojourn began to unravel late at night on a Bali beach when Ms Connor, 46, discovered her handbag had gone missing while the couple had been kissing near the water.

Mr Taylor believed the bag had been stolen. He approached Mr Sudarsa, a Balinese police officer of 35 years, but believed him to be a bogus cop when he allegedly laughed after Mr Taylor asked him for assistance. Mr Taylor admitted to "searching his body" but said Mr Sudarsa then pushed him to the ground and punched him. At one point, he testified, Mr Sudarsa's arm was on his throat. "I couldn't breathe. I was afraid I was going to die. I never experienced it before - I was really scared," Mr Taylor told a court hearing last month. Mr Sudarsa's bloodied corpse was found near Ms Connor's identity cards on August 17, with 42 wounds to his body. However Mr Taylor insists that he had still been breathing when he last checked the body. A forensic doctor testified that Mr Sudarsa may have lived if he had received medical treatment in the two hours before he died.

Mr Taylor said outside the court on February 1 it made him feel "extremely sad" and a "little bit angry" witnesses claimed to have seen Mr Sudarsa on the beach but did nothing to help him. Ms Connor, who owned a fresh pasta business in Byron Bay and is the mother of two young boys, has denied she had anything to do with the police officer's death. She says her only involvement was to try to separate the two men when they were fighting in the sand. The couple told the court they had tried to go to police station but an ojek (motorcycle taxi) driver refused to take them. Instead, they bought cigarettes and returned to their homestay in Kuta, Kubu Kauh Inn. They showered and then Ms Connor cut up Mr Sudarsa's identity cards, which were in the wallet Mr Taylor had taken from the victim. Cutting up the cards was Ms Connor's idea, Mr Taylor revealed, but both insisted it was to protect the victim from identity theft. The couple checked out of Kubu Kauh Inn at 7am on August 17 and travelled to Jimbaran, which was "a much nicer area than Kuta".

They claimed they only learned the victim had died when Ms Connor was contacted by a friend on August 19, who said her name was all over the news after her identity cards had been found at the crime scene. "I didn't feel guilty until I learnt the full consequence of the fight which was two days later," Mr Taylor said earlier this month. The couple were in tears and "desperate" after learning of Mr Sudarsa's death and Mr Taylor burnt the clothes they had been wearing the night of the fight. They then went to the Australian consulate in Bali and were later apprehended by police. Mr Taylor's father, John, a minister, his mother Janet and brother Peter, have regularly attended the trial but did not address the court.
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PHILIPSBURG:--- On Friday the 17th of February 2017 a departing passenger was scanned by the new PJIA E-gate system. During the passport scanning process, it became clear that the passenger tried to leave St Maarten using a false passport. He was arrested by personnel of the St Maarten Police Force / Immigration and Border Protection Service, for further investigations. In cooperation with the office of Interpol St Maarten, it appeared that the suspect was in the possession of several passports and ID cards, using a total of 3 different nationalities and identities.

During the investigation on one of these identities, it became clear that he was a Cuban-born American citizen. His arrest was warranted, via a so-called Interpol red notice (international arrest warrant) on request of the US authorities. As a result of this cooperation and on order of the Attorney Generals office, the suspect was arrested with a view towards extradition. The suspect will be led by a judge of instruction on the 20th of February 2017. The suspect is wanted by the US authorities in an investigation into large-scale fraud in which millions of US dollars were gained between 2006 and 2012.

KPSM Press Release
PHILIPSBURG:--- In December the Interact Club of CIA had a donation drive to help those in need in the community. The Interactors were asked to collect books, toys, personal and sanitary items, nonperishable foods and clothing for men, women, and children. Their drive was so successful that they turned over the surplus items to The Rotary Club of St. Maarten-Mid Isle, their sponsor club, for distribution.

Mid Isle donated the remaining items out on their behalf. The nonperishable food items were given to Scotiabanks Food Drive in December. Books were put aside as the nurses on the maternity wing at the SMMC has asked Mid Isle to include books in their Baby Welcome Bags to encourage new parents to read to their baby. An assortment of books, toys, and clothes was given to The New Start for Children Foundation and the Hope Out Reach Foundation. The childrens ward at the SMMC also received a selection of toys, books, games and cuddly toys. The remaining items were donated to The Salvation Army including some French books which the superintendent informed us along with some of the other items would be going to Haiti.

Interact clubs bring together students aged 12-18 to develop leadership skills while discovering the power of Service Above Self. Interactors connect with leaders in their community and around the world to take action to make a difference in their school and community, discover new cultures and promote international understanding, become leaders in their school and community and to have fun and to make new friends from around the world

Interact clubs organize at least two projects every year, one that helps their school or community and one that promotes international understanding. Rotary clubs sponsor, mentor and guide Interactors as they carry out projects and develop leadership skills.

Mid Isle will be holding their Fundraising Motor Treasure Hunt on Sunday, March 19th starting at the Kim Sha Beach, see any member of Mid Isle for more information or call 520-1052 or 520-1899. The proceeds from this event will go towards a fetal monitor for the maternity wing at the SMMC and other needed items.

The Rotary Club of St. Maarten-Mid Isle meets Tuesday at 7 pm at Marys Boone in Simpson Bay. For more information please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit our Facebook page Rotary Club of St. Maarten-Mid Isle.
P.E.P (Patrol to Eradicate Pedophilia and Child Molestation) president Mhakeda Shillingford, would like to, first of all, thank Michael Granger and the St. Maarten Carnival Development Committee for the opportunity last year to combine and host the Carnival Youth Extravaganza in collaboration with the Pep Showdown.

Pep Showdown was our first annual show featuring high schools and their artistic directors portraying their message against child abuse and molestation in song, dance, and drama.

We also had our French vs Dutch annual DJ completion.

The Reigning Champion is the Charlotte Brookson Academy. This year, the other schools will be challenging for the top spot. Our winning DJs will send up their protegees.

This year we will not be hosting the youth extravaganza at the festival village.

The SCDF will be organizing the youth extravaganza.

Pep Showdown will be held as a separate show in the month of May 2017.

PEP thanks the schools registered participating in the Showdown 2017.

Will Charlotte Brookson retain the trophy or will we crown a new winner?

PEP Showdown 2017 participants are invited to a stakeholders meeting on Saturday, February 25, 2017, at the St Peters community at 1:00-3:00.

You can contact PEP at 5272884
PHILIPSBURG:--- The Prosecutors Office in good collaboration with the St. Maarten Police Force (KPSM), the Kingdom Detectives Cooperation Team (RST) and the French Authorities is actively searching for escaped prisoner Kathron Kuchi Fortune born on October 14, 1977, on the island of Grenada. He is sentenced to imprisonment at the Point Blanche prison for murder, but escaped from prison guards who had taken him for a doctor's visit in Cay Hill on February 15, 2016.

A lot of effort is being done by both Dutch and French authorities to catch Kuchi since there is concrete information that Kuchi is still on St. Maarten. In the past week's extra efforts have been taking place in the hunt for Kuchi, some of which may have been visible to the public. Recapturing Kuchi has always been one of the priorities of all justice authorities.

It is important to know that harboring "Kuchi" - or for that matter, any other fugitive of the law - or helping him to escape from justice is a serious crime and punishable by law. This type of assistance will lead to the arrest and prosecution of those who make themselves guilty of assisting Kuchi.

In this regard the Prosecutors Office and KPSM are requesting anyone who has information that could lead to the arrest of "Kuchi" to immediately call 542-2222 ext. 214, 215 or the anonymous tip line 9300. The Prosecutors Office and KPSM warn the public and emphasize not to attempt capturing Kuchi on your own as he is considered armed and extremely dangerous.

Prosecutor's Office Press Release
Simpson Bay:--- Training Professionals International Firm, TPI is excited to announce that they have partnered with the Anguilla Chamber of Commerce and Industry to host TPIs ACCREDITED Administrative and Executive Assistant Training for professionals in the workplace. This course will help to prepare your Assistants for performance excellence.

The training will take place on Wednesday, March 1st, 2016 at La Vue Boutique Inns Conference from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. The cost for the training is US$ 250.00 per person. All participants who complete this course will receive an accredited globally recognized Certificate of Completion. All interested persons/companies are asked to send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . All of the other services provided by TPI are available to Anguilla and can be viewed at firmtpi.com. TPI will be offering a consortium of other accredited training opportunities in Anguilla and other Caribbean islands this year. This particular training will be offered in St. Maarten on Tuesday, April 25th to register contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

A spokesperson from the Anguilla Chamber of Commerce stated in a recent press release: The Anguilla Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ACOCI) is pleased to collaborate with TPI on providing an Administrative and Executive accredited Training for our members and the Business Community at large. TPIs commitment in providing high-quality educational training programs and organizational services will definitely be a benefit to the ACOCI membership. As Jack Welch, former General Electric Ceo once stated, An organizations ability to learn, and translate that learning into action rapidly is the ultimate competitive advantage.

Dr Gittens shared passionately, Our mission is to promote and support employee development and organizational effectiveness by providing high-quality educational training programs and organizational services that are accredited and globally recognized. We believe that if a training is not accredited it is not worth offering and we encourage persons to register for non-accredited trainings.

Dr. Gittens said, The first step in doing good business is helping organizations' reach their full potential. We are happy to be able to work with individuals and businesses in Anguilla to meet individual, group, departmental and institutional needs and objectives ." She continued, We strive to enhance individual learning and development as the means for creating a better workplace environment. Effective workers and workplaces will help to build a stronger Caribbean.

What sets this firm apart? Dr. Gittens articulated, Our team of TPI experts take pride in projecting trends of the new millennium. The modern day approach we take and innovative concepts like the "One Stop Service Option" support leaders with managing professionals. Our multitude of additional services fit the demands of organizations who simply want quality services "from one firm, under one roof, TPI."
PHILIPSBURG:--- The House of Parliament will sit in a plenary public session on February 22, 2017. The initiative taken of these two drafts, Member of Parliament Sarah A. Wescot-Williams will be answering and queries from Members of Parliament on these two drafts.

The plenary public meeting has been set for Wednesday at 2.00 pm in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg.

The agenda points are:

1. Incoming documents

2. Draft initiative national ordinance to revise the rules pertaining timeshare

3. Draft initiative national ordinance to establish a Timeshare Authority

Members of the public are invited to the House of Parliament to attend parliamentary deliberations.

The House of Parliament is located across from the Court House in Philipsburg.

The parliamentary session will be carried live on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 120, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, the audio via the Internet www.pearlfmradio.com and via www.sxmparliament.org.

Ad Hoc Committee of Integrity scheduled to meet Wednesday

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Ad Hoc Committee of Integrity (AHCI), will meet on February 22, 2017.

The AHCI Committee meeting is scheduled for Wednesday at 11.00 am in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg.

The agenda points to be discussed are:

1. Code of Conduct Members of Parliament

2. Integrity reports

3. Scope, parameters and work method of the Permanent Integrity Committee of Parliament

Members of the public are invited to the House of Parliament to attend parliamentary deliberations.

The House of Parliament is located across from the Court House in Philipsburg.

The parliamentary session will be carried live on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 120, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, the audio via the Internet www.pearlfmradio.com and via www.sxmparliament.org.
PHILIPSBURG:--- Theatre-lovers flocking to the opening night of Albina Matuzkos production of Behind the Beyond (now playing at the National Institute of Arts Black Box Theatre, John Larmonie Center, Longwall Road) hadnt really counted on getting a twofer when they sat down, ready to see the show unfold.

For the uninitiated, a twofer is simply a term of phrase, not literary, nor grammatical, and certainly not of the theatrical root. It merely stands for the rewarding act of giving or receiving - two for the price of one.

It turns out that our theatre-goers, unbeknownst to them were not only holding tickets for the premiere of the much-heralded fake send-up of a Stephen Leacock classic, Behind the Beyond, but also to a Reggae party that, quite unfortunately, was also taking place next door  effectively and annoyingly disturbing the latter part of the show.

The director had promised Something completely different for the St. Maarten Theatre scene  and had the eager crowd of well-wishers, family and friends arrived just half an hour earlier to hear a borrowed backup generator purring noisily on a pre-premiere run, they would probably have been more on their guard.

Its not as if they werent warned. NIA co-director, Clara Reyes, a doyen of St. Maarten Culture and dance, made it clear that the venue itself, aptly termed the Black Box Theatre exists only because of the dire need to have a performance space that is affordable and multi-functional to identify, capture and nurture the abundance of untapped talent with exists within the local community and has done for many, many years. Intimate in its setting, most charming with its clip-on lighting and curtained backdrop, the audience is assured that this work in progress is close to the heart of those who conceptualized it and continue to hope that one day they will be housed in their own purpose-built state-of-the-art facility.

And Director Matuzko said as much when she too addressed the audience on opening night to introduce her cast of players and the support teams (and families) behind them. She pointed to the tiered seating that had to be literally air-lifted in to provide suitable seating for our theatre-lovers. She also noted limitations of space and time on rehearsal schedules due to the great demand for use by all types of groups and organizations  oh and yes, she could not fail to mention the stream of reggae music coming from outside, threatening to drown out the performance, spoiling it for the audience and cast alike. Needless to say, twofer was not the choice of words streaming through the Ukranian-born directors mind, while delivering her introductory dialogue.

In what can be described as no less than brilliant, Ms. Matuzko has managed to incorporate all the shortcomings of the local theater into her first production on the island in subtle, but deeply profound ways. It is no accident that the rise and fall of curtains at the start, during and at the end of the show is symbolized by crudely constructed roller blinds that would be more befitting of your kitchen window than as a prop in a major production. But the audience got it, understood the sentiment and genuinely appreciated the gesture.

In fact, this play is all about the audience getting it and being involved. It begins with some of the lucky play-goers receiving their own hand-made opera glasses so that they could be part of the show. It also begins with the cast of players entering the stage as members of the visiting audience, even taking up places within the audience for the opening Audition scene.

The story begins to unfold with the appearance of two actors on stage, who we soon learn are girl and boy narrators (Meredith Boekhoudt and Ray-Angel Simon) who are going to manipulate, pour scorn on and generally upstage our enthusiastic, but amateur troupe who have passed the auditions and are now into playing their roles.

The narrators masterfully take the audience on a journey through three acts (one with intermission) against a backdrop of props that are authentic in appearance and professionally executed to mimic the 1910 period in which the play is set.

Act I introduces the characters to the audience, starting with the appearance of Parliamentarian, Sir. John Trevor, played by veteran journalist, Joe Dominique. The director promised something different, and so it was when this character entered the stage, laces and flies undone and belt unstrapped. The audience was not to know whether this was part of the act or not, however the actor delivered his lines relentlessly and unperturbed. If it was not part of the act, its something a wardrobe department or stage hand would have caught, but sadly such is a luxury in the Black Box Theatre  and so the show went on with this actor, literally caught with this pants still on  just.

Act I is driven by the two lovers in the play, Lady Cicely ( lovingly captured by Eveline Henriquez- Dijkhoffz) and Jack Harding (teasingly played by talented teenage actor, Sjeord Scott). The antics of the pair (look out for Lady Cicelys death scene dive) was well received by the audience well into the scene and continued into ACT II where the pace of the drama picks up and distraught mother, Mrs. Margaret Harding, (played by Carla van Dam) makes her entry stage left.

Adding to the pace, and providing a few of the silliest and funniest moments, is the introduction of the French Maid (played with effortless ease by another talented teenager, Zack Phipps). The audience warmed to this character, even with an obvious slur against French Maids which, in the political correctness of present society (read recent spat between French side and Dutch side over ownership of the Oyster Bay Marina area), may do well to exclude from future performances.

According to the narrators, by the time Mrs. Harding comes into the picture the play is just about puffing itself out with a deep sense of Melancholy with only the setting of atmosphere to consider, however ACT III is much more than that, since it reveals the true intent of the dynamics of the unfolding drama all along.

Behind the Beyond is not rip-roaringly funny. Neither do I believe it is meant to be. It has taken a slice of life in Victorian England as seen through the eyes of Canadian humorist, Stephen Leacock, and transposed the emotions and sentiments that are contained within us all, irrespective of time and place, into a modern day St. Maarten, bent on keeping in step with globalization  replete with video games, mobile phones and electronic devices.

The production plays tribute to workers, like the three stage hands, played mostly in the dark (remember the back-up generator at the start?) by the directors husband Cor Sikkes, Nascha Kagie and Werner van de Zilver. These are workers youre sure to find in all walks of life right here on the island. They work very hard behind the scenes to ensure that those upon whom the spotlight shines are provided with all the support they need  even though sometimes their own yearning for attention and recognition can no longer be contained.

The nostalgia of the period was not missed by the audience, mostly adult in nature, but also quite unexpectedly by children in the audience who obviously would be puzzled by much of the ado on stage and yet were thoroughly amused and entertained.

It is however a shame that, at least on opening night, the theatre lovers attracted to see the something different that director Matuzko offered, consisted mainly of persons already familiar with this type of production and also of the time and era. Here was and still is, a wonderful opportunity for more St. Maarten residents, unaccustomed to this type of theatre, to take a peek  see and experience for themselves the something different and completely magical thing that has been around for centuries. Its called Theatre.

What is there to lose? With a Twofer ticket, anyone who finds the show boring or not to their taste can always leave at the Intermission...........and follow the sound of the Reggae music next door.

Go see Behind the Beyond. I promise you will have a good time.

Behind the Beyond is playing at the (Black Box Theatre) John Larmonie Center, Longwall Road, Phillipsburg, St. Maarten on the following dates:
Claim: A listing provides accurate statistics about the number and costs of undocumented immigrants in Los Angeles County. Rating: About this rating Outdated

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Origin

Since 2006, a list purportedly detailing the taxpayer costs related to the presence of illegal immigrants in Los Angeles County has circulated online, originally under the title "The Largest Insane Asylum in the World: California":

WHERE YOUR TAXES GO - ILLEGAL ALIENS

Attributed to the LA Times, June 2002: 1. 40% of all workers in L.A. County (L.A. County has 10 million people) are working for cash and not paying taxes. This was because they are predominantly illegal immigrants, working without a green card. 2. 95% of warrants for murder in Los Angeles are for illegal aliens. 3. 75% of people on the most wanted list in Los Angeles are illegal aliens. 4. Over 2/3's of all births in Los Angeles County are to illegal alien Mexicans on Medi-Cal whose births were paid for by taxpayers. 5. Nearly 25% of all inmates in California detention centers are Mexican nationals here illegally. 6. Over 300,000 illegal aliens in Los Angeles County are living in garages. 7. The FBI reports half of all gang members in Los Angeles are most likely illegal aliens from south of the border. 8. Nearly 60% of all occupants of HUD properties are illegal. 9. 21 radio stations in L.A. are Spanish speaking. 10. In L.A.County 5.1 million people speak English. 3.9 million speak Spanish (10.2 million people in L.A.County). (All 10 from the Los Angeles Times) Less than 2% of illegal aliens are picking our crops but 29% are on welfare. See... https://www.cis.org/ Over 70% of the United States annual population growth (and over 90% of California, Florida, and New York) results from immigration. The cost of illegal immigration to the American taxpayer in 1997 was a NET (after subtracting taxes immigrants pay) $70 BILLION a year, [Professor Donald Huddle, Rice University]. The lifetime fiscal impact (taxes paid minus services used) for the average adult Mexican immigrant is a NEGATIVE. 29% of inmates in federal prisons are illegal aliens.

The statistics were not taken from a 2002 Los Angeles Times article. They appear to have been gleaned from a variety of sources and vary in accuracy as noted below:

Over 2/3's of all births in Los Angeles County are to illegal alien Mexicans on Medi-Cal whose births were paid for by taxpayers.

The California Vital Records Department of the Department of Health Services classified as "Hispanic" the race/ethnicity of 62.7% of all births occurring in Los Angeles county in 2001. The statistic quoted above therefore erroneously characterizes all parents of Hispanic heritage in Los Angeles County in 2001 as being "illegal alien Mexicans on Medi-Cal."

The FBI reports half of all gang members in Los Angeles are most likely illegal aliens from south of the border.

In April 2005, Heather Mac Donald, a Senior Fellow at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, testified before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security, and Claims. On the issue of gang membership among illegal immigrants, she said:

No one knows for certain the percentage of illegals in gangs, thanks in large part to sanctuary laws themselves. But various estimates exist:A confidential California Department of Justice study reported in 1995 that 60 percent of the 20,000-strong 18th Street Gang in southern California is illegal; police officers say the proportion is actually much greater. The bloody gang collaborates with the Mexican Mafia, the dominant force in California prisons, on complex drug-distribution schemes, extortion, and drive-by assassinations. It commits an assault or robbery every day in L.A. County. The gang has grown dramatically over the last two decades by recruiting recently arrived youngsters, most of them illegal, from Central America and Mexico.

Note, however, that this statement referenced a California Department of Justice study (not an FBI report), and that it describes only a single gang in Los Angeles County (the 18th Street Gang), the gang that likely has the highest membership rate of illegal aliens.

95% of warrants for murder in Los Angeles are for illegal aliens.

This figure also appeared (unsourced) in Heather Mac Donald's testimony before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security, and Claims:

In Los Angeles, 95 percent of all outstanding warrants for homicide in the first half of 2004 (which totaled 1,200 to 1,500) targeted illegal aliens. Up to two-thirds of all fugitive felony warrants (17,000) were for illegal aliens.

Even if the statistic were accurate, however, it is subject to a variety of interpretations. For example, illegal aliens might be disproportionately represented by outstanding homicide warrants in Los Angeles because they are more likely to flee the jurisdiction before their cases are adjudicated than legal residents are (not necessarily because they commit a far greater share of the homicides in Los Angeles). This interpretation is supported by a University of California Davis summary of immigration issues that notes:

The Los Angeles Police Department has a 12-year old Foreign Prosecution Unit that pursues suspects who fled the US after committing crimes in Los Angeles and gives testimony when they are prosecuted aboard. The United States does not have extradition treaties with most Latin American countries but many countries, for example, Mexico, Nicaragua or El Salvador try suspects for murder and other violent crimes committed in the US.The Foreign Prosecution Unit was founded in 1985, after a study found that nearly half of the LAPD's outstanding arrest warrants involved Mexican nationals who were presumed to have fled the country. The FPU works with Interpol to find suspects who flee abroad and then prepares the evidence so that the person can be arrested and prosecuted. The FPU clears about one-third of its cases, compared to two-thirds of all homicide cases in Los Angeles. The Mexican consulate in Los Angeles has a representative of the Mexican attorney general's office to work with the FPU in prosecuting suspects in Mexico for crimes committed in Los Angeles.

75% of people on the most wanted list in Los Angeles are illegal aliens.

The Los Angeles Police Department's "Most Wanted" list is viewable on-line, but since each entry generally includes only the ethnicity of a suspect (not his or her immigration status or nationality), and many of the entries refer to persons of unknown identity, it's difficult to verify the claim that 75% of the people listed therein are illegal aliens.

Nearly 25% of all inmates in California detention centers are Mexican nationals here illegally.

Again, this figure appears to correspond with Heather MacDonald's testimony before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security, and Claims, in which stated that "The L.A. County Sheriff reported in 2000 that 23% of inmates in county jails were deportable, according to the New York Times."

However, the 23% figure she cited included all deportable aliens, not just Mexican nationals.

21 radio stations in L.A. are Spanish speaking.

The number of Spanish-language radio stations in Los Angeles varies a bit from source to source (and according to how one defines "Los Angeles"), but according to Los Angeles Almanac, if both AM and FM stations are counted, and all programming formats (e.g., music, news, talk, religion, sports) are included, then it's fair to say that there are about 20 "Spanish speaking" radio stations in Los Angeles. The existence of these radio stations imposes a negligible cost upon taxpayers.

Less than 2% of illegal aliens are picking our crops but 29% are on welfare.

Although illegal aliens are not generally eligible to collect public welfare benefits, an illegal alien may receive benefits under the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) and Food Stamps programs on behalf of his or her U.S. citizen child. (Any child born in the United States is considered a U.S. citizen, regardless of the parents' immigration status.) A 1997 General Accounting Office (GAO) report determined that in 1995 households headed by illegal aliens received a total of $700 million in AFDC benefits and $430 million in Food Stamps.

Over 70% of the United States annual population growth (and over 90% of California, Florida, and New York) results from immigration.

As the Sacramento Bee reported, the "over 90%" figure for population growth in California is essentially accurate if the term "immigration" is defined to encompass both foreign immigrants and births to immigrant mothers:

When Department of Finance numbers are merged with Census Bureau numbers and birth and death data collected by the state Department of Health Services are added to the mix, showing that half of all births are to immigrant mothers, the inescapable conclusion is that foreign immigration and births to immigrant mothers together comprise all of the state's net population growth. Or, to put it another way, without foreign immigration, California would have virtually zero population growth.

The cost of illegal immigration to the American taxpayer in 1997 was a NET (after subtracting taxes immigrants pay) $70 BILLION a year, [Professor Donald Huddle, Rice University].

It is true that Rice University economist Donald Huddle has conducted studies and concluded that immigrants (both legal and illegal) in the U.S. receive billions of dollars more in social services from local, state and federal governments than they contribute in revenue. It's also true that others have criticized his studies as flawed and arrived at exactly the opposite conclusion (i.e., that immigrants actually produce a net revenue surplus).

For example, a University of California Davis Migration News article on "Illegal Immigration: Numbers, Benefits, and Costs in California" notes:

There is a great deal of disagreement over the costs and benefits of immigrants to the US and California. Studies in the early 1980s in Texas and New York concluded that the taxes paid by immigrants exceeded the cost of providing public services to them, but that the federal government got the surplus of taxes over expenditures, and local governments had deficits. Los Angeles did a study in 1992 that reinforced this conclusion.Donald Huddle of Rice University set the benchmark for today's debate with a study that concluded that the legal and illegal immigrants who arrived since 1970 cost the US $42.5 billion in 1992, and $18.1 billion in California. According to Huddle, 7.2 million immigrants arrived legally and illegally in California since 1970, and the state incurred costs of $23 billion to provide them with services  half of the costs were for education and health care, and one-sixth were due to the costs of providing services to US residents displaced by these immigrants. As with all such studies, Huddle made assumptions about how many illegal aliens there are, their usage of welfare and other public services, the taxes they paid, and their indirect economic impacts. Jeff Passel of the Urban Institute reviewed and revised Huddle's US estimates, and his calculations turned the $42 billion net cost into a $29 billion net benefit. Most of the $70 billion difference between these studies arises from their estimates of the taxes paid by immigrants  Huddle assumes that post-1970 immigrants paid $20 billion in taxes to all levels of government, and Passel assumes they paid $70 billion. And the major reason for the difference in tax estimates is that Huddle did not include the 15 percent of each worker's earnings that are paid in Social Security taxes, while Passel did  this accounts for over one-third of the $70 billion difference. Huddle excluded Social Security taxes because, in his view, contributions today need to be offset by the promise of benefit payments to immigrants when they retire. Passel included them because the federal government treats Social Security on a pay-as-you-go basis.

An article published by the Urban Institute drew similar conclusions:

According to the most controversial study of those discussed here, the benefits and costs of immigration to the United States in 1992 add up to a total net cost to all levels of government of $42.5 billion. This study, by Donald Huddle, was sponsored by the Carrying Capacity Network, a nonprofit group that advocates major reductions in immigration to the United States. "The Costs of Immigration" (Huddle 1993) uses estimation procedures that include a variety of errors. When these errors are corrected, the post-1970 immigrants in Huddle's study actually show a surplus of revenues over social service costs of at least $25 billion.

The "Largest Insane Asylum in the World/California" e-mail forward first appeared in 2006 and as of late 2020, the well-worn item continued to pop up on blogs and in social media posts.
Claim: WalMart has authorized U.S. law enforcement to enter its stores and arrest any illegal immigrants found within. Rating: About this rating False

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In mid-March 2010, messages began circulating via e-mail and text messaging claiming that WalMart had authorized U.S. law enforcement (the Border Patrol and/or Immigration and Customs Enforcement) to enter its stores and arrest any illegal immigrants found within. Some messages have tied this action to efforts by Latino groups to organize a boycott of Walmart for a month (beginning on 20 March 2010) as a "call for the worlds biggest retailer to adopt a favorable position vis-a-vis immigration reform." Various sources have claimed that the messages about immigration raids at WalMart stores are either spurious rumors intended to promote the boycott or a scare tactic being used by WalMart to thwart the boycott.

As the warning messages spread, additional rumors began to circulate claiming that the described raids had been seen taking place:

The message claims that WalMart gave permission for immigrants to be trapped in its stores on March 20. The message adds to support the Hispanic movement by not shopping at WalMart, and to spread the word. Senior Pastor David Stepp at Bakersfield Hispanic Church is concerned about the affects the text message can have. "This could affect traffic in stores and East Bakersfield," he said. Stepp also became concerned when members of his congregation held a meeting about the text. "Panic, fear, mistrust of WalMart," is how he described their mood. Stepp added that he didn't believe the text message when he first heard about it. "There were too many inconsistencies, didn't sound right," he said. But the text messages have gone beyond simple warnings telling people to stay away from WalMart. The latest ones actually claim that two bus loads of immigrants were picked up from the East Hills WalMart.

As far as we know, no evidence documents any such raids taking place at WalMart stores. WalMart itself said, in response to an inquiry, that:

The rumors circulating via text message, and other means, about Walmart coordinating or supporting immigration raids in our stores are not true. These rumors are baseless and inaccurate. We think it's unfortunate that such unsubstantiated rumors are spread. On immigration reform, our position is clear. We believe reform is needed. We are committed to working with all interested parties  lawmakers, employers, and consumers  to make comprehensive reform a reality.

The San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium (SDIRC) also noted that it had not yet been able to confirm any accounts of the apprehension of illegal immigrants at Walmart stores:

Text messages, emails and phone calls have been circulating calling for a boycott of Wal-Mart stores because they are either actively conducting raids at the moment, or because they are "going to allow customs, or border patrol to conduct raids in and outside of the store property" starting on March 20th. Despite these alerts, there have been no actual confirmations of any of these messages to be true. The San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium (SDIRC) met on Monday, March 8th and discussed if anyone knew the source of these messages. According to Pedro Rios, the American Friends Service Committee of San Diego (AFSC) spoke with ICE officials and Wal-Mart representatives, and neither confirmed that any of this was true.

The rumor may have originated with messages sent by members of the Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights (GLAHR):
Claim: Barack Obama's birth certificate is a forgery. Rating: About this rating False

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In April 2011, President Barack Obama sought to put end to rumors claiming that he was not a natural-born citizen of the United States by obtaining and releasing a copy of his long form birth certificate issued by the state of Hawaii. Officials from that state certified that the copy of the certificate they provided to President Obama was authentic:

The Hawaii State Health Department recently complied with a request by President Barack Obama for certified copies of his original Certificate of Live Birth, which is sometimes referred to in the media as a "long form" birth certificate. "We hope that issuing certified copies of the original Certificate of Live Birth to President Obama will end the numerous inquiries related to his birth in Hawaii," Hawaii Health Director Loretta Fuddy said. "I have seen the original records filed at the Department of Health and attest to the authenticity of the certified copies the department provided to the President that further prove the fact that he was born in Hawaii." On April 25, 2011, pursuant to President Obama's request, Director Fuddy personally witnessed the copying of the original Certificate of Live Birth and attested to the authenticity of the two copies. Dr. Alvin Onaka, the State Registrar, certified the

copies.

The claims of anachronism stemmed from three elements in the certificate:

1. Back in 1961 people of color were called 'Negroes.' So how can the Obama 'birth certificate' state he is 'African-American' when the term wasn't even used at that time? 2. The birth certificate that the White House released lists Obama's birth as August 4, 1961. It also lists Barack Hussein Obama as his father. No big deal, right? At the time of Obama's birth, it also shows that his father is aged 25 years old, and that Obama's father was born in "Kenya, East Africa". This wouldn't seem like anything of concern, except the fact that Kenya did not even exist until 1963, two whole years after Obama's birth, and 27 years after his father's birth. How could Obama's father have been born in a country that did not yet exist? Up and until Kenya was formed in 1963, it was known as the "British East Africa Protectorate". 3. On the birth certificate released by the White House, the listed place of birth is "Kapiolani Maternity & Gynecological Hospital". This cannot be, because the hospital(s) in question in 1961 were called "Kaui Keolani Children's Hospital" and "Kapi'olani Maternity Home", respectively. The name did not change to Kapi'olani Maternity & Gynecological Hospital until 1978, when these two hospitals merged. How can this particular name of the hospital be on a birth certificate dated 1961 if this name had not yet been applied to it until 1978?

Claims that these elements are anachronistic to 1961 (the year of Barack Obama's birth) are incorrect:

Nowhere on Barack Obama's birth certificate does the term "African-American" appear. The space for "Race of Father" is filled in with the word "African," which at the time was a descriptor that blacks who were actually native-born Africans (like Barack Obama's father was) were more likely to use for themselves than "negro" (the latter being synonymous with "slave" in Euro-colonial countries such as Kenya).

In 1895 the British Empire established the East Africa Protectorate, the forerunner of the country now known as the republic of Kenya. Although Kenya did not achieve complete independence from the United Kingdom until 1963, it was known as the Kenya Colony from 1920 onwards and was typically referred to as Kenya long before 1963. A search of news reports from 1961 (the year of Barack Obama's birth) turns up hundreds and hundreds of news articles referencing that entity simply as "Kenya."

The former Kapi'olani Maternity Home became the Kapi'olani Maternity & Gynecological Hospital (where Barack Obama was born) in 1931, and it retained that appellation until 1971, when its name was shortened to Kapi'olani Hospital. The Kauikeolani Children's Hospital (where Barack Obama was not born) was a separate entity which merged with the Kapi'olani Hospital in 1978 to become the Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women and Children.A listing of social services available in the Hawaiian islands documents that the facility bore that name prior to 1961: Moreover, a copy of a birth certificate issued to a child born in Honolulu one day after Barack Obama also shows "Kapi'olani Maternity & Gynecological Hospital" listed in the "Name of Hospital" field.

As for the argument that opening the birth certificate's PDF file in Adobe Illustrator reveals the presence of multiple layers, which proves that the image was altered, that claim was debunked by an Adobe-certified expert:

It didn't take long for some of President Obamas doubters to claim the long-awaited birth certificate posted online by the White House had been altered or might be a fake.The doubters have latched onto the idea that Adobe Illustrator  the premier program for computer graphic artists  "reveals" evidence of document manipulation in the Obama birth certificate. They note Illustrator reveals nine separate layers of the document, and claim it's "proof" the file has been altered. But that's not so, says Jean-Claude Tremblay, a leading software trainer and Adobe-certified expert, who has years of experience working with and teaching Adobe Illustrator. He said the layers cited by doubters are evidence of the use of common, off-the-shelf scanning software  not evidence of a forgery. "I have seen a lot of illustrator documents that come from photos and contain those kind of clippings  and it looks exactly like this," he said. Tremblay explained that the scanner optical character recognition (OCR) software attempts to translate characters or words in a photograph into text. He said the layers cited by the doubters shows that software at work  and nothing more. "When you open it in Illustrator it looks like layers, but it doesn't look like someone built it from scratch. If someone made a fake it wouldn't look like this," he said. "Some scanning software is trying to separate the background and the text and splitting element into layers and parts of layers." Tremblay also said that during the scanning process, instances where the software was unable to separate text fully from background led to the creation of a separate layer within the document. This could be places where a signature runs over the line of background, or typed characters touch the internal border of the document. "I know that you can scan a document from a scanner [and] most of the time it will appear as one piece, but that doesnt mean that there's no software that's doing this kind of stuff," he said, adding that it's really quite common.

John Woodman, author of Is Barack Obama's Birth Certificate a Fraud?: A Computer Guy Examines The Evidence for Forgery, also debunked the "layers" argument in a series of videos:




Claim: Elizabeth Warren lives in a multi-million-dollar mansion and relied on scant Native American heritage claims to land a job at Harvard. Rating: About this rating Mixture What's True Elizabeth Warren's home is likely worth more than the average American home, and the senator has often spoken of her Native American ancestry. What's False Elizabeth Warren doesn't live in a mansion valued at several million dollars, evidence is contradictory over whether she used false claims of Native American heritage to gain an edge over other candidates for a job at Harvard or drew a large salary for teaching only one class.

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In October 2014, a meme targeting Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) began to circulate on social media sites. In it, Warren is framed as hypocritically exploiting programs aimed at Native Americans to achieve wealth and political power. Examples cited included her purported ownership of a $5.4 million mansion and a high-paying gig at Harvard University supposedly achieved solely due to her claim of possessing a small amount of Native American heritage:

The image (which concluded with a reminder of Warren's positions against concentrating power disproportionately amidst the very wealthy) packed a number of claims into one small statement, the first being the value of Warren's Boston-area home.

Public real estate records suggest Warren's house is not by any means what one might imagine a mansion to be, boasting a modest four bedrooms and three to three-and-a-half baths. Warren's home last sold in 1995 for less than $500,000, and market estimates currently vary quite a bit for its potential resale value.

It's fair to say average Americans would find homes in Warren's neighborhood to be out of their price range, and assessments of the value of Warren's home hover between one and two million dollars, far under the $5.4 million cited in the image above. It's possible the estimate came from the range in which Warren listed her home on standard disclosure forms in 2011 [PDF], a pre-set checkbox field that indicates a value anywhere between one and five million dollars.

Although at one point, Warren did draw a large salary for teaching at Harvard (her 2011 campaign disclosure form indicates a salary for 2010-2011 of $429,981 although her paperwork doesn't indicate how many classes she was actually teaching), her 2013 tax filings [PDF] indicated that she left in January of that year (when she was sworn in to her Senate post), only retaining an agreement to be able to store some materials at the university and retain an honorary title of emeritus professor. A Harvard Computer Society (HCS) document held Warren's salary was $192,550 at an unspecified juncture, along with $133,453 in "other compensation."

The claim about Warren's use of her Native American heritage to obtain a high-paying job at Harvard University appears to date from her 2012 bid against incumbent Scott Brown for his Senate seat. Brown alleged during a debate in 2012:

I think character is important. I think what you're referring to is the fact that Professor Warren claimed that she was a Native American, a person of color, and as you can see, she's not. That being said, she checked the box and she had an opportunity actually to make a decision throughout her career when she applied to Penn and Harvard and she checked the box claiming she was a Native American.And, you know, clearly she's not. That being said, I don't know and neither do the viewers know whether she got ahead as a result of that checking of the box, but the only way that we'll be able to find that out is to have her release her personnel records, have Harvard release their personnel records to make sure that she did not have an advantage that others were entitled to. When you are a United States Senator you have to pass a test, and one of character and honesty and truthfulness. And I believe, and others believe, that she has failed that test.

The legitimacy of Warren's claims to Native American heritage has certainly been challenged by many critics, and it is true that while Warren was at U. Penn. Law School she put herself on the "Minority Law Teacher" list as Native American) in the faculty directory of the Association of American Law Schools, and that Harvard Law School at one time promoted Warren as a Native American faculty member. But specific evidence that she gained her position at Harvard (at least in part) through her claims to Native American heritage is lacking. Warren denied applying for special consideration as a person of Native American heritage during her career, and when the matter was examined in 2012 in response to Brown's claims, people with whom Warren had worked similarly denied her ancestral background's factoring into the professional opportunities afforded her:

The former chairman of the American Association of Law Schools, David Bernstein, told the Herald that the group's directory once served as a tip sheet for administrators. "In the old days before the Internet, you'd pull out the AALS directory and look up people," he said. "There are schools that, if they were looking for a minority faculty member, would go to that list and might say, 'I didn't know Elizabeth Warren was a minority.'"Warren said she didn't know Harvard had used her heritage as proof of diversity until reading about the issue in the news, according to a Herald report. She also denied that she ever tried to gain a professional advantage through her lineage.

Warren responded she was recruited for the positions and did not "apply" for them; and for the most part, her record did not indicate any identification as part of a minority group:

The Globe obtained a portion of Warren's application to Rutgers, which asks if prospective students want to apply for admission under the school's Program for Minority Group Students. Warren answered "no."For her employment documents at the University of Texas, Warren indicated that she was "white." But Penn's 2005 Minority Equity Report identified her as the recipient of a 1994 faculty award, listing her name in bold to signify that she was a minority. The Herald has twice quoted Charles Fried, the head of the Harvard appointing committee that recommended Warren for her position in 1995, saying that the Democratic candidate's heritage didn't come up during the course of her hiring. "It simply played no role in the appointments process," he said. "It was not mentioned and I didn't mention it to the faculty." The Herald later quoted Fried, a former U.S. Solicitor General under President Ronald Reagan, saying, "I can state categorically that the subject of her Native American ancestry never once was mentioned."

In September 2018, the Boston Globe published the results of an investigation over whether Warren was hired at Harvard because "had decided to self-identify as a Native American woman and Harvard saw a chance to diversify the law faculty." The Globe concluded that:

In the most exhaustive review undertaken of Elizabeth Warrens professional history, the Globe found clear evidence, in documents and interviews, that her claim to Native American ethnicity was never considered by the Harvard Law faculty, which voted resoundingly to hire her, or by those who hired her to four prior positions at other law schools. At every step of her remarkable rise in the legal profession, the people responsible for hiring her saw her as a white woman. The Globe examined hundreds of documents, many of them never before available, and reached out to all 52 of the law professors who are still living and were eligible to be in [on the decision]. Some are Warrens allies. Others are not. Thirty-one agreed to talk to the Globe  including the law professor who was, at the time, in charge of recruiting minority faculty. Most said they were unaware of her claims to Native American heritage and all but one of the 31 said those claims were not discussed as part of her hire. One professor told the Globe he is unsure whether her heritage came up, but is certain that, if it did, it had no bearing on his vote on Warrens appointment.

In October 2018, Senator Warren released a controversial report on a DNA analysis that was said to show a pure Native American ancestor appeared in her ancestry in the range of six to 10 generations ago.

In February 2019 the Washington Post surfaced Warrens 1986 registration card for the State Bar of Texas, on which she identified her race as American Indian.

In August 2019, Senator Warren apologized for harm caused by her past claims to tribal heritage.
Enterprise Adoption Fuels Redis Labs Rising Momentum

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA  (Marketwired)  02/21/17  Redis Labs, the home of Redis and provider of Redis Enterprise, today announced continued growth in 2016 and reported a substantial increase in enterprise customers year over year. In the past year, more than 1,300 enterprises adopted the Redis Enterprise (Redis(e)) platform including Fortune 100 companies across many industries, two of the top three telecommunications companies and five of the top ten U.S technology companies. With organizations facing increasingly complex data challenges, Redis Labs enables enterprises to efficiently meet their real-time data needs.

The Redis(e) platform serves over 61,000 accounts globally, including 7,000 enterprise customers, deployed on-premises or in public, private and hybrid clouds. Redis Labs entire portfolio enhances open source Redis with automated, seamless scaling and always-on availability while fully supporting all its commands, data structures and modules. In the last year, Redis Labs has added new enterprise customers including Vodafone, Dell, TD Bank, Verizon, United Healthcare, Atlassian, DBS, Menards, RingCentral, TaxAct, EverBank, KPMG, Shutterfly, Staples and Amdocs.

In 2016, the Redis(e) platform powered a including mobile applications, ecommerce, customer engagement applications and real-time analytics. Enterprises to power high-speed transactions, streamline job, queue and user session management, increase application scalability, achieve real-time analytics and handle high-speed data ingest. Additionally, over 70 percent of Redis Labs customers use Redis(e) as a and more of their business-critical data from other data stores such as RDBMS-es as well as NoSQLs like MongoDB, Cassandra and others.

The NoSQL market is quickly evolving beyond developer-led projects and moving toward enterprise-wide deployments to support real-time business applications, said Ofer Bengal, CEO at Redis Labs. As a result, global organizations in a variety of verticals are increasingly embracing Redis(e) as their number one deployment choice for new applications that require enterprise-class high availability, effortless scaling and reduced operational overhead.

Highlights from the past year include:

 Redis Labs unveiled its platform that underpins its Redis(e) Cloud, Redis(e) Cloud Private, Redis(e) Pack and Redis(e) Pack Managed offerings, delivering unprecedented deployment flexibility and choice to enterprises. Earlier in the year, the company introduced and , followed by the recent release of the Redis machine learning module () to deliver instant predictive intelligence and the full text-search module () to be up to five times faster than specialized search software like ElasticSearch and Solr, and the updated Redis(e) Pack 4.4.

 Redis Labs partnered with AWS, Microsoft Azure, Intel, Samsung, IBM, and Accenture  all important contributors in todays application development space to bring the advantages of Redis(e) to their customers. In addition, Redis Labs with AWS Marketplace to offer integrated billing to help enterprises streamline access to the Redis(e) Cloud database service.

 Redis was named by InfoWorld. Redis Labs was named a leading database provider by two of the leading independent analyst firms, Gartner and Forrester Research, in their respective reports: and .

Redis Enterprises exploding popularity in 2016 is also reflected by a string of achievements and milestones. percent, with high-profile customers and industry experts from Apple, Google, GoPro, Netflix and Scopely presenting the trends driving database decisions. The in November engaged the developer community with over 5000 participants from 30 countries, producing numerous to Redis such as graph, rate-limiting, time-series, JSON and ranking modules.

 The company welcomed several executive team members with deep industry expertise, including Manish Gupta, CMO, David Maitland, VP of EMEA Sales, Rod Hamlin, VP of Global Alliances, Cihan Biyikoglu, VP of Product Management and Ron Klinger, VP of Global Support.

 Redis Labs expanded their headquarters in Mountain View and opened a new London office with plans to double the headcount of the companys sales, marketing and customer success teams.

For more information on Redis Labs, visit: .

, home of open source , the worlds most popular in-memory database platform, provides (Redis(e)), as a service in all major clouds, and as downloadable software. The high performance, true high availability and seamless scaling of Redis(e) powers e-commerce, social, personalization, IoT, metering, fraud detection and other real-time applications.

Redis Labs serves over 60,000 customers globally and is consistently ranked as a leader in top analyst reports on NoSQL, in-memory and operational databases. Redis has been rated the , , , and . Founded in 2011, Redis Labs is headquartered in Mountain View, Calif., with offices in Tel Aviv and London. For more information, visit or follow us at .

Melissa Roxas

Inner Circle Labs for Redis Labs

(415) 684-9401

Sharon Thompson

Redis Labs

(650) 483-7506
Hit Rail signs new contract with Dutch railway NS to provide enhanced rail connectivity between Netherlands and Belgium

Utrecht/Brussels, 21 February 2017  International rail connectivity specialist Hit Rail B.V. has signed a three-year contract with Dutch railway operator NS to improve and upgrade its connectivity with other rail organisations through use of Hit Rails MPLS-based Hermes VPN (Virtual Private Network). The agreement also covers the migration of the companys connectivity with international ticketing joint venture BeNe Rail International to the Hermes VPN.

Under the agreement, Hit Rail already helped with the relocation of NSs routers to two new sites in Amsterdam and Apeldoorn set up to provide 6Mbps Ethernet links from each site to the Hermes VPN. At the same time, work was carried out to upgrade the connection of BeNe Rail International in Brussels with 6Mbps Ethernet links via the Infrabel network, with migration of its data traffic to the Hermes VPN. Once these works have been completed all three organisations will benefit from a robust and open connectivity solution with built-in redundancy and future-proofing.

Access to Hit Rails Hermes VPN services will ensure the three Benelux rail organisations have the best possible message interoperability for passenger reservations in-country and internationally. The Hermes VPN is already the connectivity choice for all railway reservation systems in Europe using the UIC 918 international reservations protocol, including, amongst others, ResaRail, EPA, Thalys and Eurostar. The enhanced service for NS, together with the connection of BeNe to Hermes, opens up a vast pool of reservation opportunities for passengers within the region and throughout Europe.

NS is the principal railway operator in the Netherlands for passenger traffic. NS runs 4,800 scheduled domestic trains a day, serving 1.2 million passengers. It also provides international rail services from the Netherlands to other European destinations. Infrabel is the infrastructure manager of the railways in Belgium and BeNe Rail International is a joint venture between NMBS (Belgian Rail) and NS, created to manage the sales and distribution of international and high speed train tickets and help shape the Dutch and Belgian rail systems.

The Hermes VPN, already used by NS and Infrabel, was the logical way forward for NS, BeNe and Infrabel because of its reliability, performance and security and the fact that it is used by so many of Europes rail operators, enhancing connectivity and interoperability for all.

Erik Dekkers of NS said: We have been working with Hit Rail for many years and wanted to upgrade our services and connectivity to enable a greater use of the service. Hermes is already widely used throughout the European passenger rail system for reservations and international messaging so it made sense to recommend that BeNe should also migrate to the VPN.

Antonio Lopez, General Manager of Hit Rail, added: This is an excellent solution for NS and its partners  we are pleased that all three organisations have chosen to connect to our Hermes VPN and have therefore been provided with enhanced connectivity, delivering better information and reservation services to their passengers.
In partnership with the Wyoming Historical Society for the celebration of its 30th anniversary, the Cincinnati Preservation Association is hosting a spring house tour in the neighborhood to highlight some of its historic buildings and residences.First listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986, the Wyoming Historic District is home to more than 300 buildings including homes, churches, businesses and more. The Ohio Historical Preservation Office calls it a one-of-a-kind community with an extremely impressive array of architecture.The neighborhood has 19th- and 20-century homes in Victorian and Tudor styles.Self-guided walking tours are available in the district, with resources provided by the Wyoming Historical Society. Although self-guided tours of the village dont take tourists into the buildings, the brochure provided through the Wyoming Historical Society takes you through each historical step from previous farmland to colonial-style homes. Going this route, you have access to the historical architecture of the areas homes, churches, businesses and schools.The Spring House Tour , in partnership with the CPA, will take visitors through the heart of Wyomings village area, touring through five homes and two churches along the way.According to Ashleigh Finke, board member of the CPA and co-chair of the tour, the event highlights architectural variety by featuring five homes ranging from an Italianate built in 1865 to a charming bungalow constructed in 1925.The Palmer-Stearn House, a High Italianate mansion atop a rolling 1.6-acre estate, will be one of the stops on the tour. The mansion was fully restored and is known as one of the oldest and most historically important homes in Wyoming. The tour will cap off with a visit to two local churches  one a Victorian-Gothic style and the other a Mid-Century Modern.The event, sponsored by Cincinnati Historic Homes and the Sanregret Team, will take place from 1 to 5 p.m. on May 13. Will call will be available at the Wyoming Civic Center, but advance purchase is recommended. Tickets are $30 for CPA and WHS members, $35 for nonmembers if purchased in advance and $40 for a full day of touring.Tickets can be purchased by calling 513-721-4506 or by visiting www.cincinnatipreservation.org
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A new city website, accessible on computers and mobile devices, that allows users to view public safety data, building code violations, city facility information, and more on an interactive map, was the sole presentation at the Feb. 14. meeting of the South Side Planning Forum.

The presenter was Geoffrey Arnold of the citys Department of Innovation and Performance.

Called the Burghs Eye View, it includes data on: 311 requests, crime incidents, arrests, non-traffic citations, building code violations, and city facilities. The data is for the citys 90 recognized neighborhoods. More categories are planned.

In addition to viewing data, users may submit 311 requests from the site.

The website, data.pittsburghpa.gov, is accessible on computers and mobile devices. Once on the website, users should click on the Burghs Eye View logo on the right sidebar.

To a question of how data ends up on Burghs Eye View, Mr. Arnold said it is through a partnership with the University of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County called the Western Pennsylvania Regional Data Center. The data is updated daily.

In her report of the Development Review Committee (DRC), chair Tracy Myers said there is a proposal to demolish St. Matthews on 19th St. There has been a for sale sign on the property for a long time, she said.

The matter has not yet come before the DRC. She said the developer hopes to buy the building, demolish it, and build seven townhouses.

Forum chair Hugh Brannan said the developer has reached out to community groups, and is anxious to begin a conversation.

To a question about preserving the building, Ms. Myers said it is not a historic landmark. She said not all buildings are worth preserving.

Progress sometimes means creative destruction, she said.

She said the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation would have declared it a landmark if they felt it was unique.

The DRC can provide feedback on design. But it is not on the South Side Neighborhood Plans do not tear down list, she said.

Thom Barry, of the South Side Chamber of Commerce, called it shocking anyone would want to take down the building. He said it would take the neighborhood to be up in arms to stop the demolition.

Ms. Myers said the design will be carefully evaluated by the DRC and the city.

On another matter, Ms. Myers said there will be a Zoning Board of Adjustment hearing at 10:30 a.m. on March 2 on a proposed fast food restaurant with drive-thru at 2417 E. Carson St.

The property owner is the Veterans Leadership Program of Western PA Inc.

A fast food restaurant is not permitted in the local neighborhood commercial (LNC) zoning district. Drive-thru use in an LNC district is a special exception.

Ms. Myers said a fast food restaurant is not the highest and best use for that plot of land.

Next, regarding the South Side Neighborhood Plan, ninth update, Ms. Myers said regular reviews will be conducted. At three and nine months, the plan will be looked at to see how organizations are doing with their responsibilities.

She also reported that she developed a formal application form for organizations seeking to become forum members. The matter was spurred by the recent plan update which included recommendations that Duquesne University and the South Side Bar & Restaurant Association (SSB&RA) become members of the planning forum. Duquesne would be non-voting, while the SSB&RA would be a voting member.

She said she hopes to have both on board as forum members in March.

In announcements, the annual South Side Soup Contest, scheduled for Feb. 18, was sold out of its 1250 general admission tickets. About 60 of 100 VIP tickets were sold as of Feb. 14.

Proceeds support the South Side community programs and initiatives of the Brashear Association and the South Side Welcome Center.

Mr. Barry said in January, the Welcome Center had 30 volunteers for 248 volunteer hours worked, and 219 visitors.

The Chamber will be holding a luncheon at noon on March 8 at The Urban Tap, 1209 East Carson St. Mike Carroll and Dan Yablonsky of BikePGH will talk about the May 28 OpenStreets event on the South Side, and about BikePGH. Businesses are urged to become involved, such as in offering sidewalk specials and dining.

State Rep. Jake Wheatley will host the annual small business day in Harrisburg on March 20 beginning at 11:15 a.m.

Inclusive Innovation Week in the city will be held March 31 to April 7. It is designed to provide a city-wide opportunity to participate in innovation in the city. Groups should submit their event by March 1. The website is innovationroadmap.pittsburghpa.gov .

The next forum meeting will be on March 14.
Noie: That's what it all should look like in Notre Dame Stadium

First-year head coach Marcus Freeman kept insisting it was going to happen if Notre Dame kept working. On Saturday, it finally happened for the Irish
A Republican senator would like to see Iowa raise its interstate highway speed limit to 75 mph. Sen. Brad Zaun, R-Urbandale, who filed Senate File 289, said transportation officials say the interstate system was designed to handle traffic speeds of up to 85 mph.

I travel a lot and I thought it was just worthy of having a conversation, Zaun said Monday. He noted the bill stalled in recent sessions but theres been a change in command with Republicans now in control of the Iowa Senate so I thought Id give it another shot.

Senate Transportation Committee Chairman Tim Kapucian, R-Keystone, said he expected a subcommittee would meet on the bill but he did not give it much of a chance of getting very far in the process.

There are a lot of people that dont want it raised, said Kapucian. Theres quite a bit of leeway now in how fast you can go. I dont know if we want to go there.

CIVICS EXAM: A House Education subcommittee has postponed indefinitely further action to require high school students score 60 percent on the U.S. citizenship test to graduate.

Rep. Skyler Wheeler, R-Orange City, a co-sponsor of HF 220, wants to see a Legislative Services Agency fiscal analysis of the bill because he doesnt want to impose an unfunded mandate on local schools.

When he was running for office last year, Wheeler said, he had to explain to voters the difference between the U.S. House and the Iowa House.

Some people thought I was running against (U.S. Rep. Steve) King, he said.

Rep. Art Staed, D-Cedar Rapids, a social studies teacher, called the bill a joke. Requiring the test wont improve proficiency in social studies, he said. If students lack proficiency in social studies, Staed suggested it might be because too few teachers have a background in the subject matter.

FOREIGN LAWS: A House Judiciary subcommittee moved forward a bill, HF 223, which would make it state policy to protect Iowans from the application of foreign laws that would result in violating rights guaranteed by the state and federal constitutions, including but not limited to those applying to due process, freedom of religion, speech or press, and any right of privacy or marriage.

Civil liberties advocates advised that U.S. courts have long held international law is a part of U.S. law. That it could put Americans at risk and cast uncertainty on multinational agreements.

Another lobbyist warned the language is so broad as to require civil courts to ignore 1,000 years of the Catholic Churchs canon law in handling disputes such as those involving church property or health care directives. The bill says a court cannot enforce a law if religious or foreign laws does not match the U.S. Constitution. Canon law, Tom Chapman of the Iowa Catholic Conference, does not recognize the right to an abortion, for example.

Sponsor Rep. Ralph Watts, R-Adel, said the bill is in response to comments by U.S. Supreme Court justices suggesting that international law should be considered in deciding constitutional questions.

In the current environment, with people of many cultures coming to America Watts said it is important to preserve constitutional freedoms. Some culture, he said, permit child marriages. Some dont recognize the rights of women.

Rep. Vicki Lensing, D-Iowa City, pointed out the Constitution was written at a time when people of many cultures were entering America and that some would say we dont have full recognition of womens rights now.

EXPANDING FIREARM LAW: The Senate Transportation Committee agreed Monday to modify a firearm law they passed last year to expand its provisions to renters and hired hands.

Iowa landowners now are allowed to carry a loaded firearm while operating a snowmobile or an ATV on their property. Off-road vehicle operators on someone elses property are required to place unloaded shotguns or rifles in a case. In addition, Iowans with a permit to carry a handgun would be allowed to possess a pistol if it is secured in a holster similar to those used by law enforcement officers. Current law also requires snowmobilers and ATV riders to get off the vehicle to shoot. Senate File 227 would extend the provisions to Iowans who rent property or who work as a laborer as part of an animal agriculture operation. The bill now goes to the Senate debate calendar for consideration.

BABY DRUG TESTING: Lawmakers and lobbyist questioned the need for universal drug testing for babies born in Iowa hospitals. While they agreed there is a problems with infants being born with exposure to illegal substances, HF 259 was indefinitely postponed while similar legislation is considered.

Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Dave Heaton, R-Mount Pleasant, called for the universal testing to address drug problems of both newborns and their mothers. Hes interested in the childs welfare, but added, dont write off the mother.

However, Janee Harvey of the Department of Human Services Child Welfare and Community Services Bureau, wasnt convinced that testing was needed for e very newborn or that involving the DHS by filing Child in Need of Assistance papers in every case was the best way to address the problem.

Given rising incidences of heroin and opioid abuse, We need to take a strong stance, Heaton said.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: Youve not only derailed bipartisanship, you seem to have driven it off the cliff in some Thelma and Louise fashion, Rep. Bruce Hunter, D-Des Moines, referring to majority Republicans passage of HF 291, which significantly altered public employee collective bargaining rights.

--Compiled by the Globe Gazette Des Moines Bureau
OSAGE | With another hunting season under their belts, over 150 North Iowa sportsmen and women gathered at the Milton R. Owen Nature Center for the annual Deer and Turkey Expo Saturday, Feb. 11.

With new vendors to browse, along with this years mounted exhibits and trail cam photos, there was plenty for visitors to see.

Avid hunters from Mitchell, Floyd and other surrounding counties, as well as visitors from Minnesota, flocked the nature center, to see, among other displays, the large mounted buck with the drop tine.

By mid-afternoon it was the forerunner to win the competition.

The DNR was on hand to discuss issues of conservation, as well as conduct a presentation on the effects of Chronic Wasting Disease and how to spot the signs.

The disease, found in white tailed deer and other members of the deer, elk and moose family, causes the animals to lose weight over time and show signs of having difficulty moving, ultimately leading to death.

In addition, vendors like Iron Rack Products, creators of European skull mount plaques, were on hand with their wares. From racks in the shape of Iowa, arrow heads, and six shooters, to those who looked like the skull symbol from Punisher, they had several different styles on display.

Piggyback Smoke Shack provided the BBQ concession along with several meat and cheese samplers provided by area meat lockers including S & S Locker, Osage.

Its a great event up here, this is the first time weve come and its been really nice, they have an awesome facility up here, Iron Rack owner Tyler Larsen said. You really have to look for events like these, but they are around.

Youngsters who visited had the opportunity to enjoy searching for the salamander in its habitat or marveling at the snake exhibit as well as several others throughout the room.

In addition, DNR officer Eric Johnston was there to answer questions about state hunting and fishing regulations and give tips and advice to those who asked, like Pat ODonnell and his son, Connor, who were visiting from Nora Springs.

Were both hunters and fishermen, the elder ODonnell said. My son has been hunting and fishing with me since he was 10, hes 14 now. For us, its all about doing it correctly, thats why were asking Officer Johnston about the length of certain fish and whats regulation and what isnt.

Were more in it for fun, but we want to do things legally. Coming to shows like this is a nice way to see the kind of deer that have been harvested and maybe start a wish list of our own.
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MASON CITY | Cerro Gordo County supervisors gave unanimous approval Tuesday in support of a state fund that addresses water quality, outdoor recreation and natural resources needs.

"This is something we really need to do," said Supervisor Tim Latham.

Cerro Gordo County Conservation Director Mike Webb said the Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund was created through an amendment to the Iowa Constitution in 2010.

It requires the first 3/8 of a cent of the next sales tax increase to be placed in a special fund and used only for water quality and natural resources issues.

But the fund has yet to receive any money because of no increase in the sales tax. Proponents are asking the Legislature to enact a tax increase to fund the program that voters supported by their approval of the constitutional amendment seven years ago.

Adam Shirley, Mitchell County conservation director and president of the Iowa Conservation Directors Association, recently addressed the issue in a press release.

"Hundreds of rivers, lakes and streams are impaired for recreational use," he said. "Some older local and state park facilities require major maintenance and upgrades. Many recreational trails are disconnected or need repair.

"With all of this, we live in a state that ranks 47th in the country in spending on natural resources and outdoor recreation," Shirley said.
Georgetown, SC (29440)

Today

Clouds and some sun this morning with more clouds for this afternoon. High 79F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low near 60F. Winds light and variable.
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GARNER | U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley faced an angry crowd shouting taunts and waving protest signs during a town hall meeting Tuesday in the basement of the Hancock County Courthouse.

An overflow crowd of about 200 filled the meeting room and spilled out onto a stairway.

Grassley fielded questions on health care, education, immigration, term limits and President Trump's cabinet picks and possible ties to Russia.

Often his answers were hard for some to hear because of others shouting questions or insults at the same time.

As one person held up a sign saying "Shame On You, Chuck Grassley  Sold to the Highest Bidder," the senator defended his vote in favor of Betsy DeVos as secretary of education.

A woman read off a litany of reasons she felt DeVos was unqualified.

"I voted for a lot of Obama's nominees for the cabinet," said Grassley. "I think great deference should be given to a new president to help him put his team together to carry out his programs."

When the woman said "It's your role to determine who is competent," some in the crowd chanted, "Do your job; do your job."

When someone mentioned DeVos donated $21,000 to Grassley's re-election campaign, he replied, "When you raise $10-$11 million in a campaign, you can't possibly know where every $21,000 came from."

Another person asked if he thought President Trump should release his tax returns. Grassley said, "You can't force it."

When asked if he would sign a letter asking Trump to release his tax returns, the senator replied, "It would be kind of silly for me to say I'd sign a letter I haven't read."

Jamet Colton, a native of Chile who now lives in Ames, said immigrants are an important part of American society. "We're already making this country great again," she said. Then she asked, "How will you stand up for immigrants?"

Grassley agreed immigrants are important and said, "Aren't we an inviting country?" which drew a loud chorus of "No."

Colton said afterward she felt that Grassley was baiting her and had deflected answering her question.

David Bernau of West Bend asked Grassley his views on term limits. Grassley said it came up for a vote once years ago and he voted in favor, and that he would do it again.

Grassley said he favors a bipartisan investigation by the Senate Intelligence Committee on whether Russia interfered with the presidential election last year.

Regarding Trump involvement with Russia, he said Attorney Gen. Jeff Sessions, a longtime Trump friend and political ally, has said he will recuse himself from any prosecution if that becomes necessary.

He said he favors repeal and reform of the Affordable Care Act, often called "Obamacare," and said there is consensus among Republicans to keep some parts of it, such coverage of pre-existing illnesses and coverage of young people on their parents' policies up to the age of 26.

Grassley, meeting with reporters after the session, said it was often difficult to hear because of so many people speaking at once. Also, he said, so many people made statements rather than asking questions, it limited the number of questions asked.

"But it's their right to speak up and it's a very important part of representative government. Two-way communication is essential," he said.

Grassley added, "People who lost the last election are very well organized. If Hillary Clinton had been elected, Republicans would be doing the same thing."

But he admitted that at one point, "questions were coming at you like a machine gun."

Earlier Tuesday, Grassley encountered angry constituents in Iowa Falls. At that session, Clear Lake area farmer Chris Petersen offered him a package of Tums, saying he was going to need them.

Grassley said the only time he needs them is when he eats chocolate ice cream before he goes to bed.
Air Force Col. Thatcher Cardon of Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas won first place and $15,000 in NASA's Space Poop Challenge for developing new designs for spacesuit toilet systems.

WASHINGTON  NASA has picked its number one person for a number two problem.

Air Force Col. Thatcher Cardon won the agency's "Space Poop Challenge," an effort to design better ways for astronauts to deal with bodily waste than the current super-absorbent diapers.

Cardon's solution is a "perineal access port" located in the suit's crotch. It's essentially a valve opening through which astronauts can insert various toilet devices to aid in waste extraction, and can be easily operated while wearing a spacesuit glove. [How Astronauts Use the Bathroom in Space: A Guide]

He beat out more than 5,000 other competitors, according to a press release from the Air Force, and will receive $15,000 from NASA for winning the challenge.

"I've always wanted to go into biomedical engineering," Cardon, commander of the 47th medical group at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, said in a statement. "I opted for family medicine instead, thinking I could always do biomedical engineering later on. I never imagined that poop would be my ticket into the field."

When NASA launched the challenge in October on the HeroX crowdsourcing site, the agency said it was looking for a system that would work continuously for a daunting 144 hours, potentially in the event of an emergency in orbit that required astronauts to stay in their spacesuits for extended periods of time.

In an introductory video for the competition, space shuttle veteran astronaut Rick Mastracchio put it succinctly:

"We have to figure out ways to keep astronauts alive and healthy many days after a major malfunction, such as loss of vehicle pressure," he said. "I can tell you that spaceflight is not always glamorous, and people need to go to the bathroom even in a spacecraft. How is this waste treated so that it does not harm the astronaut or even kill them?"

Cardon said that training as a flight surgeon helped him think about how to maintain pressure within a spacesuit while using a waste disposal device. Air Force medical staff often must consider changing pressures in a flight cabin for patients who are airlifted out of dangerous areas.[In Space, Everyone Can Hear You Poop (Video)]

Col. Thatcher Cardon, 47th Medical Group commander at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas. Cardon's "perineal access port" won NASA's first Space Poop Challenge for spacesuit toilet systems. (Image credit: Airman 1st Class Benjamin N. Valmoj/U.S. Air Force)

Another of the devices Cardon created is a "hygiene wand" to be used instead of toilet paper.

"Its tip is covered with bunched tubular fabric," the press release said. "After the fabric is applied to the perineum, it is pulled outward through the middle of the wand so that fresh fabric slides forward from the outside of the wand in a motion similar to a sock being turned inside out."

After meticulously planning out how his system might work, Cardon "drove around town to dollar stores, thrift stores, craft, clothing and hardware stores to buy materials for mockups."

"I have a small office and workshop that was in a complete uproar for several weeks as the submission came together on evenings and weekends," the colonel said. "It was a ton of fun."

Col. Thomas Shank, the 47th Flying Training Wing commander at Laughlin, said he wasn't surprised that Cardon's creativity won the contest.

"When I ask him for a solution, he always gives me several options and one of the options will be out of left field, one that I would never think about. He's an extremely innovative person," Shank said in a statement.

This story was provided by SpaceNews, dedicated to covering all aspects of the space industry.
A Russian Progress spacecraft is seen on approach to the International Space Station in this undated NASA image.

A robotic Russian cargo ship will launch toward the International Space Station early Wednesday (Feb. 22), to be followed hours later by the arrival of an unpiloted SpaceX cargo ship at the same cosmic destination. And if you're an extreme night owl (or early bird), you can watch all the space action live online.

The Russian Progress 66 resupply ship will launch to the space station from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 12:58 a.m. EST (0558 GMT), beginning a two-day trip to the space station. Then, at 6 a.m. EST (1100 GMT) Wednesday, SpaceX's 10th Dragon cargo ship will arrive at the space station to complete a trip that began with a spectacular launch Sunday (Feb. 19).

You can watch both space events live online, courtesy of NASA TV. The Progress 66 cargo ship's launch webcast will begin at 12:30 a.m. EST (0530 GMT). NASA's coverage of the SpaceX Dragon's arrival at the space station, meanwhile, will begin at 4:30 a.m. EST (0930 GMT) and likely conclude after astronauts on the station capture the Dragon capsule with the outpost's robotic arm. NASA will resume coverage at 8:30 a.m. EST (1330 GMT) to show live views of Dragon being attached to the space station, NASA officials said in a statement.

Progress 66 is unpiloted cargo ship packed with nearly 3 tons of food, fuel and supplies for the Expedition 50 crew on the space station. It is Russia's first cargo ship launch since the loss of the Progress 65 supply craft on Dec. 1, 2016, NASA officials said. If all goes well with the launch, the new cargo ship should arrive at the space station in the wee hours of Friday (Feb. 24).

Nearly 5 hours after the Progress 66 launch, SpaceX's latest Dragon space capsule will arrive at the space station. SpaceX launched the Dragon capsule Sunday using a Falcon 9 rocket that lifted off from NASA's Launch Pad 39A. It was the first private rocket launch from the historic pad, which NASA used to launch the Apollo 11 moon-landing mission and the final space shuttle flight, among others.

Dragon is carrying about nearly 5,500 lbs. (2,500 kilograms) of food, scientific equipment and other supplies for the space station crew.

Email Tariq Malik at tmalik@space.com or follow him @tariqjmalik and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
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IOWA FALLS | A raucous town hall meeting frequently interrupted by shouted questions, insults and do your job chants was a great example of making the process of representative government work, Iowa U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley said Tuesday.

What youve just seen is the best way to do it, Grassley said about communicating with constituents. His early morning meeting at a volunteer fire department station in the north central Iowa town of Iowa Falls drew a couple of hundred people. Judging from the comments and questions during the hour-long forum, most did not support his re-election last fall to a seventh term.

Its just part of the job, the Iowa Republican said about his visits to all 99 counties every year for the past 36 years.

We have a responsibility to have dialogue with our constituents, Grassley told reporters later. What I just did is the best way to do it.

Over the course of an hour, Grassley fielded about 15 questions, many hostile towards him, President Donald Trump and Republicans, in general. Unlike his more typical town hall meetings, the questions  speeches, often  were longer, Grassleys answers shorter and there was less discussion. That, he said, was unfortunate, but an accommodation he was willing to make.

I dont think people had a chance to hear me as much as they normally would because there were long speeches and some applause and some interference, so they didnt get my point of view, Grassley said. But if they want me to listen to them, Im willing to listen to them.

What he heard told him weve got issues that people feel very strongly about.

He appreciated the input on the Affordable Care Act, which congressional Republicans and the president say they will repeal and replace. He hasnt had many opportunities to discuss that at town hall meetings year, so I think that was a good thing to hear from people.

As confrontational as the meeting was, Grassley said it was nowhere near as intense as meetings on President Barack Obamas proposed health care overhaul in the summer of 2009.

Its nothing compared to 2009, he said. I went through this in 2009. If you get through it in 2009 this is not a problem.

In that spirit, Clear Lake farmer and Democratic activist Chris Peterson, offered Grassley a gift.

I got a present for you if you want them, he said before giving Grassley an earful on family farms, the EPA, health care and more. Theyre called Tums and youre going to need them in the next few years.

Grassley appreciated the offer, but told reporters it wasnt necessary.

The only time I need Tums is when I have chocolate ice cream before I go to bed, Grassley said.

Reach James Lynch at 319-398-8375; james.lynch@thegazette.com.
OSAGE | The Mitchell County Board of Supervisors Tuesday approved applications for two 2,500-head hog confinements after denying them in January.

The approval followed clarification provided by Iowa Select Farms, on behalf of local producer Grey Owl Farms II, LLC.

Iowa Select Farms Environmental Compliance Officer Keith Kratchmer during the meeting provided a two-page clarification. It addressed the county's concerns regarding the producer's master matrix application, a scoring system for concentrated animal feeding operations.

The board had denied Grey Owl Farms' applications Jan. 31 after reviewing an analysis submitted by a nonprofit citizens' environmental action group.

The company, operating as Underwood Finisher Farms, Orchard, wanted to build the deep pit swine finisher buildings in rural southeastern Mitchell County.

It was the first application the county denied. Mitchell County officials said they have relied on applicants scoring their own master matrix applications, with the board approving them as presented.

Denial was based on application analysis by Erica Blair, an organizer for Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement's (CCI) farming and environment team.

Operates are required to score a minimum of 440 points on applications. Grey Owl Farms II said it scored 445, but Blair's analysis determined the company took in 105 erroneous points not meeting DNR standards, instead scoring at 340.

Blair's concerns involved the use of "periodic" or "routine" inspections, with no specific definition of those terms in the application. She previously said she believed additional clarification was needed for points to be awarded.

Blair via phone Tuesday said it was good the supervisors took constituent concerns into account as they "decided to take the master matrix more seriously."

"Even so, we would have liked to see the supervisors stick to their guns," she said. "This is just another example of the master matrix failing to adequately protect communities and the environment from factory farm pollution.

"It doesnt go far enough and we need supervisors to demand real change. We cant continue to simply let factory farms degrade our water, air and quality of life."

Kratchmer addressed those terms in a letter to the supervisors, stating, "We believe that good management practices and common sense direct us on the timelines of such inspections.

To clarify the issue, Iowa Select Farms (whose pigs will be raised by Underwood Finishing) requires the reporting of manure levels, water usage and a visual inspection of all storage structures and building on a weekly basis.

Regarding the inspection of pit floors, Kratchmer said the Iowa DNR requires drainage tile like ones proposed for the Grey Owl Farms site.

The manure storage structures on this farm and any other farm represent a significant investment and it is not anyones best interest to design, operate and maintain these structures in a manner that does not protect our neighbors or the environment," the letter said.

Since points were met, County Attorney Mark Walk said the supervisors were obligated to approve the application.

Although some people may think county has some say in the zoning of these confinements, Iowa law makes it very clear it is not the job of the counties to zone for confinement buildings," Walk said.

The Floyd County Board of Supervisors earlier this month asked Gov. Terry Branstad and the Iowa Legislature to change the master matrix.

Floyd County is the third county in which supervisors have formally called for changes in the state matrix, joining both Allamakee and Winneshiek counties.

Last year, Webster and Pocahontas county officials wrote letters to legislators and the DNR calling for a moratorium on factory farms and changes to the master matrix. In addition, Johnson County officials also called for more local control.

As for Mitchell County, Walk said voting down a master matrix application meeting criteria is a "waste of everyone's time."

After the county initially denied the application, Walk contacted DNR Senior Environmental Specialist Cindy Garza, inquiring into the county's next option.

Garza, who handles animal feeding operations, offered the county two options: allowing the DNR to score the matrix itself or requesting a 30-day extension to work with Iowa Select Farms.

The county chose the extension, then renegotiating the application with Grey Owl Farms II.

The board also approved establishing a formal review committee of a county supervisor, the producer, producer's environmental officer and either the county attorney or county sanitarian and community members to review and discuss master matrix applications.

The committee met with Grey Owl Farms II to discuss the county's concerns with the application.
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And in doing so, it appears that Schulz was even ready to bend the rules of parliament.

Two weeks ago, Schulz became the subject of criticism over the largesse he has shown to former European Parliament staffer and current campaign director Markus Engels, including a questionable employment arrangement that guaranteed Engels lucrative extras on top of his base salary. Furthermore, Schulz pushed hard in 2014 for Engels to become an EU civil servant, a coveted status, even though it was not in Schulz's jurisdiction to do so. Likewise in 2014, Schulz tried to push for Engels to become the head of parliament's Media Intelligence Unit, even writing an email to a personnel department staff member to get it through.
Chahid Elhafed (Saharawi Refugee Camps), February 21, 2017 (SPS) - Saharawi Government condemned Monday Morocco's "policy of threat and blackmail" against the European Union for its legal positions over the conflict of Western Sahara.

The Saharawi government, in a statement published Sunday, said Morocco uses illegal immigration as a blackmail tool," the government said through the Saharawi Communication's statement.

"Whenever Morocco is under political or economic pressure, it resorts to such methods, especially Spain, to force it to breach its historical responsibilities towards Western Sahara people and their right to freedom and independence,"

"The European Union will not accept that its legal institutions undergo any form of blackmail," the statement noted.

"Those acts are parts of Morocco's policy which jeopardize security and stability in the region, making of drugs, illegal immigration and organized crime a tool for blackmail." SPS

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Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017, at Our Saviors Lutheran Church in Osage with Rev. Alan Schulz officiating. Burial will be in the Osage Cemetery.
London, February 21, 2017 (SPS) - Western Sahara Resource Watch (WSRW) denounced the illegal oil exploration by the Swiss company Glencore off the coast of the occupied territory of Western Sahara.

WSRW underlined in a communique that Glencore is accelerating the oil exploration off the coast of occupied Western Sahara, underlining that the company conducted other seismic surveys and concluded a renewable agreement on a block offshore the occupied territory.

Glencore has already been involved in similar illegal activities when it signed an agreement with the Moroccan occupier in 2016, said the source.

WSRW also reported that the seismic study vessel BGP Prospector, owned by a subsidiary of the Chinese oil company CNPC, has undertaken seismic studies off the coast of occupied El Aaiun, the capital city of Western Sahara, and has done similar studies twice in the past. SPS

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DARIEN  A skimming device was found on an ATM at the Darien Bank & Trust on the Post Road.

On Feb. 15 around 3:30 p.m., bank management told police they had been contacted by an outside monitoring agency about abnormal customer banking activity in New York City.
MASON CITY | Police called to North Iowa Area Community College on Tuesday for a report of a suicidal person took a man to the hospital.

Officials say no one was hurt.

Mason City police said in a statement they were notified about 10:30 a.m. that someone Winnebago County authorities were looking for was at NIACC's campus on the east side of Mason City.

Law-enforcement in Winnebago County was seeking to do a welfare check on that person.

THe person was located walking on the community college's campus and taken without incident to Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa, police say.

NIACC President Steve Schulz said in a school alert that the call was for a campus visitor with a mental health issue.

"The individual was cooperative and has been removed from campus and there is no need for anyone to take additional action," he said via e-mail.

College officials say the campus was not locked down.
For the second year, Entrepreneur partnered with CultureIQ to find the best office cultures in America. For more tips and profiles, check out the rest of 2017's Top Company Cultures package.

Its a long-told story: Millennials and Gen Xers dont understand each other. But at this Nashville-based IT firm, the culture runs on collaboration -- so much so that generational divides have nearly disappeared, according to its staff. Daniel Akridge, a 28-year-old service-desk lead, and Darlene Dralus, a 49-year-old network operations center engineer, explain how.

Related: To Change Your Company Culture, Change Your Conversations

Akridge: I was told when I started at Concept to ask a lot of questions. In IT, you dont see that a ton. People hoard their knowledge to be indispensable.

Dralus: If youre a field engineer, you might be juggling up to 18 clients. To know that they can call Daniel and his team on the help desk and get the right information right away is reassuring.

A: Most of my team are millennials. And millennials -- myself included -- tend to want quick promotion. Part of my job has been to create a development program and communicate that if youre really good at what you do, we want you to continue doing that for a long time before we promote you. Not just six months. You can value [the advancement of] your career or the culture of a workplace. Sometimes they overlap, and luckily, here they do.

Related: How One Company Used Data To Improve Its Sales Staff

D: I dont know how much of that is generational or just being young. When youre 25, two years seems like a long time. At 49, its a drop in the bucket. Ive joked with Daniel that I have sweatpants older than him! Still, Im constantly bugging him for help.

A: Darlene and I work together every day. There are no barriers between our teams. We work to figure out scripts, checks and monitors, and that interaction works great.

D: There are always going to be office moments that make you roll your eyes. About a year ago, a younger male employee posted a video in Slack that I can only describe as inappropriate.

A: I forgot about that!

Related: Medium-Sized Companies: The Best Company Cultures in 2017

D: It was frat-boy humor. I rolled my eyes, but I didnt want to be the one to play mom. Three male colleagues immediately said, Knock it off! On one hand, it should have never happened, but on the other, thank goodness I have a team of people that said, This isnt right.

Related:

Fusion Doubles Down on Employee Wellness and Watches Productivity Soar

The 153 Best Company Cultures In America (And What You Can Learn From Them)

Small-Sized Companies: The Best Company Cultures in 2017



Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
Michael Cummo / Hearst Connecticut Media

STAMFORD  A New York man has been accused of harassing his estranged wife by calling her 48 times in one day, police said.

Sgt. Simon Blanc said Andrew Cummings, 45, of Bayshore, N.Y., was charged with two counts of threatening and 48 counts of harassment.
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STAMFORD  A city man already facing a gun possession charge was arrested for allegedly setting fire to a carjacked vehicle.

Jeremy Middleton, 18, was charged with arson, conspiracy to commit arson, third-degree larceny and ordered held in lieu of a $150,000 court appearance bond.

Middletons arrest is the second in the case after a city fire marshal tracked down video of the stolen red Subaru Forrester at a West Side filling station showing the vehicles interior being doused with gasoline on Jan. 14. The footage was recorded 15 minutes before a 911 call reported the vehicle engulfed in flames on Oakwood Place.

According to Middletons arrest affidavit, the burned-out Forrester was owned by a pizza delivery-man who had been robbed at gunpoint last month in Bridgeport by two masked black men.

Two days later a state police dog signaled that accelerant was in the Subaru, according to the affadavit.

Officers heard from Norwalk police that a red Subaru Forrester was used during a robbery and shooting of a Chinese food delivery driver about an hour before the vehicle fire was reported in Stamford, the affidavit said.

Assistant Fire Marshall Antonio Forte went to Turnpike Shell on West Avenue and found surveillance video of the Forrester in addition to the Chinese food delivery drivers black Toyota Camry at the station about 15 minutes before the Forrester was reported ablaze at 8:05 p.m. The station is a mile from the location of the vehicle fire.

The recording shows Middleton and Tyreik Gantt,19, of Stamford purchasing six dollars of gas, the affidavit said. Gantt is then seen directing the gasoline nozzle onto the rear seat of the Forrester, the affidavit says.

Middleton gets into the Forrester and Gannt gets into the Camry before both vehicles drive out the Grenhart Road driveway of the station, the affidavit said.

At the time, police say Gantt was out on bond from a gun possession charge from September.

On Jan. 26, less than two weeks after the fire, Gantt was arrested in Bridgeport while driving the stolen Camry and charged with arson, police said.

On Friday, Norwalk police charged Gantt with the robbery and shooting the Chinese food delivery driver as well as the robbery of another Chinese food deliver driver five days earlier in Norwalk. Again, Gantt was out on bond when he was picked up on the robbery charge.

Middleton was picked up almost two weeks after the fire when following a tip that he planned to rob a drug dealer in Stamford, police said.

Police said they intercepted him on the street with a loaded 9 mm semiautomatic pistol in his pocket and he was charged with possession of a stolen firearm and attempted armed robbery.

The affidavit says that Middleton confessed to robbing both delivery drivers with Gantt in Norwalk and torching the Forrester with Gantt in Stamford.

Middleton told police that he was woozy from the gas fumes in the Forrester before driving it onto Oakwood Place, the affidavit said.

jnickerson@stamfordadvocate.com;
W anted: world-renowned banker to chair Britains second-biggest company.

Must be on the Christmas-card list of every major political leader, central banker and regulator in the world.

Experience running multinational businesses with 235,000 employees a distinct advantage.

Some Mandarin preferable, along with a willingness to get flogged by select committee MPs when duty calls.

You can see why HSBC is not having the easiest time finding a replacement to Douglas Flint in the chairmans job.

Now, to add to all the existing hurdles, the banks near-70% share-price run over the past year has come juddering to a halt with todays mildly disappointing numbers. Whoever takes the chair  and its 2 million-a-year paycheque  wont have the glamour of overseeing a bull run like that again.

Rather, the coming decade will see HSBC having to find ways to offset declining global trade from newly protectionist populist governments in the US and Europe.

Thanks to its Asia-focus, HSBC is better placed to win than most, given that trade between countries in that region will increase to fill the gap from US orders. But gains will be harder to find than hitherto.

The market had once expected Flints replacement to be announced by the AGM in April. Now, the end of 2017 even looks a stretch, although the bank denies that.

Funny thing is, the only person obviously qualified for the job  the one who ticks all those boxes in the CV criteria  is staring headhunters in the face. He is, of course, the man whos pushed through $6 billion of cost savings and returned billions to shareholders; chief executive Stuart Gulliver.

For corporate governance reasons, shareholders would go berserk if he got it, of course. It will never happen.

But you have to admit, he could step up tomorrow and probably do a rather good job.

Solomons has key

Intercontinental Hotels Group boss Richard Solomons is used to bankers urging him to do a megadeal. Since Accors takeover of Fairmont and Marriotts Starwood strike, they call for little else.

But he reckons he can grow IHG alone, by both opening new hotels and driving greater numbers of customers through its in-house loyalty programmes.

Any who doubt hes right should look at todays numbers: despite terror attacks and wobbly economies, IHG has pumped out profit growth of 10% and a $400 million surprise special dividend.

The message to investors is clear: keep the faith. Ignore the bankers.
V idal Sassoon on Tuesday led an army of Londons hair and beauty firms that warned new business rates hikes will make the capital uglier for investors.

The company, founded by the late celebrity hairdresser Vidal Sassoon, said the rates bill for its four London salons will surge 18% this year as part of the Governments revaluation of the rateable value of commercial property.

Managing director Jackie Lang told the Standard: This is an unfair burden on London based hairdressers, both independent and national, and could result in businesses closing and jobs being lost. It will certainly cause many companies to rethink expansion plans for London.

Paul Simbler, director at Hob Salons which has 19 London branches, said: The rates are exactly what businesses dont need. Business is tough enough, especially with rents in London being sky high.

Lucy Patterson, the founder of waxing and manicure specialist Milk Beauty, added: Salons have a maximum sales capacity as only so many treatments can be delivered each day. This limitation makes them inherently more vulnerable to increases in overhead costs like the April rates rise.

Property specialist CVS said that of 1600 London hair and beauty parlours it analysed, they are collectively paying 10.5 million per year in rates, but that will be nearly 13 million from April.
W hen John Roberts, the maverick chief executive of AO World, unveiled his drastic plan for European domination, it is fair to say some in the City were less than impressed.

Investors wanted Roberts to prove the model at home first before an ambitious drive into the Continent.

The scepticism surrounding AOs European expansion returned today as Morgan Stanley came back from the white goods companys investor day in Germany a fortnight ago with a bearish view of its growth prospects.

The investment bank cut its rating to Underweight and its target price to 135p, arguing that the FTSE 250 firm would struggle to hit its 30% growth target in Germany and the Netherlands even if it raises its marketing budget significantly. Our forecasts were already below consensus and we feel expectations for Europe, particularly in outer years, will still need to come down further, said analyst Miriam Adisa.

She cut her revenue forecasts for Europe by 13% and 19% for this year and next, adding that the overseas business is unlikely to break even by 2021. Her annual forecasts for this year are now at the bottom end of guidance.

The gloomy note dragged AO shares down 3.8p, or 2.4%, to 156.2p.

On the wider market, disappointing numbers from HSBC sent the FTSE 100 down 11.63 points to 7288.23 as the banking giant  the LSEs second biggest company after Shell  dived 45.8p, nearly 6.5%, to 666.5p.

Beleaguered outsourcer Capita was back in the red, falling 4.5p to 509.5p as it wrote down the value of historic contracts to the tune of 50 million. However, the shares began to recover from heavier early falls as analysts at Numis argued that investors are wrong to expect another profit warning, management shake-up and a fundraising.

On the mid-cap index, the 11 million deal by construction group Balfour Beatty to sell its Middle East joint ventures lifted shares 0.9p to 274p, and solid first-half figures bolstered housebuilder Galliford Try, up 14p to 1530p.

Theresa Mays critics have lambasted the Prime Minister for inaction in blocking foreign takeovers, but her constituents were busy in the market today.

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead  she is MP for the latter  have taken a combined 20% stake in Gresham House.

The AIM-listed specialty asset manager has launched the British Strategic Investment Fund, a 300 million fund to invest in innovation, housing and infrastructure, three themes highlighted by Chancellor Philip Hammond in his Autumn Statement. Shares rose 19.5p, or 6.4%, to 322.5p.

Elsewhere, a 50,000 share purchase by executive chairman John Watkins did little to stop investors reversing out of telematics business Trakm8, which dived 34p, or 31%, to 76p after a painful profit warning.
O ne of the most remarkable features of contemporary London, an aspect of its global, cosmopolitan character, is that it is now one of the great gastronomic capitals of the world. The increasing prosperity of the city has allowed more and more people to eat out  a trend that has been undiminished since the referendum  and the influx of people from all over the world means that what we eat is now remarkably diverse. If you want to eat Vietnamese, Peruvian, Sicilian or Ethiopian, you can do it here.

This extraordinary food culture is what this paper is celebrating in our London Food Month in June. It will take place all over the city with the highlight being an outdoor dining event called the Night Market in a London park which will take place over 12 nights from June 7 and will replicate the citys street-food scene. The festival as a whole will include events with Londons most celebrated chefs. One recent development has been the number of top restaurants in other capitals who have set up establishments here; why should food lovers travel to Paris or Madrid if they can eat their finest dishes here? But we should not forget that England has its own admirable culinary tradition: the focus will be on local and national produce and on British as well as global cooking.

The festival will, in fact, embrace good food in all its forms: its partner charity, The Felix Project, brings attention to the issue of food waste, which has been given renewed attention in a recent Evening Standard campaign. We shall be publishing the festival programme in April: we hope readers will come and enjoy it.

HSBC reflects the times

The drop in profits of HSBC, Europes biggest bank, is in some ways reflective of the difficulties facing the entire sector. It made pre-tax profits of $7.1 billion (5.7 billion) last year, down 62 per cent on 2015. Its chairman, Douglas Flint, said 2016 will be long remembered for its significant and largely unexpected economic and political events  namely, Brexit and Donald Trump. And yet a succession of one-off charges, such as the sale of its Brazilian operations, also affected profits. Most of the banks profits are made in Asia, not here.

The bank confirmed last year that it would be keeping its headquarters in London but ministers should also reflect on the significance of Mr Flints suggestion that the bank may move 1,000 jobs to Paris, depending on the result of the Brexit negotiations and the possible loss of passporting rights within the EU. HSBC, said Mr Flint, has broadly all the licences and infrastructure needed to continue to support our clients once the UK leaves the EU. Of course, big institutions will all be preparing for every eventuality but this move is a timely reminder of the absolute priority that Brexit Secretary David Davis must give to the welfare of the City in the next two years. London is a global financial centre, not just a European one, but we cannot take our competitive advantage for granted. Global institutions are mobile; lets remember it.

A Wild Party

Andrew Lloyd Webbers new theatre, The Other Palace, officially opened last night, playing host to Drew McOnies triumphant production of Michael John LaChiusas 2000 musical, The Wild Party. The former St James Theatre has been rebranded by Lord Lloyd-Webber to be a home for new musicals. It is a bold move which reflects the ever-growing affection for musical theatre in the UK. Indeed, the success of La La Land in cinemas shows how popular musicals are. Encouraging new talent in the industry will secure its long-term future.
1. Ground control

At a tidy 1,400, Balenciagas thigh- high metallic boots make for a no-brainer purchase.

Not least because youll wear them every day and with, well, everything, from your favourite hoodie to your fail-safe LBD.

Jokes. But if they came with a guarantee of looking as cool in them as Lulu Kennedy does we may well consider a pair.

Getty Images

2. Sock meets sandal

For long-suffering fash folk, February is a treacherous time: there are shows, 5am flights and social-media allegiances to contend with. Then theres the weather.

The sock-and- sandal combo - a favourite with seasoned show types such as Matchesfashion.com fashion features ed Jane McFarland (pictured) - is a means by which we can keep a foot in both seasons and thus regain control.

Getty Images

3. Knights in white cotton

If youre looking for a hangover companion, a white peasant-sleeve dress is your friend.

A favourite with creative consultant Kate Foley and Alexa Chung, who championed JW Andersons interpretation this week, its a frock that suggests the wearer is more innocent than they look.

(Dave Benett) / Dave Benett/Getty Images

4. Ballerina girls

Wondering how to pull off next seasons ballet trend without looking like a baby elephant crossed with a Barbie? Simples: reinvent yourself as Agyness Deyn.

Elfin good looks and an enviable sense of style meant the model-turned-actress looked more boss than ballet when she turned up to Molly Goddards show on Saturday. Not jealous at all.

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5. Off-shoulder robing

Want to make it as a street-style blogger? Youd better unbutton. Only a pedestrian would wear a coat on their shoulders.

Thanks to Demna Gvasalia and his AW16 vision for Balenciaga, shoulder robing has given way to shoulder bearing.

NB: this is an uncomfortable pastime that involves contortionist lessons and rather chilly shoulders.

Getty Images

6. Wear your floral frock with jeans

Its February and the summer dress you pre-ordered has arrived early: cue much cheering, then despair as you realise its far too cold even to contemplate wearing it outside of your underfloor-heated bathroom - never mind on the street.

Thankfully the street-style experts have come up with a canny plan: welcome summer into winter by wearing your new floral fancy with a pair of jeans.

Crazy or clever?

7. Do a feature leg

Edgy Russian Mulberry stylist Lotta Volkova practised what she preached on Sunday, choosing a pair of mohair-knit tights from the brands AW17 collection to decorate her legs.

And she wasnt the only one opting to make a statement in winter woollies, with printed and bright-coloured deniers all the rage this week.

Fancy stepping out in the trend? Team the most outlandish pair you can find with a skirt or short in a matching shade.

Trust us, its a thing.

instagram/lottavolkova

8. Embrace colour

If racking up Instagram likes ranks high on your agenda, rocking up at the shows in any old navy sweater is not going to cut it.

A master in the art of anti-austerity style, Swedish actress Noomi Rapace has the standing-out-from-the-crowd thing down pat.

To emulate her look, dig out the brightest shade you can get your hands on and then swaddle yourself in it.

Mike Marsland/WireImage

Visit standard/fashion to catch up on all the shows from London Fashion Week
A comedian has turned his decade-long battle with anorexia into a stand-up show to raise awareness of the illness.

Dave Chawner, 28, wants to bring humour to the difficult and very unfunny topic and engage people.

He has suffered from anorexia since he was 17. He said: There was no real reason behind it, nothing hidden in my subconscious. It was a sort of escapism like drugs or alcohol. I dont mean to be crass but it is addictive, like substance abuse. I still miss it, like alcoholics or drug abusers.

He took up comedy nine years ago while studying at Southampton University and began using his struggles as material after several years on the circuit. But in 2015, despite being in therapy, I wasnt ready really and it was all too much. I relapsed and was sick again, so it has taken another couple of years to get here.

Arts picks of the week: 20th - 26th February 1 /9 Arts picks of the week: 20th - 26th February Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead Daniel Radcliffe returns to the London stage to play the Rosencrantz to Joshua McGuires Guildenstern, celebrating 50 years since the play began. Who knew that from its humble beginnings at the Edinburgh Fringe it would still be the subject of starry revivals?



February 25 - April 29, Old Vic



Buy tickets for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead with Evening Standard Tickets Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Edward Albee passed away last year, but his impact as a dramatist is lasting. This production starring Imelda Staunton is the first of two revivals of his plays. The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia, starring Damien Lewis, opens in March.



February 22 - May 27, Harold Pinter Theatre The Wild Party Its going to be quite a party when The Other Palace throws open its doors. Andrew Lloyd Webbers new theatre, designed to push the genre of the musical forward through an eclectic programme and open workshops, throws open its doors with this full-throttle show. Artistic Director Paul Taylor-Mills laid out his intentions in an interview with the Standard.



Until April 1, The Other Palace



Buy tickets for The Wild Party with Evening Standard Tickets Speech and Debate Riot Club star Douglas Booth and Tony Revolori, known from The Grand Budapest Hotel, are certainly great names to catch on stage. Stephen Karams play about a school sex scandal promises to make us laugh - a perfect tonic for fraught times.



February 22 - April 1, Trafalgar Studios



Buy tickets for Speech and Debate with Evening Standard Tickets America After The Fall: Painting in the 1930s America is going through some changes at the moment, but this new show from the Royal Academy asks if there was ever a time when it wasnt. It looks at how artists from Georgia OKeeffe to Jackson Pollock charted the early 20th century when the nation was recovering from depression. Excitingly, it will feature Grant Woods American Gothic, which has never before been taken out of America.



February 25 - June 4, Royal Academy; royalacademy.org.uk Royal Academy of the Arts/The Art Institute of Chicago, friends of American Art Collection, 1930.934 Ugly Lies The Bone This will be the UK debut of Lindsey Ferrentinos Ugly Lies the Bone, telling the story of Afghanistan veteran Jess using virtual reality therapy to escape her pain. Director Indhu Rubasingham worked magic in the Lyttelton with another Broadway transfer in 2015, The Motherf**ker with the Hat, so this will be worth a look.



From February 22, National Theatre; nationaltheatre.org.uk My Brilliant Friend If you can catch your breath after all of those openings, theres a treat in store in Kingston. April de Angelis has adapted Elena Ferrantes Neapolitan novels for the stage, a two part epic starring Niamh Cusack and Catherine McCormack. Its a powerful portrayal of female friendship, as well as an evocative depiction of a tough neighbourhood in Naples.



February 25 - April 2; Rose Theatre



Buy tickets for My Brilliant Friend with Evening Standard Tickets Max & Ivan: Our Story This Edinburgh Comedy Award nominated duo return to Soho Theatre with their show Our Story, a sketch show about how they met. It runs for two weeks and promises to bring the lols.



February 20 - March 4, Soho Theatre; sohotheatre.com CUT Festival CUT Festival is a unique new East London artistic celebration of the culture of barber shops. Including performances, exhibitions, and even the chance to get a free haircut, its the wild card of the week, and the chance to see something a bit different.



February 24 - March 5, across London; cutfestival.com

Mr Chawner, who is 5ft 9in, said revealing his lowest weight is not productive, as people who are at their lowest will see it as some sort of competition  or believe they do not have disordered eating if they weigh more than he did. But he said at his lowest weight he was suffering from heart issues and doctors told him his potassium levels were very, very low.

Now well, the Brixton-based performer is touring his show Normally Abnormal and is on at Imperial College London tomorrow. He will be raising money for Beat, the UKs leading eating disorder charity, before the start of Eating Disorders Awareness Week next Monday. He said: Im trying to use comedy to talk about something that is quite taboo, an informative talk using humour to make it more engaging. I want to approach the subject in an honest and candid way.
A new restaurant from Nieves Barragan Mohacho will put a little-seen Spanish food concept in the spotlight, in the same way that Barrafina did a decade ago.

The chef will leave Barrafina, which is credited with kick-starting Londons love affair with tapas, at the end of the month after 10 years of service.

She will then embark on a new restaurant project alongside Jose Etura, Barrafinas general manager, who is also leaving the group.

Nieves said: The restaurant will bring a new concept from Spain. It will be based on something which is not in London at the moment, and people will come just to eat that.

She added that it would be traditional Spanish in its influences, but did not reveal more.

Nieves was speaking ahead of the launch of the Evening Standards London Food Month, taking place across June.

She enthusased about Londons food scene, saying: London is one of the most exciting cities for food. You can taste the whole entire world in London, its just incredible. If you want dumplings, you have Hakkasan; if you want noodles there is Koya Bar; for Sri Lankan there is Hoppers and they are all absolutely top of their game.

She added: The food scene in London and its diversity means that when chefs come, they stay put because nowhere can rival it. When I came I intened to stay for one or two years and Ive now been here for 18 years.
A ndrew Lloyd Webber's new theatre will send an electric message to the West End, according to the director of its debut show.

Drew McOnies production of Wild Party opened The Other Palace, formerly the St James Theatre, with a Prohibition story full of sex and violence.

Audiences were warned of strong language, sexual content, adult themes and gunshots but McOnie said there was room for challenging work.

He said: It sends out an electric message about what the theatre means.

The Other Palace was set up by Lloyd Webber, 68, as a breeding ground for new musicals with a studio theatre available to songwriters, directors and choreographers and an open mic bar to encourage performers to come to the venue, in Palace Street, Victoria.

He has said he wants it to enable writers and producers to try out and refine new material without the distraction of complicated sets and automation.

Arts picks of the week: 20th - 26th February 1 /9 Arts picks of the week: 20th - 26th February Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead Daniel Radcliffe returns to the London stage to play the Rosencrantz to Joshua McGuires Guildenstern, celebrating 50 years since the play began. Who knew that from its humble beginnings at the Edinburgh Fringe it would still be the subject of starry revivals?



February 25 - April 29, Old Vic



Buy tickets for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead with Evening Standard Tickets Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Edward Albee passed away last year, but his impact as a dramatist is lasting. This production starring Imelda Staunton is the first of two revivals of his plays. The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia, starring Damien Lewis, opens in March.



February 22 - May 27, Harold Pinter Theatre The Wild Party Its going to be quite a party when The Other Palace throws open its doors. Andrew Lloyd Webbers new theatre, designed to push the genre of the musical forward through an eclectic programme and open workshops, throws open its doors with this full-throttle show. Artistic Director Paul Taylor-Mills laid out his intentions in an interview with the Standard.



Until April 1, The Other Palace



Buy tickets for The Wild Party with Evening Standard Tickets Speech and Debate Riot Club star Douglas Booth and Tony Revolori, known from The Grand Budapest Hotel, are certainly great names to catch on stage. Stephen Karams play about a school sex scandal promises to make us laugh - a perfect tonic for fraught times.



February 22 - April 1, Trafalgar Studios



Buy tickets for Speech and Debate with Evening Standard Tickets America After The Fall: Painting in the 1930s America is going through some changes at the moment, but this new show from the Royal Academy asks if there was ever a time when it wasnt. It looks at how artists from Georgia OKeeffe to Jackson Pollock charted the early 20th century when the nation was recovering from depression. Excitingly, it will feature Grant Woods American Gothic, which has never before been taken out of America.



February 25 - June 4, Royal Academy; royalacademy.org.uk Royal Academy of the Arts/The Art Institute of Chicago, friends of American Art Collection, 1930.934 Ugly Lies The Bone This will be the UK debut of Lindsey Ferrentinos Ugly Lies the Bone, telling the story of Afghanistan veteran Jess using virtual reality therapy to escape her pain. Director Indhu Rubasingham worked magic in the Lyttelton with another Broadway transfer in 2015, The Motherf**ker with the Hat, so this will be worth a look.



From February 22, National Theatre; nationaltheatre.org.uk My Brilliant Friend If you can catch your breath after all of those openings, theres a treat in store in Kingston. April de Angelis has adapted Elena Ferrantes Neapolitan novels for the stage, a two part epic starring Niamh Cusack and Catherine McCormack. Its a powerful portrayal of female friendship, as well as an evocative depiction of a tough neighbourhood in Naples.



February 25 - April 2; Rose Theatre



Buy tickets for My Brilliant Friend with Evening Standard Tickets Max & Ivan: Our Story This Edinburgh Comedy Award nominated duo return to Soho Theatre with their show Our Story, a sketch show about how they met. It runs for two weeks and promises to bring the lols.



February 20 - March 4, Soho Theatre; sohotheatre.com CUT Festival CUT Festival is a unique new East London artistic celebration of the culture of barber shops. Including performances, exhibitions, and even the chance to get a free haircut, its the wild card of the week, and the chance to see something a bit different.



February 24 - March 5, across London; cutfestival.com

McOnie, who won an Olivier award for his choreography on the London production of In The Heights by Lin-Manuel Miranda, writer of hit musical Hamilton, said: Musicals in America feel they can talk about anything while in England they are still seen as a bit lightweight.

"Audiences in London, and every big city come to that, want more from an experience at the theatre, which is why immersive theatre is so popular. Hopefully putting on challenging work and bringing in audiences to new work and things they dont necessarily know will find a role here In the Heights was workshopped for six years before it became a hit, so being able to have shows without the pressure of [performing] for hundreds of thousands of people will be really valuable.
S peech and Debate are two things that our current political climate is generating in abundance - but its also the name of a play by American playwright Stephen Karam.

It opens for its UK premiere this week at the Trafalgar Studios, a venue that is proving a great hotspot for American writing to get an outing in London; Jesse Eisenbergs The Spoils also premiered there last year.

From its madcap premise to an A-list cast, here are a few things that make Speech and Debate one to watch out for.

Stephen Karam is a Tony award winner

Karam had one of the biggest hits on Broadway last year with The Humans. It won the Tony Award for Best Play, as well as being a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Its a one-act play about a rather fraught Thanksgiving family dinner, and ran for the best part of a year. Karam tweeted about a rather special guest at the production - Hillary Clinton popped by to see it after the real life drama of the election had died down.

Its been made into a film

Speech and Debate has been adapted for screen, with a United States release due in April 2017. It will star Liam James and Sarah Steele, and feature a sneaky cameo from Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Arthur Miller as youve never seen him before

The play features three teenage misfits who want to expose a drama teacher who is preying on teen boys at the school. How do they do this? By making a musical version of Arthur Millers play The Crucible, where an accused witch travels in time to meet a gay teenage Abraham Lincoln.

Speech and Debate - in rehearsals 1 /8 Speech and Debate - in rehearsals Speech and Debate - in rehearsals Photo by Mark Douet Speech and Debate - in rehearsals Photo by Mark Douet Speech and Debate - in rehearsals Photo by Mark Douet Speech and Debate - in rehearsals Photo by Mark Douet Speech and Debate - in rehearsals Photo by Mark Douet Speech and Debate - in rehearsals Photo by Mark Douet Speech and Debate - in rehearsals Photo by Mark Douet Speech and Debate - in rehearsals Photo by Mark Douet

It gets performed a lot

Speech and Debate is a favourite for amateur companies to perform - it first premiered in 2007, and by 2014 it had already had over 150 productions. Student drama groups performing a play about a student drama production? Very meta.

The cast includes some faces youll recognise

The Trafalgar production boasts a pretty cool cast. Douglas Booth, who was in the film adaptation of Laura Wades Posh, is making his West End debut. There is nowhere to hide but that is just how I want it, he told The Standard last year. Alongside Booth is Tony Revolori, known for playing put upon lobby boy Zero in The Grand Budapest Hotel, opposite Ralph Fiennes. They are joined by West End old-hands, Patsy Ferran and Charlotte Lucas.

Speech and Debate

Speech and Debate is at Trafalgar Studios from February 22 - April 1

Buy tickets for Speech and Debate with Evening Standard Tickets
T op Gear host Matt LeBlanc has been forced to deny eating horse penis with his co-presenters on the motoring shows new series.

The former Friends star spoke out about the rumours for the first time to insist "nothing below the belt" was consumed.

He said: "Neither one of us ate a horse penis, just for the record."

However, LeBlanc, who will return to host the popular BBC Two show alongside Chris Harris and Rory Reid, revealed that they did eat a sheep's ear while in Kazakhstan.

LeBlanc said he and Harris tucked into the local delicacy but fellow presenter Reid "sensibly didn't", because "he didn't want to be violently ill".

Harris explained: "I made a joke around the fact that some of it may well have been (horse penis) as some of it looked like it.

"We hacked away at a sheep's head that had been cooked I think three weeks earlier and had for some reason been covered in pastry. Matt asked a local gentleman what the best bit of it was to eat and he signalled to the ear.

"It was just about on the turn. It wasn't fully off, but you know when it's just starting to tingle a bit, so we had a go at that and then the tribal chief was very impressed about 10 minutes later when he heard me being sick outside."

The trio will also visit Cuba, Montenegro, Monte Carlo and Germany when the series returns in March.

The first trailer was released earlier in February and featured an array of supercars and extraordinary vehicles, from the Aston Martin DB11 to the Ferrari FXX K, to the Russian eight-wheeled Avtoros Shaman.

Car enthusiasts will also get to see the team try a car valued at 2 million, and a 'mode of transport' tested that is valued at 4.5 million, although no details as to what these are have been revealed.
A didas has opened its first fitness studio offering free workouts, run clubs and nutritional workshops for women on east Londons Brick Lane.

Certified personal trainers, fitness influencers and Adidas ambassadors will be hosting the sessions, from running to yoga via circuit training.

Pay-as-you-go fitness classes in London vary between 10 to 30 a class, which really adds up if you're doing around three classes per week.

So these Adidas classes offer a welcome respite for your bank balance.

I think to have a base where women can come together, go on their runs and train in such an environment is really great, Olympic heptathlon champion Jessica Ennis-Hill said at the opening night of the Adidas Studio LDN.

For Adidas, it's about creating a safe and confidence-boosting environment and to bring together a likeminded community where women can work on reaching their goals.

Fitness blogger and Adidas ambassador Adrienne Herbert said that the fitness industry and working out can be quite intimidating at first to some people, especially if they havent trained in a long time, but having a space thats only for women makes it a comfortable environment. Its a big confidence boost, she said.

The confidence you gain from achieving your goals through training can translate into other areas of your life, Adrienne said. And when you struggle  whether its career or relationship  that confidence will help you see that if you break it down to small steps, you can achieve anything.

20 Instagrams for fitness motivation 1 /26 20 Instagrams for fitness motivation Fitness on Toast Yoga Girl Tracy Anderson Hannah Bronfman Amanda Bisk Ballet Beautiful Two Bad Bodies Nicole Winhoffer Lunges and Lycra Joe Wicks Jen Selter Base Body Babes Natalie Uhling Patrick Beach Lorna Jane Active My Name is Jessamyn Marie Purvis Richard Tidmarsh Tone It Up Kayla Itsines

Fitness blogger Emilie Lovaine, who works just across the street from the studio, said shes been inviting along girls from her office every time shes taken a class.

Theyre not runners, they dont exercise, but theyve been doing the classes with me and finishing like, I want to come next week, she said.

And, Jessica Ennis-Hill couldnt agree more: For any woman thats wanting to get more active and live a healthier life, youve just got to take that first step, Jessica said. Join a space like this where you can train with other people who are trying to achieve the same things, and thatll definitely help you in your journey.

For a quick pre-workout energy or post-workout refuel, health food cafe Bel Air serves up feel-good fast food, smoothies and coffees on the spot.

All sessions are free. For the schedule and to book a session, visit adidas.co.uk/studioLDN

Klaudia is a freelance health and fitness writer. Follow her on Twitter @ByKlaudiaBalogh
 Horrific. This was the adjective used most often by director Marta Shaw, 38, when describing her experience filming Ross Kemp: Libyas Migrant Hell, a documentary exploring the dangerous and often perilous journey undertaken by migrants attempting to travel through Libya, across the Mediterranean, to Italy.

Since the EU-Turkey deal came into effect last year, which limits the number of migrants entering Greece from Turkey, Libya to Italy is now the main route for Sub-Saharan migrants hoping to reach Europe. Approximately 3,000 people attempt to cross the sea from Libya each week, and many are unsuccessful. The International Organisation for Migration estimates that of the 5,000 migrants who died at sea last year, 90 per cent set off from Libya.

However, the sea crossing is only part of the journey. To have made it to the coast alone is already a feat in itself.

What was really horrific is that [the migrants] were so shocked by the situation that they found themselves in, Shaw explains. I dont think many of them really realised the horrors that they would come across.

The horrors she refers to are plentiful and relentless. If they havent already started in the migrants country of origin  such as in Nigeria on account of Boko Haram  they start with the Sahara crossing in Libya. Migrants are packed into overcrowded cars (more than 20 to a vehicle) and driven across the sands by tribal militias towards the town of Sabha. More migrants die in the desert doing the drive each year then they do at sea. With the cost of travel reaching up to $5,000, smuggling is big business. Once through the desert, theres a strong possibility male migrants will find themselves held captive in safe houses and forced into labour, to make up any shortfall in their passage payments. Women who dont have enough are often forced into prostitution. Involuntarily held for undetermined periods of time  though officially until they make enough for their forward journey  they face kidnap, rape and even death.

Those that eventually do make it out to the coast are then packed, in their hundreds, onto rubber dinghies and sent off to sea. Its likely the boats will sink. The lucky ones get picked up by European search and rescue operatives and taken to Europe. The unlucky drown, or are rescued by Libyan coastguards, who send them to detention centres, where they remain indefinitely.

It is a nightmare. And the fact that most spend their lifes earnings attempting it only compounds the tragedy.

Ross Kemp speaks to migrant sex workers

In the documentary, Marta Shaw, former-Eastenders star and presenter Ross Kemp and their production team, are allowed unrivaled access to each stage of this route: travelling with migrants across the desert, visiting the so-called safe houses, witnessing the abominable confines of male and female detention centres, and going on a night operation with Libyan coastguards in search of migrant boats. At each stage, they speak to the men and women brave enough to undertake this hazardous journey.

The people that are leaving their countries are the ones that have the get-up and go and want to better their lives, Shaw explains. In many cases they are the smartest [and] the most driven.

As one mother detained in a detention centre tells Kemp in the documentary: I was doing it for my children, and didnt realise I was landing them in this hole.

Since the 2011 Western-backed Libyan revolution  which saw dictator Colonel Gaddafi deposed and killed  the country has been devastated by two civil wars. As the programme explains, the north is controlled by rival governments, and the south, by rival tribes. What Libya needs is one government to unite the country and restore the peace. Without it, its likely there will be no end to the conflict, and the migrant crisis  a humanitarian disaster according to Shaw  will continue.

Migrants are rescued from a boat

Until you sort out the problem in Libya itself and the political situation, Shaw says, theres always going to be this turmoil. Because of the lack of the security [and] the lack of one cohesive government, the real problem is that none of the [aid] organisations can get in and work there. Until the political situation is sorted, its all a bit of a plaster.

Migrant boat capsizes off the coast of Libya 1 /13 Migrant boat capsizes off the coast of Libya A rescue operation of the navy during the shipwreck of an overcrowded boat of migrants off the Libyan coast today Marina Militare A rescue operation of the navy during the shipwreck of an overcrowded boat of migrants off the Libyan coast today Marina Militare A rescue operation of the navy during the shipwreck of an overcrowded boat of migrants off the Libyan coast today Marina Militare A rescue operation of the navy during the shipwreck of an overcrowded boat of migrants off the Libyan coast today Marina Militare A rescue operation of the navy during the shipwreck of an overcrowded boat of migrants off the Libyan coast today Marina Militare A rescue operation of the navy during the shipwreck of an overcrowded boat of migrants off the Libyan coast today Marina Militare A rescue operation of the navy during the shipwreck of an overcrowded boat of migrants off the Libyan coast today Marina Militare A rescue operation of the navy during the shipwreck of an overcrowded boat of migrants off the Libyan coast today Marina Militare A rescue operation of the navy during the shipwreck of an overcrowded boat of migrants off the Libyan coast today Marina Militare A rescue operation of the navy during the shipwreck of an overcrowded boat of migrants off the Libyan coast today Marina Militare

The biggest issue with Libya is that, in other places, you might be able to say: This charity might be able give some help or Theres this human rights group. Theres no one [in Libya], she continues.

It really is a humanitarian disaster in my eyes, without any humanitarian organisation on the ground being able to do anything about it. So you just feel that these people are being forgotten about and youre turning your back on this horrific situation.

Shaw has spent time in Syria and Northern Iraq filming with the female Kurdish fighters battling ISIS, so the London-based director is no stranger to volatile regions and human tragedy. But it was the particular hopelessness of the crisis in Libya, which made this story especially hard to tell. Usually when youre making a documentary you can dip into peoples lives, and its quite nice to follow up and see where they are later on. Usually you can call somebody that would have an idea or could find out. Thats just not the case in Libya.

With next to nothing she could do to provide the migrants any real relief from their suffering, Shaw and her team did what they could with the limited options available to them. In one of the detention centres, everyone started writing down telephone numbers and saying: Could you call and let these people know [Im] safe. And that was absolutely horrific. Because you then find yourself in the situation [where], of course, thats the only thing [you] can do, is to let [their family] know. But I couldnt really give that much information. I didnt know how long they were going be there for. I didnt know what chance they had of coming back. I couldnt give any sort of guarantees or reassurance. I couldnt even say Oh, but theyre safe

Shaw said it was difficult for her team to witness the horrors first-hand, with next to nothing that they could provide in the form of relief

The best I could say is that they havent drowned at sea and that theyre alive. And, of course, youve got somebody on the other side of the phone [where] this is the first news theyve had from [their] family member in, in some cases, six months. So, of course, theyre going to follow up with more calls. And its heartbreaking that Im not going back there.

That wasnt the only time Shaw and her team felt compelled to get involved. When out at sea with the Libyan coastguards, they found themselves in the unenviable position of having to explain to the captured migrants what lay in store for them back on land. Nobody explained to [the migrants] what was going to happen next. So we found ourselves saying, Were making this documentary [and] youre going to go back to Libya now. People [were] screaming [and] crying out, You cant do that, you cant send us back there.

This is just my personal view, but I feel as though, funding the Libyan coastguards [there are talks with the EU of providing funds and training] to send the migrants back is like trying to put up a fictitious wall in the Mediterranean. And until youve dealt with what is happening back in Libya youre just signing their death sentence.

As the documentary uncovered, once back in Libya, the migrants sent to detention centres are often subjected to violence. When Shaw asked one of the centre managers if his men ever beat the detainees, she recalls he responded, Well, I believe that it is true, yes, my men probably do do that. The problem is they dont know what a migrant is. They think that theyre some sort of criminal, because its illegal. They dont speak the language, they have no sort of understanding of what these people are feeling [and] why theyre doing this journey.

Libya is evidently dangerous territory for migrants. But to tell their story, Shaw and her team put themselves in danger too. Its no safer for Westerners, and in fact, it was recently reported that Shaws team were nearly kidnapped whilst out filming. That was slightly taken out of context, she says. We were down in the south and  although we had permission and were in with one of the tribal families  the area we were in was quite staunchly pro-Gaddafi, and I think we were a bit of an anomaly coming down there, sticking out.

Wed been there for a few days and what was really striking was that tensions were simmering at all times. You could really feel that anything could spark off some kind of violent reaction. We got into a bit of a situation at a petrol station, and later on that evening, we were kept in our house until the situation diffused.

Shaw and her team wanted to show the true horrors faced by migrants in Libya

An intrepid mission for any journalist to undertake, for a woman in that region, it was particularly risky. Whilst Shaw didnt encounter problems directly relating to her gender, she says she found the experience quite threatening and acknowledged that journalists trying to operate there face a number of dangers. But that pales in comparison to what the migrants have to go through, she adds.

A memory which stays with her in particular involves two young boys she met at one of the detention centres. They had been rescued from sea the night before and were accompanied by a girl of 17, whose sister had also drowned. Shaw assumed the boys were the girls children. They werent. We were just on the same boat, the girl told her. Both of their mothers died last night.

The four year old was still asking for his mother, Shaw continues. A lot of the women were asking the producer to take the boys [and saying], The best thing you can do is smuggle them out of here... I quite often think what [might have] happened to them.

Being able to walk away was horrific, and whilst she tried to hold on to the fact that the documentary might bring light to the situation, it seemed such a tiny, tiny thing to do. I dont know if its any direct help to those people youre filming with, she says. It stays with you for a long time.

With more than one million Syrian refugees requesting asylum in Europe, what lead her to focus on the Sub-Saharan migrants hoping to reach Europe as well? It seemed, in some ways, a harder subject to get people to care about, she says.

This is the forgotten route. There are reports about all of the deaths in the Mediterranean, which I think weve become slightly immune to  its like, Oh, another thousand. And you get kind of horribly used to seeing images of people being rescued at sea. But little was known about the journey that [the migrants] do, even to get up to the coast I also feel weve sort of just got our heads around refugees and Syria and what that is. And in the process, an economic migrant has become like a dirty word... Theyre the people were referring to as swarms of migrants coming in and, sort of, dehumanised.

This felt like a really important story, she says.

The documentary  a heartbreaking depiction of human suffering and crushed hope  more than illustrates that.

Ross Kemp: Libyas Migrant Hell premieres tonight on Sky1 at 9pm

Follow Edwina Langley on Twitter @EdwinaLangley
B eing a pilot has to be one of the most impressive jobs going. There's the years of required training, the heaps of responsibility and, of course, the travel to often exotic, far-flung locations.

And it seems we're extremely curious to know what a pilot's life actually looks like  is it as glamorous as it sounds?

Eser Aksan Erdogan, 31, a pilot for Turkey's low-cost Pegasus Airlines, has amassed more than 40,000 followers by documenting her jet-setting lifestyle on Instagram.

Erdogan has been a pilot for three years and flies a Boeing 737 aircraft to locations in Europe and the Middle East. She regularly posts selfies from the cockpit wearing her uniform and snaps from the picturesque locations she visits for work.

By giving people a glimpse into her daily life on the job, Erdogan has helped to highlight the fact that there are very few female pilots  just 5,000, according to The Daily Mirror.

Erdogan recalled a memorable shift in which she and her female co-pilot landed in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where women are banned from driving cars. The ground operations crew were surprised to see them, she said.

"After landing they [ground operations] didn't give us a hard time but we were certainly popular. A group of ground workers was staring at us like they've never seen girls fly before."

20 travel Instagrams you should follow now 1 /25 20 travel Instagrams you should follow now Cole Rise Cole is a talented photographer and self-style "escape artist". His photos of faraway lands will get your wanderlust going in no time. Jared Chambers If you love a great view, this Instagram is for you. Classic American vistas and magazine-perfect shots. Le Postcard Wondering what the jetsetting crowd are up to? We're not going to lie - it's pretty fabulous. Paris in Four Months Carin Olsson moved to Paris for four months, but ended up staying permanently. Her blog is a love letter to the city with a dash of high fashion thrown in for good measure. Expert Vagabond With a dash of adrenaline and a lot of colour, Matthew Karsten's blog is endlessly entertaining. A Girl Who Travels Thinking about traveling on your own? Marta's solo jaunts around Europe and elsewhere are proof that it can be pretty amazing. Kimi Juan These faded, beachy pictures are sure to get you dreaming about long summer days. Hirozzz Edgy and intense, Japanese photographer Hiroaki Fukuda has a unique view on urban travel. This Wild Idea An absolutely addictive blog for travel and animal lovers alike. Theron Humphrey and his dog Maddie road trip it around the States. Lonely Planet You can't go wrong with the foremost authority on travel. See the world (if only through your screen) with these amazing photos. A Lady in London Although based in London, this popular blogger travels wide and often, making for an envy-inducing Instagram feed. Chris Burkard One for those active, outdoorsy types. Chris's Instagram features mother nature at her finest. Passion Passport This Instagram features photos taken by a community of travelers and photographers around the world. The ultimate in travel porn. Foster Huntington Follow Foster's adventures as he travels around the United States in his camper van. Lvis.Ca Luis Cardenas is a Mexican photographer who documents the everyday life and beauty of his country. Great for anyone thinking of going to Central or South America. Dear Leila This London-based photographer's Instagram is part travel and part lifestyle, but beautiful the whole way through. Features lovely photos of our fair city, along with pictures of Leila's European travels. Matthias J Barker Haunting, dramatic photos for the would-be hiker. Elle Croft You'll enjoy this London-based writer's lifestyle photos as much as her travel shots. Elle's energy and enthusiasm make her easily relatable. Lucy Laucht Beautifully styled holiday inspo from this travel photographer with an eye for detail.

It was a "childhood dream" to be a pilot, Erdogan said. "I was kind of a tomboy so I always wanted to fly an F16, but since I'm against war, violence and armies, flying big jets is so much better, she told the Mirror, adding that her parents were both scared of flying.

"The eternal blue of the sky, fluffy clouds and the ability to visit countries far, far away have always had a big attraction on me, she said.

Erdogan has visited nearly 50 countries and her favourite locations include the Seychelles, which reminds her of her marriage, Rio for carnival and Tanzania for safari. She also recommends Marrakech, the Cote d'Azur, Cappadocia in Turkey and Australia's east coast, the Mirror reported.

However, its not all sunshine and rainbows, as the extended periods of travel can take a toll on her personal life. Luckily, her husband Volkan, 33, is also a pilot and the pair are sometimes able to synchronise their schedules so they can travel the world as a unit and document their travels online.

Despite the difficulties and the long hours of studying required, Erdogan urged more women and girls to consider a career as a pilot. Be prepared for hard weather conditions, red-eye flights, very long duty hours up to a maximum of 14 to 16 hours and a lot of hotel rooms, she told the Mirror.

"There have been days when I woke up and didn't know my location for a minute. You will miss a lot of birthdays, special occasions and anniversaries, you will lose a lot of friends, but in return you get the most colourful, awesome job with lots of travelling  and did I mention you have the best office view in the world?

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A s we all know, the most popular time to book holidays is in January. It makes sense - you're depressed, it's cold, the year's looming ahead of you like a big, bleak, never-ending cloud of doom... Obviously you want something to look forward to.

If you didn't get organised enough to book a holiday in January though (hello) don't worry - you may actually have the upper hand. See, rather than having to do all the research about where the best places to go this year are, all you need to do is copy those people who were organised January bookers and figure the rest out later.

So, where have the Hermione Grangers of the travelling club been looking to go this year? Well, according to new trend report from travel company Kuoni, some of the big destinations from last year are still going strong (Sri Lanka), new flight routes have opened up new destinations and even politics are playing a part in where we want to head on our hols (a trip to Canada involves a personal visit with Justin Trudeau, right?).

Greece

When it comes to short-haul holidays, Greece seems to be the big winner of 2017 with Kuoni reporting a 30 per cent rise in bookings from last year - despite the shoddy state of the pound. I mean, you could do worse - the blue Aegean sea, the mercifully car-free island of Hydra, the fancy-pants luxury of Santorini... Sign us up.

Croatia

Croatian currency the Kuna is offering a rather delightful exchange rate which is helping to lure travellers in. The good thing is, there's something in Croatia for everyone - from historical sightseeing to backpacking partying to remote beaches - you'll be able to keep everyone happy.

Costa Rica

If you're looking to go further afield, Costa Rica (with help from a new direct flight from Gatwick) has seen bookings rise a silly 310 per cent. Although, with a nice mix of rainforest and beach, rugged terrain for hiking and waves for surfing, it's easy to see why people can't wait to get there.

Hotels opening in 2017 in pictures 1 /18 Hotels opening in 2017 in pictures Six Senses Cambodia A bedroom at Six Sense Cambodia on Krabey Island The Ned, London A stylish bathroom at The Ned One of the bars at The Ned Sir Nikolai, Hamburg Design Hotels Hoxton Hotel, Paris Henrietta, London The Whitby, New York Design Hotels Lympstone Manor, Devon Artist Residence, Oxfordshire Wild Coast Tented Lodge, Sri Lanka A copper tub in one of the Wild Coast Tented Lodges in Yala, Sri Lanka Brown, Jerusalem A rendering of the Brown hotel in Jerusalem

Canada

Canada finds itself in the top 20 for the first time this year which is probably something to do with their rather dreamy Prime Minister and his wonderfully liberal approach to welcoming people to enter his magnificent country. Toronto is the big city that everyone loves but spare a thought too for Montreal, the half-French speaking capital of Quebec and also Vancouver, the laid back, super-diverse hipster hub which isn't a world away from it's equally cool American neighbours, Seattle and Portland.

South Africa

After the turmoil with the South African Rand in recent times (I mean, you thought the Pound was having a nightmare), people are looking to South Africa for a cheaper-than-usual long haul holiday - it's moved up three places on the list to number 15.

Photo: Via @visitsouthafrica

Full List

1. Maldives

2. Mauritius

3. Sri Lanka

4. Thailand

5. USA

6. Indonesia

7. Italy

8. Antigua

9. Barbados

10. Malaysia

11. India

12. St. Lucia

13. Vietnam

14. Mexico

15. South Africa

16. Cuba

17. UAE

18. Australia

19. Canada

20. New Zealand

Photo: Via @visitmaldives

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D etectives have been given more time to question five teenagers held on suspicion of planning to flee Britain to fight for Islamic State in Syria and Iraq.

The five males  including a 15-year-old schoolboy - were arrested at homes across London on Monday on suspicion of the preparation of terrorist acts.

The Mets counter terror detectives are investigating alleged plans by the teenagers, four of whom are schoolchildren, to travel to join the jihadist terror group after communicating with each other online.

Officers now have until Monday February 27 to question the four teenagers, aged 16, 17, 17 and 19, who were arrested at addresses in south and west London.

A 15-year-old boy arrested on Monday evening in east London can be questioned until Friday.

Police said the arrests follow searches at four residential addresses in London on Tuesday February 14.

A further property was searched in Lambeth on Monday in connection with the investigation.

Detectives are thought to have recovered a number of phones and computers during these raids.

Officers are examining if any of the five had made contact with jihadists in Syria and or if the group had hatched a plot to travel online.

All five remain in custody at a central London police station pending further inquiries.
F ive London teenagers were being questioned by anti-terror police today on suspicion of planning to flee Britain to fight for Islamic State in Syria and Iraq.

The five - including a 15-year-old schoolboy - were arrested yesterday at homes across London.

Counter terror detectives are investigating alleged plans by the teenagers, four of whom are school children, to travel to join the jihadist terror group after communicating with each other online.

In a co-ordinated operation early yesterday, two youths, aged 16 and 17, were held at separate addresses in south London while two others, aged 17 and 19, were arrested at the same address in west London.

A boy aged 15 was arrested last night in east London while a further address in Lambeth was also searched in connection with the opoeration.

Detectives are examining how the teenagers, who are all known to each other, came into contact.

The arrests came after Scotland Yards Counter Terrorism Command searched the teenagers addresses in London last month.

Detectives are thought to have recovered a number of phones and computers during these raids.

The Met said the five were arrested on suspicion of the preparation of terrorist acts and were being interviewed at a central London police station today.

Detectives are examining if any of the five had made contact with jihadists in Syria and or if the group had hatched a plot to travel online.

The arrests follow the case of three London schoolgirls who ran away from home to join Islamic State in February 2015.

Shamima Begum and Amira Abase, both 15 at the time, and Khadiza Sultana, then 16, all fellow pupils at Bethnal Green Academy, disappeared from their homes in east London and flew to Turkey, before crossing the border into war torn Syria.

Khadiza is thought to have been killed in an air strike in Syria last year but the fate of the other two girls is unknown.

Today it also emerged that a Briton fighting with Islamic State blew himself up in a suicide mission against troops advancing on western Mosul.

The terror group said a man using the name Abu Zakariya al-Britani was one of two fighters who died attacking Iraqi troops int he battle for the city.
A young man has been left with life-changing injuries after he was chased and repeatedly stabbed by a gang on a busy north London road, police say.

Officers were called to Green Lanes, near Newington Green, just before 4.30pm on Monday.

An Air Ambulance was also scrambled and the victim, in his early 20s, was rushed to hospital with multiple stab wounds.

Police believe he was chased by a gang before he was knifed. Members of the group fled shortly after the attack.

Green Lanes was closed in both directions / @romaejaz

Shocked witnesses described gruesome scenes between Aden Grove and Lidfield Road.

Social worker Chris Murray, told the Standard: There was blood spattered all over the ground and up a metal gate.

It was horrible, the young lad was lying on the pavement and looked in a pretty bad way.

Air ambulance lands for Green Lanes stabbing

Remy Waslyuk added: "There was a man lying on the floor being treated by the ambulance crew and a splattering of blood on the pavement.

"The police were then shutting off the road just as our bus passed."

The victim remains in hospital.

A Met Police spokesman said there had not been any arrests and enquiries continue.

Anyone who witnessed the stabbing or has any information is asked to contact detectives at Hackney CID on 101 or via Twitter @MetCC.

Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
A pensioner is fighting for life after a stabbing in a park in east London.

Police and paramedics raced to the scene of the attack in South Park, off a quiet residential road in Ilford, at around 10am.

The man was rushed to hospital after suffering life threatening injuries, police said.

Pictures posted on social media show an entrance to the park cordoned off as police officers carry out an investigation.

A police officer stands guard at the entrance to the park / @antiknifeuk

Mohammed Hussein, who has been the manager of nearby Noori Foods for eight months and has lived in Ilford all his life, told the Standard people were concerned by the horrific stabbing.

He said: Its horrific, we are really close by. I have never heard of such a thing in this area.

We have customers who live quite close, residential people who are worried that such a thing has happened.

I heard the police sirens earlier but didnt realise until later what had happened.

That this is happening right next to our doorstep, it is worrying.

The park has been closed off / @antiknifeuk

Danny O'Brien, founder of nonprofit group anti-knife UK, lives ten minutes from the park where the attack happened.

He told the Standard: It seems like it was a random attack. I hope he pulls through.

Ive lived in Ilford 18 years and [knife crime] has never been as bad as its been in the last year.

We keep on saying it is a youth problem but it is a community problem.

We are human beings and even animals treat their own kind better.

People arent shocked about it. They dont do anything about it until it happens to them.

A Met Police spokesman said: Police were called at 10.02am on Tuesday, February 21, by the London Ambulance Service to reports of a man found suffering stab wounds in South Park, off Green Lane, Ilford.

The man in his 80s was taken to an east London hospital. His injuries are potentially life-threatening at this stage.

A crime scene is in place and officers are in attendance.

The spokesman added that there have been no arrests.
P olice are hunting a man who indecently exposed himself to a young woman after she turned down his offer of sex at a bus stop.

The suspect allegedly approached a 27-year-old woman after she got off a route 140 bus in Northolt while on her way home from work.

The victim ran from Danemead Road towards Reading Road but the suspect caught up with her by grabbing her hands, police said.

With the help of two passers-by, she managed to free herself and escape.

The man is described as being of Middle Eastern appearance, slim and aged 20 to 25 with black hair. He was wearing a black padded jacket with a hood.

Officers from the Roads and Transport Policing Command (RTPC) are investigating the incident, which happened on Thursday, November 20.

Police have now released a CCTV image of a man they want to trace over the incident.

No arrests have been made.

Detective Constable Naomi Goodman, of the RTPC, said: "I am very grateful to the members of the public who assisted the victim and would very much like to hear from them or anyone with information relating to this incident."

Police have released a CCTV image of the suspect and ask anyone who recognises him or has any information to contact DC Goodman on 07770 315 678 or via 101.

Alternatively, they can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
A London commuter spat and hurled coffee at a railway worker at Victoria station, police said.

Officers said the man approached the female railway worker who was in an information kiosk at the station.

He allegedly swore at her, spat in her face and threw his coffee over her.

Police have released a CCTV image of a man they want to speak to in connection with the incident.

British Transport Police said in a statement: Disgusted? We are too.

"And wed like to speak to this man in connection with the incident, which took place on the main concourse at around 2.20pm on February 6.

We wont stand for threatening behaviour and we certainly wont stand for violence.

Anyone who recognises the man is asked to call BTP on 0800 40 50 40 or texting 61016 with the reference number 282 of February 6.
P eoples personalities change beyond recognition between adolescence and old age as life sculpts our character traits, a new study has found.

Researchers at the University of Edinburgh found that personality is less innate than previously thought, changing during a lifetime, according to The Times.

The study was based on research conducted in 1950 in Scotland in which the personalities of 1,200 14-year-olds were recorded.

Teachers were asked to rate their pupils on six traits: self-confidence, conscientiousness, perseverance, stability of mood, originality and the desire to learn. The teenagers were also asked to take an intelligence test.

The results were then boiled down to a single score which researchers said came close to measuring dependability.

60 years later Matthew Harris, research associate in brain imaging at the University of Edinburgh, tracked down 635 of the adolescents who originally took the test and asked if they would be assessed again.

Those who agreed, now aged 77, rated themselves on the six traits and asked a close friend to do the same. They also retook an intelligence test and answered questions on their general wellbeing.

The results found that only stability of mood and conscientiousness stayed the same throughout a lifetime and even then it was not guaranteed.

Mr Harris told The Times he was surprised by the lack of correlation between personality traits at 14 and those at 77.

He told the paper: We hypothesised that we would find evidence of personality stability over ... 63 years but our correlations did not support this hypothesis.

Mr Harris said personalities altered slowly overtime and did not change overnight when confronted with unexpected life events such as falling in love or grief.

More likely, he said, was that subtle changes build up overtime to affect personality in the long-run.
A ctress Lindsay Lohan has claimed she was asked to remove her headscarf at Heathrow Airport and was "racially profiled" by security staff.

The Mean Girls star spoke of her shock surrounding the incident during an interview with Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid on ITVs Good Morning Britain on Tuesday.

She explained how she had been asked to remove her headscarf by security staff at the airport as she queued for a flight to New York after travelling from Turkey.

Lohan said: When I was flying to New York recently, I was wearing a headscarf and I got stopped at the airport and racially profiled for the first time in my life at Heathrow Airport.

She opened my passport and saw Lindsay Lohan and started immediately apologising but then said, Please take off your head scarf.

'Racially profiled': The actress claimed she was asked to remove her headscarf at Heathrow Airport / ITV

The Parent Trap actress explained she removed the item and said: "It was ok."

However, she then went on to share her sympathy with other woman who dont feel comfortable removing their headscarves in public.

She added: What scared me at that moment was, how would another woman who doesnt feel comfortable taking off her headscarf feelthat was really interesting to me.

'Racially profiled': Lindsay Lohan refused to confirm wether she had converted to Islam / Rex

I was in shock. It was jarring.

When asked if the request freaked her out a bit, Lohan replied: It did, Im from New York, I was born and raised there so I was a little intimidated.

During the interview, which was praised by fans on Twitter, Lohan said she had been studying Islam but did not confirm if she was planning to convert to the religion.

She told Susannah Reid: Out of respect to certain countries that I go to, I feel more comfortable acting the same as the other women. Thats just a personal respect issue for me.

A spokeswoman for Heathrow Airport said: "Heathrow respects the cultural and religious needs of all passengers travelling through the airport.

"We work hard to provide our passengers with great service while ensuring everyone remains safe and secure."

A Home Office spokeswoman said: "Border Force checks the passports of passengers who come into the country and pass through the UK border.

"Those who land at a UK airport to catch a connecting flight would usually have their documentation checked by airline or airport staff to ensure it was valid for their onward journey."
C limate change protesters have blockaded a motorway tunnel near Heathrow Airport in protest at a third runway.

Activists used a vehicle to block the tunnel leading to the airport before chaining themselves to it and lying down in the road on Tuesday morning.

The blue car was draped with a banner which read no new runways.

Police were at the scene shortly before 8.30am and the protest was brought to an end three hours later.

The drivers of two other vehicles - both men - used to help block the tunnel were arrested, while officers worked to remove three people locked to the third car, police said.

Protests: Activists blocked the tunnel / PA

The two men and a woman who were chained to the car were eventually removed by officers and also arrested. One of them - a man - was taken to hospital, while the other four were taken into custody.

The protest was staged by campaign group Rising Up, which works to tackle climate change, with a video streamed live on its Facebook page from inside the tunnel.

Activist Simon Bramwell who was involved in the protest described a consultation process for the proposal for the airport's expansion as "illegitimate and undemocratic".

He said: "This blockade is our contribution to the consultation: a third runway is a disastrous option that will lead to climate chaos.

"I look upon my niece and nephew, upon the children who will inherit the future we are creating right now and my conscience tells me to act.

"I am breaking conditions imposed on me by the courts, following road blockades in November but the Government is not listening to the science or to our concerns. They have left us with no alternative but to keep taking action.

"We will not stop until plans to build another runway are fully and finally shut down"

Traffic: The motorway was gridlocked / Highways England

A plan to build a third runway at Heathrow was chosen in October as the Government's preferred option for increasing capacity in south-east England.

An additional 260,000 take-off or landings will be permitted each year from the expanded airport, up from the current cap of 480,000, according to a draft National Policy Statement (NPS) on aviation released last month.

A final NPS is expected to be voted on by Parliament in winter 2017/18, following a consultation.

Photos emerged on social media of a gridlocked section of the M4 Spur on the approach to Terminals Two and Three of the airport.

Motorists described being stuck in "bumper to bumper" traffic because of the demonstration.

Air France employee Ryan McGuire said on Twitter: "Stuck in this #Heathrow traffic. It's bumper to bumper. Anyone know what the protest is about? It was Black Lives Matter last time."

A woman named Josie tweeted: "Heathrow protesters are f****** a********. Ruining people's holidays. There are other ways to protest. You'd get the same result."

Another Twitter user named Rosh said: "Whilst I'm all for movements, protesting at #Heathrow and making people miss their flights doesn't seem like the best way to get support.."

Campaign group Back Heathrow, which supports the airport's expansion, said: "The actions of these protesters are selfish, short-sighted and counter-productive. Most local communities living near Heathrow support expansion and passengers simply want to be able to use the airport in peace.

This pointless protest will merely aggravate thousands of ordinary people, many of whom simply want to get to work or catch a flight.

Transport for London wrote on Twitter: "The Heathrow Tunnel (into the airport) is currently blocked due to in impromptu demonstration, traffic is slow on M4 Spur."

A Heathrow spokesman said: "Heathrow airport can confirm that a protest activity is on-going in the in-bound tunnel to Terminals 2 and 3.

"Heathrow supports the right to peaceful protest within the law, but the safety and security of our passengers, aircraft and colleagues together with the smooth running of the operation is paramount.

"Contraflow traffic measures are in place and we are working closely with the authorities to resolve the issue, but advise passengers to allow more time to drive into Terminals 2 and 3."

A Met Police spokesman said: "A road and tunnel at Heathrow Airport blocked following a spontaneous protest has now re-opened.

"At around 8.25am on Tuesday, February 21 police were called to reports of a tunnel near Heathrow Airport has been blocked to traffic by protesters.

"Officers attended the inbound tunnel and found three cars blocking the tunnel, with three protesters locked to one of them.

"The drivers of two of the vehicles- both men - were arrested for obstructing a highway and taken into custody at a west London police station.

"Heathrow officers worked with Heathrow Airport staff to remove the people locked to the third car.

"These two men and one woman were, once removed, arrested on for obstructing a highway.

"One man has been taken to hospital as a precaution; the remaining man and woman have been taken into custody, also at a west London police station.

"The cars have been removed and the tunnel was re-opened around 11.30am."
L ondon could become the worlds first pay to pollute capital after a competition was launched to trial radical new emissions-cutting technology.

Technology firm Tantalum, which specialises in connected cars, is offering one global city the chance to install its device for free on at least 1,000 vehicles.

The system provides real-time data on the amount of CO2 a vehicle is producing and, from the autumn, will be able to measure poisonous nitrogen dioxide as well.

Transport for London could penalise drivers for taking routes near schools in pollution hotspots or for using their car during bad air days.

Motorists altering their behaviour  driving smoothly to reduce fuel use by up to 20 per cent  would be rewarded by being charged a lower rate.

Former mayor Boris Johnsons deputy mayor for the environment Matthew Pencharz, who now works for himself, is acting as a consultant for the firm, which has already held talks with TfL and City Hall officials on its plans.

A spokeswoman for Mayor Sadiq Khan said: TfL are working closely with industry to ensure the most efficient advanced systems are deployed in all future plans.

The technology could be used by freight groups, as well as NHS fleets, supermarket vans, and Amazon delivery vehicles.

Ultimately, it could be used by city transport authorities to introduce emissions-based road pricing systems to tackle congestion and clean up air, without the high infrastructure costs of existing schemes. Mr Khan has announced a 10 toxicity charge for central London this autumn and has brought forward the widened Ultra Low Emission Zone by a year.

Critics feel they are a blunt tool as they take no account of how much motorists drive within the zone, the route they take, or how much pollution they produce. Cities understood to be interested in the technology include Paris, Athens, Mexico City and Singapore. The firm has announced a separate 1,000-vehicle trial of the system with Capita, the C-charge operator, from September.
A man has been left fighting for his life in hospital after falling from a building in Streatham.

London Air Ambulance was scrambled following reports that a man, aged in his 20s, fell from a height on Faygate Road.

Police officers tweeted a picture of the helicopter - which had landed in the grounds of Hitherfield Primary School - as paramedics attended to the man.

Lambeth police were called to the scene by paramedics at around 12.45pm but there have been no arrests.

The man was rushed to a south London hospital in a critical condition.

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police force told the Standard: Police were called by the London Ambulance Service at 12.44pm on Tuesday, 21 February to reports of a man fallen from a building on Faygate Road in Streatham.

Officers and Londons Air Ambulance attended.

The man, believed to be in his 20s, was taken to a south London hospital where he remains in a critical condition.

Enquiries continue. There have been no arrests.
T his is the shocking moment a van driver swerved across two lanes of traffic on one of Londons busiest roads to rejoin the main carriageway.

Dashcam footage taken from a driver exiting the North Circular near the junction with the M11 in showed cars slam on the brakes as the van turned from the slip road back onto the carriageway.

The van, which appeared to take a wrong turn, is seen stopping completely in one lane of fast-moving traffic before slowly crossing another in order to rejoin the London ring road.

At least one vehicle is forced to dart around the van seconds before crashing into it while others cars are seen slowing down while the dangerous manoeuvre is attempted.

The footage was uploaded to the Idiot UK Drivers Exposed YouTube page in December where the motorist was branded Idiot van driver of the year.

One person commented: That's a special kind of stupid.
A music fan who blames dim lighting for a nasty fall at Ronnie Scotts is suing for substantial damages.

Eren Hussein, 53, broke her elbow and two bones in her wrist after she fell down in a very dimly lit stairwell on her way out of the Soho jazz club.

In a court claim, the company director, of Lower Clapton, Hackney, says the world famous venue should pay her thousands in compensation.

But the clubs owners say lighting was perfectly adequate and there was a handrail which Mrs Hussein could have used.

Giving evidence at Central London County Court, Mrs Hussein, who weighed 18st at the time, said she had been left with very painful injuries after her fall.

She had been at a birthday party in March 2012 and was on her way out with her heavily pregnant daughter-in-law when she had the accident.

Eren Hussein denies being drunk at the time of the fall

After missing a step close to the top of the stairs, she fell, tumbling down one flight, round a corner and down another, she said.

It was dark, it was dim and I didnt see my step as I was going down, she told Judge Heather Baucher QC.

I tumbled over and over and over and I injured myself very badly.

I recall landing on my neck and the back of my head as well.

The court heard there had been a handrail on only one side of the flight of stairs, which lead from an upstairs lounge to the lower floor.

But Mrs Hussein had allowed her seven months pregnant daughter-in-law to use it and instead walked on the other side of the stairs.

Lawyers for the club say that, given her size at the time, whether she was on the right or left, she would still have been able to reach the rail.

The lighting was considered adequate in the stairwell, which was also an emergency exit, the court was told.

The judge was also referred to medical notes following Mrs Husseins arrival at St Thomas Hospital in an ambulance.

In the document, a doctor or nurse had recorded intoxicated as their impression of the patient.

But Mrs Hussein, who had been given gas and air due to her pain, vehemently denied that she was drunk.

She had not had a drink in six months before the accident and had only a glass and a half of champagne and a small amount of red wine before the fall, she said.

It could be from the gas and air, she said, explaining why medics might have thought she was drunk.

Her barrister, Kiril Waite, argues that lighting in the stairwell was not good enough and that an adequate risk assessment had not been carried out.

If Mrs Husseins claim is successful, her compensation payout will then be assessed, if not agreed.

The hearing continues.
C ressida Dick is in pole position to succeed Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe as Britains top cop after impressing Amber Rudd and Sadiq Khan in early discussions, insiders said today.

The former Scotland Yard counter-terrorism chief is understood to be the preferred choice of the Mayor as the formal interview process begins today.

Ms Dick, who currently holds a senior post at the Foreign Office, is said to have performed best in the early rounds, putting her in line to become Britains first female Met chief.

But she still faces a stiff challenge from her rivals for the post of Metropolitan Police Commissioner, led by Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley.

A source close to the process said: Cressida is definitely the favourite at this stage but its not going to be a shoo-in.

All four remaining candidates will be interviewed by the Home Secretary and the London Mayor today and tomorrow.

Mr Rowley, in charge of Specialist Operations for the force, is the only one on the shortlist currently working inside Scotland Yard.

Sara Thornton, former chief constable of Thames Valley police who became the first president of the National Police Chiefs Council, and Stephen Kavanagh, the chief constable of Essex, are also in the running.

In addition to the Home Secretary and the Mayor, the four final candidates will be interviewed by policing minister Brandon Lewis and deputy mayor for policing Sophie Linden.
A former Labour minister has claimed there is clear evidence Russia interfered directly in UK elections.

Chris Bryant, the former Europe minister, told Parliament he thought top-level decisions made on UK security issues had also been compromised by Russian infiltration.

He said: There is now clear evidence of Russian direct, corrupt involvement in elections in France, in Germany, in the United States of America, and I would argue also in this country.

Many believe that some of the highest level decisions affecting security in the United Kingdom, in Germany, in France and in the United States of America are now compromised by Russian infiltration.

Fellow Labour former minister Ben Bradshaw has previously claimed it was "highly probable" Russia interfered in the EU referendum through cyber warfare, a claim the Government says there is no evidence for.

Putin's government has rejected claims of intefering and hacking / AFP/Getty Images

Mr Bryant repeated these concerns as MPs considered new powers to tackle money laundering, which many have seen as a crackdown on corrupt money flowing into the UK from Russia and other countries.

Donald Trump has been dogged by allegations of links between his senior team and Russia.

Emmanuel Macron, the favourite to become the next French president, has also accused Russia and its state-owned media of using hacking and fake news to interfere with the French presidential race.

Both claims are rejected by the Kremlin.

Mr Bryant went on to criticise both British and US policy towards Russia in recent years.

He said: "My personal perception was that both David Cameron and President Obama were very reluctant to show a strong arm to Russia, because they thought by pressing the reset button, that was Obama's view, somehow or other you would manage to get major concessions out of Putin.

"I have to say, that has simply not proved to be an effective strategy.

"In every single regard, Putin has simply taken those moments as a sign of weakness and preceded to use force in greater degree."
T he daughter of a hero police officer killed in one of Londons worst terrorist attacks today appealed to Theresa May to meet victims seeking compensation from Libya, which supplied the explosives for the bomb.

Susanne Dodd, whose father died trying to save shoppers and tourists in the Harrods bombing on December 17, 1983, is fighting to unlock a fortune stashed in London by former despot Muammar Gaddafi. However, the Prime Ministers office has told her Mrs May was too busy to sit down with campaigners.

Margaret Thatcher wrote two handwritten letters to my mum regarding the Harrods bombing and the Brighton bombing, said Ms Dodd.

My family met the Queen many years ago, and if she can find time in her busy diary Im sure the Prime Minister can find one hour to hear from victims about what they have suffered over many years.

Horror: Melanie and Susanne Dodd at the funeral of their father (Associated Newspapers ) / Associated Newspapers

Inspector Stephen Dodd, 34, was one of three Met officers killed by the IRA car bomb in Hans Crescent, near the side entrance of Harrods. They answered the call after terrorists telephoned a warning 37 minutes before the 25lb bomb exploded, leaving six dead and 90 injured.

Like several other major IRA bombings in London, including the Docklands, Hyde Park and Regents Park attacks, the bomb contained Semtex high explosive supplied by Gaddafi as part of his campaign against the West.

The Government has revealed that Gaddafi salted away 9.5 billion in investments in Britain before he was deposed and killed in 2011  money that campaigners say could help scores of people left seriously injured or bereaved. Ms Dodd wrote to Mrs May, asking her to meet campaigners who include a cross-party group of senior MPs.

She received a letter stating: The Prime Minister appreciates you taking the time to write to her. However, owing to the tremendous pressures on her diary, I regret that it will not be possible to arrange a meeting.

Revealing that David Cameron had also refused to meet her when he was prime minister, Ms Dodd added: I feel like the Government does not care about the issue that victims are raising.

Romford Tory MP Andrew Rosindell, who is helping to pilot a Bill for compensation claims, said: It is about time that victims and families of victims received the compensation they have long deserved.

The Treasury recently told Parliament that Libyan assets frozen in the UK are worth 9,467,630,000, including cash, properties and shares.

A Downing Street spokesman said the Government hoped to secure a compensation package once stability returns to Libya.

We are determined to see a just solution for UK victims of Gadaffi-sponsored terrorism and the Foreign Office continues to encourage the Libyans to engage with UK victims and their legal representatives seeking redress.
A Labour rebel has launched a brazen attack on Jeremy Corbyn by blaming him for voters deserting the party.

In a meeting of Labour MPs, backbencher Neil Coyle told the leader directly he was the reason lifelong supporters would abandon the party in Thursdays Stoke and Copeland by-elections.

The Bermondsey MP said: He had emphasised unity as important, and honesty. We are 18 points behind the Tories and third place in Scotland and in Copeland, the reason why lifelong voters arent backing us is Jeremy Corbyn.

He didnt look riled when I said this. He said just get out there and thanked everyone whos been campaigning.

The scathing attack came as Mr Corbyn faced MPs at the Parliamentary Labour Party meeting in Westminster to discuss the elections and their dire ICM/Guardian poll ratings.

A source said Mr Corbyns long-held anti-nuclear views are affecting voters in Copeland in Cumbria, where the Sellafield nuclear power station is the areas main employer.

Earlier Tottenham MP David Lammy and Mr Coyle tweeted about warning letters they had been sent from the chief whip Nick Brown after they defied the party to vote against the triggering of Article 50.

Mr Coyle, who led the rebellion of London MPs against Brexit, said he is auctioning off his letter to raise party campaign funds, and has already received an opening bid of 100.

He said: Some local members have begun bidding for my letter of reprimand so I guess I should thank the chief whip for helping me raise vital campaign funds.
T housands of London firms could be forced to close if the Government blunders on with plans to increase business rates, Sadiq Khan has warned.

The Mayor accused ministers of giving businesses in the capital a kick in the teeth, with more than 7,500 expected to see a 45 per cent rise in their bills this April.

He claimed the character of the capitals high streets was under threat from the double whammy of the business rates hike and uncertainty over Brexit.

London faces increases of at least 900 million  rising as high as 1.1 billion  which would fund a cut in rates across the rest of the country.

The warning came as the Mayor, London councils and business groups from across the city wrote to Chancellor Philip Hammond, urging him to protect businesses from increases.

Chinatown and the West End, as well as parts of inner London such as Islington and Hackney where property values have increased dramatically, could be particularly badly hit.

Mr Khan told the Standard: I am genuinely shocked that the Governments actions will damage the prospects of so many businesses in the capital, putting many at risk of closure.

"The very character of our local high streets is under threat  Londons businesses have been warning about the damaging effect of this skewed and unfair revaluation for months and yet the Government blunders on.

This is the last thing London businesses need and will serve as a kick in the teeth for tens of thousands of companies in the capital who are still digesting the recent vote to leave the European Union. Alongside the uncertainty created by Brexit, this will serve as a double whammy for business in London.

The Mayor called on ministers to address the unfair and damaging situation by bringing in measures to soften the blow.

The Standard revealed yesterday that while ministers are not planning a U-turn, they have not ruled out a cash cushion.

City Hall also wants the current national 12,000 rateable value threshold, below which small businesses receive 100 per cent relief, raised to a more realistic level.

Ministers are also under pressure to bring in transitional arrangements. At the last revaluation in 2010 no business faced an increase of more than 12.5 per cent in the first year.

But under the new plan businesses in Islington face rises averaging 30.7 per cent. Hackneys increases will average 31.7 per cent and Lewishams 22.6 per cent.

Sir Peter Rogers, chairman of the New West End Company, said the Government should heed widespread pleas from businesses of all sizes and the London Chamber of Commerce said there is real concern about the future of London businesses.
A Tory peer has revealed how she was vilified as a slut, whore and harlot for campaigning for Britain to remain in the European Union.

Baroness Patience Wheatcroft told the House of Lords she was stunned by the irrational hostility she met when making a case to remain in the EU before the referendum vote last summer.

The former newspaper editor was speaking during the Lords two-day debate on the EU (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill, which, if passed, will allow Theresa May to start formal Brexit negotiations.

She told the House, the referendum had unleashed a wave of anger and intolerance which is truly frightening and dangerous for this country.

When I dared to voice my concerns over the outcome of the referendum, my postbagboth virtual and realwas awful. It was astonishing that people actually put stamps on those diatribes.

There were plaintive messages from UK citizens living in Europe who now feel completely abandoned, but there were many more, branding me slut, whore, harlot, scum and much, much worse.

Encouraged, no doubt, by various, more vicious parts of the media.

But she told the Lords those who believed leaving the EU would be bad for the UK must not be intimidated by the bullies as she said she would vote against the Bill.

She called on there to be a second referendum on the final deal reached by Ms May and her EU counterparts.

Baroness Wheatcrofts speech came as Ms May took the unprecedented step of personally sitting in the Lords as the debate got underway.

Her presence has been read as a visual warning to peers seeking to amend or vote against the legislation.

The Bill was passed unamended by a majority of 372 MPs earlier this month.
M acron-mania was today breaking out in London with more than 2,500 people set to hear a message of radical change from the French presidential contender.

Emmanuel Macron was due to promise hundreds of thousands of French citizens in London that he will transform France to make it a more attractive place to live and work.

At the meeting at the Methodist Central Hall in Westminster, he was set to offer a vision of his country which may lure some of the French bankers, restaurateurs and other workers in the capital back across the Channel.

Centrist Mr Macron, a 39-year-old former investment banker, supports the European Union but has challenged Frances 35-hour work week and warned that a lack of competitiveness is to blame for high unemployment and weak economic growth.

He was economic minister in Socialist president Francois Hollandes government but quit last summer to launch his own campaign for the top job with his En Marche  On the Move  movement.

Mr Macron has also vowed to be pretty tough on Brexit, arguing that there have to be consequences for the UK in order to safeguard the EU.

An estimated 250,000 French citizens live in London, including some who left France because of Mr Hollandes tax policies.

Mr Macrons pledge to shake up Frances political system is expected to resonate with the relatively young, globally-minded French community in the city, many of whom feel bruised by Brexit and fear the far-right policies of Marine Le Pen.

Loren King, 26, moved to the UK at the age of 18 to study at Oxford University and now lives in Archway, Islington, working as an economic analyst.

He said: Macron is by far the best candidate, although I dont know how much of that is a reflection of him or the other candidates being terrible.

Louis Daillencourt, 26, a business developer from Westminster, said: He is winning on a platform of being neither Right nor Left. Definitely at heart he is a liberal in the English sense of the word.

Others voiced disillusionment with Centre-right candidate Francois Fillon who sank in the polls after the Penelopegate scandal, which alleged 831,400 (710,000) of public money was spent on fake jobs for his family.

Fillon has apologised for the payments but insisted they were all legal and that he had nothing to hide.

Eleonore Vidal, 28, a NGO project manager from Wandsworth, said she initially liked serious and honest Mr Fillon but is now reconsidering her vote.

Meanwhile, the latest poll showed National Front leader Ms Le Pen gaining ground on her main election rivals. The Opinionway survey had her easily beating her four main rivals to win the April 23 first round with 27 percent of the vote.
T he boss of high street banking giant HSBC today admitted that the unexpected shocks of the Brexit vote and Donald Trumps presidential election triumph were partly to blame for a huge slump in profits.

Chairman Douglas Flint said that the uncertainties thrown up by the twin political earthquakes of 2016 temporarily influenced investment activity and contributed to volatile financial market conditions.

The Canary Wharf based lender, which is Europes biggest bank, employing 240,000 people worldwide, made pre-tax profits of $7.1 billion (5.7 billion) last year, down 62 per cent on 2015.

The City was dismayed by the worse than expected financial results and a slump in the share price wiped 9 billion off the banks value. Analysts had been expecting profits of around $14.4 billion.

Mr Flint said that 2016 will be long remembered for its significant and largely unexpected economic and political events but insisted that the banks performance was broadly satisfactory considering such turbulent conditions.

A series of one-off charges, such as the sale of its Brazilian operations, were the main factors in the downturn in HSBCs profits.

There was also a warning that the unpredictable age of populism and the fall-out from the reaction against globalism is likely to continue far into 2017.

Mr Flint cautioned over risks from upcoming European elections, possible protectionist measures from the new US administration impacting global trade, uncertainties facing the UK and the EU as they enter Brexit negotiations, and the impact of a stronger dollar on emerging economies with high debt levels.

Chief executive Stuart Gulliver told the Standard: The pushback against globalisation is something we need to be mindful of. The first step towards an answer is recognising that there is a problem. Business has a responsibility to recognise it.

He said globalisation has not benefited all people equally adding that the protectionist stance is clearly a negative for us. Clearly we are free-traders.

HSBC confirmed that the vote to quit Brussels meant it may need to relocate some 1,000 roles from London to Paris progressively over the next two years, depending on how negotiations develop.

The bank also revealed that some bosses have had their pay cut because of slow progress in complying with tougher new anti-money laundering rules. However, the bank still paid 245 staff at least 1 million in 2016 and Mr Gullivers total package is on track to rise to 7.7 million from 7.3 million.

Mr Gulliver said: By the end of this year, we are on track to have our anti-money laundering and sanctions policy framework in place and to have introduced major compliance IT systems across the group.

The shares slumped more than six per cent, or 45.8p to 666.5p. Analysts had been expecting profits of around $14.4 billion.
Legislation that would overhaul collective bargaining in Iowa is far from perfect. It's rushed for political expedience. It's chock-full of carve-outs that create first- and second-class public employees. It's still unclear how one-size-fits-all health care insurance would adequately serve a workforce that includes state scientists and school maintenance workers.

No, the proposed sweeping limitations to Iowa's Chapter 20 collective bargaining law aren't ideal. But, at the end of the day, the amended version, rolled out Tuesday by Republicans in Iowa Legislature, are an improvement over the original pitch.

In the political reality of the moment, this new bill is worth supporting.

The original draft would have gut collective bargaining for unions representing state and local employees. Basically all but base wage would suddenly literally be off the table, essentially robbing the vacation days and other benefits that are key to negotiations and define the worker/management dynamic. It would have left employees without course to challenge wrongful terminations. It would have imbalanced the public sphere, while giving short shrift to hundreds of thousands of public employees.

On Tuesday, lawmakers reacted to the countless calls, emails and chants rising from protests throughout the state.

The amended package would reinstate bargaining for grievance procedures, seniority benefits and release time. It would permit court challenges to Civil Service Commission decisions.

Even the most vocal opponents to the GOP move to limit union power admit that the amendments are an improvement over the original draft.

No one should be surprised that Republicans instantly moved to rollback worker protection and throttle unions after seizing complete control of the Statehouse. It's the conservative cause celebre right now, kicked off in Wisconsin in 2011.

Fact is, the partisan rush-job  a clear attempt to limit statewide rage  walked blindly into traps that should have been obvious from the outset. Take, for example, the new cut-out for transportation employees. They'd be on par with cops and firefighters, under the amended draft. Not doing so could cost Iowa millions in federal funding. Wisconsin and Michigan learned this lesson years ago.

Quelling criticism with speed clearly took precedence over research here.

It's disingenuous to act as if political motivations aren't front and center in all of this. Unions amass thousands of foot-soldiers every election cycle, typically for Democrats, that knock on doors and spread the message. Unions themselves are massive campaign donors. Republicans can only win by the union decline seen in Wisconsin after collective bargaining was rolled back.

But, all that aside, the taxpayer does stand to gain from the overhaul. Health care costs annually spike, particularly at local government and school districts. And, year after year, union power ensures it's the taxpayer that picks up most of the tab. A single, statewide health care cohort equates to better rates and a better deal for taxpayers.

Republicans won total control in November. This is a central party platform at Statehouses throughout the country. And, in all likelihood, Iowa's version will pass easily within days if not hours.

The first draft was a poorly conceived bill. It's improved after a series of amendments. And taxpayers can be counted among the winners when it happens.

Right now, that's the best anyone can hope for.

This editorial appeared in the Feb. 16 edition of the Quad-City Times, another Lee Enterprises publication.
A shameless peer once kept his taxi running while he nipped into Parliament to collect his 300 daily allowance, a former speaker of the House of Lords has said.

Baroness DSouza told a BBC documentary that many peers contribute absolutely nothing to Parliament and attend only to claim their daily attendance allowance.

She suggested the "sense of honour" that used to come with being a member of the House of Lords had been lost.

In the new documentary, titled Inside the Lords, Lady D'Souza said: "There is a core of peers who work incredibly hard, who do that work, and there are, sad to say, many, many, many peers who contribute absolutely nothing but who claim the full allowance.

"I can remember one occasion when I was leaving the House quite late and there was a peer - who shall be utterly nameless - who jumped out of a taxi just outside the peers' entrance, left the engine running.

Withering assessment: Baroness D'Souza said many peers "contribute absolutely nothing" in the documentary / Matt Dunham/WPA Pool/Getty Images

"He ran in, presumably to show that he'd attended, and then ran out again while the taxi was still running.

"So I mean that's not normal, but it is something that does happen and I think that we have lost the sense of honour that used to pertain, and that is a great, great shame."

Also in the documentary, which combines interviews with fly-on-the-wall footage, Lord Blunkett and Lord Tebbit questioned appointments prime ministers had made to the upper house.

Labour former home secretary Lord Blunkett said: "You have got people who may well be, out of the patronage of the government of the day, rewarded for either keeping their mouth shut or opening their mouth or their purse at a particular moment in time."

Tory peer Lord Tebbit added: "Far too many people have been put in here as a sort of personal reward.

Liberal Democrat Lord Tyler also gave a withering assessment, describing the House of Lords as the best day care centre for the elderly in London.

He said: Families can drop in him or her and make sure that the staff will look after them very well nice meals subsidised by the taxpayer, and they can have a snooze in the afternoon in the chamber or in the library."

A House of Lords spokesman said: "All members have to certify that they have undertaken parliamentary work when claiming for attending the House.

"Where members are shown to have claimed when they have not undertaken parliamentary work, the House has the power to suspend them - as in the case of Lord Hanningfield.

"The House has a robust Code of Conduct overseen by the independent Lords Commissioner for Standards."

Meet The Lords will be broadcast on Monday February 27 at 9pm on BBC Two.
A British Muslim teacher was denied entry to the United States while with students on a school trip to New York.

Pupils and colleagues were left shocked and distressed after popular and respected maths teacher Juhel Miah was escorted off a United States-bound plane in Reykjavik.

He had travelled to Iceland from Britain and was removed from the plane by security personnel last Thursday despite having a valid visa.

The trip proceeded as planned, but a spokesman for Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council in South Wales said it had written to the US Embassy in London to express its dismay at the treatment of one of its employees.

It said it understood that Mr Miah, who teaches at Llangatwg Comprehensive, was refused permission by the United States authorities to fly to New York, despite being issued with a valid visa for travel.

A spokesman said: "We are appalled by the treatment of Mr Miah and are demanding an explanation. The matter has also been raised with our local member of parliament.

"No satisfactory reason has been provided for refusing entry to the United States - either at the airport in Iceland or subsequently at the US Embassy in Reykjavik.

"Mr Miah attempted to visit the embassy but was denied access to the building.

"Understandably he feels belittled and upset at what appears to be an unjustified act of discrimination."

Mr Trump's executive order was hastily unveiled at the end of his first week in office.

While the White House boasted that he was fulfilling a campaign promise to toughen vetting procedures for people coming from countries with terror ties, the order caused chaos at airports in the US and sparked protests across the country.

The president has cast the order as crucial for national security.

In its original form, the order temporarily suspended all travel to the US for citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries for 90 days.

The order was put on hold by the courts and a revised version has not yet been signed though it is understood from a draft that the same seven countries - Iran, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Sudan and Libya - will be targeted in it.
D onald Trump is set to rip up key safeguards on greenhouse gases and water pollution imposed by the Obama administration.

The president is determined to promote fossil fuel production and economic growth even if that impacts on the environment.

New executive orders lifting limits on greenhouse gases from electricity plants and rolling back water pollution regulations could be signed into law as early as today.

The president has already pushed through repeal of an Obama-era regulation requiring coal-mining firms to clean up streams after their work.

Environmentalists warn that the reversals would mark a major change in the role the US plays internationally on climate change.

Undermining the international leadership the US has shown on climate action would be an enormous mistake of historic consequence, said John Coequyt, global climate policy director for the Sierra Club.

It would mean he is declaring open season on our air, water and climate while further destabilising our role in the world, he added.

During his campaign, Mr Trump pledged to rescind President Obamas Clean Power Plan, which aimed to cut carbon-dioxide emissions from electricity generation by 32 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030.

The other early target was the 2015 Waters Of The US rule that applies more stringent safeguards to 60 per cent of the bodies of water in America.

Shortly after Mr Trumps inauguration last month, all mention of climate change disappeared from the official White House website.

Ivanka Trump last night tweeted her support for the Jewish community after 11 community centres were targeted with bomb hoaxes. She wrote: America is a nation built on the principle of religious tolerance.


F rench presidential hopeful Emmanuel Macron told Theresa May that the UK should not receive preferential treatment from the European Union post-Brexit.

The En Marche! leader met with the Prime Minister at Downing Street ahead of his London campaign rally for French nationals living in Britain.

The young, but increasingly prominent, candidate  who set up his party in 2016  met Mrs May in an attempt to boost his credibility as a world-class politician.

"Brexit cannot lead to a kind of optimisation of Britain's relationship with the rest of Europe. An exit is an exit," he said outside 10 Downing Street.

Emmanuel Macron: the frontrunner is head of the political movement En Marche !, or Onwards !, / REUTERS

"In particular there cannot be access to the single market without budgetary contributions (to the EU) ... I am very determined that there will be no undue advantages."

Mr Macron, 39, a former economy minister during Francois Hollande's government, is running as an independent.

He had previously vowed to be "pretty tough" with Britain over the terms of Brexit.

The latest polls suggest he and right-wing rival Francois Fillon are tied behind far-right leader Marine Le Pen ahead of the first round of the election on April 23.

Polls suggest either man would easily beat Le Pen in the May 7 run-off.

Marine Le Pen: French National Front political party leader / REUTERS

After leaving May's office, Macron was due to meet Britain's finance minister Philip Hammond before his rally in the capital  which is home to an estimated 200,000 French nationals.

Mr Macron, who is due to unveil his full electoral programme next week, said that he and May had also discussed issues ranging from the fate of French expatriates in Britain after Brexit to defence cooperation and the fight against terrorism.

He mentioned the Le Touquet agreement, which allows France and Britain to have border controls on each other's territory and frames the two countries' cooperation on immigration, suggesting he wanted to partially renegotiate it.

"On certain subjects, Britain's contribution should be revised up, in particular ... on Calais and Grande Synthe," he said, referring to locations in northern France that have drawn large numbers of migrants and refugees trying to reach Britain.

Asked if he wanted banks to move to France after Brexit, Macron responded that he wanted not only banks but also academics, researchers and talented people in general to return to France, adding that his programme would contain a series of initiatives to attract such people.

Ms Le Pen was also campaigning outside France on Tuesday, using a two-day visit to Lebanon to bolster her own foreign policy credentials.

A spokesman for Mrs May told reporters it was long-standing British government policy not to engage with Le Pen's anti-immigration National Front party.
A 17-year-old Indian boy woke up on the way to his own funeral, shocking relatives who presumed he was dead.

Kumar Marewad opened his eyes, moved his legs and started breathing fast just 2km from where the ceremony was due to take place.

The boy was then rushed to a hospital where he was placed back on life support.

He was originally taken to hospital with a severe fever weeks after he was bitten by a stray dog in Managundi village in the Dharwad district of Karnataka.

Doctors warned the boy was fighting for his life and would not survive if his life support was switched off, The Times of India reported.

Amid deepening fears for his survival, the boy was later moved home after experts informed his family a life-threatening infection had spread throughout his body.

Sharanappa Naikar, the teenagers brother-in-law, told the Times of India: "We had decided to take Kumar home after doctors told us his chances of survival were bleak once taken off the ventilator.

Once at home, relatives began making funeral arrangements after they noticed no body movements or breathing which led them to presume the boy had died.

But on the way to his service, the boy began to move and started breathing again.

Dr Mahesh Neelakhantannavar told the newspaper: "Kumar is on ventilator.

"We suspect he suffers from meningoencephalitis, an infection caused due to dog bite. "

The boys parents, Ningappa and Manjula, said: "Kumar stopped going to school after class IX to support us. He used to work as a construction labourer.

"His elder brother is physically challenged. We need support for his treatment."
F ive people have died after a plane crashed into an Australian shopping centre and exploded into a "fireball".

Four Americans and an Australian pilot died when the engine on the light aircraft failed shortly after taking off from Essendon Airport, near Melbourne, police said.

Dramatic images showed the small charter flight burst into flames as it struck the DFO shopping complex in the north-west of the city.

Plumes of thick, black smoke were also seen billowing from the crash site.

Melbourne plane crash leaves at least five dead

No one on the ground was killed or injured, officials confirmed.

Crash site: Five people were killed when a plane hit a shopping centre in Melbourne, Australia / EPA

Victorias Premier Daniel Andrews branded the crash the states worst civilian accident in 30 years.

He told the BBC: Today is a desperately sad day.

Fatal crash: Fire crews battle to extinguish flames a light aircraft exploded as it hit a shopping centre in Melbourne / AFP/Getty Images

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau will launch an investigation into the crash, involving a twin-engine Beechcraft B200 King Air, which happened just after 9am local time on Tuesday.

Emergency response: Fire crews battle to put out flames after the aircraft exploded / AFP/Getty Images

A spokeswoman for Spotlight, a retailer in the complex, said the plane crashed into its rear warehouse but all staff were safe.

The shopping centre was not open to the public at the time.

Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Stephen Leane said: Looking at the fireball, it is incredibly lucky that no-one was at the back of those stores or in the car park of the stores, that no-one was even hurt.

'Desperately sad': Employees at the Direct Factory Outlet in Melbourne comfort each other / EPA

The US embassy has confirmed that four passengers on the plane, bound for Tasmania's King Island, were US citizens.

The pilot has been named by Australian media as 63-year-old Max Quartermain.

Essendon Airport, which is mostly used by light planes, is situated around 8 miles north-west of central Melbourne, has been closed.
A 14-year-old girl was reportedly murdered by her uncle after he spotted her on the phone to her cousin and suspected them of having a relationship.

The teenager was shot dead by her relative before being buried in the snow in the Utror Valley in Pakistans northern Swat district amid a recent spate of honour killings in the region, local media reported.

Journalist Mujahid Tanoli told The Express Tribune the man killed his niece over suspicions she was in a relationship with a cousin.

He told the newspaper: He shot and killed her before burying her in the snow with the help of his family members.

She was offering morning prayers when her uncle Ajab Gul murdered her because he saw her talking to her cousin on her phone. He thought she was in a relationship with him.

This has not happened in this area for the first time. The lives of women have no value here. Men kill them to save their families honour, and families feel proud of carrying out this brutal act.

The Express Tribune highlighted the murder as one of three honour killings committed in five days.

It said figures from the independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan showed 1,096 women and 88 men were killed in honour crimes last year.

But it warned the figures could be even higher with many cases unreported, according to campaigners.
A truck driver has been shot at in Barcelona after he drove at high speed towards the city centre in a vehicle packed with gas cylinders.

Officers opened fire on Tuesday morning during a high speed chase as canisters flew off the back of the lorry on the Ronda Litoral, which injured at least one pedestrian.

The vehicle, which was reported to be stolen, was being driven the wrong way down a dual carriageway towards the centre of Barcelona and is understood to have rammed several cars on its way.

Spanish media reported police shot at the truck and into the air before the vehicle stopped and a man, believed to be a Swedish national named as Joakim Robin Berggren, was arrested.

Pictures taken from the scene showed a bullet hole in the truck's windscreen and crowds of police officers appearing to arrest the driver.

Arrested: The driver was stopped and apprehended by police on the Ronda Litoral in Barcelona / SergioGarciaCuz/Twitter

Packed with gas: The vehicle was carrying gas butane bottles on the back / Albert Gea/Reuters

Spanish national television TVE reported the truck hit several cars before police fired several gunshots as the drama unfolded on the busy Spanish road.

The chase took place on the Ronda Litoral / Antonio Lirio

Eyewitness Jordi Sintes told La Vanguardia: We heard the sirens, and then a very strong blow.

We have all turned and seen the butane truck braking suddenly at the entrance to the Round. It was in the wrong direction.

Two motorbikes from the Guardia Urbana followed. They have got off and pointed the driver with their pistols. He has opened his arms and then three Mossos have arrived and they have done it.

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In a matter of a minute, cops have appeared from all directions. Some with machine guns. And in less than five minutes they had him handcuffed."

A police spokeswoman said the lorry was being driven on the dual carriageway at around 11am (10am UK time) when the driver was stopped.

Bullet hole: The truck was shot at by police before the vehicle was stopped / Albert Gea/Reuters

Investigators check the truck / Albert Gea/Reuters

Some media have reported the man may be suffering from mental health problems while other reports suggested he may have been under the influence of illegal drugs.

The spokeswoman would not confirm the gunshots but said the driver was being interrogated.

Investigators studying the scene in Barcelona / EPA

Earlier reports indicated the driver had been shot and killed but police denied this.

Spain has kept its national security alert one step below maximum since July 2015, following violent attacks across Europe.
A n Instagram model was hauled before police after she diced with death by dangling from one of the worlds tallest skyscrapers for a photoshoot.

Viktoria Odintcova, 22, was ordered to sign a written statement pledging not to repeat the stunt which she had carried out in Dubai, the Sun reported.

Ms Odintcova posed for a photo as she clung to the hand of a male assistant after climbing over the edge of the 1,000ft tall tower.

The model also leant backwards over the edge of the skyscraper with one arm outstretched for another shot.

Major General Halil Ibragim Al-Mansuri, of the Dubai Police, told the newspaper: "The actions of the Russian woman put her life at risk."

Ms Odintcove had posted the photos and videos on her Instagram account which has more than three million followers.

She wrote: I still cant believe I did it. Every time I watch the video my palms go sweaty.

The photoshoot took place at the top of Dubais Cayan Tower which is 73 storeys high and was the worlds tallest building when it opened in 2013.

But some of the models fans were unimpressed and slammed the reckless stunt.

One person commented on her Instagram post: Crazy! Looks like god gave you beauty but seems like he forgot to grace you with a brain.

Another Instagram user said: How can you disregard your life like that?

While another wrote: So irresponsible and stupid. What if people try to copy this?

Proving beauty doesn't equal intelligence. Speechless by the amount of stupidity. No apparent safety equipment or precautions.

If this becomes a trend I really will lose faith in humanity.
E astEnders bosses have denied claims that Danny Dyer was embroiled in a feud with his co-star Steve McFadden.

Dyer  who plays Queen Vic landlord Mick Carter  was spoiling for a fight with the Phil Mitchell actor before he flew to South Africa, The Sun reported.

A source told the publication that there was a huge amount of tension between the actors, and that Dyer is a nightmare to work with.

EastEnders might be trying to paint a picture of harmony but it couldnt be further from the truth, they said.

Its Steve who has more support. A lot of people find Danny a nightmare to work with.

BBC/Kieron McCarron

But a spokesperson for the BBC soap dismissed the reports and insisted Dyer is popular on set.

In a statement they told Standard Online: As previously stated, Danny is an extremely popular member of cast and respected by everyone on the show.

EastEnders bosses last week announced that Dyer is taking a break from the show.

EastEnders fans are outraged as Danny Dyer's character Mick Carter uses derogatory slur for Italians

The news came after it was claimed that Dyer was suffering from exhaustion and told to sort his life out, something show bosses denied.

His daughter Dani Dyer, 20, accused people of fabricating stupid lies about her father and warned people to stop prying into her family.

She tweeted: I swear to god if I see one more b******* lie about my dad on stupid papers stupid stupid stupid people (sic).

In a post that has since been deleted she said: I know you need to feed your family but why don't you write about what's happening in the world? Stay the f*** out of my family life!

Dyer  who joined the Walford-based soap in 2013  has won two National Television Awards for Serial Drama Performance for his role as Carter, opposite on-screen wife Linda, played by Kellie Bright.

EastEnders - Best Villains 1 /10 EastEnders - Best Villains Janine Butcher What hasn't Janine done? Walford's Queen of Evil has spread rumours about Jamie Mitchell's bedroom antics, blackmailed Ian Beale, pushed her blubbering husband Barry off of a cliff, and stabbed herself in an attempt to frame Stacey Slater for attempted murder. Dirty Den Watts Den is Walford's original baddie. He was so keen to retain the title that he even came 'back from the dead' to continue his villainous ways. He served up divorce papers to his first wife Angie on Christmas Day but failed to escape from his second wife Chrissie who thumped him on the head with a doorstop. Stella Crawford Poor Ben Mitchell was subjected to months of abuse from Stella Crawford. The lawyer bullied the boy and even manipulated him into convincing his father Phil Mitchell to get down on one knee and pop the question. As with all EastEnders villains, Stella never did get her happy ever after and met her grizzly end after being confronted by Phil on their wedding day before throwing herself off of a building. Archie Mitchell No one seemed to escape Archies dastardly actions. He stole the Queen Vic from his fiance Peggy Mitchell, devised schemes to control his family, blackmailed Ian Beale and raped Stacey Slater. After narrowly escaping being buried alive by Phil Mitchell, he was whacked over the head with the famous Queen Vic bust. Trevor Morgan Unfortunately for Little Mo there was no end to Trevors wicked ways. He pushed her face into the Christmas dinner and forced her to eat the remains off of the carpet, isolated her from her family, burned her hand with an iron, raped her as punishment for attending her sister Lynne Hobbs's wedding, and tried to frame her for attempted murder. Steve Owen Steve killed Saskia by thumping her with an ashtray before burying her in Epping Forest and proceeding to frame Matthew. Despite his villainous traits he did manage to fit in one good deed. He passed baby Louise (who he planned to take to America with Lisa) to her father Phil Mitchell seconds before his car exploded. Nasty Nick Cotton Nasty Nick's devilish ways are endless. He beat up and killed Reg Cox who was found dead in the show's first episode. He claimed to be a born again Christian but then attempted to kill his "Ma" Dot - twice, murdered Eddie Royle, tried to con Dot by fooling her into thinking he had AIDS and was responsible for the death of DCI Emma Summerhayes after tampering with the brakes in Roxy's car. Andy Hunter He was a member of organised crime gang, The Firm, so there was to be no curbing his gangster ways. He conned his way into bed with Kat Slater and split her up from Alfie. But after two years of torturing Walford residents, he was killed by archenemy Johnny Allen who threw him off of a motorway bridge.

EastEnders is on BBC One tonight at 7:30pm.
Gov. Pete Ricketts is attempting to take the state's tax policy in the right direction, however, how to accomplish his goals is a challenge.

Ricketts is right to seek to lower the state's income tax rate and to lower property taxes. He's also limiting the growth of the state budget, which is particularly needed since state tax revenue is falling short of projections.

Ricketts proposal would lower the state's top income tax rate from 6.84 percent to 5.99 percent. This would be done in eight steps. A step would only kick in during years when projected state revenue goes up by more than 3.5 percent.

The governor is right to try to lower income taxes to make Nebraska more competitive as Wyoming and South Dakota have no income tax and Kansas and Missouri have lower rates. Iowa in the only bordering state that has a higher rate.

There are concerns, though, with the automatic method of reducing rates by tying it to state revenue. What would be preferable would be for state senators to assess the state's situation each year and then decide whether to adjust the rate.

With the automatic reduction, the state's tax rate could be going down when there are some pressing needs as is being seen in the state's Department of Corrections this year.

In addition, the state's economic situation could change dramatically during a year and a rate cut might not be the wisest move at the time.

One option to consider is to raise the income level where Nebraska's top tax rate kicks in. Now those levels are $29,800 for a single taxpayer and $59,700 for married couples. Those income levels are way lower than they should be for the top tax rate.

The governor also has a promising proposal that would lower property taxes on agricultural land. Under the plan, the state's property tax valuation system would be switched from one based on land sales to how much income land could produce. This would take into account drops in commodity prices. This would give a much more accurate picture of the land's value.

Ricketts said in a recent column, "Income potential is a much fairer measure, and will slow the growth of ag land valuation increases. If this system were in place for 2017, it would have reduced ag land valuations by about $2.2 billion."

The governor said similar income-potential valuation systems are being used in North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio.

As the governor says, it's time for Nebraska to join these other ag states and have a more realistic way of assessing the value of ag land.

The lingering question in all the tax debate, though, is how lost revenue would be made up for school districts and other entities.

There's a lot to sort through in adjusting tax policy, but Ricketts has the discussion moving in the right direction.

This editorial appeared in the Feb. 14 edition of The Grand Island Independent.
Winding its way through the Legislature is a bill that would undermine this state's commitment to transparent government.

It must be stopped, and we're asking readers to contact their legislators and voice their objection to AB70 and its companion bill in the Senate, SB42.

The stakes are high for people who depend on newspapers to provide information about government proceedings. If adopted, the bill would eliminate requirements to publish meeting minutes in newspapers and allow local governments to put these documents on their websites  in other words, mostly hidden from public view.

This is a classic case of the foxes guarding the henhouse. In the past, these foxes knew they were unwelcome guests. But in recent years, the foxes have become emboldened, believing the public no longer pays attention to their schemes.

That's not true, of course.

When legislators tried in 2015 to gut open records laws through legislative maneuvering just before the Fourth of July weekend, newspapers cried foul. Legislators quickly backtracked, but the saga was a reminder that the public must remain vigilant in monitoring its henhouse.

At one time, legislators went to Madison with a clear understanding of their mission  to serve the people. But for many reasons, legislators have become increasingly susceptible to the influence of special interests, which often cleverly disguise their agendas as acting in the public's interest.

In concocting AB70 and SB42, lawmakers cuddled up to local government officials. These two groups would never admit it, but they both stand to benefit from keeping the public in the dark. Operating in the open can be a headache and hurdle to re-election. When constituents know what their government is doing, they have this annoying tendency to demand accountability.

Some legislators claim AB70 and SB42 will save taxpayers because governments no longer would have to pay to publish meeting proceedings. But in the long run, less transparency for the sake of saving tax dollars backfires. Whenever government officials start to feel unaccountable, they spend even more tax dollars on perks that benefit themselves and their friends because they stop feeling concerned that the public will find out. Publishing meeting minutes and other legal notices in newspapers keeps officials honest, or at least a little more honest than they would otherwise be.

At this juncture, can we really afford policies that encourage dishonesty and validate the foxes' pillaging of open government?

Current publication requirements maintain a strong link between government and the public, and it would be a grave mistake to downplay this link's significance.

Unless you believe that your local government is entitled to do as it pleases, get in touch with your legislator. Tell him or her that AB70 and SB42 should die quickly, preferably while still in committee.

This editorial appeared in the Feb. 16 edition of The Janesville (Wisconsin) Gazette.
First in the nation in education. Iowans have always been proud of the quality education provided by our schools...until 2017. Iowa's Republican senators and representatives are relentlessly attacking our schools. Now not only are they underfunding our schools with a meager 1.11 percent supplemental state aid for school budgets, but now they are trying to actually take money out of each school's account. Republicans want to transfer over $250 million of taxpayers' money to the private bank accounts of families who enroll their students in private schools or home school.

Each student in a private school or home school would get a voucher check for nearly $4,000 to use however they see fit - no reporting or turning in receipts to show how it is used. A family with three students attending private school or home school would get $12,000 in vouchers directly deposited into a private bank account each year. At the end of each year, any money left from the vouchers in the private bank account rolls over to the next year...until the student is 25 years old!

Once the student graduates from private school, home school, or gets a GED, the student can continue to draw money from all those rolled over vouchers in their private bank account to pay for a college education at a community college, public college/university, or private college/university in Iowa. Do you want to pay for private school or home school students' college educations?

Tell your state senator to vote NO to Senate File 29.

Joslyn Stock, Hampton
A meth lab discovered by the Rowan County Sheriffs Office sat within 1,000 feet of Rockwell Elementary School, according to reports.

On Monday, Feb. 20, the Rowan County Sheriffs Officeassisted by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation-Southern Piedmont District and the SBIs Clandestine Laboratory Response Teamexecuted a search warrant at 714 China Grove Highway in Rockwell.

Investigators discovered five one pot shake and bake methamphetamine laboratories and four hydrochloric acid generators on the property, according to a report. A small amount of finished methamphetamine was found in a bedroom inside the residence.

Christopher David Rathburn, 20, and Michael Manuel Flake, 33, both residents of 714 China Grove Highway, were arrested

Rathburn was charged with conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine and possession of an immediate precursor chemical, pseudoephedrine. Flake was charged with manufacturing methamphetamine, possession of immediate precursor chemicals, lithium batteries and pseudoephedrine, maintaining a dwelling for keeping and selling controlled substances, possession of methamphetamine, possession of hydrocodone, and manufacturing methamphetamines within 1,000 feet of a school, Rockwell Elementary School.

Secured bond for Flake was set at $60,000, and secured bond for Rathburn was $20,000.

Flake has a previous misdemeanor conviction for sexual battery, while Rathburn has a misdemeanor conviction for shoplifting.
By MARK EVANS STE. GENEVIEVE HERALD Scott Schmieder, county road and bridge foreman, reported to the county commission last Thursday that temperatures are getting too cold at night for much more asphalt work to be done. He said potholes had all been patched. His crews were working on Bodine Road and made call-ins to locate
TORONTO, Feb. 20, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) has again extended its contract with Echologics for pipeline condition assessment services for an additional one-year term. This is the second extension of the contract between WSSC and Echologics.



Echologics, a Mueller Technologies company, has assessed more than 200 miles of WSSC's water pipeline since 2013. The one-year extension, which is worth up to $2 million, will allow WSSC to assess even more miles of cast iron, ductile iron and steel water mains in its water distribution network.

Echologics is a leading developer and provider of smart water technologies, including acoustic-based technologies for leak detection, pipe condition assessment and water loss management, which allow water utilities to intelligently manage their assets. WSSC is among the largest water and wastewater utilities in the United States.

WSSC will deploy Echologics ePulse technology. This proprietary and patented acoustic pipe condition assessment technology is a non-invasive solution that is designed to provide water utilities with cost-effective and accurate measurement of the remaining average wall thickness of a selected length of pipe. It has the added benefit of being able to simultaneously identify leaks.

Our continued partnership with Echologics demonstrates our commitment to investing in our aging infrastructure and delivering excellent customer service, said WSSC general manager and chief executive officer Carla A. Reid. By using the latest technology to assess the condition of older pipes, we can quickly identify any issues and take immediate action to minimize impacts to our customers.

By measuring the remaining average wall thickness of pipe, water utilities can prioritize repairs and replacement of mains. This critical information can help utilities efficiently target capital spending, mitigate risks associated with deteriorating pipe walls and reduce non-revenue water.

"WSSC is proactively managing its water infrastructure to ensure that its customers continue to have access to safe, clean drinking water, said Marc Bracken, vice president and general manager of Echologics. By analyzing the remaining pipe wall thickness of their mains, we are able to help WSSC minimize service disruptions, operate more efficiently and reduce water loss.

About Echologics

Echologics, a Mueller Technologies company, is a developer of water infrastructure diagnostic technologies for water loss management, leak detection and pipe condition assessment. Echologics is dedicated to helping water utilities reduce water loss with subsequent benefits in monetary, environmental and health costs to their communities. For more information, visit www.echologics.com.

About Mueller Water Products

Mueller Water Products, Inc. (NYSE:MWA) is a leading provider of water infrastructure products and services used in the transmission, distribution and measurement of water in North America. Our broad product and service portfolio includes engineered valves, fire hydrants, metering products and systems, leak detection and pipe condition assessment. We help municipalities increase operational efficiencies, improve customer service and prioritize capital spending, demonstrating why Mueller Water Products is Where Intelligence Meets Infrastructure. Visit us at www.muellerwaterproducts.com.
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The Foreign Affairs Minister, Teodor Melescanu, on Tuesday showed up at the National Anti-corruption Directorate (DNA) to be heard in a case concerning emergency ordinance OUG 13/2017 regarding the amending of the criminal codes.

On Monday, the Internal Affairs Minister, Carmen Dan, also went to the DNA, to be heard as a witness in the same case.

Last week, the government's Secretary General, Mihai Busuioc, and the Minister for Relation with Parliament, Gratiela Gavrilescu, were heard at the DNA in the same case concerning the amendment of the Criminal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure under Emergency Ordinance no. 13.

Previously summoned to the DNA for hearings were prosecutors Oana Schmidt-Haineala and Constantin Sima, former senior officials with the Ministry of Justice.

Early this February, the DNA confirmed it had registered a notification submitted by several individuals regarding possible facts in connection with the way of adopting certain pieces of legislation, and that procedural papers are ongoing.

The Ministry of Justice specified back then that it had received a request from the DNA to send the originals of all papers that are connected with the drafting and issuing of OUG 13 regarding the amendment of the criminal codes, as well as with the bill on pardon.

agerpres.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 20, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Luxor Industrial Corporation (Luxor or the Company) (TSX.V:LRL) (OTC:LXRRF) announces that its senior secured lender has engaged a non-court appointed monitor to review the Company's finances and operations on its behalf. The Company has consented to the appointment.



Luxor also announces that Gary Liu and Amanda Mo have resigned as directors of the Company.

To date, Luxor has been unsuccessful in its attempt to restructure its finances as its current debt and working capital deficiency exceed the combined realizable value of its assets and expected profit margins from its existing contracts. The working capital deficiency was primarily caused by unrecoverable cost overruns on one major contract that accounted for over 40 percent of sales in 2016.

The Company is continuing operations in the short-term to deliver product under existing contracts.

The board will provide updates as events unfold.

On behalf of the Board:

Terry Lashman, Chief Executive Officer and Director

Luxor Industrial Corporation

ABOUT LUXOR

Luxors operations are focused around a turnkey framing solution for multi-family complexes. With its manufacturing facility in Chilliwack, British Columbia, Luxors operations are focused on offering a complete service, including estimating, design, manufacturing and constructing, to General Contractors in the Western United States.

In addition, Luxor is involved in the development, engineering, manufacturing and marketing of engineered wood products. In the industrial sector, it manufacturers wood mat products. In the residential sector it manufactures its patented IBS 2000 engineered floor bridging, fire protected architectural wood products, and FastFrame wall components.

This news release contains forward looking statements. Although Management believes that the expectations reflected in these forward looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because Luxor can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature, they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Additional information may be accessed through the SEDAR website: www.sedar.com.

For further information contact Terry Lashman at 604-684-7929

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Affigen, a St. Louis startup developing drugs that target specific molecules in cancerous tumors, has raised $17 million in capital.

The lead investor is Black Beret Life Sciences, an affiliate of Houston-based Bosarge Family Office. Ed Bosarge, a mathematician and businessman, founded Black Beret in 2014 to invest in new medical technologies.

The company said it would use the funds to advance its first compounds through pre-clinical research and into clinical studies.

Affigen has strong ties to Washington University. Its chief medical officer, David States, formerly headed the university's Center for Genetics in Medicine and Institute for Biomedical Computing.

Affigen's chief executive is Carlos Santos, a former CEO of Biovest International.
Updated at 5:15 p.m.

Shares of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac tumbled more than 30 percent on Tuesday after a U.S. appeals court shut down efforts by hedge funds and other investors to pursue numerous legal claims accusing the U.S. government of seizing their profits following taxpayer bailouts.

By a 2-1 vote, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia said a lower court had correctly barred claims that the government overstepped its authority in 2012 by eliminating dividend payouts to various shareholders and requiring the companies to pay the U.S. Treasury an amount equal to their quarterly net worth.

"For me, it looks like the end of the road," Ellis Phifer, senior market strategist at Raymond James in Memphis, Tenn., said of the hedge funds' claim.

The court said Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac investors could still pursue some damages claims, including for breach of contract.

The plaintiffs could also appeal the ruling, possibly sending the case to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Still, stock traders viewed the decision as a setback. Hedge fund Perry Capital was among those that sought to challenge the lower court's dismissal of lawsuits, arguing the government's confiscation of profits was illegal.

Fannie Mae shares closed down 35 percent at $2.71, while Freddie Mac fell 38 percent to $2.47. Both stocks are still up by about two-thirds since Donald Trump won the presidential election on Nov. 8. Investors said part of that rally stemmed from comments that month by then-Treasury Secretary-nominee Steve Mnuchin that both companies should be privatized.

Mnuchin, however, said in January he was against such a plan.

In an unusual joint majority decision, Circuit Judges Patricia Millett and Douglas Ginsburg said the government had the authority under a 2008 law that laid the groundwork for its seizure of the two companies.

Both companies have since become profitable under the conservatorship of the Federal Housing Finance Agency. According to court papers, they have returned roughly $68 billion more to the government than they drew down during the financial crisis.

Circuit Judge Janice Rogers Brown dissented, accusing the FHFA of improperly exercising a "stunningly broad view of its own power" as a conservator.

Major owners of the companies' preferred stock include Bruce Berkowitz's Fairholme Funds Inc., while William Ackman's Pershing Square Capital Management has a large stake in their common shares.

In January, Ackman told investors that shares of the two companies could continue to rise. Prior to Tuesday, they had helped the billionaire investor start 2017 with gains after two years of losses.

A lawyer for Perry Capital said the fund, which had been a prominent hedge fund before suffering steep losses and deciding last year to shut down, would consider an appeal.

"While we disagree with the majority analysis... we are gratified to have our breach of contract claims go forward as part of the class action," said Matthew McGill, an attorney at Gibson Dunn.

Analysts said the ruling was consistent with others on FHFA's guardianship of Fannie and Freddie, making it less likely the Supreme Court would take the case.

"It doesn't seem to be a constitutional issue," said Bose George, an analyst at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods in New York.
OMAHA, Neb.  Investor Warren Buffett plans to release his annual letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders on Saturday.

Buffett's letter is always well-read because he has a talent for explaining complicated subjects in entertaining ways, and because he has a remarkably successful investing record.

Buffett also uses the letter to recount Berkshire's performance over the past year. He has led the Omaha, Neb.-based conglomerate as chairman and CEO for more than five decades.

Berkshire Hathaway owns a mix of companies, including insurance, utilities, railroad, manufacturing and retail firms. Berkshire also holds significant stakes in Coca-Cola, Wells Fargo, American Express, IBM, Apple and other companies.

Buffett's letter will be posted online Saturday at www.berkshirehathaway.com .
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 21, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Naturally Splendid Enterprises Ltd. ("Naturally Splendid") (FRANKFURT:50N)(TSX VENTURE:NSP)(OTC:NSPDF) is pleased to announce we will be presenting at FOODEX JAPAN 2017 from March 7-10. FOODEX JAPAN is the largest annual food and beverage tradeshow in Asia and has been a highly successful trade event since its debut in 1976 serving Japans $585 billion food market and additional significant Asian markets. Over 76,500 professional visitors attended FOODEX 2016, including over 9,000 from Korea, Taiwan, China, Thailand, and Hong Kong.



Naturally Splendid will be presenting a wide range of products at FOODEX JAPAN, including; debuting their new division; NATERA  CBD.

-NATERA CBD (Cannabidiol) - featuring a product line of capsules formulated with CBD.

The capsules are 15 or 25 mg of Full Spectrum Hemp Extract with NO-THC and are manufactured using a BioAvailable Proprietary Formulation for Full & Fast Absorption.

-NATERA HEMP FOODS - retail division which includes; seeds, proteins and oils

-NATERA INGREDIENTS - bulk division which also includes HempOmega



Naturally Splendid President Mr. J. Craig Goodwin states, We have been working diligently in developing a solid business strategy for CBD based products. The regulatory environment regarding CBD products continues to evolve, creating opportunities for Naturally Splendid in the region. For our initial CBD product, the Company has negotiated an exclusive sales agreement for Japan with an established manufacturer of exceptional quality CBD capsules. We are currently evaluating and finalizing several other CBD related products, some of which may be included in the debut of NATERA  CBD in Japan.

Naturally Splendid CEO Mr. Dave Eto states, As part of our Strategic Plan, we have restructured our branding under the NATERA banner; thus, we will build a stronger presence in various multiple geographical territories. I am particularly encouraged with our new division NATERA CBD and the emerging opportunities it brings. I will personally be attending JAPAN TRADEX with Craig Goodwin and we will be investigating multiple opportunities for NATERA CBD and HempOmega.

Naturally Splendid will be presenting with Eat Real Snack Foods at JAPAN FOODEX who are participating as Canadian Delegates in the Canadian Pavilion. Naturally Splendid recently completed an acquisition of a comprehensive state-ofthe-art packaging line from Eat Real Snack Foods and continues to develop business opportunities between the Companies. JAPAN FOODEX is indicative of the potential synergies between the companies.

According to Agriculture and Agri Food Canada;

- Japanese packaged food sales were valued at US$158 billion in 2015, and are anticipated to reach US$164.2 billion by 2020.



- Japanese consumers are renowned for placing enormous importance on consuming food that is both safe and of high-quality, and they perceive Canada as a country that produces food with these characteristics. Japan is a trendsetter in many areas, and it can be a very useful gateway to other markets within Asia.

Stock Options Granted



Naturally Splendid has granted 60,000 stock options to a consultant. The options were granted for a period of five (5) years, expiring on February 13, 2022. The stock options will vest over two years and each stock option will allow the holder to purchase a common share of Naturally Splendid at an exercise price of $0.35.

About Naturally Splendid Enterprises Ltd.

Naturally Splendid is a multifaceted biotechnology company that is developing, producing, commercializing, and licensing an entirely new generation of plant-derived, bioactive ingredients, nutrient dense foods, and related products. Naturally Splendid is building an expanding portfolio of patents (issued and pending) and proprietary intellectual property focused on the commercial uses of industrial hemp and non-psychoactive cannabinoid compounds in a broad spectrum of applications.

Naturally Splendid currently has six innovative divisions: (1) Natera brand of retail hemp superfood products currently distributed throughout North America and Asia; (2) Chi Hemp Industries Incorporated (Chii) is selling natural and organic hemp products through e-commerce (3) PawsitiveFX brand of pet care products; (4) Simpli Plant-Based Ingredients Division of plant-derived bulk ingredients including patent-pending HempOmega; (5) The 12,000-square-foot POS / BPC Facility - which is managed for Naturally Splendid by POS Bio-Sciences - is positioned to offer commercial-scale custom processing solutions for biological materials, such as functional foods and natural health ingredients to a wide range of clients (6) hemp-based cannabinoid nutraceuticals. Naturally Splendid's advanced technologies, industry expertise, and strategic partners allow for the creation of customized solutions with a consistent focus on quality and sustainability.

For more information e-mail info@naturallysplendid.com or call Investor Relations at 604-673-9573.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors



Mr. Dave Eto

CEO, Director

Forward-Looking Statements



Information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on assumptions as of the date of this news release. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations. They are not guarantees of future performance. Naturally Splendid cautions that all forward looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, many of which are beyond Naturally Splendid's control including, the Naturally Splendid's ability to compete with large food and beverage companies; sales of any potential products developed will be profitable; sales of shelled hemp seed will continue at existing rates or increase; the ability to complete the sales of all bulk hemp seed purchase orders; and the risk that any of the potential applications may not receive all required regulatory or legal approval. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations expressed or implied in the forward looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, Naturally Splendid undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information.

NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.
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Updated at 7:25 p.m. with details about fund-raising efforts from Muslim groups.

UNIVERSITY CITY  As many as 200 headstones at a Jewish cemetery were toppled over the weekend here in a case that is making national headlines.

Anita Feigenbaum, executive director of the Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery, said officials will be cataloging the damage Tuesday and notifying relatives whose families are affected. A monument company will decide which headstones need to be replaced and which need to be reset, she said.

Feigenbaum was emotional in describing the damage she saw.

"It's hard to even express how terrible it was," she said Tuesday morning. "It was horrible."

Among those helping raise money for repairs was Brooklyn-based social justice activist Linda Sarsour, who started the fundraising campaign Muslims Unite to Repair Jewish Cemetery. In about a day the online campaign raised more than $25,000, well above its original $20,000 goal.

The Imam Council of Metropolitan St. Louis, which represents 18 Islamic centers in the region, expressed condolences and said it planned to encourage Muslim congregations to donate to help with cemetery repairs.

Police are investigating the vandalism, which happened sometime over the weekend. No arrests had been made, as of Tuesday. Asked whether the incident is being investigated as a hate crime, Detective Lt. Fredrick Lemons II said police were keeping all options open.

Lemons said detectives are reviewing a weekend's worth of video, so it will take more time to complete. He wouldn't say if they've found anything on tape so far that looks suspicious. He also said he couldn't yet narrow down the time it happened.

"There's nothing to indicate it was any type of hate crime," he said.

The police force has increased patrols. "We want our citizens  Jewish and non-Jewish  to feel comfortable," he said.

Lemons said police were notified of the vandalism at about 8:30 a.m. Monday. Investigators are looking for clues from video surveillance cameras on the cemetery property and nearby businesses.

Anyone with information is asked to call University City police at 314-725-2211, extension 8010, or CrimeStoppers at 866-371-8477.

According to its website, the cemetery at Hanley Road and Olive Boulevard dates to 1893.

The damage was done to an older part of the cemetery, on the southeast end. In one swath, for example, spread across about 40 yards, two dozen stones are toppled but 10 rows of stones nearby are untouched. A semicircle of destruction included stones marked with names of Schaefer, Weisman, Weinstein, Pearl and Levinson, but one headstone in the middle, with the name Levy, was unscathed. The years of death on these stones ranged from about 1921 to 1962.

Judy Sipkin of Creve Coeur heard about it from her daughter in Dallas, who saw it on Facebook. Sipkin and her sister, Marla Levinson, rushed out to survey the damage.

The headstones of their parents, grandparents and aunts and uncles were all fine. Levinson snapped a photo of one toppled stone - Rubenstein, her mother-in-law's name - and was sending it to her husband to see if it matched his side of the family.

"It's unbelievably disrespectful, just a shame," she said. "Nobody's saying it's a hate crime, but it certainly wasn't love or a compassionate situation."

The sisters said they hoped the vandalism was a juvenile prank.

"Let's hope it was children who don't know better," Levinson said, "instead of a white supremacist group. That's a whole different ballgame."

Even Andy Cohen, the host of "Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen" on Bravo, decried the vandalism in his hometown. He said his great-grandparents and many other of his relatives are buried there.

A detective was knocking on doors Tuesday on a street that runs along the back of the cemetery. One row of destruction appeared to lead straight for the backyard of one home police visited.

Karen Aroesty, regional director of the Anti-Defamation League, said seeing the damaged headstones was "horrific."

She said she didnt know if the headstones had been damaged as an act of hatred but questioned motives that would lead to the act.

The league tweeted Monday, Have not seen desecration like this in region. Will work with law enforcement and community to support. Thanks for the solidarity and support.

The incident was discovered the same day several Jewish community centers around the country received bomb threats, according to the Jewish Community Center Association.

Aroesty said she believes the anxiety that some people may feel over those threats only worsens with incidents such as the vandalism at the cemetery.

People in the St. Louis area have asked Aroesty via tweets and emails how they can help the cemetery, she said. The league intends to work with the community and police to address what happened.

Gov. Eric Greitens denounced the vandalism as a "despicable act" in a post late Monday on his Facebook page.

"Anyone who would seek to divide us through an act of desecration will find instead that they unite us in shared determination," he said. "From their pitiful act of ugliness, we can emerge even more powerful in our faith." He also tweeted on Tuesday that he would visit the cemetery Wednesday afternoon to help with the cleanup.

In Jefferson City Tuesday, Rep. Stacey Newman, D-Clayton, called on her colleagues in the House to stand for a moment of silence to recognize what she called an act of hatred.

Newman, who has family members buried in the cemetery, stood with Rep. Joe Adams, a University City Democrat whose district includes the cemetery.

This desecration has devastated the whole St. Louis community, Newman said. The grief and the sadness of this act is overwhelming. Completely overwhelming."

A Lutheran church, All Nations Church, was among those trying to raise money for the cleanup. Its pastor, Chris Paavola, said of the vandalism: "This is just intolerable. It's a hateful act."

Feigenbaum busily fielded calls Tuesday. It was "tremendous outpouring of support," both from people wanting to donate money and others volunteering to help clean up, she said.

The weight of the stones might leave the actual cleanup to the professionals, she said, and she is waiting for an estimate on how expensive it will be to reset or replace the stones.

Kim Bell of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.
A man was found fatally shot in the 600 block of Athlone Avenue in St. Louis on Saturday has been identified.

Police said the victim was Lendell Palmer, 36, of the 3000 block of Wyoming Street in St. Louis.

Officers were called to the scene around 6 p.m. when a passerby saw Palmer lying lifeless in a vacant lot. Palmer had been shot multiple times and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators do not know when the shooting occurred.

According to a Missouri Highway Patrol database of missing people, Palmer was reported missing to police on Feb. 11.
ST. LOUIS  Police are searching for a missing 65-year-old woman who has been diagnosed with dementia.

Shirley Brown was reported missing by a family member Monday afternoon.

Brown told the family member about 5:50 p.m. Sunday that she was driving to Barnes-Jewish Hospital to visit a friend, but she was never seen by hospital staff and was not at her house in Affton, police said.

Brown, an African-American woman, has been diagnosed with dementia and uses a wheelchair, police said.

She lives at a senior housing center in the 8500 block of Mackenzie Road in Affton and drives a van with a Missouri license plate of CJ69S.

Brown was last seen wearing a red long-sleeved top, dark jeans and brown slip-on, clog-style shoes, police said.

Officials ask anyone who sees Brown to call 911.
The wife and stepson of the leader of a Ku Klux Klan group who was fatally shot Feb. 9 pleaded not guilty in St. Francois County Circuit Court Tuesday to murder and other charges.

Both Malissa Ancona, 44, of Leadwood, and Paul Edward Jinkerson Jr., 24, of Belgrade, Mo., face charges of murder, armed criminal action, abandonment of a corpse and tampering with physical evidence in the death of Frank Ancona, 51. Charging documents say Malissa Ancona blamed her son, and that Jinkerson used a 9mm handgun to shoot Frank Ancona in the head while he was asleep in his bed.

But Washington County Coroner Brian DeClue said Friday that Frank Ancona was shot in the head by both a pistol and a shotgun. The shots came at close range, he said.

Authorities recovered both weapons after Malissa Ancona told them where they were, Washington County Sheriff Zach Jacobsen said last week. The pistol had been dumped in the Big River in Washington County and the shotgun in a St. Francois County pond.

Asked about the allegations in the charging documents, St. Francois County Prosecuting Attorney Jerrod Mahurin said that they were abbreviated and just enough to hold Malissa Ancona and Jinkerson. He said that he expected more information to come out soon, adding that he's waiting on more reports from investigators. He also hasn't decided whether to take the case to a grand jury or bring the case before a judge in a preliminary examination.

In the days since the crime, investigators in two counties have gathered surveillance video, store receipts and blood evidence that contradicted Malissa Ancona's initial claim that her husband was missing.

Frank Ancona was imperial wizard of the Traditionalist American Knights of the Ku Klux Klan. Authorities previously have said that his threats of divorce might have been the motive for the crime.

Jinkerson's father, Paul Jinkerson Sr., said Monday that Frank Acona had called him about six months ago, saying that he was trying to leave his wife. He was done with her, but he was also afraid because she had threatened to hurt herself or call the police in the past, Jinkerson Sr. said.

Frank Ancona's relatives told investigators that he kept pain pills and cash in a safe that was apparently broken open after the murder, Jacobsen said.

In recently unsealed court documents, investigators said that Frank Ancona's bodyguard had spoken of past death threats Malissa Ancona had made against her husband.

Ancona's lawyer, Wayne Williams, said Tuesday that he'd only spoken briefly with her, and not about the details of the case. He declined to comment on the allegations against her.

"I try the case in the courtroom and she enjoys the presumption of innocence," he said.

Jinkerson Sr. said his son is gentle and compliant, a computer whiz who taught himself to play the guitar.

To my knowledge, he has never fired a gun. To my knowledge, he has never gotten into a fight, he said. I love my son. I'm not going to abandon my son. I don't believe he's responsible for this.

Jinkerson Sr. said his son liked Frank Ancona, who had helped him get a delivery job, and the pair had a good rapport.

Jinkerson Sr. saw his son Sunday, and delivered the news that he had been dropped from college because of the charges.

He said his son was surprised to learn that the story has garnered worldwide attention. The family has fielded interview requests from as far as Japan.

Covering up the crime

The killers did a poor job of covering up the crime, the Post-Dispatch has learned.

St. Francois County Sheriff's investigators spotted blood and hair on the sidewalk in front of the Ancona house on their first, unsuccessful attempt to contact Malissa Ancona, court documents say.

On Feb. 11, they obtained a search warrant and entered the house. They swabbed various surfaces for evidence and took a section of drywall and a door, some 9mm magazines, material from a box spring and bedding.

Surveillance video from local businesses and other records show Malissa Ancona in her husband's car after she claimed he'd driven away from the house, Jacobsen said, and buying things with his credit or debit cards, including new bedding.

Charging documents say both Malissa Ancona and Jinkerson tried to clean up the crime scene. They dumped the body near the Big River outside of Belgrade and Frank Ancona's car in the Mark Twain National Forest.

The car had been wiped down, and a pile of burned clothing was found nearby, according to officials and court documents.

Malissa Ancona and Jinkerson were captured on video at a gas station near where Frank Ancona's body was dumped, Jacobsen said. The video and a witness spotted them in two cars, including Frank Ancona's. They traveled west out of Belgrade, he said. Only one car came back.

Even animal rescuers were witnesses to the botched cleanup at the Ancona home.

Lucretia Skaggs, a founding board member of the Midwest Community Cat Alliance, said there were clear signs of a crime when she entered the house to begin rescuing the roughly 45 cats that were left in or around the house with food but no water.

Skaggs stepped into the hallway to a bedroom, looked to the left and there's the bloody mattress. There were drops of blood on the floor and on the sidewalk outside the house. The bedroom ceiling had been recently painted. So recently, that the paint cans were still sitting in the room, she said.

"It was very obvious what had happened there, she said

Skaggs said that several groups have helped rescue the cats and two dogs, and they and other groups are helping find new homes in no-kill shelters.
Swedish English

Press release

February 21, 2017

Johan Wilsby leaves his position as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at Fingerprint Cards

Johan Wilsby leaves, on his own initiative, his position as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for a new assignment at another employer.

"Fingerprint Cards is a dynamic and rapidly growing company where Johan is a business-driven and highly appreciated co-worker. Johan has been instrumental for the company's financials, growth and positive business development within several areas, for example sustainability and human resources. I want to thank Johan for his contributions and wish him good luck in his future career", says Christian Fredrikson, CEO of Fingerprint Cards.

"I have had a fantastic and instructive time at Fingerprint Cards and had the privilege to be involved in the most intense year's of the company's growth journey from a small company into a global player. Now I have gotten the opportunity to move on to new, exciting challenges", says Johan Wilsby.

The process of finding a successor has started. Johan Wilsby ends his position as CFO no later than July 2017.

For more information, please contact:

Press center at Fingerprint Cards AB: +46(0)70-490 44 79, press@fingerprints.com

Investor Relations at Fingerprint Cards AB: +46(0)10-172 00 10, investrel@fingerprints.com

About Fingerprint Cards AB (publ)

Fingerprint Cards AB (FPC) is a high-tech, listed company which develops, produces and markets biometric technology that, through the analysis and matching of an individual's unique fingerprint, verifies the person's identity. A secure and convenient user experience is thus made possible, beyond keys and pins. The FPC technology offers world-class advantages and includes unique image quality, extreme robustness, low power consumption and complete biometric systems. With these advantages, in combination with low production costs, the technology may be implemented in large volume products, such as smartphones, tablets and biometric cards where these demands are extremely high. FPC's technology has been tested thoroughly in several fields of application.

This is information that Fingerprint Cards AB is obliged to make public pursuant to the Swedish Securities Market Act and/or the Swedish Financial Trading Act. The information was submitted for publication, through the contact persons set out above, on February 21, 2017, at 13:00 CET.

Important information

Issuance, publication or distribution of this press release in certain jurisdictions could be subject to restrictions. Recipients of this press release are responsible for using this press release and the information herein in accordance with applicable rules in each jurisdiction. This press release does not constitute an offer, or invitation to acquire or subscribe for new securities in Fingerprint Cards in any jurisdiction.
WASHINGTON  The St. Louis artist suing the architect of the U.S. Capitol for removing his painting could make a potentially strong argument that his rights were violated, attorneys said Tuesday.

Rep. Lacy Clay, D-St. Louis, announced Tuesday on the steps of a Washington federal courthouse that he wants a federal judge's order to rehang the painting, which depicts some police officers with animal heads along with other images inspired by the Ferguson protests. The plaintiffs are David Pulphus, who painted the artwork as a high school student, and Clay, whose office administered the art competition that brought the painting to Congress.

The architect of the capitol in January ordered the painting removed seven months after approving it, citing the congressional art competition's rule that pieces cannot depict contemporary political issues. It hung among several hundred other pieces in a Capitol Hill tunnel until conservative commentators began asserting its anti-police themes were inappropriate for Congress. Republican congressmen removed it several times and delivered it to Clay's office.

Legal observers say the case could hinge on whether the congressional art competition amounts to a public forum.

If it is a forum, courts have ruled government officials cannot censor viewpoints they disagree with, said Frank LoMonte, an attorney and executive director of the Student Press Law Center, a nonprofit that advocates for student expression.

"His best argument is going to be: You singled my expression out because of the anti-police message that it conveyed," LoMonte said. "And honestly, I don't think anybody's going to be able to dispute that."

The architect's initial approval of the artwork further bolsters Pulphus' argument, said David Korzenik, a media attorney and professor at New York's Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. After reviewing the complaint, Korzenik said the "unruly" manner of challenging the painting creates "real problems" for those who want the painting to come down.

"It was accepted, and it was displayed. And then retroactively theyre applying guidelines to reject it  which certainly indicates its an attack on the viewpoint and the content of the work, he said.

Clay argued that the architect of the capitol acted "in response to the enormous political pressure he experienced from the Speaker of the House and certain right-wing media outlets."

The government will likely argue it has the right to decorate its space however it chooses, LoMonte said. "The courts are really going to parse what this art competition was, and exactly how it was displayed and explained to the public."

About thirty years ago, the government won a court case to remove a sculpture from a federal plaza in Manhattan, arguing that artwork owned by the government was not protected speech. But unlike that case, Korzenik said, the artist still owns his painting and the contest was managed by private entities, like art teachers.

Pulphus' artwork was slated to hang in the Capitol until the summer. A judge would likely still rule on the case even if it lasts beyond the time Pulphus' work was supposed to come down, although the remedy might be in question, LeMonte said.

"The courts have typically said that even just a day's delay in speaking when you had a right to speak is an irreparable injury," he said. "And because so much political speech in particular is worthless if it can't be heard in a timely manner, the courts have been pretty protective of people's right to speak even if the injury is totally completed."
JEFFERSON CITY  Gov. Eric Greitens said he will talk with President Trump this weekend about policies that will bring more jobs to Missouri.

The Republican governor is scheduled to be in the nation's capital Sunday and Monday as part of his third visit to Washington DC since he took office on Jan. 9.

The political newcomer said he will discuss loosening federal regulations that could limit business investment in the state, as well as urge Trump to help states lower the cost of providing health insurance for the poor.

Its so much fun being in office right now, Greitens said during an interview Thursday on the Mark Reardon Show on KMOX radio. We stand ready to work with them to get a solution.

Although an official schedule has not been released, Greitens is scheduled to be at the White House Sunday and Monday as part of a National Governors Association meeting, which will include a visit with Trump.

He also is attending meetings associated with the Republican Governors Association while in town.

He will leave for Washington after attending a political event in Springfield on Saturday.

Greitens is scheduled to participate in a meet and greet with supporters as part of the Missouri Republican Partys Lincoln Days event.

In his interview on Tuesday, Greitens said he is mulling the use of the state highway patrol to fight crime in St. Louis.

There are options for using state resources, Greitens said. Its one of the options were looking at right now.

Greitens also defended his record in dealing with the Capitol press corps, saying interviews with national and local media, as well as his posts on Facebook, should mute any criticism that he has held few press conferences.

I actually think weve done a really good job reaching out to the people of Missouri, Greitens said.
JEFFERSON CITY  Travelers wanting a frosty beer or a cocktail before flying out of St. Louis Lambert International Airport could drink in the waiting areas under a new version of legislation moving through the Missouri Legislature.

Its a change the airport supports.

In action Tuesday, the House gave initial approval to the measure, which would enable bars and restaurants at both Lambert and Kansas City International airport to apply for permits allowing patrons to leave the premises with an alcoholic drink.

Rep. Tracy McCreery, D-Olivette, said Missouris two largest airports were out of step with others in the nation that allow people to roam the concourse with their booze.

It makes us seem a little old-fashioned, McCreery said.

Rep. Alan Green, D-Florissant, said it would help travelers who are in a rush to get a drink and then return to their gate.

But Rep. Stacey Newman, D-Clayton, said lawmakers should not be encouraging more alcohol consumption among passengers.

Having intoxicated passengers at 30,000 feet when there is nothing you can do? As a crew member this is everyones worst nightmare, said Newman, a former flight crew member for TWA.

It might sound great for passenger convenience, Newman said. We have enough situations now with unruly passengers. This, I believe, does not do anything to help those kinds of situations.

St. Louis Lambert International Airport is in favor of the law change, spokesman Jeff Lea said. The airport has heard from passengers who say that they want to be able to take their drinks with them to their gates, and that many other airports already allow it.

He also said that there were times when people wouldnt buy a drink because an airport bar is too far from their gates, and that allowing drinks to be taken out of bars could mean increased concession revenue.

The responsibility remains with bars as to whether to serve a passenger who may have had too much to drink, Lea said.

Under the proposal, which is sponsored by Rep. Noel Shull, R-Liberty, the drinks must be in containers that display the retailers name or logo.

A similar measure was debated by the House and Senate in 2016, but the legislation failed to win final approval.

The legislation is House Bill 115.

Leah Thorsen of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.
JEFFERSON CITY  A bid to put Missouris new right-to-work law to a vote of the people has been scuttled by what supporters say is a weak technicality.

In an announcement Tuesday, Republican Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft received notification from Republican Attorney General Josh Hawleys office regarding a seldom-used referendum petition submitted by the AFL-CIO.

According to the attorney generals letter, the petition must be rejected because parts of the proposal were not properly punctuated and underlined.

While Missouri AFL-CIO President Mike Louis said a new version will be submitted, the rejection means it could be another 15 days before the union can begin collecting signatures to place it on the 2018 general election ballot.

The union is trying to kill off a new law that would allow employees in unionized workplaces to opt out of paying unions for the cost of being represented. Supporters such as Republican Gov. Eric Greitens argue that it will boost the states economy by attracting more businesses to the state.

Democrats and labor officials say it will drive down wages and hurt middle-class families.

The union, along with the Missouri NAACP, is using a referendum process that hasnt been attempted in 35 years to try and overturn the law.

Missouri residents may call a referendum on a new law by collecting signatures totaling 5 percent of the voters from two-thirds of the states congressional districts.

Organizers of the anti-right-to-work referendum have until Aug. 28 to collect an estimated 90,000 signatures to place the law on the ballot. That is the same day the right-to-work measure is scheduled to go into effect.

If petitioners get enough signatures, the new law wont take effect until Missourians get the chance to have their say in 2018.

A yes vote would mean right-to-work becomes law. A no means it does not.

Louis blamed the rejection on partisan politics. He called the rationale for the rejection a "weak technicality."

Its just another overreach by the Secretary of State and the Attorney General to conspire together to keep the people of Missouris voices from being heard at the polling booths, Louis told the Post-Dispatch.

All were trying to do is let the people vote, he added.
JEFFERSON CITY  The Missouri House has approved tougher penalties for those who harm police officers, sparking a debate over what the Legislature has done  or failed to do  in response to the unrest in Ferguson.

The proposal in question expands the heightened punishment for crimes such as voluntary manslaughter, trespassing and rioting. The House passed it last week.

Supporters argue that the stricter charges  a priority for Gov. Eric Greitens, a Republican in his first year as the states chief executive  send a message of support to law enforcement who feel they cant proactively police.

Conversation on the House floor last week also included the shooting of Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager killed by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson in 2014. Wilson was not charged, but the shooting triggered months of protests and a national debate over racially biased policing.

It also triggered a Ferguson effect, Greitens has argued, that makes it difficult to recruit police officers to work in Missouri.

Sponsoring Rep. Marsha Haefner, R-Oakville, said she was motivated to take action when she heard St. Louis County police officers say their families had being threatened or their homes vandalized because of their profession.

Her bill initially would have made targeting police officers a hate crime. Similar legislation has been passed in other states and is sometimes known as a Blue Lives Matter bill.

After fielding concerns, Haefner amended her proposal to instead extend the list of crimes that bring tougher charges if committed against law enforcement instead of a civilian. Police officers already are a protected class under the states special victims statute.

Democrats wondered if taking intent out of the legislation could make for lengthy sentences for someone found guilty of crimes rooted in reckless indifference, committed by someone with no intent of targeting an officer.

Crimes such as involuntary manslaughter, argued Rep. Peter Merideth D-St. Louis, cant be intentionally directed at a police officer.

This isnt because of what they do for a living  this is, it just so happens that it is a police officer who is the victim, he said.

For example, Merideth said, a teenage girl driving recklessly could unfairly face significantly more jail time for accidentally hitting a police officer instead of hitting a civilian.

That is exactly why we didnt do mandatory sentences, so prosecutors would have discretion in what charges to make and what possibly motivated or did not motivate the crime, Haefner responded.

Black Democrats raised concerns that leaving situational charges up to police and prosecutors discretion could lead to racial injustice, particularly for protesters.

Wed have to build another prison if this was law when Ferguson happened, said Rep. Clem Smith, D-Velda Village Hills.

Addressing concerns

House Speaker Todd Richardson, R-Poplar Bluff, said there was no merit to the argument that the bill could be used to unfairly punish protesters.

Other Republicans contended that if protests are peaceful, it wouldnt be an issue.

Rep. Bruce Franks, D-St. Louis, a Ferguson activist, said that isnt necessarily true for people of color.

You obeying the law and me obeying the law can turn out very differently, Franks said.

Some GOP lawmakers urged their colleagues not to dismiss protections for the vast majority of police officers who are ethical and risk their lives to keep people safe.

They want to serve their community. They want to help people, said Rep. Shawn Rhoads, R-West Plains, a former police officer.

Opponents to the proposal questioned what they argue is an urgency to protect police but an unwillingness to seriously consider criminal justice reform.

The only thing we want to do is give increased protections to those who arent in jeopardy, said Rep. Brandon Ellington, D-Kansas City.

Haefner acknowledged a need to address police accountability  but at another time.

Those are two entirely different subjects, Haefner said. And we do need to have more discussions on resolving the events that happened in Ferguson, but that had nothing to do with this bill.

The House also voted to approve a statewide emergency alert system that would help law enforcement more quickly apprehend anyone who harms a police officer.

Ferguson response bills

Two Ferguson-related reform bills have been given hearings in House committees. One, backed by Ellington, would assign numbers to law enforcement personnel to track written complaints against officers as they move from agency to agency.

Another, from House Minority Leader Gail McCann Beatty, D-Kansas City, would require the appointment of a special prosecutor when charges are filed in officer-involved shootings.

Similar legislation has been filed in the past, but each bill has stalled, along with dozens of other criminal justice reform proposals inspired by Ferguson, such as citizen review boards, body cameras for police officers and new training protocols.

McCann Beattys bill was met with resistance from Missouri prosecutors, who said it undermined local prosecutors who people within a jurisdiction have voted into office.

She said she would work with prosecutors to tweak the bill, but maintained it was a reasonable response to the events in Ferguson.

It addresses the fact that the general public no longer has faith in our legal system, McCann Beatty said.
JEFFERSON CITY  Missouri senators began work on one of Gov. Eric Greitens' signature campaign promises on ethics Tuesday.

Sen. Will Kraus, R-Lee's Summit, presented a resolution to the Senate rules committee that would extend the two-term, eight-year term limits placed on the governor and treasurer to the four other statewide officeholders.

"Gov. Greitens ran on wanting to extend term limits to all statewides and this takes care of that," Kraus said. "I just think everyone elected to statewide offices should be on the same playing field."

Many states have term limits on their statewide officeholders, but most confine their limits to governors and lieutenant governors.

Kraus's resolution would make Missouri one of seven states with limits on its secretary of state, attorney general, treasurer and top financial investigator.

The issue is one of several ethics reform initiatives the new Republican governor championed on the campaign trail.

He's also pushed restrictions on lobbyist gifts to legislators and limits on how quickly lawmakers can become lobbyists when their terms end.

The House overwhelmingly passed a gift limits proposal earlier this month, but it hasn't moved past a first hearing in the Senate.

Legislation that would extend the time period lawmakers must wait before becoming lobbyists from the current six months to as many as five years have gained less support.

Greitens may have better luck with the term limits, which have historically been very popular with Missouri voters.

An amendment adding term limits for the governor passed in 1965 with 72 percent of the vote, according to the University of Missouri Institute for Public Policy.

Voters reached an even higher margin in 1992, when they voted to restrict state legislators from spending more than 8 years in the House or Senate. They also supported term limiting members of Congress, despite the state's lack of jurisdiction over the federal government.

The hearing also raised long-simmering questions about whether those term limits actually make the capitol more responsive to the public or instead force perennial newbies to rely lobbyists and special interests to learn the ropes.

Sen. Bob Dixon, R-Springfield, and Sen. Jason Holsman, D-Kansas City, both asked Kraus if he thought the term limits drained the legislature of its institutional knowledge.

But Kraus said those concerns went beyond the scope of his initiative and would need to be addressed in a different bill.

Rep. Kip Kendrick, D-Columbia, is sponsoring an identical amendment in the House.

If passed, Missourians would vote on whether to add the changes to the state constitution in November 2018.

The legislation is Senate Joint Resolution 14.
CLAYTON  About 100 protesters lined an intersection outside U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt's office in Clayton Tuesday, holding signs that asked Where's Roy? and demanding the Missouri Republican conduct town hall-style meetings with the public.

"Our impression is that, if things go the way they're going, there's simply is not going to be a town hall meeting with Senator Blunt. Our objective is to change that if we can," said organizer Scott Wilson, as passing cars on Bonhomme Avenue honked their support.

Congressional Republicans around the country have been facing protests in public meetings with their constituents over the GOP's plans to repeal Obamacare or, more generally, about the party's support for the policies of President Donald Trump.

The protests are reminiscent of Tea Party activism against Democratic senators and representatives early in President Barack Obama's term, which caused some of those lawmakers to avoid holding open public meetings. Some Republican office-holders now are reacting in the same way, with their absence from public appearances in their home states and districts sparking protests like the one Tuesday.

"There's a lot energy, a lot of anxiety, a lot of hostility, you see the news reports on town halls in other jurisdictions, said Wilson, whose nascent protest group is called St. Louis Indivisible. I think Sen. Blunt isn't interested in exposing himself to what's actually out here. Wilson vowed that, if Blunt would conduct such a meeting, our group will treat him with respect."

The Post-Dispatch has asked Blunt's office for a comment.

Blunt supported Trump after he sealed the GOP presidential nomination, though he hasn't been a notably enthusiastic supporter.

Last month, Blunt, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, made national headlines as one of the first Republicans to call for an official investigation into possible ties between the Trump Administration and the Russian government. Several of the protesters Tuesday tempered their criticism of Blunt by noting that fact.

A separate group has announced they will protest outside the office U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Ballwin, at 301 Sovereign Court in Ballwin, on healthcare issues.
JEFFERSON CITY  Legislation that would help Missouri comply with the federal Real ID Act of 2005 cleared a major hurdle on Tuesday, with House lawmakers giving the proposal initial approval after a lengthy debate on whether or not compliance comes at a cost of personal freedoms.

The Real ID act was passed after the events of Sept. 11, 2001, and intended to prevent terror attacks by setting standards for state-issued IDs.

But more than a dozen states, including Missouri, took issue with certain aspects in the Real ID law, fearing requirements that states keep databases of personal documents could leave citizens personal information vulnerable to hackers.

In 2009, former Gov. Jay Nixon, a Democrat, signed into law a bill barring the Department of Revenue from complying with the law in light of those privacy concerns.

But beginning in 2018, Missouri drivers licenses wont be accepted at airport security checkpoints. Meaning if lawmakers cant agree on a way for the state to comply with the federal law, Missourians could find themselves on the hook for passports needed for domestic air travel, starting Jan. 22.

It can take up to six weeks to get a passport in Missouri, and can cost nearly $200.

Proposals moving through the Legislature would allow those who want compliant IDs to receive them, and those wary of sharing personal documents to opt out.

The Department of Revenue would be required to explain the differences between compliant and non-compliant licenses to applicants, making clear that compliant IDs would be needed to fly or access military bases or federal government facilities.

Theres no more freedom than that, to ultimately let our citizens make the choice, said Rep. Kevin Corlew, a Kansas City Republican who is sponsoring such a bill in the House.

On Tuesday, lawmakers tried and failed to attach more than a dozen amendments to the controversial bill, including one that would require any elected official who voted to approve the change to declare on election documents: I WOULD RATHER KNEEL TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAN STAND STRONG PROTECTING MY CONSTITUENTS RIGHT TO PRIVACY.

Opponents argued the bill disregarded liberty in favor of convenience.

Our constitutional rights are being stepped on by this, said Rep. Keith Frederick, R-Rolla.

Others drew parallels to the Obamacare, which has been widely panned by the GOP-led Legislature.

Its requiring us to purchase something or we will be penalized, said Rep. Jered Taylor, R-Nixa.

The Senate is also expected to take up Real ID legislation this week, where Republican senators have already found themselves at odds.

Sen. Ryan Silvey of Kansas City is backing a similar proposal that has already cleared a Senate committee. Some of his colleagues, including Sen. Will Kraus, R-Lees Summit, have been vocal opponents.

The two recently sparred on Twitter, with Kraus saying that during the Senate's debate this week, he will be standing on the side of privacy and pushing back on federal govt. overreach.

Silvey countered that he would be standing on the side of liberty and letting you decide what is best for you.

Kraus and nine other GOP senators have also signed a letter to Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley asking him to "take action and help prevent the encroachment of the federal governments REAL ID Act of 2005."

The House bill can move to the Senate after one more vote, or the Senate can take up Silvey's proposal.
JEFFERSON CITY  Vice President Mike Pence will be in St. Louis Wednesday as part of a push to promote job growth.

Pence will participate in "listening discussions" and give a speech at an event at Fabick Caterpillar in Fenton. The speech is expected to begin at 1:30 p.m., according to a statement from the White House.

Fabick CEO Doug Fabick said in a separate statement that the event is an invitation only, private affair.

As a family-owned business spanning five generations, Fabick Cat is honored to host the vice president of the United States at our Fenton Headquarters," Fabick said.

He added that Pence plans to share a message of streamlining government regulations as a way to help small businesses.

The former Indiana governor recently returned from a trip to Europe where he sought to assure leaders that the Trump administration supports the European Union.

Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens will welcome Pence, Greitens adviser Austin Chambers said on Twitter.
Dayton, Ohio , Feb. 21, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MacAulay-Brown, Inc. (MacB), a leading National Security company delivering advanced engineering services, cybersecurity and product solutions, announced today that Enlighten IT Consulting (EITC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of MacB, was awarded a position on a multiple-award, Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract supporting the Defense Logistics Agency through a Contracting Teaming Arrangement (CTA) with KPMG LLC. The J6 Enterprise Technology Services (JETS) contract is designed to provide Information Technology (IT), technical, and management expertise in support of the Defense Logistics Agencys (DLA) Information Operations Office (J6), as well as other Department of Defense (DoD) agencies. The IDIQ has a ceiling value of $6 billion over an eight-year period (five-year base with one three-year option period).

DLA is the combat logistics support agency for the DoD, providing the U.S. Army, the U.S. Marine Corps, the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Air Force with a full spectrum of logistics, acquisition and technical services. DLA also supports other federal and civilian agencies, as well as the armed forces of partner nations.

Under the JETS acquisition vehicle, EITC is partnering with KPMG to offer a wide range of support across 21 task areas of the DLA IT enterprise. Work will include supporting and enhancing IT systems and capabilities, network and telecommunications, technology evaluations, and enterprise architecture and data support. The EITC team in particular will focus on NetOps monitoring, cyber threat detection, and big data analysis and reporting functions.

We are proud to support J6 operations by delivering critical IT services and development via our partnership with KPMG, said Shawn Justice, former CEO of EITC and the new Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Enlighten IT Group (EITG) at MacB. We look forward to providing innovative agile development practices and processes to meet the challenges associated with critical infrastructures and business systems across the DoD community.

ABOUT ENLIGHTEN IT CONSULTING (EITC), a MACAULAY-BROWN, INC. (MacB) COMPANY

Since 2007, EITC has been an innovative provider of advanced and mission critical big data infrastructure, secure cloud engineering, and analytic solutions for federal, state, and local clients with specific emphasis on the warfighter and decision makers responsible for national defense and security. EITC is headquartered in Linthicum Heights, MD.

ABOUT KPMG

KPMG is a global network of professional services firms providing Audit, Tax and Advisory services. The company operates in 152 countries, with more than 189,000 people working in member firms around the world. The independent member firms of the KPMG network are affiliated with KPMG International Cooperative ("KPMG International"), a Swiss entity. Each KPMG firm is a legally distinct and separate entity, and describes itself as such.

ABOUT MACAULAY-BROWN, INC. (MacB)

For more than 37 years, MacAulay-Brown, Inc. (MacB) has been solving some of the Nations most complex National Security challenges. Defense, Intelligence Community, Special Operations Forces, Homeland Security and Federal agencies rely on our advanced engineering services, cybersecurity, and product solutions to meet the challenges of an ever-changing world. With Corporate Headquarters in Dayton, Ohio and National Capital Headquarters in Vienna, Virginia, our more than 1,500 employees worldwide are dedicated to developing mission-focused and results-oriented solutions that make a difference where and when it matters most. Learn more about MacB at www.macb.com.

Follow MacB

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ST. LOUIS  The $30 million renovation of Soldiers Memorial downtown wont be completed until November 2018, but after a year of construction the structure is showing signs of what will be.

As the Missouri Historical Society prepares to host public forums on the project this week and in March, the memorial itself is home to more hard hats than war relics. Blank walls with large slits cut for installing air cooling and heating systems will eventually showcase stories and artifacts from St. Louisans experiences in war.

Its all going to be brought to life by the stories of individual St. Louisans, said Karen Goering, managing director of administration and operations at the Historical Society.

The final exhibit plans are still in the works, museum spokeswoman Leigh Walters said, but they will revolve around the buildup to and the aftermath of each world war. Up to 300 artifacts dating from the War of 1812 and up to the recent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq will be featured.

Former office space under the building has been cleared, and concrete will soon be laid for what will be a new exhibition space. Walters said the new space will host temporary exhibits.

Outside to the south, the Court of Honor prepares for the installation of a reflecting pool and the narrowing of Chestnut Street to integrate the two memorial spaces. The Court of Honor opened in 1948 to honor St. Louis dead from World War II, which totaled 2,573, Goering said.

Goering said 1,075 St. Louisans died in World War I.

The Court of Honor will also include new memorials for locals who fought in other American wars. Goering said the Historical Society hopes to include those from the entire St. Louis area, not only from within the city.

When Soldiers Memorial opened, most people who might say they were from St. Louis actually lived in the city, and we know thats not the case now, Goering said.

The skeleton of a new elevator shaft in the east wing is a sign of the improved access to come. Ramp access for the disabled was previously only offered at the back entrance, but a second ramp for the front will fix what museum officials called unacceptable.

Disabled veterans shouldnt have to use the back entrance to get into a war memorial, Goering said.

The imposing sculptures on the corners of the north and south staircases look refreshed after a cleaning removed years of coal soot and dirt. They were done by famous St. Louisan Walker Hancock, one of the real life Monuments Men whose story was used as inspiration for John Goodmans character in the 2014 film.

Museum officials said they hope the finished product both within and outside the building strikes a quiet, reflective tone. Whereas the downtown block occupied by the Court of Honor and Soldiers Memorial between 14th and 13th streets previously hosted all sorts of events, Walters said they want the space to always draw attention to what it represents.

This is a reverent space, Walters said.
St. Louis police and city officials must have a productive working relationship if they hope to address serious crime issues and improve safety for residents and visitors. One of the biggest obstacles to that relationship is Jeff Roorda, business agent for the citys police union. He seems to work overtime to foment division, ensuring there can be no unity or solidarity of purpose.

Roorda taunts his opponents with hostile language and insults. His most recent jabs at St. Louis Treasurer and mayoral candidate Tishaura Jones were so inflammatory that an opponent, 28th Ward Alderman Lyda Krewson, called on the union to fire Roorda. Krewsons voice matters as the candidate endorsed by the St. Louis Police Officers Association.

In a Facebook post, Roorda called Jones the daughter of a felon, laziest legislator of all time, a cop hater and a race baiter. He declined our request for comment.

Tensions already are so high across the political spectrum, this city doesnt need someone like Roorda fanning the flames.

Krewson called Roordas comments vile and disgusting. His history heading the union is rife with examples of provocation. He brawled with a woman at a 2015 Board of Aldermen meeting during discussion of a civilian oversight review board that the union vigorously opposed. The brawl prompted a lawsuit against Roorda and the association.

He seemed intent on creating a disturbance at the meeting. It followed the shooting death of Michael Brown by a Ferguson police officer. Roorda wore a wristband proclaiming, I am Darren Wilson, a display of solidarity with the police officer, and chastised protesters and Black Lives Matter activists at the meeting, which ended in chaos.

He is the author of a book, Ferghanistan: The War on Police, and blamed President Barack Obama for the deaths of five police officers shot last year by a sniper in Dallas.

Roordas employment background includes dismissal by the Arnold, Mo., police force after 17 years for making false statements. After 18 months as business manager of the St. Louis County Police Association, that union terminated its contract with him last August.

Along with objecting to the oversight board, Roorda opposes police dashboard and body cameras, even though officials with police support organizations generally view them as a way to protect officers as well as citizens.

Some officers no doubt support Roordas fierce stance. Others recognize him as part of the problem rather than a solution in repairing police-community relations.

Roordas provocative statements seem designed to reinforce an old-school, Im the boss style of policing. A more modern style of law enforcement recognizes the need to be responsive to citizens, not punitive.

If the union has any hope of getting along with the next mayor, whoever wins, itll need to show Roorda the exit door.
Since it was formally announced on July 1, 2016, MBombays Gaaja line has only had a single blend available in a single vitola: a Toro, which I reviewed (and thoroughly enjoyed) last summer. That changed earlier this month when a second Gaaja format was addeda Torpedoalong with a Maduro blend. Today I review the new Gaaja Maduro Torpedo.

By way of background, MBombay is a small-batch brand of high-end cigars made in Costa Rica and produced by Bombay Tobak. The man behind the operation is Mel Shah, owner of an upscale cigar and wine lounge in Palm Springs, California.

Gaaja (pronounced Gaa-ya) is Sanskrit for elephant. The original blend took over four years to perfect and calls for an Ecuadorian hybrid Connecticut and Cameroon wrapper thats grown in the desflorado fashion. (The process of cultivating desflorado tobacco requires the buds on the plants to be cut off before they flower to force the plants energy on leaf production instead of flower production.) The binder is Ecuadorian, and the filler is a combination of Seco from Peru; Viso from Ecuador, Paraguay, and the Dominican Republic; and Dominican Ligero.

Gaaja Maduro uses the same binder and filler combination, but it replaces the Ecuadorian hybrid wrapper with a darker Brazilian Mata Fina leaf. This wrapper has played a very important factor in increasing the flavor and the body to the cigar, reads a press release dated February 6. Brazilian Mata Fina wrapper has definitely added more complexity into the mix. [The] rest of the composition of the Gaaja cigar has not been changed, [but] the proportions have been adjusted to make the cigar taste more complete.

There are two Gaaja Maduro sizes on the market, both of which retail for $15.50: Toro (6 x 54) and Torpedo (6.5 x 54). I smoked several of the latter for this review. The cigar is pungent and attractive out of the cellophane with rounded box press edges, a seamless wrapper, a nicely executed cap, and pre-light notes of dark chocolate and nougat at the foot. The striking appearance and overall feel of quality is only complemented by a unique band of gold, blue, and red that offers no text on the face (but reads Gaaja on one side and Bombay Tobak on the other). Whats more, its silky smooth, oily wrapper gives the Gaaja Maduro Torpedo a velvety feel. And, despite its firmness, the cold draw is surprisingly effortless.

I found the original Gaaja to be teeming with well-balanced complexity and flavors like honey, graham, bread, dry wood, cream, and almond. While the Maduro does have some almond and dry wood, its core is more focused on coffee bean, dark chocolate, salted caramel, and roasted nuts. In other words, delicious. Adding to the enjoyment is the aroma of the resting smoke, which is mouth-wateringly sweet. I would classify the body as medium to medium-plus. The texture of the smoke is light and sweet (I am reminded of marshmallows) and there is only moderate spice with no traces of heat or harshness.

In addition to a harmonious, interesting, well-balanced profile, and, as you should expect from any cigar with a super-premium price tag, the combustion properties are excellent. The burn runs straight and true from light to nub, the ash holds very well off the foot, the draw remains clear throughout, and the smoke production is above average.

Dont be turned off by the price; this is not one to miss. I like everything about the Gaaja Maduro Torpedothe taste, the aroma, the way it smokes, and the way it looks. In fact, I think its up there with the finest. And thats why Im awarding it our highest rating: five stogies out of five.

[To read more StogieGuys.com cigar reviews, please click here. A list of other five-stogie rated cigars can be found here.]

Patrick A



photo credit: Stogie Guys
BOCA RATON, Fla., Feb. 21, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tyson Foods (NYSE:TSN) President and CEO Tom Hayes today outlined his vision for how the company will shape the future of food. Speaking at the 2017 Consumer Analyst Group of New York (CAGNY) Conference along with Sally Grimes, president of Tysons retail business, Hayes said the company is strong today and will lead for tomorrow by growing its portfolio of protein-packed brands and delivering sustainable food at scale.



The purpose of our company is to raise the worlds expectations for how much good food can do, and were uniquely positioned to deliver just that, said Hayes.

The company will continue investing in innovation that will bring to market a wide variety of new products that meet consumers desire for fresh food, more protein and in flexible forms that can be eaten seamlessly throughout the day. The company highlighted a dozen new products and announced that all Tyson consumer brand products would feature chicken with No Antibiotics Ever (NAE).

Were driving growth through strong innovation and brand-building, said Grimes.

Tyson Foods also is deepening its commitment to a more sustainable food system. The company will innovate to develop new solutions that deliver healthier food, healthier animals, healthier workplaces and a healthier environment. In this commitment, the company sees a long-term opportunity to grow and increase profits sustainably. Tyson Foods holistic sustainability plan includes commitments such as:

Expanding its NAE chicken offerings, making Tyson Foods the worlds leading producer of NAE chicken

Setting a goal of reducing workplace injuries and illnesses by 15 percent year over year

Establishing strategic partnerships to set science-based sustainability goals

Continuing third-party audits of farms to certify humane treatment of chickens

Improving how chickens are raised through a concept farm, with innovations designed to be better for the birds, the environment and food safety

Increasing transparency across the business, including sustainability efforts

For us, sustainability isnt a single issue; its about focusing on multiple dimensions in order to advance the whole, said Hayes. We will use our reach, capabilities and resources to drive positive change at a scale we believe no other company can match.

Hayes also said the companys new approach to financial fitness will fund investment in long-term growth. It will include efforts to reduce waste across the company, the allocation of capital for growth and transforming business models through technology.

Reflecting the new direction of the company, Tyson Foods today unveiled a new corporate logo. A downloadable version is available here.

About Tyson Foods

Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE:TSN), with headquarters in Springdale, Arkansas, is one of the worlds largest food companies with leading brands such as Tyson, Jimmy Dean, Hillshire Farm, Sara Lee, Ball Park, Wright, Aidells and State Fair. Its a recognized market leader in chicken, beef and pork as well as prepared foods, including bacon, breakfast sausage, turkey, lunchmeat, hot dogs, pizza crusts and toppings, tortillas and desserts. The company supplies retail and foodservice customers throughout the United States and approximately 115 countries. Tyson Foods was founded in 1935 by John W. Tyson, whose family has continued to lead the business with his son, Don Tyson, guiding the company for many years and grandson, John H. Tyson, serving as the current chairman of the board of directors. The company currently has approximately 114,000 Team Members employed at more than 400 facilities and offices in the United States and around the world. Through its Core Values, Code of Conduct and Team Member Bill of Rights, Tyson Foods strives to operate with integrity and trust and is committed to creating value for its shareholders, customers and Team Members. The company also strives to be faith-friendly, provide a safe work environment and serve as stewards of the animals, land and environment entrusted to it.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain information contained in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements, such as statements relating to expected performance, new products, product innovation, and sustainability. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of factors and uncertainties which could cause our actual results and experiences to differ materially from the anticipated results and expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements. We caution readers not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. These statements speak only as of the date made, and we do not intend nor do we undertake any obligation to update these statements.
French English Dutch

Today Ageas announces that it has reached an agreement with the Luxembourg company Archand s.a.r.l. and affiliated persons ("Archand") to support the Fortis settlement.

On 11 May 2015, Archand initiated proceedings against Ageas and a former Fortis executive before the Amsterdam court, claiming damages because of miscommunication on Fortis' financial position.

Ageas welcomes Archand's agreement to support the settlement agreement of 14 March 2016.

For all relevant information about the settlement we refer to the dedicated website FORsettlement.com.

Any questions regarding this settlement should be sent to: info@forsettlement.com.

Ageas is a listed international insurance Group with a heritage spanning 190 years. It offers Retail and Business customers Life and Non-Life insurance products designed to suit their specific needs, today and tomorrow. As one of Europe's larger insurance companies, Ageas concentrates its activities in Europe and Asia, which together make up the major part of the global insurance market. It operates successful insurance businesses in Belgium, the UK, Luxembourg, France, Italy, Portugal, Turkey, China, Malaysia, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Singapore, and the Philippines through a combination of wholly owned subsidiaries and long term partnerships with strong financial institutions and key distributors.

Ageas ranks among the market leaders in the countries in which it operates. It represents a staff force of over 40,000 people and reported annual inflows close to EUR 32 billion in 2016 (all figures at 100%).
SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt., Feb. 21, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dynapower, the global leader in energy storage inverters, and Intertek, a leading provider of quality solutions to industries worldwide, are proud to jointly announce that Dynapowers MPS-250 is the first storage-only energy inverter to be confirmed by Intertek to meet the UL 1741 SA draft requirements for a smart inverter.



A photo accompanying this announcement is available at

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/00469733-7744-4b14-b5ef-7f01a028b3e7.



Compliance with this standard ensures that Dynapowers MPS-250 smart inverter is California Rule 21 and Hawaii Rule 14H compliant through development of advanced inverter features. This was achieved by Dynapower through the use of Interteks SATELLITE Data Acceptance Program.

Dynapower has always been on the forefront of energy storage inverter technology and we are extremely pleased and proud to receive confirmation from Intertek that our MPS-250 inverter meets the UL 1741 SA draft requirements, said Chip Palombini, sales manager of the energy storage group at Dynapower. Working through the Intertek SATELLITE program enabled Dynapower to have full control over the timeline of the compliance process.

Intertek is proud to work with global leaders like Dynapower to advance the energy industry through smart inverter functionality, enabling PV integration and improving grid resiliency, crucial steps toward smart grids and smart cities, said Sunny Rai, Vice President of Renewable Energy at Intertek. Dynapowers storage-only energy inverters are the first confirmed by Intertek to meet the UL 1741 SA draft requirements, and they achieved this through Interteks SATELLITE program, which allows manufacturers to run more efficient compliance programs.

In addition to the smart inverter features required by the new standard, Dynapower also incorporated Dynamic Transfer as a standard feature into the Generation 2 MPS-250. Dynamic Transfer enables a backup power mode of operation for energy storage systems.

For further information and to download the MPS-250 datasheet please visit http://www.dynapowerenergy.com/ul1741sa/.

About Dynapower

Dynapower is a global leader in the design and manufacture of power conversion equipment including high-power rectifiers, energy storage inverters, microgrid control systems and transformers. Dynapower provides power electronics solutions for energy storage, industrial, mining, military, and research applications. With more than 53 years of experience providing power electronics solutions to a global customer base, Dynapowers product range includes discrete power electronics and fully integrated systems ranging from 100 kilowatts to 36 megawatts. Dynapower has more than 300 MW of the companys high reliability, energy storage inverters deployed worldwide. For more information, visit: www.Dynapower.com.

About Intertek

Intertek is a leading Total Quality Assurance provider to industries worldwide. Our network of more than 1,000 laboratories and offices and over 40,000 people in more than 100 countries, delivers innovative and bespoke Assurance, Testing, Inspection and Certification solutions for our customers operations and supply chains.

www.intertek.com

Bringing quality and safety to life
One of the top tourist attractions at the Mount is unable to be fully enjoyed.

Masked by parked cars, the giant pohutukawa tree in Pitau Rd has been spreading itself magnificently for nearly 500 years without even a plaque.

A small seedling nudged its new frond up through the sand bar that we call the Mount one morning between 1566 and 1616. Its been growing and flowering ever since.

This was in the same time period that Pocahontas was saving the life of John Smith, Galileo saw the moons of Jupiter through his telescope, the King James version of the Bible was being published, the first African slaves were being taken to North America, the English Civil War was happening, Rembrandt was painting his Night Watch, the Ming Dynasty was ending in China, King Louis XIV was starting to build Versailles, the Great Plague in London killed 75,000, there was the great fire in London, and Peter the Great became Czar.

Noel Davenhill, who has taken visitors from the UK to visit the tree, worked in vegetation management at the Rotorua Forest Research Insititute (now called Scion) for more than 40 years. He is sceptical of the trees age.

"I would have thought this tree older than 450 years, says Noel. Its looks to me a lot older than that. Its a beautiful tree."

About 300 years after pohutukawa took root, Pitau Rd was laid beside it.

The pohutukawa tree in Pitau Road, believed to be 450 years old.

The variety Metrosideros excelsa Mt Maunganui are all cutting-grown descendants from this tree, and it is of special significance to Ngai Te Rangi iwi.

Pohutukawa wood is dense, strong and highly figured. Maori used it in shipbuilding, since the natural curvy shapes made strong knees.

The Pepi Toot beach train runs most summer days, taking families and cruise ship passengers for rides. Departing from Salisbury Ave, it travels along The Mall, to Adams Ave, around to Banks Ave, then right into Pitau St, going past the 450-year-old pohutukawa tree.

Passengers always comment about two things that they enjoy while on the train, says train driver Lesley Smith.

One is the cleanliness of the Mount streets. The other is the tree. Its very popular.

Shes unable to stop nearby for passengers to take photographs, as often cars are parked there. Parks are available further along and on the other side of the road, but that location provides fast and easy access for the drivers to walk through to the shops nearby.

It would be great if there were markers in place so that parking was available for short-term five-minute parking, says Lesley.

Then the train could pull in there too. Its a shame because its such an iconic tree and even the locals dont know about it.

We are planning to install an interpretation panel displaying the trees history, in the next financial year  2017-2018, says Tauranga City Council parks and recreation manager Mark Smith.
A man accused of bashing Lance John Murphy to death with a tree branch has told the court he believed the victim was a hit man who had murdered his own wife and was possessed by a demonic 10-headed dragon.

Michael Joseph Davies, 52, is standing trial accused of kidnapping Lance Murphy, a friend of 30 years, before beating him to death and leaving him tied to a tree at the top of a hill in Puhoi in November 2015.

Davies co-accused, 38-year-old Steve Gunbie, is charged with helping in the kidnapping and with hiding the body.

Gunbie was arrested in Waihi back in December 2015.

On Tuesday, Davies, also known as Michael Waipouri, told the High Court at Auckland, he had grown ever more wary of Mr Murphys unpredictable behaviour in the years and days leading up to his death.

He said Mr Murphy had boasted to him he was a hit man, who had killed among others, a work colleague at a steel factory.

"Lance told me he had thrown that man into the [factorys blast] furnace," he said.

Davies also increasingly came to believe Mr Murphy had given his long-time wife a lethal dose of medication when she was sick with cancer in 2015.

After trying numerous treatments for his wifes cancer, Davies said Mr Murphy began to repeatedly complain.

"She is costing too much to keep alive, she is starting to stink ... and she is cursing [me] with every foul curse in the book," Davies said.

He said he believed Mr Murphy had also, a short time later, withheld medication leading to the death of his wifes mother.

When Davies shared his accusations with a friend, he said Mr Murphy heard about it and sent stand over men to intimidate him.

He later came to Davies home in November 2015 and threatened to kill him, saying he would use him "as a boat anchor".

During the visit, Davies believed he had a spiritual moment in which he saw a 10-headed dragon leaving Mr Murphys chest, with each head meant to represent a person he had killed.

Davies testimony comes after an earlier witness in the trial said he had heard Mr Murphy was responsible for the cold case murder of Jane Furlong.

Davies lawyer John Munro also told the jury while other people might interpret events differently, it was important to remember Davies genuinely believed Mr Murphy was a threat to him.

He said Davies had formed his beliefs based on Mr Murphys behaviour, his own blend of spirituality and a deeply paranoid personality.

The trial continues.

Source: AAP.
UPDATED 4.01PM: Up to five people are dead after a charter plane crashed into a Melbourne discount shopping outlet and exploded in Victorias worst civil aviation accident in 30 years.

The Beechcraft Super King Air twin-engine aircraft with five aboard struck the DFO Essendon about 9am on Tuesday after taking off from nearby Essendon Airport, heading for King Island.

Assistant Commissioner Stephen Leane told reporters it was a catastrophic crash and all five aboard were believed dead.

Read more on Newsie.

Up to five people are dead after a charter plane crashed into a Melbourne discount shopping outlet and exploded in Victorias worst civil aviation accident in 30 years. The Beechcraft Super King Air twin-engine aircraft with five aboard struck the DFO Essendon about 9am on Tuesday after taking off from nearby Essendon Airport, heading for King Island. Assistant Commissioner Stephen Leane told reporters it was a catastrophic crash and all five aboard were believed dead. - See more at: http://newsie.co.nz/news/3645-vic-plane-crashed-fireball-witnesses.html#sthash.YEfksDER.dpuf - See more at: http://newsie.co.nz/news/3645-vic-plane-crashed-fireball-witnesses.html#sthash.YEfksDER.dpuf

EARLIER:

Catastrophic engine failure just after take-off may have caused a charter plane carrying five people to crash into a Melbourne retail outlet and explode, police believe.

Five people were on the Beechcraft Super King Air twin-engine which hit DFO Essendon about 9am on Tuesday after departing nearby Essendon Airport for King Island.

Superintendent Mick Frewen says there was a Mayday call, followed by possible catastrophic engine failure.

"But we are unsure at this stage.

Emergency services are still battling the blaze at the back of JB Hi-Fi and Focus on Furniture in the DFO centre.

Read more on Newsie.
Today the weather forecast is for a fine day with some morning clouds and light winds.

Remember to wear sun protection.

Today is six years since the February 2011 earthquake.

A great way to show care and support to the Cantabrians who moved to the Bay of Plenty, is to pop a flower into a traffic cone.
Improving performance is the story of this quarters health target results in the Bay of Plenty.

Of the Ministry of Healths six quarterly targets the Bay of Plenty District Health Board has exceeded three and was just one per cent off achieving a fourth for the October-December 2016 quarter.

The same quarter in 2015 saw just one target achieved.

The success included two firsts  with record results in both the Shorter Stays in Emergency Departments result and the Better Help for Smokers to Quit target.

More than 96 per cent of patients across Tauranga and Whakatane Hospital emergency departments were seen within the target waiting time of six hours during the quarter. The result was achieved despite ever-increasing numbers attending the two EDs, says BOPDHB chief executive Helen Mason.

This is our best ever result and is testament to great co-operation and co-ordination across our two hospitals, to meet the needs of our acute care patients. This result has been achieved during a time when there were often more than 200 people presenting daily at our two EDs.

Over 26,000 Bay of Plenty smokers have been given help to quit during the past 15 months as the Better Help for Smokers to Quit target was met for the first time, according tohealth equity/public health portfolio manager Brian Pointon.

The DHB congratulates our three PHOs - Western Bay of Plenty Primary Health Organisation, Nga Mataapuna Oranga and the Eastern Bay Primary Health Alliance - and their general practices for achieving the target and recognises the additional efforts they have put in over recent months.

The target is that 90 per cent of Primary Health Organisation enrolled patients who smoke are offered help to quit in the preceding 15 months. Many will have accepted that offer and are now living a smokefree life.

The results see the BOPDHB once again exceeding the Improved Access to Elective Surgery target.

2779 patients received treatment during the three-month period, which is 147 above the target level, says surgical service business leader Bronwyn Anstis. This represents a positive result for the community we serve and remains a high focus area. It means more Bay of Plenty residents are getting the surgery they need.

The BOPDHB has now exceeded the target every quarter for the last three-and-half years.

Continued improvement against the Faster Cancer Treatment target (up from 82 per cent to 84 per cent) was also seen. The BOPDHB now ranks eighth nationally and is just one percent below target.

This steady improvement represents more members of our community being able to receive their first cancer treatment faster, says Bronwyn.

The target is that 85 per cent of patients receive their first cancer treatment (or other management) within 62 days of being referred with a high suspicion of cancer and a need to be seen within two weeks.

This quarter was the second time the Raising Healthy Kids health target results have been published. The target is that by December 2017, 95 per cent of obese children identified in the B4 School Check programme will be offered a referral to a health professional for clinical assessment and family based nutrition, activity and lifestyle interventions. The BOPDHB recorded a result of 33 per cent for the six months to December 2016.

Whilst we started from a low baseline, our performance has improved significantly and continues to do so, says BOPDHB planning and funding general manager Simon Everitt. As the target is calculated on a rolling six-month average, there is a time lag effect of that improved performance being shown in the figures. For the most recent three months, the rate achieved was 80 per cent.

We are confident that we will achieve the target by December 2017 which is when it is due.

The way in which immunisation services are delivered is being reviewed to improve immunisation cover for eligible babies and children, and help achieve the Increased Immunisation target, according to primary health portfolio manager Andrea Baker.

Our eight-month immunisation coverage was 87 per cent for quarter two, up one per cent from quarter one. We are in the process of strengthening our childhood immunisation services to improve childhood immunisation coverage and timeliness for all immunisation milestones from six weeks to five years. We are committed to improve our performance to meet these objectives.

The target is 95 per cent of eight-months-olds will have their primary course of immunisation (six weeks, three months and five months immunisation events) on time.

Bay of Plenty MP Todd Muller is impressed with the results.

The statistics show the Bay of Plenty DHB is performing well when measured against the Governments national health targets and this is in line with what Im hearing out in the community  from the health professionals to the man on the street.

He does agree, though, that work needs to be done to increase immunisation rates and reduce childhood obesity.

My wish for all kids in the Bay, and throughout New Zealand, is the same wish I have for my own children; that they are able to lead happy and healthy lifestyles to give them the best opportunity to thrive later in life.
Kevin Rivoli

Best Chinese restaurants in Syracuse

When you don't want to brave the elements (or can't work up the energy to cook), Chinese takeout is a godsend. Besides dozens of delivery places, Syracuse is home to several gems of Chinese cuisine, featuring crackling duck and chow mein.

We've compiled a list of our favorite Chinese sit-down restaurants, buffets and take-out joints in the Syracuse area.

Please note: Korean, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese and chain restaurants will not appear on this list. However, some Chinese restaurants with added Japanese sushi bars are included.

Pictured: Fried dumplings at Tang Flavor in Syracuse.

Don't Edit

Katrina Tulloch

Bamboo House

Bamboo House succeeds both as a restaurant and a take-out joint, with most prices ranging from $7.95 to $13.95. They serve many standard Chinese dishes like homemade dumplings, hand-pulled noodles, lo mein, fried rice and Kung Pao chicken.

Dining critic Jane Marmaduke wrote, "Service at Bamboo House is extremely friendly...Our server was happy to talk with us at length about the dishes we ordered and to bring endless diner mugs of hot green tea as we watched many take-out and delivery orders leave the restaurant."

252 W. Genesee St., downtown Syracuse, (315) 424-8800

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Don Cazentre

Tang Flavor

Downtown Syracuse's Tang Flavor has 80 seats for dine-in customers, and offers Szechuan, Canton and Hong Kong dishes for takeout.

The restaurant is well-liked by local Yelp users and deserves points for having the only website that points out the difference between standard Chinese-American fare (lo mein, fried rice, etc.) and what they hilariously call "real Chinese food" (sizzling squid, crispy pig intestine, ox ribs and lots of seafood).

413 S. Warren St., Syracuse, 315-472-0279.

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Jane Marmaduke

Red Chili

Red Chili offers numerous styles of Szechuan cooking, from hot pots and noodles to duck heads and blood curd. There are plenty of options for vegetarians too.

In a rave review, dining critic Jane Marmaduke wrote: "Red Chili is a comfortable, pretty restaurant with extraordinarily helpful service and a wide range of food choices, both familiar and far less so, many of them mild, not spicy. It deserves the broadest possible audience."

2740 Erie Blvd., East Syracuse, 446-2882

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China Road

China Road

China Road won't disappoint if you're looking for Szechuan-style cuisine. They feature a traditional Chinese menu for adventurous diners, from squid and mushroom soup to a duck tongue casserole. Try the jellyfish or Peking duck.

2204 Brewerton Rd., Mattydale, (315) 455-5888

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Katrina Tulloch

China Cafe (Manlius)

China Cafe, located in Limestone Common Plaza, has made a name for itself over the years for affordable, authentic food. As their tagline suggests, they "bring Chinatown to Manlius." The menu includes many Chinese classics, including squid, duck, braised pork and walnut shrimp.

In her review, dining critic Aimee Koval wrote: "Steaming cups of vegetable soup ($2) and wonton soup ($1.50) took the edge off the November chill...service was friendly and attentive despite standing-room only demand for a half dozen tables and the daily influx of take-out customers."

240 West Seneca St., Manlius, (315) 682-1999

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China Pavilion

China Pavilion

A brother and sister duo first opened China Pavilion in 1986. They pride themselves on an eclectic selection featuring an expansive menu for dim sum. The dim sum portions are small, but cheap, ranging in price for $3 to $4 for fried wontons, shrimp dumplings, steamed pork buns, stuffed peppers and more.

Heads up: China Pavilion is closed every Monday.

2318 W. Genesee St. (Westvale Plaza), 315-488-2828

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Mike Roy

Oriental Star

Both take-out customers and diners are welcome at Oriental Star in Fayetteville. They offer both Chinese and Japanese food, ranging from General Tso's Chicken to sushi rolls. They also have a small selection of Malaysian, Indonesian and Thai curries.

Pictured: Oriental Star Chinese and Japanese Restaurant owner Jim Zheng (r) and sushi chef Ken Zheng pose at their restaurant located at 210 West Genesee St. in Fayetteville. (315) 637-0505

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Hank Domin | hdomin@syracuse.com

Golden City

Golden City in DeWitt is another small but mighty Chinese joint with standard fare like chow mein, lo mein, mixed vegetables, fried tofu, egg rolls, golden sesame chicken and chop suey. Prices range from $5.75 for lunch specials to $8 or $10 for dinner.

4457 East Genesee St., DeWitt, (315) 445-0888

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Yelp user Vicki Z.

Asian Wok

Tucked behind Carol's Polar Parlor, it's easy to miss Asian Wok while driving up West Genesee Street. Formerly known as Osaka Asian Cuisine and Nikkou Japan, the small, angular restaurant didn't find much success with cuisine from other parts of Asia. This new takeout joint has only been operating for a year, but has cemented itself as a reliable place, according to local Yelp users.

3800 W. Genesee St., Camillus, (315) 488-8838

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China Cafe (downtown)

Not to be confused with China Cafe in Manlius, the downtown China Cafe is located on one edge of Armory Square. Many dishes feature a lighter sauce (not gloppy) with lots of dry hot peppers. A "special Chinese cuisine" section on their menu offers rarer fare, like fish in a hot bean paste (head included), or pork kidney with peppercorn. 227 W Fayette St, Syracuse, (315) 478-0888

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Fortune Hawaii

Fortune Hawaii

Fortune Hawaii is located between Mario & Salvo's Pizza and Carvel in DeWitt. They serve Chinese, Japanese and Thai food in large portions, and offer catering as well. Lunch specials don't exceed $5.95. Heads up: They're closed on Mondays.

4324 E. Genesee St., Syracuse, (315) 446-6666

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Google

China King

China King in Baldwinsville has a slew of positive reviews on Yelp. Local resident Seth Kriesel says: "The food is always good, hot, and plentiful. We usually order a dinner and eat it for 2 other meals. The prices are outstanding and the service is friendly. Nice little gem in B'ville!"

36 E. Genesee St., Baldwinsville, (315) 720-1071

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Empire Buffet

Empire Buffet

Empire Buffet in DeWitt offers more than 160 items, but doesn't delve too deep into complex flavors of Far East cuisine. Yes, you can find egg rolls, noodles and dumplings here, but you can also get macaroni and cheese, chicken wings, ice cream and cake.

It's a good place to go if you want a lot of food at a low price, plus Americanized options for picky eaters in your dining party.

3179 Erie Blvd. E., Syracuse, (315) 251-1888.

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HK Takeout

HK Takeout I and II

HK Takeout, with two locations in Syracuse, is another place to be praised for its longevity. The original HK Takeout on Erie Boulevard has served Syracuse since 1985. The interior and menu have no frills (lo mein, egg foo young, shrimp in garlic sauce) but service is speedy and prices are a bargain.

1640 Erie Blvd E., Syracuse, (315) 428-8898

700 Wolf St. (612 2nd North St.), Syracuse, (315) 476-3439

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Thinkstock

Mr. Stirfry

Though it's more of take-out joint than a restaurant, Mr. Stirfry gets the job done for students and residents near South Campus of Syracuse University. The egg rolls are always crisply fried and they offer mixed vegetables, mei fun, chow fun, chow mein and American dishes to boot.

214 Tecumseh Rd., Syracuse. (315) 446-3968

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Dave Lassman

Panda West

There's something to be said for any restaurant with staying power on Marshall Street, where business success ties directly to the appetites of Syracuse University students.

Panda West isn't going anywhere. Sizzling hot pots and crispy duck dishes draw even the pickiest of students. We recommend the "Dragon and Phoenix," with shrimp in spicy chili sauce paired with General Tso's chicken.

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Katrina Tulloch

Did we miss one?

This list featured some of our favorite Chinese restaurants, buffets and takeout joints in the Syracuse area. Dozens more exist in the surrounding suburbs, villages and towns.

Got a suggestion for a place to add? Email ktulloch@syracuse.com, or comment below.

Pictured: Spicy Sour Beef Cellophane Noodle Soup at Red Chili Restaurant in Syracuse.

Don't Edit

Katrina Tulloch | ktulloch@syracuse.com

Best food in town

See all of our "Best Of" features on syracuse.com..

Pictured: Happy hour appetizers at Liehs & Steigerwald in downtown Syracuse.
032605 Rico's Ad.JPG

Rico's Ristorante, 320 East First Street, East Syracuse.

(File photo )

EAST SYRACUSE, NY -- Rico's Ristorante, which has been serving hearty and reasonably priced Italian-American cuisine since 1997, will close in September.

Steve Geremia, who has been running the restaurant at 320 E. 1st St. in East Syracuse with his father, Enrico, confirmed the closing. The lease expires Oct. 1, he said.

A Facebook post from Jackie Geremia-Macko reports that Rico's Ristorante in East Syracuse, owned by her family, will close in September.

Enrico Geremia opened Rico's in October 1997. A native of Casanova, Italy, Geremia had previous experience working as a chef at Central New York restaurants like Villa, the Hotel Syracuse, Lorenzo's, Angelo's Cornucopia,

Caroma, Barbuto's and Grimaldi's.

In recent years, Steve Geremia has taken a greater role in running the restaurant. It remains a local standard bearer for pasta, steaks, chops and seafood, and is also frequently booked for private parties and events.

In 2001, former Post-Standard restaurant reviewer Yolanda Wright described Rico's as "a quintessential Italian family restaurant, where women in expensive outfits tuck giant linen napkins under their chins to avoid red-sauce disasters, and it's not unusual for a waitress to greet a regular customer with a kiss on the cheek."

Visiting again in 2009, Wright wrote: "If you're tired of fancy food, frilly edible towers and sky-high prices, Rico's Ristorante in East Syracuse is ready to dish up hearty portions of good Italian-American food at moderate prices ... ."

Steve Geremia's sister, Jackie Geremia-Macko, posted a Facebook note on the closing Monday, "Have ya heard, Ricos Restaurant is closing in September," she posted. " gonna be a bitter sweet day ... really wish there was someone out there to take it over."

The restaurant's online home page features a note from founder Enrico Geremia: "Ever since I came to this wonderful country from the little town of

Casanova, outside of Naples, it has been my dream to own a restaurant

like this. Rico's features all the best of what I have learned in over fifty years in

the restaurant business. ... Now, at the restaurant that bears my name, I offer you the best of what I have spent my life learning -- fine Italian cuisine. Buon Appetito!"

Don Cazentre writes about food, beverages, restaurants and bars for syracuse.com and The Post-Standard. Contact him by email, on Twitter, at Google+ or via Facebook.
Medallion.jpg

A medallion, like this one, will need to be found by a participant in order to win the treasure hunt.

The Post-Standard and syracuse.com have hidden a medallion somewhere in Onondaga County and will publish daily clues pointing treasure hunters to its location. Solve the clues and find the medallion, and you'll win $2,000. The winner will also be enrolled in the Driver's Village VIP Rewards Loyalty program and win a $200 value towards their next vehicle purchase at Driver's Village. To learn more about the Driver's Village Rewards Loyalty program, visit www.dvviprewards.com

The 2017 Treasure Hunt is underway. Follow the clues each day ...

On syracuse.com at

On the pages of The Post-Standard and the ePost-Standard

On Twitter

On Facebook at

On Snapchat at syracusedotcom

Clue No. 6

Tues. Feb. 21

"A perfect day for a drive...and to look for a prize. Be shore you're in the right place... And you just might win this race."

This year's Treasure Hunt has been made possible thanks to Driver's Village. Driver's Village is proud to support the 30th Anniversary of this community event, as the Burdick Family celebrates their 80th Anniversary of serving Central New York.

NOTE: The medallion in not hidden anywhere on Driver's Village Property.
San Antonio -- A man who disappeared from the San Antonio area earlier in February was found living with someone he met online in Northeast Ohio.

Lee Arms, 44, of Falls City, Texas, outside San Antonio, was found living in a community near Bath Township, Ohio, outside Akron.

"He wanted to escape his life out there and his situation," Bath Township Police Chief Michael McNeely said, according to the Akron Beacon Journal.

McNeely said Arms moved to Ohio because he met someone online.

"I've worked in human trafficking and missing persons for 14 years and this is a very rare incident," said Dottie Laster, executive director of the Heidi Search Center in San Antonio, according to News 4 in Texas. "This is the first time I've actually had it happen."

Arms was last seen on Feb. 5. His Ford Fusion was later found abandoned. Arms drove from Falls City to San Antonio from Sunday through Thursday to work a night shift at a UPS facility.

Friends and family began looking for him up when he didn't show up for work.

A family member told News 4 that they were trying to process everything and heal. The family thanked all involved in the search for their efforts to find Arms.

No charges have been filed against Arms, but his actions are being reviewed.

A detective in Bath received a tip about "unusual activity" that led authorities there to find Arms, according to the Beacon Journal.

Police in Ohio would not release further details, including exactly where Arms was living, because he had not committed any crimes.

Contact Kevin Tampone anytime: Email | Twitter | Google + | 315-454-2112
Bienvenida

Estimados amigos,



Les doy cordialmente la bienvenida a este Blog informativo con articulos, analisis y comentarios de publicaciones especializadas y especialmente seleccionadas, principalmente sobre temas economicos, financieros y politicos de actualidad, que esperamos y deseamos, sean de su maximo interes, utilidad y conveniencia.



Pensamos que solo comprendiendo cabalmente el presente, es que podemos proyectarnos acertadamente hacia el futuro.



Gonzalo Raffo de Lavalle



Las convicciones son mas peligrosos enemigos de la verdad que las mentiras.

Friedrich Nietzsche



Quien conoce su ignorancia revela la mas profunda sabiduria. Quien ignora su ignorancia vive en la mas profunda ilusion.

Lao Tse



There are decades when nothing happens and there are weeks when decades happen.

Vladimir Ilyich Lenin



You only find out who is swimming naked when the tide goes out.

Warren Buffett



No soy alguien que sabe, sino alguien que busca.

FOZ



Only Gold is money. Everything else is debt.

J.P. Morgan



Las grandes almas tienen voluntades; las debiles tan solo deseos.

Proverbio Chino



Quien no lo ha dado todo no ha dado nada.

Helenio Herrera



History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce.

Karl Marx



If you know the other and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.

Sun Tzu



We are travelers on a cosmic journey, stardust, swirling and dancing in the eddies and whirlpools of infinity. Life is eternal. We have stopped for a moment to encounter each other, to meet, to love, to share.This is a precious moment. It is a little parenthesis in eternity.

Paulo Coelho
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Why Trump Cant Bully China

CAMBRIDGE  As US President Donald Trump proceeds to destabilize the post-war global economic order, much of the world is collectively holding its breath. Commentators search for words to describe his assault on conventional norms of leadership and tolerance in a modern liberal democracy. The mainstream media, faced with a president who might sometimes be badly uninformed and yet really believes what he is saying, hesitate to label conspicuously false statements as lies.

But some would argue that beneath the chaos and bluster, there is an economic rationale to the Trump administrations disorderly retreat from globalization. According to this view, the US has been duped into enabling Chinas ascendency, and one day Americans will come to regret it. We economists tend to view abdication of US world leadership as a historic mistake.

It is important to acknowledge that the roots of the anti-globalization movement in the United States run much deeper than disenfranchised blue-collar workers. For example, some economists opposed the Trans-Pacific Partnership (a 12-country trade deal that would have covered 40% of the global economy) on the questionable grounds that it would have harmed American workers. It fact, the TPP would have opened Japan far more than it would have affected the US. Rejecting it only opens the door to Chinese economic dominance across the Pacific.

US populists, perhaps inspired by the writings of Thomas Piketty, seem unimpressed by the fact that globalization has lifted hundreds of millions of desperately poor people in China and India into the global middle class. The liberal view of Asias rise is that it makes the world a fairer and more just place, where a persons economic fate does not depend quite so much on where they happen to have been born.

But a more cynical view permeates populist logic, namely that in its excessive adherence to globalism, the US has sown the seeds of its own political and economic destruction. Trumpism taps into this sense of national mortality; here is someone who thinks he can do something about it. The aim is not just to bring home American jobs, but to create a system that will extend US dominance.

We should focus on our own is the mantra of Trump and others. Unfortunately, with this attitude, it is hard to see how America can maintain the world order that has benefited it so much for so many decades. And make no mistake: America has been the big winner. No other large country is nearly as rich, and the US middle class is still very well off by global standards.

Yes, Democratic Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders was right that Denmark is a great place to live and does many things right. He might have mentioned, however, that Denmark is a relatively homogeneous country of 5.6 million people that has very low tolerance for immigration.

For better or for worse, the globalization train has long since left the station, and the idea that one can turn it back is utterly naive. Whatever might have been done differently before US President Richard Nixon visited China in 1972 is no longer possible. The fate of China, and its role in the world, is now in the hands of the Chinese and their leaders. If the Trump administration thinks it can reset the clock by starting a trade war with China, it is as likely to accelerate Chinas economic and military development as it is to slow it down.

So far, the Trump administration has only sparred with China, concentrating its early anti-trade rhetoric on Mexico. Although the North American Free Trade Agreement, which Trump reviles, has likely had only modest effects on US trade and jobs, he has attempted to humiliate Mexicans insisting that they pay for his border wall, as if Mexico were a US colony.

The US is ill-advised to destabilize its Latin American neighbors. In the near term, Mexican institutions should prove quite robust; but in the long run, Trumpism, by encouraging anti-American sentiment, will undermine leaders otherwise sympathetic to US interests.

If the Trump administration tries such crude tactics with China, it will be in for a rude surprise. China has financial weapons, including trillions of dollars of US debt. A disruption of trade with China could lead to massive price increases in the low-cost stores  for example, Wal-Mart and Target  on which many Americans rely.

Moreover, huge swaths of Asia, from Taiwan to India, are vulnerable to Chinese aggression.

For the moment, Chinas military is relatively weak and would likely lose a conventional war with the US; but this situation is rapidly evolving, and China may soon have its own aircraft carriers and other more advanced military capabilities.

The US cannot win a trade war with China, and any victory will be Pyrrhic. The US needs to negotiate hard with China to protect its friends in Asia and deal with the rogue state of North Korea. And the best way to get the good deals Trump says he seeks is to pursue a more open trade policy with China, not a destructive trade war.
Seamless AI services like Amazon's Alexa have become popular for their ease of use and smart features. According to a South Korean report, Samsung is looking to bolster their AI efforts with future acquisitions totaling $1 billion or more. The report cites an unnamed Samsung executive in the United States who says the company has earmarked the funds to purchase "AI tech companies or stakes in the firms."

While Samsung doesn't have their own mainstream AI assistant, they are no strangers to the technology. They purchased Harman, the car infotainment manufacturer, late last year. Harman is known to be working on various AI projects like smart cities and voice control, all things Samsung wants to expand into.

Another notable acquisition was for Viv Labs, the company behind Apple's Siri. In total, Samsung has purchased or invested in about 10 different tech firms like these.

A billion dollars is no small amount so it's clear Samsung is serious about AI technology going forward. Top company executives have expressed strong interest in the past about Samsung acquiring their own technology. Samsung's head of software R&D told Bloomberg last year that they believe "intelligence is no longer an option. It's a must."

The upcoming Galaxy S8 smartphone is expected to feature Bixby, Samsung's homegrown competitor to Siri, Alexa, and the Google Assistant. In addition, Samsung's home appliance division is looking for similar technology so home users "don't even have to move a finger when they want to do something."
Apple is close to releasing an OS with an improved file system that will significantly make things difficult for iOS jailbreakers. But the more well-known hackers have not even come close to releasing a stable version of an iOS 10.2 jailbreak tool for public use.

Apple rolled out the iOS 10.2.1 update on Jan. 23, and Tech Times reported on Jan. 25 that the Chinese hacker team Pangu announced a delay in the release of its jailbreak for the iOS 10.2.

iOS Jailbreakers Remain Silent, Laying Low

While jailbreakers are usually quick to find exploits to develop jailbreaking tools for public use, it is quite noticeable that most of them are laying low for unknown reasons.

Some believe that Apple's quick rollout of security patches for the iOS 10 has been effective in keeping jailbreakers from exploiting the operating system's weaknesses. Others think hackers, specifically Pangu, are just waiting for a stable iOS 10 release to work on, but the group has kept mum about its true reason.

Luca Todesco's Yalu102 Still In Beta

At the very least, 19-year-old Italian hacker Luca Todesco rolled out his beta version for the Yalu102  his jailbreak tool for the iOS 10.2  but users claim that it still has a lot of bugs that need fixing, which actually makes sense since the tool is still in beta, so a perfectly polished tool should not have been expected.

the latest commit of yalu102 as an ipa is now available at https://t.co/yZLQTPXp8p  qwertyoruiop (@qwertyoruiopz) January 26, 2017

However, prior to the actual release, it would seem Todesco has had enough of the jailbreaking community and announced that he will be taking a break from his public research for the 10.2 jailbreak. Take a look at his tweet below.

PSA: I will stop all public iOS research after I drop that 10.2 thing. The idiocy of the jailbreak community is too much to handle for me.  qwertyoruiop (@qwertyoruiopz) January 22, 2017

Unfortunately, he is not the only one.

So @ih8sn0w is also about to leave the jailbreak community. Sad!  qwertyoruiop (@qwertyoruiopz) January 28, 2017

However, Todesco did clarify that he only intended to stop with the public research, not the actual research.

@d_olex you're not wrong: I will keep to do research, and I will talk about technical info. By 'public research' I mostly meant 'public jbs'  qwertyoruiop (@qwertyoruiopz) January 22, 2017

The good news is that Todesco is not completely abandoning jailbreaking tool creation but only focusing on other things at the moment. That includes resolving bugs and expanding the list of Apple devices supported by Yalu.

An official .ipa will be provided once I get feedback that this solved issues on the iPhone 6 and that it actually works on the 5s  qwertyoruiop (@qwertyoruiopz) January 29, 2017

hopefully one step closer to final with yalu102b6 now available at https://t.co/06ytqT4Q4f  qwertyoruiop (@qwertyoruiopz) January 30, 2017

To clear it up: Yalu1011 for iPhone 7 will be updated at some point. Just not a priority right now. Got stuff to do.  qwertyoruiop (@qwertyoruiopz) February 1, 2017

Except for the iOS 10.2 on iPhone 7.

I find it hilarious that the people that keep asking for i7 10.2 support cannot understand that if it's not supported, there's a reason.  qwertyoruiop (@qwertyoruiopz) February 17, 2017

The only thing jailbreak enthusiasts can do is hope that either Pangu is already well on their way to releasing an iOS 10.2 jailbreak tool while Todesco is working on resolving and finalizing Yalu.

Then again, there are other jailbreakers who are equally determined to crack the iOS 10.2.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The strange relation between ocean disturbances and terrestrial climate has been underscored in a new study. The Pacific Ocean faced the unusual occurrence of a mass of warm water known as "the blob" from 2013 to 2015 with a moderate growth in 2016, which triggered many problems in the ocean's environment.

The blob affected the marine system in the 3.5 million-square-mile stretch starting from Mexico to Alaska.

First detected in 2013, the blob spread in 2014 and 2015 though its growth was moderate in 2016.

A study conducted by researchers from the University of Washington Bothell showed that ocean conditions that turned messy because of the blob also impacted the offshore climate.

Mass die-offs were reported in the ocean during this period when temperatures jumped 3 degrees Celsius more than the average, including the deaths of thousands of California sea lions due to starvation.

The research has been published in Geophysical Research Letters.

"Ultimately, it all links back to the blob, which was the most unusual meteorological event we've had in decades," said Dan Jaffe, a team member from the University of Washington Bothell and the lead author.

Ozone Formed By Terrestrial Effects

According to scientists, the blob had few parallels and its effect on land manifested as warmer temperatures, low cloud cover, and calmer air.

These became the key ingredients to produce ozone, which is a component of smog and acts as a secondary pollutant.

Formed by a chain reaction between pollutants from automobiles, factories, and other sources with solar rays, ozone is hazardous to health and its volumes are regulated by federal rules.

The study said the areas that recorded higher-than-normal ozone were the same regions where high temperatures were experienced.

Jaffe and team have been tracking ozone levels in the United States since 2004. They noticed the big spike in ozone levels in 2015 and wondered if the blobs had anything to do with it. The research group tracked ozone changes atop Mount Bachelor in central Oregon.

To validate the connection, the team mapped out the duration of the blob using satellites and tracked fluctuations in temperature on the surface of the Pacific Ocean between 2014 and 2016.

They found that the blob's influence majorly impacted quality of air above Washington, Oregon, western Utah and northern California with the escalation of ozone, according to the study.

"Washington and Oregon were really the bull's eye for the whole thing, because of the location of the winds," said Jaffe.

Jaffe described Salt Lake City and Sacramento on the edge because their ozone is always a bit higher and the cities had acute effects.

The June 2015 ozone levels at the observatory were 12 parts per billion, higher than the average of all previous observations.

Climate Variability And Air Quality

Warmer temperatures favor ozone production, according to Jaffe who also added that the study suggests more scrutiny of the broader climate patterns in air quality and human health.

According to the lead author, the work would help in establishing the linkages between climate variability and air quality and give an idea of what to expect when the Earth turns warmer.

Reflecting on the current environmental laws, Jaffe stressed the need for accommodating the variability that is becoming evident.

"Our environmental laws need to be written with an understanding that there's a lot of variability from one year to the next, and with an understanding of the long-term path of where we're heading under climate change," Jaffe said.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
If you are in Canada and own the LG G Pad III 8.0, which was released in May 2016, you would have probably benefitted from the Android 7.0 Nougat update by now.

The over-the-air (OTA) update for the 8-inch LG G Pad III is now being pushed out by Canadian carrier Fido.

The Canadian network operator started rolling out the Android 7.0 Nougat update for the LG tablet on Feb. 17.

LG G Pad III 8.0 Android Nougat Update

Thanks to the update the tablet jumps from Android Marshmallow to Android N. The software update brings the multi-tasking mode to the LG G Pad III. It also adds a split screen mode to the device.

The ones who have not received the prompt options to download the update can check for its availability manually. To do so, navigate to the device's Settings > About Device > Updates > Check for Updates.

Before updating your device to Android N, make sure that the tablet has at least 50 percent battery charge. Make sure you have made a backup of all important data.

LG G Pad III 8.0 Connectivity Issues

While the arrival of the Android 7.0 Nougat update for the LG tablet may excite users in Canada, those on carrier Fido may be hoping that it addresses the connectivity issue plaguing the device.

Some users of the device have been complaining of connectivity issues. Users of the 8-inch LG G Pad III, who are Fido subscribers, have taken to the network operator's support forum to voice their concerns.

What Kind Of Connectivity Issues Are The Users Facing?

Fido's online support forum is getting inundated with the customer complains pertaining to the connectivity issues. One of the customers has mentioned the trouble he has been facing every time he attempts to connect the LG G Pad II 8.0 with the 5G connection.

The user reveals that he also has a Google Nexus Player and a Nexus 5 which easily connect to the 5G network unlike the LG G Pad III 8.0. Even though the tablet is not able to connect to the 5G network and rather goes to the saved profile, it does get the 2.4 Wi-Fi connection smoothly.

"When I first updated the tablet it would connect and then drop after a minute or so, then less. I shut the tablet down, then started it again and it is now not even connecting via 5G simply goes to 5G saved. As I mentioned I also reset network settings and removed the 2.4 and 5G profiles and then re-established wifi to no avail," mentioned the user who also tried troubleshooting, but to no avail.

The support team at Fido was quick to address the subscriber's concern.

"I appreciate you trying the different troubleshooting steps. What exactly happens when you try joining to your 5GHz network? Any error message?" he asked.

The Fido employee also suggested that the user may not be encountering a router issue since most of his devices were successfully accessing the 5G connection. However, to rule out the possibility of this being a router problem, he suggested that the user reboot the same. This would help in scanning the local environment and select the best channel that is available.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Android smartphone owners have been waiting for their phone carriers to release the Android 7.0 Nougat for their devices since it was released in August 2016.

Google's subsequent roll outs of updates to the Nougat has only served to fuel the desire of smartphone owners to finally get the new operating system in their devices, and while carriers have been rolling out Android 7.0 to HTC, LG, and Huawei devices, many Samsung devices seem to have been left behind  at least until last week.

Tech Times reported on Jan. 18 that a worldwide rollout of Android 7.0 Nougat for Samsung devices are already well on their way in several territories but had yet to reach the United States. Many Samsung smartphone owners may have been frustrated with the long wait, but the Nougat update is finally here with T-Mobile leading the pack and AT&T on its heels.

Samsung Devices Ready for Nougat

The Samsung devices that were confirmed for the update earlier were Samsung Galaxy S7, S7 edge, S7 Active, S6, S6 edge, S6 edge+, Note 5, and Tab A with S Pen, Galaxy Tab S2 (LTE unlock), Galaxy A3, and Galaxy A8, but so far, the S6 series and Note 5 were ahead of the other models in line to receive the update. Finally, the S7 and S7 edge caught up.

The Samsung Galaxy A and Galaxy J series is also part of the list, but updates for those two will not be available until the middle of 2017, earliest.

T-Mobile

We also reported on Feb. 17 that T-Mobile has already started rolling out the Nougat for the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge but that devices running the Samsung Galaxy Beta Software will receive it first. As of Feb. 17, however, T-Mobile finally updated its support page to confirm the information and announced that devices that meet its requirements can finally update their OS to the Nougat by Feb. 20. Devices can be updated over-the-air or by connecting the smartphone to a computer.

The update requires 117 MB of free memory, and it already comes with the Feb. 1 security patch as well as all the amazing new features Nougat brings to devices.

AT&T

On T-Mobile's heels is AT&T, which also confirmed on Feb. 17 that it is ready to release the Nougat update to Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge devices in its network.

As of Feb. 18, AT&T has yet to update its support pages for the two Samsung flagship devices, but given that the news has been confirmed, the carrier would probably do it soon.

Important Reminder

We hate to burst anyone's bubble, but just so we're clear on this, the updates from both T-Mobile and AT&T will bring Samsung S7 and S7 edge devices up to Android 7.0, not 7.1, but that is better than nothing, right?

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A former Uber engineer has published a lengthy blog post Sunday, alleging sexist workplace practices inside the company during her one-year stint, detailing, in almost 3,000 words, instances of sexism that she experienced firsthand.

Sexism At Uber

Sexism is one of the tentpole issues in the Silicon Valley workplace, and her accounts of it provide evidence of that, with stories often, if not always, worryingly pernicious, if also slightly bizarre.

The engineer, Susan Fowler, calls it a "strange, fascinating, and slightly horrifying story." She joined the company late 2015 and left in December the following year to join Stripe. Her stint in Uber was bogged by a number of sexist incidents, the first of which happened on the first day.

Manager's Understated Hookup Invitation

In her blog post, Fowler states that in as early as the first day on her job as an Uber engineer, her manager sent her a string of messages indicating that he was engaged in an open relationship  i.e., a setup that allows committed partners to seek different sex with third parties  but was unsuccessful in looking for partners to exercise that with. He was trying to stay out of trouble at work but couldn't avoid it because he was attempting to get women he could hook up with, according to messages sent to Fowler.

"It was clear that he was trying to get me to have sex with him, and it was so clearly out of line that I immediately took screenshots of these chat messages and reported him to HR," writes Fowler.

The HR's response, however, was unexpected, Fowler says. Though clearly an unambiguous account of sexual harassment, the HR said that they weren't comfortable in handing down to the accused anything more than a warning, given that it was his first offense. Additionally, upper management informed Fowler that the man was a "high performer," and they wouldn't feel comfortable issuing him a reprimand for "what was probably just an innocent mistake on his part," according to the HR, as per Fowler's post.

Repeated Sexual Harassment Invariably Regarded As First Offense

Later on, when Fowler moved to a different team, she found out speaking to female colleagues that the manager in question had committed similar offenses in the past, and such reports have actually been brought to HR similarly.

Not long afterward, the manager was yet again reported for similar behaviors, but the HR told those who notified of his offenses that it was his "first offense" yet again.

Fowler notes that the reports were brought up as high as up the chain where it could be brought up, although "nothing was done."

Engineers Engaging In Game Of Thrones-Esque War

Fowler's stay at the company moving forward didn't ease. Instances of sexist workplace accounts only turned bleaker. She writes that there was an underlying political jostling among upper management in the engineering department, saying the power struggle was akin to the HBO show Game of Thrones. According to Fowler, managers are unabashedly attempting to overthrow, undermine, and sabotage each other.

Fowler writes that every manager seemed predisposed to fighting and undermining their peers to get ahead, noting that the managers didn't even hide this behavior, going as far as boasting about it during meetings, telling their direct reports about it, and such.

"We all lived under fear that our teams would be dissolved, there would be another re-org, and we'd have to start on yet another new project with an impossible deadline. It was an organization in complete, unrelenting chaos."

Fowler's account of her time at the company also includes attempts by her managers to hamper her growth, impair her accomplishments and opportunities, and more pressing attempts to stall her altogether. She writes that glowing workplace performance reviews were later messed with to justify holding her back for a potential promotion and prevent her from looking to be transferred to another part of the company.

In her many attempts to report repeated incidents of sexist abuse inside Uber, HR denied her protest for decent treatment, telling her that she was the "common theme" in all her complaints and that reporting things to HR using email was "unprofessional." Telling women not to complain, or suppress their urge to complain, is one of the hallmark signs of sexist organizations, as noted by The Verge.

No Leather Jackets For Women

In an odd part of the series of accounts, Fowler describes how a manager ordered leather jackets for all site reliability engineers except women because there were not enough of them to make up for the expense of purchasing the jackets. Fowler says that over 120 men got their jackets and that according to the manager, it wouldn't be fair to order jackets for women unless they found a way to receive a bulk discount.

Travis Kalanick Orders Urgent Investigation

Travis Kalanick, Uber's CEO, has ordered an urgent investigation in light of Fowler's blog post.

"What she describes is abhorrent and against everything Uber stands for and believes in," he said, as reported by CNBC. Kalanick says that this is the first time he has learned of such accounts and that he instructed Uber's new HR chief to conduct the investigation.

"We seek to make Uber a just workplace and there can be absolutely no place for this kind of behavior at Uber  and anyone who behaves this way or thinks this is OK will be fired."

Fowler wrote that when she joined Uber, 25 percent of the company was comprised of women. When she left, it was down to 3 percent.

Upon publication, Fowler's blog post quickly gained traction online, even reaching Chris Sacca, an early Uber investor, who called Fowler's account of sexist incidents "awful."

"This is awful. I'm very sorry it happened to you. I can't imagine how that must have felt and still feels now," said Sacca.

"Well, as you might have read, I have zero say in how that company is run. Frustrating," Sacca said when asked what Uber and its investors can do moving forward.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Guess who is planning their space exploration mission right after China and India? None other than UK.

According to reports, a bill named Spaceflight has been proposed which will "cement the UK's position as a world leader in this emerging market."

The proposed bill offers setting up of space ports and launching of satellites to gain knowledge and information about space, giving UK an edge in the space exploration sector.

Spaceflight Bill

As stated by the Department for Transport (DfT), the Spaceflight bill is the ticket, which will allow scientists from the UK to perform several experiments under zero gravity, as well as develop enhanced vaccines and antibiotics.

The proposal also states that if developments go according to plan, the UK will lift off a commercial space shuttle from its own space port by 2020.

"Our ambition is to allow for safe and competitive access to space from the UK, so we remain at the forefront of a new commercial space age," said aviation Lord Ahmad, UK's aviation minister.

Why A Spaceflight Bill?

The global commercial space flight market is estimated to be worth 25 billion (approximately $31.1 billion) over the next 20 years. Given the circumstances that all other nations are making incredible progress in space exploration, it would be foolhardy for Britain to stay out of the race.

Ahmad stated that the UK's ambition is to gain safe and competitive access to space in a bid to stay ahead in the commercial game. Moreover, he also stated that the UK's space sector is the future of British economy, which is obvious given the global market estimates stated earlier.

"The UK 's space sector is the future of the British economy. It already employs thousands of people and supports industries worth more than 250 million to the economy, and we want to grow it further," said Ahmad.

The Spaceflight bill would also make the UK independent by creating its own space ports and launch stations. Currently, the UK has to depend on other countries like the United States, India or Japan to get access to launch vehicles. This dependence not only causes delays but also imposes restrictions on the UK in many ways.

The bill would make the UK capable of launching its own space exploration mission without any compromises.

Progress So Far

Nearly 10 million (approximately $12 million) worth of grants would be made available to help start the commercial spaceflight project by 2020. The Spaceflight bill would be submitted in the Parliament for approval sometime this week.

Photo: SpaceX | Flickr

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Here's a fun treat for TV memorabilia fans or just fans of Norman Lear's groundbreaking sitcom, All in the Family: A jacket worn by fictional Queens resident Archie Bunker, played by the late Carroll O'Connor, was appraised on Antiques Roadshow. A woman bought it from an estate sale of O'Connor's widow and paid just $40 for the plaid CPO coat!

The episode (which premieres Monday night) was filmed in Palm Springs, and the curious Roadshow attendee explained that when O'Connor's wifeNancy Fields O'Connor, a documentary producerdied in 2014, her daughter-in-law opened up their Malibu home for the estate sale. She described going into a bedroom and realizing the coat looked like it was right out of Archie Bunker's wardrobe. She said to the daughter-in-law, "These couldn't possibly be your father's in law's clothes," and got the reply, "Yeah, my mom never threw anything away."

The attendee said that having the coat "just takes me back to a time when my whole family was together, laughing and having a good time." And of course, there's a great reaction to the appraised value: $10,000 to $15,000!

And here's that famous scene with O'Connor and Sammy Davis Jr., with the plaid coat in the background:

Tonight's episode of Antiques Roadshow also features a Noah Purifoy sculpture and a Franz Bergman lamp. We spoke to producer Marsha Bemko in 2014 when the show made a return to NYC and there was a million-dollar appraisal!
The worlds richest man sends out a chilling warning: people by the tens of millions could get killed by bioterrorism  and no country is ready at present to face such monumental threat.

Bill Gates warned world leaders last Saturday at the Munich Security Conference that a genetically engineered virus could make it easier to kill more people than nuclear weapons could. He raised the same concern on bioterrorism at the World Economic Forum last January.

Genetically Engineered Terrorist Threats

Gates raised the dangers of ignoring the association between global security and health security.

The next epidemic could originate on the computer screen of a terrorist intent on using genetic engineering to create a synthetic version of the smallpox virus ... or a super contagious and deadly strain of the flu, warned the Microsoft cofounder, who has spent billions in philanthropic efforts focused on global health.

On his first appearance at the conference, Gates cited epidemiologists estimate that a fast-moving airborne pathogen could hit and kill over 30 million in less than a year  a likely outbreak in the next 10 to 15 years.

It already happened, Gates added, when a deadly, highly contagious flu strain killed 50 million to 100 million in 1918. A fatal global pandemic not happening recently should not be mistaken for proof that it will not take place in the future, he said.

[E]ven if the next pandemic isnt on the scale of the 1918 flu, we would be wise to consider the social and economic turmoil that might ensue if something like Ebola made its way into urban centers, Gates explained.

Gearing Up For Battle

The tech billionaires co-panelists were in agreement with him.

We have forgotten how catastrophic those epidemics have been, said Norways prime minister Erna Solberg, referring to the more rapid spread of violence and disease today than ever. She cited the Black Death that killed over half of the Norwegian population and paved the way for a two-century recession in Europe.

Its only a matter of time for these events to occur again, according to WHO executive director Peter Salama, who called for ramping up preparedness across the world.

U.S. and UK intelligence offices have earlier warned that biological weapons are in development at Syrian and Iraqi bases, although they have downplayed the threat and assured that better skills and laboratories are needed by terrorists to carry out destruction plans.

Security experts are also not taking the threat of bioterrorism lightly, particularly with updates in molecular biology that makes it easier now to devise bio-weapons.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists seven biological agents as potential ingredients in a bioterrorist cocktail, including anthrax and bleeding fevers such as Ebola.

Gates, who along with his wife, founded the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2000, said that technological advances as well as new developments in drugs and vaccines could help prevent the spread of epidemics  the same things necessary to prepare for a biological attack, he said.

He stressed the importance of innovation, cooperation, and careful planning in stopping nuclear warfare, climate catastrophe, and global pandemics in their tracks.

Also recently, Gates delved on the issue of bots stealing human employment and believed that one should tax the robots despite being non-living entities.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The problem with treating people with terminal cancer is not that doctors cannot kill the cancer but rather doing so needs high radiation doses that can also kill the patient.

Marco Durante from the National Institute of Nuclear Physics in Italy, however, suggested a solution that may potentially cure half of cancer patients: put patients into hibernation while their tumors are being killed using radiotherapy.

Humans Can Hibernate

Research suggests that most animals including humans have the ability to hibernate. Scientists, for instance, have induced hibernation in rats and there have been instances when people appear to have entered hibernation, during which they experienced a dramatic drop in temperature. Their metabolism also slowed down to the extent they can survive for a longer time without oxygen. Some seem to be unharmed by the experience.

Anna Bagenholm, a Swedish radiologist, fell into and remained in a hole in ice for more than one hour with her body temperature falling to 13.7 degrees Celsius. She suffered from a slight amount of nerve injury but made a complete recovery.

A 13-month-old toddler wearing only a nappy ventured outside in sub-zero conditions and was considered clinically dead when she was found. Doctors were not able to detect recordable heartbeat but the child returned to normal with no signs of serious damage after being placed under a warming blanket. Doctors suggested she may have entered a hibernation-like state.

Hibernation To Help Treat Cancer

Scientists think that placing the body in a resting state improves its ability to repair DNA damage.

During hibernation, a form of cold temperature deep sleep, body functions such as metabolism, heart and respiration rate, and oxygen uptake all slow down. Molecular level activities such as protein synthesis and gene activity slow down as well.

Durante said that hibernation may potentially offer hope for thousands of cancer patients with terminal cancer.

About half of cancer patients have advanced cancer and there is nothing that can be done with them as they have multiple metastasis in their body. Durante said that doctors cannot treat all metastases since it is not possible to use surgery everywhere to eliminate the cancer or use radiation in all the affected parts.

Such an aggressive treatment will kill the patient. Putting the patient into synthetic hibernation though may stop the cancer from growing, giving oncologists more time.

"You also increase radioresistance. So you can treat all the different metastases without killing the patient," Durante said. "You wake up the patients and they are cured. That is our ambition."

Scientists have found that when the body enters a state of torpor, it is significantly protected from the toxic effects of radiotherapy and even stops tumors from growing. With this, oncologists may be able to use higher doses of radiation to kill cancer cells sans harming the patient. The approach may potentially help thousands whose conditions appear to be no longer treatable.

Researchers have successfully tried the process in rats and are now on the stage of planning to conduct tests on humans with the hope that the treatment would be available within a decade. The plan is to place cancer patients into deep sleep for around a week, long enough to give time for medics to kill their tumors using radiotherapy.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
According to a new study, 30 percent to 40 percent of the BMI in children is inherited from parents. This means that if the parents are suffering from obesity issues then it is likely that the child will be inheriting it as well.

In case of most obese children, this rate can be as high 55 percent to 60 percent. An experiment has been conducted by a team of researchers at the University of Sussex in which the weight and height ratios of almost 100,000 children and parents worldwide were studied. The countries that were included were the U.S., the UK, Indonesia, China, Mexico and Spain.

Intergenerational Transmission Leading To Obesity In Children

The findings showed that around 0.2 percent of BMI was constantly transmitted through intergeneration. Further research revealed that the transmission took place at about 20 percent from the mother and 20 percent from the father.

"From one of the most obese populations - USA - to two of the least obese countries in the world - China and Indonesia," said Professor Peter Dolton of the University of Sussex, indicating the variety of data that had to be collected from over the globe.

These results were quite consistent irrespective of the difference in origin, as well as economic development of the country. This research was an eye opener as it showed how obesity got transmitted over the generations both in developing and developed countries. It shows how overweight parents can lead to obesity in children.

How The Study Was Conducted

The team consistently monitored the participants from all over the world. They found the parental effect to be the lowest for the slimmest children and highest for obese children.

In case of the slimmest child, 10 percent of their BMI was inherited from the mother and another 10 percent from the father. However, for the obese child the rate of transmission was almost 30 percent, inherited from each of their parents.

The research concluded that children belonging to obese parents are more likely to become obese in their growing years. The effect is greater for the most obese children than in case of the slimmer ones.

The study's findings are important in the context of the health of children worldwide. With these results, people would perhaps start leading a healthier life for both their own benefit, as well as the healthier future of their kids.

The study has been published in the journal Economics and Human Biology.

Photo: U.S. Department of Agriculture | Flickr

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The mimicry continues. Facebook has taken a page off Snapchat's playbook once again for the nth time and cloned the popular photo messaging service's "Stories" feature for WhatsApp, renamed it "Status," and gave it encryption.

WhatsApp Borrows Snapchat's Stories

The new feature is being rolled out Monday, letting users share photos, GIFs, or videos superimposed with drawings, emoji, or captions that'll show up on friends' newsfeeds, which will expire after 24 hours. The setup is, needless to say, dead-on Snapchat-y, although this isn't a surprise: Apps Facebook now own or have created, including Instagram and Messenger, have all tried and succeeded in borrowing photo-sharing features Snapchat first championed.

The premise of it copying the company, which is currently busy with its IPO, isn't even subtle, and in fact, the desire to do such a thing originates some years ago. In 2013, Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook's CEO, offered $3 billion to buy Snapchat. It declined. Since then, Facebook has tried to provide a similar set of features heralded by Snapchat, The New York Times reports.

The feature is a bigger change for WhatsApp compared with Instagram, since the latter had already been infused with photo-related purposes even before the Snapchat-like features emerged. WhatsApp, however, is chiefly a messaging app, and the feature potentially heralds an entirely new way of using it to its user base, the total number of which runs past the billion mark.

Until now, WhatsApp has been fairly utilitarian  people bring it up to check their messages, send some of their own, read and type some more, and then halt, not scroll through their friend's activity or content streams. That'll change very, very soon, obviously.

Advertisers' Playground

Apart from conventional photo-sharing features of "Status," it could also usher in a flurry of advertisers all running to take advantage of the platform. More than a year ago, as per a report by Forbes, WhatsApp said that it was looking for a way in which businesses could send messages to its users without coming off as intrusive. This could be the solution it has found  not that it had to look far.

WhatsApp executives shied away when asked about the feature's similarities with Snapchat's. A spokeswoman for Facebook Messenger, Jennifer Hakes, however, said, as per the New York Times's report:

"In some ways, the camera is now replacing the keyboard. As more people use Messenger in their everyday lives, we wanted to make it faster, simpler and more fun to send photos and videos  so we built the new Messenger camera," which is interesting, since it nearly parallels Snap CEO Evan Spiegel's comments about what the camera is for the smartphone in modern communication.

In its latest Roadshow materials to entice investors, Spiegel said that with Snapchat, the primary input method has been the camera, in the way the keyboard is the primary input for the computer.

WhatsApp has now become the fourth Facebook-owned entity to be inserted with the said feature. Instagram received it first in August, followed by Facebook Messenger and Facebook itself, both of which remain in testing across a number of countries.

Going Back To WhatsApp Roots

While the feature holds dead-on similarities, WhatsApp has positioned it as a "gift" to its users and also a coming-back-to-its-roots move. In a blog post, the company said that when WhatsApp started eighty years ago, it was an app for sharing status updates, which then grew into a messaging app, and then to what it has become now.

The feature's impact to Snap's roadmap remains to be seen. Its IPO is scheduled for March 2.

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Microorganisms believed to be 60,000 year old, which were recently discovered by NASA scientists, may hold more clues than meet the eye. Scientists believe the discovery may hold the key to understanding microbial evolutionary history.

Trapped in giant crystals, the microbes thrived in a hostile environment with sulfite, manganese, and copper oxide as their food.

The NASA scientists discovered the ancient bacteria deep into the Naica mountain caves in the Northern Mexican state of Chihuahua.

Ancient Bacteria Hold The Key To Evolutionary History

These microbes may have evolved in order to survive, said Penelope Boston of NASA's Astrobiology Institute at the conference of the American Association for the Advancement of Science over the weekend.

Boston revealed that around 100 kinds of microorganisms have been discovered inside the mine crystals, most of them are bacteria with varying periods from 10,000 to 60,000 years.

Most of these microbes have not been observed before.

The discovery may have "profound effects on how we try to understand the evolutionary history of microbial life on this planet," Boston said.

Bacteria are known to pass their genes even with species different from their own in a process called lateral gene transfer. Ancient bacteria, such as the ones recently discovered, can be used to study the evolution history of microbes.

Extraterrestrial Organisms Can Hitch A Ride To Earth

The condition in Naica is hot, with temperatures ranging from 40-60 degree Celcius  it is also humid and acidic. In the absence of light in its environment, the microbes had to generate energy by processing the rock minerals around them.

These mineral-eating microbes have survived the worst of conditions for thousands of years and it raises a possibility that dangerous microorganisms from space can enter Earth through a returning spaceship and yet survive, NASA scientists warned.

On the other hand, Earth organisms can also potentially contaminate other planets during space missions to Mars or the moon.

There is no way of knowing "true Mars life or life from icy worlds rather than our own," Boston, the new director of NASA's Astrobiology Institute in California, observed.

Not Just Another Contaminant

There were concerns that the newfound microorganisms could be just products of contamination, either introduced by the team of scientists or the mining operations.

Boston admitted this could be possible but at the same time confident that all protocols during the course of the research were followed.

Her confidence is not unfounded.

The Naica caves ooze with diverse life present in the environment, which only meant that "these are fully fledged microbial communities that have their viral load" inherent to any other community.

"So, that's another aspect of this that argues against casual contamination," she said.

As an astrobiologist, Boston believes the Naica caves discovery is relevant in the search for extraterrestrial life.

The discovery is an added collection to the "atlas of possibilities that we can apply to different planetary settings."

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Despite the changes that Microsoft will implement along with the Creators Update, data protection watchdogs in the European Union are still concerned over the privacy of Windows 10 users.

Microsoft has won over certain privacy groups with the changes that will be made to data collection policies once the Windows 10 Creators Update rolls out, but apparently, they were not enough for privacy authorities in the European Union.

EU Watchdogs Express Concern Over Windows 10 User Data Privacy

The Article 29 Working Party, a group that is made up of the 28 authorities of the European Union responsible for the enforcement of laws on user data protection, issued a letter last year to Microsoft. The letter contained the group's concerns on the default settings for the installation of Windows 10 and the apparent lack of options for users to prevent Microsoft from collecting and processing their data.

With the Creators Update, the Windows 10 installation process will include a new screen that allows users to see and adjust the most important privacy settings related to their data and how the operating system uses and process them.

The list of privacy settings include Location, which will allow Windows 10 and apps to access data on where the user is located; Speech Recognition, which will send voice input to Microsoft to help in the improvement of speech services; Diagnostics, which will send diagnostic data on various tools and service to Microsoft; Tailored Experiences With Diagnostic Data, which will allow Microsoft to use the diagnostic data coming from users; and Relevant Ads, which will allows apps to use data to display more interesting advertisements.

In addition to the improvements in privacy control, Microsoft will be launching a new privacy dashboard that will grant better control over the privacy settings of Microsoft accounts.

The Article 29 Working Party, however, said that separately from the ongoing inquiries into the operating system and despite the changes coming with the Windows 10 Creators Update, it remains concerned with how the personal data of users will be protected.

Privacy Concerns Against Microsoft

National authorities have previously launched investigations into Windows 10, with France back in July ordering Microsoft to stop its practice of excessive collection of user data. France's Chair of the National Data Protection Commission then ordered Microsoft to implement changes to the operating system with three months or face significant fines.

The concerns by the Article 29 Working Party is separate from these issues, specifically as with the expanded privacy options for Windows 10, it was still not clear whether users will be informed on the specific types of data that will be collected from them if they agree to the options. Without consumers knowing what specific data they are agreeing to share, they will not be able to make informed decisions on whether or not to activate the privacy options.

Microsoft, however, was acknowledged by the Article 29 Working Party to have shown willingness in cooperating with the group's concerns. The company still has a couple of months to try to address the concerns, as the Creators Update is expected to launch in April.

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Samsung's standing in the United States plummeted by 42 places, a new reputation poll reveals.

Considering how the whole Galaxy Note 7 fiasco  among other things  stirred up the tech world for both consumers and manufacturers alike, it shouldn't come as much of a surprise that the South Korean brand is taking quite a hit regarding its position in the market.

Samsung's Reputation In The Eyes Of The American Consumer

According to Harris Poll's 2017 Reputation Quotient Ratings, Samsung is now the 49th placer in the list of the 100 most visible companies in the United States, scoring 75.17. In the previous 2016 poll, the company managed to get the seventh spot.

Other competitors worth noting that beat the smartphone maker includes Apple in the fifth ranking with 82.07, Google in the eighth ranking with 82, Microsoft in the 20th ranking with 79.29, and Sony in the 42nd ranking with 76.76.

The agency considers entries that scored 80 and above as Excellent and 75 to 79 as Very Good. It conducted the survey between Nov. 28 and Dec. 16, 2016, during the time when Samsung was trying to come up with ways to remotely kill off Galaxy Note 7 units in customers' hands. This goes without saying, but that was just terrible timing.

For the survey, Harris Poll asked more than 30,000 U.S. adults to participate and attributed approximately 300 ratings for each company in the list, taking into account factors such as social responsibility, vision and leadership, financial performance, products and services, emotional appeal, and workplace environment. The organization calls it the Six Dimensions of Reputation.

Things Aren't Looking Up For Samsung Just Yet

Last year, Samsung had a tough time dealing with the Galaxy Note 7 debacle, recalling the device worldwide not once but twice due to batteries catching fire.

As if that weren't enough to put the company in the critical spotlight, its washing machines followed suit, prompting a warning from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, which occurred in September 2016, before Harris Poll's survey started.

Fast-forward to more recent events, Samsung's battery woes aren't over yet when a fire broke out in the factory of the company's battery-making subsidiary SDI. Also, a South Korean court has issued an arrest warrant for Lee Jae-yong, the Samsung heir.

While these happened after the survey, they are still bad signs for the company moving forward.

At any rate, Samsung's future in the smartphone business hinges on the highly anticipated Galaxy S8 and Galaxy Note 8.

Reuters Poll Implied Otherwise

Before Harris Poll's results came to light, Reuters conducted an opinion poll between Oct. 26 and Nov. 9, 2016, and it implied the Galaxy Note 7 disaster didn't have a huge impact on Samsung and discovered that users were still loyal to the brand despite all the hubbub.

It involved 2,735 Samsung phone owners and 3,158 iPhone users across all the 50 states.

Needless to say, the two surveys at play here have yielded conflicting findings.

Galaxy Note 7 Snafu May Have Been Good But Not For Samsung

Samsung may not have a silver lining of sorts out of the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco, but it may have been beneficial for consumers.

First off, awareness of the risks involving lithium-ion batteries in practically every gadget have become widespread.

Second, industry standards may have been raised  case in point, LG is going above and beyond to make sure the G6 won't suffer the same fate as the Galaxy Note 7.

Last but not least, it caused Samsung to implement its 8-Point Battery Safety Check, ensuring the batteries in its future devices are up to code and safe.

Recap

To sum things up, Samsung is no longer among the top 10 brands in the United States, according to Harris Poll, and it's likely because of the exploding Galaxy Note 7 and washing machines. However, loyal fans of the company are still there to show support, even after all the problems in 2016.

With all said and done, what do you think of Samsung taking a big hit in terms of reputation? Drop by our comments section below and let us know.

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In a mere decade, poaching has decimated forest elephants in Minkebe National Park in Africa, slaughtering about 25,000 or roughly 81 percent of the population in what is supposed to be a key sanctuary.

In the key nature reserve deemed one of the largest and most important in Central Africa, the number of elephants declined by at least 78 percent, according to new findings by a Duke University team.

Losing Elephants To The Ivory Trade

The remote, 2,900-square-mile Minkebe in the country of Gabon acts as a frontliner in the battle against poaching, which seeks to respond to ivory demand in Asia. Now, the regions elephant population appears to be disappearing fast from just 2004 to 2014.

With nearly half of Central Africas estimated 100,000 forest elephants thought to live in Gabon, the loss of 25,000 elephants from this key sanctuary is a considerable setback for the preservation of the species, confirmed Duke professor and study author John Poulsen in a statement.

Minkebe is threatened not just by poachers originating from within the country, but by hunters for neighboring ones such as Cameroon, which are believed to have "emptied the northern and central sections of the park, according to the study published in the journal Current Biology.

Gabonese poachers are killing elephants in the southern part of the park, which is 58 kilometers (36 miles) from the nearest major road. The central and northern sections, on the other hand, are only 6.1 km (3.79 miles) from a national road in Cameroon, making it quite easy for poachers to access their target and move their illegal wares back to the huge city and ivory trade hub of Douala.

To estimate the extent of the elephant population loss, the team compared data from two major surveys of elephant dung in the park during the 10-year period, using two methods accounting for heavy rainfall that could accelerate the dungs decay and skew survey accuracy. The dungs abundance and geographic distribution pointed to two fronts where poaching pressure emanates, Poulsen explained.

Curbing Poaching In The Region

The Gabonese government has taken steps to address the problem in Minkebe, including updating the conservation status of the species to fully protected, doubling the parks budget, and being the first African country to burn all confiscated ivory.

While laudable, they do little to stop the illegal trespassing, the team said, recommending the creation of new multinational protected zones and coordinating international law enforcement to prosecute foreigners committing wildlife crimes in other territories.

China, the largest ivory market worldwide, announced in 2016 that it is planning to ban domestic ivory trade by the end of this year. The announcement came months after the United States, another major market, banned the trade of largely all ivory goods to protect the African elephant.

The situation looks grim, but scientists like Poulsen are not even close to giving up.

As much bad news as weve been hearing, I think people are paying attention and theres more will to conserve the elephants, he said in a report in The Atlantic. Chinas ivory ban is good evidence of that. Im optimistic that we can move forward and save both species.

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For their next installment of milkshake this, Black Tapthe burgary turned 2,500 calorie Instagram bait pusherstakes the hometown angle, partnering with Brooklyn-born Junior's for a milkshake/cheesecake mashup.

Take a look at The New Yorker Shake, a strawberry "Crazy Shake"the parlance they use to describe...stuff like thisrimmed with vanilla frosting and graham crackers and capped off with a slice of Junior's Strawberry Cheesecake and a jaunty dollop of whipped cream. Is it still a milkshake when you need to employ a fork to eat said milkshake? Questions for future generations.

During the first weekend of March (3/3/-3/5), all locations of Black Tap and two Junior's locations in NYC (the Brooklyn flagship and Times Square) will offer the shake. If you can agree to part with $19 (a regular slice at Junior's is about $8, for reference), this sip and slice of future heart disease can be yours.
Researchers at the Madison School of Veterinary Medicine conducted a study which indicates that the Listeria pathogens can adversely affect the fetus during pregnancy and may even cause miscarriage during the early stages, in some cases.

The results of their research have been published in the journal mBio on Feb 21.

"Listeria has been associated with adverse outcomes in pregnancy, but particularly at the end of pregnancy," said Ted Golos, a UW-Madison professor of comparative biosciences and reproductive physiologist

Effects Of Listeria

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed that Listeria afflicts a relatively small number of Americans each year. Among those infected, most are either newborn babies or older adults with weak immune systems.

Sophia Kathariou, a North Carolina State University professor of microbiology and food science represented the cases of around 11 pregnant women who faced stillbirth, miscarriage and premature delivery in 2000 due to the infection.

Procedure And Result Of The Research

The trial involved several animals, such as monkeys who were pregnant. Researchers assessed the animals by ingesting them with the Listeria infection. Later, the animals were analyzed by conducting ultrasound of their fetus.

The study revealed that none of the mother monkeys were infected themselves before the end of their pregnancies. It seemed that the Listeria invaded the placenta which prevented the transmission of the bacteria to the mother.

The researchers concluded that Listeria or several other pathogens are the vital reasons of miscarriages and the bacteria's speed makes it hard to cure.

Preventive Measures

To prevent the infection, pregnant women are advised to avoid several foods, such as unpasteurized milk, soft cheese, raw sprouts and also melon and deli meats which are not carefully handled. These foods tend to harbor Listeria bacterium.

The researchers also stated that the symptom of Listeria infection during pregnancy is indistinguishable, as there are several similar discomforts that a pregnant woman may naturally face during the early stages of pregnancy. Therefore, it becomes difficult to diagnose the infection.

Bryce Wolfe, a UW-Madison graduate student, who also monitored the progression of Listeria, suggested the availability of severable effective antibiotics.

Wolfe, along with Golos, is further planning to study Listeria and resolve questions concerning the process of bacteria targeting the reproductive tract, its incubation time and its connectivity with the disease. They plan to provide basic knowledge regarding the maternal immune effect on intracellular pathogens during pregnancy that will likely help in the cure of other diseases.

While Listeria is not treated as seriously as the Zika virus for now, its potential danger warrants people to stay vigilant against it as well.

Photo: Nicu Buculei | Flickr

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In a private ceremony on Saturday lead by several Northwest tribes, the Kennewick Man was reburied, ending a 20-year-old legal battle between scientists and native tribes.

For the unfamiliar, scientists were of the opinion that the Kennewick Man's bones - touted to be the "most important human skeleton ever found in North America" - must be examined for research. However, the Native American tribes were against this notion and wanted to lay them to rest.

The two decade-long saga came to an end over the weekend following the remains of the 9000-year-old Paleoamerican being finally interred.

Nearly 30 Native Americans from five different tribes traveled to Burke Museum in Seattle on Feb. 17. This was the place where the skeleton had been preserved for the last two decades.

The tribe members retrieved dozens of boxes containing the remains of the Kennewick Man and on Feb. 18, more than 200 people of the tribes, such as the Yakama, Umatilla, Nez Perce, Colville and Wanapum, gathered at an undisclosed location on the Columbia Plateau to bury the Ancient One. The somber ceremony was completed with various traditional songs.

"The Ancient One ... may now finally find peace, and we, his relatives, will equally feel content knowing that this work has been completed on his behalf," shared JoDe Goudy, chairman of the Yakama Nation Tribal Council.

The Kennewick Man

The remains of Kennewick Man were spotted in 1996. It was a summer day when two college students discovered the human skull along the Columbia River in Kennewick. Being one of the most-studied sets of ancient remains in the world, the discovered skeleton's hip was entrenched with a stone point.

The archaeologists unearthed around 300 pieces of bone in the coming months to complete the skeleton.

The scientists performed several tests on the discovered skeleton and at the time of discovery believed that the bones were unrelated to Native Americans. However, they were curious to learn about the origins of the remains. They even suggested that the Kennewick Man was the offspring of people who migrated from Asia to North America. The people migrated into the continent before individuals who were responsible for modern-day Native Americans.

Moreover, scientists compared the Kennewick Man's DNA with that of people originating from Europe, Asia and even America. The study's results were published in 2015, which revealed that most of the DNA matched with most Native Americans.

The findings affirmed the beliefs of the tribe members that the Kennewick Man was their relative.

The Custody Battle

Scientists and Native Americans fought over the custody of the bones of the Ancient One for over two decades. The tribal people opposed further research on the remains, suggesting that it would violate their religious and cultural rights. They were in the favor of reburial of the remains.

A prolonged legal battle followed, with the Native Americans losing the legal battle in 2004. The court ordered the researchers to continue their study of the remains in the museum. However, tribes were able to visit the remains at the time of some ceremonies.

In December 2016, President Obama signed a legislation as reported, allowing the native tribes of eastern Washington to take away the remains of Kennewick Man for reburial, putting an end to the battle.

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Samsung is apparently ready to bet big on artificial intelligence, with a massive amount of money set aside for buying more AI companies.

Artificial intelligence is rapidly gaining ground and it's playing an increasingly bigger role in people's everyday lives. From smart digital assistants to all sorts of gadgets, robots, infotainment systems and more, AI is shaping up as a cornerstone of modern technology and it adds convenience in virtually every technology area.

We've seen an impressive growth in the artificial intelligence field in recent years and the trend is gaining momentum still, with more companies embedding AI technology into more products and areas.

Samsung itself is expected to take a big AI plunge with a smart assistant called Bixby, presumably set to grace the next-generation Samsung Galaxy S8 flagship. Bixby is reportedly based on technology from Viv Labs, an artificial intelligence company that Samsung acquired back in September 2016.

Viv Labs was founded by the creators behind Apple's popular Siri digital assistant and Bixby is expected to be a massive selling point for the Galaxy S8 and future high-end devices from Samsung.

Samsung Reserving $1 Billion To Buy AI Companies

A new report out of South Korea now indicates that Samsung has even more ambitious artificial intelligence endeavors. The report claims that Samsung is considering setting up a large fund for future acquisitions, with a specific focus in mind. The company is reportedly allocating a whopping $1 billion to this goal and a Samsung Electronics US official, who agreed to comment under condition of anonymity, said that Samsung is reserving that fund for acquiring AI companies.

While Samsung has already made a number of deals recently, including the Viv Labs acquisition, the company's management reportedly agreed that Samsung needs to invest more in artificial intelligence. A $1 billion fund for AI acquisitions could definitely go a long way toward that goal, but it remains to be seen whether it will actually materialize.

Samsung AI Efforts

Samsung's increased interest in artificial intelligence might be stemming from the company's bid to set itself apart from the crowd and come up with something more innovative. The Galaxy Note 7 disaster put quite a dent in the company's financials and reputation and those two recalls won't be easy to put behind, but Samsung is expected to make up for that fiasco with a truly impressive Galaxy S8 flagship with Bixby AI on board.

Various reports speculate that Bixby will debut on the Samsung Galaxy S8, but it will eventually expand to more Samsung products later on. The AI assistant will likely reach only high-end devices at first, but it could reach even mid-range devices further down the line.

Having a more solid portfolio of AI companies under its belt would undoubtedly help Samsung gain a bigger foothold in the market, but it remains to be seen how things will pan out in the end.

It's all still in the rumor stage at this point, so it's highly advised to take all such rumors and reports with a dose of skepticism. As always, we'll keep you informed as soon as we learn more.

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The Department of Homeland Security today unveiled extreme immigration enforcement guidelines that direct interior and border enforcement officials on how to carry out President Donald Trump's policies. The published memos differ little from a pair of memos leaked over the weekend, and are already being met with resistance.

"These memos confirm that the Trump administration is willing to trample on due process, human decency, [and] the well-being of communities... in pursuit of a hyper-aggressive mass deportation policy," said American Civil Liberties Union Immigrants' Rights Project director Omar Jadwat in a statement.

"The courts and public will not allow this un-American dream to become a reality," he added.

The guidelines vastly expand deportation priorities, superseding efforts under President Barack Obama to focus enforcement on convicted felons and individuals on terrorism watch lists. Though President Trump said on the campaign trial that he would focus on removing "criminals" from the country, the definition of criminal has been broadly expanded to include any person who is in the United States without a visa. There are an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants in the US.

"Under this executive order, with extremely limited exceptions, DHS will not exempt classes or categories of removal aliens from potential enforcement," a fact sheet published Tuesday morning states. "All of those in violation of the immigration laws may be subject to enforcement proceedings, up to and including removal from the United States."

The legal term "alien" includes undocumented residentsthere are an estimated 500,000 in NYCas well as anyone with a green card or temporary visa. Last week, immigration defense attorneys in NYC told Gothamist that they were already experiencing this hardline attitude in court.

The guidelines also call for expedited removal of all undocumented immigrants who have been in the country for less than two yearsa procedure currently only applicable in cases where a person has been in the United States for less than two weeks and is within 100 miles of the US border.

A recent American Immigration Council report outlines the history of expedited removal, which has been on the rise in recent years. In FY 2013, 193,000 removals, or 44 percent of the total, were executed this way. Under Trump, the organization predicts, thousands more could be quickly deported, without due process.



(Scott Lynch / Gothamist)

The border control memo can be viewed in full here, along with a fact sheet. Same for the interior control memo.

"I think the expanded use of forms of removal that don't permit a person the due process protection of going before a neutral judge is a very significant thing," NYCLU Staff Attorney Jordan Wells told Gothamist. "We are talking about the right to be here [in the US] and be among your family, and not be deported from the country. But it also is very ominous in terms of the regard this administration is going to have for people to have their day in court."

The memos also call for the prosecution of parents found to have aided a child's border crossing, and the reinstatement of a program called Secure Communities, which emboldens police departments to perform ICE duties. DHS refers to the police-collaboration programa President George W. Bush legacy that would not apply under New York City's sanctuary guidelinesas a "highly successful force multiplier."

Another surprise, for immigration advocates, is a plan to send all immigrants apprehended at the border back to Mexico to await deportation hearingsnot just Mexican immigrants, but anyone crossing the southern border.

An anonymous DHS official told the NY Times this morning that that particular guideline would not be implemented without approval from the Mexican government.

DHS has not eliminated Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). Trump pledged on the campaign trail to immediately repeal the policy, which has given temporary work permits to hundreds of thousands of immigrants who entered the US illegally as children.

All told, this vast expansion of DHSincluding a wider application of expedited removalwould likely require an influx of Congress-approved funding. Most people detained by ICE are entitled to a hearing before a judge, and New York City has a strong track record for providing immigrants with representation in court. A Legal Aid Society attorney told us last week that she was adamant about continuing to pursue "every right our clients have."

Before mass deportations, many advocates anticipate massive court backlogs.

"Immigrants already have to wait an average of 2.5 years to have a hearing before an immigration judge," said Stephen Yale-Loehr, an immigration professor at Cornell Law School. "Unless the administration finds funding to hire more immigration judges, those backlogs will skyrocket."

But Wells cautioned that some aspects of the memos are more ideological than logistical, and could have an immediate impact on immigrant communities across the country. He referenced Brandon Judd, president of the National Border Patrol Council, who told the Washington Post this weekend that the draft memos were "heading in the right direction" by instilling fear in immigrants, and dissuading them from attempting to cross the border.

"You get the impression that agents are chomping at the bit to take Trump up on his invitation to just, without any sort of mercy or regard for why people are coming to the US, detain and deport them," Wells said. "All of the signals from the White House are to be relentless and to not prioritize."

While NYC laws limit cooperation between ICE and law enforcement, ICE still has the bandwidth to investigate cases and make arrests here. The Mayor's Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Advocates across NYC have decried DHS's new mandate. "Immigrant communities and our allies will resist these policies," said Javier Valdes, co-director of Make the Road New York. "We are here to stay."

[Update 5:00 pm]: Mayor de Blasio reiterated New York City's sanctuary policy in a statement Tuesday. We have been clear from the start that we will work with federal immigration authorities to remove individuals who are proven public safety threats in our City," he said. "What we will not do is turn our NYPD officers into immigration agentsor our jails into holding pens for deportation policy that will only undermine the inclusiveness that has helped make New York City the safest big city in the nation.
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Federal authorities are still looking for eight of the 11 passengers who breezed through a TSA security line at JFK without getting fully screened yesterday.

At around 6 a.m. yesterday, 11 passengers at JFK's Terminal 5 walked through an unmanned security line without submitting to a checkat least three of them set off the metal detector, according to surveillance video. Port Authority spokesperson Joseph Pentangelo told Gothamist in a statement yesterday that the TSA did not alert Port Authority police about the breach until 8 a.m., and though officers attempted to locate the passengers, it is believed they all boarded flights.

"The TSA tried to mitigate the situation by sending their screeners through the terminal in violation of all the protocols, an unnamed source told the Daily News. The protocol says law enforcement is immediately notified.

Police were able to identify three passengers using surveillance video, according to Pentangelo. All three boarded a flight to California and were screened when they landed.

The TSA told Gothamist in a statement that the incident did not pose a safety risk:

The Transportation Security Administration is reviewing reports of a possible security incident this morning at John F Kennedy International Airport Terminal 5. Early reports indicate 3 passengers did not receive required secondary screening after alarming the walk through metal detector. All personal carry-on bags received required screening. A K9 team was present at the checkpoint at the time of the incident. TSA conducted security measures at the passengers' arrival airport. TSA works with a network of security layers both seen and unseen. We are confident this incident presents minimal risk to the aviation transportation system.

The administration says they will take "appropriate action" once they've reviewed the breach.
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A 23-year-old corrections cadet at Elayn Hunt Correctional Center in St. Gabriel allegedly caught on video punching an inmate on Sunday was arrested for simple battery.

Eric Lands, who'd worked for the state Department of Public Safety and Corrections since July 25, will be fired following the incident, said Ken Pastorick, a DOC spokesman.

Pastorick said several witnesses  along with the prison's surveillance cameras  saw Lands repeatedly hit the man while escorting him back to his cell.

Witnesses told investigators Lands attacked the inmate after he spit in the cadet's face, Pastorick said.

Detectives from the St. Gabriel Police Department and internal investigators from DOC are both looking into the incident. Pastorick said Lands, who was still in a probationary employment period following his hire seven months ago, passed a criminal background check and met or exceeded all other requirements for the job before joining the department.

The incident comes after the FBI opened an investigation into the alleged beating of a 34-year-old Thibodaux man in early January by a group of six guards at the St. Gabriel prison, which is the state's second-largest correctional facility.

The federal probe into the January incident, as well as a parallel internal investigation by state corrections officials, remains ongoing. The six officers, who haven't been publicly identified, are on paid leave while the investigations continue.

Pastorick said that because Lands was still a probationary employee at the prison, state civil service rules allow prison officials to immediately fire him. Pastorick said Lands still needs to be served with paperwork before his termination becomes official.
Tonia Cain surrendered Tuesday to the Avoyelles Parish Sheriff's Office, Avoyelles Parish District Attorney Charles Riddle III said.

Cain, the wife of former prison warden Nate Cain, was indicted in January on charges of theft of $25,000 or more, malfeasance and injuring public records, according to Riddle.

Cain's attorney, Jill Craft, said in a written statement that Riddle's office prepared an arrest warrant following the grand jury's indictment and that her client has cooperated throughout the process.

"Tonia voluntarily turned herself in and has continued to cooperate fully in this process," Craft wrote. "While we respect the process, we also look forward to presenting the facts and justice."

Cain previously served as business manager at Avoyelles Correctional Center, but resigned in May 2016 during investigations into her and her husband's actions at the prison.

The indictment followed a legislative audit that suggested she had records shredded in order to cover up that more than $30,000 in cash was missing.

That money came from concession sales at the prison that was meant to benefit clubs that help to rehabilitate inmates.
A revised draft of possible TOPS changes Monday no longer includes a controversial recommendation that college freshmen and sophomores get less TOPS aid than juniors and seniors.

The initial proposal was unveiled on Jan. 9 by the staff of the Louisiana Board of Regents, which oversees colleges and universities.

Under that suggestion, freshmen and sophomores would be eligible for less than the traditional assistance from the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students.

+2 Interested in TOPS? Pivotal vote might crank up academic requirements Leading up to a key vote, a proposal to toughen academic requirements for TOPS students has 

Freshmen would get 80 percent of their tuition covered, sophomores 90 percent and juniors and seniors 100 percent, according to the recommendations.

But the latest draft that will go to the board on Friday deletes the section that called for tiered TOPS allocations.

The new version is available at regents.la.gov.

Commissioner of Higher Education Joseph Rallo said Monday Regents officials might revisit the issue if TOPS is fully funded by the Legislature for the 2017-18 school year.

If TOPS is not fully funded for the second year in a row, Rallo said, it would mean freshmen and sophomores would face two reductions  less state aid across the board in addition to a newly-instituted reduction by class level.

"We felt that would be viewed as penalizing the students," he said. "That is why it came out."

TOPS used to be sort of a politically untouchable part of state spending.

Students who met modest high school and college academic requirements, and their families, banked on the state's pledge that their tuition and some other costs would be financed.

Backers said doing so helped keep some of Louisiana's brightest students in the state.

However, repeated state budget problems led to a first-time ever reduction in TOPS funding this year.

Roughly 50,000 TOPS recipients are paying about 30 percent of tuition costs formerly financed by the state.

The recommendation stemmed from a study required under a 2016 bill by state Sen. Sharon Hewitt, R-Slidell.

Last month Hewitt said that, while she favors 100 percent funding for TOPS, dividing the assistance would benefit students who showed they could be successful at the university level.

"I do like the idea of rewarding the upperclassmen," she said Friday.

But there was also criticism of the proposal in emails sent to the Board of Regents since the draft recommendations were announced.

A bill by state Rep. Chris Broadwater, R-Hammond, was offered during the 2016 regular legislative session similar to the tiered recommendation by the regents' staff. That measure died in the House Education Committee.

Rallo said the bill sort of put the issue on the table.

"We were looking at different options," he said. "We thought that was a good plan."

That thinking changed, however, amid signs that state aid for TOPS for the next school year is anything but certain.

The Legislature is nearing the end of a special session to address a $304 million shortfall for the financial year that ends June 30.

Another big shortfall is expected to dominate the regular session, which begins April 10.

That means aid for higher education in general and TOPS in particular is unclear.

"We felt it would be piling on the students and take away even more money," the commissioner said.

State aid for colleges and universities has dropped $700 million in the past seven years.

Still in play for Friday's meeting of the Board of Regents is another controversial proposal to toughen academic requirements for TOPS recipients.

Under that plan, students would have to earn 30 credit hours per academic year to keep the assistance, up from 24 credit hours now.

Rallo, Board of Regents Chairman Richard Lipsey, of Baton Rouge, and others contend the 30-hour rule would help keep students on track to graduate in four years, or close to it.

Opponents say any such requirement would pose hardships on students who hold jobs in addition to their college classes.

The 30-hour proposal, unlike the tiered payments for TOPS recipients, would not require a change in state law.

The change would take effect for the incoming class of 2018.
Louisiana's transportation chief said Monday it is impossible to say exactly how much additional revenue the state needs to make a big impact on the state's troubled road and bridge system.

Shawn Wilson, secretary for the state Department of Transportation and Development, said he has heard talk of boosting the state gasoline tax by 5 cents per gallon, which would raise about $150 million per year.

"I can't deliver the system they (state lawmakers) are asking for, for $150 million," Wilson told the Press Club of Baton Rouge.

He said that, on Sunday, he got calls from two state lawmakers asking for projects, and both had supported a resolution that would result in a $20 million cut in the fund used for road and bridge improvements.

"There is an appetite for projects," Wilson said. "There is not an appetite to pay for it."

A task force named by Gov. John Bel Edwards, and co-chaired by Wilson, said in December that the state would need to spend $700 million more per year to make a major dent in transportation troubles.

The state has a $13 billion backlog of rank-and-file needs and a $16 billion list of "mega" projects, including a new bridge across the Mississippi River in Baton Rouge.

However, such an increase is unlikely in the 2017 regular legislative session, which begins April 10.

Wilson said that, while he will allocate whatever lawmakers agree on for transportation, "it has got to be realistic, it has to be impactful."

Highway backers say privately that at least $400 million more is needed per year for roads and bridges, and that any push for new dollars well below that would mostly end the debate without solving the problem.

The Legislature is in the final three days of a special session to address a $304 million shortfall for the financial year that ends June 30.

In addition, new money problems are expected to again be the key topic for the regular session.

On a possible $300 million increase Wilson said, "I could give you some of the mega projects. I can't give you all of those mega projects."

A $700 million hike would require a 23 cent-per-gallon increase in the state gasoline tax, if that turned out to be the sole source.

"I am not going to be supporting a bill that says 23 cents," Wilson said.

Tolls, public/private partnerships and increased truck fees have also been mentioned as possible revenue sources.

Motorists pay 38.4 cents per gallon in state and federal gasoline taxes, including 20 cents in state taxes.

Any gasoline or other tax hike requires the support of two thirds of the House and Senate, always a tall order politically speaking.

Some key lawmakers contend taxpayers are unwilling to support a big boost in what they pay at the pump.

Wilson, as he often does, cited statistics to make his case for more transportation dollars.

He said 42 states have better pavement conditions than Louisiana, 47 have better bridges and the state is one of just five that has not increased its gasoline tax in nearly 30 years.

"When you think about it, you know why we are where we are," Wilson said.

Edwards said Friday he will announce his transportation recommendations soon.
The special election to fill the Senate District 2 seat vacated by former Sen. Troy Brown last week has been set for April 29.

Louisiana Senate President John Alario, R-Westwego, issued a proclamation Tuesday, setting a qualifying period from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on March 15-17.

Brown, a Democrat from Napoleonville, abruptly resigned from the Senate on the eve of what would have been the first expulsion proceeding in 35 years. Brown said that though he felt his was treated unfairly, he believed that two-thirds of the Senate would vote to remove him.

He had twice pleaded no contest in two separate incidents involving physical violence against women. Under Louisiana law, both charges were misdemeanors. He served a short time in jail, paid a fine and sought counseling.

The River Parishes Senate District 2 covers parts of seven parishes and spans from Geismar south to Thibodaux and east to LaPlace. The district includes portions of St. Charles, St. John the Baptist, St. James, Iberville, West Baton Rouge, Ascension, Assumption and Lafourche parishes.

If a runoff is needed, it will be held on May 27.
Louisiana lawmakers have less than a day left to decide how the state will close a $304 million mid-year budget deficit, and though negotiations appeared to be moving in a positive direction, the fight ultimately could come down to a battle over fewer than $10 million.

At issue is what it will take to get 70 votes in the House to pass a key piece of legislation through so that the state can use money from the rainy day fund.

Behind-the-scenes negotiations over the amount of reserve money House members will stomach stretched on for much of the day Tuesday.

Those involved in the ongoing discussions say that the gap is narrowing, but differences remain.

In calling the nine-day special session, Gov. John Bel Edwards had proposed that lawmakers use $119.6 million from the state's reserves to help plug the hole. The rest of the deficit would be closed by some $59 million in cuts, plus money from other sources, under the governor's plan.

The House instead adopted its own proposal that would use about $75 million in rainy day dollars and cut about $114 million from the budget with four months left in the year.

The Senate countered with a plan that would come down in the middle: about $99 million from the rainy day fund and about $84 million in cuts.

"We think this is a good compromise forward," Senate President John Alario, R-Westwego.

Alario said $99 million is the amount the Senate majority wants and not a negotiating point. Senate Democrats also released a statement saying that they won't agree to any deal that relies on less than $99 million in rainy day dollars.

But House leadership has struggled to muster the votes for the higher number. Use of the rainy day fund to help cover the deficit requires a two-step process: Approval of a budget cut plan and a separate resolution authorizing the state to dip into its reserves, which requires approval from two-thirds of the members of each chamber.

That will be a sticking point with a number of folks. A lot of members would prefer we use no rainy day money," said House Speaker Taylor Barras, R-New Iberia.

House Republican leaders said that members were warming to the idea of going as high as about $90 million from the rainy day fund, but they weren't willing to go to the $99 million favored by the Republican-controlled Senate and now backed by Edwards and Democrats in the House.

Members have until midnight to hash out a final agreement. Several lawmakers from both chamber said Tuesday evening that they remain optimistic that the Legislature, which tends to thrive on deadlines and is known to take major legislation down to the wire, will work out something in the session's final day.

"I have reasonable expectations that something will be accomplished, said Rep. Lance Harris, of Alexandria, who serves as chairman of the House GOP caucus.

Harris said Tuesday afternoon that he put the odds at 50-50.

Im hopeful we hit that sweet spot, he said after the House adjourned for the day.

Edwards told reporters on Friday, as the Legislature was just hitting the special session's halfway mark that he expected that a deal would be brokered.

But it's unclear what might happen if they don't.

The governor said he believes he's satisfied his duties by calling the session.

"I don't believe the Legislature has to immediately come back, and I don't believe that I have to, under the Louisiana Constitution, make more cuts," he said Friday.

The state Constitution is unclear and other interpretations abound in the Capitol, including among members who believe that it would be up to Edwards to make cuts.

The use of the rainy day fund quickly emerged as the major battle over the course of the brief deficit-closing session, though one that wasn't entirely expected.

House Republican leaders started the session with plans to use $50 million or no money from the state's reserves.

The state savings account currently has a balance of $360 million, but the Legislature can't take more than a third of that. The state is required to put at least $25 million back into the fund each year.

Edwards addressed critics of its use in his session-opening remarks, pointing out that it had rarely been a topic of controversy over the years.

The Legislature agreed to use $517.4 million from the fund, spread over four occasions, during the administration of Edwards' predecessor, Republican Bobby Jindal. Few legislators voted against those instances.

Last year, shortly after Edwards took office, the Legislature agreed to use $128 million in rainy day dollars to shore up a mid-year deficit.

"It's discouraging to see such a partisan approach in the House on an issue that has generated no controversy for years," Edwards said Friday.

House leaders have denied that they are playing partisan politics with the first-term Democratic governor.

We dont take things as trying to get victory over the governor, House Appropriations Chairmon Cameron Henry said.

On Tuesday, the Senate Finance and House Appropriations committees moved quickly to advance two key pieces of legislation that leaders will be instrumental in securing the larger budget agreement between the two chambers before the session's time is up.

The Appropriations Committee quickly sent the rainy day legislation to the full chamber to vet on Wednesday.

The Finance Committee approved a resolution from Barras that would urge the state treasurer to explore options for using use a cut of money that would normally go toward dedicated funds to pay down the state's debt. Doing so would free up money in the budget for other things. Next year's estimate is about $96 million. A similar proposal last year was shot down in the Senate but the upper chamber has been more willing to work on the latest version as part of a package to get a final deficit plan through.
PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP)  President Donald Trump has tapped Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster as his new national security adviser, replacing the ousted Michael Flynn.

Trump announced the pick Monday at his Palm Beach club and said McMaster is "a man of tremendous talent and tremendous experience."

Trump says retired Army Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg who had been his acting adviser, will now serve as the National Security Council chief of staff. He also said he would be asking John Bolton, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, to work with them in a "somewhat different capacity."

Can't see video below? Click here.

Trump made the announcement from a luxurious living room, sitting on a couch between McMaster and Kellogg. He has been looking for a replacement for retired Gen. Michael Flynn, who was ousted last week.

Trump brought four options for the position to Mar-a-Lago over the weekend for in person interviews, McMaster among them. McMaster called the appointment a "privilege."

The president told reporters as he exited the room that Vice President Mike Pence had been involved in the process.

The position of national security adviser does not require Senate confirmation.

Trump pushed out Flynn a week ago after revelations that the adviser had misled Pence about discussing sanctions with Russia's ambassador to the U.S. during the presidential transition. Trump said in a news conference Thursday that he was disappointed by how Flynn had treated Pence, but did not believe Flynn had done anything wrong by having the conversations.

Trump's first choice to replace Flynn, retired Vice Adm. Robert Harward, turned down the offer.
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Facing a wave of lawsuits over a traffic wreck that claimed three lives, the company that was looking to hire the prospective flood-relief wor
Jefferson authorities jail man in apparent bid to get him to testify against infant son's accused killer
The most senior Catholic official in the Canberra-Goulburn Archdiocese has told a royal commission the ACT needed to "raise the bar" on its incoming reportable conduct scheme.

Catholic Archbishop Christopher Prowse told the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse on Tuesday there needed to be some "fine tuning" and "amendments" to the mandatory reporting laws taking force in the ACT from July.

Cnberra's Catholic archbishop, Christopher Prowse, before the royal commission. Credit:Royal commission

As it stands, the scheme only covers clergy attached to a school or residential care organisations, Fairfax Media understands.

Child sexual assault campaigner Damian De Marco said the impression he had been given was that altar boys, religious camps and sporting groups would not be covered.
All remaining trees on Northbourne Avenue will be clear-felled by the end of March, the government announced on Tuesday, citing safety concerns in its decision to bring forward the tree removal.

The government had planned to remove the 450 trees in stages over a year, with the third tranche to come down at the end of the year.

Tree removal works begin on Northbourne Avenue in December. Plans to remove the rest of the trees have been brought forward, with all of the trees to come down by March. Credit:Karleen Minney

But Transport Minister Meegan Fitzharris said the trees were a risk to the safety of workers building the light rail line and to the wider public.

Arborists had discovered rot and fungal infestations in a number of the trees that had been felled, and other trees had smaller and shallower root balls than expected.
Peter Duffy is swapping party animals for those from the farm in the wake of the devastating Carwoola blaze.

The owner and driver of the Pink Party Bus has been using his vehicle to evacuate animals and transport supplies as the community begins the long road to recovery.

Mr Duffy, from nearby Hoskinstown, said it made perfect sense to help others by putting his bus to good use.

"The main thing we've been using the bus for was, as the fire came through, loading animals and pets and using it as a vehicle to evacuate them," Mr Duffy said.


Whitman served as editor of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle from 1846 to 1848, at the time headquartered on Old Fulton Street in Dumbo. This was their office in the early 1900s. (Courtesy of the Library of Congress)

A "new" Walt Whitman story has been unearthed 125 years after his death. The novel, titled The Life and Adventures of Jack Engle, was only published once in a newspaper in 1852. It ran in six installments, and was published anonymously. The Sunday Dispatch, a New York City paper that Whitman was known to contribute to, ran the 36,000-word story in March of that year, and alerted the public via an advertisement that ran in a rival paper, the New York Times. You can see the ad here on page 3; it read:

"This week's Sunday Dispatch will contain The Life and Adventures of Jack Engle, an autobiography, in which will be handled the philosophy, philanthropy, pauperism, law, crime, love, matrimony, morals... which are characteristic of this great city at the present time, including the manners and morals of boarding houses, some scenes from church history, operations in Wall St, with graphic sketches of men and women, as they appear to the public, and as they appear in other scenes not public. Read it and you will find some familiar cases and characters, with explanations necessary to properly understand what it is about."

According to the NY Times, the story was rediscovered last summer by a graduate student, and you can now purchase it in book form thanks to the University of Iowa Press. You can also read it all online, as it was published on The Walt Whitman Quarterly Review on Monday.



Whitman's handwritten notes while writing 'Jack Engle' (Library of Congress); The book cover of the newly published novel.

If that old timey language above didn't give you an idea of what this story is really about, the Times notes that it's a "quasi-Dickensian tale of an orphans adventures, it features a villainous lawyer, virtuous Quakers, glad-handing politicians, a sultry Spanish dancer and more than a few unlikely plot twists and jarring narrative shifts." And David S. Reynolds, a Whitman expert the City University of New York, told them, "This is Whitmans take on the city mystery novel, a popular genre of the day that pitted the upper 10 thousand  what we would call the 1 percent  against the lower million."

Reynolds also points out that in this newly unearthed story one might see "how a workaday journalist and mostly conventional poet transformed himself into the author of the sensuous, philosophical, wildly experimental and altogether unclassifiable free verse of Leaves of Grass," his groundbreaking work that was first published at a printing shop just around the corner from the Brooklyn Daily Eagle's offices.

At the time that he wrote this, Whitman had just left his post as editor of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle (where he was in the late 1840s), following a fallout with the paper's founder, Isaac Van Anden, "over the issue of slavery  Whitman was a supporter of the Wilmot Proviso, which prohibited the extension of slavery to new territories."

The man who found it was Zachary Turpin, first discovered the advertisement and then found "the only known original copy, which had not yet been digitized, in the Library of Congress." The story was never republished until now.
Royal commission documents have exposed Marist College in Canberra as the most notorious Catholic school in Australia for child sexual abuse claims.

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse has revealed 63 claims of child sexual abuse made against the school.

The Marist Brothers Catholic Order was found to be one of the most notorious for allegations of child sexual abuse.

But Bravehearts ambassador Damian De Marco believed the total number of victims at Marist College Canberra would be much higher.

"The true figure at Marist would be well over 100 given the number of stories I have heard about people who will never present officially and those that have died from suicide and drugs," Mr De Marco said.
Melbourne Airport will help take air traffic from Essendon Airport, which will remain closed while an investigation into Tuesday's fatal crash takes place.

Emergency services aircraft, including fire bombers and air ambulances, will continue to fly out of Essendon, but it is closed to all other traffic.

There were more than 53,000 take-offs and landings at Essendon Airport in 2012. Credit:Joe Armao

Three commercial carriers - Free Spirit Airlines, Jetgo and Sharp Airlines - fly scheduled services from Essendon to regional destinations including Burnie, King Island, Flinders Island, Merimbula and Dubbo.

Free Spirit managing director Roman Badov said Essendon Airport management told him the airport would be shut until at least 9am on Wednesday.
Boutique fund manager Key Capital will test investor appetite for shopping centres when it offloads its Wangaratta large format retail centre. The Wangaratta Retail Centre will be the first Victorian large format outlet to hit the market this year after several years of intense buyer interest that have seen yields fall by up to 300 basis points. The Wangaratta Retail Centre is hitting the market. Credit:Cloud 9 Aerial Photography About half of the newly refurbished centre's income was derived from national tenants Officeworks and Spotlight, marketing agent Colliers International's Tom Noonan said. The centre boasts a weighted average lease expiry (WALE) of 6.2 years.

Investors had limited opportunity to buy large format centres last year, with only five transacting. "Last year we saw yields for Victorian large format retail centres sharpen substantially, with the sector attracting national buyer interest," Mr Noonan said. One centre, Sunbury Showrooms, was sold last December to a Chinese investor on a yield of 6.52 per cent for $14.88 million. Another regional centre, Home Central Shepparton, sold in May last year to US giant Blackstone on an 8 per cent yield for $21.6 million. Harvey Norman bought the Rocklea Homemaker Centre in Bendigo for $35 million on a 7.65 per cent yield.
Aldi is calling for people to join its testers' club, seeking to capitalise on the fervour of some of its shoppers.

One hundred people will be selected to join the testers' club, which will receive 10 grocery products a quarter and must review at least half of them.

More than 17,000 applied to join the testers' club when it began in 2015, a spokeswoman for the German discount supermarket said.

The spokeswoman said members were not paid but "love the opportunity to try out new Aldi products for free".
When a goanna made a surprise appearance at a South Coast restaurant one peaceful afternoon, a French waitress quickly took control of the situation.

On Sunday, Samia Lila was serving at the packed Mimosa Winery restaurant at Murrah, near Bega, when a customer grabbed her hand and pointed at the scaly visitor that was crawling across the floor.

"I looked at it and thought it was a dog at first!" Ms Lila said.

"But then I realised it was a goanna."
The number of international students coming to Australia surged to record levels last year and there are hopes the political instability unleashed by Donald Trump and Brexit will help lure even more foreign students to the country.

New Department of Education figures to be released on Wednesday show there were 554,179 full-fee paying international students in Australia in 2016, generating a total 712,884 enrolments.

Enrolments grew by 11 per cent on the previous year while the number of international students beginning their studies rose by 10 per cent. New enrolments grew by 12 per cent in Victoria and 10 per cent in NSW.

International education is Australia's third largest export after iron ore and coal and has flow-on effects for the retail, hospitality and tourism industries.
Labor's left is pushing for mandated minimum rate of tax for the super wealthy. The so-called "Buffett rule" would try and stop the rich from arranging their finances to reduce their tax obligations by forcing them to pay at least 35 per cent of their entire income in tax. [Heath Aston/Fairfax]

This push comes at a time when Labor's left has more power than ever before. As Mark Kenny points out, if Turnbull can be accused of being dragged to heel by the right, the same can be said for Shorten and the left. One to watch. [Fairfax]

Treasurer Scott Morrison with a lump of coal during question time. Credit:Andrew Meares

The government's attack on renewable energy and promotion of coal is failing with voters, Essential polling suggests. [Michelle Grattan/The Conversation]

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton says the first transfer of refugees from Manus Island and Nauru to the United States will begin in a couple of months. However the US may not take the 1250 it indicated it could take. [Michael Koziol/Fairfax]
It also comes after Yiannopoulos was banned from Twitter after inciting his gruesome pack of fans to racially abuse Ghostbusters actor Leslie Jones.

This comes quite a long time after another author in the Simon & Schuster stable, Roxane Gay, pulled her own book, How to be Heard, in protest against his deal. At the time, she told Buzzfeed , "I was supposed to turn the book in this month and I kept thinking about how egregious it is to give someone like Milo a platform for his blunt, inelegant hate and provocation. I just couldn't bring myself to turn the book in. My editor emailed me last week and I kept staring at that email in my inbox and finally over the weekend I asked my agent to pull the book."

On Tuesday it was announced that full-o-hate Breitbart editor, consummate internet troll and hero of the " alt-right ", Milo Yiannopoulos, had lost his book contract from Simon & Schuster for his memoir, Dangerous.

And it comes after his role in 'Gamergate', (the abuse campaign directed at women in the gaming industry) and take your pick from the offensive, hateful comments on everything that he's offended by: fat people, Muslim people, transgender people, liberal people, women... the list goes on.

But it seems the final straw has been the comments that Yiannopoulos made about paedophilia in a 2016 video that surfaced online this week where he criticised the age of consent and made jokes about his own molestation.

"Paedophilia is not a sexual attraction to somebody 13 years old, who is sexually mature," he said on the radio show Drunken Peasants. "Paedophilia is attraction to children who have not reached puberty. Paedophilia is attraction to people who don't have functioning sex organs yet who have not gone through puberty."

Yiannopoulos later defended his comments on his Facebook page, writing, "I'm partly to blame. My own experiences as a victim led me to believe I could say anything I wanted to on this subject, no matter how outrageous. But I understand that my usual blend of British sarcasm, provocation and gallows humour might have come across as flippancy, a lack of care for other victims or, worse, 'advocacy.' I deeply regret that. People deal with things from their past in different ways."

Thing is, Yiannopoulos has said a lot of deeply offensive things that did not mean that he no longer had a book deal. Which prompts the question, is this the hard line when it comes to being "too offensive?"
"In order to stay sane" says Thordis Elva of the night she was raped, "I silently counted the seconds on my alarm clock. And ever since that night, I've known that there are 7,200 seconds in two hours."

Thordis could have spoken alone about her rape, and it may well have attracted attention. She is a well-known journalist, advocate and speaker in Iceland. But it was the inclusion of her rapist, Tom Stranger, in the discussion that gave it international reach. And it's causing considerable distress for other rape survivors.

Humanising the monstrosity of rape, truly, is both a blessing and a curse.

Thordis and Tom's confronting TED talk, our story of rape and reconciliation, has been viewed over two million times since it went live two weeks ago. In it, they describe how they met in Iceland when she was 16 and he was an 18-year-old Australian exchange student. They fell in love and went to the school Christmas ball together, where she tried rum for the first time. The alcohol made her so sick that someone suggested calling an ambulance. Tom refused offers of assistance, carefully helped her home, removed her clothes and raped her.
Major air disasters are rare in Australia, but that wasn't always the case.

Among the worst early civil aviation disasters was that of the Kyeema, a National Australian Airlines passenger plane that smashed into Mount Dandenong in 1938 when its pilots thought it was on final approach to Essendon Airport.

All 18 people on board died. The Douglas DC-2 had left Adelaide on the morning of October 25, its passengers including a federal parliamentarian, Charles Hawker, three high-profile South Australian wine makers - Hugo Grant, Tom Hardy and Sidney Hill Smith - a honeymoon couple and several barristers.

The flight crew apparently mistook Sunbury forDaylesford, putting them 30 kilometres off course before, in heavy cloud, they hit the western slopes of Mount Dandenong. A subsequent royal commission saw regulations introduced requiring flight checking officers to monitor flights, weather and alternative landing options.
1. Fill in your name or an alias. Do not leave blank or use the name 'guest' or 'anonymous'.

2. No Nivul Peh. Profanity will be deleted.
Up to 3000 disabled students are at risk of having funding cut to their vocational education courses after the NSW government suspended 17 providers for failing to meet minimum standards under the Smart and Skilled program.

Documents released under freedom of information laws show that thousands of disabled students studying courses in business administration, warehousing and retail at colleges across NSW are facing an uncertain future after the government suspended funding to their courses.

The government has refused to release the names of the colleges that have been suspended, so students and families will not be notified until a college has their funding terminated.

A spokesman for the Department of Industry said naming suspended providers could cause students undue or unwarranted concern when the breaches could be minor.
A broken-down truck that created long delays on the M1 this morning has been cleared but its effects are still being felt.

The vehicle was cleared about 7.15am but heavy peak hour traffic was only slowly improving.

The M1 is crawling from Coomera to Yatala. Credit:Paul Rovere

Traffic was left crawling for more than 13 kilometres after the truck broke down on Queensland's busiest stretch of road.

The two left lanes were blocked on the M1 northbound at Yatala after the crash about 6.15am, slowing traffic to a crawl as far south as Coomera.
The official confirmation that human remains found in bushland at Mount Macedon are those of missing mother Karen Ristevski is a breakthrough in the baffling case, but it does not provide all the answers.

Police have now identified her body and perhaps know where she died, but they don't know why or how.

The identification of the body was quick due to DNA testing. Police will be hoping technology will also help with the next question: how.

For it will be through a difficult autopsy on a badly decomposed body that they will hope to find a cause of death.
The fate of Karen Ristevski, who disappeared seven months ago, has baffled police and held the attention of Melbourne's public.

On Tuesday afternoon, finally police came a step closer to solving what happened to her when human remains that were found in bushland near Mount Macedon were confirmed as belonging to the missing Avondale Heights mother.

Mrs Ristevski had not been seen since June 29 last year when she left her home after an argument with her husband, Borce Ristevski, 52, about 10am.

Mr Ristevski confirmed they had argued over a "sum of hundreds of dollars" before his 47-year-old wife left the home to "clear her head".
Forensic testing that police hope will reveal the identity of a body found in bushland at Mount Macedon is not expected to be completed until Wednesday.

The badly decomposed body of a woman was found by a bushwalker about 12.30pm on Monday in the Macedon Regional Park north of Melbourne.

The scene is not far from where detectives focused their search for suspected murder victim Karen Ristevski late last year.

Detectives visited Ms Ristevski's Avondale Heights home to speak to her family shortly before 5pm on Tuesday, according to 9 News.
Karen Ristevski with her husband, Borce, and daughter, Sarah. "We will continue to do everything we can to assist police to help find the person responsible. "We call on anyone who may have seen or heard anything, particularly from the Mount Macedon area, to call Crime Stoppers." Detectives at the home of Karen Ristevski on Tuesday after forensic tests confirmed remains found were hers. Credit:Pat Scala The breakthrough in the baffling case came on Monday at 12.30pm when a bushwalker stumbled upon her body between two logs, not far from a dirt track off Loch Road in Mount Macedon Regional Park north of Melbourne.

Results from a forensic test to determine the identity of the remains came back on Tuesday afternoon, with detectives visiting the Ristevski's Oakleigh Drive home to break the news to her husband Borce Ristevski and their 21-year-old daughter Sarah. The focus of the investigation now turns to charging Ms Ristevski's killer. Police have appealed to anyone who may have been walking along the dirt track, or anyone who may have seen vehicles there, to contact them. Investigators are also hoping to speak to anyone who may have been at Mount Macedon any time since June last year and taken photos or videos in the area. At the scene during the past two days, witnesses spoke of odd sightings in the area. A couple told police they had previously seen a man with a shovel, and made a joke to him about burying a body and were met with a stony look.

A woman who owns a property nearby said she saw a white van, which looked out of place, parked near Loch Road last August. The mother and fashion boutique owner was last seen at her home in Melbourne's north-west by Mr Ristevski on June 29 last year. Mr Ristevski said the couple had an argument over financial issues and his wife went for a walk to "clear her head". Monday's discovery ended an intensive search for Ms Ristevski, which started in the vicinity of the Avondale Heights home and then grew to Macedon and as far as northern Victoria. Dams were drained near Gisborne, farmland was scoured after cropping season, and the infamous Black Hill Road in Gisborne South - where Jill Meagher was buried in a shallow grave in 2012 - also became part of the search.

Detectives even travelled to Barmah, in northern Victoria, where police were told the Ristevskis had holidayed. Last year, head of the missing persons squad, Detective Inspector Stephen Dennis, said there had been ongoing discussions with members of the Ristevski family, but would not say what had prompted them to concentrate the search around Gisborne. However, Ms Ristevski's phone reportedly pinged on towers on the Calder Highway and at Gisborne on the day she went missing, and Mr Ristevski's phone was detected in nearby Diggers Rest on the same day. His phone was also reportedly switched off for two hours. Gisborne is about 12 kilometres  a 14-minute drive over the Calder  from Mount Macedon. The case has been marked with bizarre theories since Ms Ristevski disappeared.

Mr Ristevski reportedly told detectives he had driven his wife's 2004 Mercedes-Benz coupe on the day she disappeared to test a faulty fuel gauge. He said the car hit a bump in the road and the problem fixed itself, so he turned around and returned home. Mr Ristevski's brother Vasko Ristevski, who was at the Ristevski home on Tuesday, had also claimed his sister-in-law was alive and well, and had fled overseas using a fake passport. Meanwhile, Mr Ristevski's son from a previous relationship, Anthony Rickard, told various media outlets there was conflict within the family and that his stepmother had fled. Both Borce Ristevski and Mr Rickard have been interviewed by police. Fairfax Media is not suggesting either was involved in Ms Ristevski's disappearance. Ms Ristevski reportedly received a share of a $360,000 will left by her father before she went missing. She and her brother inherited the sum after the death of their father, Joseph Williams, in 2014.
Bangkok: Twenty per cent of Cambodians live in poverty. Forty-two per cent of children under five years old are malnourished and stunted. More than half of Cambodians lack access to toilets and sanitation.

For three decades Hun Sen has ruled Cambodia with the tacit backing of foreign countries sympathetic to the leader of a nation emerging from genocide and civil war.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen in Phnom Penh, on Monday. Credit:AP

Australia has long being at the forefront of a donor-nation generosity that has seen billions of dollars pour in to help Cambodia's 16 million people.

Since 2014 in particular Australia has showered diplomatic praise and an additional $40 million on Hun Sen and his ministers in return for Cambodia accepting what has turned out to be only a handful of refugees from Nauru.
Sara Connor after hearing prosecutors request a sentence of eight years' jail for her at Denpasar District Court on Tuesday Credit:Alan Putra She said Mr Sudarsa had bitten her on the arm and thigh when she tried to separate the two men as they fought in the sand. Prosecutors told the court that aggravating factors were that Ms Connor's actions had caused the loss of a life and she had given a convoluted statement and not admitted what she did. Sara Connor after hearing prosecutors request a sentence of eight years' jail for her at Denpasar District Court on Tuesday. Credit:Alan Putra They also said she had been under the influence of alcohol, which had affected her emotions.

Both Mr Taylor and Ms Connor face the same three charges - murder, fatal group assault and assault leading to death. The charge carry maximum sentences of 15 years', 12 years' and seven years' jail respectively. Sara Connor after hearing prosecutors wanted her to be sentenced to eight years' jail. Credit:Alan Putra Although judges can choose to impose a greater or lesser sentence they generally agree with the charge requested by the prosecutors. One of Mr Taylor's lawyers, Haposan Sihombing, said it was "more gentlemanly" to admit the scuffle happened instead of asking to be freed. "It was committed by more than my client," he said. Sara Connor maintained her innocence throughout the four-month trial. Credit:Alan Putra

He said he would ask the judges for leniency because Mr Taylor was young and had no intention to kill. The trials, which began in the Denpasar District Court on November 9 last year, heard the new couple had planned a romantic holiday in Bali in August last year. David Taylor arriving at Denpasar District Court earlioer on Tuesday. Credit:Alan Putra Mr Taylor had picked Ms Connor up from the airport on August 16 and the two had drunk a couple of beers and shared an arak cocktail over dinner before heading to the beach. However Ms Connor, 46, discovered her handbag had gone missing while the couple had been kissing near the water.

The widow of Wayan Sudarsa, Ketut Arsini, and her son Kadek Toni, hold a portrait of the police officer who was killed on Legian beach. Credit:Alan Putra Mr Taylor believed the bag had been stolen. He approached Mr Sudarsa, a Balinese police officer of 35 years, but believed him to be a bogus cop when he allegedly laughed after Mr Taylor asked him for assistance. Mr Taylor admitted to "searching his body" but said Mr Sudarsa then pushed him to the ground and punched him. Sara Connor and David Taylor strolling in Bali's Kerobokan jail in January. Credit:Alan Putra Ms Connor said she wandered off looking for her missing bag after attempting to separate the two men and did not see Mr Taylor land any blows.

"I never knew the policeman was seriously hurt. I left  I never went back to the scene," she said last month. Ms Connor, who was originally from Italy, testified that Mr Taylor had told her Mr Sudarsa had "passed out" and she didn't realise the extent of his injuries. "English is not my first language. That for me could mean just tired," she said. The couple told the court they had tried to go to police station but an ojek (motorcycle taxi) driver refused to take them. Instead, they bought cigarettes and returned to their homestay in Kuta, Kubu Kauh Inn. The couple showered and then Ms Connor cut up Mr Sudarsa's identity cards, which were in the wallet Mr Taylor had taken from the victim. Ms Connor insisted this was to protect the Balinese police officer from identity theft. But prosecutors told the court this was irrational and she had done it to hide something. The couple checked out of Kubu Kauh Inn at 7am on August 17 and travelled to Jimbaran.

They claimed they only learned the victim had died when Ms Connor was contacted by a friend on August 19, who said her name was all over the news after her identity cards had been found at the crime scene. "After I received the phone call, we were both crying," Ms Connor said earlier this month. "That's when I asked David: 'Did you hit him with something?' He told me yes. We were desperate." She said Mr Taylor had suggested they burn the clothes they had been wearing that night. While Ms Connor initially just wanted to "chuck them away", she ultimately didn't complain because she was so sad a life had been lost. The couple then went to the Australian consulate in Bali and were later apprehended by police. Loading
Haifa is on the "front line" in any action in the north but this blog looks at life in the shadow of danger to all of Israel
A police car in the Stockholm suburb of Rinkeby. Credit:AP In 2013, the police shooting of a man wielding a knife led to nights of violence in the suburbs of Stockholm, including Rinkeby. Interior Minister Anders Ygeman called the clashes on Monday "very serious". A policeman investigates a burnt-out car in Rinkeby outside Stockholm after the riot. Credit:AP But, he added: "There is work being done to make our suburbs and socially vulnerable areas safer. Sometimes it can get a little messy, but the police are not backing down."

Nonetheless, the disturbances in Rinkeby were seized upon by some people online as evidence of Trump's claim. Rinkeby, an economically deprived area of about 16,000 people, is overwhelmingly populated by residents with immigrant backgrounds. Right-wing news outlets in the United States and elsewhere have insisted that Sweden is covering up evidence of migrant-related crime - a claim officials in this prosperous Scandinavian nation, which has a long humanitarian tradition, have rejected. Lars Bystrom, a police spokesman, said the police were summoned at 8.18pm on Monday to the transit station in Rinkeby, about 10 kilometres north-west of Stockholm's City Hall, after officers made a drug-related arrest and were set upon by residents. A police officer fired a live round of ammunition as a warning shot.

"No one was hit, but it had the intended effect of clearing the scene so that police could make an arrest," Bystrom said. The clashes intensified, with up to 70 people throwing stones and objects, before the police finally got the situation under control about 12am, he said. Asked whether there was enough of a police presence in Rinkeby, Bystrom cited the district police chief, Niklas Andersson, in describing police resources in the area as plentiful. But Bystrom also said that officials would continue to bolster security. Patrik Derk, the district director for Rinkeby-Kista, the northernmost of the boroughs that make up the municipality of Stockholm, said it would be a mistake to see proof of Trump's claims in the unrest. "This type of problem exists in most countries, even in the USA," he said in a phone interview. "And we are managing these problems and will succeed with this. They're complex problems."

Derk was hired in late 2015 to "make Rinkeby a better place to grow up and live in", as he put it. He previously helped turn around the Hovsjo district of Sodertalje, a city south-west of Stockholm that, like Rinkeby, has a large population of low-income immigrants. "We created jobs through building development initiatives and training unemployed youth," he said, adding that the efforts involved collaboration with the police as well as economic investments. "And that's what we are trying to do here. Create a condition for the residents to live a good life in the area." Derk acknowledged that Rinkeby had significant problems: "It is one of the more troubled areas in terms of school results, tight quarters, unemployment." Benjamin Dousa, 24, an appointed member of a local board in Rinkeby that distributes public money for schools, social services, elder care, and parks and recreation, wrote in an opinion essay that Trump's critique had some merit.

"A battered journalist, stones thrown at the police and stores that are being plundered, unfortunately, are not unusual occurrences where I live," Dousa, whose father was a Turkish immigrant to Sweden, wrote in the essay, published in the newspaper Expressen. "I hear the police helicopter every other day." He said that, in the neighbourhood, "this type of criminality has become part of everyday life". The Prime Minister, Stefan Lofven, has said that complaints that migrants are driving a crime surge are exaggerations. Trump's critique was made in response to a Fox News interview with Ami Horowitz, an American filmmaker who argues that migrants in Sweden have fed a rise in violent crime. Right-wing news outlets such as Breitbart and Infowars have also pointed repeatedly to Sweden as a case study of the failure of immigrants to assimilate.

Dousa said in a phone interview that he was familiar with the English-language right-wing news reports. "Of course, some of them are fake, but the situation in Rinkeby is not good," he said. "The police don't have control over the area. That's not fake news." Horowitz has not responded to requests for an interview about his videos, which Swedish officials say contain errors and distortions. But Dousa said he was sympathetic to Horowitz's argument that Swedish elites are unwilling to talk about the problems associated with migration. "If you said you had a problem with integration in Sweden, you would be called a racist," he said, adding that the situation has been changing. "The debate has opened up."
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Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 21/02/2017 (2084 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

If Douglas Tingey had his way, dilbit would become a household word discussed around kitchen tables across southern Manitoba.

The Winnipeg lawyer, who specializes in international trade and foreign investment, was in Steinbach last week to deliver a lecture on the proposed Energy East pipeline and its potential negative effects on the natural environment.

The event was a joint effort by the South Eastman Transition Initiative and the Provencher Green Party Electoral District Association.

JORDAN ROSS | THE CARILLON Left to right, Gilles Detillieux, David Dawson, and Frank Clincke listen to Winnipeg lawyer Douglas Tingeys lecture on the potential local environmental impact of the proposed Energy East pipeline. Its route would bring it near communities like Ile des Chenes, Lorette, Ste Anne and Falcon Lake.

In the Southeast, the pipeline would see an existing natural gas pipeline repurposed to transport dilbitbitumen diluted with natural gas condensates to achieve a desired viscosityfrom Alberta and Saskatchewan to petroleum refineries and terminals in Quebec and New Brunswick. The route of the $15.7 billion pipeline would bring it close to communities like Lorette, Ile des Chenes, Ste Anne and Falcon Lake, Tingey told his audience.

If approved, the 4,500 kilometre pipeline would carry 1.1 million barrels of crude oil daily, he said, citing statistics corroborated by TransCanada, the company that built the natural gas pipeline in the 1970s and that applied, in October 2014, to build the Energy East pipeline.

Numerous pump stations and new sections of pipeline would also be required in several provinces, including Manitoba, Tingey noted. He also asserted that the project is considered by its supporters to be critical to the expansion of oil production in all three prairie provinces.

Tingey noted the pipeline application, which had passed the National Energy Boards regulatory hurdles and was entering the hearing stage, had to be restarted when a conflict of interests was uncovered, setting the project back two years. He pegged the likelihood of the pipeline application receiving approval at less than 50 percent.

Tingey, who is open about his opposition to the monster pipeline project, dubbed the pipeline a hangover from former Prime Minister Stephen Harpers energy policies. However, Tingey argued he was not a rabid environmentalist, but rather, a businessman concerned about long-term climate change, short-term environmental degradation, and a host of First Nations issues raised by the pipeline proposal.

Many in attendence at the meeting were concerned about the pipeline routes crossing of the Winnipeg aqueduct and numerous watersheds, including many that drain into the Red River, Assiniboine River, and Lake Winnipeg. According to Tingey, significant risks are posed to ecological habitats and drinking water sources if the pipeline was to leak or burst. Unlike refined petroleum, Tingey said, spilled dilbit sinks and bonds to sediment, and cannot simply be skimmed off the surface of a body of water. This makes clean-up more difficult, he said.

The possibility of an explosion was also on attendees minds, with Tingey observing that burning dilbit produces thick, noxious black smoke that could cover a city the size of Steinbach and adversely affect the health of its citizens.

As the evening concluded, attendees also discussed ways to reduce carbon emissions on small and large scales, and pondered the best strategies for nudging consumers toward greener lifestyle choices.
Stephen Colbert will never fjorget where he was when he first heard about last weeks totally made up terror attack in Sweden. He was listening to President Donald Trump deliver his entirely too-early campaign rally in Florida.

You look at whats happening in Germany, you look at whats happening last night in Sweden, Trump told his supporters on Saturday night. Sweden, who would believe this?

No one. No one would believe that, Colbert answered Monday night. Well, not no one, but maybe someone who skips his intelligence briefings.

In response to Trump, former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt tweeted, Sweden? Terror attack? What has he been smoking? To that, Colbert replied, What has he been smoking? Uh Vladimir Putins dick?

Lets be real here, this is the president of the United States, Colbert continued. He has access to everything and the latest intel at all time. Sir, for real, where did you get your information from? As Trump himself tweeted on Sunday, he got it from Fox News. Oh, I guess Trump only accepts intelligence reports with the logo, As seen on TV.

Despite an influx of immigrants into Sweden, Colbert noted that crime rates there have actually fallen since 2005. In fact, experts say 90 percent of Swedish crime actually occurs in The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, he joked.

Tragically, Sweden is the third not-a-terrorist-attack that has not shocked the world in the last month, Colbert said, citing Kellyanne Conways Bowling Green massacre and Sean Spicers Atlanta incident. When will it begin?! he asked in mock outrage. And just because it didnt happen doesnt mean we dont stand in solidarity with all the people who did not suffer.

He proceeded to pay tribute to the Swedes with a montage of everything from Swedish Fish and ABBA to Ikea and the Swedish Chef. The piece ended with two words: Never Fjorget.
Its Presidents Day and Seth Meyers doesnt seem to know where to start with President Trump.

On the one hand, youve got the genuinely ominous things hes done, from declaring the free press an enemy of the American people to preemptively blaming a judge for future terror attacks, the Late Night host said Monday night. And then, he added, theres the everyday weirdness of a story like Chris Christies meatloaf-fueled visit to the White House last week.

Of course, the meatloaf was actually a second course for Christie after Trump made him swallow his pride, Meyers joked.

The more substantive dysfunction in Trumps administration, Meyers went on to say, seems to be scaring some people off from working in the White House. For instance, there was retired Admiral Robert Harward, who turned down the chance to succeed Michael Flynn as national security adviser, reportedly calling the role a shit sandwich.

We have shit sandwiches? Meyers imagined Trump asking. Then why did we let Chris Christie have meatloaf?

Then there was Trumps post-press conference tweet on Friday calling the media the enemy of the American people, which Meyers called something you expect to hear from an authoritarian ruler. But even when Trump wants to come off as an authoritarian strongman, it turns out hes still a buffoon. Before he posted that message, he tweeted and deleted a first draft and left off ABC and CBS News.

When you have to double-clutch on your authoritarian declarations, you sound less like a terrifying dictator and more like the guy at the bonfire who can almost play guitar, Meyers said.

Finally, Meyers turned to the campaign rally in Florida in which Trump invented a terror attack in Sweden out of whole cloth. Trump literally saw something on Fox News and confused it for reality, he said. Next thing you know hes going to lament the terrible treatment of people with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.

Between Trumps press conference and his event in Florida, Trump has made a series of wild and unhinged appearances over the last few days, Meyers added. But there has been one common theme.

Showing clips of Trump asking for questions from a friendly reporter and telling rally attendees he wants to be among friends, Meyers said, The president of the United States just wants a friend. You know someone he can force to eat meatloaf.
Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster says what he thinks, and cant resist a tough problem that everyone else says is impossible. Hes also been called bullheaded, by those who call him friend and enemy.

Those qualities help explain why he said yes to becoming President Donald Trumps second national security adviser, after the resignation of Army Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn amid charges Flynn improperly communicated with the Russian ambassador and then lied to the vice president about it.

McMasters stubborn streak also helps explain why he got passed over twice for promotion, before breaking through a logjam of Army officers who were offended by his renowned frankness, and not impressed by his prodigious scholarship and Ph.D, which is sometimes an impediment to advancement in the U.S. Army.

Now the question becomes: Is McMaster too bullheaded for a White House already filled with power players like Counselor to the President Steve Bannon, presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner, and Trump himself? Or is McMaster just contrary enough? Trump, the ultimate political insurgent, has just picked one of the U.S. militarys most famous counter-insurgents to become his top national security aide. What comes next is anyones guess.

Trump transition official James Carafano of the Heritage Foundation called such questions "silly."

H.R. would not take job if he did not respect Trump. Trump would not have offered it to him if he did not plan to listen to him," he wrote in an email to The Daily Beast.

"Bannon et al are not some shadow government," he said, adding that Mattis, Kelly, Tillerson and Sessions "have enormous influence and H.R. will fit in like glove."

Indeed, the pick is meeting instant praise. Trump administration detractors hailed the choice as a chato right the controversy-tossed National Security Council.

H.R. McMaster is one of the most impressive army officers of his generationa rare combination of soldier and scholar, said Max Boot, a military historian at the Council on Foreign Relations, in an email to The Daily Beast. But not even the most talented individual will succeed in that job as long as Bannon and Kushner continue to run their own foreign policies and as long as Trump continues to make outlandish statements questioning basic American commitments and valued allies.

Former Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno said McMaster can handle that. He will quickly figure out the politics and his intellect and reputation will earn the respect of all the players, Odierno predicted in an email to The Daily Beast.

Sen. John McCain, the Arizona Republican who had become one of Trumps loudest critics, said in a statement that McMaster knows how to succeed. I give President Trump great credit for this decision, as well as his national security cabinet choices. I could not imagine a better, more capable national security team than the one we have right now.

Friction between Trump and that team could come early, however. While Flynn took great professional risksand reportedly $40,000 in Kremlin money, according to The New Yorkerwarming up to Moscow, McMaster recently led an Army study into how best to take on the Russian military, should conflict ever break out. That could put McMaster at odds with his famously Putin-friendly new boss.

A West Point graduate, McMaster has accrued the time on the battlefield that has been a magnet for Trump in his appointmentshis secretaries of defense and homeland security also served as generals. Such military commanders, active duty or retired, also have the advantage of mostly staying reticent about their political beliefs, which means they are more likely to pass the Trump loyalty test of never having spoken against the president publicly or in social media.

McMaster fought with distinction in the first Gulf War and second Gulf War, while also advising Gen. David Petraeus.

He took some time out to earn his doctorate at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He focused on the missteps of the top brass during the Vietnam War, and turned his thesis into a book titled Dereliction of Duty.

McMaster stresses two elements in his discussion of America's failure in Vietnam: the hubris of [President Lyndon] Johnson and his advisors and the weakness of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a description of the book reads, an ironic foreshadowing of how hell have to manage the outsized ego of the current commander in chief.

The book speaks to McMasters historical awareness that his duty is to tell Trump what he needs to hear, not what he wants to hearand a credit to the commander in chief who is choosing the blunt speaker as counterpoint to advisers like Bannon, who has established what many believe to by a rival to the National Security Council, and Kushner, who has been given some of the Trump administrations most sensitive tasks.

I have known McMaster for over a decade and cannot imagine a more decent man in his position today, Andrew Exum, a retired Army officer and Pentagon official, wrote in The Atlantic. This job is going to drive him crazy, because he does not suffer fools gladly. Unless he has been given some assurances about both staffing and process, he will struggle in a competition to influence the presidentto be the last man in the room when the president makes a key decision.

H.R. is a very forceful advocate for his positions and viewpoints, said Ohio State professor Dr. Peter Mansoor, a retired U.S army colonel who worked for McMaster in Iraq. Mansoor said then-commander Gen. David Petraeus would bring McMaster in to study tough problems and come up with solutions. When the president makes a decision, he will salute and execute forcefully, provided its ethical, he added

McMaster led troops in Iraq during some of the worst of the fighting, from June 2004 to June 2006, and was credited with driving al Qaeda of Iraq out of the northern city of Tel Afara city now held by the so-called Islamic State. He became one of the first commanders to use a counterinsurgency plan that focused on securing the local populace, rather than simply killing foes. It took years for the rest of the military to finally catch up. And when it was all over, McMaster was no more kind in his assessments of the political and military leadership of the early stage of that war than he was in his critiques of the Vietnam eras chiefs.

Believers in the theory known as the Revolution in Military Affairs predicted that further advances in military technology would deliver dominance over any opponent, he wrote in an op-ed in The New York Times. The theory was hubristic. Yet it became orthodoxy and complicated our efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq, where underdeveloped war plans encountered unanticipated political problems.

After Iraq, McMaster went on to lead a task force trying to stem corruption in the Afghan governmenta nearly impossible task, as he lamented to those close to him at the time, but he did work with Afghan officials to support innovative new ways to track money like paying troops directly by cellphone, to cut out middle management officers who were skimming funds off the top or collecting pay for ghost soldiers who didnt exist.

Hes currently helping shape the Armys future at the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, after stints as a fellow at the Hoover Institution and the London-based International Institute of Strategic Studies.

McMaster gave a hint of what he might recommend to Trump for the fight against ISIS in a 2013 interview with Breaking Defense. It might not be totally in sync with the presidents stated preferences to bomb the shit out of jihadistsand keep American ground forces out of the fight.

Targeting [enemies] is not strategy, he said, quipping thats merely a militarized version of George Costanza in Seinfeld, leave on an up notejust go in, do a lot of damage, and leave.

And while chocking up culture and language skills to work with local partners is important, he said fighting cant always be outsourced. Our interests are not always congruent with those of our so-called partners, which means recommending U.S. troops do more of the job, he explained.

Its not my job to sell it, he concluded in his 2013 interview. You just provide your best professional assessment. In a democracy, you get the army that the people are willing to pay for.
Jim Maurer stood before a meeting of 500 union bosses in November 1919 and declared it was time to bring Pennsylvania to its knees.

Get ready for the last grand struggle of all, Maurer said. Fight with every weapon at your command.The union bosses pledged that if the governor didnt rein in the state polices systematic harassment of steel strikers, every single organized worker in Pennsylvania would walk off the job. All Jim Maurer had to do was give the word.

By the end of the month, a mob of demobilized soldiers had hunted Jim Maurer through midnight streets; the attorney general of the United States had denounced him by name; and the Philadelphia Inquirer had warned him to leave the state. The old Civil War veterans of the Grand Army of the Republic sang a song about him: Hang Jim Maurer on the Sour Apple Tree.

Maurer, a broad-shouldered plumber, had been a prominent radical for years; an enemy to militarists, industry, and the U.S. government. But it wasnt until he threatened a general strike that someone wrote a song about lynching him.

There has been serious talk in recent weeks about a new wave of anti-Trump general strikes. Activists called one strike on Feb. 17, with others to follow on March 8 and May 1. What that means is not entirely clear, but the idea, with its whiffs of Red Emma and Big Bill Haywood, has captured the imaginations of leftists looking to escalate a growing protest movement.

But general strikes, in which all workers across industries strike in mutual solidarity, havent happened often in American history. General strikes that make political demands, like the ones the anti-Trump activists are planning, are even more rare. Jim Maurer is one of the few Americans to have seriously tried it. It nearly got him killed.

Maurer was 55 at the time, a former member of the Pennsylvania legislature and a onetime Socialist Party candidate for governor. In 1919, he was president of the statewide federation of labor unions, which was why, in late August, he was among the first to learn that sheriffs deputies in Brackenridge, Pennsylvania, had murdered a union organizer named Fannie Sellins.

The details of the incident remain sketchy. In his 1938 autobiography, Maurer writes that he got a telegram from a United Mine Workers leader reporting that armed deputies from Pittsburgh had rolled into town on a Tuesday afternoon, intending to harass miners striking at the Allegheny Coal and Coke Company. While manhandling workers, the deputies clocked a 58-year-old union member in the head, and then pumped bullets into him. When Sellins protested, they shot her, too.

This butchery was performed in broad daylight, Maurer wrote.

Maurer was incensed, and he sent letters to Washington demanding an investigation. It was a small incident in a year of bloody labor battles, but it hit close to home, and it meant that when a quarter-million steelworkers walked off the job across the nation on Sept. 22, Maurer was already angry and ready for a fight.

The big steel strike was one of the largest the country had ever seen. In Pennsylvania, local governments responded by going to war on behalf of the companies. State police busted up union meetings, beat up picketers, and skirmished with strikers. Unable to organize or even demonstrate, the strikes organizers stumbled, and the effort quickly began to falter. Hoping to forestall defeat, Maurer called a convention of the heads of all of Pennsylvanias unions for Nov. 1. A New York Times reporter asked Maurer the day before the conference if there would be action taken by the delegates.

Therell be action, all right, Maurer shot back.

By the end of the meetings first day, the union bosses had pledged to combine their efforts against the state governments assault on the steel miners rights. In a vote of 498-2, representatives of all of the unions of Pennsylvania agreed to a statewide strike for free speech, free press, and free assembly.

It was framed as an ultimatum: If Governor William Sproul would not call a special session of the state legislaturefor the purpose of aiding to restore constitutional liberty in Pennsylvania, all 500,000 union members in the state would stop work.

If the order is given to go out, stick, Maurer said. It will be better for the state to go down with us into the grave than to remain as she is.

Maurer wants to make the strike a political weapon, wrote the New York Tribune. He wants to use the economic power of the unions to overthrow existing forms of government.

It was an idea that had long fired the imaginations of radicals  and haunted the nightmares of the establishment.

The general political strike was a particular obsession of A. Mitchell Palmer, the attorney general, who hurried to Pennsylvania as news of Maurers threat spread.

It was when Palmer got to Harrisburg that things got ugly.

Palmer had a pathological hatred of communists and radicals, which may have had something to do with the anarchist bombers who had blown up his house a few months earlier. On Nov. 7, Palmer launched the first in a series of raids in which federal agents rounded up and deported hundreds of anarchists. But on Nov. 6, he took time out from the planning to visit Harrisburg and deliver a jeremiad against Jim Maurer.

It was in his attack on the radical labor leaders of the country that the Attorney-General grew bitter, the Cincinnati Enquirer wrote in its report on Palmers address. Palmer called political strikes one of the most insidious attacks upon our government, quoted liberally from speeches Maurer had given years before, and called on the union men to reject his influence.

The press piled on. Palmer Flays Radicals, read The Suns headline. Says Radical Leaders Real Foes of Worker, read the Los Angeles Times. The Washington Post wrote that Palmer was rallying the loyal and patriotic people of the country to the governments standard.

And so they rallied.

Two secret societies in Reading, where Maurer lived, launched a drive to free Reading of Maurer. The Philadelphia Inquirer ran an editorial titled, Move On, Maurer, Move On, and called him a radical agitator and a dangerous man. In his autobiography, Maurer says he uncovered a plot to have him tarred and feathered and dragged out into the mountains.

On Nov. 23, a parade of thousands of men, most of them recently demobilized members of the American Legion, massed outside of Maurers Reading headquarters, ready to riot. At the hour that The New York Timess correspondent filed his report on the incident, Maurer and another socialist were being sought by the Legion men further trouble during the night is feared.

All of this without the general strike even being called.

In fact, Maurer never made good on his threat. It turns out he never intended to. In his autobiography, Maurer admits that the whole thing was a ruse. The state labor federation didnt even have the authority to call any strike, never mind a massive one. It was nothing but a bluff, Maurer wrote. But it worked, scaring the uninformed captains of industry and their political and journalistic allies into a blue funk.

Maurer knew the power of the act he was threatening; knew the depths of the fear it would inspire. He had heard the rhetoric accusing the steel strikers of Bolshevism, and he capitalized on it, letting frightened officials get lost in their fearful imaginings.

As a short-term tactic, it was something of a bust: The steel strike, it turned out, was beyond help, and by January it had been thoroughly put down. In the long term, however, there may have been some benefit to terrifying the attorney general: Palmer started seeing general political strikes everywhere. The following April, he warned that radicals were planning a nationwide general strike coupled with an assassination campaign for May Day. They werent, and when they didnt, Palmer was humiliated. His opponents pressed the advantage, effectively ending the Red Scare.

Still, the fear of the general political strike never really dissipated. Since 1947, Congress and the courts have generally barred unions from calling political strikes of any scale. Two generations later, its hard to know whether the tactic still bears the power to terrify, and to mobilize. Over the next few months, we might find out.
When Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer stopped by The View Tuesday morning, there was one topic they had to get out of the way right off of the bat: What President Trump referred to as his fake tears over the administrations travel ban last month.

We brought tissues just in case you start to tear up, because you never know, moderator Whoopi Goldberg said, before asking Schumer, Is there anything you want to tell him now?

Well, he doesn't know me, Schumer said of Trump. He says he knows me. I get tearful. My daughter's wedding, I could hardly contain it in. When Harry Reid stepped down and here's what my family knows  who remembers the movie Free Willy? When you admit to tearing up at that 1993 film about the plight of a whale, youre kind of allowing that it doesnt take much to make you cry.

Trump has it so wrong, Schumer continued. Seriously, I care about immigration, he added, noting that his actual middle name is Ellis after Ellis Island and his daughters middle name is Emma after Emma Lazarus, who wrote the poem emblazoned on The Statue of Liberty. You know, Donald Trump would like people to think all immigrants are terrorists and criminals. They're not. They're the future of America.

No member of the Senate has received more donations from Donald Trump over the years than Schumer, but now they find themselves in direct opposition. Trump called Schumer the head clown and Schumer has taken to chanting Dump Trump at rallies. The hosts wanted to know what exactly Dump Trump would look like.

We have to stop him, Schumer said, speaking more broadly than specifically. Here's what I believe, you should always be guided by your values, that's my internal gyroscope. He added, If you have your own beliefs, your own values and stick with them you'll stay on course. So, Trump calling me names doesn't affect me, Trump trying to flatter me doesn't affect me. If he sticks with the right values I won't oppose things just because the name Trump is on it. But, when he's against our values and American values, I'll fight him tooth and nail.

Schumer went on to agree with his colleague Al Franken that when you talk to Republicans quietly, you know, in the cloakroom or in the gym, they are having real problems with President Trump. He singled out Sen. John McCain for having the courage to oppose Trump  despite that fact that hes voted with the president 94% of the time so far  and predicted that we will see a lot more Republicans breaking with him in the coming months. That is the hope of America, he said.

Asked by Goldberg if he thinks the Republicans view a favorable Supreme Court nominee as more important than what the Constitution stands for, Schumer aired how disappointed he has been with Trumps cabinet picks, especially coming from a man who vowed to drain the swamp in Washington. This is the worst cabinet weve ever seen in the history of America, he said. We call his cabinet the swamp cabinet, billionaires and bankers, totally against what he campaigned on.

The Senate minority leader also stood up the media, who Trump has now deemed the enemy of the American people. The press has always been a counter to people in power, he said. Every one of us gets criticized by the press, we don't like it. But it makesit probably keeps us better. And when he totally, totally just demeans them and when he's wrong and then calls them fake news, that's trouble for the democracy.

Later in the show, Schumer discussed his conversations with Trumps Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch and explained why he is disappointed in the pick. Schumer said he asked Gorsuch if he disagrees with Trumps characterization of the so-called judge who ruled against him on the ban, something Schumer said goes against all our whole way of making laws and respect for the branches of government and he wouldn't say so. He asked Gorsuch, Would a Muslim ban be unconstitutional? He wouldn't answer, adding, I sat there with an eerie feeling.

Asked by co-host Joy Behar why the Democrats dont do to Gorsuch what the Republicans did to Merrick Garland, Schumer had a simple answer: Because theyre in charge.

In other words, we can't, he continued. If we were in charge we could do they did, Im not saying we should. We could not bring him up for a vote. But they were in charge for Garland, so they didnt bring him up. The good news, he said, is that Gorsuch will need 60 votes to get through I believe, if Gorsuch keeps it up he'll have a rough road to hoe to get those 60 votes.

People ask, do the Democrats have power? Schumer added. We're not in charge, which means we can't set the agenda. But we can block a lot of things.
Lanky and gregarious, Daniel Clowes sat before a blown-up back cover image of his 2016 graphic novel Patience on the wall of Galerie Martel. The Parisian gallery, dedicated to comics and illustration, is hosting a show of his original works through March 11. Not having sold original drawings for years (there is plenty of work he wont part with, and plenty already in private institutions), his selection for the show pulled from his own miscellany.

I imagine after I die my son will throw it into a dumpster: What do I need this paper for?! he joked. So I went through it. The displayed drawings are mainly culled from the last 17 of his 32 years as cartoonist. The eclectic assortment includes a portrait of Don DeLillo for GQ magazine from 2016; a sketch for the upcoming Criterion DVD cover of Ghost World, which earned Clowes an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay in 2001; original lettering for the titles of his second cinematic collaboration, Art School Confidential; complete pages of David Boring from 2000 (sampling from page 57: Please dont go into your doomsday routine right now ok?), and a color sketch for the 2003 Japanese edition of the Velvet Glove cover.

An elliptical biography: The 55-year-old, Chicago-born Clowes graduated from Pratt, and threw himself into alternative comics in 1985 with Lloyd Llewellyn about a private detective. In 1989 he created Eightball, a showcase of serialized narratives (including Ghost World and David Boring)which was recently reassembled as a completist two-volume set timed for its 25th anniversary. Clowess work has graced covers of The New Yorker, and he received the PEN Literary Award for Graphic Literature in 2011. He lives in Oakland, California, with his wife and son (the very one who might one day dispense of his fathers lawless archives).

Original comics became valuable on the art market only recently. All of us doing comics thought that there was a value to the work we were doing that was not appreciated, Clowes recalls. Years ago, the artwork was thought of as this kind of disposable part of the process and the final work was the printed book. In fact, they used to just cut up the artwork, throw it away, use the back of it it was treated with utter contempt. He noted that the reverence accorded to the comic book in France, aka the bande dessine, has been way ahead of everybody else.

Clowes himself delights in the scrappy beauty of the early drafts. Whenever Ive seen the original artwork of comics I love and feel connected to, it is as magical as seeing a Vermeer painting, he says. You feel in the presence and aura of this artist whos made this creation.

His rich roster of characters double only vaguely as alter egos: I dont know that the events of their lives are necessarily mine, he cautions. Theyre certainly not the wholeness of what I am. But theres always some emotional resonance I write out the things Im thinking about all the time. With Patience, released last yearbilled as a science-fiction time-traveling love storyhe wrestled with my younger self and how I became myself now from this younger man.

Throughout his work, the key thing for him is expressing things askance, with tongue in cheek: I love irony. I think its almost the only way to express the truth. Sincerity always feels false in some way, but irony can be blunt and dance around that edge of what is sincere and what is a mockery of being sincere. I find the closer you get to that edge, the more interesting it is.

Although Clowes values the rather auteur quality of comics, he has recently reconsidered the medium as a potentially galvanizing tool during such a deeply fraught political moment. Its something I really have been thinking about, constantly, since our horrible event, Clowes says, alluding to the last election. He admits that collective political reality is not my usual mode. He half-joked that I have no interest in catering to any world but my own. But then he pivots to say, Whatever I do for the next five or more years will be very much about this, because its all I think about. Im trying to figure out the way to do it that feels like it will have some power. I don't know that I can change anybodys mind, but I want to do something that lasts and is resonant to the people in the charred future.

The political landscape in the U.S. has so reshaped the vision of the world that hes not harboring any anger for anyone on the same political side in these incredibly divisive timesnot even against Shia LaBeouf, who in 2013 was accused of plagiarizing Clowess 2008 comic Justin M. Damiano. Although Clowes hasn't seen LaBeoufs anti-Trump installation, being anti-Trump is in and of itself enough to bond people together, he thinks. At least for now. I look forward to the day we can go back to hating Shia LeBeouf, Clowes deadpans.

Clowess next big splash is the movie adaptation of his 2010 graphic novel Wilson, coming out this year. He wrote the screenplay, but it is otherwise the least involvement hes had so far in a film based on his work. He explains: The reason I got into making films was that I was isolated. Im drawing in this room all day every day I wanted to see what its like to collaborate with other people. (He clarifies: I didnt want to collaborate on my comicsthats my sanctum. Those are always mine; I dont want to ever pollute that with anything else.) The reality of movie-making dimmed the shine of collaborating, however. On Ghost World I was working on the movie as it was being made, and I found it really frustrating. You have to get up at 5 in the morning and work all day. I couldnt be creative at all. I was half-awake and not making my best decisionsnobody was! Youre just under such pressure that its difficult to do something thats exactly what you want it to be. So Im back to writing the screenplays in my room, exactly as I was doing with comics! he laughs. And I just realized thats my thingI do my own thing by myself, and hand it off.

Cleaving the writing from the production prevents him from feeling precious about the original material: I give them the template, and they make the film. Clowes enjoys being able to be a spectator. Often Im the only one laughing in the theaterI know all the jokes behind it. I get perspective on my own work. Ultimately the film, he says, is not mine.

The fragmentary nature of Wilson was kind of useful; it was like an outline. The book is bullet points. He can't really talk to himself as muchthat honestly just seems crazy in a non-cartoon character. I had to give him people to talk to. The result: Its much more of a comedy than the book is, but I like that.

Knowing the range his pop culture collaborations, from a poster for Todd Solondzs Happiness to the Ramones' music video I Dont Wanna Grow Up, it seems only natural to query whether he has any wishful pop culture collabs. Like work with Beyonce? he responds. He thinks on who might be of interest but circles back to Beyonce. Plant that in the press, he advises.
Not long ago, Steve Bannons Capitol Hill townhouse had a plaque next to the front door proclaiming it The Breitbart Embassy. A similar sign may as well be placed at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, renaming the White House The Breitbart House, one dedicated to bringing down the old power structure, including the Republican and Democratic establishments, and destroying the power of the international so-called Davos elites.

The Breitbart House is apocalyptic. It aims to bring down the powers that be, and to replace them with a new world order. Thats a big task. Privately, reporters are saying that those Republicans they talk to on the Hill are worried about President Trump, but fear going after him because it might lose their constituents support.

In audio recordings of his Sirius/XM radio program from 2015 and 2016, USA Today reported, Bannon told his listeners that the United States and the Western world are engaged in a global existential war, and he entertained claims that a fifth column of Islamist sympathizers had infiltrated the U.S. government and news media. Among other predictions, he said America and China would go to war in five to 10 years in the South China Sea. Both an expansionist Islam and an expansionist China, he argued, were on the march And they think the Judeo-Christian West is on the retreat. Islam itself, he said is darker than either Nazi Germany or Stalinist Russia ever was.

Anyone who has taken the time to watch Bannons 2010 Generation Zero documentary will understand how he sees the world. The films predominant theme is that the Judeo-Christian West is under attack by the Islamic world. The latter will win unless the West wakes up and counters it. In America, this can be done by drawing on more traditional eras, like the 1950s, when there was an agreement on basic morality deriving from the strength of organized religion in a church-going nation. In a script for a film he never made , on Islams takeover of the United States, Bannon asserts that our present situation is the result of the appeasement of Islam practiced by enablers from the universities, the Jewish community, and the media that is facilitating their victory.

As for immigration, Bannon believes that all Muslim immigrants to the United States are not Jeffersonian democrats, and that at least half of them believe in being Sharia-compliant. Since he seems to believe that anyone who practices Islam necessarily believes in Sharia, he thinks Muslims cannot be allowed to come to the United States or gain citizenship. Moreover, according to Bannon, 5 to 10 percent of Muslims believe in radical jihad, which means that hundreds of thousands of jihadists will be coming into the United States. Should that happen, the country will be doomed, he thinks.

Crucially, this is not just the view of one powerful Trump adviser. Bannon has appointed people who generally share the type of analysis one finds on Breitbart.com to major White House positions. They include:

Sebastian Gorka, deputy assistant to the president: Previously the defense and security columnist for Breitbart, Gorka worked in Hungarys Defense Ministry for five years, where he was involved in issues pertaining to international security. A scholar with a Ph.D. in politics from a university in Budapest, Gorka is most known as a hardline opponent of the Iranian government, as well as a strong critic of radical Islam. His views were expressed in his recent book, Defeating Jihad: The Winnable War . (A synthesis of the book can be found here .) He sees the likelihood of a Paris-style attack coming soon to the United States, carried out by sleeper cells of jihadists already in the United States. Bannon called Gorka one of the worlds leading experts in asymmetric warfare. Going on the major news programs, Gorka argued (and I personally agree with him on this) that both the Bush 43 and Obama administrations did not deal with the religious roots of Islamist ideology, saying only that Islam is a religion of peace. As for Iran, he told Sean Hannity that the administration would make it clear that Iran is not just another country but is a state sponsor of terrorism that is destabilizing the region.

Recently, Gorka has been accused by the editors of Hungarian Spectrum and by writer Eli Clifton of having sympathies with a neo-fascist World War II Hungarian group that was popular during the Nazi-collaborating Horthy regime. Gorka was photographed at the Trump Inaugural Ball wearing a Bocskai jacket and on it displaying the Order of Heroes, a Vitezi Rend medal awarded to his father by a group that collaborated with the Nazis and is blatantly anti-Semitic. It was Gorka who was chosen by Trump to answer the allegation that leaving out any mention of Jews on Holocaust Remembrance Day was anti-Semitic. Gorka has responded that his father got the award only a few decades ago, and he wore it to honor his anti-Nazi and anti-communist father. Yet Spectrum concludes that since the Order was anti-Semitic, radically right, and ultra-nationalist, a person who is committed to democratic values cannot possibly be proud of his familys association with such a group.

Stephen Miller, senior policy adviser to the president: Although Millers family were staunch Democrats, he took another path in high school by becoming a conservative and going on conservative talk radio to explain his positions. After graduating from Duke, he served as press secretary to Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann. He then became Senator (now Attorney General) Jeff Sessionss chief of communications. In 2014, Miller provided Sessions with anti-immigrant talking points and distributed literature that helped to kill a bipartisan deal on comprehensive immigration reform that had passed the Senate.

Miller joined candidate Trumps campaign, warming up the crowds by giving rousing speeches promoting Trumps anti-immigrant agenda, including building the wall, telling the crowd, Were going to build that wall high and were going to build it tall. Miller wrote the speech Trump gave at the 2016 Republican National Convention. As a member of the administration, Miller along with Bannon worked on its policies to restrict immigration, including Trumps executive order.

In defense of the order, Miller appeared on CBSs Face the Nation and became notoriousas I wrote here for saying in his defense of Trumps temporary immigration ban that the powers of the president to protect our country are very substantial and will not be questioned. His comments produced genuine concern by many Americans about the growing authoritarian direction taken by the administration, and indicated a lack of respect for our basic separation of powers. Chosen to defend the presidents immigration order, Miller is clearly becoming more important.

Michael Anton, deputy assistant to the president on strategic communications on the National Security Council: Perhaps the most intellectual member of the Bannon group is the person who during the campaign, anonymously wrote the now famous essay in The Claremont Review of Books, The Flight 93 Election. In it, Anton wrote that American conservatives are like the passengers in Flight 93, the plane hijacked on 9/11 by al Qaeda terrorists that was headed for destruction. 2016, he wrote, is the Flight 93 Election: charge the cockpit or you die. If one does not, death is certain. To let Hillary Clinton win the presidency is the equivalent of Russian Roulette with a semi-auto, and would mean that the nation was headed off a cliff.

Later, after others criticized his argument for Trump, Anton defended himself with this answer . Those articles were written under the pseudonym Publius Decius Mus, which Anton later explained he had to use because in the financial industry in which he worked, he was worried that a strong defense of Trump might result in losing his job.

Anton might have the most far-ranging interests of all of Trumps followers Bannon has brought into the White House. A well-known fashionista, writing under the name Nicholas Antongivanni, he is author of the book The Suit: A Machiavellian Approach to Mens Styles, in which he argues that dressing the correct way is the pathway to power.

Originally, Anton was a traditional conservative, writing for mainstream conservative publications like The Weekly Standard. He told Peter Maas of The Intercept that my journey toward Trumpism was in many ways a journey (on my part) leftward, toward the center, and that he had jettisoned a lot of conservative orthodoxy because I think it was not working for the bottom half, or even the bottom two thirds.

His explanation for the path toward Trumpism reflects the view of many that Trump and Bannon are not exemplars of the traditional conservative right or liberal left. They take their themes from part of both world-views, and in that sense, by leaving mainstream conservatism, Anton sees himself moving leftward.

One thing is clear. By giving these men such power, the administration is entering into a major confrontation with some of Trumps mainstream appointees. Eventually, one side will have to give in.
When I first entered the netherworld of corruption and violence in 1993 for a first-time, nonviolent LSD conspiracy, the first two books I read when I hit prison were Norman Mailers The Executioners Song and Jack Henry Abbotts In the Belly of the Beast. I was already a big fan of Mailer from reading The Naked and The Dead in my teens, but as a skinny, 22-year-old, white kid from the suburbs, with multiple decades to serve, I decided that reading Abbotts book was paramount to my survival.

Being completely ignorant on prison life, besides what Id seen in the movies, I knew that getting up to speed was crucial to my well being. Abbotts book became a kind of prison Cliff's Notes for me. A guide on how to act, what to say, and how to conduct myself in any given situation on the inside.

During the writing of the The Executioners Song a book about condemned killer Gary Gilmore, Mailer took Abbotta New York state prisoner and self proclaimed state raised convict whod served much of his life in prison for manslaughter, bank robbery and forgery chargesunder his wing and groomed him as a writer. With Mailers guidance and support, Abbott not only became a prison celebrity, but was released in 1981 on parole, despite being prone to violence and having spent years of his sentence in solitary confinement.
Last summer, Trevor Noah told me that if by some crazy turn of events Trump were to be elected, he wasnt sure he would be able to stay in the United States. And if, as promised, Trump decided to open up the libel laws, the South African host wondered, could a program like The Daily Show even exist?

One month into the Trump administration, Noah is still here, still tearing into Trump four nights a week most recently mocking his insane press conference and delivering The Daily Show its highest-rated month since his October 2015 debut with an average of 1.4 million viewers a night in January. Just as hes been for Daily Show alum Stephen Colbert , President Trump has been a barely-disguised blessing for Noah.

During a chilled out Saturday morning in Boston, where he is in the middle of performing six sold-out shows at the Wilbur Theatre, Noah calls The Daily Beast to talk about his new Netflix stand-up special, Afraid of the Dark. The hour-plus set premieres this Tuesday, but the comedian taped it last November, just three days before the election at the Beacon Theatre in New York City.

It may just be the benefit of hindsight, but Noah says he had a feeling then that things might not be going Hillary Clintons way. Below is our edited and condensed conversation.

The last time we spoke , you said you hoped after the election The Daily Show might be able to spread its wings a little bit more and have more of an opportunity to focus on the world. Then Trump won. Hows that working out for you so far?

Well, for now its been chaotic. But you know whats interesting? Trump has actually brought that closer to me than I thought, because he has involved the world in everything. So what Donald Trump has done, unwittingly, is he has gotten America involved in world politics in a way I dont think he even imagined. So now we can do stories including the Japanese prime minister. Now we can talk a little more about whats happening in Canada in relation to the U.S. We can talk a little bit more about whats happening with Theresa May in the U.K. and how shes dealing with Brexit because shes meeting with Donald Trump. I still believe weve got to open up the lens a little bit more and talk about everything thats happening instead of looking at only one dimension, and thats what were going to keep on doing.

Your new Netflix special gives you a chance to talk about something other than politics. What do you get out of stand-up that you cant get from hosting The Daily Show every night?

I think the two things I get out of stand-up is, one, it is a lot more forgiving in that Im doing it live and Im talking to the people. So, the audience is all there with stand-up. With The Daily Show, Im trying to perform for people who are not there and so Im trying to imagine how they would be reacting. With stand-up, Im talking to the audience and the audience is responding to me immediately. So, I can have conversations with them that takes a slightly different bent. With stand-up, youre also not restricted to time, both literally and figuratively. With The Daily Show and any late-night show, youre reacting to whats happening, youre working with whats in the news, and that makes sense. Whereas with stand-up, I can go back and talk about something that happened a year ago and try and parse that with the audience, which is nice because it gives you a different way to process everything thats happening or has happened.

The new special was taped just three days before the election. At that point, how confident were you that Hillary would win?

I wasnt confident at all! I saw the numbers and I was like, I think shell do well? And for all intents and purposes, the national polls were right. I guess its tough to calculate it on a state level because of the Electoral College. So I wasnt in the most confident place. After the FBI came out and said they were opening up the investigation , I was like, oh wow, we dont know whats going to happen here. So when I taped the special, I taped it with that in mind. And Im lucky in that I hedged my bets, so the special didnt lose any of its relevance.

What was the audience like that night? Did you sense that they were on edge about the election?

No, they were actually pretty good. Thats something I try to create with my stand-uplets try and escape the feeling from the outside. Lets try to create an entirely new feeling thats going to be contained within the walls of this theater and within the walls of this hour and a half that we spend together. So thats why, with my stand-up, I try to tackle things from a different angle. Even if youre not really into politics, you may not be someone who completely agrees with my political views, but in the stand-up space well be able to find a lot more common ground, because were working through the prism of laughter only. As opposed to The Daily Show, which is specifically focused on politics.

Since Trump took office, not only are The Daily Shows ratings way up, but Stephen Colbert has overtaken Jimmy Fallon and SNL has its best ratings in years . Why do you think viewers are so hungry for political comedy right now?

I think its because a lot of people werent interested beforehand. We always forget  everyone goes, half the country is Republican, half the country is Democrat. No, half the voters are Republican, half the voters are Democrat. The majority of the country, the bigger chunk than half, just doesnt vote. So there is this huge group of people who were just not interested. And then Trump comes in and he starts affecting everybody. Because during the campaign, he didnt affect everybody. And now, whether you think youre involved in politics or not, when a travel ban hits you cannot say, Im not political. When the effects of Trumps laws start kicking in, you cant say, Oh, Im not really into politics.

How has your job changed so far under the Trump presidency?

My job changed from the time Trump won the election. We stepped up. I know I changed gears, because the thing I struggled with trying to explain to people before the election was, why do you want me to be angry? People were like, Why arent you angry? Why arent you outraged? And I said, theres nothing to be outraged about right now. There were moments where you could find yourself being angry about whats happening, but you cannot exist in a constant state of outrage when nothing is actually happening. After the election I realized why. If I was at a level 10 outrage before the election, what would I be at now? Theres nothing higher. Whereas now, I can see a distinct change in the way I approach the show. I know that if you are a Muslim person now in America, before you were on edge but now you are terrified, because youre seeing these dominoes fall toward a point where you are labeled an enemy of the state. If you are an immigrant or a child of immigrants in America right now, you are not in a comfortable space, you are afraid. And so that has definitely changed how we function on the show.

Do you feel outraged?

There are moments. Its weird because it fluctuates between outrage and incredulousness and shock and disgust and disbelief. Its a range of emotions every single day. Because its not like this administration is operating precisely. If they were, then youd be able to maintain an emotion. This is like an apocalypse riding in a clown car. I dont even know how to feel about this.

This past week you covered Trumps press conference and you talked about how you basically had to throw out the entire show after that happened. What is that process like when you guys have to really start from scratch?

What we started realizing was, Donald Trump, unlike most politicians before him, does not adhere to the regular news cycle. He doesnt communicate through regular channels. So what that means is, you cannot rely on the news remaining the same from the night before until the next evening. Donald Trump will create news in the middle of the day, randomly. If you look at the work day that hes set for himself, he reportedly ends his day around 5 or 6 p.m. Most late-night shows tape in the afternoon, anywhere from 5 p.m. to 6:30, so if the person is creating news when youre recording your show, you have to re-look at how you do your show. So thats what we started doing, because you want to give the viewers the freshest content. If youre talking about something that happened yesterday and since that time, this guy has declared war on several different groups of people, you want to have that on the show.

I feel like a lot of people just kind of stopped working and stared at that press conference for an hour and 15 minutes. Is that what happened at your office?

Thats exactly what happened. When it started, Donald Trump was just sort of reading and he was calm. And then it just turned into a monster and it was like, wow, OK, this is special. And you couldnt ignore it.

Hes obviously created a lot of challenges for the press with his fake news narrative . How do you think the media is doing so far at covering him?

I think the media is stepping up, I wont lie. I think news organizations are really stepping up. The only thing that Im not a fan of is when some news stations or news anchors make it feel like theyre stepping up as revenge because of what Donald Trump is saying about them. Thats not why you should be doing it. News should be news, and whether the president likes you or not, you should be delivering the same news. But I wont lie, everyone from [George] Stephanopoulos to Chuck Todd to Jake Tapper , youre seeing news anchors that are really, really upping their game. Even people on Fox News like Bill OReilly, he hasnt just succumbed to Trump . He calls Trump out. And you can see a lot of the more extreme voices on Fox News starting to hate him for that. Shep Smith the other day, he came out and said something, and people were like #FireShep, that was the new hashtag that was trending. Shep is the new Megyn Kelly, kick him out. So there are a lot of great journalists who are doing a lot of great work out there.

Were talking the morning after Bill Maher had Milo Yiannopoulos on his HBO show . He got a lot of blowback for booking him in the first place and then got even more criticism for letting him off kind of easy . You got a better response for your interview with Tomi Lahren , which also got a lot of attention. How do you balance giving someone like that, who you might not agree with, a platform versus having them on and debating them and holding them to account?

I think the question you have to ask yourself is, what is your intention? Why are you having the person on? I dont ever wish to have somebody on the show just for the sake of having them on the show. I dont ever wish to provide hate a platform. There may be people who you feel are hateful, who are saying things you feel are just being said to incite. But if they truly dont believe that from their side, then maybe there is a discussion to be had. Now will the discussion bear fruit, will it always yield some sort of consensus? You never know that until you have the interview. What I always aim to do though is make sure that I know what my intention is going in. I would never want someone to have, as you say, a platform. But when you are challenging somebody and when you dont allow that person to walk away with unchallenged views or let them spew things that are completely incorrect, then youre not giving them a platform. But the same way I play clips that I dont agree with and then challenge arguments is what I would do when certain guests come on the show.

What about someone like Kellyanne Conway? She has now been banned from Morning Joe and CNN for a while was saying they werent going to have her on because of credibility issues . Is that someone you would welcome on your show and how would you approach an interview with her?

I dont know if we would. I mean, I guess we probably would but thats the thing. Why would we be having Kellyanne Conway on? Because news organizations, Im glad that theyve picked up on that. If the person is not coming to provide clarity  thats the sole reason that people were having Kellyanne Conway on. They go, Kellyanne, you are the voice of the administration, you will provide clarity on what Donald Trump has said or done. If you realize suddenly that she is not doing that, then why are you having that person on? There is no point. There is literally no point at all. If every interview ends with you being more confused than you were when the interview started, then you start to realize theres no point. So I say kudos to them, because at the end of day the only reason these organizations have people from the administration on is they are meant to provide clarity. And if theyre not doing that, the news can still do the news without them. The news can still report. And thats what journalism is all about. You get the information and you pass it onto the viewer.

Do you think Trump will ever appear on The Daily Show?

I doubt it. Trump is in a world where he truly only wants to associate himself with people that like him. And so, unless The Daily Show turned around and said, Were really sorry, Trump, youre actually a really great leader, I dont think well ever see him coming on the show. I dont think Trump has the balls to go on a show where people dont like him. You saw him at the press conference, what did he say? Can I get an easy question? And the guy got up, gave him the easiest question in the world . All he had to say was, were going to stamp out anti-Semitism and once again, Donald Trump failed to say hes going to stamp out anti-Semitism or hes opposed to it 100 percent. That was the craziest moment where I was like, wow, this guy really doesnt seem to get it.

Youve made it known that you are open to hosting the White House Correspondents Dinner. If it even happens, and if you were chosen, what would you hope to accomplish on that night?

Id hope to accomplish what any great White House Correspondents Dinner host would hope to accomplish, which is a good strong show thats funny and truthful. Thats really all the White House Correspondents Dinner should be. All the greats that hosted it have achieved that and thats what I would hope to do. Thats the one thing thats really great about it, is you have a simple goal if you are a comedian, and that is truth through comedy and thats it. Its as simple as that.

Obama was known for being pretty hilarious at those events. How do you think Trump would do on that podium?

I dont think hes going to do that well. Hes not great at delivering a joke that was written for him. Hes good in the moment at riffing and stuff, but hes not particularly good at like, reading, in general. So I dont think hell do that well. Hes not really that charismatic when hes delivering someone elses words. I wonder if they will have the event or not. I will say this though: The irony in any country is, if you track satire and comedy, you will always find them in countries where there is no revolution. If you look at the Arab Spring, if you look at Egypt and those places, its when they started shutting down free speech that people started taking to the streets. Because there is a fine balance that is achieved between any administration and the populace with allowing them to say how they feel about what is happening. And once you start shutting that down, the people feel like they no longer have a voice or a space to amplify their thoughts. The White House Correspondents Dinner not being there could just be one step closer to the people feeling like this man is trying to set up his authoritarian regime.

So if Trump doesnt want a revolution he should let comedians say whatever they want about him?

Hey, you never know.
PARIS  European politicians and policy makers have begun to feel theyre watching a horror movie: the tale of an American administration with a split personality as sinister as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hydethe first perfectly reasonable and sociable, the other monstrous, unable, and unwilling to control its impulses. And all this as the very existence of the European Union and the credibility of NATO hang in the balance with far-right populists like Geert Wilders in the Netherlands and Marine Le Pen in France potentially set to gain enormous power through upcoming elections.

The respected French daily Le Monde describes this administration as one where theres a civil war at the top between the rationals and the radicals. And over the last few days the rationalsVice President Mike Pence, Secretary of Defense Gen. John Mattis, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Secretary of Homeland Security Gen. John Kellyhave been in Europe trying to find ways to say that the president does not really mean what he has said again, and again, and again, and keeps on saying. No, the rationals insisted, NATO is not obsolete. Yes, the United States supports the European Union.

And the rationals might have succeeded in convincing their closest European friends that the U.S. commitment was as serious as it soundeduntil Europe saw video of President Donald Trump soaking up adoration at a staged rally in Florida on Saturday, as if slobbering fans could vindicate his trademark incoherence.

The rally was the antithesis of reasonable discourse, and a potent reminder for many that Disrupter-in-Chief Steve Bannon continues pushing an agenda that will break up the EU, and diminish NATO while exalting Russia and its Putinesque authoritarianism.

Trumps craving for love and admiration and adoration can make him extraordinarily sensitive to whoever would influence him, says Francois Heisbourg, a veteran of the European policy establishment who is now affiliated with the Foundation for Strategic Reasearch.

Every single ally of the United States now has to think of hedging, said Heisbourg.

With diminishing confidence in support by the American superpower, many leaders in Europe will look to cut deals with Russian President Vladimir Putin that may compromise their participation in the Atlantic Alliance. As far away as Australia, another importante American ally, the inclination will be to curry favor with China at the expense of American interests if Australians believe Washington no longer has their back.

As traditional alliances fall apart, Russia and China will emerge as much stronger regional and global powers. So its little wonder that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, speaking at the annual Munich Security Conference on Saturday, proclaimed the coming of a post-West world order.

And what was the American response? Part of the tradition at the Munich conference over the last half a century is that speakers answer questions after they have presented their prepared remarks. But the American delegation declined to do so. The Americans, as Le Monde put it, preferred not to find themselves in the uncomfortable position of not knowing what to say.

In a world trying to navigate multiple crises, the overall impression is that the U.S.S. Trump is a rudderless flagship. Staffan de Mistura, the United Nations envoy trying to forge some sort of peace settlement in Syria, noted, The big question is where is the United States in all this? He couldnt say. Former NATO chief and EU foreign policy czar Javier Solana said Pence talked to the Munich conference as if to a bunch of children: I love you, I love you, but with no substance.

Others discerned an almost mutinous undercurrent at the conference. Early on, U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) gave a speech that drew a clear line between the (unnamed) U.S. president and his more rational, professional Cabinet.

McCain denounced those who turn away from universal values and toward old ties of blood, and race, and sectarianism. He decried the hardening resentment we see toward immigrants, and refugees, and minority groups, especially Muslims. He noted with alarm the growing inability, and even unwillingness, to separate truth from lies, and the extent to which more and more of our fellow citizens seem to be flirting with authoritarianism and romanticizing it as our moral equivalent.

Giving Pence, Mattis, and Kelly a shout-out, McCain said neither he nor they would be laying down the mantle of global leadership. And when the White House announced Monday that hard-driving H.R. McMaster, another general, would take over the position of national security adviser, McCain welcomed the appointment as if hed just had a star player added to his team: I give President Trump great credit for this decision, as well as his national security cabinet choices. I could not imagine a better, more capable national security team than the one we have right now.

At the Munich conference, when Pence made his appearance, he struck many in the audience as somebody attempting to and succeeding in projecting the image of someone who is mainstream, said one participant. The vice president spoke in the dulcet tones he learned working as a radio and TV talk show host. And, as the same observer put it, the sentences Pence spoke had a subject and a verbwe are not used to this anymore.

I had the impression he was positioning himself as Gerry Ford, said this participant, alluding to the man who became vice president and then president as the government of Richard Nixon collapsed in 1974.

As Heisbourg put it, Pence gave the impression that if stuff happens, there will be an adult around.

That would seem the least Europe could hope for. The very least.
Fox News Tucker Carlson had a hard time booking Olga Lexell, the creator and co-organizer of the nationwide Not My Presidents Day protests on Monday.

So, after repeated refusals, Carlsons show instead booked Shane Saunders, a Los Angeles-based actor and casting agent, who Lexell said was not affiliated in any way with our rallies and was not an organizer.

In the five-minute segment, Saunders was referred to as an organizer by an on-screen graphic and Carlson himself, who also asked Saunders about why your protest is going to make a difference.

It's frustrating because, with the exception of one person, all of the organizers are women, Lexell told The Daily Beast. For a man who knows nothing about the protests to go on TV unprepared, misrepresent our message, take credit for our weeks of hard work, and make us look badand for Tucker Carlson's team to go along with itis just disappointing.

Lexell said Carlsons producers reached out to all of the nationwide organizers on Facebook and proceeded to Facebook message us on Monday, asking them to be on the show. She initially said yes, just to bide (our) time while I contacted everyone.

Once everyone was on the same page, I canceled (and) made some jokes about how I'd meet Tucker for brunch, she said. He responded by begging me to come on the show.

Emails Lexell posted on Twitter and provided to The Daily Beast show Carlson sending two personal requests for Lexell to appear on his show, which she declined.

Carlson has been accused of blindsiding his guests and keeping them from issuing fully formed answers by reporters like the Washington Posts Erik Wemple, who wrote just that after appearing on Fox News in primetime last week. This led to other writers, like Alex Pareene at Deadspin, to implore potential Carlson guests to learn from Wemples appearance and  Don't Volunteer To Be Ambushed On Television .

Saunders, who Lexell said saw her post the jokes about not wanting to go on Tucker's show and replied with a bunch of comments he's since deleted, was then booked in her stead.

I told him that we had just organized a massive rally with ample news coverage and that we didn't need to go on Tucker Carlson's show to validate that, she said.

She insists Saunders, who she says is a friend of some friends of mine, had nothing to do with organizing the protests.

He was not involved in the planning of the protests in any way, at any point, ever, she said. Heather (Mason) and I organized the LA event that started the whole thing, and we had specific contacts in the other cities who had dealt with media outreach before. We know everyone who was involved on every team.

Mason, the event's co-organizer, believes "Carlson's team either didn't vet him or didn't care that he wasn't involved."

"Shane wasn't involved in organizing the protests, yet inserted himself into the narrative for some unknown reason without authority on the subject. I don't know what in the world would make him think that was a good idea or even one that made logical sense," said Mason. "He didn't clarify his role in the protests and proceeded to lock his Twitter account after I asked him if he attended."

Saunders told The Daily Beast he went on the show under the conditions that I wouldnt allow my words to be twisted by Tucker Carlson.

"They said it would be a very simple segment about you as a protestor at todays rally," said Saunders, who said "works on the other side of (acting) now" in a writers room. "I never once said I was an organizer of the event."

Saunders said that Lexell, whom he says he's never met in person, has been "thrown off on this wild course of craziness right now" since the interview "blew up in a way that I never wouldve imagined."

After Saunders appeared on the show, Lexell emailed the shows producers to let them know of the extent of his involvement in the protests, which totaled about 13,000 people in New York alone.

Hey just so you guys know, that guy who you got on the show isn't affiliated with our event and didn't even attend any of the protests. I know him in real life and he's an aspiring actor, she said. (Saunders said he attended the event and is now working in a writer's room.)

Okay, one of Carlsons producers responded.

Update: Fox News' Justin Wells, Executive Producer of Tucker Carlson Tonight, has issued a statement to The Daily Beast regarding the segment.

"The program incorrectly identified a Los Angeles based protest participant as a protest organizer in a graphic during Monday nights telecast. While he was correctly identified in the introduction to the segment, we regret the graphic didnt accurately reflect his role throughout the entire segment."

The story was also updated to include comment from Saunders.
While President Trump doubles down on the hypothetical threats of incoming terrorists posing as refugees, he might be ignoring a very real concern here at home: The U.S. is largely underprepared to detect or respond to the threat of a radiological terrorist attack on American soil.

A so-called Red Team from the U.S. federal agency charged with evaluating domestic capabilities to defend against dirty bomb and weapons of mass destruction attacks found gaping holes in domestic nuclear detection and defense capabilities and massive failures during covert testing. Thats according to the most recent annual report by the Department of Homeland Securitys Domestic Nuclear Detection Office.

The Red Team found significant issues in detecting dangerous radioactive and nuclear materials, failing to do so in 30 percent of covert tests conducted over the course of the year. In far too many cases, the person operating the detection device had no idea how to use it. And when the operator did get a hit, he or she relayed sensitive information over unsecured open radio channels.

The Red Team report, dated July 2016 and reviewed by The Daily Beast, summarizes a years worth of covert and overt testing of nuclear and radiological detection and response capabilities. These tests were performed by a broad range state, local, federal, and tribal agencies and across a range of venues: at border points of entry, in aviation and maritime environments, during large public events like the Super Bowl or Inauguration, and at regular checkpoints around the country.

Dozens of FBI and DHS intelligence reports issued in the last six months and reviewed by The Daily Beast outline the current threat landscape, identifying the biggest concerns: Rising homegrown radicalization of U.S. citizens and renewed calls by terror groups to carry out dirty bomb and weapons of mass destruction attacks on targets throughout the United States. For example, in May, a pro-Islamic State outfit published a detailed document explaining the concept of making a radiological weapon. The instructions included photo instructions and promised death by radiation poisoning. The missive was distributed via Telegram, the secure messaging app, and on Twitter. A five-page translation produced by SITE Intel Group was circulated the same day to the FBI and other counterterrorism agencies and divisions. In November, DNDO distributed an article from the recent Military Review headlined The Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Terrorism Threat from the Islamic State.

Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly acknowledges this threat and said in an interview with Fox News conducted right after his confirmation that nuclear and radiological detection capabilities would be included in the construction of Trumps proposed border wall. But according to the July 2016 Red Team report, local and federal agencies had ongoing and serious problems fulfilling even the most basic aspects of that mission at the border and elsewhere.

In the most basic sense, the Red Team is in charge of assessing the abilities of a massive interconnected web of thousands of agencies and fusion centers and task forces that make up the nationwide network designed to detect and respond to domestic nuclear and radiological threats.

Every year the Red Team conducts covert and overt tests all over the country to determine two things: Can the U.S. effectively detect and identify these materials? And can it follow proper communication protocols to alert appropriate agencies whose job it is to conduct secondary testing or minimize harm to the public during emergency events? (The answers: not really, and no.)

The Red Team report noted a continued and widespread failure to detect and identify the presence of neutron radiation, also highlighted in the report. This is a big deal because illegally trafficked nuclear and radiological materials are often smuggled inside stolen nuclear density gauges, a type of soil-measuring device used in construction and mining that is highly regulated by federal agencies and extremely dangerous if handled improperly. They contain dangerous levels of radiation and are reported missing or stolen from U.S. facilities about 25 times a year.

In 40 percent of all assessments, the Red Team found issues associated with equipment damages or malfunctions made far worse by ad hoc attempts to prevent overheating or fix devices by placing them in the freezer for no reason. This did not work, obviously.

During covert testing, important checkpoints outside high population cities repeatedly failed to detect the radiological and nuclear materials. One time, in the middle of the day a critical checkpoint was entirely abandoned and left unmanned while all the operators attended the same training. Not a single person was there to prevent the Red Team from walking right through with hazardous materials.

In 70 percent of its tests, the Red Team found that operators ability to do their jobs was inhibited because they werent trained in what the information on their device meant. Certain colored lights, for example, indicate the presence of specific materialsand those operating the devices had no idea what those indicators or colors were or what any of the icons on the panel screen represented.

The final issue, found in 50 percent of assessments, involves issues involving reachbackthe term used to describe the successful relaying of radiological and nuclear data through designated pathways to the appropriate state or federal or other agency for further analysis in a timely and effective manner. Relaying critical information during nuclear or radiological events was the most challenging aspect of the entire radiological and nuclear detection mission. The federal government does not maintain an in-depth database of deployed nuclear and radiological detection capabilities, so the feds rely on this failed information sharing process for locating detection equipment and responding to emergency events like terrorist attacks. The country is running blind while everyone fumbles to relay the data down the line.

Even more frustrating is just how simple and easily fixable this is. The biggest threat to the entire countrys domestic nuclear detection architecture all comes down to failures attributed to out-of-date software, lost or forgotten passwords, bad or no cell or wireless coverage, and failure to bring the right cable to plug into the device.

The report concluded: Agency leaders must continually emphasize the consequences of a nuclear or radiological attack on the homelandfrontline supervisors must ensure the frontline operators conduct these duties, and they should all show up for work when theyre supposed to.

That frequently cited apathetic or complacent view toward nuclear and radiological threat detection and ongoing failures to keep critical detection checkpoints manned during regular business hours are embarrassingly simple problems that could have devastating consequences, counterterrorism officials told The Daily Beast.

The combined increases in homegrown radicalization of U.S. citizens and calls by ISIS to carry out nuclear and chemical attacks on American soil are among the most serious threats facing the country, according to dozens of FBI and DHS intelligence reports issued over the past six months and interviews with counterterrorism officials at those agencies. In his opening remarks at the Nuclear Security Summit just a few months before the Red Team report was issued, President Obama stated that the danger of a terrorist group obtaining and using a nuclear weapon is one of the greatest threats to global security.

The Trump administrations hardline and vocal anti-immigration stance will make this pressure cooker of a situation even more volatile, as aspiring foreign fighters refocus their efforts on domestic attacks out of concern that if they leave the country, they wont be allowed to return.

It doesnt matter what happens in court, explained one administration official, referring to the executive order banning travelers from seven Muslim-majority nations. Its about the appearance of increased scrutiny at the border that will keep a lot of wannabe foreign fighters from going anywhere, explained one administration counterterrorism official. So youve got a bunch of idiots whod probably be killed in Syria but now theyre like, What if I cant come home to mommy and daddy?

This view was echoed by officials and law enforcement military and congressional officials who nearly all enthusiastically support the refugee ban but spoke out of frustration that media attention might be the only way to quickly mobilize resources to harden domestic nuclear defense amid what they all said was a significant, urgent national security threat not getting enough attention from the president.

There is no law compelling DHS and other agencies to adopt the recommendations of the Red Team reportand if the references to similar problems the previous year in the report are any indication, these recommendations are not always or often followed.

The current gaping holes in U.S. nuclear and radiological detection capabilities are significant, but many can be quickly and immediately fixed, said law enforcement officials at TSA, Customs and Border Patrol, and U.S. Secret Serviceall of whom carry the detection devices tested by the Red Team.

The biggest obstacle? Working better each other. Each source laughed when asked if better interagency cooperation could also be fixed easily and quickly.

Nobody talks to anybody and when we look at something and clear it, we will see somebody else wasting their time checking the same thing, said one TSA official.

We dont know what they do or how, so we do what we do and they do what they do, said a Secret Service official.

I tend to think Red Team reports are bullshit, but I guess they have a point here.

The Department of Homeland Security declined to comment on the specific Red Team report, citing policy not to discuss sensitive items. A spokesperson, however, assured The Daily Beast that much was being done to improve domestic detection capabilities.

DNDO provides direct support for and guidance on how to develop, implement, enhance, and sustain radiological and nuclear detection programs and capabilities, the DHS official said in an emailed statement. This support includes instructor-led classroom training that is offered through DNDO at no cost to the receiving agencies, operations-based exercises that assist partners in improving their capabilities, and 24/7 access to alarm adjudication and technical reachback for operators in the field. Our assessments of detection capabilities are part of an ongoing effort to continually evaluate and improve the nations radiological and nuclear detection capabilities.
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Life comes at you fast-these days, it seems, at the speed of light.

The first 100 days of any new presidential administration bring a flurry of actions and reactions, but this first month alone has been a blizzard of executive orders, presidential tweets, and momentous events-among them an immigration order that created havoc at airports before being blocked in court, dozens of large protest marches, anarchists in the streets of Berkeley, one nomination to the Supreme Court, one national security adviser's resignation, and, for good measure, a North Korean missile test.

News readership is on the rise. The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the New Yorker are just a few of the publications reporting post-election subscription bumps. Leading up to the inauguration, news consumers spent 42 percent more time in the newspaper category last year than in 2015, and in the political news category 180 percent more, Comscore reports.

Meanwhile, "fake news" is proliferating on the right, as the left jumps into the fray with anti-Trump conspiracy theories.

It's no surprise so many Americans report experiencing more stress than usual, overwhelmed by the daily barrage.

"When threatened or apprehensive, we don't process information the same way," said Anthony L. Rostain, professor of psychiatry at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. "It's good for short periods of time, or when you really are in danger. But to be in that state constantly is both exhausting emotionally and inefficient in getting things done."

Below, some advice to help keep you informed and reasonably sane.

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How to tell if a story is for real? Experts say the best indicator is the feeling it elicits.

"My biggest rule of thumb is if it arouses an emotional response in you, double-check it," said Brooke Binkowksi, managing editor at Snopes, a website that specializes in debunking popular internet myths from both the left and the right. "They upset you because they're meant to."

When a story seems outrageous, such as a five-year-old Syrian refugee shown in handcuffs before deportation, it might not be true-or entirely true. That Syrian girl wasn't in handcuffs, her father said after he had heard the reports, and they aren't refugees. The photo shows detained Syrians trying to go on vacation who, despite their visas, were denied entry and had to return home. Binkowski and D.C. Vito, executive director of the Lamp, which teaches media literacy in New York, suggest searching for a second source, especially when a story is incendiary.

Sticking to stories reported by established news media can help. For different perspectives on U.S. events, Binkowski recommends getting news from a variety of outlets, such as CNN, MSNBC, and Fox, as well as overseas outlets such as the BBC and Al Jazeera. "I am not in the camp that Fox News is evil," she said.

When a story comes to you through social media, take a moment to determine whether the news source is trustworthy. A photo with a message that it "comes from a friend" probably isn't.

"Examine the byline. Make sure you're looking at a name that seems like a name," Vito said. "Does the author provide sources to claims that they're making? Look at the ads on the page. Are they adult-oriented? All news has bias, but is it so overt that you can just sense it's immediately making you mad as hell?"

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Pacing your news consumption will help you manage your reactions, and will also make you less likely to spread misinformation.

"Even before news breaks on channels, you have social media talking about it," said Farha Abbasi, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Michigan State University and director of the Muslim Mental Health Conference. "It's constant. Your mind doesn't have time to digest one piece of information and you're getting another."

Vito says slow down. "Reading the first report is never really important," he said, noting that early reports are often the least accurate. You don't need to watch every story unfold in real time.

"You have to figure out a sustainable schedule for yourself," said Vaile Wright, director of research and special projects at the American Psychological Association. "It's upon us as citizens to be paying attention, but we need to know our own limits." Give yourself an hour in the morning to read the news, an hour at night, or both, and then get back to your life.

The rest of the day, prioritize. "Keep focused on what you need to get done and try to minimize off-task behavior as much as possible," said Rostain, who is also the co-author of "The Adult ADHD Tool Kit: Using CBT to Facilitate Coping Inside and Out." Following the news constantly not only makes people more anxious, it's also a "time killer," he said. You need to take a step back and "create a space around you and the task at hand so that you can complete it."

If your job requires you to be constantly up-to-date on the news, make time to look away. "You have to carve out that time where you can take a break," Wright said. Being out of the loop for an hour isn't going to make you worse at your job, but better, said Sallie Richards, a clinical psychologist at Rural Mental Health Associates Inc. in Oil City, Pa. That's especially true if you read or hear something that upsets you.

"When we identify something that is triggering an emotional reaction, having a break helps maintain our strength and endurance, which helps us continue on effectively," she said.

Parents might consider changing their normal news consumption habits so their kids aren't exposed to vulgar language or a drumbeat of angry exchanges, said Mona Damluji, an assistant professor of film and media studies at the University of California-Santa Barbara.

The point is to take action. "Don't overestimate your own self-control," said Keith Humphreys, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford Medicine and former policy adviser to the White House under President Barack Obama. "It's really hard to have your phone and not look at it." If you're setting aside screen-free time, he said, "the best thing is to turn it off or don't bring it with you." You might even consider turning off all notifications.

And if ever there was a time to break the before-bed phone habit, this is it.

"It's bad to look at screens right before bed anyway," Humphreys said, noting the research that has shown blue light to disrupt sleep. "Going to bed terrified and enraged is going to cause you misery."

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Even the most fastidious news consumers will sometimes get sucked into emotionally charged stories too quickly to recognize that they might not be true. And even real events can be deeply troubling. You probably can't control what just happened, but you can control how you react to it.

Instead of sharing these stories to Facebook, "have a few friends-two or three people on a text thread-for when something upsetting happens in the news," said Tara Well, an associate professor of psychology at Barnard College. "Stay supportive and close with those people," whatever your politics. This can help avoid the "emotional contagion" of social media, where feelings of fear can spread quickly, warranted or not.

Take self-care seriously. Don't let your regular healthy habits-eating, exercise, sleeping-go out the window. Add new healthy habits to your routine, and implement them when you need them. Well recommends mirror meditation, starting with 10 silent minutes of thought while staring in the mirror. Abbasi, the psychiatry professor at Michigan State, is a fan of laughter yoga. "Laughter is free, it is infectious, and it helps your stress levels go down," she said.

Mindfulness and finding ways to be in the moment by focusing on your senses and deep breathing are important, Richards said. If you've never meditated, you're in luck-there is no shortage of apps available to teach you how to do it. Good old-fashioned therapy still works and can be done through an app now, too.

Replace some of your news consumption with uplifting content, whatever that is for you. Damluji, the media studies professor, has created a new playlist for background audio she wants children to hear, including Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I have a dream" speech and the work of Warsan Shire, a London-based Somali poet.

Writing or calling your senators and state representatives to advocate for the institutions and programs you believe in, or becoming active in your local community, can help you cope in tough times, said Abbasi, who spoke at the Women's March at the Capitol steps in Lansing, Mich. "However raw and depleted and underprivileged you are feeling, there is someone out there you can reach out to and share the pain." She encourages everyone, of every political stripe, to volunteer for a cause.

"Giving social support can be even more helpful than getting it," said Humphreys, who also recommends finding opportunities to serve through a faith community of some kind. "It gets us out of ourselves and gives us a sense of competence. Even just taking time to tell a colleague that you value them as a co-worker. It's good for your own well-being to do that."

Don't disengage. "I wouldn't advocate that people become totally unplugged, uninformed, and unaware of what's going on," Damluji said. "I think we could schedule our time or consumption of information so that it is not spilling over and consuming every waking moment."
Thumbs Down: The 10 Worst States For High Earners

by Ashlea Ebeling, Forbes, February 21, 2017 (excerpts)

High earners who live in these taxing states can expect a big bill at tax time. It could get worse. In New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo is calling to extend New Yorks 2009 temporary millionaires income tax through 2020, and Assembly Democrats want a new 10% top rate for $100-million-plus earners. Hawaii stays on the list although it let a temporary 2009 tax hike with a top rate of 11% expire in 2015. These are the 10 most taxing states for the wealthy based on high-income tax rates and the income level at which the most punishing rate kicks in (calculated for a married couple in 2016).

HAWAII - 8.25% over $96k. Hawaii exempts all Social Security benefits and some pension, 401(k) and IRA withdrawals from tax

Forbes: Blue State Blues: The Great Income Tax Divide

read  Thumbs Down

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HB209: Progressive Democrats Demand Massive Income Tax Hike on Small Business Owners

IM: On Thursday, the House Finance Committee took up the issue of the regressive tax system in Hawai`i.

HB 209 would expand the low income-household renters' income tax credit based on adjusted gross income and filing status, establish a state earned income tax credit, and restore the income tax rates for high income brackets that were repealed at the end of 2015. The bill was amended and passed unanimously. (Better Idea: 100% Tax on Vacant Positions)

Chair Luke noted that the testimony was an inch-and-a-half thick; some 100 plus testifiers supported passing the legislation (which would squeeze small business, thus making the poor, poorer.).

There were at least two groups in opposition: Hawai`i Association of Realtors and the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii opposed Section 3. The Tax Foundation of Hawai`i expressed concerns.

The Chamber noted that part 3 restores the income tax rates for high income brackets that were repealed on 12/31/15. The Chamber takes no position on the other substantive parts of the bill. This bill adversely affects small businesses and would severely limit their ability to reinvest in their business, create jobs, and keep their small business running. Business owners already face many restrictions and regulations and this bill is just another challenge for small business owners in Hawaii to survive.

HB209: Text, Status

read  Regressive
Hunting guides Walker Daugherty and Michael Bryant were leading a hunting party in southern Texas in early January, when they claimed immigrants illegally crossed the nearby Mexico border, converged on their camp in the middle of the night and tried to rob them.

Gunfire erupted. When the smoke cleared and the fight was over, Daugherty was bleeding from a shot to his abdomen. Another member of the party had been shot in the arm.

After being airlifted to the hospital, the men told authorities that immigrants who crossed the border from Mexico wanted to steal an RV some of the hunters were using. In statements made through friends and family, they went further, suggesting that the assailants wanted to kill everyone in the party, as the Albuquerque Journal reported.

A GoFundMe page set up by a family friend to cover Daugherty's medical bills raised $26,300 from more than 200 donors.

The story was harrowing, to be sure, not to mention rife with political implications. The Texas Agriculture Commissioner even shared it on his Facebook page, saying it underscored the need for President Trump's proposed border wall.

But authorities say it was all a lie.

Daugherty and Bryant were indicted last week on one count each of using deadly conduct by discharging firearms in the direction of others, according to CBS 7. Presidio County Sheriff Danny Dominguez told the station that an investigation had found Daugherty and the other injured hunter were struck by friendly fire. There was no sign, he said, that anyone else was involved.

It wasn't clear whether Daugherty or Bryant had retained attorneys or entered pleas.

Daugherty, Bryant and a group of their clients had been hunting at the Circle Dug Ranch, a 15,000-acre tract of valley land just a few miles from the Mexico border in Texas. On the night of Jan. 6, a deputy in the sheriff's office responded to a call for a shooting, and when he arrived he found Daugherty and 59-year-old Edwin Roberts suffering from gunshot wounds.

Authorities were suspicious from the beginning. Prompted by the group's claims that illegal immigrants were responsible, U.S. Border Patrol dispatched 30 agents were to sweep the area, aided by expert trackers and thermal imaging technology, Big Bend Now reported. Daugherty and his fiancee claimed to have previously seen immigrants crossing the border and through their property, according to CBS 7.

Within days of the shooting, however, the sheriff 's office said there was "no evidence that suggests cross-border violence" and "no sign of human pedestrian traffic leading to or from the ranch that night."

"There were no bullet casings or projectiles from weapons other than those belonging to the individuals hunting on the ranch nor in the RV belonging to the hunting party," the sheriff's office told Big Bend Now in mid-January.

By then, however, the rumors had already spread. A rancher and family friend in Arizona released a statement based on the Daugherty family's account, describing the incident as a brutal, calculated attack by "illegal aliens."

"The attack has the family concerned that the attack was not just an attempt to rob the property," the statement read, according to the Albuquerque Journal. "They believe the assailants intended to kill all the party. The attackers were strategically placed around the lodge, and the men were fired upon from different areas."

Sid Miller, the Texas Agriculture Commissioner, shared the story with his 400,000-plus followers on Facebook.

"This is why we need the wall and to secure our borders," Miller wrote in a since-deleted post that was shared more than 6,500 times. "There are violent criminals and members of drug cartels coming in and it must put a stop to it [sic] before we have many more Walker Daughertys."

What really happened, Sheriff Dominguez said, was much simpler and less nefarious: Daugherty shot his client, and Bryant shot Daugherty.

Dominguez told CBS 7 that the hunters may have become paranoid from reports of violence crossing over the border from Mexico. But he said they need not worry.

"Border Patrol are experts in tracking in this area," Dominguez said. "We trust what they say because that's all they do on a daily basis, and they didn't find no sign, no indication that there was anybody in or out of that area that night."
Three Rising Up! activists thius morning blockading the main access road into Heathrow Terminals 1, 2 and 3, chaining themselves to a vehicle in protest against the proposed third runway.

The protest comes during the four-month long public consultation on its decision to expand Britain's biggest airport.

In a statement the Metropolitan Police said officers attended the scene at 8.25am and arrested two people for obstructing a highway. Three protesters were locked to one of the vehicles and the drivers of two of the cars were apprehended.

Long tailbacks were caused to traffic trying to reach the airport on the M4 and other roads. Rising Up! Spokesperson Laura Bedford explained the motivations for the disruption:

"Rising Up! has taken this action today to show solidarity with those people worst affected by Heathrow expansion. Thousands of local residents are set to lose their homes and 300,000 people a year lose their lives due to effects of climate change, most of these being black, brown and indigenous peoples in the global south."

UK inflicting 'climate disaster' on world's poorest

She continued: "A third runway will be disastrous for the climate: the extra 250,000 flights a year will emit as much carbon dioxide as the entire country of Kenya at a time when we need to be reducing CO 2 emissions in line with the 2008 climate change act. It is the responsibility of those people who have the privilege to take action to take a stand with those most affected and prevent climate chaos."

"The leader of the world's dirtiest economy may be a passionate climate change denier, but the decision to expand Heathrow shows that Theresa May is Trump's political ally in enacting this life-destroying extremism. The need to take action is immediate. We must fight this global rise in intolerance and stand up for social, economic and environmental justice."

Local resident Neil Keveren said: "Whilst an Austrian court has just blocked the construction of a new runway at Vienna's airport on climate grounds, the UK blindly continues to pursue this dangerous programme of expansion. The approval of a third runway would mean the absolute triumph of profit over people and reason.

"Heathrow airport would be the biggest single source of carbon dioxide in the UK, bigger than Drax power station. The government's U-turn on the third runway shows democracy has failed us. But it doesn't matter what Theresa May says, we won't give up, we'll keep fighting to protect our homes. There will be no third runway."

Our Submission to the Heathrow Consultation from Ri Singup on Vimeo.

'Illegitimate and undemocratic'

Simon Bramwell, one of the activists involved today said: "Heathrow's consultation process is illegitimate and undemocratic, conducted around the assumption that airport expansion is an option. This blockade is our contribution to the consultation: a 3rd runway is a disastrous option that will lead to climate chaos.

"I look upon my niece and nephew, upon the children who will inherit the future we are creating right now and my conscience tells me to act.

"I am breaking conditions imposed on me by the courts, following road blockades in November but the government is not listening to the science or to our concerns. They have left us with no alternative but to keep taking action. We will not stop until plans to build another runway are fully and finally shut down."

Action: Rising Up!, are holding an open public meeting on March 2nd in Hammersmith to discuss ways to fight against Heathrow expansion.
Millennial Moms Review: 2022 Acura MDX is pretty close to the perfect family car

I dont know if perfect is attainable, especially considering weve got the world of options when it comes to modern vehicles. Were spoiled and, as such, we have very specific needs and wants. Driving-wise, the 2022 Acura MDX is one of my favourite ...
BILLINGS  A pared-down bill to add two district court judges in Yellowstone County and one in Missoula County was approved unanimously by the House Appropriations Committee Monday and will face a third House reading before heading to the Senate.

The committee vote was 22-0.

House Bill 44, introduced by Rep. Jeff Essmann, R-Billings, at the request of the Montana Supreme Court, will cost about $843,000 during the second half of the 2018-19 fiscal year and about $1.37 million, the second year, and $1.39 million the third.

The cost includes three new district court judges, three court reporters, three judicial assistants and two law clerks. Initially, the two new judges elected to the bench in Yellowstone County will share a law clerk.

The bill is designed in part to ease the caseloads of the six judges in the Billings-based 13th Judicial District, Mike McGrath, chief justice of the Montana Supreme Court, told the committee Monday.

Nearly 20 percent of the 55,000 or so Montana cases filed annually in district court are in the 13th district, he said.

The judges caseload means that civil and commercial litigation cases in Yellowstone County can be delayed up to two years, McGrath said.

"It's fair to characterize that courthouse as a zoo," he said.

Cases involving the abuse or neglect of young children are cases that need to be resolved quickly, McGrath said, so that decisions can be made about where and who they are going to live with.

Ed Bartlett, representing the Montana Judges Association, the State Bar of Montana and the Montana Chamber of Commerce, said that while the committee is most interested in cost  need and cost go together. We hope youll determine this is not a substantial cost. Its a reasonable cost for judges and their staff.

Yellowstone County Commissioners have assured judicial officials they will have space for the two new judges in time for the beginning of their terms, on Jan. 2, 2019.

The Missoula County Courthouse already has space for its additional judge.
Dustin Monroe held up an old Gatorade bottle filled with orange, oil-contaminated water and implored Montana legislators to approve a bill that would ban fossil fuel pipelines from crossing under rivers and lakes.

How many of us in this room would drink this? Monroe, CEO of Native Generational Change, asked the House Federal Relations, Energy and Telecommunications Committee during a hearing for House Bill 486 on Monday.

The measure would ban pipelines with a diameter of 10 inches or greater from going under navigable water bodies and establish construction requirements for them to cross aboveground, including rules on casings and leak detection. The new regulations would apply to fossil fuels such as crude petroleum, coal and their products.

The bills introduction comes after several major spills into Montana rivers over the last decade, ranging from Glendive to Billings. And it comes as the nation debates the best methods to transport crude oil, what risk to water sources is acceptable, and how far tribal sovereignty extends when projects cross aboriginal lands that are no longer tribally owned, as was the case outside Standing Rock where thousands have gathered for months to protest the Dakota Access Pipeline.

The decision by President Donald Trump in January to revive the Keystone XL pipeline project with a handful of executive actions drew a mixed response. As proposed, 284 miles of the 1,700-mile project would cut through Montana, crossing the Canadian border north of Malta and passing into South Dakota north of Ekalaka. It would cross the Missouri River near Fort Peck and the Yellowstone River south of Glendive. It would transport Canadian Tar Sands crude -- argued to be more difficult or impossible to clean up because it is thicker than other oils -- to southern U.S. refineries and ports.

The current industry standard for crossing streams, rivers and lakes is to use horizontal drilling -- the same technology used in some oil exploration -- to dig tunnels underneath them. Federal rules require pipelines to be at least four feet deeper than water bodies, but opponents of the bill said Monday most are now dug 20 to 60 feet deep, depending on geographic features.

Rep. George Kipp III said the bill, which he introduced, is as much about protecting underground aquifers from contamination as it is about rivers and streams.

The further you get from the surface, the closer you get to the (aquifers) down there, he said. Its not reasonable, its not rational to go between two fresh water sources with a major contaminant.

The Heart Butte Democrat and Blackfeet tribal member said Montana needs to take a more hands-on approach to fulfilling the state constitutions requirement for a clean and healthful environment by updating and expanding its oversight of how these products are transported across the state.

It is time for the State of Montana and this legislative body to start structuring some sideboards and provide some controlsAs we know, all manmade objects are designed to break at some point in time, he said. Ask yourself, how do you fix a leak 40 feet under the water? How do you protect the aquifer under it? How do you preserve that water for your grandchildren? I think going overhead is a simple fix that allows you to actually get to a line and fix it.

Representatives from several tribal and environmental organizations, including Indian Peoples Action and the Montana Environmental Information Center testified in support of the bill. Opponents included the Montana Petroleum Association, representatives from pipeline and refinery companies and the AFL-CIO, the states largest union.

This is the most safe way to do it, MPA Spokeswoman Jessica Sena said of underground transmission arguing against crossing rivers aboveground. Theyre more exposed. Weve seen pipeline tampering. Weve seen protests  I dont think this will make anything more safe.

Gary Forrester of WBI Energy worried that moving pipelines to the surface would be a perfect invitation for somebody thats willing to create an act of terror. The Glendive-based company was fined after a natural gas pipeline near Laurel broke that he admits probably wasnt put in deep enough. It has since been replaced at a new depth of 20 feet.

Peggy Trenk of the Treasure State Resources Association cited other incidents of aboveground pipelines breaking, such as when one was shot by a drunk man in Alaska and when three teen boys broke one searching for treasure.

It just invites people to do stupid things, she said.

The committee took no action on the bill Monday.
Republicans preferred in Iowas 4 congressional races

Republicans hold an advantage in all four of Iowas congressional districts ahead of Election Day, according to a new Iowa Poll.
MISSOULA -- A bill to add civil rights protections for LGBT people to the Montana Human Rights Act died on Monday, following debate between Democrats and Republicans about the need for such legislation.

A few days earlier, dozens had traveled to Helena to testify before the House Judiciary Committee on House Bill 417. Supporters from Great Falls to Billings shared personal stories of being denied housing, jobs and services because of their sexual orientation or gender identity without any options for legal recourse, sometimes leaving them unable to provide for their families.

This is a fundamental American value to protect people from discrimination. People should be able to be who they were born to be, House Minority Leader Jenny Eck, D-Helena, said before Mondays vote. Its long past time we get it passed.

Opponents argued the bill would fix a nonexistent problem, encourage immoral lifestyle choices, allow sexual predators into bathrooms and would become a weapon against conservative Christians, citing cases in other states where bakers or florists were fined for refusing to provide wedding services to gay couples.

Pointing to studies of 23 other states with similar legislation, experts on the law and sexual violence contradicted claims it would create a public danger or weaken existing protections for religious freedom, noting that the Supreme Court of the United States has ruled that commerce is not a religious practice.

On Monday, 11 Republicans voted against HB417, and eight Democrats supported it. The committee then tabled the measure, almost certainly killing it.

Rep. Bill Harris, R-Winnett, said he would have supported the measure if it would have provided additional protections for religious expression.

I would agree the folks in this community deserve the same rights as all the rest of us. In fact I dont see them different than the rest of us.  There are some people in this community that have taken it to an extreme and theyre angry people probably, he said, arguing for extra language so the religious community isnt discriminated against without protection no different than the community were visiting about there.

Rep. Laurie Bishop, D-Livingston, said those fears ignore the reality of discrimination faced by some Montanans.

Rather than step in and provide what seem like the obvious protections for those people, we instead reserve those protections for the imaginary among us, she said.

Rep. Lola Sheldon-Galloway, R-Great Falls, fought back tears as she explained her vote against the bill, referencing a history of discrimination and violence against Mormons.

In 1930, a state governor extended an extermination order for a religious sect. You could shoot these people on the spot and not get accused of anything. Im part of that group.  This extermination order wasnt even relinquished until 1976, she said, noting that the Montana Human Rights Act protected her under the broad term of religion rather than by identifying particular belief systems.

She argued, We are not fragmenting as a group and next were going to have another group here that wants their name in here. And another group and another group, but we already have a word in here that covers this, she said, pointing to sex as an existing protection that should already cover LGBT Montanans. Im not trying to divide you. Im trying to include you in and Im offended that I could be told that because Im going to say no to this bill that Im not wrapping my arms around this group and defending them and wanting to stand with them. The stories we heard were wrong. Absolutely wrong. But youre already protected and I will stand with you in that protection.

Attorneys and LGBT citizens who had experienced discrimination had testified that, in fact, they are not covered by the existing list of protected classes, in part, because plain language definitions are different from legal ones.

If it were enough, we wouldnt even need to have this conversation, Eck said. The fact of the matter is people are being discriminated against and the language in the law as it currently stands is not enough.
NORWALK  Congressman Jim Himes, the Greenwich Democrat who has represented Connecticuts 4th District since early 2009, could face fire from the political left during a Town Hall meeting at Norwalk Concert Hall on Tuesday evening.

Patrick Malone, his communications director, said the event was moved from West Rocks Middle School to the concert hall after we saw very quickly wed probably have more than a thousand people.

I think youll see groups from MoveOn.org, Democracy for America, Pantsuit Nation and Indivisible, too, said Malone, referring to groups that have mobilized against the agenda of newly seated Republican President Donald Trump. So you have a wide range of the Democratic constituency there, from people who are very progressive, people who are more moderate, people who are looking for Jim to file articles of impeachment tomorrow, to people who are saying, how are you going to work with Trump?

Malone said the energy at the moment  in the wake of Trumps election last November  is coming from the political left.

This is a bigger thing than anything we have seen since the health care town halls eight years ago, but this is part of the job, Malone said. It actually energizes Jim to go out and hear from people rather than hear through a filter.

The town hall meeting, which is set for Feb. 21, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., at Norwalk Concert Hall, 125 East Ave., is among numerous such events nationwide being marked by liberal groups opposed Trumps agenda on health care, immigration and other issues.

Progressives energized

While Republicans lawmakers have faced the loudest outcry as they return home from Washington, D.C., to speak with constituents at such town hall meetings, Democrats also could get an earful.

Theres a lot of progressives in the Fairfield County who want to hold Jim Himes accountable, said Sal Liccione, a Westport Democrat and member of Democracy for America, the liberal political action committee formed by former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean. Jim is a great friend of mine but hes part of the moderate, the Wall Street wing of the Democratic Party.

Tuesdays town hall meeting in Norwalk will be the first of three such events held by Himes in the coming weeks. The second is at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Bridgeport City Hall. The third is set at 2:30 p.m. March 4 at the UConn Stamford GenRe Auditorium.

The town hall meetings come as Himes and other lawmakers return home as part of the first recess of the 115th Congress.

Resistance Recess, a self-described grassroots movement supported by MoveOn.org Civic Action and other liberal groups, is encouraging people nationwide to attend the town hall meetings and hold their elected representatives  Republicans and Democrats alike  accountable to their constituents.

Next week's recess is our biggest opportunity yet to make sure that Republicans who side with Trump are held accountable and that Democrats understand that using every single tool at their disposal to block Trumps toxic agenda is not just justified, but absolutely necessary for our democracy  and our most cherished values  to survive the Trump era, wrote MoveOn.org Organizing Director Victoria Kaplan in a press statement.

Resistance Recess has posted a map of the town hall meetings nationwide on its website and is encouraging residents to attend to Save Our Health Care, Our Communities, and Our Democracy.

Diverse feedback

Unaffiliated voters make up the bulk of people in Norwalk followed by Democrats and Republicans. As such, Himes may hear from constituents of all political stripes Tuesday evening.

Andrew T. Conroy, Norwalk Republican Town Committee chairman and a former city councilman from District E, said he plans to attend the town hall meeting and hear what the Democratic congressman has to say.

Himes is a congressman and it would be nice to see how he interacts with the public and hear what he has to say, Conroy said.

Ive seen Himes make more sense than Chris Murphy on a lot of issues, Conroy said of the Democratic U.S. senator.

Conroy expressed hope that the meeting remains civil. He said he witnessed disruptive behavior while he was a student at the University of California, Berkeley, in the late 1960s and saw no point in such behavior.

We should attend but we should not disrupt, Conroy said. I dont think getting up and throwing a tantrum accomplishes anything at all.

Conroy said Trump has got a lot of learning to do as a newcomer to Washington, D.C., but he added, his over-arching policies, I think, are correct.

I know that people give him a spin that hes antisocial and anti the values of America, Conroy said. But the policies are pretty much a businessmans view of ways to get things done in Washington.

ObamaCare front and center

During his first years in office, Himes faced fire from Tea Party members on the political right over the Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as ObamaCare. Trump has vowed to repeal and replace the healthcare law.

MoveOn.org and similar groups hope to derail that effort by getting people to speak up at town hall meetings nationwide.

Voters are thronging the streets, flooding Capitol Hill phone lines, and, next week, theyll be packing into every town hall event in the country. And the resistance is working. Democrats are showing spine, voting in unprecedented numbers against extremist and unqualified cabinet nominees, wrote MoveOn.org Washington Director Ben Wikler in a press statement. Meanwhile, Republicans who had planned to repeal the Affordable Care Act by January 20 are now in total disarray.
People ask why a few of us presidential junkies would like to see Presidents Day changed back to Washingtons Birthday. The technical explanation has to do with a misguided law called HR 15951 that was passed in 1968 to make federal holidays less complicated. The real answer is simply this: George Washington is our greatest president, and too few American children know why.

George Washington earned the respect even of his former enemy, King George III, by doing something exceedingly rare in history: When he had the chance to increase personal power, he decreased it  not once, not twice, but repeatedly. During the American Revolution, Washington put service before self. His personal example was his greatest gift to the nation. It has often been said that the Father of our country was less eloquent than Jefferson; less educated than Madison; less experienced than Franklin; less talented than Hamilton. Yet all these leaders looked to Washington to lead them because they trusted him with power. He didnt need power.

Washington knew that the bold American experiment in self government under the rule of law could survive only if leaders exercised self-restraint and accepted institutional limits on executive power. He believed that leading virtuously was more important than anything he could write or say. This is why Washington has been compared to two great republicans of Ancient Rome  Cincinnatus, who traded his sword for a plow, and Cato the Younger, who died defending the republic against the tyranny of Julius Caesar.

Consider all the times that Washington put service before self. In 1775, when he accepted command of the Continental Army, he promised Congress that he would resign his commission when the war was over. Once the British withdrew, he was true to his word, and surrendered command of an army fiercely loyal to him. In a moving scene before Congress on December 23, 1783 (then assembled in Annapolis, Maryland), Washington pledged loyalty to the civilian government he had served. He thereby established the principle that our nations military would always be under civilian rule.

Earlier in the 1780s, Washington had been approached twice by army officers who promised their support if he decided to seize civilian power. In one famous incident in 1782, Col. Lewis Nicola wrote a letter urging Washington to overthrow Congress and become Americas king. The commanding general scolded Nicola the very same day. In 1783, Washington caught wind of officers wanting to stage a coup detat against Congress. The so-called Newburgh Conspirators were frustrated that Congress was not paying them what had been promised when the nation desperately needed their sacrifice. Washington would not be moved  that die would not be cast. On the Ides of March, he called the men together and sternly reprimanded them for losing faith in the idea of America. The new nation had a chance to succeed only if its leaders and military adhered to the rule of law.

When King George III heard that Washington would resign his commission to a powerless Congress, he told the painter Benjamin West: If he does that, he will be the greatest man in the world.

Washington returned home to Mount Vernon in December 1783. Like Cincinnatus, he put down his sword and took up his plow, making him the most trusted man in America. Delegates to the Constitutional Convention of 1787 selected him to be their president, knowing he would not abuse his position to aggrandize himself. And a grateful nation unanimously elected him president of the United States in 1789 and again in 1792, because they knew he would devote all his energies to serving the new nation.

Washington, when convinced that he had done all he could to help the country, retired after two terms as president. True to principle, he relinquished the power that was his for the taking. It was an example of selfless leadership that inspires Americans and the world to this day.

Why dont more American children know that?

This essay first appeared here in February 2017.

The Imaginative Conservative applies the principle of appreciation to the discussion of culture and politicswe approach dialogue with magnanimity rather than with mere civility. Will you help us remain a refreshing oasis in the increasingly contentious arena of modern discourse? Please consider donating now.

The featured image is a portrait of George Washington in 1795 by Gilbert Stuart, and is in the public domain, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
ST. PAUL  The growing concern of teen alcohol abuse in St. Paul and Howard County was the subject of Mondays meeting of the St. Paul C.A.R.E. Team.

More than two dozen people attended the meeting, which hosted a number of speakers from to discuss their concerns about the alarming number of children who regularly abuse alcohol.

Helping to facilitate the meeting was St. Paul physician Dr. Angie Brennan. She is chairman of the St. Paul C.A.R.E. (Community Advocates Reaching Everyone) Team. The team was started eight years ago, the result of a state grant for improving mental health care in rural Nebraska.

The three main goals of the team, according to Brennan, are:

 Education.

 Reducing the stigma of alcoholism and mental illness.

 Providing resources for mental illness in rural communities.

Brennan said Mondays team meeting was a discussion on alcohol and how it affects people in all facets of life. How it impacts youth, families and the community physically, mentally and spiritually, she said.

We have had a cry from the community to focus on alcohol issues, Brennan added. We have noticed problems in the school and concerns from community members and parents about some of the alcohol problems here in the school.

Those concerns include underage alcohol abuse and binge drinking.

Along with Brennan, the panel discussion included St. Paul School Principal (grades 7-12) Jennifer Hagen, Howard County Deputy Mike Hoff, Celeste Heaivilin of the Central Nebraska Council on Alcoholism & Addictions, Pastor Mike Fowler and parent Barb Schmidt.

All spoke about how underage alcohol has impacted them, their families and the community.

Brennan talked about how alcoholism seriously elevates health risks for people of all ages, and how binge drinking is related to acute injuries due to intoxication and the cardiovascular risk. Other medical consequences of alcohol abuse are trauma, accidents, anxiety, depression, suicide, PTSD and eating disorders.

By educating the community about the high prevalence of alcohol abuse among teenagers, Brennan said C.A.R.E. wants to make the community more aware of the problem and parents more proactive in their childrens lives.

Excessive alcohol consumption is the third leading cause of preventable deaths in the U.S. and is a serious health crisis in the country.

We want this to be a call to action to the parents for this to be more of a discussion within the family, Brennan said.

Hagen discussed the results of the latest survey of St. Paul teens concerning their use of alcohol. That survey, taken in 2014 with an updated survey to be released later on this year, showed that St. Paul youth, who responded to the survey, had higher than the national and state average in alcohol abuse, not only use but alcohol-impaired driving and where the children were getting their alcohol. Eighth- and 12th-graders were surveyed.

For example, the survey showed that 62.8 percent of St. Paul 10th-graders said they are a lifetime user of alcohol, compared to the state average of 40.5 percent. For seniors, that number was 84.2 percent locally, compared to 60 percent statewide. Thirty-one percent of the seniors said they had driven a vehicle after they had been drinking.

What is difficult, Hagen said, was that I went to school here since kindergarten and I know what drinking has looked like in St. Paul. It hasnt changed much. The kids who were drinking when I was here in high school now have children who are drinking in our school.

Hagen said the school has intervention programs to deal with underage drinking and has been proactive in educating children about its dangers.

Because there is so much more that goes into alcohol abuse, we do have the Center for Psych from Kearney come out and meet with kids, she said. We actually got them to come here because of the numbers off of our survey.

So we wanted to get that in place in order to have an outlet to work on alcohol addiction as it pertains to their own issues. Hagen added. We have a lot of kids who need that support as some are using alcohol to cope with the things that are not going well in their lives.

The St. Paul C.A.R.E. Team will meet again on March 17. The group will hear from Dr. Ian Newman, a professor at UNL, about substance abuse and a prevention program he has developed that has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. That meeting will take place at the St. Paul Library Community at 5:30 p.m. The public is welcome.
Its been another busy week in the Legislature. We continue with floor debate in the mornings and committee hearings in the afternoons. Committee hearings run through mid-March when we will begin full-day floor debate.

The disagreement over adopting permanent procedural rules that has consumed a substantial amount of time so far has been temporarily resolved and legislation is starting to move. LB22, the heavily debated short-term budget adjustment bill, was passed by the Legislature on Feb. 13 and signed into law by the governor. The bill contained the emergency clause and takes effect immediately.

This year I introduced numerous bills that try to address the high property taxes we all must pay. Most of those efforts looked at K-12 education, but community colleges also contribute to the overall property tax burden. Over the past 10 years, the taxes collected by community colleges have increased by an average 8.23 percent per year. This is considerably higher than any other entity that collects property taxes. For example, over the same 10-year period, taxes collected for K-12 education increased by an average 5.53 percent annually. LB569 would address how community colleges are funded.

Nebraskas community colleges have long been recognized as a valuable and affordable educational resource to prepare students for transfer to four-year institutions or immediate entry into the workforce. As a graduate of Southeast Community College in Milford, I appreciate the opportunity community colleges provide for those of us who do not want a traditional four-year degree. Gov. Rickets has touted the importance of community colleges in providing an educated workforce for growing the states economy.

At present, community colleges rely on a three-legged funding stool of state aid, tuition and property taxes. LB946 introduced by York Sen. Greg Adams in 2012 established the current formula for distributing state-appropriated funds to community colleges. The bill also gave community colleges aggregate levy authority of up to 11.25 cents per $100 of taxable valuation beginning in FY2013-14 and continuing for each fiscal year thereafter. In 2016 community colleges collected about $211.3 million in property taxes statewide.

LB569, which I introduced this session, will create a task force to determine if community colleges are duplicating educational services and, if so, the associated costs. It will also be charged with providing recommendations for alternative funding mechanisms for community colleges and sunset their authority to levy property taxes so that FY2019-20 will be the last year they will be able to assess property taxes. With greater attention on community colleges increasing enrollment, costs will continue to escalate. Each year more students see community colleges as a cheaper way to obtain credit hours they can transfer to the state college system or the university.

The nine-member task force will be appointed by the Legislatures Executive Board. Its report will be due on Dec. 1, 2018.
Astros win second World Series title in six seasons behind dramatic moonshot

The Astros beat the Phillies in six games to win the World Series, thanks to Yordan Alvarez's 450-foot three-run home run in the clincher.
Hundreds of protesters who were upset that U.S. Sen. Steve Daines wasn't planning a town hall this week decided to bring one to him instead outside of the Montana Capitol, where Daines was scheduled to address the state Legislature on Tuesday.

Daines canceled his appearance at the last minute, prompting boos and jeers from the crowd that spilled from the Capitol steps onto the lawn. The "Take the Town Hall to Steve Daines" demonstration went on, anyway.

"What a coward!" said Katherine Haque-Hausrath of Helena, one of the organizers. "If he doesn't listen to us now, he can listen to us in 2020 in the election."

Daines rescheduled his appearance before the state Legislature for Wednesday, when he also plans to visit with students at Helena Christian Academy and St. Andrew School and hold a news conference on Neil Gorsuch's U.S. Supreme Court nomination. His office released a statement saying the senator "welcomes the opinions of everyone from the Treasure State."

Protesters across the nation are greeting members of Congress who are home this week for a recess. Many of the demonstrators in Helena reflected the concerns of other groups, particularly about President Donald Trump's order to restrict refugee and immigration arrivals, his plans to roll back President Barack Obama's health care reforms and his cabinet selections.

Many there also objected to Daines gaveling down Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren as the presiding officer during the debate on Attorney General Jeff Sessions' nomination.

"I'm here with my daughter and I want her to know that real men are not afraid to listen to women and they can't tell her to sit down," said Camas Sturm Kakuk, standing next to her 5-year-old daughter.

Others said they objected to Daines' vote for Betsy DeVos as education secretary after she gave him tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions.

Daines held a constituent teleconference last week. Participants in Tuesday's demonstration accused Daines of ducking them and said a phone conference was insufficient.

"People need to be able to see their senators face to face, ask questions and have a conversation," said Al Beaver, a protester from Helena.
This February, the Edwardsville Rotary Club honored Edwardsville High School student Chase Wernex with the Student of the Month Award. Nominated by Mrs. Terry Menz, Wernex has excelled in his academics all throughout his high school career. Many of his achievements include awards such as the Do The Right Thing Award, placing 4th in Dynamic Planet at the Illinois Science Olympiad State Competition, placing 1st in Astronomy and Game-On in the Illinois Science Olympiad Regional Competition, as well as being an Illinois State Scholar for 2017-18. Even more, Wernex is a member of the National Honor Society at Edwardsville High School and has been in the High Honor Roll for every quarter of high school.

In addition to Wernexs academics, he is also heavily involved in extracurricular activities.
A Billings Democrat tried and failed Tuesday to revive his bill to add protections for LGBT people to the Montana Human Rights Act, which would have barred discrimination in housing, employment and services.

The House Judiciary had voted along party lines to kill and table House Bill 417 on Monday, a few days after dozens testified at a public hearing in Helena mostly in support of the measure. Sponsor Rep. Kelly McCarthy made a blast motion on Tuesday to bring the bill out of the committee and directly to the full House for consideration.

It is of such gravity I think it is worthy (to) bring out here on the House floor and have a larger conversation about it, he said. If you havent gotten feedback on this, you should check with (the Legislative Services Division), because I think they have incorrect contact information.

He again shared the story of his niece, who had testified last week about her experiences with housing and job discrimination when she moved to Billings after completing military service.

Rep. Kim Abbott, D-Helena, likewise urged her colleagues to revive the bill.

This is a personal issue to me, she said, noting she is lesbian and lives with her partner a few blocks from the State Capitol. I got here the same way you all got here. I represent the same number of people. I have the same rights and privileges in this building. I am certain if someone tried to treat me differently because of my sexual orientation, the chairs, the leaders here would prevent that from happening. Its different for me outside this building. And its different for me outside this community.

She noted that Helena is one of five Montana cities with local-level nondiscrimination ordinances.

On a road trip, Im thinking about things that seem minor. Should we both walk in when we check in to a hotel? Is it going to cause an issue? Will we have to lie? Will we have to be humiliated? Sometimes the adjustment, the lie, is minor, but it takes a cumulative toll on our spirit, she said. Ive got good news. We can take care of it.

Rep. Greg Hertz, R-Polson, was the only person to speak in opposition to the bill. Each side is limited to two speakers on blast motions.

I dont think any of us in Montana want to discriminate against anyone. If we pass this bill, were basically going to send a mandate down across the State of Montana. Several cities have discussed it. Some have passed nondiscrimination ordinances and some have not, he said, arguing the discussion, for now at least, needs to stay at the local level. If we send this down, what will that do across the state? Its going to divide us. Were going to continue to talk about this issue for a very long time as we have many other issues. ... Maybe in the next session or the next session well get up here and be able to come up with a great resolution as to how to solve this discrimination issue.

The blast motion failed on a 43-55 vote. It needed 60 votes.

Rep. Jon Knokey, R-Bozeman, joined Democrats in supporting the motion; Rep. Adam Hertz, R-Missoula, left the room and did not cast a vote; and Rep. Mike Cuffe, R-Eureka was absent for the full meeting.
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Linkedin Adisti Sukma Sawitri (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, February 21, 2017

The government has made a bold move with its plan to grant people wider access to land under its agrarian reform.

More than 9 million hectares, comprising roughly 4.5 million hectares of degraded forest and 4.5 million ha of uncertified plots, will be owned by citizens under land objects for agrarian reform (TORA), while another 12.7 million ha will be managed by indigenous people.

The government has introduced the land reform as part of its equity policy, which aims to ensure equal access to land, infrastructure and basic services and reduce widening inequality.
"When I think of Indonesia, I think of colonialism, tropical jungles, beaches with crystal clear waters, extremism; also hospitality, drugs, the death penalty, the execution of Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, and how theres so much tension between our governments and security issues," remarked the actors from La Trobe Student Theater and Film, Australia, when asked what their views on Indonesia.

Meanwhile, seven actors from Theater Lakon from the Indonesian Education University (UPI) in Bandung, West Java, also shared their opinion on Australia; how it is home to kangaroo steaks, it is where beers are cheaper than mineral water, lacking spicy sambal, snowing, there is no street congestion, the roads are friendly for pedestrians, it is hard to hear adzan (call to prayer) and quite an uncomfortable place for someone who wears hijab.

These views were highlighted during the performance of The Light Within a Night at UPI's Cultural Building on Feb. 14-15. A similar show was also performed at the Bentara Budaya Bali cultural center on Feb. 18-19.

The difference between local cultures and habits of the two countries became the main attraction in the 105-minute performance. Two directors, Bob Pavlich and Sahlah Mujtaba, were in charge of bringing together these 14 people from two countries.

Read also: 'Wayang Orang Bharata' strives to preserve traditional culture

The duo also combined similarities between the two nations. Pavlich, 58, chose to depict the tragedy of Lindy Chamberlain, who lost her child in Uluru, Australia, in 1980.

Lindy's daughter, Azaria, went missing while they went camping together with her husband, Michael Chamberlain. Lindy was convinced that Azaria had been attacked and kidnapped by a dingo. Meanwhile, the federal trial acknowledged Lindy as the one responsible for the incident. She was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment until finally her name was cleared since no evidence was found that she had committed the crime.

Meanwhile, Mujtaba, 31, decided to tell the story of the Jamarun folklore originating from Cianjur, West Java. Jamarun was a farmer who found a woman's dead body while fishing. Since he was a stranger at the site, he was blamed for the death and was then convicted and sentenced to death. Thousands of butterflies are said to appear and cover Jamarun's dead body, followed by the smell of fragrance. The people soon felt sorry for wrongly accusing Jamarun.

These tragedies and uncertainties were gathered into a 28-scene show. Chayanda Nurhadi Hasan, 23, played himself and Jamarun. Blayne Welsh, who is of Aborigine descent, told of his origin in one scene and also portrayed Kanjeng Dalem, the ruler who handed down the death sentence to Jamarun.

This sort of theater is quite popular; where the actors play themselves, as well as working with different images. Theres a lot of [these kinds of shows] in Australia, said Pavlich.

The show's execution felt fresh; encouraging audiences to follow the dialogue more closely.

"It's quite challenging; we need to make many changes in order to attract viewers in Australia," said Mujtaba, referring to the theater's plans to perform in Menzies Theatre, La Trobe University Bundoora on March 6-8 and La Mama Courthouse, Australia, on March 16-19.

Read also: Theater show about Maluku's Run Island to be performed in New York

The difference of style and characteristics between Australia and Indonesia, especially in the theater discipline, resulted in a unique experience when watching the dual-language show. Australian actors are known to be strict with their dialogue while Indonesian actors tend to use improvisation.

"We have to free the actors in order for them to develop more since we tend to rely on speech," said Mujtaba.

The performance also succeeded in highlighting the attention given to cases involving Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, two Australian citizens who were found guilty of smuggling 8.3 kilograms of heroin to Indonesia. (kes)
The ethnic Chinese community has made an important contribution to the history of Kediri, which is also famously called Kota Tahu (tofu city). This well-known favorite has its origins in the arrival of immigrants from China in the early 1900s.

The Chinese brought their culinary skills to the city by introducing tofu as one of their food specialties. While tofu from other regions is generally white, Kediris soybean curd is typically golden yellow and commonly called tahu takwa.

Historical records refer to Lauw Soen Hok, Liem Go Moy and Kaou Loung as the three tofu-making pioneers in Kediri, which is believed to be the place of entry for tofu to Indonesia. Since then, dozens of tofu producers from small and medium enterprises have emerged with their respective outlets and brands.

Lauw Soen Hok, who started his tofu business on Jl. Patimura, Kediri, in 1912, was one of the citys major tofu producers. Lauw Soen Hok, who was better known as Bah Kacung, managed the factory until he died. His son, Lauw Sing Hian, aka Seger Budi Santoso, took over managing the business and moved the factory to Jl. Trunojoyo, Kediri in 1966.

Read also: A luscious portion of 'serabi' with a modern touch

Seger Budi Santoso died in 2008 and Bah Kacung tahu takwa shop is now managed by Lauw Soen Djing, aka Herman Budiono, as the third-generation owner. The 49-year-old man said this family business could survive by maintaining its tofu quality and flavor. We continue to produce tofu by traditional means, he said at his shop earlier this year.

The name Bah Kacung was given to his grandfather due to his close relationship with local people, making him more popular because of this moniker. Herman maintains the way the family produces tofu by using wooden and stone devices as well as firewood, all being manually handled. He said stone grinders preserved the tofus flavor because unlike machines, the soybeans werent fully mashed. Packed: Bah Kacung tofu is wrapped in banana leaves and packed in a woven bamboo box.

After being pulverized, the soybeans are boiled over burning firewood and then strained to obtain the soft pulp, which is treated with vinegar to create a firm texture. The addition of a certain amount of vinegar should go along with stirring the pulp slowly, Herman said.

The next step is processing the curd by using wooden blocks with iron weights. The golden color is derived from crushed turmeric, which not only makes the tofu yellow but also serves as a natural preservative.

Read also: The one ingredient the worlds top chefs cant do without

We can guarantee that our tofu is free from artificial coloring and preservatives because today tofu manufacturers very rarely use turmeric for either purposes, Herman said.

A few years ago, the use of illegal preservatives like formalin in tofu production rocked tofu businesses in the country, including in Kediri. Tofu containing only natural ingredients does not last long, prompting some tofu-makers to use dangerous substances to make it last longer.

Bah Kacung tahu takwa is wrapped in banana leaves and packed in woven bamboo boxes called besek in Javanese. Hermans customers get written instructions at the time of purchase on how to store the tofu.

Herman realized that the high cost of manual production at his factory made his tofu more expensive than other tofu in Kediri, but he was not going after competitive prices.

Our tofu costs Rp 3,500 [26 US cents] per piece, while other tofu of the same size costs only Rp 1,800 to Rp 2,500, he said.

Herman said he wanted to offer prices that enabled him to maintain the quality of manual production. He said his employees were skillful and capable of applying standard procedures set by his father and grandfather. Some of them have worked for the business through the generations.

Were just like a big family, Herman said.

Hermans tofu, labeled Bah Kacung Cakrawijaya, is only available at his shop and is not sold by other agents or outlets. His modest shop, which also serves as the factory, sells tahu takwa along with other snacks.

For me, this is not merely a business. It serves more as an effort to maintain customer confidence and preserve a tradition that has lasted over a century, Herman said.
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Linkedin Ina Parlina (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, February 21, 2017

Despite their recent defeat at the Jakarta State Administrative Court (PTUN Jakarta), human rights campaigners will continue to push for justice surrounding the murder of activist Munir Said Thalib.

They turned to the Judicial Commission, an external oversight body that monitors judges, on Tuesday afternoon to file a report against the panel of judges at the administrative court who examined a petition on the murder that occurred 12 years ago.

In its ruling on Feb. 16, the court annulled a Central Information Commission (KIP) ruling delivered last October, which stated that an investigative report into Munir's murder case -- submitted by the now-defunct fact-finding team established by then president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in 2005 -- constituted public information that needed to be disclosed.

The court ruled in favor of the State Secretariat, which challenged the KIP's decision. Last year, a dispute related to the report was filed jointly by the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), Munir's widow Suciwati and the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute.

(Read also: Government doesnt need to disclose assassination findings)

The PTUN Jakarta concluded that there was no evidence supporting the notion that the findings had been handed over to the State Secretariat to be archived.

"We believe there were irregularities in the PTUN process. For instance, the hearing was conducted behind closed-doors," said Putri Kanesia from Kontras on Tuesday.

The brouhaha over the missing documents has turned into a blame-game between supporters of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and Yudhoyono. (wit)
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Linkedin Arya Dipa (The Jakarta Post) Bandung  Tue, February 21, 2017

Bandung Mayor Ridwan Kamil plans to ban conventional plastic bags to tackle the plastic waste problem in the city.

Use biodegradable plastic bags instead, said Ridwan after attending an event to mark National Waste Awareness Day at Bandung City Hall on Tuesday.

Ridwan previously banned the use of styrofoam food containers.

The mayor expressed his optimism about the implementation of the ban, saying that he was still trying to find ways to reduce waste in the city.

Environmentally friendly company PT Nirwana Alam Hijau has produced biodegradable plastics from corn, soy and sunflower seeds.

So its a mixture of organic components, Nirwana Alam Hijau co-founder Daniel Rosenqvist said during an event to introduce material to replace styrofoam, recently.

(Read only: Kelapa Gading to set up additional waste banks)

Nirwana Alam Hijau created an eco-friendly poncho before producing food containers and straws. For food containers, the company uses sugar cane fiber.

We dont want to have too much influences from outside Indonesia, we want to use technology and resources here because even though its an organic product if we have to bring it from outside [Indonesia], there are still carbon footprints [detected in the production process], Rosenqvist went on.

The central government has said it is time for Indonesians to pay for plastic bags when shopping. Plastic bag waste from retailers in Indonesia is estimated to account for 9.8 billion bags a year, or about 38 per person. (trw)
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Linkedin Stefani Ribka (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, February 21, 2017

The Trade Ministry has distributed circulars to inform officials that business permits (SIUP) no longer need to be renewed and that registration certificates (TDP) can be renewed online.

Weve eliminated the SIUP renewal obligation. For TDP, as the law obliges its renewal [every five years], we have shifted the procedure to online for free. The circulars have been issued today, said Minister Enggartiasto Enggar Lukita in a press conference before joining a Trade Ministry working meeting on Tuesday.

Previously, business players had to renew the two licenses every five years, a procedure that was lengthy.

Businesses, meanwhile, have lauded the initiative.

(Read also: Ministry to scrap expiry date for SIUP, TDP)

This is good because it will free us from unnecessary costs because the permits will be valid forever, except if a business closes down, said Adhi Lukman, chairman of the Food and Beverages Association (GAPMMI).

Document renewal was not costly but time-consuming as it took around two weeks, Adhi said. (bbn)
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Linkedin Winda A. Charmila (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, February 21, 2017

State-owned commuter train operator PT KAI Commuter Jabodetabek (KCJ) said Tuesday that commuter trains had been running normally amid high intensity rains that resulted in floods in several areas.

Commuter lines have passed through the Bogor/Depok-Jakarta Kota, Bekasi-Jakarta Kota, Tangerang-Duri, Tanah Abang-Maja, Jakarta Kota-Tanjung Priok routes without significant disruption, despite several long delays.

Trips from Bekasi to Jakarta Kota Station have been normal. But, Jatinegara Station is crowded because of signal interference caused by puddles, said Eva Chairunisa, KCJ spokesperson, said in a statement.

Meanwhile, commuter lines from Tangerang to Duri were forced to slow down at Taman Kota Station as residents around the area had been evacuated on account of flooding.

KCJ said it would continue to monitor areas around commuter line operations and had collaborated with relevant parties to ensure train operations ran well.

Jakarta saw high intensity rain from the early hours of Tuesday, lasting several hours, resulting in floods and traffic congestion. (wit)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, February 21, 2017

Counterfeit products are still rampant in the Indonesian market and cause a total loss of Rp 65.1 trillion (US$4.82 billion) to the national economy, a study by the Indonesian Anti-Counterfeiting Society (MIAP) claims.

The government also suffers a Rp 424 billion loss in taxes on software sales, according to the study conducted by MIAP in cooperation with the University of Indonesias Economics School.

The four largest fake product categories in the market are printer ink (49.4 percent), clothes (38.9 percent), leather products (37.2 percent) and software (33.5 percent).

MIAP secretary general Justisiari P Kusumah said the economic losses could be prevented if all stakeholders -- producers, sellers, law enforcement authorities and consumers -- cooperated to fight against such products.

She praised the Microsoft Digital Crimes Unit (DCU) team that had started to take action against outlets selling fake Microsoft software.

Meanwhile, Linda Dwiyanti, consumer channels group director of Microsoft Indonesia, said within three months of operation, Microsoft DCU identified 23 vendors selling fake software online.

She said Microsoft Indonesia had filed a lawsuit against three of them in cooperation with MIAP and the government. Our goal is to protect customers from the danger of using fake software, Linda said as reported by kompas.com on Tuesday.

In February, a number of sellers in Surabaya, Jakarta and Bandung offered an apology for selling fake software and admitted to wrongdoing. (bbn)
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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post)  Tue, February 21 2017

On March 15, Dutch voters will decide whether to entrust Party for Freedom (PVV) leader Geert Wilders to lead their country on the basis of politics of hatred. If they choose Wilders, they need to realize that they will pay dearly for playing with fire.

The Netherlands is not so huge or important to the international community that it can force other nations to accept its terms and conditions without reservation. As published in this paper on Monday, the Associated Press reported that a small nation that has grown hugely wealthy thanks to centuries of doing business far and wide, the political mood in the Netherlands has turned surprisingly inward.

Dutch ultranationalist leader Wilders boasted that his PVV would easily win the parliamentary election and he would be very close to forming a new government because other political parties would have little choice but to join his camp. Recent polls show Wilders will likely win 30 of the 76 parliament seats needed to form a coalition government.

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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, February 21 2017

The domestic jewelry industry is predicted to grow by 8 percent per year between 2016 and 2021 thanks to increasing demand.

A study by Euromonitor International shows that the jewelry industry surged by 13 percent to Rp 21 trillion (US$1.57 billion) in 2016 compared to the previous year.

A lot of people buy jewelry for investment or for following the latest fashion trend, Euromonitor representative Jasmine Seng said on Monday.

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Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., was scheduled to speak to the Montana Legislature on Tuesday but his address has been postponed. He will now speak Wednesday.
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Linkedin Corry Elyda and Agus Maryono (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, February 21 2017

Throughout the campaign period leading up to last weeks gubernatorial election, the issue of flooding was rarely mentioned, and when finally discussed, there was no sense of urgency among political candidates who talked about it. The reason is simple: There were no floods to talk about.

But this week as severe inundation has begun to affect neighborhoods in East Jakarta, flooding again became a hot-button issue for two candidates expected to meet in the runoff stage of the Jakarta gubernatorial election: incumbent Governor Basuki Tjahaja Ahok Purnama and runner-up in the first round of the election Anies Baswedan.

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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post)  Tue, February 21 2017

The government and Freeport McMoran should exhaust all possible avenues in resolving their dispute over Indonesias mining policy, as stipulated in the 2009 Mining Law, because going through the arbitration process would cause both parties significant financial and reputational losses.

The government has made a lot of compromises to help Freeports Indonesian subsidiary, PT Freeport Indonesia (FI), which has mined the worlds largest gold deposits in Papua since 1973, to adjust its operations to Indonesias 2009 Mining Law.

FI has been allowed to export semi-processed minerals (copper concentrate), which should have been refined locally since 2014, for another five years to maintain export earnings and tax and royalty revenues and to prevent massive layoffs under the condition that FI converts its contract of work to a special mining license as required by the 2009 law.

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Linkedin Viriya P. Singgih (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, February 21, 2017

Despite a prolonged tussle with the government over its future operations in Indonesia, US mining giant Freeport McMoRan still expects to resolve the impasse in negotiations through a non-arbitration settlement.

As the dispute intensifies, Freeport has expressed its hope of reaching a win-win solution with the government during the settlement period of 120 days according to its contract of work (CoW), as the Grasberg mine is too precious for either party to neglect.

Located in Mimika regency, in Indonesias easternmost province of Papua, the Grasberg mine is the worlds biggest gold mine and second-largest copper mine. The company has operated it for five decades.

Its an important asset for the company. Its an important, vital, natural resource for the Republic of Indonesia. [] But, we have to find a way to work together, and Freeport is committed to trying to do that, Freeport McMoRan chief executive Richard Adkerson told reporters on Monday.

PT Freeport Indonesia, the local unit of the politically connected gold and copper miner, last Friday obtained a recommendation to export 1.1 million tons of copper concentrates until Feb. 16 next year after the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry agreed to convert the companys CoW into a special mining license (IUPK).

It came with the requirement that it divest 51 percent of its shares within a decade of production and build a smelter within five years.

Nonetheless, Freeport has yet to accept the conversion as it would automatically annul its CoW signed in 1991 and push it to fulfill the divestment of ownership and smelter obligation.

The contract change is deemed to weaken its position against the government, particularly pertaining to its pursuit of a long-term investment stability guarantee until 2041, as IUPK holders must comply with the future prevailing law.

Right now, were in an impasse with the Indonesian government, who says that we can only export if we forfeit our contract. Freeports position is that we cant give up our contract, said Adkerson.

On the same day that the government granted an extended export permit, Freeport notified the ministry about the areas of dispute between the parties.

The 120-day dispute settlement period then began, Adkerson said, adding that the company deserved the right to commence international arbitration.

Based on the counsel of our external lawyer in Indonesia and our international lawyer as well, Freeports contract of work should remain in place, Adkerson said. Indonesian law and international law provide that the contract of work cant be changed or terminated unilaterally, even by a government regulation.

With the resignation of Chappy Hakim as Freeport Indonesias president director last Saturday, allegedly because of his opposition to the arbitration, the negotiations will be led by Adkerson.

Chappy, a retired air chief marshal who served for only three months in the president director role, is the eight Indonesian to have held the companys top position. Previously, Maroef Sjamsoeddin, a former State Intelligence Agency (BIN) deputy head, stepped down in early 2016 after one year, following a recording scandal involving a lawmaker.

Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Ignasius Jonan acknowledged that one of several possibilities was for Freeport to take the case to international arbitration.

However, its not necessarily going to be like that, as there is still enough time for us to negotiate with them, he said, referring to a six-month adjustment period given for the company after the issuance of the IUPK.

(Read also: Indonesia ready for Freeport tribunal)

Illustrating the challenges of international arbitration, it previously took four years, from 2012 to 2016, for Indonesia to win a case against London-listed miner Churchill Mining Plc. at the International Center for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) over a coal-mining permit revocation matter in East Kalimantan.

As Freeport now cannot rely on Indonesian executives to reach an agreement with the government, concerns have mounted about potentially lengthier and more complicated negotiations.

Further export delays would continue to hurt Freeports sales, after it missed its annual target last year.

For each month of export delays, the company, which employs around 32,000 people in Papua alone, claims that its share of production is reduced by approximately 70 million pounds of copper and 70,000 ounces of gold.

The firm said Monday that it had laid off 10 percent of its expatriate workforce and would dismiss contract workers this week.

The dispute is also taking place in the wake of several issues surrounding the companys operations at Grasberg. A ruling by the tax court stipulated that the firm needed to pay US$469 million in water taxes and penalties to the Papua administration for water used between 2011 and 2015.

Moreover, the halt in Freeport Indonesias copper concentrate exports since Jan. 12 has led Rio Tinto, the worlds second largest miner, to reconsider its option to take over an effective 40-percent stake in Grasberg in 2023.

Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) head Thomas Lembong said separately that the possibility of Freeports move to international arbitration would not have significant impacts on the countrys investment climate, including US investors. Many investors have good experiences investing in the country, such as in the banking or property sectors.

Hence, one difficulty in a certain sector [like mining] can still be offset with success stories from other sectors, Lembong said.

Freeport, government still aim to settle dispute outside arbitration Lengthy, costly process would harm both parties.

 DYLAN AMIRIO CONTRIBUTED TO THIS STORY.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, February 21, 2017

House of Representatives Speaker Setya Novanto said on Tuesday that he hoped todays rally held in front of the legislative complex would run smoothly without triggering any disruptions.

Todays rally led by various Islamic organizations, including the Muslim Peoples Forum (FUI) and the National Movement to Safeguard the Indonesian Ulema Councils Fatwa (GNPF-MUI), demanded the suspension and detainment of Jakarta Governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama.

Setya said he respected those organizations for voicing their opinions.

Voicing opinions through demonstration is a citizens right and it is guaranteed under the law. I hope there wont be any disruptions to Jakartan activities, said the chairman of the Golkar Party, a major ally in the ruling coalition.

(Read also: Government allies ready to block Ahok inquiry initiative)

When asked about whether he would meet with the organizations representatives from the rally, he said it depended on the aspirations the groups were delivering.

According to the FUI, 10,000 people would attend the rally. They are set to meet members of House Commission III overseeing legal affairs and human rights. (rdi/wit)
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Linkedin Hans Nicholas Jong (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, February 21, 2017

The Environment and Forestry Ministry has thwarted an illegal logging attempt in South Sumatra.

During a patrol from Feb. 17 to 20, the ministrys law enforcement team found heaps of weeping paperbark on three riverbanks at the Padang Sugihan wildlife sanctuary in South Sumatra.

At the first location, the team found 2,614 logs, while at the second and third locations; there were 3,150 logs and 63 logs, respectively.

All of the logs have been destroyed by chain saw so that they cant be used anymore by the perpetrators, South Sumatra Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) head Genman S. Hasibuan said on Monday.

(Read also: Landmark court ruling expected to serve as deterrent)

The logs were to be sent by boat through the river.

The river route has been blocked with gelam logs by the patrol team, Genman said.

The team also found four boats allegedly used by the perpetrators to transport the logs.

The ministrys law enforcement head for the Sumatra region, Halasan Tulus, said the ministry was collecting information on those behind the illegal logging operation.

The ministry will continue to monitor forests in various forest areas prone to illegal logging, the ministrys law enforcement director general, Rasio Ridho Sani, said. (dmr)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, February 21, 2017

The Jakarta administration has allocated Rp 709 billion (US$53 million) to fund various projects that will mitigate the citys annual flooding.

The fund will be used, among other things, to widen rivers and water reservoirs, Jakarta Water Management Agency chairman Teguh Hendrawan said on Monday.

Teguh said the administration would use around Rp 200 billion to widen rivers and around Rp 400 billion to widen water reservoirs.

The total amount of the fund does not cover the money needed to acquire 15 hectares of land in Ciawi, he said as quoted by wartakotalive.com.

(Read also: BNPB advises Jakarta to brace for floods)

The city administration is putting in a lot of effort to prevent floods from engulfing the city during the rainy season every year.

Teguh said land acquisition was a problem for the ongoing project to widen rivers because many residents living on riverbanks objected the administrations plan to relocate them.

The administration is also planning to add more infiltration wells.

We are adding more wells in South Jakarta and East Jakarta this year. Altogether, we will build roughly 1,000 of them. We put them in the flood-prone areas, Teguh said. (saf/wit)
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Linkedin Corry Elyda (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, February 21 2017

The Jakarta administration is stepping up efforts to increase tax revenue, including integrating data, forming a confiscation team and using drones to map information about taxpayers properties.

Jakarta Deputy Governor Djarot Saiful Hidayat said after a meeting at City Hall on Monday that the city administration would team up with the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) to create a system that would force taxpayers to fulfil their outstanding tax obligations.

Our outstanding tax revenue currently reaches up to Rp 5.4 trillion [US$405 million], he said.

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Linkedin Fedina S. Sundaryani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, February 21, 2017

President Joko Jokowi Widodo criticized the Trade Ministry for not being more ambitious and coming up with new innovations to penetrate new markets abroad.

He claims the ministry has long worked in its comfort zone and has been unable to harness new markets outside traditional markets in the United States, Japan, China and Europe.

Jokowi cited the Indonesian Trade Promotion Centers (ITPC) as an example of routine work without fruition.

The ITPC has stayed the same. Im sorry, but I have to tell it like it is. There is nothing new with our exhibitions either. There are so many new markets that we have not seriously worked on, he said during the opening of the ministrys 2017 work meeting at the State Palace in Jakarta on Tuesday.

(Read also: Trade surplus hits 3-year high amid price recovery)

Although Jokowi acknowledged that traditional markets were safe, he claimed that there was potential outside. Jokowi cited the markets in Africa and Eurasia, which had potential values of US$550 billion and $251 billion, respectively. Even so, Indonesia only had a $4.2 billion hold in the African market and less than $1 billion in Eurasia.

We never take them seriously even though we should not underestimate them, he said.

Jokowi asked that high quality small and medium enterprises (SMEs) participate in exhibitions abroad. Furthermore, he said spending more on better located stands at exhibitions was not a problem as it would improve Indonesias reputation.

Spending a little more is fine as long as its not a place next to the restrooms, which I know has a lot of discounts. However, it hurts our brand to be located in those places. These kinds of habits must be erased, he said. (bbn)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, February 21, 2017

Jakarta residents who lost their right to vote in the first round of the election would be listed for the race's second round, said the city's elections commission (KPU Jakarta) head, Sumarno.

"We will update voter data on a limited basis," said Sumarno, as quoted by Kompas.com on Monday evening.

The decision had been taken during a consultation meeting with the National Elections Commission in Menteng, Central Jakarta, he added.

Given the limited time, KPU Jakarta would not conduct door-to-door registration like it did for the first round.

Residents were being asked to register themselves at the voting commission in each sub-precinct office.

However, KPU Jakarta had yet to decide on the time and procedure for registration as it needed further investigation, he said. (agn/dmr)
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Linkedin Djemi Amnifu (The Jakarta Post) Kupang  Tue, February 21, 2017

Lawmakers have demanded the Indonesian government engage in intensive diplomatic talks with its Australian counterpart to resolve an oil spill in the Montara oil field that has destroyed the livelihoods of fishermen in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara.

A number of lawmakers from House of Representatives Commission V overseeing infrastructure, transportation and village development have signed a petition to urge the government to speed up efforts to resolve the case.

We are committed to supporting the fisherman in the Montara case, said Commission V chairman Fary Francis of the Gerindra Party on Tuesday.

(Read also: Montara oil spill brought suffering to E. Nusa Tenggara)

After an explosion in 2009 at an oil field operated by PTTEP Australasia, gas and oil from the rig gushed into the Timor Sea for more than 70 days.

It is estimated that in excess of 300,000 liters of oil per day contaminated the sea, equivalent to pouring 10 Olympic swimming pools of toxic sludge into the ocean over the months the spill continued.

The oil spill has had a devastating effect on the livelihoods of fishermen and coastal communities in East Nusa Tenggara, with fish catches and seaweed harvests continuing to decline in the heavily polluted waters.

A group of 13,000 seaweed farmers are demanding compensation from the company through an Australian court. (wit)
BUTTE - A man subdued by an off-duty law enforcement officer during a robbery attempt  in which the suspects gun was fired -- may face additional charges beyond the attempted deliberate homicide he was booked on, Dillon Chief of Police Don Guiberson said Tuesday.

Terry Watson, of Dillon, was arrested after allegedly jumping the counter at the Safeway pharmacy around 10:30 a.m. Sunday while brandishing a .45-caliber pistol. The wife of an off-duty officer informed her husband, who was also shopping in the store.

Sgt. Jeremy Barnes, a 12-year veteran of the Utah Department of Public Safety, climbed onto the counter to confront Watson, but backed off when Watson pointed the pistol at him, according to Guiberson. Barnes then positioned himself adjacent to the interior door leading from the back area of the pharmacy, and took Watson to the ground when he exited.

The two men struggled, and Watson fired one round before being disarmed and held at gunpoint -- with the suspect's gun -- by Barnes until Dillon police arrived, according to police.

There were no injuries, and police have yet to find the bullet that was fired.

Guiberson said Barnes was on vacation visiting family in the Dillon area, and had stopped with his wife at the Safeway for Tylenol and coffee. Barnes is a supervisor with the Utah state police's Peace Officer Standards and Training division in a bureau that investigates civilian complaints against police officers.

Guiberson said Watson could face drug possession, robbery and assault with a weapon charges as determined by the Beaverhead County Attorney's Office. County Attorney Jed Fitch said his office plans on prosecuting Watson on felony charges for attempted deliberate homicide, two charges of assault with a weapon, robbery and criminal endangerment, as well as misdemeanors for discharging a firearm in city limits and a concealed weapons violation.
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Linkedin Suherdjoko (The Jakarta Post) Semarang, Central Java  Tue, February 21, 2017

A Malaysian identified as Avtar Singh Teja Singh has been detained at the Surakarta Immigration Detention Center in Central Java for allegedly living in Indonesia illegally.

Surakarta Immigration Office officials are questioning the man, who is married to a local woman named Tri Hastutiningsih, regarding his immigration status.

"Avtar arrived at Adisumarmo airport [Surakarta] on Sept. 25, 2010. He had a visa that enabled him to stay in the country for up to 60 days. He, however, did not renew the visa," said the head of the immigration division at Central Java Law and Human Rights Agency, M Diah, in Semarang on Tuesday.

Singhs passport was issued in Perlak, Malaysia, on June 2, 2010 and expired on June 2, 2015. "We are investigating his stay in Indonesia and whether he committed any crimes," said Diah.

(Read also: 76 Chinese nationals arrested for immigration violations)

The case was revealed when Singhs wife went to the Surakarta Immigration Office to inquire how to renew his visa. Officials found that Singh was reportedly an illegal alien and detained him.

Singh has two children with Tri. Their marriage is registered at the Religious Affairs Office. He and his family live in Mireng, Klaten regency.

In 2016, Diah added, the Central Java Immigration Office deported 117 foreigners from various countries for immigration violations. So far this year, 53 foreigners have been detained for immigration violations.
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Linkedin Callistasia Anggun Wijaya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, February 21, 2017

A Muslim cleric testified on Tuesday before the court at a trial regarding the blasphemy case of the incumbent Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama, acknowledging that the controversy over the interpretation of Surah Al Maidah 51 on Muslims not voting for non-Muslim leaders would only occur in Jakarta.

Miftachul Akhyar, a leader of the supervisory board of the biggest Muslim organization, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), said the 101 regions that held simultaneous elections on February 15 had no problem voting for Muslim or non-Muslim leaders. This was only a problem in Jakarta.

"His [Ahok's] statement quoting the verse has resulted in an unnecessary polemic," Akhyar said before the judges.

(Read also: MUI chairman testifies at Ahok trial, admits did not watch video)

Akhyar added that the election climate in the city should have been conducive if only Ahok had not made his comment about the Quranic verse during his working visit to Thousand Islands last year.

Earlier on Tuesday, Akhyar said that the governor had committed blasphemy while claiming that Surah Al Maidah 51 could be used as a tool to deceive residents to not vote for the non-Muslim leaders.

"There's an indication to mislead people in which [Ahok] asked believers to not believe in the [Quranic] verse," he said. (dan)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, February 21, 2017

The National Police have vowed to keep police recruitment free from corruption and have called on the regions to maintain clean recruitment.

National Police chief expert staffer for management, Insp. Gen. Arief Sulistyanto, delivered the message through a video conference on Tuesday with regional police chiefs after signing a commitment to keep police recruitment corruption-free.

"The new candidates have to follow the procedures without nepotism. We will take immediate action if there is indication of corruption," said Arief.

(Read also: 15 police officers arrested over alleged illegal levies in Riau)

Arief said the police had provided a hotline number on their website that people could phone to report such misconduct.

Police recruitment was essential as there was not yet an ideal ratio of police officers to inhabitants, Arief added. (dis/wit)
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Linkedin Indra Budiari (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, February 21, 2017

Thousands of protesters swarmed the House of Representatives in Senayan, South Jakarta, causing gridlock in the area, forcing vehicles to turn back and find an alternative route on Tuesday.

The crowd had been gathered in front of the House since morning, demanding that Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama be detained and removed from office.

The rally disrupted traffic in the busy district. Dozens of vehicles opted to enter the toll road to avoid gridlock.

Sr. Comr. Ermayudi from the Jakarta Traffic Police said motorists were permitted to pass through the toll road next to the rally site for free until the exit gate in Slipi, West Jakarta.

"This traffic engineering is needed to avoid worsening congestion," he told reporters.

Meanwhile, a man who introduced himself as Habib Salim from Subang, West Java, told the demonstrators that police should show no mercy to the governor and arrest him immediately.

The crowd started to disperse midday after lawmakers received their representatives.
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Linkedin Hans Nicholas Jong (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, February 21, 2017

The Environment and Forestry Ministry has arrested six people for the alleged poaching of Sumatran tigers in Solok, West Sumatra.

The ministrys team received information from forest police officers in Jambi province about the illegal operation, the ministrys law enforcement director-general, Rasio Ridho Sani, said.

The finding comprises bones and teeth from Sumatran tigers suspected to be brought by the perpetrators from the Kerinci Seblat National Park in Jambi, the ministrys spokesman, Djati Witjaksono Hadi, said on Monday.

The six people were being questioned by the West Sumatra Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA).

(Read also: Three named suspects for feasting on orangutan in Kapuas)

Last year, law enforcers arrested three members of an alleged Sumatran tiger poaching group in protected forests within the national park in Marike subdistrict, Langkat, North Sumatra. Groups of poachers of rare and endangered Sumatran tigers are believed to have long been operating in the protected forests.

Poaching of endangered Sumatran tigers is rampant in the national park. Sumatran tigers are hunted and killed not only for their skins but also their organs. (trw)
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Linkedin Markus Makur (The Jakarta Post) East Manggarai  Tue, February 21, 2017

Students of a state junior high school in East Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara, had to move to a nearby church and to another school building for classes after their school collapsed during a strong wind.

The wood-and-bamboo building of SMP N 8 Kampung Lenang Neros in Paang Leleng village fell down after a wind swept through the area on Feb. 7.

About 128 students were forced to study in the Kapela Neros Church and in an elementary school while residents tried to rebuild their school. The local police station has also contributed material for the reconstruction process.

We couldnt do anything when it was ruined. We have asked the East Manggarai administration for a permanent building but there has been no response as yet, school principal Yuliana Anjelus told The Jakarta Post.

(Read also: Private schools to retain on-loan govt teachers)

Data from the Culture and Education Ministry shows that about 70 percent of the countrys school facilities, specifically classrooms, are in a damaged state.

Furthermore, in the last four years, about 5 million children dropped out of elementary school or decided not to continue to junior high school. (wit)
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Linkedin Ni Komang Erviani (The Jakarta Post) Denpasar  Wed, February 22 2017

Prosecutors at the Denpasar District Court demanded on Tuesday that a British man and his Australian girlfriend be sentenced to eight years in prison for allegedly murdering a local policeman.

In two separate hearings with the same prosecutors, the prosecution asked the panel of judges to declare the couple guilty of violating Article 170 of the Criminal Code for collective assault that resulted in death.

Previously in the indictment, the prosecutors charged David James Taylor, 34, and Sara Connor, 45, under three articles: 338 on murder, 351 on violence and article 170.

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Linkedin Stefani Ribka (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, February 22 2017

A number of French companies have expressed interest in exploring investment opportunities in Indonesia, with a particular focus on shipyards, aircraft maintenance, train equipment and clean energy.

From Monday to Tuesday, representatives from 34 French companies under the Mouvement des Entreprises de France (MEDEF) were in Jakarta to meet their local counterparts as well as government officials to learn more about investment opportunities in Southeast Asias largest economy.

MEDEF chairman Pierre Gattaz said infrastructure was one of the businesspeoples shared interests along with the tourism, health and food industries.

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Linkedin Haeril Halim (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, February 22 2017

Indonesia is seeking closer ties with Saudi Arabia with plans for a special reception to welcome King Salman and his entourage to Jakarta for a state visit that is also expected to spur investment.

Jakarta expects the visit may bring US$25 billion worth of investment from Saudi investors.

The meeting is historic for both of the Muslim-majority countries. The last time a Saudi king visited Jakarta was 47 years ago, when Salmans father, King Abdul Aziz al-Saud, arrived in 1970.

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Linkedin Will Ripley (The Jakarta Post) Pyongyang  Wed, February 22 2017

As the world awaits every tweet, every gaffe, from United States President Donald Trump, everyday North Koreans go about their lives unaware of the political frenzy swirling around in the outside world.

Pyongyang citizens have heard of President Trump in their state media. However, they do not know about his countless controversies or his promise to deal with Pyongyang very strongly after its latest missile launch.

I arrived in Pyongyang two days after the nations Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un tested a new kind of mid-range ballistic missile. The launch, one of dozens Kim has ordered over the last three years, made international headlines mostly because it was the first to occur during the Trump administration.

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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post)  Wed, February 22 2017

The Indonesian proverb Egg-laying chickens die on a granary is also applicable to war-torn South Sudan.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Program (WFP) warned on Monday that 5.5 million people, more than half of South Sudans population, would face severe food shortages within the next few months. No fewer than 1 million people in the country are very close to starvation on their fertile land.

This is a tragedy of humanity. Those responsible for the calamity should be punished for committing gross human rights violations.

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Linkedin Nestor P. Burgos Jr. (Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN) Boracay Island, the Philippines  Tue, February 21, 2017

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is fully committed to come up with a Code of Conduct on the South China Sea (COC) more than 14 years after the signing of a non-binding declaration of conduct.

There is no change in the ASEAN position, said Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Enrique Manalo in a briefing in Boracay Island, the Philippines, on Monday.

He said the ASEAN member-states have been united in coming with a legally binding COC and the full implementation of the Declaration of Conduct (DOC) on the South China Sea.

He said the member states as well as China have been hoping to come up with a framework on the COC by this year.

There has been more determination to proceed to finalise the COC framework as soon as possible and proceed to actual negotiations on the COC, Manalo said.

The DOC was signed on Nov. 4, 2002 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, by ASEAN member-states and China as a measure to help prevent and settle territorial disputes involving the South China Sea.

It declares among others that countries should refrain from inhabiting presently uninhabited islands, reefs, shoals, cays, and other features, and handle their differences in a constructive manner.

But ASEAN-member states including the Philippines have protested the building of structures by China in the disputed territory.

While there were still no discussions on the COC framework, Manalo said the COC framework would be based on the DOC.

He also gave an update on the Senior Officials Meeting in preparation for the Foreign Ministers Retreat set on Feb. 21.

He said the meeting of the senior officials involved discussions on ASEAN community building, conduct of ASEAN summits, external relations and milestone anniversaries of the regional body as well dialogues with non-ASEAN countries.

The Foreign Ministers Retreat, to be chaired by Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay, is the first major meeting of the ASEAN this year under the chairmanship of the Philippines, which coincides with the 50th founding anniversary of the regional body.

Established on Aug. 8, 1967, the ASEAN is composed of 10 member-states: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. It aims to promote regional cooperation on economic, political and security concerns.

Yasay will hold a briefing for journalists on the highlights of the meeting on Tuesday afternoon, according to the DFA.

Foreign Affairs spokesperson Charles Jose earlier said that regional integration as well as security concerns including terrorism and illegal drugs would be among the issues to be tackled in the retreat.

He said common challenges including transnational crimes like terrorism, violent extremism, human trafficking and illegal drugs would be discussed in the meeting.

This article appeared on the Philippine Daily Inquirer newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post
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Linkedin Annabelle Liang (Associated Press) Singapore  Tue, February 21, 2017

Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, hosting a visit by his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu, said Monday his country believes in a "two-state solution" to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Lee explained his stand at a joint news briefing with Netanyahu, who does not endorse the two-nation approach. Lee said he realizes a two-state solution is difficult to achieve, but said it is the only way to achieve peace.

Netanyahu's official visit is the first to Singapore by an Israeli head of government. Last year Lee became the first Singaporean prime minister to visit Israel.

Netanyahu referred to Singapore and Israel at the news conference as being "kindred spirits." Both nations are small, with significant defense and high-tech industries. The two countries established diplomatic relations in 1969, but have ties dating back to 1965, when Israeli military advisers covertly assisted Singapore after its declaration of independence.

Acknowledging the "very complex situation" between Palestinians and Israel, Lee called for direct negotiations that will ensure "progress toward a just and durable solution to this long-standing and often, unfortunately violent conflict."

"We have consistently believed that a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine, however hard to achieve, is the only way to bring peace and security to both peoples," Lee said.

Netanyahu did not mention tensions in the Middle East in his remarks at the news briefing, after which questions were not allowed.

But afterward, at a state dinner, he said he believes there is an opportunity to seek peace now "because I sense a great change in the Arab world, in many Arab countries, and I hope ... to be able to use that newfound attitude toward Israel to help us solve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict as well."

The two-state approach, in which negotiations aim to lead to an independent Palestinian nation, has wide international support, including from Arab nations. It would likely require Israel to give up occupied territory that is strategically and religiously significant.

A two-state solution has anchored American diplomacy in the Middle East for two decades. When U.S. President Donald Trump hosted Netanyahu last week, the American leader signaled a policy shift, saying both a two-state and a single-state solution should be considered.

Netanyahu also said Israel was pivoting toward Asia "in a very clear and purposeful way."

"Next month I'll go to China. Somewhat later this year, Prime Minister Modi of India will come to visit Israel," he said. Poised in the middle, he said, is Singapore, "our perfect partner."

Netanyahu departs for Australia on Tuesday. (dan)
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Linkedin Gillian Flaccus (Associated Press) Portland, Oregon, United States  Tue, February 21, 2017

Watchdog groups that keep tabs on digital privacy rights are concerned that U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents are searching the phones and other digital devices of international travelers at border checkpoints in U.S. airports.

The issue gained attention recently after at least three travelers, including a Canadian journalist, spoke out publicly about their experiences.

The episodes have gained notice amid an outcry over President Donald Trump's travel ban and complaints of mistreatment of foreign travelers, but the government insists there has been no policy change in the new administration.

Border Protection says searches increased fivefold in the final fiscal year of the Obama presidency, but still amounted to less than one-hundredth of 1 percent of all international arrivals.

Here are some things to know about the searches and your privacy rights.

__________

WHAT HAS PROMPTED THE CONCERN?

The American Civil Liberties Union and the Electronic Frontier Foundation both say they have noticed an uptick in complaints about searches of digital devices by border agents.

The increase has become most noticeable in the last month, said Adam Schwartz, a senior staff lawyer at the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

"We are concerned that a bad practice that has existed under past presidents has gotten worse in quantity under the new president," Schwartz said.

The government says nothing has changed. Customs officials also say the perceived shift can be attributed to a jump in the number of electronic devices that people are carrying with them and shifting tactics as the agency adjusts to the amount and types of information that can be stored on today's devices.

In this Feb. 17, 2016, file photo an iPhone is seen in Washington. Watchdog groups that keep tabs on digital privacy rights are concerned that U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents are searching the phones and other digital devices of international travelers at border checkpoints in U.S. airports. The American Civil Liberties Union and the Electronic Frontier Foundation say complaints of such searches have spiked recently. Americans have protection under the Fourth Amendment from unreasonable search and seizure. A police officer, for example, must obtain a warrant from a judge before searching a suspect's phone. But the U.S. border is a legal grey zone. Border agents have long had the right to search travelers' physical luggage without a warrant, and that interpretation has been expanded to include digital devices.(AP/Carolyn Kaster)

__________

WHAT SEARCH AUTHORITY DOES THE BORDER PROTECTION HAVE?

Americans have protection under the Fourth Amendment from unreasonable search and seizure.

A police officer, for example, must obtain a warrant from a judge before searching a suspect's phone.

But the U.S. border is a legal gray zone. Border agents have long had the right to search travelers' physical luggage without a warrant, and that interpretation has been expanded to include digital devices, ACLU staff attorney Nathan Freed Wessler said.

In 2013, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that if agents want to do a forensic search they need to have a reasonable suspicion of wrongdoing, he said. But the court stopped short of requiring agents to obtain a search warrant beforehand, he said.

And an agent can flip through a phone in a cursory search for any reason.

The law has not kept up with the "incredible volume of personal data that we have in our pockets now"  and that creates tremendous constitutional questions, said Wessler.

"In some ways, a search of your phone is more invasive than a search of your house," he said.

A case currently headed to another appeals court could further clarify the law, said Schwartz.

(Read also: Annoyed neighbors can now complain directly to Airbnb)

__________

WHAT DOES THE BORDER PROTECTION SAY?

Numbers provided by the Border Protection show a fivefold increase in electronic media searches in the 2016 fiscal year ending on Sept. 30 over the previous fiscal year.

In 2016, under the Obama administration, there were 23,877 electronic media searches. That comes to .0061 percent of total arrivals into the U.S. In fiscal year 2015, there were 4,764 electronic media searches.

A senior CBP official briefed reporters on the issue Friday, but the agency insisted the official not be identified.

"We see it as an article that is brought into the U.S., no different than a booklet of materials, no different than a suitcase with items in it," the official said.

"We've uncovered very serious and significant information in these types of searches, everything from national security concerns to child pornography to evidence of crimes to determinations of people's admissibility status under the immigration laws."

In this Feb. 23, 2016, file photo, a man holds up his iPhone during a rally in support of data privacy outside the Apple store in San Francisco. Watchdog groups that keep tabs on digital privacy rights are concerned that U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents are searching the phones and other digital devices of international travelers at border checkpoints in U.S. airports. The American Civil Liberties Union and the Electronic Frontier Foundation say complaints of such searches have spiked recently. (AP/Eric Risberg)

__________

HOW CAN YOU PROTECT YOUR DIGITAL PRIVACY WHILE TRAVELING?

Privacy advocates say travelers who are concerned should leave their phones and laptops at home and buy a cheap phone once they arrive at their destination.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations is also advising its members to do the same.

Those who can't leave their devices behind should encrypt them and close out of all social media applications so they aren't accessible without a password, said Schwartz.

But those steps won't matter much if a border agent asks a traveler to unlock the phone or provide a password, said Scwhartz.

And travelers should also be aware of the rules in other countries. Israel authorities can check mobile phones at the airport, for example.

This Aug. 2016 photo provided by Haisam Elsharkawi, shows Haisam Elsharkawi, a self-employed businessman from Anaheim, Calif., poses for a selfie at Disneyland. Elsharkawi says he was detained on Feb. 9, by U.S. Customs and Border Protection at Los Angeles International Airport while he tried to board a flight to Saudi Arabia because he refused to unlock his cell phone. Watchdog groups that monitor digital privacy rights are concerned about an increase in electronic media searches at immigration checkpoints in U.S. Airports.(Haisam Elsharkawi via AP/File)

__________

WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU REFUSE?

CBP can't bar a U.S. citizen from entry if they refuse to comply, but agents can make things difficult.

Travelers who don't unlock their phones could be questioned, detained temporarily and have their phones taken by agents for days.

Travelers who are not U.S. citizens can be denied entry.

Haisam Elsharkawi, a self-employed businessman from Anaheim, California, told the AP that he was stopped by agents in Los Angeles last week as he was boarding a plane to Saudi Arabia to make a pilgrimage to Mecca. They asked him to unlock his phone without telling him why.

Elsharkawi, a Muslim, said he refused because he didn't want the male agents to see photos of his wife with her head uncovered.

When he asked for a lawyer, the agents detained him, handcuffed him and interrogated him for four hours before he agreed to unlock the device for a female agent, he said. He was then released and his phone was returned after the female Homeland Security officer checked his email, photos and eBay and Amazon accounts.

Elsharkawi, 34, was born in Saudi Arabia to Egyptian parents. He came to the U.S. in 2004 and became a U.S. citizen in 2012.

"I was already nervous before and after what has happened ... I don't know what to expect next," he said.

__________

Associated Press Writers Kevin Freking in Washington, D.C. and Josef Federman in Jerusalem, Israel contributed to this report.
A firehouse on the Lower East Side has made a media star. Today in the New York Post and a few days ago in DNA Info, there were profiles of Ashley, a pit bull rescued on Staten Island and adopted by the guys at Fort Pitt (Engine 15/Ladder 18).

Ashley has an Instagram account (@probyash), where her daily exploits are being chronicled.

The one-year-old dog was saved from a crack house by a non-profit group, No More Pain Rescue, Jan. 9. The organizations co-founder, Erica Mahnken, told the Post, Ashley was, filthy, extremely malnourished and about 25 pounds underweight. She had cigarette burns on her head.

Mahnken and her fiance knew the LES firehouse crew was looking for a dog, so a match was made quickly. The minute we walked her through those doors, we knew thats where she was meant to be, Mahnken said. Every single Fort Pitt firefighter instantly fell in love with her and she fell even more in love with them.

Uncle FF Jim Murray knows the good spot! A post shared by Ashley (@probyash) on Feb 10, 2017 at 12:29pm PST

Takin up- hurry up LT I gotta !! A post shared by Ashley (@probyash) on Feb 2, 2017 at 7:01am PST
DECATUR  The burned-out Del Carmen's East pizza restaurant in Decatur will, like one of its fabled crusts, rise again.

But it may not be at its former location at 221 N. 22nd St., and the resurrection process could take anywhere from six months to a year.

Married couple Larry and Martha Stanley, who had run the restaurant for just shy of 30 years before an arson fire set by burglars destroyed it in September, said they most likely won't be the ones managing the new version. Larry Stanley said the couple's two daughters and several other businesspeople are interested in reopening Del Carmen's, and it's a question now of who can be involved in a deal.

But for my wife and I, and we both just turned 74, we don't think that it's time to start over, Stanley said.

He also said the original North 22nd Street location was too badly damaged in the fire to be saved, and that building is scheduled to be torn down. He said a neighboring beauty shop and an apartment are in a nearby but separate building and will be unaffected.

Whether the new owner will want to rebuild at that location, I don't know, he added. However, I would really suggest putting it back there because most people know that location and we had a good following there.

He said an estimated return timeline for the restaurant, whether at North 22nd Street or elsewhere, ranges anywhere from six months to a year from now. There is another Del Carmen's pizza business in town, but it has no connection with the couple.

Stanley said he had always tried to keep the pizza recipe, from brand of cheese to tomato sauce to singular crust, as close as possible to the original he acquired with the business. And he said he's convinced that customers appreciated that style of cooking and are eager for it to return.

I probably don't have a day go by when I'm out in public and somebody says 'Hey, when are you going to get the pizza place going again?' I just came home from vacation and I had another business guy calling me on the phone, wanting to know what I was going to do with the restaurant. There is a lot of interest in Del Carmen's.

Customers like Decatur's Misty Gosda say they've been going through withdrawal symptoms since fire burned away their favorite pizza option. Gosda, a Flora native, says she got hooked on it while visiting Decatur to date Chris Gosda, the man who became her husband in 2015.

She says they built their relationship eating at Del Carmen's: Oh, the sauce, the breadsticks, no other pizza places were the same, said Misty Gosda, 30.

She's glad the place is coming back, even though she may have to grind through another hungry 12 months of waiting, and is just thankful she had gone there to pick up dinner just a week before the arsonist struck. Chris and I said 'Well, at least we got one last good fix before we couldn't have it again, she added.

As to why someone would call a pizza restaurant Del Carmen's in the first place, there are lots of stories. Stanley says he was told it meant Eat at Carmen's in French. But if that were the case, the restaurant should be called Manger a' Carmen. Better still, the Italian version would be Mangiare a Carmen.

A more likely explanation is that the original owner's ex-wife was named Carmen. And the ex-husband, before they split up, told me he liked the 'Del' from 'Del Monte foods and he just put that with Carmen for Del Carmen's, Stanley said.
DECATUR -- The United States on Monday marked Presidents Day, which began as a celebration of George Washington's birthday, Feb. 22.

Throughout the 19th century, communities celebrated with parades and fireworks, said Evan Phifer, a research historian at the White House Historical Association. In the late 1800s, Feb. 22 became a federal holiday.

The holiday was moved to the third Monday in February in 1971, creating a three-day weekend for many workers.

The Herald & Review spoke to people in Decatur on Monday to find out what Presidents Day means to them and ask: Who's your favorite president?

Christopher Wall, 33, Decatur

Feelings on Presidents Day: As a kid, you get out of school. That's nice, but it's the same as any other holiday. Now as an adult, nobody ever talks about it. You either have the day off or you don't have the day off. It's nice to able to celebrate past presidents. I don't know if I feel like celebrating the current one, though.

Favorite president: My daughter (kindergartner at Dennis School) likes Abraham Lincoln and she'll talk about him a little bit. That's a pretty good choice. George Washington is a classic choice as well. He has the highest military rank; nobody can outrank him.

Genia Mabry, 31, Decatur

Feelings: It's a day for people to really learn the history and backgrounds of the presidents. I don't think people really celebrate like they should, but it is a day where we could understand what the presidents do. We need more stuff around the community. They should have more events to inform people, especially our children.

Favorite: I would say Barack Obama. Maybe it's my age; that is when I started paying attention. I was in my early 20s.

Courtney McSherry, 35, Decatur

Feelings: We enjoy the holiday. It is important to celebrate the presidents, all of them, even the newest.

Favorite: Abraham Lincoln was the Civil War president. I was not good at history in high school, but now I'm interested in it because of the kids.

Larry Franz, 68, Decatur

Feelings: I don't know if I've ever thought about it. We owned our own business (White Hen Pantry,) so we never got the day off. We even worked on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Wasn't it originally to celebrate Washington and Lincoln's birthdays? Now it's to celebrate all of the presidents. That's they way I've always thought about it.

Favorite: You have to go with Abraham Lincoln, but I didn't live through his time.

During my time, I'm most fond of Ronald Reagan and what all he did for us. There is so much division between Republicans and Democrats these days. They just represent their own party instead of the people. Ronald Reagan had the ability to unify both parties.

Ike Nicholson, 72, Decatur

Feelings: I didn't know it was a holiday. I shouldn't be washing my car then. I thought there was something going on. There wasn't a lot of cars at the school, but I didn't think it was a holiday.

Favorite: John Kennedy because he worked for the poor. I was living in Chicago when he was assassinated.

Kerrin Wantland, 17, Springfield High School senior attending Millikin University in the fall

Feelings: It is kind of nice to have the day off. It is a pretty important day if you are talking about the leaders of our country. This year, we are learning about the government and the roles they do.

Favorite: I always liked Teddy Roosevelt and the things that he did for the nature preserves. But I feel like I should say Lincoln since I'm from Springfield.

Liam Harris, 17, Junior at Decatur Christian School

Feelings: It is mostly about just good or bad presidents, giving them the respect and thanks for doing our country good. You can't get somebody perfect, but I expect you to do your job and do what you think is best. If you do your job and you do what you think is best, then you are in the office for a reason.

Favorite: Abraham Lincoln set the tone, not just for being a president everybody likes, but being the president to do what's right.

Emma Phillips, 16, sophomore at Lutheran School Association

Feelings: We should learn more about it in school. But it is a good time to give our presidents now and in the past the recognition they deserve.

Favorite: Barack Obama did two terms. He showed everyone how things are supposed to be done and how to respect people.

Connie Doty, 68, Decatur

Feelings: It is very important to honor our presidents. I'm a very patriotic person. I believe the presidents are the head of our country and all it stands for.

Favorite: Abraham Lincoln treated everyone equally.


Kelly Reichardt returns to small-town America with a cleverly written but otherwise ultra drab day-in-the-life drama.

Between Meeks Cutoff, Wendy and Lucy and (the slightly louder) Night Moves, Kelly Reichardt is pretty much the go-to force for quiet, contemplative dramas surrounding small-town women. And that success just keeps on flowing with this, her latest, already award-winning, festival favourite.

Zeroing in on the fairly average lives of four local women in snowy middle-American Montana, Certain Women isnt what you would call a particularly exciting film. Its cheap, incredibly slow (often frustratingly so) and the large majority of its key conflicts are all ridiculously underplayed. Put simply, it doesnt really feel like much happens.

This isnt to say that nothing does though. In fact, between the three broken-up narratives here - a lawyer and her troublesome client, a quietly failing marriage and a cutesy student-teacher crush - theres plenty of dramatic meat for the spectacular leading cast to really tear through. Its just that the drama in question is so subtly dealt that its very, very easy to miss.

Reichardts own script is very tidily strung together, linking each story quietly but effectively, and building the characters themselves terrifically. Michelle Williams, Laura Dern and Lily Gladstone are all not only beautifully cast but thoroughly immersive to watch, and even the usually one-note Kristen Stewart takes a step back from her usual umm-ing and ah-ing to become a surprisingly sweet addition.

Lump this all together with Reichardts regular lensman Christopher Blauvelts finest and most pensive cinematography to date, and technically speaking, Certain Women is a marvel to behold. Lovers of carefully astute framing and seriously understated performances look no further. Everybody else though, might as well run for the hills.

If youve ever seen a Kelly Reichardt film before youll know what to expect, and in terms of the directors own vision and talent, this certainly feels like a culmination of pretty much all of her work to date. So seamlessly structured and softly worded; the patient minded will find a lot to love. But it is a film for a very specific, cinema-loving audience and those who find themselves easily bored should almost definitely look elsewhere.

Certain Women is an incredibly insightful and tremendously assembled piece of work, with an awards-worthy cast to boot, but it does require an extraordinary amount of patience to tolerate.

Certain Women is out in UK cinemas 3rd March.
DECATUR  A Decatur service station owner is turning detective to help police track down the hit-and-run suspect who left a tow truck driver lying injured by the side of the road.

Jay Billingsley, owner of Billingsley BP Service Center and Towing, has painstakingly pieced together pieces of the front plastic bumper left behind at the accident scene and says he can now identify the color and type of vehicle involved: a 2006-2009 Chevrolet Impala in a gray shade the factory calls dark gray tarnished metallic.

Billingsley said this is the vehicle that side-swiped his friend and colleague, tow truck driver Chris Moore, on the shoulder of eastbound Interstate 72 near Argenta on the evening of Feb. 9.

Moore, who was securing a disabled truck for towing, was left with both legs broken below the knee and two broken ankles, among other injuries. A married man with two children, he is continuing to recover in a hospital; the driver of the disabled vehicle was also injured, but less seriously.

The Illinois State Police, who acknowledged Billingsley's information, haven't commented on the significance of the evidence, and officers had collected their own vehicle fragments from the accident scene.

Since the accident happened, we have been following leads throughout the area regarding different vehicles, but none of those leads have panned out, said Master Sgt. Ryan Starrick. If anyone has information, they can call (217) 867-2050.

Billingsley, who worked with colleague Tom Rutherford to reassemble the collected bumper fragments, says it was at first thought the suspect vehicle was a Ford Taurus, but he's confident of the Impala identity now. He also knows it's a long shot trying to locate the hit and run driver, who could be multiple time zones away, but he says he owes it to Moore to try.

Chris, in addition to being my co-worker, is a very good friend, and I know that if I were to ever to experience a situation like this, he would do the same for me, said Billingsley, 42.

He said the suspect driver, whose vehicle would also be missing its passenger side mirror, would have realized instantly what they had done. That person needs to know it's not too late to do the right thing: Be an upstanding citizen and admit the mistake and turn themselves in, Billingsley said.

He described Moore as a fighter determined to get better, and says he was given the best of care and attention by the first responders who came to the accident scene. The Argenta Fire Department, the Macon County Sheriff's Office, the State Police and Decatur Ambulance all responded immediately, and we're very, very thankful for their efforts at the scene, Billingsley added.

He said this was the first time an incident like this had happened to one of his drivers, but being a tow truck operator is regarded as a risky way to make a living.

It's a dangerous profession and should be treated with as much respect as possible, he said. Drivers should move over when they see any kind of emergency vehicle by the side of the road; that's also the law.
Footage apparently showing the moment Kim Jong Nam was allegedly poisoned has been leaked.

The CCTV video from a Kuala Lumpur airport shows two women approaching a man, thought to be the estranged half-brother of North Korean ruler Kim Jong Un, and putting a piece of cloth over his face. Kim Jong Nam later died.

Upon news of his death, Pyongyang demanded custody of Kim Jong Nams body, strongly objecting to a post-mortem examination. The Malaysian government resisted and conducted two post-mortem examinations, after the result of the first came back inconclusive.

On Monday, the Malaysian foreign ministry said it had recalled its ambassador to Pyongyang for consultations and had summoned North Koreas ambassador to Malaysia, Kang Chol, to a meeting.

Malaysian police have arrested four people carrying IDs from North Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam, and are looking for four men who travelled out of the country on the day of the incident.
An elderly woman who found a rare five pound note worth 50,000 has donated it to help young people, as she doesn't need the money 'at her time of life'.

The woman found one of four notes which the artist Graham Short engraved with tiny 5mm portraits of Jane Austen in December, before spending one each in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Short told the BBC: "An old lady found it and she said 'I don't want my picture in the papers' and she said 'if it sells for a lot of money it will be better if young children could benefit from it'."

The woman, from Eniskillen in Northern Ireland, sent a note to Short's gallery which read: "It was lovely to speak to you today. 5 note enclosed, I don't need it at my time of life. Please use it to help young people."

The artist said he is now contacting outlets connected to Children in Need in order to find a good cause to which to donate the money.

the new ones with the animal fat in them Short engraved the notes -- to mark the 200th anniversary of Austen's death.

Each is marked with a different quote from the novelist's work.

The first was found in a cafe in Wales in December, and the second in the same month in a Christmas card in Scotland.

Now only the note spent in England remains in circulation.

For those frantically checking their wallets, the serial number of the last note is AM 32 885554.
The Telegraph revealed yesterday that French officials have approached Oxford University to open a new campus in Paris.

The university, which has never opened a foreign campus in its 700-year history, is said to be considering the move as a solution to Brexit-induced funding concerns.

In a meeting last week French officials assured university staff that any satellite point in France would have French legal status and as such could continue to receive EU funding.

The plans would mean certain degree programmes being relocated across the channel and the creation of new joint degrees and research labs.

Commenting on the move, Liberal Democrat education spokesperson John Pugh said:

British Universities bring the best and brightest to our country, now they are being forced to educate off-shore.

This is entirely down to the Governments choice for a Hard Brexit. They have committed to keeping apart from vital EU institutions like the Horizon 2020 programme which would guarantee Oxbridge and others continued access to 2bn in funding for research here in the UK. Instead they are choosing to leave the Single Market and risk falling out of these vital programmes altogether.

This looks less like Taking Back Control and more like shipping out our national institutions.

Oxford isnt the only leading British university to be approached, with Jean-Michel Blanquer, former director-general of the French ministry for education, saying that talks were underway with the French authorities and several UK-based institutions. To date Oxford and Warwick are the only to have met with the Parisian officials.

Although no decision has yet been taken by Oxford, a spokesperson said:

Oxford has been an international university throughout its history and it is determined to remain open to the world whatever the future political landscape looks like.

Image by Andrew Shiva
If you've ever dreamt of combining a helicopter ride over one of the world's most exciting cities with an evening of great food, you're in luck.

Maverick Helicopters, an award-winning helicopter operator, has partnered with Las Vegas' top culinary tour company Lip Smacking Foodie Tours to offer the ultimate dining experience.

Savory Bites & Neon Lights, which starts at $299 per person, features exclusive food tasting at five prominent resaturants followed by Maverick Helicopters' renowned Vegas Nights flight over the Las Vegas strip.

The five hour experience begins at ARIA Resort & Casino and includes a guided tour to each dining venue with reserved seating and a choice of up to four signature dishes.

Expect to visit acclaimed culinary destinations such as Chef Michael Mina's Bardot Brasserie, Chef Shawn McClain's Sage at ARIA, and Chef Costas Spiliadis' Estiatorio Milos inside The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

This is the perfect opportunitity for you to taste dishes from some of the most exclusive restaurants that the city has to offer, all in a single evening. Tour hosts are on hand throughout the night to talk guests through the menu and the food that they are enjoying.

Once fed, guests are transported to Maverick Helicopters' private Las Vegas terminal where they are greeted with a champagne toast before they take to the Vegas skies. The 12 to 15 minute Vegas Nights flight offers stunning, panoramic views of the Las Vegas strip with a narration of the surround attractions. At the end of the flight a limo wil take visitors back to their hotel.

www.flymaverick.com for more information. Visit

Follow Lip Smacking Foodie Tours on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram for the latest news and updates.
Nazis have taken over London  on screens at least. The BBCs absorbing new series SS-GB, based on Len Deightons popular 1978 novel, imagines a world in which the Nazis have invaded and defeated Britain by 1941.

Such an imaginative conceit is by no means unusual. Similar dystopian visions of Nazi victory in World War II have long been popular. Take, for instance, Richard Harris Fatherland (1992), Stephen Frys Making History (1996), Philip Roths The Plot Against America (2004) and CJ Sansoms acclaimed Dominion (2012). There was even Iron Sky , the 2012 film which imagined that the defeated Nazis fled to the other side of the moon in 1945 only to plan a space fleet to return to conquer Earth some 60 years later.

As Gavriel Rosenfeld has eloquently argued , persistent rewriting of history is intimately connected to changing perceptions of the Third Reichs real historical legacy as well as to subversive efforts to normalise the Nazi past in the West, and especially in the United States and Britain. Through imagining a life of defeat and occupation, Britons and Americans (who have authored, read or viewed the vast majority of these visions) are able to bathe in the still-lingering glow of victory while at the same time closing the distance between themselves and their wartime enemies.

This nightmare of a Nazi military victory  and of a Nazified world order  was in fact first explored in pre-war fiction, most notably Katharine Burdakins Swastika Night (1937). But it was not until the Cold War that the idea took hold, with a flurry of activity in the early 60s.

The year 1964 saw The Other Man air on ITV (with Michael Caine in the lead role) and 1965 the cinematic release of the powerful and provocative It Happened Here . Using deliberately grainy 16mm black and white film, this latter production offered a harrowing portrayal of what a Nazi occupation of Britain might have looked like.

In the United States, meanwhile, the most powerful vision of a Nazi victory was surely Philip K Dicks 1963 story, The Man in the High Castle . Set in the 60s, Dick describes an America occupied in the West by Imperial Japan and in the East by the Nazis. The two victors of World War II are technically at peace, but tensions are mounting, particularly once the Japanese government learns that their Nazi allies may be developing new and terrifying weaponry in order to secure overall control of the North American continent.

Tellingly, these 60s stories are once again very popular. Dicks frightening vision is the subject of a current Amazon Prime TV series, now in its second season . Similar imaginings have featured in the NBC series Timeless (2016), which features an episode given over to a rewriting of World War II, while the 2011 Welsh film Resistance (starring Michael Sheen) begins with the failure of D-Day and the subsequent German invasion and occupation of Britain.

The BBCs adaptation of SS-GB is just the latest in this line. Clearly, alternative histories of a Nazified world again have commercial and cultural traction.

Nazi obsessions

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the ideas and images offered by such a counterfactual Nazi world seem to have worked their way into contemporary political discourse.

Amid the ongoing cross-Channel rancour connected to Brexit, Boris Johnson, the current British foreign secretary, asked whether the French president Francois Hollandes function within the EU was akin to a Nazi prison guard. And during a recent and now typical Twitter outburst, Donald Trump, the US president, responded to his antagonists (in the media and intelligence community) with a pointed question : Are we living in Nazi Germany?

Seen in this context, the contemporary fascination with counterfactual history is the popular culture counterpart to Trumpian political truth. In Trumps pronouncements and press conferences, truth is invented and reinvented on a daily basis. Media critics are Nazis; civil rights leaders once battered by the baton are  all talk ; the families of heroic veterans can quickly become villains ; and famous abolitionist Frederick Douglass is even resurrected from the dead

Sid Gentle Films Ltd // Screen Grab

On TV, meanwhile, history is remade and re-imagined via the most persistent Anglo-American what if nightmare  Nazi victory. The popularity of this kind of television history in the post-truth age of fake news surely makes perfect sense: they are two sides of the same coin. While very different in purpose and power, both are suggestive of a world in which the lines between fact and fiction are increasingly blurred. But the apparently symbiotic connection between the two should also give us pause for thought, particularly when the last age of counterfactual fascination  the 60s  is kept in mind.

Now, beware a spoiler. At the very end of his story, Dick confronts the reader with a revelation. The reality of an Axis victory is a myth, and the counterfactual histories of Allied victory authored  to Nazi irritation  by the mysterious man in the high castle are instead the truth. It is a skillful plot device, arresting and jolting. It also invites a troubling thought: if the man in the high castle writes the truth from deep within a myth, what does this mean for Dicks own relationship with  and to  the 1960s? Does it suggest that Dick was similarly in a high castle and that his counterfactual vision of Nazis in New York contained a truth of sorts?

Dicks contemporaries later endured the Age of Nixon, witnessed frequent racialised brutality targeting African-Americans in the south, and encountered  and perpetrated  the massacre of My Lai in the Vietnam War (which one American soldier later admitted was a Nazi kind of thing).

As we enter our own counterfactual age, in which truth is twisted and lies disseminated, the renewed obsession with alternative histories provides a powerful cautionary reminder of what can happen when nightmares are made real.
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DECATUR  Bridget Sibthorp-Moecker, regional digital services director for the newspaper group that includes the Herald & Review, has been named one of the Top 25 Under 35 in the newspaper industry by Editor & Publisher.

Sibthorp-Moecker directs the digital products of the newsrooms and advertising departments of Lee Enterprises Central Illinois Newspaper Group, which includes the Herald & Review and Bloomington Pantagraph. She recently assumed a new role at the corporate level, adding classified initiatives to her responsibilities.

She was nominated for the award by H&R and Pantagraph President and Publisher Julie Bechtel, who was named E&Ps 2016 Publisher of the Year in November.

"Bridget impressed me from the very first day I met her," Bechtel said in her nomination. "She has a huge smile and a positive attitude that is contagious. Bridget is a high-performing employee. She gets things done. She keeps it simple. She works and plays well with others. She lives 'can do.' I am thankful every day that she is on my team."

Im very humbled by this, said Sibthorp-Moecker, a graduate of Warrensburg-Latham High School and Illinois State University. Im from here  Im from this small town and Ive lived here my whole life. So, in a way, its almost jarring because I dont think of myself on that scale.

In 2015, Sibthorp-Moecker spearheaded the launch of a pilot website in collaboration with Newspapers.com, a division of Ancestry. The Pantagraph was the first newspaper in the nation to enter into such a partnership, providing users with an easily searchable database of historic newspaper content and preserving it for future generations. The H&R is also available on Newspapers.com

"Although Bridget is our local digital expert, she also has a great appreciation for our printed product. She has a foot in both worlds and respects each," Bechtel said.

Last year, Sibthorp-Moecker was part of Lee Enterprises Sweeps team for developing a plan to produce and schedule digital content that provides an extra boost to traffic and engagement during peak periods of digital advertising demand.

I just do whats in front of me and hope to do it well, Sibthorp-Moecker said. Everyone in our company has their own important job to do. A lot of what I do is behind the scenes, and my goal is help find a way to keep our business sustainable long after Im gone.

Sibthorp-Moecker has worked for Lee Enterprises at the H&R since May 2005.

Editor & Publisher is one of the leading news media publications in the country. E&Ps Top 25 Under 35 winners will be featured in Aprils issue.
LINCOLN  A tip from a Logan County sheriffs deputy has led to the discovery of a double-homicide in Freeport, officials said.

During a routine traffic stop near Lincoln around midnight last Wednesday, the deputy became suspicious of a car driven by Mitchell Davis, 33, of Freeport.

The car was registered to the mans parents and the deputy wanted to make sure he had permission to drive it. During the stop, the deputy asked Freeport officials to check on Patrick Davis, 66, and his wife, Carlotta, 59.

When police arrived at the couple's Freeport home, they found the couple dead as a result of stab wounds.

Stephenson County Coroner Tim Leamon confirmed the couple was stabbed to death, possibly as early as last Monday.

The family has ties to Logan County, according to Stephenson County officials.

Mitchell Davis remains in Stephenson County jail in lieu of $750,000 bond and faces two counts of first-degree murder.
NORMAL  Ameya Pawar is bringing a lesson he learned from knocking on every door of Chicago's 47th Ward to his campaign for governor.

"You get some doors slammed in your face ... but that two-way dialogue is important," said Pawar, a Democratic two-term alderman. "I can't knock on every door, but I plan to go to every county."

That plan continued Monday when Pawar stopped in McLean County to campaign for his party's nomination in 2018. He participated in interviews with media outlets before addressing about 50 people at Normal Public Library.

Pawar said he wants to run a populist campaign with these priorities: better education funding; easier access to child care; jobs and infrastructure improvements; and criminal justice reform.

He hopes to subsidize child care for families earning less than $75,000 per year.

Pawar also supports a progressive income tax and student loan refinancing for young adults who pledge to live in Illinois for the next decade.

Of competing with Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and Democratic primary opponent Chris Kennedy, both wealthy businessmen, Pawar said he's "not scared of money" and plans to run a grass-roots campaign statewide.
Masked monks in clash with DSI as tempers flare

PATHUM THANI: The government yesterday (Feb 20) pledged to move ahead with search operations at the controversial Wat Phra Dhammakaya, saying no place was beyond the reach of the law.

crimecorruptionviolencepolicemilitaryreligion

By Bangkok Post

Tuesday 21 February 2017, 08:55AM

Monks wearing masks fought with DSI officers near the temple gate as the joint military-police task force searching Wat Phra Dhammakaya again came up empty in their attempt to arrest sect leader Dhammajayo. Photo: Pattanapong Hirunard

Pushing and shoving broke out yesterday when the monks tried to eject the officials. After the scuffle, barricades were erected between them to prevent further clashes. The temple also asked the officials not to cut off the water and power supply as residents nearby would also be affected.

Police deployed 26 more companies to join the operation. The DSI lodged a complaint with police after the scuffle in which some DSI officers were injured.

The tough stance came on the fifth day of the operation at the Pathum Thani temple to search for former abbot Phra Dhammajayo, wanted in connection with the multi-billion-baht Klongchan Credit Union Cooperative embezzlement scandal.

A scuffle broke out Monday morning when dozens of monks, wearing masks, tried to prevent the authorities from entering the temples compound through Gate 5 and Gate 6. Some police and Wat Phra Dhammakaya followers were injured.

There was no sign of Phra Dhammajayo at the end of the fifth day amid rumours that an order issued under Section 44 of the interim charter to enable the search operations would be revoked.

The order was intended to allow officials to temporarily control the temple and surrounding area and prevent outsiders from entering after Phra Dhammajayo repeatedly failed to report to the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) to acknowledge charges against him, and after his devotees obstructed the DSIs previous search operations.

Quoting Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, government spokesman Lt Gen Sansern Kaewkamnerd said the operations at Wat Phra Dhammakaya were about the enforcement of the law.

The principle is strict enforcement of the law, or the case will set a bad example ... that the law cant be implemented there. The government cant afford that. The law must be applied everywhere, Lt Gen Sansern said.

He said the prime minister was closely observing the operations led by the DSI with police and troops as support units. Lt Gen Sansern insisted authorities were aware of the sensitivity of the issue and they were exercising caution in carrying out their job. He said handling the issue was no easy task.

The government spokesman also called on the media to be careful when reporting on the operations, saying some temple followers were trying to distort facts and undermining officials.

He said some were even dragging Buddhism into the controversy when it was not, arguing the authorities were merely trying to bring Phra Dhammajayo to fight charges in the justice system.

The search operation was led by the DSI with the support of police officers from Provincial Police Region 1, Provincial Police Region 7, and the Metropolitan Police Bureau. Soldiers were deployed outside the temple to maintain order and prevent people carrying weapons into the temple.

Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon also said authorities were enforcing the law and they could be charged with negligence of duty if they did not enforce the search warrant.

We dont care if Phra Dhammajayo is arrested [in this operation] or not. We are executing the search warrant. Authorities must be able to search every nook and cranny, he said.

He also emphasised that authorities must tell the public, the monks and the temple disciples that they were enforcing the law. He denied a full-blown clash took place between officers and temple followers, saying it was a little pushing and shoving which occurred during a stand-off.

Justice Minister Suwaphan Tanyuvardhana said he would leave it to the authorities to decide how to handle the disciples and followers of Wat Phra Dhammakaya, who were reportedly turning up in large numbers.

He denied reports the authorities would seize control of Wat Phra Dhammakaya, detain and defrock the monks, and prohibit them attending a Pali language examination at Wat Khien Khet today (Feb 21) and tomorrow (Feb 22) in Pathum Thani.

It will be all right if the search for Phra Dhammajayo fails. But I would like to ask the Supreme Sangha Council and monks in charge of running Wat Phra Dhammakaya, and government officials, to join hands to solve the problem, to move in the same direction for the sake of social order, he said.

The department was questioning Phra Thammasak Charuthammo, who claimed to have seen Phra Dhammajayo sneak out last Thursday (Feb 16).

Tension heightened on Sunday afternoon (Feb 19) after the devotees launched a campaign on social media to mobilise hundreds of thousands of supporters nationwide to pressure officials into ending the temple search.

Read original story here.
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Two months, B1.3mn budget to repair collapsed Phuket bridge, say officials

PHUKET: Rawai Mayor Aroon Solos has confirmed to The Phuket News today that it will take at least two months to fix a collapsed bridge at Naiharn lake. Motorists are advised to take alternative routes while the work is being carried out.

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By Tanyaluk Sakoot

Tuesday 21 February 2017, 06:25PM

The alternative route is marked out for motorists. Photo: Rawai Municipality

The road will take two months and a budget of B1.3mn to fix. Photo: Rawai Municipality

Speaking to The Phuket News today (Feb 21) Mayor Aroon said, I have been trying to find out who is responsible for repairing this bridge and I have still not been able to find the relevant government agency.

However, as this is urgent Rawai Municipality have prepared a budget of B1.3 million for the repairs, he said.

I have made sure that the area is now closed off to the general public as a matter of safety and drivers should now avoid this route.

Motorists needing to use this area should now use Naya Rd as an alternative until the repairs are complete.

Motorists should now turn left at the junction at the Reggae Bar and drive all the way around the lake and exit via Naya Rd, he added.

Somsong Saetang, Head of Public Works Division, Rawai Municipality, added, We are now removing the collapsed bridge before rebuilding it.

We closed the road at 9am today and it is going to take at least two months to complete the reconstruction, he said.
MOLINE (AP)  Democratic U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos says she won't run for Illinois governor in 2018.

In a statement Monday, Bustos says she decided staying in Congress is "the best way for me to continue getting real results for working families across the heartland."

Bustos was recently elected to Democratic leadership in the U.S. House, where she is co-chair of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee.

The East Moline resident had said publicly for months that she was considering challenging Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner. She said Monday she looks forward to "actively campaigning" to elect a Democratic governor.

Two Democrats already have announced they're running. They are businessman Chris Kennedy and Chicago Alderman Ameya Pawar.

Bustos represents the 17th Congressional District, which comprises a swath of western and northern Illinois.
Armenian National Congress (HAK) MP Aram Manoukyan told reporters today that 60% of the countrys legislators would prefer a parliament where they could sit and do nothing.

Arguing that most MPs lack any principles other than spending large amounts of taxpayer money, Manoukyan lambasted many of his colleagues for doing nothing more than pressing buttons when a bill comes up for a vote.

Manoukyan said he could say the names of thirty current MPs and none of the reporters present would know who they are. This parade of irresponsibility has gotten bigger, he said.

Describing Armenias political landscape as replete with buffoonery, he described MPs as grasshoppers jumping to and fro just to wind up with a seat in parliament.

Manoukyan accused the countrys political parties and alliances for making grandiose promises in the run-up to the April 2 parliamentary election without explaining how they propose to achieve them.

All their platforms are the same. We must do this or that. We must cut corruption, must cut migration, must solve the Karabakh conflict, etc. Its a campaign of desires, Manoukyan argued.

Using numbers to depict what the situation in Armenia is today, Manoukyan said, The number of school pupils has dropped by 100,000 in the past ten years. Their number has dropped from 602,000 to 360,000 in the past eighteen years. Armenia has 250,000 less pupils than 17 years ago. If we divide this number by two, it means we have that many fewer boys to serve in the army.

Manoukyan said that the Armenian National Congress is the only party to present a comprehensive vision of the countrys future development.
What county auditors want voters to know ahead of the midterm election

Forty-one South Dakota county auditors spoke with the Argus Leader about the sanctity of elections in the state.
Zagreb sold a record amount of aging weapons and ammunition to Saudi Arabia in 2016, ignoring evidence the arms are regularly being diverted to Syria.

Croatia has drastically increased its sales of decades-old arms and ammunition to Saudi Arabia despite mounting evidence that the deliveries are being diverted to Syria in breach of European Union (EU) and international law.

Though it has one of the best and most expensively equipped armies in the Middle East, the Gulf Kingdom imported US$ 81.7 million in aging ammunition, including bullets, mortars, rockets, and rocket and grenade launchers worth $5.8 million from Croatia during the first nine months of 2016. This total is already double Croatias sales to Saudi Arabia over the previous four years, and the final value will likely be higher, as figures for the last quarter have not yet been published.

Igor Tabak, a Croatian defense analyst, said that the country does not currently produce ammunition. It is quite likely that the exports come from old ammunition, he said, possibly from the inventory of the former Yugoslavia and Eastern [Bloc] production.

While Croatia has consistently refused to acknowledge that it is profiting from liquidating its old stocks on the Syrian battlefields, defense ministry documents reviewed by the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) and the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) show a major surge in sales from its stockpile coinciding with the start of the civil war in 2012.

According to those reports, the Ministry of Defense, which has a stockpile of around 18,000 tons, sold at least 5,000 tons of surplus ammunition in 2013 and 2014as much as it had sold in the preceding decade.

The Ministry of Defense did not respond to a request for additional information on who bought the armaments and whether additional sales were made in 2015 and 2016.

Arms Exports: A State Secret

Croatia was among the first countries to supply weapons to Syrian rebels in the winter of 2012. The shipment was routed via Jordan with logistical support from the CIA and paid for by Saudi Arabia, according to a 2013 investigation by the New York Times.

Following a flurry of embarrassing news coverage, Croatia abruptly started removing key information, such as the final destination of its exports, from official reports in an attempt to keep the details of this trade out of the headlines.

The Ministry of Economy, which is responsible for issuing import/export licenses for weapons and ammunition, told BIRN and OCCRP that a 2012 law on personal data protection prohibits it from giving out this information. This is disputed by the Croatian Data Protection Agency, which said the legislation applies only to individuals, not to companies or governments.

Five non-governmental organizations described the removal of information as a troubling decline in transparency in their submission to a United Nations (UN) Human Rights Panel on Croatia in March 2015.

Reporters, however, obtained the data via a little-known UN database, Comtrade, which contains annual international trade statistics from more than 170 countries.

The UN database revealed that Croatia exported $36 million worth of ammunition to Jordan in the two years since the Syrian conflict began in 2012. After Croatias role became public, Saudi Arabia took over importing more than $124 million worth of ammunition since 2014  two thirds in the first nine months of 2016 alone.

The two countries also imported more than $21 million in weapons, including rocket and grenade launchers, since 2012.

Prior to 2012, the arms trade between Croatia, Jordan and Saudi Arabia was virtually nonexistent. Since 2012, all but a few hundred thousand dollars of Croatias ammunition sales have gone to Jordan or Saudi Arabia.

A spokesperson of the Croatian Ministry of Economy said that the latest exports took place in accordance with licenses approved in 2015. He also added that some export licenses to Saudi Arabia were rejected in 2015, and none were issued in 2016 but refused to provide any further detail.

An earlier investigation by BIRN and OCCRP revealed that Croatia approved $302 million worth of arms export licenses over this period. Unless these licenses are revoked, millions of dollars in future exports are approved to go forward.

Falling Into the Wrong Hands

While experts have previously highlighted video and photographic evidence of Croatian-made RBG-6 grenade launchers and RAK-12 multiple-launch rocket systems in Syria, Croatian officials have disputed their origin, pointing out that similar weapons are produced elsewhere.

However, new analysis by BIRN and OCCRP of the social media profiles used by brigades fighting in Syria, as well from online enthusiasts who monitor the spread of weapons, provide clear evidence that these weapons are Croatian-made.

Read more
Ukranian authorities arrested two female ringleaders of a sex trafficking network that was sending young women to Turkey.

The National Police announced Sunday that they busted the prostitution ring when they stopped two young women in the Boryspil International Airport.

These two women were allegedly on their way to Turkey where they would be forced into sex work.

After intercepting the trafficking victims at the airport, authorities launched an investigation and arrested two suspected leaders of the prostitution ring, local media reported.

The suspects are set to be tried on human trafficking charges and may receive a sentence between 5 and 20 years.

Feminist activist group FEMEN protests sex trafficking in Kiev (Photo: Alexey Perkin CC BY SA 2.0)

occrp.org
An administrative botch-up has deprived hundreds of Delhi University (DU) retirees of their pension since 2014, with the varsity telling a court here that it cannot abide by an August 2016 order to pay as it doesn't have the money to do so. The case will now be taken up on April 17.

In the decade from 1989 to 1999, Delhi University (DU) gave its employees the option through circulars to choose between Contributory Provident Fund (CPF) or pension upon retirement. It gave this option not once or twice but 11 times in total.

However, the University Grants Commission (UGC), which funds central universities like DU, asked that the option be stopped in 1999 saying it did not have the power to do so. By this time several employees had exercised their choice in choosing for either pension or CPF through these circulars, while there were many who did not choose either.

The DU circulars had come following a central government order dated May 1, 1987. The order stated that "all CPF beneficiaries will be deemed to have come over to the Pension Scheme" from the date mentioned before, unless they explicitly request to remain in CPF by informing this to their offices on or before September 30 of the same year.

Almost two decades later, in an unrelated case, a court here ruled in 2006 that a similar option given by the Bureau Of Indian Standards (BIS) was not in order as it was applicable only until September 30, 1987. Those who did not make a choice till that date would be treated as pensioners when they retired.

The court, then, ruled that the September 30, 1987, date was sacrosanct and all central government employees, as per the recommendation of the Fourth Central Pay Commission, will be deemed to have come into pension without their having specifically expressed so.

The BIS case galvanised into action scores of DU employees who either had expressed their desire to come into pension after the cut-off date of September 30, 1987, or had refrained from explicitly choosing either.

Many of these employees started approaching the Delhi High Court which consolidated all such pleas into three categories  category 1 and category 3 for employees cited above, and category 2 comprising those who chose CPF before the cut-off date  and delivered a combined judgement on April 30, 2014.

In a single bench judgement the court ruled that two categories (1 and 3) were eligible for pension and directed the DU to proceed accordingly. The court based its judgement on the ground laid during the BIS judgement in 2006, which upheld the indisputability of cut-off date as the final date before which an option to remain in CPF could be made, and which was irreversible.

However, DU decided to challenge this verdict.

Also in an open letter to teachers, unwittingly or wittingly, Dinesh Singh, the then Vice Chancellor, acknowledged that the university was not entitled to extend the option of choosing between the CPF and pension.

"During the period 1988 to 1999, the University had granted extensions to employees to move over from CPF to GPF-cum-pension scheme. The University and its EC (Executive Council) believed that they had the power to do so on their own and thus thousands of employees in all sincerity had exercised the above options and were drawing, or now expect to draw pension upon retirement," Singh wrote in his letter dated August 21, 2014, just days before the court judgement came.

But "unfortunately" in approaching the court, the employees, Singh continued, "ended up challenging the validity of the options granted by the University and the legitimate exercise of these options by all University employees between 1988 and 1999".

"It seems that the V C either wasn't aware of the BIS case which had, in effect, already rendered those circulars illegal, or, he didn't understand its implications," Amarnath Gupta, a retired Associate Professor from the university and an active member of Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) Pension Committee, told IANS.

"The DU staff moved the court after the very BIS case thinking that the option chosen by them for pension will not stand since the cut-off for doing was already pronounced to be long over on September 30, 1987 but they rightly got the succour from the court, since they didn't explicitly have to choose pension at any time, it was automatically done on October 1, 1987, if they hadn't explicitly selected for CPF," he said.

The DU then received another blow when a division bench of the High Court upheld the 2014 judgement on its ruling dated August 24, 2016, giving the university three months time to start paying the retirees which it had stopped after the 2014 judgement.

"In spite of being directed by the Delhi High Court to start disbursing pension, which ruled it in its August judgement last year, the university has not budged," Gupta complained.

After almost five months of the verdict, the university is yet to resume the pensions of the employees. It also seeks to challenge the verdict, as directed by the HRD ministry.

On the other hand, "a contempt of court notice was slapped on the university for not adhering to the court order," Gupta said.

He also added that during its first hearing on January 19 this year, the DU cited lack of funds for not being able to disburse pensions and the court reprimanded it for not fulfilling its responsibility as an employer.

The case is next due to be heard on April 17.

A total of 636 (teaching and non-teaching) DU employees stand to be affected by how things play out in the future. Of them, 518 are retired and have had their pension on hold and 118 are yet to retire.
The face-off between the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) administration and the agitating students continued on Tuesday, with the university expressing shock at the "misinformation" being spread by the students community.

The university has implored the students, who are protesting its notification on an upper cap on the number of M.Phil. and Ph.D. students a faculty member can guide, to end their "siege" of the administrative block.

"The university's website and media reports have plenty of appeals and requests made by the administration to these students to refrain from unlawful and harmful methods and come forward for peaceful discussion and dialogue," the premier university of the country said in a statement.

It also accused the students of misleading the public by showing their "illogical demands as genuine concerns".

It is the 12th day since a hundred-odd students started their occupation of the building, blocking all entries to it and throwing, as the administration alleged, "the entire bureaucratic apparatus out of gear".

"The agitators do not care at all when thousand plus contractual labourers suffer because of their agitation, and yet shed crocodile tears by invoking 'social justice' arguments," the statement said.

"Do they worry at all when the university has lost huge sums of money, that are actually the country's taxpayers' money, due to their occupation and blockade of the administrative building?"

"Do they respect academics, when official papers of faculty and students related to their academic engagements in India and abroad are not processed due to their illegal siege of the office building?" the university said.

It also reprimanded the JNU Teachers Association (JNUTA) for supporting the students and taking the matter out of campus instead of approaching the administration.

"The JNUTA has not even once given a call for ending the siege of the administration building," it said.

"Some students have resorted to confining top JNU officials for above 20 hours, breaking open the doors and disrupting meetings, putting locks in various School Buildings to prevent classes, All these incidents ironically are not considered law and order problems by JNUTA!" said the administration.

The students decided to "occupy" the administrative block on February 9, following the adoption of a 2016 University Grants Commission (UGC) notification which recommended an upper cap on the number of M.Phil. and Ph.D. students a faculty member can guide.

They alleged that the cap would mean a massive seat-cut in the admissions, although the university said it will not happen.
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On Saturday, June 10, 1882, a German woman named Kate Folz was walking along the tracks of the New Haven Branch Line on her way, by foot, from Connecticut to New York City. She worked as a servant in Stamford and in Greenwich.

She carried a carpet bag filled with clothing.





That day Kate Folz finally reached a rather desolate and unpopulated area known as Pelham Woods near Pelham's border with New Rochelle between the New Haven Branch Line and the Pelham border. There, where the railroad tracks crossed Boston Post Road, she encountered a local gang of five young ruffians from New Rochelle, some of whom already had criminal records and had served jail time.

The brutal encounter that followed became fodder for a host of newspaper reports throughout the region and a massive manhunt to track down the ruffians.





The gang robbed Ms. Folz of her earrings. They tore up her carpet bag as they searched for valuables and destroyed the clothing within. They demanded money and forced the poor woman to beg for her life. They

stole nearly all the money she had, a little more than seven dollars. The thugs next assaulted her repeatedly.





Given the sensibilities of the time, no newspaper reported that the thugs raped their victim. Yet, the brutal attack became widely known, euphemistically, as the "Outrage." A local newspaper warned, ominously, as follows: "

had the scamps come across any other woman, a wife, daughter or sister of some of the better known citizens might have been as grossly outraged." In short, m

ost reports made clear that Kate Folz had been raped repeatedly.





The brutal repeated assaults of Kate Folz ended only when a man named Peter Berger, a New Rochelle trustee, approached the area driving his wagon on Boston Post Road and heard the woman's screams and cries. The thugs fled the scene. As one report put it: "

They only desisted from their brutal outrageous assaults when they saw Peter Berger, one of the village trustees, approaching. Mr. Berger kindly put the woman in his wagon and brought her to the village.'" Peter Berger saw the fleeing ruffians and recognized them as a gang of no-goods from New Rochelle. Mr. Berger helped the poor woman into his wagon and returned to New Rochelle to get her help.

I have written before about the brutal crimes committed against Kate Folz. See





Residents of both Pelham and New Rochelle were outraged by the robbery and assault. The Pelham Manor Protective Club was willing to pledge a $100 reward for the arrest and conviction of the robbers  a considerable sum. In addition, the citizens of New Rochelle participated in a crowded town meeting to address the situation and even decided to organize a Citizens Protective Association, much like the nearby Pelham Manor Protective Club, as a result of the attack.





Indeed, the Pelham Manor Protective Club had been organized only the year before to help guard against precisely such violations of the law.

During the early 1880s, a decade before the Village of Pelham Manor was incorporated in 1891, local residents founded the Pelham Manor Protective Club as a "vigilance committee" intended, principally, to deal with crimes committed by so-called "tramps" who roamed the region hopping on and off the New Haven Branch Line trains. The founders, however, had broader foresight and organized the "Club" as a means of working together for the good of their community. Nearly the entire adult male population of the area  52 local residents  subscribed as members. Only one household chose not to subscribe to the organization.





Within two days the Executive Committee of the Pelham Manor Protective Club met to address what the minutes of the meeting described as "

a reported outrage committed on June 10th at or near the town line of Pelham." At the time, the Executive Committee consisted of Robert C. Black, William E. Barnett, Hamlin Q. French, and Thomas D. De Witt (who served as Secretary and kept the minutes). The minutes of the June 12, 1882 special meeting of the Executive Committee of the Pelham Manor Protective Club included the following entry:





"

Mr. French moved, that Mr. T. D. De Witt, be appointed a committee of one to ascertain the truth of a reported outrage committed on June 10th at or near the town line of Pelham, and to offer, if he considers it necessary, to the proper persons of New Rochelle, our assistance in the amount of One Hundred Dollars provisional on the conviction of one or more of the ruffians, and he is instructed to report progress as soon as possible. Carried."





New Rochelle was just as outraged as its neighbor, Pelham Manor.

Town Supervisor Henry D. Phelps issued a call for a mass meeting to address the outrageous crime. On Thursday, June 15, New Rochelle residents crowded into Town Hall for the meeting. Col. Richard Lathers who owned land in New Rochelle and Pelham (including the area known today as Pelhamwood) was chosen Chairman of the meeting. After rousing speeches, a motion to raise $500 by subscription to serve as a reward for information leading to the capture and conviction of one or more of the thugs was passed. The money was raised immediately, with one person giving $100 and several others giving $50 each. Additionally, a motion to organize a "Citizens Protective Association" like the Pelham Manor Protective Club was also adopted unanimously.





Within a short time, Thomas De Witt of the Pelham Manor Protective Club approached New Rochelle officials to offer an additional $100 toward the proposed reward. The approach was not successful, though. According to the minutes of the August 22, 1882 meeting of the Executive Committee of the organization, Thomas De Witt issued the following report:





"

In regard to the Outrage committed in New Rochelle, I have failed to learn anything from the authorities in New Rochelle, and therefore I have not deemed it my duty to take any steps in the matter or offer them any assistance. Therefore I ask to be discharged as a committee."





In the meantime, Peter Berger was able to help New Rochelle police identify the five thugs who fled New Rochelle as the police closed in. They were:

Floyd Fowler, John Cody, William McRedmond, James Killeen, and William Brennan.





Floyd Fowler, one of the five, was the first to be caught. On Tuesday, July 4, 1882, he was arrested and, the following day, was taken before

Police Justice C. E. Keene. He was committed to the County Jail to await the action of the Grand Jury. He promptly was indicted and agreed to become an informant and turn State's evidence against his co-conspirators, whom he identified to the authorities.





John Cody and William McRedmond were the next to be captured. On the morning of Wednesday, August 23, 1882, the two men were riding downtown on a Second Avenue elevated train. Also on the train were two New York City police officers as well as a New Rochelle resident named Charles E. Van Beuschaatten. Van Beuschaatten recognized the two thugs and alerted the two patrolmen on the train, pointing out that they were wanted for the brutal assault in Westchester County. The officers approached and questioned the young men who admitted that they were from New Rochelle. The police arrested the pair and took them to the Police Central Office.





With James Killeen and William Brennan still on the run, criminal proceedings went forward against John Cody. At a criminal trial in the fall of 1882, Kate Folz was unable to identify Cody as one of the men who assaulted her. Based on the testimony of Fowler (who had agreed to turn State's evidence), Cody was found guilty in a jury trial and was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment at hard labor in the Albany Penitentiary. McRedmond, it appears, was tried shortly thereafter and was similarly convicted and sentenced.





James Killeen was the next to be caught. After the crime he had fled from New Rochelle to escape capture. He took a job in the blacksmith shop of the West Shore Railroad Company at the Wilbur Tunnel in Kingston, Ulster County. On Thursday, December 28, police who had tracked him to Kingston arrested Killeen in the blacksmith shop without incident. Killeen was quickly tried and convicted in a jury trial that ended on Wednesday, February 21, 1883. According to one news report, once again Kate Folz was unable to identify her attacker during the trial. But, "

the evidence of Fowler, who turned State's evidence, proved sufficient to convict, the jury being absent but fifteen minutes."





Killeen's lawyers filed a motion for a new trial. In early April, the motion was denied, and the Court sentenced Killeen to seven years imprisonment in Sing Sing Prison.





William Brennan was the last remaining fugitive. He apparently was never caught. According to one report published in 1884, he fled the country.





The story was not over, however. On January 1, 1883, future U.S. President Grover Cleveland took office as Governor of the State of New York. During his brief two-year term as governor, Cleveland was a Democrat who portrayed himself as a progressive reformer. Soon, the citizens of Pelham Manor and New Rochelle were outraged to learn that on Thursday, September 18, 1884, Governor Cleveland pardoned William Cody, one of the five thugs who assaulted Kate Folz. Local newspapers expressed the outrage of the local citizenry. One newspaper fumed:





"Governor Cleveland in exercising executive clemency in behalf of this man Cody invites from every law abiding citizen of New Rochelle and the whole country, the most scathing criticism. While we have observed with alarm the great number during the last few weeks pardoned by our reform executive, we did not expect this demoralizing blow to strike so near to the homes and legal government of this community. It is for the people to say if they approve of the course pursued by the man who poses before the world as a reformer."





Though the end may have been unsatisfying, the Outrage of 1882 thereafter faded into obscurity. Its impact, however, did not. The Pelham Manor Protective Club and its inspirational spinoff, the Citizens' Protective Association of New Rochelle, redoubled their efforts as "vigilance committees." Indeed, the Pelham Manor Protective Club hired security personnel to patrol the region, clocking in on punch clocks throughout the night as they worked to keep Pelham Manor safe in the years before the settlement existed as a village and had a police department.









Detail of 1881 Bromley Map Showing Boston Post Road Where

It Crossed Pelham's Border with New Rochelle Through the Jessup

Estate Where the Assault on Kate Folz (also Foltz) on June 10, 1882.

& Co., Atlas of Westchester County, New York. From Actual Surveys

and Official Records by G. W. Bromley & Co., Civil Engineers, pp.

on Image to Enlarge.





* * * * *





Below is the text of a number of items that relate to the Outrage committed against Kate Folz in Pelham Woods on Saturday, June 10, 1882 and its aftermath. Each is followed by a citation and link to its source.





"At a special meeting of the Executive Committee of the Pelham Manor Protective Club, held at the residence of T. D. De Witt, Jun 12th 1882. Messrs. Black, Barnett, French and De Witt were present.





Minutes of last meeting read and adopted.





Mr. French moved, that Mr. T. D. De Witt, be appointed a committee of one to ascertain the truth of a reported outrage committed on June 10th at or near the town line of Pelham, and to offer, if he considers it necessary, to the proper persons of New Rochelle, our assistance in the amount of One Hundred Dollars provisional on the conviction of one or more of the ruffians, and he is instructed to report progress as soon as possible. Carried.





On motion Committee adjourned.





Thos D. De Witt

Secretary. . . .





At a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Pelham Manor Protective Club, held at the residence of Mr. Geo. H. Reynolds, Aug. 22nd 1882. Messrs. Reynolds, French, Barnett, and De Witt, were present. . . .





The following report of Thos. D. De Witt in regard to the Outrage committed in New Rochelle, read and adopted.





'In regard to the Outrage committed in New Rochelle, I have failed to learn anything from the authorities in New Rochelle, and therefore I have not deemed it my duty to take any steps in the matter or offer them any assistance. Therefore I ask to be discharged as a committee.' . . ."





Source: RECORDS OF THE PELHAM MANOR PROTECTIVE CLUB OF PELHAM MANOR, N.Y.

pp. 23, 24, 27, 28 (Handwritten records in leather-bound volume in the collections of The Westchester County Historical Society, Elmsford, NY).





HIGHWAY ROBBERY IN WESTCHESTER.





The New-Rochelle policemen are looking for five young highwaymen, residents of that place, who on Saturday last stopped a woman named Kate Folz on the Boston turnpike, robbed her of her earrings, a little over $7, leaving her only 25 cents, and then rifled her carpet-bag and nearly destroyed it, tearing up the clothing that was in it. She said yesterday that they demanded her money or they would kill her. She begged for her life and gave them her money. They then outrageously assaulted her, and only desisted when they saw Mr. P. Berger, one of the village Trustees, approaching. They then fled, and Mr. Berger brought the unfortunate woman to New-Rochelle.









NEW-ROCHELLE RESIDENTS AROUSED.





The robbery and assault upon Kate Folz, on the Boston turnpike in New-Rochelle, last Saturday, has created wide-spread indignation in the town. The Police have the names of the five desperadoes who did the deed, but they are not yet revealed to the public. Town Supervisor Henry D. Phelps issued a call for a mass-meeting, and last evening the Town Hall was crowded with citizens anxious to punish the perpetrators. Richard Lathers was chosen Chairman of the meeting, and Mr. Phelps was Secretary. Earnest speeches were made by the Chairman and by Messrs. J. F. Harrison, Charles Roosevelt, George W. Lloyd, J. Q. Underhill, George Ferguson, and L. M. Ferguson. Mr. Harrison moved that the meeting subscribe $500 as a reward for the capture of the offenders, and the motion, being seconded by George Ferguson, was unanimously adopted. A motion to organize a Citizens Protective Association was also adopted unanimously.









"

-----





Kate Foltz, a German woman was grossly assaulted by some ruffians, Saturday week. An exchange says:





'She was directed to a lady in Pelham Manor who wanted help, and about eleven that morning crossed the bridge over the Harlem Branch R. R., near the Ronald's place, when she was seized by two young ruffians -- who were assisted by five others -- hurried their victim into the woods where she was treated in a shocking and revolting manner. Her stiffled [sic] cries attracted Mr. Berger who immediately repaired to the spot. The ruffians disappeared but not soon enough, Mr. Berger recognizing five of them. Warrants for the arrest of the five recognized were issued. The ruffians also stole a pocket book containing over $7 from their victim. Miss Foltz is about forty years of age.'





The New Rochelle authorities offer $500 reward for the arrest of the young scoundrels, and the people of the vicinity are intensely excited over the affair, and well they may be, for had the scamps come across any other woman, a wife, daughter or sister of some of the better known citizens might have been as grossly outraged. It is time that some united action is taken by the men folk of the vicinity, and arrest and punishment made prompt and sure!"





Source:





"COUNTY NEWS IN A LUMP. . . .





The town and village authorities of New Rochelle, have offered a reward of $500 for the arrest and conviction of the persons who committed an outrage upon Miss Kate Foltz and robbed her on Saturday afternoon, June 10. . . ."





Source:





"WESTCHESTER COUNTY. . . .





NEW-ROCHELLE. -- Floyd Fowler, one of the young men who about ten days ago committed a felonious assault upon the person of Kate Folz, was arrested on Tuesday night, and yesterday was taken before Police Justice C. E. Keene. He was committed to the County Jail to await the action of the Grand Jury. The complainant, Kate Folz, was detained as a witness. . . ."









"NABBED ON AN ELEVATED TRAIN.

TWO YOUNG VILLAINS FROM WESTCHESTER COUNTY CAPTURED.





While Patrolmen Leonard and Cox, of the steam-boat squad, were riding down town on a Second-avenue elevated train early yesterday morning, Mr. Charles E. Van Beuschaatten, a resident of New-Rochelle, pointed out to them two rough young men, who, he said, were being sought for by the authorities of Westchester County to answer charges of rape and robbery. The officers spoke to the young men, who admitted that they were from New-Rochelle, and they were thereupon arrested and taken to the Police Central Office. They gave their names as John Cody and William McCudden as two of a gang of five young men who had assaulted and robbed a German woman named Kate Foltz. The crime was committed on the 10th of June. The woman had been in service at Greenwich, Conn. and at Stamford, and on the day in question was making her way on foot to this City. She was walking along the railroad track between New-Rochelle and Pelham Manor when she was met by Cody, McCudden, James Killeen, William Brennan, and Floyd Fowler, all residents of New Rochelle, who dragged her into the woods. After assaulting her they robbed her of $9. She was found some hours later in the woods. An iceman who was driving along the road saw the five young ruffians coming out of the woods and he gave information to the authorities. They fled the county, and a reward of $500 was offered by the Trustees of the village of New-Rochelle for their apprehension. Fowler surrendered himself and gave testimony against his companions. Killeen and Brennan are still at large. Cody and McCudden were taken to New-Rochelle by Chief Molloy last evening. The Chief said that Cody, McCudden, Killeen, and Brennan were members of a gang of young ruffians who have long been the terror of the respectable residents of New-Rochelle and the neighboring villages."





Source:





"CAPTURED AND IN JAIL.





John Cody and William McRedmond, two of the New Rochelle ruffians who committed the assault upon and afterwards robbed Kat Folz, in the Pelham woods, near the railroad track, on the 10th of June last (as reported in the JOURNAL at that time), were arrested in New York city on Wednesday of last week, and are now in the County Jail, to await the action of the Grand Jury. The offense for which these young ruffians are now held is one that, if convviction follows, will undoubtedly doom them to the prison walls of Sing Sing for years to come. Fowler, one of the gang, it will be remembered, surrendered himself and gave testimony against his companions. Killeen and Brennan, the other two of the gang, are still at large."





Source:





"CODY SENTENCED. -- John Cody, one of the scoundrels who committed the assault upon Kate Folz, at New Rochelle, on the 10th of July last, was on Wednesday last week sentenced by Judge Gifford to seven years' imprisonment at hard labor in the Albany Penitentiary. Cody's accomplice, McRedmond, will be tried at the next term of the Court."









"WESTCHESTER COUNTY.





James Killeen, the fourth of the New Rochelle roughs who assaulted Kate Foltz, on the highway last Spring, has been captured at Kingston, N.Y. . . ."









"A SCOUNDREL CAUGHT. -- On Thursday Jas. Caleen [sic], one of a gang of ruffians who criminally assaulted Kate Folz, a German woman, near New Rochelle last June, was arrested in the blacksmith shop of the West Shore Railroad Company at the Wilbur Tunnel, Kingston, Ulster County, where he had secured work when he fled from New Rochelle to escape the consequences of his crime."









"One More Convicted.





James Killeen, one of the scoundrels who committed the assault upon Kate Folz in the Pelham woods, last summer, as fully reported in the PIONEER of that time, was on Wednesday tried and convicted before County Judge Gifford and a jury, of the said offence. Mr. Keogh appeared in behalf of the people against the accused, and Francis Larkin defended Killeen. Kate Folz could not identify Killeen as one of the parties who assaulted her, but the evidence of Fowler, who turned State's evidence, proved sufficient to convict, the jury being absent but fifteen minutes. Judge Gifford will pass sentence next Wednesday."





Source:





"THE INFORMER

-----





IN our last week's issue, in an article captioned 'One More Convicted,' which referred to the conviction of Jas. Killeen, one of the scoundrels who assaulted Kate Folz, in the Pelham woods, last summer, we stated that the corroborated evidence of Fowler, who turned States' evidence, proved sufficient to convict. On the same day, the article in question was shown Fowler by one Cashin, who asked him to read it, and then told him that he would kill him. Fowler immediately made complaint before a magistrate, and a warrant was issued for the arrest of Cashin. It is indeed difficult for casuists and pluralists to classify the informer. Those against whom the informer informs are inclined to place him in the category of the condemned; while those who are interested in the triumph of truth and justice regard him as a minister of judgment, but they do not welcome him as an angel of light. Much depends, however, upon the relation which the informer bears to the criminals upon whom he informs. The testimony of Tompkins, who testified upon the preliminary examination of Charles H. Clark, recently committed by Justice Kene to the County Jail, is entirely of a different nature. Tompkins in no way was shown to be implicated, although a daily companion of the accused. On the other hand, Fowler is one of the parties accused of crime, and told all he knew about it, to mitigate his own punishment, to the discomfiture of his partners in vice, and their friends. Cordial's statement about his companion in crime, McCabe, concerning Miss Moulton's watch, is another instance of a treacherous informer.





The case of Carey, the Irish informer, who claims to have been led into connection with the recent assassinations in Ireland, believing the cause of Ireland justified assassination and murder, is one of a peculiar nature. Speaking of Irish treachery, the New York 'Times,' in alluding to Carey's recent dramatic confession, says: 'But the truth of history compels us to say that there has never been an Irish conspiracy that has not been betrayed by an Irish informer.'





No man admires an informer. There is in the human breast implanted a sentiment of fairness and justice, which reprobates the action of the man who tells against those who have been partners in his guilt. It was passed to the lasting credit of a certain Prince, who will some day be a King, that when confronted in the witness box with a lady in the case, 'he perjured himself like a gentleman,' rather than cast one filament of a web of scandal on a lady's name.





The foregoing is strong -- too much so, doubtless, for many. Perjuring one's self 'like a gentleman' is a decidedly questionable quotation.





The discussion of the subject of informers invariably recalls the oft-quoted saying of a thoughtless, yet brilliant, genius -- Aaron Burr -- who, on coming into church as the services were about to close, was greeted from the pulpit by the rough old clergyman of that day, who at that moment had but ended a tirade against coming into church after the beginning of services, with, 'The old belated sinner now coming down the aisle. I hope to be in heaven on that great day to bear witness against him!' Burr's ready repartee was equal to the emergency. Straightening himself to his full height, and looking his accuser full in the face, he said, 'I have mangled much in vice, and practised criminal law among the hardest villains of this or any other land for more than a quarter of a century, and of all the rascals I ever met or knew, it was the men who turned State's evidence.'"









"NEWS AND NOTES. . . .





On Wednesday last week a motion was argued in the County Court before Judge Gifford and Justices Howe and Baxter, for a new trial for James Killeen, of New Rochelle, who was recently convicted for committing an atrocious assault upon Miss Kate Folz, which occurred a few months ago in this village. The motion was denied, and the Court sentenced Killeen to seven years imprisonment in Sing Sing Prison."









"Cody Pardoned.





Governor Cleveland on Thursday pardoned Cody, one of the parties accused and convicted of a criminal assault upon Kate Folz, near the Pelham Woods over two years ago. The following is taken from the PIONEER of June 17, 1882: 'On Saturday last five desperadoes, well known to the authorities of this village and the county jail and some of them but recently from the State Prison at Sing Sing, by the names of McCredmond, Cody, Brennan, Fowler and Killeen, stopped a woman named Kate Folz near the Pelham Woods, and under the pretext of conducting her to some house she inquired for in Pelham Manor, one of the number led her a short distance from the line of the road, where he and his companions committed a brutal outrage upon the helpless woman, and robbed her of all the money she had, amounting to a little over seven dollars, leaving her only twenty-five cents. They then rifled her carpet bag, nearly destroying it, and tore up the clothing that was in it. The woman says they demanded her money or the would kill her. She says she begged for her life and gave them money. They only desisted from their brutal outrageous assaults when they saw Peter Berger, one of the village trustees, approaching. Mr. Berger kindly put the woman in his wagon and brought her to the village.' Fowler pleaded guilty, and Brennan left the country. The people of New Rochelle were at the time thoroughly aroused, a public meeting was called in the Town Hall by Supervisor Phelps. Col. Lathers presided. Mr. Harrison moved that $500 reward be offered for the capture of the guilty offenders. The motion on being seconded by Mr. George Ferguson was unanimously adopted. A subscription list the very same evening was circulated and liberally subscribed to. Mr. Ferguson put his name down for $100. Mr. Phelps, $50. Col. Lathers, $50, Mr. Harrison, $50, Mr. C. O. Iselin $50, and many others gave liberally. Cody and McCredmond were captured through the instrumentality of Chas. E. Van Benschoten, while they were riding down town on the morning of August 23, 1882, near Chatham Square, New York city, on the elevated road. The prisoners, where brought to New Rochelle before a Justice and sent to the County Jail. They were subsequently indicted, and Cody was found guilty on the 26th of Sept. Miss Folz upon trial could not fully identify Cody, but the evidence of Fowler, who turned States' evidence, with admissions made to the officers at the time of the arrest, together with the testimony of Supervisor Phelps, Messrs. Lambden, Traphagen, and Justice LeCount as to the general bad character of the accused was sufficient for the jury. On October 4th, 1882, Judge Gifford sentenced Cody to seven year's imprisonment at hard labor in the Albany Penitentiary. Governor Cleveland in exercising executive clemency in behalf of this man Cody invites from every law abiding citizen of New Rochelle and the whole country, the most scathing criticism. While we have observed with alarm the great number during the last few weeks pardoned by our reform executive, we did not expect this demoralizing blow to strike so near to the homes and legal government of this community. It is for the people to say if they approve of the course pursued by the man who poses before the world as a reformer."









Labels: 1882, 1883, 1884, Crime, Floyd Fowler, James Killeen, John Cody, Kate Folz, Pelham Manor Protective Club, William Brennan, William McRedmond
Industrialist Anil Ambani, who flew in a Rafale fighter jet at the recent Aero India show in Bangalore, has evinced interest in partnership with firms from UAE for defence manufacturing.

Ambani met UAE Prime Minister and Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum on the sidelines of the 'International Defence Exhibition and Conference, IDEX 2017 in Abhu Dhabi and discussed possible collaborations between the two nations to provide a boost in defence production space.

Ambani's Reliance Defence signed an MoU with Strata Manufacturing, the advanced composite aero-structures firm, wholly owned by Mubadala Development Company of the United Arab Emirates.

The Dhirubhai Ambani Aerospace Park, located at the Multi-modal International Cargo Hub and Airport in Nagpur (MIHAN), is being considered by Reliance Defence Ltd for a new facility to support its aerospace ambitions, and forms part of the emerging aerospace industry in India.
As the government inches towards rolling out of the most ambitious indirect tax reform of Goods and Services Tax (GST), former chief economic adviser and noted economist Arvind Virmani expressed his concerns on the proposed varied tax structure on goods and services.

Speaking to The Statesman, Virmani said having a single rate makes accounting very easy. "I would have preferred a single rate across the board, with a few sales taxes which separate out because the trail becomes very easy to follow. The government can still do it in their draft and making a provision in the law instead of keeping a higher rate of 28 per cent ~ it should put special surcharges on selected 5-10 items," he said.

Virmani added, I had recommended retention of few a special sales taxes on specific goods such as liquor, tobacco products, polluting fuels and other consumer goods like cars. This would have made monitoring of the tax set-off chain much simpler. The proposed rates for GST are messier.

The GST Council will meet again on 4 and 5 March to approve the legally vetted draft of the supporting legislation for Central GST (C-GST) and Integrated GST (I-GST), days before the start of the second half of the Budget Session beginning 9 March when the Centre is hoping to get them approved. After the laws are approved, the Council will get down to fixing rates of taxes for different goods and services by fitting them into the four approved slabs of 5, 12, 18 and 28 per cent.

GST is the biggest indirect tax reform India has seen in decades and is expected to absolve several state level levies into one thus creating a uniform tax regime. This is expected to help the economy widen the tax base over a period of time.

However, Indian businesses have their own concerns about the GST law and its transmission to the process. According to Pratik Jain, partner PWC, The proposal causing concern to the business houses is the anti-profiteering clause, which requires the businesses to pass on the benefit of reduced rates or increased credits to the customers. Given the short time available to the industry and the government for the introduction of GST, this provision could lead to complex paperwork and widespread audits, much like what happened in Malaysia recently. Businesses were expecting a much more simplified input credit provision, in line with international best practices, wherein all GST incurred on business purchases would be allowed as set-off against GST payable.
Information Technology giant Microsoft was on Tuesday urged by IT and Electronics Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad to consider the use of the companys innovative technology in the upcoming DigiGaon (Digital Village) initiative.

Prasad, who on Tuesday met India-born CEO of Microsoft Satya Nadella, asked the company to extend assistance for this project.

"Had a good &productive meeting with @satyanadella. He deeply appreciated the success of ongoing #DigitalIndia program, which is transformative," the minister tweeted after talks with Nadella here.

"Requested @satyanadella to consider the use of their innovative technology in the proposed Digigaon (Digital Village) initiative," Prasad said.

In the Union Budget for the 2017-18 Fiscal, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced that a DigiGaon initiative will be launched for the provision of telemedicine, education and skills with the help of digital technology.

"It was fantastic to spend time with Minister Prasad, talking about the great progress India is making with IndiaStack and Digital India," Nadella said.

IndiaStack is a set of application programming interface (APIs) that allows governments, businesses, startups and developers to utilise a unique digital infrastructure to solve India's problems towards "presence-less, paperless, and cashless service delivery".

"For us at Microsoft, our mission is to empower every Indian and every Indian organisation to be able to achieve more and with the policies of the Government of India. We are excited to contribute to help take advantage of Digital India," Nadella said in a video posted by Prasad on his Twitter account.

Nadella will tomorrow address "Future Decoded", Microsoft's two-day flagship technology and business conference that started off in Mumbai on Tuesday.

The conference is a platform that brings together 1,500 business and government decision-makers to engage in conversations on how technology will transform all aspects of our work and life.

Earlier on Monday, leading e-commerce major Flipkart tied up with Microsoft to use its Azure Cloud platform for boosting its e-tail sales. The strategic partnership was announced by Nadella on his maiden visit to Bengaluru after he took over the reins of the world's largest software product firm in February 2014.
The National Green Tribunal has directed German auto major Volkswagen, embroiled in an emission scandal, to submit a road map with regard to recall of over 3.23 lakh vehicles in the country.

Volkswagen India had in December 2015 announced recall of 3,23,700 lakh vehicles to fix the emission software after Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) conducted tests on some models and found "on road" emissions from its cars were 1.1 times to 2.6 times higher than applicable BS-IV norms.

The automobile giant had admitted use of "defeat device" in 11 million diesel engine cars sold in the US, Europe and other global markets that allowed manipulation of emissions tests by changing the performance of vehicles to improve results.

Following the tests, Volkswagen India had undertaken to rejig the software by recalling around 3.23 lakh vehicles fitted with EA 189 diesel engines which were in alleged violation of emission norms.

The company, however, had said that the recall in India was purely voluntary in nature as it did not face any charges regarding violating emission norms in India unlike in the US.

The counsel for the car manufacturer told the NGT that ARAI, which is being consulted on the redesign of the software, had approved it for only 70 per cent of the 3.23 lakh vehicles.

ARAI, however, said Volkswagen had submitted redesigned software for only 70 per cent and was yet to do so for the remaining 30 per cent.

"During the course of the hearing we take note of the fact that the Respondent No 4 (Volkswagen) has not only in its statement of reply but otherwise also offered to voluntary recall all the vehicle which are subject matter of these proceedings i.e. fitted with E189 diesel engine to different variant mentioned in the application.

"However, on ascertaining the factual position we are informed that the process of recall is not complete for the reason though Respondent No. 4 and other respondent have been requested by ARAI to submit its redesign as only 70 per cent has been approved.

"Respondent nos 4 to 7 shall file road map with regard to recalling of the vehicle in question. In the meanwhile, we direct ARAI to file submission with regard to present status of the recall program of the vehicle in question," a bench headed by Justice Jawad Rahim said while posting the matter for hearing on March 10.

The tribunal was hearing pleas filed by a school teacher Saloni Ailawadi and few city residents seeking ban on sale of its vehicles for alleged violation of emission norms.
Polling for the cash-rich Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and 9 other civic bodies across Maharashtra got underway this morning with estranged allies BJP and Shiv Sena at the forefront of this battle of might.

A total of 3.77 crore voters will determine the fate of 17,331 candidates for 3210 seats up for grabs in 10 municipal corporations, 11 zilla parishads and 118 panchayat samitis in the second phase of polls being seen as "mini general elections."

The stakes are high for Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, who have led their respective parties from the front and were involved in a high decibel and no holds barred campaign relegating the Opposition Congress and NCP to the background.

Polling began at 7.30 AM at 43,160 polling stations spread across the state.

The districts going to polls in the second phase are Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur, Pune, Solapur, Nashik, Amravati and Gadchiroli. Elections are being held in 118 panchayat samitis in these districts.

The ten municipal corporations include Mumbai, Thane, Ulhasnagar, Nashik, Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Solapur, Akola, Amravati and Nagpur.

As many as 43,160 polling booths have been set up.

There will be 2.76 lakh election staff and equal number of police personnel on the duty.

More than 1.80 crore electorate are eligible to exercise their franchise in the zilla parishads and panchayat samitis while 1.95 crore urban voters will in the ten Municipal corporations.

In Mumbai, the country's financial capital, there are 2275 candidates and 92 lakh voters. The election result for Asia's largest civic body which has been run by the Shiv Sena supported by the BJP for the last two decades will decide the fate of the Devendra Fadnavis government.

In municipal corporations excluding Mumbai, there are multi member wards where a voter will have to cast his vote for each of the category in the panel. Each panel has more than two wards.

The big poll focus is on 227-member Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), retaining control of which is vital for Shiv Sena as the city has remained its prime political space ever since the party's formation in 1966. Shiv Sena has been in power in BMC for over two decades.

BJP, which had been a junior partner of Sena before it gained the upper hand through the 2014 Lok Sabha and Assembly polls, declined to accept the number of seats offered by the Sena.

It has set its eyes on gaining power in BMC, one of the world's largest city bodies, boasting of an annual budget of over Rs 37,000 crore.

For 1268 seats of the ten municipal corporations, there are 9208 candidates; for 11 zilla parishads there are 2956 candidates for 654 seats, and 5167 candidates for 1288 seats in 118 panchayat samitis.

The first phase for 15 zilla parishad and 165 panchayat samitis polling was held on February 16 where 69 percent voters exercised their franchise.

Counting of votes will be taken up on February 23.
Delhi Police has arrested one person in connection with the alleged rape of a 24-year-old northeast woman in Hauz Khas Village here.

The accused, a resident of Chandra Vihar, was identified last night, police said today.

Further details are awaited.

Police teams had been working on different leads based on CCTV footage and local intelligence and by questioning parking attendants, private security guards of the Deer Park and other shopkeepers in the locality.

The incident happened on the night of February 18 when the woman was returning from a party in Hauz Khas village along with her friends and cousins.

The woman told police that around 11:30 pm she was offered a drop home by an unknown person.

He apparently told her that his vehicle was parked at some distance near the park. The accused, thereafter, on the pretext of guiding the woman, led her to an isolated stretch in the adjoining park area and allegedly raped her.
Hours ahead of Manipur Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam's visit in Tamenglong district of Manipur, suspected militants on Tuesday opened fire at the police unit deployed for the ministers visit, according to a senior police official.

The police party fired back triggering a gunbattle. However, no casualties were reported.

"About 8.30 am, suspected militants fired at a police advance party which was deployed there in view of Deputy Chief Minister's visit in the area. Our forces fired back. There are no reports of casualties so far," the police said.

A week before Gaikhangams visit, protesters in the district burnt effigy of the state Deputy CM to vehemently protest the backwardness of the district and the government's negligence of the region over a long time.

All shops in the state remained shut in protest against his visit to the district where he filed for nomination for the upcoming State Assembly Election.

Gaikhangam will be contesting from Nungba Assembly constituency for the upcoming two-phase state assembly election to be held on March 4 and March 8.
They call it the Nobel Prize for students and going by the names and prestige involved with the annual Hult Challenge Prize, one would have to agree. Started in 2010, the prize from the Hult International Business School (named after Swedish entrepreneur Bertil Hult, the B-school has campuses in Boston, San Francisco, London, Dubai and Shanghai) is awarded to a team of college students who come up with unique business solutions for a pressing global problem.

Like every year, 2017s topic  Refugees: Reawakening Human Potential was also issued by former US president Bill Clinton, who is a key member of the selection panel.

The prize has several stages  local and regional competitions; followed by the Hult Prize Accelerator (six teams attend an intensive six-week programme at the Hult International Business School in July and August); the global finals, which are hosted by Clinton in New York in September and where one team gets a seed capital of US one million dollars to implement their plan via a start-up. The winning team is mentored thereafter by experts for the implementation stage.

It is in this milieu that the all-women Team Visionaries comprising four students from the International Management Institute, New Delhi, will head to Boston for one of the regional rounds (conducted simultaneously in Boston, San Francisco, London, Dubai, Shanghai and online) on 4 March. The team members  23 year olds, Ayushi Srivastava, Bhanushee Malhotra and Anisha Rajput and 26-year-old Priyesha Modi  shared their excitement at getting a chance to showcase their plan in Boston and talked on how the competition would help their start up, SharanAtithi. Excerpts from an interview:

Do elaborate on the selection process for the regional final. Initially, a real life problem concerning the globe was posed by the Hult Challenge Prize 2017.

We were asked to propose a social business plan to improve the conditions of refugees, who are taking shelter in different countries. We had to explain the entire business plan by answering questions posted by the Hult team. Through our primary research, we did justify the questions by providing rational and feasible solutions to the critical problem. Among a pool of over 50,000 applicants, our application was shortlisted for the regional finals to be conducted at the Hult International Business School, Boston.

How have you tackled the chosen topic, Refugees: Reawakening Human Potential?

We interacted with the refugees residing in different areas of Delhi and tried to understand the issues concerning them. On talking to them, we came to know that the major issue that they face in any country, where they take shelter, is the communication barrier. They are unable to converse in the local or regional language of their country of residence. This exponentially increases their hardships. Our aim was clear  to eliminate the problem from its grassroots level. Hence, we ensured proper understanding of the local language by the refugees. Providing them social upliftment and instilling a sense of belonging in them towards the shelter country has been our motto. We tried to culturally integrate them with the native citizens of the country and make them feel at home.

What makes your entry different from the rest?

We didnt consider it as merely a competition. Rather, it was our passion that drove us  to actually propose a business solution, which can improve the current living conditions of refugees. We began at the grassroots level in order to probe the core reason behind the plight of refugees  the problems they are facing, the circumstances that led to their pathetic condition, their emotional connect with their native country et al. Based on the information collected, we devised a plan to address this real life social cause and began a start up called SharanAtithi.

How supportive have your teachers been?

Right from the beginning, our faculty members have been our backbone; be it mentoring about the process, providing guidance on initiating research or completing the administrative formalities. They supported us throughout the entire journey and encouraged us to participate at the international level. In times of difficulty, the entire IMI fraternity motivated us.

How will participating at the regional final in Boston help your future endeavours?

The Hult Challenge Prize is a great platform that encourages young minds to think beyond the horizon and cater to a social cause. It motivates budding entrepreneurs to propose a business solution, which addresses a real life problem and start an organisation of their own. Moreover, this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity would provide us valuable exposure, which will surely widen our thinking horizon. Competing at the international level with teams from the Harvard Business School, Columbia University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and many others would enable us to learn about their thought processes and business design.

Exchange of ideas at such a broad level would provide a foundation for our startup, SharanAtithi in the near future.
Kim Min-hee becomes the first South Korean actress to win the Silver Bear in a movie supposedly mirroring her rumoured extramarital relationship with director Hong Sang-soo.

Kim Min-hee has become the first South Korea actress to win the Silver Bear for Best Actress at the Berlin International Film Festival.

Kim won the award for her role in the upcoming movie On the Beach at Night Alone which is directed by Hong Sang-soo.

Today, I was presented with a joy that shines like the bright starsFor some, I believe that this movie can bring emotions deep within their hearts, she said.

In the movie, Kim plays Yeong-hee, an actress who is having an affair with a married movie director.

The news of her win shed light upon her controversial relationship with Hong, in that the movie appears to mirror the rumoured extramarital relationship between the 57-year-old director and 34-year-old actress.

In addition, the character of the director in the movie bears a striking resemblance to Hong in terms of his improvised directing style and appearance.

The two have neither denied nor confirmed the rumours, although Hong said that the movie was not a personal tale of the two.

All directors reflect their stories in their work, but (On the Beach at Night Alone) is not an autobiography, he told reporters.

But the sight of two holding hands at the ceremony and Kim saying she respects and loves Hong in her acceptance speech further fuelled suspicions about their affair.

He filed for divorce from his wife in November last year.

Kims win Saturday is a testament to her successful transition from a model and actor to one of most talented and acclaimed actresses in the country.

Kims 2012 appearance in the psychological thriller film Helpless by Byun Young-joo drastically changed the publics perception of her acting skills. Her performance in last years Handmaiden also boosted her profile in a positive way.

Her win in such a prestigious European film festival is likely to cement her reputation as a top actress. After Jeon Do-yeon won the best actress award at the Cannes Film Festival in 2007, she earned the nickname The Queen of Cannes.

It remains to be seen whether Kim will enjoy the downpour of offers Jeon did, as the public sentiment toward the couple remains icy.

For Hong, the flick earned him a third trip to the Berlinale after Night and Day in 2008 and Nobodys Daughter Haewon in 2013.

On the Beach at Night Alone is slated to hit theatres in South Korea next month.

The Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival went to On Body and Soul By Hungarian writer-director Ildiko Enyedi, a film exploring an offbeat love story about two slaughterhouse workers.

Comedy The Other Side of Hope by filmmaker Aki Kaurismaki, considered a strong contender for the Golden Bear, won a Silver Bear for best director.

The best actor award went to Georg Friedrich in Bright Nights, while the jury award went to Alain Gomis Felicite.

The Silver Bear for best screenplay went to Sebastian Lelio and Gonzalo Maza for A Fantastic Woman.

Calin Peter Netzers Ana, mon amour took the award for outstanding artistic contribution, and Spoor won the Alfred Bauer Prize for work of particular innovation.

(The Korea Herald/ANN)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is making a desperate bid to resurrect his stature but the absence of credibility is haunting him, chief co-ordinator of Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee Ashok Gehlot said.

"Indira Gandhi's aura was different, while the aura of Modi is diminishing. Gandhi was ousted in a poll primarily due to the anger of voters but she was again accepted by them," he told after refusing to draw any comparison between Modi and the late prime minister.

"Modi had got a chance but he lost it. Senior party leaders like Murli Manohar Joshi and L K Advani have been marginalised. BJP workers are feeling suffocated," the former Rajasthan chief minister said here.

Gehlot said a sense of frustration has penetrated deep in his mind and added that "Modi is making a desperate bid to resurrect his stature but the absence of credibility is haunting him".

Sharpening his attack, he said, "Congress never bothered for power. But I think BJP is going to meet the same fate in Uttar Pradesh as in the Assembly elections of Delhi and Bihar."

He said BIMARU states was only a new jumla (rhetoric) coined by Modi.

"BIMARU is simply a jumla and nothing else. What is the definition of BIMARU, can you tell me? In fact, Modi is an expert in telling lies," Gehlot said, adding that Modi is busy creating a rift between the rich and the poor.

Claiming that "dictatorship" has raised its ugly head in the BJP, Gehlot said Modi's current image resembles that of US President Donald Trump.

"After 30 years, a particular party got a clear mandate.

When Modi came to power, the writing on the wall was that this government would last for 10 years and this view emanated across different political parties," Gehlot said, adding that in two-and-half years, Modi's image has taken a beating.
We need to look at dairy heifers like a beef operation, Elancos John Lee told attendees at the Dairy Cattle Reproduction Councils annual gathering in Columbus, Ohio. Dairy farmers need to stop breeding infertile heifers sooner, he went on to explain.

What might that advice look like in action on the dairy farm?

After three to four unsuccessful services and a maximum of six 21-day cycles, stop breeding those heifers, said Lee. In most herds, 95 percent of heifers will be pregnant by the third or fourth service and only 5 percent of heifers will be culled. However, these infertile heifers will be the source of a lions share of ongoing problems.

As for goals to perform first A.I. in heifers, How many farmers believe in getting cows serviced 100 days after the voluntary waiting period? asked Lee. None, he said, answering his own question. But we allow this to happen in heifers.

The ideal breeding age for heifers should be defined by physical growth parameters.

Breeding should start when heifers reach 55 percent of adult weight and 85 percent of adult height, said Lee, citing Penn State recommendations. Breeding heifers is not a voluntary wait period, its a voluntary weight period, Lee went on to say using a play on words.

What are the economics of reducing the age at first calving and making some of these decisions?

Reducing the age at first calving by one month can lower replacement costs by 4.3 percent, said Lee. However, remember, these heifers must be well grown or dystocia issues will hamper them in the first lactation.
Mocking Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadavs slogan 'kaam bolta hain' (work speaks), BJP chief Amit Shah on Tuesday said the Samajwadi Party (SP) government has only nurtured gundaraj in the state and failed to provide jobs to youth, electricity to farmers and safety to women.

Neither the youth has jobs, nor the farmers have water or electricity, which work is Akhilesh talking about? said the president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) while addressing a massive road show in Allahabad ahead of the fourth phase of assembly polls on Feb 23.

Its high time that UP is pulled out of the cesspool of gundaraj, corruption and casteism endorsed by the SP. The BJP will form a majority government in the state, he added.

Shah further said that the new BJP government in the state will bring an end to widespread lawlessness that plagues the politically crucial state.
India and Rwanda have signed three agreements during the visit of Vice President Hamid Ansari to boost bilateral relations that include establishment of an entrepreneurship developement centre in Kigali.

According to the Memorandum of Understandings signed between Rwanda and India, Rwanda Air will soon begin services to India, and the two countries will mutually exempt visa requirements for diplomatic and official passport holders.

Rwandan Prime Minister Anastase Murekezi said the MoUs will boost economic and business ties with India.

"We have 54 years of fruitful bilateral relationship.

Rwanda and India share important ties and we are committed to make this relationship grow stronger," Murekezi said.

Ansari, who is on a five-day tour to Rwanda and Uganda, earlier yesterday launched an innovation growth programme and addressed business leaders and experts from the two countries.

He said Rwanda offers a "wonderful platform" to Indian partners to enhance their presence in other parts of Africa and emphasised India was "ready to work" with partners in Rwanda and the larger African continent in "transferring our experience" in building an innovation-driven economy.

"India-Rwanda Innovation Growth Program is being launched to expand ties in science, Technology and Innovation. After this pilot project, the programme is proposed to be implemented in the East African community in seven countries and will then be scaled up to seven other economic zones across Africa," he said.

Under the programme, 20 Indian technologies and innovations are to be adopted over a period of two years.

"The programme aims at creating an ecosystem wherein Indian innovations and technology enterprises will thrive and encourage business ventures from both sides," Ansari said.

The vice president said it was an "exciting prospect" to see the captains of trade and industry from Rwanda stand alongside the Indian business community and innovators.

"This portends well for the future of Rwanda-India commercial and economic relations," he said.

Prime Minister Murekezi attended the event organised by Rwanda Development Board, the Private Sector Federation of Rwanda and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI).
The United Kingdom on Tuesday clarified that there is no cap on visa for Indian students which means they are free to access world-class education in UKs best universities.

The UK had announced 600 scholarships for Indian students aspiring to study in the UK, British High Commissioner to India Dominic Asquith said while addressing the India launch of the reportUN Secretary General's High Level Panel on Women's Economic Empowerment.

Asquith said that the UK has no cap on visas for students from India or anywhere else. All are treated same. Whoever comes will join almost half a million international students who come in the UK to access word-class education in the world-class universities.

India has consistently asked the UK to relax student visa rules for better mobility of students.

UK's visa policy requires students to return home after their courses end. This has caused a fall in number of Indian students enrolling in British universities by 50 per cent. As per estimates, the number of study-visas issued to Indian nationals has fallen drastically.

Asquith also said that the UK is participating in several initiatives of the Indian government to promote skilling.

The UK is already investing and supporting about 75 start-up businesses and they also provided access to financial services to women in India, Asquith added.

British companies, on an average, are spending seven per cent of their revenues on training and skilling employees in India and are also creating more opportunities for women.
Controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik will be recording his statement in a case of suspected money-laundering via video conferencing, reports said on Tuesday.

Citing that the atmosphere was not conducive for Naik to return to India, his lawyer has informed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) that the televangelist, currently staying in Saudi Arabia, was ready to record his statement via e-mail or Skype.

The ED first information report under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, follows similar complaints filed by the National Investigation Agency against Naik and his NGO Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) two months ago.

Last month, the NIA had filed cases against Naik under the UAPA for allegedly promoting enmity between groups on religious and racial grounds, and raided over a dozen offices, residential premises, his Peace TV offices, and other locations, besides freezing a bank account of his NGO.

The ED has already probed certain bank documents and transaction details of the 51-year-old Naik and IRF and may issue summons to him shortly, an ED official said in Mumbai.

On November 15, the Union government banned the IRF for five years after declaring it as an "unlawful association" under the anti-terror laws.

Prior to that, the Union Home Ministry revoked the IRF's permission to receive foreign donations under the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act and placed IRF Education Trust under a prior permission category for the same.
A competent financial audit will calculate the expenses incurred on the biennial military-aviation fiesta Aero India, the 11th edition of which has just concluded at IAF Yelahanka, Bangalore. Unfortunately, it would be difficult to assess in financial terms the gains that accrued from the extravaganza.

For while 500,000 footfalls, and massive traffic jams when the show was thrown open to the public might testify to its popularity, the prime purpose of such events is business promotion  the thrills that attracted so much attention are a mere side-show. Hence the yardstick by which the success of Aero India 2017  or the lack of it  must be evaluated is professional, lest it degenerate into a mela like the annual trade fair in the Capital.

The international aviation industry will not invest much time, effort and money for a mere exhibition.

That nearly 100 firms fewer participated this year, when contrasted with the previous show tells a certain tale: it points to a trend that needs to be addressed before the next Aero India.

Particularly in the light of the buzz that the next event may be staged in the defence ministers political bailiwick, Goa, which unlike Bangalore does not have an aviation industry track-record; and its lovely beaches are no substitute for an industry that came into being during World War II.

While no deals are expected to be firmed up at such events, it is worth noting that while there is need for some 200 combat aircraft to maintain the desired squadron-strength of the Indian Air Force, no new aspirant flipped its wings at Yelahanka.

The Lockheed Martin F-16, Swedish SAAB Gripen, Dassaults Rafale and Russian SU-30 have all been evaluated before, and if more attractive financial arrangements are now on offer the event was not where they would be made. The grapevine has it that those firms participated in Aero India 2017 only because they apprehended that staying away would diminish their chances of bagging an order.

The domestic industry did not really sell itself: though the public sector HAL displayed a range of helicopters, most of them have been on the market for some time now.

The Air Chief flying the Tejas LCA was merely for show. Much was made of the induction of an indigenous AWAC, but this plane had participated in the flypast on Republic Day, and a bigger platform is now being considered.

It was disappointing that the participants were informed that the revised procurement/offsets policy would be announced shortly  prudence demanded that it be made public ahead of the show. The short point being that Aero India will attract the cutting edge only if India convinces that it is ready to do business.
The annual get-together of European military and security chiefs in the southern German city of Munich is a traditional venue for governments to reassert their commitments; the conference served as inspiration for the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, which now performs the same function in Asia.

But this years Munich gathering, which concluded over the weekend, was particularly noteworthy, for it offered a first glimpse into the defence policies of Donald Trump, the only United States president since World War II to have dismissed Americas military alliance with Europe as obsolete and the only US head of state who appears to believe that the potential break-up of the European Union may actually serve Americas interests.

After weeks of transatlantic spats, the Munich Security Conference braced itself for the worst. But it ended on the best of tones, as US Vice-President Mike Pence reiterated Washingtons commitment to stand with Europe today, and every day, and as Europeans restated their attachment to the transatlantic link. Europe needs North America, and North America needs Europe, Mr Jens Stoltenberg, secretary-general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato), the US-led military alliance in Europe, responded.

But despite this renewal of their marriage vows, the reality remains that US-Europe relations are still facing their biggest challenge in seven decades, and the discussion about what needs to be done to fix them has barely begun.

Nobody doubts the significance of the transatlantic link. Notwithstanding the economic rise of Asia, the US-EU economic relationship remains the worlds largest, accounting for around one-third of global trade in goods and services, and just under half of the global economic output.

Its 28 member states spend a staggering US$1 trillion on their armed forces each year, have a combined force of 3.1 million servicemen and women, and include the nuclear arsenals of no fewer than three of the worlds nuclear powers. A bigger punch in both economic and military terms cannot be imagined.

But there is equally no doubt that the military relationship between the US and Europe is ailing. Since Nato was founded in 1949, the Europeans never paid their full share of the expenses. By the early 1990s when the Cold War ended, the US alone paid for half of Natos military capabilities. Since then, matters have got worse.

The Americans are now responsible for around 70 per cent of Nato assets, despite the fact that in both terms of population and combined size of their economies, the Europeans are bigger than the US.

Efforts to shame the Europeans into spending more are hardly new.

In prophetic words which date back to 2011, then US Defence Secretary Robert Gates publicly warned that Nato faces a dismal future of collective military irrelevance unless its European members increase their financial contributions. But the pledge which European governments then made to devote at least 2 per cent of their gross domestic product to defence each year remains unfulfilled: apart from the US itself, only Britain, Greece, Poland and Estonia have redeemed the pledge. Europeans cannot, therefore, plausibly claim to be surprised that the Trump administration now expects quick progress, or that the new US officials are even less diplomatic on this point.

No longer can the American taxpayer carry a disproportionate share of the defence of Western values; Americans cannot care more for your childrens future security than you do, said US Defence Secretary James Mattis. Some European officials still resent being lectured to. With his curious knack of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time, Mr Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, the EUs executive body, rejected American pressure, claiming that the EUs broader contributions to global development should also be taken into account. But that was very much a minority view; most European decision makers accept that they should dig deeper into their own pockets.

Still, the Trump administrations insistence on increased European contributions is misconceived, and can lead only to a sterile debate which will do little to improve transatlantic links. To start with, the Europeans are already doing more. Countries such as Poland and Romania, much closer to Russia which they consider as a threat, are increasing their defence budgets at the fastest rates in Europe. Germany and France have also pledged additional funds.

True, they should have done much more, and much earlier. But the Europeans have already accepted that the burden of proof of their commitment now lies with them. However, looking at bare numbers does not tell much about the actual European defences.

For even if the political will to boost military expenditures was there, the capacity to absorb so much extra cash into the defence sector is absent. Germany alone, for instance, would have to divert about 30 billion of extra expenditure into its defence budget each year, a huge amount which clearly would take years to ramp up. Furthermore, it is not so much the volume of spending but, rather, how one spends cash which matters more. Nato member states are supposed to devote 20 per cent of their military budgets each year to the purchase of new hardware but, on average, they spend only 11 per cent on new weapons. Greece, for instance, meets the 2 per cent of GDP spending target but blows most of the cash on pension liabilities for its servicemen.

So, what Europe and the US need is not an accountants dialogue but a broader discussion about how their military relationship is going to function, and what the Americans are still prepared to do.

President Trump inherited an ambitious programme of military involvement with the Europeans, which included a plan to place four Nato multinational battalions  including one commanded by the US  nearer the borders of Russia, in order to bolster the defences of fragile countries.

The current White House also inherited a so-called European Reassurance Initiative, a plan to enhance the capabilities of former communist countries which are now members of Nato. At least for the moment, however, there is no signal from Washington whether the Trump administration intends to proceed with these plans, and that matters more to cementing transatlantic relations than all the discussions about defence expenditure targets.

And overshadowing everything is the thorny issue of Russia. In Munich, Vice-President Pence sought to reassure the Europeans that the US would continue to hold Russia accountable for the illegal annexation of Crimea, and for fomenting the war in Ukraine.

But at the same time, Pence also told the Europeans that Washington will continue to search for new common ground with Russia which, as you know, President Trump believes can be found.

Europe is not against a dialogue with Moscow; after all, the Europeans have frequently argued that the US should pay more attention to engaging with Russia.

But they fear that Trumps idea of a deal is one negotiated above the heads of Europe, directly with Moscow. And they also resent what appears to be the US Presidents premise that Russia is a potential ally in a joint effort to contain the threat Trump considers most acute: that of China. Such plans to enlist Russian support against China are not only being dismissed in Europe as wrong-headed, but they are also seen as deadly to the future existence of the Nato alliance.

Ultimately, all the participants in the Munich dialogue laboured under a polite, diplomatic delusion that it is possible to isolate military and security questions from the deeper worries which Europe has with President Trumps dismissal of the advantages of free trade and globalisation, and that it is feasible for Washington and its European allies to pretend that their security relationship remains unchanged, while they disagree on almost everything else the US President plans to do.

It fell only to Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor whose country hosted the event, to warn that it remains to be seen whether Europe and the US will be able to act in concert or fall back into parochial politics. It was a clear admission that the worlds most important security link, although durable, may still need rescuing.

The Straits Times/ANN
A swathe of rural Bengal is seething again over the appointments purportedly on the basis of the Teachers Eligibility Test. The distressing message of the observation of the Calcutta High Court is that corruption has been institutionalised over the years, and ever more so under a holier-than-thou dispensation. It is a measure of the scam that the Bench (coram: Arijit Banerjee, J) has virtually binned the appointments made as per the results of TET, 2015.

Aside from the logistical conundrum on the day of the exam  scandalised by the leak of question papers  a wholly arbitrary system of appointments was determined by the candidates proximity to the party in power with little or no regard to ones performance in TET, let alone pre-exam training. Primary education has been generally disastrous in West Bengal; the Right to Education Act has translated to precious little in terms of qualitative change.

It now comes about that TET has degenerated to a political qualifier, bereft of even a scintilla of academic connotation. In the absence of adequate teachers and the appalling teacher-student ratio, the child in search of learning is the worst sufferer as must be primary education in the wider canvas.

A multiplicity of universities can make the foundation weaker still. It is a grim tragedy for education that those appointed as teachers are essentially political appointees who lack the wherewithal to teach.

The change of education ministers  from Bratya Basu to Partha Chatterjee  has scarcely addressed the chaos that is almost wholly politically contrived. More accurately, the fiddle has been finetuned ever since primary teachers without the mandatory training were appointed by the CPI-M dispensation.

Confusion gets worse confounded with reports that appointments are being effected on monetary considerations  a euphemism for bribery. This has provoked the judge to observe that this is a serious allegation.

No less serious has been the violation of another certitude that the names of those recommended for appointment must be published. The public domain has rather conveniently been accorded the short shrift; those chosen in accord with the lights of the ruling party are being informed via SMS. An essential qualification for teachers in the primary segment has been denuded beyond measure.

Political affiliation ensures that untrained candidates  loyal to the establishment  are being accorded precedence over the trained and most particularly those who have cleared TET. It would be delusory on the part of the government to ignore the groundswell of opposition in rural Bengal over the education departments handling of a basic test.

The siege of several District Primary School Councils is but a symptom of the overwhelming malaise.
The recent comments against those supporting militants in the valley by the army chief have been criticized by politicians and armchair journalists and strategists. However, few of those negative comments comprehend the true situation. As the snow recedes, operations against militants who had managed to cross have intensified across the valley. Operations are against both local as well as infiltrated militants. In most cases, militants are trapped in villages, raising questions of whether they have local support or have barged in forcibly.

Most recent encounters have been partially successful due to stone pelting and movement towards encounter sites by locals, compelling security forces to adhere to increased precautions to avoid civilian casualties. This distraction results in increased losses to security forces and enables militants to escape. While the army does not get involved with stone-throwers, leaving this to the police to handle, recent incidents have highlighted their impact on operations. The army has also discarded the use of heavy weapons which could destroy residential accommodation where militants hide, mainly to safeguard civilian property.

They are forced to battle under severe restrictions, constraints never placed on any military across the globe. In its recent counter-strike against militants, after the blast in the Sufi Mosque in Sehwan, Pakistan openly employed air and artillery firepower, unmindful of collateral damage. The issue which arises is whether the sacrifice of Indian jawans lives are justified and for how long can we expect the army to continue to suffer casualties when those whom they seek to protect attack them, providing militants a chance to escape with their lives.

Stone throwing and adopting an anti-Indian stance is not a recent phenomenon in the valley. It has existed for decades. Excessive deployment of the army and its lack of retaliation against provocation by the locals have only emboldened them, especially as they continue to be supported by Pakistan and the separatists. If no action is taken, they are likely to become more violent. Even criminal law terms an accessory to murder guilty for the crime; hence stone-throwers and agitators who disrupt activities resulting in additional casualties are legally guilty.

Each soldier who is involved in operations is also a father, a son or a husband, as are the locals. The soldier is involved in operations not for sacrificing his life, but to eliminate those who threaten the fabric of the country. There is thus a need to re-think and analyse the strategy which is presently in vogue and possibly adopt a hard-line approach, ignoring any criticism, local or international.

Those armchair journalists, politicians and strategists who seek to criticise the army chiefs statement should understand that the situation existing in the valley is the culmination of a series of failures of successive governments, both at the Centre and in the state. None of the critics has either faced a bullet or lost loved ones to militant bullets, hence can easily pass judgement from the safety of secure homes.

No militancy has ever been curbed by treating every civilian resident in the area as an enemy and therefore there is a need to segregate those with or against the state. To move people away from the clutches of militants, the army had adopted a policy of winning hearts and minds, while simultaneously battling militancy. It had expended colossal funds and effort by establishing schools, implementing developmental projects and conducting medical camps. It has always provided amenities to the local public, when the state machinery has failed.

In places where residents interfere with anti-militancy operations, these projects should be temporarily closed for security reasons. A clear message would then be conveyed that if you desire support from the state, then you need to support the state. It can no longer be a one-way traffic, nor can the government be taken for granted. The army is the instrument of last resort; hence whenever it has been deployed to restore a situation beyond the local civil authorities it has ensured peace, whether it is Haryana, Gujarat or any other state. It is a respected force when so deployed. Its attitude in the valley needs to change to regain this stance.

Hence, those indulging in stone throwing or disrupting operations need to be engaged as enemies of the state and treated at par with militants. The police and Special Operations Group of the J and K police should be tasked to deal firmly with those disrupting operations, including by opening fire, while the army battles militants.

If the British government could enact an order suspending human rights laws on the battlefield as late as October 2016, we too could consider strengthening AFSPA in the valley, as we battle anti-national elements and their supporters. There is a feeling within governments at the state and Centre that the situation that prevailed last summer should not be allowed to recur. This message has also been conveyed to the security forces, who are compelled to be more cautious about civilian casualties than their own. It is time the government takes a holistic view of the prevailing situation and allows security forces more freedom and laxity in their operations. Firmness and strictness in dealing with the situation would bring normalcy faster than mollycoddling the populace.

Those who sit and criticise should spend time with troops and understand the deep tensions and pressures under which they operate, rather than bank on their limited knowledge, gleaned from movies, videos and interactions with anti-national elements. Firm decisions need to be considered and implemented as early as possible. With summer approaching, the valley is likely to be again on the boil, with increased infiltration. The army cannot afford to be battling both militants and their local supporters. The hierarchy of the army and the government must agree to new rules of engagement, before the army suffers abnormal casualties, affecting morale and efficiency.

(The writer is a retired Major-General of the Indian Army.)
Has your mind been preoccupied with negative thoughts lately? Do you feel irritated time and again? A new study suggests that you might be suffering from stress.

Conducted by YourDost, an online counselling and emotional wellness portal, the study notes "negative thinking is one of the major symptoms of stress".

While highlighting that psychological issues like stress are often neglected and ignored, it reveals that in 50 per cent cases "irritability" and "pessimistic thoughts" are indicative of the onset of stress, along with other manifestations in mannerisms like irregular eating and sleeping habits.

"41 per cent of the participants felt their sleeping and eating habits changed when they were stressed. 39 per cent of people showed temperament changes.

"Reduction of productivity was observed in 36 per cent, while overwhelming feelings and self-criticism increased in about 35 per cent of the participants," says the study.

Attributing the rising levels of stress to changing lifestyles, psychologist Shruti Singhal says an incompatibility between personalities and environments also contributes towards increased stress levels.

"Stress levels are rising in every walk of life. We encounter daily cases of people breaking down under the pressures of highly competitive and demanding academic, professional and lifestyle stressors.

"In addition to that, the emotional and social fabric of the society has become very fragile. Issues like break ups, family/marital discord, loneliness have only added to the emotional breakdowns. Introversion and shyness in a social set up where extroverted characteristics are sought after," she says.

The study also points out that "14 per cent of India's total population are in high-stress zone and needed expert intervention" and 58 per cent of these people are inclined to consult a counsellor.

"While only 6 per cent of these stress-affected individuals actually talked to a psychologist, the rest 52 per cent resorted to listening to music and sleeping to de-stress themselves," it says.

In another interesting finding, the study says that more number of women were stressed in the country compared to men, adding that "singles and unmarried people" find it easier to cope with stress than married couples.
Three suicide bombers who targeted a court in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province were killed on Tuesday, the ghastly attack also leaving five others dead, authorities said.

At least three attackers attempted to enter the Sessions Court at Charsadda district through the main gate when the complex was crowded, media reports said.

The terrorists suddenly opened fire and threw grenades, prompting police and security forces to fire back, the Dawn said after speaking to officers and witnesses.

One of the bombers was killed in the firing at the gate and a second died as he entered the court. The third bomber was killed when he detonated his explosives, police told the Dawn.

Police officer Fayaz Khan was quoted as saying that five civilians were also killed in the terror attack, for which the outlawed Jamaat-ul-Ahrar claimed responsibility.

Some reports said a lawyer was among the dead and that up to 17 persons were injured.

Urdu TV channel Abb Takk said the injured included five policemen, Xinhua news agency reported.

Up to 10 ambulances were rushed to Charsadda from Peshawar, where the Lady Reading Hospital was put on high alert.

The attack come even though security had been heightened across the province and the rest of Pakistan after a wave of terror attacks that left over 100 people dead in the past 10 days.

Charsadda is located nearly 40 minutes away Peshawar.

Earlier, gunfire was heard after one of the blasts near the gate of the court located at Tangi Bazaar.

The Dawn quoted witnesses as saying that the remains of the bombers were lying along with their explosives and ammunition.

On February 16, a suicide attack on the Lal Shahbaz Qalandar shrine in Sindh killed 88 persons and injured more than 200.

The Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, with ties to the Islamic State, had also claimed responsibility for the carnage.
Fake news website The Underground Report" published an article on february 21st 2017 titled: "WIKILEAKS: OBAMA RAN PEDOPHILE RING OUT OF WHITEHOUSE"

The article opens:

Julian Assange unveiled another bombshell Sunday evening, alleging that wikileaks now has hard proof that former President, Barack Hussein Obama, operated and participated in a pedophile ring based in the white house. A leaked email released today read, "A young boy the age of 5. He will make the perfect catamite for the president. He will arrive from Romania on Tuesday. I'm sure the president will be pleased."

This is obviously fake news: neither Julian Assange nor Wikileaks have written anything about this on their Twitter accounts or on the official Wikileaks website. A search for the phrase "He will make the perfect catamite for the president" among the leaked emails on Wikileaks returns no results. If it had been true you would expect them to be pulling out all the stops in order to spread the news far and wide as it would be the scoop of the century.

What you wouldn't expect them to do is to reveal the news only to an obscure website that has only existed for one day. And the website undergroundnewsreport.com only exists since yesterday, as evidenced by WHOIS records:

DOMAIN INFORMATION Domain: undergroundnewsreport.com Registrar: GODADDY.COM, LLC Registration Date: 2017-02-20 Expiration Date: 2018-02-20 Updated Date: 2017-02-20

Before that the site appears to have been operating from undergroundreportorg.wordpress.com, which now redirects to the 'new' site.

Yet despite all these red flags the story is being shared around widely as you can see in the Trendolizer graph at the end of this article. If you notice anyone spreading the rumor around you can help by pointing them to this article here because nobody likes fake news.
China's Trade Minister on Tuesday said talks on the proposed Asia-Pacific free trade agreement are progressing well, after the US withdrew from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement last month.

Gao Hucheng said at a news conference in Beijing that talks for setting up the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership  that would include 16 countries from the Asia-Pacific region  are progressing smoothly, and expressed confidence that they will be concluded soon after certain challenges were addressed, Efe news reported.

"Globalisation is not the problem, the problem is how to distribute the benefits of globalisation," Gao said, adding that no country can afford a return to the pre-globalisation era.

US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on products imported from China, and Gao said Beijing will carefully study such measures and adopt an appropriate stance when it happens.

"Cooperation benefits both, while confrontation can only hurt," he noted, while dismissing speculation that the two largest global economies were going to begin a trade war.

RCEP, a free trade initiative backed by China as an alternative to the TPP (which it was not part of), also comprises the ten member states of the Association of South East Asian Nations, besides Australia, South Korea, India, Japan and New Zealand.

Talks for the RCEP began in 2013, and are set to continue at a meeting in Kobe, Japan, said Gao.

The last round of talks was hosted by Indonesia in December 2016.

Gao stressed that China is looking to play a leading role in these meetings, where it will try to encourage all participants to resolve differences and reach an agreement.

He added that Beijing is also keen to promote its integration into the world economy through the New Silk Road, an initiative through which China is seeking to improve connectivity with the rest of Asia, besides Africa and Europe.
Pakistan has said Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed, who has been listed under an anti-terrorism law, can pose a "serious threat" to the nation, and was thus placed under house arrest in the country's "larger interest".

The acknowledgement of the danger the Mumbai attacks mastermind poses came from Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif during an international security conference in Munich, Germany.

"Saeed can pose a serious threat to the society," Asif told the audience at the Munich Security Conference on Sunday, The Nation reported.

Saeed was "arrested in the larger interest of the country", he added, according to the report.

Saeed was placed under house arrest under the fourth schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) on January 30 in Lahore, provoking an uproar from his party and allies. Saeed's inclusion in the list shows he is linked with militancy in some way. Saeed was earlier this month put on the Exit Control List, barring him from leaving the country.

During a panel discussion on countering extremism and terrorism, Asif said: "Terrorism is not synonymous to any religion. Terrorists aren't Christians or Muslims or Buddhists or Hindus. They are terrorists, they are criminals."

The action against Saeed was taken after Pakistan was hit by at least eight terror attacks this month in which more than 100 people died, the latest being a suicide bombing on a famed Sufi shrine in Sindh province that claimed 88 lives.

Saeed was also put under house arrest after the Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008 in which 166 people died, but he was freed by a court in 2009. He carries a reward of USD 10 million announced by the US for his role in terror activities.

In a statement critical of the American policies, Asif said Pakistan is determined to fight terrorism: "Let me assure the world community that Pakistan is a frontline state in this war and it will continue to fulfil its obligations to its own people and the international community but if the West's policies are going to be isolationist it won't help the fight against terrorism, only fuel it."
Within days of the Pakistan Army summoning Afghan diplomats to demand action against militants sheltering in Afghanistan and involved in attacks in Pakistan, Kabul has handed over a list of Afghan Taliban militants and 32 terrorist hideouts on Pakistani territory.

According to a statement issued by the Afghan Foreign Ministry on Monday, the list was handed over to Pakistani authorities through Kabul's envoy to Pakistan Omar Zakhiwal, seeking action against militants operating on Pakistani soil.

"The ministry gave a list of militants and 32 terrorist-training centres operating in Pakistan against Afghanistan, and asked for immediate action against them," said the statement.

The statement warned that continued violence would push Kabul to seek international sanctions against "terrorist groups and their supporters".

In a separate development, Zakhiwal on Monday said he had a "very positive" meeting with Pakistan Foreign Affairs Adviser Sartaj Aziz.

Zakhiwal also said that he had a "constructive" talk with Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Bajwa and expected quick de-escalation of tension between the two neighbours.

Talking to the media later, Aziz confirmed that a list was handed over to Bajwa by the Afghan envoy, adding that the overall security situation in the region and border issues were discussed during his meeting with Zakhiwal.

The demand from Kabul comes after the Pakistani military targeted militant hideouts near the Afghan border, killing dozens of terrorists and destroying their hideouts, Dawn online reported.

Bajwa on Monday also said that Pakistan and Afghanistan would jointly target their common enemy  terrorists of all hue and colour.

The comments clearly contrasted with the earlier tone which bordered on unilateralism.

The Pakistan Army had, soon after the suicide attack at the shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar in Sehwan town of Sindh province, closed border crossings with Afghanistan and the troops pounded "terrorist targets" across the border.

Bajwa had told the US commander in Afghanistan that the Afghan government's inaction against terrorists was testing Pakistan's policy of cross-border restraint.

Pakistan had also sent reinforcements to the border and deployed heavy armament.
Malaysia's ambassador to Pyongyang says the investigation into the death of the exiled half-brother of North Korea's ruler is being conducted in an impartial manner.

Mohamad Nizan Mohamad spoke today in China's capital, Beijing, while in transit to Malaysia to where he had been recalled following the death last week in the Southeast Asian nation of Kim Jong Nam. Kim appeared to have been poisoned at Kuala Lumpur's international airport.

North Korea's ambassador to Malaysia has denounced the country's investigation into Kim's death, calling it politically motivated and demanding a joint probe.

Malaysia's foreign ministry responded that the ambassador's comments were "culled from delusions, lies and half-truths."

Mohamad said Malaysia had no reason to take sides over the incident and would "be very objective and fair to everybody."
Malaysian authorities are waiting for the son of self-exiled North Korean Kim Jong-nam to identify if the man murdered last week at the Kuala Lumpur airport was his father and the half-brother of Pyongyang leader Kim Jong-un, the media reported on Tuesday.

Police Chief Abd Samah Mat did not confirm if Kim Han-sol has already reached Malaysia but said so far no family member has claimed the body, according to Channel News Asia.

Mat added any family member who claims the body will be taken to the Kuala Lumpur Hospital to identify the remains and provide a DNA sample, and only after positive identification will the body be handed over and the North Korean Embassy will be informed.

The police chief's statement comes after a convoy of four unregistered vehicles escorted by around 30 Special Task Force personnel was seen arriving early Tuesday at the hospital.

alaysian authorities said autopsy results will be released on Wednesday.

Earlier, North Korean Ambassador Kang Chol had said they do not trust the Malaysian probe and had called for a joint investigation into the incident, Efe news reported.

He had also accused Malaysia of violating international norms by carrying out the tests without permission from the North Korean authorities.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak denied the allegations and defended the professional expertise of Malaysian police and forensic experts.

On February 13, Kim Jong-nam, who was travelling on a diplomatic passport under the name of Kim Chol, was attacked by two women at the Kuala Lumpur airport.

The two women, an Indonesian and a Vietnamese, have been arrested. They said they were hired by some "unknown" people to "play a prank" on the victim.

The Malaysian police also arrested a Malaysian man and a North Korean chemist while a search and arrest warrant have been issued against four other North Korean nationals. They apparently left for Pyongyang shortly after the alleged murder.

Kim Jong-nam was born on May 10, 1971, in Pyongyang, and was the son of the late North Korean dictator Kim Jong-il and actress Song Hye-rim.


India-Bangla ties have seen a steady upswing over the last several years with the two nations moving forward to strengthen connectivity and energy cooperation

Bilateral relations between Bangladesh and India are graduating to a new level, as the two countries have come closer through enhanced mutual cooperation in a wide range of areas.

Harsh Vardhan Shringla, Indian high commissioner in Dhaka, said this on Monday in an interaction with journalists of The Daily Star during a courtesy visit to the newspaper office in the capital.

Indo-Bangla ties have seen a steady upswing over the last several years with the two nations moving forward to strengthen connectivity and energy cooperation. India has given Bangladesh duty-free benefits on almost all goods. And the two neighbours have also implemented the Land Boundary Agreement, he said.

On energy sector cooperation, he said India is currently exporting 600 megawatt of electricity to Bangladesh, and is ready to export more as per Bangladesh's requirement.

India is also helping Bangladesh produce power.

There is no limit to what you can get from India because we have a lot of surplus energy. We can sell you electricity any time you can take 1,000 megawatt, 2,000 megawatt and even 10,000 megawatt, Shringla said.

Replying to a query on the 1,320MW coal-fired Rampal power plant, he said India is providing 80 percent of the financing with one percent interest on the loan payable over a period of 30 years. Bangladesh offered the land and it happened to be at Rampal.

The envoy said India has no issues regarding the location of the India-Bangladesh joint venture project.

As far as India is concerned, we are happy to work with you [Bangladesh] in setting up power plant wherever you like, including in Rampal.

About Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's upcoming India visit, Shringla said it would be the first state visit in her current tenure. Her previous state visit to India took place seven years ago.

From our side, this is a very important visit

Shringla mentioned that Indian Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar would visit Dhaka on February 23-24, and assess areas of bilateral cooperation and groundwork for the Bangladesh PM's upcoming visit.

Preparatory aspects of the visit are important and we need to prepare. We need to make sure that both logistically and substantially we have the right input in place before the visit. So, all this work is in progress, said the Indian envoy.

He noted that the new level of cooperation helped the two next-door neighbours harness the benefits of bilateral and sub-regional trade and investment.

India now allows duty-free benefits to all Bangladeshi goods, except for cigarette and alcohol items. Over the past years, the two countries have been moving forward to achieve socio-economic progress.

For us (India) to prosper economically, socially and everywhere, Bangladesh needs to be a partner in this. For you (Bangladesh) to be a mid-income country by 2021 and developed country by 2041, you need to be a partner.

In order to achieve this, we decided that we must remove some major impediments, some perceptions that existed in Bangladesh, he said.

One of the aspects that we tried to resolve is the issue of market access

The second thing that we resolved was land boundary. We were able to sign the land boundary agreement and implement it. The two countries also sorted out maritime boundary.

Referring to Indo-Bangla defence cooperation, Shringla said there has been cooperation between the armed forces of the two countries. Extensive training and exercises are held at military and navy levels, he said.

On the Indian defence minister's recent Bangladesh visit, he said it was Manohar Parrikar's first visit to Dhaka. The visit was very significant as he had wide-ranging discussions with political and military leadership of Bangladesh.

We certainly look forward to continuing our current level of cooperation, which is quite significant because we have talked army to army, navy to navy, air force to air force we have regular exchange at all levels.

He said military-to-military exchanges are very extensive, and hoped that those would go on in the future.

On the Teesta water sharing issue, Shringla said India's commitment to conclude an agreement has been there on record and continues to be there. It is something that is under constant consideration on our side, he said.

He pointed out that as per the Indian federal system, the centre needs to involve the state government before signing any such agreement.

On Bangladesh's growing relations with China, Shringla said, Your relationship with other countries, as it develops and progresses, is absolutely, from our point of view, is good development.

We want good cooperation, we want amity, we want economic development in the region. Economic development is also good for us. Our economies are so interlinked that if you develop, we also develop.

On the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, he said India remains steadfast in its commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity and contacts.

But increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in the region and growing interference in the internal affairs by one country have created an environment that is not conducive to Saarc's success.

He, however, sees huge potential and prospects of The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), and regional sub-grouping BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal), which, according to him, can play an effective role in achieving socio-economic development.
The Trump administration is considering dropping an indefinite ban on Syrian refugees in a revised executive order on immigration that the President is expected to release this week, the media reported.

Trump's original order, issued a week into his presidency, barred citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries  Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen  from entering the US for 90 days, all refugees for 120 days and refugees from Syria indefinitely. However, his inital order failed to overcome legal challenges.

The new draft, in a major difference from the earlier order, contains an exemption for green-card holders from the seven countries included in the travel ban as well as those individuals who are dual citizens of the US, one of the officials said, ABC News reported on Monday.

The revised version of Trump's temporary travel ban could be issued as early as Tuesday, according to reports.

"The President is contemplating releasing a tighter, more streamlined version of the first executive order," US Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly said at the Munich Security Conference over the weekend.

The new order is also expected to address concerns of the 9th Circuit federal appeals court, which blocked the original order, that travellers' due process rights were not being respected by giving detailed notice of restrictions for those with current or pending visas, a CNN report said.

Trump has expressed frustration in person and on the social media over his stalled travel ban, often targeting the courts and the judges who have ruled against provisions of the order.

"The new order is going to be very much tailored to what I consider to be a very bad decision," Trump told reporters at the White House last week, referring to a three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals that ruled against his earlier order.

As of Monday afternoon, the revised order was still considered to be in an early drafting stage, according to the administration officials.

Challengers to the original executive order were confident they'll prevail in court again because the second version has the same "core problem".

Lee Gelernt, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) who is challenging the order in New York courts, said he expected that the new order will exempt green card holders, but warned that he expected other aspects of the new order to present legal problems.

"If the only real change is to exempt green card holders, then the legal challenges will continue full force," he said.

Immigration attorney David Leopold argued that the very fact that a new order is being drafted "is a clear admission by the Trump administration that the President directly violated immigration law and the Constitution when he ordered a sweeping ban on Muslims and Syrian refugees in late January."
Montreal, CA (H4T1V6)

Today

Steady light rain this morning. Showers continuing this afternoon. High 67F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Some passing clouds. Low 54F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph.


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For the late Tom McAvoy, Attleboro was, as he put it simply in a 2014 column, "home."
Recently, in Part 1 of this series, I discussed the discovery of US military records which comment liberally on unidentified flying objects, usually shortened to just UFOs, during the Vietnam War. These records, discovered by myself and Boston based research Barry Greenwood, were originally created by all four branches of the US armed forces. The sorts of records we have found include Histories and Chronologies, Mission Reports, Patrol Logs, Daily Staff By Paul Dean

The UFO Chronicles

9-21-16

I observed five large, illuminated oval-shaped objects, traveling in close formation and at a very high rate of speed across the sky. At that time, I was on the roof of the Saigon Field Office of the 524th MI Detachment I first saw these objects near the horizon to my left and watched them cover the entire field of my vision in what I believe to be less than five seconds. During that period of time, the objects travelled from where I first saw them, near the horizon to my left, passed almost directly over me at what seemed to be a very great height, and then moved out of sight behind a cloud formation at the horizon to my right. The sky was partly cloudy but, at the time of the sighting, the area of the sky over which they travelled was very clear, with the exception of a few small patches of scattered clouds, which they seemed to be above. As the objects passed over these clouds, they were obscured from my vision until they emerged on the other side. I also observed that, as they passed between my line of sight and a star, they covered the star and blocked out its light until they had passed. This indicated to me that the objects were not transparent.

It was apparent that they were not any form of conventional aircraft due to their size, shape, rate of speed and the fact that they made no noise audible to me. Prior to the sighting of these objects, I had been observing conventional aircraft, both propeller and jet-powered, and there is no question in my mind that they were a great deal larger than any craft I have ever seen in the sky. They were also traveling at a rate of speed which I would estimate to be at least five times greater than any jet-powered aircraft I have ever seen. They were too distant and traveling too fast for a detailed description to be possible. I was only able to see that they were definitely oval in shape and glowed a steady white...

I have never held any opinion concerning unidentified flying objects. Neither have I ever seen any, previously. However, I believe that these objects were spacecraft of some kind. I am convinced that they were not reflections, conventional aircraft, meteorites or planets.

As reported, this case is completely unidentified and much additional information is called for. It is inconceivable that military intelligence would not have looked further into this case, and therefore I should like to request that any further information gathered be forwarded to Project Blue Book



Any follow-up investigation is yet to come to light. Harkinsons two-page Sighting of Unidentified Flying Objects Counterintelligence Spot Report form is imaged above top and below.

Tower at AmTrac CP reports two UFOs at 2 oclock, 8000m



Co A at C4 position reported unidentified aircraft due east of C4 position.



Elms Co A at Oceanview reported 6 UFOs vic of the mouth of the Ben Hai River



Co A at C-4 position reported AA fire at UFO in vic of Gio Linh.



Tower at AmTrac CP reported helicopter flying north over the peninsula.

Co B platoon, at Oceanview, (YD 2917151), reported sighting 4 UFOs at an azimuth of 6200 mils, approximate distance 8000 to 10000 meters. Notified Da Nang DASC.



Co B platoon, at Oceanview, (YD 2917151), reported sighting 10 UFOs from azimuth 5900 mils to azimuth 6200 mils, approximate distance 8000 to 10000 meters. Notified Da Nang DASC.

To NCS from Radar radar picked up UFO moving east.



An hour later, it is stated:



To NCS from Radar. Spotted UFO circling, two landings

Spooky 23 will be in vicinity of LZ Laura for any possible engagement of UFOs. Spooky arrived at 0407.

Brigade wants 1/14 to check out the area where artillery was employed where UFOs were fired upon this morning.

Radar reported visual sighting over LZ Chara Bde In the 1st ten minutes, there have been 4 landing also there is electrical interference coming from that area.

To emphasise the importance of prompt and accurate reporting of intelligence sightings by USNS ships under the operation control of the Commander, Military Sea Transportation Service, Far East (COMSTSFE)



Following on, the Background section discusses the significance of intelligence sightings reporting, and the importance of complying with the established procedures in the interests of national security. The next section, titled Action, states:



All USNS ships under the operational control of COMSTSFE are directed to report the following intelligence sightings by message:



a. Hostile or unidentified single aircraft or formation of aircraft which appear to be directed against the United States forces.



b. Missiles.



c. Unidentified Flying Objects (UFO)



d. Hostile or unidentified submarines.



e. Hostile or unidentified group or groups of military surface vessels.



f. Individual surface vessels, submarines, or aircraft of unconventional design, or engaged in suspicious activity or observed in an unusual location.



g. Unidentified objects of either scientific or warlike appearance seen submerged or floating on the surface of the water.

There would seem to be no good reason to withhold the reports if a FOI request were filed. These events were fifty years ago. Invoking National Security for a war that ended in the distant past would not be convincing.



As information, the Air force began investigating UFOs in 1948 under a program called Project Sign. Later, the programs name was changed to Project Grudge and, in 1953, it became known as Project Blue Book. On December 17, 1969, the Secretary of the Air Force announced the termination of Project Blue Book... As a result of these investigations, studies, and experience, the conclusions of Project Blue book were: 1) no UFO reported, investigated and evaluated by the Air Force has ever given any indication of threat to our national security









Journals, and so-called Lessons Learned publications. Also represented in these finds are Project CHECO publications, specific to the United States Air Force (USAF). Most of these records have come from either the Defence Technical Information Center (DTIC) or National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). This came on top of other ongoing work which dealt specifically with unresolved questions around the USAFs accidental strike on Australias warship, the HMAS Hobart. Part 1 and Part 2 of that work is complete, and there will be a third installment at some point in the future.One of the issues I have raised is a question of terminology. It should easy to write off the term UFO as some sort of lazy catchall for unknown, unidentifiable aircraft. Helicopters, especially seen at a distance, or only briefly plotted on primary radar, would have fallen into the the UFO category. However, the problem is rather more complex than that. Time and time again in official military documents we have seen the term UFO being alongside, or distinct from, unidentified aircraft, unknown helicopters, and the like. This is both inconsistent and unexpected in such a wide range of military records. Still, is it possible that these references to, and reports of, UFOs or unidentified flying objects in Vietnam were merely bumbling enemy helicopters and tricks of light in the jungle? Unfortunately, simple explanations fail to solve the issue to my satisfaction.Though not found by either Barry Greenwood or myself, it is worth taking a look at a 17th of April, 1967 UFO report made by US Army Specialist (SP4) Robert M. Harkinson who was assigned to Headquarters, 524th Military Intelligence Detachment, Saigon. Harkinsons typed report was submitted on a two page US Army Counterintelligence Spot Report form, with a Subject line reading Sighting of Unidentified Flying Objects. He states that at around 2:20am:Following on, the witness attempts to compare the objects to known aircraft, and conveys limitations in describing the objects in detail:Finally, Harkinson states:Whatever SP4 Harkinson witnessed, or believed he witnessed, it certainly had nothing to do with North Vietnamese helicopters. The report was submitted to the USAFs Air Force Systems Commands (AFSC) Foreign Technology Division (FTD) which controlled Project Blue Book, but, as far as we know, wasnt investigated. In the covering letter to the FTD, the witness was described as a stable, mature member of the Armys military intelligence community in Saigon. Astronomer and Project Blue Book consultant J. Allen Hynek took interest in the case, writing to Maj. Hector Quintanilla, the head of the flawed Blue Book UFO investigation project, on the 20th of November, 1967, about acquiring more details from the US Army in Saigon. In the letter, Hynek stated, amongst other things, that:As I have frequently pointed out, the terms UFO and Unidentified Flying Object are used alongside terms like unidentified aircraft, unknown aircraft, unidentified helicopter and the like. This would imply that the unknown objects being commonly witnessed by military forces werefitting into more mundane categories. Who would want to use the term UFO over, say, unknown helicopter? Numerous United States Marine Corps (USMC) Command Chronology publications exemplify this conundrum.One such example comes from. In the Sequential Listing of Significant Events section of the document, there are pages and pages of raw, tabulated text which discuss the daily activities of the 3rd Marine Divisions 1st Amphibious Tractor Battalion while they were patrolling the southern edge of the demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in 1968. The entries logged on the 18th of June, between 8:35pm and 9:09pm, state:The terms unidentified aircraft, UFO and helicopter are used in a very short period of time indeed. Startlingly also is the reference to reported anti-aircraft fire at UFO. I have imaged this page below:The same USMC battalion, by September, 1968, was reporting UFOs to the USAFs regional Direct Air Support Center (DASC) at Dong Ha Airfield. Such is stated in the Sequential Listing of Significant Events in Command Chronology, Headquarters, 3rd Marine Division, 1st Amphibious Tractor Battalion, 1 September, 1968 to 30 September, 1968. The entries logged on the 17th of September, between 8:15pm and 9:00pm, state:The page is imaged below:The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) in Washington DC have released thousands of pages of Daily Staff Journal Or Duty Officers Log records which were compiled by the ground forces of the US Armys 4th Infantry Division. One such set of logs, penned by the 14th Infantry Company, 1st Battalion, 3rd Brigade, contains numerous references to radar contacts and visual observations, including landings, which, one would think, should be referred to as helicopters or aircraft. But, instead, they are listed as UFOs. For instance, on the 13th of January, 1969, starting at 1:13am, the 14th Infantry Duty Officer writes:These sorts of entries continue, and include numerous sightings, plus a touch down. Also listed is the firing of five rounds of 105mm Howitzer fire. The log goes on to state, at 4:01am, that:Spooky was the name given to the USAFs AC-47 gunship aircraft employed for low level ground attack and light air-to-air combat. In this case, apparently, the UFOs were gone by the time Spooky 23 arrived. But, just before 5am, radar picked up the unknown intruders for another half an hour before they vanished. Finally, at 7:30am, it is written that:The log entries for the rest of the day make no mention of anything being found where UFOs were fired upon, so evidently nothing was. The above detailed page is imaged below:The above log entry is but just one example. With ample time and space, I could highlight similar events, with a detailed summary of each page, but there are simply too many. Suffice to say, some entries are more noteworthy than others. On the 14th of January, for example, at 4:30am, it is said that:Electrical interference? This is an effect often reported during localised, close range UFO incidents. Whatever the specifics, and there unfortunately isnt enough of them, these 14th Infantry logs are loaded with unsolved, unidentified entries about UFOs. Helicopters are never mentioned, and, in fact, some of the UFO sightings specifically discuss the total lack of sound. None of the sightings end up being actually solved. Also not mentioned, ever, are hostile aircraft, contrails, flak or flares. Its always UFOs. Maybe the wartime environment, plus unpredictable enemy activity, could be responsible for the inability to identify these objects. However, again, there seems to be no association between the UFOs and, say, helicopter activity or the sounds of engines. Needless to say, whatever the objects or phenomenon were, the USAF was not taking reports from the 14th Infantry, nor anyone else in the 4th Infantry Division.Since the early 1950s, the US Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) and Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) have promulgated a series of Merchant Ship Intelligence (MERINT) instructions which contained a standardized process for reporting unusual, unidentified or potentially hostile aircraft or vessels. While promulgated within Joint Army Navy Air Force Publication 146 (JANAP 146) doctrine, MERINT instructions were by both non-military maritime professionals aboard US and Canadian flagged ships. Usually running at twelve pages or so, they were often published alongside the more well-known Communications Instructions for Reporting Vital Intelligence Sightings (CIRVIS) procedures, and, in fact, some shortened versions of JANAP 146 have both the MERINT and CIRVIS sections combined into one chapter.Specifically, MERINT instructions requested the reporting of unidentified aircraft, or, formations of unidentified aircraft, missiles, hostile or unidentified submarines and surface vessels, and other unusual or unexpected air or waterborne activity. Also specified are unidentified flying objects. A submitted MERINT report would include a description of the sighting, including the object(s) shape, size, color, any discernible features, associated sound, direction of travel, length of sighting, etc. Historically, addressees included, to name a few, the Commander-in-Chief, North American Air Defense Command (CINCNORAD), the USNs Chief of Naval Operations, (CNO), the USNs Director, Naval Ocean Surveillance Information Center, (D-NOSIC), and the Canadian Navys Commander, Maritime Command.The US Navy (USN) was serious about the promulgation of MERINT instructions through a document titled Military Sea Transportation Service, Far East, Instruction 3360.1A. The four page document, distributed in June, 1967, was sent from the Commander, Military Sea Transportation Service, Far East, San Francisco, to various USN Naval Communication Stations (NAVCOMMSTA) in the Asia-Pacific region. Starting on Page 1, the subject line of the document is Reporting of Vital Intelligence Sightings from Seaborne Sources (SHORT TITLE  MERINT) and highlights JANAP 146(E) in the reference list. In the Purpose section, it is stated:Note here that a distinction is drawn between Unidentified Flying Objects, or, UFOs and missiles, unidentified single aircraft or formation of aircraft, etc. Thus, UFOs do not seem to mean the same thing. I have imaged the page below:While it is probably unnecessary to reproduce the rest of Military Sea Transportation Service, Far East, Instruction 3360.1A here, I should mention that the second page lays out what exactly should be contained in a report, including items such Date and time of sighting, Altitude of object expressed as Low, Medium or High, Direction of travel of object, Speed of object and Conditions of sea and weather. Clearly, MERINT instructions, as well as the more familiar CIRVIS procedures mentioned before, are primarily for the reporting of unidentifiable aircraft or vessels which could be hostile. However, unusual UFO events have indeed been reported using MERINT and CIRVIS procedures. The USAFs Project Blue Book case files contain a significant number of them, as do Canadas UFO files, formally held by the Department of National Defence (DND). And these are only the cases we know aboutIt is easily argued that significant MERINT and CIRVIS reported UFO cases never even made it to Blue Book or the DND, and, in fact, stayed well within operational areas of air defence, air intelligence and so forth. The infamous Bolender Memo, which was actually an USAF Air Staff Study, and not a memorandum as such, stated that reports of unidentified flying objects which could affect national security are made in accordance with JANAP 146 are not part of the Blue Book system.. Signed on the 20th October, 1969 by Brigadier General Carrol H. Bolender, Deputy Director of Development, USAF, the document also went on to state that reports of UFOs which could affect national security would continue to be handled through the standard Air Force procedures designed for this purpose.. Thus, it is established that JANAP 146, which contained CIRVIS and MERINT reporting procedures, was one of a number of ongoing examples of doctrine that allowed for, even demanded, the reporting of UFOs which could affect national security. CIRVIS and MERINT reportable events have continued to be submitted with urgency. Canadas Department of Transport (DOT) has released some of these reports, but the USAF and NORAD have not, and Freedom of Information requests have been knocked back time and time again.Actual MERINT instruction booklets, like the example referred to in Military Sea Transportation Service, Far East, Instruction 3360.1A, have been released, and are quite clear in textual and graphical presentation. While there have been different versions released since the 1950s, a good example of a Vietnam War-era MERINT booklet is OPNAV 94-P-3. Signed off by Admiral James S. Russell, Vice Chief of Naval Operations, USN, and promulgated in July, 1959, this version of MERINT was current until January, 1967. Page 6 contains the typical What To Report section. It is stated, Report all airborne and waterborne objects which appear hostile, suspicious, or unidentified. Examples such as guided missiles and aircraft or contrails are listed as distinct from unidentified flying objects. Also displayed are shaded illustrations next to each example. Next to unidentified flying objects is a somewhat classic flying saucer craft, as well as a Buck Rogers type rocket. So, again, there is certainly a requirement here that UFOs were to be reported. Below is the page in question.In March, 2015, researcher Barry Greenwood discovered that the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) had made a previously unknown collection of Vietnam War-era records partially available. Titled Combat Air Activities Files (CACTA), these records were originally controlled by the Joint Chiefs of Staffs (JCS) J-3 (Operations) Directorate, and contain vast amounts of tabulated data regarding combat missions flown over southeast Asia. The CACTA database is keyword searchable. Using the search term UFO, dozens of records populate the results display. Furthermore, the term UFO is often accompanied by other terms. The results are as varied as UFO CHASE, SUS UFO and UFO SEARCH. The actual missions that contain these terms include Air Interdiction, Visual Reconnaissance, Flare Drop, Strike and Airborne Alert. Amazingly, although the raw data in these records are available, the actual hardcopy records at NARA are still classified SECRET. So, even after five decades, the controlling authorities have not seen fit to make them fully available. Barry Greenwood, probably the worlds leading expert on government UFO records availability, says:Still, what little we see in these summarised CACTA records is enough to, once again, conclude that the US military, was using the term UFO regularly, and, it was being used as a standard descriptor. This should not have been the case. Project Blue Book was being finalized, and the Colorado UFO Study had actually ended when some of these aerial missions over Asia were evidently still listing some events as UFOs. Below is one of the digital results pages from the online CACTA database.To conclude, there is undoubtedly far more Vietnam War-era documentation yet to be declassified and released. We have only seen a fraction of the administrative records painstakingly produced by all four branches of the US military. We have, likewise, only scratched the surface when it comes to operational records  records we know exist by category or title, but have yet to be made available to researchers. There are Strike Reports, Air Interdiction Results, After Action Mission Reports, Base Alerts, Reconnaissance Reports, Bombardment Reports, Daily Staff Journals, Air Traffic Control Logs, and myriad other groupings of day-to-day paperwork. If the comparatively tiny number of released records, so far, are littered with references to UFOs, then the rest of them will hardly be any different. Experience tells us that these current discoveries will not be a freak statistical fluke.More importantly, considering that UFOs were being reported distinctly from other aerial activity, Project Blue Book investigation, with only a handful of exceptions, was absolutely nowhere to be seen. Researchers are well area that the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD), Aerospace Defence Command (ADCOM), and the old Strategic Air Command (SAC) were not submitting UFO cases to Project Blue Book when they should have been, but now we can safely say that American forces in Vietnam were no better. Congress, the press and the public were being regularly told that Blue Book was the final word in UFO case collection and study.Even the most extremist, most boneheaded debunker cannot fail to see dishonesty and inconsistency here. Astoundingly, when Americas leaders specifically ask about the UFO matter, they are told untruths. In a reply letter to Senator Patty Murray, dated August 25, 1993, Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Shubert, USAF, stated:Compare this with the contents of the Bolender Memo, which stated reports of unidentified flying objects which could affect national security are made in accordance with JANAP 146. As I have highlighted, JANAP 146 laid out CIRVIS and MERINT procedures, which, needless to say, specifically ask for the reporting of unidentified flying objects. Moreover, actual copies of CIRVIS and MERINT reports held in America are still classified, despite the fact that some are thirty or forty years old. The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), while powerful, has not yielded anything. The Canadian government has done better, releasing interesting CIRVIS reports as they see fit. Apparently though, Canadian MERINT reports are not available. Below is a copy of the reply letter to Senator Patty Murray:As for Vietnam, whatever the situation  UFOs, helicopters, unknown aircraft, whatever phrase or term used, there is an awful lot of questions that need to be answered, and an gigantic quantity of military records which need to be seen. We are making progress on the latter.
About two years ago, I did a comparison of the costs and benefits of the Visa Black Card and the American Express Platinum. And the result wasn't even close -- the Amex Platinum was better in virtually every way. Many reviews around the same time even referred to the Visa Black Card as the worst credit card product on the market. Since then, the Visa Black Card has been rebranded as the "Luxury Card," so let's see if the card is now a worthy competitor for the Amex Platinum.

The American Express Platinum: High-end benefits at a reasonable cost

At first glance, the American Express Platinum card's $450 annual fee may sound expensive, and it is in the sense that there are plenty of reward credit cards you could get for less. However, consider the array of benefits that come with it.

Travelers will enjoy a $200 annual airline fee credit that is automatically applied to incidental expenses such as baggage fees or in-flight food and drink. Plus, there is a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre-Check every four years. In addition, the card gives access to Delta Sky Club airport lounges, as well as lounges in the Priority Pass network, and the ultra-luxurious Centurion lounges.

Through its Fine Hotels and Resorts program, cardholders can get benefits such as room upgrades and late checkout, and also have access to American Express' Platinum Travel Service, whose representatives can provide custom travel itineraries and recommendations. Cardholders also get elite status at several major hotel and car rental chains, such as Starwood's SPG Gold status and Hilton HHonors Gold.

As far as rewards go, purchases earn Amex Membership Reward points at a one-point-per-dollar rate for most purchases and a generous five-point-per-dollar rate on air travel booked directly. As an introductory offer, American Express is advertising a 40,000-point bonus after spending $3,000 over the first three months, which basically covers your annual fee for the first year.

Luxury Card's MasterCard Black Card: Better than before

As I mentioned, the Visa Black Card issued by Barclays has since been rebranded as the Luxury Card, which is available in three tiers of MasterCard products -- Titanium, Black, and Gold. The MasterCard Black Card is the old Visa product's direct replacement, as the annual fee is at $495, same as the old product.

My biggest complaint about the old Visa Black Card is that for virtually every one of its benefits, the Amex Platinum offered a better version. And this is still true, in many cases. For example, the MasterCard Black Card comes with a Priority Pass airline lounge membership, while the Amex Platinum includes this and access to Delta Sky Clubs and Centurion Lounges. And the $100 annual airline fee credit offered by the card is one-upped by the Amex Platinum's $200 annual credit amount. Both cards reimburse members for TSA Pre-Check or Global Entry. To be fair, these benefits are an improvement over the Visa Black Card.

The rewards program is also improved, and is superior to the Amex card's program in terms of redemption value. Just like with the Visa Black Card, the new MasterCard version has the double point-redemption rate for airfare. Additionally, there is a new 1.5-to-one redemption rate for cash back rewards. The Amex Platinum has neither of these benefits.

One final big drawback to the MasterCard Black Card is the lack of any introductory offer advertised on its website -- no point bonus, introductory APR, fee waiver, or anything is mentioned as of this writing. This is rare among lower-end credit cards, let alone those that cost nearly $500 per year.

Value wins

The MasterCard Black Card is certainly an improvement over its predecessor but not by much, especially in the current ultra-competitive high-end credit card market. Simply put, the Amex Platinum offers a much more compelling value for a slightly lower cost, while this is just not the case for the MasterCard Black Card.

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Organisation: United Nations

High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

Position No.: 10027130

Vacancy Notice: 009/2017

Duty Station: Uganda

Post Grade: NOA

About UNHCR:

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees was

established on December 14, 1950 by the United Nations General Assembly.

UNHCRs mandate under the Statute of the Office of the United Nations High

Commissioner for Refugees is to lead and co-ordinate action for international

protection to refugees; seek permanent solutions for the problems of refugees

and safeguard refugee rights and well-being. UNHCR has an additional mandate concerning

issues of statelessness, as it is given a designated role under Article 11 of

the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.

Job Summary: The Assistant

Information Management Officer will assist in the production and dissemination

of information on the population of concern, including but not limited to

Protection and Programme information. The incumbent will operationalize data

standards developed at the central level in field operations, will compile data

and analyses information from all populations of concern. S/he will support the

Programme Team and UNHCR implementing partners in the choice of indicators for

monitoring to be included in sub-agreements as well as the Protection Team in

operationalizing protection monitoring systems.



Responsibilities: Key Duties andResponsibilities:

Operationalize country-specific common

data standards and promote them with partners, including UNHCR data

standards and the IASC Common Operational Datasets.

The incumbent will compile, aggregrate and

analyze data and information elements required to produce standardized

information products and implement data/information collection plans for

baseline and context-specific data.

Support the operation in the analysis of

processed data and information and perform data quality and consistency

control.

Facilitate the analysis of cross-border

information between relevant countries.

Assist in training staff involved in

information management activities, including data collection and data

entry teams.

Support and leverage geographic data for

map production and use in geographic information systems (GIS).

Share UNHCR data with partner agencies and

maintain Portal data and information in-line with agreed frequencies.

Provide technical Information Management

support to Needs Assessment processes, specifically in data collection,

processing/collation and analysis.

Perform other duties as required.

Key Performance Indicators:

The Office delivers reliable, accessible

and user-friendly, relevant, predictable, appropriate and timely information.

Global data standards, and where

appropriate, the establishment of country-specific common data standards

are adopted by UNHCR and its partners.











Experience: Qualifications, Skills andExperience:

The ideal candidate for the United Nations

UNHCR Assistant Information Management Officer career opportunity should

hold a good University degree in information technology, demography,

statistics, social sciences or any related area.

A minimum of two years of relevant work

experience.

Knowledge of the UN system and the

humanitarian community.

Proven skills to analyse statistical

information.

Advanced Excel skills (e.g. pivot tables,

functions, etc.).

Ability to formulate IM-related technical

requirements and Operating Procedures.

Previous experience with handling confidential

data and demonstrated understanding of different data collection

methodologies.



knowledge of another UN language. Excellent knowledge of English and workingknowledge of another UN language.

How to Apply:

All interested Ugandan nationals who wish to join the United Nations

High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in the aforementioned capacity are

encouraged to click on the link below and follow the application instructions

after reviewing the job details.

Deadline: 18th December 2017






Job Title: Water and Sanitation Field Engineer

Organisation: Catholic

Relief Services (CRS)

Duty Station: Uganda

Reports to: Water and

Sanitation Team Leader

About US:

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) in an international non-profit

organization that carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United

States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. Our Catholic identity is at

the heart of our mission and operations. We welcome as a part of our staff and

as partners people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values

and our commitment to serving those in need.

Job Summary: The Water and

Sanitation Field Engineer will overview and monitor all Water and Sanitation

Construction activities. He/she will manage all community teams constructing

latrine slabs, digging drainages and monitoring contractors in water supply

repair /constructions.



Responsibilities: Key Duties andResponsibilities:

Work in liaison with WASH TLs and

Operation staff to ensure that materials are delivered in time and

according to specified quantities.

As indicated by the WASH TLs conduct

assessments and/or surveys.

Undergo together with Community Latrine

Slab construction team a training given by Oxfam on production and

construction of dome shaped latrine slabs

Supervise on a daily basis all

construction activities ensuring that high quality of works are achieved

Have a close coordination with Hygiene

Promotion Officers and ensure that all daily workers sign attendance

sheets in order to be paid

The jobholder will repair or supervise

repairs of hand pumps

Ensure together with the HPTL that Field

Engineers and Hygiene Promotion Officers engages both refugee and hosts

communities in consultation, mobilization and construction activities

where these are community based.

Encourage contractors to employ skilled

and unskilled workers from the refugees and host communities

Support PM to prepare plans, proposals,

and budgets for project extensions and new construction projects.

Ensure that Field Engineers monitor that

community workers and contractors adheres to Health and Safety standards

during construction activities.

The incumbent ensures that use of

appropriate project management tools to plan, review and track progress on

projects implementation as well as on the utilization of project

resources.

Ensure the development and implementation

of a strong M&E system using appropriate CRS tools and resources to

maximize project impact on beneficiaries.

Keenly monitor project development and

identify deviation from approved project plans and implement corrective

measures when necessary to ensure that the partners meet the project

objectives.



Experience: Qualifications, Skills andExperience:

The applicant must hold a Bachelors or

Masters Degree in Civil Engineering, Hydraulic Engineering, Hydrogeology

or Construction Engineering

At least two years experience working

with INGOs in the field of Emergency WASH or other infrastructure WASH

programs.

Prior implementation experience of water

supply: gravity fed systems and distribution networks, experience in

repairing India Mark II, III & AfriDev hand pumps

Implementation experience in sanitation:

construction experience especially different types of latrine and toilet

technologies

Communicates strategically under pressure

Manages stress and complexity

Actively promotes safety and security

Proven organizational skills and ability

to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.

Strong verbal and written English

communication skills as well as local languages.

Excellent interpersonal communication

skills.

Proficient in the use of AutoCAD and MS

Office programs.

Ability to work independently and

creatively.

Enthusiasm in workings, a member of a team

and willingness to learn.

Ability to embrace the challenge of

working under pressure

Agency-Wide Competences (for all CRS

Staff): Serves with

Integrity, Models

Stewardship, Cultivates

Constructive Relationships, Promotes

Learning

How to Apply:

All suitably qualified and interested candidates are encouraged to send

a cover letter, updated CV and three work references (names and contact

information only) to ug_recruitment@crs.org

Deadline: 24th February, 2017
Still Standing: Four the Moments legacy honoured at Nova Scotia Music Week

When a quartet of Halifax women began singing together a cappella in the name of social justice in 1982, there was little in the way of a music industry at play in Atlantic Canada. And even if there had been, its likely that Four the Moment would ...
Kangana Ranaut has been making news for her honest and cheeky responses to Karan Johar on his show, Koffee with Karan. The episode, aired on Sunday, got people talking on Twitter. Twitterers and fans haven't stopped raving about her honesty and how she gave it back to Johar, who is considered by many, including Ranaut, as the movie mafia.



She was hailed as the real queen of Bollywood. Many applauded her for being bold and calling out the nepotism that is so deeply entrenched in the industry.

Kangana Ranaut is that rare actor who is honest in her roles and even more honest in her life.

Can't not love her.  Sorabh Pant (@hankypanty) February 20, 2017

She had appeared on the show along with Saif Ali Khan, her co-star in the upcoming Vishal Bhardwaj film, Rangoon.



Usually, Johar's guests engage in friendly banter with him, reminding audience of how close-knit and diplomatic the Bollywood community can be. In some episodes, Johar does manage to bring up difficult or less talked about subjectslike Salman Khan's virginitythat makes waves.

Haha that's how U roast someone without being abusive/racist. Probably AIB & CNB can learn a lesson or two from kangana #koffeewithkangana  Prakriti  (@illuminati5666) February 19, 2017

With Ranaut, however, Johar was in for a surprise. He was more often than once put into an uncomfortable spot, which he took into stride.

So Kangana Ranaut actually sat across from Karan Johar on *his* show,and called him 'flag bearer of nepotism' in Bollywood. Lady has guts :)  Padmaja joshi (@PadmajaJoshi) February 20, 2017

Early on in the episode, Ranaut reminded Johar of the time he had made fun of her accent and the way she spoke English in the same show, years before. She then said to him, strongly, You've been the driving force of my life. If it wasn't for all the rejections and the mocking, I wouldn't have made it.

There are Bollywood actresses and then there's Kangana Ranaut  She rules; both on screen and off screen. #KoffeeWithKangana   (@nilima_gg) February 19, 2017

She also called him out for being intolerant of outsiders, referring to how he had never cast her in his or Dharma Productions' films. In another one of her now-popular one-liners, she said, If ever my biopic is made, you'll be the stereotypical Bollywood biggie who is snooty...a flag-bearer of nepotism...the movie mafia. It elicited a masked uncomfortable laugh from Johar.



Even with the rapid fire questions, she seemed to take potshots at Johar.

Ranaut also mentioned how Aditya Chopra had once dismissed her as someone who would not make much of a difference in the industry, and how he called her last year to say that he was wrong.

" Why is it becoming impossible for people to be happy for others?" Kangana Ranaut. So so true.  Swapan Seth (@swapanseth) February 21, 2017 "You made fun of my English on this couch. Sometimes these things drive you" Kangana Ranaut to @karanjohar Satak!  #koffeewithkangana  Rahul Sharma (@Biorahul) February 19, 2017

On being asked which Big KhanShah Rukh, Aamir or Salmanshe would want to work with, she said she wouldn't want to work with any of them. I don't want to work with anyone with whom I don't have an equal role, she said.



She did speak endearingly of her Rangoon co-stars, Saif and Shahid Kapoor. She also narrated how Vishal Bhardwaj was one of the people she sought validation from (and not someone like Johar, she said). "You seek validation from people you look up to. Not people that you don't care about. Vishal sir has written a character in which I can see a genuine appreciation for me as an actor and a genuine regard for my art. It is not just talk where you are praising someone sitting there and then never want to work with them.

Kangana: "Karan, I know your show is frivolous but you make our work seem even more frivolous." #koffeewithkangana  srishti. (@srishtea) February 19, 2017

Saif Ali Khan was completely overshadowed during the entirety of the show. Whenever Ranaut said something snarky, his expressions were aptsometimes disbelief, sometimes wonder. When he did get to speak, he talked about the controversy around naming his son Taimur Ali Khan and giving up a role in Kapoor and Sons, among other things.


Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Anil Dave is in denial mode. On Tuesday, he came down heavily on the studies done by international agencies and institutes which have highlighted the health hazards caused by air pollution in India.

While not naming the studies, he said Indians have a tendency to be impressed by foreign data and not consider the data generated by the institutes in the country. Recent studies have shown that air pollution in India is the cause for 1.1 million premature deaths in the country. While the minister refuted these figures, he was unable to provide the authentic Indian data, saying the Ministry of Health was in the process of compiling it. All that he was able to provide was a study by the Chittranjan Institute in Kolkata, which according to him, says, Air pollution aggravates health conditions and increases chances of death, it is not directly the cause of death.''

Dave also washed his hands off the responsibility of curbing air pollution, saying this was the task of the local municipal bodies, and in the federal structure, his ministry's role was just that of a mentor and guide. Understanding air pollution is no rocket science... All you have to understand is that the main causes of air pollution are road dust, vehicular emission, biomass burning, industrial discharge, generator sets and construction and demolition works. If these issues are addressed, there will not be any problem at all,'' he said, adding that ministry had recently provided a 42-point set of guidelines to local bodies, but it was their duty to implement them.

India is not the only country grappling with bad air. Recently, a delegation from European Union told me about their problems. I told them their issues are different from ours,'' the minister said.

Incidentally, after the smog in Delhi last November, the government set up a centralised monitoring agency between centre and states. We are monitoring responses on a regular basis,'' said an official.
The Congress on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking why he has not spoken out on the Naliya sex scandal in Gujarat's Kutch region.

The party claimed that the scandal, in which some of the BJP leaders are the accused, exposes the hollowness of the BJP government's Beti Bachao slogan.

Terming the incident another 'Nirbhaya case', Shobha Oza, chairperson of the All India Mahila Congress, said while the Modi government has completed two-and-a-half years in office, women are not safe in his home state.

Why has the prime minister, who gave the slogan Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao, maintained a stoic silence on the issue of Naliya sex scandal of Kutch? The slogan is simply a hollow one as BJP and RSS leaders have become exploiters of women in the country, she said.

Oza said according to the statement made by the victim, she was drugged and raped by the accused who also videotaped the crime with the intention of blackmailing her. The victim claimed that she was

molested several times after the incident, forcing her to try to commit suicide thrice.

According to Oza, the victim lodged an FIR against BJP leaders. When the police took them into custody, friends of the accused started threatening the family of the victim, pressuring them to withdraw the charge, and even offered Rs. 1 crore to take back the complaint, she said.

The Congress demanded that the incident be probed by a sitting judge under the supervision of the High Court. Why is Modiji not ready for investigation of such incidents when they take place in Gujarat, Assam or other BJP-ruled states? Oza asked. She also said the BJP delayed action against the accused who belong to the party.

According to the National Crime Record Bureau, 12 out of the 13 BJP-ruled states lead in cases of rape and molestation of women, but Modiji talks of the situation in other states. Will the prime minister introspect? she asked.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi, who has not campaigned in the ongoing Uttar Pradesh elections, didn't figure in the party's campaign schedule for Tuesdaythe last day to seek votes for the fourth phase of balloting on Thursday.

The party released its schedule late Monday for rallies to be addressed by Sonia Gandhi's son and Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi in Rae Barelithe Congress bastion and its President's Lok Sabha constituency.

According to the schedule, Rahul Gandhi would address a road show in Allahabad along with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav as the Congress and Samajwadi Party are contesting the polls together.

Sonia Gandhi has not attended a single rally in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goathe five states where elections began early this month.

Goa, Punjab and Uttarakhand have voted while staggered polling in Uttar Pradesh that began on February 11 will end on March 8.

Manipur votes on March 4 and 8. Results of all the elections will be known on March 11.

This is for the first time in Sonia Gandhi's political career that she has skipped election campaign for the party she has headed since 1998.

The Congress President was listed one of the star campaigners for the party. She was expected to canvass for Congress candidates in Rae Barelispread over five assembly constituencies.

But she had not been keeping well since August last year when she was taken ill at a public meeting in Varanasi. She also skipped much of the budget session of Parliament this month.

A Congress leader told IANS on condition of anonymity that Sonia Gandhi won't attend any public rally in Uttar Pradesh and Manipur.
Union IT and Electronics Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Tuesday met Indian-born CEO of Microsoft Satya Nadella and urged him to consider the use of Microsoft's innovative technology in the upcoming Digigaon (Digital Village) initiative.

"Had a good &productive meeting with @satyanadella. He deeply appreciated the success of ongoing #DigitalIndia program, which is transformative," the minister tweeted after talks with Nadella here.

"Requested @satyanadella to consider the use of their innovative technology in the proposed Digigaon (Digital Village) initiative," Prasad added.

In the Union Budget for the 2017-18 Fiscal, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced that a DigiGaon initiative will be launched for the provision of telemedicine, education and skills with the help of digital technology.

After meeting the minister, Nadella was scheduled to attend and address "Future Decoded"Microsoft's two-day flagship technology and business conference thatstarted off in Mumbai on Tuesday.

The conference is a platform that brings together 1,500 business and government decision-makers to engage in conversations on how technology will transform all aspects of our work and life.

On Monday, leading e-commerce major Flipkart tied up with the global software major Microsoft to use its Azure Cloud platform for boosting its e-tail sales.

The strategic partnership was announced by Satya Nadella on his maiden visit to Bengaluru after he took over the reins of the world's largest software product firm in February 2014.

"At Microsoft, we aim to empower every Indian and every Indian organisation with technology through strategic partnerships with innovative firms like Flipkart," said Nadella on the occasion.

As a public cloud computing platform, Azure provides a range of services, including analytics, storage and networking on network of computers (cloud).

"By combining our public cloud platform and AI (Artificial Intelligence) capabilities with Flipkart's services and data assets, we will enable the e-tailor to accelerate its digital transformation and deliver new customer experiences," said Nadella.
Kigali, Rwanda: On April 7, 1994, Rwanda entered the darkest period of its history. As depicted in the Hollywood film Hotel Rwanda, and in various other films and books, the genocide against the Tutsis led to a loss of up to one million Tutsis and moderate Hutus in 100 days. During this period, Hotel des Mille Collines became a shelter for a terrified crowd fearing for their lives. Up to 2,000 people were saved by the hotel opening its doors to citizens fearing for their lives. Some gave birth, others got married and, most importantly, all of them were given the chance to have a future.



It is in this hotel, Vice President Hamid Ansari met the President of the Senate of Rwanda, Bernard Makuza, on Monday and presented him the copy of the Constitution. "We were delighted to host the Vice President of India. The hotel is frequented by international tourists who want to know about the history, particularly because many of them have seen the movie," said Paul Kato, marketing manager of the hotel.



Ansari's gesture signified the highest importance being given by India to the history of Rwanda that shaped the lives of not only the sufferers of the genocide but also the Indians who formed a significant part of this struggle for revival. Ansari was served an eight-course meal here, with famous Indian chicken and fish curries on the menu. Incidentally, it was a Pakistani national Ubed Rehman, the executive housekeeper of the hotel, who got a chance to serve Ansari and decide the lavish Indian menu.



Vice President Hamid Ansari with President of the Senate of Rwanda Bernard Makuza before a meeting in Kigali on Monday | PTI

Speaking in Hindi, Rehman, who was earlier working in Iraq, said that Rwanda is reaching out to the world community with lessons in peace and brotherhood. Rehman said he was happy to have got a chance to meet the Vice President. Today, the hotel has 70-80 per cent occupancy on a daily basis, where volcano safaris and visit to the genocide memorial top the list of must-visit places by foreign tourists.



The memorial has pictures of the deceased men, women and children, victims of worst kind of brutality that brings shame to humanity. Fresh flowers are kept on graves, some open ones, keeping memories of their loved ones alive. But amid this despair, the management of the memorial is gathering messages of peace for its future generations. On sheets of paper, whoever visits the memorial, can leave a message of peace and harmony that are collected and read out to children of Rwanda.


Lord Hanuman, please grant me a visa, says one appeal, scribbled in red ink on a sheet of paper. Another simply says, My daughter, Tanu, desires to study and work in the US. Several such notes are placed all around the idol of Lord Hanuman at the Chamatkari Visawale Hanuman Mandir, situated in a congested street in Neb Sarai in Delhi. Visa aspirants flock to this shrine for divine intervention; the temple is fabled to grant visas to the true believers.

Though visa seekers for all countries come here, the US aspirants outnumber all others put together. Their pleas are only getting more fervent now that the new administration in America has announced a rethink of the H-1B visas under which skilled workers head to the US.

Three private member bills on tweaking the H-1B visas have been tabled in the US Congress and President Donald Trumps administration has reportedly drafted an executive order to cap these visas, a move ostensibly to ensure that Americans get the first pick of jobs, instead of foreign techiesmost of them from Indiawho take away these jobs at low salaries of around $60,000 a year.

Trumps intentions have come as a splash of icy water on the dreams of thousands of Indians who had been hoping for a foothold in the land of opportunity. Akanksha Sharma was thrilled after she was short-listed by her firm for a transfer to its US office. She applied for the H-1B visa last May and was twice lucky when her name came through in the random selection (the process by which cleared aspirants are picked). She checked her case status online, and saw that her application had got the approved tag last month. But the company attorney in the US, who was supposed to get a letter to this effect from the US government, hasnt got it yet, so her application is in limbo. Is the delay part of the natural process, or have recent developments put my case on hold? wonders 28-year-old Sharma, a certified professional in learning and performance.

The entire process of H-1B visa tests your patience in the normal course. There is an element of chance, there is no set parameter for how long one stage takesit could be days in one case, weeks or even months for another. Now, there is the cloud of the visa itself being revamped, says Sharma.

Sharma at least hasnt incurred any monetary loss as she waits for Uncle Sams invitation. Neil Das is in a tighter spot. Following in the footsteps of his uncle, who went to work in Silicon Valley at the beginning of the dotcom boom in the mid 1990s, and whose journey from H-1B visa to green card to citizenship took just under ten years, Das went to the US for his masters in engineering, a course that has cost his middle-class parents around Rs 75 lakh. He was hoping to stay back and work, recovering the investment and hopefully, living the American Dream. He will get an employee authorisation document (EAD) from his college, which will give him two years to work in the US, by when he should acquire a work visa, says his uncle, Arindam, a California resident. Given the way things are developing, it seems hell be back in India once the EAD lapses.

No wonder 21-year-old Shantanu Gupta, a final-year mechanical engineering student at Ramaiah Institute of Technology, Bengaluru, is wary about pursuing his American Dream. I have applied to some US universities for my masters. But now I am trying for some universities in Europe. Although the US is a better option for higher studies, I think in the next few years, job opportunities for outsiders will go down there. What is the point in pursuing a masters if there is no scope for a job, says Gupta. The Trump government will make the situation very unpredictable and uncertain for us.

Xavier Augustin, founder of Hyderabad-based immigration consultancy Y-Axis Overseas, has a word of advice for worried youngsters like Gupta. Augustin, who is enrolled in a course in Harvard University, says American education institutions remain one of the best value propositions for students. And, it will be unfortunate to lose out a life changing opportunity because of a perceived fear.

Imaging: Binesh Sreedharan, Graphics: Ajeesh Kumar

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup, too, says it is premature to react as the H-1B bills and the executive order have not yet been passed. He says India has conveyed its interests and concerns to the US administration and the US Congress at senior levels. The government has asked the IT industry, which is perceived to be most vulnerable, to put together a dossier on how it will be affected. Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman held a meeting with top officials from ministries of finance, telecommunication and external affairs, which was also attended by industry representatives. The meeting asked industry bodies to formulate a strategy on how to counter the move that might hit Indian business badly. NASSCOM (National Association of Software and Services Companies) is expected to take up this task.

Despite the mounting challenges, the allure of America remains strong. I could explore Canada or Europe, but it wont be the same thing, says Bengaluru-based software engineer D. Sannat. The US is on top, isnt it? Everything is the best there, infrastructure, future, and till now, there was stability in government policies, too. Plus, most of us have relatives and friends in the US, he says. Moreover, the variety and number of universities in the US is unmatched, says Vibha Kagzi, founder of ReachIvy, an overseas education consulting firm. The quality of research at these institutes and the faculty are top class. And theres a range of employment opportunities, from Silicon Valley for the techies to Wall Street for the financial ones. Its not just for Indians, the US is the global top destination, says Kagzi.

However, the promise of quality education without the assurance of a job that will help repay the exorbitant fees sours the dream. America does want Indian (and Chinese) students, whose fees help keep the universities in business. A degree from an American university costs an Indian anything from Rs 80 lakh to Rs 1.2 crore, an amount which many aspirational families scrimp and save. If you get a job in the US, the loans can be repaid in three to six years. On Indian salaries, it would take up to 20 years, says Kagzi, explaining how capping the H-1B visa will hit Indians.

Sujata Mahajan, who works in a multinational consultancy firm, has been saving for years, hoping to send her son, an engineering student, to the US for that coveted masters degree. We had recently been told that some of us could be selected to work in the US office, she says. Mahajan was hoping that she would be able to get her work visa around the same time her son started his masters course. That, however, was before Trump came to power. My son is studying electronics and communication engineering, for which the US is the best place, if we are spending so much money. Unless theres scope of work after college, the dream might remain just that, she says.

The Trump administration wants to make it less lucrative for firms to hire cheap technical labour from foreign shores. One way of doing this is to raise minimum salaries of visa workers from the current $60,000 annually (much below the rates at which Americans are hired) to $1,30,000, so that only the cream is hired on H-1B. Given that most of the tech companies manned by Indian software engineers pay employees around $60-$85,000 a year, this lucrative set-up is in jeopardy.

The H-1B visa has been exploited in recent years by body-shopping companies from India, who send workers on temporary contracts, then shift them from one outsourced project to another, making a good commission, says Arindam. There are increasing problems with this visa systemthe lottery for selection, the waiting that can stretch for two years and people who are exploiting the provisions. Had Hillary Clinton won, she, too, would have had a challenge, sorting out the work visa-green card mess. I dont know whether Trumps way is the right way, but one thing is certain. America does not have qualified locals for these high-skilled jobs, which is why workers are being imported in the first place, Arindam adds.

T.V. Mohandas Pai, who was chief financial officer of Infosys, agrees. Indian IT companies deliver complex quality projects. The systems of many large global corporations are managed and run by these companies, a critical function the failure of which could disrupt the banking system and paralyse their operations. Many companies are affected because of the lack of IT employees. With rapid shifts in technology, the situation will worsen, he says. In his view, a hike in the basic salary for H-1B visa holders will result in a massive increase in costs. Big companies in Silicon Valley are willing to pay above $1,00,000 but they are a small part of the industry; main street America will suffer a lot, says Pai. The move will also affect American universities, according to J.A. Chowdhary, IT adviser to the government of Andhra Pradesh. American universities will face a cash flow problem since most of them depend on Asian contributions.

Shantanu Gupta (extreme left) | Bhanu Prakash Chandra

Ashok Soota, another IT industry veteran, says the Indian IT industry should adapt to the proposed visa changes and move forward. Every change of regulation has actually turned out to be for the benefit of the Indian industry because we adapted and worked out strategic approaches. By sending fewer, but more experienced and skilled persons abroad, we will drive the movement up the value chain. We will also bridge the gap, if any, in revenues by doing more local hiring. Lalit Advani, president of Ahmedabad-based consultancy service Visa Central, sees yet another silver lining. He says although the proposed regulations would hurt Indian companies and visa consultants, it would give impetus to schemes like Make In India.

Richa Saklani, business head of California-based Stoodnt.com, a career and college consultancy, says techies will be less impacted than non-tech workers, whose jobs might be filled locally, too. I would advise going for the STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) option, that is where the pay is high and the local skill gap big. Also, since the order of preference for hiring is Americans first, graduates from the US second and then non US-educated workers, I would advise people to seek a course at the undergraduate level instead of masters. This would give them up to 18 months of working under the optional practical training (OPT) scheme, during which they can try for H-1B, and even enrol for a masters if that doesnt work out, thereby extending their stay legally and being able to earn a bit.

Many are exploring Plan B options. I will wait a bit more, then start looking at options in Europe or New Zealand, says Akanksha Sharma. Kagzi points towards another opportunity for India from Trumps America First policy. If he continues to be as radical, job seekers will look elsewhere. But the global environment is changing, even Europe is getting protectionist. Could India work towards attracting talent back home? For that, the country has to prepare to absorb this talent with commensurate salary. Now, thats one tall order.

WITH ABHINAV SINGH, LALITA IYER AND NANDINI OZA
REAP and the University of Wisconsin-Extension recently teamed up to teach nutrition at Lincoln Elementary School.
[PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE]

Two rockets fired from Sinai landed in open areas in southern Israel on Monday morning 24 Shevat. Bchasdei Hashem there was no loss of life, no injuries or property damage.

The accompanying photos show the impact area of the rocket.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem/Photos:   via Media Resource Group)
Histadrut national labor federation leader Avi Nissankoren has announced his deadline for an agreement to be reached with Egged regarding government subsidies. He announced on Monday 24 Shevat that if an agreement is not reached by March 21st (23 Adar), all Egged lines nationwide will be halted.

The threatened strike surrounds the fact that the subsidy agreement between Egged and the Government of Israel that was signed in 2005, expired in 2016. The government has since been skirting the issue, signaling it is trying to avoid continue a subsidy arrangement with Egged. The bus company has held a number of limited strikes since 2016, claiming it cannot continue under the current arrangement, without receiving subsidy funds for many non-profitable lines from the government.

Nissankoren added The Ministries of Transportation and Finance foot-dragging regarding implementation of the new agreement is the reason for the threatened strike.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
The Knesset Committee convened on Monday 24 Shevat to discuss no shows, the Members of Knesset who simply do not bother reporting to work.

Committee Chairman MK (Likud) Yoav Kisch let the session at the behest of Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein who has decided to address the matter of absentee MKs.

He told committee members that a special meeting was called last week and over twenty MKs did not attend, not attempting to hide his anger as he stated he may bring the matter to the Knesset Ethics Committee.

Edelstein is also less than pleased with the conduct of MKs and the constant need to call legislators to order when there is a guest present.

MK (Likud) David Bitan explained that MKs are accustomed of not reporting on Tuesdays, a day they do not view to be a work day and he suggested deducting this from their salaries if they do not show as they are required to.

It is added that in recent polls, the publics view of the Knesset continues to drop as the Israeli parliament is not viewed as an institution that demands respect. In a recent poll, Knesset support was as low as 23%.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
More than 100 headstones in a Jewish cemetery near St Louis were damaged over the weekend.

Detectives with the University City Police Department are working to find out who is responsible for the damage.

The incident happened at the Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery.

Police have not yet officially called this incident a hate crime, but believe more than one person is responsible.

The incident comes amid a rise in anti-Semitic attacks across the United States. Last month, three people were arrested in connection with the vandalism of the headstone of a Jewish couple buried in the cemetery of a small Indiana town.

Earlier this month, the windows of the Chicago Loop Synagogue were smashed and copies of swastikas were taped to its front doors.

A 31-year-old man was arrested and charged with a hate crime in connection with the vandalism.

The vandalism at the St. Louis cemetery was reported just hours after at least 10 Jewish community centers across the United States were targeted with bomb threats for the fourth time in five weeks.

Last week, President Donald Trump was asked by an Orthodox Jewish reporter during a news conference about the prior JCC bomb threats and what the governments response would be to an uptick in anti-Semitism. Although the reporter did not suggest Trump was anti-Semitic, the president answered by denying he is an anti-Semite and called the question insulting.

(Source: Breaking911.com)
The IDF Military Court today, Tuesday, 25 Shevat announced the sentence in the manslaughter trial of Sgt. Elor Azariya. The young soldier was charged with manslaughter after firing at a wounded terrorist in Hebron last Purim, killing him.

The court acknowledged that the defendant was an exemplary soldier, served as the companys medic, has always tried to contribute to society and that the incident is his first since he has always been an example of conduct and performance. The court also mentioned that it is aware that his remand to a base for ten months has had an effect on him as well as the health and well-being of his parents and family. All of these factors have been weighed prior to coming to a decision as to the verdict in the case.

The court was divided on the punishment. The sentence handed down is 18 months imprisonment and court martial to the rank of private. He will remain on probation for a number of years. If one-third is removed for good behavior as is the norm, he should not serve more than a year in prison. The court did not take his remand to the base during the trial into account for sentencing.

The terrorist was shot and wounded after stabbing an IDF soldier, a colleague of Azariya. He then responded and fired at the terrorist at close range, telling authorities he saw the terrorist moving and feared he might be reaching for a bomb on his body. Many testified and confirmed his version of the events as well as a number of people rejecting his version.

The court rejected most of the defense arguments. The prosecution asked for a 3-to-5-year sentence that does not include time served as Azariya has been restricted to his base throughout the trial, which has been about ten months. The defense asked for a year or two and including time served. The defense has indicated an appeal in the case is likely.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
The person in charge of the Kiryat Yovel minhelet, the local community council, is working very hard to do everything possible to keep out addition chareidi families and to compel those in the community to back their bags and get out.

The situation for the many frum families in the Jerusalem neighborhood is not an easy one, actually it is quite difficult at times. On Tuesday morning 25 Shevat the director of the local community council, Yechiel Levy, was interviewed on Galei Tzahal (Army Radio) and he used the opportunity to explain his modus operandi. He explained that by making life miserable for the chareidim, they will want to leave the community. This is the method that works today  choking them he stated. He explained that deprivation of services will create a level of frustration until they leave the area.

He proudly explained that the Shabbos airing of movies hosted by the local council are held in chareidi areas to show them who is the boss despite the fact there is an understanding between the chareidi and secular families in that area.

Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Yossi Deutsch then got on the air and accused Levy of anti-Semitism as he espoused his hate for an entire tzibur over the air. Deutsch explained that Levys position is funded by the Education Ministry and Jerusalem City Hall and a person such as Levy should not be permitted to remain in his public position, not even for an hour.

Deutsch added If one spoke out like this against any other sector, Ethiopians or Arabs, taking about choking them until they get out, not providing them with services they are entitled to in the hope of ousting them  there would be a public outcry as there should be in this case. Everyone would be demanding his dismissal. He should receive a letter [of dismissal] from the Minister of Education and the Mayor within the hour Deutsch added.

Following the interview on Galei Tzahal, Health Minister Yaakov Litzman stated his words representing crossing a red line and he poses a real danger to the welfare of the tzibur and Mayor Nir Barkat and Education Minister Naftali Bennett must act to dismiss him immediately as the man is not suited for the job. His words are echoed by Mayor Nir Barkat and Shas leader Aryeh Deri.

President Reuven Rivlin has also spoken out harshly against Levys statements aired on Galei Tzahal.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Toronto police have launched an investigation after notes with anti-Semitic messages were left on doors at a condominium in the city, residents say.

Photos shared with the Star show a small note bearing the phrase no Jews above a swastika written in red ink. Mezuzahs were vandalized or stolen, residents confirmed.

Helen Chaiton, who has lived in the building for 18 years, said her rabbi had visited Sunday afternoon to replace her mezuzah that was completely vandalized. Hours later, in the evening, her new mezuzah had been stolen with an obscene message left at her front door.

At the foot of my door was an expletive, and a swastika, she said. I am staying strong. I come from a family of Holocaust survivors.

Anti-Semitism has no place in Toronto. Our Jewish residents should not have to face hatred on their doorsteps, Mayor John Tory said in a statement on Monday.

These acts, and the people who carry them out, do not represent Toronto or Torontonians, the mayor continued.

Police confirmed that the Hate Crime Unit was investigating several other incidents over the past few weeks that were motivated by hate.

READ MORE: THE STAR
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The gravity of the issues raised by the events that led to national security adviser Michael Flynns resignation cannot be overstated or ignored. Revelations about Flynns contact with the Russians and reports indicating that he may have lied to the FBI about that contact may be only the tip of the iceberg. Theres an overwhelming view in our intelligence community that Russia tried to influence our election.

The American people, and indeed American democracy, require a thorough and independent investigation into what transpired and whether any criminal laws or constitutional precepts were violated. Such an investigation and any resulting prosecution would normally be carried out under the purview of the attorney general, as the nations chief law-enforcement officer with oversight of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. But in this case, given his deep and long-standing ties to President Donald Trump and many of Trumps top advisers, Attorney General Jeff Sessions cannot lead such an investigation.

Sessionss recusal is required by the Justice Departments own rules and regulations. The department clearly states that no employee shall participate in a criminal investigation or prosecution if he has a personal or political relationship with any person or organization substantially involved in the conduct that is the subject of the investigation or prosecution or any person or . . . has a specific and substantial interest that would be directly affected by the outcome of the investigation or prosecution. It is beyond dispute that Trump has a number of specific and substantial interests that would be directly affected by the outcome of the investigation. The regulations define a political relationship as a close identification with an elected official [or] candidate . . . arising from service as a principal adviser thereto or a principal official thereof.

During the campaign, Sessions was identified by the Trump campaign and by Trump himself as a key adviser. Sessions was the first senator to endorse Trump, frequently appeared with him on the campaign trail and even served on the same campaign council as Flynn. Would he be able to impartially lead an inquiry into potential wrongdoing by the team that appointed him to his current post and with whom he has been closely allied? Certainly, the appearance of bias is unavoidable.

Most important, Sessionss recusal from this matter is important not only to comply with the law but also to ensure that the public can have faith that the investigation is being conducted in a thorough and impartial way. Last week, the attorney general met with the president in the Oval Office, as his job requires. Until he recuses himself from this investigation, many Americans will remain suspicious about what they discussed. Did they talk about the ongoing investigation? Did the president try, in any way, to steer him away from the truth? A cloud will hang over every meeting and conversation between the president and attorney general until Sessions recuses himself.

Because administration officials did not reveal Flynns prevaricating about his contacts with Russia for weeks, acknowledging them only after they were exposed by the media, they have made it extremely difficult for the American people to believe that they will endeavor to get to the bottom of the issues at hand. Removing a political ally from running the investigation is absolutely necessary to assure the public the matter will be handled without partisanship. Anything short of a full recusal by Sessions will jaundice the investigation and violate Justice Department rules.

As then-Sen. Sessions wrote, with others, in calling for the recusal of then-Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch in the matter of former secretary of state Hillary Clintons emails: When a high public official is accused of serious wrongdoing and there is a sufficient factual predicate to investigate it is imperative the investigation be thorough, with dispatch and without partisanship. . . . The appropriate response when the subject matter is public and it arises in a highly-charged political atmosphere is for the Attorney General to appoint a Special Counsel of great public stature and indisputable independence to assure the public the matter will be handled without partisanship. Attorney General Jeff Sessions should take the words of Sen. Jeff Sessions to heart.

Special to The Washington Post  Chuck Schumer
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is currently on a first-ever official state visit to Singapore where he is meeting with state leaders.

Some of his most senior advisors during the trip addressed the government promise to construct a new yishuv for the Amona expellees, who are currently living under extremely harsh conditions. The official is quoted saying at present, it is far from certain that Mr. Netanyahu is going to build a new community for Amona residents. The matter now appears to be on hold until such time Mr. Netanyahu completes the visit to the Philippines and subsequent visit to Australia.

Following his meeting with US President Trump in the White House, Mr. Netanyahu spoke of the formation of a joint US/Israeli team which will oversee the future of Yehuda and Shomron, an announcement that elicited the ire of Yesha Council officials.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Tie-up fails

Poundland owner Steinhoff and supermarket chain Shoprite have abandoned a $14 billion deal to create Africas biggest shop network.

The tie-up would have been the latest move by South African retail group Steinhoff, which bought the discount chain last year.

But the merger talks foundered after Shoprite shareholders complained they were getting a bad deal. Steinhoff shares rose 7 per cent in Johannesburg. Shoprite jumped 6 per cent.

Irish deal

WPP has bought a stake in an Irish digital communications network. The ad giants subsidiary, Ogilvy & Mather, has taken an undisclosed holding of Eightytwenty Customer Experience. WPP makes about 60 million from its Irish operations out of its total revenue of about 15.2 billion. Shares in WPP fell 0.6 per cent, or 11p, to 1889p.

Snap decision

Snapchat is losing its top advertising executive as it gears up for an 18 billion flotation. Sriram Krishnan, formerly of Facebook, was brought on board to help the photo-messaging app unlock money from advertisers. It is yet to make a profit and makes most of its 323 million revenue from advertising. But he announced on Twitter he was leaving after a year at the company.

Bank boss

JP Morgan has appointed Oliver Gregson as boss of the Nordic and UK division at its private bank. He will be based in London and previously ran HSBCs private bank investment group, advising ultra-rich clients on what to do with their cash.

Pair merge

Construction consultancy Turner & Townsend is merging with business adviser AMCL. Leeds-based Turner & Townsend has overseen major projects at Heathrow Airport and The Shard skyscraper in London. AMCL clients include Scottish & Southern Electric and Network Rail.

Report delayed

Direct Line Group has delayed its annual results announcement until after a Government review of compensation payments. If the review hands higher payouts to accident victims, it could hit insurers future profits. Direct Line has moved its results day from February 28 to March 7 so it has time to respond to the decision. Shares climbed 2.3 per cent, or 8p, to 361.9p.

Kenya contract

Avanti Communications has signed a deal with Telkom Kenya. The satellite data firm will provide connectivity for the Kenyan government. Shares were flat at 20p.
Profits at Hammerson collapsed after the shopping centre group booked heavy losses on the value of its property portfolio.

The group, which owns sites around the country, said full-year profit fell 56 per cent to 322.8 million.

In the UK, its shopping centre values fell by 6 million and retail parks by 118 million.

Shopping woes: Hammerson owns sites around the country including Birmingham's Bullring (above) - it said full-year profit fell 56 per cent to 322.8 million

It also pointed the finger at weak trading at its French operation.

Chief executive David Atkins blamed UK retail headwinds but also struck an optimistic note.

He added: During the year we have significantly grown and enhanced the portfolio.

I am confident that we have a resilient and adaptable business with multiple opportunities to drive similar levels of growth.
A cash crisis will hit banks on the Continent if the EU fails to reach a financial services deal with Britain, according to a report.

The study by a respected City group suggests the blocs lenders could be cut off from crucial markets if they lose access to London.

It looks at the regulation around trading in complex derivatives, which banks use to cut their exposure to risks.

A cash crisis will hit banks on the Continent if the EU fails to reach a financial services deal with Britain, according to a report

There are more than 480 trillion of derivatives contracts outstanding across the world  with 40 per cent of trading cleared through the UK.

The other EU states account for just 10 per cent of the total.

The report, by the International Regulation Strategy Group, argues that if the EU puts up trading barriers these banks would be in breach of regulations  with potentially disastrous consequences.

The IRSG said firms, including 20 German and 15 French banks, would face a massive capital hit.

They would have to move their UK-focused trading activity out of the EU, into Britain, to avoid this crisis.

The Government and the Bank of England have warned the EU faces a major threat to financial stability if it seeks to harm the City.
The boss of Unilever may be forced to wield the axe and cut jobs and brands to stave off another takeover bid.

The Anglo-Dutch consumer goods firm fought off a 115 billion approach from US food giant Kraft Heinz over the weekend.

But now analysts predict chief executive Paul Polman will be under pressure from shareholders to cut costs and boost profit margins to prevent a further takeover offensive.

The boss of Unilever may be forced to wield the axe and cut jobs and brands to stave off another takeover bid

If not, it is thought shareholders could demand Unilever takes action to improve its financial performance.

Polman, 60, has already set out a cost-saving plan, which included doubling his target for expanding Unilevers margins  aiming for an increase of between 0.4 per cent and 0.8 per cent by 2019.

After the merger with Heinz in 2015, Kraft announced it was shutting seven manufacturing plants, which resulted in 7,000 jobs losses.

Meanwhile its margin jumped from 18 per cent to 26 per cent.

Unilever, on the other hand, reported a profit margin in 2016 of 15 per cent.

Julian Wild, head of food at law firm Rollits, said the approach from Kraft was bound to have set alarm bells ringing at Unilever.

Now Unilever is under the spotlight, the pressure will stay.

'It will have to have a pretty major review of its operations, including looking at people they employ and potentially selling part of the business, he said.

12BN FUND FOR MEGADEAL Kraft Heinzs private equity backer has 12 billion to fund its next mega-deal, it is claimed. The Financial Times said 3G, which often teams up with billionaire investor Warren Buffett, has secured cash for another acquisition. It raises the prospects of a major deal after its attempt to buy Unilever was knocked back. 3G typically takes on large amounts of debt to fund its deals. It has already invested in Kraft Heinz, brewer AB InBev and Burger King. A 1.4 billion play by 3G for Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen will soon be announced, it was revealed yesterday.

Kraft Heinz had to issue a statement on Friday saying it had made an offer to Unilever, which was rejected.

It led to speculation the Government would step in to investigate a potential deal, and raised concerns over drastic cuts should the two companies combine.

But on Sunday Kraft announced it had withdrawn the offer.

Shares in Unilever tumbled 6.6 per cent, or 249p, to 3548p yesterday and there is speculation it could look to spin off some of its food brands, which includes Flora spreads, Colmans Mustard and Hellmanns.

Under market rules, Kraft needs to wait six months before it can return to the table with another bid.

But Martin Deboo, analyst at Jefferies, said the seismic shock at Unilever would reverberate for a while yet.

Meanwhile it is thought the offer, while unsuccessful, could fire the starting gun for further deal-making in the sector.

Unilever did not respond to a request for a comment.
Upmarket fashion brand Reiss has lured a former Next boss who had been tipped to revive Marks & Spencers fashion brands

Upmarket fashion brand Reiss has lured a former Next boss who had been tipped to revive Marks & Spencers fashion brands.

Christos Angelides, 52, had been widely expected to lead an overhaul of M&Ss clothing division.

But yesterday Reiss announced Angelides had agreed to take on its top post, as founder and chairman David Reiss scales back his responsibilities.

Angelides spent 28 years at Next and was credited with the success of its clothing range.

In 2014 he became president of US fashion brand Abercrombie & Fitch where he collected 14.4 million for just 14 months work, including a 4.4 million severance payment.

Reiss was handed a boost after the Duchess of Cambridge wore a Reiss dress to meet President Obama and his wife Michelle in 2011.

It instantly sent traffic surging on the brands website, causing it to crash.




There was a time when no self-respecting yuppie or City worker would be seen without one.

But now the pager seems to be on its last legs.

Vodafone, the last major pager network supplier, is selling up  more than 20 years after the heyday of the beeper devices.

A spokesman for Vodafone confirmed the sale to Capitas PageOne Communications

The deal will make professional services firm Capita the last remaining pager operator in the UK.

There has been a steady decline in the use of pagers, which have become less popular with the advent and growth of mobile phones.

Vodafone has just 1,000 customers in the UK, many of who are companies that use them to send simple messages to large numbers of workers.

Orange and O2 have already sold their networks.

A spokesman for Vodafone confirmed the sale to Capitas PageOne Communications.

The deal, for a nominal amount, is subject to approval by the Competition and Markets Authority.

Vodafone shares rose 0.25 per cent, or 0.5p, to 198.5p.
The controversial buyer of the Governments Green Investment Bank will make hundreds of millions of pounds from the deal, it has been claimed.

Australian bank Macquarie  dubbed the vampire kangaroo for its ruthless tactics when buying firms  is set for a huge windfall at taxpayers expense, ministers have been warned.

A decision to sell the Government-backed bank, which is charged with investing in renewable energy projects, is expected within days.

The controversial buyer of the Governments Green Investment Bank will make hundreds of millions of pounds from the deal, it has been claimed

But it is alleged that Macquarie will make millions more than has been estimated by buying two of the Green Investment Banks wind farms.

And it is claimed the Treasury is offering the bank on the cheap. Ministers are facing massive opposition to the plans for a sale and are reportedly considering a flotation instead.

In a letter to Business Secretary Greg Clark, seen by the Mail, former business secretary Vince Cable, who founded the GIB, and former energy minister Lord Barker, claim the Government is set to miss out on a massive windfall if they sell now.

They said: GIB has been investing in the construction phase of a range of high-value infrastructure assets over the past few years.

Former business secretary Vince Cable founded the GIB

A number of these assets are still under construction and are not yet operational. Once these assets have completed construction  and are thereby de-risked  those same assets will be worth significantly more than they are now. While it is not possible to calculate the exact amount without detailed information on two of the offshore wind assets currently under construction, it is clear that this could amount to a windfall of hundreds of millions of pounds to Macquarie, at the expense of the taxpayer.

It will therefore be Macquarie rather than the taxpayer that benefits from this significant value uplift.

Two of GIBs main assets are the Rampion and Galloper wind farms being built off Sussex and Suffolk, due to be finished in 2018. GIB has committed 306 million for Rampion and 119 million for Galloper.

Experts believe that if they were bought now with the rest of the bank, the price paid would be about half what it would be when they are finished. Many opponents would prefer the bank to remain in state-ownership or be publicly floated.

A spokesman for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said: Any decisions on the sale of the Green Investment Bank will be driven by what best achieves our objectives, including continued investment in the green economy and a sale which is in the best interests of the taxpayer.

This is a commercially sensitive process and it is inappropriate for us to comment further while that process is ongoing.

The Government has said it wants GIB to continue to invest in green sectors and would try to keep a veto.

Macquarie has declined to comment on the sale of GIB, but has pointed to its record of investing in renewable energy in the UK.

That includes 1.6 billion in the Race Bank wind farm off the north Norfolk coast.


MATSAPHA  They say businesses that survive hard economic times are those that never cease to innovate and that is exactly what Standard Bank Swaziland has done.



The countrys biggest bank by asset base and number of customers has once again come with new innovation in three forms; which will subsequently improve its competitive edge over its competitors.



The three new improvements which the bank has launched into the market are the Touch Screen Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), the Standard Bank Mobile App, and the establishment of the Customer Contact Centre (CCC) which is based at the Matsapha Branch.

About the Standard Bank SmartApp:



In what deserves to be called another Standard Banks milestone, yesterday the bank announced another addition to its digital banking package, the Standard Bank Smart Banking App.



This channel, available in Google play Store and iTunes when installed, will enable the bank customers to check balances, make payments, transfers, and buy electricity and airtime among other things. Payment of water bills will be added in March.



Standard Bank Chief Executive Mvuselelo Fakudze said: As Standard Bank Swaziland, we strive to deliver progress that is real. This means we need to understand what our customers want, define what they perceive as progress and quickly try to find out what solutions we can give them. He went on to say that one of the things customers are looking for is to bank anywhere and anytime without the need to go to a branch.

He said anywhere-anytime banking is no longer just a competitive edge but something that has to happen if they are to keep customers content.

He said the continuous reduction in data cost, coupled with an increase in Smart phone production by mobile phone companies, tells a story, that is, banking and other service companies will consider delivering their services through these gadgets.



We are proud to join this realm, where we deliver our services through streams that customers are interested in. We also understand that not all our customers will be able to navigate the app, therefore, we will need to socialize our customers to this platform and our marketing and digital teams have plans to engage customers.



To show our commitment to our customers, we decided to make digital banking a significant channel in delivering a better customer experience. The journey started with ATMs, POS, mobile banking and then internet banking.



We currently have more than 64 ATMs across the country and over 260 POS machines aimed at delivering cash and enabling payments, respectively. We have plans to increase the numbers by a sizable margin. This is possible and will continue to be possible through our customers continued support, Fakudze said.
MBABANE  Two years after marriage, a couple will have to start life afresh after their maid burnt down their rented house damaging household items amounting to E1 183 452.



Initially, when Zenzile Tfwala made her first appearance, she was facing theft and arson charges where she was alleged to have stolen items valued at E54 000 and further set the house on fire and damaged items valued at E177 000.



However, after the completion of the assessment to ascertain the actual cause of the damage, it appeared that the destruction, including the burning of the house, was equivalent to E1 183 452.

As a woman, when you start up a new home, you take some time planning and saving but it took Zenzile Tfwala a few minutes to destroy my property.



This was said by Nishana Maharaj, whose newly-employed maid allegedly set her house on fire and caused damages valued at the aformentioned amount at Selection Park. She revealed in court that none of the items were insured, which means that she suffered a permanent loss of over E1 million.



Maharaj said this was the first house she had shared with her husband since getting married two years ago.

Narrating her ordeal, she said the family was in South Africa to visit her sickly brother, who was reported to be at the Intensive Care Unit. Maharaj said when she went to SA, she left Tfwala with extra food and E400.
MBABANE  The bad news of Cyclone Dineo is the destruction of property but the good news is that water woes are finally over for Mbabane residents.



In fact, the recent rains have set Mbabane folk free of the water crisis.

This was confirmed by Swaziland Water Services Corporation (SWSC) Managing Director (MD) Peter Bhembe. Bhembe gave an assurance that there was enough water to last the capital city for the financial year, which ends in April. He said even if the country could experience drastic weather patterns, Hawane Dam would still be able to supply water to Mbabane residents.



The country is still recovering from the drought that hit the entire southern African region last year.

This saw dam levels drastically being reduced and the Hawane Dam, that supplies mainly Mbabane and Ngwenya residents, was reduced to zero per cent (water carrying capacity). SWSC had to stop pumping water for domestic use from the depleted dam and instead used other tributaries of the Mbuluzi River.



Following that, SWSC had to apply a serious water rationing exercise that saw the city being without water for a minimum of four days, subjecting residents to unusual bathing patterns and minimal use of water, among other things.

According to Bhembe, the company has gone back to sourcing water from Hawane Dam.



Initially, Luphohlo Dam had been an alternative option to supply water for the residents.

With the increased dam levels, Bhembe said the Luphohlo Dam project, which was alternatively meant to supply water to the residents during the crisis, had been put on hold.
MBABANE  A 60-year old woman was killed by a tall tree measuring 10 metres, which fell on her on Friday.



Nomasonto Zwane was epileptic and she was on her way to LaMgabhi Constituency last week Friday to attend a launch of an epilepsy club that was being launched in the community for people with her condition.



The incident happened at around 10am and Zwane died while she was still being rushed to hospital.

Information gathered is that certain community members were cutting down the trees so they could go and sell the wood.



On the Friday, Zwane was less than a kilometre away from her home while walking towards the constituencys meeting place.

The people who were cutting down the trees said they did not see the elderly woman until it was too late and when they warned her to move out of the way she ran to the direction, the falling tree.



Personnel from Emergency Medical Services were called immediately to the scene to rush Zwane to hospital.

The elderly woman was bleeding from her mouth and nostrils and could not talk.



Seeing that the ambulance was taking too long to arrive, she was then transported in a vehicle belonging to a community member.

On the way to hospital, they met the emergency response ambulance and when they tried to transfer her into the ambulance, they were informed that they would not take Zwane since she had already passed away.



Her son, Bheki Zwane, said they were informed by their elder brother about the incident.

Our mother was still a strong woman and she would have lived for more years had it not been for this sudden death. I did not believe that she was dead until I saw her body at the mortuary. Her arms looked like they were fractured by the tree.
MBABANE  A movie like scene played itself out in the Shiselweni region as a chase between the police and a pastor ended in the man of God being shot.



The Word of Hope Ministries Pastor, Njabulo Madonsela, was shot by the police on Saturday evening after it was suspected that he was ferrying dagga.



Pastor Madonsela was shot in the thigh at around 6:20pm while at Mfishane after he was stopped by five police officers in two different cars. Madonsela, who is still admitted to hospital, said he was driving towards Nhlangano, on his way home from his parental homestead at Hlatikhulu when he was stopped by a police vehicle.



The pastor said three plain- clothes officers tried to block him at a bridge as they got out of the police van, armed with guns.

Seeing that they were not in uniform, the man of the cloth said he drove away in fear because he was not sure if they were real police officers.



According to the pastor, he was first stopped at a deserted place where there were no people who could help him if he needed assistance.

When I drove on, another police vehicle stopped in front of my BMW and two officers, who were in uniform, came out of the car. I also jumped out of my car and raised my hands to show that I was surrendering but they shot me in the leg at close range of less than five metres away. I know the officer who shot me and he was in the company of a female colleague.



The other police vehicle which had stopped me the first time then caught up and my vehicle was searched extensively but the officers did not find anything.
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By Patrick Donachie

Employees for a Kennedy Airport contractor accused of religious discrimination called on the airports management Wednesday to ensure that harassment of Muslim employees is not tolerated.

The group of employees, accompanied by representatives from the Airport Workers Organizing Committee and Imam Aiyub Abdul Baki of the Islamic Leadership Council in Manhattan, delivered letters to the manager of the airports Terminal 4, as well as representatives from Emirates Airlines and Etihad Airlines. The letters contended that supervisors at Pax Assist, Inc., an Arverne-based contractor servicing 32 airlines and employing more than 250 workers, allegedly harassed Muslim employees over a public radio address system.

New York Citys Human Rights Commission charged the company with alleged acts of discrimination last month, saying supervisors refused to let Muslim employees schedule their breaks to properly end their religious fasts. Supervisors also allegedly broadcast over a radio system: We dont care about Ramadan, and well give you a break on our time, not your time.

The letters delivered Wednesday also requested an opportunity for the aggrieved Pax Assist employees to meet with representatives from the airlines and Terminal 4 management.

The NYC Human Rights Law recognizes the legal rights of employees of every faith to request and receive reasonable accommodation for religious observances so long as those accommodations do not cause an undue hardship on the employer, the letters read.

Members of SEIU 32BJ heard about the allegations against Pax Assist from affected employees and informed the citys Human Rights Commission, according to the letters. The Pax Assist employees designated a member of the union as their representative in communications with the airlines and Terminal 4 management.

The HRC has the authority to fine employers up to $250,000 in civil penalties if the commission uncovers willful and malicious violations of the law, and can award compensatory damages to victims.

Pax Assist did not respond to calls for comment.
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By Patrick Donachie

Students in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics program at Merrick Academy Charter School in Jamaica are embarking on a weeks-long program of hands-on science workshops at York College, an event made in concert with the National Aeronautic and Space Administrations Minority University Research and Education Project.

Its a program in which the goal is to increase interest in students in the sciences in the community, said Michelle Harrison, Merrick Academys STEM teacher. So theyre targeting schools in the community underrepresented, and minority students. The programs are designed to increase students interest in STEM by using technology and hands-on projects.

About 25 students from Merrick are attending the program at York College, one of nine NASA STEM education sites throughout the country. The programs goal is to increase the number of underserved students who are interested in NASA specific STEM careers, and to offer guidance to parents on how to facilitate their childrens interest in STEM education and professions. Harrison said the NASA program at York helps to unlock potential in STEM students.

Some of the activities they have planned for them, since they involve real-life challenges, these are things they are able to see and they visualize what theyre learning, so theyre able to put them into action in a real situation, she said.

The first lesson involved a look at solar power, and students started learning how to build solar cars, according to Harrison. She said other activities planned for the two-month program included robotics, chemistry experiments, liquid nitrogen ice cream making and flight simulations.

Anna Bassoo had a son in the second grade at Merrick Academy who was attending the program who also attended the previous year. She said the effect the NASA weekend classes had on him was pronounced. In the previous year, he learned about the galaxy and how humans could create a settlement on another planet.

He had a tent set up in the living room, trying to figure out what would survive, she said. He looked forward to going every Saturday. He was so engaged in what he was taught that even when there was something on the news hed learned about, he would quickly make that connection.

Thalia Wilson-Palmer, whose daughter Gianna is enrolled in the program, said the workshops were revelatory and had sparked renewed interest in her daughter about a new approach to learning.

When she signed up for it, she was so skeptical. Now, shes happy, shes enjoying it, she said. Its really nice because shes learning more, and understanding the concepts she learned in school more clearly.

Gianna personally gave the program high marks.

I love it, she said. Im definitely thinking differently about science.
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By Larry Penner

When it comes to public transportation, Katz delivers State of Borough address (TimesLedger/Feb. 3) made for some great sound bites but provided little substance.

Queens Borough President Melinda Katz failed to provide any specific information on how the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and city Department of Transportation will come up with funding to implement any of the following transportation projects advocated by many other Queens elected officials, constituents and transit advocates.

The list includes but is not limited to the following projects or proposals. Just where does Katz stand on these ideas? All 14 members of the Queens Council delegation are supporting the Commuter Rail Fare Equalization Proposal.

This would allow city residents to pay the same $2.75 fare on the Long Island Rail Road or Metro North Rail Road as riding the NYC Transit Subway and provide a free transfer to the NYC subway.

How will New York City provide the MTA with $200 million to cover the cost? Another $200 million is needed to provide 1/2 fare Metro Cards for several hundred thousand poor residents earning less than $26,000 per year.

The LaGuardia Airport Train to the Plane base line budget of $450 million will require up to an additional $550 million in the years to come. The final cost may be closer to $1 billion.

Some Queens residents will be looking for $100 million toward the $400 million Woodhaven Boulevard Select Bus Service. These dollars may be necessary if NYCDOT is unable to secure $100 million in U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration New Starts funding.

Others will continue to lobby for $100 million to construct light rail between Jamaica and Long Island City on the old Lower Montauk LIRR branch; restoration of LIRR service on the old Rockaway LIRR branch at $1 billion; Triboro X Subway Express (new subway line connecting the Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn for $2 billion); Main Street Flushing Intermodal Bus Terminal $100 million; reopening the Woodhaven Boulevard, Atlantic Branch LIRR Station $40 million; and the Brooklyn-Queens Waterfront Street Car Connector at a cost of $2.5 billion.

This would connect various neighborhoods along the waterfront from Sunset Park, Brooklyn, to Astoria, Queens.

Many neighborhoods are looking for the introduction of either Select Bus Service (SBS); Bus Rapid Transit (BRT); limited stop bus to Subway or Express Bus Service to Manhattan. There is still the need to bring many of the 78 Queens subway and 21 LIRR stations back up to a state of good repair. Dont forget the need for additional subway and LIRR stations to become fully compliant with the Americans for Disability Act by construction of elevators.

Where does Katz think the MTA will find the cash for all these projects? The Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration and state may be possible funding sources for some of these projects. Clearly the city will have to contribute some significant funding if many of these projects will ever see the light of day.

Larry Penner

Great Neck

(Larry Penner is a transportation historian and advocate who previously worked 31 years for the US Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration Region 2 NY Office)
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By Bill Parry

The city wants to put your neighborhood business on the map  literally.

The Department of Small Business Services has launched NYC Love Your Local, a new grassroots approach to celebrate and promote small businesses throughout the five boroughs. The program encourages New Yorkers to share their favorite independent, non-franchise businesses, which will be added to an interactive map that is now available online.

Independent, small businesses are the backbone of our neighborhoods, and the NYC Love Your Local initiative recognizes and supports their vital role in the fabric of New York City, said Department of Small Business Services Commissioner Gregg Bishop. New York City is full of unique neighborhoods that are given character by local merchants and entrepreneurs. New Yorkers should share their favorite neighborhood business and be sure to share their love.

The interactive map is now available online at nyc.gov/loveyourlocal. Shared businesses may also apply for a share of $1.8 million in grant funding and expert advice to help them better meet competitive pressures from the big chains.

Providing opportunities for New York Citys small businesses to grow and thrive is pivotal for creating jobs and a stable economy, said City Councilwoman Julissa Ferreras-Copeland (DEast Elmhurst). The NYC Love Your Local initiative is a creative way to engage consumers to show support for local shops, all while helping these businesses access capital, improve their operations, and gain recognition.

The Queens Chamber of Commerce endorsed the citys new small business promotion.

As the most diverse county in the U.S. and the largest geographic borough in New York City, Queens and our small businesses will be served by this unique initiative, said Queens Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Thomas Grech. Queens has nearly 47,000 business entities spread across 14 City Council districts, so this project will truly spread the love across the borough.

The Department of Small Business Services has launched a $400,000 advertising campaign to promote the NYC Love Your Local campaign and encourage New Yorkers to shop locally. The ads will be running in subway cars, LinkNYC terminals, on radio stations, and in other print and digital forms around the city.

The NYC Love Your Local initiative is a great way to spread the word and shine a light on our small businesses here on Steinway Street, said Steinway Astoria Partnership Executive Director Marie Torniali. These businesses help Astoria thrive and are an integral part of what makes Astoria great.
Strong defense, pair of goals from Shaye Bailey hands Freedom WPIAL Class 1A championship

A shutdown defense and a pair of second-half goals from junior Shaye Bailey led the Freedom Bulldogs to a convincing 3-0 win over Springdale Friday.
Gov. Scott Walker wants to eliminate the DNR's Wisconsin Natural Resources magazine, which has 88,000 subscribers that support its operations.
RENSSELAER -- City officers arrested a Virginia man, who is accused of trying to kill a woman he knows Feb. 2, after chasing the suspect through Rensselaer and North Greenbush Monday night, police said.

Officers stopped a 2009 Ford sedan on Washington Avenue for going 56 mph in a 30 mph zone at 10:52 p.m., and discovered 24-year-old driver Demetrius M. Williams was wanted in Richmond, Va., on an attempted murder charge, Rensselaer police said.

When officers ordered Williams to get out the car, he refused and drove off, police said. Williams led city officers and State Police on a short chase into North Greenbush, where he crashed into a curb near the intersection of Route 4 and 43, Rensselaer police said.

Richmond police spokesman Gene Lepley said police responded to a Jennie Scher Road home at 8 p.m. Feb. 2 after a woman told 911 dispatchers a man she knew shot a gun at her multiple times during an argument. No one was injured, Lepley said.

The female victim identified Williams as the shooter and an investigation revealed multiple shots had been fired inside the home, Lepley said. A Richmond judge issued the arrest warrant, he said.

Williams faces six charges in Richmond: attempted murder, assault and battery, breaking and entering with the intent to commit a felony, petit larceny, unlawful use or injury to a telephone, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Rensselaer police have charged Williams with eleven additional offenses.

Williams faces one felony charge of being a fugitive from justice, and five misdemeanor charges of drunken driving, fleeing a police officer, obstruction of governmental administration, resisting arrest and criminal tampering. He was ticketed for five violations: speeding, not wearing a seat belt, aggravated unlicensed operator, unlicensed driver and unlawful possession of marihuana.

The Richmond Police Department is seeking extradition, Lepley said.
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Schenectady

U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko blocked off two hours Monday evening for a town hall meeting with constituents.

Then overtime began.

For more than two hours at Schenectady County Community College, the Amsterdam Democrat took questions on environmental policies pushed by President Donald Trump's administration, the manufacturing workforce, efforts to repeal of the Affordable Care Act, hate crimes that have gained considerable attention since the election and other topics.

He then prepared to take on one-on-one meetings with more than a dozen constituents.

Though interest in the Tonko town hall was as high as interest in similar forums held by his Republican colleagues, it was comparatively tranquil.

It also was more congenial than Tonko's last major town hall  a Bethlehem event in 2009 that included vocal vitriol against and support of the yet-to-be-passed Affordable Care Act.

On Monday, he was greeted by raucous cheering. As he took the stage, one woman exclaimed, "Hero!"

Tonko told hundreds of constituents he is looking forward to a conversation with the president that looks ahead at policy, not back at the Electoral College, popular vote and crowd sizes.

"When I have a chance to meet with President Trump, I will share some very strong feelings about climate change, about our stewardship of the environment, about public lands and the importance of preserving those lands, about our stewardship not only with the water and air and soil that we require, but with wildlife, too, showing a deep respect for our ecosystem," he said.

One person sought information on how constituents can assist Tonko in pushing back against the repeal of Obamacare. The Democrat repeated his stance that a replacement plan must be ready before lawmakers vote to repeal.

"I say, replace in place before you repeal," he said. "There's three standards of acceptance for the repeal package: affordability, accessibility, quality of care. If any of those is denied or reduced, no plan. No approval."

On the Capital Region economy  for decades supported by, as Tonko put it, a necklace of mill towns  the congressman pointed to the need for hands-on training and retraining for an advanced manufacturing workforce.

Asked about recent instances of anti-Semitic rhetoric and bomb threats called into Jewish community centers nationwide, including in Albany, Tonko took a serious tone.

"We're not in this business to set that kind of tone," he said of elected officials. "True leaders bring people together. True leaders respect the diversity that is us, that is America."

Tonko received sustained applause.

That kind of fluid, supportive question-and-answer session isn't what some Republicans have experienced at their events as anger persists at the Trump administration's early actions and some planned GOP majority actions in Congress, such as repeal of the Affordable Care Act.

MoveOn.org, a website that progressives can use to organize, was billing Tonko's town hall as an opportunity to "have your voice heard about concerns you have in your community."

"Democrats need to stand up and protect all Americans," the event listing stated.

Compare that to what was listed for a protest being organized for Saturday at U.S. Rep. John Faso's Kinderhook office.

"Protest Congressman Faso's refusal to speak to constituents," the listing stated. "Support ACA, PPH. NY CD 19 is a swing district. We need your support!"

Faso told the Times Union last week that a small constituent meeting setting will be "much more productive than some mass meeting where people stand up and scream."

On Monday Tonko told reporters prior to the town hall: "The way to respond to that intensity I think is respect for the people you represent and to approach them with the civility that gives them their space to speak and take it from there."

That isn't to say majority Republicans in the House and Senate do not have support back home that minority Democrats may be finding more easily. On Monday, a GoFundMe page set up by western New York political operative Michael Caputo had nearly reached its $1,600 goal to pay for a billboard in support of Rep. Chris Collins, R-Erie County, after two billboards went up calling Collins out for saying he wouldn't hold meetings.

Monday's event in Schenectady was not the first time this year that Tonko has sat down with constituents to discuss the issues. He held a smaller roundtable on the Affordable Care Act in January to solicit anecdotes that he says are important to include in policymaking and debate.

"Otherwise it's just an accounting ledger, it's a shell game," Tonko told reporters. "What we need is to talk about the fabric here, about the individuals who are impacted favorably, negatively, and to make certain that we do the best thing."

Christine Witkowski, a lifelong Democrat, said that while the town hall did not offer many new revelations, it was an important forum.

"This is democracy in action," the Scotia woman said. "It gives me hope for our future."

mhamilton@timesunion.com  518-454-5449
New York

More than most, Eric Schneiderman understands the risks of taking on Donald Trump.

New York's attorney general was a target of Trump's Twitter feed years before the president's assaults on "Little Marco" Rubio or "Lyin' Ted" Cruz.

He was once depicted as a deranged ''Clockwork Orange'' character on the cover of a newspaper owned by Trump's son-in-law. And he faced intense anti-Semitic attacks from Trump loyalists on social media that continue even today.

"It's really vile stuff. It's a picture of your face going into a gas chamber, your face on a lampshade," Schneiderman told The Associated Press, acknowledging a new rash of anti-Semitism in recent weeks as he fought the new president's travel ban.

Even Schneiderman's daughter was targeted in one social media post.

"If there's something that they take seriously as a threat, they tell me. I don't pay attention to it," Schneiderman said. He later added, "I have a responsibility to fight." Indeed, this 62-year-old Democrat with little national profile is maneuvering to be a key player in the broader Trump resistance. Backed by one of the nation's largest public law firms, he is positioned to challenge Trump's agenda in ways his Democratic allies in Washington cannot  even as critics question whether he has the fortitude to effectively challenge the brash billionaire's aggressive agenda.

Trump called Schneiderman a "lightweight" on Twitter in 2013, when the attorney general was investigating Trump University.

Schneiderman is quick to point out he has already beaten Trump.

The ambitious attorney led a lawsuit against Trump University alleging fraud, ultimately helping to secure a $25 million settlement after the election. Trump had vowed never to settle.

Schneiderman also investigated Trump's family foundation, and he played a role recently in organizing legal opposition by Democratic attorneys general to Trump's travel ban.

"Eric, who leads a very large public law firm, he brings significant resources to bear," said Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson.

But others note he has struggled to build the same national profile as recent New York attorneys general like Eliot Spitzer and Andrew Cuomo, both hard-charging Democrats who took on Wall Street and eventually became governor.

Schneiderman insists he's planning to run for re-election in 2018, dismissing speculation he may run challenge Cuomo instead. He has more than $6 million in his campaign account, a haul dwarfed by Cuomo's $22 million.

In the meantime, Schneiderman and his legal team of nearly 700 attorneys are focused on the Republican president. Targeting the new administration is also good politics in a state Trump lost by 22 percentage points.

"All these things Trump is trying to do are very unpopular in the state of New York," New York Democratic consultant Bruce Gyory said.

Beyond immigration, Schneiderman's team is preparing to challenge the White House on the environment, civil rights, women's health care, labor rules and consumer protection, among other issues.

Schneiderman said it's nothing personal. "No matter how rich or powerful you are, if you're hurting people of the state of New York, we will go after you," he said. "I'm concerned about real harm to real people."

The New York City native's path to politics began in a Washington, D.C., abortion clinic more than four decades ago.

At age 17, he said, he helped transport women from the airport to the clinic in one of the few cities where abortion was legal in the early 1970s.
Albany

New York state is paying $3 million to the family of a developmentally disabled boy repeatedly molested by a staffer at a state-run group home who later wrote that lax supervision at the facility made it "a predator's dream."

The former staffer, Stephen DeProspero, is now imprisoned in the Attica Correctional Facility.

He was incriminated by videos and photographs he took of the molestation, which occurred from 2005 to 2008 at the facility located in central New York.

"The lack of supervision there made it easy to do what I did," DeProspero said in a handwritten affidavit obtained by The Associated Press. "I could have stayed in that house for years and abused him every day without anybody even noticing at all. It was a predator's dream."

State officials say new policies are in place to prevent similar crimes. But a leading critic of state institutional care said the problems persist.

"Tragically, this sexual predator case is a drop in the bucket in regards to the rampant sexual abuse occurring within New York State's mental health care system today," said Michael Carey, whose autistic son was killed by a state caregiver 10 years ago this month.
Vitaly I. Churkin, the Russian ambassador to the United Nations, died "suddenly" while at work in New York on Monday morning, the Russian government announced, without offering details about the cause of death. He would have been 65 Tuesday.

The deputy Russian ambassador, Petr Iliichev, said in brief remarks at a U.N. meeting Monday that Churkin had been in the office "until the final moments." Churkin had not been at Security Council meetings often recently, but he brushed off reporters' questions last week about his health.

Churkin, something of a legend in diplomatic circles, was a former child actor who could be caustic and wry in equal measure in his exchanges with U.S. counterparts. He had formerly worked as a translator, and as ambassador he sometimes became visibly annoyed with U.N. translators who could not keep up with his rapid speaking style.

He began his career in the Soviet era, served as spokesman for the Foreign Ministry under Mikhail S. Gorbachev and represented Russia at the United Nations in recent years as relations with the United States soured, first over Libya and then over the crises in Syria and Ukraine. In an interview in October, Churkin said the last time that Russian-U.S. relations were so strained was more than four decades ago, when the Arab-Israeli conflict nearly brought the two Cold War powers to a confrontation.

At his death, he was the longest-serving ambassador on the U.N. Security Council, and he sometimes jokingly referred to himself as the "permanent representative," the formal title for each nation's top U.N. envoy.

News of Churkin's sudden death sent a ripple of shock across the diplomatic community. He was widely seen as a deft diplomat, skilled at using the rules and protocol of the U.N. system to his country's advantage, including Russia's veto in the Security Council. He wielded that veto to block six resolutions that would have punished the government of Syria, Moscow's staunch ally, and met every Western criticism of Russia's conduct in the Syrian conflict with retorts about the Western role in Yemen and elsewhere.

Samantha Power, the former U.S. ambassador, said on Twitter that she was "devastated" by the news of Churkin's death.

"Diplomatic maestro & deeply caring man who did all he cld to bridge US-RUS differences," she wrote.
The French Laundrys most recent evolution began modestly enough four years ago. Chef Thomas Keller wanted to remodel the wine cellar.

Fast-forward about 1,460 days and the Yountville fine-dining destination is nearing the end of a multimillion-dollar renovation and expansion, anchored by a new state-of-the-art kitchen.

The projects price tag has surpassed $10 million, and the overall scope of the work encompasses a 2,120-square-foot annex, 9,000 square feet of landscape design and a rebuilt wine cellar capable of housing 16,000 selections.

Further portions of the revamp, such as the entrance, will not be finished or unveiled until the spring, according to the French Laundry team. But Saturday, Feb. 18, will be the restaurants first dinner service, with a $310 tasting menu, since the kitchen was completed.

All it took was four years and, according to general manager Michael Minnillo, some patience.

Were in our 23rd year, and were still that same group that wants to drive this profession, he said.

Keller collaborated on the project with Snohetta, an architecture and design firm with Norwegian roots and offices in Austria, New York and San Francisco. The joint effort led to aesthetics that showcase a sleek, stylish yet minimalist concept.

Prior to the French Laundry, Snohetta spearheaded the $305 million expansion of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

Kellers new digs are steeped in functionality. For example, the restaurant is moving away from the walk-in refrigerators seen in most restaurants and toward smaller, more efficient coolers. The counters are elevated so kitchen staff wont have to stoop their shoulders while using a cutting board.

The improvements were the result of research. The Snohetta team spent time in Kellers kitchen, learning the needs of high-level chefs. The kitchen not only has more natural light and better acoustics for communication among team members, but its also lined with windows so guests can see the inner workings of the French Laundry operation.

Minnillo, who has been with the restaurant since the 1990s, said a key characteristic of the design is efficiency. Everything from the spacing of work stations to the height of cabinets plays a role, he said.

Executive pastry chef Elwyn Boyles, who oversees the dessert menus for both the French Laundry and New York sister restaurant Per Se, reiterated Minnillos sentiments  functionality is key.

Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle

The old kitchen was great but we outgrew it as a staff, Boyles said.

Snohettas design increased the size of the kitchen by about 25 percent, according to the company.

The ceilings are reminiscent of flowing table cloths, both for aesthetics and practical use, as they obscure equipment on the kitchens ceiling.

The renovation, while planned years ago, is being completed at a unique time for both the French Laundry and the Bay Area dining scene, as storied dining destinations are no longer surviving on reputation alone.

Keller has said in the past he doesnt plan to distance the restaurant from its roots. The menu still changes daily and remains an amalgamation of French tradition and high-quality ingredients. Still, the project is wrapping up less than a year after New York Times restaurant critic Pete Wells stripped Kellers Per Se of its perfect rating, instead describing a slow creep of mediocrity. In the aftermath, Keller expressed a renewed vigor for righting the ship.

Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle

Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle

While the conversations about French Laundry are layered with story lines, Minnillo said outside influences have nothing to do with whats happening on the Yountville property. The changes are the result of progressive thinking, the heartbeat of French Laundry over the decades, he said.

Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle

Were constantly changing everything everyday, Minnillo said. I tell the team all the time, were trailblazers. We have to do it for the profession. Were always cutting-edge, from concepts to food to designs.

Justin Phillips is a staff writer for the San Francisco Chronicle. Email: jphillips@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @JustMrPhillips
Schenectady

Young women, fitness and elephants might seem like odd pillars on which to build a business. But James Brooks has at least four million reasons that prove otherwise.

That's how much money his company, Elephant Pants, made last year. Now, the Schenectady native will vie for a bigger prize when he appears on the hit ABC show ''Shark Tank'' on Friday.

The company has roots in Thailand, where Brooks and his business partner Nathan Coleman discovered the marketability for "harem-style" pants. It's also where they witnessed firsthand the plight of elephants in some of the country's worst refuges. "We got to see a lot of the so-called sanctuaries that claim to do good by elephants, but a lot of them were using bullwhips and riding them," Brooks said. "Once we did some research, we realized there was some good we could do."

After returning from Asia in 2014, the two launched a crowdfunding campaign for their Brooklyn-based company, with the caveat that 10 percent of all proceeds go to elephant sanctuaries. The company also works with the African Wildlife Foundation and International Elephant Foundation to help the animals, which are increasingly targeted by hunters for their ivory tusks.

The mission also aligned with the company's target demographic, women aged 18-35. "We donate money and that's great," Brooks said. But he said it's more important that they use the company to educate younger generations "who are very viral and very vocal about what they believe in. So we want to make change by putting ... the plight of elephants in their own backyard."

Two years later  and as sales routinely top $3.5 million  Coleman and Brooks are ready to pitch the idea to high-profile investors like Mark Cuban and Robert Herjavec. The two couldn't go into details about whether they received a deal when the episode filmed last year. But they did say the episode, which will celebrate the 100th million dollar invested by the show's hosts, has a "couple of surprises."

"Our product line would be an obvious fit with Daymond John and his knowledge of clothing designs," Brooks said. "But we also were rooting for Mark Cuban because of his strong investment skills  but all of the sharks are accomplished investors and we welcome any of their ideas in helping our company grow."

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The two say they're excited for the exposure their company will receive from the roughly 5 million people who watch every episode. Other companies that have made deals on the show often report an enormous influx of customers. Saratoga Springs native Melissa Nurse said her company, Tranquilo Mat, nearly doubled its annual sales after inking a deal with Herjavec earlier this month.

"The Shark Tank is truly powerful!" she wrote in an email to the Times Union.

RDownen@timesunion.com - 518-454-5018 - Follow @RobertDownenTU
Pittsfield, Mass.

The 10 short works in this year's 10X10 New Play Festival at Barrington Stage Company complement each other thematically in subtle, but satisfying ways that make the evening richer than the past three 10X10 festivals I've seen from BSC.

Though those were fine evenings of theater, this one  the sixth at Barrington and part of the citywide 10X10 arts promotion during February and March  produces deeper resonance as the plays, despite being written independently, collectively explore being an outsider, of being other.

The directors  BSC artistic director Julianne Boyd and Matthew Penn, who has a vast resume in TV dramas including "Law & Order," but who also regularly works in the Berkshires  never push too hard on the linkage, and it's not immediately obvious from the differing tone and content of the short works, each lasting about 10 minutes.

More Information Stage review 10X10 New Play Festival When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday Where: St. Germain Stage, Barrington Stage Company, 36 Linden St., Pittsfield, Mass. Length: 120 minutes, one intermission Continues: 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 3 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday, through March 2 Tickets: $15 to $32 See More Collapse

In "Sandbox," by Scott Mullen, the mother of a toddler confronts adults who have built a sandbox in a city park and use it to relieve workday stress. A quartet of young soldiers force a shouty drill sergeant to reconsider the vulgar cadences he has used for decades in "I Don't Know," by James McLindon. Thwarting their adult children's plans to move them into a retirement community becomes a comedic exercise for a senior couple in "Compos Mentis," by Marilyn Millstone. And the evening ends with the pairing of the strongest, most ambitious piece  Tom Coash's "Raghead," about a date that goes wrong when a woman pretending to be a Muslim experiences the lash of prejudice  and "Desk Fort," by Annette Storckman, essentially a bookend to "Sandbox" in which office workers take refuge from their jobs.

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The cast, several of whom have been in every 10X10, is uniformly excellent. They are Lucky Gretzinger, Matt Neely (who also wrote the "Hamilton"-style musical introduction), Jane Pfitsch, Peggy Pharr Wilson, Douglas Rees and Dina Thomas. Set designer Tristan Wilson effectively changes locations with the most minimal of furniture and other elements.

Each play, in ways large and small, considers the norm with characters who are outside of it, conflict with or reject it. The cumulative effect is of a large theme amplified by small snapshots taken from 10 angles, and you leave knowing you've seen much more than a collection of brief plays.

sbarnes@timesunion.com  518-454-5489
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Albany

Brianna Rocais was sitting at a bus stop at Central Avenue and Quail Street at noon Monday when a man walking by suddenly punched her in the back of the head.

"He decked me," Rocais said. Her attacker walked away with his friend as if nothing happened.

"They were laughing," Rocais, a 23-year-old transgender woman, said. She followed them and asked, "Did you just hit me? Why did you hit me?"

The man turned to face her and shouted a slew of obscenities punctuated by a homophobic slur.

"They looked like they wanted a fight," Rocais said. "I didn't want to get beat up so I turned tail and ran."

Rocais said she believes the attack, one of three confrontations she has endured since November but the first she's reported to police, was motivated by a hatred of transgender people.

"It seems like a growing problem of violence toward queer folk in the area," Rocais said.

Martha Harvey, the executive director of the Pride Center of the Capital Region, said hate crimes are increasing nationwide.

"There is no denying there is a rise in homophobic slurs, attacks," Harvey said. "It seems that people feel emboldened to be aggressive, confrontational and intolerant since the new (presidential) administration took office."

Last year was the deadliest year on record for transgender people in the United States, according to GLAAD, a national LGBT organization. Twenty-seven transgender people were killed in the United States last year and nearly all of the victims were transgender women of color, GLAAD reports.

Transgender people are also at a greater risk for assault, harassment and suicide. A 2016 report by the National LGBTQ Task Force and the National Center for Transgender Equality found that 61 percent of transgender and gender non-conforming people had been a victim of physical assault and 64 percent had been a victim of sexual assault. A staggering 41 percent of respondents reported attempting suicide, compared to 1.6 percent of the general population.

Harvey said she was "not surprised but saddened and angered" to hear about Rocais being attacked.

"She was just sitting there waiting for a bus, minding her own business, in the middle of the day ... Just, wow," Harvey said. "We need to be out and visible and protect each other now more than ever."

Albany police spokesman Officer Steve Smith confirmed the details of the attack, saying officers are searching for the perpetrator, who could be ticketed for harassment.

Smith said Tuesday that Rocais did not tell officers at the scene that she thought the attack was motivated by transphobia.

Rocais said Tuesday she believes her gender identity and expression make her a target for attacks, especially "when I'm not presenting entirely feminine." Rocais works at Target and was wearing her uniform, a red shirt and khaki pants, when she was attacked.

"I was in a daze," she said. "I was hit hard. I felt like I got the lights kicked out of me."

After she escaped, Rocais called 911. She said officers told her a nearby city camera may have caught the incident on tape and EMS workers didn't think she'd suffered a concussion.

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"The pain has dulled. Now I'm just more frustrated," Rocais said Tuesday. "I hate to say it but I expect these things to happen."

In November, Rocais was walking down Quail Street when an intoxicated man threatened to sexually assault her, she said.

"He picked up a rubber pylon (from a Stewart's parking lot) and threatened to shove it up me," Rocais said. She ran to a nearby friend's house.

Rocais said she considered calling the police but, since the man never touched her, decided not to report the incident. She recalled thinking, "Maybe it was a freak accident."

Two months later, a man on Ontario Street spat his chewing tobacco on her as she walked by, Rocais said.

"I didn't react to that at all. I went home and cleaned it off," she said. "Self-care and self-preservation is the most important thing."

When a stranger punched her without even making eye contact Monday, Rocais said it was "the last straw" and she had to call police.

"I feel like they did it because they felt they wouldn't get reprimanded," Rocais said. "That casual bigotry needs to be called out."

emasters@timesunion.com  518-454-5467  @emilysmasters
John Nichols: The enemy of the people is a president who imagines a free press is the enemy
THE ISSUE:

Some in Congress try to dodge critics by not holding open meetings.

THE STAKES:

Will they represent all their constituents, or just a select few?

More Information To comment: tuletters@timesunion.com or at http://blog.timesunion.com/opinion See More Collapse

Eight years ago, with Democrats in control of Washington, D.C., the fledgling tea party movement gained national attention in no small measure because of its members' raucous behavior at local meetings held by members of the House and Senate.

Fast-forward to 2017, and the tables have turned  Republicans hold Congress and the White House. Where conservatives were agitated about the Obama administration and the Affordable Care Act, liberals are now incensed about Donald Trump's misstatements and the possibility that he and Congress will undo the progress that brought health care to 20 million Americans. Newly energized progressives are showing up at congressional town halls, making life uncomfortable for their representatives.

If, that is, elected officials deign to meet with them. With Congress on break this week, a time many would normally hold open meetings back in their districts, some are choosing not to. Among them, sadly, are two from the Capital Region, John Faso, R-Kinderhook, and Elise Stefanik, R-Willsboro.

Ms. Stefanik justifies her decision by blaming "a small number of activists" who want to "hijack and ambush community events for the sole purpose of political theater." Mr. Faso says it would be "much more productive for me to have interactions one-to-one or in small groups."

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter.

We understand their desire to avoid the heat. But to dismiss the discontent as "a small number of activists" or to suggest, as some Republicans in Congress have, that this is all the fault of paid agitators, is to ignore the reality that a majority of Americans are apprehensive, many are fearful and some are downright angry. They're concerned about a president whose policies seem little more than 140 characters deep, and a Congress that is plunging toward killing Obamacare with no replacement plan, even after eight years of attacking it. To meet only in quiet offices with mostly like-minded people is not in the spirit of representative government. It's more like democracy for an invited few.

To Mr. Faso's credit, he does plan to meet with some progressive leaders. And he's right that it is unproductive to hold "some mass meeting where people stand up and scream."

We don't favor the idea of citizens turning public meetings into shouting matches. Public forums are the place to ask questions, get answers and offer arguments. There are plenty of other venues for demonstrations.

Mr. Faso and Ms. Stefanik, though, can't convey the notion that they're afraid to hear tough talk. They might take a lesson from a colleague across the aisle, Rep. Paul Tonko, D-Amsterdam, a veteran of those contentious 2009 meetings: "This job is not about being in a comfort zone," he said.

They and their colleagues need to accept that governing isn't all pep rallies and adoring crowds. They can listen now to more than just select groups or they can govern in a bubble. They just shouldn't be surprised if, come an election, the bubble bursts.
(Spoilers ahead. Read the book first.)

Near the beginning of Anthony Doerrs All the Light We Cannot See, Werner Pfennig, a boy in a German orphanage, is listening to a radio with his sister. It is 1934. The boy tunes in to a lecture on science, then hears a stranger ask a question that seems meant for him alone:

The brain is locked in total darkness, of course, children, says the voice. It floats in a clear liquid inside the skull, never in the light. And yet the world it constructs in the mind is full of light. It brims with color and movement. So how, children, does the brain, which lives without a spark of light, build for us a world full of light?

The strangers question is a key to the books concerns. All the Light is many things: a historical novel; a coming-of-age book; a detailed homage to the worlds endless detail; a meticulously crafted paean to craft; a meditation on disability and adaptation; a book about trauma, identity, and impossible moral choices. But beneath these concerns, and joining them together, is an abiding preoccupation with the ways we make sense of the world.

To understand the art of Doerrs sentence, we need to read it closely. But the art of the sentence is also the art of context. At any given moment, everything already-read, everything not-yet-read, comes to bear on the sentence at hand; the sentence, in turn, acts as a prism or a diamond, absorbing and refracting meaning from the novel it inhabits.

Its significant that the strangers question is part of a lecture on science. Far more than most novelists, Doerr is interested in science as a human practice and as a means of knowing the world. Though the question has religious overtonesa world full of lightit refers even more immediately to physics and biology. In the lecture, light is meant literally, as a form of radiation; and the brain is described in physiological terms, as float[ing] in a clear liquid inside the skull. Doerr is interested in all the light we cannot see, which can be glossed as hope, or the idea of good, in impossible times; but those conventional novelistic concerns are wedded inextricably to science. He is interested not only in the light we cannot see, but in the light we can, and the abiding mystery that we can see it at all. (Whats more, the voice is carried by radio waves, which are on the electromagnetic spectrum: they are, literally, an example of light that cannot be seen.)

Yet Doerr embeds his reflections on science in a novel, not a treatise. Doerr knows that science happens in a human context. The curiosity driving the pursuit of knowledge is only one feeling, mixed with othersloneliness and ambition, in Werners caseand plays out in society, which can derail, crush, or co-opt that pursuit.

So how, children, does the brain, which lives without a spark of light, build for us a world full of light?

The strangers question also illuminates Doerrs formal approach: his narrative acquires depth and significance from a carefully orchestrated series of repetitions, a symphony of echoes. In this case, the question echoes not only the title, but also one of the books epigraphs. (Joseph Goebbels: It would not have been possible for us to take power or to use it in the ways we have without the radio.) But images of light and radio pervade the book, as we see in Werners story.

Werner is plucked from the orphanage and sent to Schulpforta, a brutal Nazi training school. There, his talent for science is put to work: he invents a device that can triangulate on a radio signal, which is used to locate partisans who are broadcasting in the field. Later, as a soldier, Werner operates the device himself: he sits in the back of a truck, scanning the airwaves for voices, directing soldiers to partisans, who are then executed. These scenes offer grotesque echoes of his childhood in the orphanage, where he prowl[ed] the ionosphere for a strangers voice.

Throughout the novel, Werner remembers fragments of the radio broadcast he heard as a child. These mark his distance from boyhood, and the loss of what he hoped science would be in his life. Though his life in the orphanage was difficult, it was not without hope. Radio stood for the possibility of a life in science, and for connection with others: the strangers voice; his sister Jutta,with whom he hears the broadcast; the orphans who listen to the radio with him. Doerr salts Werners narrative with echoes of the broadcast, each one measuring the gap between his life and his hopes. (In a parallel motif, Werner periodically receives letters from Jutta, which are increasingly blacked out by censors, and which Werner ceases to answer.) After a mistake on Werners part leads to the death of a girl and her mother, Werner recalls part of the lecture: So really, children, mathematically, all of light is invisible. For Werner, conscience-stricken, traumatized by the losses he has already suffered, the phrase is newly apt. Light, in any spiritual or moral sense, is unavailable to him.

Werner is living without a spark of light; his challenge is how to build a world full of light. As Werners life spirals downward, the strangers question deepens in significance. Late in the book, Werner is trapped under a collapsed building, and needs to repair a radio to find freedom, to find light again in a world of darkness. That scene is itself an echo: it recapitulates the scene when Werner, a child in the orphanage, first hears the strangers question. Just as he did as a boy, he repairs a radio, finds a connection to the outside world; this gives him the hope he needs to escape, along with his surviving comrade, from the rubble. (They use a grenade.)

Returning to the world is an almost literal rebirth, and the beginning of Werners (partial) redemption. He comes full circle, just as the novel does. After emerging from the collapsed building, Werner deserts his responsibilities as a soldier, turns from abetting assassination to finding and helping to rescue Marie-Laure. As Doerrs deployment of echoes makes this clear, journey is mediated by science, but was always primarily moral.

The radio motif is key to the books plot, and to understanding Werner. But radio is only one form of the information technologies that fill the book: leaflets falling from the sky, books of Braille, radio waves, blacked-out letters from home, slips of paper baked into loaves of bread. These offer a key to Doerrs metafictional concerns: the novel, like a radio broadcast, is at once public and deeply intimate. We receive it like a Resistance message hidden in breadsustaining, hidden in sustenance, meant only for us.

Doerr is making a larger argument for the sustenance literature provides. Returning to Werners boyhood, and the strangers question, we see that Werner is excited by sciencebut that he responds to the broadcast as literature. He is inspired by a lavish, penetrating voice. He feels transported, launched into a different existence, and his perceptions of reality are altered: Time slows. The attic disappears. Jutta disappears. Has anyone ever spoken so intimately about the very things Werner is most curious about? The experience is also inflected by religion: Werner imagines radio waves as mile-long harp strings flying through forests, through cities, through walls. He responds, in other words, with metaphor. Werner is, in that moment, an ideal reader, perfectly attuned to anothers signal, building a world of light from that invisible transmission.

From this perspective, all the light of the books title invokes a books workings upon the brain, any description reconstituted in the brains darkness. Werners story is then also about the power of writing, its capacity to align distant brains with a paradoxical intimacy, to create a network of like-minded people, an improvised family of listeners. Reading All the Light, we are, in a strange way, included in that family; and as we read about Werner in the attic, absorbed in the words of a distant stranger, our situation parallels that of the character before us. Just as Werner discovers possibility in isolation, just as the brain, locked in total darkness, finds the light of others, so do we.

Theres a paradox in the broadcast Werner hears: a confined space can still contain infinite possibility. The brain, without a spark of light, can build a luminous world. Writing also can build that world for us, illuminating a model of the actual with moral understanding, linking us to other solitudes, and teaching us to see beyond our accustomed range.

George Estreich is the author of Textbook Illustrations of the Human Body, a book of poems, and of The Shape of the Eye, which won the 2012 Oregon Book Award in Creative Nonfiction. His essays have been published widely, most recently in The New York Times.
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Two of Tipperary's most prestigious eateries have been recognised in this year's John and Sally McKenna's Guide 2017.

Both 'Chez Hans' in Cashel, and The Old Convent, Clogheen, have long established reputations for fine dining. Their reputations will be burnished by this latest accolade, which names them as two of the Top 100 restaurants in Ireland in which to eat.

According to the Guide, the Matthiae brothers  Jason, Stefan and Hansi  head up a trilogy of restaurants in County Tipperary, with Chez Hans and Cafe Hans now joined by the excellent Stef Hans Cafe in Thurles.

But it is the original of the species  Chez Hans, a de-consecrated church sitting under the shadow of the Rock of Cashel, founded in 1968  that remains the beloved destination for food lovers in the county.

Jason Matthiaes lush, rich cooking never swerves from its classical path, so you come here to eat Kings Farm chicken with Madeira sauce, and Dublin Bay prawn cocktail, and Dover sole on the bone with crab meuniere, and vanilla rice pudding with prunes and Armagnac. The cooking never misses a beat, and the room is one of the best big night out destinations in Ireland.

Regarding the Old Convent in Clogheen, McKenna's Guide 2017 quotes Paddy Foyle, Dermot Gannons first ever employer in Clifden, Connemara: He's an Alchemist is how Paddy described his protege to us.

Its true. Mr Gannon is the Merlin of the kitchen, a vivid and intense creative spirit who makes the most beautiful things.

The cooking in The Old Convent, the restaurant with rooms he runs with his wife, Christine, is totemic: McGeoughs air-dried mountain lamb with Toonsbridge mozzarella and pickled melon; Crowe brothers crispy pork with Traas Farm plums; Ballyhoura nameko mushrooms with mature Cashel Blue; wild garlic risotto.

He brings the foods of his region to his kitchen, and he makes magic with them throughout inspired set menus that offer the flavours of the county. Its a wise idea to book a room, as breakfast is as good as dinner.

Congratulations to both restaurants.

John & Sally McKenna's Guide describes itself as a connoisseur of all the best places to eat, shop and stay in Ireland, a local guide to local places.
[February 21, 2017] CEFC China Takes Shares from the Biggest Oil Gas Field in UAE

BEIJING, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- China Energy Company Limited (CEFC China), which ranks 34th among the Fortune Global 500's energy industry list, announced yesterday that it has gained 40 years of equities in the biggest land oil gas field in Abu Dhabi, UEA. On February 20th local time, China Energy Company Limited (CEFC) signed an agreement with Abu Dhabi government and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) to obtain four percent of equities of Abu Dhabi's land leasing contract area. The contract term is 40 years and the total volume is USD1.8 billion. This is the first time for a Chinese company to gain equities in Abu Dhabi's land oil gas area. With the propelling Belt & Road Initiative, Chinese companies are accelerating their pace of overseas development. The United Arab Emirates is one of the world's most important oil producers and exporters. CEFC China becoming a shareholder of the biggest oil gas field in UAE marks another success in the Belt & Road Initiaive.



According to the contract, CEFC China will obtain four percent of the equities, which will yield an annual oil share of 3.2 million tons based on current output, and will be expected to reach over 4 million tons for peak period. In addition, CEFC China has reached an agreement with ADNOC for long term supply of 10 million tons of crude oil each year, thus to ensure China a stable supply of over 13.2 million tons of high quality crude oil each year. The agreement was signed between Mr. Ye Jianming, Chairman of China Energy Company Limited and Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, CEO of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company and member of Abu Dhabi Supreme Petroleum Council.

The contracted oil field is currently the biggest developed field in Abu Dhabi, accounting for half of the country's oil and gas reserve and production. The contracted field will be run by joint operation, with CEFC China taking part in decision-making and management, French Total and British BP providing technical support. The oil field will adopt world-level high standards in production and management. Mr. Ye Jianming, Chairman of CEFC China attended the signing ceremony and met with Dr. Jaber, CEO of ADNOC. "This is a milestone in bilateral cooperation. Long-term and stable land oil equities investment will bring about deeper cooperation between CEFC China and ADNOC on oil and natural gas exploration and development, oil reserve and open market trade", said Ye Jianming. Dr. Jaber noted that he is glad to develop strategic partnership with CEFC China, and that ADNOC will maintain close ties with partners who have value-added, world level expertise, financial resources and market opportunities. Chen Qiutu, CEO of CEFC China told the media that overseas merger & acquisition has always been CEFC China's prioritized goal. CEFC China becoming a shareholder of ADNOC enables the company to obtain long-term stable oil equities, expand its territory in the Middle East's oil gas up-stream industry and establish its influence in the world's up-stream oil gas field. CEFC China will further develop in the European oil gas terminals, increase investment into up-streams in the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa, promote cooperation between overseas up-streams and China's oil reserve and refining, thus to strengthen its global competitiveness. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cefc-china-takes-shares-from-the-biggest-oil-gas-field-in-uae-300410661.html SOURCE CEFC China Energy Company Limited (CEFC China)

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[February 21, 2017] Highmark Expands Quartet Partnership to Improve Mental Health Integration across Western Pennsylvania

Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield and Quartet, a mission-driven technology company integrating mental health into primary care, announced today the expansion of their programs into Pennsylvania's Butler and Westmoreland Counties. Their partnership to make mental healthcare more accessible first launched last summer in Pittsburgh. In the first seven months, thousands of physicians, behavioral healthcare specialists, and patients have engaged with Quartet. Quartet increases access to mental health resources by identifying Highmark members who may have undiagnosed mental health conditions. The platform also identifies patients who have a mental health diagnosis, but are not in treatment or could benefit from additional support. As the first platform to integrate mental health into primary care successfully, Quartet helps physicians to quickly initiate patients into care with the right specialist for their needs. Previously it could take months to get an appointment with a psychiatrist or psychologist, and too often patients discouraged by the wait are not connected to care. "It works like a dream," says Kim Pierce, M.D., a primary care physician with Allegheny Health Network's Stone Quarry Primary Care practice in Pittsburgh. "I can connect patients to care within a minute, either through the Quartet app on my smartphone or through the web portal that links right into our electronic health records." Dr. Pierce initiates up to five patients a week, many of whom have mental health conditions connected to a chronic disease. Quartet has expanded to all of Allegheny Health Network's primary care sites and is now engaging with specialists to provide local resources. "There is significant and growing evidence that demonstrates the dramatic correlation between chronic disease and mental health," said Barb Gray, R.N., senior vice president of clinical services at Highmark. "Our partnership with Quartet supports our care management objective of providing integrated solutions to help our members manage their chronic conditions and re-engage with their lives." Two-thirds of adult patients with a diagnosis of one of the top five physical illnesses (asthma, diabetes, hypertension, congestive heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) also have a mental health issue such as anxiety or depression complicating their care. Nearly 70 percent of adults with mental health conditions also have a medical condition.1 "Highmark's integrated care management team, in coordination with providers, community resources and other vendor partners, works to address the physical, mental and socio-economic determinants of care. Co-morbid conditions make it difficult for patients to adhere to treatment plans, and in some cases, keep them from ever seeking treatment in the first place," Gray explained. "Untreated depression and anxiety can reduce quality of life and impact the entire family. Taking a holistic, integrated approach is essential in order to do right by our members." "America's healthcare system has been acute, piecemeal, and prioritizing fee-for-service over value-based care for too long," echoed David Wennberg, M.D., Quartet's Chief Science Officer. "Highmark is leading the way among insurers in understanding that mental health is a core driver of overall health, and that investments in access and integration into primary care make good, moral, clinical, and economic sense." The financial cost of continuing to treat mental and physical disease in silos is staggering. A 2014 study commissioned by the American Psychiatric Association found that between $26.3 billion and $48.3 billion could be cut from the total cost of health care in the United States each year by effectively integrating medical and behavioral health treatment.2 What's more, although most people with depression seek help from their primary care physician, those physicians are not always the best equipped to deal with mental health issues. A recent study published in Health Affairs found that primary care physicians were not as successful at managing depression as they were managing other chronic conditions. They didn't schedule as many appointments, didn't educate depressed patients on how to manage their symptoms, and didn't regularly follow up to monitor their progress.3 Highmark and Quartet address this concern by supporting primary care physicians with telephonic "curbside consults" with psychiatrists, online patient support tools as needed, and rapid connections to behavioral health specialists who, with the patient's permission, stay in communication with the primary care physician through quick and easy consult notes. "Highmark has been a great partner and recognized that primary care physicians, behavioral health specialists and its members have benefited from Quartet," said Arun Gupta, founder and CEO of Quartet. "We are excited to take our model of improved access, outcomes, and efficiency to more Pennsylvanians thanks to Highmark's expanded sponsorship." Quartet was launched in 2014 and is currently partnered with leading health plans and provider organizations across the country. Backed by top healthcare and technology investors including GV (formerly Google (News - Alert) Ventures), Oak HC/FT, F-Prime Capital Partners, and Polaris Partners, Quartet is quickly expanding across the country in 2017. About Quartet Quartet is a mission-driven technology company transforming the way mental healthcare is delivered. We partner with insurers and physicians to make mental healthcare more accessible and integrated into primary care. Our platform relies on advanced analytics, proven treatment programs, and easy-to-use technology to improve outcomes and total cost of care. We are a team of engineers, data scientists, and clinicians finding solutions for a broken healthcare system. For more information, visit www.quartethealth.com. About Highmark Inc. Highmark Inc. and its health insurance subsidiaries and affiliates collectively are among the ten largest health insurers in the United States and comprise the fourth-largest Blue Cross and Blue Shield-affiliated organization. Highmark and its diversified businesses and affiliates operate health insurance plans in Pennsylvania, Delaware and West Virginia that serve 5.2 million members and hundreds of thousands of additional members through the Blue Card program. Its diversified businesses serve group customer and individual needs across the United States through dental insurance, vision care and other related businesses. Highmark is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, an association of independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies. For more information, visit www.highmark.com.







_______________________ 1 IMPACT Study (Improving Mood: Promoting Access to Collaborative Treatment) Published in American Journal of Managed Care, February 14, 2008. 2 "Economic Impact of Integrated Medical-Behavioral Healthcare, Implications for Psychiatry," Milliman study prepared for the American Psychiatric Association, April 2014 3 "Care Management Processes Used Less Often for Depression Than For Other Chronic Conditions in U.S. Primary Care Practices," Health Affairs, March 2016

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170221005209/en/

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[February 21, 2017] JQH Appoints Patrick Blache to Vice President of Information Technology

John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts (JQH) today announced that Patrick Blache has been promoted to vice president of information technology. He previously served as corporate senior director of information technology for the Springfield, Missouri-based company, which is a leading private, independent owner and manager of hotels in the United States. With more than 18 years of comprehensive experience in a multi-site, multi-host, network environment, Blache is responsible for continuing to guide JQH's IT strategy at the corporate and portfolio levels, including 35 hotels and more than 1 million square feet of superb meeting space. He is located in JQH's headquarters in Springfield and reports to Christopher Smith, JQH's senior vice president of administration and control. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170221006202/en/ John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts (JQH) has promoted Patrick Blache to vice president of information technology. He previously served as corporate senior director of information technology for the company. Blache is responsible for continuing to guide JQH's IT strategy at the corporate and portfolio levels, including 35 hotels and more tha 1 million square feet of superb meeting space. (Photo: Business Wire)



"Patrick has proven to be a talented strategist and leader as he has guided JQH through the necessary investments in bandwidth and infrastructure to ensure heightened service at JQH's thousands of guest rooms and expansive meeting spaces nationwide," Smith said. "Under Patrick's direction, we are pleased to be one of the hotel companies leading the hospitality industry in deploying extensive technology for an enhanced guest experience."

As vice president, Blache continues to oversee planning, organization, security and execution of all IT functions for JQH. Prior to joining the company in 2015, Blache served as director of technical services for Catholic Health Initiatives in Denver. His career also includes work as a systems engineer for Acxiom (News - Alert) Corporation in Little Rock, Arkansas. "I look forward to continuing to ensure our guests can feel confident that they can safely experience the breadth of technology available at home when staying at a JQH-operated hotel, while also having access to even greater bandwidth at the company's convention spaces," Blache said. About John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts Springfield, Missouri-based John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts (JQH) is a leading private, independent owner and manager of hotels in the United States, representing brands such as: Marriott, Hilton, Embassy Suites by Hilton, Sheraton, IHG, Chateau on the Lake Resort / Spa & Convention Center, and Plaza Hotels Collection. With a portfolio of 35 hotels representing approximately 8,500 guest rooms/suites in 16 states, JQH's properties are dominant in their markets. Founded on the extraordinary vision of John Q. Hammons and built on his continued legacy of excellence spanning more than 50 years, JQH has become one of the most recognized and award-winning companies in the hospitality industry. Built to be the best, JQH continues to set the standard in hospitality management and hotel development. Go to www.jqhhotels.com for more information, or connect with JQH on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170221006202/en/

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[February 21, 2017] Milrem Exhibits Its Fully Customizable UGV at IDEX Together with AEC, IAS and Raytheon

Milrem, the Estonian defence solutions provider, has joined forces with Raytheon (News - Alert) UK, Advanced Electronics Company and IGG Aselsan Systems to deploy their fully modular hybrid unmanned ground vehicle THeMIS in the MENA region. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170221006208/en/ The joint product of IGG Aselsan and Milrem features the THeMIS unmanned ground vehicle with Aselsan's SARP remote weapon station. (Photo: Business Wire) Together with these strong partners Milrem is exhibiting three different solutions of the world's first fully modular hybrid unmanned ground vehicle the THeMIS. Milrem will be represented at the IGG stand with the first weaponized unmanned ground vehicle intended specifically for the UAE market. The vehicle features Milrem's THeMIS and Aselsans SARP remote weapon station. The goal of the two companies is to deploy this vehicle with the UAE GHQ. Togetherwith the Advanced Electronics Company Milrem is exhibiting the THeMIS as a transport solution intended to carry a squad's gear. The vehicle is able to carry up to 750 kg of weight and run up to 10 hours.



The third Milrem vehicle can be found at the Estonian Pavilion with other Estonian defence companies. The vehicle there is equipped with the GroundEye, an IED detection devices developed by Raytheon UK. "The success of Milrem's solutions in the Middle East, Asia as well as USA is a great proof that research and developement in a small country like Estonia is very much possible and in a very high level," said Margus Tsahkna, the Defence Minister of Estonia.

"Being represented at three stands with three different companies shows exactly how customizable the first fully modular hybrid unmanned ground vehicle THeMIS is," said Kuldar Vaarsi, Chief Executive Officer of Milrem. "One platform can be equipped with specific payloads needed by the region's armies," he added. In addition to using the THeMIS as an equipment transport, weapon station and IED detection vehicle, the THeMIS can also be used as a medevac, UAV landing and powering platform, a sensor array etc. The vehicle uses one base platform for different applications, lowering maintenance and training costs. To view the product video, please visit - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVAqaIyqOhA For photos from the exhibition, please visit - https://www.dropbox.com/sh/rdjot96tvg3bfot/AAAechXMu5YyMRSkX83wntTEa?dl=0 About Milrem Milrem is an Estonian technology solutions provider. The company's two main lines of business include the research and development of unmanned vehicles and life cycle management for heavy-duty military vehicles. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170221006208/en/

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[February 21, 2017] SES Partners with Globecast to Expand TRT World Reach

SES (News - Alert) S.A. (Euronext Paris:SESG) (LuxX:SESG) announced today that TRT World is expanding its global distribution with global media solutions provider Globecast on the SES fleet. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170220005752/en/ SES Partners with Globecast to Expand TRT World Reach (Photo: Business Wire) The international Turkish news platform, TRT World, started broadcasting in January from ASTRA 19.2 degrees East, ASTRA 28.2 degrees East, and SES-5 at 5 degrees East. These orbital positions were selected to reach viewers in continental Europe, UK and Sub-Saharan Africa. As part of a global program and a multi-year agreement with TRT World, Globecast is extending satellite distribution of the channel around the world. Globecast is providing the technical broadcast solutions needed to achieve this expanded global delivery including worldwide connectivity and uplink distribution services using its unique reach and access to 10 satellites. TRT World is owned by Turkish national public broadcaster TRT and is Turkey's first English language international news platform, providing news coverage in English 24/7, from Istanbul. Giorgio Giacomini, Managing Director MENA at Globecast, said, "We are delighted to enable TRT World to expand around the globe using SES's sophisticated and extensive satellite fleet. Together with SES, we are giving TRT World the opportunity to broaden its footprint and deliver important news coverage in a greater capacity than ever before." "We are very glad to continue our cooperation with Globecast to support international broadcasters' worldwide ambitions. The choice of TRT World to join three prime SES orbital positions demonstrates once again the value of SES's assets in a global distribution scheme," said Ferdinand Kayser, Chief Commercial Officer at SES. Follow us on: Twitter (News - Alert): https://twitter.com/SES_Satellites Facebook (News - Alert): https://www.facebook.com/SES.Satellites



YouTube (News - Alert): http://www.youtube.com/SESVideoChannel Blog: https://www.ses.com/news/blogs

SES White papers are available under: https://www.ses.com/news/whitepapers About SES SES is the world-leading satellite operator and the first to deliver a differentiated and scalable GEO-MEO offering worldwide, with more than 50 satellites in Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) and 12 in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO). SES focuses on value-added, end-to-end solutions in four key market verticals (Video, Enterprise, Mobility and Government). It provides satellite communications services to broadcasters, content and internet service providers, mobile and fixed network operators, governments and institutions, and businesses worldwide. SES's portfolio includes the ASTRA satellite system, which has the largest Direct-to-Home (DTH) television reach in Europe, and O3b Networks, a global managed data communications service provider. Another SES subsidiary, MX1, is a leading media service provider and offers a full suite of innovative digital video and media services. Further information available at: www.ses.com About TRT World Being as the first international news platform of Turkey, TRT World aims to bring a new point of view to world journalism with its English broadcast streaming, rich news and documentary content and to be "global audience's channel" with objective and courageous reporting principles. With its new point of view, it will be an international news platform that is putting human at the center of the news as a messenger of the positive change in the world and showing different sides of the same news. By incorporating screen faces that have experiences in internationally prestigious channels and especially by catching the developing technology, TRT World is among the live TV channels that broadcast through social media and internet Website: www.trtworld.com About Globecast Part of the Orange (News - Alert) Group, Globecast provides agile and seamless content acquisition, management and distribution services globally. The company constantly innovates in an evolving IP-centric environment to provide reliable and secure customer solutions. Globecast has created the number one global hybrid fiber and satellite network for video contribution and distribution. This network enables multiplatform delivery including TV Everywhere OTT, satellite, cable, video on demand, CDN delivery as well as cloud-enabled media services. The company remains the trusted partner for coverage and international delivery of news, sports, and special events around the globe. Customers enjoy a seamless global experience on the ground from 12 interconnected Globecast owned facilities, including Los Angeles, London, Singapore, Paris, Rome, and Johannesburg. www.globecast.com | LinkedIn | Twitter View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170220005752/en/

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[February 20, 2017] Enigma Biomedical Group Signs Research Agreement with McGill University Research Centre for Studies in Aging

Enigma Biomedical Group today announced a clinical research agreement with McGill University Research Centre for Studies in Aging in Montreal to support multiple projects over the next several years. These research projects are for studies of an early stage imaging agent (MK-6240) to be used in Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scans for assessing the status and progression of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) in the brain. NFTs made up of aggregated tau protein are a hallmark of several neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease. As part of the agreement, Enigma will provide funding for various research projects, and through its US entity Cerveau Technologies, Inc., will supply the MK-6240 precursor needed for the initiatives. Lee Anne Gibbs, President of Enigma Biomedical Group said, "We are proud to partner with McGill University Research Centre for Studies in Aging, one of the premier institutions in the world. This is another important step in our ongoing and long-term relationship with McGill." Dr. Pedro Rosa-Neto, Director of McGill University Research Centre for Studies in Aging said, "These research projects will provide valuable insight into the status and progressio of NFTs in healthy subjects, subjects with mild cognitive impairment and confirmed Alzheimer's Disease. We appreciate the support of Enigma Biomedical Group and value our ongoing relationship."



Dr. Serge Gauthier, Director of the AD & Related Disorders Research Unit of the McGill University Research Center for Studies in Aging said: "The ability to visualize and quantify tau in the brain will facilitate therapeutic research in the field of Alzheimer's disease." "At Cerveau, we are focused on providing information and technologies to researchers and clinicians to improve brain health," said Rick Hiatt, President of Cerveau Technologies, Inc., and CEO of Enigma Biomedical Group. "We are excited by the opportunity to work with McGill and the pharmaceutical industry in providing access to this novel imaging agent to the broader scientific community."

About Enigma Biomedical Group Toronto based Enigma Biomedical Group (EBG) enhances access to key technologies with a focus on molecular imaging and medicine. EBG offers a suite of services to the pharmaceutical industry and clinical research community to accelerate drug development and global access. EBG partners with academic institutions and universities to foster and broaden access to novel research. More information can be found at http://www.enigmabiomedicalgroup.com/. About Cerveau Technologies, Inc. Cerveau Technologies, Inc. is a partnership between Enigma Biomedical Group, Inc. and Sinotau Pharmaceutical Group. Cerveau's vision is to globally develop diagnostics and technology that positively impact patients with neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's disease. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170220005696/en/

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[February 20, 2017] Ambiente 2017 Was Held in Frankfurt, MINISO Appeared and Wowed the Fair

FRANKFURT, Germany, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- MINISO attended and wowed the crowd from 10 to 14 February, 2017, at Ambiente 2017, which was hosted by Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH, was successfully held in Messe Frankfurt, Germany. Ambiente 2017 revealed four themes of the world's consumption trends: natural inspiration, texture, childhood fantasy and modern elegance, which lead the trends of the consumer markets of next season. The exciting content of the exhibition were highly expected by some industry insiders and international buyers. Numerous international top brands were invited to Ambiente, including Zwilling, the German brand initiates the concept of "modern kitchen", WMF, the German high-end kitchenware brand, Korean renown brand Lock & Lock and Japanese fast fashion designer brand MINISO. Ambiente is the world's largest and most influential international trade fair for consumer goods. It not only is a communication center for contract business, but also is an ideal platform for exhibitors to meet new clients and leads the brands develop to the world. According to statistics, there were more than 4,000 exhibitors from over 90 countries and regions invited to Ambiente, with over 140,000 professional buyers attending. The brands invited to Ambiente is a reflection of their social status. MINISO's appearance at Ambiente not only showed it is favored by consumers all over the world, but also highlights its social status in the intrnational market.



As MINISO advocates fashionable and relaxed lifestyle and directs a superior products consumption pattern, it is popular with customers since its establishment in 2013. MINISO has reached strategic cooperation agreements with more than 40 countries and regions including the U.S., Canada, Australia, Dubai and Korea, opening over 1,800 stores around the globe, with an expanding rate of 80-100 stores opened monthly. In 2016, MINISO's global revenue approached RMB10 billion. MINISO appeared at Ambiente with plenty of high quality and creative new products, including HI-FI metal earphones, multi-function speaker, stainless steel tableware, ultra-light preservation boxes and other living supplies. With the "high-quality, creative and low-price" products, MINISO was warmly welcomed by visitors at the fair and highly praised by exhibitors of other countries. Not only were the products favored by consumers and exhibitors, but the design philosophy of "simple, natural and quality" was also widely admired. The inner design of the booth shares the same design philosophy of the brand, which is simple but of high quality. It not only stays close to the theme of Ambiente, which is "natural inspiration and modern elegance" but also made every visitor feel calm and relaxed.

"Simple, natural and quality" are the design philosophies that Miyake Junya, the global co-founder and chief designer of MINISO has always persisted in. Inspired by minimalism, Miyake Junya believes that the design should come "back to nature, and revert to the essence of products". As a result, the design team he leads has always insisted on the concept of "life" and "home", who designs and develops the products according to the idea of "natural life". He wishes to lead the consumers to build a sound consumption outlook through the simple but lively aesthetics of design while meeting consumers' pursuit of quality and high-end design. The design philosophy of Miyake Junya not only shares the same concept with the theme of Ambiente, but it will also lead the trend of future consumption. Some "old friends" of MINISO, such as the world's top tableware supplier Jiacheng Groups also gathered at Ambiente, with many international top class suppliers. On one hand, MINISO had the opportunity to negotiate with such suppliers through Ambiente, by which they are able to join to provide more products of high quality but low-price to consumers; on the other hand, as MINISO aims at reaching the peak of retail industry, Ambiente has great influence in the international market which helps to improve the brand's international competitiveness. The director of MINISO expressed that MINISO will establish subsidiary corporations in Germany, Indonesia, Brazil, South Africa, Egypt and India in 2017. It helps the brand to develop further in the international market and it is promising to complete opening 6,000 stores all over the world with over RMB 60 billion revenue by 2020. For more information contact: Myra He

+86-20-3622-8788-8838

[email protected] Photo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20170217/0861701257







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[February 20, 2017] Kiosk translating in sign language assist deaf customers and help restaurants reduce risk of ADA lawsuits

Birmingham Alabama, Feb. 20, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Looking for a simple lunch, a deaf woman recently went into an Alabama restaurant and jotted down her order on a piece of paper. The waiter hustled the request to the kitchen, where preparers tried to decipher the woman's handwriting. But when the sandwich she wanted was delivered, it contained tomatoes, which she had said in writing she did not want. Frustrated, the woman went back-and-forth with the waiter for a few minutes to explain exactly what she wanted. The sandwich ended up having to be remade. "That experience might keep her from going back to that restaurant, said Grace Vasa, CEO of technology firm Juke Slot. Unfortunately, such communication mix-ups are not isolated incidents in the larger restaurant field." The inability of restaurants to communicate effectively with all customers both threatens to hurt their businesses and serves as an opportunity to generate additional revenue. But what might seem like an operational hurdle actually can be an easy fix with long-term financial benefits. Self-ordering kiosks featuring capabilities such as sign language and foreign language translations allow people with conversational difficulties to communicate more easily represent solutions that minimize order errors and strengthen the customer experience. Such technology would enable restaurants to cater to a different segment of the population  scores of people who struggle with basic communication, not only those who are deaf. Just as important: Its good business, industry experts say. Implementing kiosk solutions provide an easy avenue for ordering for those with physical impairments, brain injuries and mental disabilities. That can be of particular importance for those with communications problems who also suffer food allergies, to ensure their messages or notes arent misunderstood. The kiosk is a game-changer for restaurants when it comes to appealing to ALL customers, Vasa said. Every community has people who have some kind of trouble placing an order at a restaurant. Potential new consumers About 54 million Americans have some sort of disability, reports the ADA National Network. Of those some 15 percent of Americans  roughly 49 million people, based on U.S. Census Bureau statistics  are deaf or hard of hearing, according to the National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD).



The Americans with Disabilities Act, passed in 1990, requires restaurants to accommodate those with disabilities of all types. So when it comes to accommodating diners with mental and physical challenges, the ADA National Network recommends that restaurants not only make their facilities accessible to all, but also the ability to order, purchase and enjoy a meal as freely as any able person. Those within the industry who already implemented technology make themselves less susceptible to criticism, scrutiny and potential legal action.

The argument is that theres no excuse these days for a restaurant not to have this technology, Vasa said. Technology at a glance One of the tools expected to be key in better connecting restaurants with diners is a unique kiosk by the name of Oublie  recently released from Juke Slot. Oublie, French word deriving from the English word Forgotten gives this unique kiosk an identity in which separate itself from the rest. With the ability to display on a counter or in an upright stand, Oublie have the ability to function as a normal self-ordering kiosk as well as cater to deaf, hard of hearing, blind and foreign languages. A sleek design built for an above over view providing the customer with a sense of privacy. Its Android-based software is customizable, meaning restaurateurs can tailor the interface to their  and their customers  needs. For example, a restaurant not only can display its full menu on the screen, but also can allow customers to modify meals to their liking. The devices versatility positions it as a key solution in how business is conducted effectively and efficiently in a host of applications. At high-traffic times, kiosks can be used to allow customers to order and pay on demand, creating shorter line waits. Adding a new dynamic Tailoring the units to overcome communications barriers only increases the machines impact and value. The deaf woman at the Alabama restaurant indicated after her incorrect order that a kiosk wouldve prevented problems. Realizing the need to deploy a machine that enables users of all types and capabilities to use it easily, Juke Slot is developing an patent interface that specifically provides the deaf and hard of hearing a more inviting experience. Juke Slots ADA compliant software enables users to change the interface language to sign language, including a virtual avatar translating all customer selections in ASL. Unfortunately, communicating through writing isnt always a viable option. Many who are deaf read at a third-grade level, said Emily Ann Friedberg, an agriculture teacher with the Atlanta Area School for the Deaf. And many only write at a fourth-grade level. Juke Slot has partnered with the Atlanta Area School for the Deaf to survey and work with individuals in that organization to provide feedback to Juke Slot as it deploys its software ordering system. The goal is to ensure the interface continually meets those users needs. This will be great because it allows us to assure our technology is best-suited, Vasa said. The operating system eventually will go far beyond just helping the disabled, Vasa said. It will be tailored to assist those with language barriers, such as those with hard-to-understand accents, general annunciation issues and local dialects. Users could select the language they need. When ready to place their order, it would be relayed in English to the kitchen. The technology could bridge a long-standing communications gap within the restaurant industry, said Jimmy Peterson, executive director of the Georgia Center of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Peterson, who is deaf, has quickly become a fan of kiosks that, he said, provides convenience in ordering and confidence that his experience will be satisfactory. He recalled going to an Atlanta McDonalds last week, which didnt have kiosks. So he wrote down his order, and handed it to the person at the counter. When he received his food, the order was wrong and he was overcharged. Complaining to the manager, the manager, Peterson said, became upset that Peterson hadnt been quick enough in placing his order and that caused issues in the fulfillment process. Thats a pretty common mishap, Peterson said. Kiosks with the sort of interface Juke Slot plans to implement not only can prevent mistakes, but also increase business by building relationships with new clientele, Peterson said. Its so easy; very easy and very efficient, Peterson said of restaurant kiosks. If I order something, I normally write it down or text it. With the kiosk, theres a screen where I can view sign language from a avatar when ordering.  I can catch what theyre doing, and it means less mistakes being made when I order. Juke Slot has currently been in discussion with Chick-fil-A, Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts and scheduled to roll out Oublie in locations around the U.S in 2017! Grace Vasa Email: [email protected] website: www.jukeslotselfservice.com

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ROCHESTER  A Waterford woman who allegedly struck her husband with a car early Sunday has been charged with two felonies.

Terria Rudzinski, 32, of the 600 block of Rohda Drive, Waterford, was charged Monday with intoxicated use of a vehicle and hit and run, both causing great bodily harm, as well as first offense drunken driving causing injury and disorderly conduct.

According to the criminal complaint, Rudzinskis husband was taken from near the scene of the crash in Rochester by Flight for Life to an area hospital with skull and neck fractures.

The complaint states that Rudzinskis husband was unconscious when he was transported to the hospital, and was in critical but stable condition after having a portion of his skull surgically removed.

Rudzinski made her initial appearance in court Monday and had her bond set at $1,000 cash, court records show. Records show that Rudzinski also was assigned a $10,000 signature bond and cannot drive or consume alcohol.

According to the complaint, witnesses in the 400 block of South Front Street in Rochester overheard a woman, believed to be Rudzinski, screaming expletives; they then heard a loud noise consistent with someone being hit by a car. Deputies said one witness told them Rudzinskis husband had a hole in the back of his head.

Rudzinski told deputies that her husband had pulled her hair during an argument on the way home from a bar, and that she had pulled away from the scene at about 2 mph before her husband struck the passenger side windshield with his hand, according to the complaint.

Racine County Sheriffs Office deputies said they calculated Rudzinskis preliminary breath test at 0.165, more than twice the legal limit, based on field sobriety tests.

Rudzinskis preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 1 at the county Law Enforcement Center, 717 Wisconsin Ave. She remained in custody as of Monday night at the County Jail.
[February 21, 2017]

Parablu's Cloud Solution Helps Wipro Secure End-User Data

BANGALORE, February 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Parablu, a global leader in secure data management solutions, today announced that Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO), a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company, has deployed Parablu's suite of secure data management solutions.

(Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/470111/Parablu_Logo.jpg )



The deployment includes Parablu's BluVault , a scalable end-user backup and recovery solution and BluDrive, a secure large file transfer solution to securely manage cloud-based backups and file transfers for Wipro's user endpoints.

The deployment of Parablu's BluVault and BluDrive solutions have enabled secure cloud storage for Wipro.







"Parablu fills a critical need for secure data backup and availability in today's cloud landscape. We needed a cost-effective and secure data management solution that could scale up without compromising performance and usability. Parablu was able to give us such a solution," said Raja Ukil, Chief Information Officer, Wipro Limited.

"While cloud usage is at an all-time high, concerns around security and privacy of enterprise assets remain one of the biggest inhibitors to cloud adoption," said Anand Prahlad, CEO and President, Parablu. "Our robust data management solutions - BluVault and BluDrive, aim to make the cloud a more secure destination for enterprise assets and help drive up cloud adoption."

About Parablu

Parablu is an award-winning leader in secure data management solutions, combining security with scale, performance and usability. Parablu's cloud access security broker, combined with its world-class data management solutions offer enterprises a simple and cost-effective way to utilize the public cloud without compromising security and privacy of their enterprise assets. Parablu's solutions run on several thousand systems worldwide and are trusted by some of the world's largest corporations.

Learn more at http://www.parablu.com

Media Contact:

Naveen Ekambaram

Manager of Marketing and Communications, Parablu

Phone: +1-(650)-762-6641; +91-9886385680

[email protected]


[February 21, 2017] Telia Carrier Establishes Two New PoPs in St. Petersburg, Russia to Bolster Its Network Backbone in the Region

Telia Carrier today announced that it has established two new points of presence (PoP) in St. Petersburg, Russia to meet customer demand, and add more depth and diversity to the company's network in a region experiencing major traffic growth. Telia Carrier continues to add granularity to its network with the two new PoPs, ensuring that customer needs are met in a high traffic region and expanding the reach of its top-two ranked global IP backbone, AS1299. The new PoPs add to Telia Carrier's historical commitment to the region and follow the company's recent announcement of a new route from Stockholm to St. Petersburg via Tallinn. Following the build-out, the global wholesale carrier will offer IP transit, Ethernet and wavelength services from two new data center facilities in St. Petersburg - Miran and Selectel. As a result, content providers and operators, primarily within Russia and the Baltic states, can now choose from Telia Carrier's compelling portfolio of 100G+ services at these sites. Content providers in particular stand to benefit from improved access to a rapidly growing cloud and content services market in Russia. "More content and cloud providers are adding a local presence in the Russian market to provide services for millions of new customers. These providers all demand low latency, high capacity backbone services to support the delivery of rich content to the end user," said Ilya Bulaev, sales director - Russia & CIS, for Telia Carrier. "These two new PoPs reinforce Telia Carrier's depth of presence in the European and Russian markets, and enable content providers to enter new markets with extremely high capacity network service offerings."



"Several dozen communications providers are already present in Selectel's data centers," said Kirill Malevanov, technical director Selectel. "We'd like to add more in the future, as new providers create new opportunities for our clients to develop their network infrastructure. Telia Carrier, a leading Tier 1 provider, can offer interesting solutions pertaining to IP transit and VPN services." Telia Carrier's global fiber backbone is the first to be 100G-enabled in both Europe and North America. It is also the first network to successfully transmit 1 Tb/s on its US network. According to Dyn (News - Alert) Research's global backbone rankings, AS1299, Telia Carrier's global IP backbone is currently ranked top-two. Telia Carrier's rapid growth and ascension through the rankings was highlighted in Dyn's 'Baker's Dozen, 2015 edition' report. The company enables worldwide connectivity by connecting more than 220 Points of Presence (PoPs) across Europe, North America, Asia, and the Middle East including over 70 PoPs in North America alone.

About Telia Carrier Telia Carrier owns and operates one of the world's most extensive fiber backbones. Our mission is to provide exceptional network infrastructure and services - empowering individuals, businesses and societies to execute their most critical activities. By working close to our customers, we make big ideas happen at the speed of fiber. Discover more at teliacarrier.com. About Selectel Selectel is Russia's leading IaaS provider. We offer a wide range of high-performance, managed hosting services, including the virtual private cloud, cloud storage, bare metal servers, colocation, CDN, and more. All of our services are built on server-grade hardware and operate from our privately owned Tier III data centers in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Over 8,000 clients have chosen Selectel. For more information, visit selectel.com. About Miran Data Center "Miran-1" is located in its own industrial building in the protected production area of St. Petersburg. The total data center area of 500 square meters contains more than 130 server cabinets. Power and cooling systems are built with N + 1 redundancy or better, and the power supply system includes uninterruptible power supplies and a standby diesel generator. The building houses a video surveillance system, fire alarm systems and gas fire, access control. "Miran-1" is the first commercial data center in the North-West region of Russia to be certified to PCI (News - Alert) DSS. https://miran.ru/en/datacenters/miran-1/ View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170220005740/en/

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[February 21, 2017] First Comprehensive Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Initiative Launched in Africa

His Excellency the President Lieutenant General Dr. Seretse Khama Ian Khama of the Republic of Botswana, the Honorable Minister Dorcas Makgato of the Ministry of Health and Wellness, the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation, Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Centers (TXCH) and Baylor College of Medicine International Pediatric AIDS Initiative at Texas Children's Hospital (BIPAI) through public-private partnerships with the governments of Botswana, Uganda and Malawi, announced a $100 million initiative to create an innovative pediatric hematology-oncology treatment network in southern and east Africa. The comprehensive initiative called Global HOPE (Hematology-Oncology Pediatric Excellence) will build long-term capacity to treat and dramatically improve the prognosis of thousands of children with cancer and blood disorders in southern and eastern Africa. In the United States, 80 percent of children with cancer survive. In sub-Saharan Africa, the overwhelming majority of pediatric patients do not survive. The mortality rate is estimated to be as high as 90 percent, meaning that thousands of children die from cancer across Africa each year. This is in large part due to an inadequate healthcare infrastructure and a significant lack of expert physicians and other healthcare workers trained to treat children with cancer. The most common types of childhood cancers are blood cancers, including leukemia and lymphoma. Global HOPE will partner with local Governments and Ministries of Health to build medical capacity to diagnose and treat pediatric blood disorders and cancer in Botswana, Malawi and Uganda. The initiative will also create significant clinical, educational and research capabilities. Doctors, nurses and ancillary professionals will be recruited from around the world to provide training to local healthcare professionals and to begin treating children with blood disorders and cancer immediately. "This project is building on a solid foundation for pediatric cancer treatment in Botswana that began with pediatric oncologists from Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Centers," said His Excellency the President Lieutenant General Dr. Seretse Khama Ian Khama of the Republic of Botswana. "The Global HOPE program will bring to Botswana the latest bio-medical technologies and the potential to work with local institutions such as the Botswana Innovation Hub and University of Botswana to quickly increase the survival of children with cancer and life-threatening blood disorders in Botswana and the region." The Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation is committing $50 million over five years to fund the training of healthcare providers as well as clinical infrastructure and operations. BIPAI will raise an additional $50 million for the initiative. "We are eager to get started on this critical initiative to help children with blood disorders and cancer. Working with our partners and drawing on our expertise of building sustainable health systems in underserved countries, we will help make a significant difference in the outcomes for children while creating a blueprint for other countries to follow," said Giovanni Caforio, M.D., chairman of the board of the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation and chief executive officer, Brisol-Myers Squibb Company. "This initiative builds on 18 years of success of the Foundation's SECURE THE FUTURE program and will offer new hope to families impacted by pediatric blood disorders and cancer."



As public-private partnerships, the various governments will each play an important role in developing the pediatric hematology-oncology network, assisting with the training, technical assistance, logistics and resources to support Global HOPE. The Global HOPE initiative will train an estimated 4,800 healthcare professionals from Botswana, Uganda, Malawi and other African countries, including doctors and nurses specializing in pediatric hematology-oncology and social workers. The program estimates that over 5,000 children will receive care in the first five years.

"With only five pediatric oncologists currently in the countries of Botswana, Malawi and Uganda combined, there are simply not enough expert doctors to treat all the children diagnosed with blood disorders and cancer. We believe in these countries there are more than 11,000 new cases annually of pediatric cancer and 40,000 new cases of serious, life-threatening blood disorders such as sickle cell disease and hemophilia. Because of these staggering numbers, more healthcare providers with special expertise are urgently needed," said David G. Poplack, M.D., director of Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Centers and Professor of Pediatric Oncology at Baylor College of Medicine. "Global HOPE will help build capacity in the region to diagnose and care for children with blood disorders and cancer, offering the potential for transformational change in survivorship for these children." The Global HOPE initiative will be modeled on the work of the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation, BIPAI and the Governments of Botswana, Uganda and Malawi, which created the largest pediatric HIV treatment network in the world, leveraging existing experience, infrastructure, and public/private partnerships created through the initiative. Since 2003, the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation and BIPAI have trained 52,000 healthcare professionals and currently provide care for nearly 300,000 children with HIV and their families in sub-Saharan Africa, lowering the mortality rate for these children to 1.2 percent. "The success we've had in radically changing the course of pediatric HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa is due in large part to the tremendous support provided by the country governments, healthcare providers on the ground and donors who have made our work possible," said Mark W. Kline, M.D., president and founder of BIPAI, physician-in-chief of Texas Children's Hospital and chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine. "We look forward to helping patients and their families by embarking on this unchartered area of cancer care in Africa. Working with our partners, we aim to build a self-sustaining infrastructure that changes the tide of these childhood diseases in sub-Saharan Africa." About the Republic of Botswana and the Ministry of Health and Wellness Botswana is a country with two million inhabitants in southern Africa with abundant and diverse natural resources. The official languages are English and Setswana. Since independence in 1966, Botswana has been a parliamentary republic; the chief of state and head of government is the president. Botswana's economy is a success story in southern Africa due to the investment of the government in the education, health, clean water and telecommunications sectors to create a better standard of living for its citizens and to foster a conducive environment for free enterprise to prosper. The Ministry of Health and Wellness aims to improve the physical, mental, and social well-being of every citizen of Botswana to fully contribute to the development of Botswana through a healthy nation. About the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation The Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation is committed to improving the health outcomes of populations disproportionately affected by serious diseases by strengthening healthcare worker capacity, integrating medical care and community-based supportive services, and addressing unmet medical need. The Foundation engages partners to develop, execute, evaluate and promote innovative programs to help patients with lung cancer and removing barriers to accessing care in the United States, HIV and comorbid diseases such as cervical and breast cancers and tuberculosis in sub-Saharan Africa, hepatitis B and C in China and India and veterans' mental health and well-being in the U.S. Since 1999, the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation's SECURE THE FUTURE initiative has been working with partners in Africa to provide care and support for communities affected by HIV, tuberculosis, women's cancer and most recently, lung cancer. Global HOPE will apply this same transformational model to pediatric oncology and hematology in a number of the same geographic areas. Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Centers at Texas Children's Hospital Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Centers (TXCH) is the largest pediatric hematology-oncology program in the U.S., treating patients from 35 states and 26 countries. TXCH performs advanced patient care, cutting edge clinical and laboratory research and has largest training program for pediatric hematology-oncology in the U.S. With a staff of renowned experts, the centers have developed a wide array of programs aimed at curing children with diagnoses ranging from the most common to the very rare. The team of 186 faculty and nearly 1,000 staff have pioneered many of the now standard treatments for pediatric cancer and blood disorders. TXCH has a long-standing commitment to improving global health. For more information, please visit txch.org. Baylor College of Medicine International Pediatric AIDS Initiative at Texas Children's Hospital (BIPAI) Baylor International Pediatric AIDS Initiative (BIPAI) is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing pediatric and maternal health care in resource limited settings. BIPAI medical teams offer free medical care and medical education for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, malnutrition, obstetrics/gynecology, hematology/oncology and more. Partnering with Texas Children's Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine, BIPAI operates in 11 countries, caring for nearly 300,000 children and their families. Learn more at www.bipai.org. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170221005215/en/

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[February 21, 2017] The Internet of the Seas Sets Sail

The University of St Andrews Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU) is developing smart telemetry tags using Narrow Band-IoT (NB-IoT) technology to track and monitor the movement of harbour seals and research their population decline. NB-IoT is a Low Power, Wide Area (LPWA) technology that was standardised by the GSMA's (News - Alert) Mobile IoT Initiative and will play a fundamental role in the emerging 'Internet of the Seas' by capturing underwater data that will help to monitor climate change. The new sensors being developed by SMRU will be harmlessly attached to the seals in order to log detailed data on the animals' behaviour, such as location and dive depth, as well as temperature, salinity and, eventually, underwater sound. Low power devices and networks in licensed spectrum vastly improve wildlife tracking by enabling more efficient tracking tags that are smaller and less intrusive. SMRU expects to trial the new NB-IoT enabled marine tags later this year. In 2016, it successfully gathered information for analysis from harbour seals in Orkney, Scotland, using machine-to-machine (M2M) technology. Mobile IoT networks have the potential to deliver improvements in mobile coverage and the built-in device modules offer battery life superior to devices reliant on conventional cellular technologies. "The GSMA is supporting the UN's Sustainable Development Goals by exploring how mobile technology can be utilised to capture vital information to support wildlife conservation projects around the world, as well as protect the oceans, seas and the species living in them," commented Alex Sinclair, Chief Technology Officer, GSMA. "The intersection between Mobile IoT technologies and global conservation projects such as this is exciting, timely and powerful and will play a fundamental role in helping to achieve healthy and productive oceans." The Internet of the Seas NB-IoT technology can also be used to support the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS), a UNESCO programme that coordinates global ocean data from different governance bodies. NB-IoT can help monitor climate change by means of low energy sensors and data relay channels that capture information on the temperature and salinity of the oceans. Combined and standardised with data from other sea monitoring systems, such NB-IoT-derived data will help provide scientists and oceanographers with accurate information on the world's oceans. Tagging animals with smart tags also helps scientists to use their mobility and diving skills to explore both distant and deep parts of oceans. "NB-IoT technology is the future of our research and allows us to springboard from the success of our previous work using M2M technology and capture far more detailed data in a much more efficient way," said Dr Bernie McConnell, Sea Mammal Research Unit, University of St Andrews. "Many species, both marine and aquatic, are under threat. NB-IoT is ideally suited to be a global carrier of animal information that will provide vital data needed to inform and benefit wildlife conservation worldwide." SMRU was approached by the Scottish Government to investigate why seals on the east coast of Scotland and the Northern Isles were in serious decline with a 70 per cent reduction over the last ten years. The natural habitat of animals around the world is being impacted by climate change that is disrupting food chains and biodiversity. The research is ongoing but the possible reasons for the decline could be food limitation, disease, aggression from grey seals, predation by killer whales, and poisoning from harmful algal blooms. A crucial element will be in discovering where the threatened seals feed at sea. The GSMA Mobile IoT Initiative LPWA networks are a high-growth area of the IoT designed for M2M applications that have low data rates, require long battery lives and operate unattended for long periods of time, often in remote locations. They will be used for a wide variety of applications such as industrial asset tracking, safety monitoring, water and gas metering, smart grids, city parking, vending machines and city lighting. The GSMA's Mobile IoT Initiative is designed to accelerate the commercial availability of LPWA solutions in licensed spectrum. These licensed standards allow operators to optimise their existing mobile network infrastructure through an upgrade to LTE (News - Alert)-M for LTE networks, while NB-IoT can use both 2G and 4G spectrum. It is currently backed by 30 of the world's leading mobile operators, OEMs, chipset, module and infrastucture companies. The GSMA Mobile IoT initiative is supporting the industry with multiple global pilots with full commercial solutions expected in market later this year.



Mobile IoT at Mobile World Congress (News - Alert) 2017 At Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the GSMA's Connected Living Programme will host the 'GSMA Global Mobile IoT Summit' with leading industry experts on Sunday, 26 February from 13:00 - 17:30. The session will explore how the industry is working together to realise the full potential of Mobile IoT. There will also be a separate session, 'Mobile IoT (LPWA) - Open for Business', on Wednesday, 1 March from 13:30 - 15:30 that will provide an opportunity to learn about the latest commercial rollouts, launches and pilots. There will also be number of demonstrations of LPWA technology at the GSMA Innovation City located in Hall 4 in Fira Gran Via. For more information or please visit www.gsma.com/connectedliving/event/mobile-world-congress-2017/ or download the Connected Living IoT Guide to MWC 2017:

http://www.gsma.com/connectedliving/iot-guide-mwc17/. For more information on the GSMA Mobile IoT Initiative go to: www.gsma.com/connectedliving/mobile-iot-initiative/ Get Involved at Mobile World Congress 2017 For more information on Mobile World Congress 2017, including how to attend, exhibit or sponsor, visit www.mobileworldcongress.com. Follow developments and updates on Mobile World Congress on Twitter (News - Alert) @GSMA using #MWC17, on our LinkedIn Mobile World Congress page www.linkedin.com/company/gsma-mobile-world-congress or on Facebook (News - Alert) at https://www.facebook.com/mobileworldcongress/. For additional information on GSMA social channels, visit www.mobileworldcongress.com/about/contact/social-media/. About the GSMA The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide, uniting nearly 800 operators with almost 300 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset and device makers, software companies, equipment providers and internet companies, as well as organisations in adjacent industry sectors. The GSMA also produces industry-leading events such as Mobile World Congress, Mobile World Congress Shanghai, Mobile World Congress Americas and the Mobile 360 Series of conferences. For more information, please visit the GSMA corporate website at www.gsma.com. Follow the GSMA on Twitter: @GSMA. About the Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU) SMRU (http://www.smru.st-andrews.ac.uk/ @_SMRU_) is a component of the School of Biology within the University of St Andrews, Scotland. Its staff and students carry out a range of fundamental and applied studies into the biology, ecology, physiology and behaviour of marine mammals throughout the world. Its core is funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (http://www.nerc.ac.uk/) With over 40 staff and students, SMRU represents a formidable concentration of expertise and talent in the field of marine mammalogy and, more generally, in marine ecology. In recognition of the world-leading role played by our researchers in furthering our understanding and protection of the oceans, SMRU was awarded the Queen's Anniversary Prize in 2011. SMRU's Instrumentation Group (SMRU-IG) (http://www.smru.st-andrews.ac.uk/Instrumentation/Overview/) designs and builds a range of electronic devices for attachment to animals that collect, compress and transmit data. These devices are used both by the SMRU and a wide range of international customers and colleagues. SMRU-IG is a research group funded by the sale of electronic tags. It has an annual turnover of about 1m. About St Andrews University Founded in the 15th century, St Andrews is Scotland's first university and the third oldest in the English speaking world. Teaching began in the community of St Andrews on the east coast of Scotland in 1410 and the University was formally constituted by the issue of Papal Bull in 1413. The university is now one of Europe's most research intensive seats of learning - over a quarter of its turnover comes from research grants and contracts. It is one of the top rated universities in Europe for research, teaching quality and student satisfaction and is consistently ranked among the UK's top five in leading independent league tables produced by The Sunday Times and The Times, The Guardian and The Complete University Guide. For University Press Office contact details, use telephone 01334 462530 or email [email protected] View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170221005398/en/

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[February 21, 2017] Holland Services Taps Marc Jackson as Denver's Regional Manager

Holland Services, a national leader in oil and gas land-related services, announced today that Marc Jackson, RPL, will serve as the Holland Services Regional Manager, Rockies and be located in the company's Denver office. Marc brings 12 years' experience as a Registered Petroleum Landman (RPL) to his new position. In that time, Marc excelled at overseeing a wide array of projects in oil & gas exploration, production, mergers and acquisitions, and divestitures across the Rockies and other major basins throughout the U.S. Speaking about his role, Marc said, "My goal is to take Holland Services even higher as the premier land services brokerage in the Rockies." In addition to serving Holland's current Denver clients, Marc will develop new relationships in the Rockies Region and be responsible for providing overall office and project leadership. Bryan Gaudin, Chief Operating Officer of Holland Services, commented, "Marc is an excellent ft for us; his high level of skill and experience will contribute greatly to the success of our clients' business, and Holland's commitment to deliver excellence, efficiency and results."



Marc is an active member of the American Association of Petroleum Landmen (AAPL), the Denver Association of Petroleum Landmen (DAPL), and the Wyoming Association of Petroleum Landmen (WAPL). He has worked on projects of every size and scope throughout Colorado, Kansas, Montana, North Dakota, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming. About Holland Services

Holland Services is one of the leading national land service companies in the United States. With more than 30 years of land advisory experience from upstream to downstream, Holland specializes in leasing, title abstracting, due diligence, curative, GIS, right-of-way services, asset management, as well as environmental and water solutions. The company provides these and other services to the energy sector in addition to the power generation, telecommunications and transportation industries. Holland Services employs the very best and brightest people, leading edge technology and a time-proven, results oriented system of management and administration to deliver the highest quality work product in the most timely, efficient manner to its clients. Holland is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas with regional offices in Midland, Houston, Denver, Oklahoma City, Washington, PA, and additional strategically located satellite offices throughout North America. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170221005304/en/

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[February 21, 2017] TrackNet Launches Tabs IoT Home and Family Monitoring Solution for Busy Families

TrackNet, Inc., a cutting-edge LoRaWAN Internet of Things (IoT) solutions provider for consumer and industry, announces the unveiling of Tabs at Mobile World Congress (News - Alert) (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain, February 27-March 1. Tabs combines a Wi-Fi / LoRa hub with Internet parental control and a broad range of sensor devices using long-range wireless technology with an easy-to-use mobile app to monitor child safety, home security, and home health. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170221005570/en/ Photo shows the TrackNet Tabs solution, including Tabs hub, smartphone app and a variety of sensors and wearables. (Graphic: Business Wire) The Tabs hub provides Wi-Fi coverage over an entire residence and Tabs sensor coverage over entire neighborhoods with significant benefits not only to consumers but also to operators and service providers deploying Low Power Wide Area Networks (LPWAN). For operators and service providers, the Tabs hub installed within customers' homes accelerates and scales LPWAN deployments much faster than a solely tower-based approach, easily provides deep indoor coverage and significantly reduces the network deployment capital and operation expense. Contributing Network Coverage from The Home Each Tabs solution starts with a wireless hub, which provides the Tabs sensor coverage over an entire neighborhood or high-rise development, delivering immediate benefit to the consumer. Each solution further includes a Tabs extender, which is a Tabs sensor hub but not a full Wi-Fi router, to ensure coverage over the locations most frequented by families such as school, day-care, or a friend's house. As more users install Tabs hubs and extenders, they collaborate to build or improve network coverage over a entire city or region, giving the users additional benefit for locating children, pets, elderly or things. Most cities can already have 100 percent network coverage if just a few citizens utilize the Tabs solution. This LoRaWAN network coverage built from the indoor Tabs hubs also has significant benefit to network operators who have deployed light outdoor network coverage with existing cell tower infrastructure. The hybrid deployment model of numerous in-home and in-building gateways mixed with light tower coverage is quickly being recognized as the optimal deployment model for LPWAN and being adopted by major operators globally.



Helping Consumers Keep Tabs on What Matters Most In addition to providing connectivity, the Tabs hub also shields children from inappropriate web content and allows web time limits through the easy-to-configure Wi-Fi parental control feature on the mobile app.

For children, the Tabs child wearable sensor gives parents visibility into their children's location and activities. Parents can set alerts to be notified, for example, when their children enter or leave a location, don't come home on time, or take longer than usual to get to a friend's house. Kids can be more independent but are just a button push away from mom and dad using the Tabs messaging feature, which allows children to send quick messages saying, "I'm safe," or "ready for pickup," without the cost or concerns of providing them with cell phones. For homes, Tabs offers a suite of devices designed to protect the safety and health of families. Its door, window, motion sensors, configurable push button, and multi-purpose trackers pair with the Tabs mobile app, giving families better visibility into what happens when they're away or asleep. Tabs further monitors air quality, temperature, and humidity to ensure homes are healthy and comfortable, and alerts users in the event that harmful gases or poor air quality is detected. A push button feature on the multi-purpose tracker and in the form of a dedicated device lets users have one-touch access to frequently used functions. The Tabs solution interfaces with Amazon Alexa and IFTTT-enabled devices so it can be combined or integrated with other home solutions such as Wi-Fi controlled lighting. Tabs further facilitates the next generation of neighborhood watch, allowing users to share alerts with neighbors or friends while away at work or on vacation. Tabs is now in trials with service providers who will bring it to market. To learn more about Tabs or to schedule a meeting at Mobile World Congress for a private demonstration of the Tabs solution, contact [email protected]. For more about Tabs visit http://tabs.io and for more about TrackNet visit http://www.tracknet.io/. About TrackNet TrackNet provides highly scalable LoRaWAN IoT solutions for consumers and industry, focusing on ease of use and unparalleled scalability to enable a new era of exponentially growing LPWAN deployments for a sustainable world. TrackNet is developing end-to-end solutions including sensors, gateways, and apps with optimized user experience for targeted LPWAN and IoT applications. The company is a contributing member of the LoRa Alliance and the TrackNet team has been instrumental in specifying, building, and establishing LoRaWAN and the LoRa Alliance for more than five years. It has been brought to life by former Semtech and IBM (News - Alert) employees with cumulated decades of real-world experience in embedded and RF systems, wireless networks, network management, end-to-end security, and solutions development for the whole spectrum from small-scale private networks to carrier-grade deployments. TrackNet has offices in Switzerland and California, USA, and is looking to build a talented, passionate team to realize IoT and LPWAN applications. More information is at www.tracknet.io. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170221005570/en/

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[February 21, 2017] Praxify Unveils Clinical Intelligence Layer for EHRs That Saves Physicians Time

Praxify, a healthcare technology company with a mission to make physician lives easier, officially launched today at the annual HIMSS conference in Orlando, following successful implementations with initial U.S. customers. The company unveiled its proven technology including MIRA, a mobile application that improves EHR usability and performance, and SIYA, a care management workflow solution for payers, providers, and patients. The company also announced today that Nicklaus Children's Hospital in Miami, FL, recently implemented Praxify's technology to streamline clinical workflows and provide its physicians with deep clinical insights at the point of care. In a preliminary study, physicians at Nicklaus who used Praxify's MIRA technology for the first time improved their documentation and order creation speed by 30% over their existing processes. "It is no secret that physicians today have 'point and click fatigue' when it comes to the EHR, leading to higher rates of physician burnout, lower physician productivity, and most importantly, lower patient satisfaction," said Ram Sahasranam, President and Co-Founder of Praxify. "Our company has developed proven technologies that help EHRs work the way they should: to enhance the patient-provider encounter, streamline workflows and enable physicians to consume clinical insights." Praxify's core application, MIRA, adds a mobile-based augmentation layer to an organization's existing EHR, making it much faster and easier for physicians to use. Specifically, MIRA speeds up and improves the chart review process by collecting, analyzing, and displaying relevant patient data in a 'glance-able' interface. MIRA also helps physicians complete dcumentation and orders faster with a voice-activated digital assistant and context-aware, adaptable templates. In addition, as an Apple (News - Alert) mobility partner, Praxify has worked closely with Apple to optimize product design for a physician's mobile workflow.



Looking for a solution that would enhance the capabilities of the organization's EHR, Nicklaus Children's Hospital collaborated with Praxify to help physicians access clinical documents and comprehensive clinical insights on the go. "Praxify's solutions are enabling Nicklaus Children's Hospital to leverage our existing EHR infrastructure, while significantly streamlining clinical workflows and bringing real-time analytical feedback to the provider at the point of care," said Edward Martinez, CIO & SVP IT of Miami Children's Health System. "This partnership is helping us allow our clinicians to work the way they want to, with less time spent clicking through tabs in the EHR and more time interacting with patients. Their communications tools also help outcomes and patient experience simultaneously."

"Providers are often frustrated with going through all of the screens and filling out all the forms required in the EHR. As we seek to gather and utilize population health data, we want to be sure not to exacerbate clinicians' stress," said Dr. Jacques Orces, CMIO, Nicklaus Children's Hospital. "MIRA makes the EHR easier to use while also bringing in additional data points from its own analytic engine. It has been a great fit for our organization." "The most important thing about technology is that is should solve a problem - if using the technology creates challenges for the user, the goal is not achieved. Nowhere is this idea more important than in healthcare," said Dr. Narendra Kini, CEO of Miami Children's Health System. "Praxify has built a platform that emulates clinical workflows, and an environment that makes users feel like nothing has changed. With clinical intelligence built into the product, the technology provides smart guidance which differentiates Praxify's solutions from any other technology in the marketplace today." To learn more about Praxify, stop by booth #1689 at HIMSS from February 20-23 in Orlando, or visit http://praxify.com. To schedule a meeting with a Praxify executive at the conference, please contact Danielle Johns at [email protected]. About Praxify

Praxify makes EHRs work the way doctors and patients need them to - quickly, intelligently and intuitively. The company's solutions transform the EHR experience for clinicians with streamlined workflows, intuitive mobile interfaces and real-time analytical feedback. Founded in 2010 with a vision to make health IT seamless, intelligent, and helpful, Praxify's founders conducted comprehensive studies to determine where EHRs and decision support systems fall short for clinicians and patients. The company's team of world class clinicians, designers, and technologists continues to reinvent the way doctors work with data, achieving remarkable gains in productivity, portability, and clinical insight. Praxify solutions support more than five million patients in the U.S and around the world, across dozens of specialties. For more information, visit http://praxify.com. About Nicklaus Children's Hospital

Founded in 1950 by Variety Clubs International, Nicklaus Children's Hospital - part of Miami Children's Health System - is South Florida's only licensed specialty hospital exclusively for children, with more than 740 attending physicians and over 220 pediatric subspecialists. The 289-bed hospital is renowned for excellence in all aspects of pediatric medicine with several specialty programs ranked among the best in the nation in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016-17, by U.S. News & World Report. The hospital is also home to the largest pediatric teaching program in the southeastern United States and has been designated an American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Magnet facility, the nursing profession's most prestigious institutional honor. In addition, HIMSS Analytics awarded the organization For more information, visit nicklauschildrens.org. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170221005649/en/

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[February 21, 2017] NW3 Media Reaches Record 150M Monthly US Visitors Based on comScore Media Metrix

ORLANDO, Fla., Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- NW3 Media, a digital media company that creates custom native and ad-based marketing programs for brands, today announced reaching a record 150 million monthly US visitors across its diverse portfolio of publisher properties, according to comScore Media Metrix. These numbers mark the latest in a period of explosive growth for the company, as the company continues to position itself as a leader in the digital advertising space. Utilizing its premium ad formats and custom solutions, available across their 25 different content channels, and now reaching over 150 million people each month in the US, NW3 Media is able to connect brands with people and their passions in truly powerful ways. "We have seen tremendous growth in the past year, and we are happy to start 2017 in that same direction with the release of our January comScore reach," said Sean Mulrooney, CEO of NW3 Media. "Our offering is a proven vehicle for aligning brands with passionate and highly engaged audiences, and we look forward to another year of successful partnerships." The Right Content with the Right Reach NW3 Media develops digital avertising campaigns for brands and agencies from concept to execution. Through a variety of targeting options, engaging ad formats, and significant scale, NW3 Media is able to meet client objectives and KPIs, and effectively reach their desired audience. In addition to achieving massive scale, NW3 Media actively worked to amplify its reach across the most desired core audience segments, including millennials, females, and affluent consumers. The company allocated significant resources towards expanding its reach across these demographics with strategic partnerships and acquisitions to its publisher portfolio. The resulting growth means that NW3 Media now reaches 80 million females, 60 million millennials, and 65 million affluent users within the US, on a monthly basis, making it one of the few digital media companies that have significant scale across all three of these desired audiences.



About NW3 Media NW3 Media is a digital media company which creates custom native and ad-based marketing programs for brands, at scale, reaching over 150 million users in the US each month across its portfolio of lifestyle properties. NW3 Media's sites publish content across a wide range of passion points, which allow our readers to find, engage, and connect with what they care about the most. For advertisers, we're able to produce completely custom, and integrated marketing programs that utilize rich media, video, mobile and social, putting your brand in front of your target audience in a powerful way. For more information visit http://nw3.media/.

Media Contact: Lisa Wang, [email protected], 1-888-317-4687 ext. 703 To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nw3-media-reaches-record-150m-monthly-us-visitors-based-on-comscore-media-metrix-300410002.html SOURCE NW3 Media

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[February 21, 2017] Parking Technology Leader Klever Logic Is Now FlashParking

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Already known in the parking industry as the "Flash Guys," it only seemed fitting to transition the brand from Klever Logic to FlashParking. The rebrand also signals to our customers that our suite of parking solutions goes beyond valet, and now includes revenue control solutions for garages and parking lots. No matter your parking needs, FlashParking is your total simple approach to parking. The rebrand includes a new brand identity along with a new website that merged all of Klever Logic's solutionsFlashValet, FlashPARCS, and FlashMobileunder the FlashParking umbrella. The company first started under the FlashValet moniker, which is why we became known as the "Flash Guys." But as our solution portfolio grew it became apparent that we needed an identity that represented the full breadth of our capabilities. Now customers can visit www.flashparking.com to get a 360-degree view of FlashParking and its solutions as well as log-on to the customer portal to manage their venue in real-time. All of this comes on the heels of FlashParking's funding announcement led by Austin-based serial entrepreneurs Sam Goodner and Dan Sharplin. Their span >$3M injection allowed for a hiring surge and the company has grown from 12 to 36 people. Fueled by this growth, the company moved in January to its new headquarters located in South Austin.



Since the company launched five years ago, FlashParking's solutions now run in over 850 venues across the country and are used by the top brands in the hospitality industry. The FlashParking platform has processed over 33 million vehicles so far. "During the re-branding process, it was important to us to maintain the integrity of the Flash brand and our continued commitment to being the best and fastest in the industry," said President Sam Goodner. "It is our goal that the new FlashParking brand will become recognized as the industry standard for a superior parking solution that delivers on the promise of Parking in a Flash."

"When we set out, we had no idea FlashParking would grow into this comprehensive parking solution company," said Juan Rodriguez, CEO and a co-founder of FlashParking. "Our success is directly linked to the unwavering support of our clients who believe in us and our disruptive parking technology." FLASHPARKING, www.flashparking.com, is a parking technology company with a suite of products that together are reinventing parking for both consumers and parking operators. All FlashParking parking solutionsFlashValet, FlashPARCS, FlashMobileuse a cloud-based platform enabling parking operators to tap into real-time data from a mobile phone, tablet or desktop. With FlashParking, parking operators now can control their revenue and parking operations (valet, gated, and mobile payments) from virtually anywhere, while also giving guests the ability to use their mobile device for a superior parking experience. Media Contact:

Karin Maake, (512) 750-0123

[email protected] To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/parking-technology-leader-klever-logic-is-now-flashparking-300410454.html SOURCE FlashParking

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[February 21, 2017] Atera Augments IT Automation and MSP Efficiency with New Enhanced Monitoring and Autocorrect Capabilities

NEW YORK, Feb. 21, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Atera, developer of the cloud-based IT automation platform that combines Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM), Professional Services Automation (PSA), and remote access into one powerful solution, today announced it has added new automation features and upgrades to the platform that offers Managed Service Providers (MSPs) improved performance and efficiency.

The IT market is constantly evolving, and we want to ensure our MSP partners have the best monitoring technology in order to gain a competitive advantage in the industry, said Gil Pekelman, CEO at Atera. That means adding new features to help MSPs scale and automate their processes. Our platforms agility and our investment in R&D enable us to improve existing features and add better ones faster than any other monitoring platform on the market today. The new features and enhancements are bringing us one step closer to our vision of being the only tool MSPs need to manage their customers needs. Ateras new technology improvements were designed to strengthen MSPs businesses through automationultimately, enabling them to provide a better experience for their customers. MSPs utilizing Ateras platform will benefit from the following new features that will streamline the automation process: Added Auto Healing Scripts, which is a new feature that triggers a script to run when a threshold level is exceeded

Enhanced out-of-the-box monitoring, further increasing the simplicity and ease-of-use by expanding the network monitoring range

Full integration of Splashtop, saving time and increasing MSP efficiency when connecting to remote machines

Streamlined agent installation process through newly integrated troubleshooting diagnostics, improving the speed and ease of installing agentswhich combined with Ateras unlimited agent approachoffers MSPsa greater competitive advantage



Added script categories, which provides the option to classify scripts by category, making it easier to organize and search

User activity status updates, enabling MSPs to see if an account is active, disconnected, idle, or locked before remotely connecting to the workstation

Integrated Wake-on-LAN (WoL) capabilities, allowing a computer to be turned on or awakened directly from the Atera console

Detailed invoicing creation based on contract type, ticket, and time entry

Automatic alert system for expiring contracts via email

Ticket timer options, providing greater flexibility when setting up a ticket both automatically and manually

Ability to edit or reclassify a ticket name

Auto-save text added to tickets Atera is always listening to feedback from MSPs to simplify and improve their monitoring technology.

Through Atera, we are able to provide our customers with what we believe is the best monitoring platform on the market today, said Lawrence Guyot, president at ETTE and an Atera partner. But Atera does not stop there. They are constantly improving the platform and adding new capabilities that provide even more simplification, ease-of-use, and better security. We are happy to have a true partner in Atera. In addition to the new features and enhancements, Atera offers a comprehensive suite of security solutions to protect its customers from ransomware and sophisticated cyber-attacks through Webroot, mail filtering, and online backup. These solutions are uniquely suited to bring MSPs better protection, performance, and increase profitability. Atera is enabling MSPs to improve their business practices through its RMM software, services, and security. Its unmatched technology provides MSPs with the Business Intelligence (BI) they require to succeed with its unique pricing model and a transformative billing dashboard that includes real-time statistics from The Benchmark. Atera makes it fast and easy for MSPs to migrate their customers to the platform. To learn more about Atera, please call (877) 211-4666, or email [email protected]. MSPs seeking to efficiently and effectively run their businesses should sign up for a 30-day free trial today via www.atera.com. About Atera

Atera is the developer of the cloud-based IT automation platform that combines RMM, PSA, and remote access into one powerful solution. Ateras all-in-one innovative platform offers MSPs improved operational efficiency, seamless integration, end-to-end management, and disruptive pricing. To learn more, visit www.atera.com. Media Contact Amanda Lee ARL Strategic Communications for Atera 727-272-0781 [email protected]

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[February 21, 2017] FCi Federal Appoints Tina Dolph to Executive Leadership Team

FCi Federal today announced the appointment of Tina Dolph as Executive Vice President and General Manager to lead the Company's U.S. Department of State (DoS) programs as well as pursue expansion into new markets. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170221006074/en/ Tina Dolph, FCi Federal Executive Vice President and General Manager (Photo: Business Wire) Dolph joins FCi with a 25-year track record in the government services industry serving in executive leadership positions with leading federal contractors Lockheed Martin (News - Alert), PAE and ASRC Federal. Her expertise spans program operations, strategic planning, business development and financial management. "Tina's proven success in our market and her firsthand experience with our core clients, having led organizations that supported the State Department around the globe, make her a tremendous asset," said FCi Federal President and CEO Scott F. Miller. "In addition to her DoS expertise, Tina's knowledge of clients in adjacent markets will play a key role in our strategic plans and business development." Prior to FCi Federal, Dolph served as President of Information and Technical Solutions for ASRC Federal whre she delivered top and bottom line growth within the first 12 months of her tenure. Before ASRC Federal, Dolph held executive positions with PAE, Inc. starting as the Chief Operating Officer in 2010 and culminating in the role of Executive Vice President of Company Operations in 2014. She played a significant role in the divesture of PAE from Lockheed Martin, had full profit and loss responsibility for a team of more than 3,000 employees across the globe and also led the transition of the acquisition into the company. Earlier in her career, Dolph worked for Lockheed Martin holding positions of increasing responsibility in operations, finance, strategic planning, mergers and acquisitions integration and business infrastructure.



"FCi Federal is an impressive company with a track record of phenomenal growth, customer focus and extraordinary leadership," said Dolph. "I am excited to join the FCi team and looking forward to serving the Department of State and its mission around the globe." Recently, FCi Federal was recognized as one of the Washington, DC area's fastest growing mid-sized companies with a 2017 Future 50 Award in the large "Blue Chip" category by SmartCEO. FCi Federal was named to the Inc. 5000 list as one of the fastest growing companies in the nation for the fifth straight year and by the Washington Business Journal as one of the leading government technology contractors in the Washington, D.C. metro area.

About FCi Federal Operating in more than 40 states and territories, FCi Federal is one of the fastest growing government services firms in the industry providing a wide range of managed professional, administrative and technical services to federal agencies. With 25 years of experience in the federal market, FCi Federal brings depth and breadth of resources and engaged leadership to manage complex government programs, ranging from operating large production centers to providing integrated mission support services for geographically distributed operations. The company's nearly 5,000 employees and subcontractors put their core expertise in program management support, records management, pre-adjudication support, fraud detection and other administrative support services to work in ways that routinely outperform expectations. More information about FCi Federal can be found at www.fcifederal.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170221006074/en/

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[February 21, 2017] The Standard Hires Kate Tubesing as Retirement Plan Consultant

The Standard announced the hiring of Kate Tubesing as a retirement plan consultant for its East Sales Region. She is based in The Standard's Cincinnati retirement plans sales and service office. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170221006233/en/ Kate Tubesing, retirement plan consultant at The Standard. (Photo: Business Wire) Kate joins The Standard with more than 20 years of experience in the financial services industry, specializing in retirement plans. Prior to joinng The Standard, Kate held positions at Nationwide and Fidelity where she most recently served as Fidelity's managing director of client relationships.



"Kate's deep experience as a relationship manager, plan administrator, investment representative and plan education consultant make her uniquely qualified to serve as a resource to our advisor partners and their clients," said Mark Bransford, regional sales director for The Standard's East Sales Region. "With a keen understanding of plan sponsor and advisor needs, Kate is known in the industry for her ability to build and strengthen retirement plan relationships." Kate served as an E4 Specialist in the U.S. Army, where she received an honorable discharge. She holds the Series 7, 63 and 65 securities licenses.

About The Standard The Standard is a leading provider of financial products and services, including group and individual disability insurance, group life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance, group dental and vision insurance, absence management services, retirement plans products and services and individual annuities. For more information about The Standard, visit www.standard.com. The Standard is the marketing name for StanCorp Financial Group, Inc., and its subsidiaries. StanCorp Equities, Inc., member FINRA, wholesales a group annuity contract issued by Standard Insurance Company and a mutual fund trust platform for retirement plans. Third-party administrative services are provided by Standard Retirement Services, Inc. Investment advisory services are provided by StanCorp Investment Advisers, Inc., a registered investment advisor. StanCorp Equities, Inc., Standard Insurance Company, Standard Retirement Services, Inc., and StanCorp Investment Advisers, Inc., are subsidiaries of StanCorp Financial Group, Inc., and all are Oregon corporations. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170221006233/en/

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[February 21, 2017] FOX News Channel Signs Oncologist and Affordable Care Act Architect Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel to Contributor Role

FOX News Channel (FNC) has signed oncologist and Affordable Care Act architect Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel as a contributor. In this role, effective immediately, he will offer healthcare and policy analysis across FNC and FOX Business Network's (FBN) daytime and primetime programming. Emanuel is the Vice Provost for Global Initiatives, the Diane v.S. Levy and Robert M. Levy University Professor and Chair of the Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress and an op-ed contributor to The New York Times. Before joining the University of Pennsylvania in August 2011, he was the founding chair of the Department of Bioethics at the National Institutes of Health and previously served as an associate professor at Harvard Medical School. From January 2009 until January 2011, Emanuel served as a Special Advisor on Health Policy to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget and National Economic Council in former President Barack Obama's administration, where he was notably one of the designers of the Affordable Care Act. He is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the chair of the meta-council on the Future of Health Care Committee for the World Economic Forum. Emanuel served on President Clinton's Health Care Task Force, the National Bioethics Advisory Commission (NBAC) and on the bioethics panel of the Pan-American Healthcare Organization. Additionally, he has been a visiting professor at many universities and medical schools, including the Brin Professor at Johns Hopkins Medical School, the Kovitz Prfessor at Stanford Medical School, the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, UCLA and a visiting professor at New York University Law School.



The recipient of numerous awards, Emanuel was elected to the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academy of Science, the Association of American Physicians and the Royal College of Medicine (UK). He also received the AMA-Burroughs Wellcome Leadership Award, the Public Service Award from the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the John Mendelsohn Award from the MD Anderson Cancer Center, a Fulbright Scholarship (which he declined), the President's Medal for Social Justice from Roosevelt University and was selected as Hippocrates Magazine's Doctor of the Year in Ethics. Emanuel developed The Medical Directive, a living will that has been endorsed by Consumer Reports on Health, Harvard Health Letter, The New York Times and Wall Street Journal, among other publications. He has published over 250 peer-reviewed articles on the ethics of clinical research, health care reform, international research ethics, end of life care issues, euthanasia, the ethics of managed care and the physician-patient relationship. Emanuel's work is featured in the New England Journal of Medicine, The Lancet and JAMA, among other medical journals. Additionally, he has authored six books and co-edited seven books, including "Reinventing American Health Care: How the Affordable Care Act will Improve our Terribly Complex, Blatantly Unjust, Outrageously Expensive, Grossly Inefficient, Error Prone System," "Brothers Emanuel: A Memoir of an American Family" and "Healthcare, Guaranteed: A Simple, Secure Solution for America."

Emanuel graduated from Amherst College and later received his M.Sc. from Oxford University in Biochemistry. He earned his M.D. from Harvard Medical School and his Ph.D. in political philosophy from Harvard University, where his dissertation received the Toppan Award for the finest political science dissertation of the year. Additionally, he was a fellow in the Program in Ethics and the Professions at the Kennedy School of Government. Emanuel completed his residency in internal medicine at Boston's Beth Israel Hospital and his oncology fellowship at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, where he later joined the faculty. FOX News Channel (FNC) is a 24-hour all-encompassing news service dedicated to delivering breaking news as well as political and business news. The number one network in cable, FNC has been the most-watched television news channel for 15 years and according to a Suffolk University/USA Today poll, is the most-trusted television news source in the country. Owned by 21st Century Fox, FNC is available in 90 million homes and dominates the cable news landscape, routinely notching the top ten programs in the genre. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170221006287/en/

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[February 21, 2017] RTLS (Real Time Location System) Leader Sonitor Technologies Selected to Receive Major Research Innovation Grant by The Research Council of Norway

Sonitor Technologies Inc., a global leader in indoor positioning technologies, announced today that The Research Council of Norway (RCN (News - Alert) - www.rcn.no) has selected Sonitor Technologies and MazeMap (www.mazemap.com) as one of the winners in the latest round of research innovation awards. http://www.forskningsradet.no/no/Nyheter/Forskningsradet_har_delt_ut_900_millioner_til_innovasjon_i_neringslivet/1254024689778/p1174467583739 /p>



The goal of the project is to develop a new generation of indoor positioning technology that will place accurate and cost-effective 3D positioning in everyone's hands. To achieve this, both companies will work collaboratively with leading research groups at the University of Oslo led by Professor Sverre Holm and Associate Professor Jan Kenneth Bekkeng.

"We're very excited to partner with MazeMap and collaborate with the University of Oslo on this project and honored to be selected by RCN," said Wilfred Booij, CTO at Sonitor Technologies. "By combining Sonitor's proprietary ultrasound indoor positioning expertise and technology with MazeMap's indoor maps and wayfinding expertise, we have the unique opportunity to bring next generation, innovative 3D positioning to consumers in many markets." About Sonitor Technologies, Inc. Sonitor is the leading developer and provider of unique, ultrasound-based indoor positioning technology that locates people and items in real time with reliable, high definition accuracy within complex indoor environments. Sonitor has developed the healthcare industry's most advanced open integration RTLS platform, Sonitor Sense, a wireless system which supports a wide range of applications to make hospital operations more efficient. Sonitor is selected by world-class partners to build industry-leading solutions for global deployment. For more information please visit www.sonitor.com. About The Research Council of Norway The Research Council of Norway serves as the chief advisory body for the Norwegian government on research policy issues. It distributes roughly nine billion Norwegian Kroner (NOK) (approximately 1 billion US Dollars) to research and innovation activities each year and works to promote international cooperation and increase participation in the EU framework program on research and innovation. The Research Council creates meeting places and provides a platform for dialogue between researchers, users of research and research funders. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170221006302/en/

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[February 21, 2017] Stakeholders From Around the World - and Across the Supply Chain - Share Their Stories of Growth Through GFSI

PARIS, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- A family-run salt producer in Latin America, a fish processer in Asia and a retailer in Europe - what do these individuals have in common? They've all agreed to share their stories of how the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) has positively impacted growth for their company and their customers' confidence in the safety of their products. Thanks to the generous support of 3M Food Safety , the web series has gone to different corners of the globe to see how GFSI impacts the lives and businesses of very different stakeholders in the food supply chain. The first stop in the GFSI Web Series takes viewers to Myanmar. The country's first fisherwoman has leveraged GFSI's Global Markets Programme, through a collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Organization (UNIDO) to build food safety capacity in her fish processing plant, train her tems and gain the confidence of new customers. These achievements are opening doors for her as she grows her exports and accesses new markets.



Next, the GFSI Web Series goes to Germany, where viewers meet Nikos. He manages quality control for the supply chains of a retailer which operates in 25 different countries. He reveals how he leverages GFSI's "food safety passport" and capacity building tools. He sees these benefits across global supply chains, he says, calling on Sagar, a colleague in Pakistan, to illustrate. Then, the Web Series meets Walter, who started a primary production company with his family, mining and purifying salt in his home country of Chile. When Walmart told Walter about GFSI, he embarked upon GFSI's capability building programme, progressed through the different levels and ultimately achieved certification to a GFSI-recognised scheme. Walter has grown the business in the face of strong local competition, gaining the trust of many new clients and today, he exports to five different continents.

Watch the first episode here and stay tuned to the GFSI web series for new episodes released on GFSI YouTube, on www.myGFSI.com and at the Global Food Safety Conference. 3M Food Safety's innovative solutions help food manufacturers optimize the quality of their products, mitigate risk and protect consumers. Together with GFSI, we're helping advance the science of food safety in countries all over the world. Learn more at 3M.com/foodsafety Press contact: Lisa Prevert, [email protected] To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/stakeholders-from-around-the-world---and-across-the-supply-chain---share-their-stories-of-growth-through-gfsi-300410879.html SOURCE Global Food Safety Initiative

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[February 21, 2017] Rise Broadband Unveils New Small Business Services; High-Speed Internet & Phone Packages Tailored for Local Companies

In order to meet the needs of local retail, operations, consumer services and other businesses throughout its rural and suburban coverage area, Rise Broadband, the country's largest fixed wireless Internet/phone provider, has introduced several new Small Business Services programs. "Since our inception in 2005, we have helped close the digital divide by delivering affordable and reliable internet service to areas often under-served by the wireline carriers," said Jack Koo, Rise Broadband's president and chief executive officer. "Now we are pleased to provide small businesses with big-city speeds, increased access and online capabilities they need to thrive." Rise's new Small Business platform delivers access, quality and reliability with: High-speed data - up to 50 megabits per second (Mbps). Businesses get more for less to stay connected with customers, vendors and others

- up to 50 megabits per second (Mbps). Businesses get more for less to stay connected with customers, vendors and others Absolutely NO data caps

Plans star as low as $69.95 per month (taxes, fees and equipment not included)

per month (taxes, fees and equipment not included) Affordable, reliable and hassle-free service for one or two digital phone lines

for one or two digital phone lines One-, two- and three-year service plans available



More information is available online at RiseBroadband.com/small-business/packages/ or call toll free (844) 762-7473 (844-SMB-RISE). Click here to determine coverage for a specific location.

About Rise Broadband Rise Broadband is the nation's largest fixed wireless Internet service provider; offering affordable high-speed broadband (Internet and phone) services in 16 states. Established in 2005 as JAB Wireless, Inc., Rise serves nearly 200,000 residential and business accounts in rural and suburban areas throughout the Midwest, Rocky Mountain and Southwest regions. The company also offers DISH and DIRECTV service as well as PC Care; a one-stop resource for residential tech assistance. Rise is headquartered in metro Denver and more information can be found at RiseBroadband.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170221005382/en/

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[February 21, 2017] TRADER Corporation and Dealertrack Canada Introduce Digital Retailing Technologies to Improve the Car Buying Experience

Exclusive partnership and connected car buying platform will transform the consumer experience, while driving efficiency and increasing vehicle sales for automotive retailers across Canada TORONTO, Feb. 21, 2017 /CNW/ - TRADER Corporation and Dealertrack Canada are pleased to announce an exclusive partnership introducing an industry first transaction communication platform to Canadian automotive retailers. Together, both companies will bridge the gap between the online and in-store consumer experience while enabling the transformation of auto retailing through connected car buying technologies. These technologies will be available in market on April 1, 2017. From ride sharing services to accommodation booking sites, there has been a paradigm shift in the retail industry and the seemingly instantaneous rise of brands that empower the consumer. These brands have disrupted the traditional retail shopping experience and set the new standard for the type of online convenience that is now expected by consumers. The auto industry is now being affected by this inevitable shift towards digital retailing. "Today's connected car buyer expects an accelerated shopping experience that is efficient, transparent and seamless," said Edwin Ulak, Vice President of Product at TRADER. "They want to save time at the dealership, and they want to take control and design their own shopping experience  across every aspect of the deal." The clear majority of the car buying journey today occurs online, while the retailer interaction time is limited at the end of the process, averaging only 2.5 days. TRADER and Dealertrack Canada will deliver a platform that enables dealers to streamline their deals and engage with consumers much earlier and at various stages in the purchase process. The partnership provides the ability to exclusively embed Dealertrack digital retailing tools into TRADER website solutions across Canada/span>. It will facilitate deeper integration into the full website and advertising platforms providing consumers a seamless and efficient user experience and enriched workflow that is unmatched in the Canadian ad-tech space.



"This new digital shopping experience that has been evident in other retail industries is becoming the expectation for consumers in automotive retailing", said Richard Evans, Vice President & General Manager at Dealertrack Canada. "We are excited by this partnership that will benefit both consumers and automotive retailers, providing a more efficient process for vehicle purchases in Canada." This partnership allows car buyers to personalize their payments, appraise their vehicle trade-in, apply for financing, and select various Finance & Insurance products. Bringing these in-store experiences online will educate and empower the consumer before they visit the dealership  and make the face-to-face sales experience more efficient for both the consumer and retailer.

About TRADER Corporation

TRADER Corporation is a trusted Canadian leader in online media, managing consumer automotive marketplaces and providing dealers with digital business solutions to market and manage their inventory. The company's primary online destinations include autoTRADER.ca, autoHEBDO.net and Autos.ca, driving over 13.5 million visits a month and more than 3 million mobile app downloads. Both autoTRADER.ca and autoHEBDO.net offer an extensive inventory of new and used vehicles in Canada across both desktop and mobile platforms. Partnering with global leaders such as Dealer.com and vAuto, TRADER delivers best-in-class digital web, advertising and inventory management solutions to help accelerate business performance of dealers across Canada. For more information, visit: go.trader.ca Follow TRADER on Twitter and YouTube! About Cox Automotive

Cox Automotive is a leading provider of vehicle remarketing services and digital marketing and software solutions for automotive dealers and consumers. Cox Automotive, a subsidiary of Atlanta-based Cox Enterprises includes Manheim, Autotrader, Kelley Blue Book, vAuto, NextGear Capital, and a host of global businesses and brands. Headquartered in Atlanta, Cox Automotive employs nearly 24,000 employees in over 150 locations worldwide. The company partners with more than 40,000 dealers as well as most major automobile manufacturers and touches over 67 percent of all car buyers in the U.S. with the most recognized brands in the industry. Cox Automotive unites more than 20 brands in this space, providing an end-to-end solution to transform the way people buy and sell cars every day. About Cox Automotive Canada

Headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, Cox Automotive Canada operates nine businesses and brands including Manheim, vAuto, NextGear Capital, RMS, Dealer.com, HomeNet, VinSolutions, Xtime and Dealertrack. About Dealertrack Canada

Dealertrack Canada is headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, and provides products and services to dealers, manufacturers and lenders that are fully integrated. From robust desking tools that enrich the in-store experience to the largest lender network in Canada connecting 8000 dealers to 60+ lenders, imaging documents and data insights, our solutions make workflows more efficient, transparent and profitable. SOURCE TRADER Corporation

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[February 21, 2017] Altarum Institute Chosen to Provide Support for Small Practices in CMS Quality Payment Program

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has awarded a contract to Altarum Institute to help small practices in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Wisconsin, and Minnesota prepare for and participate in the new Quality Payment Program, established by the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA). This technical assistance, authorized and funded under MACRA, brings direct support to thousands of Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) eligible clinicians in small practices with 15 or fewer clinicians, including small practices in rural locations, health professional shortage areas, and medically underserved areas across the country. The direct technical assistance is available immediately, free to all MIPS eligible clinicians, and will deliver support for up to a five-year period. "For years, Altarum has successfully used its model of delivering technical assistance to physicians to help them achieve practice transformation and improvements in quality," said Dan Armijo, Altarum vice-president and director of Health Innovations. "We are honored and excited to leverage this expertise to advance this critical support program that will give physicians the tools to deliver better care, leading to improved population health." Altarum, along with its partners, which include Medical Advantage Group, MetaStar, Michigan Center for Rural Healh, MPRO, Northern Illinois University, Northwestern University, Purdue University (News - Alert), Stratis Health, and University of Kentucky, is dedicated to providing innovative technical assistance to clinician practices in rural, Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA), and underserved areas.



Altarum and its partners will provide customized technical assistance to MIPS-eligible clinicians across seven states as a part of the Small, Underserved, and Rural Support (SURS) program, which may include, but is not limited to, the following: Conveying the MIPS expectations and timelines,

Explaining the MIPS feedback report,

Creating a MIPS-score improvement plan,

Evaluating practice readiness for joining an Advanced Alternative Payment Model (APM (News - Alert)),

Assessing and optimizing Health Information Technology,

Supporting change management and strategic planning,

Developing and disseminating education and training materials, and

Enabling peer-to-peer learning and local partnerships. Altarum can be contacted through Francois de Brantes: 734-205-6102, [email protected].

For more information on the Quality Payment Program, visit qpp.cms.gov or contact the Quality Payment Program by calling 1-866-288-8292 or emailing [email protected]. Altarum Institute (www.altarum.org) integrates objective research and client-centered consulting skills to deliver comprehensive, systems-based solutions that improve health and health care. Altarum employs over 450 individuals and is headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with additional offices in Portland, Maine, and the Washington, D.C., area. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170221006474/en/

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[February 21, 2017]

Danaher Announces Appointment of Raymond C. Stevens, Ph.D. to Danaher Board

WASHINGTON, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Danaher Corporation (NYSE: DHR) announced today that it has appointed Raymond C. Stevens, Ph.D. to its Board of Directors.

Professor Stevens is currently Provost Professor of Biological Sciences and Chemistry, and Director of The Bridge Institute, at the University of Southern California, where he has served since July 2014. From 1999 until July 2014, he served as Professor of Molecular Biology and Chemistry with The Scripps Research Institute, a non-profit research organization. Professor Stevens is also Founding Director of the iHuman Institute at ShanghaiTech University, and has launched multiple biotechnology companies focused on dug discovery.







Steven M. Rales, Chairman of the Board of Danaher Corporation, said, "We are very pleased to welcome Professor Stevens to the Danaher Board, and expect his diverse experiences in science will create valuable long term learning for the Company."

ABOUT DANAHER

Danaher is a global science and technology innovator committed to helping its customers solve complex challenges and improving quality of life around the world. Its family of world class brands has leadership positions in some of the most demanding and attractive industries, including health care, environmental and industrial. With more than 20 operating companies, Danaher's globally diverse team of over 62,000 associates is united by a common culture and operating system, the Danaher Business System. For more information, please visit www.danaher.com.

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/danaher-announces-appointment-of-raymond-c-stevens-phd-to-danaher-board-300410894.html

SOURCE Danaher Corporation
[February 21, 2017] Psychologists Falsely Accused of Colluding to Allow "Torture" File Defamation Lawsuit Against American Psychological Association, Attorneys

Five psychologists, falsely accused of colluding with the government and a prominent association regarding tactics used to interrogate terrorists, recently filed a defamation lawsuit against the American Psychological Association (APA), attorney David Hoffman (News - Alert) and law firm Sidley Austin LLP. The plaintiffs include three retired military officers, Cols. (Ret.) Morgan Banks, Debra Dunivin and Larry James and two former employees of the APA, Drs. Stephen Behnke and Russ Newman. The lawsuit was filed in state court in Ohio by attorneys James E. Arnold, Bonny J. Forrest, and Louis J. Freeh, former director of the FBI. The suit arises from an investigation conducted by Hoffman for the APA in the wake of allegations in Pay Any Price: Greed, Power and Endless War, a book by James Risen, a New York Times reporter. The book claims the APA colluded with the military and CIA during the Bush Administration to support torture. Despite finding no evidence to support Risen's allegations, Hoffman's $4.1-million report attacked the plaintiffs for allegedly colluding to block the APA from taking any efective steps to prevent military psychologists' involvement in abusive interrogations. Hoffman's allegations have been proven false by evidence that was in his possession. Neither Hoffman nor the APA have taken any significant steps to repair the damage done to the plaintiffs' livelihoods and reputations. The 12-count lawsuit seeks compensatory, consequential and punitive damages as well as litigation costs and fees.



"The complaint demonstrates that Hoffman's report was no more than a blatant attempt to scapegoat a few individuals so the APA could mollify its critics," said Forrest. The damage to the plaintiffs was compounded by the APA board's response, as some board members knew that key facts on which Hoffman based his conclusions were false.

"The APA board abandoned any pretense of fairness by immediately firing Dr. Behnke, without giving him a chance to respond to Hoffman's gross mischaracterization of his actions and motives," said Freeh, attorney for Dr. Behnke. Further information about the lawsuit may be found here: www.hoffmanreportapa.com and the complaint can be downloaded here: http://www.hoffmanreportapa.com/resources/Complaint.pdf. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170221006670/en/

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[February 21, 2017] Lenovo to Deliver Enterprise Cloud Solution for Users of SAP HANA in China

Lenovo (News - Alert) today announced an agreement with SAP under which Lenovo will deliver a new enterprise cloud solution created exclusively for customers holding licenses for the SAP (News - Alert) HANA platform in China. To be named "Lenovo Enterprise Cloud designed for SAP HANA," the new managed service is intended to open a simple and powerful migration path for China customers seeking to leverage their investments in SAP HANA offsite in a cloud environment. The new deal comes shortly after the two companies crossed the one-year mark of an expanded strategic alliance announced in January 2016. It follows several other significant milestones achieved last year as part of the joint commitment to develop new cloud solutions for the China market, pioneer global innovations leveraging SAP HANA and Lenovo server technologies, and execute collaborative go-to-market programs. Lenovo and SAP have been working closely together, particularly in China, since 2010. The solution's cloud environment will be customized by Lenovo, with support from SAP, to optimize performance and availability running SAP HANA-based applications such as real-time data analytics. The core infrastructure will employ Lenovo's high-performance System x3850 and x3950 X6 servers, while the System x3650 M5 will power the application servers. Lenovo will build and operate the end-to-end cloud data center infrastructure for the solution in China, while also managing and supporting its SAP HANA database and applications, including customer technical support such as a hotline service. SAP and Lenovo will jointly expand its market presence and offer off-premise solutions to customers in China. SAP will help Lenovo with quality assurance during the deployment and support process. With the agreement, Lenovo gains a major new channel for its industry-leading capabilities in deploying SAP HANA and delivering its benefits. The company currently is among the largest SAP customers in China and also runs one of the largest instances of SAP HANA in the Asia Pacific region. By deploying SAP HANA in-memory database technology deeply in its own organization using its own infrastructure, Lenovo has developed vast knowledge of how to optimize application performance, as well as implement the technology rapidly and efficiently, which it applies to customer engagements. Lenovo Enterprise Cloud designed for SAP HANA will be available from SAP and Lenovo starting in the first half of 2017. Latest Milestone in Expanded Alliance Introduction of the managed service for SAP HANA in China culminates a year of intense collaboration between SAP and Lenovo flowing from the companies' expanded alliance agreement. Some of the most significant developments in 2016 included: Announcement of a new, smart data-tiering solution for SAP Business Warehouse powered by SAP HANA that manages "warm" data, allowing customers to ain cost-effective access to larger amounts of data, thereby driving improved analytics performance.

Unveiling of a roadmap for expanded memory support in solutions running SAP HANA - up to eight-socket, 8TB configurations, an advancement that will enable customers to expand their SAP S/4HANA footprint and deliver faster, more responsive data access.

With Samsung (News - Alert), SAP and Lenovo outlined a vision of in-memory systems that will leverage 128GB memory technology to unleash further performance advancements, as well as new levels of scalability.

Lenovo earned an SAP HANA Innovation Award for its internal implementation to accelerate supply chain management reporting. The company cut the time needed to generate reports from 1-2 weeks to 6-8 minutes, while enabling near real-time cost analysis and driving about $50 million in cost savings.

Lenovo's lifetime shipments of SAP HANA reached 6,800 worldwide, ranking it among the top two global leaders in this segment.



Lenovo (SEHK:0992) (Pink Sheets:LNVGY) is a $45 billion global Fortune 500 company and a leader in providing innovative consumer, commercial, and enterprise technology. Our portfolio of high-quality, secure products and services covers PCs (including the legendary Think and multimode Yoga brands), workstations, servers, storage, smart TVs and a family of mobile products like smartphones (including the Moto brand), tablets and apps. Join us on LinkedIn, follow us on Facebook or Twitter (News - Alert) (@Lenovo) or visit us at www.lenovo.com.

Quotes Lenovo: (Peter Hortensius, CTO & Head of Strategy, Data Center Group) "SAP's selection of Lenovo to partner in delivering its enterprise cloud for SAP HANA in China - as well as the trust and confidence implied in this decision - serves as compelling proof of our industry leadership capabilities in this rapidly expanding market segment," said Peter Hortensius, chief technology officer and head of strategy, Data Center Group, Lenovo. "It is also the latest demonstration of how Lenovo's open, flexible strategy of partnering with industry leaders delivers valuable co-innovations that address the most critical challenges of our mutual customers." SAP: (Edward Chen, chief business officer, SAP Greater China) "This new dimension of our partnership with Lenovo gives China enterprises access to a powerful, highly scalable cloud solution for rapidly and efficiently deploying applications running on SAP HANA off premise," said Edward Chen, chief business officer, SAP Greater China. "Also, we anticipate that Lenovo Enterprise Cloud designed for SAP HANA will be a compelling option for customers because it leverages the company's high-performance server technology, as well as its deep skills and experience in delivering these applications." Industry Analyst: (Kitty Fok, Managing Director of IDC China) "The joint effort of Lenovo and SAP to offer the enterprise cloud solution for users of SAP HANA will help companies in China deploy their platform and migrate workloads to SAP HANA rapidly," said Kitty Fok, managing director of IDC China. "We anticipate that enterprises will benefit from the performance of the SAP HANA platform and Lenovo's professional services for the data center, which will help bring them competitive advantage in the future." SAP, SAP HANA, SAP S/4HANA and other SAP products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP SE (or an SAP affiliate company) in Germany and other countries. See http://www.sap.com/corporate-en/legal/copyright/index.epx for additional trademark information and notices. All other product and service names mentioned are the trademarks of their respective companies. SAP Forward-looking Statement Any statements contained in this document that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "intend," "may," "plan," "project," "predict," "should" and "will" and similar expressions as they relate to SAP are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. SAP undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations The factors that could affect SAP's future financial results are discussed more fully in SAP's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC (News - Alert)"), including SAP's most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of their dates. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170221006597/en/

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[February 21, 2017] ACQC to Host Feb. 22nd Ribbon Cutting Ceremony to Officially Launch Wellness Center for STD Screenings and Treatment

AIDS Center of Queens County (ACQC) will host a ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday, February 22nd from 2-4 p.m. at the Wellness Center's headquarters located at 89-74 162nd St. 7th floor, Jamaica, NY to officially open the doors of its AHF Wellness Center that will provide walk-in STD screenings and treatment. ACQC joined forces with AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) in February 2015 to expand its capacity to provide critical lifesaving services to those affected by HIV/AIDS throughout the borough of Queens-where the prevalence of HIV/AIDS is extremely high in New York City. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170221006725/en/







WHAT: ACQC's ribbon cutting ceremony to officially open its AHF Wellness Center WHEN: Wednesday, FEBRUARY 22nd 2017-2:00 - 4 PM WHERE: 89-74 162nd St. 7th floor Jamaica, NY 11432 Light food and refreshments will be served.

For almost 30 years and as the only AIDS Community Service Provider in the borough of Queens, ACQC provides critical services and advocacy for HIV-positive individuals. ACQC has served over 8,000 HIV-positive clients, and 30,000 community residents in five locations throughout the borough. AHF is a global organization that provides cutting-edge medicine and advocacy to more than 696,000 people in 36 countries. It is also the largest provider of HIV/AIDS medical care in the United States. About ACQC The AIDS Center of Queens County (ACQC) is the largest provider of HIV/AIDS services in the borough of Queens, serving over 8,000 HIV+ clients, and 30,000 community residents in five sites throughout the borough. Our services include case management, harm reduction and syringe exchange program, health education and prevention services, housing services, legal services, a licensed mental health clinic, and a food pantry program. Our services are provided at no charge to our clients. About AHF AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) is the largest non-profit HIV/AIDS healthcare provider in the USA. AHF currently provides medical care and/or services to more than 696,000 individuals in 36 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, Eastern Europe, and Asia. Additional information is available at www.aidshealth.org, find us on Facebook (News - Alert): www.facebook.com/aidshealth and follow us on Twitter (News - Alert) & Instagram: @AIDSHealthcare View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170221006725/en/

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A look back on all of our reporting of the Delphi murders since 2017
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Theres plenty of music out there, but theres also plenty of tunes hidden away that we are just dying to get our hands on. Lets look at some of the lost.

Throughout the entire history of art, weve seen plenty of hits, and plenty of misses. Many times, the misses have lead to people questioning why that particular piece of art was produced in the first place.

But how often do we think of the reverse? What about all those amazing pieces of art that have never seen the light of day?

Frequently, we hear rumours of famous recordings in the world of music which havent surfaced for one reason or another. Sometimes, weve seen tragedy strike the band, leaving the group unable or unwilling to release their material, or in some cases weve seen artists withhold their works for personal reasons  at other times, it just hasnt been good enough to release.

While weve touched on this topic before, the vast annals of music history mean that there are always going to be works of art that havent seen the light of day, and there will always be unreleased music that well want to give a spin. So join us as we take a look back at some of the famous unreleased or lost recordings that wed give anything to hear.

Eros  Deftones

After the release of Deftones fifth album Saturday Night Wrist in 2006, they band were on the verge of breaking up. With the intention of making the best album they could to overcome any tensions within the group, the band set to work at the start of 2008 to record an album that was tentatively titled Eros.

However, recording sessions were halted in late 2008 when Deftones bassist Chi Cheng was involved in a serious car accident which ended his career, and after being comatose for nearly five years, Cheng would eventually pass away in April of 2013.

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While the group had recorded and released material in the interim, Eros had remained unfinished, as they were waiting for Cheng to return to the recording sessions. Following Chengs death, Deftones frontman said the chances for the albums releases looked good, but to this date, it has still not been released, namely due to the band not being terrible happy with the quality of the material. To date, the only taste weve had of the unfinished recordings is a sole track called Smile, which can be heard below.

Born Again  Boom Crash Opera

In the late 80s, Boom Crash Opera were all over the Aussie charts. With their singles such as Hands Up In The Air, Onion Skin, and The Best Thing, the group were staples of the Aussie live scene. By the time the 90s rolled around, their popularity had started to wane somewhat, but their fans were still hungry for any material they would release, regardless of the experimental direction the group were starting to take. Sadly, the groups record label didnt believe in the group as much as their fans did.

In 1995, the group unleashed Born, a planned double-album which was released in a curious manner. Released in a double-CD package, the space for the second disc was reserved by a paper slip which advised fans to look out for the follow-up disc, Born Again, which was supposed to be coming soon.

Due to the lukewarm reception that Born received, the groups record label dropped the band, whilst keeping the rights to the unreleased album. To date, Born Again is yet to make an appearance, though the band have moved on and have continued to work on further music. Check out Gimme, one of the tracks from the half of the album that was released, below.

Lifehouse  The Who

In 1969, The Who released their classic rock opera Tommy, which has gone on to be considered one of the most influential rock albums of the time. Emboldened by the success of Tommy, the group decided to capitalise on their success by recording yet another rock opera, tentatively called Lifehouse. Intended to be an album that focused on a post-apocalyptic world, the original version of the album was scrapped in favour of creating a more straightforward rock album.

The album they chose to record instead was Whos Next?, one of the groups most famous records. Containing tracks such as Behind Blue Eyes, Wont Get Fooled Again, and Baba ORiley, the album was made up of abandoned ideas from Lifehouse. The group would later revisit ideas from the abandoned sessions on their record Who Are You. While we may never know what Lifehouse was going to sound like, we did manage to get Whos Next? instead, so maybe this one was actually for the best.

Illiteracy Will Prevail  Fecal Matter

If youve ever wondered about the origins of Nirvana, you may have wound up looking at a band called Fecal Matter. Consisting of Kurt Cobain and Buzz Osborne and Dale Crover of the Melvins, the group lasted for two years and managed to record a sole demo tape entitled Illiteracy Will Prevail. The holy grail of Nirvana fans, the tape has managed to elude the general public for over 30 years.

While numerous tracks of varying quality and questionable sources are said to have leaked from the album over the years, the only recording to be officially released is Spank Thru, released on the Nirvana compilation Sliver, in 2005. It shows a young Kurt Cobain still finding his feet in the songwriting game, but it gives us a pretty good idea of what was to come in the very near future.

Untitled Fourth Album  The Velvet Underground

Back in 1969, The Velvet Underground had released their third album, a self-titled record, intended to be complete 180 from what they had delivered with their second record, White Light/White Heat. The group set to work on recording what would be their fourth album, however, due to a large number of professional and personal difference, these recording sessions were scrapped, and the album never surfaced.

While 1985s VU compilation saw a small amount of these abandoned sessions collected for a widespread release, we still havent managed to properly see the album in the way it was meant to be released. A 2014 reissue of the self-titled album saw a collection of the 1969 sessions as a bonus disc, but many of these tracks had been remixed from their original states.

While we can view some of these tracks to this day, and many of these tracks exist in famously bootlegged live versions, we still have no proper release of the lost fourth Velvet Underground album in the way that it was meant to be heard.

All Lights Fucked On The Hairy Amp Drooling  Godspeed You! Black Emperor

One of the most famous and enigmatic post-rock groups of all time is the Canadian group Godspeed You! Black Emperor. The group, while often and media-shy and reclusive, boast a famously voracious fanbase whose dedication is beyond what many bands could dream of. For the vast majority of the fanbase though, they share a common goal; to finally hear what Godspeeds demo tape sounds like.

The groups demo tape, All Lights Fucked On The Hairy Amp Drooling, is a little different to their regular tunes in that it was a cassette-only release which was limited to 33 copies when it was released back in 1994. However, apart from small mentions of it by the band, almost no information about it is known, except that it bears almost no resemblance to the music the group would later make.

In 2013, a Reddit user claimed that he had a copy of the tape, an even went so far as to upload some questionable audio files to prove his story. The user soon disappeared, causing many commentators to believe his claims were a hoax. While this user may have just been scared off by the groups vast fanbase, we may never know if this album does exist, or what it sounds like.

Carnival Of Light  The Beatles

In 1968, Paul McCartney agreed to contribute a piece of music to an art show held by British designer David Vaughan. The contributed piece, entitled Carnival Of Light, is said to be one of the longest, and most psychedelic of all the pieces of music recorded by The Beatles. Consisting of distorted guitars, church organs, and screamed phrases from John Lennon and Paul McCartney, it doesnt appear to be on of the Fab Fours most palatable works.

The track is said to be incredibly avant-garde, and certainly not something that would be found on any of the groups records, so naturally, we want to hear it. Surprisingly though, Paul McCartney actually wants us to hear it, and has actively campaigned to have the track released. He tried to get it released back in 1995, but George Harrison denied its release, and if McCartney wants it to be released now, he would need consent from Ringo Starr and the widows of Lennon and Harrison.

However, considering all he has done for music in the past, were sure McCartney will find a way to let us finally hear this unreleased piece of Beatles history. While we wait though, check out one of The Beatles best forays into the realm of avant-garde, Revolution 9, below.

Hail And Farewell, Gothenburg  The Mountain Goats

Sadly, there are many examples of these famous recordings being leaked to the public, but not in the way that the artist intended. Sure, in your heart you can enjoy what youre hearing an be somewhat satisfied that your long search is over, but often, you know that this isnt the same as hearing an officially released version that mimics the true vision of the artist. Such is the case of Hail And Farewell, Gothenburg, by The Mountain Goats.

Originally recorded in 1995, the record was reportedly mastered at an incorrect speed by The Mountain Goats frontman John Darnielle. While he had fully intended to re-master the album and release it later, the album leaked out into the public without his consent, and was shared around by an excited fanbase, keen for more music.

Disheartened by this leak, Darnielle abandoned the project, with no intention to release it as he had planned. While we have a version of this album available to listen to, it is in no way the same record that John Darnielle wanted to release. As a result of this leak though, Darnielle has stated that he now destroys the master tapes for any works he doesnt wish the public to hear.

First Rays Of The New Rising Sun  Jimi Hendrix

In much the same way as the Velvet Undergrounds album above, weve seen a lot of this record released, but in the same vein as Jeff Buckleys Sketches For My Sweetheart, The Drunk, who knows how much resemblance this bears to the intended vision? With recording for this album beginning back in 1970 prior to Hendrixs death, it was intended to be a double album.

In 1997, it was released as a compilation of the surviving master tracks, with the intention of making the record as close as possible to Hendrixs original vision. While it is unknown how much of the original record was completed when Hendrix died, or how close the final album was to Hendrixs vision, we can take solace in that weve heard at least something from these sessions, but of course, we wish Hendrix was still around to give us the album that he always wanted to make.

Red Devils Collaborations  Mick Jagger

From a memoir we may never read to his collaborations with the Red Devils, Mick Jagger has a way of keeping his art safe from prying eyes. Back in 1992, the Rolling Stones frontman was hard at work recording a solo album which would eventually be released under the name Wandering Spirit. In the meantime though, Jaggers producer, Rick Rubin, had been working with a young blues rock group called the Red Devils and suggested the group collaborate with Jagger.

Taking a break from his solo album, Jagger reportedly recorded an entire albums worth of covers of his favourite blues tracks. To date though, only one song, Checkin Up On My Baby, has been released officially. Considering the penchant that Jagger has for blues, and with an accomplished band such as the Red Devils behind him, we can only wonder why this album was shelved. Whatever the reason though, we hope that Jagger one day releases it, maybe the same day he releases his memoir.

The Commission  Jay Z & The Notorious B.I.G.

If youve ever given The Notorious B.I.G.s Life After Death a spin and wondered what the heck the commission that Biggie talks about in Whats Beef? is, well, we have the answer for you. Apparently, prior to his death, Biggie Smalls was in talks with Jay Z to record music together as a supergroup of sorts that would be called The Commission.

If the lyrics in Whats Beef? are to be believed, The Commission would have been made up of himself (Franke White), Jay-Z (Iceberg Slim), Puff Daddy, Lance Rivera (Uncle Paulie), Lil Cease (Caesar Leo DeGenero), and Charli Baltimore. While Jay Z and Biggie had collaborated before, this wouldve been an absolute landmark in the world of hip-hop, bringing together two of the genres biggest names for an album length journey into lyrical mastery.

While there are varying rumours as to whether the material was ever recorded, we can only sit and hope that The Notorious B.I.G.s vaults will one day be opened further to find these fabled collaborations.

Unfinished Album  Grateful Dead

The Grateful Dead were a cultural phenomenon. From their inception in the mid 60s to their demise in the mid 90s, they had a following which many of social commentators have described as almost cult-like. With a history of positive, communal jam-music, and a reputation for putting on of the best live shows you could witness, the Grateful Deads breakup was a shock to a tight-knit musical community.

In a manner similar to the aforementioned Deftones album, the Grateful Dead were in the process of recording a follow-up to their 1989 album Built To Last when frontman Jerry Garcia passed away. While the group had been recording new music since the early 90s, work was in full swing by late 1994, but by August 1995, Garcia had sadly died, leaving the group without their leader.

The group had considered finishing the album in preparation for an eventual release, but this was also abandoned. Thankfully, due to a dedicated group of fans who had recorded the Deads music religiously, some live versions of the tracks that would have featured on the album do exist, and quite frankly, its just as good as any of the stuff they officially released.

Early Releases  Boards Of Canada

While weve written about the enigmatic nature of Scottish duo Boards Of Canada before, the Sandison brothers music has an origin story that has intrigued fans for years now. The group came to prominence in the late 90s with their debut album Music Has The Right To Children, however, the duo had been making music for twelve years by this point. A vast majority of this music, has never been heard outside a select group of family and friends.

At least half a dozen cassette recordings exist from the late 80s onwards which chronicle the groups musical formation. Until the early 2000s almost no information was known about these recordings, but when a number of questionably sourced tracks surfaced online, fans began digging deeper. What is known now, is that the brothers had decided to produce numerous tapes of their music as gifts to friends and family.

By the time the mid 90s rolled around, they had decided to release their music publicly, but to date, they have not spoken about releasing their early material to the public. Whether well ever hear these tracks remains to be seen, but with an output that is frequently cited as genius, you can be sure were waiting with bated breath.
Say goodbye to quick Google searches for leaked MP3 downloads. The search giant has changed the way it codes its search results so that illegal sites are demoted and fair sites are more likely to pop up.

The world-first move in the UK, by Google, Bing and other search engines, is thanks to government-hosted talks which threatened legislation if search engines did not update their code.

Music groups have obviously been complaining about the unwitting promotion of unlicenced infringing sites since, well, Napster probably; but they have a point. Despite the plethora of legal and free licenced music outlets, sites like Google are impacting the legal market and stunting musicians careers.

In fact, Googles autocomplete tool even provides pirate-friendly terms. Its no wonder in October Google was processing 24 million links to pirate pages per week.

However, restricting peoples access to pirate sites wont change everyones dirty piracy habits.

BPI chief exec Geoff Taylor warns the move wont be a silver bullet:

The code will accelerate the demotion of illegal sites following notices from rights holders, and establishes ongoing technical consultation, increased co-operation and information sharing to develop and improve on the process. It will also enable new practices to be adopted where needed, he said.
The incomparable Elton John is returning to Australia in 2017, and hes already announced the first dates  and some surprising venues. Rather than sticking to the standard tour locations, hell be heading out to more remote areas like Cairns and Mackay, with more dates on the way.

Exclusive to Australia, Elton John & His Band will perform four very special Once In A Lifetime concerts this September, the Chugg touring website read s. Three of the first-and-last time events will be in cities he has never played before, and one is an intimate revisit of more than 25 years.

So far, the only confirmed dates are Friday September 22 at BB Print Stadium in Mackay, and Saturday September 30 at Cazalys Stadium in Cairns, with the other two still to be announced.

Hell be joined by Nigel Olsson on drums, who was part of Eltons original trio of backing musicians, and theyll be playing hits spanning Eltons decades-long career.

I always love coming back to Australia, Elton says, having first played here in Perth. It holds a very special place in my heart, ever since my first visit there at the start of my world-wide career in 1971.

My band and I are really looking forward to playing there again in September and this tour will be even more memorable because it will be the first time I have ever played Mackay and Cairnswhich I cant believe but there you have it.

If the audiences are anything like those at all of the other shows we have done in Queensland over the years, everyone will surely be in for a wonderful crazy night!

You can sign up for presale at the Chugg website, and general tickets go on sale on Tuesday March 14.

ELTON JOHN ONCE IN A LIFETIME TOUR

Mackay  Friday 22 September  BB Print Stadium

More information here

Cairns  Saturday 30 September  Cazalys Stadium

More information here

More dates to be announced.








Once again, protesters against President Trump dominate the Kansas City discourse.Today, "Not My President's Day" was the occasion as a crowd of nearly 1000 gathered to cheer and chant against the current Prez.Close to two dozen police protected the crowd . . .The signs were clever but mostly focused on talking points we've seen previously . . .Lots of honking and cheering on of the youthful plaza crowd . . .Moreover . . .The pouty hottie with the legs advocating a free press was my highlight for this quick tour.Take a look at MSM roundup from just a few minutes ago . . .You decide . . .
President Prokopis Pavlopoulos spoke about the role Saudi Arabia could play in ensuring peace in the region and combatting terrorism

President Prokopis Pavlopoulos spoke about the role Saudi Arabia could play in ensuring peace in the region and combatting terrorism, as well the country's long economic relations with Greece, during a meeting with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on Tuesday.

Pavlopoulos is on an official two-day visit to Saudi Arabia and is accompanied by Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias, Shipping Minister Panagiotis Kouroumblis and Alternate Foreign Minister George Katrougalos.

"In this new period of relations with Saudi Arabia, Greece enters as a member-state of the European Union, located in a very sensitive region of the Mediterranean. The cooperation is not just economic. Saudi Arabia is a country that lays a central role within the Arabic countries. Its role is strengthened by its stability. Therefore it can play an important role in the consolidation of peace in the region and in combatting terrorism," Pavlopoulos said.

Source: ANA-MPA

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
The balance of travel services in Greece during 2016 showed a surplus of 11,210 million euros, down 7.3% from a surplus of 12,088 million euros in 2015, due to a decrease of 906 million euros or 6.4% in travel receipts.

The drop in travel receipts resulted from an 11.3 percent decline in average expenditure per trip, as inbound traveller flows grew by 5.1%.

Based on provisional data by the Bank of Greece, the balance of travel services showed a surplus of 55 million in December 2016, compared with a surplus of 5 million in December 2015. More specifically, travel receipts in December 2016 rose to 193 million (up 4.7% from 184 million in December 2015), whereas travel payments fell by 22.9% (December 2016: 139 million, December 2015: 180 million). The rise in travel receipts resulted from a 15.6% increase in inbound traveller flows, as average expenditure per trip fell by 9.4%. Net receipts from travel services offset 3.6% of the goods deficit and accounted for 10.0% of total net receipts from services.

In 2016, the balance of travel services showed a surplus of 11,210 million, down 7.3% from a surplus of 12,088 million in 2015. This development was due to a decrease of 906 million or 6.4% in travel receipts, as travel payments dropped by 28 million or 1.4%. The fall in travel receipts resulted from an 11.3% decline in average expenditure per trip, as inbound traveller flows rose by 5.1%. Net receipts from travel services offset 67.6% of the goods deficit and accounted for 73.2% of total net receipts from services.

Travel receipts

In December 2016, as mentioned previously, travel receipts rose by 4.7% year-on-year. Looking at the breakdown by visitors country of origin, receipts from residents of the EU28 increased by 32.2% (December 2016: 107 million, December 2015: 81 million), while receipts from outside the EU28 dropped by 17.3% (December 2016: 84 million, December 2015: 101 million). The rise in receipts from within the EU28 was due to a 22.1% increase in receipts from euro area residents to 67 million in December 2016, from 55 million in December 2015, as well as to a 53.4% rise in receipts from residents of non-euro area EU28 countries. Among major countries of origin, receipts from Germany fell by 3.8% to 17 million and those from France dropped by 18.2% to 4 million. Receipts from the United Kingdom increased by 33.4% to 18 million. Turning to non-EU28 countries, receipts from Russia fell by 4.8% to 5 million, while receipts from the United States increased by 78.8% to 16 million.

In 2016, travel receipts fell by 6.4%, compared with the previous year, to 13,220 million. This development is attributed to lower receipts from both within the EU28 (down 3.0% to 9,123 million) and outside the EU28 (down 15.0% to 3,633 million). In particular, receipts from euro area residents fell by 6.9% to 5,596 million, while those from residents of non-euro area EU28 countries rose by 3.9% to 3,527 million. Specifically, receipts from Germany dropped by 4.1% to 2,152 million and those from France by 25.1% to 894 million. Receipts from the United Kingdom also decreased, by 2.9% to 1,961 million. Turning to non-EU28 countries, receipts from Russia rose by 3.4% to 436 million, while those from the United States fell by 22.8% to 728 million.

Inbound traveller flows

The number of inbound visitors in December 2016 rose by 15.6% year-on-year to 564 thousand. Specifically, visitor flows through airports increased by 34.4% and those through road border-crossing points by 2.6%. This development is attributed to higher visitor flows from within the EU28 (up 65.4%), as those from outside the EU28 fell by 19.6%. In greater detail, visitors from the euro area rose by 43.8% to 151 thousand and those from the non-euro area EU28 countries increased by 89.0% (December 2016: 183 thousand, December 2015: 97 thousand). Specifically, visitors from Germany increased by 29.4% to 39 thousand, while those from France fell by 33.6% to 9 thousand. Visitors from the United Kingdom rose by 32.6% to 36 thousand. Turning to non-EU28 countries, visitors from Russia rose by 21.9% to 11 thousand, while visitors from the United States rose by 19.9% to 23 thousand.

The number of inbound visitors in 2016 increased by 5.1% to 24,799 thousand (2015: 23,600 thousand). Specifically, visitor flows through airports increased by 9.0%, while those through road border-crossing points fell by 4.7%. In 2016, visitors from within the EU28 increased by 15.0%, compared with the previous year, to 17,217 thousand, whereas those from outside the EU28 fell by 12.1% to 7,583 thousand. Visitors from the euro area rose by 9.1% and those from the non-euro area EU28 countries by 22.1%. Specifically, visitors from Germany rose by 11.7% to 3,139 thousand, while those from France fell by 13.7% to 1,314 thousand. Visitors from the United Kingdom rose by 20.8% to 2,895 thousand. Finally, turning to non-EU28 countries, visitors from Russia increased by 16.1% to 596 thousand and those from the United States by 3.8% to 779 thousand.

Related link: Developments in the balance of travel services: December 2016 - Table

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
President of Republic Prokopios Pavlopoulos, who pays a two-day official visit to Saudi Arabia, will meet on Tuesday afternoon with King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud

President of Republic Prokopios Pavlopoulos, who pays a two-day official visit to Saudi Arabia, will meet on Tuesday afternoon with King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. In the morning the Greek president held talks with Transport Minister Soulaiman Al Hamdan with whom he discussed matters of financial interest with special focus on tourism.

Later, Pavlopoulos met with Minister of Commerce and Investments Dr Majed Bin Abdullah Al Kassabi. The meeting focused on issues of bilateral financial interest and the prospect of investments in Greece. Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias, Shipping Minister Panagiotis Kouroumblis, Tourism Minister Elena Kountoura and Alternate Foreign Minister responsible for European Affairs George Katrougalos were present at the meetings. Pavlopoulos will also meet with Deputy Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud who chairs the Council for Economic and Development Affairs and is chief of the Public Investment Fund.

Read more here.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
. Kostas Tzivelekas had led 13 missions in the Himalayas and had participated in 37 missions in total

The most famous and experienced Greek climber is no longer with us. Kostas Tzivelekas had led 13 missions in the Himalayas and had participated in 37 missions in total.

His most important achievement, of course, was leading the Hellas Everest 2004, the first mission of Greeks at the top of the Everest.

Tzivelekas was from Mavrolithari, Fokida.

The news of his death has brought sorrow to Greece and to the people of sports.

Read more here.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
Concerns have spread in Europe about a potential nuclear incident following a recent report by a French nuclear watchdog agency  the Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN), the French national public expert in nuclear and radiological risks  that radioactive Iodine-131 had been observed across much of northern and central Europe. Since the isotope has a half-life of only eight days, the detection was an indication of a rather recent release. As the Barents Observer added, where the radioactivity is coming from is still a mystery. The emission was rumored to have originated close to the Arctic circle, with some speculating that a nuclear test of emergency had taken place in Russia in January and the fallout then spread to Norway and onward to Europe:

Iodine-131 a radionuclide of anthropogenic origin, has recently been detected in tiny amounts in the ground-level atmosphere in Europe. The preliminary report states it was first found during week 2 of January 2017 in northern Norway. Iodine-131 was also detected in Finland, Poland, Czech Republic, Germany, France and Spain, until the end of January, the French Institute de Radioprotection et de Surete Nucleaire wrote in a press release.

Adding an air of mystery to this alleged incident was the spotting of the Constant Phoenix, which as we first reported, arrived on Friday in the UKs Mildenhall airbase from Florida. The WC-135 Constant Phoenix has been used in the past to determine whether nuclear tests or detonations have taken place in any given region. The WC-135 is a derivative of the Boeing C-135 transport and support plane. Two of these aircraft are in service today out of the ten examples operated since 1963. The aircraft are flown by flight crews from the 45th Reconnaissance Squadron from Offutt Air Force Base while mission crews are staffed by Detachment 1 from the Air Force Technical Applications Center.

Read more here.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
Russia and Iran have begun the construction of a 1.4-gigawatt (GW) thermal power plant in the city of Bandar Abbas in southern Iran, a report said.



Russian company Technopromexport and an Iranian holding company signed an agreement on the construction of a thermal power plant in Iran with 1.2 billion ($1.27 billion) funding of by Russia, reported Iran Daily, citing Sputnik.



The Russians will also improve the efficiency at the Ramin power plant in Khuzestan Province to 50-55 percent from the current 36 percent, a government official said.



"The two power contracts between Iran and Russia are worth several billion dollars. The details will be announced in the future," he added.
Leading communications company Ooredoo has partnered with MBC Group, a free-to-air satellite broadcasting company, to launch a new high definition (HD) Arabic content channel on its IPTV service in Qatar.



The new MBC + Ooredoo channel launch is part of a multi-year MoU the duo had signed last year, which gave Ooredoo exclusive rights to some of the MBCs HD channels in Qatar.



With this latest partnership, Ooredoo tv customers will now be able to exclusively enjoy a brand new channel and that will include a selection of MBCs best Arabic content, said the statement from the Qatari group.



Ooredoo and MBC Group hosted a star-studded event at the Museum of Islamic Art last night to launch the new channel. It was attended by Ooredoo Qatar CEO Waleed Al Sayed, MBC Group CEO Sam Barnett and a host of MBC talent including "Sabah Al Khair Ya Arab" star Khaled Al Shaer, reporter and broadcaster Ali Al Ghofaily, journalist Ola Al-Fares, as well as presenter Ghada Mussali from MBC1 and presenter Mariam Said from ET Bil Arabi.



The MBC + Ooredoo, which will be available on channel 180, will boast of top programmes inlcuding Tabakh Al Sultan, Scoop, Dahsha, El Hokm, El Hob Al Halal and much more.



Speaking at the launch, Al Sayed said: "Since its launch Ooredoo tv has offered the latest and best content, whether live, On Demand or on the go via the Ooredoo tv App."



"This is the latest step in our vision of offering leading local and international content to Qatar and we hope you enjoy the wide range of programmes we have selected especially for Ooredoo tv customers in HD," he noted.



Expressing delight at partnership with Ooredoo, Barnett said: "The speed and sophistication of the network provided by Ooredoo means that viewers in Qatar are able to experience audiovisual content at industry leading levels of quality."



"It was only a few months ago when we announced our intention to work together, and now today our combined teams are ready to launch both MBC+ Ooredoo and our premium Video On Demand service Shahid Plus," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Madison Gas & Electric plans to build a wind farm in northeast Iowa that could generate up to 66 megawatts of electricity, enough to power about 47,000 homes.

The Madison utility company said Tuesday the Saratoga wind farm in Howard County, Iowa, would consist of 33 turbines, each nearly 500 feet tall. Thats 100 feet taller than turbines at MGEs Top of Iowa wind farm in Worth County, in north-central Iowa, installed in 2008.

If regulators approve the proposal, it will be built next year and will begin operating by the end of 2018. The estimated cost is $107 million.

This is an exciting opportunity for our customers and continues the progress weve made in reducing carbon emissions and increasing renewable energy, Gary Wolter, MGE chairman, president and CEO, said in a written statement. With recent advances in technology, this project represents a long-term, cost-effective strategy for MGE to continue to transition to cleaner energy sources.

The announcement came one week before Wolter is slated to retire as president and CEO, to be succeeded by Jeffrey Keebler, senior vice president of energy supply and planning, on March 1.

Wolter will remain chairman of the boards of MGE and parent firm MGE Energy.

Tyler Huebner, executive director of the Madison renewable energy advocacy nonprofit RENEW Wisconsin, praised MGEs Saratoga project. Were happy to see MGE move ahead on their Energy 2030 framework and identify a large, renewable energy project, he said.

Huebner was not surprised about the Iowa location. Right now, southwest Wisconsin is a little transmission-constrained. That is hurting the ability to develop wind power (in Wisconsin), he said.

The Sierra Club also is glad to see MGE taking the much needed initiative to invest in wind power, said spokeswoman Elizabeth Katt Reinders, in Madison. Wed like to see MGE commit to large-scale clean energy investment with the goal of replacing, not augmenting, dirty fossil fuels.

In its Energy 2030 plan, released in November 2015, MGE said it plans to supply 25 percent of its electric sales from renewable resources by 2025 and 30 percent by 2030.

MGE said it started searching for sites for a wind farm in summer 2015. It began negotiations for the northeast Iowa site in summer 2016 and obtained rights to the location last year from initial site developer RPM Access.

If approved, it will be MGEs largest wind farm. The utility also gets wind-generated power from five other farms in Wisconsin and Iowa.

Tuesdays announcement about the Saratoga project comes on the heels of a meeting held Monday night by RePower Madison, a citizen group formed in 2014 to oppose MGEs rate increase plans.

About 100 people attended the session at the Madison Central Library at which RePower Madison encouraged residents to send postcards to the utility calling for MGE to commit to 100 percent renewable energy.

RePower program manager Mitch Brey said the timing of MGEs Saratoga announcement could be more than coincidental, though the project has been in the works for a while.

We hope this will be the first of many clean energy projects for MGEs incoming CEO, Jeffrey Keebler, and that he will embrace a goal of 100 percent renewable energy as he takes on his new leadership role, Brey said.

The MGE proposal is the latest in a series of wind generation projects announced in the past year. Alliant Energy, Madison, will build at least 500 megawatts in Iowa by 2020 and Dairyland Power Cooperative, La Crosse, said it will buy power from a wind farm under construction near Platteville and another, already operating, in north-central Iowa.
The only solution to combating deadly infestations in date palms is early detection and directed treatment with the use of remote sensing technology, which can save farmers millions of dollars, said a top official.



The best chance of gaining control and subsequently eradicating the infestations is when the insect population is still small and can be localised for direct treatment, added Bill Haraka, managing director at Dutch organisation TEC-IB, the creators of DateGIS, a multi-spectral satellite data gathering system for date farmers will outline the advancement in remote sensing technology to save date palms.



He was speaking ahead of the Global Forum for Innovations in Agriculture (GFIA), running on March 20 and 21 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.



Following the success of remote sensing data acquisition trials carried out in Saudi Arabias Al Kharj region in 2016, TEC-IB has already gained support from the Kingdoms Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture and is now looking for partnership with commercial farmers and the government organisations to conduct trials in the UAE and Oman.



Due to its magnitude, the infestation of red palm weevil (RPW), a snout beetle, has become one of the biggest problems for farmers in the region, whose production accounts for 30 per cent of the worlds date supply.



Haraka added: Traditional methods of detecting infestations take months and are inefficient as often the presence of the red palm weevil becomes apparent when the insects have already burrowed into the date palm, while a single aerial survey can provide a detailed map with the exact geo-location of infected date palms in a matter of days.



Combined with sharp variations in rainfall, regional water scarcity and the increasing numbers of pests and diseases, the infestation of red palm weevils poses a challenge the farmers across the region cannot solve alone and need governmental support to combat it.



The trials convinced the farmers and the Ministry of Agriculture that utilising the remote-sensing technology in the agricultural sector provides more control over the production yields increase and brings down internal costs due to directed and timely treatment of affected palms, Haraka said.



Large-scale detection through the analysis of data acquired by satellites and aerial remote sensors is now a game-changer and the only solution for ministries of agriculture and commercial farmers.



Held in strategic partnership with the Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority, GFIA will also feature an exhibition hosting some 300 companies, and an Innovations Programme, showcasing a series of 15-minute talks from start-up companies who think they have a next-generation solution that could shape the future of farming around the world.  TradeArabia News Service
Petroleum ministers of Iran and Iraq have signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in different fields of oil and gas, a report said.



Issues such as development of oil and gas fields in common borders, exporting engineering and technical services, exporting goods and cooperation in the field of petroleum and derivatives were mentioned in the MoU, reported Irna.



Rendering help to rebuild infrastructures of Iraq oil and gas refineries by Iran were also mentioned in the MoU.



An agreement was also reached on exporting Kirkuk oil through a pipeline, which passes from Irans territory and it is due that an international consultant to be introduced for its technical and economic justification.



Granting university scholarships to Iraqi students to study in upstream oil and gas courses were also among other issues in the MoU.
Riyadh Travel Fair (RTF) 2017, Saudi Arabias largest travel trade event showcasing more than 250 exhibitors, national pavilions and seminars, is set to welcome an anticipated 30,000 visitors this April.



RTF will open its doors for the ninth consecutive year, with the 2017 edition to be located at the Al Faisaliah Hotel, Riyadh from April 7  10.



The four-day event will become the focus of business networking opportunities, insightful seminar sessions, ministerial discussions and the recognition of 12 months of the tourism industrys achievements.



The 2017 edition will be the largest on record with an increase in both the number of exhibitors and expected visitor arrivals. More than 250 exhibitors will be present representing more than 50 countries. Over 50 national and regional pavilions will have a prominent presence with the show floor space also increased by 10 per cent compared to the 2016 event.



Last year the Riyadh Travel Fair featured 246 exhibitors with visitor attendance at 25,724. That was an increase of 30 per cent compared to the 2015 edition. This year will continue our year-on-year growth as exhibitors hit over 250 and expected visitors numbers over 30,000, said Bander' Al Gryni, general manager ASAS Exhibitions  organizer of Riyadh Travel Fair.



Al Gryni added: Year after year, we have seen a consistent positive growth on the number of participants, exhibitors and attendees at RTF. With Saudi nationals increasingly travelling both domestically and overseas, the opportunities that the Riyadh Travel Fair provides for domestic and overseas destinations, hospitality service providers and other tourism related businesses, to directly meet with the kingdoms leading travel professionals and travellers has never been more significant.



The Riyadh Travel Fair is open to both travel professionals and the general public looking for in-depth destination information and special deals. Visitors to the 2017 edition will be able to interact directly with various tourism authorities, hotels, airlines and travel agents from around the world.



The Arabian Gulf region will have a strong presence at the fair including pavilions sponsored by; Abu Dhabi Tourism & Cultural Authority (Strategic Partner), Sharjah Commerce & Tourism Development Authority (Diamond Sponsor), Indonesia Tourism as Platinum Partner, Al-Riyadh Travel & Tourism (Gold Sponsors), Alia Travel (Silver Sponsor) and Careem (Transportation Sponsor).



National pavilions confirmed to attend include those of: Austria, Kyoto Japan, Philippines, Doka, Orange County California, Sri Lanka, Seychelles, Slovenia, Turkey, Morocco, Tunisia, Bursa ,Taiwan, Mexico ,Holland ,Maldives and Korea, to name just a few.



Exhibitors from Asia, Oceania, Europe and North Africa will also be present, along with hotels, airlines, travel agencies, online booking sites, and car rental companies such as Rotana, Lufthansa, MATATO, Thrifty , Dollar Rent A Car, Fursan Travel, and AirFrance & KLM , to name a few.



Riyadh Travel Fair is organised by ASAS Exhibition and Conference Organizing company under the sponsorship of Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority as Strategic Partner. - TradeArabia News Service


Ascott, a leading serviced residence owner-operator, has appointed Meenu Singh as its new director of sales for Somerset Panorama Muscat in Oman.



In her new role, Singh will oversee the sales of the 277-unit apartment hotel, and provide a strategic implementation of long and short-term plans towards the business development for the hotel.



She brings over 17 years of experience in the hospitality industry. Before this appointment, Singh was the head of sales and marketing for Coral Hotels & Resorts, Muscat. She has held senior management positions in Al Nahda Hotels & Resorts, InterContinental Hotels Group and Oberoi Hotels and Resorts in Oman and India.



Vincent Miccolis, Ascotts country general manager Middle East & Turkey said: Were delighted to welcome Meenu Singh in our team. She possesses strong experience in hospitality management. I am confident that under her leadership, we will continue to strengthen our business in Muscat and reinforce our reputation as the leading international serviced residence owner-operator."



Singh said: I am delighted to work with this dynamic and passionate team. Oman is a great destination and has seen significant growth in the hospitality sector. Im excited to lead the team in the first Somerset-branded property in the country.



Somerset Panorama Muscat is located in Al Ghubrah Street in Muscat. The property is ideal for travellers who are on business or holiday with family, Somerset Panorama Muscat is a perfect option for short-term or long-stay visitors who want the flexibility of being able to explore Omans fascinating capital from the comfort of an ultra-modern, apartment hotel.



Residents can select from studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments, each of which is tastefully designed to exude a home away from home feeling of warmth and hospitality. - TradeArabia News Service
There's some common knowledge about the Great Wall of China that almost everyone knows, but are they fact or fiction? Some myths are worth debunking so here are five things you should know about China's ancient wall.

Is It Visible From Space?

Back in 1932, an amateur anthropologist from America made a public statement that the Great Wall can be seen from the moon which later on became an urban myth. But when space travel advancements happened, people weren't able to see from space.

It's Called The Long Wall

Most people call it the Great Wall but it's not how the Chinese call it. In fact, most locals call it Chang Cheng which means Long Wall or Long City. Chinese poets would even go for more artistic names such as The Earth Dragon or The Purple Wall.

It's "Not" The Longest Graveyard In The World

With a wall that's over 5500 miles, it's assumed a lot of workers died making it the longest cemetery. But according to The Telegraph, no human remains were discovered and it was only a tactic by a historian to destroy a previous regime.

Rice Flour Was Used To Build It

According to China Travellers, during the Qin Dynasty which lasted in 221-207 BC, glutinous rice flour was the material used by builders to bind the bricks together. It was hitting two birds with one stone because the rice was used as binding material and food for the workers as well.

The Wall Can't Be Penetrated Back In The Day

It was indeed a great wall that defended China from enemies. However, it's the people behind the walls that makes it penetrable. In 1644, on traitor in the Shanhaiguan outpost opened one of the gates and let the Manchu armies in. This event would change the course of China's history.

There's a lot about the Great Wall of China that everyone didn't know. These five things would help in making you appreciate this historical edifice even more.

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The American Museum of Natural History is nearly celebrating its 150 years of existence. The museum's authorities have decided to fund a $340 million worth of renovations and additions to the place. If you're familiar with it, you've probably seen it in a Ben Stiller movie, "A Night At The Museum."

The most prominent addition to the museum is the Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education and Innovation. Its purpose is to entice students to be more scientifically literate, with several interactive exhibits that don't focus on just one particular subject.

The project's design will be headed by Jeanne Gang and with the collaboration of Reed Hilderbrand, the landscape architects from Cambridge, Mass. Jeane Gang has won the privilege of designing the Gilder Center from a competition and has already demonstrated the building model at an event at the American Museum of Natural History last Wednesday.

Some of the new exhibits to be added include the Insectarium, which is going to be located in the first floor of the center. A butterfly sanctuary will also take place on the second floor, with a special augmented reality component as one of its perks. Guests can take pictures of beautiful, colorful butterflies without worrying they'll fly away.

"The new Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation will invite visitors to experience the Museum not only as a place of public exhibitions but as an active scientific and educational institution," their website reads. "The Gilder Center will include new exhibition and learning spaces with state-of-the-art technology and access to the Museum's world-class collections. It will also expand access to a broader range of the Museum's resources for students, teachers, and families, offering new learning opportunities and inviting all visitors to share in the excitement of discovery."

All the new exhibits and features in the Gilder Center will be top-of-the-notch and will be more interactive than the usual exhibits. Intense planning and preparation are currently taking place; and by the times it's finished, students and museum fanatics all over the country will be wanting to step inside its walls.

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Delta Air Lines has confirmed the return of its free complimentary economy-class meals to all passengers on selected long-haul flights beginning March 1, 2017. The free meals will take place on the cabin of flights between the Los Angeles Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City. It will also be given to passengers for flights between JFK International Airport and San Francisco International Airport.

According to the Travel Weekly, this multi-million dollar effort makes the Atlanta-based carrier the first airline to provide free meals for passengers with economy-class tickets. The complimentary meals will include sandwiches, continental breakfast, Luvo breakfast medley and fruit plates for early morning flights and veggie wraps and smoked turkeys for lunch.

Moreover, on April 24, Delta Air Lines will also be serving meals for other major routes such as Boston to Los Angeles, Boston to San Francisco, Boston to Seattle, Washington to LAX, Seattle to Fort Lauderdale, Seattle to Orlando, Seattle to Raleigh-Durham, New York's JFK to Portland, JFK to Ore, JFK to San Diego and lastly, JFK to Seattle.

According to Travel and Leisure, Delta Air Lines has also confirmed that the menu they are about to serve will be regularly modified depending upon seasonal and local ingredients that are available. For Delta Comfort+ passengers, there will be free beers, wine and spirits as well as a Greek frozen yogurt bar.

Delta Air Lines has already established a legacy in offering free meals to passengers way back 2001. However, because of the suits filed by other domestic airlines as well as the financial crisis which began in the year 2007, Delta Air Lines eliminated the complimentary meals for in-flight passengers.

Last year, the carrier started giving free meals to passengers as part of its customer satisfaction limited service test. The customer satisfaction polls revealed that passengers who received complimentary meals have given higher satisfaction rate to the airlines and this is what triggered the management to bring back its free meal offering to passengers.

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US President Donald Trump's revised executive order to ban travel for all immigrants coming from seven Muslim-majority nations would exclude green card holders coming from these nations. According to the newly-elected POTUS, the new immigration executive order would "protect our people" and pass the requirements of court.

According to CNN, the revised travel ban executive order could be re-proposed as early as this week and it would clarify that green card holders from the Muslim-majority countries indicated in the ban are excluded. The news website cites Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly in his Munich Security Conference Statement that, "The President is contemplating releasing a tighter, more streamlined version of the executive order."

In the last few weeks, Trump's travel ban against the countries Iran, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen caused international controversy. Should the 9th Circuit Court implemented the executive order, the country would hold the entry of citizens from these Muslim-majority nations for 90 days -- with Syrian refugees to be held at bay "indefinitely."

The Hill writes that the revised travel ban would still include the original seven countries and "will no longer tell authorities to specifically single out" and "reject Syrian refugees." The first version of the travel ban had the Trump administration face lawsuits from several human rights groups before a Seattle federal judge -- whom Trump publicly berated and blamed for any possible security issues in the country -- blocked the executive order.

After the executive order's announcement, the US travel industry expected a quick and massive decline in the number of bookings into the United States. According to Boston Globe, analysts believed the executive order to ban travelers from seven Muslim nations could cause the same damage as the Sept 11, 2001 terror attacks caused in the United States.

The same report cited several online booking websites that searches for the United States for booking went down from 17 percent to 6 percent after Trump's announcement and signing of the executive order. According to analysts, the "icy message" the announcement and signing of the executive order's intent is alarming.

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A good entry to your bucket list is the chance to learn history and explore the world's lost cities--indeed, an adventure of a lifetime with its breathtaking views and unforgettable activities. Here are five ancient lost cities to visit before you die.

Vilcabamba, Peru. One of the historical Inca sites that is truly a must visit is Vilcabamba. It is located in the south of Peru and along the Chontabamba River, and is held in high regard, as it was the leading society that fought the last of the Spanish invasion.

Copan, Honduras. Copan is perfect for travel explorers with its multiple activities. According to Honduras.com, you can have a tour in their internationally acclaimed museums and see authentic Mayan sculptures. In addition, one can appreciate the wide variety of birds including parrots, toucans, and macaws in famed Copan Valley bird watching.

Caracol, Belize. If you're tired of the mainstream attractions, Caracol is the destination for you with its glorious ceiba trees, stones wrapped in roots and howler monkeys moving freely. It's also the largest Mayan site in Belize with a 136-foot temple. And the best part is that it has only few tourists.

Persepolis, Iran. According to Telegraph, this is a highly recommended attraction when you visit Iran. It would be a good remembrance to have a picture in the capital of the First Persian Empire. Be amazed at the ancient ruins and sculptures that have remained after the being burnt during the time of Alexander the Great.

Shisr, Oman. If you have the read the Quran, you would be familiar with this place since is described as the "Atlantis of the Sands." This is said to be a trading spot with the vast variety of artifacts originating from Persia, Greece and Rome. Though a trip here requires permission from Salalah City, it is a rare opportunity to see the Frankincense City of Ubar.

These ancient lost cities not only hold great knowledge but history as well. They are equipped with remains that give a glimpse of the culture and arts of different civilizations.

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Signs on the door of the East Side Madison eatery identified it as a sanctuary restaurant with a place at the table for everyone. All are welcome and safe here, they declared.

A sign isnt going to keep immigration agents at bay if the Trump administration begins mass deportations of people who entered this country illegally.

But its hard to fault the signs sentiment.

The sanctuary restaurant movement started in Michigan, and the signs I saw include the logo for Madison Originals, an association of almost 50 independently owned Madison-area restaurants.

I think it means something different to each member who chose to display it, but I believe most saw it as being a statement about accepting all people, Madison Originals ambassador Holly Tierney-Bedord said of the signs. A handful of the groups restaurants are using them, she said.

Latino immigrants not legally allowed to work here are almost certainly among those worthy of acceptance, given that they often dominate the ranks of busboys and cooks and other back-of-the-house restaurant positions.

Although if I were an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent, the signs could be a clue about where to find such workers, which is why if I were such a worker, the signs could be reason for some frustrated forehead-slapping.

At the least, they are indicative of the kinds of self-congratulatory political statements Madisonians are so fond of, as well as one more way to attract customers interested in eating good food while simultaneously patting themselves on the back.

Still, theres ample reason for supporting immigrant workers.

Yes, those not authorized to be in the country are breaking the law. But spending the time and money required to deport them all  while often sowing chaos in their families  seems akin to putting a cop on every corner to catch every speeder, even if the speeder happens to be rushing his pregnant wife to the hospital.

Theres also an argument to be made that these workers depress wages and take jobs from Americans, especially in low-skilled employment. But there are other data showing benefits they make to the economy.

Without workers who immigrated illegally, some industries would have to pay more to compete for labor in a tighter labor market dominated by Americans who arent eager to take the low-paying, difficult and dirty jobs those workers often take.

Higher labor costs would mean increases in the prices of some products, and that could be a problem in an age when wage growth isnt necessarily keeping up with the growth in the number and range of products advertisers tell Americans they should buy.

I spent much of my 20s working in restaurants in Chicago and its suburbs, and lots of the people I worked with were Latino, Polish and Asian immigrants  most of whom Im assuming were not in the country legally. As a group, they were more hard-working, helpful and pleasant than my native-born American co-workers.

Americas immigration system may be broken, but the vast majority of immigrants, whether they arrived legally or not, deserve neither the blame nor the punishment for that.
Tech giant company Google has taken an action against sites that spread "false news." The company has launched its tool called Fact Check Tag that will help readers find fact checking in the huge news stories online.

As a matter of fact, Google has launched this tool in three more countries and has been introduced weeks before presidential election voting. The new tool has been featured in its new section to allow its readers to determine whether the article is true or not.

The label is now visible in the expand story box in Google News search results and the Google News and Weather app in Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico, according to Independent UK. The new feature was first launched in the United States in October 2016 ahead of the election. Then, it has been rolled out in France and Germany.

Last year, Google and Facebook have been accused of beings reasons why fake news spread like wildfire online. Since then, both companies are now committed to fight those sites that spread lies.

"We have to take the fake news problem very, very seriously and think about what we can do there," Google chief business officer, Philipp Schindler said during Code Media conference.

The current U.S. President Donald Trump is very vocal about labelling unfavourable reports that he called "fake news." During a rally with his supporters in Waukesha, Wisconsin, Trump attacked again "fake news" and claimed that something happened in Sweden.

"You look at what's happening in Germany, you look at what's happening last night in Sweden," Trump said on Sunday, Feb. 18.

He also mocked Sweden's "large-scale immigration," claiming media (which he accused a source of fake news) covered up the real impact of refugees arriving in Scandinavian. His claims about Sweden triggered mockery on social media because nothing happened in the country.

Many netizens reacted on Trump's claim. The former prime minister of Swede Carl Bildt reacted on Trump's remarks.

"Sweden? Terror attack? What has he been smoking? Questions abound," Bildt tweeted.

On Monday, Feb. 20, Trump took Twitter to inform the public where did he get this information. According to the U.S. President, his claim was in reference to a story that Fox News broadcast concerning the immigration.

The U.S. President also accused Google for manipulating news and claimed that the search engine hides "bad Hillary Clinton news."

My statement as to what's happening in Sweden was in reference to a story that was broadcast on @FoxNews concerning immigrants & Sweden.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 19, 2017

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Travel in Southeast Asia has become popular for the adventurous and free-spirited tourists throughout the modern era. This global region is currently considered as the backpacker's paradise. As of 2015, this area has the second highest number of international arrivals garnering a total of approximately 127.1 million visitors.

One of the most compelling reasons that draw tourists in this part of the world has a lot to do with the economical overall expenses. Travel in Southeast Asia is relatively cheaper than visiting the Mediterranean or Latin America. Another interesting draw about this global region is the alluring tropical climate, which makes the beaches of Southeast Asian countries a much cheaper alternative to the Caribbean destinations.

Although most Southeast Asian countries share almost the same climate, they pretty much differ greatly in terms of culture. Here are the three different countries to take note of anyone's next travel plan in this part of the world:

Malaysia. This archipelago is predominantly Muslim and a former British colony. Although the Malay ethnicity comprised its national heritage, this country has an overwhelming number of Chinese and Indian peoples occupying its demographics. Those who wish to visit Malaysia should venture out of Kuala Lumpur and explore other areas like Borneo, Penang, Malacca, Kota Kinabalu, Sarawak, Ipoh, and Perak.

Thailand. In this country, Buddhism suffuses almost all aspects of life. This country has a significant local Chinese presence, comprising a total of 14 percent of the entire Thai population as of 2012. Curiously, however, Thailand is also an important haven for 13th and 16th Century Japanese exiles. There is more to see for people who plan to visit Thailand than the glaring nightlife scene of Bangkok. Other key locations worth noting include Pattaya, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Chiang Rai, Khon Kaen and Krabi.

Philippines. This archipelago identifies itself as predominantly Roman Catholic, but a significant Muslim presence is known in the southernmost parts of the nation. The Philippines was a former Spanish colony, but the United States held the most significant influence throughout the modern times. Ironically, outsiders who visit the Philippines would find the key tourist spots outside the capital city of Manila. These places include Palawan, Batanes, Cebu, Surigao, Davao, and Baguio.

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Road trips are fun, until you find yourself in an off-beaten path filled with deadly sharp curves, deep ravines, and the kind of drive that will make you fear for your life. Roads may be really essential for the movement from one destination to the other, but in some cases, it doesn't hurt to just stay put.

The World Health Organization has declared the years 2011-2021 "A decade of action for road safety," but some roads are really just too dangerous to drive safely. So before you fill up your car tank and have the road trip of your life, take note of these roads that are proven to be some of the most dangerous in the world:

Pan-American Highway, Alaska to Argentina. Deemed as the "longest motorable road in the world", traversing in this 30,000 mile-highway would certainly leave you off your car for quite some time. Spanning from Alaska to South America, you would have to get past jungles and glaciers and mountains before you get to your destination. Now if you're not careful, this might be the last drive of your life.

North Yungas Road, Bolivia. This road is famed due to its tendency to claim around 200-300 lives each year. Because of its narrow path and absence of proper road blockings, buses and trucks usually collide and fall in the valley down the road. It's named "The Road of Death" by the locals.

Sichuan-Tibet Highway, China. It's amazing how some drivers brave this road as it looks like somebody just hastily carved up some space on the side of the mountain. This road is not properly paved and avalanches tend to happen regularly without warning. According to reports, there are 7,500 deaths for every 100,000 drivers who drive this road. Care to try your luck?

Skippers Canyon Road, New Zealand. You have to get a special permit first before you'll be allowed to drive on this road. The reason? It entails a really narrow path on the side of a cliff which can only accommodate one car way. The views around the road are remarkable, but if you don't want to die just yet, don't take your eyes off the road.

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The west coast of California has generously opened its doors to immigrants for more than two centuries, despite (ironically) the ostensibly isolationist position of the current administration's so-called Muslim ban. As of 2014, 38.8 million inhabitants call it as their home. This state is still one of the biggest multicultural territories in the United States. In 2015, around 27 percent of the entire state's population is foreign-born.

Between the two important cities of California, there are key locations that urge foreigners to visit Los Angeles instead. These are the following tourist spots to take note:

Hollywood. One of the foremost things that come to mind for people thinking about Los Angeles is Hollywood. Indeed, this city is considered the cultural center of America's blockbuster filmmaking industry since the 1950's. Among its notable tourist attractions is the Walk of Fame.

Little Tokyo. Declared as a National Historic Landmark in 1995, this neighborhood is considered as the cultural center of Japanese Americans living in Southern California. Little Tokyo boasts a vast array of Japanese commercial outlets, from restaurants to recreational stores (e.g. books, anime DVD's, etc).

Movie Studios Tour. Speaking of Hollywood, the best way to enjoy American movie patronage for people who travel to California is to tour around the prestigious Hollywood studios. The most popular of which is the Universal Studios theme park.

Despite the glitz and glamor of LA, there are also a number of reasons why some would prefer to visit San Francisco. These are the following attractions worth mentioning:

The Biggest Chinatown

Not only does San Francisco have the biggest Chinatown outside of Asia, it is also the oldest Chinese community in North America. As of 2012, around 21.4 percent of the city's population is comprised of Chinese Americans. This neighborhood is teeming with exotic shops, dim sum restaurants, and other commercial outlets.

Alcatraz Prison

Since it closed in the mid-1960's, the Alcatraz Prison has beckoned outsiders to explore the remnants of its notorious past. This prison was home to America's legendary criminals, among which included Al Capone.

Travel Back In The 60's

The Haight-Asbury district was the center of the Hippie Movement during its heyday. Now, this neighborhood takes visitors back into the age of the 'Flower Children.' Many would easily describe this part of San Francisco as a 'colorful' zone.

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More and more artists are becoming enraged with President Donald Trump's immigration law with thousands of them holding exhibitions and art protests.The Davis Museum at Wellesley College protested by removing all artworks and covering them in black cloth that was created or given by immigrant artists.

"Art-Less" is a six-day de-installation project that honors immigrants, especially the artists that helped shape the country's culture. The policy will affect the 120 works done by immigrants in the campus, according to The Boston Globe.

These artworks are mostly paintings, bronze and wood sculptures, and masks from other countries. Lisa Fischman, Director of Davis, was reported as saying, "We're hoping to articulate the contributions of immigrants here at Davis in response to the anxiety this executive order has raised and continued to raise."

The de-installation will contain labels or tags that say, "made by an immigrant" or "given by an immigrant." These tags can be used by anyone and can be downloaded at the Davis Museum website.

People can still catch the protest as it will end today. The greatest art impact there will be from the African gallery collection as most of the artworks displayed came from the immigrant family, Klejman, who arrived in America after World War II.

Meanwhile, New York's Museum of Modern Art is replacing paintings by famous artists to honor painters hailing from the seven Muslim-majority countries listed by the law. Galleries on the fifth floor will now hang up Iranian artists' works such as sculptors by Parviz Tanavoli and photography of Shirana Shahbazi.

Moreover, the Manhattan Gallery has created their wall of 700 immigrants' backpacks to acknowledge the migrants who illegally crossed the U.S. border that led some to their death.

Only time will tell how much more artists out there will show their great dismay over the policy Trump has ordered. But one thing is for sure - immigrant artists have significantly contributed to America's art and culture scene.

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Angelina Jolie stepped back into the spotlight in Cambodia to promote her latest project, "First They Killed My Father." In tow on the trip were all of her 6 children, Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh as well as twins Knox and Vivienne.

Given her very public split with husband, Brad Pitt, late last year, the actress was continuously asked about her state of affairs with her estranged partner. And while the actress obviously does not want to talk about the matter, she was keen in panning the topic of conversation more on her kids.

The 41-year-old actress sat down with BBC for an exclusive interview in light of her newest gig. But she was also asked some personal questions like where she sees her life in five years. Jolie gamely answered the query with an optimistic outlook revealing that by that time, she would like to happily travel the world with all of her children. Given that 3 of her kids in Maddox, Pax and Zahara were adopted from Cambodia, Vietnam, and Ethiopia respectively, she wishes to bring them back to their home country to give them the homecoming that her eldest just experienced.

On top of that, she hopes that she is still able to support them in all of their personal endeavors "not through the prism of Hollywood or through a certain kind of life but really take them into the world where they have a really good sense of the come-round of people." Even before her split, the actress was known for always trying to protect her family from the public eye which makes her answer very sensible.

Outside of her family, Jolie also shared envisions herself to continue promoting her causes and bringing more attention to the charities that are close to her.

The "Maleficent" actress is known for her humanitarian works across the world being part of the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) promoting Human and Women's Rights.

As of now, Jolie's divorce proceedings with Pitt that started last September is still ongoing privately. The Hollywood pair cited irreconcilable differences as their main reason for separating with Jolie requesting full custody of all of their kids including their 3 biological kids - Shiloh, Knox, and Vivienne.

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Utah's largest brewery wants you to hike and visit US National Parks as their beer cans promote these outdoor spots with their exclusive Rotating Parks Series packaging. Uinta Brewery will release limited editions of their packaging, featuring different National Parks around the country.

However, people might want to know that the beer will taste all the same - a golden ale which the group describes as "a year-round refresher, light bodied and crisp with a subtle sweetness." Uinta Chief Executive Officer Steve Mills told The Full Pint that many of their explorations in the national parks had inspired them to craft a particular beer and now, they're paying homage of their experience through the Rotating package.

"We're fortunate to have five National Parks within 5 hours of the brewery and hope that our Golden Ale encourages consumers to get out and explore those that surround them," he further explained. This year, they would be printing images of the Yosemite, Yellowstone, Arches, Great Smoky Mountains, Acadia, Grand Canyon, Rocky Mountain and Everglades, with 54 more packaging designs to be unveiled soon.

Will the money go to the restoration of the parks? This has been the question most drinkers have asked, but it seemed like Uinta won't be donating proceeds to the parks. The brewery has other partners for their beer craft and would, therefore, arouse some conflicts if they do.

However, the company stated that they do support other outdoor non-profits. Uinta said that it's been creating the Rotating Parks Series packaging for years, the launching in February became immensely important especially that the parks seemed to suffer from the recent move made by the Trump administration to issue a media blackout of the Environmental Protection Agency.

But, nevertheless, people can buy the special edition of the drink and can travel to the parks themselves. Because that is truly what the message is all about - travel and promotion.

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Food that "burned down to charcoal" brought firefighters to a Downtown apartment early Tuesday morning, with nobody hurt in the blaze.

The fire was reported at about 12:30 a.m. at an apartment in the 400 block of West Wilson Street, the Madison Fire Department said.

"A neighbor called 911 upon noticing smoke coming out from under the apartment door," said spokeswoman Cynthia Schuster. "Firefighters made their way to the apartment where they found food on the stove burned down to charcoal."

No extension of fire was found in the cupboards or adjacent areas in the kitchen.

"The occupant was found sleeping in another room," Schuster said. "Firefighters woke him up so he could leave the apartment while it was being ventilated."

After the smoke cleared, the occupant was allowed back inside. No other evacuation was noted.
An Arkdale man was up front with a Madison police officer Monday night after crashing his van into several parked vehicles on the city's Near East Side.

"I'm drunk, can we just go to jail?," said James Trottier, 52, when approached by the officer at about 6:30 p.m. on North Sherman Avenue at North Brearly Street.

Trottier did go to jail, tentatively charged with his alleged sixth drunken driving offense, along with hit and run to an unattended vehicle and having open intoxicants in a motor vehicle.

Police were sent to the scene when the owner of one of the damaged parked cars called police as Trottier's van came to a stop.

"The front driver's side wheel was missing and air bags had deployed," said police spokesman Joel DeSpain. "There were many full and empty beer cans in the van."

Trottier told police he also had been drinking at a bar.

"He didn't realize he had been involved in a crash," DeSpain said.
Climate change models should do more than just predict dire results from rising carbon dioxide levels. They must help guide political choices that could alter disastrous outcomes, or they do little more than help us calculate insurance rate hikes and make emergency plans.

A paper by an international group of University of Maryland-led scientists, counting no less than 5 members of the National Academy of Sciences to their ranks, argues that current climate models will fail precisely because they focus too much on the science and not enough on sociology.

"The Human System has become strongly dominant within the Earth System"

The paper makes two key observations:

Current models may address the influence of projected population growth, GDP growth, or other social factors -- but they do not integrate these factors in a coupled, bi-directional feedback loop. By treating social factors as externalities, climate models reinforce the human tendency to perceive measures taken to control climate change as "costs" rather than as cost effective or good investments.



The solution? Toss the current models, such as the Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs), and create new Earth System Models (ESMs) that can better predict wider factors that can influence climate change.

The concept underlying this recommendation is known as "coupling" - when change in one parameter causes change in other parameters. The IAMs earned the "integrated" in their acronym by including energy and agricultural influences. But they still input factors like population from external reports that may not account for the impact of climate change on population growth.

To see how broader integration is essential, take this example: if we educate women birth rates fall and population growth slows. Education would not be selected as a priority influence in current climate models which do not "couple" social factors with climate outcomes, but could be analyzed more fully in Earth System Models. Perhaps money currently spent subsidizing electric cars would be better spent in educational outreach?

Or the other way around: because education contributes to greater growth in per capita income, the effects of lowering the number of people might be overwhelmed by the vastly higher environmental footprints typical of wealthier populations (the richest 10% of humanity produce over half of greenhouse gas emissions).

In a more critical example, current climate models point to massive reductions in fossil fuel use as a solution. This obvious path forward has consistently failed to gain political traction, though, because it is perceived as "too high a cost" to the global economy. Earth System Models (ESMs) need to show how the use of our air and our rivers as sinks for human outputs also poses "too high a cost" as growth becomes hemmed in by limitations in the earth's ability to process our outputs or supply our needs.

The scientists behind the paper wisely point out that good policy involves more than just perfecting the models, which is hard enough. When it comes to discussing issues such as family planning or displacement of pollution versus growth of developing economies, human rights issues must be considered as well.

It has been officially proposed that we have been living in the Anthropocene epoch since approximately the Industrial Revolution. Whether advocates gain approval for this concept of a new epoch or not, the term is intended convey that we humans are now the most significant influencing factor on the evolution of our planet. It also proves how little we understand that in the end, it will be the earth that influences our evolution.

What remains to be seen: can Earth System Models (ESMs) pierce the denialism and outright apathy about climate change before the Anthropocene turns out to be the shortest epoch?

Read the entire article, Modeling sustainability: population, inequality, consumption, and bidirectional coupling of the Earth and Human Systems, published unlocked in the National Science Review,
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Girona, seen from the Eiffel Bridge

Fiercely independent

At the crossroads of history

Home to a specialized Gothic style

Simply pretty

Rocambolesc ice cream

The handsome city ofin far northeastern Spain had long been on my to-visit list, becoming irresistible after a series of sensational blog posts and Instagram photos from friends I follow came across my feed.After all, who could resist a city that gets festooned with an avalanche of flowers every spring , that boasts a strikingly-red Eiffel Bridge, and that is home to the Best Ice Cream in the World?You might think that Girona (pronounced zhee-ROE-nuh [io.n]) would be totally overshadowed by its neighbor Barcelona to the south, but sitting a 40-minute train ride away lets this provincial capital carve out its own unique character and feel. Andmaking Girona a perfect place to experience what makes the northeastern region of Catalunya so special.As part of my final trip around Spain before moving back home, I spent three nights in this fabulous city and got more deeply acquainted with what makes Catalan culture unique than I would have otherwise as a tourist in Barcelona.When I visited Girona in June of 2015, the regional government of Catalunya had just held an (illegitimate) referendum on independence from Spain that past November. So it was only natural to seeof both the regional and separatist (blue triangle + white star) varieties being flown from windows and balconies all over town. These flags are a common sight across a region whose residents are more likely to self-identify as Catalan first, European second, and Spanishonly if they need a passport. The mayor of Girona belongs to a pro-separatism party, to boot.As I strolled through the old town, I came across a shop that had been converted into an information center for Catalan separatism with a huge banner proclaiming a myriad of statistics that supported Catalans creating their own country (and to be fair, it was pretty convincing, even in the original Catalan!). The banner did leave off one critical piece of information: an independent Catalunya would remain outside the institutions that have ensured its prosperity over the years, like NATO, the borderless Schengen Area, and, most significantly, the European Union.But hey,as they say.Gironas situated just to the south of the lowlands that make it possible to move between Spain and the rest of continental Europe, so as you can imagine the city has been at the crossroads of the history that has shaped not only this distinct region of Spain but also Europe as a whole.The city began as Romana major fortification at the confluence of several rivers. Over the centuries it would pass from the barbarian Visigoths, to the Moors based in Andalucia, to Charlemagne of France, and finally to the Counts of Barcelona. The imposing location of the current Christian cathedral has in the past been home to a Roman temple and a Muslim mosque.Up until the Jews were expelled from Spain in 1492, they made up a thriving element of the community in Gironasor Jewish quarter. Today the city honors itswith a history museum housed in a medieval building with an original Jewish, or bath for ritual immersion.Girona quickly industrialized at the turn of the century along with the rest of Catalunya (unlike the rest of Spain at the time). Epitomizing this industrialization is a strikingthat spans the Onyar River in the heart of the old town, designed by none other thanhimself. Today the bridge offers a way to get postcard-perfect shots of riverside Girona framed by the diamond-shaped beams that support the bridge.If I ever get around to writing a blog post about my top 10 favorite cathedrals in Spain, Gironas will definitely show up on that list, if only because its such a glorious example ofwhich features wide interior spaces, vast flat/unadorned walls, and octagonal towers.You reach the cathedral via a monumental staircase 86 steps longjust as you would have done in Roman times to reach the main temple. An ornate Baroque facade completes the overwhelming scene, one that will also exhaust you after climbing up all those stairs.Within, youre really taken aback by the sheer immensity of the church, which contains a single nave rather than the typical central nave flanked by aisles on either side with separate arches and columns.The triforium or arched gallery that runs along the entire length of the cathedral seems punched out of the walls, and the occasional tourist that passes from window to window appears even tinier when compared to the enormous clerestory windows above. This whole gallery really dazzled me when I was there as it feels like something taken out of a fantasy tale whereconnected sprawling palaces and castles.Dont get me wrong, Spain is a truly beautiful country, but there are many regions that are just plain drab, home to little more than flat agricultural plains with farming towns falling apart due to neglect or provincial capitals that exploded in population under Franco and now boast block after block of ugly 70s-era apartment units. Catalunya is not one of these regions, and Girona is no different.Cobblestone streets take you through shaded medieval neighborhoods out to the Onyar River, over which hang houses painted in earthy tones like ochre, goldenrod, and salmon.A host of stunning Romanesque and Gothic churches punctuate these pleasant homes, each overflowing with exquisite sculptures.And surrounding it all is a lush natural setting of rolling hills, forests, and farms that continue into the distance.Just around the corner from the red Eiffel Bridge youll find theice cream shop on the main shopping drag. The prices are astronomicaland the ice cream combos they mix up feel truly galactic. My green-tea fro-yo came topped with candied pistachios, mint sugar, and something crunchy flavored with eucalyptus. Over-the-top, most definitely, but this glamorous bowl of ice cream felt right at home in such a gorgeous city.
A car fire on Madison's West Side on Monday was caused by smoking materials inside the vehicle.

Nobody was injured in the fire that destroyed the car at about 1:30 p.m. in the 500 block of Walnut Street, the Madison Fire Department said.

Damage was estimated to be $18,000.

A column of smoke was rising from the car as firefighters arrived.

"As they drew closer to the sedan, they noted the fire appeared to be confined to the passenger compartment," said fire department spokeswoman Cynthia Schuster.

The fire didn't extend beyond the passenger compartment, and nearby buildings were not affected.
Unseasonably warm weather melting snow and expected rain and snow prompted the National Weather Service to issue a flood warning Monday for Columbia County.

The weather service predicts the Wisconsin River will reach flood stage levels of 17 feet by Thursday and crest at 18 feet on Friday. Several roads in Blackhawk Park of flood-prone Portage could be flooded, including Blackhawk Road, West Lane Road, Old River Road and Lake Road, Columbia County Emergency Management said in a release.

On Monday afternoon, the water level in Portage was just below 14 feet, according to the weather service.

"People who live in low lying areas along the Wisconsin River are encouraged to take appropriate actions and to monitor the river levels for any changes," the emergency management office said.

Between a quarter and a half of an inch of rain is expected to fall in Portage over Monday night, while another round of rain and snow is likely to hit the area Thursday night through Friday.

Highway V and Oak Knoll Road in the town of Dekorra, south of Portage, also face potential flooding. Emergency officials warned travelers to not attempt to drive through flooded areas.

The weather service also issued warnings for Wood, Jackson, Buffalo, Pepin, Chippewa and Eau Claire counties.
A bill introduced in the state Assembly this week would create the first charter school in Wisconsin specifically for teens recovering from substance abuse.

The bill, co-authored by Sens. Alberta Darling, R-River Hills, and Rep. John Nygren, R-Marinette, would allow the UW Systems Office of Educational Opportunity to seek bids for a charter school operator to start a school for no more than 15 students who are recovering from addictions.

The bill also is supported by 10 Assembly Democrats, including Reps. Melissa Sargent and Lisa Subeck, both of Madison.

The school would be the first founded by the OEO, created in the state 2015-17 budget, which has the ability to bypass local school boards and authorize independent charter schools in Madison and Milwaukee. It would also be the first recovery charter school in Wisconsin.

The only recovery school in Wisconsin currently is Horizon High School, a private nonprofit school in Madison.

Nationwide, according to the Association of Recovery Schools 2016 annual report, there were 43 recovery schools operating or poised to open. Of them, 26 percent were charter schools.

Nygren said the operator of Wisconsins charter recovery school would be chosen through a request for proposal process, and that would likely dictate where the school would be located.

He said its hoped the school would be located in a higher-population area, like Milwaukee or Madison.

The school would be created as a four-year pilot project and be for students who have begun treatment for substance abuse and maintained sobriety for at least 30 days before attending the school.

Students would have to agree to be screened or tested for drug use, and the school would not be allowed to admit those who test positive.

Nygren said having a school where those who have been treated for drug addiction can resume studies is important, because students in recovery who go back to familiar people and places risk relapse.

They go back to the same environment they came from, going back to the same school, dealing with the same friends, same pressures, same triggers, that actually got them into that spot, Nygren said. So creating a school that is recovery-focused is really kind of the intent behind it. It lets us maximize the investment we have. If we can educate them in a way that will foster a long-term recovery, then its worth it.

Nygren said that while the project is a four-year pilot, he would like to see it evaluated sooner, so other recovery charter schools could be created faster.

The bill also allows State Superintendent Tony Evers to give up to $50,000 in grant funding in the 2017-18 school year to a charter school operator that wants to start the recovery charter school if the UW System can find matching funds.

State Journal reporter Molly Beck contributed to this report.
Mumbai, February 21

Billionaire Mukesh Ambani's telecom unit Jio will begin charging for data services from April but will give steep discounts for a year to over 100 million (10 crore) customers who have come on board within six months of its launch.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

While local voice calls, STD and roaming will continue to be free, he promised to match the best offers of rival telecom companies and add 20 per cent more data from April 1.

In a speech broadcast live from the company's social media accounts, Ambani said Jio has added 100 million subscribers in 170 days since launch in September last year and the company plans to extend the network to cover 99 per cent of population by this year-end.

Jio, which marked Ambani's re-entry in telecom space after a decade with free voice calls for life and free data for a promotional period that was extended until March 31, will offer existing users unlimited services for a year at a monthly charge of Rs 303 and one-time membership fee of Rs 99.

Read: Aggrieved by free voice calls of JIO: Vodafone to HC

The entry forced incumbents to cut tariff and consider mergers to face competition from Jio.

Vodafone and Idea are considering a merger to create a player bigger than the market leader, Bharti Airtel.

The incumbents also challenged Jios promotional scheme before telecom regulator Trai, saying free services beyond 90 days were a violation of rules.

While shares of Reliance Industries, the parent firm of Jio, rose 1.36 per cent to close at Rs 1,088.25 on BSE, rival Bharti Airtel tanked 3.9 per cent to close at Rs 362.95. Idea Cellular fell 0.4 per cent to Rs 108.30.

"Jio launched its services on September 5 of last year.

Today, just 170 days later, Jio has crossed the 100 million customer mark on its 4G LTE, all-IP wireless broadband network," Ambani said.

After end of its Happy New Year Offer, which was kind of an extension of the initial promotional offer of free voice and data to attract customers, Jio will introduce tariff plans from April 1.

Ambani said all domestic calls to any network including STD and roaming will continue to be free.

For data, Jio will not only match the highest selling tariffs of each of the other leading Indian telecom operators but also provide 20 per cent more data in each of these plans, he said.

For the existing 100-million-plus users, Ambani announced Jio Prime Membership programme wherein customers can enrol by paying one-time fee of Rs 99 and continue to get the existing benefits till March 2018 at "a rock-bottom introductory price of only Rs 303 per month".

"For 170 days, Jio has added on average nearly 7 customers on its network every single second of every single day. This is an unprecedented level of acceptance for any technology company anywhere in the world," he said.

With 200 crore minutes of voice and video calls, more than 100 crore GB or 3.3 crore GB a day of data has been consumed on the Jio network, India is now number one country in the world for mobile data usage, he said.

Data usage on Jio matches almost the usage in US and nearly half more than all of China.

"A significant portion of this data is consumed as video and Jio carries nearly 5.5 crore hours of video daily on its network. This makes Jio one of the largest mobile video networks globally," he said.

Ambani said Jio has more than double the number of 4G base stations of all the other Indian operators put together.

"And we are making our network better, faster and stronger with each passing day. In the coming months, we will more than double our data capacity and this means even better quality for our customers," he said, adding that by 2017-end the Jio network will be present in nearly all the cities, towns and villages of India, covering 99 per cent of population.  PTI
Saurabh Malik

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 22

Coming to the rescue of two Australian children detained by their father, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has allowed them to go with their mother and also directed the police to conduct raids for tracing their passports.

The UT, Chandigarh, and the Central Government, will do their best to help the children in getting extension or grant of visa for going to Australia, Justice AB Chaudhari ruled.

The developments took place on a habeas corpus petition filed by Navjinder Kaur against the UT, Chandigarh, and other respondents. Taking up the petition, the court, on February 20, had appointed a warrant officer to find out the children, aged 12 and 11.

The report prepared by the warrant officer, Bhag Singh Virk, showed that there was resistance from the respondent-father. However, the warrant officer succeeded in getting the children produced before Justice Chaudharis Bench.

Referring to Dutts assertion that the children were indeed Australian citizens but their visa had expired on February 9, Justice Chaudhari asserted the court was convinced that their custody should be given to the mother in view of the desire expressed by them since their understanding is better.

Justice Chaudhari added the custody was required to be handed over to the mother all the more so because the father, on being called out, was not present in the court showing he was hardly having any interest in the children. Be that as it may, the children are allowed to go in the custody of the petitioner from the court itself The counsel for the petitioner and the children submitted that their original passports are with the respondent-father. The SHO concerned is directed to conduct raids at the house of the respondent-father and others concerned for finding the passports of the children and submit a report to this court.
Hasan Suroor

SHORTLY after the dates for the ongoing Assembly elections were announced, a relatively sober TV channel conducted an opinion poll predicting a majority for the BJP in Uttar Pradesh. As representatives of other parties on the panel accused the pollsters of a pro-BJP bias, the BJP spokesman protested that, on the contrary, they had underestimated his partys prospects. A simple majority? What nonsense! Nothing short of a landslide would do. Remember our performance in UP in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections?

Since then the battle has moved out from the cosy studio chats into the real world. And the reality, it seems, is not quite in sync with that gentlemans cocky claims. Although its still early days and only the very brave or the very foolish will dare to make any prediction, one thing is clear: the BJP is in for a much tougher ride than it might have reckoned with. Theres no Modi/BJP hawa even in its strongholds. Party president Amit Shah has boasted that this time the BJP wave is bigger than in 2014. If so, its such a closely guarded secret that nobody apart from him seems to have noticed it. If anything, the Modi magic appears to have given way to a Modi fatigue, including in Varanasi  Narendra Modis own Lok Sabha seat. The law of diminishing returns has clearly kicked in. Apparently a joke going round the city is that Mahadev BJP se naraaz ho gaye hain (Lord Shiva has become angry with the BJP). Has UP had enough of its self-styled adopted son?

During my own travels through western UP, I was surprised by the level of anti-BJP sentiment in many places. I met people who described themselves as life-long BJP supporters but said this time they were not going to vote for it. The party is battling a backlash on several fronts  from the demonetisation chaos and the governments attempt to lie its way through it, to dissatisfaction with the performance of local sitting BJP MLAs, and candidate selection which is said to have provoked a mini revolt. It has also been seriously hit by a flight of Jat voters to Ajit Singhs RLD.

And the nervousness in the party, despite its brave public rhetoric, is showing in the way it has fallen back on its default strategy of dog-whistle politics to polarise Hindu-Muslim relations and consolidate the Hindu vote. So, midway it has drafted hate-spewing Yogi Avaidyanath into the campaign; raised the pitch on the Uniform Civil Code controversy; revived its notorious love jihad campaign under another label; and threatened to shut down slaughter houses. Central minister KirenRijiju, meanwhile, suddenly decides to raise the old bogey of Muslim population growth. And then there is the PM himself busy flogging his polarising agenda  touching a new low with his kabristan and shamshaan ghat remark.

After the hype over demonetisation and claims of solid public support one would have thought it would top the BJPs campaign plank. Yet, it has been barely mentioned; in fact, the party is studiously avoiding the issue. Its deafening silence on supposedly the governments most proud achievement speaks for itself; more revealing is the partys and Modis own defensive  and mostly intemperate  reaction when rival parties raise the issue. This is because its discovering the depth of the repressed public fury over demonetisation whose entire edifice  its shifting rationales, the spin around its success, and claims of peoples backing  was built on fiction. A fiction that is now unravelling.

Initially, people were indeed taken in by the yarn, but the mood changed after Modis much-touted 50-day deadline to sort out the currency crisis passed leaving people still having to spend hours standing outside cashless ATMs and shuttered banks. The penny then dropped: the government had been winging it. And, what hurt them more was that the Prime Minister himself had been misleading them. Thats when they realised they had been used as pawns in an elaborate political con, and started to question the governments, and the PMs, credibility. People feel betrayed and say they have lost trust in this government. If pradhan mantris word has no sanctity, who else can they trust?

A particularly bad news for the BJP is that the trading community  the partys traditional vote bank, to borrow its favourite term  has been hit the hardest by demonetisation and its determined to punish it. My business has been ruined, Ive suffered, my family has suffered... were still suffering. Why should I vote for them (BJP)? one restaurant owner told me, echoing a widespread sentiment in the business community.

Amit Shahs contemptuous retort in a TV interview that the BJP was no longer solely dependent on the Baniya vote, suggesting that it had become dispensable and that its old loyalists were free to stew in their own juice, smacks of the sort of hubris that the party has paid for in the past  and looks set to pay for it again. But its not the Baniyas alone who are dumping the BJP. As noted earlier, Jats in western UP have drifted away. And to quote one Muzaffarnagar Jat farmer, without the Jats, the BJP is nothing in this belt. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, they had voted for the BJP in massive numbers, but feel let down that it has not kept its promises. They describe it as a party of liars.

The problem is that, contrary to Shahs claim, the BJP has failed to win enough new converts to fill the vacuum created by the loss of Baniya and Jat voters. Many of the floating voters who turned up for it in 2014 on the back of a Modi wave are likely to float away elsewhere this time as is the nature of floating voters. This leaves the BJP pinning its hopes entirely on anti-incumbency going against the SP. Meanwhile, the BJP is also rattled by the SP-Congress alliance which seems to be doing well, if the mood I picked up on my admittedly limited outing is any guide. If they pull it off, it could queer the pitch for the BJP in the 2019 general election. But the biggest threat to it would appear to be from within, if reports that RSS workers, angry over candidate selection, are staying away from the campaign or not pulling their full weight are true. The RSS has always been central to mobilisation of BJP voters, and historically whenever it has held back, the party has suffered. Is the history set to repeat itself?
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 20

The Supreme Court on Monday directed Unitech to deposit 14% interest on Rs 17 crore invested by 39 buyers in the real estate developers Vistas project in Gurugram.

The interest has to be paid from January 1, 2010 till August 2016 when the principal amount was deposited, a bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra ordered.

It gave eight weeks to the company to deposit the amount with the courts registry.

The principal amount has already been given to the 39 buyers who opted out of the project for inordinate delay in delivery. Unitech had promised to deliver the flats by 2012.

Unitech has to calculate the interest amount of each buyer separately and indicate accordingly deposit the money with the registry.

The bench directed the registry to reimburse 90 per cent of the amount on pro-rata basis.

The bench fixed April 24 to hear the buyers plea for a direction to the company to compensate them for delayed delivery of flats.
Peshawar, February 21

Pakistans Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, where the Sikh community thrived before the partition, faces security issues and lacks basic necessities like education and healthcare, a media report said.

The province has a sizeable number of Sikh population in Pakistan but there have been instances where Sikh traders have been targeted for ransom.

There are nearly 10,000 members of the Sikh community in the province.

Plazas have been constructed in place of some gurdwaras. The ones not sold have been taken over by the land grabbing mafia, Pakistan Sikh community chairman Radesh Singh Tony was quoted as saying by Geo News.

The community does not have a cremation ground to perform the last rites, he said. Instead, the community has to make cremation arrangements in Attock district in Punjab province.

Members of the Sikh community had to move to Peshawars Muhalla Jogan Shah and Saddar Bazaar localities after the law and order situation posed threats to their security. Children were pulled out of schools due to safety concerns.

We are renting property to create makeshift schools. It is difficult to bear the expenses. We request the government to provide us with a building and funds for education, said school headmaster Baba Jugerpaal Singh.

Despite the tough living conditions, the community remains fairly positive that its issues will be resolved by the government.

The prime minister is taking a lot of interest in resolving minority issues. Recently Pakistan has passed a Bill against forced conversion, lawmaker Asfan Yar Bhandara said during his visit to a gurdwara.  PTI
London, February 21

Sikhs and Kashmiris are among new categories being considered for additional ethnicity tick-boxes on the 2021 census form by the UK's Office of National Statistics (ONS).

"We are a long way off as there is still a lot of research that needs to be done to ensure that the census held every 10 years collects all the right information. Ethnicity is just one aspect of this research and Sikhs and Kashmiris are among a number of requests we received," an ONS spokesperson said.

Sikhs are already recognised as a separate religion in the optional religious question introduced in the 2001 Census.

The UK's Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 placed an obligatory and specific duty on the country's public authorities to monitor and positively promote race equality in the provision of public services.

Sikh groups based in the UK have been campaigning for a separate category for British Sikhs for years and are hopeful that research launched this week to inform the census questionnaire will lead to such a change.

"If the Census 2021 ethnicity question does not include a Sikh tick box question, the impact from a service user perspective will continue to grow and result in Sikhs being invisible to those who develop policies and deliver public services," Sikh Federation UK and Sikh Network said as part of their representations to the ONS.

"This will span across the inequalities observed by Sikhs in health, education, employment etc," it said.

For Kashmiris, Manchester City Council expressed the view that adding such a category would help them benchmark their services for the community.

"Including Kashmiri in the Census will allow us to benchmark our practice and the outcomes of Manchester's Kashmiri population with the rest of the UK," the council said.

Gypsy, Jewish, Latin American, Somali and Turkish are among some of the other ethnicities that are being considered as part of a UK-wide survey of nearly 40,000 households, which began yesterday. The results of the survey will be analysed and published later this year before a 'Census White Paper' is prepared for Parliament by 2018.  PTI
Nitish Sharma

Tribune News Service

Ambala, February 21

Additional Director General of Police RC Mishra along with other police officials today visited Haryana-Punjab border here to check security arrangements in wake of the call given by the INLD to march towards Punjab to dig the SYL Canal on February 23.

He said, We visited the border area from where the INLD has planned to take out its march, and spoke to Punjab Police officials, too, besides checking the arrangement on their behalf.

The ADGP said a route map had been chalked out and vehicles plying on NH would be diverted through various routes. He said nine companies of Haryana Police would be deployed to maintain law and order.

As per the information, the traffic will be diverted through various routes from 8 am on February 23. As many as 10 nakas will be setup for this purpose. Vehicles coming from Kurukshetra on NH will be diverted from Mohra towards Jansui-head. While vehicles from Kingfisher, Baldev Nagar Chowk, Sultanpur Chowk, Sarsehri to Lohgarh T-point, Baldev Nagar police station point, Kalka Chowk and Manji Sahib Gurdwara will be diverted towards Chandigarh road, if they want to go Punjab. The traffic going towards Punjab from Hisar will be diverted through Nanyola.

Superintendent of Police Abhishek Jorwal appealed to the commuters to cooperate with the police.

Meanwhile, INLD leader Abhay Chautala also reached Ambala and assigned duties to INLD workers. He said we would fight for right as the Supreme Court had given its verdict in Haryanas favour.

On the other hand, DGP (Punjab) Suresh Arora and several other senior officials of the Punjab Police visited the Shambhu barrier to check the preparedness.

Gobinder Singh, DSP, said security arrangements were in place and nobody would be allowed to enter Punjab.

The Punjab police have dug parts of the canal boundary to make sure that no one entered the state.

Deputy Commissioner Prabhjot Singh, said, Two such pits were dug deliberately on Haryanas side too by the Punjab police. These have been filled and the matter has been raised with the authorities concerned.
Pradeep Sharma

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 21

Two days before the scheduled digging of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal by the INLD, the ruling BJP took on the party supremo Om Prakash Chautala for vitiating the atmosphere of the state by inciting people to undertake digging of the canal.

The INLD leaders, under the guidance of Chautala who is serving a 10-year jail term in teachers recruitment scam and is out on parole, are going around the state and inciting people to undertake digging in the name of strengthening social ties, alleged BJP ministers Krishan Kumar and Nayab Singh Saini here today.

Taking potshots at personal ties of Chautala and Badal families, the ministers stressed on how the two families were colluding to weaken the stand of Haryana regarding the SYL canal in the Supreme Court.

Close on the heels of a series of attacks by Leader of the Opposition Abhay Chautala on the BJP Governments weak stand on the issue, the Khattar government seems to have fielded two ministers to blunt the Oppositions attack.

The ministers asserted that all facts in the matter were in favour of the state and the Supreme Court had directed Punjab to release water to Haryana. However, the INLD was hindering the legal process by inciting people of the state to violate the law, thus weakening Haryanas stand in the apex court.

The tug-of-war between the BJP and the INLD on the SYL issue is seen as attempts by two parties to score brownie points in the run-up to the Budget Session beginning February 27. The BJP and the INLD, which earlier teamed up to embarrass the Congress both inside and outside the Haryana Assembly, now seemed to have fallen out on a variety of issues.
Mukesh Tandon

Tribune News Service

Panipat, February 20

Giving in to pressure from the protesting Jats, the Haryana Government today agreed to pay Rs 2 lakh compensation to those left disabled in action by security personnel during last years pro-quota agitation. It would also form a four-member committee to review criminal cases pending before courts.

Editorial: Jats need to get it right

Speaking to the media after the second round of talks with members of the All India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti (AIJASS) here, Chief Secretary DS Dhesi said a consensus had been reached on two important points. The meeting lasted more than three hours.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

The samitis seven-point agenda was discussed with Yashpal Malik (AIJASS chief) and other members. The government has agreed to pay Rs 2 lakh compensation to those who sustained permanent injuries, said Dhesi.

The government had earlier announced compensation ranging from Rs 25,000 to Rs 1 lakh to those injured. The violence during the February 2016 agitation had left 30 persons dead and over 200 injured. Government and private properties worth hundreds of crores were also damaged.

Dhesi said the four-member panel would comprise two members each from government and samitis side. No date had been fixed for the next round of talks, but these would be held soon, said the Chief Secretary.

Malik too said the second round of talks was successful. The government has been given seven days to fulfill the two demands. The ball is in their court now. The dharnas will be lifted as soon as they deliver, he said.
Geetanjali Gayatri

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 21

A trust deficit seems to be ailing government-protester talks with Jats resentful of the bargaining mode of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government and the latter perturbed by the shifting goalposts of the All India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti (AIJASS).

After two rounds of inconclusive talks in Panipat and despite the announcement of a four-member committee and enhancement of compensation to the injured, the issue seems stuck on the dropping of police cases.

Yesterday, at the meeting held in three rounds, a section of the protesters, in talks with the committee, nearly walked out of the talks, only to be mollified on the issue of the committee repeatedly back-tracking on the demands.

However, sources in the government said the AIJASS seemed intent on continuing its dharnas and was repeatedly changing the goalposts.

They initially wanted dropping of cases registered last year. We explained that most of these had been closed and those in court could not be withdrawn at this stage. Now, they want cases registered for last years rioting being investigated by the CBI and during the previous Congress regime dropped because we are keen on a solution, government sources said.

Jat protesters have their own set of grievances against the committee with their leaders maintaining that the government is trying to strike a bargain and give as little as possible.

Hisars Krishan Kirmara, who nearly walked out of the talks, said, We are clear that all cases have to be dropped. At the first meeting, the committee was in a reconciliatory mode and willing to take a relook.

At yesterdays meeting, they backed out and began singing a different tune, which is when we objected. AIJASS leader Yashpal Malik is our leader, but we have every right to raise issues independently since it is our children who are in jail, he said.

The government agreed to a compensation of Rs 2 lakh, Rs 1 lakh and Rs 50,000 to various categories of the injured. When the announcement came, they conveniently halved it. Can we trust this government? It agrees to one thing and announces another. We put our foot down to get the amount enhanced from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2 lakh, said AIJASS leader Azad Lathwal of Sonepat.

On the issue of permanent government jobs to kin of the deceased, these leaders maintained that the committee members expressed ignorance. They told us that yesterday was the first time they heard that we wanted permanent government jobs and we were shocked, he added.

While Malik seconded this assertion, he saidthe committees emphasis was on wrapping up dharnas, which was unacceptable.

Meanwhile, the sources said the government was proceeding with great caution since it was not sure if accepting the demands of protesters would result in lifting of the dharnas.

This was evident in yesterdays meeting, where Jats seemed divided on the fate of police cases. The government has to weigh the outcome before accepting whatever is reasonable, the sources claimed. Backdoor talks continue to find a middle path before the next meeting.
Two Democratic state lawmakers have backed away from banning powdered alcohol and instead want to subject it to the same regulations as liquid alcohol.

Sen. Tim Carpenter and Rep. Debra Kolste introduced a bill Monday to expand the states definition of alcohol to include powdered forms. A bill they introduced in 2015 to ban the sale of the substance in Wisconsin failed to win key Republican support. Given that half of the states have already banned it, its unlikely to be sold on a large scale soon.

But Carpenter and Kolste said they want to ensure powdered alcohol is covered by the same rules that applied to sale and consumption of liquid alcohol should it arrive in Wisconsin. They say it poses additional risks because it can be snorted or ingested and the compact packets are easy to hide.

We have enough problems with drinking in our state, Carpenter said.

The federal government approved a powdered alcohol product called Palcohol in 2015. Palcohol comes in the form of freeze-dried alcohols and cocktails meant to be mixed with liquid. Since then, states have been scrambling to ban or regulate the products before they hit shelves. At least 25 states  including nearby Michigan, Illinois and Indiana  had banned the sale of powdered alcohol as of 2015, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Palcohol spokeswoman Lynne Barbour said the company supports regulating powdered alcohol the same as liquid alcohol but rejects the idea it is any more dangerous.

Palcohol is not currently sold anywhere in the United States. While Palcohols website says the product could be on sale as soon as this summer, Barbour declined to comment on timing.

Palcohol WILL come to Wisconsin, she said. The prudent action would be to regulate it so kids cant get ahold of it.

The bill proposed by Carpenter and Kolste includes regulatory exceptions for the use of powdered alcohol by hospitals or for scientific research. Two Republicans, Rep. Ed Brooks and Rep. Jeremy Thiesfeldt, have already signed onto the measure. Republican Sen. Leah Vukmir, who Carpenter said opposed banning powdered alcohol, did not immediately respond to a message.

Four other states have passed similar legislation.
Tribune News Service

Solan, February 21

Terming the demonetisation policy introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a black chapter in the history of the country, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said today that it was a big jolt to the economy as people had been restricted from withdrawing their own money.

He said the farmers and the horticulturist of the state were the worst sufferers. The CM was addressing a public meeting at Khari Ka Khala in the Bikram Bag area of the Nahan assembly constituency on the second day of his visit to the Sirmaur district today.

He said necessary arrangements and effective steps should have been taken before introducing this policy to safeguard the interest of farmers, small traders and other sections of society.

Earlier, the CM laid the foundation stone of a bridge over Khari Ka Khala which would be constructed at a cost of Rs 3.64 crore in the Nahan Assembly constituency.

He announced the opening of an ayurveda dispensary for Bhedon which was located in the remote corner bordering Haryana. He also announced upgrade of Government Middle School, Dhakwala-Khairwala to High School, three borewells at Simbalwala, Khairwala and village Khadi and metalling of road from Devni-Lal Pipal for which an amount of Rs 16 lakh has been approved. He also announced footbridges at Bikram Bag-Mandherva and at Dhaduwala.

He said the Khajurna-Bikram Bag-Kala Amb via Suketi-Trilokpur road of 21 km had been approved by NABARD. He directed the officials to ensure completion of the bridge over the Markanda river within a year.

He also listed the development projects completed and those which were in various stages of being completion during the last four years.

The CM also laid the foundation stones of slew of development projects, including seven bridges, which would be constructed at a cost of Rs 29.08 crore.

He also laid the foundation stone of an indoor stadium at Nahan which would be constructed at a cost of Rs 6.60 crore, a bridge at Khadri over the Markanda river worth Rs 9.26 crore and bridge over Khari Ka Khala worth Rs 3.64 crore. He also laid the foundation stone of a bridge at Bhudarion which would be constructed at a cost of Rs 2.47 crore, bridge over the Roon river at Palio worth Rs 3.83 crore, bridge over the Markanda river at Dhimki worth Rs 3.15 crore, bridge over Konthri Khala at Rampur worth Rs 3.58 crore, bridge over Mandi Khala worth Rs 3.15 crore and pucca road from Doinwala to Khairi village.

Earlier, Ajay Bahadur Singh, chairman, HIMFED, welcomed the CM and said the area was ignored by the sitting MLA and the previous BJP governments.

He urged the CM to approve various development projects for the area.

Chief Parliamentary Secretary Vinay Kumar, MLA Kirnesh Jung, HIMFED chairman Ajay Bahadur, Employment Generation and Resource Mobilisation chairman Harshvardhan Chauhan were among those present on the occasion.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh while addressing a public meeting at Rampur Bharapur in Paonta Sahib late this evening said some politicians played divisive politics when polls were nearing by trying to divide the people on religion, caste and region basis. He said this was detrimental for the state.

He added that many others try to lure people by offering monetary benefits but one should refrain from such divisive tactics and such politicians were the most worthless politicians.

He also laid the foundation stone of a bridge over Konthri Khala at Rampur which would be completed at a cost of Rs 3.58 crore.

He said since the area was close to Paonta Sahib, it had been economically strengthened. He said it was necessary to channelise seasonal rivulets of Paonta Sahib and the Nahan area to protect the fertile land from wearing away in floods. He said financial provision for the construction of various bridges in the area had been made and foundation stone of bridges worth Rs 29.10 crore had been laid today.

Earlier, the Chief Minister also addressed a public meeting at Palliyon in the interior area of the Nahan Assembly constituency.
Three kgof opium seized

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, February 21

The CIA staff today recovered 3 kg of opium from the Mithapur road.

The police had received information about Kulvinder Singh, alias Sheru, running drug business from a house near Mithapur School and was keeping an eye on the house for days.

It received information that Kulvinder was bringing a huge consignment of drugs in his Ford Endeavour car (PB 12-Y1433).

The police at the Urban Estate check-post was alerted about this and a team, led by ASI Jagdev Singh, reached the spot.

On seeing the car, the team asked the car driver to stop the vehicle.

Though the car stopped, Kulvinder, however, managed to flee from the spot on an un-numbered motorcycle following him.

Later, the police recovered 3 kg of opium packed in a white pack in his car.

Girl student commits suicide

Phagwara: Amandeep Kaur (19), a student of BCom (I), allegedly committed suicide by jumping before a Jaipur-bound train near Chack Hakim between Phagwara and Chiherru on the Phagwara-Jalandhar rail section this evening.

The Government Railway Police Phagwara said the body had been sent to the local Civil Hospital for post-mortem.
Amir Tantray

Tribune News Service

Rajouri, February 21

The Border Security Force (BSF) gunned down a terrorist in an attempt to foil an infiltration bid in Rajouri in the wee hours of Tuesday.

The BSF 163 Battalion gunned down the terrorist in Keri sector in the gun battle that ensued between the two sides.

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The firing between the two sides continued for half an hour. Two terrorists managed to flee the spot.

During search of the area later, a bag with ammunition was found. With ANI
Tribune News Service

Jammu, February 21

The Border Security Force (BSF) foiled an infiltration attempt and gunned down a militant in the Keri area of Rajouri sector last night.

Giving details, BSF PRO said a group of three to four militants tried to infiltrate into the Indian side in the Keri area of Rajouri sector.

The BSF sentries immediately alerted nearby duty points and also simultaneously kept the movement and the entire area under close observation. As the Militants approached the LC fence, one of them tried to negotiate it, he said.

However, the alert BSF troops of the 163 battalion brought down effective fire on them. On realising that they had been spotted, the militants opened fire with automatic weapons and hurled UBGL grenades on the BSF troops deployed on the duty points along the fence. The BSF troops retaliated with aimed fire, as a result one of the militants was neutralised at the fence itself, the PRO added.

He said due to the effective firing by the BSF troops, the other three militants were unable to move further and retreated back towards the PoK taking advantage of the darkness as well as undulating ground. As they were escaping, it could be observed that one of the slain or injured militants was also being dragged along. After that, the area was kept under close and intense surveillance throughout the night.

The BSF conducted a search operation in the morning and recovered one AK-56 rifle, 16 AK magazines, 267 AK live ammunition, 89 AK series EFC, one radio set, a pair of binocular, five grenades, three wire cutter, four backpacks, two IEDs, one AK magazine fitted with IED, one knife, 48 pencil cells, two chargers, four walking sticks, liquid material bottles for fire burning, five pairs of hand gloves, raincoat, jacket, bed sheet and survival items like dry fruits and juices.

Pakistan had been desperately trying to push militants into the Indian side of the LoC and infiltration attempts are being made by militants to cross over at regular intervals.
Tribune News Service

Jammu, February 21

Continuing their protest against sexual harassment of a student allegedly by senior doctor in Government Medical College (GMC), Jammu, recently, students in Jammu University demanded the constitution of fast-track court to ensure speedy and time-bound justice to the victim.

Under the banner of the All Students of Jammu and Kashmir and supported by the National Students Union of India (NSUI), members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidhyarthi Parisad (ABVP), All India Students Federation, Gujjar Bakawal Students Union and All Ladakh Student Union, Jammu, raised slogans against silence of the government on the issue.

The protesters demanded that the accused doctor should be terminated from the post. His attachment to any services under the J&K Government should be revoked immediately. In addition we demand that he should not be attached to any department under the J&K Government which relates to the students affairs or deals with the students. says the memorandum submitted to the government.

The protesting students also demanded the intervention of the Chief Minister for immediate and swift action to be taken against the accused and constitution of separate police cell or a 24X7 helpline to handle the cases of sexual harassment against students on the line of the provision for the students from the North-East in New Delhi.

We also want to know about the committee that the Health Minister promised to constitute in the Legislative Assembly to investigate the case. We want to know whether this committee has submitted any report to the government so far, says the memorandum.
Col P S Sangha (retd)

ORDERLY/batman/sahayak/buddythese are terms to describe the same man. Who is he? He is one who has been, and remains, an intrinsic part of an Army officers life. Over the past few years, and more recently, he is mentioned in the media in a manner that gives a wrong idea to the civilian public. The idea being put across is that combat manpower is being misused for the benefits of officers and their families.

There have been ripostes by some retired Army officers, mainly in social media, justifying the presence of a buddy (current term) in the retinue of an officer. Some mention the large number of men at the residences of police and IAS officers, being used for all kinds of domestic work, including cooking and house cleaning.

It is a fact that police officers, DSP level onwards, use constables for domestic work and IAS officers at the district level maintain a large number of unauthorised staff at home. But I do not think an Army officer needs this to justify the allotment of his buddy. A batman/buddy is authorised to an officer because of the nature of his work in war and peace. It is a system which we have picked up from the British Indian Army. Although he is meant to look after the officer, he becomes a part of the family wherein the children call him bhaiya. Sometimes, he will see off/receive the kids at school bus stops. He is, however, never made to do menial work like cleaning the house or any kitchen work. This buddy forms a strong relationship with his officer that remains even after retirement. As a Commanding Officer, I had a number of buddies over a four-year period. After I retired, I was pleasantly surprised to get calls from them. They had retired and requested for help to get their sons recruited into the Army, or a job in the civil sector. I could never say no to their call for help. I felt it was my turn to be their buddy. So, I arranged for them to get good training for the recruitment tests. Some managed to join the Army, others got jobs in the civil sector.

Recently my son, got married in the US, and we organised a reception in Delhi. He specifically asked me to invite his bhaiyas. I sent an invite to a couple of them. On the morning of the reception, I got a call from my old buddy, who had come all the way from his village in Bihar. I was overwhelmed. That evening, he came properly dressed to the Officers Mess, with a bouquet of flowers. My son, who had last seen him 30 years ago, embraced him. I made him sit with my regimental officers. When we parted company later that evening, it was with a big hug between two buddies.

This is the buddy system of the Army. I do not think such a relationship exists in the civil services. Why compare?
Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

Lucknow, February 21

They claim to have affected the outcome in favour of the BJP-led NDA on at least 150 seats in the 2014 Lok Sabha poll.

And now in the UP Assembly polls, they are out to punish the incumbent government at the Centre for, what they call, renegading on the promises made to them by none other than Modi in the run-up to the 2014 poll at Rewari.

Office-bearers of the United Front of Ex-servicemen of India  Maj-Gen Satbir Singh (retd), Group Capt VK Gandhi and Lieut Kameshwar Pandey, who travelled to Lucknow to show solidarity with the SP-Congress combine todaywill be making more trips to UP before the last vote is cast.

The aim is to urge ex-servicemen to vote against Modi in the remaining four phases. Veterans, they say, voted for the BJP in 2014 on the solemn promise by Narendra Modi at the Rewari rally on September 15 in front of 3.5 lakh veterans that he will approve full OROP to armed forces personnel.

But his government reneged the promise to soldiers and on November 7, 2015, approved a one-time increment in the garb of OROP. Claiming to having swayed trends against the Akali-BJP formation in Punjab with its 60 lakh membership, Singh believes 40 lakh ex-servicemen in UP can make a difference. We just want to make a point that those who betrayed us (in OROP grant) should be punished. With our strength, we can easily affect fortunes in 75 to 90 odd seats in the eastern and central parts, he said.
Tribune News Service

Mumbai, February 21

Actor Aamir Khan has been drawn into a controversy over his public appeal asking people to come out and vote in todays election to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.

Sponsored by an NGO, Mumbai First, which has links to several corporate houses, the appeal published as advertisements in major newspapers reminds voters that their votes contribute to Good governance to fast-track development initiatives and partnership with civil society and Accountability and Transparency in decision making and expenditure.

The Congress and NCP have alleged that the ad is a subtle endorsement of the BJP which has aggressively used words like good governance, accountability and transparency in its poll campaign. We will file a complaint with the EC since the ad violates the poll code, Congress Sachin Sawant said. Parties are not allowed to advertise in the media 48 hours before the beginning of elections.
Satya Prakash

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 21

The Punjab Government has told the Supreme Court that the land meant for constructing the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal that had been given back to the landowners could not be recovered. In an affidavit, it said: ...the land in question having been already transferred to the landowners in obedience to the resolution of the Legislative Assembly dated 16.11.2016, the recovery of the said land from the landowners is not possible.

Edit: SYL again

The SAD-BJP government accused the Centre of abdicating its responsibility, stating the latter had failed in its mandatory duty to constitute a water tribunal for adjudication of issues raised by Punjab in its January 1, 2003, complaint. The Union of India is duty-bound to play the role of a mediator in interstate water disputes. In the present case, it has not shown any proactive approach in sorting out the water issues between the two neighbouring states, the affidavit, that will be taken up for hearing on Wednesday by a Bench headed by Justice PC Ghosh, reads. A fuller constitutional solution to the SYL canal is not possible unless the alleged entitlement of the applicant State of Haryana, a non-riparian, is resolved in accordance with law having regard to the changed circumstances, the affidavit states.

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The Punjab Government had on February 16 requested the Supreme Court to hear the SYL canal issue after the announcement of the Assembly poll results on March 11. But in its rejoinder affidavit, filed to counter the Centres submissions, the state had requested the top court to direct the Centre to immediately explore on the transfer of the Sarda waters to the Yamuna under the feasibility report prepared by the National Water Development Agency.

It had pleaded that the Centre be directed to create storages over the Yamuna to utilise water which is otherwise going waste and to explore alternative sources for irrigating Yamuna Basin areas, by augmenting the Yamuna flows in Haryana, particularly from the river Sarda.

The SAD-BJP government, represented by senior counsel Ram Jethmalani, had pleaded that the SYL issue be heard after the poll results on March 11. However, the Bench had asked the Punjab Government to file its affidavit by February 20 and posted the matter for further hearing on February 22.

The top court had in November 2016 declared the law passed by the Punjab Assembly terminating the SYL canal water-sharing agreement with neighbouring states as unconstitutional. It had answered in the negative all four questions referred to it in a Presidential Reference.

A Constitution Bench had on November10 ruled that Punjab could not have taken a unilateral decision to terminate the agreement with Haryana, HP, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi and Chandigarh on sharing of the Ravi-Beas river waters. On a plea by the Haryana Government, the top court had on November 30 last year ordered a status quo on the land acquired for the construction of canals stretch in Punjab and appointed the Union Home Secretary, Punjabs Chief Secretary and the DGP as receivers.

Last week, the top court had said the interim order would continue.
SOUTH MILWAUKEE  I am a proud military veteran, Medal of Honor recipient, American Legion member and retired operating engineer. Though retired, I am an active advocate for veterans, their medical care, job opportunities and family sustaining wages.

Specifically, I am concerned about a repeal of Wisconsins prevailing wage law and the negative impact it would have on veterans.

Wisconsin legislators are threatening a rollback of the prevailing wage law that would mean a significant cut in wages for anyone  union or non-union  working in construction. The Wisconsin American Legion understands the seriousness of the situation and recently passed a resolution calling for veterans to receive employment preference for projects that receive state, county and municipal grants and contracts. It also calls for wages to be paid at a family-sustaining level (as set by federal guidelines mirroring our state prevailing wage law) to prevent the financial exploitation of veterans.

When I came back from the Vietnam War, I was one shot-up man. Almost exactly 49 years ago, our helicopter was shot down near Ap Dong An, and I lost one of my arms. My crew members were either dead or soon-to-be dead, because the helicopter was on fire and the enemy had us pinned down. I grabbed the copters machine gun and returned fire with my one good arm. I survived that day with a few others and was awarded the nations highest award for valor by President Lyndon B. Johnson.

When I came back, a career in the operating engineers offered me training, a community and a good living. Transitioning to civilian life was hard, but having a job to support a family helped make that transition easier. I operated heavy machinery with one arm for 40 years.

In Wisconsin, veterans make up 8.3 percent of the construction workforce, which is significantly higher than the percentage of veterans in the general workforce. Employment in the construction industry is projected to grow by over 14,000 jobs between now and 2022. In other words, Wisconsin has a real opportunity to put veterans to work in an industry they already gravitate toward.

Thats why efforts to repeal Wisconsins prevailing wage law are so troubling. The law was written to promote better workmanship, higher productivity and efficiency, and more local hiring on government-funded construction.

Prevailing wages help support the largest system of privately financed vocational training in the country  skilled trade apprenticeship programs. These programs enable those interested in construction to acquire the training they need to build a career in the industry.

Opponents of prevailing wage policies argue that repeal saves money. They claim a low-skilled, undertrained construction worker making rock-bottom wages will produce the same product as a higher-skilled, professionally trained craftsman. I can tell you from experience that is simply not true.

What low-road contractors save in labor costs never materializes as savings for taxpayers. Thats because taxpayers end up footing the bill for reduced worksite efficiency, higher injury rates, and the prospect of needing to go back and fix work that wasnt done right the first time by a contractor who by then is long gone, resulting in higher material and energy costs.

This is not a union versus non-union issue. All workers in the construction industry benefit from prevailing wage laws. Prevailing wage laws simply ensure workers building our vital infrastructure receive a fair wage. If you cut construction worker wages by repealing prevailing wage laws  which everyone agrees will happen if prevailing wage laws are eliminated  veterans will be harder hit because veterans are more likely to work in the construction industry.

We are veterans who want our voices heard and have a deep desire to continue proudly serving this great state and country by building safer roads, schools and communities for our families. Let us send a loud message to our legislative leaders  protect job opportunities and wages for our veterans.
Lucknow, February 21

Hectic campaigning, punctuated by bitter personal jibes, came to a close this evening in 53 Assembly constituencies spread over 12 districts of Uttar Pradesh that will go to polls in the fourth phase on Thursday.

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Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav held a roadshow in Allahabad, while racing against time BJP president Amit Shah held a parallel roadshow in 'Sangam Nagari', as Allahabad is also called, claiming that the BJP was poised for absolute majority.

A stage collapsed in Allahabad, where Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and CM Akhilesh Yadav were to address a rally after a roadshow. The roadshow ended 3 km ahead of the closing point as the poll campaign had to conclude at 5 pm.

#WATCH: Gol Park stage collapses, Akhilesh Yadav & Rahul Gandhi were to address from here after joint roadshow in Allahabad #UPPolls2017 pic.twitter.com/doIHdUAxE2  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) February 21, 2017

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and BSP supremo Mayawati were among the host of leaders who made a beeline to backward and water-scarce Bundelkhand region, which also figures in phase-IV of polling.

Assembly segments in Congress president Sonia Gandhi's Raebareli Lok Sabha constituency will also go to polls in this phase.

Other districts going to polls in the fourth phase are Pratapgarh, Kaushambi, Allahabad, Jalaun, Jhansi, Lalitpur, Mahoba, Banda, Hamirpur, Chitrakoot and Fatehpur.

During the highly surcharged campaigning, Modi repeatedly targeted the SP-Congress alliance and the BSP for corruption in their regime.

"SCAM stands for SP, Congress, Akhilesh and Mayawati," was Modi's refrain when he appealed to the voters of Bundelkhand to get rid of them.

As the prime minister termed BSP as "Behenji Sampatti Party", Mayawati in her instant retort said the initials of Narendra Damodardas Modi stood for "Mr. Negative Dalit Man", escalating political temperature with such tit-for-tat barbs.

"Narendra Damodardas Modi means Mr. Negative Dalit Man, he is anti-dalit...this negative dalit man does not like that common people give small contributions in running the BSP movement which is also run through donations," an irked Mayawati said.

Amid the verbal free-for-all, Akhilesh referred to an advertisement of the tourism department of Gujarat, where Modi was CM before assuming the office of prime minister.

Without taking any name, he advised megastar Amitabh Bachchan, "do not advertise for the donkeys of Gujarat".

BJP took exception to such "cheap remarks", with its UP general secretary Vijay Bahadur Pathak saying, "After family drama, SP is now dabbling in filmy drama."  TNS/PTI
Shiv Kumar

Tribune News Service

Mumbai, February 21

Enthused by a high-voltage campaign by major political parties, Mumbaikars on Tuesday somewhat shed their notorious apathy towards elections and showed up to vote taking the turnout pass the 52 per cent mark.

Election Commission officials expect the tally to go up as a large number of people were still waiting in the queue to vote.

Read: BMC polls: Shah Rukh, Rekha, Ranveer Singh come out to vote

The previous two civic elections saw turnout hovering at around 40 per cent. Elections were held in Mumbais 227 municipal wards where 2275 candidates are trying their luck.

Counting of votes will happen on Thursday.

Apart from the Shiv Sena, the BJP, the Congress and the NCP smaller parties such as the MNS, the Samajwadi Party and the AIMIM are in the fray.



Billed as mini-assembly elections, polls were held for nine other city corporations, including Thane, Ulhasnagar, Nashik, Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Solapur, Akola, Amravati and Nagpur.

Elections for 11 district panchayats (Zilla Parishads), including Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur, Pune, Solapur, Nashik, Amravati and Gadchiroli were also held today.



Mumbai also saw many celebrities, including Shar Rukh Khan, Rekha, Gulzar, Ranveer Singh, Anushka Sharma; turning up to vote.

However, many people saw their name being struck off the voting list due to delimitation of constituencies. More than nine lakh voters may have lost their names from the voting lists, according to estimates by political parties.

Even political personalities such as BJP spokesperson Shaina NC had to run from one booth to another to exercise her franchise.
Beijing, February 21

Indias foreign secretary S Jaishankar will meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday, as the two countries hold bilateral talks despite several sticking points between them, including Beijings position about New Delhis membership to Nuclear Suppliers Group.

Jaishankar, who landed in China after his visit to Sri Lanka, met top diplomat Yang Jiechi.

Jiechi, Chinas State Councillor of the Communist Party of China and Beijing's Special Representative for border talks between India and China  a leader who, under Beijings system, functions directly under the countrys leadership  at Zhongnanhai.

"We truly hope that in the year ahead our two countries can enhance our exchanges and mutually beneficial cooperation so that we can jointly contribute more to peace and stability and development of our region and the world at large," Yang said, recalling President Pranab Mukherjee's visit last year.

Jaishankar is expected to meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, besides attending an upgraded strategic dialogue with China's Executive Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui on Wednesday.

The meetings are likely to witness talks on some contentious issues  such as Chinas resistance to Indias entry into the elite NSG and its position over Indias call for UN sanctions on Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar.

Chinas $46 billion investment on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)  a project that passes through the contested Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir  will also likely be discussed.

China, an ally of Pakistan, has been reluctant to allow India into the NSG citing Indias position on the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

India is not a signatory to the treaty.

Another sore point between the two countries, besides an unresolved border dispute, is Chinas efforts to block Indias application to have Azhar  a man who has been accused of having been involved in several terrorist attacks in India, including one at a military base in Pathankot last year  listed as a terrorist in UN Security Councils 1267 Sanctions Committee list.

Sanctions against Azhar would mean a travel ban and assets freeze for him.

Last month, China had frustrated a resolution by the US for the sanctions. Beijing had already blocked two of Indias resolutions before.

Counter terrorism

In an interview before the meeting to Chinas state run newspaper Global Times Jaishankar said India was worried about the CPEC project and terrorism.

"For us, there are questions of sovereignty which need to be addressed first," he said in oblique references to CPEC passing through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK) over which New Delhi has already conveyed its protest to Beijing.

He also said India and China should loosely work on countering terrorism, a hint at Chinas technical hold on Indias application for sanctions.

"China has a very strong, principled position on counter-terrorism. We hope the position China already has will be further implemented," Jaishankar said, adding that India was holding discussions with China.  PTI
Simran Sodhi

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 21

The India-Pakistan narrative is slowly edging back to a state of normalcy, considering the indications coming from some quarters.

After the acrimonious exchange of words on the Indus Water Treaty, sources said a meeting was likely to take place soon on the Permanent Indus Commission. Talks scheduled for the commission that were to be held last year were suspended after the Uri attacks.

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It is learnt that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is keen on restarting the bilateral dialogue. At a meeting the PM had last week with a visiting delegation from the UK, the PM, people present in the meeting told The Tribune, recalled with positivity the trip he made to Lahore in December 2015.

He also pointed out that the attacks took place soon after as there were forces in Pakistan that did not want peace in the region. But he also felt there were positive forces in Pakistan. Modi spoke about the menace of terrorism and of Pakistans role in it. But, he also expressed optimism that talks should resume and said India was ready to compromise wherever India felt was in its best interest. The PM, sources said, wanted to extend a hand of peace towards Pakistan, and cited the example where an international court decided against India in a maritime dispute with Bangladesh and India accepted the verdict. The PM was referring to the verdict of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) dispute regarding the delimitation of the maritime boundary between India and Bangladesh that was delivered in 2014. The tribunal awarded Bangladesh 19,467 sq km of the 25,602 sq km sea area of the Bay of Bengal and India abided by the verdict.

India and Pakistan are all set to become permanent members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) this year when the meet is held in Astana, Kazakhstan, in June.

Both Modi and Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif are expected to travel to Astana for the SCO meet. Indications from both sides are this will serve as an ideal opportunity for the two leaders to meet on the sidelines and break the ice. But some groundwork needs to be done before that and the Indus Water Commission meet and the PMs own comments are the first steps in that direction.
Shahira Naim

Tribune News Service

Lucknow, February 21

Not taking any chances, the BJP in UP has quickly graduated from vikas (development) to Mandal (caste quota) and now the kamandal (Hindutva) brand of politics. As the state goes for Phase-IV of polling, the party has revised its strategy, returning completely to the Hindutva agenda.

This was clear at the election rally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Fatehpur on February 19 where he said, If you create a kabaristan (graveyard) in a village, then a shamshan ghat (cremation ground) should also be created. If there is uninterrupted electricity during Ramzan, it should be so on Diwali too. Bhed-bhaav nahi hona chaiiye (there should be no discrimination).

BJP chief Amit Shah had set the tone much earlier on January 28 while releasing the BJP manifesto, reiterating the partys commitment to build Ram Mandir through legal means. He had also raked up the religion-based migration in Kairana, claiming it had caused dangerous demographic changes.

This is a clear shift from the 2014 campaign that Modi had fought on the development plank, projecting Gujarat as the model. But recent events in his home state and the Hardik Patel agitation has taken the sheen off the Gujarat model. No mention of it is being made in UP. After the unprecedented 2014 victory, the BJP, aided and abetted by the RSS, had started to work on the caste dynamics in UP, inviting the non-Yadav OBCs and non-Jatav Dalits into the party fold.
Ruchika M Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 21

Three months after the Punjab Assembly directed the state government to recover dues of water flowing into non-riparian states of Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi, the state government has initiated the process of assessing the cost.

A technical committee, formed by the government earlier this year, is in the process of determining how much of the amount is to be charged from the three states.

The committee comprises technical consultant on water issues SK Goyal and interstate water issues expert Pritam Singh Kumedan. Senior officials told The Tribune that the committee had already submitted its interim report.

Sources say the committee has given the calculation regarding the quantum of water that has flown into the three states (10.54 MAF to Rajasthan, 5.95 MAF to Haryana and 0.2 MAF to Delhi). They have also sought the help of the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) to calculate the figure in cusecs.

The sources say the technical committee has made two observations  the method for calculating the charges to be imposed could either be based on basis of benefit to agriculture productivity in these states (by including the cost of running 14 lakh tubewells in the agriculture sector in Punjab) or the loss suffered on account of the receding water table in Punjab due to incessant use of ground water.

The other method suggested by the committee is to make the calculations on the basis of historical levy of user charges to the kingdoms of Bikaner and Bhawalpur states as determined by the British before Independence. The rates that the British government had imposed on these states for supplying water from the Ferozepur headworks have also been given in the interim report.

The committee has also sought the help of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), a senior official in Punjab government said.

He said once the report from PAU experts was received, they would be sending the bills to the three states. But the final decision will have to be taken by the political party that assumes office after the election results, said the officer.
Satya Prakash

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 21

The Punjab government has told the Supreme Court that the land meant for the construction of Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal that was given back to the landowners cannot be recovered.

In an affidavit filed in the top court, the Punjab government said: ...the land in question having been already transferred to the landowners in obedience to the resolution of the legislative assembly dated 16.11.2016, the recovery of said land from the landowners is not possible.

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The Parkash Singh Badal-led SAD-BJP government accused the Centre of abdicating its responsibility, saying it failed to fulfil its mandatory duty to constitute a Water Tribunal for adjudication of the issues raised by Punjab in its January 1, 2003 complaint.

Union of India is duty bound to play the role of a mediator in interstate water disputes to uphold the spirit of federalism which is the underpinning principle on which our Constitution is founded. In the present case, the Union of India has not shown any proactive approach in sorting out the water issues between the two neighbouring states, the affidavit read.

Read: Security deployed along SYL canal in view of INLD threat

The affidavit  which will be taken up for hearing on Wednesday by a bench headed by Justice PC Ghosh  stated that a fuller constitutional solution to the SYL canal is not possible unless the alleged entitlement of the Applicant State of Haryana  a non-riparian state  is resolved in accordance with law having regard to the changed circumstances.

Interestingly, the Punjab government had on February 16 requested the Supreme Court to hear the SYL canal issue after the announcement of results of Assembly polls on March 11.

But in its rejoinder affidavit filed to counter the Centres submissions, the Punjab government requested the top court to direct the Centre to immediately explore on the transfer of Sarda water to Yamuna under the feasibility report prepared by the National Water Development Agency.

It said the court should direct the Centre to create storages over river Yamuna to utilise water which is otherwise going waste and to explore alternate sources for irrigating Yamuna basin areas, by augmenting the Yamuna flows in Haryana, particularly from river Sarda as now planned by the National Water Development Agency (NWDA)  a premier agency of the Union Ministry of Water Resources.

Appearing for the SAD-BJP government, senior counsel Ram Jethmalani had said: "Please keep it after 11th of March..... Election results are to be announced..."

The bench had wondered what had the court proceedings to do with election results.

Jethmalani had said the Punjab government's affidavit was ready but the Chief Minister was undergoing medical treatment and it would be filed tomorrow after vetting.

The bench had asked the Punjab government to file their affidavit by February 20 and posted the matter for further hearing on February 22.

The top court had in November 2016, declared unconstitutional the law passed by the Punjab Assembly in 2004 to terminate the SYL canal water sharing agreement with neighbouring states.

Holding that the Punjab Termination of Agreement Act, 2004 was not in conformity with the provisions of the Constitution, it had answered in the negative all the four questions referred to it in a Presidential Reference.

A constitution bench had on November 10 ruled that Punjab could not have taken a unilateral decision to terminate the agreement with Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi and Chandigarh on sharing of the Ravi-Beas river waters.

On November 30 last year, the top court had ordered status quo on the land acquired for the construction of canal's stretch in Punjab and appointed the Union home secretary, Punjab's chief secretary and the director general of police as receivers.

However, it had made it clear that the receivers were only for the purposes of submitting a report on the ground situation to the court.

The order had come on Haryana government's plea seeking status quo ante in the wake of Punjab's decision to de-notify the acquired land and restoring it to original owners.

Last week, the top court said the interim order would continue.
Harare, February 21

As he celebrated his 93rd birthday on Tuesday, Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe brushed aside persistent allegations of corruption against senior officials, saying rumour-mongers were merely targeting big fish in his administration.

In comments to be aired on state media on Tuesday, the worlds oldest leader said he would act if shown evidence  even though graft scandals involving ministers and even members of his own family are regular fare in local newspapers. I think the big fish, more of it has been talk, talk and talk. People have not come out and actually said here is a case against a big fish, Mugabe said in a pre-recorded interview.

Or are people afraid to come out and even come to us and say This one is stealing so much, investigate the person? If there is evidence, we will pursue that evidence and certainly we will deal with those persons, he said.

Despite the almost daily slew of scandals involving state tenders and contracts reported in Zimbabwes free-wheeling private media, investigations are rare and arrests even rarer.

The anti-corruption panel is currently fighting the higher education minister and his deputy, who are accused of embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from a state fund. They, however, deny the charges. Parliament has also penned reports recommending probe into irregular tender allocations. The reports have been ignored.  Reuters
Florida, February 21

President Donald Trump has named Lieutenant General Herbert Raymond McMaster as his new national security adviser, choosing a military officer known for speaking his mind and challenging his superiors.

McMaster is a highly regarded military tactician and strategic thinker, but his selection surprised some observers who wondered how the officer, whose army career stalled at times for his questioning of authority, would deal with a White House that has not welcomed criticism.

He is highly respected by everybody in the military and were very honoured to have him, Trump told reporters in West Palm Beach where he spent the weekend. Hes a man of tremendous talent and tremendous experience.

One subject on which Trump and McMaster could soon differ is Russia. McMaster shares the consensus view among the US national security establishment that Russia is a threat and an antagonist to the United States, while the man whom McMaster is replacing, retired Lieutenant General Michael Flynn, appeared to view it more as a potential geopolitical partner.

Trump in the past has expressed a willingness to engage with Russia more than his predecessor, Barack Obama. Flynn was fired as NSA on February 13 after reports emerged that he had misled Vice President Mike Pence about speaking to Russias ambassador to the US on US sanctions before Trumps inauguration.

The ouster, coming so early, was another upset for the White House that has been hit by miscues, including a travel ban on people from seven Muslim-majority nations, since Trump took office on January 20.  Reuters

Military tactician
Lahore, February 21

Pakistan has cancelled the licences of 44 weapons issued to JuD chief Hafiz Saeed and other members of his organisations, citing security reasons, even as it said he can pose a serious threat to the nation, and was thus placed under house arrest in the countrys larger interest.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

The acknowledgement of the danger the Mumbai attacks mastermind poses came from Pakistans Defence Minister Khawaja Asif during an international security conference in Munich, Germany.

Saeed can pose a serious threat to society, Asif told the audience at the Munich Security Conference on Sunday, The Nation reported.

Meanwhile, an official of the Punjab Home Department said the step has been taken in line with the government's action against Saeed and his organisations  the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and the Falaha-e-Insanyat (FIF).

"The Punjab Home Department cancelled licences of 44 weapons for security reasons," the official told PTI today.

The government on January 30 had put Saeed and four other leaders of his organisations under house arrest in Lahore for a period of 90 days.

Saeed and 37 members of JuD and FIF have also been placed on the Exit Control List, barring them from leaving the country.

According to the Punjab Home Department notification, "Both JuD and FIF are engaged in certain activities which could be prejudicial to peace and security and in violation of Pakistan's obligations to the United Nations Security Council Resolution and both organisations have been placed in the Second Schedule of Anti-Terrorism Act 1997."

"Hafiz Saeed, Abdullah Ubaid, Zafar Iqbal, Abdul Rehman Abid and Kashif Niazi are engaged in certain activities which could be prejudicial to peace and security."

The federal government has also put JuD and FIF on the watch list for six months.

Saeed, who is carrying a $10 million bounty on his head, was also put under house arrest after the 2008 Mumbai terror attack but he was freed by Lahore High Court in 2009.

Saeed was arrested in the larger interest of the country, Pakistans Defence Minister Khawaja Asif added, according to The Nation report.

Saeed was placed under house arrest under the fourth schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) on January 30 in Lahore, provoking uproar from his party and allies.

Saeeds inclusion in the list shows he is linked with militancy in some way. Saeed was earlier this month put on the Exit Control List, barring him from leaving the country.

During a panel discussion on countering extremism and terrorism, Asif said: Terrorism is not synonymous with any religion. Terrorists arent Christians or Muslims or Buddhists or Hindus. They are terrorists, they are criminals.

The action against Saeed was taken after Pakistan was hit by at least eight terror attacks this month in which more than 100 people died, the latest being a suicide bombing on a famed Sufi shrine in Sindh province that claimed 88 lives.

In a statement critical of the American policies, Asif said Pakistan is determined to fight terrorism. Let me assure the world community that Pakistan is a frontline state in this war and it will continue to fulfil its obligations to its own people and the international community; but if the Wests policies are going to be isolationist it wont help the fight against terrorism, only fuel it.  PTI
London, February 20

Thousands of protesters rallied outside Parliament on Tuesday as MPs debated a petition to cancel a state visit by US President Donald Trump which gained more than 1.8 million signatures.

Placards reading "No to Trump" and "Dump Trump" were held by demonstrators in Parliament Square, in the latest rally against the US President who came to power a month ago.

British Prime Minister Theresa May became the first foreign leader to meet Trump in the White House in January, when she invited him to the UK on a state visit to be hosted by Queen Elizabeth II later this year.

The invitation came hours ahead of Trump imposing tough entry restrictions on travellers from seven Muslim-majority countries and within days an online petition to prevent the president's state visit attracted more than 1.8 million signatures.

The British government has said it will not support the petition and stressed that the invitation still stands, but Parliament went ahead and debated the issue due to the popularity of the petition.

Lawmakers also discussed a counter-petition to uphold the state visit invite, which attracted over 300,000 signatures.

During the debate, opposition Labour MP David Lammy said the government offered the state visit because it is "desperate" for a trade deal with the US.

"I think my children deserve better than that... I'm ashamed that it's come to this," he said.

Fellow Labour lawmaker Paul Flynn said the invitation should be downgraded from the regal affair to a regular visit.

"There are great dangers in attempting to give him the best accolade we can give anyone," he said.

While Trump was offered a state visit after just seven days in office, his predecessor Barack Obama had to wait 758 days before receiving the same invitation.

Outside Parliament yesterday, protester Benjamin Kari said people needed to stand up against Trump's policies and avoid becoming complacent.

"He's promoting racist policies, he's normalising racism and misogyny and Islamophobia," he told AFP.

Bryan Richardson, a member of the Stand up to Racism group, said May "humiliated herself by rushing over to Washington to be the first leader to meet Donald Trump".

A Stop Trump Coalition website named February 20 a "day of action" against the US President, listing events planned across Britain.

Around 300 people gathered in Glasgow waving sometimes comical banners aimed at Trump, one describing him as a "Feckin Plonker".  AFP
Washington, February 21

President Donald Trump has tapped Herbert Raymond McMaster, a decorated and outspoken US Army lieutenant general to be his new national security adviser, days after he fired his first pick and his second turned down the crucial post.

The 54-year-old, McMaster, the head of the Army Capabilities Integration Centre, will become one of Trumps top national security and foreign policy advisers, taking the helm of the White Houses National Security Council, which was left rudderless after Lt Gen Michael Flynn was forced to resign after just 24 days on the job.

I just wanted to announce that Gen H R McMaster will become the national security adviser. Hes a man of tremendous talent and tremendous experience, Trump said while making the announcement at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida yesterday.

I watched and read a lot over the last two days. He is highly respected by everyone in the military and were very honored to have him, Trump said.

In his brief remarks, McMaster said he looks forward to joining the national security team and doing everything he can to advance and protect the interests of the American people.

McMaster will take on the new role after having served several tours of duty in Germany, Southwest Asia and Iraq, including a stint as special assistant to Gen. David Petraeus when he was commander of the US-led coalition forces in Iraq during the 2007 troop surge.

McMasters predecessor, Lt Gen Michael Flynn was forced out by Trump after revelations that he misled Vice President Mike Pence about discussing sanctions with Russias ambassador to the US during the presidential transition.

Trump then offered the job to retired Vice Admiral Robert Harward, who turned down the role, citing personal reasons.

The acting national security adviser, Gen (retd) Keith Kellogg, will now serve as Trumps national security council chief of staff.

The President also said John Bolton, a former US ambassador to the United Nations, would serve the administration in another capacity.  PTI
London, February 21

A gurdwara in the UK which had put screens to separate differently abled people and other worshippers has agreed to remove the partition, in a first of its kind case that could impact practices at gurdwaras across the country.

Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Wolverhampton had been accused of discrimination as differently abled worshippers were segregated from the main prayer congregation as they could not observe the custom of sitting cross-legged on the floor.

A settlement was approved last week as a hearing was set to begin at Birmingham County Court yesterday.

The screening was like you were in a prison. On one side youve done something wrong; people (will) catch what youve got. Thats how we felt, said Bhupinder Kaur Chohan, one of the claimants in the case.

The case is believed to be the first of its kind internationally and could impact practices at gurdwaras across the UK. Rajinder Singh Basi, chair of Sikh Forum Wolverhampton, described the result as a victory. The five claimants had alleged that members of the congregation who are unable to sit on the floor were being forced to sit behind screens in the prayer hall and dining room.

The agreement requires gurdwara chiefs to remove all of the screens from both rooms as well as signs which prohibited the use of chairs and wheelchairs.

In addition, a lift will be installed providing access to the first-floor prayer hall and all necessary auxiliary aids as set out by the local Wolverhampton Council will be permitted, including chairs with arm rests, according to the local Express & Star newspaper.

The gurdwara ruling committee must also pay the claimants legal costs as part of the deal.  PTI
Update: Tulsa City councilors delayed a decision Tuesday afternoon on a proposal to resolve the status of Helmerich Park.

The park's northern end at 71st Street and Riverside Drive has for two years been at the center of negotiations involving the city, developers and citizens over a proposed 8.8-acre retail center anchored by a major tenant generally believed to be the sporting goods dealer REI.

On Tuesday, Mayor G.T. Bynum presented a compromise proposal that calls for less parking and smaller buildings on the tract. The council will revisit the issue at its meeting March 1.

It also calls for the entire $1,465,000 sale price to be reserved for the benefit of the rest of Helmerich Park, for developers to donate $100,000 to Park Friends and for the city to spend up to $570,000 for utilities and other infrastructure at the site.

"By allowing development of one-eighth of the park, the other seven-eighths benefits," Bynum said.

Public comment on the proposal began late Tuesday morning, with 43 people signed up to speak for five minutes each.

"I don't want this resolved behind closed doors  in a courtroom or anywhere else," Bynum said. "I think the City Council is the mechanism we have in place for the will of the people to be channeled, so I wanted to bring this up in this forum."

Shortly before 2 p.m. Tuesday, after 2 hours of public comment, the council went into executive session to discuss the proposal. After more than 90 minutes, councilors returned with the decision to continue the meeting until March 1.

The story below by Jarrel Wade appeared in Tuesday's Tulsa World:

The long road in the dispute over a proposed development at Helmerich Park has led to a Tuesday City Council meeting where councilors will have their first opportunity to weigh in during a public forum.

Mayor G.T. Bynum is approaching the council at the 10 a.m. special meeting to propose a resolution with possible action from the council that could largely resolve the dispute.

Opponents to the development plans have vowed to continue the fight, saying only compliance with the Arkansas River Corridor Master Plan  which proposed development guidelines for the site  would allow the group to consider standing down.

The park proposals have involved allowing the development of a river-front restaurant, other retail space and an upscale sporting-goods store  reportedly Oklahomas first Recreational Equipment Inc.  on 8.8 acres of Helmerich Parks almost 60 acres at the southwest corner of 71st Street and Riverside Drive.

Bynum sees his purpose as being the middle man between the desires of the council  and public  and those of the developer. The dispute thus far has been framed in a way that Bynum said he wants to get past.

It was either youre pro-development or pro-park, Bynum said. I reject the notion that you have to be one or the other. It can be both.

On the one hand, Bynum said, his proposal would improve most of the remaining land at the park if the development were allowed to move forward. Bynums proposal includes more than just new-and-improved volleyball courts and would include public input, he said.

What were trying to do is use one-eighth of that existing land to benefit the other seven-eighths of it through this type of agreement, Bynum said.

On the other hand, Bynum said, he has concerns about walking away from a developer who wants to invest millions in Tulsa and has stuck with it through public backlash and lawsuits.

As somebody whos trying to sell developers on Tulsa, I dont want to have a reputation as a city that backs out of deals, Bynum said. If we drug them through what theyve been through for the last two years and then just walked away from that and dealt with that in court, I have no confidence that wed ever get anyone to even offer what these guys have offered on it.

Talk of development at Helmerich Park began before 2013, when city officials under Mayor Dewey Bartlett drafted development ideals for the park and made plans to ask for public proposals. Even at the beginning, plans included improving the existing volleyball courts.

Opposition to the development plans took root in summer 2015 as the Tulsa Public Facilities Authority moved to sell a parcel of the land for development in a deal partially struck by the former administration.

Residents then filed a lawsuit, seeking a judges intervention to block the deal. That case has been ongoing and is currently headed toward a jury trial in July or August. A key argument in the case is that a public process should have occurred through the Tulsa City Council to abandon park use of the 8.8 acres considered for development.

The citys legal position, by and large, has been that the land was never under park ownership and has been under the Tulsa Public Facilities Authority, giving the authority full rights to sell.

Recent action in the case led to plaintiffs, city leaders, developers and others spending a full day in mediation, though no resolution came from it.

However, Bynum said his proposal is a result of the issues he heard from all parties in the mediation process.

What I dont want is for this to be decided in a courtroom where the elected representatives of the citizens dont have any say in the outcome of the property, Bynum said. I think its a far more beneficial vehicle for resolving it going this route through the council than it would be through the legal system.
Okmulgee County issued a burn ban as warming trend has northeast Oklahoma on track for record-setting high temperatures.

The commissioners issued the burn ban Tuesday in an effort to prevent wild fires and grass fires in the county. Conditions are expected to converge this week to increase the danger of wildfires, according to a news release from Okmulgee County Emergency Management Director Timothy Craighton.

"Even a small spark can turn into a massive life-threatening wildfire," Craighton said.

Much of eastern Oklahoma is at risk for limited fire spread risks Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service in Tulsa. Warm temperatures, dry vegetation and 15 mph winds combined Tuesday to create the risks associated with fire weather, according to the weather service.

The weather service predicts the potential for fire danger to increase significantly Thursday due to high winds. The risks of fire danger are expected to be tempered by predictions of thunderstorms early next week.

Temperatures for Wednesday and Thursday are expected to reach into the low 80s in the Tulsa area. For Friday and Saturday, temperatures are expected to reach into the 50s.

The Tulsa area sees averages temperatures in the 30s and 40s during February, according to the weather service's records.

The burn ban makes it unlawful for any person to set fires to "any forest, grass, range, crop, or or to build a campfire or bonfire, or to burn trash or other materials that may cause a forest, grass, range, crop or other wildlands fire," according to Okmulgee County Emergency Management.

Anyone convicted of violating the burn ban can be fined up to $500 or imprisoned for up to a year.

Other counties with burn bans include Atoka, Bryan, Canadian, Jefferson, Oklahoma, Pottawatomie and Sequoyah counties, according to Oklahoma Forestry Services. Most of the bans are through early March. Pottawatomie and Sequoyah counties' bans end in late February.
Tulsa immigrant families are bracing for mass deportations, raids and the breakup of families, members of Dream Act-Oklahoma say.

More undocumented parents of children are seeking applications for power of attorney in case they get deported. Families have emergency plans in place for children who may come home to empty houses, says Jordan Mazariegos, president of the grass roots immigration reform group.

They are teaching kids that this can happen and are having conversations with kids about it. These are kids who are in elementary school and barely learning their names. Its a burden they have to carry already, Mazariegos said.

Two memos released Tuesday by the Homeland Security Department greatly expand the number of people considered a priority for deportation, including those arrested for traffic violations.

When we advocate for immigration, we are advocating for family reunification, for people staying together and for people living calmly without the fear of deportation, Mazariegos said. This means more authority is being given to officials  who already have authority  to racially profile.

Dream Act-Oklahoma advocates for comprehensive immigration reform, which gets at the root cause of undocumented and illegal immigration. Part of that is to ease the bureaucratic and financial burdens to open pathways to legal residency, such as worker programs.

When we talk about immigration, the narrative is about having a good immigrant or a bad immigrant, Mazariegos said. In recent years, the United States hasnt welcomed the poor immigrant. It favors the wealthy ones. The memos say that if you dont have the resources to come here legally, we dont want you.

This isnt about good or bad immigrants. This is a nation for wealthy immigration and not the hard-working, poor immigrants, which is who we are targeting.

The memos erase the executive orders signed by President Barack Obama that placed a priority on deporting undocumented immigrants who had committed certain crimes.

It has brought an end to the exercise of prosecutorial discretion previously in place under the Obama administration, said Elizabeth McCormick, founder and director of the Immigrant Rights Project at the University of Tulsa.

Essentially, the previous administration articulated that only certain categories of individuals here without legal authority would be targeted for immigration enforcement, McCormick continued.

This eliminates those categories. Anybody present without authority is on that list.

President Donald Trump campaigned on a promise of deporting the nations estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants and vowed to build a wall along the Mexican border.

Under the Obama administration, a record number of removals was set with 2.5 million undocumented people deported between 2009 and 2015. Under George W. Bushs two terms, a little more than 2 million were deported.

The memos leave in place the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which allows certain undocumented people who came to the country as children to stay.

Known as DACA, it does not provide a legal path to residency or citizenship. It has aspects of the Dream Act  federal legislation that has been proposed in Congress every year since 2001 and would make qualifying undocumented youth eligible for a path to citizenship if they complete a college degree or two years of military service  but is a type of legal limbo.

Mazariegos arrived in the United States at age 2, graduated from Union High School and is studying finance and accounting at Oklahoma State University. He was approved for DACA but does not have a realistic path to residency.

It would take about 25 years for him to become a legal resident, and that includes returning to Mexico and waiting at least 10 years to return.

I may be granted DACA, but tomorrow Trump may change his mind, he said. My fear is that my family members might be deported because of the memo. This doesnt just target criminals and threats to national security, but it targets people like my mother.

The memos do not change immigration law, which can only be done by Congress.

At this point, the memos dont change the law and dont have the ability to allocate new resources, McCormick said. It will remain to be seen how capacity locally will change to carry out enforcement when there are not necessarily any more resources going toward that.

McCormick said the clients seeking immigration relief are anxious.

They worry that applying for benefits puts them on the radar and makes them a target for immigration enforcement, McCormick said. We dont have examples of that happening. But the message is one that suggests everyone is potentially exposed, and there is a lot of fear and anxiety. People are worried about whats going to happen.
Google and Microsoft-owned Bing have signed up to a voluntary code of practice in the UK, making it harder to search for pirated content.

The US tech giants have agreed links to pirate websites will be blocked from the first page of results.

According to The Guardian the agreement will run in parallel with existing anti-piracy measures aimed at reducing online infringement.

These include court ordered site blocking, work with brands to reduce advertising on illegal sites and consumer education campaigns.

Eddy Leviten, director general at the Alliance for Intellectual Property, said: Sometimes people will search for something and they will end up unwittingly being taken to a pirated piece of content.

What we want to ensure is that the results at the top of the search engines are the genuine ones.

It is about protecting people who use the internet, but also protecting the creators of that material too.

Stan McCoy, of the Motion Picture Association in Europe, said: Pirate websites are currently much too easy to find via search, so we appreciate the parties willingness to try to improve that situation.

We look forward to working on this initiative alongside many other approaches to fighting online piracy, such as the Get it Right campaign that aims to help educate consumers about the many ways to enjoy film and television content legally and at the time of their choosing.

Meanwhile the high court in New Zealand has ruled Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom can be extradited to the United States to face a multitude of charges including money laundering and copyright breaches.

The German national, who has permanent residency in New Zealand, faces up to 20 years in jail if convicted in the US of piracy, which authorities say cost copyright owners hundreds of millions of dollars.
Seven Group Holdings chief executive and Seven West Media board member Ryan Stokes has defended the company in light of growing criticism over the culture within the company.

His comments come as lawyers for Seven blasted Amber Harrison in court yesterday and SGH announced a half-year loss of $41.8 million due to $145 million of write-downs almost entirely related to the value of its stake in Seven West Media.

But the Australian Financial Review reports a 2015 report conducted with employees in Perth found it was a boys club in which negative attitudes prevailed, communication was poor and development opportunities were rarely provided.

I think our culture is a strong culture, said Stokes. I think the culture that has enabled that team to continue to deliver the results that it has, [demonstrates] things are going well, things are going right.

I think Tim [Worner] is the first to admit within Seven West he is keen to see cultural enhancement within the group but again the performance is a sign that things are inherently OK, but there is opportunity to grow and improve.

Source: AFR, SMH
Hi, my name is Scott C. Waring and I wrote a few books and am currently a ESL School Owner in Taiwan. I have had my own UFO sighting up close and personal, but that's how it works right? A non believer becomes a believer when they experience their first sighting. You witnessed it, your perceptual field changes, so now you need to share it.





I created this site to help the UFO community get a little bit organized. I noticed that there was a lot of chaos when searching for UFO sighting reports, so I hope this site helps. I wanted to support those eyewitnesses who have tried to tell others about what they have seen, yet were laughed at by even closest of friends.





More and more each day the governments of the world leak bits and pieces of UFO information to the public. They have a trickle down theory in hopes of slowly getting citizens use to the idea that we are not alone in universe and never have been. The truth is being leaked drop by drop until one day we look around and find ourselves neck high in it.





The discovery of alien species in existence is the most monumental scientific event in human history, suppression of that information is a crime against humanity.





About me:

I live in Taiwan. I OWN MY OWN ENGLISH SCHOOL, AND ONCE HAD 5 SCHOOLS.

Am Former USAF at SAC base (flight line).

Age: 42

Educ: BA in Elem ed. Masters in Counseling ed.





I had two UFO sightings, (30+bus size orbs) in military and in 2012 personally saw the UFO over Taipei 101 building on New Years Day (and recored it).
An Iraqi family who fled fighting in Mosul collect aid items at Hasansham camp, Iraq, January 23 2017. They had fled militant held west Mosul three days before by crossing the Tigris River at night in a small wooden boat.  UNHCR/Ivor Prickett

With the new military operations under way in Mosul, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is focusing efforts on camp construction to shelter many of those who could be displaced by the renewed fighting.

Its estimated that up to 250,000 people could be displaced. Almost 217,000 people have fled hostilities since 17 October, of whom around 160,000 are still displaced. Others have returned to their homes in newly-retaken areas. But the situation remains fluid and terrifying for those trapped or affected by the fighting.

UNHCR has eight camps open or completed at present, and one under construction. We are planning for the start of work at another site (Hamam Al Alil), south of Mosul. Currently there is spare capacity in three existing camps to the east of Mosul (Hasansham U3, Khazer M1 and M2), with space for 12,700 more people. An additional 1,000 plots are planned for Khazer M2. There are also spaces for 14,400 people in UNHCRs newly-built Chamakor camp, where 500 tents have already been pitched.

The Government of Iraq has decided, initially, to transport people displaced from western Mosul to camps in the east while new capacity is being added in the south. UNHCR has been asked to support a new Government site at Hamam Al-Alil, 20 km south of Mosul. It is expected that many of those fleeing western Mosul will reach Hamam Al-Alil on foot. This site will shelter for up to 60,000 people. One camp at the site will be UNHCR built. Another, which has been built by the government, for 24,000 people, will be UNHCR-supported.

With the predicted exodus of up to a quarter of a million people, it will be impossible to accommodate such large numbers on existing land. We have identified other land that could be used as camps once frontlines shift.

Meantime, conditions in the densely-populated west of the city are worsening, according to reports and testimonies, and hence concerns are mounting for the well-being of civilians. There are shortages of food, water, fuel and medicine. Half of all food shops have closed and most people can only access untreated water. Food prices are rocketing and there are reports of families burning furniture, clothing and plastic to stay warm. Conditions will deteriorate if civilians are not able to flee the fighting.

During the battle for eastern Mosul, the protection of civilians was prioritized in military planning and activities, and UNHCR hopes this principle will continue to be upheld. However, the new battle will be different. The citys west is densely populated, with many narrow streets, and fighting will be street by street. Armed groups have built a network of tunnels.

Insecurity and recent suicide attacks in eastern Mosul have resulted in some families  who had opted to return to their homes  coming back to the camps in search of safety.

For more information on this topic, please contact:

In Geneva, Matthew Saltmarsh, [email protected], +41 79 217 31 40

In Iraq, Caroline Gluck, [email protected], +964 780 920 7286
As fighting spreads in Yemen in February 2017, a recently displaced family receives UNHCR assistance, a tent to live in, in the coastal governate of Al Hudaydah. Some 34,000 people fled their homes in Al Mokha and Dhubab districts as the conflict intensified.  UNHCR/N Al Sharafi

Unabated conflict and rapidly deteriorating conditions across Yemen are pushing millions of displaced Yemenis further into danger and adversity, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and IOM, the UN Migration Agency, warned today following the release of the latest data on the countrys displacement crisis.

Since the beginning of the conflict in March 2015, more than 11 per cent of Yemens population, some 3 million people, have been forced to flee their homes for safety. Almost two years later, however, prolonged hostilities and worsening conditions are now forcing 1 million of those uprooted to return to the homes from which they fled, despite danger and insecurity across the country.

Two reports issued by the Task Force on Population Movement (TFPM), a technical working group co-led by UNHCR and IOM, show that there are currently 2 million internally displaced people (IDPs) across Yemen and 1 million IDP returnees; and that as conditions across the country further deteriorate, many more IDPs are contemplating a return home, where challenging security and socio-economic conditions persist.

Comprising a Multi-sectoral Location Assessment report released today and a periodically updated population movement tracking report (TFPM 12th report) published last month, the TFPM reports furnish the most comprehensive and detailed estimates of displaced populations and their circumstances in Yemen, and inform humanitarian response planning for 2017.

The reports highlight that a lack of access to income and basic services in areas of displacement are the main reasons pushing IDPs to return to their areas of origin, with 40 per cent of key informants indicating that IDPs now intend to return home within the next three months.

UNHCRs Country Representative for Yemen, Ayman Gharaibeh, said: Its testament to how catastrophic the situation in Yemen has become, that those displaced by the conflict are now returning home because life in the areas to which they had fled for safety is just as abysmal as in the areas from which they fled.

Those attempting to return face tremendous challenges, Gharaibeh added. They often return to homes that have been damaged, in areas lacking essential services. They still need humanitarian aid and are often forced to flee their homes again. These returns cannot be viewed as sustainable.

Noting that all of Yemens governorates, with the exception of the island of Socotra, have been affected by conflict, Gharaibeh said, the overwhelming majority of Yemens 1 million IDP returnees have returned to Aden, Amanat Al Asimah, Taizz, Lahj and Shabwah, which have been particularly impacted by hostilities and insecurity.

For those that are returning home, food, financial assistance and psycho-social support remain priority needs, he added.

The TFPM reports also provide indications of how dire life has become for the 2 million IDPs across the country. Shortages of food and malnutrition are widespread and reported in 84 per cent of IDP locations identified. In addition to malnutrition, diarrheal diseases and malaria are cited as the most common health concerns for Yemens displaced.

IOM Yemens Chief of Mission, Laurent De Boeck, noted the great distress for those in collective centers and spontaneous settlements, explaining that IOM, alongside its partners, remains committed to support IDP families who have sought shelter in these camp-like settings and are living in unbearable conditions with limited to no access to services and are exposed to health risks and environmental hazards on a daily basis.

When I recently visited some of these spontaneous settlements and IDPs in schools in Taizz, Hajjah, Lahj and Ibb governorates I saw just how imperative it is for the humanitarian community to adapt its response to address lifesaving needs, while also working to rebuild the damaged infrastructure to improve access to services, such as those of health, shelter, NFIs, water and food, and alleviate the pressures on the communities hosting large IDP populations, De Boeck said.

De Boeck added, with the most recent large scale displacement seen in Taizz, which is not yet reflected within the TFPM reports, IOM and all partners must scale up their response to support those newly displaced as well as those whose displacement is becoming increasingly protracted with shifting needs as indicated in the released reports. This motivates IOM to scale up and access the most remote areas in country.

So far, 71 per cent of those displaced have been seeking refuge in Yemens central and western governorates -- including Hajjah, Amanat Al Asimah, Sanaa, Dhamar, Ibb and Taizz, all of which are experiencing intense hostilities -- and multiple displacement is increasingly being observed. In the absence of livelihood opportunities and insufficient assistance, many IDPs are also resorting to harmful practices to cope in displacement, including child labour and early marriage.

Yemens local communities, which are overwhelmingly absorbing the burden of the displacement crisis, are also under intense strain with alarming scarcities of food and insufficient access to water and sanitation services reported. Eighty-four percent of Yemens 2 million IDPs have been displaced for more than a year and scarce resources are increasingly overstretched.

The Location Assessment report also provides insight into difficulties in accessing conflict-affected populations across Yemen and the perception among IDPs and returnees of humanitarian assistance. Though the majority of IDPs and returnees perceive humanitarian assistance as partially supporting them in meeting priority needs, negative perceptions of aid and considerable gaps in the engagement of humanitarian actors with local communities are also reported.

In response, the humanitarian community in Yemen has adopted an Accountability to Affected Populations Framework as part of the Humanitarian Response Plan for 2017, requiring all humanitarian partners to create mechanisms to ensure that affected populations can provide feedback or complain about the assistance they have received.

In addition, UNHCR and IOM are continuing to engage with all parties to the conflict for improved access to populations in need across Yemen, and with donors for increased international support for life-saving humanitarian programs.

Assessments for the two TFPM reports were conducted in all of Yemens governorates. Displacement tracking for the 12th report covered 98.5% of Yemens 333 districts and data for the Location Assessment report was collected through physical site visits by field teams where key informants representing the community were interviewed.

Copies of the full reports are available here:

For further information:
An Iraqi family who fled fighting in Mosul collect aid items at Hasansham camp, Iraq, January 23 2017. They had fled militant held west Mosul three days before by crossing the Tigris River at night in a small wooden boat.  UNHCR/Ivor Prickett

HASANSHAM, Iraq  When Ahmads* family learned yesterday the Iraqi government had launched a military operation focusing on western Mosul, where they remain trapped under the rule of armed groups, they risked their lives by climbing onto the roof of their house to get the mobile reception to call him.

My family are happy to learn of the offensive, but also very worried, said Ahmad, 25, speaking from the UNHCR-run Hasansham camp 40 kilometres east of Mosul, where he fled last month. They'll be in the middle of the fighting. There's no way out for them.

During last nights phone call, his relatives in the west told Ahmad that members of the extremist group who control west Mosul were walking the streets with loudspeakers, urging local residents to come out and fight with them.

They are saying if you dont come out and fight with us, we will rape your women, kill your men and humiliate you, he said. Those caught using mobile phones in areas controlled by armed groups could face extreme punishment, even death.

"My family ... will be in the middle of the fighting. There's no way out for them."

It is predicted that up to 250,000 people could be displaced by the fighting for control of the densely-populated west of the city. Almost 217,000 have fled their homes since the start of the Mosul offensive on October 17, and around 160,000 remain displaced, while the rest have returned to their homes in newly liberated areas in eastern Mosul.

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is focusing its efforts on camp construction to cope with any fresh exodus. It currently has eight camps open or completed, another under construction, and plans to start work at a new site (Hamam Al Alil), south of west Mosul. There is also spare capacity for more than 27,000 people in existing camps run or supported by UNHCR to the east of Mosul.

With the predicted exodus of up to a quarter of a million people, it will be impossible to accommodate such large numbers on existing land. We have identified other land that could be used as camps once frontlines shift, UNHCR spokesman Matthew Saltmarsh told a news briefing in Geneva on Tuesday (February 21).

Iraqi families from Mosul in the winter sun at UNHCR's Hasansham U3 camp in Iraq.  UNHCR/Caroline Gluck

Saltmarsh warned that conditions in the densely-populated west of the city are worsening, amid reported shortages of food, water, fuel and medicine. He cautioned that conditions would deteriorate still further if civilians are "not able to flee the fighting."

Ahmad, who used to run a small tea shop before fleeing the brutality he witnessed living under the control of armed groups, said winning the military offensive would only be the start.

The treasure that was Mosul is gone, he said. If Mosul is liberated  and Im optimistic it will be  if the city gets the support of the government, things can improve and get better. I hope we can go back and rebuild. As a Moslawi, I want to build my city again.

Another resident of Hasansham camp, Noor*, fled her home in the Jadidah neighbourhood of west Mosul a month ago with her husband and four children. They paid smugglers to take them across the Tigris River by boat, and stayed with family in the east of the city for 20 days before leaving once again on foot to seek safety.

"We are safe and thats the most important thing. I dont know what to think about the future."

Noor, 35, said they fled the west due to the lack of food, electricity and fuel, as well as the constant aerial bombardments. She is concerned for the safety of her relatives who stayed in the west of the city when she fled.

I spoke to them two days ago. They told me things are getting more and more expensive. A 50 kilo bag of flour costs 150,000 Iraqi dinar (US$127) when it used to cost about 20,000 dinar (US$17). A kilo of onions used to cost 500 dinar (US$0.40), now it costs 17,000 (US$14), she said.

People have started begging for food and families are going hungry. Very few people can afford these prices. They are skipping meals and maybe eat once a day; sometimes bread, sometimes lentils, Noor added.

Thank God we are here; we are safe and thats the most important thing. I dont know what to think about the future, she said. I just pray for peace. I hope this painful period will soon finish. We've been through so much.

* Names changed for protection reasons
Somali women displaced by drought and famine wait in line to collect UNHCR aid supplies at the Maajo IDP settlement in Mogadishu, Somalia in this 2011 file photo.  UNHCR/Siegfried Modola

Drought has displaced more than 135,000 people inside Somalia since November, according to data compiled by UNHCR, the Norwegian Refugee Council and community based organizations. Swift and substantial action and adequate funding are becoming urgently needed to avoid famine and a repeat of 2011, when some 250,000 people died, more than half of them aged under five years.

According to the authorities in Puntland, more than 20,000 families have moved to the Bari region. And 1,638 are in need of emergency assistance in the northern town of Galkayo.

People are leaving their homes because of the drought, rising food prices, dry weather forecasts, and ongoing insecurity and are heading for urban areas. This includes to Mogadishu and the town of Baidoa. The Government is seeking to have aid provided to people in their districts in order to avoid people making long a dangerous trip on foot in search of help.

There have been reports of deaths and illness, although these are not widespread. On Sunday, we received reports of 38 deaths due to drought-linked reasons in the Bakool region of South-Central Somalia. Medical cases include people with acute malnutrition, especially children, watery diarrhoea, and cholera. Detail is sparse.

Through an inter-agency response, UNHCR and partners are working to mitigate against a deterioration into famine. This includes tackling rising malnutrition, limiting displacement, and containing disease outbreaks and enhancing protection.

We have started helping the displaced in the worst affected areas  Puntland and Somaliland in the north, and the areas of Bay and Bakool. This includes through the provision of emergency shelter and aid items to thousands of people and through strengthened protection monitoring.

Some 1,000 aid kits are being sent to drought affected families in Mudug (Puntland), and preparations are under way to distribute 1,500 in Bari (Puntland), and truck water into areas of Somaliland. UNHCR is also providing help in shelter and distribution of aid items in Bari, Nugal (Puntland) and Sanaag (Somaliland) Galkayo and Garowe.

Drought is also pushing some to flee the country. Since the start of the year, more than 3,770 Somali new arrivals have been recorded at Melkadida in Ethiopia, and acute malnutrition has been reported in around 75 per cent of arriving child refugees. No substantial movement into Kenya has been reported so far.

The drought comes as UNHCR continues its voluntary repatriation programme for Somali refugees in Kenyas Dadaab complex, which has brought home 49,985 people since December 2014. UNHCR is informing people in the camps about the drought, but so far this does not appear to have had a major effect on returns.

UNHCR and other humanitarian organizations are better prepared to respond than in 2011, but funding needs are urgent. For JanuaryJune, US$825 million is needed, but US$100 million has been pledged.

For more information on this topic, please contact:

In Geneva, Leo Dobbs, [email protected], +41 79 883 6347

In Nairobi, Julien Navier, [email protected], +254 732 400 044
Google has revealed Windows OS vulnerabilities that Microsoft has not fixed since this was reported by a Google researcher three months ago. This is the second time that Google found a security bug via its Project Zero research wing. The first time Google disclosed a Windows bug just over a week after informing Microsoft, which found the move "disappointing" and putting users at greater risk. Last week, Google made the announcement before Microsoft can patch it only because the three-month grace period has already lapsed.

The Windows OS bug in question has something to do with the Graphics Development Interface (GDI) library. The library allows applications to utilize the graphics and formatted text on both the local printer and video display. Google researcher Mateusz Jurczyk revealed that the vulnerabilities can be easily exploited by hackers in order to fetch information from the memory. This bug can potentially affect any program that accesses the library.

The said bug is actually a part of a collection of issues discovered in March 2016. Jurczyk initial report was sent to Microsoft on June 9, 2016, and the Redmond-based giant soon released a patch by June 15, Neowin has learned. However, not all Windows OS vulnerabilities were fixed as discovered again by the Google researcher who submitted his bug report on Nov. 16, 2016.

Three months after, Microsoft has not offered any fixes, which were expected to be included in their monthly patch update. Microsoft has deviated from its monthly schedule and delayed the patch update for this month. This move has alarmed a good number of users now exposed to potential attacks. However, there is no cause to panic yet as the Windows OS bug uncovered by Google entails physical access to the host system for potential attackers to perform an exploit.

Nonetheless, Microsoft still needs to act soon to beat the development of any advanced exploits that may happen anytime. The February 14 patch was not released with Microsoft saying that they have suffered "a last minute issue," ZDNet reported. Both the February and March security patches will be released by March 15 with Windows users hoping that the Windows 10 bugs will be resolved.

Microsoft usually releases patch updates on the second Tuesday of the month dubbed as the Patch Tuesday. This is a big event at Redmond where bug fixes and security updates are rolled out to all supported devices from Windows to Office. These are essential updates to fix any Windows OS bugs and other vulnerabilities like the Windows 10 mobile bug blamed for exposing users' photos.
Tristan Bagala, a 21 year old student from the University of Georgia, is working for a US senator, travelling to France in order to work for the Catholic Church, and serving dessert to the Canadian defense minister at the Canadian Embassy during a presidential inauguration.

Aside from being a graduating student at his university where he is double majoring in political science and marketing, he is also Washington interning in the office Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb, Daily Comet reported.

Bagala is one of the three students in the same institution who is spending this semester in Washington D.C, according to The Augusta Chronicle. He said that he is working for 50 hours every week, then he goes home 2 nights weekly and have classes. And since it is already his last semester already, he said that this could be a way from him to possibly transition into a job but is still unsure if that is his path.

Bagala finds his experiences in the nation's capitol eye opening and informative, because it takes a lot to make sure everything is in order, he says. He describes that even a simple and short interview with a senator that you can watch on the news will have to require 15 to 20 people to make it happen.

Bagala enjoys a full scholarship as a Chambliss Fellow in UGA, and not only that. He also is entitled for a travel stipend for educational trips. He used to study at Oxford during his college career, then worked for the archdiocese in Tours, France. He is also soon going to Japan for two weeks to pay a visit to Buddhist Temples and enjoy his time in Tokyo Disneyland. All these are things that Bagala worked really hard for the moment that he entered school.
Melinda Gates is not only the co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. She is also an American businesswoman and philanthropist that worked at Microsoft. But she confesses that she almost left the company because of it being a male dominated environment.

Which is why Melinda Gates is pushing for diversity in the tech industry. More and more people are pushing women and young women to join the STEM world. And Melinda Gates is doing the same thing because she admits that she knows the problems women face in the tech work force.x

Melinda French, which is her maiden name, is a valedictorian from Ursuline Academy of Dallas. She attended Duke University and earned her bachelor's degree in computer science and economics. She receive her MBA from Duke's Fuqua School of Business thereafter. She then joined Microsoft and worked on projects such as Publisher, Expedia, Encarta and Microsoft Bob.

Now, Melinda Gates sits down with Seattle Times and cites her experience with Microsoft back in 1987. She loved the work she did with Microsoft at the time but disliked the bitter male dominated culture. She almost left but she did not. Instead, she pushed for diversity. Now, she is pushing women to have interest and access to the STEM field. Microsoft has rewarding tech jobs that can also be offered to women.

She believes that a diverse team means better products, as reported by On MSFT. Now, as Melinda Gates works on the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, she is working on raising awareness and helping in zeroing out issues concerning poor women in developing and poor countries, and also in the United States.

Melinda Gates challenges other companies to look at their team and ask how many women are in it. She stresses that if it is less than two, that is too few.

Watch the TIME video clip below where Melinda Gates talks about how women doubt themselves:
Artificial intelligence is present in many forms these days. AI can be found in smart phones and even in factories. Now, it is taking on a different approach.

Artificial intelligence is now found in an IBM imaging system that can one day help diagnose and predict certain diseases. Using anonymous health data, an artificially-intelligent IBM imaging system, with the help of Froedtert and The Medical College of Wisconsin, the IBM Watson Health medical imaging collaborative is formed. Froedtert and The Medical College of Wisconsin will provide the data that is going to train the AI.

The group is also joined by seven other organizations, such as the University of Michigan, Strategic Radiology, University of Virginia Health system, Pacific Radiology Group, Sutter Health and IDx LLC, as reported by Biz Times.

The imaging collaborative team moves forward to address the world's health challenges. They are set to train the imaging system with medical reports and patient information. Using this database, the system can flag high risk patients and assist in working towards a solution.

According to Kathy Sieja, the Froedtert & MCW spokeswoman, artificial intelligence is a tool that can address the shortage of health care providers. The whole process hopes that the provided data will help train the AI to quickly assess the patient's medical history and provide potential diagnoses.

Reports indicate that the IBM Watson imaging system is not yet ready for actual use but doctors are impressed with the new technology, as reported by Engadget. In their reports, there is a 90 percent accuracy when it comes to supporting lung cancer treatment decisions. But the team behind this artificial intelligence system stresses that there is still more work to be done to make it useful in the real world.

Working with scientists, businesses, researchers and governments, IBM Watson Health aims to solve the biggest health care challenges in the world.

Watch the video clip below of IBM Watson discussing the Power of Artificial Intelligence:
NASA will hold a Wednesday press conference to announce a new discovery. The discovery is described to be beyond our own solar system.

Those attending the NASA press conference this Wednesday speculate that this involves the discovery of planets that can sustain human life. However, NASA did not provide such details. Instead, the presentation is reportedly going to feature exoplanets.

Exoplanets are planets that orbit a star, other than the Sun. Astronomers have been studying these planets to figure out if life can exist beyond the solar system, as reported by Telegraph. NASA has recorded dozens of exoplanets that have similar distances like the the Earth has to the Sun.

It is not clear if NASA is going to expose knowledge of new habitable planets. But during an earlier press conference, the space agency announced discovery of over a thousand planets. Nine of those are found to be habitable.

According to Paul Hertz, the NASA director of the Astrophysics Division, says that man questions if he is indeed alone in the universe. Hertz explains that looking at exoplanets can help answer that question.

But many still feel that NASA's announcement and Hertz's statement is a tad cryptic, as reported by Daily Star. Reports speculate that NASA is going to feature planets that could harbour alien life.

While NASA is busy looking to the universe for answers, geniuses like Elon Musk are busy building rockets that can bring mankind to the Moon and Mars, commercially, one day. Especially that he is looking at Mars to become a place of residence for humans. With SpaceX pushing for a 2020 Mars Mission and leading rockets to orbit and send supplies to the Moon, Musk has his hands full.

Watch out for NASA's press conference which will happen at 1:00 p.m. EST on Wednesday on NASA's TV station and official website.

In the meantime, watch the NASA clip below where SpaceX Launches tenth cargo mission to the International Space Station:
Milo Yiannopoulos is a known British journalist, author and editor fro Breitbart News. He is famous for his high opinions and polarizing stands on certain arenas, especially in the political field.

Milo Yiannopoulos has been a speaker at various colleges and universities, such as the California Polytechnic State University and on the University of California campus in Berkeley. But his attendance has always been met with controversy and protests.

Now, the right-wing speaker's publisher has reportedly dropped his book "Dangerous" because it is a subject of intense controversy, as reported by the Chicago Tribune. But Milo Yiannopoulos insists that the book should be back on the shelves. The drop of the book happened after his publisher was not invited to this year's CPAC.

The CPAC, a conservative US conference, is described to be a forum for controversies and disagreements but explains that Milo Yiannopoulos' thoughts in his books do not have room in the forum. Yiannopoulos explains that he is guilty of imprecise language but he insists that he does not turn a blind eye to the evils of the world, as reported by NBC News.

Regardless of his confessions, Milo Yiannopoulos is still met with demonstrators in university campuses and school institutions. Schools are previously forced to cancel his speaking appearances because of the intense scrutiny and demonstrations the students are displaying prior to his visit.

While schools are extending invitations with the knowledge that free speech on campuses is open to all, Milo Yiannopoulos' branding has forced schools to rescind invites. The CPAC also rescinds its invite.

His fame has brought him a new title. The BBC writes that Milo Yiannopoulos calls himself the "most fabulous super villain on the internet." Now, as the CPAC finds his explanation insufficient, they want him to immediately further address the controversial comments.

Watch the clip below where ABC News looks into Milo Yiannopoulos' speech cancellations and riots:
University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill has high hopes in predicting which babies are going to be high-risk. Previously, University of Minnesota researchers are also looking into which babies would later feature autism spectrum order.

The University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill researchers are also looking into the same study using an MRI to image the brains of infants. The results and images from the MRI tests can create brain measurements and computer algorithms that can predict autism before behavioral symptoms sets.

Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in babies with older siblings diagnosed with autism, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill researchers are able to predict 80 percent of infants who would later exhibit autistic signs at two years old, as reported by Science Daily.

Joseph Piven MD, a senior author from the Thomas E. Castelloe Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, says that brain bio markers can prove to be very useful in identifying autism development.

Currently, studies can only pinpoint the development of autism between two and three years old because of the behavioral symptoms being exhibited. By that time it would be too late because the brain has already changed substantially. With this research in place, the study could help diagnose early autism in babies with less than two years of age. This new insight is promising as it would lead to earlier management of the disorder and categorize infants in a high risk pool, as reported by Seattle PI.

University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and University of Minnesota are not the only teams who are focused on this study. This research project included other researchers from other clinical sites such as the University of Washington, Washington University in St. Louis, and The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Other key collaborators are McGill University, the University of Alberta,, the College of Charleston, and New York University.

In the meantime, watch The National's clip below as autism studies aim to crack down on autism:
Oxford University has negated the claims that it is considering breaking its century-old tradition and open its first foreign campus in response to the UK leaving the European Union.

The British university told CNBC last Monday that they have received a number of "constructive and helpful proposals" from their colleagues but decided not to pursue the model of having a campus overseas. They were told that in the prospect of having Oxford in Paris, the campus will automatically obtain French legal status and will continue to receive the security EU funding after the Brexit, according to Independent. However, the university has finally come to a decision and they are not pushing for the French campus.

British universities are currently receiving about $1.5 billion a year from the EU research funding. Jean-Michel Blanquer, the former director-general of the French ministry for education and incumbent President of ESSEC Business School, part of the Universite of Paris Seine network, explained that the British universities today are focused on preserving the relationships they have established with their partners in Europe and this is the reason why they have chosen this action so as to give them the opportunity for growth and development together with them.

Oxford University currently joins and participates in a number of international alliances together with the other leading universities but it does not have any school overseas, and they said that it is not going to change despite the new proposals.

Meanwhile, other UK universities have welcomed the plans and the University of Warwick is currently in discussion with the French officials. In fact, the university said that they were interested about the proposals and are looking forward to hear how those plans will evolve and how they might involve more partner universities in Europe.
A lot of people were surprised when Betsy DeVos got appointed as the Education Secretary. DeVos herself admitted her astonishment when she was told of the possibility of leading the Department of Education.

In an interview with Axios, DeVos revealed that she had never thought about someday being with the Department of Education. She recalled that, a day after the election, a colleague sent her an email and asked if she ever thought about becoming Secretary of Education.

Betsy DeVos admitted that she was not able to send a response before talking to her husband, Dick. She replied after a day, saying that she had never thought about it but that she would consider it if the opportunity presented itself.

The Education Secretary also confessed that she got excited for the job after she found out that President Donald Trump's views on education and its policies were "very aligned" with hers. Apparently, both of them see that several students are not being served well by four-year college degrees. Instead, they aim to promote vocational training to equip students for work and reduce student debt.

DeVos claimed that the first measurement of success for the Department of Education would be the success in implementing the Every Student Succeeds Act. This program reduces the federal government's part in education but she added that it was still too early to state specific numerical goals.

She was confirmed as the Secretary of Education earlier this month after a 50-50 vote on the U.S. Senate prompted Vice-President Mike Pence to cast a tie-breaking vote, according to NBC News. She was the sixth Cabinet appointment of President Trump.

Betsy DeVos was recently slammed for criticizing teachers at Jefferson Academy, where she was barred by protesters from entering last Feb. 1. She said that the teachers were on "receive mode" and were just waiting to be told what to do.

The JFA teachers took to Twitter to slam DeVos for her comments. They proved the real meaning of "receive mode" when they get students at a second-grade level and help them move to an eighth-grade level.
Daniel Ramirez, a DREAMer who was arrested last week even while being protected by the DACA program, was denied released by a federal judge. This comes after President Donald Trump's immigration ban and the crackdown that followed.

TIME reported that a federal magistrate refused to release Ramirez, who was arrested by immigration agents last week. Ramirez is a DREAMer or someone who is protected by the DREAM (Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors) Act under the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) program.

Ramirez was threatened with deportation and detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Feb. 10 in Seattle. A lawsuit was filed on Monday since Ramirez should have been protected by the DACA program.

ICE officials claimed that Daniel Ramirez was a "self-admitted gang member." They added that his detention was due to him being a "risk to public safety."

Ramirez's arrest comes as concerns over the safety of undocumented immigrants, especially students, under President Trump escalates. There are also worries that the current administration may start targeting thousands of immigrants who were considered low priorities for deportation under the previous presidency.

The U.S. Justice Department said on Thursday that there was "no legal basis" for the district court to deliberate any challenge on Daniel Ramirez's detention. This is due, in part, to his pending case in the immigration court.

According to The Associated Press, the Department of Justice confirmed that Medina was arrested because of being a gang member. Ramirez was said to have stated that he was no longer involved with any gang activity, implying that he was involved before.

He also added that he hung out with members of the Surenos gang in California as well as with gang members in Washington state. The court document revealed that Ramirez arrived in the United States at seven years old with his father.

Daniel Ramirez Medina's lawyer Mark Rosenbaum called out the documents, saying that it is a "blatant falsehood" and that it only serves to defame the DREAMer.
Kentucky State University's search for a new president has been filled with controversy and criticism. The issue stems from the list of final candidates that the institution has announced last week.

Diverse Education reported that the search committee excluded Kentucky State University's interim president in the list of finalists that they recommended for the role. This led to complaints and criticisms from the faculty senate.

Several people from the university's staff senate as well as state lawmakers questioned the qualifications of the candidates. KSU officials refused to comment on the presidential search issue.

The school's interim president, Aaron Thompson, and acting provost Candace Love Jackson were also unable to comment on the issue. They were both out of the state last week.

The protest surrounding the list of finalists began about two weeks ago. This was when the KSU Board of Regents' five-member Presidential Search Committee voted three to two in favor of accepting the three final candidates from its consultant, Academic Search, which is based in Washington, D.C. The two who voted against the list said that they were not provided with the background information of the candidates.

Two candidates, M. Christopher Brown and Said Sewell, have higher education experience but also had questionable past service. Oklahoma judge Thomas Colbert has had less than two years' experience in higher education when he served as an assistant dean in a university law school.

It was also noted that Kentucky State University paid Academic Search $125,000 for the list of finalists. Meanwhile, according to the Lexington Herald Leader, the school's faculty was told last week to stop discussing the presidential search in their classes.

Provost Jackson has said that some students complained about how some teachers discussed the search in class. In an email, the class discussions about the issue were described as "unacceptable" and "inappropriate."

Elaine Farris, chair of the academic affairs committee, noted that it is important that teachers keep the focus on teaching and learning in class. However, she did acknowledge that they did not want to trespass upon the faculty members' academic freedom.
The University of Washington will be launching a course that aims to help students think critically about big data. It is expected to facilitate the development of students' analyzing skills.

Stat News reported that two professors from the University of Washington have developed a new course that is intended to help students see alternative facts and fake news with a critical eye. The course is entitled "Calling Bullshit In the Age of Big Data."

The official website of the class was launched last month and has become quite popular. Carl Bergstrom, a biologist and one of the professors who helped create the course, said that they had 20,000 visitors, several emails and even got book offers the morning after the website went online.

His teaching partner is assistant professor in UW's Information School, Jevin West. Both of them are longtime scientific collaborators and have invested years in investigating inflated claims, manipulated algorithms as well as twisted interpretations.

The course will initially be a 1-credit seminar this spring. There are already plans to expand it to a 3- or 4-credit course for the next school year. It is expected that students will be able to remain vigilant and know how to discern fake news or data from information fed to them.

The professors also expect students to be able to figure out why certain information is inaccurate or fake and be able to provide a technical explanation for it. Moreover, they expect the skills that students gain from this course to be the "most useful and most broadly applicable" out of everything they learned in college.

Speaking to Recode, West said that he and Bergstorm believe that science may be a bit at risk because of inaccurate information being provided by the media. They saw that methods of statistics intended for smaller data sets were being applied to big data sets, which makes it easy to manipulate a correlation that is not always accurate.
The Origami concept has been used to make the bulletproof Kevlar shield that expands in seconds and withstands bullets from even a .44 Magnum pistol. Engineers at Utah's Brigham Young University were motivated to develop the technology that could potentially save man lives. The Kevlar shield is designed for law enforcers but has the can be used to protect anyone like schoolchildren caught in a firefight.

BYU engineers have long been referring to the Origami concept for various applications. They have worked with NASA in creating deployable systems with unique features. One, it should be compact enough for launch and another, it could expand in space for optimal usage. The Japanese art of folding paper has also had surgical applications where powerful devices can be inserted in the tiniest incision to perform a complicated task.

However, this will be the first time that BYU engineers will work on a certain kind of barrier like the bulletproof Kevlar shield that can ultimately save lives, the primary motivation of both professors and students. The Compliant Mechanism Research Group of BYU developed the bulletproof Kevlar shield, which is a freestanding barrier that can be erected within seconds. It is made of 12 layers of Kevlar that are bound together by a thin aluminum core in the middle. It is inspired by the Origami fold pattern known as the Yoshimura.

It is specially designed to have a curved shape that is big enough for two to three law enforcers protected not only in front but also on the sides, Digital Trends reported. During testing, BYU engineers assaulted the bulletproof Kevlar shield with several rounds from common handguns. The shield was able to stop bullets from handguns like the 9mm, .357 Magnum and even the big .44 Magnum pistols, Phys.Org reported. Moreover, the device is lightweight and easily transported in the trunk of the car.

It is unlike other existing products, which are heavy at 90 pounds, require being held and have a flat design offering minimal protection. However, it is the concept behind the Origami-inspired bulletproof Kevlar shield that excites BYU engineers for it could have the potential to save more lives not just those of police officers. It can be used in school buildings to protect students in cases of shooting. This is why BYU engineers have already mapped out their next step, which is to further improve the shield and the process behind it for easy manufacturing.
The Times Higher Education has created its list once again for the year 2017 regarding the best universities around the world. THE used 13 indicators to choose which among the 300 universities from 41 countries. Here are the Top 7 universities from emerging economies around the world.

Peking University

Considered as the first modern university established in China and was originally named the Imperial University of Peking. Founded in 1898, it has educated some of China's leaders including Mao Zedong and writer Lu Xun.

Tsinghua University

Founded in 1911, Tsinghua University has consistently been one of the top universities in China along with Peking University. Ranked 18th by THE, it has one of the strongest scientific and research programs in mainland China with more than 1400 projects every year.

Lomonosov Moscow State University

This coeducational research university located in Moscow takes the third spot in the Top 7 universities from emerging countries. This academic institution has a total of 6,000 professors and lecturers and another 5000 researchers.

Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Originally named Nanyang Public School, Shanghai Jiao Tong University was established in 1886. The university has a total of 62 undergraduate programs in 9 disciplines and 37 doctorate degree programs in 8 disciplines. It has 29 schools, 13 hospitals, and 25 directly-affiliated institutions.

University of the Witwaterstrand

Wits University, as it often refers to itself, is a multi-campus South African university located in Johannesburg. Wits has more than 350 National Research Foundation-rated researchers as well as 22 South African Research Initiative chairpersons. It also has 13 large research institutions that receive funding from external sources.

Zhejiang University

Taking the sixth spot in the Top 7 universities from emerging economies is Zhejiang University, which was founded in 1897. Zhejian University is an amalgamation of four academic institutions - Zhejiang, Hangzhou University, Zhejiang Agricultural University, and Zhejiang Medical University. In 1998, it became a comprehensive university comprising of 7 universities, 9 research institutes, 25 departments, and a research center with the approval of the State Council.

National Taiwan University

To complete the Top 7 universities from emerging economies is the Taiwan University located in Taipei, Taiwan. The university was founded by the Japanese in 1928 and originally named the Taihoku Imperial University. At present, the university has a total of 100 graduate institutes, 54 departments, and 25 research centers.
Penns David and Lyn Silfen University Forum: February 28: A Formidable Foe: Cancer in the 21st Century Penn President Amy Gutmann, with the Vice President of the United States Joe Biden at the January 15 formal launch for the Cancer Moonshot Project. It has been called the emperor of all maladies. A scourge familiar to the ancient Egyptians that still elicits fear. The foe: cancer. The last century saw enormous progress in our understanding of cancer biology as well as prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Yet, while cancer mortality rates have been steadily declining in the United States, enormous challenges remain in understanding and treating cancer. The decline in cancer death rates is slowing, but some cancers still remain largely incurable. Our improved understanding of cancer has uncovered many new questions about this broad collection of diseases. Can different cancers be reclassified? Can the bodys own immune system be harnessed to aid in the fight? Are the newest treatments and technologies scalable to all cancers or are they one-hit wonders destined to help comparatively few patients? In 2016, President Barack Obama announced a new Cancer Moonshot with a goal of, in the words of Vice President Joseph Biden, fundamentally chang[ing] the trajectory of how our society and world understands and combats cancer. Americas research universities and academic medical centers are critical to this effort (Almanac January 26, 2016). On February 28, Penn President Amy Gutmann and a distinguished panel, including Mr. Biden will discuss the past, present and future of cancer research and treatment at the David and Lyn Silfen University Forum. What progress has been made in the fight against cancer? What are the most difficult questions and challenges ahead? What is the role of leading universities and academic medical centers like Penn in overturning the tyranny of this emperor of all maladies? The David and Lyn Silfen University Forum series was generously endowed by the late University Trustee David M. Silfen and his wife Lyn to foster conversation and debate regarding important contemporary issues. Dr. Gutmann will be joined by The Honorable Joseph R. Biden, Jr., 47th Vice President of the United States; Loretta Lori Alf, Penn Medicine Ambassador and patient; Otis W. Brawley, chief medical officer, American Cancer Society; Nancy E. Davidson, director, Clinical Research, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, president, American Association for Cancer Research; Carl H. June, director, Translational Research Program, Abramson Cancer Center, professor of pathology and laboratory medicine, Perelman School of Medicine. There was such a great response that tickets sold out in minutes. The University will stream the Silfen Forum live on February 28 at 4 p.m. at http://www.upenn.edu/silfenforum/webcast.html

2017-2018 Penns Financial-aid Budget and Tuition The University of Pennsylvania announced a $224 million financial-aid budget for 2017-2018the largest in the Universitys history while increasing total undergraduate charges by 3.9 percent. Since Amy Gutmann became Penns president in 2004, Penns financial-aid budget has grown by 171 percent, and the University has awarded $2 billion in undergraduate aid to a total of 17,253 students. Penn is the largest US university with a need-blind admissions policy and grant-based financial aid for undergraduates. Upon admission, Penn determines students financial need, then reduces the cost of tuition, room and board and fees through University grants and work-study jobs. These grants, made up largely from Penns funds as well as federal and state grants, do not require repayment. This current academic year, 46 percent of Penn undergraduate students received need-based grants from the University, with the average grant for students estimated at $45,368. Approaching the tenth anniversary of establishing grant-based financial aid among the highest of our priorities, Penns Ivy League education is more accessible and affordable to students with the greatest promise from all backgrounds than ever before, said Penn President Gutmann. Doubling the number of first-generation college students is just one among the many educational and societal benefits that flow from Penns doubling of financial aid and our outreach efforts, which we continually strengthen. As the first in my family to attend college, I understand the transformative impact that affordable access to high quality higher education can have. It is the single greatest gateway to economic opportunity and has an indelible impact on society. This is the enduring value fueling Penns grant-based financial aid program. Penns grant-based financial aid initiative supports the Universitys long-standing commitment to its need-blind admissions policy, which means students are accepted based on academic achievement, regardless of their ability to pay. Financial aid packages are determined based on the cost of attendance for 2017-2018, which includes tuition, fees, room and board, books, supplies, transportation and personal expenses. For 2017-2018 undergraduate tuition will increase to $47,416 from $45,556; room and board will increase to $15,066 from $14,536; and fees will increase to $6,118 from $5,908. Demonstrating Penns commitment to supporting a socio-economically diverse student body, 48 percent of aided students receiving grants in the academic year 2016-2017 were awarded more than $50,000. Most undergraduate students with a family income of less than $40,000 received grant-based aid covering the total cost of tuition, room and board and fees. Ninety-four percent of undergraduate students with a family income of $180,000 or less received grant assistance. Penns grant-based financial aid program is aligned with the inclusion goals outlined in the Penn Compact 2020 Presidential Initiatives, which include a comprehensive effort to raise additional funding for the endowment to support undergraduate financial aid as well as graduate and professional student aid. At Penn, one in eight members of the class of 2020 are first generation, up from one in 20 in 2004, reflecting success with inclusion goals. Additional information on undergraduate financial aid at Penn is available at www.sfs.upenn.edu

Penn Joins Amicus Brief Opposing Trump Administrations Executive Order on Immigration The University of Pennsylvania joined with fellow Ivy Plus and other research universities from across the country in filing an amicus brief opposing the Trump Administrations Executive Order on Immigration. The brief was filed in the United States District Court Eastern District of New York. The brief contends that the executive order impedes amicis goals of educating tomorrows leaders from around the world. Because amici seek to educate future leaders from nearly every continent, attract the worlds best scholars, faculty, and students, and work across international borders, they rely on the ability to welcome international students, faculty, and scholars into their communities. The Executive Order at issue in this case threatens that ability, and creates significant hardship for amicis valued international students, faculty, and scholars. In addition to Penn, the brief was signed by leaders of Brown University, Carnegie Mellon University, University of Chicago, Columbia University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Duke University, Emory University, Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Northwestern University, Princeton University, Stanford University, Vanderbilt University and Yale University. A link to the amicus brief can be found at https://news.upenn.edu/sites/default/files/Darweesh-university-amicus-brief-21317-FINAL-2.pdf

Fall 2016 University Research Foundation Awards In the most recent cycle, Fall 2016, of Penns internally-funded University Research Foundation, URF Conference Support (noted with *), the Office of the Vice Provost for Research has announced awards to the following members of the faculty for the projects listed below. Amada Armenta, School of Arts & Sciences, Sociology, Immigrants & Justice: Gendered Understandings of Crime and Policing Among Latino Immigrants in Philadelphia Daniel Barber, School of Design, Architecture, Climatic Effects: Architecture, Media, and the Great Acceleration Eugenie Birch, Provost Interdisciplinary Programs, Penn Institute for Urban Research, Penn IUR Undergraduate Research Colloquium UURC Hsiao-wen Cheng, School of Arts & Sciences, East Asian Religions; Knowing Women: Medicine, Popular Religion and Female Sexuality in China, 7-14th Centuries Brian Chow, School of Engineering & Applied Science, Bioengineering, Engineering artificial proteins for stimuli-responsive photoacoustic imaging contrast Mariella De Biasi, Perelman School of Medicine, Psychiatry/Neuroscience, Epigenetic regulation of gene expression following marijuana vapor delivery David Fajgenbaum, Perelman School of Medicine, Medicine, Investigating inhibition of mTOR and T-cell activation in Castleman disease *Tulia Falleti, School of Arts & Sciences, Political Science; The Future of the Left in Latin America Ian Fleishman, School of Arts & Sciences, German Language/Lit, An Aesthetics of Injury *Michael Gamer, School of Arts & Sciences, English, Gothic States: a Conference *Marybeth Gasman, Graduate School of Education, Higher Education Division, Teaching the Liberal Arts to Diverse Students Sarah Guerin, School of Arts & Sciences, History of Art, Caravans of Gold, Fragments in Time: Art, Culture, and Trans-Saharan Trade *Raffaella Giannetto, School of Design, Landscape Architecture, Ethics and Aesthetics of the Cultural Landscape Reto Giere, School of Arts & Sciences, Earth and Environmental Science, The Energy-Food-Water Nexus- A Grand Challenge of our Time Maria Golson, Perelman School of Medicine, Genetics, Regulation of Mature Beta-Cell Function by the Transcription Factor FoxM1 *Sara Heller, School of Arts & Sciences, Criminology, Transatlantic Workshop on the Economics of Crime *Yasmin Kafai, Graduate School of Education, Teaching, Learning, and Leadership Division, Bio Design in K-12 Education Ayako Kano, School of Arts & Sciences, East Asian Languages and Civilizations, War, Sex, and Belonging: Analyzing Adaptation of Modern Japanese Fiction to Film *Justin Khoury, School of Arts & Sciences, Physics, New Frontiers in Cosmology and String Theory Annette Lareau, School of Arts & Sciences, Sociology, Individuals of High Net Worth: Challenges and Opportunities in Family Life Jennifer Sternad Ponce de Leon, School of Arts & Sciences, English, Politically Engaged and Extra-disciplinary Art in Argentina, 1998-Present Marsha Lester, School of Arts & Sciences, Chemistry, Spectroscopy and Dynamics of Reaction Intermediates Chunsheng Li, Perelman School of Medicine, Obstetrics/Gynecology, Novel Shikonin-loaded smart nanoparticle for targeting CD248-positive carcinoma and sarcoma *Terri Lipman, School of Nursing, Family and Community Health; Community/Academic Partnerships to Increase Activity in Youth and their Families *Heather Love, School of Arts & Sciences, English, Disability Studies: A History Timothy Lucas, Perelman School of Medicine, Neurosurgery, An actuated, high density neuroprosthetic interface Steven Marcus, School of Social Policy & Practice, A pilot study to identify factors that interrupt suicide plans Mark Neuman, Perelman School of Medicine, Anesthesiology, Pilot of Peer Engagement for Enhancing Recovery after Surgery Study E. James Petersson, School of Arts & Sciences, Chemistry, Toward a Molecular Mechanism of Secondary Tau Fibril Seeding in Neurodegenerative Disease *Jean-Michel Rabate, School of Arts & Sciences, English, Ezra Pound Among the Taurians: A Public Lecture Megan Ryerson, School of Design, City and Regional Planning, Flying the Urban Airways: The design of freight delivery and emergency response urban airways for Unmanned Aerial Systems *Daniel Singer, School of Arts & Sciences, Philosophy, Penn-Rutgers-Princeton Social Epistemology Workshop Andrew Tsourkas, School of Engineering & Applied Science, Bioengineering, Multi-pronged approach for the treatment of glioblastoma Related: University Research Foundation Applications: March 23

University Research Foundation Applications: March 23 The University Research Foundation (URF) is now accepting applications for the March 23 deadline. The URF is an intramural program that provides three funding mechanisms: Research Grants and Conference Support, Impact Seminar Grants and Research Opportunity Development Grants. URF Research Grants and Conference Support provides up to $50,000 in project support and up to $3,000 for conference support. Its objectives are to:  help junior faculty undertake pilot projects that will enable them to successfully apply for extramural sources of funding and aid in establishing their careers as independent investigators;  help established faculty perform novel, pioneering research to determine project feasibility and develop preliminary data to support extramural grant applications;  provide support in disciplines where extramural support is difficult to obtain and where significant research can be facilitated with internal funding; and  provide limited institutional matching funds that are required as part of a successful external peer-reviewed application. URF Impact Seminar Grants will make awards up to $20,000 for support for a cross-school, cross-disciplinary large scale event to be held on Penns campus within a year of the award. Funding for this award can be used to augment an already scheduled University event. The eventwhich can be a symposium, forum or conferenceshould occur over one to two days and be open to the entire Penn community. It should highlight the scholarship of Penn faculty and bring distinguished scholars to Penns campus, with a particular focus on the Universitys distinguishing strength in integrating knowledge. Documented school and/or department matching funds are required. URF Research Opportunity Development Grants (RODG) The Research Opportunity Development Grant program (Phase 1 and Phase 2) was designed to facilitate the intersection of the forward trajectory of Penns research frontiers with the trajectory of the national and global research priorities. RODG applications should map onto emerging research areas with new opportunities for support. Awards from these programs should be used to develop preliminary information and data for new applications in these emerging research areas. The two programs are described here. Research Opportunity Development Grants: Phase 1 With an identified new research area in mind, Phase 1 grants enable a team to articulate the research focus, map Penns intellectual assets in the new area, coalesce the appropriate group of scholars, identify Penns potential contributions in the area in the context of national and international research initiatives and identify a funding target. Typically a Phase 1 proposal would lead to a Phase 2 application. In addition, special attention will be paid to project proposals that include mentorship of Penn undergraduates. Applications up to $10,000 will be considered. Research Opportunity Development Grants: Phase 2 Phase 2 grants offer extensive support for up to two years to enable specific outcomes in support of a center or group proposal to an external funding organization. Activities include research workshops, preliminary studies, networking in the relevant research community, etc. Specific outcomes are expected. Documented matching department and/or school funds will be considered positively. In addition, special attention will be paid to project proposals that include mentorship of Penn undergraduates. Applications with requests between $50,000 to $200,000 will be considered. Note: Phase 2 grants are not intended to support the development of proposals that respond to regular solicitations such as those for NIH RO1 grants or NSF Division programs. Disciplines for all award programs: Biomedical Sciences, Humanities, Natural Sciences and Engineering, Social Science and Management. Undergraduate Participation: As part of the Universitys commitment to providing research opportunities to scholars across our campus community, URF applicants are encouraged to include undergraduate student participants within the framework of their proposals. Budget: Each URF program has separate budget requirements. Eligibility for all award programs: Eligibility is limited to Penn assistant, associate and full professors in any track. Instructors and research associates must provide a letter from their department chair establishing that the applicant will receive an appointment as an assistant professor by the time of the award. Assistant professors must submit a letter from their department chair describing their research independence. Adjunct faculty are not eligible to apply. Awards must be expended on University of Pennsylvania facilities, equipment and/or associated University technical staff and undergraduate students. Note: Proposals from faculty who have received awards from the University Research Foundation in the past three cycles will be less competitive. Detailed information including application materials can be found at http://www.upenn.edu/research/smarts/university_research_foundation/ Related: Fall 2016 University Research Foundation Awards
A deserted area in Zone No.69 of the Bu op agro- forestry farm in Binh Phuoc Province where most of the woods have been exploited.-VNA/VNS Photo

The apology was delivered by Nguyen Van Tram, chairman of the provincial peoples Committee at a meeting with a working group led by Mai Tien Dung, Minister and head of the Government Office yesterday.

Tram attributed the shortage of forest rangers to ineffective forest management, adding that each ranger was responsible for 700ha of forest.

Nguyen Van Loi, the provinces Party Secretary, admitted shortcomings in forest protection work.

He has promised to clarify the responsibilities of relevant officials and take drastic measures to overcome shortcomings.

Addressing the meeting, Dung said the provincial authorities did not follow an order by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc last June to close natural forests nationwide.

Specifically, hundreds of ha of natural forest area had its designated use changed illegally, he said.

Dung asked provincial authorities to strictly implement the Prime Ministers instructions on forest protection.

"The natural forest should be closed and shifting from so called "poor" forest which means forest suffering exhaustion for other purposes should be considered carefully," he said.

The Ministry of Public Securitys Environmental Crime Police Department in August last year detected various violations by provincial authorities relating to turning over 575 ha of forest into land for husbandry and cultivation.

The project was later suspended.

According to the department, provincial authorities granted a licence to an enterprise exploiting the natural forest without compiling a report on the environmental impact.

The provincial authorities violated regulations on forestation when allowing Song Be Rubber Company to exploit the natural forest before the projects approval.

Binh Phuoc Provinces Department of Agriculture and Rural Development also erred when granting a license to an enterprise that was not authorised to perform husbandry.
illustration photo

Top global producers, such as Orion, Nestle, and Mondelez, are discovering the country as a precious production hub, but more importantly, as a dynamic consumer market with great potential for growth.

According to the summary of the December 2016 report by Euromonitor available on the market research companys website, over the review period, the rising consumer awareness of health and wellness had a consistently negative effect on demand for sugar confectionery.

In terms of prospects, the import taxes applied to sugar confectionery imported into Vietnam from other Asian countries, such as Thailand and South Korea, are expected to continue decreasing over the forecast period, based on trade agreements recently signed by the Vietnamese government.

This is set to result in further increases in the number of international players, which is set to result in harsher competition. In sugar confectionery, local players are expected to face the threat of losing ground to foreign rivals.

Mondelez International

At a colossal VND11.6 trillion ($534 million) deal, global confectionery powerhouse Mondelez International acquired an 80 per cent stake in Kinh Do Corporations snack business, setting up the Mondelez Kinh Do brand on July 15, 2015.

The acquisition was seen as a means for Mondelez to strengthen its route to its Asia-Pacific markets and set foot in Vietnam. The business has a combined portfolio of Kinh Do mooncakes, Cosy buscuits, and Solite soft cakes, in addition to AFC crackers, Oreo cookies, Ritz crackers, and Cadbury chocolate products.

In its 2015 annual report, Modelez recorded $128 million in incremental net revenue from its Vietnamese acquisition, against a $29,636 million total net revenue. Considering its new Vietnamese operations only started in July of the year, these numbers were seen as encouraging.

Orion Corporation

Another powerhouse, Korean confectionery manufacturer Orion, best known for the brand Choco Pie, reported a record operating profit last year. The companys operating profit rose by 9 per cent on-year, to KRW326.2 billion ($283.6 million).

As reported by newswire Korea JoongAng Daily, the groups Vietnamese operation posted an impressive 24.1 per cent growth in 2016, surpassing the KRW200 billion ($173,900) threshold in sales, for the first time since Orion entered Vietnam.

According to the 2016 Investor Relation presentation, in Vietnam Orion has a 100 per cent owned subsidiary named Orion Food Vina. Between 2011 and 2015, the companys revenue from the Vietnamese market saw a compounded annual growth rate of 11 per cent.

According to the companys report on spin-off and stock split released in late 2016, in Vietnam the company plans aggressive market expansion, aiming for Vietnam to be the bridgehead of its expansion in Southeast Asia.

Lotte

Lotte, the leading confectioner in Japan and South Korea, now has one factory in the southern province of Binh Duong. Established in 1998, the factory produces chewing gums and chocolate products.

Not only expanding the sales of its own products in Vietnam, starting in 2013 the company has made headlines for its dramatic attempts at swallowing Vietnamese confectioner Bibica (HoSE: BBC).

In 2007, Bibica sold 30 per cent to Lotte. Then Lotte kept buying into Bibica and raising the holding to 43.56 per cent as of the end of 2013. Counterweight asset management company SSIAM under SSI and related companies held a total 40 per cent.

In September 2014, Lotte increased its ownership to 44.03 per cent. SSIAM and related companies sold their holding to PAN Food.

As of the end of 2016, Lotte Confectionery Co., Ltd. held 44.03 per cent of Bibica, being the biggest shareholder in the company, followed closely by PAN Food (42.25 per cent).

Lotte wants Bibica to produce Lotte-branded products, such as Lotte-Pie. Meanwhile, PAN wants Bibica to grow its own brands. Deputy chairman Truong Phu Chien, for multiple times, has told local media that Lottes target does not align with Bibica, and that Bibica wanted to work with PAN food more.

Perfetti Van Melle

Perfetti Van Melle started construction of a factory in Vietnam in 2006 and the second one in 2007. According to Euromonitor, Perfetti Van Melle Vietnam Ltd. continued to lead in terms of sales of sugar confectionery in 2016, accounting for 14 per cent of the total sales value during the year. The companys leading position can be attributed mainly to its diverse product portfolio, which includes the Mentos, Alpenliebe, and Golia brands.

In addition, the company registered a slight increase in its share value in the sugar confectionery category between 2014 and 2016. The company has continuously expanded its distribution network across the country, actively conducting promotional activities.
One obvious example of this statement must be the Grilled Mullet Fish Wrapped in Lotus Leaves in Dong Thap.

Even though it has just been invented recently, this delicious dish has attracted many visitors from other parts of country to Dong Thap. The grilled mullet fishes are grilled, wrapped in lotus leaves and dipped in tamarind sauce.

The mullet fishes used in this recipe can be caught in many ponds or springs throughout the province. Each of the fish only weighs about 5 kg.

Unlike that of mullet fishes raised in the city, the body of natural mullet fishes is firm and slim. Therefore, the meat of those fishes is very chewy, sweet, and bones-free!

Right after they are caught, the fishes are washed and grilled on red coal. We have to pay great attention when grilling, otherwise the fishes will be burnt. A well-grilled fish has a tempting yellow color; its skin still remains, covering the fragrant and white meat inside.

After separating the grilled fish into two halves and putting them on the dish, we dust crumple nuts and pour the special sauce on top. Made solely from oil and onion, this sauce will enhance the smell of the dish.

The grilled mullet fishes are served with lotus leaves and tamarind sauce. The procedure to eat this dish is somehow similar to that of summer rolls. However, instead of using rice paper, you use lotus leaves to wrap around the fish and fresh herbs.

Last, never and never forget to dip the fish in tamarind sauce. This wonderful tropical sauce will make eating this dish an unforgettable experience for you!
The HCMC leadership last Friday had two meetings with the municipal transport department and relevant agencies on the traffic situation and the progress of traffic infrastructure projects citywide.

HCMC Vice Chairman Le Van Khoa told the transport department not to let public passenger transport go down as last year.

From now until June, the congestion-prone points should be resolved.

To address congestion in Tan Son Nhat airport area, the HCMC Department of Transport in cooperation with aviation authorities should make it possible for passengers to check in somewhere outside the airport terminal.

When the procedures are done, passengers could be transferred to the airport by bus, thus reducing traffic on Truong Son Street and other nearby roads to the airport.

On the same day, HCMC Chairman Nguyen Thanh Phong chaired a meeting to review traffic safety in 2016 and discuss tasks for 2017.

He said the responsibility of leaders was important to solving traffic problems in their districts.

Tran Quang Lam, deputy director of the HCMC Department of Transport, reported there were 37 locations still prone to traffic congestion in the city.

In 2017, the department will focus on dealing with these congestion-prone points with multiple solutions.

However, Lam believed only 18 points would be addressed this year, while the remaining 19 must wait for the completion of the ongoing traffic works.

Huynh Trung Phong, head of the HCMC Road and Railway Traffic Police Department, said that to solve those 37 congestion-prone sites, specific assignments have been given to traffic police, ward police and youth volunteers.

From 2017 onwards, traffic police will boost the application of technology to impose sanctions, especially via surveillance camera systems, Phong said.

Regarding the encroachment on pavements and roadways, after two inspections by the transport department before and after the Lunar New Year, the situation has not improved much.

Nguyen Ngoc Tuong, deputy head of the HCMC Traffic Safety Committee, said: Because district authorities are not determined, the 159 streets registered as models (for addressing traffic congestion) in 2012 so far have not been definitely settled.

At the end of the meeting, Chairman Nguyen Thanh Phong said 2016 data showed 3,962 traffic accidents happened in the city last year, killing 805 people and injuring 3,204 others, up 208 in the number of cases, up 103 in the death toll and down 97 in the number of wounded people from 2015.

He said the HCMC Traffic Safety Committee report had identified the cause but not come up with a solution.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade has announced import quotas of 8,400; 8,820 and 9,261 cartons of eggs (a dozen each) for 2017, 2018 and 2019, respectively.-Photo vietnamplus.vn

The import quotas follow the regulations on application of tariffs rate quota under the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) for its member countries.

In addition, the import quotas for cigarettes would be 500 tonnes per year in the 2017-19 period.

The imported products have to be given certificate of origin issued by the authorised agency of EAEUs member countries. All customs clearance procedures should be implemented at border gates.

The regulation will take effect on March 14, 2017, until the end of 2019.

Last year, the quotas for eggs and cigarettes from EAEUs members were 8,000 cartons and 500 tonnes, respectively.
Participants at the groundbreaking ceremony of the new social housing project built in the Phuoc Long new urban area in the central coastal Khanh Hoa Provinces Nha Trang City.-Photo baoxaydung.com.vn

The project spans an area of 1.8ha in the Phuoc Long new urban area, comprising of three 10-storey apartment buildings. Each apartment has an area of 59-66sq.m.

HUD, under the Ministry of Construction, is waiting for the provincial Peoples Committees approval for the pricing plan of the project, with the average price of an apartment under VND9.5 million per sq.m.

Located in the west of the city, the project is connected to regional residential areas, factories, universities, attracting a large number of citizens, students and workers who have high demand for affordable housing, especially housing with an average price that is below VND10 million per sq.m.

At the projects groundbreaking ceremony, Deputy Minister of Construction Bui Pham Khanh said the project, once completed, would meet the demand for housing of poor and low-income households currently living in Nha Trang City, creating favorable conditions for them to improve their living standards.

The Ministry of Construction has asked HUD to focus on the management of the projects construction and quality and make ensure citizens get their new houses as scheduled.

According to Dao Cong Thien, vice chairman of the provincial Peoples Committee, from now until 2020, Khanh Hoa needs 15,000 affordable apartments and, so far, it has implemented a total of 11 affordable housing projects with 5,733 apartments.

Although the price, fluctuating at some VND9 million per sq.m. seems reasonable, but in total, people have to spend VND600 million to buy a 60 to 70sq.m. house, which may still be a strain for them. Therefore, investors, in the future, should consider building smaller apartments, such as from 30 to 40sq.m, to meet the demands of people from lower income groups," Thien said.

Thien added that Khanh Hoa Province will create favourable conditions for investors and solve any problems related to project development.
Saudi Minister of Energy, Industrial and Mineral Resources, Khaled al-Falih, said the kingdom will begin its plan to wean itself off oil. (AFP/FAYEZ NURELDINE)

It invited local and international firms to try to qualify for bidding on two projects.

One is for 300 MW of solar energy to be built in Al-Jouf province, in the kingdom's north. The second is for a 400 MW wind power development in Tabuk, northwestern Saudi Arabia, the energy ministry said in a statement.

Government estimates say Saudi peak energy demand is expected to exceed 120 gigawatts by 2032.

Virtually all of the kingdom's power currently comes from crude, refined oil or natural gas.

But as part of the Vision 2030 economic reform plan to wean the kingdom off oil, it has set a target of 9.5 GW of renewable energy by 2023.

"This marks the starting point of a long and sustained program of renewable energy deployment in Saudi Arabia," Khaled al-Falih, Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources, said in the statement.

He said this will not only diversify the kingdom's power mix but will also catalyse economic development.

Reaching the 9.5 GW target will cost between US$30 billion and US$50 billion, Falih said last month.

Companies will have until Mar 20 to file documents for bidding pre-qualification. Those which are successful will be announced by Apr 10. Formal proposals can then be presented until July, the ministry said.
The Phu Lac wind power plant in Binh Thuan Province.-Photo courtesy of EVN

Bui Van Thinh, chairman of the Binh Thuan Wind Power Association, said the Ministry of Industry and Trade had sent a proposal to raise the regulated selling price of wind power to the Government, but the decision, expected at the end of last year or beginning of this year, would be delayed.

Last year, the association asked the Ministry of Industry and Trade to raise the selling price of wind power to US$9.5-10 cents per kWh, up from $7.8 cents.

Viet Nam has great potential for wind power, estimated at about 10,000 MW, according to research by the German International Cooperation Agency (GIZ).

Initially, the Government set a target of generating 1,000 MW of wind power by 2020, but later lowered it to 800 MW.

Only four wind power projects are operating in the country with a total capacity of 160 MW.

Meanwhile, total capacity of the proposed registered wind power projects has reached 5,700 MW.

Most of the investors postponed the projects because regulated prices were below production costs, Thinh said.

For example, Ben Tre Province licensed five wind-power projects with a total capacity of 150 MW, but investors have been waiting for the price to increase.

Nineteen wind power projects were registered in the south-central province of Binh Thuan, but work on them has yet to begin, he said.

The regulated selling price of wind power in Viet Nam is among the lowest in the world, only 7.8 cent per kWh (compared to Thailand with 20 cent per kWh, the Philippines with 29 cent per kWh, and Japan with 30 cent per kWh).

In addition, poor infrastructure such as seaports and roads are also a challenge for investors.

Thinh said, however, that the wind power market was still attractive to foreign investors.

Binh, who is also director of the Thuan Binh Wind Power Joint-Stock Company, said the company was upbeat about renewable energy as the industry was expected to flourish when the price increased.

After operating the first phase of the Phu Lac Wind Power plant with a capacity of 24 MW in Binh Thuan Province, the company now plans to increase the charter capital from VND240 billion ($10.54 million) to VND450 billion ($19.76 million) to develop new projects with an estimated total capacity of 510 MW of wind power and more than 570 MW of solar power.

From now to 2030, we need more than $2 billion to develop wind power and solar power projects in Binh Thuan and Ninh Thuan provinces and the Central Highlands region, Thinh said.

Moreover, to increase revenue for the company, the Phu Lac Wind Power Plant plans to develop wind power and solar power in combination with eco-tourism, Thinh said.

The number of wind power projects in Viet Nam remains low since only wind turbine towers, which account for 20 per cent of production costs, can be produced locally, while investors have to import the other components.

Viet Nam plans to produce propellers valued at 10 per cent of the investment cost, turbines worth 7 per cent of the cost, and several other small components.

A South Korean firm in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province produces wind turbine towers, and a US company manufactures turbines in the northern port city of Hai Phong.

If the wind power market achieves strong growth in the future and attracts foreign investors capable of producing complicated parts, we will be able to raise the localisation ratio to more than 40 per cent, Thinh said.

Viet Nam needs to switch to renewable energy such as wind and solar power as the country has cancelled its first two nuclear power projects and has started implementing commitments on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, experts have said.

The countrys total wind power output has reached only 160MW, far below the huge potential that exists in the country.

The Government has released its National Electricity Development Plan for the 2011-2020 period with a strategic priority on renewable energy, with wind power capacity targeted at 800 MW by 2020 and 6,000 MW by 2030.
Margrethe Maersk, a Triple-E container ship. - Photo VNA

With the arrival of Margrethe Maersk, CMIT, located downstream Cai Mep River of the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau, is the first port in Vietnam and the 19th in the world to be able to handle an 18,300-TEU Triple-E vessel, according to the Sai Gon Giai phong (Liberated Saigon) daily.

Margrethe Maersk, built by Danish container shipping company Maersk Line, is 399.2m long and 59m wide and has a deadweight tonnage of 194,000.

Triple-E is a class of the worlds largest container ship. The name is derived from its three design principles: Economy of scale, energy efficiency, and environmentally friendly.

In recent years, about 30 per cent of Vietnams containers destined for faraway markets had to transit ports in Hong Kong (China), Singapore or Malaysia, which has added to the delivery costs and time.

The vessel Margrethe Maersk is arriving at Cai Mep to load goods to be transported to Europe. With this direct trip, transport time for Vietnamese goods will be cut by a day and transport expense by 10-20 percent, compared with the traditional shipping routes, which would transit at other countries.

CMIT managing director Robert Hambleton said the arrival of Margrethe Maersk is a landmark for both CMIT and Vietnam. It proves the capacity of the port and the country, which can become a point of transit for goods being transported from Asia to Europe.

Under a plan for seaport development in Vietnam until 2020, the Cai Mep complex of container terminals consists of CMIT, Tan Cang-Cai Mep ODA Terminal and SP-SSA International Terminal. It was designated to be a deep-water port complex capable of handling container ships of more than 100,000 DWT.

About 1.36 million TEU of goods was handled by the Cai Mep complex in 2015. The volume increased by 47 per cent in the following year to more than 2 million TEU.

The inclusion of CMIT in the network of terminals eligible for receiving Triple-E vessels by 2M Alliance of Maersk Line and MSC demonstrates the strategic position of the Cai Mep complex, and the successful handling of Margrethe Maersk is also a step towards turning this complex into an international point of transit for containers.

In October 2016, Lloyds List named CMIT as one of the top four port operators in Asia.
The problems that plagued the world economy in 2016 will continue this year, coupled with several new issues that have drawn the worlds attention - nationalism and trade protectionism.

New US President Donald Trump issued a decree to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP). There were also decrees which required Canada and Mexico to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), applied unilateral measures on trade protection to individual nations, and urged US firms to move offshore factories back to the US. Behind these decrees lies the emergence of a new trend: American nationalism.

Trump jumpstarted negotiations with the UK - a past member of the European Union (EU) - after its exit from the union. Following the emergence of right-wing leaders in France and other European countries, the rise in nationalism, and its resulting protectionist policies, is expected to shadow globalisation and international economic integration efforts.

Analyst Gideon Rachman wrote in an early 2017 Financial Times issue that the incompatibility between American and Chinese nationalism in the Pacific seemingly has increased since Trump won the election.

Rachman said that before Trump espoused the slogan Make America great again, Chinese President Xi Jinping aimed to restore the Chinese nation and Russian President Vladimir Putin wanted to make Russia the world superpower it once was during the time of the former Soviet Union.

With Donald Trumps election and protectionist sentiment on the rise, Vietnam must prepare itself for multiple scenarios of international trade, Photo: Le Toan

US stance towards China

Since the early 2000s, US-China relations have heavily impacted the worlds political and economic environment.

After taking office in 2001, former US President George W. Bush regarded China as a strategic rival, and accused China of creating tensions in Asia.

The terrorist attacks in the US on September 11, 2001 marked a watershed in the two countries relations, as China sided with the US in their fight against terrorism. Late in his second term, Bush attended the opening ceremony and other events at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

Since his first term in 2009, former US President Barack Obama maintained relatively friendly relations with China. In November 2009, he and former Chinese President Hu Jintao held the US-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue to expand bilateral economic co-operation, initiated in 2006 under Bushs reign.

Beginning in 2012, Obama began pivoting towards Asia, focusing on the Asia-Pacific region, while Xi Jinping announced plans to strengthen Chinas influence in the international arena.

In the late years of the Obama administration, confrontation escalated, despite the two countries co-operating on climate change, ratifying the Paris Agreement in 2016.

Over the past few years, China has rapidly increased its export value. In 2015, Chinas export value represented 14 per cent of the world market, surpassing the US (9 per cent), Germany (8 per cent), and Japan (3.8 per cent). With import surpluses in the US touching $261 billion, China accounted for 70 per cent of total American import surplus in 2015.

Bilateral trade relations between China and the US have drawn the attention of a few US presidents over the years. However, no US president has been as stern as Trump, who, among other things, threatened to impose high tariffs on goods imported from China.

International experts predict that under Trump, relations between China and the US will become increasingly strained, and an unprecedented trade war between these two leading economies could break out.

US stance towards the EU

Trump publicly supported the UKs exit from the EU, and his views regarding the EU and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) were commented on by the New York Times: EU leaders are struggling to decipher Donald Trump, who seemingly each day picks a new fight against a new nation, whether friend or foe.

Recently, an EU summit in Malta was convened where European Commission Chairman Donald Tusk wrote a letter to EU leaders saying that changes in Washington have brought difficulties to the EU. The US new administration is challenging their external policies that have been faring well for the past 70 years.

French President Francois Hollande insisted that Europe must demonstrate unity before Washington, while German Chancellor Angela Merkel said nations must stand on their feet during Trumps term.

For US allies in Europe such as Germany, France, and the UK, their relations with the US during Trumps administration are facing new challenges. For instance with Germany, leading American news channel CNBC assumed that Germanys high trade surplus of nearly $270 billion last year may be a source of tensions with the US. Meanwhile Germany, which chairs the G-20 Group in 2017, is forecast to try its utmost to protect trade liberalisation under the slogan Shaping an interconnected world.

Vietnams approach

When the leader of the worlds number-one economy vows to pursue nationalism despite facing opposition from politicians, scientists, leading business groups, and millions of Americans, this trend may spread to other regions in the world, and is accompanied by trade protectionism, which goes against globalisation and international integration.

This has brought about a series of new issues for Vietnam, particularly regarding the process of pursuing investment and trade liberalisation and deepening regional and international integration.

Economic relations, particularly trade relations, with the US are very important to Vietnam. Although there have not been any signs directly impacting the two countries trade relations, we should remember that Trump once floated the idea of imposing a 20 per cent tax rate on commodities exported to the US.

If this happens, it could have a major impact on Vietnams export value in the US market, which made up more than 20 per cent of the countrys total export value in 2016.

According to the General Department of Customs, Vietnams total export value to the US touched $3 billion in January 2017, down more than $600 million compared to December 2016 and $10 million year-on-year. The monthly export value to the US market averaged $3.3 billion last year.

It is too soon to draw any conclusions about the situation, but it may be a difficult year for Vietnam-US relations when Trumps new policies come into force.

Thus, how can Vietnamese companies currently having relations with US partners prepare for the new situation?

The government and its ministries, particularly the Ministry of Industry and Trade, need to keep tabs on the situation, make timely forecasts, and prepare suitable remedies to support businesses and ensure national interests. In the meantime, they must adapt to developing worldwide trends.

The US withdrew from TPP, but several countries, including Japan and Australia, are still pursuing the agreement and will convene a meeting with representatives of the 11 remaining countries. Vietnam needs to present initiatives on its continued implementation of TPP without the US, and make careful preparations to commence negotiations to finalise the agreement.

TPP will bring benefits to all stakeholders, particularly local businesses and the Vietnamese economy.

When announcing US withdrawal from TPP, Trump unveiled the possibility of forming bilateral free trade agreements (FTAs) with individual nations. That needs to be further studied, especially in the context of the two countries fast-growing trade thanks to the Vietnam-US Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) inked in December 2001.

Forming a new Vietnam-US FTA to supersede the existing BTA may foster relations with the US and allow the two countries to scale up mutual trade. It could also help attract investment from big US groups into Vietnam.
Cambodia has adopted controversial new legislation that amends the law governing political parties that could lead to opposition parties being dissolved.

The legislation was passed by a unanimous vote of the ruling in the National Assembly amid an opposition boycott of proceedings.

Among other changes, the amendments mean that politicians with criminal convictions will be barred from holding senior positions in parties and that parties may be dissolved by the Supreme Court if they break the rules.

It also places restrictions on foreign funding of political parties.

The oppositions 55 lawmakers declined to attend the vote, saying the legislation would cause chaos in the country and that it was contradictory to the principle of multiparty democracy and intends to exploit the opposition.

Leng Peng Long, a National Assembly spokesman, said the new rules would come into immediate effect.

The opposition party boycott indicates clearly that they do not want to engage in a dialogue. We, the ruling party, often want to practice the dialogue culture, but they refused the request, he added.

The amendments have provoked strong criticism from analysts and the international community.
After viewing Angelina Jolies latest production, First They Killed My Father, in Siem Reap this week, Cambodians say they hope the film will encourage more people to learn about their harrowing history.

Loun Punloeu, a university student, said she hoped the film would stop history from repeating.

The film is so good, Im touched, she said. Hopefully after young people watch the film they will help develop the country for the better and avoid such events in the future.

The film is an adaptation of the memoir of Loung Ung, an author, which describes her traumatic early life under the Khmer Rouge between 1975 and 1979.

Ung was just 5 years old when the regime took control of Phnom Penh, in April 1975, losing her father and later her mother and other relatives to the harsh conditions of its rule.

At the screening last week in Siem Reap, many broke into tears while watching the screening.

Tan So Reuy, 70, a Siem Reap resident who saw the film, said it reflects the real situation under the Khmer Rouge regime that I experienced for three years.

Its good film. And its valuable to the nation since it shows that Khmer people experienced numerous hardships during wartime. We divided and we argued to the point that a foreign country intervened. We suffered from the repercussions of the intervention, which left us with nothing.

Heng Sitha, a student, said the film would spread awareness about the trauma suffered by those living under the Khmer Rouge.

I knew that the regime was dark from what my mum and my grandma told me. I feel sorrowful for what had happened to Cambodia in the past, and I never want it to happen again, he said.

Jolie, who has adopted a Cambodian son, said at the opening ceremony on Saturday: I directed and aired the film in Cambodia for the first time to express my gratitude to Cambodia for giving me a new life and helping me become a mother.

The Hollywood star, who was granted Cambodian citizenship by King Norodom Sihamoni 10 years ago, added: This film was not made to focus on the horrors of the past, but to celebrate the resilience, kindness and talent of the Cambodian people. Most of all, this film is my way of saying thank you to Cambodia. Without Cambodia I may never have become a mother. Part of my heart is and will always be in this country.

The film will be screened in Phnom Penh for the first time at Olympic Stadium on Tuesday and in Battambong on Wednesday. It will be available on Netflix from September.

Punloeu expects that all Cambodians will be able to see the film.

If we screen the film internationally, more people will know more about us. After screening internationally, I hope the film can be screened again for free, so all people can watch it.
Members of Mekong River Commission and civil society groups will be heading to Luang Prabang in Laos to attend the regional stakeholder meeting on Wednesday to discuss Laos proposal to build a third dam on the Mekong mainstream, the Pak Beng.

The 912-MW dam project has been heavily criticized over the expected impact on the livelihoods of millions of people who depend on the Mekong.

Courtney Weatherby, research analyst with the Southeast Asia program at the Stimson Center, based in Washington D.C., said expectations for a change to the plans were low given previous exchanges with Laos over the Don Sahong and Xayaburi dams.

I think that the consultation forum will be an important indicator for what the long-term prospects for the dam are. We have seen very clearly from the consultation processes for Xayaburi and Don Sahong that it is difficult to have a two-way conversation when the developers and the government of Laos have essentially decided before the consultation that they are moving forward with the project.

Initiated by the Mekong River Commission, the Procedures for Notification, Prior Consultation and Agreement process, or PNPCA, aims to allow the four member countries including Laos, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia, to raise their concerns prior to building dams on the lower Mekong.

Tek Vannara, executive director at the NGO Forum in Cambodia, told VOA Khmer that the PNPCA agreement is a good initiative if concerns are taken into consideration.

The PNPCA procedures agreement is good if the Laos government and the Mekong River Commission take the result from the consultation meeting into consideration, include it in the plan, and enforce the decision, he said.

However, he continued that the PNPCA procedures agreement was just a formality based on political reasons, rather than technical ones.

Under The Mekong River Commission's 1995 agreement, every member is required to conduct a study and have prior consultation before any member can build a dam in order to guarantee sustainable development.

Unfortunately, Laos has not adhered to the agreement, building several dams without proper consultation, according to Meach Mean, coordinator at the 3S Rivers Protection Network.

The main impact is on political policy. Laos is trying not to abide by the 1995 Mekong agreement, he said.

Vannara said the NGO Forum would suggest Laos postpone building the three dams until impact studies could be carried out.

Similarly, Weatherby recommended the Mekong River Commission use its influence to make sure peoples voices are heard.

I would really recommend that the Mekong River Commission uses its very important role as a convener to make sure that those conversations happen, so that all of the concerns are really brought to people who are making a decision about the project.

The PNPCA procedures agreement process will take six months to complete. Prior consultation on the Pak Beng project began last December. After the regional stakeholder meeting this month there will be a field visit to Pak Beng in April.
The U.S. Midwest state of Kansas has historically voted Republican, rejecting Democratic presidential candidates since 1964. VOAs Carolyn Presutti spoke to some strong Trump supporters and a rare democrat to see how President Trump is doing during these first 100 days in office.
By any means necessary.

That was the mantra of black activist Malcolm X, who was assassinated during an address in New York City 52 years ago today at the age of 39.

Schooled by the Nation of Islam while in prison for burglary at the age of 21, Malcolm became a loyal follower of its leader Elijah Muhammed  and later an effective minister, known for his fiery oratory.

The Nation of Islam advocated black nationalism and racial separatism and condemned Americans of European descent as immoral devils.

His adopted brand of activism was decidedly at odds with Americas civil rights icon Martin Luther King, Jr., who followed the pacifist protest ideology of Indias Mahatma Gandhi. By contrast, Malcolm advocated self-defense and separation from the white man.

In late 1963, Malcolms suggestion that President John F. Kennedys assassination was a matter of the chickens coming home to roost prompted Elijah Muhammad, who believed that Malcolm had become too powerful, to suspend him from the Nation of Islam.

A few months later, Malcolm formally left the organization and made a Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, where he was profoundly affected by the lack of racial discord among orthodox Muslims. He returned to America as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz and in June 1964 founded the Organization of Afro-American Unity, which advocated black identity and held that racism, not the white race, was the greatest foe of the African American.

Malcolms more moderate philosophy became increasingly influential in the civil rights movement, especially among the leaders of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee.

A week before he was shot to death by members of the National of Islam, he home was firebombed.

Thomas Hagan was the only man who admitted his role in the murder. Hagan was sentenced to 20 years to life imprisonment after being found guilty at trial with two others in 1966. The other two men were released in the 1980s and have long denied involvement in the killing.

Hagan was paroled in 2010 after serving 44 years in prison.
Right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos has been disinvited to this year's Conservative Political Action Conference after his attempt to clarify past comments on relationships between boys and older men fell flat with organizers. Hours later, his publisher cancelled his book Dangerous, which had been scheduled to come out in June.

The American Conservative Union founded and hosts CPAC, which is being held Wednesday through Saturday outside Washington. In a tweet on Monday, ACU chairman Matt Schlapp said that "due to the revelation of an offensive video in the past 24 hours condoning pedophilia, the American Conservative Union has decided to rescind the invitation of Milo Yiannopoulos to speak."

After the polarizing Breitbart News editor was invited, his invitation sparked a backlash. The conservative Reagan Battalion blog tweeted video clips Sunday in which Yiannopoulos discussed Jews, sexual consent, statutory rape, child abuse and homosexuality.

Later Monday, Simon & Schuster and its Threshold Editions imprint announced that "after careful consideration" they had pulled the book, for which pre-orders placed it high on Amazon.com's best-seller lists. The subject of intense controversy, Dangerous was originally scheduled to come out in March. But Yiannopoulos pushed back the release to June so he could write about the protests during his recent campus tour, including a cancelled appearance at the University of California, Berkeley.

At the time of his publisher's decision Monday, Dangerous ranked No. 83 on Amazon's overall list and No. 1 in the subcategory of "Censorship & Politics."

More than 100 Simon & Schuster authors had objected to his book deal, which was announced last December, and Roxane Gay withdrew a planned book. Some bookstores had said they would not sell it, although the National Coalition Against Censorship and other free speech organizations had defended the publisher. Threshold is a conservative imprint that has published books by President Donald Trump, who has defended Yiannopoulos, and former Vice President Dick Cheney among others.

On Facebook, Yiannopoulos blamed deceptive editing and his own "sloppy phrasing" for any indication he supported pedophilia. The British author said he spoke of his own relationship when he was 17 with a man who was 29. The age of consent in the U.K. is 16.

It's unclear who edited the videos.

"We realize that Mr. Yiannopoulos has responded on Facebook, but it is insufficient," Schlapp said. "We urge him to immediately further address these disturbing comments."

Schlapp said the invitation was initially extended knowing that free speech on college campuses is a "battlefield where we need brave, conservative standard-bearers."

But he added: "There is no disagreement among our attendees on the evils of sexual abuse of children."

Yiannopoulos writes for Breitbart News, considered by many a platform for the so-called alt-right movement, an offshoot of conservatism that mixes racism, white nationalism and populism.
As dawn breaks over an encampment that was once home to thousands of people protesting the Dakota Access oil pipeline, a few hundred holdouts rise for another day of resistance.

They aren't deterred by the threat of flooding, nor by declarations from state and federal authorities that they must leave by Wednesday or face possible arrest. They're determined to remain and fight a pipeline they maintain threatens the very sanctity of the land.

"If we don't stand now, when will we?" said Tiffanie Pieper of San Diego, who has been in the camp most of the winter.

Protest started in August

Protesters have been at the campsite since August to fight the $3.8 billion pipeline that will carry oil from North Dakota through South Dakota and Iowa to a shipping point in Illinois. Dallas-based Energy Transfer Partners began work on the last big section of the pipeline this month after the Army gave it permission to lay pipe under a reservoir on the Missouri River. The protest camp is on Army Corp of Engineers land nearby.

The protests have been led by Native American tribes, particularly the Standing Rock Sioux and Cheyenne River Sioux, whose reservation is downstream. They say the pipeline threatens drinking water and cultural sites. ETP disputes that.

Faced with the prospect of spring flooding, some protesters are considering moving to higher ground, though not necessarily off the federal land. Some may move to the Standing Rock Reservation, where the Cheyenne River Sioux is leasing land to provide camping space even though Standing Rock Sioux Chairman Dave Archambault has urged protesters to leave.

"We have the same goals," Cheyenne River Chairman Harold Frazier said of himself and Archambault. "We don't agree on whether or not the water protectors should be on the ground."

No camp re-entry after Wednesday

On Monday, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum talked with Archambault on the telephone about efforts to clean up and vacate the protest camp, Burgum's office said. Burgum and Archambault both stressed the importance of keeping lines of communication open, including a one-page flyer that the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs will distribute in the camp, reminding protesters that the main camp will be evacuated at 2 p.m. Wednesday and re-entry will not be allowed, Burgum's office said.

More than 230 truckloads of debris have been hauled out as of Monday, according to the governor's office.

Those urging the protesters to leave say they're concerned about possible flooding in the area as snow melts.

"The purpose of this is to close the land to ensure no one gets harmed," said Corps Capt. Ryan Hignight.

Debris from camp a concern

One concern is that floodwaters could wash tons of trash and debris at the encampment into the nearby rivers.

"One of the biggest environmental threats to the Missouri is the camp itself," Burgum said.

Many in camp think authorities are exaggerating the flood threat and trying to turn public sentiment against them.

"They're talking like it will be a flood that will wipe out all of existence," said Luke Black Elk, a Cheyenne River Sioux from South Dakota. Some flooding is likely, he said, but "most of it won't be that bad."

The camp has been the site of numerous and sometimes violent clashes between police and protesters who call themselves "water protectors," with more than 700 arrests. The camp's population has dwindled as the pipeline battle has largely moved into the courts.

Protesters wont make it easy

Protesters who remain say they're prepared to be arrested, but will remain peaceful.

"We'll make it difficult for them to handcuff us, but there will be no forceful opposition," said Bryce Peppard of Oregon.

The Corps and the governor say they would rather there were no arrests.

"The ideal situation is zero arrests are made because everybody figures out that it's not a place where you want to be when the flood starts to happen," Burgum said.
The worlds oldest leader, President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, turns 93 Tuesday. The European Union marked the occasion by renewing sanctions against the president and members of his government.

Zimbabwe state media broadcast the first part of its sit-down interview with President Robert Mugabe on the eve of his 93rd birthday.



"This man is not going," said Mugabe. "The call to step down must come from my party... I will step down. But what do you see? The opposite. They want me to stand for elections. It's their voice I heed and the voice of no one else.



The Zanu-PF Party recently selected Mugabe as its candidate for 2018 elections. Last week, his wife said people will vote for him even if he were dead and it were just his corpse on the ballot.



However, there are signs of opposition. Mugabe faced unprecedented protests last year over the failing economy and fresh allegations of rights abuses. And some activists have called for his birthday party to be canceled. The celebrations are set for Saturday in Matopos in the southwest. The ruling party puts the price tag for celebrations at about $2 million. Activists say that money should be used to address economic problems Zimbabweans are facing.

On Tuesday, the European Union gave Mugabe a birthday present that he might not like. The EU voted to extend its travel ban, asset freeze and arms embargo for another year. The sanctions have been in place since 2002 over allegations of election rigging and rights abuses.



Independent political commentator Chamunoda Mutasa was not surprised at the renewal.



"It confirms that the administration still has a long way in terms of implementing reforms and reversing archaic moves that they implemented and called for sanctions in the first place, said Mutasa.



The president has not responded to the renewal of sanctions. In the past, he has said they were imposed to push him to abandon a policy of taking land from white farmers.
Forecasters issued flash flood warnings Monday throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and elsewhere in Northern California as downpours swelled creeks and rivers in the already soggy region.

The National Weather Service said heavy rain could persist into the evening and was expected to cause flooding on the Carmel River in Monterey County and Coyote Creek in Santa Clara County.

In the San Joaquin Valley, residents were patrolling levees for signs of danger, reviewing evacuation plans and filling hundreds of sand bags as the San Joaquin River kept rising.

Our community is pulling together like real champs, said San Joaquin River Club resident Paula Martin, who is helping coordinate emergency plans for the private neighborhood of 800 homes.

Sirens at the ready



Martin said the neighborhood has sirens in a clubhouse and church that can warn residents of impending flooding.



The weather service issued snow and wind advisories, including a flash flood warning for the Soberanes burn area in Monterey County. It said winds could reach 60 mph in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Santa Cruz County had seen 2.8 inches of rain in 24 hours and could see up to 8 inches before the storm passes Tuesday. Marin County got 2.3 inches of rain while close to an inch fell in San Francisco.



Forecasters said rainfall in San Francisco has already surpassed the normal annual amount for the wet season that begins in October.

The city has logged 24.50 inches of rain since October. 1, said forecaster Bob Benjamin. The average rainfall for the year ending September 30 is 23.65 inches.

A pre-evacuation advisory was issued for a community in Madera County after water discharges from Bass Lake were increased and threatened to swell rivers, officials said.

The Fresno Bee reported that the order was issued for several roads near downtown North Fork, about 10 miles from the lake.

The sheriff's office said residents should be ready to leave quickly if conditions worsen.

Heavy snow expected

In the mountains, the weather service forecast heavy snow in the Lake Tahoe area with a high avalanche danger until Tuesday in an area of the Sierra Nevada from Yuba Pass to Ebbetts Pass.



Forecasters say the winter storm could drop up to 5 feet of snow in areas above 7,500 feet, while lower elevations could see between 8 and 24 inches of snow.



Forecasters advised motorists to avoid travel in the area through Tuesday.



Moderate to heavy rain along with snowmelt below 7,000 feet was expected to swell rivers and streams and increase the chance of flooding.

Levees being tested

The San Joaquin River was approaching the top of levees and could remain at that level for four days, said Tim Daly, a spokesman with the San Joaquin County Office of Emergency Services.



When the water gets that high and more water is coming, there is just too much pressure and levees can break, Daly said. They can be topped.

The Don Pedro reservoir, which captures water from the Tuolumne River, a key tributary of the San Joaquin, was at 97 percent capacity.

The weather service also issued flash flood warnings for the North Bay and Monterey areas, as well as south-central Alameda County and southeastern Santa Clara County.

Water on the rise

In Alameda County, the weather service reported gauges on Alameda Creek were showing that rapidly rising water levels have surpassed local flood stages in Niles Canyon and a watershed above Sunol Regional Wilderness.

For the first time in more than 10 years, water flowed into Lake Berryessa's unique spillway.



The Monticello Dam Morning Glory Spillway, also known as the Glory Hole, operates similarly to a bathtub drain for the northern California lake.



The last time it spilled over was in 2006.

Elsewhere, the water level kept falling at Oroville Dam, where a damaged spillway had raised major flood concerns and prompted the evacuation of 188,000 people a week ago.
German officials have proposed that the European Union relax some human rights safeguards so that more asylum seekers can be deported while awaiting the outcome of their cases, according to a working paper seen by Reuters.

The paper is among many under discussion in Brussels as the EU, which has taken in more than 1.3 million migrants and refugees since the start of 2015, makes it tougher for them to get in and be allowed to stay.

The paper said the proposal would only kick in at times of a "mass influx" of people to the bloc. "This is another element in efforts to energize readmission of people to wherever they came from," said one Brussels-based diplomat.

The EU currently has an agreement allowing the return of asylum seekers only with Turkey. If approved, the proposal could enable such transfers to other places as well, including south of the Mediterranean, diplomats said.

The EU is already talking to Libya, Tunisia and Egypt about curbing immigration to Europe.

While the EU says it has the right to send away all economic migrants if it chooses, its existing laws on human rights say asylum seekers awaiting a ruling on their cases can only be deported to countries that meet certain conditions.

The working paper lists them as including: safety from threat and persecution; humane reception conditions; and at least partial access to medical care, education and the labor market.

Some parts of this "clearly exceed" the basic safeguards stipulated by the Geneva convention on refugees and the European Charter of Fundamental Rights, it said.

It did not specify which of them might be dropped, but made clear that mass expulsions would still be prohibited and receiving countries would still have to guarantee decent living conditions for deported asylum seekers.

They would also have to go on obeying the so-called non-refoulement principle, which means ensuring that people deported by the EU are not pushed further towards places where their lives might be at risk.

Safe zones

Specifically, the proposal also includes an option to recognize certain regions - rather than whole states as is the case now - as fit for people, including asylum seekers, to be sent back to.

EU officials acknowledge they are considering this "safe zones" concept, which could mean sending people back to certain areas of countries otherwise deemed too dangerous.

"These plans are overturning the international law on refugees... This is an utter betrayal, inhumane," Ska Keller, a Green member of the European Parliament, said of the document.

The European Union's executive had no comment on the proposal paper.

The document said: "This is not about building a 'Fortress Europe'. It is about combating illegal immigration, which has already cost the lives of thousands, and about replacing it by a regulated system of legal admissions, combined with humane living conditions, assured by the EU in third countries."

Last year's EU migration deal with Turkey - which includes provisions on sending back asylum seekers who came to Europe via that country - has sharply cut the numbers arriving, and the paper said it should serve as a blueprint for the future.

The Turkey agreement has, however, been criticized by rights groups as cutting corners on human rights and for bumpy implementation they say has put people's lives at risk.

The paper said extending the options for deportation of asylum seekers would discourage people-smuggling. The EU would also provide funds to improve conditions for refugees and migrants sent back to third countries.
The Celtic cross tattoo on Shannon Martinez's leg gives away her past.

A victim of sexual assault at age 14 and never quite able to meet her parents' expectations, Martinez sought out other angry teens. By 16, she was a skinhead spouting white supremacist rhetoric, giving stiff-armed Nazi salutes and tagging public property with swastikas. She favored racist fashion statements  like the symbol on her right calf.

Fortified by the love of an adopted family, Martinez left the skinheads behind. Today she's helping others do the same as part of an emerging U.S. movement that helps people quit hate organizations.

Modeled loosely upon organizations that formed in Europe years ago to combat extremism, groups and individuals are offering counseling, education and understanding to extremists seeking a way out.

Life After Hate

Now a 42-year-old mom who homeschools her kids at their house in Georgia, Martinez volunteers with Life After Hate, a leading organization dedicated to helping people leave white supremacy. On Facebook, she shares her story with others who've left or are looking to leave extremism.



"We act as a group of people who understand each other," said former skinhead Christian Picciolini, an old friend of Martinez who founded the Chicago-based Life After Hate. "We understand the motivations of where we came from and why we joined. We understand what keeps people in. And we help each other detach and disengage from that ideology and provide a support system for them as they go through that transformation."

Founded in 2009, Life After Hate was awarded a $400,000 Justice Department grant in the closing days of the Obama administration  funding that could be endangered if the Trump administration decides to refocus a federal program combatting violent extremism solely on Islamic radicals, as is being considered.

Leaving hate behind

While several other grant recipients are dedicated to countering radical Muslim ideology, Life After Hate concentrates specifically on showing white extremists there's another way.

The group operates a website where people who want to explore leaving white extremism can submit contact information. It also conducts educational and counseling programs including the Facebook group where members sometimes chat with extremists trying to change their lives, Picciolini said.

"I started the organization ... because it was so difficult to leave that movement," he said. "Even though I'd abandoned the ideology, I wasn't ready to give up my community and my power and my identity, and I knew how hard it would be for other people to leave this type of ideology or this type of movement."

Another group, One People's Project, was started by Daryle Lamont Jenkins of Philadelphia. Aside from monitoring racist groups, Jenkins  who is black  confronts white nationalists at public gatherings and talks one-on-one with willing white supremacists as he can, trying to show them there's a way other than hate. Some have never met a black person, he said.



Jenkins' work is similar to that of Daryl Davis, a black musician from Maryland who has gained notice for trying to talk people out of the Ku Klux Klan.

Mark Potok, a senior fellow with the liberal Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery, Alabama, said it's hard to determine exact numbers, but around 100,000 people might be members in hate groups and several hundred thousand could be linked informally.

Potok said exit organizations began in Europe in the 1980s to counter the rise right-wing militants there.

"I do think that this is a particularly important moment for this kind of exit work to be happening because we have seen in the last year, year and a half, a real legitimization of these views," he said.

President Donald Trump's election with the support of neo-Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan has lent a new sense of urgency to opponents of white supremacy.

"The Trump election has absolutely lit a fire under the butts of the white nationalists," Martinez said. "It is like, 'Our time is coming.'"



Martinez said she grew up in metro Atlanta in a relatively normal family but rebelled after being sexually assaulted at a party. She got involved in the punk scene, which led to the skinhead movement.

Martinez said she was on a path to prison or an early death when she moved in with the family of her skinhead boyfriend, who was away for Army training. His mother showed unconditional love that pulled her out of the abyss, Martinez said.

Today, she looks at photos of herself from her skinhead days and fights back tears.

"I was filled with rage and anger and the skinheads were the angriest people that I knew and I was kind of like, 'Those are my people.' And the ideology was a means of taking something that was ethereal, something that was unnamable, an anger and a rage that I felt, and giving it a focal point," she said.

Shane Johnson was born into extremism. His father and many of his father's relatives were part of the Klan, he said, so there was only one real way for him to go as a youth in northern Indiana.



"We were known as the Klan family," he said. "I got my first Klan robe when I was 14."

Johnson eventually joined a skinhead group in addition to the KKK but finally decided to quit after getting arrested, stopping drinking and meeting the woman who is now his wife. Leaving was a real fight, though, as even relatives jumped him at a gas station one night after learning he wanted to quit.

"When I dropped out they beat the holy hell out of me," he said.

Since then, Johnson has tried to cover some of his racist tattoos with new ones and wears long sleeves to hide remnants of the past he regrets. Life After Hate is helping him numerous ways, Johnson said, including showing him how to read the Bible without seeing it as a treatise on racial separation, as he had been taught.

Johnson, now 25 and living in rural Indiana, isn't ready to begin counseling others about leaving extremism; he still sometimes longs for his racist buddies and their ways. But he said his own story is proof that hate doesn't have to be permanent.

"You can get out," he said.
Guinea's government has signed an agreement with the country's two largest teachers' unions, it said, ending strikes that closed schools since the beginning of the month.



At least five people were killed Monday when police reacted to student protests supporting the teachers and demanding an agreement so they could return to classes. The violence wounded 30 others, and police arrested 12, the government said.



The government said teachers would have to wait until September for the salary increases, but other details of the agreement, signed late Monday, were not available. The strikes began in early February for pay raises and better training for contracted teachers.



Souleymane Sy Savane, secretary-general for Guinea's Free Trade Union of Teachers and Researchers, said schools will re-open Wednesday as negotiations continue.



But others said they do not agree with the settlement and want the pay increase as early as February.



"This agreement is binding only for the trade union officials who signed it, and we are basically challenging it until the reevaluation [pay raise] is effective," Kalidou Diallo, the administrative secretary of the union told private radio station Lynx FM early Tuesday.



The unions said Monday that the strike would continue until a pay raise of between 7.5 to 10.3 percent is granted.




U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said on Tuesday that the United States is committed to working with European allies, despite occasional disagreements.

At the end of the day, no one should misinterpret occasional policy differences and debates as a signal of anything less than total commitment to our alliances in Europe. That commitment is strong, she said, speaking to the U.N. Security Council.

Haley also called NATO the strongest alliance in history, and said the U.S. is working to make the organization even more effective.Her comments echo those made by Vice President Mike Pence on Monday, when he told NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg the U.S. is committed to its NATO allies, but other countries also need to share the fiscal burden of defense more evenly.

"We intend to increase our defense spending. America will do our part," Pence declared of the new U.S. administration under President Donald Trump. But he added, "It is time for action, not words" by the 23 countries that have not met the minimum 2 percent threshold.

Stoltenberg said he agreed with Pence that other countries need to pay their fair share.

The good news is we are moving in that direction," he said.

Trump has, in the past, suggested the United States might not defend NATO allies who did not spend their share on defense.

Haley said she believes the U.S. can have a better relationship with Russia, but greater cooperation with Russia cant come at the expense of our European friends and allies.

That is why we continue to urge Russia to show a commitment to peace by fully implementing the commitments under the Minsk agreements and ending its occupation of Crimea, she said. The United States and the EU remain united in this approach, keeping sanctions in place until Moscow fully honors its Minsk commitments.

Under the 2015 Minsk agreement, Ukraine, Russia and Russia-backed separatists agreed to end the crisis in Ukraine, beginning with the withdrawal of heavy weapons.

Passports



Haley also called Russia's recognition of passports issued by separatist authorities in eastern Ukraine a "direct challenge to efforts to bring peace" to the region.



Her comments came just hours after Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko pressed for new sanctions against Russia over its decision to honor the travel documents, which Moscow calls a "humanitarian" move to help residents of rebel-held areas affected by a Ukrainian blockade.

"From the point of view of international law, this is an element of recognition of these illegal entities and de facto renunciation of the Minsk process, since these steps are incompatible with the implementation of the Minsk agreements," Poroshenko said at a Tuesday meeting with the EU commissioner for humanitarian aid and crisis management, according to a report by Russian News Agency TASS. "We believe that this is a very worrisome phenomenon, which requires decisive action up to tightening sanctions."



The Kremlin accused Ukraine of denying vital documents to people in the rebel-controlled areas and that its decision doesn't amount to recognizing those areas in any official capacity



"The Ukrainian authorities are doing all they can to make life as difficult as possible for the residents of those territories and make it as hard as possible for them to enjoy the most basic rights and freedoms,'' Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said. "It's hard, and often impossible, to exercise those rights without documents.''



"Russian recognition of documents from separatist 'republics' is troubling and inconsistent with agreed goals of Minsk agreement," U.S. embassy officials in Kyiv tweeted on Sunday.

On Tuesday, State Department Spokesperson Mark Toner said the U.S. "rejects Russia's decision to recognize illegitimate passports and other documents being distributed by Russian-backed separatists in Ukraines Donetsk and Luhansk regions."

"This action undermines efforts to bring peace to eastern Ukraine," he said. "The United States expects Russia to honor its commitment to the Minsk agreements and work to de-escalate violence in Ukraine."

Ukrainian forces have been fighting Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine since April 2014, a conflict that has killed more than 9,800 people.
With weddings becoming the biggest social statement for most Indian families, a bill that proposes to target the usually ostentatious celebrations has stirred a lively debate  can Indians be persuaded to cut down on the size and scale of marriages?

The big, fat Indian wedding is no longer restricted to the rich. As a booming economy has put more money into the hands of the middle class, they too are staging extravagant, multi-day celebrations at five star hotels and farmhouses.

A member of parliament from Bihar, Ranjeet Ranjan, is introducing a new bill in parliament called the Marriages (Compulsory Registration and Prevention of Wasteful Expenditure) Bill 2016, which proposes that those who spend more than $ 7,500 on their wedding should donate 10 percent of the money to a government fund, which wold be used to fund marriages of poor girls. It also seeks to put a cap on the number of guests and dishes served at wedding functions.

Ranjan told VOA her aim is to remove the intense social pressure the middle class and others face to host elaborate celebrations. This has become a status symbol. People sell land, take loans to host their daughters weddings, she lamented. Parents set aside a fat budget for their childrens wedding, particularly girls weddings.

Estimates show that many Indian parents fork out one fifth of the wealth they have accumulated on hosting a wedding. While budgets vary widely, many middle class families shell out $50,000 to $100,000 for their childrens nuptials.

In a country that holds some 10 million marriages a year, Indias booming wedding industry is estimated to be worth about $35 billion and racing ahead at 30 percent a year. It is often described as a recession-proof industry, untouched by financial downturns or economic slowdowns.

New Delhi resident and finance professional Pradeep Bhargava, who has hosted his daughters and sons marriages in recent years, feels wedding spending has gone a step too far. We are going 100 percent overboard, trying to show off, trying to be one up, he says.

Many of these parents recall that their own weddings some three decades ago were relatively simple affairs where family and friends sang wedding songs at home and cooks prepared traditional delicacies.

But thats history. Now as an aspirational middle class joins the race to put up a grand show, elaborate ceremonies spread over two to five days have become the norm -- from putting henna on the bride to choreographed dance shows, grooms arriving on chariots and elephants and exotic wedding feasts with several types of food available. Event managers and wedding planners are no longer just the purview of the rich.

The spending on decor alone can run into the thousands of dollars said Pooja Gupta from New Delhi based Elusive Dreams, which specializes in adding glitz and glamour to wedding venues. They want new themes that come out every season, and they really want to transform the face of the venue, and they are willing to spend whatever, unlimited. They want to outdo each other at the wedding, she said.

Many people vehemently oppose any effort to impose a tax on wedding expenses and say any effort to trim lavish Indian weddings has to be led by society itself.

Sanjoy Pasricha, who is in the midst of hectic preparations for his daughters wedding to be held next month, has opted for a destination wedding in the beach resort of Goa. He points out that a marriage is a major event for an Indian family. Strongly opposing any government role in regulating wedding expenses he said, Its my decision how much I want to spend. Its as good as saying that you will have to stop wearing suits and only wear trousers, or you should not wear silk saris, but only cotton saris.

However, lawmaker Ranjeet Ranjan said many people would welcome an escape from the extravagant spending that weddings now involve. The response I am getting is that a lot of people who spend due to pressure from society will be happy to get the shelter of the law, according to Ranjan.

The lawmaker, who is from the opposition Congress Party, said she has found strong support for her bill, which could be taken up in the next session of parliament starting in March. Although new legislation typically takes years as it winds through the two houses of parliament in India, she is confident it could pass if the government supports it.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has not yet taken a position on the proposal.
Iraqi troops have pushed into the southern outskirts of Mosul as they consolidate their position on the third day of a rebooted offensive to take the city, a military spokesman said.

A coalition of troops from the federal police, interior ministry Rapid Response units, and other soldiers took part in the renewed push, which began Sunday and so far has secured an additional 123 square kilometers south of Mosul, the spokesman of the Joint Military Operation Command said.

The U.S.-backed Iraqi forces reached the Mosul airport on Monday after removing Islamic State jihadists from a nearby in Albu Saif, according to an Iraqi military statement.

"We are in Albu Saif and we started to clear houses from bombs, and we are conducting house-to-house search," said Police Lieutenant Colonel Hussein.



After Iraqi forces re-take the airport, they plan to use it to launch attacks in the offensive on western Mosul, which is still under the control of IS fighters.

Mosul is split roughly down the middle by the Tigris River. Iraqi forces removed the militants from the eastern side of the city last month.

The IS group took over Mosul, Iraqs second-largest city, in 2014. There are an estimated 750,000 civilians in western Mosul, essentially under siege by Iraqi forces, along with IS fighters.

Many of those civilians in western Mosul were forced out of the eastern part of the city during heavy fighting there last month.



Refugee deluge expected

Meanwhile, aid agencies are worried and preparing for the possibility that up to 250,000 people might flee the Mosul in the coming days or weeks.

The U.N. refugee agency is focusing its efforts on building new camps to house the displaced. The UNHCR has completed eight camps and says it is planning to start work at another site south of Mosul.

UNHCR spokesman Matthew Saltmarsh said there was room in several of these sites to shelter new arrivals. But once the predicted exodus begins, he said, it will be impossible to accommodate such large numbers on existing land.

Meanwhile, Saltmarsh said conditions are raising concern for the well-being of civilians in the city.

"There are shortages of food, water, fuel and medicine," he said. "Half of all food shops have closed, and most people can only access untreated water at the moment. Food prices are rocketing, and there are reports of families burning furniture, clothing and plastic to stay warm. Conditions will deteriorate if civilians are not able to flee the fighting."

Protecting civilians

During the battle for eastern Mosul, Iraqi forces prioritized the protection of the civilian population in its military planning. Saltmarsh said he hoped this principle would continue to be upheld in western Mosul, but he told VOA it was likely to be more difficult to avoid civilian casualties in the densely populated western part of Mosul.

"We do not have any official estimates of or predictions of the numbers who might be killed, but obviously, we are extremely concerned because the fighting is expected to be extremely intense once it gets into the urban areas," Saltmarsh said. "And, of course, there is a risk of hostages and human shields."

Meanwhile, the World Food Program said it was extremely concerned about the welfare of 750,000 people still trapped in western Mosul. WFP said it had enough food stock in the area for 770,000 people. It called for unimpeded access to all those in need.

Lisa Schlein contributed to this report from Geneva.
A former CIA agent will be handed over to Italy in the coming days to serve a four-year prison sentence after being convicted of involvement in a U.S. program that kidnapped suspects for interrogation, a lawyer said Tuesday.

Sabrina de Sousa spent the night in a women's prison near Lisbon after a Portuguese court ordered police to extradite her, her Portuguese lawyer, Manuel Magalhaes e Silva, told the Associated Press in an interview.

He said she was detained Monday after a two-year fight against extradition and will be put on a plane once formalities between Portuguese and Italian police are concluded.

De Sousa, 61, was among 26 Americans convicted of kidnapping suspect Osama Moustafa Hassan Nas, also known as Abu Omar, from a Milan street on Feb. 17, 2003. She denied involvement in the abduction.

The U.S. rendition program, under which terror suspects were kidnapped and transferred to centers where they were interrogated and tortured, was part of the anti-terrorism strategy of the Bush administration following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Former President Barack Obama ended the program years later.

De Sousa lost several appeals against extradition since her arrest at Lisbon Airport in October 2015 on a European warrant. She had argued she was never officially informed of the Italian court conviction and couldn't use confidential U.S. government information to defend herself.

Once in Italy, De Sousa is expected to be taken to a women's prison in Milan, but her Italian lawyer Dario Bolognesi said he would immediately appeal to the Milan court to defer her imprisonment pending a decision on her years-long request for clemency. Other Americans convicted in the case have received clemency from the Italian president.

Bolognesi met Tuesday with Justice Ministry officials who are reviewing the clemency request and emerged optimistic. Regardless, he said he would also request that De Sousa be granted semi-freedom and serve any sentence doing social work.

He disputed the written ruling by the Lisbon judges that said that the verdict in Italy that provided the grounds for the European arrest warrant was "not final." He said the Italian case went all the way to the highest court and is final.

Magalhaes e Silva, de Sousa's Lisbon lawyer and a human rights expert who said he took her case pro bono, said the European arrest warrant guaranteed de Sousa the possibility of a new trial or an appeal. Those assurances persuaded the Lisbon court to send her to Italy, he said. But last June the Italian authorities retracted that promise in a letter to the court, he said.

"It will be interesting to see what the Italian courts do when there's an extradition based on a European arrest warrant in which Italy guaranteed to Portugal that it would respect certain rights, then like a pariah state it turns around and says no," he said.

De Sousa, who was born in India and holds both U.S. and Portuguese passports, has said she had been living in Portugal and intended to settle there. She was on her way to visit her elderly mother in India with a roundtrip ticket when she was detained.
There are an estimated 60,000 people living on the streets of Kenya's capital. Three years ago a local teacher decided to offer a meal to some homeless people, and today his impulse has grown into a charity that feeds hundreds every day and has sent some homeless children to school.

It is 5 pm in Nairobi. Traffic is building up in the Highridge Estate area as people rush home from work. A group of street children and families are gathered at a corner, playing and chatting.

Clifford Oluoch parks his car and gets out. A second car off-loads food and other boxed goods. Volunteers start distributing the food. The day's meal is rice and beans. Later in the evening, they will be having bread and milk.

Oluoch does this every day. He started in 2014.

Balance leads to success

It has been tough, but I think the fulfillment overrides the toughness. There are days you ask yourself, What am I doing? Because initially, at the beginning, the cases were too much. I tried to solve everyone's problem and I got a total emotional burn-out, so I had to learn how toThis, I cannot . This, I can and take things that I can. And what I could do was take guys back to school and that has worked beautifully.

He shares photos and stories from his daily encounters on Facebook. Word spread from there.

The 49-year-old teaches mathematics and physics at a Nairobi elementary school. He initially paid for the food out of his own pocket, but now his charity receives enough in donations to feed approximately 500 people each day.

A sense of family

Twelve-year-old Wycliffe Wasike sits quietly as he eats the day's meal. His parents died when he was 10 and he ended up on the streets. He says these people have become his family.

Wycliffe says, There are days you are so hungry after a long day. This is the only place you can fall back on. He says this is the only place he is assured of a meal.

Oluoch wanted to do more for children like Wycliffe.

His charity, Homeless of Nairobi, raised money to enroll 33 street children in school. The charity also runs a children's home where the homeless students can come study. Some also live there, though most still choose the streets.

Oluoch says many of the boys he sees are addicted to various substances like glue and marijuana. They first need rehabilitation before they can go to school.

Unexpected support

Donations and well-wishers have come from unexpected corners.

When I was doing the feeding in Westlands, there was a policeman who came and told me to feed them because when you feed them, the petty crime reduces by half.' He told me, Just keep feeding them. It is that simple. Just keep feeding them.'"

And that is what he intends to do. When asked about the future, he says he envisions feeding centers for street children set up throughout the city.
Malaysian health officials said Tuesday they have not yet determined a cause of death in the apparent assassination of the half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Noor Hisham Abdullah, director of general health at the Malaysian health ministry, told reporters that samples taken from an autopsy on Kim Jong Nam have been sent to a lab for analysis to both determine what killed him and to identify his next of kin.

That analysis will include examining the samples for evidence of any poisons, and it is unclear when it will be completed.

Noor Hisham said that from the autopsy there was "no evidence of heart attack" and "nothing obvious for us to suggest any puncture marks or wounds."

DNA samples

As far as positively identifying the man as Kim Jong Nam, Noor Hisham said examiners have samples of DNA, fingerprints and dental information from the body, but not yet any corresponding records from family that can be matched up.

"At the moment we do not have anyone who claims to be the next of kin."

On Monday, North Korea's envoy to Kuala Lumpur, Kang Chol, called for a joint probe into the death, telling reporters that North Korean "cannot trust the investigation by the Malaysian police."

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak responded by saying his country had no reason "to paint the North Koreans in a bad light," and expressed "absolute confidence" in the objectivity of the investigation.

The 45-year-old Kim Jong Nam was accosted and believed to be poisoned by two women at Kuala Lumpur International Airport while waiting to board a flight bound for the Chinese territory of Macau. Japanese broadcaster Fuji TV aired grainy footage Monday taken by the airport's security cameras that shows one of the women grabbing Kim from behind and forcibly holding something over his face.

After the attack, Kim is shown seeking help from airport workers while gesturing towards his eyes. He died en route to a hospital.

Four people have been detained in connection with the crime, including the two suspected assailants and a North Korean national, who was arrested Friday. Investigators are also seeking four North Korean men who flew out of Malaysia on the day of Kim's death.

Father of suspect

The father of Doan Thi Huong, who has been detained in connection with the case, spoke with VOA's Vietnamese service about his daughters alleged role in the death of Kim Jong Nam.

"I couldn't know what she did," Doan Van Thanh told VOA Vietnamese. We can't. She didn't even let us know where she goes. She did get home on January 25 and left four days later.

She left and we know nothing since then, he added.

Doan described his daughter as a good and hard-working girl. She's not a bad girl.



Local authorities in Vietnam confirmed the womans identity as Vietnam-born Doan Thi Huong, 29, a resident of Nghia Binh Commune, Nghia Hung District, Nam Dinh province.

Vu Van Cuong, chairman of the Peoples Committee of the Nghia Binh Commune also told VOA Vietnamese that the woman was a quiet person who had little contact with neighbors.

He added Huong used to be a medical student who went to Hanoi for work years ago. Her parents said they didnt know where she lived in Hanoi nor what she did for a living. They said she had traveled overseas, but it was unclear where. ...

Family is struggling

Doans father is a disabled veteran and her mother died in 2014.

Her family is struggling with poverty, the commune leader told VOA Vietnamese. She has an older brother and three older sisters. All of them are poor. Theyre all married and live in this commune.

Kim Jong Nam was once considered the heir apparent to lead North Korea, but he fell out of favor with his father Kim Jong Il after a failed 2001 attempt to enter Japan on a forged passport to visit Disneyland, and was basically exiled to the Chinese controlled territory of Macau.

South Korea's spy agency says Kim Jong Un issued a "standing order" for his half-brother's assassination after taking power, and there was a failed attempt in 2012. During a National Security Council meeting Monday, South Korean Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn said the deadly attack revealed Pyongyang's "reckless and brutal nature."

Kim Jong Nam was reportedly considered a threat to his half-brothers rule because of his outspoken criticism of the authoritarian regime.

There has been speculation that China is getting tired of North Korea's repeated nuclear and missile tests in defiance on international sanctions and that the apparent assassination of Kim John Nam may have led to the Chinese decision Saturday to suspend all coal imports from the North. Coal exports are a vital source of revenue for the Pyongyang government.
U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis welcomed the naming of Lieutenant General Herbert Raymond McMaster as the new national security adviser, a Pentagon spokesman said on Tuesday.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday named McMaster as his new national security adviser, choosing a military officer known for speaking his mind and challenging his superiors.

"Secretary Mattis has known Lieutenant General McMaster since the late 1990s when his book was published and he has great respect for his strategic perspective, his intellectual rigor and his managerial discipline," Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis told reporters on Tuesday.
Any attempt to introduce quotas or tariffs to the North American Free Trade Agreement would be disastrous for the three-nation treaty, Mexican Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo on Tuesday told a Toronto conference on the future of North America.

U.S. President Donald Trump  who says free trade treaties have cost countless thousands of American jobs  wants NAFTA to be renegotiated with a focus on cutting his country's large trade deficit with Mexico.

One idea floating in Washington is that of a border tariff, which could hit Mexican exports.

"Nothing in the new NAFTA should be a step backward. We will definitely not include any type of trade management measures, like quotas, or open the Pandora's box of tariffs," Guajardo said.

"That will be disastrous in any process moving forward," he said.

New tariffs would result in special interests in all three nations asking for protection, Guajardo predicted.

Trump has revealed little about his intentions for NAFTA, which came into force in 1994, except that he wants to tweak the U.S. trading relationship with Canada while pushing for larger changes with Mexico.

Canadian officials have suggested the United States would first negotiate with Canada and then focus on Mexico, an approach that trade experts say is almost unworkable and one that Mexico dislikes.

Guajardo said the bulk of the NAFTA talks would have to be carried out on a trilateral basis to give investors confidence that the same set of investment rules applied to all three nations. For the talks to succeed, governments in all three nations would have to prove they had benefited, he added.

"If I don't go back home with a trade agreement that can be clearly understood as a beneficial outcome for Mexico, there is no way the Mexican Senate will approve it," he said.

The Mexican government expects the talks to start this summer, said Guajardo, who stressed several times how well Canada and Mexico had worked together in the past on trade.

Guajardo and Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray were to hold talks with Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland later on Tuesday.

Freeland said earlier this month that Canada opposed the idea of the United States imposing new border tariffs and would respond to any such move.
We may soon be able to once again call Pluto a planet, rather than a dwarf planet if some NASA scientists proposal gains traction.



Pluto was called a planet from 1930 to 2006, when it was demoted because there appeared to be other bodies similar to Pluto orbiting beyond it, making Neptune the outermost planet.

Plutos demotion angered some scientists who are still fighting for Pluto to be reinstated as a planet, including Alan Stern, the lead scientist with NASAs New Horizons mission to Pluto.

Stern recently submitted a proposal to the International Astronomical Union to make Pluto a full-fledged planet.

In the mind of the public, the word 'planet' carries a significance lacking in other words used to describe planetary bodies, according to the proposal. In the decade following the supposed 'demotion' of Pluto by the International Astronomical Union, many members of the public, in our experience, assume that alleged 'non-planets' cease to be interesting enough to warrant scientific exploration.



They also say planets should be round objects in space that are smaller than stars except for white dwarfs and neutron stars.



"A planet is a sub-stellar mass body that has never undergone nuclear fusion and that has sufficient self-gravitation to assume a spheroidal shape adequately described by a triaxial ellipsoid regardless of its orbital parameters," the proposal continued.



Its unclear if the IAU will rule on the proposal.
Suicide attempts among teens, particularly those who are gay, lesbian and bisexual, declined in states that legalized same-sex marriage, according to a new study.

Writing in the journal JAMA Pediatrics, researchers from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health say their study showed that in states that legalized same-sex marriage before the U.S. Supreme Court followed suit saw declines in attempted suicide.

Specifically, the researchers analyzed data from 1999 to 2015 and found a 7 percent reduction in suicide attempts of high school-aged youngsters in 32 states that had already legalized same-sex marriage. Among gays, lesbians and bisexuals, the decrease was 14 percent, researchers say.

Suicide is the second leading cause of death for U.S. teens, but occurs at a higher rate among gay, lesbian and bisexual kids. For example, 29 percent of LGBT teens in the study reported a suicide attempt, compared to just 6 percent among heterosexual teens.

Researchers say the study does not prove a connection between same-sex marriage and suicide as much of the data is self reported; but, they do theorize that perhaps laws that are for gay adults may send a message to teens to feel more hopeful for the future, said lead author Julia Raifman, a researcher at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

For their study, researchers looked at data from more than 700,000 public high school students who took part in government survey about risky behavior from 1999 to 2015, which is the year same-sex marriage was declared legal by the Supreme Court. Of those, more than 213,000 identified as gay, lesbian or bisexual. Surveys did not ask about students who said they were transgender or queer.

To hone in more on the connection between suicide and gays, lesbians and bisexuals, future researchers will need to account for economic status and religion, among other things, according to the study.

"There is a need for further research to understand the association between sexual minority rights, stigma and sexual minority health," according to the study.
Montenegro's former prime minister has accused Russia of destructive politics in the Balkans following what the country says was a thwarted attempt to overthrow its pro-Western government.



Milo Djukanovic, who stepped down after the alleged pro-Russian plot in October to prevent the small Balkan country from joining NATO, said that Moscow ``harnessed a lot of destructive material toward Montenegro.''



Montenegro is now in the line of Moscow's attempts to expand its influence in the war-torn Balkans, and pro-Russian opposition parties were ready to use bloodshed and a coup to come to install a pro-Kremlin government, Djukanovic said late Monday while addressing his Socialist Democratic Party youth in the second-largest town of Niksic ahead of local elections.



A new, puppet government would only serve Moscow's interests, which wants to send a message to Europe and NATO that they cannot expand in the Balkans without their [Moscow's] consent, said Djukanovic, who brought the country to the threshold of NATO membership.



Russian officials have recently named Serbia, Bosnia, Macedonia and Montenegro as Moscow's sphere of interest in the Balkans, saying they should not join NATO. The former Yugoslav republics were never part of the Soviet bloc and officially all of them want to join the European Union.



Montenegro's prosecutors have accused Russia and its secret service operatives of plotting the election-day coup attempt that included alleged plans to kill Djukanovic and take over parliament. Some 20 people - including two Russians - have been accused of taking part.



The Kremlin has repeatedly denied involvement in the plot. But it has openly supported nationalist parties and groups opposed to Montenegro's NATO membership.
Nigeria says President Muhammadu Buhari has extended his medical leave in London for a second time.

A statement Tuesday from adviser Femi Adesina says that during the president's annual checkup, "tests showed he needed a longer period of rest."

The statement said there is no reason for Nigerians to worry but did not say when Buhari, 74, will return.

The leader of Africa's most populous country left for London on January 19 and has been seen only in photographs since then.

He was originally scheduled to return February 5, but his office said that doctors advised him to stay in London to await the results of medical tests.

Aides to the president have refused to say what is ailing him, fueling speculation on social media about his condition.

Worry about a power vacuum has been limited because Buhari transferred authority to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo before his departure.

Nigeria experienced a near-constitutional crisis in 2009 when President Umaru Yar'Adua left the country for extended medical treatment and left no one in charge. The crisis led the Senate to grant full powers to Yar'Adua's deputy, future president Goodluck Jonathan.
The presidents of Egypt, Algeria and Tunisia will hold a summit soon to try to find ways to reconcile neighboring Libya's rival political factions and stem the country's chaos, diplomats said Monday.

The summit was announced in Tunis after a new round of diplomatic efforts for Libya, where two rival administrations are jockeying for power and where the Islamic State group and other extremists have prospered amid the political vacuum. Libya's neighbors are highly concerned about spillover of extremist violence.

Diplomats meeting in Tunis released a statement declaring their "attachment to Libya's sovereignty and territorial integrity," arguing against foreign intervention or any military solution to Libya's crisis.

U.S. warplanes have conducted airstrikes on suspected extremists in Libya, which hasn't emerged from chaos since the killing of Muammar Gadhafi in a 2011 uprising and ensuing civil war.

The diplomats announced the Libya summit among Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika and Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi, but said the date would be set after meetings with the Libyan parties.

Libya's most powerful army commander, Khalifa Hifter, is expected in Tunis in the coming days, according to Tunisia's foreign minister Khemaies Jihnaoui. Jihnaoui met with the Egyptian foreign minister and Algeria's African and Arab affairs minister Sunday and Monday in Tunis.

A new health scare Monday for Algeria's leader threw a shadow over the upcoming summit, planned in Algiers. The Algerian leader canceled a visit by German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the last minute because of what his office called acute bronchitis, raising new concerns about his health after a 2013 stroke.
The French government and UNICEF are urging the international community to step up protection of children living in and fleeing armed conflict that affects tens of millions of youngsters.

Tuesdays conference was a chance to take stock of progress made since a decade ago, when Paris hosted a similar meeting. But especially, it was a time to urge the world community to do more.

French President Francois Hollande described how the photo of the body of drowned Syrian toddler Aylan Kurdi, who washed up on a Turkish beach, fueled a drive to welcome more refugees in Europe and elsewhere. But that has proved ephemeral. Since then, he said, many more children have died to general indifference.

The United Nations estimates more than 200 million children live in conflict zones. Tens of thousands have been killed, conscripted as child soldiers or forced to become sex slaves. In South Sudan, thousands now risk starvation, with conflict a key driver.

President Hollande did note bright spots. Tens of thousands of child soldiers have been liberated in recent years, including more than 8,000 in 2015.

Closer to home, he called on Britain to take in underage migrants with families across the Channel, following London's decision earlier this month to cut the numbers it had originally promised to accept from Europe.

Hollande also alluded to the new U.S. administration, which reportedly plans to cut funding to the United Nations and other international bodies. He said international laws and institutions must be respected, along with the idea of working together on behalf of the world.
A suicide gun-and-bomb attack on a courthouse in northwestern Pakistan Tuesday killed at least seven people and wounded 30 others.

Police and witnesses said three gunmen wearing suicide vests stormed the courthouse in the town of Charsadda and lobbed hand grenades to try to enter the main building.

District police chief Sohail Khalid told reporters security guards swiftly challenged the assailants, prompting two of them to detonate their vests during the gunfight while the third attacker was gunned down.

"They tried to enter the courts. At first they attacked with hand grenades and pistols. The police retaliated for about 15 or 20 minutes, and all the suicide bombers exploded after they were hit by the police, said Khalid

A lawyer, policemen and civilians were among the dead, police and hospital officials said.

A spokesman for Jamaat-ul Ahrar, a breakaway faction of the Pakistani Taliban militant group, claimed responsibility for the attack.

A fresh wave of terrorist attacks is gripping Pakistan and Jammat-ul Ahrar, or JuA, as well as the mainstream Pakistani Taliban have taken credit for being behind most of the violence.

The surge in militant attacks has left more than 120 people dead and hundreds of others wounded within the last two weeks.

Local affiliates of Islamic State, however, have claimed Thursdays suicide bombing of a famous Sufi shrine in southern Sindh province. The blast killed at least 90 devotees and wounded more than 300 others.

Pakistani security forces have since responded to the spike in violence by unleashing a nationwide crackdown on suspected militants across the country, killing more than 100 and detaining 1300 others.



Pakistan has also closed border crossings with Afghanistan and enhanced troop presence there, saying Jamaat-ul Ahrar and other anti-state groups have masterminded the violence from their bases in the neighboring country.

The Afghan government has denied the charges.
Aid agencies in Pakistans restive northwestern region are struggling to provide services to help curb militancy and deliver aid because they lack government permission to operate, according to humanitarian organizations.

The aid groups say the government is creating obstacles for them to obtain a "No Objection Certificate" (NOC) in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which has been hard-hit by militancy and terrorism. The certificate is a requirement for an organization to work in the area.

Getting an NOC is almost impossible in the areas where military operations are currently ongoing, Tahira Abdullah, a human rights activist in Pakistan, told VOA.

Humanitarian and aid organizations are required to have the document, which is a form of approval from the provincial government prior to starting projects in the region.

Foreign-funded local organizations in northwestern Pakistan provide humanitarian and emergency assistance, including health, education, and food distribution, to more than two million people who have been displaced by ongoing Pakistani military operations against militant groups.

Some of the local organizations help teach programs on empowering women and young people that are designed to help curb a spreading extremist ideology among Pakistani youth.

For the past few years, obtaining NOCs has increasingly become harder for aid agencies in Pakhtunkhwa, according to the NGOs. They say the restrictions have adversely affected aid effectiveness in the militancy-torn region.

There are more than 15 aid agencies waiting for issuance of No Objection Certificate from the Pakhtunkhwa government for over seven months now, Sher Zaman, provincial program manager for the South Asia Partnership Pakistan organization, told VOA. The process should not take more than two to three months according to government regulations, Zaman said.

Officials looking into the matter

Mushtaq Ghani, a spokesperson for the provincial government, told VOA, that authorities are aware of the delays.

Ive heard complaints from different aid agencies, Ghani said. Im looking into the matter along with Home Department.

Ghani said the certificate regulations were introduced to verify the aid agencies as some militant organizations use aid groups as a cloak for terrorist activities.

Weve got to be careful before we allow any aid agency receiving foreign aid to start operation in the region, Ghani said.

But the prolonged delays are leaving a void in education and employment as aid groups are not able to hire or educate children.

Aid groups say the restrictions have alienated young people who are a target for militants recruiters. According to aid groups, more than 6,500 people in the tribal region have lost their jobs during the past few months due to restrictions on aid agencies.

Civil society activists say the government often does not provide a reason for delaying issuing a certificate.

Weve tried to talk to different departments of the government on the matter. But they just wouldnt give you a reason or an answer, Sher Khan, vice chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan in Pakhtunkhwa told VOA.

Unwelcome scrutiny



Some activists say the restrictions on aid groups are an attempt by the government to avoid outside scrutiny.

Pakistans military has been accused by activists of human rights violations in the tribal region. Thousands of people have been rounded up in what the government calls terrorism-related probes and are classified as missing, the groups said.

Human rights experts say that civil and military governments in Pakistan through the years have shunned progressive, liberal and rights-based aid agencies.

These organizations also monitor government performance and write alternate/shadow reports to rebut the distorted, untruthful government reports to U.N. bodies on United Nation Conventions that Pakistan has ratified, said one activist named Abdullah.

Advocates say humanitarian organizations are needed in the restive area to educate people on their rights.

We really need initiatives from aid agencies through which we can make people aware of their rights and to make them demand their basic needs from the government, said Shabaan Ali, who runs a non-governmental organization to help empower his tribesmen.
Southeast Asian countries hope that U.S. President Donald Trump will unveil his policies within the next few months to provide a "more concrete and clearer picture", especially regarding China, the Philippine foreign minister said on Tuesday.

"We all recognize the fact that American policy under the Trump administration is still evolving," Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay told a news conference.

"We do not know the complete picture of what this foreign policy might be, insofar as its relationship with China is concerned.

"We're however, hopeful, that the policy that would come out will be positive... And we would hope that within the next few months we would see a more concrete and clearer picture."
Transparency International says corruption is one of the root causes of violent extremism.

The anti-corruption watchdog says the international community needs to make tackling corruption a top priority in the ongoing battle against extremist groups such as Islamic State and Boko Haram.

In a report released Tuesday Transparency International says government corruption allows militants to take advantage of public anger to fuel recruiting, facilitate arms flows, and undermine public institutions such as the military - leaving them incapable of controlling extremist threats.

"The international community expends great efforts tackling the 'ideology' of groups such as ISIS, focusing on the religious rhetoric they produce, yet completely ignoring the material circumstances in which they thrive," said Katherine Dixon, director Transparency International Defense and Security.

The report cites the ability of Islamic State fighters to seize the key Iraqi city of Mosul in 2015 as it swept across large portions of northern and western Iraq and also eastern Syria. Mosul quickly fell in part because Iraqi forces were unable to defend the city that is today the focus of a major offensive to reclaim control from the militants.

Islamic State also had success capitalizing on the lack of stability in Libya that has persisted since the overthrow of longtime leader Moammar Gadhafi, though the group has lost much of the area it once controlled there.

Transparency International says extremists in Libya are able to make their case based on a corruption narrative that is hard to counter because of the history of corruption there, as well as the transitional government's inability to provide a stable security environment for Libyans.

The report also cites the Nigerian militant group Boko Haram, saying its early years included a foundation of anti-corruption and anti-elite rhetoric.

"Abuses by the security forces and high levels of fraud and corruption in the army meant the group's message resonated," the report says.

In the case of Islamic State, Transparency International says the group's messaging portrays itself as pure in a way that governments in the Middle East are not.

"ISIS's message is clear: governments in power are corrupt, bent towards the interests of a narrow, unrepresentative elite. They fail to provide services for their citizens; ISIS, on the other hand, is focused on justice, good governance and the provision of services," the report says.

Transparency International says those messages have resonance with Iraqis and Syrians who have dealt with "violent foreign interventions and decades of sectarian inequalities."

"Perhaps what is most concerning about the group is not its fanaticism, but its ability to unite fanaticism with messages that resonate with a frustrated public, to violent ends."
First, his oldest son left for Texas. Then his stepson headed south to join him. Then the two daughters moved out of state. Four out of five of Gary Steele's children left their homestead in the midwest state of Kansas for jobs and a better economy.

"There's nothing left here, you know," Steele said, adding that the area needs jobs.

Yates Center, the seat of Woodson County, Kansas, is known as the Prairie Hay Capital of the World, and Steele raises 400 hectares of it. A few years back he was getting $75 for two bales of hay. Now he gets about $50.

"First we had two good years of hay," he said. "Now, you have no market."

Steele says the market is too crowded with hay farmers. He voted for Donald Trump and thinks he's off to a good start. He'd like to see the president lessen the overhead of farmers.

"Corn ought to be twice as much as what it costs to put it in," Steele said.

Bring our jobs back

Steele drives 8 kilometers from his farm to eat lunch at what the waitress fondly calls "the male gossip table" at the Feedbunk Restaurant. The Feedbunk is the most popular spot in the tiny town. Today's special is meatloaf sandwich with mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, coffee and dessert for $7.25.

His only child still living in Kansas, a 19-year-old stepdaughter, waits on him. The Feedbunk is one of few businesses open in Yates Center, which is in Woodson County, the poorest county in Kansas.

A picturesque red brick and white courthouse sits in the town square. It is bordered by four streets of closed businesses, with white paint peeling and plywood or paper covering the windows.

No whipping boy for agriculture

Rodney Grisier says he voted for Donald Trump because he brought "an outside voice and a voice of common sense" to Washington, DC. He believes the president will bring jobs to the area and can't understand why industry has not come to the area, especially since Yates Center is "a small town near a major transportation hub."

Grisier speaks over the sound of his tractor as it pulls a tank of anhydrous ammonia that fertilizes his 1,000 hectares of corn and soybeans, three times the average Kansas farm. He also owns 2,500 head of cattle.

"I don't want agriculture to be the 'whipping boy' in our trade issues," Grisier told VOA.

He thinks America's heartland elected Trump because people here depend on the global economy and therefore see diplomacy through a bigger magnifying glass than urban America. "When they're in the city, they have blinders on."

In all my 81 years...

Katherine Weldin is finishing a piece of cake. It's her 81st birthday and her friends are giving her a party. She voted for Hillary Clinton and isn't sure Trump can help Kansas. In her eight decades of life, Weldin says she's never seen a president like him.

"I just don't think he stops and thinks about what could go on with his decisions," she said.

The one signal light in Yates Center is a blinking red light. It's the only traffic signal in the entire county. Residents hope the new administration will help bring in new industry to change that.
A senior Socialist minister said Tuesday that he might back centrist Emmanuel Macron in France's presidential election, which could help Macron as he battles to maintain his campaign's momentum.

The pronouncement by Agriculture Minister Stephane Le Foll came as opinion polls pictured a multicandidate race in which far-right leader Marine Le Pen was holding on to recent gains, keeping debt and foreign exchange markets on edge.

Two polls showed ex-banker Macron neck and neck with conservative rival Francois Fillon as favorite. A third, from Elabe, had Macron in retreat, and made Fillon of the Republicans, a former prime minister, the favorite for the first time since a scandal over allegedly fake work rocked his campaign four weeks ago.

All recent polls show Le Pen ahead in the April 23 first round, but losing a May 7 runoff to the first-round winner, be it Macron or Fillon.

They also show, however, that her losing margin has shrunk to as little as 6 percentage points from more than 10.

Bad news for left

Le Foll's potential defection was the latest development in a slew of bad news for France's divided political left.

"I support the man who has been chosen [by the Socialists], but the moment comes for political responsibility with regard to what is at play, with regard to Marine Le Pen and with regard also to the program of Francois Fillon," he said on BFM TV.

Asked whether this meant he would back whoever was best placed to prevent a Le Pen-Fillon runoff, he said: "Exactly!" Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault has also said he might back Macron, rather than the ruling Socialists' chosen candidate, Benoit Hamon, who is a distant fourth in the polls.

Despite the prospect of heavyweight Socialist backing, the polls show Macron's campaign losing momentum.

Elabe pollsters reckon he has made a series of missteps that explain how they now see Fillon ahead. Macron "has had 10 difficult days," they said.

Anger on the right

Macron angered opponents on the right during a visit to Algeria last week by calling France's colonial past a crime against humanity. He has upset gay-marriage supporters by saying their opponents had been humiliated by the government when it pushed through the gay marriage bill in 2013.

On Tuesday, Macron took his centrist and pro-European campaign to London, home to a large expatriate French community who get to vote in the elections.

The anti-immigration, anti-European Union Le Pen, meanwhile, caused controversy on a trip to Lebanon, where her plans to meet a senior Muslim figure were canceled after her refusal to wear a headscarf.

Le Pen's surge has worried investors concerned that her policies will further destabilize fragile European unity, blow apart the eurozone and hurt the value of French debt.

The cost of insuring French government debt against default has risen to its highest level in more than three years, and sterling rose almost 1 percent against the euro to its highest in two months.

Fillon, meanwhile, was tweaking the health care policies that caused a campaign wobble earlier this year, having apparently put behind him allegations that his wife, Penelope, was paid hundreds of thousands of euros for work she may not have done.

Fillon has said the work was genuine. An official inquiry is under way.

Unity talks flag

Besides the three-way fight, discussions to unite candidates on the left looked to be going nowhere.

Hamon is pushing a hard-left program that divides his party and competes for votes with another leftist, Communist-backed Jean-Luc Melenchon.

Melenchon is in fifth place, but a combined Hamon-Melenchon vote could theoretically put them into first or second and therefore into the runoff, instead of Fillon or Macron, against Le Pen.

Talks between Melenchon, a veteran campaigner, and Hamon, an ex-education minister, were tentative from the start, and both have acknowledged wide policy differences.

Hamon gave the latest indication on Tuesday that they were unlikely to be joining forces.

"There is a desire on Melenchon's part to go on right to the end," Hamon said on Europe 1 radio. "I respect that. ... In any case, I will work on right to the end."

Political analysts are also eyeing an imminent decision from veteran centrist Francois Bayrou on whether to stand. If he stands, that could hurt Macron, but backing from Bayrou could be a further boost.
Bemused Swedes have been defending their record as a low-crime society in the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump's speech in Florida last week in which he appeared to refer to a terrorist attack in Sweden that did not happen.

Trump later said he was talking about a Fox News program highlighting allegedly surging crime statistics in Sweden and linking them to rising immigrant numbers, after a record 163,000 asylum-seekers arrived in 2015.

On Monday, he tweeted: "The FAKE NEWS media is trying to say that large scale immigration in Sweden is working out just beautifully. NOT!"

Swedes have jumped to their country's defense.

Last year there were app 50 pct more murders only in Orlando/Orange in Florida, where Trump spoke the other day, than in all of Sweden. Bad," former Prime Minister Carl Bildt tweeted.

Few would argue with the fact that Trump's picture of Sweden is at odds with statistics.

Crime wave not a fact

Sweden ranked 187th out of 218 countries in 2014 in terms of murders per capita, according to a survey by the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime. The murder rate in the United States, which ranked about 110th, was more than four times higher.

The suggestion that the recent rise in asylum numbers has triggered a crime wave appears to have come from media reports rather than from statistics, as Swedish police do not register suspects' ethnic origins, only their gender and age.

There is no basis for drawing the conclusion that crime rates are soaring in Sweden and that that is related to immigration, Stina Holmberg at the National Council for Crime Prevention said.

The most recent official survey from 2005 does show foreign-born Swedes are more than twice as likely to be suspects in criminal investigations, but their ethnicity is not the main reason for this.

Minorities are often over-represented in criminal statistics, but when you adjust for socioeconomic factors, that disappears almost completely, Social and Justice Minister Morgan Johansson said recently.

Surge in gang violence

Sweden is nevertheless not the crime-free utopia that some might like to believe.

A surge in gang-related violence has pushed up the murder rate in the last couple of years.

In the southern city of Malmo, a town just shy of 300,000 people, 12 people were killed last year, according to local media. That was a record and gave it a murder rate per capita three times higher than that of London.

In 2013, in the mainly immigrant Stockholm suburb of Husby, around a hundred cars were burned and seven police were injured in five nights of rioting, which spread on a smaller scale to other cities across the country.

Trouble in suburbs

Emergency services are regularly attacked by stone-throwing youths, and on Monday night, rioters in a suburb of the capital battled police and burned a handful of cars.

But the violence has clearly not spiraled out of control.

There are no areas where the police don't go, police spokeswoman Johanna Blomqvist said in an email in reply to Reuters' questions.

And an annual survey of Swedes by the National Council for Crime Prevention shows crime rates broadly unchanged over the last 10 years.

Many Swedes do appear to be worried about immigration, however.

Call for more police

The anti-immigration Sweden Democrats, a party that has called for a big rise in police numbers and tougher sentences for criminals, has surged in popularity and is now vying for second spot in polls.

Sweden took in more asylum-seekers relative to the size of its population than any other European Union member in 2015. In a backlash, many asylum centers have been targeted by far-right attackers and several have been burned to the ground.

Integrating the new arrivals is also likely to be problematic. Segregation, poor schools and unemployment blight the prospects of many young people, often those with immigrant backgrounds.

Unemployment among foreign-born Swedes is around 15 percent compared with 5 percent among those born in the country. "Sweden, like many other countries, has many opportunities, but faces many challenges," Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said.
An agile thief nicknamed "Spiderman," an antiques dealer and an art expert were sentenced to prison Monday and ordered to pay Paris for stealing five masterpieces from the city's Modern Art Museum worth 104 million euros ($110 million.)

The paintings  by Picasso, Matisse, Modigliani, Braque and Fernand Leger  have not been seen since the dramatic 2010 heist.

The Paris court convicted "Spiderman'' Vjeran Tomic of stealing the paintings and sentenced him to eight years in prison. Jean-Michel Corvez, the antiques dealer who orchestrated the theft, was sentenced to seven years.

Sentence 'particularly severe'

Yonathan Birn, who stored the paintings and told the court he destroyed them out of fear of getting caught, screamed at the judge who sentenced him to six years in prison.



His lawyer, Caroline Toby, called Birn's sentence "particularly severe."

The court also jointly fined the men an eye-popping 104 million euros for the loss of the paintings, but the verdict did not detail how they might go about raising even a fraction of the fine.

Birn, a 40-year-old expert and dealer in luxury watches, previously told the court he threw the masterpieces in the trash and "made the worst mistake of my existence."

Masterpieces smuggled out of France

Investigators think the paintings were smuggled out of France, although they were not able to prove that, court documents showed. Birn's co-defendants testified he was "too smart" to destroy the masterpieces.

Tomic, a thief with 14 previous convictions, said before sentencing that he got a buzz from the May 20, 2010, overnight break-in. He took advantage of failures in the security, alarm and video-surveillance systems to move around the high-ceilinged museum near the Eiffel Tower.

"It's quite spectacular. There is an adrenaline rush the moment you enter the space," he said. "The sounds resonate from one side to the other."

Authorities found climbing gear at his home: gloves, ropes, climbing shoes and suction cups. He removed the glass from a bay window without breaking it and cut the padlock of the metal grid behind it, allowing him to move from one room to another without raising the security alarm.

Tomic was there to steal a painting by Fernand Leger and possibly a Modigliani ordered by Corvez, the 61-year-old antiques dealer who confessed to being a receiver of stolen goods. Tomic said when he came across the Picasso, the Matisse and the Braque paintings, he decided to take them as well.

'Totally stunned'

Several hours after the headline-making burglary, Tomic said he offered the five paintings to Corvez, who said he was "totally stunned" by them.

Corvez said he initially gave Tomic a plastic bag containing 40,000 euros ($43,000) in small denominations just for the Leger, because he was unsure he would get buyers for the other paintings.

Corvez then became worried about keeping the artworks in his shop after several months and showed them to his friend Birn, who agreed to buy the Modigliani for 80,000 euros ($86,000) and to store the others in his studio. The Modigliani was hidden in a bank safe, he said.

Birn said he panicked when police began investigating. He says one day in May 2011 he retrieved the Modigliani from the safe, returned to his workshop to break the stretcher bars on all the canvasses with fierce kicks and then threw them all into the building's trash.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will visit Mexico this week along with the Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly to discuss issues including border security with the southern neighbor amid frayed relations under new U.S. President Donald Trump.

Tillerson and Kelly will meet with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto and other top Mexican officials during the two-day visit on Wednesday and Thursday, the State Department said in a statement.

They will discuss border security, law enforcement and trade, the State Department said.

The February 22-23 visit comes amid tensions between the United States and Mexico since Trump took office on January 20. Trump has vowed to build a wall on the U.S. southern border, slap a hefty tax on Mexican-made goods entering the country and pull out of a trade deal with Mexico if he cannot renegotiate it to benefit the United States.

Pena Nieto canceled a planned January meeting of the two leaders in Washington after Trump said his counterpart should not attend if he was unwilling to pay for the wall.

Despite the tensions, senior Mexican and American military and interior officials spoke this month in a sign that communication remained open between the two countries.
U.S. President Donald Trump has condemned a recent surge in anti-Semitic threats across the country, saying they are "going to stop."

"The anti-Semitic threats targeting our Jewish community and community centers are horrible and are painful and a very sad reminder of the work that still must be done to root out hate and prejudice and evil," he said.

Trump's remarks were made while he paid a visit Tuesday to the new National Museum of African American History and Culture on the National Mall.



WATCH: Trump's remarks at African American museum



The president's condemnation of anti-Semitic attacks comes one day after the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reported at least 10 Jewish community centers in multiple states had received bombing threats Monday, the fourth string of such threats since the beginning of the year.

The ADL said no explosives were found at the centers and described the reported threats as "not credible."

WATCH: Vice President Pence at Missouri cemetery

Last weekend, the graves of more than 170 Jews were vandalized at a cemetery in University City, Missouri.

The ADL Monday called again on the Trump administration to develop a plan to address what some believe is a recent rise in anti-Semitism in the U.S.

At a Washington news conference last Wednesday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump was asked about increase in anti-Semitic incidents throughout the U.S.

Rather than condemn the acts, Trump instead talked about his electoral college victory and described the question as unfair, prompting more criticism that he had been silent about the apparent rise in anti-Semitism in the U.S.

Earlier Monday, Trump's opponent in last November's election, Democrat Hillary Clinton, called for the president to take a stronger stand against anti-Semitism.

WATCH: Pence helps clean up cemetery
Protesters chant, We want the death penalty|," as 40 soldiers are led into an Ankara court. The soldiers are accused of trying to assassinate President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a failed coup in July, in which more than 250 people were killed.



Erdogan, touring the country to rally support for an April referendum to extend his presidential powers, promised to bring back the death penalty. "If parliament passes the law to bring it back, I will sign it, and pay my debt to the martyrs of our country," Erdogan said to thousands of supporters in the Turkish city of Kahramanmaras Friday.

The death penalty was abolished by Erdogan when he was prime minister in 2004 as part of the countrys bid to join the European Union; but its return would be popular among many nationalists and conservative voters who support him.



With anger still felt toward those behind the coup attempt and a resurgence in terror attacks by Kurdish insurgents, analysts predict returning the death penalty is a vote winner. There is a great yearning by the people to hang 'the bastards;' I really think people feel that way, says political consultant Atilla Yesilada of Global Source partners; but Yesilada says Turkey will pay a high price. If it is ever introduced, the EU has no choice but to cut the umbilical link to Turkey.

EU warning

The European Union has warned Ankara its bid to join would be automatically frozen, but, with that bid making little progress because of opposition from some members, there is growing resentment among many Turks toward the European Union.

Erdogan said he is not going to listen to Europeans, referring to them as "Hans and George." At the Kahramanmaras rally, Erdogan told his supporters, I listen to the Ayses and Ahmets of our country," referring to traditional Turkish Muslim names, while adding, "I listen to the words of God."

Analysts say such rhetoric plays well with large sections of the electorate, underscoring his message of the need for a strong president with strong powers. Many, however, are predicting the death penalty issue will be quietly forgotten after the April referendum.

I always believed that the death penalty rhetoric was more to consolidate the alliance with the nationalists, but eventually it would be dropped, said analyst Sinan Ulgen, a visiting scholar of the Carnegie Europe policy group, because of the very high cost of introducing the death penalty in Turkey, the very high political and economical cost this would entail.

Risks involved

Notably, Devlet Bahceli, the leader of Turkeys main nationalist party, the MHP, has not, so far, echoed the presidents latest call. Analysts point out the return of the death penalty would inevitability exacerbate the countrys already deep political and ethnic divisions, if members of the Kurdish rebel group the PKK were executed. Any break with the EU would also threaten to further destabilize the countrys vulnerable economy.

We have seen how severely the markets reacted the day the European parliament voted to suspend the accession process which was only a non-binding resolution, notes consultant Yesilada, recalling Novembers vote. I would imagine how severe the markets would react if the EU was to freeze accession talks. It's really a bad scenario.

Analysts also point out that despite Erdogans tough referendum campaign rhetoric of not only calling for the death penalty, but also regular EU attacks, behind the scenes, there is another story. What we are seeing now is a realistic assessment by both the EU and Ankara, Ulgen said, adding, that despite the difficulties, this relationship remains of critical importance for both sides.

Pragmatism is being widely predicted to prevail over the death penalty, in the face of calls from Erdogans grassroots, and many nationalists; but, given the country is set to face a crucial general and presidential election within two years, few are predicting with any certainty the death penalty controversy will end soon.
Ukraine's president on Tuesday called for new sanctions against Russia over its decision to recognize passports issued by separatist authorities in the east, while the Kremlin accused Ukrainian authorities of denying vital documents to people in the rebel regions.

The Kremlin said its decision is a humanitarian move to help residents of the east suffering from Ukraine's blockade, and doesn't amount to recognizing the rebel regions.



Ukrainian forces have been fighting Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine since April 2014, a conflict that has killed more than 9,800 people.



Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on Tuesday denounced Moscow's action as contradicting the 2015 Minsk peace agreement. Speaking at a meeting with EU Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Commissioner Christos Stylianides, Poroshenko called for resolute action, up to strengthening sanctions.



The United States and the European Union have hit Russia with sanctions for its annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula and support for pro-Russian insurgents in eastern Ukraine.





The February 2015 peace agreement brokered by France and Germany has helped reduce fighting in the east, but clashes have continued and provisions for a political settlement have stalled. Russia and Ukraine have blamed each other for the lack of progress.



Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov argued Tuesday that the decision to recognize passports and other documents issued by separatist authorities in the east was intended to protect the rights of local residents, who have found it impossible to receive documents from Ukraine because of its blockade of the rebel regions.



The Ukrainian authorities are doing all they can to make life as difficult as possible for the residents of those territories and make it as hard as possible for them to enjoy the most basic rights and freedoms, Lavrov said. It's hard and often impossible to exercise those rights without documents.
U.N. aid agencies are appealing to international donors to provide money to scale up lifesaving operations in drought-stricken Ethiopia and Somalia, where millions of hungry people are at risk of death and illness.

Five years after a devastating 2011 famine killed nearly 260,000 people in Somalia, famine again is stalking that country. The worst-affected areas are in northern Puntland and Somaliland, where dozens of drought-related deaths and many illnesses already are being reported.

"On Sunday, we received reports of 38 deaths due to drought-linked reasons in the Bakool region of south-central Somalia," said Leo Dobbs, spokesman for the U.N. refugee agency. "Medical cases include people with acute malnutrition  especially children  watery diarrhea and cholera. These problems are likely to grow without substantial aid."

The United Nations estimates that half of Somalia's population, 6.2 million people, is threatened by the drought. The U.N. Children's Fund said children were the most vulnerable.

Christiane Boulierac, a UNICEF spokesman, said the number of children suffering from severe acute malnutrition "is expected to rise to 270,000 in the next few months."

Flight to urban areas

The UNHCR said thousands of people were leaving their homes and heading for urban areas, including the Somali capital, Mogadishu, because of the drought, rising food prices and dry weather forecasts  all problems compounded by continuing warfare.

Dobbs told VOA the Somali government was taking this situation very seriously, and that this was a very personal matter for President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, who was Somalia's prime minister during the 2011 famine disaster.

The president wants to make sure that scenes that marked those days are not repeated  scenes of "people walking for days and days and arriving in dreadful physical shape, and where children were suffering from acute malnutrition. He wants to avoid that certainly in areas where there is complete control," the refugee agency spokesman said.

UNHCR has begun helping displaced people in the worst-affected areas, Dobbs said, but "swift and substantial action and adequate funding are becoming urgently needed to avoid famine and a repeat of 2011."

The U.N. agency urgently needs $825 million to carry out humanitarian operations until June, he said.

On a related issue, the United Nations released $18.5 million from its global emergency fund in response to a new catastrophic drought in Ethiopia.

Jens Laerke of the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs told VOA this response was "triggered by the very rapidly deteriorating situation we have in Ethiopia, and in particular in the Somali region, where the pastoralists were extremely vulnerable to climatic changes and were in very dire condition."

Farmers move herds

Laerke said the emergency funds could help more than 785,000 people suffering from hunger, malnutrition and severe water shortages. Thousands of farmers who raise livestock in the Somali region already have been forced to relocate their herds in search of water and pasture.

The current drought hit Ethiopia before the country had a chance to recover from the effects of a devastating El Nino-induced drought in 2015-16. That disaster left more than 10 million people in urgent need of aid last year.

Bettina Luescher, spokeswoman for the World Food Program, said the Ethiopian government and partners helped save countless lives and averted a humanitarian catastrophe.

"So the good news is that the numbers of people that this year will need help with food assistance is down from last year," she said. "This year, 5.6 million people will need assistance."

WFP said it needed $268 million to provide food aid for the drought victims through July. The United Nations has put the cost of its humanitarian operation for this year at $948 million.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has issued two new memos outlining the implementation of President Donald Trumps executive orders to stop illegal immigration while deporting undocumented immigrants out of the U.S.

The documents, issued Tuesday by Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, expand the priority list for immigrants who face immediate removal, summarize a plan to hire thousands of enforcement agents, and assign local authorities to act as immigration officers to apply immigration laws.

Effective immediately, the document read, department personnel shall faithfully execute the immigration laws of the United States against all removable aliens.

The memos, first leaked to the media on Friday, have only one exception: the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients  immigrants who came to the United States at a young age and have been protected under a program established by former President Barack Obama.

WATCH: White House press secretary spicer on DHS memos



Approximately 750,000 undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States at a young age  known as "dreamers"  depend on the program to live and work in the U.S. without fear of deportation.

Trump told the media during a news conference last week he plans to deal with DACA "with heart," a subject he called "very, very tough."

"You have some absolutely incredible kids, I would say mostly," Trump said. "I find it very, very hard doing what the law says exactly to do, and you know the law is rough."



Tuesday's memos are a direct interpretation of the January 25 immigration executive orders signed by Trump.

Kelly's directive on border patrol focuses on a proposed U.S.-Mexico border wall as a necessary tool to deter and prevent illegal entry of immigrants.

Immigrants rights advocates say new immigration policies of the Trump administration are intent on inflicting cruelty on millions of immigrant families across the country.

Virtually every immigrant is now a priority for detention and deportation. Immigration and border agents will increase dramatically in number and are empowered to operate unfettered, Joanne Lin, American Civil Liberties Union senior legislative counsel, has shared in a statement.

State and local law enforcement agencies, including those with records of racial profiling and police brutality, are encouraged to become immigration agents, said Lin.

The DHS memos are different from Trump's reported new executive order to ban travel from seven majority-Muslim countries. The original order has been blocked by federal courts, and a newly written order is expected this week.
From marijuana-laced candy to body lotion infused with marijuana, this controversial plant is becoming a big business in the United States as more states make it mainstream.

Marijuana, also known as cannabis, is now legal in 28 U.S. states for either medical or recreational use. Of those states, four of them legalized recreational marijuana last November, including California. At a dispensary in Los Angeles, the experience for customers is more similar to a trip to the winery or high-end retail store.

There are cannabis plants on well-lit display and available for a smell test, as well as other edibles. Its an effort to dispel pots stigma and normalize its use.

Its inevitable. Get with it, said a customer who would only give his first name, Eric. He sees it as an herb with fewer side effects than prescription pain medicine.

Public opinion about legalization of marijuana has shifted in its favor. The Pew Research Center finds that 57 percent of those polled support the legal use of marijuana compared to 32 percent in 2006.

The cannabis industry is also growing. In 2016, the legalized marijuana business reached close to $7 billion. That number is expected to increase to more than $21 billion in five years, according to Arcview Market Research, which describes cannabis as the fastest growing industry in the world.

State vs. federal laws

Underneath the growing public support and booming industry, federal law still considers marijuana as illegal, even though state law may say otherwise. The administration of former President Barack Obama took a hands-off approach and left it up to the states to govern and prosecute the use of marijuana.

With the new Trump administration comes uncertainty.

The marijuana industry is definitely an industry that is in flux and part of it is because of this very complex regulatory landscape. Its legal at the state level, its illegal at the federal level and there are a lot of conflicting laws, said Daniel Yi, a spokesman for MedMen, a management company for marijuana dispensaries.

There are areas of law [in] which we have both federal and state laws. When those laws are in direct conflict, the federal law trumps  no pun intended of course  the idea being really the supremacy clause which is a clause in the United States Constitution that makes clear that the federal law is supreme, said constitutional law and political science expert Martin Adamian at California State University, Los Angeles.

Adamian said even though federal agents can still enforce laws at a state level, federal law does not undo the state law if they conflict, making this a gray area and often confusing to the lay person. Ultimately, it is up to each administration to set enforcement priorities. The new Trump administration is creating uncertainty among those in the cannabis industry.

Theres a lot of fear from those involved in the medical marijuana as well as the recreational marijuana industries. Theres a lot of fear about the uncertainty that exists. And so it may be the case that the Trump administration could decide to prosecute individuals on some level for violations of those laws, said Adamian.

The new attorney general, Jeff Sessions, has in the past been a critic of marijuana. In a 2016 Senate Drug Caucus hearing, Sessions, then a senator from Alabama, said, Good people dont smoke marijuana.

In his Senate confirmation hearing for attorney general, Sessions was vague when answering a question from Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy.

Would you use our federal resources to investigate and prosecute sick people who are using marijuana in accordance with their state laws even though it may violate federal law? questioned Leahy.

I wont commit to never enforcing federal law, Senator Leahy, but absolutely its a problem of resources for the federal government, replied Sessions.

With enough independence and freedom to decide the direction he wants to go, somebody like Jeff Sessions may very well try to enforce federal marijuana laws which could lead to additional raids even within states that have approved marijuana use, said Adamian.

Some players in the cannabis industry, however, are more hopeful, including Yi.

If you go by the theory that government follows the will of the people, and the fact that the marijuana industrys already thriving - Its already growing and its functioning within the bounds of law and is showing its a possible industry, I think we feel pretty optimistic about the future.

Congress is responding to the growing popularity of marijuana. Four members of Congress formed a bipartisan Cannabis Caucus to bridge the disconnect between state and federal government, and capitalize on the growing industry.
Sofia Imber, who turned a garage into the Caracas Museum of Contemporary Art and became one of Venezuela's most influential women journalists, died Monday in the capital. She was 92.

The former director of what was once among Latin America's most important art galleries succumbed to complications due to old age, her biographer, Diego Arroyo Gil, told The Associated Press.

Imber's television program Buenos Dias, which she hosted with her second husband from 1969 to 1993, was a landmark of Venezuelan journalism and politics. She became famous for her cutting interviews with global leaders such as former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, Israel's Simon Peres and the Dalai Lama, as well as with writers like Gabriel Garcia Marquez.



Social media was flooded by people lamenting her death. "Good journey, dear Sofia Imber. You gave us art, you gave us culture, you gave us an example of tireless work. That was your best piece," humorist Eduardo Edo Sanabria said on Twitter.

In 1971, when Venezuelan authorities were looking for a place to display art, Imber famously said: "If you give me a garage, I will turn it into a museum."

Three years after, she created a foundation to transform an auto parts garage into the first museum of modern art in Venezuela. In less than a decade, it had grown to hold pieces by Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Henry Moore, Fernando Botero and many Venezuelan artists. At one point, it had more than 4,000 works and received more than 15,000 visitors a month.

Laid off by Chavez in 2001

Imber, a critic of the socialist government established by the late President Hugo Chavez, was laid off as the museum's director by Chavez in 2001. She called her dismissal "one of the most painful moments" of her life.

"The president forgot or did not want to recognize the courage and the dedication of this wonderful woman," artist Jesus Soto told AP before his death in 2005.



Before being fired as museum director, she created a program to bring paintings and sculpture to suburbs and faraway places. In 1967, she became the first Latin American woman to win UNESCO's Picasso Medal. She also received awards in Brazil, France, Chile, Colombia, Italy, Mexico and Spain.

"Sofia Imber took contemporary art to the most remote areas of the country," Soto said.

Born in Soroca, Moldova, then in the former Soviet Union, she arrived in Venezuela in 1930 with her family. She later graduated from Central University of Venezuela.

Lived in Paris, Brussels



In 1944, she married Guillermo Meneses and they had four children. Meneses later held diplomatic posts in Paris and Brussels, where the couple met intellectuals and artists like Picasso, Andre Malraux and William Faulkner.



The couple divorced in 1964 and she later married journalist Carlos Rangel.



In a speech after being let go as director of the Caracas art museum, she said: "I want to be remembered as a worker and tireless woman."
White House spokesman Sean Spicer defended President Donald Trump Tuesday for labeling the press as "the enemy of the American people" and accused some news outlets of purposely reporting biased, inaccurate information.

Spicer told reporters at a White House briefing the president has "deep respect for the First Amendment (which guarantees Americans' free-speech rights) and the role of the press." However, he added, "It's a two-way street.

"I think that the president understands that certain outlets have gone out of their way to not be completely accurate and fair in their coverage of what's going on," Spicer said.

The press secretary reviewed Trump's concern about the press in response to a reporter who asked whether the president "regrets or wants to clarify his characterization" of the news media as "the enemy," during a lengthy news conference last Thursday.

Two different views

Spicer did not cite any examples of inaccurate or unfair news coverage, but he was asked to comment on reports suggesting Trump had been careless with classified information last week, when he learned of North Korea's most recent missile test while dining in public at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

Other people dining at the same time saw a gathering of senior officials around Trump's table, consulting documents and making telephone calls. Since those present were dining by candlelight, Trump's advisers shone lights from their cellular phones to illuminate their work. Someone in the dining room posted a photograph of the unusual scene to social media.

Subsequently various news reports suggested that the president and his aides had unwisely discussed classified, sensitive issues in full view of people with no connection to the White House.

Spicer rebutted those accounts firmly Tuesday.

"Its amazing," the press secretary said. "A photo gets put out, the president has got a piece of paper, and the immediate conclusion is hes got to be talking about classified information."

Spicer: security was intact

Spicer said Trump had been briefed on the situation in North Korea before he entered the dining room, and that briefing took place in a secure, separate location -- a SCIF (pronounced "skiff), in government parlance, meaning a sensitive, compartmented information facility. During dinner, which included Japanese Prime Minister AShinzo Abe and his aides, the president and others discussed the logistics of a late-night statement to reporters that he and Abe had agreed to make.

"There was a question as to where to hold the press conference," Spicer said Tuesday. "They had a discussion about the logistics of it. And subsequent to that dinner, he was briefed again in a SCIF with updates on the situation in North Korea. Thats it, plain and simple."

Bolstering his initial comments about reporters' alleged inclination to distrust the president's motives and actions, or to describe them unfairly, Spicer said: "I think that its amazing that the immediate ... conclusion [by] several outlets was, 'Well, theres a piece of paper; it must be classified.' "

Spicer continued: "Its amazing to see that and to see people jump to that conclusion that hes surrounded by his staff and members of the Japanese delegation, the conclusion is they must be doing something nefarious or wrong. in fact, [Trump] followed every procedure thats laid out."

'Disheartening' mistrust by reporters

The press secretary said the "immediate conclusions that sombody jumps to" were "disheartening."

"So when you talk about coverage, we have a free press," he concluded. "We have the right for people to say and do what they believe. But at some point, it is incumbent upon people to try to get it right. And in that case (in Mar-a-Lago last Saturday), it wasnt even attempted. It was a jump to conclusion by many to say that there must be something else going on when, in fact, we were able to provide a very, very clear tick-tock (a straightforward, chronological explanation) as to what had happened."

The controversy over the White House viewing the press as its foe began after Trump said in a tweet last week that the "fake news media is not my enemy, it is the enemy of the American People! The statement represented an escalation in Trumps long-running quarrel with the media, which he has referred to as dishonest, "fake and as "the opposition party."

Past U.S. presidents have battled the news media. But rarely, if ever, has the relationship between the media and the White House been so contentious.

Veteran Washington reporter Carl Bernstein, whose coverage of the Watergate scandal in the early 1970s for The Washington Post helped bring down President Richard Nixon, has said Trump's language about the press "may be more insidious and dangerous than Richard Nixon's attacks on the press."

"But there is a similarity," Bernstein said, "in trying to divide the country and make the conduct of the press the issue, instead of the conduct of the president."

Bernstein noted critically that what he called Trump's "authoritarian attitude" indicates the president does not fully understand the role of a free press.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday named Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster as his new national security adviser. McMaster is a vocal critic of the U.S. militarys handling of the Vietnam War and has become known as a counterinsurgency expert as he progressed through the ranks.

WATCH: McMaster's remarks about his new NSC position



In 2014, McMaster was named one of Time Magazines 100 Most Influential People just prior to being chosen to lead the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Commands Army Capabilities Integration Center. In this role, McMaster was seen as the architect of the Army, leading it into the future.

McMaster graduated from West Point and later earned a Silver Star for leadership during the Gulf War when, as a cavalry commander, he led a small contingent of U.S. tanks to destroy 80 Iraqi tanks.

During the Iraq War, McMaster commanded the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment in its mission to remove insurgent fighters from the city of Tal Afar. The tactics McMaster employed in securing the city were seen as pioneering at the time.

McMaster wrote a doctoral dissertation about the Vietnam War that later became the book Dereliction of Duty in which he criticizes the Joint Chiefs of Staff for failing in their duty to provide President Lyndon Johnson with adequate military advice.

The book has since become recommended reading for all Army officers.

McMaster is one of several Trump advisers with military backgrounds. Trump has also named retired officers as his secretaries of homeland security and defense.
Tensions are high in South Africas capital amid a wave of attacks against businesses owned by immigrants, who some angry residents accuse of spreading crime. A group of Pretoria residents are preparing to hold an anti-immigrant protest on Friday.

Several low-income Pretoria neighborhoods have in recent days seen violence evocative of the last major wave of of xenophobia that hit Johannesburg and Durban in 2015.

Police reported that at least 20 shops and homes were looted and burned and foreign residents were attacked Monday. No arrests have been made, police say, as no one has stepped forward to press charges.

Prince Binda, a representative from the (DRC) Congolese immigrant community, says many local Congolese residents are losing hope in the Rainbow Nation.

I have a friend for instance in Pretoria West, who phoned and said, Look, man, today I have nothing in this country, he said. Because the car we were driving, we were thrown of out the car, and people came into the flat and they took everything. So really, so to be punished, or to be beaten up for what we didnt do, makes you regret why you first came in this country.

President Jacob Zumas office told VOA on Tuesday he had not made any public pronouncements on the attacks and had yet to issue a statement.

Many activists say politicians have a big role to play in these events, citing comments made by Johannesburgs mayor Herman Mashaba in December in which he said immigrants are holding our country to ransom and equated immigrants to criminals. Those comments earned him sharp rebukes from other politicians.

Magnet for immigrants



South Africa has long been a magnet for migrants from around Africa, and beyond, because of its progressive laws, porous borders, advanced economy and a migration policy that does not require asylum seekers to live in refugee camps. Officially, the last census counted 2.2. million immigrants in South Africa; some estimates are as high as 5 million immigrants.

The nation is also beset by racial inequality and high unemployment, which has led to frustration. In 2015, xenophobic violence in Durban and Johannesburg left at least seven people dead and prompted thousands to flee. Another outbreak of violence in 2008 left at least 67 people dead.

Ethiopian community member Alemayehu Senbeta, a carpenter, disputes the notion that immigrants take jobs away from South Africans and hinder the economy.

Were not taking any jobs from the [citizens], but we are helping and supporting, he said. As you know, most of our people are in locations, rural areas. They go wherever, even risky places where people cannot go. Even some of the places citizens are very scared to go to that place, but our people go there and create a business for themselves. But we are not actually taking a job from the South Africans.

Economic contributions



University of Cape Town research supports him. A 2015 study found immigrant business owners in South Africa contribute to the economy in numerous ways, among them, by paying rent to South Africans, and by hiring South Africans.

Activist Mametlwe Sebei of Lawyers for Human Rights, who is South African, says the government urgently needs to address the situation, before any more immigrants pay the price.
Yemen has launched a major polio vaccination campaign amid fears the disease could reappear in the war-ravaged nation where the health system is on the verge of collapse and aid agencies are warning of famine.

The World Health Organization (WHO), which is supporting the drive, said some 40,000 health workers aimed to immunize more than 5 million children under the age of five across the country.

"The threat of [polio] virus importation is serious and this campaign aims to curb any possible return of the virus to Yemen," WHO's representative in Yemen, Nevio Zagaria, said in a statement.

Polio, which spreads quickly among children and can cause irreversible paralysis within hours, remains endemic in only three countries  Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria.

Yemen was declared polio-free in 2009, but experts say conflict-affected countries are particularly at risk of outbreaks because of disruption to their health systems.

WHO's spokesman on polio eradication, Sona Bari, said both Syria and Iraq saw polio outbreaks a few years ago.

"This is why the [Yemen] campaign at this time is extremely important," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone from Geneva.



"We have been very lucky that polio hasn't shown up in Yemen, but it is a virus that travels very easily and is very good at finding unprotected children."

The immunization drive, which began on Monday, had been scheduled for last September, but insecurity has hampered access.

The vaccination teams will also target high-risk groups including families uprooted from their homes by fighting and refugees who have fled to Yemen from conflicts in Africa.

Around 2 million people are displaced in Yemen where nearly two years of civil war has pitted the Iran-allied Houthi group against a Western-backed Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia.

The U.N. children's agency UNICEF, which is also helping with the vaccinations, warned on Tuesday of looming famine in Yemen where nearly half a million children have severe acute malnutrition.

Bari said there was a risk that polio vaccines would not be effective in malnourished children suffering from diarrhea because they would be flushed out.



She said WHO was also worried about the risks of polio emerging in countries in the Lake Chad basin, Syria, Iraq, Somalia and South Sudan.
(St. Paul, MN) After years of attempts, a bill that would allow Minnesotans to buy liquor on Sundays passed the House Monday by a bipartisan 85-45 vote.

HF30, sponsored by Rep. Jenifer Loon (R-Eden Prairie), would limit Sunday alcohol sales from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., lifting a Prohibition-era ban on buying off-sale booze. Monday through Saturday sales would remain unchanged.

Included in the bill is a compromise provision that would prohibit carriers from delivering on Sundays.

The bill now heads to the Senate, where Sen. Jeremy Miller (R-Winona) is the sponsor. A hearing on Sunday liquor sales is scheduled Wednesday by the Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee.

The measures approval is a victory for Sunday sales proponents after the House last year shot down a similar proposal 70-56 and 75-57 in 2015. This year, House Speaker Kurt Daudt (R-Crown) announced early in the session he believed the bill had traction, even though its debate has been somewhat of a failed annual tradition at the Capitol.

I do think that the consumers of Minnesota have spoken, have spoken loudly and spoken over a long period of time, Loon said.

Although members of both parties approved the bill after less than an hour of debate, it also received bipartisan opposition.

Dissenters argue lifting the ban would hurt small liquor outlets with limited resources who would be forced to compete with better-staffed big box stores. Likening it to disappearing local department stores and pharmacies, Rep. Jack Considine Jr. (DFL-Mankato) said small businesses are gobbled up when they go toe-to-toe with larger stores.

I feel a duty to protect family business and small businesses, Considine said. If we do not start protecting them, they will start to disappear.

Rep. Glenn Gruenhagen (R-Glencoe) warned that easing liquor restrictions would set a poor example for children and Rep. Kathy Lohmer (R-Stillwater) said the overhead costs of trying to compete would bury mom-and-pop liquor stores.

I think its not something we want to do - go after the small businesses in our state, Lohmer said.

Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka (R-Nisswa), who controls the bills fate in that chamber, said hes willing to give the bill a floor hearing, leaving the decision up to the 67-member body even if hes traditionally been opposed to the idea.

Minnesota is one of a dozen states with the so-called blue law on its books. Proponents say Minnesota is losing precious tax revenue to neighboring states who allow off-sale Sunday liquor sales. They also say it should be up to consumers when and where they purchase alcohol.

Citing economic freedom, Loon said Sunday sales gives busy consumers another day to purchase alcohol if they want it. Brushing aside concerns about local liquor stores losing sales to their bigger counterparts, she added, They (consumers) are looking for convenience and they are happy to support their local liquor stores  this is about providing more choices.

Rep. Laurie Halverson (DFL-Eagan), a traditional no vote, supported the measure. She said compromise brought her on board, but warned the legislative body not to forget the small businesses. Make sure youre stopping by your mom-and-pop on the way home from work.
The Munich Security Conference took place between 16 and 19 February [1]. Like every year, it united more than 500 European Ministers and members of Parliament, as well as a number of foreign guests. This is the most important international meeting on European Foreign Policy and Defence.

Ten years ago, in 2007, Vladimir Putin caused a scandal by claiming that it was in the interest of the Europeans not to follow the Pentagon in its military adventures, but to act independently [2]. He also reminded his listeners that his country, Russia, is also a European state, even though it is excluded from the European Union. The participants had laughed at him and his pretentions. As one, they sought protection under cover of the NATO umbrella.

This time, it was Sergey Lavrov who caused a scandal, by calling for a post-Western world order. We are obliged to admit that NATO has lost its superiority in terms of conventional warfare  even though it easily maintains first place in terms of nuclear war. We are obliged to admit that after 15 years of uninterrupted war in the Greater Middle East, the mirage of remodelling the region into micro-states, each with less than 10 million inhabitants, and the fantasy of eradicating secular regimes for the benefit of dictatorships run by the Muslim Brotherhood, have failed.

Astoundingly, the Europeans persist in pursuing these goals, which have been imposed on them by Washington, but which the People of the United States and their President Donald Trump do not want any more. So the Europeans are counting on the deep US state (that is to say the Raven Rock Mountain Continuity of Government group who organised the attacks of 11 September). Their political leaders continue, as a preventive measure, to denounce Donald Trumps supposed racism and Islamophobia, the same people who applauded when George W. Bush and Barack Obama killed more than 3 million people. Their Press continually insults Donald Trump, whom it presents as capricious and incapable [3].

Horrified by the opinions of Donald Trump, according to whom NATO is obsolete, they were reassured by the declarations of his ministers, who in essence, told them the same thing  NATO no longer needs to exist in its current format - it needs to be transformed into a defensive alliance, and if you want to be part of it, you will have to dedicate 2% of your Defence budget.

Obsessed by their imperialist lunacy, the Europeans were terrified by the possible abandon of their anti-Russian investments in Ukraine and Syria. There too, they were reassured by declarations which were nonetheless as vague as could be. Trumps ministers repeated that they would give up no interest vital to the USA in Ukraine, and that they would pursue a political solution in Syria. So why did the Europeans understand that the People of the United States has vital interests on the banks of the Dnipro and that a political solution in Syria means replacing the Republic with the Muslim Brotherhood? Simply because that is what they were taught by the Obama administration  the administration that was rejected by the People of the United States.

Of course, everyone can see the struggle between the Trump administration on one side and the Continuity of Government group on the other. The mountains trembled when Donald Trump excluded the CIA and the Joint Chief of Staff from the National Security Council [4]. Everyone noticed the way in which the CIA, in response, refused Defence accreditation to six of the Presidents advisors, and accused the National Security advisor of being a Russian spy, forcing him to resign, and how they are still pursuing four other representatives from the Presidential team. But losing a few battles does not mean losing the war, and it is distressing that the Europeans  enslaved for so long  do not know this. How can they believe that Donald Trump was going to sweep away such a powerful deep state in just a few days? And how could they imagine that his first defeats would be enough to make him give up? [5]

Over the last few years, this Security Conference has been a way for Germany to serve as a link between the United States and their European partners. This year, its only goal was to force the European leaders to confirm their allegiance to the deep US state, without taking into account either the will expressed by the US People, or the change in the White House.

A preparatory document, drawn up by the German organisers of the Conference, was handed to the participants. The Press was careful not to mention it. It contains an article by Volker Perthes, author of the Feltman plan for the total and unconditional capitulation of the Syrian Arab Republic [6]. This eminent expert presents his vision of the Greater Middle East, or rather the vision of the US Continuity of Government [7].

 1. [Even if we have not managed to remodel it,] this region will not be unaffected by the wars and the Arab Spring. [We didnt do all that for nothing].

 2. The conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran has become a sectarian conflict between Sunnis and Chiites [which masks our geopolitical ambitions].

 3. While everyone is caught up in this false religious conflict, no-one is paying any attention to the Palestinian situation [for the greater benefit of the colonial state of Israel].

 4. While the Europeans are unanimously tired of these bloodbaths taking place far from their homes, and hope for the long-awaited triumph of the Muslim Brotherhood, no-one in the Greater Middle East has yet admitted to having been beaten.

 5. During the war in Syria, the alliances have continually been sealed and unsealed at the regional level, the latest of which was the pact between Russia, Turkey and Iran, which should not last [luckily] any longer than the others.

 6. Syria and Iraq will not beat terrorism, and will not find peace other than by inclusive government [that is to say, by accepting to introduce al-Qaeda and Daesh into their governments].

 7. All of this could only end, for all the populations of the Greater Middle East, by a major international conference during which the Westerners would determine their future, just as, at the Congress of Vienna (1814), the Quadruple Alliance decided the fate of the rest of the world.

Quite clearly, neither faced with the vote of the US People, nor the Resistance of the Arab Peoples, do the European leaders intend to change  they can only be dismissed by the European People.
The Nato Ministers of Defense met in Brussels at the North Atlantic Council and resolved further measures to strengthen the Alliance. These measures focused on the Eastern Front in particular, with the deployment of new deterrent forces in Estonia, Latvia and Poland, assembled for increasing Nato presence across the whole of Eastern Europe with drills both on land and at sea. In June, four multinational battalions will be fully operational so that they can be deployed in the region.

At the same time, Nato will increase its naval presence in the Black Sea. Furthermore, Nato has launched the creation of a multinational command of special forces, formed initially by Belgian, Danish and Dutch forces. Finally, the North Atlantic Council praises Georgia for the progress it has made on the journey that will enable it to enter the Alliance, becoming the third Nato country (together with Estonia and Latvia) positioned directly at the Russian border.

On the southern border, closely connected to the Eastern border (notably through the Russia  Nato confrontation in Syria), the North Atlantic Council announces a series of measures to contain threats coming from the Middle East and North Africa and to project stability beyond our borders.

At the Command of Joint Allied Forces at Naples, the Hub for the South is established, with a personnel of about 100 soldiers. Its mission? To evaluate threats coming from the region and to tackle them together with nations and partner organizations. It will provide Awacs spy planes and drones and will soon become operational at Sigonella.

For military operations that are already underway, [there is] the Nato Response Force of 40,000 men, in particular, its Spearhead force of very high operational readiness.

The Hub for the South  explains Stoltenberg, the Secretary-General  will increase Natos capacity to anticipate and prevent crises. In other words, once a crisis has been anticipated in the Middle East, North Africa or anywhere else for that matter, Nato will be able to carry out a pre-emptive military strike. In this way, the entire Atlantic Alliance adopts Bush the Hawks doctrine on pre-emptive wars.

At present, the first wishing to strengthen Nato, especially with regard to its anti-Russian role [are] the European governments of the Alliance: those that, generally speaking, present themselves as doves. Indeed, they fear being bypassed or marginalized if the Trump Administration were to strike a direct deal with Moscow.

Particularly active: the governments of the East. The armoured Brigade 3a that the Obama Administration sent to Poland does not satisfy Warsaw. It [wants more] and now, with the authoritative Kaczynski speaking in its name, asks Washington for shelter under the US nuclear umbrella. In other words, it expresses its desire to have on its own soil, US nuclear arms pointed at Russia.

Kiev had relaunched an offensive in Donbass against the Russians in Ukraine, either through heavy bombing or through the systematic murders of those masterminding the resistance - attacks which the Western Secret Services are also behind. At the same time, President Poroshenko has announced a referendum on Ukraines membership of Nato.

Alexis Tspipras went to lend support to his campaign. On 8-9 February, he was on an official visit to Kiev and made clear to President Poroshenko Greeces unwavering support for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Ukraine and, consequently, the non-recognition of what Kiev defines the illegal Russian annexation of Crimea. The meeting, Tsipras declared, laying the foundations for years of close cooperation between Greece and Ukraine, will contribute to bringing about peace in the region.
On Monday nights episode of Watch What Happens Live, Andy Cohen took a moment to address the recent spate of threats and other acts of hate against Jewish community centers across the country. Cohen noted that this news struck close to home, as his great-grandparents and many of his relatives are buried in a Jewish cemetery near St. Louis that was vandalized over the weekend. I dont have to have a personal connection, though, to know that this is not who we are as Americans, he added. We cannot allow acts of hate against anyone to become normal.
Photo: HBO

Every week until the series finale of Girls, Vulture TV columnist Jen Chaney will also serve as an advice columnist for various characters on the HBO series. This weeks advice recipient: Shoshanna Shapiro.

Dear Jen,

Im not sure how I feel about writing to an advice columnist. Like, it feels like something that old people do. But Im in a pretty desperate place, so whatever. Ill give it a shot.

I recently got into a huge fight with my friend Jessa, who also happens to be my cousin. (By the way, and like, I realize this will sound really weird, but I completely forgot she was my cousin until a couple of days ago.) So Jessa tagged along  even though I did not really invite her  to this female-entrepreneurs mixer. These two ex-friends of mine, Rachel and Ziva  you know, the ones who invented Jamba Jeans  were there, and I really wanted to impress them. But Jessa, who Rachel and Ziva never really liked, pretty much ruined things. Jessa always ruins things.

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Thats why the fight happened. After Rachel and Ziva said there wasnt room for me in their lives anymore, Jessa and I left the mixer. While standing outside trying to hail a cab, I just lost it. I dont know what caused it. Maybe it was the fact that Jessa actually stole a dish full of finger foods, including the dish, or the fact that my friend Elijah admitted that Marnie is cheating on Ray, my ex-boyfriend; or the fact that Jessa was trying to justify her relationship with Adam, as if that relationship, of course, explains every dynamic between her and every human being on Earth; or the fact that I was still stung from being rejected by Rachel and Ziva. Anyway, I completely blew up at Jessa. I told her that she ruined my life by drawing me into her dysfunctional social circle. (Its so dysfunctional its barely a circle. Its more like a sad, lopsided oval.)

Then I started crying. I screamed, Get out of my face! at her three times and also threw one of her sliders on the ground. It was not a good night. Jessa stomped away and yelled at me to grow up. That stung, too.

I guess I just feel like I should be a grown-up by now, like one of those women at the WEMUN (Women Entrepreneurs Meet Up Now!) mixer who has all their shit together and whose friends also clearly have all their shit totally organized into Container Store baskets and Elfa cabinets. I could have been one of those women. Instead, I started hanging out with Jessa and Hannah and Marnie and Ray, who is so great, but also a little aimless. I could have been a New York success story, like Rachel and Ziva and their denim leisurewear. Instead Im just another girl working at a hip branding agency wishing she had a brand of her own.

I feel bad for yelling at Jessa, and for wasting a perfectly good slider. Should I apologize to her? (I mean Jessa, not the slider.) On one hand, Im kind of not sorry I said what I said. On the other hand, I still want her in my life. Shes my friend, even though shes so self-involved, she thinks that working in marketing is the same thing as, like, working at a farmers market. Shes also my cousin, apparently. Like, what do I do?

Signed,

Shoshanna Shapiro

Current resident of New York, former resident of Japan

Dear Shoshanna,

First things first: Should you apologize to Jessa? If you want her to remain a part of your life, which it sounds like you do, and if you have regrets about the way you behaved toward her, which it also sounds like you do, then yes, apologize. Thats what grown-ups do. But this sorry should be a qualified sorry.

You should tell Jessa that you feel badly for yelling at her, but also be honest about how frustrating it is when she doesnt listen to you or demeans your sense of ambition or makes everything about her damn British-accented self. What was it she said right before you let the slider fly? She accused you of being a jeans fucker, which implied that you only want to bask in the borrowed glow of women like Rachel and Ziva. Thats not quite true. But it is partially true. A person can only snap the way you snapped when they hear fighting words with some grains of honesty in them.

I believe theres a tenacity in you, Shosh, and that when you find something concrete to focus on, you become a positive, unstoppable force. The way you single-handedly rehabbed Rays coffee shop is a great example of this. But I also think Jessa wasnt wrong when she suggested you want to be in the orbit of people who are admired, without actually doing work yourself that qualifies as admirable.

I know you just started a new job, but I can sense already that youre only working at Silverhorn because its what you think you are supposed to do. You need to figure out what makes you happy while having a positive impact on others, and then pursue it immediately. What you are doing instead is trying to look and sound impressive to people you think are worth impressing, even though those individuals may be less dimensional than holograms of actual humans. Yes, I am referring here to Rachel and Ziva, who are so obviously the worst. My God, Shoshanna, I dont get why you dont see that.

No, scratch that  I do get why you dont see that. Its because Rachel and Ziva not only represent the road not taken, theyre also the girlfriends who broke up with you and did so in a way that specifically signals that theres something wrong with you. I mean, its true that youre not perfect. If Im being honest, for the first three season of Girls, you drove me absolutely crazy. But the fact that these two women are still holding a grudge against you for bailing on a spring-break trip from so long ago suggests that they are the petty and insecure ones, not you.

Its natural to compare ourselves to other people and conclude that we come up short. We all do this; I think women especially do this. Id like to tell you that as you get older, you will stop this terrible habit. But Id be lying. For as long as you live, you will sometimes mentally Photoshop yourself into split-screen images that place you next to friends, colleagues, and maybe other mothers if you decide to have kids someday. When you do this, you will inevitably see yourself as the sad, gross Before and everyone else as the flawless, self-actualized After.

The key is to manage that impulse, to recognize that you will sometimes compare yourself to others and feel lousy, but that doing so is human nature and should not define your sense of self. You have not only allowed other women, like Jessa and co., to define who you are, but also other WEMUN to do it, too. Youve always gravitated toward the friends and career that project maturity, that make you feel like youre advancing by association. But you still havent figured out what you need to do to advance yourself. You work in branding, but your brand is vapor.

Thats okay, because youre young and youre still trying to figure everything out. You should not expect to have made it already. You also shouldnt conclude that you havent made it because of the people with whom you chose or did not choose to hang out. The bad news is: Who you are is all on you. The good news is: Who you are is all on you.

As Elijah so eloquently put it, We cant all be perfect, okay? Everyone has their own path. We cant all be Justin Trudeau. You immediately asked if he meant Justin Theroux, which was a ridiculous question. But actually, either Justin works in this scenario. We cant all be the hot prime minister of Canada who can explain quantum computing off the top of his head, nor can we all be the talented star of The Leftovers who is married to Jennifer Aniston and has abs that could stop freeway traffic. Nor should we want to be. Both Justins already have those departments covered! We, and you specifically, should want to be the best people we can be, while recognizing that there is no such thing, in life or at WEMUN mixers, as perfection.

I hope you recognize that, Shoshanna. I also hope you cancel your membership to WEMUN and get at least a partial refund on that exorbitant $2,000 annual fee. Youre worth so, so much more than that.
Kitesurfing all day, drinking whiskey, and talking to the TV all night: According to Jordan Peeles impersonation of the 44th president of the United States on Late Night, Obama is leaning real hard into retired life. This Obama isnt buttoned-up enough to require an anger translator. Hes just Vacation Obama, clothes filled with sand, heart filled with schadenfreude, shoes also probably filled with sand.
Lohan. Photo: Chance Yeh/Getty Images

Amid speculation that Lindsay Lohan may be converting to Islam, the actress now says she was recently a victim of Islamophobia. While traveling from London to New York after meeting with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey to discuss the global refugee crisis, Lohan claims she was racially profiled for the first time in my life at Heathrow Airport for wearing a headscarf. She told Piers Morgan on Good Morning Britain, [British Airport Security] opened my passport and saw Lindsay Lohan and started immediately apologizing, but then said please take off your headscarf. And I did, its okay. (She says she was wearing a headscarf out of personal respect for Turkish culture.)

However, the incident forced Lohan to consider how she benefited from her privilege as both a celebrity and non-Muslim: What scared me in that moment [is] how would another woman who doesnt feel comfortable taking off her headscarf feel? That was really interesting to me. I was kind of in shock. It was jarring. As for her religion, Lohan said it wouldnt be right to talk about converting until shes finished studying the Koran, but that its a consideration.


Walt Whitman Photo: ullstein bild/Getty Images

Walt Whitman might be best known for his genre-defying poetic masterpiece Leaves of Grass, but the 19th-century writer was far from a one trick pony. Last year, graduate student Zachary Turpin discovered a long lost Dickensian serialized novel written by Whitman that was last seen in print 165 years ago, reports the New York Times. The 36,000-word story Life and Adventures of Jack Engle, is a first-person narrative following an orphan on his journey through New York, which included a full cast of colorful, diabolical money-and-power-hungry characters, as well as virtuous Quakers and a sultry Spanish dancer. Researchers believe that the work was never reprinted after it was published anonymously in the New Yorkarea newspaper The Sunday Dispatch.

Turpin was only able to find the novel by entering character names and a few details referenced in Whitmans notebooks in a digital database where he found an advertisement that ran in the Times for the Jack Engle story. From there, he was able to find the only known original copy, which had not yet been digitized, in the Library of Congress.

Though the 1852 book is not a particularly good example of the authors oeuvre, or of the city mystery novels that were popular during that time, Whitman experts point to clear connections to Leaves of Grass, which was published three years later. At times the drama of the novels mustache-twirling super-rich versus the kind, hardworking everyman gives way to the sort of wandering explorations on nature and the human experience that made Whitman a hero of the American literary canon. You can see for yourself by reading it. Life and Adventures of Jack Engle is available, for the first time ever, now as a book and online.
This week, network televisions most confusing show got a little less haphazard. With no less than three plots and a half-dozen plot twists per episode, watching Quantico has lately felt like trying to solve a Rubiks cube: All the pieces fit together with some series of twists, but until the puzzle is actually solved, it just seems like a complete mess.

In Epicshelter, the puzzle finally starts to come together. For weeks now, weve been dealing with the same major plotlines: a terrorist attack in NYC, a hunt for a covert team, and several interpersonal dramas. This episode is no different, of course, as the divisions of narrative labor have settled into standard places. In the future, viewers get a lot of good action scenes and fast-paced drama, and in the past, we get the emotional weight Quantico needs to keep viewers connected to whats happening with this CIA-FBI-MI6 mess. The big difference? This time, the episode actually offers plot resolution.

Normally, each episode of Quantico offers an overt moral. A lesson taught on the Farm, where Alex Parrish & Co. must learn their latest CIA skill, becomes the overarching theme. But this week, there is no major lesson on the Farm, no challenge for the young recruits to battle over. The only guidance were given is a very short lecture given by a random actor weve never seen before, who promises that even the best have to prepare for the worst, then asks each of them to work on their wills. This concept, that the end is right around the corner, permeates the episode as it ties up loose end after loose end.

On the Farm, things move at a breakneck pace. Last week, Owen (Blair Underwood) and Alex (Priyanka Chopra) watched a strange bunker that presumably belongs to the AIC explode and kill a man, and now that event has already come back to haunt them. Two FBI agents show up to interview recruits and find out what happened. The man who died, they tell us, is Jeremy Miller (David Call), a former recruit who also was a fairly famous novelist. Now, if you have the memory of a literal spy, you might remember that Jeremy Miller is not actually dead. One thousand years ago, when this terrorist plotline began, Alex Parrish was convinced that she saw him alive. This knowledge doesnt really matter, though. Owen is arrested by the CIA and taken into custody.

The meat of the past story line (for the third week in a row!) comes from Harry Doyle (Russell Tovey), who is struggling to balance his mission as an undercover MI6 agent at the Farm with his own personal drama. Yet again, Tovey carries the episodes emotional weight like its nothing and proves himself one of the best actors in this ensemble cast. His best scene takes place at the bar with the other recruits, where he says he came here with good intentions and like all good intentions they went up in flames. Sebastian Chen (David Lim), his enemy-roommate, has ratted him out to a higher-up, which means hell be pulled from his position. Hes not the only agent to leave the Farm this episode, either. Alex Parrish is also kicked out by Owens daughter, Lydia (Tracy Ifeachor).

The Alex and Lydia drama continues in the present story line, where she discovered at the end of last weeks episode that Lydia is running the operations on the terrorist attacks. Now outside the perimeter, the sense of danger Quantico tried to sustain for too many episodes does briefly fade for a few minutes. Almost immediately, though, it returns: Alex and her friends are sent back into the perimeter to track down Will (Jay Armstrong Johnson) and Dayana (Pearl Thusi), who are allegedly trying to upload some very secretive drives that need to be kept private.

Oh Lord, I hope this is the end and not the sequel, Harry jokes as they enter the perimeter. His sentiment was mine as well. This terrorism subplot has been dead for weeks, and finally it seems like its coming to a close. The team splits up to find Will and Dayana with guns out. For the first time in weeks, there is actual tension. Its definitely more dangerous to put these characters inside a closed perimeter with a bunch of terrorists, and during this mission, it actually feels like someone might die. The streets are dark, they are in small groups, and Will and Dayana are both good agents.

No one dies, of course. But the tension still works. Alex finds Will and Dayana only to get shot in the back (shes wearing kevlar, whew), watch Lydia upload the drive, and get into a fist fight with her. This is the most drama Quantico has had in weeks and the fight is mesmerizing. Both leave with little more than bloody noses, but its been a while since weve seen a well-choreographed fight. Its a breath of fresh air. Alex wins, but shes too late; Lydia uploads the drives and their information.

Epicshelter races through so many plotlines that we even get what is essentially a recap near the end of the episode. While Miranda (who is in custody) explains to Shelby what happened, a second screen displays other scenes from the episode to explain to us what is really happening. The gist is that Alex was right all along, and the twist is that the First Lady is involved with the Citizens Liberation Front.

With all that wrapped up, the only thing left to address is Alexs relationship with Ryan (Jake McLaughlin). To deal with this, the episode flashes forward two more weeks and shows her returning the ring, promising all the while that shell always love him. This episode really feels like a season (if not a series) finale. If Quantico never aired again after this week, Id feel pretty content with where every character ends up. It would be a nice ending point, especially if the last four minutes were cut. But the show must go on, and so it sets up a new future: Alex, Ryan, Shelby (Johanna Brady), Dayana, and Nimah (Yasmine Al Massri) are all recruited to become a covert task force for the president. Soon, they will begin a new assignment. Lets hope its the change of pace Quantico desperately needs.
During his regular Closer Look segment on Late Night, Seth Meyers took on a smorgasbord of different news stories from the past few days (you read that right: days, not weeks). In that time, President Trump delivered a memorable  though not well-received  press conference, found a new national security adviser, and made up a terrorist incident in Sweden that never happened, but seemed like it could have happened based on a segment he saw on Fox News the night before. Not even the Swedish Chef, the Muppets greatest Nordic character, could understand the fictional upheaval the country was in.

The most important takeaway Meyers offered was a word of warning to anybody hoping to become friends with the 45th president (are you reading this, Putin?): Expect to be forced to eat meatloaf on the regular. Which reminds us, what do the betting markets currently say are the odds Celebrity Apprentice contestant Meat Loaf will be joining the administration any day now?
Hyderabad Feb 20 : Nizamabad MP and Telangana Rashtra Samithi leader K Kavita on Monday reacted strongly against Congress leaders over their remarks on the party leaders not working towards the development of Telangana.

Stating that the TRS members of Parliament were speaking in favour of people in Telangana which is the reason AIIMS has been established in the state, the MP said that all their efforts at the Centre has resulted in the approval of several Telangana projects.

Kavitha further pointed out that the Congress leaders who were in power for a decade failed to failed in terms of the welfare of people in the state.
A 26-year-old Robinson man pleaded guilty Monday in the October 2015 traffic deaths of two women.

Robert St. John Brucker, a restaurant worker, pleaded guilty to two counts of manslaughter in the deaths of Maria Arredondo and Francisca Dominguez, both North Texas residents. The womens ages were unavailable Monday.

The women were killed and three others in their van were injured in a crash on Interstate 35.

Brucker pleaded guilty in what is known as an open plea to the court without benefit of a plea bargain after rejecting a plea offer of 10 years in prison from prosecutors, said his attorney, Lewis Giles.

Judge Ralph Strother of 19th State District Court will sentence Brucker on April 17. Brucker is seeking probation but faces a maximum 20-year sentence on each count.

According to police reports, Brucker was speeding and driving recklessly about 10:15 p.m. when he struck the back of a trailer being pulled by the vehicle in which the women were riding.

Brucker told officers that he was traveling south on the interstate when he saw a trailer in front of him with no lights on.

He told the officer he tried to swerve to the left to avoid hitting the trailer but there was a car in the center lane, so he swerved back and crashed into the trailer.

The driver of the van, Sanjuana Lopez, told officers she felt the impact from the collision before her vehicle left the roadway and rolled.

A state trooper noted in his report that the speedometer was locked on Bruckers vehicle at 89 mph after the crash. He also noted the lighting system on the trailer was intact.

Giles said Brucker was returning from Hill County, where he had gone to visit his daughter.

Sometimes bad things happen. In this case, it is uncontested that he was driving too fast. It was late at night and his vehicle and the trailer collided, Giles said. The two ladies who died were not wearing their seat belts, but I dont think an error in judgment should mean he should spend more than half of the rest of his life in prison.
Lets say youre a Trump voter, the kind we often hear about  an honest, hard-working American who put up with Donald Trumps unusual behavior because you wanted a president who would stop playing Washingtons political games, bring a businessmans obsession with action and results, and focus on the economy. How is that working out for you?

The first few weeks of President Trumps administration have been an illustration of writer Alfred Montaperts adage, Do not confuse motion and progress. A rocking horse keeps moving but does not make any progress. We are witnessing a rocking-horse presidency in which everyone is jerking back and forth furiously, yet there is no forward movement.

Since winning the election, Trump has dominated the news nearly every day. He has picked fights with the media, making a series of bizarre, mostly false claims  about the magnitude of his victory, the size of his inauguration crowd, the weather that day, the numbers of illegally cast ballots, among many others. He has had photo ops with everyone from Kanye West and Jack Ma to Shinzo Abe and Justin Trudeau. Now he is embroiled in a controversy about ties to Russia. But in the midst of it all, what has he actually done? Hardly anything.

On Thursday, Trump said at a news conference, There has never been a presidency thats done so much in such a short period of time. Matthew Yglesias of Vox observes that at this point in his presidency, Barack Obama had signed into law an almost-trillion-dollar stimulus bill to revive the economy, extended health insurance to 4 million children and made it easier to challenge discriminatory labor practices. In their respective first 100 days in office, FiveThirtyEight calculates, Bill Clinton had passed 24 bills; John Kennedy, 26; Harry Truman, 55; and FDR, 76.

Despite having a Republican House and Senate, Trump does not seem likely to crack 10 in his first 100 days. Yglesias notes that the Trump White House has not even begun serious discussions with Congress on major legislation. Of the 696 positions that require Senate confirmation, the president has yet to nominate 661 of them.

Trump has issued a series of executive orders with great fanfare (though fewer than Obama at this point). But they are mostly hot air  lofty proclamations that direct some agency to review a law, report back to him, consider some action or reaffirm some long-standing practice. His one order that did something, the temporary travel ban, was so poorly conceived and phrased that it got stuck in the court system and will have to be rewritten or abandoned.

What about the plans to reindustrialize the Midwest, bring back jobs, and revive the coal and steel industries? What, for that matter, of his explicit commitments that on Day One he would begin removing criminal illegal immigrants and would label China a currency manipulator, push for a constitutional amendment to impose term limits on all members of Congress and get rid of gun-free zones in schools and . . . military bases? All were promised. Almost nothing has been done.

There are two aspects to the Trump presidency. There is the freak show  the tweets, the wild claims, the fake facts, the fights with anyone who refuses to bow down to him (the media, judges), the ceaseless self-promotion. But then there is Trump the savvy businessman who named intelligent heavyweights such as Gary Cohn, Rex Tillerson and Jim Mattis to key positions and who has at times articulated a serious reform agenda. For many people, the bargain of the Trump presidency was that they would put up with the freak show in order to get tax reform, infrastructure projects and deregulation. That may still happen, but for now at least reality TV is in overdrive and not much is happening in the realm of serious policy.

That voter in Ohio or Michigan might well wonder how picking fights with the media will bring jobs back to his region or how assaulting the judiciary will help create retraining programs for laid-off workers. But maybe Donald Trump, who freely admits to getting most of his information from television, has a television view of the presidency. The point is to be seen doing things.

The Romans said that the way to keep people happy was to give them bread and circus. So far, all we have gotten is the circus.

Author Fareed Zakaria also hosts CNNs GPS Sunday morning.
U.S. manufacturers spirits have been rising. Whether caused by the manufacturing-focused election season or Americas continued economic recovery, optimism is on the rise across Texas.

The Dallas Feds recent report reflects this trend. It found that factory activity increased for the seventh consecutive month in January. New orders climbed to a multiyear high as well, pointing toward good things to come.

The numbers are encouraging, but economic indicators arent what matter to working families. They want to know that their jobs are secure and that new opportunities are on the horizon.

The good news: they are.

Texas economic growth is delivering benefits  directly to employees paychecks. Wages are on the rise. And the state has become so popular for business, some experts are worried about a lack of skilled employees to fill the manufacturing positions being created.

The Lone Star State is in good stead, but questions remain. How can we build on our success and invite all geographic areas and all communities to join in our increasing prosperity? And what role can President Donald Trump and leaders in Washington, D.C., play in reaching our goals?

So far, the new administration has been signaling its commitment to manufacturing. Early actions have targeted some of manufacturers highest priorities. For example, a key executive order paved the way for relief from federal regulations, which today impose more than 297,000 restrictions on manufacturing operations. This is a sign of progress for the 81 percent of Texas manufacturers that cite regulatory burdens as a top concern.

Other likely positives include a more rational perspective on energy. President Trump has greenlit previously delayed pipeline projects, which will create jobs, including manufacturing jobs.

As promising as the outlook may be, manufacturers and their supporters must remain vigilant. Some of the most needed changes, including infrastructure investment and tax reform, will require hard-won legislation on Capitol Hill.

At the moment, leaders in both parties seem committed to the idea of repairing the nations crumbling roads and bridges, upgrading our ports and waterways and expanding broadband internet access  but plans for accomplishing these objectives differ widely. Compromise must be reached or the United States stands to lose 2.5 million jobs by 2025 because of infrastructure deficiencies.

We should also seize the opportunity to act on comprehensive tax reform. Sensible changes to Americas outdated tax code could add more than 6.5 million jobs over 10 years. Working families should not be asked to give those up because of political infighting.

These are some of the issues the National Association of Manufacturers will be discussing at the 2017 State of Manufacturing Tour launch in Austin this week. Its an honor to have Texas leading off this event. Our manufacturers deserve the national spotlight for facing down economic headwinds, including declining oil prices, to innovate, expand and steer our state toward a brighter future.

Local industry leaders and our counterparts from across the nation will be using this unique opportunity to underscore why U.S. manufacturing remains the envy of the world.

The next challenge will be to make American manufacturing even greater than it is today.

Tony Bennett is the president and CEO of the Texas Association of Manufacturers. Chris Wallace is president of the Texas Association of Business.
Kudos to new Waco Police Chief Ryan Holt for demonstrating the courage, humility and maturity to acknowledge serious mistakes were made in police management of protesters during Gov. Greg Abbotts Feb. 9 appearance at the McLennan County Republican Partys Lincoln-Reagan Dinner at Knox Hall of the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum. Too many people in positions of authority would have cavalierly dismissed protesters concerns or sought to marginalize them. Holt did neither.

Rather, in the wake of local attorney David Schleichers letter of concern about the peaceful protest in Fort Fisher Park, Chief Holt  without taking sides in the political acrimony that increasingly divides citizens  reaffirmed community faith in the cherished First Amendment. He acknowledged his officers at one point relegated protesters to a position too far from the focus of their demonstration and he made clear to one and all afterward that he would ensure Waco police officers receive appropriate training so they dont again compromise the rights of protesters. In doing so, he confirms the City Councils deep faith in him. Ours too.

The chief also noted that he heard no complaints about the protesters, many of whom wanted to send a clear message to the governor and those local Republicans heralding his presence of how they felt about gubernatorial initiatives ranging from school vouchers to immigration. These figure in legislative priorities Abbott pressed during his Jan. 31 State of the State address to Texas lawmakers.

The right to demonstrate is not only guaranteed by the Bill of Rights but has been practiced often enough in McLennan County. As Chief Holt correctly noted, experienced officers have insights gained from managing those who protested President George W. Bushs foreign policies when the president was back in McLennan County where his ranch is located. And then-Congressman Chet Edwards, a Democrat, endured particularly unruly protesters during a town-hall meeting in Waco in 2009.

In that context, we cheer not only the chief but his police officers, who politely endured disagreement with protesters during the Feb. 9 event. And while were at it, heres to the protesters, who resisted the temptation to get ugly or violent even when they were in the right. Their peers protesting elsewhere in this polarized nation could surely learn from them.
Airmen assigned to the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing take great pride in the heritage created for them by the Tuskegee Airmen. Today a key piece of the wings history has once again returned to its flightline. The legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen was born in Montgomery, Alabama, when the Tuskegee Institutes application to conduct civilian pilot training was approved by the Civil Aeronautics Administration in autumn of 1939. About one year later President Franklin D. Roosevelts administration announced the Army Air Corps would begin training black military pilots, and the place to do it was Tuskegee, Alabama. So began the storied history of the Tuskegee Airmen. Flying their P-51 Mustangs, with tails painted bright red, the Airmen fought valiantly through World War II under the crest of the 332nd Fighter Group.

Now more than 75 years later, a red-tailed fighter jet from Montgomery again flies with the 332nd. The lineage of the Tuskegee Airmen has been passed to Alabama Air National Guards 187th Fighter Wing. An F-16 Fighting Falcon from the unit is currently flying with the 134th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, which is one of the squadrons assigned to the 332nd AEW. It is well documented that our WWII bomber pilots would look out their windows and gain confidence from Red Tail fighters flying beside them. It has been stated they took comfort in knowing their chances for survival were higher with a Red Tail escort than from any other outfit in 12th and 15th Air Force, said Col. David C. Lyons, 407th Air Expeditionary Group commander. Now we have one of those Red Tails on our flight line, once again flying with the 332nd and creating the next chapter of Red Tail history.

The mission of the unit is to support Operation Inherent Resolve in the fight against ISIS by providing air-to-ground combat airpower at the request of the Combined Joint Task Force commander. The 134th EFS has been heavily involved in the fight, flying more than 500 missions, delivering more than 800 weapons, and making significant contributions to the fight in Mosul, Iraq, and Raqqa, Syria. We are talking about liberating cities, Lyons said. That is something we havent talked about in this way since World War II.

The Airmen of the 134th EFS flying the missions to liberate cities in Iraq and Syria are deployed from the Vermont Air National Guard. The red tail was provided to the Vermont ANG along with F-16s from the New Jersey and Wisconsin Air National Guards to ensure the squadron had enough capable aircraft to meet the short-notice deployment to support OIR. At least one Airman from the Vermont ANG takes a special amount of pride in seeing the red tail on the flightline with his unit. During a formal dinner hosted by the Vermont ANG, Chief Master Sgt. Brian Senecal, 407th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron, had the opportunity to host Col. Charles McGee. McGee is one of the Tuskegee Airmen and also holds a U.S. Air Force record for flying 409 combat missions in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

Honestly it was the highlight of my whole military career to spend time with the guy  to meet someone who gave some much, Senecal said. Most Soldiers and Sailors were welcomed back from World War II with open arms and the Tuskegee Airmen had to come back to a still-segregated America. Despite the discrimination the Tuskegee Airmen faced at the time, their trailblazing efforts have left a legacy of which all Airmen can be proud. It is an honor to continue the tradition started by the original Tuskegee Airmen and to be carrying on their good name 75 years later, Senecal said.
We have no excuse for overlooking the meaning of this anniversary. And its timing compels us to consider its lessons.

In last week marking the 75th anniversary of the fall of Singapore, Malcolm Turnbull called it "shattering". Bill Shorten called it "unthinkable". It was the bitterest strategic betrayal in Australia's history since white conquest.

The fall of Singapore was, according to Winston Churchill, "the worst disaster and largest capitulation in British history". Britain has never recovered from the blow to its prestige. For Australia it was about much more than prestige. It was about national survival. The fall of the supposedly impregnable British fortress in Singapore opened Australia to Japanese invasion. With Singapore taken, Japan's bombers opened their first attacks on Darwin just four days later.

Yet even as Parliament paused last week to reflect sombrely on that shocking event, officialdom showed troubling signs of utterly missing the point. Neither Turnbull nor Shorten drew any big conclusions about the fall of Singapore in their speeches. They paid tribute, rightly, to the troops and the civilians who were the immediate victims of Britain's incompetence when they were killed or captured by the Japanese.
Business groups have joined calls for fixed election dates every four years in Australia, as part of efforts to allow governments time for long-term reform and reduce economic uncertainty.

Incumbent prime ministers have called elections, on average, every 2.59 years over the past century, rather than go full three-year terms, according to Fairfax Media analysis based on Australia Institute data.

On Tuesday, Liberal MP David Coleman released a draft private members bill, which would introduce fixed, four-year terms.

Mr Coleman used an opinion piece for Fairfax Media to call for a referendum coinciding with the next election, due in 2019, saying the plan would limit political drama and promote strategic decision-making.
It started as an embarrassing joke. Shane Barnbrook accidentally swallowed a chicken bone while eating dinner and knew it had to come out.

While waiting for the bone to emerge, his family called him a "pain in the bum". His wife Sarah was 40 weeks pregnant, so she wanted him to be well for their third child's arrival.

Shane Barnbrook, with wife Sarah, is suing two hospitals for negligent care that left him a quadriplegic. Credit:Justin McManus

Shane, a social worker, thought about going to the doctor but figured he'd be okay. Eventually, half a wishbone arrived. It was painful but not enough for him to think it would make him a quadriplegic.

But over the next few days, Shane felt tired and had indigestion. He planned to go to his GP, then his chest tightened up. He thought he was having a heart attack. Sarah called an ambulance. When paramedics arrived, he had pain radiating down one arm and felt anxious. He told them about the chicken bone he'd swallowed and said he had pain in his rectum.
Perth Children's Court has to determine whether a 10-year-old boy who raped an eight-year-old boy has the capacity to understand the court process.

The boy, who was baby-faced and appeared younger than his age, had his sentencing delayed after fronting court on Tuesday.

He had previously pleaded guilty to one count of sexual penetration of a child and one count of threatening to kill.

Magistrate Andree-Marie Horrigan ordered a report to determine whether the accused child was fit to understand what was going on.
Washington: In keeping with his campaign's focus on more jobs and fewer undocumented migrants, President Donald Trump is creating more than 15,000 new immigration enforcement, border control and judicial posts to root out millions of what Americans call "illegal aliens".

A new homeland security plan announced on Tuesday strikes down the lenient enforcement guidelines of previous administrations. But giving policy substance to some of Trump's wildest campaign rhetoric, it dramatically widens the criteria for the detention and deportation of illegals  whose numbers are estimated at about 11 million.

Despite the urgency of the campaign and this new army of lawmen, one of the Department of Homeland Security officials who briefed reporters on Tuesday insisted there would not be mass round-ups.

"We don't need a sense of panic in the communities  we don't have the personnel, time or resources to go into communities and round up people and do all kinds of mass throwing [of] folks on buses," an unnamed official said.
At the invitation of the Director General of Denmark Customs, Mr. Preben Buchholtz Hansen, WCO Secretary General Kunio Mikuriya visited Denmark on 20 February 2017 to attend the inauguration of a mobile body scanner.

The ceremony took place in Gedser, the southernmost town in Denmark, where ferries frequently arrive from Germany. Customs officers are tasked with selecting suspicious passengers for a body scan in order to check whether they have any internal concealment of illicit narcotic drugs.

This new technology supports Customs passenger controls in a quick manner, while facilitating the movement of people at borders. Without the body scanner, Customs would have to take suspicious passengers to the police, who would then take them to the local hospital for an X-ray, resulting in time-consuming processes.

Denmark Customs introduced a fixed body scanner at the airport in Copenhagen last year, and with the mobile body scanner, they can now cover sea and land borders too.

The inauguration was attended by Nordic Customs representatives from Iceland, Finland and Sweden as well as the local police. In his opening speech, Secretary General Mikuriya commended Denmark Customs for taking an innovative approach towards enhancing border control to protect society from drug trafficking and illicit trade.

The launch was widely covered by national media.
If you were not able to sign up for this presentation, join The Nassau Institute in collaboration with the Banking, Economics & Finance Department and The Economics Society of the University of The Bahamas, Wednesday, February 22, 2016 for a lecture by Richard Ebeling, BB & T Professor of Ethics and Free Enterprise Leadership at The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina

Topic: Globalization and the Free Society

Summary:

Recent political events in Europe, the United States and many other nations suggest a trend away from the more open world of the last several decades. The rise of economic nationalism and closed borders threatens to slow humanitys progress toward both more personal freedom and growing prosperity for too many still living in poverty. Liberty and prosperity requires free trade and economic liberalism.

Dr. Ebeling is no stranger to The Bahamas, The Nassau Institute or the University of The Bahamas.

The presentation will take place in lecture hall at the Harry C. Moore Library at the University of The Bahamas starting at 6:30pm.

The event is free.

This event would not be possible without the generous support of :

The Templeton Foundations

Compass Point

AID  Automotive & Industrial Distributors

Bahamas Wholesale Agencies Limited

Go Ahead Biscuits

Arizona Drinks

Dr. Richard M. Ebeling is the BB & T Professor of Ethics and Free Enterprise Leadership at The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina, He was formerly professor of Economics at Northwood University. Was formerly president of The Foundation for Economic Education (FEE), was the Ludwig von Mises Professor of Economics at Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Michigan, and served as president of academic affairs for The Future of Freedom Foundation (FFF).
Fort Polk, LA (71446)

Today

Cloudy early with isolated thunderstorms developing this afternoon. High 81F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming foggy and damp after midnight. Low 67F. Winds light and variable.
By West Kentucky Star Staff Feb. 21, 2017 | 04:05 PM | MARSHALL COUNTY, KY

A crash on Interstate 24 Monday night led to an assortment of drug charges for an Illinois man.

According to the Marshall County Sheriff's Office, the crash happened just after 7 pm at the 22 mile marker of I-24. During the investigation, deputies learned that the driver of one of the vehicles was intoxicated.

The driver, 29-year-old Daniel Ossola of Collinsville, IL, failed field sobriety tests. Deputies found marijuana, suboxone, rolling papers and a white powder substance on Ossola and in the vehicle.

Ossola was arrested and charged with operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs, two counts of possession of controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Ossola was lodged in the Marshall County Detention Center. Police did not indicate if anyone was injured in the crash.
By West Kentucky Star Staff Feb. 21, 2017 | 06:31 AM | HARDIN, KY

Two people face drug charges after their arrest over the weekend.

According to the Marshall County Sheriff's Office, deputies responded on Saturday to Commerce Street in Hardin to serve warrants on 31-year-old Patrick Cartwright, who lived at the home.

A woman living at the home, 32-year-old Ashley N. Lassiter of Murray, initially told officers that Cartwright did not live there, but later admitted that he did. During the investigation, deputies found items in the home that resulted in new charges.

Lassiter was charged with hindering prosecution or apprehension, trafficking in marijuana, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and tampering with physical evidence. Cartwright was charged with trafficking in marijuana.

Both were lodged in the Marshall County Detention Center.
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By Sen. Danny Carroll

Feb. 20, 2017 | FRANKFORT, KY

By Sen. Danny Carroll Feb. 20, 2017 | 02:30 PM | FRANKFORT, KY

A wide array of bills were heard in committees and voted out of the Senate in a busy and fast-paced third week of the 2017 Session. Because this years 30-day meeting of the Kentucky General Assembly is considered a short session, we are maximizing our time here in Frankfort.



We passed nearly 20 bills this week with topics ranging from tobacco use on school property to campaign finance reform to transportation issues. One of the most noteworthy bills, however, is Senate Bill (SB) 14, which strengthens penalties for trafficking in heroin. Kentucky made national news these past few weeks for the rash of devastating overdoses that occurred. In Louisville, for example, there were over 50 overdoses in a 32-hour periodan unprecedented number. People dealing heroin are dealing in death, and they must be stopped.



Another important piece of legislation the Senate passed this week was SB 1, which is comprehensive education reform that is desperately needed to help our schools. With approval from teachers, administrators, and other education stakeholders from across the commonwealth, SB 1 allows teachers to teach and returns control to our local districts. I am happy to report this bill passed the Senate with bipartisan support and is now heading to the House for consideration.



We also passed SB 117, which would allow a veteran with a bachelor's degree in any area to be issued a provisional teaching certificate if other criteria are met. This legislation would ultimately make it easier for veterans to teach in a classroom. I am dedicated to helping our veterans easily integrate back into the workplace.



The Senate has already started to receive House bills, and we have sent Senate bills to the House for its approval. Many of you have already reached out to me regarding certain pieces of legislation, and I appreciate your input and concerns. I urge you to continue making your voices heard in Frankfort.



If you have any questions or comments about these issues or any other public policy issue, please call me toll-free at 1-800-372-7181 or email me at danny.carroll@lrc.ky.gov. You can also review the Legislatures work online at www.lrc.ky.gov.



Senator Danny Carroll (R-Paducah) represents the 2nd District encompassing Ballard, Carlisle, Marshall and McCracken counties. Senator Carroll serves as the chairman of the Budget Review Subcommittee on General Government, as well as the co-chair of the Program Review and Investigations Committee. He also serves as a member of the Appropriations and Revenue Committee, the Education Committee, the Budget Review Subcommittee on Education, the Health and Welfare Committee, the Judiciary Committee, and the Government Nonprofit Contracting Task Force.
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By West Kentucky Star Staff

Feb. 21, 2017 | MURRAY, KY

By West Kentucky Star Staff Feb. 21, 2017 | 08:23 AM | MURRAY, KY

Police in Murray say a man who was shot in the head is listed in stable condition at a Nashville hospital.



The Murray Police Department says the shooting took place at around 11:30 Monday night at Welch Court in Murray, just off U B Bailey Road.



When police got to the apartment complex, they say they "located a male individual who did have what appeared to be a gunshot wound to the head."



Police are withholding the name of the victim for now, but are saying that he was airlifted to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he is currently listed in stable condition.



Police are not giving additional details, or whether they are looking for a suspect.



More information, they say, will be available as the investigation continues.




By The Associated Press Feb. 21, 2017 | 04:53 AM | FRANKFORT, KY

Kentucky State Police officials are taking applications for children to attend a free summer camp.

Trooper Island Camp offers a chance for boys and girls ages 10 to 12 to spend time at Dale Hollow Lake in Clinton County. The camp, operated by state police, is financed entirely by donations with no public funds used.

The summer program is for children whose families cannot afford to send them to other camps.

Each year, about 700 children attend the camp. It offers recreation, guidance and esteem-building activities designed to build good citizenship and positive relationships with law enforcement officers.

Trooper First Class Jonathan Biven, the camp commander, says the goal is to give the children a camping experience that will have an impact on their lives for years to come.
"LIVE" ON WHKP THIS WEEK, WNC CONGRESSMAN MEADOWS REASSURED LOCAL GROWERS ON THE IMMIGRATION AND FARM LABOR ISSUES

MEADOW WILL BE MEETING WITH TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS THIS WEEK

HEAR MORE DETAILS ON WHKP'S LOCAL NEWS ALL DAY AND NIGHT THIS WEDNESDAY

As the Trump Administration was announcing new, tougher immigration and deportation policies Tuesday morning, Western North Carolina Congressman Mark Meadows was announcing, in a live interview on WHKP, that he has gotten the message loud and clear about the need for adequate farm labor from farmers in Henderson County.

Meadows told WHKP and the listening audience that he will be returning to Washington on Thursday and will be meeting with some top level Administration officials on the immigration and farm labor issues.

Local farmers on the Town of Mills Rivers Agriculture Advisory Committee recently sent a letter to Meadows and to U.S. Senators Burr and Tillis from North Carolina expressing their hope for meaningful immigration reform, while stressing the need for adequate labor to plant, care for, and harvest their crops this year. Some will be growing fewer acres of crops this year, fearful that ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agents will raid their fields and apprehend and possibly deport farm labor that is not in this country legally.

Reassuring local growers, Meadows said Tuesday that is not going to happen.

Meadows pointed out that ICE (and the Trump Administration) are only interested in those illegals who are guilty of, or have a history of, dangerous crimes or have flagrantly over-stayed their permitted time in this country.

Meadows also said he is confident that some type of guest worker arrangement will be worked out to keep adequate farm labor (mainly from Mexico) on the farms and in the fields and orchards of Western North Carolina.

In a related matter, Meadows said the move to establish a refugee re-location center in Western North Carolina, probably in the Ashville area, has, at least for the time being, been squelched. Some churches in the area indicated a while back they would be interested in assisting refugees, even from such troubled countries as Syria, re-locate in this area---and that possibility caused concern among some local citizens and elected officials and resulted in a resolution by Henderson County commissioners opposing such refugee re-location.

By WHKP News Director Larry Freeman 02/21/17 Updated 3pm
Commuters on Manchesters Metrolink network were transported to Rio de Janeiro as samba dancers and drummers brought the sights and sounds of the Brazil carnival to their morning commute.

A colourful carnival atmosphere complete with Brazilian samba dancers in feather headdresses, wings and vibrant sequins were joined by traditional drummers to bring the party atmosphere to the tramline. Bound for the Etihad Stadium, the flamboyant procession was in town to revel with Manchester City fans on board, as the club celebrate all things Brazil with the introduction of their Touch of Brazil exhibition within their stadium and club tour.

Tram carriages packed full of City fans enjoyed the lively surprise as they journeyed towards the Etihad Stadium ahead of Citys game against Monaco that evening. Fun face masks of the teams Brazilian players, Fernandinho, Elano and Gabriel Jesus were handed out to jubilant fans to shine a light on the clubs history of Brazilian talent.

Launched in line with Brazils national carnival and running throughout half term to offer families something different to do, A Touch of Brazil graces the Etihad Stadium in celebration of Brazilian players, past and present.

From Elano to Gabriel Jesus and Robinho to Fernandino, a number of Brazilian stars have lifted City fans off their seats over the years and the new tour gives fans the chance to celebrate those memories.

Supporters visiting the tour between 18-26 February can enjoy a bespoke Brazilian themed exhibition space and enter a competition to win a signed Gabriel Jesus shirt.

Once immersed on the tour, visitors get the chance to explore the clubs heritage through unique memorabilia and interactive displays, giving fans the chance to relive Citys greatest moments and truly discover what makes Manchester City the club that it is today.

Manchester Citys Stadium & Club Tour is a 70 minute professionally guided tour of the club and Etihad Stadium. Tickets for the tour cost 17 per adult, 11 per child aged 5-16 and 12 for concessions. A Touch of Brazil runs until Sunday 26 February with the non-bespoke tour resuming from Monday 27 February. Please see the website for dates.

www.mancity.com
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 21/02/2017 (2084 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

For a glimpse at how U.S. President Donald Trumps America first approach to immigrants may affect the meat industry in the United States  the worlds largest beef producer  look no further than across the northern border to Canada.

Three years after former prime minister Stephen Harper tightened restrictions on foreign workers to force employers to hire more Canadians, processors across Canada say the move compounded a labour shortage from which they have not recovered. The Canadian Meat Council estimates the industry has 1,650 vacancies at 19 rural abattoirs, or nine per cent of total employment at those facilities.

Carving up carcasses and packaging meat is messy, physically demanding work. While workers get health and other benefits, the starting pay is below the national average. Thats why the $24.1-billion industry has grown increasingly dependent on foreign labour.

WAYNE.GLOWACKI / Winnipeg free press files Neepawa's Hylife Foods has to work aggressively to recruit and retain staff under Canada's foreign-worker rules, its president says.

Well take anybody that is willing to work, said Ron Davidson, director of international trade, government and media relations at the Ottawa-based meat council, which represents about 50 companies including Maple Leaf, Olymel SEC and the Canadian units of Cargill and JBS.

More severe measures proposed by Trump to limit foreign workers might be just as disruptive for U.S. plants, including pork and poultry facilities, which already face labour shortages. Immigrant workers account for 35 per cent of the 441,000 animal slaughtering and processing jobs, according to 2015 data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Such moves arent likely to create more jobs for Americans in U.S. meat plants, according to David Swenson, an economist at Iowa State University. He estimates three-quarters of the workers at processing plants in Iowa  the largest pork-producing state  are immigrants, mostly from Mexico.

Domestic workers probably wont take those jobs, he said.

That was the experience in Canada, which is also a major meat exporter and employs about 66,000 people. Processing plants offer full health and dental benefits, but hourly wages start between $13 and $19, below the national average for natural-resource and agricultural workers of about $25.75, government data show. Thats made it difficult to use only Canadian workers.

We are really concerned going forward how were going to be able to fill our positions, said Claude Vielfaure, president of HyLife Ltd., a Manitoba-based pork processor that exports $650 million of meat annually to countries including the U.S., China and Mexico. If we dont have the people, were just not going to grow, and were going to fall behind.

Under a Canadian government program, employers can hire foreign nationals to fill jobs not being taken by citizens or immigrants.

HyLife obtained a permit to bring workers to its processing plant in Neepawa before the government overhauled its temporary foreign workers program and has worked aggressively to recruit and retain staff, Vielfaure said.

The new Liberal government, led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, says it may drop some of the restrictions and create a path to permanent residency, which should ease the shortages for the meat industry. A new federal budget is due in the coming weeks.

For now, Canadas meat industry says its labour shortage will get even worse if its competitors in the U.S. are hit with more restrictive rules on using foreign workers, as Trump has proposed.

They will be forced to go where they can find workers, the meat councils Davidson said, adding that animal welfare could be at risk if Canadian plants cant handle the overflow.

 Bloomberg News
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 21/02/2017 (2084 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

For several weeks, Winnipeg police believed they were investigating a domestic violence case.

Two months after the case began  more than a month after the alleged domestic assault victim took out a protection order against her former common-law spouse  a tip turned it into a homicide investigation involving another woman who lived at the same residence.

Winnipeg police spokesman Const. Rob Carver confirmed the initial investigation focused on Jessica Reid as the alleged victim of domestic violence.

Winnipeg Free Press Files Perez Adaryll Cleveland, 43, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Jennifer Barrett.

On Oct. 18, Reid applied for a protection order against Perez Adaryll Cleveland, arguing she and her 11-year-old son needed to be protected from him. Reid alleged Cleveland had threatened to kill me and beat me.

He had a homemade weapon in his hand and was swinging it towards me. I ran out of the house because he has really hurt me before and I was scared I called the police with neighbours that help me.

Carver said when a news release was sent out in September, asking for the publics help in locating Cleveland, he was a suspect in a domestic violence case.

Our (homicide) victim was not on our radar at this point, he said.

As for what caused police to apply for and execute a search warrant in early December at a Waverley Heights residence, all Carver would say is, We received information that initiated our investigation.

The decomposing body of 42-year-old Jennifer Barrett was found in a barrel filled with several chemical agents.

Cleveland, 43, a Canadian citizen who was born in the U.S., is charged with first-degree murder. Reid, 34, and Holley Alyssa Sullivan, 28, of Calgary, have been charged with being accessories after the fact to murder. All three, as well as the victim, shared a Waverley Heights home where police were collecting evidence Friday.

Barrett was beaten to death over several days in August, and her body was put into a 45-gallon drum barrel along with several chemical agents which hastened the decomposition, police said about the homicide, which was not made public until Friday.

Police know little about Barrett, who arrived in Winnipeg from Ontario.

She was not known to police prior to this, Carver said, adding its not clear how long she had been in Winnipeg.

She was not reported as a missing person, he said.

Police executed a search warrant on Dec. 1 after being tipped off about human remains in the backyard of the house at 38 Forest Lake Dr., which has been vacant since the end of November, he said.

The Canadian Press files Jessica Reid, 34, is charged with being an accessory after the fact to murder.

The victim and three accused lived there together for a time in 2016. Carver said police are not certain about the relationships between the others involved.

This was a difficult and complex investigation, he said, adding police chose not to report the homicide publicly until after Thursdays arrests. As well, they were waiting for the results of forensic tests that identified Barretts remains.

Police said Cleveland was charged while in custody at Headingley Correctional Institution. He is accused of committing violent assaults from Aug. 14 to Sept. 27 and was arrested in the North End in December. Hes charged with numerous offences, including assault causing bodily harm, assault with a weapon and possession of a weapon.

Reid was arrested at a Winnipeg residence, and Sullivan was arrested by Calgary police. They face charges of being accessories after the fact to the murder because police believe they were both involved at the time of the murder or immediately afterward.

In a 2012 Canadian Press article, Reid said she went from foster care to drug addiction, to having her son cared for by others. Reid, who at the time was studying child and youth care at Red River College while raising her six-year-old son, credited a respite worker she met when she was 13 for helping to turn her life around.

She gave up drugs while she was pregnant, but lost custody of her son when he was 18 months old. After battling addiction for two more years, she was able to get him back.

 with files from Alexandra Paul

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 21/02/2017 (2084 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The murky future of Manitoba Hydro is about to get a bit clearer.

After months of anxious howls from the Hydro board about a financial collapse, the Crown utility will approach the Public Utilities Board (PUB) this spring with a new general rate application. When it does, it will be the first time the public will get a broad, detailed and apolitical examination of Hydros true fiscal state.

It is difficult to predict with any certainty what the PUB will say. Even so, there is evidence to suggest the PUB may not subscribe to the gloom-and-doom narrative thats being broadcast from the boardroom of the Manitoba Hydro headquarters on Portage Avenue.

Since last fall, board chairman Sandy Riley and president Kelvin Shepherd have been arguing that mounting debt and declining equity require rate increases of as much as 20 per cent annually or a billion-dollar cash bailout from the province or both. Without financial help, they argue, Hydros debt could ultimately drag down the provinces credit rating.

These concerns have provided the context for the boards decision to dramatically cut overhead, including eliminating 900 jobs and imposing a wage freeze on some employees.

Although there is a nugget of truth in Rileys assertions, their view of the future differs significantly with the view put forward by the PUB itself, and vigilant intervener groups that monitor rate hearings.

Byron Williams, director of the Public Interest Law Centre, has represented the Consumers Association of Canada and the Manitoba Society of Seniors at the PUB for more than a decade. The centres work on behalf of its clients has helped nudge the PUB to take a more aggressive role in considering the effect of capital borrowing on current rates.

While Williams and his clients are not happy about the impact Keeyask and Bipole III will have on rates, he does not accept Rileys gloomy outlook. This is not a new debate before the PUB, Williams said. We have had intense discussions around the appropriate levels of debt and equity, and its impact on rates. And our clients did not support Hydros aggressive decision to pursue Keeyask and Bipole III. That having been said, there is no need to panic. Our clients are of the strong view that rate increases can be kept at manageable levels.

In its last three decisions on Hydro rate applications, the PUB has certainly agreed there is no need to panic.

In 2014, Hydros integrated financial forecast called for 3.95 per cent increases through 2021 to help the utility carry the borrowing needed to finish Keeyask and Bipole III. However, at the first rate application following the release of that forecast, the PUB only approved a 2.75 per cent increase. The following year, the PUB granted the full 3.95 per cent hike, but pared that back in 2016 3.36 per cent.

In the spring 2016 decision, the PUB said long-term financial projections for Hydro had improved significantly, diminishing the need for the full 3.95 per cent hike.

Williams, who was present throughout those rate hearings, said the PUB took a reasoned look at Hydros financial statements and saw nothing to support rate increases of the magnitude being speculated about by the Hydro chairman and president. Williams suggested Riley, in particular, may be applying more of a private-sector sensibility to his analysis of Hydros fiscal situation.

In a private company, equity-to-debt ratios are kept much more in balance in order to guard against economic downturns, or macro shifts in market conditions that might hammer its bottom line. However, Hydro is a government-owned monopoly that does not suffer nearly as much from economic downturn or market conditions. Its debt is guaranteed by the Manitoba government. As a result, lenders and credit-raters give government-owned monopolies much more wiggle room than private enterprises.

In New Brunswick, Williams said, the Crown power authority has an equity-to-debt ratio in the neighborhood of 5/95 (five per cent equity to 95 per cent debt).

That contrasts with a 30/70 ratio in Quebec. Once its capital borrowing is done, Manitoba Hydro will sink to nearly 10/90, with a long-term target of 25/70, he said.

Williams said in the 1990s when the Limestone Generating Station was being built, Hydros equity-to-debt ratio was 10/90, and the province continued to enjoy affordable access to debt-financing.

Of course, the trump card here is the provincial debt and the debt-to-GDP ratio were much more manageable in the 1990s than they are now. Manitobas net debt is expected to rise to nearly $25 billion in the next few years, with its debt-to-GDP approach 35 per cent. Riley has been very vocal in linking Hydros fiscal woes with the provinces mounting debt and a chronic deficit that is likely to rise back to more than $1 billion in this springs budget.

In government fiscal matters, its an accepted principle if you wait until its a full-blown crisis, youve waited too long. Hydro is amassing an enormous debt at a time when its export revenues continue to lag. One prolonged drought, and Hydros finances could be in deep trouble.

However, this debate over the future of Hydro desperately needs an injection of sober commentary. The PUB and its intervenors are uniquely positioned to provide just that.

The Hydro board is politically appointed, and its tough not to see a measure of political motivation in the gloomy narrative provided by Riley and others. Perhaps its just his private-sector instincts winning out, or perhaps a burning desire to hang Hydros fiscal woes around the neck of the former NDP government like a millstone. Whatever the reason, there is evidence to suggest Riley has been torquing the numbers just a tad.

The good news is that if past experience is any guide, the PUB hearings this spring will set the record straight about whether Riley and his board are delivering a prudent warning of future risk, or just howling at the sky that is in no immediate risk of falling.

dan.lett@freepress.mb.ca
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 21/02/2017 (2084 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Who cares about Antarctica? After all, its too far away to concern us here in the Great White North  isnt it?

Given the way climate change affects the South Pole, and Canada, the answer is no.

Economically, the southern continent hasnt been important to anyone since Norwegians and Russians hunted whales in the area in the 19th century. These days, it only rarely attracts notice from ongoing scientific studies there. In the 1980s, the opening hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica spurred countries to take action over CFCs  chlorofluorocarbons  in the atmosphere. Now, its the issue of ice that may be signalling impending environmental disaster.

ROBERTO CANDIA / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILEs King George Island, Antarctica

Antarctica isnt a monolith, climatically or geologically, and scientists have been paying particular attention to the way the ice in the West Antarctic is deteriorating. The Larsen ice shelves  that is, the ice atop the ocean along the coast, fed by glacial ice on land  have been collapsing. The Larsen A shelf melted and splintered into shards in 1995, and the Larsen B shelf in 2002. Now, the remaining portion, Larsen C, is showing a 144-kilometre crack and could soon collapse.

If more of the ice shelves around Antarctica collapse  and average temperatures in the region have been increasing  it means more glacial ice will flow, unhindered, to the ocean and melt. Given the ice mass on the continent, if it were all to melt, it would raise global sea levels by 60 metres. To say this would affect us here in Canada, a nation with coasts on three oceans, is an understatement.

Canada has signed on to the Paris climate accord, but international treaties arent enough. We should be looking at ways to reduce emissions personally, locally and nationally. And, given the tack taken by U.S. President Donald Trump, who doesnt believe in human-caused climate change, its more important than ever for Canada to act in an environmentally responsible way.

Climate change is going to have to be one of the many uncomfortable but necessary conversations between Canada and the United States, even though little was said about it during the first meeting between the two leaders early last week. In fact, many pundits have suggested there was a serious attempt by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to downplay climate change issues in his first discussions with Mr. Trump in order to ensure peace between the two countries.

The issue will require some careful diplomacy for Canada, particularly in light of the discussions on tweaking NAFTA in a way that will result in benefits to this country given the strong trading relationship with the U.S., but emissions responsibilities need to be taken seriously.

By the time its too late for Antarctica, it will be too late for Canadas coasts as well.
U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar met with the National FFA Officer Team, including Central Region Vice President Valerie Earley from Wykoff in Fillmore County, on Feb. 14.

The students were in Washington to discuss the upcoming farm bill and youth involvement in agriculture issues with members of Congress.

Minnesota is one of the largest agriculture states in the nation, said Klobuchar in a statement. The next generations participation in programs like FFA is essential to the future of American agriculture."

The National FFA Organization provides leadership, personal growth and career success training through agricultural education to 649,355 student members in grades seven through 12 who belong to one of 7,859 local FFA chapters throughout the U.S., Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
Beaver Dam Common Council approved a $1.6 million capital improvements plan for this year out to 2021, which includes upgrades to Lincoln Park playground equipment.

Engineering projects in the queue for this year include a various street rehabs ($273,500), North Lincoln Avenue from East Maple Avenue to East Third Street ($55,000), North Spring Street from Maple Avenue to Mackie Street ($66,000), West Mackie Street from North Center Street to North Spring Street ($260,000) and the East Third Street parking lot reconstruction ($65,000). In total the engineering department's projects will cost $719,500.

The fire department will be borrowing for water/ice rescue equipment ($170,000) and breathing apparatus program ($210,000). Police are borrowing $50,000 for an outdoor shooting range.

Public works only borrowing this year is reserved for a front-end loader ($195,000).

Parks Department will borrow for window replacement on the Municipal Building ($211,000) and Lincoln Park playground equipment update ($44,000).

Borrowing is typically capped at $1.6 million. Looking ahead, the city could be borrowing more than $3 million in 2018, $2.5 million in 2019, a safe $1.6 million in 2020 and $1 million in 2021. However, projects can be shuffled as they were last month when Ritchie Piltz, director of facilities and engineering, swapped some upcoming park improvement projects to bring this under the $1.6 million budget.

The final vote was 11 in favor and one opposed.

Dog area plans beginning to take shape

Beaver Dam Operations Committee talked about constructing a second dog area for the first time since allocating $19,000 in capital overlay during the budget cycle in November. (A dog area already exists at Edgewater Park north of Beaver Dam).

According to the justification for the dog area, it would be built on the opposite side from the skateboard area in Patrick Park Conley BMX/Skateboard Park and could include fencing, sally port gates, service entrances, disposal stations and seating. At the moment John Neumann, parks and forestry supervisor, said the fencing would run along a patch of land at the intersection of Fletcher Road and Beichl Avenue.

Neumann said that his estimates for the cost of the dog area come in just under $19,000.

Alderperson Mick Fischer brought his findings and research on the topic to Mondays committee meeting and said that he would support building a dog park, but only if it involves feedback from city residents and alderpersons.

Previously Fischer said that he would like to review some data online about an off-leash dog area because it could be a liability for the city if a dog attacks a human or another dog.

Alderperson Cris Olson expressed concerns with accessibility to the dog area. The area has no sidewalks. Sidewalk runs along Burnett Street but it doesnt run down Fletcher Road. Neumann said that a parking area is in the works for Patrick Park Conley BMX/Skateboard Park, but according to the park layout, this would require dog owners to walk a short distance to the dog area.

City sells land to MPTC

Moraine Park Technical College will soon own about three acres of land along Highway 151 after the Beaver Dam Common Council approved the sale.

We are squeezed for space, attorney John Peter said.

The land is being sold for $1,000 and runs next to Highway 151 and then wraps up along Burnett Street.

Peter said that MPTC is in talks with the school district about the plot of land on the north side along Burnett Street that Beaver Dam High School is keen to control for its batting cage.

Its a complex piece of resolution, he said.

The land buy comes alongside a 3,800 square feet building expansion that includes a lab and classroom. Carrie Kasubaski, vice president of finance and administration, said that a mock village would be created that the students would utilize.

She said funding for the program is going well with about $200,000 raised.

According to a document detailing the gas utility technician workforce development, MPTC is working with Wisconsin Technical College System, Wisconsin Energy Workforce Consortium, WE Energy, Madison Gas and Electric, Wisconsin Public Service Corporation and Michels Corporation. They all have verified the need for local gas utility workers.

Northeast Wisconsin Technical College in Green Bay has a gas utility technician program that will be a model for the MPTC program. Kasubaski said there are only two technical colleges in Wisconsin that offer a gas utility technician program and Northeast Wisconsin Technical College is one of them. MPTC in Beaver Dam would be the third.

There is no firm timeline, but Kasubaski previously said MPTC is looking at breaking ground sometime in 2017.

The resolution to discontinue a portion of Gould Street, the sale of 3 acres of vacant land and a lot on the north end of the MPTC campus were all approved.
Moraine Park Technical College will soon own about three acres of land along Highway 151 after the Beaver Dam Common Council approved the sale.

We are squeezed for space, attorney John Peter said.

The land is being sold for $1,000 and runs next to Highway 151 and then wraps up along Burnett Street.

Peter said that MPTC is in talks with the school district about the plot of land on the north side along Burnett Street that Beaver Dam High School is keen to control for its batting cage.

Its a complex piece of resolution, he said.

The land buy comes alongside a 3,800 square feet building expansion that includes a lab and classroom. Carrie Kasubaski, vice president of finance and administration, said that a mock village would be created that the students would utilize.

She said funding for the program is going well with about $200,000 raised.

According to a document detailing the gas utility technician workforce development, MPTC is working with Wisconsin Technical College System, Wisconsin Energy Workforce Consortium, WE Energy, Madison Gas and Electric, Wisconsin Public Service Corporation and Michels Corporation. They all have verified the need for local gas utility workers.

Northeast Wisconsin Technical College in Green Bay has a gas utility technician program that will be a model for the MPTC program. Kasubaski said there are only two technical colleges in Wisconsin that offer a gas utility technician program and Northeast Wisconsin Technical College is one of them. MPTC in Beaver Dam would be the third.

There is no firm timeline, but Kasubaski previously said MPTC is looking at breaking ground sometime in 2017.

The resolution to discontinue a portion of Gould Street, the sale of 3 acres of vacant land and a lot on the north end of the MPTC campus were all approved.
World Day of Prayer is a worldwide movement of Christian women of many traditions who come together on the first Friday of March each year to observe a common day of prayer. Through World Day of Prayer, participants affirm their faith in Jesus Christ and engage with the whole world, are enriched by the faith experience of Christians of other countries and cultures, share the burdens of other people by praying with them and for them, and use their own talents in the service of Gods world. Prayer and action are inseparable and both have immeasurable influence in the world.
County officials took a significant step forward in its project to bring a new government services building to downtown Mauston.

The county board approved a resolution during its monthly meeting on Tuesday to fund the multi-million dollar facility. Board members authorized the permission for the county not to exceed $13,250,000 in general obligation bonds or promissory notes for the project.

Juneau County will finance the project in two phases. The first phase will begin this year with about $10 million of the project financed at 3.25 percent interest. The remaining amount will be financed in 2018 at a projected 3.75 percent interest. On Tuesday, board members received a detailed presentation on the financing from Carol Ann Wirth from Wisconsin Public Finance Professionals, LLC in Brookfield.

Board member Tim Cottingham gave an update on the building project. Cottingham said the process began almost a year ago, and while the project has hit some hurdles, its finally starting to move along.

Weve completed phase one and are ready for the first bids to go out and pass the bonding resolution, Cottingham said. I believe we are well within our means to finance this project.

Fellow supervisor John Wenum reiterated the countys need for a modern building. He said the county looked into renting a space, but the rent was estimated at $100,000 a year and the facility would be almost a mile from current county facilities.

Because of constant sound leakage, were almost always in violation of HIPPA laws, Wenum said. We really needed a secure facility and the package we have put together will resolve these issues. When you factor in the cost, I think this is quite reasonable.

Not only will the new building bring county offices up to code, it will feature more space and better parking. Wenum said the financing structure should suit the county well for the next couple decades.

This would bring the county up to date and we would have a proper housing facility for our offices for the next half century, Wenum said.

Bill Devine, from project contractor Devine, Inc., said the building should be completed by the end of 2018. He told board members, youre getting an awful lot for your dollar. The building wont be anything fancy, but will serve the needs of the county. The county will have to find another location for its senior meal site, however, as building specifications do not include relocations plans.

Devine said bids on construction will begin on March 16 and will be presented to the board at its next meeting March 21.

JCAIRS project coming along

Dan Wafle and Nathan Thiel from JCAIRS said the organizations plan to revitalize the county fairgrounds and Veterans Memorial Park is ahead of schedule.

Thiel said funding remains strong and new building projects should be completed in 2017, highlighted by a pig and sheep barn.

We have more than 25 percent of our donations in, Thiel said. Were really making headway.

Thiel said JCAIRS has about $6 million left to use and have several large projects on tap. Within a few years, the organization plans to construct an expo center on the grounds. It will also establish a $1 million endowment to help fund future needs.

Board meets May

Also on Tuesday, county officials met Col. David May, the new commander at Volk Field, an Air National Guard base near Camp Douglas.

May, a Middleton native, took over the post about six months ago. He said the base continues to be a leader in training in the country and will likely add new positions this year. About 440 people are employed at the base and it contributes more than $52 million to the Wisconsin economy.

May said the base could welcome state-of-the-art F-35 jets in for test flights in a few years.
The Portage Police Department has welcomed a new officer to the ranks, one with more than a decade of experience in law enforcement and some national news coverage.

Officer Brian Loewenhagen, 34, received his badge Monday in a ceremony at the Portage Municipal Building, welcomed by fellow officers and city staff. The ceremony reset the departments roster, after the departure of Officer Brandon Koziel, who left to join the Lake Delton Police Department after only a few months in Portage.

Brian isnt your typical new hire, like we would have, where you have to spend a lot of time in training, said Lt. Keith Klafke. Once you go through the academy, you get the basics to get you by, but you actually learn everything through your FTO (Field Training Officer) process and first three years as an officer.

Loewenhagen, originally of Appleton, comes from the Adams County Sheriffs Office where he worked 11 years as a deputy, where he developed the reputation of being a walking statute book.

Among the high points of his already solid resume are his certification as a drug recognition expert, an FTO, an FTO supervisor for Adams County, and as an instructor for field sobriety testing.

Its kind of a win-win situation, said Klafke, because were filling a void  because were back to full staff now  and also the stuff that Brian can bring to the table.

I did work part-time in Wisconsin Dells and part-time in the city of Adams, and in Plainview before so I have some experience of working with the city, said Loewenhagen. And in the city, youre a little more tight-knit with the community, not like with the county when youre covering a vast area of a sector.

Despite working a beat of miles (hundreds of mostly rural square miles of the county), Loewenhagen wound up on the national news. On the evening of Nov. 17, he responded to a call of a car-deer encounter near Friendship. When he arrived on the scene, the deer, which had been placed in the back of an SUV turned out to be alive, and after being dragged out to be dispatched by Loewenhagen, sprung to life and bounded into the darkness.

Stories, including the dashcam video of the incident, also noted that Loewenhagen was the officer that pulled over a suspected drunken driver, who blamed the situation on beer-battered fish.

In June, Loewenhagen was presented with a Commendation of Valor Duty Injury Award from the Wisconsin Fraternal Order of Police. He was given the award for an incident in May 2015 in which he received knife injuries during a fight, but was still able to subdue and arrest his assailant.

Were not going to have to spend a lot of time on procedural stuff or legal stuff, said Klafke. Hes got the experience that he knows how to handle a domestic, how to handle a drunk driver, the only thing we have to do here is how does Portage do it  what are the streets of Portage?

The move to Portage was not something to be done on a whim, Klafke said, given that in addition to all of the complications of a new home and new organization, Loewenhagen accepted the job recognizing that it is not a lateral move.

Despite his credentials, he is starting over in Portage. As specifically dictated by police union rules, he is coming into the department with experience, but no seniority.

That must mean that there is a lot to gain, said Klafke. There are certain key things in his background that he didnt quite have career fulfillment with, and in those key aspects, I think we can deliver.
A Reedsburg Area High School teacher went before the School Board on Feb. 20 to talk about a trip to the latest presidential inauguration.

Social studies teacher Dave Moon gave a presentation about how students and staff went to Washington D.C. for the welcoming of President Donald Trump. He said the visit included the chance to see noteworthy sites such as the National Mall and Madame Tussauds Wax Museum.

We enjoyed this trip so much, he said.

The group included a mix of many political beliefs, he said. Not all students who attended agree with the new president and some even joined the Womens March.

Moon said another trip is planned for Boston in 2018. The city was chosen because it has a rich history.

Its a chance for kids to get out of Wisconsin and see some things, Moon said of the trips.

The Boston trek will be a 4-day journey and will cost $1,649 per student. Its possible that adults could also attend but their fares will likely be higher, Moon said.

Fundraising will help offset costs, and events are in development, he added.

For more information email at dmoon@rsd.k12.wi.us.
MERRIMAC  Residents here wont see much action on the $17 million reconstruction project of a railroad bridge across Lake Wisconsin until the summer of 2018.

However, some early work on the more than 100-year-old bridge will take place this summer as span 2 of the bridge is replaced, said Virgil Kasper, vice chairman of the Pink Lady Rail Transit Commission.

Kasper presented a program Feb. 16 to a room packed with members of the Lake Wisconsin Alliance and the public at the Merrimac Village Hall.

During the program, Kasper discussed the history of the railroad in Sauk County from its beginnings in 1871. He stressed how vital the railroad was to the region at the time and highlighted how it remains important.

The bridge plays a vital economic role in the county because it provides rail access to several large employers in Baraboo and Reedsburg.

The Merrimac bridge must be very vital if Wisconsin & Southern is willing to invest $3.5 million in it, Kasper said.

Kasper said 80 percent of the $17 million project will be funded by the state. The other 20 percent is the responsibility of Wisconsin & Southern Railroad.

Work to be done over the next few summers includes reinforcing some of the bridges piers. The bridge will be strengthened handle heavier freight at faster speeds. Trains crossing the bridge now are limited to 5 miles per hour. With the improvements, trains could get up to 25 mph.

Kasper said rail service would be timed so there would be no interruption of service during the project.

The project is targeted to be completed by the end of 2019, he said.
MERRIMAC  On Valentines Day, students at Merrimac Community Charter School shared kindness and love with local veterans from Sauk Prairies VFW Post 7694.

Veterans from the post visited the school Feb. 14 for a kindness program, in which students got to personally thank nine of them with a hug, handshake or fist bump. All 111 students created handmade valentines for the vets, which will be distributed to those members who were unable to attend.

We were working on kindness activities this month, said Merrimac school guidance counselor Tom Steward. The idea is that we would have all the students get involved in the project and learn about kindness. The culmination would be wed present handmade valentines cards to the vets who came out.

The veterans who came served during World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam.

The original plan was for the students to simply create the cards and drop them off at the VFW for them to be distributed. But Bart Mauch, adjutant at the VFW, suggested the visit.

I think it was important for them to see who they are giving the cards to, Mauch said. Its even better when you can thank them personally.

This is the first year for the program. Steward said Merrimac is a community-driven school and the Valentines for Veterans program is just one way they can give back to a part of our community that is so often overlooked, he said.

Steward said its good for the students to see how grateful the veterans are for the thanks they were given. They saw how something they thought was such a small act could be so big, he said. It brought both the vets and the students and staff to tears.

The event was just as important to the vets as the students. Mauch said the veterans appreciated the students patriotism and that they were willing to spend the time thanking them.

He said he hopes when the students are older they will remember the day they met the vets.

There arent a lot of us left, so we found it would be really important to be there, Mauch said. Hopefully they will remember they saw a World War II vet when we are all long gone.
A local incursion with Russian origins had a fleet of Dells Army Ducks on the move this past weekend.

No, this is not another alleged instance of Russian interference with Americas democratic institutions, nor is it a new scenario for the latest local Room Escape attraction. Fake news, it most definitely is not.

Instead, its really what happened in Wisconsin Dells Saturday through Monday, when unseasonably warm weather hastened a first-ever February launching of one local fleet of DUKW amphibious vehicles.

Those lucky Duck riders  as well as the hundreds of other visitors to the area over the Presidents Day weekend  have a weather pattern in Siberia to thank for their early preview of spring, which is still officially a month away.

A large ridge of high pressure over Siberia has diverted the jet stream into Alaska, which in turn has forced mild Pacific air into the western United States and eventually into Wisconsin, said career meteorologist  and former Dells Events reporter and weather columnist  Jeff Smith. This process has also displaced the polar vortex in Canada, which typically drives bitterly cold arctic air into Wisconsin.

The Siberian-born displacement led to temperatures in the high 50s and low 60s throughout the region over the weekend and into early this week, which in turn led Dells Army Ducks owner and operator Jason Field to liberate his companys fleet from winter storage.

The first Army Duck-full of passengers set off at noon Saturday for the nearby Wisconsin River and the scenic Lower Dells surrounding it, and as of Monday afternoon the Duck-riders were still coming.

The weekend excursions  which skipped Lake Delton because that body of water remained ice-bound as of the weekend  marked the first time the Army Ducks had dipped their beaks in February.

Weve got Ducks ready all the time, and once the weather turned toward the 60s we knew those Ducks were ready and able, Field said Monday afternoon, a few minutes after the days first passenger-loaded Army Duck set off from the companys military-themed headquarters on the Wisconsin Dells Parkway.

The weather combined with a three-day holiday for at least some visitors equaled robust business for other Dells-Delton business as well, their owners reported.

We had a great weekend, and the weather certainly helped, said Jeff Morris, co-owner and operator of Bobbers Island Grill in Lake Delton. On Thursday, it was only like 40 degrees but we pulled some dining room tables outside and had people eating there. It just happened.

Automobile and foot traffic in downtown Dells on Saturday and Sunday looked more like a typical early spring weekend than the middle of February  and that trend continued well into Monday.

We were jam packed this morning, said Belgiis Waffles owner and operator Mason Rudarmel early Monday afternoon. Rudarmel was by then almost at the end of his weekend supply of fresh-made Belgian waffle dough at the small shop in the 100 block of Broadway downtown.

With the warming trend expected to conclude at mid-week and a return to cooler temperatures expected this weekend, those Army Ducks most likely wont be plying the still-icy waters much longer this winter, Field predicted.

Im not anticipating that were going to be up and running  its an outdoor ride, and temperatures need to be conducive to that, Field said. I am anticipating an early start for spring. We could be open the first weekend in March, weather permitting. Well have to see.
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Healthcare Trust of America, Inc. (NYSE: HTA) is the largest dedicated owner and operator of MOBs in the United States, comprising approximately 25.1 million square feet of GLA, with $7.4 billion invested primarily in MOBs. HTA provides real estate infrastructure for the integrated delivery of healthcare services in highly-desirable locations. Investments are targeted to build critical mass in 20 to 25 leading gateway markets that generally have leading university and medical institutions, which translates to superior demographics, high-quality graduates, intellectual talent and job growth. The strategic markets HTA invests in support a strong, long-term demand for quality medical office space. HTA utilizes an integrated asset management platform consisting of on-site leasing, property management, engineering and building services, and development capabilities to create complete, state of the art facilities in each market. This drives efficiencies, strong tenant and health system relationships, and strategic partnerships that result in high levels of tenant retention, rental growth and long-term value creation. Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, HTA has developed a national brand with dedicated relationships at the local level. Founded in 2006 and listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 2012, HTA has produced attractive returns for its stockholders that have outperformed the US REIT index.
Enbridge Inc. operates as an energy infrastructure company. The company operates through five segments: Liquids Pipelines, Gas Transmission and Midstream, Gas Distribution and Storage, Renewable Power Generation, and Energy Services. The Liquids Pipelines segment operates pipelines and related terminals to transport various grades of crude oil and other liquid hydrocarbons in Canada and the United States. The Gas Transmission and Midstream segment invests in natural gas pipelines, and gathering and processing facilities in Canada and the United States. The Gas Distribution and Storage segment is involved in natural gas utility operations serving residential, commercial, and industrial customers in Ontario, as well as natural gas distribution and energy transportation activities in Quebec. The Renewable Power Generation segment operates power generating assets, such as wind, solar, geothermal, and waste heat recovery facilities; and transmission assets in North America and Europe. The Energy Services segment provides energy marketing services to refiners, producers, and other customers; and physical commodity marketing and logistical services in Canada and the United States. The company was formerly known as IPL Energy Inc. and changed its name to Enbridge Inc. in October 1998. Enbridge Inc. was founded in 1949 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.
Moving pictures

Number cruncher: Caitlin Lewis Smallwood 88 directs a team of around 50 data scientists, engineers and mathematicians at Netflix in Los Gatos, California. Photo by Timothy Archibald Photo - of - Hide Caption

The following story originally appeared in the winter 2017 issue of the W&M Alumni Magazine - Ed.

Caitlin Lewis Smallwood 88 is vice president of science and algorithms at the worlds leading internet television network. From her office in Los Gatos, Calif., she oversees the numbers that help Netflix learn what you like to watch, predict what you might want to watch next, and decide what to purchase and produce in the future. She can also see cranes, dump trucks and construction workers building Netflixs brand-new

corporate headquarters on the south end of Silicon Valley. Shes a leader in a growing field within an influential company during a historic moment: data science is helping Netflix take off.

Its incredibly inspiring to me to be involved in this company when were at a point where weve launched mostly globally, Smallwood says. Its an amazing opportunity to really help cultures learn about one another in an innocuous, non-threatening fashion.

Taste clusters

There is a dizzying number of conference rooms at Netflix headquarters, and theyre not even finished building it yet. Each one is a little different and named after a famous movie (usually one that is available to stream via the service). Many feature a glass wall, frosted with the image of a notable scene or actor.

And then there are the Emmys.

The lobby of Smallwoods building is full of movie- and TV-based touches: art books about film on reclaimed wood tables, a constant stream of Netflix products on a giant screen (in this case, The Crown), and two softly lit columns displaying Netflixs Emmy awards. Emmys arent common in Silicon Valley, but theyre testaments to the companys smarts and strategy.

Then theres the data.

When a user logs into the Netflix service and begins browsing, they see rows of categories. While you browse, Netflix logs what you watch, how you found it, how long you watched it, and the device you watched it on, among other things. As Netflix learns more about your viewing habits, it gets better at predicting what you like. This works no matter where you are in the world.

One thing weve learned that holds true  so far, anyhow  is that when you try to get an understanding of peoples tastes, the kinds of clusters of taste that people have are pretty similar around the world, says Smallwood. The size of the audience for these different kinds of tastes can differ quite a bit from region to region, but the actual kernels of what those tastes are, are not dramatically different.

On Netflix, tastes are displayed as rows of categorized content. Usually, the rows are the typical fare from the old Blockbuster shelves: drama, comedy, action, sci-fi, romance and so on. But as you move further into Netflixs database of over 50,000 row titles, things get really specific  Strong Female Lead, Raunchy Cult Late-Night Comedies, Quirky Romances, Supernatural Horror Movies and so on. There are a number of websites dedicated to chronicling the most obscure categories delivered to Netflix subscribers all over the world  like Gritty British Prison Movies.

Although our internal job is harder, she says, the output to our customers is actually a little bit better because you can discover nuanced pockets of taste because of other regions that then help you serve members in a different region even more effectively. That parts exciting, too.

Smallwood is in charge of more than 50 engineers, data scientists and mathematicians who are working to distill the viewing habits of over 86 million Netflix subscribers and make the product better. Algorithms orchestrate the viewer experience, and theyve responded: to the tune of 125 million hours watched per day. Thats like watching Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home more than a million times daily, or that one episode of Murder, She Wrote nearly 2.7 million times. Its a colossal amount of data, and its up to Smallwood to make sense of it.

Right questions

Technically, an algorithm is just a set of rules that a computer can follow to solve a problem. For early data scientists like Smallwood in the 90s, those problems were confined largely to logistics and transportation: packing shipping containers or coordinating airline networks. The problems that shes solving today at Netflix, she says, werent really in the world back then.

The biggest thing that hit me over the head is just the volume of data  its on a completely different scale than anything I had experienced before, she says, because there are these large companies where the product itself is interacting with people. Lots of people just generate so much data  that volume was really the biggest thing.

So as the Internet expanded out of universities and into offices, living rooms, laptops and pant pockets, the amount of data generated by people exploded. Suddenly, extra data was attached to everything: digital photos were now linked to the location where they were taken; your phone keeps track of where you parked your car. Netflix, for its part, is mostly just interested in the shows and movies people watch and how they watch them  but there are lots of data points attached to that, too.

In data science, there are a couple things that happen when you have a large volume of data, she says. One is that you really can touch so many lives in a way that you hope is a positive thing. Even if I just make some task for you quicker, for me thats very satisfying.

For a Netflix subscriber, that task is, primarily, how do I find something to watch? The answer is different for a couple staying in for a movie night than for a parent trying to calm a chaotic toddler, but the service learns from everyone who uses it. The data that is generated is processed by Smallwoods team and their arsenal of exotic statistical and machine learning techniques. At a search giant like Google, tech people talk about The One Algorithm in hushed tones; at Netflix, they test 500 different algorithms a year. Theres no one silver bullet,

says Smallwood.

These algorithms underpin the whole operation, especially the recommender system. The business goal, she explains, is to increase and retain the people who pay monthly to use Netflix, but its also to grow the number of hours subscribers spend with the service. So the easier it is for us to find the shows we want and discover movies we dont even know we want, the more successful her team is. So they ask questions. Which episodes did you start and not finish? What else was in the row you chose your last movie from? How much binge-watching have you been doing?

The number of things we could track, measure, study, analyze and everything else is crazy  its just impractical to do it all, she says. So its very important to get crystal clear on the core thing we have to learn with this experiment. Lets focus on that and add one or two other things, not 20 other things. Part of it is a discipline.

Settling on the right question, Smallwood says, is in some ways more important than the conclusion that is reached by the end of the experiment. Then its time to look at the numbers. Netflix first chooses algorithms that show potential based on offline data  not from users currently using the service. Only the most promising processes are tested live.

Since you have data from that many people, you really can identify patterns and clusters and see this massive variety in human behavior, she says. Then you tailor things to that behavior that otherwise might not be known to you. Even as humans, we cant necessarily articulate why were behaving the way that we do. Whats great about the data is that its pure  its what actually happened.

You find surprising things that nobody else would have found otherwise. Its almost like being a detective.

Smallwood takes special care to note that Netflix is extremely cautious with the data it analyzes: there is physical separation of information in some cases, and widespread anonymization so data points cant be attached to specific users. She cant delve into the system and find out who precisely is watching every episode of Voltron: Legendary Defender at 3 a.m.

She also cant reveal all the exact methods and results they find in their tests, but with original series like Stranger Things, House of Cards and (Smallwoods current favorite) The Crown, theyre doing something right. Especially in those cases, data is not 100 percent of the decision: human expertise is critical to making sure Netflixs catalog is fresh, deep and successful. Sometimes its automating things, but other times its just providing an additional data point, she says.

We want to really help make it easier for you to find the things youre going to watch. Luckily, we have so many other members watching stuff, we can see what kinds of patterns emerge and where your tastes tend to line up with other peoples tastes. That helps us really to identify things to suggest to you.

Algorithm by algorithm, Smallwood and her team are building bridges between human behavior and machine learning to provide the best possible experience.

Human networks

Early in her career, Smallwood worked on preventing skill degradation in the Air Force  applying data to airmens job training. But it was her later work on modeling U.S. Postal Service data networks that opened the door to more. These networks were much, much smaller in the 1990s, she says, but that didnt make the problem simple.

That project actually was the thing that made me fall in love with data science in a deeper way because it was this complicated networking kind of problem, she says. You had your voice lines and your data lines and they all have to be configured and designed with a pattern that spanned the U.S. and covered all the demand. It was fascinating to study.

When Smallwood talks about the complex data sets and networking challenges she engages with, its easy to tell how excited she gets. This kind of math wasnt equations scrawled on a chalkboard  it was nodes and linkages and networks. And there was an inescapable human component  the data was saying something about people. She had found a reason to delve even further into math.

That was the first time I really thought that there was an area I could actually specialize in, Smallwood says. It resonated with me and my interests, both technically and in terms of the applications I could imagine.

So she got a masters in operations research at Stanford. That was where Beth Lewis  as she had been known  became Caitlin. Her grad-school roommates unilaterally decided that she looked more like a Caitlin than a Beth, and after about a year, she found herself introducing herself that way.

By the end of that year, nobody called me Beth anymore, she says with a smile. But she was still the same woman: focusing on data and finding the truths within. However, that focus was hard-fought.

Renaissance woman

Until she got to high school, Smallwood had attended a different school every year of her life. Her family bounced around places like Colorado and New Mexico before eventually landing in Virginia. The movement may have contributed to her certain Renaissance woman quality.

Im one of those people who suffers from being interested in too many things, she says. I always have been.

For her, William & Mary was the right place to start exploring her options. She landed in Spotswood Hall and eventually pledged Chi Omega. She was a resident assistant in Yates during her sophomore year, and fondly remembers the Green Leafe, the Cheese Shop, and jumping around on the trampoline of then-President Paul Verkuil 61. She also laughs when she remembers leaping over the Governors Palace wall with friends late one night.

Williamsburg is such a beautiful city, she remembers. One of my girlfriends and I used to just go running together [on DoG Street] probably five days a week. I miss it.

Coursework was rewarding, as well. I remember some of the religion and philosophy classes were actually held in the Wren Building. That was just phenomenal, she says. It felt really, truly like you had gone back in time, because theres the professor at the old-fashioned podium, theres the pews its just such a funky unique classroom setting. The quality of the instruction at William & Mary was just awesome.

But during the school week, Beth Lewis  the future Caitlin Smallwood  could not seem to stop changing her major.

Even as she enjoyed her courses, something still didnt feel right. First she tried an accounting major, then biology, then philosophy, and then it was a crisis.

She called her mom on the phone, who said: Well, youve always loved math, and  just in the background, without paying attention to it  youve actually got all the qualities and taken all the courses as if you were majoring in math. Mom was right.

She made the point that sometimes we think that something isnt our passion because it comes easily to us, says Smallwood. I thought about that comment and I realized: I actually do enjoy math. Then I really started getting into it and focusing on it. But what had taken her so long?

Math has so many flavors, she says. Sometimes you might take a course thats in a particular genre that you dont really love that much, and it might lead you to draw an incorrect conclusion about the whole field. What I really learned that I love is patterns.

Soon enough, Smallwood was on her way to graduating as a mathematics major  and a philosophy minor, of course. On some level, she knew then how important it was to take cutting-edge methods and lots and lots of numbers, and then link them with human experience. It was all bound to make sense from the very beginning  its all about patterns.

When I was a little kid, she says, I used to cut paper and kept cutting it into smaller and smaller pieces to see if I could get to infinity.

Evolving forward

Infinity feels like the horizon in Silicon Valley  technology grows and moves that quickly. But despite her deep background in the burgeoning big-data field, Caitlin Smallwood still finds time to unplug. She spends time inline skating in the California sun, and found herself recently at a Queens of the Stone Age concert. Earlier in 2016, she brought her high-school senior twins to William & Mary for a visit, showing them an important data point for the story of their mom.

I have to give a lot of credit to William & Mary for starting me off on my path, she says. I feel so fortunate to have landed in a career at a point in time  in history  where data science is really evolving so much.
After 57 years on the job, Blackstones Larry Ray, left, has fixed just about everything an electrician can fix, and he was recently honored for his dedicated service with citations from town and state officials.
The former Main Street Albion complex that housed a post office, a corner store, a social club and several apartments was a hub of village activity for decades, say current and former residents. Pictured here the day after it was devastated by fire on Feb. 12, the site is now being leveled and its future use is up in the air.
Foratom says reforms to Europe's ETS insufficient

21 February 2017

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Foratom has welcomed the European Parliament's approval of European Commission proposals to reform the bloc's Emissions Trading System (ETS). The European nuclear trade body added, however, the carbon price needs to increase significantly in order to boost investment in low-carbon energy sources.

The EU ETS was launched in 2005 and operates in 31 countries - all 28 EU countries, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. It is designed to limit greenhouse gas emissions from more than 11,000 heavy energy-using industries (power plants and manufacturing facilities) and airlines operating between these countries. It covers about 45% of the bloc's GHG emissions.

A centrepiece of the EU's 2030 energy and climate policy framework is the binding target to reduce overall GHG emissions by at least 40% below 1990 levels by 2030. To achieve this cost-effectively, the sectors covered by the EU ETS will have to reduce their emissions by 43% compared with 2005, while non-ETS sectors will have to reduce theirs by 30%.

The European Commission published its proposal in July 2015 to revise the directive on the EU ETS for the 2021-2030 period. Its proposal for a market stability reserve (MSR), adopted in October that year, takes 12% of the surplus allowances out of the market from the beginning of 2019.

In December last year, Foratom issued a position paper on the proposal and the ongoing debate in the European Parliament concerning the steps needed to reach Europe's decarbonisation goals. At that time Foratom said the Commission's proposals and other measures introduced by the EU - including backloading and the MSR - are headed in the right direction but more must be done to restore confidence in the ETS, so that it can help decarbonise the European economy in an affordable way.

Foratom had called for a significant reduction in the oversupply of allowances in the ETS by increasing the speed at which allowances are moved to the MSR. It also wanted an improvement in regulation of the volume of allowances.

On 15 February, the European Parliament voted in favour of the Commission's proposed revisions to the ETS directive.

Miguel Arias Canete, European commissioner for climate action and energy, said: "The landmark vote provides a clear outcome after more than a year of discussions in parliament, and it demonstrates the European Union's commitment to turning the Paris Agreement into reality through concrete action on the ground. Now the EU ETS revision is on the Council's table and we hope they can swiftly reach an agreement to kick-start negotiations."

Foratom said yesterday: "If the ETS reform prevails with the Council, the European Parliament's position should help to boost carbon prices but [it] falls short of fully aligning the ETS with the Paris Agreement. The ETS should be spearheading the switch from fossil fuels to low-carbon sources of electricity (renewables and nuclear). If investments in low-carbon electricity production are to be incentivised, the price of carbon needs to be significantly higher than it is currently."

Foratom said it supported the report from the European Parliament's Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, which the parliament voted on last week. That report had proposed an annual reduction in the cap on emissions of 2.4%. Foratom said it was "disappointed" this was "watered down" to 2.2% in the plenary vote - in line with the European Commission's proposal - but it welcomed the improvement compared with the current rate of 1.74%.

"It will now be crucial for the Council to agree on an ambitious position that supports the measures adopted by the European Parliament," Foratom said.

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European iodine mystery solved

17 November 2011

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The cause of trace detection of radioactive iodine-131 in Europe has been identified as 'most probably' a release from a Hungarian factory making medical isotopes.

Authorities in that country today informed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of their theory that the release may have begun at a facility run by Institute of Isotopes Ltd (Izotop) on 8 September and continued until yesterday.

Iodine-131 is one isotope that could be released by a nuclear reactor accident, such as occurred at Fukushima Daiichi earlier this year, but in that circumstance it would be accompanied by other isotopes such as caesium-137. No such fission products were detected in Europe, giving authorities full confidence to declare the iodine they detected could not have been from either Fukushima or any new nuclear accident.

The amounts of iodine-131 involved were tiny, but the substance decays quickly and therefore it is highly unusual for it to be detected in the environment by radiation monitoring networks. It is used to diagnose and treat cancers and disorders of the thyroid gland. All types of iodine are naturally transported by the human body to the gland, where large concentrations of iodine-131 are capable of delivering radiotherapy doses directly to tissues.



The IAEA said there were no concerns for public health: "If any member of the public were to breathe iodine for a whole year at the levels measured in European countries, then they would receive a dose in the range of 0.01 microsieverts for the year. To put this into perspective, the average annual background is 2400 microsieverts per year."

The Izotop facility is near to the Budapest Research Reactor. As well as iodine-131 it supplies radioisotopes for pharmaceutical, scientific and industrial use including yttrium-90, technetium-99m, iodine-125, samarium-153, holmium-166 and lutetium-177.



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Bernard Weber, a business person in Zurich, Switzerland, is responsible for launching the New7Wonders internet poll in an attempt to identify the best cities in the world. The survey began with a list of 1,200 cities in 220 countries, however that list was narrowed down to 77 due to a one city per country restriction. A committee, headed by the former director of UNESCO, further reduced the list to 28 cities based on a specific set of criteria. The idea behind the New7Wonders was that the winning cities would best represent the accomplishments of urban civilization around the world.

In 2011, interestested internet-users were asked to cast their vote for 1 of the 28 candidates. The results were tallied in 2014 with 7 winners: Beirut, Doha, Durban, Havana, Kuala Lumpur, La Paz, and Vigan. This article takes a closer look at each of these cities.

7. Vigan

Vigan is located on the island of Luzon in the Philippines and has a population of approximately 53,879. It is one of the last cities in this country that still displays a relatively unchanged Hispanic history, dating back to the 1500s. This city is well known for its unique architecture, which blends together several styles, including colonial European, Oriental, and Philippine. Its architecture is made even more interesting by the cobblestone streets that wind between the buildings. Before Spanish colonizers arrived, Vigan was established by the Chinese as a trading post. In addition to being one of the new Urban Wonders of the world, it is also a World Heritage Site.

6. La Paz

La Paz is the capital of Bolivia. It is located at 11,975 feet above sea level, making it the highest national capital in the world. This city is settled in a canyon that runs through the Altiplano mountains of the Andes mountain range. It has a population size of around 789,541, however, the entire metropolitan area includes El Alto and Viacha, which brings the population up to 2.3 million. Spanish colonialists founded La Paz over the site of an Inca settlement in 1548. Today, this city is home to the Presidential Palace, Plurinational Legislative Assembly, San Francisco Church, and Witches Market (among other places). Its economy makes up 25% of the countrys gross domestic product (GDP) and is centered around manufacturing of goods like: food, clothing, building materials, and tobacco products.

5. Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur is the capital and largest city of Malaysia. It has a population size of 1.7 million and is listed as one of the fastest growing metropolitan regions of Southeast Asia. Its entire metropolitan area has a population of 7.2 million. This city is home to a wide variety of modern architecture and is well known for its skyscrapers. In fact, the tallest buildings in the world are located in Kuala Lumpur: the Petronas Twin Towers. Nobody is sure when the city was founded, but written records dating back to the early 19th century indicate that at that time, the city had a thriving tin mining industry. Today, this city is the principal financial, real estate, insurance, arts, and media center of the country.

4. Havana

Havana is the capital city of Cuba. It has a population of approximately 2.1 million over an area of 281.18 square miles, making it the largest city in the country by both population and area. Additionally, Havana has a major economic role in this country as a commercial center and major port city. Founded in the early 16th century by Spanish colonialists, this city is well known for its historic and colorful architecture. It is divided into 3 sections: Old Havana, Vedado, and modern suburbs. Old Havana is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

3. Durban

Durban is located in South Africa and has a population of 3.5 million, making it the largest city in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. This city sits on the coast and has become the busiest sea port in the country. Additionally, Durban is a popular tourist destination, known for its subtropical weather, surfing, and beautiful beach. In order to attract more tourists, the city has invested in developing the Golden Mile. This is a developed stretch of beach with apartments, hotels, casinos, piers, a promenade, and restaurants. The waters off of the Golden Mile are protected by lifeguards and shark nets. Durban and the area surrounding it have served as important human settlements since around 100,000 BC, according to archaeological evidence. British settlers began arriving at the beginning of the 19th century, when Durban as it is known now was established.

2. Doha

Doha is located along the Persian Gulf in the eastern region of Qatar and became the national capital in 1971 after Qatar's independence. It currently has a population of nearly 1.5 million, which represents more than half of the countrys population. Doha is the most important economic center of Qatar and is considered its fastest growing city. Additionally, this city is quickly emerging as one of the most important financial hubs of the Middle East. It is also home to Education City, a research and education project established by the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development. Doha has significant oil and natural gas reserves, which have contributed to Qatars growth as one of the wealthiest nations in the world. This city has become more involved in international events, hosting the 2006 Asian Games, the 2011 Pan Arab Games, the 20th World Petroleum Conference in 2011, and the UNFCCC Climate Negotiations of 2012. In addition to being one of the new 7 Wonder Cities, it is also believed to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

1. Beirut

Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, is one of the oldest cities in the world with human settlements dating back as far as 5,000 years ago. It is located on a peninsula in the Mediterranean Sea and is the most important port city in the country. Additionally, it is a financial and legal center and home to several corporate headquarters. Because of multiple instances of political unrest, the Lebanese Civil War being perhaps the most destructive, throughout its history, Beirut has been rebuilt on many occasions. This ongoing construction has resulted in a unique architectural mix of Ottoman, colonial French, and modern influences. Beirut is sometimes referred to as the Paris of the Mediterranean.
Michael Barbee

By: Alexis Bell WorldWideWeirdNews.com

(Scroll down for video) A Catholic school teacher shamelessly admitted to sexually assaulting a young girl who called him stupid in front of other children, according to police in Pennsylvania.

Norristown police said that they have arrested 32-year-old Michael Barbee, after being accused of putting his hands on the private parts of the 3-year-old student.

Barbee has been charged with involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a minor under 16 years old, aggravated indecent assault of a minor under 13 years old and unlawful contact with a minor.

He was booked into jail, and his bail has been set at $750,000.

According to the criminal complaint, Barbee has been a teacher at the early learning program of the Saint Francis of Assisi Parish.

Earlier this month, the 3-year-old girl allegedly called Barbee stupid. In response, Barbee forced his hands under the girlas pants and touched her private parts for sexual gratification.

The girl went home and complained of pain in her private parts.

She then revealed that the teacher sexually assaulted her.

During questioning, Barbee first denied touching the girl, but after a polygraph test, the teacher admitted to sexually assaulting the student for just 10 seconds because she called him stupid.
Juhel Miah

By: Tanya Clark WorldWideWeirdNews.com

A teacher of the United Kingdom is demanding answers after he was denied entry into the United States.

25-year-old Juhel Miah of Swansea, Wales, was traveling with his colleagues and students when he was removed from an airplane.

Miah and his students from the Llangatwg Comprehensive School traveled to Iceland, and from there, they were supposed to fly to New York.

However, after he already boarded the flight, Miah was removed from the plane by security personnel in Reykjavik.

His colleagues and students continued on their trip without him.

A spokesman for the Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council said that they have written a letter to the U.S. Embassy in London, to express dismay at the treatment of Miah, as he had been issued with a valid visa for travel.

The spokesperson said that athe matter has also been raised with our member of parliament, but no satisfactory reason has been provided for refusing Miah entry into the United States either at the airport in Iceland or subsequently at the U.S. Embassy in Reykjavik.a

According to the spokesperson, the Muslim teacher went to the embassy to get answers, but he was refused permission to enter the building.

aUnderstandably, he feels belittled and upset at what appears to be an unjustified act of discrimination,a the spokesperson said.
Mark your calendars! August 21st, 2017 is what NASA is calling The 2017 Eclipse Across America.

This will be a total solar eclipse, which happens when the sun is completely blocked from the moon. The event will cross the entire United States from the coast of Oregon to the coast of South Carolina. Right in the middle of that path is Nebraska, which is near ground zero for the greatest effects!

Notice on the attached maps that Omaha is just outside of the area of totality (complete blockage of the sun), but Lincoln is in that area. Therefore, the times we'll be referencing will be for the specific city of Lincoln, but can still be used elsewhere as well.

As stated earlier the eclipse will be occurring in the middle of the day, which means everyone will notice the skies over us darkening. The eclipse will begin at 11:37 a.m. Monday, August 21st. This is the time the moon starts moving in front of the sun. Over the next 90 minutes you'll notice a gradual darkening as more of the sun gets blocked. Totality begins at 1:02 p.m. and ends just after 1:04 p.m. This is when skies will be darkest.

**DO NOT LOOK AT THE SUN** You can go blind or cause permanent eye damage. You can go to the following NASA website for safe viewing instructions.

https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/

After 1:04 p.m. the skies will gradually lighten back up as the moon moves past the sun. The eclipse will be completely over at 2:30 p.m.
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf, a Democrat, announced an austerity budget last week for 2017-2018 aimed at eliminating a structural deficit estimated at $3 billion. The $32.3 billion budget contains $2 billion in spending cuts and $1 billion in additional revenue.

In a 22-minute public address, Wolf declared, Our commonwealth has been operating with a structural deficit for a long time. That means Harrisburg has been living beyond its means. Households cant do that, and neither can we. A couple of days after his budget address at a gathering of state Democrats he said his budget promised a different way to move forward, a new way for PA. In other words - harsh austerity.

The budget proposal will act as the point of departure for Wolf to begin negotiations with the Republican-controlled state legislature, which will undoubtedly insist on even deeper cuts.

For education at both the K-12 level and college level Wolf is offering a paltry $100 million in new basic education funding and $75 million in new early childhood funds. Meanwhile, he has slashed $50 million in pupil transportation. Lawrence Feinberg, a school board member in Haverford Township, quoted in Philly.com, said the governor giveth, and the governor taketh away. He continued, Without significant, sustained increases in funding, it will be years and years before kids in underfunded districts have the resources they need - and that the new state formula acknowledges are required - for an adequate education.

Pennsylvania schools already confront a ruinous funding crisis from years of state underfunding both education and pension costs. Seventy-five percent of school districts received less state money in the 2016-17 budget year than they did in 2009, and most of this gap will remain in the current budget. Philadelphia schools receive roughly $800 per student less than they did seven years ago.

Both Democrats and Republicans have promoted the spread of charter schools, which siphon money out of the public school system.

The 14 state universities had submitted a request for about $60 million in additional funding. The governor did not oblige, however, increasing funding by a mere $9 million. This will have the effect of forcing state universities to raise tuition and impose budget cuts of their own. The state system is already underwater financially and is undergoing a review process that might result in the merger of schools or permanent closure of some.

Penn State, Temple, Pittsburgh and Lincoln universities as well as community colleges will have their funding frozen. State funding in the amount of some $31 million for the University of Pennsylvanias veterinary school will be terminated.

The governor said he might consolidate four state agencies into the Department of Health and Human Services saving $91 million in the process. Wolf was rather reticent in declaring where the savings will come from, but undoubtedly state workers will face furloughs and layoffs. Those who depend on state services will see some delayed or eliminated completely.

In December the Wolf administration laid off about 600 workers at the states unemployment centers and issued a diktat postponing the hiring of all state workers, leaving thousands of positions unfilled. At the beginning of the year Wolf closed multiple state prisons, halfway houses, and mental health facilities. His new budget cuts Inmate Education and Training by over 11 percent.

Pensions, at both the state and municipal levels, have been deliberately underfunded as a first step to their total elimination. Wolf did not allocate any additional money for pensions and has previously indicated support for placing all newly hired state workers into a 401k-type retirement scheme. Wolfs budget provides only $2.3 billion for the teachers retirement fund, leaving it underfunded.

The Lancaster County House GOP delegation issued a public response, saying, the biggest cost driver to state government is the states two public pensions systems. The Republicans have long sought to completely eliminate pensions for both state workers and teachers.

Whether pension reform is part of the budget, or we get an agreement during negotiations to move it separately, at more than $61 billion in unfunded liabilities, Pennsylvanias pension crisis must be addressed. While the plan laid out today moves government spending in the right direction, we believe if pensions are not part of the discussions, we may miss a real opportunity for reform on this crucial issue.

Other cuts contained in the budget include the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, with its budget being slashed by 49.7 percent. Most of these cuts target state parks and state forests, reducing funding by 72.6 percent and 71.5 percent, respectively.

Assistance to counties will be reduced by over $40 million, or about 10 percent. Support for public libraries will remain flat and Cultural and Historical Support along with Grants to the Arts are being completely eliminated. Community and Economic Development will also see an eight percent reduction.

The Department of Labor and Industry will be reduced by 11 percent, most of which will come from a massive 53 percent drop in funding of the Occupational and Industrial Safety division.

Wolf is also proposing to lower corporate taxes a full percentage point to 8.99 percent and enact a severance tax on natural gas drillers in the Marcellus Shale region, with the latter measure having no chance of passing. Likewise, a raise in the state minimum wage is highly unlikely given Republican opposition, even if packaged with a lowering of the corporate tax rate.

Republicans generally praised the budget proposal. Republican House speaker Mike Turzai, in a public response, said Wolf is taking a more pragmatic approach to governing and that he certainly took a few pages from our playbook.

Left unstated is the impact of the possible elimination of the Affordable Care Act by the US Congress. In Pennsylvania that would end health care coverage for over 1.1 million people and add over $1.4 billion to the states budget deficit.
Embattled protesters, including Standing Rock Sioux tribe members and their allies, face increasingly stark odds as President Donald Trump and North Dakota legislators double down in defense of the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL).

One of Trumps first items of business as president was to demand that the Army Corps of Engineers scuttle any further environmental reviews of the final portion of the project and move directly to grant Energy Transfer Partners the final easement needed to complete the pipeline.

On Thursday, North Dakotas Senate passed three separate bills aimed directly at anti-DAPL protesters. The bills significantly curtail protest rights and impose stiff penalties on protesters who run afoul of local or state law enforcement. One bill imposes sentencing of up to 20 years in prison.

The bills represent a sharp turn in the increasing drive to curtail protests in the United States; they equate protesting with rioting and public endangerment, and are bolstered by arguments from lawmakers, law enforcement, and industrial mouthpieces that the protesters are, in fact, terrorists.

North Dakotas House of Representatives passed similar bills in recent weeks. One such bill offered impunity to motorists who struck protesters in the roadways, even if the motorist were to strike a protester through negligenceessentially painting a target onto protesters chests.

One of the bills passed by the state Senate Thursday makes it illegal for adults to cover their faces in most instances in public. Republican state Senator Janne Myrdal told reporters, We all have a right to free speech  but we do not have a right to evade prosecution of a crime.

Myrdals comments conveniently gloss over the circumstances in which protesters have covered their facesexcruciating, sub-freezing temperatures, police water cannons, and tear gas among them. The bill makes it a crime to be unidentifiable to police, even as law enforcement is given exceptionally broad latitude in this regard.

Another bill significantly curtails where protesters may gather, making it a crime to trespass or protest on public safety zones, which are defined at will by the states governor.

Last week, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum ordered the immediate closure of all remaining protest camps near Cannon Ball, North Dakota. He demanded that protesters move out ahead of melting ice and potential flooding, and rebuked protesters for leaving the Missouri River subject to pollution by their camps. The biggest threat  is the camp itself, Burgum told reporters last week. His words were a sly attack on the protesters concerns about the pipelines environmental impact upon the Missouri River and the Standing Rock Sioux tribes drinking water.

The final state Senate bill gives law enforcement more oversight in declaring that a protest is a riot, and increases the penalties for inciting or participating in a riot. Those accused of inciting a riot would face up to 20 years in prison; those accused of participating in a riot of more than 100 people could be sentenced to a years imprisonment.

State Senator Kelly Armstrong urged support for the bills, claiming that there is a strong minority and contingent [of protesters] who have not always acted peacefully and our laws have proven to be inadequate down there in regards to felony prosecution.

Since October, 2016, Morton County Sheriffs Department has arrested nearly 600 protesters. The Sheriffs Department has refused to answer to the public outcry against its tactics, which have included aiming water cannons at protesters in sub-zero weather, use of rubber bullets, concussive grenades, fire-setting, and sound cannons during Sioux prayer rituals. The department also looked the other way when supporters of the pipeline unleashed dogs upon peaceful protesters. Instead, the Department has consistently sought to portray protesters as violent extremists seeking to terrorize locals and damage the local economy.

In recent weeks, there have also been multiple instances in which people with out-of-state tags have been targeted for traffic stops and car searches in both North and South Dakota, in an effort to intimidate and weed out potential newcomers to the protest camp. Two men were jailed in South Dakota, and their possessionsincluding the car they were drivingwere impounded as evidence by the police. Their camping supplies were noted by the arresting officer as protest gear, and were impounded as well.

North Dakotas anti-protest bills are certainly aimed at Dakota Access Pipeline protesters, particularly in anticipation of increased backlash over the projects imminent completion. However, they are part of a wider push by lawmakers and law enforcement in the United States to push back against a public that is increasingly vocal in its complaints against the governance in their communities.

Protests against Trumps heavy-handed, fascistic administration, as well as protests against police violence, have gained traction throughout the US, and lawmakers have increasingly cooperated with law enforcement agencies to ensure that future protests are crushed as brutally and swiftly as possible. As in the rest of the country, legislators in North Dakota reveal the heightened intensity of class antagonism and the crisis of American bourgeois democracy.
Workers across the US faced retaliation from their employers for participating in last Thursdays A Day without Immigrants protests. More than 100 workers throughout the country were fired due to their participation in the one-day event.

According to NBC, 30 workers and a foremen were fired from JVS Masonry in Commerce City, Colorado after ignoring the company owners warnings that they would pay the price for not coming to work on Thursday. In addition, 25 catering service workers in Long Island, New York, 21 boat manufacturing workers in South Carolina and 18 workers at Bradley Coatings, Inc. in Nashville Tennessee were fired for similar reasons. In Oklahoma, 12 line cooks at a bar and grill were terminated for failing to call out of work, while two workers at a school in Bonita Springs, Florida were also terminated, with others quitting in protest.

Many of the terminated workers were categorized as at-will, which meant that they could be fired without warning and without reason. Many more workers likely faced more subtle forms of workplace retaliation for choosing to participate in the protest.

Last week, thousands of immigrant workers and others throughout the country stayed home, avoiding work, school, shopping and other activities as a way of showing opposition to the Trump administrations draconian anti-immigrant measures. In many locations, spontaneous protests broke out, demonstrating the advanced state of social tensions in the US due to the policies enacted by both the Democratic and Republican Parties.

Businesses provocatively sought to justify their decisions to fire protest participants, many of whom had been loyal employees for years, on grounds that their actions had left fellow co-workers shorthanded. If youre going to stand up for what you believe in, you have to be willing to pay the price, said JVS Masonry owner Jim Serowski to CNN. They were warned: If you do this, youre hurting the company, and if you go against the team, youre not a member of the team, Serowski added.

Workers at I Dont Care Bar and Grill in Catoosa, Oklahoma were notified of their termination by text message, which glibly stated, You and your family are fired. I hope you enjoyed your day off, and you can enjoy many more. Love you.

The decision to summarily fire workers for protesting met with outrage on social media, with many people, including friends and relatives of those turned out by their employers, speaking out against the companies.

My 62 year old immigrant father, a US CITIZEN and an expert at his profession, worked for JVS Masonry since 2007. This man that I look up to (who wont even take time off for a doctors appointment) was working 6 to 7 days a week, at times WITHOUT the [overtime] pay that he so rightfully and not to mention legally earned, stated a family member of one of the workers fired from JVS Masonry.

Good riddance JVS Masonry, now my dad can go work for a reputable company that takes care of their employees by offering OT pay, health benefits and paid vacations, something he was never offered while staying loyal to your callous company!!!

Another online commenter wrote in support of the workers, I hope that each man finds a higher paying job on Monday elsewhere instead of continuing to support this business that obviously respects them enough to fire them. They are MEN, not boys to cower to or be controlled by you. Your remarks suggest that they drive your bottom line (money in your business) and that you should have respected them.
The Trump administration is set to give final approval to two leaked memos signed by Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, according to multiple press reports. The basic content of the memos will be largely unchanged from the versions made public over the weekend. An official announcement adopting the memos is expected this week.

The full implementation of these protocols would fundamentally alter the demographic makeup of the United States and would result in one of the largest forced migrations in world history. The new DHS protocols place millions of migrants at risk of removal and threaten to upend the lives of millions more family members and friends.

A Texas immigration lawyer who wished to remain anonymous for fear the government would punish her clients told the World Socialist Web Site, The highlights of the memo have shaken the core of those we serve as fear has seeped in, leaving them doubtful of the immediate future.

The total number of migrants who can be arrested, detained and deported immediately without a court hearing is likely in the hundreds of thousands, as the memos expand the expedited removal process to include migrants located anywhere in the US who cannot prove two years of residence. Previously, only migrants captured within 100 miles of the border and within 14 days of their entry could be removed without appearing before a judge.

The memos prioritize the removal of migrants with criminal records, as well as those who have been charged with a criminal offense; those who have abused any program related to receipt of public benefits or those who in the judgment of an immigration officer otherwise pose a risk to public safety or national security.

Though it remains to be seen exactly how officials will implement these sweeping and vaguely worded protocols, the Los Angeles Times estimated that 6 million migrants entered without documentation or inspection and technically fall under the new priority standard. In addition, parents who pay to help their children join them in the US will now be deported or criminally prosecuted on the absurd ground that they are aiding human trafficking.

The deportation of even a significant fraction of those affected will require a massive police presence in major American cities. The new DHS protocols will deputize tens of thousands of local police to stop immigrants with reasonable suspicion that they are an undocumented worker. This will result in mass racial profiling of Latinos, Africans, Asians and others, not limited to US border regions.

The memos call for the hiring of 10,000 immigration agents and 5,000 border patrolmen, who will fill the courts and detention centers with immigrants, in many cases tearing them away from their children, parents or other loved ones. These officials, local police, the National Guard and perhaps other branches of the military will be mobilized to crush resistance to deportation in heavily migrant neighborhoods and among sympathetic demonstrators.

Conditions at the border will become extremely harsh. All migrants captured crossing the border will now be placed in detention centers either before they are removed without trial or as they await their potentially years-long legal process to conclude. These facilities will become increasingly crowded and conditions will worsen. Deaths in detention facilities are already common as guards withhold medicine and otherwise deny migrants medical care.

The Rio Grande Valley is one of the most highly policed areas of the country, said John-Michael Torres of La Union del Pueblo Entero (LUPE) in an interview with the WSWS. LUPE is an immigrant rights group based along the Texas-Mexico border. Border communities are similar to the rest of the country: we are made up of diverse, tight-knit communities from different racial and ethnic backgrounds, with people who are proud of where they liveWe dont want our communities to be divided by border walls and our families divided by deportations.

Under the DHS memos, asylum seekers will now have to prove they have a significant possibility of satisfying the complex legal requirements for asylum to avoid expedited removal, whereas before they only needed to show they had a credible fear of returning to their home country to win a hearing before a judge.

This will be difficult for migrants to do, especially without a lawyer present. ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials regularly block attorneys from contacting their clients in prison, trick migrants into signing incriminating documents with the false promise of release and write reports including false testimony that ruin a migrants asylum case. To make matters worse, the memos also call for sending asylum seekers back to the country from which they entered the US (almost always Mexico) while they wait for their case to conclude. This will result in an abrogation of their basic due process rights, which attach to non-citizens only when they are on US soil, as evidenced by the memos requirement that migrants participate in any court hearings by teleconference only.

The order calls for the construction of a new militarized infrastructure of walls and jails that will house new entrants and those waiting to be deported. The language of the memo signed by Kelly calls for ICE and CBP to take all necessary action and allocate all available resources to expand their detention capabilities and capacities at or near the border with Mexico to the greatest extent possible.

The orders also severely restrict both prosecutors ability to halt removal proceedings based on their discretion and the governments ability to temporarily allow immigrants to exit and re-enter the US for humanitarian reasons, like to visit a dying parent in Mexico.

Millions of migrants in the US are making urgent plans for the possibility of deportation as fear grows of additional round-ups. Last week, the Trump administration arrested 680 migrants, including a student with valid DACA paperwork, and many without criminal records.

Families across the country are now scrambling to organize their paperwork and to make arrangements to place their citizen children in the care of friends or family. Immigrants are flooding the consulates of their home countries with calls for help. Rumors of ICE raids spread rapidly across social media even when unfounded, giving a sense of the level of fear and desperation. Teachers in immigrant-heavy neighborhoods report high levels of fear and anxiety among young children, many of whom are US citizens, who worry that the government will take their parents away.

The defense of the millions of migrants facing deportation in the US and of the millions more seeking refuge in Europe requires mobilizing the working class internationally. This must take place on the basis of a socialist, anti-war and anti-capitalist program.

The conditions that give rise to migrationwar and povertyand the harsh conditions migrants face in the US and Europe are both the product of the capitalist system and cannot be solved by appeals to capitalist politicians. Only by reorganizing the world economy on a socialist and egalitarian basis can the right to travel freely across the world without fear of detention or deportation be secured for all.
Hundreds of workers have been taking industrial action over low wages at the Taylor Preston meat-processing factory in Wellington since January 24.

Members of the New Zealand Meat Workers and Related Trades Union (MWU), who make up approximately half of the 900 workers at the plant, are working reduced shifts (eight hours a day compared with the normal 9.5 or longer) and have stopped working on weekends.

Workers are demanding an extra 50 cents per hour, back-dated to May last year. For at least the past year, union members have received 30 cents an hour less than non-union members. Workers also want additional allowances for overtime and for working on weekends and at night.

The MWU has kept industrial action to a bare minimum, allowing the plant to continue operating, while it negotiates with the company behind the backs of the workers. The union has made no public statement on the dispute, which has not been reported anywhere in the media. The World Socialist Web Site learnt about it by speaking with Taylor Preston workers.

The MWUs February newsletter says nothing about the industrial action but merely states that negotiations are underway with Taylor Preston and workers have quite a lot of catching up to do in their pay rates. The Daily Blog, which is funded by the MWU and several other unions, has not mentioned the dispute.

The pseudo-left groupsthe International Socialist Organisation, Fightback, Socialist Aotearoa and Redlinehave also remained silent. All of them have links with the unions and have falsely promoted the MWU as a vehicle to defend jobs.

In fact, as it has done many times before, the MWU is seeking to isolate and wear down the workers at Taylor Preston and compel them to accept a deal which does nothing to substantially improve their pay and conditions.

This is the first industrial action at Taylor Preston since 2006, when about 300 workers held a three-day strike over low wages. More than a decade later, most workers at the site still only receive about a dollar above the legal minimum of $15.25 an hour. Even workers who have been with the company for many years receive little more than $16 an hour.

Taylor Preston exports meat to dozens of markets, including the US, Europe and Asia, and has export revenue of around $250 million per year. Its workforce, however, is the lowest paid in the New Zealand meat-processing industry.

Work at the factory is grueling and accidents are common. The company has been convicted and fined in 2005, 2007, 2013 and 2015 over a series of hand injuries, including two finger amputations. Workers are also concerned about asbestos in the factory roof, which was built in the 1950s.

The unions principal concern is not workers pay and conditions but maintaining its dues base. MWU national membership has dropped dramatically over the past five years, from 18,100 in 2011 to 13,550 in 2016. Thousands of workers see no reason to join the MWU. Like their counterparts internationally, the unions have long ceased to function as defensive workers organisations but operate as the adjuncts of big business and the government, helping to impose layoffs, wage cuts and factory closures.

Workers told the WSWS that a meeting of 200 workers at Taylor Preston in mid-2016 overwhelmingly voted in favour of industrial action, with only two people voting against, but the union organised nothing until late January.

Its almost like the union is not there, one worker with almost 10 years experience at the site told the WSWS. Theyll be quiet for months on end, then they ring up and say, Hey, theres a meeting on, or give us a newsletter, but thats it.

Asked about the impact of the industrial action on Taylor Prestons operations, the worker explained: I guess theyre not making as much money, though its not really making a difference because the stock numbers are down, because theres a drought.

Every year during the off-season workers are laid off for weeks, and sometimes two or three months if there is a prolonged drought. Many are forced to apply for welfare payments. Workers expect these annual layoffs to start soon.

The miserable pay and lack of job security in New Zealands meat-processing industry is the outcome of decades of betrayals by the trade union bureaucracy. While meat workers struck repeatedly to fight wage cuts and redundancies from the 1970s to the 1990s, the MWU accepted plant closures as inevitable.

At a conference of the Australian Agricultural Economics Society in July 1989, MWU president Roger Middlemass called for the orderly transition of ownership and reduction in plant capacity in the industry. Hard decisions have to be made with far reaching consequences... The unions are prepared to accept that responsibility, he said.

Between 1986 and 1990 alone, during the Labour government of David Lange, 15,000 meat workers were made redundant. Entire towns and working-class suburbs were devastated by factory closures, which continued throughout the 1990s and 2000s.

In October 2014, Middlemass told the Manawatu Standard that the union would agree to more closures to reduce overcapacity and protect the profits of New Zealand companies. Last October Silver Fern Farms closed two factories in Mossburn and Frasertown, with 110 job losses. A MWU official told Radio NZ on October 26 the Mossburn closure was terrible but something that had to happen.

New attacks are now being prepared in response to declining New Zealand meat exports, which have fallen over the past two years. The rise in nationalism and protectionism, particularly following the Brexit vote in the UK and the election of Trump in the US, is producing concern for exporters seeking to access these markets.

To fight for decent jobs, wages and conditions, meat workers will need to carry out a struggle against the MWU, the Labour Party, and the pseudo-left supporters of these organisations. At Taylor Preston this will involve workers forming an independent rank-and-file committee, which they themselves control, and linking up with other workers facing similar attacks in the meat industry and elsewhere.

Such a unified struggle can only be carried forward by rejecting nationalism and anti-immigrant xenophobia which is used by the MWU to divide workers and distract attention from the unions role in the assault on jobs and wages.

Above all, New Zealand workers need a socialist and internationalist perspective. Vital industries such as food production should be placed under the ownership and control of the working class and run in the interests of human need, not private profit.

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More than a week has passed since the Oroville Dam crisis began and 188,000 people from mostly impoverished towns and cities in Northern California were forced to evacuate. Since then, more information has been revealed detailing the depth of the governments knowledge regarding the improper and unsafe construction of the dams spillways.

However, another storm began Sunday night and is expected to bring as much as 5 inches of rain by Tuesday. Californias Department of Water Resources (DWR) stated it had lowered the water level in Lake Oroville to 852 feet from 901 feet last week at the height of the crisis. This will supposedly allow the lake to deal with the additional precipitation and runoff. DWR spokesman Chris Orrock stated they were expecting only a 5-foot increase in the water level.

Not everyone has left the evacuation centers. As of Monday, around 110 people were still staying at the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds in Chico. Conditions are less than optimal with reports that 20 people, including five Red Cross workers, had contracted norovirus. While the symptoms are generally mild, including diarrhea, nausea, and stomach pains, and last only a few days, it is an indication of the overall lack of access to health care and clean facilities, a fact that is also true on a daily basis for many workers living in the region.

California state officials are currently engaged in a campaign to cover up the criminal and conscious neglect over dam safety. While top officials like DWR acting director Bill Croyle, who stated on February 13 that Im not sure anything went wrong [with the emergency spillway], remain at their positions, five workers from Syblon Reid, a contracting company, were fired after posting images of the Oroville Dam spillway to social media, exposing the danger publically. The DWR hired the company to work on the dam. The agency is also seeking to slander workers, claiming they see a large turnover in general due to failed drug tests or that some are unqualified.

On February 11, the day before the evacuation order was given, Croyle stood before the media and claimed that the emergency spillway was solid rock. This turned out to be false. While the top of the emergency spillway is concrete, the base is unpaved. After a hole was discovered in the primary spillway, the secondary one was put into use. Handling less than 5 percent the amount of water it was supposedly designed to release, the base of the spillway began to erode, threatening to collapse the structure and bring down a 30-foot wall of water on nearby towns.

While it became clear almost immediately that the DWR and federal government had been warned in the past that the Oroville Dam was unsafe, the extent of the warnings demonstrates the truly criminal character behind that neglect.

Built in 1968, the dams emergency spillway was not anchored to the rock underneath. At the same time, the underlying hillside is soft and easily erodible. There is no way to rationalize running water down a hillslope with deep soils and a forest on it and weak bedrock, stated Jeffrey Mount, a professor emeritus of geology from University of California Davis. He went on to state that the DWR was operating on an assumption the spillway was safe and did not conduct tests, such as lab analyses of rock corings, of the bedrock under the emergency spillway after it had been warned.

In 2005, three environmental groupsFriends of the River, the South Yuba River Citizens League and the Sierra Clubwent to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to request the dam and its spillways be brought up to code. They referred to a 2002 memo from the Yuba County Water Agency stating use of the emergency spillway would cause extensive erosion.

However, the DWR claimed in 2006 that it had recently reviewed the geologic conditions at the emergency spillway and concluded that the spillway is a safe and stable structure founded on solid bedrock that will not erode.

The agency is continuing to avoid taking responsibility. Nancy Vogel, DWR spokeswoman, stated, We dont know the cause of the spillway erosion and we wont know the cause until we get experts in there to do a full investigation and analysis.

The conditions at Oroville Dam are not restricted to it or simply an isolated incident. Dams around the United States are in crumbling condition along with the rest of the countrys infrastructure. The American Society of Civil Engineers gave dams nationally a D grade for their conditions in 2013. While hundreds of billions of dollars are spent on the military, the basic needs of workers, even the right to live safely, are ignored.

At the same time, safety measures for evacuating people living under these dams are also inadequate. The DWR informed federal dam regulators in 2011 that local officials do not believe there is enough time to perform evacuations in the communities immediately downstream of the dam during a sudden failure. This referred to the Oroville Dam itself, not the spillways.

Despite this, measures to provide adequate warning, planning and escape routes have not been put in place. Annual safety briefings for the public have not been held. Orovilles civil defense emergency sirens are no longer in place due to funding cuts. Just how serious this problem is became clear on February 12, when traffic jams occurred during the evacuation, preventing people from reaching safety. Others without access to transportation were forced to wait in their homes for buses that took hours to arrive. The federal and state governments claim that emergency response plans for dam failures cannot be made public due to the possibility they could be used by terrorists.

No steps will be taken by the federal or state governments around the country to address dam safety. Disaster after disaster around the country have demonstrated this fact. Under the capitalist system, money is squandered by the wealthy while the working class and those living in poverty are forced to live in situations that place their lives at risk.
www.greenpeace.org

Tokyo/ New Delhi, Feb 21 (IBNS) The Japanese government will soon lift evacuation orders for 6,000 citizens of Iitate village in Fukushima prefecture where radiation levels in nearby forests are comparable to the current levels within the Chernobyl 30km exclusion zone a an area that more than 30 years after the accident remains formally closed to habitation.

Seventy-five percent of Iitate is contaminated forested mountains, a Greenpeace statement claimed..

A survey team led by Greenpeace Japan recently found radiation dose rates at houses in the village of Iitate well above long-term government targets, with annual and lifetime exposure levels posing a long-term risk to citizens who may return. Evacuation orders will be lifted for Iitate no later than March 31, 2017, to be followed one year later by the termination of compensation payments.

The relatively high radiation values, both inside and outside houses, show an unacceptable radiation risk for citizens if they were to return to Iitate. Citizens returning to their irradiated homes are at risk of receiving radiation equivalent to one chest X-ray every week. This is not normal or acceptable, said Ai Kashiwagi, energy campaigner with Greenpeace Japan .

As Japan nears the six year anniversary of the nuclear disaster, the Japanese government last week confirmed that it has not yet conducted any assessments of lifetime exposure risks for citizens if they were to return to Iitate.

Recent reports suggest that the cost of cleaning up of Fukushima plant would cost more than 12lakh crores. If a developed country like Japan, known for its processes and systems, is finding it too difficult to handle the disaster, it makes little sense for India to go ahead and sign up for four more reactors at Kudankulam and elsewhere. In the words of George Santania Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it," says G. Sundarrajan of Poovulagin Nanbargal.

Life can never go back to normal for people living near nuclear power plants. But clearly, the world has failed to learn its lessons from nuclear accidents like those in Chernobyl and Fukushima. India, for instance, seems determined to add on to its nuclear power capacity despite putting the lives of millions of people at risk, says Nandikesh Sivalingam, climate and energy campaigner, Greenpeace India.

The fact remains that nuclear power is neither safe nor economical, and that India is grossly ill-prepared to handle a nuclear disaster. This was pointed out by Red Alert, a Greenpeace India report that released last year.

Last years Indo-Japan nuclear deal also negated the lessons learnt from Fukushima.

The deal to buy six AP1000 reactors was more of a last ditch effort to save Westinghouse/Toshiba from imminent meltdown. Now, after the meltdown, the future of the six nuclear reactors has put a question mark on the economic viability of nuclear power. Its reported that the cost of building these six reactors will be three to six times greater than the cost of building a solar photovoltaic plant of the same capacity.

It should also be noted that India is currently in a situation of surplus power witnessing massive installed overcapacity in the electricity sector. With the solar tariffs going down to record low levels, Indias energy needs for the next ten years can be fulfilled by cleaner and safer sources of energy in the form of solar and wind.

Greenpeace India stand by the victims of Fukushima who are being forced to return to the accident site for economic reasons. India must learn from the Fukushima disaster and its long lasting impacts on peoples lives and livelihoods and move away permanently from highly risky and economically unviable nuclear energy to safer, greener and cheaper energy sources like solar and wind.

Greenpeace has launched a public petition in solidarity with the Fukushima survivors campaigning for the restitution/protection of their human rights.
The American ruling class is locked in a ferocious internal conflict centered on issues of foreign policy and war. The Democratic Party, along with a section of Republicans and most of the media, is conducting a hysterical campaign against Donald Trump for his supposed conciliatory attitude toward Russia and its president, Vladimir Putin. These forces are fronting for the intelligence establishment, which is determined to prevent any retreat from the policy of aggressive confrontation with Moscow carried out by the Obama administration.

Trump, for his part, speaks for elements in the ruling elite and the state who view Iran and China to be the more immediate targets for US provocation and preparations for war, and would like to tamp down the conflict with Russia for now so as to peel it away from Tehran and Beijing.

There is not an ounce of democratic content on either side of this struggle between reactionary and war-mongering factions of US imperialism. The Democrats, however, are seeking to use unsubstantiated allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 election to hijack popular opposition to the Trump administration and corral it behind the drive to war with Russia.

For months, the front pages of leading newspapers have featured news stories, based on the alleged statements of unnamed officials, about supposed meddling by Russia in the political affairs of the US and other countries. Nationally syndicated columnists have denounced Putin as a dictator, tyrant and murderer bent on dominating Europe and subverting American democracy.

Members of congress have declared Russias alleged intervention in the US election an act of war (in the words of John McCain) and vowed to kick Russias ass (Lindsey Graham).

This campaign takes place in the context of a major buildup of US and NATO military forcestroops, tanks, heavy weaponson Russias western border, and an imminent military escalation in Syria, where US-backed rebel militias are fighting Syrian government forces supported by Iranian troops and Russian war planes and military advisors.

Whether in the Baltics or the Middle East, conditions are present for a clash between US and Russian forces, even if unintentional, to spark a full-scale war between the worlds two biggest nuclear-armed powers.

Yet neither the media nor the politicians agitating for a more aggressive posture toward Moscow discuss where their policy is leading, much less the likely consequences of a war between the US and Russia.

How many people would die in such a war? What are the odds that it would involve the use of nuclear weapons? On these life-and-death questions, the commentators and politicians, who drone on endlessly about Trumps supposed softness toward Putin, are silent.

Behind the scenes, however, the intelligence agencies and Pentagon, along with their allied geo-strategic think tanks, are engaged in intense discussions and detailed planning premised on the possibility, indeed inevitability, of a major war with Russia. Plans are being laid and preparations made to wage and win such a war, including through the use of nuclear weapons.

One does not have to look far to find the people who are heading up the war planning. Yesterday, President Trump appointed Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster, an army strategist, as his new national security advisor.

The selection of McMaster is broadly seen as a concession to Trumps anti-Russia critics in the political and intelligence establishment. He is the leading figure in an Army project called the Russia New Generation Warfare study, whose participants have made repeated trips to the battlefields of eastern Ukraine to study Russias military capabilities and devise strategies and weapons systems to defeat them. McMaster has called on the US to prepare for high-intensity conventional war with Russia, involving not only long-range missile systems and stealth aircraft, but also close combat.

Beyond conventional warfare, US think tank strategists are discussing what it would take to win a nuclear war. The Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments (CSBA) recently put out a 140-page report, Preserving the Balance: A US Eurasia Defense Strategy, which discusses this issue in detail. The CSBA is headed by Andrew Krepinevich, the reports author, and includes on its Board of Directors figures such as former Under Secretary of the Army Nelson Ford, former CIA Director James Woolsey and retired general Jack Keane.

There is a need to rethink the problem of limited nuclear war in which the United States is a direct participant, or between other parties where the United States has a major security interest, Krepinevich writes. As opposed to the global apocalypse envisioned in the wake of a superpower nuclear exchange during the Cold War, there will very likely be a functioning world after a war between minor nuclear powers, or even between the United States and a nuclear-armed Iran or North Korea. US forces must, therefore, be prepared to respond to a range of strategic warfare contingencies along the Eurasian periphery.

In an earlier report entitled Rethinking Armageddon, Krepinevich argued that the use of a small number of battlefield nuclear weapons should be included among the appropriate responses by a US president to conventional threats from Russia.

During the Cold War, the limited use of nuclear weapons was seen as an invitation for a full-scale nuclear exchange and the destruction of the planet. Now such discussions are considered respectable and prudent.

These plans are being realized in the US military arsenal. The US is currently in the midst of a $1 trillion nuclear weapons modernization program commissioned under Obama. The program centers on the procurement of lower-yield, maneuverable nuclear weapons that are more likely to be used in combat. However, the Defense Science Board, a committee appointed to advise the Pentagon, recently called on the Trump administration to do more to develop weapons suitable for a tailored nuclear option for limited use.

What would be the human toll from such an exchange? Numerous Pentagon war games conducted during the Cold War concluded that the limited use of nuclear weapons would not only cause millions of civilian casualties, but quickly escalate into a full-scale nuclear exchange that would destroy major cities.

A 1955 war game titled Carte Blanche, which was responding to a Russian invasion of German territory with the use of a small number of battlefield nuclear weapons, resulted in the immediate deaths of 1.7 million Germans, the wounding of 3.5 million more, and millions more dead as a result of fallout radiation.

In one 1983 war game code-named Proud Prophet, NATO initiated a limited nuclear first strike on Soviet military targets. But rather than backing down, the USSR initiated a full-scale nuclear retaliation, prompting the US to reply in kind. When the proverbial dust had settled, half a billion people were dead and European civilization destroyed.

More contemporary studies have shown similarly disastrous outcomes. A 2007 report by the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War suggested that a limited nuclear exchange could lead to the deaths of over a billion people, mostly as a result of widespread climate disruption. The US National Academy of Sciences concluded that a large-scale nuclear war would lead directly to the deaths of up to four billion people.

The eruption of such a war at the hands of the nuclear arsonists who preside over crisis-ridden American capitalism is a real and present danger. In fact, as the McCarthyite-style anti-Russia agitation indicates, absent the independent and revolutionary intervention of the working class in the US and around the world, it is an inevitability.

Such is the criminality and recklessness of the American ruling elite and its political representatives on both sides of the aisle. Escalating war is a conspiracy of the elites, into which the masses of people are to be dragged and sacrificed.

Anyone who doubts that the American ruling class is capable of such acts should look to the historical record. The United States dropped nuclear bombs, which today would be considered low-yield and even tactical, on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, just to warn off the Soviet Union. Truman and company killed over 100,000 people on the day the bombs were dropped, and another 100,000 died from radioactive poisoning over the ensuing four months.

Today, when the United States faces economic and geopolitical challenges far greater than those of an earlier period, it will operate all the more ruthlessly and recklessly.

The growing movement in opposition to the Trump administration must be inured against any and all efforts of the Democratic Party to infect it with the virus of imperialist war-mongering. The ongoing protests against Trumps billionaire cabinet and his attacks on immigrants and democratic rights are only the heralds of a movement of the working class. It is necessary to politically arm this emerging movement with the program of socialist internationalism and the understanding that the fight against war and dictatorship is the fight against capitalism.
Thousands of people once again turned out across the US on Monday to protest the right-wing policies of the Trump administration.

The protests were billed by organizers as Not My Presidents Day, a play on the Presidents Day federal holiday marking George Washingtons birthday which fell on Monday. While the protests drew several thousand people in New York City and a thousand people each in Chicago and Los Angeles, the crowds were noticeably smaller than other anti-Trump protests that have occurred in the last four weeks.

The one month since Donald Trump was sworn in as the 45th president of the United States has been marked by almost daily protests in cities large and small across the US and around the world. The first major protest, called as the Womens March, drew millions of protesters into the streets in cities around the world on January 21, Trumps first full day in office.

Last Thursday saw A Day without Immigrants protests in which thousands of immigrant workers and supporters stayed home from work and school, resulting in the closure of hundreds of businesses. Thousands of people turned out in a number of cities over the weekend, including Los Angeles and San Diego, to oppose the Trump administration plans to deport millions of immigrant workers. Tens of thousands marched in Milwaukee, Wisconsin last Monday to oppose plans to deputize county sheriffs as federal immigration enforcement agents.

The Democratic Party and liberal medias efforts to redirect mass popular opposition to Trumps anti-democratic and anti-immigrant policies in a right-wing, pro-war direction by pushing unsubstantiated claims that Russia hacked the election in favor of Trump, and that Trump coordinated his campaign with Moscow, found some expression in Mondays protests.

Chicago

In downtown Chicago, demonstrators gathered Monday across from Trump Tower for the second day in a row. The crowd, estimated at about 1,000, was somewhat smaller than the previous days protest.

Many of the protesters bore signs expressing their opposition to Trumps attacks on immigrants and refugees, his right-wing cabinet picks, and his pro-corporate agenda. However, as with Sundays demonstration, a minority centered their attacks on the unsubstantiated claims of Russian influence in the election, reflecting the impact of efforts by the Democratic Party and the national security apparatus to channel opposition to Trump behind a pro-war agenda.

A supporter of the Socialist Equality Party was able to address the rally, and was alone among the speakers in calling for a break with both big-business parties: Not a drop of confidence or support can be placed in the Democratic Party, that pack of cowards, co-conspirators and liars, he said. The Democrats do not stand in opposition to the Trump administration, but are complicit in its crimes. It was Obama who said, after the election of Trump, that both parties, Democrats and Republicans, are on the same team, and wished Trump every success.

Right now, the Democrats, including those who are nominally left-wing such as Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, are attempting to whip up an anti-Russian hysteria, to convince the American public that we should go to war with Russia, a war that could possibly lead to nuclear destruction of the planet.

Reporters for the WSWS also spoke with a number of attendees.

Jodie, a graduate student, said, I mean, Obama was deporting millions of immigrants, and the fact that Trump is trying to ramp that up with the Muslim ban is just ridiculous.

When a WSWS reporter referred to the recent report that the eight richest billionaires control as much wealth as the bottom half of the worlds population, Jodie noted, Thats what people at these protests are reacting to, but they dont realize it yet.

I dont think Trumps economic policies are a departure from the capitalist system. In an ideal world, we would have a radical redistribution of wealth.

Karen, a small business owner from Chicago, expressed opposition to Trumps nationalism and chauvinism, saying, For me, Trump represents everything thats wrong with America, that section that believes in racism and isolationism, and I dont believe that. Were a global nation and its a global world and everyone is welcome here. There shouldnt be these kind of policies. I dont think anyone should have the right to control anyones bodies, and I dont think anyone should control who comes in and out.

Sophia, a computer programmer, noted that Obama had provided the framework for much of Trumps anti-immigrant policies. She said, Thats something that I had struggled with at a previous protest. Everyone was there to oppose Trump, but somebody was there who was very vocally a proponent of Obama, and I kind of got into it with him.

I think Trump is definitely a product of capitalism and American society, she said. Capitalism is just a really harmful system.

New York City

Several thousand rallied in New York City Monday, filling a half mile stretch up from Trump International Hotel and Tower along Central Park West. Similar to other recent large demonstrations, protesters expressed widespread hostility to the policies of the Trump administration and a determination to fight back.

Placards denounced the president as a liar and a fascist, and called for his impeachment. Many also criticized Trump for his alleged ties to Putin, in line with the relentless campaign by the Democratic Party and the media in recent weeks.

Hampton, a worker at a local bookstore, told the WSWS, I think we are living in an intensely flawed system, and it has allowed far-right-wing movements like Trump to sweep across the industrialized world.

The current situation impacted me particularly. Im from a Latino community outside of Houston. You can see that people are afraid there about losing their jobs, and if one person is deported it impacts the entire family. It is really concerning when the delusions of one individual like Trump can impact so many people.

Asked about the Democratic Partys allegations of Russian influence over Trump, he added, I dont think what they are doing is useful. They are attempting to play off the same xenophobia and nationalism that Trump was able to tap into, and it is like modern McCarthyism.

Sarah, a recently unemployed worker, said, I came here and I went to the Womens March because this man [Trump] represents everything wrong with America. He is the antithesis of diplomacy. He is not a politician, and honestly I dont even think you have to be a politician, but all he cares about is big business.

While Sarah said she thought that Russian hacking influenced the election, she added, The Democrats did not get everybody involved. They took us [Democratic Party supporters] for granted, and they are not fighting on issues people care about. I even said if Hillary didnt win I would have to reevaluate the party. It is clear that the Democrats of today are not the Democrats my father supported.

Sydney, a political science and gender studies student, came with a group of students from Pace University in lower Manhattan. We have been to other protests. I identify as a socialist. To get change, we need to change the system. This system created Trump. A lot of people here are upset Hillary is not the president, but she was for neo-liberalism. A lot of protests organized by students were more radical. It is unfortunate we have Trump but he will create more protests, especially from marginalized groups.
In late January, President Trump issued a Memorandum to vastly expand the US armed forces. Among other demands, the memo calls for a rebuilding of the military, a review of US nuclear readiness, and a ballistic missile defense review. The document begins, To pursue peace through strength, it shall be the policy of the United States to rebuild the U.S. Armed Forces. A major pillar of these plans will be the expansion of the US Naval fleet.

In a speech given in October in Pennsylvania, Trump lamented the badly depleted military and claimed that the Navy is the smallest its been since World War I. My plan will build the 350-ship Navy we need. This will be the largest effort at rebuilding our military since Ronald Reagan, and it will require a truly national effort.

On January 27, the same day the Memorandum on Rebuilding the U.S. Armed Forces was released, the White House issued another press briefing detailing a Manufacturing Jobs Initiative that is to be carried out in concert with the rebuilding of the US war machine. The initiative involves industrial bosses as well as AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka and Deputy Chief of Staff Thea Lee.

Taken together, these announcements represent two cornerstones of the policies of the American ruling class: a vast expansion of US militarism abroad and further attacks on the working class within the United States.

The plans to rebuild the Navy will be carried out on the backs of American workers. There is no side of the war machine that does not take a violent toll on the working class, from those who prepare the machines to those who use them, and most directly, on those they are used against. These war plans will not be creating safe, high-paying jobs for the working class, but rather will exacerbate the already deadly conditions of the poorly regulated shipbuilding industry.

Shipyard accidents and injuries

The workers who build and repair Navy ships operate under conditions with some of the weakest oversight of any federally contracted industry. In the decade spanning from 2005 through 2015, a total of 76 workers in the private shipbuilding and repair industry were killed on the job. According to the most recent federal labor figures, shipyard workers face an injury and illness rate that is approximately 80 percent higher than construction jobs.

Examples of these conditions have been exposed repeatedly over the last 15 years. In 2009, VT Halter Marine Inc.s shipyard in Escatawpa, Mississippi, was forced to settle with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), agreeing to pay a reduced fine of $860,500, after admitting to willful violation of 12 safety rules that killed two men. A recent report in Politico describes the incident: [T]he company had dispatched the men into a confined space with flammable vapors without testing the air. It didnt give them explosion-proof lights. As the men worked, toxic fumes reached more than 600 times the legal limit, according to OSHA.

Of two men who died in the explosion, one was an immigrant from Puerto Rico, only 25 years old. The other was a recently released felon, 52 years old. Just a month before the explosion, another worker was killed at a VT Halter shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi, after falling 40 feet, working unharnessed and without handrails. He was 23 years old and left behind 4-year-old twins.

During the several-months-long investigation, and just months before the settlement was reached, the US Navy awarded the company another contract, worth $87 million, to build a 350-foot ship to improve submarine warfare.

The US government has given out over $100 billion in public money to the Navy and Coast Guards seven major private shipbuilders since October 2008. These contracts continue to funnel money into shipbuilding industries despite numerous citations for serious safety lapses that have endangered, injured and, in some cases, killed workers. The two arms of the political establishment operate in this field as if a part of separate bodiesone shakes a fist at these industries by imposing minimal fines, while the other routinely rewards them with massive contracts. Thus is the logic of the imperialist machine.

Although many commercial shipyards have moved overseas as a result of globalization and less expensive manufacturing in China, Korea, and Japan, the Merchant Marine Act of 1920 requires that government vessels be constructed within the borders of the US. Critics of this policy include longtime war hawk John McCain, who favors shifting the construction of oil and gasoline tankers to other countries that will further cut costs of shipbuilding. Trump, on the other hand, has promised that the plans to expand the Navy will mean the hiring of American craftsmen, pipe fitters and welders.

In 2011, then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton wrote a lengthy policy article headlined Americas Pacific Century, calling for a substantially increased investmentdiplomatic, economic, strategic, and otherwisein the Asia-Pacific region over the next decade.

In December 2016, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced that the department had completed a yearlong Force Structure Assessment, to evaluate long-term defense security requirements and upon review, recommends a 355-ship fleet including 12 carriers, 104 large surface combatants, 52 small surface combatants, 38 amphibious ships, and 66 submarines as part of the Navys 30-year shipbuilding plan.

Mabus went on to state, To continue to protect America and defend our strategic interests around the world, all the while continuing the counter terrorism fight and appropriately competing with a growing China and resurgent Russia, our Navy must continue to grow. Numerous policy analysts, think tanks, and politicians in the Democratic and Republican parties have recognized the declining economic power of the United States in relation to China and have, over the past few years, pursued diplomatic measures and more-aggressive military action in the region seeking to contain China.

Long-term plans to expand the Navy, which have already been under way, are in line with Trumps call to bring jobs back to the US. His slogan Make America Great Again in reality means an intensification of the attacks on the social position of shipyard and other workers in order to further enrich American corporations and make them more competitive on the global market. Trumps plans represent a further shift to the right in a process that began under Obama with the restructuring of the auto industry and the halving of workers wages with the dedicated complicity of the unions.
While the battle in Washington between the intelligence agencies, the media and the Trump administration over the question of Russia and Trumps supposed ties to Putin is attracting most of the headlines, a conflict on the economic front is of no less significance.

Earlier this month, in response to Trumps America First agenda and what it called his divisive delusions on trade, the Financial Times, the voice of British and to some extent European finance capital, warned that if the Trump administration continued on its present course, it would represent a clear and present danger to the global trading and monetary system.

The immediate cause of this unusually strong language was the claim by the Trump administration that the euro was significantly undervalued, operating to the benefit of Germany, which enjoys a trade surplus with the US.

The editorial called for other countries to stand ready to resist bullying and not to let the US drive wedges between them.

The Financial Times did not go any further, but the logic of this position is clear. If countries are to stand together to combat what are seen as American attacks, then the next step is the development of trade and economic agreements directed against the USin short, a major step down the road to the kind of economic and currency blocs that exacerbated the 1930s Depression and played a major role in the drive to a second world war in the space of two decades.

No one has yet put forward the formation of such alliances, but the issue is assuming a larger presence in public pronouncements and no doubt in discussions behind closed doors.

Last month, speaking to the New York Times on the sidelines of the Davos summit of the World Economic Forum, Jeroen Dijsselbloem, the president of the euro group of finance ministers, pointed to possible major shifts in orientation. Weve always said that America is our best friend, he said. If thats no longer the case, if thats what we need to understand from Donald Trump, then, of course, Europe will be looking for new friends.

China is a very strong candidate for that. The Chinese involvement in Europe in terms of investment is already very high and expanding. If you push away your friends, you mustnt be surprised if the friends start looking for new friends.

So far as the Trump administration is concerned, China, and to some extent Germany, is the main economic opponent and threat to the economic pre-eminence of the United States. This orientation is one of the reasons for its conflict with the sections of the military and intelligence establishment that are pressing for a more open confrontation with Russia.

Trump has variously threatened to brand China a currency manipulator and impose tariffs as high as 45 percent on its exports to the US. While he has yet to announce any concrete policies and his positions so far have been set out only in tweets and similar remarks, the underlying position of the administration and the economic processes that are driving it were set out last September in a paper on the Trump economic plan authored by the then-business professor at the University of California-Irvine, Peter Navarro, and equity investor Wilbur Ross.

Since the election Navarro has become the head of Trumps National Trade Council and Wilbur Ross has become commerce secretary.

The paper began by noting that in the period from 1947 to 2001, US gross domestic product grew at an annual rate of 3.5 percent a year, but from 2002, that average had fallen to 1.9 percent, representing a 45 percent reduction in the US growth rate from its historical pre-2002 norm.

The authors dismissed the claims of the Obama administration that lower growth was a new normal, labelling that position defeatist and claiming that low growth was the result of higher taxes, increased regulation and the self-inflicted negative impacts from poorly negotiated trade deals, including NAFTA and Chinas entry into the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

The latter, they wrote, negotiated under Bill Clinton, opened Americas markets to a flood of illegally subsidized Chinese imports, thereby creating massive and chronic trade deficits.

Chinas accession to the WTO, they argued, also rapidly accelerated the offshoring of Americas factories and a concomitant decline in US domestic business investment as a percentage of our economy. They noted that from 1999 to 2003, US investment flows to China were stable at around $1.6 billion per year, but jumped in the period 20042008 to an annual average of $6.4 billion a year.

In other words, according to their argument, the flow of investment funds to China, made possible by its accession to the WTO, is one of the chief causes of the long-term slowdown in US economic growth.

The authors also hit out at WTO rules, saying that the exemption of exports to the US from value added taxes (VAT) imposed by European governments and the fact that US exports to Europe are subject to these taxes was a form of discrimination against US firms. These conclusions form the basis for the discussion within the Trump administration on the possible imposition of taxes on imports.

They wrote that unequal treatment of US exports was an example of VAT gaming, and that the US should have demanded equal tax treatment for US exports.

Since the WTO would be meaningless without the presence of the worlds largest importer and third largest exporter, we had the leverage thenand we have the leverage nowto fix this anomaly and loophole, they asserted, adding the implied threat that without the US as a member, there would not be much purpose to the WTO.

The Trump administrations denunciations of China as a currency manipulator have attracted most of the media attention. But Navarro and Ross were no less strident when it came to the European Monetary Union.

While the euro freely floats in international currency markets, this system deflates the German currency from where it would be if the German Deutschmark were still in existence, they wrote. This was the reason, they claimed, that the US had a large trade in goods deficit with Germany, some $75 billion in 2015, even though German wages were relatively high.

The paper gave a clear summing up of where the Trump administration sees the position of the US in regard to the struggle for global markets. Answering critics of the America First agenda, they wrote: Those who suggest that Trump trade policies will ignite a trade war ignore the fact that we are already engaged in a trade war. It is a war in which the American government has surrendered before engaging.

They held out the prospect that in pursuing a policy of what they termed more balanced trade, the US would be able to secure cooperation because US trade partners were more dependent on American markets than America is on their markets.

As with so many of Trumps policies, the trade war agenda outlined by Navarro and Ross represents not so much a break from the policies of the Obama administration as a continuation of their basic thrust and, at the same time, a qualitative escalation.

The underlying strategy of the Trans-Pacific Partnership and its counterpart for Europe, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, promoted by the Obama administration, was that privileged access to the vast American market for those countries that signed up would enable the US to force concessions upon them.

Both proposed trade investment deals specifically scrapped the system that had governed trade relations since World War II under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and then the WTO, which maintained that concessions offered to one country should be offered to all. This policy was in recognition of the damage done to the world economy and trade system through the formation of exclusivist blocs in the period of the 1930s.

Outlining the rationale for the proposed agreements in 2014, Obamas trade representative Michael Froman wrote in a major Foreign Affairs article that trade policy is national security policy, and that the aim of the agreements was to place the US at the center of agreements that will provide unfettered access to two-thirds of the global economy.

He went on to explain that the post-war system was no longer adequate and that the US no longer held as dominant a position as it did at the end of World War II and had to build new trade coalitions working toward consensus positions. In other words, the development of new mechanisms whereby the US could counter its economic decline vis-a-vis its rivals.

The Trump policy is being driven by this same agenda, albeit in a different form. The underlying driving forces can be clearly seen.

First, there is the contraction in economic growth not only in the US but internationally. It has been estimated that the economic slowdown since the financial crisis of 2008 means that developed economies are one sixth smaller than they would have been had pre-crisis growth trends been maintained.

The contraction is even more pronounced in world trade. Since 2012, world trade has advanced by little more than 3 percent per year, less than half the average expansion of the preceding decades. As the International Monetary Fund has noted, between 1985 and 2007 real world trade grew on average twice as fast as global gross domestic product (GDP), whereas over the past four years it has barely kept pace. Such prolonged sluggish growth in trade volumes, it concluded, relative to economic activity has few precedents during the past five decades.

Even before the accession of Trump, the WTO noted the rise of protectionist measures. It pointed out that members of the G20 groupall of which pledged to eschew 1930s style measureshad, in the five months leading up to last October, been implementing an average of 17 trade constraints a month, a situation it described as a real and persistent concern.

In other words, the accession of Trump and his America First agenda of economic nationalism and a war of each against all is not some aberration, but the qualitative development of a trend that has been building up within the world capitalist economy over the past decade, but which is now coming to the surface with explosive force.
Donald Trumps state visit is in Britains national interest but it is not yet decided if the US president will address parliament. Such is the government line as set down by Sir Alan Duncan, foreign office minister, during yesterdays debate on a petition calling for Trump to be denied an official state visit to the UK.

The official invitation to the US president was meant to be a coup for the Conservative government of Theresa May. Committed to a hard exit from the European Unionincluding withdrawal from the European single marketthe hope was that the visit would prove that the special relationship between the US and the UK would enable Britain to thrive outside the EU. The backing of the US president, who has been openly hostile to the EU, was also to be employed to extract better terms for the UK in negotiations with its former European partners.

Instead, the visit is becoming a public relations disaster. Some 1.85 million people signed the petition urging the government not to make Trumps visit an official state affair. An alternative petition, in support of an official state visit, had just 310,000 names.

Before a date has even been announced, the government had indicated it was considering severely restricting any public engagements, including making sure that Trump visits during the parliamentary recess, so he cannot address the House of Commons.

Duncan described the state visitcomplete with royal paraphernaliaas our most important diplomatic tool and expressed his hope that Trump would receive a polite and generous welcome. But as the debate unfolded, thousands gathered outside parliament in support of the anti-Trump petition, and smaller demonstrations took place across the country.

The protests are indicative of widespread hostility to Trumps extreme-right, anti-immigrant, big business policies, which have sparked nearly daily demonstrations within the US. Only the day before, it was announced that the Trump administration had ordered the rounding up of hundreds of thousands of migrants and the construction of new prisons to detain them.

The London protest drew in many young workers and students. Earlier in the day thousands of migrants, who make up nearly 11 percent of the UK workforce, staged a rally in Parliament Square along with their families and supporters. Also participating were EU citizens angered by the governments refusal to safeguard their right to continue working and living in the UK after Brexit.

These concerns found no genuine expression in the debate. The petitions were heard in Westminster Hall, not the Commons chamber itself. Lasting just three hours, the debate was non-binding and no vote was taken. Before it started, the government made clear it would not retreat. While saying that it recognised the strong views of those supporting the petition, it insisted Trump will be extended the full courtesy of a state visit.

Even as it dismissed public opposition, however, the government faces real problems with its invite. Despite Trumps warmongering statements against China, North Korea and Iran, a significant section of the US ruling elite have denounced him for being soft on Russia. The intelligence agencies, with the support of the corporate-controlled media, the Democratic Party and a section of the Republicans will not countenance any let-up in the campaign of sanctions and military buildup conducted under the Obama administration. To this end, the Senate Intelligence Committee has begun investigating allegations of Russian involvement in the 2016 election campaign.

Moreover, the May governmentand much of the British establishmentare sympathetic to the anti-Russian stance of Trumps opponents. Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon, and MI6 chief, Alex Younger, recently denounced Moscow as a threat to British sovereignty and democratic values. The bourgeoisie hopes to utilise the UKs military weight and its position within NATO as a means of maintaining its influence in Europe after Brexit, and is indifferent to the consequences of such recklessness.

These life-and-death issues were not mentioned in Westminster Hall. The petition itself objects to Trumps state visit on the grounds that it would cause embarrassment to Her Majesty the Queen. The president had only been in office for seven days when the invite was sent. It took 978 days for George W. Bush, Tony Blairs partner in crime in Iraq, to be extended the honour, and 758 for Barack Obama.

Concern for the queen animated much of the protest from Labour MPs. Labour MP Paul Flynn, a member of the petitions committee, spoke of his enormous regard for the queen and cited approvingly the complaint by Observer journalist, Andrew Rawnsley, against Pimping out the Queen for Donald Trump.

Scottish National Party MP Alex Salmond referred to reports that Trump did not want to meet Prince Charles during the visit (in case the prince tries to discuss climate change), bemoaning that Trump must be the first person on a state visit to pick which royals he would meet.

Labours David Lammy, said that Trump should have a state visit but not an official visit because the speed with which it had been organised made Britain look desperate.

Conservative MP Crispin Blunt, who chairs the Commons foreign affairs committee, also fretted about the queens position but from the standpoint that the withdrawal of the state visit would be more embarrassing.

Blunt said supportively, however, that Mays invite to Trump had been aimed at getting the US president to affirm his support for NATO, after he had bitterly attacked the alliance. Likewise, Conservative MP Julian Lewis, who chairs the Commons defence committee, stressed that the promised state visit had been necessary to lead him [Trump] down the path of righteousness to restating his backing for NATO because what really matters to the future of Europe is that [the] transatlantic alliance continues and should prosper.

Conservative MPs were the only ones to give any inkling of the broader foreign policy issues involved. Conservative James Cartlidge warned there would be smiles all round in the Kremlin if the UK withdrew the invite to Trump. Moscow did not want a strong transatlantic relationship, he said, before adding that foreign policy is best served by following the national interest, not through gestures or knee-jerk reactions and on this basis, he would also offer a state visit to Vladimir Putin.

Behind all the arguments over Trumps visit, the reality is that it has become a proxy battleground for rival factions within ruling circles, divided between those in favour of a hard Brexit and those opposed. That is why the main focus of the media was not the Trump debate, but the start of deliberations in the House of Lords on the governments bill to trigger Article 50, beginning Britains exit from the EU.

May personally attended the start of the Lords debate, which is considered unprecedented for a sitting prime minister. She has warned the Lords not to hold up the legislation with amendments.

The soft-Brexit faction consists of sections of the Labour Party, the Liberal Democrats, Greens, the SNP and the pseudo-left groups who style themselves as a progressive alliance. They were unable to reverse the EU referendum result in parliament due to the pledge by Jeremy Corbyns Labour Party not to block Brexit, and look unlikely to do so in the Lords.

They have joined forces in the various coalitions that led the protests, hoping to utilise opposition to Trumps reactionary America First agenda to promote support for the EU as a supposedly democratic counterweight. This is window dressing for their no less reactionary drive to insist that the UK must retain its access to the European single market post-Brexit.

Speakers at the London rally included Guardian journalist Owen Jones, Green MP Caroline Lucas, Labour MP Diane Abbott and shadow chancellor John McDonnell. For McDonnell, the issue was that we will not become a colony of the Trump regime. All were silent on the draconian austerity measures that have reduced Greece, Spain and other countries to penury. Nor did they mention the EUs vicious Fortress Europe policy that has left thousands of migrants to drown in the Mediterranean. Labour has accepted restrictions on freedom of movement and backed the governments Brexit bill despite the absence of protections for EU citizens in the UK.
Mumbai, Feb 21 (IBNS) The richest civic body of India-Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)- is witnessing a hard contest between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiv Sena as the former allies decided to fight against each other after falling out on seat sharing issue.

Nine other municipal corporations in Maharashtra are also undergoing polls during the day.

The Sena-BJP coalition had been ruling the BMC for a long time but the two parties are falling out with each other for quite some time now with the Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray openly criticising Narendra Modi and even siding with his arch rivals over the demonetisation issue.

On Tuesday, among the other civic bodies going to polls are in Nagpur, Thane, Pune and Nashik. Elections are also being held for 11 Zilla Parishads and 118 Panchayat Samitis.

The total number of voters in the ten municipalities are 3.77 crore. A total of 17,331 candidates are in the fray for 5,512 seats.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis earlier said he would take the responsibility if the BJP loses but if the party wins all credits with go to the party.
ATLANTA (AP) - The Georgia Council on Criminal Justice Reform is recommending changes to felony probation in the state.

In a report submitted to the governor Monday, the council notes that Georgia has the highest felony probation rate in the country.

The council says there are two main reasons for that. First, probation is widely used as a sentence instead of imprisonment and in combination with imprisonment. Second, the state imposes relatively long felony probation terms.

The council's recommendations include:

- using probation, programming and treatment to reduce recidivism for first-time or non-violent offenders;

- reducing long probation sentences as an incentive for good behavior;

- focusing more supervision on people early in their probation terms.

___

This version has been corrected to show that the report was presented to the governor on Tuesday, not Monday.

(Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
ALBANY, Ga. (AP) - A southwest Georgia woman charged with killing a man by slashing his throat has been sentenced to 25 years in prison after she agreed to plead guilty to reduced charges.

WALB-TV reports (http://bit.ly/2lDscv4) 31-year-old Ashley Stroble was sentenced Tuesday after she pleaded guilty to charges of voluntary manslaughter and aggravated assault.

She had originally been charged with murder in the 2015 slaying of 37-year-old Jimmie Fennell. Authorities said Fennell died after his throat was cut at a boarding house in Albany. In Georgia, murder carries a minimum sentence of life with the possibility of parole.

The victim was a cousin of Dougherty County District Attorney Greg Edwards, who recused himself from prosecuting the case.

Stroble had previous been jailed on nonviolent charges including financial card fraud.

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Information from: WALB-TV, http://www.walb.com/

(Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
TIFTON, Ga. (WTXL) - Law enforcement is investigating after a Adel man was found dead behind a business in Tifton.

The Tifton Police Department said that 52-year-old David Philips was found dead Saturday morning. They said he was found behind a business on West 7th Street in Tifton.

Police say that the scene was processed with assistance from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

The body has been sent in for an autopsy.

We will continue to update this story as we confirm more details.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - This week is National Engineers' Week and FAMU-FSU College of Engineering Week.

The school will be hosting a variety of events all week long.

The dean of the school, Murray Gibson says the week is about celebrating engineering as a career and how it benefits society.

He says, the celebration is geared towards promoting more students to become engineers.

Tonight at 6 p.m. the school will be screening the film "Dream Big" at the Challenger Learning Center.

We'll sit down with organizers of the event to talk more about what's happening this week and how you can take part.

For a full list of scheduled events, click here.
New Delhi, Feb 21 (IBNS): Delhi police on Tuesday arrested one person in the alleged Hauz Khas rape incident, according to media reports.

A woman from north-east India was allegedly raped in Delhi's Hauz Khas Village area by a man who offered her a lift after a party, reports said on Monday.

Reportedly the man worked in pubs in the Hauz Khas Village area.

The police had a sketch done by the victim and a CCTV grab, media reported.

According to the complaint lodged with the police, the woman, who is from Nagaland, was walking home alone late in the night when she was offered a ride by a man.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL)-- Adoption can be a blessing to both the child and the parent.

In December, we ran a series called Fostering Hope where we showed you nearly three dozen children who were hoping for adoption.

The Florida Department of Children and Families told us out of the 32 children we she showed you online and on air through our series two are now going through the adoption process.

That's the good news, but the reality is going through the process can be complicated and take more time than you expect.

They're always on the go. Three-year-old Tenley and her sister two-year Taylyn are full of life.

"Every day I come home, I open the door and they're like, "daddy, daddy, they're such a joy,'" said parent Greg Brannen.

Brannen and his wife Nancy decided they wanted to adopt in the summer of 2012 and took the classes needed to start the process.

"We went through infertility treatments, and they were unsuccessful so we decided there were so many children in need of adoption locally," said Nancy Brannen.

Through the state they first found Tenley.

She was put in foster care at birth. Her adoption was final when she was about seventh months old in March of 2014.

Taylyn's official adoption was official in August of 2015.

"Taylen was a surprise," said Nancy. "We found out about after she was born. She was still in the hospital, and they are half sisters so they are bio-related and the family, their bio family members actually contacted me and told me Taylyn had actually been born the next day."

The couple expanding their family to four, but there is financial help.

"There are many benefits that go along with adopting a kid in foster care," said Jamie Honerlaw, Wendy's Wonderful Kids Adoption Recruiter. "We provide a state subsidy which will go every month utilities the child reaches the age of 18 to help with the costs and things that are inquired when adopting a kid and we also provide a state tuition waiver."

Honerlaw says usually the typical time frame to adopt is 15 months through the state.

It all starts with quality parent training.

"It is a seven-week course where you go through and learn how are kids going into care, why are they going into care," said Honerlaw. "It kind of gives you a toolbox to help you work with these kids because they are very different than your own biological children."

Then they approve your home setting to match you and your children.

Adoption can be a wonderful journey for the the whole family Tenley and Taylyn's cousin has really enjoys spending time with them.

"It's been a real joy to have them in our lives," said cousin Nolan McCrory. "I couldn't ask for two better babies."

If you're considering adopting through the state foster care system know that the process is free.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Senator Bill Nelson made a stop in the Capital City today.

He met with students and administrators at Florida A&M University about the importance of science, technology, engineering, and math.

He also discussed his own experience aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia.

After his time on campus, Nelson headed to the state capitol to meet with lawmakers.

We'll hear from Senator Nelson about his visit coming up at six o'clock.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Students are rallying on the campus of Florida State University hoping to have their voices heard by President Donald Trump and school officials.

Their message? That immigrants and refugees are welcome on the FSU campus.

Students for a Democratic Society say they want the FSU campus to declare it's self a sanctuary campus, which would protect immigrant and refugees students from possible deportation.

In a statement the group says they want to quote: "Assure that all students receive a campus, classroom, and community experience free of hostilities, aggression, and bullying by publicizing the campus-wide anonymous reporting mechanism."
New Delhi, Feb 21 (IBNS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that he will be spending Mahashivratri in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.

PM Modi took to social media to break the news.

"On Mahashivratri, will be in Coimbatore to join the programme organised by @ishafoundation at the Isha Yoga Center. @SadhguruJV #Adiyogi,' his tweet read.

The Prime Minister has also urged people to post ideas on his app for his upcoming programme.

"On the App, share your views with me for the programme on 24th. I may refer to some of them in my speech. http://nm4.in/dnldapp ," he said.
Six decades after tribal families lost their homes along the Columbia River when The Dalles 
YAKIMA, Wash. -- Bob Koerner, a business representative for Teamsters Local Union No. 760, has been driving up and down the Yakima Valley to n
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Kochi, Feb 21 (IBNS) : One more person accused in the abduction and assault of a leading Malayalam actress was taken into custody on Tuesday, media reports said.

The man has reportedly confessed that the crime was committed to extort money.

According to a CNN-News 18 report, Manikandan, who was allegedly inside the car during the crime told the police that the gang intended to record the act and use it to blackmail her.

He claimed the plot was hatched by the main accused Sunil Kumar, known as Pulsar Suni, and that he was in it only for the money.

Sunil is still absconding.

So far, three persons--Vadival Salim, Pradeep and Martin--have been arrested in connection with the case.

Forensic experts have collected evidence from the car in which the actress was allegedly assaulted for two hours by the gang members who forced their way into the vehicle on Friday night.
Sure, it costs a bit to fly to Cape Town, South Africa but once you get there? The exchange rate is ever in your favor. Today, South African Sarah tells us about boutique hostels for $15 a night, breakfast for $1.25 (!!!) and wine tasting for $2 per winery. I have never been so tempted!

Hi! Im (another) Sarah, and a born and bred Capetonian. Although I spend a fair amount of time travelling to other places, Cape Town is still my favorite destination ever  and yes, I am completely and unashamedly biased!

I live online at Sarah Evelyn, where I build online courses for amazing brands (for free!) and provide an editing service for blogs and other digital publishers. Id love to say hi to you on Instagram!

The weakness of the South African Rand (youll currently get over R15.00 for every US dollar you spend) is great for visitors. World-class dining, lovely accommodation and easy transport on the cheap really mean that the only significant cost youre likely to pay is your flight.

Also, Cape Town is the perfect place to experience things you may have long dreamed about  lazy lunches in vineyards, winding coastal roads or white beaches and palm trees  all in one place and without breaking the piggy bank.

Cheap lodgings in Cape Town

Air Bnb  from $20

The way in which Air Bnb has disrupted the accommodation space has meant a wide range of well-appointed accommodation options for visitors to Cape Town  especially if youre travelling in a group. This gorgeous apartment has sea views, and this one a view of Table Mountain and the Cape Town harbour.

P.S. If youve never used Airbnb before, use this link to get $40 off your first booking!

91 Loop  from $14

This recently-opened boutique hostel is one example in a movement of upscale hostels and backpackers that are changing the way we view budget accommodation. Bright and airy, serving great coffee and cheap breakfasts at its in-house restaurant, The Honey Badger, 91 Loop is spotlessly clean and very comfortable.

Once in Cape Town  from $15

Another funky hostel in Cape Towns city centre, Once in Cape Town is right upstairs from one of the most on-trend places to hang out  Yours Truly  which serves craft beer, coffee and light meals on Kloof Street.

Cheap Things to Eat in Cape Town

Ristorante Posticino  large pizza from about $5

This family-owned Italian with two branches (one in Hout Bay, with fantastic views, the other on vibey Sea Point Main Road) serves some of Cape Towns most authentic Italian food and delicious wine (at almost cost price) with warmth and humor. This is the restaurant my husband and I visit most often, and we havent been disappointed yet.

Arnolds  breakfast from $1.25

Arnolds  an owner-managed joint on Kloof Street  was a student favourite that managed to grow up us, and kept its low prices. If youd like a (really) cheap, no-frills bacon and eggs with all the trimmings or a quick city lunch or dinner, then this is the place to go.

Naturalis  platters to share from about $12

Want to eat food made by South Africas most celebrated chef, Luke Dale Roberts, at a fraction of the price that its sold for at his famous Test Kitchen (one of the worlds best restaurants)?

Visit his experimental food lab, Naturalis. The menu changes daily and is offered on a range of wooden platters, paired with delicious South African wine.

Bay Harbour Market  free; food from 75c

For us, weekend mornings often start at the Bay Harbour Market, a community-centred market in the fishing village of Hout Bay that serves fantastic homemade food (as well as vintage jewelry, fresh flowers, crafts and clothing).

Ive become adept at skimming around people to reach the paninis at Taste of Tunisa, the dim sum opposite and poring over the astounding array baked goods (look for them behind the coffee stand). Live music, a central bar and a boggling variety of food choices make it the perfect place to meet friends and share a delicious brunch.

La Boheme  two courses for $5.70, three for $7

If you happen to be in search of a romantic bistro and wine bar with an upmarket feel, seasonal menu and delicious French food with a South African twist, La Boheme hits all the spots. The independent bistro is a locals local and feels perennially happy.

Mzolis  from $2

Mzolis sells and serves a single ingredient in the heart of Cape Towns historical township Gugulethu: meat. The butchery, meeting place and outdoor restaurant is always buzzing in the summer, with people from all over the city flocking to the communal braai (BBQ).

Bring your own drinks and paper napkins and be ready to meet new people, listen to the live djs playing South African house music, and feast on meat off the fire.

Fish on the Rocks  hake and chips for $3.50

Why pay a fortune for fresh fish when you can eat it (with delicious chips) outside and with a view of the ocean? Fish on the Rocks at the Hout Bay harbour (or alternatively, Kalkys at Kalk Bay) serves fresh fish made a variety of ways  where you want to eat it is up to you.

Cheap Things to Do in Cape Town

Lie on the beach  free; about $4 for a days use of an umbrella

Cape Towns beaches are one of its biggest draw cards, and, like most cities, they have a bit of a code. If youre feeling like a family day out or a vintage-inspired day with friends, catch a train to Fish Hoek or Simons Town (where the sand isnt white but the towns are pretty and the sea is warm).

To mingle with the beautiful, rich and famous, visit Clifton fourth beach, which is the citys most sheltered, and if youre beautiful, rich and famous but dont care about your image, carry on past Camps Bay (lovely when its not windy, and close to bars and restaurants), to Llandudno.

To swim with penguins and walk amongst a colony, head to Boulders Beach (its protected, so youll need to pay about $4 entry to get in, but you can look over the fence for free).

Take a hike  free

Although the revolving cable car (about $8 for a one-way ticket) is a great way to reach the top of the citys most iconic landmark  Table Mountain  hiking means you get an even better view (and its free!).

However, if you want a view of Table Mountain (and a 360C view) hike up the locals favourite, Lions Head.

Spend a day at the V&A Waterfront  free

The citys Waterfront (named after Queen Victoria and Prince Alfred, her son) has had a long and vibrant history and remains a fascinating place today  in part because it is still very much a working harbour.

The waterfront not only serves as the citys central meeting place for locals and tourists alike, but it also offers a food market, an upscale design market, a luxury mall and plenty of restaurants. The best thing you can pay for at the V&A Waterfront is a sunset cruise  preferably with sparkling wine included!

Go wine-tasting  free to $2 per wine farm

While many wine farms now charge a nominal fee for wine tasting if you dont buy a bottle (especially in the older, more popular Paarl and Stellenbosch wine routes) there are plenty that are happy to fill your glasses for free. The Route 62 wine route is quieter, less touristy, and offers great wines at good prices.

Visit a museum  from free to $4

Especially good for wet days, or when youve had too much time on the beach, Cape Towns museums are largely well taken care off, easy to move around and free (or very cheap) to enter.

My favourites are:

People watch on the promenade  free

Young, old, rich, poor, the citys promenade walk is a great leveller. The beautiful stretch of coastline from the city, through Green Point and Sea Point, to Camps Bay, has been matched with wide paving, public pools, large stretches of grass, art installations and open-air gyms.

If you prefer to be on wheels, rent a bicycle from the concession stands outside the Sea Point pool (entry $1.30), or play a round of put-put next to the Green Point Lighthouse. Sotano makes for a post-walk tapas spot that stays lively late into the evening.

Chapmans Peak Drive  free for runners or cyclists, $2.50 per car

Pretend that youre Bond, James Bond, as you wind around the mountain on this cliff road that could be somewhere on the French Riviera. One of the most beautiful drives in the world, Chapmans Peak takes you from Noordhoek to Hout Bay and is best done just before sunset. Drive slowly and stop at the designated viewpoints along the way for photos.

City Sightseeing Bus  one-day ticket from $10

Although this is more expensive than the usual budget activity, the bus not only provides you with a narrated tour around the city, but its hop-on, hop-off nature means that it includes all your transport cost for the day.

If youre pressed for time and youd like to visit Camps Bay Beach, the V&A Waterfront, Table Mountain, the Constantia Wine Route and several museums all in one day, these topless buses will take you there (with a view, and some history).

Enjoy your trip! To maximise your experience, download the free Cape Town Travel app before you arrive.

Im sure we have a few other South African readers. What would you add?

P.S. 7 travel tools I will not shut up about until you buy them and Mini Travel Guide: Shanghai, China
Sgt. Elor Azaria has been sentenced to a year and a half in prison Tuesday during a sentencing hearing at the Kirya base in Tel Aviv. The special military court handed down the sentence after Azaria was found guilty of manslaughter in January.

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Azaria will begin serving his sentence on March 5, when he must report to Prison Six in northern Israel. A year into the sentence, it is customary to transfer soldiers to a civilian prison, but a special Ministry of Justice committee will be convened in Azaria's case in the future, if necessary.

The sentencing brings an end to a trial and national saga that lasted almost a year and thrust the debate of the IDF's combat ethics and soldiers squarely into the public discourse.

Sgt. Elor Azaria

Azaria arriving for sentencing

Azaria reported at the Tel Aviv military headquarters early Tuesday morning. His entrance into the courtroom was greeted by loud applause from his supporters. He was accompanied by his parents, Charlie and Oshra, his girlfriend and other family members.

Near the court, approximately 100 demonstrators gathered to express their support. His father asked his son's supporters to "maintain restraint, without much fuss even though they are trying to portray us as criminals."

Azaria hugging his mother (Photo: Tomer Applebaum)

In reading out the sentence, the presiding judge, Col. Maya Heller, said, "The defendant shot a terrorist without any justification. The only value that was harmed by the defendant's actions was the value of life. Azaria also defiled the purity of arms which is upheld by the IDF."

Heller continued, saying, "There are a number of mitigating circumstances that required consideration, including a complicated area where terrorists attempted to kill soldiers and even managed to injure one."

Judge Lt. Col. Maya Heller (Photo: Yariv Katz)

Eyal Besserglick, one of Azaria's defense attorneys, said, "The chances of a successful appeal are very good. A central witness has recanted testimony."

Azaria's lawyers now have 15 days to file an appeal from the day of sentencing. The appeal's outline has already been written and the central claim focuses on judges supposedly ignoring evidence presented by the defense.

Photo: Tomer Applebaum

The defense is planning on filing an appeal, based on information that one of the trial's central witnesses has recanted their testimony. In addition, the defense is also filing a request for a postponement of incarceration until such a time as the appeal is ruled upon.

The prosecutor, Lt. Col. Nadav Weissman, is opposed to a delay and demanded that Azaria begin serving his sentence as early as Sunday. "The appeal could have already been written, as 45 days have passed since the verdict was given. The defendant no longer gets the benefit of the doubt. A manslaughter sentence should be immediately carried out."

Azaria arriving for sentencing (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

Azaria's parents arriving (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

Azaria was found guilty of manslaughter in January after shooting dead a seriously wounded terrorist who carried out a stabbing attack in Hebron just moments earlier.
One of the leading candidates in France's presidential election, Marine Le Pen, had had her first meeting with a leader of a foreign country, President of Lebanon Michel Aoun, on Monday.

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According to Lebanese media, Le Pen told Aoun that "his choice marks the start of an era of stability, growth and renewal in Lebanon."

Marine Le Pen in Lebanon (: )

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Aoun himself spoke about the depth of the relations between Lebanon and France and hoped that they will continue to strengthen them by learning from the shared values that unite the French and Lebanese.





Le Pen with Lebanese President Michel Aoun (Photo: Reuters)

"We spoke about the long and fruitful friendship between our two states," said Le Pen after her 30-minute meeting in Beirut with Aoun, the only Christian president in the Middle East.

Le Pen also said that she spoke to Aoun about the refugee crisis in his country, which had more than a million illegal Syrian refugees who escaped their war-torn country.

The far-right French candidate is well known for her anti-immigration position. Despite this, she has called upon the international community to increase humanitarian aid in order to assist refugees and the Lebanese government.





Le Pen with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Al-Hariri (Photo: AP)

Le Pen also said that she and Aoun discussed the rise of radical Islam, which is proving to be a serious international concern, and how to deal with it.

During her visit to Lebanon, Le Pen also met with Prime Minister Saad Hariri and Minister of Foreign Affairs Gebran Bassil.





Le Pen with Lebanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Gebran Bassil (Photo: EPA)

Hariri told Le Pen that Muslims are the first victims of terrorism, which hides under the pretext of religion, when in fact, there is no religion. "Moderate Muslims, who make up the majority of Muslims in the world, are the first targets of radical terrorist acts in the name of religion. This is because they are the first to fight it," said Hariri.





In her visit to the city of Byblos (Photo: AP)

The French presidential election is expected to take place in April (first round) and in May (second round). According to recent polls, Le Pen is projected to win the first round, but projected to lose to the independent candidate Emmanuel Macron in the second round. Even so, the gap between the two is diminishing lately in favor of the far-right National Front leader.

Le Pen's visit to Lebanon was meant to increase her international credibility and score points with the French electorate. Her rival, former Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron, visited Lebanon in January and also met with Aoun and Hariri.
Hundreds of headstones were vandalized in a St. Louis Jewish cemetery in the US, reported Fox News.

Police are investigating the circumstances, but have yet to define it as a hate crime.

Authorities suspect it was an organized operation rather than an act executed by a single individual.

At the same time, police are investigating a series of bomb threats against Jewish community centers across the US.
Mumbai, Feb 21 (IBNS) Mumbai on Tuesday voted peacefully to elect their civic fathers for the next term as the richest civic body of India-Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)- witnessed a polling that is seen as a tough contest between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiv Sena, the former allies, who decided to fight against each other this time after falling out on seat sharing issue.

Nine other municipal corporations in Maharashtra are also undergoing polls during the day.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis tweeted after the voting: "Thank you #Mumbai for the record voting percentage & people from all Municipal Corporations & ZP for participating in festival of democracy!"

With an annual budget of Rs 37,000 crores, BMC enjoys a unique stature as the richest civic body.

The Sena-BJP coalition had been ruling the BMC for a long time but the two parties are falling out with each other for quite some time now with the Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray openly criticising Narendra Modi and even siding with his arch rivals over the demonetisation issue.

A loss of Sena will marginalise it in the state and Mumbai politics, said political observers.

On Tuesday, among the other civic bodies that went to polls were in Nagpur, Thane, Pune and Nashik. Elections are also being held for 11 Zilla Parishads and 118 Panchayat Samitis.

The total number of voters in the ten municipalities are 3.77 crore. A total of 17,331 candidates were in the fray for 5,512 seats.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis earlier said he would take the responsibility if the BJP loses but if the party wins all credits with go to the party.
Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman sarcastically commented on the ISIS report that an Israeli drone killed five of its fighters in Sinai in an interview to Army Radio on Monday night. "The source of the attack today was indeed Sinai and as always, I guess Lichtenstein's Special Forces liquidated a few ISIS terrorists in Sinai yesterday and the day before that," said Lieberman.

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The Yisrael Beiteinu Chairman added: "We leave nothing uncommented. I don't think ISIS in Sinai poses a major threat. It's vexing, it's bothersome, but when you speak of Hamas and Hezbollah, they're without a doubt no longer terror organizations; each of them has built its own army."

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ISIS claimed on Sunday that an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) belonging to the Israel Air Force attacked a vehicle on Saturday, liquidating five of the Islamic terror groups members in the Rafah area. ISIS-affiliated news agency al-Amaq reported that the alleged attack was carried out in a village in southern Rafah.

Monday morning, two rockets were fired from the Sinai Peninsula and landed in open space in Israel near the Egyptian border, in the Eshkol Regional Council. There were no casualties and no damage was incurred.

Nasrallah

A week and a half ago, four rockets were fired from the peninsula toward Eilatthree of which were intercepted by the Iron Dome missile-defense system and the fourth falling in an open area. Approximately two hours after the attack, Hamas reported two casualties and five wounded in an attack in the Rafah region. IDF officials claimed the attack may have been executed by the Egyptians.

The defense minister also addressed the Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah's threat to attack the Ammonia tanks and Dimona. "A dog that barks doesn't bite," said Lieberman. "I advise him to continue sitting there in his bunker, making these small cameos. I don't intend to have any kind of public argument with him."

Lieberman also addressed the verdict that is set to be handed down on Tuesday in the case of IDF soldier Elor Azaria's trial, saying he hopes the judges take into consideration the fact he is an outstanding soldier who fought terrorists.

"I advise the family not to prolong their suffering. After the verdict is handed down, they may appeal to the Central Command Chief and ask him to mitigate the punishment."
French far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen on Monday called Syrian President Bashar Assad "the most reassuring solution for France," a major divergence with her nation's official policy.

Le Pen, head of the anti-immigration National Front, spoke after meetings with Lebanese President Michel Aoun and Prime Minister Saad Hariri. They were among numerous officials, including the Christian Maronite patriarch, that Le Pen was meeting on her two-day visit to Lebanon, a former French protectorate.

The trip represented the first major foray into foreign policy for Le Pen, a leading candidate in France's April 23 and May 7 election.

She said she told Hariri that there is "no viable and workable solution" to the Syrian civil war beyond choosing between Assad and the Islamic State group.

"I clearly explained that in the political picture the least bad option is the politically realistic. It appears that Bashar al Assad is evidently today the most reassuring solution for France."
More than 100 Jewish graves were desecrated in the Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri. According to reports, hundreds of headstones were vandalized and toppled over the weekend. Simultaneously, on Monday, 11 Jewish centers across the US recieved bomb threats and had to evacuate.

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State police opened an investigation, but refused to define the incident as a hate crime, stating that "all angles are being covered." Police officers examined security footage in the area, and it is suspected that this was the result of an intentional act committed by a group of people rather than the act of a single individual.

St. Louis Jewish cemetery vandalized (: )

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Relatives of those buried in the cemetery arrived to the site after the reports. "It's horrifying," said Mira Kats who placed the blame on the new government administration, "there is so much anti-Semitism now with all those cabinet members. Maybe I shouldn't say that, but you can't put bigots and people with so much hatred in a cabinet and not have them think it's ok to hate everybody."

Jenny Rosenblatt arrived to the site after the gate had already closed and promised to return the next day: "I lived in Israel for a very long time, and when something like this happens, you go and you drive by to see that everything is ok."

St. Louis Jewish cemetery

No suspects have been arrested.

The same time with the discovery of the massive damage to the historical gravesite, several Jewish community centers (JCC) across the United States were evacuated for a time on Monday after receiving bomb threats, the latest wave of threatened attacks against them this year, the national umbrella organization said.

Some 11 centers including those in the Houston, Chicago and Milwaukee areas received phoned-in bomb threats that were later determined to be hoaxes, said David Posner, a director at JCC Association of North America who advises centers on security.

No arrests were made and no one was injured. All of the centers returned to normal operations, Posner said in a statement.

The FBI was investigating the incidents, Posner said.

Officials at the FBI were not immediately available for comment.

Monday's incidents come after three waves of bomb threats in 2017. In all, 69 incidents at 54 JCCs in 27 states and one Canadian province have been reported, according to the JCC Association of North America.

"We are concerned about the anti-Semitism behind these threats, and the repetition of threats intended to interfere with day-to-day life," Posner said.

Donald Trump on anti-Semitism

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The White House denounced these acts of anti-Semitism across the country. White House deputy press secretary Lindsay Walters said, "Hatred and hate-motivated violence of any kind have no place in a country founded on the promise of individual freedom. The President has made it abundantly clear that these actions are unacceptable."

Ivanka Trump, who converted to Judaism and married Jared Kushner, addressed the wave of anti-Semitism via Twitter: "America is a nation built on the principle of religious tolerance. We must protect our houses of worship & religious centers."
United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley's pro-Israeli words spoken against the UN have swept over the web. Even Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shared the video and posted on Facebook: "US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley, thank you for your unequivocal support for Israel! It's time to put an end to the absurdity in the United Nations."

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The Israeli UN representatives headed by Ambassador Danny Danon and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs immediately realized they have quite the PR prize on their hands and distributed the video. Israeli ambassadors worldwide followed suit.

Photo: AP

Spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Emanuel Nachshon, said, "The US Ambassador to the UN's remarks signal the beginning of a new era in which the world's biggest power says 'enough!' to discrimination against Israel in international institutions. For us, this is a substantial moment. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs have been distributing her statements via all its public diplomacy channels."

US Ambassador to UN speaks out against Israeli discrimination

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"The Security Council just finished its regular monthly meeting on Middle East issues, it's the first meeting like that, that I've attended, and I have to say, it was a bit strange," said Haley.

Photo: AP

"The security council is supposed to discuss how to maintain international peace and security, but in our meeting on the Middle East, the discussion was not about Hezbollah's illegal buildup of rockets in Lebanon, it was not about the money and weapons Iran provides to terrorists, it was not about how we defeat ISIS, it was not about how we hold Bashar al-Assad accountable for the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of civilians, no, instead, the meeting focused on criticizing Israel, the one true democracy in the Middle East," she continued.
Iran is hosting the sixth conference in support of the Palestinian Intifada.

The conference will be attended by representatives from 80 countries and more than 20 heads of parliaments around the world. Today the conference opened with the participation of representatives from Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Hezbollah.

Lebanese newspaper "Al-Akhbar" reported that "the conference is held for the first time in six years to refresh the Palestinian issue and the struggle against Israel."
Health Minister Yaakov Litzman is now demanding a reform in nursing following shocking reports of violence toward senior citizens in nursing homes, which shocked the country. There is a vast shortage of quality personnel, a lack of supervision, as well as many other failures.

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Litzman contacted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon on Monday in a request to step in, in what he calls "a national crisis." The solution he suggested has both immediate and long-term facets.

For the immediate phase, Litzman suggested installing cameras in the nursing departments, adding standards, reinforcing the workforce by 2,400 foreign workers, and adding 95 supervisors, all of which requires immediate funding estimated at around a quarter of a billion shekels.

However, the health minister realizes that cameras and supervisors are not enough to delve into the core of the system and mend its deep-seated failures, which is why he insisted the state should budget an overall reform.

In Israel, there are currently 21,000 geriatric beds in 800 departments spread out over 300 nursing home facilities across the country. This population is currently treated by approximately 8,800 nursing stafftoo small a number for a developed western country.

The Israeli nursing system falls under the jurisdiction of various bodiesfrom the community clinics, through the health and welfare ministries and all the way to social security.

The proposed reform includes incentive packages to the community clinics for them to make house calls and visit elderly patients, and by doing so, perhaps prevent their deterioration.

Health Minister Litzman (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky)

The number of nursing care hours will be nearly doubledcurrently, home nursing care recipients get 18 hours at the most. According to the new reform, the number of hours will be doubled and reach 33 hours per week.

Moreover, an elderly individual who is hospitalized in a nursing facility needs to produce title documents of his properties as well as his children's salary slips, but that requirement will be dropped.

In order to fund the reform, Litzman suggested a 0.6 percent raise in health taxes, according to income. The Finance Ministry is against this and one of the proposed solutions is that in the first two years, the state would finance the reform and if it proves successful, the tax will be raised.

Minister of Welfare Haim Katz said to Yedioth Ahronoth that he "would not hesitate to shut down nursing homes that break the law. What is happening right now is atrocious."

Katz addressed the recently exposed reports on the abuse of elderly individuals saying that "there can't be a situation in which a caregiver loses his patience and acts inappropriately."

Katz also said that most of the supervision will be done in the mentally frail wards. "The state should be the one supervising since it is the one paying for it, and it should take care of its helpless."

Katz intends to pass a bill amendment in the next few days, which would allow discharged soldiers to work in the nursing field as a preferred job.

On the backdrop of the events in the Haifa nursing home, the owner of the facility, Avi Ruderman, will step down from his position as CEO and the nursing home will start looking for an external replacement.

Health Minister Litzman and the Ministry of Health's Director General, Moshe Bar Siman Tov, toured the Haifa nursing home on Monday, met with patients, family and staff members.

The conclusions of the independent committee appointed to head the investigation into the events will be submitted to the Ministry of Health.
The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs has expressed its shock over the actions of a group of protesters, whose demonstrations led to the cancellation of an event involving the Israeli Ambassador to Ireland, Ze'ev Boker, at Trinity College in Dublin, on Monday night.

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"These protestors chanted genocidal refrains, which call for Israel's destruction, while barring access to the lecture theatre," said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson, Emmanuel Nahshon.

BDS protest

"They obviously have no interest in helping efforts to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but rather wish to ignite and enflame the situation. It is a pity to see such a small and extreme group denying academic thought, exploration and discussion from an Irish audience, but unfortunately, these are the bullying, intimidating tactics of the BDS movement," continued Nahshon.

"We are sure that an esteemed university such as Trinity will take the appropriate measures to deal with the instigators of last night's protest. We expect the Irish authorities to take the necessary measures to ensure the freedom of speech of Israel's ambassador."

In an interview to the Irish Times , Irish4Israel chairman Barry Williams described the protest as hysterical behavior from certain segments of students."

Every time this happens we end up getting more supporters for Israel, he continued. People end up getting so frustrated, they actually start to investigate more. Had they let him speak, they could have asked him difficult questions.
Despite recently visiting last November , Coldplay's Chris Martin is set to land in Israel again on Thursday, if all goes according to plan.

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Martin visited Israel to scout possible locations for a concert. He stayed for several days, but eventually returned to Britain without a concert deal.

Chris Martin (Photo: Getty Images)

In the months that followed, rumors abounded that a deal for a concert had been inked, but the band officially denied the rumors about a dealbut not that negotiations were underway.

The band is interested in performing two shows in the region, one in Israel and the other in the Palestinian Authority as part of a peace tour. However, in similar situations in the past, the Palestinian side has not agreed to "double" shows.

For example, a request by Leonard Cohen to perform in Ramallah was denied following a performance in Israel.

As such, it is currently unclear how the Palestinians will react or if Coldplay's idea is even feasible in terms of security. The possibility of Coldplay performing for Palestinians in Israel is also being examined.
Marine Le Pen, presidential candidate for France's far-right National Front party, cancelled a meeting on Tuesday with Lebanon's Grand Mufti after refusing to wear a headscarf for the encounter.

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"When I met with the Sheikh of al-Azhar (in Egypt in 2015), I didn't don a headscarf then and I will not do so now," Le Pen was quoted in the Lebanese press.

"You can pass on my respects to the Grand Mufti, but I will not cover myself up," Le Pen told reporters.

Marine Le Pen (Photo: AFP)

According to the reports, Le Pen arrived at the Mufti's chambers in Beirut and left soon after without seeing him.

The press office for the Grand Mufti said that Le Pen's aides had been informed beforehand of their requirement for her to wear head covering for the meeting. It was hinted that her response might have been a planned provocation.

Le Pen has been visiting Lebanon as she seeks to bolster her presidential credentials.

Le Pen refuses to wear headscarf (Photo: Reuters)

On Monday, she met with the Lebanese President Michel Aoun (her first meeting with a leader of a foreign country), Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri and heads of state ministries.

During her visit, Le Pen stated that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is the only alternative to ISIS, a statement that would surely be met with a certain amount of backlash from political parties in Lebanon. She continued to say that there is no solution for the civil war in Syria other than choosing between the Syrian president and ISIS.

Opinion polls say Le Pen is likely to get the highest score in the first round of voting in April, but then lose to a mainstream candidate in the decisive second round vote in May.
The Kremlin said Monday that the Russian government does not know anything about a Ukraine peace plan crafted by an opposition Ukrainian lawmaker and two of President Donald Trump's associates.

Russia President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, shrugged off the plan that the lawmaker in Ukraine reportedly tried to peddle to the Trump administration, dismissing it as "absurd."

The draft plan, first reported by The New York Times, calls for all Russian forces to withdraw from eastern Ukraine. It also calls for a referendum to let Ukrainian voters decide whether the Crimea, which was seized by Russia, should be leased to Moscow for 50 or 100 years. Russia isn't going "to rent its own region," Peskov said.
New Delhi, Feb 21 (IBNS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday reportedly urged the USA to keep its mind open in welcoming skilled talents from India.

After meeting a USA delegation, the PMO in a press statement said: "The prime minister referred to the role of skilled Indian talent in enriching the American economy and society,"

Modi met a bipartisan delegation of 26 members of the US Congress.

"He urged developing a reflective, balanced and far-sighted perspective on movement of skilled professionals," the statement as quoted in media said.



The Prime Minister shared his perspective on areas where both India and USA can work even more closely.



The PM recognized the US Congress strong bipartisan support for the India-US partnership.



The PM recalled his positive conversation with President Donald Trump and the shared commitment to further strengthen India-US ties.



The PM said it augurs a good start to bilateral exchanges following the new U.S. Administration and Congress.


US President Donald Trump denounced anti-Semitism in the United States on Tuesday in his most forceful remarks to date about a spate of threats to Jewish community centers around the country.

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Several Jewish community centers were evacuated for a time on Monday after receiving bomb threats, the JCC Association of North America organization said.

President Trump condemns anti-Semitism

Vandals toppled the headstones of about 170 graves at the Chesed Shel Emeth Society cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri, according to news reports.

"The anti-Semitic threats targeting our Jewish community and community centers are horrible and are painful and a very sad reminder of the work that still must be done to root out hate and prejudice and evil," Trump told reporters.

He was speaking at the end of a tour of the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, where he also spoke out against racism.

The Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect in New York, which has criticized the Trump administration repeatedly over anti-Semitism, said his comments were too little too late.

"The president's sudden acknowledgement is a Band-Aid on the cancer of anti-Semitism that has infected his own administration," Steven Goldstein, the group's executive director, said in a statement.

Sean Spicer, a White House spokesman, rejected the characterization.

"I wish that they had praised the president for his leadership in this area," he told reporters when asked about Goldstein's comment. "Hopefully as time goes by they'll recognize his commitment to civil rights."

Jewish groups criticized the White House for omitting any mention of Jews in its statement marking Holocaust Memorial Day last month.

The White House said the omission was deliberate since the Nazis also killed people who were not Jews, if in smaller numbers. The stated goal of the Nazis was the extermination of Jews.

Trump's comments marked a changed in tone from Trump, who had declined to condemn explicitly the threats against Jews when asked last week, and had reacted at times with anger to reporters' questions on the topic, taking the questions as though they were accusing him personally of having anti-Semitic views.

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On Monday, bomb threats were called in to 11 Jewish community centers, including those in the Houston, Chicago and Milwaukee areas, according to David Posner, a director at JCC Association of North America. They were found to be hoaxes.

No arrests were made and no one was injured. The FBI has previously said it is investigating recent threats as "possible civil rights violations."

Monday's incidents follow three waves of bomb threats so far this year. In all, 69 incidents at 54 Jewish community centers in 27 states and one Canadian province have been reported, according to the JCC Association of North America.

On Monday, Trump's daughter, Ivanka Trump, wrote on Twitter, "We must protect our houses of worship & religious centers," and used the hashtag #JCC. She converted to Judaism ahead of her 2009 marriage to Jared Kushner. She joined her father at the African American museum tour.
Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called on Palestinians on Tuesday to pursue an uprising against Israel, suggesting the Israeli government was a "cancerous tumor" that should be confronted until Palestinians were completely liberated.

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"... by Allahs permission, we will see that this intifada will begin a very important chapter in the history of fighting and that it will inflict another defeat on that usurping regime," Khamenei said, according to his website.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in pro-Palestinian convention against Israel (Photo: AFP)

The Supreme Leaders bellicose comments, made during a two-day conference in Tehran focused on its support for the Palestinians, come at a time of increasingly heated rhetoric between Iran, Israel and the United States.

While on a visit to Washington last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Fox News that Israel and the United States had a "grand mission" to confront the threat of a nuclear Iran.

US President Donald Trump has already been highly critical of a deal hammered out between Iran and world powers, including the United States, in 2015 intended to partially lift sanctions on Tehran in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program.

Iran says its program is for purely peaceful means.

When Iran carried out a ballistic missile test in late January, Trumps then national security adviser Mike Flynn said the administration was putting Iran "on notice".

Ordinary Iranians have been posting their concerns about a possible military confrontation between Iran and the United States on social media.

Khamenei did not mention any Iranian military attack against Israel in his comments on Tuesday and was focused on gains that Palestinians could make in any confrontation with Israel, which he described as tumor developing into "the current disaster"

"The Palestinian intifada continues to gallop forward in a thunderous manner so that it can achieve its other goals until the complete liberation of Palestine," he said, according to the transcript of the speech posted on his website.
The leaders of Egypt and Jordan reaffirmed their continued support on Tuesday for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict after US President Donald Trump suggested abandoning it.

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Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Jordan's King Abdullah discussed the issue and coordination of their positions on the Middle East peace process at a meeting in Cairo, a statement from Sisi's office said.

Trump suggested at a White House meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week that he was open to new ways to achieve peace that did not necessarily entail the creation of a Palestinian state.

King Abdullah and President al-Sisi (Photo: AFP)

Most Arab countries call for a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders before Israel seized the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza. Netanyahu has described the 1967 lines as indefensible and has said Israel would never return to them.

"The two sides discussed future movements to break gridlock within the Middle East peace process, especially with US President Donald Trump's administration taking power," Sisi's office said in a statement after the Sisi-Abdullah meeting.

Photo: AFP

"They also discussed mutual coordination to reach a two-state solution and establish a Palestinian state based on the June 4, 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as a capital, which is a national constant that cannot be given up."

The meeting took place two days after media reports that the two men secretly met with Netanyahu last year in a failed attempt by the Obama administration to convene a wider regional summit on Israeli-Palestinian peace.

A Netanyahu spokesman declined to comment on the report in Israel's Haaretz daily. Sisi's office issued a statement referring to it as having "incorrect information" but did not deny that a meeting took place. No immediate comment was available from Jordan.
The courts decision to sentence Sgt. Elor Azaria to 18 months in prison on Tuesday was met by a significant public outcry to pardon him, most notably from several senior political figures.

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Bayit Yehudi leader and Education Minister Naftali Bennett was among the first to come out in favor of pardoning Azaria, who was convicted in January of the manslaughter of a neutralized terrorist who had carried out a stabbing attack in Hebron just moments earlier in March 2016.

The security of the Israeli people demands the immediate pardon of Azaria who was sent to protect us. The process (Azarias trial) was tainted from its base. Bennett tweeted, adding that Elor must not be imprisoned, or we will all pay the price.

Elor Azaria and his father, Charlie (Photo: Tomer Appelbaum)

Minister of Construction Yoav Galant also called on Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman and IDF Chief of General Staff Gadi Eisenkot to take measures to pardon Azaria.

The whole Azaria affair has taken a toll on the army and the Israeli people. In light of the punishment he received during his remand and for the purpose of healing the cracks within the public, we must show a measure of sense and compassion. I call the Defense Minister and the IDF Chief of General Staff to pardon Azaria, even today, said Galant.

Minister of Transport Yisrael Katz also joined the call to pardon Azaria, tweeting the court has said its piece, the legal proceedings are over. It is now time for pardon. Bring Elor back home.

Commenting on the courts verdict on his Facebook page, Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman indicated that no pardon would be forthcoming, and that the courts ruling would be upheld.

Now, after the verdict, I hope that both sides will do what is needed in order to put this matter behind us. As I have said before, even those who do not like or even object the courts verdict must respect it, and as I have also said, the IDF should stand beside the soldier and his family. Were talking about an exceptional soldier on one side and a terrorist aiming to kill Jews on the other. This is something that everyone needs to take into account.

Protest over the court's verdict (Credit: Matan Turkia) ( :  )

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MK Zehava Gal-On (Meretz) criticized the members of the Knesset who called to pardon Azaria.

The court sentenced Azaria to 18 months in prison. That is the lowest amount of time possible for this kind of crime, and it was given despite the judges saying that Azaria made himself judge and executioner. And still, not surprisingly, calls to pardon him are already being heard, Gal-On wrote on Facebook.

Too many politicians used the Azaria story over the past few months for their own agenda, no matter what the cost was. Every effort was legitimized in trying to whiten this black flag. Its good that the court and the IDF Chief of General Staff refused to bend under the pressures, and I hope that the president will also refuse to succumb and wont pardon Azaria, for if we do not recognize a red line when its so bold, we will lose more than our ability to hold a professional army. We will lose our most basic values, Gal-On added.

Opposition leader Isaac Herzog (Zionist Union) praised the courts decision, writing the court showed sensitivity and understanding to the soldiers plight and at the same time followed the strict implementation of the IDFs purity of arms. Elor Azaria is a victim of impossible political circumstances that the state of Israel has been avoiding for years. It is up to the government, the Defense Minister, IDF and official defense authorities to now inspect the ways to prevent the next difficult case.
Former defense minister Moshe Yaalon issued a statement Tuesday afternoon in response to criticism levelled against him by the military court for publicly condemning Sgt. Elor Azaria prior to the conclusion of the investigation against him.

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Azaria was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment earlier on Tuesday after being convicted in January of the manslaughter of a neutralized terrorist who had carried out a stabbing attack in Hebron just moments earlier in March 2016.

Labelling the defendants actions as things that damage the IDFs values even before the conclusion of the investigation could have caused harm, said the head Judge of the panel in Azarias case, Col. Maya Heller. The defense minister and other began making comments while the investigation was just starting. When it comes to investigative matters, it is best to wait until the picture becomes clearer.

Moshe Ya'alon (Photo: Zvika Tishler)

However, Yaalon insisted that the picture was already clear to him.

To the prime minister, the IDF Chief of Staff and to me, it was immediately clear at the end of the initial military investigation that we were talking about an exceptional situation, Yaalon said during a conference near the Dead Sea.

That is why, in a joint decision, we came out together with a statement a few hours after the incident in order to prevent a flare up in the (hostile zones), in order to prevent this incident from being used as proof of the Palestinian blood libel theory that seeks to label us, time and again, as the State of Israel and the soldiers of the IDF who perform extrajudicial executions.

Judge Maya Heller (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

We did this out of responsibility for the security of the state, he added as he sought to justify what many observers denounced as premature statements, which influenced the verdict from the trials inception.

Yaalon also said that his comments, along with those of Prime Minister Netanyahu and IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot, were made before the launching of a criminal investigation and that he was compelled to say something in defense of the courts, which he said were coming under attack from various MKs at the time.

I was forced to say something later on when I saw MKs (Avigdor) Lieberman and (Oren) Hazan attack the military courts...and I warned that the rules of opening fire in the IDF will be decided by the chief of staff and not by militant gangs. This was also done out of responsibility as the defense minister, he continued.

Netanyahu and Ya'alon (Photo: AFP)

His statements were made to counter the attacks being waged by politicians against IDF commanders, and particularly Eisenkot, who was compared to notorious figures in Jewish history and who was called upon to resign, Yaalon asserted.

Who will protect the IDF if not the defense minister? All the fiery individuals? Will Facebook and Twitter give me the lessons on fighting terror or on what an enemy is or how to win? Will it teach me the ethics of war? Who, among all these tempestuous people, has seen more soldiers and enemies and terrorist, or was forced to kill them more than me, asked Yaalon, who also served as chief of staff.

On the day of the stabbing and the shooting, Prime Minister Netanyahu also came out publicly against Azaria. What happened in Hebron does not represent the values of the IDF. The IDF expects from its soldiers to act with level headedness and in accordance with the rules of engagement, he said.

Netanyahu and Charlie Azaria (Photo: Motti Kimchi and Kobi Gideo/GPO)

Shortly thereafter however, Netanyahu changed his tune and at the end of March, he held a telephone conversation with Charlie Azaria, Elors father, which made headlines.

I understand your pain," he told Charlie. I have full faith in the IDF and its chief of staff, and that I think you, too, should have faith in the commanders and examination, just as the people of Israel need to stay united around its army. We only have one army, with many more challenges ahead of us, Netanyahu added.

The prime minister became more outspoken in Azarias defense in January after he was convicted in January of manslaughter, declaring publicly that he supported him being pardoned.
A top adviser to the UN envoy for Syria said Tuesday that their "main guidance" for the first Syrian peace talks in 10 months will be a Security Council resolution that calls for a political transition.

UN envoy Staffan de Mistura is putting the "finishing touches on arrangements" for Thursday's start of talks in Geneva between the government and the opposition, the fourth round since early last year, his chief of staff, Michael Contet, told reporters.

Contet noted that Security Council resolution 2254 asks the envoy to convene "formal negotiations on the political transition process." The new talks will revolve around three issues: "Credible, inclusive and nonsectarian governance," a new constitution and free and fair elections.

The last UN-mediated talks were suspended in April amid renewed fighting. Government forces have since recaptured areas around the country and taken full control of the northern city of Aleppo  President Bashar Assad's biggest victory since the conflict began in March 2011.

According to several estimates, Syria's war has killed some 400,000 people, displaced millions and sent more than four million refugees to neighboring countries.
ISIS claimed responsibility on Tuesday for the launching of two rockets which were fired into Israel from the Sinai Peninsula and landed in open space in the Eshkol Regional Council on Monday morning.

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No one was injured in the attack and no damage was caused.

ISIS rocket launch toward Israel from Sinai

ISIS operative preparing to launch rockets

The incident occurred against a background of reports on Sunday in an ISIS news agency that an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) belonging to the Israel Air Force attacked a vehicle in Egypt's Sinai desert on Saturday, liquidating five of the Islamic terror groups members in the process.

One of the people killed in the alleged attack was a Salafi activist in the Gaza Strip.
Balancing the budget is not only a tradition in Nebraska, but its also a requirement because our state cannot borrow money to finance the states budget.

Just like Nebraska households, state government does not spend money we do not have. This principle is so foundational to who we are as a state that Nebraskas Constitution places strict limits on the states ability to borrow in Article XIII. This fiscal responsibility has earned Nebraska the distinction of ranking second best in the nation for fiscal health according to the Mercatus Center at George Mason University.

Lagging tax revenues caused in part by lagging commodity prices have put the budget front and center during this legislative session. Since June 2016, I have been working with my agencies to prepare for budget cuts to address the gap between appropriations and revenues. Last month in my State of the State address, I unveiled budget plans that will allow us to balance the budget and address the revenue gap without raising taxes. Accomplishing this goal is my number one priority this session. We must put the taxpayer before special interests by balancing the budget without raising taxes.

To this end, I am working with the Legislature to balance the current years budget as well as pass a new budget for the next two years. This week, I signed LB22, a bill to enact cuts to the current Fiscal Year 2017 budget. Thank you to Appropriations Committee Chairman John Stinner and his entire committee for their swift action. They worked quickly to move LB22 through hearings and three rounds of floor debate! To put this in perspective, we have not passed two budget packages during a single session in recent memory. LB22 cuts $137 million from the current years budget while protecting key investments in K-12 education, continuing Corrections reform, and supporting programming for our most vulnerable Nebraskans.

While LB22 was a key step towards balancing our budget and addressing the revenue gap, there is still much more work to do. The Appropriations Committee is now considering my recommendations for the next two-year budget for Fiscal Years 2018 and 2019. They will release preliminary recommendations and hold hearings on the next two-year budget proposal before moving a budget package out of committee for consideration by the full Legislature.

The recommendation I outlined in my State of the State address balances the budget for the next two years without raising taxes. Spending constraint is critical to balancing the budget. Prior to becoming Governor, the state budget was growing at about 6.5 percent. In my first budget, I worked with the Legislature to cut the rate of budget growth to 3.6 percent. My current budget proposal limits government growth to 1.7 percent.

My two-year budget does not cut the Property Tax Credit Relief Fund, and fully funds $400 million in direct property tax relief for all property taxpayers as well as $40 million in direct property tax relief for ag land taxpayers. Additionally, I proposed increasing state aid to schools by 2.7 percent on average over the next two years, or nearly 60 percent faster than the rest of the state budget is growing. This budget also builds on critical reforms in the Department of Corrections by financing additional workforce initiatives, capital improvements, and security upgrades.

These next steps will also include tough decisions. Every agency is contributing in some way towards balancing the budget by cutting back on spending. My own office is reducing our budget and has 13 percent fewer team members than a year ago. There are many tough decisions ahead, but I know that we can balance the budget without raising taxes by working together. I look forward to working with the Appropriations Committee and full Legislature as they consider my recommendations.

As work on the budget process and legislative session progresses, I hope that you will stay in touch with your senator. Both senators and I want to hear from you about your priorities and concerns. Contact information for your senator is available at www.NebraskaLegislature.gov. My office can be reached by emailing pete.ricketts@nebraska.gov or by calling 402-471-2244. We look forward to hearing from you!
I cant believe its been almost a year since dad passed away.

Its been challenging for all of us especially during the holidays. Family was always very important to him and going through almost a year has been hard at times. The strange thing about it all is how mom has been dealing with the loss of her husband of 60+ years. Shes actually doing great. She told me during the funeral planning that in her mind, dad has been gone for 2 years so the end was the closing of a book for her. The one thing she has been avoiding is to start the process of moving forward, including finding homes for all of dads things. Step in Number 2 (that was my dads nickname for meI didnt actually step in # 2).

I talked to her this week and I asked her when she was going to sell the big house and move into something more manageable. She said she wasnt ready to begin that process until she can make herself get dads clothing and belongings out of the house. I said, Ill be there on Sunday to pick up his clothes. I told her we have several organizations here in York who help people with their resumes, job interviewing skills and wardrobe enhancement. I told her dad would be so proud to have his clothing go to someone who could really use it and since he was a salesperson for 30 years, his clothing would be nice. She hesitated a bit and then realize that yes, dad would want us to do this.

Sunday Bob and I drove up and began the chore of getting the closets cleaned out and get them ready to take to York. Dad had a lot of clothes---a lot of clothes! He had beautiful suits, slacks, shirts, ties and shoes. It took us a while to go through all the clothes and match up suits with slacks and get things arranged. Since Bob worked at Toms Clothing for years, he is apt with how clothes should be presented. He said we had to go through all the pants and jackets to make sure the pockets were empty. That was interesting. We found $30.00 in one suit jacket, $3.00 in some pants and a stash of $2.00 bills that mom has been looking for these past couple of years. She said she gave them to dad to put in a safe place and that happened to be in a jacket. We found lots of papers, business cards, receipts, credit cards (all had expired), bank statements, his social security card, medical records and about 10 pounds of used tissues.

Mom was convinced that my younger brother in Colorado could wear some of dads clothes. I said, Yes he probably could fit into some of these clothes, but he would never wear any of them. Mom disagreed and said some of the slacks (not pants, but slacks) werent worn before and Larry (brother) would look great in them. I asked if she had ever met her son because he wouldnt let those clothes in the house. We went back and forth on this and she even dragged Bob into the conversation asking him if these clothes were nice enough for a 45 year old man to wear or not. Poor thinghe said the clothes were nicely kept but doubt if Larry would ever wear them. My sister is going out to visit my brother next month so mom said she would bundle up a bunch of clothes for Larry to wear. I have a feeling my sister will find a Good Will store along the way before she gets to Colorado.

While it was fun going through all of this with mom, it also hit me as very sad. I know deep down dad would appreciate what we were doing, but as I helped take the last load out to the car, I noticed mom stood and looked at the empty racks in her closet and I think all the sadness she hasnt had up to this point was finally sinking in. For a minute I felt her pain and then she said something that brought it all togetherDamn...look at all the room I have in here now, I think Ill go shopping. So much for sadness.

We are all trying to talk her into going to Rochester, New York, in May to attend my cousins daughters wedding. My mom has one nephew left and he felt terrible he couldnt get to Omaha for dads funeral. He and his family were in Nebraska about 4 years ago for my nieces Bat Mitzvah. We had a great time with him and now she has a chance to go and spend some time with one of her only living relative. I know she is hesitant about traveling alone, but it should be an easy flight and I know my cousin would love to have Aunt Joan for a week or so. Mom showed us some great photos my cousin sent to her. They included both my Uncles (her brother) Junior High graduation picture as well as her class picture. I picked my Uncle out in a minute because he looks like my brother, but mom was hard to locate. When she pointed herself out I could see my other cousin in her face. He also sent some pictures of she and a date (hadnt met dad yet) double dating with her brother and his wife at the Waldorf Astoria and some other swanky night clubs. They all looked so glamorous except the one picture that had a hole where her face wasshe didnt like the picture of herself.

Overall it was a very nice afternoon. Just enough time to laugh and get caught up on things. She was very well behaved when we went out to lunch. Maybe this process of turning the next page was good for her. As we were leaving she yelled out to us If you find any more money in the pockets---let me know. Some things never change.
Guwahati, Feb 21 (IBNS): Assam Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said that a retired High Court judge will conduct a probe into the alleged leak of question papers during the ongoing High School Leaving Certificate (HSLC) examination conducted by the Board of Secondary Education, Assam (SEBA).

The state Education minister said that a retired High Court judge will conduct the probe into the alleged papers leak of two subjects once the examinations are over.

The question papers of Social Science and Modern Indian Language (Assamese) subjects, examinations for which are due on February 24 and March 7 respectively, were allegedly distributed among the students in place of Mathematics in two examination centres on February 20.

Following the incident, SEBA has rescheduled the Social Science examination on March 11 next and announced that new question papers would be set for both subjects.

Meanwhile, the Assam Education Minister claimed that the question papers of the subjects were not distributed to any student or leaked, but SEBA has decided to hold examinations of these two subjects with new set of papers.

Himanta Biswa Sarma has also requested Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal to relieve him from the Education portfolio following the alleged papers leak incident.



(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
Dobra, k. Szczecina 900 m2

40 miejsc parkingowych



Atut: Dodatkowe dochody z paczkomatow InPostu, a juz niedugo i z myjni samoobsugowej.



Tradycyjny zakup nieruchomosci, mozliwosc wykupienia uzytkowania wieczystego.
Guwahati, Feb 21 (IBNS): Manipur Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam on Tuesday escaped unhurt while suspected tribal militants attacked his cavalcade in Noney district.

According to the reports, the ambush was reported at Thingkhongjang village in the newly created district of the poll bound north eastern Indian state at around 8-30 am, where the Deputy CM Gaikhangam was going to address an election rally.

The Deputy CM was on his way to his residence in Gaidimjang in Khoupum to hoist the party's flag in connection with the 11th assembly poll in Manipur.

However there was no report of casualty from the site of the incident.

Gaikhangam was safely escorted till Gaidimjang in a bullet proof vehicle.

Manipur police said that, following the militant attack the cavalcade of Gaikhangam, also the state Home minister stranded for a hour.

Police said that, suspected NSCN (IM) militants are behind the attack.

Following the incident, the area has been cordoned off by the security forces.

On the other hand, an IRB rifleman was injured when unidentified gunmen fired at security personnel who were on duty at Nungkaolong area in Khoupum part 3.

The incident occurred in the afternoon around 12-30 pm.

The injured security personnel was identified as Yumnam Jenish from Thangmeiband Sinam Leikai and rushed to hospital.

The trouble torn state witnessed several militant attacks on security personnel in past three months during the ongoing economic blockade imposed by the United Naga Council (UNC) since November 1.

Manipur is going to hold the assembly poll on March 4 and 8 in two phases.



(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
Srinagar, Feb 21 (IBNS): Jammu and Kashmir government on Tuesday announced a number of restrictions to curb the wastage at social, government and private gatherings, especially weddings to prevent wastage of food.

There shall be complete ban on sending dry fruits, sweet packets extra with invitation card by any person to relatives, friends, guests, invitees etc, read an order, issued on Tuesday.

There shall be complete ban on use of amplifiers, loudspeakers and firecrackers.

The number of guests to be invited on marriage of daughter (barat), marriage of son and small functions like engagement of son or daughter and other small functions should be restricted to a maximum of 500, 400 and 100 respectively, the order read.

The number of non-veg, veg dishes to be cooked in such functions should be restricted to a max of seven each and two stalls of sweets and fruits, it said.

The order shall come into effect from April 1, 2017.



(Reporting by Saleem Iqbal Qadri)


New York, Feb 21 (Just Earth News): The United Nations Security Council and the General Assembly on Monday mourned the passing of the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to United Nations, Vitaly Churkin, who died suddenly this morning in New York.



Ambassador Churkin spent more than 40 years at the Russian Diplomatic Service, headed the Russian Mission to the UN for more than a decade and would have turned 65 tomorrow, 21 February.

In a statement on Monday, members of the Security Council also expressed their deep condolences to the family of the Ambassador, the Government and the Russian people.

Also on Monday, the General Assembly held a moment of silence honouring the Ambassador's memory.

During a meeting of the Assembly on the reform of the world body, Russia's Deputy Permanent Representative, Petr Iliichev, informed those present about Churkin's sudden passing.

UN Photo/Amanda Voisard

Source: www.justearthnews.com
New York, Feb 21 (Just Earth News): The United Nations human rights chief on Monday called on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to take immediate steps to halt widespread human rights violations, including apparent summary executions, by the country's armed forces.



It is time to stop a blunt military response that does nothing to tackle the root causes of the conflict between the Government and local militias but instead targets civilians on the basis of their presumed links to the militias, said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein in a news release from his office (OHCHR).

Zeid said that there are multiple, credible allegations of massive human rights violations in the provinces of Kasai, Kasai Central, Kasai Oriental and Lomami amid a sharp deterioration in security situation there.

A local militia linked to a customary chief, Kamuina Nsapu, who was killed by the African country's armed forces in August 2016 has been increasingly active in Kasai Central Province, mostly attacking government buildings and churches, and national security forces. The militia also reportedly recruits and uses children.

According to OCHR, horrific video footage emerged over the weekend apparently showing soldiers of the Government security forces, known as FARDC, shooting repeatedly and without warning at men and women, who purportedly belonged to the militia in Muenza Nsapu village.

The UN peacekeeping mission in the DRC is not in a position to verify the origin and authenticity of the video. However, the DRC Government spokesperson has stated that FARDC officers are under judicial investigation.

The UN Joint Human Rights Office in the country has documented the killings of more than 280 individuals since July 2016 in the context of this violence.

Amid a worrying escalation of violence in provinces considered relatively calm, I call again on the Government to redouble its efforts to tackle impunity that feeds further violence and human rights violations, said Zeid.

UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferre

Source: www.justearthnews.com
New York, Feb 22 (Just Earth News): Noting that recent crises in Europe show that the continent remains at risk from new outbreaks of conflict, United Nations Secretary-General called for reinforcing mutual trust and respect to strengthen stability and cooperation both within Europe and beyond.

The Security Council meeting at which the UN chief delivered this message started with a moment of silence in memory of the Permanent Representative of Russia to the United Nations, Vitaly Churkin, who passed away yesterday.

I think [the Ambassador's] passing represents a deep loss for all of us in the UN, including in this Council, where his distinctive voice was ever-present for the past decade, and where, I think, we will all miss that voice in the sessions to come, said Guterres in his tribute.

Turning to the subject at hand, the Secretary-General, who briefed the Council alongside Lamberto Zannier, the Secretary-General of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and Helga Schmid, Secretary-General, European External Action Service of the European Union (EU), said crises in Europe could also adversely impact economic progress and sustainable development.

Conflict in Europe is not only a tragedy for those directly involved: those killed, injured, displaced, who have lost loved ones, who may be unable to access healthcare and are missing vital years of their education, Guterres said, adding: It is also reversing development gains and preventing communities and societies from achieving their full potential and contributing to regional and global prosperity.

Noting that no single factor is responsible for the emergence and continuation of conflicts, he said that in many cases, peace agreements were simply not being implemented.

Other factors included challenges to democratic governance and the rule of law, and the manipulation of ethnic, economic, religious and communal tensions for personal or political gain.

Whatever the causes may be, the inability of regional and international institutions, including our own, to prevent and resolve conflicts is seriously undermining their credibility and making it more difficult for them to succeed in future, added the UN chief.

Speaking specifically on the conflict in Ukraine, Guterres said the UN remains committed to supporting a peaceful resolution, in a manner that fully upholds the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Ukraine, and in accordance with relevant Security Council and General Assembly resolutions.

He also noted that the UN fully supported the efforts within the Normandy Four, the Trilateral Contact Group, and the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission, and that it has repeatedly called for the full implementation by all sides of all of their commitments under the Minsk Process, both in letter and in spirit.

I urge all stakeholders to avoid unilateral steps or attempts to create facts on the ground, which further complicate and endanger efforts to find negotiated settlements. This is especially relevant in view of the latest actions taken in relation to the conflicts in eastern Ukraine and the South Caucasus, he highlighted, urging all sides to give the highest priority to protecting civilians.

In his remarks, Guterres also spoke of challenges to peace in other parts of Europe, such as in the Balkans, Cyprus, Georgia, Moldova and South Caucasus, as well as on the long-standing name issue between Greece and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

He also noted new challenges and threats such as the phenomenon of populism, nationalism, xenophobia and violent extremism were both causes and effects of conflict.

I encourage Member States, this Council, regional mechanisms and all stakeholders to intensify their efforts to define a peace and security agenda to address on Tuesday's complex challenges, urged Secretary-General Guterres.

The status quo is not sustainable.

UN Photo/Rick Bajornas

Source: www.justearthnews.com
New York, Feb 22 (Just Earth News): The top United Nations humanitarian official on Tuesday released $18.5 million from the organization's Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to enable critical aid for more than 785,000 people suffering from hunger, malnutrition and severe water shortages in Ethiopia's Somali region a the worst drought-stricken part of the country.

I was recently in Ethiopia's Somali region, where I saw the devastating impact this drought is having on people's lives, livestock and livelihoods, said UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Stephen O'Brien.

Time lost means lives lost so I am releasing CERF funding to provide urgent aid to people in need  now  when they need it most.

According to CERF, the latest allocation will immediately provide affected people with access to water and health, nutritional and agricultural services. The funds will also help pastoral communities, who are most in need, and thousands of whom have been forced to move in search of water and pasture.

This latest drought struck Ethiopia before it could recover from the effects of a devastating El Nino-induced drought in 2015 and 2016 which left millions in urgent need of aid.

However, the grant covers only a small portion of what is required in 2017 to address rising challenges. Furthermore, according to current estimates more than 5.6 million people in the country are in desperate need of basic necessities.

Humanitarians will use these funds to save lives, but it is a bridge that must be matched and surpassed urgently. Millions of people's lives, livelihoods and wellbeing depend on continued donor support, noted O'Brien.

The drought is also one of the worst to hit the Horn of Africa in decades. According to the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), the region received only a quarter of the expected rainfall between October and December last year, leaving over 17 million people in Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda in crisis and emergency food insecurity levels.

CERF also highlighted that as the scale and intensity of emergencies around the world continue to increase, the Fund needs to be strengthened so that aid can reach people, whenever and wherever crises hit.

To this end, In December last year, UN General Assembly endorsed a recommendation by then Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's to double CERF's annual target to $1 billion by 2018.

Photo: OCHA/Charlotte Cans

Source: www.justearthnews.com
Chonmipem Horam `Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent`- Victor Hugo Can you imagine a life void of music? Absolutely NOT! Whether you admit it or not, music permeates our daily life, weaving its beauty and emotion through our thoughts, activities and memories. Music is harmony and music is beauty. Music has the quality of expressing the inexpressible. One cannot approach music with ones own peculiar likes, dislikes or tastes, which are all a part of ones own conditioning. Music is something both extraordinarily complex and incredibly simple at the same time.Roots of World Music day World Music Day also known as Fete de la Musique, was a music festival that began in France in 1982.The idea was conceived by French Minister of Culture, Jack Lang in 1981. Since then June 21st has been celebrated every year as World Music Day. Today, it has spread to Argentina, Australia, Britain, Luxemburg, Germany, Switzerland, Costa Rica, China, India, Lebanon, Pakistan and many other countries. On this day, the musicians perform for free in open areas. Free concerts are organized in parks, museums, train stations, castles etc. This is done to promote music, making all genres of music accessible to the public. It gives an opportunity to communicate and share special bond through music. The term World Music includes traditional as well as non-western music. It is folk music of any culture, created and played by indigenous people. It is a classical form of music accompanied by traditional ethnic instruments, some prominent forms are  Japanese Koto music, India raga music, Tibetan chants and South African `township music`. Genres India, being a land of unity in diversity with various cultures, traditions, art forms, every region has its own unique musical form. While there are various genres, Indian classical music has been divided into North Indian tradition known as Hindustani music and Carnatic music belonging to South India. But apart from these, there are varied forms such as  Bhangra, Bhajans or devotional, Ghazals and Qawwalis, Indi-pop, Folk, Tribal, Film songs, Remixes, Fusion. While, Bhangra is a dance oriented folk music, Bhavageete (literally `devotional song`) is a form of expressionist poetry and light music. Qawwali is a Sufi form of devotional music based on Hindustani classical. And in the West, we have Metal, Punk, Rock, Hip-Hop, Hard Rock, alternative, Experimental, Country, Disco, Funk, Classical, Progressive, Trance, Techno, Ska, Reggae music. Trance Music was developed in early quarters of 20th century and is generally played in club houses and dance floors. Indigenous Country Music born of the US is in form of folk, Celtic, church, gospels and tribal music, while, Pop Music is both classical and folk. Reggae is a music genre developed in late 1960`s. Its lyrics deal with faith, love, sexuality, relationships, injustice etc. Hip-hop is both a cultural movement and genre of music developed in New York City in 1970`s by African Americans and Latin Americans.The good, the bad and the ugly Music is an important form of communication. Its a reflection of society in a particular time and place. Music needs no boundaries, it bonds us irrespective of who we are, and where are we from. Not only its a source of entertainment but it also acts as a medium to convey messages, of how things are, and what lies ahead in the future. Michael Jackson`s song `Heal the world sounds beautiful as well as inspiring as it echoes noble thoughts. There`s A Place In Your Heart, And I Know That It Is Love, And This Place Could Be Much Brighter Than Tomorrow, And If You Really Try You`ll Find There`s No Need To Cry,In This Place You`ll Feel There`s No Hurt Or Sorrow There Are Ways To Get There If You Care Enough For The Living Make A Little Space, Make A Better Place... Heal The World, Make It A Better Place, For You And For Me And The Entire Human Race There Are People Dying, If You Care Enough For The Living, Make A Better Place For You And For Me If You Want To Know Why There`s A Love That Cannot Lie Love Is Strong, It Only Cares For Joyful Giving If We Try, We Shall See In This Bliss We Cannot Feel, Fear Or Dread We Stop Existing And Start Living Then It Feels That Always Love`s Enough For Us Growing So Make A Better World Make A Better World... And The Dream We Were Conceived In, Will Reveal A Joyful Face And The World We Once Believed In Will Shine Again In Grace Then Why Do We Keep Strangling Life Wound This Earth, Crucify Its Soul Though It`s Plain To See, This World Is Heavenly Be God`s Glow We Could Fly So High Let Our Spirits Never Die In My Heart, I Feel You Are All My Brothers Create A World With No Fear Together We`ll Cry Happy Tears See The Nations Turn their Swords Into Plowshares We Could Really Get There If You Cared Enough for The Living Make A Little Space, To Make A Better Place... You And For Me Music also grants us the freedom of expression. Like in late 1980`s and 90`s, young black Americans coming out of the Civil Rights Movement used this to show the limitation of the movement. It used Hip-hop to voice their issues. It lets them the world to be noticed. But inspite of all these social impacts, there have been negative aspects as well. Some of the most popular songs in Hip-hop genre have negatively influenced violence, drugs, alcohol, sex and disrespect for authorities, which is detrimental to the lives and education of the youngsters.Festivals There are many World Music festivals and jazz/folk/roots/new age crossover events. The Ariano Folkfestival is the biggest World Music festival in southern Italy, is held in mid August. The California World Music Festival is held each July at Nevada County Fairgrounds. The World Sacred Music Festival is held annually in Olympia, Washington State. FloydFest in Floyd, Virginia, USA. The Finger Lakes GrassRoots Festival of Music and Dance in Trumansburg, New York, USA. Rainforest World Music Festival is another world music festival held in Malaysia. Stern Grove festival is a San Francisco celebration of musical and cultural diversity. The Starwood Festival in New York has been held in July every year since 1981.
New York, Feb 22 (Just Earth News): Almost 1.4 million children are at imminent risk of death due to severe acute malnutrition this year, as famine threatens in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen, warned the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), urging prompt action to save them.

We can still save many lives. The severe malnutrition and looming famine are largely man-made, said UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake in a news release issued by the UN agency on Tuesday.

Our common humanity demands faster action, he underscored.

According to UNICEF, as many as 462,000 children in Yemen  where a conflict has been raging for the past two years  are currently suffering from severe acute malnutrition. This figure has risen nearly 200 per cent since 2014.

Similarly, in conflict affected parts of northeast Nigeria, including Adamawa, Borno and Yobi, the number of children with severe acute malnutrition is expected to reach 450,000. According to a famine early warning system, the famine likely occurred in some previously inaccessible areas of Borno, and it is likely ongoing, and will continue, in other areas which remain beyond humanitarian reach.

Furthermore, in Somalia, droughts threaten an already fragile population battered by decades of conflict: almost half the population (6.2 million people) faces acute food insecurity and is in need of urgent relief, 185,000 among them children suffering from severe acute malnutrition. There are fears that the number could rise to 270,000 in the next few months.

In South Sudan, a famine was recently declared in parts of the country, adding to a humanitarian situation already complicated due to poverty and insecurity. Over 270,000 children are severely malnourished in the country and the total number of food insecure people across the country is expected to rise once the lean season sets in.

In its response, UNICEF, working with partners, has been providing therapeutic treatment to 220,000 severely malnourished children in Nigeria, over 200,000 in both South Sudan and Somalia, and 320,000 children in Yemen.

However, more action is urgently needed.

Time is running out, said Lake. We must not repeat the tragedy of the 2011 famine in the Horn of Africa.

Photo: UNICEF/Esiebo

Source: www.justearthnews.com
New York, Feb 22 (Just Earth News): The United Nations refugee agency is focusing efforts on camp construction in and around the Iraqi city of Mosul, where renewed fighting could displace up to 250,000 people.

With the predicted exodus of up to a quarter of a million people, it will be impossible to accommodate such large numbers on existing land, said Matthew Saltmarsh, spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), at the regular press briefing in Geneva.

Almost 227,000 people have fled from the eastern sections of Mosul since the military offensive to oust Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da'esh) terrorists began on 17 October 2016. About 160,000 remain displaced while others have returned to their homes in the now Government-controlled areas.

The spokesperson said UNHCR has eight camps open or completed at present, and one under construction. We are planning for the start of work at another site in Hamam Al Alil, south of Mosul, he said.

The Iraqi Government has decided, initially, to transport people displaced from western Mosul to camps in the east while new capacity is being added in the south.

UNHCR has been asked to support a new site at Hamam Al-Alil, 20 km south of Mosul. It is expected that many of those fleeing western Mosul will reach there on foot. This site will provide shelter for up to 60,000 people.

According to reports and testimonies, conditions in the densely-populated west of the city are worsening, and hence concerns are mounting for the well-being of civilians. There are shortages of food, water, fuel and medicine. Half of all food shops have closed and most people can only access untreated water.

Food prices are skyrocketing and there are reports of families burning furniture, clothing and plastic to stay warm.

Saltmarsh said that during the battle for eastern Mosul, the protection of civilians was prioritized in military planning and activities, and UNHCR hopes this principle will continue to be upheld.

However, he added, the new battle will be different as the city's west is densely populated, with many narrow streets, and fighting will be street by street. Armed groups have built a network of tunnels.

Insecurity and recent suicide attacks in eastern Mosul have resulted in some families  who had opted to return to their homes  coming back to the camps in search of safety, he said.

Photo: UNHCR/Ivor Prickett

Source: www.justearthnews.com
This week Alltech, the animal nutrition and health company, launched the first cohort of its new accelerator program. The Pearse Lyons Accelerator is named after Alltechs founder and president, who has taken the business from a startup in 1980 to a multinational business, which turned over $2 billion last year.

The program received applications from nearly 200 businesses across 38 countries globally but took on just 10. They are:

Agrilyst (USA) is a farm management and data analytics software tool for indoor farmings.

AgriWebb (Australia) is a mobile herd & farm management application for cattle, sheep, and wool producers.

Alesca Life (China) developed a concept called farming-as-a-service that allows scalable, localized food production for commercial and retail customers.

eFishery (Indonesia) is an automated fish feeder that can sense the fishs appetite and adjust the amount of feed given.

GreenGage (UK) provides LED lamps to serve the farming industry.

Hargol FoodTech (Israel) has developed methods and technology to grow large quantities of grasshoppers quickly in captivity.

MagGrow (Ireland) has created magnetic spraying system to help row crop farmers apply inputs and reduce drift by over 80%.

MooCall (Ireland) is an animal wearable that accurately predicts when a cow is going to give birth and communicates this back to the farmer through text message

SkySquirrel (Canada) operates a drone-based crop analytics company that monitors crop health, with a primary focus on improving crop yields and reducing costs at commercial vineyards

Tevatronic (Israel) has developed an automated irrigation and fertilization technology. The system is capable of deciding when and how much to irrigate, and it executes the irrigation decision autonomous.

Funding is Not the Answer

Originally planning to put an internal 10 million fund to work to invest equity in the cohort, Alltech and its accelerator partner Dogpatch Labs discovered that many startups were not actually looking for equity investment.

Many of the companies that came to us already had plenty of funding themselves  on average $3 million each  so they werent attracted by the funding opportunity; they were more concerned about getting their product into the market and getting some sales, said Aidan Connolly, chief innovation officer at Alltech. So they were looking for access to markets and customers as well as gaining market knowledge. Since Altech is present in 129 countries globally, it has a great understanding of where and how to promote technologies.

The 15-week program will focus around mentorship, including access to Lyons himself, collaborative learning, and finding new business or partnership opportunities, according to Patrick Walsh, managing director of Dogpatch Labs, which is also providing coworking space for the cohort.

Partly virtual, the program started this week with structured workshops in Dublin, followed by weekly calls when the startups return to their respective markets, and two further in-person sessions halfway through the program and again at the end. Alltech is giving each startup a 15k grant to pay for flights and hotel rooms during their time in Dublin.

The program culminates in May at ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference in Lexington, Kentucky in the USA, where the startups will have the opportunity to present in front of 3k people.

This high-profile event will give the startups the opportunity to demo their ideas in front of potential customers and distributors, said Connolly.

So Whats In It for Alltech?

Thought leadership, argues Connolly.

ONE has been the preeminent event of its type for the last 30 years and is the place to go for new ideas, he said. While wed love to have a monopoly on all new ideas, we felt launching this accelerator program and then bringing the accelerator startups to the event was a great way to maintain the idea of Alltech as a thought leader in the space.

The accelerator will also help Alltech keep up with the latest innovation internally. While not all of the technology is relevant to Alltechs core business in animal health, Connolly argues that there are increasing overlaps between new technologies and what the company does.

Alltech also hopes the startups will be able to add value to their customers.

We arent necessarily seeing these startups as a way for us to make money, but they could be something our customers and collaborators can tap into to make them more profitable, said Connolly.

The company has invested in tech startups in the past and wouldnt preclude the possibility of investing in one of the startups later down the line if tech was a good bolt-on to its existing nutritional and health products for animals. But Connolly emphasized this was not a core focus of the program.

How Did Alltech Choose the Final 10?

Of the 184 companies that applied, about 170 were viable, so it was very difficult to get that number down to 10, said Connolly.

We tried to reflect the areas we thought were most of interest, he said, adding that a LinkedIn blog post he recently published entitled 8 Disruptive Digital Technologies with the Power to Transform Agriculture, was downloaded 8k times in 60 days.

That shows you how hot this area is, he added.

The company picked companies from across the agtech spectrum and avoiding choosing two in the same area to avoid any competitive issues. The accelerator is also geographically diverse with companies coming from seven different countries.

For more about if and when venture capital funding is suitable for your agritech startup, read AgDNA CEO Paul Turners guest commentary on the subject here.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 21, ARMENPRESS. Speaker of the Parliament of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR) Ashot Ghoulyan on February 20 held a meeting with the parliamentary delegation of Armenia led by Deputy Speaker Eduard Sharmazanov, press service of the NKR Parliament told Armenpress.

The NKR Parliament Speaker welcomed the guests and expressed gratitude for the constant readiness to assist Karabakh, stating that it is a proud and great enthusiasm for the NKR people to feel again the Armenian unity in this political and historical important day.

In his turn Eduard Sharmazanov congratulated on the occasion of Karabakh Revival Day, stating that being in Karabakh on the day of the Constitutional referendum is not only just an observation mission, but also a pleasure and necessary obligation.

This referendum strengthens the right of the Armenians of Karabakh to decide their own fate with their own hands. This was another chance to show that Karabakh is steadily moving towards democracy, Sharmazanov said.

Armenias MPs Gagik Melikyan, Shushan Petrosyan, Lyova Khachatryan, Alexander Arzumanyan, Vahram Mkrtchyan and Karen Shahmuradyan summarized their observations carried out in various polling stations and expressed satisfaction over the entire referendum process.

During the meeting the parliamentarians discussed the provisions of the new Constitution, in particular, issues related to the further legislative regulations deriving from it.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 21, ARMENPRESS. The Ministry of Emergency Situations told Armenpress that on February 21, as of 09:00 some highways are difficult to pass in Armenia.

Sotk-Karvachar highway is difficult to pass.

The roads of Syunik province and Tigranashen turns are partly covered with clear ice.

Fog descends on Ararat province.

The Emergency Situations Department of Georgias Ministry of Interior Affairs informs that the Stepantsminda-Lars highway is open for all types of vehicles in case of using tire chains.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 21, ARMENPRESS. Ambassador of Armenia to Colombia H.E. Ashot Galoyan (residence in Brazil) presented his credentials on February 16 to Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos Calderon in Bogota, the foreign ministry of Armenia told ARMENPRESS.

During a conversation with the President of Colombia, Ambassador Galoyan stressed the necessity of strengthening and developing the Armenian-Colombian bilateral relations.

The Armenian Ambassador appreciated the Colombian Presidents big political contribution in settling the domestic crisis, for which the President was awarded with the Nobel Peace Prize.

Speaking on establishing peace in the world, Ambassador Galoyan especially mentioned the role of the 16th World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates in Bogota which was held recently.

The Colombian President highlighted the Ambassadors appointment and expressed willingness to assist in developing bilateral relations in all crucial spheres.

During a conversation with Maria Angela Holguin, foreign minister of Colombia, among other issues, the sides agreed to carry out works over the issue of visa liberalization between the two countries.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 21, ARMENPRESS. President of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR) Bako Sahakyan on February 21 received Armenias parliamentary delegation led by Deputy Speaker Eduard Sharmazanov who arrived in Karabakh to carry out an observation mission during the Constitutional referendum, press service of the NKR Presidents Office told Armenpress.

The NKR President expressed gratitude to the observers from Armenia, stating that Armenias political, scientific-research, public, information spheres representatives carry out an observation mission in all elections of the NKR, and highly appreciated their impartial and professional stance.

During the meeting a number of issues related to the mutual cooperation of the two Armenian states, the NKR state-building, domestic and foreign policy, regional developments were discussed.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 21, ARMENPRESS. The Group of Friends of Artsakh in the European Parliament issued a joint statement over the results of the Constitutional referendum in the Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR), reports Armenpress.

The text of the statement was signed by MEPs Frank Engel, Jaromir Stetina and Eleni Theocharous.

The statement says the turnout of over 76% is resounding proof of the intention of Artsakh voters to take an active part in the shaping of their democracy.

The MEPs stated that the vote took place after a campaign during which both camps expressed their ideas and convictions freely. The people of Artsakh said yes to their new constitution which heralds significant changes in the institutional functioning of the country. It also clearly spells that the Republic of Artsakh upholds and protects the rule of law and the rights and freedoms of the people, they said, stating that the Constitutional changes are important also for the South Caucasus.

A people, a population, a nation who believe in their state and refine their republican institutions should not be ignored by the international community. This people, these voting citizens, exist. Their existence is not affected by the absence of international recognition of their country. The people of Artsakh, a nation under constant threat of military attack by an aggressive neighbor, continue to oppose democratic vitality and maturity to the international denial of their state, the statement reads.

As of 03:00, 69.540 citizens (87.6%) of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR) voted in favor of the Constitutional referendum. 7686 citizens voted against, the NKR Central Electoral Commission said. 2202 ballots (2.8%) were declared invalid. 79.428 (76.44% of the total number of voters) out of 103.766 citizens took part in the voting.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 21, ARMENPRESS. Armenias finance minister Vardan Aramyan held a meeting on February 21 with Richard Doornbosch, deputy executive director of the International Monetary Fund for Armenia, who is currently on a regional visit.

The minister presented the target issues in cooperation with the IMF, namely the current macroeconomic situation, main indicators, the level of deficit and scheduled activities for maintaining it on the planned level, the finance ministry told ARMENPRESS.

The sides also discussed other issues of the Armenia-IMF cooperation.
Kabul, Feb 21 (IBNS): At least 12 ISIS militants were killed in an airstrike conducted by the US in Afghanistan's Nangarhar province, local Khaama Press reported.

The operation was carried out in Achin district of the province on Monday.

A vehicle belonging to the terrorist organisation was also destroyed in the raid.

All militants killed were foreign nations, the agency quoted local officials as saying.

The officials also added that no civilians were harmed during the raid.




YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 21, ARMENPRESS. 8199 citizens who had cash deposits in the former USSR Savings Banks SSR Republican Bank received monetary compensations under the compensation program of cash deposits in Armenia, Anush Danielyan, spokesperson of the minister of labor and social affairs told ARMENPRESS.

The compensation program for deposits functions since 2006. Overall 102 thousand people were registered for receiving deposits. Until now, over 92 thousand received the deposits. Around 8000 people get the deposits each year, Danielyan said.

According to Anush Danielyan, the government provides resources monthly for deposits. As to how many people will receive during one month is impossible to say. It depends on how many depositors the given monthly amount will be enough.

The government is compensating the cash deposits for people who had made deposits in the former USSR Savings Bank until June 10 of 1993.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 21, ARMENPRESS.The President of the National Assembly of Armenia Galust Sahakyan received on February 21 Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Arab Republic of Egypt to Armenia Tareq Maaty.

As Armenpress was informed from the press service of the National Assembly of Armenia, welcoming the Ambassador, Galust Sahakyan noted that Armenia and Egypt have historical commonalities and friendly traditions formed long ago between the two peoples. According to the speaker of the Armenian parliament, Armenia will always continue the effective cooperation with Egypt both in the international arena and in the development of bilateral relations.

The President of the National Assembly of Armenia highlighted the development of the inter-parliamentary cooperation, which promotes the advancement and deepening of the relations of the two states.

Galust Sahakyan expressed his gratitude to the House of Representatives of Egypt for the works being done in recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide, underlining the importance of the draft statement recognizing and condemning the Armenian Genocide presented by the member of the House of Representatives of Egypt in July 2016, and 337 deputies of the House of Representatives joined it with their signatures.

The parliament speaker expressed conviction that after the upcoming parliamentary elections the Armenian-Egyptian inter-parliamentary cooperation will turn into a new phase, which will give an opportunity to hold discussions over the issues of common interest, promoting the enlivening of the contacts between the societies.

He expressed hope that the Ambassadors activities will boost the Armenian-Egyptian relations especially promote the development of the inter-parliamentary cooperation.

The National Assembly President highly assessed the balanced position of Egypt towards the most important problems for Armenia. Galust Sahakyan touched upon the Constitutional amendments, the agreement reached between the authorities and opposition of Armenia, which will contribute to holding fair, democratic and transparent and parliamentary elections.

Thanking for the reception, Tareq Maaty has noted that they observe the democratic process going on in Armenia with joy in Egypt.

Referring to the recent changes occurred in Egypt, Mr Maaty has stated that today the authorities of the House of Representatives of Egypt are bigger than ever, and it is one of the most important conditions of the development of the country.

In the Ambassadors word, the Armenian-Egyptian centuries-old relations have become closer due to Egypts Armenian community, which played a great role in the cultural and public life of the country.

Tareq Maaty expressed hope that the upcoming parliamentary elections in Armenia will be held in accordance with the principles of democracy, and an Armenian-Egyptian Group will also be created in the newly forming parliament.

Talking about the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, the Ambassador highlighted the focusing of Egypts public attention to this issue, as they realize its importance for the Armenian people.

At the end of the meeting Galust Sahakyan expressed conviction that Egypt will recover very quickly its stability and will re-establish its leading position in the region and in the Arab world.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 21, ARMENPRESS. Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian and Foreign Minister of Mongolia Tsend Munkh-Orgil on February 21 exchanged messages on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, press service of the Armenian MFA told Armenpress.

The Armenian FM said in his message that the mutual partnership between the two countries serves as a firm base to further expand and strengthen the friendly relations through joint efforts.

Foreign Minister of Mongolia in his message expressed confidence that the traditional friendly relations and cooperation between the two countries will further develop and deepen in sectors of mutual interest for the benefit of the two peoples.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 21, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian community of Lithuania foiled another propaganda event of Azerbaijan. The Embassy of Azerbaijan in Lithuania has sent invitations to the diplomatic corps and Lithuanian politicians for a concert dedicated to the so-called 25th Anniversary of Khojaly genocide, scheduled for 20th of February in Vilnius City Hall, however, as result of efforts of the Armenian community the event was failed, since it was possible to reveal another forgery of the propaganda machine of Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani Embassy sent the invitations from the name of the Azerbaijan-Lithuania friendship group of Lithuanias Parliament, however in reality it turned out the members of the group were unaware about this.

The Baltic Armenian Alliance issued an announcement in this regard, which namely said:

We have learnt with concern that the Embassy of Azerbaijan has sent invitations to diplomatic corps and Lithuanian politicians for a concert dedicated to the so called 25th Anniversary of Khojaly genocide, scheduled for 20th of February in Vilnius City Hall (Ratusa).

The invitations to this event have been sent in the name the Azerbaijan-Lithuania Friendship Group in Seimas [Parliament of Lithuania], and the logo of the Lithuanian Seimas has been used. We sent an inquiry to the Seimas for clarification. We also contacted some Seimas members of the above mentioned group. We have not received yet a written clarification, but from our conversations we understood that the group members had no idea that an invitation had been sent in their name. Moreover, and more disturbingly for the Azerbaijani Embassy, it seems the Seimas had not authorized the use of its logo for this event, either. Thus, cheat and distortion are used to attract to an event which is in itself a fabrication of history, although tragedy did happen back in 1992.

Our concern is primarily not about Azerbaijans interpretation of history, but its attempt to drag Lithuanian politicians and diplomatic corps in this one-sided and totally distorted presentation of some episodes of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

It is common practice that some states attempt to represent their own interpretation of recent history thereby emphasizing or ignoring other events in that chain. But it is absolutely unacceptable to spread falsifications and history constructed on those falsifications as undeniable truths. Khojali tragedy, which the Azerbaijan officially claims as genocide and pours a lot of money to present its own, even if invented, genocide to the international public. There is no genocide scholar who would consider Khojali as genocide, since for such terminology the intent, scale, perpetrator and victims need to be clearly identified. Yet, this is not the case here.

Throughout Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the civilian population was repeatedly exposed to armed attacks, and in some cases, to pogroms and slaughter. Among the most well-known episodes could be mentioned the following: the complete annihilation of Armenian civilian population in the village of Maragha in Nagorno-Karabakh, the ethnic purges of Armenians in Nakhijevan Autonomous Region, in the Azerbaijan SSR, the pogrom and massacre of Armenians in Sumgait (February 26-29, 1988), Kirovabad (November 21-27, 1988), and Baku (January 13-19, 1990), the killings of civilian population in Stepanakert, fired at by facilities Grad from Shushi and Khojaly. The 2016 April aggression by Azerbaijan in Karabakh and barbaric killing of civilians (including elderly and children), as well as decapitating of captured or killed Karabakhi Armenian soldiers are a sad attestation of the continuation of fierce mass hatred in Azerbaijan, incited and promoted on the top level.





The question is not whether the events that happened to the population of Khojaly were a tragedy, but of what really happened there, and who is responsible for this tragedy.

In the midst of Karabakh war in 1992 the blockaded Stepanakert, the capital of Nagorno-Karabakh was daily exposed to a relentless artillery fire from the nearby Azerbaijani firing positions. One of these positions was the village of Khojaly, located next to the only airport in the region, capable of providing a link between Karabakh and the outside world. The capture of Khojaly by the Karabakhi Armenian forces was the only way to break the blockade and achieve salvation from the artillery fire, cold and hunger imposed by Azerbaijan to eliminate the people of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Both the authorities and the population of the village had been informed about the upcoming attack and about the existence of the humanitarian corridor for the unhindered exit of the population in the direction of Aghdam controlled by the armed forces of Azerbaijan. Those residents who used this humanitarian corridor were able to reach the Azerbaijani positions. The part of the population which remained in the village did not suffer significant losses during the military operation either and got under the protection of Karabakhi Armenian forces and later on was safely evacuated. The killing of civilians occurred not in the Khojaly and its immediate vicinity, but on the outskirts of Aghdam territory, which were under the control not of Karabakhi, but Azerbaijani armed forces.

[Then] Azerbaijani President Ayaz Mutalibov himself questioned the validity of claims that Armenian stood behind this tragedy. ...the corridor, by which people could escape, had nonetheless been left by the Armenians. So, why did they have to open fire? Especially in the area around Aghdam, where there was sufficient force at that time to get help to the people. (Ayaz Mutalibov, then President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Nezavisimaya Gazeta, 02.04.1992)

Khojaly residents themselves insist that they did use the corridor and that the Armenian soldiers, on the other side of the corridor, did not open fire. Some soldiers from the Azerbaijani Popular Front evacuated some of the Khojaly residents in the direction of the village of Nakhijevanik  I have no idea why since it was under the control of the Armenian Askeran Battalion at the time. Others were caught in artillery fire in the area around Aghdam. (Eynulla Fatullayev, Azerbaijani Journalist, the newspaper Realny Azerbaijan, April 2005)

And such evidences of the representatives of Azerbaijan, as well as other countries are sufficient to conclude that the inhabitants of Khojaly had become the victims of power struggle in Baku and are being used for propaganda purposes.

If you are interested to learn more about Aghdam killings we include a booklet as well as request you to visit the website http://xocali.net

Nothing can justify the attempts to use tragedies for the propaganda purposes, especially by the side which is responsible for that.

We appeal to refrain from getting entangled in the Azerbaijani distortion of history. Invented victimization and dehumanization of Armenians, currently underway in Azerbaijan, are not means to support the peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. All our efforts and resources should be directed at building sustainable peace, and not inciting hatred through propaganda.

Baltic-Armenian Alliance 
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 21, ARMENPRESS. The new Law on Drugs toughened the import of unregistered drugs to Armenia, Acting Head of the State Health Inspectorate of the Healthcare Ministry Samvel Purtoyan said at a meeting with reporters, reports Armenpress.

He said the penalties were further increased.

Hakob Topchyan  Director of Scientific Center of Drug and Medical Technologies Expertise after academician E. Gabrielyan CJSC, said the old Law on drugs needed update and was not in accordance with todays demands. The new Law on Drugs will not lead to increase in prices. It will regulate and control the circulation of drugs, he said.

Referring to the discharge of prescription drugs, Topchyan said 40% of 4500 registered drugs in Armenia are prescription drugs.

The procedure, form of prescription is already ready and it will be applied after the Governments respective decision, he said.

The new Law on Drugs was put into circulation on December 15, 2016.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 21, ARMENPRESS. Foreign Ministers Edward Nalbandian and Yun Byung-se on February 21 exchanged messages on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Armenia and Republic of Korea, press service of the Armenian MFA told Armenpress.

The Armenian Minister said in his message that a firm partnership has been formed between Armenia and Republic of Korea in the last quarter century and mutually beneficial cooperation has been established. Edward Nalbandian expressed hope that it would be possible to reveal through joint efforts the entire potential of cooperation between the two states and further expand the friendly ties.

In his message FM Yun Byung-se said the relations between the two countries have developed steadily, particularly, in trade and investment spheres. He expressed readiness to continue the close cooperation with Armenias FM aimed at further expanding the cooperation between the two states by including new prospective directions.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 21, ARMENPRESS. Matevosyan family living in Stepanakert told EUobserver about the details of massacres committed against Armenians in Sumgait 29 years ago, stating that the April events in Karabakh showed that the situation hasnt changed, reports Armenpress.

Karen Matevosyan tells about the events that took place in February 1988. I saw a naked girl running through the field. The men surrounded her and started beating her, punching and kicking her. They kept kicking her even after she was dead. I saw this with my own eyes, he said.

EUobserver writes that events, which Matevosyan called three day of hell, give an insight why reconciliation between Armenians and Azerbaijanis remains so hard. I cant forgive and forget what they did. Azerbaijanis are still killers and animals, he said, wiping his tears.

Matevosyan said everything had been normal two days earlier, he was working with his Azerbaijani friends, however, everything changed on February 26. He said groups of bandits appeared in the streets chanting Death to Armenians. He said the men and boys, some as young as 15, appeared to be drunk or on drugs.

They must have been given lists because they knew exactly where we [Armenian people] lived. It was prepared in advance. They beat people in the street. They threw their belongings out of the windows into the courtyards and set them on fire. We were hiding at home waiting to die. We couldnt call for help because the phone lines had been cut. I had to hold my sons mouth closed to stop him from crying because we were afraid that if he made a noise then they would find us, he said as quoted by EUobserver.

On February 29 a mob entered their building and started attacking the residents on the second and third floors. When the Russian soldiers appeared on the streets, the Azerbaijanis escaped. That day I was two minutes away from losing my life, Karen Matevosyan said.

The Russian troops let him take only the necessary things and took him out from Sumgait. Karen clearly remembers the face and words of a Russian officer: As a soldier, Im instructed to tell you that the situation is calm and that you can go back home, but as a human being, after seeing all that blood on the asphalt, I must tell you that I wouldnt stay here a minute longer because the situation could change again.

Matevosyan, who served as a soldier in the 1990s, remembers how his co-servicemen captured 10 Azerbaijani soldiers during the war. They brought the soldiers to me since they knew I was from Sumgait. They told me I can do with them everything I want, however, when I looked at them, I understood that I couldn't do anything, Matevosyan said, stating that the war has never been between peoples. During the Soviet times we were friends. I don't think that the Azerbaijanis have ever wanted a war, and I dont think that they need Nagorno Karabakh. It is the state of Azerbaijan that wants this war for some political reasons, he said.

He informed that recently he found some of his school friends on the internet. One of them lives in Baku. I found him and we chatted for two days, and then he said: Sorry I cant stay in touch with you any more since its dangerous for me to speak with an Armenian, Matevosyan told EUobserver.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 21, ARMENPRESS. General Vicar of the Armenian Patriarch of Istanbul Aram Ateshian will arrive to the Holy See on February 23, Armenpress reports Istanbul-based Zhamanak daily informs.

According to the periodical, Head of the Armenian Diocese of Germany Archbishop Garegin Bekchian arrived on February 20, while Chairman of the Clerical Assembly of Istanbul Bishop Sahak Mashalyan arrived to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin in the morning of February 21. The three top clerics will have an opportunity to have a sincere discussion over the situation with elections of the Patriarch of Istanbul, writes the periodical.

Chairman of the Clerical Assembly of the Armenian Patriarchate in Istanbul Bishop Sahak Mashalian announced on February 13 about his resignation, informing that General Vicar Aram Ateshian is to blame for his decision. Mashalian released a letter explaining his steps, noting that he made the decision on February 13 due to Ateshians behavior during the Clerical Assembly meeting. He also informed that he does not want to bid for Patriarchy and plans to leave Istanbul.

The crisis of relations between Ateshian and Mashalyan is overcome. Both of them will continue their tenures.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 21, ARMENPRESS. The Foreign Ministry of Armenia has released the statement of Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian on the constitutional referendum in Artsakh. As Armenpress was informed from the press service of the MFA Armenia, the statement runs as follows,

The referendum held on February 20 is yet another evidence of the determination of the people of Artsakh to organise their public life by democratic processes. The current Constitutional Referendum is aimed at choosing the system of governance that the people of Nagorno-Karabakh consider more relevant to their needs.

It is commendable that more than hundred international observers representing three dozen countries assessed the Referendum as well organized, transparent and in line with international standards.



The exercise of fundamental freedoms is a universal right that cannot be subject to limitations. For quarter of a century Nagorno-Karabakh conducts processes inherent to democratic societies and there is no doubt that the people of Artsakh have certainly gained the right to live according to the same universal values that the free democratic world enjoys.



Once again the people of Artsakh demonstrated that their will to build democratic society is irreversible notwithstanding all odds of continuous use of force and threat of force, economic blockade and other hostile actions perpetrated by Azerbaijan. It does not come as a surprise that the ongoing democratic processes in Artsakh are met with such an extreme discontent in Azerbaijan - a country notorious with its human rights violations.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 21, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia, Chairman of the National Security Council Serzh Sargsyan convened a National Security Council meeting on February 21.

As Armenpress was informed from the press service of the Armenian presidents Office, in the sidelines of the meeting the President of the Constitutional Court of Armenia, Chairman of the Professional Commission for the Constitutional Reforms Gagik Harutyunyan reported to the Security Council on the guarantees of legal security in the country, legal issues for ensuring the realization of the Constitutional amendments and the activities of the mentioned Professional Commission.

In his report Gagik Harutyunyan highlighted the issue of guaranteeing legal security and considered it as an urgent one for all the countries moving towards a legal state and based on comprehensive examination of the best international practice presented the key approaches that could serve as the basis for the development of the concept of a legal state in our country and its implementation. Stating that this is the first time this issue is referred to in such a comprehensive way, the Chairman of the Professional Commission noted that the future steps will greatly contribute to the creation of firm guarantees for a constitutional democracy in Armenia.

The President of the Republic issues a number of instructions over the legislative initiatives.

In the sidelines of the second issue on the agenda of the NSC, Minister - Chief of Armenian Government Staff Davit Harutyunyan provided the participants of the meeting with information on the preparatory works of ensuring the technical equipment for the parliamentary elections of April 2, 2017.
Kabul, Feb 21 (IBNS): At least seven ISIS militants have been killed in the ongoing Shaheen 25 offensive, launched by the Afghanistan government, local Khaama Press reported.

The killings took place in the past 24 hours in Nangarhar province of the country.

Two ISIS militants also suffered injuries during the raid.

The terrorist group is yet to comment on the loss.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 21, ARMENPRESS. The Foreign Ministry of Nagorno Karabakh Republic (Artsakh) has issued a statement that the development of a democratic statehood in Artsakh is an unalterable process and the reluctance of Azerbaijan to recognize this fact through denial of the right to self-determination realized by the people of Artsakh is an attempt to return to the past, which is doomed to failure. As Armenpress was informed from the press service of NKR MFA, the statement reads as follows,

On 20 February 2017, a national referendum on a new draft Constitution was held in the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh Republic). The turnout has been 76, 44 per cent of the registered voters, of which 87, 6 per cent supported the adoption of the new Constitution. Around 100 international observers from 30 countries monitored the voting process and positively assessed the organization and conduct of the referendum noting their transparency and compliance with international standards.

The new Constitution is to continue the traditions of state building enshrined in the first constitution, further strengthen the sovereignty of the country, and promote human rights and the rule of law, to improve public administration, enroot the independent judiciary and reform the local self-government. A key innovation was the increase of direct participation of citizens in public affairs by providing them with the right to legislative initiative, as well as on proposing amendments to the Constitution.

The referendum on 20 February has become another act of expression of will by the people of Artsakh, in exercising their right to determine their own future, as enshrined in fundamental international documents.

The attempts of Baku to suppress by all means, including military, this inherent right of the people of Artsakh, lead to the outbreak of the armed conflict. It remains a major source of persistent tension in the region and the reason for the lack of progress in the settlement of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict.

The democratic development of Artsakh's statehood is an irreversible process. Reluctance of Azerbaijan to recognize this fact through denial of the right to self-determination realized by the people of Artsakh is an attempt to return to the past, which is doomed to failure.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 21, ARMENPRESS. Chairman of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Head of Armenian delegation to Euronest PA Artak Zakaryan has presented details on a number of working sessions of the Assembly in Kiyev.

Armenpress reports MP Artak Zakaryan posted on his Facebook page that 2-day sessions with the participation of the Heads of Delegations took place at Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Kiev.

Artak Zakaryan informed that a number of innovative solutions were discussed, as well as some key amendments of the charter. The Heads of all the Delegations unanimously informed the Azerbaijani delegation (which for some unknown reasons was represented by the head of delegation and other MPs, AzTV reporters) about the gentlemen's agreement. Resolutions, reports or other proposals on Artsakh conflict will no longer be submitted or discussed at the Euronest, Zakaryan wrote.

According to him, during the last 6 years the Azerbaijani delegation and lobbyists supporting them from eastern and European countries have regularly tried to come to Euronest with documents or formulations inadmissible for Armenia but they all have been foiled by the efforts of the Armenian delegation (the Armenian delegation even wracked an entire report due to just one inadmissible word in 2011).

The Euronest PA gradually turned into a confrontation platform between Armenia and Azerbaijan (the Azerbaijanis tried to initiate resolutions on Sarsang Reservoir, occupation of Artsakh, Khojaly, as well as tried to submit reports on territorial integrity, refugees and IDPs, withdrawal of troops, etc). Artak Zakaryan informed that at the proposal of the Armenian delegation in March 2016 during the plenary session in the Brussels (the Azerbaiajni delegation was boycotting the session back then) a gentlemans agreement was reached. Yesterday and today we informed the Azerbaijani parliamentarians about that who silently accepted the agreement. Lets see how they will behave in the future. The next Euronest plenary session will take place in October, 2017 in Kiev, Zakaryan stressed.

Zakaryan also thanked his colleagues for the productive works at the Euronest.

I would like to specially highlight the invaluable contribution and efforts of late Vahan Hovhannisyan for the establishment of the Euronest, Zakaryan concluded.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 21, ARMENPRESS. A number of representatives of the Armenian community in Turkey have sent a letter to the Catholicos of all Armenians ahead of the meeting between General Vicar of Armenian Patriarch in Istanbul Aram Ateshian and the Chairman of the Clerical Assembly of Istanbul Sahak Mashalyan scheduled at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin to be chaired by Karekin II. Armenpress reports Istanbul-based Agos periodical has published the letter presented bellow.

For 8 years the Patriarchal seat of Istanbul has been vacant. A number of Church and community representatives delayed the elections for their personal interests. We submit this phenomenon to your attention with a letter containing over 5000 signatures. Its a pity we have received no response from the Mother See so far.

Several negative incidents occurred during the last 8 years. Archbishop Aram Ateshian appointed by the state in contradiction with our traditions acts with Patriarchal powers irrespective of the peoples will and in an unreasonable manner. Aram Ateshian, deprived of the quality of a leader, and with negligence towards the victims of the Genocide of 1915, has left deep wounds in the spirits of those feeling that grief in their hearts. Our sole consolation is to see how April 24 commemoration events take place in various cities of Turkey even with our defeated posture. The Patriarchy, which is a place intended for solving problems, has itself become problematic. The clerics are unable to resist pressures and become part of the sin. As a result, the link between the Armenian community and its Church has dimmed. The religious community deprived of its leader gradually extinguishes. Finally, the people have no more patience, which has induced people to conduct protests in front of the Patriarchy.

Your Holiness, after numerous challenges we are on the threshold of Patriarchal elections. We know that there are some people who even in this stage will attempt to foil the election, but we are confident. We well understand that an elected Patriarch is not only the leader of the Church, but also the representative of the Armenian of Turkey in front of the State. We hail with satisfaction your intervention (though with some delay) in the disagreement within our Church. We, Armenians in Turkey, have taken a decision to solve our problems on our own. For the sake of fair and transparent Patriarchal elections we kindly ask you to demand Aram Ateshians resignation from the post of the Vicar. We once again underline that we do not elect a religious person to lead the Church community, but someone who will represent the entire Armenian community in front of the state and the law. You have encouraged us by your problem solving efforts.
Verizon's purchase of Yahoo will end the internet pioneer's run of more than 20 years as an independent company

Yahoo slashed the price of its core Internet business in the sale to Verizon by $350 million following a pair of major data breaches at Yahoo, the two companies announced Tuesday.

Under revised terms of the delayed deal, Verizon's purchase the Yahoo assets will now total $4.48 billion. Yahoo still faces probes and lawsuits related to the cyber attacks, which affected more than 1.5 billion accounts.

The transaction had been setback due to the hacks.

Yahoo announced in September that hackers in 2014 stole personal data from more than 500 million of its user accounts. It admitted in December to another cyber attack, this one dating from 2013 and affecting more than a billion users.

Under the terms of the revised sales agreement, Yahoo will continue to cover the cost of a Securities and Exchange Commission probe into the breaches as well as shareholder lawsuits.

However, other government investigations and third-party litigation related to the hacks will be shared by Verizon and Yahoo.

"We have always believed this acquisition makes strategic sense," said Verizon executive vice president Marni Walden.

"We look forward to moving ahead expeditiously so that we can quickly welcome Yahoo's tremendous talent and assets into our expanding portfolio in the digital advertising space."

Yahoo is selling its main operating business as a way to separate that from its more valuable stake in Chinese internet giant Alibaba, which will become a new entity, to be renamed Altaba, Inc., and will act as an investment company.

The deal with Verizon was expected to close by July, and will end Yahoo's run of more than 20 years as an independent company.

Prices of Yahoo shares rose slightly more than 0.3 percent to $45.26 in early afternoon trading, while Verizon gained nearly half a percent to $49.43.

- Epic hacks -

Yahoo is ramping up security as it grapples with the aftermath of the epic hacks.

Mayer said last month that "approximately 90 percent of our daily active users have already taken or do not need to take remedial action to protect their accounts, and we're aggressively continuing to drive this number up."

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Yahoo boasted having more than a billion users monthly in 2016, with more than 650 million of those people connecting from mobile devices.

The SEC reportedly opened an investigation into whether Yahoo should have informed investors sooner about two major data breaches.

US law requires companies that fall victim to such hacks to disclose them as soon as they are deemed to affect stock prices.

The hacks have been a major embarrassment for a former internet leader that has failed to keep up with Google, Facebook and other rising stars.

Yahoo's most recent earnings report showed the company swung to profit in the final three months of last year, after a massive $4.4 billion loss in the same period of 2015.

Yahoo reported a loss of $214 million for 2016 on revenue that inched up to $5.2 billion from $5 billion in 2015.

Mayer will quit the company's board after its merger with Verizon, according to an SEC filing, though she is expected to remain with the core Yahoo business.

"We continue to be very excited to join forces with Verizon and AOL," Mayer said in a joint release.

"This transaction will accelerate Yahoo's operating business especially on mobile, while effectively separating our Asian asset equity stakes."
This article originally ran in the February 2016 issue of AVN magazine. Click here to see the digital edition.

Growing up, Tony Dimarco was always a big fan of Falcon movies. He remembers seeing Spokes early on and how it left an indelible impression, specifically the hot male cyclist orgy in a barn. Little did he know at the time, but he would have a hand in continuing the legacy of the iconic series that started in 1983.

For me, it gave me permission to fantasize. My favorite scene would have to be the orgy in the first Spokes and the orgy in Spokes III with Mason Wyler. Both were kind of dirty, raw and cathartic. Back in the day, watching guys like Dick Fisk and Lee Ryder was a dream come true to a young gay man growing up in New Jersey. Its an honor to have a chance to be a part of the Spokes legacy.

He helmed the fourth entry in the seriesUrban Spokes, released earlier this yearfollowing two other sequels: Spokes II: The Graduation (1988) and Spokes III (2006), each installment featuring a cream-of-the-crop cast representative of its era.

When coming up with ideas for movies, you never know when an idea will click and do great or when it will fail. Its a gamble, and sometimes an idea will strike a chord with people. I think thats what the original Spokes did, Dimarco says. It spawned so many sequels and was successful partly because of the simple concept: perpetually horny, well-built guys with big cocks who ride and love to fuck. I think it endured at Falcon for all these years for those reasons. Plus, the tight-fitting biking outfits left little to the imagination. Actually, maybe thats it  the tight biker shorts. That could be the reason why everyone loves it.

Dimarco notes that Falcon Studios Group President Tim Valenti wanted to do something special to commemorate the studios 45th anniversary. Instead of doing a one-time anniversary party to celebrate the milestone, he wanted to do something bigger and better.

And what better way to celebrate an enduring legacy than to pay homage to it, Dimarco says. He thought, Lets re-imagine the classics, make them new again and open them to a new audience. Chris Ward resurrected The Other Side of Aspen with part VI in 2014, but Spokes is the first to celebrate the 45th anniversary. Theres another film in the works with an original Falcon director slated to direct, but we cant reveal the details just yet.

Hot House is also getting in on the fun, resurrecting its Skuff series (more on that next month). As for Urban Spokes, Dimarco had the idea to do a cyclist-themed movie for some time, and the anniversary presented the perfect opportunity. Because the times and technology have changed a lot since the original film, it gave him lots of room to explore.

Besides, the fascination with cyclists is something that hasnt gone out of style. Cyclists have adapted and changed slightly with each new generation. I think thats why the legacy of Spokes can continue, Dimarco adds. When you look at what turns us on, its oftentimes what we observe around us in our daily lives. Who hasnt passed a hot bike rider on the side of the road peddling and didnt have a few dirty thoughts? The guy struggling hard to get up that hill, breathing heavy, his muscles pushing against those tight-fitting biker shorts  you think, What would it be like to have sex with him? I think many have had those fantasies, and the Spokes films allows us to explore those.

For the latest installment, the director wanted to take it off the county side roads and barns and bring it into an urban setting.

Theres an element of excitement and danger to riding in a city populated with cars and touristsand also beautiful views. ... To put it on the streets and hills was a nice change of pace, and of course it was fitting to film in San Francisco, the birthplace of Falcon Studios. We wanted to honor that, too. It was so special that we could film it here.

Dimarco says that he has always wanted to do a film based on urban bike messengers, so it made perfect sense. The city setting afforded him the ability to feature a wide array of cyclists and make it more moderndaily commuters, bike messengers and speed cyclists all meshing together. He watched only a little bit of the older films to see what he could pull from them.

I didnt want it to influence me too much, since I wanted to create a new vision of the original concept. We worked with Jack Shamama to write the script. We paid homage to the originalthe speech that Trenton Ducati gives at the induction ceremony is the exact speech that Lee Ryder gives in the first Spokes. It was kind of cool that we were able to include that.

Dimarco notes it was fun working with porn legend mr. Pam on the production, who lightened things up and served as a nice yin to his more serious yang. He was also excited to work with new performers like Griffin Barrows, Connor Patricks and Rod Peterson along with standout exclusives J.J. Knight and Ryan Rose. Add to the mix A-list porn veterans Trenton Ducati and exclusive Brent Corrigan, and it made for a memorable shoot.

And to top it off we got to shoot with a drone  so cool! Dimarco says. There were a lot of great memories on set, but I have to say for me shooting the orgy in the warehouse was a highlight.

Yet another homage to the original thats certain to have fans along for the ride.

Click here for a gallery with more images.
TORONTO, ON--(Marketwired - February 21, 2017) - ECN Capital Corp. (ECN.TO) ("ECN Capital" or "the Company"), one of North America's leading commercial finance companies, today announced that it has entered into an agreement with PNC Financial Services Group (PNC) to sell the Company's US Commercial and Vendor (C&V) Finance business for cash proceeds of approximately US$ 1.253 billion. PNC will purchase ECN Capital's US C&V Finance business which includes approximately US$1.075 billion of total assets.

As part of the transaction, PNC has agreed to offer employment to all of ECN Capital's US C&V Finance employees and to retain the lease on the existing office in Horsham, Pennsylvania. The transaction is subject to customary approvals and is expected to close by early April 2017.

"Over the last five years, ECN Capital has built market-leading platforms in Canada and the United States in both rail finance and in commercial and vendor finance," said Steven Hudson, ECN Capital's Chief Executive Officer. "The process of selling our US C&V Finance operations, which was led by ECN Capital's Chief Operating Officer Jim Nikopoulos, began last year and has culminated in a transaction that will enable this business to continue producing quality growth and strong returns under the ownership of one of the leading banks in the U.S.," added Mr. Hudson.

"This all-cash transaction, which has the support of ECN Capital's lending syndicate, requires minimal third-party approvals and is expected to strengthen our balance sheet, reduce leverage, substantially increase our tangible book value, and maintain our investment grade ratings," said Jim Nikopoulos, ECN Capital's Chief Operating Officer.

"As stewards of capital, we have acted in the best interests of our stakeholders with respect to this transaction," commented Mr. Hudson.

Macquarie Capital acted as lead financial advisor on the transaction for ECN Capital, together with assistance from Morgan Stanley and BMO Capital Markets. Dechert LLP provided the Company with legal advice in connection with the transaction.

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Analyst Briefing

ECN Capital will host an analyst conference call to discuss the transaction at 8:30 a.m. (Eastern Time) on Tuesday, February 21, 2017. Investors may access the conference call and presentation slides as outlined below:

North America toll-free 1-800-319-8560 passcode 18895

International dial-in numbers http://services.choruscall.ca/public/accessnumbers.html passcode 18895

Presentation slides http://www.ecncapitalcorp.com/investors/presentations

A replay of the conference call will be available until March 21, 2017 by dialing 1-855-669-9658 in North America or +1-604-674-8052 for international calls and entering the passcode 1203.

About ECN Capital Corp.

With total owned and managed assets of $7.5 billion, ECN Capital Corp. (ECN.TO) is one of North America's leading commercial finance companies. ECN Capital operates across North America in three verticals of the equipment finance market (Commercial & Vendor Finance, Rail Finance, and Commercial Aviation Finance).

About PNC

The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. is one of the largest diversified financial services institutions in the United States, organized around its customers and communities for strong relationships and local delivery of retail and business banking; residential mortgage banking; specialized services for corporations and government entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance and asset-based lending; wealth management and asset management. For information about PNC, visit www.pnc.com.

Forward-looking Statements

This release includes forward-looking statements regarding ECN Capital and its business. Such statements are based on the current expectations and views of future events of ECN Capital's management. In some cases the forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as "may", "will", "expect", "plan", "anticipate", "intend", "potential", "estimate", "believe" or the negative of these terms, or other similar expressions intended to identify forward-looking statements, including the closing of the transaction, ECN Capital's intended use of the proceeds from the transaction, the ability of ECN Capital to redeploy capital in the speciality finance market and the strategic advantages, business plans and future opportunities of ECN Capital. The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release may not occur and could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting ECN Capital, including risks regarding the equipment finance industry, economic factors, and many other factors beyond the control of ECN Capital. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Forward-looking statements and information by their nature are based on assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statement or information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements or information. A discussion of the material risks and assumptions associated with this outlook can be found in ECN Capital's amended third quarter 2016 management discussion and analysis which has been filed on SEDAR and can be accessed at www.sedar.com. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements or information. Except as required by applicable securities laws, forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and ECN Capital does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
Amancio Ortega, founder of clothing giant Zara, is seen here. (Town & Country)

While it has been investors in the East that have been the subject of many a headline about their penchant for Canadian real estate, it turns out that their counterparts in the West are also snapping up properties.

According to data reported by The Globe and Mail, foreign buyers doled out a record $5.6 billion on commercial properties last year, according to U.S. commercial real estate firm CBRE Group, $950 million of which came from the Europe.

The majority of foreign investors were based in Asia, but a large part of the deals were hotel and office building acquisitions by financial groups such as Chinas Anbang.

The insurer has gone on a high-profile property-buying spree, swallowing up the likes of New Yorks Waldorf Astoria, a US$6.5-billion acquisition of Strategic Hotels and Resorts, as well as a 30-storey tower occupied by the Government of Ontario in downtown Toronto.

However, according to CBREs research, it appears as though wealthy European investors are also dipping their toes in the Canadian market.

The elite list includes Spains Amancio Ortega, the founder of clothing giant Zara and Germanys Klaus-Michael Kuehne, whose nearly US$10-billion fortune comes from his familys shopping company Kuehne + Nagel.

Ortega has picked up prime real estate in Montreals downtown, while Kuehne acquired Vancouvers highly coveted, 37-storey Royal Centre office tower for about $400 million last year.

Isabelle Hayen, a Belgian real estate investor, also recently bought a two-storey property on Torontos ritzy Mink Mile, which home to the countrys priciest retail rents, and is ripe for redevelopment.

The Globe reports that these wealthy European investors were drawn to Canada because of a number of factors, including the emergence of Toronto and Vancouver as global destinations, with commercial real estate prices that remain significantly below other, larger financial hubs, such as London and New York.

Theres also the Brexit element. CBRE said that many Europeans could be putting money into the Canadian market to hedge their bets, as the future of the European Union remains in question.

Story continues

Geopolitical uncertainty seems to increase on an on an almost daily basis. Against that backdrop, Canada is about as safe a bet as there is on the global scale, Peter Senst, president of CBRE Canada Capital Markets, told The Globe.

Whats clear is Toronto and Vancouver have developed as gateway cities for global investors and we expect this demand to continue into 2017.

In total, CBRE said foreign buyers made up 27 per cent of the $34.7 billion in Canadian commercial real estate transactions last year.

However, it only tracks sales of properties of $10 million or more.

CBRE said the previous record of foreign investment was set in 2008, when buyers from abroad account for 9 per cent of transactions.
Virtual Reality

Understanding Social Immersion, Improving Instructional Design Are Vital to Keeping VR Around

Internationally recognized experts in virtual reality gathered at the 2017 Workshop on Virtual Reality and Immersive Learning.

The Immersive Learning Group at Harvard Universitys Graduate School of Education last month hosted the 2017 Workshop on Virtual Reality and Immersive Learning. International scholars, policy specialists and entrepreneurs convened at the three-day workshop to design a roadmap that will use virtual reality (VR) to improve immersive learning.

During the event, the school signed an agreement with Beijing Normal Universitys Smart Learning Institute (SLI) and NetDragon to collaborate on VR research. Now, the Chinese university can use and develop the schools EcoMUVE software and curriculum, which utilizes virtual environments to teach middle school students about ecosystems and casual patterns.

Among the workshops attendees was Chris Dede, a professor at the Graduate School of Education and a Timothy E. Wirth Professor in Learning Technologies, who began working with VR more than 25 years ago. He received a grant from the National Science Foundation and built some very early VR models for learning in the 90s. Then, he shifted over to multi-user virtual environments in 1999 and began building and studying those. In 2005, he started building mixed realities (MR). Having obtained quite a bit of field experience over the years, Dede was approached by NetDragon, a major online gaming company in China that started moving into the education market about four years ago.

For the last year, Dede and his colleagues had discussed the idea of hosting a conference to bring together some of the topics surrounding VR and learning from around the world to assess where things are right now, as well as to develop a research agenda for the future. With NetDragons sponsorship, they were able to bring in experts from Spain, Great Britain, Germany, China and other parts of the United States, Jan. 13-15.

A select few were invited to collaborate on an upcoming book titled Virtual, Augmented, and Mixed Realities in Education, which will be published later this year. Among the key items on the research agenda, according to Dede, is understanding the social immersion that can come from VR and MR. Nicole Kramer, a professor at the University of Cologne in Germany who is an expert on the social dimensions in immersion, discussed the different ways that VR and MR can be socially immersive. Panelists also talked about pedagogical agents of different kinds that can be part of VR and act as digital mentors for students who still feel a sense of social engagement even though they know theyre computer-based engagements, or people in avatar form, Dede explained.

In addition, panelists talked about the advancements with virtual makerspaces. We know that makerspaces are becoming very popular, both pre-college and for college students, but typically makerspaces are where people are physically co-located, said Dede. The concept of being virtually co-located but physically distributed I think is a very interesting one, and VR and immersive technology give people the sense of being in a shared space together even when theyre not physically there.
Opposition lawmakers in the House of Representatives on Tuesday scored the leadership's plan to railroad the death penalty bill by bypassing the plenary debate and putting the bill to a vote next week.





In a press conference at the House of Representatives, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said a "train terminal has been installed menacingly in the plenary hall of the House of Representatives" due to the planned railroad of House Bill 4727 seeking to restore the death penalty on Feb. 28.





Lagman said the leadership led by Majority Leader Rodolfo "Rudy" Farinas wanted to railroad the bill following opposition from lawmakers who constantly questioned the quorum during sessions in a bid to block the prompt passage of the bill.





"The advance voting was a reaction to the quorum calls of those objecting to the retrogressive measure," Lagman said.





Lagman said the Lower House could not act on passing the death penalty bill on Feb. 28 if there is no quorum in the plenary.





"It is a puzzle why the House leadership gets peeved when the absence of a quorum is raised considering that under the Rules no business can be conducted in the absence of a quorum," Lagman said.





Lagman said moving to adjourn the session due to absence of a quorum is permitted in the Rules of the House, under Article 75 of Rule XI as a legitimate parliamentary motion.





"It is the duty of the House leadership to maintain a quorum after the roll call is held in order to assure that the interpellations and debates would continue," Lagman said.





Asked why the House leadership is rushing the passage of such a controversial measure just less than a month after it reached the plenary for debates, Lagman said the leadership is railroading the bill because it is not confident with its numbers to pass it.





"If they are acting this way, they don't have the numbers," Lagman said.





Lagman scored the leadership for rushing the bill while muzzling the opposition by putting a deadline for the plenary debates.





"They appear omnipotent. When we use the rules legitimately it's like they are the ones peeved. I cannot understand why we should rush the voting on this very important although retrogressive measure," Lagman said.





Lagman said this is the 1st time in Congress' history to stifle the brewing opposition on any legislation in the House of Representatives.





"This kind of muzzling has not happened before. This is a way of continuing the culture of violence because suppressing freedom of expression is a form of violence," Lagman said.





For his part, Akbayan Rep. Tom Villarin said the leadership is railroading the bill fearful that it would not be passed once President Rodrigo Duterte's political capital erodes.





Duterte faces anew the issue of his involvement in death squads when he was Davao city mayor as divulged by his former right-hand man SPO3 Arturo Lascanas, who claimed Duterte ordered the death squad to kill criminals and his vocal critics, including broadcaster Jun Pala.





"Maybe by the 2nd year of the Duterte presidency, his political capital would go down. That is the only pragmatic and political reason on why they want to rush this bill. Right to life cuts across sectors," Villarin said.





On Monday, Farinas said that the House majority agreed to limit the offenses punishable with death to drug-related offenses, plunder and treason.





He said that mere possession of illegal drugs has been removed from the drug-related offenses in the bill.





According to the original version of the bill, the following are punishable with death under the Revised Penal Code - treason, qualified piracy, qualified bribery, parricide, murder, infanticide, rape, kidnapping and serious illegal detention, robbery with homicide, rape, intentional mutilation or arson and destructive arson.





The following offenses under the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act are also punishable with death - importation; sale, trading, administration, dispensation, delivery, distribution and transportation; maintenance of a den, dive or resort; manufacture; possession of certain quantities of dangerous drugs; cultivation; unlawful prescription; misappropriation or failure to account confiscated, seized or surrendered dangerous drugs; and planting of evidence.





Carnapping is also a criminal offense punishable with death under the Anti-Carnapping Act or Republic Act 6539.





Plunder is also punishable with reclusion perpetua to death according to Republic Act 7080 or the plunder law as amended by Republic Act 7659.





Lawmakers initially wanted to remove plunder from death row, which garnered public backlash compelling Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez to call for plunder as punishable with the death penalty.





Meanwhile, the death penalty bill in the Senate hit a gridlock after senators centered on the country's obligations to the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which under the Second Optional Protocol states that "Each State Party shall take all necessary measures to abolish the death penalty within its jurisdiction."



CBCP to take death penalty bill to SC

The Supreme Court is expected to be the next battleground for the proponents and challengers of the death penalty should lawmakers succeed in railroading the passage of the bill reviving the proposed punishment for heinous crimes.





This developed as an official of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) announced its support for lawmakers expressing opposition to the reimposition of the death penalty.





Rudy Diamante, executive secretary of the CBCP's Commission on Prison Pastoral Care, said the bishops would exhaust all legal means to question the bill once it is enacted into law.





"We will go to the Supreme Court. We will exhaust all legal means available because we believe that it is unconstitutional. It is cruel. It is inhumane," he said in a press forum in Manila on Monday.





Diamante said there were 2 ways to dispute the restoration of death penalty in the high court: having a prisoner sentenced to death question it; or through lawmakers who ratified the Philippines' international treaty obligation against death penalty.





The CBCP official made the statement following the "Walk for Life" prayer rally against the death penalty and extrajudicial killings organized by Catholic lay people on Saturday.





Lawmakers from the House of Representatives are currently holding plenary debates on the bill for the reinstatement of the death penalty, after which they will vote on the measure.





House Majority Floor Leader Rodolfo Farinas Jr. said voting on the death penalty bill would take place on Feb. 28, a few days earlier than the initially agreed March 8 schedule.





This was one of the agreements reached at the nearly three-hour majority caucus meeting, where the lawmakers decided to continue with the plenary debates.





Sought for comment, Akbayan Rep. Tom Villarin said antideath penalty lawmakers like him would "exhaust all parliamentary means to stall this seeming railroad."





"We can't do deadlines when passing this very important measure. Taking away life is not something to be taken lightly nor to be rushed," Villarin said.





The bill is a priority legislation of House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, who vowed to restore the death penalty, one of President Duterte's campaign promises.

 | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com



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Source: newsinfo.inquirer.net, February 21, 2017Source: newsinfo.inquirer.net, February 21, 2017
The trial of over 40 officers and soldiers accused of attempting to assassinate Turkey's president during the July 15, 2016 attempted putsch started on Monday. The case could be a test for the restoration of the death penalty in Turkey.





The trial of more than 40 Turkish soldiers accused of attempting to assassinate President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during last year's failed coup started on Monday.





The defendants were taken under tight security to a courthouse in the southwestern city of Mugla, not far from the luxury resort where Erdogan and his family narrowly escaped the soldiers, fleeing in a helicopter shortly before their hotel was attacked.





Calls for restoration of death penalty





The suspects include Erdogan's former aide-de-camp. They were wearing suits when they were brought from prison to the courthouse. A crowd of some 200 people waved flags and called for their execution.





Turkey abandoned the death penalty in 2002, as part of its bid to join the EU. Since the attempted putsch, calls for its restoration have increased.





"We want the death penalty. Let the hand that tried to harm our chief be broken," said one of the protesters, 61-year-old Zuhal Ayhan, referring to Erdogan. "I'd give my life for him."





Almost all of the accused were soldiers. All those on trial face multiple charges including attempting to assassinate the president, violating the constitution and being members of an armed terrorist organisation.





Crackdown on FETO





More than 240 people were killed during the July 15 failed coup and over 2,000 wounded, when a group of rogue officers and soldiers commandeered tanks, warplanes and helicopters, attacking parliament and attempting to overthrow the government.





Turkey says the coup was orchestrated by US-based Fethullah Gulen and his organisation, which Ankara calls the Fethullah Terrorist Organisation (FETO).





Gulen has lived in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania since 1999, and denies any involvement in the attempted coup. Turkey is seeking Gulen's extradition to stand trial.





The government accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.





Since the failed coup, more than 40,000 people have been arrested and more than 100,000 have been sacked or suspended from the military, civil service and private sector in Turkey's bid to eradicate FETO.





The government says the measures are necessary, given the security threat.





Turkey launched its 1st criminal trial related to the coup attempt in December and more trials are expected.

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Source: trtworld.com, February 21, 2017
The bill to repeal Wyoming's Death Penalty is no longer being taken under consideration in the Legislature's House.





House Bill 240 (HB 240), sponsored by Representative Marti Halverson proposed a complete repeal of Wyoming's death penalty law.





"I'm pretty adamantly opposed to the death penalty, so I thought that this [House Bill 240] was great." UW Professor of Philosophy Edward Sherline said.





According to the Wyoming Constitution, a person convicted of murder in the 1st degree can be punished by death, life imprisonment without parole or life imprisonment, with the exception of persons under the age of 18, who will not be given the death penalty. The present form of execution in Wyoming is death by lethal injection.





Representative Mark Baker, co-sponsor of HB 240, said that as of Feb. 15, the bill did not meet the cut-off date and is indefinitely postponed for the session.





Sherline said the death penalty has not had a significant impact on Wyoming, however, he still opposes it. The last person to be executed in Wyoming was Mark Hopkinson in 1992 and the last person sentenced to death row was Dale Wayne Eaton in 2004.





Since 2014 Judge Alan B. Johnson has overturned Eaton's sentencing on the grounds that Eaton received poor representation, which was due to the Wyoming Public Defender's office's lack of funding. At this time no one is on death row in Wyoming or being tried for the death penalty, according to the Death Penatly Information Center's website.





"I wouldn't have cared otherwise, how would it affect me?" Brian Halsey, a Political Science and History student at UW said. "It [the death penalty] doesn't dictate my everyday life so why should I worry about it? In Wyoming it is okay because it won't really be used in a state with a population of 500,000."





A bill was considered in the 2015 session to replace the state's backup method of execution. The bill would have replaced the gas chamber with a firing squad as an alternative in the event that lethal injection is not available.





A bill to eliminate the death penalty will not be considered this year, however, this may still be a step in that direction.





"Maybe this is just the 1st step in the door." Sherline said.

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Source: The (Univ. Wyo.) Branding Iron, February 20, 2017


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DURHAM, N.C. - Forest elephant populations in one of Central Africa's largest and most important preserves have declined between 78 percent and 81 percent because of poaching, a new Duke University-led study finds.

"Our research suggests that more than 25,000 elephants in Gabon's Minkebe National Park may have been killed for their ivory between 2004 and 2014," said John Poulsen, assistant professor of tropical ecology at Duke's Nicholas School of the Environment.

"With nearly half of Central Africa's estimated 100,000 forest elephants thought to live in Gabon, the loss of 25,000 elephants from this key sanctuary is a considerable setback for the preservation of the species," he said.

While some of the poaching originated from within Gabon, findings from the new study indicate that cross-border poaching by hunters from neighboring nations -- chiefly Cameroon to the north -- largely drove the precipitous decline.

Poulsen and his colleagues published their peer-reviewed findings Feb. 20 in the journal Current Biology.

They estimated the extent of the population losses by comparing data from two large-scale surveys of elephant dung in Minkebe National Park from 2004 and 2014, using two different analytic methods to account for periods of heavy rainfall that might speed the dung's decay and skew the surveys' accuracy.

"Based on changes in the abundance and geographic distribution of the dung, we identified two fronts of poaching pressure," Poulsen said.

"Elephant numbers in the south of the park, which is 58 kilometers from the nearest major Gabonese road, have been somewhat reduced," he said. "By comparison, the central and northern parts of the park -- which, at one point, are just 6.1 kilometers from Cameroon's national road -- have been emptied."

The proximity of this road makes it relatively easy for Cameroonese poachers to access the park and transport their illegal haul back to their nation's largest city, Douala, a major hub of the international ivory trade.

Since 2011, the Gabonese government has taken major steps to curb poaching in Minkebe, Poulsen noted. Among other things, they have elevated forest elephants' conservation status to "fully protected," created a National Park Police force, doubled the national park agency's budget, and become the first African nation to burn all confiscated ivory.

These efforts are laudable and may be reducing poaching from within Gabon, Poulsen said, but the new research suggests they have done little to slow the illegal cross-border traffic. "The clock is ticking," he said.

"To save Central Africa's forest elephants, we need to create new multinational protected areas and coordinate international law enforcement to ensure the prosecution of foreign nationals who commit or encourage wildlife crimes in other countries," he said.

"Studies showing sharp declines in forest elephant populations are nothing new," he said, "but a 78 to 81 percent loss in a single decade from one of the largest, most remote protected areas in Central Africa is a startling warning that no place is safe from poaching."

###

Researchers from the National Parks Agency of Gabon, the University of South Florida, the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, the World Wildlife Fund Central Africa Regional Program Office, Gabon's Institute for Tropical Ecology Research, and the University of Stirling conducted the study with Poulsen. Duke-affiliated co-authors were Connie Clark, Amelia Meier, Cooper Rosin, Sarah Moore, Sally Koerner and Vincent Medjibe.

The 2004 and 2014 surveys used in the new study were funded by four agencies: the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the World Wildlife Fund, the Wildlife Conservation Society, and the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora's Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants program.

CITATION: "Poaching Empties Central African Wilderness of Forest Elephants," John R. Poulsen, Sally E. Koerner, Sarah Moore, Vincent P. Medjibe, Stephen Blake, Connie J. Clark, Mark Ella Akou, Michael Fay, Amelia Meier, Joseph Okouyi, Cooper Rosen and Lee J.T. White; Current Biology; Feb. 20, 2017. DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.01.023
Advanced technologies provide researchers with new insights into the warning signs for cardiovascular disease

Screening methods for cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and strokes could be improved by measuring different biological signposts to those currently being tested, a new study led by researchers from King's College London suggests.

Published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, the study could allow doctors to better predict the development of cardiovascular disease at an earlier stage.

The research, which was supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and King's College London, explored the role of a family of proteins called apolipoproteins.

Currently, the main focus is on apolipoprotein A1 (apoA1), the main component of high-density lipoproteins (HDL) or 'good' cholesterol, and apolipoprotein B (apoB), which is present on low-density lipoproteins (LDL) or 'bad' cholesterol.

However, for the first time, researchers have used a technology called mass spectrometry to measure an unprecedented number of apolipoproteins in a population-based study and discovered that another group of apolipoproteins might complement the signposts of good and bad cholesterol: apoE, apoC2 and apoC3.

These apolipoproteins are associated with very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL) and predominantly linked to another type of fat called triglycerides. ApoE, apoC2 and apoC3 have shown a stronger association with cardiovascular disease than apoA1 and apoB, suggesting that currently some of the most predictive apolipoproteins are not measured in patients who may be at risk of cardiovascular disease.

The findings could lead to a change in the way patients all over the world are screened for cardiovascular disease, a condition which affects seven million people and causes more than 160,000 deaths in each year in the UK. It could also pave the way for more personalised treatments.

Lead author of the study Professor Manuel Mayr from King's College London said:

"We directly compared the association of a broad panel of apolipoproteins to new onset of cardiovascular disease over a 10-year observation period, and found that while apoB was predictive, other apolipoproteins, namely apoE, apoC2 and apoC3, were even better.

"These unexpected strong associations of VLDL-associated apolipoproteins with cardiovascular disease provide support to expanding the current measurements of apolipoproteins and to the concept of targeting additional apolipoproteins to reduce risk."

The study identified apoC3 as a prime therapeutic target for lowering VLDL, which might reduce excess cardiovascular risk related to high VLDL.

###

The work was enabled by a long-standing collaboration between researchers from UK, Austria and US and funded by VASCage, an Austrian / UK Research Centre of Excellence in Vascular Ageing, as well as the British Heart Foundation Centre of Research Excellence at King's College London.
By Francesco Guarascio BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union finance ministers agreed on Tuesday to close loopholes multinational corporations use to skip taxation on dividends, part of a drive to stop them from parking profits where they pay the least tax. The new rules, due to go into effect in 2020, should help the EU recoup revenues from companies that cut their tax bills by declaring profits in countries with low or no taxation. Tax-saving schemes used by Apple, Amazon, Google, Starbucks and other companies - all legal under current laws - have raised public pressure for EU-wide rules to close these loopholes. "We have reached a general approach," Finance Minister Edward Scicluna of Malta, which holds the current six-month rotating EU presidency, said after the deal was reached. He called it a "bold step" to reduce these tax differentials, known in EU jargon as hybrid mismatches. "The agreement reached today will ensure that hybrid mismatches of all types cannot be used to avoid tax in the EU, even where the arrangements involve third countries," the EU Commission said in a statement. The deal postponed application of the new rules by one year to January 2020 because some countries noted possible negative consequences on competitiveness if changes were too quick. In some limited cases, the new rules will apply from 2022. Last December, the finance ministers failed to agree on the issue after some of them said a proposal by the then Slovak presidency and backed by Britain would water down the plan.. In a bid to quell multinationals' concerns, Scicluna said there would be new proposals in coming months to make sure that corporations will not pay double taxes under the new system. TAX HAVENS LIST Ministers also found a compromise on the criteria to define a tax haven. Attempts to have a common EU list of "non-cooperative jurisdictions" have so far failed as several EU countries preferred to maintain their own, often empty, listing. But the idea of setting up a common list has gained traction after several revelations of massive tax avoidance in countries such as Panama or the Bahamas. EU sanctions could be imposed on countries on the list. Ministers agreed that countries that apply zero tax rates will not automatically be considered a tax haven, but they will be subject to checks against other criteria, such as their level of cooperation with the EU on tax matters or the existence of off-shore structures in their jurisdictions. "It's welcome that the EU now accepts that a zero percentage tax rate is potentially harmful," said the anti-poverty charity Oxfam. But without a blanket ban on zero tax rates, it added, "Oxfam is worried that the likes of Bermuda and Bahamas might slip through the net". The list should be finalised by the end of this year. So far, letters have been sent to 92 countries, including the United States, to start a screening of practices that could be seen as facilitating tax avoidance. (Reporting by Francesco Guarascio; Editing by Tom Heneghan)
Amsterdam - February 21, 2017 - Intertrust N.V. ("Intertrust" or "the Company") [ticker symbol INTER], the leading global provider of high-value trust, fund and corporate services, announces changes to its Supervisory Board, which will be proposed for adoption at the Annual General Meeting on May 16, 2017.

Bert Groenewegen, member of Intertrust's Supervisory Board and Chairperson of the Audit and Risk Committee since 2015, has decided to step down from the board to focus his time on other professional commitments, as of the Annual General Meeting on May 16, 2017.

The Supervisory Board has nominated Toine van Laack to join the Supervisory Board for a term of four years, subject to regulatory approval and approval by shareholders at the Annual General Meeting on May 16, 2017. Mr. van Laack is expected to succeed Mr. Groenewegen as Chairperson of the Audit and Risk Committee.

Mr. van Laack has a vast amount of international experience in the finance sector. He spent 25 years at Ernst & Young where he held several senior positions including senior audit partner and managing partner for Transaction Advisory Services. More recently, Mr. van Laack held the position of managing director of Janivo Holding B.V., an investment company and family office based in Zeist, The Netherlands. He has also held supervisory positions on various boards including TomTom N.V., LBi N.V. and Nidera B.V..

Helene Vletter-van Dort, Chairperson of Intertrust's Supervisory Board, commented: "We would like to thank Bert for his valuable contribution over the years. We look forward to welcoming Toine and are confident that his extensive experience in risk management, global mergers and acquisitions, and accounting will add value to the board."

David de Buck, CEO of Intertrust also commented: "Bert has been an asset to our Supervisory Board and I wish him well for the future. On behalf of the whole Intertrust team, we look forward to welcoming Toine."

Until Mr. Van Laack's envisaged appointment at the Annual General Meeting on May 16, 2017, he will attend board meetings as an observer. The agenda and notice for the meeting will be available on the Company's website from April 3, 2017.

For further information

Intertrust N.V. annelouise.metz@intertrustgroup.com

Anne Louise Metz Tel: +31 20 577 1157

Director of Investor Relations, Marketing & Communications

About Intertrust

Intertrust is the leading global provider of high-value trust, fund and corporate services, with approximately 2,400 employees located throughout a network of 41 offices in 30 jurisdictions across Europe, the Americas, Asia and the Middle-East. The Company delivers high-quality, tailored services to its clients with a view to building long-term relationships. Intertrust's business services offering is comprised of corporate services, fund services, capital market services, and private wealth services. Intertrust has leading market positions in selected key geographic markets of its industry, including the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Jersey, and the Cayman Islands. Intertrust works with global law firms and accountancy firms, multi-national corporations, financial institutions, fund managers, high net worth individuals and family offices.
Ocean View, Delaware, Feb. 21, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --



The report Power Transmission Components Market Size By Product (Transformers, Circuit Breakers, Isolators, Insulators, Arrestors, Transmission Lines, Transmission Towers), By Voltage Level (132 kV, 220 kV, 440 kV, 660 kV, 765 kV & above), By Current Level (HVDC, HVAC), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., Canada, Mexico, UK, France, Germany, Russia, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Saudi Arabia, UAE, South Africa, Brazil, Argentina, Peru), Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2016  2024 by Global Market Insights, Inc. says Power Transmission Components Market size is poised to cross USD 35 billion by 2024.

Rising investment towards expansion of existing grid infrastructure coupled with growing electricity demand from rural areas will stimulate the power transmission components market share over the forecast period. In 2015, the National Energy Administration of China had released the transmission grid construction and reform plan with the aim to invest USD 280 billion towards the upgradation of UHV, HV and MV transmission lines.

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Increasing adoption of renewable energy including solar, wind, biomass and small hydro will increase the demand for small grid networks, which will drive the positively power transmission components market. Countries including the U.S., UK, China, and India are making significant investments towards the development of microgrid structure to supply electricity across remote areas.

Power transmission components market size from transmission towers segment is set to witness strong growth by 2024. Deployment of multi circuit tower structures by various developed countries including the U.S. and UK to carry long distances overhead lines will favor the business growth. Transformer is predicted to surpass USD 2 billion by 2024. Growing concern towards the upgradation of aging infrastructure will positively impact the business growth.

HVDC is anticipate to reach over USD 7 billion by 2024. Growing investments towards the development of long distance EHV and UHV network on account of safe and reliable electricity will positively drive the power transmission components market share. However, high initial cost may hamper the industry growth.

Browse key industry insights spread across 145 pages with 244 market data tables & 11 figures & charts from this 2017 report Power Transmission Components Market in detail along with the table of contents at:

https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/power-transmission-components-market

For Europe, France power transmission components market size for 2015 was valued over USD 700 million. Growing measures to reduce the frequent blackouts owing to grid failures will stimulate the business growth. In 2016, Government of France announced to build 150-mile undersea transmission network with the aim to provide reliable electricity supply.

China power transmission components market size is anticipated to witness a substantial growth of over 8% over the forecast period. Government of China is inherently working with the private players to enhance the capability of existing grid infrastructure to cater the growing electricity demand. India is predicted to exceed USD 4 billion by 2024. Government of India has introduced numerous initiatives to integrate the state and central grid to achieve single tariff structure. Ongoing program including rural electrification will further complement the business landscape.

Brazil power transmission components market size was valued over USD 1 billion in 2015. In 2016, Brazils non-state-owned company CPFL Energia signed USD 13 billion strategic alliance with the State Grid Corp. of China.

Key industry player includes Eaton, General Electric Company, Hitachi, ABB, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Siemens AG, Schneider Electric, Emerson, Tebian Electric Apparatus Stock, and Toshiba.

Make an inquiry for purchasing this report @ https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/1151

Power transmission components market research report includes in-depth coverage of the industry with estimates & forecast in terms of revenue in USD Million from 2013 to 2024 , for the following segments:

Global Power Transmission Components, By Product

Transformers

Circuit Breakers

Isolators

Insulators

Arrestors

Transmission lines

Transmission towers

Global Power Transmission Components, By Current Level

HVAC

HVDC

Global Power Transmission Components, By Voltage Level

132 kV

220 kV

440 kV

660 kV

765 kV & Above

The above information is provided on a regional and country basis for the following :

North America US Canada Mexico

Europe UK France Germany Russia

Asia Pacific China India Japan South Korea Australia

Middle East & Africa Saudi Arabia UAE South Africa

Latin America Brazil Argentina Peru



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LETHBRIDGE, Alberta, Feb. 21, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Robix Environmental Technologies, Inc. (Robix or the Corporation) (CSE:RZX) (Frankfurt:R0X) (OTC:ROBXF) is pleased to announce that through its subsidiary Corris Technologies Mexico S.A de C.V ("Corris"), Robix has entered into an agreement to lease the C-160 that has been used as a demonstration unit in Tuxpan, Veracruz, Mexico during the past year. The customer ("Ecios & Salida Construcciones Group" or Ecios) has been awarded a remediation contract in the state of Veracruz, and has chosen the C-Series as a key tool in its remediation strategy for this project.

The remediation site, which is near Texistepec, Veracruz has been undergoing various stages of remedial work over the past few years. Since Robix has been in active technology demonstration with both Ecios and other stakeholders, it has been determined that the C-160 is an ideal choice for remediation of this site.

Nathan Hansen, President & CEO of Robix, states: Our ongoing marketing activity, including demonstration of the C-160 with PEMEX officials, has brought us to the attention of customers such as Ecios and we are very pleased with this new business relationship. It demonstrates that containment, recovery and disposal equipment is a practical and needed solution to todays remediation needs. Mr. Hansen added, "I am grateful to our Corris team and our Mexico partners for securing this business relationship. We are looking forward to possible expansion of our C-Series product line and potential water treatment solutions in this remediation project.

Karla Alva-Jorstad, Managing Director of Corris commented: "The remediation of Texistepec lagoon will have a major ecological impact, as it is one of the largest environmental liabilities on the North American continent. The lagoon contamination is a very significant problem and has been a major concern for local communities for several years. Being involved in a project of this magnitude is milestone Robix/Corris history and provides credibility to the Company as an important entity in the environmental protection arena.

About Robix

Robix is focused on the worldwide market for oil containment, recovery and cleaning equipment specifically for the oil spill protection, oil production and water cleaning and purification industries. To that end, Robix has commercialized its C Series Clean Ocean Vessel and the P Series Stationary Platform; both are based on a patented revolutionary oil recovery technology. The C Series is a vessel that recovers oil in rough ocean waters, lakes, rivers and tailings ponds in virtually any conditions. The P Series is an oil recovery platform designed to accelerate oil recovery from settling ponds at production facilities. The Company also offers a suite of Hydro Cycle Water purification and cleaning products.

No stock exchange or any securities regulatory body has reviewed the contents of this news release.
Congratulations on 2 scholarships and 2 admits. Fantastic Job at 25!I rushed to the thread thinking it was easy pickings of Haas full ride vs. Columbia. Of course it is not, and nothing looks as good as we think it does at first. I think the biggest question is now vs. next year. Frankly, getting a top 10 MBA for free is probably as it gets since you can't get Stanford or HBS for free. There have just been 2 somewhat similar discussions by younger applicants in a similar boat: Ross vs. Reapply and Fuqua vs. Reapply. The Ross applicant picked reapply and the Fuqua applicant picked Fuqua this year. The two applicants mostly based their situation and perspectives. Interesting enough, they were both also in a weaker positions (those were the only schools that have accepted them) and how much you think an upside you will get waiting a year, having to go through the process, and deal with your current job.I was in a similar situation and I chose to go to a lower-ranked school with a full scholarship rather than trying my luck the year after. I was just as young - 2.5 years after graduating from undergrad. Here is what I considered as my pros and cons:1. I had to get out of my job - I was sick of it (pretty strong reason to enroll). If i did not enroll, i would likely quit and find a new job; not a great strategy for reapplying. My job was shot - i burned myself out of it.2. I was 24 or 25, so waiting a year seemed like eternity. I did not have much upside in staying.3. MBA + full scholarship has exceeded my expectations (seems you may be in the same boat since you did not apply to higher ranked schools). There was still risk I would not get a scholarship/admit the year after, though it was minor.At the end, i picked to go and not wait. I was impatient and immature and waiting a year would have probably done good to get me a bit more mature so I could get out more from my BSchool experience. However, it did not matter at the end. I would probably still do it the way i did it - i am perfectly happy with how my life and path turned out. I feel it was the right move for me. I think there is a good chance you will get admitted to H/S without a scholarship of course, so is that brand name worth the wait and a $100K? Depends on how much of a brand junkie you are (sounds like you are not, how much money you can afford to spend, and how much potential you have in your job) - that's 3 things to figure out.As to Columbia vs. Haas - it is a big change NYC vs. Berkeley esp for someone from West Coast. If you are planning to stick around CA after graduation, then go to Haas. If you are thinking mid-west or East Coast, then you must go to a school in that region. Haas (for a number of reasons) has very low placement numbers in East Coast and Midwest (in part because nobody wants to freeze their tail in Chicago winds if they don't have to).Congrats! Fantastic Job!P.S. I modified your poll to reflect the third choice._________________
reply2spg wrote:

What is the remainder when the positive integer n is divided by 2?

(1) When n is divided by 5, the remainder is an odd integer.

(2) When n is divided by 10, the remainder is an odd integer.





Contact me for online GMAT math tutoring, or about my higher-level GMAT Quant books and problem sets, at ianstewartgmat at gmail.com



ianstewartgmat.com GMAT Tutor in MontrealContact me for online GMAT math tutoring, or about my higher-level GMAT Quant books and problem sets, at ianstewartgmat at gmail.com Signature Read More

Without testing numbers:First, there are only two remainders possible when you divide n by 2: 0 and 1. The remainder is 0 if n is even, and 1 if n is odd. So the question is really just asking "is n odd?"Remember the quotient/remainder definition. When we divide n by d, we have n = qd + r, where r is the remainder and q the quotient.From S1, n = 5q + r, where r is odd. So n = 5q + odd, and n could be even if q is odd, and n could be odd if q is even. Insufficient.From S2, n = 10q + r where r is odd. So n = even + odd = odd. Sufficient._________________
- Doctors gave a seven-year-old boy in Cape Town just two weeks to live after diagnosing him with cancer that resisted chemotherapy

- However, three weeks later, the boy is still as strong as ever

- His family has called his defiance of cancer a miracle

Three weeks ago, doctors in Cape Town diagnosed a seven-year-old boy with stage 4 of a cancer known as neuroblastoma and gave him just two weeks to live. However, he is still alive and strong and was even seen riding a bicycle on Sunday.

Junaid Arendse and her mom Monique. He has defied cancer odds

PAY ATTENTION: Get all the latest gossips on NAIJ Gossip App

Young Junaid Arendse initially complained of hip pain and his family took him to the hospital for examination. Doctors diagnosed him with cancer and told his family that it had spread to various parts of his body.

They also said it was resistant to chemotherapy and as a result, there was nothing they could do to help Junaid. Junaid's mother and grandmother were distraught at the news and sought prayers from their local church.

READ ALSO: BEAUTIFUL story of six sisters who were saved from pain and suffering (photos)

Junaid is as strong and vibrant as ever despite doctors' predictions

Three weeks later, Junaid shows no signs of slowing down on his life. He is as strong and vibrant as ever and was even seen riding a bicycle up and down his street on Sunday.

READ ALSO: 8-year-old boy beats cancer after fighting it for 5 years (photo)

His grandmother Margaret is calling Junaid's defiance a miracle, while his mother Monique prays that her son's fight and zeal for life continues. She adds that her husband and Junaid's dad is in prison, and is hopeful that Junaid will still be alive when his dad is released next month.

To learn more about neuroblastoma, see the video below.

Source: Legit.ng
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Samsung took a hit to both its reputation and its bottom line from the disastrous launch of the Galaxy Note 7 smartphone in 2016. After a massive recall and a large-scale investigation, Samsung is now pretty sure it knows why some phones seemed to spontaneously catch fire.

The good news is that means the company can hopefully prevent it from happening again in future phones.

It also means that Samsung may be able to retrofit some Note 7 devices that it recovered during the recall with new batteries and then put them out on the market again.

According to a report in the Korea Economic Daily, thats exactly what Samsung plans to do.

The refurbished Note 7 phones are expected to have the same processor, camera, screen, and other features as the originals. But the case has reportedly been redesigned, and the refurbished models are expected to ship with 3,000 mAh or 3,200 mAh batteries rather than 3,500 mAh batteries.

The plan is to begin selling the refurbished phones starting in June. Theyll primarily be available in developing markets, where a reasonably priced phone with 2016 flagship-level specs might be more attractive to some customers than a full-priced 2017 flagship.

Of course, theres always a chance things could go wrong with another rollout. The report that came out last month may be the result of the most comprehensive investigation into the exploding phones but its not the first time Samsung assured the public that the problem had been resolved. There were actually two recalls in 2016, with Samsung first recalling some phones, shipping new models, and then announcing a second phase when some of those new models started exhibiting the same behavior.

via SamMobile and ZDNet
(HealthDay)Patients with type 2 diabetes have reduced endothelium-dependent vasodilation, regardless of the presence of polyneuropathy, according to a study published online Feb. 15 in Diabetes Care.

Anna L. Emanuel, from the VU University Medical Center in Amsterdam, and colleagues compared skin microvascular function in 16 healthy controls (HCs), 16 patients with cryptogenic axonal polyneuropathy (CAP), 15 patients with type 2 diabetes with polyneuropathy (DPN), and 11 patients with type 2 diabetes without polyneuropathy. Skin biopsy and nerve conduction studies were used to assess axonal degeneration.

The researchers found that, compared with HCs, patients with CAP and DPN demonstrated a similar decrease in intraepidermal nerve fiber density and sural sensory nerve action potential. Compared with HCs, patients with CAP had a similar vasodilator response to acetylcholine (relative mean difference based on log values, 13.3 percent; P = 0.652), but patients with diabetes, with and without neuropathy, had lower response (157.5 and 174.2 percent; both P = 0.003). There were no significant differences between the patient groups with diabetes (P = 0.845). The vasodilator response to sodium nitroprusside did not differ significantly among the groups (P = 0.0802).

"These data suggest that in type 2 diabetes, neuropathy does not contribute to impaired microvascular endothelium-dependent vasodilation and vice versa," the authors write.

One author is an employee of Biogen, which funded the study.

Copyright  2017 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
If you thought that only your lungs were at risk from the hazardous air, let us tell you how your other organs are getting affected too. Apart from lungs, pollution affects the heart, blood, eyes, skin and creates immunity issues and also mental health illnesses. Not just this, studies reveal that smog affects fertility in men and women. Watch to know more
A stylized illustration of a peptide epitope extending from the N-terminal end of the HLA-I binding groove. Credit: Imaging CoE

Monash University (Australia) and Cardiff University (UK) researchers have come a step further in understanding how the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) evades the immune system.

Declared a pandemic in 1987 by the World Health Organization, HIV infection has been responsible for 39 million deaths over the last 30 years. It remains one of the world's most significant public health challenges and thus a greater understanding of how HIV functions is urgently needed so that researchers can design better therapies to target this devastating pathogen.

Published today in Nature Structural and Molecular Biology, the Monash-Cardiff team has made an important finding in understanding how HIV-I can evade the immune system.

They demonstrated, in molecular detail, how mutations within HIV can lead to differing ways in which key immune molecules, termed the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC), display fragments of the virus and how this results in the HIV remaining "hidden" from the immune system.

Principal author of the study, Dr Julian Vivian, said the team was yet to develop a complete understanding of how HIV outmanoeuvred our immune system.

"This work uncovers a novel mechanism for HIV immune escape, which will be important to incorporate into future vaccine development and may have broader implications for immune recognition of MHC molecules," he said.

The recent finding is part of a much larger international alliance between the two Universities, with the Systems Immunity Research Institute (SIURI) at Cardiff University and Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (BDI), having signed a Memorandum of Understanding.

The five year mutual agreement recognises a number of highly productive joint projects already being conducted around inflammation and immunity, and provides a mechanism for enabling additional innovative projects and student exchange in the areas of protective immunity, metabolism, autoimmunity and cancer.

A chief Investigator on the ARC CoE for Advanced Molecular Imaging, based at Monash BDI, Professor Jamie Rossjohn, said the find was exciting and unexpected.

"These result were only possible because of the close collaborative ties between Monash and Cardiff researchers."

Cardiff University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Colin Riordan, said the signing of the MoU called for a celebration.

"Formalising this collaboration is another step forward in what will continue to be a highly successful exchange program and transfer of knowledge between the two countries for the benefit of all."

Monash BDI Director, Professor John Carroll, said the research demonstrated the power of international collaboration.

"We are bringing together excellence in molecular and systems level immunity in this partnership, and I know it will lead to many more great discoveries."
In the Biological Psychiatry special issue "Neuroimmune Mechanisms in Autism Spectrum Disorder", guest editor Professor Kimberley McAllister of the University of California, Davis, presents five reviews and three original research articles highlighting advances that are transforming the field of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) research.

"ASD is the most rapidly increasing neurodevelopmental disorder and current estimates are alarming," said Dr. McAllister. One in 68 children and 1 in 42 boys in the US are estimated to be on the spectrum. Few treatment options exist, and the search for effective new therapies has been hindered by a struggle to understand what causes ASD.

"One of the most exciting recent hypotheses in the field is that immune dysregulation contributes to, and may cause, ASD," Dr. McAllister added. The special issue reports on both environmental factors and genetic mutations that converge on immune dysfunction.

To better understand the neurodevelopmental trajectory and role of immune function in ASD, new clinical studies detail the timing of immunologic disturbances in children with ASD and the relationship between immune system activation and severity of impairments. Inflammation may also help explain why ASD affects boys 4 to 5 times more than girls. A review highlighting the importance of the immune system in the normal development of males proposes how the process of masculinization makes boys more vulnerable to the effects of inflammation.

Children with ASD often suffer from gastrointestinal issues, and two reviews highlight recent research on the environmental and genetic links that may bridge immune dysfunction, the gut microbiome, and impairments in brain development associated with ASD.

Recent research has also implicated the maternal immune system during pregnancy on risk of ASD in children. Two new reviews in the issue collate research in humans and animal models that link alterations in the maternal immune system, whether through genetic autoimmune disorders or through immune system activation in response to infection, with impaired brain development observed in ASD.

"Research in this new area of neuroimmunology provides real hope that new therapies directed at preventing and/or correcting immune dysregulation in ASD could improve the lives of millions of Americans," Dr. McAllister concluded.

Therapies targeting the immune system may also have benefits beyond ASD, as indicated by a new study linking maternal immune dysfunction with an increased risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. The findings suggest that correcting immune dysfunction may have potential for preventing a range of psychiatric diseases.

More information: The special issue is "Neuroimmune Mechanisms in Autism Spectrum Disorder," Biological Psychiatry, volume 81, issue 5 (2017), published by Elsevier. Journal information: Biological Psychiatry The special issue is "Neuroimmune Mechanisms in Autism Spectrum Disorder,", volume 81, issue 5 (2017), published by Elsevier.
Fluorescent staining of IL-33 in a newborn mouse lung. Credit: CeMM/Simona Saluzzo

The lung is an important interface between the body and the outside environment: with each breath, a surface of roughly 100 square meters exchanges oxygen for carbon dioxide. More than 10,000 liters of air pass adult lungs every day and with this come numerous viruses, bacteria and pollutants, which need to be prevented from entering the body.

To defend the organism from these intruders, the lungs harbor their own arsenal of highly specialized immune cells that are equipped to maintain the balance between host defense and tissue quiescence. However, how this balanced immune homeostasis in lungs emerged after birth, was largely unexplored. Now, for the first time, the group of Sylvia Knapp, Director of Medical Affairs at CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences and Professor of Infection Biology at the Medical University of Vienna showed with the help of mouse models that the very first breath of a newborn releases crucial signals that shape the lifelong immunological milieu of lungs.

The study, published in Cell Reports, reveals that the mechanical forces of spontaneous ventilation at birth lead to the release of interleukin (IL)-33, a cytokine with a wide-range of effects: So-called "type 2 innate lymphoid cells" (ILC2s) follow the IL-33 signal and migrate into the lung tissue, where they release IL-13, another cytokine. This second signal determines the faith of alveolar macrophages by inducing the anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype.

A graphical abstract of the study. Credit: CeMM/Simona Saluzzo

"ILC2-cells are crucial in defending the lungs against parasites or influenza viruses, but little was known about their role in lung homeostasis", first author Simona Saluzzo, PhD Student at CeMM and the Medical University of Vienna, explains. "Now we understand that right after birth, ILC2 are responsible for the differentiation of alveolar macrophages into specialized cells that keep the immune system in check and ensure that the lungs stay calm and healthy to ensure proper gas exchange."

These ILC2-induced effects protect the lungs from excessive inflammation to daily encountered environmental triggers - but there is a catch, senior author Sylvia Knapp emphasizes: "We could show in our study that the described mechanisms are crucial in achieving lung quiescence after the first contact with the outside world. However, these processes at the same time increase the susceptibility to bacterial infections, such as caused by pneumococci. In other words: The mechanism that maintains the lung function of gas exchange at the same time explains why bacterial pneumonia is the primary cause of death by an infectious disease in Western countries."

More information: "First-breath induced type-2 pathways shape the lung immune environment" Cell Reports, DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2017.01.071 Journal information: Cell Reports "First-breath induced type-2 pathways shape the lung immune environment"

Provided by Austrian Academy of Sciences
Credit: The Ohio State University

As mindfulness practices rise in popularity and evidence of their worth continues to accumulate, those who work with aging populations are looking to use the techniques to boost cognitive, emotional and physiological health.

But studies so far have shown mixed results in the elderly, and more investigation is needed to determine exactly how best to apply mindfulness in that population, a new review of the research to date has found.

A majority of the 27 studies in the review suggest that the focused attention at the core of mindfulness benefits older people, but others don't point to improvements. And that should prompt more rigorous investigations in search of interventions likely to do the most good, researchers from The Ohio State University found. Their analysis appears in the journal Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience.

"Mindfulness is a practice that really serves as a way to foster a greater quality of life and there's been some thought that it could help with cognitive decline as we age," said Stephanie Fountain-Zaragoza, lead author of the study and a graduate student in psychology.

"Given the growing interest in mindfulness in general, we wanted to determine what we know right now so that researchers can think about where we go from here," she said.

The good news so far: The evidence from a variety of studies points to some benefits for older adults, suggesting that mindfulness training might be integrated into senior centers and group homes, the researchers found.

Older people are an especially important population to study given diminished social support, physical limitations and changes in cognitive health, the researchers point out.

Studies of mindfulness meditation usually involve three types of practices. The first, focused attention, involves sustained attention to a single thing (such as the breath) and an effort to disengage from other distractions.

Open monitoring meditation, often seen as the next step up in mindfulness, includes acknowledging the details of multiple phenomena (sensations, sounds, etc.) without selectively focusing on one of them.

"This includes being open to experiencing thoughts and sensations and emotions and taking them as they come and letting them go," Fountain-Zaragoza said.

Loving-kindness meditation encourages a universal state of love and compassion toward oneself and others.

"The goal with this is to foster compassionate acceptance," said senior author Ruchika Shaurya Prakash, director of Ohio State's clinical neuroscience laboratory and an expert in mindfulness.

In addition to looking at how mindfulness contributed - or did not - to behavioral and cognitive functioning and to psychological wellbeing, some of the research also looked at its potential role in inflammation, which contributes to a variety of diseases.

In all categories of study, including inflammatory processes, Prakash and Fountain-Zaragoza found mixed results.

The hope is that mindfulness could help the elderly preserve attention and capitalize on emotional regulation strategies that naturally improve as we age, Prakash said.

"Around 50 percent of our lives, our minds are wandering and research from Harvard University has shown that the more your mind wanders, the less happy you are," she said.

"Mindfulness allows you to become aware of that chaotic mind-wandering and provides a safe space to just breathe."

In older people, mindfulness ideally has the potential to help with cognition, emotion and inflammation, but little research has been done so far and those studies that have been done have had mixed results and scientific limitations.

While most of the studies in the review showed positive results, the field is limited and would benefit greatly from larger randomized controlled trials, Fountain-Zaragoza said.

"We want to really be able to say that we have strong evidence that mindfulness is driving the changes we see," she said.
Eric Bartee, Ph.D. of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the Medical University of South Carolina, was the first author on the Molecular Therapy - Oncolytics article. Credit: Medical University of South Carolina

Treating multiple myeloma (MM) with myxoma virus (MYXV) eliminated a majority of malignant cells in preclinical studies, report investigators at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) and elsewhere in an article published online on December 7, 2016 by Molecular TherapyOncolytics. Furthermore, introduction of MYXV elicited a strong immune response that eradicated disease in some animals.

Multiple myeloma is a cancer of plasma B cells, a cell type within the body's immune system. MM is the second most common blood cancer and, unfortunately, remains difficult to treat. Even with the introduction of new chemotherapy regimens, most patients still succumb to disease relapse either from reinfusion of cancerous cells during stem cell transplant or expansion of drug-resistant disease after chemotherapy

In the recent study, Eric C. Bartee, Ph.D., an assistant professor of Microbiology and Immunology at MUSC, and his colleagues at MUSC and the University of Oslo took a novel approach to treating MM: using viral oncolytics to specifically target and destroy cancer cells.

"What I thought was really interesting here was that we could actually get rid of disease and it didn't appear to ever come back," said Bartee.

For the past several years, Bartee has been using myxoma virus to treat MM in cell culture. MYXV exclusively infects rabbits and is therefore noninfectious to humans. However, previous work from the Bartee laboratory showed the MYXV was able to kill human MM cells.

Currently, stem cell transplants, using a patient's own stem cells, are used as a treatment for MM, but patients often relapse from residual cancer cells within the transplant sample. Bartee showed that treatment with MYXV was successful in eradicating MM cells in patients' stem cell samples prior to re-engraftment, thereby preventing relapse of MM.

In the recent study, they took this one step further by assessing whether treatment with MYXV also has a benefit on disease outside the context of transplantation. Using a preclinical mouse model, Bartee showed that systemic treatment with MYXV reduced tumor burden and led to a modest decrease in disease progression in 66% of mice. More impressively, in 25% of mice, there was a complete eradication of disease with no evidence of relapse.

Since MYXV does not replicate in MM cells, it was postulated that eradication of disease was caused by the host's immune system. Investigation of the bone marrow, a compartment that helps produce red and white blood cells, showed that it was unaffected by treatment with MYXV. This suggested that the immune system remained functional and could combat the cancer cells. Indeed, treatment with MYXV led to an increase in CD8+ T cells, a type of white blood cell, within the bone marrow compartment, indicating a strong anti-tumor response.

While this preclinical work suggests that MYXV has the potential to cure some patients of MM, there are many hurdles that need to be overcome before this option is available in the clinic. One significant barrier is large-scale production of clinical-grade virus. Another considerable hurdle when moving from preclinical studies in mice to clinical trials in humans is demonstrating a high response rate.

"I think the major next question is 'How do you get that response rate from 25% to 50% to 80% to 100%?'" said Bartee. "How do you define the patients in which it works?"

One unique advantage of treating MM with MYXV is that the response rate observed in this study is not mediated by the virus. It is actually mediated by the patient's own immune system. Combining MYXV treatment with other immunomodulatory therapies that have been shown to boost anti-tumor response could provide a novel treatment regimen that significantly improves patient outcome compared to the current treatment model.

Another advantage is that it is extremely difficult for myeloma to develop resistance to killing by MYXV. One of the challenges with standard chemotherapeutic agents is that many tumors often develop resistance through small changes in the cell, leading to relapse of disease. Because MYXV has evolved for thousands of years to override anything the cell can do, there is no real evidence that tumors can develop resistance to oncolytic infections.

"I think what our findings, and oncolytics in general, really highlight is that some of these non-traditional therapies can really offer the benefit of complete disease eradication," said Bartee. "You're not just moving the curve to the right a little bit; you're bending the survival curve up. And you're really fundamentally changing how you can look at cancer treatment."

More information: Eric Bartee et al, Systemic therapy with oncolytic myxoma virus cures established residual multiple myeloma in mice, Molecular TherapyOncolytics (2016). Eric Bartee et al, Systemic therapy with oncolytic myxoma virus cures established residual multiple myeloma in mice,(2016). DOI: 10.1038/mto.2016.32
Images in a 55-year-old screening participant. (a, b) Normal digital full-field mediolateral oblique (a) and craniocaudal (b) mammograms (BI-RADS category 1) show a heterogeneously dense breast (ACR category C). (c) Screening ultrasound image shows normal findings (BI-RADS category 1). (d) MR-guided biopsy enabled us to confirm the presence of an invasive high-grade triple-negative cancer (no special type [NST], pT1b, N0, M0). (d) Breast MR image shows a suspicious enhancing mass (arrow) in the left breast (BI-RADS category 5). Credit: Radiological Society of North America

MRI screening improves early diagnosis of breast cancer in all women-not only those at high risk-according to a new study from Germany published online in the journal Radiology.

MRI has long been known as an effective breast cancer screening modality that offers better sensitivity than mammography and ultrasound. Currently, guidelines reserve breast MRI screening for women who have a strong family history or other specific breast cancer risk factors. MRI screening has not been considered necessary for women at average risk, and there has been resistance to expansion of MRI into this population due, in part, to concern over higher costs.

However, with breast cancer remaining a major cause of cancer death in women, there is good reason to pursue the search for improved screening methods, according to the study's lead author, Christiane Kuhl, M.D., chair of the Department of Radiology at RWTH Aachen University in Aachen, Germany.

Between 2005 and 2013, Dr. Kuhl and colleagues studied breast MRI's impact on 2,120 women, ages 40 to 70, with less than a 15 percent lifetime risk of breast cancer. The women had normal screening mammograms and, in the case of those with dense breast tissue, normal screening ultrasound. Breast MRI detected 60 additional breast cancers, including 40 invasive cancers, for an overall supplemental cancer detection rate of 15.5 per 1,000 women. Of the 60 cancers detected in the study group over the observation period (7,007 screening rounds), 59 were found only using MRI, one was found also by mammography, and none by mammography or ultrasound alone.

According to Dr. Kuhl, the results suggest that MRI can serve as a useful supplemental screening tool for women at average risk, especially those with dense mammographic tissue, and that MRI is superior to supplemental ultrasound for this purpose.

Graph shows distribution of breast density in the entire cohort and in women who had additional cancers detected with only MR imaging. Credit: Radiological Society of North America

The results also highlight the ability of MRI in the detection of more aggressive types of cancer.

"The faster a cancer grows and the better it is in seeding metastases, the better will it be picked up early by MRI," Dr. Kuhl said. "In our cohort, cancers found by MRI alone exhibited features of rapid growth at pathology."

This ability is especially important in women with dense breast tissue in which aggressive cancers may be missed on mammography. Left undetected, these cancers will grow to become clinically palpable cancers, also known as interval cancers. The new study showed that, consistent with previous research, breast MRI can depict these rapidly growing cancers with high reliability.

According to Dr. Kuhl, interval cancers exhibit an adverse biologic profile and are the main driver of breast cancer mortality. Additional cancers detected by MRI screening in the study had a skewed distribution towards a higher-than-normal prevalence or incidence of rapidly growing (grade 3) cancers.

"The interval cancer rate in our study was zero percent. Not a single cancer was undetected that became palpable," she said. "This suggests that MRI finds breast cancers that also mammography would find, but MRI detects them earlier, and it finds the cancers which, if MRI had not been done, would have progressed to interval cancers."

More information: "Supplemental Breast MR Imaging Screening of Women with Average Risk of Breast Cancer," Radiology, 2017. Journal information: Radiology "Supplemental Breast MR Imaging Screening of Women with Average Risk of Breast Cancer,", 2017.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Swedes should take a one-hour paid break from work to go home and have sex with their partners, a local councillor suggested in a proposal Tuesday aimed at improving people's personal relationships.

"There are studies that show sex is healthy," Per-Erik Muskos, a 42-year-old city councillor for the northern town of Overtornea, told AFP after presenting the motion.

He said couples were not spending enough time with each other in today's society.

"It's about having better relationships," he said.

He noted there was no way to verify that employees do not use their hour for other purposes than spending time with their partners or spouses.

"You can't guarantee that a worker doesn't go out for a walk instead," Muskos said, adding that employers needed to trust their employees.

Muskos said he "saw no reason" why the motion wouldn't pass.

After the Finns and the French, Swedish full-time employees worked the least in Europe with only 1,685 hours on average in 2015, according to a study by economic research institute Coe-Rexecode.

Brits worked an average of 1,900 hours and Germans 1,847 hours in 2015.

 2017 AFP
Transmission electron microscope image of negative-stained, Fortaleza-strain Zika virus (red), isolated from a microcephaly case in Brazil. The virus is associated with cellular membranes in the center. Credit: NIAID

As public health officials warn that spring's warmer temperatures may herald another increase of Zika virus infections in the Caribbean and North and South America, researchers around the world are racing to develop safe and effective measures to prevent the disease. In a review paper published today in the journal, a group of leading vaccine scientistsincluding Dan H. Barouch, MD, PhD, of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC)outline advances in the hunt for a Zika vaccine and the challenges that still lie ahead.

"The pace of preclinical and early clinical development for Zika vaccines is unprecedented," said Barouch, corresponding author and director of the Center for Virology and Vaccine Research at BIDMC. "In less than a year, our group and others have demonstrated that multiple vaccine platforms can provide robust protection against Zika virus challenge in animal models. However, unique challenges will need to be addressed in the clinical development of a Zika vaccine. "

The recent outbreak of the Zika virus in the Americas began in Brazil nearly two years ago. By February 2016, the World Health Organization had declared the epidemic a global public health emergency, based largely on the virus' newly-established link to microcephaly and other major birth defects in babies born to infected mothers. The virus has also been associated with the neurologic disorder Guillain-Barre syndrome in adults.

In a previously published paper, Barouch and colleagues, including Colonel Nelson L. Michael, MD, PhD, director of the Military HIV Research Program at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) and Stephen Thomas, MD, Upstate Medical University, State University of New York, demonstrated that three different vaccine candidates provided robust protection against Zika virus in both mice and rhesus monkeys. Several human clinical trials began last fall at test sites including BIDMC, WRAIR, and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases affiliated clinical trial sites. "The rapid advancement of Zika vaccine candidates into clinical trials reflects the uniquely focused and effective collaboration among scientists in the field to address this important global problem," said Barouch.

Despite the accelerated pace of research, much remains unknown about the virus, raising unique challenges in developing a vaccine. Safety considerations are especially critical, given that the target population for a Zika vaccine would likely include men and women of childbearing age.

Zika is a member of the flavivirus family of viruses, which includes West Nile virus, yellow fever virus, and dengue viruses, for which successful vaccines have been developed. Studies suggest that Zika-induced antibody responses may also cross-react with other flaviviruses, particularly dengue virus. Whether or not this antibody cross-reactivity may have clinical consequences is another consideration for Zika vaccines and requires further study.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

(Medical Xpress)A team of researchers with the University of Edinburgh in the U.K. has conducted the longest study of its kind on human personality traits and how they might change as people age. In their paper published in the journal Psychology and Aging, the researchers describe how they conducted their study and what they found regarding personality changes over time.

Most people believe themselves to be the same person all of their lives, but thus far, no one has been able to prove it. In this new effort, the researchers were looking to test one aspect of selfan individual's personality, which is the persona they share with the rest of the world; they wanted to know if it changes over time.

To learn more about personality change over the course of a lifetime, the researchers accessed data from a study done back in 1950 in Scotland, where a team had asked a group of teachers to fill out personality assessments of 1,208 of their 14-year-old students (the assessments asked questions about basic traits such as stability of moods, self-confidence, conscientiousness, perseverance, desire to excel and originality). The researchers than went looking for those same students and found 635 of them, 174 of whom agreed to take a test similar to the one given to them by their teacher 63 years before. Each of the volunteers also brought along someone that knew them well, and that person also filled out an assessment of the volunteer.

Next, the researchers explored whether they could find any connection between the teacher assessments and those that were made later in life, when the volunteers were 77 years old. They report that they could not find any correlation at allit was as if the second tests had been given to different people.

The researchers also report that they were surprised with their results, because other studies had shown some degree of correlation. Their results suggest that personality really does change, which may not come as a surprise to some people who have come across someone they knew many years before and found them to be very different people.

More information: Mathew A. Harris et al. Personality stability from age 14 to age 77 years., Psychology and Aging (2016). Mathew A. Harris et al. Personality stability from age 14 to age 77 years.,(2016). DOI: 10.1037/pag0000133 Abstract

There is evidence for differential stability in personality trait differences, even over decades. The authors used data from a sample of the Scottish Mental Survey, 1947 to study personality stability from childhood to older age. The 6-Day Sample (N = 1,208) were rated on six personality characteristics by their teachers at around age 14. In 2012, the authors traced as many of these participants as possible and invited them to take part in a follow-up study. Those who agreed (N = 174) completed a questionnaire booklet at age 77 years, which included rating themselves and asking someone who knew them well to rate them on the same 6 characteristics on which they were rated in adolescence. Each set of 6 ratings was reduced to the same single underlying factor, denoted dependability, a trait comparable to conscientiousness. Participants' and others' older-age personality characteristic ratings were moderately correlated with each other, and with other measures of personality and wellbeing, but correlations suggested no significant stability of any of the 6 characteristics or their underlying factor, dependability, over the 63-year interval. However, a more complex model, controlling rater effects, indicated significant 63-year stability of 1 personality characteristic, Stability of Moods, and near-significant stability of another, Conscientiousness. Results suggest that lifelong differential stability of personality is generally quite low, but that some aspects of personality in older age may relate to personality in childhood. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved) Journal information: Psychology and Aging

 2017 Medical Xpress
Florence Marquez liked to describe herself as a cannery worker, even though she was best known in her heavily Latino East San Jose neighborhood as a community activist.

She strode alongside Cesar Chavez in the farmworker movement during the 1960s and '70s. She helped build affordable housing for poor families near her local church.

But eight years ago, Florence, now 86, couldn't find her way to the house she had lived in for 50 years. "That's when we knew she needed 24-hour care," said her oldest daughter, Barbara Marquez, 61.

Florence was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, which robbed her of her memory and her fierce independence. Across the United States, stories like hers are becoming more common, particularly among Latinos - the fastest-growing minority in the country.

With no cure in sight, the number of U.S. Latinos with Alzheimer's is expected rise by more than eight times by 2060, to 3.5 million, according to a report by the USC Edward R. Roybal Institute on Aging and the Latinos Against Alzheimer's network.

Advanced age is the leading risk factor for Alzheimer's disease and the likelihood of developing Alzheimer's doubles about every five years after age 65. As a group, Latinos are at least 50 percent more likely than whites to have Alzheimer's, in part because they tend to live longer, the report notes.

"This is an incoming tsunami," said Dr. William Vega, one of the report's authors and the Roybal Institute's executive director. "If we don't find breakthrough medication, we are going to be facing a terrible financial crisis."

That tidal wave of Alzheimer's cases is prompting some tough conversations in Latino families, who often pride themselves on caring for elders at home, rather than placing them in nursing homes.

Those talks come with a lot of guilt, Barbara said. Until recently, Barbara was her mother's primary caregiver. Her sister and brother helped out.

"But it was more than I could have anticipated," Barbara said, recalling sleepless nights as she tried to make sure Florence didn't get up and wander off. "It impacts your health, it impacts your marriage. So we looked for help."

About 1.8 million Latino families nationwide care for someone with Alzheimer's and other types of dementia. And while the Roybal report shows that Latino families are less likely than whites to use formal care services, such as nursing home care, institutionalized care is becoming more common among these families.

Between 1999 and 2008, the number of elderly Latinos living in U.S. nursing homes grew by about 55 percent, a rate that outpaced the growth of the overall Latino population during that time, according to research published in July 2011 in Health Affairs.

That can be costly. Nationwide, the average cost for basic services in an assisted living facility is $43,200 per year, according to the Alzheimer's Association. Yearly nursing home care now averages more than twice that, at slightly more than $92,000.

For many Latino families, getting outside help isn't an option. It's often too expensive for seniors who aren't eligible for Medi-Cal, California's version of the Medicaid program for low-income people, which generally pays for nursing home care. Immigrants who are in the country unlawfully do not qualify for it, nor do people whose incomes are too high.

Florence's children decided to take their mother out of her house in San Jose, and they brought her to live with her daughter Barbara in Fair Oaks, just outside Sacramento. They sold the San Jose house, thinking it would help pay for institutionalized care should their mom need it down the road.

She did not qualify for Medi-Cal, so she lived with Barbara for about three years. But after trying out a senior day care program outside of the house at a cost of about $78 a day, Barbara and her family placed Florence in a senior home in the Sacramento suburb of Carmichael, where she has been living for the past year.

The decision to institutionalize Florence Marquez left her children feeling both guilty and overwhelmed by the steep expense. Her care now costs $3,000 to $4,000 per month, they said. They pay extra for specialized services.

They had the proceeds from the sale of Florence's house, "but those resources are dwindling," Barbara said. "What do we do when that money is gone?"

The Roybal study estimates that the cumulative economic impact of Alzheimer's among Latinos will hit $2.35 trillion by 2060. That figure includes the costs of medical and long-term care, as well as the lost earnings of family members who provide unpaid in-home care, and of the Alzheimer's victims themselves, according to the study.

Gustavo Lopez of Chicago cares for his mother, Agustina Lopez, 76, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease seven years ago.

Gustavo, 48, and his four siblings looked into assisted living but couldn't afford it. Agustina, after moving between her children's homes, eventually landed with Gustavo, her youngest.

When Gustavo first took on the role of primary caregiver, his mother still did most things on her own, he said. But she now relies on him to help her eat, bathe, dress and take her medication.

So Gustavo needs a job with flexible hours. He's worked mostly as a waiter. Other employment opportunities have come his way, some with better pay, but caring for his mother comes first, he said.

Gustavo does get some help from family friends who check in on his mom while he is at work. He also found Casa Cultural in Chicago, a social service agency that offers a day program for seniors. He can drop his mom off at the center for a few hours, giving him a respite.

Free or low-cost programs like these are available in many communities, but families need to do research and ask for help, said Constantina Mizis, president of the Chicago-based Latino Alzheimer's and Memory Disorders Alliance.

The alliance, formed in 2009, focuses on family members who are primary caregivers. Mizis said she has met many caregivers who are near their breaking point. The nonprofit offers training for them, helps find resources to boost their own well-being and puts on community events for families.

When seeking support, the best place to start is at a local community group or center - a church, a nonprofit, a United Way office, or the local Alzheimer's Association chapter, for example, Mizis said. These groups will most likely refer caregivers to a county's Agency on Aging or a state's Department of Aging.

There, families are assigned a social worker who can discuss what benefits are available. If an Alzheimer's patient qualifies for Medicaid, these benefits could include caregiver training and payment through programs such as California's In-Home Supportive Services. But benefits and eligibility vary by state.

In 2010, the Social Security Administration recognized early-onset Alzheimer's as a medical condition eligible for disability income. That could help people whose Alzheimer's disease is diagnosed before the age of 65, but many Latino families aren't aware the program exists, Mizis said.

Because Latinos are more likely to use informal and more affordable care options, the Roybal report calls for improving training and resources for families in both English and Spanish.

Among the caregivers who opt to keep a parent with Alzheimer's at home is Julia Garcia, of Houston, Texas. She rotates with her three daughters to watch her mother, Marcela Barberena, 85, who was diagnosed with the disease last year.

Julia, who had been unfamiliar with Alzheimer's, initially thought her mother's forgetfulness and childlike behavior was due to age.

"Too often people will see Alzheimer's as a result of old age, but this brain-deteriorating disease is not natural," said Vega, co-author of the report.

Julia Garcia said she realized it was something more serious when her mother took a shuttle bus from Houston's international airport without knowing her destination.

"We had agreed I'd pick her up, but she left on her own," Julia said. "She ended up downtown. It was the scariest moment of my life."

As a new caregiver, Julia reached out to her local Alzheimer's Association chapter for information. While some resources are available in Spanish in the Houston chapter, Julia noticed very few Latinos attending the informational workshops or classes.

Spanish-language media provided little information about the disease. "You rarely hear anything about it on TV or the radio," she said.

In addition, many Latinos, including the Marquez, Lopez and Garcia families, are often unaware of clinical trials through which families can gain access to experimental therapies and medications at little or no cost.

Latinos are underrepresented in clinical trials sponsored by the National Institutes of Health: They account for 17 percent of the U.S. population but only 7.5 percent of participants at the 32 NIH-funded Alzheimer's research centers across the country, according to the Roybal study.

Latino volunteers for these trials are important in helping researchers develop Alzheimer's treatments that work for all ethnic groups, the report says.

"This is why it is so important to invest in the education of these communities," Mizis said.

Her group helps train promotoras, or community health educators, in regions with large Latino communities - including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Baltimore and New York. Going door-to-door, promotoras educate families about the disease.

"I see firsthand everyday how much help our communities need," Mizis said. "And this need keeps growing."

2017 Kaiser Health News

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
By Press Trust of India: Hyderabad, Feb 20 (PTI) Telangana police probing the cases pertaining to slain Naxal-turned-gangster Mohammed Nayeemuddin, today said they have registered 197 cases against him and his gang members, and filed charge sheets in 18 of them.

"So far, 197 cases were registered against Nayeem and his gang members in Telangana state. During the investigation of cases against Nayeem gang, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) officers arrested 125 accused, took 107 accused into police custody and interrogated them," a release from DGP office said.

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"The SIT examined 878 witnesses in different cases and filed charge sheets in 18 cases," it said.

As many as 14 gangsters of Nayeem involved in several cases were detained under the stringent Preventive Detention Act, the release said.

"Within a short period, the police have collected details of several cases, in which the gang was involved, and secured material evidence. The investigation by SIT is progressing at a fast pace in impartial manner to finalise the cases at an early stage," the police release said.

Nayeemuddin alias Nayeem alias Balanna (45), wanted in a number of cases, including the murder of an IPS officer, was killed in an exchange of fire with police in Shadnagar town in Mahabubnagar district on August 8 last year.

Nayeem had formed a criminal gang and allegedly indulged in land grabbings, extortion, kidnappings, etc, many of which were not reported to police due to fear of reprisal, police said. PTI VVK NP PTP

--- ENDS ---
Women with mild blockage of coronary arteries report poorer health, more anxiety and a more negative outlook than men with the same condition, according to new research in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.

In general, people with non-obstructive coronary artery disease report more anxiety, depression and a negative outlook, what physicians refer to as psychosocial distress, than the general population. Prior to this study, gender disparity had not been investigated.

In non-obstructive coronary artery disease, the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the heart is partially restricted. This condition is associated with an increased risk of heart attack and other major adverse cardiovascular events, as well as death from any cause.

Because a patient's perceived health status, psychological distress and personality are factors that can affect outcomes in coronary artery disease patients, psychosocial factors serve as proxy risk factors for future cardiovascular events, said Paula M.C. Mommersteeg, Ph.D., senior author of the study and assistant professor of medical and clinical psychology at Tilburg University in The Netherlands.

Researchers explored the association between non-obstructive coronary artery disease and psychosocial distress in 523 non-obstructive coronary artery disease patients (aged 52 to 70) and 1,347 people from the general population matched by age and by sex. All the participants completed questionnaires assessing their physical and mental health, psychological well-being and personality profile (degree of negative or positive outlook and level of social inhibition).

Among patients with non-obstructive coronary artery disease, the study noted: a significantly higher prevalence of poor health, anxiety, and Type D personality (negative emotions combined with social inhibition) compared to those without the condition;more physical impairment reported by women than men; and more psychosocial distress reported by women. "We were very intrigued by these sex and gender differenceswe had not thought they would be so apparent," Mommersteeg said. Statistical analysis revealed that these gaps could be explained by several factors related to sex and gender such as societal and cultural norms, age at diagnosis, education level, partner status (married/divorced/widowed/single), employment history and alcohol use, according to the study.

The survey and analysis took place as part of the TWeeSteden mIld STenosis (TWIST) study, undertaken to investigate classic and novel risk markers for non-obstructive coronary artery disease. It is unclear if the results can be generalized to other populations, researchers said.
Important stuff you won't get from the liberal media! We do the surfing so you can be informed AND have a life!
The latest traffic statistics from top ISPs reveal that the fastest-growing traffic groups are streaming video  especially YouTube  gaming, and voice-over-IP (VoIP).

Cybersmart CTO Laurie Fialkov said streaming media has experienced strong growth since the launch of Netflix and ShowMax in South Africa.

Gaming is another fast-growing online field, which Fialkov said is driven by popular titles.

VoIP, which includes traditional VoIP and app-based voice services from WhatsApp and Skype, is also showing strong growth.

While the bandwidth requirements for VoIP are far less than for video streaming, the percentage growth is similar, said Fialkov.

Axxess director Franco Barbalich said based on volume, YouTube is showing the biggest growth on its network.

Another encouraging protocol showing a significant increase is SSL traffic, which can be directly attributed to the drive for HTTPS everywhere and online services securing their sites, said Barbalich.

The biggest traffic declines are in online services used for piracy  BitTorrent and Usenet (NNTP).

We have seen a significant decline in BitTorrent and NNTP usage since the launch of streaming services like Netflix and ShowMax, said Barbalich.

In the past, we have had torrent traffic peak to as much as 50% of our total consumption. Recently, torrent traffic peaks at about 20% of total consumption.

Fialkov said BitTorrent and NNTP has experienced a massive decline on their network.

BitTorrent traffic volumes are at around 20% of what it was two years ago, while NNTP traffic is practically zero, he said.

Now read: DStv and Netflix are killing online piracy in South Africa
For years I resisted it, the two-year lock-in that is a smartphone contact.

I had a Nexus 5, you see, imported from the US for cheaper than local import services offered it.

What Android user could need more than a Google phone and a prepaid SIM?

But as time went on, the Nexus started to show its age  its battery started to wane and its 16GB of storage (with no microSD support) became a problem.

I decided to get a new phone, and found there were good contract deals to be had  essentially, interest-free loans repayable over 24 months.

I ended up choosing Telkom and the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge. Ive had the device for a year now, and it was one of the best decisions I ever made.

Its not what you think

Although the S7 Edge has a great set of hardware housed in a sleek case, these features are not exclusive to Samsung.

Apple, Huawei, and LG all sell beautiful and powerful phones in South Africa.

Even features such as its IP68 dust and waterproof ratings are not unique.

It must also be noted that while I think Samsung offers the best overall package in South Africa, its devices are not perfect.

There are always trade-offs when making phones. For example, the Galaxy S7 does not have a removable battery or a dual-camera system, and it doesnt have my favourite implementation of a fingerprint reader.

Taking that into account, however, it is hard to beat the Samsung-Android combination  for the reasons below.

Accessories and VR support

As Samsung is such a popular brand, you can always find accessories that fit your phone.

Screen protectors, covers, and battery cases are readily available in South Africa.

VR support is also included with the S7, and the Samsung Gear VR is a relatively cheap headset (if you discount the cost of the phone).

Samsung devices compatible with Gear VR include the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge, Galaxy Note 5, and the Galaxy S6, S6 Edge, and S6 Edge+.

Service centres

After-sales support is not something many people consider when buying a phone, until its too late and they wish they had.

When something goes wrong and you need to get your phone repaired, you will be glad that Samsungs footprint across South Africa is expansive.

Accidental damage warranty

No list of Samsung smartphone pros would be complete without the accidental damage from handling warranty (ADH).

ADH is an additional warranty on flagship Samsung phones that offers a free screen or rear glass repair.

The ADH warranty that comes with the S7 offers one free cracked glass repair within the first 12 months of the date of purchase.

The Android connection

Having a good piece of hardware, customer support, and accessories all fall away if you have a terrible OS, and Android is an essential part of Samsungs success.

BlackBerry had arguably the greatest value proposition of any smartphone in South Africa for years, but that didnt stop the decline of its devices running the BlackBerry OS.

Like Samsungs hardware, Android is not perfect. Of particular concern are worryingly-infrequent software updates on most networks.

Androids niggles are swept away by its rich set of features, though.

Multi-window

Android 7.0 Nougat has added a multiple app windows feature to its functionality, while Samsung has had this standout feature on its devices for a while.

Home screen and app tray

Samsung devices come with a 44 home screen and app tray grid size, which means you can fit 16 icons on a single screen.

This can be adjusted to a 45 or 55 grid size  a feature that isnt available on all Android-based smartphones.

Widgets

Android has several features you wont find on iOS, including an app tray that is separate from the home screens and the ability to add dynamic widgets and not just app icons to home screens.

Samsungs software also includes widgets you wont find on default Android, such as a full-month calendar widget.

Data usage tracker

A feature I use a lot is Androids mobile data usage tracker and limiter.

This allows you to prevent out-of-bundle usage or being cut off by your service provider for reaching your cap.

Where did that irritating notification come from?

If you install a lot of apps, you will run into a situation where you get notifications whose origins you may not be sure of.

You can tap and hold on the notification to bring up an information icon, which reveals its source.

These are just a selection of some of the coolest features youll find on Samsung-Android devices.

Android smartphones also provide access to alternative keyboards, Google Now, cloud backups to Google services, and customisable quick launch trays.

This is an opinion piece.
DICE has added additional server support for Battlefield 1, launching servers in South Africa, Hong Kong, and Dubai.

Battlefield 1 servers in Johannesburg will launch on 21 February 2017 between 10:00 and 15:00.

The developer announced in a forum post that the demand for server support in South Africa required it to deliver better geographical coverage across the region.

We are thrilled to announce we are bringing online game servers in these three regions for our Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC players, said Alexander Hassoon, Producer at DICE.

We are committed to delivering the best experience for all our players worldwide and continue to monitor latency levels and geographical coverage for the Battlefield franchise.

This article first appeared on MyBroadband and is republished with permission.
The Globe and Mail newspaper of Canada has devoted an article in memory of Knar Yemenidjian, the Armenian Genocides last witness living in Canada, who died this year.

She was one of Canadas last living links to an atrocity that occurred more than 100 years ago. Although Knar Yemenidjian, who died on Jan. 19, reached the age of 107, her childhood was marred by unfathomable violence that nearly ended her life, reads the article.

Were all grieving with the family, Armen Yeganian, Armenias ambassador to Canada, commented after Ms. Yemenidjians death. But she was also a bigger symbol, I would imagine, for the Canadian Armenian community and for Armenian people in general.

She was born Knar Bohjelian on Feb. 14, 1909, in Caesarea, a city in central Turkey now known as Kayseri.

Six-year-old Knar and her family survived the first wave of violence by seeking sanctuary in a barn. Ms. Yeminidjians niece Nazar Artinian told CTV News that the family survived only because Knars father had been warned by a Turkish friend that all the Armenians were going to be killed.

According to Ms. Artinian, the family friend insisted, if you want to live, leave your house, take your family and go to this farm and hide yourselves there. So the family hid among the livestock. They were besieged by typhoid and had barely enough food to sustain themselves, but they survived.

When the violence subsided, Knar and her family returned to find many of their neighbors murdered, and all the Armenian homes  including theirs  burned to the ground.

The familys only hope for continued survival was converting to Islam. So, after they left the barn they adopted Turkish names and Muslim identities.

So they rebuilt the family home and lived under Muslim identities in Caesarea for 10 years.

Despite their conversion, the family lived in constant fear.

Joseph Yemenidjian, Ms. Yemenidjians son, told The Globe and Mail that as the genocide continued, Knar got older and began attracting potential suitors. During the familys remaining years in Turkey, however, her father refused all requests for her hand. My grandfather was desperate to leave Turkey, he said.

Once a ceasefire was established, the family fled the region. They travelled to Ankara in 1928, then Istanbul. Eleven months later, they headed to Greece by boat before immigrating to Alexandria, Egypt.

Even after they settled into their new home, Knars father continued to reject the suitors who pressed for his permission to marry her. Joseph said that his grandfather insisted that she marry into a respectable family.

My mother was 34 when she finally met my father, Joseph said. He explained that his father believed that meeting Knar was fate. He was already 41 and a goldsmith whose extended family was left destitute following the genocide. The welfare of his family fell upon his shoulders. Joseph noted that his father worked around the clock.

The couple lived happily in Egypt until 1956, when the Armenian community in Egypt once again found itself the scapegoat as a result of the Suez Canal crisis.

Arab nationalism swept the country, inciting rage and intimidation that was directed at Armenians. As a consequence, Ms. Yemenidjians two sons, Joseph and Noubar, left for Canada and settled in Montreal.

And the Yemenidjian couple settled there permanently in 1971.

In 2004, Canada was among the first countries to officially recognize the genocide.

At the age of 106, Ms. Yemenidjian was among a handful of Armenian-Canadians who attended a special ceremony on Parliament Hill in 2015 to mark the centennial of the start of the genocide.

Knar Yemenidjian is survived by her two sons, Joseph and Noubar, three grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.
NYT: Kyiv plans total evacuation in case of power outage

Iran reveals new air defense missile

IRGC neutralizes terrorist group in southwestern Iran

Bahrain to continue building relations with Israel after Netanyahu's victory

Iran says it confiscated a large batch of U.S.-made munitions

Iran successfully launches Ghaem 100 rocket, making the US nervous

U.S. sends warplanes to Iran

Washington Post: US privately urges Ukraine to show willingness to negotiate with Russia

Parisien: French man wins  160 million in European lottery

U.S. decides to block number of seats on planes because of the increase in passenger weight

BMW M4 turned into a pickup truck

Blinken calls on Israel and Palestine to urgently de-escalate tensions

Romania signs deal with Norway for purchase of over 30 F-16 fighters

Stoltenberg: The alliance has no plans to change nuclear positions and deployments

Tagesschau: Nearly 200,000 people took part in strikes at industrial enterprises of Germany

Teenagers hacks Uzbekistan senate website

Artsakh Ombudsman: Azerbaijanis fired at tractor in Khramort village of Artsakh

Rally participants' statement: Artsakh can't be a part of Azerbaijan

Person accused of arson in Russia cafe confesses

Fars: Iranian Foreign Ministry reported UAV deliveries to Russia a few months before the start of the UAS

Bayramov: Azerbaijan, Armenia leaders next meeting will take place in Brussels this month

Unity rally of participants start march in downtown Yerevan

North Korea launches 4 ballistic missiles

Council of Border Guard Troops commanders discusses situation at CIS external borders

Armenia ex-President Kocharyan joins rally in downtown Yerevan

Russia oil, natural gas companies plan to collaborate with Iraq

Armenia army intelligence troops 30th anniversary is solemnly celebrated (PHOTOS)

Rally of unity in support of Karabakh kicks off in downtown Yerevan

Pentagon announces sending 8 NASAMS air defense systems to Ukraine

Armenian Apostolic Church Supreme Spiritual Council meeting ends, Armenia and Artsakh security discussed

Tropical Storm Nalgae death toll climbs to 155 in Philippines

Artak Beglaryan is appointed advisor to Artsakh Minister of State (PHOTOS)

US House committee extends deadline for Trump to produce documents on Capitol attack

Over 200 elephants die in Kenya amid drought

13 dead in cafe fire in Russia

Armenia Security Council chief to head for Poland, Netherlands, Lithuania

Rishi Sunak: State cannot fix all problems

Newspaper: To what extent Armenia adheres to sanctions on Russia?

Biden accuses Twitter of spewing lies

Newspaper: There are active political processes in Karabakh

Qatar FM slams hypocrisy of calls to boycott World Cup

France, Singapore and Switzerland begin joint testing of experimental digital currencies

Oil war is Biden's biggest mistake

Japan considers possible deployment of hypersonic missiles by 2030

Germany to install better air defense system over Defense Ministry buildings

Erdogan and Stoltenberg discuss war in Ukraine

Armenian MOD: Azerbaijani Armed Forces open fire in direction of Armenian positions

True cost of Europe's rejection of Russian gas

White House tries to explain Biden's statement about freeing Iran

Former Pakistani Prime Minister: Either we will have a peaceful revolution or a bloody one

Aramyan: Why are police officers' salaries increasing, while defense officers' are not?

Pentagon and U.S. weapons manufacturers to discuss Russia, human resources and supply chain

Ankara says U.S. may approve sale of F-16s to Turkey within few months

IMF: Turkey should tighten monetary policy and give the Central Bank more independence

Pope urges religious leaders to keep the world from brink of abyss

Putin awards Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II with Order of Honor

U.S. says G7 countries realize need for coordinated response to China

Round-the-clock curfew is introduced in Kherson

Borrell says they can't put China and Russia on same level

Olaf Scholz calls on China to influence Russia

G7 foreign ministers express 'unwavering commitment' to protecting Ukraine, criticized PRC and IRI

Political technologist explains why Pashinyan was elected chairman of board of ruling party in Armenia

Erdogan signs up for TikTok

China's army is constantly preparing for war amid provocative U.S. actions

Kalin: Armenia is constructive about normalization of relations

Poland asks EU to suspend fines

Putin: Situation in Ukraine was deadly for Russia

Portugal to test a four-day workweek

US embassy in Armenia issues statement ahead of November 5 protests in Yerevan

Dollar, euro go up in Armenia

Baku authorities once again refuse to allow PFPA to hold protest rally

Iranians commemorate anniversary of US embassy seizure

Richard Kauzlarich: Azerbaijan, Armenia FMs meeting in Washington 'will send message to Putin'

Russia ratifies protocol on requirements for length of service of EEU bodies' employees for pensions

Armenia deputy defense minister in Russia, discusses military cooperation

Yerevan receives proposal to hold Russia-Armenia-Azerbaijan interparliamentary talks

Health minister: We will work with fallen Armenia detainees relatives one more time after which bodies will be buried

Putin allows mobilization of citizens with unexpunged criminal record for serious crimes

Arnika, NESEHNUTI NGOs of Czech Rep. issue joint statement on plan to expand gold mine in Armenias Karaberd

Putin urges to evacuate civilians living in Kherson from the war zone

Iran parliament speaker to visit Armenia

Ruling force MP: Canada is opening embassy in Armenia because we are one of worlds most democratic countries

Girl with Armenian roots ends up in Vladimir orphanage

Erdogan says he has agreed with Putin to supply grain to needy countries for free

Armenia President, UK envoy agree to continue cooperation, close contacts

Armenia FM receives EU Monitoring Capacity

Spanish MPs don't approve agreement with Baku as a sign of solidarity with Armenia

Japan says North Korea may go ahead with nuclear test

Armenia government to allocate about $5M to Karabakh refugees support program

Belarusian border service: Border guards intercepts Ukrainian training drone

President appoints Ruben Vardanyan as Karabakh Minister of State

US embassy expresses concern about human rights violation in Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan continues muscle play on Iran border

Ibrahim Kalin says Turkey will become an important gas center one way or another

Biden: We're gonna free Iran

Reuters: G7 countries and Australia agrees on fixed price for Russian oil

World oil prices dropping

Wizz Air to launch new flights between Venice, Yerevan

EU assesses Armenia, Azerbaijan border commissions meeting in Brussels as constructive

Artsakh President convenes enlarged working consultation
YEREVAN.  During his meeting with the top officers of the Armed Forces of Armenia, President Serzh Sargsyan commented his initiativeat the timeof making constitutional amendments as follows: Thus, we ruled out the possibility of unhealthy competition of the republics President and Prime Minister, under the conditions of co-existence, reported Zhoghovurd newspaper.

Sargsyan also said that after 2018, powers of the PM of the republic will be much broader than what is vested in todays President, in a semi-presidential system [of government].

In fact, Serzh Sargsyan admitted that at least after 2005, when the Constitution was changed and we transitioned to a semi-presidential system, there was unhealthy competition between the presidents and the PMs [of the country]. Moreover, the PMs of Armenia have been RPA [i.e. the ruling Republican Party of Armenia] members, all this time.

And now, after these constitutional amendments, S. Sargsyan has decided to take full power into his hands as of April 2018, [but] already as PM, wrote Zhoghovurd.
By Press Trust of India: From Natasha Chaku

Melbourne, Feb 21 (PTI) Four Americans and an Australian pilot were killed today when a light aircraft crashed into a shopping centre here after a "catastrophic engine failure".

The twin-engine aircraft - heading to Tasmanias King Island - came in "low and fast" and hit the Direct Factory Outlet (DFO) in Essendon in the state of Victoria.

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State Premier Daniel Andrews confirmed the number of deaths and described it as the states worst air accident in three decades.

The US embassy has confirmed that four passengers on the plane were US citizens.

They were going to King Island to play golf.

Local media named the pilot as 63-year-old Max Quartermain. He had decades of flying experience and an "impeccable safety record".

The DFO was not open at the time and authorities do not believe staff members were killed in the incident. Police and paramedics rushed to the crash site, where firefighters doused the flames.

Victorian Police Assistant commissioner Stephen Leane said it was fortunate more people did not lose their lives in this "catastrophic" event. "It was a catastrophic plane crash that I think has taken a number of lives," he said.

"But certainly if we look at the circumstances, we have been very lucky today, depending on the time of day and who was around."

Victoria police superintendent Mick Frewen said investigations centred on a "catastrophic engine failure".

Craig Lapsley, Emergency Management Commissioner, said witnesses had been treated for shock and trauma but not physical injuries.

Essendon airport close to the shopping area has been closed until further notice. PTI NC ABH AKJ NSA

--- ENDS ---
STEPANAKERT.  Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) is breathing with democracy and freedom, whereas this does not exist in the other Caucasus countries.

European Parliament member (MEP) Jaromir Stetina (Czech Republic), who is in the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR/Artsakh) on an observation mission during Mondays constitutional referendum, on Tuesday told about the aforesaid to reporters, according to ARTSAKHpress news agency.

We are always threatened [by Azerbaijan] for coming to Artsakh; but despite this, we have not yet been put on their blacklist [of Karabakh visitors], said Stetina. The referendum has no direct link to the process of resolving the Karabakh-Azerbaijani conflict. The Constitution just stipulates certain rights, to which the population of Artsakh voted in favor yesterday.

I hope the international community will see that the democratic institutions here [in Artsakh] are established. The voice of Artsakh shall always be heard in the world.

The MEP added that the people of Artsakh give lessons in democracy to the world, and, also, they have the right to self-determination.

In addition, Jaromir Stetina noted that, in the future, the people of Artsakh themselves shall decide whether to join Armenia, or be independent.
YEREVAN.  The interim report on pre-election period in Armenia, and which will contain a preliminary assessment, will be ready in a few weeks.

Ambassador Jan Petersen, who will head the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) observation mission during the parliamentary election to be held in Armenia on April 2, on Tuesday stated about the aforementioned.

In his words, their mission has started working in Armenia on Monday, and they already have met with the President of Armenia, and members of the Central Electoral Commission. Petersen noted that their main team comprises 14 experts representing 13 countries, and that another 28 long-term observers will join them next week.

The OSCE/ODIHR representative also informed that as election day draws near, their mission will be complemented by 250 short-term observers. He stressed that they will be carrying out an observation mission in Armenia for the eleventh time, they are impartial, and that they will observe, assess, and present recommendations.

As per Ambassador Petersen, on the day following the parliamentary election, the OSCE/ODIHR mission will submit preliminary assessments. He noted that a final report will be prepared two months later, and based on their respective evaluations, it will contain specific recommendations, and that it is up to Armenias authorities to consider them and draw some conclusions.

Jan Petersen added that the OSCE/ODIHR will conduct the observation mission based on the respective invitation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia.
STEPANAKERT.  Even though there are problems and disagreements within the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), Armenias membership in it is justified.

Vice President of the National Assembly of Armenia, Eduard Sharmazanov, on Tuesday stated about the aforementioned at a press conference in Stepanakert, the capital city of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR/Artsakh).

To note, the Sharmazanov-led Armenian delegation took part in the observation mission on Mondays constitutional referendum in Artsakh.

He recalled that the military and political leadership of Armenia has repeatedly stated that there are CSTO allies which do not act like an ally.

The President [of Armenia] spoke about this, after the events in [early] April [2016, when Azerbaijan had unleashed a large-scale military aggression against Karabakh], noted the deputy speaker of the Armenian parliament, when asked about the position of Belarus in the case involving blogger Alexander Lapshin.

Sharmazanov said he likewise believes that the secret to success within any organization is unity on key issues.

Our [i.e. Armenias] membership [in the CSTO] is justified, he noted. Yes, there are problems, but cooperation needs to deepen.

Eduard Sharmazanov added, however, that the CSTO is not the sole international organization where there is controversy.

We have sounded our position on the deal of Belarus and Azerbaijan [regarding Lapshin], stressed the vice president of the Armenian parliament. Its a shady deal that does not correspond to the spirit of pacific settlement of the [Karabakh] conflict.

In December 2016, Israeli Russian blogger Alexander Lapshin was detained in the Belarusian capital city of Minsk. The reason was his being on the international wanted persons list, due to a search which Azerbaijan had declared. Baku accuses him of visiting Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) without its consent.

And on February 7 of the current year, Belarus extradited the blogger to the Azerbaijani capital city of Baku, where he was taken into custody.
STEPANAKERT.  The blacklist of the Azerbaijan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has increased the number of people wishing to visit Nagorno-Karabakh.

Vice President of the National Assembly (NA) of Armenia, Eduard Sharmazanov, on Tuesday said about the abovementioned at a press conference in Stepanakert, the capital city of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR/Artsakh).

To note, the Sharmazanov-led parliamentary delegation from Armenia took part in the observation mission on Mondays constitutional referendum in Artsakh.

The referendum showed that the people [of Artsakh] are united, their will to create an independent state is unwavering, he stressed. This also showed that the international observers assessments, that Artsakh follows the building of a democratic state and the NKRs democratic processes are not comparable to Azerbaijan, were confirmed.

As for the quality of the referendum, we believe that it could be an example for everyone in the region, without exception; this shows that the NKRs international recognition is a matter of time.

The presence of [constitutional referendum] observers from close to 30 countries was very important; this means that the actions by both Azerbaijan authorities and their supporters which, supposedly, are also our supporters in some organizations, are futile. The more those that have appeared on their blacklist increases, the foreign nationals desire to be in Nagorno-Karabakh grows that much more.
STEPANAKERT.  President of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic National Assembly (NKR/Artsakh NA), Ashot Ghulyan, on Tuesday received a group of representatives from the US and Canada, and who had come to Artsakh on an observation mission during Mondays constitutional referendum in the country.

First, the parliament speaker underscored their activities in the NKR.

Congratulating the people of Artsakh on holding a referendum, Toronto (Canada) City Council member James Jim Karygiannis noted that he is impressed by this plebiscite. Karygiannis expressed a view that it was an exceptionally ideal referendum, and that he had witnessed with envy as to how great the voter turnout was.

Fresno County (California, USA) Board of Supervisors member Andreas Borgeas, for his part, stated that he was fascinated by the peoples enthusiasm toward the referendum. Borgeas added that he wishes to share his respective experience in Artsakh in his country, since it is not that easy to ensure such voter turnout in the US.

And director of the Election Administration Research Center at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law (USA), Karin Mac Donald, who is in Artsakh for the third time on an observation mission, underscored the amendments that were made to the NKR Electoral Code, and which they had recommended the last time.
By Press Trust of India: From Aditi Khanna

London, Feb 21 (PTI)Scotland Yard have arrested five teenagers aged between 15 and 19 on suspicion of planning to join the Islamic State terrorist group.

"The arrests relate to plans to travel to join a proscribed organisation," the Metropolitan Police said in a statement.

"Officers from the Scotland Yard Counter Terrorism Command have today, yesterday arrested five males from separate addresses in south, east and west London on suspicion of Preparation of Terrorist Acts, Contrary to Section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006, the statement said.

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A further residential address was searched in Lambeth area of London in connection with the investigation, the Met said.

All five are being questioned at a central London police station. Some youngsters from London have been at risk of fleeing to Syria and other war zones to join the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist group.

In 2015, three teenage girls from east London went missing and were believed to have joined ISIS. PTI AK AMS

--- ENDS ---
Upon the initiative of the Consulate General of Armenia in Los Angeles, Armenia and Karabakh again took part in the Travel & Adventure Show held in Los Angeles. The event is considered as the largest expo in the US tourism sphere.

Dozens of countries and thousands of travel agencies take part in this show every year to present the best destinations and tour packages of the world.

The Armenia pavilion included 10 travel agencies from Armenia and US. The show visitors were offered Armenian sweets, dried fruit and drinks, as well as presented jewelry and tour packages of two Armenian republics.

The representatives of the US-based Armenian travel agencies recorded that the number of foreigners turning to them for the purpose of leaving for Armenia and Artsakh has grown as compared to previous years.

During the show, Vartan and Siranush Gevorkiaan dance ensemble performed Armenian dances.

The event was also attended by the Armenian American Business Council. International Business Relations Support Council of the Armenian Parliament coordinated the participation of Armenian agencies.
YEREVAN. - Prime Minister of Armenia Karen Karapetyan on Tuesday visited the final annual meeting of the European Business Association (EBA).

The event was attended by the head of the European Delegation to Armenia, Ambassador Piotr Switalski, ambassadors of the EU member-states to Armenia and the representatives of a number of member companies of the association.

Welcoming the event participants, the Premier noted that the Armenian Government is interested in expanding its relations with the European business. We are quite interested in that all of you feel secure in the Republic of Armenia, make investments, open jobs, pay taxes and become rich. We are ready to discuss all the issues of concern to you, as well as initiatives and proposals in any platform, Karapetyan stressed, wishing productive work to the EBA representatives.

Ambassador Piotr Switalski, for his part, thanked the Premier for conducting open policy and being open for business.

He stressed that the Armenian Government has recently adopted different decisions aimed at improving the business environment, which will contribute to attracting investments. In Switalskis words, the EU and business community are ready to develop and deepen their further cooperation with Armenia.
The talks on the new agreement with the EU will be completed in the near future.

Foreign Minister of Armenia, Edward Nalbandian, said the aforementioned at an interview during Nemtsova.Interview program of DW.

According to Nalbandian, Armenian will in the near future be able to announce that the talks are completed. This new agreement will reflect the depth, volume and level of relations, which Armenia is already developing with the EU, as well as the prospects and possibilities, which both sidesEU and Armeniahave in mind in terms of future partnership in the most diverse spheres and dimensions, which are possible with the EU, Nalbandian added.

Responding to the question as to whether Moscow minds the conclusion of that agreement, the Armenian FM said that it is inherent in Armenias strategic ally relations with Russia not to initiate something that would be against the development of bilateral ties with allies, partners, strategic partners, thus he doesnt think there might be, are or can be any objections.

Referring to the situation where it was not possible to sign the previous agreement with the EU, this coinciding with Armenian Presidents visit to Russia, Nalbandian said this not exactly this way.

According to him, Armenia held talks with the EU and was actually at the final stage of cooperation. However, he also noted that Armenia always stated that it would like to be included in the Customs Union, and when the things came to creating the EAEU, Armenia always said it wished to join it. But at the same time, there were certain objections on that this might be difficult to carry out since Armenia has no common border with the EAEU, and it is simply impossible to be in one Customs Union having no such borders, he added. Thus, a relevant working group of experts was set up, who studied the situation and concluded that Armenias participation in the Customs Union and EAEU which was created then was still possible.

Apart from this, Nalbandian noted that in the relations with Russia and all other countries, Armenia stands for as close and solid relations as possible. Referring to the EU, the FM noted that Armenia repeatedly stated about this as early as when exchanging relevant letters with High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton during the Vilnius Summit of the Eastern Partnership in November 2013, following which a statement was made jointly with the EU.

Afterwards, when Armenia launched talks with High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini on the new agreement between EU and Armenia, the country precisely stated that it intends to develop its relations in both directions, going as far and deep as possible in their relations, cooperation and partnership and taking into consideration the obligations of Armenia in other international integration processes. Thus, everything is apparent here, Nalbandian concluded.
The result of Armenias participation in the EAEU might be much better.

Armenian FM Edward Nalbandian said the aforementioned in an interview with DW.

In his words, all kinds of negative external economic trends also impact countries like Armenia, which has small but sufficiently open economy. The way they do on many other EU countries. In the conditions of not easy economic conjuncture, our accession [to the EAEU]one has to give it creditgave us an opportunity to have access to quite a large market. What is manufactured in Armenia goes to that enormous consumer market at a zero customs duty and without any administrative obstacles, which is important. There is also a [growth] trend: For the last year, that is in 2016, Armenias export grew by 50 percent. You can understand what figures we are talking about.

To the observation that these figures reflect the post-crisis recovery growth and that the indexes reached the level of year 2013, Nalbandian noted that there are countries which suffer crisis as a result of global problems and global economic conjuncture. And this crisis continues. But, nevertheless, we have positive trends.

Responding to the question that unlike other EAEU member-states, which are very critical about the Union, only Armenia still sees privileges in it, Nalbandian said he doesnt think only Armenian is positively disposed. Criticism is always good if it is aimed at improving the conditions and looking at prospects. From this perspective, it is apparently important to consider criticism as a very positive point instead of pouring ashes on ones heads and saying how bad everything is, he concluded.
I would not attribute the ambitious role prospect of being a mediator to Armenia.

Foreign Minister of Armenia, Edward Nalbandian, said the aforementioned at an interview during Nemtsova.Interview program of DW, responding to the question as to whether Armenia can be considered a mediator between Russia and the West.

But Armenia may actuallywhy notserve as an example. Many of my EU colleagues often say: Look, you are an EAEU member, but you are sincerely and openly developing close cooperation with the EU and not only. We have traditionally very solid relations with many European countries. And this did not start after the countrys independence but historically it so happened that the Armenian people have been keeping in touch with many nations of the European continent already for centuries.

From this perspective, Armenia conducts its policy very openly, that is, it wants to closely cooperate with anyone who would like the same, the FM stressed. But at the same time, he noted that Armenia doesnt want to capitalize on the contradictions or problems existing between separate countries in order to somehow benefit from that.

This is a bad position in terms of the prospect that it might backfire. Thus, we say and do what we say. We do and say what we do, Nalbandian concluded.
By Press Trust of India: Chennai, Feb 20 (PTI) "Shocked" over the abduction and harassment of a noted actress in Kerala, the South Indian Artistes Association (SIAA) today urged the states Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to ensure the culprits were soon brought to book.

"The incident showed there is no safety even for a popular woman celebrity in the country," SIAA said in a letter to Vijayan.

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"It is hereby requested that you intervene in the issue without any further delay and speed up the investigation to book the culprits and put them behind bars," it said.

SIAA members "were shocked" to know about the incident involving the actress, it added.

The associations general secretary Vishal Krishna lauded the actress for her "courage" to speak out about the incident.

"Most people would have been embarrassed to speak out if they had underwent such an incident. I laud her courage. Such an incident should not have happened," he told reporters.

He rued that "if a well-known actress could undergo such an experience, think of the situation of the common people" and said,

"We are in complete solidarity with the actress."

He expressed SIAAs solidarity with the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) on this matter.

The actress was allegedly harassed for two hoursby a gang of men, who forced their way into her car before fleeing at a busy areahere on February 17.

Her car driver Martin had been arrested even as police are looking for more persons including mastermind Pulser Suni. PTI SA VS KIS

--- ENDS ---
Every time we reach certain agreements and compromises, Azerbaijan makes a stepand sometimes several stepsback.

Foreign Minister of Armenia, Edward Nalbandian, said the aforementioned at an interview during Nemtsova.Interview program of DW.

The program host Zhanna Nemtsova decided to ask the Armenian FM several hypothetical questions, part of which related to the Karabakh conflict settlement. Below is the aforementioned interview, in part.

What if you manage to reach a compromise with Azerbaijan in respect of the territorial issue? How do you think it would look like?

You know, you have apparently prepared well for the interview but you asked a question about Karabakh, which doesnt correspond to the essence of the conflict. This is not a territorial dispute but a human rights issue.

I am asking hypothetical questions at the moment: this doesnt anyhow reflect my level of preparedness.

Even hypothetically the issue doesnt concern a territorial dispute. It is Azerbaijan which is presenting [the situation] like this. You have prepared this question based on Azerbaijani sources.

Absolutely not, you are wrong.

Ok. But I will tell you that this is a human right issue, one related to the fundamental right to self-determination. This is a conflict, which apparently differs from others in that the U.S., Russia and Francethat is, on behalf of the EUdeveloped common position on how this conflict can be resolved. And they proposed it to the parties to the conflict, the latter first of all being Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia. These positions are reflected in five statements made by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairing statesU.S., France and Russia. And on behalf of Armenia, we stated and continue to state that we are ready to move towards settlement on this ground.

Could you still say how the compromise might look like? You say that I have prepared badly. Since I have prepared badly, please tell how you see the compromise, which would satisfy both sides.

In terms of the compromise I noted that there are five statements which mention what is proposed.

What is proposed? What will satisfy you?

Here is what they proposethis not what Armenia proposes but what they [the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs] do: three principles. The first is the principle of non-use of force or threat of force. As you know, Azerbaijan continues its daily threat to use force and does that. Second, the right to self-determination. And third, the territorial integrity. These are these three principles

The territorial integrity of which country?

The territorial integrity of all the countries in general, as a principle of international law. The conflict should be resolved on the basis of these principles. Azerbaijan says: here is territorial integrity, but with its own interpretation of the latter. According to the interpretation proposed by Azerbaijan, there would not be so many UN member-states, which became independent through exercising the right to self-determination. In general, the essence of the problem is the self-determination of Nagorno-Karabakh, which held a referendum in due time and the population voted for that during that referendum.

Thus, those proposals of the Co-Chairs mention that the final status of Nagorno-Karabakh should be decided by means of the free expression of will of the Nagorno-Karabakh population, which will have international legal force. This is a very profound formula in that everything is said here. This is what Azerbaijan is afraid of and it says no, we will give this and that to Nagorno-Karabakh, whereas the international community says no, the population should itself decide how to live and what fate they want to have.

The rest are accordingly other elements, the so-called Madrid Principles and elements which were proposed in November 2007 (principles of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement proposed by the OSCE Minsk Group to the parties to the conflict in November 2007).

On the basis of these proposals of the Co-Chairs, we are still holding talks. However, every time we reach certain agreements and compromises, Azerbaijan makes a stepand sometimes several stepsback.
The democratic development of Artsakh's statehood is an irreversible process, the statement issues by the MFA of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) reads.

On 20 February 2017, a national referendum on a new draft Constitution was held in the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic). The turnout has been 76.44 per cent of the registered voters, of which 87.6 per cent supported the adoption of the new Constitution. Around 100 international observers from 30 countries monitored the voting process and positively assessed the organization and conduct of the referendum noting their transparency and compliance with international standards.

The new Constitution is to continue the traditions of state building enshrined in the first constitution, further strengthen the sovereignty of the country, and promote human rights and the rule of law, to improve public administration, enroot the independent judiciary and reform the local self-government. A key innovation was the increase of direct participation of citizens in public affairs by providing them with the right to legislative initiative, as well as on proposing amendments to the Constitution.

The referendum on 20 February has become another act of expression of will by the people of Artsakh, in exercising their right to determine their own future, as enshrined in fundamental international documents.

The attempts of Baku to suppress by all means, including military, this inherent right of the people of Artsakh, lead to the outbreak of the armed conflict. It remains a major source of persistent tension in the region and the reason for the lack of progress in the settlement of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict.

The democratic development of Artsakh's statehood is an irreversible process. Reluctance of Azerbaijan to recognize this fact through denial of the right to self-determination realized by the people of Artsakh is an attempt to return to the past, which is doomed to failure, the statement says.
The trials of Saif al-Islam and 36 more representatives of Muammar Gaddafis regime do not meet international standards, reads the UN report.

According to the document, that process was a serious attempt to hold those responsible for serious crimes accountable, whereas the court hearings were held with gross violations of norms, informs the UN radio.

It should be noted, that Tripoli Court sentenced Muammar Gaddafi's son, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, to death in absentia. According to the media, he is in prison in Zintan. The UN highlights that Saif al-Islam Gaddafis trial should be sent to the International Criminal Court, in accordance with the international obligations of Libya.
By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Feb 21 (PTI) Premier health institution AIIMS today terminated services of a senior resident doctor and initiated disciplinary action against three others in connection with the death of a pregnant nurse.

AIIMS Deputy Director V Sriniavs said the senior resident, Anaesthesiology, was found guilty of "wilful absence" and reached the operation theatre nearly an hour late.

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"Due to his absence, the lower segment C-section was done without the nurse being given general anaesthesia," he said.

His services have been terminated, Sriniavs said.

The action was taken on the findings of a high-level enquiry committee which pointed out procedural lapses and negligence on the part of the doctors.

As per a statement issued by the institute, a displeasure memorandum of the Director, AIIMS, will be issued to senior resident, Gynaecology.

This means he will not be eligible for an employment at AIIMS after the completion of his 3-year tenure.

"A warning shall be issued to the junior resident, Anaesthesiology, for having left the operation theatre under pressure of residents of Obstetrics and Gynaecology," the statement said.

It said a showcause notice will be issued to the consultant on call from the department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology for not being present for the emergency operation despite being informed.

Besides, the head of department, Anaesthesiology, has been asked to ensure round-the-clock availability of senior residents at the maternity OT.

It has also been asked to ensure that the consultant of Anaesthesiology is available on the hospital premises to oversee and supervise anaesthesiology services in ICUs, wards and emergencies.

The 28-year-old nurse with AIIMS, Rajbir Kaur, died on February 4 during delivery through cesarean section. Kaur had suffered a cardiac arrest during the surgery.

During treatment, she lost her baby and was put on life support.

"The AIIMS director held two rounds of meeting yesterday to decide action to be taken on the basis of the report," Srinivas said.

The inquiry committee questioned all doctors involved in the incident before finalising the report.

A day after the nurses death, AIIMS had suspended three senior residents from obstetrics and gynaecology department and two junior residents from anaesthesia department pending inquiry.

The action was taken based on preliminary report by a committee headed by medical superintendent D K Sharma which ruled out any "intentional gross medical negligence" on part of the five doctors.

But the suspension was revoked following protests from resident doctors association (RDA) which sought a detailed probe into the matter.

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Later, AIIMS constituted another committee under the chairmanship of Dr S C Sharma, HoD, ENT, to probe the matter. PTI PLB TIR

--- ENDS ---
One of the most interesting plays Ive seen in the last half-decade is called "The Whale," written by young playwright Samuel D. Hunter.

I saw it off Broadway about four or five years ago, and the story of a 600-pound man bent on killing himself with food has stayed with me since. The man, Charlie, teaches writing on the Internet and is on his way to dying because of his sorrow over a former love, now lost.

I mention this because Hunter is coming to Milwaukee with "The Few," another play that promises a level of fascination that's both gentle and enveloping. It opens this week at Milwaukee Chamber Theatre.

The story is of Bryan, who has returned to his home in Idaho and is worn from publishing his labor of love, a newsletter aimed at long-haul truck drivers. He reconnects with a past lover and a young boy who wants to live in the orbit of Bryan, his idol.

There's a powerhouse cast in this production directed by C. Michael Wright. James Ridge and Mary MacDonald Kerr, two of the very best in this state, will be joined by newcomer Mitch Bultman.

Ridge and Kerr each did one-person shows at Chamber in 2013, Ridge in "Underneath the Lintel" and Kerr in "The Detectives Wife." Both were among the best plays I saw that season, and getting them together on a stage promises to be a wonderful experience.

Charles Isherwood of The New York Times reviewed "The Few," and here are some of his observations:

Mr. Hunter, the author of the fine plays "A Bright New Boise" and "The Whale," writes with unusual insight into, and empathy for, people whose lives have settled into sad stasis, or strategic withdrawal. All three characters in "The Few" bear unhealed emotional bruises. QZ hides hers behind a stoicism that begins to fray as she and Bryan confront the darkness in their past. Bryan, emanating an air of bitter defeat in Mr. Laurences (Bryan) chilly-eyed performance, deals with his despair by deflecting it into sarcasm and subtle digs at QZ for turning his newsletter into nothing more than a pickup joint on paper. Matthew, on the other hand, all but broadcasts his vulnerability. He scampers like an overexcited puppy around Bryan, who has long held a mystique for Matthew. He idealizes him as a sort of latter-day beat poet, and hopes that his return means the publications glory days can be revived. Bryan greets his idol worship with cold condescension, although there is a suggestion, too, that hes touched and gratified to think that someone might hold a man like him in esteem; he certainly doesnt.

Information on showtimes and tickets for "The Few" is available here.

Royalty at The Pabst

In the history of black vocal quartets  the Temptations, Supremes, Drifters, Platters  the Four Tops sit right up there as part of the royalty spawned by Motown, the hit factory born in a tiny white house in Detroit.

The group started singing together in 1953 and is still touring today, even though the membership has changed some.

The list of hits is full of both memories of yesterday and the promises of a brighter tomorrow, something that might seem pretty important right now. Among the many hits are "Aint No Woman (Like the One I Got)"; "Baby I Need Your Lovin"; "Reach Out Ill Be There" and "Standing in the Shadows of Love."

The group is composed now of Abdul "Duke" Fakir, Ronnie McNeir, Lawrence Payton, Jr. and Harold Bonhart. Fakir, 81, is the only original member left and Payton is the son of his dad, who was one of the originals.

The Tops will be on stage at The Pabst and accompanied by the Milwaukee Childrens Choir, which is a combination that, on the surface, seems likely to deliver some magic moments (with apologies to The Drifters).

Information on showtime and tickets is available here.
Editor's note: The following article was originally posted Sept. 25, 2015, but we are reposting it today in honor of National Cat Day. Enjoy!

In the world of stereotypes, mens best friends are dogs and ladies are crazy for cats. However, many male celebrities  from James Franco to David Bowie to Michael C. Hall  remind us that theres nothing unmanly about expressing feline affection.

Locally, we tracked down multiple men who really love cats and they shared their stories  and their photos  with us.

1. Bill Miller & Roger

Bill Miller, who lives on the East Side with his wife and stepson, has four cats: two males, Henry and Roger, and two females, Tulip and Lucy. Three of them are black-and-white "tuxedo" cats and Henry is an orange tabby. All of them were born between 2008 and 2009.

If forced to pick, Miller admits Roger is his favorite. "But dont tell the other cats," he says.

Roger was a neighborhood stray who wound up at MADACC and Miller brought him home just hours before he was scheduled to be euthanized.

"We felt a special connection to him. We think he might be the reincarnation of one of our friends who passed away," says Miller, who grew up with cats and kittens in Nebraska.

Once, Roger swallowed a sewing needle which required surgery to remove it from his intestinal track. "We spent a lot of money, but it was worth it to spare him from a painful, horrible death," says Miller. "Rogers been through a lot. Hes used many of his nine lives."

2. Steven Kaishian with Picasso & Kismet

""I have always loved pets, but didn't become a 'cat guy until my early adult life," says Steven Kaishian, who has two cats  a black-and-white "tuxedo" cat named Picasso and a gray tabby named Kismet.

"Picasso is quite the hunter," he says. "His mice are specifically silver and pink glitter balls and if we buy any other color he won't play with them. He brings us his 'mice' one-to-three times in an evening. We have to get out of bed and pet and praise him."

Kismet, according to Kaishian, is quite a talker.

"Kismet is extremely verbal. We swear he has a 30-word vocabulary. Whenever he enters a room, he announces himself," says Kaishian. "I don't need an alarm clock because Kismet wakes me up with headbutts and butterfly kisses every morning."

Kaishian shares his cats with his wife, Pamela Anderson. The couple also has four grown children.

"Our cats are our furry children. They are a natural stress reliever and keep our blood pressure low," says Kaishian. "And they never ask for money."

3. Lars Kvam & Otis

Lars Kvam has cared for cats all of his adult life. One of his favorite felines was Nasty, a female cat who passed away. After giving himself some time to heal, Kvam adopted Otis in 2012.

"Were still in the stage of getting to know each other. I think it takes cats five years to warm up," says Kvam.

Originally, Kvam intended to adopt an older cat, but when he saw Otis, who was a kitten at the Humane Society, he knew they were meant to be pals.

"He was very, very cute and playful," says Kvam. "Unfortunately, he wasn't potty trained and so the first thing he did when I brought him home was run into my bedroom and sh-t on my bed."

Otis eventually got the hang of the litter box, and Kvam has grown extremely fond of him.

"Although sometimes I feel like Im too old for him," says Kvam, who is 54. "Im thinking about getting him a little brother to play with. He really needs one."

Kvam says he wanted a dog when he was a little boy, but as a grown up, he prefers cats.

"It turns out, dogs kind of hate me and I have a way with cats. I like their sincerity. You cant make cats do anything unless they want to do it. Theyre their own people," says Kvam.

4. Ryan Kisiolek & Mr. Kitty

Ryan Kisiolek admits hes obsessed with cats. "I love how cats come to you on their own terms. I love their tummies. Wait, that sounds weird," he says.

Currently, Kisiolek lives with a roommate and her cat, Mr. Kitty. He has two cats, Leelu and Sam, who are still living with his ex partner.

"Both were rescues," he says. "They are currently living with my ex, but I hope to get them back someday."

Kisiolek, who grew up on a farm near Sheboygan, saved and rescued more cats and kittens than he can remember.

"It was a part of farm life. Mama kitty would have a litter of 12 or wed go to the humane society and pick up a cat or two," says Kisiolek. "Cats have been with me my whole life. But I dont have any favorites, I really love em all."

Kisioleks Facebook page often serves as a tribute to cats and kittens. "I like to post anything that has to do with cats," he says. "Mostly because they make me smile and fill me with joy."

5. Wayne Manske with Roufus & Trapper

Wayne Manske has two cats, and the eldest is Roufus, a black shorthair whos in his late teens.

"I adopted him as an adult, so I don't know exactly how old he is," says Manske. "Hes a very vocal cat who is in constant motion and a bit of a daredevil. He begs for food off my plate and will eat almost anything I share with him."

Manskes second cat, Trapper, is a 12-year-old Calico.

"She was the pick of the litter. I chose her from my sister's cat's two-day-old kittens because of her unique look. She has two butterscotch spots on her back right above her tail," says Manske.

Trapper is less active than Roufus. "She grew up to be a very big girl and loves sitting on laps, papers, boxes or piles of junk mail," says Manske.

Manske has been a cat caregiver since he was 7 years old and got his first kitten from his uncle's dairy farm.

"I love cats for the companionship and ease of care. They are relaxing pets and it's rewarding because when you love them, they love you back," he says.

Like most cat owners, Manske has nicknames for his cats. He sometimes refers to Roufus as "Old Man" or he rolls the R in his name so it sounds like "Rrrroufus."

"My girlfriend calls them 'Ruffimo and Trappimo' or 'Twappimo' in her baby talk form of cat-speak," he says. "Sometimes Trapper gets growly and hits and she calls her 'Slappimo,' too."

6. Rusty Smart & Meko

Rusty Smart says his affection for cats is a recent development, but he has completely fallen in love with his girlfriends Siamese cats, Meko and Chloe.

"They always need and want my attention," says Smart.

Although he doesnt want to play favorites, Smart says he appreciates how much Meko loves to ride in the car. "She has a very cool personality. Chloe is much more reserved," he says.

This summer, Meko ran away for five days and the couple thought he was gone for good. They searched the neighborhood for days, but couldnt find him.

"We were heartbroken," says Smart. "But then, while we were on a trip, Lisa's daughter's boyfriend found him. We were so happy to have Meko back!"
David Lary, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Texas-Dallas, discusses air particulate sensors that are being integrated in the Argonne-developed Waggle platform to measure and monitor air quality in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Credit: Wes Agresta/Argonne National Laboratory

Less than two years since its release, interest and demand for Waggle, a wireless environmental sensing platform created at the Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory, is flourishing among research groups, industry and government entities, its creators say.

Waggle is the first platform to combine environmental lightweight sensors with computer hardware and software for "edge computing" within a portable node, or device. Edge computing allows Waggle nodes to process image and audio data directly inside the sensor node by using new technologies in machine learning.

Each node collects and transmits environmental data wirelessly via the cloud. By distributing multiple nodes across sites, researchers can access environmental data in near real time, helping improve the efficiency of research and discovery.

Top experts in environmental sensing explored existing and potential applications for Waggle and other sensing technologies during a two-day workshop held at Argonne in mid-September. Among the more than 50 attendees were representatives from NASA, the EPA, Honeywell, Bosch, the University of Texas-Dallas and the City of Portland, among others.

"Most people know Waggle in connection to Chicago's Array of Things, which is an urban experiment, but there are many other settings in which Waggle is being used," said Pete Beckman, leader of the Waggle project at Argonne.

From researching deforestation in the Amazon to improving air quality for manned space missions, attendees revealed unique ways to apply sensing technology to improve our understanding of Earth and human health.

For example, one workshop attendee, University of Texas-Dallas atmospheric scientist David Lary, uses Waggle to study the relationship between asthma and pollen in Chattanooga, Tennessee, a city that consistently ranks high in childhood asthma incidence within the U.S. His project, known as the Geolocated Allergen Sensing Platform, combines Waggle with a sensor that detects pollen and other air particulates.

"What we hope this project will allow us to do is make real-time measurements of the air particulates and pollen present in any given location, and with that we can provide an alert to people so they can make more conscious decisions about their health," Lary said.

The powerful edge computing capability of Waggle enables the nodes to process image and audio data and to make use of the latest machine learning techniques. Waggle nodes can be programmed to identify birds, cars, bicycles and types of clouds, giving scientists holistic data about a node's surroundings as well as environmental data. This capability is quite unique, and will be the future of intelligent sensing platforms, Beckman said.

Waggle also uses lightweight sensors, a relatively cheap category of sensor already found in everyday items, such as household sensors like carbon monoxide and ozone detectors, as well as the temperature and pressure detectors found in phones, gaming systems and wearable devices.

A lightweight sensor can range from tens to hundreds of dollars, while the alternative "reference sensor," a more precise but also heavier and more expensive sensor, can cost anywhere from $20,000 to $100,000.

"The problem with the reference sensors is that people can only afford one, two, maybe three of them, but what they want is to buy is tens or hundreds," Beckman said.

As lightweight sensors and the Waggle system are applied more widely, Beckman says that he and other researchers still need to work to improve system performance and software design for data collection and analysis and visualization, all while aiming to maintain a relatively low cost.

Two other workshop attendees  Cristina Negri, an Argonne agronomist and environmental engineer, and Bill Miller, a professor of chemical and biological engineering at Northwestern University  also use Waggle in non-urban sensing projects.

In one of their projects, done in partnership with the Nature Conservancy and Northeastern Illinois University, Miller and Negri are using Waggle to monitor water flow across a prairie site in the Calumet region. The researchers are focused on monitoring the levels and movements of water to better understand the prairie ecosystem and examine how water movement within the prairie may be affecting surrounding residential communities.

"Aside from being great reservoirs for biodiversity, green areas like this help with problems of flooding and with maintaining clean air," Negri said. "So there are a lot of benefits from keeping these green places as healthy as possible, both locally and globally."
The National Zoo's giant panda Bao Bao will stay in quarantine for about a month, before entering Chengdu's special breeding program

One of Washington's most popular residents left town on Tuesday: Bao Bao, the National Zoo's uber-popular young female panda, headed to her new home in China.

Bao Bao left Dulles International Airport outside the US capital on a specially outfitted cargo plane for a 16-hour nonstop flight to the Chinese city of Chengdu, home to a special research base for giant panda breeding.

Two zoo personnel will travel with the pandaalong with about 30 kilos (65 pounds) of foodmainly bamboo, but also apples, cooked sweet potatoes and special biscuits.

Once in China, the 3.5-year-old Bao Baoborn in August 2013 at the National Zoowill stay in quarantine for about a month, before entering the breeding program.

About 60,000 panda lovers visited the zoo over the weekend to say farewell to Bao Bao, some of them traveling long distances. Her departure was shown on Facebook Live on Monday.

Most giant pandas around the world are on loan from China. Any panda cubs born abroad, like Bao Bao, are sent back to China before they turn four.

The National Zoo has played host to pandas since the early 1970s.

An estimated 1,800 pandas live in the wild, mainly in China's Sichuan province.

 2017 AFP
Koala populations have declined rapidly in south-east Queensland. Credit: University of Queensland

Cars and chlamydia were the top causes of a dramatic rise in south-east Queensland koala deaths over the past two decades, according to a new University of Queensland-led study.

UQ School of Veterinary Science's Associate Professor Rachel Allavena and Dr Joerg Henning worked with the Queensland Government's Moggill Koala Hospital to analyse data about koala disease and death from 1997 to 2013.

Dr Allavena said the important data had been collected over the span of the koala population crash.

"Populations throughout the 'Koala Coast' declined by about 80 per cent over this period, so this iconic and famous species is in real trouble in our area," she said.

The senior researchers and PhD student Viviana Gonzalez-Astudillo determined that at least a quarter of the koalas hit by cars were otherwise in good health, meaning it was healthy, breeding animals that were killed.

About half of the population that died over the study period was affected by more than one disease or health problem, including trauma.

Chlamydia was particularly devastating for koalas, because of the potential to render females infertile and cause bladder and eye problems, making predator avoidance and food foraging harder.

Animal attacks, particularly from dogs, and wasting away from starvation, disease and poor teeth were other prominent causes of koala deaths.

Dr Henning said the research team had developed KoalaBASE, a web-based database about koalas coming into care in south-east Queensland facilities.

"KoalaBASE enables data input at multiple veterinary centres, and use of the data by multiple stakeholders such as veterinarians, government departments and researchers," Dr Henning said.

The UQ researchers hope their data, published in the journal Scientific Reports, will help government agencies, koala groups and hospitals better target resources to prevention and treatment.

Environment Minister Dr Steven Miles said the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection, which funded the $420,723 research project, provided extensive records of koala admissions at Moggill Koala Hospital.

"Based on this information and its own research with other koala care facilities, the research team has developed a database which, for the first time, provides accurate scientific information on the specific threats facing south-east Queensland koalas," Dr Miles said.

"This is one of several projects funded by the State Government to boost our knowledge and understanding of the threats facing koalas, so we can ensure work to secure viable and healthy koala populations across the state is based on evidence and scientific research."

"The Palaszczuk Government takes the protection of the State's much-loved koalas very seriously and has set up a Koala Expert Panel and invested $12.1 million over four years to this cause."

More information: Viviana Gonzalez-Astudillo et al. Decline causes of Koalas in South East Queensland, Australia: a 17-year retrospective study of mortality and morbidity, Scientific Reports (2017). DOI: 10.1038/srep42587 Journal information: Scientific Reports
Kanako is interacting with a familiar human care-taker. Credit: Kumamoto Sanctuary, Kyoto University

Japanese researchers have confirmed the second case known to science of a chimpanzee born with trisomy 22, a chromosomal defect similar to that of Down syndrome (or trisomy 21) in humans. The report on Kanako, a 24-year-old female chimp born into captivity, was led by Satoshi Hirata of Kyoto University in Japan, and appears in the journal Primates, published by Springer. The authors also describe their attempts to improve the quality of life of this chimpanzee, through providing and managing opportunities for normal social interaction. Such efforts are seen as key in caring for disabled chimpanzees in captivity.

Human cells normally contain 23 pairs of chromosomes, for a total of 46. Down syndrome occurs when a person's cells contain a third copy of chromosome 21 (also known as trisomy 21). In turn, apes have 24 pairs of chromosomes, for a total of 48. Trisomy 22 is diagnosed when the cells of apes such as chimpanzees, gorillas or orangutans contain a third copy of chromosome 22.

The first confirmed case of a chimpanzee with trisomy 22 was documented in 1969. The chimpanzee described nearly five decades ago died before its second birthday. This means that Kanako is the longest living chimp with this chromosomal disorder that scientists are aware of.

Kanako was born in captivity in 1992, at a facility which was transferred to Kyoto University in 2011 and renamed as Kumamoto Sanctuary, Wildlife Research Centre. She experienced stunted growth from an early age, suffers from a congenital heart disease and has underdeveloped teeth. Kanako developed cataracts before the age of one, and became blind by the age of seven. Having cross eyes and suffering from a disorder that causes the progressive thinning of her corneas count among her vision problems. These symptoms are also common in human Down syndrome.

Kanako's heart condition was only picked up in 2014 during a routine physical examination. An echocardiogram showed that she has an atrial septal defect, or a so-called "hole" in the wall, that separates the top two chambers of the heart. These results then prompted the research team to conduct further chromosomal analysis, which confirmed that she had trisomy 22.

Her blindness makes social interaction with other chimpanzees difficult, but not impossible. She lived separated from other chimps to avoid aggressive interactions, but was provided with the opportunity to interact with another female chimp named Roman once a month. Roman has been calm and friendly to Kanako from the start.

Because Kanako's development was not systematically investigated over the years, it is difficult to speculate whether trisomy 22 has caused any specific retardation.

"However, the lack of abnormalities noted in her daily care-taking before the age of one, except for neonatal inactivity and limp limbs, suggests that there was no severe retardation in her behavioral development," says Hirata.

It is still unclear how common trisomy 22 is among chimpanzees. Last year, news reports from Tanzania for instance highlighted the case of a baby chimp suspected of having "Down syndrome," but chromosomal tests could not be conducted.

"It is difficult to estimate the probability of a rare event using a small population, but given that around 500 chimpanzees have been born in captivity in Japan, the probability of this autosomal trisomy in chimpanzees may be comparable to that of trisomy 21 in humans, which occurs in up to 1 in 600 births," speculates Hirata.

More information: Satoshi Hirata et al, Chimpanzee Down syndrome: a case study of trisomy 22 in a captive chimpanzee, Primates (2017). DOI: 10.1007/s10329-017-0597-8 Journal information: Primates

Provided by Springer
Company bosses need to walk the walk when it comes to greening their business with technology, with new QUT research finding that just buying green IT, doesn't make you green.

Professor Jan Recker, from the QUT Business School, said investment in Green IT paid off in terms of reducing costs but to generate green reputational and innovation benefits a more substantial change of strategy and practice was required from top-down and beyond the IT department.

The research published in Information Systems Journal titled How IT executives create organizational benefits by translating environmental strategies into Green IS initiatives looked at how Green IT solutions needed to be backed up by green information systems practices such as process re-engineering or environmental management systems.

"In a nutshell, Green IT refers to reducing the environmental effects of the manufacturing, operation and disposal of IT equipment and infrastructure," Professor Recker said.

"For example, buying eco-friendly computers which automatically switch off, or consolidating servers and storage devices to save energy, or refurbishing old computers to extend their lifecycle.

"All these practices are aimed at reducing the resources, energy use and electronic waste generated from IT equipment.

"The conundrum is that businesses might be greener than they were before but they are still not really green in the sense of being truly sustainable."

Professor Recker said companies could only claim the "green tag" if they adopted company-wide practices that decreased the negative environmental effects of business operations and advance corporate sustainability.

"Employing smart green information systems practices allows you to change your processes to reduce your energy footprint, or to innovate new products and services; and this is what offers reputational benefits and innovative opportunities," he said.

"Environmental management systems can quantify emissions and track resource flows, which can unleash opportunities to reduce resource consumption.

"For example, using software that defaults to printing black and white rather than colour, or double-sided instead of single-sided. These changes across an organisation can make a significant difference to its carbon footprint.

"Or, digital innovations can lead to green end products and infrastructure solutions, such as smart-grid technologies, engine-control units, intelligent traffic management systems and de-materialisation initiatives that substitute physical products such as books or music with digital services."

As part of the study, 118 chief information officers were surveyed about their strategies and their use of green technologies and green practices.

"The findings demonstrate to executives who may be suspicious about the benefit of taking on company-wide green information systems that it not only contributes to environmental goals but it also benefits a business' bottomline and reputation," he said.

More information: Fabian Loeser et al. How IT executives create organizational benefits by translating environmental strategies into Green IS initiatives, Information Systems Journal (2017). DOI: 10.1111/isj.12136
An IARPA grant to research, develop and evaluate an intelligent analytical tool will help analysts put the pieces together. Credit: Marcia Staimer/George Mason University

Researchers at George Mason University are developing a tool combining intelligent computer software and high-level crowdsourcing that will allow intelligence analysts to give sound advice to decision makers in high-pressure situations.

The federal government's Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) awarded researchers at George Mason's Volgenau School of Engineering a highly competitive $7.4 million contract to research, develop and evaluate an intelligent analytical tool called Co-Arg, short for cogent argumentation system with crowd elicitation.

Gheorghe Tecuci, Mihai Boicu and Dorin Marcu at Mason's Learning Agents Center have developed learning agent software to serve as a cognitive assistant for the intelligence analyst, said Tecuci, Learning Agents Center director and lead researcher on the project. The software can test hypotheses, evaluate evidence, sort facts from deception and provide intelligent reasoning about quickly evolving situations that may have devastating consequences.

"We teach the cognitive assistant as you would a student," said Tecuci, who's been working on the underlying technology with Boicu and Marcu for about two decades. "It's not just coding. The software learns how I learn."

Current traditional analysis and reporting tools simply don't have the capabilities to effectively help analysts assess "competing hypotheses, produce clear, well-supported judgments or identify and overcome biases," according to IARPA. "Nor do they provide much support for explaining to others why those judgments were made, why seemingly plausible alternatives were rejected and what major informational gaps remain."

Mason's tool could help the intelligence community find answers to an array of analytical problems. That might include figuring out the likelihood of a country having a rocket capable of delivering nuclear weapons to the continental United States, or determining whether terrorist groups could develop and use a device that emits an electro-magnetic pulse from a high-flying plane to destroy electrical systems on the ground.

Crowdsourcing, which provides crucial information from other intelligence analysts, is another key part of the tool said Boicu, associate director of the Learning Agents Center, who leads this part of the project. Through the tool's web-based system called "Argupedia," the lead analyst can ask other experts to weigh in on small aspects of a hypothesis. Their arguments are assembled and weighted for relevance by the software. The lead analyst uses this information to provide clear, well-informed answers to decision makers' questions, Boicu said.

Mason's cognitive assistant approach can be put to work in other fields, including cybersecurity, science education, medicine, law, history and finance by applying similar techniques used for national security analysis, Tecuci said. He added that Mason is at the forefront of structural analytical reasoning tools.
In recent years, research has found that black high school students across the country are at least three times more likely to be suspended from school compared to white students. However, social scientists have been unsure as to the reasons why this happens. Now, two new studies from a University of Missouri researcher have determined that differences in misbehavior and negative attitudes cannot explain why black students are suspended at higher rates.

Francis Huang, an assistant professor of education, school and counseling psychology in the MU College of Education, examined two different sets of data for his studies. One data set was from a national survey of American high school students; the other data set was from a statewide survey of high school students in Virginia. Students were asked to report certain misbehaviors and attitudes and if they had received out-of-school suspensions. Huang found that, although some differences existed among races in certain types of misbehavior, these differences could not explain the disproportionalities in suspension rates.

"Student attitudes and actual misbehaviors are very strong predictors for whether a student will be suspended, which means that suspensions are not entirely arbitrary," Huang said. "Regardless of race, students who expressed aggressive or negative attitudes toward school, their teachers and their peers were much more likely to be suspended than students with more positive attitudes or who did not engage in misbehaviors such as fighting at school, drinking alcohol or smoking marijuana. However, the reported attitudes supporting these misbehaviors were very similar for both black and white students, despite black students being suspended more."

Huang examined student-reported misbehaviors that are most likely to lead to school suspensions. These behaviors include fighting at school, bullying, bringing weapons to school, using marijuana and drinking alcohol. Huang found no differences between white and black students in the rates of bullying, bringing weapons to school and marijuana use; however, he did find that white students were more likely to drink alcohol while black students were more likely to fight in school.

"These findings are similar to what we see in national surveys conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but our new studies draw a link between these misbehaviors and out-of-school suspensions," Huang said.

Huang suggests that schools can help reduce the use of suspensions by targeting the misbehaviors and implementing interventions targeting aggression.

"It is important for schools to find alternatives to suspensions as they hurt students' abilities to succeed academically," Huang said. "The more school students miss, the farther behind they fall in their school work and the more likely they are to get into trouble. It is a vicious cycle. Schools can take steps to lessen the need for suspensions by implementing interventions that reduce aggressive behaviors and attitudes, since those are the most likely reasons why students are suspended."

Huang's first study was published in The Journal of Educational Research and his second study, co-authored by Dewey Cornell, a professor at the University of Virginia, was published in Children and Youth Services Review.

More information: Disproportionate Impact of K-12 School Suspension and Expulsion on Black Students in Southern States. www.gse.upenn.edu/equity/SouthernStates
A consortium of scientists studied a healthy population of grey reef sharks on Palmyra atoll. Credit: Darcy Bradley

Many shark populations around the world are known to have declined over the past several decades, yet marine scientists lack important baseline information about what a healthy shark population looks like. A clearer picture is now coming into focusthanks to a team of scientists who investigated the size of an unfished community of reef sharks.

Researchers from UC Santa Barbara and colleagues conducted an eight-year study of a healthy shark population on Palmyra, a remote, uninhabited atoll in the central Pacific Ocean. This pristine ecosystem is part of a marine refuge that extends 50 nautical miles from its shores. No fishing is allowed within these borders, which protect a diverse array of species, including grey reef sharks. The investigators were surprised to find far fewer sharks than expected. The study results appear in the journal Scientific Reports.

"We estimated a population size of between 6,000 to 8,000 grey reef sharks at Palmyra, which works out to a density of about 20 sharks per square kilometer," said lead author Darcy Bradley, a postdoctoral researcher in UCSB's Sustainable Fisheries Group, a collaboration of the campus's Marine Science Institute and Bren School of Environmental Science & Management.

"Previous research that used underwater visual survey methods estimated a density of between 200 to 1,000 sharks per square kilometer," Bradley continued. "So while it's not totally clear how those density estimates would scale up to a population estimate, it is clear that it would end up a lot bigger than our estimate."

From 2006 to 2014, the research team captured reef sharks across Palmyra and fitted them with numbered ID tags. They also tracked the movement of some of these animals using acoustic telemetry tags, which emit a sound that is then recorded by acoustic receivers located underwater.

Of the 1,300 tagged reef sharks, 350 individuals were recaptured, making this effort the largest reef shark tag recapture program in the world. In addition to the tag data, the investigators recorded information on the sex and size of each animal and the location of its capture. They plugged all the data into an algorithm that estimated the total population size.

According to Bradley, the fact that the shark population was smaller than anticipated is not all bad news.

"If a healthy shark population is smaller than we assumed, that means other shark populations are more precarious than previously suggested," she said. "However, it also means that the recovery goal for shark populations is lower, which makes recovering shark populations somewhat easier. Given that the way we manage fisheries and ecosystem health depends on having decent estimates of abundance, we need to continue to improve the way we count things in the ocean."

More information: Darcy Bradley et al. Resetting predator baselines in coral reef ecosystems, Scientific Reports (2017). DOI: 10.1038/srep43131 Journal information: Scientific Reports
The All India Institute of Medical Sciences has initiated follow-up action against officials held responsible by an enquiry committee constituted to investigate the death of Nursing Officer Rajbir Kaur on February 4

By Roshani Thokne: The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has initiated follow-up action against officials held responsible by an enquiry committee constituted to investigate the death of Nursing Officer Rajbir Kaur, Deputy Director (Administration) V Srinivas said.

The Committee noted that Rajbir Kaur's case was that of a low-risk pregnancy, monitored in the labour room on January 16. The labour was progressing well till 5 AM, when there was a sudden drop in heart rate, making emergency surgery necessary. The baby was limp at birth. Resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful.

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Rajbir was shifted to AB 8 ICU, where she passed away on February 4.

V Srinavas has outlined a number of steps taken by AIIMS based on the enquiry committee's findings, and two rounds of meetings held at the director-level.

First, a termination order will be issued to the Senior Resident, Anesthesiology, who was found guilty of wilful absence from duty.

The Senior Resident, Gynaecology, will receive a Displeaure Memorandum from the AIIMS Director, and the Junior Resident, Anaesthesiology, will receive a warning for having left the operation theatre under pressure from Residents of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

The consultant-on-call from Obstetrics and Gynaecology will be issued a show-cause notice for not being present for the emergency operation, despite being informed.

The Department head, Anaesthesiology, will ensure round-the-clock availability of Senior Residents in the maternity operation theatre. The Department Head, Anaesthesia, will ensure that the Consultant of Anaesthesiology is available at the hospital premises to oversee and supervise anaesthesiology services in diverse areas, depending on the kinds of emergencies that AIIMS needs to handle.

A Committee headed by the Chairman, Hospital Management Board, will be constituted to augment health care services with regard to EHS employees.

As well, Rajbir Kaur's next-of-kin will be paid Rs 10 lakh in compensation after due administrative approval.

ALSO READ: AIIMS doctors threaten to go on strike over suspension of 5 colleagues

--- ENDS ---
U.S. corporations that have long resisted bending to the demands of computer hackers who take their networks hostage are increasingly stockpiling bitcoin, the digital currency, so that they can quickly meet ransom demands rather than lose valuable corporate data.

The companies are responding to cybersecurity experts who recently have changed their advice on how to deal with the growing problem of extortionists taking control of the computers.

"It's a moral dilemma. If you pay, you are helping the bad guys," said Paula Long, chief executive of DataGravity, a Nashua, N.H., company that helps clients secure corporate data. But, she added, "You can't go to the moral high ground and put your company at risk."

"A lot of companies are doing that as part of their incident response planning," said Chris Pogue, chief information security officer at Nuix, a company that provides information management technologies. "They are setting up bitcoin wallets."

Pogue said he believed thousands of U.S. companies had prepared strategies for dealing with hacker extortion demands, and numerous law firms have stepped in to facilitate negotiations with hackers, many of whom operate from the other side of the globe.

Symantec, a Mountain View, Calif., company that makes security and storage software, estimates that ransom demands to companies average between $10,000 and $75,000 for hackers to provide keys to decrypt frozen networks. Individuals whose computers get hit pay as little as $100 to $300 to unlock their encrypted files.

Companies that analyze cyber threats say the use of ransomware has exploded, and payments have soared. Recorded Future, a Somerville, Mass., threat intelligence firm, says ransom payments skyrocketed 4,000 percent last year, reaching $1 billion. Another firm, Kaspersky Lab, estimates that a new business is attacked with ransomware every 40 seconds.

"If you're hit by ransomware today, you have only two options: You either pay the criminals or you lose your data," said Raj Samani, chief technical officer at Intel Security for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. "We underestimated the scale of the issue."

Hackers often send out email with tainted hyperlinks to broad targets, say, an entire company. All it takes is one computer user in a company to click on the infected link to allow hackers to get a foothold in the broader network, leading to hostile encryption.

"At least one employee will click on anything," said Robert Gibbons, chief technology officer at Datto, a Connecticut company that offers digital disaster recovery services.

Law enforcement counsels U.S. businesses not to succumb to ransom demands, urging them to keep backup copies of their data in case of hostile encryption.

"The official FBI policy is that you shouldn't pay the ransom," said Leo Taddeo, chief security officer for Cryptzone, a Waltham, Mass., company that provides network security. Until 2015, Taddeo ran the cyber division of the FBI's New York City office.

But practical considerations increasingly are dictating a different approach. "It's an option to pay the ransom to get back up and running. Sometimes it's the only option," Taddeo said.

"But it has downsides," he added. "Paying ransom just invites the next attack."

Moreover, 1 in 4 companies that pay ransoms never get their files restored, Gibbons said.

The idea of rewarding extortionists with payment makes some technologists see red.

"That makes me super mad," said Lior Div, chief executive of Cybereason, a Boston-area cybersecurity company. "There are things that are unacceptable, and we need to fight them."

Div and his company have done something about the extortion epidemic. They built a product called RansomFree that claims to detect 99 percent of all ransomware strains.

So far, the free software has been downloaded 125,000 times, the company says.

As extortionists get more sophisticated, researchers say, they are modifying their malicious code, their infection strategies and the way they collect payments.

Once they weasel their way into your network, they now take a look around.

"They'll actually explore your system to see how much money they can squeeze from you," said Andrei Barysevich, director of advanced collection at Recorded Future.

And they won't offer any sympathy, no matter how valuable the encrypted data, even if lives are at stake, say, in a health care network. They may even say they are doing nothing evil.

"They actually think they are on the moral high ground. They think the companies should have paid more for security," said Barysevich, who spoke at a presentation this week at the annual RSA cybersecurity conference in San Francisco, which bills itself as the world's leading gathering of cybersecurity specialists.

One of the reasons midsize and large companies are storing bitcoin for emergency use is that extortionists, once they succeed at penetrating a system, commonly give a deadline for payment before destroying data. But victims can't rush out and buy bitcoin in a day or two.

"It takes at times a week for (brokers) to process you," Barysevich said.

Setting up the wallet ahead of time, Pogue said, allows businesses an option that is quick, although perhaps repugnant.

"If they need to go to it, they are not spinning their wheels standing up a bitcoin wallet," Pogue said.

2017 McClatchy Washington Bureau

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
California is not the only place in the West confronting startling amounts of rain and snow.

Drought conditions have declined substantially across the region in recent weeks, with heavy storms replenishing reservoirs and piling fresh powder on ski resorts.

Yet there is one place where the precipitation has been particularly welcome and could be transformative: the Colorado River basin, which provides water to nearly 40 million people across seven states.

"We're in a really good spot as far as snow accumulations," said Malcolm Wilson, who leads the Bureau of Reclamation's water resources group in the upper Colorado River basin.

In fact, if the Rocky Mountains continue to see substantial snowfall this winter, there is a chance that later this year, water managers for the Colorado could do something that seemed inconceivable just a few weeks ago: They could start giving water away.

Under federal guidelines that kick in when water flows reach certain volumes, the Bureau of Reclamation, which oversees the river basin's largest reservoirs, Lake Powell and Lake Mead, could release enough water from the former to raise the elevation of the latter by 20 feet or more - providing a remarkable shot in the arm for a lake that has been declining steadily during a devastating drought that started in 2000.

The process - lowering one reservoir to lift another - is called equalization, and a few weeks ago, it was not even viewed as a viable option. Now, Wilson said, "It's in the realm of possibility."

Even if that optimistic scenario does not play out - the region would need several more weeks of strong precipitation without a substantial warmup - there is still reason to savor a moment of relief on the Colorado.

As of last month, the bureau was forecasting about a 50 percent chance that, for the first time, the river and its reservoirs would not be able to fulfill the water demands of states that rely on it, beginning in 2018.

But this week, the bureau quietly updated that forecast, saying the chance was only about 34 percent. By the end of this year, it expects Lake Mead to be at least 3 feet above the threshold at which an official "shortage" would be declared.

Not only that, the bureau said the likelihood of a shortage through 2021 is no greater than 33 percent. Just a few weeks ago, the chances of shortages in that time frame were about 60 percent.

Still, no one is declaring this the end of a drought that has fallowed farm fields, depleted groundwater and even inspired a dystopian novel, "The Water Knife," from 2015, which imagines the Southwest descending into crime and chaos as people fight over the shrinking Colorado.

While California has been climbing out of its drought - albeit the hard way, with brutal storms, mudslides and a mass evacuation ordered earlier below the damaged Oroville Dam spillway - the drought on the Colorado may never truly end.

That is because no matter how deep the snowpack may get one year - some drainages are seeing close to 200 percent of normal this year - the river itself functions at what its managers call a "structural deficit." The amount of water to which cities, tribes, farmers and others have legal rights is larger than the amount that, on average, flows into the system. In addition, climate change models for the future show declining snowpack and rising temperatures, potentially leading to more evaporation.

That all means that delicate negotiations that have been underway to get the seven states which use the water - Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming - to increase the amount of water they conserve are still crucial.

The effort, called the drought contingency plan, has been going on for several years, though negotiations intensified in 2016. The idea is to add a layer of voluntary conservation measures to prevent Lake Mead from falling below 1,075 feet, the level that triggers more painful, involuntary conservation measures.

Water managers had hoped to reach an agreement by the end of the Obama administration but ran into challenges resolving concerns among agricultural and other interests within individual states, particularly in Arizona and California.

Now, some water managers worry they may face a new challenge: that the wet winter may reduce the sense of urgency to complete the drought contingency plan.

"It potentially makes it harder, to tell you the truth," said Tom Buschatzke, the head of the Arizona Department of Water Resources, who is trying to build support for the plan among the state's competing interests, "because sometimes crisis mode drives outcomes."

Buschatzke noted that 2011 was also a very wet year, with strong snowpack, but less than four years later, water managers were again preparing for the possibility of a shortage. The Colorado provides 41 percent of Arizona's water.

"We need to make sure the wet winter doesn't stop the momentum we've built," he said. "Mother Nature does not bail us out."

The drought and the recent deluges demonstrate how the region's water issues are connected. The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California relies on the Colorado for about 45 percent of its water on average, but during the drought, the Colorado has provided as much as 90 percent of the utility's water.

The recent heavy rain in California has changed the balance again, allowing the utility to leave more water in Lake Mead, which helps the rest of the basin guard against a shortage.

"For the last four years, it was all about where can we get extra water," said Bill Hasencamp, who manages Colorado River resources for the Metropolitan Water District. "Now, all of a sudden in the last six weeks, it's a completely different mindset. We're storing as much water as we can in Lake Mead, storing it in our desert groundwater account, storing it in every reservoir account we have."

Hasencamp said the improvement in short-term forecasts for the Colorado could make it easier for California to approve the drought contingency plan, in part because the state's water rights already make it least likely to suffer major cuts.

Besides, he noted, the plan is merely a temporary fix, one that may not have to be implemented if Lake Mead improves for a few years. The truly complex negotiations will begin in 2020 for what is supposed to be a long-term solution.

"Lake Mead is like going to Vegas," Hasencamp said. "You might win a couple of times. You might even hit a jackpot. But in the end, the odds are stacked against you."

2017 Los Angeles Times

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Dallas POS Systems Becomes A Certified Reseller For Harbortouch POS Systems

Dallas POS Systems, a point of sale system provider, has just announced that it will be a dealer of Harbortouch POS Systems in a move that aims at bringing better point-of-sale services to their widening customer base. The company, which is known for its business and IT experience, has always had the goal of being the premier POS and merchant service provider in the Dallas-Ft.

We have partnered with other POS systems providers in the past and managed to bring impeccable services to our clients, said Jason Feemster speaking on behalf of Dallas POS Systems. Being certified Harbortouch POS system resellers places us at a vantage point to help our clients even better. Cash registers and traditional old school systems are coming to an end of life cycle. Most merchants find it painstakingly hard to manage these systems, and that is where we come in. The new POS systems are swift, reliable, efficient and business owners are now getting a better ROI. We have partnered with Harbortouch to provide user-friendly point of sale systems that are affordable for all merchants, and that is why we are introducing them to our clients.

Dallas POS Systems is the preferred merchant service provider in the Dallas, Forth Worth, TX Metroplex. The company provides affordable POS software and hardware. In their years of operation, the company has acted to represent their clients, vetting all equipment and software before releasing them to their customers. This has strengthened the trust between them and their clients, a factor that has seen an upsurge of clients enlisting their services in the last few years. Their partnership with http://www.harbortouchpossoftware.com, was informed by demands from a high number of their customer base as reported by Feemster.

Harbortouch has been in the industry since 1999 providing payment processing, merchant services, and POS systems. The award winning company is reputed for its innovative POS hardware and software and has received accolades for their great work. Their industry experience and reputation, to a large extent, informed Dallas POS Systems to offer their systems. This can be found on http://www.dallaspossystems.com.

Dallas POS Systems has expanded its services to offer total merchant services including credit card processing, inventory management, live sales figures, cloud reporting, employee management and much more. These services come handy for restaurants, bars, pizza shops, coffee shops, pubs, nightclubs, general stores, salons and spas and many other businesses. According to Feemster, representing Harbortouch products will enable them to reach out to more clients as well as better their services. More information can be seen on http://www.dallaspossystems.com

Dallas POS Systems is located at 2807 Allen St. #394 in Dallas, TX. (75204). The company can be contacted via phone at (469) 250-9111 or at their website http://www.dallaspossystems.com/.

Other POS articles:
Shopgate Joins Salesforce Partner Program with Salesforce Commerce Cloud

Shopgate enhances mobile shopping experiences to help Commerce Cloud customers achieve improved customer loyalty and drive repeat purchases.

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 20, 2016  Shopgate today announced that it has joined the Salesforce Partner Program in support of Salesforce Commerce Cloud, the fastest path to unified commerce. Commerce Cloud enables brands to provide personalized experiences for shoppers that span web, mobile, social and in-store. And now, as part of the worlds #1 CRM platform  Salesforce  brands can deliver completely unified experiences for customers that extend beyond commerce to include marketing, customer service and more.

Shopgate is a comprehensive mobile commerce platform that enables retailers to launch mobile websites, and native iOS and Android apps, to help Commerce Cloud customers achieve improved customer retention rates, while increasing lifetime customer value, boosting conversion rates and driving revenue.

Benefits of the Shopgate system include:

Single system management removes the headache of managing a separate eCommerce site thanks to Shopgates seamless integration with a retailers existing Commerce Cloud account.

Advanced push notification capabilities including user segmentation to proactively engage users wherever they go.

Real-time updates put marketers and merchandisers in control of the look and feel of their mobile experience.

Real-time updates put marketers and merchandisers in control of the look and feel of their mobile experience. Access to Shopgates comprehensive widget library. Merchants can create cost-effective custom designs, make real time content updates, highlight promotions and more.

Comprehensive SaaS model, with no transaction fees, Shopgate provides quick-to-market deployment, continuous maintenance, and regular releases of new features and app upgrades.

The Salesforce Partner Program is the industrys largest born in the cloud partner program, empowering consultants, ISVs, VARs, agencies and other partners to drive customer success using the Salesforce Customer Success Platform. Through a combination of business, technology and marketing benefits, and the worlds largest business app marketplace  the AppExchange  the Salesforce Partner Program helps partners of all sizes and industries build successful businesses that leverage the Salesforce platform.

Comments on the News

We are pleased to partner with Salesforce, giving their merchants the ability to improve customer loyalty and increase conversion rates with our cutting-edge mobile shopping platform. They believe, as we do, that retailers should spend their time focusing on delivering best-in-class mobile experiences, and less on managing technology, said Marc Biel, CEO, Shopgate, While the larger eCommerce industry places a heavy emphasis on new customer acquisition, we focus on customer retention, as it costs five times more to acquire a new customer than to retain one.

Everything and everyone is becoming more connected and smarter than ever before, said Alan Bunce, VP of Product Marketing, Salesforce. By joining the Salesforce Partner Program in support of Commerce Cloud, Shopgate is joining the worlds largest community of born-in-the-cloud partners who are committed to innovating on the Salesforce platform and driving customer success.

About Shopgate:

Shopgates leading SaaS platform provides retailers a complete mobile commerce solution that improves customer retention, while boosting conversion rates and revenue.

About Salesforce Commerce Cloud

The Salesforce Commerce Cloud empowers retailers to unify customer experiences across all points of commerce, including web, social, mobile and store.

____________

Other News that may interest you:
Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti state on Monday, February 20, stated that every morning he carries Bible bullets to fight the All Progressives Congress, (APC).

Fayose who serves as the chairman of the Peopls Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum made the remark at the partys stakeholders meeting in Abuja.

Every morning I carry enough Bible bullets to fight APC  Fayose

He said: Every morning when I wake up in my room, I carry enough Bible bullets inside my pocket to fight APC.

The partys spokesman, Dayo Adeyeye had accused the partys embattled chairman, Ali Modu Sheriff and the APC of conniving to destroy the PDP.

PAY ATTENTION: Get the latest news on Legit.ng News App

Following the affirmation of Sheriff as the national chairman of the party by a Port Harcourt Appeal Court, the Makarfis faction had scheduled an emergency meeting for Monday, February 20.

The Makarfi-faction of the PDP was however stopped from holding its stakeholders meeting at the International Conference Center (ICC). The meeting was shifted to the Ekiti lodge following a barricade by men of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF).

Meanwhile the NPF in a statement by its spokesman, Anjuguri Manzah, said the command received credible intelligence that the two factions in the party planned to use the venue for their meetings and a violent clash may have occurred.

Source: Legit.ng
Following the political unease within Nigeria at the moment, Nigerians are beginning to draw their personal inferences and come with their diverse theories as regards the nation's polity and leadership.

Below are 5 politicians who many Nigerians on social platforms believe are potential candidates for the 2019 presidential election, which one needs not a soothsayer to tell, that the polls will be keenly contested.

1. Senator Muhammadu Rabi'u Musa Kwankwaso

It is perceived by Nigerians that from the looks of things, Kwankwaso is about the most popular northern candidate after PMB, and if one takes the latter out of the race the vast majority of northern electorates will vote for Kwankwaso.

2019 Presidential Election: 5 people Nigerians believe are Potential Presidential candidates

Also Kwankwaso are in a very good term with PMB and he seem to be one of the most idle candidates for him to anoint. Remember also Kwankwaso came second in 2015 APC presidential primary election, now imagine PMB out of the picture.

There are speculations that Kwankwaso also seem to be the only PDP decampee who has an excellent rapport with the presidency, some believe is bond with the presidency is stronger than that of Saraki and Atiku.

2. Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Those who propagate propaganda will surely have you believe that the Jagaban Borgu wields great political power and has his eyes on the presidency, having served in the capacity of Senator and Governor.

2019 Presidential Election: 5 people Nigerians believe are Potential Presidential candidates

It cannot be overstated that it was Tinubu's influence that saw the emergence of APC, he was the strong hold behind PMB's emergence as presidential candidate because much of the northern voted were decided among PMB, Kwankwaso and Atiku.

Some are of the view that if northern candidates (the likes of Atiku, Kwankwaso, Saraki who might contest) were to divide their votes in 2019, a lone Asiwaju from the south could clinch the ticket.

3. VP Prof Yemi Osinbajo

Osinbajo is arguably the most popular Nigerian politician today, especially giving his performance as Acting President while the president is away on vacation.

Many hold the believe that Osinbajo carries out his duties professionally and diplomatically, in recent times he is seen as the best vice president in Nigeria's democratic history.

2019 Presidential Election: 5 people Nigerians believe are Potential Presidential candidates

Nigerians are of the view that given the deep bond that exists between himself and his principal, the president wouldn't mind giving him a chance to succeed him in 2019.

If the zoning formula does not play against him, Osinbajo stands a great chance at becoming the nation's commander-in-chief.

4. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar

Atiku has already started making his interest known, and 2019 might be the best time for him to actualize his goal

He however will have to fight really hard to win the votes from the north.

2019 Presidential Election: 5 people Nigerians believe are Potential Presidential candidates

The likes of Kwankwaso and Saraki (if he is to run), will pose a threat to his ambition. He must all take heed of the governor of Kaduna state, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai.

5. Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki

For many he seem like the odd one out, however, when ones looks back at the drama that brought him into position as the number 3 man of the nation, one gets to understand that under-estimating Saraki could be detrimental.

The Senate President's greatest strength lies in the fact that he tends to have loyalists, supporters and friends in virtually every tribe; and he is loved on both sides of the divide (APC and PDP).

2019 Presidential Election: 5 people Nigerians believe are Potential Presidential candidates

His alliance with his deputy - Senator Ike Ekweremadu must also no be understated, the duo might just be able to pull off that which they were able to manage in the Senate.

Nigerians are watching keenly as the political drama unfolds. Their wits are sharpened and the people are more aware of that which is obtainable in the Nigerian political scene.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is striving hard to see that the reformation process within the party runs smoothly and speedily as to make them strong enough to not just play the opposition, but for them to be a formidable force, capable of unseating the APC.

All other political parties are not left out of the whole plot, though a couple of them do not have a candidate for presidency come 2019, but when the time is ripe, each one will pitch its tent, where favours them the most.

Till then, the All Progressives Congress (APC) under the leadership of President Buhari, must seek every means possible, first to stabilize things in the economy and win back the hearts of a great proportion of the masses who are currently of the opinion that this is not the change they voted for.

Source: Legit.ng
By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Feb 21 (PTI) To encourage the denizens of the Capital, particularly children to wear anti-pollution masks, a city-based fashion designer has started an awareness drive about the air pollution menace here.

The Anti-Pollution Riot Campaign by designer Gaurav Gupta seeks to find a solution to the problem of air-pollution in the city.

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"I wanted to start a movement so that there is more awareness about it. Living in Delhi or anywhere across urban India, we are smoking 20-odd cigarettes just by breathing the air around us. And still I see children and people in general resistant to the idea of wearing masks. This is shocking," he says.

Gupta has designed 300 odd "Anti-Pollution Riot kits" comprising a t-shirt and a mask, which he says would be sent out to renowned celebrities from different walks of life including fashion, films and theatre, to make the campaign more impactful.

"We are sending out the kits to celebrities. With thousands to millions of followers on social media, we hope that when people see these important faces wearing the t-shirts and masks as part of the campaign, they will stop, see, think and be aware," he says.

Terming the problem as a "nation-wide emergency", Gupta says he does not see the awareness drive as a "one-day or one month campaign", but something that will continue for the next "three to five years".

"The campaign will evolve. I will be continuously spreading the awareness without any break. Because the problem is nationwide, talking about this problem around Diwali or some other day will get us nowhere," he says.

The designer, who does not mind collaborating with government organisations in the future, however, believes the movement by such institutions lacks urgency.

"There are government committees that are taking certain actions on this issue, but I feel the action is not urgent enough," he says.

The campaign will begin on February 22. PTI MG TRS BK

--- ENDS ---
Inventory needs to be managed and managed well, or you are going to get in recurring trouble, and lose your credibility and hard-earned conversions, whether 

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FILE PHOTO: Armed Forces of the Philippines Public Affairs Office Chief Colonel Edgard Arevalo

FILE PHOTO: Armed Forces of the Philippines Public Affairs Office Chief Colonel Edgard Arevalo

PHILIPPINES  The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Public Affairs Office chief, Colonel Edgard Arevalo confirmed on Monday that Al Abdullah, a spotter for Abu Sayyaf Group, was killed in a fire fight with government forces who were conducting maritime security patrol in the waters of Bacungan Turtle Island in Tawi-Tawi.

Col. Arevalo said the Joint Task Force Tawi-Tawi disclosed that the troops acted upon a report of the presence of armed kidnap for ransom group in the said area, prompting them to invite Abdullah for questioning.

Nakausap nila si Abdullah at inamin ni Abdullah na sya ang may-ari ng bahay (They talked to Abudallah who admitted he is the owner of the house) where the armed men stayed and was among the reported men sighted, said Col. Arevalo.

Abdullah asked to enter the house. He returned with an M16 rifle and initiated the gun fight which resulted in his death.

Piracy Attack

Meanwhile, the AFP reported a piracy attack in north of Pearl Bank in Tawi-Tawi yesterday against a Vietnamese cargo vessel.

This has been confirmed by the 48th Marine Company of Philippine Marines while doing a maritime operation in the area together with personnel from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Philippine Coastguard.

They found 17 crew members inside the vessel. One crew member was already dead and identified as Vu Duchan who suffered multiple gunshot wounds during the attack.

The captain of the vessel and five others were abducted. They are:

Buy Xuan Vien  Captain Do Huu Nghia  Chiefmate Bui Trung Duc  3rd Mate Nguyin Huu Trong  2nd Engineer Tran Viet Van  Sailor Nguyen Quang Huy  Oiler

The AFP has no information yet on the groups behind the abduction, but authorities are currently investigating the incident.  Bryan de Paz | UNTV News and Rescue

The post Abu Sayyaf spotter killed in Tawi-Tawi clash appeared first on UNTV News.
VIENNA (AP)  An Austrian court on Tuesday approved a U.S. extradition request for a Ukrainian oligarch suspected of paying millions of dollars in bribes to Indian officials.

The court decision overturns a lower court ruling nearly two years ago against extraditing Dymitro Firtash. The judge then said that the U.S. move was at least partially politically motivated through links to political events in Ukraine, and not supported by sufficient evidence.

Extradition, however, is still not a certainty. Leo Levnaic-Iwanski, who headed the three-judge panel of the Upper State Court, said the final decision will be made by Justice Minister Wolfgang Brandstetter.

Firtash was indicted in Chicago by a U.S. grand jury in 2012 for allegedly paying off officials through U.S. banks in a failed attempt to secure titanium mining rights in India worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

Arrested a year later in Vienna, he posted bail of 125 million euros (more than $130 million) shortly afterward, leaving him free but unable to leave Austria.

Shortly after Tuesday's court ruling however, he was taken into custody on what prosecution spokeswoman Nina Bussek said was a warrant from Spanish law enforcement officials.

She gave no details but told the Austria Press Agency that the timing had nothing to do with the Austrian court decision. Instead, she said, it was triggered by the receipt of "supplementary information from Spanish authorities."

One of Ukraine's most influential businessmen, Firtash, 51, is well connected both in Moscow and with Ukrainian politicians opposed to the Kremlin. He earned millions of dollars in the natural gas trading sector under deposed pro-Russian Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych.

News reports tie him to business dealings with lobbyist Paul Manafort, an adviser to Donald Trump during his U.S. presidential election campaign. Manafort also advised Yanukovych during a re-election bid.

Austrian Judge Christoph Bauer suggested in 2015 that the extradition request for Firtash was linked to attempts to weaken Yanukovych by stripping him of a key ally.

A court statement summarizing Tuesday's ruling focused on the U.S. accusations in overturning Bauer's decision, saying "the crimes Firtash is accused of have no political character."
By Eveline Danubrata JAKARTA (Reuters) - A former education minister in Muslim-majority Indonesia facing a run-off vote against a Christian to be Jakarta governor, on Tuesday denied pandering to Islamists to win support and said he could unite the capital after a divisive election. Anies Baswedan is set to take on Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, Jakarta's first Christian and ethnic Chinese governor, in a second-round vote on April 19. Purnama got the most votes in a first round, on Feb. 15, but not by enough to avoid a run-off, unofficial counts show. Campaigning for the poll has been overshadowed by religious tensions, with protests led by hardline group Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) against Purnama, and calls for voters to choose a Muslim. Photographs of Baswedan meeting FPI leader Habib Rizieq were widely published in media, leading his critics to accuse him of tarnishing his reputation as a moderate Muslim. "I think there's a framing that is not fair here," Baswedan said in an interview at his Jakarta home. "If I met the Catholic community, am I then considered no longer a Muslim? If I met the Buddhist community, am I then considered no longer a Muslim?" He said the media was giving a distorted impression of his campaign, which included meetings with a range of religious groups. "Often times, they only see one meeting, even though I've gone for dozens of other meetings," Baswedan said, sitting with a portrait of Sukarno, Indonesia's founding father, hanging on a wall near him. "I interact with all residents of Jakarta." Baswedan, a respected academic who won a Fulbright scholarship to study in the United States, was picked by President Joko Widodo to be education minister, but was dropped from the cabinet in a reshuffle last year. Indonesia has the world's largest Muslim population but is officially secular and home to minority Christian, Hindu, Buddhist and other communities. 'UNITE NOT DIVIDE' The post of Jakarta governor has been a stepping stone to higher office. Widodo was previously governor and Purnama was his deputy. The city vote is being widely seen as a proxy battle for the next presidential election, in 2019. Purnama has the support of Widodo's ruling party while Baswedan has the backing of an influential former general, Prabowo Subianto, and his Gerindra Party. Subianto narrowly lost the last presidential election, in 2014, to Widodo. Overshadowing the campaign has been Purnama's trial for blasphemy for allegedly insulting the Koran. He denies the accusation that was filed after he said voters were deceived by his opponents who used a verse in the Koran to imply that Muslims should not vote for a leader of a different religion. The trial, which began in December, seemed to dent his support initially, but it later rebounded, helped by middle-class approval of his efforts to improve the bureaucracy and tackle traffic jams and flooding. Purnama secured about 43 percent of the vote in the first round, ahead of Baswedan with about 40 percent. A third candidate, Agus Yudhoyono, the son of former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, was last with less than 20 percent. Analysts say some Muslim voters may now shift their support from Yudhoyono to Baswedan, who performed well in televised debates. When asked if Jakarta's governor had to be Muslim, Baswedan said every citizen had the right to run, but added: "Jakarta needs an effective leader who can execute all the plans, and secondly, who can unite, not divide." Baswedan said his policies would be centred on increasing access to education, creating jobs and making housing more affordable. One of his main campaign promises is "zero downpayment" for home buyers. "We will continue to focus on topics that are urgent for the residents of Jakarta," Baswedan said. (Additional reporting by Kanupriya Kapoor; Editing by Ed Davies and Robert Birsel)
By Alexandra Ulmer and Alexandra Valencia QUITO (Reuters) - Ecuador's leftist government candidate Lenin Moreno looked set for victory on Monday in a presidential election, but slow results meant it may take days to know if he will face a runoff with former banker Guillermo Lasso. In a nail-biter vote with eight candidates at the weekend, Moreno was close to the threshold needed to avoid a second round on April 2 and continue a decade-long period of leftist rule, just as South America is moving to the right. While Ecuadoreans are angry over an economic downturn and corruption scandals, the opposition split its votes among candidates and the ruling Country Alliance remains popular with many poor voters thanks to social welfare programs. As results trickled in from Ecuador's Andes, jungle, and Pacific coast, Moreno, a disabled former vice president, was just short of the 40 percent of votes and a 10 percentage-point difference over his nearest rival to win outright. He had 39.11 percent of valid votes versus 28.34 percent for Lasso, with 89.5 percent of votes counted, the official preliminary election count showed on Monday afternoon. The electoral council said clarity would not arrive for three more days due to votes trickling in from isolated areas and Ecuadoreans abroad, bureaucratic delays and "inconsistencies" in some ballots. "This doesn't smell right. How can they take three days to count 12 percent?" said Lasso, 61, who already celebrated reaching the second round in his humid hometown of Guayaquil under a stream of confetti on Sunday night. "We're not going to allow fraud ... If they toy with the results, we'll take to the streets," he added. Moreno shot down the opposition's stance. "You can't be a sore loser," he told a news conference on Monday evening, against a backdrop of the Ecuadorean flag and the name "Lenin" emblazoned in large letters. "It's striking to me that there is a politician out there calling for violence," Moreno added, emphasizing the need to wait for final results. A couple of hundred opposition supporters have already congregated in front of the electoral council headquarters in Quito to demand a speedier and more transparent count. "We don't trust the electoral council, it's obviously pro-Country Alliance," said Maribel Cevallos, a 34-year-old psychologist. "We're here watching that they don't cheat us." Protesters waving yellow, blue and red Ecuadorean flags chanted slogans including "We're not Cuba or Venezuela, out with Correa!" Outgoing President Rafael Correa was one of the key figures in Latin America's leftist axis that includes Caracas and Havana. He brought stability to the politically turbulent OPEC country but has aggravated many with his confrontational style. Correa said votes from pro-government rural provinces and Ecuadoreans abroad, many of whom left after a deep financial crisis under a center-right government, would propel Moreno, 63, past the crucial 40 percent mark. POLARIZED NATION The next president faces strong pressure to create jobs and crack down on graft, amid corruption scandals at state-run oil company Petroecuador and Brazilian conglomerate Odebrecht. Lasso has campaigned on a platform to revive the economy, which is dependent on exports of oil, flowers and shrimp, by slashing taxes, fostering foreign investment and creating a million jobs in four years. He has also vowed to remove Wikileaks founder Julian Assange from the Ecuadorean embassy in London and denounce Venezuela's Socialist government. But Lasso has also alienated some voters who deem him a stuffy elitist linked to the 1999 financial crisis when hundreds of thousands lost their savings. Moreno, who lost the use of his legs two decades ago after being shot during a robbery, has a more conciliatory style than the pugnacious Correa and has promised benefits for the disabled, single mothers and the elderly. "In the last few years there have been radical changes in the country, like the end of extreme poverty," said Moreno supporter Ramiro Flores, a 60-year-old civil engineer in the mountainous capital Quito. Critics say Moreno is ill-equipped to overhaul an ailing economy hit by low oil prices, steep debts, and a stronger U.S. dollar that has hurt exports. His running mate, Jorge Glas, who as strategic sectors minister oversaw the oil and infrastructure industries, has also been accused by a fugitive oil minister of corruption in the Petroecuador case. Glas has denied wrongdoing. Moreno has said Assange can stay in the London embassy, but warned in a Monday interview with Latin American broadcaster Telesur he would ask him "not to intervene in the politics of countries that are friends of Ecuador." The new president takes office on May 24 for a four-year term. (Additional reporting by Jose Llangari, Yury Garcia, and Cristina Munoz; Writing by Alexandra Ulmer; Editing by Alan Crosby and Matthew Lewis)
By Gerard Bon PARIS (Reuters) - France's far-right National Front accused authorities of staging a media stunt on Monday to influence the presidential election after police searched its headquarters in an investigation into "fake jobs". The searches came after French government bond yields rose sharply on news of a poll showing leader Marine Le Pen gaining ground on her main election rivals, independent Emmanuel Macron and conservative former prime minister Francois Fillon. Le Pen denied on Friday allegations by OLAF, the European Union anti-fraud agency, that she gave parliamentary assistants fake jobs paid for out of EU funds. French judges opened a fraud investigation on Dec. 15 after prosecutors handed the dossier over to them following a preliminary investigation of more than a year. "This is as void as space," the party's vice-president Florian Philippot told BFM television, adding that searches had taken place a year ago and nothing had been found then. "These are media-stunt searches on the day when she (Le Pen) gets a 2-point bounce in the polls. It's always when the system is in panic that these affairs come out." An Opinionway poll of voting intentions on Monday had Le Pen easily beating her four main rivals to win the April 23 first round with 27 percent of the vote. In the second-round two-way runoff against Macron or Fillon, she was still seen losing, but both scenarios saw her narrowing the gap. She would lose against Macron with 42 percent to his 58, while against Fillon she would be defeated with 44 percent to his 56, the poll showed. A week ago she was polling around 36-37 against Macron. It is not clear what impact the probe could have on Le Pen or how quickly the investigation will move forward. Fillon's status as favourite to win the presidency in May has evaporated in the past three weeks amid questions about what work his wife did for hundreds of thousands of euros in taxpayers' money when she was paid as his assistant. He has vowed to fight on despite falling ratings and the threat of being placed under formal investigation by the financial police, who are handling the matter. LEFT-WING BARGAIN UNLIKELY With nine weeks to go, it is not clear whether Macron or Fillon would go through to the knockout against Le Pen. The two men are polling at around similar levels, according to several surveys. Things may become clearer on Wednesday when veteran centrist Francois Bayrou will announce whether he will enter the race. Bayrou, a pro-EU politician who won 18.5 percent of first-round votes in the 2007 presidential vote, is polling around 5 percent. He has accused Fillon of being under the influence of "financial powers" and said French democracy is under threat. Macron, whose aides call for a union with Bayrou, is a political novice who has never held elected office. However, he has pulled in huge crowds at rallies, saying he seeks to transcend the classic left-right divide in French politics. Polls see little chance of a Socialist revival in time for the election given Socialist President Francois Hollande's poor record. Markets have been uneasy about a possible agreement between hard-left Socialist candidate Benoit Hamon, who is polling at around 15 percent, and independent far-left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon, at around 12 percent, which could strengthen Le Pen in the second round. But moves late last week to form an election deal between the two men appeared to have fizzled out. Melenchon, who is standing as an independent, said: "I have no intention of going and hitching myself to a hearse." Hamon hit back at the weekend, telling journalists: "I won't run after Jean-Luc Melenchon. I don't run after anyone." (Additional reporting by Simon Carraud, Yann Le Guernigou and Emmanuel Jarry; writing by John Irish and Richard Balmforth; editing by Andrew Roche)
BEIRUT (AP)  France's far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen refused to don a headscarf for a meeting with Lebanon's top Sunni Muslim cleric on Tuesday and walked away from the scheduled appointment after a brief squabble at the entrance.

The debacle topped Le Pen's three-day visit to Lebanon, where she held her first campaign meeting with a head of state. It drew the focus to her strong support for secularism and a proposal in her presidential platform that promotes banishing headscarves and other obvious religious symbols in all public spaces.

"I consider the headscarf a symbol of a woman's submission," Le Pen told reporters at the end of her visit. "I will not put on the veil."

Le Pen compared her refusal to wear the headscarf to the decision by former U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama to decline wearing one during her state visit to Saudi Arabia.

"I note that when Marine Le Pen refuses to don the headscarf, it is criticized, but when Michelle Obama refused to do it in Saudi Arabia, it was considered admirable," she said, soliciting applause from the accompanying delegation.

Journalists shouted back that the two situations were not comparable because one is a state visit while the other is to a religious body. Le Pen dismissed the criticism.

French law already bans headscarves in all classrooms except universities. She has proposed extending the 2004 law banning headscarves and other "ostentatious" religious symbols in classrooms to all public spaces. While the law covers all religions, it is widely viewed as aimed at Muslims.

When asked if she fears her proposal may ignite the anger of the Muslim community, she said: "When in Rome do as the Romans do."

The headscarf incident occurred ahead of a scheduled meeting with Lebanon's grand mufti, Sheikh Abdel-Latif Derian.

Shortly after Le Pen arrived at his office, one of his aides handed her a white headscarf to put on. Following a discussion with his aides that lasted a few minutes, she refused and returned to her car.

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Le Pen said she had informed her host the night before that she would not wear the scarf but they didn't cancel the meeting. Instead, she said, "They tried to impose it upon me."

She said the Grand Sheik of Al-Azhar, the head of the Sunni world's most prestigious learning institute, didn't require her to don the headscarf. Photos of Le Pen with Ahmed al-Tayeb in 2015 in Cairo show her with her hair uncovered.

The officials at the mufti's office "kept the meeting and consequently put me before a fait accompli," she said. "I stuck to my position, because when I take a position it corresponds to a conviction. If (you don't like it) never mind."

The office of Lebanon's mufti issued a statement saying that Le Pen was told in advance through one of her aides that she would have to put on a headscarf during the meeting with the mufti.

"This is the protocol" at the mufti's office, the statement said. It said the mufti's aides tried to give her the headscarf and that Le Pen refused to take it.

"The mufti's office regrets this inappropriate behavior in such meetings," the statement said.

Le Pen has tried to raise her international profile and press her pro-Christian stance with her visit to Lebanon, a former French protectorate.

On Monday, she met with President Michel Aoun, a Christian, and Prime Minister Saad Hariri, a Sunni Muslim. She said Syrian President Bashar Assad was "the most reassuring solution for France," adding that the best way to protect minority Christians is to "eradicate" the Islamic State group.

In her final press conference, she said that there is currently no alternative to the Assad government. She said she considered it a "mistake" that the French government had closed its embassy in Damascus, which undermined relations between French and Syrian security agencies that she said could have helped thwart terrorist attacks in France.

Some Lebanese officials, including Hariri, have taken umbrage at what is widely seen as her stigmatization of Muslims, whom her supporters claim are changing the Christian face of France.

There was also apparent displeasure at her comments on Assad, including from some Lebanese allies.

Christian right-wing leader Samir Geagea said after meeting with Le Pen that "terrorism has no religion." He described Assad as "the biggest terrorist in Syria and the region."

Walid Jumblatt, a leftist politician in Lebanon, tweeted that Le Pen's statements in Lebanon "were an insult toward the Lebanese people and Syrian people."

Later Tuesday, a group of Lebanese held a small protest in Beirut against Le Pen's visit. One protester raised a drawing of Le Pen between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump, with "Neo-fascists" emblazoned underneath.

___

Associated Press writers Sarah El Deeb in Beirut and Elaine Ganley in Paris contributed to this report.
By Simon Carraud BEIRUT (Reuters) - French far-right National Front presidential candidate Marine Le Pen canceled a meeting on Tuesday with Lebanon's grand mufti, its top cleric for Sunni Muslims, after refusing to wear a headscarf for the encounter. Le Pen, among the frontrunners for the presidency, is using a two-day visit to Lebanon to bolster her foreign policy credentials nine weeks from the April 23 first round, and may be partly targeting potential Franco-Lebanese votes. Many Lebanese fled to France, Lebanon's former colonial power, during their country's 1975-1990 civil war and became French citizens. After meeting Christian President Michel Aoun - her first public handshake with a head of state - and Sunni Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri on Monday, she had been scheduled to meet the Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Latif Derian He heads the Dar al-Fatwa, the top religious authority for Sunni Muslims in the multireligious country. "I met the grand mufti of Al-Azhar," she told reporters, referring to a visit in 2015 to Cairo's 1,000-year-old centre of Islamic learning. "The highest Sunni authority didn't have this requirement, but it doesn't matter. "You can pass on my respects to the grand mufti, but I will not cover myself up," she said. The cleric's press office said Le Pen's aides had been informed beforehand that a headscarf was required for the meeting and had been "surprised by her refusal". But it was no surprise in the French political context. French law bans headscarves in the public service and for high school pupils, in the name of church-state separation and equal rights for women. Le Pen wants to extend this ban to all public places, a measure that would affect Muslims most of all. HARIRI'S VEILED MESSAGE Buoyed by the election of President Donald Trump in the United States and by Britain's vote to leave the European Union, Le Pen's anti-immigration, anti-EU National Front (FN) hopes for similar populist momentum in France. Like Trump, she has said radical Islamism must be faced head on, although she has toned down her party's rhetoric to attract more mainstream support and possibly even woo some Muslim voters disillusioned with France's traditional parties. After meeting Hariri on Monday, Le Pen went against current French policy in Syria by describing President Bashar al-Assad as the "only viable solution" for preventing Islamic State from taking power in Syria. Lebanon has some 1.5 million Syrian refugees. "I explained clearly that ... Bashar al-Assad was obviously today a much more reassuring solution for France than Islamic State would be if it came to power in Syria," she told reporters. Hariri, whose family has close links to conservative former French President Jacques Chirac and still has a home in France, issued a strongly-worded statement after their meeting. "The most serious error would be to link Islam and Muslims on the one hand and terrorism on the other," Hariri said. "The Lebanese and Arabs, like most of the world, considers that France is the home of human rights and the republican state makes no distinction between citizens on ethnic, religious or class grounds." Speaking after meeting French President Francois Hollande in Paris, Walid Jumblatt, the main political leader of the minority Druze community in Lebanon, said Le Pen had "insulted" the Lebanese and Syrian people. "I hope France will make a better choice than this fascist right. We cannot ask the Lebanese people to forget the crimes of the Syrian regime against it and we cannot return en masse (Syrians) while there is the Syrian regime. It's a double insult," he said. Syria dominated Lebanese government and politics for years and had a military presence in the country until 2005, when it withdrew following the assassination of Saad's father, former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri, and months of anti-Syria protests. (Additional reporting by Angus McDowall and Elizabeth Pineau in Paris; Writing by John Irish; Editing by Tom Heneghan)
A 23-year-old daughter talks about her father's battle with cancer in a heartbreaking journal and it is everything you might want to read today.

By Neha Vashishth: Our lifestyles have surely evolved over the years, from drinking irresponsibly to reckless smoking, many people have been ruining their bodies for temporary fun and gatherings knowingly.

We have been warned various times about the adverse effects of alcohol consumption but let's face it, nobody really cares.

Nobody cares about the little warnings on the back of the bottles or packets because we think it's never going to happen to us. But, it can and it does to many of us living among us.

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Few stories shake us from the inside to give us a reminder that life is precious and in order to live, we must respect it.

A story of a 23-year-old girl from Delhi, who decided to pen down her sadness to aware others about what alcohol abuse did to her father is something everyone must read to understand the value of life.

She shared the haunting experience of how fast her 55-year-old father turned into an 80-year-old looking man due to a habit many of us persist in today's time. A Literature student, Simran, jotted down eye-opening effects of increasing alcohol abuse and poured her heart out about how disheartening it is to see your father get sick each day.

"Just 55 years old, he looked no less than 75. The man, who would proudly show us his muscles and chest, had now bones poking out. Lying in bed, I could see from his face had he wanted to say a lot, but didn't want to either. He just told me that I should come back home now, after finishing with masters. That I should just come home now, it had been long enough now.

The person, who used to down glasses of whiskey, has no strength to lift up a bottle of water to his mouth anymore. "

Speaking bravely about her experience, her journal creates awareness about increasing alcohol abuse in our nation.

"I too never took it seriously until now. We laugh and joke at advertisements before movies etc. that say 'Alcohol is injurious to health', but if you see it so closely (which I hope you don't), you'll realize how important it is to spread awareness about this."

As per a 2015 World Health Organisation report , 30% Indians consume alcohol EVERY DAY which is quite a high number for a country with billions of people living in it.

Binge drinking has become a life-threatening issue in today's time making it a life-threatening issue. Our so-called lifestyles have made us dependent on addictions to feel alive. If we talk about more eye-opening facts, every 96 minutes, a person dies in India due to alcohol abuse as per a National Crime Records Bureau report.

Her blog is a reminder of all those ignored advertisements and warnings many of us laugh away in fun. Taking inspiration from her positive blog, we hope to create awareness about this severe issue.

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Take a look at her full journal here.

Also Watch: One Kargil martyr's daughter to another: Don't get bogged down by bullies

--- ENDS ---
Last week, Haiti indicated that when his appointment as President Commissioner at Grab Indonesia was announced, no formal agreement had been reached between the parties

Badrodin Haiti, former Chief of the Indonesian National Police

Southeast Asian ride-hailing giant Grab finally speaks up about the controversy surrounding the appointment of former Indonesian chief police officer Badrodin Haiti as President Commissioner of Grab Indonesia.

Last Thursday, rumours circulated that Haiti, whose appointment was announced late January, had resigned from the position.

Grab told e27 that the rumour of his resignation was not true. But hours later Haiti spoke to the press that when his appointment was announced, it was merely a discussion between the two parties, indicating it had not been formally agreed.

But today Grab and Badrodin Haiti finally released a joint statement to clarify his position in the company.

Also Read: Grab: How we grew business from 40 to 63,000 drivers

In November 2016, Grab Indonesia invited Mr. Badrodin Haiti to join Grab Indonesias management as President Commissioner. The agreement between the parties was formalised by Grab Indonesia through the appointment of Mr. Badrodin Haiti as the President Commissioner by the General Meeting of Shareholders (GMS) of Grab Indonesia and announced to all relevant stakeholders, it said.

The statement then explained that Haiti was appointed as President Commissioner of PT Waskita Karya a few weeks before Grab Indonesia announced his appointment.

Provisions on State-Owned Enterprises do not allow any Director/Commissioner to hold double posts. Grab Indonesia and Mr. Badrodin Haiti will comply with all relevant provisions and agree to make the necessary adjustments, the statement explained.

As a solution, Haiti will now hold the position as Senior Advisor to Grab Indonesia.

Grab has been mentioning Indonesia as one of its key market, particularly with its recent launch of Grab4Indonesia master plan, which the company invested US$700 million to build R&D centre, social impact investment fund, and create greater financial inclusion for its driver-partners and users.

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It has also been rumoured to acquire Indonesian e-commerce platform Kudo for around US$100 million.



Image Credit: Grab

The post Grab finally speaks up to clarify Badrodin Haitis role in the company appeared first on e27.
ROME (AP)  From specialty shops in Rome to supermarkets around the world, lovers of Italian olive oil are in for some sticker shock this year, with prices due to jump by as much as 20 percent.

The combination of bad weather and pests hit the harvest in Southern Europe, most of all in Italy, where production is halved from last fall. That's pushing up Italian wholesale prices by 64 percent as of mid-February compared with a year earlier, which translates to shelf price increases of 15 to 20 percent in Italy.

In other countries, the ultimate price increases will depend on several factors  such as how much retailers take on the costs themselves and the change in currency values. The U.S., for example, is likely to see a more modest rise in price as a stronger dollar keeps a lid on the cost of imports.

Italy's harvest was especially hard hit by the combination of early rains that knocked buds off the trees and the threat of an olive fly that forced an early harvest, further cutting yields. Wholesale prices of olive oil from Spain, the world's largest producers, are up a more modest 10 percent, with yields similar to last year's.

Vincenzo Iacovissi, the owner of the Sapor d'Olio olive oil shop in Rome, says sales have dropped, though he's tried to ease the shock for customers by explaining why prices have gone up.

"When there are increases of 15 to 20 percent there is some impact on sales. However, explaining the reasons for this increase has in part helped to make up for this," Iacovissi said.

Italians collectively consume about 20 percent of the world's olive oil, leading Spain at 16 percent, and that affinity makes them pretty resilient as consumers. The U.S. is the third-biggest market, consuming 10 percent of the yearly total.

Flaminia Leoni, a 50-year-old mother of four, buys 80 to 100 liters of olive oil a year for her family and says that at most she will consider substituting lower quality olive oil for extra virgin for cooking  but not on the table, where olive oil is a staple giving accent to pasta, meats, salads and vegetables.

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Cedric Casanova, the owner of an Italian grocery in Paris, said he was hoping to get 30,000 liters of olive oil delivered, but received just 8,000 liters. He will have to rely on leftover stock from last year to help make up for the remaining difference  and absorb some of the price increase himself.

"I'm working with a standard price, by trying to assume the cost myself," he said.

With global stocks down just 14 percent, no one is predicting general olive oil shortages, even with a 75 percent increase in consumption of olive oil over the last 25 years as demand pushed into non-traditional markets. The market for olive oil in the period has grown by two-fold in the United States, seven-fold in Britain and 14 fold in Japan, according to Italy's Coldiretti farm lobby, even if continental Europe remains by far the largest market.

Italian olive oil is more vulnerable than that of other major producers to climate shifts and pests due to its varied topography, from hills in the north to larger groves in the south. This also lends great variety to Italian olive oil, where unique flavors are derived from a combination of the terrain, topography and the more than 400 olive varieties, according to Nicola Di Noia, an olive oil expert for the Coldiretti farm lobby.

"We have hundreds of different varieties of olives that are more difficult to defend compared with Spain or northern Africa, where there are big groves that are easier to manage," Di Noia said.

He said the challenge is educating consumers about why they pay for quality.

"We need to learn to choose oils with awareness. Extra-virgin is the juice of a fruit. The primary material from which it derives is very important. Therefore, oil should be tasted and smelled," he said.

____

Barry reported from Milan.
Bloomberg file photo

Two Singaporeans were sentenced to jail in Australia on Tuesday (21 Feb) after pleading guilty to dealing with proceeds of crime in a District Court.

Ryan Marc Pereira and Edward Choi Gou Hang, both 34, was ordered to serve nine and six months in jail respectively.

Both men were arrested in December at the Adelaide Airport after sniffer dogs found AU$519,900 (about S$566,745) in cash which they were trying to bring out of the country.

According to the Australian Associated Press, the duo tried to use T-bone steaks and lamb chops to mask the smell of the cash to prevent sniffer dogs from detecting it.

After their arrest, the pair initially told police that they won the money through gambling, even though they had been in Adelaide for only two days. They later retracted their story, but did not reveal how the cash came into their possession.

Judge Geraldine Davison ruled that both men knew the money was from proceeds of a crime, given that Pereira made trips of similar nature in the past. She added that it was not surprising that they pleaded guilty after being caught red-handed.

The men were also ordered to forfeit the cash.
Itd be hard to over state just how good this Juice section is. Carlos Ribeiro just made a statement thatll be heard around the world and the message is  I will fuck up your ledges.

Insane pop, precision and all round skill from Primitive Skateboards Brazilian powerhouse.

Go watch now

Cover photo: Fakie flip at Southbank from Primitives UK tour. Photo: CJ
James Grindley is UK skateboarding in human form. Unafraid to sleep in his car for nights in a row when on a mission, or to drive around the country jumping off shit for no material gain: James is relentlessly, unerringly stoked on everything.

Happy birthday from all of us James  you rule.

Peep this Reminisce on This part put together by Smash Skates  a collection of James footage gathered in the recent past and plenty which you wont have seen previously.

You cant swindle The Grindle!
Slick Willies hit the streets of London during the intermittent bursts of dryness that the past winter has offered, managing to hit up a number of spots across the city to get their skateboarding fix until spring eventually arrive.

The Cirencester Skatepark Scratch and Skate Jam 2018, organised by Decimal Skateshop, can now be seen courtesy of James Harris' lens.

Power moves from Bromley here as Blast Skates welcomes Joe Howard to the team with two minutes of RWTB assisted DIY quarterpipe shredding.

Here are our favourite shots from the #CanonFirsts competition, including the two winners

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Inspiring small businesses are being recognized and rewarded every year. Share what inspired you and your core mission and you could be the next winner.

Entering its fifth year, the FedEx Small Business Grant Contest awards tens of thousands of dollars to passionate small business owners across the country.

Nicole Snow is the founder and CEO of Darn Good Yarn and the first grand prize winner of the FedEx Small Business Grant Contest. Her company sources and upcycles materials to create unique yarns and goods from all over the world, providing sustainable employment year round to hundreds of families in India and Nepal.

For her, winning was as simple as telling her unique story.

At the time I was living in Maine and I had a really complex international supply chain, she said. When I entered the contest, I really just tried to tell my story. Many small businesses are created out of a significant life experience or something you want to change in the world  those are the kinds of stories people want to hear.

Nicole received a $25,000 grant to invest and further grow her business. The quick infusion of cash helped grow her inventory and bring on additional staff, but she is quick to say there was value in the contest far beyond the grant money.

Winning the grant was real validation that I was onto something, Nicole said. As a small business owner, you often have to be your own cheerleader, so when a company like FedEx gets behind you, it helps give you the confidence to go forward in full force with your business.

Nicole recommends all small business owners enter the Grant Contest because there are benefits beyond winning a grant. The submission process can be invaluable.

When you own a business, youre in charge of everything. When you have to sit down and fill out an application and talk about what your mission is, its a great opportunity to rethink and realign what youre really doing. Its a great opportunity to reconnect with your core and your ethos and get it on paper.

Ready to tell your story? The entry period for the FedEx Small Business Grant Contest runs from February 21 to March 29. Learn more and submit your story at fedex.com/grantcontest and you could win a $25,000 grant and $7,500 in FedEx Office print and business services for your small business.
Robert Gilpin, R.I.P. - The Washington Post : His greatest book was written in 1981, but the main theory in it is perhaps more trenchant now...
BUSES with gamblers from Vienna headed to Bratislava on New Years Eve after the Austrian capital banned all slot machines as of January 1. Bratislava claims that its powers to regulate gamblers houses are limited.

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BUSES with gamblers from Vienna headed to Bratislava on New Years Eve after the Austrian capital banned all slot machines as of January 1. Bratislava claims that its powers to regulate gamblers houses are limited.

The prohibition against slot machines does not apply across all of Austria, only to Vienna. Some people now go to Lower Austria, one of Austrias nine states, but gambling is also strictly regulated there. People have to identify themselves, operators of gaming machines take photos of them and their playing time is limited, according to Helmut Kafka, the president of the Austrian Association of Slot Machine Operators.

Our priority is to protect the youth and players, not the interests of the companies involved in gambling, Nikolai Moser, the spokesperson of Viennas Environment Councillor Ulli Sima told The Slovak Spectator.

Players therefore have started driving to Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Hungary, according to Kafka.

Without exaggeration, we can say that it means several million euros profit for Bratislava from taxes and revenues of companies running slot machines, Kafka told The Slovak Spectator.

Also 34 Czech municipalities banned gambling houses beginning January 1, 2015 and the Czech Ministry has prepared a law that increases tax levies on gambling. It also is proposing a ban on gambling machines in restaurants or at petrol stations.

Currently, the Slovak Ministry of Finance does not plan similar restrictions. The Slovak Association of Amusement and Games (AZAH), uniting operators of gaming devices, stated that it has not noticed any expansion of gaming tourism from Austria and the Czech Republic, according to the Sme daily.

For example, there are 7.5 slot gaming machines per 1,000 citizens in the Czech Republic while in Slovakia, on average, there are only 3.5 devices per 1,000 citizens.

Since 2008, the number of machines has fallen by 28 percent to around 20,000 of them, AZAH spokesperson Juraj Danielis told Sme.

Buses with gamblers

On New Years Eve, the Casino Admiral Prater in Vienna shut down and wrapped over 400 machines in plastic. They are ready to be checked by the financial police, according to the webpage of ORF, the Austrian broadcaster.

Novomatic, the company running Casino Admiral Prater provided its customers with transportation to a casino which it also owns in the shopping centre near Bratislavas summer resort Zlate Piesky.

Novomatic also operates slot machines in Trnava and Nitra cities. In the Czech Republic it owns 14 casinos and has a factory to produce gaming machines, Sme reported.

AZAH confirmed that around four buses brought gamblers to Bratislava and that other customers were provided free taxis on New Years Eve.

Are Bratislavas hands tied?

Slovak legislation obliges operators of slot machines, for example, to put in a visible place on the machines a phone number of the medical institution which specializes in the prevention and treatment of addiction. The operators must deny access to people who have been diagnosed with the disease of pathological gambling upon written request. Even gamblers relatives are allowed to make such a written request, according to Sme.

Bratislava is looking for a way to regulate the number of gambling houses. But even though the Bratislava municipality issues licenses to gambling house operators, the new mayor of Bratislava, Ivo Nesrovnal, said its powers were limited.

There is evidence that casinos or gambling houses sooner or later destroyed every street, Nesrovnal told Sme. Normal shops leave then and serious social problems arise, such as gambling, alcoholism, prostitution, violence, chaos.

Dusan Pekar of the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH), who is mayor of the Ruzinov district of Bratislava, told Sme that he proposed to the previous Bratislava mayor to allow neighbourhoods to regulate the number of such gambling houses in their area. Currently, neighbourhoods do not have the power to issue a regulation that would prevent gambling houses from being established, according to Pekar.

The mayor of Petrzalka district, Vladimir Bajan, who is also dealing with increasing numbers of slot machines declined to respond to Smes questions.

Gamblers go online

The AZAH has argued that it is administratively difficult to open a new gambling house in Slovakia, as the industry is the one of most highly regulated, adding that the cost for an individual license can reach 750,000.

Taxation and pricing is relatively high, Vladimir Dostal of the Slovak Games company said, as quoted by Sme. It belongs to one of the highest in Europe.

The number of slot machines in Slovakia is generally falling not only due to more strict conditions for their operators but also because players tend to seek more dangerous play online, according to AZAH.

Unfortunately, habits, risks or the age of players cannot be controlled on the internet, Danielis told Sme.
The region is in the focus of big real estate firms, which may contribute to an increase in foreign investments in near future.

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The activity on the Slovak market of investment properties broke records in 2016 when the volume of transactions increased 94 percent to 853 million.

We notice an increase in interest of global investors in the central European region, and also Slovakia, said Marian Mlynarik, head of the investment properties department at CBRE company, as quoted by the SITA newswire.

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The region is in the focus of big real estate firms, which may contribute to an increase in foreign investments in near future, he added.

This is mostly the result of enough liquidity in the global market and interest in higher yields which this region offers. The Slovak market may in this respect offer more interesting investment opportunities than its neighbours, Mlynarik said.

Slovakia generates on average 1-1.5 percent higher yields that the Czech Republic or Poland, while the macroeconomic risks in these countries are very similar, he added.

The significant importance is the liquidity and the size of the market which causes this difference, Mlynarik said, as quoted by SITA.

He also pointed to the fact that while in the past, foreign investors focused mostly on the Czech Republic and Poland, in 2017 the investment may move to Slovakia, Hungary and Romania.

The restricting factor, however, is the limited number of quality investment opportunities, Mlynarik said.

Regarding the total number and volume of completed transactions, the retail sector dominated in 2016 with 11 retail objects costing altogether 417 million, 188 percent more than the previous.

Among the most important transactions was the sale of Bratislava-based shopping centre Central for 175 million and the sale of shopping centre Laugaricio in Trencin. The sales are set to continue in the coming years, mostly in regional capitals, according to CBRE.

Also the office buildings sector grew last year, with transactions amounting to 118 million, an increase of more than 10 percent compared to 2015. The most important transactions concerned the sales of Dell headquarters, the office building Europeum on Hodzovo Square in Bratislava, and the Twin City A building, also in Bratislava.

The industrial real estate sector was dominated by the sale of logistics parks belonging to HB Reavis company to the portfolio of Australian Macquarie Capital Group for 79 million, SITA reported.
Kamaal Rashid Khan chose to take a dig at Swara Bhaskar and her film Anaarkali Of Aarah. He got destroyed in return.

By India Today Web Desk: Swara Bhaskar of Nil Battey Sannata and Raanjhanaa fame will soon be seen in yet another solo lead role in the film Anaarkali Of Aarah. After the poster of the same hit the internet yesterday, Swara kept getting congratulated for her fabulous, glamourous look in the poster.

Among those appreciating Swara Bhaskar was filmmaker Karan Johar. Karan tweeted the poster saying, "Well done, @ReallySwara for constantly breaking ground!"

Well done @ReallySwara for constantly breaking ground!! 24th march is the date guys ! For this new world and engaging film!!! pic.twitter.com/3zmuUvOIrO Karan Johar (@karanjohar) February 20, 2017

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Suddenly, out of nowhere, emerged self-styled film critic Kamaal Rashid Khan AKA KRK who chose to deliver his unsolicited verdict, once again, on Karan Johar's tweet and Anaarkali Of Aarah.

Sir @karanjohar it will not be a flop or washout, but it will be super duper disaster of the year coz KRK says so. https://t.co/Ugu3GPfFxT KRK (@kamaalrkhan) February 20, 2017

Not betraying hubris at all, Kamaal Rashid Khan wrote, " it will not be a flop or washout, but it will be super duper disaster of the year coz KRK says so."

To this, Swara Bhaskar gave a strong and stern reply. She wrote, "Kuch logon ki gaali, compliment hoti hai! :) Thanks @kamaalrkhan the unasked filth u spew is a character certificate for us!"

Kuch logon ki gaali, compliment hoti hai! :) Thanks @kamaalrkhan the unasked filth u spew is a character certificate for us! ????? Appreciated. https://t.co/4rDCWQShio Swara Bhaskar (@ReallySwara) February 20, 2017

Kamaal Rashid Khan is known for his absurd, often sexist and racist tweets. For his maniacal ways, he has frequently gone into loggerheads with several female actors, for example, Sonakshi Sinha, Parineeti Chopra and Lisa Haydon. KRK famously got into controversy last year when he somehow became the main character in the box-office war between Ajay Devgn, and his film Shivaay, and Karan Johar and his film Ae Dil Hai Mushkil.

ALSO READ: 10 things you don't really want to know about KRK

ALSO READ: Who is Kamaal Rashid Khan? Why Bollywood hates him on TL but loves him in DM

WATCH: FIR lodged against KRK for obscene tweets against women

--- ENDS ---
The growing economy and falling unemployment rate create a good environment for the growth of companies already established in Slovakia, but also for the arrival of new ones.

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The market of commercial properties will continue growing in 2017. Real estate and consulting experts expect that several new office buildings will be added to the offer this year. Since most of the spaces have already been rented during construction, the vacancy rate is not expected to increase significantly, the TASR newswire reported.

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The growing economy and falling unemployment rate create a good environment for the growth of companies already established in Slovakia, but also for the arrival of new ones. This may result in stable or slightly increased demand for office space, opines Roman Gazdik of Cushman & Wakefield company.

As for Bratislava, new office premises should be created as part of Zuckermandel, Rosum, Uniq Staromestska, Blumental, Stein and Panorama II projects which will offer more than 100,000 square metres of modern space. More office premises are expected to appear in the market in 2018, TASR reported.

The real estate companies also expect positive trends in the coming years. Meanwhile, the rental conditions and prices may slightly increase, but the rise should not be higher than 3-4 percent, Oliver Galata of CBRE Slovensko told TASR.

He also expects the restoration of the rent of offices and the construction of some projects that was halted in the regions. This concerns Kosice, Zilina, Poprad, Presov and Banska Bystrica, especially due to the interest of international companies, Galata added.

Dalibor Surovy of the JLL company predicts a slight drop in the activity of lessees. Most of firms which rent space of more than 2,000 square metres have already signed leases for a longer period. Overall demand will be impacted mostly by activities of small and medium-sized companies, so it is possible to expect a higher number of signed contracts and a drop in the total volume of transactions, he added for TASR.

Meanwhile, some owners of lower standard buildings have adopted steps to secure their competitiveness, said Ermanno Boeris, head of Colliers International. They will reconstruct the spaces to a higher standard and compete with one another via rental rates.

The trends coming from the west also indicate that the usage of office buildings may change, for example, they may be turned into residential buildings, he added.
The presidency will also be scrutinised by state auditors.

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The National Criminal Agency (NAKA) will scrutinise the cultural events that were held during Slovakias six-month Presidency of the EU Council, including the overpriced logo presentation.

The first reports about the scandal, involving the organiser of the event agency Evka, appeared already in November 2016 after former Foreign Affairs Ministry employee Zuzana Hlavkova went public with the information.

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NAKA will now focus on potential suspicion of committing a crime of violating duties when administering someone elses property, the Sme daily reported.

Elite police officers launched the investigation on their own initiative, based on the monitoring of media that reported on the scandal with the overpriced presidency logo presentation. The agency Evka, which organised the event, spent 156,000 on it, according to the reports.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry picked the agency directly after its own market research, without any competition. It has not yet specified the names of two other firms which it had allegedly addressed during research.

The cost of the event later rose to nearly 250,000. It was revealed that the ministry paid separately for renting the premises of the Slovak National Theatre and also for rewarding artists. These costs had originally been part of the contract with Evka. Hlavkova says that the actual cost of the event was as high as 300,000, Sme reported.

NAKA investigators are currently hearing the people involved. It is not clear who has been invited for talks.

Regarding the ongoing investigation it is not appropriate to comment on the current and planned operations and their results at the moment, the press department of the Police Corps presidents office told Sme.

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Some people have already been heard

Before NAKA took the case, Hlavkova had been invited to be heard by police on January 10. The police officers interrogated also Pavol Szalai, another former Foreign Affairs Ministry employee, who confirmed Hlavkovas claims.

I was there for four hours, Hlavkova said, as quoted by Sme, adding that she repeated the whole story and answered some additional questions.

The police officers were interested in the actions of former head of private broadcaster TV Markiza Zuzana Tapakova, who came to the Foreign Affairs Ministry as an external consultant. Hlavkova claims that after her arrival events started to change and prices began to increase.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Audit Office (NKU) will also check the financing and events of the presidency this year. It plans to launch an investigation in early March, focusing on three areas: the system of securing the preparation and organisation of the whole presidency, the procurement of goods and services, and the usage of money, Sme reported.
Behind his decision is disagreement with the stances of party chair Richard Sulik.

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One of the founding members of opposition party Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) and former labour minister Jozef Mihal is leaving the party after eight years.

He is leaving mostly due to the opinions of SaS chairman and MEP Richard Sulik, the TASR newswire reported on February 20.

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Good-bye SaS, Mihal wrote on his Facebook account. Im leaving because of the chairmans stances. Those who know me are aware of my loyalty and my tolerance for many things for a long time. SaS is ceasing to be the liberal party that I cofounded as one of the four members of the preparatory committee in 2008 and 2009.

He remains liberal and will continue to support right-wing solutions, he added.

SaS informed earlier that day that Mihal wanted to take a break from politics and to devote his time to his family and teaching.

We understand his [Mihals] decision, because he was under time pressure stemming from his public and party roles and regular training courses on taxes and levies, SaS spokesperson Katarina Svrcekova wrote in an official statement, as quoted by TASR.

It admitted, however, there are certain discrepancies with Suliks attitudes.

This is closely linked to his health issues and recommendations from doctors to ease off, Svrcekova added, as quoted by TASR. Freedom and Solidarity takes this fully on board.

It will now be up to Mihal whether or not he gives up his seat in the parliament, Svrcekova said.

SaS MP Martin Poliacik told public-service broadcaster RTVS that Mihals decision may be considered a warning to Sulik that it is not always the most important to try to win preferences.
Scrutiny follows media report by Serbian journalist concerning conditions in a Galanta-based plant.

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The Labour Ministry will pay more attention to companies with foreign staff. The decision comes in the wake of a recent report by a Serbian journalist who worked incognito for three months in allegedly dire conditions at the Samsung plant in Galanta (Trnava region), the TASR newswire reported.

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Inspections are being carried out routinely, but were now focusing mainly on companies with foreign staff, particularly from countries [outside the EU], as it seems that the problem there is the most pronounced, said Labour Minister Jan Richter on February 20, as quoted by TASR.

Serbian reporter Dragan Krsnik, in a story published in weekly magazine Nedeljnik in mid-February, claimed that he had worked at Samsung in Galanta without a proper work permit in what he called slave-like conditions and for a woeful salary. Officially, close to 6,000 Serbian nationals currently work in Slovakia, most of them via staff leasing agencies.

The Labour Ministry wants to see foreigners working in Slovakia only legally and in conditions corresponding to the Slovak Labour Code, Richter said.

Having carried out checks at almost 24,000 companies last year, the ministrys inspectorate discovered 1,331 companies that were employing almost 3,000 people illegally, including many foreigners: 138 Serbs, 51 Ukrainians, 16 Vietnamese and six Macedonians.

Most of the violations, in some [companies] as many as 90 percent, concerned staff leasing agencies, said Richter, as quoted by TASR, adding that such agencies will now become the focus of particular scrutiny.

Richter also announced that he is due to discuss the situation with Serbian Ambassador to Slovakia Sani Dermaku.

There could be hundreds of Serbian nationals employed illegally in Slovakia, the minister said, as quoted by TASR.

The two countries have signed agreements concerning social issues that could be expanded in order to encompass cooperation and exchange information between the Slovak and Serbian labour inspectorates, Richter noted.
Four companies want to invest altogether 88.5 million in Slovakia.

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Four investors plan to create altogether 500 new jobs in Slovakia, particularly in Zilina, Ladomerska Vieska, Lucenec (both Banska Bystrica Region), and Betliar (Kosice Region). They are expected to invest altogether 88.5 million.

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The companies have already addressed the state, asking it for investment aid amounting to more than 11 million, mostly in the form of tax reliefs, the SITA newswire reported.

Company Franke Slovakia plans to invest nearly 27 million in Zilina, building a new plant specialising in the production of coloured kitchen sinks, with the plan to move all of its employees there from the existing company. Part of the new premises will also be a competence centre focused on testing and development of materials and designs of sinks.

The company also plans to create 240 new jobs, of which 33 will be designed for specialists who are expected to work in the competence centre.

Franke Slovakia has asked the state for 3.9 million in form of tax reliefs, SITA reported.

Another company, Nemak, wants to expand its production of aluminium castings by using high-pressure casting technology, situated in Ladomerska Vieska. It plans to invest more than 59 million and to create 210 new jobs.

The investor is asking for investment aid amounting to 6.2 million, provided in the form of tax reliefs, SITA wrote.

Meanwhile, the company D&J Design plans to build a new hall to produce wooden components in Lucenec, investing 2 million and creating 40 new jobs. It is seeking investment stimuli amounting to 910,000, both in form of direct subsidies and tax relief, SITA reported.

The last to ask for state aid is company Frafak & Fafrak, which wants to expand its existing sawmill plant in Betliar for about 140,000. The plan is also to create 10 new jobs. The investor has asked the state for stimuli amounting to 77,000, both in form of direct subsidies and tax reliefs, according to SITA.

The stimuli will now be considered by the government. The Economy Ministry does not have any objections to providing the aid.
Their task will be to check vessels in the sea to curtail human smuggling.

Migration crisis was one of causes for the rise in conspiracies and fake or hybrid news; illustrative stock photo (Source: AP/TASR)

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Slovak military police officers may attend the EUNAVFOR MED Sophia operation in the Mediterranean Sea as of August. The country plans to send there altogether 10 police officers who should service in two six-month rotations.

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This stems from the proposal submitted by the Defence Ministry for interdepartmental review, the TASR newswire reported.

The military police officers are to serve on a German ship as part of an intervention team. Their task will be to check the vessels in the sea, together with other colleagues.

Currently, military police officers are trained in Germany where they are to spend nine weeks in the Exkenford centre. They, among other things, train how to fight in small spaces and learn more about international law provisions, like how to enter a foreign vessel in international waters, TASR wrote.

The European Union launched the EUNAVFOR MED Sophia operation in 2015, with the aim to patrol in the international waters close to the Libyan coast and detain people suspected of smuggling migrants to Europe. The operation should contribute to neutralising established refugee smuggling routes.
Internet bookstores have recorded an increased interest in books exploring totalitarian regimes, including demanding theoretical works.

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At the end of January, 1984 - the book by George Orwell - became a hit on the online shop Amazon. It was speculated that its popularity is a reaction to the fact that the administration of new US President, Donald Trump, uses communication practices resembling that from the imaginary world of Orwell. Since then, the book has become a hit also in Slovakia. On the Gorila online bookshop, its sale increased by 40 percent in a quarter of a year.

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However, this is not the only book that has experienced success a long time after publishing. The sale rate of political analyst Hannah Arendts The Origins of Totalitarianism has increased as well .The Gorila website reported a quarter-on-quarter increase of about 20 percent, and on Amazon, it sold out in a few days.

The sale of books connected with the current political situation has grown, confirms Katarina Mesarcikova of Gorila.

Hannah Arendt's book (Source: Hannah Arendt Centre)

In December, the rise in sales of these books was recorded also by the Bratislava-based bookshop Martinus. The sale of 1984 grew by 120 percent, and Arendts work by 91 percent. The shop admits that these figures may be caused also by an overall increase in the sale of books before Christmas. but still, the number is surprising. The new popularity of Arendt can be explained also by her ideas being mentioned recently by many political columnists.

Evil in inactivity

Hannah Arendt had a turbulent life; the turning point for her was in 1961 when she sat in a crowded courtroom in Israel. As a Jew, she had followed the rise of Nazism in Europe first-hand, and fled the continent shortly before World War II.

The New Yorker magazine sent her to Jerusalem, to write a report from the trial of Adolf Eichmann, one of those behind the Holocaust and the system of mass killings in concentration camps.

In the courtroom, Arendt contemplated on how to define human evil. She wrote a famous theoretical paper Eichmann in Jerusalem, which has also returned to bookshops. Her answer was that evil hides in simple inactivity and obedience to follow any orders, without thinking further of the consequences. Eichmann, too, considered himself a mere clerk just doing his job.

If people lack critical thinking and are not able to express their opinions, they cannot find the thin line between good and evil, she explained.

A few powerful

The book The Origin of Totalitarianism is slightly older. In it, Arendt tries to cope with what she saw in Europe shortly before her flight, and to capture how a totalitarian regime can appear. She draws on experience with Nazism and Stalinism and she describes how the situation gradually worsened in Germany and Russia before the war. The book lays out at what point people should feel concern and worry about what is happening around them.

We should pay attention to politicians behaviour, she says. First, they start building up hatred towards some groups of citizens, then they start considering how to take up as much space in the world as possible. Gradually, a totalitarian rule is established  which is marked also by limiting or trampling on human rights and by forcing obedience violently.

In her book, Arendt describes how political leaders can mislead masses with well-chosen words.

Difficult literature

The Origins of Totalitarianism is, in its original version, a book of 600 pages. It is difficult theoretical literature studied at colleges, in courses of sociology and political science; such books rarely become bestsellers.

This is shocking, Roger Berkowitz, head of the Hannah Arendt Centre at the New York Bad College told the KQED TV channel.

Another book that topped the Amazon book sales was the book by Sinclair Lewis It Cant Happen Here  about what would happen if a fascist dictator started to lead the USA. This book was first published in 1935.
Former head of the Slovak National Party (SNS), gets a stricter although still conditional sentence, for drunk driving from the appellate court.

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Jan Slota, former chair of the SNS party, got a four months probational sentence over 24 months for drunk driving on February 21, from the Zilina Regional Court. This is a stricter sentence than the original one and the court also ruled that part of the original decision of the first-instance court, a six year driving ban, should remain in effect.

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Last year, the Zilina district court found Slota guilty of the misdemeanour of endangering the public while under the influence of an addictive substance and fined him 6,000. Failure to pay would result in a six month prison sentence. It also banned him from driving for the next six years, the SITA newswire wrote.

However, the prosecutor found this sentence insufficient and filed an appeal. The appellate court replaced the 6,000 fine with a conditional sentence, while leaving the ban on driving in its original form.

Plaintiff happy, defendant may appeal

I think this is good news for all drivers in Zilina and its surroundings, as they can drive safely, without being endangered by this person, the prosecutor and spokesman of the Zilian Regional Prosecutors Office Milan Cisarik said, as cited by SITA. The Prosecutors Office proposed a stricter punishment but is still satisfied with the current decision, especially due to the fact that it is a combination of a ban on activity  i.e. driving  and a conditional prison sentence.

Slotas lawyer Pavol Kuric commented that they have acknowledged the verdict of the regional court and that he will discuss possible further motions with his client. Thus, the verdict is not yet valid.

The course of accident

Jan Slota caused an accident on January 18, 2016, near the village of Porubka in the Zilina District. Driving a Porsche Cayenne, he crashed into the rear of the Audi A6 driving in front of him, which then bumped into the Suzuki SX4 driving still further in front. The driver of the Audi had to be treated after the crash. Slota refused a breathalyser test, as well as blood tests to ascertain the level of alcohol in his blood. The other two drivers were not under the influence.
The recently passed law, clamping down on puppy farms will have serious consequences for honest dog breeders and state employees.

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This is the opinion of the Agriculture Ministry, which also adds that the puppy farms producing countless puppies as products will be spared. The ministry reacted on February 17 to the draft bill submitted by the opposition Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party which was approved by parliament on February 14.

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The amendment which will come into effect as of May, seeks to regulate the breeding of dogs when carried out as a business activity and is aimed at those selling puppies for profit. The law involves a serious financial and paperwork burden that honest dog breeders will need to deal with, the ministry opined, as cited by the TASR newswire. It will also do away with breeding dogs for state employees such as rescue workers, firefighters and police officers. In addition, the ministry dislikes what it sees as loopholes that will preclude the authorities from stamping out puppy mills. With that in mind, the ministry is working on comprehensive measures that will be made public by the end of this year, directed at puppy farms. The policies will also involve giving more authority to veterinary inspectors.

Flaws of the bill

The MPs who submitted the bill certainly meant well, but the actual wording misses the goal, Agriculture Minister Gabriela Matecna (a Slovak National Party-SNS nominee) said. She also noted that comments from her ministry were not heeded when the law was under consideration. One way or another, she said, the situation is to be addressed by a major shake-up of the Veterinary Care Act that will include measures against puppy mills. This is set to be ready in September.

Matecna is planning to meet representatives of the Slovak Kennel Club, who, she said were left out by the MPs submitting the bill. She admitted, though, that supervision of dog breeding is indeed inadequate at present, a state of affairs that she is looking to change and replace with an effective system of oversight and monitoring. Only then, honest dog breeders and their animals can be protected. Well punish puppy farm operators severely, she summed up.

The SaS bill was phrased in a populist and non-expert fashion, Agriculture Ministrys State Secretary Gabriel Csicsai (Most-Hid nominee) told TASR. He also pointed to a recent phenomenon involving the breeding and sale of puppies, including from Slovakia and Hungary, for the EUs old member states. This process is lawful and monitored, but this bill precludes it, said Csicsai.

The bill was only passed thanks to five votes from MPs representing the ruling Smer party. During the parliamentary debate, SaS toned down its original bill via an amending proposal whereby dog breeding will only be subject to regulation if carried out for business purposes. If puppies are simply given away, no such regulation will apply.

The passed amendment also stipulates the duty to establish a licence of self-employment for breeders, to be fulfilled by July 31, 2017. However, Matecna says there is no provision in the current Self-Emyploment Act that would allow stricter punishment for the avoidance of this duty. The definition of a regulated dog breeder, as made for business, is toothless, too, according to the minister. If the breeder claims he breeds puppies without doing business or gaining profit, the law on regulated dog breeding will not apply to them.

Protests and reservations

The breeders themselves have reservations about the law, and one of them, Radek Blazo, has already in a letter, called on President Andrej Kiska not to sign it, the SITA newswire wrote. He dislikes the status of dubious dog reproducers who breed dogs in poor conditions, on a mass scale, without due treatment for the bitch and the puppies. However, according to the amendment, they can be considered registered kennels, while the dutiful and respectful breeders face excessive and unnecessary red tape, according to Blazo.

The animal rights organisation Sloboda zvierat also expressed fears that the amendment would enable the mass breeders to claim they breed for free and not for business. The register of breeding animals should be administered by the State Veterinary and Food Administration (SVPS), which has legal means to check on the kennels and breeding animals. As things stand, the oversight is the responsibility of the Tax Administration which has no tools to make inspections. Sloboda zvierat (Animal Freedom) opines, according to SITA. This would require cooperation between the Tax Administration and the SVPS but it is not clear how this would be done.
The number of respondents willing to replace democracy is lower than last November.

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Only 16 percent of people would prefer the abolition of the parliamentary system and to replace it with a dictatorship. Their number dropped from 24 percent measured by the Focus pollster for the economic think tank INEKO at the turn of October and November 2016 on 1,020 respondents.

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The institute decided to repeat the survey in the second half of January 2017, responding to some journalists and experts who expressed doubt over the wording of a question asking the respondents about alternatives to the current state of democracy. The critics pointed out that dictatorship or quitting the EU is an alternative, so the results might be distorted, showing higher numbers, INEKO explained in a blog post.

In the recent poll, the respondents were divided in two groups, composed of 502 and 506 respondents. While they asked the former the same question as in the earlier poll, the latter were asked a slightly modified question.

The results disproved the doubts of the critics as they did not show any statistically important differences between the answers to various questions, INEKO wrote in the blog.

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The January poll showed three significant changes. Except for the drop in the number of people preferring dictatorship, also the number of respondents supporting the departure of Slovakia from the EU fell: from 35 percent to 28-30 percent.

Moreover, the share of people preferring the stronger state position in economics decreased from 44 percent to 37-39 percent, INEKO wrote.

We dont know the reasons for these changes, INEKO wrote. We can only guess that peoples opinions might have been impacted by broad coverage of the results from the November poll or relatively intensive discussions about the nature of liberal democracy.

Other reasons may include the missing context of questions which were not repeated in the January poll.

Martin Sloriarik of Focus said that the changes may have been caused by a certain degree of uncertainty over the development of the security situation in the world, which may be demonstrated by stronger association with existing institutions, like the EU, the parliamentary system etc.

Both polls suggest that there are still only a few people who reject democracy and the EU. Instead, most of the population supports democracy. More than two-thirds of respondents think it may improve with the bigger involvement of decent people in the management of public affairs.

Moreover, nearly two-thirds of people want to strengthen the independence and professionalism of police investigators, the prosecutors office, the courts, and supervision and regulatory authorities to reduce the risk of the abuse of power, INEKO informed.
By Press Trust of India: From Kunal Dutt

Kampala, Feb 21 (PTI) Vice President Hamid Ansari today arrived in Uganda after wrapping up a three-day visit of Rwanda during which he held bilateral talks with the leadership and attended a business forum during which both the countries signed agreements.

Ansari was received at the Entebbe International Airport by his Ugandan counterpart Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi. He was also given a guard of honour at the VIP reception area.

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This is the first high-level bilateral visit from the country to Uganda since 1997, Ministry of External Affairs officials said.

The Vice President arrived in Kampala this evening after bidding farewell to Rwanda, where he spent three days in its capital Kigali.

Uganda is the last leg of his five-day two-nation visit to these East African countries. During his visit here from February 21-23 he will meet and hold bilateral talks with President Yoweri Museveni, attend a banquet hosted by him and pay floral tributes to the bust of Mahatma Gandhi in Jinja.

Besides, meeting the top leadership, Ansari will also attend India-Uganda Business Forum tomorrow. On February 23, he will also interact with the Indian community here.

The Vice President along with wife Salma, is traveling with Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Vijay Sampla, four MPs -- Kanimozhi, Ranvijay Singh Judev, Ranee Narah and P K Biju, and senior officials.

Ansari embarked on the trip on February 19. He arrived in Rwandan capital Kigali the same evening and attended a banquet hosted there by the Indian High Commission of Uganda.

The Vice President had said that this visit is part of a "conscious effort" by the Indian government to "intensify interactions" with Africa.

In Kigali, Ansari paid tributes at the Kigali Genocide Memorial and called it a symbol of an "indomitable spirit" of the people of Rwanda in finding reconciliation with its turbulent past.

He also launched India-Rwanda innovation Growth Programme yesterday after which the two sides signed three MoUs for setting up an entrepreneurship development centre in Rwanda, starting flight service from Kigali to Mumbai from April 3, and for working on mutual exemption of visa requirements for holders of diplomatic and official passports. PTI KND UZM

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The state-run freight carrier Cargo did not succeed in its bid, but is still discussing the distribution of suborders with the German firm.

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German freight carrier Deutsche Bahn Cargo will distribute the cars produced by the Nitra-based Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) plant by rail. The tender was announced by the British carmaker last autumn, the Sme daily reported.

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The German firm, previously known as DB Schenker Rail, defeated the Slovak state-run railway freight carrier Cargo Slovakia. It discussed with JLR the possibility of transporting components for the production of new cars in Nitra and then exporting them mostly to the Belgian ports.

We can confirm that our company failed in the competition to secure comprehensive services for JLR, Cargo Slovakia spokesperson Martin Halanda confirmed for Sme.

Read also:

Read also: Jaguar after the first few months of construction works Read more

The victory of Deutsche Bahn Cargo, however, is no surprise as it has better bases in Germany and France, said analyst with the company Finlord Boris Tomciak. The western countries will be target markets for the carmaker. JLR as well as Slovak and German firms however are silent about the reasons for picking a specific supplier, Sme wrote.

Though Cargo Slovakia did not succeed in its bid, it still has a chance to contribute to the distribution of cars from the Nitra-based JLR plant. It is currently discussing the possibility of cooperating with the Germans, by acting as its subcontractor in the Slovak and Czech section of the rail network, according to Sme.

This would mean that the Slovak company will provide the Germans with an engine, an engine driver and train crew. The company however does not want to comment on the information.

Such a collaboration would be beneficial for Cargo as it would cover the loss of other incomes, like transport for the metallurgical industry, Tomciak told Sme.
The ruling coalition will also confirm plans to create an energy holding.

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The new head of the Regulatory Office for Network Industries (URSO) will have fewer powers than their predecessor, Jozef Holjencik. The government will separate the posts of URSO director and chair of the Regulatory Board, the Sme daily reported.

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This stems from the agreement of the coalition council. The decision follows the scandal over extremely high energy bills. It resulted in Holjencik leaving the post.

The URSO head will not be chair of the Regulatory Board anymore, Smer leader and PM Robert Fico said after the February 21 meeting of the coalition partners, as quoted by Sme.

The specific proposal will be prepared by Economy Minister Peter Ziga (Smer). He will submit it for discussion at the beginning of March when the new parliamentary session begins. This is also the reason why the government is not talking about Holjenciks successor. It first wants to be sure the posts will be separated, Sme wrote.

Read also:

Read also: Energy prices hike tensions in coalition Read more

The URSO is currently led by its deputy head, Miroslav Celinsky, who will be responsible for any new price decisions the regulator should currently make. The plan is to use the same prices as were applied last year, also retrospectively.

All price decisions the regulator will issue will be applied as of January 1, 2017, the URSO informed on February 21, as quoted by Sme. Originally, it planned to change them only as of March.

The coalition parties also confirmed the creation of an energy holding whose task will be to merge all state shares.

We, for example, want to better use the right of first refusal and use every opportunity to strengthen the state, Fico said, as quoted by Sme.

The fact however is that until the investors want to sell their shares, the state cannot use its right of first refusal, according to the daily.
There was one interesting response to the September 2012 incident in Benghazi (Libya) where Islamic terrorists attacked American diplomats, and managed to kill the U.S. ambassador mainly because there was no American military forces in the region that could reach Libya in time. A quick reaction force was created to deal with any similar incident in the future. Since 2013 the quick reaction force, consisting mostly of marines, has grown to over 2,000 personnel stationed in numerous bases (and sometimes at sea) fr0m Spain to Pakistan. Initially this force was known as SPMAGTF-CR-AF (Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Africa). Initially it consisted of 500 marines and six V-22 tilt rotor transports in Spain. That force was expanded to 850 marines. The U.S. Navy has long maintained bases in Spain. About the same time a similar, but larger (about twice the size) SPMAGTF-CR-CC (Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Central Command) was formed to cover similar potential emergencies further east. This force has access to more C-130s and jet fighters if needed. The new quick reaction force will be available for all manner of disasters and emergencies in Africa and throughout the Middle East (from Egypt to Pakistan). This now includes TRAP (Tactical Recovery of Aircraft and Personnel) which is ready to work with SOCOM (Special Operations Command) para-rescue teams operated by the U.S. Air Force. There is also at least one CRBN (chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear) to handle any Islamic terrorists who have got their hands on something like that. Some of the marine units on standby are at sea in amphibious ships. The basic idea is if you can get a small force of troops to a rapidly developing hot spot, you can prevent it from becoming a larger or more intense disaster.

While there are many bases the U.S. has access to in CENTCOM there is one official U.S. military base in Africa, in Djibouti. France and the United States SOCOM (Special Operations Command) have had special operations forces (commandos and special aircraft) stationed in Djibouti for years. France has had commandos there for over a decade and the U.S. moved in after September 11, 2001. The Djibouti base supports operations throughout the Sahel (the semi-desert strip between the North African desert and the Central African jungles, which stretches from the Atlantic to Somalia). The U.S. also has a number of other airports in central and southern Africa where it has agreements to quietly allow its military and contractor aircraft to operate. American warplanes (especially the very-long range F-15E) operate out of Persian Gulf air bases and have apparently carried out smart bomb attacks in Yemen, Somalia, and perhaps elsewhere in Africa. Throughout the region there are often large explosions at night. If a smart bomb was dropped from a high enough altitude, there would just be the explosion and yet another mystery no one was keen to solve.
Despite being allies, Turkey and Iran are now feuding in the media over public accusations by senior Turkish leaders that Iran was attempting to destabilize Syria and Iraq in order to increase Iranian influence in those countries. While many people in those countries, both pro and anti-Iran, would agree, the official Iranian line is that their military efforts in Syria and Iraq are simply to help fight ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant). Turkey is largely Sunni and has been trying to improve its relations with all Moslem majority nations in the region since 2000. That is proving difficult with the growing struggle between Shia (led by Iran) and Sunni (led by Saudi Arabia). Turkey has tried to stay out of this conflict but that is proving impossible.

While Iran has some internal problems with religious minorities and the Shia-Sunni dispute the worst domestic problems are ethnic. This is particularly true with the Kurd and Arab minorities. Both groups are largely Shia and the animosity is mainly resistance to domination by the Persian (ethnic Iranian) majority. The latest unrest has been in the southwestern province of Khuzestan. For over a week there have been mass protests in Ahvaz (the provincial capital) over worsening air pollution and power shortages. Arabs are the majority in Khuzestan province. While Arabs comprise only about two percent of the Iranian population most of the oil fields are in Khuzestan and that creates a lot of air pollution and resentment over not sharing in the wealth. All that oil should also produce plenty of fuel for generating electricity but government corruption and mismanagement have left Ahvaz without power more frequently. The Arabs there are generally hostile to the ethnic Iranians, who are accused of persecuting and not respecting Arab Iranians.

Arab protests are often more violent. Arab separatists like the ASMLA (Arab Struggle Movement for the Liberation of Ahvaz) bomb oil pipelines. ASMLA has been active since 2005 but not in a big way. The most recent ASMLA bombing was in early January. But there are other active Arab rebels. In July 2016 the al Farouq Brigade carried out two pipeline attacks. At the same time the Hawks of Ahwaz took credit for a fire in a local petrochemical plant. Hawks of Ahwaz took credit for two other similar fires that have occurred since 2015. Iran is acutely aware of how unruly its own Arab minority can be. There are a growing number of terrorist incidents inside Iran traced to Iranian Arabs. Most Iranian oil is pumped from the ancestral lands of these Arabs, who have become increasingly bitter about how they receive little benefit from all that oil wealth. The three million Arabs in Khuzestan province (formerly Arabistan) are Shia and have been ruled by non-Arab Iranians for centuries. Arab unrest here has grown since 2003, when the Sunni dictatorship of Saddam Hussein was overthrown in Iraq and the Shia majority won elections to take power. Since 2003 hundreds of Iranian Arabs have been arrested for separatist activities. Many are still in prison and nearly 30 have been executed.

The Untouchables

Nearly all Iranians are most concerned about the economy and standard-of-living in general. The major obstacle to improving the situation is persistent, and growing, corruption. There are several obstacles to dealing with corruption, or even protesting it. The main defender of corruption is the IRGC (Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps) generals who, like the late shah, are inclined to ignore public opinion and put down with force any public displays of dissent. At the other extremes you have religious leaders to are willing to compromise with many popular demands, especially those related to economic freedom and curbing corruption. That goal collides with the IRGC, which is all about controlling all manner of personal freedoms and tolerating corruption when it benefits the IRGC. While leaders of the religious government and the IRGC are both getting rich off corruption the IRGC is able to shut down reform.

Iran was always notoriously corrupt and it has been an enduring problem for thousands of years. Currently Iran is not rated as one of the most corrupt nations on the planet. But Iran is close to the bottom and is 131 out of 176 countries for 2016 and somewhat better off than the worst. Iran has been slowly improving its corruption score but not fast enough to make much difference to the average Iranian, who sees their economic situation worsening. Efforts to achieve noticeable improvement has stalled. Somalia was rated the most corrupt nation in the world and has held that dubious distinction for a decade. Corruption in the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index is measured on a 1 (most corrupt) to 100 (not corrupt) scale. The most corrupt nations (usually North Korea, Somalia or, since 2011, South Sudan) have a rating of under fifteen while for the least corrupt (usually Denmark) it tends to be 90 or higher. The current Iran score is 29 compared to 17 for Iraq, 41 for Turkey, 46 for Saudi Arabia, 28 for Lebanon, 41 for Kuwait, 66 for the UAE (United Arab Emirates), 64 for Israel, 25 for Afghanistan, 32 for Pakistan, 29 for Russia, 40 for China, 28 for Nigeria, 45 for South Africa, 40 for India, 72 for Japan, 37 for Indonesia, 53 for South Korea, 11 for South Sudan, 12 for North Korea, and 74 for the United States. A lower corruption score is common with nations in economic trouble. African nations are the most corrupt, followed by Middle Eastern ones. Fixing an existing culture of corruption has proved a most difficult challenge.

The Price Of Progress

Iran thought victories in Syria, Yemen and Iraq, alliances with Turkey, China and Russia to oppose the West plus the end of sanctions would lead to more domestic support for the religious dictatorship that has run the country since the 1980s. That has not worked, at least not as well as the government expected. Opinion surveys showed that 90 percent of Iranians backed the Syrian operations in 2015 but that support dropped to 73 percent in 2016 and is now less than 30 percent. There were similar declines regarding Iranian popular support for Hezbollah and Shia militias in Lebanon, Syria. Yemen and Iraq. Most Iranians are more concerned with own circumstances, which have not improved much despite all the government boasting of victories elsewhere. Many Iranians are unhappy with the alliance with Russia, which has been seen as a threat for centuries. The religious dictatorship overcame that out of desperation as Russia was one of the few nations they could trade with during the height of the sanctions (that largely ended in 2016). But most Iranians have long memories and when they think about Russia that triggers of someone close, hostile, untrustworthy and aggressive. The Turks are regarded in a similar fashion but at least they are Moslem (although not the right flavor) and willing to be accommodating in the long term. Iran has been willing to cooperate with the Turks on the Kurdish issue and even the Israelis and Sunni Arabs are cooperative. But at the same time most of the nations unconcerned about Kurdish aspirations are very much concerned about Iran obtaining even more control over Syria. Thats what will happen if the rebels are defeated and none of the nations bordering Syria are happy with Iranian control of Syria, with or without the Assads still around.

Iraq

Iranian military advisors in Iraq have a problem with the locals. Iraqis prefer time consuming tactics in the fight against ISIL because this keeps civilian and security forces casualties low and keeps the Iran backed Shia militias out of the fighting. That prevents more atrocities against non-Shia civilians in general and Iraqi Sunnis in particular. More importantly it shows Iran that Iraq can take care of this without a lot of Iranian help. While over half of Iraqis are Shia they do not want the country dominated by Shia (but non-Arab) Iran. As a result many of the Iran backed Shia militias have proved reliable (in their treatment of non-Shia civilians) when assigned to police and protect areas ISIL had recently been driven from. Sunni civilians are often warned by ISIL that Shia militias will kill them, rape the women and generally misbehave. But most of the Shia militiamen bring with them needed food and medical aid and generally behave well. Yet the government knows there are violently pro-Iran Shia Iraqis in some of these militias so the risk of bad behavior is always there and Iranian military trainers and advisors do little to discourage it. Perhaps to avoid that the government announced that some Iraqi Shia militias would be allowed to cross into Syria to aid in the effort to drive ISIL out of eastern Syria.

Iranians are present among the several thousand foreign troops, all of them advisors or specialists (like American air control, intelligence or communications specialists) working with the 30,000 Iraqis fighting to drive ISIL out of Mosul. There are over a thousand Iranians providing training, advisory and support assistance to the pro-Iran Shia militias. The Iraqi government fears that these IRGC advisors and trainers are secretly building pro-Iran armed militias in Iraq. Thats simply not true because the IRGC is quite open about what they are doing to encourage Iraqi Shia to organize armed groups so they can work with Iran someday to impose the same kind of religious dictatorship in Iraq that has existed in Iran since the 1980s.

Syria

This is where Iran is having the most problems, especially with Turkey because the Turks are involved mainly because of the Kurds. Thats why Turkey is so opposed to any peace deal that keeps the Shia Assad clan in power. Turkey is even pressuring the new American government to drop its military support for the Kurds in general and those in Syria in particular. The United States is still very popular in Turkey but the current Turkish government is very (more than usual) hostile to Kurds. The Arab states that are working with NATO to destroy ISIL back continued support for Kurds in Syria. This annoys the Turkish government, who dont care if a pro-Iran Shia minority rules Syria as long as that group respects Turkish attitudes about Kurdish nationalism (violently opposed because those Kurds claim most of eastern Turkey). The Assads have a long history of making deals with the Kurds, even if those deals hurt Turkey. So the Assads have to go. Many Turks have demonstrated against and criticized Turkish cooperation with Iran, Russia and the Assad government of Syria. All three of these groups have long been seen as enemies of Turkey.

In early January Turkey threatened to withdraw from the temporary alliance with Russia and Iran in Syria. Turkey was angry at Iran for tolerating repeated violations of the recent ceasefire deal by Iranian mercenaries (mainly Hezbollah) in Syria. The Turkish government justifies the alliance with Iran and Russia in Syria by referring to increased cooperation with Russia and Iran since the 1990s. But in Syria the Turks have to deal with the fact that Iran is run by a religious dictatorship and Turkey and Russia are not. Iran justifies breaking agreements by blaming it on the many religious fanatics in its government and military. Russia is willing to ignore that sort of thing, Turkey isnt. At the same time a growing number of Iranians openly demonstrate against the alliance with Russia, especially highly visible things like the continued use of Iranian airspace by Russian military aircraft travelling to and from Syria. For decades Russia was depicted (by Iranian media, governments and personal experience) as a dangerous enemy of Iran. Russia and Iran also openly disagree over some key items. Russia openly supports Israels efforts to defend itself from Hezbollah or Iranian missile attacks. Russia is also willing to have the Americans join in the effort to craft a peace deal at the conference going on now in Kazakhstan. Iran insisted that the Americans not show and the new U.S. government was OK with that.

The unusual alliance of Iran, Turkey and Russia is seen by all three countries as historically unnatural and unsustainable. Iran has long been fighting the Russians and Turks over who had the most power, control and influence in the areas where they were neighbors. Each of the three still have fundamental differences with the other two and popular opinion in all three nations shows widespread distrust of these unnatural allies. But most Iranians also remember that many times in the past Iran has made such unstable alliances work, for a while at least. Beyond the shared desire to destroy ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) the various foreign powers now involved in Syria mostly disagree with each other on much else.

Iran has maintained its military presence in Syria even if it causes friction with new allies like Turkey. Iran is trying several solutions to this perception problem. It is encouraging (apparently with some cash) Hezbollah fighters operating in Syria to join Syrian Army units and wear Syrian uniforms. These Lebanese soldiers apparently operate together in small units (like a platoon of 20-30 men) under Hezbollah leaders (wearing NCO or officer uniforms). It is believed that Hezbollah is using a similar technique in Lebanon as part of its effort to take control of the Lebanese Army. It is also easier for Hezbollah men to get training in new weapons when doing so in Syrian uniforms. Russia is fine with this but the Turks are not.

Yemen

Iranian support for Yemeni Shia rebels is a low cost operation because Iran always urged the Shia there to adopt a more cautious and gradual strategy. That advice was ignored and when the Yemeni Shia had an opportunity to seize the capital and declare a new government in 2015 they did so. It didnt work but came close enough to encourage Iran to spend a lot of what little cash they had to support the Yemeni Shia. Iran knew that the Yemeni Shia, or at least some of them, would be grateful for this support and that would benefit Iran long-term. In the meantime the situation in Yemen, where the outnumbered and outgunned Shia are holding out against the Sunni majority and their Arab (led by the Saudis) allies. This has given the Iranians an excellent media opportunity and they are making the most of the fact that the Arabs, even with greater numbers and superior weapons, are unable to defeat fellow Arabs who just happen to be Shia. Iran, the largest Shia majority nation in the world, considers the Shia form of Islam superior to the Sunni variants (which over 80 percent of Moslems follow).

February 15, 2017: The Iranian president visited Oman and met with the local ruler (the sultan) to discuss improving relations with the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council, the Arab oil states in the Persian Gulf), and especially with Saudi Arabia. While in Oman the Iranian president also met with the Kuwaiti ruler who was also visiting. It is unclear if this is a serious peace effort or just another Iranian move to make the GCC and Saudi Arabia look like the bad guys. It did not go unmentioned that the two members of the GCC that continue to have good relations with Iran are Oman and Kuwait. These two Arab states have worked well with Iran for generations.

February 9, 2017: In the southeast, near the Pakistan (Baluchistan) border four mortar shells fell on the Pakistani side and the Pakistanis accused the Iranian border guards of being responsible. Iran did not respond but this had happened before (several times) and usually involved the Iranians trying to deal with some Iranian rebels fleeing to sanctuary in Pakistan. Baluchi Sunni Islamic terrorists often carry out operations in Iran flee back across the border to Pakistan. These Iranian Baluchi separatists regularly operate against Iran from bases in Pakistan and have become a growing problem for both countries. Pakistan is under a lot of pressure to do something about it, so the Pakistani government at least goes through the motions of responding to each incident.

Across the Persian Gulf in Bahrain ten Shia Islamic terrorists sought to reach sanctuary in Iran but their boat was sighted and fired on by a police vessel. That left three of the escaped (on January 1st) prisoners dead and their boat unable to move. The other seven were arrested. All ten Bahraini Shia had been convicted of crimes associated which their efforts to secure more political power for the Shia Arabs. Bahrain believes the Iranian Quds Force (which specializes in supporting Islamic terrorists) is providing terrorist training to Bahraini Shia in Iraq and Iran and assisting in obtaining explosives and weapons for Bahraini Shia rebels. Relations between Bahrain and Iran have been getting worse since the 1980s, when a religious dictatorship took power in Iran. It got so bad in July 2015 that Bahrain recalled its ambassador in Iran because of a recent incident where a small boat was stopped off Bahrain and two men with known terrorist connections were arrested after the boat was found to be carrying 44 kg (96 pounds) of C4 explosive, other components (detonators) for making bombs, six assault rifles and several hundred rounds of ammo. The men admitted they had received the weapons from a nearby Iranian ship in international waters. One of the men was known to have received terrorist training in Iran in 2013.

Iran dismisses all these accusations as lies. But these are not isolated incidents. There are many of them and they occur regularly. They often involve arresting Islamic terrorists and seizing supplies of explosives meant for terrorist bombings in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. This sort of thing has been going on for some time. Iranian politicians have increasingly mentioned in public that Bahrain is really the 14th province of Iran. That's because, well, it isn't called the "Persian" Gulf for nothing (although since all the oil money showed up the Arabs have been trying to popularize the term "Arabian Gulf," with mixed success). There have been ethnic Iranian communities in Bahrain for centuries, along with a Shia Arab majority, and Iran had a formal claim on the island until 1969 when the claim was dropped, in order to improve relations with Arab neighbors. Iran has always been an empire and still is (only half the population is ethnic Iranian). The way this works you always have a sense of "Greater Iran" which includes, at the least, claims on any nearby areas containing ethnic Iranians or people of similar religion. Hitler used this concept to guide his strategy during World War II. Bahrainis (both Sunni and Shia) get very upset when these claims are periodically revived. The local Shia want an independent Bahrain run by the Shia majority. The Iranian government officially denounces such claims on Bahrain but apparently many Iranians have not forgotten. Arabs are not very happy about that and have responded by pointing out that Iran was Sunni until 500 years ago and were forced to convert, on pain of death, by a Shia emperor who killed about a million of his subjects in the process. Saudi Arabia is trying, with some success, to organize Arab resistance to Iranian expansionist moves. Iran has responded by encouraging the Shia minorities on the west side of the Gulf to demonstrate their unhappiness with their minority status. The Iranian claim is based on Iranian control of Bahrain for a few years during the 18th century. Iran resents Western interference in the area believing themselves to be the regional superpower and the final arbiter of who is sovereign and who is not. Arabs see Iran continuing to throw its traditional weight around, despite the decades of sanctions and the current low oil prices. Traditional thinking among Sunnis is that Shia are scum and a bunch of unreliable losers, although the Iranians have always visibly contradicted that. The average Iranian holds similar views towards Arabs, especially Sunni Arabs.

February 5, 2017: Saudi Arabian air defense forces used a Patriot missile to shoot down a ballistic missile fired by Shia rebels towards a base in central Saudi Arabia (outside the capital, Riyadh). Iranian media insisted the missile landed but there was no evidence of that on the ground or posted to the Internet (from people living in the area, none of whom reported any visual or audio indications of a missile landing).

February 4, 2017: In northern Iraq (Tal Afar, between Mosul and Syria) another to IRGC officer was killed while advising (or leading) Iraqi Shia militiamen. Iran has sent hundreds of IRGC officers, most of them from the Quds Force. Dozens of senior IRGC officers have been killed in Syria and Iraq since 2012.

January 30, 2017: In Yemen the Shia rebels (or at least the Iranian media that first reported it) claim to have used a ballistic missile to attack a Saudi base on Zuqar Island in the Red Sea. The Iranian media claimed that there were over a hundred casualties but there was no evidence of such an attack. Similar claims have been made before.
Remember the surf/skate/snow dream?

Sometime around 1995, when we were all bredren. Wed read crossover mags and wear something baggy and dream of replicating similar moves on saltwater, on crete, up a mountain? And probably listen to Das Efx?

(It was kinda awkward I guess if you were a bodyboarder, I mean did you skeleton bob instead on the mountains? Anyway)

Well guess what? The 90s are so fucking biggidy back and so is surf/skate/snow.

Quik have just dropped Radical Times in Spain complete with a guide to wear/what/how and all sorts.

And if that doesnt make you wanna guzzle thin slices of acorn-fattened swine, wipe your greasy chops with a napkin and then throw that napkin purposefully on the bar floor, well nothing will.

And then shred the puta madre out of it. Spain rules. Fact.

Mikey February, Natxo Gonzalez, Javier Mendizabal, Bryan Fox, Austen Sweetin, Mat Crepel, and Zack Miller certainly gave it a decent nudge recently.

p.s. If it was really the 90s, Elko and Spenny/whoever wouldve at least had the decency to jump in nude, no?
Face transplant is the spectacular advancement of medical technology which enables people to get a whole new face through surgery and Andrew Sandness  the US-based man is the recent example of this progress. Andrew has been waiting for this day since years, and the doctors of Mayo Clinic finally made his dream real. After 50 hours long face transplant surgery, Andrew Sandness has got an absolutely new look.

Andrew Sandness is a 32 years old man, belongs to the United States. When Andrew was only 21 years old, his face was confounded by a gunfire wound, and the incident was so intense that left his face, mouth, and nose completely devastated. Since ten years, he was waiting for some miracle which can change his destiny. Finally, the day came, when the doctors from Mayo Clinic gave him a new lease of life after a donor agreed to donate his entire face, including each bit if organs to Andrew. The duration of the surgery, which was conducted last year was 50 hours, which is one of the longest-lasting operations of the world. Last year, the doctors efficiently carried out a near-total face transplant on Andrew, and now, Andrew is an entirely new person.

The extensive medical operation, which was conducted to enhance the capability of Andrew to converse, chew up, inhale and smell and now Andrew, is living a blissful life. For optimising the look, atheistic, and functionality of Andrews face, a multidisciplinary team group of physicians, surgeons, and health professionals brought virtual surgical preparation technology and 3D printing into play, and the surgery was conducted at Mayo Clinics Rochester campus.

After recovering in Rochester campus of Mayo Clinics, Andrew is expected to rush back home, located in eastern Wyoming this month, said the surgeon team. In the first-of-its-kind surgery, doctors and surgeons were able to restore back the facial muscles, upper and lower jaw, nose, teeth, palate, cheeks, oral mucosa, most parts of the salivary glands, and the facial skin of Andrew and now he is a completely new man.

Commenting on the successful face transplant, Samir Mardini, the medical director at Mayo Clinic Essam and Dalal Obaid Centre for Reconstructive Transplant Surgery said, Since ten years, we are treating Andrew Sandness. He came here at the age of 21, with a completely devastated face and at the age of 32, we found a donor, who agreed to donate his face and facial organs to Andrew. All through the treatment process, Andrew was very active, determined and cooperative, and these natures helped us to take the biggest risk.

Andrew Sandness, who was shocked after seeing his recovered face in the mirror, while reporting to a local newspaper said, I am absolutely surprised by the clinical outcomes so far. The surgery has enabled me to chew up and consume regular food, and my nerve sensations are gradually recovering.
NASA to unveil findings on Exoplanets beyond our solar system in a conference tomorrow

The US space agency NASA will hold a major conference at 1 p.m. EST Wednesday, Feb. 22, where it will reveal the latest findings on the habitable exoplanets, and the event will air live on the NASA website and NASA Television.

Exoplanets are those planets that revolve around their parent stars other than our Sun and reside in the galaxy other than Milky Way. Sometimes they orbit in Goldilocks zone (or habitable zone) which is neither too far nor too close from the parent star, where water can exist in the liquid state, a necessary ingredient for the existence of life.

Although, a planet located in the habitable zone do not mean that it will host life, but it is the first criteria that scientists look for when searching life in other solar systems.

Anyone can see the live show on NASA TV, but limited seats are available for those who want to attend the conference in person at the agencys Headquarters at 300 E Street SW in Washington. In addition, media individuals who are unable to visit the conference can ask questions over the telephone.

However, those who are willing to attend the conference in person or by phone should inform the space agency by sending an email with their name, affiliation and telephone number to Dwayne Brown at [email protected] by noon Feb. 22.

Media and the public also may ask questions during the briefing on Twitter using the hashtag #askNASA.

The briefing participants are:

 Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington

 Michael Gillon, astronomer at the University of Liege in Belgium

 Sean Carey, manager of NASAs Spitzer Science Center at Caltech/IPAC, Pasadena, California

 Nikole Lewis, astronomer at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore

 Sara Seager, professor of planetary science and physics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge

A Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) about exoplanets will be held following the briefing at 3 p.m. with scientists available to answer questions in English and Spanish.

You can watch NASA TV here.
As we come closer to the Samsungs Galaxy S8 launch event, picture of the device is getting clearer. Rumours have started flooding the internet about the design, price, colour variants and launch date of the upcoming flagship smartphone. According to latest updates, Samsung will not unveil Galaxy S8 at MWC 2017, rather the smartphone giant will select a specific date and send invites for the launch event on 26 February.

However, before its launch, the marketers and retail analysts have left no stones unturned to explore the features and specs of the yet-to-be-announced smartphone. Thanks to all those leaked reports and unofficial teasers that most of us are acquainted with the features of the upcoming handsets of Samsung.

As per the leaked reports, Samsung, like the previous model of its S flagship, will launch the S8 in two variants. The base variant will be called Samsung Galaxy S8, and it will cost around 800. On the other hand, the higher console of the flagship will be called Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus and will be tagged with the approximate price range of 900. However, following the previous patterns, we are quite assured that both models of Samsung wont find their ways to Indian market before the middle of April this year.

Design

If we go with the most reliable leaks and teasers, then it is quite guaranteed that both models of S8 will have a curved display edge, bezel-free display, and no home button. Yes, Samsung with its new devices is ditching the time-honored Home Button for facilitating its display some extra accommodation. Also, a high-end fingerprint scanner is expected to sit at the rear panel, beneath of the camera. Some leaked photos have already confirmed the S8 and S8 Plus to have a 3.5mm headphone jack port at the lower edge

Display

As per the leaks and rumors, the Base version is expected to flaunt an either a 5.7-inches or 5.8-inches display, while the S8 Plus will feature a 6.2 inch screen. Displays of both models will be protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5 at both front and back panel. With curved Super AMOLED displays coupled with Quad HD or 4K resolution, both models will have more than 550ppi pixel density. Integrated with extra display features like 3D Touch, Always-on screen, and TouchWiz UI, Samsungs upcoming phones are estimated to be a game changer for the South Korean Multinational.

Features and Specifications

The Galaxy S8, of course, will be waterproof, like its predecessor devices. As the Galaxy S7 was an IP68-certified model and can stay 1.5m under water for 30 minutes, Samsung is likely to go a step further with its new devices. Under the hood, the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus will be powered by the most recent Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset, which will deliver a seamless performance to the users. With the Octa-core chip clocked at the speed of up to 2.4Gz, both variants will provide 20% faster and flawless performance than the Snapdragon 820.

Storage

As per the reports, the Galaxy S8 phones will hit the market with two RAMs  4GB and 6GB. While the 4GB model will be exclusive to some selected European markets, 6GB variant will be available internationally. Similarly, on the storage front, the new Galaxy phones will pack no less than 64 GB of onboard storage. It manes, the phone will come up with two ROM variants like 6$ GB and 128GB with expandable storage option to 256 GB via micro SD card.

Software

On the software front, the Galaxy S8 phones will run on the latest Android Nougat 8 out of the box. With the new TouchWiz OS with Samsungs homespun AI-based virtual assistant Bixby, the new Galaxy gadgets are supposed to be a premium and iconic Samsung phone.

Camera

Well, this is the most enchanting segment of Samsung phones. The upcoming Galaxy S8 models of Samsung will have a dual-camera setup at the back panel and will host a dual 12-mp snapper. On the front part, the phone will accommodate an 8-mp shooter for selfies. Geo-tagging, touch focus, face/smile detection, live 4K video, 9MP image recording, Auto HDR, and panorama are some additional features which will accompany the camera segment of Galaxy S8 models.

Battery

For superb power backup, Samsung will incorporate its approaching Galaxy phones with a non-removable 3500mAh, which is quite higher than its previous flagship  the S7. It will also have a USB Type C for faster charging.

Colour availability

In terms of Color availability, the upcoming phones of Samsung will be launched in three variants including Black, Gold, and Orchid Grey. It means buyers will get wide color options to pick the Galaxy S8 phones.

Expected price

Samsung hasnt yet maintained a tight lip regarding the price of its impending phones. But following the trend of pricing patterns of Samsung, we can expect the 6GB RAM+64GB model console of the Galaxy S8 to retail at $950 (roughly Rs. 63,800) and $1050 (roughly Rs. 70,500) for bigger sibling.
Keynote

Anthony Johnson Brings 'Johnsonville' to Life

North Carolina elementary teacher combines STEM with innovative, real-world systems.

Great things can come from humble beginnings.

Anthony Johnson, a former high school dropout, is a teacher of the year winner in his school district and the southwest region of North Carolina. He is also a finalist for state teacher of the year.

At Isenberg Elementary School in Salisbury, NC, he has transformed his science and social studies classrooms into Johnsonville, a world where each student must find a job, pay the bills, pay mortgage and taxes, and learn by doing projects. Johnson uses Defined STEM as his source for curricula for the project-based learning taking place in his fourth and fifth grade classes.

Johnson combines technology with his lesson plans and Johnsonville to produce positive, concrete results. His school district, the Rowan-Salisbury School System, is 1-to-1, so all of his students have iPads they can use for homework, class assignments and tests.

THE Journal: Describe your high school experience.

Anthony Johnson

Anthony Johnson: You could say I was a high school dropout. The school counselor made that decision for me. She said I needed to get a GED and learn a trade. That basically I was just wasting my time in high school. They didnt tell me getting a job with just a high school diploma (equivalency) and without a college degree is hard.

I started working minimum wage when I lost my mom. Then lost my dad six months later. I thought, Where did my life go wrong?

I decided to go back to school and to become an educator. I wanted to make a difference. I wanted to make sure kids dont have same experience that I have. So now, Im in year 14 of teaching.

THE Journal: What was your first job out of college?

Johnson: When I first got out of college, I was a technology facilitator at Isenberg Elementary. I was actually working with teachers to make sure they were using technology thoughtfully and constructively in the classroom.

But I missed working with students, and decided to go back to the classroom.

THE Journal: Describe Johnsonville. Where did you get the idea?



Johnson: My whole thing is, when I decided to become a teacher, I decided I was going to do everything the opposite of when I was a student. I was going to have a classroom thats engaging, with real-world experience. I wanted to make it interesting. I decided, Im the mayor. I make the rules.

Working in my classroom, you get paid. You have a responsibility to pay the bills, pay mortgage, find a job. They have to pay taxes 10 percent of income goes back to the mayor. Kids can keep the room clean and start a janitorial business. They can start a transportation company. Instead of directly giving them a treat, I have the students buy from me, then sell to classmates for a profit.

Im still teaching the standards. The first job is not to become an entrepreneur. If youre doing my work, then you get $100 a day. (Its fake money.) Im still teaching the standards, just adding the real-world component to them. Instead of teaching forces of motion, like the standard says, I explore how is it relevant to everyday life. I want to make it relevant, so students stay engaged. Its called PBL  problem based learning. And they manage their finances on the iPad.

THE Journal: How do you use Defined STEM?

Johnson: Thats my resource for all my PBLs. Its pretty much where I get 95 percent of my PBLs. I can customize the lessons. Everything is all created for you.

You dont have to be that teacher standing up in front of the classroom (all the time).

Its a great online resource. I cant say enough about Defined STEM. If you really want to get a kid engaged, its a one-stop shop. The content is K12, and if you really want to challenge them, you can give them middle school work, modify it a little.

Everything and anything you can think of is in there. And best of all  the school pays for it.

THE Journal: Do you use any other technologies in your instruction?

Johnson: We are a 1-to-1 school district. We use those iPads to keep track of inventory, if they have a business. We also use Discovery Education and their Techbooks. We use Schoology as our learning management system.

THE Journal: What are the advantages of being a 1-to-1 school district?

Johnson: A device for every kid  its an equalizer for those whose parents are not as fortunate. Kids whose parents have a little bit more income  they can afford it.

But even they are learning important lessons. Were not using those devices to consume information. They are actually producing. Theyre using iMovie to produce movies; Garage Band to make audio tracks, to mix songs and create original music. They can record their science experiments, play it back over and over. They can share it, and theres green screen capability for videos.

THE Journal: Elaborate on your students and their activities on the iPad.

Johnson: The same way you manage your bank account, its the same way at Johnsonville. They come in in the morning, and they can see the daily agenda. They do all of they homework on the iPad. They do their tests via PDFs, on the iPad. We dont use paper. Were completely paperless. Its still effective. Its better for me. I can keep up electronically better than paper anyway. I dont miss it at all.

The content is always updated. In textbooks, the information is already outdated by the time the books get published and distributed.

We talk about weather, forces in motion, ecosystems, energy, electricity. There are always updates in those topics.

In social studies, were discussing the Revolutionary War right now. You can look up different sources of content  you have multiple sources in your research.

You can do so much on an iPad  your representation of historic facts is richer.
This site focuses on Republican politicians and conservatives that rip off their constituency. We have the Tea Party, fundamentalist churches, the corruption of ALEC and other special interests groups. But the site also supports progressive Democrats and the local Democratic Socialist of America. We must have ideas on how to replace regressive and corrupt politicians with something better. For comments steveotto2001@yahoo.com or ottozero2001@yahoo.com.
By Press Trust of India: From Kunal Dutt

Kigali, Feb 21 (PTI) Vice President Hamid Ansari today left for Uganda after concluding his three-day visit to Rwanda where he held bilateral talks with the top leadership.

During his visit to the east African country, he held talks with President of Senate Bernard Makuza and President Paul Kagame for giving the strategic bilateral ties more content.

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He also attended India-Rwanda Business Forum where the two countries signed three MoUs to set up an entrepreneurship development centre in Rwanda, start a direct flight service from Kigali to Mumbai and for making mutual visa requirement exemption for holders of diplomatic and official passports.

Ansari, who arrived here on February 19, launched India-Rwanda Innovation Growth Programme that seeks to cement the "strong ties" between the two countries.

He yesterday visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial here and lauded the "resilience and courage" of Rwandans in putting behind hatred and moving ahead on the path of reconciliation.

Today, he addressed a gathering at University of Rwanda and termed the "upsuge" in India-Africa ties as a "win-win" situation.

The Vice President has described his two-nation visit a "conscious effort" by India to "intensify interactions" with Africa. PTI KND PMS

--- ENDS ---
By TJ Strydom and Tiisetso Motsoeneng JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's Steinhoff and grocery retailer Shoprite called off a deal on Monday to create an African shopping giant, preventing leading investor Christo Wiese from bringing more of his retail assets under one roof. Billionaire Wiese, a shareholder in both companies and the architect of the deal, and other investors including state-owned pension fund the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) could not agree on the value of a share exchange. The deal's collapse will test Wiese's determination to place more and more of his assets in one basket. At least three of Shoprite's minority shareholders told Reuters last week the commercial and strategic logic did not stand up to scrutiny. Bankers estimated the combination would have a value of more than 180 billion rand ($14 billion). Wiese told Reuters in a telephone interview that he still saw opportunities for Shoprite, an $8 billion grocery retailer, and Steinhoff, the owner of Conforama in France and Poundland in the UK, to work together. "There are quite a number of things that we noticed and that we will explore in due course to see whether there are things where we can get the two groups to work together, but for me it is impossible to sketch out the way forward," Wiese said. In a joint statement, the firms said "the fact that the relevant parties could not reach an agreement in respect of the share exchange resulted in the negotiations being terminated." Complaints by Shoprite minorities -- that the deal was sparse on details, lacked obvious cost-savings overlaps and would mean exchanging a stock with bigger potential for what they called inferior businesses -- had depressed both companies' share prices. "There were no real synergies between the two," said 36One Asset Management fund manager Evan Walker. "We own shares in both, (and) kept shares in both hoping the deal would fail and sanity would prevail." Shares in Shoprite traded 7.5 percent higher at 1435 GMT. Steinhoff jumped 5 percent in Frankfurt and 4.8 percent in Johannesburg, where it has a secondary listing. AFRICA'S IKEA Under the deal, Steinhoff would have sold its African assets to Shoprite in return for a controlling stake in the grocery chain. Steinhoff would have exchanged its shares for those of Shoprite's top two shareholders -- Wiese and the PIC, which like Wiese owns shares in both companies. The deal would have given Steinhoff, dubbed Africa's IKEA and vying with the Swedish firm for global market share, a major interest in Shoprite, a 110 billion rand company operating in countries including Ghana, Nigeria and Angola. It would have also ensured Wiese, who owns 16 percent of Shoprite, moved more of his assets into Steinhoff, in which he owns a 23 percent stake bulked up in 2014 through the cash and share sale of his Pepkor chain to the furniture retailer. For Shoprite the termination of the deal allows it to focus on growing its store network elsewhere on the continent. It could also reassure Steinhoff's shareholders who might have had concerns about a major deviation from its stated strategy of selling low-cost furniture and household goods. "In my view, the deal was not crucial to either Shoprite or Steinhoff and its failing should not detract from the investment case of either company," said Unathi Loos, an analyst at Investec Asset Management. Steinhoff also owns retailers Poundland in Britain and Conforama in France. PLAN B? However, the collapse of the tie-up might not deter Steinhoff from buying control of Shoprite if food retail is the cornerstone of its new strategy. The company could buy out a controlling stake from Wiese, who told Reuters last year he was looking for ways to consolidate his assets. "It's not the first time Wiese has tried to take out Shoprite. I don't think will be the last," Gryphon Asset Management's Chief Investment Officer Abri du Plessis. Wiese, through his investment vehicle Brait SE, tried and failed in 2007 to buy Shoprite in a $2 billion deal because Shoprite and Brait could not agree on the price. Besides his direct Shoprite holding, Wiese owns another 35 percent in deferred shares, which carry the same voting rights, through his investment vehicle, Thibault Square, meaning he controls about 50 percent of Shoprite. (Additional reporting by Nqobile Dludla; Writing by James Macharia and Tiisetso Motsoeneng; Editing by Keith Weir/Ruth Pitchford)
By Nailia Bagirova BAKU (Reuters) - Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev has appointed his wife Mehriban as his deputy, further entrenching the power of the family in what one opposition leader denounced as a "first step to establishment of an absolute monarchy". Ilham Aliyev assumed the presidency of the oil and gas exporter in 2003 after the death of his father Heydar, whose rule stretched back into Soviet times. Mehriban herself hails from one of the most wealthy and influential families in the country, the Pashayevs. "Mehriban Aliyeva is a very professional, clever, experienced, principled and benevolent person," Aliyev told a meeting of Azerbaijan's Security Council. "It is not mere chance that the Azeri people love her very much." Ilham Aliyev's hold on power was tested last year when low prices for Azerbaijan's main export, oil, hit the currency and pushed up prices for staple goods like flour. Riots erupted in some cities outside Baku, witnesses said, before police restored order, detaining dozens of people. Since then, oil prices have recovered and the currency has stabilised. Known for her stylish dress sense and immaculate appearance at public events, Mehriban Aliyev, 52, is a member of parliament and a UNESCO goodwill ambassador. But her most prominent role until now has been as head of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, a philanthropic organisation. She and her husband have two adult daughters and a student son. Her official title will be First Vice President, a post that was created last year following a referendum on constitutional changes. The revised constitution does not specify what duties the first vice president has. RIOTING Opposition figures described the appointment as an abuse of power by the ruling family. "This appointment shows disrespect to the people," Ali Kerimli, leader of one of Azerbaijan's opposition parties, told Reuters. "It's the first step to the establishment of an absolute monarchy in the country." European institutions and rights bodies have accused the Azeri authorities of curbing free expression and preventing fair elections. Azeri officials deny those accusations, saying Aliyev's rule has brought prosperity and stability to a country located in an area, the southern Caucasus, that has seen several conflicts since collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Its own territory of Nagorno-Karabakh is focus of a "frozen" conflict with Armenia. Mehriban's collection of contemporary art forms the basis of a new museum of modern art in Azerbaijan's capital, Baku, on the shores of the Caspian Sea. Her family, the Pashayevs, has vast business interests, including several banks, an insurance company, construction, travel, and Azerbaijan's only Bentley dealership. Several of her relatives have served in senior government posts. Under its revised constitution, Azerbaijan also has a vice president -- which is more junior to the first vice president. That post is vacant. (Additional reporting by Margarita Antidze; Writing by Aleksandar Vasovic and Margarita Antidze; Editing by Katya Golubkova and Ralph Boulton)
Sunday Briefing: MOI_est_JEAN Wins the $120K Whale

February 21 2017 Matthew Pitt Editor

The $120,000 Whale tournament returned to 888poker on Feb. 19 and saw its large guarantee surpassed by $18,990 thanks to 246 players buying in for $600.

Almost 11 and a half hours after the first cards were dealt, MOI_est_JEAN was the last player standing and was rewarded with the princely sum of $28,423. Earlier at the Whale final table, f0rmEiTseGaL bust in eighth place and added $3,474 to their account.

888poker has long been a happy hunting ground for players calling the UK and Ireland home and this weekend was no different. Robert float2felt Snell and masajedepies reached the final table of the $120,000 Mega Deep, falling in sixth and fourth place for scores of $5,635 and $9,945 while Sebastian iknowmybody Saffari finished as runner-up in the $40,000 Turbo Mega Deep for $6,840.

There was a Union Jack present at the final table of the $80,000 Sunday Challenge as Hindukrush finished in seventh place for $2,763.

Across to partypoker now where Phil PhilRoyal888 Mighall reached the final table of the $50,000 Gtd Weigh-In and turned $109 into $1,344 and where Roberto TheWelshWizard Romanello finished fourth in the $30,000 Gtd Rebuy for $3,727.

Now to PokerStars where there were several notable scores, including the runner-up finish in the $1,050 Sunday Grand PLO by Billy b8chatz Chattaway worth $25,114. Narrowly missing out on a final table appearance in that event was DrAnubis who fell in seventh place for $7,796.

Stuart guitey Guite helped himself to the $22,238 fourth place prize of the $215 Sunday Warm-Up with Palmero92 emerging victorious in the $700 Super-Sized Sunday for a cool $40,402.

One of the many UK-based Spanish stars, Vicente vicenfish Delgado, banked a massive $56,741 by taking down the $1,050 Sunday Grand NLHE, Boatman570 finished third in the Big $215 for $13,296 and Ahhh Is It? final table bubbled the $215 Sunday Supersonic for a $4,299 addition to their bankroll.
BELGRADE, Serbia  It was a week in frigid hell for hundreds of migrants squatting in an abandoned warehouse in the Serbian capital of Belgrade while trying to move on toward Western Europe.

When the weather suddenly turned nasty before Orthodox Christmas Eve on Jan. 6, temperatures plummeted way below 0 C (32 F) and a cold wind pushed into every corner of the makeshift migrant shelter.

Men and boys occupying the sprawling complex  a vast crumbling building with few windows or doors  found themselves in danger of exposure while aid groups scrambled to help.

Wrapped in blankets, migrants huddled next to each other, desperately trying to warm up by the fires they lit inside and outside the warehouse.

A search for firewood became a morning routine  migrants chopped branches from frozen trees or burned old wooden railway tiles they picked from the abandoned tracks by the warehouse.

Thick, choking smoke filled the warehouse. Migrants said two people have been hospitalized with respiratory problems from inhaling the smoke.

Muhammad Yusuf Navid from Afghanistan said he couldnt sleep at night: It is too bad, too cold. I did not sleep for one hour.

At lunchtime every day, hundreds of migrants lined up, with a blizzard brushing wind and snow against their faces, to receive a warm meal distributed by aid groups.

Holding plastic dishes, the men looked for a quiet corner or squatted in the snow to eat the meal of cooked cabbage or beans. Some melted the snow to wash themselves despite the freeze.

Migrants appealed to European nations to open their borders  graffiti on one wall of the Belgrade warehouse reads: The problem is borders.

___

Darko Vojinovic is The Associated Press chief photographer in Belgrade. Follow Darko Vojinovic on Twitter: https://twitter.com/apdarkov
BUCHAREST, Romania  A Romanian court ruled Friday that the speaker of the Senate, accused of making false statements in a property fraud case, can go on trial. The news came as thousands of Romanians protested in Bucharest for the 11th straight day over government efforts to ease penalties for corrupt officials.

The High Court of Cassation and Justice rejected an appeal by speaker Calin Popescu Tariceanu, who argued there were insufficient grounds for his trial. No date was set for the trial to begin.

Last year, prosecutors charged Tariceanu with making false statements under oath and hampering the investigation into a suspected fraudulent land restitution case. He had denied knowledge of connections between a Romanian prince and a politically connected businessman and others.

Romania has seen massive protests in the last two weeks against a government decree that would have diluted the anti-corruption fight that has targeted top officials. The Social Democrat-led government has withdrawn the emergency decree easing penalties for corrupt officials, but has vowed to craft a version of it to be passed by parliament, where it has a majority.

The decree that was withdrawn was one of a series of government initiatives that would have also eased penalties for a vote-rigging conviction for the Social Democrats leader, Liviu Dragnea, which has been blocking him from becoming prime minister.

Tariceanu is also a strong critic of Romanias anti-corruption prosecutors agency, which he accuses of overstepping its authority.

Thousands protested for an 11th consecutive night Friday in the Romanian capital, standing outside government offices in the bitter cold blowing vuvuzelas or waving Romanian, European Union or U.S. flags. Some demonstrators carried banners saying Resign while others wore white armbands inscribed #resist.

Earlier, hundreds of government supporters had protested outside the presidential palace against President Klaus Iohannis, whom they blame for the countrys political crisis, calling for his resignation. Iohannis has expressed support for protesters and champions the anti-graft fight that has targeted Romanias rich and powerful.

In Romania, the president is elected separately from the parliament and Iohannis was head of the center-right Liberal Party before becoming president in 2014.

The justice minister resigned Thursday over the unrest, but more protests are forecast for the weekend, with demonstrators demanding the resignation of the whole government.

Im here tonight because I care about this country, said Peter Ionescu, who was demonstrating Friday night in Bucharests Victory Square. I want the fight against corruption to continue in this country. I dont want laws for the criminals. I dont want laws for the people who can steal or who can abuse (power).

___

Eldar Emric in Bucharest also contributed to this report.
ISLAMABAD  The Latest on developments in Pakistan (all times local):

2:05 p.m.

The Afghan government has summoned Pakistans ambassador in protest of recent shelling in Afghanistans eastern provinces.

Afghanistans foreign ministry summoned Ambassador Abrar Hussain in Kabul, where Deputy Foreign Minister Hekmat Khalil Karzai asked for an explanation but also gave his condolences regarding recent suicide attacks in Pakistan.

At least two people have been killed and two others wounded in the shelling from Pakistan, according to reports.

Karzai also said the Afghan government wants Pakistan to take strict action against terrorists that are hiding in Pakistan.

Karzai expressed concern over the closure of the Torkham and Chaman border crossings and asked for the reopening of the gates.

____

1:45 p.m.

Two Pakistani officials say a second key Chaman border crossing into Afghanistan has been closed, halting trade supplies to the neighboring landlocked country.

The border closure in Pakistans southwest Baluchistan province comes after a suicide bombing at a Sufi shrine in southern Pakistan that killed 88 people. It was seen as a tactic to pressure Kabul to act against militants who Pakistan says have sanctuaries in Afghanistan.

The Pakistani officials asked to remain anonymous because they are not authorized to brief the media on the record.

Earlier, Pakistan closed a border crossing at Torkham, which connects Pakistan to Afghanistans Nangarhar province.

The Islamic State says it was behind the shrine attack and Pakistani security forces have launched nationwide operations that they say has left more than 100 terrorists dead.

__ Munir Ahmed
Police have arrested one of the three young men suspected of beating up and robbing an older man in front of a 7-Eleven in southeast Albuquerque last summer.

Emilio Mirabal, 19, is charged with murder and robbery with a deadly weapon, and was booked into the county jail Monday. The other two suspects are still at large. Around 2 a.m. on Aug. 10, a woman called 911 to say she saw the three young men beat up an older Native American man, later identified as 66-year-old Irvin Sanchez, according to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court. She said she saw them rummage through his pockets and run away from the store on the corner of San Mateo and Kathryn SE.

Sanchez was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy report revealed he had injuries to his brain and to his spleen, and some broken ribs.

A break in the case came a couple of weeks later when the detective watched a surveillance video from inside the convenience store showing the suspects buying food and drinks.

One of the suspects used a credit card to buy a drink and Hot Fries, and the detective traced the card number to the Metropolitan Detention Center. The jail issues credit cards to inmates who have remaining money in their account when they are released.

The inmate was Mirabal and he had been released the previous day, according to the complaint. It is unclear from online court records why he had been in jail.

An informant also identified Mirabal, who he said had gone to Highland High School. The informant didnt recognize the other two suspects.
On the night of President Donald Trumps inauguration, Sebastian Gorka attended the celebratory balls in a high-necked, black Hungarian jacket. Pinned on his chest was a Hungarian coat of arms, a tribute to his father who had been tortured by the communists, and a civilian commendation from the U.S. military.

For years, Gorka had labored on the fringes of Washington, D.C., and the far edge of acceptable debate as defined by the citys Republican and Democratic foreign policy elite. Today, the former national security editor for the conservative Breitbart News outlet occupies a senior job in the White House and his controversial ideas  especially about Islam  drive Trumps populist approach to counterterrorism and national security.

Amid the cheering, music and confetti that night, Gorka talked about Trumps opening shot in a high-stakes civilizational war, still in its early days.

Everythings changed, Gorka said.

He homed in on three words from Trumps dystopian inaugural addressthat day: Radical Islamic terrorism.

When he used those three words today  radical Islamic terrorism  he put the marker down for the whole national security establishment, he told an interviewer from Fox News.

For Gorka and his allies, the words are more than just a description of the enemy. They signal a radical break with the approach that Republicans and Democrats have taken over the past 16 years to counterterrorism and the Muslim world.

Only days after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, President George W. Bush insisted the terror strikes had violated the fundamental tenets of the Islamic faith.

Islam is peace, he told a nation still reeling from grief.

President Barack Obama sounded the same theme routinely during two terms in office.

Gorka has relentlessly championed the opposite view.

For him, the terrorism problem has nothing to do with repression, alienation, torture, tribalism, poverty, or Americas foreign policy blunders and a messy and complex Middle East.

This is the famous approach that says it is all so nuanced and complicated, Gorka said in an interview. This is what I completely jettison.

For him, the terror threat is rooted in Islam and martial parts of the Koran that he says predispose some Muslims to acts of terror.

Anybody who downplays the role of religious ideology . . . they are deleting reality to fit their own world, he said.

Gorka is a deputy assistant to the president. He reports to Stephen Bannon, Trumps chief strategist, and is a member of his Strategic Initiatives Group. Bannon has spoken in similarly apocalyptic terms of a new barbarity that threatens the Christian West.

Most counterterrorism experts dismiss Gorkas ideas as a dangerous oversimplification that could alienate Muslim allies and boost support for terrorist groups.

He thinks the government and intelligence agencies dont know anything about radicalization, but the government knows a lot and thinks hes nuts, said Cindy Storer, a former CIA analyst who developed the agency models that trace the path from religious zealotry to violence.

Religious scholars are equally withering. I cant overstate how profoundly dangerous this is, said Omid Safi, a professor of Middle Eastern studies at Duke University. This is music to the ears of [the Islamic State]. This is what they seek.

Gorka has heard all of those criticisms before and fought against them  often ferociously. Last month, as he celebrated at the inaugural ball, those critics no longer seemed to matter. Trumps victory demonstrated to Gorka and his supporters that the common sense of the American people counted for far more than the opinions of experts in Washington and the cloistered world of academia. His side had won.

Before he wrapped up his inauguration night interview, Gorka said he had one last message for Americas troops  the guys inside the machine  and its enemies. He turned toward the host, his medal glinting in the TV lights.

The alpha males are back, he said.



Gorkas ideas about radical Islam began with his fathers fight against the communists in his native Hungary and his deep Catholic faith.

The elder Gorka and a small group of Christian students in Budapest were sending secret, coded messages to London when he was captured by the Communist regime, tortured and given a life sentence. In 1956, he escaped and fled to the United Kingdom, where Gorka was born and raised.

When al-Qaida struck on Sept. 11, Gorka said he immediately saw the event through the prism of his fathers decades-old life and death struggle.

Yes, it was jihadi terrorism . . . but, more importantly, that event was linked to communism. It was linked to fascism, he said. Why? Because al-Qaida, ISIS, all of these groups are totalitarians  either you surrender to them or they will kill you.

His other insight, he said, was that the Washington foreign policy elite was too quick to discount the role of religion.

Their worldview is fundamentally challenged by anybody who takes religion seriously and you know what? I take religion seriously, Gorka said. Because when you take seven minutes on a video to decapitate another human being by manually sawing off their head, thats the power that religion can have or a distortion of religion or whatever you want to call it.  My father was tortured  tortured for weeks  by the communist secret police in Hungary. I didnt start decapitating people when I found out what happened to my father.

Gorkas core idea is that the United States should partner with a shortlist of Muslim allies  Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt  that he describes as secular or willing to separate Islam from the running of the state. Together, they should fight the jihadist religious ideology in the same manner that America fought to discredit communism during the Cold War.

That insight, he said, led him to study Islam, starting with the faiths ancient texts. Theres a lot of misinformation out there, he said. Would you take anybodys views on Christianity seriously if they hadnt read the New Testament? Of course you wouldnt. So I read the Koran.

Gorkas academic credentials, particularly on the subject of Islam, are thin. He went to college in London and spent three years as a reserve intelligence soldier in the British Army, focused on the conflict in Northern Ireland. In the 1990s and early 2000s, he cycled through think tanks in Washington and Europe, dabbled in Hungarian politics and taught courses in counterterrorism at the George C. Marshall Center in Germany, which focuses on educating midcareer NATO and allied military officers.

He earned his doctorate from a Hungarian university in 2008 and a few months later landed a faculty job at the College of International Security Affairs (CISA), a new Pentagon-funded school that was still working toward accreditation.

There, he was a dynamic lecturer and an uneven scholar, said retired Col. Mike Bell, the schools chancellor.

Gorka does not speak Arabic and has never lived in a Muslim-majority country. His knowledge of Islam comes largely from reading English translations of Islamic texts and interacting with foreign officers who account for about two-thirds of the CISA student body and come largely from Muslim nations.

Sometimes, the Muslim students would object to his views of their religion. I tell them very simply that I am not here to debate Islam, Gorka said. Nobody has the right  even a Muslim  to talk for all Muslims. His goal, he said, was to understand how the enemy interpreted the faith.

In other instances, his fellow professors would challenge his contention that the Korans violent passages are the primary driver of terrorism.

Theres crazy stuff in the Bible, too, said David Ucko, who taught alongside Gorka for three years at CISA.

Gorka countered that the argument misrepresents Christianity, and he cited the Crusades, which are often invoked as a war against Islam. The fact is that none of what happened in the Crusades can be justified by the message of Jesus Christ on the cross taking all of our sins upon himself, he said in an interview. Its just not possible. . . . If a crusader killed a woman and child or a heathen, that cannot be theologically justified and therefore its wrong and its a sin.

Islams martial passages and intermingling of faith and politics makes it different, Gorka said. If you are pro-fundamentalist in interpretation, he said, you have a lot of argumentation on your side.

Ucko said he quickly dropped the argument for the sake of harmony.

Gorkas former supervisors pushed him to incorporate other perspectives on Islam and publish in peer-reviewed journals where his ideas would be challenged and perhaps tempered, Bell said.

But Gorka insisted that he wasnt interested in that kind of scholarship.

What I care about is if somebody in the field is reading my article, he said. I see myself as somebody who supports the bravest of the brave  the warfighter. Publish or be damned? Ill be damned, thank you very much.

Off-campus, Gorka began meeting with conservatives members of Congress and lectured regularly at the Armys Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

In 2014, Gorka left to take a teaching job at Marine Corps University that would give him more freedom and new influential connections. The school is part of the Defense Department, but Gorka was not hired as a government employee. His academic chair was funded by Thomas Saunders III, a major Republican Party donor and chairman of the conservative Heritage Foundation.

Saunders and Gorka were related by marriage, but Marine officials who oversaw the selection process said they were not aware of the tie. Saunders said he did not advocate for him.

Gorka began appearing regularly on Fox News and caught the eye of Bannon, who was then editor of Breitbart. Bannon offered him a job at the news outlet. A conservative publishing house signed him to a book contract.

At Marine Corps University, enthusiastic officers eagerly packed Gorkas lectures, even as many faculty members took a dim view of his work.

He made a difficult and complex situation simple and confirmed the officers prejudices and assumptions, said retired Lt. Col. Mike Lewis, who served as an assistant professor and Special Operations chair at the school.

Said James Joyner, an associate professor: The guy he was on Fox News is the guy he was here  bombastic and a showman.

A few complained that Gorkas TV appearances, which touted his ties to the school and bashed Obama, made it appear as though the government-funded school for Marine officers actively opposed the commander in chief. The schools vice president for academic affairs said he raised the matter with Gorka. But the controversy never spread much beyond the universitys Quantico campus.

Shortly after the Islamic State burned alive a Jordanian pilot in 2015, Saunders invited Gorka to New York to do lectures on terrorism and Islam.

Saunders had made his fortune as a former managing director at Morgan Stanley and founder of a successful private equity fund. He had done business all over the world. Like many Americans, he said his thoughts often turned to the Middle East and the threat of terrorism.

What the hell is going on? he said he often found himself thinking. What possible explanations could possibly exist for the savage behavior he was seeing on television and online?

In Gorka, he had finally found someone with answers. One of Gorkas lectures took place at the Colony Club, an exclusive all-womens club on Park Avenue.

Why do they behead us? he recalled Gorka asking the standing-room-only crowd. And why did they choose to burn alive this Jordanian pilot who had flown missions over Syria?

Gorka explained that the answer could be found in the Islamic laws of war, which, he said, ordered Muslims to behead infidels and prescribed an even worse punishment for apostates who should suffer as if they are already in hell.

When Gorka was finished, the place could not stop talking about terrorism, Saunders said. It was spellbinding.  This is a true scholar telling you what happened and why. He is very detailed and very specific.



For much of the past 16 years, Bush and Obama had played down Islams role in fueling terrorism. Like many in Washington, they worried about provoking a backlash against Muslims or feeding the jihadists clash of civilizations narrative.

Islam is not part of the problem, Obama said in his seminal 2009 speech at Cairo University. It is an important part of promoting peace.

Such characterizations not only failed to describe the war being waged within Islam, they didnt match what people such as Saunders were seeing in blood-drenched news reports from the region and hearing on the campaign trail, especially from Republican candidates.

In speech after speech, Trump described the threat posed by radical Islamic terrorists in grisly terms: Children slaughtered, girls sold into slavery, men and women burned alive, Crucifixions, beheadings and drownings. Ethnic minorities targeted for mass execution. Holy sites desecrated, he said in a fiery 2016 address in Youngstown, Ohio. . . . We cannot let this evil continue.

The solution, Trump said, was to mount a Cold War-style campaign that would take on the ideology of radical Islam. He spoke of banning immigrants from terrorist hotbeds and religious tests to weed out those who believe that Sharia law should supplant American law.

Many of the ideas in Trumps terrorism speeches had their origins in Gorkas work. Others elements traced back to Frank Gaffney Jr., a senior Reagan-era Pentagon official who founded the Center for Security Policy, a Washington-based think tank.

Gaffney has long been politically radioactive in Washington. He drew widespread condemnation for suggesting that Grover Norquist, a Republican anti-tax stalwart, had ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. In a much-derided piece in Breitbart, he suggested that the logo for the Pentagons Missile Defense Agency bore a disconcerting resemblance to an amalgamation of the Obama campaigns logo and the symbols of Islam.

The Washington Times pulled his column and he was barred from speaking at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference. It has been my lot in life to be criticized and even punished . . . for telling the truth, Gaffney said in a recent interview.

But outside Washington, Gaffney has amassed a considerable following who know him through his speeches and Secure Freedom radio program. Both Gorka and his wife, Katharine, a counterterrorism analyst and a Trump political appointee in the Department of Homeland Security, have been regular guests on the show.

Dire warnings from the likes of Gaffney, Gorka and many others seem to have had an effect on Americans view of Muslims. In the first years after the 9/11 attacks, about 25 percent of Republicans said they had an unfavorable view of Muslims, according to soon-to-be published research by Charles Kurzman, a professor of sociology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Since 2012, the percentage of Republicans with negative views has been consistently more than 50 percent.

Part of the reason for the increase is this campaign on the part of people like Gorka and Gaffney to inflate the terror threat, Kurzman said. Its troubling.

Gaffney is still too controversial to land a job in the administration, but for the first time in nearly three decades, he has allies in the White House and real hopes, he said, that his ideas will finally be tested in the crucible of public policy.

Chief among those allies is Gorka.

Few in Washington noticed when Gorka began advising Trump and his ideas began showing up in the candidates speeches. Despite a best-selling book and numerous Fox News appearances, he existed outside the orbit of established national security experts.



Just three days after Trumps election, Gorka addressed a cheering room of people who had helped pave his way to the halls of power. The audience consisted mostly of retirees who had gathered at the Breakers hotel in Palm Beach, Florida.

They were Gorkas admirers: regular people, deeply afraid of terrorism and eager to listen to a man whose frightening insights would soon be receiving a hearing at the highest levels of the U.S. government.

Im accused by many people of being the most serious man on television, Gorka said in his plummy British accent. Today, it might be a little different. I am in a different mood. Today, I am going to start with something a tad naughty.

He moved through the crowd of people who had paid up to $1,500 to hear him speak. We are happy, right? We are happy, he said.

There were nods and quiet applause as Gorka fished around in the pocket of his yellow blazer, searching for his remote.

I am going to show a picture I am not meant to show usually, he said.

He paused to draw out the suspense before pressing the remotes button.

Up popped a photograph of a dead, bloodied brown-skinned man, lying on the ground next to an AK-47 assault rifle. The audience began to cheer  first hesitantly and then with gusto. Gorkas booming voice filled the room.

We can win now, he thundered. We can win!

Gorkas former colleagues view his ascent with a mixture of surprise and alarm.

Its quite staggering, said Ucko, Gorkas former teaching colleague. If you are a fan, you are enthralled. If not, its crazy to think we live in a time when hes wandering the halls of the West Wing and advising the president. It is surreal.

At the Pentagon and the State Department, senior officials scrambled to figure out who he was and what his populist foreign policy views might mean for Americas approach to the Muslim world and counterterrorism.

A few changes seem possible. Trump could boost support to strongmen such as Egypts Abdel Fatah al-Sissi, whom the president has hailed as a stalwart ally in the war against radical Islam. Gorka has described Sissi, criticized by human rights groups for his assault on political opponents, in particular the Muslim Brotherhood, as enlightened and a reformer.

Trump could designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization  a move that Gorka and his wife have long advocated. Such a designation would put the United States in direct conflict with the Middle Easts largest Islamist movement and its millions of followers.

Gorkas high-profile role in the administrations earliest days suggests Trumps populist foreign policy instincts, at least for the moment, are ascendant.

In the first hours after the troubled rollout of the presidents executive order on immigration and refugees, the White House dispatched Gorka to defend the move on Fox News. Within days, he was everywhere  and loving it.

Theres a new sheriff in town and his name is Donald Trump, he told CNN anchor Jake Tapper.

On the BBC, he blasted the media for its absolutely fallacious coverage.

On NPR, he insisted that even Iraqis were thankful for Trumps order, which banned them from entering the United States.

Then he disparaged the thousands of protesters demonstrating at airports as the chattering classes . . . people totally disconnected from the reality of November 8.

I find it quite amusing, sadly so, he said.

The NPR host thanked him for his time.

Its been a delight, Gorka replied, his voice brightening.



The Washington Posts Julie Tate contributed to this report.
WASHINGTON  Hundreds of people blocked traffic and prompted rolling street closures as they marched in downtown Washington on Monday afternoon, waving signs and shouting slogans to protest President Donald Trumps policies.

The throng walked from Dupont Circle to the White House, echoing demonstrations across the country timed to the Presidents Day holiday.

There was a woman at her 20th protest since the inauguration, and a man at his first protest of his life. There was a man in a suit with a cowboy hat and an American flag draped over his shoulder like a cape, and a mother taking a selfie with her children while the crowd surged around them.

Their messages scrawled on posters and typed on fliers ranged from concerns about attacks on scientific research and illegal immigration to the more generic Love Trumps Hate. People chanted Water is life,  the slogan for environmental protests at Standing Rock, North Dakota  and Black Lives Matter.

Some had trouble listing all the reasons they were there. I detest Donald Trumps policies, said Steven Evans, 58, a teacher from Boston who was at his first protest. Marching was liberating, he said, as a woman driving by in a small Fiat beeped at a Honk if you want to impeach sign.

A man with a megaphone in front of the White House who, like many Americans, wanted to support the new president, told them all to go home. Leave Trump alone! he said.

But Maria Aragon stayed with her mother, who in her late 70s has begun protesting for the first time since the Vietnam War. I used to work in the Holocaust Museum, Aragon said, and Trump scares her.

She hopes the rally, along with others Monday in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and other places, will be the pebble in his shoe.



The Washington Posts Luz Lazo contributed to this report.
The U.S. Marshals Service added a woman suspected in the shooting death of an Albuquerque man last summer to their New Mexicos Most Wanted list.

Antoinette Tone Martinez, 41, is charged with murder in the death of Larry Sanchez, 49. Sanchez was found shot to death on June 20 on Casa Feliz NE, a residential street near Wyoming and Academy NE.

Police arrested two other suspects involved in the case last September. A police spokesman at the time said they believe Dakota Cook, 24, shot Sanchez. He is charged with murder. Another man, Joe Ray Newson, 27, is charged with receiving and transferring a stolen vehicle.

An arrest warrant for Martinez was issued in late October, but it is unclear why she was only put on the most wanted list last week. A spokesman for the U.S. Marshals did not respond to calls or emails asking questions.

According to a search warrant affidavit filed in the 2nd Judicial District Court, Sanchez had arranged to sell drugs to Tone the night he was killed.

A friend told officers he had driven Sanchez to the Walmart near Wyoming and Academy to meet a girl, according to the affidavit.

The friend told detectives Sanchez got out of his car and into another car. Then he said the car shook back and forth like there was a fight going on inside the car and he heard a gunshot. The car drove off, and the friend approached the cul-de-sac, where he saw Sanchez was dead.
WASHINGTON  President Trump confronts complicated problems as the investigation widens into Russias attack on our political system. But his responsibilities are simple: A month ago, he swore an oath that he would faithfully execute his office and preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.

Thats apparently easier said than done. In a rambling press conference Thursday and his blizzard of tweets, Trump has dismissed inquiries into his campaigns contacts with Russia and denounced leakers as low-life and un-American. These statements seem more likely to confound ongoing investigations than faithfully execute his role as chief executive.

Michael Flynns forced resignation as national security adviser last week, after concealing details of his contacts with a Russian diplomat, has been blurred by Trumps contradictory comments. So its worth going back to basics: Why was the U.S. expelling Russian spies at the time Flynn made his late December call to Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak? Why would Flynn have hidden for weeks that he talked with Kislyak about those anti-Russian sanctions, or have denied it to the FBI, as The Washington Post reported late Thursday? What would Trump have known about these issues?

You dont need leaks of classified information to understand why Flynns dealings with an aggressive Russia were inappropriate. You just need to look at the public record.

The seriousness of Russias assault on America first became clear on Oct. 7, when the intelligence community released a statement charging that Russias senior-most officials (meaning President Vladimir Putin) had launched a cyberattack intended to interfere with the U.S. election process.

Intelligence officials had been briefing members of Congress about the Russian activities since the summer. Rep. Adam Schiff, the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, had pushed the White House since September to respond, to no avail. FBI Director James Comey, meanwhile, had decided against disclosing the bureaus own pre-election investigation of possible links between Russia and the Trump campaign.

So on Election Day, the public wasnt aware of the growing belief among intelligence analysts that Russian hackers were trying to help Trump and hurt his rival, Hillary Clinton. That judgment was only shared many weeks after the election, in a Jan. 6 report that said Russia sought to denigrate Secretary Clinton and harm her electability and potential presidency and that the Kremlin developed a clear preference for Trump.

President Obama finally took decisive action on Dec. 29, when he expelled 35 Russian intelligence operatives and closed two vacation compounds, on Long Island and Marylands Eastern Shore, which the Russians were using to collect signals intelligence. (The loss of those monitoring platforms may explain why a Russian spy ship carrying a forest of antennas sailed up the Delaware coast toward Connecticut last week.)

Heres where the timeline gets intriguing: The White House said in a Dec. 29 conference call with reporters that Obama had informed Trump about the impending sanctions on Dec. 28, one of the days when Flynn communicated with Kislyak, according to the Trump team. (U.S. officials told me a call took place Dec. 29.) Hours after the expulsion was announced, Trump issued a bland statement: Its time for our country to move onto bigger and better things.

We now know that Flynn promised Kislyak that Trump would review the U.S reprisals  a fact Flynn withheld from Vice President Pence and the public for weeks. Flynn finally shared his version Monday with the conservative Daily Caller, the day he was fired. He said his conversation with Kislyak was about the 35 guys who were thrown out.  It was basically, Look, I know this happened. Well review everything.'

Flynns promise to review the case evidently encouraged Putin to forgo the usual tit-for-tat retaliation, despite an initial Kremlin statement that there was no alternative to reciprocal measures. On Dec. 30, Putin said that rather than taking immediate countermeasures, he would instead seek to restore Russian-U.S. relations based on the policies of the Trump administration.

Trump tweeted later that day: Great move on delay (by V. Putin)  always knew he was very smart!

Given the magnitude of Russias cyberattack on America, it remains puzzling that Flynn and Trump were so cavalier about the U.S. governments attempt to hold Moscow accountable. Thats one reason investigators keep asking what contacts the Trump team had with Russia before the election. Trump said Thursday there hadnt been any. Yet Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Nov. 10: Obviously, we know most of the people from [Trumps] entourage.

The FBI and the Senate Intelligence Committee are investigating the scope of Russias pro-Trump activities. Inevitably, there will be leaks, but that issue is a red herring. For all Trumps talk about fake news, the country needs answers.

Email: davidignatius@washpost.com. Copyright, Washington Post Writers Group.
College students who have ever transferred from one university to another know the nightmare of having credits earned by passing a class at your former school not being accepted at your new university  even though the class content was nearly identical. And the closer you are to earning that coveted degree, the more difficult it can be to find and schedule the course you need.

Thats why bills like House Bill 108 and its companion, Senate Bill 103, are so important to New Mexico students working toward their degrees.

The bipartisan bills, introduced by two teachers, Rep. Stephanie Garcia Richard, D-Los Alamos, and Sen. Gay Kernan, R-Hobbs, make the transferring of college credits between state universities easier without compromising on what students are expected to learn. The bills direct the New Mexico Higher Education Department to establish a common course naming and numbering system so students can more readily identify courses as substantially equivalent and more easily transfer credits from one college to another.

The bills also charge the department with verifying that the content of each course is comparable across institutions offering that course, developing a statewide general education core curriculum, maintaining and updating the core curriculum, and reviewing and approving future proposed requirements.

Acting University of New Mexico President Chaouki Abdallah, who recently updated UNM regents on the bills, said the New Mexico Council of University Presidents, of which he is a member, supports the bills.

By removing obstacles for students transferring, say, from Eastern New Mexico University in Portales to UNM, legislators are encouraging them to keep moving forward with their education.

The sentiment behind these bills deserves an A, and they should get a P in their chambers  for pass.

This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.
SANTA FE  The president of the Santa Fe police officers union is being investigated for possible violations of police department policy for highly charged posts on his personal Facebook page about the NAACP, Muslims, immigration and other topics, Santa Fe Police Chief Patrick Gallagher confirmed Monday.

Gallagher said a reporter with the Santa Fe Reporter weekly newspaper called him Monday morning to ask what he thought about memes Sgt. Troy Baker, head of the Santa Fe Police Officers Association, had posted as far back as 2015.

Gallagher said he asked for an internal affairs investigation of Baker after seeing screenshots of the posts. Do these posts violate the rules governing off-duty conduct? Thats why we started to investigate, Gallagher said.

The posts could not be found on Bakers page Monday evening, but the Reporter posted screenshots of the memes to its own website. One Baker post from July 11, 2015, that has a Confederate flag flying in the background reads: Now lets eliminate the N.A.A.C.P. which in name alone is racist as is its purpose! There is no room in this country for a separate race to have a membership where holding an office requires that you be black.

A meme from July 30 said, Hillary had the mothers of a bunch of thugs speak at the DNC. Didnt see any fathers tho. The mothers of African-Americans who were gunned down by police, died in police custody or were killed by gun violence  including the mothers of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown and Eric Garner  spoke at the Democratic National Convention last summer.

Other posts are aimed at Islam and refugees from mostly Islamic countries. Lets discuss what Islam has to offer, a post from Oct. 27, 2015 says, before listing things like rape, beheadings, female genital mutilation, oppression of women and paedophilia.

A meme Baker posted Feb. 1 read, All lives splatter. Nobody cares about your protest. Moral of the story  stay off the road!! The post is a play on the banner of the Black Lives Matter movement and appears to refer to a recent legislative proposals in North Dakota, where protesters have tried to block construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline, and elsewhere that would provide legal protection to drivers who run over protesters blocking the road.

Gallagher said that while Baker has the right to free speech, the views expressed in the Facebook memes should not be considered reflective of the views of other officers.

This does not in any way represent the position of the Santa Fe Police Department, Gallagher said.

Gallagher said Baker has not been placed on leave pending the investigation. Baker did not return a phone call to his cellphone late Monday.

Baker and officer Steve Cosban were fired by then-Police Chief Ray Rael in July 2011 after Rael contended that they falsified reports of a take-down of a man they arrested in a Wal-Mart parking lot in March 2010. That decision was overturned by an arbitrator five months later and Baker instead served a three-week suspension for violating arrest and use-of-force procedures.
WHITTIER, Calif.  It began as a routine police call to a rear-end collision, the sort of traffic accident that happens every day in Southern California.

It ended in tragedy, with one Whittier police officer dead and another wounded.

The officers didnt know when they approached the accident scene about 8 a.m. Monday that one of the drivers  a 26-year-old man, released on parole less than two weeks ago  was in stolen car and suspected of killing another man hours earlier in East Los Angeles, authorities said.

As the man got out of the silver car and officers moved to pat him down, he pulled a semiautomatic handgun from his waistband and shot them at close range.

The officers, both wearing bulletproof vests, returned fire. But Keith Boyer, 53, a 27-year department veteran, was killed. Patrick Hazell, a young officer hired three years ago, was wounded and hospitalized in stable condition.

Whittier Police Chief Jeff Piper broke down in tears as he paid tribute to Boyer, who became the first officer from the department to be killed in the line of duty in 37 years. Piper said Boyer was a close friend and beloved officer who was close to retirement.

He was the best of the best, Piper said.

Alongside the outpouring of grief, however, was a display of anger, as Piper and other law enforcement officials blamed the slaying on new laws designed to reduce incarcerations in California.

We need to wake up. Enough is enough, Piper said. This is a senseless, senseless tragedy that did not need to be.

Police said the suspect, whose name has not been made public, was released from custody early, but they did not provide details on his criminal history or why he was released.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Jim McDonnell pointed to three measures enacted in the last seven years  Propositions 47 and 57, and Assembly Bill 109  that he said have led to the release of too many criminals without creating a proper safety net of mental health, drug rehabilitation and other services.

Were putting people back on the street that arent ready to be back on the street, McDonnell said. He said the county jail system he runs, the largest in the nation, has become a default state prison.

Sheriffs officials have long criticized Proposition 47, which was approved by voters in 2014 and downgraded some drug and property crimes from felonies to misdemeanors. They say AB 109  which moved state prisoners to local lockups  has pushed lower-level offenders out of custody onto the streets, giving them little deterrent against committing new crimes. Proposition 57, which passed last year, changed Californias three strikes rule and made sentencing more flexible, allowing some prisoners who wouldnt normally have been eligible for early parole to be considered for release.

Authorities described the suspect in Mondays shooting as a known Los Angeles gang member. Hours before his run-in with Whittier police, he is suspected of fatally shooting a man who may have been a relative and stealing his car in East Los Angeles. Further details of that killing were not released.

After the suspect collided with a vehicle near Colima Road and Mar Vista Street, he asked the other driver for help pushing his car off to the side of the road. The suspect then asked for a ride from the people whose vehicle he hit, but they refused, wary of a man with tattoos on his neck and face.

When three officers arrived at the accident scene, they believed they were helping an injured motorist. Instead, McDonnell said, they end up in a gunfight for their lives.

Police did not release many details of the firefight, but a police vehicle was seen with its windows shot out.

Boyer and Hazell were taken to the University of California, Irvine Medical Center, where Boyer was pronounced dead.

The suspect was taken to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center. His condition is unknown, but hes expected to survive.

Piper said he and others were devastated by the death of Boyer, who was known for his friendly disposition and willingness to lend help and advice.

He leaves behind two adult sons, according to the department.

Boyer joined the department in 1989 as a jailer and dispatcher before becoming an officer in 1990.

One of his pastimes was performing as a drummer with Mrs. Jones Revenge, a classic-rock tribute band in Temecula that played at wineries and weddings.

Band leader Jeff McNeal said drumming was probably a nice release for him, with the kind of high-stress work he does.

Boyers skills elevated the band, said McNeal, 57, calling him probably the easiest guy in the whole band. Always willing to play. He loved the music. It was his passion.

Mondays shooting marked the third time a Whittier police officer had been slain in the line of duty in the departments 100-year history. The Police Department has about 128 sworn officers who patrol the cities of Whittier and Santa Fe Springs in southeastern Los Angeles County.

This is a very sad day for our officers, the families involved, the Whittier Police Department and our community, said Mayor Joe Vinatieri. But were pulling together. And were going to take care of these families, and were going to take care of this Police Department.

A procession of police vehicles traveled from UC Irvine Medical Center, accompanying Boyers body to the Orange County coroners office. Their cars were greeted by law enforcement officers and firefighters who saluted as the vehicles drove by, some wiping away tears.

In the evening, the city held a vigil outside the Whittier Police Department. A crowd of about 1,000 police officers and other mourners overflowed onto the sidewalks of civic center, standing silently and holding candles while an enormous American flag hung from a fire truck. A framed photo of Boyer was placed in front of the memorial for the two other Whittier officers killed decades ago.



(Times staff writers Maya Lau and Ruben Vives contributed to this report.)
A bill aimed at keeping the birth control provisions of the Affordable Care Act available under state laws passed its first legislative committee this week.

House Bill 284 would require insurance companies to provide coverage for Food and Drug Administration-approved contraceptive prescription medications, clinical services and long-acting birth control devices without cost-sharing.

Those benefits have been available since 2012 under the Affordable Care Act, which Congressional Republicans have said they plan to repeal.

We are aiming to solidify and protect in New Mexico laws the full access to contraceptive protection in all forms now provided under the ACA, said Rep. Deborah Armstrong, D-Albuquerque, who sponsored the bill along with Reps. Patricia Roybal Caballero, Joanne Ferrary, Christine Trujillo and Linda Trujillo, all Democrats.

The House Health and Human Services committee approved the bill on a 5 to 1 vote on Wednesday. It is now headed to the House Judiciary Committee.

In a fiscal impact report on the bill, the state Department of Health calculated that nearly 300,000 women in New Mexico could be at risk of unintended pregnancies,which increase the risk for poor maternal and infant outcomes.

Armstrong pointed out that the bill would also expand on the current federal law by enabling women to get insurance coverage for 12-month contraceptive prescriptions.

The state Health Department said in the impact report that there is evidence that providing a 12-month supply of contraceptive is cost-effective and that shorter durations of prescription availability contribute to a higher rate of unwanted pregnancies.

Concerns that current access to contraceptives may go away if the Affordable Care Act is repealed appears to be driving many women to obtain long-acting birth control intrauterine devices that can provide pregnancy prevention for up to 10 years. The devices, which can cost up to $1,000, are available free or at low cost under the ACA and to women with Medicaid coverage.

Planned Parenthood nationally has seen a 900 percent increase in IUD appointments since the election. Its significant, said Whitney Phillips, communications director for Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, which oversees Colorado, New Mexico, southern Nevada and Wyoming.

The fiscal impact report noted that the bill referred to services for device insertion and removal but did not specify that the cost of the devices would be covered.

If passed, the bill would maintain ACA contraceptive benefits through changes to the state Health Care Purchasing Act, the New Mexico Insurance Code, the Health Maintenance Organization law and the Public Assistance Act. The bill does allow religious entities to exclude insurance coverage for contraceptive drugs or devices from their policies.
SANTA FE  A proposal aimed at improving conditions inside boardinghouses  like the kind that accept ex-psychiatric patients  won overwhelming support in the House and now heads to the Senate.

The measure, sponsored by Rep. Deborah Armstrong, D-Albuquerque, would impose a licensing system to identify boardinghouses and allow local governments to adopt standards for living conditions.

The bill won approval 65-0 late Monday. A Journal investigation last year found crowded conditions, amid other concerns, in some boardinghouses.

GUN SENSE: Former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords is coming to Santa Fe this week to launch a new state-level coalition aimed at curbing gun violence.

The group, to be called New Mexicans for Common Sense, will feature prosecutors, educators and more, though few details were released Monday about how it will function.

Giffords, an Arizona Democrat, was shot in the head in January 2011 at a constituent event. She survived the shooting but did not seek re-election in 2012.

Since then, Giffords and her husband have founded Americans for Responsible Solutions, a nonprofit group that supports expanding background checks for firearm purchases.

New Mexico lawmakers have been engaged in a fierce debate over background check legislation during the ongoing 60-day session. House and Senate bills to expand background check requirements have been met by opposition from the National Rifle Association and most sheriffs around the state.

CONFIRMED: Two Cabinet-level appointees were confirmed Monday by the Senate without dissent.

Environment Department Secretary Butch Tongate was confirmed 41-0. He was appointed to the job by Gov. Susana Martinez in September, after former agency head Ryan Flynn stepped down.

A longtime Environment Department employee, Tongate has also worked as a division director and deputy secretary.

Also on Monday, Public Safety Secretary Scott Weaver was confirmed by the Senate 40-0.

Weaver is a former New Mexico State Police officer who was appointed in March to succeed former DPS Secretary Greg Fouratt. Both Weaver and Tongate are making annual salaries of $125,000 as Cabinet secretaries.

ELECTIONS: A proposal heading to the House floor would require cities, school districts and other nonpartisan local entities to hold their elections on the same day  in November of odd-numbered years.

The goal is to boost voter turnout by avoiding a series of smaller elections over the course of the year.

Under the bill, Albuquerque, for example, would move its traditional October municipal election to November, and voters that day would also pick school board members and handle other nonpartisan offices.

If no one gets a majority of the vote for, say, mayor, then a runoff election with the top two candidates would follow in December. The new officials would take office in January.

The bill would go into effect for the 2019 elections.

House Bill 174 is sponsored by Republican Reps. James Smith of Albuquerque and Paul Bandy of Aztec and Democratic Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto of Albuquerque.

TESTING: The House approved two education bills Monday.

Members voted 41-28 in favor of limiting the amount of time students spend taking statewide standardized tests and 64-3 in favor of a bill allowing teachers to take up to 10 days of sick leave without affecting their annual evaluations.
A bill that would provide funds to keep New Mexico jury trials going through the end of the states budget year is one step closer to Gov. Susana Martinezs desk.

The Senate voted 38-2 Monday in favor of the emergency funding bill, which would provide $1.6 million to the states court system so that jury trials could be held through June.

Its too important not to fund juries, said Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth, D-Santa Fe.

The issue of court funding has emerged as a political hot potato during this years 60-day session, as Martinez has already vetoed two previous proposals due to concerns over dollar amounts.

The Board of Finance earlier this month signed off on up to $600,000 in emergency funds, but thats only expected to keep jury trials going through mid-April.

Because the Senate made changes to it, House Bill 261 must go back to the House for final approval before reaching the governors desk.
The police on Tuesday finally arrested the principal, general manager and 2 other school staff under Section 188 of the IPC.

By Nolan Pinto: Four school management staff have been booked under Section 188 of the IPC for failing to follow the state government rules on not letting men accompany children to the washroom.

After many parents gathered at the nursery school located in Belladur on Monday evening demanding the principal be arrested for criminal negligence in the case of a three-and-a-half-year old being sexually assaulted on Friday.

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Developments so far:

1. The police on Tuesday finally arrested the principal, general manager and 2 other school staff under Section 188 of the IPC. The arrests took place after parents questioned the police for allegedly shielding the school management.

2. Senior Congress leader VS Ugrappa, MLC and Chairman, Expert Committee on Prevention of Sexual Violence against Women and Children along with Whitefield DCP Narayana M visited the school and met the protesting parents. Ugrappa assured the agitated parents that all proper procedures will be followed by the police and urged other parents present there to add their complaints to the main FIR.

3. Extra police personnel were deployed around the school to make sure that things did not get ugly. Senior police officers who spoke to India Today on the condition of anonymity said that after what transpired on Monday evening when the parents corned the principal, they did not want to take any chance today. The parents on the other hand said that they were not thugs and goons but were here because their children have been affected and they wanted justice.

Also read: Bengaluru: 3-yr-old sexually assaulted by school staffer, arrested

4. The mother of the minor speaking exclusively to India Today said that she was happy with how the police took action immediately today when they filed a complaint. But when they got to know that more than 40 children were also allegedly complaining of being sexually assaulted, that is when they decided that the school management be taken to task.

5. "What we need to know is what sort of action will the police take against the school management now," she asked adding, "Additional Commissioner of Police (East) Hemanth Nimbalkar has assured us of action and we are hopeful that our perception of the police doing a proper job remains the same."

6. The police last night had made the parents sit at the Marathahalli Police Station till after 11 pm with many senior officers speaking to them.

7. However, even though action has been taken, most of the parents are in a state of shock.

Also read: Tamil Nadu: Amid political tussle, 2 minors sexually assaulted, murdered in Chennai

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Copyright  2017 Albuquerque Journal

Bernalillo County commissioners will begin discussions today on a proposal that would increase by an estimated $30 million a year the gross receipts taxes that people pay for most goods and services purchased in the county.

If enacted, the proposal would boost the countys tax rate on gross receipts  a tax similar to a sales tax  by three-sixteenths of 1 percent on each purchase starting July 1. Revenue would be used for general county operations.

It comes less than two years after the county raised the gross receipts tax an identical amount. The new tax would cost nearly 19 cents on a $100 purchase.

The proposed tax increase would not require voter approval. Commissioners have authority under state law to approve such a tax without a public vote.

The earliest commissioners could approve the proposed tax increase would be at their March 28 meeting. Commissioners today will consider only a notice of intent to impose it.

The tax increase is being proposed by county administrators to cover the costs of county operations without further spending down the general fund balance.

County Commissioner Wayne Johnson, said Monday the proposal demonstrates that Bernalillo County lacks adequate control over spending. The county has an operating budget of nearly $250 million a year.

What we have not done is get (spending) under control, and that what this tax increase is really admitting, Johnson said.

Instead, the county for years has drawn down its fund balance to cover recurring costs, such as salaries and benefits, he said.

Budget records show that the countys general fund balance peaked at $207 million in 2012 and dwindled to $131 million in 2016.

Several problems have contributed to the countys budget woes in recent years, including a $17 million loss in its investment portfolio and the high cost of housing inmates in other counties to comply with a court-ordered cap at the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center.

Bernalillo County last raised its gross receipts tax rate in 2015  by three-sixteenths of a percent, an amount identical to the proposed increase.

The 2015 increase included a one-eighth percent gross receipts tax earmarked for mental health and substance abuse treatment.

The proposed tax increase consists of two separate hikes, both of which would start at the same time.

The first would impose a one-eighth percent increase that would raise an estimated $20 million a year. That increase is authorized under state law to compensate cities and counties for revenue lost when the state exempted gross receipts taxes on food and medicine.

The second portion of the proposal would reimpose a one-sixteenth percent gross receipts tax that was repealed by the Bernalillo County Commission in 2015. Restoring that amount would raise an estimated $10 million a year.

Meanwhile, state lawmakers are considering a sweeping proposal to overhaul New Mexicos gross receipts tax by getting rid of most exemptions and lowering base rates.
SANTA FE  Mayor Javier Gonzales controversial proposal to place a two-cent-per-ounce tax on sugar-sweetened beverages to fund early childhood education programs in the city was passed by the Public Works Committee on Monday, but some members of the panel found the idea a little too tart.

Councilor Ron Trujillo was the only member of the five-member committee to cast a no vote. He called it another initiative that divides the community, but thats not why he voted against it.

Theres a lot of things that still need to be answered, he said.

Like how much will it cost to pay a city employee and a third-party collection company to collect the tax? And, Whats next? he asked. A tax on salt?

Even if the proposal gets the support of the City Council next month, it will be up to voters to decide whether to impose the tax, expected to generate about $7.2 million annually to fund the program.

The mayor said the purpose of the tax is to provide for programs that would allow approximately 1,000 children ages 3 and 4 in the community access to early childhood education. Many of them are from low-income families who cannot afford to pay the $900 to $1,400 per month to put a child in a program.

Councilor Joseph Maestas abstained from the vote, partly because he, too, still had unanswered questions. Since the funding would be distributed to mostly nonprofit organizations that operate or support early childhood education programs, he wasnt sure how the city could get around the anti-donation clause because it would be public money allocated to private groups.

He also questioned whether it should be city government leading the effort, saying early childhood education was not a core function of the city.

He was also concerned about the long-term sustainability of a tax that has the potential to max out right from the get-go.

The two-cent-per-ounce tax would actually be placed on the distributors of sugary drinks, but retailers are expected to raise prices in turn. That could lead to a decline in sales, thus a decline in revenue to support the program.

Gonzales said a financial analysis and a survey of other cities that have imposed a similar tax indicated that consumers end up paying only a portion of the tax.

The proposed ordinance passed with an amendment from the mayor that specifies the tax only would apply to beverages with more than 5 grams of sugar per 12 ounce serving.

Councilors Peter Ives, Renee Villarreal and Chris Rivera voted in favor of the proposed ordinance.

The vote came after a public hearing at which most of the speakers supported the proposal. Among them were representatives of the United Way of Santa Fe County, teachers and doctors, who spoke of the negative health effects of sugar consumption.

Some of those opposed to the idea said it would hurt small businesses and were skeptical about how the program would be implemented.

A vote on an accompanying resolution setting guidelines for the early childhood initiative passed unanimously.

Both the proposed ordinance and the resolution will be considered by the Finance Committee on Feb. 27, at which time another public hearing will be held. The public will also have a chance to provide input when the matter comes before the City Council on March 8.
The message is the same, though the venue has changed, and the tone is way different.

And the move of actor Shia LaBeoufs He Will Not Divide Us project to Albuquerque is certainly drawing national attention.

TMZ posted a video mocking a few locals, saying it showed that people are much more laid back, even while protesting, in New Mexico.

On Monday, small groups of visitors ebbed and flowed to the side of the Historic El Rey Theater on Central and Seventh to view LaBeoufs installation.

Someone watching the live stream ordered pizza for them; another offered to buy coffee.

Nearly two weeks ago, the installation was shut down by the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens, N.Y., due to its being a serious and ongoing safety hazard for visitors, staff, local residents and businesses.

There had been numerous shouting and shoving matches in New York, which resulted in police patrols there.

In Albuquerque, some stayed at the site for hours, others dropped in, took a picture and quickly sped off.

Its clear that it has quickly become a common ground for dialogue.

Organizers say the project moved from New York to the Duke City on Saturday because of its cultural diversity.

The project is produced by LaBeouf, Nastja Sade Ronkko and Luke Turner and is streamed live at www.hewillnotdivide.us. The plan is to stream content continuously for four years, or the duration of the current presidency.

Those who visited on Monday had different reasons for being there.

T.J. Muniz got up early and made the more than four-hour drive from Silver City.

Art installations, they bring art to the people, he said. What people dont realize is there is a common ground. I wanted to see it for myself because it has gotten so much attention.

Ephraim Colbert, of San Francisco, stood for hours to bring awareness of the death of Juan Carlos Romero.

Romero, a University of New Mexico graduate student, was shot to death on the sidewalk across from the campus on Feb. 7.

Colbert held signs that read, UNM campus area security is not a priority.

For a city that is used to public art, some here say LaBeoufs installation is working.

Suzanne Sbarge, executive director of 516 Arts in Downtown, said her organization has done a lot of public mural projects in the area.

She finds that experiencing arts outdoors in the public realm is something that people respond to positively.

Its a populist way of engaging in art, she said. You dont have to know anything about it, or pay for it or go to another venue to see it.

Sbarge said the public responds to getting art in their daily lives.

Though she hasnt seen the installation, she said experiencing art in an unexpected way always draws attention.

It seems spontaneous, she said. Im all for artists coming into the local community and mix the local art community with a larger scale.

Meanwhile, Justin Cox and Sylvester Padilla both showed up for two straight days. What they found was common ground.

Cox, a transplant from South Carolina who supports President Donald Trump, and Padilla, an Albuquerque native, got into a heated discussion Sunday.

Both men were grateful to have the opportunity to speak with each other and share their views.

There is a lot of frustration, Padilla said. The installation gives us an opportunity to speak our minds.

Cox said that by being at the installation he wanted to simply say that nobody will divide us.

Were all here together, Cox said. This art piece has started a lot of conversations. Its doing its job.
The sacking of Michael Flynn as national security adviser has intensified the frenzy over possible Russian interference in the election. The New York Times published an editorial comparing the Flynn imbroglio to Watergate, expressing shock and incredulity that Trump campaign officials were in contact with Russian intelligence officials, demanding a congressional investigation of whether people at the highest levels of the United States government have aided and abetted the interests of a nation that has tried to thwart American foreign policy since the Cold War. President Donald Trump, of course, scorns the charges as a ruse and ridiculous. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called an emergency meeting of Democrats to plan how to spotlight the issue.

When Washington heads into one of these feeding frenzies, judgment is often the first casualty. Its worth remembering what is at stake.

After the election, we learned that the CIA and the FBI  with the more tentative agreement of other intelligence agencies  concluded that Russian intelligence officials ran a covert operation that hacked into and leaked emails from the Democratic National Committee and Clinton campaign chair John Podesta, with the purpose of hurting Clinton. Upon reviewing the still-secret report, President Barack Obama, after affirming the results of the election, punished the Russians, expelling 35 suspected Russian intelligence operatives and imposing other restrictions.

To date, the evidence released publicly for this explosive charge  in the Office of the Director of National Intelligences Jan. 6 report  is so threadbare that the Times conceded that it contained no information about how the agencies had collected their data or had come to their conclusions. Clearly, an independent commission should be created to report on what was done and what should be done to protect against it in the future. It is shameful that Republicans in the Congress have chosen to block this effort.

The sacking of Flynn also raises fundamental concerns.

According to intelligence agency leaks, intercepted conversations between Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak and Flynn, then the incoming national security adviser for President-elect Trump, suggest that Flynn may have urged the Russians not to overreact to the Obama sanctions. Putin chose not to respond in a traditional tit for tat. According to the leaks, intelligence agencies went to acting attorney general Sally Q.Yates with concerns that Flynn might be subject to Russian blackmail. She took those concerns to Trump. Weeks later, Flynn was fired for misleading Vice President Pence, among others,about the substance of his conversations.

But the Times editorial board and others suggest that mere contact with Russian officials is somehow nefarious, if not criminal  and that to suggest better relations are in the offing with a new president is virtual treason.

This is simply bizarre. Trump spoke positively of Russian President Vladimir Putin throughout the campaign, stating he would seek to enlist Russia in the fight against the Islamic State. If Flynn was reassuring the Russian ambassador that Obamas sanctions wouldnt dissuade Trump, he was doing what any national security adviser might do for a president-elect.

Flynn is  as anyone reading his writings would discover  unfit to head the National Security Council. But talking to the Russian ambassador or to purported Russian intelligence officials about the intentions of the incoming president is hardly subversive.

What should be of concern is the leaking of officially classified and intercepted telephone conversations  in what was clearly a successful effort to target and take out Flynn. That Trump has railed against the intelligence leaks should not discredit this concern. The intelligence communitys use of leaks of secret information to undermine a president constitutionally elected by the American people  no matter how unfit we consider him to be  is an ominous precedent.

Trumps expressed hope for cooperating with Russia raised significant alarm at high levels of the national security establishment. The exaggerated Russian threat helps justify bloated military budgets and unify increasingly fractious allies. As Robert Hunter, the former U.S. ambassador to NATO, recently observed: Allegations of Russian interference in the U.S. election campaign become a tool to limit, if not cripple, President Trumps attempts to change the downward course of U.S. and Western relations with Russia.

Sadly, common sense is getting lost in the frenzy. Clinton supporters inflate the importance of the purported Russian hacks to excuse her painful defeat. Democrats see the scandal as a way to undermine Trump.

In the targeting of Trump, too many liberals have joined in fanning a neo-McCarthyite furor, working to discredit those who seek to deescalate U.S.-Russian tensions, and dismissing anyone expressing doubts about the charges of hacking or collusion as a Putin apologist. But, as the Nation has editorialized, skepticism isnt treason; instead its essential to establishing the truth.

In fact, better relations with Russia are in our national interest. Cooperation on nuclear proliferation, arms control, terrorism and other issues is vital to our security. Consolidating a zone of peace in Europe cannot happen without Russian engagement. As a leading oil producer, Russia must be part of the global effort to address climate change. Increasingly dangerous steps between two nuclear powers  a Russian spy ship off our coast, near misses of planes over Syria, provocative NATO exercises on the Russian border  could easily spiral out of control.

Foreign interference in U.S. elections is unacceptable. Leaks of secret intelligence to discredit an elected president are bad precedent. We need an independent investigation that reports publicly on what happened and what steps are necessary to protect against both. What we dont need is a replay of Cold War hysteria that cuts off debate, slanders skeptics and undermines any effort to explore areas of agreement with Russia in our own national interest.



Vanden Heuvel, editor and publisher of the Nation magazine, writes a weekly online column for The Post.
Sweeping new immigration policies issued by the Trump administration expand the governments ability to detain and deport millions of undocumented immigrants, which portends a sea change in enforcement, especially in border states such as New Mexico.

In two memos dated Feb. 20 and posted to the Department of Homeland Security website, Secretary John Kelly said the government will target any unauthorized immigrant suspected of, charged with or convicted of a criminal offense  and not limit enforcement to violent criminals and unlawful border crossers, as has been the case in recent years.

Criminal aliens have demonstrated their disregard for the rule of law and pose a threat to persons residing in the United States, Kelly said in the memo. Crossing the border illegally itself is a federal crime. Overstaying a visa is a civil offense.

The memo also prioritizes those who have misrepresented themselves to a government agency, abused public benefits programs or are judged by immigration authorities to pose a risk to public safety or national security.

It could put millions of undocumented people here at risk, said Maureen Meyer, senior associate for migrant rights at the Washington Office on Latin America, a think tank that advocates for immigrant rights. It will likely separate families, particularly families of mixed immigration status. Anybody here without the right papers could be fair game.

A spokesman for Gov. Susana Martinez, a Republican, said the governor has always said we need to strengthen our border, and that includes enforcing federal law.

Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., slammed the new guidelines, saying they amount to a plan to begin mass deportations and are unrealistic, inhumane, bad for the economy and an extremely inefficient use of already thin resources.

Dreamers exempt

Exempted from the new enforcement priorities are those young immigrants known as dreamers who were protected by an executive order by then-President Barack Obama known as the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA.

More than 10,500 New Mexicans are protected under the program, and nearly 750,000 immigrants are covered by DACA nationwide.

President Donald Trump vowed to make tougher immigration enforcement a keystone of his administration. Kellys two memos serve as practical guidelines to the presidents recent executive orders on border security and immigration.

DHS officials, speaking anonymously in a call with reporters, sought to calm fears on Tuesday.

We do not need a sense of panic in the communities, an official told The Washington Post. We do not have the personnel, time or resources to go into communities and round up people and do all kinds of mass throwing folks on buses. This is not intended to produce mass roundups, mass deportations.

But Vicki Gaubeca, executive director of the ACLUs Regional Center for Border Rights in Las Cruces, said, Im not sure how they can say that and allay the concerns of the public. Because the potential for that is there (in the new guidance). What kind of protections are they putting in place, instead of just words? If they want to allay fears, they should be very clear what those protections are.

Local cooperation

In a provision that is likely to generate significant debate from Santa Fe to Las Cruces, Kelly directed federal agencies to partner with local law enforcement to authorize qualified officers  to perform the functions of an immigration officer.

Counties statewide have for several years strictly limited local law enforcements ability to work with federal immigration authorities, in part because of legal liabilities associated with doing so as well as to encourage undocumented residents to report crimes.

Police, sheriffs deputies and jails in New Mexico often cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement concerning individuals who are felons or are charged with violent or serious crimes, including drug trafficking. But most local agencies restrict their officers from inquiring about immigration status during routine stops.

Another provision in the memos authorizes the use of expedited removal nationwide  a practice previously restricted to a zone within 100 miles of the border, which doesnt include Albuquerque.

Under expedited removal, immigration officers may remove without further hearing or review any immigrant who they determine to be inadmissable under U.S. law.

U.S. Border Patrol apprehended more than 408,000 unlawful immigrants near the Southwest border in fiscal 2016, up 23 percent from the prior year but well below the million-plus apprehensions of a decade ago.

Illegal immigration, especially from Mexico, has plummeted over the past 10 years.

More often, migrants are arriving at the Southwest border from Central America, Brazil and other countries. Many of them are fleeing extreme violence and poverty and have made claims of credible fear, a precursor to applying for asylum.

The memos keep policies in place to interview recent arrivals for credible fear but also tighten guidance on who can be released into the country while awaiting a court hearing. Most immigrants will be detained, according to the memos.

Increased detention

The memos state that lawful detention of aliens  is the most efficient means by which to enforce the immigration laws at our borders.

Policies that facilitate the release of removable aliens apprehended at and between the ports of entry, which allow them to abscond and fail to appear at their removal hearings, undermine the border security mission, the memo says. Such policies, collectively referred to as catch-and-release, shall end.

New Mexico has at least three detention facilities specifically designated to hold undocumented immigrants, one each in Torrance, Cibola and Otero counties. Together the facilities include at least 2,000 beds.

Additionally, the U.S. Marshals contract on behalf of other federal agencies for detention space in Hidalgo, Luna and Dona Ana county jails on the border; many detainees there are recent border crossers who are charged with felony illegal entry or re-entry and are awaiting sentencing at federal court in Las Cruces.

The message has been made clear that the new policies are detention-centric, said Olsi Vrapi, an Albuquerque immigration attorney. We are seeing in practice already that our clients who would have gotten bond three weeks ago are now being denied bond.

The memo hinges the expanded detention authority on the governments establishing new detention centers and a plan with the Department of Justice to surge the deployment of immigration judges and asylum officers.

The nations immigration courts are overwhelmed with a backlog of more than 534,000 pending cases, according to the memo.

Supporting the effort

I think that the restoration of serious no-nonsense immigration enforcement is the only thing that is going to make it possible for immigration reform in the future, said Jessica Vaughan, director for policy studies at the Center for Immigration Studies, a think tank that advocates stricter immigration enforcement. The main reason that amnesty proposals failed in the past is because people didnt have any faith that the laws were going to be enforced.

Deportations by ICE reached a peak during the Obama administration, with nearly 410,000 in fiscal 2008.

Nearly 3 million unauthorized immigrants were removed by ICE during the Obama years, although the pace slowed considerably during the last two years of his administration.

To facilitate increased enforcement, Kellys memos authorize ICE to hire 10,000 new officers and Border Patrol to hire 5,000 new agents.

Kelly also echoes Trumps executive order by calling for the immediate planning, design, construction and maintenance of a wall at the southern border.

The memos do not specify how much implementing the new policies will cost or how DHS intends to pay for its expanded enforcement plans.
SANTA FE  A bill that would bar New Mexico state land from being used to facilitate the building of a controversial border wall sparked a wide-ranging debate Tuesday on wildlife corridors, stolen vehicles and illicit drug use before being approved by a party-line vote.

The next stop for the legislation, House Bill 292, will be the House floor after the 5-4 vote in the House State Government, Indian and Veterans Affairs Committee.

Democratic lawmakers on the panel voted in favor of the bill, which was prompted by President Donald Trumps border wall plan.

If we dont stand up on something as big as this, then what are we here for? asked Rep. Derrick Lente, D-Sandia Pueblo.

But Republican committee members questioned the states ability to halt a federal government initiative, calling the legislation misguided and unenforceable.

The federal government is just going to go ahead and condemn the land, said Rep. Bill Rehm, R-Albuquerque.

In New Mexico, there are more than 22 miles of state-owned land and mineral rights within 600 feet of the U.S.-Mexico border, according to the State Land Office.

State Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn, a Republican, has proposed a land swap to the Trump administration in which state trust lands and mineral rights within three miles of the border would be exchanged for federally owned land in southern New Mexico.

The State Land Offices acting general counsel, Jack Sullivan, said during Tuesdays hearing that approach is better than the proposed bill, since the state has limited ability to stop the federal process of eminent domain.

He also referenced a 1907 proclamation by then-President Theodore Roosevelt that created a 60-foot strip of land on the United States side of the U.S.-Mexico border  which some have described as a public reservation  as another legal consideration.

But Rep. Javier Martinez, D-Albuquerque, one of the bills co-sponsors, said the legislation would make it more difficult for the federal government to seize the land needed to build the border wall.

He described the proposed border wall as a very, very expensive distraction, as some estimates have pegged its construction cost at as high as $15 billion.

Representatives from several environmental groups also spoke in favor of the measure, saying a border wall could block migration paths for jaguars, ocelots and other animals.

Meanwhile, Rep. Bill McCamley, D-Mesilla Park, another co-sponsor of the bill, said construction of a new border wall would hurt New Mexicos trade efforts with Mexico. The states exports to Mexico totaled nearly $1.6 billion last year.

We need to work toward building a 21st-century economy, McCamley said, calling border walls and moats a 12th-century approach.
WASHINGTON  A Capitol Hill controversy over a student painting portraying police and protesters as animals moved to the federal courts Tuesday when a Missouri congressman said its removal from the U.S. Capitol walls violated the young artists right to free speech.

Rep. William Lacy Clay, D-Mo., and Missouri student David Pulphus said in a 19-page lawsuit in Washington that the Architect of the Capitol violated Pulphus First Amendment rights in bowing to overt political pressure from House Republicans to remove the work Jan. 17 after it had been displayed for seven months.

Pulphus said the painting, one of more than 400 works by winners of a national student art contest from each congressional district, was inspired by the 2014 civil unrest in Ferguson, Mo., near his home. The art depicted a horned beast similar to a wild boar in a police uniform in the foreground tangling with a protester rendered as a wolf. In the background, protesters hold signs, including one that says, Racism kills.

Pulphus painting was removed the day after the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday after Rep. Dave Reichert, R-Wash., said in a statement that he had been informed by House Speaker Paul Ryans office that Capitol officials had concluded that the painting violated House rules.

Ryan, R-Wis., cited rules against depicting subjects of contemporary political controversy or a sensationalistic or gruesome nature on the Capitol premises. Law enforcement groups and conservative media outlets said the work portrayed police officers as pigs and was disrespectful to police.

Clay and Pulphus sued Architect of the Capitol Stephen Ayers over what they called the unprecedented step of retroactively disqualifying a contest winner after previously finding that it met all requirements and hanging it for seven months. They asked a court to reinstate the painting and rehang it in a busy corridor between the U.S. Capitol and Cannon House Office Building.

The AOCs decision to remove the Painting  based solely on these objections to its content and viewpoint  constitutes a hecklers veto and a clear violation of Mr. Pulphuss constitutional rights and those of the artworks congressional sponsor, Clay, according to the lawsuit.

In a statement released by his office and in comments outside the federal courthouse, Clay added that the removal of the painting sent a chilling message to young Americans that their voices are not respected.

He added, This case is truly about something much bigger than a students painting. It is about defending our fundamental 1st Amendment freedoms which are currently under assault in this country.

Spokesmen for Ryan and Reichert did not immediately respond to requests for comment. In January, Ryan said that the painting was disgusting and not befitting the Capitol.

Its not as if you have a constitutional right to hang whatever painting you want in the House hallway, he said.

In a statement at the time, Reichert said: With any competition there are rules, and these rules exist for a reason. This painting hung in clear defiance to those rules and was a slap in the face to the countless men and women who put their lives on the line everyday on behalf of our safety and freedom.
Late last month, a pair of Islamic State fighters in desert camouflage climbed to the top of a river bluff in northern Iraq to demonstrate an important new weapon: a small drone, about six feet wide with swept wings and a small bomb tucked in its fuselage.

The two men launched the slender machine and took videos from a second, smaller drone that shadowed its movements. The aircraft glided over the besieged city of Mosul, swooped close to an Iraqi army outpost and dropped its bomb, scattering Iraqi troops with a small blast that left one figure sprawled on the ground, apparently dead or wounded.

The incident was among dozens in recent weeks in a rapidly accelerating campaign of armed drone strikes by the Islamic State in northern Iraq. The terrorist group last month formally announced the establishment of a new Unmanned Aircraft of the Mujahideen unit, a fleet of modified drones equipped with bombs, and claimed that its drones had killed or wounded 39 Iraqi soldiers in a single week.

A new source of horror for the apostates! the groups official al-Naba newsletter declared.

While the casualty claim is almost certainly exaggerated, U.S. officials confirm that the terrorist group appears to have crossed a threshold with its use of unmanned aircraft. Two years after the Islamic State first used commercially purchased drones to conduct surveillance, the militants are showing a growing ambition to use the technology to kill enemies, U.S. officials and terrorism experts say.

The threat to troops is serious enough to prompt U.S. and Iraqi commanders to issue warnings to soldiers near the front lines. But a far bigger worry, U.S. officials say, is the potential for future attacks against civilians. Islamic militants have long discussed the possibility of using drones as remote-control missiles that can deliver explosives or even unconventional weapons such as deadly nerve agents. In recent weeks, the notion of terrorist drones has moved a step closer to reality, terrorism experts say.

Theyre now showing that these devices can be effective on the battlefield, said Steven Stalinsky, executive director of the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), a Washington nonprofit that analyzed dozens of incidents for a new report on Islamic militant groups use of drones. With the way these groups use social media, my worry is that theyre also putting the idea into peoples heads that this is something you can now do.

To be sure, the lightweight, relatively inexpensive drones in the jihadists fleet are nowhere close to matching the sophistication and lethal power of the Predators and Reapers used by the U.S. military. The drones displayed by the Islamic State are too small to carry heavy bombs and rockets, and they lack the guidance systems used by U.S. pilots to steer missiles toward their targets. Still, even a small bomb, such as the three-pound mortar shells typically used against Iraqi government troops, can have an effective blast radius of 30 to 45 feet, enough to kill or injure dozens of people if dropped in a crowded area.

Pentagon officials say the drones have scant military significance and will not affect the Iraqi governments timetable for recapturing Mosul, the northern Iraqi city that fell to the Islamic State in 2014.

Although dangerous, and effective as a propaganda tactic, it has limited operational effect on the battlefield and will not change the outcome, Air Force Col. John L. Dorrian, spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition opposing the Islamic State, said at a press briefing last week.

But a second Pentagon official acknowledged that coalition troops had been forced to take countermeasures against drones  steps that include early-detection systems and electronic jamming  while also stepping up the search for factories and staging areas where the aircraft are being readied for use on the battlefield.

The coalition takes this threat seriously, said the official, who insisted on anonymity in discussing the militarys response to the new threat.

Small start, big ambitions

As recently as a decade ago, drones were the province of a few advanced industrialized countries, especially the United States, the pioneer and lead practitioner in the use of unmanned aerial vehicles to target and kill suspected terrorists overseas. But today, dozens of countries, including Israel, China and Iran, manufacture and operate military-grade UAVs.

At the same time, a rapidly growing commercial drone industry has made the technology available to private consumers almost anywhere in the world. Online shoppers can pick from hundreds of models, from sparrow-sized nano drones that can be controlled from a smartphone to larger aircraft that cost thousands of dollars and can carry small payloads.

The sudden availability of cheap, remote-controlled flying machines did not escape the notice of terrorists groups. The Islamic State is only the latest in a long line of militant organizations that have acquired drones and attempted to modify them for their own purposes. The Iranian-backed group Hezbollah has repeatedly used drones to probe Israels air defenses, and the group released video last summer that appeared to show a drone dropping Chinese-made bomblets on Syrian rebels.

Al-Qaida operatives in Pakistan commissioned an avionics engineer to build small attack drones and conducted at least one successful test flight before the program was discovered by police in 2013.

There have also been plots involving drones by lone-wolf actors in the United States. In 2011, a physics graduate and model hobbyist from Massachusetts was accused of planning to launch small drones with bombs against the Pentagon and the Capitol, according to an FBI affidavit.

The Islamic States efforts so far have been comparatively crude. Beginning in August 2014, the terrorist group began using drones to gather battlefield intelligence and to document the effects of suicide bombings, often broadcasting the videos online to bolster morale, according to the report by MEMRI. Occasionally the group would strap an explosive onto a small drone and try to land it near a military outpost, as happened in October when a booby-trapped toy aircraft exploded as Kurdish fighters were examining it near the northern city of Irbil.

Terrorist leaders last year put out appeals for scientists and engineers to travel to Iraq and Syria to work on weapons programs, including drones. In March, a group of pro-Islamic State technicians used the social-media platform Telegram to discuss how common engine parts might be adapted for use in missiles or in military-style attack drones, according to transcript of the discussion provided by MEMRI.

What does success look like? asked one of the participants, using a nickname but describing himself as an American with a microelectronics background. Are we talking about an actual guided missile or a drone which can drop payload?

Coming soon: A lot more surprises

At least a few technical experts appear to have responded to the call. When government troops recaptured the Iraqi provincial capital of Ramadi last year, they discovered a small workshop where workers were attempting to manufacture drone parts from scratch. Photographs from inside the facility show homemade wings and fuselage parts as well as electronics, camera controllers and gyro sensors used to control flight, according to an analysis by Conflict Armament Research, a London-based nonprofit that investigates weapons trafficking.

Similar factories built to modify commercial UAVs have been found in liberated parts of Mosul in the past few weeks, all pointing to an increasing use by ISIS of weaponized drones, said James Bevan, Conflict Armament Researchs executive director, using an acronym for the Islamic State.

Bevans analysts found that the group initially favored small helicopter-like drones with four rotors and sufficient heft to carry a small bomb  usually a mortar shell or similar device with stabilizing fins and a point-detonating fuse built to explode on impact. But some of the more recent attacks involved fixed-wing drones of uncertain origin, U.S. officials said.

When Iraqi troops captured drone facilities in Mosul earlier this year, they discovered scores of documents detailing an elaborate procurement system for purchasing the aircraft and parts, as well as extensive procedures for altering and testing the equipment. The records speak to the groups efforts to secure, modify and enhance the range and performance of its drones, said a report by the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point, N.Y., which published some of the documents.

When the siege of Mosul began in the fall, Islamic State fighters stepped up their use of small surveillance drones to gather intelligence and showcase their efforts to defend the city, producing mini-documentaries with aerial footage of successful suicide attacks on Iraqi troops.

The shift to weaponized drone attacks began late last year and was ramping up dramatically at the time of the groups formal announcement of the program Jan. 24.

The army of the Islamic State has revealed its use of the unmanned aircraft weapon for the first time, the groups al-Naba newsletter said. It described an aerial bombardment of Iraqi forces around Mosul and said most of the hits were precise, and inflicted losses in the ranks of the apostates.

Since then, the groups social-media pages have carried dozens of videos showing strikes using small bombs and rockets. Not all the bombs find their targets, but the drone attacks have become a daily threat for residents in some parts of liberated eastern Mosul, Iraqi news accounts show.

Iraqi troops also have been forced to scan the skies for tiny aircraft and to take cover when they appear. Videos released by the Islamic State show multiple instances in which bombs were dropped close enough to Iraqi troop positions to cause injuries. Some of the footage appears to show wounded figures on the ground following the attacks, although there has been no official confirmation from Iraq of the terrorists claim of dozens killed and wounded.

Regardless of the actual numbers, the campaign appears to have raised the spirits of some of the groups supporters. The Jan. 24 announcement triggered euphoric discussions on social-media platforms used by Islamic militant groups, as well as predictions that armed drones would soon be deployed elsewhere. One February 3 post on the Telegram messaging site called the early attacks a drop in the sea.

The coming days will reveal a lot more, Allah permitting, the post said, according to a translation provided by the SITE Intelligence Group, a private company that monitors jihadist websites. After the planes, there are still a lot more surprises.
PHOENIX  The Arizona Senate has rejected legislation for the second year in a row that would bar cities like Phoenix from issuing photo-identification cards to people who are in the country illegally.

Republican Sen. Sonny Borrellis proposal failed on a 13-17 vote Tuesday, with three Republicans joining all Democrats in opposing Senate Bill 1142. Borrelli changed his vote to no in a procedural move that allows him to ask for a reconsideration vote.

The Phoenix City Council in August approved a city photo-identification card. It can be issued to people without proof of legal presence in the U.S. and those having trouble getting a valid government ID. The city expects to begin issuing them in mid-2017.

The city ID would not be recognized as a primary ID like a drivers license.
More than any other officer of his generation, Lt. Gen. H.R. McMasters military career has been defined by a willingness to dissent  often forcefully.

In Dereliction of Duty, the book he wrote in the 1990s, McMaster blasted the nations top generals for their unwillingness to tell a domineering president that his war strategy in Vietnam could not work.

More than a decade later as the commander of a 5,000-soldier regiment in Iraq, McMaster essentially ignored the U.S. militarys prevailing plan for stabilizing the country, which he concluded was failing badly.

On Monday President Donald Trump chose McMaster as his national security adviser, replacing the ousted Michael Flynn. McMasters surprising rise has his supporters and critics asking the same question: How will a soldier known for his sharp mind and even sharper opinions get along with a president who does not like being told that he is wrong?

I have tremendous respect for H.R. as a military professional, Stephen Biddle, a political scientist who has worked closely with the U.S. military in Iraq and Afghanistan. Whether he can be as effective and candid as we all hope is the big question.

In his many successes and his most notable failure  leading an anti-corruption task force in Afghanistan  McMaster has displayed the same traits: a fierce intellect, dogged determination and a penchant for conflict that has produced loyal supporters and, in some cases, determined foes.

McMaster comes to the job leading the White Houses National Security Council with some significant disadvantages relative to his predecessors. The most effective national security advisers have close personal relationships with the president. Its not clear whether McMaster had even met Trump before interviewing for the job.

McMaster, a three-star general, will be coordinating and helping to oversee a Cabinet that includes retired Marine Gens. Jim Mattis and John Kelly, both of whom outranked him when they were in uniform and could view him as a subordinate or someone they can bypass.

Finally, McMasters decision to stay on active duty even as he serves in the Trump White House could make it harder for him to disagree forcefully with the president or other senior administration officials. It is a lot easier to say Screw this job or I am not doing that as a civilian, said a friend of McMaster, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to be frank. It is the ethos of the military to do what you are told whether or not you like the mission or the chain of command.

The ethos of uncritically following orders is one that has never come easily to McMaster. McMaster wrote about the Vietnam War at a moment when most of the U.S. Army was more interested in forgetting about it. The emotions connected with sacrifices made in a lost war ran too deep to permit veterans of that conflict to dwell on their experiences, he wrote in the books introduction.

When the book was published in 1997, the Armys top brass still blamed its loss on a micromanaging president and a disloyal, left-leaning press that undermined support for the war at home. McMaster instead shifted the blame to some of the Armys most storied generals, whom he faulted for their passivity and willingness to support a policy of gradual escalation that they knew was doomed to failure.

In 2005, McMasters armored cavalry regiment deployed to Iraq at a moment when U.S. fatalities were climbing and Iraq was slipping into an all-out civil war. In Baghdad, senior commanders were telling their field commanders to consolidate U.S. forces on large secure bases, where they would be less vulnerable to enemy attack, and focus on training beleaguered Iraqi troops to take over the fight.

McMaster, then a colonel, was among a small group of officers who ignored that guidance. He moved his troops off a large, secure air base outside the northern city of Tal Afar and established 29 combat outposts throughout the city. Instead of training Iraqis, his troops focused on stopping the ethnic and sectarian killing in the city.

McMasters approach caught the attention of Philip Zelikow, a senior aide to then-Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Both Zelikow and Rice then fought for it back in Washington. I talked to other generals who had mixed things to say about H.R. as a commander . . . and personally, Zelikow said. My view was that this is a guy who is really trying to do something, and hes breaking some [bureaucratic] crockery in the process.

Journalists, academics and officials from Washington think tanks flocked to Tal Afar, often at McMasters invitation, to study his approach. A 2006 New Yorker article, which received widespread attention in Washington, described McMaster and his men as rebels against an incoherent strategy.

Despite public praise from President George W. Bush, McMaster was twice passed over for promotion to one-star general upon returning from Iraq. To Zelikow, the Armys failure to elevate one of its smartest officers was a sign of anti-intellectualism in the ranks and very serious institutional rot.

Iraq was not the Armys finest hour, he said.

Others in the Army said that the decision reflected McMasters impatience with underperforming subordinates, his temper and his tendency to clash with superiors. Sometimes, McMasters passion and intellect worked against him on the battlefield  especially in Afghanistan, where he was chosen in 2010 to lead an anti-corruption task force.

McMaster landed at an inauspicious moment in the counter-corruption effort. Hundreds of millions of U.S. taxpayer dollars were being siphoned from ministries by Afghan officials and flown out of the country to buy beachfront real estate in Dubai.

McMasters unit was an eclectic mix of soldiers and civilians from various NATO countries and included former fighter pilots, Rhodes scholars, counterintelligence officers, Treasury Department officials and FBI agents.

His brash style alienated many of his American civilian colleagues at the U.S. Embassy and angered his partners in the Afghan government. But even those who hated his management style tended to recognize his brilliance.

Hes not a bull in a china shop, Paul Rexton Kan, a professor who spent a month in Kabul on McMasters team to help write the anti-corruption strategy, said in an interview for a book on Afghanistan. Hes a bull who picks up the china shop and just smashes it.

With an uncooperative Afghan government, and an Obama administration unwilling to cut off aid money, McMasters team had little to show for its work after months of effort. His own team called themselves the Fix the Impossible Task Force and the Anti-Gravity Task Force. Several team members described the work environment as toxic.

In one episode, McMaster demanded that U.S. Justice Department advisers hand over the corruption files kept by the Afghan attorney general and then berated the officials and knocked over a chair when they refused.

That outburst caused a stir back in Washington. People in the meeting were asked to give affidavits about what happened, according to those familiar with the situation. Eric Holder, then the U.S. attorney general, demanded an apology from McMaster.

Trump has demonstrated something of a split-personality when selecting his senior staff and Cabinet. In Mattis, Kelly and McMaster, Trump has chosen brash leaders who speak plainly and frankly. He has also proved quick to fire aides who question his judgment, and he has blackballed senior Republican foreign policy officials who criticized him during his presidential campaign.

In Dereliction of Duty, McMaster wrote critically of generals who chose not to air their differences with President Lyndon B. Johnson. Their silence helped to impel the very strategic concept they opposed, McMaster wrote. Soon he will be sitting at the same situation room table deciding what to say.
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation is the richest civic body in the country, and needless to say that one who rules the BMC enjoys immense influence in political circles in Maharashtra and even Delhi.

By India Today Web Desk: Elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and nine other civic bodies are underway and at stake is the prestige of the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiv Sena.

Following a bitter fight for seats, the two parties are going solo this time with Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnasis getting into ugly verbal duels in a no-holds barred election campaign.

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Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) are also in the fray, but political pundits expect the BJP and the Sena to take the fight to the finish.

ALSO READ: BMC election 2017: All you need to know about the bitter battle between Shiv Sena, BJP

HERE IS ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE MUNICIPAL POLLS: Of all the municipal corporations going to the polls today, all eyes are on the 227-member Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation election. BMC is the richest municipal corporation in the country, and needless to say that one who rules the BMC enjoys immense influence in political circles in Maharashtra and even Delhi. Roughly 92 lakh voters will decide the fate of 2,275 candidates who are in the fray for BMC election. A Sena citadel for the last two decades, the election will prove if Devendra Fadnasis-led BJP can storm the bastion on its own this time. A total of 3,210 seats are up for grabs in the 10 municipal corporations, 11 zila parishads and 118 panchayat samitis for which 17,331 candidates are in the running this time. Nearly 3.77 crore voters across Maharashtra will seal the fate of these candidates. There are 43,160 polling stations across the state, and polling has started at 7.30 am. More than 2.5 lakh election staff and an equal number of police personnel are on duty today. The 10 municipal corporations going to polls are: Mumbai, Thane, Ulhasnagar, Nashik, Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Solapur, Akola, Amravati and Nagpur. Elections to 118 panchayat samitis in 10 disricts are also underway. These districts are: Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur, Pune, Solapur, Nashik, Amravati and Gadchiroli. More than 1.80 crore electorate are eligible to exercise their franchise in the zila parishads and panchayat samitis while 1.95 crore urban voters will cast their vote in 10 municipal corporations.

ALSO READ:

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation polls: How Congress, NCP, MNS are suffering collateral damage

BMC polls beyond BJP-Shiv Sena spat: 5 parties you did not hear about

BMC polls: What Mumbai wants from new leadership as city readies to vote

ALSO WATCH

--- ENDS ---
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

Bern, 21.02.2017 - Sebastien Hug has been appointed head of swissnex India and consul general of Switzerland in Bangalore. He will take up his post in November 2017.

Sebastien Hug was born in 1980 in Fribourg (FR), place of origin Egerkingen (SO).

Mr Hug began his career as attache for higher education, science and technology at the Swiss embassy in Canada in 2007. From 2011 to 2013 he was project leader for higher education and partnerships at swissnex Boston. Since 2013 he has been working in the International Relations Division of the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation at the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research. As a scientific adviser, Mr Hug is responsible for the management of the swissnex network.

Address for enquiries

FDFA Communication

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CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland

Tel. Communication service: +41 58 462 31 53

Tel. Press service: +41 58 460 55 55

E-mail: kommunikation@eda.admin.ch

Twitter: @SwissMFA

Publisher

Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

https://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/home.html



Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research

http://www.wbf.admin.ch



State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation

http://www.sbfi.admin.ch




Canadians who have been waiting to get their hands on Samsungs Galaxy A5 will be happy to hear that a price has been leaked via internal documents. That the device is coming to Canadian carriers is certainly not news, since it passed through the FCC on February 13th bearing a model number that is commonly associated with devices slated for release in the country. However, this new information outs the cost to buy a brand new Galaxy A5 from carriers, which are expected to offer the device at $499.

The leaked cost of the Galaxy A5 falls in line with its placement as an upper-end, mid-range device, as shown by those known specs. The smartphone is already out in the UK and it is not expected that any changes will be made to the specifications for the device. For those who dont already know, a quick rundown of the specs shows that the Galaxy A5 currently has Marshmallow (Android 6.0.1) on the software side. That is, in turn, powered by an Exynos octa-core processor clocking in at 1.9GHz and backed by 3GB of RAM. Storage can be expanded via SD card to 128GB, coming from 32GB of storage out of the box. It has a 3000 mAh battery, which also features fast charging through the devices USB Type-C port. Some of the more premium features of the Galaxy A5 include a 16-megapixel camera on both the front and the back, a fingerprint reader, and IP68 certification  among other Samsung-standard features such as Samsung Pay and S-Voice. All of that is packed behind a 5.2-inch full-HD Super AMOLED screen.

Unfortunately, a release date for Canada has still not been announced for the Galaxy A5 at this time so consumers in the country who are interested in it will have to continue waiting. However, for those of you waiting patiently to get this device for yourselves, the recent approval from the FCC and the release of a price-point seem to indicate that it will be arriving very soon. The device is also expected to be sold by Rogers, Telus, and Bell, as well as being available on any of those providers subsidiary companies. So, once it does release, it should not be any problem to get your hands on one.
The LeEco Le 2S has been the subject of leaks and rumors for a fairly long time, but now it appears that the company might be preparing for the smartphones eventual release, at least in China, where the Chinese regulatory body known as TENAA recently certified two variants of the LeEco Le 2S. They are known as the LEX656 and LEX659, with the latter promising dual-SIM capabilities.

Aside from the fact that the LeEco Le 2S LEX659 is equipped with an additional SIM card slot, there seems to be virtually no difference between the two aforementioned variants in terms of what makes them tick. They both make use of the same hardware components, including a 10-core processor, and while the exact CPU model is unspecified by TENAA, the unit is most likely a MediaTek Helio X25 System-on-Chip clocked at a frequency of up to 2.3 GHz per core. The CPU works alongside 4 GB of RAM and TENAA reveals that the device houses a total of 32 GB of on-board memory. Unfortunately, according to the listing it would appear that the smartphone does not have any options for expanding the on-board memory. Moving on, the LeEco Le 2S packs a 5.5-inch IPS display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080, a dual 13-megapixel main camera coupled with an 8-megapixel front-facing sensor, and takes advantage of IR (infrared) and Bluetooth connectivity. All the internal components rely on a 3,900 mAh battery, and the device runs on the previous main version of Android, specifically Android 6.0 Marshmallow, which will likely be covered by the proprietary user interface EUI. In overall, the LeEco Le 2S weighs 168 grams, it measures 152.4 x 75.1 x 7.5 millimeters, and TENAA mentions multiple color options; two of which have been exposed in live pictures (below). Its also worth noting that the LeEco Le 2S presents itself in a metal unibody design flaunting a rear-mounted fingerprint recognition sensor below the dual-camera setup.

At the moment theres no official word on when either one of the two LeEco Le 2S models certified by TENAA will hit the shelves. However, seeing how the smartphone now has TENAAs certificate under its belt, its likely that the LeEco Le 2S is nearing its highly-anticipated debut, which could take place at Mobile World Congress at the earliest. For readers who may be wondering, TENAA is known as Chinas equivalent of the FCC, and any formalities set in place with the regulatory body usually hint at an approaching market release.
Samsung Electronics may invest $1 billion into acquisitions of artificial intelligence (AI) companies. South Korean outlet Chosun Biz reported on Tuesday that the Seoul-based tech giant is currently considering the idea of establishing a $1 billion fund for that purpose. An anonymous source from the U.S. branch of Samsung Electronics allegedly said that the company may even inject more money into the fund as the aforementioned figure is apparently just the bare minimum that the largest business conglomerate in South Korea believes is worth investing. Apart from direct acquisitions and mergers, the report says that the fund would also be used to purchase stakes in AI companies. Despite the fact that Samsung Electronics recently made some significant investments into AI, the companys management still thinks more similar initiatives are necessary, the source revealed.

Samsungs latest related investment was made in October when the company announced the acquisition of Viv Labs, a U.S. AI startup founded by some of the developers who worked on Apples smart assistant Siri. Viv Labs reportedly also created Bixby, the unannounced AI assistant thats heavily rumored to debut with the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8 Plus. Some of Samsungs recent trademark filings related to Bixby suggest that the company is looking to not only ship an assistant that would act as a selling point of its upcoming Android flagships but is also interested in creating an ecosystem around its latest and greatest digital assistant. The companys major push into AI is being interpreted as its attempt to not repeat some of the mistakes it made in the past. Namely, Chosun Biz claims that Samsung is still sore about the fact that it refused to purchase the Android operating system from Andy Rubin back in 2005 and is now adamant to do whatever it takes to spearhead the next mobile software revolution.

Given that state of affairs, its not surprising that Samsung may consider making more investments into the AI sector, especially since the company is also rumored to be working on a competitor to Amazons Echo and Google Home called Samsung Hello. More information on Samsungs AI-related ambitions will likely follow by spring.
There is no doubt the Voice Assistant devices such as Amazons Echo, Apples Siri, Microsofts Cortana, and Google Home, are here to stay, and more, like Samsung, will be joining the party. But just how well do they keep your many secrets or personal information? It is a strange fact, but true, that we are much more willing to speak openly to an electronic ear than we would to a real individual. It follows the same line as texting, where we may text things to a person that we would find very difficult to say in a face-to-face meeting. We can ask Google Home the answers to intimate questions and receive a reply, but did you ever wonder what happens to that question after you ask it? Can someone ever retrieve a list of questions posed by you to find out just how your mind thinks in determining what kind of person you really are?

While this Artifical Intelligence (AI) is still in its infancy stage, one has to wonder how this will affect us in the future as this Artificial Intelligence (AI) grows more mature and more capable. Just how much information our digital assistants amass was brought to light by a murder investigation in Arkansas. The suspect had an Amazon Echo in the room, and the police asked Amazon for a recording of what went on in the room of the suspect, but Amazon explained that no audio is transmitted without first saying its trigger word, such as Alexa followed by a command.

It seems that Amazons Echo and Google Home work about the same way. Before the recording starts, you must first say the devices trigger word, ask your question, and then it stops recording after your answer is given. You can visually see it recording because the lights will be on as an indicator. Optionally, you can have Echo beep when it recognizes its name and again when it stops recording. The is also an old fashioned on/off switch for the microphone if you are really paranoid. Amazon, like all companies, keeps the recordings to improve their services and voice recognition, but you always have the option via your Alexa app to permanently delete any recordings. Google will also keep the recordings unless you tell them you want them removed at my.activity.google.com.

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Apples Siri also produces no recordings unless you trigger it and ask a direct question, but Siri assigns a random number associated with your request, keeping your name entirely out of the process. Apple only keeps the question for two years for testing and then deletes the recordings, or if you turn Siri off, all identities and recordings are deleted. Microsofts Cortana will answer many web related answers, setting alarms, etc., without ever associating your name to the task  there is no reason to do so. If Cortana needs to access personal information, it will ask you if it is okay. You can also use the settings to turn off any personal information you might have shared, and the option is always available to delete the recording from their server.

People are just now buying into the idea of products for their home  or as they are termed, The Internet of Things (IoT). The ability to control the power to turn lights on/off, adjust your homes heating/AC, turn your TV or music on/off and raise the volume, answer the door, or to ask questions and receive answers to just too enticing to pass up. Googles CEO Sundar Pichai explains, This is a core area weve invested in for the long-term and Google is thinking about it across phones, homes, TVs, [and] cars. The added exposure to this AI opens up, even more, doors to what we might deem as an invasion of our future privacy.
LG recently passed an unannounced device called the X230DS through the FCC. The device is not shown much, aside from the back of the device where the FCC label is to be placed, but a few facts about the device are revealed with the little bit of information given. For starters, this device will have a removable battery, and the FCC logo will be located underneath the battery. The battery will also ship outside of the phone, residing inside the box and ensuring that the customer has to see the FCC labeling when they open up the device to install the battery for the first time.

As for other facts about the phone, we can ascertain just a bit from the design and the model number. For starters, the DS suffix might indicate a dual sim device as it appears that there may be a SIM card-shaped cutout up at the top-left of the device that seems to combine with another cutout at the corner. Its likely that the device will at least sport two SIM slots in Brazil, thanks to an image in the FCC filings. At the bottom, you can see what appears to be a 3.5 millimeter headphone jack. The bulk of the model number alludes to it being a variant of the low-end LG X230, an upcoming budget smartphone from the South Korean giant.

The LG X230 is itself largely shrouded in mystery at the moment, aside from the fact that its model number pegs it as a lower-end version of the LG X300. Logically, one could easily assume that it will bear a resemblance to its inspiration, cosmetically, while a recent Geekbench run which can be seen below indicates that the phone has only 1 gigabyte of RAM, alongside a low-end MediaTek processor. The device also seems to be running Android 6.0 (Marshmallow), as opposed to Android 7.0 (Nougat), which is starting to hit some devices coming off of assembly lines and is making its way to many older devices via updates. If the Geekbench test indeed showed off a final or near-final model of the phone, the use of Marshmallow may well have been down to software optimizations from LG specially built for the lower Android version.
Toshiba wants at least $8.8 billion for a major share of its memory business that the Japanese tech giant is looking to sell since last month, Reuters reports, citing sources with knowledge of the situation. The Tokyo-based company was previously looking to sell a 20-percent share of its memory unit, but it was prompted to part with a larger stake as its nuclear business in the United States continues to lose money. Industry sources claim that Toshiba is now even prepared to sell its entire NAND memory division that manufactures mobile chipsets.

While recent reports indicate that the South Korean semiconductor manufacturer SK Hynix already made a bid for a 20-percent stake in Toshibas memory business, the Japanese company apparently isnt waiting for its suitor to increase its bid and is already prepared to listen to offers for the remaining shares of its memory chip division. The transaction with SK Hynix thats reportedly worth $2.6 billion hasnt been agreed on to this date. Apart from the Korean chip maker, other interested parties reportedly include various investment funds and other chipmakers. Micron Technology, Bain Capital, and Western Digital were all said to be interested in the companys NAND memory division.

Industry sources told Reuters that Toshiba still hasnt decided whether to sell a majority stake in its memory business or part with its most profitable unit entirely. Instead, the Tokyo-based tech giant allegedly decided to focus on the amount of money it can raise with the sale. Toshibas U.S. nuclear business thats bleeding money is putting the company in a tough spot as Toshiba is unable to turn to equity markets to raise funding and cover for its losses due to a 2015 accounting scandal worth $1.3 billion. Due to that state of affairs, the Japanese conglomerate has little choice but to sell some of its assets. Seeing how Toshibas NAND memory unit is by far its most profitable venture, its also the one that can be sold in the shortest timeframe. Even if the company manages to sell its successful unit by the end of the quarter, it remains to be seen how it will cope with more potential financial problems down the road.
Online money transfer service TransferWise introduced a Facebook Messenger bot designed to help users send money without ever leaving their instant messaging (IM) app of choice. The so-called TransferWise Bot launched on Monday and should already be available to users in many parts of the world. The London-based company said that the bot currently supports transfers from the United States, Canada, Australia, United Kingdom, and the rest of Europe. The bot was programmed to guide users through online money transfers by assisting them with setting up transactions. Naturally, youll need a TransferWise account to use the services of the TransferWise Bot.

Users who regularly make payments between two currencies can ask the TransferWise Bot to send them rate alerts and keeps them notified about exchange rates on a daily basis. This functionality also extends to a larger number of currencies as users are able to ask for alerts for any number of currencies. Once you see an exchange rate you like, you can simply ask the bot to set up a transfer for you within Facebooks Messenger app. Scott Miller, Head of Global Partnerships at TransferWise revealed that the TransferWise Bot was built using the TransferWise application programming interface (API) with the goal of facilitating the process of making online money transfers. While the launch of this bot doesnt mean TransferWise succeeded in that endeavor, its an important step in the firms long-term strategy, Miller said. The companys official also revealed how the TransferWise Bot may make its way to other popular IM apps in the future.

The peer-to-peer online money transfer service currently supports over 600 currency routes and is handling almost $1 million in transactions on a monthly basis, according to its own claims. The TransferWise Bot was integrated into Messenger thanks to a new functionality that Facebook launched back in April in an effort to draw third-party developers to its platform and turn its popular IM app into a standalone ecosystem that can even be used without a Facebook account. While it was already possible to send money in the United States using Messenger, the TransferWise Bot is the first tool that allows Facebooks IM app to make international money transfers.
In an exclusive interview to India Today, Smita Thackeray said corruption continues to be the mainstay of BMC.

By Kamlesh Damodar Sutar: In a major embarrassment for the Shiv Sena on the polling day, Thackeray bahu has slammed the way the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) works.

In an exclusive interview to India Today, Smita Thackeray, ex-wife of Jaidev Thackeray--late Bal Thackeray's estranged son--said corruption continues to be the mainstay of BMC.

The BMC has been run by the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance for the last few years. However, this time the two parties are going it alone in the polls.

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"Problems of pothole-ridden roads and corruption in BMC have remained unresolved," Smita Thackeray said, who stayed in Matoshree until her divorce with Jaidev in 2004.

ALSO READ: Why this Kolaveri Di over BMC polls? 4 things which make it the greatest

FACED PROBLEMS DESPITE MY FAMILY NAME

In a scathing criticism of the BMC, Thackeray said, "Files do not move, and work is slow" adding that the system needs to be "transparent".

"I have faced problems in spite of being from the (Thackeray) family," she said.

The election to the richest municipal corporation in the country is expected to be a close fight between Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena and Devendra Fadnavis-led BJP.

Besides Mumbai, elections to nine other municipal corporations are also underway.

ALSO READ: BMC election: 21 cartons of alcohol seized, cops smell plot to lure voters on dry day

WATCH: BMC poll: Thackeray bahu slams BMC for corruption

ANOTHER THACKERAY BAHU SPEAKS

Shalini Thackeray, who is the sister-in-law of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray, alleged conspiracy by some to prevent people from voting.

"People who have been voting for several years are not able to cast their votes because their names are not on the electoral list," Shalini said.

"Several people are going back without voting. I feel this is a conspiracy," she alleged adding that only when people vote in large numbers can the right candidate win.

She said the MNS has raised several important issues in the past and expects a good show in this election.

VOTE FOR CHANGE, SAYS CONGRESS

Congress' Sanjay Nirupam said Mumbaikars need good roads and a clean city and should vote for the Congress to help it bring about these positive changes in the city.

"Both the BJP and the Shiv Sena are playing dirty politics and people should understand this, and vote for the Congress," Nirupam said.

"We will approach the Election Commission as both the parties (BJP, Shiv Sena) have violated the code of conducted," he said.

Watch Video: BMC poll: Thackeray bahu slams BMC for corruption

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ALSO READ:

BMC election 2017: Your 7-point guide to everything you need to know

BMC election 2017: All you need to know about the bitter battle between Shiv Sena, BJP

--- ENDS ---
Taking an initiative to inspire people to vote in the ongoing BMC polls, restaurants and hotels in Mumbai are offering freebies and discounts to people who come in with inked fingers.

By India Today Web Desk: Restaurant owners in Mumbai are bent on sending customers to cast their votes for the ongoing BMC polls. And to ensure it, they are offering freebies and discounts to people who come in with inked fingers.

One such restaurant, an eatery named Delicious in Chembur, is giving 15 per cent discount on food to people who walk in after casting their votes.

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"I have noticed that in the past few years, the voting rate has gone down. So, I thought that if I offered such a discount at our restaurant, it might inspire people to vote," the owner of restaurant Delicious told ANI.

Customers also seem to be in the favour of this strategy. Some of them even feel that the offer of a discount will actually influence people to go cast their vote.

Also read: BMC Election 2017 LIVE: Shiv Sena-BJP fight it out in battle of prestige

The good news is, Delicious is not the only restaurant making this offer.

Some 7,000 restaurants, hotels, pubs and bars in Mumbai are said to be offering special discounts and/or freebies to customers with the indelible ink mark on their fingers, proving that they have voted.

"We have noticed that Mumbaikars are generally not very responsive during elections, the same attitude was witnessed in the 2014 Lok Sabha and Maharashtra assembly elections," said Indian Hotel and Restaurant Association President (AHAR) Adarsh Shetty.

Also read: Slick faux-Bombay-style diners are booming across the country

An IANS report said that the state election commissioner (SEC) "wholeheartedly approved" the idea of offering discounts to voters after AHAR suggested.

After all, who doesn't like a good discount on food, right?

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The two brands, belonging to a Malaysian holding company, have been up for sale since last year, and various reports have placed several automakers as potentially interested parties.Among the mentioned brands that could have secretly placed a bid for Lotus, Proton, or both, are Renault, Suzuki, and Chinas Geely.A previous report from Reuters that quoted undisclosed sources that were claimed to be close to the matter, noted that Renault and Suzuki had lost interest in the purchase of Proton and Lotus, but the Chinese at Geely are still discussing the possibility.Meanwhile, Groupe PSA might be Geelys main rival in its attempt of buying the Proton and Lotus brands from their Malaysian owners.As some of you know by now, Groupe PSA was also interested in the possible acquisition of General Motors European arm, which consists of the Opel and Vauxhall brands. The French conglomerate could have the finances behind it to complete both deals, as it has a partnership with the Chinese at Dongfeng, which could supply a financial backing.Moreover, the Proton and Lotus brands are not reportedly sold for a massive amount when large corporations are concerned so that Groupe PSA might afford it without any outside assistance. Officials of the French organization have told Financial Times that they regularly explore new business opportunities.The answer provided by Groupe PSA regarding the situation is standard practice, as the Australians at CarAdvice noted, and we would not be surprised if they offered the same reply when inquired by a different representative of the media regarding the situation.In other words, Peugeot and Citroens parent company is not interested in unveiling if it does want to buy Proton and Lotus, but it could do it regardless of these statements.Groupe PSA could benefit from Lotus engineering expertise, while the British brand will get a reliable partner to supply it with technology and fund its next products. The French conglomerate already has a partnership Lotus Japanese engine suppliers, Toyota, so Lotus will still be able to get motors from them if it desires.Meanwhile, Proton could help Peugeot and Citroen sell more of its platforms and technologies on an emerging market. Peugeot is interested in achieving significant sales volumes, and these could also come from Malaysia if the deal is finished.Do not place your bets just yet, as these discussions might be concluded with a different buyer for Proton and Lotus. Regardless of their new owner, it is more important to petrolheads to keep the brands alive instead of seeing them disappear from the market.
TDI

The latest regarding the emissions scandal started after the German conglomerate admitted it used a defeat device to cheat in emissions tests comes from two British lawyers, who responded to statements made by Volkswagens managing director in the United Kingdom.As The Telegraph notes, Volkswagen UKs managing director, Paul Willis, was questioned by the transport select committee regarding the emissions scandal.Wills argued that the company will provide a quick technical fix to make-engined vehicles sold in the United Kingdom be compliant with standards, and he then blamed a failure in regulation as the cause of the problem.The statements that infuriated two lawyers who represent Volkswagen customers in cases against the company were that the automaker never sold cars on emissions levels, and a claim from Wills that they (Volkswagen UK) never misled anyone on anything.The German companys highest representative in the United Kingdom explained that British drivers did not buy the diesel-engined models because they were eco-friendly, but admitted that between 1 and five percent of their affected clients told them that the green credentials of the vehicles affected their purchase decisions towards the German conglomerate.Attorneys do not agree with Wills statement, and one of the solicitors who spoke with The Telegraph , Damon Parker, stated that he felt that Volkswagen treated British motorists with disdain.Parker works for Harcus Sinclair, a law firm that represents about 31,000 Volkswagen customers in the UK, and he wants to obtain compensation from Volkswagen for misleading his clients.A solicitor from Your Lawyers Ltd, Aman Johal, told journalists that he was shocked and astounded when he heard Volkswagens representative claim that the company has not misled customers. Mr. Johal is also pursuing a claim against the German automaker.We expect the situation regarding Volkswagens dieselgate to continue to make headlines for years, as a story of this magnitude is difficult to ignore.
NHTSA

These campaigns will fix about 18,000 vehicles in total for different issues that may put the safety of their occupants at risk in the event of a crash. No injuries or deaths have been linked to the problems, but Mercedes-Benz wants to be sure that its customers are safe from any potential harm.The largest recall targets 12,456 units, which could have an issue with the passenger detection system. Mercedes-Benz has informed the NHTSA that the situation could lead to the passengers side airbags might not be deployed in the event of an accident because the system might disable them.The 2017 E300 and E43 are affected by the issue, and all owners will be contacted in March to schedule an appointment with their preferred dealers.The second-largest recall announced by Mercedes-Benz focuses on 5,882 units sold in the USA. The affected models are 2017 GLE , and GLS SUVs, which may encounter the unlatching of the center console in particular types of crashes. Mercedes-Benz will modify their center consoles to ensure that these parts remain latched in the event of an accident.One of the recall campaigns targets the 2017 E-Class , in the form of the E300. The version of the model might have been fitted with a potentially faulty column-mounted shifter module.The module in question might have a damaged circuit board that could prevent the lever from selecting a gear. This action targets only 73 vehicles, but thestill had to be advised of the situation.A different recall targets the windshields of four vehicles that may not have received sufficient adhesive in the bonding process of the glass element. Because of that problem, Mercedes-Benz fears that the windshields of four MY2016 GLS450 and GLE350 models could detach in a crash.The owners of the affected automobiles will be notified, and they will get new windshields to prevent any potential harm that could have been caused in the event of an accident.
Uber has hired former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to lead an investigation into a former engineer's explosive allegations of gender discrimination and sexual harassment, according to a company-wide email sent on Monday by CEO Travis Kalanick. This comes less than 24 hours after Uber board member Arianna Huffington said that she and new HR chief Liane Hornsey would lead an "independent" investigation, which some quickly noted was hardly independent.

Huffington and Hornsey both will still be involved, as will Holder's law partner Tammy Albarran and Uber associate general counsel Angela Padilla. The group also will dig into Uber's overall workplace culture as it pertains to diversity and inclusion. In that vein, Kalanick pledged that Uber in the coming months will release its first workforce diversity report, something it hasn't done despite the example set by many of Silicon Valley's other large technology companies.

Why Holder? He's a respected outsider, although he has been publicly supportive of Uber in the past, such as arguing in favor of the company's background check practices. Holder also was hired last summer by Airbnb to craft an anti-discrimination policy, so he has some Silicon Valley experience.

What's next: Uber will be closely watched as it embarks on this investigation, and especially once the results are out. With a longstanding reputation for ignoring and excusing bad behavior, there will be a lot of pressure on the company to make bold moves if Holder finds the allegations to be truthful.

Below is Kalanick's email

Team,It's been a tough 24 hours. I know the company is hurting, and understand everyone has been waiting for more information on where things stand and what actions we are going to take.

First, Eric Holder, former US Attorney General under President Obama, and Tammy Albarran -- both partners at the leading law firm Covington & Burling-- will conduct an independent review into the specific issues relating to the work place environment raised by Susan Fowler, as well as diversity and inclusion at Uber more broadly. Joining them will be Arianna Huffington, who sits on Uber's board, Liane Hornsey, our recently hired Chief Human Resources Officer, and Angela Padilla, our Associate General Counsel. I expect them to conduct this review in short order.

Second, Arianna is flying out to join me and Liane at our all hands meeting tomorrow to discuss what's happened and next steps. Arianna and Liane will also be doing smaller group and one-on-one listening sessions to get your feedback directly.

Third, there have been many questions about the gender diversity of Uber's technology teams. If you look across our engineering, product management, and scientist roles, 15.1% of employees are women and this has not changed substantively in the last year. As points of reference, Facebook is at 17%, Google at 18% and Twitter is at 10%. Liane and I will be working to publish a broader diversity report for the company in the coming months.

I believe in creating a workplace where a deep sense of justice underpins everything we do. Every Uber employee should be proud of the culture we have and what we will build together over time. What is driving me through all this is a determination that we take what's happened as an opportunity to heal wounds of the past and set a new standard for justice in the workplace. It is my number one priority that we come through this a better organization, where we live our values and fight for and support those who experience injustice.

Thanks,Travis




First up, Joe Biden is thinking about dropping tariffs against China. But theres a spy in prison this morning that helps us understand why he shouldnt. Ill explain.





Your second brief, If youre looking for a good paying job, you might consider being a CEO for a health insurance company. One executive made $142M dollars last year. Let's talk about that.





And as always, Im keeping an eye out for developing stories. Put this one on your radar. Mexican cartels are grooming American kids online and paying them cash to traffic illegals or run drugs across the border. Ill share details.





If you enjoyed this episode of the President's Daily Brief, remember to subscribe and listen daily at podfollow.com/pdb.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The protestors at polling booth in Gavanpada area reportedly attacked Singh's SUV asking him to step out of the booth and asked the police to take action against him.

By Divyesh Singh: BJP MLA Sardar Tara Singh from Mulund was gheraoed by around 300 workers of different parties when he tried to enter a polling booth in Gavanpada area of Mulund east when the polling was about to end.

A worker from MNS protested initially, after which Singh was asked to leave the polling booth immediately. This led to a protest like situation outside the polling booth and around 300 party workers of various other parties gheraoed Singh's car.

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The protestors reportedly attacked Singh's SUV asking him to step out of the booth and asked the police to take action against him. The protest went on for an hour after which the police present on the spot dispersed the crowd and rescued Singh from the spot.

Singh was taken to the Navghar Police Station where he stayed till the voting ended at 5:30 pm. BJP MP Kirit Somaiya also visited the police station to meet Singh.

Also read: Who will rule Mumbai? BJP catches up with Shiv Sena on BMC turf, says exit poll

Talking to India Today, Singh said, "I went to the polling booth as our candidate from that ward complained that electricity had gone off in the school where the booth was located. I checked with the returning officer but did not enter the polling area and when I was leaving, people from other parties started protesting."

Singh added, "The protestors did not allow me to leave for more than an hour and kept banging my car. It was the police who rescued me safely from the spot."

Also read: BMC polls: Politicians, civilians throng polling booths to exercise their franchise

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By Divyesh Singh: Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls have brought people from all corners of the city together to exercise their rights. In one of the polling booths in Bhandup, a newly married couple attracted attention.

The couple, after completing their nuptial ceremony, rushed to a polling booth in Bhandup to cast their vote for the BMC elections. Uday Shinde and Swapnali Shinde got married on Tuesday morning.

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The couple completed the primary rituals and then marched towards the IDBS school polling booth to cast their vote while the guests and relatives waited for them."Voting is not only a right but my duty as a citizen. We completed the primary rituals of marriage and then proceeded towards the polling booth to cast our vote.

Some relatives objected to us leaving the rituals mid way, but we convinced them and finally were allowed to go to the polling booth," Uday told India Today.

"We have been facing so many civic issues like bad roads, water crisis, pollution but to put an end to these problems one needs to vote. My husband and I had decided that we will surely cast our vote and as soon as the rings were exchanged we left the wedding hall to reach the polling booth," said Swapnali.

PARALYSIS DID NOT DETER THIS WOMAN

Shobha Khotkar(59) arrives to cast her vote. Shobha Khotkar(59) arrives to cast her vote.

For many their circumstances did not deter their willingness to vote and look forward to change. Shobha Khotkar (59) who has been paralysed below waist, came to the IDBS School in Bhandup to cast her vote.

"If I don't cast my vote, I have no right to complain against the civic authorities. We need better roads, open spaces, parks and better infrastructure facilities in the city. Casting my vote ensures that I have performed my duty, now it is the elected representative who has to deliver," said Khotar.

The voting percentage at this booth by noon was around fifteen percent.

Also read:

Bollywood A-listers to skip BMC election?

BMC Election 2017: Shiv Sena-BJP fight it out in battle of prestige

BMC election 2017: All you need to know about the bitter battle between Shiv Sena, BJP

--- ENDS ---
Even if the final figure remains around 52 percent it will be higher than by eight percent than the previous BMC election in 2012.

By Kiran Tare: With approximately 52 percent voting in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) election today both BJP and Shiv Sena have claimed that the high voter turnout will work in their favour.

The election commission has maintained that the final figures of the voter turnout will be released late night. Even if the final figure remains around 52 percent it will be higher than by eight percent than the previous BMC election in 2012.

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The BJP has assumed that the high voter turnout is an indication that the Mumbaikars wanted parivartan (change) in the city's "corrupt" administration. "More turnover means people are yearing for a change and they are in our favour," said BJP spokesperson Madhav Bhandari.

Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant too claimed that the verdict is in his party's favour. "There was a big wave against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his decision of demonetisation. Those who suffered a lot because of the move have voted for us," he said.

Political observers say that both BJP and Shiv Sena have equal chances in the election. "If the voter turnout had remained less than 40 percent the Shiv Sena had great chance to secure majority. BJP has somehow managed to remain in the contest and it would be too close," said a commentator.

The observers believe that Shiv Sena will increase its tally from 72 to 90 whereas BJP will grow from 32 to 80. The difference between both the parties will not be more than 10 seats.

Meanwhile, the election commission has received complained from several candidates saying that around 12 lakh people could not vote in the election as their names were deleted from the voters' list without their knowledge.

The outcome of the BMC election will be a mandate on chief minister Devendra Fadnavis who had announced that each vote for the BJP will be counted as a vote for him. He had acquired a centre stage in the election with his aggressive campaign and tall promises of development and transparency in the administration.

ALSO READ:Maharashtra civic elections over: Shiv Sena or BJP - who will conquer cash rich BMC?WATCH VIDEO

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Brajesh Pandey pleaded innocence and said that he has been framed in false charges.

Pandey, who had unsuccessfully contested from Govindganj constituency in East Champaran in 2015, pleaded innocence in his resignation letter.

By Press Trust of India: Bihar Congress Vice-President Brajesh Kumar alias Brajesh Pandey has been booked in a case of sexual exploitation of a minor girl, following which he tendered resignation from his post.

Pandey has been booked under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act on the basis of a supervision note submitted by CID Womens cell DSP Mamta Kalyani, IGP (Weaker Section) Anil Kishore Yadav told PTI today.

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Refusing to divulge more details, the IGP told PTI that investigation is on in the matter.

Pandeys name has been included in the case along with main accused Nikhil Priyadarshi.

THE VICTIM SAYS

The victim girl, daughter of a former state minister also from Congress, alleged that Priyadarshi duped her in the name of marriage and blackmailed her with his brother, another co-accused and the Congress leader.

Also read: UP election: As Lucknow goes to the polls, its most famous voter - Atal Bihari Vajpayee - won't get inked

Also read: Bhojpuri film men, lured by ISI, arrested for plotting train derailment in Bihar

An FIR has been registered in this connection with SC/ST police station in Patna.

Priyadarshi and the other co-accused are absconding after a local court recently rejected their anticipatory bail.

Alleging that Pandey, who was introduced to her as a big leader, used to threaten her with dire consequences, she accused him of being involved in a sex racket.

MINISTER QUITS FOR PARTY'S SAKE

As the matter hogged media limelight, Pandey resigned from his post saying, "I do not want that the party suffer in any manner because of me".

He faxed his resignation letter to state party president Ashok Choudhary.

Also read: 35,000 arrested after Nitish Kumar's liquor ban, Bihar needs more jails

State party spokesman Harkhu Jha said in a statement that the state president, who is now campaigning for Uttar Pradesh Assembly election, accepted the resignation.

Pandey, who had unsuccessfully contested from Govindganj constituency in East Champaran in 2015, pleaded innocence in his resignation letter.

The victim girl has been accusing Nikhil Priyadarshi and his family but "I do not know how come she is now naming me... I am deliberately victimised on behalf of somebody," he said in the letter.

WATCH:

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If you thought Parliaments hearings on the new mortgage rules was boring, you missed last weeks exchange between MP Ron Liepert and CMHC head, Evan Siddall.

This 4-minute video captures the tension

Never, to our recollection, has there been such animosity towards the regulatory 3-Amigos: CMHC, OSFI and the Department of Finance. The trios insurance policies have ravaged mortgage competition, jacked up borrowing costs and are destined to cost consumers billions (literally billions)if theyre not overturned.

With most industry professionals we speak to, theres an almost palpable loss of respect for federal regulators. Its unhealthy, its unnecessary and it could have all been avoided.

How? By conferring with industry experts before decreeing their policies, and by preserving sacred competition in Canadas oligopoly-dominated mortgage market. These two reasonable measures would not have prevented rulemakers from achieving their goal, mitigating consumer debt risk.

In his testimony, Siddall acknowledged making recommendations to the Finance Minister. Those recommendations resulted in the withdrawal of vital insurance and securitization options for:

refinances average-priced houses in Toronto and Vancouver rental properties amortizations over 25 years, and low-ratio mortgages qualified at the contract rate.

Had officials justified these specific edicts in their testimony (with relevant data), it might have disarmed their critics. Instead, government representatives unapologetically demonstrated how little they thought about the wake of destruction theyve left for lenders and consumers.

What follows is a sampling of testimony from one who many consider to be Canadas biggest promoter of the new rules, Evan Siddall.

*******

Siddall on why the mortgage industry was never consulted:

More often than not our advice and analysis is provided confidentially, given that housing finance policy decisions can affect the marketplaceBroad consultations are not always appropriate.

Counterpoint: Industry was consulted countless times before on pending regulation. Given the gravity of these particular rules, this time should not have been an exception. The feds defence seems to be that traders might have shorted lenders stocks if the government tipped its hand before announcing the rules. But banks are public companies and they were consulted, noted MP Dan Albas. Why did policy-makers find it appropriate to solicit feedback from banks (but virtually no other lenders) before decreeing the most devastating rule changes the non-bank industry has ever seen. With no one to counterbalance regulators proposals, the mortgage industry got rash bank-biased policy. Canadian families will now bear layers of new costs, for possibly years to come. (Side note: Theres no reason to blame banks for these rules but, relatively speaking, they do benefit from them.)

Siddall on the damage to mortgage competition:

The results of these policy changes were fully intendedWe did expect lower levels of competition in certain areas as well as a modest increase in mortgage ratesIn our judgment the mortgage insurance regime was providing undesirable stimulus in the marketplace so indeed we sought to remove distortion

Counterpoint: So the government picked favourites. It chose to cripple non-banks instead of raising qualification standards on all lenders equally. Siddall supported these changes despite non-banks demonstrating 50% lower delinquency rates than banks, based on his (CMHCs) own data. Non-banks, and the brokers they distribute through, have been a primary reason why consumers get bigger discounts on mortgages today than they did two decades ago. But now theyve been marginalized and consumers will pay the price. By the way, regulators idea of modest rate increases is up to 50 bps. Thats up to $6,800 of extra interest on a $300,000 mortgage, over just the first five years. That money could pay someones university tuition for a year, or cover a familys child-care expenses, or pay a homeowners hydro bill for four yearsall of which are better uses of a familys hard-earned income than government-imposed interest costs.

Siddall on the governments key concern:

Action, we thought, wasneeded to address the level of household indebtedness in CanadaThe Bank of Canada calls this factor the greatest vulnerability to our economic outlook

Counterpoint: No one can argue that surging consumer debt isnt dangerous. It is. And the government is reasonable for wanting to take action. But Siddall and his cohorts didnt just take action. They cut off a leg to treat a gangrenous toe. There were multiple alternative treatments they could have prescribed to keep fringe borrowers from O.D.-ing on debt. (Examples). And all of those methods would have left the patientCanadas world-class competitive mortgage marketintact.

Part II will follow this week

Sidebar: Heres a link to all of the Finance Committees hearings on mortgage policy.

Commentaries reflect the views of the author and not necessarily the views of this publications parent.
NASDAQ is an acronym for the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations. The NASDAQ stock exchange is owned by Nasdaq, Inc. and serves as an international electronic marketplace where investors can buy and sell securities. It is the second largest stock exchange in the world.

The NASDAQ exchange lists stocks from virtually every sector of the economy. Although they are heavily weighted in technology, you will also see them as a leader in fields such as healthcare and biotech, energy and industrials and financial services.

And the NASDAQ is also an index which is referred to as the NASDAQ Composite. When you hear that the NASDAQ was up or down, they are referring to the index.

This index measures over 3,000 stocks listed on the NASDAQ exchange and includes the worlds leading tech stocks including the FAANG stocks. The index is a mathematical average of the stocks that are listed. The NASDAQ index cant be traded. However, investors can purchase an index fund that is similar to a mutual fund or an ETF and is made up of the stocks in the index.

The purpose of this article is to provide a brief history of the NASDAQ, explain how its different from the NYSE and the Dow Jones Index, and why the NASDAQ is important to investors.

What Were the Origins of the NASDAQ?

The NASDAQ started trading on February 8, 1971. It was created as an alternative to the NYSE so as to give new, emerging companies a way into the stock market. Since the NYSE is made up of primarily blue-chip companies with a large market capitalization, many financially sound companies with modest assets had to look for alternate means to raise capital.

At first, the NASDAQ only provided quotations and matched buyers and sellers with dealers. As it started trading, it became a source for speculative, over-the-counter (OTC) stocks to raise capital. However, when it became the first U.S. stock market to conduct online trading, it soon became the go-to exchange for technology stocks that saw it as a more modern way to list their stocks. In a way, it reflected the innovation that those companies represented.

What Are the Listing Requirements for the NASDAQ?

For starters, the NASDAQ is a company. So every company that wishes to be listed on the NASDAQ has to pay an initial listing fee. This fee can be between $50,000 and $75,000. In addition, there is an annual fee to remain as a member. This fee can be as lows as $42,000 or as high as $155,000 depending on the companys size.

But being part of an exchange is not just a matter of paying dues. To be listed, a company must meet a set of requirements. These include but are not limited to:

Quantitative financial requirements (earnings, market cap, and assets)

Corporate governance standards that give clear guidance about issues like shareholder rights and annual meetings

Once a stock is listed, they must continue to meet regulatory requirements by making financial information about the company and the stock available to the public. And, the companies listed on the NASDAQ must meet SEC requirements, including the filing of financial reports. All of this is done to provide transparency to investors. For this reason, as the NASDAQ has grown up it is no longer the domain of speculative over-the-counter stocks.

How is the NASDAQ Different from the NYSE?

Initially, the primary difference between the NYSE and NASDAQ was in the way trades were conducted. The NYSE is an auction market. As the word auction implies, trades occur between buyers who offer a bid price for a stock and sellers who have an ask price. The highest bidding price is matched with the lowest asking price. The NASDAQ, by contrast, started as a dealers market where these dealers served as middlemen between buyers and sellers.

With the advent of trading technology, the difference in methodology between the two exchanges is more subtle. The NASDAQ now automatically matches buyers and sellers similar to an auction system. And the NYSE relies heavily on computers to facilitate their trades. One of the differences remains the presence of human brokers who still man the trading floor of the NYSE.

Another subtle difference comes with how the exchanges ensure liquidity and security. On the NYSE, each security has a Designated Market Maker (DMM) who serves as an auctioneer of sorts. Unlike the NYSE, each security on the NASDAQ has multiple Market Makers to help ensure liquidity. Apple, for example, has 54 registered Market Makers.

Yet another difference can be found in the size and profile of the companies listed with each exchange. As of June 2022, the NYSE includes approximately 2,400 companies with a market capitalization of over $28.2 trillion. The NASDAQ has over 3,300 listings with a total market capitalization of $11 trillion dollars. Why is this significant? The NYSE has been around since 1792 making it the oldest stock exchange and for almost 200 years the only game in town. As a result, it is home to many of what are seen as the blue-chip companies. The NASDAQ, by comparison, generally consists of stocks that are more volatile and growth oriented. In recent years, it is for housing the FAANG stocks (Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, and Google/Alphabet).

How is the NASDAQ Different from the Dow?

Both the Dow and the NASDAQ are predictive indicators of the market direction. In the case of the Dow, the stocks can be listed on the NYSE or the NASDAQ exchanges.

The Dow Jones (also known as The Dow) is an index of what are considered the 30 biggest companies in terms of scale and firm returns. When stock reports are given you usually hear reference to The Dow was up X number of points or The Dow was down X number of points. This is referring to the average of these 30 stocks. It is considered to be a broad view of the market in general. You may also hear the phrase advancers versus decliners. This refers to how many stocks in the Dow 30 made gains for the day (advancers) and how many had losses (decliners).

The companies in the Dow 30 make up the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA). Some investors may buy an index fund which contains only the securities that make up the Dow 30.

The NASDAQ is also an index, but it is also an exchange that is made up of over 3,400 individual securities. Many of these securities are in the technology sector. Some of these securities may be part of the Dow 30, but the index as a whole is separate from the Dow. Like the Dow, many investors choose to invest in index funds that are tailored to stocks in the NASDAQ. The USAA NASDAQ 100 Index Fund (USNQX) is one such fund. This fund includes the 100 biggest stocks (non-financial) that are listed on the NASDAQ exchange.

What Does the NASDAQ Say About Investor Sentiment?

The NASDAQ offers growth investors a cue to how much risk the market is willing to absorb at a given moment. For example, when you hear that the Dow is up (which usually means the NYSE is up), it typically signals a time of where investors may be less inclined to take risks. But when the NASDAQ is up and the Dow is down or trailing, it usually signifies that investors are more confident about the overall economy and are willing to assume more risk.

And as we stated earlier, the NASDAQ still plays a critical role in how many young companies go public. There were 34 initial public offerings (IPOs) posted on the NYSE in 2016. This was just three percent of the total volume of IPOs worldwide. By contrast, in that same year, the NASDAQ held 77 IPOs which was seven percent of global IPOs, more than double that of the NYSE.

Some Final Thoughts on the NASDAQ Stock Exchange

The arrival of the NASDAQ stock exchange in the 1970s created a choice for investors that meant more than just choosing Coke or Pepsi. By offering a lower cost of entry and welcoming start-ups with a focus on innovation, the NASDAQ gave these companies a stock exchange that looked like them.

Today, the NASDAQ is the largest electronic stock market with over 3,000 companies listed. And ironically, the five largest companies in terms of market cap are listed on the NASDAQ. However, although this stock exchange has grown up a bit, it still retains its rebellious cache. With its focus on technology stocks, many of the worlds most nimble and innovative companies look to get listed on the NASDAQ as a way to raise capital. It is almost synonymous with technology and serves as a predictor of the broader markets appetite for risk.
Orange S.A. provides various fixed telephony and mobile telecommunications, data transmission, and other value-added services to customers, businesses, and other telecommunications operators in France and internationally. It operates through France; Spain and Other European Countries; The Africa and Middle East; Enterprise; International Carriers & Shared Services; and Mobile Financial Services segments. The company offers mobile services, such as voice, SMS, and data; fixed broadband and narrowband services, as well as fixed network business solutions, including voice and data; and convergence packages. It also sells mobile handsets, mobile terminals, broadband equipment, connected devices, and accessories. In addition, the company provides IT and integration services comprising unified communication and collaboration services, such as LAN and telephony, consultancy, integration, and project management; hosting and infrastructure services, including cloud computing; customer relations management and other applications services; security services; and video conferencing, as well as sells related equipment. Further, it offers national and international roaming services; online advertising services; and mobile virtual network operators, network sharing, and mobile financial services, as well as sells equipment to external distributors and brokers. Orange S.A. markets its products and services under the Orange brand. The company was formerly known as France Telecom and changed its name to Orange S.A. in July 2013. Orange S.A. was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in Issy-les-Moulineaux, France.
Regularly heralded as the greatest Cuban film of all time, Tomas Gutierrez Aleas Memories of Underdevelopment is a ranging, challenging work. A cine-essay blend of fictional narrative and documentary observation, it stands out even in the febrile atmosphere of post-revolutionary Cuba. The 1960s saw a number of widely touted films from what is often referred to as the countrys cinematic golden age: from Mikheil Kalatozishvilis I Am Cuba to Humberto Solas Lucia, by way of urgent cinema and Santiago Alvarezs proto-music video Now.



Much appraisal comes from the lips of its protagonist, Sergio (Sergio Corrieri), an urbane Europhile intellectual who decides to remain in Havana when his wife and parents flee to America shortly after the Bay of Pigs fiasco. Hes a self-styled anthropologist, observing the people of a declining society after a revolution he cannot really fathom. He bandies around the term underdevelopment not primarily in the economic or industrial sense that it is more often employed, but in reference to the women he meets and lusts after. He typifies their problem as an inability to establish links between things, to gather experience and grow.

Sergio obsessively listens to a recording of an antagonistic exchange with his ex-wife, but when he meets a new young women, the 16-year-old Elena (Daisy Granados), he gravitates towards recreating what he has lost, furnishing her with his wifes old European-style dresses. In many senses Elena is a cypher for a Cuba that is defiled by Western influences, but the way in which Sergio escapes punishment casts a clearly critical eye on the countrys own direction. This is also reflected in Sergios maintained status as a member of the bourgeoisie. He still lives in a large, glamorous, well-serviced apartment. He still receives income for property.

Sergio can still use his time to wander Havanas streets on a perpetual derive, continually exasperated by a people he cant understand. Sergios clear alienation is an echo of prevailing European cinematic trends of the time. This Euro-inflected narrative jangles against the vitality of Aleas style in the same way that Sergio does against the world around him. Alea playfully utilises Western inspiration with one hand and subtly condemns it with the other. He is keen never to completely unwrap this enigmatic national portrait. Instead he punctuates it with documentary, or documentary-like, interludes of various kinds and flitting through time.

These asides express the fervour of the country  particularly palpable in the year between the Bay of Pigs and the Missile Crisis, which serve as the narratives start and end points  and fill in the explicit political commentary that Sergio notably tends to omit. They provide the Cuban flavour that juxtaposes against the European existentialism, expressing the protagonists turmoil through form while allowing Alea to take sly shots in various directions, imbuing this complex work with vital energy. Memories of Underdevelopment is ripe for rediscovery.

Ben Nicholson | @BRNicholson
During her Senate confirmation hearings, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos was attacked in every way imaginable. She was called names. Her intelligence, commitment, and religiosity were called into question. In nominating DeVos, Trump makes it loud and clear that his education policy will focus on privatizing, defunding and destroying public education in America, seethed American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten. Chicago Teachers Union boss Karen Lewis referred to DeVos as a nightmare. Speaking a day before the confirmation vote, Minnesota senator Al Franken pointed out DeVoss supposed lack of experience in the field, insisting that education secretary is not a job for amateurs.

The vitriol hasnt abated since DeVos was confirmed on February 7, with Vice President Mike Pence breaking a 50-50 tie. Weingarten proclaimed DeVoss confirmation a sad day for children. National Education Association leader Lily Eskelsen Garcia was defiant. There will be no relationship with Betsy DeVos, she insisted. California Teacher Association capo Eric Heins referred to the nomination as a blow to our nation. Filmmaker Michael Moore tweeted, The Senate Republicans have just sent a big FU to the school children of America. Even the worst countries dont sh*t on their own kids. And most delirious of all, Vanity Fair film critic Richard Lawson tweeted, Betsy DeVoss policies will kill children. That is not an exaggeration in any sense.

The viciousness toward DeVos is animated by several things: she is rich, a Christian, a Republican, and, worst of all, a school-choice supporter. As chairman of the American Federation of Children, she has devoted much of her adult life trying to provide children with the best possible education, whether via a private school, home school, charter, or traditional public school. This drives the public-school monopolists crazy, as it hints at an alternative to the nineteenth-century, one-size-fits-all education model they control.

[DeVoss] concentration on charter schools and vouchers . . . raises the question of whether or not she fully appreciates that the Secretary of Educations primary focus must be on helping states and communities, parents, teachers, school board members, and administrators strengthen our public schools, commented Maine senator Susan Collins, one of two Republicans who voted against DeVos. Collins is wrong. The Department of Educations mission is, simply, to ensure equal access to education and to promote educational excellence throughout the nation. The department has no special brief to promote public schools. Its sole focus is on improving education outcomes.

What those who cling to the education status quo dont understandor wont acknowledgeis that Secretary DeVos isnt an absolute monarch ruling over a vast national education empire. In fact, the great majority of U.S. education policy and financing is handled at the state and local levels. Fordham Institute president Mike Petrilli points out that the education secretarys job is to work with members of Congress and governors, to understand how a bill becomes a law, to provide moral support to reformers as they fight it out in the states and at the local level. Being an outsider makes DeVos an especially good pick. The strength of Secretary DeVoss appointment is that she brings strong independent leadership to American education, observes National Association of Scholars president Peter Wood. She will not be steered by organized labor or by the higher education establishment. This means that we have the opportunity for real reform.

While the establishmentarians are choice-phobic, parents arent. In fact, school choice is popular. A recent EdChoice survey revealed that most American parents arent getting the educational options they want. When asked about their preferences, 41 percent of parents said that they prefer a private school; 28 percent, a public district school; 17 percent, a charter school; 11 percent, home school. But as things stand now, 83 percent of students attend traditional public schools.

Despite the monopolists panic, school choice wont kill off public schools; theyll just have to try harder to hold on to their customers. In fact, as EdChoices Greg Forster has shown, vouchers make public education better. According to Forster, out of 33 studies examining the effects on public schools where private-school options exist, 31 showed an improvement in public schools and one study showed no effect. Only one study revealed a negative effect on public-school students. Ill take 31 to 1 any day.

Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Exit polls conducted by Axis-My-India after Tuesday's elections indicated both parties secured a vote share of 32 percent each. The Congress, the survey showed, could manage 16 percent, the NCP four and the MNS eight percent.

By Harmeet Shah Singh: Billed as a citadel of Maharashtra's Shiv Sena, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) might be on course to welcome the BJP as an equally powerful - if not more - stakeholder in its governance, exit polls showed.

The Shiv Sena fielded candidates on all 227 BMC wards across the metropolis for Tuesday's elections. The Congress fought 221 and the BJP 211. Besides, the MNS contested 201 wards, the NCP 171, the BSP 109, the Samajwadi Party 76 and the Hyderabad-based AIMIM 56.

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Partners in the central and state governments, the Shiv Sena and the BJP opposed each other on the BMC turf because of various factors, including differences over seat-sharing.

Exit polls conducted by Axis-My-India after Tuesday's elections indicated both parties secured a vote share of 32 percent each. The Congress, the survey showed, could manage 16 percent, the NCP four and the MNS eight percent.

In terms of wards, the exit poll forecast 86 to 92 seats for the Shiv Sena. The BJP followed closely, with a possible victory in 80 to 88 wards, the post-election survey predicted.

The Congress is likely to win 30 to 34 seats, the NCP three to six and the MNS five to seven, according to the exit poll.

Official data show the Mumbai metropolis accounts for a major portion of the nation's international trade and government revenue. The BMC, figures reveal, is not just the richest municipal corporation in the country but is wealthier than one of the other three major metros by ten times.

Against the BMC's budget of Rs 37,052 crore for 2016-17, the allocation for the municipal corporations of Delhi was Rs 6,919 crore, Rs 5,123.51 crore for the Greater Chennai Corporation and Rs 3,793 crore for Kolkata Municipal Corporation for the same year.

Historically, Mumbai's iconic BMC has remained a Shiv Sena stronghold.

The Sena, which fought past its elections in alliance with the BJP, won 75 seats in 2012 and 84 in 2007 on its own. Its junior partner, the BJP, secured 31 wards in 2012 and 28 in 2007.

But Tuesday's Axis-My-India exit polls showed the Sena's former ally in the BMC catching up with it neck-and-neck as a competitor in this year's vote.

ALSO READ:Maharashtra civic elections over: Shiv Sena or BJP - who will conquer cash rich BMC?WATCH VIDEO

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It was three days into the New Year at LaGuardia Community College in Queens, and Governor Andrew Cuomo was spooling himself into a pitch for a major 2017 policy initiative: free tuition at New Yorks two public universities. Back in the day, he declared with voice rising, if you were from Queens you could work your way up and . . . you could be as successful as anyone. And the great equalizer was the public education system. With a public education you could go from anywhere and wind up anything. You could be Mario Cuomo, my father, born to poor Italian immigrants in South Jamaica, Queens and you could wind up Governor of the state of New York all from the public education system.

It was a classic Cuomo tub-thumpand, as is all too often the case with the governors orations, it essentially wasnt true. Yes, Mario Cuomo did attend a public grammar school, but from that point on, it was private school, all the way: St. Johns Preparatory School, St. Johns University, and St. Johns Law School. And there is considerable irony in this, insofar as the free tuition scheme that Cuomo the Younger is advancing could do substantial damage to New Yorks highly regarded, and economically critical, network of private colleges and universitiesthe path that his father really took to Albanys Executive Mansion.

How much would free tuition at New Yorks public universities really cost, anyway? Is it even necessary? And who would pay for it?

The governors plan seems straightforward enough. He means to provide topping-off aidthe difference between actual SUNY/CUNY tuition and existing subsidiesfor full-time students from families with adjusted gross income (AGI) up to $125,000 annually. Potentially, those students could emerge from college debt-free. The new cashas proposed, $71 million in the first year, growing to $163 million annuallywould come on top of New Yorks already robust assistance, effectively eliminating what is currently one of the nations lowest public-university tuitions. Indeed, SUNY/CUNY tuitionroughly $6,300 for New York residentsis the least expensive of any public institution in the Northeast and in the bottom quartile nationally, according to the university itself.

Thus the practical impact of Cuomos proposal mostly will be marginal. But theres no denying the schemes political appeal. Why else would Cuomo have had erstwhile Democratic president candidate Bernie Sanders standing to his right during the announcement? As always, its best to be leery of pols bearing free stuff, which almost always has hidden costs. Cuomos scheme is no exception.

Post-secondary education is an enormous industry in New York. The state and city universities together enroll more than 412,000 students and boast combined budgets of roughly $14 billion. Meanwhile, four-year enrollment at the states 350-plus private colleges and universities was roughly 490,000with an estimated combined economic impact of some $80 billion in 2015.

To be sure, New York generously subsidizes private-sector higher education. The formulas are complex, and while individual grants tend to be lower than in some other states, New York enrolls more students in aid programs, with the result that New York spends more on aid than most other states. Now Cuomo proposes to tinker with those aid formulas to help finance his free-tuition initiative. This has private-sector educators worried about the impact on their own lower- and middle-income studentsand on their institutions in general.

At present, New Yorks $1 billion-a-year Tuition Assistance Program, or TAP, is available to income-qualified state residents attending either public or private colleges. The maximum TAP award of $5,165 is calibrated to cover full SUNY or CUNY tuition when combined with federal aid to the poorest students. Students from families with adjusted gross incomes from roughly $60,000 to nearly $100,000 now are eligible for the minimum TAP award of $500. Not surprisingly, low-income students attending private institutions depend disproportionally on TAP aidas do the colleges.

What the governors announcement didnt say is that hes seeking to strip aggregate assistance from private schools that raise tuition even a tick above the Consumer Price Index. This arguably places at risk more than $220 million in subsidy cash, according to the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities. That may be a pittance in the context of total higher-education spending, but its money disbursed in small increments and often represents the difference between attending college or not.

Heres the problem in a nutshell: A $650 tuition increase at Albanys Siena College, a business-oriented liberal arts school whose $32,293 tuition attracts middle-class students, would match the projected CPI rateplus $5 or so. That $5 difference, however, could technically be enough to render all of Sienas low-income enrollees ineligible for TAP aid.

In the real world, such details would be massaged, but only up to a point. Siena and other private schools are already operating on the razors edge as they compete against one of the nations lowest public-university tuitionswhich Cuomo means to subsidize further at the expense of the privates.

Its a dangerous game for a governor who professes to value economic vibrancy. Academics aside, local colleges or universities are among the only job engines left in many depleted upstate communities. Messing with that mix is a fraught enterprise, so why would Cuomo want to do it?

The governor, who polls virtually everything, doubtless had no difficulty discovering tuition angst among New Yorks hard-pressed middle- and working-class voters. In that context, free tuition would be among the quickest of fixes for a governor committed to running for a third termand maybe with ambitions beyond that. So free tuition it is, and let the consequences fall where they may. Its hard to imagine that Mario Cuomo, proud private-college grad, would have approved.

Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images
The Charity Finance Group has warned that the charity sector could see its business rates bill hit 432m a year by 2019/20  more than double what it was in 2010/11.

Charities receive an 80 per cent mandatory relief on business rates on property occupied for charitable activity, and local authorities can apply a discretionary 20 per cent relief. However most choose not to do so.

In 2010/11 charities paid 210m and latest figures from the Department for Communities and Local Government show the sectors bill for 2017/18 is likely to be 390m.

If the current rate of growth continues, CFG projects that the sector will be paying 432m a year by 2019/20 and has written to the Chancellor

Correct this historical anomaly

A poll of 2,000 people carried out on by ComRes, CFG and the Institute of Fundraising has found that just 17 per cent of the public support the idea that charities should pay business rates.

Andrew OBrien, head of policy and engagement, said: There is a perception amongst the public that charities are tax free. This is simply not the case. Although we do receive support towards paying business rates, there are many charities which are still paying substantial amounts.

"This, alongside taxes such as IPT and irrecoverable VAT, should be seen as indirect taxes on peoples donations as they mean that there is less money left over to help beneficiaries.

It is time to correct this historically anomaly and create a simpler system which will see charitable resources flowing to where they should go, furthering charitable objectives.

Letter to the Chancellor

CFGs chief executive, Caron Bradshaw, has now written to the Chancellor Philip Hammond urging him to increase mandatory rate relief to 100 per cent.

She said: This is a significant cost burden on the charity sector, at a time when demand is increasing for services.

Bradshaw also told the Chancellor that charities in economically deprived areas are more affected because those councils which operate in areas of economic disadvantage and have a weaker tax base are least able to give discretionary rate relief.

At a time when, in the wake of Brexit, we need to do more to support the disadvantaged in our society and bring our country together, she said, we should reform the tax system so that charities are unshackled to help as many people as possible and deliver public benefit.




The Fundraising Regulator has recommended that charities should only contact people who have opted in to receive fundraising communications, say it is the clearest" and "safest form of consent.

Ahead of the joint conference on data protection being held in Manchester today by the Information Commissioners Office, the Fundraising Regulator and the Charity Commission, the fundraising watchdog has published a guidance document called Personal Information and Fundraising: Consent, Purpose and Transparency.

In the document, the Fundraising Regulator said that a move to communicating only with people who have opted in represents the clearest, safest, most future-proof way for charities to ensure they have the consent of donors once the General Data Protection Regulations - a new EU law governing the handling of data - comes into force in May 2018.

The regulator recommended that: Charities must have a clear understanding of the basis on which they will justify their collection and use of personal information for their direct marketing purposes."

It also said that: "Communications should include a mechanism to withdraw consent easily at any time.

The document said that existing ICO codes of practice and guidance, the existing GDPR definitions of consent, and the desire of the Fundraising Regulator to ensure that the sector adheres to good practice "all point to opt-in methods as the clearest, safest, most-future proof way of collecting and demonstrating consent".

The paper also questioned the use of the "legitimate interests" argument, which says fundraisers can say they needed to use donor data to carry out the legitimate interests of their charity.

It recommended that fundraising charities do not rely on legitimate interests unless it can be shown that the data was obtained fairly and lawfully and also said that legitimate interests will not be enough to make live calls to non-TPS and non-previous object numbers.

This is guidance, not standards

The Fundraising Regulator said that the document was guidance, not standards and nothing contained within it were stipulations or changes to the Code of Fundraising Practice.

Stephen Service, policy manager at the Fundraising Regulator, said: The first thing is, we havent said to charities that they have to move to opt-in. Effectively what were doing is going along with what the ICO is saying on this which is effectively that opt-in represents the safest way by which charities can evidence consent from individuals.

Service said that, as far as the Fundraising Regulator understands, some form of opt-out communications will still be legally valid after GDPR comes into force. However, Service did say that the Fundraising Regulator agrees with the ICO that fundraising charities will need some form of positive action from the individual to evidence consent.

Wed agree with the ICO that you need some form of positive action from the individual to evidence consent, said Service. If charities choose to ignore that, what the Fundraising Regulator is saying is theres a real risk there that if youre asked to evidence it, that evidence will be ambiguous.

Gerald Oppenheim, head of policy and communications at the Fundraising Regulator, said that the guidance was the first step in a process, and that the guidance would be amended in the future, before it informs any changes to the Code of Fundraising Practice.

If our assumption is right that GDPR will allow opt-in and opt-out what GDPR will do is that all of us will adapt our guidance accordingly fully and properly and we will then take that into the Code, so as to codify the rules around opt-in and opt-out so that we can make our judgements in that way.

Service said that the guidance was about identifying where the risks lie, inviting charities to make a decision on that basis but ensure that theyre fully informed about what the consequences of that decision might be if they choose to go opt-out, and the risk that is potentially posed with that decision.

Gerald Oppenheim will be discussing the Fundraising Regulators guidance at the Fundraising and Regulatory Compliance Conference in Manchester this afternoon. A live stream of the event can be viewed here.

He also wrote a blog outlining why the Fundraising Regulator decided to release this guidance, which can be read here.
Shelter has announced that Polly Neate, who is currently chief executive of Womens Aid, will become its new chief executive.

Neate will join Shelter on 14 August after four years at Womens Aid. Prior to that she was executive director of external relations and communications at Action for Children.

Campbell Robb left Shelter last year to become chief executive of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Graeme Brown, director of Shelter Scotland, has been interim chief executive since January.

Neate said: The sad truth is that homelessness is a growing problem in this country. Almost quarter of a million people are homeless in the UK right now, and shockingly half of these are children. This simply isnt good enough.

Thats why Im so thrilled to be joining Shelter at such an important time, to work with its world class staff to make its mission of ending bad housing and homelessness a reality. Its an honour to join such a pioneering organisation that Ive long admired to help take its work to the next level.

Sir Derek Myers, chair, said: Were delighted to be welcoming Polly to Shelter. Her impressive expertise and fresh thinking will help the organisation develop and implement a range of exciting services and groundbreaking campaigns.




Learning from her father how to operate a $145 million circular check-kiting scheme that victimized a credit union and two banks, landed a Michigan woman in federal prison for 18 months.

U.S. District Court Chief Judge Robert J. Jonker in Kalamazoo, Mich., also ordered Brooke Lynn Vernier on Feb. 14 to serve two years of supervised release following her prison term and to pay $1,780,232 in restitution.

Vernier pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud in August, admitting to writing hundreds of checks that transferred or attempted to transfer approximately $145 million among seven accounts at the $140 million TruNorth Federal Credit Union in Ishpeming, Mich., formerly known as Ishpeming Community Federal Credit Union, Peninsula Bank and River Valley Bank.

In 2008, Vernier, a bookkeeper, learned a simple form of check kiting allegedly from her father, who controlled three businesses that were owned by Brooke Lynn. He allegedly set his daughter up in these businesses, in part, to avoid creditors from a previous bankruptcy case, according to court documents.
Each year, more than 5,000 credit union attendees gather at CUNAs Governmental Affairs Conference (GAC) in Washington, D.C., for the same purpose: to advocate for the credit union industry. Well be at GAC, too, hiking the hill alongside credit union leaders and members and advocating for credit union system priorities.

As you head to Washington, D.C., or follow the conference from afar, here are three advocacy topics to think about.

Credit unions need regulatory relief.Credit unions offer members many benefits, including affordable financial services. However, as regulatory burden increases, credit union members end up paying the price. According to CUNA, regulatory burden subjects 105 million credit union members to higher loan rates, longer wait times for loan approvals, limited access to modernized technology and fewer and more expensive services and products. This translates to a loss of $71 each year per credit union member.
By Press Trust of India: Jammu, Feb 21 (PTI) The BSF foiled an infiltration bid along the LoC in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir early today, gunning down a militant even as a huge amount of ammunition was seized.

Officials said the incident occurred around midnight when the Border Security Force (BSF) troops deployed along the Line of Control fence in Keri sector of Rajouri detected some suspicious movement.

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A heavy exchange of fire, including lobbing of grendades by the militants ensued for about 30 minutes and the guns then went silent from the other side, the BSF said.

A search was conducted early morning during which the BSF party recovered the body of the militant along with an AK-56 rifle, 16 loaded magazines, 267 live rounds, 89 other rounds of AK-series and a monocular night vision device from the Pakistan side.

Three wire cutters, used to breach the wire fence, a radio set, 2 improvised explosive devices, knife, 48 pencil cells, four walking sticks (used to pull the fence), five pairs of hand gloves, liquid for triggering fire, jackets, bed sheet, dry fruits and juice was also recovered, they said adding the seized items indicate that the terrorists were ready for a long haul had they succeeded in breaching the fence.

A picture of the spot showed the slain militant wearing dark green camouflage uniform like that used by Indian Army personnel.

"The remaining terrorists took advantage of the undulating hilly ground and jungle and retreated to their side. The possible infiltration bid was foiled by alert troops," they added.

The BSF said it has foiled 26 such bids, with 11 on the International Border, since November 29 last year in Jammu and Kashmir. PTI AB/NES KUN

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Talking Points:

Crude oil prices looking to IP conference as deadlock continues

Gold prices may fall as hawkish Fed-speak boosts rate hike bets

Technical positioning bolsters the case for bearish gold outlook

Commodity pricesmade little headway as US markets remained shuttered for the Presidents Day holiday at the start of the week (as expected).

From here, crude oil prices will be keeping an eye on the three-day International Petroleum (IP) conference hosted by the Energy Institute getting underway in London. A busy speaking schedule of industry bigwigs includes OPEC Secretary General Mohammad Barkindo and IEA Director Keisuke Sadamori.

The WTI contract has been stuck in a narrow congestion range, with ATR-measured volatility down to the lowest level since mid-2004, as traders weigh up OPECs supply cut deal against swelling swing supply. The markets will be on the lookout for any remarks that can help break the deadlock.

Meanwhile, gold prices will probably continue to reflect Fed policy speculation. Comments from Neel Kashkari, Patrick Harker and John Williams  Presidents of the US central banks Minneapolis, Philadelphia and San Francisco branches  stand to inform intraday performance.

Recent commentary from Fed officials has taken a decidedly hawkish tone, most notably in last weeks Congressional testimony from Fed Chair Janet Yellen. More of the same this time around may steepen the projected tightening path, weighing on the yellow metal.

What do traders buy and sell decisions say about the gold price trend? Find out here !

GOLD TECHNICAL ANALYSIS  Gold prices may be forming a double top near monthly highs marked by a pair of bearish candlestick formations, one an Engulfing and the other a Dark Cloud Cover setup. From here, a daily close below the 23.6% Fibonacci retracement at 1215.75 sees the next downside barrier at 1197.99, the 38.2% barrier. Alternatively, a move above the 23.6% Fib expansion at 1245.29 exposes the 38.2% level at 1263.05.

Chart created using TradingView

CRUDE OIL TECHNICAL ANALYSIS  Crude oil prices continue to mark time in familiar territory. A daily close above range top resistance at 53.86 opens the door for a test of the 55.21-65 area (January 3 high, 38.2% Fibonacci expansion). Alternatively, a drop below rising trend line support, now at 52.02, paves the way for a challenge the 38.2% Fib retracementat 50.25.

Chart created using TradingView

--- Written by Ilya Spivak, Currency Strategist for DailyFX.com

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Contact and follow Ilya on Twitter: @IlyaSpivak
Is that chicken really organic? Were those tomatoes really grown in Canada?



The labels may say so, but as a new Dalhousie-led study on food fraud released Tuesday shows, Canadian consumers are growing increasingly concerned about whether they are really getting what they paid for.



Sixty-three per cent of Canadians surveyed in the study said they are generally concerned about food fraud  the practice of mislabelling, adulterating or counterfeiting food products.

Getting what you pay for



Food fraud has many potential consequences. It can pose a public health hazard, particularly in cases where people with allergies or food intolerances are misled by a label. And it also presents a challenge to the food industry itself.



Food fraud is not a victimless crime, says Sylvain Charlebois, dean of the Faculty of Management and the lead author on the study. The entire food economy depends on consumer trust. Once lost, it becomes much more challenging to grow the sector and define a value proposition.



Dr. Charlebois (left) worked with colleagues from Dal and the University of Guelph on the study, which examines the relationship between consumers education, age, income, gender, health-related predisposition and geographical region and their risk perception of food fraud in general through a survey of 1,088 Canadians.



The researchers found that older, more educated consumers and those with food allergies were more likely to be more concerned about food fraud. And those who experienced food fraud first hand suggested they are far more likely to trust themselves and other consumers to manage the risks than they are to turn to government or industry.



Consumers seem to trust themselves more than industry to address food fraud, which is interesting, says Dr. Charlebois.



Those who had not experienced food fraud, however, suggested that industry and regulators could help mitigate risks.

Many Canadians affected



The study  titled Food fraud and risk perception: Awareness in Canada and projected trust on risk mitigating agents  also turned up strong evidence that food fraud is prevalent in the Canadian marketplace. Of those surveyed, 42.7 per cent believe they have bought a counterfeit food product at some point. Seafood and fish (27.9 per cent) was the top-selected category where fraud was experienced, followed by liquids such as oils and wines (20.9 per cent), fruits and vegetables (13.9 per cent), deli meats (11.6 per cent) and baked goods (9.3 per cent).



The fact that more than 40 per cent of Canadians believe they have bought a counterfeit food product is alarming, says Dr. Charlebois

When study participants were asked to identify where they purchased a fraudulent food item, 65.9 per cent said at a regular grocery store, 12.2 per cent at a non-traditional food retailer, 9.8 per cent at a farmers market and 2.4 per cent at a restaurant or food outlet. A plurality (42.8 per cent) said they found out about their fraudulent food product through social media, with personal research (35 per cent) and public recall (19.1 per cent) being the source of the others discoveries.

Need for a comprehensive approach



The study shows that the most vulnerable consumers are not aware of the problem. With evidence that the practice is commonplace, there is a risk that if it is not addressed that more consumers could be victims and lose faith in regulators and the industry.



With social and personal networks then perceived as more valuable for consumers, the authors suggest a more effective way to mitigate risk from food fraud may be to educate the network of supporters. But the authors also suggest that tackling such a complex issue requires a comprehensive approach to protecting consumers from food fraud  one that includes government, the food industry, consumers and researchers.
WASHINGTON -- Community-based palliative care -- care delivered at home, not the hospital -- was associated with a 50 percent reduction in emergency department visits for patients in their last year of life. The results of an Australian study were published online February 3rd in Annals of Emergency Medicine ("The Association of Community-Based Palliative Care with Reduced Emergency Department Visits in the Last Year of Life Varies by Patient Factors").

Researchers studied nearly 12,000 records for patients who died of cancer, heart failure, kidney failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and/or liver failures in Western Australia from 2009 to 2010. Dying patients visited the emergency department on average twice a year during their last year of life. The average number of emergency department visits was reduced when patients received palliative care.

"It is encouraging that palliative care was associated with reduced emergency department visits for five different diseases, so isn't limited to just cancer or heart failure, for example," said study lead Lorna Rosenwax, PhD. of Curtin University in Perth, Australia. "Most patients who were in their last year of life visited the emergency department at least once, with one person visiting 74 times in the space of a year. Only about one-third (32 percent) of the patients we studied received community-based palliative care but they were much less likely to require emergency medical treatment as a result."

The greatest reduction in emergency department visits for patients receiving palliative care was seen in patients who were older, had a partner, lived in major cities, lived in more affluent areas and had no prior history of emergency department visits. The proportion of end-of-life patients who had three or more emergency department visits increased with younger age, geographic remoteness, social disadvantage and end-stage liver failure.

End-of-life cancer patients were most likely to receive community-based palliative care (47 percent) while end-of-life liver failure patients were least likely to receive it (13 percent).

"Ideally, high-quality palliative care should be able to manage the most common acute symptoms of the dying person without the need for hospitalization," said Ms. Rosenwax. "For these fragile patients, providing care at home should be the goal, but how we get there is the question. When planning community-based palliative care service delivery in the last year of life, it is important to consider patients' social, demographic and health factors."

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Annals of Emergency Medicine is the peer-reviewed scientific journal for the American College of Emergency Physicians, the national medical society representing emergency medicine. ACEP is committed to advancing emergency care through continuing education, research, and public education. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, ACEP has 53 chapters representing each state, as well as Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. A Government Services Chapter represents emergency physicians employed by military branches and other government agencies. For more information, visit http://www.acep.org.
Session P15 - Poster WP375 - Clues point to which hospitalized stroke patients are greater fall risks

Stroke patients' neurological status and degree of weakness or loss of movement when they're first hospitalized for ischemic, or clot-caused, stroke can be important indicators of their risk for falling while in the hospital, according to research presented at the Nursing Symposium of the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2017.

Hospital falls often are preventable and can reflect nursing care quality. Researchers looked specifically at fall risk for 683 ischemic stroke patients in an urban hospital, examining records and more from 2013 to 2015. The study found stroke patients who fell were average age 67 years; 82 percent men and the falls greatly increased stroke patients' length of hospital stay. Most had visible changes to the small vessels in the brain, and 36 percent had strokes impacting the middle cerebral artery of the brain.

Researchers also found:

Stroke patient falls accounted for 6 percent of all falls among adult inpatient medical-surgical patients.

91 percent were able to walk independently before arriving at the hospital.

90 percent who experienced a fall had weakness or partial loss of movement when first examined in hospital.

Falls didn't increase when patients were treated with the clot-busting drug tissue plasminogen activator, or tPA.

Having a higher average National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score at hospital admission was associated with an increased fall risk. (NIHSS is a stroke assessment tool to evaluate stroke patients' neurological status). The fall rates in this study are lower than those previously reported, which could reflect more vigilance among nurses and other providers and widespread use of fall prevention strategies, researchers said.

Robynn Cox, B.S.N, R.N., S.C.R.N., The MetroHealth System, Cleveland, Ohio.

Note: Actual scientific presentation time is 6:15 p.m. CT/7:15 p.m. ET, Weds., Feb. 22, 2017 in Hall E.

Session P15 - Poster WP377 - Internet, social media fuel health system's stroke awareness campaign

Social media is a powerful tool for educating and engaging large numbers of people in the community about stroke, according to research presented at the Nursing Symposium of the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2017.

Researchers studied how adding an interactive social media component impacted a health system's community-based public awareness campaign in May, which is Stroke Awareness Month. They compared results collected from in-person blood pressure and risk factor screening events in various community settings, to the campaign with added internet and social media components for community education and outreach. The 2016 campaign included the traditional community events, but also directed people to a web-based stroke risk profiler which evaluated their risk for stroke and suggested interventions to reduce risk. Campaign strategies included using the health system's internal marketing, as well as social media, to direct people to the risk profiler, and included paid social media, search and display ads for stroke signs and stroke risk.

They found:

The traditional in-person event campaign required about 50 hours of volunteer time to screen 193 community members.

During May 2016, more than 6,000 people visited the web-based, interactive stroke risk assessment profiler and 1,570 fully completed the profiler.

In the months following the web-based community outreach campaign, traffic on the health system stroke center webpage remained as high as it was in May, and was more than 200 percent higher than traffic the previous year.

"Using the internet and social media expands the size and increases the interaction of the community reached during Stroke Awareness Month," researchers wrote.

Beth Hundt, Ph.D.(c), M.S., NP-C, ACNS-BC, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, Va.

Note: Actual scientific presentation time is 6:15 p.m. CT/7:15 p.m. ET, Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2017 in Hall E.

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Additional Resources:

Any available multimedia related to these tips are on the right column of this link http://newsroom.heart.org/news/isc17-tuesday-news-tips?preview=620c33403bdf420116851363c9290757

Join the AHA/ASA Support Network to talk with others going through similar journeys including depression after stroke. Follow news from the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2017 via Twitter: @HeartNews #ISC17.

Statements and conclusions of study authors that are presented at American Stroke Association scientific meetings are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect association policy or position. The association makes no representation or warranty as to their accuracy or reliability. The association receives funding primarily from individuals; foundations and corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations and fund specific association programs and events. The association has strict policies to prevent these relationships from influencing the science content. Revenues from pharmaceutical and device corporations are available at http://www.heart.org/corporatefunding.
Researchers from Aarhus University have found an important piece of the puzzle leading towards an understanding of how our innate immune system reacts against viral infections and recognises foreign DNA, for example from dying cancer cells

Researchers from Aarhus University have found an important piece of the puzzle leading towards an understanding of how our innate immune system reacts against viral infections and recognises foreign DNA, for example from dying cancer cells. The discovery may prove to be of great importance for immunological treatment of cancer as well as autoimmune diseases in the future.

Our immune system's most important function is to monitor the body for danger signals. A classical danger signal is DNA from micro-organisms and damaged or dying cells. When DNA accumulates within the cytoplasm of cells (cytoplasm comprises the entire contents of the cell except for the cell nucleus), they will react by making interferon, a type of signalling protein that alarms neighbouring immune cells about approaching danger. Thus far, researchers have fought to explain these events in details. New Danish research has now taken an important step towards doing just this.

"We have discovered that a protein called IFI16, which most of our immune cells carry, has crucial significance for the cell's defence against microorganisms or dying cells' release of DNA," explains one of the researchers behind the study, Associate Professor Martin Roelsgaard Jakobsen from the Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, about the results, which have just been published in Nature Communications.

Knowledge about how IFI16 works in immune cells and how it helps to initiate and control an immune response can have major long term potential for various types of immunotherapies that are used in the treatment of cancer.

Examined cellular debris

The innate immune system consists of many different knobs that can be 'pulled' to fight infections by initiating the production of interferon and various inflammatory cytokines. One of these knobs is called STING, a protein that is activated when immune cells sense the presence of DNA parts outside the cell nucleus.

"STING's function and its degree of activity play a significant role in how well the body fights conditions when it is exposed to something that is foreign or abnormal such as infections and cancer," explains Martin Roelsgaard Jakobsen.

In the new study, the researchers chose to investigate the function of STING in one of the most essential immune cells known to engulf cell-free DNA - the macrophages. They deleted different genes from macrophages' genetic backbone and examined whether the "STING knob" continued to function. It turned out that when the gene which encodes the protein IFI16 was depleted, macrophages stopped producing an immune response and halted production of interferon when exposed to cell-free DNA or DNA viruses.

"By using different molecular biological methods, we could clearly demonstrate that our immune cells only need a very small fraction of the IFI16 protin for STING to function optimally," says Martin Roelsgaard Jakobsen.

The researchers are currently making use of the new knowledge to develop ways in which they can turn the STING knob in different directions - either up or down in the activity - with the help of synthetic designed molecules.

"Within the next five to seven years we hope to have developed a new form of medicine that can support current immunotherapies in the cancer field, where we go directly in and boost the innate immune defence system in the cancerous tumour by using molecules that targets and triggers STING and IFI16 function," explains Martin Roelsgaard Jakobsen.

To make certain that this new knowledge will benefit patients as much as possible, the project group is currently working on a commercialisation platform in collaboration with the NOME and ScaleUp Denmark programmes (nome.nu and scale-updenmark.com).

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The research results - more information

Type of study: Basic research

Partners: Ulm Medical Centre, Germany and the University Medical Centre, Utrecht, The Netherlands

External funding: The Lundbeck Foundation, the Danish Council for Independent Research, the Augustinus Foundation, Frode V. Nyegaard og Hustrus Foundation

Read the scientific article: http://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms14391
Boston, MA-- Hearing loss affects 360 million people worldwide according to the World Health Organization. Inner ear sensory cells, called hair cells, are responsible for detecting sound and helping to signal it to the brain. Loud sounds and toxic drugs can lead to death of the hair cells, which do not regenerate, and is the root cause for widespread hearing loss. Until now, it was not possible to promote the generation of sufficient quantities of new hair cells.

In a new paper in Cell Reports, scientists from Brigham and Women's Hospital, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Massachusetts Eye & Ear describe a technique to grow large quantities of inner ear progenitor cells that convert into hair cells. The same techniques show the ability to regenerate hair cells in the cochlea.

Humans are born with only 15,000 sensory hair cells in each cochlea, which are susceptible to damage from exposure to loud noises and medications, which can lead to cell death and hearing loss over time. "Amazingly, birds and amphibians are capable of regenerating hair cells throughout their life, suggesting that the biology exists and should be possible for humans. Intrigued, we decided to explore whether these hair cells could be regenerated," says Jeff Karp, PhD, co-corresponding author and biomedical engineer at BWH.

In order to find out, "we took cochlear supporting cells expressing Lgr5, a marker recently found in stem cells of several organs, and treated them with a drug cocktail that stimulated critical pathways," says Xiaolei Yin, co-lead author on the paper and instructor of medicine at BWH. The team achieved a >2000-fold increase in Lgr5 progenitor cells and found that these progenitors could generate new hair cells in high yield. The team also demonstrated that this approach could work with cells from mouse, non-human primate, and human tissue.

Importantly, the drug cocktail "generates new sensory hair cells in intact cochlear tissue, which shows promise for a therapy to treat patients with hearing loss," says Karp. This expansion of large populations of Lgr5-expressing cells and their differentiation to hair cells provides a powerful tool for investigating the regenerative biology of hearing, and these drugs should be relevant for clinical application.

To advance this work to patients, Frequency Therapeutics, is developing a novel small molecule approach to treat chronic hearing loss and expects to be in the clinic within the next 18 months.

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Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) is a 793-bed nonprofit teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School and a founding member of Partners HealthCare. BWH has more than 4.2 million annual patient visits and nearly 46,000 inpatient stays, is the largest birthing center in Massachusetts and employs nearly 16,000 people. The Brigham's medical preeminence dates back to 1832, and today that rich history in clinical care is coupled with its national leadership in patient care, quality improvement and patient safety initiatives, and its dedication to research, innovation, community engagement and educating and training the next generation of health care professionals. Through investigation and discovery conducted at its Brigham Research Institute (BRI), BWH is an international leader in basic, clinical and translational research on human diseases, more than 3,000 researchers, including physician-investigators and renowned biomedical scientists and faculty supported by nearly $666 million in funding. For the last 25 years, BWH ranked second in research funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) among independent hospitals. BWH is also home to major landmark epidemiologic population studies, including the Nurses' and Physicians' Health Studies and the Women's Health Initiative as well as the TIMI Study Group, one of the premier cardiovascular clinical trials groups. For more information, resources and to follow us on social media, please visit BWH's online newsroom.
In less than one year, researchers have developed multiple vaccine platforms that provide robust protection against Zika virus challenge in animal models

In less than one year, researchers have developed multiple vaccine platforms that provide robust protection against Zika virus challenge in animal models.

Multiple phase 1 clinical trials have been initiated by government, industry and academic research institutions, including Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Research challenges remain, including the high bar for safety and efficacy needed to protect pregnant women and their fetuses from congenital Zika syndrome, which can cause devastating neurological defects in babies of infected mothers.

BOSTON - As public health officials warn that spring's warmer temperatures may herald another increase of Zika virus infections in the Caribbean and North and South America, researchers around the world are racing to develop safe and effective measures to prevent the disease. In a review paper published today in the journal Immunity, a group of leading vaccine scientists -- including Dan H. Barouch, MD, PhD, of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) -- outline advances in the hunt for a Zika vaccine and the challenges that still lie ahead.

"The pace of preclinical and early clinical development for Zika vaccines is unprecedented," said Barouch, corresponding author and director of the Center for Virology and Vaccine Research at BIDMC. "In less than a year, our group and others have demonstrated that multiple vaccine platforms can provide robust protection against Zika virus challenge in animal models. However, unique challenges will need to be addressed in the clinical development of a Zika vaccine. "

The recent outbreak of the Zika virus in the Americas began in Brazil nearly two years ago. By February 2016, the World Health Organization had declared the epidemic a global public health emergency, based largely on the virus' newly-established link to microcephaly and other major birth defects in babies born to infected mothers. The virus has also been associated with the neurologic disorder Guillain-Barre syndrome in adults.

In a previously published paper, Barouch and colleagues, including Colonel Nelson L. Michael, MD, PhD, director of the Military HIV Research Program at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) and Stephen Thomas, MD, Upstate Medical University, State University of New York, demonstrated that three different vaccine candidates provided robust protection against Zika virus in both mice and rhesus monkeys. Several human clinical trials began last fall at test sites including BIDMC, WRAIR, and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases affiliated clinical trial sites. "The rapid advancement of Zika vaccine candidates into clinical trials reflects the uniquely focused and effective collaboration among scientists in the field to address this important global problem," said Barouch.

Despite the accelerated pace of research, much remains unknown about the virus, raising unique challenges in developing a vaccine. Safety considerations are especially critical, given that the target population for a Zika vaccine would likely include men and women of childbearing age.

Zika is a member of the flavivirus family of viruses, which includes West Nile virus, yellow fever virus, and dengue viruses, for which successful vaccines have been developed. Studies suggest that Zika-induced antibody responses may also cross-react with other flaviviruses, particularly dengue virus. Whether or not this antibody cross-reactivity may have clinical consequences is another consideration for Zika vaccines and requires further study.

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Co-authors include: Stephen J. Thomas, MD, Upstate Medical University, State University of New York, Syracuse; and Colonel Nelson L. Michael, MD, PhD, director, Military HIV Research Program, at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR).

The review's authors acknowledge support from the U.S. Military Research and Material Command and the U.S. Military HIV Research Program; the National Institutes of Health (AI095985, AI096040, AI100663, AI124377); and the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard.

About Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center is a patient care, teaching and research affiliate of Harvard Medical School and consistently ranks as a national leader among independent hospitals in National Institutes of Health funding. BIDMC is in the community with Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Milton, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Needham, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Plymouth, Anna Jaques Hospital, Cambridge Health Alliance, Lawrence General Hospital, MetroWest Medical Center, Signature Healthcare, Beth Israel Deaconess HealthCare, Community Care Alliance and Atrius Health. BIDMC is also clinically affiliated with the Joslin Diabetes Center and Hebrew Rehabilitation Center and is a research partner of Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center and the Jackson Laboratory. BIDMC is the official hospital of the Boston Red Sox. For more information, visit http://www.bidmc.org.
KANSAS CITY, MO -- February 21, 2017 -- Children's Mercy Kansas City today announced it has been named a recipient of Microsoft Corp.'s 2017 Health Innovation Awards.

The awards, which were announced at the 2017 HIMSS Annual Conference and Exhibition in Orlando, Florida, recognize health organizations and their technology solution partners for using Microsoft devices and services in innovative ways that help engage patients, empower care teams, optimize clinical and operational effectiveness, and transform the care continuum. The 2017 winners are transforming the industry by creating breakthrough solutions that empower health and life sciences organizations, while meeting global, local and industry-specific compliance and security standards.

Children's Mercy received the Health Innovation Award for its Cardiac High Acuity Monitoring Program (CHAMP). Nearly 2,000 babies are born each year with congenital heart disease consisting of a single ventricle. CHAMP combines traditional single-ventricle home monitoring, a service where nurse coordinators provide triage at home for highly fragile infants, with an innovative new app developed by the Ward Family Heart Center team at Children's Mercy. CHAMP consists of a Microsoft Surface 3 tablet with the Windows 10 operating system, connected to a database that sits in the Microsoft Cloud. Parents enter patient information into CHAMP, which transfers home monitoring data and videos in near real-time to the CHAMP home monitoring care team. Once entered into the CHAMP web portal, the data is evaluated through algorithms and can trigger instant alerts to the team for further evaluation of each single-ventricle child. Before the app and tablet were introduced, parents would check various vital signs at home, such as heartrate, weight and oxygen saturation, that are important indicators of cardiac health, and then it was up to them to provide that information to the hospital each week over the phone. Otherwise nurses would try to track down the parents to find out if they were concerned about anything.

Nationally, around 1 in 5 babies with single-ventricle heart disease, such as Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, will not survive the time period at home between the first surgery and second surgeries, known as the interstage period. Since Children's Mercy started using the CHAMP app in March 2014, none of its 62 single-ventricle patients have died during that interstage period. Today, 55 U.S. sites, representing nearly 80 percent of all centers that perform single-ventricle heart surgery on infants, and eight international sites have expressed interest in using CHAMP.

"We're extremely honored to have Microsoft and HIMSS celebrate CHAMP's early success in 8 states, and this Health Innovation Award reinforces our goal to build a system that will evolve and become more intelligent over time," said Dr. Girish Shirali, co-director of the Ward Family Heart Center at Children's Mercy. "With more sophisticated analytics, we hope to find ways to help us treat babies quicker and even avoid hospitalization altogether."

The Ward Family Heart Center at Children's Mercy Kansas City, one of the top pediatric cardiology and heart surgery programs in the nation, performs nearly 450 cardiac surgical procedures, provides 15,700 outpatient visits and 18,000 echocardiograms, and performs catheterization and electrophysiology procedures on more than 500 patients annually. The Heart Center's outcomes regularly outperform the combined averages of the 114 North American children's hospitals contributing to the Society of Thoracic Surgeons National Congenital Heart Surgery Database. Through innovative research, the Ward Family Heart Center is at the forefront of improving care and quality of life for children with congenital and acquired heart disease.

"The health industry is undergoing a seismic shift in which intelligent technologies are helping organizations, communities and individuals improve care by helping them better understand and share information," said Laura Wallace, vice president, Health & Life Sciences, Microsoft. "This year's Microsoft Health Innovation Award recipients are advancing the goals of improved patient engagement and care coordination through their pioneering use of Microsoft devices, platforms and cloud services."

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Nominations were submitted by health providers, payers, pharmaceutical and life science organizations, and public and private health institutions across the world for applying Microsoft technology to create transformative and highly-effective innovations. An esteemed panel of industry experts selected this year's winners based on how their innovation represents a forward-thinking development or implementation of a solution that is delivering groundbreaking results and producing better health outcomes for more people. Recipients will be highlighted on the Microsoft website at http://www.microsoft.com/healthinnovationawards and on the Microsoft in Health blog at https://enterprise.microsoft.com/en-us/industries/health/?post_type=articles.

About Children's Mercy Kansas City

Founded in 1897, Children's Mercy is one of the nation's top pediatric medical centers. With not-for-profit hospitals in Missouri and Kansas, and numerous specialty clinics in both states, Children's Mercy provides the highest level of care for children from birth through the age of 21. U.S. News & World Report has repeatedly ranked Children's Mercy as one of "America's Best Children's Hospitals." For the fourth time in a row, Children's Mercy has achieved Magnet nursing designation, awarded to fewer than seven percent of all hospitals nationally, for excellence in quality care. Its faculty of more than 700 pediatric subspecialists and researchers across more than 40 subspecialties are actively involved in clinical care, pediatric research, and educating the next generation of pediatric subspecialists. Thanks to generous philanthropic and volunteer support, Children's Mercy provides medical care to every child who passes through its doors, regardless of a family's ability to pay. For more information about Children's Mercy and its research, visit childrensmercy.org. For breaking news and videos, follow us on Twitter, YouTube and Facebook.

For more information, press only:

Contact Jake Jacobson, Director of Public Relations at Children's Mercy Kansas City at 913.406.2060 or jajacobson@cmh.edu, or visit the online newsroom at news.childrensmercy.org.

Product or service names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
Sebastian Will, an assistant professor in the Department of Physics at Columbia University, has been named a 2017 Sloan Research Fellow.

An assistant professor at Columbia since 2016, Wills research interests include ultracold molecules and dipolar quantum gases, quantum simulation and quantum magnetism, and ultracold Fermi gases and Bose-Einstein condensates. It sounds complicated, but Will explained that this area of research is important because it allows for a fundamental understanding about quantum many-body systems.

Simply put, he said, were investigating how nature gives order to systems that consist of many interacting particles. In every-day life we see what nature does in basic ways -- stuff can be a solid, a liquid, or a gas - those are the three basic states of matter. However, in the world of quantum mechanics, many more states of matter are possible. One of them is the state of a superconductor  electricity can flow without any resistance, which means no power is lost. With ultracold atoms and molecules we try to understand such quantum states of matter better. This may allow us to design new materials with powerful and technologically relevant properties. Personally, I am most excited that we can observe states of matter in the lab that no one has ever observed before. Who knows what they will be useful for in the future? Thats the beauty of fundamental research.

The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation awards two-year, $60,000 fellowships to 126 researchers from the United States and Canada annually. The fellowships, awarded since 1955, recognize the distinguished performance of early-career scholars and their unique potential to make substantial contributions to their field. Administered and funded by the foundation, the fellowships are awarded in eight scientific fields: chemistry, computer science, economics, mathematics, evolutionary and computational molecular biology, neuroscience, ocean sciences, and physics. To qualify, candidates must first be nominated by fellow scientists and subsequently selected by an independent panel of senior scholars.

Getting early-career support can be a make-or-break moment for a young scholar, said Paul L. Joskow, president of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, in a press release. In an increasingly competitive academic environment, it can be difficult to stand out, even when your work is first rate. The Sloan Research Fellowships have become an unmistakable marker of quality among researchers. Fellows represent the best-of-the-best among young scientists.

It is a great honor to be selected, Will said. The Sloan Research Fellowship has an enormous tradition. Among the awardees are some of the greatest physicists, such as Richard Feynman. It is quite amazing to stand on the shoulders of such giants. He added that the money will be used for experiments that deepen the exploration of ultracold molecules. It will hopefully help to uncover more miracles of the quantum world, he said.

Since the beginning of the program, 43 Sloan Fellows have earned Nobel Prizes, 16 have won the Fields Medal in mathematics, 69 have received the National Medal of Science, and 16 have won the John Bates Clark Medal in economics.

Other 2017 Sloan Research Fellows include a chemist developing a heat-reflective window paint to help reduce air conditioning demands in hot climates; an evolutionary biologist who models how human gene distributions change with migration; an astronomer using state-of-the-art spectroscopy to study the galaxys most massive stars; a computer scientist whose work upended a 25-year consensus on algorithmic efficiency; an ocean scientist studying how marine organisms adapt to climate change and the costs of those adaptations; an economist who examines the ways that racial bias among managers can suppress employee productivity; a mathematician developing optimal methods for the efficient analysis of large datasets; and a neuroscientist who studies the way bats learn through echolocation as a model for understanding language development.

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To learn more about Professor Will's research, visit: http://www.sebastianwill.com/Sebastian_Wills_Homepage/Home.html
Highly creative people have significantly more nerve connections between the right and left hemispheres

DURHAM, N.C. -- Seemingly countless self-help books and seminars tell you to tap into the right side of your brain to stimulate creativity. But forget the "right-brain" myth -- a new study suggests it's how well the two brain hemispheres communicate that sets highly creative people apart.

For the study, statisticians David Dunson of Duke University and Daniele Durante of the University of Padova analyzed the network of white matter connections among 68 separate brain regions in healthy college-age volunteers.

The brain's white matter lies underneath the outer grey matter. It is composed of bundles of wires, or axons, which connect billions of neurons and carry electrical signals between them.

A team led by neuroscientist Rex Jung of the University of New Mexico collected the data using an MRI technique called diffusion tensor imaging, which allows researchers to peer through the skull of a living person and trace the paths of all the axons by following the movement of water along them. Computers then comb through each of the 1-gigabyte scans and convert them to three-dimensional maps -- wiring diagrams of the brain.

Jung's team used a combination of tests to assess creativity. Some were measures of a type of problem-solving called "divergent thinking," or the ability to come up with many answers to a question. They asked people to draw as many geometric designs as they could in five minutes. They also asked people to list as many new uses as they could for everyday objects, such as a brick or a paper clip. The participants also filled out a questionnaire about their achievements in ten areas, including the visual arts, music, creative writing, dance, cooking and science.

The responses were used to calculate a composite creativity score for each person.

Dunson and Durante trained computers to sift through the data and identify differences in brain structure.

They found no statistical differences in connectivity within hemispheres, or between men and women. But when they compared people who scored in the top 15 percent on the creativity tests with those in the bottom 15 percent, high-scoring people had significantly more connections between the right and left hemispheres.

The differences were mainly in the brain's frontal lobe.

Dunson said their approach could also be used to predict the probability that a person will be highly creative simply based on his or her brain network structure. "Maybe by scanning a person's brain we could tell what they're likely to be good at," Dunson said.

The study is part of a decade-old field, connectomics, which uses network science to understand the brain. Instead of focusing on specific brain regions in isolation, connectomics researchers use advanced brain imaging techniques to identify and map the rich, dense web of links between them.

Dunson and colleagues are now developing statistical methods to find out whether brain connectivity varies with I.Q., whose relationship to creativity is a subject of ongoing debate.

In collaboration with neurology professor Paul Thompson at the University of Southern California, they're also using their methods for early detection of Alzheimer's disease, to help distinguish it from normal aging.

By studying the patterns of interconnections in healthy and diseased brains, they and other researchers also hope to better understand dementia, epilepsy, schizophrenia and other neurological conditions such as traumatic brain injury or coma.

"Data sharing in neuroscience is increasingly more common as compared to only five years ago," said Joshua Vogelstein of Johns Hopkins University, who founded the Open Connectome Project and processed the raw data for the study.

Just making sense of the enormous datasets produced by brain imaging studies is a challenge, Dunson said.

Most statistical methods for analyzing brain network data focus on estimating properties of single brains, such as which regions serve as highly connected hubs. But each person's brain is wired differently, and techniques for identifying similarities and differences in connectivity across individuals and between groups have lagged behind.

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The study appears online and will be published in a forthcoming issue of the journal Bayesian Analysis.

This research was supported by grants from the University of Padova, Italy (CPDA154381/15), the United States Office of Naval Research (N00014-14-1-0245) and the John Templeton Foundation (22156).

CITATION: "Bayesian Inference and Testing of Group Differences in Brain Networks," Daniele Durante and David B. Dunson. Bayesian Analysis, first online Nov. 2016. DOI: 10.1214/16-BA1030
By Press Trust of India: Jammu, Feb 21 (PTI) BSF has foiled an infiltration bid along the Line of Control in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir and gunned down a militant.

Officials said the incident occurred around midnight when Border Security Force (BSF) troops deployed along the LoC fence in Keri sector of Rajouri detected some suspicious movement.

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A heavy exchange of fire ensued for about 30 minutes and the guns then went silent from the other side, they said.

A search was conducted early morning during which the BSF party recovered the body of the militant along with an AK-47 rifle, six loaded magazines and a monocular night vision device from the Pakistan side.

A black bag containing another loaded AK magazine, dry fruits and juice was also recovered, they said.

"It is understood that the remaining terrorists took advantage of the undulating hilly ground and jungle and retreated to their side. An infiltration bid was foiled by alert troops," they added. PTI AB/NES DV

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DURHAM, N.C. - Each year, 2 to 16 percent of hydraulically fractured oil and gas wells spill hydrocarbons, chemical-laden water, hydraulic fracturing fluids and other substances, according to a new study. The analysis, which appears Feb. 21 in Environmental Science & Technology, identified 6,648 spills reported across Colorado, New Mexico, North Dakota and Pennsylvania during a 10-year period.

"This study provides important insights into the frequency, volume, and cause of spills," said Lauren Patterson, policy associate at Duke University's Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions and the study's lead author.

Researchers examined state-level spill data to characterize spills associated with unconventional oil and gas development at 31,481 wells hydraulically fractured or "fracked" in the four states between 2005 and 2014.

"State spill data holds great promise for risk identification and mitigation," Patterson said. "However, reporting requirements differ across states, requiring considerable effort to make the data usable for analysis."

North Dakota reported the highest spill rate, with 4,453 incidents, followed by Pennsylvania at 1,293, Colorado at 476 and New Mexico at 426. The number of spills reported is partly a reflection of the reporting requirements set by each state. For example, North Dakota required reporting smaller spills (42 gallons or more) than Colorado and New Mexico (210 gallons or more).

"As this form of energy production increases, state efforts to reduce spill risk could benefit from making data more uniform and accessible to better provide stakeholders with important information on where to target efforts for locating and preventing future spills," Patterson added.

The results of the study exceed the 457 spills calculated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for eight states between 2006 and 2012 because the EPA's analysis only considered the hydraulic fracturing stage, rather than the full life cycle of unconventional oil and gas production.

"Understanding spills at all stages of well development is important because preparing for hydraulic fracturing requires the transport of more materials to and from well sites and storage of these materials on site," Patterson said. "Investigating all stages helps to shed further light on the spills that can occur at all types of wells -- not just unconventional ones."

Fifty percent of spills identified in the Environmental Science & Technology article were related to storage and moving fluids via pipelines, although it was not always possible to determine the cause of the spill because some states explicitly required this data to be reported while others relied on narrative descriptions.

Across all states, the first three years of a well's life, when drilling and hydraulic fracturing occurred and production volumes were highest, had the greatest risk of a spill. The study found that a significant portion of spills (from 26 percent in Colorado to 53 percent in North Dakota) occur at wells that experienced more than one spill, which suggests that wells where spills have already occurred merit closer attention.

"Analyses like this one are so important, to define and mitigate risk to water supplies and human health," said Kate Konschnik, director of the Harvard Law School's Environmental Policy Initiative. "Writing state reporting rules with these factors in mind is critical, to ensure that the right data are available -- and in an accessible format -- for industry, states and the research community."

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The article will be available on the journal site as well as the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions publication page at 8 a.m. ET, February 21. A data visualization tool of spill data contained in this study is also available: http://snappartnership.net/groups/hydraulic-fracturing/webapp/spills.html.

CITATION: L. Patterson, K. Konschnik, H. Wiseman, et. al. 2017. "Unconventional Oil and Gas Spills: Risks, Mitigation Priorities and States Reporting Requirements" Environmental Science & Technology: DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.05749.

FUNDERS: This work was supported with grant funding from the Science for Nature and People Partnership, a partnership of The Nature Conservancy, Wildlife Conservation Society and the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis.
Philadelphia, PA, February 21, 2017 - In the Biological Psychiatry special issue "Neuroimmune Mechanisms in Autism Spectrum Disorder", guest editor Professor Kimberley McAllister of the University of California, Davis, presents five reviews and three original research articles highlighting advances that are transforming the field of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) research.

"ASD is the most rapidly increasing neurodevelopmental disorder and current estimates are alarming," said Dr. McAllister. One in 68 children and 1 in 42 boys in the US are estimated to be on the spectrum. Few treatment options exist, and the search for effective new therapies has been hindered by a struggle to understand what causes ASD.

"One of the most exciting recent hypotheses in the field is that immune dysregulation contributes to, and may cause, ASD," Dr. McAllister added. The special issue reports on both environmental factors and genetic mutations that converge on immune dysfunction.

To better understand the neurodevelopmental trajectory and role of immune function in ASD, new clinical studies detail the timing of immunologic disturbances in children with ASD and the relationship between immune system activation and severity of impairments. Inflammation may also help explain why ASD affects boys 4 to 5 times more than girls. A review highlighting the importance of the immune system in the normal development of males proposes how the process of masculinization makes boys more vulnerable to the effects of inflammation.

Children with ASD often suffer from gastrointestinal issues, and two reviews highlight recent research on the environmental and genetic links that may bridge immune dysfunction, the gut microbiome, and impairments in brain development associated with ASD.

Recent research has also implicated the maternal immune system during pregnancy on risk of ASD in children. Two new reviews in the issue collate research in humans and animal models that link alterations in the maternal immune system, whether through genetic autoimmune disorders or through immune system activation in response to infection, with impaired brain development observed in ASD.

"Research in this new area of neuroimmunology provides real hope that new therapies directed at preventing and/or correcting immune dysregulation in ASD could improve the lives of millions of Americans," Dr. McAllister concluded.

Therapies targeting the immune system may also have benefits beyond ASD, as indicated by a new study linking maternal immune dysfunction with an increased risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. The findings suggest that correcting immune dysfunction may have potential for preventing a range of psychiatric diseases.

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Notes for editors

The special issue is "Neuroimmune Mechanisms in Autism Spectrum Disorder," Biological Psychiatry, volume 81, issue 5 (2017), published by Elsevier.

Copies of this paper included in the special issue are available to credentialed journalists upon request; please contact Elsevier's Newsroom at newsroom@elsevier.com or +31 20 485 2492.

About Biological Psychiatry

Biological Psychiatry is the official journal of the Society of Biological Psychiatry, whose purpose is to promote excellence in scientific research and education in fields that investigate the nature, causes, mechanisms and treatments of disorders of thought, emotion, or behavior. In accord with this mission, this peer-reviewed, rapid-publication, international journal publishes both basic and clinical contributions from all disciplines and research areas relevant to the pathophysiology and treatment of major psychiatric disorders.

The journal publishes novel results of original research which represent an important new lead or significant impact on the field, particularly those addressing genetic and environmental risk factors, neural circuitry and neurochemistry, and important new therapeutic approaches. Reviews and commentaries that focus on topics of current research and interest are also encouraged.

Biological Psychiatry is one of the most selective and highly cited journals in the field of psychiatric neuroscience. It is ranked 5th out of 140 Psychiatry titles and 11th out of 256 Neurosciences titles in the Journal Citations Reports published by Thomson Reuters. The 2015 Impact Factor score for Biological Psychiatry is 11.212.

About Elsevier

Elsevier is a world-leading provider of information solutions that enhance the performance of science, health, and technology professionals, empowering them to make better decisions, deliver better care, and sometimes make groundbreaking discoveries that advance the boundaries of knowledge and human progress. Elsevier provides web-based, digital solutions -- among them ScienceDirect, Scopus, Research Intelligence and ClinicalKey -- and publishes over 2,500 journals, including The Lancet and Cell, and more than 35,000 book titles, including a number of iconic reference works. Elsevier is part of RELX Group, a world-leading provider of information and analytics for professional and business customers across industries. http://www.elsevier.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Hiring more black police officers is not a viable strategy for reducing police-involved homicides of black citizens in most cities, according to new Indiana University research that is the first in-depth study of this increasingly urgent public policy question.

IU researchers tested a potential solution that emerged following the police shooting of an unarmed black citizen in Ferguson, Missouri, as well as similar homicides in more than a dozen other cities. The shootings triggered nationwide "Black Lives Matter" protests and heated political debates.

The study finds that, for many cities, it would take a massive increase in the percentage of black police officers to reduce the number of police-involved shootings of black citizens. Adding just a few black officers, the researchers say, won't help and might make matters worse.

"More black officers are seen as a way to directly reduce unnecessary violence between police and citizens," said study co-author Sean Nicholson-Crotty. "We found that, for the vast majority of cities, simply increasing the percentage of black officers is not an effective solution.

"There may be other good reasons to have a police force that is more representative," he said, "but there is little evidence that more black cops will result in fewer homicides of black citizens."

The full analysis by IU researchers is presented in the article, "Will More Black Cops Matter? Officer Race and Police-Involved Homicides of Black Citizens." It will appear in the March/April issue of Public Administration Review as part of a symposium on policing and race.

Until recently, no data existed that allowed a study of police homicides, according to the authors. Local law enforcement agencies have not been compelled to report deaths in custody by race, and there was no federal source for the information. To produce the first peer-reviewed study of its type, Nicholson-Crotty and co-researchers Jill Nicholson-Crotty and Sergio Fernandez, all from IU's School of Public and Environmental Affairs, used new data from two sources:

Mapping Police Violence, an advocacy group that developed a database of police homicides in 2014 in the 100 largest American cities.

A Washington Post collection of data on police-involved homicides in 2015.

Previous studies have examined the effect of hiring more black officers on policing outcomes such as arrests, citizen complaints and traffic stops. Findings were mixed. The studies found that greater representation reduces discrimination in some cases, has no effect in others and leads to more discrimination against black citizens in yet other situations. Furthermore, the IU researchers argue, the studies do not tell us much about the likely impact on police-involved homicides.

"Because of these inconsistent conclusions, we want to find out if there's a critical mass, a point at which the impact of more black officers on police-involved homicides changes from positive or neutral to negative," Jill Nicholson-Crotty said.

The authors found that, until the number of black officers reached between 35 percent and 40 percent of the police force, adding black officers had no effect on the number of police-involved shootings of black citizens or was associated with a higher number of such shootings. After the number of black officers surpassed between 35 percent and 40 percent, they found, adding black officers had no effect and, in some cases, may have been associated with a lower number of police-involved shootings of black citizens.

"At that point [35 to 40 percent] and higher, individual officers may become less likely to discriminate against black citizens and more inclined to assume a minority advocacy role," Fernandez said.

The sticking point is that in Ferguson and most other places, even doubling or tripling the number of black officers won't result in a percentage as high as 35 percent to 40 percent. The authors also caution that: "In most cities, a critical mass of black officers on the police force can be achieved only by over-representing blacks and making bureaucracy even less representative of the community it serves."

They say more investigation is needed to find solutions and fully understand how questions of race affect protection of peace and administration of justice.

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Reporters may request a copy of the paper from SPEA communications director Jim Hanchett at 812-856-5490 or jimhanch@indiana.edu. The paper may also be downloaded from the journal's website.
LOS ANGELES -- Research published today found testosterone treatment improved bone density and anemia for men over 65 with low testosterone. But the treatment didn't improve patients' cognitive function, and it increased the amount of plaque buildup in participants' coronary arteries, according to four studies published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) and JAMA Internal Medicine.

A team of researchers from LA BioMed and 12 other medical centers in the U.S., in partnership with the National Institute on Aging, conducted The Testosterone Trials (TTrials), a coordinated group of seven trials, which studied the effects of testosterone treatment for one year as compared to placebo for men 65 and older with low testosterone. Four of those studies were published today.

"While we have long known that testosterone levels decrease as men age, very little was known about the effects of testosterone treatment in older men with low testosterone until last year," said Ronald S. Swerdloff, MD, an LA BioMed researcher and co-author of the four studies. "Our first published research last year found benefits to testosterone treatment, and this latest series of studies finds further benefits in terms of improving bone density and anemia. However, the cardiovascular study showed that the testosterone treatment group had increased plaque buildup in coronary arteries, suggesting a possible risk factor."

In the cardiovascular trial, researchers assessed coronary artery plaque buildup by CT angiography. That assessment showed more plaque buildup in men treated with testosterone than in men treated with placebo. Nonetheless, in all 788 men in the TTrials, the number of major adverse cardiovascular events was similar in the men treated with testosterone as in the men treated with placebo.

"We want to emphasize that this study was exploratory and emphasizes the need for a large-scale, well-controlled, long-term safety trial to determine if there is an increased risk of heart damage or death," Dr. Swerdloff said. "As with all medications the physician and patient need to balance the benefits and risks of treatment."

Dr. Christina Wang, an LA BioMed researcher and co-author of the four studies, noted that the researchers also found that testosterone treatment improved bone density and estimated bone strength, as determined by CT.

"After one year of treatment, older men with low testosterone significantly increased bone density and estimated bone strength compared to those on placebo," said Dr. Wang. "A larger and longer trial would be needed to determine if testosterone treatment reduces fracture risk."

Testosterone treatment also increased hemoglobin concentrations, corrected the anemia of men who had no other identifiable cause of anemia and corrected the anemia of men who had an identifiable cause, such as iron deficiency. While these conclusions proved testosterone to be beneficial to the participants, testosterone treatment did not improve memory or any other measure of cognitive function.

"As a result of these findings, physicians may wish to consider measuring testosterone in men age 65 and older who have unexplained anemia and symptoms suggestive of low testosterone levels," said Dr. Swerdloff.

The TTrials are now the largest trials to examine the efficacy of testosterone treatment in men 65 and older whose testosterone levels are low due seemingly to age alone. TTrials researchers screened 51,085 men to find 790 who qualified with a sufficiently low testosterone level and who met other criteria. The men enrolled were randomized into two groups: one to take a daily testosterone gel and the other a daily placebo gel, for one year. Efficacy was then evaluated at months three, six, nine and 12.

"Final decisions about testosterone treatment for older men will depend on balancing the results from these seven TTrials with the results from a much larger and longer term trial designed to assess cardiovascular and prostate risk in the future," said principal investigator Peter J. Snyder, MD, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine professor of medicine in the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism.

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In addition to LA BioMed and University of Pennsylvania, the TTrials were conducted at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Puget Sound Health Care System, University of California at San Diego School of Medicine, University of Florida School of Medicine, University of Minnesota School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health and Yale School of Medicine.

The Testosterone Trials were supported by a grant from the National Institute on Aging (NIA), National Institutes of Health (U01 AG030644). The TTrials were also supplemented by funds from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke, and National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. AbbVie (formerly Solvay and Abbott Laboratories) also provided funding, AndroGel, and placebo gel.

About LA BioMed

Founded in 1952, LA BioMed is one of the country's leading nonprofit independent biomedical research institutes. It has approximately 100 principal researchers conducting studies into improved treatments and therapies for cancer, inherited diseases, infectious diseases, illnesses caused by environmental factors and more. It also educates young scientists and provides community services, including prenatal counseling and childhood nutrition programs. LA BioMed is academically affiliated with the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and located on the campus of Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. For more information, please visit http://www.LABioMed.org
Monash University (Australia) and Cardiff University (UK) researchers have come a step further in understanding how the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) evades the immune system.

Declared a pandemic in 1987 by the World Health Organization, HIV infection has been responsible for 39 million deaths over the last 30 years. It remains one of the world's most significant public health challenges and thus a greater understanding of how HIV functions is urgently needed so that researchers can design better therapies to target this devastating pathogen.

Published today in Nature Structural and Molecular Biology, the Monash-Cardiff team has made an important finding in understanding how HIV-I can evade the immune system.

They demonstrated, in molecular detail, how mutations within HIV can lead to differing ways in which key immune molecules, termed the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC), display fragments of the virus and how this results in the HIV remaining "hidden" from the immune system.

Principal author of the study, Dr Julian Vivian, said the team was yet to develop a complete understanding of how HIV outmanoeuvred our immune system.

"This work uncovers a novel mechanism for HIV immune escape, which will be important to incorporate into future vaccine development and may have broader implications for immune recognition of MHC molecules," he said.

The recent finding is part of a much larger international alliance between the two Universities, with the Systems Immunity Research Institute (SIURI) at Cardiff University and Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute (BDI), having signed a Memorandum of Understanding.

The five year mutual agreement recognises a number of highly productive joint projects already being conducted around inflammation and immunity, and provides a mechanism for enabling additional innovative projects and student exchange in the areas of protective immunity, metabolism, autoimmunity and cancer.

A chief Investigator on the ARC CoE for Advanced Molecular Imaging, based at Monash BDI, Professor Jamie Rossjohn, said the find was exciting and unexpected.

"These result were only possible because of the close collaborative ties between Monash and Cardiff researchers."

Cardiff University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Colin Riordan, said the signing of the MoU called for a celebration.

"Formalising this collaboration is another step forward in what will continue to be a highly successful exchange program and transfer of knowledge between the two countries for the benefit of all."

Monash BDI Director, Professor John Carroll, said the research demonstrated the power of international collaboration.

"We are bringing together excellence in molecular and systems level immunity in this partnership, and I know it will lead to many more great discoveries."

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About the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging

The $39 million ARC-funded Imaging CoE develops and uses innovative imaging technologies to visualise the molecular interactions that underpin the immune system. Featuring an internationally renowned team of lead scientists across five major Australian Universities and academic and commercial partners globally, the Centre uses a truly multi scale and programmatic approach to imaging to deliver maximum impact. The Imaging CoE is headquartered at Monash University with four collaborating organisations - La Trobe University, the University of Melbourne, University of New South Wales and the University of Queensland.

About the Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute

Committed to making the discoveries that will relieve the future burden of disease, the newly established Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute at Monash University brings together more than 120 internationally-renowned research teams. Our researchers are supported by world-class technology and infrastructure, and partner with industry, clinicians and researchers internationally to enhance lives through discovery.
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has launched a Phase 1 clinical trial to test an investigational vaccine intended to provide broad protection against a range of mosquito-transmitted diseases, such as Zika, malaria, West Nile fever and dengue fever, and to hinder the ability of mosquitoes to transmit such infections. The study, which is being conducted at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, will examine the experimental vaccine's safety and ability to generate an immune response.

The investigational vaccine, called AGS-v, was developed by the London-based pharmaceutical company SEEK, which has since formed a joint venture with hVIVO in London. The consulting group Halloran has provided regulatory advice to both companies.

Unlike other vaccines targeting specific mosquito-borne diseases, the AGS-v candidate is designed to trigger an immune response to mosquito saliva rather than to a specific virus or parasite carried by mosquitoes. The test vaccine contains four synthetic proteins from mosquito salivary glands. The proteins are designed to induce antibodies in a vaccinated individual and to cause a modified allergic response that can prevent infection when a person is bitten by a disease-carrying mosquito.

"Mosquitoes cause more human disease and death than any other animal," said NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. "A single vaccine capable of protecting against the scourge of mosquito-borne diseases is a novel concept that, if proven successful, would be a monumental public health advance."

Led by Matthew J. Memoli, M.D., director of the Clinical Studies Unit in NIAID's Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, the clinical trial is expected to enroll up to 60 healthy adults ages 18 to 50 years. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive one of three vaccine regimens. The first group will receive two injections of the AGS-v vaccine, 21 days apart. The second group will receive two injections of AGS-v combined with an adjuvant, 21 days apart. The adjuvant is an oil and water mixture commonly added to vaccines to enhance immune responses. The third group will receive two placebo injections of sterile water 21 days apart. Neither the study investigators nor the participants will know who is assigned to each group.

Participants will be asked to return to the clinic twice between vaccinations and twice after the second vaccination to undergo a physical exam and to provide blood samples. Study investigators will examine the blood samples to measure levels of antibodies triggered by vaccination.

Each participant also will return to the Clinical Center approximately 21 days after completing the vaccination schedule to undergo a controlled exposure to biting mosquitoes. The mosquitoes will not be carrying viruses or parasites, so the participants are not at risk of becoming infected with a mosquito-borne disease. Five to 10 female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes from the insectary in NIAID's Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research will be put in a feeding device that will be placed on each participant's arm for 20 minutes. The mosquitoes will bite the participants' arms through the netting on the feeding devices.

Afterward, investigators will take blood samples from each participant at various time points to see if participants experience a modified response to the mosquito bites as a result of AGS-v vaccination.

Investigators also will examine the mosquitoes after the feeding to assess any changes to their life cycle. Scientists suspect that the mosquitoes who take a blood meal from ASG-v-vaccinated participants may have altered behavior that could lead to early death or a reduced ability to reproduce. This would indicate that the experimental vaccine could also hinder disease transmission by controlling the mosquito population.

All participants will be asked to return to the clinic for follow-up visits every 60 days for five months following the mosquito feeding. A final clinic visit to assess long-term safety will take place approximately 10 months after the mosquito feeding. Throughout the trial, an independent Data and Safety Monitoring Board will review study data to evaluate participant safety and the overall conduct of the study. A medical monitor from NIAID's Office of Clinical Research Policy and Regulatory Operations will also perform routine safety assessments.

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The study is expected to be completed by summer 2018. For more information about the trial, see ClinicalTrials.gov using the trial identifier NCT03055000.

NIAID conducts and supports research--at NIH, throughout the United States, and worldwide--to study the causes of infectious and immune-mediated diseases, and to develop better means of preventing, diagnosing and treating these illnesses. News releases, fact sheets and other NIAID-related materials are available on the NIAID website.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov.
A NASA-led team will kick off an ambitious airborne campaign to determine which combination of sensors would work best at collecting global snow-water measurements from space -- critical for understanding and managing the world's freshwater resources. Scientists at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland are providing technology to the mission.

The first winter campaign of the multi-year effort, called SnowEx, begins on February 6, said Ed Kim, the SnowEx project scientist at NASA Goddard. "SnowEx is all about challenging the sensing techniques and algorithms...until they break," he said. "Only then will we learn when and where each technique works or doesn't work and, of course, why. That's the key to finding an optimum mix for a future snow satellite mission."

Snow Water Equivalent, The Sweet Spot

Although satellites have given scientists a half-century of snow-cover maps, showing the extent of snow over the landscape, they have proven unreliable at helping scientists determine the snow-water equivalent, or SWE, which is the amount of water that the snowpack contains. Currently, SWE can be measured in the field or calculated using a combination of space-based observations and modeling.

To calculate SWE -- information vitally important for water-resource managers, to say nothing of the more than a billion people worldwide who rely on snowpacks for their water -- scientists use sophisticated computer algorithms and models that consider snow depth and density. However, more accurate, remotely sensed measurements are needed as input to improve the model results.

The remote-sensing measurements come from airborne or spaceborne sensors, which either receive radiation passively, or actively emit radiation directed toward the ground. The radiation then interacts with the target and subsequently is received back at the sensor. However, forests and complex topography can confound and complicate remotely sensed signals.

Consequently, multiple sensors will be flown to determine which combination of sensors works best in different snow conditions. The knowledge will be applied to formulating a space-based mission to measure snow and other features of the cryosphere globally. It also could be used to determine how measurements from missions designed for other purposes might aid in evaluating global SWE.

As for measuring SWE, each sensor offers both capabilities and limitations. Active and passive microwave sensors are useful for measuring SWE, irrespective of clouds or darkness, as long as the snow isn't wet, Kim said. Some can see shallow snow while others lose sensitivity under conditions of deep snow with a high SWE. Lidar, on the other hand, doesn't saturate for deep snow, isn't effective for shallow snow, and cannot see through clouds. All the sensors have trouble in densely forested areas, although lidar and others show much promise.

"We've never before had the opportunity to combine these specific sensors in one campaign," explained Dorothy Hall, a Michigan State University researcher and former Goddard scientist who is on the SnowEx organizing team. "We need to evaluate how each sensor performs for measurement of snowpack properties, and how they can be used together, to measure SWE accurately in different land covers."

Determining the Breaking Point

To determine the effectiveness of each remote-sensing technique, the team will begin flying multiple airborne sensors in February over Grand Mesa, Colorado. This site was selected by the NASA snow community at a meeting that was held at the University of Washington in Seattle last spring. A distinct forest-cover gradient at Grand Mesa makes it a versatile site for measuring snow in different forest densities. "It was a Goldilocks story," Kim said. "We wanted a site where there weren't too many or too few trees."

Lidar can be used to measure snow depth and SWE if the pre-snow topography and snowpack density are known. Thus, a baseline survey of the area before snow accumulates is needed. In September, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Airborne Snow Observatory flew a lidar to determine specific pre-snow terrain conditions. Likewise, certain radar techniques benefit from 'no-snow' baseline data. The team will fly the European Space Agency's radar, SnowSAR, in the summer of 2017 to obtain a 'no-snow' baseline.

NASA Goddard Instruments

When the campaign begins in February, the suite of SnowEx instruments will include two Goddard-contributed instruments: the passive microwave Airborne Earth Science Microwave Imaging Radiometer, or AESMIR, and the bi-directional reflectance function Cloud Absorption Radiometer, or CAR. Two thermal-infrared sensors and a video camera also will be flown.

The Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar, or UAVSAR, and the Airborne Glacier and Land Ice Surface Topography Interferometer-A, or GLISTIN-A, also will be flown to provide measurements with two experimental radar techniques. UAVSAR will attempt to sense SWE by penetrating the entire snowpack, while GLISTIN-A will attempt to sense snow depth using lidar-like techniques. In contrast, ESA's SnowSAR employs the traditional radar approach, which measures the amount of scattering that occurs within the snowpack.

Ground Truth Data Collection

A major feature of the campaign is a robust ground-truth program designed to validate sensor data, Kim said. Participation from federal partners, such as the U.S. Forest Service and NOAA, as well as from international partners from Canada, Norway, and other countries, is key to the success of this mission. Kelly Elder, a snow scientist with the Forest Service in Fort Collins, Colorado, is leading this part of the SnowEx campaign.

The big emphasis, however, remains on the airborne sensors themselves, said Charles Gatebe, who is the SnowEx deputy project scientist and principal investigator of the Cloud Absorption Radiometer that will fly during the campaign. "We need a satellite mission that can measure snow globally," he said. "We are looking for the tools."

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For more Goddard technology news, go to: http://gsfctechnology.gsfc.nasa.gov/newsletter/Current.pdf
Adolescents with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms are more likely to misidentify sad and angry faces as fearful, while teens with symptoms of conduct disorder tend to interpret sad faces as angry, finds a study by NYU's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development.

"Our findings suggest that exposure to stress and trauma can have acute emotional impacts that simply translate to misidentification of important affective cues," said Shabnam Javdani, assistant professor of applied psychology at NYU Steinhardt, who led the study with Naomi Sadeh of the University of Delaware. The study was published in the February issue of the journal Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

Research suggests that trauma increases the risk for the development of both PTSD and conduct disorder - a group of behavioral and emotional problems characterized by callousness or aggression towards others - in teens. These disorders, which often co-occur, have an immense impact on the well being and healthy development of adolescents; if left untreated, they increase the risk of hurting others or oneself, substance use, and mental health problems in adulthood.

Trauma has also been associated with an impaired ability to recognize facial expressions. Understanding facial expressions is critical for social functioning and communicating emotions. Earlier studies have found that youth with PTSD and conduct disorder symptoms have deficits in emotional processing that are associated with aggressive behavior and impaired social functioning. These interpersonal problems may be connected to youth misinterpreting social cues conveyed through facial expressions.

The researchers examined the effects of PTSD and conduct disorder symptoms on how youth with emotional and behavior problems process facial expressions. The study included 371 teens, ages 13-19, who were enrolled in therapeutic day schools in Chicago or Providence, R.I.

The teens completed a structured diagnostic assessment and a facial affect recognition task.

Seventeen percent of participants had at least one PTSD symptom, and 12.4 percent met the criteria for a PTSD diagnosis. Eighty-five percent of the teens studied had at least one conduct disorder symptom, and approximately 30 percent met the criteria for a diagnosis of conduct disorder. In addition, 17 percent of those studied had symptoms of both PTSD and conduct disorder.

The researchers found that youth with emotional and behavior problems generally had more difficulty accurately identifying angry faces than fearful or sad faces. However, when they looked at participants with PTSD or conduct disorder symptoms, their findings varied.

Higher levels of PTSD symptoms were associated with less accurate identification of angry faces compared with fearful and sad faces; specifically, youth with greater PTSD symptoms were more likely to mistake sad and angry emotions for fear.

"Fear is particularly relevant for understanding PTSD, as the disorder has been associated with a 'survival mode' of functioning characterized by an overactive fight-or-flight response and increased threat perception," Javdani said.

In contrast, teens with conduct disorder were more likely to misidentify sad faces, but did not have trouble recognizing angry or fearful faces. Conduct disorder symptoms were associated with mistaking sadness for anger, suggesting that youth with higher levels of conduct disorder interpret sad faces as angry and may be less effective at recognizing others' sadness, pain, and suffering.

"Difficulty interpreting displays of sadness and misidentifying sadness as anger may contribute to the impaired affective bonding, low empathy, and callous behavior observed in teens with conduct disorder," Javdani said.

The researchers point to potential treatment implications of their findings: enhancing the accuracy of recognizing facial expressions may be an important treatment goal for youth with symptoms of PTSD and conduct disorder.

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In addition to Javdani and Sadeh, the study was coauthored by Geri R. Donenberg and Erin M. Emerson of the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health and Christopher Houck and Larry K. Brown of Rhode Island Hospital and Brown University. The research was supported by a National Institute of Mental Health grant (R01 MH066641) to the University of Illinois at Chicago and Rhode Island Hospital, and by the Lifespan/Brown/Tufts Center for AIDS Research (P30 AI042853).

About the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development (@nyusteinhardt)

Located in the heart of Greenwich Village, NYU's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development prepares students for careers in the arts, education, health, media, and psychology. Since its founding in 1890, the Steinhardt School's mission has been to expand human capacity through public service, global collaboration, research, scholarship, and practice. To learn more about NYU Steinhardt, visit steinhardt.nyu.edu.
COLUMBUS, Ohio - As mindfulness practices rise in popularity and evidence of their worth continues to accumulate, those who work with aging populations are looking to use the techniques to boost cognitive, emotional and physiological health.

But studies so far have shown mixed results in the elderly, and more investigation is needed to determine exactly how best to apply mindfulness in that population, a new review of the research to date has found.

A majority of the 27 studies in the review suggest that the focused attention at the core of mindfulness benefits older people, but others don't point to improvements. And that should prompt more rigorous investigations in search of interventions likely to do the most good, researchers from The Ohio State University found. Their analysis appears in the journal Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience.

"Mindfulness is a practice that really serves as a way to foster a greater quality of life and there's been some thought that it could help with cognitive decline as we age," said Stephanie Fountain-Zaragoza, lead author of the study and a graduate student in psychology.

"Given the growing interest in mindfulness in general, we wanted to determine what we know right now so that researchers can think about where we go from here," she said.

The good news so far: The evidence from a variety of studies points to some benefits for older adults, suggesting that mindfulness training might be integrated into senior centers and group homes, the researchers found.

Older people are an especially important population to study given diminished social support, physical limitations and changes in cognitive health, the researchers point out.

Studies of mindfulness meditation usually involve three types of practices. The first, focused attention, involves sustained attention to a single thing (such as the breath) and an effort to disengage from other distractions.

Open monitoring meditation, often seen as the next step up in mindfulness, includes acknowledging the details of multiple phenomena (sensations, sounds, etc.) without selectively focusing on one of them.

"This includes being open to experiencing thoughts and sensations and emotions and taking them as they come and letting them go," Fountain-Zaragoza said.

Loving-kindness meditation encourages a universal state of love and compassion toward oneself and others.

"The goal with this is to foster compassionate acceptance," said senior author Ruchika Shaurya Prakash, director of Ohio State's clinical neuroscience laboratory and an expert in mindfulness.

In addition to looking at how mindfulness contributed - or did not - to behavioral and cognitive functioning and to psychological wellbeing, some of the research also looked at its potential role in inflammation, which contributes to a variety of diseases.

In all categories of study, including inflammatory processes, Prakash and Fountain-Zaragoza found mixed results.

The hope is that mindfulness could help the elderly preserve attention and capitalize on emotional regulation strategies that naturally improve as we age, Prakash said.

"Around 50 percent of our lives, our minds are wandering and research from Harvard University has shown that the more your mind wanders, the less happy you are," she said.

"Mindfulness allows you to become aware of that chaotic mind-wandering and provides a safe space to just breathe."

In older people, mindfulness ideally has the potential to help with cognition, emotion and inflammation, but little research has been done so far and those studies that have been done have had mixed results and scientific limitations.

While most of the studies in the review showed positive results, the field is limited and would benefit greatly from larger randomized controlled trials, Fountain-Zaragoza said.

"We want to really be able to say that we have strong evidence that mindfulness is driving the changes we see," she said.

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CONTACTS: Stephanie Fountain-Zaragoza, Fountain-zaragoza.1@osu.edu. Ruchika Shaurya Prakash, (614) 292-8462; Prakash.30@osu.edu.

Written by Misti Crane, 614-292-5220; Crane.11@osu.edu
New York, NY-Africa's protected parks and reserves are capable of supporting three to four times as many wild lions if well funded and managed, according to a new report led by Panthera, the global wild cat conservation organization.

Published in Biological Conservation, the study shows that populations of the African lion and its prey species are drastically below their natural potential inside most of Africa's protected areas (PA).

In recent years, lion numbers have declined steeply. Some estimates suggest as few as 20,000 wild lions remain in all of Africa, compared to 30,000 that existed just two decades ago. Yet, the study indicates that with sufficient global support for African conservation efforts, the continent's protected areas could support as many as 83,000 free-ranging lions.

Panthera Research Associate and Wildlife Conservation Network Conservation Initiatives Director, Dr. Peter Lindsey, shared, "Africa's incredible protected areas hold the key to securing the future of lions and several other wildlife species, and can yield significant benefits for people. African governments have set aside enough space to conserve lions effectively - we just need to find ways to enable those areas to be funded sufficiently and managed effectively. While a diverse set of approaches are needed to achieve lion conservation, it is clear that investing in improved management of PAs has particular potential to boost the conservation prospects for lions."

Lindsey continued, "Encouragingly, there are more than just biological reasons for investing in PAs. Well-funded protected areas, and especially those with lions, can play a critical role in developing tourism industries whose revenues can help to grow and diversify economies and create jobs. In addition, protected areas also play essential roles in providing ecosystem services, such as watershed protection. By investing sufficiently in Africa's protected area network, the global community has the opportunity to halt and reverse the decline in lion numbers."

The study found that less than one third of the 175 parks and reserves examined are currently conserving lions at more than 50% of their 'carrying capacity' - an ecological term for the natural population levels animals reach if human threats are minimal. Parks were in slightly better shape for lion prey, with around 45% of surveyed protected areas conserving herbivores at over 50% of their carrying capacity.

The illegal bushmeat trade stands out as the most severe and prevalent threat facing lions and many other wildlife species in Africa's protected areas. Following closely behind are a multitude of threats, including human-lion conflict, encroachment of PAs by humans and livestock and in some cases, the emerging threat of direct poaching of lions for the illegal wildlife trade.

Panthera and partner scientists found that adequate management budgets and management capacity are essential pre-requisites for successfully conserving lions in PAs, as they permit effective law enforcement and other critical conservation initiatives. Those protected areas dedicating the use of their land primarily for photo-tourism operations are also associated with the greatest success in conserving lions and their prey.

Today, sub-Saharan Africa's tourism industry, supported by dozens of parks and reserves, is valued at $25 billion dollars, compared to the $20 billion a year illegal wildlife trade that is increasingly targeting Africa's big cats and wildlife for their precious parts.

Panthera also recognizes the importance of making sure that local people have a stake in and stand to benefit from PAs and big cat conservation. Simply put, managing PAs and protecting wildlife will be cheaper and easier if local people are supportive, and have a stake in the process.

Panthera Senior Lion Program Director, Dr. Paul Funston, shared, "There is just no replacement for large protected areas that invest adequately in management and protection of their lions. Very few areas in Africa meet these needs, and those that do are pure gold for lions. They are places where tourists can see lions really being lions in all the amazing facets of their behavior, and where lions properly fulfill their ecological role."

Funston continued, "Protected areas are at the heart of the formula to save Africa's lions, and to ensure the species lives on, lions and their wild landscapes require nothing short of a wealthy and immediate investment from the global community - everyone from donors in New York City and African nations to international governments, corporations, foundations and NGOs who want to be a part of the solution in saving one of our planet's most remarkable wild animals."

While in many ways bleak, the lion's future glimmers with hope. Panthera's President and publication co-author, Dr. Luke Hunter, noted, "Many African nations have allocated truly massive swaths of land as protected parks and reserves. However, for Africa's vast PA network to fulfill its potential for conserving lions and other species, there is an urgent need to greatly escalate funding and capacity to effectively manage those parks. That will require a renewed commitment, both from African governments and the international community."

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Panthera's Project Leonardo leads or supports initiatives in 15 African nations to bring lion populations back to a minimum of 30,000 individuals within 15 years. Learn more.

About Panthera

Panthera, founded in 2006, is devoted exclusively to preserving wild cats and their critical role in the world's ecosystems. Panthera's team of leading biologists, law enforcement experts and wild cat advocates develop innovative strategies based on the best available science to protect cheetahs, jaguars, leopards, lions, pumas, snow leopards and tigers and their vast landscapes. In 50 countries around the world, Panthera works with a wide variety of stakeholders to reduce or eliminate the most pressing threats to wild cats--securing their future, and ours. Visit panthera.org
Around midnight, BSF troops observed suspicious movement of 3-4 terrorists along the LoC and fired at them. Terrorists retaliated and the firing continued for about half-an-hour.

By Manjeet Negi, Ashwini Kumar: After a terrorist was killed along the LoC in Keri sector of Jammu and Kashmir following a failed infiltration bid around midnight, the BSF has sounded an alert in Rajouri. Security forces have been asked to be vigilant.

Around midnight, BSF troops observed suspicious movement of 3-4 terrorists along the LoC and fired at them. Terrorists retaliated and the firing continued for about half-an-hour.

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The body of the terrorist was recovered along with an AK-47 rifle in the morning.

When the area was searched in detail in the morning, a black bag was also recovered from the site of the incident containing a water-proof night-vision monocular, a loaded AK magazine, dry fruits and juice among others.

Also read | J-K: Army to get tough with those blocking anti-terror ops, troops asked to stick to guns instead of lathis

The other terrorists managed to flee taking advantage of undulating hilly terrain and jungle cover.

The incident has triggered an alarm along the LoC and International border in Jammu division. It is important to note that in the past, terrorist groups have infiltrated through these routes and launched many attacks on military and civilian establishments in Jammu area.

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An autistic researcher at Portland State University has received two federal grants totaling $467,000 to help other autistic people be more successful in the workforce.

Dora Raymaker, assistant research professor in the School of Social Work's Regional Research Institute, will lead a study to determine what helps autistic people do well professionally and develop a plan to improve their professional outcomes. Her research team will interview 95 people, including autistic people and those who work with them.

This study is both a personal and academic interest for Raymaker, whose own path to professional success has been an unconventional one. She says she faced discrimination, multiple career shifts and a disability services system often ill-equipped to provide support in skilled settings before finding an academic home at PSU and profession that values her abilities.

"I want to make the way easier for people who come after me," she says. "This is not only a culmination of my life, but it's also something incredibly important for the community."

Raymaker received a two-year $417,285 grant from the National Institute of Mental Health and a $50,000 pilot grant from PSU's BUILD EXITO, an undergraduate research training program funded by the National Institutes of Health.

Autism affects an estimated 1 percent of the population and is considered a "spectrum" that includes a wide range of cognitive and verbal skills. Little research has been done on what helps autistic people be successful in professions, even as more autistic children grow up and join the workforce.

Raymaker started the Academic Autism Spectrum Partnership in Research and Education (AASPIRE) with Christina Nicolaidis, a social work professor at PSU and physician at Oregon Health & Science University, 10 years ago to fill the gap between what the autistic community wanted from research and what researchers were delivering. They use a model of community-based participatory research to ensure that autistic people aren't just studied, but also are involved in all phases of the study.

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About Portland State University (PSU)

As Oregon's only urban public research university, Portland State offers tremendous opportunity to 27,000 students from all backgrounds. Our mission to "Let Knowledge Serve the City" reflects our dedication to finding creative, sustainable solutions to local and global problems. Our location in the heart of Portland, one of America's most dynamic cities, gives our students unmatched access to career connections and an internationally acclaimed culture scene. "U.S. News & World Report" ranks us among the nation's top 10 most innovative universities.
Los Angeles, CA (Feb. 21, 2017): The Tyler Prize Executive Committee will award the 2017 Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement to pioneering Mexican ecologist Professor Jose Sarukhan, for his scientific contributions to the field of biological diversity and institution-building.

At a time when the fate of Mexico's rainforests was in critical danger from extensive land clearing, then-Mexican President Carlos Salinas turned to Sarukhan for advice on how to show the global community that the country valued its natural resources. In response Sarukhan masterminded a federal government department focused entirely on biodiversity - one of the first of its kind in the world. It became known as CONABIO, the 'National Commission for the Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity' (Spanish: Comision Nacional para el Conocimiento y Uso de la Biodiversidad).

Now in its 25th anniversary year, CONABIO runs what is considered as the largest, electronically accessible, national biodiversity database in the world, with over 11.2 million specimens. CONABIO is an interministerial Commission (spanning 10 federal ministries) that acquires knowledge and shapes policies on conservation and the sustainable use of Mexico's natural resources. This integrated approach to conservation has proven so successful that President Obama's advisory council recommended it be used as a model for the United States.

Tyler Prize Executive Committee Chair Julia Marton-Lefevre said Sarukhan was being recognized for identifying a scientific problem and creating a solution that was built into his nation's laws and regulations, through strong institutions.

"As a world-class scientist - Sarukhan published in all the most esteemed scientific journals and got the highest prizes that every scientist wants. But he knew that seeking 'knowledge for the sake of knowledge' was no longer enough, and that saving the biodiversity in Mexico's forests would take much more than just excellent science.

"Few scientists could convince a President to find budget for a federal-level conservation agency - but Sarukhan did, and because of that, Mexico's forests now have an institutional watchdog actively protecting their biodiversity.

"Sarukhan has made sure that his science has led to practical solutions that are changing peoples' lives and changing the way the environment is able to provide us a home for the future," said Marton-Lefevre.

As the winner of the Tyler Prize, Sarukhan will receive a $200,000 cash prize and join the ranks of laureates that include Jane Goodall and E.O Wilson.

Sarukhan said he was "honored and humbled" by the Prize, and attributed his social responsibility to his mentors, eminent biologist Arturo Gomez-Pompa (himself a Tyler Laureate) and botanist Dr. Efraim Hernandez Xolocotzi. In the 1970's, both mentors had been two of the most effective voices of criticism of the government's rainforest clearing,. The experience was formative for Sarukhan, and helped him to understand that science was 'something that had to be fought for'.

"Scientists should make people aware of the implications that research has on their surroundings and their own health. I believe that academia has a contract with society, to be outspoken if information is not being used the way it should be - perhaps because of political or economical reasons. I know that not everyone is built to do that kind of work, but if one feels they can take on this role, which might be called activism or politics, I think one has to do it," said Professor Sarukhan.

As CONABIO's national coordinator, Sarukhan has worked under five different presidential administrations from both sides of the political spectrum - a role that has often required him to defend biodiversity as a national priority.

"Scientists should defend a fundamental principle: humankind cannot move forward if governments pretend not to know, or not to be based, in fact and science."

Harold Mooney, the 2008 Tyler Prize Laureate and Professor of Environmental Biology at Stanford University, said that Sarukhan is an extraordinary scientific leader and statesman.

"He was one of the first academics to recognize the importance of building a link between conservation and development policies based on scientific knowledge."

Professor Jose Sarukhan will be honored at an Award Ceremony in Washington DC on May 4th. Earlier that day he will give a special lecture and appear in a panel discussion. Members of the press interested in attending should email the Media Director (contact details below).

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Click here to download a fact sheet and photos of Professor Sarukhan.

About the Tyler Prize

Established by the late John and Alice Tyler in 1973, the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement is one of the first international premier awards for environmental science, environmental health and energy. Recipients encompass the spectrum of environmental concerns, including environmental policy, health, air and water pollution, ecosystem disruption and loss of biodiversity, and energy resources. The Prize is awarded by the international Tyler Prize Executive Committee with the administrative support of the University of Southern California. For more information on the Tyler Prize go to: http://www.tylerprize.org
OAK BROOK, Ill. - MRI screening improves early diagnosis of breast cancer in all women-not only those at high risk-according to a new study from Germany published online in the journal Radiology.

MRI has long been known as an effective breast cancer screening modality that offers better sensitivity than mammography and ultrasound. Currently, guidelines reserve breast MRI screening for women who have a strong family history or other specific breast cancer risk factors. MRI screening has not been considered necessary for women at average risk, and there has been resistance to expansion of MRI into this population due, in part, to concern over higher costs.

However, with breast cancer remaining a major cause of cancer death in women, there is good reason to pursue the search for improved screening methods, according to the study's lead author, Christiane Kuhl, M.D., chair of the Department of Radiology at RWTH Aachen University in Aachen, Germany.

Between 2005 and 2013, Dr. Kuhl and colleagues studied breast MRI's impact on 2,120 women, ages 40 to 70, with less than a 15 percent lifetime risk of breast cancer. The women had normal screening mammograms and, in the case of those with dense breast tissue, normal screening ultrasound. Breast MRI detected 60 additional breast cancers, including 40 invasive cancers, for an overall supplemental cancer detection rate of 15.5 per 1,000 women. Of the 60 cancers detected in the study group over the observation period (7,007 screening rounds), 59 were found only using MRI, one was found also by mammography, and none by mammography or ultrasound alone.

According to Dr. Kuhl, the results suggest that MRI can serve as a useful supplemental screening tool for women at average risk, especially those with dense mammographic tissue, and that MRI is superior to supplemental ultrasound for this purpose.

The results also highlight the ability of MRI in the detection of more aggressive types of cancer.

"The faster a cancer grows and the better it is in seeding metastases, the better will it be picked up early by MRI," Dr. Kuhl said. "In our cohort, cancers found by MRI alone exhibited features of rapid growth at pathology."

This ability is especially important in women with dense breast tissue in which aggressive cancers may be missed on mammography. Left undetected, these cancers will grow to become clinically palpable cancers, also known as interval cancers. The new study showed that, consistent with previous research, breast MRI can depict these rapidly growing cancers with high reliability.

According to Dr. Kuhl, interval cancers exhibit an adverse biologic profile and are the main driver of breast cancer mortality. Additional cancers detected by MRI screening in the study had a skewed distribution towards a higher-than-normal prevalence or incidence of rapidly growing (grade 3) cancers.

"The interval cancer rate in our study was zero percent. Not a single cancer was undetected that became palpable," she said. "This suggests that MRI finds breast cancers that also mammography would find, but MRI detects them earlier, and it finds the cancers which, if MRI had not been done, would have progressed to interval cancers."

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"Supplemental Breast MR Imaging Screening of Women with Average Risk of Breast Cancer." Collaborating with Dr. Kuhl were Kevin Strobel, M.D., Heribert Bieling, M.Sc., Claudia Leutner, M.D., Hans H. Schild, M.D., Ph.D., and Simone Schrading, M.D., Ph.D.

Radiology is edited by Herbert Y. Kressel, M.D., Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass., and owned and published by the Radiological Society of North America, Inc. (http://radiology.rsna.org/)

RSNA is an association of 54,000 radiologists, radiation oncologists, medical physicists and related scientists promoting excellence in patient care and health care delivery through education, research and technologic innovation. The Society is based in Oak Brook, Ill. (RSNA.org)

For patient-friendly information on breast MRI, visit RadiologyInfo.org.
A group of Russian and Kazakh scientists headed by prof Skalnyj from RUDN University (Moscow, Russia) analyzed the level of toxic and essential trace elements in hair of petrochemical workers involved in different technological processes.

The objective of the investigation was to compare and to analyze hair trace element content in workers of different departments of a petrochemical plant. A total of 75 men working in an office (engineers), and different departments of the petrochemical plant, as well as occupationally non-exposed persons, were examined. Hair trace element levels were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

The office workers were characterized by the highest hair As, Hg, Sn, I, and Si content as compared to the workers of other departments, whereas the level of those elements did not differ significantly from the control values. It is notable that hair Be levels in all employees of petrochemical plant were significantly lower, whereas Se content was significantly higher than that in unexposed controls.

Hair toxic trace element content in workers directly involved in industrial processes did not differ significantly or was lower than that in the control group. At the same time, the highest levels of essential trace elements (Cr, Fe, and I) were observed in employees working in primary oil refining (D1). Hair levels of Co, I, and Li were maximal in persons of sulfur and bitumen-producing division (D4). The lowest levels of both essential and toxic trace elements in hair were detected in employees involved in production of liquefied gas, kerosene, and diesel fuel (D3).

The obtained data demonstrate that involvement in different technological processes in petrochemical complex differentially affect hair trace element content in workers.

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Targeted drug therapies during adolescence may be used to normalize synapse number in the brains of individuals with abnormal numbers of synapses, such as found in Schizophrenia and Autism

Brooklyn, NY - Memories are formed at structures in the brain known as dendritic spines, which communicate with other brain cells through "synapses." The number of these brain connections decreases by half after puberty in a process termed adolescent "synaptic pruning" that is necessary for normal learning in adulthood. However, the pruning away of unnecessary synapses does not follow the normal process in diseases such as autism and schizophrenia, where the abnormality is thought to underlie many of the cognitive impairments associated with these disorders.

Researchers at SUNY Downstate Medical Center recently discovered that an inhibitory brain receptor triggers pruning in adolescence in a pre-clinical model. Now, a new article by the SUNY Downstate researchers shows that drugs that selectively target these receptors, when administered during adolescence, can alter synapse number.

Sheryl S. Smith, PhD, professor of physiology and pharmacology at Downstate, explains, "Drugs that enhance activity of this inhibitory receptor reduce synapse number, while drugs that decrease this inhibitory receptor increase synapse number."

Dr. Smith adds, "These findings suggest that targeted drug therapies during adolescence could potentially be used to normalize synapse number in the brains of individuals with abnormal numbers of synapses, such as found in autism and schizophrenia." Dr. Smith cautions, however, that at this time such drugs are not yet available for use in humans.

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The article is "4 GABAA receptors reduce dendritic spine density in CA1 hippocampus and impair relearning ability of adolescent female mice: Effects of a GABA agonist and a stress steroid," by Sonia Afroz, Hui Shen, Sheryl S. Smith. It appears in Neuroscience, Volume 347 (April 2017), published by Elsevier.

The research leading to the results published by Neuroscience was supported by the National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Mental Health, Award Number R01-MH100561, to Sheryl S. Smith. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institute of Mental Health or National Institutes of Health. Copies of this paper are available to credentialed journalists upon request; please contact Elsevier's Newsroom at newsroom@elsevier.com or +31 20 485 2492.

About SUNY Downstate

SUNY Downstate Medical Center, founded in 1860, was the first medical school in the United States to bring teaching out of the lecture hall and to the patient's bedside. A center of innovation and excellence in research and clinical service delivery, SUNY Downstate Medical Center comprises a College of Medicine, College of Nursing, College of Health Related Professions, a School of Graduate Studies, a School of Public Health, University Hospital of Brooklyn, and a multifaceted biotechnology initiative including the Downstate Biotechnology Incubator and BioBAT for early-stage and more mature companies, respectively. SUNY Downstate ranks twelfth nationally in the number of alumni who are on the faculty of American medical schools. More physicians practicing in New York City have graduated from SUNY Downstate than from any other medical school. For more information, visit http://www.downstate.edu.

About Neuroscience

An International Journal under the editorial direction of IBRO, Neuroscience publishes papers describing the results of original research on any aspect of the scientific study of the nervous system. Any paper, however short, will be considered for publication provided that it reports significant, new and carefully confirmed findings with full experimental details.
Ocean explorers need to think "beyond the ships" and plan ahead to an age of SuBastian and the Roboats -- a new world of marine technology characterized by autonomy, sensors, precision, miniaturization, machine learning and artificial intelligence, telepresence, better forms of energy storage, and sharing to boost asset utilization.

That's among the major recommendations emerging from the US 2016 National Ocean Exploration Forum, "Beyond the Ships: 2020-2025," delivered in a final report released today.

Hosted Oct. 20-21 by the Program for the Human Environment at The Rockefeller University, New York City, in partnership with Monmouth University' Urban Coast Institute, the Forum was the latest in a series mandated by Congress in 2009 to promote ocean exploration and its attendant cooperative expedition planning, technology development and transfer, data management, and public understanding.

About 100 influential academic, government, and private sector experts discussed adaptation and integration of technologies to employ in ocean exploration campaigns in the 2020-2025 timeframe.

The Forum was supported by the Monmouth-Rockefeller Marine Science and Policy Initiative, NOAA, Schmidt Ocean Institute, and James A. Austin, Jr.

The top recommendations:

Understand better the U.S. "demand" for exploration.

Think and plan "Beyond the Ships," to the world of SuBastian and the Roboats, and therefore continually develop autonomy, lower cost sensors and vehicles, miniaturization, machine learning and artificial intelligence, telepresence, better forms of energy storage, and sharing to boost asset utilization.

Allow many more oceanographic vessels to become vessels of ocean exploration by two technology-related actions that can be taken almost immediately: a) outfit vessels with telepresence communications capabilities; and

b) modularize deep ROV and other exploration sensor systems in air/ship moveable containers.

Support development of environmentally responsible disposable exploration sensors and devices, including vehicles.

Promote new, nondestructive means of collecting biological samples, especially techniques that do not harm or destroy a marine species when the sample is brought to the surface, and techniques that nondestructively collect a sample of biomaterial from the organism in situ, or the water around it.

Use campaigns as systematic "proving grounds" for emerging ocean exploration technologies.

Embrace the "campaign" concept so that a larger fraction of U.S. national ocean exploration is conducted as campaigns. Supported by several sponsors (public and private) using a multitude of techniques, "campaigns" comprehensively explore an ocean area and may span several years.

Develop better measures and indicators for whether an ocean area is explored and characterized.

Speed "the baseline" exploration activity to map the U.S. EEZ comprehensively with multibeam bathymetry at appropriate resolution.

Embrace an international goal to map the entire ocean, the General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans.

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The 34-page final report is available in full at https://phe.rockefeller.edu/noef/NOEF_Report_0217.pdf as well as a wealth of materials from the Forum at the updated site: https://phe.rockefeller.edu/noef/

A 19 October 2016 Press Release announced the Forum: https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-10/tca-ev101216.php
Among older adults with subthreshold depression (insufficient levels of depressive symptoms to meet diagnostic criteria), collaborative care compared with usual care resulted in an improvement in depressive symptoms after four months, although it is of uncertain clinical importance, according to a study appearing in the February 21 issue of JAMA.

Depression is the second leading cause of disability worldwide, and one in seven older people meet criteria for depression. Effective therapeutic strategies are needed in older people with depressive symptoms. Simon Gilbody, Ph.D., of the University of York, England, and colleagues randomly assigned 705 adults age 65 years or older with subthreshold depression to collaborative care (n=344) or usual primary care (control; n=361). Collaborative care was coordinated by a case manager who assessed functional impairments relating to mood symptoms. Participants were offered behavioral activation and completed an average of six weekly sessions.

Collaborative care resulted in lower scores vs usual care at 4-month follow-up on measures of self-reported depression severity. The proportion of participants meeting criteria for depression were lower for collaborative care (17.2 percent) than usual care (23.5 percent) at 4-month follow-up, and at 12-month follow-up (15.7 percent vs 27.8 percent).

"Although differences persisted through 12 months, findings are limited by attrition, and further research is needed to assess longer-term efficacy," the authors write.

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(doi:10.1001/jama.2017.0130; the study is available pre-embargo at the For the Media website)

Editor's Note: This project was funded by the UK National Institute of Health Research Health Technology Assessment Programme. All authors have completed and submitted the ICMJE Form for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest and none were reported.

Related material: The editorial, "When and How to Treat Subthreshold Depression," by Kurt Kroenke, M.D., of the Regenstrief Institute, Indianapolis, also is available at the For The Media website.

To place an electronic embedded link to this study in your story This link will be live at the embargo time: http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/10.1001/jama.2017.0130
An analysis of 28 commercial physician-rating websites finds that search mechanisms are cumbersome, and reviews scarce, according to a study appearing in the February 21 issue of JAMA.

Patients are increasingly seeking information about physicians online. Nearly 60 percent report that online reviews are important when choosing a physician. Because publicly reported quality data are not reported at the physician level, patients must consult physician-rating websites to find such reviews. Tara Lagu, M.D., M.P.H., of Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, Mass., and colleagues identified 28 physician-rating websites that met criteria for inclusion in the study. The researchers then used publicly available lists of registered and active physicians to identify a random sample of 600 physicians from three metropolitan areas (Boston, Portland, Ore.; and Dallas) and searched each website for reviews and calculated average and median number of reviews per physician per site.

The authors found that few sites allowed the user to search by clinical condition, sex of physician, hospital affiliation, languages spoken, or insurance accepted. Across the 28 websites, there were 8,133 quantitative reviews for the 600 physicians. Among physicians with at least one review on any site, the median number was 7 reviews per physician across all sites. One-third of sampled physicians did not have a review on any site.

The researchers write that despite certain study limitations, "these results demonstrate that it is difficult for a prospective patient to find (for any given physician on any commercial physician-rating website) a quantity of reviews that would accurately relay the experience of care with that physician."

"Methods that use systematic data collection (e.g., surveys) may have a greater chance of amassing a sufficient quantity and quality of reviews to allow patients to make inferences about patient experience of care."

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(doi:10.1001/jama.2016.18553; the study is available pre-embargo at the For the Media website)

Editor's Note: This work is supported by grants from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and from the National Institute of Child Health and Development of the National Institutes of Health. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, etc.

To place an electronic embedded link to this study in your story This link will be live at the embargo time: http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/10.1001/jama.2016.18553
Irvine, Calif., Feb. 21, 2017 - Global climate change is being felt in many coastal communities of the United States, not always in the form of big weather disasters but as a steady drip, drip, drip of nuisance flooding.

According to researchers at the University of California, Irvine, rising sea levels will cause these smaller events to become increasingly frequent in the future, and the cumulative effect will be comparable to extreme events such as Hurricane Katrina or Superstorm Sandy.

"Catastrophic storms get a lot of media attention and are studied, but we wanted to know more about the non-extreme events," said Amir AghaKouchak, UCI associate professor of civil & environmental engineering and co-author of a new study on cumulative hazards in the American Geophysical Union journal Earth's Future.

"These diffuse floods happen multiple times a month or year," he said. "They don't kill anyone, they don't damage buildings, but over time they have extremely high-cost outcomes, and it happens without us realizing it."

In Washington, D.C., for instance, the number of hours of nuisance flooding per year has grown from 19 between 1930 and 1970 to 94 over the last two decades. Projections suggest that there could be as many as 700 hours of nuisance flooding per year by 2050. The capital's monuments, marinas, parks, public transportation infrastructure, roads and businesses could be affected. The UCI researchers found similar potential impacts in four other American cities: Miami, New York, Seattle and San Francisco.

Climate change is driving the growth of cumulative hazards, they noted. A full moon on a clear night triggering higher tides is now enough to cause flooding, because ocean levels are so high.

"The frequency is increasing because of sea level rise," AghaKouchak said. "We call it clear-sky flooding. There's no rain, but if you have a higher-than-usual tide, you get flooding in these coastal areas."

While not catastrophic at the time, these episodes degrade infrastructure and can damage roads and building foundations. More immediately, nuisance flooding forces municipalities to expend resources to pump water out of streets. Communities suffer school closures, traffic interruptions, and reverberating waves of cost and inconvenience. Degraded sewer infrastructure results in heightened public health risks.

Lead author Hamed Moftakhari, a UCI postdoctoral scholar, said that people in often-hit regions have begun the process of adapting to the problem. "In a recent social science survey, people weren't really interested in knowing the depth of the water. They just wanted to know how long they would be flooded," he said. "Their main concern was finding out when they could get back to their schools and businesses."

But public officials can't afford to take cumulative hazards in stride, said co-author Richard Matthew, UCI professor of planning, policy & design. Policymakers faced with limited capital funds frequently defer action or make incremental improvements when major investments may be critical to fortify their communities. The team created a cumulative hazards index to pinpoint which locations would experience the greatest long-term risk.

"This index gives officials a tool that could help them decide to move beyond the convenient but potentially very costly strategies of deferral and incrementalism and promote more transformative policies where they make sense," Matthew said.

Co-author Brett Sanders, UCI professor of civil & environmental engineering, added: "The index is particularly useful for predicting future hot spots for nuisance flooding across the U.S., where adaptation measures are needed the most."

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Funding for the study was provided by the National Science Foundation. Data was provided by the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration and Climate Central.

About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UCI is the youngest member of the prestigious Association of American Universities. The campus has produced three Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UCI has more than 30,000 students and offers 192 degree programs. It's located in one of the world's safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County's second-largest employer, contributing $5 billion annually to the local economy. For more on UCI, visit http://www.uci.edu.

Media access: Radio programs/stations may, for a fee, use an on-campus ISDN line to interview UCI faculty and experts, subject to availability and university approval. For more UCI news, visit news.uci.edu. Additional resources for journalists may be found at communications.uci.edu/for-journalists.

NOTE TO EDITORS, VISUAL AVAILABLE AT: https://news.uci.edu/research/over-time-nuisance-flooding-can-cost-more-than-extreme-infrequent-events/

Contact:

Brian Bell

949-824-8249

bpbell@uci.edu
Warming seawaters, caused by climate change and extreme climatic events, threaten the stability of tropical coral reefs, with potentially devastating implications for many reef species and the human communities that reefs support.

New research by the University of Exeter shows that increased surface ocean temperatures during the strong 2016 El Nino led to a major coral die-off event in the Maldives, and that this has caused reef growth rates to collapse. They also found that the rates at which some reefs species, in particular parrotfish, are eroding the reefs had increased following this coral die-off event.

Similar magnitudes of coral death have been reported on many other reefs in the region, including on the northern Great Barrier Reef, suggesting similar impacts may be very widespread.

Professor Chris Perry and Dr Kyle Morgan, of the University of Exeter's Geography department, studied the impact of the 2016 El Nino event at sites in the southern Maldives and found that the event had not only caused widespread coral bleaching, a phenomenon whereby corals expel their photosynthesising algae when stressed by high temperatures, but that this had also led to extensive coral death in all shallow water reef habitats examined.

"A very major concern now is how quickly these reefs might recover. Recovery from similar past disturbances in the Maldives have taken 10-15 years, but major bleaching events are predicted to become far more frequent than this. If this is the case it could lead to long-term loss of reef growth and so limit the coastal protection and habitat services these reefs presently provide," Professor Perry said.

"The most alarming aspect of this coral die-off event is that it has led to a rapid and very large decline in the growth rate of the reefs. This in turn has major implications not only for the capacity of these reefs to match any increases in sea-level, but is also likely to lead to a loss of the surface structure of the reefs that is so critical for supporting fish species diversity and abundance."

Coral reefs are formed by the accumulation of coral skeletons (made of calcium carbonate) that builds up over 100's to 1000's of years, forming the complex structures that support a huge diversity of marine life. The so-called 'carbonate budget' of a reef, which represents the balance between the rate at which this carbonate is produced by corals and the rate at which it is removed (by biological or physical erosion or chemical dissolution), influences the development of these structures and how fast a reef can grow.

The effect these combined factors was a major decline in the carbonate budgets of these reefs, with an average reduction of 157%. Before the warming event, the reefs had been in a period of rapid growth, but after the period of higher sea temperatures a negative carbonate budget was recorded at all sites. Put simply, the structure of these reefs is now eroding at a faster rate that it is growing. Based on past studies the researchers suggest that given the severity of the bleaching impacts it may take 10 to 15 years for full recovery to occur.

The extent of the 2016 bleaching, which also affected reefs in other parts of the Indian Ocean and Pacific, was so severe that it was subsequently named the 'Third Global Coral Bleaching Event'.

Dr Kyle Morgan said: "Coral reefs provide a wealth of benefits. They are vital habitats, essential for a vast number of species and they are also important for tourism and food provision. The reduction in carbonate budget threatens these benefits and may well also lead to the structural collapse of reefs. The key issue to consider now is whether, and when, these reefs will recover, both ecologically and in terms of their growth. Based on past trajectories, we predict recovery will take at least a decade, however it all depends on the extent of future warming events and climate change."

University of Exeter scientists warned there could be further rises in sea temperatures owing to global warming with potentially devastating effects on coral reefs.

Professor Mat Collins, an expert in climate modelling at the University of Exeter, said:

"We expect El Nino variability to continue into the future which, when combined with rising temperatures due to global warming, means we will see unprecedented sea temperatures and increasing incidence of coral bleaching."

Bleaching drives collapse in reef carbonate budgets and reef growth potential on southern Maldives reefs is published in Scientific Reports.

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Professor Perry is available on c.perry@exeter.ac.uk and Dr Kyle Morgan is available on k.morgan@exeter.ac.uk
During the highly surcharged campaigning, Prime Minister Narendra Modi repeatedly targeted the SP-Congress alliance and the BSP for corruption in their regime.

By Press Trust of India: Hectic campaigning, punctuated by bitter personal jibes, came to a close this evening in 53 Assembly constituencies spread over 12 districts of Uttar Pradesh that will go to polls in the fourth phase on Thursday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and BSP supremo Mayawati were among the host of leaders who made a beeline to backward and water-scarce Bundelkhand region, which also figures in fourth phase of polling.

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ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS 2017: FULL COVERAGE

Assembly segments in Congress President Sonia Gandhi's Raebareli Lok Sabha constituency will also go to polls in this phase.

Other districts going to polls in the fourth phase are Pratapgarh, Kaushambi, Allahabad, Jalaun, Jhansi, Lalitpur, Mahoba, Banda, Hamirpur, Chitrakoot and Fatehpur.

During the highly surcharged campaigning, Modi repeatedly targeted the SP-Congress alliance and the BSP for corruption in their regime.

ALSO READ: Gujarat Tourism's 'gadha' ad: A mocking Akhilesh has a request for megastar Amitabh

"SCAM stands for SP, Congress, Akhilesh and Mayawati," was Modi's refrain when he appealed to the voters of Bundelkhand to get rid of them.

As the prime minister termed BSP as "Behenji Sampatti Party", Mayawati in her instant retort said the initials of Narendra Damodardas Modi stood for "Mr. Negative Dalit Man", escalating political temperature with such tit-for-tat barbs.

ALSO READ: Manipur Election 2017: Row over PM Modi's rally at Imphal's 'sacred' Kangla fort

"Narendra Damodardas Modi means Mr. Negative Dalit Man, he is anti-dalit...this negative dalit man does not like that common people give small contributions in running the BSP movement which is also run through donations," an irked Mayawati said.

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav held a roadshow in Allahabad, while racing against time BJP president Amit Shah held a parallel roadshow in 'Sangam Nagari', as Allahabad is also called, claiming that the BJP was poised for absolute majority.

Amid the verbal free-for-all, Akhilesh referred to an advertisement of the tourism department of Gujarat, where Modi was CM before assuming the office of prime minister.

Without taking any name, he advised megastar Amitabh Bachchan, "do not advertise for the donkeys of Gujarat".

BJP took exception to such "cheap remarks", with its UP General Secretary Vijay Bahadur Pathak saying, "After family drama, SP is now dabbling in filmy drama."

The fate of 680 candidates will be decided by 1.84 crore voters including 84,000 women and 1,032 of third gender.

ALSO READ: Rahul Gandhi at Banda: PM Modi lost his smile after Congress, SP tie-up in UP

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The maximum number of 26 candidates are in Allahabad North, while only six candidates are in fray in Khaga (Fatehpur), Manjhanpur (Kaushambi) and Kunda (Pratapgarh).

In 2012 polls, out of the 53 seats in this phase, SP had won 24, BJP 5, BSP 15, Congress 6 and 'others' 3.

Prominent among those in the fray are sitting MLA Aradhana Mishra from Rampur Khas (Pratapgarh), who is daughter of Congress MP Pramod Tiwari, and Independent MLA and minister Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiya, who is again contesting from his traditional Kunda (Pratapgarh) seat.

In Sonia's constituency Raebareli, Aditi Singh is contesting on Congress ticket, BSP turncoat Swami Prasad Maurya's son Utkarsh Maurya is in fray from Unchahar seat, while Leader of Opposition Gaya Charan Dinkar is contesting from Naraini (Banda) seat.

Senior SP leader Reoti Raman Singh's son Ujjwal Raman Singh is in the race from Karchana (Allahabad) seat.

ALSO READ:

Akhilesh Yadav in Raibareli: Modi must speak truth, SP provides 24-hour power to Varanasi

Priyanka Gandhi's dig at PM Narendra Modi: UP doesn't need adopted sons, it has its own

--- ENDS ---
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- As devices become smaller and more powerful, they require faster, smaller, more stable batteries. University of Illinois chemists have developed a superionic solid that could be the basis of next-generation lithium-ion batteries.

Chemistry professor Prashant Jain and graduate students Sarah White and Progna Banerjee described the material - ultrasmall nanoclusters of copper selenide - in the journal Nature Communications.

"Now that we're seeing this nanoelectronics boom, we need tiny batteries that can be put on a chip, and that can't happen with liquid electrolytes," Jain said. "We are using nanostructured materials to achieve the properties at the heart of lithium-ion technology. They have much more thermal and mechanical stability, there are no leakage issues, and we can make extremely thin electrolyte layers so we can miniaturize batteries."

Standard lithium-ion and other ionic batteries are filled with a liquid electrolyte that the lithium ions move through. The ions flow one direction when the battery is being used, and the opposite direction when the battery is charged. However, liquid electrolytes have several drawbacks: They require volume, degrade as the battery cycles, leak and are highly flammable, which has led to explosions in phones, laptops and other devices. Though solid electrolytes are considerably more stable, ions move through them much more slowly, making them less efficient for battery applications.

The copper selenide nanocluster electrolyte combines the best of both liquid and solid electrolytes: It has the stability of a solid, but ions easily move through it like a liquid. Copper selenide is known to be superionic at high temperatures, but the tiny nanoclusters are the first demonstration of the material being superionic at room temperature.

The researchers discovered this superionic property by accident while investigating copper selenide's surface reactivity. They noticed that ultrasmall nanoclusters - about 2 nanometers in diameter - looked very different from larger copper selenide nanoparticles in an electron microscope.

"That was our first hint that they have different structures," Jain said. "We investigated further, and we realized that these small clusters are actually semiliquid at room temperature."

The reason for the semiliquid, superionic property is the special structure of the nanoclusters, Jain said. The much larger selenium ions form a crystal lattice, while the smaller copper ions move around them like a liquid. This crystal structure is a result of internal strain in the clusters.

"With around 100 atoms, these nanoclusters are right at the interface of molecules and nanoparticles," Jain said. "Right now, the big push is to make every nanoparticle in a sample exactly the same size and shape. It turns out with these clusters, every single cluster is exactly the same structure. Somehow, at this size, the electronic structure of the material is so stable that every single cluster has the same arrangement of atoms."

The researchers are working to incorporate the nanoclusters into a battery, measure the conductivity of lithium ions and compare the performance with existing solid-state electrolytes and liquid electrolytes.

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The American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund supported this work.

Editor's notes: To contact Prashant Jain, call 217-333-3417; email: jain@illinois.edu.

The paper "Liquid-like cationic sub-lattice in copper selenide clusters" is available online.
In their study of the IRS-1 protein, researchers at the University of North Carolina found a new lead for reversing or preventing heart disease associated with diabetes.

CHAPEL HILL, NC - People with diabetes are at high risk of developing heart disease. Despite knowing this, scientists have struggled to trace the specific biology behind that risk or find ways to intervene. Now, UNC School of Medicine researchers have hunted down a possible culprit - a protein called IRS-1, which is crucial for the smooth muscle cells that make up veins and arteries.

According to a study published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, too little of IRS-1 causes cells to revert to a "dedifferentiated" or stem-cell like state, and this may contribute to the buildup of plaque in the heart's arteries, a condition known as atherosclerosis, which increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, and other forms of heart disease.

"When diabetes is poorly managed, your blood sugar goes up and the amount of this protein goes down, so the cells become subject to abnormal proliferation," said senior author David R. Clemmons, MD, Sarah Graham Kenan Professor of Medicine at the UNC School of Medicine. "We need to conduct more studies, but we think this cell pathway may have significant implications for how high blood glucose leads to atherosclerosis in humans."

The research could bring scientists one step closer to finding drugs to help stave off heart disease in people with diabetes, who are twice as likely to have heart disease or experience a stroke, as compared to people without diabetes. People with diabetes also tend to experience major cardiac events at a younger age.

The study focused on the cells that form the walls of veins and arteries, known as vascular smooth muscle cells. The main function of these cells is to contract whenever the heart beats, helping to push oxygen-rich blood to the body's tissues. When plaque builds up along the arterial walls, these cells gradually lose their ability to contract.

In their previous work, Clemmons and colleagues discovered that diabetes can trigger an abnormal cell signaling pathway that causes vascular smooth muscle cells to proliferate, which contributes to atherosclerosis. But their attempts to correct the abnormal signaling pathway didn't seem to completely solve the problem, leading them to suspect another factor.

In the new study, the team found that IRS-1 acts as an inhibitor of the abnormal signaling pathway thereby keeping the vascular smooth muscle cells differentiated, or specialized. In the absence of IRS-1, the cells revert to a stem-cell like state, which in turn activates the abnormal signaling pathway and promotes cell proliferation.

In people with diabetes, the presence of IRS-1 is strongly influenced by how well - or how poorly - blood sugar is kept in check. Previous studies have shown that patients who frequently or consistently have high blood sugar show dramatic reductions in IRS-1. The new study is the first to link this reduction with a predisposition for heart disease.

"The study suggests that you can't just inhibit the abnormal signaling, which we've already figured out how to do," Clemmons said. "Our work suggests you probably have to restore the normal signaling pathway, at least to some extent, in order to completely restore the cells to normal cell health, differentiation, and functioning."

As a next step, the Clemmons lab will look for things that might stimulate the synthesis of this protein even in the presence of high blood glucose.

To prove that IRS-1 acts as a brake on the abnormal signaling pathway that leads to cell proliferation, the team conducted experiments in three different types of mice: healthy mice, diabetic mice, and nondiabetic mice that were genetically engineered to produce no IRS-1. The scientists made a small incision in the blood vessels of the animals and then watched to see how the vascular smooth muscle cells reacted. In healthy mice, the incision stimulated wound healing but little cellular proliferation. In both the diabetic animals and the nondiabetic IRS-1 deficient animals, the researchers observed a marked increase in abnormal cellular proliferation.

The findings suggest that it may be possible to counteract the deleterious effects of high blood sugar on atherosclerosis by developing drugs that boost IRS-1.

Clemmons said the activities of IRS-1 might also play a role in other diabetes complications, such as eye and kidney disease. The researchers plan to study those potential links.

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Study co-authors include UNC Research Assistant Professor Gang Xi, PhD, UNC Research Technician Christine Wai, and Morris White, PhD, of Harvard Medical School.

The National Institute of Aging and the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute funded this research.
University of Oklahoma Gallogly College of Engineering professor, Robert W. Nairn, is the recipient of the prestigious William T. Plass Award from the American Society of Mining and Reclamation. Nairn pioneered wetland technologies to rehabilitate contaminated water at the Tar Creek Superfund site where he has worked for almost 20 years. The award is the highest level of recognition given by the society in the field of mined land reclamation. Nairn transformed mine reclamation work at Tar Creek--one of the Environmental Protection Agency's top abandoned hazardous waste sites.

"Professor Nairn's scholarly work has had a huge impact in Oklahoma and around the world," said OU President David L. Boren. "No one is more deserving of the Plass Award."

Nairn, the Viersen Family Presidential Professor in the School of Civil Engineering and Environmental Science and the director of the Center for Restoration of Ecosystems and Watersheds, began working to clean up Tar Creek in the late nineties. In 2008, he and his team installed a full-scale passive water treatment system for the contaminated water discharging site near Commerce, Oklahoma. The system treats approximately 20 percent of mine drainage, rendering the treated water safe for discharge into the receiving stream. The success of this passive treatment system led to additional funding to extend the system to other discharge sites.

"It is with great pleasure that I share in the selection of Robert W. Nairn for the William T. Plass Award from the American Society of Mining and Reclamation. With this award, the society recognizes Nairn's research, teaching and regional, national and international outreach. His career accomplishments in the field of mined land reclamation are huge and have impacted many people, including tribes, non-profits, regulatory agencies, industry and international governments," said Randall L. Kolar, director of the School of Civil Engineering and Environmental Science.

Nairn's work has received significant media attention over the years from local, state and national newspapers and broadcast news stations, as well as from the History Channel and Discovery Channel. In 2009, an award-winning documentary film featuring Nairn entitled "Tar Creek" was produced by Matt Myers and screened nationally and internationally. As testimony to his global impact, Nairn has expanded his mitigation work at one of the world's oldest and largest silver mines in Potosi, Bolivia. His efforts have been widely recognized.

Previously, Nairn received the Richard I. and Lela M. Barnhisel Reclamation Researcher of the Year Award from the American Society of Mining and Reclamation for his work at Tar Creek in northeastern Oklahoma, the Arkoma Coal Basin of eastern Oklahoma, eastern Arkansas and Potosi, Bolivia. The award was given to individuals demonstrating substantive contributions to the advancement of reclamation science and technology through scientific research. Nairn was nominated for the award by his students and voted on by his peers in the society.

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If you've ever wondered how a vaccine given decades ago can still protect against infection, you have your plasma cells to thank. Plasma cells are long-lived B cells that reside in the bone marrow and churn out antibodies against previously encountered vaccines or pathogens.

While plasma cells are vital components of the immune system, they can also be a contributor to disease, as is the case in autoimmune diseases, such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, and in certain cancers, such as multiple myeloma.

Now, a group led by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, has come to a better understanding of how these cells are maintained. Using a specialized type of microscope that captures the movement and interaction of cells in living organisms, the scientists observed that, in the bone marrow, immune cells called regulatory T cells closely interact with plasma cells and support them. When the T cells aren't there, plasma cells vanish.

"This interaction was completely unanticipated," said senior author Christopher A. Hunter, Mindy Halikman Heyer Distinguished Professor of Pathobiology and chair of the Department of Pathobiology at Penn Vet. "If we can understand what controls these long-lived plasma cells, then maybe we can augment that interaction, making more plasma cells to, for example, enhance vaccine efficiency. Or, if you want to limit autoimmunity or cancer, maybe there is an opportunity to disrupt this niche to mitigate some of those conditions."

The research, published in the journal Cell Reports, was led by two trainees in Hunter's laboratory, Arielle Glatman Zaretsky and Christoph Konradt, along with a team of researchers from Penn Vet, Penn's Perelman School of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Osaka University, Medimmune, the University of California, San Diego, and The Wistar Institute.

Hunter's laboratory has long investigated how the immune system responds to infection with the parasite Toxoplasma gondii. They have used high-tech microscopy to visualize the dynamics of immune cells and other structures in living organisms.

This specialized imaging was able to turn up a surprising finding. A video of the bone marrow in a mouse exposed to T. gondii revealed that the animal's plasma cells disappeared, later returning as the infection was controlled.

A few other groups had seen plasma cells behave similarly in response to systemic inflammation or infection, but the reason for the drop in plasma cells remained unclear.

"We don't know whether these cells leave the bone marrow or die there during infection, but, either way, they are gone," said Glatman Zaretzky. "And that set up a great system to understand what kinds of cellular interactions normally create the hospitable environment and allow the plasma cells to remain there."

The research team had noticed that regulatory T cells, which Hunter calls "the health and safety inspectors" of the immune system because they keep immune responses at the appropriate level, were located in a similar region of the bone marrow as the plasma cells, next to the blood vessels. And, when mice were exposed to an infection, these "T regs" declined precipitously, just as the plasma cells had.

Together, these observations called to mind an earlier finding by another group of scientists that showed that T regs play a key role in protecting the bone marrow from inflammation. In other words, it suggested that T regs make the bone marrow an immune-privileged site, shielding its vital components from the potentially damaging effects of infection or immune response.

Curious whether these T regs interacted with plasma cells, the researchers examined both cell types in mice that have T regs labeled with a green fluorescent marker and plasma cells labeled with a yellow one. They found that T regs appeared to be closely interacting with plasma cells for extended periods of time.

"No one had put these two cell types together before," Hunter said. "Yet, when we looked, we saw that these interactions were not rare but were frequent and sustained."

Further studies found that both of these cell types also interact with dendritic cells, which are thought to promote plasma-cell survival. The researchers also demonstrated that T regs were necessary to maintain plasma cells, showing that enhancing T reg survival in mice during infection increased plasma-cell numbers and that experimentally depleting T regs led to reductions in plasma cells.

The work gives insight into how the body is able to sustain plasma cells for so long, ensuring that they will jump into action even years after a vaccine was administered or an earlier infection was conquered. They also lay the foundation for targeting this cell population -- a feat that has thus far escaped scientists -- to ameliorate autoimmune diseases that arise due to inappropriate antibody production or to treat cancers that form from plasma cells.

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In addition to Hunter, Glatman Zaretsky and Kondradt, the paper's authors were Penn Vet's Julie B. Engiles, Dorothy C. Borwn and Daniel Beiting; Penn Medicine's Radhika Goenka, Daniela Gomez Atria, William J. Quinn, David Allman and Michael P. Cancro; Harvard's Fabien Depis and Christophe O. Benoist; Osaka University's James B. Wing and Shimon Sakaguchi; Medimmune's Jonathan S. Silver; UCSD's Suglim Cho and Lifan Lu; and Wistar's Amaya I. Wolf and Jan Erikson.

The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health, Lupus Foundation of America and Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.
PHILADELPHIA--Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths for women low- and middle-income countries, including Botswana, where 75 percent of cervical cancer patients suffer from advanced forms of the disease. These patients can face wait times as long as five months after diagnosis before receiving lifesaving treatment. A new, multidisciplinary model of cervical cancer care developed by a University of Pennsylvania team based in Botswana cut the delay between diagnosis and treatment by more than 50 percent, according to research published this month in the Journal of Global Oncology.

Limited access to preventive screenings combined with the HIV epidemic are driving the high rate of cervical cancer in Botswana, which has the second highest HIV rate in the world. The risk of developing cervical cancer in women infected with HIV is three- to six-fold higher than those who are HIV-negative. In Botswana, more than two-thirds of all cervical cancer cases occur among women who are also living with HIV.

However, radiation therapy is not available at in public clinics in Botswana, requiring patients to seek care at private hospitals, which can be a cumbersome process with wait times as long as five months.

"With so many women suffering from advanced cervical cancer in Botswana, long delays between treatment and diagnosis can mean the difference between life and death," said Surbhi Grover, MD, MPH, director of Global Radiation Oncology in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and head of Oncology at Princess Marina Hospital in Botswana. "We saw an urgent need to develop a care program that gives cervical cancer patients the treatment they need as quickly as possible."

Grover and her fellow researchers at Princess Marina Hospital developed a multidisciplinary team (MDT) approach to streamline care and communication between providers and get patients to treatment facilities faster. Weekly care team meetings were established across providers, including radiation oncologists, clinical oncologists, gynecologists, nurse coordinators, and palliative care specialists to discuss patient cases and develop treatment plans. The teams also worked to together to submit paperwork and other documentation, further reducing delays in treatment and simplifying the overall process.

"While this type of model might seem common in the United States or other developed countries, it's actually a quite complicated process that lacks a global standard of guidelines," Grover said. "We saw many different models across the world, but no published outcomes on how to successfully implement an MDT approach for cervical cancer care."

Over a six-month period, the team saw 135 patients, 60 percent of whom were diagnosed with cervical cancer and 42 percent had locally advanced cancer the required chemo-radiation. However, thanks to the MDT model, 62 percent of those patients required only one clinic visit to coordinate care, reducing the time between diagnosis and treatment initiation by more than 50 percent, with the median delay from biopsy to treatment initiation cut to 39 days from an average of 108 days before the new care model.

"With this model, we've shown that the MDT approach works in a resource-limited setting and actually helps address several challenges providers face," Grover said. "Many of our patients must travel long distances or face other barriers that prevent them from returning to the clinic for multiple visits. Offering patients a comprehensive treatment plan during one clinic visit is a game-changer."

Similar MDT models are being developed for head and neck cancer, breast cancer, and palliative care in Botswana. A follow-up clinic is also being piloted where patients with gynecological cancer receive continued follow-up care after chemotherapy and radiation are complete. All patients seen in the Penn MDT clinic will be linked to this new clinic and will receive regular communication about follow-up care.

"What this approach really shows is the importance of integrated care and treatment models," Grover said. "We hope our MDT model will be applied on a broad scale across many different illnesses and clinics in resource-limited settings worldwide."

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Penn Medicine is one of the world's leading academic medical centers, dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, and excellence in patient care. Penn Medicine consists of the Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania(founded in 1765 as the nation's first medical school) and the University of Pennsylvania Health System, which together form a $5.3 billion enterprise.

The Perelman School of Medicine has been ranked among the top five medical schools in the United States for the past 18 years, according to U.S. News & World Report's survey of research-oriented medical schools. The School is consistently among the nation's top recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health, with $373 million awarded in the 2015 fiscal year.

The University of Pennsylvania Health System's patient care facilities include: The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Penn Presbyterian Medical Center -- which are recognized as one of the nation's top "Honor Roll" hospitals by U.S. News & World Report -- Chester County Hospital; Lancaster General Health; Penn Wissahickon Hospice; and Pennsylvania Hospital -- the nation's first hospital, founded in 1751. Additional affiliated inpatient care facilities and services throughout the Philadelphia region include Chestnut Hill Hospital and Good Shepherd Penn Partners, a partnership between Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network and Penn Medicine.

Penn Medicine is committed to improving lives and health through a variety of community-based programs and activities. In fiscal year 2015, Penn Medicine provided $253.3 million to benefit our community.
PHILADELPHIA -- It is commonly known that testosterone levels decrease as men age, but until last year, little was known about the effects of testosterone treatment in older men with low testosterone. Today, in a group of papers published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) and JAMA Internal Medicine, researchers found that testosterone treatment improved bone density and anemia for men over 65 with unequivocally low testosterone. However, testosterone treatment did not improve cognitive function, and it increased the amount of plaque buildup in participants' coronary arteries.

A team of researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and twelve other medical centers in the United States, in partnership with the National Institute on Aging, conducted The Testosterone Trials (TTrials), a coordinated group of seven trials, which studied the effects of testosterone treatment for one year as compared to placebo for men 65 and older with low testosterone. The first paper, which reported that testosterone treatment improved sexual function and mood, was published in February 2016. Today's publications of the Bone, Anemia, Cognition and Cardiovascular Trials conclude the primary results of the study.

Researchers found that testosterone treatment improved bone density and estimated bone strength, as determined by quantitative computed tomography (CT). The treatment also increased hemoglobin concentrations, corrected the anemia of men who had no other identifiable cause of anemia and corrected the anemia of men who had an identifiable cause, such as iron deficiency. While these conclusions proved testosterone to be beneficial to the participants, testosterone treatment did not improve memory or any other measure of cognitive function.

"The paper reporting the results of the first three trials published last year was the first to show there were advantages to giving testosterone treatment to older men with low testosterone levels, and the bone and anemia trial results further support a benefit," said the principal investigator Peter J. Snyder, MD, a professor of Medicine in the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism. "However, the increase of plaque buildup in the coronary artery shows that this treatment may also have some risk"

In the cardiovascular trial, researchers assessed coronary artery plaque buildup by CT angiography. That assessment showed more plaque buildup in men treated with testosterone than in men treated with placebo. Nonetheless, in all 788 men in the TTrials, the number of major adverse cardiovascular events was similar in the men treated with testosterone as in the men treated with placebo. However, Snyder added, "treating 788 men for one year is far too few to draw conclusions about the clinical significance of the increase in coronary artery plaque volume and the cardiovascular risk of testosterone treatment."

The TTrials are now the largest trials to examine the efficacy of testosterone treatment in men 65 and older whose testosterone levels are low due seemingly to age alone. TTrials researchers screened 51,085 men to find 790 who qualified with a sufficiently low testosterone level and who met other criteria. The men enrolled were randomized into two groups: one to take a daily testosterone gel and the other a daily placebo gel, for one year. Efficacy was then evaluated at months three, six, nine and 12.

"Final decisions about testosterone treatment for older men will depend on balancing the results from these seven TTrials with the results from a much larger and longer term trial designed to assess cardiovascular and prostate risk in the future," said Snyder.

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The TTrials were conducted at 12 additional medical centers across the country including Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Puget Sound Health Care System, University of California at San Diego School of Medicine, University of Florida School of Medicine, University of Minnesota School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, and Yale School of Medicine.

The Testosterone Trials were supported by a grant from the National Institute on Aging (NIA), National Institutes of Health (U01 AG030644). The TTrials were also supplemented by funds from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke, and National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. AbbVie (formerly Solvay and Abbott Laboratories) also provided funding, AndroGel, and placebo gel.

Penn Medicine is one of the world's leading academic medical centers, dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, and excellence in patient care. Penn Medicine consists of the Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (founded in 1765 as the nation's first medical school) and the University of Pennsylvania Health System, which together form a $5.3 billion enterprise.

The Perelman School of Medicine has been ranked among the top five medical schools in the United States for the past 18 years, according to U.S. News & World Report's survey of research-oriented medical schools. The School is consistently among the nation's top recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health, with $373 million awarded in the 2015 fiscal year.

The University of Pennsylvania Health System's patient care facilities include: The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Penn Presbyterian Medical Center -- which are recognized as one of the nation's top "Honor Roll" hospitals by U.S. News & World Report -- Chester County Hospital; Lancaster General Health; Penn Wissahickon Hospice; and Pennsylvania Hospital -- the nation's first hospital, founded in 1751. Additional affiliated inpatient care facilities and services throughout the Philadelphia region include Chestnut Hill Hospital and Good Shepherd Penn Partners, a partnership between Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network and Penn Medicine.

Penn Medicine is committed to improving lives and health through a variety of community-based programs and activities. In fiscal year 2015, Penn Medicine provided $253.3 million to benefit our community.
A new study led by the University of Glasgow reports on key barriers and facilitators to implementing a digital health programme - and provides recommendations to move the field forward.

The study, which is published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research today, suggests that while there are many challenges, these are not "insurmountable". The authors write that the current UK healthcare system, as well as the wider population and market, are not entirely ready for a wide scale digital health programme or digital health platforms.

Alongside revealing barriers and facilitators, the authors of the study also reveal their ten key recommendations to aid and accelerate uptake in the digital health field.

Digital Health programmes include apps, personal health records, telehealth and wearable activity trackers.

The researchers found that while there is receptiveness to digital health, key barriers remain at every level: market and policy level, organisational level and within the general professional and public population but intensive engagement, clinical endorsement and upskilling efforts can prove beneficial.

Factors hindering implementation included a lack of IT infrastructure (including universal broadband); uncertainty around information governance; and trust in the security of digital health platforms.

The commercial market was perceived as difficult to navigate, with concerns over accountability and liability voiced from within the commercial sector.

The authors' recommendations include further commitment and investment in digital healthcare at a national and local level, and support for those who are not digitally fluent. The researchers also suggest training the next generation of health professionals to make them more digitally able and upgrading the technical capabilities of the health service.

The study lead, Professor Frances Mair, Professor of Primary Care Research from the College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, said: "Given the current self-care agenda, the drive towards more personalised medicine and person-centred digital health solutions, this study is timely and has the opportunity to make an important contribution to understanding the implementation of digital health innovations."

The study, which was conducted in collaboration with researchers from the University of Strathclyde and Newcastle University, evaluated the 37m digital health programme 'Delivering Assisted Living Lifestyles at Scale (dallas)' between 2012 and 2015.

The dallas programme aimed to develop and implement a range of digital health products to enable self-care and preventative care. To understand the barriers and hurdles faced during the programme the researchers interviewed people involved and examined a vast quantity of documentary evidence over the course of the three year project.

Researchers took care to include representatives from all the types of organisations involved, including private, public and voluntary, along with persons from all levels of the project from management to those delivering it to patients. There were also focus groups held with digital health users including patients and health professionals to gain their insight.

Dr Marilyn Lennon, first author, from the University of Strathclyde's Department of Computer & Information Sciences, and co-lead of the study, said: "Digital health is a huge market with the potential to make a massive impact on society, but making it a part of routine care delivery has been much slower than expected.

"This is not due to any lack of technical innovation, but to uncertainty over the role of technology in delivering care. There's also uncertainty about managing and using health data - many people go online to do banking or to use social media but seem wary about doing the same for health. Sharing this data with doctors or friends and family for example could avoid GP visits or prolonged stays in hospital.

"Our research responds to calls for exploration of current barriers to the wide scale adoption of digital health, and offers recommendations that could help to realise its full potential."

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The dallas programme was funded by Innovate UK, The National Institute for Health Research, the Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

The paper, 'Readiness for Delivering Digital Health at Scale: Lessons From a Longitudinal Qualitative Evaluation of a National Digital Health Innovation Program in the United Kingdom', is published in Journal of Medical Internet Research. The study is funded by Innovate UK.
TORONTO, ON (Canada) - A University of Toronto (U of T) study on fruit flies has uncovered a gene that could play a key role in obesity in humans.

The paper published online this month in Genetics examines a "foraging gene" humans share in common with the flies, which plays multiple roles and is found in similar places, such as the nervous system, in the muscle and in fat.

"What our study does is nails the gene for being very important for the traits of moving, feeding and fat storage," says University Professor Marla Sokolowski of the Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology (EEB) in U of T's Faculty of Arts & Science.

In nature, fruit flies called "rovers" with high amounts of the gene tend to move a lot, eat very little and stay lean, while flies with low amounts of for called "sitters" are the opposite. The foraging gene encodes a cell signalling molecule called a cGMP dependent protein kinase.

The same could apply to obesity in humans.

"When we say the foraging gene is the same, what we're saying is that when you look at the DNA sequences of the human and the fly there is a lot of similarity, enough that you can see it's the fly version of the gene that the human has," says Sokolowski.

"So you could imagine if you are a fly, preferences for sugar, the tendency to store a lot of fat and the tendency to move less could all be contributing to the likelihood of being more obese if you have low levels of this gene, or to be leaner if you have higher levels."

Such similarities between species are known as orthologs, meaning they are genes that evolved from a common ancestor eons ago.

When scientists first started mapping human genomes and comparing them to other organisms, they were shocked to discover humans don't have that many more genes than flies do.

Sokolowski says the research is another part of the puzzle, and the beginning of our understanding of how what was once considered "junk DNA" is actually very important for regulating key characteristics such as behaviour and metabolism.

"No one has analyzed it in the way we have in flies, but it's a hint from the fly. The fly has been an excellent model organism to understand mammalian behaviour and metabolism, and so this work can point to places to look further in humans," says Sokolowski.

The study involved a technique called recombineering to manipulate DNA at the molecular level, so as to remove and then reinsert the gene in various doses to see the effects on behaviour and metabolism.

Lead author Aaron Allen was a PhD student in cell & systems biology at U of T when the work was done, and he was assisted by Sokolowski, fellow EEB student Ina Anreiter, and Oxford University collaborator Megan Neville, who taught Allen the technique.

"This kind of work is actually so cutting-edge that it takes a really good student to learn how to do this and then bring the technique back to the lab," says Sokolowski.

"To be able to take a gene of this large size and complexity and put it back in the fly so that it works is almost at the edge of what is possible."

Sokolowski says it's particularly interesting that one gene should have multiple roles in feeding and obesity in the body, a characteristic known as pleiotropy.

The next question would be how exactly it plays multiple roles. "Lots of genes have multiple roles, but the idea here is that this gene may be involved in the coordination of roles in traits important for feeding and obesity."

"We don't know much about pleiotropy, or how it happens, or how it's regulated at the level of the molecules. So this sets the groundwork to be able to look at that in detail."

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The research was supported by grants from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR).

Notes to media:

1) The study "Feeding-Related Traits Are Affected by Dosage of the foraging Gene in Drosophila melanogaster" is available at http://www.genetics.org/content/205/2/761.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Marla Sokolowski

Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Arts & Science

University of Toronto

marla.sokolowski@utoronto.ca

1+647-330-6398

Sean Bettam

Communications Officer, Faculty of Arts & Science

University of Toronto

1 416 946 7950

s.bettam@utoronto.ca
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (Feb. 21, 2017)--An international collaboration of life scientists, including experts at Van Andel Research Institute, has described in exquisite detail the critical first steps of DNA replication, which allows cells to divide and most advanced life, including human, to propagate.

Results of the study are published in the journal Nature Structural and Molecular Biology and reveal that a ring-shaped protein called origin recognition complex (ORC) possesses a special alpha-helix, which slips into a groove on DNA and initiates a cascade of microscopic interactions that copy DNA.

"This is a story of one ring that lords over another ring," says Huilin Li, Ph.D., a professor in Van Andel Research Institute's Center for Epigenetics and a senior author of the paper. "Biologists have known for many years that both ORC and helicase are ring-shaped structures essential in the initiation and execution of DNA replication, but until now we never understood exactly how the ORC ring loads the helicase ring onto DNA."

The work also reveals that ORC, with the help of Cdc6 and Cdt1, loads the helicase core onto DNA via paired interactions of the so-called winged helix domains. The resulting 14-protein structure completes the loading of the first helicase ring and is now prepared to load the next ring.

This process represents the inception of an immensely complex and elegant system that is constantly ongoing at tens of thousands of points on the DNA in many cells of the human body, and it all starts with ORCs.

"We hope that by mapping this process, others will eventually convert this knowledge into new treatments for DNA replication-related conditions, including many cancers and rare disorders," says Li.

At the outset, the six-protein ORCs assemble into a crescent, which envelops the DNA duplex. The ORCs then recruit a seventh protein, called Cdc6, to encircle DNA. Next, this ring threads the second ring, called minichromosome maintenance protein (Cdt1-bound Mcm2-7 hexamer), around DNA, which completes loading of the first Mcm2-7 hexamer.

"It's like threading a pearl onto a string; but unlike a short piece of string, the DNA strand is incredibly long and so the bead cannot be threaded on at one end," says Christian Speck, a professor at Imperial College of London's Institute of Clinical Sciences, leader of the DNA Replication group at MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences and a senior author of the paper. "Instead, it must somehow be opened up, slotted around the strand, and closed again."

The study was conducted on the DNA of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, better known as baker's yeast, because of its biological and genomic similarity to larger organisms, including mammals, at an average resolution of 3.9 Angstroms (about 40 billionths of a meter), which is roughly the diameter of a single atom of sodium.

Magnification of this scale is currently possible only with cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM), a revolutionary technology VARI continues to invest in through its recently established Cryo-EM Core. Imaging for this study was conducted at Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Janelia Research Campus and at Scripps Research Institute.

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Study authors are Zuanning Yuan, Lin Bai, Jingchuan Sun and Huilin Li, of Van Andel Research Institute; Alberto Riera, Marta Barbon and Christian Speck, all of Imperial College of London and MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences; Jingchuan Sun of University of Pennsylvania; Saikat Nandi and Bruce Stillman, both of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory; Christos Spanos, Zhuo Angel Chen and Juri Rappsilber, all of University of Edinburgh. Rappsilber is also affiliated with Technische Universitat Berlin. Sun is now affiliated with University of Pennsylvania.

This work was funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (GM111472 and OD12272 to Huilin Li and GM45436 to Bruce Stillman), the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council UK (P56061 to Christian Speck), and the Wellcome Trust (Investigator Award P56628 to Speck, Senior Research Fellowship 103139 to Juri Rappsilber, a Centre core grant 092076 to Rappsilber, and an instrument grant 108504 to Rappsilber).

ABOUT VAN ANDEL RESEARCH INSTITUTE

Van Andel Institute (VAI) is an independent nonprofit biomedical research and science education organization committed to improving the health and enhancing the lives of current and future generations. Established by Jay and Betty Van Andel in 1996 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, VAI has grown into a premier research and educational institution that supports the work of more than 360 scientists, educators and staff. Van Andel Research Institute (VARI), VAI's research division, is dedicated to determining the epigenetic, genetic, molecular and cellular origins of cancer, Parkinson's and other diseases and translating those findings into effective therapies. The Institute's scientists work in onsite laboratories and participate in collaborative partnerships that span the globe. Learn more about Van Andel Institute or donate by visiting http://www.vai.org.
A new report from Development Economics says that for every 1 invested in farm support, farming delivers 7.40 back to the economy.

For the first time farmings contribution to the country has been expressed in monetary value.

The National Farmers Union (NFU) President said this will highlight to Government the positive economic, social and environmental impact of the sector just weeks before Article 50 is triggered.

Steve Lucas, Managing Director of Development Economics, said: This is an important moment in the debate around EU negotiations.

For the first time we have calculated the total contribution of agriculture to the UK economy and society.

This shows how critical farming is to the country and why the Government must prioritise the sector during Brexit negotiations.

NFU President Meurig Raymond said the report demonstrates that money invested by government into UK farming is money invested 'wisely'

'Invested wisely'

NFU President Meurig Raymond said the report demonstrates that money invested by government into UK farming is money invested 'wisely'.

He said: With the right trade and labour conditions, this sector could deliver an even greater return to the country.

Farmers are proud to produce food for a growing population, but also go above and beyond this, playing a huge role in contributing to the wealth and prosperity of the country. Decision-makers in Government can take this important message to the formal post-Brexit negotiations.

For centuries farms have been deeply rooted in the rural community, stimulating the wider economy. Todays report shows farming spends 15.3billion on goods and services.

British countryside

The British countryside provides the backdrop for visitors from across the world, an industry worth over 21billion.

Mr Raymond continued: With farms operating on 70% of British land, we must ensure these farms are viable businesses in order to carry on delivering this.

With this report, we can look at the economic impact agriculture has already made. But its clear that farming, and with that, food, could have a very different path carved for its future  and it will be up to Government to do this in the formal negotiations.

To increase the vital contribution farming makes to the economic, social and environmental well-being of the UK, Government must ensure we have the best possible trade deals, access to a competent and reliable workforce and farm support that is fit for purpose.
By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Feb 21 (PTI) Students suffering from Type-I diabetes can now take snacks during Class X and Class XII board examinations conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education.

In a circular, the Board said a significant number of children suffer from Type-I diabetes and need insulin injections at regular intervals to keep their blood glucose levels in check.

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These children need frequent meals to avoid hypoglycemia which may otherwise affect their performance, the CBSE circular said.

Such students can carry items like sugar tablets, fruits, snacks and water to the examination centre which has to be kept with invigilators.

The CBSE, however, said the certificate of the students medical condition should be forwarded by the principal of the school concerned. PTI ADS GVS

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A 75 per cent bridging payment will be made available for those still awaiting BPS subsidies at the end of March, the Defra Secretary Andrea Leadsom has announced.

Andrea Leadsom took to the stand at NFU Conference 2017, in front of 1,500 delegates, to explain the secured agreement from the Treasury.

Ms Leadsom said: Nearly 86,000 farmers are eligible for BPS payments, and for some of you, it makes up as much as 70% of your bottom line. I understand how important these payments are to you.

I have this week secured agreement from the treasury to offer a 75% bridging payment to all those still affected by the BPS delay at the end of March.

The Secretary of State said that, as of today( 21 February), 95.5% of farmers have received their BPS money, but she will continue to push for those 4,000 farmers still left behind.

Helping ease cash-flow

The National Farmers Union (NFU) has lobbied government for payments for farmers to help ease short-term cashflows and longer-term planning and investment at an uncertain time for many businesses.

On the CAP, Ms Leadsom called the system flawed and drew attention to how it tied farmers up in red tape.

It [the CAP] offers poor value for money and fails to address the key issues you face. Its a blunt tool that offers little reward or recognition for the services farmers provide this country. And its desperately complicated, she said.

I am determined that we will do so much better for farmers when we leave the EU, with a system based on simpler, more effective rules, well be free to grow more, sell more and export more of our Great British food.
A landowner has been fined 3,400 at Newry Magistrates court, County Armagh for breaches of Environment Order legislation.

Derek Johnston of 82D Carrickastricken Road, Forkhill was fined for damaging a protected habitat.

On five occasions between 5 October 2012 and 15 July 2014, Northern Ireland Environment Agency officers investigated a site owned by Mr Johnston within Slieve Gullion Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) and Slieve Gullion Special Area of Conservation (SAC).

On each occasion unauthorised works were observed which resulted in substantial damage to protected habitat.

Burning, spraying and mechanical removal of vegetation caused the destruction of 12.5 hectares of priority Dry Heath habitat on land owned by Mr Johnston.

Jail sentence for Armagh man

Earlier in the month, another man from Co Armagh was convicted at Craigavon Magistrates Court on 21 charges.

These included: one charge of removing ear tags from bovine animals; one charge of failing to present a herd register; two charges of failure to notify the Department of the movement of two animals onto his holding; 14 charges of knowingly or recklessly providing false information on movement notifications to the Department; and three charges of failing to have three animals TSE tested within 24 hours of death.

Mr Thompson pleaded guilty to all charges and received three months jail, suspended for three years, for each charge to run concurrently.
12 Yorkshire-based farmers visited the Aunt Bessies factory in Hull to witness first-hand how their locally grown wheat is turned into the food brands famous frozen Yorkshire Puddings.

The factory tour, led by Sustainable Futures, is part of a rapidly growing initiative to improve the sustainability of food and drink by linking global brands, food processors and farmers together along the supply chain.

The Aunt Bessies tour is one of several Walk the Supply Chain events delivered by Sustainable Futures for its project partners which includes over 120 farmers and major manufacturers including William Jackson Food Group.

Sustainable Futures engages with farmers to share knowledge, best practice and innovative solutions that benefit the farms environmentally whilst reducing costs and generating profitable yields, year after year.

'Strong working relationships'

Steve Cann, a Co-Director of the Sustainable Futures project said: We are really pleased our farming partners had the opportunity to see where the crops they grow are ultimately used further down the chain.

The Sustainable Futures Walk the Supply Chain events create strong working relationships and a better understanding of the challenges faced by other supply chain partners. The shared understanding helps to create a more sustainable & resilient future for the UKs food and drink industry.

William Jackson Food Group, the company that owns Aunt Bessies, joined Sustainable Futures as a partner in 2015 with a view to further improving relationships with local suppliers and developing initiatives to improve productivity while conserving resources for generations to come.

Gavin Milligan, Sustainability Director for William Jackson Food Group, said: Were a responsible business and were proud to work closely with our suppliers and growers.

The whole industry must work together to continually look for ways to ensure a sustainable future and were very pleased to be part of the Sustainable Futures initiative.
The Liberal Democrats have said the Government is failing to provide farmers with the clarity they need on Brexit.

Responding to Andrea Leadsom's speech a tthe NFU Conference today, Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary for Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs Kate Parminter said: Eight months on since the referendum, and still this government is failing to provide farmers with the clarity they need on Brexit.

The long-promised Green Paper on food and farming is still nowhere to be seen, meaning farm businesses are not being given a clear sense of direction.

It's all very well saying tariff-free access to the Single Market is the starting point for the Brexit negotiations, but farmers need to know what the end point will be.

Ms Parminter said the UK faces a risk of 'crashing out' of the Single Market without any transitional arrangements, which would be an 'unmitigated disaster' for the UK farming sector.

She continued: Far-flung trade deals will not make up for losing unfettered access to the market for three-quarters of UK farming exports.

The Liberal Democrats will keep fighting for membership of the Single Market and to prevent a disastrous hard Brexit for British farmers.

'Three key areas'

National Farmers Union has also called on the Leadsom to clarify the Government's commitments to post-Brexit farming.

In his opening speech at the NFU 2017 conference, NFU President Meurig Raymond highlighted three areas Government needs to take action on if Brexit is to be successful for the countrys food and farming industry.

He said: "Firstly unrestricted access to the European market, secondly continued access to a competent and reliable workforce both pre and post farm-gate and thirdly a new agricultural policy which assists in the development of an increasingly productive, progressive and above all profitable farming sector."
Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom failed to commit to compensation for free range egg producers forced to continue housing their birds against bird flu after February 28.

However, she said she would look at what support she could provide.

Free range layers forced to be housed beyond the end of February will lose their free range status under EU regulations. Their eggs will be downgraded to barn.

The European Commission said it will make compensation available for producers whose eggs are downgraded, but said this would depend on the UK Government making an application for funds from the EU and also being prepared to pay half of any compensation payment.

It has been estimated that the losses to the country's free range egg producers could run into millions.

No entitlement

A spokeswoman for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) told FarmingUK that compensation would not be available for producers despite what the Commission has said.

"Poultry keepers are not entitled to compensation for any consequential losses resulting from the housing or netting of their birds," she said.

However, during the National Farmers Union (NFU) conference in Birmingham, FarmingUK pressed the Environment Secretary about the issue.

NFU President: "We have written to all major retailers where farmers in high risk areas may have to sell eggs as barn eggs rather than free range"

Andrea Leadsom said: "In terms of the prospects for those who are forced to continue to house poultry for the good of the entire sector, we will be looking at what, if there is anything, we can do to help further support them in the weeks ahead."

She said: "We will always look at the opportunities that are there to support our industry."

Maximum of 12 weeks

EU regulations specify that free range birds can only be housed for a maximum on 12 weeks without losing their free range status. The 12 weeks are up in the UK on February 28.

Producers in Scotland and Wales have been told that their birds will be allowed out again after that date, although with strict bio-security arrangements in place.

In England, Defra has announced plans for a partial lifting of the housing order. It has designated a series of higher risk zones where producers will have to continue housing their birds or find a way of netting over the range. Some 25 per cent of the layer flock in England is in one of these zones.

Producers whose eggs are downgraded to barn could lose as much as 20 pence per dozen on their egg price, although some retailers have said they will continue to pay the full free range price.

Marks & Spencer was the first to do so. Waitrose has also said it will continue to pay the free range price to producers in higher risk areas.

'Continue supporting farmers'

NFU president Meurig Raymond told FarmingUK during his union's conference that the NFU had been urging retailers to continue supporting farmers who find themselves in the higher risk zones.

He said there had been a positive response: "We have written to all the major retailers where the farmers in the high risk areas may have to sell eggs as barn eggs rather than free range.

We are trying to encourage those major retailers to hold on to the premiums that are available and not devalue those eggs that have been labelled as barn eggs. We have had some good favourable responses from the retailers," he said.

The European Commission confirmed that compensation would be made available during the possibility of extending the 12-week housing period after which free range birds must be downgraded.

Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan had come under pressure from farmers' leaders in a number of EU member countries to extend the 12 weeks to avoid free range egg producers having their eggs downgraded to barn.

Producers in the United Kingdom and other European states were ordered to lock their birds up to try to stop the spread of the highly pathogenic H5N8 virus.

'Expert advice'

Andrea Leadsom told FarmingUK that Defra had acted at all times on expert advice.

She said: "Let me be clear about avian influenza. The absolute goal is to make sure that we keep it out of this country as far as we possibly can.

"All of the steps we have taken have been guided very clearly by veterinary advice to make sure that we do all we can to prevent the spread of avian influenza.

"As things stand, our latest advice says that we should be able to change the housing restrictions to limit it to those who are in the higher risk areas i.e. those where wild birds tend to gather.

"What that will then mean is that those flocks will need to either continue to be housed or be outside under netting and with very strong bio-security measures and so on. This is absolutely in accordance with the best veterinary advice and risk assessments and also to protect our industry."

There have been at least eight H5N8 outbreaks in the United Kingdom in turkey flocks in Lincolnshire, on game units in Lancashire, a broiler farm in Suffolk and in two backyard flocks. The virus has also been found in wild birds across the country.
Good news for Freeport-McMoRan (FCX 11.50%) investors! This morning, The Wall Street Journal reported that "the world's biggest mining companies ... are now poised to reap the rewards" of a mining market in which copper prices have surged 30%, and named Anglo American PLC, BHP Billiton Ltd, and Glencore PLC as beneficiaries of the boom.

Bad news for Freeport-McMoRan investors: Freeport isn't on that list. In fact, although Freeport-McMoRan is one of the biggest names in copper worldwide, Freeport stock just got downgraded, as analysts at Deutsche Bank removed their hold rating and downgraded Freeport stock to sell.

Here are three things you need to know about that.

1. Hold no more

As reported this morning on StreetInsider.com, Deutsche has cut its rating on Freeport stock to sell. The analyst also cut its price target on Freeport-McMoRan from $14 a share to $12.50 per share.

Mind you, with Freeport selling for nearly $15 a share at the close of trading last week, Deutsche wasn't thrilled with the stock in any case. But now, the German analyst thinks Freeport stock could fall by as much as 16% over the course of this year -- and indeed, after the downgrade came out, Freeport promptly plunged nearly 6% in early Tuesday trading.

2. Big trouble in little Indonesia

Why cut Freeport stock in the face of a booming world market for copper? Because according to Deutsche, Freeport isn't going to be allowed to export its copper to the world -- or at least not as much as it would like to.

Last month, The Financial Times reported on Indonesia's ban on copper exports from Freeport's giant Indonesian Grasberg copper mine. As FT explained, Jakarta wants foreign miners to sign new mining licenses, sell majority stakes in their mining operations to local companies, and build more smelters in-country to reduce the volume of exports of raw materials outside the country, retaining more value-added profits for Indonesia. Failing to agree to these terms, Freeport will be prevented from exporting copper concentrate from the country.

3. Why this matters to Freeport

As FT goes on to explain, Grasberg is both the second-largest copper mine in the world and a low-cost producer of copper -- and Freeport-McMoRan's most important asset, to boot. Deutsche believes that in failing to reach an agreement with the Indonesian government, Freeport will be forced to cut production at Grasberg, and will delay development of the mine as well.

In Deutsche's opinion, Freeport's reduced prospects in Indonesia, alone, decrease the value of its shares by about $0.80 per share. The analyst believes other factors subtract a further $0.70 from the "net present value" of Freeport-McMoRan stock, adding up to a total reduction in target price to $12.50.

Bonus thing: The future for Freeport

Freeport-McMoRan has made some big mistakes in recent years -- first and foremost its disastrous entree to and exit from the oil exploration and production market, which according to S&P Global Market Intelligence data cost Freeport $5.7 billion in lost profit last year, and more than $24 billion in operating losses over the past three years. At high cost, Freeport has moved to extricate itself from the oil market, selling its Deepwater Gulf of Mexico to Anadarko for $2 billion in September 2016 and its onshore California oil and gas properties to Sentinel Peak Resources California LLC for at least $592 million a month later.

In contrast, Freeport is somewhat less to blame for the copper fiasco in Indonesia, which has been sparked by government interference in the business. And there may even be a silver lining to this latest gray cloud lowering over Freeport stock. According to Deutsche, the need to cut back on development of Grasberg will relieve Freeport of the need to make capital investments in the mine, "pushing out" capital expenditures by at least 18 months. At the same time, even Deutsche admits that "Grasberg is a high quality, long life, low cost asset," so what copper Freeport cannot produce today will still remain to be mined in years to come, when regulatory restrictions in Indonesia may lessen.

Meanwhile, Freeport-McMoRan remains free of the need to spend money on developing Grasberg. The company, which burned cash in 2014 and 2015, may enjoy more years like 2016, in which it generated respectable positive free cash flow (of $916 million, according to S&P Global).

Granted, with a market capitalization of more than $21 billion, I still wouldn't call Freeport-McMoRan stock a bargain at only $916 million in FCF. But it is, at the least, free cash flow positive once again. And with a little help from Indonesia, perhaps it will be able to stay that way for a little bit longer.
Canada Sky Launches New Holiday Packages to Cope with Spike in Demand

Canada Sky has revealed new holiday packages after a substantial growth in demand for travel to Canada from the UK, as Canada is named the number one country to visit in 2017 by Lonely Planet.

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The numbers of UK Tourists flying to Canada has increased significantly over the past two years. Plane seat sales rose from 1.8 million in 2015 to 2.1 million in 2016, with 2.2 million expected to visit in 2017. Including indirect flights, the rise between 2015 and 2016 is actually 13% and is expected to climb an additional 3.5-5% this year. The increase has in part been prompted by TripAdvisor naming Whistler in British Columbia the number two destination on the rise in the world in 2016. To support this growing demand, Canadian Sky has recently introduced great new holiday packages, with the ability to mix and match experiences.

They offer a West Coast tour starting in Calgary taking in Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper, incorporating a couple of days on the iconic Rocky Mountaineer train and ending in Vancouver with the option to stay in the wilderness resort of Sonora in northernmost British Columbia, visit here. Individuals can also choose to add an Alaskan Cruise, or add on a trip to the Manitoban tundra and see wild polar bears.

Rail has always been a popular way to travel around the vastness of Canada, enabling people to see both east and west. A new package will enable people to travel by VIA Rail to the wild north of British Columbia, through Prince George, with its fascinating aboriginal history, and onto Prince Rupert on the wild Northwest Coast, click here to view. This mountain to sea rail passage promises wonder after wonder.

Many more holidaymakers are now interested in using motor homes, enabling them to travel freely through this vast country, staying in picturesque locations in the National Parks. To meet this need the company now offers a recommended itinerary that helps people really see the wilderness of Vancouver Island, exploring the beautiful beaches and rugged landscape to the fullest.

The most popular provinces for UK tourists are still British Columbia and Alberta in the west in addition to Ontario and Quebec in the east. With an increased number of return visitors, unexplored and remote places in Canada are becoming increasingly popular. To answer this demand, the company has created the Atlantic Canada experience, which incorporates the most easterly provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland & Labrador.

A spokesperson for Canadian Sky explained, "Canadian Sky is thrilled to be able to introduce new holiday packages for individuals throughout the UK to enjoy. We have been excited to see the increase in traffic over the last year and already 2017 is breaking monthly records for the number of enquiries and bookings. That's why we felt confident in creating new packages that offer greater variety than ever to travellers."

About Canadian Sky: Canadian Sky offers tailor made Canadian experiences, including handpicked destinations and accommodation, taking in a range of bespoke activities to ensure the perfect trip and once-in-a-lifetime experience. Their experienced team has travelled extensively throughout Canada, identifying the best wilderness resorts, remote locations, rail packages, fly-drives and Alaskan Cruises for tourists to embark on.

Contact Info:

Name: Mike Collins

Email: info@canadiansky.com

Organization: Canadian Sky

Address: Tropical House, Garland Road, East Grinstead, West Sussex, RH19 1NJ

Phone: 01342 886494

Source URL: http://marketersmedia.com/canada-sky-launches-new-holiday-packages-to-cope-with-spike-in-demand/171763

For more information, please visit http://www.canadiansky.co.uk/

Source: MarketersMedia

Release ID: 171763

For more information visit r



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India requires 12 million units of blood for its 1.2-billion strong population. However, only nine million units are collected every year.

By Priyanka Sharma: The Union health ministry is coming up with 79 new blood banks in different states such as Uttar Pradesh, J&K, Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh, to address the shortfall.

Over the past two years, the ministry has proposed 1,135 government blood banks in the country and planned to operationalise 780 blood banks, out of which 300 blood banks could be made fully operational.

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The other existing blood banks are still not upgraded and lack manpower and the latest equipment to help patients in cases of emergency.

WORK ALREADY ON IN SOME CITIES

According to a ministry official, most deaths occur due to lack of blood transfusion in the 'golden period'. Another senior health ministry official said, "A proposal has been passed for commissioning 79 new blood banks at different states. In many of these cities, work has already started."

"At present, only 50 per cent people voluntarily come forward to donate blood, which government is planning take it to 70-80 per cent through awareness programmes," he added.

In Uttar Pradesh, the government has decided to set up blood banks in Hapur, Shamli, Sambhal and Amethi, whereas in Uttarakhand, the same would be set up in Rudraprayag, Bageshwar and Champawat.

In J&K, blood banks would be set up in Bandipora, Shopian, Ganderbal, Reasi and Samba, while in Himachal Pradesh, Lahaul and Spiti have been shortlisted.

The Centre has decided to commission at least three blood banks in Karnataka; five in Bihar, Manipur and Assam; nine in Andhra Pradesh and 11 in Chhattisgarh.

Also read: Bihar legislators to donate blood on assembly foundation day tomorrow BLOOD SHORTAGE OF THREE MILLION UNITS

Despite being a country with a population of 1.2 billion, India faces a blood shortage of three million units. While the requirement is 12 million units, only nine million units can be collected. NCR alone faces a shortage of 1,00,000 units per year.

Recently, the Centre gave its approval for the transfer of blood from one blood bank to another to better utilise blood and blood components and fixed an exchange value for surplus plasma available at some blood banks.

This was done to ensure safe blood and enhance access to blood products by patients. The move was followed by recommendations of the National Blood Transfusion Council.

Also read: Blood donation is an offering in Kerala's St Anthony Church

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Florida Probate Costs Expenses Legal Advice Free Attorney Consultations Launched

The popular Home Solutions FLA, providing fair cash offers within 24 hours on any property across Florida at 561-370-8335, has announced it is now offering free probate attorney consultations to help homeowners with the Florida probate costs they may be facing.

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The renowned real estate investment firm Home Solutions FLA announced its ProbateSolutionsFl.com division is now providing free probate attorney consultations to help homeowners with their Florida probate costs.

More information is available at http://probatesolutionsfl.com/florida-probate-costs.

The Home Solutions FLA is a highly popular home buying service who has earned its leading reputation in the Florida real estate market by helping homeowners throughout the region sell their burdensome, distressed or unwanted properties for cash in as little as 7 days with no stress and realtor fees or commissions.

Its acclaimed ProbateSolutionsFl.com division with extensive experience providing homeowners across Florida with the most fair, quick, reliable and sough after solutions to sell probate or inherited properties in any condition with no hassle for cash, is now offering free probate attorney consultations to help homeowners with the Florida probate costs they may be facing.

The company's probate attorney consultations offer expert advice and guidance on the Florida probate process and the range of costs associated with its court supervised proceedings for identifying and gathering the assets, paying the outstanding debts and distributing the assets as well as any other additional fees required by the state of Florida for a summary or a formal administration.

The free Home Solutions FLA probate attorney consultations and extensive advice, information or guides on the Florida probate process and its costs along with more information on the company's unique home buying solutions, including fair and no-obligation cash offers provided within 24 hours for properties in any condition, can be requested and consulted through the website link provided above or at 561 370 8335.

The Home Solutions FLA founder, Robert Weglewski, explain that "Florida probate costs can end up being very high since the petitioner is not only required to pay for the attorney fees but also all those other costs that have to be taken care of when the case is filed with the circuit court. We are now offering a free probate attorney consultation to help any homeowners, even those who are not selling the inherited property, with those Florida probate costs they may be facing."

Contact Info:

Name: Robert Weglewski

Organization: Home Solutions Fla LLC - ProbateSolutionsFl.com

Address: 12482 Sawgrass Court, Wellington 33414, United States



For more information, please visit http://www.probatesolutionsfl.com/florida-probate-costs/

Source: PressCable

Release ID: 171607

For more information visit r



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A small North Pennine primary school is fully embracing its landscape and heritage by placing farming firmly on the syllabus and is planning to hold a Sheep Week in June.

Classroom time at Wearhead primary school is spent looking for opportunities to link aspects of farming to an agriculture-less curriculum.

This approach makes sense to the schools two full-time and two part-time staff, each of whom say they are hugely proud to work in Wearhead, a small village nestled in the Durham Dales.

There is, however, no onus on the team to inject farming into classrooms. They do it because they feel its an opportunity to celebrate the Dales farming and people.

There is very little on the national curriculum and if I had my way I would change it, says junior class teacher (Key Stage 2) Liz Judges, who is not at all surprised children in urban areas do not know where milk comes from.

She says there are some aspects of the curriculum that touch on agriculture but it is not enough:

In design and technology there is a bit about food and healthy living; and in science we talk about main food groups and healthy living; in KS2 geography we are encouraged to study the distribution of natural resources including energy, food, minerals and water.

Its sad that in some schools there is such an onus put on all the new curriculums literacy and numeracy that there isnt time to even think about researching where our UK produced food comes from in this country  let alone how a farmer is a producer.

Rural trade-off

Mrs Judges says that rural living means that children lack some of the knowledge that urban children have but gain insight in other areas.

For example, a road safety training session a few years ago highlighted the need for relevant topics in the Wearhead classroom when children needed explanations as to what level crossings, underpasses and subways were.

Our children were oblivious to basic road and traffic terminology, but they know the difference between a buzzard and a red kite; and a Swaledale and a Texdale, she adds. They can explain the importance of bumblebees for crop pollination; tell you that bumblebees have smelly feet and whether they are male or female.

The 27 children we have coming to school bring an absolute love for the environment and for upland hill farming. Our children are ambassadors for a safe and respected environment.

Farm learning at Wearhead Bring your tractor to school day

Spot the Red Tractor on food packages

Playground sheep shearing demonstrations

Sheep brought to school for infant class projects

Trip to NSA North, Tow Law, Wednesday June 7  the highlight of this years Sheep Week

Fundraising for farming charity UTASS (Upper Teesdale Agricultural Support Service)

Washed fleeces and made woollen poppies for Remembrance as part of North Pennine AONB Wool Event

Possible trip planned to Middleton-in-Teesdale mart for a programme of agricultural workshops

Sounding out Love Lamb Week initiative about a future visit

Sheep studies

Mrs Judges says the school is indebted to local Swaledale sheep breeder Greg Dalton for taking the time to bring sheep into the school to make learning more interesting.

A former student of Wearhead himself and married to a teacher at Forest-of-Teesdale primary school, Mr Dalton understands the vital role small schools have in upland areas.

The clipping is a practical thing the children can see happening in front of them, its ideal because its not too long, says Mr Dalton. You can explain why sheep need clipping and about animal health and welfare.

Mr Dalton believes the agricultural sector can gain much from explaining itself to the general public and possibly showing how fragile landscapes and food production can be.

As an industry I think we all need to promote ourselves and convert the public more to our way of life. The National Farmers Union does a good job, you see stands at county shows.

Things are actually quite precarious in food production, maybe more so than people think. Weve seen it this winter in the Mediterranean and shortages of lettuces and courgettes.

Weardale and Westminster

Being a small school, Mrs Judges, along with infant teacher Carey Turnbull and headteacher Karen Evans, all have to work hard, believing that you dont need to be big to achieve great things.

A charity toilet project bears witness to this mantra, raising enough money to fund seven toilets in the developing world in one term.

Two years ago the school was challenged to raise 180 over the whole academic year for three toilets, recalls Mrs Judges. There were only 18 children at the time.

Money raising efforts included a bring-and-buy sale, a child running round the playground 50 times for 50p and a charity walk to Burnhope Reservoir, in the hills above the village.

More recently the school has welcomed Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top (Hilary Armstrong, who was the local MP between 1987 and 2010) to talk about politics and democracy. In addition, leading figures of the methodist movement paid an Easter visit.

The school has been handpicked as a test base for resources for KS2 humanities because of the schools dedication to learning about geography and the environment.

Such opportunities arise out of a belief that shy bairns get nowt, which has most recently led to the school planning Sheep Week in June and arranging a visit from NSA Next Generation ambassador Tom Vickers.

Meanwhile, inter-faith days and trips to synagogues, mosques and gurdwara temples mean the children are well instructed on world faiths and appreciate what lies outside the valley they call home.
The UK food and farming sector must secure a good transition deal to smooth the countrys exit from the EU if it is to avoid sleepwalking into a fully blown crisis.

The stark warning was made during a session exploring the effect of Brexit on trade and investment in agriculture at the NFU conference.

With the threat to slap steep tariffs on UK agricultural products, the Institute of Directors (IoD) Allie Renison warned that reverting to World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules to govern trade between the UK and the EU would be a highly undesirable scenario.

See also: Leadsom wants to protect farming standards in US deal

Ms Renison, head of Europe and trade policy at the IoD, said a free-trade deal is a priority outcome and there was a growing sense that a UK-EU zero-to-zero deal on tariffs would be agreed, but warned this might not include agriculture.

But she added: Agriculture has to form part of a tariff-free extension. My fear is that as a compromise you will have the EU suggesting a phase-in of tariffs over 20 to 30 years. Thats certainly better than having them [tariffs] put in right away.

Transitional deal vital

Ian Wright, director general of the Food & Drink Federation (FDF), said a transitional trade deal between the EU and UK was absolutely vital for the food and farming sector.

It is important that ministers get the transition deal right before they start worrying about the free trade agreement, he added.

The transition deal and the arrangements have the real capacity to completely derail us.

Mr Wright recalled the fuel strike by tanker drivers in 2000, which he said nearly brought down the Blair government.

He said: Just imagine if we dont get the transition deal right? How would Operation Stack look as it curves around the M25?

Taking the example of Ireland, Mr Wright said cross-border trading was critical and the island was effectively a single market for food and farming.

Cross-border controls

The government needed to guarantee frictionless arrangements for cross-border controls of foods after Brexit.

He said: One in five cows across Ireland produces milk for Baileys. If you are the producer of milk in Northern Ireland, your milk crosses the border five times before the bottle is sold.

Imagine the damage that would be wrought by having to go through customs posts on each of those five occasions? The same is true for meat and poultry in the North.

NFU deputy president Minette Batters stressed the need for the UK government to carry out an impact assessment of the consequences trading under WTO default rules would have on rural Britain.

If we dont have a deal and we default to WTO rules, tariffs could be in place that price us out of the marketplace. There is a clear need for government to do this work. Its not something we can analyse in two years time.
Government should spend a similar amount of money on agriculture as it currently does post-Brexit, but direct payments should be scrapped, with more emphasis on supporting farmers, not landowners.

Those are the overarching aims of two new reports from the Soil Association (SA) and the Land Workers Alliance (LWA) as their contribution to the debate on a future UK agricultural policy.

The Soil Association, which represents the organic sector, has set out six game changing proposals, which it says have the potential to transform farming and land use (see Soil Association game changers).

See also: Farm support must continue after Brexit, says NFU

One potential game-changer is agroforestry, bringing trees into fields, which could up productivity, boost wildlife and help tackle climate change, says Tom MacMillan, the SAs director of innovation.

If our government aimed for half of farms to try it, as the French are doing, it could be transformative.

The SA is also demanding more support for practical innovation by farmers, with government putting 10% of the 450m agricultural research budget into projects led by farmers.

Many of the best ideas in farming already come from farmers, and well depend on their ingenuity more than ever in this time of change, said Mr MacMillan.

The SA is also suggesting soil stewardship payments as part of a new UK agricultural policy, to incentivise farmers to increase the organic matter of the soil.

Radical ideas

The LWA has also presented a list of 45 recommendations which it hopes will influence government thinking.

Some of the more radical ideas include a shift away from export markets so UK farmers can focus on meeting UK demand for food, and 20% VAT on meat and meat products to suppress consumption.

It also wants to see support payments for small-scale farmers and new entrants, and policies introduced that help steer land prices downwards.

There should be specific labelling on food products which involve the use of artificial fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides and GM materials, it adds.

The reports were commissioned by Green MEP Molly Scott Cato.

Brexit could be a unique opportunity to move towards an ecologically sustainable farming system; one that focuses on supporting family farms and relocalising food production, thereby creating thriving rural communities, she said.

We can also refocus land management to encourage biodiversity, improve animal welfare and help tackle climate change.
A recent decision from the Commissioner of Oregons Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) raised the stakes on violations of veterans preference laws in public employment. Under Oregon law, public employers must provide a preference to military veterans who apply for a job or promotion. In the Matter of Multnomah County Sheriffs Office BOLI found Multnomah County (Employer) failed to apply the required preference for a veteran applying for a promotion. Current law provides that if an employer uses a process to select an applicant for a job or promotion that includes a numeric score, the employer applies a preference by simply adding the equivalent of five percentage points to the score of a veteran applicant and ten percentage points to the score of a disabled-veteran applicant. On the other hand, if an employer uses an unscored selection process (such as a standard interview process), the law provides no method for application of the preference, but instead requires employers to devise and apply methods giving special consideration to veterans. The law fails to provide a definition of special considerations, and employers are left without any guidance on what special consideration means. In its decision, BOLI acknowledged that the law provides no guidance to public employers on how to give special consideration for an unscored selection process. But, BOLI stated that special consideration requires an e...
In Lane v. Franks et al., the Supreme Court unanimously held today that when a public employee testifies truthfully outside of the scope of ordinary job duties, he or she testifies as a private citizen and not as a public employee for purposes of First Amendment protections. This remains the case even when the testimony in question relates to the public employees job or concerns information that the employee learned through employment. The distinction between testimony as a public employee and as a private citizen is more than academic. As a private citizen speaking on matters of public importance, a public employee is entitled to First Amendment protections, and those protections prevent public employers from firing or taking other adverse employment actions against their employees on the basis of that speech. Here is how the issue arose. In 2006, Central Alabama Community College appointed Edward Lane as the probationary director of Community Intensive Training for Youth (CITY), a statewide program for under-privileged youth that received federal funds for a portion of its budget. A comprehensive audit of the programs expenses revealed that Alabama State Representative Suzanne Schmitz was on CITYs payroll, yet was not reporting to CITYs offices for work. All told, Schmitz had received $177,251 from CITY but had provided virtually no services and generated virtually no work product. When Schmitz refused to report for work at CITYs ...
By Press Trust of India: From K J M Varma

Beijing, Feb 21 (PTI) China is building a third aircraft carrier based on American models as it seeks to fortify its claims in the disputed South China Sea and dominate the larger Indian Ocean region to realise its blue water aspirations.

Chinese experts said China is on course to build 5-6 aircraft carriers.

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While the first aircraft carrier, Liaoning, is a refitted Soviet-era ship, the second is being built on the same model with more advanced facilities and is likely to enter service in 2020.

The latest carrier, under construction at Shanghai, is based on US models, state-run Global Times reported today.

Based on information released by Chinese defence ministry, the second Type 001A carrier being built at the northeast Dalian port uses the ski-jump technology for aircraft to take off, like the first carrier Liaoning rather than a more advanced catapult technology used by American carriers.

The second aircraft carrier is expected to have a displacement of 50,000 tonnes.

China is looking into catapult technology for the third Type 002 carrier being built in Shanghai, the daily quoted Li Jie, a naval military expert, as saying.

"In other words, 002 is entirely different from Liaoning (001) and 001A, and it will look like a US aircraft carrier rather than a Russian one," Li added.

Official Chinese media have earlier reported about the possibility of a third carrier but it is the first time they have announced that it was being built.

Most advanced carriers use the Electromagnetic Catapult System, or Electromagnetic launcher (EML), to launch fighter jets, but China is also testing steam catapults, Li said.

"In order to protect Chinas territories and overseas interests, China needs two carrier strike groups in the West Pacific Ocean and two in the Indian Ocean. So we need at least five to six aircraft carriers," Yin Zhuo, a senior researcher at the PLA Navy Equipment Research Centre, said.

Chinese media has often highlighted the construction of aircraft carriers as the US deployed aircraft carriers in the disputed South China Sea challenging Beijings claims.

The US Navy on Sunday announced that an aircraft carrier strike group has begun "routine operations" in the South China Sea. The announcement came despite a warning from China not to interfere with Chinese sovereignty in the region.

China has a long history of maritime disputes with its South China Sea neighbours. It claims almost all of the South China Sea, despite objections from the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Vietnam.

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China has also created artificial islands in the area, outfitting some of them with military features. PTI KJV KJ ABH KJ

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For those of you who havent heard, level funding is the next big thing in small business insurance options. But how do you know if its right for your company? And if you decide its a good solution, what is your next step? First, lets start with a basic review of how most companies purchase insurance. Traditionally there are two ways of doing things: A fully insured plan means that you are passing all of the risk onto your insurance carrier who charges you a flat monthly fee based on how they gauge the risk of insuring your employees. If covered employees experience health issues and use the plan more, you will probably face a hefty increase in the monthly premium your business pays when your plan renews. Conversely, if your employees rarely use the insurance, youre stuck playing a flat monthly rate no matter what. This model decreases the risk of month-to-month fluctuations but doesnt provide any meaningful incentive for having healthy employees. In essence fully insured plans protect your business financially against catastrophic claims but dont give you any reward if claims experience is low. A self-insured plan is one in which the business pays the actual claims and essentially assumes the role of the insurance carrier in terms of managing risk. Many large companies offer at least one plan that is fully self-insured because they have a large pool of covered employees and also have the cash reserves to prote...
On July 28, 2014, the City Council of Eugene passed a protected paid sick leave ordinance, which will require most employers engaged in business in the city to allow their employees working in or scheduled to work inside the city to earn paid, protected sick leave. The paid sick leave requirement will go into effect on July 1, 2015. Over the upcoming months, the Eugene City Manager will be developing administrative rules to provide specific details on the new requirements. More detailed definitions are to be established, as well as protocols for record-keeping and enforcement. The rulemaking process is slated to be completed by January 31, 2015, with training sessions and outreach to take place from February through June of 2015. Eugenes ordinance provides for a minimum accrual rate of one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked. Although, the hours will begin to accrue immediately upon employment, employers are permitted to restrict usage of the accrued time until the employee has worked at least 90 days. Workers are entitled to accrue up to 40 hours in a year, and unused time can be carried over to the next year. However, employers are not required to allow their employees to use more than 40 accrued hours in a given year, or to compensate an employee for unused sick time upon termination of employment, regardless of the cause. Employers of all sizes, even those with only one employee, will be required to provide sick leave with pay, but there a...
Its been over twenty years since President Bill Clinton signed the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). However, questions and concerns arise in navigating through the FMLAs intricacies to this day. It seems that with each passing year, new rules and laws are established making even the best HR professional feel completely confused, at times. If youve felt this way, I hope this article gives you some insight as to what you can do. If you have not felt this way, and in fact find FMLA laws enjoyable to read and learn about, then congratulations, good for you; you are a rare breed (unicorn rare). Im sure while working in the HR field you have often wondered, What can I do to make FMLA simpler for myself and the employees? Because, lets face it, just keeping up with the ever changing laws is a job in itself. First, lets quickly, and hopefully painlessly, discuss what FMLA is for. FMLA gives eligible employees job-protected unpaid leave for 12 weeks in a 12-month period, to care for any of the following: Birth of a child and to care for a newborn child of the employee or spouse. Placement with the employee of a child for adoption or foster care. To care for the employees spouse, child, or parent with a serious health condition. A serious health condition that makes an employee unable to perform the functions of the employees job. A qualifying exigency arising out of the employee&rsqu...
The use of social media has exploded over the past five years. A large number of lawyers have jumped on the proverbial social media bandwagon and are using these websites both as highly effective marketing tools and as a way to stay connected with friends, family, colleagues and others. Use of social media among young lawyers is particularly prevalent because many of us have been active participants on these websites since their infancy  starting from the days when you needed an .edu email address to register for Facebook. Unfortunately, for the unwary employees, including young lawyers, the use of social media can give rise to myriad workplace issues. Seemingly innocuous conduct on social media can quickly endanger a young lawyer's job. The Scary Story A hypothetical young lawyer, like so many others, had a Facebook page he mainly used for personal activities, such as staying in touch with high school and college friends. After joining a prominent Philadelphia law firm, the lawyer friended a few co-workers on Facebook. He also friended the law firm through its Facebook page. This gave the human resources department, at the firm, access to the lawyer's Facebook page. With this access, the HR department periodically checked the lawyer's Facebook page to ensure that none of its content reflected negatively on the firm. After a weekend of fun, a friend posted pictures, on Facebook, that included pic...
Its often the first thing job seekers look for in a workplace The values and behaviors that contribute to the unique social and psychological environment of an organization Business Dictionary An anthropology cliche tells us that culture is to humans what water is to fish. You probably dont think about it, but your family has a culture. So does your neighborhood and your country. Your workplace most definitely has a culture. Fish can get by without knowing much about the element that sustains them, but humans get in trouble when we fail to understand the culture we live in. A nation going through an identity crisis can bring out the worst in its citizens (just turn on the news). A business that cant define its culture will hire the wrong people and ultimately lose clients. Recent studies have shown that organizational culture is a major factor in employee retention, productivity, and satisfaction. Its often the first thing job seekers look for in a workplace, and numerous studies suggest that cultural fit should be the most important consideration when hiring new employees. Recruiting firms must define and maintain a healthy culture of employees who genuinely care about candidates, the firms they serve, and the industry. When you hire with culture in mind, your firm will consistently outperform agencies that ignore it. As one expert put it, culture equals cash. What is Organizational Culture...
Hiring new employees is a high priority for most HR teams, and its one of the top HR challenges faced by human resources professionals across the globe. Every organization has a different approach to the process for hiring new employees, from the way they source candidates for a role, to the questions they ask in interviews, to the criteria that a candidate must meet before they can extend an offer. For many organizations, hiring the right person for a role means finding someone who not only has the right skills, experience, and qualifications for the job, but also fits in with the culture of the organization. To better understand how organizations overcome the hiring challenge, we asked seven HR professionals for some of their best tips on hiring the right employee for a role. With their extensive experience in recruiting and hiring, they offered up some outstanding insights and advice. Heres what we learned from them: Mike Bensi, Advisor at FirstPerson Hiring for fit is an easy tip to think of, but few organizations actually define what fit means for them. Take the time to identify the key values and behaviors needed to be successful within your company. And then develop the interview process around those needs. This allows you to create a unique value proposition that ensures youre hiring people who are attracted to your company! Trisha Borme, Manager of Talent Acquisit...
About Webcast

With recent articles like Harvard Business Reviews Its Time to Split HR, written by world-renowned business advisor and author Ram Charan, and Bersin Insights Will HR Lose the Battle Over Analytics, written by industry analyst Karen OLeonard, 2016 represents a pivotal year for Human Resources.



The global economic recovery, compounded by demographic shifts, is moving power from employers to employees, turning labor into a sellers market. As a result, the workforce is becoming an increasingly core strategic consideration to businesses. Yet the most commonly monitored workforce metrics do very little to deliver true insight into workforce topics. Leaders need to graduate from metrics to analytics, surfacing the important connections and patterns in their data to make better workforce decisions.



Join expert Dave Weisbeck as he discusses how HR can play a more critical role driving business performance than ever before. In this informative webinar, Dave will discuss how you can graduate from metrics to analytics, ramping up from operational reporting to strategic analytics and planning.



Topics will include:

- Trends shaping the Datafication of HR, including the case for and against splitting HR

- How HR can climb the workforce intelligence maturity curve, defining key terms and concepts

- The future of HR as a strategic advisor, with examples of how to graduate from metrics to analytics in:

- Recruiting Effectiveness

- Performance Management

- Talent Retention

- Comp & Benefits

- Workforce Costs

- Common pitfalls to avoid



Register for this engaging webinar to learn the ins and outs of the datafication of HR and how it has an impact on your HR organization in 2016.

By registering for this webcast you will receive email communications and notifications from the sponsor(s).
News Bangladesh Calls for Efforts to Curb Influx of Refugees

Refugee children attend a school at Kutupalang Makeshift Refugee Camp in Coxs Bazar, Bangladesh, Feb. 12, 2017 / Reuters

DHAKA, Bangladesh  Bangladeshs foreign minister called on the international community on Monday to address Burmas treatment of its Muslim Rohingya minority, tens of thousands of whom have fled in recent months to Bangladesh.

Speaking at a meeting with Yanghee Lee, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Burma, who is in Dhaka on a three-day visit, A. H. Mahmood Ali said a peaceful resolution must be found, a Foreign Ministry statement said.

Ali also described efforts by Dhaka to engage with Burma bilaterally by establishing border liaison offices and talks on security cooperation, the statement said.

Lee is visiting the Coxs Bazar area on the border with Burma, where the foreign minister said the influx of Rohingya was having an adverse impact on the local population and undermining security.

In a separate meeting, Norwegian Foreign Minister Borge Brende, in Dhaka on a two-day visit, urged the international community to put more pressure on Burma to stop maltreatment of the Rohingya.

The Buddhist majority country has to treat minorities with dignity and inclusiveness, Brende said.

Nearly 70,000 Rohingya have fled Burmas Arakan State to Bangladesh since October. They have joined more than 200,000 Rohingya already in Bangladesh, many living in official and makeshift camps, straining resources in one of Asias poorest regions.

The UN human rights office said in a report this month that Burmas security forces had committed mass killings and rapes of Rohingya Muslims and burned their villages. UN officials working with refugees in Bangladesh have told Reuters the death toll from the security sweep could be more than 1,000.

Burma has denied almost all allegations of human rights abuses and says a lawful counterinsurgency campaign has been underway since the Oct. 9 attacks on border security posts killed nine policemen.

Following her visit to Bangladesh, Special Rapporteur Lee will share her findings in a report to the UN Human Rights Council which will be available online on March 13, the Foreign Ministry statement said.
White Rock, British Columbia (FSCwire) - Renaissance Gold Inc. (TSX.V: REN) (Rengold or the Company) is pleased to announce that they have signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Kinross Gold U.S.A., Inc. (Kinross).

Subject to completion of due diligence and definitive documentation within 60 days, the option agreement would grant Kinross the option to acquire a 70% interest in the Spruce East, Diamond Point and Buffalo Canyon exploration projects located in Nevada within 10 years. The Spruce East and Diamond Point projects in Elko County were just acquired by RenGold (see press release NR2017-1) and Buffalo Canyon in Nye County is drill permit ready. Each project will be subject to a separate exploration earn-in agreement. Upon signing the definitive agreements Kinross will advance RenGold US$500,000 to carry out and conduct exploration for the first agreement year among the three projects as directed by Kinross. Subsequent years will have increasing minimum expenditures for each project of US$200k, then US$300k and finally US$500k per year through year 10 totaling US$4,000,000 to vest an undivided 70% interest in each project. Kinross may accelerate vesting by spending US$5,000,000 before the end of the seventh year.

Concurrent with execution of the definitive option agreements, Kinross will subscribe for such number of common shares in the capital of RenGold amounting to no less than 5% and not more than 9.9% of the issued and outstanding shares of RenGold at a price of C$0.33 per share. The private placement and any modification to it are subject to compliance with applicable securities laws and to receipt of regulatory approval. The proceeds from the private placement will be used by RenGold for general corporate purposes.

In addition, RenGold will grant to Kinross for a period of not more than three years a Right of First Refusal (ROFR) to acquire new projects developed by RenGold under arms-length terms in a defined area of Nevada. The ROFR can be used a maximum of three times within the three years of the agreement.

Ronald Parratt, President & CEO states This agreement provides an excellent opportunity to accelerate the exploration of three properties in the RenGold portfolio. A total of 6 projects out of 15 are now in earn-in agreements with industry partners. It is anticipated that all three projects will see some drilling this year and, based on outcomes, aggressive follow-up may be warranted. Were pleased with the confidence placed in RenGold by Kinross and it is a pleasure to add a company such as Kinross to our shareholder list. They will be the fourth major mining company to hold an interest in the Company.

About Renaissance Gold Inc.

Renaissance Gold Inc. is a gold/silver exploration company that has a large portfolio of exploration projects in Nevada and Utah. RenGolds objective is to place the projects in exploration earn-in agreements with industry partners who provide exploration funding. RenGold applies the extensive exploration experience and high-end technical skills of its founders and team members to search for and acquire new precious metal exploration projects that are then offered for joint venture.
By Press Trust of India: From K J M Varma

Beijing, Feb 21 (PTI) China today beefed up security measures in its volatile Xinjiang province by making it mandatory for all vehicles to install a satellite navigation system similar to the GPS as part of an anti-terror initiative.

All vehicles in Bayingol Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture in northwest Chinas Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region must install the Beidou Navigation Satellite System starting Monday to "safeguard stability" in the prefecture, local officials said.

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The move is to ensure stability in the prefecture, state-run Global Times reported quoting a staffer with the vehicle management station under the traffic police detachment of Bayingol Public Security Bureau.

"Cars are the major means of transportation for terrorists, and also a frequently chosen tool to conduct terrorist attacks. So its necessary to use the Beidou system and electronic vehicle identification to enhance the management of vehicles," a statement by Bayingols traffic police detachment said.

"All vehicles must install the system, so that they can be tracked wherever they go. It also helps car owners to find their cars quickly if its been stolen or taken [by terrorists]," added the staffer, surnamed Ma.

The Beidou network is a China-developed satellite navigation system similar to GPS, the third Global Navigation Satellite System applied in international navigation.

The new rule came as thousands of armed police, public security officers and militia held massive anti-terror rally in provincial capital Urumqi in the face of increasing attacks by alleged Uygur militants.

Xinjiang where the Turkik speaking Uygur Muslims constitute majority faced unrest for several years over Uygurs resentment about the settlements of Hans from outside.

The province faced numerous terrorist attack, which China blamed on the separatist East Turkistan Islamic Movement, (ETIM). PTI KJVKJ ABH KJ

--- ENDS ---
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Feb. 21, 2017) - Angel Gold Corp. (TSX VENTURE:ANG) ("Angel" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the Company has commenced geophysical surveying on its El Porvenir project where surface trenching and sampling has identified high-grade gold and silver values. The project is located at less than 2 km from Gran Colombia project, in the Segovia Belt, the most productive gold district in Colombia.

The geophysical program will consist of pole-dipole Induced Polarization, and ground magnetics, covering a total of 23.15 line kilometers at its Iguanacito, Guayabales and Abejero prospects.

The surveys will be carried out by KTTM geophysics and their Canadian partner Geophysics GPR. KTTM is based in Medellin Colombia, and has been operating in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Nicaragua for the last 10 years in mining exploration, providing services and supplies for many of the large successful exploration programs in the Colombia.

Stella Frias, Angel Gold's President & CEO, commented, "We are excited by the potential to generate target at depth in an area with abundant gold and silver anomalies identified at the surface. This geophysical survey will be conducted in an area that also contains broad alteration-hosted and intrusive-related styles of mineralization indicated by our work to date have not been previously reported by others within the Segovia district."

Iguanacito Prospect

Surveying will commence at the Iguanacito Prospect associated with the Nus Fault which separates the extensively gold-mineralized intrusives of the Segovia Batholith from a unit of black sediments with interbedded volcanic rocks that has been intruded by younger igneous bodies. The initial discovery of gold-silver mineralization was as two discrete zones of intensely sericite-silica altered brecciation zones containing high-grade sulfide-silica breccias, some 50m apart, that coalesce southwards along the contact into a continuous zone of intense sericitization of over 100m in width and exhibiting stockworks and sheeted veinlets of sulfide and quartz.

Angel has previously reported its discoveries of wide zones of intense sericite alteration within the adjacent black sediments/volcanics unit and a small exposure of intensely sericitized porphyry with multiple episodes of stockwork mineralization, as well as stream float of bonanza-grade silver in pyrite-silica breccia (1050 g/t Ag or 30.63oz/short ton). It is suspected the prospect is underlain and flanked by largely-buried mineralised intrusive bodies of younger ages than previously recognized in the district.

This is a newly discovered prospect and has had no previous modern exploration work undertaken over it. (See: http://www.angelgoldcorp.com/news/)

Guayabales Prospect

The Guayabales Prospect is hosted within an intensely-weathered, poorly-outcropping multi-phase intrusive body within the black sediment unit. Historic shallow drilling (17 holes for 1308.4m) identified a zone in the southernmost 5 drill holes at least 100m wide of intense sericitization with intense silicification at its core where diamond drill hole RBGDDH049 intersected 9m @ 0.76g/t gold and 89.9 g/t silver from 27.15 to 36.15m downhole (true width unknown), associated with sulfide-quartz breccia infillings.

A nearby surface rock chip by Angel returned 1.57g/t gold and 170 g/t. Soil sampling by Angel suggest that this alteration zone continues southwards for at least 700m and continues beyond the southern-most soil line, and suggests that the alteration zone could be at least 400m wide with a more geochemically anomalous core of around 100m width.

Details of the soil sampling results have been included previously in a press release dated August 25, 2015

Abejero Prospect

The Abejero Prospect is a shear structure within Proterozoic metamorphic rocks immediately adjacent to the major, deep, crustal scale, Bagre Fault. Historic shallow drilling (36 holes for 2398.25m) identified two high-grade to bonanza-grade gold-bearing steeply plunging sulfide-bearing quartz shoots within the shear structure. Drill holes also intersected an intrusive diorite at the ends of 3 of these shallow holes. A single IP line along this intermediate dipping structure will test the down dip continuation of these sulfide-quartz shoots.

See results of the historic drilling on press release dated February 17, 2015.

About Angel Gold Corp.:

Angel is a Canada-based gold and silver exploration company focused on responsible development of mineral resources in Colombia, host to some of the world's largest gold deposits. Angel's flagship project the El Porvenir is located at less than 2 km from Gran Colombia project, the El Pino West Project is adjacent to Gramalote project, B2Gold and Anglo Gold Ashanti JV, 2.5M oz. discovery and its Heliconia project is located north of the Titiribi district along the Cauca fault system.

Angel has been focused on acquiring and validating strategic mineral exploration opportunities in Colombia's best mining districts with the highest potential for new discoveries.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Feb. 21, 2017) - GMV Minerals Inc. (the "Company" or "GMV") (TSX VENTURE:GMV) is pleased to report preliminary results from two additional holes from its recently completed reverse circulation drill program designed to extend the known mineralization on its Mexican Hat gold property in S.E. Arizona. As was the case in the first batch of holes reported on February 1, 2017, both holes are adding to the existing resource.

The Company is pleased to announce that it has extended the known area of mineralization in the north of the Mexican Hat deposit by approximately 120 metres. The current NI #43-101 resource was calculated with a 0.2 gpt gold cut-off, so all assays that exceed the cut off are considered material and further support an open pit heap leach extraction model.

The intersections on GMV 2016-8 are an approximately 30-meter lateral step out to the northeast on zones AN, A, and B, and are 30 meters deeper on the AN zone, 20 meters deeper on the A zone, and 20 meters deeper on the B zone. The intersections in GMV 2016-7 are similar lateral step outs as in GMV 2016-8. The two new intersections are located above 130 meters downhole (the first two intercepts in hole 2016-7-see below) and both are newly discovered zones. The Company is also pleased to confirm that this hole hit the AN zone 100 meters below previous drilling, 120 meters below previous intercepts on A zone, and 100 meters deeper on B zone.

The Company wishes to confirm that some infill sampling is pending on these two holes which may add to the reported intercepts' grade and length. Both of these holes intersected multiple fractured hematite-bearing zones, typically associated with the known mineralization. Significant intersections occurred in both holes and include:

Hole from (m) to (m) length (m) Gold (gpt) GMV 2016-7 57.9 67.1 9.1 0.65 GMV 2016-7 115.8 121.9 6.1 0.39 GMV 2016-7 152.4 155.4 3.0 0.45 GMV 2016-7 167.6 195.1 27.4 0.20 GMV 2016-8 152.4 158.5 6.1 1.83 GMV 2016-8 170.7 176.8 6.1 0.69 GMV 2016-8 201.2 204.2 3.0 0.66 GMV 2016-8 222.5 228.6 6.1 0.60 GMV 2016-8 268.2 271.3 3.0 0.54 GMV 2016-8 274.3 277.4 3.0 0.38 Figures are rounded and small rounding differences may appear.

The results from five additional holes are pending.

Ian Klassen, GMV's CEO remarked, "We are pleased with these additional assays. As per our recent announcement on February 1, not only have we been able to extend the H2 Zone and encounter additional mineralization to the southeast, beyond the previous limits of our resource, but now we have also done the same to the northeast of the deposit. These results give us some of the deepest cuts into our zones and should translate well into additional tonnage and ounces."

RC samples were collected using a rotary splitter at the drill, bagged, dried, and shipped by commercial carrier to Inspectorate America Corporation Laboratories in Sparks, Nevada. Certified standards and blanks were inserted into the sample stream prior to shipping, and laboratories standards, blanks and duplicates were analyzed and reported. Samples were prepared using PRP70-250 and analyzed using FA330 (fire assay) and AQ251 (ICP) methods. All gold values are reported from the FA330 results. All standards and duplicates reported acceptable results.

The Company also wishes to confirm that diamond drilling at the Hernandez Hill, a newly discovered epithermal target 500 m northeast of the Mexican Hat mineralization has now concluded, and logging, sampling and assaying is in progress. This target was identified by geology and surficial geochemistry and supported by recent AMT geophysical survey.

The metallurgical testing on the Company's bulk sample from Mexican Hat is completed and final assays on the residue are in progress at the lab. A detailed news release on this test will be issued once the results have been received.

Dr. D.R. Webb, Ph.D., P.Geo., P.Eng. is the Q.P. for this release within the meaning of NI 43-101 and has reviewed the technical content of this release and has approved its content.

About GMV Minerals Inc.

GMV Minerals Inc. is a publicly traded exploration company focused on developing precious metal assets in Arizona. GMV, through its 100% owned subsidiary, has a 100% interest in a Mining Property Lease commonly referred to as the Mexican Hat project, located in Cochise County, Arizona, USA. The Mexican Hat property contains an inferred mineral resource of 23,452,000 tonnes grading 0.70 grams of gold per tonne hosting 531,400 troy ounces of gold. The project was initially explored by Placer Dome (USA) in the late 1980's to early 1990's. GMV is focused on developing the asset and realizing the full mineral potential of the property through near term gold production.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - February 21, 2017) - Royal Road Minerals Limited (TSXV: RYR) (the "Company") a gold focused mineral exploration and development company, announces that it has appointed Daniel De Narvaez to the Board of Directors, that Ivan Devia has moved to the position of Vice President Operations and that it has granted incentive stock options to purchase an aggregate of 4,360,000 ordinary shares of the Company to certain officers, employees and consultants of the Company pursuant to the Company's stock option plan. The options are exercisable until February 17, 2019 at a price of $0.15 per share and shall vest as to 30% of the options, 60 days from the grant date; as to a further 30% of the options, 90 days from the grant date; and as to the remainder of the options, 120 days from the grant date.

The Company is pleased to announce the appointment of Daniel De Narvaez as a Director of the Company. Daniel is based in Bogota, Colombia. Daniel has a B.S. in Mining Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines and a Diploma in Negotiating Strategies from the Universidad de Los Andes in Bogota. Daniel has worked extensively in mining and socio-political aspects of mining in Colombia and throughout the America's. During the past five years Daniel has been the Executive Director of Exploraciones Oceanicas S de RL de CV, managing the exploration work and permitting of the Don Diego offshore phosphate deposit in the Pacific coast of Mexico's Baja California peninsula.

Ivan Devia has been with the Company since it commenced operations in Colombia in 2015. We are pleased to announce that Ivan will now move to the post of VP-Operations overseeing the Company's activities in Colombia and elsewhere throughout Latin America. Ivan is an international logistics, risk-management and community engagement specialist with 15 years of experience in Latin America and the Middle East. He is a graduate in Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law at the University of Nueva Granada in Colombia. Ivan spent 6 years with B2 Gold Colombia as Health, Safety and Security Manager and was Operations and Security Center Manager with AngloGold-Ashanti in Colombia.

"These appointments come at a crucial time in the Company's evolution," said Dr Tim Coughlin, Royal Roads President and CEO. "With the evolving peace process in Colombia our activities have expanded and the focus has somewhat shifted. As well as increasing our interest in the region of the La Golondrina and Redencion projects, we are now conducting more regional exploration over highly prospective areas, engaging more closely with the Colombian authorities and their post-conflict aspirations, and adopting a more innovative and sustainable approach to engaging communities and other regional stakeholders. Both Daniel and Ivan bring unique skills and invaluable experience in regards to all aspects of Royal Road's work in Colombia and elsewhere in Latin America. They will no doubt be crucial in Royal Road's success as the Company enters this important new chapter in its development."
VANCOUVER, Feb. 21, 2017 /CNW/ - Barsele Minerals Corp.  (TSX-V: BME) ("Barsele") reports that Agnico Eagle Mines Limited  (TSX, NYSE: AEM) ("Agnico Eagle") has prepared an updated mineral resource estimate for the Barsele gold deposit within the Barsele Au-VMS Project area in Vasterbottens Lan, northern Sweden (the "Barsele Project"). Exploration and mineral resource definition at the Barsele Project has been managed by joint venture partner Agnico Eagle. Ownership in the Barsele Project is 55% Agnico Eagle and 45% Barsele. Agnico Eagle can earn an additional 15% in the Barsele Project through the completion of a pre-feasibility study.

The Barsele property is known to contain intrusive hosted gold mineralization that appears to be similar to Agnico Eagle's Goldex deposit in Quebec. During 2016, a total of 85 diamond drill holes totaling 33,477 meters were drilled by Agnico Eagle. Drilling focused on verifying, defining and expanding the mineral resources within and along the Central, Avan and Skirasen zones, that are now interpreted to be part of the same mineralized system that extends over 2.6 kilometers of strike length and to a depth of 600 meters and still open in all directions. These contiguous mineralized zones occur within a granodiorite host that ranges in width from 200 to 500 meters and is traceable over a strike length exceeding 8.0 kilometers. Gold is generally associated with arsenopyrite and low base metal content, but also occurs as native metal locally.

Barsele is having its qualified persons review the updated mineral resource estimate and will disclose the results on completion of the review. An updated NI 43-101 Technical Report will be prepared if warranted.

About the Barsele Gold Project

The Barsele Project is located on the western end of the Proterozoic "Skellefte Trend", a prolific volcanogenic massive sulphide deposits belt, where it intersects with the "Gold Line" in Northern Sweden. Both polymetallic deposits and intrusive hosted orogenic gold deposits are present in this region and on the property. Current and past producers in the region include Boliden, Kristineberg, Bjorkdal, Svartliden and Storliden.

Art Freeze, P.Geo. is the Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101 and takes responsibility for the technical disclosure contained within this news release.

About Barsele Minerals Corp.

Barsele is a Canadian-based junior exploration company comprised of highly qualified mining professionals. Barsele's main property is the Barsele Gold Project in Vasterbottens Lan, Sweden, a joint venture with Agnico Eagle Mines Limited.
VANCOUVER, Feb. 21, 2017 /CNW/ - Lithium X Energy ("Lithium X", or the "Company") (TSX-V: LIX)(OTCQX: LIXXF) is pleased to announce that the Company has received permits for the construction of the initial ponding facility (the "Facility") to be constructed as part of the Salta Exploraciones S.A. ("SESA") Joint Venture (the "JV").

The initial ponding facility is designed for an output of approximately 2,500 tonnes per annum of lithium carbonate equivalent ("LCE"). The permits allow for the construction of brine collection, pumping, piping and ponding facilities consisting of 62.6 hectares of lined ponds, designed to produce a high-purity 5% lithium concentrate, at the Company's flagship Sal de los Angeles project ("SDLA" or the "Project") in Argentina. The JV ponding facility will cover a maximum of 100 hectares (approximately 1%) of the 8,156 hectares that comprise the Sal de los Angeles property. Construction activities will begin immediately. The Project has not been the subject of a feasibility study and there is no guarantee the Facility will successfully produce a commercial product on a profitable basis or at all.

"We would like to thank the Province of Salta and respective regulatory authorities for their assistance and cooperation in the granting of this permit," commented Paul Matysek, Executive Chairman. "This is a key milestone for our Company and will certainly strengthen and differentiate our status in a very crowded lithium sector. We look forward to working closely with the local authorities and workforce in developing sustainable environmental, work and social programs to ensure we develop the Facility in harmony with the Puna region."

"The receipt of construction permits for our Facility is a major landmark for Lithium X and our joint venture with SESA," commented Brian Paes-Braga, Chief Executive Officer "We are on the cusp of obtaining our first 5% lithium concentrate from our pilot pools on site. This is a high purity brine concentrate that could serve as feed to existing or new battery grade lithium carbonate and/or lithium hydroxide plants. We have already been approached by several end users of the expected concentrate and look forward to initiate testing with downstream partners."

Under the terms of the JV Agreement, to earn a 50% stake in the JV Company, SESA must contribute an estimated US$6 million or the required amount for the construction and operation of an initial 2,500tpa LCE ponding facility by incurring all construction costs, including one full year of post-construction operation. Potasio y Litio de Argentina S.A. ("PLASA"), of which Lithium X has the right to earn 80% and is 100% owner of SDLA, shall contribute US$3.3 million for a 30% contributing participation in the JV and the right to commercialize the lithium products. In addition, PLASA is also fully carried for the remaining 20% for contributing brine from existing wells on the Project, including a free-flowing artesian well that is expected to supply the operation initially.

The Company cautions that the Project has not been the subject of a feasibility study and there is no guarantee the pilot ponding facility will successfully produce a commercial product on a profitable basis or at all. There is a significant risk that production from the pilot ponding facility will not be profitable, and the risks are even greater given that no feasibility study has been prepared. The Company has not established the economic viability of the proposed operation or any mineral reserves that would support the same. It also does not disclose the higher risk of failure of this production decision in the circumstances. The purpose of the pilot program is not to commence commercial production but to utilize the expertise and experience of its new joint venture partner, Salta Exploraciones SA ("SESA") using brine from an existing free flowing artesian well which will contribute initial brine to the pilot ponding facility. SESA is a consortium of Argentina based engineering and construction firms with extensive experience in the design, construction and operation of lithium brine facilities in Argentina's Puna region, where the Project is located.

The scientific and technical content and interpretations contained in this news release have been reviewed and approved by VP of Project Development William Randall, a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

About Lithium X Energy Corp.

Lithium X Energy Corp. is a lithium exploration and development company with a goal of becoming a low-cost supplier for the burgeoning lithium battery industry. Lithium X owns 50%, and has the option to acquire up to 80%, of the Sal de los Angeles lithium brine project in the prolific "Lithium Triangle" in mining friendly Salta province, Argentina. Lithium X's Arizaro project consists of 33,846 hectares located in one of the district's largest salars known to contain elevated lithium brine values. Lithium X is also exploring a large land package in Nevada's Clayton Valley, contiguous to the only producing lithium operation in North America  Silver Peak, owned and operated by Albemarle, the world's largest lithium producer. Lithium X is listed on the TSXV under the trading symbol LIX.

For additional information about Lithium X Energy Corp., please visit the Company's website at www.lithium-x.com or review the Company's documents filed on www.sedar.com. Join the Company's email list at http://lithium-x.com/subscribe.
HALIFAX, Feb. 21, 2017 /CNW/ - Zonte Metals Inc. is pleased to provide an update on the Consejo de Estado ("Special Court") proceedings regarding its' application over the Gramalote application.

As announced in May 2016, Zonte and a Colombian partner, (collectively "Zonte" or the "Company") initiated legal action against the Secretaria de Minas (Secretary of Mines) for the Department of Antioquia, Colombia, as well the Agencia Nacional de Mineria (National Mining Agency) for not complying with the Mining Code in titling an exploration application submitted by Zonte in July 2013. Zonte's application covers open areas between titles on top of the permitted Gramalote Gold deposit which is a joint venture between AngloGold Ashanti (NYSE: AU) and B2Gold (TSX: BTO, NYSE: BTG).

The Special Court had three options available to respond to the Company's submission of documents which included accepting the case as presented; accepting the case with modification; or rejecting the case totally. The Company is pleased to report that the Special Court has accepted the case as presented and that the case will now officially proceed through the court process. The Company will provide additional information as it becomes available.

For more information regarding the Gramalote application including a map illustrating the open areas between titles and the legal initiatives  please visit the company's webpage at www.zontemetals.com

About Zonte

Zonte Metals Inc. is a junior explorer focused on gold and copper. The Company has signed an Option Agreement to acquire 100% of the McConnells Jest project, in the Tintina Gold Belt, located in the Yukon Territory, which is composed of 172 claims totaling approximately 3371 hectares, and holds the drill ready Wings Point Gold Project located in Newfoundland and Labrador. In addition, the Company and a Colombian partner have an application over open areas sitting on top of the open pit outline of the Gramalote Deposit in Colombia, which is held by AngloGold Ashanti (NYSE: AU) and B2Gold (TSX: BTO, NYSE: BTG). The title issuance is being contested by the state governing the application and the Company has started legal action to protect its rights.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Feb. 21, 2017) - West Kirkland Mining Inc. (TSX VENTURE:WKM) ("West Kirkland", "WKM" or the "Company") announces that it has entered into an agreement to lease water rights (the "Lease") in Nevada from Liberty Moly LLC ("Liberty Moly"). Liberty Moly holds certain water rights which allow it to appropriate ground water within Basin 137a for use at their Liberty Moly project, located 30 km from WKM's Hasbrouck Gold Project. The lease allows WKM to appropriate ground water in the amount of 1.522 cubic feet per second with an annual duty of 800 acre feet. The quantity of water leased by WKM is a portion of Liberty Moly's right to 6,200 acre feet annually and is sufficient for all of WKM`s water needs for production at the Hasbrouck Project.

The Three Hills Mine is the first phase of the Hasbrouck Gold Project and is also located within Basin 137a. Obtaining approval from Nevada's state engineer to change the point of diversion of the leased water to the Hasbrouck Project is expected to be in the normal course of affairs. The Hasbrouck Mine is the second phase of the project and is located in the adjacent Basin 142; an inter-basin approval is required for the leased water to be diverted to the Hasbrouck Mine. The company plans to make this application and work on it during Three Hills Mine construction and gold production phases. The Three Hills Mine involves an open pit, heap leach and gold plant, and is fully permitted for construction and operation. Purchase of private lands for the Three Hills heap leach facility was concluded in January 2017. Work on permitting the Hasbrouck Mine is ongoing and is expected to be completed under an Environmental Assessment. Assay results from recent exploration drilling at Three Hills are pending.

The Hasbrouck Project consists of the Hasbrouck Mine, Three Hills Mine, and surrounding land package, all located near Tonopah, Nevada. All dollar values presented in this news release are U.S. dollars and are presented on a 100% project basis. Highlights include:

Low initial capital cost of $47 million with a 12-month construction period

Open pit mining with minimal pre-stripping and an overall stripping ratio of 1.1:1

594,000 recoverable gold equivalent ounces*

74,000 gold equivalent ounces* produced annually for eight years

$717 All-in Sustaining Cost per Au ounce

Robust 2016 pre-feasibility study indicating after-tax NPV (5%) of $120 million and a 43% IRR

$1,275/oz Au and $18.21/oz Ag metal price assumptions

Good exploration potential proximal to the Three Hills permitted pit

*Gold equivalent ounces are calculated by multiplying the silver ounces by 18.21 over 1,275 and then adding to the gold ounces

Proven and Probable Reserves total 45.3 million tons containing 762,000 ounces gold and 10.6 million ounces silver as detailed below:

Hasbrouck Project Reserves, June 3, 2015, Mine Development Associates (1, 2) Three Hills Mine Reserves K tons

Ore Grade

(oz Au/ton) K oz Au Grade

(oz Ag/ton) K oz Ag 0.005 opt

Au cutoff Proven - - - - - Probable 9,653 0.018 175 - - P&P 9,653 0.018 175 - - Hasbrouck Mine Reserves Variable

cutoff grade(3) Proven 6,242 0.020 127 0.410 2,562 Probable 29,374 0.016 461 0.273 8,007 P&P 35,617 0.017 588 0.297 10,569 Total Hasbrouck Project Reserves Variable

cutoff grade(3) Proven 6,242 0.020 127 0.410 2,562 Probable 39,028 0.016 635 0.205 8,007 P&P 45,270 0.017 762 0.233 10,569

Notes:

The estimation and classification of Proven and Probable Mineral Reserves have been prepared by Thomas L. Dyer, P.E., of Mine Development Associates following CIM standards

Mineral Reserves are estimated based on $1,225/oz gold and $17.50/oz silver

Cutoff grades used for Mineral Reserves are: Three Hills 0.005 oz Au/ton, Hasbrouck Upper Siebert 0.008 oz Au/ton, and Hasbrouck Lower Siebert 0.007 oz Au/ton

WKM Chief Operating Officer Sandy McVey commented that "Securing this water supply is a major milestone for the Company and significantly advances the project, as well as improving project economics. We understand from discussions with Nevada Division of Water Resources that State approval for this water transfer should be granted on application. We look forward to further progressing the Hasbrouck Gold Project by permitting the Hasbrouck Mine under an Environmental Assessment as we did in seven months at the Three Hills Mine."

The initial term of the Lease is for six (6) years commencing on February 10, 2017. WKM may extend the Lease for one additional four (4) year term. WKM's diversion and use of ground water pursuant to the Lease is subject to the approval of the Nevada State Engineer. In the event that Liberty Moly requires the leased water rights for the construction and operation of its own mine project during the term or extension of the Lease, Liberty Moly may terminate the Lease by providing twenty-four (24) months' notice to WKM.

As initial compensation for the leased water rights, WKM will issue to Liberty Moly US$100,000 worth of WKM common shares calculated on the last closing price of one WKM common share on the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV") on February 13, 2017, converted into U.S. dollars based on the noon buying rate reported by the Bank of Canada on February 14, 2017 (being 1,454,778 WKM common shares).

On each anniversary date during the term of the Lease, WKM is to pay Liberty Moly either US$10,000 in cash or the equivalent value in common shares calculated by dividing US$10,000 by the last closing price of one WKM common share on the TSXV immediately preceding the anniversary date, converted into U.S. dollars based on the foreign exchange rate reported by the Bank of Canada on the applicable payment anniversary.

All WKM common shares issued pursuant to the Lease will be subject to TSXV approval and will bear a resale restriction under Canadian securities laws for a period of four months and one day from the date of issue and will also bear a legend and be subject to resale restrictions under applicable U.S. securities laws. WKM may terminate the Lease by written notice if at any time WKM is prevented from using the leased water rights because of judicial orders, court decrees or local, state or federal laws, rules or regulations now or later in effect.

Authors and Qualified Persons Statement

The referenced Mineral Reserve Estimate was prepared in conformance with NI 43-101 by Thomas L. Dyer, P.E. of MDA and was filed on SEDAR on September 2016. Mr. Dyer is a "Qualified Person" under NI 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the information in this news release. MDA has reviewed and verified that the data disclosed in this news release conforms to CIM "Estimation of Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserves Best Practices" guidelines and to NI 43-101.

Sandy McVey, P.Eng., Chief Operating Officer of West Kirkland, and a non-independent Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101, has reviewed the information contained in this news release and has verified the data.

Sample Preparation, Analyses, and Security

It is MDA's opinion that the sampling, assaying, and security procedures used at Three Hills and Hasbrouck deposits follow industry standard procedures, and are adequate for the estimation of the current Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves.

Data Verification

MDA completed audits of the database, performed a site visit, reviewed QAQC data and confirmed historic assays. After performing their review, they consider the assay data to be adequate for the estimation of the current Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves.

About West Kirkland Mining Inc.

West Kirkland owns a 75% interest in the Hasbrouck Gold Project in Tonopah, Nevada. A Pre-Feasibility Study and Environmental Assessment with construction-level drawings and all federal and state permits for the phase-one Three Hills Mine provides an advanced project for potential expansion with drilling underway. West Kirkland also holds a 60% interest in the open pit heap-leach TUG Gold Project in Utah in Joint Venture with Newmont.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Feb. 21, 2017) - Scorpio Gold Corporation ("Scorpio Gold" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE:SGN)(FRANKFURT:Z3S) is pleased to announce the signing of a letter of intent (the "LOI") with Lode-Star Mining Inc. ("Lode-Star") for a custom milling agreement (the "Agreement") to provide custom milling of mineralized material at the Company's Goldwedge processing facility, located 75 miles north of Goldfield in Manhattan, Nevada.

The Goldwedge mill is a 400 ton per day facility with an associated gravity recovery circuit. Testing of Lode-Star's mineralized material is expected to commence in Q1 2017 and is pending receipt of approval from the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection ("NDEP"). This testing will provide the baselines for metallurgical recoveries and mill throughput data to support Lode Star's mine permitting with the NDEP. The coarse gold component of Lode-Star's material will be recovered by the gravity circuit. Further testing will be conducted on the tailings to determine the potential economics of shipping tailings to Scorpio Gold's 70% owned Mineral Ridge heap leach operation for final recovery of cyanide-leachable precious metals. Assaying services can be provided to Lode Star at Mineral Ridge.

The companies are moving forward with permitting requirements associated with the Agreement. The Agreement requires completion of a cost analysis and other operational details which are expected to be concluded upon completion of the testing. The parties believe this arrangement can be mutually economical and operationally beneficial for their respective operations.

Lode-Star President, Mark Walmesley, comments, "Lode-Star has been working steadily with Scorpio Gold on this milling solution for well over a year. The results of our metallurgy work through Kappes Cassiday indicate positive compatibility with Scorpio Gold's existing processes. Utilization of the Mineral Ridge assaying lab is a key benefit that speeds up our overall production and milling timeline. We look forward to working with the Scorpio Gold team and believe this is a great pairing between our operations."

Chris Zerga, President of Scorpio Gold Corporation, comments, "We hope to develop a long-term relationship with the Lode-Star team and we continue to look for other synergistic opportunities within our surrounding area."

About Lode-Star Mining Inc.

Lode-Star Mining Inc. (OTCQB:LSMG) is a U.S. based junior-tier mining company focused on the exploration, development, and production of North American mineral assets.

Lode-Star is the operator of the Goldfield Bonanza property, acquired under an option for development on December 11, 2014 from Lode-Star Gold, Inc., a private Nevada corporation. The property is located in the historic gold producing district of Goldfield, NV, which at one time was Nevada's largest gold producing district. Historic production totaled better than 4 million ounces of gold.

About Scorpio Gold

Scorpio Gold holds a 70% interest in the producing Mineral Ridge gold mining operation located in Esmeralda County, Nevada with joint venture partner Elevon, LLC (30%). Mineral Ridge is a conventional open pit mining and heap leach operation. The Mineral Ridge property is host to multiple gold-bearing structures, veins and lenses at exploration, development and production stages. Scorpio Gold also holds a 100% interest in the advanced exploration-stage Goldwedge property in Manhattan, Nevada with a fully permitted underground mine and 400 ton per day mill facility. The Goldwedge mill facility has been placed on a care and maintenance basis and can be restarted upon short notice.

Scorpio Gold's Chairman, Peter J. Hawley, PGeo, is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the content of this news release.
By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Feb 21 (PTI) Rajya Sabha MP K T S Tulsi, BJP leader Subramaniam Swamy and AAP today joined Union minister Venkaiah Naidu in demanding a thorough probe into allegations that former CBI chief Amar Pratap Singh favoured controversial meat exporter Moin Qureshi.

"The allegations have to be throughly enquired into. It is a real shame for all of us that director of a premier investigative agency has now been charged," Naidu said earlier.

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"This shows the level of corruption that has crept into the system. It should be taken to its logical conclusion and whatever links are there should be throughly investigated," he said.

BJP leader Subramanian Swamy said the development has sent a message that anybody, irrespective of his position, could be brought to book.

"In the first time in history, a CBI director has been brought to book," he said.

Senior lawyer and Rajya Sabha MP K T S Tulsi, who was nominated to the Upper House during the UPA regime, said it was a serious blow to the reputation of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

"One after the other the directors seem to be compromising the integrity of law and an institution which is the premier investigating agency in the country. If people lose faith in the institution, how are we going to have inquires against terrorists and those committing most heinous crimes?

"It is very important to have faith in the impartiality of the institution. It is a sad state of affairs," he said.

Demanding unearthing of the conspiracy in the case, senior AAP leader Ashutosh said the incident reflected the corruption in Indias premier investigating agency and the way appointment of its directors was done.

The CBI had named Singh along with Qureshi and others in an FIR registered last week for allegedly favouring the meat exporter after receiving a complaint from the Enforcement Directorate. The agency had carried out searches at the residence of Singh yesterday. PTI JC SRY

--- ENDS ---
CALGARY, ALBERTA--(Marketwired - Feb. 21, 2017) - Bacanora Minerals Ltd. ("Bacanora" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE:BCN)(AIM:BCN), the Canadian and London listed resource developer focused on building an international lithium company, is pleased to announce that it has entered into a definitive agreement (dated February 17, 2017) to acquire a 50% interest in, and joint operational control of, the Zinnwald Lithium Project ("Zinnwald" or the "Project") in southern Saxony, Germany from SolarWorld AG ("SolarWorld"), the largest solar panel producer in Europe. This is in line with management's vision to become a global lithium operator focused on projects with significant value accretion potential and defined markets at both the product and geographic levels.

Highlights

Zinnwald, which reportedly produced lithium carbonate in the 1950s, is located in a granite hosted Sn/W/Li belt that has been mined historically for tin, tungsten and lithium

The Project benefits from excellent access to the rapidly growing market for lithium in Germany which is being driven by the automotive, renewable energy storage and chemicals industries

Geographical location of the Project provides potential access to new markets, which diversifies risk and complements potential target markets for the Company's Sonora project in Mexico, where a Feasibility Study is on track for completion in 2017

Bacanora will earn 50% of the Project in return for a cash consideration of EUR5 million and an undertaking to contribute EUR5 million towards the cost of completing of a Feasibility Study on the Project, which is anticipated to take approximately 18-24 months to complete

Access to the significant lithium technical expertise developed by SolarWorld over the past ten years in the renewable energy industry

Option to acquire the outstanding 50% held by SolarWorld within a 24 month period for EUR30 million

Bacanora Chairman Mark Hohnen stated, "Zinnwald is a strategic asset located in close proximity to a thriving market for lithium and energy products. The Project fits with both our corporate strategy to develop and operate integrated lithium projects to produce high value lithium products, and also the commercial overlay which drives our acquisition strategy."

"Sonora continues to sit at the heart of our portfolio and having produced battery grade lithium carbonate from our 100% owned pilot plant ahead of finalizing off-take agreements in Asia, we are committed to bringing this into production. However, Zinnwald provides us with exposure to an exciting new geographic market and adds hard rock mineralization to our portfolio. We believe that with an ownership structure that is accretive to Bacanora, Zinnwald will further facilitate our ambition of becoming an independent global lithium operating group."

Zinnwald

The Zinnwald Lithium Project is located in southeast Germany, some 35 km from Dresden and adjacent to the border of the Czech Republic and within 5km of the town of Altenberg and 50 km of the town of Freiberg.

The Project is located in a granite hosted Sn/W/Li belt that has been mined historically for tin, tungsten and lithium at different times over the past 300 years. The strategic location of the Project allows immediate access to the German automotive and downstream lithium chemical industries.

The Zinnwald Project and leases are held by SolarWorld Solicium GmbH, a 100% owned subsidiary of SolarWorld AG, the largest solar panel producer in Europe. The Project has a historical resource estimate dated 1st October 2014 which was reported in accordance with the PERC Code1, comprised of Measured, Indicated and Inferred Resources.2 A Qualified Person (under National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101")) has not done sufficient work to confirm the historical estimate; hence Bacanora is not treating the historical estimate as current Mineral Resources or Mineral Reserves. However, Bacanora believes that the historical work at Zinnwald and the geological context of the deposit support the case for investing in further work to investigate the Mineral Resource and its potential for economic extraction.

Resource Category Tonnes* (000) Li Grade (ppm) Contained LCE** (Tonnes) Measured 10,283 3,661 200,277 Indicated 16,287 3,594 311,408 Inferred 9,867 3,705 194,484

Notes: * Li cut-off 2,500pm and >2 metres vertical thickness. ** LCE is the industry standard terminology for, and is equivalent to, Li 2 CO 3 .1 ppm Li metal is equivalent to 5.32 ppm LCE / Li 2 CO 3 .Use of LCE is to provide data comparable with industry reports and assumes complete conversion of lithium in clays with no recovery or process losses.

SRK Consulting (UK) Ltd has briefly reviewed the historical work at Zinnwald and adjacent properties and is working with the Company to test the historical estimate and develop a future resource. It is expected that additional infill drilling and an updated geological and grade model will allow current Mineral Resources to be reported, following which a new technical report is expected to be prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 and AIM Note for Mining and Oil & Gas Companies standards.

In 2014, SolarWorld AG also completed a technical report on the Project, prepared in accordance with the PERC Code.3 Bacanora has reviewed the foregoing report (a copy of which has been published by SolarWorld AG on its website) and relied upon it in ascribing its internal valuations for the Project and the negotiation of the transaction terms.

Bacanora's investment into the Zinnwald Project gives the potential to provide entry into the fast-growing European lithium market whereas the Sonora project continues to focus on off-take markets in Asia. In addition, the location of Zinnwald, adjacent to existing downstream German lithium chemical infrastructure and automotive manufacturing capacity, has the potential to allow the Zinnwald Project to focus on the production of higher value, downstream lithium products, which typically command premium pricing as compared to lithium carbonate products.

Martin Pittuck of SRK Consulting (UK) Limited is the Qualified Person pursuant to NI 43-101 and the AIM Note for Mining and Oil & Gas Companies who has reviewed and approved the technical contents of this announcement.

About Bacanora

Bacanora is a Canadian and London listed minerals explorer (TSX VENTURE:BCN)(AIM:BCN). The Company explores and develops industrial mineral projects, with a primary focus on the Sonora Lithium Project. The Company's operations are based in Hermosillo in northern Mexico and it currently has two significant projects under development in the state of Sonora.

The Sonora Lithium Project, which consists of ten mining concession areas covering approximately 100 thousand hectares in the northeast of Sonora State. The Company, through drilling and exploration work to date, has established an Indicated Mineral Resource (in accordance with NI 43-101) of 4.5 million tonnes (LCE) and 2.7 million tonnes Inferred.4 A PFS completed in Q1 20165 demonstrated the economics associated with becoming a 35,000 tpa lithium carbonate and 50,000 tpa SOP producer in Mexico.
By Lee Min-hyung

LG Hausys has acquired a controlling stake in c2i, an auto parts manufacturer based in Slovakia, in a bid to tighten its presence in the promising vehicle components industry.

The Seoul-based building materials manufacturer said Friday that it bought a 50.1-percent stake in the carbon-fiber components maker for 48.6 billion won ($42.26 million). Both companies plan to finalize the deal by the end of next month, it added.

The Slovakian firm, established in 2005, holds patents for manufacturing weight-reducing materials for automobiles, helping improve fuel efficiency.

The company posted 30 billion won in sales last year, up 45 percent from the previous year. Its annual growth rate is about 64 percent for the past five years.

The Korean firm expects the deal to diversify its business portfolios into the lucrative lightweight materials industry.

"We are going to take advantage of c2i's expertise in producing carbon-complex materials by combining them into our existing automobile lightweight materials, such as long fiber thermoplastics or continuous fiber thermoplastics," an LG Hausys official said.

LG Hausys supplies seatback frames and bumper beams to Seoul-based automakers, while c2i has diverse overseas auto-making clients, such as BMW, Porsche and Jaguar Land Rover.

"The partnership will serve as a building block for us to expand into the European market," said the company official.

The deal is part of LG's strategy for the auto-parts industry which LG Group Chairman Koo Bon-moo identified as its next key growth area.

LG Hausys Vice President Min Gyeong-jip said, "The lightweight materials industry has been growing in size and importance each year, as it is the key to improving fuel efficiency of vehicles. This reduces energy consumption and alleviates lingering concerns over air pollution.

"We will leap into being the industry-leading auto-parts manufacturer through the latest deal, generating synergies between our expertise in research & development and c2i's top-notch carbon-related technologies."
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The following companies are subsidiares of InterContinental Hotels Group: 2250 Blake Street Hotel LLC, 24th Street Operator Sub LLC, 36th Street IHG Sub LLC, 426 Main Ave LLC, 46 Nevins Street Associates LLC, Allegro Management LLC, Alpha Kimball Hotel LLC, American Commonwealth Assurance Co. Ltd., Asia Pacific Holdings Limited, BHMC Canada Inc., BHR Holdings B.V., BHR Luxembourg SARL, BHR Pacific Holdings Inc., BHTC Canada Inc., BOC Barclay Sub LLC, Barclay Operating Corp., Bristol Oakbrook Tenant Company, Cafe Biarritz, Cambridge Lodging LLC, Capital Lodging LLC, Compania Inter-Continental De Hoteles El Salvador SA, Crowne Plaza Amsterdam (Management) B.V., Crowne Plaza LLC, Cumberland Akers Hotel LLC, Dunwoody Operations Inc., EVEN Real Estate Holding LLC, Edinburgh IC Limited, General Innkeeping Acceptance Corporation, Guangzhou SC Hotels Services Ltd., H.I. (Ireland) Limited, H.I. Soaltee Management Company Ltd, HC International Holdings Inc., HH France Holdings SAS, HH Hotels (EMEA) B.V., HH Hotels (Romania) SRL, HI Sugarloaf LLC, HIM (Aruba) NV, Hale International Ltd., Hoft Properties LLC, Holiday Hospitality Franchising LLC, Holiday Inn Mexicana S.A. de C.V., Holiday Inns (China) Ltd, Holiday Inns (Chongqing) Inc., Holiday Inns (Courtalin) Holdings SAS, Holiday Inns (Courtalin) SAS, Holiday Inns (England) Ltd., Holiday Inns (Germany) LLC, Holiday Inns (Guangzhou) Inc., Holiday Inns (Jamaica) Inc., Holiday Inns (Malaysia) Ltd., Holiday Inns (Middle East) Ltd., Holiday Inns (Philippines) Inc., Holiday Inns (Saudi Arabia) Inc., Holiday Inns (South East Asia) Inc., Holiday Inns (Thailand) Ltd., Holiday Inns (UK) Inc., Holiday Inns Crowne Plaza (Hong Kong) Inc., Holiday Inns Holdings (Australia) Pty Ltd, Holiday Inns Inc., Holiday Inns Investment (Nepal) Ltd., Holiday Inns of America (UK) Ltd., Holiday Inns of Belgium N.V., Holiday Pacific Equity Corporation, Holiday Pacific LLC, Holiday Pacific Partners LP, Hotel Inter-Continental London Limited, Hotel InterContinental London (Holdings) Limited, Hoteles Y Turismo HIH SRL, IC Hotelbetriebsfuhrungs GmbH, IC Hotels Management (Portugal) Unipessoal Lda, IC International Hotels Limited Liability Company, IHC (Thailand) Limited, IHC Buckhead LLC, IHC Edinburgh (Holdings), IHC Hopkins (Holdings) Corp., IHC Hotel Limited, IHC Inter-Continental (Holdings) Corp., IHC London (Holdings), IHC M-H (Holdings) Corp., IHC May Fair (Holdings) Limited, IHC May Fair Hotel Limited, IHC Overseas (U.K.) Limited, IHC UK (Holdings) Limited, IHC United States (Holdings) Corp., IHC Willard (Holdings) Corp., IHG (Australasia) Limited, IHG (Marseille) SAS, IHG (Thailand) Limited, IHG ANA Hotels Group Japan LLC, IHG ANA Hotels Holdings Co. Ltd., IHG Bangkok Ltd, IHG Brasil Administracao de Hoteis e Servicos Ltda, IHG Commission Services SRL, IHG Community Development LLC, IHG Cyprus Limited, IHG ECS (Barbados) SRL, IHG Franchising Brasil Ltda, IHG Franchising DR Corporation, IHG Franchising LLC, IHG Hotels (New Zealand) Limited, IHG Hotels Limited, IHG Hotels Management (Australia) Pty Limited, IHG Hotels Nigeria Limited, IHG Hotels South Africa (Pty) Ltd, IHG International Partnership, IHG Istanbul Otel Yonetim Limited Sirketi, IHG Japan (Management) LLC, IHG Japan (Osaka) LLC, IHG Management (Maryland) LLC, IHG Management (Netherlands) B.V., IHG Management MD Barclay Sub LLC, IHG Management SL d.o.o, IHG Management d.o.o. Beograd, IHG Orchard Street Member LLC, IHG PS Nominees Limited, IHG Systems Pty Ltd, IHG Szalloda Budapest Szolgaltato Kft., IHG de Argentina SA, IND East Village SD Holdings LLC, Inter-Continental D.C. Operating Corp., Inter-Continental Florida Investment Corp., Inter-Continental Florida Partner Corp., Inter-Continental Hospitality Corporation, Inter-Continental Hoteleira Limitada, Inter-Continental Hotels (Montreal) Operating Corp., Inter-Continental Hotels (Montreal) Owning Corp., Inter-Continental Hotels (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Inter-Continental Hotels Corporation, Inter-Continental Hotels Corporation de Venezuela C.A., Inter-Continental Hotels of San Francisco Inc., Inter-Continental IOHC (Mauritius) Limited, Inter-Continental Management (Australia) Pty Limited, InterContinental (Branston) 1 Limited, InterContinental (PB) 1, InterContinental (PB) 2, InterContinental (PB) 3 Limited, InterContinental Berlin Service Company GmbH, InterContinental Brasil Administracao de Hoteis Ltda, InterContinental Gestion Hotelera S.L., InterContinental Hotel Berlin GmbH, InterContinental Hotel Dusseldorf GmbH (Germany), InterContinental Hotels (Puerto Rico) Inc., InterContinental Hotels Group (Asia Pacific) Pte Ltd, InterContinental Hotels Group (Australia) Pty Limited, InterContinental Hotels Group (Canada) Inc., InterContinental Hotels Group (Espana) SA, InterContinental Hotels Group (Greater China) Limited, InterContinental Hotels Group (India) Pvt. Ltd, InterContinental Hotels Group (Japan) Inc., InterContinental Hotels Group (New Zealand) Limited, InterContinental Hotels Group (Shanghai) Ltd., InterContinental Hotels Group Customer Services Ltd., InterContinental Hotels Group Healthcare Trustee Limited, InterContinental Hotels Group Operating Corp., InterContinental Hotels Group Resources Inc., InterContinental Hotels Group Services Company, InterContinental Hotels Group do Brasil Limitada, InterContinental Hotels Italia S.r.L., InterContinental Hotels Limited, InterContinental Hotels Management GmbH, InterContinental Hotels Nevada Corporation, InterContinental Management AM LLC, InterContinental Management Bulgaria EOOD, InterContinental Management France SAS, InterContinental Management Poland sp. z.o.o, InterContinental Overseas Holding Corporation, Intercontinental Hotels Corporation Limited, KG Benefits LLC, KG Gift Card Inc., KG Liability LLC, KG Technology LLC, KHP Washington Operator LLC, KHRG 11th Avenue Hotel LLC, KHRG 851 LLC, KHRG Aertson LLC, KHRG Alexandria LLC, KHRG Alexis LLC, KHRG Allegro LLC, KHRG Argyle LLC, KHRG Austin Beverage Company LLC, KHRG Baltimore LLC, KHRG Born LLC, KHRG Boston Hotel LLC, KHRG Canary LLC, KHRG Cayman Employer Ltd., KHRG Cayman LLC, KHRG DC 1731 LLC, KHRG DC 2505 LLC, KHRG Donovan LLC, KHRG Employer LLC, KHRG Goleta LLC, KHRG Gray LLC, KHRG Gray U2 LLC, KHRG Hillcrest LLC, KHRG Huntington Beach LLC, KHRG King Street LLC, KHRG La Peer LLC, KHRG Miami Beach LLC, KHRG Muse LLC, KHRG NPC LLC, KHRG Onyx LLC, KHRG Palladian LLC, KHRG Palomar Phoenix LLC, KHRG Philly Monaco LLC, KHRG Pittsburgh LLC, KHRG Reynolds LLC, KHRG Riverplace LLC, KHRG SFD LLC, KHRG Sacramento LLC, KHRG Savannah LLC, KHRG Schofield LLC, KHRG Sedona LLC, KHRG State Street LLC, KHRG Sutter LLC, KHRG Sutter Union LLC, KHRG Taconic LLC, KHRG Tariff LLC, KHRG Texas Hospitality LLC, KHRG Texas Operations LLC, KHRG Tryon LLC, KHRG VZ Austin LLC, KHRG Vero Beach LLC, KHRG Vintage Park LLC, KHRG WPB LLC, KHRG Wabash LLC, KHRG Westwood LLC, KHRG Wilshire LLC, KHRG Zamora LLC, Kimpton Hollywood Licenses LLC, Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group, Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group LLC, Kimpton Phoenix Licenses Holdings LLC, Kimpton Sedona Licenses LLC, Louisiana Acquisitions Corp., MH Lodging LLC, Mercer Fairview Holdings LLC, PML Services LLC, PT SC Hotels & Resorts Indonesia, Pollstrong Limited, Powell Pine Inc., Priscilla Holiday of Texas Inc., RM Lodging LLC, Regent Hotels and Resorts, Resort Services International (Cayo Largo) L.P., SBS Maryland Beverage Company LLC, SC Cellars Limited, SC Hotels International Services Inc., SC Leisure Group Limited, SC NAS 2 Limited, SC Quest Limited, SC Reservations (Philippines) Inc., SCH Insurance Company, SCIH Branston 3, SF MH Acquisition LLC, SPHC Group Pty Ltd., SPHC Management Ltd., Semiramis for training of Hotel Personnel and Hotel Management SAE, Six Continents Corporate Services, Six Continents Holdings Limited, Six Continents Hotels Inc., Six Continents Hotels International Limited, Six Continents Hotels de Colombia SA, Six Continents International Holdings B.V., Six Continents Investments Limited, Six Continents Limited, Six Continents Overseas Holdings Limited, Six Continents Restaurants Limited, SixCo North America Inc., Solamar Lodging LLC, Southern Pacific Hotel Corporation (BVI) Ltd., Southern Pacific Hotels Properties Limited, Universal de Hoteles SA, White Shield Insurance Company Limited, and World Trade Centre Montreal Hotel Corporation.

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Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam working president MK Stalin and other party delegates sought a no-confidence motion against Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker Dhanapal on Tuesday, just days after the trust vote won by Chief Minister E Palaniswami.

By Pramod Madhav: Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) working president MK Stalin and other party delegates sought a no-confidence motion against Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker Dhanapal on Tuesday.

The DMK has presented Assembly Secretary AMP Jamaludeen with a letter seeking the motion, three days after Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami - of the AIADMK - won a contentious trust vote and confirmed his appointment as the leader of the Tamil Nadu government.

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Stalin said yesterday that despite repeated pleas from the DMK and other parties, Dhanapal didn't agree to hold a 'secret vote ballot.'

He explained that the DMK was seeking a no-confidence motion because Dhanapal's motives and conduct on Saturday, the day of the trust vote, were unacceptable.

Dhanapal had evicted DMK legislators on Saturday due to their unruly behaviour. Assembly marshals forcibly removed Stalin and other MLAs from the House, following which the DMK deputy chief participated in a hunger strike at Marina beach, and was briefly detained.

Tamil Nadu Governor Vidyasagar Rao has received a report on the events that unfolded in the House from Assembly Secretary AMP Jamaludeen.

However, Stalin said yesterday that videos showing DMK MLAs raising a ruckus in the Assembly were edited.

ALSO READ

Tamil Nadu: Jayalalithaa-Karunanidhi spat of 1989 returns in EPS-Stalin fight

Edappadi Palaniswami vs O Panneerselvam: 11 Tamil Nadu MLAs face disqualification

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BT Group plc provides communications services worldwide. Its Consumer segment sells telephones, baby monitors, and Wi-Fi extenders through high street retailers, online BT Shop, and Website BT.com; and offers home phone, copper and fiber broadband, TV, and mobile services in various packages. The company's EE segment offers 2G, 3G, and 4G mobile network services; broadband, fixed-voice, and TV services; and postpaid and prepaid plans, and emergency services network. This segment also sells 4G mobile phones, tablets, connected devices, and mobile broadband devices from various manufacturers. Its Business and Public Sector segment provides fixed voice, mobility, fiber and connectivity, and networked IT services to retailers, utilities, public sector, healthcare, sports, construction, finance, and educational sectors. The company's Global Services segment offers business communications and ICT services comprising BT Connect, BT Security, BT One, BT Contact, BT Compute, BT Advise, and BT for financial markets. This segment serves approximately 5,500 customers in 180 countries. Its Wholesale and Ventures segment enables communications providers and other organizations to provide fixed or mobile phone services. Its ventures provide mass-market services, such as directory enquiries and payphones; and enterprise services comprising BT Fleet and BT Redcare. This segment also provides broadband and Ethernet, voice, hosted communication, mobile virtual network operator, managed solutions, machine-to-machine, roaming, and media services. The company's Openreach segment engages in the provision of services over the local access network; and installation and maintenance of fiber and copper communications networks that connect homes and businesses. The company was formerly known as Newgate Telecommunications Limited and changed its name to BT Group plc in September 2001. BT Group plc was incorporated in 2001 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.
Veteran Nollywood actor, Pete Edochie is recommending that government officials are made to swear to local deities to effectively curb corruption in the country.

The actor believes that it is the sure way to prevent government officials from illegally dipping their hand into state coffers.

Mr Edochie, who is currently in Ghana to star in Kofi Asamoahs $150,000 budget movie, noted that unlike God who forgives, small gods will always mete out instant justice if one fails to adhere to their rules.

Ghana is a predominately Christian country, just like Nigeria is. If people swear by the Bible, they go out and steal. What about if they swear by the local deities, that will curb corruption because the mere thought of it, it will stop corruption, he said.

Chief Edochie made the recommendation when he, together with some cast of the movie, paid a courtesy call on former President Jerry John Rawlings at his Ridge Residence in Accra last Friday.

God gives you a long rope according to the Bible, the local deities dont. The moment you go against them, they will kill you. If you swear that you are not going to take a kobo from the government and you do, you will be cut down, the actor, popular for his witty use of proverbs during his dialogues in movies, noted.

He believes, "if you must employ culture to fight corruption, I am recommending that we start by making the government officials swear by the local deities and I think you must have some very strong ones at home.

Pete Edochie came into prominence in the 1980s when he played the lead role of Okonkwo in an adaptation of Chinua Achebes all-time best-selling novel, Things Fall Apart.

The delegation that met the former president was led by Kofi Asamoah, CEO of Kofas Media. It included actors like Nana Ama McBrown, Joselyn Dumas, Kalybos, Funny Face, Martha Ankomah, Ahuofe Patri, Kobi Rana, Gloria Osei Sarfo, Zynnell Zuh, Salma Mumin and Selly Galley.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Ernest Dela Aglanu (Twitter: @delaXdela / Instagram: citizendela)
Anita Afriyie

21.02.2017 LISTEN

Gospel Artist Anita Afriyie Has Expressed Joy In Completing A Bible School At Charisma Bible College, Krofrom, Kumasi

Anita Afriyie, who graduated not too long, made it known to Ghanacreativearts.com that many people sees Bible schools as irrelevant but to her, she believes its good for everyone to attend Bible school if they can.

Many people think its waste of time attending, but I think the Bible schools adds up and opens ones knowledge and give opportunities for one to understand the word of God better she said.

According to her, she will urge her friends and people within the gospel music industry to attend Bible school. My fans and friends because I believe Bible college education forces students to delve more deeply into Gods word and the study of theology.

Their experience in the classroom exposes them to more and diverse insights and ideas that they otherwise may not have ever known. Correspondingly, it enables them to further develop for themselves their own positions regarding certain key doctrines of faith she added.

She continued that, This will prepare them to better confront sensitive issues such as baptism, predestination, suffering, evolution, and the like
Gospel artiste Ohemaa Brakatu has revealed that she joined the music industry not for monetary gain, but to use music as a medium to bring people closer to God.

She stated that her duty as a gospel artiste is to use music and her live performances to educate people about the teachings of Christ, adding, I am a soul winner. I win souls for Christ, as well as to promote His teaching through music.

The talented gospel star who released her new album titled 'The Lord's Dance' on February 5 has been groomed by music professionals to meet the challenges ahead of her in the coming years.

The title track is a mid-tempo reggae song with a beautiful rhythm with good sound quality which can be attributed to the state-of-the-art equipment used in recording the songs on the album.

Having sung for several years, Ohemaa has performed at a number of gospel events which include Ghana's peace concert, Aglow national prayer week, among others.

She told BEATWAVES that all the songs on the album were produced by Kwame Baah Acheamfuor and recorded at Morris Baby Face Studios in Accra.

According to her, even though she composed all the songs on the album herself, her husband, Dr Jonathan Ohene Nkunim, was of great support to her.

Ohemaa who is a clinical administrator at the Rising Sun Health Centre at Mallam in Accra expressed the hope that the album would touch the hearts of many Christians and help them to have breakthroughs in their lives.
Some people raised signs that said "Not My President," while others held up a large American flag during demonstrations to challenge Donald Trump in a President's Day protest dubbed Not my President's Day.

Thousands of demonstrators turned out Monday across the U.S. to challenge President Donald Trump in a Presidents Day protest dubbed Not My President's Day.(photo: AP)

By AP: The United States on Monday marked Presidents Day, a holiday that's taking on a new meaning for some Americans this year as Republican President Donald Trump - to the dismay of some and the delight of others - upends traditional notions of the office.

The holiday began as a celebration of George Washington's birthday, Feb. 22, and its official name remains Washington's Birthday.

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Thousands of demonstrators turned out across the U.S. to challenge Donald Trump in a President's Day protest dubbed Not My President's Day.

Photo: AP

The protests on the federal holiday didn't draw nearly as many people as the million-plus who thronged the streets following the Republican president's inauguration a month earlier, but the message was similar.

Thousands of flag-waving protesters lined up outside Central Park in Manhattan. Many in the crowd chanted "No ban, no wall. The Trump regime has got to fall." They held aloft signs saying "Uphold the Constitution Now" and "Impeach the Liar."

Also read: Dear Donald Trump, America may be first, but India is even before

Nova Calise, one of the New York City organizers, said Presidents Day was "a perfect time to protest the person that's currently holding the title of President of the United States," adding Trump didn't share the values of those demonstrating Monday.

A rally in downtown Los Angeles also drew thousands. Demonstrators there called attention to Trump's crackdown on immigration and his party's response to climate change and the environment. Organizers said they chose to rally on the holiday as a way to honor past presidents by exercising their constitutional right to assemble and peacefully protest. They chanted: "Love not hate makes America great."

Photo: AP

In Chicago, several hundred rallied across the river from the Trump Tower, shouting "Hey, hey, ho, ho, Donald Trump has got to go."

Rebecca Wolfram of Chicago, who's in her 60s, said concerns about climate change and immigrant rights under Trump prompted her to start attending rallies.

Also read: Tiny Trump: People on internet make the US President look small, so small

"I'm trying to demonstrate as much as possible until I figure out what else to do," said Wolfram, who held a sign that said "Old white ladies are really displeased."

Several hundred demonstrated in Washington, D.C. Dozens gathered around the fountain in Dupont Circle chanting "Dump Trump" and "Love, not hate: That's what makes America great."

Protest in Los Angeles (Photo: AP)

Dozens marched through midtown Atlanta for a rally named with a Georgia flavor: "ImPEACH NOW! (Not My) President's Day March."

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Hundreds of protesters chanting "This is what democracy looks like" marched through Salt Lake City.

Also read: US President Donald Trump's revised travel ban targets same countries

Some people raised signs that said "Not My President," while others held up a large American flag. Protester Reg Brookings warned the crowd that Trump is trying to divide the country by making such groups as immigrants the enemy.

Thousands march on the White House on #PresidentsDay! Donald Trump does NOT represent our values #NotMyPresidentsDay #resist pic.twitter.com/lbPGHbLBg9 Jack Miller (@politicalmiller) February 20, 2017

Also watch:

--- ENDS ---
21.02.2017 LISTEN

South African newspaper, Sunday Tribune, has done an exclusive feature the Ghanaian Reggae/Dancehall heavyweight, Stonebwoy.

Stonebwoy was featured on Page 15 of the newspaper; full page feature on his music career  how he started, his breakthrough to winning local and international awards and recognition et al.

The newspaper listed Stonebwoy as Africas Next Music Icon with promising future the world should watch out for.

Stonebwoy, born as Livingstone Etse Satekla, spent over a week in Johannesburg shooting for MTV Shuga Series. He also took the opportunity to run some media tours in South Africa to widen his turf as well as shoot some new videos for upcoming projects.

Stonebwoys new album is due for release this March 2017, titled Epistles Of Mama.

For any updates on Stonebwoy, kindly log on his official website www.StonebwoyOfficial.com
Embattled Bawku Central MP failed to present any 'direct evidence' to back his claims that MPs were paid monies intended to influence the approval of then Energy minister-designate Boakye Ayarko.

At a cagey meeting with a special investigative committee of parliament Mahama Ayariga pointed to a private conversation as the basis of his claim.

In that private conversation, he claimed to have found out from Minority Chief Whip Muntaka Mubarak that GHC3,000 he received was traced to Boakye Agarko using the First Deputy Speaker as conduit.

On the basis on this information, Mahama Ayariga says he returned the money which he first believed was an allowance the MPs had been expecting to receive from the First Deputy Speaker.

Mahama Ayariga maintained these are "facts". But he was unable to provide any further justification for the bribery claims he made on Radio Gold which has triggered considerable media interest.

The Joe Ghartey-led Committee's push for further proof beyond the conversations proved futile.

The committee however found out that money played no role in the decision of the Minority MPs on the Appointments Committee to finally approve the nominee.

Boakye Agyarko secured an agreement by consensus after he retracted two claims he could not substantiate after he first made them during his vetting last month.

Photo: Boakye Agyarko

He had claimed the World Bank was 'breathing down the neck' of President Mahama over government's gasification policy and also that the then government had procured three production plants.

The Minority had vowed to resist his nomination following these two claims.

But at a closed door meeting with the Speaker of Parliament Prof. Mike Ocquaye and in the presence of the Appointments Committee members, Majority and Minority leaders, Boakye Agyarko won over the Minority with his retraction of some of the comments.

He was subsequently approved unanimously avoiding the need for Parliament to pass a vote on his nomination.

Story by Ghana|myjoyonline.com|[email protected]
The Bawku Central Member of Parliament says he returned the alleged GHC3,000 given him to Minority Chief Whip Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak after he realised it was not what he had thought.

Mahama Ayariga said he was initially under the impression that the money was to cover their sitting allowance which Parliament's Appointments Committee members had demanded.

However, after he was told the money was a donation from then Energy Minister-designate Boakye Agyarko, whose approval the minority was challenging, he returned it.

I havent done any business with Agyarko so I cant tell that it is a dividend that he is sharing with me, he said when he appeared before Parliament's Special Bribery Investigative Committee Monday.

The integrity of Ghana's legislature was questioned after Mr Ayariga told an Accra-based Radio Gold on January 27 that the sum of GHC3,000 was doled out to members of the Committee.

He said a day after they had taken the money, rumor mills got flooded that it was coming from the Energy Minister.

So we raised the issue in the morning again and he said he had met with the Chairman [Joseph Osei Owusu] and the chairman had said that it was from Boakye Agyarko who is a nominee whereupon we as a Minority said, 'no, no, we were not interested in his money.'

"He (Muntaka) should take the money and then return it to the Chairman to give it back to Agyarko so we gave the money back to our Chief Whip and asked him to send it back to the Chairman.

The claim caused public uproar triggering calls for an independent investigation to be instituted into the matter.

Speaker of Parliament Professor Mike Aaron Ocquaye acting on a motion set up a five-member committee to unearth the truth about the issue.

Railways Development Minister, Joe Ghartey was made the Chairman of the Committee to verify among all things if First Deputy Speaker Joseph Osei Owusu received money from the Mr Agyarko.

The Committee first met Mr Osei Owusu as the first witness last week to get his take on the issue.

Giving his testimony, Mr Ayariga said although he has nothing to tender in as evidence, the facts he has given are true about the issue.

I took the money is a fact; later we heard rumor is also a fact; and we asked for investigation is also a fact, he said.

He said he can testify that Mr Muntaka told them that the money was coming from Mr Agyarko.

The Bawku reiterated he had not withdrawn his claim as was put out in the media during the heat of the issue.

Mr Ayariga stated that he had not dealt with the Energy Minister ever until he appeared before the Appointments Committee for his vetting.

I have never in my life spoken to Boakye Agyarko, he said, adding he was surprised when the money was said to be coming from him.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Austin Brako-Powers | [email protected]
I wanted to wait for a couple more weeks before airing my opinion on this matter. But again, the questions are being asked, 'Nana how did you earn a place on the [email protected] planning committee?'

'What do you think about celebrating Ghana @60?'

'Has Ghana got anything to celebrate considering our current situation ?' And worst of all 'how many boreholes' - (our new yard stick) 'can we sink with GHC20 million'?

I am sure you also want to know my opinion on this matter. Well, I can promise you that I have a very strong opinion, and though I will not compromise on mine, I want to hear yours.

So tune in to Joy 99.7 FM at 8pm tonight. You can also log on to www.myjoyonline.com and listen live to the show.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com
The Coalition of National Women Organizers of various political parties in the country has slammed the Minority in Parliament for what it calls a vendetta against a Madam Otiko Afisa Djaba, the Minister for Gender, Children, and Social Protection.

In a statement signed by a number of Political Party Women's Organisers, including the National Democratic Congress' Haija Zenabu Mahama, the women said they were disgusted by the Minoritys conduct.

thye expressed outrage over the lawsuit by two minority MPs against the ministerpraying the court to nullify the nomination and swearing-in of Madam Otiko Djaba due to her failure to undertake the mandatory national service.

The group said Madam Djaba was subjected to a hostile vetting with useless questions adding that we find as shocking, that after failing in their diabolical agenda of trying to prevent her from becoming a minister in Parliament, they have now proceeded to court wit a vexatious suit against her ministerial status.

The Women further said the Minority MPs case against Madam Djaba held no substance as they were attacking her because she was principled and a woman after she refused to refuse to apologise for words directed at former President John Mahama which were considered insults by some members of the Minority in Parliament.

It is our firm conviction that these Minority MPs do not really have a genuine case against Hon Otiko. They have only ganged up to fight her because she has been principled and uncompromising in her position on issues. We also regret to say that they are fighting her because she is a woman, else, why are they not issues with the other male ministers who probably gave then more difficult times that Hon. Otiko.



By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana
The Joe-Ghartey-chaired ad-hoc committee investigating the bribery allegation that has rocked Ghana's Parliament, has cautioned the Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga from making further comments on the issue on social media.

Mr. Ayariga, who has been vociferous and insistent on the fact that there was an attempt to bribe some minority MPs to be soft on the approval of Boakye Agyarko, Energy Minister during his vetting, has made a number of social media comments.

On Monday [February 20, 2017], after appearing before the investigative committee as a witness in the matter, the Chairman of the committee and Member of Parliament for Essikado-Ketan, Joe Ghartey, urged Mahama Ayariga, not to comment on the matter in the public domain.

He said the committee did not intend to gag him [Ayariga], but prefers he does not grant media interviews or make public comments about his testimony before the committee.

We will be grateful if you don't discuss what you said here or give commentary on either radio, television interviews or on social media. We are not gagging you; but we believe that we must all help to bring the work of the committee to a successful end, when we bring out our report, of course, you can comment, do you have any objections to that.

Ayariga subsequently agreed to abstain from any such commentaries. All other persons who appeared before the Committee today [Monday], including Boakye Agyarko, Energy Minister and the Minority Chief Whip, Muntaka Mubarak, were also given the same advice.

Weigh my evidence  Ayariga tells bribery committee

Speaking before the committee today; Mr. Ayariga asked the committee to evaluate his evidence in the matter and take the necessary decision.

Although he was unable to give the Committee what they deemed as substantial evidence to support his bribery claims, he stated that his allegations were the facts available to him. He therefore asked the committee to weigh his evidence and make a decision.

'Constitution of ad-hoc committee'

The Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Mike Oquaye with the approval of the leadership of both sides of the House last month, constituted the ad-hoc committee to investigate the bribery allegation brought before the House by the Member of Parliament for Bekwai and Chairman of the Appointments Committee, Joe Osei Owusu who had been accused of being a conduit for giving some MPs on his committee GH 3,000 each as bribe to approve the nomination of the Energy minister, Boakye Agyarko.

The members of the committee are the MP for Offinso South, Ben Abdallah; MP for Juaben, Ama Pomaah Boateng; MP for Talensi and MP for Yilo Krobo Magnus Kofi Amoateng.

It has Joe Ghartey, the Member of Parliament for Essikado-Kentan, who's also the Minister for Railways Development as Chairman.



By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Follow @jnyabor
Minority Chief Whip Alhaji Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak has stressed as false, claims by a member of his caucus Mahama Ayariga, that bribes were paid to approve a ministerial nominee.

The Asawase NDC MP told an investigative committee hearing Monday, he was shocked when he first heard the claims.

While Mahama Ayariga has stressed these claims as facts, Muntaka has described it as 'non-existent' facts.

He said he had no discussion with Mahama Ayariga requesting to know the source of the supposed GHC3,000 he had received. There was no such money paid or returned.

"No such money was given to anybody so how could it be returned?" he told the Joe Ghartey-led committee.

Not taking any chances, the Asawase MP came to testify to the committee in the presence of his counsel Samson Lardy Ayenini. He is the first of four witnesses to have taken a lawyer for his testimony.

Muntaka is also the first to submit a written statement to the committee stating his version of events in a controversy that has raised questions about the code of conduct of parliamentarians.

Muntaka stuck to the position he presented to the media when the allegations grabbed media headlines last month. He swore on Joy FM's Newsfile Saturday, that Mahama Ayariga's claim that he gave him GHC,3,000 was false.

"I am a Muslim, I am swearing by Allah, I have never given Ayariga anything" he told host Samson Lardy in the January 28,2017 interview. Incidentally, the Asawase MP was legally represented by the host of Newsfile, Samson Lardy.

Joe Ghartey joked that if he knew Muntaka's counsel was also the host of the show where he denied the allegations, he would have also summoned Samson Lardy to testify.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Edwin Appiah |
The Coalition of National Womens Organizers of the various political parties in the country, has slammed the Minority in Parliament for what it calls a vendetta against Madam Otiko Afisa Djaba, the Minister for Gender, Children, and Social Protection.

In a statement signed by a number of Political Party Women's Organizers, including the National Democratic Congress' Haija Zenabu Mahama, the women said they were disgusted by the Minoritys conduct.

They expressed outrage over the lawsuit by two minority MPs against the minister, praying the court to nullify her nomination and swearing-indue to her failure to undertake the mandatory national service.

The group said Madam Djaba was subjected to a hostile vetting with useless questions adding that we find as shocking, that after failing in their diabolical agenda of trying to prevent her from becoming a minister in Parliament, they have now proceeded to court wit a vexatious suit against her ministerial status.

The Women further said that, the Minority MPs case against Madam Djaba, held no substance as they were attacking her because she was principled, and a woman, after she refused to apologize for words directed at former President John Mahama, which were considered insults by some members of the Minority in Parliament.

It is our firm conviction that these Minority MPs do not really have a genuine case against Hon Otiko. They have only ganged up to fight her because she has been principled and uncompromising in her position on issues. We also regret to say that they are fighting her because she is a woman, else, why are they not having issues with the other male ministers who probably gave them more difficult times that Hon. Otiko.



By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Miami (AFP) - Poachers are killing elephants for their ivory at an alarming rate in the central African nation of Gabon, leading to a loss of 80 percent of the population in the last decade.

Some 25,000 elephants have been slaughtered in Minkebe National Park, an area that had been considered a sanctuary, said the report in the journal Current Biology.

"Because Gabon is thought to hold the largest remaining population of forest elephants, the implication is that forest elephants are in even more trouble than previously believed," said researcher John Poulsen of Duke University and the Agence Nationale des Parcs Nationaux in Gabon.

"With less than 100,000 elephants across all of Central Africa, the subspecies is in danger of extinction if governments and conservation agencies do not act fast."

The poachers are primarily coming into Gabon from the bordering country of Cameroon, the report said.

"We can no longer assume that apparently large and remote protected areas will conserve species -- poachers will go anywhere that a profit can be made," said Poulsen.

To estimate the number of elephants in the forest in 2014, researchers surveyed dung in the forest.

They then compared population size estimates for 2014 to estimates calculated in the same way in 2004.

A key driver of the poaching is demand for ivory, which must be curtailed, researchers said.

"China's recently announced ban of domestic ivory trade will help enormously, if it is effectively implemented," said Poulson.

"The international community needs to put pressure on all remaining nations that allow the trade so that all legal trade is stopped."

Another strategy is to recognize forest elephants as a distinct species from African savanna elephants, to draw attention to their often forgotten plight.

Gabon has taken steps to protect elephants since 2011, elevating forest elephants' conservation status to "fully protected," creating a National Park Police force, doubling the national park agency's budget, and becoming the first African nation to burn all confiscated ivory, the report said.

However, Poulsen said more action is needed, such as coordinated international law enforcement to prosecute wildlife criminals and new multinational protected areas.

"The clock is ticking," he said.
Parliament's 5-member ad-hoc committee investigating the alleged bribery scandal involving members of the Appointments Committee, today [Monday], stopped MP for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, from giving additional oral evidence as a witness.

The Committee at its hearing today, gave opportunity to three witnesses namely Boakye Agyako, Energy Minister, Muntaka Mubarak, Minority Chief Whip, and Mahama Ayariga, MP for Bawku Central.

However, it did not allow Mr. Okudzeto to give further evidence orally aside the information he read to Parliament from his written statement.

According to the Chairman of Committee, Joe Ghartey, per the rules of the House, Mr. Okudzeto, who was not originally part of the witnesses to be heard orally, was only given the chance to appear before the Committee because he requested to be a witness.

He said the proper thing for Mr. Okudzeto to do per their procedure, was to submit any further evidence aside what he read before the committee by memoranda.

He reminded him to submit the memoranda to the Committee on time, since they will soon be presenting their report to Parliament.

The petition that led to Parliament forming the ad-hoc committee, was signed by three minority MPs namely Mahama Ayariga, Alhassan Suhuyini and Okudzeto Ablakwa.

The three persons have insisted that there was indeed an attempted bribery through the Chairman of the Appointments Committee, Joe Osei-Owusu, who used the Minority Chief Whip Muntaka Mubarak, as a conduit to get the Gh3, 000 each to minority members on the committee.

However, all the three persons accused of facilitating the payment of the said amount including the supposed source of the money; Minister for Energy Boakye Agyarko, have all denied the occurrence of such an incident.

The three reiterated their position under oath when they appeared before the investigative committee.



By: Ebenezer Afanyi Dadzie/citifmonline.com/Ghana
After violent protests broke out in its premises, Delhi's Ramjas College was forced to disinvite JNU students Umar Khalid and Shehla Rashid from an upcoming seminar they were supposed to speak at.

By Press Trust of India: Delhi University's Ramjas College today cancelled an invitation to JNU students Umar Khalid and Shehla Rashid to address a seminar following violent protests from ABVP and members of the varsity's student union.

While Khalid was among the students charged with sedition in connection with an event at JNU last year where anti-national slogans were allegedly raised, Shehla Rashid, a former JNU students' union member, was instrumental in the movement against the students' arrest.

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The two students were scheduled to take part in a session during a two-day seminar on "Culture of Protest" organised by Wordcraft, Ramjas College's Literary Society.

Also read: 10 things you should know about Umar Khalid

Khalid was supposed to speak on The War in Adivasi areas which happens to be his PhD subject as well, while Shehla's session was scheduled tomorrow.

Members of Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) and RSS students' wing ABVP gathered outside the college and shouted slogans demanding that the invite to the "anti-nationals" be cancelled.

Organisers of the seminar claimed that the ABVP members "pelted stones, locked the seminar room and cut the electricity supply", a charge denied by the ABVP.

Also read: AMU Students Union invites JNU's Shehla Rashid for leadership talk, then files FIR against her

"While the seminar will continue we decided to cancel participation of these two students. It is not that we do not advocate freedom of speech but it had to be done keeping peace and harmony of campus in mind," Ramjas principal Rajendar Prasad said.

Vinita Chandra, professor at the colleges English department and one of the organisers, said, "They locked the seminar room, cut the electricity supply and pelted stones at the window as well. I wonder why police was not involved in handling the situation".

The principal did not comment on the allegations of lockdown and stone pelting.

Police officials claimed that they were present on campus and there was no violence.

--- ENDS ---
North Tongu MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has denied comments linked to him that Minority Members of Parliament (MPs) cooked up bribery allegations against the New Patriotic Party (NPP) MPs to score political points.

Okudzeto stressed that he never made any such comment as claimed by the First Deputy Speaker and Chairman of the Appointments Committee Joe Osei Owusu when he first testified before the Committee investigating the matter.

Joe Osei Owusu was implicated in the bribery saga by Mahama Ayariga who claimed GHC3,000 each was channelled through him to be given to some opposition MPs on the Appointments Committee of Parliament.

According to the First Deputy Speaker, at a private meeting with the Speaker of Parliament and some MPs, he angrily demanded the claim be thoroughly discussed.

But to his relief, Okudzeto said at that meeting, the entire claim is to pay back the NPP government for characterising the Mahama-led NDC government as corrupt.

The tensed room then erupted into laughter. This is the testimony Joe Osei Owusu gave.

But this is no laughing matter for Okudzeto Ablakwa whose turn it is to get angry. He has described Joe Osei Owusu's testimony as a 'desperate fabrication'.

He appeared at the special investigative committee of parliament to explain why Joe Osei Owusu's testimony must not be believed.

He said since his name was mentioned in the saga, he has been troubled by many calls including that of his pastor. He said smearing political opponents is a no-no for him by his Christian training.

Ablakwa said he wrote to the Special Bribery Investigating Committee to serve as a witness because of his desire to state his side of the story.

Although he was given a hearing, Chairman of the Committee Joe Ghartey wondered why he chose to be a witness when he had no extra information.

The MP was asked to submit a memo on whatever he wishes to put across to the committee.

Story by Ghana|myjoyonline.com
Conakry (AFP) - At least six people died during violent protests in the Guinean capital Monday, as people demonstrated over teachers' strikes that have closed schools for the past three weeks, government sources said.

At least 30 people were also wounded, including members of the police force in Conakry, the government said in a statement.

A number of violent protests have rocked the city in the past few weeks, mainly by young people and students who support a teachers' strike.

Teachers' unions are demanding that contracted teachers, who are not full time, be fully integrated in the public school system. They are also asking for a higher salary and better working conditions.

In response, the government closed schools on February 1. After a series of talks, the government asked the teachers to return to school two weeks later.

But unions called for a strike, which was still in effect Monday in the capital and in other parts of the country, teachers and other witnesses told AFP.

"Our capital was the scene of unauthorised and illegal protests by the governor of the city of Conakry" to demand that schools reopen, the government said in a statement.

The protests were marked by "acts of violence, of vandalism" even though the night before, a deal had been reached "with the unions after many days of negotiations."

Four men, including two young people, and one woman were shot and killed during the clashes, said a hospital source.

Another young man was hit by a bus as he tried to flee the violence, a police official said.

At least 12 people were arrested and some ambulances and public health centres sustained damage.
21.02.2017 LISTEN

Commerz Savings and Loans, the newest entrant to the financial sector, is seeking to deploy technological tools to attract more of the unbanked population into the banking sector.

Dr. Edem Bart Williams, Managing Director of the new savings and Loans Company, in an interview, said Commerz is coming into the market to do things differently in order to deepen financial inclusion with the use of technology.

Commerz is coming to do a different thing: it is basically for financial inclusion and this is meeting the needs of the table top businesses as well as the medium and small scale enterprises (SMEs), he said.

He added that Commerz will soon be introducing two new technologically backed mobile banking products: Combanking and Comnet banking, to attract the informal sector into the banking space.

We have a lot of technology-backed products to attract the informal sector because the only way they are connected to the internet is through their mobile phones. So what we are going to do more is to use the mobile banking application platform. So thats were Commerz strength will be, leveraging on technology and innovation to serve the SMEs, he added.

He explained that the new mobile-based banking applications being introduced by Commerz are customised to suit the needs of the informal sector.

The application is in existence and we are doing our final trials and within the next couple of weeks we will launch fully. It is developed in the house and really suited for the market that we are targeting, he said.

Dr. Williams added that Commerzs ATMs are already linked to Ghlink and therefore customers can use the ATM cards on other Ghlink ATM cards.

Data from the Registrar Generals Department shows that 90percent of companies in Ghana are SMEs and these companies employ more than 80percent of the workforce and contribute about 70percent of GDP.

Analysts have noted that SMEs, therefore, have catalytic impacts on economic growth, income and employment. Despite their contributions to economic growth, SMEs face challenges including absence of adequate and timely banking finance, limited capital and knowledge, non-availability of suitable technology, and many more.

It is these challenges that Dr. Williams is optimistic that with the introduction of Commerz into the banking sector, technology would be utilise to bring in more and more informal businesses into the banking sector.

He noted that many financial institutions in the country are just paying lip service to the SME sector and not actually supporting them.

They mostly focus on the big end of the SMEs market, not the middle or the lower end. If you look at the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) debt some are sitting on the books of these SME-focused banks. We are going to work with the market women and men, those who sell the pepper and okro and on table tops, he said.

He noted that Commerz was born out of the quest to serve the SME market, because there are so many companies that need financial help tailored to suit their needs.

We are going to do the real banking by bringing them in to include them and that is what financial inclusion is. We are not going to play at the high end but the middle and lower end of the market because they need the loans and resources to change their fortunes, he added.

Story by Ghana/Myjoyonline.com
21.02.2017 LISTEN

Kofi B. KUKUBOR

Everyday, the Ghanaian is being exposed to an effusive photo appearances of His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo. Under a normal circumstance Presidents photos appearing in the tabloids and others should not be of much concern to Ghanaians.

However, the inordinate comparative mockery of his appearance, dress code, and physical stature to a previous President is not only becoming nauseating but also very offensive.

He is a 72 year old President and has lived all his handsome years as a biological person. He is naturally short by physical stature, not because he went to a carpenter to be shaped into that physique. As much as I agree that his dress code need an upgrade due to his position as a President which require a standard, how he appears in the dress cannot be determined by any presidential decree but rather his physical stature. And that must be respected and not mocked at.

As a matter of principle, the presidency and the occupier, the President must be respected at all times. This principled position of mine has never and will never change in future. The President represents the collective soul and symbol of our country, GHANA. We can not denigrate that by trivial mockery and stupidity.

As Ghanaians, our obsession is to critically observe the governance conduct of the President and the presidency, so as to objectively critique their decisions, actions, and inactions. Because, we (Ghanaians) are the true owners of the country and have that inherent and inalienable right to critique the President so as to govern as is demanded and expected.

The idee fixe to mock at Akkufo Addos physical appearance and compare him to a swag of a former President at the least opportunity is rather hogwash, childish, unintelligent, and politically naive. The average Ghanaian voter is consciously intelligent at least to know that, physical appearance is not a determinant to putting food on the table or contributing positively or negatively to development and growth.

The communicators of the government of National Democratic Congress adopted this ill fated communication strategy albeit against strategic advise to desist due to it's non-resonance with the general voter. This absurd communication strategy rather took the eyes of the NDC communicators off the sound development and economic progress the NDC government was undertaking. Got disengaged from the voters and left the terrain for NPP to dominate and manipulate. If this mockery of Akuffo Addos physical appearance and sleeping blues did not win NDC votes so as to retain power in 2016, then, what intelligence is still driving this ignoble strategy in opposition?

The New Patriotic Party administration after badstardising the economy in opposition quickly turn round to tell Ghanaians that, the indicators and fundamentals of Ghanas economy are sound. Reference Osafo Marfo and Ken Offori Atta, Senior Minister and Minister of Finance respectively. Is this not as a result of bad communication strategy from the then ruling government?

H.E Nana Akuffo Addos government is already embroiled with inconsistencies on how to fund their audacious free SHS policy, and the highest level lawless behaviour by their invincible forces of which some are alleged to have used Office of the Presidents cars to engage in robberies in the country should be a matter every Ghanaian should be concerned with.

These are bread and butter, and security and safety issues the voter wants the largest opposition to concern itself with for clarification and education. It is strongly advised that moving forward, the largest opposition party, NDC should engage in a more intelligent and coordinated communication that resonate with the Ghanaian.

Shalom
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has commenced the standardization of some electronic appliances to harmonize trading activities among member countries.

The standardization which focuses on air conditions and refrigerators will see to the easy import and export of these gadgets within the fifteen ECOWAS member countries.

The move is also aimed at curbing the energy crisis facing member countries as the standard also focuses on low energy consuming gadgets.

The Director for Industry for the ECOWAS Commission, Mensan Lawson- Hechelli said the standardization process once completed will protect consumers and industries from financial losses as well as facilitate trade among member countries.

This is just a step as you know ECOWAS we are on our way to build a common market so if you are moving from one country to another not only persons but also goods and services will be able to move across borders easily so we can trade better and get better interest, he said.

Ghana has in recent times faced periods of load shedding due to insufficient energy supply.

The use of gadgets which consume high amounts of energy has also been blamed for the development.

The situation led to the collapse of numerous businesses.

Mensan Lawson- Hechelli who spoke to Citi Business News at the sidelines of the meeting of the ECOWAS Technical Harmonization Committee also asserted that the move will bring uniformity within the sub-region.

So this program is to support such common market to have products ready from one country to another with accepted standards, mutual standards so we have the same things across borders and we call it ECOWAS Standard, he added.

The countries include Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.

The three day meeting is focused on the standardization of other materials other than electrical appliances.

These include; agricultural inputs, cement among other things.



By: Anita Arthur/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana
President Nana Akufo-Addo will today, Tuesday, February 21, 2017, deliver his maiden state of the nation address before Parliament in accordance with Article 67 of the Constitution.

His address will present an outlook of the state in various sectors of the economy, as inherited from the erstwhile National Democratic Congress (NDC) government led by John Mahama.

President Akufo-Addo will be expected to outline his vision for the development of the country for the next fiscal year.

His address is likely to focus more on the country's economic sector which the government, while in opposition, was very critical about, and condemned the then government for undertaking unproductive ventures that have plundered the country into a crisis situation.

The address will be his second major national address after his inauguration day speech sought to reignite patriotism and appeal to Ghanaians to work together for the common good of the country.

The Minister for Information, Mustapha Hamid, has said that the President has appropriately prepared himself for the major event before Parliament.

Speaking on Eyewitness News on Monday [February 20, 2017], he said the President's address will announce his plans to make the country better than it was handed over to him by former President John Mahama.

He is mandated to tell us what he has inherited, which he will do. If he tells us what he has inherited, he will tell us what he will do with that inheritance He will blot out the negatives and accentuate the positives. He will also give us an outlook of what he wants the future to look like in the next four years.

He [Akufo-Addo] looks up to it [the address] with great expectation because it is his first state of the nation, and therefore it is historical for him. He wants to make that debut a very memorable debut, and therefore he is preparing fervently to give an address that is catchy and will bring all Ghanaians along to buy into his vision of how our country should progress, he said.

Meanwhile, the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, will also be expected to deliver the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government's first budget; the 2017 national budget and policy statement in March.



By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Press freedom has come under severe attack in West Africa as security agencies, particularly the police, appear to be on rampage against journalists and media workers. In a space of 38 days (January 5- February 12, 2017), 30 media workers have been arrested, detained and/or assaulted by security forces, prompting fears that the gains that have been made in recent years on press freedom and freedom of expression could be eroded.

The 30 victims, made up of 15 journalists and 15 media technicians, were arrested, detained and/or assaulted in 10 separate incidents in four countries namely Nigeria, Cote dIvoire, Guinea and Togo. Nigeria recorded six incidents, Cote dIvoire recorded two incidents while Guinea and Togo recorded an incident each.

In Nigeria, seven journalists were arrested and detained during the period. In Cote dIvoire, six journalists were arrested and detained in a single incident while one journalist each was affected in Guinea and Togo, bringing the total number of journalists affected to 15. In respect of the other media workers, nine staff of a newspaper printing firm were arrested in single incident. In Cote dIvoire, six technicians working with the state-owned television station were also arrested in a single incident.

Details of the incidents in Nigeria as presented in a press freedom report on the month of January , shows a growing trend of intolerance on the part of security agencies. Twelve days after the arrest and detention of six technicians from the Ivorian state television, the Radiodiffusion Television Ivoirienne (RTI) on January 31, another set of six journalists from four media organisations were arrested by the paramilitary group, Gendarmerie, after being accused of publishing what the authorities described as false news and inciting soldiers to mutiny. Their arrest was on the orders of the Attorney General, Adou Richard Christophe.

The journalists  Coulibaly Vamara and Hamadou Ziao, of the Inter newspaper; Bamba Franck Mamadou, of Notre Voie; Gbane Yacouba and Ferdinand Bailly of Le Temps as well as Jean Bedel Gnago, the correspondent of Soir Info at Aboiso  had reported that the government had paid allowances being demanded by mutinous soldiers in the town of Adiake, a claim that the Attorney General, judged to be an attack on national security. They were interrogated at the national headquarters of the Gendarmerie and later taken into detention at a gendarmerie camp on February 12 before being released two days later.

In Guinea a reporter of Radio Lynx, Mariam Kouyate , was on February 1, 2017 accosted by the authorities at a hospital in the capital, Conakry and subjected to intense interrogation. She was subsequently taken to the police station for further interrogation and forced to delete pictures she had taken of the hospitals poor infrastructure.

On February 7, 2017, Robert Avotor, a journalist with the LAlternative bi-weekly newspaper in Togo was assaulted by a group of gendarmes, while covering a land dispute. He was arrested, handcuffed and forced to delete the pictures he had taken at the scene of the dispute.

The above crackdown is a frightening flashback to the gross human rights abuses, including freedom of expression rights violations witnessed in the sub-region during the heady days of military dictatorship in the 1970s and 80s. Meanwhile, all the four countries in which these violations occurred have legal frameworks that guarantee media freedom.

The MFWA, therefore, urgently appeals to authorities in the West Africa region, especially authorities in Nigeria and Cote dIvoire, to abide by their national constitutions as well as regional and international treaties that require them to promote and protect press freedom and freedom of expression. The MFWA also urges all countries in the region to take urgent steps to bring a halt, the increasing attacks on journalists and media workers.
"... On Ghanaweb, many were they who commented on the "core values" of the NPP as they sought to explain the true "character" of the NPP...For us, the fact that there is still Ghana military...Ghana Police Service...BNI..., and that there is "...Invincible Forces, a private security wing of the governing NPP...", that to us, is what is most worrying...Why was the "senior police officer" assaulted at the Flagstaff House while he was attempting to leave the premise, a government property?...And so, it is now up to President Akufo Addo to direct that his team come clean without any further delay...Who exactly behaved as if they owned the Flagstaff House while he was the President of Ghana...Ghana, Who is This Man?...", (Prof Lungu, 20 Feb 17).

Of late, we've not been more unsettled about events in Ghana than reading about the "...beating up a senior police officer at the Flagstaff House in Accra...," by "...persons suspected to be members of the Invincible Forces, a private security wing of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP)...". Now, normally, when we hear about police brutality, it is always about police in United States brutalizing minorities, usually with deadly consequence through the use of guns. But, this is a Ghana interest item. The table is turned, and the victim, as per the hot video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YMQuaPccys), is a senior police officer.

Reportedly, the assault on the police officer occurred "9 January, two days after Nana Akufo-Addos investiture", and was captured by a Government-owned Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) system at the Flagstaff House. As far as we know, segments of the assault on the undated, untagged, CCTV tape was leaked to the media and public by a "45-year-old military officer" who was on duty that day, and who, as of 20 February, was in the military brig.

On Ghanaweb, many were they who commented on the "core values" of the NPP as they sought to explain the true "character" of the NPP. For us, as we understand, some of those "values" attributed to individuals and cited in comments to the article are not illegal, though they may be anti-social.

However, it is when President Akufo Addo and the leadership of the NPP allow the name of that party to be shielded, protected, or otherwise used to obfuscate truth behind potentially unlawful acts by their operatives, it is that time we know a threshold has been crossed that require immediate accounting by President Akufo Addo and the NPP party leadership.

For us, the fact that there is still Ghana military and all their departments, that there is still Ghana Police Service in all their departments, that there is still BNI and all its departments, and that there is "...Invincible Forces, a private security wing of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP)...", that to us, is what is most worrying.

In 2017, when every member of the Ghana defense force is in fact a Ghanaian, and politicians have always had the power to select whom they want to lead those departments, it is insane for a ruling party to have and to maintain, "a private security wing" with access to Government-owned facilities.

So, for (1) a senior police officer to be at the receiving end of that mayhem, (2) while a member of the military is being detained for leaking a tape about that same potentially unlawful attack, and (3) the for the absence of any reports, investigations, or communications to Ghanaians, etc., those are the troubling facts.

President Akufo Addo must come clean without any further delay about what he knows about the 9 January event, when he knew, and who exactly are those individuals behaving on the tape as if they owned the Flagstaff House while he, Akufo Addo, was the President of Ghana.

Ghana, who is that man in the red turtle neck shirt?

In addition, we would have expected Lord Commey, "the Director of Operations at the Flagstaff House", to have "directed" the " EBS team" to a real number, to the real person who has responsibility to communicate to the public about matters of that nature.

Lord Commey saying that "I dont think Im the right person to talk to", does not exude responsibility and responsiveness on the part of a public employee. It does not denote devotion to service, or duty. We are saying it is not enough for Commey to merely text "this is not my job" when his is in fact on the same "grounds", when his is in fact "the Director of Operations", when he ought to know who that right person is.

Try as hard as he may, Lord Commey cannot hide behind "its a purely security matter".

Hogwash!

But, why hasn't the Ghana Police Service issued a report about the matter to date?

Is the Ghana Police Service doing enough to protect its officers?

And should not the military treat this "assault case" as a whistle-blower evidence, if (1) the military officer now detained initially made a report to supervisors and (2) the military supervisors failed to investigate in time, or properly?

And what is that about the failure to provide food for the detained person?

And so, it is now up to President Akufo Addo to direct that his team come clean without any further delay. Who exactly behaved as if they owned the Flagstaff House while he was the President of Ghana.

Why was the "senior police officer" assaulted at the Flagstaff House while he was attempting to leave a government premise in a government vehicle?

Who are the men in the video tape doing the assault, who employs them, with what funds, and why have they also not been detained to answer charges of assault, battery, and other infractions of the law and civil behavior? Why were they at the Flagstaff House in the first place causing all that havoc in front of military guards on duty with automatic weapons?

What is Serious Akufo Addo going to do?

SOURCES/NOTES:

1. Ghanaweb, sourced to Classfmonline.com. Soldier detained for leaking Flagstaff House cop brutality video, (http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Soldier-detained-for-leaking-Flagstaff-House-cop-brutality-video-511830).

VISIT WWW.GHANAHERO.COM/ FOR MO' INFO:

See "Visions": Prof Lungu Says.... /\....Francis Kwarteng Says....

FOIB - Freedom of Information Bill (FOIB/FOI/Ghana), (http://ghanahero.com/FOIB.html).

SUBJ: RE: Soldier detained for leaking Flagstaff House cop brutality video.

Support Fair-Trade Oil Share Ghana (FTOS-Gh) Campaign/Petition:

https://www.change.org/p/ghana-fair-trade-oil-share-psa-campaign-ftos-gh-psa/

Brought to you courtesy www.GhanaHero.com20 Feb 17.

(Powered by: www.GhanaHero.Com).

2017-02-21 064457
Dear His Excellency the President and Your Government,

I am Mr Rockson Adofo, a subject of the Kumawu Kodua Stool in Kumawu in the Ashanti region, although currently residing in the United Kingdom. It has come to my notice through personal phone calls made, and the Ghana media that some heavily armed police cum military personnel had stormed Kumawu-Bodomase on Thursday, 16 February 2017 to assault the people.

The armed security personnel had gone there with intent to stop the peoples favourite and their recognised and accepted Kumawu Omanhene Barima Tweneboa Kodua V from attending the funeral of his deceased sub-chief Nana Okyere Krapa II, the Kumawu Akyempemhene, in the capacity of Kumawu Omanhene. In so doing, they accosted Barima Tweneboa Kodua V and his elders, his retinue and sympathising mourners who were in procession to the funeral ground to perform the necessary traditional funeral rites e.g. swear the oath to its remains before burial as demanded by the Ashanti/Akan tradition and custom.

However, the police and the military personnel that had been despatched to the area to forcibly stop Barima Tweneboa Kodua V from exercising his obligated traditional duties to not only his deceased sub-chief but also, his father by extension of the Ashanti extended family, brutally assaulted him and his entourage.

The Divisional Police Commander of Effiduase in the Ashanti region is understood to have issued an order to the assaulting security forces to shoot and kill Barima Tweneboa Kodua V claiming his order to have come from above. As I am questioning the source and relevance of this ORDER FROM ABOVE in my other publications, I shall not lay any emphasis on it here. However, what is shocking is since Thursday, 16 February 2017 until today, Monday, 20 February 2017 that I am writing this open letter to you, neither His Excellency the President, nor any member of his government has made a public statement on the issue let alone, visiting Kumawu Bodomase to ascertain the facts for themselves.

Much as I know that the government has much more important burning issues to tackle or deal with, it is still not appropriate to me to seeing them go so mute over the near-fatal but purposefully planned incident of police cum military brutalities inflicted on the people and mourners as occurred in Kumawu-Bodomase.

The problem of Kumawu or Kumawu-Bodomase is not different from that of Bimbilla in the northern part of Ghana so please, do something about it before the simmering but ongoing chieftaincy dispute in the area escalates into the proportions as oftentimes seen in the northern parts of Ghana.

Yours Faithfully,

Rockson Adofo

Dated: Monday, 20 February 2017
The Writer

21.02.2017 LISTEN

From the slavery that lasted a little more than four centuries, to the colonization and independence tailored to sculptor African countries, Africa has supposedly passed from a "primitive state to an alleged modern state of today ". This is at least the point of view of the colonialist, who thus justifies the necessity of colonization, whose balance is negative. (The mass murder of the African people, the deportation of hundreds of thousands of young Africans, the maintenance of the whole continent under diktat, Etc.)

This brutality, which results in constant sabotage and pillage, continues to be perpetrated by a few wrists of Africans who are unconscious. Deprived of any critical spirit, ethics and the very essence of the African man, who by nature respects his neighbor, the environment and community work, these wrists of individuals are for the most part Politicians who have no legitimacy because they are not democratically elected and the development of their countries is not at all their priority. An Asian businessman said that the difference between an Asian and an African dictator is that the Asian dictator loves his people and participates in its development. The African dictator does not like his people;. They deprive their people and accumulate the wealth of their country in foreign banks. These funds deposited in the banks of the West promote the financing and supporting of the Western economy whilst at the same time driving their own countries into despair and an economic slump.

After more than fifty (50) years of independence, it is clear that African countries can no longer rely on their leaders whom have largely demonstrated incompetence and an inability to lead their countries. It is undeniable today that even during the time of the African kingdoms; African people lived better and were more in harmony with the environment. It is the "modern states" introduced by colonization that have had disastrous consequences on the social, political and economic life of Africans.

France is not the only nation to have practiced the trade of slavery and / or colonization. Almost all European countries have done so and the methods used are almost identical. However, other countries do not fully capture the wealth of the colonized countries. They arrange to grant a small margin of freedom to the people thus giving them the illusion that they are free even though they are controlled both culturally and socially almost all of the time. Whilst at the same time, France controls 100% all sectors of social-economic life and this, with the complicity of some people willing to sacrifice their country for French interests.

We give this alert because the current economic crisis is very serious and spares no country. Africa can no longer be governed by men deprived of all common sense who leave their populations cut off in the crossing of the Mediterranean. Everyone knows the reason for the exodus to Europe but currently to the African people it does not matter. The drama is that the West has no interest in finding a solution because it is itself the source of the problem. The serious crisis that is placing the great powers on their knees has been predictable for the past several years but is simply and conveniently overlooked. The governments are prohibited from borrowing interest-free money from central banks, and are reliant on borrowing from financial markets and with interest. Those whom are the governments being the same people who control the financial markets, all for their own benefit.

The French people do not know nor do they want to accept that beautiful France is clinically deceased. Everyone is waiting for the imminent announcement of the economic death of France. What is really sad is that the public at large appear to be burying their heads in the sand with reference to how the financial crisis has occurred when its staring them right in the face. The French economists who are qualified to carry out such crisis analysis in any event there are disastrous consequences on African countries.

SOME PRECISIONS

The economic situation in France has now exceeded the limit at which the situation could have been politically acceptable and manageable. From this point on, it appears impossible to straighten the trajectory. At the moment other international events hide the red melting pot of France. Examples include the election of Donald Trump to the US presidency, Syria and the Middle East, the Brexit of the European Union. France's debt-to-GDP ratio is above 100% and to stabilize it requires growth of at least 3% per year which hasnt been reached in a decade. Mr. Mario Draghi, President of the European Central Bank, in July 2012 said that France was "too big to fail", and that he would do "whatever it takes" to save the Euro; then in January 2016, he claims its stock capacities had "no limits". But these statements are only powders to the eyes and are completely false. France is unable to repay the principal of its debt and reimburses interest only with difficulty.

According to the French Treasury Agency (March 2015), 64.4% of the French debt is held by "non-residents". The government has placed the future of the country in foreign hands (foreign speculators, banking institutions, etc.). The first holder of long-term French debt is Italy with its morose and very fragile economy. It should be emphasized that Italy's public debt is above 132% of its GDP, with an unemployment rate above 14%. The first holder of short-term French debt is Japan, whose debt-to-GDP ratio is at least 245%. Thus, the two major creditors of France, Japan and Italy have a comatose economy. And yet they are the only ramparts of a system about to sink. It is undeniable that the French state will sooner or later become as insolvent as Greece and the suburbs will be cut off from their supply lines; Universities, schools and closed public transport, suspended wages and closed enterprises. The claim of payment by the creditors if the debt is not honored will be the property known as the African countries. The control of the French government will become the property of these two countries. It would be a general panic, because once the confidence of the creditors of the country has disappeared, chaos will set in.

The French newspaper Mediapart resumed in its publication of November 2, 2016, an article of a German economic newspaper. In this article, the German newspaper accuses the French government of immorality, abusive expropriation and being indirectly at the source of many situations of famine, war, instability and destruction. According to this newspaper, France plundered nearly 440 billion Euros a year to Africa through France-Africa. It is a large sum, and if this figure is correct, how does France spend this sum plundered from Africa? However, this could explain the low level of development of the African continent and its real difficulties realizing a real take off. One understands the misery and despair that push young people to leave the continent hoping to find a better life and with it all the fatal consequences of these departures. If the information is even partially proved, it would confirm what the late presidents of Gabon and ex-Zaire (DRC) said on French television sets in the 1980s: "WITHOUT AFRICA, FRANCE DOES NOT LIVE 'AFRICA IS THE ENGINE'

The French public debt is above 2,000 billion Euros. It cannot be reimbursed by the French nation. Public services are kept to a minimum and France's future is really bleak. But how can a country that ransom more than 400 billion Euros each year find itself in such a critical situation that it cannot repay its debt? Does France no longer produce or sell? The 400 billion Euros collected in Africa do not come into the coffers of the State? Who really benefits from these colossal sums on the basis the standard of living of the average Frenchman has not evolved for years

THE VISION AND PURPOSE OF FRENCH DIPLOMACY ON OTHER EMERGING COUNTRIES

France remains a colonial empire despite the word diplomacy used during the last fifty years to describe its relations with its former colonies and African states in general.

Nigeria is certainly not a French colony but it is none the less the honey that France had dreamed of sharing with England for years. France has seized a deadly opportunity to try to concretize its dream against the freshly independent Nigerian state, led by valiant men and very proud to be Africans and Nigerians. The government of Nigeria, at that time, was angry and had strongly protested against General de Gaulle's France, because of the nuclear test carried out in Algeria by France. The young Nigerian state had protested to the United Nations and even asked why France did not carry out its nuclear tests on its own territory. Is it because of this protest that France wanted to punish Nigeria by giving at the same time a strong warning to the other allegedly independent African countries?

Like any newly independent country, there are often small problems related to leadership. The French Government at the time wanted to punish the young Nigerian State and its people. To do so, it fueled the dispute that existed between the leaders of the Nigerian State and the province of Biafra by supporting and equipping them with heavy weapons, war materials, logistics and funds. It intended to reimburse itself on the oil windfall that would be acquired to it when the secession Biafraise would be consummated. For this reason, France was the first country to recognize the Biafran secession at the UN. The Biafran war has cost the lives of a hundred thousand people.

The Mali of Modibo Keita, the former President of Mali, a proud nationalist and pan-Africanist, also protested against the French nuclear test in Algeria and showed solidarity with the Algerian people. Mr. Modibo Keita paid dearly for this initiative, which resulted in economic and political sabotage in his country. This allowed the French government to depose former President Modibo Keita who was replaced by Moussa Traore. President Modibo Keita died in prison, a sad fate for a man of integrity.

In 2011, during the campaign against Colonel Gaddafi, former President of Libya, Teodoro Nguema Obiang, President of Equatorial Guinea, wanted to go to Libya to meet with Gaddafi leader with four other African heads of state to find an African solution to the crisis. President Teodoro Nguema was ordered not to set foot in Libya. President Sarkozy made it clear to him that his plane would be shot down if it ever happened. What was the reaction of the UN to this statement by Mr. Sarkozy? Any, The International Community has not reacted either. Who are the givers of these lessons? Now it is Europe and Africa that are destabilized. Francophone Africa silently and automatically aligned itself with French policy and was the first to recognize the transitional government put in place.

Syria, for example, although not on the African continent, has experienced the dictates of colonialism. The destabilization of the country has led to the death of more than 400,000 people and the displacement of more than 3,000,000 people. Insecurity has spread to Europe. In 2008, in Paris (France), Christophe de Marjorie, the former president of the French group Total, former French Prime Minister Francois Fillon, former President Nicholas Sarkozy and President Bashar El Assad of Syria, during a visit to discuss the framework of a gas pipeline project which saw the involvement of France, the USA, Qatar and Great Britain. According to a source close to the file whose name cannot be mentioned for reasons of security, President Sarkozy asked the translator to tell Syrian President Bashar El Assad that on the market, 30% was returning to Syria and 70% to France, forgetting that the Syrian President understood and spoke French. The Syrian president said no to the proposal of Mr. Sarkozy and insisted to the translator to tell him that Syria is not a French colony. President Sarkozy stood up, exploded in anger and threatened to put Syria to fire and blood. Today we see the result.

The few integral presidents who have defended the interests of their countries and of Africa in priority have died murdered and their countries destabilized. Many Francophone African countries took part in the Biafra war in Nigeria alongside France, for most of them the Presidents of these countries have no decision-making power over the management of their own country. In 2011, when France told African countries to recognize the Libyan opposition, the majority of these French-speaking countries did it in 24 hours as good students. ECOWAS and the African Union have become obsolete instruments in the service of the West. We have the cases of Libya, Cote d'Ivoire and, most recently, the Gambia, where on a phone call from the West, some African leaders have put themselves in line.

What can one think of the Senegalese government which says that it is waiting for the UN mandate so that the forces that it directs attack the Gambia? Where are the reasons and the art of negotiation? We remember the UN mandate to disarm Saddam Hussein of IRAQ, a mandate that resulted in the hanging of Saddam Hussein and the destabilization of the Middle East, Europe and Africa. Libya and Cote d'Ivoire, enough said; when the Chadian Minister of Information confirmed that 40% of the weapons used by Boco Haram were French, did Nigeria protest or summon the French ambassador to ask for explanations? What is the role of ECOWAS? Protected are the docile and loyal dictators to the West?

HOW CAN THE FRENCH PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION MODIFY THE FRANCE-AFRICA RELATIONSHIP?

No sector of the African economy is sufficiently evolved to eradicate poverty. African Presidents plunder their own countries and do not intend to develop them. The majority of these Presidents are not democratically elected but designated by the West and their loyalty does not go to their people but to France. The colonial policy of France has not changed since the time of the colonial conquest: disillusioned and oppressed people, coups, social unrest, economic sabotage, etc. If the outgoing President is no longer in the odor of holiness with the metropolis, the latter withdraws its support for the outgoing President during the next elections. The country is under political and economic pressure. The threat of "ill-gotten goods" is brandished. The metropolis assumes the role of the savior even though it is the principal author of the situation of impoverishment of the States

This system of exploitation is not beneficial to the French people who find themselves victims like the African people of the abuses of their leaders. 3 French young people out of 5 cannot keep a job until they reach retirement age and are unable to contribute to receive the minimum pension. The African population is in the red, despairs is the daily life. The metropolis continues to tax the African population enormously of the benefits of a colonization that has not been solicited. In 2005, there were about 6 million French people of African descent. Half of these 6,000,000 can positively influence the election of the next President of the French Republic. Collective voting can be decisive. In exchange for a collective vote in his favor, the future candidate will undertake to respect the right to self-determination of all people. The abolition of abusive agreements is tantamount to plundering the resources of developing countries. A suppression of the Franc CFA and freedom for the countries of this zone to have their own currency. Markets will now be awarded based on the merit and quality of the offers. It must be the end of favoritism and coercion.

The immigrant who becomes a citizen is very often grateful and loyal to his country of adoption and actively participates in its development. The French citizen of African origin can play a decisive role in development. The countries of origin of most of these Africans have close ties with the metropolis, spanning more than a century of relations, yet these expatriates are still not accepted and do not enjoy the same rights as nationals Of origin. This negative discrimination against French people of African origin is also due to the attitude and decisions of certain African Heads of State who do not care about the interests of their expatriates. If we take North Korea, for example, Westerners do not miss any opportunity to treat all the names of the leaders of this country qualified as dictators, among others. This country has no relations of any kind with France. And yet the nationals of this country are more considered than the French of African origin whose ancestors fought for the French Republic.

In a few months, there will be the French presidential election where all parties will present themselves (the Right Extreme, the Republicans, the Left and the Independents). They all pretend to the supreme function with a program that can straighten France. These politicians, pretenders to the presidential chair, are all career politicians. During a recent primary, the right talked about immigration, how to strengthen control and deportation but not the causes that force the immigrant to seek his happiness abroad and risk his life far from his. The case of Africa is deplorable. One of these contenders will become President of the French Republic in May 2017 and will not be different from those predecessors. This will not be a surprise to anyone because France makes and defeats the African Presidents (who can be called sub  governors) according to their interests. It impoverishes, confiscates the wealth of African countries to its advantage. The French of African origin have the power to no longer accept this slavery and confiscation of African resources by joining their votes to vote in favor of a candidate who will take into account their demands, the first of which must certainly be the abolition of the Franc CFA .

The new France - Africa relationship under the aegis of the Africans of France united will put an end to the abusive exploitation of the continent. Recently it was reported that concrete products made through certain French companies was failing. Example of the one who carried out the construction of bridge works, the Henri Konan Bedie which two (02) months after its inauguration already presents defects. The Ivorian state had to draw from the state coffers to make the necessary repairs depriving thousands of Ivoirians of the social services to which they can legitimately aspire. Traditionally this would have resulted in the company that performed the work or to its insurer to ensure such repairs. In addition, this project was set up and financed under President Gbagbo and the bridge was not to be paid for by the population. Under Gbagbo, the bridge was worth about $ 225 million and funds were available through an increase of 10 CFA francs on gasoline prices. The elected President, Mr. Ouattara, in addition to the existing $ 225 million borrowed more than $ 400 million for the construction of this same bridge. The French company that had the contract to build the Henri Konan Bedie bridge is Bouygue. There are many examples where there are corrupt and incompetent companies have been able to win contracts thanks to their privileged relations with the French government. All these transactions, however, are to the detriment of the African population.

In terms of financing the French presidential elections, the majority of Francophone African states financed the presidential elections of the French candidates at the cost of millions of Euros which should have gone towards the social cause and hospitals where the sick are dying from curable illness. The obtaining of drinking water or electricity has become a true path of fighters for the populations. During the last visit of the former French Prime Minister, Mr. Manuel Valls to Africa, he asked for funds from Francophone African countries. Mr. Valls would have received a campaign assistance of more than 7 million Euros from a single country which is also highly indebted and where poverty is obvious. If this allegation were to be confirmed, would it not be a crime against humanity from both the donor and the recipient? The majority of African leaders are unable to disagree with France because they are almost French civil servants and not democratic representatives. If African governments resist, reprisals fall on the country. By way of example, the trial of Mr. Gbagbo before The Hague is only that of an indolent and insubordinate Negro whom the Metropolis must subdue. The metropolis has become a center of manipulation and disinformation supported by two powerful weapons that are the IMF and the World Bank that aggravate the misery of the developing countries through their calamitous financial policies.

France has an interest in treating its former colonies as a true partner and with the respect it accords to the European States, Asia and America. Yesterday's arrogance is no longer valid today

The Africans of France must unite and say no by voting the candidate who will abstain from continuing with this colonial mentality of several hundred years old. France must know that the world is changing and Africa is also changing. This is why many more young people are turning now with hope towards Asia and no longer towards France and Europe. These young people also know that France is responsible for what happens to them by placing and supporting African Presidents vomited by their peoples.

Dr. Mehenou Amouzou received his Master in Business from the European Advanced Institute of Management, also a Certificate in Finance and Investment in Paris, France. He completed his Post Graduate Work in Political Strategy, International Relation and Defense Strategies and earned his Ph.D. in Finance.

CONTRIBUTION TO THIS ARTICLE:

Raymond West from West International Petroleum LLC; Fundacion Paraiso Sin Fronteras; Mr. Paul Kokou Amouzou; Mr. Morgan Lewis, Amouzou Nkrumah Production & Mme Dominique Mazarin.
A report prepared by senior ministers stated that samba (rice) crop spread over 50,34,237 acre has failed and advised a compensation package of Rs 2,247 crore for the farmers.

By Pramod Madhav: Staying true to his promise on the day of assuming the Tamil Nadu chief minister's office, E Palaniswami today sanctioned the release of a Rs 2,247-crore package for drought-hit farmers.

On Monday, the chief minister said his government would release funds for farmers affected by drought in the state.

According to a statement issued by the chief minister, the sanctioned amount will be directly credited to the farmers' bank accounts.

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Farmers who depend on irrigation for their crop will get Rs 5,465 per acre while those who depend on seasonal rain will get Rs 3,000 per acre.

Chief Minister Palaniswami announced the drought package after acquiring a report from senior ministers and IAS officers who visited the drought-hit areas to assess the damage.

The report stated that samba crop spread over 50,34,237 acre has failed and advised a compensation package of Rs 2,247 crore for the farmers.

Tamil Nadu saw a spate of farmer suicides in the wake of drought and crop loss. The National Human Rights Commission had last month issued a notice to the Tamil Nadu government on the increasing number of farmer suicides and deaths in the state.

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--- ENDS ---
Its laudable to try to cater for all forms of vulnerable populations within our nation, but the prevalent conditions suggest that there are clearer and open vulnerabilities with regards to the rights of children which can better be targeted and must be attended to by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection.

The issue of child rights has reached a desperate need for attention in view of recent stories in the media and very disturbing realities in the lives of children in very deprived areas of the country. Among these include the nightmare realities of rampant teenage pregnancies, rising cases of child marriages and daily incidents of child labor which are fast assuming a part in the lives of children of this country.

The 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana in its article 28 (5) defines a child as someone below the age of eighteen. According to the constitution, a child in Ghana has the right to be protected from engaging in work that constitutes a threat to his health, education or development. The constitution further asserts that no child shall be deprived by any other person of medical treatment, education or any other social or economic benefit by reason only of religious or other beliefs. Quite importantly, the constitution enjoins all parents to undertake their natural rights and obligations of care, maintenance and upbringing of their children in co-operation with such institutions as parliament may, by law, prescribe in such manner that in all cases the interests of the children are paramount.

In the face of these clear guarantees granted children by the ultimate law of the land which recognizes the rights of children as natural, it invokes questions of our basic morality as a nation to appear to have failed woefully to provide our children their own share of Gods given inalienable rights whenever it appears clear that they lack the required parental care.

In fact, the laws of Ghana, in pursuant of guaranteeing the rights of children established the required institutional arrangements to cater for the rights of children. In 2001, the government of John Kuffuor created the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs which later changed to the ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection. In any case, despite the change of name, the mandate and objective of the ministry still remains resolutely clear, straightforward, and unchanged.

The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection is mandated to formulate gender and children policies and guidelines, propose programs that promote women and children affairs and the development of institutions that encourage women empowerment.

Even though the ministry in recent times has celebrated abolishing the trafficking of children, increasing the number of women in major government sectors, educating women about domestic violence, and improving on domestic violence legislation, so much of its recent policies and programs have witnessed a deviation from its central mandate, thereby promoting gaps in the welfare of women and children and escalating the already prevalent cases of child labor, teenage pregnancies and child marriages among mostly traditional communities in our country.

These problems in recent times have exposed the inability of the state to enforce the provisions of the constitution that call for the protection of the welfare of children by parents, state institutions and most often a collaboration between the two.

In essence, current challenges facing the welfare of children call for the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection to re-assert itself and focus primarily and largely on issues with holistic impact on women and children.

In that case, the implementation of the ongoing Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) program ought to be reviewed and fine-tuned to focus on addressing the pressing issues that tie the hands of children to poverty and puts them right back in the center of the poverty cycle.

The Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty program is a social cash transfer program which provides cash and health insurance to extremely poor households in Ghana to alleviate short-term poverty and encourage long-term human capital development.

The three basic eligibility criteria of the program include orphaned children, elderly poor, and extreme disability. Its important to state that even though social protection which the LEAP program seeks to enforce is good, it is of no significant impact because of its minimal focus on the welfare of children.

First of all, orphaned children as the program is partially targeting will not achieve educational fulfilment through the LEAP program because the money available is incomparable to the financial demands of education in Ghana at the moment. As it stands, the largest amount of money to be received by any beneficiary is 64 Ghana Cedis which is the amount payable to one member household per month.

However, the cost of admission fees for second cycle education in Ghana today averages 1,000 Ghana Cedis in the three regions in the north which already benefit from feeding grants as part of the Northern Scholarship program instituted by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.

What this means is that an orphaned child who will be depending wholly on the 64 Ghana Cedis a month will have to engage in child labor or other indecent means to fully cater for the cost of his/her education if that child is determined to sail through the weary storm of education without parental support.

Also importantly, there is the other class of children who are fortunate to have one or both parents but none of whom can afford the cost of secondary education. For such children, they are not eligible for the LEAP program and their plight is pitiful.

In their case, the only way out is not education because they cannot afford it; their option is what leads to teenage pregnancy, child labour, and child marriages.

Additionally, its difficult to determine people who are elderly poor, extremely disabled and orphaned but do not have any form of support. In our local communities, perhaps because of lack of diligence, poor people who have a lot of support get onto the program whiles those with no form of support are left out.

In this case, it can be argued that targeting under LEAP is of no significance to promoting the welfare of children.

However, in our various communities around the country, it is easy to determine the children who are out of school because they cannot afford the cost of education; it is easy to handpick children who carry loads on the streets because they cannot afford the cost of education; it is easy as well to identify teenage girls who are pregnant because they cannot afford to care for themselves; and it is easy to identify children who are married out because they cannot be catered for.

And in any case where traditional communities marry out children with no relation to their inability to cater for the child because of cultural reasons, the state has no problems identifying such cases and enforcing the laws of the land.

Moreover, to justify the LEAP program on the grounds that it provides solutions to short-term poverty and provide empowerment to end poverty in the long-term is logically inadequate. This is because the surest way to ensure that poverty is curbed is to provide empowerment. However, the point of departure from the LEAP program is the fact that sufficient education of children is a better option to consider in the conversation of empowerment. It is the best way to build human capital and promote the development and utilization of the nations fullest potentials.

Therefore, to spent these stipends on poorly targeted households whiles still allowing children to be preoccupied with the future threatening hostilities of child labor, teenage pregnancies and child marriages is indeed misplaced. In effect, it amounts to a failure of the state.

Even though it is important to highlight the fact that the LEAP program has helped increase enrollment in basic schools, such an increase cannot be wholly attributed to the program in view of the impacts of the School Feeding Program and the Capitation Grants introduced by government.

Rolling out a LEAP program in the manner it is might be a political scheme to skew out votes and win power, but the state has a bigger role to play to protect the law, to keep children in school, to protect our children whiles they are in school and to secure the rights of our children and the future of our country.

In the lead up to the 2008, 2012 and 2016 general elections, whiles the politicians who superintend over the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection were busy chanting praises upon themselves for how many households they have put on the LEAP program, millions of children across the country were deserting the classrooms.

Whiles the few fortunate children enjoyed lessons in classrooms, their poor colleagues were busy carrying loads on the streets of Tamale, Kumasi, Accra and other big towns, subjecting themselves to sexual abuse for money, and marrying people as old as their grandparents in order to survive.

Whiles the move by some countries to criminalize child marriage for example in Zambia is commendable, it is important to note that the best cure for the problems confronting children lately (child labor, teenage pregnancy and child marriage) can be found in addressing the push factors that lead to these problems. It is to this effect that the welfare of children with regards to education, health and nutrition is being advocated to ensure that they are well empowered and given the license to properly take off into a life of choices fueled by self-determination.

The simple fact is that the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection has done well in trying to implement a social protection policy, but it should eschew the political dividends of such policies and concentrate in rolling out a very tight program to facilitate the educational, health, and nutritional welfare of children who form a larger part of the vulnerable population but yet represent the future of the country.

In doing so, the ministry will also be scaring away the embarrassing menace of teenage pregnancy, child labor and child marriages.

Back in the districts, municipalities and metropolis, what used to be profound was the Department of Social Welfare. This department was popular in the sense that it attended to neglected children as well as children from poor backgrounds and catered for their entire education. If the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection cannot introduce a consolidated program to identify needy children and cater for them, it should as a matter of prime importance resource the Department of Social Welfare well enough to do what it used to do best.

But to engage in cashing out money to people in a program that is ill targeted and does not make the necessary impacts, the ministry is only doing much about nothing. If childrens welfare is properly catered for, both abled and disabled, poor parents will be in no position to need monthly stipends which are in any case used in an effort to cater for the health, nutrition and education of their children.

This begs the question, if the hen feeds the hawks young ones, why will the hawk embarrassingly worry the hen on a daily basis.

As a developing country, wasteful duplication is the last we should seek to do. And one way to avoid wasteful duplication is to formulate policies and programs that produce the needed impact holistically.

In our quest to demand for the welfare of the children of this country, we ought to all be guided and strengthened by the fact that child rights are not only lawful but natural, they are not options to be chosen or demands to be negotiated; they are fundamental and inalienable rights that must be fulfilled.

By David Azuliya

Mobile: 0505005012

Email: [email protected]
We the good people of the three Nzema constituency condemn in the strongest terms the unfortunate tribal statements made by the three chiefs of Nzema.

We wish to put on record for the entire nation to note that the views expressed by the three (3) chiefs do not reflect the views and visions of the peace loving people of Nzema.

There are seven (7) paramount chiefs in the Nzema enclave and our checks have confirmed that the other four who were not part of the so called press conference are in total disagreement with the unilateral decision by the three chiefs.

We wish to state emphatically that, we dissociate ourselves from this unfortunate tribal and ethnocentric statements by the three chiefs. We are all Ghanaians and the constitution is very clear on equal job opportunities irrespective of ones tribe, religion and sex.

If the Ashanti kingdom were also to decide that all jobs in the Ashanti region should be offered to only Ashantis or the Greater Accra chiefs also were to rise and make statements that jobs on their land should go to onlyIndegenes, will Ghana be united?. Jobs should be applied for based on merit, competence in the field of endeavor and loyalty to Ghana, not tribe. If the chiefs in the Northern Region have staged a press conference, rejecting the retired professor. Would he have become the acting vice chancellor of the UDS, He should give us a break.

Ghana Gas is not reserved for only Nzema people, its for Ghanaians and the unfortunate ploy by a few individuals to scuttle the success of the NPP in Nzema will fail.

We the NPP youth, the entire people of Nzema fully support the appointment of Dr Ben Asante because he is qualified, experience and better suited for the job. He is a Ghanaian and not a Mongolian for God sake.

It is within the perview of Awulaemo to lobby for jobs for Nzemas, but it should not be limited to only jobs in theNzemaland. Awulaemo should lobby the president to giveus jobs in Tamale, Ho, Tema etc but not tie the hands of the president to specific jobs in Nzema for Nzema people.

The path taken by the three (3) chiefs is dangerous for the unity of this nation, and we call on Well Meaning Ghanaians, the media, civil societies, and our development partners to join us in condemning this tribal and ethnocentric practice.

We do not wish to denigrate the retired professor who is using the three chiefs to coerce the president to give him a job. Since he has brought on himself, we will set the record straight.

Where was the retired professor when we were campaigning? Does he still stands by his mathematical analysis that Nana Akufo Addo will not win the 2016 elections? Is he still teaching in Kenya as a professor since he was convinced NPP will not Win, Did he openly campaign for the NDC and got an award for his so called efforts?

It is embarrassing and a cheap ploy for him to hide behind three induced chiefs to look for a retirement job, after he and his team openly campaigned against his Excellency Nana Akufo Addo and the NPP parliamentary candidate. Jobs should be applied for based on merit, competence in the field of endeavor and loyalty to Ghana not tribe.

In this day and age of globalization of globalization our three chiefs have made us a laughing stock of the nation by sending a wrong signal out there that we are inward looking. Such ethnocentric and xenophobic statements will not be tolerated by us the progressive youth of Nzema.

We are aware that the very chiefs who addressed the press have sent their children to Dr Ben Asante to hire them to work at Ghana Gas. The question is did they realize he wasnt an Nzema? Such hypocrisy is wrong and must be discouraged by all peace loving citizens of Ghana.

The constitution is very clear in article 78, the president has the sole Prerogative to appoint, not chiefs. We want to use this chance to tell the president that overwhelming majority including the other chiefs and Queen Mothers of the good people of Nzema are grateful for his wisdom in appointing Dr Ben Asante.

The young engineer is perfect for the job and so far has proven himself to all and sundry that the president made the right decision. Why did the three chiefs not reject the Chinese who built the plant designed by Dr Ben Asante? Such unfortunate statement from the three chiefs should be treated with the contempt it deserves and must be ignored.

We further state that, Awulae Amihere Kpanynli, paramount chief of Atuabo traditional area, the chief on whose land the Gas plant is situated sent us a message that he support the appointment of Dr Ben Asante and that he believes Dr is the right person for the job.

 I believe Ghana gas at Atuabo as the first Ghanaian gas endeavor command a strong potential for expansion. This means employment for all Ghanaians, we look forward for this growth and economic development. First of all we here in Nzema are grateful for the leadership role of the president, Nana Akufo Addo and will continue to support his administration and leadership. We want the nation and its inhabitants to know we are host to the first gas plant and wish for their support for a continuous growth and stability. The truth is we need the Nations best men and women to achieve growth in the world market. We are thankful again to his excellency for your directions

We the youth are also using this medium to tell the president and the energy minister that we will resist any attempt by the three chiefs to foster the retired professor on us simply because of tribe. Our futures will be bleak and we will be confined to only looking for jobs in Nzemaland based on logic.

That is not the Ghana we hope for, we hope for a Ghana where all tribes live in harmony, peace and free to work anywhere one chooses to.

Long live npp

Long live tfc

Long live Ghana.

Theophilus Musa--------------president of train for change (0242-081716)

Carl Obed Brew---------------vice president of train for change (0541421291)

Aaron Angati-----------acting secretary of train for change (0545573808)
The Ghana Revenue Authority is considering taxing mobile money services in the country. The move is in line with plans to plug loopholes in revenue mobilization in the informal sector.

Figures released by the Bank of Ghana show mobile money services are gaining strong traction in the country with the number of registered users growing 50 per cent year-on-year.

Newly appointed Commissioner General of the GRA Kofi Nti dropped the hint in an exclusive interview with Starr Business on some critical issues he intend addressing within the short term of his tenure in office.

"For me one critical is the informal sector which accounts for less than 4 percent, we want to have a link to their database and explore how we can rope them into the tax net, he said.

Now mobile money every body is using it maybe some small funds could be coming from there, so we will be exploring the opportunities he added.

Earlier the New GRA Boss appealed to staff of the Authority to support him in succeeding since revenue generation is critical to the success of the Akuffo Addo led administration.

The Former tax policy advisor at the Finance ministry begins work officially today after taking over from George Blankson. Mr. Nti comes to the job with over 30 years of experience as a banker, economist, statistician, accountant and tax expert. He has
The Turkish Government has indicated its willingness to support the 'one district, one factory' policy of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration.

Turkish Ambassador to Ghana, Nesrin Bayazit, told DAILY GUIDE yesterday that her country was willing to share its expertise in the areas of industrial development and agriculture to boost the policy.

Ghana, Ambassador Bayazit said, has a great future, with the 'one district, one factory' programme and that her country is ready to throw its weight behind the policy of the new government by bringing in Turkish investors to invest here.

The Turkish envoy was happy that the strong ties between the two countries had reopened its embassy in Accra in 2010 after a long period of absence due to what she called 'austerity period.' Ghana reciprocated in 2012 with the opening of an embassy in Ankara, the Turkish capital.

Ghana-Turkey established diplomatic ties in 1958, a year after the former gained independence, leading to the opening of its embassy in Accra in 1964.

Since the time of the reopening of the diplomatic missions, the two countries have had three presidential visits  two from Turkey in 2011 and 2016 with President John Mahama returning the visit in 2013.

It shows the growth of the diplomatic relationship. We see Ghana as an important development partner, Ambassador Bayazit stated.

She was of the strong view that trade volume between her country and Ghana would reach $500,000 million by the year 2020. The trade volume in 2016 alone was in the range of $415 million, believing that the half a billion dollar target may be achieved.

Ghana, she explained, is a priority for Turkish businesses with the first Turkish products fair having been held last year in Ghana.

She mentioned the Karpower barge producing electricity at Tema and the building of the Terminal Three at the Kotoka International Airport as well as the water project at Oda and Akwatia in the Eastern Region and part of the Central Region as some of the flagship projects.

We're also constructing a water treatment plant which is being supported by the Turkish Exim Bank, she disclosed.

Ambassador Bayazit also indicated the award of scholarship to Ghanaian students for undergraduate and graduate studies as well as vocational training for professionals in Turkey.

The Turkish envoy cautioned Ghanaians against dealing with any group claiming to represent the interest of her country.

The group said to be running some educational facilities in Ghana and other parts of the world, she claimed, is linked to a terrorist who organized the July 15 coup to topple the elected government of Turkey.

She said the group is not only an internal threat to Turkey, but it has wider international dimension.

She expressed the hope that Ghana will join countries that have stopped the activities of the group linked to the Islamic preacher, Muhammed Fethullah Gulen.
Paris (AFP) - French President Francois Hollande called Tuesday on Britain to "accept its responsibility" to take in stranded under-age migrants stuck in France who wish to join up with family in the UK.

The issue has been a constant irritant between the two countries, made worse by Britain's decision this month to end an arrangement to take in up to 3,000 unaccompanied minors from Europe.

The scrapping of the so-called "Dubs agreement" by Britain's conservative government has sparked criticism from opposition MPs in London and led to anger in France.

"France is playing its part in the European effort. We expect that our partners do the same, particularly when we are talking about minors on their own," Hollande told a conference on children in conflict zones.

"I call on the United Kingdom to accept its responsibility for adolescents in France at the moment who have family on the other side of the Channel," he added.

Last October, French authorities cleared a squalid camp near the Calais port on the Channel sea separating the countries which was filled with thousands of migrants hoping to reach Britain.

The camp dwellers, many fleeing war in Sudan, Iraq or Afghanistan, were dispersed around France. Children with family in Britain were assured that authorities would help them travel to reach them.

A first wave who arrived in Britain shortly afterwards sparked outrage in the right-wing press, with opponents questioning the age of some of the children who appeared to be teenagers or older.

One conservative MP suggested the new arrivals should undergo dental tests to prove their age.

On February 8, the government announced it would limit to 350, instead of 3,000, the number of unaccompanied young migrants who would be admitted from Europe.

Interior minister Amber Rudd argued that the scheme was encouraging children to travel to Europe and that Britain had accepted thousands of others from camps bordering war-torn Syria.

Prime Minister Theresa May has made reducing immigration one of her priorities since taking office in July following her country's decision to leave the European Union.
On February 24, 1966, the first President of Ghana, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, was removed from office through a joint military and police coup. The overthrow of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP) government 51years ago is regrettable, to say the least.

In 1956, the CPP won the Legislative Election leading to independence and Kwame Nkrumah became the first Prime Minister of Ghana. He was later elected President of the first Republic in 1960.

According to declassified documents from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the United States, France and Britain had been trying to truncate Nkrumahs regime since 1964.

President Nkrumah was seen as an ally of erstwhile Soviet Union and the Eastern Europe. But the pan-African leader declared his position in one of his famous statements, We neither face East nor West; we face forward.

At the invitation of President Ho Chi Minh, Dr. Nkrumah left Ghana for Hanoi on February 21, 1966, to resolve the Vietnam War. Since the country had no vice president, Ghana was left in the control of a three-man Presidential Commission.

Consequently, the CIA-backed coup in Ghana was carried out at the dawn of February 24, 1966, while Nkrumah was still on a peace mission in Southeast Asia. And that became the end of Nkrumahs political career in Ghana.

The masterminds of the 1966 revolution were Col. E.K. Kotoka, Major A.A. Afrifa, and Mr. J.W.K. Harley, the then Inspector-General of Police. The bloody coup detat that toppled the first Republican Constitution of Ghana was codenamed Operation Cold Chop.

The rationale behind the coup

In the early morning hours of February 24, 1966, Col. Kotoka of the 2nd Infantry Brigade is quoted to have announced on Radio Ghana that, Kwame Nkrumah is overthrown, and the myth surrounding him is broken.

One may ask the question, what inspired the security officers to overthrow Osagyefo Dr. Nkrumah? And on what basis can the coup be said to be justified?

The famous coup-makers cited Nkrumahs Preventive Detection Act (PDA), mismanagement, dictatorial practices, abuse of human rights, oppression and the deteriorating economy of Ghana as the principal reasons for the uprising.

Just to play the devils advocate. How did the revolution contribute towards national development? Did the countrys fortunes improve in any way after Nkrumahs administration was deposed? Obviously, your guess is as good as mine.

His strengths & weaknesses

Dr. Kwame Nkrumah was not without flaws. And like every human, he had his strengths, weaknesses, success, and failure or downfall. I cannot be mistaken to allude the above as the underlying factors that resulted in his overthrow one way or the other.

For instance, the one-party state Nkrumah created in the CPP, the declaration of Presidency for Life by Osagyefo in 1964, and the imprisonment of opposition members without trial were quite unfortunate.

But some political analysts and historians have justified the PDA which was passed into law in 1958. The Act empowered President Nkrumah to imprison his opponents without trial up to 5years, and later extended to10years.

The PDA has been described as a necessary evil because of the series of bomb attacks and assassination attempts on Osagyefos life. There were at least seven attempts to assassinate Dr. Nkrumah during his presidency.

Many Ghanaians took to the street and jubilated over the saddened revolution which forced Dr. Nkrumah into political asylum. Subsequently, the long-term goals, policies and vision of Nkrumah became a mirage.

Today, there is a paradigm shift in Ghanas history. Kwame Nkrumah, who was once vilified by his own people, is now recognised for his exemplary leadership in Ghana and Africa as a whole.

Osagyefo was a selfless leader who did not pursue his parochial interest to the detriment of his country. His drive for the total liberation and unity of Africa also affected his administration in diverse ways.

Nkrumahs achievements

The success story of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah distinguished him among his contemporaries in Africa. His ideology for pan-Africanism, Africa liberation and self-governance earned him an enviable reputation worldwide.

It therefore came as no surprise when Nkrumah was pronounced Africas greatest son (Man of the Millennium) in the year 2000. His social policies and style of leadership were impeccable.

As an international icon of freedom in Africa, Kwame Nkrumah was the first leader in sub-Saharan Africa to gain independence for his country from the British colony in 1957.

Dr. Nkrumah was, undoubtedly, one of the finest presidents Ghana and even Africa has ever had. He is fondly remembered for the better roads, schools, hospitals, factories, the Akosombo Dam and the Tema Harbour, just to name a few.

After the overthrow of the CPP administration, Nkrumah sought political exile in Conakry with his Guinean counterpart, President Ahmed Sekou Toure. He was appointed Co-President of Guinea until death laid its icy hands on him in 1972. He died at the age of 63.

There is no denying that successive governments have, over the years, abandoned most of the projects and policies of Osagyefo based on political grounds. A poor maintenance culture is the bane of this country.

As we mark 60years of independence, it is important that fellow Ghanaians remain united and draw inspiration from the achievements, ideology, and vision of Kwame Nkrumah and our founding fathers for the purpose of nation building, regardless of our political affiliation.

The forces that unite us are intrinsic and greater than the superimposed influences that keep us apart, Kwame Nkrumah.

ASP James Annan

Prisons Headquarters

[email protected]



The writer is an Assistant Superintendent of Prisons (ASP) at the Prisons Headquarters, Accra

A Monument Of Kwame Nkrumah Was Pulled Down Outside The Parliament House

The Leader Of The 1966 Coup, Col E.k. Kotoka (left) And Maj. A.a. Afrifa

Maj. Afrifa Cheering His Men After The 1966 Coup D'etat

How Nkrumah Received The News Of The Coup While In Hanoi

Dr. Kwame Nkrumah Exchanging Pleasantries With Col E.k. Kotoka At A Military Function
21.02.2017 LISTEN

Restrata, a global leader in safety and security consultancy and training services, is warning of the continued need for improved hotel security to protect employees and guests from future terror attacks across the Middle East and North Africa.

In a newly launched white paper, the firm addresses how the hospitality industry should step up its efforts to protect itself against potentially deadly attacks by identifying the steps which must be taken to improve security systems, processes and cultures.

Hotels have been seen as a soft target for terrorist attacks because they tend to have large, open spaces and attract a high number of visitors, many of whom are often foreigners.

Between 1970 and January 2016, there have been more than 160 terrorist attacks targeted at hotels worldwide. Over the past five years alone, more than 40 hotel terrorist attacks have occurred.

Restrata believes more must be done to ensure hotel staff are effectively trained and possess the proper knowledge and equipment to detect and prevent future attacks.

Botan Osman, Managing Director of Restrata said: Hospitality targeted attacks may rise unless the industry takes a harder stance. This can be done whilst balancing the business needs of the hotel.

Examining the growth in hotel attacks demonstrates a worrying statistic, with a quarter of all hotel attacks since 1970 occurring in the past five years. Documented attacks within the hotel industry focus primarily on North African states where terror levels are already high, yet research suggests a number of hospitality premises in these areas are lacking in basic security design features.

Sadly not all incidents can be prevented. Mr Osman added: Attempts must be made to prevent terrorist attacks, but operators should also have a plan in place to deal with such events.

We live in an interactive world, where terrorist attacks quickly gain traction in the media. As a global hotel brand, this level of coverage means that an assault on one property ultimately impacts overall reputation by association, damaging the overall brand image.

Restratas white paper reports that the challenge for the hotel sector is to strike the right balance between creating a welcoming environment while ensuring the safety and security of visitors, guests and staff.

We have found that appropriate security measures are often not considered early enough in the design stage of most hotel developments. Its frequently seen as an unnecessary cost and theres a belief that installing CCTV cameras will suffice, explained Jas Jaiya, technical design authority at Restrata.

The hotel industry is key to the economic diversification of many countries within the Middle East and Africa. However, the rise in Islamic terrorism and cyber-crime is having a huge impact on these countries which have the potential to become popular tourist destinations if they adopt a more active approach to security, emergency planning and staff training.

One factor leading to the continued allure of hotels as targets has been the hardening of embassies and other diplomatic facilities. Unlike an embassy, a hotel needs to maintain a steady flow of visitors and, on any given day, a large five-star hotel can host hundreds of guests and have hundreds of additional visitors using other facilities.

Many hotel security programmes have dramatically improved in response to the threat against them, however there is so much more to be done.

Serving clients across the world from its offices around the globe, and headquartered in the UAE, Restrata provides a range of safety and security services to establish the necessary security and crisis management arrangements to build resilience within organisations, including consultancy, auditing and risk assessments, situational awareness and tracking, training and workforce development, response services in crisis and continuity management, fire and rescue services, safe journey management, and HSE management.

Download the white paper at http://info.restrata.com/hotelsecurity-whitepaper-new


Ghana's former President Jerry John Rawlings has described the emergence of Presidents Buhari of Nigeria and Akufo-Addo of Ghana as a divine intervention because of their respected anti-corruption credentials.

The former president said Ghana is fortunate to have somebody like Nana Akufo-Addo because of his principles and values.

President Rawlings, who spoke during a courtesy call on him on Friday by a group of actors, including renowned Nigerian actor Pete Edochie, underscored, People think I like that man to high heavens. No, but I respect him for certain principles and values and I will continue to pray and I sincerely hope that he stays the track and devote possibly over 30 percent of his time to fight corruption and corruptible tendencies.

The actors are working on a film production based on corruption, and Mr Rawlings commended the production of the movie which has been titled, 'Greedy Bastards' for its important and valuable theme.

I must congratulate you for what you're trying to do. Let's use some of these movies effectively. People are distorting historical truths all the time. When you find yourselves at the centre of human endeavours like I have, truth must be sacrosanct, he stated.

Former President Rawlings, however, expressed misgivings over the removal and subsequent reinstatement of the head of a government department, who had been involved in questionable dealings.

He wondered whose political influence had been brought to bear on the appointing authority, stating that that is why we have to pray for the president to stay the course.

He articulated, I am using very polite language because I am not unaware of what this particular Ghanaian has been doing in that department. He should have been thrown out, kept out and investigated but it appears somebody's influence brought itself to bear and the decision was rescinded.

Touching on Nigeria, the former president said it's unfortunate that the cost of living appears to be suffocating the people.

So while some are praying for his health, some are praying he wouldn't come back, he said in reference to President Buhari's presence in the UK for medical treatment.

He said rather than blame Buhari, we should be blaming the extent and depth to which corruption had gripped Nigeria, adding, But I guess you need a creative team that would know how to resolve the economic situation of the country without possibly undermining the cost of living of the people.

Rawlings, popularly called Papa J, also called for God's guidance for President Adama Barrow of The Gambia.

His emergence is an acknowledgment of the rebirth of true freedom and justice in The Gambia and I sincerely hope that he will not lose his values and allow himself to be corrupted. And I wish the same for the government (Ghana) here, he prayed.

Papa J noted that people are getting away with massive corruption because they are not compelled to conform to traditional religious authority.

We swear by the Bible and the Quran and lie but dare not with our local traditional deities. We are destroying the fabric of our society. This is not good enough.
The Writer

21.02.2017 LISTEN

One of the importance of circular education is that it has made knowledge polyvalent in that there are many forms and facets of it. Whereas a school of thought are of the view that a thing is bad, others with empirical evidence will also be of a strong conviction that it is good. The debate on the use of contraceptives is a clear example. One thing we need not forget is that though times changes, wisdom remains constant. The approaches and methods may change or take different forms yet the principles remain constant.

We must appreciate the fact that even before the inception of circular education in Africa and Ghana in particular, societies had their own way of socialization ie passing on believes, customs, precepts, values, norms, among others from the old to new generations.

One of the cliches by then was that the elderly are always right. This cliche kept ringing in the minds of the youth thus once an elderly person spoke or advised on an issue, the best they could do was to kill their sense of reasoning and just be gullible and dogmatic to the dictates of the elderly irrespective of the cost. I know some folks of today would have a different view especially when what they are being told is not in line with what they wanted to hear or believe in.

However, it is a rare person who wants to hear what he doesnt want to hear (Dick Cavett). If you make listening and observation your occupation, you will gain much more than you can talk (Robert Baden-Power). Believe you me, life was simpler and lovely then than it is today. Some of our mothers were betrothed to our fathers when they were born yet they accepted those choices as they grew up knowing very well that decisions emanating from the elderly especially their parents was wisdom. Same cannot be said about our generation of today.

The youth are quick to say I know my right, we are quick to make all sort of logical and theoretical analysis to support anything we intend doing whether good or bad forgetting the old adage that says that  what the elderly sees whiles sitting, the tallest child cannot see whiles at the apex of the tallest tree. Things are even worse as most of us claim to be lovers of God thus read the Bible, Quran and other religious literature. We misinterpret quotations from the bible for instance as a basis to ignore some of the good councils the elderly in society gives us. For instance we are told to abstain from kissing when in a relationship yet one will be quick to quote any of the below quotations:

Rom 16:16 salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you.

1Co 16:20 All the brethren greet you. Greet ye one another with an holy kiss.

2Co 13:12 Greet one another with an holy kiss.

1Th 5:26 Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss.

As interesting as it look, some will be quick not to talk about the holiness of the kiss and will conclude that the good books endorses kissing thus can be practiced without incurring the wrath of God.

The major difference between the youth of today and the old or elderly is that whereas young men speak with so much idealism, the old speak with so much experience. You will easily hear a young man say after SHS Ill go to KNUST, study law, then go to the US, study international law do other things, marry a tall, slim, fair and rich lady who can speak very good English and is from Bolga, among others. But when an elderly person hears this, he simply laughs and says young man relax, life is not as easy as we see it. All the truck pushers, drug addicts, unemployed, etc we see day in and out at a point probably painted more colorful lives they wanted to live in the near future but the question is what went wrong?.

As young as we are we are too idealistic with so much theoretical thinking that we think all that the theories we learn at school says is the ultimate. On the contrary, the elderly after studying all the theories and marrying them with experience have a better and brighter view about life thus we should be quick to listen to them irrespective of our educational laurels.

William Shakespeare said give everyman your ear, but few thy voice. Take each mans censure, but reserve thy judgement. This is one of the difficult things we the youth of today are able to do. Remember God gave us two ears and one mouth so we can hear twice as much as we say. Every person I work with knows something better than me. My job is to listen long enough to find it and use it (Jack Nichols). Proverbs 2:2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding. All the above quotations points out the importance of inclining onces ear to wisdom.

This means we as young people with all the zeal and enthusiasm to do exploits must be quick to listern to the council of especially the elderly even in situations where we disagree with their council. A good listener tries to understand what the other person is saying. In the end he may disagree, he wants to know exactly what it is he is disagreeing with (Kenneth A. Wells). Though we may disagree with some of the old and maybe outmoded views that may emanate from the elderly in society, lets give them a second thought and apply some objectivity in our quest to pass judgment.

King Solomon said there is nothing new under the sun. Everything has been said before, but since nobody listens we have to keep going back and beginning all over again (Andre Gide). All that we need as youth to succeed is right with us, if only we can eschew pride and our unwillingness to listen and learn new things we will be making the most out of the stock of knowledge others have.

The youth of today want to be heard but not ready to listen to others especially those who have used the road we are moving on. To listen well is as powerful a means of influence as to talk well, and is as essential to all true conversation (Chinese proverb). The few who listen end up doing their own thing. You cannot truly listen to anyone and do anything else at the same time (M Scott Peck). When you listen to wisdom, endeavor to act accordingly as it is more costly not listen than to listen and act accordingly. Infect you pay nothing for listening to the elderly who are always ready to council and impart knowledge.

A young man went to the hospital to be circumcised, he met with the doctor and accidentally said he wanted to be castrated. The doctor asked him if he was serious and knew what he was talking about? This young man became furious and rained all sorts of insults at the doctor saying he did not know anything about customer relations and threatened to report him to his superiors. The doctor was not given the opportunity to explain to the boy what he was requesting for. He therefore pulled out an agreement form which they both signed then he carried out the operation on the young boy. Guess what! After two weeks, the young boy returned to the doctor to dress his sore when he overheard someone saying she wanted to circumcise her newly born baby. There and then the young man remembered and told the doctor I actually wanted to be circumcised and not castrated as I said.

Fellows, some mistakes are irreversible, lets therefore endeavor to listen as it is more expensive not to listen. To me average people learn from their experience whiles smart people learn from others; you dont have to take poison to know it kills. When you talk you repeat what you already know; when you listen you listen you often learn something (Jared Sparks). Lets therefore as youth be quick to listen and slow to speak.

Avaala Philemon Ndoliyine

Studied BSC Planning at UDS (2012-2016)

Teaching Assistant Faculty of Planning and Management UDS-Wa

0209667003/0209667003
Harcha (Libya) (AFP) - The bodies of 74 migrants who drowned in the Mediterranean trying to reach Europe have washed up on a beach west of the Libyan capital, the Red Crescent said Tuesday.

Residents of the village of Harcha, outside Zawiya, 45 kilometres (30 miles) from Tripoli, alerted the emergency services after finding a wrecked boat on the beach with bodies inside, the Red Crescent said.

More were discovered elsewhere on the beach and still more were feared to be in the sea.

A long row of black and white body bags was seen lined up near the water's edge.

"We don't have an appropriate vehicle to transport the bodies or a cemetery for unidentified bodies to bury them in," the group said.

"Some bodies are still on the beach and others that we can't reach are still floating in the water."

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said the boat was reported to have foundered on Sunday, leaving as many as 100 people dead.

"Traffickers reportedly stole the engine and left it to drift," the agency said.

"A survivor, reportedly in a coma, was transferred to hospital."

The agency said that if confirmed, the deaths would bring the total number of migrants killed trying to cross the Mediterranean so far this year to more than 365.

It said that 187 migrants were rescued off Zawiya on Saturday, and were currently being held in a detention centre.

The tragedy is believed to be the worst since around 180 people were estimated to have died on January 14 when a migrant boat capsized off the coast of Libya.

Since then, hundreds of people have been plucked from the waters north of the African nation, including 700 on January 30 alone off the western city of Sabratha.

'What price #humanity?'

On Tuesday Italy's coast guard said it rescued around another 630 migrants off the coast of Libya from two drifting vessels, a large boat and a rubber raft.

"74 bodies on a Libyan shore. Each testament to #indifference, a tragedy, entirely preventable. What price #humanity?" tweeted Elhadj As Sy, head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

Most migrant departures take place from the west of Libya, usually heading for Italy 300 kilometres (190 miles) away across the Mediterranean

The IOM said migrant arrivals in Italy had risen sharply this year compared with the same period of 2016.

As of Sunday, 10,120 had arrived compared with 6,589 between January 1 and February 18 last year.

People smugglers have taken advantage of the chaos gripping Libya since the 2011 revolution to greatly boost their lucrative trade.

Most departures take place from the west of Libya, usually heading for Italy 300 kilometres (190 miles) away across the Mediterranean.

Europeans are considering measures aimed at blocking the arrival of thousands of migrants, alarming NGOs which fear that those stranded in Libya may suffer mistreatment.

In the absence of an army or a regular police force in Libya, several militias act as coastguards but are often accused themselves of complicity or even involvement in the people-smuggling business.

Illegal migrants receive food during a visit of the UN envoy to Libya at a detention centre in the Libyan capital tripoli on February 21, 2017

UN Libya envoy Martin Kobler visited a migrants' camp in Tripoli on Tuesday, and said he would be discussing their voluntary repatriation with the authorities.

"They do not have enough food. They have really a serious situation here and it's very important to solve their humanitarian problem," he said.

"If they want to return they must be given the chance to return."

According to the United Nations, more than 5,000 people died last year in attempts to cross the Mediterranean and reach Europe, most of them after embarking from the Libyan coast after paying people smugglers.

This was the highest annual toll on record.

Unlike previous years, winter has not brought an end to the migrant arrivals, just a reduction in the numbers.
By Press Trust of India: Hyderabad, Feb 21 (PTI) Governor of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana E S L Narasimhan today emphasised the need to provide quality education from school-level onward and rued thousands of graduates are coming out of colleges every year with "zero skills".

Speaking after inaugurating TalentSprint?s `SmartCampus here, he said the education sector is not producing the desired results and needs to be restructured.

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Students coming out of colleges are turning into machines instead of human beings, an official release quoted the Governor as saying at the event.

He lamented engineering graduates are unable face interviews due to lack of desired skills. "Thousands of graduates are coming out of colleges every year with zero skills."

Narasimhan said, "Today what we require is skill development. I would also like to appeal that this is the time for all of us to sit down and think what is wrong with our education system.

"Something has gone wrong with our education system, the capacity to think, innovate, ask questions or the intuitive system has collapsed, our educational system has just become a mechanical process, thats where the skill talent will provide a platform which will take us forward."

He felt that with increasing digitisation in all aspects of life, memory power is decreasing in students, forcing them to rely more on virtual world.

He said changes are necessary in methods of teaching to ensure students are fully equipped with required skills and are ready to face the real time world.

"It is time for Government to reinvent education and there is no purpose in opening IITs, IIMs all over the place unless I have the right quality of faculty and right quality of education," the Governor added. PTI VVK RSY

--- ENDS ---
Frank Danyansah, Chief Executive Officer of Danywise Estate and Construction, has indicated that the cost of the official vice presidential residence was enough to provide 600 housing units for the country.

He said the actual contract sum  $13,900  as revealed by Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia with its cedi equivalent being GH55,600,000.00, could put up about 600 three-bedroom apartments.

The construction expert revealed this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, following the veep's revelation.

The amount above can give this country about 600 units of three-bedroom houses which can be given to civil servants or public sector workers, teachers, nurses, police, across the 216 districts.

It can help reduce our housing deficit. It could be used to build affordable houses for our numerous head porters found on the streets or even health facilities across the various districts, Mr Frank Danyansah said.

He said Ghana's housing deficit stood at 1.7 million units, and was projected to escalate to 2 million by 2018.

This means the government would have to build 190,000 to 200,000 units each year for the next decade to close the gap.

Mr Danyansah expressed misgivings about the report, The revelation below shows clearly how misplaced our priorities are.

He called for a probe and further downward review of the project and its associated costs, with a request for immediate scrutiny as he believed justice had not been done on the public purse.

He told the GNA that the document from the Architectural and Engineering Services Limited (AESL) confirmed the $13.9 million figure quoted by Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia as the actual figure for the project.

The document indicates that a total of $8,179,138.95 dollars has been spent already on the project, with an outstanding amount of $5,789,113.71 left to be paid for the completion of the project, he recalled.

He said per the document, the total cost of the project was $13,968,252.66, covering the cost of stone facing works, hard wood panel doors, external electrification works, sculpture and emblems.

Mr Frank Danyansah claimed he understood, upon further review of the document, that when minds are set to create, loot and share, there is always oversight, mostly at stating the Provisional Sums.

He said the cost of electrical installations, air conditioning, mechanical installations and swimming pool, as indicated by the document, was $4,050,000, which was higher than the super structure ground, first and second floors, which was $3,800,000 dollars.

Bright Simons, an official of IMANI Ghana, a political think-tank, attributed the inflation to lack of transparency.
The disciplinary committee of the Lower Manya Constituency branch of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has reportedly suspended Michael Teye Nyaunu, the former Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, and three others from the party.

DAILY GUIDE gathered that the committees chairman, Christian Azu, took the decision but had not yet communicated it to them at the time of filing this story.

According to the committee, a letter was written to the constituency executives that the party members should not attend any meeting organised by Teye Nyaunu and the other suspended members in the persons of the former MCE of the area, Isaac Tetteh Agbo; Korletey Samuel, the constituency organiser and Alex Konotey, the vice chair for the constituency.

They are believed to be instigating the branches of the party against the constituency executives on polling agents' money allegedly squandered by some constituency executives during the 2016 elections, according to a section of party members.

DAILY GUIDE learnt that the suspension followed the decision by the concerned branch executives of the party to lock up the constituency's office at Nuaso Korlenya on Saturday, February 11, 2016.

Atsu Culture, the spokesperson for the group, told DAILY GUIDE that the action was in response to the failure of the national and the regional executives to act on their request for some constituency executives to be suspended.

He alleged that the executives pocketed part of monies belonging to polling agents and prompters during the last elections, paying them only GH$100 out of the budgeted GH$200.

According to him, even after the partys national chairman, Kofi Portuphy, had intervened and ordered the sitting MP, Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi, to pay the polling agents within two weeks, the MP still refused to make the payment.

The group intimated that its action was necessitated by certain misconduct of the leaders which led to the partys poor performance in the December 2016 polls.

By press time, DAILY GUIDE's attempts to speak to Mr Michael Teye Nyaunu on his alleged suspension had proved futile.

From Daniel Bampoe, Lower Manya
The youth of Nzema in the Western Region have strongly condemned some paramount chiefs who they claim, have introduced tribalism into the appointment of chief executive officer (CEO) of the Ghana Gas Company located at Atuabo in the region.

The chiefs are said to be calling for an Nzema person to be appointed for the topmost job.

It would be recalled that Awulae Agyefi Kwame and Awulae Agamatu Agyan, paramount chiefs of Nsein and Bamiankor Traditional Areas respectively during a press conference last Saturday, kicked against the president's decision to appoint Dr. Ben Asante as the caretaker CEO of the company.

The chiefs, who claimed they represented the rest of the five paramount chiefs of the Nzema Manle Council, rather preferred one Professor Sagary Nokoe.

According to the chiefs, Prof Nokoe is an Nzema who understands the socio-cultural, economic, security, political and environmental dynamics of the terrain of the Nzemas and so was fit to be considered for the job.

However, the youth of the area have indicated that the views expressed by the two chiefs did not reflect the views and aspirations of the peace-loving people of Nzema.

The Nzema youth have indicated that the path taken by the two chiefs was dangerous for the unity of the nation.

They have therefore called on all well-meaning Ghanaians and civil society groups to join in condemning the purported tribal and ethnocentric statements by their respected chiefs.

If the Ashanti Kingdom were also to decide that all jobs in the Ashanti Region should be offered to only Ashantis or the Greater Accra chiefs also were to rise and make similar statements, would Ghana be united? they quizzed.

Addressing a press conference at Axim in reaction to the chiefs' statement, Theophilus Musa, President of the Nzema Youth, noted that there are seven paramount chiefs in the Nzema enclave, and that five of them were not part of the press conference on Saturday and that they were in total disagreement with the suggestion by the two chiefs.

He indicated that Ghana Gas is not the preserve of Nzema people but all Ghanaians, stressing that the alleged ploy by some few individuals to purportedly scuttle the success of the NPP government in Nzemaland would fail.

We the youth and the entire people of Nzema fully support the appointment of Dr Ben Asante as the CEO of Ghana Gas because he is qualified, experienced and better suited for the job, he pointed out.

He continued, The Nzema youth do not wish to denigrate Professor Sagary Nokoe, the Nzema whose name was mentioned by the chiefs for the top job at Ghana Gas, but we think the retired professor wanted to use the two chiefs to coerce the president to give him the job.

From Emmanuel Opoku, Axim
THE ASHANTI Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah, has vehemently debunked rumours making the rounds that he has threatened to ban head porters from operating in Kumasi.

He stated that there is no iota of truth in the wild allegation therefore the Kumasi head porters also known as 'Kayayei,' should not feel threatened.

According to him, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government has plans of making life better and comfortable for head porters so they should not panic.

It was mentioned during the minister's vetting that he had said he would not allow the youth from the Northern Regions to migrate to Kumasi to work as head porters.

The statement is said to have sparked tension and anxiety among hundreds of kayayei who ply their trade in the Ashanti Regional capital.

Tension is also said to be mounting on one Adiza Zongo Pioneer, President of the Head Porters' Association and staunch member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

They are said to have blamed Adiza Zongo Pioneer who convinced most of them to vote for the NPP to improve their lives.

Mr Osei Mensah, setting the records straight, said he only called for massive support for the NPP's 'One District, One Factory' campaign promise.

He explained that constructing factories in the districts would help provide jobs and prevent the youth from migrating to other areas in search of jobs.

The Ashanti Regional Minister expressed concern about the dangers that the youth expose their lives to whilst migrating to other areas for unavailable jobs.

Speaking on Hello fm in Kumasi, he stated that he did not say anything like preventing the head porters from working in the region when he was being vetted.

Osei Mensah also said he would work tirelessly and seek the support of the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu and Nananom to rebrand the Asante culture.

FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi
21.02.2017 LISTEN

The High Court - Human Rights Division - has ordered former Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to render an apology to two Multimedia journalists.

The court, presided over by Justice Anthony K. Yeboah found the AMA under Alfred Oko Vanderpuije and police unlawfully interfered with and violated the rights of Solomon Joojo Cobbinah, Festus Jackson Davies and a driver of the company Felix Akunor to do their constitutionally guaranteed duties as journalists.

The former mayor, the AMA and the IGP were jointly sued in 2015 for attempting to arrest the reporters and arresting and detaining the driver for filming the aftermath of the demolition of Mensa Guinea in September 2014.

The AMA flattened mostly wooden structures that served as homes to some three hundred inhabitants of Mensa Guinea located behind the Arts Centre near the sea.

The victims complained of unfair treatment accusing Mr Vanderpuije of dangerously exposing women and children to the vagaries of the weather especially the cold sea waves while the girls were exposed to rape among other criminal and anti-social acts.

Mr Vanderpuije called police on the reporters who were filming the homeless nightlife of the victims after the demolition, accusing them of fabricating a story to embarrass and cause disaffection for government.

But the court held that "there was no legal or objectively reasonable justification for the suspicion that the reporters were committing an offence or were attempting to do so."

It declared that Mr Vanderpuije and his collaborator's action was a "wrongful and unlawful...interference with the reporters' right to personal liberty, freedom of expression, right to information and right to enjoyment of the independence of the media."

It has, therefore, ordered the incumbent Coordinating Director of the AMA and the IGP to render separate apologies to the reporters within seven days and have their apologies published in the Daily Graphic newspaper to be given "special prominence."

The court awarded a cost of GHC5000 saying the apology, like a rejoinder, should take the place of damages.

Lawyer for the reporters, Samson Lardy Anyenini, says the judge was thorough and clear with his judgment and that this was yet another victory against abuse of journalists coming in the wake a similar recent emphatic judicial vindication of responsible journalism in the Afia Pokua case against the NHIS.

Story by Ghana|myjoyonline.com
Josephine Agbeko addressing the press. With her are executives of EBAFOSA

Ghana is set to launch its version of the all-inclusive pan-African framework on food security on March 3, this year.

The Ecosystem Based Adaption for Food Security Assembly (EBAFOSA) established under the auspices of the United Nations Environmental Programme is launching the initiative in collaboration with the Ministries of Food and Agriculture and Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation.

The event, according to EBAFOSA, will be held at the University of Ghana, and it is expected to bring together key stakeholders in all areas  public and private, to collaborate in developing and implementing policy solutions to upscale Ecosystem Based Adaptation  driven agriculture and its value chain improvements toward ensuring sustainable inclusive growth in Ghana.

Communications Director at EBAFOSA Ghana, Josephine Agbeko, who addressed journalists at the Accra International Press Centre on Monday, explained that the pan-African framework promotes volunteerism in the agricultural sector with the aim of ensuring food security for citizens across Africa.

We recognize the potential of the increasing the number of youth and their capacity to transform our country through innovative volunteerism and entrepreneurship if we develop a less bureaucratic environment for them and integrate private sector support and investment to startups and innovative SMEs, she said.

Ms. Agbeko said that climate change has negatively affected the Ghanaian economy through agriculture.

According to her, It is time to make this known to everyone. It is now becoming very common to find almost everyone complaining about the hotness in temperature, especially in Accra.

About EBAFOSA

EBAFOSA-Ghana is the Ghanaian chapter of the all-inclusive pan African policy framework and platform.

It seeks to tackle food insecurity, climate change adaptation and mitigation, ecosystems degradation and poverty in Ghana.

By Melvin Tarlue


The Human Rights Advocacy Centre (HRAC) has noted with great unease, a video circulating on the media where a lady suspected to have stolen GHS 1,100 on Friday was stripped naked, beaten, and paraded barefooted on the streets of Kejetia by a crowd of men.

These men forced open her legs to take pictures and videos of her vagina, while others inserted their toes into her reproductive organ, flogging her on the buttocks and her plea for mercy was not heard. She was stripped of all her clothes with the exception of her red bra and felt too weak to defend herself so she laid helpless on the street.

HRAC condemns this act and finds it debasing, dehumanizing and in utmost violation of the right of the victim enshrined under Article 15 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana. Article 15 provides:

(1) The dignity of all persons shall be inviolable.

(2) No person shall, whether or not he is arrested, restricted or detained be subjected to 

(a) torture or other cruel inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment.

(b) any other condition that detracts or is likely to detract from dignity and worth as a human being.

The criminal offences Act, 1960 (Act 29) also states under section 84, that whoever unlawfully assaults any person is guilty of misdemeanor. This case falls on all fours with the provisions under section 86 of Act 29 which defines the scope of assault and battery. The perpetrators of these heinous acts should be punished in order to deter others from repeating or even contemplating on repeating such violent acts.

The Human Rights Advocacy Centre therefore urges the police, the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) and other stakeholders to expedite action on getting justice for the victim. HRAC will also take all the necessary steps to ensure that the right of the victim is enforced and ensure that justice is duly served.

Human Rights Advocacy Centre

Osu, Ako-Adjei. Accra

0302768733
Abidjan (AFP) - The trial opened Tuesday in Ivory Coast of 10 men, mainly soldiers, accused of kidnapping and killing four men from the Novotel hotel in Abidjan in April 2011.

"All the defendants are present," the presiding judge Mourlaye Cissoko announced. "They all have a lawyer."

The case is expected to shed light on the abduction and murder of the hotel's manager, along with the head of Ivory Coast's largest agro-industrial group and two other businessmen in an unexplained crime, while bloodshed raged in Abidjan between rival political factions.

The defendants include General Brunot Dogbo Ble, who was commander of the Republican Guard in the service of Laurent Gbagbo, a former president who refused to step down after losing a November 2010 election to Alassane Ouattara and who clung to power by force.

Gbagbo is himself on trial before the International Criminal Court in The Hague, charged with crimes against humanity during more than four months of conflict in Abidjan that claimed about 3,000 lives.

At night on April 4, 2011, armed men burst into the Novotel hotel in a part of the economic capital under the control of Gbagbo's forces and snatched the French manager, Stephane Frantz di Rippel.

They also kidnapped Yves Lambelin, the French chairman of Ivory Coast's largest private firm, Sifca, his Beninese assistant Raoul Adeossi and a Malaysian, Chelliah Pandian, who ran a Sifca subsidiary, Sania.

According to the new Ouattara regime, which was installed once Gbagbo was arrested on April 11, the hit squad took their victims to the presidential palace, where they were tortured and eventually killed.

Two corpses were found at the end of May in Abidjan's lagoon, but the only body that could be formally identified was Lambelin's.

Five of the men facing trial, including Dogbo Ble, are charged with abduction and murder, while the others are accused of kidnapping and/or making the bodies disappear, supposedly in black plastic bags used to cover bananas.

The trial was meant to start last November, but put off at the last moment until January 31, when it was again postponed because half of the accused were not in court.

The delay aroused anger from defence lawyers and civil parties in the case, who want to find out why the victims died and how far up the chain of command the order was issued.
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21.02.2017 LISTEN

Citi FM's Eyewitness News Anchor and Parliamentary Correspondent, Richard Sky, is in the United States of America as one of the guests currently visiting the US State Department.

Mr. Sky, who left Accra on Saturday for Washington DC, was invited to be part of the highly reputable International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP), which will take him to at least five different federal states in the world's most powerful nation.

The State Department, through the US Embassy in Accra, selected Mr. Sky  who is known in Ghana for his consistent advocacy and open insistence on full-time transparency and accountability in public office  to be part of the 14 participants, attending the programme from Africa.

As one of two youthful Ghanaians attending this year's programme, Mr. Sky, who works as Editor for Features and Current Affairs at Accra-based Citi FM, calls his invitation by the US Government a rare honour to learn in and about a democratic system that works.

People's National Convention (PNC), General Secretary, Atik Mohammed, is the second participant attending this year's IVLP from Ghana.

The program starts in Washington DC, and ends three weeks later at Miami in the State of Florida.

About the program

The website of the US Embassy in Accra describes the IVLP as an extremely popular and competitive program which enhances understanding of the United States among current and future opinion leaders and policymakers.

Officials say the IVLP draws more than 4,400 visitors annually, including some twenty Ghanaians.

Since its inception, 260 Ghanaians have participated, some in individual programs and others in single-country, regional, or multi-regional group projects, says the website of the US Embassy in Accra.

The theme for this year's programme is Emerging Leaders: Newly Elected Officials. It is scheduled for February 21  March 10, 2017.

The programme will examine prevailing political, economic, and social issues at the federal, state, and local levels in the U.S. Taking place a month after the US Presidential inauguration, which saw peaceful transfer of power from the Obama Administration to the Trump Administration, the project will provide participants with insight into the historic and legal foundations of U.S. policy and democracy.

Mr. Sky will not be reporting on events and proceedings during the programme since the rules of the IVLP dont allow same. However, he hopes to bring his new experiences to bear on his line of work and to impact colleague journalists he works with.

Sky speaks on experience at the program

On the phone from Washington DC, Mr. Sky spoke in excitement about the positive future he hopes to over time see in Africa after the programme.

The lessons I hope to learn during the IVLP will be enormous. The profound impact I expect those lessons to make on me and on my country will in the end, be transformational, Mr. Sky said.

He added: I'll say we are here to see and learn about what makes America  a nation so diverse and yet so integrated and fit for purpose  work seamlessly, and to study about the robust engines that keep the train of a working democracy running unobstructed in this vast country.

Those of us here are fortunate in many respects, he said.

If we truly deploy the full strength of the lessons we pick up here after returning home, with a focus on helping build a continent that works for all citizens, and not a privileged few, we can in our own little ways, and together with other progressive minds in this generation and the next  be a tiny but compelling force of change in making our countries worthy of their names in the fullness of time.

Through the lessons we learn here, he said, we can represent a glow of hope for a despondent generation facing an uncertain future on a continent blessed with so much natural and human resources, but tragically plagued with unimaginable poverty, squalor and disease. I believe the paradox of Africa can be fixed in our lifetime, and there can be no greater human satisfaction than playing our part in making this happen.

Humans, and indeed patriots, built and continue to build the United States of America through unbelievable sacrifices that have changed the world, said the Eyewitness News Anchor.

We have many of such patriots in plentiful supply in Africa, but it is the leadership at many levels that is tragically failing. Armed with the lessons we are absorbing here in the US, we can in our own little ways, help the patriots back home build the Africa we love all into an enduring and functional empire capable of attracting deserving respect from her citizens and of other nations and continents.

During the three-week program, participants will keenly observe crucial characteristics of American social, economic, political, cultural and educational institutions and practices through meetings, workshops, seminars, site visits, and home hospitality.

Also, participants will visit historic sites and attractive areas as well as attend remarkable cultural events in the US.

The pluralistic nature of the U.S. will be explored through the diversity of opinions and policy at all levels of the political system on key issues such as immigration, regional economic challenges, human and civil rights, law enforcement, climate change and energy, said an official email inviting Mr. Sky to the United States.

These viewpoints will include government officials and agencies, NGOs, academia, and the media, it added.

Richard Skys brief background

Mr. Sky, son of Esther Dzaka, a petty trader based in Adafienu in the Volta Region of Ghana, describes himself on twitter as a servant of Ghana, Africa and the world.

From his humble beginnings as head porter at Denu, district Capital of the Ketu South Municipal Assembly, Mr. Sky has risen to be counted today among the top ranks of Ghana's media elite in the broadcasting spectrum.

Previously a staff of The Statesman Newspaper in Accra, Mr. Sky officially joined Citi FM in January 2006 as a reporter, and climbed up the ladder to become host of the station's flagship Eyewitness News program, which is a market leader in its segment.

Mr. Sky will be away for three weeks.

In his absence, former Eyewitness News Hostess, Shamima Muslim Alhassan, another respected broadcaster, returns as care-taker anchor of the show until the second week of March.



By: citifmonline.com/Ghana
By Press Trust of India: Hyderabad, Feb 21 (PTI) Governor of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana E S L Narasimhan today emphasised the need to provide quality education from school-level onward and rued thousands of graduates are coming out of colleges every year with "zero skills".

Speaking after inaugurating TalentSprint?s `SmartCampus here, he said the education sector is not producing the desired results and needs to be restructured.

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Students coming out of colleges are turning into machines instead of human beings, an official release quoted the Governor as saying at the event.

He lamented engineering graduates are unable face interviews due to lack of desired skills. "Thousands of graduates are coming out of colleges every year with zero skills."

Narasimhan said, "Today what we require is skill development. I would also like to appeal that this is the time for all of us to sit down and think what is wrong with our education system.

"Something has gone wrong with our education system, the capacity to think, innovate, ask questions or the intuitive system has collapsed, our educational system has just become a mechanical process, thats where the skill talent will provide a platform which will take us forward."

He felt that with increasing digitisation in all aspects of life, memory power is decreasing in students, forcing them to rely more on virtual world.

He said changes are necessary in methods of teaching to ensure students are fully equipped with required skills and are ready to face the real time world.

"It is time for Government to reinvent education and there is no purpose in opening IITs, IIMs all over the place unless I have the right quality of faculty and right quality of education," the Governor added. PTI VVK RSY PTP

--- ENDS ---
The 2017 first Social Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (SPEFA) Forum for the Ga East Municipal Assembly has been held at Haatso with participants rating the assemblys service delivery as below average.

The SPEFA forum, an educative public meeting took an innovative twist to get the citizens to experiment with critical tools in engaging duty bearers on issues that affected them. The Community Score Card was used to assess the service delivery indicators, and rating score of 1 to 5 with 1 being poor, 2-not so good, 3-average, 4-good and 5-Excellent and reasons for the score was administered.

Overall, service delivery was below average, ranging from a score of (1.4 to 2.8. District Average). The only service (Ease of obtaining Business Operating Permit) crossed the district average score with 3.2. The lowest score 1.4 was ease of obtaining building permit followed by 1.6 for access to good road and drainage.

In relation to the electoral areas, Abokobi scored excellent for accessibility and quality of water. Haatso and Dome scored good whiles Atomic scored average and good for accessibility and quality respectively. Persons living with Disability also scored average for water related indicators.

However, Agbogba, Taifa, Kwabenya and Musuko scored poor for accessibility and quality of water. Of the four, only Musuko scored average for quality of water.

Of all the 11 indicators, Agbogba scored poor for all except ease of obtaining business permit and education on local governance which had a score of not so good and average respectively.

Again, computing the average scores per electoral area, Dome had 2.7, Haatso had 2.9, Atomic had 3, Agbogba had 1.2, Taifa had 2.1, Kwabenya had 2, Musuko had 2.1 and Abokobi had 1.9. Persons with disability in Abokobi also averaged 3.3.

From the above, it can be deduced that Atomic electoral area is the well served whilst Agbobga is the least served in terms of services.

Majority out of the 94 participants opined that even though they expected the Assembly to provide good services, they had a pivotal role in ensuring that services were actually provided. Thus paying rates, acting as watch dogs to safe guard state property and liaising with assembly members and unit committee members to ensure that development reflects the will of the people.

The Acting Executive Director of African Development Programme (ADP), Mr Charles Othniel Abbey noted that the Community Score Card (CSC), aims at strengthening citizens voice by creating a channel for direct feedback about a public services between service providers and service users. He also stressed that the process can also lead to quick and tangible results in terms of service delivery improvements, enhances community empowerment and helps build a trustful relationship between service users and providers.

Mr Abbey hinted this exercise is one of the best to track development in the future so we intend to conduct same by the end of the year, hopefully the 4th quarter to see how services have improved overtime. We will also share the finding and reasons for the score with the office of the assembly for them to have a clear feedback from the citizens on the services they are providing

The event was held at Haatso Church of Pentecost and tagged Making Districts Effectively Work For Citizens-The Community Score Card It is the first of four events to be held in 2017 with additional two town hall meetings as engagement platforms.

The SPEFA program is also a third component of the Local Government Capacity Support Project (LGCSP) with funding from the World Bank. It is coordinated by the Netherlands Development Organization (SNV) in 46 Metropolitan and Municipal assemblies in Ghana

The indicators used were: Responsiveness of assembly staff to the needs of citizens, Access to information.eg MTDP, AAP, budget. Waste Management-Regularity of Service Provider and Customer Relations of Service Provider, Access to good road and drainage in your locality, Responsiveness of public health workers in the district, Accessibility of Water, Quality of Water, Ease of obtaining Building Permit, Ease of obtaining Business Operating Permit and Assembly Education of community on local governance.

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On UN's International Mother Language Day (IMLD) it is pertinent and appropriate to note and accept that the mother tongue/language of our dear motherland Ghana, incontrovertibly, is AKAN/TWI.

There are over forty dialects in Ghana used by the various ethnic groups making up the nation Ghana with Asante, Akuapem, and Fanti, taking about 60%. It is noteworthy that before the birth of Ghana the Gold Coast these divisions existed in some coalition of sorts.

Ghana that united these traditional divisions properly and was born on March 6, 1957 was heralded by the founder Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah.

The mother tongue/language of Ghana is what the founder used to declare our independence. HE SPOKE TWI/AKAN despite the fact that he hailed from Nzima and declared it on Ga-inhabited area for our capital city and knew of the various ethnic groups! What else in addition to my various articles on this topic are you waiting to convince you?

Like ICT, you may ignore Akan/Twi to your own disadvantage in future. A word to the wise is enough, the saying goes.

It is ENGLISH or AKAN/TWI or both for Ghana. The choice is yours!
I ask you to be citizens: citizens, not spectators; citizens, not subjects; responsible citizens building your communities and our nation. Let us work until the work is done (George Bush, 2001).

AKUFO-ADDO A SPECTATOR, NOT A CITIZEN

Clearly the target of Akufo-Addos plagiarized inaugural speech was the Ghanaian, supposedly an audiential referent very much in tune with the swearing-in hoopla.

Sort of an expectant maiden speech nonetheless, but one deeply marinated in or tinged with the sweltering heat of international ignominy.

And thus, Akufo-Addo presented his speech as though he was totally outside the collective experience of the social contract he had had to go into under no ostentatious compulsion, a tacit and overt agreement with his audiential referent on that momentous occasion.

Like the political paedomorphosis which he has sometimes represented in the Ghanaian body politic, Akufo-Addo spoke not unlike an exceedingly spoilt potentate or doted-upon brat.

The rhetorical semblance of his outside experience stems from the simple fact that he was not and arguably still notthe originator of the line attributable to George Bush.

A speech given as if he was in the grip of astral projection.

That detachment, that out-of-body experience, was, and still is, a telling indictment on the intellectual personality of Akufo-Addo, of the nation at large.

And it shall remain indelibly so on the emotional graveyard of his political epitaphso long as the public memory stays alive no matter what.

Still, the philosophical profundity of this Bush-esque line and its intellectual appeal to the human mind are not in question.

What is rather in question is Akufo-Addos detached cemeterial silence over the politically motivated hooliganism, vigilantism, and vandalism of the Invisible Forces, a criminal organization, as well as of the so-called State Asset Retrieval Committee, or Assets Recovery Task Force. In one moment Akufo-Addo is telling a Ghana-based Diplomatic Corps that he will make Ghana a hub of social, political and legal justicethe Mecca of the rule of law in Africa.

The next moment his elitist, detached silence signals tacit endorsement of the gate-crashing tendencies of the Invisible Forces, a militia attached to, or a military wing of, the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Thus he remains imprisoned in this paralyzing paradox of political inaction, from which it is also becoming abundantly clear that no tenable route exists for his escape, in this case lending credence to a popular opinion in some quarters that he is, after all, behind this blatant, articulate circumvention of due process by members of the Invisible Forces who have gone on a nation-wide rampage under the pretext of retrieving state properties.

Akufo-Addo has thus become a spectator, not a citizen. The man is in a full denial mode! This view however contradicts the moral and hopeful subtext of his inaugural speech, a speech made of stolen parts.

Akufo-Addo is playing the ostrich while his militant hyenas have gone on a rampage feeding on the blood-soaked carcasses of due process.

And this man is supposedly a human rights lawyer, supposedly one of the nations finest lawyers, supposedly one of the key architects of Kumi Preko.

On the one hand, Akufo-Addos detached silence constitutes a natural antithesis of citizenship.

On the other hand, he makes it look as though citizenship does not require active participation in the political process and nation-building.

There exists no workable synergy among citizenship, collective responsibility and active participation in the political process insofar far as his failure to rein in members of the Invisible Forces is concerned.

This lack of operational synergy in our political duopoly is bound to turn the Flagstaff House into a den of political criminals and subverters of the rule of law.

And, this, unfortunately, is the trend. Or rather the case.

Now, lets refresh our memories with how Bush defined citizen for Akufo-Addo:

Citizens, not subjects; responsible citizens building your communities and our nation.

What we are therefore getting from Akufo-Addos behavior is that those whom the Invisible Forces are hounding tend to be the subjects in his political calculations, while members of the Invisible Forces and his sycophantic political playmates are citizens.

Akufo-Addo is therefore denying his subjects due process in a court of competent jurisdiction.

This is actually what is done to Black America in many a sad, regrettable situation.

In other words, these subjects are treated without the benefit of due process under what Akufo-Addo calls the rule of law, the same manner African Americans are subjected to racial profiling by some in White America who do not see their African-American brothers and sisters as citizens in the American experiment

Eugene Arhin, the man who reportedly took the heat for the plagiarized speech without knowing he will ever be caught and accordingly apologized for it, completely ignored the historical and contemporary context of race relations in America as far as the text of the Bush-esque speech goes.

The notoriety of Akufo-Addos plagiarized speech, either advertently or inadvertently transplanted this controversial context onto the Ghanaian political and moral landscape.

A rather direct or indirect corollary of this working hypothesis is that it somehow evokes a striking parallel context between Akufo-Addos Akan exceptionalism and his misguided take on the question of the presumed primacy of the Akan, who, again, in his warped opinion, is naturally endowed to fill the headship of political governance to the absolute exclusion of members of other ethnic groups, a dangerous political statement reflected in his Yen-Akanfuo nonsense as well as in those genocidal comments from Yaw Osafo-Marfo and Kennedy Agyapong.

Leaders like Akufo-Addo should not forget that our unitary nation-state, Ghana, was founded on the progressive principles of social inclusion, ethnic and racial equality, gender equity and equality, social justice, economic prosperity for all, and so on.

We cannot afford to underestimate the potential of these social-political variables to make and unmake the political character and integrity of the Ghanaian body politic.

It is, therefore, not strange that the social inclusion of all ethnic groups in the national enterprise constitutes the overwhelming motif of our philosophical world, our moral algorithm for a progressive national narrative.

Yet, while we may not have chalked or recorded sterling, inviolate achievements and successes in each of these categories, there is no excuse whatsoever for us not to be hopeful that asymptotic approximations of these measurable though burdensome categories of social indicators are far from practical realization.

Realizing these noble goals however boils down to citizenship, social justice, political morality, equity and fairness, and political action.

As a matter of fact any concept of citizenship devoid of patriotism is meaningless, absolutely meaningless.

Akufo-Addos plagiarized speech failed to establish this distinction. This uninspiring speech, in a way, disregards the social contract between the moral roles of citizenship and patriotic citizenship.

In our opinion, his speech takes after Maradonas Hand of God in this regard.

And oh, yes, Dear Reader, we will also settle on the honorific titular address cynical optimists or objective pessimists, however we deem fit.

THE ROLE OF EDUCATION IN MENTAL COLONIALISM

Free education is now the newly trumpeted panacea for all our myriad national problems. Of course, free education has become a homeopathic Midas touch under the new administration.

This is an excellent idea nonetheless, but we also need to ask ourselves this simple question:

What has become of the Unemployed Graduates Association of Ghana (UGAG)?

Maybe this question is not even necessary after all. What is necessary then? We are referring to the kind of education that produces the corrupt and unpatriotic breed of ruling class we have in Ghana today.

The kind of colonial education that, among other things, only leads to a Guggisberg-like learning economy which, in turn, churns out a desert-forest of unthinking spectators of the debilitating national dilemma.

This colonial Guggisberg-like learning economy with its concomitant market economy breeds what Frantz Fanon called dependency complex. At the same time it is this Guggisberg-like learning economy of chew-and-pour or rote-pedagogy that has produced celebrated plagiarists like Eugene Arhin and Akufo-Addo. It is extremely to know that the latter has now come to terms with the idea of moving away from the Guggisberg economic model of dependency complex.

We should make it clear that what we mean exactly by the Guggisberg-like learning economy has nothing to do with any specific institutional character, per se, but rather by the categorical lack or absence of authoritative independence and initiative which the African Academy is expected to enjoy. Our argument is that the African Academy is merely an appendage to external authority and approval.

Our institutions of learning are so helplessly dependent on external research initiatives and findings, patronage and funding to such an extent that they are incapable of standing alone outside the approving authority of external chaperonage. This is not to attack or reject international efforts in the arena of research activities.

Rather, more often than not some of these research collaborations do not necessarily or directly speak to the immediate resolution of our myriad of problems. This reinforces the notion of dependency complex. Yet we still have the models of the West and emerging economies to learn from.

Rather, the kind of Freirean, Diopian and Nkrumahist education that says citizenship is a radical instrument of independent, confident mindedness, far departing from the kind of education that churns our men and women of first-order emotional buffoonery and spectatorial sychophancy.

Certainly, too, not what Dr. Kofi Kissi Dompere calls irreducible ignorance and cognitive imbecility.

At the moment Africa cannot boast of an independent mind because it has none. What we have is a mongrel or hybrid of the Eastern-Western mind. It appears we have drifted too far from African-centered critical pedagogy to make sense of our entrenched yet sorry mental colonialism, particularly in the Humanities/Liberal Arts/Social Sciences.

What we need is a productive compromise between the best of the Western and Eastern models of development of against a backcloth of African-centered pedagogy. The African mind is in effect the property of East-West dichotomy, the African mind itself being remote-controlled by this bloodsucking dichotomy not in the interest of the African but of this dichotomy.

Akufo-Addo is therefore right to make his free-education signature a strategic policy focus of developing the intellectual property of the mind. This should not be empty rhetoric as we have seen with almost all our political leaders, save the great Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, a visionary and political powerhouse whose progressive ideals continue to shape events in Ghana, Africa and across the world. Still, we have to ask this question that has long been a staple on our minds:

What kind of education makes reprobate thieves and political criminals out of an Honourable or His Excellency (H.E.) in Ghanaian politics?

Day in, day out, we are finding it almost difficult, almost impossible, to ignore the fact that the colonial and unpatriotic education being fed to Ghanaians today make for a tantalizing moral equivalency between armed robbers and our politicians.

Otherwise, what can sufficiently explain or account for the teeming idiots and buffoons we have in parliament, say, thieves and political criminals we respectfully address as Honourables?

We have lost US$6 billion, and still counting, since we began exporting oil and yet, it is these idiotic, morally corrupt, and unpatriotic parliamentarians who chose to promote and adopt the Ghana Hybrid System (GHS) over Production Sharing Agreement (PSA).

What sort of education breeds this kind of political criminals and thieves, the same kind of education that churns out lawyers and horse-wig-wearing judges who believe bribery, tubers of yam, goat meat, sex, massage and the like are superior to justice?

Is this the kind of education that the reformed cynic himself, Akufo-Addo promises to sell to our fertile forest of impressionable minds free of charge?

Akufo-Addo is that scheming, pomp billboard that preachifies virtue while practicing vice.

He does not see the glaring moral contradictions between the All-Die-Be-Die hooliganism, vigilantism, and vandalism of his Invisible Forces and his public pronouncements on his supposed uncompromising beliefs in the rule of law and due process.

The shady character is simply a stark status symbol of Orwellian hypocrisy.

Now look at Yaw Osafo-Marfo, Akufo-Addos friend. Now also take a close look at Ken Ofori-Atta, Akufo-Addos friend and blood relations. Which of these two looks more like the Heritage Fund?

Definitely the ethnocentric hegemonist Yaw Osafo-Marfo!

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: SOME CRITICAL QUESTIONS

Are the children who study under trees citizens or subjects?

Were those six children who died in that avoidable deathtrap which some are calling classroom citizens?

Are those children who are forced to study in KVIP-toilets citizens or subjects?

Are nurses, teachers, national service personnel and other public servants who go months without pay citizens or subjects?

Are our useless politicians who are always paid on time against the backdrop of humungous ex-gratia payments and awards citizens or subjects?

How can those dead innocent children and loudmouth Kennedy Agyapong, perhaps Ghanas foremost political buffoon, share in the same citizenship of the same progressive unitary nation-state?

How could Akufo-Addo have been part of the institutionalization of the Ghana Hybrid System?

Does Akufo-Addos All-Die-Be-Die and Yen Akanfuo make him a citizen or subject?

Does Kennedy Agyapongs reported genocidal pronouncement to the effect that Akans (Asantes) should massacre Gas and Ewes make him a citizen or subject?

Does Montie 3s threat to kill and rape judges make them citizens or judges?

Does Abdulai Naaba, Collins Daudas brothers statement that I kill people every day make him a citizen or subject?

And, are our thieving political criminals, who are always on open display of material extravagance, also citizens or subjects?

We shall return
The General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress Johnson Asiedu Nketia has jabbed President Akufo-Addo, describing his address to Parliament as a lecture.

Akufo-Addo delivered his first State of the Nation Address on Tuesday, telling the peoples representatives the economy he inherited from John Mahama is in shambles.

As at the beginning of 2009, Ghanas total debt stock was GH9.5 billion. By the end of 2016, the debt had ballooned to GH122 billion Ghanas debt stock now stands at 74% of GDP, after all the previous denials to the contrary, Mr. Akufo-Addo stated.

The President added In fact, 92% of Ghanas total debt stock was incurred in the last eight years under the previous government. The interest costs on this debt has also increased and will amount to an estimated GH14.1 billion in 2017.

Reacting to the Presidents statement, Mr. Nketia stated reality is dawning on Nana Akufo-Addo, and realizing he will not be able to fulfil his numerous promises, he wants to shift blame.

Stop lecturing and fix the economy, Nketia, popularly known as General Mosquito told Starr News Bernard Nasara Saibu after the State of the Nation Address on Tuesday.

Please fix it. If you were aware of the dire state of the economy and you went ahead to make those promises then fix it. He is repeating his campaign promises, the NDC kingpin opined.

Meanwhile, Akufo-Addo has served notice he is not complaining , but only seeking to let Ghanaians know the true state of the economy.

I wasnt elected by the people to complain I was elected to fix what is broken and my government and I are determined to do just that, Akufo-Addo promised.
These are perilous times. Perilous for America and consequently, perilous for the entire world.

America now has a sitting president who obviously speaks before he thinks? A president who makes most provocative statements without thoughtful analyses and without requisite expert counsel?

He is equally generous with his caustic criticisms and generalizations against American intelligence agencies, in the same way he generalizes about pretty much else.

President Trump apparently intend to govern America through his Twitter unarticulated commentaries in response to profound policy positions by leaders of other nations and policy wonks. Trumps post-inauguration address and antics from January 20, 2017 through February 20, 2017 is proof positive!

Trump has been controversial and scandalous in his words, actions, pronouncements and twitter-feeds!

Donald Trump have tended to turn logic on its head with each pronouncement which are now routinely opposites of responsible conversations by a potentate American political leader.

As candidate, Mr. Trump engaged in pugnacious rhetoric and no reasonable persons, American, Asian or African or European expected Trump as president to actually follow-through with his boasts, threats and belligerence of his electioneering campaigns, after his election gimmickries culminating in his victory.

Trump as president has continue to disavow, denounce and repudiate multilateralism, and globalization in favor of his isolationist so-called America First!

President Trump is wildly popular with his political base, there is no doubt, but, it must be borne in mind that Adolf Hitler of the Third Reich was vigorously supported as a popular political leader in Germany before, and during the wars he imposed on Germany, and eventually, the entire world.

We should all be asking ourselves, as citizens of the world, whether history about to repeat itself? Is World War III next? Is President Trump flippantly and mindlessly taking the world to the precipice?

President Trump talks about Iran, as if he will soon invade and occupy Iran to effect regime change and forbid Iran's centrifuges and any modicum of Nuclear technology efforts!

President Trump is faithful to his comedic election campaigns promises so far; on South China Sea, he has deployed an American Aircraft Carrier to illustrate aggressive gunboat diplomacy disposition, while shouting his disregard for a tried and true, one-China policy which the Americans have practiced for decades as a diplomatic detente with mainland China.

President Trump in public, have cavalierly made pronouncements regarding the intractable and internecine profound Middle East core of all crises, peace between Israel and Palestine, also dubbed the two-states-solution.

The 45th president of the United States of America was tongue-tied as he attempted to articulate his administrations policy regarding Israel and Palestine, he spoke mostly incoherently, and with a wink and nod, assured Israels Prime Minister, Benyamin Netanyahu that they can do whatever they with Palestine lands, but must refrain from announcing it. Telling Israel to stop announcements settlement expansions, but perhaps should continue doing so?

President Trumps incoherent and confused press conference with Prime Minister of Israel, should not be confused with the clear pronouncements and stance of the United Nations Organization on the fact that Israel expansion of Settlement offends International Law and countless UN Resolutions supported by a plurality of nations on earth.

President Trump has repeatedly and giddily made sundry pronouncements which, if, and when pursued to logical conclusions would lead to Trade Wars with China. He campaigned that as president, he would slap 45% tariff on goods arriving into the United States from China. Trump has so far, been faithful or has attempted to be faithful to his election promises made to his core supporters.

President Trump has killed the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which was intended to promote trade, mercantile and vigorous commercial interactions between the United States, Japan, and Australia etc.

President Trump has repeatedly derided the North American Free Trade Agreement, NAFTA, just as he has threatened to dismantle NAFTA, without regard to the concerns of all other member nations!

On Immigration, he issued Executive Orders against seven Muslim nations as failed nation-states and as incubators of terrorists.

Donald J. Trump, has undertaken to build a xenophobic wall between America and Mexico, I do believe that this is impossible, unless and until, Trumps America invades and occupies Mexico, he installs a president of his choice, at his becks and calls, as Mexicans in his estimation, will remain docile!

President Trump says the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO, is obsolete and Vice President Pence says American support and participation in NATO is unwavering, Trumps statement is in the face of American membership and active participation in NATO for over 50 years.

President Trump says Japan needs to ready herself for the withdrawal of American troops and that Japan should fun her own defense, then, President Trump is one hundred percent behind Japan as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visits President Trump.

President Trump is anti NATO anti EU in his rhetoric during the electioneering campaigns and since his inauguration on January 20, 2017 to the chagrin of traditional allies, friends and partners of the United States of America.

President Trump is the apostle of De-globalization, protection and isolationism. His a passionate Free Trade apostate businessman turned president of America!

It was reasonable and every reasonable person believed Donald J. Trump in his electioneering puffing and braggadocios, but, it is no longer reasonable or acceptable for President Trump to continue his diatribes and dangerous pandering to a minority of American citizens, while risking setting the world on unquenchable inferno.

Donald John Trumps declarations are analogous of a man pandering to a dangerous lynch mob. Trump as such, has been preaching to the emotions and sentiments of ultra conservative simpletons, Donald Trump is a demagogue.

Trump is the sitting president of the United States of America, and as such, his pronouncement(s) are supposed to be meaningful, carry the full-faith and credit of America, but alas, anyone who takes Trumps vacuous declarations literarily harvests Armageddon! Will this be our global fate?

Trump is a rabble rouser with complete disregard for facts. This was clearly illustrated a few days ago, when Trump, president of the United States of America verbally and falsely conjured up and announced a fathom terrorists attack in Sweden.

When he was chastised for not fact-checking or seeking clarifications before making such booboo and ridiculous declarations, he tried to characterize it as fake news, the fake news which he manufactured in the factory and province of the dimwitted.

President Trump is in large measure a comedian, replete with comedy-of-errors, but, this is too important, crucial and critical to be laughable; Trump is certainly dangerous to himself and to us all.

Trump needs to be curbed and must be tamed before he does irreparable harm to America and then, by extension and logical extrapolation, the entire world
National Media Center for Social and Economic Justice notes with interest the commitment expressed by the President of the Republic, His Excellency Nana Akufo Addo to send to parliament appropriate legislation to help enforce the proposed Office of Special Prosecutor.

It is indeed very heartwarming, considering the debate that has surrounded the matter in recent weeks. The debate on the Office has largely centered on its constitutional propriety and the issue of its assured independence.

These are issues that cannot be swept under the carpet, hence, the decision of the president to send the matter to Parliament for legislative action, as indicated in his maiden State of the Nation Address today, is a move in the right direction. At the heart of the matter are issues of security of tenure, independence from government interference and grounds for removal, among others.

The National Media Center calls on the President, Nana Akufo-Addo to make the Special Prosecutors salaries, allowances, facilities and privileges payable or available, be determined under article 71 of the sovereign Constitution of Ghana.

Also, National Media Center is calling for the office of the Special Prosecutor not to be subject to the control or direction of any person or authority in the performance of his/her functions and that he should be made to retire from office at any time after attaining the age of seventy years.

To make the Special Prosecutor truly independent and effective, it is imperative that he or she is not seen to please anybody or organization but to strictly adhere to the principles of justice and fairness.

In the past, there have been reports of corruption within governments but while some of these reports have provided strong grounds for investigation and possible prosecution, the political will to do so has been lacking. Appropriate legislative support for the Office of the Special Prosecutor will not only provide the necessary constitutional buttress but will also serve to institutionalize a culture of vigilance and discipline within government and other critical sectors.

In furtherance of his duties, the Special Prosecutor should be given proactive powers to smell out corruption and prosecute where appropriate.

We welcome the commitment by the president to enforce the Procurement Law particularly within the energy sector. This is a sector that has been battered by a troubling crisis and instilling discipline in procurement procedures and practices will provide important verve to the sector.

We urge the president to ensure that all key actors who are required to play roles in attaining these targets are up to the task and closely monitored. This should not just be another political talk shop but rather, should mark the beginning of a new era of financial discipline and prudent economic management.

Dr. Daniel Nkrumah

(Advisory Board Member)
Juba (AFP) - South Sudan's President Salva Kiir vowed Tuesday that government would ensure aid could reach areas hit by famine after three years of war that has restricted access for humanitarian workers.

The world's youngest nation on Monday declared famine in parts of the northern Greater Unity state where 100,000 people were facing starvation and another one million were on the brink of famine. A total of nearly five million are going hungry.

Aid groups have slammed a "man-made" famine caused by ongoing fighting in the country where civil war has forced people to flee, disrupted agriculture, sent prices soaring, and seen aid agencies blocked from accessing some of the worst-hit areas.

"It underscores the complete failure by government, opposition forces, and international actors to end the cycle of abuse," Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a statement Tuesday.

In an address to parliament, Kiir said government "will ensure that all humanitarian and development organisations have unimpeded access to needy populations across the country".

A UN aid official working in the region, speaking on condition of anonymity, welcomed the commitment -- which has been made in the past -- while saying it was "more important that access be granted on the ground."

Famine in South Sudan

Kiir's commitment could give leverage in negotiations on the ground, she said, as gaining access to hungry communities often meant tricky talks with an array of actors in the crisis.

Some regions are only accessible through air drops of humanitarian aid -- which the UN official said costs seven times more than sending aid by road or barge.

And access is not as simple as permission: aid agencies have to be sure if they give out food aid to a community they won't be attacked by an armed group and have their rations stolen right afterwards.

"There are many types of impediments," said the official.

South Sudan was engulfed by civil war in 2013 after President Salva Kiir accused his rival and former deputy Riek Machar of plotting a coup against him.

The HRW statement launched a withering attack on the leaders of South Sudan as well as the international community, saying both sides in the conflict "have shrugged off international pressure, and spared themselves from any meaningful consequences."

A mother breastfeeds her child who suffers acute malnutrition, at the clinic run by Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in Aweil, northern Bahr al-Ghazal, South Sudan

This despite documented cases of large-scale killings, recruitment of child soldiers, rape and torture.

"The people of South Sudan were abandoned by their leaders a long time ago. The UN Security Council and regional organisations have failed civilians. Today's famine is the price of inaction," read the statement.

The European Commission on Tuesday announced an emergency aid package worth a82 million ($86 million) for "the most urgent needs in the country" and to help neighbouring countries cope with a massive influx of refugees.
London (AFP) - Burkina Faso's Diebedo Francis Kere will be the first African architect to design a temporary pavilion in London's Hyde Park, a prestigious assignment given to a world-famous architect every year.

Kere's design is inspired by a tree in his hometown of Gando that serves as "a central meeting point for life", the Serpentine Galleries said in a statement.

"An expansive roof, supported by a central steel framework, mimics a tree's canopy, allowing air to circulate freely while offering shelter against London rain and summer heat," it read.

Kere said he was interested in the contrast between the carefully landscaped park and "natural landscape as a harsh reality" in Burkina Faso.

He said it was conceived as "a community structure... that fuses cultural references of my home country... with experimental construction techniques".

The Serpentine Pavilion 2017 by the Berlin-based practice Kere Architecture will be unveiled on June 23 and will be open until October 8.

Previous architects of the Serpentine Pavilion include Zaha Hadid, Jean Nouvel and Frank Gehry, as well as Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei.

Kere has previously won plaudits for his project for a primary school in Burkina Faso and has held solo museum shows in Munich and Philadelphia.

He was also one of the architects behind Geneva's International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum.
Immediate past Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Dr. Stephen Opuni, has had his assets frozen by the Economic and Organised Crimes Office (EOCO), according to Citi News sources at the presidency.

Although reasons for the seizure have not been officially communicated, the sources have hinted Citi News that EOCO is seeking to investigate the entire period that Dr. Opuni served as CEO of that critical state agency.

Specifically, government intends to probe some supposed fraudulent multi-million dollar contracts he's believed to have signed before leaving office, the sources indicated.

Mr. Opuni's tenure has been engrossed in several allegations of corruption and mismanagement of the cocoa sector, with his critics accusing him of running down the critical sector; which generates revenue for the country and employs millions of Ghanaians.

Dr. Opuni was on January 12, 2017, asked to leave office barely a week after the new NPP government was inaugurated.

As a former CEO of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), Dr. Stephen K. Opuni was appointed by former President John Mahama on November 30, 2013, to head the COCOBOD.

He replaced Anthony Fofie, who headed COCOBOD from 2009, under the then New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration.

Dr. Opuni's 'rot' killing cocoa sector  GAWU alleges

In April 2016, the General Agriculture Workers Union (GAWU), and the Industrial Commercial Workers Unions (ICU), launched a scathing attack on the leadership of COCOBOD, accusing its Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Stephen Opuni of presiding over corruption .

GAWU and ICU said corruption at COCOBOD, headed by Dr. Stephen Opuni was affecting the production of cocoa in the country.

COCOBOD staff defends Opuni

But some staff of COCOBOD at the time jumped his defence, insisting that, Dr. Opuni has not caused any disaffection within the ranks of COCOBOD as ICU and GAWU were alleging.

The Staff of the company thus served notice of withdrawing from the two unions, citing a growing mistrust between workers of COCOBOD and the unions.

Opuni contributed to NDC's defeat  Nukpenu

Dr. Opuni has also been criticized heavily by some persons in the National Democratic Congress (NDC), although he served in that party's administration.

The Greater Accra Regional Organiser of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Anthony Nukpenu, in an interview with Citi FM on January 16, 2017, said Dr. Stephen K. Opuni contributed to the NDC's defeat in the 2016 polls.

Mr. Nukpenu accused the former COCOBOD CEO of ignoring people who were not within his circles, making it difficult to engage him on matters pertaining to policy with some NDC members or stakeholders.

People come across him in public settings or private settings and it is like he has a class of people he should deal with. If you don't fall in that class, talking to him is a challenge. For example, I would not go to his office to seek for financial favours or contract favours. I may encounter a challenge in his field of work because I interact with downstream cocoa sector workers. If there is a challenge, I need to meet the CEO and lay it there. And if we find it difficult in meeting him then what are we doing as a government or as a party, Mr. Nukpenu lamented.



By: Ebenezer Afanyi Dadzie/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Outgoing Zambian High Commissioner to Ghana Timothy Mwaba Walamba has called for greater collaboration between Ghana and Zambia in the area of investment for the mutual benefit of both countries.

Mr Walamba made this known when he met with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to bid him farewell as he brings his four-year duty to an end.

Mr Walamba described his stay in Ghana as a wonderful experience and commended the country for maintaining the peace and stability since the Fourth Republic was inaugurated in 1992.

The Zambian diplomat was hopeful that the Akufo-Addo presidency would take steps to deepen and strengthen the bilateral relations between Ghana and Zambia.

Your Excellency, Zambia and Ghana need to explore areas of collaboration to benefit from each other. Investment is the key area. We need Ghanaians to invest in Zambia and Ghana also need Zambians to invest in Ghana notably in cement production, fertiliser production, energy sector, mining, and the list is endless I wish the existing bilateral relations existing between Zambia and Ghana would grow from strength to strength to benefit our two countries, he stated.

He added that his country was extremely delighted at the way election 2016 was conducted and the manner in which the people of Ghana also conducted themselves before, during and after the elections.

Mr Akufo-Addo commended Mr Walamba for his work in the country and extended his fondest appreciation to the President of Zambia Edgar Lungu for attending his investiture on the 7th of January.

Let me first of all congratulate you on your successful tour of duty and also to extend to the president of Zambia my best wishes and also my gratitude for turning up for my inauguration, he stated.

Nana Akufo-Addo also proposed to the outgoing High Commissioner the formation of a joint commission of cooperation between Ghana and Zambia.

He stressed on the fact that as soon as the Zambian president cleared the way, he would send Ghanaian officials to meet with their Zambian counterparts to work out a way to establish cooperation between the two countries.

It's a pity that after several efforts, we still have not been able to create the basis for a joint commission for cooperation between our two countries We can create a formal structure if we have a joint commission in place to be able to govern and arrange investment flows. So that will be what I will like you to take back to your president that he should give me a sign and we will get officials of both countries to meet and work out a way to bring to fruition the joint commission of cooperation, he stressed.

-Classfmonline
Eman Ahmed Abdulati, the heaviest woman in the world, is a die-hard fan of Salman Khan and the Dabangg actor might just meet her very soon.

By India Today Web Desk: Eman Ahmed Abdulati, from Egypt, the world's heaviest woman weighing 500kg, is a fan of the Khans, particularly Salman Khan. And bhai himself might meet her any time soon!

Eman is presently at Mumbai's Saifee Hospital for treatment. She arrived in Mumbai on February 11 for a bariatric procedure that can save her life.

According to a report in Mid-Day, Eman has been watching Hindi films in her special 1,000 square-feet room at the hospital. The Khans happen to be her favourite actors, particularly Salman Khan. She expressed her desire to meet Salman through Dr Muffazal Lakdawala, her bariatric surgeon.

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Salim Khan, veteran screenwriter and father of Salman Khan, said that his son would definitely meet Iman as soon as Saifee Hospital would send an official request.

"We have learnt of her desire. Salman will certainly meet her. An actor would to go to any lengths to fulfil the desire of such a patient. But so far, we haven't received any official request from the hospital. As soon as we receive one, Salman will go to meet her," said Salim Khan.

Iman has been bedridden for twenty five years. Being in her room at the hospital, she has developed a liking towards Bollywood cinema and music.

"Even though she can't understand the language, she likes the beats of the music. So, when I asked her whom she liked the most, she pointed at the three Khans. When I asked of the three who's her favourite, she said Salman's name," Dr Lakdawala was quoted as saying.

Salman Khan is not new to visiting fans upon special request. Salman had earlier met a Pakistani fan in 2015. Abdul Basit had arrived in the maximum city for a liver transplant operation. When Salman got to know that Abdul wanted to meet him, he went and fulfilled the Pakistani fan's wish.

A year before that, Salman Khan met Shakila, a victim of domestic violence from Afghanistan. Shakila's eyes, ears and nose had been shot by her husband. But when she met Salman, she couldn't help but smile.

ALSO READ: Pakistani actor Saba Qamar calls Salman Khan 'chhichhora', then calls him 'humble'

TONGUE-IN-CHEEK: These Salman Khan tips will end your singlehood

WATCH: A look at Salman bhaijaan's controversial life

--- ENDS ---
Former Deputy Education minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has claimed government is planning to cut down on the number of admissions to nursing and teacher training colleges.

He suggested the move is because government is concerned about an expected increase in enrolment into colleges of education when it restores the payment of teacher and nurse trainee allowance.

A high increase in enrolment rates would trigger a corresponding high increase in the payment of trainee allowances which government may not be ready to shoulder, he explained on Joy FM's Newsnite programme Tuesday.

In other words, there could be a return to the quota system where public colleges of education and nursing trainee institutions admitted limited numbers despite the capacity of the facilities to admit more.

The North Tongu MP made the claim while assessing President Akufo-Addo's maiden State of the Nation Address to Parliament early Tuesday morning.

In the address, the President reiterated a campaign promise to restore the payment of allowances this March, which the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government scrapped.

The controversial move, it is believed, cost the government votes as incensed students vowed to pay the NDC government back.

Nursing trainees hailed Akufo-Addo during the campaign

Under the allowance scheme, the nurses got at least GHC450 every quarter. Government had explained the removal of the allowance was to allow it to admit more students.

The allowances had tied the hands of government because huge numbers had serious financial implications.

Okudzeto said the observed effect of linking financial incentives to social or education programmes is that it shoots up participation.

This was the case under the School Feeding Programme where free meals to students saw a huge increase in school enrolment rates. The NDC government's plan to introduce 'progressively free education' to Day students in Senior High School also saw significant increase in school enrolment rates.

The NPP's plan to re-introduce the trainee allowances should expectedly lead to an increase in admission, the North Tongu MP said.

To deal with the financial implications, the NPP wants to cut back admissions which he indicated will have an undesired effect of lowering the number of teachers and nurses to be trained for public service.

Story by Ghana|myjoyonline.com|[email protected]
21.02.2017 LISTEN

More people are adding their voices to condemn brutality meted out to a Nigerian woman who was stripped naked and pounded in the private part for allegedly stealing yam.

Executive Director of the Ark Foundation, Angela Dwamena Aboagye is one of the many gender activists who have condemned the act perpetuated against the woman.

Look at the manner in which they purported to arrest her, they stripped her and look at the acts of violence that were perpetuated against her. When it comes to women, this also sits within not just a social justice framework or criminal law framework, but within violence against women which is completely a human rights issue as well, she told Joy News.

Also, human rights lawyer Francis Xavier Sosu has urged the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to step up its education of human rights to curb abuses as Social Justice Day is observed globally today.

Further, pressure group OccupyGhana has added its voice to calls to seek justice for the said lady asking that the police use the video to arrest the men responsible for the abuse.

A video of the abuse of the woman has been trending on social media for days now. Some people have alleged that she stole money while others said she stole a piece of yam. Another group also claimed she swindled someone of some money.

Although there is no concensus about what is it that she had done, she was assaulted, kicked in the groin and her private part.

Luv FMs Erastus Asare Donkor visited the place the incident took place in his attempt to authenticate what the woman did but was disappointedly told nothing. He could not verify what the mob that assaulted the woman accused her of.

The disturbing video starts at a point where the young lady had been stripped of her clothes. She covered her waist with a yellow scarf given to her by a good Samaritan, but it was removed by the mob.

Another woman who offered a dress was shoved off and the young lady was not allowed to put it on.

The mob made up mostly of men, tore the young ladys red brassiere and panty. At a point in the video, the men spread her legs open and kicked her private part many times.

Attempts by the young lady to prevent the mob from hitting her private part was met with even harder beatings.

One person who took part in the beating took told the Luv News reporter that they stripped her naked and beat her because it is not good for a lady to engage in such an ungodly act.

Related: Gender activist demands justice for woman stripped naked, beaten

"Initially, I felt sorry for her but I felt it was good to serve as a deterrent to other ladies," he said.

Although criticisms about the act continue to pour in, some traders at Kejetia in the Ashanti regional where the incident took place have defended their acts of brutality.

They say it is normal for persons accused of stealing to be paraded naked through the streets amid physical assault and sexual torture.

Another trader said if they catch a thief, they would strip the alleged thief naked and stuff the private part with pepper. This is the sixth one I have witnessed since I started selling here.

The private security guard in the video who was seen in the video trying to save the lady from the mob said he got scared at some point.

"I tried calling the police but it won't go through," he said.

Meanwhile, police say they are investigating the incident. They revealed they issued a medical form to the woman the moment she was brought to the Central Police State. However, she has not returned to the station to aid with the investigation.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Abubakar Ibrahim
Babcock University is ideal for Nigerians seeking higher education at Christian colleges. The university is named after American missionary David C. Babcock, who helped the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Nigeria in 1914. Babcock University school fees will help you understand how much you will need to pay for a semester or a single course.

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A group of students studying together. Photo: pexels.com, @antonytrivet

Source: UGC

Babcock University is owned by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Nigeria, and its mission is to educate students in knowledge and character so they can contribute to society. It is culturally diverse, with students from all over the country. It has over 7,000 students, over a thousand staff members, hostel accommodations, a cafeteria, and a library.

Babcock University school fees 2022/2023

Babcock University is located in Ilishan-Remo in Ogun State. The university has nine schools, each divided into different departments that offer various undergraduate degree programs. They include:

School of Education and Humanities

The programmes available under this school include:

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History and International Studies- BA., MA.,

Languages and Literary Studies- BA., MA., PhD.

Religious Studies- BA., PGD

Education- BEd., BSc.Ed, BA Ed.

Music and Creative Arts- BA.

School of Law and Security Studies

This school offers only one programme.

Law-LLB., LLM.

School of Management Science

The programmes available under this school include:

Accounting -BSc., MSc., PhD.

Banking and Finance - BSc., MSc., PGD.

Business Administration and Marketing -BSc., PGD., MSc., MBA., PhD.

Information Resource Management- MIRM., PGD., PhD.

Veronica Adeleke School of Social Science

The programmes available under this school include:

Economics -BSc., MSc., PGD. PhD.

Mass Communication -BSc., PGD., MSc., PhD.

Political Science -B.Sc., MSc, PhD., MPM.

Public Administration/International Law and Diplomacy -BSc., MSc, PhD.

Social Work -BSc.

School of Science and Technology

A man using a tablet. Photo: pexels.com, @juliamcameron

Source: UGC

The School of Science and Technology offers the following programmes.

Agriculture and Industrial Technology- BAgric., MSc. PhD.

Animal Science -MSc. PhD.

Agronomy -MSc., PhD.

Agric Economics -MSc., PhD.

Microbiology -BSc., PGD., MSC., PhD.

Basic Sciences: Chemistry, Physics/Electronics, Biology, Mathematics -BSc

College of Health and Medical Science (Benjamin S. Carson School of Medicine)

The Benjamin S. Carson School of Medicine offers the following programmes.

Medicine -MBBS

Anatomy -BSc.

Physiology -BSc.

Biochemistry -BSc., MSc., PhD.

Nutrion and Dietecs -BSc.

School of Computing and Engineering Science

The available programmes under this school include:

Computer Science -BSc., PGD., MSc., PhD.

Software Engineering -BSc.

Information Technology -BSc.

School of Public and Allied Health

The School of Public and Allied Health offers two programmes. They are:

Public Health- BSc., PGD., MPH. PhD.

Medical Laboratory Science -BMLS.

School of Nursing Science

The School of Nursing Science offers only one program.

Department of Nursing Science -BNSc., MNSc.

How much is Babcock University school fees?

The cost of attending Babcock University varies depending on the course you want to pursue. Check out all of the fees and programmes available at the institution.

General Babcock University courses and tuition fees

A student in a white top. Photo: pexels.com, @cottonbro

Source: UGC

Below is a table of Babcock general fees for a whole year.

Program 100 - 200 levels Total fees in Naira 300 - 500 levels Total fees in Naira Accounting 739,449 568,807 Agriculture 654,129 503,176 Anatomy 711,009 546,930 Banking and Finance 711,009 546,930 Biochemistry 711,009 546,930 Business Administration 711,009 546,930 Computer Information System 739,449 568,807 Computer Science 739,449 568,807 Computer Technology 739,449 568,807 Economics 711,009 546,930 English studies/ French/Music 682,569 525,053 Education programs 375,413 288,779 History and International Relations 654,129 503,176 Information Resource Management 682,569 525,053 Information Technology 739,449 568,807 International Law and Diplomacy 682,569 525,053 Medical Laboratory Science 739,449 568,807 Marketing 711,009 546,930 Maths/Physics/Chemistry/ Biology 654,129 503,176 Mass Communication 711,009 546,930 Microbiology 711,009 546,930 Nursing Science 739,449 568,807 Nutrition and Diet 654,129 503,176 Physiology 711,009 546,930 Political Science 682,569 525,053 Social Work 682,569 525,053 Public Health 682,569 525,053 Software Engineering 739,449 568,807 Theology 625,688 481,298

Note: All 400-500L students must pay a bank draft of -N7,000 to the University bursary for the Entrepreneurship Skill Acquisition programme.

Fees for law students

The total annual fee for each level is listed below for those interested in law..

Sector 100 - 200 levels Total fees in Naira 300 - 500 levels Total fees in Naira Instructional 1,289,990 773,994

Babcock University school fees for medicine and surgery

The table below shows the total annual fee you must pay if enrolled in a medicine and surgery course.

Sector 100 - 200 levels Total fees in Naira 300 - 600 levels Total fees in Naira Instructional (Tuition) 1,000,000 1,000,000 Other Fees, including meals and accommodation 2,884,000 1,136,200 Miscellaneous charges 116,000 116,000 TOTAL 4,000,000 2,252,200

Postgraduate fees

Below is a table for postgraduate courses and fees.

Program Degree in view Total fees in Naira per semester Accounting MSc and PhD 375,000 Business Administration and Marketing MSc., MBA., Mphil., Mphil/PhD. PhD 375,000 MBA Executive 1,125,000 Economics, Banking and Finance PGD 300,000 MSc, PhD 375,000 Information Resource Management MIRM, Mphil., PhD. 300,000 Mass Communication MA and PhD 300,000 Political Science and Public Administration MSc., MPhil., Mphil/PhD., PhD 300,000 MPM (Masters in Public Management) 300,000 History and International Studies MDS, MA, PhD and MEd 300,000 Languages and Literary Studies MSc., MPhil., Mphil/PhD., PhD 300,000 Religious Studies PGD, MSc 300,000 MSc. PhD 375,000 Computing and Engineering MSc., MPhil., Mphil/PhD., PhD 375,000 Chemical and Environmental Science MSc., MPhil., Mphil/PhD., PhD 300,000 Bio-Sciences and Bio-Technology MSc., MPhil., Mphil/PhD., PhD 300,000 Nursing Sciences MSc., PhD 375,000 Public and Allied Health MSc., MPH., Mphil/PhD., PhD 375,000 Agriculture and Industrial Technology MSc., MPhil., Mphil/PhD., PhD 300,000 Law MSc. PhD 375,000

Note: All laboratory-based courses will incur an N50,000 laboratory fee per session.

University conversion programmes

Conversion courses are intensive postgraduate programmes that allow you to pursue a career for which your undergraduate degree did not prepare. The table below shows the annual or per-semester fees you must pay.

Type Full-year 1st-semester Total fees in Naira 2nd-semester Total fees in Naira ACA conversion 500,000 300,000 200,000 Nursing conversion 600,000 425,000 175,000 Education 255,000 167,000 88,000

Babcock University contact

Students in a library. Photo: pexels.com, @andybarbour

Source: UGC

For any inquiries or uncertainties, you can contact the institution through the following:

Email: info@babcock.edu.ng or admissions@babcock.edu.ng

info@babcock.edu.ng or admissions@babcock.edu.ng Phone number: +(234-8137388316)) or+(234-7032049418)

What is the school fees for nursing?

The School of Nursing Sciences offers only one programme. The tuition for a postgraduate course is N375,000 per semester.

How much do you pay for the meals at the university?

Meals have different prices. If you choose two meals per day, you must pay N315,000 per year, and if you choose three meals per day, you must pay N472,500 per year.

What is the school fees for engineering course?

For an engineering course, you must pay a tuition fee of N375,000 per semester.

What is the school fees for ph*rmacy?

Unfortunately, the institution does not offer a pha*macy course.

How much is Babcock hostel fee?

The hostel fees are classified as classic, premium, or regular. Depending on your level, you can pay the following amount annually.

Accommodation 100 - 200 levels Total fees in Naira 300 - 500 levels Total fees in Naira Classic 276,120 276,120 Premium 184,080 184,080 Regular 128,856 128,856

Is Babcock form out for 2022?

Babcock University admission for fresher and anyone interested in postgraduate programmes in 2022/2023 is still ongoing. Interested candidates can send their applications to the institution.

What are the requirements to study Medicine at Babcock University?

The admission requirements include a minimum of five credits in core subjects: Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English.

Babcock University school fees structure is reasonable in comparison to the quality of education you will receive as a student. You can also choose from a variety of courses at the institution.

READ ALSO: Covenant University school fees 2022/2023: courses and admissions

Legit.ng recently published an article about Covenant University tuition fees, courses, and admission requirements. Covenant University (CU) is a private Nigerian university located in Ota, Ogun State. David Oyedepo founded the institution, which opened its doors on October 21, 2002.

Covenant University has risen to become one of Nigeria's top universities. It was the first Nigerian university to be ranked in Times Higher Education's 401-500 category of world universities.

Source: Legit.ng
African cultures are very versatile and interesting. Any foreigner can find something unique for himself. We gathered Ghana weaving shuku styles in Ibadan city. The ladies preserve their native braiding hairstyles. Lets find out what is shuku.

Ghana weaving shuku styles

Shuku is also often called Suku. It means a basket. It is quite a simple hairstyle, however, still one of the most widespread in Nigeria. It is a braiding where the hair starts running from the forehead to the nape of the neck or, for example, forms a rump on top of the ladys head. Sometimes shuku is blended with koroba (it is also a hairstyle), people call it orishabumni. Previously only the wives of kings could have shuku but now any beautiful lady can try this style on.

The hair is a real central point in Yoruba traditions. Such style starts from the forehead and ends at the back of the neck showing that the woman is married. Besides, married ladies adorn their heads with hairstyles from both sides of the head and often finish up in the middle.

Shuku didi

Ghana weaving shuku styles

Didi was an old Yoruba braiding style. Shuku is made in a few trendy ways including this popular Ghana weaving. However, nothing can be compared to the original look. It is recommended for dry damaged hair and also for pregnant ladies. There are two types of didi called didi ologede and didi adimole.

Woven Shuku

Ghana weaving shuku styles

READ ALSO: How to make your hair grow faster? - Top 10 tips

One more twist to the original Ghana Shuku but still very traditional is done by forming tiny sub-sections along all the parted sections of ladys hair. Then women twin them into each other to make a braided look.

Modern hairstyles

Ghana weaving shuku styles

Checkup Ghana weaving pictures. The beautiful Nigerian actress whose names Tonto Dike enjoyed being married to a wonderful Yoruba man. She shared her photo with Shuku braids.

Ghana weaving styles during festivities

Ghana weaving shuku styles

Sometimes ladies add beads to shuku. This Igbo bride decided to try it for her wedding

READ ALSO: IGBO traditional attire

Shuku braids are very similar to popular Ghana weaving. The difference is that shuku always ends up in any ponytail at the top, however, Ghana weaving can easily go down. You should definitely try to make one of the Ghana weaving hairstyles too.

SOURCE: yen.com.gh

Source: Legit.ng
Many Nigerians have already become famous worldwide in various spheres of life. Jelani Aliyu car designer is considered the Nigerian superstar of the General Motors Renaissance. This article will tell you the history of success of the most prominent Nigerian car designer who created the Chevrolet Volt.

Jelani Aliyu car designer

It took an ordinary Nigerian man 24 years to move from Sokoto State in Nigeria to Detroit. Now Jelani Aliyu is Lead Exterior Designer in the second-largest vehicle manufacturer on the planet  General Motors. In 2007, he designed the Chevy Volt. This car has been immediately described as a Revolution and one of the up-to-the-minute models in the design line ever.

Jelani Aliyu's biography

The most prominent Nigerian car designer Jelani Aliyu was born in 1966 in a large family. He was the fifth of seven children. Jelani remembers that he grew up in Sokoto. This state has always had the rich culture of the people and the state itself. Therefore, from the very childhood, the future designer had perfect access to the newest international information from various spheres of life. It was a great experience for him.

From 1971 to 1978, he had been studying at Sokoto Capital School. It is one of the most important secondary schools in the State, which gave the Nigerian genius a very fruitful scholastic experience.

Jelani Aliyu car designer

From 1978 to 1983, Jelani Aliyu had been studying at Federal Government College, which is also located in Sokoto. After graduating from it, the designer received a trustworthy award as The best in Technical Drawing.

During his studying time, Jelani met hundreds of good and bright people from both Nigeria and abroad. They all undoubtedly encouraged and mentored him tremendously in his desire to keep on his creative work. The young designer worked a lot on designing own cars. He made many scale models, even completing them with exteriors and interiors.

READ ALSO: Innoson motors price list: cheap cars in Nigeria

On one of his rare interviews, Jelani Aliyu answered the question on what drove him into the automotive designing industry:

I have always loved drawing. These are different things around me, people, objects, plants, also stuff from my imagination. Growing up, I have always loved science fiction, and in the movies, you would see a lot of alien spacecraft and other futuristic things that would inspire me to look beyond. I also love cars very much, even though then we did not have any Ferraris in Sokoto. However, we did have magazines in which I saw them, and they inspired me, too. So I put together my love for drawing and cars and decided to be a car designer.

Jelani Aliyu car designer

In 1986, Jelani Aliyu decided to continue his A-levels in Zaria Ahmadu Bello University. However, he quickly abandoned his studying there. Thus, a designer entered the Birnin Kebbi Polytechnic, bagging an OND in Architecture. The studying process there lasted from 1986 to 1988. He graduated from it from the honorable Best All-Round Student Award.

Jelani Aliyu car designer

There is an imperative notion here. Jelani is very grateful to his parents for their complete support in everything.

In particular, the Nigerian designer says:

My parents let me decide what I wanted to do. For example, when I went to Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria and decided I did not want to continue there, they were supportive. They did not insist that I had to remain there. They have always been supportive and understanding.

After spending thousands of hours in various researches of design and construction, looking into materials and structures that would be most compatible with our environment and climate, finally decided to become a car designer. Thus, Jelani Aliyu made up his mind to continue studying transportation design in the United States.

Jelani Aliyu and General Motors

In 1990, Jelani Aliyu finally moved to Detroit. There he joined the College for Creative Studies in under a Sokoto Scholarship board sponsorship. This place immediately allowed him to receive fascinating experience. His studying course was very practical, with a strong emphasis on creativity and the development of new designs with quick solutions. During his studying, the Nigerian genius managed to win two awards from Michelin, US, and Ford Motor Company.

In 1994, Jelani Aliyu received his degree in automobile design. General Motors instantaneously took this young genius to its team. Thus, Jelani Aliyu started his career in this company in the design department.

Jelani Aliyu car designer

Among the most outstanding Jelani Aliyu`s projects with General Motors we should mention:

Co-designer of Buick Rendezvous;

The lead exterior designer of the Pontiac G6;

Astra project with General Motors Opel Division.

The brilliant work on the Chevrolet Volt design immediately allowed Jelani Aliyu to become the real superstar of the General Motors Renaissance. This compact car developed by the Nigerian genius for the first time was presented at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January 2007.

Jelani Aliyu car designer

Presently, the car has an electric generator powered by an internal combustion engine with the capacity of 62 kW. Fuel tank capacity is 45 liters. This fuel and the full charge battery are enough to run 640 miles.

Jelani Aliyu car designer

Now the approximate price of the Chevrolet Volt is $37,000.

Conclusion

We can conclude that for General Motors Nigeria gas become a lucky country. Jelani Aliyu car designer is a real example for many our people to be proud of. Jelani Aliyu and many other Nigerians keep on doing great in every part of the world, bringing glory and international recognition to their country. Jelani Aliyu has already inspired many other Nigerians to pursue their dreams.

Source: Legit.ng
By Press Trust of India: Bengaluru, Feb 20 (PTI) India is probably one of the places in the world where the entrepreneurial energy is able to scale up, not just start, Microsoft?s India-born chief Satya Nadella today said. He said the entrepreneurial energy in the country is "tremendous" and Microsoft is "enthused about it. "Every time I come back to India, the thing that grabs you is the entrepreneurial spirit of the place. There are a whole bunch of startups doing really exiting work," Nadella said. Center of entrepreneurial energy at least for us right now in India is all around our cloud. It is fantastic, the quality of the entrepreneurs, the ideas... the Indian market itself is huge, but also going beyond that, it is amazing to see (the growth)", he said in response to Nilekani?s question regarding entrepreneurial energy in India. Nadella today kick-started his three-day visit to India here, where he participated in a discussion organised by Microsoft on cloud-first, mobile-first world along with Indian IT veteran Nandan Nilekani. Stating that India has some brands that have already well established, Nadella said there were stunning cross section of starts ups in the country. He said building on India Stack, the transaction analytics, the very idea of a presence where a payments infrastructure getting built on top of Aadhar by using the cloud, the diagnostic applications that are getting built, world class AI. It was very fascinating to come here and learn about. "I think that the entrepreneurial energy of the place is just tremendous," he said. Pointing out that in the last twelve months there were about 2000 startups in the Microsoft Accelerator programme that the company runs out of Bengaluru, Nadella said 2000 startups using our cloud, it is fantastic.

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The funding they are getting locally as well as foreign capital and the number of people joining the Microsoft Accelerator, we are very very enthused. PTI KSU RC

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- President Muhammadu Buhari made several promises to Nigerians during the 2015 presidential elections campaign

- One of his major promises was that he will root out corruption in the system

- The president has taken concrete steps to address these issues

The administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has made concrete steps to address the corruption that has eaten deep into the Nigerian system.

The passion of President Buhari to fight corruption is not in doubt

President Buhari made several promises to Nigerians during the 2015 presidential elections campaign vowing to root out corruption in the system.

Many believed the president and voted him based on his antecedent as a transparent and disciplined leader since his days as Nigeria's military president.

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The trust reposed on the Buhari's government has paid off as the administration has now done 11 things to improve fiscal transparency and accountability in government.

Read below:

1. The Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit (PICA)

PICA was set up by President Buhari to strengthen controls over government finances through a continuous internal audit process across all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), particularly in respect of payroll. Through the activities of PICA, a total of 53,000 erroneous payroll entries have been identified, with payroll savings of N198 billion achieved in 2016.

Also, the federal ministry of finance has set a target to ensure that the federal governments payroll platform  the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS)  covers 100 percent of MDAs by the end of 2017. Currently 60% of MDAs are enrolled on the IPPIS platform.

2. Budget Reforms

First, a presidential order was issued directing that all budgets of all government agencies be prepared in line with International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS), using a budget template developed for that purpose. Second, the 2017 Budget was collated using a web-based application developed by the Budget Office of the Federation (BOF), for the first time ever. Instead of the traditional method of hard copy submissions of budget proposals, MDAs were asked to upload their proposals to the new budget preparation portal.

By replacing paper submissions with an audit-able and trackable online system, the 2017 budget preparation process was strengthened against manipulation and unauthorised alteration. All MDAs budget proposals were uploaded to the new system, for review and final collation by the Budget Office. More than 4,000 staff of the MDAs were specially trained to use the new application, across multiple locations nationwide. Also to support the deployment of the budget portal, the Budget Office set up a Helpdesk, accessible by telephone and email, for authorised users.

3. Expansion of TSA Coverage

On August 7, 2015, President Buhari issued a directive to all MDAs to close their accounts with Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) and transfer their balances to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on or before September 15, 2015. This decision to fully operationalise the Treasury Single Account (TSA) systema public accounting system that enables the government to manage its finances (revenues and payments) using a single/unified account, or series of linked accounts domiciled at the CBN  has resulted in the consolidation of more than 20,000 bank accounts previously spread across DMBs in the country, and in savings of an average of N4.7 billion monthly in banking charges associated with indiscriminate government borrowing from the DMBs.

As at February 10, 2017, a total sum of N5.244 trillion had flowed into the TSA. The TSA allows the managers of the governments finances, including but not limited to the ministry of finance and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, to have, at any point in time, a comprehensive overview of cash flows across the entire government. It also ensures increased transparency in public financial management, as well as prevents a scenario in which some MDAs have idle cash while other MDAs are compelled to borrow exorbitantly from DMBs.

The TSA system was launched in 2012, but failed to gain traction until President Buharis executive order in August 2015. As at December 2016, 766 MDAs were TSA-compliant. The ministry of finance continues to fine-tune the system to improve its efficiency, and has also commenced an audit to ensure that all funds due to the TSA are remitted into it.

4. Deployment of BVN for Payroll and Social Investment Programmes

Considering that personnel costs are the federal governments largest expenditure line, the federal government has given priority to the deployment of the BVN for payroll and pension audits. The use of BVN to verify payroll entries on the IPPIS platform has so far led to the detection of 53,000 erroneous payroll entries.

The federal government has also ensured the deployment of BVN system to serve as the verification basis for payments to beneficiaries and vendors in the N-Power Scheme and the Homegrown School Feeding Programme (HGSFP)

5. Replacement of old Cash-Based Accounting System with an Accruals-Based System

Cash accounting makes no reference to the liabilities that the federal government may be required to meet in the future nor does it recognise the benefits that will be obtained from assets purchased over a period of time. The cash accounting system fails to capture information on public sector assets and liabilities which may present the illusion of positive financial results in the short term, at the expense of longer-term fiscal stability and sustainability.

Accruals-based accounting, on the other hand, presents the true financial position of the federal government's assets and liabilities, which would help the government plan future funding requirements for asset maintenance and replacement, and the repayment of existing and contingent liabilities and, thus, better manage their cash position and financing requirements.

It provides comprehensive information on governments current and projected cash flows, leading to better cash management. For example, the conversion from cash accounting to accrual accounting led to the discovery of unrecorded debts owed contractors, oil marketers, exporters, electricity distribution companies and others.

6. Enlistment into Open Government Partnership (OGP)

In May 2016, President Buhari attended and participated in the International Anti-Corruption Summit organised by the UK Government. At that summit he pledged that Nigeria would join the OGP, an international transparency, accountability and citizen engagement initiative.

In July 2016, Nigeria became the 70th country to join the OGP. Following this, Nigeria constituted an OGP National Steering Committee (NSC), which went on to develop a National Action Plan (20172019) that aims to deepen and mainstream transparency mechanisms and citizens engagement in the management of public resources across all sectors. The National Action Plan was submitted at the OGP Global Summit in Paris, France, in December 2016.

7. Insistence on Conditionality of Fiscal Support to States

The Fiscal Sustainability Plan (FSP) is a reform programme that specifies conditions under which states can access the federal governments N510 billion Budget Support Facility (BSF). The FSP was introduced to enhance fiscal prudence and transparency in public expenditure, across the states. 35 States signed up.

Independent verification and auditing of participating states is now ongoing  against the FSP conditions & milestones  by eight (8) accounting firms. State governments that fail to implement the FSP action plans, as stated, will be taken off the Budget Support Facility with immediate effect. The FSP is part of government's reform of Public Financial Management Systems nationwide.

8. Creation of Efficiency Unit (EU) to spearhead the efficient use of government resources, and ensure reduction in recurrent expenditure

The EU reviews all government overhead expenditure, reduces wastage, provides efficiency and ensures quantifiable savings for the country. Also, the unit identifies best practices in procurement and financial management for adoption. The EUs efforts have resulted in approximately N15 billion in savings on travel, sitting allowances and souvenirs.

There is also potential savings of N7 billion on other expenditure lines where the unit seeks to control spending through circulars. In addition, there is on-going work on the deployment of a price-checker, as well as the use of debit cards for payments.

9. Asset Recovery Reforms

The constitution of a Presidential Committee on Asset Recovery (PCAR), headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, to bring together all law enforcement agencies involved in the recovery of assets; as well as designation of a dedicated CBN account to receive all recovered funds, for coordination and transparency of management and oversight.

10. Reform of longstanding Cash Call Arrangement

In 2016 the federal government exited the cash call arrangement by which the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) traditionally funded its share of the crude oil exploration and production Joint Ventures (JVs) with International Oil Companies (IOCs). The cash call obligations had consistently put pressure on the federal governments finances, and a failure to fully fund them has resulted in the accumulation of debt arrears of more than six billion dollars, as at December 2015.

Starting 2017, a new funding mechanism is being introduced, which will allow the JVs to transform into independent, self-financing entities. The advantages for the federal government finances include:

(1) Freeing-up the federal government from the budgetary obligation of coming up with the cash calls (savings made under the new arrangement can be directed to critical Infrastructure projects), and

(2) A potential increase in Nigerias oil production to about 2.5 million barrels per day, on account of optimal funding.

Also as part of the reforms, the debt arrears owed the IOCs have been negotiated downwards to approximately US$5.1 billion  for which a long-term repayment plan has been drawn up.

11. New Whistleblowing Policy

The new Whistleblowing Policy introduced by the federal ministry of finance has already yielded about $160m and N8 billion in recoveries of stolen government funds.

READ ALSO: 6 things you need to know about the FG's whistleblowing programme

Source: Legit.ng
The bloodshed within the Southern part of Kaduna state, has continued to rise, it is fast becoming a daily affair.

Just In: Army General, Police Commissioner relocate to Southern Kaduna

There are fears that more and more lives will be lost in a couple of days if a timely intervention does not come.

Most recent reports suggest that reports suggest that gunmen on Monday, February 20, killed 14 persons and injured many others, in an attack on Ashim village in the Takad chiefdom of Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna state.

The attack comes on the heels of several others which makes the casualty toll very disturbing.

What started of as tribal disputes are said to have taken a detour, escalating into grave religious violence, threatening not just Kaduna state on its own, but indeed stirring pressure felt all around the nation at large.

Relocation of military personnel

The Kaduna state government on Monday, February 20, announced that the Garrison Commander of the 1 Division of the Nigeria Army and the states Commissioner of Police have relocated to the southern part of the state.

This is to enable Brigadier-General Ismaila Isa and CP Agyole Abeh coordinate a determined response to renewed attacks by armed bandits on communities in Kaura and Jemaa local government areas.

The situation has been brought under control by this afternoon, but security operations continue.

Governor extends condolences

A government statement said that Malam Nasir El-Rufai has extended his condolence to the families of the victims of the renewed attacks which began last night, 19th February 2017.

Vanguard reports that the governor assured them that the government is fully committed to securing the area, with the active support of the army and the police.

The statement added that the two battalions of the army and the 10 mobile police squadrons are engaging the bandits, as the duty state carries out its obligations to secure the area, protect lives and rout these armed bandits.

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The governor said that despite these difficulties and the pain of the attacks, this is not the time to give the bandits the pleasure of seeing victims turn on each other.

He called for support for the army and the security agencies as they work to repel attacks and crush the bandits. Unknown gunmen in a coordinated attack invaded Bakin Kogi, Kaninkon Village in Jemaa Local Government Area in the State on Sunday 19th February, 2017 at about 5:30pm.

They were repulsed by Operation Yaki Surveillance Patrol Teams and Operation Harmony Patrol Teams.

Further attacks were recorded today in Kaura local government. Fatalities were recorded and some houses were burnt in the attacks.

I have been in touch with the security agencies and I have been studiously following the situation in Jemaa and Kaura Local Government Areas over the unfortunate attacks.

I want to, first of all, extend my heartfelt condolences to the families and relations that lost their loved ones and properties in these unfortunate attacks.

My prayers and support equally goes to citizens that sustained injuries and are traumatised by what they witnessed.

This is clearly a wicked, evil and devilish act being perpetrated by enemies of peace and humanity.

I also wish to commend our gallant soldiers and police personnel, who are defending our communities. The Kaduna State Government will continue to work assiduously with security agencies towards the protection of life and property.

Source: Legit.ng
The Central Bank of Nigerian (CBN) in order to ease the difficulties encountered by Nigerians in obtaining funds for foreign exchange transactions, has issued a new forex policy on the Monday, February 20.

Exchange of dollar for naira

The policy would be providing direct additional funding to banks to meet the needs of Nigerians for personal and business travel, medical needs, and school fees, effective immediately.

This policy will also dictate how things work with the Nigerian foreign exchange market. Here are 8 things you need to know about the new forex policy.

1. The policy is directed at the retail end of the market where the scarcity is worst. This is the market that used to be served by the bureau de change (BDCs).

2. The new forex policy aims to ensure supply of dollars for personal and business travel allowances for those who need to travel on holiday or business.

The new policy will be available for medical needs, people who need to pay for medical services abroad and school fees for those who need to pay school fees of their wards schooling abroad.

READ ALSO: We are not corrupt, CBN replies Nigerian Wailer

3. This new policy will ensure that the sale of forex to banks will be done weekly by CBN. These categories of people will also get forex easily from commercial banks.

4. This new policy has also made provision for each bank to receive amounts commensurate with their demand per week. This means, the bank that gets patronized the most from customers will get the most dollars from CBN.

READ ALSO: Forex hike: Panic as 14 foreign airlines exit Nigerian aviation market

5. The new forex policy will ensure that anyone and everyone who is qualified for personal and business travel allowance gets it. The CBN has also directed all banks to open foreign exchange retail outlets at major airports as soon as logistics permit.

6. The logistics permits implies that banks dont have a timeline to open outlets at various airports. This is a double-edged sword as banks with outlets could sell at a premium.

7. This new policy will allow the three major international airports we have in Nigeria, Lagos, Abuja and Kano to be a foreign exchange market. With Abuja Airport set to be closed, it is likely that Kaduna airport will soon be an FX destination.

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8. With this new forex policy all banks without an outlet at the major airports will not joining the likes of travelex, UBA, First Bank, GTB, Zenith to sell forex to consumers.

Source: Legit.ng
By Press Trust of India: Kolkata, Feb 20 (PTI) Eveready Industries India Limited today officially decided to reorganise their packet tea business examining and evaluating all alternatives.

"The board has authorised Managing Director Amritanshu Khaitan to examine and evaluate all relevant aspects and alternatives for the reorganisation, including the option of continuing with packet tea operations through a wholly owned subsidiary," a company statement said.

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"The objective of the exercise is to provide sharper focus to the packet tea business which is currently not adequate as it remains mixed with the Eveready branded product verticals of dry batteries, flashlights, lighting product and home appliances," it said.

The Indian packet tea market is estimated at Rs 10,000 crore dominated by HUL and Tata Tea.

The reorganisation will help the company to induct strategic partners or even hive-off.

The Eveready packet tea owns brands like Tez, Jaago, and Premium Gold brands and contributed to about just five per cent of the companys Rs 1,331 crore annual sales during 2015-16.

Currently, these brands account for anywhere between one and five per cent of the tea market across India. PTI BSM DKB

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- The Governor of Imo state, Rochas Okorocha, has warned a former Governor of Kaduna state, Ahmed Makarfi, and his faction to respect a judgment of a court of Appeal

- Okorocha said that Makarfi and his group should not to be anarchists by going against a valid judgement which empowered Sheriff as the indisputable National chairman of the PDP

- He asked Makarfi and his co-travellers to proceed on appeal to the Supreme Court and not denigrate the judiciary and or heat up the polity unnecessarily

The Governor of Imo state and chairman Progressives Governors Forum, Rochas Okorocha, has warned a former Governor of Kaduna state, Ahmed Makarfi, and his faction to respect a judgment of a court of Appeal, Port Harcourt, Rivers state, which affirmed that Alimodu Sheriff, was the true National chairman of the crisis-ridden Peoples Democratic Party.

PDP national chairman, Ali Modu Sheriff addressing the press at the party secretariat, Abuja

Punch reports that the Governor said that, while the Makarfi led faction of the PDP reserved the Constitutional right to appeal the court of Appeal judgement in Supreme Court, himself and other faithful who are opposed to the leadership of Sheriff should not heat up the polity or do anything that would undermine the countys nascent democracy.

READ ALSO: PDP stakeholders meeting: Fayose, Makarfi, others fault Appeal Court's judgment

In a statement issued in Owerri, the state capital on Tuesday 21st February by the Governors political Adviser, Professor Nnamdi Obiaraeri, Okorocha, noted with dismay a communique issued after a meeting in Abuja on Monday 20th February by the Makarfi led faction of the main opposition party.

The governor, who averred that democrats in a democracy should have democratic mindsets, admonished Makarfi and his group not to be anarchists by going against a valid judgement which empowered Sheriff as the indisputable National chairman of the PDP.

The statement which was titled: Senator Makarfi and his co-travellers can proceed on appeal to the Supreme Court but must not denigrate the judiciary and or heat up the polity unnecessarily, asserted that any unlawful act undertaken by the Makarfi faction was an affront to the countrys democracy.

Parts of the statement reads: Our attention has been drawn to the recent Communique allegedly issued after a meeting in Abuja by Senator Makarfi and his co-travelers, following his loss of the National Chairmanship and control of PDP to Senator Sheriff in the recent judgement of the Court of Appeal.

We concede the constitutional right of any person dissatisfied with the judgement of the Court of Appeal to approach the Supreme Court for a final adjudication and determination of the matter or matters in contention but we view with grave concern the apparent disregard for a valid and subsisting judgement of the Court of Appeal by Senator Makarfi and his clique in the PDP national leadership impasse.

This open disregard for a valid and subsisting judgement of the Court of Appeal is a grave affront to the judiciary as an arm of government and must be condemned by all and sundry as a further threat to our fledgling democracy.

Going through the gamut of the said communique, we are piqued by the shameful lack of decorum exhibited by its authors and the derisive language employed by the Senator Markafi led group in lambasting the majority judgement of the Court of Appeal sought to be appealed against.

To say the least, the language of the communique as it affects Their Lordships of the Court of Appeal who delivered the majority judgement is very irresponsible and typical of the outcome of a gathering of lawless political marabouts and desperate gamblers.

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Concerned stakeholders in the legal profession, decent observers and men and women of enlightened conscience are surprised that Senator Makarfi and his rebellious group will delude themselves into believing that a valid and subsisting majority judgement of the penultimate court of the land can be nibbled at to the point of being brazenly disobeyed because of a dissenting minority judgement. This is completely unacceptable.

Source: Legit.ng
Ekiti state governor Ayodele Fayose has declared that he would rule Nigeria as President and commander-in-chief very soon.

Ayo Fayose believes that in his future is presidency of Nigeria.

Speaking during a live interview on Focus Nigeria, a political show on African Independent Television, monitored by Legit.ng on Tuesday, February 21, Fayose said: "It is not by power. It is destiny. Even I did not believe it after becoming Ekiti after eight years of leaving office.

READ ALSO: Buhari says no cause to worry over his health status

"I will be the vice president of Nigeria, even the President very soon.

Fayose attacked Ali Modu Sheriff, saying the former Borno state governor had no popular support as given to Senator Ahmed Makarfi.

"He is a general without an army. If democracy is about people and party politics is about people, tell Senator Ali Modu Sheriff to bring out the people behind him.

"You will see all the senators at our own meetings, who are those behind Sheriff? When holding a press conference, they will use camera to control them like this, just about three of them."

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Fayose also accused Ali Modu Sheriff of tricking the PDP in order to run for the position of President in 2019.

Just on Monday, February 20, Fayose said that every morning he carries he carries Bible bullets to fight the All Progressives Congress, (APC).

Fayose, who serves as the chairman of the Peopls Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum made the remark at the partys stakeholders meeting in Abuja.

Source: Legit.ng
President Muhammadu Buhari has revealed that he needs a longer time to rest, thus putting paid to speculations and claims by top government officials that he is actually fit and healthy.

Buhari wrote to Nigerians through his aide, Femi Adesina

The president said this on Tuesday, February 21, 2017 saying the rest is deserved following the results from the series of medical tests he carried out in the United Kingdom where he is on vacation.

READ ALSO: Osinbajo meets with governors, ministers over rice

The president, who noted that he is staying longer than expected in the UK, reportedly stated this in a four-paragraph statement through his special adviser on media and publicity, Femi Adesina.

The Punch reports that the president thanked Nigerians for their prayers, good wishes and support adding that there was no cause to be troubled.

President Muhammadu Buhari thanks millions of Nigerians who have been sending good wishes and praying for his health and well-being in mosques and churches throughout the country.

The President is immensely grateful for the prayers, show of love and concern.

READ ALSO: Ghana's Jerry Rawlings slams Nigerians for wishing Buhari dead

President Buhari wishes to reassure Nigerians that there is no cause for worry.

During his normal annual checkup, tests showed he needed a longer period of rest, necessitating the President staying longer than originally planned, he said.

Source: Legit.ng
- A human rights organization has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to resign as Nigeria's president

- The organization said Buhari's resignation would be in the interest of the country

- Opinion Nigeria said President Buhari's medical trip to London came to Nigerians as a shock considering the state of nation in the new year

An international human rights organisation has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to resign and pave way for the acting president Yemi Osinbajo to be confirmed as Nigeria's substantive president.

The organization, Opinion Nigeria said it is important, in the interest of the country, for President Buhari to tender his resignation letter without delay.

Opinion Nigeria said President Buhari's medical trip to London came to Nigerians as a shock considering the state of nation i the new year.

READ ALSO: Buhari vs Osinbajo: Same party, different attitudes to power

The organization's president, Jeff Okoroafor in a petition to Buhari said the response by the presidential spokesperson Femi Adesina that Buhari was on a short leave was the beginning of an unending tale.

Okoroafor said Buhari's trip has left the vice president in an acting capacity for too long.

He said Nigeria is in dire need of affirmative actions to put things in the right perspective for 2017.

Okoroafor said: "Although there seem to be a general assumption that the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is acting in the place of the president as such no vacuum is created in the system. But, we are quite aware that there are so many pending issues on the desk of Mr. President that awaits his return.

"We cannot be operating in secrecy at the presidential level expecting the information hungry Nigerians to keep mute. We have the right to know what is happening and we are committed to a functional and operational Nigeria which is not halted for any political gains or satisfaction," Okoroafor said.

READ ALSO: JUST IN: Acting President Osinbajo, governors in crucial meeting inside Aso Rock

"Based on this, we call for the immediate resignation of President Muhammadu Buhari quoting his health as the reason to fully function as the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, followed swiftly with the immediate confirmation of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo as a substantive President of the country.

"We hope that this petition will reach deserving authorities in good faith, understanding that the urgency of this request is born out of the desire to salvage the country from total collapse. We pray and urge that this letter will be treated without prejudice or sentiment from whatever sphere of reasoning," he said.

"As the days on vacation recede, Nigerians yearn insistently to know the circumstances surrounding the presidents seemingly emergency exit from the country. It is ponderous to put on record that this so-called all important vacation was coming at a point when the countrys economy was demanding the innovation or yet still budgetary intervention to ameliorate the sufferings of many Nigerians.

READ ALSO: When Osinbajo takes decisions, some run to Buhari in London to question it  Abdulmumin Jibrin

The organizations said the social media in Nigeria is already awashed with stories competing for public attention over the reason for the trip.

He said the stories which have also expanded with time has sparked up fear and tension on the possibility of President Buhari's inability to respond to treatment at the London Hospital.

"The presidency so far has come up with conflicting versions of comments to diffuse the tension but their words further rambled the suspicion of most Nigerians who requested that the president relay a video to Nigerians assuring them that he was hale and hearty but, he never succumbed," Okoroafor said.

Source: Legit.ng
Few weeks ago, the a report made the rounds, suggesting that over a hundred Nigerians have been killed in South Africa, within two years.

The Federal Government had asked the South African Government to investigate and punish those involved in the killing of a Nigerian in Johannesburg in December last year.

It also called on Pretoria to end extrajudicial killings, criminalisation of immigrants and xenophobic attacks in South Africa.

Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, who visited the South African High Commissioner to Nigeria, Lulu Mnguni, in Abuja on Tuesday 7th February sought assurances that xenophobic attacks against Nigerians by South Africans would be stopped.

Killing of Nigerians in South Africa: FG sends strong message to South African government

Her visit was sequel to the killing of a Nigerian, Tochukwu Nnadi, in December last year by South African police officers.

Nnadi was choked to death for allegedly dealing in hard drug.

Dabiri-Erewa complained that over 116 Nigerians were killed within two years in South Africa. She said 63 per cent of the extrajudicial killings were carried out by the police.

She expressed sadness over the criminalisation of Nigerians by South Africans, noting that Nigeria and South Africa should rather be engaging in cooperation that could lead to social-economic development as the two giants of Africa.

A hint of reprisal

Dabiri-Erewa - President Muhammadu Buharis senior special aide, has dropped hints that Nigeria may consider reprisal over renewed xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.

The adviser said the countrys patience was being tried with the renewed attacks and has also called on the African Union (AU), to prevail on the South African government, to take decisive and definitive measures to protect Nigerian citizens and other Africans within that countrys borders.

In a statement made on Monday, February 20, the presidential aide decried the renewed xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other Africans in South Africa.

Dabiri-Erewa said the Nigerian community in South Africa, led by Ikechukwu Anyene, has confirmed the attacks and looting of Nigerian-owned businesses in Pretoria West on Saturday. She quoted Anyene as saying that the union had reported the incident to the Nigeria mission and South African police.

As we speak, five buildings with Nigerian businesses, including a church, have been looted and burned by South Africans. She said the attention of the AU was being called upon to intervene because there is credible information that more xenophobic attacks against foreigners will take place between February 22 and 23, 2017.

Dabiri-Erewa described the attacks as an unnecessary setback and advised Nigerians to be extra cautious.

She also urged restraint on the part of Nigerians and warned that further attacks without any reprimand may have dire consequences.

Dabiri-Erewa had, two weeks ago, met with the South African High Commissioner in Nigeria, Lulu Aaron-Mnguni, on the killing of Nigerians in his country who promised to investigate the matter.

We have lost 116 Nigerians in the last two years and, in 2016 alone, about 20 were killed. This is unacceptable to the people and Government of Nigeria, she told Aaron-Mnguni.

Source: Legit.ng
- The chairman of the Kaduna Chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic (ASUP) Aliyu Ibrahim has decried the lack of infrastructural projects in Nigerian institutions

- Ibrahim said his office as a polytechnic lecturer has been under a mango tree for the past 18 years

- He said he has not had an office due to infrastructural deficit in the institution

The chairman of the Kaduna Chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic (ASUP) Aliyu Ibrahim has decried the lack of infrastructural projects in Nigerian institutions.

Ibrahim said his office as a polytechnic lecturer has been under a mango tree for the past 18 years.

He said he has not had an office due to infrastructural deficit in the institution.

He said nothing has changed in terms of infrastructure since he graduated from the institution in 1994.

READ ALSO: Call off strike or no salary - FG tells polytechnic lecturers

"I am privileged to be talking to you in this office today because am ASUP chairman but my office is under the mango tree," Ibrahim said.

I do not have an office since I joined the institution 18 years ago. I seat under the mango tree.

If my students or anybody wants to see me, he must either meet me in the class or strategically position himself and wait for me to pass by," he said.

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The lecturer also said the lack of infrastructure and having to work from under the tree is affecting the motivation of staff in the school.

He added that Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund ) had not been fair to polytechnics in Nigeria when it comes to infrastructural intervention.

READ ALSO: JUST IN: Polytechnic lecturers embark on nationwide warning strike

If TETFund gives university N200 million, for example, it will give polytechnic N50 million for infrastructure.

Nigeria is a developing economy and needs the middle class of manpower to develop the economy.

The essence of polytechnic education is to bring out middle class operations in terms of technological advancement, design implementation and even research.

The lack of infrastructure in the system is hampering the ability of the middle class to deliver," Ibrahim said.

He also urged the federal government to address infrastructure challenges affecting polytechnic institutions in the country.

Source: NAN

Source: Legit.ng
By Press Trust of India: Jammu, Feb 21 (PTI) Shrinking the big fat Kashmiri wedding and other opulent functions, the Jammu and Kashmir government has imposed curbs on expenses, the guest list and dishes to be served on such occasions.

Also, it has put a ban on the use of amplifiers, loud speakers and fire crackers at such events in the state.

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"The government issued a Guest Control Order to impose restrictions on the injudicious use of essential commodities during social, government and private functions and a complete ban on the use of amplifiers, loud speakers and fire crackers on such occasions," Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Choudhary Zulfkar Ali said.

He told reporters here that the order was issued after the department received complaints and representations from civil society organisations regarding the "injudicious" use of essential commodities and exorbitant expenditures made on public and private functions.

The department, after taking cognisance of the complaints, issued the order, putting a complete ban on any person sending dry fruits, sweet packets with invitation cards to relatives, friends, guests etc.

Ali said the number of guests to be invited on the marriage of daughter including baraat should be restricted to a maximum of 500 and on that of son, it should not exceed 400.

"For functions like ring ceremony of son, daughter and other small events, the number of guests invited should not cross the hundred mark," the minister said.

The order restricts the number of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes to a maximum of seven each. Besides, not more than two stalls of sweets or ice cream can be set up.

The minister said the law is "same for everyone and will be applied to all, irrespective of his/her status in the society".

The order will be applicable from April 1 as the government wanted to give a buffer period of 40 days to people who have already distributed invitation cards.

Ali also asked the organisers to ensure that food items, uncooked or cooked, do not go waste during such functions.

"If there is surplus food, it should be given to the needy," he said.

No plastic or indecomposable material should be thrown in the open and the same should be collected in a separate dustbin and disposed of properly by the host or the organiser, Ali said.

Besides, the order places a complete ban on the use of big generator sets, high-pitch sound amplifiers, loud speakers, decks, profuse lightning, bursting of crackers in social as well as government functions.

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The minister also urged for support from the public to make the initiative a success. PTI AB GVS

--- ENDS ---
Ayodele Fayose, the Ekiti state governor, has caused a stir in the country with his most recent declaration that he would soon be the President and commander-in-chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria very soon.

Ayodele Fayose, the Ekiti state governor who has high hopes of being the Nigerian president soon.

This declaration seemed to have been made at a time Nigerians are disoriented. With the absence of President Buhari and the skyrocketing exchange rate, many people feel the nation needs a leader who is strong enough to handle their affairs.

Fayose revealed his ambition on a political show monitored by Legit.ng on AIT today, February 21. The governor claimed it is destined to happen as he did not know he will be in the position of power that he is now despite leaving the office eight years ago.

The active state governor said he will be the vice president of the nation first before being made the president. This news was broken coincidentally on the same day President Buhari wrote a letter saying the doctors have ordered him to have enough rest.

This means that Nigeria has a president in waiting even though the sworn-in president is not around. Nigerians have reacted to the declaration made by Fayose. With their reactions, you can guess if they are in support of the state governors move and goal.

Check out some of the points raised with Governor Fayose's outburst:

1. He is a man that can kick against injustice

READ ALSO: You need to read what Nigerians are saying after President Buhari extended his leave AGAIN

2. It is time for an Igbo president

3. Nigeria has become a joke

4. God bless you Fayose

5. What tribe will vote for you

6. Fayose is a day dreamer

7. What has Fayose achieved as the governor of Ekiti?

8. Ekiti is not up to Zaria LGA

9. Count on my support Fayose

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10. We do not need a tout as a president

Source: Legit.ng
- The Emir of Kano has explained further the proposed law seeking to ban poor men from marrying more than a wife

- The Chairman of Islamic family Law Committee in charge of the new law said the law is already being drafted

- The is no known punishment yet for those who might break the law

The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi ll has explained reasons for the new law that seeks to stop poor men from marrying more than one wife as accepted by Islamic religion.

The Emir who spoke through the Chairman of Islamic Family Law Committee, Dr.Bashir Aliyu, Sanusi on Tuesday, February 21, said the law was rather meant to guide Muslims faithful on how to conduct their family lives in line with the teachings of Islam, Nigeria Bulletin reports.

Law seeking to stop poor men from marrying many wives is necessary to guide Muslims faithfuls

READ ALSO: Emir Sanusi clarifies statement on conversion of schools to mosques

The emir said the law provides that a Muslim can marry additional wife only when he meets up with two fundamental conditions:

1. The man will be just and treat his wives equally

2. The man has the means of taking care of more than one wives

The Emir said: These are the two conditions provided by the law and that what Islam says about polygamy. When passed into law, the law will help our judges and lawyers in discharging their duties as administrators of justice.

It will also guide the community how resolve some family matters. And it will equally prevent alien laws and culture from penetrating into our religion.

He announced that the 40-member family law committee had already drafted the law and is currently reviewing it before submission to the main committee for final draft and subsequent passage into law by the Kano state House of Assembly.

He however said punishment for breaking the law is yet to be drafted as the law is just a way to sought family planning and reduce poverty in the North.

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Meanwhile, the emir of Kano has recently accused Nigerian leaders of being selfish and only concerned about members of their families.

The former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria spoke on Wednesday, February 8 in Abuja at the award presentation ceremony of Most Security Conscious Governor to Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi by the Nigeria Police Force.

Source: Legit.ng
A 24-hour curfew has been imposed on Southern Kaduna following an attack on Sunday, February 20 by Fulani herdsmen which resulted in the killing of about 14 indigenes.

The curfew was imposed by the state Security Council in Jemaa and Kaura local government areas and it is with immediate effect.

Nasir El-Rufai's government imposed the curfew on the two local government areas of the state

The herdsmen had had reportedly invaded the two local governments where they also destroyed several properties.

READ ALSO: Southern Kaduna boy hopes to use his locally produce toy gun to scare herdsmen away (photo, video)

Premium Times reports that while the attack on in Jemaa was repelled by security officials, 14 people were killed while many others were injured Ashim village, Takad chiefdom of Kaura local government area.

The report said a statement by Samuel Aruwan, the spokesperson to Governor Nasir El-Rufai, said the curfew was imposed on the area to protect lives of the people and avoid further breakdown of law.

READ ALSO: Security tightened at Abuja House in London as Presidency keeps silent on Buhari's health

Only essential workers and those on humanitarian services are allowed movement after due clearance by security agencies, Mr Aruwan said adding that security agencies have been asked to beef up their protection efforts.

Source: Legit.ng
Editor's note: Richards Murphy, a forensic psychologist from Calabar, Cross River state has claimed that there is an international undertone to Nigeria's current economic crisis.

Murphy also said the activities of Boko Haram terrorists, 'roving bands of Chadian deserters' and former rebels who have made the region south of Chad their base of operations is worrisome.

Nigeria has indeed seen tough times, tough times that have lasted over six years, with accompanying wanton destruction of lives and properties running into billions of naira.

While it is argued in some quarters that the Boko Haram crisis has some international sponsors, I nonetheless think there is more than just foreign sponsorship of the activities of the sect.

In my opinion, there is an international conspiracy to either destroy the economy of Nigeria, or payback for constituting a hindrance to a grand plot.

As a first, Nigeria is surrounded by former French colonies, called francophone countries.

READ ALSO: How corruption is aiding Boko Haram's attacks in Nigeria - Transparency International

These countries share borders with Nigeria, especially the North-East, where the activities of the Boko Haram sect is domiciled. But curiously, it was observed that Boko Haram terrorist often get their supplies from these countries especially Chad and Mali.

That is not the catch. The catch is that there is a strong presence of French troops stationed in these countries.

For instance, in Mali, there are over 3,000 French soldiers under the auspices of Operation Barkhane, a task force, dedicated to tracking Islamist rebels against the wider sub-Saharan area.

But this is the same Mali that hundreds of Boko Haram members stayed at training camps with Malian militants for months in Timbuktu, learning to fix Kalashnikovs and launch shoulder-fired weapons, under the full glare of Operation Barkhane. It didnt stop there, in Chad, Operation Barkhane has 1,200 troops stationed in that country.

Yet, activities of Boko Haram terrorists and roving bands of Chadian deserters and former rebels who have made the region south of Chad their base of operations continued, all in the full glare of Operation Barkhane.

READ ALSO: Lai Mohammed blasts Biafra group, says fake news poses more threat than insurgency, militancy

Let me digress to give some foundation for the continuous presence of French troops in its former colonies. In some quarters, it is stated that the francophone countries entered into an agreement with France to provide security against a coup.

So mainly the presence of French troops in these countries is to provide cover for their various business interests somewhat. And part of these activities is ensuring a steady supply of crude oil.

But the usual cover story they would tell you is that the presence of French troops in Africa is part of a global mission to tackle militancy across Africa.

However, there have been some reactions to France's deepening engagement in West Africa. Some people say that rather than preventing terrorists from coming to this part of the world, they attract them.

According to a Chatham House expert, Paul Melly, France wields a level of influence in sub-Saharan Africa that it cannot command anywhere else in the world.

Analysts used to refer to the "vested interests" that France had in West Africa in the post-colonial period, and how Nigeria constituted a stumbling block in its quest for outright dominance in Africa.

However, the odd angle to the whole counter-terrorism narrative as propagated by France is suspect. Suspect in the sense that on three occasions, France has called for a Boko Haram summit.

The first was in 2014, tagged the Paris Security Summit, which saw leaders from Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon, Chad, and Benin agree to share their technical know-how with Western allies France, as well as the U.S and Britain to defeat Boko Haram.

Did anything come out of the summit? The answer is a huge no. Instead, Boko Haram activities thrived, they acquired more and more sophisticated weapons that are suspected to have been moved through intermediaries from some of the neighboring countries.

READ ALSO: Iraq and 14 other countries with highest level of terror attacks, Nigeria's position will make you panic (SEE LIST)

In 2015, French President Francois Hollande offered to host a summit of countries fighting Nigeria's Boko Haram armed Islamists on a visit to Cameroon, as a follow-up to the 2014 summit.

This again didnt yield anything tangible. In 2016, there was another summit, where leaders of Lake Chad countries along with French President Francois Hollande, US Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken and British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond gathered in Abuja to discuss a way of defeating Boko Haram. Nothing tangible was achieved.

This is what happens when you follow the story, only to find the most cynical of intentions from every player involved, and indeed the regional politics and geopolitics of West Africa as a whole.

Second is the political and economic chessboard in West Africa, where a few interested parties stand to gain from Boko Harams ongoing attacks and destabilization of the entire Nigerian state.

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For example, Chad sees in Nigeria potential oil profits as it expands its oil extraction capabilities throughout the Chad Basin.

Of course, major oil companies, not to mention powerful western nations such as France, have a vested interest in maintaining their profits from West African oil.

Today, Frances dominant role continues as its port of Le Havre is the final destination for the unrefined oil extracted from under the feet of West Africans.

Are we getting somewhere? Is it now clear why French troops stationed in these francophone countries have continued to turn blind eyes while Boko Haram fighters continue to set up camps, train and launch attacks in Nigeria? Your guess is as good as mine.

Like I mentioned earlier, the interest of France is the business. For them, since Chad is drilling oil from the Lake Chad basin and the final destination is Le Havre, the insurgency has to continue so the oil can continue to flow. But for how long the French deceit will last is left to be imagined.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily represent the editorial policy of Legit.ng.

Your own opinion articles are welcome at info@naij.com  drop an email telling us what you want to write about and why. More details in Legit.ngs step-by-step guide for guest contributors.

Were ready to trade your news for our money: submit news and photo reports from your area using our Citizen Journalism App.

Contact us if you have any feedback, suggestions, complaints or compliments. We are also available on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to Legit.ng Opinion page!

Source: Legit.ng
Shree Ghatak Muhuri, a 30-year-old theatre artist, is being dubbed as the first transgender woman in West Bengal to get legally married.

By India Today Web Desk: When the wedding bells rang for 30-year-old Shree Ghatak on Saturday, it had a loud-and-clear message for everyone in Kolkata and beyond: Love is for one and all.

Ghatak, a transgender woman, had socially married long-time partner Sanjay Muhuri in a traditional Bengali wedding last year. This weekend, however, their marriage became even more special as they got it legally registered.

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Ghatak, now going by Shree Ghatak Muhuri, is being dubbed as the first trans-woman to be legally married in West Bengal. Having found her happily-ever-after, Ghatak's story, however, did not have a smooth start.

Ghatak met husband Sanjay in school, and had been friends since they turned 14. While her feelings for him had been strong ever since, the love story had not been a smooth one.

"I was in class eight when I began getting attracted to Sanjay. It was just like any woman gets attracted towards a man. But it was so confusing for me," Ghatak told eNewsroom.

"Being a woman trapped in a man's body made me feel lonely, strange and bad at times," she said. "Making things worse was the fact that there was no one in my family to understand my feelings."

Also read: Odisha man breaks barriers to marry transgender

THE SOCIAL STIGMA

Ghatak underwent sex reassignment surgery in 2015, and took up the name Shree. But before that, especially during childhood, Ghatak recalls being subjected to much ridicule and torture for being.

"I was often beaten or abused for being what I am. It was really difficult for me," she told eNewsroom. Luckily for Ghatak, she had her mother and a loving partner by her side.

Husband Sanjay Muhuri was not excused from the stigma either, as being in a relationship with a trans-woman often made him the target of ridicule as well. However, Ghatak said that since the sex reassignment surgery, people have been able to accept their relationship.

"Initially, our families were very much opposed to us getting married. They were worried about what people would say. But once I underwent the surgery to be what I had always been, a woman, my in-laws welcomed me with open arms."

Ghatak and Muhuri had a social wedding soon after her sex reassignment surgery, but since they were yet to get the documents supporting her transition, they couldn't go ahead with a legal one.

With all the paperwork sorted now, the two got their marriage registered, becoming a married couple in the eyes of the law as well.

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Also read: Bengal's Kalyani University bends rules to admit transgender student on humanitarian grounds

Shree Ghatak Muhuri with husband, Sanjay Muhuri. Source: Shree Ghatak/ Facebook

--- ENDS ---
Editor's note: In this piece, Law Mefor, an Abuja-based forensic/ social psychologist, a journalist and author met with the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in Kuje Prison.

Mefor said his visit to the detained IPOB leader made him sober on certain issues.

Not long ago, I paid a solidarity and fact-finding visit to the embattled leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Director, Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, at Kuje Medium Security Prison. I set out at down and got a cab to drive me to the place.

Kuje Prison is tucked away in the corner of Kuje main town and you wouldnt know such a place existed there until sights of the prison waders and soldiers barricading the road to the prison at intervals begin to give such top security hints.

Huge Gmelina trees lined the road and provided shades against the harsh February weather made worse by the returning harmattan.

Its characteristic dry and dusty northeasterly trade wind blowing from the Sahara Desert into the Gulf of Guinea was so much of a nuisance that trendy morning.

Startlingly, the soldiers and prison warders were all cordial and civil.

READ ALSO: Release Nnamdi Kanu now to save Nigeria from needless war, aggrieved Nigerian writes open letter to Osinbajo

Yet, it took up to thirty minutes to complete the formalities and protocols and for my form to be approved by the Incharge or his deputies and travel back before I was ushered into the final service area, where I was physically frisked and money and ATM card collected, to be handed back upon signing out and exiting.

I was then given a visitors pass, which I hung around my neck. I walked into the open hall that served as reception and about three dozen seats were arranged around small plastic tables in threes and fours.

I installed myself in one of the chairs as directed by one extremely pretty female prison warder. I wondered for a moment why she chose her profession as I patiently waited while word was sent to Nnamdi Kanu that he had visitors.

I soon noticed I was not the only person who had arrived the same hour to see him. There were at least four others who I discerned from their discussions that they were relatives probably all the way from Abia, his state.

READ ALSO: Why we don't believe in restructuring Nigeria - IPOB

I didnt want to make their acquaintance for obvious reasons. It was the greetings of His excellency that roused me. It was Nnamdi Kanu and two others charged along with him that were being hailed as they came out.

We all stood up in obeisance. He wore flowery green Ankara up-and-down and brown sandals. We firmly shook hands as I introduced myself.

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He was oratorical, sonorous, deep, ponderous and impenetrable when he spoke. He already knew me by reputation for he confessed he had read quite a bit of my works. Probably before he was caged in there, I didnt ask when.

It was good for me as it made my mission a lot easier. I didnt have to waste much time breaking barriers and winning his confidence even though it wasnt a press visit so to speak. But a journalist is a journalist and he knew I was one.

We had become fast friends and discussed as if we had known from childhood. He was a genial fellow who appeared he wouldnt hurt a fly. If he was acting it, then, he made a great job of it.

Pleasantries over, we settled down to business.

I told him straightaway I was there to show solidarity and to understand why his struggle had taken a narrow view as to preclude political solutions.

READ ALSO: We are not recruiting Biafra soldiers and police, IPOB issues STRONG warning

He regarded me as one who was far from reality and who needed a bit of education on the matter at hand. I was ready to be schooled.

He asked me what I understood about the struggle and whether I thought it was justified and timely. It was a tricky question.

I had to tell him the truth. I told him the struggle over Igbo marginalization was justified even though I would prefer inclusion of political option. At least, we have met each other halfway, even though it was how I truly felt. I wasnt faking.

He knew I am for a truly federal Nigeria, restructured within the context of one Nigeria. He dismissed that as hoping against hope as the fate of the Igbos in such utopic Nigeria can only grow from bad to worse.

He easily proved to me that the Igbos are not even marginalized anymore; that they are now excluded from the mainstream of things  Igbos used to play a second fiddle, but now, no fiddles at all.

I found myself agreeing and even supplying instances like the recent promotions to the management cadre at the Nigeria Custom Service, where no person from the entire south east was promoted to the cadre of Assistant Comptrollers General, whereas the other 5 zones got three to six slots.

Yet, this is the usual pool from where the Comptroller of General of Customs would be selected in the future, thus cutting off decisively the south east from the succession in the Nigeria Customs.

READ ALSO: 'Self acclaimed' Biafra leader Benjamin Onwuka is a liar! - IPOB spits FIRE (EVIDENCE)

I told him this did not even happen under the military as it ran contrary to the service traditions and federal character enshrined in the constitution.

I told him about some other recent instances - the recent promotions in the Nigeria Police, where out of the newly promoted 24 AIGs, not one came from south east.

The issue of marginalization escalating to exclusion brought us to one of the issues both of us tried to wrap our hands around: the Igbo political elites and elected officials from south east.

He asked what such Igbo leaders are really doing about the about these obvious cases of Igbo exclusion?

He wondered why such persons who occupy slots and positions of leadership accruing to the south east would stay and watch, while the constitutional rights of the Igbos are unlawfully taken away despite the so-called constitutional guarantees.

We agreed it stemmed from leadership recruitment process, which bypasses the people and diverts allegiance and accountability.

Then, after a few other issues, some of which bordered of his case and could be subjuidice to be discussed here, we returned to the issue of political involvement. It meant so much to both of us and he dispassionately addressed it.

I had told him pointedly that IPOB could fight for Igbo rights and self-determination much better from within the political space by contesting elections and occupying the seats in both south east government houses, legislative assemblies and the national assembly.

I mused about what it would be like to have a Governor Nnamdi Kanu or Senator Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB members occupying most elective positions accruing to the south east in the states, national assembly and government houses in the south east.

I cited the facts that even terrorist organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah occupy elective seats in their nations parliaments.

He thought pensively before handing me a damning verdict that put some finality to the issue. It is not possible in Nigeria, he said.

READ ALSO: Biafra Agitation: IPOB set to take the world by storm, prepare for mega exhibition in Spain

Why? IPOB contemplated that in 2009 and had wanted to work with APGA. The Partys leadership betrayed them.

He mentioned the names of the leaders who messed up the pact for selfish reasons and ended up betraying not only IPOB but also even Ojukwu and the other Igbos who felt that APGA would be the salvific Igbo party. Thats a story for another.

And now? He said it was not possible even now for two or three cardinal reasons. One, there is no democracy in Nigeria so following the political route to Igbo liberation would be suicidal for the struggle, since our brand of democracy is carefully contrived to remove the people from deciding the winners of elections.

He agreed that IPOB would easily win but insisted that the powers that be will always declare who they pleased as winners.

We reminisced on the experience of Emeka Ojukwu when he returned from exile and one nondescript Edwin Onwudiwe was declared as having defeated Ojukwu in a mere senatorial election and that was soon after Dr. Joseph Wayas (senate president as then was) said openly he would never seat in the same chamber with Ojukwu. Onwudiwe soon after went into oblivion.

He asked me what had changed today and I said, nothing.

He just shrugged as a way of making it clear that my prescription was a dead-end.

It was a sobering experience for me.

READ ALSO: Nigeria has not given or done anything for me, pro-Biafra activist writes to Osinbajo

The two issues raised by Nnamdi Kanu as leading to his struggle are the Igbo political elites not rising in defence of the people they claim to represent.

They have instead, used the Igbo slots to feather their nests and left the over 40 million Igbos naked, undefended and stranded. Nnamdi Kanu rued the absence of democracy in Nigeria as equally foreclosing my proposed political participation option. Was he not right for saying IPOB members will never be allowed to occupy the positions they won?

These two apposite issues also remain essentially why the Igbos are fragmented, atomized and never speaking with one voice.

These issues are the oxygen fueling the Biafra agitation.

Though Nnamdi Kanu and I disagreed, yet, I have a feeling that our disagreement on restructured Nigeria which I hold, where the Igbos and other ethnic nationalities would have equal rights and belonged; and his insistence on independent Biafra are sides of the same coin.

For social justice is a cure-all. The two stands are not irreconcilable if you ask me. If we have a country, let us make every citizen a citizen indeed.

That was what I took away from that opportune visit.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily represent the editorial policy of Legit.ng.

Your own opinion articles are welcome at info@naij.com  drop an email telling us what you want to write about and why. More details in Legit.ngs step-by-step guide for guest contributors.

Were ready to trade your news for our money: submit news and photo reports from your area using our Citizen Journalism App.

Contact us if you have any feedback, suggestions, complaints or compliments. We are also available on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to Legit.ng Opinion page!

Source: Legit.ng
Editors note: Mutiu Iyanda, the Legit.ng partner blogger, in this article explains how Nigerians could derive viable income from cassava peels cake.

His blogs are: www.infoprations.blogspot.com.ng, www.enterprations.com

He could also be contacted via: +2348141374490, +2348062544816.

More details in Legit.ngs step-by-step guide for guest bloggers.

Cassava, a crop with more than 20 different names from different countries in the world, is a crisis crop. It is being dubbed an emergency crop on the basis of its expediency in solving mans starvation when other crops such as yam, maize, rice, and wheat are insufficient during war, drought or low national incomes. The regime of former General Sanni Abacha is a typical example.

Women working at the Gari processing factory

During his administration, many Nigerians ate cooked cassava with palm oil for the first time as against the traditional cassava flour and other by-foods associated with the crop. Beyond this, it has been discovered that cassava could lead to the production of several consumables, making it a crisis crop indeed.

READ ALSO: How to tap sustainable profits from Nigerian cities wastes

Across the regions, Garri is the most food Nigerians make from Cassava followed by Fufu/Akpu. For instance, Nigerians in south-west are known for consumption of lafun (Cassava flour). Those residing in south-south and south-east regions are famous for Akpu while northern Nigerians eat Abacha, the most.

Brazil, Indonesia, and Thailand are trailing Nigeria in terms of the commodity production in the world. In terms of metric tons, production of the Nigerian farmers is the largest in the world. The position attained by the country could be traced to the release of improved varieties by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture between 1988 and 1992.

National Bureau of Statistics 2016 report shows that Nigeria had the highest production quantity for the three years with 54,023,150 in 2013, 56,328,480 in 2014 and 57,643,271 in 2015. With the failure of harnessing the crop properly, it has been estimated that Nigeria is wasting 14 million metric tons of cassava peels annually.

Cassava Peels

Evidently, cassava peels can indicate between 5% and 15% of the root. CPs are got from the tubers have been washed with water and peeled mechanically or manually. In most cases, cassava peels contain a significant amount of cyanogenic glycosides and have a higher protein content than other tuber parts.

Wet and dried are the two categories of cassava peels. These are converted into cassava peel cakes after series of manual and mechanical processes. The two types are also divided into fine and coarse mash.

Existing information signifies that fine mash is appropriate for poultry, fish, and pigs while coarse mash is targeted at feeding cattle, goat, sheep and pigs. The information further indicates that fine mash has higher economic value, while coarse mash is cheaper.

To help smallholder farmers and aspiring entrepreneurs in deriving profits from the production of cassava peels cake and increasing the contribution of agriculture to the countrys Gross Domestic Product, national and international researchers have developed technologies for the enhancement of the product.

The drying and grading of cassava peels through technologies is crucial to the generation of sustainable animal feeds and income for women and entrepreneurs in Nigeria and other countries in West Africa sub-region.

According to the team of experts from the International Livestock Research Institute and International Institute of Tropical Agriculture who innovate latest technology for grating, pressing, pulverising and sieving cassava peel cake, if exploited to the fullest, the innovation would yield at least four million tonnes of high-quality animal feed ingredients valued at around USD 600 million per year.

This innovation has been tested by researchers and partners working with the CGIAR Research Programme on Livestock and Fish, Integrated Systems for the Humid Tropics and Roots, Tubers and Bananas.

In a recent interview, Okike Iheanacho, one of the scientists who invented the technology, says: the new innovation quickens the drying process by removing excess water from freshly processed peels; five hundred litres of water can be removed from a ton of fresh peels in just 30 minutes.

Processing cassava peels cake

Cassava peels cake, otherwise known as HQCP (High-quality cassava peel), is produced through four stages. The first stage is the sorting of good peels from the heap of available ones.

This becomes necessary because the quality of the raw material used significantly determine the output. In other words, the peels should be gathered from fresh cassava and free from contaminants.

Experts say: when processing is delayed beyond a day, the peels start to ferment and become soggy/slippery and difficult to grate. The second stage is the grating of the peels. This must be done three times due to the harsh nature of peels. Grating reduces particle size steadily.

READ ALSO: How snail farming can give you financial breakthrough

A hydraulic jack, wooden planks, woven bags and a metal frame are needed for pressing the grated peel in the third stage of the processing. These mechanical objects hold loaded bags of freshly grated peels. Pulverising and sieving cassava peel cake constitute specific activities in the last stage of producing the cake.

To have dry mash, the peel cake is re-grated to loosen it into a free flowing material that can be subjected to sieving to separate the fine mash (lower fiber, high energy content) from coarse mash (higher fiber, lower energy content). Sieving can be done manually or by using a mechanical device.

Where does realistic income lies?

Animal feed industry is a huge market in almost all countries in Africa, especially in the west region where a number of people rear different animals at home to augment their monthly income. Venturing into cassava peels cake would be a strategic move in addressing the lack of quality feed facing the industry. Recent statistics show that Nigeria raked in more than N800 billion in 2016.

The demand for the product will always be exponential because existing businesses in the industry are struggling to produce feeds needed by 19.5 million cattle, 72.5 million goats, 41.3 million sheep, 7.1 million pigs and 28,000 camels, most of the animal protein supplements which could be derived from the peels cake are currently imported.

The data indicates that the number of cattle in the country increased by 110% while sheep, pigs, and goats surged by 369%, 726%, and 249% respectively within 30 years.

On the animal consumption level, statistics from Nigerian Institute of Animal Science revealed that in 2015, Nigeria hit 5.3 million metric tonnes of animal feeds with the following breakdown: egg, 3.1 million metric tonnes; chicken meat, 1.08 million metric tonnes; aquaculture, 647,750 metric tonnes; pork, 265,000 metric tonnes; milk, 53,000 metric tonnes; beef, 41,250 metric tonnes; pet foods, 35,000 metric tonnes respectively.

From the analysis, it could be discerned that ruminants, cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, poultry and rabbits need cassava peels cake for their survival, especially digestibility and degradability.

Venturing into HQCP business requires understanding the nitty-gritty of its production from agricultural, expert and business management perspectives.

These could be gleaned from the national and international agencies, and business management organisations, specializing in strategic management of human and material resources. For the mechanical process discussed earlier, aspiring entrepreneurs need grater, sifting machine, pulverizer, metal case for jack and hydraulic jack 30 tons.

The total cost of the machine is less than a million naira. The grater is the most expensive, which cost N350, 000 with the production capacity of 330kg per hour followed by Pulverizer which is being sold at N300, 000 and produces 125kg per hour.

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Shifting machine, metal case for jack and hydraulic jack 30 tons are being sold at N180, 000, N90, 000 and N15, 000 respectively.

The value chain of the business is threefold; production coordination, market coordination, and intermediation. Prospective entrepreneurs have the opportunity of being integrated ones by venturing into all the stages.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily represent the editorial policy of Legit.ng.

Legit.ng welcomes writers, bloggers, photographers and all sorts of noise makers to become a part of our Bloggers network. If you are a seasoned writer or a complete newbie  apply and become Nigerias next star blogger.

Send us some info about your career, interests and expertise and why youd like to contribute to the Blogger Network at blogger@corp.legit.ng Also, please send us the link to your blog and three examples of your work.

More details in Legit.ngs step-by-step guide for guest bloggers

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By Chayyanika Nigam: Two US-based online retailers have come under fire for hurting religious sentiments of Hindus by selling footwear with Om symbol and beer with Lord Ganesha picture on its label.

Two separate complaints have been made at the Prashant Vihar police station by animal rights activist Naresh Kadyan, who is also the commissioner (headquarters) at Bharat Scouts & Guides. The first complaint was made against a website https://yeswevibe.com for selling shoes with Om symbol while another complaint was made against www.lostcoast.com for using Ganesha photo on beer bottles.

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The first complaint, in possession with Mail Today, states that the symbol Om is affiliated with religious feelings and believes of Hindu communities across the universe. "Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs, violated the different sections of the laws of land, including 295 A and 153 A of the IPC," the complaint reads.

Speaking to Mail Today, MN Tiwari, deputy commissioner of police (Rohini district), said: "The officers have been instructed to take necessary legal action against the complaint soon." An FIR was not registered till late Monday. Kadyan has written an official letter to the Ministry of External Affairs to register an FIR against the defaulter websites, asking them to remove the products from sale.

Also Read:Tricolour on doormat row: Amazon regrets 'offending' Indian sentiments in letter to Sushma Swaraj

According to the website (https://yeswe-vibe.com), that is in operation from Scottsdale city in Arizona (as per www.whois.com), is selling the shoes for $59.99. The website claims that the shoes are handmade and it also promises delivery within two- three days in the US and two- three weeks globally.

Shoes with Om symbol. Photo: Mail Today Shoes with Om symbol. Photo: Mail Today

When Kadyan contacted the customer care centre via email, he was reverted with a message-"We'll forward this to our top management and get back to you soon". The website www.lostcoast. com is an award-winning brewery located in Eureka, California. "This innocuous trend of using Hindu symbols on fashion or marketing accessories reveals the sellers' insatiable greed for making profits," said Raveena, an activist working with Hindu Human Rights.

The complaint has come weeks after foreign affairs minister Sushma Swaraj warned Amazon to apologise for selling doormats with Tricolour printed on it. Soon after the incident, #BoycottAmazon trended on the social media with outraged people venting their anger against the firm. Earlier too, holy symbols on footwear and clothes have raised angry reactions from Hindu community across the globe. A Seattlebased toiletries firm created controversy with images of Ganesha and Kali printed on toilet seats.

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Aisha Yesufu the co-convener of the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) group has come for Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo over the missing Chibok girls.

She posted this via her Twitter handle:

Recently, Yesufu in reaction to President Buhari's letter to the Senate on why he cannot sack and prosecute the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, said if the president has any shred of honour, character & integrity he should resign.

The co-convener of the BBOG, in a series of tweets on Tuesday, January, 24 and Wednesday, January 25, called out the president saying if he can clear someone that stole N200m from vulnerable IDPS in this type of recession then imagine what he would have done in abundance.

Below is a video showing how Nigerians are taking the absence of the president:

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When it comes to taking lecture notes, Laura Gayle, a sophomore at Florida State University, has her methods. A smiley face connotes an important person. If the professor says, Make sure you know this, she uses an asterisk. A triangular button signals a video clip played in class. Later, she will organize the notes, write a video summary and check uncertainties against the textbook or with the professor. For Introduction to Classical Mythology, shell even alphabetize a list of Greek gods and goddesses.

Then, a few days before the exam, she puts it all up for sale.

Since last fall, when she uploaded her macroeconomics notes onto Flashnotes.com to pay for a birthday gift for her mother, Ms. Gayle has sold more than 500 copies of the study guides that shes put together for her courses, made over $3,285 and tapped into a growing, if controversial, online marketplace.

In describing her approach, Ms. Gayle, a human resources major with a 3.8 grade-point average, sounds aggressive in the best way. I sit in the front row center for every single class, whether I am selling notes or not, she says. For me it is a matter of paying attention, being detail-oriented and, if something is unclear, taking the initiative to go out and find the answer. Her study guides are rated five stars by users.

While borrowing, bartering and selling class notes is nothing new, the online market is just getting organized. Amazon-like sites matching note sellers and buyers have come and gone in recent years as students who started them graduate. NerdyNotes at Stony Brook University is surviving the graduation of a founder, but bigger players are arriving.
Suspected cadres of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah on Tuesday twice ambushed Manipur Deputy CM Gaikhangam Gangmei's security team on Khoupum road. One commando was injured.

By Manogya Loiwal : Unidentified assailants suspected to be cadres of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah, on Tuesday twice attacked Manipur Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam Gangmei's security team on Khoupum road. Gangmei was travelling to Khoupum village, where he was scheduled to attend a flag-hoisting ceremony at his residence.

Yumnam Denish, a Manipur Police commando and a member of the Indian Reserve Batallion, was injured in the second of these attacks. He reportedly took a bullet in his right thigh.

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Gangmei and his security escort were stranded for around 20 minutes in Namkaolong, which is only six kilometres from Khoupum. However, the Deputy Chief Minister proceeded to his destination in a bullet-proof vehicle with additional security cover, despite the risk.

Upon reaching Khoupum, Gangmei attended a public meeting at Khoupum Gaidingzang community hall, amid tight security.

The first ambush occurred at Namkaolong Part-2 near Khoupum at around 10:30 AM, the second happened not far from there.

Unidentified individuals had threatened villagers in Khoupum last night, and told them not to take part in the Deputy Chief Minister's flag hoisting ceremony, a source said.

(With inputs from Jit Ningomba)

ALSO READ: Rajnath Singh's statement on Manipur starts fresh war of words

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A suicide bomber detonated a car laden with explosives on Tuesday in front of a hotel where Libyas Parliament was in session in the eastern city of Tobruk, wounding three deputies and eight hotel staff members, the assemblys spokesman said. The assembly, which was elected in June, shifted its seat to Tobruk, near Egypts border, after violence worsened in its planned location, the eastern city of Benghazi. The car exploded in a parking lot near the hotels entrance gate as lawmakers sat in a nearby hall, a parliamentary spokesman, Farraj Hashem, said. Until now, Tobruk had been secure compared with the rest of Libya, which has been in turmoil since Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi was toppled nearly four years ago.
WASHINGTON  Saudi Arabias resumption of airstrikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen on Wednesday, only hours after it abruptly declared a halt to most military operations, reflected the difficulty of finding a political solution to the crisis. It also showed the challenges facing the Obama administration as it increasingly relies on allies in the Middle East.

Senior Saudi officials made clear on Wednesday that they had not formally declared an end to bombing. Rather, the Saudi ambassador to the United States, Adel al-Jubeir, said the campaign was shifting to a new phase  one in which Saudi airstrikes would be more limited and come only in response to Houthi attacks, such as the assault against Yemeni troops in Taiz.

The decision to calm matters now rests with them, Mr. Jubeir told reporters at the Saudi Embassy here. He asserted that Saudi Arabia was curtailing its nearly monthlong strategic air campaign because it had ostensibly destroyed Houthi missiles, heavy weapons and aircraft that posed a threat to Saudi Arabia and the region.

The ambassador did not mention the intensifying international pressure, including from the Obama administration, to stop airstrikes that medical and relief organizations said were killing hundreds of civilians, and to lift an embargo on food, fuel, water and medicines that was contributing to a growing humanitarian catastrophe. But American officials and Middle Eastern diplomats privately acknowledged that this was clearly a factor in the Saudi calculation.
THE scene in Disneys Inside Out might not have meant much to the kids in the movie audience, but for me, it was priceless: While riding on the Train of Thought, a character, Joy, tips over two cargo boxes, one labeled facts, the other opinion. The spilled pieces mingle, and she suggests that trying to undo the mix-up is pointless: These facts and opinions look so similar!

But for many readers who complained to me about a recent story on the ouster of Reddits chief executive officer, Ellen Pao, its important for news stories to keep facts and commentary separate. And, they say, in this particular story, that didnt happen.

Some readers also objected to the sweeping changes in the story about Ms. Paos departure from the high-traffic site that sometimes calls itself the front page of the Internet. They complained that what was initially a neutral news story, which went online about 5 p.m. on July 10, morphed into an opinion piece a few hours later, with no explanation to readers. That version was what print readers saw on the front page the next morning.

And many readers disagreed with the implication of the story  that Ms. Pao was fired because of sexism rather than because she was a poor leader. The headline read: Its Silicon Valley 2, Ellen Pao 0: Fighter of Sexism is Out at Reddit. (Ms. Pao lost a highly publicized sex discrimination lawsuit against a previous employer in March.)
BENGHAZI, Libya  Libyas internationally recognized government has asked fellow Arab states to conduct airstrikes against the Libyan branch of the Islamic State in the coastal city of Surt, a cabinet statement said on Saturday.

In the past few days, the Islamic State has crushed a revolt by a rival Salafist group and armed residents who tried to break its grip on the city. Dozens of people have been killed, according to residents.

Libyas temporary government, based in the cities of Tobruk and Bayda, said in the statement that it urged the Arab brother states to conduct airstrikes against positions of the Daesh terrorist group in Surt, using the Arabic acronym for the Islamic State.

The fighting began on Tuesday in Surt, a central city about 300 miles east of the capital, Tripoli. Islamic State fighters took over Surt in February, expanding their presence in the North African country by exploiting a security vacuum, as they did in Iraq and Syria.
Some of the people who give in might do better with more structure. If youre one of them, dont assume youll push a button each month or set aside a pile of $20 bills. Instead, set up automatic account transfers. Unless you automate it, its not going to happen, Ms. Olen said. (A disclosure: I see both Mr. Clements and Ms. Olen every year or two, as the guild of full-time money writers is fairly small.)

Americans have made real progress with the way they invest in recent years. Ever more money is going into index funds of various sorts that dont try to pick individual stocks that will do better, on average, than others. At the end of 2014, just over $2 trillion was invested in indexed mutual funds, according to the Investment Company Institute. That amounted to about 15.6 percent of all money in American regulated funds. Thats up from just 8.9 percent of the total 10 years earlier, and it doesnt count the $1.9 trillion at the end of 2014 that was invested in indexed exchange-traded funds, which are close cousins to mutual funds.

Still, why is most money still chasing the dream of picking investments that will do better than all the others? Ms. Olen points to lingering Peter Lynch-ism  the tendency of older investors who remember the exhortations of the famed Fidelity mutual fund manager to follow their instincts. If the parking lot is full, buy the stock!

But this approach gives people a false sense of superiority. You may be looking at the wrong lot in the wrong suburb at the wrong time in the wrong industry. Even if you arent, plenty of professional investors will notice the Costco lot with all the Mercedes in it before you do. This overconfidence leads people to invest only in companies with headquarters near them and buy too much of their employers stock, because they assume they have superior knowledge about the company.

Mr. Clements added that many people who bet on individual stocks had never actually compared their portfolio with an index fund. This used to be hard, but online brokerage firms can now do it for you in a few clicks (and you can check your brokers picks on most any investment website). Most people, if theyre being honest and including the losers that are no longer in their portfolio, will find that an index fund will beat their own basket of stocks over long periods of time.

All of the experts here think buying a home is a perfectly fine idea, but it has to be an affordable one. And many of us are delusional about exactly what that means.

Mr. Pollack, co-author of The Index Card and a professor at the University of Chicagos School of Social Service Administration, was one of them. When he shopped for a home in the Chicago area 13 years ago, he was newly tenured and had been lured away from the University of Michigan. He and his wife, however, had no savings, and his loan officer was not impressed.
The decor is standard-issue professor, down to the desk piled with books relating to American political thought, including his own edition of the Federalist Papers  the top-selling edition in the country, he noted  and an anthology of Woodrow Wilsons political writings.

Wilson, as it happens, is a favorite Claremont bete noire: the founder of the modern administrative state, the unelected, unaccountable rule-by-bureaucracy that has, the story goes, usurped the founders vision of rule by the people (and which reached its apogee with Barack Obama, Mr. Kesler argued in his 2012 book, I Am the Change).

But Mr. Kesler, an unfailingly genial West Virginian, doesnt seem to mind Wilsons intellectual company. I actually like Wilson, he said. Well, not politically.

He takes a similarly cheerful view of the ruckus over the essay. He brought up Mr. Kristols intemperate tweet, but noted that his old friend had recently come to the college for a conference about an essay by the political philosopher Leo Strauss.

A secret Straussian conclave! Mr. Kesler said with a laugh, then paused. Dont call it that.

Strausss intensely close readings of Plato, Maimonides and Machiavelli can seem remote from contemporary politics. But during the Bush administration, much ink was spilled over the subterranean influence of Straussians like Mr. Kristol, who championed the war in Iraq. And now some see the Claremont crowds rising profile as revenge of the so-called West Coast Straussians, as acolytes of Harry V. Jaffa  the Claremont McKenna professor and Claremont Institute patriarch who died in 2015  are known.

The Straussian lineages, and their fierce schisms, are notoriously complex. But Mr. Kesler, who studied under the Straussian Harvey C. Mansfield at Harvard but came to Claremont in 1983, gamely summed up the West Coast view as hinging on a more optimistic take on America.
AMSTERDAM  Dick Bruna, the Dutch illustrator and childrens book author who created one of the most recognizable characters in the world, a sparely drawn round little white rabbit known in English as Miffy, died on Thursday at his home in Utrecht, the Netherlands. He was 89.

His death was announced on his website.

Mr. Brunas work has been translated into more than 50 languages in 85 countries and has spawned a Miffy cottage industry, with videos, television spinoffs, toys and other products with the characters likeness sold worldwide.

Hes the most translated author in the Netherlands, except for Anne Frank, said Agnes Vogt, a childrens book specialist at the Dutch Foundation for Literature, and in that sense hes one of the most important not only illustrators but also authors that the Netherlands has ever had.

Mr. Bruna wrote and illustrated 124 books for children over six decades, beginning with De Appel (The Apple) published in the Netherlands in 1953. The book, which tells the story of life from the perspective of an apple, has never gone out of print.
After years of growing complaints and lawsuits, the agency moved aggressively to end abusive practices that ranged from deceptive advertising to fraud and cost students and taxpayers billions of dollars.

Two mammoth chains collapsed  Corinthian Colleges in 2015, and ITT Technical Institute in 2016  leaving thousands of students stranded without degrees and in debt. Overall enrollment in for-profit institutions declined from 2.4 million in 2010 to 1.6 million in 2015 as hundreds of campuses closed. And as the largest provider of student loans, the federal government was left to bail out the defrauded.

Just weeks before Mr. Trump took office, the department identified 800 failing programs by applying its new gainful employment rule, which links vocational schools access to federal funds with their record on job placement and earnings. Ninety-eight percent of the programs were at for-profit colleges.

The Education Department, using this tool and others, ultimately has the power to punish egregious violators by cutting off federal financial aid  the industrys lifeblood  with the efficiency of a guillotine.

Ms. DeVos suggested she was unlikely to play the executioner, though, when asked at her confirmation hearing about rules like gainful employment. I will review that rule and see that it is actually achieving what the intentions are, she said. The last thing any of us want is to unnecessarily close down important programs.

Asked for elaboration from Ms. DeVos for this article, the Education Department offered no comment. But others have offered more explicit assurances to the industry.

Were going to get some regulatory relief, which is desperately needed, said Steven Gunderson, president and chief executive of Career Education College and Universities, a trade association of for-profit schools. He said he has repeatedly spoken with members of Trumps transition team, White House domestic policy advisers and congressional Republicans.
The chief of detectives met with reporters. The night before, the radical, racist Rabbi Meir Kahane had been shot dead after giving a talk in a Midtown Manhattan hotel. A gunman had tried to get away in a cab but got stuck in traffic, and was himself shot by a postal police officer. The murder seemed to solve itself. At this point, it looks like a lone gunman, the chief said. It was November 1990.

In fact, the gunman, El Sayyid Nosair, was not alone, not literally and not figuratively. An accomplice had actually been waiting behind the wheel of a taxi outside the hotel, but had to move because he was in a no-standing zone. Mr. Nosair got into the wrong cab.

Beyond the granular details of that crime, both men were part of a group of anti-Semitic zealots who followed a blind Egyptian sheikh, Omar Abdel Rahman, listening to his sermons on a speakerphone from abroad until they arranged to bring him to the United States.

Mr. Abdel Rahman died last weekend in a federal prison, a figure long faded from public life, but whose voice still blares in the national conversation as if on a speakerphone from the past. His presence in the United States rewired the public apprehension about Islam and terrorism as drastically as the disappearance in 1979 of Etan Patz did about the dangers lurking in the streets for little children left on their own.
By Priyanka Raval:

In a unique and distinctive style, German photographer Torsten Andreas Hoffman combines a blurred foreground with iconic architectural backdrops to truly capture the chaos and class contrasts of the metropolis.

His work--which he describes as 'paintings as photographs' invite not only aesthetic appreciation, but also a moving social critique. His exhibition titled India in Movement is on display at the Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai, from February 21 to 28. We talk to him about the journey that led to this exhibition.

What was the moment you came to photography?

I started photography when I was young, 13 or so. A friend of mine had a dark room and I was fascinated by the process of developing photos--how you could put a print in a fluid and, out of nothing, watch it miraculously develop into a photograph! There are some moments in life where you feel very, very touched, and you know, "Wow, this I must do," and this was such a moment. So for my 16th birthday I got my first mirror reflex camera and I started taking pictures of airplanes. My parents were separated so I was always flying between Berlin and Cologne and planes fascinated me.

My first photo series was of skyscrapers against the light in Frankfurt. After I finished school I was a bit confused about what to do in life, I studied Biology, Russian and even one semester in Economics. Eventually, I gathered the courage to pursue my true passion and went to Brunswick Art School.

How was your experience at art school? What were the most important things you learnt?

Most importantly, I learnt to always express what's inside. It could be what you love, it could be what you hate, but you must have a very emotional relationship with it. Only then will you produce a good photograph. My photography professor taught me that.

But honestly, it was my painting professor who taught me more about photography than my photography one. He taught me how colours should relate to each other and how to make clear compositions. I believe these same laws for a painting are true for a photograph. The difference is that a painter has to make a composition and a photographer has to check reality for compositions.

And the reality of composition in India is an absolute mess. It's a mess of colours, it's a mess of forms--the trick as a photographer is to organise the mess, and it's very difficult. I have to watch the whole scene--people running into each other, traffic, animals--and then you find it. You're making a painting with photography. I think it shows in my pictures, I am very much a prevented painter.

Tell me about your first trip to India.

When I was 23, I was looking through a photo book and two of them were from India. One of a riverside ritual at sunset, the other was of a Hindu temple. I couldn't say why, but I felt deeply touched and I had the profound feeling that I had to go there. Everyone advised me against it, they said it was dangerous and that I'd get diseases. But I went anyway and ended up staying for 5 months, first in Chennai, then Calcutta and Mumbai.

It was quite an overwhelming experience; the smells and the cows--I had so many impressions I could not organise it all in my mind. But everything moved me. I learned to just let it all sink in. Also, I was struck by the spirituality of the people I spoke to. I was a total atheist at the time, but the Indians I spoke with taught me a lot: to look for God within, to say 'I feel' instead of 'I think' and to be more in the moment.

At that time, my best photos were of faces in black and white, particularly old faces; I wanted to capture the landscapes of the face. Maybe I glorified it a little bit at the time, I was not so professional then. My philosophy back then was that black and white was more truthful, more objective. I saw how the warm orange light of a sunset could make the slums look very romantic and beautiful. So, I put away the distracting glamour of colours. My feelings on this obviously changed later.

What about when you came back? What was your first "big break"?

It is a funny story. There was a three-day lecture I attended in Germany called Living Without Excess and Dr Martin Kempschen was the keynote speaker. One night, just as I went in my room, I saw another man coming out of his. He had a long beard, long hair and was wearing a kurta, so I said to him, "So, you have been to India too?" and he said, "Yes". So we walked down to the coffee table together and I realised, this was Dr Martin Kempschen! We got talking, I told him about the photos I had taken in India, and he went on to show them to his publisher. The next thing I know the pictures were used to illustrate the book of Tagore's poems he was translating into German.

When did you next come back to India?

I didn't return to India again until after 20 years, it was 2012. It felt very much like coming home, I was so happy to be back. That time I was much more taken with the movement of people and the architecture. Mainly my photos are of Mumbai. I love the architecture here; I find the buildings are very expressive. They have so much texture and structure. Then I was also struck by the crowds, there are so many you could not even see an individual face. That's what I'm trying to capture when I unfocus the crowds in my exposures. It looks like watercolours, so again I am a painter as a photographer. So, that is what I'm doing, taking these interesting structures and combining them with the colourful fluid mass of the people.

What can we expect from your exhibition? And what do you expect?

The exhibition comprises 25 of my most recent photographs. There are pictures from Delhi, Varanasi, but mostly Mumbai. All of them have this theme of movement. But there is more of a social critique in this one, one photograph called Collage of Globalisation is superimposed pictures of Mumbai and the West. I'm trying to capture the disparities of wealth that are arising both globally and in Mumbai due to global capitalism. I'm interested in capturing these contrasts. I've spent a lot of time in slums, talking to people, trying to capture something of their reality.

If it's not a success, it's an experience. I just want to show photography as an art form, photography as painting--technically correct and emotionally stirring. Once I saw on an Indian motorway road sign, "Expect the unexpected"; it's become my motto for life in India and how I'm approaching the upcoming exhibition.

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The 69th floor at 4 World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan has been hit by street artists. There is evidence of spray paint, stencils and wheat paste, clues that artists who go by names like Rubin 415, Stickymonger, Gumshoe and Layer Cake have been there.

The walls, and in one section the floor, pop with colors and shapes usually found at street level  surreal splashes here, images with phrases like No Brain No Pain there. There are Statues of Liberty with almost kaleidoscopic faces. There is a giant $10 bill composed of words that theatergoers would recognize from Hamilton.

But the art on the 69th floor is different from street art, and not just because it is indoors and several hundred feet above the street. It is different because none of it is illegal. It is different because the artists were not on the run, chased off by a landlord. In fact, the artists were invited by a creative consultant working for Larry Silverstein, the developer of the 72-story building.
Defenders of globalization are on solid ground when they criticize President Trumps threats of punitive tariffs and border walls. The economy cant flourish without trade and immigrants.

But many of those defenders have their own dubious explanation for the economic disruption that helped to fuel the rise of Mr. Trump.

At a recent global forum in Dubai, Christine Lagarde, head of the International Monetary Fund, said some of the economic pain ascribed to globalization was instead due to the rise of robots taking jobs. In his farewell address in January, President Barack Obama warned that the next wave of economic dislocations wont come from overseas. It will come from the relentless pace of automation that makes a lot of good middle-class jobs obsolete.

Blaming robots, though, while not as dangerous as protectionism and xenophobia, is also a distraction from real problems and real solutions.
In many ways she is the typical Broadway audience member: a woman of a certain age, affluent and highly educated, living in suburban New York.

But theres one big difference: She was almost president of the United States.

In the weeks since losing the election, Hillary Clinton has gone to four Broadway shows  often enough that industry wags joke about making her a Tony voter. And shes even been spotted at theater district haunts  last week, just before seeing a revival of Sunset Boulevard, she had dinner at Orso with Kate McKinnon, the Saturday Night Live cast member who memorably portrayed her during the campaign.

At each theater appearance, Mrs. Clinton is greeted as a vanquished hero  standing ovations, selfies, shouted adulation.

The reception, of course, is in striking contrast with that received by Mike Pence, then the vice president-elect, when he attended Hamilton in November. He was greeted by a smattering of boos and then addressed from the stage by an actor who said cast members were alarmed and anxious about the incoming administration.
WASHINGTON  For months, President Trump and his aides have insisted that they had no contact with Russian officials during the presidential campaign, a denial Mr. Trump repeated last week.

I have nothing to do with Russia, he told reporters on Thursday. To the best of my knowledge, no person that I deal with does.

The denial stands at odds with statements by Russian officials, who have at least twice acknowledged contacts with aides to Mr. Trump before the election.

It is not uncommon for a presidential campaign to speak to foreign officials, which makes the dispute particularly unusual. At the same time, any contacts would have taken place during a period when American intelligence agencies believe the Russian government was trying to disrupt the election with a campaign of computer hacking.
On Monday, 11 bomb scares were called into Jewish community centers around the country. They were the latest in a string of such threats since the start of the year.

Since the beginning of this year, weve seen four waves of these threats  weve never seen that before, said David Posner, the director of strategic performance at the JCC Association of North America. Just one community center reported such a threat in all of 2016, he said.

The centers threatened on Monday were in Albuquerque; Birmingham, Ala.; Buffalo; Chicago; Cleveland; Houston; Milwaukee; Nashville; St. Paul; Tampa, Fla.; and Tulsa, Okla. Like the earlier threats, they were deemed hoaxes, but not before several of the centers were evacuated as a precaution.

Mr. Trump has been criticized as slow to condemn anti-Semitic comments, and his candidacy was hailed by white nationalists and white supremacists throughout 2016.
According to an official news report, the rallies had a common theme, Showing power to intimidate, lining up the forces.

Xinjiang, which abuts Central Asia, is one of the largest regions in China. Parts of it are home to ethnic Uighurs, a Turkic-speaking people who mostly practice Sunni Islam. At least privately, many Uighurs criticize the rule of the ethnic Han, the dominant group in China.

Bursts of violence have occurred in recent years. The most startling unfolded in Urumqi in 2009, when ethnic rioting led to about 200 deaths. The government said most of the victims were ethnic Han. Uighurs and international human rights groups criticized an intense security crackdown that followed.

In 2013 and 2014, Chinese state-run news organizations reported on many attacks in Xinjiang, some involving groups of people in Uighur towns or neighborhoods who laid siege to police stations with knives, according to the news organizations. Chinese officials accused the attackers of being terrorists or religious extremists with ties to international jihadists, but they offered no evidence of organized terrorism groups at work in Xinjiang.

Since then, open conflict in the region has ebbed, although violence occasionally flares.

Last year, Chen Quanguo, the Communist Party chief of the Tibet Autonomous Region, where ethnic tensions are also a chronic problem, was appointed to be the party chief of Xinjiang. His predecessor in Xinjiang, Zhang Chunxian, was seen by some central government officials as being too lenient. Mr. Chen, an ethnic Han known for tough policies in Tibet, has tried to project an uncompromising image in Xinjiang.
Looking at the past is like lolling in a rocking chair, Martha Graham wrote in a 1952 essay. It is so relaxing, and you can rock back and forth on the porch, and never go forward. It is not for me.

Yet exploring the past, as it relates to todays Martha Graham Dance Company, is for me. The current Joyce season, Sacred/Profane, shows that the companys only repertory worth watching is by Graham, and the older  like Primitive Mysteries, an all-female gem from 1931  the better.

The three programs also feature mediocre dances by contemporary choreographers, including premieres by Annie-B Parson and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, and recent works by Pontus Lidberg and Nacho Duato. The company is overflowing with talented dancers. How long before it gets new creations that measure up?
BRIAN BROOKS Were struggling through this and finding our way and finding new life in the studio and in life and on the stage. Im confused about where the line between our friendship and our work together is drawn.

How does it work between you, as dancer and choreographer?

WHELAN I trust Brians instincts. I think Brian is looking at me for who I am. And I feel free to say stuff along the way.

BROOKS I come in with a conceptual idea, with music, movement material, research questions and phrases and sequences. But Im definitely sensitive to whos in the studio. I pay attention to what comes back at me from the dancers. I teach a phrase and then Wendy bends it and pulls it.

WHELAN I do it differently.

BROOKS Its call and response. Like, how do you translate this? She draws attention to aspects of my own work that Im blind to. Her sense of suspension of time through the gaze and gesture is fundamental to the work. Im more of a manic choreographer by choice  the idea of moving as fast as you can until something stops you has been elemental for me.

Do you use that opposition in the piece?

BROOKS Were trying to find an equilibrium between us as we go through the same set of tasks. To have us walk forward side by side down to center-stage, even that simple arrival is a way to get information about these two people.

What intrigues you about Brians work?

WHELAN The intricacy of his folding and unfolding and winding and twisting. I love the arm work. I have these really long arms, and I have to say my arms are sometimes my favorite body part, so I like what he gives me to do with them. And I like the mental challenge of what he gives me to do. There are so many tiny details, and its so three-dimensional for a ballet dancer.
For at least a month before his death, Warhol had been ill, but had done his best to keep up his usual exhausting pace. His terror of hospitals had prevented him from getting any serious treatment. Even once Warhol had finally ended up in the office of Bjorn Thorbjarnarson, a leading surgeon  he was known for treating the Shah of Iran  Warhol had begged for some kind of stay-at-home treatment. I will make you a rich man if you dont operate on me, the artist had said, Dr. Thorbjarnarson recalled during my visit to his New Jersey home in 2014. (He is now 95 and lives in Florida.)

Dr. Thorbjarnarson refused Warhols entreaties and found himself justified three days later, when the sick man was at last on the operating table at New York Hospital (now NewYork-Presbyterian). The surgeon found a gallbladder full of gangrene; the organ fell to pieces as he removed it, he said.

As Dr. Ryan learned in his research, Warhol was dehydrated and also emaciated from having barely eaten in the previous month; had for years been taking a daily dose of speed; and was still suffering from the effects of a brush with death in 1968, when he was shot by an enraged hanger-on, Valerie Solanas. Only a brilliant surgeon and brilliant luck had saved his life then  he had been declared dead in the emergency room and had nine damaged organs.

Recovery from his gunshot wounds took forever and was never fully complete. He was left with a lifetime of trouble eating and swallowing, as well as a split in his abdominal muscles that gave him a large hernia. (He wore girdles to hold in his bowels.) So in 1987, on top of the tricky gallbladder removal, Dr. Thorbjarnarson would have had no choice but to repair Warhols abdominal wall.

The operation seemed to go well, and Warhol was in his room making calls by that evening. He still seemed fine when his private nurse checked on him at 4 a.m. But about two hours later, she found him blue and unresponsive and resuscitation efforts failed. An autopsy concluded that ventricular fibrillation was the cause of death, meaning that Warhols heart had quivered and stopped.
True, he had the temerity to charge $100 million for a diamond encrusted skull in 2007 and to take over all of Gagosians galleries in 2012 (11 of them at the time) with a retrospective of his spot paintings. But Mr. Hirst, collectors, dealers and auction executives say, is worthy of attention, as evidenced by the Tate Moderns decision to devote a retrospective to his work in 2012.

He is still one of the greatest artists of this century, said the real estate developer Aby Rosen, who described himself as long on Hirst in his art collection, calling the new Treasures work stunning.

He will produce till he dies because he has so much brain  hes so deep, Mr. Rosen added. And this guy is not going away.

As to whether collectors unable to sell their Hirsts had a right to be frustrated, Mr. Rosen said: If you want to be a collector, you have to collect wide and deep, and within your portfolio things will go up and down. If you buy two stocks and one goes down, dont be angry at IBM or G.M.

There are those who say that Mr. Hirsts coming shows in Venice are inextricably linked with Mr. Pinault, who owns Christies auction house and has avidly collected Mr. Hirsts work. Does he want to jump-start the Hirst market out of self-interest, art experts ask, to raise the value of his own holdings?

Whatever the case, most agree that Mr. Hirst  with an estimated net worth of $350 million  doesnt need the money.
By Press Trust of India: Mysuru, Feb 21 (PTI) A German woman was allegedly assaulted and robbed of Rs 2,500 at Chamundi Hills near here, police said today.

"A German national was assaulted and robbed of Rs 2,500 on Chamundi Hills last evening," police Inspector B S Prakash told PTI.

On the basis of her complaint, a case has been registered under various sections of IPC including 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 394 (voluntarily causing hurt in committing robbery), he said.

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As the woman was climbing down the steps of Chamundi Hills, an unidentified person passing by grabbed her mobile phone, which was on flashlight mode as it was already dark, Prakash said, adding the woman resisted but the accused allegedly bit her left cheek and mouth while pushing her down.

The Inspector said the woman managed to escape by kicking him but not before he robbed her of Rs 2,500.

The incident comes close on the heels of alleged abduction and harassment of a popular South Indian actress at Kochi in Kerala. PTI BDN BN NSD

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BASSANO ROMANO, Italy  It might seem odd that a nearly seven-foot-tall statue of Christ by Michelangelo  and a nude one at that  would go unnoticed for centuries.

But thats what happened to Risen Christ, a monumental figure that was transferred to a country church about 35 miles from Rome in the 17th century and that fell into oblivion until 1997, when scholars attributed it to the Renaissance master.

It was thought to be an imitation of a Michelangelo, and not a faithful one at that, said the Rev. Cleto Tuderti, prior of the San Vincenzo Monastery on the outskirts of Bassano Romano, near Viterbo, where the statue was taken in 1644. Certainly, no one thought it was by Michelangelo.

Father Tuderti says he is convinced that the unknown provenance of the work ensured its salvation through the ages.
When you make art about current events, theres a catch: Events change.

The Source, Ted Hearnes slippery, stunning opera about Chelsea Manning and WikiLeaks, had its premiere at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in 2014. The year before, Ms. Manning had been sentenced to 35 years in prison for leaking secret material on the Iraq war and other American military and diplomatic activities. Many on the left viewed WikiLeaks with wary sympathy for publishing her revelations.

Since then, of course, WikiLeaks has become a liberal pariah for publishing hacked emails belonging to Hillary Clintons political advisers. And Ms. Manning, who transitioned from male to female in prison, will be freed in May since her sentence was commuted by President Obama.

But as its subject matter has continued to evolve, The Source, some minor musical tweaks aside, has remained the same. How will it come across now? Jagging between chamber-rock outbursts and haunting Auto-Tuned voices, the opera has never been about scoring easy political points. Its ambiguous collage libretto, by Mark Doten, meditates on both Ms. Mannings agonizing private messages about her gender dysphoria and quotations from the war logs she leaked; it never weighs in explicitly about the legitimacy of her disclosures.
A trove of porcelain and other items excavated from an Arab cargo ship will go on view in the U.S. for the first time next month in an exhibition at the Asia Society Museum in New York, six years after another planned display was canceled amid ethical concerns.

The treasure, salvaged from a ship that sank en route from China to the Persian Gulf in the ninth century, was discovered by commercial sea cucumber divers in 1998 off the coast of Indonesia. It was first shown in 2005 in Singapore, which purchased the contents.

Among the items are solid-gold dishes, a silver wine flask, blue-and-white ceramics and copper mirrors decorated with Tang Chinese patterns of lions, grapevines and flying birds.
Welcome to Best of Late Night, a rundown that lets you sleep  and lets us get paid to watch comedy.

What do you think of it? What else are you interested in? Let us know: thearts@nytimes.com.

Colbert and Meyers Take On Trumps Media Attacks

Most late-night hosts took Presidents Day off. But Stephen Colbert and Seth Meyers observed the holiday by taking some shots at President Trump  particularly his suggestion that the news media is an enemy of the American people.
So Presidents Day has come and gone, along with the whining over C-Spans latest ranking of American presidents, which predictably put Abraham Lincoln, George Washington and Franklin Delano Roosevelt on top (yawn); demoted the beleaguered Andrew Jackson and Woodrow Wilson; and positioned Barack Obama, in his post-presidential debut, at No. 12.

Such lists are a fun parlor game, if one that tends to provoke weary sighs from scholars, including some of the 91 who participated in the poll. Its not a thing that lends itself easily to quantification, said one of them, David Greenberg, a historian at Rutgers University (and author of books about Richard Nixon and Calvin Coolidge). But still we play along.

Our attachment to these rankings, Mr. Greenberg said, reflects something real. The president is a singularly important symbolic figure in our national culture, he said. Because the head of government is also head of state, the president just becomes this vehicle for emotional attachment that might otherwise go to a king.

Fair enough. But are public persuasion, crisis leadership, moral authority, and pursuit of equal justice for all, to name some of the criteria C-Span used, really the only things that count? Now that the Presidents Day pieties are over, lets look at some alternate ranking systems that take account of the things that really matter.
Two Oscar nominees  Jackie, starring Natalie Portman, and Disneys animated musical Moana  are now available to stream online. And PBS broadcasts its latest American Masters documentary, about the poet and memoirist Maya Angelou.

Whats Streaming

JACKIE (2016) on iTunes, Amazon and Google Play. This biopic of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, set largely after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, is up for three Oscars: best actress (Natalie Portman, whom the critic Manohla Dargis of The New York Times called perfect in this role); best original score (Mica Levi, the composer behind the chilling music in Under the Skin); and best costume design (Madeline Fontaine, with her first nomination). Jackie doesnt try to complete that impossible, apparently unfinishable movie, the never-ending epic known as The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy and What It Means to History, Ms. Dargis wrote in The Times. Instead, it explores the intersection of the private and the public while ruminating on the transformation of the past into myth.
Barry Friedmans broader and more accessible book looks beyond the lethal use of force at the many other ways the Fourth Amendment protection against unreasonable searches and seizures has been ignored or stretched in the name of public safety. The long-established litany of invasive policing practices  SWAT teams, stop and frisk, sobriety roadblocks, airport security, CCTV cameras, use of informants  is steadily being expanded by technology to include license-plate readers, Stingray cellphone interceptors, facial recognition software, warrantless collection of metadata and archives of DNA samples. Friedmans case  illuminated with stories of hapless civilians encountering excesses of force or surveillance  is not that police should be denied the best tools, but that there should be clear rules. More often than not, the rules are ambiguous, the prosecutors are reluctant to pursue excesses because they have a symbiotic relationship with police, and judges have hesitated to apply the Constitution to perplexing questions raised by new policing capabilities. Does using an infrared heat detector to discover a pot farmers basement grow lights constitute a search? What about attaching a GPS device to a suspects car?

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The authority to use force on citizens and to conduct surveillance of them  the powers that define policing and set it apart  may be necessary to maintain order, but those are the most awesome powers we grant any public servants, Friedman writes. We have categorically failed to offer clear guidance to policing agencies as to what they are to do (or refrain from doing).

Friedman and Zimring say the solution to abusive policing is not ensuring prosecutors and grand juries are more independent (though they favor both). Nor should we expect an easy fix from body cams or community policing strategies that attempt to turn police into neighborhood ombudsmen, a job for which they have neither the will nor the training. Ultimately both writers look to police leadership, noting that the blue culture will not be moved by reforms imposed from outside.

The main arena for the radical changes necessary to save many hundreds of civilian lives . . . is the local police department, not the federal courts or Congress, not state government, not local mayors or city councils, not even the hearts and minds of the police officers on the streets, Zimring writes. Courts and legislatures can bring pressure to bear, but until police departments become willing to spend time, money and management effort on resolving conflicts without killings, nothing significant can happen.

Yes, the police, Friedman agrees. They are, after all, the experts.

Friedman, who is a constitutional lawyer, puts much of the blame on courts for failing to demand that police show probable cause and obtain warrants, and more generally for letting police invade our privacy in new ways without a prerequisite of open, democratic debate. But the ultimate culprit is us.

Whats notable is that when there is transparency, when public dialogue occurs, policy unequivocally does change, Friedman says. He illustrates with examples of communities where media-fueled public engagement led to regulation of Stingray cellphone intercepts, body cavity searches, the militarization of police arsenals, and stop and frisk.
THE INVENTION OF ANGELA CARTER

A Biography

By Edmund Gordon

525 pages. Oxford University Press. $35.

The English writer Angela Carter (1940-1992) tended to look, one observer said, like someone whod been left out in a hurricane. She liked to make an impression, and her hair was often wild. She wore, when young, what she termed a reasonably suave Jimi Hendrix cut.

She enjoyed floppy hats, tattered furs, large eyeglasses. Boredom was her enemy. Carter was a disrupter of dull dinner parties. A friend called her a raconteur of glee. If she rang you on the phone, youd clear your schedule for the afternoon.

She was a similarly disruptive agent in British fiction. Her novels, when they began arriving in the late 1960s, were unlike the button-down realism that then prevailed. They were fantastical, feminist, absurdist, sexy. She tinkered with genres (fairy tales, horror, science fiction, gothic) most literary writers scorned.

Carter found an audience before she died, at 51, of lung cancer. But it was only after her death that her reputation was secured, and it has continued to rise. The Times of London, in 2008, ranked Carter 10th on its list of the 50 greatest writers since 1945. In 2012, her novel Nights at the Circus was named the best of the winners of the James Tait Black Memorial Prize.
 The Trump administration detailed plans to deport millions of immigrants, releasing expansive new rules that allow rapid deportations and the expulsion of undocumented immigrants who have committed even minor offenses. Heres how deportation works.

The shift in enforcement faces resistance from many states and dozens of so-called sanctuary cities.

The new rules will be high on the agenda as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and the head of Homeland Security, John Kelly, visit Mexico this week.
But Unilevers response went further. The company said the Kraft Heinz bid had no merit, either financial or strategic, for Unilevers shareholders, and that accordingly there was no basis for any further discussions.

If Unilever wanted to haggle only on price it would have left out the part about strategic merit, which was simply another way of saying that the two were just not a good fit under any circumstances.

Unilevers harsh response alone should not have been enough to send Kraft Heinz away. Unilever is a rare beast of a corporation: It is actually two corporations, known as a dual-listed company.

Unilever was formed in 1929, when the British Lever Brothers company and the Dutch Margarine Unie decided to amalgamate. But they didnt actually combine, instead entering into contractual arrangements that made them effectively one company.

Yet Unilever is technically two public companies: Unilever P.L.C., a British company listed on the London Stock Exchange and Unilever N.V., a Dutch company listed on the Amsterdam Stock Exchange. Both companies are also listed on the New York Stock Exchange for good measure.

The two separate companies have entered into a series of complex contractual arrangements that allow for shareholders of each to be treated the same for all purposes, including takeovers and dividends. The reason for this byzantine structure is taxes. The dual listing allows the shareholders in each country to invest directly in a domestic company and receive domestic tax treatment on their shares.

Kraft Heinz would have to take over both companies in an acquisition. Britain, which prohibits the use of merger defenses like the poison pill, would have been an easier country in which to mount a hostile takeover than the Netherlands, which allows such defenses.
By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Feb 21 (PTI) A 20-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly raping a 24-year-old woman in Hauz Khas village area.

Jarnal alias Raja lives in slums near Hauz Khas and used to wash utensils at the restaurants and pubs located there.

He hadnt come to his house for two days after the incident but was nabbed once he returned home on the intervening night of February 20 and 21, police said.

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The victims iPhone and Rs 450 were recovered from the accused, who had also been hit on his head by the victim.

The incident happened on the night of February 18 when the woman was returning from a party in Hauz Khas village along with her friends and cousins.

The woman told police that around 11.30 PM she was offered a drop home by an unknown person.

He apparently told her that his vehicle was parked at some distance near the park. The accused, thereafter, on the pretext of guiding the woman, led her to an isolated stretch in the adjoining park area and allegedly raped her. PTI SLB BUN DV

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Real-estate agents, money managers and luxury goods retailers in Los Angeles are rubbing their hands together in anticipation of their citys Google moment.

When Google debuted on the stock market in 2004, it produced a horde of new millionaires in Silicon Valley.

Now, many in Los Angeles hope Snaps initial public offering will do the same in their city.

Snap, the parent company of the disappearing-message app Snapchat, is based in the neighborhood of Venice, a once-bohemian beachside area filled with mom-and-pop stores that has seen property prices rise and stores become more upscale in recent years.

Snap has started its I.P.O. roadshow and last week revealed its investor pitch video, before what could be one of the biggest public offerings in technology since the Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba listed in 2014 and Twitter went public in 2013.
Their hopes, however, are likely to be dashed. This week, Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson and his Homeland Security counterpart, John F. Kelly, are visiting Mexico to assess what sort of bilateral cooperation might be possible in this new era. Even before they got on the plane, new rules suggest that the hard line will prevail.

Two memos signed by Mr. Kelly  guidelines for Mr. Trumps promised immigration crackdown  call for aggressively seeking out, detaining and deporting immigrants living without authorization in the United States. They order the hiring of 10,000 immigration enforcement agents and 5,000 Border Patrol officers, and direct Customs and Border Protection to start designing and building the wall.

And in a move sure to stir Mexican outrage, the guidelines direct immigration officials to return immigrants from any country caught entering illegally to the territory of the foreign contiguous country from which they arrived while they await removal proceedings in the United States. And that means Mexico.

Officials at the Department of Homeland Security argued that returning Central Americans to Mexico would be done only in a limited fashion, and only after discussions with the government of Mexico. Somehow, it seems unlikely that a provision designed to reduce costs for the American government by foisting them onto Mexico will go down well in Mexico City.

That would violate every agreement and convention, said Gustavo Mohar, who formerly served as Mexicos top negotiator for immigration with the United States, about the provision.

Mexico is obliged to receive Mexicans, but it has the right to demand accreditation that they are indeed Mexican, Mr. Mohar said.

What might Mexico do in return? Refuse to take people who cant prove Mexican citizenship? As a former foreign minister, Jorge Castaneda, told me, one option might be to get out of the way and let Central Americans cross Mexico unimpeded to the United States.
The idea is also to recreate how Jewish people have used wood for cooking, Mr. Kalika said. This could mean serving dishes traditionally grilled in a Middle Eastern mangal, an Italian spiedo or even a basic cast-iron caldron. Mr. Kalika also wants to explore the foods of Jewish communities in Ethiopia and Iraq, which often go underrepresented.

Jewish cuisine is global, Mr. Kalika said as he tended to a rack of short ribs on a recent trip to New York.

The beef had been brined for a week with sugar and spices, including coriander seeds and star anise, then smoked. The ribs were transferred to a pot with wine and stock, sandwiched between flames in a multilayered Argentine grill, the heat licking it from above and below. The pot simmered for hours, until all of that marvelous pink-edged meat pulled away from the bones.
Deliciously food-friendly Swedish Brannland Ciders have arrived in the United States. Pernilla Perle is a delicate dry but balanced fizzy pear cider with a gentle 8 percent alcohol level. A concentrated, winey-sweet ice cider (11.5 percent alcohol) with a slightly bitter apple-skin finish is labeled Iscider. Barrique is a rich, barrel-aged version of the ice cider, also 11.5 percent. Skurnik Wines is importing them: Brannland Ciders, Pernilla Perle, $18 for 750 milliliters; Iscider, $37 for 375 milliliters; Barrique, $34 for 187 milliliters, all at Terrys West Village Wines & Spirits, 35 Greenwich Avenue (Charles Street), 212-255-0222, terrysnyc.com.
The restaurants ratings are as good as it gets: three stars from Michelin and four from The New York Times. But for all the success of Eleven Madison Park, its owners, Will Guidara and the chef Daniel Humm, are about to start a major overhaul.

They plan to close the Manhattan restaurant on June 9 to renovate the kitchen and the dining room, and to ship the operation and staff to a more casual, temporary setting in the Hamptons. If all goes well, they expect to reopen in mid-September with a new look and a revised menu with some new dishes.

Its time for a change, Mr. Humm said. Weve been at the restaurant for 11 years, and its been open for 20 years. Were still using Danny Meyers brasserie. Mr. Humm was referring to the restaurants original owner, who sold it to them in 2011.

Back then, they considered closing and renovating but held back because they thought it was more important to establish their footing. So they made only small changes over time to their stately dining room, with its Art Deco geometry and soaring casement windows overlooking Madison Square Park. The kitchen is also nearly 20 years old; its renovation will require closing the restaurant.
Anybody who tries to tell you that the place to go for Indian food is Jackson Heights, Queens, hasnt been there in a long time. Beyond question, Jackson Heights is the first stop for anyone seeking an education in the Tibetan syllabus: momos filled with brothy beef under their bellybutton pleats; laphing, noodles neatly rolled and sliced like strudel and set loose in a puddle of chile oil; steaming, salty, bracing cups of yak butter tea. Most of the neighborhoods places for samosas and naan, though, either are gone or have faded into insignificance.

You less often meet somebody who sends you to Curry Hill for the cooking of India. But its the correct answer. Once known mainly for cheap buffet lunches (Haandi, long the reigning champion of the steam table, is still one of Manhattans unnatural wonders), Lexington Avenue in the upper 20s has over the past few years become home to the most diverse and concentrated hub of Indian restaurants in New York City.

A disproportionate amount of this diversity is the work of two veteran chefs and restaurateurs. Shiva Natarajan opened one Curry Hill restaurant that paid tribute to Kolkata, particularly its Jewish cuisine; another that showcased food from Indias southwest coast; a third that brought together dishes from the cities of Lucknow and Hyderabad; and a fourth that specialized in the Punjab.

He sold all four to Hemant Mathur two years ago. Together they started working on a fifth, Sahib. It opened in the fall.
After the Waldorf Hotel opened in March 1893, the writer Oliver Herford quipped that it brought exclusiveness to the masses. The same could be said for the famous Waldorf salad, a dish that was made for New York Citys elite but that became, through the 20th century, a staple of Americana.

On March 1, the Waldorf Astoria will close temporarily for renovations, amid reports that only a small portion of the hotel will remain, making way for luxury apartments. Yet the Waldorf salad, which is currently served at two of its three restaurants and on the room-service menu, lives on  in cookbooks, at diners and even at restaurants known for ambitious cooking.

The salad, originally a mix of apples and celery tossed in a good-quality mayonnaise, was created for the hotels debut event, a charity ball in honor of St. Marys Hospital for Children on March 14, 1893. The menu was developed by the hotels first executive chef, Edouard Beauchamp, and its maitre dhotel Oscar Tschirky, who became known as Oscar of the Waldorf.
I walk into the new Acne Studios store all wet, winter rain running down my coat and shoes, and see there are already puddles all over the floor. Little mottled blue rugs by the British designer Max Lamb look like soft pools; I would gladly fall into one. Even when soaked, its impossible to stand in an Acne store and not feel as though the design is embracing you, even forgiving you.

Jonny Johansson, the companys founder and creative director, has said that he sometimes regrets the name Acne, an acronym of Ambition to Create Novel Expression. The brand was first a creative collective, founded in 1997, and has grown into the worlds primary Scandinavian fashion export (not counting H&M, of course). Swedish interiors bring to mind the smoothest possible surfaces: unblemished. Everyday objects  things  are simple, functional and just. In 2013, Lynn Yaeger accurately described the brand in The Wall Street Journal, saying, Its legions of fans think of it as a brand with integrity, a company that makes principled aesthetic decisions and never resorts to marketing tricks, even though they have hundreds of outlets.
He brought them together in dresses that spliced English florals and the suggestion of tartan, with the cut and shape of dresses borrowed from Ottoman paintings. In a ribbon-bound booklet put on every seat, Mr. Moralioglu left a small record of his inspirations, including a painting of a dervish midspin, skirts flying. That silhouette was reflected on the runway in long dresses with slim bodices and long, swishing skirts, a proportion that may be challenging to any woman who is shorter than runway-standard.

But even in its past-looking escapism, the collection was charged by the politicized present. Disputes about which influences from abroad are allowed in and which are barred  from Britain, from the United States and from the West  are enough to send concerned citizens shouting in the streets. Mr. Moralioglu didnt deny that aspect, either.

Of course, we live in this strange time, he said. The idea of reflecting on my background: It felt like the right time to do that. Im the product of two people from two very different countries, and I felt like the collection should be a celebration of that. Now more than ever, maybe thats kind of interesting.

It may be that sweet, frothy luxury of the sort in which Mr. Moralioglu specializes feels like folly at the moment. Or it may be that, as grimness creeps in, celebration is a strong defense, and living well and beautifully, the best revenge.

If it has not been a season punctuated by shocks and standouts in London, it has been one in which designers doubled down on their personal obsessions. When better than now? For Christopher Bailey at Burberry, that was Henry Moore, the great English sculptor, several of whose giant works decorated Makers House, where Burberry staged its show. (The exhibition Mr. Bailey created with the artists daughter and his foundation is open to the public through Feb. 28.)
The Sunday wedding announcements in The New York Times have long been a fertile hunting ground for writers of parodies, hate-reads and other forms of snark.

The best explanation of why our wedding pages make such a tempting target was provided by Robert Baedeker, one of the authors of Weddings of The Times, a 2009 book parodying our reports, during an interview on National Public Radio.

The wedding announcements in The Times are so perfect and polished, and the inspiration comes from that sort of primal feeling one gets when one sees a perfect picture, which is to scribble a mustache on it or draw some sunglasses on it, Mr. Baedeker said.

Such scribbled mustaches abound. The website Gawker, before closing last year, routinely took shots at us, including this post imagining our staff at work:

I envision, just so you know, a room of ladies peering skeptically over their bifocals at announcement submissions, occasionally pausing to consult worn leather bound address books  I could have sworn Swoosie Remington was from Darien and not New Canaan, they sniff  while Bob Woletz sits in his office lighting copies of Town & Country on fire.
By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Feb 21 (PTI) The Delhi High Court today stayed a Central Information Commission (CIC) order to CBSE to allow inspection of class 10th and 12th school records of Union Minister Smriti Irani.

Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva put on hold CICs January 17 direction on a plea by Central Board of Secondary Examination (CBSE) which said the school records of Irani cannot be disclosed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act as it was third party information which was held in fiduciary capacity.

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The court also issued notice to the RTI applicant, on whose application CIC had passed the order, and sought his reply by the next date of hearing on April 27.

CIC in its order had rejected CBSEs contention that the information sought by RTI applicant Mohd Naushaduddin was "personal".

The office of the Minister of Textiles and the Holy Child Auxilium School, Delhi, from where Irani has claimed to have passed out, were also directed by the Commission to give her roll number to CBSE, Ajmer, which possesses the records for the years 1991 and 1993 "to facilitate search from huge records which is yet to be digitised."

"The Commission directs the respondent authority, the CBSE, to facilitate inspection of relevant records and provide certified copies of documents selected by the appellant free of cost, except personal details in admit card and mark sheet, within 60 days from the date of receipt of this order," CIC had said in its order.

"Disclosure of the details of a particular candidate contained in the degree or certificate register cannot cause any unwarranted invasion of privacy of the certificate holder," the Commission had said.

It had also said if the admit card contains personal information like address, contact number and email id, then it is personal information of the candidate and need not be given.

CIC had also said when a public representative declares his educational qualifications, the voter has a right to check up that declaration. PTI HMP PPS ARC

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In the days leading up to and after Betsy DeVoss confirmation as secretary of education, a hashtag spread across Twitter: #publicschoolproud. Parents and teachers tweeted photos of their kids studying, performing, eating lunch together. People of all races tweeted about how public schools changed them, saved them, helped them succeed. The hashtag and storytelling was a rebuttal to DeVos, who called traditional public schools a dead end and who bankrolled efforts to pass reforms in Michigan, her home state, that would funnel public funds in the form of vouchers into religious and privately operated schools and encouraged the proliferation of for-profit charter schools. The tweets railed against DeVoss labeling of public schools as an industry that needed to adopt the free-market principles of competition and choice. #Publicschoolproud was seen as an effort to show that public schools still mattered.

But the enthusiastic defense obscured a larger truth: We began moving away from the public in public education a long time ago. In fact, treating public schools like a business these days is largely a matter of fact in many places. Parents have pushed for school-choice policies that encourage shopping for public schools that they hope will give their children an advantage and for the expansion of charter schools that are run by private organizations with public funds. Large numbers of public schools have selective admissions policies that keep most kids out. And parents pay top dollar to buy into neighborhoods zoned to good public schools that can be as exclusive as private ones. The glaring reality is, whether we are talking about schools or other institutions, it seems as if we have forgotten what public really means.

The word derives from the Latin word publicus, meaning of the people. This concept  that the government belongs to the people and the government should provide for the good of the people  was foundational to the worlds nascent democracies. Where once citizens paid taxes to the monarchy in the hope that it would serve the public too, in democracies they paid taxes directly for infrastructure and institutions that benefited society as a whole. The tax dollars of ancient Athenians and Romans built roads and aqueducts, but they also provided free meals to widows whose husbands died in war. Public stood not just for how something was financed  with the tax dollars of citizens  but for a communal ownership of institutions and for a society that privileged the common good over individual advancement.
Federal prosecutors have expanded their investigation of the financial dealings of the former president of the City College of New York into whether she received tens of thousands of dollars in unauthorized payments over several years from the schools oldest alumni fund.

Lisa S. Coico, the colleges former president, was already being scrutinized over the improper use of federal research money, and the accounting of her personal expenses from the 21st Century Foundation, the colleges main fund-raising vehicle. She resigned unexpectedly in October after The New York Times reported that a memo concerning those expenses had most likely been fabricated to deceive prosecutors, and that she did not return a $20,000 security deposit for a rental home.

The new avenue of inquiry looks at a second source of money  the City College Fund, which is supposed to provide scholarships to indigent students, underwrite campus programs and organize alumni reunions  and it represents a notable expansion of an inquiry that began last summer. It has spread to other groups affiliated with the colleges parent entity, the City University of New York.

This month, the office of Robert L. Capers, the United States attorney for the Eastern District of New York, subpoenaed records related to payments to Ms. Coico from the City College Fund. Among other issues, prosecutors are trying to ascertain why the fund, which has been run for years by one of Dr. Coicos most trusted confidantes, apparently paid Dr. Coico or entities connected to her yet failed to get approval from university officials or report the arrangement on its tax returns.
He also said that he recently had back surgery and that at his age, the frequent drives to Albany had become difficult for him. He says that he will make a decision after a state budget is passed.

Assemblyman Robert Rodriguez has raised $21,860 for a city campaign, according to a January filing with the City Campaign Finance Board, and he said that he was considering a run for the seat of the City Council speaker, Melissa Mark-Viverito, in East Harlem and the Bronx. Ms. Mark-Viverito cannot run again because of term limits.

Mr. Rodriguez also works as a financial adviser and might not gain financially by moving to the Council, where he would have to give up his outside job.

Susan Lerner, the executive director of Common Cause New York, a good government advocacy group, said that, pay aside, the City Council functions much better than the State Senate or Assembly, thanks to years of ethical and legislative reforms.

What we see is that when you have an appropriate pay level with correct restrictions on outside income and a more robust, functioning legislative process, combined with a well-thought-out and well-executed public campaign finance system, you attract talented candidates and some of them may be people who are sitting in other bodies, Ms. Lerner said. When you put all these factors together its attractive to be a City Council member.

In Albany, she said, most of the activity happens behind closed doors.

If you are a public spirited community member or a legislator, it is not irrational to think that you can get more done in the City Council, Ms. Lerner said. You can have a more direct impact.
Under pressure to turn around the citys embattled child welfare agency, Mayor Bill de Blasio on Tuesday appointed a new commissioner who was expected to rely more on data to assess performance and determine priorities.

The mayors pick, David Hansell, will take over the Administration for Childrens Services next month, inheriting one of the most challenging posts in city government at a time of renewed scrutiny of the agency.

The child welfare agency is responsible for investigating reports of child abuse and neglect and determining whether children should be removed from troubled homes. While the agencys successes are rarely public, its most serious failures almost always are, and in recent months a series of child deaths put the agency back in the spotlight, most notably the killing of 6-year-old Zymere Perkins.

In December, the child welfare commissioner, Gladys Carrion, announced her resignation after weeks of criticism. A day later, the state announced that it had ordered the agency to hire an independent monitor, after a review faulted child-welfare workers in the death of Zymere, who was not removed from his mothers care despite signs that the boy was in grave danger.
A bull escaped from a Queens slaughterhouse on Tuesday and was free on the streets for two hours, but died after being captured, the police said.

The black bull ran away from the Aziz Slaughter House on Beaver Road in Jamaica shortly after 10 a.m., the police said.

By 10:20 a.m. the police were receiving 911 calls about a vicious animal right across from the Jamaica train hub on Archer Avenue, Detective Ahmed Nasser, a police spokesman, said.
All this, however, could merely be a prelude to the moment yet to come  Mr. Trump has still not set foot in New York City as president, puzzling and emboldening some protesters who see his weekend visits to his Florida estate as something of a retreat to friendlier ground. But whenever he does settle into his penthouse home atop Trump Tower, seething New Yorkers will finally be able to train their ire directly at Mr. Trump on his doorstep.

The visual of Trump coming back to New York would be the Fifth Avenue of Manhattan flooded with people angrily protesting just about everything that Donald Trump has done  I dont think he wants to create that visual, said Carl Dix, whose anti-Trump group, Refuse Fascism, has been plastering the city with stickers that say NO! I dont think he wants the world to see that.

City officials would not discuss details of security plans that will be used when Mr. Trump returns to the city or how much protecting him will cost. Between his election in November and his inauguration in January, the city spent $37 million for the more than 200 police officers on patrol each day in and around Trump Tower. The federal government has reimbursed the city about $7 million. Large protests would most likely require a bigger police presence.

Demonstrations do have an impact on operations because we have to get those cops from somewhere, the police commissioner, James P. ONeill, told reporters at a news conference in response to questions about how the city would manage Mr. Trumps return. Short term, we can handle it, but if it continues to go on, it could have an impact on our operations.
Fifty years ago today, on Feb. 21, 1967, the journalist Bernard Fall stepped on a land mine while accompanying Marines on a mission near Hue, in South Vietnam. He died instantly. He was 40 years old.

The literature on the Vietnam War is enormous and growing, but Falls work still stands out for its insight and sagacity. He remains our greatest writer on the struggle, despite the fact that he died before the period of heavy American military involvement had reached its halfway point.

Fall wrote six books on the Indochina conflict, along with more than 100 articles in popular publications like The New York Times Magazine, The Saturday Evening Post and The New Republic, as well as academic journals. Many an officer who shipped out to Saigon carried with him a dog-eared copy of Street Without Joy: Indochina at War, 19461954, published in 1961. In early 1968, when it seemed possible that American forces could be in for a disastrous siege at Khe Sanh, officers scrambled to get their hands on Hell in a Very Small Place, Falls searing account of the siege at Dien Bien Phu, 14 years earlier, in which the French suffered the decisive loss in their own struggle to control the country.

Born in Vienna in 1926, Fall moved to Paris after Germany annexed Austria, and as a teenager he fought for the French resistance. (His father, who also fought for the resistance, was executed by the Germans; his mother died at Auschwitz.) He came to the United States for graduate school in international relations and eventually became a professor at Howard University. He also began traveling to Vietnam in the 1950s and writing about what he saw. Passionate, tireless, intensely ambitious, Fall set out to become, as he put it, the foremost military writer of my generation.
Richmond, Calif.  DeVone Boggan could teach a class on the art of making a statement. In 2010, he invited a group of the most dangerous gun offenders in Richmond, a Bay Area city of about 100,000 residents, to a conference room at City Hall. At each seat was a name card starting with Mr. and an information folder labeled Operation Peacemaker. Wearing a suit and his signature fedora, Boggan began the meeting by apologizing on behalf of the city for not reaching out to the men sooner. Peace in Richmond, he told them, must come through them. When the meeting was over and everyone got up to leave, Boggan called them back. The men, already wary, assumed they would be arrested. Instead, Boggan handed each an envelope containing $1,000. We wanted to send sound waves through the community, Boggan said. Facebook blew up.

The previous year, Richmond police department officials had told Boggan, the director of the citys Office of Neighborhood Safety, that they thought 17 men were responsible for 70 percent of the citys gun crime. At the time, Richmond was among the most dangerous cities in the country. Its homicide rate had reached 46 per 100,000 residents  triple Chicagos rate. At one point, the City Council had even considered declaring a state of emergency. Boggan asked each official to independently send him the names of the 17 men, an exercise that yielded 28 unduplicated names. In the three months it took to make contact with all of them, three died of gun related injuries. He invited the remaining 25 to City Hall, and 21 showed up.

Boggan is the architect of Operation Peacemaker Fellowship, a controversial program initiated in 2010 that shares features with Cure Violence and Ceasefire, two other programs that, over the last two decades, have become models for reducing gun violence. Like the others, Boggans method uses data and intelligence to identify people highly likely to commit or become victims of gun violence; it then connects them with job training, mentorship and social services while deploying outreach teams to intervene in conflicts.

But it also does something else. After six months, its subjects  most are African-American males between 14 and 27 years old  are eligible for a monthly cash stipend of up to $1,000 for up to nine months (Boggans meeting in 2010 with the first cohort was played out in a way designed to turn heads and attract more fellows into the program). The citys average homicide rate in the five years that preceded the arrival of Operation Peacemaker was 40 per 100,000 residents. In the next five years, it dropped by nearly 60 percent.
Perhaps the best indication of General McMasters thinking, and the likelihood of conflict with Mr. Bannon and others, is his 1997 book, Dereliction of Duty, a merciless, meticulous study of the early days of the Vietnam War, and how senior civilian officials and the Joint Chiefs of Staff led the country into a quagmire.

His central thesis is that the Joint Chiefs became inordinately politicized, caving to senior civilian officials in the Johnson administration like McGeorge Bundy, the national security adviser, who knew little about Vietnam, or military doctrine. Those officials were more concerned about appearing just strong enough not to lose hawkish domestic support without compromising the Great Society agenda than they were about actually winning the war. This yielded the tentative graduated pressure approach, rather than a decisive early concentration of military resources  especially combat ground troops.

The war in Vietnam was not lost in the field nor was it lost on the front page of The New York Times or the college campuses, he wrote. It was lost in Washington, even before the first American units were deployed.

In his book, and in the 20 years since its publication, General McMaster has shown he is not afraid to find fault with presidents and other powerful officials. Lyndon B. Johnson and his senior advisers, he wrote, rendered the administration incapable of dealing adequately with the complexities of the situation in Vietnam, which prompted arrogance, weakness, and lying.
To the Editor:

Two points regarding A Republican Call to Climate Action (editorial, Feb. 13):

For the Democrats: These conservatives carbon tax and dividend will be more effective than any current regulation. For example, the Clean Power Plan would be a moot point under their proposal: The increased price of carbon would render its mandates irrelevant. The effects of this policy will be economywide and achieve much more than many regulations.

And for Republicans: Should it really be considered a tax if all the revenue is distributed back to Americans, as proposed, and it doesnt grow the size of government? It will reduce the size of government by making some regulations irrelevant, and be a net tax cut for most Americans.

ROBBIE WILLIAMS

Berkeley, Calif.

To the Editor:

This is the ideal moment for the Republican Party to seize the reins on climate change. Americans long for moderate candidates, especially those who will address the increasingly urgent environmental problems facing us.

Republicans are quite vulnerable and likely to lose a lot of seats in 2018, but they could stand a chance of keeping their legislative advantage if they move toward the center in this way.
By India Today Web Desk: In what comes as an unusual-yet-pleasant surprise, the Health Ministry of India has unveiled its latest program to educate over 26 crore adolescents in matters of mental health, consent, sexuality, gender among other things.

Prepared in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund, the ministry's Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram's program plans to train nearly 1.65 lakh Saathiya 'educators' who will engage the young brigade of the country.

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A bid to tackle the misinformation and misconceptions that have been in circulation since the inception of time, the Health Ministry's latest move is progressive, sane and hopeful.

Also Read: 4 outfits Indian women should wear to prevent PCOD, eve-teasing and rapes

From practising safe sex to homosexual attraction being a natural phenomenon, here are five things that have found mention in the resource material of the program.

1. Normalcy around same-sex attraction: The resource material under Health Ministry's scheme seeks to establish normalcy around the phenomenon of same-sex attraction. In a country where homosexuality is still considered to be a criminal offence, the ministry's progressive stance on the concepts of same-sex attraction are both, rebellious and pleasant. According to a report in Indian Express, the material mentions that feelings of love and attraction sometimes flourish within the members of a certain gender and that's completely normal.

2. Encourages individuals to refrain from attaching gendered labels: For ages, youngsters have faced the wrath of gendered labels that promote skewed definitions of 'masculinity' and 'feminity'. The 'Saathiya' educators will be trained to dispense knowledge about shunning stereotypes and not those associated with them. According to the material, individuals will be told that it is okay for men to cook, design and for women to indulge in sports without being labelled as 'sissy' or 'tomboy-ish' respectively.

3. Dialogue around mental health: In today's day and age where awareness around mental health issues has become a necessity, the program, reportedly, does the needful. The material is a breath of fresh air in a world where men venting out their emotions by means of crying are looked down upon and have to resort to more 'masculine' reactions such as anger and bullying.

4. Consent: While 2016's release Pink managed to stir a conversation around the concept of consent, Health Ministry's latest move plans to take it further. The resource material mentions that mutual consent and trust are of utmost importance in any form of relationship.

5. Safe sex and abortion: The need for practising safe sex, awareness around abortion and the prevention of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) also find a mention in Saathiya's resource material. Besides other things, the content also focuses on birth control measures for both, men and women while enlisting masturbation as the top technique for safe sex, reports Indian Express.

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While the effectiveness of the programme can only be gauged through its subsequent reach and implementation, the very inclusion of such provisions seem like a long overdue respite in an ecosystem that is often clouded with illogic, ignorance and stringent societal appropriation.

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MELBOURNE, Australia  In the days after President Trumps ban on immigrants from several Muslim countries, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull of Australia spent a lot of time saying nothing. He said nothing about the ban itself, enduring days of headlines about his failure to express even the mildest disagreement with the policy.

It is not my job, he said, to run a commentary on the domestic policies of other countries. Thats about as adventurous as he got.

He then said as little as possible about his now infamous phone call with Mr. Trump, volunteering only that the president had agreed to honor the refugee deal Mr. Turnbull had struck with the Obama administration. As more details of the call emerged  and as the status of the refugee deal fluctuated seemingly by the hour (or at least by the tweet)  Mr. Turnbull would state only the barest of facts: The deal was still on, and the call ended courteously.

This was a studied silence. It is almost impossible to overstate the political importance of the refugee deal to the Turnbull government. Its detention of asylum seekers on Manus Island and Nauru is a festering sore. Australia refuses to allow them on Australian soil out of a belief that doing so would restart a flood of boats toward our shores, and rejected the offer of New Zealand, which has open borders with Australia, to resettle them for the same reason. The government has tried paying other nations, like Cambodia, to take the refugees, but those attempts have failed. By promising to take some refugees, President Barack Obama came to the rescue. America is Australias Plan A. There is no Plan B.
To the Editor:

President Trumps plan to review and possibly rescind the fiduciary rule is ludicrous. His supporters are just the type of people who need to be protected from those who offer financial advice that benefits themselves more than the client.

Before any action is taken, brokers, mutual fund companies, insurance companies, and 401(k) and I.R.A. administrators should be required to send each client a statement that shows how much money the client has put in the account since it was opened, how much the client has paid in fees and how much the client has earned.

This would allow clients to compare what they earned versus how much they paid for the privilege of investing. The financial industry is happy to provide costs in percentage terms, but peoples eyes are never really opened until they see how much they have paid in hard dollars.

The financial industry has made a huge amount of money taking advantage of the average Americans ignorance about investing. The fiduciary rule requires that financial advisers recommend investments that are best for the client, not themselves. In an era when so many have such paltry retirement savings, dont Americans deserve at least that?
The regressive measure is being offered by a majority party that regularly waxes poetic on the campaign trail about the wisdom of local government. But now that Republicans have taken control of both legislative houses, home rule is becoming a casualty of the sort of political triumphalism that President Trump is brandishing in Washington.

Reining in civil rights initiatives was in reaction to local measures protecting renters with federal housing vouchers from landlord abuse, critics said. Proponents insisted it was the localities that usurped state authority. But the local initiatives were taken only after the state government had ignored these problems.

The new Legislature has already had a tooth-and-claw fight that ended last week with Republican approval of sweeping cutbacks in the collective bargaining rights of government employees. Under the measure, which Gov. Terry Branstad is expected to sign, public-sector negotiations would be limited to wage questions. Unions would be barred from negotiating over health insurance, workers evaluations and staff reductions.

The union measure was offered as a lightning surprise as the Republicans last month took control of both houses and the governorship for the first time since 1998.

The separate moves to crimp local government were approved by a House committee last week and will be the subject of a public hearing this legislative session. Democrats got nowhere with a proposal to increase the state pay minimum to $11 by 2019. Governor Branstad said that while he supported the limits on home rule, he would like to see the state minimum wage raised so Iowa can stay competitive with neighboring states.
The Democratic National Committee will choose its next leader on Saturday, and when it does it should choose a leader who will resist the pressure to pursue the wrong white people. Hundreds of articles have been written about the imperative of attracting more support from white working-class voters who supported Barack Obama in 2012 but then bolted to back Donald J. Trump.

The far more important  and largely untold  story of the election is that more Obama voters defected to third- and fourth-party candidates than the number who supported Mr. Trump. That is the white flight that should most concern the next D.N.C. chairman, because those voters make up a more promising way to reclaim the White House. The way to win them back is by being more progressive, not less.

To be clear, all white voters matter. But Democrats must make tough, data-driven decisions about how to prioritize their work. Right now, too many are using bad math and faulty logic to push the party to chase the wrong segment of white voters. For example, Guy Cecil, who spent nearly $200 million as head of the progressive super PAC Priorities USA, urged the party to rebuild trust with the millions of white voters who voted for President Obama and Donald Trump.
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With the Greek government set to run out of cash by the end of July, the countrys main creditors in Europe continue to demand harsh budget cuts as a condition for crucial loans. But after a decade of failing to save Greece, Germany and other European nations, along with the International Monetary Fund, ought to try a different approach, one that makes reviving the economy a priority.

Greeces creditors appear willing to provide new loans to pay off debts coming due this year as long as the country commits to achieving a fiscal surplus of 3.5 percent of gross domestic product before interest payments by 2018. The I.M.F., more sensibly, has argued for a surplus of 1.5 percent. It also says that European officials should commit to reducing the Greek governments debt, which is so huge that it equals about 180 percent of the countrys annual economic output. That debt relief could come in various forms, including giving the country more time to repay or reducing the amount owed.

The monetary fund is right. Requiring the country to run big budget surpluses when its economy is growing at an annual rate of only 0.4 percent is cruel and counterproductive. Based on current trends, the fund projects that the countrys debt will increase to more than 250 percent of G.D.P. during the next several decades. European officials are much more optimistic, but that hopefulness is based on the dubious assumption that Greece can run large budget surpluses for decades to come.
MUNICH  This Munich Security Conference was different. A Frenchman defended NATO against the American president. The Russian foreign minister was here but the phantom American secretary of state was not. An ex-Swedish prime minister had to respond to the last-night-in-Sweden affair  an ominous incident in a placid Scandinavian state dreamed up in his refugee delirium by Donald Trump.

Surreal hardly begins to describe the proceedings at this annual gathering, the Davos of foreign policy. This is what happens when the United States is all over the place. Allies get nervous; they dont know what to believe. Trumps uncontrolled communication is unsettling the world, John Kasich, the Republican governor of Ohio, told me. That is an understatement. The Trump doctrine is chaos.

Vice President Mike Pence came, communicated and exited without taking questions. He said the United States would be unwavering in its commitment to NATO, whose glories he extolled. (He never mentioned the European Union, whose fragmentation Trump encourages.)

If a question had been allowed, it might have been: Mr. Pence, you defend NATO but your boss says its obsolete. So which is it?
To the Editor:

Phil Klay writes powerfully of the values that guide American military forces in combat in Iraq (What Were Fighting For, Sunday Review, Feb. 12). Our fighting men and women are indeed brave and honorable. Yet their valor and the exercise of principles even in the heat of combat do not answer the question, What are we fighting for?

Despite these principles, the armed forces of the United States and its allies have killed tens if not hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, a large number of them civilians, including women and children. And our country has suffered the death and injury of tens of thousands of our own sons and daughters, fathers and mothers, husbands and wives by waging this war in Iraq.

But for what purpose? We know that there were no weapons of mass destruction threatening our peace and security. We had no plan to bring peace and security to Iraq and its neighbors. So yes, our soldiers and sailors are valiant and represent the best in our country, but I still do not know what were fighting for.

MICHAEL E. MAHLER

Los Angeles
Most of us came of age in the last half of the 20th century and had our perceptions of normal formed in that era. It was, all things considered, an unusually happy period. No world wars, no Great Depressions, fewer civil wars, fewer plagues.

Its looking like were not going to get to enjoy one of those times again. The 21st century is looking much nastier and bumpier: rising ethnic nationalism, falling faith in democracy, a dissolving world order.

At the bottom of all this, perhaps, is declining economic growth. As Nicholas Eberstadt points out in his powerful essay Our Miserable 21st Century, in the current issue of Commentary, between 1948 and 2000 the U.S. economy grew at a per-capita rate of about 2.3 percent a year.

But then around 2000, something shifted. In this century, per-capita growth has been less than 1 percent a year on average, and even since 2009 its been only 1.1 percent a year. If the U.S. had been able to maintain postwar 20th-century growth rates into this century, U.S. per-capita G.D.P. would be over 20 percent higher than it is today.
To the Editor:

Re Trump Calls Media the Enemy of the American People  (news article, Feb. 18):

President Trump said on Friday that the press is the enemy of the American people, a comment that Senator John McCain responded to by saying thats how dictators get started.

Citizens should be concerned by this type of rhetoric, and the best response is to subscribe to a newspaper if you havent already.

ED OBRIEN

Metuchen, N.J.

To the Editor:

Youve got to hand it to Donald Trump. He knows how to use the media to his advantage. It was candidate Trump who received at least $2 billion worth of media coverage with his dramatics on the campaign trail (Measuring Trumps Big Advantage in Free Media, The Upshot, March 17, 2016).

Now, President Donald Trump uses the media again, this time by denigrating the media for reporting what they see. He creates the enemy because he needs to avoid substantive comments on real issues, and his oft-repeated believe me can be the only truth his followers will hear.
By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Feb 21 (PTI) Swiss government today said Sebastien Hug has been appointed as the Consul General of Switzerland in Bengaluru.

He would also be the head of swissnex India -- an initiative of Swiss government to facilitate exchanges between the two countries in the areas of science, education, art and innovation.

Hug will take up the post in November this year, Swiss government said in a release.

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swissnex India is a part of the Consulate General of Switzerland in Bangalore.

Hug began his career as attache for higher education, science and technology at the Swiss embassy in Canada in 2007.

Since 2013, he has been working in the International Relations Division of the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation at the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research, the release said. PTI RAM BAL

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The mystery at the core of the Trump-Russia story is motive.

President Trump certainly seems to have a strange case of Russophilia. He has surrounded himself with aides who have Russian ties. Those aides were talking to Russian agents during the campaign, and some are now pushing a dubious peace deal in Ukraine. Trump recently went so far as to equate the United States and Vladimir Putins murderous regime.

But why?

Its not a simple question. In their Russia-related inquiries, the F.B.I. and the Senate Intelligence Committee will need to focus first on what happened  whether Trumps team broke any laws and whether the president has lied about it. Yet the investigators, as well as the journalists doing such good work reporting this story, should also keep in mind the why of the matter. It will help explain the rest of the story.

The United States has never had a situation quite like this. Other countries have tried to intervene in our affairs before, sometimes with modest success. Britain and Nazi Germany, for example, tried to influence the 1940 presidential election, financing bogus polls and efforts to sway the nominating conventions. But never has a president had such murky ties to a foreign government as hostile as Putins.

I count five possible explanations for Trumps Russophilia, and theyre not mutually exclusive.

The first is the justification that Trump himself gives, and you shouldnt dismiss it simply because he has an open relationship with reality. He says that fewer tensions with Russia would benefit the United States, which is a reasonable position. Its not so different from the position of John Kerry, President Barack Obamas secretary of state.
Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerbergs manifesto about community, released last week on Facebook, wisely analyzed the state of journalism: He decried sensationalism, and declared that a strong news industry is also critical to building an informed community. Giving people a voice, he said, is not enough without having people dedicated to uncovering new information and analyzing it. He even noted that reading local news is directly correlated with local civic engagement.

Unfortunately, his memo ignored two major points  the role that Facebook and other technology platforms are playing in inadvertently damaging local news media, and the one way they could actually save journalism: with a massive philanthropic commitment.

Local news is weak in large part because the business models have collapsed. The main reason: As advertising spending shifted from print, TV and radio to the internet, the money didnt mostly go to digital news organizations. Increasingly, it goes to Facebook and Google.

Of the $59 billion spent on all digital advertising in 2015  across millions of web sites, by millions of advertisers  $36 billion went to those two companies. And their share is rising: Most of the increase in digital advertising in 2016 went to them. One analyst estimated that while Facebook and Google surged, the category called everyone else actually declined.
 Who are the 500 private citizens with unprecedented access to Mr. Trump during weekends? We talk to Nicholas Confessore and Maggie Haberman, who, along with Eric Lipton, unmasked the secret list of Mar-a-Lago members.

Background reading:

 What is the deep state? The Interpreter column explains.

 The Timess investigation of the Mar-a-Lago membership list, along with a graphic showing how the resort turned into the Situation Room.

Tune in, and tell us what you think. Email us at thedaily@nytimes.com. Tweet me at @mikiebarb. And if that isnt enough, we can even text.

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Open the preloaded app called Podcasts; it has a purple icon. If youre reading this from your phone, tap this link, which will take you straight there. (You can also use the magnifying glass icon to search; type The Daily.)
When Marc Benda gave Faye Toogood free rein for her first solo exhibition in his gallery, she instinctively feared hed regret it. It was an incredibly bold move on his part, says the British designer, whose exceptional interiors, furniture and fashion reflect a singular English aesthetic and fascination with materiality. He didnt know if Id come back with a set of vases, a rail of coats or a chair. After presenting 23 objects she wanted to show, almost as a shopping list, she jokes, Benda responded: Weve got to do everything.

The resulting exhibition, her first in the U.S., titled Assemblage 5, opens in New Yorks Friedman Benda Gallery this week. The rustic works were inspired by elements in Henri Matisses Chapelle du Rosaire de Vence, which he built in the town of Vence, on the French Riviera, between 1948 and 1951. The show picks up where Assemblage 4, which debuted at Milans Salone del Mobile in 2014, left off: pushing Toogoods exploration of form and geometry in a bold new direction. Im not a religious person, but the spiritual experience of all these objects in one space was quite profound to me, she says. Pews, altar pieces, chalice relics and vestments  those were the starting points for the function, almost.

With a trio of materials, Toogood aimed to communicate the very essential, the very raw, the elemental and the primitive. She chose lithium-barium crystal, cob composite and silver nitrate bronze to convey the essence of water, earth and the moon, the latter signifying a connection between the lunar cycle and femininity. Each came with its own set of challenges: The first cob pieces crumbled to the floor, and the bronze was almost too heavy to work with. The glass threatened to shatter during the months-long process of curing  an expensive gamble for an exhibition of such a large scale.
When he wasnt bartending his way through Central Saint Martins, Charles Jeffrey was hosting Loverboy, a monthly club night at Londons VFDalston. He now spends most of his time being a proper mens wear designer, though proper hardly describes his anarchic aesthetic. A lot of our pieces are sort of troubled, or twisted and pulled and cut up, says Jeffrey, a former Dior intern whose latest collection of genderqueer scoop-collared jackets, creeper shoes and extravagantly buttoned trousers was partly inspired by Jean Paul Gaultiers couture. For the runway show, he used a headpiece from a chain-mail hauberk found on the street. For the fledgling designer, the clothes are about ascendance but, burgeoning mainstream success aside, its hard to imagine Jeffrey ever losing his underground cool.
Behind every successful person are relationships that helped forge a path. But the stories of these friendships, collaborations, alliances, romances or rivalries often are lost in the glow of achievement. In this new feature, we explore a personal connection that made a difference in the lives of two artists.

Andre Holland never thought much about writing his own monologues when he attended the Tisch graduate acting program at New York University. But one day, early in his first semester in 2003, he watched another African-American student, Danai Gurira, forgo the usual speeches by white characters and perform her own material instead. Her monologue, about the struggles of black women, had an immediacy and ferocity that led to a bond between them  as friends, actors and, eventually, writing partners.

Ms. Gurira was working on what would become In the Continuum, the Obie Award-winning play that she co-wrote and starred in Off Broadway. Ms. Gurira would go on to write last years Tony-nominated play Eclipsed and act on Broadway and television, where she is best known as Michonne on The Walking Dead. Mr. Holland is starring in August Wilsons Jitney on Broadway and as the diner cook Kevin in the film Moonlight, which is nominated for best picture in this Sundays Academy Awards.
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From $263.

Basics

On Austins most famous street, a former gravel lot turned food-truck court has given way to one of the most popular spots in town. The South Congress Hotel, opened by the local hospitality group New Waterloo in September 2015, added a restaurant and coffee bar last March. The low-slung building is like a geode  chunky and nondescript outside but opening up to an appealing interior; local residents cannot seem to resist it at happy hour. The decor has a Latin flair, and there are fun touches like the vintage motorcycle shop, Revival Cycles, downstairs.

Location

Part of Austins 2,000-room hotel boomlet, the 83-room property offers what is arguably the best location in Austin, in the thick of South Congress Avenues pedestrian-jammed mix of shopping and dining. The State Capitol, one mile away, presides over the stretch. Sixth Street and Lady Bird Lake intersect with Congress Avenue along the route. And several of the food trucks once on the hotels lot are now parked in a cozier space on the next block.

The Room

While half the rooms open onto hectic Congress Avenue, ours overlooked the quiet, leafy Travis Heights neighborhood. With concrete ceilings, hardwood floors, a brown leather bench and a charcoal accent wall, the space had a rugged vibe. There were unexpected details, like a headboard that appeared to be a wool blanket, draped and pinned over an extra-wide bed frame.
WASHINGTON  President Trump has directed his administration to enforce the nations immigration laws more aggressively, unleashing the full force of the federal government to find, arrest and deport those in the country illegally, regardless of whether they have committed serious crimes.

Documents released on Tuesday by the Department of Homeland Security revealed the broad scope of the presidents ambitions: to publicize crimes by undocumented immigrants; strip such immigrants of privacy protections; enlist local police officers as enforcers; erect new detention facilities; discourage asylum seekers; and, ultimately, speed up deportations.

The new enforcement policies put into practice language that Mr. Trump used on the campaign trail, vastly expanding the definition of criminal aliens and warning that such unauthorized immigrants routinely victimize Americans, disregard the rule of law and pose a threat to people in communities across the United States.

Despite those assertions in the new documents, research shows lower levels of crime among immigrants than among native-born Americans.
WASHINGTON  In a case that could further roil relations with Mexico, the Supreme Court considered on Tuesday whether the parents of a 15-year-old Mexican boy killed by an American border guard may sue in United States courts.

The teenager, Sergio Hernandez Guereca, was on the Mexican side of the border when the guard, Jesus Mesa Jr., standing about 60 feet away in United States territory, shot him in the head.

A lawyer for the youths parents faced two kinds of hurdles at Tuesdays argument. Even justices sympathetic to the parents appeared to be worried about the implications of a ruling in their favor, which would extend constitutional protections beyond the nations borders. And some justices suggested that any solution should come from Congress rather than the courts.

The lawyer, Robert C. Hilliard, said he sought only a narrow ruling. The Constitution applies abroad, he said, only when the challenged conduct starts in the United States, when the killer and the victim are both civilians, when the constitutional right at issue is the right to life, and when the foreign government supports the suit.
WASHINGTON  The Supreme Court turned down an appeal on Tuesday from an Alabama death row inmate who said the state intended to kill him using chemicals that could cause excruciating pain. As is the courts custom, the justices in the majority gave no reasons for declining to hear the case.

But Justice Sonia Sotomayor, joined by Justice Stephen G. Breyer, issued an impassioned 18-page dissent. She said the inmate, Thomas D. Arthur, should have been allowed to make the case that one of the chemicals in Alabamas lethal injection protocol, the sedative midazolam, could contribute to prolonged torture.

In 2015, a five-justice majority in a different lethal injection case, Glossip v. Gross, issued what Justice Sotomayor called a macabre challenge. (Justices Sotomayor and Breyer were among the four dissenting justices in the case.) The majority said that inmates seeking to challenge a method of execution not only had to prove that it would cause severe pain but also had to propose a known and available way to be executed.

Image Thomas D. Arthur was convicted of killing his girlfriends husband in 1982. He asked that he be executed by a firing squad rather than lethal injection. Credit... Alabama Department of Corrections

Mr. Arthur killed his girlfriends husband in 1982. After 34 years of legal challenges, Justice Sotomayor wrote, Arthur has accepted that he will die for his crimes. He now challenges only how the state will be permitted to kill him.
By Press Trust of India: From Kunal Dutt Kigali, Feb 21 (PTI) India has a lot to learn from Rwanda on governance models like sanitation and smart city and efforts are being made to give more content to bilateral strategic relationship, a top government official said today. "Vice President Hamid Ansari had a very fruitful visit to Rwanda and during bilateral talks both sides endeavoured to give our strategic relationship more content. We think its a great governance model and the Vice President has stated that he hasnt seen a better capital city. And, now we wish to further enhance our ties in several sectors," Amar Sinha, Secretary, Economic Relations in the MEA, said. "One of course is Swachh Bharat and then Smart City, two of our great initiatives and we would like to engage with Rwanda more in these areas. In fact, we will try to send delegates from some of our states, like Andra Pradesh, which is building a new capital," Sinha said. He was interacting with reporters during a briefing as Ansari wound up his trip to Rwanda, the first leg of his two-nation tour. "Besides, cleanliness and smart city initiatives, we have so much to learn from Rwanda, on governance models. It has zero-corruption for tolerance, and and one of the best places to do business. India certainly can take home a lot from this visit, and we certainly will," he said.

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Another area where they have sought cooperation is production and shooting of Bollywood films. "After a Hritik Roshan-starrer film was shot in New Zealand, it pushed tourism in a big way in that country. We hope we can find models to replicate it in Rwanda," he said. "Rwandas greatest achievement is its reconciliation with its turbulent past. From signs of great conflict, it has become a shining star of Africa. This is truly remarkable and worthy of emulation," he said. Ansari during his three-day visit to Rwanda held bilateral talks with President of the Senate Bernard Makuza and President Paul Kagame. India and Rwanda also signed three MoUs innovation, aviation and visa requirement.

A joint communique on the visit said the Vice President and Kagame committed to further promote bilateral trade and investment and increase people-to-people interactions. The Vice President expressed admiration for remarkable growth and transformation of Rwanda under the able leadership of President Kagame and expressed an interest in exploring the untapped enormous methane reserves in Lake Kivu for energy production.

The Vice president reiterated Indias decision to open a resident Indian Mission in Rwanda highlighting that this will further cement the strategic partnership. PTI KND NSA AKJ NSA

--- ENDS ---
FAIRVIEW, Tenn.  Representative Marsha Blackburn may have expected to draw a friendly crowd by scheduling a town hall-style meeting in a Tennessee community that had voted overwhelmingly for President Trump, but she instead faced a hurricane-strength blast of disapproval on Tuesday.

Ms. Blackburn, an eight-term Republican, was sharply questioned about a wide range of issues that have unsettled Mr. Trumps first month in office, including health care, the environment, education and the presidents links to Russia.

At many moments, her replies elicited boos or shouts to tell the truth.

Were not stupid; you have to do better, Renee Armand said at one point, interrupting Ms. Blackburn as she was defending the new education secretary, Betsy DeVos, for bringing a true love of education reform.

Ms. Blackburn, who represents a safe Republican seat west of Nashville, was among the latest wave of Washington lawmakers to face angry constituents in what, inevitably but perhaps prematurely, has been called a progressive echo of the Tea Party anger that boiled over in town halls eight years ago.
WASHINGTON  President Trump said on Tuesday that the rise of anti-Semitism in the United States since his inauguration was horrible and painful, reacting publicly for the first time to mounting threats targeting Jewish people and institutions after he drew criticism for being slow to condemn them.

During a visit to the National Museum of African-American History and Culture, Mr. Trump said he was reminded of the need to combat hatred in all of its very ugly forms. He spoke one day after 11 bomb threats were phoned in to Jewish community centers around the country and a Jewish cemetery in University City, Mo., was vandalized.

The anti-Semitic threats targeting our Jewish community and community centers are horrible, and are painful, and a very sad reminder of the work that still must be done to root out hate and prejudice and evil, Mr. Trump said.

The statement came after weeks of private complaints from leaders of major Jewish organizations to members of Mr. Trumps inner circle, including his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, about the presidents seeming unwillingness to speak out forcefully against anti-Semitic acts. His failure to do so stoked concern among some Jewish leaders that Mr. Trump, whose presidential campaign drew the support of racist and anti-Semitic groups including the Ku Klux Klan, was at best willing to stay silent about such actions and at worst quietly condoning them.
ATLANTA  The brick, marked with a threatening message, crashed through the window of a prominent contractors dining room here in September 2015, apparently sometime between dusk and dawn. For some time, news of the incident failed to reverberate much beyond the home itself.

The same went for the dead rodents that had been simultaneously placed on the doorstep of the contractor, Elvin R. Mitchell Jr., and the message: ER, keep your mouth shut!!! Shut up.

But in recent weeks, the brick, the rodents and the threat have become troubling symbols of a widening federal bribery and corruption investigation revolving around the granting of city contracts. The inquiry has already resulted in Mr. Mitchells and a second contractors guilty pleas to federal bribery charges, and it is spreading unease through the civic culture of Atlanta. Municipal contracting here has served a historically important role in the effort to spread wealth to minority businesses, but it has also, at times, been a source of explosive scandal.

On Tuesday, more tremors rippled through City Hall as Jenna Garland, a spokeswoman for Mayor Kasim Reed, said in an email that citys chief procurement officer, Adam Smith, had been relieved of his duties effective immediately. Federal investigators also removed some items from Mr. Smiths office on Tuesday. Justice Department representatives declined to comment on the matter.
The campaign got a new fillip in January when the state attorney general, Xavier Becerra, approved language for a Yes California-backed ballot measure for the 2018 election, clearing the way for signature gathering. It has also earned about $60,000 in donations, Mr. Marinelli said. The measure would ask voters to remove a reference in the states Constitution to California as an inseparable part of the United States and set a second vote, for March 2019, that would ask, Should California become a free, sovereign and independent country? But backers need to collect 585,407 valid signatures, a daunting task.

David A. Carrillo, the director of the California Constitution Center at the University of California, Berkeley, is not among the supporters. California seceding is so unlikely to happen its a waste of our time even to discuss it, Mr. Carrillo said in a telephone interview. Even if the state could secede, its a terrible idea.

In the United States Constitution, Mr. Carrillo said, there is no procedure for allowing states to leave, and if you want a practical example, there is the Civil War.

Still, Mr. Marinelli said he believed the support was there.

A former Republican turned liberal political activist, he said he turned to teaching English in Russia to pay the bills and because his wife is Russian. They met during an earlier teaching stint, and he said he intended to return to California when his contract expires in June.

He co-founded the California secession movement in 2014 in San Diego, flirting first with the name Cal-Leave-Fornia before settling on Calexit, after the successful Brexit campaign for Britain to leave the European Union.

While no indications exist of a direct Russian government hand in Mr. Marinellis organization, a group that is nominally independent but nonetheless state financed, and supports only causes that dovetail with the Kremlins foreign policy, paid for a hotel room in Moscow during a congress of secessionist groups from around the world in September 2016. These included the Texas Nationalist Movement, backers of Puerto Rican independence and a group wanting to restore the Hawaiian monarchy. A Russian group, known as the Anti-Globalization Movement, which like Mr. Marinelli advocates the breakup of the United States, also offered him office space in Moscow to open an embassy of California in Russia, and Mr. Marinelli accepted.
In the latest study, published in January in Royal Society Open Science, Jiyoun Choi, a doctoral student at the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics in the Netherlands, where Dr. Cutler was the director, and her colleagues looked at Dutch-speaking adults, some of whom had been adopted from Korea, but none of whom spoke Korean. The researchers found that people born in Korea and adopted as babies or toddlers by Dutch families were able to learn to make Korean sounds significantly better than the Dutch-speaking controls who had been born into Dutch families.

It was especially interesting that this effect held not only for those who had been adopted after the age of 17 months, when they would have been saying some words, but also for those adopted at under 6 months. In other words, the language heard before birth and in the first months of life had affected both sound perception and sound production, even though the change of language environment happened before the children started making those sounds themselves.

Christine Moon, a professor of psychology at Pacific Lutheran University who also studies infants and language acquisition, traces some of her own interest in this subject to her experience as an adoptive mother. My children were adopted at birth, so they are cases of babies who had a certain kind of experience right up until they were born and they did not hear their birth mothers voices after they were born until much later, she said.

In a study published in 2012, Dr. Moon and her associates showed that English and Swedish newborns in the first day or two of life responded differently to the vowel sounds used in their native language than they did to vowel sounds from the other language. The researchers have also looked at brain responses in newborns, and in a study published in 2015, they showed that the babies brains could distinguish the mothers voice from a strangers voice in a single second of speech  the word baby  but the single word was not a sufficient reward to alter the babies sucking behavior.

The conclusion has always been under 6 months, they have no phonology, they have no abstract knowledge about language, Dr. Cutler said. But recognizing that a phoneme is a particular sound, even as it occurs in different places in different words, is abstract thinking, she explained. So the research shows that even very early in life, babies brains are able to distinguish patterns of sound, and apply those rules years later to the task of learning how to produce sounds that have not been part of their daily speech.

This ability to generalize and to draw abstract conclusions across data is the most important quality of the human mind, Dr. Cutler said. This is what makes us human.
GREAT ZIMBABWE NATIONAL MONUMENT, Zimbabwe  Black Africans could never have built the Great Zimbabwe monument, or so the white rulers used to say.

Clearly, it was made by the Phoenicians or other visitors from faraway places, they insisted. Never mind that archaeologists and carbon dating had confirmed the obvious: that the monument was constructed by the ancestors of the Africans living nearby.

The Great Zimbabwe, a Unesco World Heritage site that is one of the few surviving precolonial monuments in sub-Saharan Africa, has long been the continents fiercest archaeological battleground. Europeans used its supposed foreign origins to justify their domination. Liberation fighters used it as a rallying cry for their cause, eventually naming their newly independent nation after it.

But the fight over the Great Zimbabwe did not end with independence.

As President Robert Mugabe and his ZANU-PF party have clung to power through violence, they have increasingly turned to the Great Zimbabwe for vindication.
ENTERPRISE, Trinidad and Tobago  By the time he was 17, Fahyim Sabur had memorized the Quran.

At 23, he was shunning calypso parties and giving private Arabic lessons in his neighborhood here in Enterprise, about 20 miles south of Port of Spain, the capital of Trinidad and Tobago.

A year later, he was on the battlefield in Syria, where he died fighting for the Islamic State.

He never spoke to me about it, said his father, Abdus Sabur, 56, who sells meat patties on the street. National Security called me one day and told me, Your son is dead. 

Law enforcement officials in Trinidad and Tobago, a small Caribbean island nation off the coast of Venezuela, are scrambling to close a pipeline that has sent a steady stream of young Muslims to Syria, where they have taken up arms for the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL.

American officials worry about having a breeding ground for extremists so close to the United States, fearing that Trinidadian fighters could return from the Middle East and attack American diplomatic and oil installations in Trinidad, or even take a three-and-a-half-hour flight to Miami.
KABUL, Afghanistan  Afghan soldiers and policemen surrounded the house of Vice President Abdul Rashid Dostum on Tuesday in an apparent effort to arrest nine of his aides accused of kidnapping and raping a political opponent on his orders.

The attempt to bring about the arrests came after the attorney general complained to police authorities that they had ignored previous orders to carry out the arrests. The police had said they feared an armed confrontation and would have to evacuate the residential neighborhood to avoid civilian casualties, according to copies of official documents obtained by The New York Times.

Stung by the attorney generals criticism, police officials promised on Monday to take action. On Tuesday, more than 100 police and soldiers surrounded the downtown Kabul compound of Mr. Dostum, an ethnic Uzbek who is the more senior of the countrys two vice presidents. Observers said it appeared to be a siege, although there was no gunfire and the mood was calm.

Mr. Dostum is believed to have hundreds of armed irregulars under his command, and on Tuesday, his home in the Sherpur quarter was guarded with trucks mounted with artillery and heavy machine guns, but it was unclear how many militiamen were inside the cordon.
BEIJING  For years, the United States and others have pressed Chinas leaders to suspend imports of coal from North Korea to push the reclusive state to abandon its nuclear weapons program. For years, the Chinese leadership resisted  until Saturday, when it suddenly announced in a terse statement that it would do just that.

But if Beijing was sending a message to North Korea, it was also directing one at President Trump, who has complained that China was not putting enough pressure on North Korea.

Now President Xi Jinping of China has essentially said: We have done our part in enforcing sanctions. Over to you, Mr. Trump.

The challenge comes at a tantalizing moment. For weeks now, plans have been afoot for a North Korean government delegation to meet in New York in early March with a group of former United States officials who have long been involved in North Korea policy.
PESHAWAR, Pakistan  Two suicide bombers were fatally shot and a third blew himself up on Tuesday while trying to attack a courthouse in northern Pakistan as violence continued to hit the country.

A bomber detonated his suicide vest outside the main entrance of the district courts in Charsadda to provide cover for the two other bombers to enter, but the police shot and killed the two, said Suhail Khalid, a district police officer.

Our police guards foiled their attempt to get in and carry out a massacre, Mr. Khalid said by telephone from Charsadda, about 15 miles northeast of Peshawar.

Seven civilians were killed and 23 were wounded, and four of the injured were in critical condition, said Dr. Nek Nawaz, the district health officer for Charsadda.
By Press Trust of India: From Kunal Dutt

Kigali, Feb 21 (PTI) India and Rwanda have signed three agreements to boost bilateral cooperation in areas like science and technology, that includes setting up of an entrepreneurship development centre here, and starting of direct flights to Mumbai.

The two sides signed three Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) late last evening in the presence of Vice President Hamid Ansari and Rwandan Prime Minister Anastase Murekezi at the India-Rwanda Business Forum here.

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Ansari is visiting the East African country as part of his five-day visit to Rwanda and Uganda.

The first agreement envisages setting up of an entrepreneurship development centre in Rwanda to further cement ties between the two countries in the field of science and technology as well as sharing of Indias expertise in the field.

"The centre would be funded by India and we will also guide them and do hand-holding to establish it for them. This will further boost our cooperation with this East African country," a senior MEA official said.

The other two MoUs entail starting of flight operations to India by state-run RwandAir and easing of visa regime from both sides for travellers holding diplomatic and official passports.

"The agreement seeks to facilitate mutual exemption of visa requirement for travelers holding diplomatic and official passports," the official said.

The direct flight from Kigali to Mumbai is expected to begin operations by early April. Ansari, during a function hosted here by the Indian High Commission of Uganda had said that a direct flight would soon become a reality. Though, officials have not given any date yet, the website of the Rwandan carrier says it will commence from April 3 and will make four flights in a week.

"With the signing of these MoUs our relationship from here forth is going to grow stronger," Murekezi said while addressing the business forum, attended by top industry leaders and innovators from both countries.

"We have 54 years of fruitful bilateral relationship. Rwanda and India share important ties and we are committed to make this relationship grow stronger. Rwanda is a safe country and a recent report has ranked the country as one of the best places to do business.

"We are also third least corrupt country in Sub-Saharan Africa region and we definitely are ready for business and greater cooperation," he said.

The Rwandan Prime Minister also pitched for Indian companies to "look beyond" the traditional sectors while engaging with Rwanda.

Incidentally, Ansari at the forum, hosted by FICCI and Rwanda Development Board, also launched India-Rwanda Innovation Growth Programme to boost ties in areas of science, technology and innovation, and said Rwanda offers a "wonderful platform" to Indian partners to enhance their presence and capacities in other parts of Africa. PTI KND ABH SUA AKJ SUA

--- ENDS ---

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Prosecutors in Ukraine are investigating whether a member of Parliament committed treason by working with two associates of President Trumps to promote a plan for settling Ukraines conflicts with Russia.

In a court filing on Tuesday, prosecutors accused the lawmaker, Andrii V. Artemenko, of conspiring with Russia to commit subversive acts against Ukraine, in particular by advancing a proposal that could legitimize the temporary occupation of the Crimean peninsula. Russia forcibly annexed the peninsula in 2014, a step that Ukraine, the United States and other governments have refused to recognize; Mr. Artemenko said his proposal would allow Ukraine to formally cede control of the territory to Russia, at least temporarily.

Yuriy Lutsenko, Ukraines prosecutor general, posted a copy of the court filing to his Facebook page on Tuesday with the statement Ukraines integrity is above all else.

Mr. Artemenkos plan, reported on Sunday by The New York Times, outlines a series of steps meant to bring to an end the rebellion by Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine, and to resolve the dispute over Crimea by allowing voters to decide whether to lease the peninsula to Russia for 50 or 100 years.
MOSCOW  An Austrian court on Tuesday approved an American extradition request for Dmytro V. Firtash, a Ukrainian gas mogul and one of the strongest backers of the ousted Ukrainian president, Viktor F. Yanukovych.

Mr. Firtash, who made a fortune acting as an intermediary in natural gas sales in the former Soviet Union, was indicted in Chicago in 2012 on charges of bribing officials in India through American banks to secure a titanium mining deal that never materialized.

The oligarch has said the charges against him were orchestrated by the United States government to remove him from the Ukrainian political field at a time when the countrys future was in flux.

In 2014, shortly after street protests in Kiev, the Ukrainian capital, forced the pro-Kremlin president, Mr. Yanukovych, to flee and a new pro-Western government was installed, Mr. Firtash was arrested on an F.B.I. warrant in Vienna and then released after paying $174 million in bail.
MADRID  The police opened fire on Tuesday after the driver of a stolen truck carrying butane gas, and moving at high speed near Barcelonas main ring road, refused to stop.

Although there were no fatalities, the chase quickly raised tensions in Spain, which remains on high alert after major terrorist attacks in other European countries, including deadly episodes involving trucks in Nice, France, and in Berlin.

The police said that the driver had been taken into custody. They described him as a 32-year-old man with a Swedish passport who was not a resident of Barcelona, but did not identify him further.

Joan Carles Molinero, a regional police chief, said during a news conference in Barcelona that the drivers motives were unclear, and that terrorism was not one of the lines of investigation.
If someone is deemed to be a risk for state security by intelligence services while staying abroad, they wouldnt get a dime, Mr. Nielsen said. He added that, under the proposed legislation, once a Danish court determines that a citizen has violated the law and joined the Islamic State, then Danish authorities could also demand the reimbursement of benefits already paid.

Dozens of militants have returned to Denmark after fighting for ISIS in the Middle East, and the country has been experimenting with ways to reintegrate the former fighters, including psychological counseling, education and job advice.

More than a decade ago, Denmark became a flash point for Islamic extremism after a Danish newspaper published caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad, spurring outrage and protests across the Muslim world. In February 2015, Omar Abdel Hamid El-Hussein, a 22-year-old Danish-born gunman of Palestinian descent, killed two people while targeting a Copenhagen synagogue and an event promoting free speech. He was later shot dead by police.

The efforts to tame Islamic radicalism in Denmark are occurring against the backdrop of a simmering culture war over Danish identity and the challenge of integrating immigrants, which has helped drive support for the far-right anti-immigrant Danish Peoples Party.

This month, the Parliament approved a statement by the Danish Peoples Party expressing concern that there were more immigrants than native-born Danes in some areas of Copenhagen.

Parliament notes with concern that today there are areas in Denmark where the share of immigrants and descendants from non-Western countries surpasses 50 percent, the statement said. It is the opinion of the Parliament that Danes should not be a minority in neighborhoods in Denmark. The statement, which was largely symbolic but generated a loud debate, also called for the government to limit the granting of asylum.

Opponents of the statement, which was supported by the government and its coalition partners and passed by a vote of 55-54, said it stigmatized Danish immigrants and citizens who were born of immigrant parents.
Ms. Kullmann Fives appointment as chairwoman was seen by some as a victory for China, but even she said that China achieves nothing by me replacing Jagland as chair. (He remains on the committee.)

Under Ms. Kullman Fives leadership, the committee awarded the prize in 2015 to four organizations for their help in defusing a political crisis in Tunisia and providing stability to the nations fledgling democracy. In 2016, it selected President Juan Manuel Santos of Colombia for his pursuit of a deal to end a 52-year conflict with leftist rebels, the longest-running war in the Americas.

The committee conducts its deliberations behind closed doors, so it is difficult to ascertain Ms. Kullmann Fives precise impact on them, according to John Peder Egenaes, general secretary of Amnesty International Norway.

But Kaci Kullman Five has, in general, been a strong defender of human rights and human rights champions and defenders, something we must assume that she brought with her into the Nobel Committee, he said, noting the rights activists recognized during her time on the committee: Shirin Ebadi of Iran in 2003, Mr. Liu and Malala Yousafzai of Pakistan in 2014.

Asle Sveen, an author and historian, said that Ms. Kullmann Five had walked with her back straight and had defended the integrity and independence of the award to Mr. Liu by stating that the committees decision had been unanimous  a fact she repeated when Norway normalized relations with China in 2016. She said the committee had no regrets.
The Portuguese authorities have detained a former undercover C.I.A. officer whose extradition has been sought by Italy, where she faces a prison sentence over her role in the 2003 kidnapping of an Egyptian cleric as part of a secret United States rendition program.

The former officer, Sabrina De Sousa, 60, was detained Monday night and is awaiting imminent extradition to Italy, one of her lawyers, Dario Bolognesi, said.

Ms. De Sousa was among 26 Americans convicted of grabbing the cleric, Osama Moustafa Hassan Nasr, also known as Abu Omar, in Milan in February 2003. The operation was one of the so-called renditions ordered by the George W. Bushs administration after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Suspects were captured and taken to other countries for interrogation. The program was ended by the Barack Obama administration.

Mr. Nasr was taken to a military base before being moved to Egypt, where he said he was tortured. In 2013, an Italian court sentenced him in absentia to six years in prison for terrorism-related activities.
STOCKHOLM  Residents in a northwestern suburb predominantly inhabited by immigrants have clashed with police officers, two days after President Trump unleashed a vague but pointed critique of Swedens migration policies.

About 20 to 30 masked men threw stones and other objects at police officers in the suburb, Rinkeby, after the police arrested a man on suspicion of dealing drugs. A police officer fired at the perpetrators but did not strike anyone, and the disturbances continued for several more hours, stretching into early Tuesday morning. A photojournalist was injured in the clashes. (The police initially classified the gunshot as a warning shot.)

The episode drew scrutiny worldwide because of Mr. Trumps assertions  based on a Fox News segment  that Sweden had experienced a surge in crime and violence as a result of taking in large numbers of refugees. Mr. Trumps comments were greeted with anger in Sweden, the latest example of strong criticism by the American president antagonizing friendly countries, including neighbors like Mexico and allies like Australia and the European Union.

Swedish officials criticized Mr. Trumps statements about crime in the country as exaggerations. Preliminary statistics do not show a major increase in crime from 2015, when the country processed a record 163,000 asylum applications, to 2016. Disturbances like the one in Rinkeby, officials said, are not unprecedented but are infrequent. In 2013, the police shooting of a man wielding a knife led to nights of violence in the suburbs of Stockholm, including Rinkeby.
IZMIR, Turkey  Turkish officials handed down punishments on Tuesday to two leaders of a major opposition party who have become casualties of a wide-ranging crackdown on dissent that escalated after a failed coup in July.



Selahattin Demirtas, a leader of the pro-Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party, was sentenced on Tuesday to five months in jail for insulting the Turkish state, the Turkish nation and their institutions. Hours earlier, Figen Yuksekdag, the other leader of the party, was expelled from Parliament after the countrys top court upheld her conviction for a terrorism offense.

Both have been in custody since being detained in raids in November. Thousands of members of their party, known as the H.D.P., have also been arrested since the breakdown of Kurdish peace talks in 2015, including at least a dozen of their 59 members of Parliament.

The arrests of party members accelerated after the failed coup, which also set off an even larger purge of government officials and people suspected of being dissidents. More than 45,000 government officials, soldiers, police officers, teachers and journalists have been arrested since the coup attempt, most of them suspected of having connections to the Gulenist movement, a group led by Fethullah Gulen, an exiled cleric living in the United States, that Turkey believes was behind the attempted putsch.
TEHRAN  Everything was in place on Tuesday for a gala celebration at Irans annual conference in support of Palestinians. Awaiting the hundreds of guests was a table piled high with cakes and fruit, with plenty of tea to wash it all down and a placard saying, Netanyahu: Go to Hell.

The theme for this years gathering was All Together for Palestine. Prominent seatings were reserved for the heads of Parliament for Zimbabwe, Tanzania and Syria, as well as the leaders of Islamic Jihad, Hamas and the Lebanese group Hezbollah.

All three of those groups are considered terrorist organizations by the United States. Irans support for them is one of the main reasons the White House has, for years, and particularly now, in the Trump era, labeled Iran perhaps the biggest state sponsor of terrorism in the world.

In Tehran, however, the groups are revered as freedom fighters battling a Western-backed colonizer. All three have offices in the Iranian capital and all have received money, intelligence and even weapons from Iran  at least in the past.
BEIT HANOUN, Gaza Strip  In her new home, finally finished after she lived two years in a trailer across a dirt road, Samaher al-Masri, 40, showed a video on her cellphone of a cute preschooler: her son Majdi. He was singing:

I am a son of Palestine, I have a right and a cause 

Even if they shoot me and I die as a martyr, I will not forget the cause.

Majdi, who was 6, lived through two Gazan wars, though his old family house was toppled by bulldozers in the 2014 fighting with Israel. But the day after he ended kindergarten last year, he caught his hula hoop in a metal door in the trailer. The door was heavy, the frame shoddy. It fell on him and crushed his skull, killing him.

Something is missing, his mother said eight months later, in the living room of her house, built on the rubble-cleared plot of the old one. You asked me if this is better. Yes, its better. But Im missing him. His bedroom was waiting for him.

So it is in Gaza, outwardly rebuilding and moving on from war, inwardly far from recovered. Gaza seems at a loss for what might be next. After so many years of isolation, residents of Gaza find themselves ever further from Palestinians in the West Bank, their future clouded by rising doubts that they could ever unite and work toward a lasting peace.
According to the Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) signed between Rwanda and India, Rwanda Air will soon begin services to India, and the two countries will mutually exempt visa requirements for diplomatic and official passport holders.

By Press Trust of India: India and Rwanda have signed three agreements during the visit of Vice President Hamid Ansari to boost bilateral relations, which include establishment of an entrepreneurship development centre in Kigali.

According to the Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) signed between Rwanda and India, Rwanda Air will soon begin services to India, and the two countries will mutually exempt visa requirements for diplomatic and official passport holders.

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Rwandan Prime Minister Anastase Murekezi said the MoUs will boost economic and business ties with India.

"We have 54 years of fruitful bilateral relationship. Rwanda and India share important ties and we are committed to making this relationship grow stronger", Murekezi said.

HAMID ANSARI ON RWANDA, UGANGA TOURS

Ansari, who is on a five-day tour to Rwanda and Uganda, had on Monday launched an innovation growth programme and addressed business leaders and experts from the two countries.

On VP Hamid Ansari's visit India&Rwanda signed bilateral air service agreement & MoU on establishment of Entrepreneurship Development Centre pic.twitter.com/JUwpPfpfw9 ANI (@ANI_news) February 21, 2017

He said Rwanda offers a "wonderful platform" to Indian partners to enhance their presence in other parts of Africa and emphasised that India was "ready to work" with partners in Rwanda and the larger African continent in "transferring our experience" in building an innovation-driven economy.

"India-Rwanda Innovation Growth Program is being launched to expand ties in science, Technology and Innovation. After this pilot project, the programme is proposed to be implemented in the East African community in seven countries and will then be scaled up to seven other economic zones across Africa", he said.

Also read | India to open resident mission in Rwanda, VP Ansari announces during African trip

Under the programme, 20 Indian technologies and innovations are to be adopted over a period of two years.

AIM OF INDIA-RWANDA GROWTH PROGRAMME

"The programme aims at creating an ecosystem wherein Indian innovations and technology enterprises will thrive and encourage business ventures from both sides", Ansari said.

The vice president said it was an "exciting prospect" to see the captains of trade and industry from Rwanda stand alongside the Indian business community and innovators.

"This portends well for the future of Rwanda-India commercial and economic relations", he said.

Prime Minister Murekezi attended the event organised by Rwanda Development Board, the Private Sector Federation of Rwanda and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).

--- ENDS ---
GENEVA  Seif al-Islam el-Qaddafi, the son of Libyas ousted dictator, should be turned over to the International Criminal Court to be tried on war crimes charges, the United Nations said on Tuesday, adding that he did not get a fair trial in Libya.

But the question is, who will hand him over?

A court in Tripoli, the Libyan capital, convicted Mr. Qaddafi in July 2015 and condemned him to death, but he was not in the courts custody. Mr. Qaddafi had been detained by a militia in the northwestern city of Zintan, and took part in the proceedings only by video link; the militia refused to hand him over to the Tripoli authorities, citing security issues.

A year after the verdict, the commander of the militia announced that Mr. Qaddafi had been released under an amnesty decree issued by the Libyan government. Mr. Qaddafi has not been seen in public since, the United Nations said, and his status is unclear; he may still be held by the militia.

In the Tripoli trial, Mr. Qaddafi and 36 other defendants were charged with indiscriminate attacks on civilians and other crimes committed during the 2011 revolution that toppled Mr. Qaddafis father, Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi. Nine of the defendants were sentenced to death, including Mr. Qaddafi and Abdullah al-Senussi, his fathers intelligence chief.
CAIRO  The bodies of 74 migrants were recovered from a beach near the town of Zawiya in western Libya, rescuers said on Tuesday, an ominous sign before the high season for Mediterranean crossings.

The bodies were believed to have come from a shipwrecked inflatable raft that was found on the same stretch of shore, said Mohammed Almosrti, a spokesman for the Libyan Red Crescent. Some of the bodies were found inside the stricken raft.

The rubber boat left Libya for Italy on Saturday and appears to have been left drifting without an engine for several days, said Flavio Di Giacomo, a spokesman for the International Organization for Migration in Rome.

Its really strange that smugglers would take off the engine, he said. They are becoming increasingly cruel.
If Mr. Trump targeted only those with serious offenses, the number becomes even smaller. About 690,000 of the 820,000 were convicted of felonies or serious misdemeanors.

There are about 820,000 unauthorized immigrants who have been convicted of crimes , according to the Migration Policy Institute, a nonpartisan research group.

But that number included more than a million immigrants who were here legally, with green cards or temporary visas. Unauthorized immigrantsLegal immigrants

Mr. Trump may be basing this number on a 2012 government estimate that there were 1.9 million removable criminal aliens.

After the election, Mr. Trump vowed to quickly deport two million to three million unauthorized immigrants who he said have been convicted of crimes. The Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday announced details to expel immigrants more aggressively.

The tiny figures here represent the estimated 11 million immigrants who are in the United States illegally. Early in the campaign, Donald J. Trump said he would deport all of them. (Each figure represents about 5,000 people.)

Its unclear if Mr. Trump could carry out the deportations he has proposed without violating due process, especially at the scale and speed he has suggested.

The last time the United States carried out mass deportations was when President Dwight D. Eisenhower authorized military-style roundups to expel hundreds of thousands of Mexicans in 1954.

What Mr. Trump proposes is much larger than Eisenhowers deportation program, which was controversial at the time.

Mr. Trump would likely need help from local law enforcement, but many cities and counties have limited their cooperation with federal authorities.

Counties with policies limiting cooperation

WASH. MINN. ORE. MASS. N.Y. WIS. R.I. CONN. IOWA PA. N.J. NEB. NEV. ILL. MD. COLO. CALIF. KAN. KY. N.M. GA. LA. TEX. FLA. WASH. ORE. MINN. MASS. N.Y. WIS. R.I. CONN. IOWA PA. NEB. N.J. NEV. ILL. MD. COLO. KAN. KY. CALIF. N.M. GA. TEX. LA. FLA. WASH. ORE. MINN. MASS. N.Y. WIS. R.I. CONN. PA. IOWA NEB. NEV. N.J. ILL. MD. COLO. KAN. KY. CALIF. N.M. GA. TEX. LA. FLA.

Cook County in Illinois, which includes Chicago, adopted an ordinance that generally bars county police officers and jails from detaining unauthorized immigrants to be turned over to federal agents, unless the agents have specific warrants.

San Francisco is a so-called sanctuary city that issues local ID cards to unauthorized immigrants so they can have access to municipal services.

Democratic mayors of some major cities recently said they would do all they could to protect residents from deportation.

Mr. Trumps plans are more aggressive than President Obamas deportation program, which prompted sharp criticism from advocacy groups. During Mr. Obamas first term, about 400,000 immigrants were deported per year.

Deportations by year

400 thousand Immigration violators 300 300 200 100 Convicted criminals 35% 59% FY 09 FY 15

The Obama administration has already pursued policies that focus on removing people with criminal records. In 2015, the majority of people deported were convicted criminals.
The Army is in urgent need of anti-tank missiles for its indigenous ALH Rudra helicopters.

By Ajit Kumar Dubey: Seeking to provide more firepower to its aviation fleet, the Indian Army is on a hunt for missiles which can be fired from the indigenous ALH Rudra chopper to destroy enemy tanks under the fast track procedure for urgent acquisition.

The Army is moving a proposal worth over Rs 1,300 crore before the crucial meeting of the defence acquisition council to buy a limited number of anti-tank guided missiles from global vendors for its Rudra helicopter, which is a weaponised version of the ALH Dhruv manufactured by the HAL, sources told Mail Today.

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The Army is moving a proposal worth over Rs 1,300 crore before the crucial meeting of the defence acquisition council to buy a limited number of anti-tank guided missiles from global vendors for its Rudra helicopter, which is a weaponised version of the ALH Dhruv manufactured by the HAL, sources told Mail Today.

The ATGMs would be fired from helicopters which would be used by both the Army and Air Force and would also be equipped with the indigenous HELINA missiles when they are ready for operational deployment in future.

Sources in the Defence Ministry said the Army needs missiles which can hit enemy tanks at a distance of seven kilometers in all conditions claiming that the indigenous HELINA can't do so but there is doubt whether any foreign-origin missile can achieve the strike distances from a helicopter.

Also read: Manohar Parrikar orders probe into claims of trial manipulation in missile deal worth Rs 4,000 crore

PREVIOUS TENDER SCRAPPED

The programme to utilise the weaponised version of the ALH was started over five years ago by the HAL and it handed over the first chopper to the Army in 2013. The force had initiated a tender to procure helicopter-fired ATGMs earlier also in which private firms from Israel, Sweden and France had participated and their trials were also held at foreign locations.

However, none of the vendors could meet the Indian requirement of providing twin-tube missile launchers as world-over the attack helicopters fire from fourtube launchers.

"The previous tender had to be scrapped in 2015 as the twin-tube solutions could not be found and having a four-tube launcher would have resulted in the boom touching the ground while landing as the Rudra is not a genuine attack machine," sources in the Army said.

However, the continuous delays in the project also have resulted in the Army postponing its plans to utilise the choppers in antitank role due to the lack of attack choppers in its inventory. "We are taking clearance from the Defence Ministry under the fast track procedure to buy these ATGMs as they are required urgently for our choppers," Army sources said.

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The Indian Army and the Air Force together are looking to acquire a fleet of 76 weaponised Rudra choppers which would be fitted with 70mm guns and rocket pods along with four anti-tank missiles with two each fitted on both sides.

The HELINA missile, is a heli-borne version of the NAG missiles developed in the 1980s.

Also read: India signs Rs 5000 crore M777 howitzer contract with US

--- ENDS ---
Just about a week ago, I wrote an article on OEN about the media and the way that they were doing what looked like investigative reporting on Donald Trump. I also said in the article, why is the media suddenly doing investigative reporting when they haven't done so in almost 2 decades? I stated that the media once they get Trump to resign or they concoct an impeachable offense, and Pence assumes the presidency, this newly found notion of speaking truth to power will suddenly evaporate and they will go along just like they did under George Bush and Barack Obama.

The very next day I saw article, after article, about how the media was being controlled by the so-called "deep state". These were my thoughts exactly. I think most people know that I am a socialist and I detest Donald Trump. Still, he is our elected president and to see him taken down by all the intelligence agencies and the people that work in government that haven't been elected only appointed, I'm talking about the ones the that been there 20 or 30 years, is a disgrace.

Donald Trump cannot fight the people lined up against him no matter how many lawyers he thinks he has or how much money he will spend. The NSA and the CIA and the State Department and the Council on foreign relations have thousands of lawyers. There is no way that he can possibly get anything done when he is impeded by all those lined up against him.

I think this was a Republican strategy all along. They have their man, Mike Pence, who will do the bidding of the people that really control the Empire. Donald Trump is a danger because of his stand on Russia. They also worry about his stand on NATO which he said was obsolete, and I agree. This is anathema to the people in the intelligence agencies and the State Department along with the Federal Reserve and the Council on foreign relations and all the countless intelligence agencies in the Defense Department. They know, that a lessening of tensions with Russia, and God forbid working together with them to fight ISIS would destroy their profit margin and endanger many jobs in the intelligence sector.

The United States has always needed an enemy throughout its history. Our relationship with Russia is based on lies, and it always has been. The war in Georgia which was started by Georgia and encouraged by NATO was pure propaganda when mainstream media reported on it. Georgia attacked South Ossetia, and killed many Russian peacekeepers.

by NATO was pure propaganda when mainstream media reported on it. Georgia attacked South Ossetia, and killed many Russian peacekeepers.

The same thing for Ukraine where Victoria Nuland the under Secretary of State for Eastern Europe funneled $5 billion into the war chest of the rebels in Maidan. When she was asked about reaching out to the EU to broker some kind of peace in the country she said, "Fu#k the EU" This kind of behavior can only be described as typical American hubris. When the far right took power, and demand a ban on the Russian language in the Ukraine, it was not a mystery why the two Russian-speaking provinces in eastern Ukraine rebelled. Not only were they anti-fascist, they were also pro-Russian. This is just another in a series of debacles that United States has engaged in since the end of World War II.

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Slaughterhouse conditions are rarely in the news--it's bad for Big Meat's image. However,it is safe to say that few to no Americans work as knockers, stickers, bleeders, tail rippers, flankers, gutters, sawers and plate boners in U.S. slaughterhouses for under ten dollars an hour. With very few exceptions, Americans simply won't work such dangerous slaughterhouse jobs that often pay as little as $6.25 to $7 an hour.

That is why in 2001, food giant Tyson was charged with paying smugglers to transport illegal workers to its operations from Mexico across the Rio Grande and supplying them with phony social security cards. More recently the largest immigration raid in U.S. history occurred at an Iowa slaughterhouse.



Few to no Americans work in US slaughterhouses

(Image by Martha Rosenberg) Details DMCA



According to the New York Times who studied the Smithfield slaughterhouse in Tar Heel, NC, turnover in slaughterhouse jobs is 100 percent and even convicts given the right to leave their prison cells to work on the floor quit. Think about that.

In Big Meat's search for the lowest wage Hispanic workers replaced Eastern European workers decades ago. More recently, Somalis, Sudanese and Pacific Islanders are replacing Hispanic workers. Even as the Trump administration bans Muslim immigrants, the JBS Swift plants in Greeley, CO and Grand Island, NE, Pilgrim's Pride/Gold'n Plump plants in Cold Spring, MN and Arcadia, WI and Tyson Foods' Shelbyville, TN plant are largely populated by Muslim workers.

Nor does cheap meat do anyone any favors. Low priced meat enables Americans to eat meat more frequently putting them at risk for colorectal cancer, atherosclerosis, heart disease, stroke and type 2 (adult onset) diabetes.

Here is the story of how one slaughterhouse has continued to operate despite a history of egregious worker and safety violations.

Cramped apartments; Amputated Hands

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Duluth, Minnesota (OpEdNews) February 20, 2017: My favorite scholar, the American Jesuit polymath Walter J. Ong (1912-2003; Ph.D. in English, Harvard University, 1955) of Saint Louis University (SLU), the Jesuit university in St. Louis, Missouri (USA), attributes the collective American cultural breakdown/breakthrough in the 1960s to the impact of the critical mass of communications media that accentuate sound. He does this most notably in his book The Presence of the Word: Some Prolegomena for Cultural and Religious History (Yale University Press, 1967), the expanded version of Ong's 1964 Terry Lectures at Yale University. In 1964, Ong turned fifty-two. (Broadly speaking, the prestigious Terry Lectures center on religious history.)

The title of Ong's book refers to the presence of both the lowercase "word" of our ordinary human experience of spoken language and to the capitalized "Word" in the Christian tradition of thought. The capitalized Word in the Christian tradition of thought is based on the prologue of the Gospel According to John. The capitalized Word in the Christian tradition of thought refers to the supposed person known as Jesus Christ, the supposed divine messiah, who is also known as the second person of the supposed divine trinity.

In any event, when Ong was researching his Harvard University doctoral dissertation on the French logician and educational reformer and Protestant martyr Peter Ramus (1515-1572), Ong was based for three years in the early 1950s at a Jesuit residence in Paris. At that time, Ong first read the French Jesuit paleontologist and religious thinker Pierre Teilhard de Chardin's writings in manuscript form. In a 1952 review essay in a journal published at SLU, Ong became one of the first American Catholics to call Teilhard's thought to the attention of his fellow American Catholics. Ong never tired of referring to Teilhard the rest of his life.

Teilhard's two most enduring books are (1) The Human Phenomenon, translated by Sarah Appleton-Weber (Brighton and Portland: Sussex Academic Press, 1999) and (2) The Divine Milieu, translated by Sion Cowell (Brighton and Portland: Sussex Academic Press, 2004). The secondary literature about Teilhard's thought is extensive.

Briefly, in theological terminology, Teilhard postulated what may be styled an evolutionary christology (i.e., a christology is a theological theory centering on the supposed person known as Jesus Christ, the supposed divine messiah). Not only Roman Catholic theologians but also Protestant theologians write christological works. Now, if you subscribe to the Christian claim about the incarnation of the Word, it is not a big leap to understanding Teilhard's postulated evolutionary christology.

But in Teilhard's lifetime, he was forbidden to publish his writings postulating an evolutionary christology because of the Roman Catholic Church's critique of Darwinian evolutionary theory as an alternative to the literal interpretation of the two accounts of creation in Genesis. However, after Teilhard died in New York City in 1955, his literary executor arranged to have his writings published in French. His published writings were quickly translated into English and other languages. Teilhard's posthumously published writings about evolutionary christology rocked the Roman Catholic world.

In 1950, Pope Pius XII criticized Darwinian evolutionary theory in his encyclical Humanae Generis. But later popes such as Pope John-Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis have made their peace with the literal interpretation of the two accounts of creation in Genesis by allowing that Darwinian evolutionary theory may not be incompatible with the way in which God's creation evolved. However, in the United States to this day, certain Protestant Evangelicals have continued to see Darwinian evolutionary theory as incompatible with the literal interpretation of the two accounts of creation in Genesis. In short, American Protestant Evangelicals today tend to resist Teilhard's christological interpretation of the two accounts of creation in Genesis in light of the role of the capitalized Word in creation in the prologue of the Gospel According to John.

Now, in the English-speaking world, the French Jesuit theologian Henri de Lubac (1896-1991), who was made a cardinal in 1983 by Pope John-Paul II, is well-known for his books in the 1960s about Teilhard's thought. In the 1960s, de Lubac published the following books about Teilhard's thought:

(1) The Religion of Teilhard de Chardin, translated by Rene Hague (New York: Desclee, 1967; orig. French ed., 1962);

(2) Teilhard de Chardin: The Man and His Meaning, translated by Rene Hague (New York: Hawthorn Books, 1965; orig. French ed. 1964);

(3) Teilhard Explained, translated by Anthony Buono (New York: Paulist Press, 1968; orig. French ed., 1966);

(4) The Eternal Feminine: A Study on the Poem by Teilhard de Chardin, Followed by Teilhard and the Problems of Today, translated by Rene Hague (New York: Harper & Row, 1971; orig. French ed., 1968).

De Lubac also contributed notes and commentary to Pierre Teilhard de Chardin and Maurice Blonde's Correspondence, translated by William Whitman (New York: Herder and Herder, 1967; orig. French ed., 1965).

In addition, de Lubac contributed a preface to Pierre Teilhard de Chardin's Letters from Egypt, 1905-1908, translated by Mary Ilford (New York: Herder and Herder, 1965; orig. French ed., 1965).

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From Counterpunch

Just when you thought it was safe to venture out, Frankenstein returns -- at least its political equivalent in the shape of Tony Blair, Britain's former prime minister and poster child for the venality, corruption, and opportunism of Western liberalism in our time.

Blair's decision to intervene in the ongoing political crisis that has engulfed the UK over Brexit can only be described as offensive. His call to arms, urging the British people to "rise up against Brexit," which he issued from that renowned fortress of people power, Bloomberg headquarters in the City of London, will only harden support for it given the fact that Blair's time in office only helped pave the way for it.

The man is a deluded fool if he really thinks that he has the credibility or clout to make any such intervention in frontline politics anything other than a car crash. With the anniversary of the start of the 2003 war in Iraq upon us next month, bringing with it the memory of the role that Blair played in the deaths of up to one million people, along with the destabilization of the region and an explosion of terrorism that has wrought so much carnage in the years since, the only place that Blair should be giving any speech nowadays is from the dock at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, where his presence is long overdue.

Tony Blair, along with Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, exemplifies everything rotten and depraved about liberal democracy. Whether it be their attachment to the interests of Wall Street and City of London, the abandonment of the poor and working class in the interests of the politics of identity, the worshipping at the altar of the free market and neoliberalism, not forgetting the slavish devotion to Western imperialism under the rubric of democracy and human rights -- these people have turned the world upside down and enriched themselves and their cronies beyond measure in the process.

Abhoring everything that Brexit represents, the explosion of right wing populism, driven by anti-migrant bigotry, nativism, and ultra nationalism fueling it, does not militate against understanding how it fed off the collapse of center ground liberal politics and the hollowing out of social democracy that took place under Blair's leadership. Likewise when it comes to Trump and the venality of Obama's leadership in the US.

The global financial and economic crisis that erupted in 2008, and whose impact we are still dealing with almost a decade later, was a direct result of the neoliberal policies embraced by Blair and Bill Clinton throughout the 1990s -- policies that were followed by the successive governments that followed them. The point is that the cynicism and anger towards the political class in both countries did not occur overnight. It built up over years, to the point where a referendum on Britain's continuing membership of the EU provided an opportunity for those who'd suffered most under those neoliberal policies to vent their disdain for the status quo at the ballot box.

A similar set of circumstances underlay Donald Trump's election to the White House on the other side of the Atlantic. Do any of his impassioned liberal detractors ever take a moment to ask themselves why a real estate mogul and reality TV star with no political experience was able to best such experienced national politicians such as Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio, and Ted Cruz to win the Republican Party nomination in 2016, and then go on to defeat Hillary Clinton for the presidency later in the same year?

The answer is of course that these are politicians whose records are a testament to long years of service to a Washington machine that is loathed by millions of Americans.

Not until the political establishments in both the UK and US finally accept their responsibility for the rejection of everything they represent will there be an end to the political and social polarization that is the new normal in both countries. In this respect they remain stuck in the past, holding onto a belief in the verities of the free market, in NATO and Western exceptionalism. In this regard they are akin to those Japanese soldiers who failed to emerge from the jungles and foxholes in which they served during World War II until over a decade after the war ended.

Returning to Tony Blair, this is a man who not satisfied with helping to set the world on fire thereafter swanned off into a sunset of unparalleled riches and wealth, the wages of sin he's received in return for services rendered to some of the most corrupt and unsavory governments, corporations, and causes in existence. His every public appearance and utterance is an insult to the millions of men, women, and children in Iraq who were slaughtered as a result of the brutal and illegal imperialist war he unleashed in conjunction with Washington in 2003.

It reminds us that their cry for justice from the grave is one that is yet to be heard.
From The Hill

There should be unanimous agreement among Americans that no foreign dictator should ever be allowed to influence or determine the selection of our president and commander in chief.

From Russian President Vladimir Putin's aggressive attacks against American democracy in 2016 designed to elect President Trump to his cyber-invasion of France in 2017 designed to elect far right extremist Marine Le Pen as president of France, which I discussed in my previous column titled "The Battle of Europe," we must resist and thwart this dangerous assault against democracy.

In his Feb. 5 interview with Fox News host Bill O'Reilly, when O'Reilly referred to Putin as a "killer," Trump replied by morally equating America with Russia. These sickening comments slandering America were unprecedented for an American president and sent chills up the spines of many Republicans as well as Democrats.

In the latest revelations of what I call the Putingate scandal, we learned that Michael Flynn, Trump's former national security adviser, was forced out after only three weeks because of conversations with the Russian ambassador, whose ultimate boss is unanimously believed by our intelligence services to have engaged in covert cyber war designed to elect Trump as president.

Flynn lied about these conversations to our people, the press and Vice President Pence. The vice president was so far outside the inner loop of the Trump White House that he was not told for two weeks by the president or his staff that Justice Department and intelligence service leaders were so alarmed they warned the White House that Trump's then-chief of the National Security Council could be blackmailed by the Russian dictator.

The Putingate scandal is eerily similar to the Watergate scandal. Both cases involve breaking and entering into internal Democratic Party operations for the purpose of electing a Republican president. Both cases involve criminal acts with political motives followed by false denials. Both cases involve attacks against the free press for publishing information that the public has a right and need to know.

Both Putingate and Watergate involve a White House that is contemptuous of the federal judiciary that is a bulwark against authoritarian leaders who are tempted to believe they are above the law. Both involve presidents who at times treated our intelligence services like political enemies rather than guardians of democracy against adversaries who threaten our freedom.

Both Putingate and Watergate involve presidents with well-earned reputations for repeatedly saying things that were not true, surrounded by staff who often mirrored their habit of repeatedly bearing false witness, pitching denials that were repeatedly proven false.

In a stunning similarity between Watergate and Putingate, both the Nixon and Trump administrations included internal voices who exposed untruths and warned Americans against grave dangers that escalate every day. The extraordinary infighting and leaking from within the Trump administration is eerily reminiscent of Deep Throat during the Nixon years exposing wrongdoing through The Washington Post.

With new reports of countless and continuous communications between high-level Trump aides and Russian officials before and after election day, which according to some reports may include Russian intelligence operatives or officials, is there a John Dean-like figure in Trump circles who might reveal what the president knew, and when he knew it?

Republican leaders in Congress should agree to support an independent counsel or special prosecutor or, as Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and others propose, a special select bipartisan committee to fully investigate all aspects of Putingate. If they continue to obstruct this action they may be someday accused of supporting a cover-up by delaying and diluting urgently needed investigation of matters that pose a serious threat to American security.

Congress should pass a law requiring full disclosure and divestment of any foreign assets or foreign loans held by any president to prevent any hostile foreign actor, including foreign dictators or business interests acting on their behalf, from exerting financial power over America's president and commander in chief.
"All the crises and reforms (real reforms, too) so occupied the people that they did not see the slow motion underneath, of the whole process of government growing remoter and remoter."--Historian Milton Mayer, They Thought They Were Free: The Germans, 1933-45

Brace yourself.

There is something being concocted in the dens of power, far beyond the public eye, and it doesn't bode well for the future of this country.

Anytime you have an entire nation so mesmerized by the antics of the political ruling class that they are oblivious to all else, you'd better beware. Anytime you have a government that operates in the shadows, speaks in a language of force, and rules by fiat, you'd better beware. And anytime you have a government so far removed from its people as to ensure that they are never seen, heard or heeded by those elected to represent them, you'd better beware.

The world has been down this road before.

We are at our most vulnerable right now.

The gravest threat facing us as a nation is not extremism--delivered by way of sovereign citizens or radicalized Muslims--but despotism, exercised by a ruling class whose only allegiance is to power and money.

We're in a national state of denial.

Yet no amount of escapism can shield us from the harsh reality that the danger in our midst is posed by an entrenched government bureaucracy that has no regard for the Constitution, Congress, the courts or the citizenry.

If the team colors have changed from blue to red, that's just cosmetic.

The playbook remains the same. The leopard has not changed its spots.

Scrape off the surface layers and you will find that the American police state is alive and well and continuing to wreak havoc on the rights of the American people.

"We the people" are no longer living the American Dream.

We're living the American Lie.

Indeed, Americans have been lied to so sincerely, so incessantly, and for so long by politicians of all stripes--who lie compulsively and without any seeming remorse--that they've almost come to prefer the lies trotted out by those in government over less-palatable truths.

Here's a truth few Americans want to acknowledge: nothing has changed (at least, not for the better) since Barack Obama passed the reins of the police state to Donald Trump.

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This article originally appeared at TomDispatch.com. To receive TomDispatch in your inbox three times a week, click here.

If you're going to surround yourself with generals in the Oval Office, as Donald Trump has done, that means one thing in these years: you're going to appoint men whose careers were made (or unmade) by what was once known as the Global War on Terror. They will be deeply associated with Washington's 15 years of disastrous wars and conflicts in the Greater Middle East, which have left that region a set of failed or near-failed states and a hotbed of terror outfits, including various branches of al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. Secretary of Defense James "Mad Dog" Mattis, for instance, led troops in the initial post-invasion period in Afghanistan in 2001; in the taking of the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, in 2003; in the fierce fighting for the city of Fallujah in 2004; and then, from 2010 to 2013, he was in charge of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), with responsibility for the Greater Middle East. In that post, he cooked up a scheme to take out either an Iranian oil refinery or power plant in the "dead of night," an act of war meant to pay that country back for supplying mortars to Iraqi insurgents killing American troops. That plan, nixed by the Obama White House, seems to have played a role in his removal from the CENTCOM post five months early.

General John Kelly, head of the Department of Homeland Security, also commanded troops and fought in Iraq. (His son was killed in Afghanistan in 2010.) Former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn held key intelligence positions in both Afghanistan and Iraq, while his temporary replacement (and now National Security Council chief of staff), General Joseph "Keith" Kellogg, retired and working with private contractor Oracle at the time of the invasion of Iraq, was sent to Baghdad as chief operating officer of the Coalition Provisional Authority that the Bush administration set up to run its ill-fated occupation of that country. He lasted only five months as that body began its "reconstruction" of Iraq, after disbanding Saddam's army and so putting its officers and troops on the unemployment line, which meant at the disposal of the developing insurgency. Army Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster, the new national security adviser, just tapped for the job by Trump, isn't even retired and held command posts in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

On the evidence of these last years, such experiences seem to have tied these men to the war against terror in a deep and visceral way, making any major reconsideration of what they had lived through inconceivable. In the new Trump era, clues to this ongoing reality can already be found in two recent events: the first Trump-ordered action in the Greater Middle East, a thoroughly botched Special Operations raid in Yemen, which did not achieve its objective but got large numbers of civilians and one Navy SEAL killed and which, given the last 15 years of U.S. military action in the region, looked painfully familiar; and the request of the present U.S. Afghan commander, General John Nicholson Jr., for "several thousand" more American military advisers, one that it's hard to imagine he would have made before the Senate Armed Services Committee without the agreement of Defense Secretary Mattis. It's also a request that was clearly meant as no more than an opening bid in a potentially far larger surge of American forces into Afghanistan. (Where have you heard that before?)

Under the circumstances, it's good to know that, even if not at the highest ranks of the U.S. military, there are officers who have been able to take in what they experienced up close and personal in Iraq and Afghanistan and make some new -- not desperately old -- sense of it. U.S. Army Major Danny Sjursen, a former history instructor at West Point and the author of Ghostriders of Baghdad: Soldiers, Civilians, and the Myth of the Surge, who writes his inaugural TomDispatch post today, is obviously one of them and I doubt he's alone in the American armed forces after all these years. Tom

How We Got Here

The Misuse of American Military Power and The Middle East in Chaos

By Danny Sjursen The United States has already lost -- its war for the Middle East, that is. Having taken my own crack at combat soldiering in both Iraq and Afghanistan, that couldn't be clearer to me. Unfortunately, it's evidently still not clear in Washington. Bush's neo-imperial triumphalism failed. Obama's quiet shift to drones, Special Forces, and clandestine executive actions didn't turn the tide either. For all President Trump's bluster, boasting, and threats, rest assured that, at best, he'll barely move the needle and, at worst" but why even go there? At this point, it's at least reasonable to look back and ask yet again: Why the failure? Explanations abound, of course. Perhaps Americans were simply never tough enough and still need to take off the kid gloves. Maybe there just weren't ever enough troops. (Bring back the draft!) Maybe all those hundreds of thousands of bombs and missiles just came up short. (So how about lots more of them, maybe even a nuke?) Lead from the front. Lead from behind. Surge yet again" The list goes on -- and on and on. And by now all of it, including Donald Trump's recent tough talk, represents such a familiar set of tunes. But what if the problem is far deeper and more fundamental than any of that? Here our nation stands, 15-plus years after 9/11, engaged militarily in half a dozen countries across the Greater Middle East, with no end in sight. Perhaps a more critical, factual reading of our recent past would illuminate the futility of America's tragic, ongoing project to somehow "destroy" terrorism in the Muslim world. The standard triumphalist version of the last 100 or so years of our history might go something like this: in the twentieth century, the United States repeatedly intervened, just in the nick of time, to save the feeble Old World from militarism, fascism, and then, in the Cold War, communism. It did indeed save the day in three global wars and might have lived happily ever after as the world's "sole superpower" if not for the sudden emergence of a new menace. Seemingly out of nowhere, "Islamo-fascists" shattered American complacence with a sneak attack reminiscent of Pearl Harbor. Collectively the people asked: Why do they hate us? Of course, there was no time to really reflect, so the government simply got to work, taking the fight to our new "medieval" enemies on their own turf. It's admittedly been a long, hard slog, but what choice did our leaders have? Better, after all, to fight them in Baghdad than Brooklyn. What if, however, this foundational narrative is not just flawed but little short of delusional? Alternative accounts lead to wholly divergent conclusions and are more likely to inform prudent policy in the Middle East. Let's reconsider just two key years for the United States in that region: 1979 and 2003. America's leadership learned all the wrong "lessons" from those pivotal moments and has intervened there ever since on the basis of some perverse version of them with results that have been little short of disastrous. A more honest narrative of those moments would lead to a far more modest, minimalist approach to a messy and tragic region. The problem is that there seems to be something inherently un-American about entertaining such thoughts. 1979 Revisited Through the first half of the Cold War, the Middle East remained a sideshow. In 1979, however, all that changed radically. First, rising protests against the brutal police state of the American-backed Shah of Iran led to regime collapse, the return of dissident ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, and the declaration of an Islamic Republic. Then Iranian students stormed the U.S. embassy in Tehran, holding 52 hostages for more than 400 days. Of course, by then few Americans remembered the CIA-instigated coup of 1953 that had toppled a democratically elected Iranian prime minister, preserved Western oil interests in that country, and started both lands on this path (though Iranians clearly hadn't forgotten). The shock and duration of the hostage crisis undoubtedly ensured that Jimmy Carter would be a one-term president and -- to make matters worse -- Soviet troops intervened in Afghanistan to shore up a communist government there. It was quite a year.

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From RT

With typical bluster of a real estate dealer, US President Trump claimed this week that his administration was a "finely-tuned machine." A nervous Europe and a disappointed Russia suggest something more precarious.

The business magnate turned president claims that the corporate news media in the US and Europe are determined to disparage his month-old administration as "chaotic."He has a valid point too.

Trump says relentless allegations of a "Russian connection"to his political aides are a "ruse" contrived by the media opposed to his presidency. The resignation of his top National Security Adviser Michael Flynn last week over allegations that he talked with a Russian diplomat before Trump's inauguration on January 20 was, in the president's view, a case of media-driven crisis.

Trump has rebuffed media claims of chaos in his administration as overblown and betrays an agenda to undermine his presidency. He counters by pointing to a stream of executive orders signed during the first weeks of office as evidence that his presidency is achieving more than any other administration towards the stated goal of "making America great again." Trump is adamant, with hallmark brusqueness, that he's running a finely-tuned machine.

However, unofficial news seeping out of the White House tells a different story. A NPR correspondent this week quoted an insider in the West Wing as saying that the administration was a "train wreck." Empty desks, disenchanted staffers, lack of leadership were said to be taking a toll on efficient running of Trump's administration.

The resignation of Michael Flynn and the debacle of a successor, Vice Admiral Robert Harward, turning down the National Security post is an outward expression of bedlam at the White House.

When Trump hosted Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu this week at the White House it was obvious that the president was not adequately briefed. His non-committal quip of "I like whatever solution Bibi and the Palestinians like" was a cringing admission that Trump was clueless. And that cluelessness stemmed from not having a National Security Adviser to get him up to speed on the issues.

That was just one of several practical examples in the foreign policy realm that raise questions about the Trump White House and whether it will derail sometime soon.

"Mixed signals" is perhaps a charitable way to describe a Trump presidency in turmoil. The number of countries unnerved by Trump's mercurial style range from allies to foes alike, from Mexico, Canada, Japan, South Korea, to China, Venezuela and Iran.

Not least unnerved are the Europeans who supposedly share a much-vaunted "transatlantic bond" with America, manifested in the NATO military alliance.

via GIPHY

The dominant foreign policy theme last week could be dubbed "America's reassurance tour of European allies." US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Defense Secretary James Mattis and Vice President Mike Pence were all in European capitals, each keenly trying to calm anxieties elicited by Donald Trump's earlier critical comments about the European Union and NATO.

Mattis and Pence separately addressed the Munich Security Conference and gushingly told delegates that President Trump was fully committed to NATO and the "transatlantic bond."

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From Consortium News

On President's Day, The Washington Post published a front-page article about Thomas Jefferson's mansion, Monticello, finally restoring Sally Hemings's room, which was next door to Jefferson's bedroom, a further grudging acknowledgement that Hemings was his concubine.

But the Post could not bring itself to state the obvious. It described Jefferson imposing himself sexually on his female slave as a "relationship," rather than a serial rape that apparently began when Hemings was around 14 years of age.

The Post reported that in 1941, the caretakers of Monticello transformed Hemings's room into a restroom as "the floor tiles and bathroom stalls covered over the story of the enslaved woman, who was owned by Jefferson and had a long-term relationship with him."

But -- as grotesque as it may be to erase her room by installing toilets -- it is equally grotesque to describe as a "relationship" an older powerful man having sex with a young female slave who had little choice but to submit to his predations and bear his children.

It may be hard for the American people to accept but the evidence increasingly indicates that the author of the Declaration of Independence and the third president of the United States was a pedophile and a rapist.

That is the story that Jefferson's many apologists have most desperately tried to obscure along with his wretched record on race, including the sickening racism in his Notes on the State of Virginia, that includes his pseudo-science of assessing physiological and mental traits of African-Americans to prove that all men were not created equal.

For generations, the apologists also have challenged slave Sally Hemings's late-in-life remembrance to one of her sons, Madison Hemings, describing how Jefferson had imposed himself on her sexually in Paris after she arrived in 1787 as a teen-age slave girl attending one of his daughters.

According to Madison Hemings's account, his mother "became Mr. Jefferson's concubine [in Paris]. And when he was called back home she was enciente [pregnant] by him." Jefferson was insistent that Sally Hemings return with him, but her awareness of the absence of slavery in France gave her the leverage to insist on a transactional trade-off; she would continue to provide sex to Jefferson in exchange for his promise of good treatment and the freedom of her children when they turned 21, Madison Hemings said.

Smearing Hemings

The traditional defense of Jefferson was to portray Sally Hemings as a promiscuous vixen who lied about her relationship with the Great Man to enhance her humble standing. After all, whose word would you believe, that of the estimable Jefferson who publicly decried race mixing or a lowly African-American slave girl?

For decades, the defenders stuck to that dismissive response despite the curious coincidence that Hemings tended to give birth nine months after one of Jefferson's visits to Monticello and the discovery of male Jefferson DNA in Hemings's descendants.

Still, the Jefferson apologists raised finicky demands for conclusive proof of the liaison, as if it were absurd to envision that a relatively young man then in his mid-40s, a widower since his wife died in 1782, would have initiated a sexual relationship with an African-American female, even an attractive light-skinned mulatto like Hemings (who was the illegitimate daughter of Jefferson's father-in-law and thus Jefferson's late wife's half-sister).

Though it's true that unequivocal evidence does not exist -- Hemings did not save a semen-stained blue dress so it could later be subjected to DNA analysis -- historians have increasingly come to accept the reality of Jefferson's sexual involvement with his young slave girl who was only 14 when she moved into Jefferson's residence in Paris.

So, with this ground shifting under Jefferson's defensive lines, his apologists retreated to a new position, that the relationship was a true love affair and/or that Jefferson's behavior fit with the moral behavior of the times as slave owners frequently raped their female slaves (and thus Jefferson's behavior should not be judged adversely).

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By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Feb 21 (PTI) An Indian man who was kidnapped in Libya has been rescued and is being brought back to India shortly, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said tonight.

Swaraj said Dr Ramamurthy Kosanam had sustained a bullet injury.

"We have rescued Dr Ramamurthy Kosanam in Libya. Dr Kosanam has suffered a bullet injury. We are bringing him to India shortly.

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"With this, we have rescued all the six Indians abducted there. I appreciate the good work done by our mission there," Swaraj said in a series of tweets.

Dr Ramamurthy Kosanam was reportedly abducted by Islamic State militants in Libya nearly 18 months back. The doctor hails from a village Krishna District in Andhra Pradesh. PTI MPB JC IKA

--- ENDS ---
Congress Switchboard: 202-224-3121

"Putting real power into the hands of voters and consumers, has made bottom-up approaches massively disruptive for politics and brands. It's the present and future of politics and business. Rob Kall's book Bottom-Up pulls together the wisdom and experience of some of the leading thinkers who have brought the bottom-up revolution to full bloom."



Joe Trippi, pioneering Internet campaign manager of Howard Dean, digital campaign consultant
Congress Switchboard: 202-224-3121

"Rob Kall's book, Bottom-Up, offers valuable ways of seeing and powerful tools for enabling new power and connectivity to work to change the hope and promise for the future."



Jeremy Heimans, CEO & Co-founder of Purpose and coauthor of New Power
Congress Switchboard: 202-224-3121

"The book is very well written...very important in this individualized capitalistic illusory world that enslaves us all within its tentacles and forces us to believe that we are atomized and disconnected beings. Indigenous Lakota people end prayers with "Mitakuye Oyasin...all my relations..." An ancient African proverb states, "A person is a person only because of and with others..." This instructive text is very useful for us living in what we are always told is the modern world, because it reconnects us all and reminds us that ultimately, the endless circle of the Universe binds and connects us all and the Earth is Mother to us with no hierarchy...the ones at the bottom matter the most...like the ants who build mounds and hills, all working in unison and harmony...the book teaches that we were created for community and our destiny is organic community...anything else is doomed..."



Julian Kunnie, Professor of Religious Studies/Classics at the University of Arizona and author of The Cost of Globalization: Dangers to the Earth and Its People
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The Seven-million strong American Muslim community, on the receiving end since the ghastly terrorist attacks on 9/11/2001, has ostensibly become target of President Trump's policies.

While the January 27 travel ban may still be affecting American Muslim citizens, some Muslim travelers outside the seven countries targeted by the controversial ban, including naturalized U.S. citizens and green card holders, are indicating that their Global Entry status has been revoked.

Global Entry is a program run by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which provides expedited entry through customs checkpoints at U.S. airports to vetted travelers.

Mic.com has quoted the Immigration lawyers as saying that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is revoking Global Entry status for their clients. Skift.com has also reported the same.

According to Mic, lawyers are currently trying to decipher the pattern regarding the cancellation of Global Entry and TSA Precheck status for many Muslim-American travelers.

Skift's reporting backs up this pattern. Business travelers indicated to Skift that corporate visa vendors are alerting clients that Muslim men between the ages of 18 and 49 may be affected.

One individual, who became a naturalized U.S. citizen while in middle school, was suddenly informed via email that his Global Entry status had been revoked, according to Skift. The CBP stated that his status has been revoked for the following reason: "You do not meet the program eligibility requirements." He had first received Global Entry certification in 2012 an.

Mic reported that Greg Siskind, attorney and board member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, has been leading the charge in investigating these cases and called for examples on Twitter in early February. "So far, we have heard from eight to nine people who are all Muslim," he said. "We expect that number to grow."

According to Siskind, though, the revocations extend beyond the countries targeted on the ban list -- Syria, Yemen, Iran, Iraq, Somalia, Sudan and Libya -- and has even affected American citizens.

Heena Musabji, a Chicago-based attorney, said in a phone interview she's heard of three cases since the start of Trump's travel ban in which Muslim U.S. citizens were denied Global Entry without explanation.

One of Musabji's clients is Hasan Askari, a 30-year-old U.S. citizen who emigrated from Pakistan in 2003 and later received dual bachelor's degrees at East-West University in Chicago. As a customer relations officer for a Chicago-based software company, Askari's profession requires a lot of traveling, so he applied for Global Entry eligibility in July 2016.

In November, Askari went through CBP's in-person screening and interview process. He was told he was approved and would receive his card in the mail, but in February -- after Trump's travel ban was put into effect -- Askari received an email from CBP notifying him of a change in his Global Entry eligibility status. He later learned he was denied.

Muslim Legal Clinic

Not surprisingly, Legal Clinic Coordinator of the Muslim Community Association of the San Francisco Bay Area (MCA) has given the following advice to the potential travelers:

As a U.S. Citizen you should have no problems traveling and, barring an extreme circumstance, legally you cannot be denied entry into the U.S.

It is your decision whether to travel or not. Should you decide to travel, I have a few tips from our recent workshop that might make your travels easier:

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An alleged ISIS recruit, currently in the custody of the Rajasthan ATS, may have pumped money from his Chinese goods business into ISIS accounts in Syria. Officials are also investigating his links to an influential pro-ISIS Twitter account.

By Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu: Mohammed Iqbal, 32, the latest ISIS recruit in custody of Rajasthan Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) has led to alarm bells ringing in security and intelligence agencies.

The agencies are now investigating whether money earned from his Chinese goods business was pumped into ISIS accounts in Syria, besides also attempting to buy his way out to be a jihadi fighter.

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On the face of it, everything about Iqbal - a businessman of Chinese mobiles and goods - looked innocuous. He belongs to a well-to-do Chennai-based family and married with two children, staying in an up-market locality of Myalapore.

LINKS TO '@SHAMIWITNESS'

However Iqbal's undoing began after he was radicalised online. With two foreign handlers and one local link "Jameel Khan", Iqbal is now being probed for his alleged links to Shami Witness known as Mehdi Masroor Biswas, who was arrested by Karnataka Police in 2014 for allegedly operating pro-IS Twitter handle @shamiwitness.

Jameel Ahmad

He was alleged to have operated the single most influential pro-ISIS Twitter account from India, which was followed by two-third of all the foreign jihadis, but its identity was exposed following a Channel 4 News investigation.

A top source in ATS said, "Iqbal didn't know Biswas personally but was in touch with him. We believe that the connection between them was beyond just influence. We are still probing as to how they established the contact."

Biswas was one of the first arrests in ISIS case, which triggered a series of arrests by the National Investigation Agency.

Iqbal who ran an account "Travel Haq" on social media sites had deleted his account just before his arrest on February 4, making it difficult for the ATS to establish the link. Iqbal frequented Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Mecca and Medina but his business interests took him to China seven-eight times.

Also read: Confessions of ISIS' Indian lone wolf Mohammad Masiuddin

MADE CONTACT WITH ISIS ONLINE

A year before his arrest, he peered into his laptop going through websites of ISIS, drawn by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's declaration of a caliphate.

Through social media applications like Kik messenger and Telegram, Iqbal established contact with two ISIS handlers Abu Saad al-Sudani, a Sudanese, and Abu Osama Al Somali, a Somalian notorious commander.

Arrested earlier this month in Rajamundri on Andhra Pradesh-Tamil Nadu border, Iqbal spilled the beans of his failed dream to fight along with other ISIS militants in Syria and Iraq to establish caliphate.

On invitation from Saad, Iqbal made two attempts to reach the warzone in Syria - first, applying for a visa to Turkey to slip into Syria to get trained as an ISIS fighter in one of several ISIS' camps, and secondly, by trying to reach Turkey through the France route," Rajasthan ATS ADG Umesh Mishra told Mail Today.

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Also read: TERROR via TWITTER: Is @magnetgas the new @shamiwitness?

DID IQBAL HELP FUND ISIS?

After his failed attempts, Sudani advised Iqbal to raise funds for the establishment of caliphate. Five fund transfers made by Iqbal to a name known as Ahmed are now under scanner. Four were made from India, one from China through the Western Union to account of Ahmed. Ahmed, 42, was arrested in October last year by Rajasthan ATS. Ahmed who worked in Dubai in an MNC was handling accounts which provided funds to ISIS in Syria, Bosnia and at least four other countries.

Mohammed Iqbal

ATS SP Vikas Kumar said, "All five transactions remained under a lakh of rupees to avoid being under the radar of security agencies. While four fund transfers were made from within India, one fund transfer was done from China, through the Western Union."

Ahmed admitted that he had provided funds to the ISIS through hawala. "He also said somebody from Tamil Nadu was helping him raising funds. When we went through Ahmed's chat history, "Travel Haq" appeared multiple times," Kumar said.

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After three months of surveillance, the ATS was able to establish the real identity of Travel Haq.

Also read: Not merely a sympathiser, Mehdi Masroor Biswas represented ISIS: Bengaluru police

"Iqbal used Travel Haq as username on social media websites. He has smuggling network spread across Bangladesh and China. Iqbal was arrested with 3.5 kg gold and was locked up in Chennai Jail.

"We are interrogating him to get more details about his other supporters," said the official. The Rajasthan ATS has written to MHA to hand over the case to the NIA.

--- ENDS ---
From WSWS

The Trump White House is under increasing pressure from the anti-Russian campaign instigated by the intelligence agencies and spearheaded by the bulk of the corporate-controlled media, the Democratic Party and a section of the Republicans. Over the past several days, the first official action has been carried out by a congressional committee investigating claims of Russian involvement in the 2016 election campaign.

The Senate Intelligence Committee has sent letters to more than a dozen government agencies, organizations and individuals asking them to preserve all materials that may be relevant to the committee's investigation. The letters were authorized by committee Chairman Richard Burr of North Carolina, a Republican, and the ranking Democrat, Mark Warner of Virginia.

The letters were sent after a two-hour classified briefing by FBI Director James Comey on the alleged Russian hacking of the Democratic National Committee and the Clinton campaign. Senators left the hearing without divulging anything of what took place, but hours later, the request was dispatched for the preservation of documents on alleged Russian interference in the campaign and "related issues."

The "related issues" reportedly include the allegations of "constant contact" during the campaign between Trump advisers and aides and Russian intelligence agents, first made in the New York Times last week and later in a broadcast by CNN. Neither report presented any actual evidence, citing only the claims of unnamed intelligence officials, who said they had monitored phone calls or reviewed telephone transcripts.

The letters from the Intelligence Committee came one day after Senate Democrats sent similar appeals to the White House, the FBI, the Justice Department and other federal agencies asking them to preserve any relevant materials. This letter, signed by all the Democratic members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, was sent to White House Counsel Donald McGahn, asking the administration to preserve "all materials related to contacts between the Trump organization, Trump campaign, Trump transition team, or Trump administration, or others acting on their behalf, and Russian government officials or associates."

Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, speaking on the floor of the Senate last week, warned, "There is real concern that some in the administration may try to cover up its ties to Russia by deleting emails, texts and other records that could shine a light on those connections." House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi chimed in: "I'm afraid they're going to destroy the documents. But the fact that I would even say that, that level of trust has gone so far low in all of this."

Pelosi and Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, sent their own letter to acting Director of National Intelligence Michael Dempsey requesting "a comprehensive intelligence briefing on Russia by February 28, 2017... This briefing should include information about former Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs Michael Flynn's contacts with Russian officials, and should also provide unredacted transcripts of any intercepted conversations or communications he had with Russian officials."

Some congressional Democrats are raising the specter of treason charges against Trump or his aides. Representative Seth Moulton, a Massachusetts congressman and Iraq war veteran, said on CNN, "If members of the administration are essentially conspiring with Russia...that's the definition of treason. This is a very, very serious affair."

At the same time, Trump's congressional defenders are pushing back against his opponents within the intelligence apparatus. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes sent a letter Friday to the FBI asking it to investigate leaks of classified information to the media. He suggested that the leaks came from either career officials who oppose Trump's policies or holdovers from the Obama administration. According to one press report, Nunes "believes that Trump is being targeted by the intelligence community. It's an abuse of authority."

White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus appeared on three Sunday television interview programs to denounce the media reports of "constant contact" between the Trump campaign and Russia as false and deliberately aimed at undermining the Trump administration.

Speaking on NBC's "Meet the Press," Priebus acknowledged receipt of the Senate Intelligence Committee letter and said the White House would cooperate with the request. "I know what they were told by the FBI," he said, "because I've talked to the FBI. I know what they're saying. I wouldn't be on your show right now telling you that we've been assured that there's nothing to the New York Times story if I actually wasn't assured."

He also said that no one at the White House except the now-fired National Security Adviser Michael Flynn had been interviewed by the FBI. Bureau agents interrogated Flynn about his telephone conversation with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak prior to Trump's inauguration.

Significantly, all three television hosts who interviewed Priebus avoided raising the issue of the political motivation behind the intelligence agency leaks to the media that have fueled the anti-Russian campaign. Nor did Priebus raise the issue himself, even though Trump touched on it in his press conference Thursday, when he suggested that his opponents would praise him if he ordered a Russian spy ship blown up or otherwise took a more belligerent position towards Moscow.

The real driving force of the factional struggle within the US ruling elite is a conflict over foreign policy towards Russia. Dominant sections of the military-intelligence apparatus want to continue and intensify the campaign of sanctions, provocations and military buildup undertaken under the Obama administration, whose logical outcome would be a directly military confrontation between the United States and Russia, the possessors of the vast bulk of the world's nuclear weapons. They view Trump's foreign policy -- if anything, even more militaristic than Obama's, but targeting Iran and China first, rather than Russia -- as undermining this war buildup.

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Delusions abound: "grab 'em by the p*ssy" aside, the man actually thinks he can do anything - and well. And win at any game. To him, bragging is not a sin but a simple statement of facts: "no one _____ more than I do." When he inserted "respects women" at the Town Hall Presidential debate, he did not hear the laughter, because his mind cancels out humiliation. When he said "Nobody reads the Bible more than I do," people laughed again because his reading skills have been questioned. Seriously.

There is no depth to most of his comments because his vocabulary is so limited. Every time he speaks of being "smart", he sounds more like a man who just passed his GED on the third try - a statement he deems necessary to insert very often and into totally unrelated subjects.

That he lives in an alternate reality and abhors the slightest criticism (enacting a streak of vindictiveness) are givens. Critics are "losers" while analytical media are "failures".

This is thePresident of the United States we're talking about!

Proposed causes of Trump's behavior range from personality disorder to - believe it or not - neurosyphilis:

Physicians like me have also taken notice of Trump's bizarre, volatile behavior. Given our experience, we can't help but wonder if there's a medical diagnosis to be made. After all, many medical conditions exhibit their first symptoms in the form of psychiatric issues and personality changes. One condition in particular is notable for doing so: Neurosyphilis.

Huffington Post:

Virtually every mental health professional I interviewed told me that they believed, with 100% certainty, that Mr. Trump satisfied the DSM (narcissistic personality disorder) criteria of this incurable illness and that, as a result, he is a serious danger to the country and the world.

Independent (UK)

Oregon Representative Earl Blumenauer called for a review of constitutional procedures to remove a president from office, stating it did not consider the mental or emotional health of a leader.

"It's not normal behaviour. I don't know anybody in a position of responsibility that doesn't know if they're being rained on. And nobody I work with serially offers up verifiable false statements on an ongoing basis," he told The Hill.

California Representative Ted Lieu has announced plans to introduce legislation that would require the presence of a psychiatrist or psychologist in the White House.

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This map from NPR has been making the rounds for a couple years now, and it will continue to become more and more relevant as the pace of automation accelerates.

The most common job in each state  impact of self-driving vehicles #sundaymorningpic.twitter.com/O9DWp4gAbr  Vala Afshar (@ValaAfshar) November 20, 2016

When we talk about self-driving cars, we think of flashy companies like Uber, Tesla and Google, who are building vehicles designed to transport us around a Jetsons-like future. But the real and immediate upside is in truckinga $700 billion industry where a third of the costs go to drivers. From a technological perspective, trucks are the quickest and easiest to replace en masse, since the vast majority of their travels take them along highways, which are infinitely more predictable than city streets. Plus, self-driving trucks are more efficient, which cuts down on fuel costs. States have already laid the foundation for an autonomous future, so this is 100% happening. Per the Los Angeles Times article linked to above:

Several states are already laying the groundwork for a future with fewer truckers. In September, the Michigan state Senate approved a law allowing trucks to drive autonomously in platoons, where two or more big rigs drive together and synchronize their movements. That bill follows laws passed in California, Florida and Utah that set regulations for testing truck platoons.

Wirelessly connected trucks made their European debut in April, when trucks from six major carmakers successfully drove in platoons through Sweden, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.

Josh Switkes, 36, says those convoys will be on American roads within a year. Switkes is the chief executive of Peloton, a Mountain View-based company whose software links two semi-trailer trucks. Pelotons investors include UPS and Volvo Group. The company has begun taking reservations for its system from freight fleets, and it plans to start delivering them in volume within a year.

So lets just do some back-of-the-envelope calculations to show how this driverless future could also lead us to a Trumpless one as well.

 There are 29 states where the most common job is a truck driver.

 Donald Trump won 23 of those states, including 1 electoral vote from Maine.

 The GDP of those states is roughly $6.1 trillion42% of U.S. GDP.

 There are 1.7 million truck drivers whose jobs are at-risk.

 The average annual salary for a truck driver is $40,000 ($68 billion at-risk).

 That at-risk total is roughly 1% of the GDP of those 23 states that Trump won.

 Those 23 states were worth 246 electoral votes to Donald Trump (270 to win).

Donald Trump was elected largely because middle class Americans are hurting economically, and he was able to successfully portray that as the fault of Barack Obama and liberal politicians, and Hillary Clinton literally ran on a platform of more of the same. The fact of the matter is that automation is responsible for the eradication of service jobs, and not immigration or outsourcing, as our presidents most fervent supporters assert. Its easy for Trump to blame immigrants because:

A. People largely dont pay attention to news they dont want to hear.

and

B. He has no responsibility over this harsh reality faced by Americas middle class.

However, as of Jan. 20, 2017, Donald Trump is explicitly responsible for the economy, since we live in a country that somehow believes that the government can only hurt job creation, but also judges our presidents almost exclusively on their ability to create work. There are no more excuses. He ran on a platform of returning good jobs to the middle class, and automation is about to demonstrate how futile much of that promise was. We are on the cusp of a massive shift in one of Americas largest industries hidden in plain sight. Once the robots begin their takeover, trucking will no longer be obscured, and his supporters will demand that he do something.

However, there is nothing that he can do. The White House cannot simply overrule state legislatures by fiat. Plus, some of the globes largest companies are aiming to save hundreds of billions of dollars with these investments. Donald Trump has no shot to reverse this trend, and his bloviating about how he is bringing jobs back to America will ring hollow as the number of his unemployed voters reaches a critical mass.

Sure, he could blame Obama and liberal state legislatures for accelerating this trend, but he was elected to stop it. Donald Trump would be wise to devise a plan creating income for the coming army of unemployed truck drivers before they wind up at his front door with pitchforks and torches. If he thinks this cant happen to him, he should talk to his predecessorwhom many of his supporters voted for before they turned on him once his campaign promises failed. Automation is eventually coming for all of our jobs, including the 45th presidents.

Jacob Weindling is Pastes business and media editor, as well as a staff writer for politics. Follow him on Twitter at @Jakeweindling.
Probably.

Donald Trump has been on record several times brushing off the accusation that Russian President Vladimir Putin kills journalists who are critical of him. Sure, sure, its bad, seems to be Trumps attitude, but America kills people, too: You think our countrys so innocent?

This should, and does, alarm journalists, but the most frightening part isnt necessarily Trumps willingness to shrug off the state-sponsored murder of journalists. The most frightening thing here is in our general misperception of Putin and in Trumps misperception of himself. Trump has created a world where violence is possible in new ways, where before it was not. Regardless of whether Trump can hold onto the presidency for the next few months, journalists should be concerned for their personal safety and worried about this culture of violence: violence against journalism (led by Trump) and violence against journalists (inspired by Trump). As youll see, the two are closely related.

First things first. My point isnt about political violence in general and which side is worse. I freely admit that Trump supporters have endured disgusting violence. That deserves an essay of its own, but thats not the subject of this one. This ones about the high likelihood of physical violence against journalists in the United States of America during and even after a Trump presidency.

Heres whats happening:

- Trump has spent years creating a culture in which public expressions of anger, hatred and violence, though not necessarily forgivable, are permitted and even encouraged

- Now that hes President, that culture has been legitimized, but at the same time the media threatens his legitimacy

- Unlike Putin, Trump cant simply take over NBC or the failing New York Times, so he has to do the opposite and discredit the media

- Hes doing this in two ways: One, hes splitting the people and the media; two, hes splitting words from their meaning

- The more he attacks the media, the higher his approval ratings go.

Trump likely wont order violence. But hes unleashed it, and he doesnt have any incentive to stop it. In fact, the incentive is to go even harder. Journalists critical of Trump have good reason to be concerned about their safety. Lets take a look.

First, the US aint Russia by a long shot. Russia is one of the most dangerous countries in the world to be a journalist. 34 Russian journalists have been killed since 2000, and there are probably more we dont know about. For context, that stat runs even with Iraq, Afghanistan, and Sudan. In that same time period, a total of three journalists were killed in the United States.

But heres the scary thing: its actually unclear what role Putin has had in those killings. I know it sounds naive to think otherwise and Im not sure if I can let myself fully believe it. But its hard to ignore the fact that American journalistscredible, anti-Russia, anti-Putinwho have spent years and even decades reporting in Moscow say that, even though these murders are clearly politically-motivated, Russian opposition journalists actually dont believe Putin ordered the murders of their colleagues. Instead, they blame Putin for creating the culture where its permissible for journalists to be killed for speaking out.

So yes, in one sense, the US sure aint Russia. But in another sense, when you think about what Russian journalists themselves are saying, it very much already is.

Let me be very clear here: Im not arguing that Trump will order journalists to be killed. (Jailed, perhaps.) Im arguing that Donald Trump, like Putin, is personally responsible for creating a culture in which violence against journalists will be permissible and, if his rhetoric continues to get more severe, physical violence will likely be frequent. Perhaps equally frightening, however, is his violence against journalism.

I need to take a minute to prove how Trump is personally stoking a culture of violence. Here are just a few examples of how despicable his rhetoric has been.

Back in December 2015, then-candidate Trump held a campaign rally in an aircraft carrier in South Carolina in which he handed out what was at that time his most vicious attack on the media, at one point calling them absolute scum. But then out of nowhere came this: Little Katy. Third-rate journalist. He pointed her out:

Katy Tur!

Tur was representing NBC News. A week earlier, shed reported that Trump left a rally abruptly when protesters showed up. Trump didnt like that, so he called her out personally. The crowd quickly turned on Tur and she left the aircraft carrier abruptly, and with a Secret Service escort.

And then the death threats. Tur reported that one person wrote, MAYBE A FEW JOURNALISTS DO NEED TO BE WHACKED. MAYBE THEN THEYD STOP BEI[N]G BIASED HACKS. KILL EM ALL STARTING W/ KATY TUR.

And a couple months later, Tur live-tweeted from another rally: Trump trashes press. Crowd jeers. Guy by press pen looks at us & screams youre a bitch! Other gentleman gives cameras the double bird.

A month after that one, Trump canceled a rally in Chicago because there was a risk violence would break out between protesters and some of his supporters. In an interview afterwards on CNN, Trump addressed the situation, saying, I certainly dont incite violence and I dont condone violence.

And yet.

Heres a list of things Trump has said at his rallies to incite violence up until that interview, which, again, was about a year ago.

- Ill beat the crap out of you.

- Part of the problem  is nobody wants to hurt each other anymore.

- The audience hit back. Thats what we need a little bit more of.

- Try not to hurt him. If you do, Ill defend you in court, dont worry about it.

- Id like to punch him in the face.

- Knock the crap out of them.

- Maybe he should have been roughed up.

- I dont know if Ill do the fighting myself or if other people will.

And heres how his rallies have reacted. Check out this crazy live-tweet thread of the violent rhetoric at a Trump rally from Jared Yates Sexton. Heres a picture of a Trump supporter showing some love for the First Amendment at a Florida rally last August. And dont forget Trump twice slyly suggested someone should shoot Hillary Clintonhis supporters, including a campaign aide, did the same but not so slyly. If youve got the stomach, heres a whole video of Trump supporters threatening violence. Hell, heres another.

Pulling out a bit, Trump was also endorsed (loudly) by David Duke, Richard Spencer, the KKK and a host of white supremacists.

If you went to a rally for a candidate of your choice and saw dozens of neo-Nazis and white supremacists and confederate flags everywhere as a display of patriotism and heard people chanting to hang the competing candidate, wouldnt you maybe think twice about whats going on with your guy?

And sure, Trump cant help it if some of his most vocal supporters are enraged or violent or racist or neo-Nazis who shout about killing his opponent and who coincidentally hadnt participated in American politics until Trump came along. Not his fault, not his fault.

And sure, Trump disavowed endorsements from David Duke and the KKK: This publication is repulsive and their views do not represent the tens of millions of Americans who are uniting behind our campaign. And youre right: When Leslie Stahl asked him on 60 Minutes about the spike in hate crimes immediately after his election, Trump really went out on a limb and said, Stop it, twice.

The message? I dont condone violence, but I encourage it.

Trump might not ever order violence against journalists but, like Putin, hes already created a culture permissive of violence against journalists. And whats troubling is its actually helping him politically: The more he attacks the media, the higher his approval ratings go.

He has every incentive to push harder: Trump is committing violence against journalism itself.

Donald Trump had a bad first month. The Russia stuff is looking worse all the time, he lost the first major court decision of his presidency, his national security adviser resigned, the White House seems to be totally dysfunctional, and hes getting absolutely hammered in the press. Demagogues like Trump need an enemy, and now that Trumps base doesnt have Clinton around to want to kill hes taken to propping up the press as a temporary enemy until the next election cycle kicks off.

For instance, in his first ever post-inauguration speech he said he was fighting a running war with the media. He routinely shouts down reporters at press conferences. Hes relentlessly trying to discredit the free press, including some of the worlds most respected media outlets, oddly even BBC.

His surrogates are in on it, too. Steve Bannon called the press the opposition party and said it should just keep its mouth shut. Kellyanne Conway said of the media, If you are not showing the President and his main spokespeople respect, then youre not showing the office respect, and you are inciting mob mentality if not mob violence. Sean Spicer constantly blubbers about Trump being unfairly attacked. Sean Hannity called the presss coverage of the Trump White House a historic beatdown.

Note the word choice. Its all violent.

Ah, but now weve come to the tweet last Friday: The FAKE NEWS media (failing New York Times, CNN, NBC News, and many more) is not my enemy, it is the enemy of the American People. SICK!

Its one thing to speak out against the media, to call them out for lies or bias. Obama did this all the time to Fox News. But once Obama noticed how toxic cable news was getting for him, he stopped watching altogether. The media is even more toxic for Trump, but he just watches more, obsesses over it, even makes policy around it.

To be fair, on the heels of San Bernardino, Obama cited his choice to avoid cable news for his failure to understand how fearful Americans were of terrorism in the United States. Interestingly, that information came in an off-the-record interview that wasnt supposed to be published. Yes, it was leaked to the media.

But to be fair again, Obamas remarks also came right on the heels of Trumps populist, nationalist call for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the country. Trumps numbers actually went higher, and the popularity of Trumps shockingly unconstitutional policy stunned Obama. Trump, he realized, was accurately taking the pulse of part of the nation Obama never reached, and Trump was able to do it because of his rapacious consumption of cable news.

Its one thing to criticize the media, but its another thing altogether to cast the free and independent press as effectual traitors, as the enemy of the people. Lamestream media is one thing. Maimstream media doesnt sound quite as cute.

The most dangerous part about enemy of the American people, though, is the word people.

Cable news feeds Trumps populist policies, and it coincides with his obsession with polls. This is critical to understanding Trumps rhetoric about the press and where the violence is likely to come from: in one way, Trump doesnt make his own policy. His supporters, whom he calls the people, make his policy. Trump will say whatever he thinks they want to hear. When his language turns violent, its almost always off-prompter. Its just as much as look into how his base feels as it is how Trump feels.

Donald Trumps a populist. Take the campaign rally for America he held this Saturday in an aircraft hangar in Melbourne, Florida. Before the rally he visited the pool of reporters at the back of Air Force One. He shook their hands and, according to a BBC reporter, He was warm and friendly to us on the airplane, but things changed at the rally. Of course he was warm and friendlyTrump actually loves the press. He loves the attention, and politically, of course, he needs the press to amplify his message and to inevitably incriminate themselves by engaging with the White House (which is their duty) in this insane fight hes started.

Onstage, though, Trump blasted the press first thing: We arent going to let the fake news tell us what to do, how to live, or what to believewe are free and independent people and we will make our own choices. They have their own agenda, he told the people, and their agenda is not your agenda. He lied about the press not showing his crowds. He accused the media of making up sources and of not wanting to report the truth and said he would do whatever I can [to make sure] that they dont get away with it.

All of those remarks were carefully scripted (all were on-prompter) to frame the press as the enemy not of Trump but of the people. And note that Trump wasnt talking about himself. That should always set off alarms. Trump was sayingreadingstuff about we and us. Whos we? Does that include me? The majority of voters? No, the vast majority of us doesnt feel that way.

By saying the press didnt want to show the people on TV, he was saying the press despised the people. He was saying the media was playing them for fools, outright lying to them as if they wouldnt be able to tell the difference. And in fact, what the press wants isnt what the people want at all. No, the media doesnt give a shit about you. The media isnt the American people. The slippery slope leads here: They arent people.

But most importantly, Trump said he wont let them get away with it. He said he, Trump, is their solution. That he, Trump, would do whatever he can to stop them.

The crowd loved it, of course, and they started cheering happily for the man who articulated what they felt and feared. But it was shocking and truly terrifying to watch how quickly their happiness with their leader morphed into fury at the media. It was immediate: adoration to anger. BBC reported that, At times the animosity towards the media felt personal. A group of supporters crowded a unit from CNN and chanted, Tell the truth! and CNN sucks!

This is the danger of a populist: I alone can fix it coexists neatly with we will make our own choices. Individual responsibility is washed out by the group.

In other words, Trump is a surrogate for his supporters. When he says hell do whatever he can to stop the media, the President of the United States gives them his personal permission to do whatever they can. This is why people is the most dangerous part of enemy of the people. Trump is passing the responsibility for having to use intimidation and, soon enough, calls for violence against the media from his singular high-profile public figure to the anonymity of the singular crowd.

You know who else used the phrase enemy of the people? Josef Stalin. Mao Zedong. Putin, too, who labels journalists critical of him foreign agents, giving the government license to take severe legal action at whim. All aspiring dictators do this, position themselves as unfairly attacked, giving the masses the gift of a false sense of moral superiority under which heinous acts become normalized in the name of preserving control. John McCain, to his credit, responded by pointing out that a democracy can only exist with a free and at many times adversarial press. Thats how dictators get started, he said. The first thing they do is shut down the press.

Trump hasnt shut down the press, and he (probably) wont be able to. Were thankfully very different from Russia in that we have a long history of a healthy, free and independent press. Putin, for instance, simply took over the countrys media and turned it into propaganda, corralling and starving out journalists who spoke out against him. Trump cant do that. But he can make the news so messy that people wont know what to believe.

After all, a long-standing free and independent press has a vulnerability of its own: Too many valid points of view, and, importantly in this age where anyone can be a journalist and everyone spends hours reading on social media, too many words. Both Putin and Trump are staging coups of authority, but where Putin staged a coup of a weakened institutional authority, Trump is staging a coup of language, of meaning itself. For instance, FAKE NEWS! is now a meaningless phrase. It went from meaning total fiction to including honest mistakes, then anonymous sources, and, finally, unfavorable reporting and polls.

And its working. Heres a comparatively small but telling example. At Trumps insane press conference last week, a Jewish reporter asked a question about the recent rise in anti-Semitic incidents after Trumps election. The reporter took great pains not to trip Trumps well-known triggersnot accusing Trump of being anti-Semiticbut the opposite: He wanted to give the President a chance to reassure the Jewish community. Trump didnt seem to hear or believe any of it and told the reporter to sit down.

If that were Obama or W. up there, the reporter wouldnt have prefaced his question with a paragraph about how much the president loved the Jewish community. A reporter wouldnt have feared that his innocuous softball question would have been forcefully misinterpreted. He wouldnt have feared an attack.

How free and independent can the press be if the President of the United States refuses to share the objective meaning of words and facts and instead shapes them into a platform for an attack? And how free and independent can the press feel when threats pour in from people animated by Trumps anger, people who, thanks to the President himself have no idea what you actually said? Nor do they care. They only know you said something Trump didnt like. Such is the state of CNN today.

The President of the United States of America is divorcing words from their meaning and weaponizing them, using them however he wants. At the same time, hes divorcing journaliststhe enemyfrom the American people. If Trump keeps up these campaign rallies at the same time he escalates his threatening rhetoricand Im sure he willthe people will have their day.

Countless reporters have been receiving continual death threats for not being nice to Trump. Megyn Kelly, for instance, was repeatedly stalked at home until Trump made nice with her. Same happens for anyone Trump publicly attacks, really.

And sure, the anonymity and pile-ons of Twitter and Trump rallies lower the barrier to making threats, so we can hope that most of Trumps demo, which skews old, wont act on these threats. But as Little Katy Tur said, even though most threats are empty, It only takes one person to take it one step further, and that is what is scary.

At a Trump rally, though, the crowd is one person.

When words lose their value, then so does everything they represent. Concepts. Institutions. Promises. People.

So now answer me this: In the equation the media is the enemy of the American people, who are the American people, and who is the media? Are the Black Lives Matter folks American people? Is Breitbart part of the media?

Of course they are. But in Trumps mouth, theyre not. Theres a sleight-of-hand here. Words mean more than you think. Listen closely:

I hate some of these people, Trump said. But I would never kill them. I would never kill them.

What, Don, you think our countrys so innocent?

KILL EM ALL.
Known for its gorgeous beaches and azure waters, Puerto Vallarta isnt just a sit-on-the-beach type of resort town, but a well-rounded travel attractiona Mexican culture hub and a nature preserve. Once a sleepy fishing village, Puerto Vallarta rose to its stardom in the decadent 1960s when the American film crews arrived to shoot the now classic The Night of the Iguana. The Hollywood infusion quickly turned the quiet little town into a hot tourist destination. And yet, through their native Indian traditions of fishing, farming and foraging, the residents kept their ties to nature, retained their cuisine and preserved their art forms. The result of this ancient and modern mix is a vibrant multifaceted city with a cobblestone downtown, artisanal markets, fine restaurants and a variety of adventures for nature lovers, assuring that even the most demanding traveler will never get bored.

1. Malecon

In Spanish, Malecon refers to an esplanade along a waterfront, which for us translates to boardwalk. Puerto Vallartas Malecon is the essence of this beautiful welcoming city. Locals and tourists alike stroll along the shore, admiring the ocean views and the landmark art sculptures, including the humpback whale, the dancing couple and the citys symbolthe seahorse. Dotted with cafes and restaurants, the boardwalk is the best place for a morning coffee, an afternoon cocktail or a sunset drink. If you want to slow down to that relaxed island pace of life, this is the place to be. Find a chair, grab a drink, listen to the rolling of the ocean and watch Puerto Vallarta stroll by.

2. Casa Kimberly

Smack in the middle of Puerto Vallartas downtown, Casa Kimberly is a living memory of the Hollywood love story that made the city what it is today. When two movie stars, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, came here for a shoot, they enjoyed a passionate love affair while still married to other people. Unlike everywhere else in the world, the locals pretty much left the couple alone, so Taylor and Burton built their love nest. On her 34th birthday, Burton gave Taylor a white stucco villa, then bought another property across the street and connected the two by a snow-white bridge, a replica of the Venice Bridge of Sighs. Today that stucco villa is Casa Kimberlya boutique hotel featuring only a few rooms, beautifully decorated and furnished. Taylors heart-shaped (human heart, that is) pink marble Jacuzzi is still there, and so is Burtons original blue-tiled pool.

3. Puerto Vallartas Municipal Market

Located on the North Side of the Cuale River, which separates the old town from the city center, Puerto Vallartas Municipal Market is a shopaholics dream. It is where local artisans come to sell Mexican hats, Indian masks, handmade dolls and silver jewelryand for very affordable prices. Bargaining is expected, so if youre buying several pieces, its worth trying to get a better price. Be sure to have pesos handy, and brush up on your Spanishat least the numbers.

4. Emiliano Zapata Market

Spanning an entire city block, this covered farmers market is for the foodies. This is where all Puerto Vallarta residents, from grandmothers to award-winning chefs, come for produce, meat and cheese. You can eat yourself full by trying a little bit of everything, from ripened fruit picked on farms hours ago to fresh eggs laid by hens in the mountain villages. Dont be spooked by unusual or ugly-looking fruit; everything that grows here is delicious, as every seller will tell you. The best part is that its all local and seasonal. When you can eat no more, street vendors will happily pour you a glass of tejuinoa velvety drink made from fermented corn.

5. Maia

Plan a dinner at Maia, a restaurant recently opened by Puerto Vallartas award-winning chef, Hugo Ahumada. Maia, which is part of the Villa Mercedes Petit Hotel, serves Nuevo Mexican cuisine; traditional ingredients are used to create sophisticated dishes elegantly served against the backdrop of modern Indian-inspired decor. Ahumada, who used to work in a French restaurant where he won several national awards, went back to cooking Mexican after spending some time with the local Indian tribes and drawing inspiration from the old traditions.

6. Turtle Release

If youre in town any time between June and December, take part in the baby turtle release parties, hosted by hotels with large beachfront properties such as Velas Vallarta and Casa Magna Marriott. Puerto Vallarta natives have always felt strongly connected to the sea, so when Mexican olive ridley turtles became threatened during the last decade, several hotels instituted a preservation program. When turtles lay eggs on the hotels beaches, preservation crews transfer the eggs to safe nurseries, away from predators and poachers. When the babies hatch, guests and visitors set them off to sea. The programs are immensely popular with children, but adults love them just as much. The release parties are usually hosted around sunset, when the birds of prey return to their nests.

7. Mikes Fishing Boat

Mikes Fishing Boat, a two-deck cruiser, can quickly whisk you away to a beautiful remote beach reachable only by sea. In fact, for a long time, most of Puerto Vallartas coastline was accessible only by boat, so even today, a lot of its gorgeous grottos, overgrown jungle forests and secluded harbors remain that way. The golden beaches serve as little islands of civilization where boats can dock and locals serve food and drinks underneath thatched huts. Your margaritas will be ice cold, despite the heat and the sun, and your grilled sea bass, caught only hours ago, will be the freshest ever.

8. Los Arcos Marine Park

Named for the two arch-like rocks towering above of the water, Los Arcos Marine Park is a marine sanctuary about an hour away from Puerto Vallarta by boat. Brimming with all kinds of fish species that like to nest and feed around the rocks, Los Arcos is one of the best snorkeling and scuba diving places on the Mexican Pacific coast. Whether by way of swim, snorkel or kayak, passing underneath the cavernous rocks will give you the chills as you marvel at the worlds wonders.

Puerto Vallartas coastline is beautiful throughout, but it is particularly charming and dreamy in the Marina Vallarta. No matter which way you look, the beach is endless with the ocean waves softly rolling onshore. Many posh boutique hotels have their beachfronts here, so as you stroll along the water, make sure to wander into one of the beach huts to savor a refreshing drink. And if youre feeling romantic, this is the place to watch the sun sink slowly into the ocean while sipping a frozen margarita, toes buried in the sand.

Lina Zeldovich is a New York-based travel writer who has sang with drunken bards in a Russian Woodstock, danced with Kyoto geishas and drank a potion made from a venomous snake in Peruand always lives to tell the story.
On February 15, the Acting Administrator of NASA, Robert Lightfoot, announced that NASA would begin a study to see whether or not it was feasible to include a human crew on EM-1, the first test mission of the SLS (Space Launch System).

Lets unpack what this means.

NASA is currently building a new rocket, SLS, that is intended to take us to the Moon and Mars. Theyre also in the working on a new capsule spacecraft, called Orion, that is intended to once again give NASA the ability to launch humans into space. Both these projects are still under construction.

Whenever NASA does anything new that involves human spaceflight, they test, retest and test even more. Think of how long it took us to land on the Moon with the Apollo missions. The first manned Apollo mission to launch, Apollo 7, was a test of the capsule. Apollo 8 took the command and service modules into orbit around the moon, while Apollo 9 tested the Lunar Module (LM, the craft that actually detached from the spacecraft and descended to the Moon) in Earth orbit. Apollo 10 took the whole packagecommand, service, and LMto the Moon, but didnt land. It wasnt until wed tested everything we possibly could that we actually sent Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins to the Moon on Apollo 11.

Photo courtesy of NASA

This doesnt even include the unmanned test rocket or capsule flights of the Apollo missions, or the fact that there was an entire series of missionsthe oft-undervalued Gemini project, with 10 manned and two unmanned missionsthe aim of which was to test maneuvers such as orbital rendezvous, docking, and space walking before we could go to the Moon. That is how much NASA tests. They need to be as sure as they possibly can before risking human lives.

And that is why Im so skeptical of this new NASA directive. Im a huge supporter of human spaceflight. The fact that weve been confined to low, Earth orbit since the end of Apollo is endlessly frustrating. I want to go to the Moon, Mars and beyondbut not like this.

The new presidential administration hasnt made a secret of its desire to demonstrate American supremacy, and it apparently views NASA as one avenue to do that. Bob Walker, an adviser to the presidents transition team, said, What I hear being discussed is the potential for sometime within the first Trump term being able to go and do an Apollo 8 mission.

Its true that there were so many things we did not know when we launched Apollo 8, billed as a Hail Mary pass around the Moon. Wed never left Earth orbit. We didnt know what leaving the Earths magnetic field would do to astronauts. The list of risks the astronauts were taking on the mission were a mile long, but they were managed risks. We knew the Apollo spacecraft was flight worthy because wed tested it. We knew the Saturn V rocket would work properly because this was its third flight. We knew, with as much certainty as we could, that the hardware would work.

SLS, or the Space Launch System, will be the biggest rocket ever constructedbigger even than the mammoth Saturn V rockets that took our astronauts to the Moon. EM-1, the mission is question, is scheduled for late 2018. The plan is to put an uncrewed Orion capsule aboard the SLS and send the rocket and capsule around the Moon. The mission should last around three weeks.

Weve never tested the full SLS. And we likely wont until EM-1. Of course, every component of the rocket will be tested and re-tested before use. But the idea of putting a crew on top of a rocket weve never flown before, the most powerful rocket ever constructed by humans, is, quite frankly, mind boggling.

Not only that, but this puts extreme pressure on NASA to meet arbitrary political deadlines. While the Orion capsule has been flown in an unmanned test, the first manned test (EM-2) isnt scheduled until 2021. In fact, NASA was discussing shortening the EM-2 test flight because they wanted to fully test the life support systems on the craft.

This accelerated schedule is not only frustrating, its irresponsible and dangerous. We need to make sure the hardware is fully ready (and fully tested) before we put astronauts anywhere near it. And NASA has proven time and time again that a deadline-oriented launch schedule brings disastrous results. While NASA would never knowingly endanger the lives of astronauts, theres a culture at NASA that author Diane Vaughan called the normalization of deviance. This is when well-meaning people within an organization (in this case, NASA) push the limits on safetyand it works out. This limit becomes the new normal, until they push again. Eventually this normalization of deviance ends in disaster, as it did in both Challenger and Columbia.

In the case of Challenger, NASA had been warned that the O-rings, which were used as seals between fuel segments on the solid rocket boosters, would not hold at low temperatures. Yet they forged ahead because they had successfully launched at low temperatures previously.

For Columbia, foam insulation struck the thermal tiles that comprise the orbiters heat shield. But NASA had seen thermal tile damage on previous shuttle reentry, so they assumed it was safe. In both these examples, we had tried and tested spacecraft and rocketsthat wont be the case for Orion and SLS.



Photo courtesy of NASA

Every time normalization of deviance has come up in NASA culture, its because of a pressure to meet deadlines. Im not saying that, if it happens, this mission will end in disaster. But NASAs main goal is prioritizing the safety of the astronauts, first and foremost. They dont need politicians pressuring them to take shortcuts to make an arbitrary, and potentially unsafe, deadline.

Its possible that this directive might be the kick that the organization needs to streamline some of its bureaucracy and get us into space as quickly (but also as safely) as possible. But I fear for the shortcuts it might engender and what this directive means for the future. Since our much-lauded Moon Shot, we have been confined to low Earth orbit for four decades. Seeing NASA as means to a political end, demonstrating our American supremacy, might have had illustrious short-term results, but it stunted growth long-term. Lets not allow that to happen again.

Top photo courtesy of NASA

Swapna Krishna is a freelance writer, editor, and giant space/sci-fi geek.
Every year, at around this time, high school seniors are pressing their best shirt, getting a new pair of sensible shoes, and heading off to interview at their school of choice. Others, however, have spent the past few months preparing materials for an audition that is just as important as anything else in their application. Though the audition may only take two or three minutes, the pressure is palpable, and for students who felt they have prepared for years for the opportunity, it can be very stressful.

Thats why we sat down with Priscilla Lindsay, Professor and Chair at the University of Michigans Department of Theatre & Drama, who was kind enough to demystify the process for us, let us in on what goes into auditioning students for their prestigious BFA program, and give advice to young actors on how to make the most of their auditions.

Paste: Could you tell us a bit about the process of auditioning at Michigan specifically?

Lindsay: Well, prospective students who want to audition for the performance track at Michigan apply to the University of Michigan with the common app, and check that theyre interested in the performance track through the Department of Theatre & Drama within the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance. If theyre accepted by the School of Music, Theatre & Dance, that means their materials are in a row, their grade-point is what it needs to be, and so-forth. Then, their name comes to us and theyre scheduled for an audition, either in Ann Arborand they can list their preference for where theyd like to beor in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Several faculty members see the auditions in each city, and in Ann Arbor the entire performance faculty is present.

Paste: And, ultimately, how many prospective students are accepted into the program?

Lindsay: We want to end up with a class of twenty. In the past  Im talking five years ago  we accepted double the numbers we wanted; we would end up with about twenty. Thats no longer true. About three years ago, we took almost that many and we had twenty-seven students accept. Now, we basically accept  at least in the first go-round  about twenty-six, because weve found that most of those students come to the program.

Paste: What are the differences between a BA program, a conservatory, and a conservatory-style BFA program like Michigan?

Lindsay: A BA at another school, not Michigan, is going to be a very broad-based, general degree. You can obviously have an emphasis in acting, directing, probably playwriting, and so-forth, and have a chance to audition for plays. But youre going to get the broadest base of education across the university or school in terms of literature, sciences, and Im sure other arts. A BFA conservatory programwhich ours isis very similar to what Carnegie Mellon, NYU, Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, Emerson, Pace, a lot of the Big 10 schools too. Many of those schools, however, are a lot more conservative about the number of credits the students are allowed to take outside the core curriculum. Its a very concentrated, very focused curriculum. Our conservatory-style training programwe call it a conservatoryallows for 43 credits outside of the Performance Major. In fact, it not only allows but insists upon that. Our students should take advantage of what this school has to offer, because the faculty agrees that no matter what you take at this University its going to inform you as a person, as an artist, as a member of this department, and it will influence who you become for the rest of your life. Thats what we think we have to offer; a rigorous core curriculum for performance in the midst of a world-class University.

Paste: What are you looking for in actors and actresses that come to audition?

Lindsay: Were looking for intelligent, creative, young artists who already have a sense of self and who are able to take adjustments when we ask for them. Who are able to listen to what were asking for and respond to those suggestions. Were looking for young people who think on their feet. The ones who rise to the top, in my opinion, are the ones who take chances. They show a range of capabilities in terms of emotional maturity, and a little sense of style, perhaps. They have a sense of confidence about themselves. They know how to project their personality through the material they choose. And they actually have to have had some training ahead of timethats just the bottom line. Now, every once in awhile, we sense that a person although lacking traininghas a ton of potential, and then we assess that as well. Keeping in mind; this class of 20 has to move together through four years, and we dont have a cut system. We take the 20 that we take and we stick with them through all four years.

Paste: Jerald Schwiebert, who taught at Michigan for many years, was well known for reminding students to be brilliant at the things that take no talent. What do you feel those things are?

Lindsay: Absolutely. Absolutely, thats important. Its not something, though, that I can necessarily see in an audition.

Paste: Thats true.

Lindsay: Obviously I can tell if you dont know your lines. But I cant always ascertain whether a person has good work habits. I also cant always figure out if this person is totally committed to being an actor. Theyre doing it because of the fame and glory and the sexiness of it, but theyre not really thinking about it as a career. The reason I know that is because every year we have students who show up and about halfway through the first semester of their freshman year, theyre like deer in the headlights. They cant believe how hard it is, how much you have to buckle down, and how repetitive some of the work is. In a sense, theres a piece of learning how to act thats like playing the piano. It can be a lot of repetition with technique that just takes practice. Some people say, this is not what I thought. I cant always see that in an audition.

Paste: What are some things you see in auditions that deduct a few points automatically, that prospective students may not realize are a bad thing?

Lindsay: There really are not rules, but the thing that is a sure sign that somethings not right is if you dont open up and show us who you are. If youve learned something by rote, and youre repeating lines, and we dont see any emotional commitment on your part, thats not a good sign. Sometimes, we right down the real deal, when we know, we know this person has acting chops. Its obvious. Theres an electricity in the room, maybe a slight sense of danger. Theres something going on, and it has nothing to do with how sophisticated the person is, and honestly it has nothing to do with the choice of material. There has to be a sense of comfort within their own bodies, and a sense that they want to communicate. They want to share something. Thats exciting. We all sit up in our chairs and our spines start to tingle.

Paste: Speaking of the selection of piecesgenerally schools ask for some element of contrast. Either contrasting contemporary monologues, or a contemporary monologue and a contrasting classical monologue. But thats a phrase that can confuse some people who have never heard it before. What can you tell us about the idea of contrast in monologues, and what youre looking for in the pieces people bring in?

Lindsay: Contrasting is taken in the broadest sense. If youre not comfortable with a classical piecemeaning Shakespeare, Moliere, even up through Shaw, Ibsenif youre not comfortable in those genres? Sure, do two modern pieces, and the contrast should be in the attack, the emotional quality, and the difference between, say, a serious piece and a comic piece. You dont want to do the same character twice. Believe me, we see it all the time. Someone stops a piece, goes into the second one, and its the same person. Theyre not showing any range, a different attack. Theyre not showing me how these two characters think differently, or act differently, how they use different techniques and skills to get what they want. I want to see someone do two pieces that are age appropriate, show me two different people. I dont want to hear, in the choice of pieces, storytelling. I dont want to see two pieces where the auditioner says, yesterday, I went to the store. I went down the aisle and there was a can of tuna fish. I picked it up, and this woman bothered me. She said, blah-blah-blah. Thats a story. That doesnt show me how the character makes a decision, is grappling with some issue, is arguing with somebody, is working out a problem. The most important thing is to see how that actor thinks. Often, if we cant see that, but we still think theres something there, well give an adjustment. Well give them a problem to solve, and have them do the piece again. Thats to see if the actor can actually deal with an issue in the present tense and work something through. Give themselves an obstacle. Give themselves a problem to solve. Thats whats interesting about a piece.

Paste: Theres an 18-year-old kid. Theyre in the hallway, waiting to go in for their audition. The whole faculty will be behind those tables. If you could step out of the room and say one thing to that student before they go in, what would it be?

Lindsay: Id say, take a big old deep breath, and try to have some fun. Take a deep breath, and look upon this as your chance to figuratively shake hands with every one of us.
Victoria Police have confirmed that 5 people were on board the light plane that crashed into the Essendon DFO in Melbourne earlier this morning, and that none on board are expected to be found alive.

Premier Daniel Andrews addressed press a short time ago, describing the incident as a desperately sad day and the worst civil aviation accident seen in Victoria in some 30 years.

.@DanielAndrewsMP: Todays a desperately sad day. People have died as a result of the worst civil aviation accident in 30 years #essendon pic.twitter.com/GsW8UCZ47O  ABC News 24 (@ABCNews24) February 21, 2017

Authorities have now confirmed that the plane, a Beechcraft Super King Air B200, suffered catastrophic engine failure shortly after take off a little after 9:00am this morning. The plane attempted to circle back and land at Essendon Airport, but crashed into the side of the Essendon DFO shopping centre that borders on the Tullamarine Freeway. Its confirmed that the as-yet-unidentified pilot of the plane issued mayday calls prior to the plane going down.

The plane struck storage sections of Focus Furniture and JB Hi-Fi. Both stores were closed to customers at the time of the crash, and no staff were injured in the incident.

Fairfax Media reports that the company who owned and operated the charter plane was Corporate and Leisure Aviation, which is based at Essendon Airport.

The crash has sparked new questions about the safety of the airport, given how close the shopping centre is to runways. Daniel Andrews stated that, while he has no idea how long the airport will remain closed, that it remains a vital port for freight and charter operations in Victoria.

There are many thousands of passenger movements and also freight movements that come out of the Essendon Airport each and every year and its an important transport asset to our state. There will be some, and they are entitled to, who (will) want to have a discussion and a debate about how suitable Essendon Airport is.

Fire crews who attended the scene took 1.5 hours to extinguish the intense blaze, caused by the planes load of aviation fuel, that the crash sparked.

Investigators are now on the scene piecing together exactly what went so horribly wrong.

Photo: Michael Dodge/Getty.
While the rest of the world trembles in fear of Australias snakes and spiders; while we casually perpetrate the lie of their commonality from the comfort of our metropolitan homes; while we think of ourselves as tough shit because we allow a huntsman exists near us  we mostly forget about the *true* dangerous boy of Australian animals: the goanna.

Now in case you didnt know  *adopts extreme David Attenborough voice*  the humble goanna is a surprisingly dangerous creature, and it will fuck you up.

When spooked, goannas have been known to mistake humans for trees and attempt to climb to safety, thereby shredding the poor humans legs with their razor sharp claws. Their tails are hefty, and a good swing can knock over a small child. And while the jury is out as to whether or not goannas are venomous, their bites do tend to cause incessant bleeding.

So yeah. Bearing all that in mind, have a look at this absolute psychopath dragging a goanna out of a NSW winery.

Mimosa Wines uploaded the video to Facebook, praising the actions of French waitress Samia Lila, whom it has dubbed Goanna Girl.

I looked at it and thought it was a dog at first, Samia told Fairfax. But then I realised it was a goanna I wasnt scared, I like reptiles so was a bit excited.

And thats the fault of her boss, apparently. Owner Glenn Butson told the The Mercury that hed recently told Samia a story about dragging a trapped goanna out by the tail, so she just thought thats what Aussies do when a goanna comes inside.

Goanna Girl? More like goanna get fucked if that thing comes near me, hahahaha amirite guys?

Guys?

Photo: Mimosa Wines / Facebook.
Have you been a naughty person online? Maybe you downloaded a little something you shouldnt have once or twice? Maybe youre really bad and do it on the reg.

Well Aussie film distributor, Village Roadshow, has had enough of your shit and is now looking to sue individual content pirates. Thats you.

At the companys half-yearly financial results presentation to investors, they announced a five-point program for stopping piracy. Sounds ominous.

Along with the piss-weak blocking of popular torrenting websites like The Pirate Bay, they would also like to work with Google to make sure page rankings for piracy websites are demoted. They also want to ensure the availability of legal alternatives and push a major PR campaign to educate users.

During the presentation, Village Roadshow referenced the aforementioned site block as a roaring success, despite the extreme ease with which it can be circumvented. A total of 61 domain names have already been blocked by ISPs, with a further 40 websites in their targets.

But in the wake of the Dallas Buyers Club clusterfuck, its fair to say pirates have been undeterred.

For those with terrible memories, the makers of Dallas Buyers Club pursued nearly 5,000 Australians who had illegally downloaded the film with a dodgy scare-tactic called speculative invoicing.

The aim was to squeeze unfair amounts of compensation out of them with the threat of legal action, but the Federal Court saw this as wholly unrealistic and would only allow the company to recoup the cost of purchasing the film legally.

Dallas Buyers Club decided that it wasnt worth their effort and left it right there.

Knowing just how shitty this worked out for DBC, why the heckin frick would Village Roadshow want to do the same thing? Intellectual property lawyers reckon the publicity from the case will drive people away from the pirates life.

Theyll keep the monetary recovery amount low to get it through the courts, but the aim isnt cash, its to scare the living shit out of illegal pirates.

Will it work? Hard to say. Would you be scared if you received a letter demanding a semi-reasonable amount of money?

Either way, VPN stocks are looking pretty enticing right about now.

Source: News.com.au.

Photo: Motion Picture Association.
By India Today Web Desk: Salman Khan and Iulia Vantur's relationship is not purely personal now. The rumoured lovebirds have now collaborated on a professional level. Iulia, who was often seen with Salman during the shooting of Tubelight, has reportedly being roped in to record a special song for Kabir Khan's directorial venture.

The Romanian beauty, who recently released a single with Himesh Reshammiya, is all set to take Bollywood by storm with her new song. Her fluent Hindi accent has already got a thumbs up from many and Iulia is set to make her Bollywood singing debut with Tubelight.

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ALSO READ: Salman-Iulia can't stay apart for a minute, from dance rehearsals to parties

ALSO READ: All is well between Salman Khan and Iulia Vantur. Here's proof

According to a report in Mid-Day, Iulia's song is a part of the main soundtrack.

A source was quoted as telling the daily, "Her tone and pitch will enhance the heart-wrenching number. She is yet to record the final track. They (composers) are still fixing the final tune."

Interestingly, Iulia had earlier crooned the reprised version of Baby Ko Bass Pasand Hai from 2016 film Sultan. The song added to the hype around Sultan before the film's release. And now Salman is yet again helping her big time in making a singing career in Bollywood.

ALSO WATCH: Salman Khan and girlfriend Iulia Vantur in Leh

--- ENDS ---


Oregon Mom Invents Super-Grip-Lock, a Godsend, says Police By: Super Grip Lock LEBANON, Ore. - Feb. 21, 2017 - PRLog -- Oregon Mom Invents a Godsend!



Everyone has the right to know that bump keys are sold online. They open deadbolts and passage locks nearly as fast as a working key, putting everyone at risk. If you rent  or stay in a hotel/motel  passkeys and pass cards are misused every day  everywhere.



An Oregon mom working to solve this problem discovered if the deadbolt handle is held in the locked position it can't be unlocked by anyone. She invented a durable hook & loop fabric Strap called Super-Grip-Lock to do that job. It turns a deadbolt into a privacy lock that cannot be opened with any key. It works at home and in hotels and motels.



Police call it a Godsend. No tools are needed. Directions are on the product. Just attach and wrap as directed. So simple a child can use it, said Police Lt. Bryon.



Homeowners, renters, and travelers can instantly protect themselves against bump keys, passkeys or pass-cards by following the directions on the product.



The National Locksmith evaluating locks for the Lock Industry since 1929 reported: "There is an unlimited potential for customers. Even when using a working key and a pair of pliers, the key broke but the deadbolt remained locked." How great is that?



Lt. Bryon, 23-year police veteran, wrote the LEAA, a coalition of law-enforcement experts, "This Strap is a Godsend for the traveling public and those who live in rentals."



The International Association of Police Chiefs never endorses any product but they introduced Super-Grip-Lock to law enforcement in the Police Chief Magazine.



The Electronic Retail Association, which represents 450 companies in 45 nations, awarded Super-Grip-Lock "One of the Ten Most Marketable Products of the Year Award."



If you would like to protect yourself against bump keys, passkeys or pass-cards, it's easy. Super-Grip-Lock is one of a kind, industry tested and police endorsed. All information can be found on our Website at



Everyone has the right to know how to protect themselves and you have our permission to share any part of the information and photos attached or available on our website.



If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.



Thank you,



Ron Moore/SGL

Super Grip Lock.Com

548 50th Avenue

Sweet Home, OR 97386

Phone: 541-378-4533

Website:

Email:



Contact

attached

***@supergriplock.com attached End -- Oregon Mom Invents a Godsend!Everyone has the right to know that bump keys are sold online. They open deadbolts and passage locks nearly as fast as a working key, putting everyone at risk. If you rent  or stay in a hotel/motel  passkeys and pass cards are misused every day  everywhere.An Oregon mom working to solve this problem discovered if the deadbolt handle is held in the locked position it can't be unlocked by anyone. She invented a durable hook & loop fabric Strap called Super-Grip-Lock to do that job. It turns a deadbolt into a privacy lock that cannot be opened with any key. It works at home and in hotels and motels.Police call it a Godsend. No tools are needed. Directions are on the product. Just attach and wrap as directed. So simple a child can use it, said Police Lt. Bryon.Homeowners, renters, and travelers can instantly protect themselves against bump keys, passkeys or pass-cards by following the directions on the product.The National Locksmith evaluating locks for the Lock Industry since 1929 reported: "There is an unlimited potential for customers. Even when using a working key and a pair of pliers, the key broke but the deadbolt remained locked." How great is that?Lt. Bryon, 23-year police veteran, wrote the LEAA, a coalition of law-enforcement experts, "This Strap is a Godsend for the traveling public and those who live in rentals."The International Association of Police Chiefs never endorses any product but they introduced Super-Grip-Lock to law enforcement in the Police Chief Magazine.The Electronic Retail Association, which represents 450 companies in 45 nations, awarded Super-Grip-Lock "One of the Ten Most Marketable Products of the Year Award."If you would like to protect yourself against bump keys, passkeys or pass-cards, it's easy. Super-Grip-Lock is one of a kind, industry tested and police endorsed. All information can be found on our Website at www.supergriplock.com Everyone has the right to know how to protect themselves and you have our permission to share any part of the information and photos attached or available on our website.If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.Thank you,Ron Moore/SGLSuper Grip Lock.Com548 50AvenueSweet Home, OR 97386Phone: 541-378-4533Website: www.supergriplock.com Email: ron.moore@supergriplock.com Email : ***@supergriplock.com Tags : Deadbolt Strap, Portable Travel Lock Industry : Marketing , Media , Television Location : Lebanon - Oregon - United States Subject : Products Account Phone Number Disclaimer Report Abuse Account Email AddressAccount Phone Number


Contact

IONICA MOLDOVIANU - FASHION DESIGNER

***@ionicamoldovianu.com IONICA MOLDOVIANU - FASHION DESIGNER

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-- ORANGE COUNTY-based Luxury Fashion Designer Ionica Moldovianu brings her FALL/WINTER 2017 "Sophisticated woman" collection to the runway.Known for her sophisticated and elegant style, celebrity fashion designer Ionica Moldovianu will showcase her Fall/Winter 2017 collection at the OC Fashion Week on Tuesday, March 7, 2017, at the Orange County Art Museum in Newport Beach, California. The Romanian-born designer is set to dazzle the audience with her timeless, elegant, and classic designs.The Newport Coast-based designer known for pushing the envelope onsophistication in women's fashion had an inspiration to redefine how womenwere styled; she felt compelled to recreate a sophisticated woman whosethought-provoking poise could be coupled with powerful, femininesophistication and elegance.On a mission to empower women with her designs while making the world abetter place at the same time, Ionica states:Ionica Moldovianu draws inspiration from life, people, nature and travels. Her style is classic and timelessThe Orange Country Fashion Week will be held on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 at7:45 PM (PDT) at the Orange Country Art Museum, 850 San Clemente Dr,Newport Beach, CA 92660. For tickets and more information about theOrange Country Fashion Week show, go to eventbrite.com/ ocfashionweek Ionica Moldovianu is a Fashion designer, Model, and Founder at IONICA. Born and raised in Galati, Romania, and having lived in England for over a decade, hence the European touch in her designs. Her love for fashion was kindled at a very young age. Ionica is also passionate about helping others and a proud Ambassador for various charities. Her biggest dream and ambition as a successful fashion designer and entrepreneur is to make a difference in the world and help those in need.OC Fashion Week, known for its California luxury retail market, is a global organization dedicated to international fashion trade and commerce. OCFW's advocacy program is dedicated to supporting designers. OC Fashion Week's platform is produced bi-annually to offer fashion designers West Coast diversity exposure to some of the world's leading retail buyers and luxury apparel purveyors that not only live in OC, but attract their global counterparts who frequently do business on the California Riviera.Contact detailsIonica MoldovianuFashion DesignerPRGalvin PRWebsiteInstagram.com/ionicaofficial, Facebook, Twitter @ionicaofficial
Studio 15 Joins The Resistance With A New Line Of Warrior Wear

Contact

Jia Wertz

***@studio15nyc.com Jia Wertz

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-- Studio 15 (http://www.shopstudio15.com), an online destination known for fashion-forward and free-thinking apparel, launches their The Future Is Female Collection (http://www.shopstudio15.com/boutique/future-is-female) on (Not My) President's Day to speak up against the recent actions of the Trump administration.There was a time when companies sought to protect their brands and market share by projecting neutrality on matters of politics and social justice. However, with the ascendence of the Trump administration and its anti-women, immigrant, and Muslim vitriol, Studio 15 believes that time has passed.Studio 15's founder and CEO Jia Wertz is herself an immigrant and daughter of a Muslim family. Born to a Pakistani mother and Indian father in Libya, Jia and her family immigrated to Canada and became citizens. Jia later migrated to the United States where, like so many immigrants before her, including some of America's most successful business people, she pursued her dream of running her own company."I think this is a moment in our history where at some point we will each have to account for where we stood and what we did as the the founding principles of this country where challenged. I want to be on the right side of history both professionally and personally and that will be reflected in our company" explains Jia Wertz, Studio 15's founder and CEO.Of course, as with all things political in a divided nation, there is a risk of alienating potential customers that is not lost on Jia but does not dissuade her or Studio 15 from entering the fray. "For me, its also personal. If Trump's travel ban were to take effect, there is a chance that my parents couldn't come visit me. Plus, we are a female-founded company that strives to serve strong, dynamic women here and abroad through our philanthropic partnerships. It would be a betrayal to ourselves and our customers if we stayed silent."This limited edition collection features three styles to choose from giving women the option of wearing the one that best represents their viewpoints. The t-shirts spread awareness and support a good cause; 5% of all proceeds are donated to Kleos Microfinance Group ( http://www.kleosmfg.org ), a non-profit organization that helps female entrepreneurs in developing countries fund their own small businesses.The Future Is Female T-Shirt Collection ($40.00 U.S.) Limited Edition:PinkTaupeBlackStudio 15 ( http://www.shopstudio15.com ), a socially responsible women's fashion brand that provides stylish millennial women with on-trend, high-quality fashion that won't break the bank.The fashion brand focuses on doing good and supporting women and as a result has funded more than 30 successful ventures for female entrepreneurs in Africa through a strategic partnership with non-profit organization Kleos Microfinance Group (http://www.kleosmfg.org). As a reflection of their commitment to philanthropy, Studio 15 contributes 5% of all sales to female founders so they too, can start their own businesses.The Future Is Female Collection: http://www.shopstudio15.com/boutique/future-is-femalePhotos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/y0zh64khs2ixlar/AADUUGvIJ6RAS-NtNNZ7wOTea?dl=0Follow Studio 15's story at: www.instagram.com/studio15nyc
Author Lisa Minardi will be available to sign copies of book

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--Located in the scenic Perkiomen Valley, the adjacent boroughs of Trappe and Collegeville have a rich and fascinating history. Trappe was founded in 1717 by German immigrant Jacob Schrack Sr., who ran a tavern known as the Trap, after which the village was named. Its most famous early residents were Lutheran patriarch Henry Melchior Muhlenberg and his sons Peter, a Revolutionary War general, and Frederick, first speaker of the US House of Representatives. Collegeville, initially known as Freeland, developed primarily in the 1800s following the completion of the Perkiomen Bridge in 1799. It was named after several early colleges, including Freeland Seminary, established in 1848, and the Pennsylvania Female College, established in 1851. These institutions were succeeded by Ursinus College in 1869. A pioneer in women's education, Ursinus became coeducational in 1880. Trappe and Collegeville were formally incorporated as separate boroughs in 1896.Lisa Minardi, 33, is a native of Montgomery County, Pa. Her keen interest in local history was piqued at an early age by attending a colonial crafts day camp at the Peter Wentz Farmstead in Worcester, Pa. In 2003 she became involved with efforts to save the historic home of Frederick Muhlenberg, now known as The Speaker's House, in Trappe, Pa. That led to her ongoing study of the Muhlenberg family and the area of Trappe and Collegevillethe subject of this new book. Minardi is delighted to present this book to Trappe and Collegeville residentspast, present, and futureon the occasion of Trappe's 300th anniversary. She hopes that this work will inspire the preservation of Trappe and Collegeville's unique heritage and architecture for another 300 years and beyond.Barnes & Noble2300 Chemical RoadPlymouth Meeting, PA 19462Saturday, March 4th, 2017 at 1:00 p.m.Available at area bookstores, independent retailers, and online retailers, or through Arcadia Publishing at (888)-313-2665 or online.The combination of Arcadia Publishing & The History Press creates the largest and most comprehensive publisher of local and regional content in the USA. By empowering local history and culture enthusiasts to write local stories for local audiences, we create exceptional books that are relevant on a local and personal level, enrich lives, and bring readers closer - to their community, their neighbors, and their past. Have we done a book on your town? Visit www.arcadiapublishing.com
Global packaged coconut water market to grow at a CAGR close to 21%

Coconut-Water- Market- Research- Report

Contact

Beige Market Intelligence

***@beigemarketintelligence.com Beige Market Intelligence

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-- The recent report released at Beige Market Intelligence with title "Global Packaged Coconut Water Market  Strategic Assessment and Forecast 2017-2022" provides the in-depth analysis of the worldwide packaged coconut water market.View Report:http://www.beigemarketintelligence.com/reports/research-report-consumer-and-retail-market/coconut-water-market/This market research report includes a detailed market segmentation of the market byBy Packaging Type Paper and Paper Board Metal PlasticBy Product Type Sweetened UnsweetenedBy Variant Plain FlavouredBy Distribution Channels Hypermarket and Supermarket Convenience Store Specialty Stores OtherBy Geography APAC EMEA North America Latin AmericaBy Country Brazil Canada China Europe Indonesia MEA Mexico Other Countries in (APAC) USRequest a free sample: http://www.beigemarketintelligence.com/ contactus/request- ... Analysts at Beige Market Intelligence estimate the global packaged coconut water market to cross US$ 5 billion by 2021, growing at a CAGR close to 21%. The packaged coconut water market is set to increase in terms of both volume and revenue. Coconut water market has witnessed tremendous growth over the past 5 years with the consumption volume growing manifold in various geographies.Coconut water is usually packed in three major modes; metal cans, Tetra Pak and plastic bottles. Each packaging mode has its own set of advantages and disadvantages and are usually suitable for a particular variant or a geography. A clear description of the various packaging types and materials is provided in the packaged coconut water market research report. The share of plastic, paper and paperboard in packaging of coconut water is set to grow and outperform that of metal over the forecast period.The Sales Of Flavoured Packaged Coconut Water Is Estimated To Excel During The Forecast PeriodPackaged Coconut water is majorly available in two variants in the market; sweetened and unsweetened. Sweetened variants constituted more than half of the packaged coconut water market in terms of volume in 2016 while the remaining is unsweetened or negligibly sweetened.Packaged plain coconut water stands to be the closest alternative to tender coconut water as the nutrient value almost remains the same. With increased growth and entry of players into coconut water market. The sales of flavoured packaged coconut water is estimated to excel during the forecast period.Demand for coconut water has become a great craze, especially in certain developed markets, owning to its multiple health benefits. Coconut water, on account of containing lower calories than juices while offering better health benefits is being preferred by health-conscious urbane audience.Global consumption of coconut water has jumped by as much as 40% over the period 2013 to 2016 driven by a rapidly growing consumer demand for healthier substitutes to carbonated drinks. This trend expected to remain the same going forward driven by a rise in availability of the product and a growing health awareness among consumers worldwide. Radically Changing urbanization and change in food consumption habits is one of the major factor driving the demand of coconut water. Growing health awareness among consumers both in the developing markets and developed economies thereby is catalysing the packaged coconut water market as it is considered as an healthier alternative compared to other carbonated beverages. Packaged coconut water is well positioned to capitalize upon the trend of increasing temperatures on account of its strong association of being 'natural' with minimal processing and perceived relative health benefits over traditional carbonated drinks.APAC Region Is Expected To Hold A Significant Position In The Consumption Of Coconut Water By 2022The report includes the market analysis of packaged coconut water market in different regions such as North America, APAC, EMEA and Latin America. The report outlines the major market share holder and the market size analysis of all the regions and provides the market size and forecast of key countries.In developing countries, such as India, China and Indonesia that host one-third of the world's population, both the coconut production and consumption are significantly high. Eight out of the top ten coconut producing countries in the world are in APAC. The region is a clear market leader when it comes to the production of coconut. Also The APAC region is expected to hold a significant position in the consumption of coconut water by 2022, which is close to 680 million litres.US To Be The Market Leader When It Comes To The Consumption Size Of The Packaged Coconut Water In North America RegionThere has been an increased interest for packaged coconut water especially in UK, Germany and Italy. Africa on the other hand represents a small consumption market for the product is a large potential supplier of tender coconuts on account of vast land resources and availability of agrarian-dependent workforce. US remains the undisputed market leader when it comes to the consumption size of the packaged coconut water in North America region.Market Is Set To Expect The Entry Of Major FMCG CompaniesThis market research report profiles the major companies in the packaged coconut water market and also provides the competitive landscape of key players. Within the report covers the entire packaged coconut water market outlook regarding the value chain operating within the market. Market is set to expect the entry of major FMCG companies and big retailers looking forward to launch coconut water on their own labels; Majors such as PepsiCo, Coca Cola and Vita Coco are expected to commit investments to the tune of $1 billion over the forecast period. Major vendors included in the report are Amy and Brian Naturals Coca-Cola Green COCO PepsiCo Vita-CocoOther vendors mentioned in the report are C2O, C-Coconut Water, CHI, COCO Libre, Cocojal, DuCOCO, FOCO, H2 COCO, INVO, Taste Nirvana.
Languages are the most powerful instruments of preserving and developing our tangible and intangible heritage. Language is the armory of the human mind, and at once contains the trophies of its past and the weapons of its future conquests.

Contact

Mrs Booma Natarajan, Principal

***@yahoo.co.in

91-1596-242314 Mrs Booma Natarajan, Principal91-1596-242314

End

-- It is known that we dissect nature along lines laid down by our native language and that language is not simply a reporting device for experience but a defining framework for it. No one has any doubt that language shapes the way we think, and determines what we can think about. Many people are alarmed when a plant or animal species become extinct. A language dying hits even closer to us for it means a unique creation of human beings is gone from the world.International Mother Language Day has been observed every year since February 2000 to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism. The date 21 February represents the day in 1952 when students demonstrating for recognition of their language, Bangla, as one of the two national languages of the then Pakistan, were shot and killed by police in Dhaka, the capital of what is now Bangladesh.The theme for 2017 is "Towards Sustainable Futures through Multilingual Education". All moves to promote the dissemination of mother tongues will serve not only to encourage linguistic diversity and multilingual education but also to develop fuller awareness of linguistic and cultural traditions throughout the world and to inspire solidarity based on understanding, tolerance and dialogue.India is one of unique countries in the world that has the legacy of diversity of languages. Multilingualism is the way of life in India as people in different parts of the country speak more than one language from their birth and learns additional languages during their life time. In 1991 the Census of India listed 1576 mother tongues' with separate grammatical structures and 1796 speech varieties that is classified as other mother tongues'.The twenty two languages that are recognized and included in the Eighth Schedule of the constitution are: Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri,Gujarati, Hindi, Kashmiri, Kannada, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu. Three languages, Sanskrit, Tamil and Kannada have been recognized as classical language with special status and recognition by Government of India. The classical languages have written and oral history of more than 1000 years. In addition to these scheduled and classical languages, the Constitution of India has included the clause to protect minority languages as a fundamental right.To foster sustainable development, learners must have access to education in their mother tongue and in other languages. It is through the mastery of the first language or mother tongue that the basic skills of reading, writing and numeracy are acquired. Local languages, especially minority and indigenous, transmit cultures, values and traditional knowledge, thus playing an important role in promoting sustainable futures. The Constitution of India also protects the interest of children to get basic education in their mother tongue.Right from its inception, Smt Jamuna Mishra Academy  JMA Pilani has embarked on a rich tradition of celebrating various days of national and international significance. The school which is one among the top ranking schools in Pilani, on 21 Feb 2017 during the assembly had a talk by Principal Mrs Booma Natarajan who shared the significance of the day including the message from UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova. There was a thunderous applause when various students came forward to demonstrate their ability to speak in Punjabi, Gujarati etc even though their mother languages were different.For more details about JMA Pilani see http://jmapilani.org About JMA Pilani: Smt. Jamuna Mishra Academy (JMA) established in the year 2004 which has been making rapid strides in early childhood education is presently one of the most sought after schools at Pilani considered as Oasis in the desert state of Rajasthan well known in India today for one among top in world ranking BITS Pilani University as well as CSIR Laboratory CEERI and globally renowned Birla Science Museum. JMA Pilani is a Co-educational English Medium School with Experienced Teachers, Spacious Classrooms and Modern Amenities designed to impart Quality Education combined with All Round Personality Development and lay the Best Foundation for the Child's Future. JMA which started in 2004 with an enrollment of 60 students for the Nursery, LKG, First Junior and Class I has grown today till Class XII and enrollment of 900. While the school admits both boys and girls, the girl student enrollment has been steadily rising every year and is presently nearly 50% of the total strength. The school has boys NCC, girls band which has been winning laurels every year too. Yoga and Fine arts are not just part of school routine but a way of life for the students.
By: USOH

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-- Hindus are urging all the 21 counties in New Jersey to offer free yoga classes, on the same pattern as being offered by the Union County.Union County is presenting a free yoga event titled "Empowering Union County Women" on March third evening to celebrate "Women's History Month". Open to all, this yoga-meditation event is about three-hours long at 19th century Masker's Barn on Hollow Road in Deserted Village. "It is an excellent opportunity to recharge after a long and difficult winter", says Bruce H. Bergen, Chairman of the Board of Chosen Freeholders of Union County.Calling it a step in the positive direction, Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, commended Union County for coming forward with this initiative and providing an opportunity to its residents to avail the multiple benefits yoga offered.Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, urged New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to work with various county boards and city councils in the state for offering free yoga classes to the residents, thus incorporating highly beneficial yoga in the lives of New Jerseyans.Yoga, referred as "a living fossil", was a mental and physical discipline, for everybody to share and benefit from, whose traces went back to around 2,000 BCE to Indus Valley civilization, Rajan Zed pointed out.Zed further said that yoga, although introduced and nourished by Hinduism, was a world heritage and liberation powerhouse to be utilized by all. According to Patanjali who codified it in, yoga was a methodical effort to attain perfection, through the control of the different elements of human nature, physical and psychical.According to US National Institutes of Health, yoga may help one to feel more relaxed, be more flexible, improve posture, breathe deeply, and get rid of stress. According to a "2016 Yoga in America Study", about 37 million Americans (which included many celebrities)now practice yoga; and yoga is strongly correlated with having a positive self image. Yoga was the repository of something basic in the human soul and psyche, Rajan Zed added.Union County, founded in 1857 and whose tagline is "We're Connected to You!", has reportedly one of the highest property taxes among US counties. Headquartered in Elizabeth, it has created a unique "Office on Women" to "enable them to reach their full potential". Corporate headquarters of global healthcare company Merck is located in the County. Alfred Faella is County Manager and Nicole DeAugustine will be the yoga instructor.
 New setup showcases Meats & Poultry, Beverages, Pulses, Grains & Cereals and World Food  2017 edition expected to surpass last year's USD 729 million business volume

By: Orient Planet PR & Marketing Communications

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-- UAE, February 21, 2017  Brazilian companies are set to showcase their comprehensive range of quality products at the upcoming Gulfood, one of the largest annual food exhibitions taking place from February 26 to March 2, 2017 at the Dubai World Trade Center. The Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce will also have a stand spanning 33 square meters. The participation is heavily supported by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which connected with and encouraged trade promotion sectors of 13 embassies representing countries in the Middle East and North Africa to invite buyers from their nations to visit the Brazilian companies at the fair.A total of 87 Brazilian companies will be participating this year and it has been forecasted that the 2017 edition will surpass business volumes generated for local companies last year, which reached USD 729 million. In addition, this year's edition will be featuring an exciting new set-up as for the first time ever, Gulfood will not be organized by national pavilions but rather by dedicated halls representing eight of the biggest commodity trading sectors. The Brazilian companies will exhibit in the Meat & Poultry (34 companies), Beverages (07), Pulses, Grains & Cereals (8) and World Food (38), halls with the latter to feature various products.Dr. Michael Alaby, CEO, ABCC, said: "We are happy to see the wide range of companies that is set to participate in the upcoming edition of Gulfood. In the past, we have always received strong feedback with regards to Brazilian exhibitors and we believe that the significant number of participants will provide visitors with a better opportunity to sample the country's most notable products. We are also excited to see the effect the new layout will have on the event's footfall. We believe that sectors such as meats will greatly benefit from having dedicated spaces as many buyers are aware of the premium quality meats being offered by Brazil and can survey the wide options available within the hall. In line with this, the meats hall will be featuring a customary tasting place for buyers to sample the delectable selection of beef and poultry from Brazil. A specialty chef will also be there to present delicious and mouthwatering appetizers prepared with traditional Brazilian ingredients to be served at the World Food hall."Brazil and the Arab World continue to maintain strong ties as shown by data on their trade level for 2016. For that period, Brazilian exports of foodstuff amounted to USD 8,604.61 billion, with Saudi Arabia ranking first at USD 2,079.92 billion or 24.17 per cent, followed by Egypt with USD 1,361 billion at 15.82 per cent and the United Arab Emirates with USD 1,321.73 billion at 15.36 per cent. Of the total exports, sugar ranked first with the highest amount and percentage with USD 3,640 billion at 42.30 per cent of the overall, followed by Meat at USD 3,518.58 million at 40.89 per cent. Cereals ranked third at USD 527.35 million at 6.13 per cent.Brazilian exports also extend to include Machinery which amounted to USD 183.17 million. In this sector, Egypt ranks first with USD 49.67 million or 27.12 per cent of the overall share, followed by Saudi Arabia at USD 28.30 million or 15.45 per cent of the total share, and lastly, the United Arab Emirates at third at USD 23.29 million or 12.71 per cent.
Loway Switzerland, worldwide leading provider of solutions for call-centers, celebrates the Release Anniversary of QueueMetrics-Live with a limited time promotion.

Contact

Loway

***@loway.ch Loway

End

-- Loway Switzerland celebrates the Release Anniversary of QueueMetrics-Live with a limited time promotion.Each new customer buying a subscription of QueueMetrics-Live receives one month bonus with 30 day money back guaranteed, plus a free installation and initial configuration of the system.QueueMetrics-Live is a cloud solution that offers all the functionality an Asterisk based contact-center is likely to need, integrated on-demand.It tracks over 150 metrics of inbound/outbound activities without upfront expenses for the deployment.A company can choose the service required and pay only for what is needed, included:- Support up to 50 agents, unlimited queues and campaigns- Compatibility with any Asterisk distro and configuration- Single and multiple reporting for queues and campaigns- Weekly activity breakdown in days or hours- Business targets measurement against SLAs- Staff performance analysis on ACD and non-ACD activities- Customizable QA forms for live call grading- Real-time Wallboard- Agent screens via VNC screen-sharing server- Restricted Visitor mode for external inspectionand much more.The main advantage of QueueMetrics SaaS solution is that operations can be easily scaled up or down by taking online resources following only the call-center neeeds. The customer will access the service via secure SSL connection and the developer does all the maintenance, updates and nightly backups, freeing the customers' time and resources for other tasks.QueueMetrics-Live home page: https://www.queuemetrics- live.com/ About LowaySince 2004, Loway develops complete, reliable and customizable call center software solutions for the Asterisk PBX.Their distinguished QueueMetrics set up modern standards in performance measurement and reporting for call centers based on Asterisk technology. WombatDialer is a flexible, easy to use predictive dialing platform and a perfect complement to QueueMetrics.
The new guidelines put in place by the Jammu and Kashmir government would be effective from April 1.

By Shuja-ul-Haq : The Jammu and Kashmir government has ordered a number of restrictions on weddings and other functions in the state in a bid to curb the misuse of resources.

The measures have been announced so that the food wastage at social, government and private gatherings, especially weddings are prevented. "There shall be complete ban on sending dry fruits, sweet packets extra with invitation cards by any person to relatives, friends, guests, invitees etc," read a statement issued on Tuesday.

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The government order will in a way ensure that there are no more fat weddings in the state.

Fat weddings and the extra expenses have been a major cause of concern for the people of the state off late. Many people have been complaining that such weddings were creating a bad precedent.

As per the new order, the number of guests to be invited on marriage of daughter (barat), marriage of son and small functions like engagement of son or daughter and other small functions should be restricted to a maximum of 500, 400 and 100 respectively.

Also read: No shutdown on Shivratri festival in Kashmir; separatists call off strike

"The number of non-veg, veg dishes to be cooked in such functions should be restricted to a maximum of seven each and two stalls of sweets and fruits," read the order.

Kashmir is specifically known for the kind of weddings that are organised where the dishes served can go to beyond 20 at times. Most of the times the food is prepared in such a quantity that a lot of it is wasted.

The government in it order has also banned the use of loudspeakers and firecrackers in any government/private social functions.

The new guidelines put in place by the government would be effective from April 1.

Also read: Shattering gender stereotypes: Here comes West Bengal's first legally married transgender bride

--- ENDS ---
By: V3CUBE

Contact

V3CUBE

***@v3cube.com

858-427-0668 V3CUBE858-427-0668

End

-- Iran and other Middle-eastern countries are all set to welcome the Uber app clone in Persian language. This amazing and unique app is being launched by none other than V3CUBE Technolabs LLB, who has already launched this on-demand taxi clone in RTLlanguages like Farsi, Urdu and Hebrew. The success of this app in these languages created a demand for a similar app in Persian, hence the launch of Uber taxi clone for Iran.People who are in the on demand industry are already familiar with the name of V3CUBE. They are very widely known for their share-economy apps like ride sharing, Uber, Uber for X and other such apps that have made their mark in the entrepreneurial world. Their products have successfully been launched in several countries all over the globe and all the entrepreneurs have nothing but praise for the company and its products.V3CUBE is a company that was set up in with a view to make a difference in the mobile technology world. However, the share economy held great appeal to the team and that is when they decided to venture in carpooling and other similar apps. Having worked on over 1200 projects already, their expertise and knowledge is second to none. Designing the Uber taxi clone for Iran was a challenge that they have overcome successfully.The Uber app clone in Persian languagecomes in a set of three for that perfectly synchronized riding experience the driver app, the passenger app and an admin panel. The app is fully automated enabling the whole application to work effortlessly from the time a rider first registers and looks for a ride to completion of the ride and subsequently automated payment. The whole process is just by tapping on the app. In direct competition with the original app, this app has features that are bigger and better, thus making it a favourite for all software companies who are looking to sell it to their end clients, taxi companies and budding entrepreneurs who wish to start their own taxi business.The V3CUBE team handles all the nitty gritty, including configuring, setting up and launching the app. The amazing thing about this app is that it can launched from anywhere in the world and V3CUBE will do just that, that too in just three days. After the launch, they will make sure that there are no initial hiccups and will ensure their support in the initial days till you are confidently running the business. They will brand the app in your name, make any changes and customization that you require and also change the product in the language and currency of your choice, so that you get that perfect package.To check out that seamless synchronization and the perfectly smooth operation of the Uber app clone in Persian language, visit http://www.v3cube.com/ uber-app-clone- in-persian-language.php Their Uber app clone is not limited to the taxi industry only. It can be customized to any on demand service of your choice.Check out their on demand product portfolio and take your pick. If what you require is not there, all you need to do is contact them and discuss your needs and they will design your app and bring it to life. V3CUBE design their products with a passion and this is evident in all their products like food sharing clone, ride sharing clone and other share economy products.For a full list of their services, and their portfolio visit http://www.v3cube.com and check out how each product is a work of pure passion and professionalism.
Contact

Brooke Slezak

***@brookeslezak.com Brooke Slezak

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-- World Bicycle Relief is pleased to announce the hiring of Allison Dufosee in the role of Chief Executive of World Bicycle Relief UK.In her role, Ms. Dufosee will develop and drive forward an ambitious strategic plan for World Bicycle Relief UK and work closely with the Development Director and Trustees to further enhance fundraising for the non-profit. She will also focus on forging closer relationships and strategic partnerships with a range of NGOs in the international development sector and developing partnerships with corporations that will benefit World Bicycle Relief. She will report to Dave Neiswander, President of World Bicycle Relief, who is based in the United States."We are pleased to have Allison Dufosee join our team. She brings with her a stellar track record of fundraising in the UK and we look forward to capitalizing on her experience, passion and leadership skills to help steward new growth for World Bicycle Relief in the UK," said Mr. Neiswander."The work of World Bicycle Relief is changing lives in the developing world. In regions where distance is a barrier, high quality bicycles are connecting individuals with education, health care and markets and improving social and economic outcomes," said Ms. Dufosee, "I passionately believe in World Bicycle Relief's mission and look forward to making a greater impact by growing World Bicycle Relief in the UK"Ms. Dufosee joined World Bicycle Relief on January 23, 2017. Her previous position was Director at ITS Fundraising Ltd where her clients included HMS VICTORY, Royal Navy & Royal Marines Charity, Salisbury Plain Heritage Centre and the National Museum of the Royal Navy. While Director at ITS Fundraising Ltd, Ms. Dufosee raised over 10m through various appeals for the National Museum of the Royal Navy.Prior to her role at ITS Fundraising, Ltd, Ms. Dufosee was Director of Fundraising, Marketing & Communications at the National Museum of the Royal Navy.World Bicycle Relief is a global non-profit that designs and distributes high-quality, purpose built bicycles to students, entrepreneurs and health care workers in the developing world. With the increased efficiency and productivity that a bicycle provides, individuals are able to accomplish much more every day; students stay in school, health care workers visit more patients and entrepreneurs increase profits. World Bicycle Relief is dedicated to helping individuals overcome the barrier of distance through The Power of Bicycles.Founded in 2005, World Bicycle Relief mobilizes people through The Power of Bicycles. World Bicycle Relief accomplishes its mission by distributing specially designed, high quality bicycles through philanthropic and social enterprise programs. These purpose designed bicycles are built to withstand the challenging terrain and conditions in rural, developing areas. Entrepreneurs use the bicycles to increase productivity and profits. Students attend class more regularly and improve their academic performances. And, health care workers visit more patients in less time, providing better, more consistent care. World Bicycle Relief also promotes local economies and long-term sustainability by assembling bicycles locally and training field mechanics to service the bicycles. To date, World Bicycle Relief has delivered over 330,000 bicycles and trained over 1,200 field mechanics in Africa, Southeast Asia and South America. World Bicycle Relief is a registered nonprofit in the USA, Canada, U.K., Germany and Australia, and has assembly facilities in Kenya, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi and Angola.For more information, please visit: http://worldbicyclerelief.org Follow us @PowerOfBicycles and in the UK @UK_WBR ( https://twitter.com/ uk_wbr and Like us at facebook.com/worldbicyclereliefBrooke Slezakbrooke@brookeslezak.compress@worldbicyclerelief.orgMobile: 917.689.6024Stephen Cromwellscromwell@worldbicyclerelief.orgMobile: 07758.952.899
Empowered Flower Girl - in partnership with the Skyline Club - is celebrating sisterhood and exploring what it takes to raise and support POWERful girls in the 21st century

EmPOWERing 21st Century Girls

Contact

Rasheda Kamaria Williams

***@gmail.com Rasheda Kamaria Williams

End

-- From cyberbullying to societal pressure, 21st century girls are coping with the pangs adolescence both on and offline. But because of technological advances, they also have unlimited resources and opportunities to live powerfully.On Thursday, March 9 (during Women's History Month), Empowered Flower Girl - in partnership with the Skyline Club's Emerging Leaders - will host "EmPOWERing 21st Century Girls."The event aims to bridge the gap between 20th and 21st century women and girls while encouraging sisterhood and empathy. Participants will engage in inter-generational activities as well as learn about local organizations and programs supporting girls' positive development. The event features a panel discussion, author meet and greet, appetizers and door prizes.Rasheda Kamaria Williams, Empowered Flower Girl founder and author of "Be EmPOWERed: How to Live Above & Beyond Life's Drama," will sign copies of her new guidebook for girls and representatives from Lips & Hips will showcase their line of vegan lip glosses for teens."The ultimate goal of this event is to boost understanding and empathy across generations while combating behaviors and norms that lead to drama, relational aggression and other challenges young women face," Rasheda said.EmPOWERing 21st Century Girls will be held at the Skyline Club, 2000 Town Center (28th floor) in Southfield, Michigan. Girls 11 and older and their parents, guardians or other adult chaperones are encouraged to attend. Admission is $10 per couple.RSVP is required. Call the Skyline Club at 248-350-9898. Learn more about Empowered Flower Girl at http://empoweredflowergirl.com/
Contact

Jennifer Stevenson

***@bmmglass.com Jennifer Stevenson

End

-- Theat Bergstrom-Mahler Museum of Glass will open on Saturday, March 4to showcase talented young area artists and celebrate national Youth Art Month. An opening reception and award ceremony will be held Saturday, March 4 from 2-4pm, with awards and remarks at 3pm.The museum offered schools an opportunity to bring students to the museum to work in The Glass Studio with artists, Sara Rezin, Beth Wenger Johnstone, Jed Schleisner, Tom Galbraith and Meghan Wagner. Over the past several weeks 242 students from 16 area schools created work for the exhibition including: Appleton West, Berlin, Chilton, Freedom, Menasha, Neenah, New London, Omro, Oshkosh North, Oshkosh West, Renaissance, St. Mary Catholic, Seymour, Stockbridge, Valders, and Xavier.Throughout the months of January and February, students worked in the glass studio creating objects using flame working techniques to make beads and Borosilicate glass to create detailed sculptures. As students worked with neon artist, Jed Schleisner, they bent glass tubing over a torch to create a lighted sculpture filled with Krypton and Neon.Students experimented with a variety of fused glass methods including open weave fusing, reactive glass techniques, whereby specific glasses are layered on top of one another to create color reactions with the metals in the different glass layers. Students also included copper foil and wire in their creations. The majority of the works exhibited were created during these workshops. Additional artwork created at the schools will also be on display.Visit http://bmmglass.com/ exhibits/future/ for more information.The museum would like to thank the following exhibition sponsors: North Star Asset Management, BelGioioso Cheese, Dr. John and Helen Williams, and the Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the state of Wisconsin and The National Endowment for the Arts.
Carmel based renovation and remodeling specialist recognized by customers for excellent service

Contact

Libby Spencer

Legacy Window and Door

***@legacywindowanddoor.com Libby SpencerLegacy Window and Door

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-- Angie's List, the Indiana based local services marketplace and consumer review site, continues to recognize the exemplary customer service provided by Carmel based LEGACY Window and Door.This achievement is particularly significant as Angie's List experienced unprecedented member growth in 2016. More than 1.6 million consumers, many of whom were eager to quickly hire highly qualified service pros, joined Angie's List after the company added a new, free membership tier."Companies that can meet higher demands without missing a beat in their exemplary performance standards truly do stand apart from their peers," said Angie's List Founder Angie Hicks. "Only a fraction of the window and door companies in the Indianapolis market were able to do it."Angie's List Super Service Award 2016 winners have met strict eligibility requirements, which include an "A" rating in overall grade, recent grade, and review period grade. The SSA winners must also be in good standing with Angie's List, pass a background check and abide by Angie's List operational guidelines."We are honored and proud of earning the Angie's List Super Service Award for the 7th year in a row," says Mark Spencer, LEGACY's owner/operator. "Angie's List members expect the highest levels of service and quality when choosing to renovate and remodel their homes." Spencer's over 30 years of experience and commitment to fenestration and remodeling has allowed LEGACY to consistently exceed Angie's List members expectations. "We are so grateful for the member reviews that have been submitted that help share our story," says Mr. Spencer.Service company ratings are updated daily on Angie's List as new, verified consumer reviews are submitted. Companies are graded on an A through F scale in areas ranging from price to professionalism to punctuality.For more than 21 years, Angie's List restricted access to its verified reviews to consumers who paid membership fees. When the company removed that barrier, some companies worried that the new, non-paying members would not be as engaged as members of the past. Experience has shown, however, that these newly added members are just as engaged  across all age groups  as prior members. Also, because the company continues to adhere to its review verification process, there has been no degradation of review quality."The biggest change at Angie's List is that we are connecting even more consumers to high quality service professionals,"Hicks said. "And that's good for everyone."###About LEGACY:LEGACY Window and Door, a Carmel based business, offers premium products manufactured and installed for less. Owner/operator Mark Spencer began working in fenestration in 1990 and has dedicated his career to the industry. Before founding LEGACY Mark worked for the US's largest replacement window manufacturer as a quality control engineer.LEGACY Window and Door offers a wide selection of products including the exclusive Heritage series. In addition to a large selection of vinyl and wood replacement windows and high quality entry and patio doors LEGACY is a full service remodel and renovation specialist. If you'd like more information please call Mark directly at 317 488-1464 or email at mailto:mark@ legacywindowanddoor.com ">mark@legacywindowanddoor.com.
By: Brooks Plastic Surgery

Contact

Prediq Media

***@quotebound.com Prediq Media

End

-- Dr. Christopher Brooks, MD FACS, Director of Brooks Plastic Surgery located in South Florida, recently traveled to El Salvador with the Global Smile Foundation for 10 days this month to provide surgical care to 29 underserved children of San Salvador. This is Dr. Brooks's sixth mission trip to El Salvador to provide cleft lip and palate, craniofacial and pediatric reconstructive surgery.Dr. Brooks, who trained in Craniofacial Surgery and Pediatric Plastic Surgery at the University of Pennsylvania and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, specializes in many aspects of plastic and reconstructive surgery. He enjoys splitting his practice and time between pediatrics and adults, and spends forty days each year doing mission work in Central America. This was his 22mission trip to Central America."It's really a tremendous privilege to be welcomed to El Salvador to help children who were born with cleft lip or cleft palate," said Dr. Brooks. "I wouldn't trade these mission trip experiences for any vacation."This was Global Smile Foundation's 14mission trip to El Salvador since 2006. The team of nearly 30, including surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses and support staff, work at Benjamin Bloom Hospital, the only children's hospital in El Salvador.While Dr. Brooks enjoys helping patients in his local community, he also focuses much of his time on finding ways to impact and change lives on a more global level. His services to the children of Central America are donated by him and his practice, and he looks forward to many more trips to countries where his services are needed.Christopher Brooks MD PA is the plastic surgery practice of Christopher JM Brooks, MD FACS. Dr. Brooks is a Clinical Professor of Plastic Surgery at the Cleveland Clinic of Florida and sees patients in both Pembroke Pines and Hollywood at Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital, where he serves as the Vice Chief of Surgery. He is a craniofacial surgeon on two of the four craniofacial teams in Florida. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Florida Cleft Palate Association and for Interplast South. Brooks Plastic Surgery provides personalized, patient-centered cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery for children and adults throughout the state of Florida. For more information, visit http://brooksplasticsurgery.com http://www.brooksplasticsurgery.com ).
First of its kind for University of Northern Iowa Accounting Department

Contact

Terri Andrews

***@rsmus.com Terri Andrews

End

-- RSM US LLP ("RSM")  the nation's leading provider of audit, tax and consulting services focused on the middle market, is pleased to announce the formation of a $1 million chaired professorship at the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) to enable the university to continue to attract and retain high-quality educators.The RSM Chaired Endowment is the third for UNI's College of Business Administration and the first for its accounting department."Stewardship is one of RSM's core values," said Doug Opheim, chief financial officer with RSM US LLP, and chairman of the board for the RSM US Foundation. "We are so pleased to support UNI, the accounting profession and the Cedar Falls community with this $1 million chaired professorship, made possible by contributions from partners, principals and employees who are alumni of UNI, along with a match from the RSM US Foundation. "UNI is a logical choice for this partnership, given our firm's deep Midwestern roots, the number of UNI alumni who work at RSM and the fact that, for the past five years, UNI has been among the top two schools from which we've hired for our firm's Central Region.""For years, RSM US has positively impacted the lives of UNIstudents with financial support and a desire to build better business leaders," said Leslie K. Wilson, dean of the College of Business Administration. "This [professorship]has enabled us to grow our legacy as the go-to business college for future accounting professionals. The additional resources and expertise made available to us through this endowed chair will allow us to expand our reach, enhance our program and let us compete on a national level. We are grateful to RSM employees, the RSM Foundation and their partners for their dedication to our program."The RSM US Foundation is a tax-exempt public charity dedicated to building tomorrow's middle market leaders by supporting educational outcomes through programs for individuals to have a career path to become entrepreneurs or middle market business leaders, and supporting organizations committed to providing a more stable environment for youth in the areas of hunger, housing and health, which help them excel in education. The scholarship match was offered as part of the Foundation's University Giving program, which provides matches for donations made by RSM partners and principals to colleges and universities.Additional ways that RSM and the RSM US Foundation support the local communities where the firm operates include: Established in 2010, RSM US Volunteer Day represents our commitment to giving our time in the communities where we work and live. In 2016, more than 2,900 RSM employees and clients participated in 175 volunteer events across the country. More than 100 charities benefited, including Ronald McDonald House, Habitat for Humanity, Second Harvest Food Bank, Project Sunshine, Junior Achievement and many more. The RSM US Foundation provided a match of $73,392 to the organizations for the time employees spent volunteering. RSM partners with the Davis Love Foundation  host organization of PGA TOUR event The RSM Classic  on Birdies Fore Love. Through the program, each RSM office selects a local charity that supports youth in the areas of education, hunger, housing and health. Each charity benefits from the funds raised locally by employees, clients, family and friends. With a generous match from the RSM US Foundation, we were able to give $1.5 million directly to deserving charities in 2016. Every day, RSM professionals deliver the power of being understood to today's middle market leaders, globally. To build tomorrow's leaders, the foundation is granting $100,000 in scholarships for the 2017-2018 academic year. Scholarship recipients will also receive invitations to participate in RSM's externship (Pathways) program.To learn more about the RSM US Foundation, visit RSM's website ( http://rsmus.com/ who-we-are/corporate- responsibility/ rsm-... ).In 2014, RSM laid the footings of a giving strategy designed to be compelling to our people, our clients and our markets, while enhancing our longstanding support of the communities where our employees lie and work. The result is the RSM US Foundation. A tax-exempt public charity, our firm's foundation is dedicated to building tomorrow's middle market leaders by enhancing educational outcomes through programs to help individuals develop career paths to become an entrepreneurs or middle market business leaders, and to supporting organizations committed to providing stable environments for youth in the areas of hunger, housing and health, thereby helping them excel in education.RSM US LLP is the leading provider of audit, tax and consulting services focused on the middle market, with 9,000 people in 90 offices nationwide. It is a licensed CPA firm and the U.S. member of RSM International, a global network of independent audit, tax and consulting firms with more than 41,000 people in over 120 countries. RSM uses its deep understanding of the needs and aspirations of clients to help them succeed. For more information, visit rsmus.com , like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and/or connect with us on LinkedIn.
ILF Consulting Engineers Polska has renewed its lease agreement for approx. 4,200 sq m of office space in Poleczki Business Park complex in Warsaw. Experts from JLL represented ILF Consulting Engineers Polska in the process of negotiations with UBM, the projects developer.

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The Porsche 718 Boxster which made its first public appearance at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show last year, has been finally launched in India. New Porsche 718 Boxster is priced from INR 81.63 lakh, ex-showroom, Delhi.

The German sportscar maker has restructured the nomenclature of its 20-year old open-top model for the first time. The 718 numbering is introduced to pay homage to Porsches legendary race car of 1950s. The new nomenclature will also apply to the next iteration of the Cayman as well.

Both the 718 Boxster and 718 Boxster S get significant performance boost compared to their respective predecessors.

The new convertible will be available in two variants  718 Boxster and 718 Boxster S. Visually, the latest Boxsters retain the traditional design lines with modernized elements. The front fascia gets bi-xenon headlamps with LED daytime running lights and a new bumper with wider air intakes.

Changes to the side come in the form of new wings, larger air-inlet panels and new 19-inch alloy wheels (20-inch wheels are available as a option). The rear fascias sense of width is enhanced by the new smoked LED combination lights and a badge carrying accept strip. Twin exhaust tip in the middle add to the sporty character.

The interior receives minor revisions to the dashboard in addition to updated Porsche Communication Management (PCM). Navigation is available as an option.

The Porsche Communication Management (PCM) has been updated.

The Porsche 718 Boxster is powered by a turbocharged flat-four boxer petrol engine that displaces 2.0-litre. The motor delivers 300 PS and 380 Nm of torque. The 718 Boxster S 2.5-litre turbo flat-four motor is capable of 350 PS and 420 Nm of torque. Both motors are mated to a standard 6-speed manual transmission and an optional PDK dual-clutch automatic transmission. The 718 Boxster is claimed to accelerate from 0-100 kmph in 4.7 seconds while the Boxster S takes 4.2 seconds to achieve the feat (both with PDK and Sport Chrono Pack).

Porsche 718 Boxster S  Photos
By Press Trust of India: Chandigarh, Feb 21 (PTI) The Jat agitation in Haryana seeking reservation in educational institutes and government jobs among other demands entered its 24th day today, even as caste councils of Kandela and Satrol khaps announced their support to the protest.

"Large number of members of the Jat community continued with their protests at different places in Haryana. Our protests remained peaceful," Yashpal Malik, president of the All India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti (AIJASS), which is spearheading the agitation, said.

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He said the agitation got a boost as Kandela khap at Ikkas village in Jind district extended its support to the protesters, while Satrol khap supported the community at Uggrakheri village in Panipat.

Yesterday, the second round of talks between protesting Jats and the Haryana government at Panipat had remained inconclusive as the community members were adamant on their demands and said their stir would continue.

The governments five-member committee headed by Chief Secretary D S Dhesi had yesterday held talks with Jat leaders for over three hours and announced to constitute a four-member panel to resolve the issues, including withdrawal of cases registered during the last years stir by the community.

Meanwhile, Malik reiterated that February 26 would be observed as "Black Day" by Jats and the community members will wear black turbans, ribbons and arm bands to protest the governments policies.

"From March 1, the protesters will not cooperate with the government. No one will pay power, water bills and instalment of loans that they owe to the government," he said.

Malik said Jats from Delhi and Uttar Pradesh would protest in the national capital on March 2 and submit a memorandum on the quota issue to the President. They also plan to gherao the Parliament, the date for which will be announced on March 2.

Besides seeking quota in education and government jobs under Other Backward Classes category, the demands of the Jats include release of those jailed during last years agitation, withdrawal of cases slapped during the protest and government jobs for the kin of those killed and injured while taking part in the stir.

The main opposition party in Haryana, the INLD, has openly come out in support of the agitating Jats this time and asked the government to meet their demands.

In view of the fresh Jat stir, paramilitary forces have been deployed in sensitive areas, while the state police is maintaining a strict vigil. Police are also keeping a vigil near the statues of various state icons in sensitive districts to thwart any act of vandalism.

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As many as 30 people were killed and property worth crores of rupees was damaged at many places in the state during last years Jat stir, which had turned violent. Rohtak and some of its neighbouring districts, including Sonipat and Jhajjar, were the worst hit by the violence. PTI VJ SRY

--- ENDS ---
Tata Motors and Microsoft India have come together to redefine connected experience for automobile users. The automaker seeks to augment in-car connectivity along with efficiency so as to offer an all round better mobile experience to its users. The first car to feature this will be unveiled in Geneva early next month under the companys all-new sub brand  TaMo.

But before that, Tata Motors revealed an all new sporty hatchback concept called the C-Cube. It is to be noted that the Tata C-Cube is not part of the Tamo sub brand, it is purely a Tata Motors concept which debuted at the Microsoft event called 2017 Future Decoded. The idea behind C-Cube is to give an idea about what is to come under the TaMo in the future.

Tata C-Cube Concept is a sporty, three door hatchback. It is seen with a single headlamp unit unlike other premium hatchbacks which are sold in India with dual headlamp setup. It gets projector beams and integrated Daytime Running Lights within the headlamp assembly. Rear air vents are positioned lower indicating that this could be a rear engined hatchback akin to the Tata Nano.

The showcased C-Cube Concept sports comfortable seating with white inserts in the backrest and headrest while the central console gets an indentation for smartphone and a gear lever forEmergency Stop. Its body is made out of fibre reinforced polymer and while engine details have not yet been specified.

Speaking about their new C-Cube concept, Tata says  The C-Cube is a special showcase, as part of the Product Transformation theme at the event. Through the C-Cube, Tata Motors is showcasing its advanced structural technology which will enable the Company to bring forward breakthrough products from TAMO.

Earlier this week, Tata Motors and Microsoft India signed an agreement to leverage connected vehicle technologies which will ensure better advanced machine learning, artificial intelligence and Internet of Things on a global hyper scale Azure cloud.

This will not only offer users a highly personalized driving experience but will ensure use of Microsoft enabled functions such as advanced navigation, predictive maintenance, telematics and remote monitoring features, thereby offering fully connected and seamless driving experience to users. Customers in India and those across the globe will be able to enjoy a safe, productive and fun driving experience.

Also See  Tata TaMo Futuro sportscar rendered

This new collaboration will help automobile users in the following ways:

1. Users will get proactive point of interest, shopping and route assistance taking into account profile and location data.

2. Vehicle condition will be assessed following which owners will be sent pre-emptive service alerts thereby doing away with expensive down time on planned road trips.

3. Use of firmware over the air (FOTA) and software over the air (SOTA) updates protocols settings of vehicles via cloud can be updated. This will help in diagnostics, use of insights from vehicle data to prevent warranty and recall issues while users will be sent new service information.

4. Live road condition updates will allow users to ensure safety, optimize vehicle performance and keep clear from road blocks and uneven terrain. Access to maps, weather, traffic and parking will also ensure a better user experience.

News Release
With Tiagos popularity on the rise, thanks to attractive design, innovative features and unbeatable price, Tata Motors has now launched a new and more affordable AMT variant of their new small car.

Tata Tiago AMT is now available with both XT and XZ trim. It will be offered only with the petrol engine option. It comes with same features as seen on the respective XT and top-end XZ trim. The AMT variants also gets the creep feature, which will make driving in traffic easier. New Tiago AMT will rival with the likes of Celerio AMT and Alto K10 AMT in the entry level automatic car segment.

Price of the XT AMT starts from INR 4.85 lakh and that of XZ AMT starts from INR 5.35 lakh. The respective manual transmission variants are priced from INR 4.49 lakh and INR 5.23 lakh. All prices are ex-showroom, Delhi.

Based on a new generation platform, Tata Tiago is currently offered in a choice of petrol and diesel engine options. Both these engines are from Tatas new family of three-cylinder engines. Petrol engine is from the Revotron family while the diesel is from the Revotorq family. AMT will only be offered with petrol engine as of now. Diesel Tiago could get AMT at a later date.

Tiagos 1.2-liter petrol engine is rated at 85 PS and 114 Nm, while the 1.05-liter diesel is rated at 70 PS and 140 Nm. Both mated to 5 MT, mileage claimed is 23.84 kmpl and 27.28 kmpl respectively. Expect the AMT variant to deliver same mileage as that of the petrol variant, making Tiago AMT one the most fuel efficient automatic cars in India. There are already over 65,000 Tiago owners in India.

Management Speak

According to Mr. Vivek Srivatsa  Head  Marketing, PVBU, Tata Motors  AMT is ideally suited for Indias traffic conditions, reducing the stress of driving at an affordable price, without compromising on fuel efficiency. Tata Motors EASY SHIFT AMT comes with additional features like Crawl Function, Sports Mode and Manual shift option, making it an advanced AMT package. As per our turnaround strategy, we are working with a renewed focus and energy to improve our market share and bring products faster to market. To cater to the increased demand for AMT, we introduce the attractively priced TIAGO XTA, aiming to consolidate our growth in the hatchback segment.

Tata Tiago  Photos
Northwestern University researcher Linda Teplin will share data showing alarming premature mortality rates for delinquent youth at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) annual meeting in Boston.

Teplin, the Owen L. Coon Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and director of the Health Disparities and Public Policy Program in the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Northwestern's Feinberg School of Medicine, will present "Death in Delinquents: A 16-Year Prospective Study of Rick of Premature Mortality" using data from the Northwestern Juvenile Project (NJP).

The NJP, led by Teplin, studied a randomly selected sample of 1,829 youth who were arrested and detained in Cook County, Illinois, between 1995 and 1998. NJP data shows that 16 years after detention, 111 of those studied had died (126 as of November 2016), most from homicide by firearm. Mortality rates varied by age, gender and race/ethnicity, but were two to 10 times higher than general population rates. Significant risk factors in adolescence for later mortality included drug dealing, alcohol use disorder and gang membership.

Among delinquent youth, racial/ethnic minorities were at increased risk of homicide compared with non-Hispanic whites. Compared with non-Hispanic whites, African- Americans had 4.5 times and Hispanics had 2.8 times the hazard of homicide. African-American males had the highest mortality rates but among the lowest mortality ratios because death rates for this group in the general population are high.

This seminar examines the contributions of science to the legal system from a diversity of perspectives. Teplin, along with two other presenters, also will discuss a study on how criminal justice policies influence outcomes regarding mortality.
Many of the toughest decisions faced by cancer patients involve knowing how to use numbers -- calculating risks, evaluating treatment options and figuring odds of medication side effects.

But for patients who aren't good at math, decision science research can offer evidence-based advice on how to assess numeric information and ask the right questions to make informed choices.

"The ability to understand numbers is associated with all kinds of positive health outcomes, including for cancer patients," said Ellen Peters, professor of psychology at The Ohio State University.

"The problem is that too many people aren't good with numbers or are afraid of math. But we're starting to figure out the best ways to help these patients so they aren't at a disadvantage when it comes to their treatment."

Peters, who is director of the Decision Sciences Collaborative at Ohio State, presented research on cancer patients' health and numeracy -- the ability to understand and use numbers -- Feb. 20 in Boston at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Numerous studies have shown that people who are less numerate experience worse health outcomes. Peters says these are examples of the "tyranny of numbers." For example, diabetics with lower numeracy scores have higher blood sugar levels. And children with diabetes have higher blood sugar levels if their parents are less numerate.

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A 2010 study by Peters shows how skill with numbers can affect breast cancer patients. In this research, women who had surgery for breast cancer were presented with options for further treatment, including hormonal treatment, chemotherapy, combined treatment or no treatment. The patients were given information, based on their characteristics, on how likely they were to survive 10 years for each possible treatment plan.

The patients were then asked to estimate, based on this information, what their own chances of survival were for 10 years with each treatment.

The patients who scored higher in numeracy were more pessimistic than the data suggested they should be. But their estimates of their own survival did vary based on the numbers they were given.

"For those who were less numerate, their survival estimates were pessimistic, but remained the same no matter what numbers they were presented. It was as if they didn't read the numbers at all," Peters said.

"This is critical. We were giving them information that should help them choose the best treatment, but they were ignoring it."

Other research shows that less numerate people "rely more on their emotions" to make health-related decisions. They are also more swayed by how information is presented to them rather than by the information itself, she said.

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If a patient recognizes that he or she is not good with numbers, how can he or she cope? Peters said research suggests four strategies:

Ask for the numbers. This may seem counter-intuitive, but research backs it up. In one study, less numerate people were asked to estimate their risk of side effects from a medication. Some were given numeric information about the risks of a particular side effect, while others were told only that there was a risk. When they weren't given the numbers, 70 percent of less numerate people overestimated their risk, but only 17 percent did when given the numbers. They didn't do as well at evaluating risk as more numerate people when given the numbers, but they still did much better than when they didn't have them at all.

Ask what the numbers mean. Along with the numbers, doctors should be able to tell you what the numbers mean in practical terms. "If 80 percent of people are helped by this particular drug, is that good or bad? Ask your doctor to say if this is above or below average, if it is a fair, good or excellent treatment compared to other options," she said.

Ask for absolute risk. Saying that a particular drug doubles your risk of a dangerous side effect sounds scary. But this is what is called a relative risk. The absolute risk is more important. "If you're doubling your risk from 0.01 percent to 0.02 percent, that is much less threatening than if you are doubling from 10 percent to 20 percent," Peters said.

Cut down the choices. If you're given a bewildering list of choices for treatment, ask your doctor to choose the best two options to consider. "It is absolutely OK to tell the doctor that this is too complicated. You don't need to have doctors make a treatment decision for you, but they should be able to identify the most critical information for you to consider."

Health care providers should do a better job in presenting critical information to patients, Peters said. But when they don't, patients should ask for help.

"Numbers are important, whether you like them or not. And nowhere are they more important than when it comes to your health," she said.
Forest elephant populations in one of Central Africa's largest and most important preserves have declined between 78 percent and 81 percent because of poaching, a new Duke University-led study finds.

"Our research suggests that more than 25,000 elephants in Gabon's Minkebe National Park may have been killed for their ivory between 2004 and 2014," said John Poulsen, assistant professor of tropical ecology at Duke's Nicholas School of the Environment.

"With nearly half of Central Africa's estimated 100,000 forest elephants thought to live in Gabon, the loss of 25,000 elephants from this key sanctuary is a considerable setback for the preservation of the species," he said.

While some of the poaching originated from within Gabon, findings from the new study indicate that cross-border poaching by hunters from neighboring nations -- chiefly Cameroon to the north -- largely drove the precipitous decline.

Poulsen and his colleagues published their peer-reviewed findings Feb. 20 in the journal Current Biology.

They estimated the extent of the population losses by comparing data from two large-scale surveys of elephant dung in Minkebe National Park from 2004 and 2014, using two different analytic methods to account for periods of heavy rainfall that might speed the dung's decay and skew the surveys' accuracy.

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"Based on changes in the abundance and geographic distribution of the dung, we identified two fronts of poaching pressure," Poulsen said.

"Elephant numbers in the south of the park, which is 58 kilometers from the nearest major Gabonese road, have been somewhat reduced," he said. "By comparison, the central and northern parts of the park -- which, at one point, are just 6.1 kilometers from Cameroon's national road -- have been emptied."

The proximity of this road makes it relatively easy for Cameroonese poachers to access the park and transport their illegal haul back to their nation's largest city, Douala, a major hub of the international ivory trade.

Since 2011, the Gabonese government has taken major steps to curb poaching in Minkebe, Poulsen noted. Among other things, they have elevated forest elephants' conservation status to "fully protected," created a National Park Police force, doubled the national park agency's budget, and become the first African nation to burn all confiscated ivory.

These efforts are laudable and may be reducing poaching from within Gabon, Poulsen said, but the new research suggests they have done little to slow the illegal cross-border traffic. "The clock is ticking," he said.

"To save Central Africa's forest elephants, we need to create new multinational protected areas and coordinate international law enforcement to ensure the prosecution of foreign nationals who commit or encourage wildlife crimes in other countries," he said.

"Studies showing sharp declines in forest elephant populations are nothing new," he said, "but a 78 to 81 percent loss in a single decade from one of the largest, most remote protected areas in Central Africa is a startling warning that no place is safe from poaching."
A new type of battery developed by scientists at Oregon State University shows promise for sustainable, high-power energy storage.

It's the world's first battery to use only hydronium ions as the charge carrier.

The new battery provides an additional option for researchers, particularly in the area of stationary storage.

Stationary storage refers to batteries in a permanent location that store grid power -- including power generated from alternative energy sources such as wind turbines or solar cells -- for use on a standby or emergency basis.

Hydronium, also known as H3O+, is a positively charged ion produced when a proton is added to a water molecule. Researchers in the OSU College of Science have demonstrated that hydronium ions can be reversibly stored in an electrode material consisting of perylenetetracarboxylic dianhydridem, or PTCDA.

This material is an organic, crystalline, molecular solid. The battery, created in the Department of Chemistry at Oregon State, uses dilute sulfuric acid as the electrolyte.

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Graduate student Xingfeng Wang was the first author on the study, which has been published in the journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition, a publication of the German Chemical Society.

"This may provide a paradigm-shifting opportunity for more sustainable batteries," said Xiulei Ji, assistant professor of chemistry at OSU and the corresponding author on the research. "It doesn't use lithium or sodium or potassium to carry the charge, and just uses acid as the electrolyte. There's a huge natural abundance of acid so it's highly renewable and sustainable."

Ji points out that until now, cations -- ions with a positive charge -- that have been used in batteries have been alkali metal, alkaline earth metals or aluminum.

"No nonmetal cations were being considered seriously for batteries," he said.

The study observed a big dilation of the PTCDA lattice structure during intercalation -- the process of its receiving ions between the layers of its structure. That meant the electrode was being charged, and the PTCDA structure expanded, by hydronium ions, rather than extremely tiny protons, which are already used in some batteries.

"Organic solids are not typically contemplated as crystalline electrode materials, but many are very crystalline, arranged in a very ordered structure," Ji said. "This PTCDA material has a lot of internal space between its molecule constituents so it provides an opportunity for storing big ions and good capacity."

The hydronium ions also migrate through the electrode structure with comparatively low "friction," which translates to high power.

"It's not going to power electric cars," Ji said. "But it does provide an opportunity for battery researchers to go in a new direction as they look for new alternatives for energy storage, particularly for stationary grid storage."
The newest professor in the University of Rhode Island's College of the Environment and Life Sciences, Hollie Putnam, thinks some corals and shellfish might have good enough "memories" to buffer the changes in ocean chemistry that are resulting from global climate change.

A native of Minnesota who earned a doctorate at the University of Hawaii, Putnam is studying how a wide variety of marine organisms are responding to changes in their environment. Focusing on reef-building corals and other shelled creatures that are threatened by increasing temperatures and ocean acidification, she is testing them to determine how species may acclimatize to the new circumstances.

"I'm interested in how the environment is changing, how animals respond to those changes, and the potential for acclimatization to those conditions, particularly across generations and in different life stages," said Putnam, assistant professor in the URI Department of Biological Sciences, who joined the faculty in January. "I'm asking questions like, do offspring perform better because of their parents' history in certain conditions, and if so, what are the mechanisms driving that."

In one study of corals, for instance, she exposed adults to increased temperature and acidification, then exposed their offspring to the same conditions to see if they are more successful because of their parents' previous experience.

"Interestingly, we found that there is potential for beneficial acclimatization because of parental history," she said. "There is a more positive metabolic response and ecological response, greater survivorship and growth if their parents have been preconditioned to future scenarios."

She is doing similar experiments with geoduck clams, the largest burrowing clam in the world, which are found primarily on the West Coast. She is exposing them to increased acidification levels, returning them to ambient conditions, and then re-exposing them to higher acidification conditions to see if they have a "memory" of those conditions and are less sensitive to it.

To understand the underlying mechanism for how this may occur, she is also conducting epigenetic studies to determine where in the genome this acclimatization effect takes place.

Putnam grew up hunting, fishing and camping in northern Minnesota, and she said she was always on a path to become a biologist. She didn't consider studying coral reef systems, however, until learning about them as an undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin. Her first job after graduating was at the Environmental Protection Agency, where she assessed the effects of chemicals on amphibians.

She said her position at URI is "a perfect match" because of the University's reputation for marine science and the presence of other faculty who also study coral reefs and shellfish.

"And we're just a short jump away to the Caribbean, where some of my research will take place," Putnam added.

The professor is now setting up her laboratory and developing the courses she will teach next fall, including marine biology and marine environmental physiology. She hopes to develop an undergraduate course in coral reef studies that will include travel to one of her field sites in the Caribbean. And she said some of her graduate students will conduct studies with her at the Moorea Coral Reef Long-term Ecological Research site in French Polynesia.
As mindfulness practices rise in popularity and evidence of their worth continues to accumulate, those who work with aging populations are looking to use the techniques to boost cognitive, emotional and physiological health.

But studies so far have shown mixed results in the elderly, and more investigation is needed to determine exactly how best to apply mindfulness in that population, a new review of the research to date has found.

A majority of the 27 studies in the review suggest that the focused attention at the core of mindfulness benefits older people, but others don't point to improvements. And that should prompt more rigorous investigations in search of interventions likely to do the most good, researchers from The Ohio State University found. Their analysis appears in the journal Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience.

"Mindfulness is a practice that really serves as a way to foster a greater quality of life and there's been some thought that it could help with cognitive decline as we age," said Stephanie Fountain-Zaragoza, lead author of the study and a graduate student in psychology.

"Given the growing interest in mindfulness in general, we wanted to determine what we know right now so that researchers can think about where we go from here," she said.

The good news so far: The evidence from a variety of studies points to some benefits for older adults, suggesting that mindfulness training might be integrated into senior centers and group homes, the researchers found.

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Older people are an especially important population to study given diminished social support, physical limitations and changes in cognitive health, the researchers point out.

Studies of mindfulness meditation usually involve three types of practices. The first, focused attention, involves sustained attention to a single thing (such as the breath) and an effort to disengage from other distractions.

Open monitoring meditation, often seen as the next step up in mindfulness, includes acknowledging the details of multiple phenomena (sensations, sounds, etc.) without selectively focusing on one of them.

"This includes being open to experiencing thoughts and sensations and emotions and taking them as they come and letting them go," Fountain-Zaragoza said.

Loving-kindness meditation encourages a universal state of love and compassion toward oneself and others.

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"The goal with this is to foster compassionate acceptance," said senior author Ruchika Shaurya Prakash, director of Ohio State's clinical neuroscience laboratory and an expert in mindfulness.

In addition to looking at how mindfulness contributed -- or did not -- to behavioral and cognitive functioning and to psychological wellbeing, some of the research also looked at its potential role in inflammation, which contributes to a variety of diseases.

In all categories of study, including inflammatory processes, Prakash and Fountain-Zaragoza found mixed results.

The hope is that mindfulness could help the elderly preserve attention and capitalize on emotional regulation strategies that naturally improve as we age, Prakash said.

"Around 50 percent of our lives, our minds are wandering and research from Harvard University has shown that the more your mind wanders, the less happy you are," she said.

"Mindfulness allows you to become aware of that chaotic mind-wandering and provides a safe space to just breathe."

In older people, mindfulness ideally has the potential to help with cognition, emotion and inflammation, but little research has been done so far and those studies that have been done have had mixed results and scientific limitations.

While most of the studies in the review showed positive results, the field is limited and would benefit greatly from larger randomized controlled trials, Fountain-Zaragoza said.

"We want to really be able to say that we have strong evidence that mindfulness is driving the changes we see," she said.
Africa's protected parks and reserves are capable of supporting three to four times as many wild lions if well funded and managed, according to a new report led by Panthera, the global wild cat conservation organization.

Published in Biological Conservation, the study shows that populations of the African lion and its prey species are drastically below their natural potential inside most of Africa's protected areas (PA).

In recent years, lion numbers have declined steeply. Some estimates suggest as few as 20,000 wild lions remain in all of Africa, compared to 30,000 that existed just two decades ago. Yet, the study indicates that with sufficient global support for African conservation efforts, the continent's protected areas could support as many as 83,000 free-ranging lions.

Panthera Research Associate and Wildlife Conservation Network Conservation Initiatives Director, Dr. Peter Lindsey, shared, "Africa's incredible protected areas hold the key to securing the future of lions and several other wildlife species, and can yield significant benefits for people. African governments have set aside enough space to conserve lions effectively -- we just need to find ways to enable those areas to be funded sufficiently and managed effectively. While a diverse set of approaches are needed to achieve lion conservation, it is clear that investing in improved management of PAs has particular potential to boost the conservation prospects for lions."

Lindsey continued, "Encouragingly, there are more than just biological reasons for investing in PAs. Well-funded protected areas, and especially those with lions, can play a critical role in developing tourism industries whose revenues can help to grow and diversify economies and create jobs. In addition, protected areas also play essential roles in providing ecosystem services, such as watershed protection. By investing sufficiently in Africa's protected area network, the global community has the opportunity to halt and reverse the decline in lion numbers."

The study found that less than one third of the 175 parks and reserves examined are currently conserving lions at more than 50% of their 'carrying capacity' -- an ecological term for the natural population levels animals reach if human threats are minimal. Parks were in slightly better shape for lion prey, with around 45% of surveyed protected areas conserving herbivores at over 50% of their carrying capacity.

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The illegal bushmeat trade stands out as the most severe and prevalent threat facing lions and many other wildlife species in Africa's protected areas. Following closely behind are a multitude of threats, including human-lion conflict, encroachment of PAs by humans and livestock and in some cases, the emerging threat of direct poaching of lions for the illegal wildlife trade.

Panthera and partner scientists found that adequate management budgets and management capacity are essential pre-requisites for successfully conserving lions in PAs, as they permit effective law enforcement and other critical conservation initiatives. Those protected areas dedicating the use of their land primarily for photo-tourism operations are also associated with the greatest success in conserving lions and their prey.

Today, sub-Saharan Africa's tourism industry, supported by dozens of parks and reserves, is valued at $25 billion dollars, compared to the $20 billion a year illegal wildlife trade that is increasingly targeting Africa's big cats and wildlife for their precious parts.

Panthera also recognizes the importance of making sure that local people have a stake in and stand to benefit from PAs and big cat conservation. Simply put, managing PAs and protecting wildlife will be cheaper and easier if local people are supportive, and have a stake in the process.

Panthera Senior Lion Program Director, Dr. Paul Funston, shared, "There is just no replacement for large protected areas that invest adequately in management and protection of their lions. Very few areas in Africa meet these needs, and those that do are pure gold for lions. They are places where tourists can see lions really being lions in all the amazing facets of their behavior, and where lions properly fulfill their ecological role."

Funston continued, "Protected areas are at the heart of the formula to save Africa's lions, and to ensure the species lives on, lions and their wild landscapes require nothing short of a wealthy and immediate investment from the global community -- everyone from donors in New York City and African nations to international governments, corporations, foundations and NGOs who want to be a part of the solution in saving one of our planet's most remarkable wild animals."

While in many ways bleak, the lion's future glimmers with hope. Panthera's President and publication co-author, Dr. Luke Hunter, noted, "Many African nations have allocated truly massive swaths of land as protected parks and reserves. However, for Africa's vast PA network to fulfill its potential for conserving lions and other species, there is an urgent need to greatly escalate funding and capacity to effectively manage those parks. That will require a renewed commitment, both from African governments and the international community."
Kangana Ranaut, in an exclusive interview, spoke to India Today, about Rangoon, her character Julia, working with Vishal Bhardwaj, the feud with Hrithik Roshan and how Bollywood has lost its mojo.

By Suhani Singh: From talking about Rangoon and her character Julia to speaking her mind on how it felt fighting Hrithik Roshan, Kangana Ranaut bared it all in an exclusive interview with India Today.

Two releases in 2017. Could one of them get you national award no. 4?

(Laughs) Fingers crossed. Julia is out there. If a performer doesn't sink her teeth into it and make her own legacy out of it, then shame on that person. Simran is an author-backed role. I would be pleasantly surprised to see better-written characters than Julia and Simran this year. In that case if I do not get a national award, then really shame on me.

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You prefer national awards over the commercial ones.

Commercial awards don't make a fuss about (the fact) that they are for TRPs. With national awards, that's not the case. It is shown on DD. To be honest you have to keep track of them. If you don't show up, they don't really care. I remember last time I was almost locked out of the ceremony because I was running late after giving TV interviews. I was worried that the doors will be shut. My father went around and pleaded and then we sneaked in.

You play jaanbaaz Julia in Rangoon, a character which is reminiscent of the iconic 'Fearless Nadia'.

It is an amalgamation of many characters from the 1940s. When I did some research (for the part), I discovered that there were a lot of stuntwomen who were action heroines. People loved them to death. The kind of stardom they enjoyed I don't think we can in the age of social media. Stars are not worshipped now.

Vishal sir wanted to bring the iconic image of a woman with a hunter in hand. The 1940s were so progressive that fierceness and sensuality went hand in hand. Now you can either be sensuous or timid. The action heroine is still celebrated in the west. They have kickass characters. Here we lost our mojo and started depicting really submissive, obedient and goody-two-shoes women which became the norm.

ALSO READ: Kangana Ranaut's Fearless Nadia-inspired Rangoon character lands film in legal soup

It is your first collaboration with Vishal Bhardwaj. How was it working with him?

Vishal sir has been extremely courteous. I remember early in the stage of casting when there were a lot of opinions from producers etc. on who they want to cast, he said that I cannot see anyone other than Kangana playing jaanbaaz Julia.

I remember I was very pleased with my first look test. He wasn't as he was seeking a certain innocence combined with the fierceness of a woman. He decided my haircut. He stood there when it was happening. He decided which lip shade I should wear. Every garment of mine was approved by him - from the patterns to the fabric. He has invested a lot in her.

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It's not just about the external being. He really delves into the duality of a woman - her fragility and stubbornness. If you see all his women characters - from Tabu in Haider and Maqbool to Priyanka in Saat Khoon Maaf - they are very grey. He is really drawn to the complexity of a woman's psyche. That's very attractive to me.

ALSO READ: My Rangoon character Nawab Malik is a soldier, a patriot, says Shahid Kapoor

What traits of heroines from that era you wish existed now?

Those days they did their own stunts. There were no body doubles. They worked very hard. That was very inspiring. Today it is becoming very superficial. I try to do as much as one can. If you don't then you subconsciously disconnect from the audience because they know whose back it is. In Rangoon, I have done everything on my own - horse riding and sword fighting. I have not used a dupe.

You have spoken of how last year was a low point for you personally. How did you keep yourself going?

When you deal with malice and betrayal from someone who you have been extremely close to, of course, it does affect you. There is a character assassination - that too publicly - by that individual in whom you put all your faith and love. It has been very hard to deal with. But the fighter instinct in me dominates every other instinct. I did not think twice. I see so many woman committing suicide and falling into depression and my only point is why do they fail to attack? I'm not saying strip others off their dignity too. But you have got to say no to the healer archetype. I am extremely bold. I sent a notice back. I did not take it lying down.

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OPINION: Kangana Ranaut, beware. The Bollywood elite wants to take you down

It was a bold move on your part. You were breaking the industry rules which is to not talk about a relationship. Did people tell you to back out?

My own family, my mother was like don't do all these things and say, "Bade log hain tumhe marwa daalenge." She would cry all the time. Out of concern and love, they wanted me to shut up not because they don't know want the truth to be out but (because) that's the best thing. But that's not the way to live. If you let your guard down, the other person then gets an opportunity to attack you. It is important to protect yourself.

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I was not fighting any individual battle but fighting against many prejudices. I took it all in my stride. So I am a whore, I'm sexually attractive, have psychological problems, capable of falling in love with men passionately. So what is my future? What should be done with me. They have nothing to say. They can't kill the fierceness.

You are known to speak your mind. Don't you feel it may hurt you on the professional front?

I personally feel that women are made out to be a nurturer or a healer. We really over-identify with that archetype. We need to put a rein to it when it threatens our own dignity, pride and instinct. If someone I feel is being mean, obnoxious or unfair and threatening my survival instinct, as an individual my first and foremost duty is to protect my own dignity as a woman. I have done that whether it is from my father who had his standards of strict parenting, to my initial years in the industry when they tried to humiliate me and slot me in B-grade cinema. I fought that and even nepotism.

I speak my mind. I don't think twice before answering back to anyone. It doesn't matter what a great artist you are and how big you are in the industry. I don't encourage bullying or teasing. Why should I?

(The writer tweets as @suhani84 .)

ALSO READ: Kangana Ranaut takes a dig at KJo, calls him a flag-bearer of nepotism

ALSO READ: Kangana Ranaut deserves a chat show of her own after her Koffee appearance

ALSO READ: Now Kangana Ranaut compares Shahid Kapoor to Hrithik Roshan

WATCH: Kangana Ranaut talks about being slut-shamed in Bollywood

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How Artificial Intelligence can change the way an entrepreneur thinks

By Dale Beaumont

There are over 500 million small to medium business owners (SMBs) on the planet. Sadly, however, over 50 million businesses fail each and every year.

So, how do we stop so many from failing? That was the question that occupied most of my flight from London to Sydney. And with 22 hours in the air, I had a lot of time to think.

Before deciding to build anything new, I first decided to examine the current solutions on offer  where they work and where they fall short.

At the top of the list were Business Advisors. Give a struggling business owner the right advice and theyll avoid possibly unseen pitfalls. Plus, show them the right way and theyll rise to their potential.

Its a worthy profession and a much needed approach.

However, as great as Business Advisors are, I couldnt help but start to see their limitations. Slight problem for me (because Im one of them), but I decided to push on. After all, this is an issue that demands our very best.

So here was my list of the problems associated with business advisors:

High Cost  When it comes to business advisors, you pay for what you get. The really good ones know theyre good and they charge accordingly. Plus, when you consider the fact that half of the worlds entrepreneurs still live on less than $20 per day, they simply cant afford the help they so desperately need. Very Limited  If you are lucky enough to afford a business advisor and they just so happen to be in your area, you are doing well if you can meet with them once a month. That means if you have an issue, between sessions, youll be sitting on it for some time. Not Specific  When you get an advisor or coach, youll quickly realize theyre most likely a generalist. They know a little bit of knowledge about lots of topics but ask them How do I run Facebook Ads? or What POS system should I use? and 99% will have no idea. Not Scalable  Say, you do find a business advisor within your budget and they are willing to help. You are one of the lucky ones. Sadly, there are hundreds of millions of others that are still forced to tough it out on their own. Quite simply, there arent enough advisors to go around.

I could go on, but Im sure you get the idea.

Next on my not-currently-working-options list were: Books, YouTube Videos, Meet-Ups and Networking Groups. All offer something a little different, but again, all have their drawbacks.

So, time to look for a new solution. One that was fit for our modern world.

As I leaned back in my chair, I began to realize that the only way you could provide unlimited, free, specific and scalable advice was if, it was not human.

From this brainwave, I mentally leaped over to a subject I first learn about in school, Artificial Intelligence (AI).

First, its worth dropping any Hollywood-style notions of AI and no, we dont need to worry about The Terminator coming to life anytime soon.

Quite simply, AI is a field of computer science that is aimed at programming computers to do things that are normally done by people  in particular, things associated with people acting intelligently.

As I was taught, AI is going to play an important role in the advancement of every industry. The promise is that it will reduce costs, save time and even save lives.

So, I began to think about how AI could help my industry and give millions of business owners their own personal business advisor. The possibilities got me very excited. I decided, when I land in Sydney, I will follow this through.

That plane ride was two years ago and thats why Im so very pleased to announce we have now launched BRiN, the worlds first artificially intelligent business advisor.

Now, it is possible to get unlimited, personal advice and right now, its 100% free. But best of all, we can now provide our service at scale. That means we can now provide human-like support to every entrepreneur on the planet and we can do it all at the same time.

While we are pleased with the title of first we are now focused on the title, the worlds smartest business advisor.

In fact, coming in 2017, youll be able to link BRiN through API to your CRM, Google Analytics, and even your cloud-based accounting software. Once in place, BRiN will be able to find and bring to your attention useful stats.

For example, BRiN will be able to inform and congratulate you because your website traffic was up 24% compared to last month. Shell tell you how many leads you generated in the last 7 days and shell send you an alert when you have an unhealthy amount of overdue payments, so you can jump on the phone and start collecting.

In closing, while we are one of the first entrants in our space, we believe there is room for hundreds of other AI applications in every industry. So, lets get busy and together we can change the world.

Dale Beaumont is the founder and CEO of BRiN, the worlds first artificially intelligent business advisor. Available as a smart-phone app, the companys goal is to provide personalized education and human-like support to millions of entrepreneurs and business owners, all at the same time. To find out more about BRiN, visit and claim your free subscription at: https://brin.ai. Follow us on Twitter @BRiNdotai.
Update: According to Skylands Animal Sanctuary, the bull passed away in transit to the Animal Care Centers (ACC) of New York City. "I'm sorry he didn't make it," the group wrote. An overdose of the tranquilizer is the "likely cause," according to Meredith Turner-Smith, a spokesperson at Farm Sanctuary. "Very sad. He wanted to live so badly and gave it everything he had," she told The Dodo.

A bull was literally running for his life on Tuesday morning through the streets of Queens, New York. The animal was so scared and determined to escape that even after officials darted him with sedatives, he still kept running.

Dodo Shows Wild Hearts Orphaned Deer Runs Back To The Wild With Her Best Friend

The bull escaped before 11 a.m. Police cornered the animal in a backyard in Jamaica, Queens, but the animal was so determined to break free that he ran away again.

After an hour-long chase, the bull was sedated and captured.

Meanwhile, a rescuer is on his way to the city from New Jersey to try to give the bull a whole new life. "I'm on my way right now," Mike Stura, founder of Skylands Animal Sanctuary & Rescue in Wantage, New Jersey, told The Dodo, just before the bull was captured.

Stura said that if the bull gets captured again, he'll try to do everything he can to save him. "Then comes the part where I try to convince them to give him to me," Stura said.
Canada should work to strengthen its ties with China and other countries while ensuring it maintains a good relationship with the United States, former prime minister Paul Martin said Tuesday.

While Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has sought to deepen Canadas ties to China, hes also building a relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump who has taken an anti-China stance in many of his comments.

The Trudeau government should do exactly what its doing, which is to look to our needs, Martin said in an interview with The Canadian Press.

And our needs require, obviously, that we have good relationships with the United States and, obviously, that we should establish sound relations with other countries  including China.

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Martin said pension reform is one of the areas where Canada and China have common interests, because each faces the challenge of a retirement population thats growing faster than its workforce.

We have an aging population and we, obviously as a country, have to deal with it, he said.

Canada and China will each have only about 2.5 workers per retiree by 2046  compared with Canadas current ratio of four-to-one and Chinas ratio of about seven-to-one as of 2016, according to the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board.

Martin made his comments following the official launch of a Chinese-language edition of Fixing The Future, a 380-page book about the creation of the CPPIB in 1997 while he was federal finance minister.

The CPPIBs fund has since grown to nearly $300 billion  making it the biggest retirement fund in Canada  although it shares the world stage with retirement funds managed by Quebecs Caisse de depot and the Ontario Teachers Pension Plan.

Martin said the CPPIBs collaboration with Chinas pension reform efforts is the kind of thing we should be doing.

At the same time, he added, we should be establishing the best relationship we can with our largest trading partner, which is the United States.

Asked if he had advice for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Martin replied: I think the prime minister is doing very well.

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"I could have been released earlier if we had money to appeal in the high court," said Mohammad Hussain Fazili.

By Shuja-ul-Haq : After spending close to 12 years in jail, Mohammad Hussain Fazili was acquitted by the trial court on February 16. Fazili was proven innocent. He was arrested from his house in Srinagar and booked on charges on being part of the 2005 Delhi blasts. It took the family more than a decade to prove his innocence in the court.

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"They arrested me for blasts in Delhi. I kept on pleading that I had never been to Delhi ever in my life but they never listened to me," said Hussain Fazili.

Fazili is one of the three Kashmiris acquitted by the court. The modest Fazili household is jubilant as returned after 12 long years while his family had lost all the hopes. "Till the last moment, we didn't even inform my mother that I could be coming home. We were not sure of the final outcome in the court. Anything could have happened. So, we didn't want to build her expectations. She has already suffered a stroke because of me," said Fazili.

For him, these years changed everything. He can't even remember the exact address of his home in Srinagar now.

While speaking to India Today on phone and asking directions to his home, he said, "I am sorry. I have to pass it on to my sister to tell you exactly where I live. I can't remeber the exact directions."

Also read: No shutdown on Shivratri festival in Kashmir; separatists call off strike

Fazili, now 43, was released following the order of acquittal passed by a court on Thursday. Fazili was 30 when he was arrested on November 21, 2005, just 24 days after the serial blasts in Delhi.

He used to work as a shawl weaver in Srinagar. Fazili and two others, Mohammad Rafiq Shah and Tariq Ahmad Dar were also arrested in November 2005 in connection with the Delhi blasts. While Fazili and Shah were acquitted, Dar was convicted with 10-year imprisonment. Dar has already spent 10 years in jail.

Although Fazili is happy to be back home but has many questions for the government and the security agencies. "I want those people to be brought before the law not for myself only but for all others who are suffering in jails like i did," added Faizili.

Also read: New wedding rules in J-K: 500 guests for daughter's, 400 for sons; wazwan dishes reduced to 7

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Blame Canada. Thats what U.S. farmers say about some of the bubbling gluts weighing on the milk market, and they are eager for U.S. President Donald Trump to do something about it.

While growers and exporters of U.S. crops and food products have expressed anxiety over Trumps restrictive immigration policies and determination to renegotiate trade deals, dairies see him as an opportunity to crack what they see as Canadas protectionist milk practices and to help ease oversupply in some regions.

A key battleground is the little known market for ultrafiltered milk, a concentrated ingredient used to boost protein content in cheese and yogurt. Canada is creating incentives for processors to buy from domestic manufacturers. U.S. producers say that could be a disaster, and they allege the new policy would violate trade agreements. Companies in Wisconsin and New York alone might lose $150 million (U.S.) in sales north of the border.

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Canada seems to want to have the free flow of goods south, but are protective of anything going north, so its time to sit down and talk, said Kevin Ellis, chief executive officer of Cayuga Milk Ingredients in Auburn, N.Y. The company exports $30 million a year of ultrafiltered milk to Canada. My hope is that the Trump administration takes them on.

The view is different from the Dairy Farmers of Canada. The Ottawa-based industry group, which represents 12,000 farms, says imports of U.S. ultrafiltered milk causes an estimated $231 million (Canadian) in annual losses for domestic producers. Under the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement, which Trump has lambasted as the worst trade deal ever, most U.S. dairy products face duties of as much as 300 per cent. Ultrafiltered milk wasnt part of those rules and arrives in Canada without tariffs.

Any restriction on exports is bad news for American dairy producers, who saw cash receipts drop to a six-year low of $34.2 billion (U.S.), according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Low prices and global surpluses have hurt the entire U.S. farm economy, with net income forecast to drop for a fourth straight year in 2017.

The news isnt all bad for U.S. producers. Even with expanding record output, domestic prices are expected to rebound in 2017, according to the USDA. Americans are eating more cheese and butter, and U.S. output may be needed to fill supply shortfalls elsewhere in the world.

The new Canadian policy on ultrafiltered milk  dubbed the national ingredient strategy  hasnt been finalized yet, but U.S. dairy groups already dont like what theyve seen.

Canada is already prohibitive for American farmers, and its increasingly protectionist stance isnt in keeping with trade obligations under World Trade Organization agreements and NAFTA, the Washington-based National Milk Producers Federation said in a statement last year. The group urged Trump to push back against the changes.

The president has pledged to renegotiate NAFTA as part of an America first policy. House Speaker Paul Ryan emphasized the importance of breaking down trade barriers and improving market access for Americas dairy farmers during a Feb. 13 meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Washington.

Canadian Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay, at a Winnipeg industry conference last week, called the countrys supply-management system for dairy a model for the world that the government strongly supports. The new ingredient strategy was put together by dairy farmers and manufacturers, he said.

Its the Canadians who have vehemently resisted trade with us and fought to slam shut what few doors are open, Shawna Morris, vice-president of trade policy at the National Milk Producers Federation, said. Still, until a final version of Canadas new policy is released, no disputes can be officially filed, she said.

Canada controls dairy production through quotas, and imports are restricted with tariffs under a system known as supply management. Regulators have been tight-lipped about the potential changes and when they will officially come into effect. The strategy is still being negotiated, so we wont discuss it, Isabelle Bouchard, a Dairy Farmers of Canada spokesperson, said in an email. The Canadian Dairy Commission didnt respond to requests for comment.

Meanwhile, American companies say they have already lost Canadian customers. Grassland Dairy Products Inc., based in Greenwood, Wis., annually exports $100 million of ultrafiltered milk to Canada. The company probably will lose all those sales in the next few months, Goedhart Westers, vice-president of business development, said. It could take two or three years to find sales with similar returns to replace the lost exports, he said.

Us losing this business, it means we might have to scale down, Westers said. Itll affect employees and the thousands of farms we buy milk from in the Midwest.

The new policy would also place a cap on the amount of skim-milk powder that the Canadian Dairy Commission will buy back from dairy processors. That could lead to an estimated 120,000 metric tons of extra supply being sold into a two million-ton global market, causing a significant disruption in prices, said James McVitty, vice president of government relations and trade strategy for New Zealand-based Fonterra Co-operative Group Ltd., the worlds biggest dairy exporter.

We share the concern of the U.S. industry, McVitty said by phone from Washington.

U.S. dairies are already grappling with gluts. The amount of milk wasted or used for animal feed last May and June exceeded 34 million kilograms, the most in government data going back to 2000. Production peaks in the spring, and this year there could be even more waste because cow herds have expanded and processing capacity hasnt kept pace.

Without Canadas demand for ultrafiltered milk to soak some of the extra supply, dairy farmers will probably see lower paycheques, Matt Gould, an analyst with Dairy & Food Market Analyst Inc., said. Producers normally get paid a government-regulated milk price with bonuses for quality or volume. If theres too much milk, premiums will disappear and they could instead see discounts.

For some organizations, this is a catastrophic issue, Gould said. That milk has to stay in the region and will cause even more enormous dumping and wastage, which will take the spot value of raw milk and drive it right into the ground.

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ERBIL, IRAQCanadian special forces have shifted their operations in northern Iraq to put pressure on Daesh, also known as ISIS or ISIL, in places outside the strategic city of Mosul  including along the border with Syria.

The objective: To figure out the good guys from the bad so Iraqi military forces and coalition aircraft can attack.

High atop a rocky hilltop Monday, two Canadian soldiers sat in a makeshift bunker located more than a kilometre behind the front line between Kurdish forces and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

One bearded soldier looked through a high-powered viewfinder, scanning the small community that lay below, while the other took notes. A camera sat between them in case something interesting appeared.

When the first Canadian soldiers arrived in the country in September 2014, their mission was to help train the Peshmerga to stop and hold back a confident and, until then, undefeated Daesh hoard.

That was the first phase of the now nearly two-and-a-half-year-old mission, before Daesh lost the upper hand.

Now, flying by helicopter from Erbil, the Kurds capital in Iraq, to the Mosul Dam, one can see the barricades of dirt and defensive positions that helped the Peshmerga stop Daesh from overwhelming northern Iraq.

The trenches and stone buildings hastily constructed during that period two years ago lie abandoned today, as the war  and Canadas role in it  shifted from defence to offence.

Kurdish forces, supported by the Canadians, kicked off a long-anticipated attack to free Mosul, Iraqs second-largest city, from Daesh in October.

But the Kurds and their Canadian comrades stopped short of Mosul, as planned. Instead, they shifted to fighting the extremist group in other ways and let the Iraqi military enter and clear Daesh from the city.

Briefing reporters on Monday at Camp Erable, the Canadian military camp in Erbil, a special forces officer said the mission has turned toward identifying and monitoring potential Daesh targets in the region.

That includes keeping tabs through optical sights and other means, on key enemy movement corridors between Iraq and Syria as well as areas inside and immediately outside Kurdish territory.

The officer said such monitoring helped locate Daesh forces inside a large town that was sidestepped during the early parts of the Mosul offensive and needed cleaning up.

It also means a decline in the number of times Canadian soldiers have actually fired their weapons in recent months, the officer said, as potential targets are relayed to the Iraqis and coalition for destruction.

The special forces officer, who asked not to be identified for security reasons, said the nature of the Mosul offensive had meant Canadian troops often found themselves in situations where they were required to fire.

That isnt the case now, he said, adding that Canadian soldiers are specifically told to set up in locations where such circumstances are unlikely.

The Canadians continue to work with the Peshmerga. At the hilltop encampment, a number of fighters from the Kurds elite Zeravani stood guard on the perimeter while others relaxed inside.

In fact, the special forces officer said his soldiers have started working on a program that will train some Kurds to take on the role of instructors themselves.

Capt. Dhyab Mohammed Omar, commander of the Peshmerga fighters, praised his Canadian comrades and the contribution they had made in helping the Kurds fight Daesh.

We are always honoured to have them at our positions, he said. It was my wildest dream to work with the Canadians. Having them show up and help us, we would die for them.

While much of the attention surrounding Canadas mission in northern Iraq has been focused on the role being played by the special forces, they arent operating alone.

Roughly 150 Canadian troops are stationed in Erbil, including a helicopter squadron, logistical staff, and medical personnel, all in support of the special forces mission and broader coalition fight against Daesh.

Four Griffon helicopters from Canadian Forces Base Valcartier ferry troops and equipment from Camp Erable to the special forces troops in the field every day, zipping low like dragonflies over fields, around hills and past isolated communities to avoid enemy fire.

The challenge here is the more (power) wires and the weather during winter, said Maj. Mathieu Bertrand, commander of the helicopter squadron. We had some fog. But generally, the weather is good.

Meanwhile, a Canadian military hospital located within Camp Erables small footprint, which itself is part of a larger coalition base dominated by the U.S., stands ready to provide aid to those wounded in battle.

While the hospital, whose personnel hail from CFB Petawawa, has treated more than 100 patients for various injuries, Lt.-Col. Richard Morin said only 13 had received battlefield wounds. None were Canadian.

The predominance of cases were getting are emergency department-type casualties or patients that you would get when you get over 5,000 military troops all in one place, he said.

The hospital has also treated a handful of Daesh fighters who were wounded and detained by coalition forces, which Morin said falls in line with the laws governing war.

We actually understand even in conflict, there are rules that you need to follow that  respects the dignity of life, he said. Thats what makes us different.

The entire effort is underpinned by logistical personnel, led by Lt.-Col. Dominique Dagenais, who are responsible for Camp Erable and ensuring that everything runs smoothly.

Dagenais said the biggest challenge he faces is ensuring new personnel get their Iraqi visas in time to replace those who are nearing the end of their deployments.

The Iraqi government has in the past dragged its feet when it comes to Canadas mission against Daesh, including delaying deployment of the military hospital and signing off on a plan to arm the Kurds.

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SAINT-BERNARD-DE-LACOLLE, QUE.Security officials scrambled on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border Monday morning when two men, a young woman and an infant made their way to the busiest hole in the frontier.

On the American side, the group was flagged to the U.S. Border Patrol. Agents intervened and brought them in for questioning and verifications to ensure that they were legally in the country, said Norman Lague, an officer with the agency.

When they passed the inspection, the group loaded their three backpacks, the babys diaper bag, a stroller and car seat into a silver taxi van and continued along Roxham Road, a dusty dead-end street, on their way to Canada.

It is a version of the scenario that happens now several times a day  every day  here near the Quebec town of Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle  a taxi arrives, a family emerges, luggage is hauled across a border that is nothing more than a ditch, the RCMP arrests the asylum seekers, and takes them to be processed into an already overloaded system.

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But despite the heartwarming photos of police officers helping with young children, or offering an arm to negotiate the slippery snowbanks, it appears that the status quo is starting to stress Canadas border protection and refugee-intake system.

From corporals to a staff sergeant to an inspector, the Mounties who spoke to reporters during a media tour Monday were too stoic to admit such a thing. But Brad Cutris, an acting division chief with the U.S. Border Patrol said it loud and clear from the American side of the border in response to questions lobbed at him a few feet away in Canada.

A solution would be great, he said.

Like what? a Radio-Canada journalist asked, while teetering on the snowy bank of a creek running between the two countries.

I wish I knew, maam. Im not a policy-maker.

Mondays group of stunned and likely frightened border crossers was greeted in Canada by many of the nations media outlets, plus a few American journalists who were visiting to better understand that the U.S. is not alone in having people streaming across its borders.

The tour for reporters began at the RCMPs emergency operations centre in downtown Montreal, where the force showed off its remote surveillance capabilities, including high-resolution cameras and regular helicopter patrols.

Cpl. Francois Gagnon, a media spokesperson with the force, told reporters that the increase in illegal border crossings into Canada has been the greatest in Quebec. It has meant more work for patrol officers but not more than the force can handle, he emphasized.

But when the tour moved on to Roxham Road  a once-unknown country street that has become Canadas version of Ellis Island for some migrants  Gagnon was among the dozen RCMP officers thrust into action when unexpected border-crossers arrived.

The 13 dramatic minutes from the time that the migrants taxi pulled up to the border in the U.S. to the time they were driven away in Canada was captured by frenzied photographers and television cameras.

Unlike other asylum seekers who obtain tourist visas to travel to the U.S. and make their way directly to Canada upon arrival, this group appears to have been living south of the border for some time.

One of the men who had pulled his black toque down to hide his face told Cpl. Gagnon that he was from Eritrea and had been living in the U.S. since 2013. Another RCMP officer who seized the border-crossers passports held a Minnesota drivers licence and what appeared to be a Sudanese passport in his hands.

At Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle, Quebecs largest border crossing, Canadas newest refugee claimants would have been taken to the basement of a decommissioned building that has been set up with couches, offices, computers and vending machines to process the elevated number of refugee claimants.

Normally, the Canada Border Services Agency sees between 10 and 20 claims per day, said Dominique Fillion, an enforcement officer with the agency. Last month there were 452 asylum seekers who made claims at that particular border crossing. The agency will not say how many of those people crossed into Canada illegally.

Fillion said the CBSA has been redeploying agents from others posts and duties to help fingerprint, photograph and process the increased number of refugee claimants.

Every day we get more officers coming in, she said.

Like the RCMP, Fillion would not, or could not say if the agency is looking at any long-term solutions to ease the demands on the system.

Refugee advocates in Canada and the U.S. have urged the federal government to suspend the Safe Third Country Agreement, which forces refugees to make their claim in whichever country they first reach. That would remove the need for asylum seekers to sneak into Canada in order to exploit a loophole in the deal.

Ottawa has so far rejected such calls, but there is increasing pressure on Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus Liberals to develop a plan that will reduce the illegal and sometimes dangerous crossings.

Illegal crossings are unsafe and a burden on local communities, MP Tony Clement, the Conservative partys public safety critic, wrote on Twitter over the weekend. Our laws should be enforced.

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WINNIPEGThe federal and provincial governments need to co-ordinate their approach to the growing number of asylum-seekers crossing the border because all signs from the United States suggest the issue is not going away, says Manitobas premier.

With the United States approach, and the United States new administrations approach on issues related to refugees  and to immigration generally  there are conditions that would lead, I think, most people to conclude this will be an ongoing challenge, Brian Pallister said Tuesday.

We have a letter going out with specific issues that we would like to see the federal government co-operatively address, and I have a call lined up later this week with other premiers to discuss the issue and co-ordinate our approaches in respect of where we go from here.

Pallisters office later clarified that his calls with other premiers will be one-by-one and not a conference call.

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The number of people fleeing the United States, largely from African countries originally, has jumped in recent weeks, following planned crackdowns on immigration in the U.S. The refugees have been crossing fields and ditches near border communities such as Emerson-Franklin, Man. and Hemmingford, Que.

The tactic is a way to get around the Canada-U.S. Safe Third Country Agreement, which requires anyone who has already applied for refugee status in the U.S. to be turned away at an official border crossing in Canada. If a person crosses somewhere else and gets apprehended on Canadian soil, they can apply as a refugee and the case is heard by Canadian authorities.

Some immigration lawyers and politicians want Canada to change the agreement so that people can turn themselves in at official border crossings and still get their refugee claim heard.

The reeve of Emerson-Franklin, Greg Janzen, said Tuesday the idea would increase safety for his communitys residents and for the refugees, who have been making long crossings on foot in the dead of winter.

I would like to see something changed and get some order to this chaos thats going on, Janzen said.

Let them walk up to the port of entry. Will that bring more people? Yes. But at least it will be in an organized manner.

Pallister was noncommittal on the issue. He said there are arguments for and against changing the Canada-U.S. Safe Third Country Agreement.

In Ottawa, federal Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen said he sees no need to change the agreement, because the United States was still living up to its international obligations in dealing with asylum-seekers.

Pallister would not specify what he is seeking from the federal government. He said he is putting those details in a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

I think we have to have the dialogue (first) and we should endeavour to do that co-operatively with the federal government.

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The St. Matthews Day Banquet in Hamburg has been a big date on the German citys social calendar for more than six centuries. Everyone whos anyone in Hamburg attends. Under the gilded roof of the historic town halls palatial banquet room, keynote speakers  each year, a German dignitary and a foreign guest  discuss the great matters of the day before hundreds of revelers.

Perhaps Justin Trudeaus staff didnt notice before he spoke at this years banquet that the keynote slot has lately become quite thoroughly jinxed. The non-German speaker in 2016 was David Cameron, then the prime minister of Britain. Four months later he lost the Brexit referendum and resigned. In 2015 the guest keynote was delivered by Polish president Bronislaw Komorowski. Three months later he lost his countrys presidential election.

In 2014 Danish PM Helle Thorning-Schmidt  famous to space-challenged headline writers the world over as Obama selfie friend after she posed for a photo with the former U.S. president at Nelson Mandelas funeral  addressed the Hamburg dinner. She lost her next election and retired from politics. In 2013 the cursed Hamburg keynote slot was occupied by Jean-Marc Ayrault, who lasted for 13 more months as Frances prime minister before losing that job.

Apparently Trudeau is hoping to buck the trend.

Its a very specific trend, if we look more closely. Cameron was trying to stem a rising tide of populism at home by urging the European Union to reform itself. He failed, essentially, and saw his career washed away by a tide of populist nationalism in the Brexit referendum.

Komorowski was the standard-bearer for a moderate pro-European business conservative party that found itself losing, first in Polands presidential vote and then in parliamentary elections, to Law and Justice, a social-conservative movement that plays on fear of Polands neighbours, leftover resentment against Communism, and suspicion of newcomers.

Thorning-Schmidts social democrats lost to a centre-right party, mostly thanks to a surge in support for the further-right Danish Peoples Party, whose leader has since said he finds Donald Trump refreshing.

Ayraults departure was less dramatic. French prime ministers are appointed by presidents, and Ayrault took the fall when it became clear that Francois Hollandes presidency was going nowhere fast. But Ayrault is another symbol of the incapacity of traditional managerial brokerage parties to deliver the change voters crave. Marine Le Pen is almost certain to win more votes in Mays French presidential election than the candidate of Ayraults Socialist party.

So the last four consecutive Hamburg keynoters came a cropper, not from random bad luck, but because the fury of the disaffected made political business-as-usual impossible.

A cautionary tale. Four for the price of one, in fact.

Now along comes Trudeau. Appropriately enough, the tone of his remarks to the Hamburg swells was uncharacteristically dark. Citizens across the political spectrum are looking for guidance. Theyre looking for leadership. Theyre looking for a voice, he said.

And so far, theyre feeling a little let down.

When companies post record profits on the backs of workers consistently refused full-time work, he said, people get defeated. When governments serve special interests instead of the citizens interests who elected them, people lose faith.

Inequality has made citizens distrust governments and employers, and were watching that anxiety transform into anger on an almost daily basis.

Thats got to change, Trudeau said, perhaps noticing the Hamburg Rathaus floor is littered with trap doors. Its time to get real about the challenges facing the middle class, he said, and Old approaches dont work anymore, and We cant go about things the same way and expect to succeed in this new world.

Much of the rest of his speech was corporate-responsibility stuff  companies should pay a living wage, provide generous maternity leave, and so on. As for his own business  governing Canada  he offered no hint about what might be next, only applause for his enhanced child benefit and his recent at-least-Im-not-in-Davos speaking tour.

But I dont take the PM to have been basking in complacency. He didnt come before his German hosts as the guy whos found the solution. He cast themselves, with them, as one who needs to find it. We can no longer brush aside the concerns of our workers and our citizens. We have to address the root cause of their worries, and get real about how the changing economy is impacting peoples lives.

I take Trudeaus Hamburg speech as a preview of a strongly populist shift in economic policy, beginning with next months federal budget. Ill have more on that later this week.

Paul Wells is a national affairs writer. His column appears Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

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MONTREALConservative leadership candidate Steven Blaney says Canada must act immediately to stop illegal immigrants from entering the country.

Blaney is proposing a series of measures he believes will make the border airtight.

They include giving Canadian authorities the right to immediately hand over illegal immigrants to their American counterparts.

He also wants the government to hire an additional 200 RCMP officers and an extra 200 agents at the Canada Border Services Agency.

Blaney told a news conference in Montreal today the new hires would cost about $40 million.

The MP for Bellechasse-Les Etchemins-Levis is also calling on cities to fully co-operate with authorities, especially with regard to illegal immigrants who have criminal records.

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Toronto police have launched an investigation after disgusting notes with anti-Semitic messages were left on doors at a condominium in the city, residents say.

Its absolutely disgusting, a resident of the building at 233 Beecroft Rd. in North York said. In my 15-plus years Ive lived here, Ive never had to lock my door . . . but Ill be locking the door tonight.

Photos shared with the Star show a small note bearing the phrase no Jews above a swastika written in red ink. Mezuzahs, bearing scripture from Torah and hung on doorposts, were vandalized or stolen, residents confirmed.

Helen Chaiton, who has lived in the building for 18 years, said her rabbi had visited Sunday afternoon to replace her mezuzah that was completely vandalized. Hours later, in the evening, her new mezuzah had been stolen with an obscene message left at her front door.

At the foot of my door was the F-word, and a swastika, she said. I am staying strong. I come from a family of Holocaust survivors.

Chaiton said that on Sunday evening, she heard chiseling outside her door, and several knocks.

Anti-Semitism has no place in Toronto. Our Jewish residents should not have to face hatred on their doorsteps, Mayor John Tory said in a statement on Monday.

These acts, and the people who carry them out, do not represent Toronto or Torontonians, the mayor continued.

Police confirmed that the Hate Crime Unit was investigating several other incidents over the past few weeks that were motivated by hate.

We know these incidents  either rooted in Islamophobia or anti-Semitism  have a profound effect on the entire community and not just those immediate victims, they said in a statement.

They also said that TPS did not see any noticeable increase in the number of hate-motivated incidents, and are encouraging the public to step forward and report an incident.

Even if the incident does not meet the threshold for hate crime charges, police will still use the information provided to conduct an investigation that could lead to other criminal charges, the statement read.

Rabbi Moshe Steiner, co-director of Uptown Chabad synagogue in North York, went knocking door-to-door in the building on Monday to provide new mezuzahs and assistance to residents.

I met with three families. They are taking it seriously. They are confident that they will overcome, he told the Star.

Steiner also said that the synagogue would continue to offer free mezuzah scrolls to any residents who were targeted.

We are coming together as a community and will emerge stronger from this incident, he said. There has been outpouring of support from both within the Jewish community and beyond.

Last Friday, a small anti-Islam protest formed outside Masjid Toronto mosque with protestors holding signs reading No Islam. Another group of people responded with a counterprotest to support the Muslim community.

One of my most important responsibilities, together with my Council colleagues, is to safeguard the accepting, safe and stable environment within which the worlds most diverse urban population lives here in Toronto, Tory said.

That is why on Friday I condemned the anti-Muslim demonstration which took place outside a downtown Toronto mosque and it is why I similarly condemn anti-Semitic hate notes recently left outside Jewish homes in Willowdale.

With files from The Canadian Press

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A man is facing 12 charges after police say a camera was hidden in a washroom at the Rexdale Community Health Centre.

Toronto police were called to the centre on Friday, where they found a silver thermos containing a pinhole camera in a staff washroom.

The camera had been used to capture images of employees, police said in news release.

On Sunday, Wayne Bassaragh, 48, of Toronto was charged with 10 counts of voyeurism, one count of mischief/interfere with property, and one count of corrupting morals.

Police said Bassaragh works as a chiropodist at the centre, and also works in other clinics around the GTA.

He will appear in court on Mar. 31.

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A judges finding that two inmates were subjected to cruel and unusual treatment because of the numerous prison lockdowns they endured was based on faulty information and legally wrong, Ontarios top court heard Tuesday.

In addition, the Court of Appeal was told, the decision to award them a total of $85,000 in damages was unreasonable and unfair given that they had never asked for money.

The Ontario government is appealing a May 2016 decision in which Superior Court Justice Douglas Gray awarded $60,000 to Jamil Ogiamien, 46, a Nigerian facing deportation, and another $25,000 to Huy Nguyen, who was awaiting trial on firearms charges.

Gray agreed the frequent lockdowns they went through over a two-year period violated their rights because they were largely confined to their cells, deprived of the ability to maintain basic hygiene, and otherwise subjected to harsh conditions that affected their mental and physical health.

In submissions to the appeal panel, Ontario government lawyer Mike Dunn said Gray was wrong about the number of lockdowns the men went through while at the maximum security Maplehurst Correctional Complex.

Among other things, Gray found they were in lockdown roughly half the time, but Dunn said the real proportion was closer to 30 per cent.

Dunn also argued Gray failed to appreciate the steps the province had taken  albeit to little effect  to address long-standing staffing issues that resulted in frequent lockdowns, which the government says are imposed only as a last resort.

The court should take into account efforts made by the institution, made by the administration, Dunn said. Running a large maximum security prison is inherently complex.

The three justices wondered whether the government had done enough to deal with the situation given that it had known for years about the staffing shortages.

The ministry could keep on trying and keep on failing and thats just fine? Justice Gary Trotter said.

Failing to take into account the governments best efforts to address the situation amounts to legal error, Dunn countered.

Fellow lawyer, Hart Schwartz, argued that even if the finding of cruel and unusual punishment were upheld, the award of damages should be thrown out.

For one thing, Schwartz said, the claimants had simply wanted an end to the lockdowns and neither had asked for a money award.

We first learned of it when the decision came over the fax machine, Schwartz said. We were, needless to say, surprised.

Barbara Jackman, appointed as a friend of the court to help the unrepresented litigants, said Gray was right to find violation of the mens rights. He was also well within his rights to award damages after deciding that simply slapping the government on the wrist would be insufficient to denounce its conduct and provide a remedy to the men.

Justice Grays assessment and finding is sustainable on the evidence, Jackman said in written filings. The impetus for these lockdowns  staffing shortages  do not arise from legitimate security or safety concerns, but are the harmful result of administrative failures.

Neither of them were serving time for a conviction, Jackman said. She also said money damages were appropriate and were covered in the mens request to the courts for general relief.

If anything, Jackman told the judges, there was a studied indifference about whats going on in the jails.

Justice John Laskin, however, said it was highly unusual for a judge to come up with a money award without notifying the parties or hearing submissions. Jackman agreed, saying if the court upheld Grays finding of a rights breach, it would be appropriate to go back to him to argue damages.

In his oral submissions, Ogiamien described conditions under lockdown as cruel and inhumane and said there was no hope because complaints went nowhere.

Ogiamien was released under strict conditions in the middle of last year as he fights deportation. Nguyen remains in custody.

The justices reserved their decision.

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Two judges have recently called out the federal Crown office in Brampton for failing to disclose evidence to the defence in a timely fashion in drug prosecutions, with one saying the Crowns actions represent the culture of complacency in the legal system described by the Supreme Court in a landmark ruling last year.

Ontario court Justice Andras Schreck stayed drug charges against Andrew Stanley and Dilancan Unutkan in December after it took too long to get their case to trial.

His colleague on the bench, Justice Kathryn Hawke, stayed charges earlier this month against David McCready and Keith Rochon, finding there were similarities with the Stanley and Unutkan case with regards to the slow pace of disclosure by the Crown.

Last year in a landmark ruling, R v. Jordan, the Supreme Court found that cases in provincial court that take longer than 18 months to get to trial are considered presumptively unreasonable, and it falls on the Crown to prove that there were exceptional circumstances for the delay.

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Delays attributed to the defence cant be used to justify staying a charge.

The delay in this case was primarily the result of the Crowns failure to fulfill its disclosure obligations in anything even approaching a timely fashion, Schreck wrote in December. In my view, this case exemplifies the culture of complacency condemned in Jordan.

While a move by the Ontario government last year to add more judges and provincial Crown attorneys was applauded as a first step at clearing the backlog of cases at risk of being thrown out, the two Brampton prosecutions highlight what lawyers say are other issues that cause delay, but get less attention.

In the Stanley and Unutkan case, the accused were charged with several counts of possessing drugs for the purpose of trafficking, the total value being about $500,000.

The judge found the delay in the case to be 25 months, once delay attributed to the defence was subtracted. As one reason for the delay, Schreck pointed out that it took eight months after the accused were arrested to provide their lawyers with the information to obtain (ITO), a document that contains information about a case sworn by police in order to get a search warrant.

Schreck said he found it hard to believe it took so long for the Crown to vet the ITO before it was disclosed to defence lawyers, because the document was nine pages and the only information censored was two small portions on the second page to protect the identity of a confidential informant.

I find it difficult to accept that the Crowns office was so short-staffed that it took eight months to vet nine pages, he said. Even if it was, the Crowns failure to allocate sufficient resources to the prosecution of serious criminal offences cannot justify delay that is otherwise unreasonable.

Even after the ITO was provided, it took another five months to provide the surveillance disclosure, which consisted of police notes that were created prior to the applicants arrest.

Unutkans lawyer, Andrew Edgar, and Stanleys lawyer, John Christie, said a major source of delay in drug cases in Brampton is that Peel Regional Police take too long to provide evidence to the Public Prosecution Service of Canada, the federal agency that handles drug crimes.

Its not uncommon in Peel drug cases for initial disclosure, which consists largely of photocopies of notebooks that can be prepared in a day, to take months before it is given out, Edgar told the Star.

These things dont get done faster quite simply because some Peel officers dont care to do them faster, he said. When serious charges are being stayed as a result of this culture, people will hopefully start to realize that theres something wrong going on here.

A spokesman for Peel police said only one instance of delay in the Stanley and Unutkan case was the result of police disclosure.

We take the disclosure process seriously, said Sgt. Josh Colley. We have a directive that outlines the time frame within which disclosure is required to occur, and it applies to all areas of Peel Regional Police.

A spokeswoman for the Public Prosecution Service of Canada didnt reply specifically to questions about the judges criticism of the Brampton federal Crown office. Nathalie Houle said the prosecution service has issued a new guideline in the wake of Jordan to prosecutors on avoiding unnecessary or lengthy delays.

In the second Brampton drug case, Keith Rochon and David McCready were facing several drug possession and possession for the purpose of trafficking charges. After subtracting defence delay, Justice Hawke found it took just over 26 months to get the case to trial.

The judge said there was a striking similarity with the Stanley and Unutkan case, in that it took the Crown over seven months after the mens arrest to disclose the ITO to the defence. She said there were warning signs relating to delay but no steps were taken to prioritize it over other federal prosecutions.

Getting ITOs to counsel is part of your bread and butter work if you are in the business of prosecuting drug cases, Hawke wrote. Lack of attention to this work does not, without further appropriate details, show complexity, rather it leads to the inferences drawn by Justice Schreck and the complexity argument fails.

Lawyer Brian Crothers, who represented Rochon, and Dano Sahulka, a former federal Crown prosecutor who represented McCready, said more resources need to be allocated to the prosecution office by the federal government.

Until that problem is fixed, then there will always be problems in providing full disclosure to an accused person in a timely fashion, which will continue to violate a citizen's right to a trial in a reasonable time in this new post-Jordan era, Crothers told the Star.

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A man and woman from Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram were detained by Kerala police accusing them of public indecency. The youngsters, irked by unwarranted moral policing, went live on Facebook asking the cops to prove their accusation.

By India Today Web Desk: In another incident of moral policing today, Kerala police detained a native of Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram, Vishnu, and his female friend from the premises of the Napier Museum compound, accusing them of indulging in "vulgar" activities.

The youngsters gave the cops a tough time by going live on Facebook and compelled two policewomen and a policeman to specify what "indecent" act they were involved in. Unable to answer the questions, cops could be seen standing, helpless, and with no clear grounds to even detain them.

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Vishnu's live video has gone viral by now, garnering over 65,000 views within six hours. In the video, Vishnu asks the police what exactly they saw to accuse him and his friend of public indecency. Speechless for a bit, a female cop tells Vishnu that they saw the youngsters hugging and kissing.

Whether hugging a friend, regardless of their gender, and kissing someone in public is socially wrong is another discussion altogether, but Vishnu was adamant that they cannot be taken to the police station without at least one person present in the premises testifying that his friend and him were indeed involved in "acts" the police were accusing them of.

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE:

A policeman could be heard saying, "we can let go this woman only with her parents/guardians" to which Vishnu's friend replies, "I am 23 years old, and what if I say I am an orphan?"

Struggling to prove their accusation, police could be heard repeating that they saw the youngsters being indecent in public. Vishnu, on the other hand, could be heard saying, "all we did was sitting together, and yes, my hand was over her shoulder. How is that indecent?"

This is not the first time Kerala police is being accused of moral policing youngsters, but this is the first time youngsters have put social media to prove their innocence. Often, police detain youngsters and they end up being on the front pages of yellow newspapers with a three column report that narrates how police took action against youngsters indulging in "vulagar" activities in public.

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Ontarios Attorney General is calling on his federal counterpart to scrap preliminary inquiries in most criminal cases as a way to speed up the justice system.

These hearings are held prior to trials in Superior Court, which handles the most serious cases such as murder, and allow for a lower court judge to determine if there is enough evidence to send the accused to trial.

Speaking to the Empire Club of Canada Tuesday, Attorney General Yasir Naqvi said he also wants federal Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould to move as quickly as possible to fill Ontarios 11 judicial vacancies in Superior Court, which include seven in the GTA and three in Ottawa.

We need to make bold changes to speed up and simplify the criminal court process, Naqvi said.

It is our view that the long-held rationales for preliminary inquiries simply no longer exist, he continued. I have, therefore, asked the Minister to consider Criminal Code reforms that will significantly curtail the use of preliminary inquiries in criminal cases destined for the Superior Court.

The Criminal Lawyers Association, which supports preliminary inquiries as the best way to discover a case against the accused, said it was not consulted on Naqvis request.

We will be pursuing the opportunity to point out the shortcomings of the Attorney Generals position, said CLA president Anthony Moustacalis.

He said a preliminary inquiry also allows the parties to narrow the scope of a case, meaning the eventual trial would not be so lengthy or costly.

Toronto lawyer Daniel Brown pointed out that the Supreme Courts recent decision to set a timeline of 30 months to get a case to trial in Superior Court obviously took into account the time needed for a preliminary inquiry.

And, so, the notion that these preliminary inquiries have no value to the system is completely unfounded and false, he said.

In a letter to Wilson-Raybould obtained by the Star, Naqvi said preliminary inquiries should be limited to the most serious offences, such as murder and treason.

He said the Crowns screening standard for bringing a case forward is already higher than the test used in a preliminary inquiry to determine if an accused should stand trial.

Naqvi said that the provincial government has been conducting an analysis regarding the effectiveness of preliminary inquiries, and found that, in the vast majority of cases, the accused was ordered to stand trial.

Yet this step in the process typically adds months to the length of a criminal case, he said.

Naqvi said he has also asked Wilson-Raybould to convene a special meeting as soon as possible of provincial and territorial attorneys general to discuss the implications of a landmark 2016 Supreme Court decision that set new timelines to get a case to trial.

That decision, R v. Jordan, found that cases that take longer than 18 months to get to trial in provincial court, and 30 months in Superior Court, are considered presumptively unreasonable and it falls on the Crown to prove there were exceptional circumstances for the delay.

If the Crown fails, the charge against the accused will be stayed. Delay attributed to the defense cannot be used to justify staying a charge.

Several serious criminal cases have already been stayed in Ontario as a result of the Jordan decision, including a first-degree murder case in Ottawa last year.

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BRUSSELSU.S. Vice-President Mike Pence told a Europe rattled by U.S. President Donald Trumps insults of European institutions and perplexing comments about nonexistent incidents in Sweden that Trump actually fully supported the European Union and NATO.

The president did ask me to come here to Brussels to the home of the European Union and deliver an additional message, Pence said while standing next to Donald Tusk, president of the European Council and a former prime minister of Poland. So today its my privilege on behalf of President Trump to express the strong commitment of the United States to continued co-operation and partnership with the European Union.

Smiles and handshakes abounded before and after Pence delivered his reassuring words, but Europeans  taken aback by Trumps occasional fulminations against European institutions that had long been the bedrock of U.S. policy here  were still wary.

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In January, Trump called the EU basically a vehicle for Germany, language that stunned leaders of the bloc, which has been struggling with economic malaise, migration and Britains intention to withdraw. Days later, Tusk, who represents the unions 28 national leaders, described Trumps bombastic and skeptical language as a potential threat to European unity alongside Russian aggression, Chinese assertiveness and Islamist terrorism.

And just moments before Pence held his final news conference of his first overseas trip here, Trump posted on Twitter: The FAKE NEWS media is trying to say that large scale immigration in Sweden is working out just beautifully. NOT! (Sweden is a member of the EU, but not of NATO.)

On Monday, after meeting with Pence, Tusk said he felt reassured. In a detailed statement, he said he had asked Pence whether the Trump administration was committed to maintaining an international order based on rules and laws; whether Trump was committed to NATO and to the closest possible trans-Atlantic co-operation; and whether Europe could count as always in the past, on the United States wholehearted and unequivocal, let me repeat, unequivocal support for the idea of a united Europe.

Among the concerns shared by many European policy-makers is the possibility that the Trump administration will impose protectionist tariffs as part of the presidents goal of bringing jobs back to the United States.

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Canada has reassured Mexico that updating the North American Free Trade Agreement will be a three-way conversation involving all three member countries.

Foreign Minister Chrystia Freelands remarks Tuesday appear to clarify speculation that Canada will abandon Mexico and pursue bilateral talks with U.S. President Donald Trump, who wants to renegotiate the 23-year-old trade deal.

We recognize that NAFTA is a three-country agreement and we need a three-country negotiation, Freeland told a Toronto conference on North Americas future convened by the Canadian Council for the Americas.

We have had no specific NAFTA conversation with the U.S. There is no negotiating process in place yet. The U.S. has no team in place.

Freeland said her conversations with U.S. counterparts have so far focused on the value of Canadian trade with the U.S., she added, noting that Canada is the top export market for 35 U.S. states.

She noted that Canada also enjoys close trade, investment and tourism ties with Mexico, links that were further strengthened by Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus recent decision to remove the visa requirement for Mexican visitors to Canada.

I see real opportunities for us to have stronger, closer collaboration between the three North American partners and seize on opportunities to achieve objectives of more jobs and growth. That is the core thing that brings us all together, she said.

Luis Videgaray, Mexicos Foreign Minister, echoed this point of view, telling the forum that when it comes to trade ties, this is a three partners conversation.

He also praised Mexicos relationship with Canada saying it would be a significant mistake to characterize it as something other than simply great.

Trump campaigned for president on a pledge to overturn NAFTA, which he has blamed for a decline in the U.S.s manufacturing sector and called one of the worst deals ever. After meeting with Trudeau last week in Washington, Trump suggested that he planned only tweaks for Canadas terms under the NAFTA, saying he would focus instead on the unfair U.S. commercial relationship with Mexico (the U.S. has a trade deficit with the Mexico).

Trump has also pledged to crack down on illegal immigrants from Mexico and to erect a barrier along the entire U.S.-Mexico border, and force Mexico to pay for the wall. The heated rhetoric prompted President Enrique Pena Nieto to cancel his visit to Washington last month.

Videgaray called Trumps remarks damaging, offensive and insulting.

Mexico and the U.S. have had very public and open differences, he said. But what people dont know is how strong the countries are and the complex and deep relationship. For many, many reasons, the U.S.-Mexico relationship will be sorted out.

Videgaray has been to Washington twice already to meet with U.S. counterparts and this week U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and U.S. Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly will travel to Mexico City in an effort to help promote respectful and close relations between the two neighbouring countries.

NAFTA is not the villain of the story, said Ildefonso Guajardo, Mexicos economy minister, who spoke at an earlier panel Tuesday.

Introducing tariffs  as Trump has suggested  would be a disaster and would affect regional competitiveness, said Guajardo, due to integrated supply chains in many sectors.

You need domestic policies to retrain people and to help them transition. The solution isnt a less open economy, he said.

A Scotiabank study, released Feb. 17, concluded that NAFTA has not led to a decline in U.S. manufacturing jobs, or a hollowing out of labour, environmental or intellectual property standards. Technology, not trade, has cut manufacturing jobs. Manufacturings share of U.S. GDP (gross domestic product) has been stable for decades, the study found.

Experts say that a trade deficit or surplus is not a good indicator of a trade deals effectiveness; trade volume is key and so is regional competitiveness.

North American trade has more than tripled under the NAFTA, which comprises 470 million people and a $25 trillion regional market. An estimated 2.8 million U.S. jobs are directly supported by exports to Canada and Mexico. The agreement was the first trade deal between two developed countries, and a developing economy.

Guajardo said all three members need to acknowledge that the trade deal has been a win-win-win. We must change NAFTA to reflect our new challenges. For example, 23 years ago there was no e-commerce, he said. But nothing new in NAFTA should be a step backwards. It wont include trade quotas or tariffs. There are many other instruments we can use. We must show the world we are committed to free trade and open policies.

Changes to certain parts of the deal, such as rules of origin that say how to determine where a product is made, must be trilateral so there are common rules and certainty for investors. Currently, NAFTA requires that all products have 62.5 per cent NAFTA content to avoid duties.

John Weekes, Canadas chief negotiator for NAFTA in 1994, said Canada should definitely be in the room for any discussions between Mexico and the U.S.

We should be at the table, said Weekes. Canada needs to know what is going on to ensure that the resulting text doesnt emerge in a way that causes problems for Canada later.

The White House must deliver 90 days notice to Congress to begin any NAFTA renegotiations. The U.S.s trade deal with Peru took five years to negotiate, while the agreement with Panama took seven years.

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ROMEFormer Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi brushed off a fracture within his ruling Democratic Party on Tuesday as he positioned himself to retake its leadership three months after suffering a humiliating defeat.

A left-leaning faction within the Democrats failed to show up at a decisive party meeting Tuesday after threatening a schism ahead of a national parliamentary election later this year or in 2018.

Renzi had stepped down as party leader over the weekend in hopes of getting a new, stronger mandate, and urged unity. But by Tuesday he seemed resigned that the faction led by Pier Luigi Bersani was leaving and said the party must move on.

If someone wants to leave our community, we are pained by the choice but our mantra remains the same: Come, dont go, Renzi wrote on his blog. He said he was looking to the future, to the partys upcoming congress and was planning a new TV and social media blitz to get out his ideas.

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Renzi resigned as prime minister after he lost a Dec. 4 referendum on constitutional changes. Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni has been running the government until new elections are held. Many in the Democratic Party had bristled at Renzis arrogant style and had defied him by urging voters to reject the referendum.

Amid the disarray, party founders urged the rebels to rethink, with former prime minister Romano Prodi warning that it would be political suicide to break away at a time when populist forces are poised to make headway in the next election.

Another ex-premier, Enrico Letta, whom Renzi ousted as prime minister in a 2014 back room coup, blamed Renzi for the party fracture but urged unity.

It cant end like this, he pleaded on Facebook. Its easy to destroy something. Much harder to build it.

The factions apparent split doesnt mean that Renzis route to the party leadership is clear, however. Renzi opponent Michele Emiliano, the president of the southern Puglia region, did show up at Tuesdays meeting and immediately announced he would run against Renzi.

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BEIRUTFrances far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen refused to don a headscarf for a meeting with Lebanons top Sunni Muslim cleric on Tuesday and walked away from the scheduled appointment after a brief squabble at the entrance.

The debacle topped Le Pens three-day visit to Lebanon, where she held her first campaign meeting with a head of state. It drew the focus to her strong support for secularism and a proposal in her presidential platform that promotes banishing headscarves and other obvious religious symbols in all public spaces.

I consider the headscarf a symbol of a womans submission, Le Pen told reporters at the end of her visit. I will not put on the veil.

Le Pen compared her refusal to wear the headscarf to the decision by former U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama to decline wearing one during her state visit to Saudi Arabia.

I note that when Marine Le Pen refuses to don the headscarf, it is criticized, but when Michelle Obama refused to do it in Saudi Arabia, it was considered admirable, she said, soliciting applause from the accompanying delegation.

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Journalists shouted back that the two situations were not comparable because one is a state visit while the other is to a religious body. Le Pen dismissed the criticism.

French law already bans headscarves in all classrooms except universities. She has proposed extending the 2004 law banning headscarves and other ostentatious religious symbols in classrooms to all public spaces. While the law covers all religions, it is widely viewed as aimed at Muslims.

When asked if she fears her proposal may ignite the anger of the Muslim community, she said: When in Rome do as the Romans do.

The headscarf incident occurred ahead of a scheduled meeting with Lebanons grand mufti, Sheikh Abdel-Latif Derian.

Shortly after Le Pen arrived at his office, one of his aides handed her a white headscarf to put on. Following a discussion with his aides that lasted a few minutes, she refused and returned to her car.

Le Pen said she had informed her host the night before that she would not wear the scarf but they didnt cancel the meeting. Instead, she said, They tried to impose it upon me.

She said the Grand Sheik of Al-Azhar, the head of the Sunni worlds most prestigious learning institute, didnt require her to don the headscarf. Photos of Le Pen with Ahmed al-Tayeb in 2015 in Cairo show her with her hair uncovered.

The officials at the muftis office kept the meeting and consequently put me before a fait accompli, she said. I stuck to my position, because when I take a position it corresponds to a conviction. If (you dont like it) never mind.

The office of Lebanons mufti issued a statement saying that Le Pen was told in advance through one of her aides that she would have to put on a headscarf during the meeting with the mufti.

This is the protocol at the muftis office, the statement said. It said the muftis aides tried to give her the headscarf and that Le Pen refused to take it.

The muftis office regrets this inappropriate behaviour in such meetings, the statement said.

Le Pen has tried to raise her international profile and press her pro-Christian stance with her visit to Lebanon, a former French protectorate.

On Monday, she met with President Michel Aoun, a Christian, and Prime Minister Saad Hariri, a Sunni Muslim. She said Syrian President Bashar Assad was the most reassuring solution for France, adding that the best way to protect minority Christians is to eradicate Daesh, also known as ISIS or ISIL.

In her final press conference, she said that there is currently no alternative to the Assad government. She said she considered it a mistake that the French government had closed its embassy in Damascus, which undermined relations between French and Syrian security agencies that she said could have helped thwart terrorist attacks in France.

Some Lebanese officials, including Hariri, have taken umbrage at what is widely seen as her stigmatization of Muslims, whom her supporters claim are changing the Christian face of France.

There was also apparent displeasure at her comments on Assad, including from some Lebanese allies.

Christian right-wing leader Samir Geagea said after meeting with Le Pen that terrorism has no religion. He described Assad as the biggest terrorist in Syria and the region.

Walid Jumblatt, a leftist politician in Lebanon, tweeted that Le Pens statements in Lebanon were an insult toward the Lebanese people and Syrian people.

Later Tuesday, a group of Lebanese held a small protest in Beirut against Le Pens visit. One protester raised a drawing of Le Pen between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump, with Neo-fascists emblazoned underneath.

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TEL AVIV, ISRAELAn Israeli military court on Tuesday sentenced a soldier to 18 months in prison for his deadly shooting of a Palestinian attacker who lay wounded on the ground, capping a nearly yearlong saga that has deeply divided the country.

The sentence, which included a years probation and a demotion in rank, was lighter than expected. Prosecutors had asked for a prison term of three to five years. Palestinians dismissed the sentence as a joke.

Yet it still triggered disappointment from several hundred protesters who had gathered outside the Tel Aviv court and had hoped to see the soldier walk free. Sgt. Elor Azaria is to start serving his term on March 5, and politicians immediately called for him to be pardoned.

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Even if he erred, Elor should not sit in prison. We will all pay the price, said Education Minister Naftali Bennett, leader of the nationalist Jewish Home Party and an early supporter of the soldier.

The Palestinians, meanwhile, said the light sentencing only encouraged Israeli soldiers to use excessive force.

This sentence is a joke, and it shows how much discrimination Israeli courts practice against Palestinians, said Issa Karaka, the Palestinian government minister for prisoners.

Azaria was convicted of manslaughter last month in a rare case of a military court ruling against a combat soldier for lethal action taken in the field.

The verdict marked a victory for commanders who said Azaria had violated the armys code of ethics. But the soldier himself generated great support among the public, many of whom see him as a scapegoat for a misguided elite that has sought to harshly punish a soldier who they say responded to an armed attacker trying to kill other soldiers.

Azaria, an army medic, was caught on a cellphone video last March as he fatally shot the wounded Palestinian, just after the man stabbed a soldier in the West Bank city of Hebron. The Palestinian, Abdel Fattah al-Sharif, was lying on the ground badly wounded and already unarmed when Azaria shot him in the head.

The dead Palestinians father, Yousri al-Sharif, said the light sentence made a mockery of justice. If one of us killed an animal they would have put him in jail for God knows how long. They are only making fun of us, he said.

Fathi al-Sharif, an uncle of the slain attacker, said the sentence was too light. Its not a punishment, he said. This will encourage other soldiers to do the same.

The shooting occurred at the height of what has become more than a yearlong wave of Israeli-Palestinian violence. Since September 2015, Palestinian attackers have carried out numerous stabbing and shooting attacks that have killing 41 Israelis and two visiting Americans. During the same time, Israeli forces have killed 235 Palestinians, most of them attackers.

Palestinians and human rights groups have accused Israeli forces of using excessive force in some of the cases and even harming innocent people mistaken as attackers. But in the absence of concrete evidence, they have been unable to prove these claims. The video of the Azaria shooting, taken by a Palestinian human rights activist, was the strongest evidence to date to support the Palestinian claims.

Sending Elor Azaria to prison for his crime sends an important message about reigning in excessive use of force, said Sari Bashi, Israel and Palestine Advocacy Director at Human Rights Watch. But senior Israeli officials should also repudiate the shoot-to-kill rhetoric that too many of them have promoted, even when there is no imminent threat of death. Pardoning Azaria or reducing his punishment would only encourage impunity for unlawfully taking the life of another person.

Azarias defenders said he shot the assailant in self-defence, and hard-line politicians have said he should be either cleared or released with a light penalty.

The prosecution was thirsty for Elors blood and the sentencing proves that, Yoram Sheftel, one of the soldiers lawyers, said outside the court.

But his detractors, including senior military commanders, have said his actions violated military procedures.

The uproar has put the army in a delicate position.

Military service is compulsory for Israels Jewish majority, and there is widespread sympathy for soldiers, since virtually every family has a member who is serving or has served in the past.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who initially defended the military, later softened his position and called Azarias parents to console them. After the verdict last month, he called for Azaria to be pardoned.

The dispute helped fuel the resignation of Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon, a former military chief who sided with the army.

His successor, Avigdor Lieberman, visited Azaria in court during the trial. But since taking up the defence post, Lieberman has lined up behind the army. On Tuesday, he asked the public to respect the sentencing and urged all sides to do what is necessary to put an end to this affair.

Netanyahu was on a trip to Singapore and Australia and did not immediately react to the sentencing.

Dozens of the soldiers supporters outside the court chanted words of encouragement and waved banners reading: Death to terrorists.

The 20-year-old Azaria entered the court smiling and was greeted by applause from friends and relatives. He then had a long embrace with his mother and other family members.

Last months verdict was accompanied by angry outbursts in the courtroom and protesters outside who briefly blocked streets and scuffled with police.

But reactions were more muted Tuesday as Azarias father, Charlie, took a more calming approach, asking supporters ahead of the sentencing not to disrupt the proceedings.

None of us have any expectations, we shall accept the sentence whatever it may be, he said.

The family sang the national anthem at the end of sentencing.

Outside the courtroom there was anger, but no major disturbances.

Im a mother of soldiers, of fighters just like him. How can I send my kids to the army now? said Sigalit Cohen, an Azaria supporter. You are a soldier, you have a gun, you are a fighter, thats your job. He only did his job.

Col. Maya Heller, head of the three-judge panel, noted as mitigating factors in Azarias sentencing that the incident took place in hostile territory and it was Azarias first real operational experience.

We took note of the harm suffered by his family, she said.

However, she said Azaria had not expressed remorse for his actions and ruled that he did not open fire out of danger  but rather to harm the assailant.

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MADRIDPolice in Barcelona fired gunshots Tuesday to stop a man who stole a butane gas truck and drove it at high speed against traffic on a city highway, ramming several cars along the way, a police spokeswoman said. Authorities ruled out terrorism as a motive.

Spains interior minister, Juan Ignacio Zoido, said in a tweet that the man, a Swedish citizen, has a history of psychiatric conditions and added that it has not been any terrorist act.

The 32-year-old suspect was arrested after police fired at the trucks wheels to stop it, regional police chief Joan Carles Molinero told reporters. The suspect is being questioned at a regional hospital where he was sent for a medical checkup, Molinero said.

A Brazilian woman suffered a leg injury when she was hit by one of several butane gas tanks that fell off the truck as the man tried to escape by speeding down a highway near the northeastern Spanish citys famed harbour. The incident took place around 11 a.m. Tuesday.

Molinero said police started chasing the truck after the driver failed to obey orders to stop from police who had seen it driving at high speeds and dropping part of its load.

During the chase that ensued, the driver took a turn near the citys harbour and drove against traffic and into a highway exit where several cars were hit. It finally stopped when it crashed against one of the highways walls.

Local and regional police arrested the driver, who carried no weapons.

At the moment, we have no indication whatsoever that he was planning a terrorist attack, Molinero said, but added that police were investigating the man and searching the place where he lived. We are working on the possibility that it could be a person with psychological imbalances or who has consumed substances.

Spain has kept its national security alert at one step below maximum since July 2015, following violent attacks in France and elsewhere.

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Under French military supervision, four golden eagle chicks hatched last year atop drones  born into a world of terror and machines they would be bred to destroy.

The eagles  named dArtagnan, Athos, Porthos and Aramis  grew up with their nemeses. They chased drones through green grass that summer, pecking futilely at composite shells as seen in Sky News footage. They were rewarded with meat, which they ate off the backs of the drones.

When the eagles were ready  this month  dArtagnan launched screeching from a military control tower across a field, Agence France-Presse reported.

The bird covered 200 meters in 20 seconds, slamming into a drone, then diving with the wreckage into the tall grass.

The eagles are making good progress, said the French air forces commander of a program that adapts the ancient art of falconry to the threats of unmanned flight.

Weeks earlier, on the other side of the world, Iraqi soldiers fired their guns wildly into the sky after a small drone dropped a bomb on them. Terrorists have been modifying devices that can be bought in toy stores into weapons and radio-controlled spies, the Associated Press reported.

The French have been concerned since early 2015, when drones flew over the presidential palace and a restricted military site, according to Agence France-Presse.

No one was harmed. But terrorist attacks later that year, including the November massacre in Paris, inspired military officials to creative prevention.

They wanted a way to take down drones without shooting at them  a potential disaster if one went rogue in a crowded area.

A solution presented itself in an experiment by Dutch police, who last year used a trained eagle to pluck a DJI Phantom drone out of the air, Peter Holley reported for The Washington Post.

With unmatched speed and sight and bone-crushing talons, birds of prey have been trained to hunt for hundreds of years  for other animals, of course. But a wild eagle demonstrated natural hostility to a drone in Australia  as the doomed machines final footage revealed on CNN.

Thus, in France, four eggs were placed before birth on top of drones while still inside the eggshell and, after hatching, kept them there during their early feeding period, Reuters reported in November.

The eagles were named after characters in The Three Musketeers, and by February proved capable of intercepting drones in lightning-fast horizontal chases.

Soon they will be casting off from peaks in the nearby Pyrenees Mountains, Agence France-Presse reported.

The military has already ordered a second brood of eagles, according to the outlet.

Meanwhile, dArtagnan and his siblings will be outfitted with high technology to carry on their war against machines.

The military is designing mittens of leather and Kevlar, an anti-blast material, to protect their talons, Agence France-Presse reported.

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In Brisbane and Ankara, Harare and Quito, Berlin and New York, the Panama Papers investigation into tax haven abuses has been recognized with some of the most prestigious journalistic accolades on the planet.

The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, which co-ordinated more than 100 media partners from around the world  including the Star and the CBC in Canada  now lists 14 major national and international awards in its trophy case for its work on the Panama Papers. The prizes include a Polk Award, the Perfil Freedom of Expression Award, the Data Journalism Award for investigation of the year, the Online Journalism Award for innovation and the Barlett and Steele Gold Medal.

The Online News Association called the Panama Papers series superlative reporting, while the National Center for Business Journalism said it was one of the most talked-about events in journalism history.

ICIJ partners, including Swedish television station SVT, German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung and British daily The Guardian, have received an additional eight journalism honours for their reports based on the unprecedented leak of confidential information from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca, bringing the total to 22 awards worldwide.

This is journalism at its best, wrote the Prix Europa jury. (The Panama Papers) give great hope for the future (of) investigative journalism in Europe, at the same time as they give us a scary glimpse of the political situation in Europe and the dark forces within the human race.

British Journalism Award judges praised the investigation, saying it shone a light in some of the darkest corners of international finance.

In total, more than 300 reporters on six continents analyzed 2.6 terabytes of data and 11.5 million files relating to 214,000 offshore companies and uncovered secret links to 140 politicians in more than 50 countries.

Calling the project an unprecedented collaborative effort, judges for the Maria Moors Cabot Prize wrote that the series prompted a much needed debate about transparency and accountability in (Latin America) and around the world.

The Polk Award and other honours are an important recognition of the value of cross-border collaborations, said Gerard Ryle, director of the ICIJ. Some stories are so complex and so global they can only be unlocked when journalists are willing to share information and support each other.

Reports revealed anonymous offshore corporations tied to the civil war in Syria, the looting of Africas natural resources, and a Russian network with ties to President Vladimir Putin that hid as much as $2 billion in assets.

In Canada, the Star and CBC revealed that a wealthy Canadian businessman was a middleman in what U.S. authorities called a $400 million corruption scheme; a Dubai-based Canadian lawyer registered a company that broke UN sanctions and supplied fuel to the Syrian government; and Canadian engineering firm SNC-Lavalin paid $21 million to an anonymous offshore company to obtain business in Algeria.

The Stars reporting also showed how Canada itself is emerging as a tax haven, used by foreign tax cheats and criminals to snow wash illicit funds.

The Star has a long record of investigative journalism that has brought transparency where there was blackness, said the Stars editor-in-chief, Michael Cooke. It was a privilege for us to play a role in this successful global effort to help bring this multibillion dollar international cheating by incredibly rich people to the front pages around the world. And believe me, this story isnt over yet.

In all, the international team of journalists published more than 4,700 articles that led the U.S. to require that banks identify the real owners of shell companies that open accounts, and led the European Union to create a 65-member investigative committee to weigh tighter money laundering and corporate transparency rules, wrote judges for the Polk Award.

The reporting prompted the resignations of the Prime Minister of Iceland, executives in Austria and the Netherlands, government officials in Spain and Armenia, and an ethics expert at FIFA. Former British Prime Minister David Cameron was forced to explain his interest in a secret offshore fund set up by his father, and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif answered questions about his childrens offshore holdings in his countrys highest court.

One study found the market value of nearly 400 publicly traded companies linked to the Panama Papers dropped by a collective $135 billion (U.S)

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Chief Complaint: Toothache/Dental Complaint

I cringe as I pick up the chart of the next patient to be seen in my busy emergency department in downtown Toronto. In medical school, I learned to deal with illnesses from head to toe. Teeth, however, remain a mystery.

I know how to deal with certain complaints, such as a fractured tooth, but when it comes to the most common dental complaints, I simply do not have the skills required to diagnose and treat effectively. Dentists obviously do.

In the back corner of the emergency department, I find Jeffrey, a 38-year-old man (a hypothetical typical patient presenting with dental pain), pacing. Before I can introduce myself, he skips to discussing treatment.

Doc, you have to give me something for this pain, he says as he holds his cheek and winces. I look in his mouth and find evidence of long-standing poor oral health. When I ask him the last time he saw a dentist, Jeffrey looks at me confusedly. He has never seen a dentist in his life.

My question highlights how little I understand his situation. Jeffrey does not have regular employment, so making ends meet is difficult; oral health care is not in his budget. His pain is so severe that he has contemplated pulling the tooth with pliers himself. He likely has pulpitis, a painful infection inside the tooth, for which the treatment is a root canal. I have no idea how to do a root canal.

But I still have to assess treatment options. Antibiotics might help temporarily, but ultimately Jeffrey needs to see a dentist for definitive treatment. Meanwhile, the antibiotic may cause abdominal pain, cramping and diarrhea. For his pain, we can try an anti-inflammatory, but many patients do not find this provides adequate pain relief.

Ultimately, many patients end up with a prescription for narcotics  strong pain killers that can lead to addiction and abuse. We are trying to reduce the flow of these dangerous medications into our community, but limited access to oral health care encourages more use.

Like many doctors, I have a hard time diagnosing dental complaints  often there are few physical signs. Inevitably, some patients in significant pain will be sent home without proper relief, while others will be given prescriptions for dangerous medications they do not need.

If patients could get timely access to affordable dental treatment, these dilemmas wouldnt happen as often.

But why would anyone wait for hours in an overwhelmed emergency department in the first place? Why would Jeffrey suffer in pain, only to be seen by someone who lacks the training to help him?

The answer is simple: my services are covered by our publicly funded health-care system, but dentists are not. I frequently see patients for dental complaints that need to be addressed by a dentist, not a physician  yet they come to the hospital because they have nowhere else to go.

For children in low income families, we have a public dental program called Healthy Smiles Ontario. For anyone over age 17 (including seniors), we have nothing.

I see patients in severe dental pain almost every week, and I am not the only emergency doctor who does. A 2014 report by the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences found that 1-in-5 people in Canada avoids visiting a dentist because they cannot afford it.

In Ontario, it is estimated that between 2 and 3 million people cannot afford to visit a dentist, according to the College of Dental Hygienists of Ontario. Analysis of data from the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care found there were almost 61,000 visits to emergency departments in Ontario for dental problems in 2015, or one visit every nine minutes.

How much is this costing our health-care system? Based on the average cost of an emergency room visit, the Association of Ontario Health Centres estimates it costs the province at least $31 million annually.

Access to primary dental care is a necessity for everyone. We need to fill this gap, starting with the most vulnerable people in Ontario.

Heres my prescription: expand publicly funded dental programs to low-income adults, and deliver these necessary services in community clinics where people access their other health and social services.

Expanded access to oral health care is about providing patients with the right care, at the right time, in the right place. For patients who visit emergency departments with dental complaints, that means being able to see a dentist and dental hygienist when they need to, regardless of financial means.

Dr. Hasan Sheikh is an emergency department physician with University Health Network and lecturer with the University of Toronto Department of Family and Community Medicine.

Note- October 27, 2017: This article was edited from a previous version to make clear that the patient story described above is a composite story of a number of patients.



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By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Feb 21 (PTI) Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today said it has to be seen whether terror mastermind Hafiz Saeeds house arrest was the result of "real wise thinking" on the part of Pakistan or simply because things had started "burning under their feet".

Parrikar also rejected the concept of good and bad terrorism, insisting,"I can say when you grow cactus, the thorns prick everyone."

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His comments followed Pakistans Defence Minister Khawaza Asifs remarks that Saeeds house arrest was in Islamabads "larger interest" as he could pose a "serious threat" to the country.

Parrikar said any country supporting terror was bound to feel its impact on its own security situation.

"I hope they understand it...what has been said. If this is part of this understanding, it is a good thing that is happening.

"But we will have to wait till we find out whether it is only because things started burning under their feet or it is real wise thinking," he told a TV channel.

Asifs remarks about the danger posed by the mastermind of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, in which 166 people were killed, came at an international security conference in Munich, Germany, on Sunday.

Saeed was placed under house arrest under the fourth schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) on January 30 in Lahore, provoking criticism from various outfits loyal to him and allies. Saeeds inclusion in the list was seen as a tacit acknowledgement of his links with militant organisations.

Saeed was earlier this month put on the Exit Control List, barring him from leaving the country.

Saeed was also put under house arrest after the Mumbai attacks in November 2008, but he was freed by a court in 2009.

He carries a reward of USD 10 million announced by the US for his role in terror activities. PTI MPB SK SK

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As the world knows by now, President Donald Trump is thin-skinned and obsesses over peripheral matters.

There is method in his madness, however. Together with his alter ego and chief strategist Steve Bannon, Trump has conceived a new world order that is deeply at odds with the prevailing American global system.

Since 1945, Americas political leadership has developed an international, liberal global order with the United States at its centre. The system privileged the American dollar and American corporations, bolstering the free world with the might of the U.S. military. The goal was to keep America at the core and to push the Soviet Union to the periphery.

In the post Soviet era, the American response to Russia has continued to be to keep its own alliance system intact and to sustain the liberal international order.

That is until now. Trump and Bannon have an alternative system in mind. Trump never comes out and presents the complete alternative so that it can be grasped systematically. But he has been very open about the pieces of the puzzle. To understand the whole, we have to fit the following pieces together.

The United States has been overly generous with other countries, Trump has said many times, and this has undermined Americas economic strength, productive capacity and ability to create and sustain jobs at home.

Before and since his inauguration, Trump has made it clear that he admires Russian President Vladimir Putin, that he will pursue closer relations with Moscow, and that he would not be averse to dismantling sanctions against Russia.

Trumps statements in support of the United Kingdoms decision to secede from the European Union constitute a third piece of the puzzle. The president has said that it would not surprise him if other EU countries followed Britains example. In a further reversal of previous U.S. administrations, Trump has denigrated NATO as a critical pillar in the defence policy of the United States.

Friendly to Russia and negative toward the EU and NATO  these are critical pieces of the Trump puzzle.

Americas liberal internationalism established an economic order in which most countries, including the U.S., had to play by a common set of rules most of the time. But the world-view of Donald Trump and Steve Bannon holds that this system has proven far too costly for America.

An entente with Russia would permit the worlds two leading nuclear powers to seek naked dominance in their respective spheres. Russia would be allowed a freer hand in its near abroad with dire potential consequences for Ukraine and other eastern European countries bordering on Russia.

In its own much larger sphere, the United States would be free to pursue its economic, political and military goals without much regard for the interests of so-called allied powers. The guise of defending the free world against Russia would be set aside along with the rules based trading system of the WTO and regional trading blocs. Trump has already ditched the Trans Pacific Partnership.

Trump and Bannon prefer a more openly brutal system of bilateral relations between the U.S. and other countries. Canadians take note. Within NAFTA, Mexico is the chief target now. Canada could be later. Bilateralism would allow the U.S. to exert maximum pressure on trading partners, one by one.

Such a global arrangement would not be the first time in history that major powers have made common cause in pursuit of their own interests. In the late 19th century German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck fostered, for a time, an entente among Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Russia.

Trump and Bannon aim at a fundamental reordering of the world. Whether they want to include China in what would become a League of the Three Empires is not yet clear.

Initially Trump hinted at stirring up trouble with China over the status of Taiwan. However, in a recent telephone conversation with Xi Jinping, described as extremely cordial, Trump told the Chinese President he intended to honour the One China Policy.

Rome wasnt built in a day. The Trump-Bannon New World Order cannot be constructed in a day. It will be fiercely resisted along the way. Those who are resisting it will be enormously better prepared if they understand the Trump-Bannon conception as a whole and are not merely distracted by its bits and pieces.

James Laxer is a professor of political science at York University. He is the author of The Perils of Empire.

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A week after Michael Flynn was forced out as national security advisor after lying about discussing sanctions with the Russians, President Donald Trump named Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster as Flynn's replacement Monday, reported news sources.

According to McMaster's Hoover Institution biography, where he is a visiting fellow, he assumed duties as the director, Army Capabilities Integration Center and Deputy Commanding General, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command in 2014, served as commander, Combined Joint Inter-Agency Task Force Shafafiyat (Transparency) in Kabul, Afghanistan, as special assistant to the commander, Mulitnational Force-Iraq from in 2007 and 2008, director, Commander's Advisory Group at the U.S. Central Command in 2003 and 2004, and squadron executive officer and regimental operations officer in the 11th Armored Calvary Regiment from 1997 to 1999.

McMaster has written extensively on historical and national securities topics and penned Dereliction of Duty: Lyndon Johnson, Robert McNamara, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Lies That Led to Vietnam nearly 20 years ago.
President of Egypt Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and King Abdullah of Jordan have reaffirmed their support for a two state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict after President Trump suggested moving toward a different goal.

U.S. policy has, for decades, supported the creation of the state of Palestine, Reuters reports. At a White House meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu last week, Trump had suggested finding a way to bring about peace, which may not include the creation of a separate Palestinian state.

King Abdullah issued a statement during his meeting in Cairo with el-Sisi on Tuesday, saying that both sides agree any outcome that is not based in a two-state solution will have serious ramifications for the Middle East, the Washington Post reported.

Separately, President Trump commented today on the recent threats against Jewish community centers, calling the phoned-in bomb threats to 11 Jewish community centers across the nation "horrible."

"The anti-Semitic threats targeting our Jewish community and community centers are horrible and are painful, and a very sad reminder of the work that still must be done to root out hate and prejudice and evil," Trump said according to the AP.
Several Chinese businesses are reportedly moving in on the opportunity to associate their brands with Ivanka Trump, according to the Alibaba (BABA) -owned newspaper South China Morning Post.

At least 65 Chinese-based businesses and individuals have filed applications to use the name "Ivanka" as a trademark, according to the paper, citing data from China's national trademark office.

The reports come after a slew of U.S.-based retailers like Nordstrom (JWN) and Belk ceased selling products associated with the president's oldest daughter.

The applications are still being processed and it remains unclear if permission will be granted. The companies are predominantly involved with clothing, makeup and undergarments, according to the trademark office.
CSX (CSX) on Tuesday announced plans for the resignation of its chief executive, Michael Ward, in yet another indication that an agreement between the railroad company and activist investor Paul Hilal of Mantle Ridge LP may be close.

Ward and Clarence Gooden, CSX's president, plan to retire by May 31, according to a CSX statement. Fredrik Eliasson, currently chief sales and marketing officer, has been appointed president of Jacksonville, Fla.-based CSX. In addition, according to a local media report, roughly 1,000 management positions are expected to be eliminated at both the company's headquarters and field operations.

The resignations and layoffs come as Mantle Ridge's Hilal may be closing in on a deal to put railroad veteran Hunter Harrison in as CSX's chief executive.

The New York-headquartered insurgent investor, who's been hounding CSX for weeks, offered a compromise proposal late Thursday that he hopes will eliminate the need for a soon-to-be-scheduled shareholder vote on the matter.

And on Tuesday, CSX's statement suggests that a deal between Mantle Ridge and the railroad is coming soon. The railroad said that the appointment of Eliasson as president "is not intended to preempt or otherwise affect any discussions CSX may continue to have with Mr. Hunter Harrison and Mantle Ridge regarding Mr. Harrison becoming the CEO at CSX."

Hilal, an ex-partner at activist fund Pershing Square Capital Management LP, recently joined forces with Harrison, who last month quit his position as CEO of Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) . The duo, together with Pershing Square's Bill Ackman, are well known for engineering a spectacularly successful insurgency in 2012 that led to Harrison's installation as CEO at Canadian Pacific and a turnaround that helped Canadian Pacific's Toronto-listed shares climb nearly 190% during his tenure.

Mantle Ridge and Harrison have been negotiating with CSX to bring Harrison in as its CEO. However, the two sides had been squabbling over the length of Harrison's contract, his compensation and the number of new dissident directors that would be installed on the railroad giant's board.

In the letter distributed late Thursday, Hilal said if the board could agree to a four-year contract for Harrison, he would agree to a deal that only involved the installation of himself, Harrison and three other directors to what would be a reconstituted 14-person board. Hilal's previous proposal had sought six seats on the CSX board, including seats for himself and Harrison. With his latest proposal, Hilal suggested that the three other directors he is seeking to install on CSX's board don't have any special relationship with him and are independent directors.

Some directors could be good targets for Hilal. The company's current 12-person board has at least six non-executive directors that have served for terms of more than 10 years, according to relationship mapping service BoardEx, a service of TheStreet. For example, CSX directors David Moore Ratcliffe, Edward Joseph Kelly III and Donald James Shepard have all served more than 13 years on the railroad company's board.

Institutional Shareholders Services, meanwhile, gave a red flag to CSX in its QualityScore report, obtained by The Deal, for its board, noting that 55% of its non-executive directors have "lengthy tenures."

Also, late Thursday, CSX said in response it would consider the latest proposal. If the two sides can't reach an agreement, the next step would be for CSX to move ahead with its proposed special shareholder meeting to seek guidance from investors about whether to support Mantle Ridge's proposals. That meeting could take place as soon as April, according to Hilal, or later.

"None of us wants to wait," Hilal said.

With Harrison in charge, as many expect, railroad investors can look for a focus first on operating improvements and buybacks, only later followed by M&A.
By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Feb 20 (PTI) Shares of Lloyd Electric & Engineering tumbled over 15 per cent today after electrical goods company Havells said it will acquire the consumer durables business of the firm for about Rs 1,600 crore.

The stock, even after a positive opening, failed to hold on to the momentum and plunged 15.15 per cent to Rs 278.15 on the BSE.

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At the NSE, shares of the company tanked 15.12 per cent to Rs 278.

"...(Havells)board has approved the acquisition of Lloyd Consumer Durable Business Division (Lloyd Consumer). The acquisition is proposed to be executed at an enterprise value of Rs 1,600 crore on a debt free, cash free basis subject to closing adjustments," the company said in a statement yesterday.

The acquisition, when completed, will mark Havells foray into the fast growing consumer durables industry.

The transaction is subject to confirmatory due diligence and is expected to close in the next 8 weeks. The company plans to finance the transaction through a mix of debt and internal accruals, the statement said. PTI SUM JM

--- ENDS ---
Navios Maritime Holdings Inc. operates as a seaborne shipping and logistics company in North America, Australia, Europe, Asia, South America, and internationally. It focuses on the transportation and transshipment of dry bulk commodities, including iron ores, coal, and grains. The company operates in two segments, Dry Bulk Vessel Operations and Logistics Business. The Dry Bulk Vessel Operations segment engages in the transportation and handling of bulk cargoes through the ownership, operation, and trading of vessels and freight. This segment charters its vessels to trading houses, producers, and government-owned entities. The Logistics Business segment operates ports and transfer station terminals, as well as upriver transport facilities in the Hidrovia region; and handles vessels, barges, push boats, and cabotage business. This segment provides its integrated transportation, storage, and related services through its port facilities, cargo barges, and product tankers to mineral and grain commodity providers, as well as to users of refined petroleum products. As of December 31, 2021, the company's fleet consisted of 36 vessels totaling 3.9 million deadweight tons. Navios Maritime Holdings Inc. was incorporated in 1954 and is headquartered in Grand Cayman, the Cayman Islands.
The prime accused and two others involved in the abduction and harassment of popular Malayalam actress sought anticipatory bail in Kerala High Court on Monday.

By India Today Web Desk: The prime accused and two others involved in the abduction and harassment of popular Malayalam actor sought anticipatory bail in Kerala High Court on Monday.

EC Poulose, counsel of prime accused Pulsar Sunil, said that the bail application will be moved on Tuesday.

A police team led by Inspector General P Vijayan did not divulge details of the investigation.

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On Friday night, the actor was abducted and molested by a gang of six, who reportedly took pictures of the actor to blackmail her. The actress has identified Sunil has the prime accused.

So far, the police have made three arrests, which includes the actor's driver, who was arrested on the same night. The other two accused were arrested in Coimbatore on Sunday.

Reports also suggest that Sunil received a call from a leading film producer on the night when the incident took place. They will be charged under Sections 366 (kidnapping), 376 (rape) of IPC and Section 66 of the IT Act.

The actor currently lives in Kochi with her mother.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan as well as former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy have told her that everything will be done to see the perpetrators are brought to justice.

On Sunday, several leading actors of the industry staged a silent protest and expressed their support to the actress.

Ever since the news report shook the nation, a lot of celebrities from across the industries came in support of the actress.

( With inputs from IANS )

ALSO READ: Malayalam actress abduction- Prime accused escapes

ALSO READ: Not just the Malayalam actress rape- These stars too had sickening experiences

ALSO READ: After Kerala shocker, Varalaxmi shares her horrific experience

ALSO WATCH: Seven detained in Malayalam actor molestation case, rape charges filed

--- ENDS ---
Nine Ukrainian soldiers were wounded in the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) zone in eastern Ukraine over the past day.

Ukrainian Defense Ministry's Spokesperson for ATO issues Oleksandr Motuzianyk said this at a press briefing, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

No Ukrainian soldiers were killed over the last day. Nine soldiers were wounded. One officer of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine died at hospital, he was seriously wounded in Avdiivka on February 2, Motuzianyk said.

As reported, Russian-backed terrorists over the past day launched attacks on the Ukrainian positions in all directions.

ish
The State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) has started to sell natural gas on Ukraine's domestic market, as confirmed by the company's documents released in the ProZorro system.

On December 30, 2016, SOCAR's subsidiary SOCAR Ukraine Trade House signed an agreement with ERU Trading for the procurement of up to 131 million cubic meters of natural gas. Prior to that, on December 14, 2016, the company signed an agreement with Ukrtransgaz PJSC for the transmission of 180 million cubic meters of natural gas between January and December 2017, Liga.net reports.

Currently, SOCAR Ukraine Trade House is participating in a tender to supply 36.6 million cubic meters of natural gas to Ukrzaliznytsia PJSC.

mk
The Cabinet of Ministers has authorized First Vice PM, Minister of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine Stepan Kubiv to sign a bilateral investment treaty between Ukraine and Qatar.

This has been reported by the press service of the Economic Development Ministry.

"The Government has authorized Stepan Kubiv, the First Vice Prime Minister - Minister of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine, to sign an agreement on mutual protection of investments and to establish a joint commission on economic, trade and technical cooperation between the Government of Ukraine and the Government of the State of Qatar," reads a statement.

The signing of these documents will create a working dialogue between Qatar and Ukraine in order to strengthen trade, economic and technical cooperation.

ish
The international community should increase support for Ukraine in its opposition to Russian aggression.

This has been reported by President of the Ukrainian World Congress Eugene Czolij, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"The Ukrainian World Congress honors the memory and victory of the Heroes and participants of the Revolution of Dignity, particularly the Heavenly Hundred, and urges the international community to strengthen its support for the Ukrainian people and thereby, ensure that their voices have been heard," the UWC President stated.

According to the Ukrainian World Congress, the continued Russian aggression proves the need to step up pressure on the Russian Federation. "As the hybrid war of the Russian Federation against Ukraine continues to claim the lives of brave soldiers and innocent civilians alike on an almost daily basis, and a rampant disinformation campaign aims to discredit Ukraine and its people, the international community must understand the significance of not only maintaining support for Ukraine, but increasing pressure on the Russian Federation to withdraw its troops from Ukrainian territory," reads a statement.

ish
The Higher Regional Court of Vienna on Tuesday, February 21, issued a final decision on extradition of Ukrainian billionaire Dmytro Firtash to the United States - to grant extradition.

"The Court considers extradition and criminal prosecution acceptable," the judge said, promising to give written reasons for this decision, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

Thus, the complaint of the prosecutor's office that represents the U.S. interests has been satisfied.

As a reminder, Dmytro Firtash was arrested in March 2014 by Austrian authorities in Vienna on a provisional arrest request based on charges filed in the Northern District of Illinois, USA.

ish
President Petro Poroshenko had a meeting with EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides.

This has been reported by the press service of the Head of State.

The EU Commissioner expressed support for the people of Ukraine and assured the President that the EUs assistance will be continued until it is necessary.

We support your actions in difficult conditions and our assistance to Ukraine and all Ukrainians on both sides of the delimitation line will be increased, Stylianides noted.

According to him, the EU confirms its willingness to further support reforms implemented in our country. The EU recognizes significant achievements of the Ukrainian authorities and your personal efforts, Mr. President, in the implementation of reforms in Ukraine, the EU Commissioner said.

The Head of State informed the Commissioner on the deterioration of the security situation in Donbas and implementation of the Minsk agreements.

ish
The implementation of the program on creation of the specialized cardiology health centers through the country will allow saving annually by at least 3,000 lives more than today.

Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman stated this during a governments meeting, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"A plan on creation of cardiology health centers across the country will be presented today, it will help save annually by at least 3,000 Ukrainian citizens more than today," Groysman said.

According to him, the Ukrainian people live by 5, 7 or even 10 years less than citizens of the European countries, stressing that the most common cause of death is cardiovascular disease.

ish
The prime accused in the abduction of a popular Malayalam actress has escaped, said police sources on Monday.

By Indo-Asian News Service: Pulsar Sunil is a driver, who orchestrated the kidnap of a popular Malayalam actor has reportedly escaped.

After monitoring his mobile telephone, police found that Pulsar Sunil was in Alappuzha.

But before the accused could be intercepted, he reportedly gave the slip. Another accused also escaped minutes before the police reached their hideout.

However, a friend who came to meet Sunil was taken into custody, the sources said.

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The actress, who was kidnapped by a gang of six on Friday (February 17) night, alleged that Sunil committed the crime at the behest of others.

Sunil reportedly told her that he had been hired to kidnap her and if she resisted, he would have to use force.

The actress was let off near a director-turned-actor's house, from where the police were informed and her driver Martin was arrested.

Now, the police have arrested three of the seven persons allegedly involved in the crime. They will be charged under under Sections 366 (kidnapping), 376 (rape) of IPC and Section 66 of the IT Act.

On Sunday night, the Malayalam film fraternity gathered here to express their support to the victim. After the horrific incident, several celebrities across the industries have showed their support to the actor.

ALSO READ: Malayalam actress abduction- Prime accused has links with film industry?

ALSO READ: After Kerala shocker, Varalaxmi shares her horrific experience

ALSO READ: Not just the Malayalam actress rape- These stars too had sickening experiences

ALSO WATCH: Seven detained in Malayalam actor molestation case, rape charges filed

--- ENDS ---
The BJP Kerala unit general secretary has alleged that the CPI (M) state secretary's son was "behind hiring the criminal gang" responsible for a brutal attack on a Malayalam actor last week.

By Jeemon Jacob: BJP Kerala unit general secretary AN Radhakrishnan has slammed Communist Party of India (Marxist) state secretary and former Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan for police inaction in the initial hours following a brutal attack on a Malayalam actor last week. Speaking to the media at Kalpetta, Radhakrishnan alleged that Kodiyeri's son Bineesh Kodiyeri "was behind hiring the criminal gang who attacked" the actor.

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Radhakrishnan demanded that the investigation in the case be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

BJP activists staged a protest march to the Inspector General of Police's office in Kochi, and demanded justice for the victim. The march was flagged off by BJP leader Shobha Surendran. Meanwhile, in Thiruvananthapuram, BJP spokesperson MS Kumar alleged that senior police officers enabled the prime accused to evade arrest.

Kumar said Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan should hand over the charge of the Home department to someone else as he'd proved he couldn't handle the police effectively.

If police had carried out checks in the roads during the night, they could have arrested all the accused, Kumar said.

"Even after talking to the prime accused, the investigation officers failed to track his tower location. It shows that they didn't want to arrest him," Kumar told India Today.

The BJP state leadership has decided to corner the Pinarayi government on the issue of the attack against the actor, since the tragic incident has drawn national attention.

ALSO READ: Malayalam actress abduction: Prime accused escapes

--- ENDS ---
Non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) is especially prevalent among the elderly. Many patients with NMIBC also have significant concomitant comorbidities, including cardiovascular diseases and hypercholesterolemia. Statins are the most commonly used cholesterol-depleting agents, and they may possess anticancer properties. The objective of this population-based study was to evaluate the effect of statins on the survival of individuals diagnosed with NMIBC.

This is a retrospective population-based cohort study that used administrative databases to identify individuals 66 years of age and older who were diagnosed with NMIBC between 1992 and 2012. Subjects with documented use of statins before they were 66 years of age were excluded from the analysis. Cumulative daily use of statins was calculated before and after the diagnosis of NMIBC. Their effect on cancer-specific survival and overall survival was estimated using a multivariable competing risk and Cox proportional hazards model, respectively.

The final cohort was composed of 13,811 individuals66 years diagnosed with NMIBC. Of these, 4,748 individuals (34%) were exposed to statins during follow-up. The median statin exposure after NMIBC diagnosis was 21.4 months (interquartile range: 7.8-45.4). After a median follow-up of 7.1 years (interquartile range: 4.0-11.3) from NMIBC diagnosis, 8,900 (64%) individuals had died. The cumulative use of statins after NMIBC diagnosis did not significantly affect cancer-specific survival (P = 0.10). However, its cumulative use after NMIBC diagnosis was associated with a better overall survival ([0.93; 95% CI: 0.91-0.96], per year of use).

This large population-based study has provided evidence that cumulative statin use was not associated with an improved cancer-specific survival among individuals with NMIBC. However, our findings did demonstrate that statin users had a better overall survival than nonusers.

Urologic oncology. 2017 Feb 09 [Epub ahead of print]

Patrick O Richard, Ardalan E Ahmad, Shaheena Bashir, Robert J Hamilton, Robert K Nam, Ricardo Leao, Claudio Jeldres, Girish S Kulkarni

Division of Urology, Departments of Surgery, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke, Centre de Recherche du CHUS, Universite de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada; Division of Urology, Departments of Surgery and Surgical Oncology, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada., Division of Urology, Departments of Surgery and Surgical Oncology, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada., Division of Urology, Departments of Surgery, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada., Division of Urology, Departments of Surgery, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke, Centre de Recherche du CHUS, Universite de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada., Division of Urology, Departments of Surgery and Surgical Oncology, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. Electronic address: .

PubMed http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28190747
In 1999, the South African writer J.M. Coetzee topped his already celebrated career by publishing Disgrace, an unforgettable novel that earned him a second Man Booker Prize  the first time anyone had done that. Four years later, he won the Nobel Prize in literature. But since then, his published fiction has strained mightily to repel any reader who might be interested.

Perhaps thats as it should be. If youre 77 years old, and youve collected every literary prize in the world, you ought to be able to write whatever you damn well please.

But caveat emptor.

The Schooldays of Jesus, Coetzees new novel, is a sequel to his equally enigmatic book The Childhood of Jesus (2013). You can be forgiven for assuming that these novels follow the life of, say, Jesus. But despite those titles, a working familiarity with the Gospels will provide little context for interpreting this ongoing saga.

There is a precocious child, but hes known as David, and hes not Jewish nor is he graced with any unusual shine of divinity. In the first novel, he is informally adopted by a man named Simon, who is determined to find the boys mother. They eventually settle on a woman named Ines and set up what passes for a chaste little family.

J.M. Coetzee (Ulla Montan)

As the new novel begins, this odd trio are fugitives from the law, running from overzealous school authorities and an impending census. Its tempting to imagine this is an allusion to Caesars decree mentioned by Luke, but resist!  only frustration lies in that direction. The details of these novels cannot be matched up in any schematic way with the events of Jesus life. Some readers may find this dissonance freeing. To me, its irritatingly coy. Like the bystanders in the Gospel of John, Im left asking: How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.

As with so much about these stories, the time and setting are imprecise. Simon and his makeshift family arrive in a benevolent city with a vaguely European socialist vibe. The technology  cars, radios  suggests the 1930s.

[Review: The Childhood of Jesus, by J.M. Coetzee]

The most satisfying parts of the novel come early as Simon struggles to provide David with the love and direction the boy needs. Coetzee has an impeccable ear for the tender patter between a curious child and a conscientious father figure who never wants to lose his patience. David can be trying; he persistently asks questions about sex and death and other mysteries beyond his comprehension. Hes quick to claim that Simon doesnt understand him, doesnt love him. Simon responds in a clear and measured way, but privately the boys accusations shake his confidence about his life and the role hes assumed with this icy woman.

But the pleasure of this relationship is soon eclipsed by other matters. Anxious about Davids education, Simon and Ines decide to send the boy to the Dance Academy, which professes a strikingly unorthodox theory of mathematics. On parent-teacher night, the headmistress explains:

Our Academy is dedicated to guiding the souls of our students toward that realm, to bringing them in accord with the great underlying movement of the universe, or, as we prefer to say, the dance of the universe. To bring the numbers down from where they reside, to allow them to manifest themselves in our midst, to give them body, we rely on dance. Yes, here in the academy we dance, not in a graceless, carnal, or disorderly way, but body and soul together, so as to bring the numbers to life. As music enters us and moves us in dance, so the numbers cease to be mere ideas, mere phantoms, and become real.

If Joan Quigley had opened a dance studio, it might have sounded like this, which is just the first indication that something is seriously odd here. But David loves the staff and seems destined to be the schools finest student. (His dance of No. 7 is, by all accounts, transcendent!)

Alas, this headache-inducing gibberish is soon overwhelmed by the rantings of a sex criminal named Dmitri who used to work at the Academy. At his trial  and through several tedious reappearances that could make you a death-penalty supporter  we endure long, repetitive discussions about the mystery of why he killed the woman he loved. Having to read the judges semantic analysis feels crueler than any punishment Dmitri might earn:

Your guilt: let us take a moment to ponder that phrase. What does it mean, what does it ever mean, to speak of my guilt or your guilt or our guilt in respect to some action or other? What if we were not ourselves, or not fully ourselves, when the action in question was performed? Was the action then ours? Why, when people have performed heinous deeds, do they commonly say afterwards, I cannot explain why I did, I was beside myself, I was not myself?

Theres no denying the haunting quality of Coetzees measured prose, his ability to suspend ordinary events in a world just a few degrees away from our own. But to what end? Although The Childhood of Jesus and The Schooldays of Jesus are presented as allegories, they never yield any interesting allegorical meaning. The result is a story that suggests more profundity than it ever incarnates.

Ron Charles is the editor of Book World. You can follow him on Twitter @RonCharles.
By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Feb 21 (PTI) An IT professional has been arrested for allegedly harassing a woman by using caller ID spoofing, creating fake Facebook profile of her and sending vulgar messages to her family members, police said today.

A woman had filed a complaint at Hari Nagar Police Station alleging that her sister-in-law was being harassed and threatened over phone and through social media, they said.

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"Aman Singh (23), a resident of Paschim Vihar, was arrested on Thursday from his home. The accused is employed with an IT company," DCP(West) Vijay Kumar said.

According to the complaint, the victim has finished her graduation and was pursuing a language course from a college in North Campus. She had to discontinue her studies due to continuous harassment and threat calls, a senior police officer said.

The complainant said her sister-in-law met Aman in a college fest and they became friends. But, after some time her sister-in-law started maintaining distance from the accused since he was getting "possessive", he said.

Since October last year, a person started harassing the victim on social media. He started sending vulgar messages on WhatsApp to her family members and threatened them with dire consequences, the officer said.

He had also created a fake Facebook account in the name of the victim and used to post photographs and comments to harass her.

"A case was registered and even though the prime suspect was Aman, there was no evidence against him. During probe it was found that the accused was sending vulgar messages, texts and photographs, through social media and mobile apps," he said.

The accused was also making calls from international numbers and using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).

"The mobile number which was shown on the victims mobile phone was spoofed using an application. The caller ID was "spoofed" as the numbers do not show a subscriber name. We had mounted surveillance on Facebook and WatsApp," the officer said.

After analysing the call records, it was seen that the caller was constantly switching to new mobile numbers to harass the victim. On February 11, the culprit took a new SIM card and started sending messages, he said.

The number was put on surveillance and the accused was found to be Aman, the officer said.

"Three mobile phones with national and international SIM cards, an Apple MacBook, tablet and laptop have been recovered from his possession," the official said. PTI SLB NSD

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This weeks #DinnerInMinutes recipe calls for harissa paste, a North African condiment. You can easily make your own or buy it in grocery stores (Cava and Mina are two widely available brands; we also like the version made locally by She Peppers).

[How to top your favorite side dish: Turn it into a main course]

Once youve acquired your harissa paste, how else can you use it? Glad you asked; from the Recipe Finder, here are eight ideas to get you started. Youll soon see just how versatile the spicy sauce can be.



(Goran Kosanovic/For The Washington Post)

Taim Falafel Two Ways, With Roasted Red Pepper Tahini. Some of the best falafel weve had. From Einat Admony, chef-restaurateur of Balaboosta, Taim and Bar Bolonat in New York.



(Deb Lindsey /For The Washington Post)

Harissa Squash and Feta Galette. This savory winter tart has a rye crust.



(Deb Lindsey/For The Washington Post)

Boiled-Egg Sandwiches With Pickled Carrots, Cilantro and Harissa Mayonnaise. A nice option for lunch or a light dinner.



(Deb Lindsey/For The Washington Post)

Red Whole-Wheat Penne. This is chef Marcus Samuelssons modernized version of the classic Ethiopian dish pasta saltata.



(Deb Lindsey/For The Washington Post)

Quick Meatballs. These can be on your table in 30 minutes or less.



(Amanda Voisard/For The Washington Post)

Roasted Eggplant Dip. This quick appetizer is great with pita chips or spread on open-faced sandwiches.



(Deb Lindsey/For The Washington Post)

Spiced Chickpeas and Haricots Verts on Grilled Bread. A good way to use up stale bread.



(Deb Lindsey/For The Washington Post)

Caramel Pork Ribs. These simple ribs come together in one pot.
At a time when minimalism and simplicity are rising in popularity, Ive purged those topics from my life.

For almost 10 years, I was editor in chief of Unclutterer.com  one of the hubs of online articles covering the topics of simple living, home and office organizing, and productivity. In addition to my daily advice wielding, I wrote books and magazine columns and even dished advice live to Kathie Lee and Hoda on the Today show. I had clients (celebrity clients whose names I would drop here if it werent for non-disclosure agreements) and a loyal fan base and helped thousands of people find some level of order in their lives.

Then, five months ago, I quit.

One day I looked in our editing system and realized Id written 2,000 posts  not including books or magazine columns or interviews  totaling about a million words. A million words about organizing. I was burned out. So I picked my replacement and took a job at a software company where not a single person cares about my opinions on how to fold fitted sheets or what daily planner I recommend.

Often after a day of working with clients on an organizing project, they would comment that they felt lighter. And lighter would be the same word I would use to describe how I felt when I changed careers. It wasnt until I walked away that I realized how much pressure I put on myself to keep a perfect home, to always be on time, to never let a ball drop. I had to walk the walk. It was mentally and physically exhausting to try to be Martha Stewart  or my imagined version of her  all the time. (I wonder whether she feels the same pressure to live up to her cult of personality?)

Erin Rooney Doland, the former editor in chief of Unclutterer.com. (PJ Doland)

[Feeling overwhelmed? Do less, but do it better.]

I look forward to the first time I walk into someones home and they dont immediately apologize for (what is usually nonexistent) clutter. When youre a professional organizer, everyone you meet assumes youre judging them for how disorganized or chaotic their lives are. Im sorry for the mess! You must think the worst of me! One day, maybe, when I arrive at a friends door she will simply say: Welcome. Come in.

Then there was the biggest issue of my previous career: I didnt like thinking about stuff, but I spent nearly a decade constantly thinking about it.

Ive been asked recently whether I felt my previous career was akin to selling snake oil. I never thought that. Ive seen how clutter and disorder can cripple people socially. And Ive witnessed how getting rid of unwanted stuff and becoming more organized can improve the quality of peoples lives.

But  and here is a big confession  I also learned that simple living isnt for everyone.

Some people can function just fine with a cluttered desk. Some people never lose their keys, even when they put them in a different spot each time they come home. Some people make better connections when they have hundreds of things pinned to a wall than having those same things alphabetized and shoved into files. I dont know how they do it, because my brain doesnt operate that way, but they do and their lives run more smoothly because of/in spite of it.

In general, though, I found there were nine fundamental truths  themes that played into every piece of advice I gave:

1. Buy what you actually need and use; dont buy a lot of other stuff.

2. Except for mortgage, education and car loans, try your best not to use credit unless its a real emergency.

3. Before you buy anything, know exactly where youre going to store it. Otherwise, that object will always be out of place.

4. Finish what you start: Laundry isnt done until its put away. Dinner isnt over until the dishwasher is loaded.

5. Write tasks down.

6. Do the tasks youve written down. (Of everything on this list, this is the hardest item for most people.)

7. You cant win at organizing, so keep organizing systems as simple as possible.

8. Establish routines for all the chores in your life; the less you have to think about them, the more likely they are to get done.

9. Being uncluttered isnt a destination; its merely clearing a path so you can do something more worthwhile with your time and energy.

Remember, too: Its easier to be at the top of your organizing game when youre healthy and happy and in a stable and comfortable situation. If those things dont currently apply to you, being organized is much more difficult for you than for others. If youre looking for permission to let some things slide, this is your permission. Ill even give you permission if your life is puppies and rainbows.

I still hang my keys on a hook in my hall closet and sort my mail (trash/recycle/file/act) before I bring it into my house. I keep a to-do list and calendar and tackle my daily responsibilities. I almost exclusively wear solids (navy blue, black, gray, white, red and green) because I can get away with owning fewer items of clothing that way.

But there is laundry in my dryer that I have fluffed twice over the past three days, and I will probably fluff it one more time before I fold it. My toddler tore up a piece of paper, and the shreds are still in the pile she left them in this morning. (Its now 9:30 p.m.) Mud is caked on my boots from this weekends hike and will remain there until I go hiking again. Because the pressure of perfection is a form of clutter, too. And its got to go.

Erin Rooney Doland is the author of Never Too Busy to Cure Clutter and Unclutter Your Life in One Week. In addition to her day job with a software company, she writes romance novels at night (which she publishes under a pen name). She lives in Northern Virginia.
I sold my moms house in Florida in December. I didnt discuss it with her, which is weird because we discuss everything. Or we used to, before her Alzheimers disease worsened. Ive learned to edit myself in conversations and to consider what is worth stressing her out (if she remembers what Ive said).

Its all part of the guessing game I have been playing since 2012, when, at age 77, she became one of the 5.4 million Americans diagnosed with the cognitive disorder, according to the Alzheimers Association. She refused to discuss it with me, insisting that her forgetfulness was just part of the normal aging process. She remained in denial, even when she was ordering pizza every other night because she couldnt remember to grocery shop, or when her Medicare coverage lapsed because she forgot to renew it.

Luckily, she had done one thing to prepare for her later years: She had signed a durable power of attorney empowering me to make care and financial decisions for her when she no longer could. Im an only child, and my dad died in 1992, so I became her caregiver, armed with a POA and lots of educated guesses.

I knew my mom had no intention of leaving the townhouse she had inhabited for 38 years. Keeping her there safely meant I had to hire a housekeeper and a home health aide  help she accepted only grudgingly.

I was a joint account holder on all her assets, but she refused to tell me what those assets were. To get control of them, my husband and I sneaked over to her house during our visits to our parents in Florida from our home in Fairfax. While she was at my in-laws home nearby, seeing our kids, wed search her files. It felt awful, but it allowed us to keep her lights on.

When a stroke and bilateral pulmonary embolism last June left her in a wheelchair and confused (not just forgetful), there was nothing to discuss. Her time at home was over. I moved her into an assisted-living facility minutes from where I live with my husband and our two children.

For the most part, I dont regret my choices. Ive done my best. But this situation was avoidable. An end-of-life planning conversation is difficult, but not impossible, even with the most stubborn loved one. I spoke with several experts on aging and end-of-life planning on how to broach the subject and what to cover. Here are their suggestions.

Starting the conversation

Theres no hard-and-fast one-size-fits-all as to how to do this, said Sally Hurme, author of Checklist for My Family: A Guide to My History, Financial Plans and Final Wishes, published by AARP and the American Bar Association.

But there are some tactics that can make the conversation easier, Hurme said:

 Ask one or two questions at a time. For instance, ask where the person banks, then wait a week before asking where to find their Social Security number.

 Use someone the person knows as an example of what you want to do or avoid. Discuss how things worked out and ask what your loved one would do differently.

 Invite a trusted third party, such as a faith leader or lawyer, to act as a mediator to clarify everyones goals.

Use the approach that I want to be sure you maintain your independence as long as possible. I want to be sure that your wishes are carried out, whether it be financial, where you live, how you live, the quality of your life,  Hurme said.

[How to cope with caring for baby boomer parents while raising small children]

I didnt start this conversation with my mom until after her diagnosis. I was 34 and more focused on my then-2-year-old and newborn than I was on what Id do if my mom got sick. I also assumed that because she had set up the POA, she wouldnt be averse to discussing other details. On all counts, I was wrong.

Its never too early to start the conversation, but it can become too late, Hurme said. Once someone has been diagnosed with cognitive impairment, they can no longer sign a POA.

The time frame is today, Hurme said. The conversation should be revisited periodically, particularly when circumstances change, she added.

Specifics to cover

Legal documents

Cover the most important topics first  namely, who can make financial and medical decisions for your loved one.

I tell my clients there are three important documents they should have, said Morris Klein, a Bethesda-based lawyer who works in elder law. Those include a will, a financial power of attorney and a health-care power of attorney.

Simply writing down the names of whom you want to be your beneficiaries and who should make sure those wishes are carried out might not be enough, Klein said. A will must be signed in front of witnesses and fulfill other legal requirements to have maximum leverage in court. But you dont have to pay hefty legal fees to draw one up. Its possible to use online software to generate a simple will.

A financial power of attorney authorizes someone to handle money decisions. It can be specific to a life event, such as selling a home, or more general and cover all financial matters.

Be aware, though, that third parties (such as banks) are not legally required to honor a financial power of attorney. They are more likely to do so if the document is detailed, including specifics on property transactions, business operations, trusts and bank transactions, Klein said. Additionally, unlike health-care decision-making, there is no default authority given to a spouse or child, making it imperative to be specific here.

A health-care power of attorney names someone to make medical and care decisions and may include a do-not-resuscitate order.

If no one is specified in this document, a spouse gets priority, followed by children.

Without a power of attorney, an incapacitated person is subject to a guardianship  someone to be responsible for their care  which is often more expensive and time-consuming, Klein said. The cost of having these legal documents drawn up by a lawyer runs from a couple hundred to several thousand dollars.

Financial planning

The average cost of an assisted-living facility in the District is about $6,700 per month, while a nursing home can cost about $10,000 per month, according to the Genworth 2016 Cost of Care Survey. Prefer to keep your parents at home? Thats not cheap, either. You may need to renovate the space to accommodate a wheelchair, for example, and home health aides typically charge about $20 per hour.

One of my biggest regrets is that my mom didnt have long-term-care insurance, which covers policyholders up to a certain amount per day for personal care services such as bathing and eating. That might have been the missing link to fulfilling her wish to stay in her townhouse.

Some policies, however, expire after a couple of years, and they might not reimburse for all costs. For instance, insurance may cover building a wheelchair ramp to get into your home, but not the cost of an assisted-living facility, said Jessica Ness, a senior financial planner at CJM Wealth Advisers in Fairfax. Additionally, policyholders might have to meet a deductible before coverage starts. A persons ability to independently perform the six Activities of Daily Living  bathing, continence, dressing, eating, toileting and walking  is a common gauge for when long-term-care insurance kicks in, Ness said.

People with long-term-care insurance should have $30,000 to $60,000 on hand to cover the deductible, Ness said. For those who dont have it, she uses Genworths survey and Fidelitys retiree health-care cost estimate to estimate savings needs. The latter recommended last year that a married couple over age 65 have $260,000 saved for health-care costs.

Another option is to give assets away. If youd rather your money go to aid a family member or friend instead of to health-care costs, you need to start gifting early to avoid penalties when applying for Medicaid. The service penalizes any gifts made within five years of your application.

Where to live

Choosing an assisted-living facility was the hardest decision I made for my mom because I knew she didnt want to live in one. I focused on location, cost and care options so that I wouldnt have to move her more than once.

Many people lump assisted living and nursing homes into one category, but theyre different animals. Assisted-living facilities are regulated by the county where theyre situated, and most have an on-site nurse only during typical business hours. That limits the types of services they can provide. Nursing homes are regulated by the state and staffed with a licensed nurse at all times.

Its really important to go out and look and see whats available before you make any big decisions, said Megan Descutner, owner of Golden Pond ElderCare Strategies.

Things to consider include cost, location and your loved ones interests, said Descutner, who charges $150 an hour plus travel fees to help families find and maintain care. An active senior needs a community with lots of activities and a social population, although more sedentary people can usually find a private space even in the most bustling places. Someone with more advanced health issues might opt for an assisted living facility with a nurse on site 24 hours a day.

Regardless of planning, a move will be stressful. I was told it could take three to six months for my mom to acclimate to her new surroundings, but the time frame depends on the person, said Nancy Reburn, manager of the memory-care and assisted-living houses at Charles E. Smith Life Communities in Rockville.

Reburn recommends talking with your loved one about what theyd like to take with them. Familiar furniture and decorations can be comforting.

I couldnt fit my moms favorite recliner into her tiny bedroom, but I covered her walls in photos of people she loves. Six months into assisted living, my mom still gets mad at me for leaving when our daily visits end. But sometimes she thanks me for being there for her. And I know she means more than visiting.


Rep. Beto O'Rourke (D-Tex.) on the international bridge between El Paso and Juarez. I just wish more people could see what I see, of cross-border relations, he said. (Ivan Pierre Aguirre/For The Washington Post)

Beto ORourke has long believed that the closer you get to the Mexican border, the less you fear it. So on a recent afternoon, the Democratic congressman who may challenge Ted Cruz for his U.S. Senate seat walked into Juarez for lunch.

The mere name of this Mexican city conjures images of bloodthirsty cartels or seedy red-light districts  the kind of place, some have argued, against which the United States should seal itself with a big, beautiful wall.

ORourke is strongly opposed to that plan. Among other things, it would make it harder to visit the bar he took his wife to on their first date.

It was a little bit of a test, to see if she was up for an adventure, he said, ducking into the dimly lit interior of the Kentucky Club.

She was. After drinks, he recalled, they bumped into a camera crew that tried to enlist the attractive couple to kiss on camera for a TV commercial  but ORourke begged off. Es mi hermana, he told them: Shes my sister. Ten months later, they were married.

ORourke isnt naive about the violence that plagues parts of the city. Still, he maintains that crime is not the only story about the U.S.-Mexico border, nor even the most important one. He sees Juarez as a place where an open mind and a stomach for risk can lead to meaningful connections and long-term partnerships.

The question for the 44-year-old with statewide ambitions is: Can he get the people of Texas to see the same thing?

Inside the bar, where Elizabeth Taylor and Steve McQueen once partied and the margarita was supposedly invented, the congressman grabbed a table lined by photos of matadors and Mexican baseball players. He was greeted by an El Paso friend, Miguel Fernandez, whose telecommunications firm does work on both sides of the border.

Fernandez talked about his fear that President Trump will spark a trade war between the two countries. At least tell me, where are you now on running for Senate? Fernandez asked, taking a sip from his bottle of Sol. More than 50-50?

Im pretty close, ORourke said. I really want to do this.

Democrats might look at ORourke  a small-business owner with hipster credentials, a Gen Xer who speaks fluent Spanish and looks more like a Kennedy than the Kennedys do  and see a candidate of thrilling national potential, marred only by where he happens to live. But then again, maybe its where he lives that makes him exciting.

With its growing Hispanic population, Democrats have long believed that Texas would eventually belong to them  just not imminently. But the 2016 election has scrambled the way people think about these things.

I wouldnt have said it last year, but I think he has a chance, said Anne Caprara, of the Priorities USA super PAC, who is advising ORourke on his 2018 potential.

Naturally, others see opportunities as well. Rep. Joaquin Castro, a San Antonio Democrat deemed a rising star, is considering the race, too.

You wont have a problem raising money. Cruz will basically fundraise for you, said Castros twin brother, Julian, the former housing and urban development secretary who recently ruled out a 2018 bid for governor of Texas.



O'Rourke and his wife Amy Hoover Sanders O'Rourke watch their daughters volleyball game as their son Henry does homework. (Ivan Pierre Aguirre/For The Washington Post)

O'Rourke chats up a constituent at an El Paso cafe. (Ivan Pierre Aguirre/For The Washington Post)

The Cruz camp maintains that it isnt worried about either but sees Castro as slightly more of a threat than ORourke. But while the Castros have the fundraising prowess and name recognition, their pragmatism and caution could keep both from seeking higher office so soon.

[Julian Castro is ready for whatever comes next]

In El Paso, regarded by many as more Mexican than Texan, ORourke is far removed from the Democratic megadonors of Houston or Austin, and he has decided not to take PAC money if he runs. Still, he hopes to turn a necessity into a virtue with a Bernie Sanders-style approach  excite the grass roots and rake in smaller donations.

(Beto O'Rourke)

ORourke may be suffering from the bug thats going around  the one causing mass delusions that the old rules of politics no longer apply. Can a Democrat really win in this deeply red state  against Cruz, who will be running one of the best-financed campaigns in the country? And can he do so on a positive message about Mexicans in an era when calling them rapists helped make a man president?

The timing might not be right for ORourke, but that hasnt stopped him in the past.

O'Rourke in a childhood photo from the 1970s. (Family photo/Courtesy of the Office of Rep. Beto O'Rourke)

Growing up in El Paso, Robert Francis ORourke (the childhood nickname that stuck is a diminutive of Roberto) wanted nothing more than to get out of town. The son of the county judge, he formed a punk band, Foss, with the hopes of traveling the world.

In 1994, Foss needed exposure, and someone suggested a local public-access show called Get Real With Bill Lowrey.

There was only one hitch. It was an evangelical broadcast. We told them we were a new gospel band, said ORourke.

[WATCH: Foss on Get Real With Bill Lowrey. ORourke is the guy in orange]

Oh yeah, they kind of pulled a fast one on me, recalled Lowrey, the televangelist host. But we enjoyed it. Mostly I cant believe he grew up to be a functioning member of society.

Foss toured the United States and Canada, but greater success would go to ORourkes drummer, Cedric Bixler-Zavala, who moved on to the cult-favorite bands At the Drive-In and The Mars Volta. ORourke, meanwhile, realized he couldnt be a musician forever.

I wasnt that good at it, he admitted. And his dad was pressuring him to grow up. He wont say it, but the expectation is: We didnt take out loans for you to go to Columbia and then [play] in a punk band your whole life.

With his Ivy League degree, ORourke moved back to El Paso and started a technology company and an online arts and culture magazine. Even in his 20s, ORourke found it easy to assume a leadership position in the community.

He ran for and won his first race for city council at 32, with a focus on downtown development and border issues, seeing the two as inextricably linked. He wrote a book about the drug war and offered legislation calling for an honest, open national debate on ending the prohibition on narcotics.

In 2009 ORourke heard his congressman, Rep. Silvestre Reyes, at a Chamber of Commerce meeting described drug-related violence in Juarez like a stick-em-up movie  full of cretins who were better off dead, as it sounded to ORourke. The councilman was troubled by what seemed like a lack of empathy for El Pasos twin city. A fellow council member, Steve Ortega, urged him to challenge Reyes. And so, in 2012, he took on the 16-year House veteran in the Democratic primary.

[Have liberals found their combative new leader in  Keith Olbermann?]

Reyes, a former Border Patrol chief, had the support of Barack Obama and Bill Clinton. ORourke had an arrest record: In 1995, he was arrested for breaking and entering, a prank gone awry, he says, when some friends bet each other they could get past a fence surrounding the local college. Then there was the 1998 drunken driving arrest, an incident he says was stupid and regrets.

Reyes used ORourkes mug shot in attack ads and criticized him for supporting marijuana legalization. Few people thought ORourke had a chance. But with the help of an anti-incumbent sentiment  and an anti-incumbent super PAC that poured $240,000 into the race  he won.

Five years later, ORourke sees another opportunity to sneak himself in.

It cost 25 cents to walk across the Paso Del Norte bridge back into the United States after lunch at the Kentucky Club. A gaggle of shoppers marched in front of the congressman  women off to buy shoes, clothes and groceries that are cheaper in El Paso. A few weeks earlier, Border Patrol had allowed separated families to wade into the stagnant, ankle-deep water below and hug where the two countries meet.

On the one hand, its really pitiful that this is what they had to do. . . just to see each other, said ORourke. In another way, its really amazing that El Paso and Juarez could figure out a way, and under President Trump no less, to at least do this for families.

[As the GOPs anti-Trump, Ben Sasse picked a big fight. What would it mean to win?]

At a time when Democrats and Republicans alike talk about securing the border, ORourke maintains that the border has never been more secure. The number of immigrants living illegally in the United States has not increased in years. With 32 million documented border crossings a year, Mexicans are a crucial driver of the El Paso economy. And El Paso ranks as one of the safest cities in the country.



ORourke speaks to a customs agent as he crosses from El Paso to Juarez. (Ivan Pierre Aguirre/For The Washington Post)

But while ORourke points to El Pasos good health as proof that a semi-porous border works well for both sides, proponents of tougher border security argue that credit goes to the rigorous Border Patrol presence and extensive fencing between Juarez and El Paso.

Thats part of what ORourke was up against when he ran against Reyes, who once spearheaded an effort called Operation Hold the Line. If he runs for Senate, hell face Cruz, who promised in his 2016 presidential bid to triple border security and build a wall that works  a slogan that certainly worked for the man who won that race.

I just wish more people could see what I see, ORourke said.

To do that requires an early start.

That morning, he woke before dawn for a hike in the Franklin Mountains, leaving his wife and three children sleeping in their home that a century ago sat above a secret tunnel to Mexico.

With his old city council pal Ortega, he snaked up the trail under a full moon, passing the spiky silhouettes of cypress trees and clumps of greasewood plants that smell like tar when it rains. They perched on a rocky point near the summit where they peeled oranges and shared a thermos of coffee, looking out at the twin cities glittering in the dark.

It was nearly impossible to tell what was Mexico and what was Texas, and that, of course, was his point.
President Trump invites a supporter onstage with him during a rally at in Melbourne, Fla. Trump referenced an incident in Sweden that the Swedes say never happened. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)

With cries of fake news coming from all sides, schools are stepping up  teaching media literacy to help students distinguish rumor from fact, hoax from reality.

As President Trumps bizarre suggestion of a recent terrorist attack in Sweden proved last weekend, he needs a crash course.

Were here to help.

The Sweden episode was a perfect circle of misinformation, beginning with a report on Fox News on Friday, since challenged, about the dangers of immigration in Sweden. Trump apparently saw that and brought it straight into his campaign-style speech the next day in Florida, in exaggerated form:

Weve got to keep our country safe. You look at whats happening in Germany, you look at whats happening last night in Sweden.

When the reference caused an international ruckus, he capped it off, not by setting the record straight, but by a blame-shifting tweet that, as usual, fingered the media.

Americas longtime ally didnt take it well.

Sweden? Terror attack? What has he been smoking? fumed former prime minister Carl Bildt.

We must all take responsibility for using facts correctly and for verifying anything we spread, Stefan Lofven, the Swedish prime minister, reproved Trump at a news conference.

This isnt the first time Trump has taken a break from decrying fake news in order to spread falsehoods himself  widespread voter fraud, anyone? Birtherism? Hillary Clintons drug abuse?

So lets review some basics.

1. Compare and contrast information sources. A single source can easily get it wrong, so its wise to see if a number of reputable news outlets are reporting the same thing. In this case, no one was reporting a terrorist attack in Sweden  certainly not the Fox segment.

A Google search would have helped. Or a quick check with someone in, say, the CIA.

2. Dont share without verifying. One useful rule is to check three times before spreading what you think is news. Granted, thats intended to apply to regular people who might be posting on Facebook or retweeting an article or photograph.

For a presidential speech before thousands that will be televised globally? Definitely check at least once.

3. If you put out misinformation, correct it quickly. This is not Trumps strong suit, given his long years of spreading lies about Barack Obamas birthplace before eventually agreeing with the obvious: that the then-president was born in the United States.

No such correction yet for the Swedish gaffe. He backed off a little in a tweet, saying that his statement suggesting a specific attack was in reference to a TV report. And, two days later, Sweden did experience a riot in an immigrant-heavy suburb of Stockholm, though it certainly didnt bear comparison to terrorist attacks in Paris or Nice.

4. Be skeptical. The TV-obsessed president should consider that not everything on his favorite medium is true. Not even if Sean Hannity says it. Not everything the conspiracy-mongering Alex Jones  who long cast doubt on whether the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre really happened  might confide on the phone is true. Even Fox & Friends makes a mistake once in a while.

A journalistic axiom is worth a thought: If your mother tells you she loves you, check it out. (Presidential version: If Steve Bannon tells you youre the next Abraham Lincoln, check it out.)

5. Use critical thinking. Granted, this is tough for our president. Last October, Trump revved up his campaign rallies with the idea that Hillary Clinton was on performance-enhancing drugs.

I dont know whats going on with her, but at the beginning of her last debate, she was all pumped up at the beginning, and at the end it was like take me down, he said at one. She could barely reach her car.

Where did this come from? Once again, the circle is unbroken. Roger Stone, the Trump ally and political trickster, had recently been interviewed by Jones, who runs the website Infowars.

Heres what Stone had said to Jones: Look, of course she was jacked up on something. I assume some kind of methamphetamine.

Critical thinking tells us that even if we want to believe something, the trustworthiness of the source must be considered.

Since President Trump wants to change the world, he also might consider the words of George Orwell since, just like the abolitionist Frederick Douglass, the author of 1984 has done an amazing job and is getting recognized more and more.

In a time of universal deceit, Orwell wrote, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.

Time to storm the barricades.

For more by Margaret Sullivan visit wapo.st/sullivan
Milo Yiannopoulos, the incendiary writer who helped make Breitbart News a leading organ of the alt-right, resigned from the news organization Tuesday after a video of him endorsing pedophilia resurfaced online over the weekend.

Yiannopoulos has been a flame-throwing provocateur whose writing has offended women, Muslims, blacks and gay people ever since former Breitbart executive chairman Stephen K. Bannon hired him as a senior editor in 2014.

Bannon, now President Trumps senior adviser, championed the British-born Yiannopouloss inflammatory commentary and promoted him as a conservative truth-teller and champion of free speech. In turn, his popularity helped raise Breitbarts profile among Trumps supporters and the alt-right, a vaguely defined collection of nationalists, anti-immigration proponents and anti-establishment conservatives. Adherents of the alt-right are known for espousing racist, anti-Semitic and sexist points of view.

Breitbart News has stood by me when others caved, Yiannopoulos said in a statement announcing his resignation. They have been a significant factor in my success.

(Peter Stevenson/The Washington Post)

As recently as last week, Breitbart editor Alexander Marlow in an interview called Yiannopoulos the No. 1 free speech warrior of his generation in America at the moment.

But Yiannopouloss views on pedophilia apparently went too far even for Breitbart.

The site was under pressure to take action against Yiannopoulos, 32, from its own staff, which had threatened to revolt if he wasnt fired or disciplined, according to people familiar with the discussions.

In a video interview early last year, Yiannopoulos condoned sexual relations with boys as young as 13 and joked about a sexual encounter he said he had with a Catholic priest as a teenager.

Youre misunderstanding what pedophilia means, he told the hosts of a podcast. Pedophilia is not a sexual attraction to somebody 13 years old who is sexually mature. Pedophilia is attraction to children who have not reached puberty.

A group called the Reagan Battalion was among those calling attention to the interview to highlight its opposition to Yiannopouloss speaking role at the upcoming Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in the Washington area.

The reemergence of the video triggered a cascade of adverse consequences for Yiannopoulos.

Milo Yiannopoulos on HBOs Real Time With Bill Maher. on Feb. 17. (Janet Van Ham/HBO via AP)

First, CPACs organizer, the American Conservative Union, rescinded its invitation to him as a conference speaker. The groups chairman said in a statement that the organization found his comments disturbing and the video offensive.

Then Simon & Schuster canceled an agreement to publish Yiannopouloss forthcoming memoir, Dangerous, for which it paid him a $250,000 advance. The publisher said it decided to cancel the book  which had drawn protests before the pedophilia flap arose  after careful consideration.

Yiannopoulos, meanwhile, defended himself on Facebook on Sunday and Monday as the tide of controversy rose.

I do not support pedophilia. Period, he wrote. It is a vile and disgusting crime, perhaps the very worst. There are selectively edited videos doing the rounds, as part of a coordinated effort to discredit me from establishment Republicans, that suggest I am soft on the subject.

The openly gay writer made his name with a knack for taunting various groups and manipulating the outrage that followed. He led a Twitter campaign last year against Ghostbusters star Leslie Jones that was so vitriolic that Twitter banned him. He has called feminism cancer in his campus appearances, and he once wrote a Breitbart story headlined, Birth Control Makes Women Unattractive and Crazy.

The departure of Yiannopoulos was met with a mixed reaction by Breitbarts staff, which learned of his resignation via Twitter. There was no internal announcement, said one staff member, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media.

He was on an island off to himself, the journalist said. Milo has virtually nothing to do with the news operation.

But Yiannopouloss outrageous commentary did reflect poorly on the organization, said Lee Stranahan, a Breitbart reporter who streamed remarks on Periscope in the moments before the star columnist staged a news conference in New York.

I dont wish anybody badly, but do I kind of hope Milo goes away? Stranahan said. I think I do. I think that would be best for everybody. . . . Because hes not adding to the brand.

He was also critical of the sites heavy promotion of Yiannopoulos, noting that the writers face was often featured prominently on the website.

Stranahan asserted that Yiannopouloss resignation might allow the site to focus on the left and Islamists, which he described as the biggest threat to America.

Addressing the media in New York on Tuesday, Yiannopoulos was alternately defiant, apologetic and self-pitying. He repeated his denunciation of child sexual abuse and said he would donate 10 percent of the royalties from his book, if it eventually gets published, to organizations that advocate on behalf of abuse victims.

But he added, This is a cynical media witch hunt by people who do not care about children. They care about destroying me.

He also said he will continue to speak and write in the same fashion. I dont think that anything that has happened to me in the past 24 hours will stop me from being as offensive, provocative and outrageously funny on any subject I please.

Manuel Roig-Franzia contributed to this report.
Dozens of parents with babies and other supporters of paid family leave attend a DC Council hearing on Oct. 6, 2015. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post)

Two D.C. Council members introduced a bill Tuesday that would overhaul legislation that provides one of the nations most generous parental and sick leave policies, adding new uncertainty to the fate of a law whose passage late last year was considered a triumph for progressive lawmakers and labor activists.

The new proposal by council members Mary M. Cheh (D-Ward 3) and Jack Evans (D-Ward 2) would offer eight weeks of paid time off for new parents, six weeks to care for an ill relative and two weeks of personal sick time  the same benefits offered in the existing law.

The benefits would apply to all private-sector workers in the District but not federal employees or the 35,000 people who work for the D.C. government.

However, in a nod to concerns expressed by the Districts business leaders, it would shrink the tax increase intended to fund the program to 0.2 percent of payroll for large employers and 0.4 percent for small ones. The existing law would increase employer-paid payroll taxes by 0.62 percent.

With the smaller pool of money, the city would fund benefits exclusively for small businesses, defined as those with fewer than 50 employees. Large employers would be required to provide equivalent benefits to their workers on their own.

I support paid leave, but I think theres a better way to do it than what we passed, Cheh said. Although she voted for the existing version of the paid leave law that the council enacted in December, she said she did so knowing there would be time to tweak it before its main provisions begin to take effect several years from now.

I knew the bill would have a rather long implementation period that would give us the means to get to the same place with a different financing scheme, Cheh said. This is the beginning of that conversation.

It probably will be some time before council members begin debating changes to the law in earnest, as the council focuses on budget deliberations in the coming months.

Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D) has said he expects to be holding a hearing on the changes proposed by Cheh and Evans  and perhaps other tweaks to the law  in June.

[Council chair, bowing to business unrest, proposes tweaks to paid leave law ]

Although the employer mandate that Cheh and Evans favor purports to offer identical amounts of paid time off, it is controversial among those who championed the laws current version and is likely to face opposition from activists and some council members. Similar ideas were debated and discarded when the council began discussing paid family leave more than a year ago.

Jaime Contreras, vice president of 32BJ Service Employees International Union  which represents custodians, security guards and other building maintenance workers  said in a statement on behalf of the D.C. Paid Family Leave Coalition that the council was delaying and sabotaging paid leave.

By caving to industry lobbyists and missing a critical opportunity to reduce D.C.s shamefully high health and income inequality, the council has given working families yet another reason not to trust politicians, Contreras said.

Council member Elissa Silverman (I-At Large), one of the sponsors of the existing paid leave law, said she doubts that the same level of benefits could be provided with less revenue from business taxes.

She added that the implementation of Cheh and Evanss proposal could be problematic, because it would require a new bureaucracy to ensure that large employers are actually providing paid leave to their workers.

We had a very thorough debate for 14 months on how to provide paid leave in the District of Columbia, Silverman said Tuesday. Im not sure why were rehashing the debate now. Theres nothing new thats been provided.

Under the existing law, the District would reimburse all private-sector workers directly for 90 percent of their first $900 in weekly pay and 50 percent of their remaining weekly pay, with a limit of $1,000 per week.

Such a model is based on those that have been implemented in other states with substantial paid-leave policies, including California, New Jersey and Rhode Island. An employer mandate would take a different approach by relying on large companies in the private sector to provide their employees with sufficient time off.

Last week, the Districts paid-leave law seemed a done deal. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D), who strongly opposed the law because of its cost, said Wednesday that she would not veto the bill, instead letting it become law without her signature. That seemed to remove the last hurdle for the bill, which now must undergo 30 days of congressional review before becoming law. However, on Friday, Mendelson unexpectedly said the council will revisit and possibly change the law in the face of opposition from the mayor and business community.

[Mayor declines to sign or veto the paid leave law]

At a news conference Tuesday, Bowser said she had not seen the legislation but was pleased the council had started discussing changes. It is heartening that the council recognizes there is a lot of problems with the bill, she said. Certainly, it has always been my focus that we get a better bill.

The mayor declined to say whether she supports preserving the same amounts of paid time off should a new law be approved.

We know that the last time they went through this  for 14 months  that there were a lot of changes, she said. So I dont want to commit to anything until we begin that conversation.

Aaron C. Davis contributed to this report.
President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump and their son, Barron, walk to Marine One at the White House en route to Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla.

March 17, 2017 President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump and their son, Barron, walk to Marine One at the White House en route to Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla. Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post

The beginning of the presidents term has featured controversial executive orders and frequent conflicts with the media.

The new presidents tumultuous first weeks have been marked by a controversial executive orders and conflicts with the media.

The new presidents tumultuous first weeks have been marked by a controversial executive orders and conflicts with the media.

The Trump administration plans to roll back protections for transgender students, reversing federal guidance that required the nations public schools to allow children to use the bathrooms and locker rooms that matched their gender identities.

In a letter to the nations schools, administration officials plan to say they are withdrawing guidance issued by the Obama administration that found that denying transgender students the right to use the bathroom of their choice violates federal prohibitions against sex discrimination, according to a draft of the letter obtained by The Washington Post.

This interpretation has given rise to significant litigation, states the two-page draft, which indicates that the Education and Justice departments plan to issue it jointly. The draft says administrators, parents and students have struggled to understand and apply the statements of policy in the Obama-era guidance.

As a result, the departments have decided to withdraw and rescind the above-referenced guidance documents in order to further consider the legal issues involved. The letter makes clear that schools must protect all students and that the withdrawal of the guidance does not diminish the protections from bullying and harassment that are available to all students. Schools must ensure that transgender students, like all students, are able to learn in a safe environment.

A final version of the letter is slated to be issued Wednesday, according to a Republican operative with knowledge of the conversations within the Trump administration on the issue. The administration is expected to release the letter despite objections from Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, who did not want to rescind the guidance, the operative said. Officials with the Education and Justice departments did not immediately respond to requests for comment late Tuesday night.

The reversal would represent a significant setback for the gay rights movement, which made enormous gains under President Barack Obama. It suggests that President Trump, who had signaled during the campaign and in the early days of his presidency that he supports gay and transgender rights, will hew closer to the GOP party line.

[Obama administration directs schools to accommodate transgender students]

I think that all you have to do is look at what the presidents view has been for a long time, that this is not something that the federal government should be involved in, this is a states rights issue, White House spokesman Sean Spicer told reporters at a daily media briefing Tuesday afternoon, saying that the Education and Justice departments would issue fresh guidance soon.

The decision would not have an immediate impact on the nations public school students because a federal judge had already put a hold on the Obama-era directive.

But it would instantly affect several legal cases, including that of Gavin Grimm, a transgender Virginia teen who sued his school board for barring him from using the boys bathroom. The U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments in Grimms case next month.

[Gavin Grimm just wanted to use the bathroom. He didnt think the nation would debate it.]

A lower court ruled in favor of Grimm based on the Obama administrations position on transgender student bathroom use. The change would at least partially undermine Grimms case.

(McKenna Ewen,Adriana Usero/The Washington Post)

Gay rights groups, which expected the Trump administration to change course from the earlier transgender guidance, condemned the move preemptively.

Such clear action directed at children would be a brazen and shameless attack on hundreds of thousands of young Americans who must already defend themselves against schoolyard bullies, but are ill-equipped to fight bullies on the floors of their state legislatures and in the White House, Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality, said in a statement Tuesday.

[Trump could reverse Obamas actions on college sex assault, transgender rights]

The Obama administrations guidance was based on the position that requiring students to use a restroom that clashes with their gender identity is a violation of Title IX, the federal law that bars sex discrimination. Transgender students and their parents cheered Obamas move to expand the protections, but it drew legal challenges from those who believe it was a federal intrusion into local affairs and a violation of social norms.

The issue of which bathrooms transgender people should be permitted to use has evolved in recent years into a central debate about rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. Transgender advocates say that allowing people with gender dysphoria to use their preferred restroom is essential for their health and psychological well-being. Opponents say the accommodations violate student privacy and traditional values.

Many legal experts say that federal law protects transgender students no matter what agency guidance says.

This administration cannot strip away the rights of transgender students by retracting the guidance  the issue is before the courts now and the law has not changed, said Vanita Gupta, who worked as the head of civil rights for the Justice Department in the Obama administration and issued the original guidance. To cloak this in federalism ignores the vital and historic role that federal law plays in ensuring that all children (including LGBT students) are able to attend school free from discrimination.

It is unusual for a new administration to overturn such significant civil rights guidance, according to advocates who closely track the issue. And such a reversal is likely to leave schools confused about how to proceed, they say; Obama administration officials said that they developed the transgender guidance in response to requests from school officials.

Schools repeatedly asked for guidance on how to support transgender students and create a safe and inclusive learning environment for all, said Anurima Bhargava, who helmed the educational opportunities section of Justice Departments civil rights division under Obama. The guidance has been, and will continue to be, an important and practical resource for schools.

Nearly 800 parents of transgender students wrote to President Trump last week, urging him to keep the guidance to protect their children from discrimination.

[Parents of transgender children plead with Trump to maintain protections]

No young person should wake up in the morning fearful of the school day ahead, the parents wrote. When this guidance was issued last year, it provided our families  and other families like our own across the country  with the knowledge and security that our government was determined to protect our children from bullying and discrimination. Please do not take that away from us.

The Obama administrations directive sparked immediate backlash from those who saw it as a gross overreach of executive power, and several states sued in response.

Texas Lt. Gov Dan Patrick (R) has been one of the most vociferous opponents of the Obama guidance, calling it blackmail and the most important issue for families in schools since the Supreme Court ruled against school-sponsored prayer.

In January, Patrick joined Texas Republicans in supporting a bill that would require the states transgender residents to use bathrooms and locker rooms corresponding to their biological sex, not their gender identity. He said the legislation was necessary to protect Texans privacy, including in public schools.

We know its going to be a tough fight, Patrick said at the time, according to the Texas Tribune. But we know were on the right side of the issue. Were on the right side of history. You can mark today as the day Texas is drawing a line in the sand and saying no.

[Eleven states sue Obama administration over bathroom guidance for transgender students]

In an interview in May with The Washington Post, Donald Trump, then the presumptive Republican presidential nomination, said he thought that the government should protect transgender people but that it should be up to the states to decide on the bathroom issue.

I think its something where we have to help people  and hopefully the states will make the right decisions, Trump said in the interview.

[Trump: Rescind Obamas transgender directives, but protect everybody]

Attorney General Jeff Sessions has been a longtime opponent of broadening LGBT rights. While in the U.S. Senate, he endorsed a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage and opposed expanding hate crime legislation to include acts against gay and transgender people.

DeVos, who was narrowly confirmed this month after a contentious hearing, has a more nuanced record on gay rights. By reversing course on the transgender issue, she could again find herself mired in controversy at the outset of her tenure.

DeVos has been accused of hostility to LGBT rights because of her extended familys donations to socially conservative advocacy groups and efforts to ban same-sex marriage. She has tried to distance herself from her familys position; in 2004, for example, she and her husband did not contribute to a ballot initiative to ban same-sex marriage in their home state of Michigan, though several of their relatives did.

At her confirmation hearing, she asked senators not to confuse her record with that of her family: I embrace equality, and I firmly believe in the intrinsic value of each individual, and that every student should have the assurance of a safe and discrimination-free place to become educated, she said at the time. A week later, a spokesman for the DeVos family told BuzzFeed News that DeVos supports same-sex marriage.

Matt Zapotosky contributed to this report.
By Ananth Krishnan: Foreign Secretary S.Jaishankar will hold talks with China's top diplomat Yang Jiechi on Tuesday afternoon on a key visit coming amid a number of strains in relations with China.

On Wednesday, India and China will hold an upgraded strategic dialogue as Jaishankar meets the Chinese Executive Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui.

Jaishankar is likely to raise India's entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and its on-going efforts to sanction the Pakistani terrorist Masood Azhar at the UN Security Council 1267 sanctions committee, with both efforts running into resistance from China.

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It was "natural" to have differences with India: Chinese Foreign Ministry

The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Friday reiterated its stand on both issues, but said it was "natural" to have differences with India and that both countries still had a wide range of convergence on other matters.

ALSO READ | Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar set for key talks as China says 'no solid evidence' on Masood Azhar

On the strategic dialogue, Geng Shuang, spokesperson, said, "The two sides will have an in-depth exchange of views on the international situation and other regional and international issues of mutual interest. The strategic dialogue is an important communication mechanism between India and China. China hopes this will give a further boost to bilateral political mutual trust, strategic consensus and the strategic cooperative partnership between China and India."

On Masood Azhar and the NSG, Geng stated China's current stand, offering no new position. On the former issue, after China blocked India's application last year, the United States last month placed a fresh application, which was also placed on a six month "technical hold" by China. It will be revisited by the group when the hold expires.

"China upholds principles of objectivity, impartiality and professionalism and takes part in relevant discussions. Whether last years application by India or this year's by the relevant country our position is consistent. Our criteria is only one, we need solid evidence. If there is solid evidence the application can be moved. If there is no solid evidence there is hardly consensus."

--- ENDS ---
As the building at 1301 Pennsylvania Ave. NW in Washington is demolished, a lonely tree hangs on. (John Kelly/TWP)

Cmon, little tree, I say every time I walk along 13th Street NW between Pennsylvania Avenue and F Street. Hang in there.

The tree has become a symbol to me, an inspiration even. Im pulling for it, just as Im pulling for a lot of things these days.

Im not even sure what kind of tree it is. A myrtle of some sort? What I do know is that it is growing in what has become one of the most precarious spots in Washington.

The tree sits between National Place to the north and 1301 Pennsylvania Ave. NW to the south. Its on a raised terrace between the two buildings, a story or two up from the sidewalk.

National Place, an office building thats also home to a food court beloved by school tour groups, will stay. But 1301 Pennsylvania is in the process of being demolished  really demolished.

Well, I say, really demolished, as if there are gradations of demolishment, but demolition is demolition, and the old 1301 Pennsylvania Ave. must vanish completely before a new building can rise. The new building will be called One Freedom Plaza.

The exterior walls are gone from the old building, and its interior is all twisted rebar and crumbling concrete. It looks more and more as if that tree is growing in the rubble of a bombed-out city.

I first noticed the tree in the summer, when construction workers  well, I guess theyre more properly destruction workers  began chipping away at the 11-story building. The developer, Quadrangle, couldnt really tell me anything about the tree, just that it wasnt likely to survive.

Its not as if the tree is special. It isnt the last of its species. It isnt a mighty redwood or home to an endangered bird or butterfly. Its just a little tree.

But even little trees are worth celebrating. Theres a pair of scrubby trees I pass when I take the Red Line. Theyre between the Rhode Island Avenue and NoMa-Gallaudet stations, on the west side. The thing about them is, I remember when they were planted.

Well, not planted, but, I suppose, born. That stretch of landscape below the old Sanitary Grocery building is still rather desolate today, but 20 years ago it was really scrubby, choked by weeds, bushes and trash. And then one day as my Metro car slid past, I saw that it was being cleared, the whole thing scraped down to bare ground.

And then, the following spring: two trees growing side by side. They were small at first, as trees tend to be, but they got bigger. Id look for them on my commute, staring for the few seconds the train passed to see how they were doing.

I pondered how they came to be there. Had their seeds escaped the excoriating blade of the bulldozer? Had they fallen from the beak of a bird or the paws of a squirrel?

I know how the 13th Street tree came to be: chosen by a landscaper, planted with care.

I dont think it will be around much longer. I walked past on Tuesday, and the ledge it sits on had been gnawed away further. Nearby was a big machine with a long arm that ended in a claw.

The claw is coming for the tree, as surely as its coming for us all.

Reunions

These schools are hosting reunions in the upcoming months.

Bethesda-Chevy Chase High Class of 1977  April 22. Contact David Elfin at elfind@verizon.

net or 301-320-5646.

Thomas Jefferson High Classes of 1971, 1972 and 1973  Multiyear reunion May 19 and 20. Contact Jeff Paullin at jeff.

paullin@cox.net or call 703-217-0993.

McKinley Tech Class of 1977  Sept. 22-24. Visit mckinleytech1977.com.

Richard Montgomery High Class of 1966  Sept. 15 and 16. Contact Steve Vincent at svsvsv@aol.com or call 301-512-7849.

Northwestern High Class of 1967  Aug. 18 and 19. Email NHSreunion67@gmail.com or call Lou Apple (240-401-8890) or Karen Goldman (410-703-2153).

Notre Dame Academy Class of 1967  April 8. Contact Roslyn Brown at roz_eeo@

yahoo.com or call 301-352-2425.

Notre Dame Academy Class of 1977  June 16-18. Visit nda40threunion.com or email NDAClass77.40threunion@

gmail.com.

St. Anthonys High Class of 1957  April 29. Contact Don McVearry at macandmee@

verizon.net.

Saint Marys Academy Class of 1967  Sept. 22-24. Contact Sue Adamson Mairena (817-903-3528) or Carolyn Pavone Langley (703-567-9484).

Walt Whitman High Class of 1967  Oct. 6-8. Email waltwhitmanhs67@gmail.com.

T.C. Williams High Class of 1977  Oct. 7. Visit tcwilliams77.

classquest.com .

West by Southwest

Last year, a reader named George R. Murray Jr. was reading The Washington Posts death notices when he saw one mentioning that a recently deceased man had been a member of the Southwest Washington Alumni Association. George himself grew up in the citys smallest quadrant.

I have invested time in trying to find this organization but without success, he wrote. Anyone out there know anything about the Southwest Washington Alumni Association? If so, drop me a line, and Ill connect you with George.

Correction: An earlier version of this story misidentified the street where the tree is located. It has been corrected.

Twitter: @johnkelly

For previous columns, visit washingtonpost.com/johnkelly.
The antique documents were tied up by a ribbon and kept in an old safe for years, first in the general stores that Danny Dyers family ran in Accokeek, Md., and later in his house nearby.

He wasnt certain what they were. Deed of Manumission, many of them said, and they named dozens of men, women and children. Unsure what manumission was, he looked it up. It was the act of freeing a slave.

Good God, he thought.

What Dyer had in his safe in Prince Georges County was a trove of paperwork that recorded the freeing of scores of slaves, many belonging to Marylands first families, decades before the Civil War.

The papers showed that some slaves were granted freedom that did not take effect for 20 years. Others were freed by purchasing themselves. Still others were freed outright.



One of several manumission papers that are on display at the Surratt House Museum in Clinton, Md. Charles Beall had this particular document drawn up to legally free his wife, Henny. (Photo by Linda Davidson/The Washington Post) (Linda Davidson/The Washington Post)

A 6-year-old slave, Pheby Ann Tyler, was bought by her father, John, of Washington, for $70. A slave woman and her children were manumitted by her husband, who had probably bought them to set them free.

A sampling of the documents, which Dyer lent for study to the Surratt House Museum in Clinton, has been put on display this month at the museums visitors center. They have never been made public before.

The collection to me is absolutely mind-boggling, said the museums director, Laurie Verge.

Colleen Walter Puterbaugh, the Surratt House research librarian who has studied and transcribed the 30 documents, said, We immediately knew that it was really a treasure. . . . [The papers tell] a story. Its only the first layer of that story. And it really hints at a lot more drama going on.

One deed was executed on Oct. 23, 1838, by a wealthy widow, Elizabeth W. Snowden. Her in-laws had built Montpelier, a grand Georgian mansion in Laurel, and owned thousands of acres in Prince Georges County.

[Smithsonians Freedom House, a monument to the years after slavery ]

For generations, the Snowdens were known in the area for their elegant home by the Patuxent River and for their hospitality. George Washington lodged there several times. So did first ladies Martha Washington and Abigail Adams.

At one point in the early 1800s, the family owned 141 slaves.

Elizabeth Snowdens husband, Nicholas, died in 1831, at age 41, leaving her with 12 children and a large plantation, according to records provided by Montpelier.

An inventory taken after his death listed about 60 slaves, mainly by their first names, ages, and monetary value, along with horses, cattle, sheep, corn, tobacco, potatoes, a pleasure sleigh and 23 champagne glasses.

Seven years later, Elizabeth, a native of Philadelphia who noted that natural freedom is the right of all men, freed 30 slaves, according to Dyers documents.

But for most of them, the freedom was effective only in the future.

She ordered Henny, 43, freed in 1839; Hazel, 41, freed in 1840; and their four children freed over the next 20 years.

Their child Let, then 9, would not be free until 1851, when he was 22. Nace, then 11, would not be free until 1853, when he was 26. Daughter Ann Elizabeth, 5, would remain a slave until 1855, when she was 22.

And daughter Sarah Jane, then 1, would stay a slave until 1859  two decades after her father got his freedom.

Snowden did the same for all the slaves she freed, except for Fanny Ridgely and her two children, Rebecca, 6, and Ellen, 2, whom she set free immediately.

Its not clear why Snowden freed Henny and Hazel but kept their children in bondage for years.

Fourteen of those kept enslaved were children ages 10 and under. There were four other mothers whose childrens freedom did not take effect until after theirs did  in some cases, for 15 or 20 years.

Puterbaugh, the research librarian, theorizes that Snowden may have meant well in keeping the children in slavery.

Many manumission laws discouraged masters from freeing slaves who couldnt take care of themselves. The aim was not to be benevolent, but to protect communities from the burden of caring for them.

It may have been more for their safekeeping than for any monetary gain, Puterbaugh said in an email. For the most part, the girls were freed when they reached the age of 22 and the boys when they reached 26 . . . [perhaps] considered the age of maturation at the time.

[Haunting relics of a doomed slave ship come to Washington]

Jenny Bourne, an economics historian at Carleton College, agreed.

Relatively altruistic owners might not free young children until they could support themselves, she said in an email.

Stanley Engerman, historian and professor of economics at the University of Rochester, added: The argument was made that slaves were ruined by slavery, and you needed a period of apprenticeship to educate [them] for freedom.



A photo from the early 1900s shows the Accokeek post office and store owned by the Dyer family. The store held a safe which contained the manumission papers of some enslaved men, women and children held n Prince Georges County between 1796 and 1853. (Photo courtesy Danny Dyer)

Set aside and forgotten

The huge safe had been in the Dyer country store/gas station/post office in Accokeek as far back as the horse-and-buggy days.

The store, on Livingston Road, was a local gathering place and makeshift repository. It was the only game in town, Dyer said. At the time, there was nothing around.

When it moved across the street in 1947, the safe moved with it. Then, when the Dyers got out of the store business, the safe moved into his house next door.

Dyer, 74, a retired executive assistant with the state and county governments, was given the combination by his late father, and he started studying the contents after his parents died in the 1980s.

There were, among many other things, land deeds, records of the sale of horses and cows, and the manumission papers, which span the years 1781 to 1858.

The safe appears to have served as a kind of safe-deposit box in rural Maryland, and Dyer thinks such documents were put there in connection with a great-grandfathers job as a sheriff in the county.

I have no idea how long theyve been in there, he said in an interview at Surratt House recently. My father didnt seem to know. He said, Well, they were just here. Theyve always been here. 

As Dyer examined the handwritten documents, he was puzzled: I started looking, and said, What is this? What the hell is manumission? I didnt know what it was. So I looked it up.

He realized the papers historic and emotional value, but he wasnt sure what to do with them. He did a little research. But then years went by, family events came, and the issue of the papers fell into the background, Dyer said.

Recently, his son began dating a daughter of Laurie Verge, the director of the Surratt House Museum. The elder Dyer and Verge had gone to high school together.

I thought this might be a chance to find out a little bit more about these things, he said.

A year and a half ago, he brought his papers to the museum.

They now reside in a gray archival box in the museums James O. Hall Research Center, where they will stay for the foreseeable future.

The stories they tell are part of American history.

On Aug. 31, 1818, a Prince Georges County slave named Nathan, 31 years old and of good bodily strength, bought himself from his owner, a widow, Ann Berry. The price: $220  thousands of dollars in todays money.

On Oct. 1, 1806, Aaron Jones, 35, purchased himself under a different arrangement.

His owner, Ann Sprigg, priced him high  $400  but set up an installment plan: For his freedom, Jones would pay Sprigg $100 each year for four years.

Sprigg charged no interest.
Aides to Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) have begun to unblock people from his Facebook page after criticism over his office deleting negative comments and banning critics and the threat of legal action from the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland.

The organization wrote to Hogans office on Friday to demand a review of all 450 people barred from posting on the governors popular social-media page. The ACLU also wanted apologies and the restoration of posting privileges for seven clients the group says were unjustly barred.

The ACLUs letter said the removal of posts violated a state social-media policy urging managers to refrain from taking down antagonistic comments as well as constitutional free-speech protections.

The purpose of social media is to have this exchange of ideas, said Deborah Jeon, legal director for the ACLU of Maryland. Once that type of a forum is established by the government and the governor, its not permissible to say, If you agree with me, you are allowed to post. And if you dont, theres no place for you here. 

Aides to Hogan said they have unblocked six of seven commenters who are being represented by the ACLU but have not changed their policies on deleting off-topic or abusive comments. (His office said they could not locate the sevenths Facebook profile.)

While the ACLU should be focusing on much more important activities than monitoring the governors Facebook page, we appreciated them identifying a handful of individuals  out of the over 1 million weekly viewers of the page  that may have been inadvertently denied access, said Amelia Chasse, a Hogan spokeswoman.

We will continue to remove any and all profane, violent, racist, and political spam commentary from the Facebook page, and encourage robust, on-topic discussion, she said.

On Tuesday, Hogans office highlighted examples of abusive posts removed from the Facebook page, including images of posts calling the governor a fat racist trump loving Facist and accusing him of using cancer to ensure his reelection.

But the ACLU and other critics say people have been blocked for critical posts that used clean language.

In addition, Jeon said several peoples access to Hogans Facebook page was restored over the weekend, after Hogans office received the ACLUs letter, but then they found themselves blocked again this week or discovered that their comments had been hidden.

Chasse said those people were blocked again for spamming the page with dozens of identical and off-topic posts.

Jeon says the ACLU is considering taking further legal action, possibly including a lawsuit.

Over the weekend, Hogan pushed back online against people who criticized him for censoring dissenting comments. I do not block constituents who disagree with me, that whole narrative is simply false, he posted Saturday.

Several posts criticizing him were left up on the page Saturday and Sunday, with him replying to say that the commenters were inaccurate or ill-informed.

The Maryland Democratic Party has also been criticizing Hogan on this issue. In an email to supporters Tuesday, party officials offered to hand deliver letters of complaint to his office and likened his removal of Facebook comments to congressional Republicans refusing to hold town halls.
An 8-year-old boy died Tuesday after an ATV crash in Prince William County, Va., authorities said.

On Saturday, officers responded to the 14900 block of Deepwood Lane in Nokesville after a report of a crash involving an ATV, Prince William County Police said in a statement. They found that Franklin Flores of Nokesville had been riding a 2002 Kawasaki Prairie 650 without a helmet when he lost control of the vehicle and struck a tree, according to the statement.

Flores, who was riding the ATV without parental permission, was flown to a hospital, where he died Tuesday, the statement said.
Cleanup continues at the Lincoln Memorial on Tuesday after it was marred with graffiti. The writing is covered by the white sheet on the wall. (Perry Stein/The Washington Post)

The Washington Monument and the World War II, Lincoln and D.C. War memorials were damaged by graffiti over the holiday weekend.

U.S. Park Police and National Park Service officials said the four sites had graffiti markings that were similar in nature and not considered to be political or racial.

The vandalism was scrawled in black permanent marker. Two of the messages were at the Lincoln Memorial: one in the memorial and another at the foot of the steps. One was found at the World War II Memorial, one at the Washington Monument and one at the D.C. War Memorial.

Other acts of vandalism were found on street signs and utility boxes on the Mall.

Some of the words in the messages were hard to decipher. One message said, Jackie shot JFK. Another mentioned the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. And another part of the graffiti said that blood test is a lie and mentioned leukemia, cancer and HIV, saying get second opinion.

Cleanup at the Lincoln Memorial after it was marred with graffiti. (Perry Stein/The Washington Post)

[World War II Memorial vandalized with spray paint]

Sgt. Anna Rose, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Park Police, said each of the monuments had similar messages. The size of the message varied from about the size of the palm of a hand to as big as a football, officials said.

The incidents probably happened between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. Saturday, according to officials.

Authorities said they have been told that there was a large crowd around some monuments late Saturday, and they asked anyone who saw anything to come forward with information.

We understand that there was quite a crowd here Saturday night who may have seen something, Rose said at a news conference Tuesday in front of the Lincoln Memorial.

Investigators are also working to pull surveillance video from the area and believe that all of the incidents are related. Park Police officials said none of the messages rose to the level of being a hate crime, according to Rose. Those responsible could face vandalism charges, she said.

In 2015, a case was dismissed against a Chinese woman who was suspected of tossing green paint on several D.C. landmarks, including the Lincoln Memorial, after a judge determined she was incompetent to stand trial. Jiamei Tian had been charged in 2013 with one count of defacing property after paint was found spattered in Washington National Cathedral.

Graffiti at the foot of the steps at the Lincoln Memorial. (Perry Stein/The Washington Post)

[Case dismissed against woman accused of throwing green paint on D.C. landmarks]

It often takes several treatments to remove graffiti from monuments, and authorities have to avoid causing long-term damage, said Mike Litterst, a spokesman for the National Park Service.

Work crews expect the cleaning to take about two weeks with several rounds of treatments using solvents.

Litterst said that getting the green paint off the monuments in the earlier incident took about a dozen treatments but that hopefully this wont be quite as bad.
Prince Georges County police released video showing two men suspected in the fatal stabbing of a man outside a Seat Pleasant gas station. (Prince George's County police)

An Alexandria man has been charged with murder in the fatal stabbing of a man outside a Prince Georges County gas station, according to police.

Marlon Marshall, 46, was arrested in the slaying of Jamal Barnes, 34, of Capitol Heights, police said.

Barnes was stabbed Feb. 7 outside the Seat Pleasant gas station about noon. He was taken to a hospital where he later died, police said.

[Police release video of men suspected in fatal stabbing outside Md. gas station]

Detectives think the stabbing stemmed from a dispute between the men, police said.

Marshall is being held without bond.

Investigators are looking for a second man in the incident. The second man was recorded on surveillance video outside the gas station that afternoon, police said.

Authorities are asking anyone with information about the case to call 301-772-4925 or 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).
An array of dog tags left at the Vietnam Wall. There have been scores of tags and other items left there over the years. (Michael S. Williamson/The Washington Post)

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund has received a $10 million grant for its proposed education center adjacent to its famous memorial on the Mall in Washington.

The fund said the grant from the Lilly Endowment is the largest single cash donation in the funds 37-year history.

The fund has been trying to raise money to build the underground Education Center at the Wall since 2003. With the Lilly donation, the fund said it now has $42.5 million of the $130 million it needs to raise.

The center will be a 25,000-square-foot building displaying thousands of artifacts left at the memorial over the years, first-person accounts of veterans and citizens, and a two-story wall showing the faces of the 58,000 people whose names are etched on the memorial.

[The artifacts and anguish left at the Vietnam Wall]

This is a selection of M.I.A. bracelets left at the Wall over the years. (Michael S. Williamson/The Washington Post)

A ceremonial groundbreaking was held in 2012, but costs and expenditures have risen and fundraising had been slow.

Its incredibly encouraging that an organization like the Lilly Endowment, that is so well known and so well respected in philanthropic circles, sees the value and has confidence in this project, said Jim Knotts, president of the fund.

I think that there are a lot of people or corporations that have been interested in this project in the past and they have been sitting on the sidelines, he said.

We still have a long way to go, and the project is not certain, he said in a telephone interview last week. But I think receiving this kind of commitment from Lilly really indicates to others that this project is a real project, that were making great progress, that it will happen with the support of others.

Next year marks the 50th anniversary of the wars landmark Tet Offensive by the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong, Knotts said.

[The man who built the Wall]

In addition, he noted, this September filmmaker Ken Burns is set to release a 10-part documentary about the war on public television stations.

Knotts said he has seen six of the episodes. I truly believe it will restart a conversation in this country to remember and honor our Vietnam veterans in a way nothing ever has, he said.
House Majority Leader Kirk Cox (R-Colonial Heights), left, is acting speaker as he confers with House Clerk G. Paul Nardo in April. Cox is expected to be designated the next speaker of the House. (AP Photo/Steve Helber) (Steve Helber/AP)

RICHMOND  Republicans in Virginias House of Delegates on Wednesday are expected to crown M. Kirkland Cox, a retired government teacher and veteran legislator, their speaker-in-waiting.

In a closed-door meeting of the House GOP caucus, members intend to name Cox speaker designee, according to three people familiar with the plans. They spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss confidential caucus matters.

Cox (R-Colonial Heights) would succeed Speaker William J. Howell (R-Stafford) when Howell retires in January.

Howell, who has presided over Richmonds lower chamber for 15 sessions, announced Monday that he would not seek re-election.

A state delegate since 1990, Cox has worked closely with Howell and has been widely seen as his likely successor. But as word of Howells retirement plans started filtering out over the past week or so, a rival emerged in Del. Terry G. Kilgore (R-Scott).

Cox and Kilgore began trying to line up supporters. On Monday, Kilgore said that he had dropped his bid.

I just didnt think it was the right time for me, he said.

Cox declined to comment, saying only, This is the speakers day.

Supporters of Cox, 59, said he appeared to have sewn up the speakers contest with unusual speed and without the horse-trading over committee assignments that is sometimes involved in securing support. They described him as policy-oriented and hands-on, as a fiscal and social conservative who tries to advance those principles in a pragmatic way.

Under current caucus rules, the decision to designate Cox the next speaker would not be binding on the House that convenes in 2018. All 100 House seats are up for election in November.

The designation is intended to signal plans for an orderly transition. Howell assumed the role in January 2003, after S. Vance Wilkins resigned amid a sexual harassment scandal.

As I understand it, the last really orderly transfer was sometime back in the 1980s, said Del. Richard L. Anderson (R-Prince William). There was a transition that happened as a result of death and, of course, theres been some other unscheduled transitions. And so this will be refreshing because it will be a time where we can move to the next generation of House leadership in an orderly and methodical way.
The CBI had named AP Singh along with Moin Qureshi and others in an FIR registered last week for allegedly showing favour to the meat exporter after receiving a complaint from the Enforcement Directorate.

By Press Trust of India: A P Singh, the first former CBI chief booked by the agency, today claimed that the phone messages exchanged with controversial meat exporter Moin Qureshi that have come under scanner are "mostly personal" and "innocuous" in nature.

The CBI had named Singh along with Qureshi and others in an FIR registered last week for allegedly showing favour to the meat exporter after receiving a complaint from the Enforcement Directorate.

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The 1974-batch IPS officer, who retired as CBI Director on November 30, 2012, said that he would comment exhaustively on the agency's action after consulting his lawyer but added that the messages had been in public domain "for over three years".

"Income Tax and Enforcement Director have not added anything further. None of the purported messages sent through BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) pertain to the CBI investigations. They are mostly personal and innocuous in nature as between friends," he said.

Enforcement Directorate chief Karnal Singh had alleged that in the course of investigation in a Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) case against AMQ Group of companies owned by Qureshi, it transpired that the businessman was acting as a middleman for some public servants.

In his letter, the ED chief attached records of Blackberry chat messages exchanged between Singh and Qureshi to allege that cognizable offences were committed by the two in collusion with each other.

HIGH PROFILE CASES HANDLED BY SINGH

Singh, during whose tenure a number of charge sheets were filed in high-profile cases including the alleged fake encounters in Gujarat of Sohrabuddin Sheikh, Sadiq Jamal and Tulsi Prajapati, said majority of the messages were exchanged after he had retired from the CBI on November 30, 2012.

In Sheikh and Prajapti case, BJP leader Amit Shah was chargesheeted by the CBI. Shah was also arrested by the CBI but was later given bail.

Shah was discharged in the Sheikh encounter case by the Special Court in December, 2014, six months after BJP-led government came to power and the CBI did not appeal against the discharge order.

Also read: ISRO spy case: Supreme Court to hear former scientist's plea on Feb 24

Out of the messages exchanged between him and Qureshi, only three belong to the period when Singh was the Director in which the meat exporter had sought "help" for a family friend.

However, Singh had informed Qureshi that the case had been chargesheeted and that his friend should approach the courts for relief, according to the messages cited by the ED.

All the remaining messages were exchanged after he had retired from the CBI and there is no overt attempt to seek help for anyone, Singh, whose house was searched yesterday by the CBI, claimed.

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The ED, surprisingly, had not named Singh in its Enforcement Case Information Report

ED Assistant Director Arun Kumar, whose complaint was also attached with Karnal Singh's letter, alleged that Qureshi took "huge money" from different persons for obtaining undue favours from public servants and politicians holding high offices.

The ED has appended 22 BBM messages which were exchanged between Singh and Qureshi even after the retirement of the IPS officer.

A perusal of the complaint shows that neither Karnal Singh nor Arun Kumar had given any details about specific transactions which, they believe, might have taken place between Singh and Qureshi.

The ED has also not specified in its complaint which specific favours were given by Singh and how he was benefited from Qureshi.

The complaint takes the name of Qureshi but only talks about senior officials and politicians in generic terms.

Also read: Exclusive: Beef politics returns, Akhilesh Yadav dares Narendra Modi to ban meat exports

--- ENDS ---


At a panel on vaccines last fall in Austin, Jackie Schlegel, second from left, executive director of Texans for Vaccine Choice; state Reps. Bill Zedler (R-Arlington) and Jason Villalba (R-Dallas); and Anna Dragsbaek, president and chief executive of the Immunization Partnership were among the speakers. (Marjorie Kamys Cotera/For the Texas Tribune)

The group of 40 people gathered at a popular burger and fish taco restaurant in San Antonio listened eagerly to the latest news about the anti-vaccine fight taking place in the Texas legislature.

Some mothers in the group had stopped immunizing their young children because of doubts about vaccine safety. Heads nodded as the woman giving the statehouse update warned that vaccine advocates wanted to chip away at parents right to choose. But she also had encouraging news.

We have 30 champions in that statehouse, boasted Jackie Schlegel, executive director of Texans for Vaccine Choice. Last session, we had two.

Now they also have one in the White House.

President Trumps embrace of discredited theories linking vaccines to autism has energized the anti-vaccine movement. Once fringe, the movement is becoming more popular, raising doubts about basic childhood health care among politically and geographically diverse groups.

Public health experts warn that this growing movement is threatening one of the most successful medical innovations of modern times. Globally, vaccines prevent the deaths of about 2.5 million children every year, but deadly diseases such as measles and whooping cough still circulate in populations where enough people are unvaccinated.

(The Washington Post)

In San Antonio, 80 miles southwest of the state capital, Texans for Vaccine Choice convened a happy hour to encourage attendees to get more involved politically. The event was among dozens of outreach events the group has hosted across the state. The relatively new group has boosted its profile, aided by a savvy social-media strategy, and now leads a contentious fight over vaccines that is gearing up in the current legislative session.

The battle comes at a time when increasing numbers of Texas parents are choosing not to immunize their children because of personal beliefs. Measles was eliminated in the United States more than 15 years ago, but the highly contagious disease has made a return in recent years, including in Texas, in part because of parents refusing to vaccinate their children. A 2013 outbreak in Texas infected 21 people, many of them unvaccinated children.

The modern anti-vaccine movement is based on a fraud. A study published almost 20 years ago purported to show a link between childhood vaccines and autism. The data was later found to be falsified, and the study was retracted.

Scores of large-scale, long-term studies from around the world since then have proved that there is no connection between vaccines and autism. But the suspicion lingers. Its strongest form is a stubborn conspiracy theory that doctors, scientists, federal health agencies, vaccine-makers and the worldwide public health community are hiding the truth and are knowingly harming children.

A leading conspiracy theorist is Andrew Wakefield, author of the 1998 study that needlessly triggered the first fears. (The medical journal BMJ, in a 2011 review of the debacle, described the paper as fatally flawed both scientifically and ethically.) Wakefields Twitter handle identifies him as a doctor, but his medical license has been revoked. The British native now lives in Austin, where he is active in the state and national anti-vaccine movement.

Trump has met with Wakefield, who attended an inaugural ball and told supporters afterward that he had received tremendous support for his efforts and hoped to have more meetings with the president.

Peter Hotez, director of the Texas Childrens Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, predicts that 2017 could be the year the anti-vaccination movement gains ascendancy in the United States. Texas could lead the way, he said, because some public schools are dangerously close to the threshold at which measles outbreaks can be expected. A third of students at some private schools are unvaccinated.

Were losing the battle, Hotez said.

Although the anti-vaccine movement has been strong in other states, including California, Oregon, Washington and Colorado, experts say the effort in Texas is among the most organized and politically active.

Its a great example of an issue that has a targeted, small minority but an intense minority who are willing to mobilize and engage in direct action, said Mark Jones, a political science professor at Rice University in Houston.

The vast majority of parents in Texas and across the country vaccinate their children. Most people have never had to think much about this basic preventive-medicine practice.

But now immunization advocates are realizing that they cant let vaccine critics go unchallenged, saying they need voices other than scientists and experts to make the case. They are recruiting teachers and grass-roots groups to explain how immunization protects families and communities.



Jinny Suh plays with her 4-month-old son while her husband and other son play a video game at their home in Austin on Feb. 9. Suh is a pro-vaccine advocate in addition to running her own businesses from home. (Cooper Neill for The Washington Post)

Jinny Suh, 39, runs one such group, Immunize Texas , from her Austin home, where she lives with her husband and two young sons. Their house is about three miles from the Austin Waldorf School, a private school where 158 students  more than 40 percent of the school population  are unvaccinated, and tuition costs more than $14,000 a year.

Suh worries about the risk that the schools unvaccinated children pose to her 4-month-old, who is too young to be immunized. Im sure there are people I go to the grocery store with and go to the park with who have unimmunized children, she said. This is a public hazard. You cant see germs.

Those who oppose vaccination are driven by fear, even though it is misguided, and that fear drives passion, she said. But parents who support vaccination need to step up our passion and speak up for science  and for children, she said.

States set their own day-care and school vaccination requirements. Students in Texas are required to receive seven vaccinations before they attend school, unless their families file an exemption.

In Texas, the number of school-age children who are not vaccinated has soared since 2003, when the state expanded its exemption criteria to include reasons of conscience. Personal-belief exemptions increased from 2,314 in the 2003-2004 school year to 44,716 in 2015-2016.





Overall statewide vaccination rates remain high  over 98 percent. But in some parts of Texas, vaccine coverage is slipping below the 90 to 95 percent level that experts say is needed to prevent an outbreak. Many private schools, including in the Austin area, have the highest rates of unvaccinated children, exceeding 20 percent.

Wakefield has stoked parents unfounded fears about vaccines, even though his study was withdrawn and Britains General Medical Council stripped him of his medical license in 2010. In a brief phone interview, Wakefield said he had not spoken to Trump since last summer. He declined to say how he was invited to an inaugural ball. Better to say nothing at this stage, he said. Wakefield said he was heading to Europe to promote Vaxxed, the movie he directed and co-wrote in which he defends the debunked link between the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine and autism. Texans for Vaccine Choice has sponsored showings of the film and promotes it on its Facebook page.

One part of the anti-vaccine movements message is that vaccine-preventable diseases arent dangerous if people get modern medical care. But thats a myth, and the failure to vaccinate can be catastrophic.

Texas health data shows a steady uptick in diseases such as pertussis and mumps in recent years. A recent mumps outbreak in Johnson County, southwest of Dallas, sickened at least 167 people, mostly students. In 2013, Texas experienced the largest outbreak of whooping cough, or pertussis, since 1959: nearly 4,000 cases. Five newborns who were too young to be vaccinated died.

Although anti-vaccine groups are gaining momentum in Texas, other states have shown that they can be fought. In 2015, California passed one of the strictest vaccine requirement laws in the country, mandating that almost all schoolchildren be fully vaccinated to go to school. Exemptions are allowed only for documented medical conditions. The law was sparked by a 2014-2015 measles outbreak that started at Disneyland in California, where a single unvaccinated child with measles led to the infections of 131 people.

A Texas lawmaker tried to pass a similar bill during the legislative session in 2015. (Texass legislature meets every other year.) It was clear common sense, recalled Republican Rep. Jason Villalba, a Dallas lawyer. Mumps was resurgent in the state, including in his district, and his youngest child wasnt old enough to be immunized.

The bill never made it out of committee. But it sparked a huge reaction and was the reason Schlegel and about 20 other mothers formed Texans for Vaccine Choice. The group claimed that I was a mad scientist, stripping liberties from parents, Villalba recalled.

He said Texas lawmakers are not likely to pass any legislation that could be viewed as government intrusion into parents rights. He is not planning to take up the fight against nonmedical exemptions again  unless there is a measles outbreak.

In the current legislative session, no bills have been filed to eliminate the personal-belief exemptions. In fact, vaccine opponents have introduced a bill to simplify the exemption process.

But pro-vaccine advocates are expected to try to change the law and give parents the right to know the number of unimmunized children at individual schools, information thats not readily available now.

One bill already introduced would require parents to complete an online education course before seeking a vaccine exemption. Another would make it easier for teenagers to get vaccinated against cancer-causing human papillomavirus (HPV).

The bills sponsor, Republican Rep. Sarah Davis, a Houston lawyer whose district is home to some of Texass most well-known hospitals, said the bills are common-sense legislation that would better protect children.

The more active the anti-vaxxers have become, the more that other members start to question whether vaccines are controversial, and most legislators are not wanting to make waves, she said.

People on both sides of the vaccine issue are lobbying lawmakers and their staffs, and activity is sure to intensify before the session, which began Jan. 10, ends in May.

Vaccines arent a standard conservative or liberal issue. In many parts of the country, pockets of unimmunized children tend to be in white, upper-middle-class neighborhoods, including in Austin, said Anna Dragsbaek, who heads the Immunization Partnership, a Houston-based immunization advocacy group.

One particularly strong strain of anti-vaccine rhetoric in Texas is libertarian and anti-government. Texans for Vaccine Choice receives help and expertise from friendly lawmakers and groups such as Empower Texans, said Jonathan Stickland, a tea party Republican representative from Tarrant County and a key supporter. Political experts consider Empower Texans the states most sophisticated and influential conservative organization.





Our message resonates with people, said Schlegel, 37, in a brief interview after a day of meetings at the Capitol. Texans value parental rights, she said. We have a message of liberty. We have a message of choice.

Schlegel has an assistant who helps coordinate her schedule. The group has a director of state policy. Its Facebook page posts regular updates on Schlegels meetings with lawmakers. The group hands out sophisticated, glossy materials  in red, white and blue  to lawmakers.

The packets, with business cards tucked inside, lay out the groups positions, the bills it supports and the ones it opposes. One leaflet describes the lack of safety testing and questionable ingredients in vaccines. (To be clear, vaccines and their ingredients are some of the most carefully tested medical interventions in history.) Another calls the current recommended schedule of vaccines one of the most aggressive and bloated of ANY other nation on the planet.

When the group recently sought volunteers on Facebook for engagement days at the state Capitol this month and in March, one woman said she wanted to help but was concerned she didnt know enough about vaccines. Dont worry, she was told. Very little talk about vaccines and a LOT of talk about parental rights and CHOICE.

The American Academy of Pediatrics and 350 other medical, professional and advocacy groups recently wrote a letter to Trump expressing unequivocal support for vaccines safety and endorsing the recommended schedule. The letter has links to more than 40 major studies on safety and effectiveness.

But immunization advocates like Suh say its hard to counter the passion of her opponents. Most people consider vaccinations to be such a basic part of life, like clean drinking water, that its hard to motivate them to take time to show up at lawmakers offices.

Were completely outgunned, said Suh, adding there are only about a dozen members whom she can call on to show up for events. Immunize Texas is part of the Immunization Project.

Suh often writes emails and posts to the groups Facebook account from her cellphone while caring for her two sons. She juggles her immunization advocacy, a mostly volunteer gig, with other businesses she runs from home.

To present herself and other mothers as the face of vaccine advocates, she and Jessica Cleary-Kemp, seven months pregnant and mother of a 13-year-old and a 2-year-old, met recently with several lawmakers. One was J.D. Sheffield, a Republican state representative who sought during the last session to require individual schools to provide immunization exemption data.

Suh jiggled her son on her lap while Clearys son played a game on an iPad. Its not yet clear whether Sheffield or another lawmaker will introduce the bill this session. But they all agreed it will be a controversial issue.

To help get their social-media message out, Suh may need to redo the logo for the groups website. Buttons and T-shirts are another idea. But first, she needs to be better prepared for the next face-to-face meetings.

People kept asking for business cards, she said. So we need to get some.

Alice Crites contributed to this report from Washington, and Eva Ruth Moravec contributed from San Antonio.
TEXAS

State cant cut funds to Planned Parenthood, judge says

A federal judge has stopped Texas from cutting off Medicaid dollars to Planned Parenthood over secretly recorded videos taken by antiabortion activists in 2015.

The decision by U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks on Tuesday preserves what Planned Parenthood says are non-abortion services to nearly 11,000 low-income women. Texas originally intended to defund Planned Parenthood in January, but Sparks told the state to wait pending his ruling.

Federal courts have consistently thwarted Republican-controlled states from denying Medicaid funds to Planned Parenthood over heavily edited videos that claimed to show the nations largest abortion provider profiting from sales of fetal tissue for medical research. Planned Parenthood has denied wrongdoing, and investigations in 13 states didnt result in criminal charges.

Arkansas, Alabama, Kansas, Mississippi and Louisiana have also had similar efforts blocked.

 Associated Press

MISSOURI

Man charged with helping plan attack

A Missouri man has been charged with helping to plan what he thought would be a terrorist attack in Kansas City, federal officials said Tuesday.

Robert Lorenzo Hester Jr. was charged in federal court in Kansas City with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. Hester, 25, of Columbia was arrested Friday and the criminal complaint was released Tuesday after his first court appearance.

The U.S. attorneys office in Kansas City said Hester, who served less than a year in the U.S. Army, met several times with people he thought were Islamic State group sympathizers. They were actually undercover FBI agents. Prosecutors say Hester agreed to participate in an attack scheduled for Monday that would injure or kill many people.

 Associated Press

Convicted former police officer moved out of Illinois prison: Former suburban Chicago police officer Drew Peterson has been transferred out of the Illinois prison system and is listed in a federal Bureau of Prisons database. Illinois Department of Corrections spokeswoman Nicole Wilson said Tuesday that Peterson had been transferred but declined to say why or where, citing security. Peterson was sentenced to 38 years in prison for the death of his third wife, Kathleen Savio. The investigation into her 2004 death was reopened when Petersons fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, went missing in 2007. Peterson, 63, was sentenced to another 40 years in prison last year for trying to hire someone to kill a prosecutor.

 From news services
The CBI sources said communication between Qureshi and Singh shows that they were in touch with each other to influence top UPA politicians, including the then two Union ministers.

By Atir Khan: In order to fix deals requiring political or bureaucratic influence, Moin Qureshi tried to influence top politicians and government officials through his contacts with former CBI Director AP Singh, according to the CBI. The CBI is also of the view that the 'ill-gotten money' availed for striking the deals has been parked in foreign countries.

The CBI sources talking to India Today said communication between Qureshi and Singh shows that they were in touch with each other to influence top UPA politicians, including the then two Union ministers. Qureshi and Singh also tried to influence top intelligence officials for getting certain clearances.

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In 2011, Qureshi had requested Singh to help him get clearance for running lounge services from Terminal 3 at Delhi Airport through his company 'India Premier Services Pvt. Ltd'. Moin had applied for obtaining concession agreement from M/S Dial. The permission required clearance from various government agencies including Intelligence Bureau.

Qureshi was trying to prevail over Singh to persuade top politicians and officials to use their influence into giving the requisite permissions. Singh was responding to Moin's requests and passing on all necessary information in this regard to him.

Also read: Messages with meat exporter Moin Qureshi personal, innocuous: Ex-CBI chief AP Singh booked by the agency

Singh at one point of time had also given him reference of a top Union minister saying the latter may come handy in getting the job done. Later, the deal could not materialise due to objections raised by Intelligence Bureau.

HELP FOR FORMER BANK OFFICIAL

Qureshi and Singh had close family relations and both would also travel abroad together. In 2012, Qureshi had also asked Singh to help him in stalling prosecution against ex-chairman of Bank of India who was facing criminal charges. However, Singh had informed him that it was too late as the CBI had already filed a chargesheet against the bank official and relief could only be sought through the court.

Similarly, Pradeep Koneru - a Hyderabad-based businessman, who has also been named in the CBI regular case, was in touch with Qureshi to keep a CBI joint director at bay. Apparently, Koneru, son of Rajendra Prasad Koneru, a co-accused in a case of disproportionate assets filed by the agency against Andhra politician Jaganmohan Reddy, had a grudge against the CBI official.

Qureshi was apparently trying to influence Singh against the joint director. Pradeep Koneru, through Qureshi had apparently requested meetings with Singh for discussing bail and discharge matters of his father and brother Madhu Koneru.

The agency registered a case against both of them last week and carried out searches on their premises on Monday. During the searches, the CBI has seized documents relating to some more deals.

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The agency is of the view that Qureshi received bribe money for several such deals and parked the illegal money in foreign countries. Through such money, he has managed to own properties in May Fair London, Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai, Sollo Building Apartments in New York, Suntec Tower in Singapore, Marina Dubai and Burj Al- Khalifa in Dubai.

These properties have not been declared in his income tax returns for meat export business. That's why it is suspected those properties have been acquired through illegal means. Investigations have revealed that it wasn't just Singh who had close ties with Qureshi, even his successor Ranjit Sinha had met Qureshi on several occasions. Qureshi is also facing income tax and the Enforcement Directorate proceedings against him.

Also read: ISRO spy case: Supreme Court to hear former scientist's plea on Feb 24

--- ENDS ---
NORTH KOREA

Footage shows attack on Kims half brother

North Korea said Monday that Malaysia cannot be trusted to carry out the investigation into last weeks killing of leader Kim Jong Uns half brother.

With South Korea saying it was certain that Pyongyang was behind the act of terrorism and Malaysia insisting that it will follow established procedures, the case is becoming more dramatic by the day.

Closed-circuit TV footage released Monday shows the attack on Kim Jong Nam, 45, at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Kim is seen going to a kiosk when two women ambush him and appear to apply what authorities say was poison. He died shortly afterward.

Noting that there had been no evidence released of the cause of death, North Korean envoy Kang Chol told reporters in Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian capital, It only increases the doubt that there could be someone elses hand behind the investigation. He proposed that North Korea and Malaysia open a joint probe.

Kang had been summoned to Malaysias Foreign Ministry over his criticism of the investigation. The Malaysian government regards as unfounded the criticisms made by the North Korean ambassador, the Foreign Ministry said Monday in a statement.

With one North Korean in custody in Malaysia and four others suspected of involvement, it seems clear that the North Korean regime is behind this case, Hwang Kyo-ahn, South Koreas prime minister and acting president, said Monday.

 Anna Fifield

SYRIA

Russia says bomb killed 4 of its soldiers

Four Russian soldiers were killed by a roadside bomb in western Syria last week, the Russian military said.

The Defense Ministry said in a statement that the Feb. 16 attack had targeted a Syrian military convoy near Tiyas, an air base from which Russian warplanes have launched raids on Islamic State fighters in ancient Palmyra.

It was not possible to immediately verify the Russian statement, and the attack has yet to be claimed by militants in Syria. But the news underscored the growing toll that Syrias conflict has wrought on Russian military and mercenary forces fighting on behalf of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

On Monday, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring network said the Syrian government had escalated attacks on rebel-held suburbs of Damascus. Seven people were killed in bombing raids in the district of Barzeh, as rocket attacks on the opposition-held neighborhood of Qaboun continued throughout the day.

The White Helmets rescue brigade published a video of the apparent aftermath of a raid on the rebel-held Damascus neighborhood of Tishreen. Rescuers were seen digging a child from a bank of rubble.

 Louisa Loveluck

5 killed in Guinea protest: At least five people were killed when police in Guinea clamped down on hundreds of students who protested with stones and sticks amid teacher strikes that have kept them out of class for weeks. Guineas government condemned events leading to the deaths, calling the protest illegal. A hospital worker said the dead were shot at close range by riot police and gendarmerie. The government said at least 12 protesters were arrested.

Former Salvadoran first lady appears in court: El Salvadors former first lady declared her innocence as she entered a courthouse to face corruption charges related to her husbands presidency. Ana Ligia de Saca and former president Tony Saca are accused of being involved in money laundering and conspiracy. Police have arrested 10 people tied to a scheme that diverted at least $246 million in government funds through advertising and media firms at the behest of the ex-president.

Rio protest turns violent: Police in Rio de Janeiro shot tear gas and arrested at least a dozen protesters who turned violent and threw rocks during a rally against privatizing a public utility. State legislators voted 41 to 28 to privatize the state company that provides water and sewage treatment. The move is among austerity measures that have angered many in Rio.

Nepal to hold local elections: Nepal will hold its first local elections in 20 years in May, a cabinet minister said. The Himalayan nation has been unable to complete its path to a republic because regional groups rejected a constitution approved by bigger political parties in 2015. Forest Minister Shankar Bhandari said the vote for more than 700 village and municipal assemblies will be May 14, paving the way for national and state elections later this year.

 From news services
George F. Wills Feb. 16 op-ed, How to stop a trade war, which defended the Regulations From the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (Reins) Act, took a shot at the federal agency rulemaking process.

Mr. Will made it sound as if unaccountable and secure bureaucrats were unilaterally issuing regulations. But agencies may issue regulations only if they are authorized to do so by Congress. Many of the regulations that agencies issue are mandated by statute, sometimes by specified deadlines.

Also, agencies did not issue 97,110 pages of regulations last year. The 2016 version of the Federal Register may have had that many pages, but they were not all regulations. Some are just notices that information is available to the public. Even when agencies do issue regulations, they usually provide many, many pages of explanation for each page of regulations adopted. These explanations have been ordered by Congress and the courts and have salutary purposes. They respond to public comments on proposed rules, enhancing meaningful public participation in the rulemaking process. And they provide useful guidance on what the regulations mean and how compliance can be achieved. These aspects enhance, not detract from, accountability.

Finally, agencies can be held accountable by courts, which are empowered to reverse agency regulations that are unauthorized or are not supported by adequate reasoning.

Robert Glicksman, Bethesda
IN NORMAL times, the State Department holds a daily briefing, like the White House, to respond to urgent developments around the globe. But there hasnt been one in weeks. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is now on his first trip abroad, but no permanent deputy has been nominated. Hard-working government officials are holding down posts in an acting capacity, but hundreds of vital sub-Cabinet appointments have not been made. President Trump boasts of a fine-tuned machine, but his government halls are more echo than beehive.

The president is correct that his Cabinet nominees have run into flak from Democrats in the Senate; nine of 15 department secretaries have been confirmed. The situation is much worse when you include those below Cabinet level. Of 549 key appointments, the White House has yet to name 515, according to a tracker by The Post and Partnership for Public Service, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization. Only 14 have been confirmed, and 20 are waiting. These key positions are among the roughly 1,200 total that require Senate confirmation and about 4,100 overall that the new administration must fill.

[The Trump White House is already cooking the books]

The incoming Trump team wasted no time in forcing Obama appointees overseas to hurry home and vacate their positions by Inauguration Day, but the new administration has moved with far less speed to find replacements. The only three ambassadors nominated so far are to China, Israel and the United Kingdom. Not a single assistant secretary of state has been named, much less confirmed.

The business of finding good people and steering them through the labyrinth of approval and security clearance is complex and difficult. But it also seems that the White House chaos is taking a toll. One can only imagine Mr. Tillersons frustration when his choice for deputy secretary of state, Elliott Abrams, was torpedoed by Mr. Trump because of an op-ed Mr. Abrams had written earlier. The New York Times reports that a top aide to Ben Carson, nominated to be housing and urban development secretary, was fired and escorted out of the department Feb. 15 after writings critical of Mr. Trump turned up in his vetting. The National Security Council, the nerve center for foreign and defense policy, lost its first Trump-appointed chief, Michael Flynn, after less than four weeks on the job, and when the position was offered to a retired vice admiral, Robert Harward, he reportedly turned it down in part because of the unpredictable behavior of the president. On Monday, Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster was named to the post. Congressional Republicans, who have the legislative majority, are saying they are having difficulty finding someone to ask about priorities for the Trump administration.

[The terrible consequences of abandoning American exceptionalism]

Mr. Trumps calling card to be an effective president was his business experience, that he built skyscrapers. If he is to succeed in building government, he ought to pay extra attention to the high vacancy rate in Trumpville.
Bill de Blasio is mayor of New York.

Like many Democrats, Ive spent a lot of time since Nov. 8 wondering what went wrong. Though Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by nearly 3 million votes, its clear to me that too many voters stayed home because they felt the election was more about personalities than the issues that affect their lives.

But what weve seen in the days after the inauguration is nothing short of incredible. All over the country, millions of people are getting organized and demonstrating against the president and the broken policies of the Republican Party. People are starting to feel their power to stop the administration.

The new mission of the Democratic Party must be to harness and build on this energy. We need determined leadership that will bring us together as one united party. We need an inspiring vision of equality that resonates in the hearts, minds and souls of all Americans. We need to renew our commitment to strengthening our grass-roots infrastructure to take on President Trump and the Republicans.

Youd be hard-pressed to write a better description of Keith Ellisons approach to public service. Thats why Im supporting him in the race to be the next chairman of the Democratic Party.

[Keith Ellison: The Democratic Party doesnt exist for Democrats]

As leader of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Keith, a Democrat from Minnesota, has been fighting to put working families at the center of our economic vision. He has built coalitions to raise wages for federal contract workers and stop cuts to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. If theres a strike happening, you can almost guarantee Keith will be there right next to the workers.

And beyond being right on the issues, Keith knows what Democrats need to do to win.

During his successful run for Congress in 2006, his campaign knocked on doors and talked to voters who were neglected for years. That shaped Keiths approach to winning elections. He built a turnout machine in Minnesota by contacting as many voters as possible. It helped elect statewide Democrats in critical election years, including Sen. Al Frankens win by 312 votes in 2008. Surrounded by red states, Minnesota continues to shine blue in part thanks to voter participation levels that often lead the nation.

Nationwide, 58 percent of eligible voters went to the polls in 2016. A larger focus on turnout in key states might have changed the outcome. Thats why Keiths experience and his plan to build a 3,143-county turnout strategy is so important. He wants local and state leaders to boost their turnout by 3 to 7 percent. He is committed to make that happen by shifting the resources of the Democratic Party toward a grass-roots focus on getting voters to the polls. Higher turnout everywhere means victories not only at the federal level but at the state and local levels as well.

Keith also knows Democrats go further when we go as one. While the people in our party dont agree on everything, Keith knows it is our shared values that animate us to do good, fight for progressive values and lift up our fellow Americans. At the Democratic National Convention, I watched Keith, who had endorsed Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), barnstorm state delegations urging party unity for Democrats to rally behind Hillary Clinton. Later, he went to Nevada to facilitate a meeting between Sanders supporters and the Nevada Democratic Party leadership, helping to deliver a public unity statement after a contentious state convention in May.

No matter what the president says about draining the swamp, Republicans will continue to be the party of millionaires and billionaires. I expect the GOP to break its promises to the people who supported it in the fall because they felt left behind economically. When that happens, the Democratic Party will have a big opportunity to win over some of the voters we lost.

But what we learned from the 2016 election is that being right on the issues isnt enough to win those voters back.

[Obamacares enduring victory]

The campaign last year became too much about the wrong thing. It focused on what was bad about Donald Trump  his character and his personality. But we shouldve been focused more on what we could do to put more money in the pockets of working Americans.

Ironically, that was exactly the focus of our partys primary process. Clinton and Sanders spent months debating who could do more to lift up working families. The debate was substantive and high-minded. It brought new people into the process, introduced ideas that didnt seem possible just a few years ago and, most important, energized our party.

We now need to do the hard work of harnessing that energy. We need to organize year-round to constantly remind people that we stand for them. We have to live our values and focus on small-dollar donations. We need to show the voters left behind by Trumps tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations that our party represents them and that were beholden only to them. Weve got to give them a reason to go to the polls.

Trump likes to say he built a movement. The demonstrations around the country prove theres a people-powered movement ready to fight against him and the Republican Party. I believe Keith is the leader we need to build a party capable of channeling that power to win up and down the ballot.
Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York, is U.S. Senate minority leader.

The gravity of the issues raised by the events that led to national security adviser Michael Flynns resignation cannot be overstated or ignored. Revelations about Flynns contact with the Russians and reports indicating that he may have lied to the FBI about that contact may be only the tip of the iceberg. Theres an overwhelming view in our intelligence community that Russia tried to influence our election.

The American people, and indeed American democracy, require a thorough and independent investigation into what transpired and whether any criminal laws or constitutional precepts were violated. Such an investigation and any resulting prosecution would normally be carried out under the purview of the attorney general, as the nations chief law enforcement officer with oversight of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. But in this case, given his deep and long-standing ties to President Trump and many of Trumps top advisers, Attorney General Jeff Sessions cannot lead such an investigation.

[Anyone home in Trumpville?]

(The Washington Post)

Sessionss recusal is required by the Justice Departments own rules and regulations. The department clearly states that no employee shall participate in a criminal investigation or prosecution if he has a personal or political relationship with any person or organization substantially involved in the conduct that is the subject of the investigation or prosecution or any person or . . . has a specific and substantial interest that would be directly affected by the outcome of the investigation or prosecution. It is beyond dispute that Trump has a number of specific and substantial interests that would be directly affected by the outcome of the investigation. The regulations define a political relationship as a close identification with an elected official [or] candidate . . . arising from service as a principal adviser thereto or a principal official thereof.

During the campaign, Sessions was identified by the Trump campaign and by Trump himself as a key adviser. Sessions was the first senator to endorse Trump, frequently appeared with him on the campaign trail and even served on the same campaign council as Flynn. Would he be able to impartially lead an inquiry into potential wrongdoing by the team that appointed him to his current post and with whom he has been closely allied? Certainly, the appearance of bias is unavoidable.

Most important, Sessionss recusal from this matter is important not only to comply with the law but also to ensure that the public can have faith that the investigation is being conducted in a thorough and impartial way. Last week, the attorney general met with the president in the Oval Office, as his job requires. Until he recuses himself from this investigation, many Americans will remain suspicious about what they discussed. Did they talk about the ongoing investigation? Did the president try, in any way, to steer him away from the truth? A cloud will hang over every meeting and conversation between the president and attorney general until Sessions recuses himself.

[I didnt think Id ever leave the CIA. But because of Trump, I quit.]

Because administration officials did not reveal Flynns prevaricating about his contacts with Russia for weeks, acknowledging them only after they were exposed by the media, they have made it extremely difficult for the American people to believe that they will endeavor to get to the bottom of the issues at hand. Removing a political ally from running the investigation is absolutely necessary to assure the public the matter will be handled without partisanship. Anything short of a full recusal by Sessions will jaundice the investigation and violate Justice Department rules.

As then-Sen. Sessions wrote, with others, in calling for the recusal of then-Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch in the matter of former secretary of state Hillary Clintons emails: When a high public official is accused of serious wrongdoing and there is a sufficient factual predicate to investigate it is imperative the investigation be thorough, with dispatch and without partisanship. . . . The appropriate response when the subject matter is public and it arises in a highly-charged political atmosphere is for the Attorney General to appoint a Special Counsel of great public stature and indisputable independence to assure the public the matter will be handled without partisanship. Attorney General Jeff Sessions should take the words of Sen. Jeff Sessions to heart.
The sacking of Michael Flynn as national security adviser has intensified the frenzy over possible Russian interference in the election. The New York Times published an editorial comparing the Flynn imbroglio to Watergate, expressing shock and incredulity that Trump campaign officials were in contact with Russian intelligence officials, demanding a congressional investigation of whether people at the highest levels of the United States government have aided and abetted the interests of a nation that has tried to thwart American foreign policy since the Cold War. President Trump, of course, scorns the charges as a ruse and ridiculous. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) called an emergency meeting of Democrats to plan how to spotlight the issue.

When Washington heads into one of these feeding frenzies, judgment is often the first casualty. Its worth remembering what is at stake.

After the election, we learned that the CIA and the FBI  with the more tentative agreement of other intelligence agencies  concluded that Russian intelligence officials ran a covert operation that hacked into and leaked emails from the Democratic National Committee and Clinton campaign chair John Podesta, with the purpose of hurting Clinton. Upon reviewing the still-secret report, President Obama, after affirming the results of the election, punished the Russians, expelling 35 suspected Russian intelligence operatives and imposing other restrictions.

To date, the evidence released publicly for this explosive charge  in the Office of the Director of National Intelligences Jan. 6 report  is so threadbare that the Times conceded that it contained no information about how the agencies had collected their data or had come to their conclusions. Clearly, an independent commission should be created to report on what was done and what should be done to protect against it in the future. It is shameful that Republicans in the Congress have chosen to block this effort.

The sacking of Flynn also raises fundamental concerns.

(Adriana Usero/The Washington Post)

According to intelligence agency leaks, intercepted conversations between Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak and Flynn, then the incoming national security adviser for President-elect Trump, suggest that Flynn may have urged the Russians not to overreact to the Obama sanctions. Putin chose not to respond in a traditional tit for tat. According to the leaks, intelligence agencies went to acting attorney general Sally Q.Yates with concerns that Flynn might be subject to Russian blackmail. She took those concerns to Trump. Weeks later, Flynn was fired for misleading Vice President Pence, among others, about the substance of his conversations.

But the Times editorial board and others suggest that mere contact with Russian officials is somehow nefarious, if not criminal  and that to suggest better relations are in the offing with a new president is virtual treason.

This is simply bizarre. Trump spoke positively of Russian President Vladimir Putin throughout the campaign, stating he would seek to enlist Russia in the fight against the Islamic State. If Flynn was reassuring the Russian ambassador that Obamas sanctions wouldnt dissuade Trump, he was doing what any national security adviser might do for a president-elect.

Flynn is  as anyone reading his writings would discover  unfit to head the National Security Council. But talking to the Russian ambassador or to purported Russian intelligence officials about the intentions of the incoming president is hardly subversive.

What should be of concern is the leaking of officially classified and intercepted telephone conversations  in what was clearly a successful effort to target and take out Flynn. That Trump has railed against the intelligence leaks should not discredit this concern. The intelligence communitys use of leaks of secret information to undermine a president constitutionally elected by the American people  no matter how unfit we consider him to be  is an ominous precedent.

Trumps expressed hope for cooperating with Russia raised significant alarm at high levels of the national security establishment. The exaggerated Russian threat helps justify bloated military budgets and unify increasingly fractious allies. As Robert Hunter, the former U.S. ambassador to NATO, recently observed: Allegations of Russian interference in the U.S. election campaign become a tool to limit, if not cripple, President Trumps attempts to change the downward course of U.S. and Western relations with Russia.

Sadly, common sense is getting lost in the frenzy. Clinton supporters inflate the importance of the purported Russian hacks to excuse her painful defeat. Democrats see the scandal as a way to undermine Trump.

In the targeting of Trump, too many liberals have joined in fanning a neo-McCarthyite furor, working to discredit those who seek to deescalate U.S.-Russian tensions, and dismissing anyone expressing doubts about the charges of hacking or collusion as a Putin apologist. But, as the Nation has editorialized, skepticism isnt treason; instead its essential to establishing the truth.

In fact, better relations with Russia are in our national interest. Cooperation on nuclear proliferation, arms control, terrorism and other issues is vital to our security. Consolidating a zone of peace in Europe cannot happen without Russian engagement. As a leading oil producer, Russia must be part of the global effort to address climate change. Increasingly dangerous steps between two nuclear powers  a Russian spy ship off our coast, near misses of planes over Syria, provocative NATO exercises on the Russian border  could easily spiral out of control.

Foreign interference in U.S. elections is unacceptable. Leaks of secret intelligence to discredit an elected president are bad precedent. We need an independent investigation that reports publicly on what happened and what steps are necessary to protect against both. What we dont need is a replay of Cold War hysteria that cuts off debate, slanders skeptics and undermines any effort to explore areas of agreement with Russia in our own national interest.

Read more from Katrina vanden Heuvels archive or follow her on Twitter.
Members of the media raise their hands for questions as President Trump speaks during a news conference in the White House on Feb. 16. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post)

Thomas Gibbons-Neff, a fourth-generation military man, deployed twice to Afghanistan. The second time, as a 22-year-old Marine corporal in 2010, he led an eight-man infantry team into combat. Two of his men were wounded by enemy sniper fire, and one of his best buddies later died in combat.

Now President Trump says Thomas is an enemy of the American people.

Thomas, a Pentagon correspondent for The Post, was so labeled, along with everybody else in the media, by the commander in chief on Friday. The FAKE NEWS media, Trump tweeted, is not my enemy, it is the enemy of the American People!

I asked my colleague, who went to Georgetown University on the G.I. Bill before joining The Post two years ago, how it felt to be called an enemy of the country he volunteered to serve in combat.

Its alarming, like a bunch of other things these days, Thomas said. It also feels like bait.

(Bastien Inzaurralde/The Washington Post)

And Thomas isnt taking the bait. Like the rest of us, hes keeping his head down and doing his job.

[Trumps war on the press is a strategic calculation]

Trumps Stalinist labeling of the media is his latest attempt to delegitimize the structures of civil society, following similar attacks on the courts and the intelligence community. We in the press are an easy mark because were already held in low esteem. In this case, the charge, using the universal language of autocrats, probably shouldnt be dignified with a refutation: To be forced to make the case that a free press isnt the enemy of a free people is to fight on Trumps terms.

Instead, allow me to introduce you to the backgrounds of some of my colleagues who Trump would have you believe are enemies of the American people. I would argue that they are the American people. Yes, they went to college, they live in the Washington area, and they earn good wages; that earns them the elite epithet. But they hail from all corners of this country, from farms and small towns, the children of immigrants and factory workers, preachers and teachers.

Lori Montgomery, The Posts deputy national editor, grew up on her familys dairy farm in western Pennsylvania. Lori, who spent part of her youth stacking hay and shooting a .22, went to Northwestern to study journalism; her brother still runs the farm.

Jose DelReal, one of The Posts political reporters, was born in Merced, Calif., to immigrants from Mexico who were both farmhands. The family moved to Anchorage, where Joses mother worked as a maid and his father as a cook and dishwasher. Jobs and scholarships got Jose through Harvard University.

Dan Balz, The Posts chief correspondent, comes from Freeport, Ill., one of the cities of the Lincoln-Douglas debates. His father sold batteries. Dan went to the University of Illinois and served for three years in the military.

1 of 83 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  See what President Trump has been doing since taking office View Photos The new presidents tumultuous first weeks have been marked by controversial executive orders and conflicts with the media. Caption The beginning of the presidents term has featured controversial executive orders and frequent conflicts with the media. March 17, 2017 President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump and their son, Barron, walk to Marine One at the White House en route to Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla. Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post Wait 1 second to continue.

Political reporter Jenna Johnson grew up in Nebraska, where she attended the University of Nebraska; she got an internship with The Post and has never left. Her parents run the weekly newspaper in the small town in eastern Iowa where they now live. Steven Ginsberg, The Posts political editor, grew up in Onancock, a town of 1,200 on the rural Eastern Shore of Virginia. For the first four years of his life there, the family home had no heat.

[Three reasons to worry about Trumps cable news habit]

The mother of Supreme Court reporter Bob Barnes died when he was 10, and his dad, a World War II vet who didnt finish high school, worked as a telephone lineman, climbing poles and installing phones. Bob went from Pensacola, Fla., public schools to the University of Florida  where another future Post editor and writer, David Finkel, got through school working at Pizza Hut and Amoco.

National correspondent Mary Jordan grew up on Clevelands West Side, her dad a pipe fitter and her mother a maid, both Irish immigrants. Another national reporter, Stephanie McCrummen, whose grandfather was a Southern Baptist preacher, was reared by a mother who worked for Bell South in Birmingham, Ala. And Dan Eggen, a political editor, is the son of a Lutheran minister from small-town Minnesota.

If space allowed, I could go on. My colleagues dont volunteer these stories ordinarily, for the same reason I dont drone on about my Civil War ancestry, or about how I was reared by a single mother, a schoolteacher, and worked my way through college. Everybody in the newsroom  everybody in America  has an American story.

Such stories are so commonplace as to be unremarkable  or at least they seemed unremarkable until Trump declared some of us enemies of the American people. So lets pause to remember: We are all the American people. And we all love our country.

Twitter: @Milbank

Read more from Dana Milbanks archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook.
The Trump administration on Tuesday sought to allay growing fears among immigrant communities over wide-ranging new directives to ramp up enforcement against illegal immigrants, insisting the measures are not intended to produce mass deportations.

Federal officials cautioned that many of the changes detailed in a pair of memos from Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly will take time to implement because of costs and logistical challenges and that border patrol agents and immigration officers will use their expanded powers with care and discretion.

Yet the official public rollout of Kellys directives, first disclosed in media reports over the weekend, was met with outrage from immigrant rights advocates over concerns the new policies will result in widespread abuses as authorities attempt to fulfill President Trumps goals of tightening border control.

Trump took a hard line against illegal immigration during his campaign, at times suggesting he would seek to create a nationwide deportation force to expel as many of the nations estimated 11 million unauthorized immigrants as possible.

In a conference call with reporters, a senior Department of Homeland Security official moved to avert what he called a sense of panic among immigrant communities.

(Alice Li/The Washington Post)

We do not have the personnel, time or resources to go into communities and round up people and do all kinds of mass throwing folks on buses. Thats entirely a figment of folks imagination, said the official, who was joined on the call by two others, all of whom spoke on condition of anonymity to answer questions. This is not intended to produce mass roundups, mass deportations.

The new guidelines, intended as a road map toward implementing a pair of executive actions Trump signed last month, call for the hiring of thousands of additional enforcement agents, expanding the pool of immigrants who are prioritized for removal, speeding up deportation hearings and enlisting local law enforcement to help make arrests.

The policies represent a sharp break from the final years of the Obama administration and could reverse a sizable reduction in the number of deportations that occurred toward the end of President Barack Obamas time in office.

After deportations reached a record high of 434,000 in 2013, intense pressure from immigration advocates prompted the Obama administration to implement new guidelines that focused enforcement on hardened criminals. Obama announced in Nov. 2014 that his administration would deport felons, not families. Many undocumented immigrants have lived in the country for more than a decade and have family members and children who are U.S. citizens.

The number of people deported in 2015 was just over 333,000, the lowest number since 2007, according to federal data. Statistics for 2016 are not publicly available.

Kellys new DHS policies considerably broaden the pool of undocumented immigrants prioritized for removal, including those who have been charged with crimes but not convicted, those who commit acts that constitute a chargeable criminal offense, and those who an immigration officer concludes pose a risk to public safety or national security.

The Trump administration is using the specter of crime to create fear  in the American community about immigrants in order to create an opening to advance the indiscriminate persecution of immigrants, said Clarissa Martinez-de-Castro, deputy vice president at the National Council of La Raza. This administration is saying, Now, everybody is going to be a priority, and the devil may care.

1 of 83 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  See what President Trump has been doing since taking office View Photos The new presidents tumultuous first weeks have been marked by controversial executive orders and conflicts with the media. Caption The beginning of the presidents term has featured controversial executive orders and frequent conflicts with the media. March 17, 2017 President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump and their son, Barron, walk to Marine One at the White House en route to Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla. Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post Wait 1 second to continue.

DHS officials emphasized that the guidelines in Kellys memos hew closely to the language of Trumps executive orders and that the secretary has written the memos to conform to federal immigration laws established by Congress.

We are not creating anything out of whole cloth, the DHS official said.

Democrats and human rights groups blasted the administration. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) called the policies xenophobic and suggested they could lead to racial profiling of minorities.

It is irresponsible to treat a hardened criminal the same as an immigrant mother with children for purposes of deportation, Menendez said in a statement.

[Trumps hard-line immigration rhetoric runs into obstacles  including Trump]

White House press secretary Sean Spicer also denied that the goal of Trumps executive orders is mass deportations. Rather, he said, the Obama administration had allowed so many carve outs on which immigrants were to be the focus of enforcement actions that federal agents had their hands cuffed behind them.

The president wanted to take the shackles off individuals in these agencies and say, You have a mission, there are laws that need to be followed, you should do your mission and follow the law, Spicer said.

Yet Spicer on several occasions during his daily press briefing misrepresented the number of undocumented immigrants living in the country, citing 13, 14, 15 million, or potentially more. In fact, the number has held steady in recent years at just over 11 million, after peaking in 2007 at about 12.2 million, according to a report last fall from Pew Research Center.

That is in part because of stricter border control measures have flattened the net flow of illegal immigrants to roughly zero, according to the report.

During his campaign, Trump said he thought there could be as many as 30 million illegal immigrants. Nobody knows what the number is, he said.

Trumps early attempts to crackdown on immigration, including his executive order banning travel of citizens from seven Muslim-majority nations, have drawn criticism both in the United States and abroad. Kelly and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson plan to visit Mexico later this week where tensions over the presidents plan to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border are sure to be on display. Around the same time, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) will be leading a delegation of lawmakers to the border as Congress wrestles with how to actually implement Trumps signature campaign promise.

Kellys implementation memos do not overturn one important directive from the Obama administration: a program called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals that has provided work permits to more than 750,000 immigrants who came to the country illegally as children.

Trump had promised during his campaign to immediately terminate the program, calling it an unconstitutional executive amnesty, but he has wavered since then. Last week, he said he would show great heart in determining the fate of that program.

But the new directives released on Tuesday seek to expand partnerships with local law enforcement agencies to apprehend undocumented immigrants, hire 10,000 new Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and 5,000 new Border Patrol agents, and broaden expedited deportations, currently limited to those in the country two weeks or less, to those who have been in the country for up to two years.

The provisions mandate that the government detain immigrants until they are granted a hearing before an immigration judge, ending the Obama administrations policy of releasing some to live with relatives until their hearings. Backlogs at immigration courts have delayed hearings for more than a year.

The provisions also allow federal authorities to prosecute the parents of unaccompanied minors who enter the country illegally if they are found to have paid smugglers.

DHS officials said the Trump administration is seeking to maximize federal immigration policies that have been on the books for years but were not used by the Obama administration.

Some of the changes, they said, will take time to implement because of the costs and because some of the policies must be announced through the federal register. Officials declined to estimate the costs for the additional personnel, including more immigration judges to speed up hearings, as well as significant new detention housing for unauthorized immigrants awaiting their court proceedings.

This will not happen tomorrow, the DHS official said.

The big picture here is that were executing what the president directed, which is consistent with what Congress put into law, the official added. We will do so professionally. We will treat everyone humanely and with dignity, but were going to execute the laws of the United States.
The pressure cooker that was used to hide the gold

By Virendrasingh Ghunawat: Custom officials at the Mumbai Airport arrested a female passenger and an accomplice for an alleged attempt to smuggle of gold worth Rs 31.52 lakh.

On Monday morning, Banu Abdul Hai Shaikh, resident of Wadala, Mumbai, flew ino the into the city from Dubai on a Fly Dubai Airways flight and cleared herself through the green channel. However, the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) officers of the customs department intercepted her, based on profiling.

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The officers then examined the pressure cooker, which was brought in as part of her checked-in-baggage. This resulted in the recovery of two pieces of circular white plates made of gold weighing 966 gms each. The plates were concealed under the pressure pan of the cooker.

"She was also found wearing a pair of payals made of gold weighing 73 gms. Thus, total gold recovered was weighed at 1039 grams valued at Rs. 31,52,326 which were seized under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962", the official said.

Officials also arrested an accomplice - Faheem MK, a reident of Kerala who was supposed to collect the gold from outside airport.

Also read: 3 nabbed smuggling gold in their rectum at Mumbai airport

--- ENDS ---
It was Rep. Jim Jordans second Presidents Day visit to the home of Warren G. Harding, but it was the first to be surrounded by protesters. Nearly 200 people had swarmed the building, their signs accusing the congressman of being a pawn of the Koch brothers who wanted to pollute Ohios streams and rip health insurance away from sick people.

Im trying to take all the questions from people with signs calling me all kinds of nice names, said Jordan, a Republican who represents parts of northwestern and central Ohio.

Jordan, a member of the Freedom Caucus who has not drawn a credible challenger since joining the House in 2006, was the latest Republican to face an irate and organized town hall audience. He took it in stride, fielding 40 minutes of questions from the porch where Marions favorite son waged his presidential campaign  a short, three-month campaign, a museum historian noted.

The politics of 2017 had given Jordan a permanent campaign, one he was game to wage. Some of his colleagues had dismissed protesters as paid or otherwise prefab. A few had pointedly told their constituents that they would not hold town hall meetings so long as a radical element was crashing them. Asked whether he thought the protesters were in any way suspicious, Jordan shrugged.

Frankly, I dont care, Jordan said in an interview en route to the event, after downing a buttered biscuit and coffee. If there are people here who arent constituents, theyre still Americans. Im happy to talk to them.

Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan greets the crowd during a town hall outside of the Harding Home Presidential Site in Marion, Ohio, on Monday, Feb. 20, 2017. (Maddie McGarvey/For The Washington Post)

The Marion town hall was organized like most of the events that have bedeviled members of Congress this year, with a number of progressive and Democratic groups converging and sharing tips.

More than 50 people had signed up after MidOhio Indivisible, the local branch of a national project to help progressives force public answers from their congressmen, listed the Jordan event on Facebook. Janet Garrett, Jordans 2016 Democratic opponent  whom hed defeated in a 2-to-1 landslide  had encouraged supporters to drive with her from Oberlin, the liberal college town that had been added to the district in 2011. Local Democratic Party activists, who said they had never previously faced Jordan at a town hall, cleared their mornings to come by.

They were joined by people who said they had simply seen a listing for the event in the local news. Emily Fisher, a 26-year-old from Lima  an hour away  came with her parents, who had been taking care of her as a degenerative disorder began limiting her eyesight.

I couldnt afford treatment without the Affordable Care Act, she said. I want to know, how are we going to be paying for it if they get rid of that? Do the benefits just run out?

Like Fisher, most of the town hall attendees wanted to hear Jordan defend his plan for the Affordable Care Act  a bill, introduced last week, to repeal the law and replace most of its newly guaranteed coverage with health savings accounts.

If they repeal it, they better replace it, said Joan Worthen, 69. I dont think HSAs could replace it all.

Away from Marion, similar protests had been breaking out in town squares and outside of whatever events members of Congress were holding. There were holiday-themed #NotMyPresident rallies in big cities; over the weekend, there were surging crowds when Rep. Tom Reed (R-N.Y.) and Rep. Mark Sanford (R-S.C.) held public town halls in their districts.

Jordans district, a sickle-shaped strip of rural Ohio, had been drawn to elect him. In 2012, it had given Barack Obama just 42 percent of the vote; last year, just 31 percent of its voters had backed Hillary Clinton. In interviews Sunday and Monday, Jordans critics in the district conceded that he was unlikely to lose.

The only way that guys going to lose is if someone runs even further to his right in a Republican primary race, said Mike Thomas, 73, a Democratic activist and city council member.

That gave the congressman plenty of running room. Before arriving at the town hall, he reminisced fondly about the candidate forum hed attended in Oberlin, where hed won just five votes in one precinct and hoped to win six. When he spotted Garrett in the crowd, brandishing a megaphone, he called her my favorite opponent and smiled through her question.

What were concerned about is when the ACA is replaced, that people are going to be able to afford it, Garrett said.

Exactly. Thats what were for, Jordan insisted.

If you have access, but you cant afford it, its not access, said Garrett. Its denial.

You know what you just described, Janet? You just described the situation we have right now under the ACA. People cant afford it now. We have the Affordable Care Act. Im surprised to see you on my side.

The asymmetry of the event allowed Jordan to navigate more than a dozen similar questions. He was using a mic and standing behind a silent, focused police officer; the members of the crowd could only shout and hope to be noticed. Asked about climate change, he said he, too, was concerned about the planets future but would not bankrupt people with high energy bills. Asked when he would support a congressional probe of Russian involvement in the 2016 presidential election, Jordan cited his time on the Select Committee on Benghazi, empaneled two years after that horrible day, to say that critics needed to wait for the rest of Congress to investigate allegations.

Occasionally, the districts progressives were also talked over by a small group of conservatives who resented the treatment Jordan was getting. Several held signs from the Pro-Life Action League, demanding that Jordan end federal funding for Planned Parenthood, which he was more than happy to do.

At one point, they offered Jordan a lifeline. Thomas, the city council member, asked Jordan whether the repeal of the Affordable Care Act  which would halt the Medicaid expansion that Ohio, under Gov. John Kasich (R), had welcomed  would affect the citys Center Street Community Clinic.

We got some Planned Parenthood signs here  one thing Ive been very clear on is not giving any of your tax dollars to Planned Parenthood, Jordan said.

The antiabortion protesters cheered. Save the babies! said a person near the stage. Save the babies! Save the babies!

Thomas left the town hall muttering that his question had not really gotten an answer. Inside the Harding home, as he cycled through media interviews, Jordan said he was pretty sure that redirecting Planned Parenthood funds would not close the funding gap. (About $500 million goes to Planned Parenthood annually; the Medicaid expansion was $70 billion.)

Those community clinics do a very good job, certainly better than the Planned Parenthood clinics, Jordan said. If were going to put additional dollars into federal clinics, like money directed toward the opioid epidemic, the moneys going to come from somewhere else.

To Jordan, the solution was going to come from entitlement reform. That was not an answer that the crowd outside was prepared to accept. As he exited the Harding house, about 20 of the protesters walked to a nearby library, to vent and strategize.

Andrew Mackey, 32, leaned on his cane as he described the Parkinsons disease that had led him to leave his job but was manageable with his wifes health plan through the Affordable Care Act. To try to save it, he had decided to run for Congress, against Jim Jordan.

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Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., ranking Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, center, speaks during a Feb. 15 news conference on Capitol Hill calling for an investigation into President Donald Trump's administration over its relationship with Russia. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)

The Senate Intelligence Committee is seeking to ensure that records related to Russias alleged intervention in the 2016 U.S. elections are preserved as it begins investigating that countrys ties to the Trump team.

The panel sent more than a dozen letters to organizations, agencies and officials on Friday, asking them to preserve materials related to the congressional investigation, according to a Senate aide, who was not authorized to comment publicly. The Senate Intelligence Committee is spearheading the most comprehensive probe on Capitol Hill of Russias alleged activities in the elections.

The letters went out the same day that FBI Director James B. Comey huddled for almost two hours with the committees Senate members in a closed-door briefing in the Capitol. Senators emerged from that meeting especially tight-lipped about what transpired, with Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) breaking the silence by tweeting the next day that he was now very confident the committee will conduct thorough bipartisan investigation of #Putin interference and influence.

The committees missives came just days after Trump asked Michael Flynn for his resignation as national security adviser, after the revelation that he misled Vice President Pence about his communications with Russias ambassador to the United States, Sergey Kislyak, between Trumps election and inauguration. Flynns departure prompted an outcry among lawmakers for closer scrutiny of his contact with Kislyak.

Democrats in particular are demanding a full record of documents and transcripts pertaining to the Flynn call, in which intelligence officials say he discussed sanctions on Russia, before they destroy them, as House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) put it.

The Senate aide would not clarify whether the letters were sent specifically to individuals affiliated with Trump. And White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus said Sunday on NBCs Meet the Press that just because Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr (R-N.C.) sent a letter, it doesnt mean that theres anything there. It just means they need to do some things that satisfy their committee, that theyve looked into something.

The questions from Capitol Hill display differences in the way congressional investigations into Russias alleged actions in the 2016 elections are proceeding on opposite sides of the Capitol.

[House Intelligence Committee open to probing Flynn]

Republicans have not been as vocal in their suspicions of wrongdoing as have Democrats. At the same time, Democrats on the Senate Intelligence Committee are praising Burr for working with ranking Democrat Mark R. Warner (Va.) to investigate all aspects of alleged Russian intervention in the elections and Flynns departure.

On the Senate Judiciary Committee, top-ranking Democrat Dianne Feinstein (Calif.) credited Chairman Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) last week for coming up with the plan to send a joint letter to Comey asking for a briefing and all transcripts and documents of Flynns calls with Kislyak.

Feinstein, as a member of the Intelligence Committee, attended Comeys briefing Friday.

But in the House, proceedings are trailing the Senate  and similar efforts to demand documents and transcripts are noticeably one-sided.

Last week, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence said that it would be open to probing Flynns contacts with Russian officials as part of its greater investigation into alleged Russian interference in the elections. But the day after Republican and Democratic leaders reached that decision, Democrats were alone in asking administration officials for the transcript of Flynns calls.

Its a bipartisan request in the Senate, Adam B. Schiff (Calif.), the committees ranking Democrat, said in an interview. But we could not get agreement on that.

Read more at PowerPost
Government troops surrounded the fortified luxury home of First Vice President Abdurrashid Dostum in the Afghan capital Tuesday in an all-day standoff, raising fears of a violent confrontation with his armed guards. The former warlord, accused of brutalizing a political rival, has refused to cooperate with a government investigation for several months.

The action came after Dostum repeatedly ignored requests for cooperation from the attorney generals office in investigating the case, including summonses for nine of Dostums guards and other employees wanted for questioning.

But on Tuesday evening, after hours of tension and confusion gripped the capital, Dostum spoke publicly with supporters inside his house, saying he had ordered his guards to avoid any armed clash. At the same time, he warned that any move to unseat him would weaken the government of President Ashraf Ghani.

In his first public comments on the case since December, when a fellow ethnic Uzbek leader named Ahmad Ishchi accused Dostum of holding him prisoner, subjecting him to brutal assaults and ordering guards to sodomize him, the vice president dismissed the accusations as a conspiracy of the enemies. His appearance was broadcast live on a private TV station.

The allegations against Dostum triggered outrage among Western governments and rights groups, which termed the case a major test of Ghanis ability to establish the rule of law. Under Ghanis direction, the Afghan attorney general began an investigation of the charges, but Dostum refused to answer several official summonses and warrants issued for nine guards in his employ.

Abdurrashid Dostum stands during prayers at the first day of a peace summit, Aug. 9, 2007, in Kabul. (Paula Bronstein/Getty Images)

Meanwhile, Dostum has remained largely out of sight, first at his compound in northern Jowzjan Province and later inside his elaborate, bunker-like residence in the affluent Sherpur neighborhood of Kabul. He stopped going to his government office and attending most official functions, although he did appear at the funeral of a veteran political leader last month.

In November, government troops blocked roads near his house in Kabul for a week, raising expectations that Dostum might be arrested, but they did not approach the compound.

The latest standoff began early Tuesday, one day after Dostum suddenly reappeared in his vice presidential office for the first time since November. Armed government forces in several armored vehicles blocked roads leading to a cluster of buildings he owns in Sherpur.

It was not immediately clear whether the troops were sent there to arrest either Dostum or the nine guards accused in the case. The burly former communist general has often switched sides during Afghanistans nearly four decades of conflict and has earned a reputation for brutal behavior. He said Tuesday that if he were removed from office, it would be a significant blow to the Ghani government, which has been fighting an aggressive Taliban insurgency for more than 15 years and a newer challenge from Islamic State militants.

Removal of General Dostum from government certainly will not strengthen the government, it will weaken it. People will not stand behind it. . . . People will be alienated, Dostum said, speaking in the third person. He looked tired in the TV broadcast, but also made jokes with the supporters surrounding him.

A huge billboard of the 2014 election campaign, showing Dostum next to Ghani, hung behind him as he made his televised comments. He repeatedly referred to the Islamic State as a major emerging threat to Afghan stability, and he called on the government to overcome internal differences with him and stand together to confront the militants.

Dostum, in an apparent effort to emphasize his potential influence on national security, claimed tens of thousands of armed outlaws are in Kabul, waiting for chaos in order to loot banks and private property should security decline further.

A number of government officials, including those from Ghanis office, refused to comment on the days events. A palace spokesman, asked about Dostums sudden resumption of his vice presidential duties, said the president had no objection to it.

Some critics had called on the government to suspend Dostum while the investigation was underway. But several political observers said Tuesday that his return to duty was part of a deal he had made with Ghani.

Dostums chief of staff, Enayatullah Farahmand, said his boss would now return to his normal duties. He attributed Dostums lengthy absence to his involvement in fighting against the Taliban in the north, followed by trips to Uzbekistan and Turkey.

The allegations cannot block him from his duties. . . . He will 100 percent continue to do his duty. We want the issue to not be handled politically, Farahmand said in an interview.

But several political and academic figures said that Dostums return to his post with the charges still pending against him was a sign of weakness on the governments part.

Hamidullah Tokhi, a legislator from southern Zabul province, said that failure to implement the rule of law on the president and his deputies is a serious threat for the progress of the country.

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Afghans near the Torkham border post burn a mock Pakistani flag on Feb. 19 to protest cross-border shelling that was intended to target the hideouts of suspected militants. (Ghulamullah Habibi/European Pressphoto Agency)

An escalating border conflict between Afghanistan and Pakistan is threatening to undermine their cooperation on terrorism and peace talks with the Taliban as the Trump administration begins weighing its options to spur progress on both fronts.

After a blitz of terrorist bombings across Pakistan left more than 125 people dead, Pakistani forces began shelling both sides of the border Friday, aiming at camps used by a group tied to the Islamic State that claimed most of the attacks. Pakistan also closed all border crossings.

Afghanistan has protested that the shelling is forcing hundreds of villagers to flee their homes. U.S. officials have asked Pakistani military leaders to cooperate with their neighboring country in going after the militants, but Pakistan has threatened to take further unilateral action.

And in a tit-for-tat exchange of demands, Pakistan asked Afghan officials Saturday to hand over 76 alleged militants based in Afghanistan, while Afghan diplomats Sunday called for action on a list of 32 terrorist training centers and 85 militant leaders they say are in Pakistan, including the Haqqani Taliban faction that is fighting against the Afghan state.

Turmoil in Afghanistan has created space for terrorist organizations to find their foothold there, said Nafees Zakaria, a spokesman for Pakistans Foreign Affairs Ministry. He said the group responsible for the recent bombings was based in Afghanistan as far back as 2014, when it massacred 141 people at a Pakistani army school, an assault that outraged the country.

Zakaria added that other countries in the region are concerned about the growing footprint of groups like ISIS in Afghanistan. The Islamic State is also known as ISIS.

Russia in particular has been seeking a role in solving the Afghan conflict, hosting regional meetings on it and expressing support for the Taliban as an antidote to a spillover of Islamic State groups into Central Asia. That approach has alarmed U.S. military officials who urged the Trump administration to raise troop levels in Afghanistan to block further Taliban advances.

There is plenty of irony in Pakistans finger-pointing. Afghanistan has long complained that Pakistan provides sanctuary for Taliban leaders and factions, a charge it denies. And the group most linked to last weeks bombings, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, is an outgrowth of the Pakistani Taliban, which was driven into Afghanistan by a massive Pakistan army operation in 2015.

Once the group had relocated, some members split off and pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, a radical Sunni militia. Those militants have overrun several Afghan border districts, despite repeated efforts by Afghan forces to push them out, and they have claimed the bombing of several Shiite mosques in Kabul, the Afghan capital.

Afghanistan is the victim of terrorism, not its shelter, Gen. Dawlat Waziri, a spokesman for the Afghan Defense Ministry, declared Sunday. He called Pakistans border attacks an act of aggression and warned that if diplomatic efforts fail, Afghans will defend their soil with whatever means available. A Foreign Affairs Ministry official said Afghanistan might even seek U.N. sanctions against Pakistan for supporting terrorist groups.

Michael Kugelman, deputy director for Asian studies at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, described Jamaat-ul-Ahrar as one of the Pakistani Talibans most bloodthirsty factions, with a small but brutal contingent in Afghanistan.

In Pakistan, Kugelman added, the Islamic State has been forming opportunistic partnerships with radical religious groups of all kinds, including some that officials had for political reasons been reluctant to curb. The danger, he said, is of growing collaboration between the Islamic State and high-octane local militant factions eager to latch onto its still-powerful brand.

Given the common threat this phenomenon has created for Pakistan and Afghanistan, analysts pointed out, it would seem a perfect moment for their governments to join forces , especially when they are eager to prove to the new administration in Washington that they are serious about fighting Islamist insurgents and terrorists.

Instead, years of bitter acrimony between the two Muslim neighbors has fueled an explosion of highly politicized accusations and threats, reminiscent of a decade ago when Afghanistans then-president, Hamid Karzai, used to send lists of anti-Afghan militants living openly in Pakistan to its military president, Gen. Pervez Musharraf  with no result.

The growing wave of terror in both countries requires a joint approach, the News International newspaper here urged in its lead editorial Sunday. The only beneficiary of increasing tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan are terrorist groups. It is important to ensure that we, on both sides, do not resort to blame games.

Today, the stakes for both countries are high. In Afghanistan, the 16-year war with the Taliban is at a stalemate, the defense forces are demoralized and stretched thin, and the government of President Ashraf Ghani is beset by divisions and administrative paralysis.

Although the Trump administration appears likely to continue supporting the war with funds and troops, critics say the conflict cannot be settled unless the Ghani government takes decisive action to curb corruption, overcome ethnic rivalries, resume stalled election plans and mend fences with Pakistan.

In Pakistan, the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has been struggling to rein in a panoply of militant Islamist groups without arousing further violence, to maintain a balance between military and civilian power and to navigate new relations with China and other partners while preserving long-standing security ties with Washington.

Even before last weeks attacks, some influential U.S. policy experts had urged the Trump administration to sharply cut aid to Pakistan if it does not carry out a full-fledged crackdown on Islamist militants and begin playing a positive role in the effort to settle the Afghan war, rather than trying to manipulate it while providing refuge for anti-Afghan insurgents.

Davood Moradian, director of the Kabul-based Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies, said success in Afghanistan was achievable  but only if three things happened.

Afghanistan has to address corruption, strengthen the armed forces and integrate the Taliban into politics, he said. Pakistan has to abandon its strategy of using terrorism as a state policy. And the United States has to assure its allies and adversaries in both countries that it is determined to prevail.

Read more

Did Pakistani security agents kidnap bloggers to make a point?

U.N. says civilian toll in Afghanistan is highest in years

Afghans hope  and worry  that Trump will shake things up

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Refugees and migrants wait on deck of a Spanish resuce vessel after being found in the Meditteranean and taken to Pozzallo, Italy, on Feb. 19, 2017. (David Ramos/Getty Images)

Dozens of bodies washed ashore on Libyas western Mediterranean Sea coast on Tuesday, the latest tragedy to strike desperate migrants from Africa and elsewhere seeking refuge and jobs in Europe.

At least 74 bodies were pulled from a beach near the western city of Zawiya, according to Libyas Red Crescent, which added that the dead had previously been on a boat. The agency tweeted photos showing rescue workers placing the victims in black-and-white body bags.

It was unclear how the deaths occurred, and there was no sign of a wrecked boat or vessel. But the incident bore the hallmarks of other maritime tragedies involving migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean on smuggler boats in recent years.

Last year saw a record number of drownings  more than 4,500  involving migrants traveling on smuggling routes from Libya to Italy, according to a report by the European border management agency Frontex. The actual figure is probably higher because many deaths go unrecorded, the agencys director, Fabrice Leggeri, said last week. In comparison, 2015 had 2,869 drownings, while there were 3,061 in 2014.

The agency expects the numbers to rise this year. Leggeri said that more and more smugglers are using poorly built smaller boats and packing them up with migrants to increase revenue. On average, the boats this year are carrying 160 migrants per vessel, while in previous years that average has been about 100.

In January, Frontex recorded 228 drowning deaths, the largest monthly toll in recent years.

Smugglers and migrants have taken advantage of the lawlessness and turmoil in Libya, beset by civil war since longtime dictator Moammar Gaddafi was ousted and killed during the 2011 revolution, part of the Arab Spring revolts that swept the region. Most migrants are escaping poverty, unemployment and climate change in sub-Saharan Africa and hoping to find a better life in Europe.

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Ukrainian oligarch Dmytro Firtash arrives for the start of his trial in Vienna on Feb. 21. A final decision on whether to hand him over to the United States will be made by Austrias justice minister. (Ronald Zak/Associated Press)

An Austrian appeals court on Tuesday approved the extradition to the United States of a Ukrainian oligarch with ties to a former senior Trump adviser on corruption charges.

Dmytro Firtash, a billionaire who made a fortune as a middleman in Ukraines rough-and-tumble gas industry, has been indicted by U.S. prosecutors for allegedly bribing Indian officials to secure a titanium deal. An extradition request in 2015 had been denied by a Viennese court, which called the U.S. allegations politically motivated. A final decision on whether to hand over Firtash to the United States will be made by Austrias justice minister.

Firtash wielded significant political power in Ukraine under former president Viktor Yanukovych, who was overthrown amid street protests in 2014. Firtash was arrested in Vienna on an FBI warrant just weeks after Yanukovych fled to Russia and was succeeded by a vocally pro-Western government. Firtashs lawyers say that he is being targeted by the United States as part of a political inquisition against Yanukovychs former political allies.

It wasnt for us to judge whether Mr. Firtash was guilty, but only whether the extradition is allowed, Judge Leo Levnaic-Iwanski said in the ruling on the U.S. request Tuesday, Bloomberg News reported. This decision only means that another country will make a decision whether he is guilty.

Lawyers for Firtash had sought to paint the allegations against Firtash as a strategy to limit Russian influence in Ukraine. The criminal investigation was initiated during the Obama administration.

In a statement, Firtashs U.S. legal team said it was disappointed by the appeals court decision and said he was innocent.

If and when Mr. Firtash is required to come to the United States, the team will fight to obtain dismissal of this unjust case by the Department of Justice or, if necessary, in U.S. courts, to clear Mr. Firtash's name, the statement read.

Firtash had previously weighed teaming up with American investors and political strategist Paul Manafort, who for a time managed Donald Trumps presidential campaign, to buy high-end real estate in the United States, including the famous Drake Hotel in New York.

According to correspondence revealed in a 2011 lawsuit brought against Firtash by former Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko, Manafort met with Firtash in May, June and August of 2008 to seal the Manhattan real estate deal, according to a memo by Rick Gates, another Trump strategist. Firtash had agreed to put $112 million into buying the Drake Hotel, tearing it down and building a new luxury skyscraper, to be called the Bulgari Tower.

Tymoshenko claimed that Firtash was trying to invest ill-gotten proceeds from gas deals in Ukraine. The lawsuit was thrown out of a U.S. court for lack of evidence. No deals were completed, and Firtash has denied that he invested in the project.

Firtash owned half of a company that negotiated natural gas sales from Russia and Central Asian countries to Ukraine, a lucrative business that Reuters in 2014 reported made him billions of dollars.

In another twist, Firtash was detained shortly after Tuesdays decision by Austrian police serving a Spanish warrant separate from the extradition ruling. Spain in November sought Firtashs arrest for charges of money laundering and reported ties to organized crime. It was not immediately clear why the arrest came shortly after the extradition ruling or whether the Spanish extradition request would take precedence.

Read more:

Inside Trump adviser Manaforts world of politics and financial dealmaking

Trump campaign chief Paul Manafort named in Ukraine anti-corruption probe

Ukrainian oligarch with ties to Russias Gazprom arrested on FBI warrant

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The deceased has been identified as Geeta Dubey a resident of Malad. The incident took place at around 9.15 pm on Monday.

By Saurabh Vaktania: In a yet another shocking incident of crime against women, a 28-year-old woman was stabbed to death near Goregaon station on Monday night.

The deceased has been identified as Geeta Dubey a resident of Malad. The incident took place at around 9.15 pm on Monday.

Police said that the woman was getting into an auto rickshaw when a man approached and stabbed her twice. The man fled from the spot soon after stabbing Dubey.

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The auto rickshaw driver rushed her to the nearest hospital. However, she was declared dead by the hospital authorities. Following the incident the police examined CCTV footages to identify the accused.

Police soon identified the accused as Prasad Rawat and arrested him within few hours of the incident. Rawat married Dubey in 2012 and the couple have two children.

MARITAL DISCORD LED TO THE CRIME

Police said that the initial investigations revealed that Rawat murdered his wife over marital dispute. According to police, Rawat had planned to flee from the city after committing the crime. Dubey was staying with her mother in Malad.

Rawat has been booked under Section 302 (punishment for murder) of the Indian Penal Code. He will be produced before a local court on Tuesday evening.

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Pune: Furious over wife's social media posts on family planning, techie kills her, commits suicide

--- ENDS ---
A military tribunal sentenced an Israeli soldier to 18 months in prison on Tuesday in the killing of a disarmed and wounded Palestinian attacker, noting that the army medic showed no remorse for pulling the trigger long after the attacker lunged at troops with a knife.

It was a deeply divisive punishment for an army sergeant whom many Israelis hailed as a hero for neutralizing a terrorist.

The months-long trial of Sgt. Elor Azaria was a rare prosecution of an Israeli soldier serving in the almost 50-year military occupation of the West Bank. Azaria was found guilty of manslaughter by the court in January.

Many Israelis said the only reason Azaria stood trial was the fact that the fatal shot was clearly captured on video by a Palestinian volunteer for an Israeli human rights group.

Naftali Bennett, Israels education minister and the leader of pro-settler party Jewish Home, called for an immediate pardon by Israels president, Reuven Rivlin.

(Emad abu-Shamsiyah, B'Tselem)

He cannot go to jail, or we will all pay the price, Bennett said.

[The military trial thats tearing Israel apart]

Israels defense minister, Avigdor Lieberman, said the court should be respected but added: On the one hand there is an excellent soldier, on the other a terrorist who came to kill Jews, and we need to take both of these into account.

The central fact of the case is not in dispute.

In March 2016, Azaria fired a bullet at close range into the skull of a Palestinian assailant as he lay wounded  sprawled on his back on a street in Hebron in the West Bank  minutes after slashing at soldiers with a knife and wounding one.

Azarias defense said he feared that the suspect, Abdel Fattah al-Sharif, might have been concealing an explosive device under his jacket.

On the video, ambulance drivers from the Jewish settlement and others could be heard shouting that the Palestinian was still a danger  even as Israeli military officers casually milled about, a few yards from the supine assailant.

The incident took place near a military checkpoint in Hebron, where 850 hard-line Jewish settlers, protected by 650 Israeli soldiers, live among 200,000 Palestinians. Jews and Muslims share a religious shrine in Hebron  and a mosque and a synagogue  where the faithful believe Abraham and the patriarchs of the faiths are buried.

It is one of the tensest places in the West Bank. Palestinians want the land for a future state. The Jewish settlers believe the land was given to them by God.

At the close of Azarias trial in January, the military judges dismissed Azarias claim that he feared for his safety.

We found there was no room to accept his arguments, said chief army judge Maya Heller, reading the decision by the three-judge panel.

His motive for shooting was that he felt the terrorist deserved to die, she said.

In the past two years, there have been dozens of cases of Israeli forces, including top commanders and private security guards, shooting Palestinian assailants and suspects at checkpoints and in riots.

Many of the incidents have been condemned by human rights groups and Palestinians. Few have been the subject of open investigations. None were prosecuted.

The Azaria case exposed the deep schisms in Israeli society, where many celebrated the 20-year-old sergeant as a national hero or, at worst, a soldier who made a mistake. Many say he should have been disciplined but never dragged into a courtroom.

The Israel Democracy Institute and Tel Aviv University released a survey last year of Jewish Israelis that found that 47 percent supported killing on the spot a terrorist who attacked Jews even if he has been captured and clearly does not pose a threat.

Israels military leaders said that discipline and purity of arms were core values for the army  and pressed for a court hearing. Retired officers said that Azaria was being railroaded.

Many ordinary Israelis took to calling Azaria everyones son. In Israel, military service is mandatory for most Jewish citizens, and the parents of soldiers are more involved than ever in making sure their teenage sons and daughters are well treated by the military.

During the trial, tensions spiked so high that military prosecutors and the three-judge panel received threats and required extra security.

The sentencing was moved from a courthouse in Tel Avivs Jaffa neighborhood to Israels version of the Pentagon, called the Kirya.

Outside, a few hundred supporters of the Azaria family gathered, as leaders with bullhorns condemned the media, the court and the military as left-wingers.

Azaria entered the courtroom smiling, to applause from friends and family. Before the judges spoke, Charlie Azaria, the soldiers father and a retired veteran police officer, told supporters not to disrupt the proceedings.

None of us have any expectations. We shall accept the sentence, whatever it may be, he said.

The chief military judge announced the sentence of 18 months. The maximum for manslaughter is 20 years. Army prosecutors had initially recommended three to five years. Azarias defense team said he should be allowed to return to his family with time served.

The family showed no emotion at first. Later, they sang the Israeli national anthem.

Heller said the court took mitigating factors into consideration, saying the incident took place in hostile territory.

We took note of the harm suffered by his family, Heller said but added that Azaria had not expressed remorse for his actions.

Ester Shaked, one of the protesters outside the court, said: The way the army is treating him is evil. Im very shocked by this case. It wouldnt happen in any other country. These terrorists came to kill us, and he protected us.

Daniel, a teenager from a nearby high school whose teacher asked that his last name not be used, warned: We wont go to the army. We dont think hes guilty. This country is crazy for seeing him as guilty.

The demonstrators also turned their anger toward Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lieberman, who they said had lied to them and abandoned soldiers.

Israels minister of culture and sport, Miri Regev, called the sentence difficult and said, This is a sad day.

Elor should not have to sit one day in jail in addition to what he has already endured, she said.

Booth reported from Jerusalem.

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(Sarah Parnass,Amber Ferguson/The Washington Post)

On the night of President Trumps inauguration, Sebastian Gorka attended the celebratory balls in a high-necked, black Hungarian jacket. Pinned on his chest was a Hungarian coat of arms, a tribute to his father who had been tortured by the communists, and a civilian commendation from the U.S. military.

For years, Gorka had labored on the fringes of Washington and the far edge of acceptable debate as defined by the citys Republican and Democratic foreign policy elite. Today, the former national security editor for the conservative Breitbart News outlet occupies a senior job in the White House and his controversial ideas  especially about Islam  drive Trumps populist approach to counterterrorism and national security.

Amid the cheering, music and confetti that night, Gorka talked about Trumps opening shot in a high-stakes civilizational war, still in its early days.

Everythings changed, Gorka said.

He homed in on three words from Trumps dystopian inaugural addressthat day: Radical Islamic terrorism.

When he used those three words today  radical Islamic terrorism  he put the marker down for the whole national security establishment, Gorka told an interviewer from Fox News.

For Gorka and his allies, the words are more than just a description of the enemy. They signal a radical break with the approach that Republicans and Democrats have taken over the past 16 years to counterterrorism and the Muslim world.

[Trump redefines the enemy and years of counterterrorism policy]

Only days after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, President George W. Bush insisted the terror strikes had violated the fundamental tenets of the Islamic faith.

Islam is peace, he told a nation still reeling from grief.

President Barack Obama sounded the same theme routinely during two terms in office.

Gorka has relentlessly championed the opposite view.

For him, the terrorism problem has nothing to do with repression, alienation, torture, tribalism, poverty, or Americas foreign policy blunders and a messy and complex Middle East.

This is the famous approach that says it is all so nuanced and complicated, Gorka said in an interview. This is what I completely jettison.

For him, the terror threat is rooted in Islam and martial parts of the Koran that he says predispose some Muslims to acts of terror.

Anybody who downplays the role of religious ideology . . . they are deleting reality to fit their own world, he said.

Gorka is a deputy assistant to the president. He reports to Stephen K. Bannon, Trumps chief strategist, and is a member of his Strategic Initiatives Group. Bannon has spoken in similarly apocalyptic terms of a new barbarity that threatens the Christian West.

[Bannon film outline warned U.S. could turn into Islamic States of America]

Most counterterrorism experts dismiss Gorkas ideas as a dangerous oversimplification that could alienate Muslim allies and boost support for terrorist groups.

He thinks the government and intelligence agencies dont know anything about radicalization, but the government knows a lot and thinks hes nuts, said Cindy Storer, a former CIA analyst who developed the agency models that trace the path from religious zealotry to violence.

Religious scholars are equally withering. I cant overstate how profoundly dangerous this is, said Omid Safi, a professor of Middle Eastern studies at Duke University. This is music to the ears of [the Islamic State]. This is what they seek.

Gorka has heard all of those criticisms before and fought against them  often ferociously. Last month, as he celebrated at the inaugural ball, those critics no longer seemed to matter. Trumps victory demonstrated to Gorka and his supporters that the common sense of the American people counted for far more than the opinions of experts in Washington and the cloistered world of academia. His side had won.

Before he wrapped up his inauguration night interview, Gorka said he had one last message for Americas troops  the guys inside the machine  and its enemies. He turned toward the host, his medal glinting in the TV lights.

The alpha males are back, he said.

The Islamic laws of war

Gorkas ideas about radical Islam began with his fathers fight against the communists in his native Hungary and his deep Catholic faith.

The elder Gorka and a small group of Christian students in Budapest were sending secret, coded messages to London when he was captured by the communist regime, tortured and given a life sentence. In 1956, he escaped and fled to the United Kingdom, where Gorka was born and raised.

When al-Qaeda struck on Sept. 11, Gorka said, he immediately saw the event through the prism of his fathers decades-old life-and-death struggle.

Yes, it was jihadi terrorism . . . but, more importantly, that event was linked to communism. It was linked to fascism, he said. Why? Because al-Qaeda, ISIS, all of these groups are totalitarians  either you surrender to them or they will kill you.

His other insight, he said, was that the Washington foreign policy elite was too quick to discount the role of religion.

Their worldview is fundamentally challenged by anybody who takes religion seriously, and you know what? I take religion seriously, Gorka said. Because when you take seven minutes on a video to decapitate another human being by manually sawing off their head, thats the power that religion can have or a distortion of religion or whatever you want to call it. . . . My father was tortured  tortured for weeks  by the communist secret police in Hungary. I didnt start decapitating people when I found out what happened to my father.

Gorkas core idea is that the United States should partner with a shortlist of Muslim allies  Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt  that he describes as secular or willing to separate Islam from the running of the state. Together, they should fight the jihadist religious ideology in the same manner that America fought to discredit communism during the Cold War.

That insight, he said, led him to study Islam, starting with the faiths ancient texts. Theres a lot of misinformation out there, he said. Would you take anybodys views on Christianity seriously if they hadnt read the New Testament? Of course you wouldnt. So I read the Koran.

Gorkas academic credentials, particularly on the subject of Islam, are thin. He went to college in London and spent three years as a reserve intelligence soldier in the British army, focused on the conflict in Northern Ireland. In the 1990s and early 2000s, he cycled through think tanks in Washington and Europe, dabbled in Hungarian politics and taught courses in counterterrorism at the George C. Marshall Center in Germany, which focuses on educating midcareer NATO and allied military officers.

He earned his doctorate from a Hungarian university in 2008 and a few months later landed a faculty job at the College of International Security Affairs (CISA), a new Pentagon-funded school that was still working toward accreditation.

There, he was a dynamic lecturer and an uneven scholar, said retired Col. Mike Bell, the schools chancellor.

Gorka does not speak Arabic and has never lived in a Muslim-majority country. His knowledge of Islam comes largely from reading English translations of Islamic texts and interacting with foreign officers who account for about two-thirds of the CISA student body and come largely from Muslim nations.

Sometimes, the Muslim students would object to his views of their religion. I tell them very simply that I am not here to debate Islam, Gorka said. Nobody has the right  even a Muslim  to talk for all Muslims. His goal, he said, was to understand how the enemy interpreted the faith.

In other instances, his fellow professors would challenge his contention that the Korans violent passages are the primary driver of terrorism.

Theres crazy stuff in the Bible, too, said David Ucko, who taught alongside Gorka for three years at CISA.

[How a series of fringe anti-Muslim conspiracy theories went mainstream  via Donald Trump]

Gorka countered that the argument misrepresents Christianity, and he cited the Crusades, which are often invoked as a war against Islam. The fact is that none of what happened in the Crusades can be justified by the message of Jesus Christ on the cross taking all of our sins upon himself, he said in an interview. Its just not possible. . . . If a crusader killed a woman and child or a heathen, that cannot be theologically justified and therefore its wrong and its a sin.

Islams martial passages and intermingling of faith and politics makes it different, Gorka said. If you are pro-fundamentalist in interpretation, he said, you have a lot of argumentation on your side.

Ucko said he quickly dropped the argument for the sake of harmony.

Gorkas former supervisors pushed him to incorporate other perspectives on Islam and publish in peer-reviewed journals where his ideas would be challenged and perhaps tempered, Bell said.

But Gorka insisted that he wasnt interested in that kind of scholarship.

What I care about is if somebody in the field is reading my article, he said. I see myself as somebody who supports the bravest of the brave  the warfighter. Publish or be damned? Ill be damned, thank you very much.

Off campus, Gorka began meeting with conservative members of Congress and lectured regularly at the Armys Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg, N.C.

In 2014, Gorka left to take a teaching job at Marine Corps University that would give him more freedom and new influential connections. The school is part of the Defense Department, but Gorka was not hired as a government employee. His academic chair was funded by Thomas Saunders III, a major Republican Party donor and chairman of the conservative Heritage Foundation.

Saunders and Gorka were related by marriage, but Marine officials who oversaw the selection process said they were not aware of the tie. Saunders said he did not advocate for him.

Gorka began appearing regularly on Fox News and caught the eye of Bannon, who was then editor of Breitbart. Bannon offered him a job at the news outlet. A conservative publishing house signed him to a book contract.

[How Bannons Navy service during the Iran hostage crisis shaped his views]

At Marine Corps University, enthusiastic officers eagerly packed Gorkas lectures, even as many faculty members took a dim view of his work.

He made a difficult and complex situation simple and confirmed the officers prejudices and assumptions, said retired Lt. Col. Mike Lewis, who served as an assistant professor and Special Operations chair at the school.

Said James Joyner, an associate professor: The guy he was on Fox News is the guy he was here  bombastic and a showman.

A few complained that Gorkas TV appearances, which touted his ties to the school and bashed Obama, made it appear as though the government-funded school for Marine officers actively opposed the commander in chief. The schools vice president for academic affairs said he raised the matter with Gorka. But the controversy never spread much beyond the universitys Quantico campus.

Shortly after the Islamic State burned alive a Jordanian pilot in 2015, Saunders invited Gorka to New York to do lectures on terrorism and Islam.

Saunders had made his fortune as a managing director at Morgan Stanley and founder of a successful private equity fund. He had done business all over the world. Like many Americans, he said his thoughts often turned to the Middle East and the threat of terrorism.

What the hell is going on? he said he often found himself thinking. What possible explanations could exist for the savage behavior he was seeing on television and online?

In Gorka, he had finally found someone with answers. One of Gorkas lectures took place at the Colony Club, an exclusive all-womens club on Park Avenue.

Why do they behead us? he recalled Gorka asking the standing-room-only crowd. And why did they choose to burn alive this Jordanian pilot who had flown missions over Syria?

Gorka explained that the answer could be found in the Islamic laws of war, which, he said, ordered Muslims to behead infidels and prescribed an even worse punishment for apostates, who should suffer as if they are already in hell.

When Gorka was finished, the place could not stop talking about terrorism, Saunders said. It was spellbinding. . . . This is a true scholar telling you what happened and why. He is very detailed and very specific.



Sebastian Gorka lectures in Pfullendorf, Germany. Gorka has said, Al-Qaeda, ISIS, all of these groups are totalitarians  either you surrender to them or they will kill you. (2015 photo by Eric Steen/U.S. Army)

The crucible of public policy

For much of the past 16 years, Bush and Obama had played down Islams role in fueling terrorism. Like many in Washington, they worried about provoking a backlash against Muslims or feeding the jihadists clash-of-

civilizations narrative.

Islam is not part of the problem, Obama said in his seminal 2009 speech at Cairo University. It is an important part of promoting peace.

[Islamic militant groups hail Trumps travel ban as a victory]

Such characterizations not only failed to describe the war being waged within Islam but they didnt match what people such as Saunders were seeing in blood-drenched news reports from the region and hearing on the campaign trail, especially from Republican candidates.

In speech after speech, Trump described the threat posed by radical Islamic terrorists in grisly terms: Children slaughtered, girls sold into slavery, men and women burned alive, crucifixions, beheadings and drownings. Ethnic minorities targeted for mass execution. Holy sites desecrated, he said in a fiery 2016 address in Youngstown, Ohio. . . . We cannot let this evil continue.

The solution, Trump said, was to mount a Cold War-style campaign that would take on the ideology of radical Islam. He spoke of banning immigrants from terrorist hotbeds and imposing religious tests to weed out those who believe that sharia law should supplant American law.

Many of the ideas in Trumps terrorism speeches had their origins in Gorkas work. Other elements traced back to Frank Gaffney Jr., a senior Reagan-era Pentagon official who founded the Center for Security Policy, a Washington-based think tank.

Gaffney has long been politically radioactive in Washington. He drew widespread condemnation for suggesting that Grover Norquist, a Republican anti-tax stalwart, had ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. In a much-derided piece in Breitbart, he suggested that the logo for the Pentagons Missile Defense Agency bore a disconcerting resemblance to an amalgamation of the Obama campaigns logo and the symbols of Islam.

The Washington Times pulled his column and he was barred from speaking at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference. It has been my lot in life to be criticized and even punished . . . for telling the truth, Gaffney said in a recent interview.

But outside Washington, Gaffney has amassed a considerable following that knows him through his speeches and Secure Freedom radio program. Both Gorka and his wife, Katharine, a counterterrorism analyst and a Trump political appointee in the Department of Homeland Security, have been regular guests on the show.

Dire warnings from the likes of Gaffney, Gorka and many others seem to have had an effect on Americans view of Muslims. In the first years after the 9/11 attacks, about 25 percent of Republicans said they had an unfavorable view of Muslims, according to soon-to-be-published research by Charles Kurzman, a professor of sociology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Since 2012, the percentage of Republicans with negative views has been consistently more than 50 percent.

Part of the reason for the increase is this campaign on the part of people like Gorka and Gaffney to inflate the terror threat, Kurzman said. Its troubling.

Gaffney is still too controversial to land a job in the administration, but for the first time in nearly three decades, he has allies in the White House and real hopes, he said, that his ideas will finally be tested in the crucible of public policy.

Chief among those allies is Gorka.

Few in Washington noticed when Gorka began advising Trump and his ideas began showing up in the candidates speeches. Despite a best-selling book and numerous Fox News appearances, he existed outside the orbit of established national security experts.

A new sheriff in town

Just three days after Trumps election, Gorka addressed a cheering room of people who had helped pave his way to the halls of power. The audience consisted mostly of retirees who had gathered at the Breakers hotel in Palm Beach, Fla.

They were Gorkas admirers: regular people, deeply afraid of terrorism and eager to listen to a man whose frightening insights would soon be receiving a hearing at the highest levels of the U.S. government.

Im accused by many people of being the most serious man on television, Gorka said in his plummy British accent. Today, it might be a little different. I am in a different mood. Today, I am going to start with something a tad naughty.

He moved through the crowd of people who had paid up to $1,500 to hear him speak. We are happy, right? We are happy, he said.

There were nods and quiet applause as Gorka fished around in the pocket of his yellow blazer, searching for his remote.

I am going to show a picture I am not meant to show usually, he said.

He paused to draw out the suspense before pressing the remotes button.

Up popped a photograph of a dead, bloodied brown-skinned man, lying on the ground next to an AK-47 assault rifle. The audience began to cheer  first hesitantly and then with gusto. Gorkas booming voice filled the room.

We can win now, he thundered. We can win!

Gorkas former colleagues view his ascent with a mixture of surprise and alarm.

Its quite staggering, said Ucko, Gorkas former teaching colleague. If you are a fan, you are enthralled. If not, its crazy to think we live in a time when hes wandering the halls of the West Wing and advising the president. It is surreal.

At the Pentagon and the State Department, senior officials scrambled to figure out who he was and what his populist foreign policy views might mean for Americas approach to the Muslim world and counterterrorism.

A few changes seem possible. Trump could boost support to strongmen such as Egypts Abdel Fatah al-Sissi, whom the president has hailed as a stalwart ally in the war against radical Islam. Gorka has described Sissi, criticized by human rights groups for his assault on political opponents, in particular the Muslim Brotherhood, as enlightened and a reformer.

Trump could designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization  a move that Gorka and his wife have long advocated. Such a designation would put the United States in direct conflict with the Middle Easts largest Islamist movement and its millions of followers.

[How an obscure U.S. policy effort could hurt American Muslims]

Gorkas high-profile role in the administrations earliest days suggests that Trumps populist foreign policy instincts, at least for the moment, are ascendant.

In the first hours after the troubled rollout of the presidents executive order on immigration and refugees, the White House dispatched Gorka to defend the move on Fox News. Within days, he was everywhere  and loving it.

Theres a new sheriff in town and his name is Donald Trump, he told CNN anchor Jake Tapper.

On the BBC, he blasted the media for its absolutely fallacious coverage.

On NPR, he insisted that even Iraqis were thankful for Trumps order, which banned them from entering the United States.

Then he disparaged the thousands of protesters demonstrating at airports as the chattering classes . . . people totally disconnected from the reality of November 8.

I find it quite amusing, sadly so, he said.

The NPR host thanked him for his time.

Its been a delight, Gorka replied, his voice brightening.

Julie Tate contributed to this report.

Read more:

Upheaval is now standard operating procedure inside the White House

Officials worry that U.S. counterterrorism defenses will be weakened by Trump actions
More than any other officer of his generation, Lt. Gen. H.R. McMasters military career has been defined by a willingness to dissent  often forcefully.

In Dereliction of Duty, the book he wrote in the 1990s, McMaster blasted the nations top generals for their unwillingness to tell a domineering president that his war strategy in Vietnam could not work.

More than a decade later, as the commander of a 5,000-soldier regiment in Iraq, McMaster essentially ignored the U.S. militarys prevailing plan for stabilizing the country, which he concluded was failing badly.

On Monday, President Trump chose McMaster as his national security adviser, replacing the ousted Michael Flynn. McMasters surprising rise has his supporters and critics asking the same question: How will a soldier known for his sharp mind and even sharper opinions get along with a president who does not like being told that he is wrong?

I have tremendous respect for H.R. as a military professional, said Stephen Biddle, a political scientist who has worked closely with the U.S. military in Iraq and Afghanistan. Whether he can be as effective and candid as we all hope is the big question.

President Donald Trump, right, shakes hands with Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, left, at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., on Monday. (Susan Walsh/AP)

[The tank battle that came to define the early career of Trumps new national security adviser]

In his many successes and his most notable failure  leading an anti-corruption task force in Afghanistan  McMaster has displayed the same traits: a fierce intellect, dogged determination and a penchant for conflict that has produced loyal supporters and, in some cases, determined foes.

McMaster comes to the job leading the White Houses National Security Council with some significant disadvantages relative to his predecessors. The most effective national security advisers have close personal relationships with the president. Its not clear whether McMaster had even met Trump before interviewing for the job.

McMaster, a three-star general, will be coordinating and helping to oversee a Cabinet that includes retired Marine Gens. Jim Mattis and John F. Kelly, both of whom outranked him when they were in uniform and could view him as a subordinate or someone they can bypass.

Finally, McMasters decision to stay on active duty as he serves in the Trump White House could make it harder for him to disagree forcefully with the president or other senior administration officials. It is a lot easier to say Screw this job or I am not doing that as a civilian, said a friend of McMasters, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to speak frankly. It is the ethos of the military to do what you are told, whether or not you like the mission or the chain of command.

The ethos of uncritically following orders is one that has never come easily to McMaster. He wrote about the Vietnam War at a moment when most of the Army was more interested in forgetting about it. The emotions connected with sacrifices made in a lost war ran too deep to permit veterans of that conflict to dwell on their experiences, he wrote in the books introduction.

When the book was published in 1997, the Armys top brass still blamed the loss on what they saw as a micromanaging president and a disloyal, left-leaning press that undermined support for the war at home. McMaster instead shifted the blame to some of the Armys most storied generals, whom he faulted for their passivity and willingness to support a policy of gradual escalation that they knew was doomed to failure.

In 2005, McMasters armored cavalry regiment deployed to Iraq at a moment when U.S. fatalities were climbing and Iraq was slipping into an all-out civil war. In Baghdad, senior commanders were telling their field commanders to consolidate U.S. forces on large, secure bases, where they would be less vulnerable to enemy attack, and focus on training beleaguered Iraqi troops to take over the fight.

McMaster, then a colonel, was among a small group of officers who ignored that guidance. He moved his troops off a large, secure air base outside the northern city of Tal Afar and established 29 combat outposts throughout the city. Instead of training Iraqis, his troops focused on stopping the ethnic and sectarian killing in the city.

McMasters approach caught the attention of Philip Zelikow, a senior aide to then-Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Both Zelikow and Rice then fought for it back in Washington. I talked to other generals who had mixed things to say about H.R. as a commander . . . and personally, Zelikow said. My view was that this is a guy who is really trying to do something, and hes breaking some [bureaucratic] crockery in the process.

Journalists, academics and officials from Washington think tanks flocked to Tal Afar, often at McMasters invitation, to study his approach. A 2006 New Yorker article, which received widespread attention in Washington, described McMaster and his men as rebels against an incoherent strategy.

Despite public praise from President George W. Bush, McMaster was twice passed over for promotion to one-star general upon returning from Iraq. To Zelikow, the Armys failure to elevate one of its smartest officers was a sign of anti-intellectualism in the ranks and very serious institutional rot.

Iraq was not the Armys finest hour, he said.

Others in the Army said the decision reflected McMasters impatience with underperforming subordinates, his temper and his tendency to clash with superiors.

Sometimes, McMasters passion and intellect worked against him on the battlefield  especially in Afghanistan, where he was chosen in 2010 to lead an anti-corruption task force.

McMaster landed at an inauspicious moment in the counter-corruption effort. Hundreds of millions of U.S. taxpayer dollars were being siphoned from ministries by Afghan officials and flown out of the country to buy beachfront real estate in Dubai.

McMasters unit was an eclectic mix of soldiers and civilians from various NATO countries and included former fighter pilots, Rhodes scholars, counterintelligence officers, Treasury Department officials and FBI agents.

His brash style alienated many of his American civilian colleagues at the U.S. Embassy and angered his partners in the Afghan government. But even those who hated his management style tended to recognize his brilliance.

Hes not a bull in a china shop, Paul Rexton Kan, a professor who spent a month in Kabul on McMasters team to help write the anti-corruption strategy, said in an interview for a book on Afghanistan. Hes a bull who picks up the china shop and just smashes it.

With an uncooperative Afghan government, and an Obama administration unwilling to cut off aid money, McMasters team had little to show for its work after months of effort. His own team called itself the Fix the Impossible Task Force and the Anti-Gravity Task Force. Several team members described the work environment as toxic.

In one episode, McMaster demanded that U.S. Justice Department advisers hand over the corruption files kept by the Afghan attorney general and then berated the officials and knocked over a chair when they refused.

That outburst caused a stir back in Washington. People in the meeting were asked to give affidavits about what happened, according to those familiar with the situation. Eric H. Holder Jr., then the U.S. attorney general, demanded an apology from McMaster.

Trump has demonstrated something of a split personality when selecting his senior staff and Cabinet. In Mattis, Kelly and McMaster, Trump has chosen brash leaders who speak plainly and frankly. He has also proved quick to fire aides who question his judgment, and he has blackballed senior Republican foreign policy officials who criticized him during his presidential campaign.

In Dereliction of Duty, McMaster wrote critically of generals who chose not to air their differences with President Lyndon B. Johnson. Their silence helped to impel the very strategic concept they opposed, McMaster wrote. Soon he will be sitting at the same Situation Room table, deciding what to say.

Read more:

Trump taps Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster as his new national security adviser

The Trump presidency exists in a bubble
U.S. Special Operations Forces members inspect a drone used by Islamic State militants to drop explosives on Iraqi forces, in Mosul on Jan. 25. (Muhammad Hamed/Reuters)

Late last month, a pair of Islamic State fighters in desert camouflage climbed to the top of a river bluff in northern Iraq to demonstrate an important new weapon: a small drone, about six feet wide with swept wings and a small bomb tucked in its fuselage.

The two men launched the slender machine and took videos from a second, smaller drone that shadowed its movements. The aircraft glided over the besieged city of Mosul, swooped close to an Iraqi army outpost and dropped its bomb, scattering Iraqi troops with a small blast that left one figure sprawled on the ground, apparently dead or wounded.

The incident was among dozens in recent weeks in a rapidly accelerating campaign of armed drone strikes by the Islamic State in northern Iraq. The terrorist group last month formally announced the establishment of a new Unmanned Aircraft of the Mujahideen unit, a fleet of modified drones equipped with bombs, and claimed that its drones had killed or wounded 39 Iraqi soldiers in a single week.

A new source of horror for the apostates! the groups official al-Naba newsletter declared.

While the casualty claim is almost certainly exaggerated, U.S. officials confirm that the terrorist group appears to have crossed a threshold with its use of unmanned aircraft. Two years after the Islamic State first used commercially purchased drones to conduct surveillance, the militants are showing a growing ambition to use the technology to kill enemies, U.S. officials and terrorism experts say.

(Joby Warrick,Jason Aldag/The Washington Post)

The threat to troops is serious enough to prompt U.S. and Iraqi commanders to issue warnings to soldiers near the front lines. But a far bigger worry, U.S. officials say, is the potential for future attacks against civilians. Islamist militants have long discussed the possibility of using drones as remote-controlled missiles that can deliver explosives or even unconventional weapons such as deadly nerve agents. In recent weeks, the notion of terrorist drones has moved a step closer to reality, terrorism experts say.

Theyre now showing that these devices can be effective on the battlefield, said Steven Stalinsky, executive director of the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), a Washington nonprofit group that analyzed dozens of incidents for a new report on Islamist militant groups use of drones. With the way these groups use social media, my worry is that theyre also putting the idea into peoples heads that this is something you can now do.

[Islamist militants gleeful over Trumps travel ban]

To be sure, the lightweight, relatively inexpensive drones in the militants fleet are nowhere close to matching the sophistication and lethal power of the Predators and Reapers used by the U.S. military. The drones displayed by the Islamic State are too small to carry heavy bombs and rockets, and they lack the guidance systems used by U.S. pilots to steer missiles toward their targets. Still, even a small bomb, such as the three-pound mortar shells typically used against Iraqi government troops, can have an effective blast radius of 30 to 45 feet, enough to kill or injure dozens of people if dropped in a crowded area.

Pentagon officials say the drones have scant military significance and will not affect the Iraqi governments timetable for recapturing Mosul, the northern city that fell to the Islamic State in 2014.

Although dangerous, and effective as a propaganda tactic, it has limited operational effect on the battlefield and will not change the outcome, Air Force Col. John L. Dorrian, spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition opposing the Islamic State, said at a news briefing last week.

But a second Pentagon official acknowledged that coalition troops had been forced to take countermeasures against drones  steps that include early-detection systems and electronic jamming  while also stepping up the search for factories and staging areas where the aircraft are being readied for use on the battlefield.

An Iraqi officer inspects a drone belonging to Islamic State militants in Mosul on Jan. 28. (Khalid Mohammed/AP)

The coalition takes this threat seriously, said the official, who insisted on anonymity in discussing the militarys response to the new threat.

Small start, big ambitions

As recently as a decade ago, drones were the province of a few advanced industrialized countries, with the United States as the pioneer and lead practitioner in the use of unmanned aerial vehicles to target and kill suspected terrorists overseas. Today, dozens of countries, including Israel, China and Iran, manufacture and operate military-grade UAVs.

At the same time, a rapidly growing commercial drone industry has made the technology available to private consumers almost anywhere in the world. Online shoppers can pick from hundreds of models, from sparrow-size nano drones that can be controlled from a smartphone to larger aircraft that cost thousands of dollars and can carry small payloads.

The sudden availability of cheap, remote-controlled flying machines did not escape the notice of terrorists groups. The Islamic State is only the latest in a long line of militant organizations that have acquired drones and attempted to modify them for their own purposes. The Iranian-backed group Hezbollah has repeatedly used drones to probe Israels air defenses, and the group released video last summer that appeared to show a drone dropping Chinese-made bomblets on Syrian rebels.

Al-Qaeda operatives in Pakistan commissioned an avionics engineer to build small attack drones and conducted at least one successful test flight before the program was discovered by police in 2013.

There have also been plots involving drones by lone-wolf actors in the United States. In 2011, a physics graduate and model hobbyist from Massachusetts was accused of planning to launch small drones with bombs against the Pentagon and the Capitol, according to an FBI affidavit.

The Islamic States efforts have been comparatively crude. In August 2014, the terrorist group began using drones to gather battlefield intelligence and to document the effects of suicide bombings, often broadcasting the videos online to bolster morale, according to the report by MEMRI. Occasionally the group would strap an explosive onto a small drone and try to land it near a military outpost, as happened in October when a booby-trapped toy aircraft exploded as Kurdish fighters were examining it near the northern Iraqi city of Irbil.

[Islamic State seeks to turn children into weapons]

Terrorist leaders last year put out appeals for scientists and engineers to travel to Iraq and Syria to work on weapons programs, including drones. In March, a group of pro-Islamic State technicians used the social-media platform Telegram to discuss how common engine parts might be adapted for use in missiles or in military-style attack drones, according to a transcript of the discussion provided by MEMRI.

What does success look like? asked one of the participants, using a nickname but describing himself as an American with a microelectronics background. Are we talking about an actual guided missile or a drone which can drop payload?

A lot more surprises

At least a few technical experts appear to have responded to the call. When government troops recaptured the Iraqi provincial capital of Ramadi last year, they discovered a small workshop where workers were attempting to manufacture drone parts from scratch. Photographs from inside the facility show homemade wings and fuselage parts as well as electronics, camera controllers and gyro sensors used to control flight, according to an analysis by Conflict Armament Research, a London-based nonprofit group that investigates weapons trafficking.

Similar factories built to modify commercial UAVs have been found in liberated parts of Mosul in the past few weeks, all pointing to an increasing use by ISIS of weaponized drones, said James Bevan, executive director of Conflict Armament Research, using an acronym for the Islamic State.

Bevans analysts found that the group initially favored small helicopter-like drones with four rotors and sufficient heft to carry a small bomb  usually a mortar shell or similar device with stabilizing fins and a point-detonating fuse built to explode on impact. But some of the more recent attacks have involved fixed-wing drones of uncertain origin, U.S. officials said.

When Iraqi troops captured drone facilities in Mosul earlier this year, they discovered scores of documents detailing an elaborate procurement system for purchasing the aircraft and parts, as well as extensive procedures for altering and testing the equipment. The records speak to the groups efforts to secure, modify and enhance the range and performance of its drones, said a report by the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point, N.Y., which published some of the documents.

[Files show some Islamic State recruits are refusing to fight]

When the siege of Mosul began in the fall, Islamic State fighters stepped up their use of small surveillance drones to gather intelligence and showcase their efforts to defend the city, producing mini-documentaries with aerial footage of successful suicide attacks on Iraqi troops.

The shift to weaponized drone attacks began late last year and was ramping up dramatically at the time of the groups formal announcement of the program on Jan. 24.

The army of the Islamic State has revealed its use of the unmanned aircraft weapon for the first time, the groups al-Naba newsletter said. It described an aerial bombardment of Iraqi forces around Mosul and said that most of the hits were precise, and inflicted losses in the ranks of the apostates.

Since then, the groups social-media pages have carried dozens of videos showing strikes using small bombs and rockets. Not all the bombs find their targets, but the drone attacks have become a daily threat for residents in some parts of liberated eastern Mosul, Iraqi news accounts show.

Iraqi troops also have been forced to scan the skies for tiny aircraft and to take cover when they appear. Videos released by the Islamic State show multiple instances in which bombs were dropped close enough to Iraqi troop positions to cause injuries. Some of the footage appears to show wounded figures on the ground after the attacks, although there has been no official confirmation from Iraq of the terrorists claim of dozens killed and wounded.

Regardless of the actual numbers, the campaign appears to have raised the spirits of some of the groups supporters. The Jan. 24 announcement triggered euphoric discussions on social-media platforms used by Islamist militant groups, as well as predictions that armed drones would soon be deployed elsewhere. One Feb. 3 post on the Telegram messaging site called the early attacks a drop in the sea.

The coming days will reveal a lot more, Allah permitting, the post said, according to a translation provided by the SITE Intelligence Group, a private company that monitors militant websites. After the planes, there are still a lot more surprises.

Read more:

[How a U.S. team uses Facebook to peel away Islamic State recruits]

[Why a German soccer star had to choose between faith and a sports career]

[Syria has quietly executed thousands in Assads prisons, report says]
Malaysian Director General of Health Noor Hisham Abdullah, left, addresses journalists at a hospital in Kuala Lumpur on Feb. 21 as the head of the Forensic Department, Mohamad Shah Mahmood, listens. (Manan Vatsyayana/Agence France-Presse via Getty Images)

The death of North Korean leader Kim Jong Uns half brother remains a mystery, with Malaysian officials saying Tuesday that initial autopsy results show no evidence of a heart attack or puncture wounds.

In addition, no member of Kim Jong Nams family has come forward to verify his identity through DNA testing or claim his body.

The developments add to the questions surrounding the death of Kim Jong Nam, who was ambushed at the Kuala Lumpur airport last week as he went to check in for a flight and apparently had poison applied to his face, authorities said. Initial reports suggested that he had been injected with a poison needle.

Noor Hisham Abdullah, Malaysias director general of health, said pathologists were still waiting for the results of lab tests to confirm the identity of the body and the cause of death.

[North Korea says Malaysia cant be trusted to investigate the killing of leaders half brother]

We have to confirm with the lab report before we can make any conclusive remark, he told reporters, declining to say when the lab results would be available.

Noor Hisham also said that a second autopsy had not been conducted on Kim Jong Nam, contrary to widespread reports in the Malaysian media.

Malaysias police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said early Wednesday that two female suspects in the killing were trained to wipe toxin on Kim Jong Nams face, then wash their hands.

The police chief said a North Korean Embassy official is among eight North Korean suspects in the case. He said four of them are believed to have returned to North Korea. One suspect is in custody and three are believed to be at large in Malaysia, including the second secretary of the North Korean Embassy.

Authorities were also still waiting for a family member to come forward to provide DNA identification and claim the body. At the moment, we do not have anyone claiming to be the next of kin; we are still waiting for them, Noor Hisham said.

Kim Han Sol, the 20-something son of Kim Jong Nam, was thought to have arrived in Kuala Lumpur on Monday night.

Local news media reported that he was on a flight from Macau, where the family is based, to the Malaysian capital, and reporters staked out the airport for hours. But there was no sign of him. It is possible that he was whisked out via a private exit to avoid the media scrum.

[Malaysia arrests North Korean man in connection with death of Kim Jong Uns half brother]

North Korea and Malaysia have become embroiled in an increasingly acrimonious diplomatic row over the case.

North Korea strongly objected to Malaysias decision to conduct a postmortem on Kim Jong Nam. It then accused Malaysian authorities of mangling the body.

Kang Chol, North Koreas ambassador to Kuala Lumpur, said Monday that Malaysia was colluding with South Korea to try to make North Korea look bad and committing human rights abuses in the way the autopsy was conducted.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak responded that his governments probe would be objective and that Malaysian police and doctors were very professional.

[Malaysian airport assassination focuses new attention on N. Korean leader]

North Korea has not confirmed the identity of the deceased as a member of the ruling family. The ambassador called him Kim Chol, the name listed in one of the four passports that Kim Jong Nam was carrying when the attack occurred.

But Malaysian authorities have said that they are sure the victim is the North Korean leaders older half brother.

Read more

North Korean officials are preparing to come to U.S. for talks with former officials

What life looks like inside North Korea

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news
US President Donald Trump named Lt. Gen. H. R. McMaster as his new national security adviser Monday, one week after firing retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, the previous head of the National Security Council. The replacement of one general by another underscores the dominant role of the military in the Trump administration.

McMasters appointment does not require Senate confirmation, so he assumed his new duties as soon as he accepted the position. He will reportedly not retire from the Army but rather take a leave of absence for the duration of his stint at the White House.

Retired or active-duty military brass hold four top positions: Secretary of Defense James Mad Dog Mattis and Secretary of Homeland Security John F. Kelly are both retired Marine Corps major generals. McMaster will head the NSC, and retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, who had been acting head during the week since Flynns dismissal, will resume his position as NSC chief of staff, now as McMasters deputy.

While McMasters appointment does not increase the number of generals in the top ranks of the administrationsince he replaces General Flynnhis elevation to head the NSC could well signal a shift in the foreign policy orientation of the Trump administration, and represent a concession to the anti-Russian campaign being waged by the intelligence agencies, the Democratic Party and sections of the Republican Party.

The appointment was backed by many of those who have been denouncing Trump for his alleged softness on Russia. The ultra-right magazine National Review hailed the appointment, comparing it to the nomination of Neil Gorsuch for the Supreme Court, and writing that Trumps key generalsJames Mattis, John Kelly, and now H.R. McMasterrepresent the best of modern military leadership. Their presence in the government is deeply reassuring. Its now incumbent on President Trump to heed their counsel and give them the level of authority that they have earned.

Senator John McCain, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, fresh from a speech to the Munich Security Conference in which he portrayed the new administration as a potential threat to world stability, praised the nomination as well. I give President Trump great credit for this decision, as well as his national security cabinet choices, McCain said in a statement. I could not imagine a better, more capable national security team than the one we have right now.

Michael Hayden, the former director of the CIA and NSA who supported Hillary Clinton for president, described McMaster as a big-picture thinker. And he stands up for what he believes. What a perfect choice for this administration. Representative Adam Smith, the senior Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, called McMaster obviously very well qualified, adding, to say that hes an improvement over Mike Flynn is an understatement.

Herbert Raymond McMaster, 54, is leaving a position as commander of the Army Capabilities Integration Center (ARCINC), where he was responsible for strategic planning for the army of the future. He was a tank commander in the first Persian Gulf War, in 1991, and commanded a combat brigade during the occupation of Iraq, where he came to the attention of General David Petraeus as the first commander to successfully recruit local Sunni tribal leaders to assist military operations against insurgent groups.

McMasters tactics in the northern Iraqi city of Tal Afar were the model for the surge of US forces in 2006-2007, and McMaster became closely associated with Petraeus in his subsequent rise through the upper echelons of the Army.

The appointment has special significance in terms of policy towards Russia because McMaster has been engaged in a major military project to study the conflict in Ukraine and the lessons to be drawn by US military planners preparing for war in Eastern Europe against the Russian army and air force. He said in 2016 that the Ukraine conflict has revealed that the Russians have superior artillery firepower, better combat vehicles, and have learned sophisticated use of UAVs [drones] for tactical effect.

According to a report last year in Politico, McMaster is quietly overseeing a high-level government panel intended to figure out how the Army should adapt to this Russian wake-up call. He told a Senate committee, Russia possesses a variety of rocket, missile and cannon artillery systems that outrange and are more lethal than US Army artillery systems and munitions. He called for developing advanced weapons to replace the two main Army armored vehicles, the Abrams tank and the Bradley Fighting Vehicle.

This background suggests that McMaster will be aligned with Secretary of Defense Mattis in viewing Russia as the main strategic adversary of US imperialism in both the Middle East and Europe. That accounts for the widespread praise for his selection by those who have been spearheading the anti-Russian campaign on behalf of the US military-intelligence apparatus.

McMaster first came to public attention in 1997 as the author of a volume analyzing the Pentagon command performance during the early stages of the war in Vietnam, from 1963 through 1965. The books title, Dereliction of Duty: Johnson, McNamara, the Joint Chief s of Staff, and the Lies That Led to Vietnam, suggests a more critical attitude to the Vietnam War than the author actually espouses. He indicts the lies that the civilian and military leaders of the day told each other, not the lies they both told to the American people.

A wide range of political commentators praised the book, ranging from Rush Limbaugh on the ultra-right to historian Stanley Karnow to journalist Peter Arnett, a critic of the war. It provides a detailed analysis of the day-to-day relations between the Pentagon brass and the Johnson White House, based on documents then newly declassified.

More significant from the standpoint of his current position is the attitude McMaster adopted towards social and political constraints on the military. His book strongly attacked the Joint Chiefs of Staff of that period, 1963-1965, for failing to demand the all-out mobilization of up to 700,000 troops they believed necessary to win the war. They did not press these demands because Johnson was committed to a strategy of limited war in order to provide resources for domestic social reforms such as Medicare, Medicaid and the war on poverty.

Such an approach suggests that General McMaster, like Trump himself, would favor the plundering of social programs in order to pay for the rapid and extensive military buildup that both have advocated, preparing for an explosion of American militarism on a scale that would dwarf both Vietnam and the current wars in the Middle East and Central Asia.
Chandrasekaran, currently Chief Executive and Managing Director of TCS, will take charge as the Non-Executive Chairman of the board of directors of TCS with effect from today.

By Press Trust of India: Natarajan Chandrasekaran,Tata Sons Chairman-designate, will also hold the chairmanship of the group's crown jewel Tata Consultancy Services from today.

The country's largest software services provider has also named V Ramakrishnan as its Chief Financial Officer to succeed Rajesh Gopinathan, who will take over as the CEO and MD of the Tata Group company.

"TCS has received a letter from Tata Sons, in exercise of the powers under Article 90 of the Articles of Association of the Company, nominating N Chandrasekaran as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the company in place of Ishaat Hussain, with effect from February 21, 2017," it said in a BSE filing.

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The nomination was duly noted by the directors at its meeting held on February 20, 2017, it added.

Chandrasekaran, currently Chief Executive and Managing Director of TCS, will take charge as the Non-Executive Chairman of the board of directors of TCS with effect from today.

Also read: Ousted Tata Sons chairman Cyrus Mistry now removed as company director

NEW CFO

In a separate filing, TCS said its board of directors appointed V Ramakrishnan as the Chief Financial Officer with effect from February 21.

Ramakrishnan, or Ramki as he is popularly known, joined TCS Finance in 1999, and served as the Finance Head of TCS North America for seven years.

"Ramki closely partnered with business in the rapid growth of TCS operations in the region. Most recently, he has been responsible for the financial controllership of TCS subsidiaries and branches globally and various merger and acquisitions integration initiatives," TCS said.

LARGEST BUYBACK

Earlier in the day, TCS also announced a Rs 16,000 crore buyback, the largest till date in the Indian corporate history.

"Ramki has been a key member of the TCS Finance team for more than 17 years and has worked closely with me over the last nine years. I am confident that under Ramkis leadership, TCS Finance will continue to extend its leadership position," Gopinathan, who has been appointed to the Board, said.

TCS also announced that Chief Operating Officer N Ganapathy Subramaniam will be on the board of the company as Executive Director.

The bitter boardroom battle between the Tatas and Cyrus Mistry had led to Tata Sons removing him as the Chairman of TCS.

Tata Sons then appointed Ishaat Hussain as TCS Chairman on November 11.

TCS had said Hussain would hold office as the Chairman until a new Chairman is appointed in his place.

--- ENDS ---
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Genocide, terrorism, a massacre, and police violence: Those are the not-so-cheery but exceptionally topical catalysts of four new plays opening within weeks of each other and continuing simultaneously around Chicago.

Three of the works qualify as ripped-from-the-headlines, even if their inspirations cant be pinpointed to a specific news story. Faceless at Northlight Theater depicts the trial of a teenage girl recruited over the internet to join ISIS; at the Gift Theater, Mona Mansours Unseen unravels the mystery of a conflict photographer who cant remember how she ended up unconscious at the scene of a massacre in Istanbul; and Teatro Vistas production of the newest play by Ike Holter (Hit the Wall, Exit Strategy), Wolf at the End of the Block, investigates the potential police beating of a Latino man.

But unexpectedly, its a mostly historical drama, The Book of Joseph at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, that resonates in the current moment with overpowering force.

At first, the new play by Karen Hartmans (Roz and Ray) seems a relatively straightforward epistolary reconstruction of one Jewish familys history during the Holocaust. Author Richard Hollander (played by Francis Guinan) promotes his book (a real one, called Every Day Lasts a Year), in which he collected the letters between his father Joseph and Josephs family in occupied Poland during the Holocaust.

As he relates the story, the characters come to life before us, starting with a scene of enormous, understated power: In the 1930s, Joseph (Sean Fortunato) has attained visas for his entire extended family to go to Portugal, and he tries to convince them that that they need to depart Poland immediately  Hitlers army is approaching. The response: why dont we wait and see what happens? It still seems unlikely it could get that bad. The dramatic irony overflows  the audience wants to scream in support of Joes plea. But nearly all his family decides to stay, and it gets worse than they ever could have imagined.

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Even Joseph and his wifes journey doesnt go smoothly. Not allowed to enter Portugal, they wind up unwelcome refugees at Ellis Island, where theyre told they cant stay. They appeal. Theyre rejected. They appeal again, living with a sense of dread but knowing they are better off than those in Poland, who send letters in carefully couched language  to evade the Nazi censors  about the deteriorating conditions there.

Playing out amidst the immediate chaos of President Trumps ban on refugees, the relevance of this story, portrayed without sentimentality by a superb cast under the direction of Barbara Gaines, couldnt be more potent.

Hartman turns the tables in the second act. Richards son Craig (Adam Wesley Brown), also a historian, accuses his father of filling in blanks with interpretation he cant be certain of, such as that very first scene we saw. We learn, too, that Richard had actually found the letters in a suitcase after his fathers death, but did nothing with them for decades. During that time, the people who could have filled in those blanks died. What had begun as a story about confronting the past morphs to take in the story of ignoring it.

Issues of interpretation and perspective play key roles in the Chicago plays that are more contemporary in their setting, too.

In Faceless, teenager Susie Glenn (Lindsay Stock) stands trial for terrorism-related charges, after meeting a man online who helped her convert to Islam and recruited her to join ISIS. But the charges themselves are not playwright Selina Fillingers primary interest. She focuses instead on the battle of narratives: Neither prosecution nor defense pursue truth, but an interpretation of the events that will be most convincing to a jury. Susies defense attorney wants to take advantage of how innocent Susie seems  she is young, white, blonde, and ill-informed about the world  ignoring the fact that she is also unrepentant. The prosecutor recruits a young Muslim lawyer who wears a hijab, Claire Fathi (Susaan Jamshidi), to lead the presentation of the case. Knowing full well she is being chosen for symbolic purposes, Claire ultimately agrees she can best serve to convict a terrorist while keeping the highly publicized trial from further demonizing her religion.

Fillinger is a recent college grad who found her senior project unexpectedly picked up for full production at Northlight. Faceless has rough edges aplenty, and the production could be more creative and better refined. But the play works on several levels, and Fillingers sophisticated character development and sharp dialogue mark her as a significant young talent. Both Susie and Claire become more and more dimensional as the play goes on, as the story evolves into one dealing with deep personal questions of faith.

The other two plays have powerful moments even if they dont fully satisfy. In Unseen, conflict photographer Mia (Brittany Burch) awakens at her girlfriends Istanbul apartment, not remembering how she got there. Against the pleas of her girlfriend and mother to rest, she rushes out to piece together the events. The play never quite works either as a mystery or as a personal or political drama, but it interestingly portrays how documenting horrendous events requires the reporter to see without fully seeing. Let down that emotional guard, and self-protection gives way to unmanageable despair.

With fake news on everyones lips these days, the role of questionable journalism makes Wolf at the End of the Block feel especially current. After being beaten by a policeman, Abe (Gabriel Ruiz) gains the aid of reporter Frida (Sandra Marquez) to tell his story, and she doesnt seem to mind too much that apparently, Abe is purposefully leaving out key facts. As with Chicagos three other topical plays at the moment, truth remains elusive.

The central narrative in Wolf, however, isnt as compelling as what occurs on the periphery. In a terrific sequence, Abes friend is approached by an outwardly amiable man at a bar, but during the conversation begins to suspect he may be speaking with the man who beat up Abe. Holter very effectively captures the sense of confusing unease that emerges when you arent sure whether someone is friend or foe  when you need to balance two competing potential realities, one of which is deeply threatening.

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Jamie Foxx (Photo: Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

By THR Staff

Croatian police have filed disorderly conduct charges against two people who allegedly used a racial slur to insult Jamie Foxx in a restaurant.

Police said they acted after receiving reports Sunday of particularly arrogant and rude insults made against restaurant guests, including one of the guests on racial grounds. The police statement did not name Foxx as the target, but the actor briefly posted comments about the incident on his Instagram profile before deleting them. He mentioned an offensive racial term among the examples of the vulgar language used.

Related: Tim Minchin to Play Friar Tuck in Lionsgates New Robin Hood Film

Police say they are investigating whether to pursue other charges against the men. Croatia, like other European countries, has seen a rise in far-right sentiments.

Foxx was in Dubrovnik, a city on the Adriatic Sea, filming Robin Hood: Origins, in which he plays Little John. The Lionsgate retelling of English folklore stars Taron Egerton as the titular thief. Otto Bathurst is directing the action film, also starring Tim Minchin, Eve Hewson, Jamie Dornan and Ben Mendelsohn.

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United Nations (United States) (AFP) - Almost 1.4 million children suffering from severe malnutrition could die this year from famine in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen, the UN children's agency said Monday.

In Yemen, where war has been raging for nearly two years, 462,000 children are suffering from acute malnutrition while 450,000 children are severely malnourished in northeast Nigeria.

Fews Net, the famine early warning system, said some remote areas of Nigeria's Borno state are already affected by famine since late last year and the disaster is likely to continue as aid agencies are unable to reach those in need.

Drought in Somalia has left 185,000 children on the brink of famine but that figure is expected to reach 270,000 in the next few months, said UNICEF.

In South Sudan, over 270,000 children are malnourished and a famine has just been declared in parts of Unity State in the north of the country, where 20,000 children live.

UNICEF director Anthony Lake appealed for quick action. "We can still save many lives," he said.

UN Security Council ambassadors are due to travel to northern Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger next month to draw international attention to the humanitarian crisis triggered by the conflict with Boko Haram militants.
The iconic Washington Monument is celebrating its 132nd birthday today. Learn how it took 40 years to complete the project, and the surprising connections it has to the Pope, Abraham Lincoln, and the Constitution.

The Monument before the Civil War

The Washington Monument has endured after its rather lengthy planning process, and it recently an earthquake. The monument is now dealing with a man-made problem, an elevator renovation, that will keep it closed until early 2019.

In May 2014, almost three years after a 5.8 magnitude struck on Washington on August, 22, 2011, the obelisk reopened. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell, National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis, philanthropist David Rubenstein, and National Mall & Memorial Parks Superintendent Bob Vogel were at the reopening ceremony.

Rubensteins generous contributions helped moved the restoration project forward. He is also funding the current elevator project

The Washington Monument officially was dedicated on February 21, 1885. In a speech written for that event by Robert Winthrop, who attended the groundbreaking ceremony in 1845, there was one memorable line: An earthquake may shake its foundations  but the character which it commemorates and illustrates is secure.

Thats not the only interesting fact or coincidence about the iconic monument. Here are 10 more fascinating facts about this American symbol.

1. James Madison had an early role in getting the monument project started. In 1833, the Washington National Monument Society, a private organization, came up with the idea for the tribute to the first President. Madison along with Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall started the society.

2. The first monument design featured a rotunda and a Roman-like George Washington. The initial winning bid came from architect Robert Mills, whose designed a flat topped obelisk with a statue of Washington in a chariot, along with statues of 30 Founding Fathers. The current obelisk design was proposed in 1876.

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3. The Masons, and the Pope, were involved with the monument. Yes, the Free Masons were involved in the cornerstone ceremony and they used Washingtons masonic symbols in the ceremony. At the 1848 ceremony were 20,000 people, and a container that held copies of the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence and other objects was buried in the cornerstone.

4. Abraham Lincoln was at the 1848 cornerstone ceremony. The eclectic guest list included three James Buchanan, Lincoln, Andrew Johnson, Dolley Madison and Alexander Hamiltons widow, Betsey Hamilton, and of course, the then-current President, James K. Polk.

5. So how does the Pope fit into all of this? The Society asked for people to donate ceremonial stones as part of the construction process. Pope Pius IX donated a memorial stone of marble, which infuriated the anti-Catholic Know Nothing Party. The Know Nothings got their revenge by rigging the leadership election for the Washington National Monument Society. Congress cut off monument funding for 5 years until the Know Nothings left the group.

6. Nothing happened to the monument for a 22-year period. After the Know Nothing takeover in the 1850s, the monument became stalled to the point that it was used as a slaughter yard and cattle pen during the Civil War. Congress took over the project in 1876.

7. It took the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to get the job done. The Engineers were called in to work with Lt. Col. Thomas Lincoln Casey to modify the original ornate plans. The monuments stripped-down, lean look was part of a cost-cutting effort. On December 6, 1884, an aluminum cap, used as a lighting-protection, device was placed on top. In February 1885, the dedication ceremony took place.

8. The Monument was the worlds tallest building when it was dedicated. The Washington Monument as dedicated stood at 555 feet 5 inches tall. The Cologne Cathedral had been the worlds tallest man-made structure. The Eiffel Tower soon surpassed the Monument.

9. The Monument is an engineering marvel. The Washington Post recently pointed out an interesting fact in an on-going debate about the Monument as the worlds tallest free-standing masonry structure. The Monuments marble blocks are held together by just gravity and friction, and no mortar was used in the process.

10. The Washington Monument: Movie star. Nothing says location shot in a film like the Washington Monument, especially when the icon is under attack from aliens and terrorists, or used as a backdrop in a thriller or mystery. But maybe the most memorable appearance, in a real-life moment, occurred in August 1963, when the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke on the mall in Washington, with the Lincoln Memorial stage facing the Monument.

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The U.S. News Short List, separate from our overall rankings, is a regular series that magnifies individual data points in hopes of providing students and parents a way to find which undergraduate or graduate programs excel or have room to grow in specific areas. Be sure to explore The Short List: College, The Short List: Grad School and The Short List: Online Programs to find data that matter to you in your college or grad school search.

College students: Don't expect to always see a professor standing at the front of your classroom.

At some research universities, a teaching assistant -- usually a graduate student -- might either serve as the main instructor for an undergraduate course or provide support to the professor. There were 121,120 graduate teaching assistants employed at colleges, universities and professional schools in 2015, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Though some students prefer to learn from an experienced professor rather than a TA with little experience, one 2016 study found undergraduates are more likely to major in a discipline if a graduate student teaches their first course in the subject.

[Explore the best schools that focus on undergraduate teaching.]

Among the 697 ranked colleges that submitted these data to U.S. News in an annual survey, Purdue University--West Lafayette in Indiana reported the highest percentage of graduate TAs who were listed as a primary instructor for undergraduate courses in fall 2015: 26 percent.

The 10 schools with the highest percentages were all public schools and National Universities, meaning they offer a full range of undergraduate programs as well as master's and doctoral degrees.

Among Regional Universities, which offer many undergraduate programs and some master's but few doctoral programs, Emporia State University in Kansas reported the highest percentage of TAs who taught classes in fall 2015, at 13 percent.

Overall, mainly National Universities and Regional Universities reported having TAs who teach classes -- only two National Liberal Arts Colleges, which emphasize undergraduate education in the liberal arts and sciences, reported that TAs teach any courses, both at 2 percent. That's because many have low student-faculty ratios, so TAs aren't as necessary.

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[Discover how colleges help liberal arts students find careers.]

Of all the schools that reported these data to U.S. News, 544 listed zero percent.

Below are the 10 National Universities with the highest percentage of graduate TAs listed as primary instructors for undergraduate courses in fall 2015. Unranked schools, which did not meet certain criteria required by U.S. News to be numerically ranked, were not considered for this report.

Don't see your school in the top 10? Access the U.S. News College Compass to find teaching assistant statistics, complete rankings and much more. School officials can access historical data and rankings, including of peer institutions, via U.S. News Academic Insights.

U.S. News surveyed more than 1,800 colleges and universities for our 2016 survey of undergraduate programs. Schools self-reported myriad data regarding their academic programs and the makeup of their student body, among other areas, making U.S. News' data the most accurate and detailed collection of college facts and figures of its kind. While U.S. News uses much of this survey data to rank schools for our annual Best Colleges rankings, the data can also be useful when examined on a smaller scale. U.S. News will now produce lists of data, separate from the overall rankings, meant to provide students and parents a means to find which schools excel, or have room to grow, in specific areas that are important to them. While the data come from the schools themselves, these lists are not related to, and have no influence over, U.S. News' rankings of Best Colleges, Best Graduate Schools or Best Online Programs. The teaching assistant data above are correct as of Feb. 21, 2017.

Jordan Friedman is an online education editor at U.S. News. You can follow him on Twitter or email him at jfriedman@usnews.com.


RIO DE JANEIRO (AP)  A Brazilian judge has sentenced two men to 15 years in prison in a gang-rape case that horrified the country.

A third man charged in the rape that took place last May in Rio de Janeiro is at large.

The sentence handed down by Judge Aylton Cardoso Vasconcellos' was posted Tuesday on the website of Rio de Janeiro's Justice Department.

The case made international headlines because videos showing men posing with the unconscious victim were shared on social media. It became a symbol of the Latin American nation's problem of violence against women.

The videos and other material that appeared on social media sites helped police identify suspects.
PARIS (AP)  Three men were arrested Tuesday in widely spread anti-terrorism raids, French officials said, and a bomb squad deployed at the home of one of the men uncovered a training grenade.

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing operation, said the arrests came in central Clermont-Ferrand, southern Marseille and the Paris region. The bomb squad was dispatched to Clermont-Ferrand, and one of the officials said a training grenade  one that was not equipped to explode  was discovered at the home of one of the men, who had been previously flagged as an extremist.

Tuesday's arrests come less than two weeks after anti-terrorism forces detained an adolescent girl and three men, and uncovered what they described as a makeshift explosives lab.
Actor Ashton Kutcher made headlines last week after giving emotional testimony before Congress on his efforts to fight human trafficking.

Victims of human trafficking -- modern slavery -- perform labor or commercial sex acts by force, fraud or coercion. Many victims are children.

While human trafficking occurs nationwide and to people of all socioeconomic levels, runaway and homeless youth are among the vulnerable, according to the National Human Trafficking Hotline.

Recent reports of teenage trafficking have occurred in California, Louisiana and Michigan, among other states.

[Learn how homeless high schoolers face barriers to education.]

"Numerous exploiters have talked about the fact that they do target schools," says Jenee Littrell, administrator of safe and supportive schools for the San Mateo County Office of Education in California. "It's a place where young children are, and young children are vulnerable."

Teens can go through many typical stages that could put them at risk, like starting to seek external validation as well as independence from the family, says Littrell, who was the lead author of " Human Trafficking in America's Schools," a 2015 guide from the Department of Education.

It's critical for schools to educate staff and students about human trafficking, Littrell says. There could be student victims or others being recruited. Schools are filled with caring adults who have relationships with students who can help young people in need of assistance, she says.

High school officials can use the following strategies to build awareness of human trafficking.

1. Make sure staff understand human trafficking: Teachers don't need to be human trafficking experts, but they should know what modern slavery is, how it happens in their community, what to look for and who to turn to if there is a student they are concerned about or a victim comes forward.

Some of the warning signs: Students with bruises, tattoos or branding and unexplained trends in absences. For example, if a student is often absent on Monday and Friday it may be because their exploiter is making them travel to different locations.

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2. Integrate human trafficking education into the curriculum: Modern slavery lessons naturally fit into a lesson about the history of slavery, says Littrell.

She recommends educators check out the following organizations that deal with human trafficking education: the Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives, 3Strands Global Foundation, Protect and Love146.

When looking for outside organizations or experts to bring in to discuss this issue, school officials should look for individuals and groups with a service provider background, who know how to use appropriate terminology, are mindful of students who have experienced trauma and strive to create a safe environment.

3. Be aware of school culture when discussing human trafficking: Educators don't want to unintentionally increase the risk for young people on campus when discussing human trafficking, says Littrell.

Always be mindful of physical and emotional safety when discussing this topic, she says. There could be networks on campus and often human trafficking is related to gang activity.

For example, say there is a student who is a victim of trafficking and people on campus know. A teacher might have a seemingly innocent conversation with the victim, but the exploiter might learn of this and the student could then face retaliation.

[Discover ways high school counselors can help families.]

Littrell got involved with human trafficking education a number of years ago while working for a school district in the San Diego area. School staff started to notice that local students were being recruited into human trafficking rings and being exploited.

Human trafficking education should be tailored to the community and not just involve a one-off lesson or assembly, she says -- it needs to be a whole-school approach.

"It's really getting a message out that this doesn't come to our school," and that school is a "pimp-free zone," she says. "We are a place for children to come and learn and be safe and protected."

Have something of interest to share? Send your news to us at highschoolnotes@usnews.com.

Alexandra Pannoni is an education digital producer at U.S. News. You can follow her on Twitter or email her at apannoni@usnews.com.
By Parmita Uniyal: Nach Baliye is back on small screen and TV buffs are excited about watching their favourite telly couples shake a leg. Mona Lisa-Vikrant Singh Rajpoot; Rohan Mehra-Kanchi Singh, Divyanka Tripathi-Vivek Dahiya, Dipika Kakar-Shoaib Ibrahim are some of the couples who will most likely be seen on the show. Also, we hear that Sonakshi Sinha will be adding Bollywood glamour to the show, as she has been roped in as one of the judges (earlier Kajol was in talks). Bipasha Basu and Karan Singh Grover are in talks to host the show. While the show seems to have roped in the perfect faces; does the line-up really guarantee its success?

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Colors' recent show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa that had the combination of Bollywood star power and television's most popular faces, failed to create ripples.

We don't know whether people are no more interested in watching celebs perform or is it just the lack of innovation.

Dance reality shows in the recent past have a mixed track record as far as ratings are concerned. While Shilpa Shetty's brand new show Super Dancer--which had kids in the age group of 4-13 years as participants--captured the fancy of the viewers, Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa Season 9 failed to woo the audiences despite popular faces. Similarly, the charm and aura of Madhuri Dixit in So You Think You Can Dance could not pull the viewers in its direction, while Remo D'Souza's Dance Plus 2 featuring non-celebrity contestants was one of the biggest reality shows this year. We guess, more than anything else it's talent that impresses the audiences more than the star power these days.

A look at how some of the recent dance reality shows fared.

SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE

Premiere date: April 24, 2016

Viewers verdict: Thumbs down

USP: Madhuri Dixit

Why we feel it didn't work: The show, hosted by Rithvik Dhanjani and Mouni Roy and judged by Madhuri Dixit, Terence Lewis and Bosco Martis was the Indian version of international franchise So You Think You Can Dance. The contestants performed in different dance styles, and we do feel it was a little niche for the Indian audiences, who love all things masala. Besides, it aired on &TV, which does not even figure in the list of Top 10 channels. While in its first week, it garnered the impressions of 2.1 million, the ratings further saw a downward trend after a month and came down to 1.6 million.

DANCE PLUS 2

Premiere date: July 2, 2016

Viewers verdict: Thumbs up

USP: Remo D'Souza

Why we feel it worked: If you take Remo D'Souza out of Dance Plus 2, half of the viewers' interest is gone because we know that the man knows his craft. Besides, Dharmesh Yelande, Shakti Mohan and Punit Pathak, the mentors combined with the extremely talented dancers who did not shy away from working on themselves and trying new things could be credited for the show's success. Tanay Malhara's journey in the show was full of ups and downs and truly fascinating. It is the power of common man that ultimately led to the success of the show. The show garnered 4.9 million impressions, as per the BARC India report published on September 8.

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JHALAK DIKHHLA JAA 9

Premiere date: July 30, 2016

Viewers verdict: Thumbs down

USP: New judge Jacqueline Fernandez

Why we feel it didn't work: Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 9 promised a brand-new format, a brand-new judge and a fresh set of celeb contestants. This year, the makers experimented with a lot of themes too. But we do feel, the quality of talent was average. We all know that these celebrities are actors first. The lack of passion just couldn't strike the chord with the audiences, we guess.

SUPER DANCER

Premiere date: September 10, 2016

Viewers verdict: Thumbs up

USP: Shilpa Shetty

Why we feel it worked: We all have to admit that we tuned into this show for Shilpa Shetty initially; the other judges were director Anurag Basu and choreographer Geeta Kapur. But soon, the super kids who participated in the show stole our hearts, completely. It was difficult to decide who was the best. It was the talent, the raw energy and the passion that made us come back to the show week after week. The show garnered 7 million impressions for the week Nov 12-18, according to BARC India.

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But the question remains--will Nach Baliye be able to top the rating charts? Only time will tell.

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On Monday, NASA announced it would hold a press conference on a discovery beyond our solar system. During the conference, to be held at 1 p.m. EST Wednesday, the space agency is expected to present new findings on exoplanets  planets that orbit a star (or stars) other than our sun.

Although details of what researchers at NASA are planning to reveal are still not known, and a study outlining the findings is under an embargo until 1 p.m., speculation is rife that the revelation may be the biggest exoplanet news since last years discovery of a potentially habitable planet around Proxima Centauri.

As we wait with bated breath for NASA to reveal whatever it has up its sleeves, heres a handy list of some of the most potentially habitable and/or Earth-like exoplanets we have discovered so far:

Proxima b

When a team of astronomers using the European Southern Observatory (ESO) announced the discovery of this planet back in August 2016, the excitement it triggered among exoplanet hunters was immediate and fierce. And with good reason.

Proxima b is not only located in the so-called Goldilocks zone  a region in a planets orbit where the temperature is just right for liquid water to exist  but it also orbits a star just over four light-years from Earth. In the cosmic scale of things, Proxima Centauri  the red dwarf star Proxima b orbits  is quite literally in Earths galactic backyard.

New-Earth-Like-Planet-Proxima-B-2016

Photo: Reuters

Although Proxima b orbits much closer to its star than Mercury does to the Sun in the Solar System, the star itself is far fainter than the Sun, the ESO said in a statement last August. As a result Proxima b lies well within the habitable zone around the star and has an estimated surface temperature that would allow the presence of liquid water.

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Although a recent study cast doubts over the habitability of the planet, arguing that stellar eruptions and storms associated with its parent star wouldve made it ill-suited for life  it is still the best bet for the discovery of life as we know it beyond our solar system.

Kepler-452b

NASA describes Kepler-452b as Earths Bigger, Older Cousin. This exoplanet was discovered by the Kepler Space Telescope  the space agency's planet-hunting workhorse that has so far made over 3,400 confirmed discoveries  in July 2015.

Kepler-452b is 60 percent larger in diameter than Earth (making it a super-Earth) and orbits a star that is 6 billion years old  about 1.5 billion years older than our sun  has the same temperature, and is 20 percent brighter.

452b_artistconcept_comparisonwithearth

Photo: NASA/JPL-Caltech/T. Pyle

Its awe-inspiring to consider that this planet has spent 6 billion years in the habitable zone of its star; longer than Earth. Thats substantial opportunity for life to arise, should all the necessary ingredients and conditions for life exist on this planet, Jon Jenkins, Kepler data analysis lead at NASAs Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California, who led the team that discovered the exoplanet, said in a statement.

Gliese 667 Cc

The discovery of this planet was announced in 2012 by researchers associated with the ESOs High Accuracy Radial Velocity Planet Searcher (HARPS) collaboration. Gliese 667 Cc, estimated to be about four times heavier than Earth, is the second planet in the Gliese 667 triple star system, located roughly 23.6 light-years away.

Gliese 667 Cc

Photo: ESO/L. Calcada

Although scientists originally said that it almost certainly has the right conditions for the existence of liquid water  a prerequisite to the origin and evolution of life  a 2014 study, which took into account the effect of stellar activity of its parent red dwarf, cast doubts over whether Gliese 667 Cc is really habitable.

In addition, the fact that the planet is most probably tidally locked to the star  always showing the same hemisphere to its parent star (much like the moon is tidally locked to Earth)  may also have made its surface inhospitable to life.

Kepler-186f

Kepler-186f  the first validated Earth-size planet to orbit a distant star in the habitable zone  was discovered in 2014. The planet, which is less than 10 percent larger than Earth, orbits its star  a red dwarf  once every 130 days and receives one-third the energy that Earth does from its sun, placing it near the outer edge of the habitable zone.

If you could stand on the surface of Kepler-186f, the brightness of its star at high noon would appear as bright as our sun is about an hour before sunset on Earth, NASA explained in a statement.

kepler186f

Photo: NASA Ames/JPL-Caltech/T. Pyle

Scientists believe that Kepler-186f, located about 500 light-years from Earth, could either be a rocky terrestrial planet or an ocean planet (a la the Miller planet from Interstellar).

Kepler 438b

When the discovery of this planet was announced in January 2015, it was touted as the most Earth-like planet discovered to date (its Earth Similarity Index, a measure of how similar a planet is to Earth, is 0.88). Kepler 438b, which is about 12 percent larger than Earth, completes one orbit around its parent star  an orange dwarf located about 470 light-years away  every 35 days.

Given its small size, scientists believe that the planet is probably rocky. However, when it comes to answering the question about the existence of water and life on its surface, the answer is complicated by the fact that its parent star may be emitting high-energy coronal mass ejections.

kepler_438b

Photo: Mark A Garlick / University of Warwick

If the planet ... has a magnetic field like the Earth, it may be shielded from some of the effects, David Armstrong from the University of Warwick, who conducted a study on the planets habitability, said in a statement. However, if it does not, or the flares are strong enough, it could have lost its atmosphere, be irradiated by extra dangerous radiation and be a much harsher place for life to exist.

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U.S. President Donald Trump was ridiculed by Swedes over the weekend when he suggested the countrys acceptance of immigrants was not working out.

It began at a campaign-style rally in Florida on Saturday when the President suggested an incident in Sweden that did not occur. You look at whats happening in Germany. You look at whats happening last night in Sweden  Sweden  who would believe this? He said. Sweden, they took in large numbers, they are having problems like they never thought possible. You look at whats happening Brussels, you look at whats happening all over the world.

Trump said on Sunday that the last night was in fact a reference to a Fox News story on rising crime in Sweden committed by refugees, and not a specific act of terror:

My statement as to what's happening in Sweden was in reference to a story that was broadcast on @FoxNews concerning immigrants & Sweden.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 19, 2017

Give the public a break  The FAKE NEWS media is trying to say that large scale immigration in Sweden is working out just beautifully. NOT!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 20, 2017

The segment, on Fox News Tucker Carlson Tonight, featured filmmaker Ami Horowitz alleging that there has been a surge in rape and gun violence in the Scandinavian country due to the large surge in migrants and refugees.

However, many politicians and people in Sweden have taken issue with the Presidents use of Sweden as a case study in the negative effects of taking refugees.

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Here are five statistics to help you understand what the real situation is in Sweden:

13.3 percent

The share of people who said they had been exposed to crime in the latest Swedish Crime Survey, in 2015. Although this is indeed a slight increase from 11.3% in 2014, the figure is the same level as a decade before.

Swedens crime prevention council found that there has been no significant increase in crimes between 2015 and 2016, the New York Times reports. The council recorded a drop in thefts and drug offences, but did note an uptick in assaults and rapes. The council also noted a rise in lethal violation, but says: In a long-term perspective, ever since the 1990s  the trend shows that lethal violence is declining.

6,560

The number of reported rapes in Sweden in 2016, according to publicly available data by Swedens crime prevention council, up from 5,920 the year before. There were 6,700 reported rapes in 2014.

The slight rise from 2015 has been attributed to changes in the sexual crimes legislation that is believed to have led to more reported cases of sexual crimes. In general, Sweden has a broader legal definition of rape than many other nations  meaning its reported rape totals are typically higher than average.

In 2015, 18,100 sex offenses were reported to the police, down 11% from 2014, according to the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention. These are the most recent figures available.

29,000

The number of new asylum seekers in Sweden in 2016, a decline from the year before when nearly 163,000 sought asylum.

The Fox News segment said: In 2016 alone the country accepted more than 160,000 asylum seekers. It seems as if they were referring to the year before.

In Germany, over 1.1 million people claimed asylum in 2015.

46%

The share of Swedes who believe refugees in our country are more to blame for crime than other groups, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center in early 2016. Theres no data to suggest that is the case.

The Swedish Crime Survey separately found the percentage of people with great concern about crime in society had increased 3 points to 25% in 2016 compared to 2015. This number is still lower than the 29% recorded a decade earlier, in 2006. The survey also found that in 2016 people anxious about being a victim of an attack or assault had increased 4 points to 15% the same level as in 2006.

6 years

The length of time since the last terrorist attack on Swedish soil; on Dec. 11, 2010, suicide bomber Taimour Abdulwahab blew himself up in central Stockholm. No one else was injured.
The Daily Beast

GettyIt only took a few hours after Russias Vladimir Putin hailed his mobilization as a sparkling success Friday for a torrent of humiliating reports to emerge that suggest the war effort has been more successful in turning the country against him than defeating mythical Nazis in Ukraine.The most staggering contradiction to the Russian presidents boastful claims came perhaps in Kazan, where dozens of drafted troops were captured on video late Friday berating military leadership outside a colle
Algiers (AFP) - Speculation mounted Tuesday over Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's health and political future after acute bronchitis forced the 79-year-old to postpone a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Merkel had been due to meet him Monday as part of efforts to push North African countries to reduce the flow of migrants across the Mediterranean into Europe.

But Bouteflika's office said he was "temporarily unavailable due to acute bronchitis", forcing Merkel's visit to be pushed back.

Bouteflika, who has been in power since 1999, suffered a stroke in 2013 that affected his speech and confined him to a wheelchair.

He has rarely appeared in public since, but frequently visits France for medical treatment.

"From great alacrity to temporary unavailability," read Algeria's French-language daily Liberte on Tuesday.

It was a reference to French President Francois Hollande's praise of Bouteflika's "alacrity" after they met in 2015.

"The head of state...was not in a condition yesterday to receive a foreign guest or even to appear in public," it said.

Bouteflika, who will be 80 on March 2, visited France in November for a "periodical" medical check-up, his office said.

But daily Le Soir d'Algerie played down speculation that his condition had worsened.

"Although very weak, (Bouteflika) did not hesitate to receive French Prime Minister Emmanuel Valls" in April 2016, it said.

Valls "unfortunately used the event to tweet a picture showing him on his worst day", it said.

The president has entertained several foreign dignitaries at his residence in recent years, providing rare photo opportunities.

- 'Power vacuum' -

Bouteflika's poor health has not stopped him clinging to power.

Algerians had expected him to step down at the end of his third term, but he successfully fought a 2014 campaign for re-election despite making few appearances on the campaign trail.

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He made a rare public appearance in September, attending the opening of a new international conference centre in Algiers.

State television showed a wheelchair-bound president, flanked by his younger brother Said, unveiling a plaque at the site and touring parts of the new complex.

In recent months National Liberation Front chief Djamel Ould Abbes had said Bouteflika's health was improving, and even mentioned a possible fifth term in 2019.

But his opponents have regularly talked of a "power vacuum" at the top of government since his stroke.

"If we see him in a few days, it was a sudden tiredness and nothing more, but if he is not visible for 15 days, that means his condition has worsened," political analyst Rachid Grim told AFP.

"The real problem is in the duration. If he does not appear in 15 days that would mean he has been transferred abroad for treatment," he said.

Grim said that if key members of Bouteflika's National Liberation Front (FLN) and the allied Rally for National Democracy (RND) meet for talks in the coming days that could indicate that preparations are being made for his succession.

"It's a case of 'wait and see' but we can only speculate," he said.

Sociologist Nacer Djabi said the president may be in good health, but the cancellation of Monday's meeting had raised doubts about his future.

"Does this mean that he can no longer do even the minimal activities?" Djabi asked.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The heads of two congressional committees said Tuesday they want the Department of Veterans Affairs to better explain its efforts to stem drug theft and loss in light of rising cases of missing prescriptions and other unauthorized use at VA hospitals.

Rep. Phil Roe, who chairs the House Veterans Affairs Committee, said his panel had scheduled a hearing for Monday. The Associated Press reported last Monday on government data showing a sharp increase since 2009 in opioid theft and drugs that had simply disappeared at the VA.

He said the panel would call on VA officials to discuss what they were doing to improve internal controls and hold employees accountable.

"The fact that drugs are going missing from VA facilities further underscores the importance of oversight," said Roe, R-Tenn., who is a physician, citing the AP story. "This is a serious issue, and it must be addressed quickly."

Sen. Ron Johnson, chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, also described incidents of rising drug loss and theft as concerning. The Wisconsin Republican last year raised issues of possible unauthorized use at the Milwaukee VA medical center, involving allegations that drugs from the hospital's pharmacy was going to nonveterans. His office said Tuesday that committee review was continuing.

Data obtained by the AP show that doctors, nurses or pharmacy staff at federal hospitals  the vast majority within the VA system  siphoned away controlled substances for their own use or street sales, or drugs intended for patients disappeared.

Aggravating the problem is that some VA hospitals have been lax in tracking drug supplies. Congressional auditors said spot checks found four VA hospitals skipped monthly inspections of drug stocks or missed other requirements. Investigators said that signals problems for VA's entire network of more than 160 medical centers and 1,000 clinics, coming after auditor warnings about lax oversight dating back to at least 2009.

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Veterans groups urged full accountability.

"Medical practitioners at the VA have a responsibility to provide the best care for the injured and ill veterans in their charge, and these actions are contradictory to the very nature of their professional obligations," said Garry Augustine, a Vietnam-era combat-wounded Army veteran, who is executive director of Disabled American Veterans' Washington headquarters.

The VA acknowledged it has had problems keeping up with monthly inspections. It said it was requiring hospitals to comply with inspection procedures and develop plans for improvement.

In a broadcast interview that aired Tuesday, newly confirmed VA Secretary David Shulkin reiterated his support for VA employees as the "best in health care" but pledged to remove any bad actors. Shulkin served as the department's undersecretary of health while the drug problem was growing.

"When you have one or two or three people that really aren't doing their job, they bring everybody down," he told "Fox and Friends."

The VA said Tuesday it was compiling information requested by the AP more than three weeks ago on cases of drug loss and theft at its hospitals.

Reported incidents of drug losses or theft at federal hospitals jumped from 272 in 2009 to 2,926 in 2015, before dipping to 2,457 last year, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration. "Federal hospitals" include the VA's more than 1,100 facilities as well as seven correctional hospitals and roughly 20 hospitals serving Indian tribes.

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Follow Hope Yen on Twitter at https://twitter.com/hopeyen1
By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Feb 21 (PTI) Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella today met Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well as the IT Minister and discussed the companys digital inclusion programme that leverages technology for improving rural healthcare and education.

The India born CEO also participated in a round table at NITI Aayog on tapping into cloud computing for good governance in the country.

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In a tweet, NITI Aayog said: "@Microsoft CEO @satyanadella answers queries of senior govt officials on secure use big data and cloud computing for good governance."

It also shared a photograph of NITI Vice Chairman Arvind Panagariya presenting Nadella a book titled State Forward about best practices in governance from States.

Nadella and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad talked about the software giants rural digital initiatives and leveraging its professional networking platform, LinkedIn, for creating employment opportunities.

The high profile executive, who is on a multi-city tour, is scheduled to address a conference on Future Decoded in Mumbai.

He was in Indias tech hub Bengaluru yesterday speaking on a slew of topics including Artificial Intelligence and re-skilling, meeting the startup community and unveiling a cloud partnership with e-tailer Flipkart.

Terming his meeting with Nadella as "fruitful", Prasad said India would look at applying the experiences of Microsofts pilot project in Harisal for its newly-announced Digi Gaon initiative.

"Microsoft is doing good work in India. In particular, we have appreciated their initiative for digital inclusion in village...the Harisal pilot project in Maharashtra where they brought in a lot of technology and connectivity for digital health and digital education...," Prasad said after the 30-minute meeting.

"This is something I am considering for replication... given our larger vision of digital village announced in the Budget by the FM under Digi Gaon initiative," he added.

Prasad said other issues that were discussed in detail included "LinkedIn involvement in skilling professionals to be exposed to good job opportunities".

"In particular, LinkedIn exposure for creating more employment opportunities and Digi Gaon becoming a success with application of the experience of pilot project in Harisal, is something we eagerly look forward to," Prasad said.

The issue of H-1B visas did not figure in the meeting with the Microsoft CEO, he said.

Nadella and Google CEO Sundar Pichai, he said, represented a "powerful statement of extraordinary contribution" of Indias talent, and accomplishments in the field of technology.

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On the issue of cloud, the Minister noted that India has a cloud first policy, and added, "we have empanelled Microsoft also". PTI SR MBI SA

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By Steve Barnes

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (Reuters) - Arkansas, which has not put an inmate to death in more than a decade, plans to schedule executions after the U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way on Tuesday for it to resume capital punishment, the state's attorney general said.

Arkansas has not executed an inmate since 2005 and is one of several states that have had a de facto halt on executions due to legal fights and problems in procuring lethal injection drugs after a sales ban by major pharmaceutical makers.

There are 34 men on Arkansas' death row, prison officials said.

The Supreme Court refused to hear the appeal of nine death row inmates who challenged a state law forbidding disclosure of the companies supplying drugs used in lethal injections, Arkansas' method of capital punishment.

The state's Supreme Court had earlier upheld the statute.

Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge said she would immediately forward the high court's action to the state Supreme Court for certification, allowing Governor Asa Hutchinson to set execution dates. Both Rutledge and Hutchinson are Republicans.

"Today's decision from the nation's high court ends this case, which means that executions can move forward in Arkansas, and families of the victims will see justice carried out for those who committed heinous crimes against their loved ones, Rutledge said in a statement.

The number of U.S. executions fell to a quarter-century low in 2016 as new death sentences plummeted, according to a study by the Death Penalty Information Center, a non-profit monitoring agency.

A lawyer for the Arkansas death row inmates said he was disappointed in the decision.

We're thinking through our options, but obviously they are not very bright," Jeff Rosenzweig of Little Rock said in an interview.

When capital punishment in Arkansas might resume was uncertain, as the state's stock of potassium chloride, one of the drugs used in executions, expired on Jan. 1, officials said.

"Since 'use by' date on one of the drugs has expired, it will be necessary for the Department of Correction to make the acquisition," Governor Hutchinson said in a statement.

(Reporting by Steve Barnes; Additional reporting by Jon Herskovitz; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn and Dan Grebler)
PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP)  A group of suicide bombers with grenades and assault rifles struck outside a courthouse in northwestern Pakistan on Tuesday, killing six people in an attack claimed by a Taliban splinter group.

The attack was the latest in a wave of militant assaults across the troubled country that has killed over 100 people since last week. The brazen suicide bombings have been claimed by mutiple Islamic militant groups.

In Tuesday's attack, three attackers hit the courthouse in the town of Tangi in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, bordering Afghanistan. The victims included a lawyer, a child and four police officers, according to Ijaz Khan, a senior police officer.

He said police were on maximum alert after receiving intelligence that terrorists could target the courts in Charsadda. One of the bombers threw grenades and detonated his suicide vest at the court's main gate while police shot and killed the two other assailants, according to the district police chief, Sohail Khalid.

The other two also wore suicide vests but did not manage to set them off before being gunned down.

Khalid said 15 people were wounded in the attack and taken to hospital.

Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a breakaway faction of the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility in a text message sent to an Associated Press reporter.

In one of the attacks last week, dozens of worshippers gathered at a famed Sufi shrine were killed Thursday when an Islamic State suicide bomber detonated his device inside the shrine's main hall in the southern province of Sindh. The death toll from that attack has reached 90.

The shrine bombing prompted a countrywide crackdown by security forces targeting militants and their hideouts.

Pakistan's army chief, Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa praised police for foiling the attack and "saving many lives," according to the military statement.

Mian Saqib Nisar, the chief justice of Pakistan, strongly condemned the attack in a statement and expressed his condolences for families of those who lost loved ones.

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In a latest development, Zafar Iqbal Jhagra, governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, told reporters that fresh talks with the militants cannot be ruled out. "Talks can be held with everyone, including the Taliban," he said.

But he maintained that, "We will not bow before the terrorists."

Pakistan has been at war with Islamic militants for more than a decade. In recent years, it severed peace talks and launched an ongoing offensive against militant strongholds in the tribal regions along the Afghan border, but insurgents have continued to carry out attacks around the country.

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Associated Press writers Ishtiaq Mahsud in Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan, and Munir Ahmed and Asif Shahzad in Islamabad contributed to this report.
On Tuesday, a Vienna court ruled that Dmitry Firtash, a Ukrainian businessman wanted in the United States on bribery charges, can indeed be extradited to the United States.

Its not just a new wrinkle in an old case: It potentially has big political implications, too.

In 2015, a lower court had blocked the extradition request, agreeing with Firtashs legal team that the U.S. case was politically motivated. Firtash allegedly oversaw a scheme to pay $18.5 million to Indian officials to move along a $500 million titanium project in India beginning in 2006. Firtash, in the original case, said he would not confess to bribing the Indian officials, and that his views on how Ukraine should develop are different from those held by the U.S. government.

Indeed: Firtash was an ally of former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych  who was backed by Russian President Vladimir Putin  and he was detained in Austria just days after the Kremlin-friendly leaders March 2014 ouster.

But if the case was politically complicated then, it is hardly less so now. Firtash, rumored to have made a killing in the shady seams of the natural gas business between Russia and Ukraine, allegedly has business ties with Americans  including one Paul Manafort, President Donald Trumps former campaign chairman.

In August, when reports of Manaforts ties in the region emerged, Manafort told NBC News, There was one occasion where an opportunity was explored.  Nothing transpired and no business relationship was ever implemented.

Rumors are still swirling about the Trump teams alleged ties to Russia. On Feb. 13, former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn resigned for having lied to Vice President Michael Pence about whether he discussed lifting sanctions with the Russian ambassador to the United States (he did).

On Feb. 14, the New York Times published a report that the Trump team had indeed had contact with Russian officials during the campaign, despite official denials from the White House. Members of Congress from both parties have said they will look into what ties might possibly bind the U.S. president to Russia.

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It is as yet unclear whether Trumps Department of Justice will still want to extradite Firtash, though, so far, there is no sign it would oppose extradition. In response to a request for comment, the Department of Justice said in a statement to Foreign Policy, While, as a general policy, the U.S. Department of Justice does not comment on the particulars of pending extradition cases, we would like to extend our thanks to the Government of Austria for our close cooperation on law enforcement matters. As Austrian Judge Leo Levnaic-Iwanski said on Tuesday, It wasnt for us to judge whether Mr. Firtash was guilty, but only whether the extradition is allowed. This decision only means that another country will make a decision whether he is guilty.

But which country will that be? After the courts ruling, Firtash was arrested in Vienna by a plainclothes officer in connection with a separate warrant issued by Spain, which put him on an international wanted list in November, for alleged money laundering. Austrias Justice Ministry may have to decide where, if anywhere, Firtash will face justice. A spokesperson for the Justice Ministry said it was too soon to say whether the Spanish warrant will impact Firtashs extradition to the United States.

Update, Feb. 21 2017 3:10 pm ET: This piece has been updated to include comment from the U.S. Department of Justice.

Photo credit: SAMUEL KUBANI/AFP/Getty Images
Ladies, can your man make you vice president of a country?

Probably not. Unless, of course, you happen to be the wife of the president in Azerbaijan, in which case your husband, Ilham Aliyev, just named you his deputy.

Putting all other power couples to shame, Aliyev made his wife, Mehriban Aliyeva, vice president. Coincidentally, shes the first vice president of Azerbaijan since the position was created by a referendum last year.

This lucky lady is now set to succeed her husband should he ever step down from the role. Her mans been president since 2003, when he took over from his father. And he was reelected in 2008 in an election that opposition parties boycotted.

But there probably wont be any boycotts of this appointment. Khadija Ismayilova, an award-winning investigative journalist who was arrested in December 2014 and released in May 2016, wrote on Facebook, Wave of arrests preceded Mehriban Aliyevas appointment to vice-president position. Just in case if someone would dare to protest. Number of opposition activists were sentenced to one month administrative arrest, siblings of the activists abroad were harassed and blackmailed just days before the appointment.

Theres even more good news for the Aliyev power couple: theyre not likely to meet any resistance from the international community. Between its well-documented lobbying efforts and oil and gas production, Azerbaijan has stayed in good standing in Washington, D.C. And, as a two-part report by the Hudson Institute suggests, Azerbaijan has used caviar diplomacy with the Council of Europe.

Theres no mountain, valley, activist, or institution charged with watching human rights or preventing rampant nepotism that can stop this dream team from ruling Azerbaijan  currently ranked not free by Freedom House and famed for rampant human rights abuses  and from doing so together.

Photo credit: Matthias Hangst/Getty Images for BEGOC
Baku (AFP) - Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev on Tuesday appointed his glamorous wife as first vice president, the latest move seen as tightening the family's iron grip on the oil-rich Caspian nation.

The elevation of Mehriban Aliyeva -- a prominent socialite and lawmaker -- sees her now become the country's second most senior official after her husband.

"She is professional, educated, experienced, principled, and magnanimous," Aliyev told a National Security Council meeting.

Known for her lavish lifestyle, Aliyeva, 52, has been an MP for the ruling Yeni Azerbaijan party since 2005 and head of the influential Heydar Aliyev Foundation -- named after her father-in-law and former president.

"I believe that I will justify this confidence," she said at the security council meeting. "The interests of the country and people will always come above all else for me."

Born into the powerful Pashayev family, Aliyeva has sometimes been seen as a possible successor to her husband, who took over in 2003 after the death of his father Heydar, a former KGB officer and Communist-era boss.

The appointment follows constitutional changes made after a tightly-managed referendum last year that introduced the powerful position of first vice president. Such steps were denounced by regime opponents as a ploy to cement the Aliyev family's dynastic rule.

Azerbaijan's embattled opposition angrily criticised Aliyeva's elevation as undemocratic.

"The move throws Azerbaijan back to medieval, feudal times," opposition leader Isa Gambar of Musavat party told AFP.

"Family rule has no place in the 21st century," he added.

- First lady of fashion -

Known for her love of luxury, Aliyeva featured prominently in US diplomatic cables published by Wikileaks, one of which dubbed her "a first lady, too, in fashion".

"First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva appears to have had substantial cosmetic surgery, presumably overseas, and wears dresses that would be considered provocative even in the Western world," the leaked 2010 cable said.

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An eye doctor by training, she has also authored a dissertation on the ethical aspects of mercy killing.

In 2004, she was appointed a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations culture agency, UNESCO.

The Aliyevs have two socialite daughters Leyla, 32, and Arzu, 27, a student son, Heydar, 19, and four grandchildren.

The president, 55, cruised to a third five-year term against limited opposition in 2013, extending his family's rule into a third decade.

Supporters have praised the Aliyevs for turning a republic once considered a Soviet backwater into a flourishing energy supplier to Europe.

But critics argue they have crushed all opposition and used their power to amass a fortune that funds a lavish lifestyle for the president and his family.

Activists have raised concerns over Azerbaijans poor rights record, with Human Rights Watch in May blasting the country for a ruthless crackdown that has seen political activists and critical journalists jailed.

"President Ilham Aliyev is the person most responsible for Azerbaijan's appalling human rights record of the last decade," Freedom House, a pro-democracy watchdog, has said.
By Laila Kearney (Reuters) - Bao Bao, the 3-year-old giant panda who rose to fame while growing up on live video at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, left for her new home in China on Tuesday under a long-standing breeding and research program. Bao Bao could be seen in live video provided by the zoo being loaded, inside her crate, onto a Boeing 777F aircraft at the Dulles International Airport in Virginia for Chengdu, China. The freighter, customized with an image of a giant panda emblazoned on its side, took off just before 2 p.m. ET (1900 GMT) "Today is bittersweet," zoo Director Dennis Kelly said in a statement. "We've watched Bao Bao grow up during the past three years, and she has charmed people all over the world with her independent and playful personality." The giant panda now enters "the next chapter of her life," Kelly said. Traveling with Bao Bao will be her handler and veterinarian, as well as 55 pounds of bamboo and several more pounds of biscuits, sweet potatoes and sugarcane. She will be greeted by her new keepers upon arrival in Chengdu. Bao Bao was born at the zoo on Aug. 23, 2013 to mother Mei Xiang and father Tian Tian, who were loaned to the zoo as part of an agreement with the Chinese Wildlife Conservation Association. Under the deal, all cubs born at the National Zoo must move to China by the time they reach 4 years old for breeding and research. The National Zoo received its first pair of giant pandas in 1972 as a gift from the Chinese government. That pair, female Ling-Ling and male Hsing-Hsing, lived at the zoo for more than 20 years, but produced no surviving cubs. Bao Bao drew an international audience as the star of the zoo "panda cam," which documented her birth and childhood for millions of fans worldwide. Admirers have included former first lady Michelle Obama, who sent a message to the giant panda cub on the day she was born. In the week leading up to her departure, fans were allowed to observe Bao Bao as she was plied with her favorite treats, including ice cakes made of frozen fruit juices and vegetables. Bao Bao's younger brother, Bei Bei, who was born in 2015, and their parents will remain at the zoo as part of its breeding program, which runs until December 2020. (Reporting by Laila Kearney; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Jonathan Oatis)
'Beach Bobber' Wins Harley's UK/Ireland Battle of the Kings

Custom Build Will Compete Against Other Bikes at This Year's EICMA

Harley-Davidson has announced that East Sussex, England, dealer Shaw Harley-Davidson is the overall winner of the UK/Ireland 2017 Battle of the Kings competition. The Beach Bobberwas built by Neil Sefton, Head Custom Technician with valued support from Shaws service manager Simon Pocock.

The Battle of the Kings title was awarded after two rounds of judging. Round One involved an online public vote of the 31 entries from the United Kingdom and Ireland, from which the top five builds moved onto a final judging round held at the London Motorcycle Show earlier this. The final live round of judging was conducted by an eclectic mix of invited motorcycle industry personnel and personalities. Attendees were clearly appreciative of the amount of workmanship put into creating the Dark Custom machines based on three models from the Sportster range of Harley-Davidson motorcycles.

The Beach Bobber now advances to represent the UK/Ireland against fellow finalists from across Europe at the BOTK grand finale to be held at Milans EICMA motorcycle exhibition in November.

Im really stoked, said Steven C. Willis, of Shaw Harley-Davidson. Its an absolute fantastic announcement. We are so proud to move forward and represent the UK and Ireland in Battle of the Kings  a competition that has always been unique to Harley-Davidson, and an awesome competitive arena for the Harley-Davidson network to show our expertise in the custom market.
Harcha (Libya) (AFP) - The bodies of 74 migrants who drowned in the Mediterranean trying to reach Europe have washed up on a beach west of the Libyan capital, the Red Crescent said Tuesday.

Residents of the village of Harcha, outside Zawiya, 45 kilometres (30 miles) from Tripoli, alerted the emergency services after finding a wrecked boat on the beach with bodies inside, the Red Crescent said.

More were discovered elsewhere on the beach and still more were feared to be in the sea.

A long row of black and white body bags was seen lined up near the water's edge.

"We don't have an appropriate vehicle to transport the bodies or a cemetery for unidentified bodies to bury them in," the group said.

"Some bodies are still on the beach and others that we can't reach are still floating in the water."

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said the boat was reported to have foundered on Sunday, leaving as many as 100 people dead.

"Traffickers reportedly stole the engine and left it to drift," the agency said.

"A survivor, reportedly in a coma, was transferred to hospital."

The agency said that if confirmed, the deaths would bring the total number of migrants killed trying to cross the Mediterranean so far this year to more than 365.

It said that 187 migrants were rescued off Zawiya on Saturday, and were currently being held in a detention centre.

The tragedy is believed to be the worst since around 180 people were estimated to have died on January 14 when a migrant boat capsized off the coast of Libya.

Since then, hundreds of people have been plucked from the waters north of the African nation, including 700 on January 30 alone off the western city of Sabratha.

- 'What price #humanity?' -

On Tuesday Italy's coast guard said it rescued around another 630 migrants off the coast of Libya from two drifting vessels, a large boat and a rubber raft.

"74 bodies on a Libyan shore. Each testament to #indifference, a tragedy, entirely preventable. What price #humanity?" tweeted Elhadj As Sy, head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

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The IOM said migrant arrivals in Italy had risen sharply this year compared with the same period of 2016.

As of Sunday, 10,120 had arrived compared with 6,589 between January 1 and February 18 last year.

People smugglers have taken advantage of the chaos gripping Libya since the 2011 revolution to greatly boost their lucrative trade.

Most departures take place from the west of Libya, usually heading for Italy 300 kilometres (190 miles) away across the Mediterranean.

Europeans are considering measures aimed at blocking the arrival of thousands of migrants, alarming NGOs which fear that those stranded in Libya may suffer mistreatment.

In the absence of an army or a regular police force in Libya, several militias act as coastguards but are often accused themselves of complicity or even involvement in the people-smuggling business.

UN Libya envoy Martin Kobler visited a migrants' camp in Tripoli on Tuesday, and said he would be discussing their voluntary repatriation with the authorities.

"They do not have enough food. They have really a serious situation here and it's very important to solve their humanitarian problem," he said.

"If they want to return they must be given the chance to return."

According to the United Nations, more than 5,000 people died last year in attempts to cross the Mediterranean and reach Europe, most of them after embarking from the Libyan coast after paying people smugglers.

This was the highest annual toll on record.

Unlike previous years, winter has not brought an end to the migrant arrivals, just a reduction in the numbers.
La Paz (AFP) - Coca farmers clashed with police Tuesday in the second straight day of violent protests in La Paz against a Morales government bill to limit legal areas of cultivation.

Angry farmers threw dynamite, fireworks and rocks at police in an attempt to regain positions lost late Monday in a clash at access points to the Palacio Quemado, the seat of government and residence of President Evo Morales.

Anti-riot police agents fought hundreds of coca growers for four hours, firing tear gas to disperse the crowd.

The violence Tuesday ended with 148 arrests, the deputy Interior minister, Jose Luis Quiroga, told reporters.

"Police were investigating each one to determine the level of responsibility for the public disturbance," he said.

Carlos Aparicio, the deputy minister of public safety, said the protesting coca growers "burned police installations, a firefighting unit" and had threatened to blow up a gas station.

Morales, a former union leader of coca growers, is serving a third term as Bolivia's first indigenous president. His government's bill would cap the legal area for coca cultivation to 20,000 hectares (49,421 acres).

The farmers want to be able to produce as much coca as local demand warrants.

Coca is a traditional crop, with Bolivians for generations using the leaf to fight fatigue, reduce altitude sickness in the Andean mountain country and divine the future in indigenous rituals.

Chemically processed, coca becomes the addictive stimulant cocaine, an illegal drug in the country and around the world.

Under the proposed law, the legal cultivation area for the country's two main coca-growing regions would be capped at 13,000 hectares for the Los Yungas region and 7,000 hectares in the Chapare region, where Morales used to grow coca.

According to the United Nations in its latest report, in 2015 Bolivia had 20,2000 coca-growing hectares and was the world's third-largest producer after Colombia and Peru.

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But a 2013 financial study by the European Union found that only 14,705 hectares were needed to satisfy local Bolivian demand.

In addition, the UN warned that 94 percent of the coca grown in Chapare was circulating illegally.

Tuesday's violence forced authorities to delay a meeting between three ministers and the coca farmers that had been intended to defuse tensions.

One of the would-be participants, Minister of Government Carlos Romero, said that "the wave of violent attacks against institutions is raising concern."
Modi's comments reflected concern that India's $150 billion IT services industry would suffer if the United States curbs the visas, known as H-1B, it relies on to send its software experts to the United States on project work.

By Reuters: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged the United States to keep an open mind on admitting skilled Indian workers, in comments that pushed back against Republican President Donald Trump's 'America First' rhetoric on jobs.

Modi's comments reflected concern that India's $150 billion IT services industry would suffer if the United States curbs the visas, known as H-1B, it relies on to send its software experts to the United States on project work.

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"The Prime Minister referred to the role of skilled Indian talent in enriching the American economy and society," the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in a statement after he met a bipartisan delegation of 26 members of the US Congress.

"He urged developing a reflective, balanced and far-sighted perspective on movement of skilled professionals," the PMO said.

WHAT IS THE H1-B VISA CONTROVERSY?

Indian nationals are by far the largest group of recipients of the 65,000 H-1B visas issued each year to new applicants under a cap mandated by Congress. Exemptions on the H-1B cap are available to up to 20,000 further applicants who have obtained a US master's degree.

The actual number of Indian nationals working in the United States under the H-1B programme is significantly higher, however, because many visas are rolled over.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, who was born in India, also met Modi today. He told the Economic Times earlier that his own career had been made possible by "an enlightened immigration policy".

Initial confidence that Asia's third-largest economy would benefit from Trump's election victory has given way to concern that his isolationist rhetoric and hostility to free trade would hurt India's hi-tech and outsourcing industry.

The sector, led by Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys Ltd and Wipro Ltd, employs 3.5 million people and is lobbying against proposed U.S. visa curbs - including increases on salaries that H-1B visa holders must earn.

Part of the delegation led by Congressman Bob Goodlatte, a Republican from Virginia who chairs the House Judiciary Committee, met Ravi Shankar Prasad, India's minister in charge of electronics and IT.

Goodlatte, speaking at the meeting with Prasad, declined to answer a question on visa restrictions, saying it was up to the president to reassess his policies on immigration.

A senior Indian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said India hoped to resolve the visa issue with the United States but declined to be drawn on the details.

The government supported a move by NASSCOM, India's high-tech industry association, to lobby U.S. lawmakers and companies to urge the administration not to crack down on allowing its skilled workers into the United States, the source said.

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ALSO READ: How Trump's new executive order on H1B visas will dent Indian IT sector WATCH

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TEL AVIV (Reuters) - Israel's BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics is seeking early approval in Canada for its adult stem cell treatment for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a neuro-degenerative disease, even before it completes late-stage clinical trials. BrainStorm said on Tuesday that it had signed an agreement with CCRM, a Canadian not-for-profit organization that supports development of regenerative medicine, to support a market authorization request for its ALS treatment, called NurOwn. CCRM is helping BrainStorm meet requirements for the Canadian health regulator's early access pathway, which provides rapid review for drugs to treat serious or life-threatening conditions. If NurOwn qualifies, it could be authorized in Canada for distribution by the start of 2018, the company said. "We seemingly fit the criteria," BrainStorm Chief Executive Chaim Lebovits told Reuters. At the same time, BrainStorm will conduct a Phase 3 clinical trial for NurOwn at multiple sites in the United States and Israel. The company in December said the advanced clinical trial is expected to begin enrolling patients in the second quarter of 2017. BrainStorm also plans to submit an application in Israel that will allow patient access to NurOwn as a treatment that has been granted "Hospital Exemption". This recently approved pathway would permit BrainStorm to partner with a medical center in Israel and be allowed to treat patients with NurOwn for a fee. Lebovits foresees possible treatments under this pathway as early as the second half of 2017. BrainStorm is also examining whether it may be eligible for early approval in the United States under new legislation passed in December that supporters say will speed access to new drugs. According to the ALS Association, 5,600 people in the United States are diagnosed each year with the disease, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, which has severely disabled British physicist Stephen Hawking. (Reporting by Tova Cohen; Editing by Mark Potter)
Brasilia (AFP) - A vast corruption scheme that started in Brazil but morphed into a giant international scandal is about to spread even further, a top prosecutor warned on Monday.

Brazil-based Odebrecht, one of the region's biggest construction companies, was at the heart of a scheme to bribe Brazilian state oil giant Petrobras in exchange for inflated contracts.

Odebrecht also systematically bribed politicians, mostly in Brazil but also in other countries, even running a department to keep track of the bribery.

Odebrecht admitted to paying $788 million in bribes across 12 countries and agreed with the US Justice Department to pay a $3.5 billion fine, a world record in foreign corruption cases.

Vladimir Aras, the prosecutor in charge of the international side of the Brazilian scandal, told AFP that Brazilian authorities were scrutinizing at least 10 foreign companies.

He was speaking after a meeting of prosecutors from around Latin America.

The construction giant has done major infrastructure work around the world. And most of the looming investigations will take place in Africa and Latin America, Aras said.

International investigations linked to the case "are going to grow a lot," Aras told AFP in Brasilia.

"When you look at places where prosecutors are independent as we have in Brazil, we should expect that investigations move forward and shed light on other corruption schemes likely parallel to the ones involving Brazilian companies, mostly construction companies, that work overseas," he said.

"Inappropriate interactions between the public sector and private sector is not just an issue in Brazil," Aras added. "Corruption is everywhere."

Panama has said Interpol issued international wanted notices for two sons of former president Ricardo Martinelli on allegations that they accepted bribes from the construction giant.

And a Peruvian judge issued a domestic and international warrant for the arrest of ex-president Alejandro Toledo over accusations he took a $20 million bribe.

In Peru, the Brazilian company was the target of violent protests in January, which forced Peruvian authorities to scrap plans for an Odebrecht-operated toll road north of Lima.

The government has also sacked it from a $7 billion gas pipeline project that is less than a third complete.
Brazils race to save drought-hit city Natan Cabral, 5, stands on the cracked bed of the Boqueirao Reservoir in the Metropolitan Region of Campina Grande, Paraiba state, Brazil, Feb. 13, 2017. (Photo: Ueslei Marcelino/Reuters)

The shrunken carcasses of cows lie in scorched fields outside the city of Campina Grande in northeast Brazil, and hungry goats search for food on the cracked-earth floor of the Boqueirao reservoir that serves the desperate town.

After five years of drought, farmer Edivaldo Brito says he cannot remember when the Boqueirao reservoir was last full. But he has never seen it this empty.

Weve lost everything: bananas, beans, potatoes, Brito said. We have to walk 3 kilometers just to wash clothes.

Brazils arid northeast is weathering its worst drought on record and Campina Grande, which has 400,000 residents that depend on the reservoir, is running out of water.

After two years of rationing, residents complain that water from the reservoir is dirty, smelly and undrinkable. Those who can afford to do so buy bottled water to cook, wash their teeth with, and even to give their pets.

The reservoir is down to 4 percent of capacity and rainfall is expected to be sparse this year.

If it does not fill up, the citys water system will collapse by mid-year, says Janiro Costa Rego, an expert on water resources and hydraulics professor at Campina Grandes federal university. It would be a holocaust. You would have to evacuate the city.

Brazils government says help is on the way.

After decades of promises and years of delays, the government says the rerouting of Brazils longest river, the Sao Francisco, will soon relieve Campina Grande and desperate farmers in four parched northeastern states.

Water will be pumped over hills and through 400 kilometers of canals into dry river basins in Ceara, Rio Grande do Norte, Pernambuco, and Paraiba, the small state of which Campina Grande is the second-biggest city.

Begun in 2005 by leftist president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the project has been delayed by political squabbles, corruption and cost-overruns of billions of dollars.

Brazils ongoing recession, which economists calculate has shrunk the economy of the impoverished northeast by over four percent during each of the past two years, made things even worse.

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Now, President Michel Temer is speeding up completion of the project, perhaps his best opportunity to boost support for his unpopular government in a region long-dominated by native-son Lula and his leftist Workers Party.

In early March, Temer plans to open a canal that will feed Campina Grandes reservoir at the town of Monteiro. The water will still take weeks to flow down the dry bed of the Paraiba river to Boqueirao.

With the quality of water in Campina Grande dropping by the day, it is a race against time. (Reuters)

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Just in time for the British House of Lords to begin wrapping up its first day of debate over a bill initiating the U.K.s withdrawal from the European Union, more commonly referred to as Brexit, an analysis by the Guardian Monday afternoon pegged the cost of the separation to exporters at 6.1 billion pounds, the equivalent of $7.6 billion, per year.

The newspaper attributed the new costs to tariffs on British exporters imposed under World Trade Organization rules and normally eliminated by the EUs open-trade policies.

British Prime Minister Theresa May promised in a January interview with Sky News that she would strive for a really good, ambitious trade deal for the U.K. with the European Union. Later in January, however, May said in a speech to foreign ambassadors that the U.K. would leave the EUs single market and its associated lack of trade barriers. She also promised that the U.K. would remain the EUs best friend, prompting anxiety among economists, most of whom have historically supported free trade.

This would be a pretty big shock and it is very clearly unwelcome, Alan Winters, director of Sussex Universitys U.K. Trade Policy Observatory, told the British newspaper as part of its Monday report. At the end of two years, its up to the Europeans to decide if we have a deal. The government has to pretend its okay if we dont, otherwise they have no leverage. This is a piece of political spin to try to persuade us that if this happens, it is not a catastrophe.

In the first of five days set aside to debate Mays EU Notification of Withdrawal Bill, which already passed in the House of Commons Feb. 8, members of the House of Lords signaled deference to the decisions of U.K. voters, 51.9 percent of whom chose to leave the EU in June, as well as to the vote of the lower house.

"This bill is not about revisiting the debate," Baroness Evans, leader of the House of Lords, reportedly said. "Noble Lords respect the primacy of the elected House and the decision of the British people on 23 June last year."

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Riga (AFP) - Britain's "Brexit" minister responsible for managing its departure from the European Union on Tuesday denied reports his government was planning to pay eastern EU states to support it during negotiations with Brussels.

David Davis described as "implausible" recent British media reports that money would be diverted from development projects in Africa and Asia to the Baltic states and other eastern EU countries.

"I didn't recognise the story I saw in the papers the other day. It seemed to me to be wholly implausible. We have not started the negotiation yet but that is not the way I think it's going to go," Davis told reporters after talks with Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics in Riga.

"It's not a divorce, it's a new relationship... it's very modern in that respect," Davis added.

Davis told reporters later Tuesday in Vilnius, Lithuania, that he was "confident that we will trigger (Brexit) by the end of March."

Britain's House of Lords, an unelected chamber where British Prime Minister Theresa May's Conservative Party does not hold a majority, could delay a bill empowering her to trigger Brexit as planned by the end of next month.

Davis told Lithuanian Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis it was in Britain's "interest" to see the "European Union succeed when we leave".

The British Brexit minister added that London wants cooperation in justice, home affairs, interior matters, counter-terrorism and information exchange with EU members "to continue quite similarly as they are now."

"On the economic side, we would like to see an overarching free trade agreement," Davis added.

He also assured Baltic leaders that Britain wants to preserve equal rights for EU citizens living there following Brexit.

"We want a generous outcome" for both EU citizens living in Britain and Brits in the EU, Davis told Lithuania's Skvernelis.

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Hundreds of thousands of EU citizens living and working in Britain, a majority from eastern EU states like Poland, are demanding that their rights be protected despite Brexit.

It is estimated that at least 1.2 million British citizens currently live and work in the 27 other EU member states. They, too, are lobbying to preserve their rights post-Brexit.

Earlier in Riga, Latvian Foreign Minister Rinkevics insisted the EU member states would not be divided when it comes to Brexit talks between Brussels and London.

"We will negotiate according to the solidarity of the 27 EU member states which means there will be a common position," Rinkevics said.
A British Muslim math teacher with a valid visa said he was made to feel like a criminal when he was prevented from boarding an airplane heading to the United States.

Juhel Miah, from Swansea in Wales, was traveling to New York from Reykjavik in Iceland with a group of school children on Feb. 16 when he told he had been selected for a random security check. He was then taken to a room and searched before being informed that he was unable to board the plane, Wales Online reports.

Miah, 25, told the news site that his luggage was taken from him and he was forced to stay in an horrendous hotel before school officials booked him on a flight back to the U.K.. As I was getting my luggage the teachers and kids were confused, he said. I couldnt believe this was happening. All the plane was quiet. I was being escorted out. It made me feel like a criminal. I couldnt speak, I was lost for words.

It is unclear why Miah was refused entry to the U.S. One week before he was removed from the plane, a panel of three judges unanimously upheld a temporary restraining order against President Donald Trumps executive order that banned arrivals from seven Muslim-majority countries.

A spokesperson from a local Welsh borough council has written to the Embassy of the United States of America in London demanding an explanation over what they described as an unjustified act of discrimination.

TIME received no immediate response from the U.S. Embassy in London.

[Wales Online]
BUJUMBURA, Burundi (AP)  A former vice president of Burundi who fled the country after criticizing the ruling party has returned to the country after accusing some of her colleagues in the opposition of being "destructive."

Alice Nzomukunda, who was one of President Pierre Nkurunziza's deputies between 2005 and 2006, returned to Burundi Monday with two other members of the opposition bloc CNARED, which has been involved in on-off peace talks with the government.

Nzomukunda resigned her post in September 2006, accusing the ruling party of corruption and rights abuses.

Her return is seen as a victory for the embattled government, which faces accusations of rights abuses since Nkurunziza sought a third term in April 2015.

Hundreds of people have died in the violence and more than 300,000 Burundians are sheltering in neighboring countries.
Bao Bao the panda has left the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington D.C., and heading back to China.

Read: 3 Tiger Cubs Being Raised by Zoo Staff After They Were Rejected by Mother

The panda, who was born in 2013 inside the zoo, has delighted Americans with her playful antics.

Thousands showed up to bid her farewell in the last few days, and Bao Bao was even gifted a special goodbye cake made out of ice to nosh on.

"Weve watched Bao Bao grow up during the past three years, and she has charmed people all over the world with her independent and playful personality," Dennis Kelly, the director of the Zoo, said in a statement posted to the National Zoo website. "Were so proud of our team who have prepared Bao Bao for the next chapter of her life as she enters the breeding program in China. This is another milestone in our 45-year history of working to study, care for and help save the giant panda and its native habitat.



The flight, dubbed the FedEx Panda Express, left Dulles International Airport in Virginia for China on Tuesday morning.

For the 16-hour flight, Bao Bao was given 55 pounds of bamboo, two pounds of apples, two bags of leafeater biscuits, cooked sweet potatoes and water.

Read: A Tail of Love: Sumatran Tiger Gets a Girlfriend at Los Angeles Zoo

The zoos Instagram page has been loaded with images of Bao Bao through the years.

Nobody does snow days better than giant pandas. Here's a look back at #BaoBao's first blizzard. #ByeByeBaoBao A post shared by Smithsonian's National Zoo (@smithsonianzoo) on Feb 20, 2017 at 11:08am PST

Female giant pandas are only able to conceive for 24 to 72 hours per year. #ByeByeBaoBao A post shared by Smithsonian's National Zoo (@smithsonianzoo) on Feb 20, 2017 at 3:36pm PST

Pregnant giant pandas experience delayed implantation, meaning an embryo floats in the uterus, implanting in the uterine wall just a few weeks before birth and growing exponentially during that time. #ByeByeBaoBao A post shared by Smithsonian's National Zoo (@smithsonianzoo) on Feb 20, 2017 at 8:04am PST

They also posted a goodbye video and thank you to those who came to see her during her final days in Washington.

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 Thank you for your love and support. You make it possible for us to save giant pandas. Here's a look back at what Bao Bao means to our team and you. #ByeByeBaoBao @fonznationalzoo @smithsonian A post shared by Smithsonian's National Zoo (@smithsonianzoo) on Feb 21, 2017 at 1:20pm PST



Watch: 'Kung Fu Panda' Goes Head-to-Head With Snowman in Epic Battle

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By Press Trust of India: Yadgir (Ktk), Feb 20 (PTI) Nine persons were killed and at least 44 others injured when the mini-lorry they were travelling in collided with a tanker near here, this evening, police said.

The incident took place near Ramasamudra, about 10 km from here.

Police said the victims were all from Ganapur village of Yadgir taluk and were returning after attending an engagement ceremony at Shahapur.

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The injured have been admitted to hospitals in Raichur and Yadgir.

Senior police and district administration officials visited the spot and a case has been registered. PTI COR KSU BN IKA

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(Reuters) - A California police officer responding to a traffic accident in the Los Angeles area was fatally shot on Monday by a gang member who was involved in the collision, a law enforcement spokesman said.

A second officer with the Whittier Police Department and the suspect, a Hispanic man in his 20s, were wounded in the exchange of gunfire, said Lieutenant John Corina of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

The fallen officer, Keith Boyer, was 53 and survived by two adult sons, California Governor Jerry Brown said in a statement expressing condolences.

The officers had responded to a traffic accident in Whittier when they determined that one of the cars was registered as stolen. When they approached it, the suspect opened fire, Corina told a news conference.

Were still trying to determine why he shot. Obviously, he was in a stolen car. He is a gang member. Were trying to determine if anything else sparked that, he said.

Both officers and the suspect were taken to a hospital, where Boyer died, Corina said. The second officer, whom officials have yet to identify, and the suspect were in stable condition.

There had been four firearms-related law enforcement deaths this year through Monday, down from nine in the same period in 2016, according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, which tracks on-duty fatalities.

(Reporting by Nathan Frandino in Washington and Daniel Trotta in New York; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Peter Cooney)
In a sign that interest in Canada as a travel destination is rising, the country's tourism office reports that 2016 saw the arrival of 19.98 million international travelers, narrowly missing the all-time record set in 2002.

Overall, international arrivals spiked 16 percent in 2016 compared to 2015, according to Destination Canada, with a record-breaking number of US travelers flying to Canada: Arrivals by air rose 17 percent in 2016 compared to 2015.

The year 2016 saw a total of 19.98 million overseas visitors travel to Canada -- the highest number in 14 years, and just 0.4 percent below the record set in 2002.

A breakdown of source markets also reveals the countries that are particularly enamored with Canada, with many setting new arrival records.

Arrivals from South Korea, for instance, saw a 30 percent spike in 2016 compared to 2015, with 244,442 travelers.

China saw an increase of 24 percent over 2015, sending 610,139 visitors, while arrivals from Australia rose 16 percent, with 333,437 visitors traveling to Canada last year.

The country is hoping to build on this momentum in 2017, when Canada fetes its 150th anniversary.

To mark the landmark anniversary, the country has scheduled a host of festivals and celebrations coast to coast. One of the biggest perks for visitors is free, year-long admission into the country's national parks, national marine conservation areas and national historic sites.

Montreal also gets double billing this year, as the city fetes its own 375th anniversary. The French-Canadian metropolis has planned 175 events across the city and expects to receive 10.7 million visitors throughout the year, including a 223 percent increase in Chinese visits from Shanghai and Beijing.

Some of the most authoritative travel experts including National Geographic Traveler, Frommer's and Lonely Planet also named Canada or cities in Canada their picks as must-see destinations for 2017.
By David Ljunggren TORONTO (Reuters) - Any talks to renew the North American Free Trade Agreement would involve all three member nations, a top Canadian official said on Tuesday, dampening speculation the United States might seek to sit down with Canada first and then Mexico. "We very much recognize that NAFTA is a three-nation agreement and were there to be any negotiations, those would be three-way negotiations," Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland told a conference on the future of North America. U.S. President Donald Trump - who says free trade treaties have cost countless thousands of American jobs - wants NAFTA to be renegotiated with a focus on cutting his country's large trade deficit with Mexico. Trump says he needs only to tweak trade ties with Canada, prompting one Canadian official to suggest to a newspaper that Washington would want to negotiate with Ottawa first. Mexico opposes the idea, which trade experts say is almost unworkable. "NAFTA is a three-party agreement and any conversation we have regarding that ... will be a three-party conversation; it has to be," Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray told reporters in Toronto after Freeland's comments. Mexican Economy Minister Guajardo Ildefonso earlier told the conference that the bulk of the NAFTA talks would have to be carried out on a trilateral basis to give investors confidence that the same set of investment rules applied everywhere. Trump has revealed little about his intentions for NAFTA, which took effect in 1994, except that he wants large changes with Mexico. [nL1N1FY0SP] The Mexican government expects the talks to start this summer, said Guajardo, who stressed several times how well Canada and Mexico had worked together in the past on trade. Former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, who helped launch the original NAFTA talks, dismissed the idea that Canada might abandon Mexico to its fate. "This under-the-bus stuff is for losers, not for winners," he told the conference. Freeland noted that Trump's choices for commerce secretary and trade representative had yet to be confirmed. "We all have to collectively be careful not to get ahead of ourselves," she said. One idea floating in Washington is that of a border tariff, which could hit Mexican exports. "Nothing in the new NAFTA should be a step backward. We will definitely not include any type of trade management measures, like quotas, or open the Pandora's box of tariffs," Guajardo said. "That will be disastrous in any process moving forward." (Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Dan Grebler)
Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel is set to be the star of the show this year at her namesake fashion house.

The luxury French brand has announced the launch of both a dedicated "Gabrielle" bag and fragrance over the course of 2017. The fashion icon will also be the focus of four films set to be released by Chanel over the course of the year, focusing on the themes of rebellion, freedom, passion and allure.

The "Gabrielle" bag was designed by the French house's Creative Director Karl Lagerfeld last October for the brand's Spring/Summer 2017 collection, while the perfume "Gabrielle Chanel" is set for release in the autumn.

The year of Gabrielle will begin this week, with the launch of "Gabrielle, a rebel at heart," a short film set to be unveiled on the house's website on February 22. The film, which is the 18th episode in the brand's "Inside Chanel" series, will examine the life of one of fashion's most iconic women, in her roles as both an artistic rebel and as a fashion designer. According to a Chanel statement, Gabrielle "initiated the attitude that encouraged women to claim a freedom to be one's self and to dare to choose their own lives," and her lasting impact on women's fashion and female empowerment will be explored in the clip.

"Gabrielle, a rebel at heart" will be unveiled on www.insidechanel.com
BEIJING (Reuters) - China on Friday jailed the former head of its safety watchdog for 15 years for graft, the state broadcaster said, wrapping up an inquiry launched after deadly blasts in 2015 killed nearly 170 people in the city of Tianjin, where he worked. Regular mishaps, from factory fires to mine cave-ins, have boosted public concern about China's relatively lax safety standards, which the government has pledged to improve. Yang Dongliang, former head of the State Administration of Work Safety, who spent much of his career in the port city, was suspected of violating law and party discipline and sacked days after the blasts in a warehouse storing hazardous chemicals. A court in Beijing found Yang guilty of abusing his position, including when he was former vice mayor of northeastern Tianjin, by accepting bribes to grant contracts to companies, China Central Television (CCTV) said. In 1999, a property developer gave Yang an apartment in a new development complex that he failed register with the authorities. The court reduced his sentence because Yang confessed and took steps to return bribe money and assets to the state treasury, CCTV said. State media did not mention the blasts. Yang could not immediately be reached for comment. The company operating the chemical warehouse that blew up in August 2015, injuring hundreds, did not have the license needed to handle and store dangerous materials for more than a year, state media said at the time. Yang's agency, the State Administration of Work Safety, said on its website he signed a directive in 2012 allowing companies to function without a license to work with dangerous chemicals as long as they had a license governing port operations. Chinese president Xi Jinping vowed after the Tianjin blasts that the authorities should learn the lessons paid for in blood. The explosions in the world's 10th-busiest port forced the evacuation of thousands of people from a large industrial site and nearby residential areas after toxic chemicals were detected in the air. There were about 700 tons of deadly sodium cyanide in the warehouse at the time, the government said. (Reporting by Christian Shepherd; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
Chinas snap decision to halt North Korean coal imports - a key economic lifeline for Pyongyang - has a broader motive aimed at shaping Donald Trump's as yet undefined policy towards the North's rogue nuclear arms programme, experts say.

North Korea defied the world a week ago with a missile test and is suspected of orchestrating the stunning assassination a day later of supreme leader Kim Jong-Un's half-brother in Malaysia, provocative acts that followed a nuclear test in September.

China is often the target of US criticism for not doing enough to rein in its irascible neighbour.

But analysts said China's ban on North Korean coal imports for the rest of this year could be an attempt by Beijing to defuse such criticisms while nudging North Korea and the United States toward negotiations.

"If China is squeezing North Korea, it is for one purpose and one purpose only: to offer a cooperative gesture to the incoming Trump administration in return for an initiative on negotiations," Stephan Haggard, of the Peterson Institute for International Economics, wrote in a blog post.

Under the Obama administration, Washington pursued a policy of "strategic patience" toward North Korea in hopes that sanctions would bring Pyongyang to heel and force it to abandon its nukes.

The incoming Trump administration has stepped up the rhetoric, with the US leader saying after the February 12 missile launch that Pyongyang was a "big, big problem" and would be dealt with "very strongly".

- Onus on Trump -

China shares US concerns about Pyongyang obtaining a nuclear weapon, but prefers negotiations to sanctions, which it fears could destabilise North Korea and send a flood of refugees across their shared border.

"Chinas main goal in making this move is to put the onus back on Washington, fair and square to solve this problem," said Peter Hayes, director of the Nautilus Institute.

"In effect they are saying to the US: OK, we did what you wanted, we lit a fire under their feet. What are you going to do to solve the DPRK problem now?" he added, using the acronym for North Korea's official name.

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The UN Security Council has imposed six sets of sanctions since Pyongyang first tested an atomic device in 2006.

But North Korea has continued to thumb its nose at the world with a series of missile launches over the years and two nuclear tests in 2016 alone.

Beijing traditionally ensures that UN sanctions against Pyongyang include humanitarian exemptions, and had continued to purchase huge amounts of North Korean coal -- over $168 million worth in December alone.

It has long resisted calls by Washington to use its economic leverage to punish North Korea for its nuclear programme, arguing it has much less influence on its unpredictable neighbour than the US thinks.

"Very few Chinese think that pain is the way to influence North Korea," said John Delury, an expert on Sino-North Korean relations at Seoul's Yonsei University.

- 'Can't dally' -

From Beijing's perspective, solving the problem will require Washington to negotiate with North Korea, whether directly or as part of a larger group.

That was a tough sell for the Obama administration, which insisted that a defiant Pyongyang take significant steps towards denuclearisation before it would consider talks.

While Trump has criticised Beijing for not doing enough to curb the North's behaviour, the coal decision suggests China "must have a sense that negotiation is under real consideration", Delury said.

China may have pressed the case for talks when Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi met his American counterpart Rex Tillerson on Friday -- just a day before the coal ban was announced -- and discussed North Korea.

China may be banking on the iconoclastic Trump's ability to shake up US policy toward the reclusive North.

Trump "wants to change his predecessor's policy ... and has the will to solve the problem, rather than simply ignore North Korea's desire" for talks, Lu Chao, a research fellow at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences told Chinese newspaper the Global Times.

But if Trump hopes to act on the opening China has given him, he "can't dally", Delury said.

He "has to figure out a way to move forward proactively with North Korea," he said. "You can't just sit and wait. The situation will get worse."

Waiting for the sanctions to bite, he said, "would be a big mistake. Because the North Koreans will just push right through it".
Monguno (Nigeria) (AFP) - The four women lay dazed on the beds of the clinic. The face of one of them was burnt. Another broke her leg during the Nigerian army offensive against Boko Haram Islamists in their village.

Civilians have often been collateral damage in the conflict that has raged in remote northeast Nigeria for nearly eight years, leaving at least 20,000 dead and more than 2.6 million homeless.

The women wait for their wounds to heal in the suffocating heat.

"Boko Haram fighters would come to their village to steal food and hide," a nurse explained. "The army went there and put the women in a truck to evacuate them.

"The military set the village on fire, so the insurgents couldn't hide anymore. But the fire 'jumped' in the truck."

The women, with their heads covered and gold nose rings in the tradition of the ethnic Kanuri group, still look terrified.

They stare at the walls and ignore visitors, afraid that questions will focus too much on the circumstances of the "liberation" of their village.

- Fighters easily blend in -

The nurse says there are no more men left. They were either killed in the fighting, drafted into the civilian militia or forced to join the ranks of Boko Haram.

Some may even be at so-called "screening" centres, where soldiers pass judgement on whether local men have been involved in the insurgency.

Such checks, free from any oversight, can take weeks or months, especially if the men are Kanuri like the majority of Boko Haram.

James Adewunmi Falode, a security analyst at the University of Lagos who tracks the conflict, said Boko Haram's resemblance to "ordinary citizens" was making the fight against them harder.

"They are not a military adversary that can be easily identified and destroyed on the battlefield. These people can easily blend into the general population when the situation demands," he said.

Even women and children, who have been repeatedly used by the group as as human bombs, are a potential threat, explaining the tensions between the military and the public.

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- 'Just criminals' -

Around Dikwa and a dozen or so other secured major towns, villages have been emptied to prevent them being used by the jihadists as hideouts or resupply points.

The military also wants to stop the mass kidnapping of their inhabitants.

"Before, they (Boko Haram) would read the Koran and try to change us," said Bulama Goni, a former village chief with a white beard in long, flowing robes.

"Now, they are just criminals, asking for money, looking rough and disgusting."

Boko Haram fighters are also starving: Nigerian army tactics have been to slowly choke the rebels, cutting off their supplies of arms and food. The strategy appears to be working.

Boko Haram used to attack major towns and cities in northeast Nigeria and in 2014 controlled territory as big as Belgium.

But now it is limited to sporadic suicide bomb attacks and ambushes of military convoys and check-points.

The military's isolation strategy, however, has not seen everywhere secured and has had an effect on the daily life of civilians.

More than five million people are in desperate need of food, according to the United Nations.

"In liberated areas there is no fuel, no communication, no public transport... even the food it's all controlled by the army," said one security operative for a major international aid agency.

"This is a classical counter-insurgency strategy left over from the Vietnam war. It hasn't changed but it's not sustainable," he added.

- Suspicious activity -

Monguno, in the north of Borno state, is a former trading hub near the edge of Lake Chad, the watery border between Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon.

There are currently about 100,000 people in the town's camps. But some 27,000 people are waiting for food distribution.

According to Ibrahim Maina, the coordinator for the Borno state emergency management agency, the last handouts were in November last year. Everyone's face is etched with hunger.

The road linking Monguno to the state capital Maiduguri, 137 kilometres (86 miles) away, has been reopened.

Muhammadu Sanni, goes to the shores of Lake Chad once a week to catch catfish to feed his family. But he says he can't catch a lot.

"If (the military) stop me with a lot of fish, they will think I'm smuggling for Boko Haram," he said, as he fixed his nylon net.

"I will go back to screening and it will take a long time."
After urging from many  including his former presidential rival  President Trump denounced anti-Semitism Tuesday morning.

This tour was a meaningful reminder of why we have to fight bigotry, intolerance and hatred in all of its very ugly forms, said Trump in a statement at the National Museum of African-American History and Culture. The anti-Semitic threats targeting our Jewish community and community centers are horrible and are painful and a very sad reminder of the work that must be done to root out hate and prejudice and evil.

Earlier that day, Hillary Clinton had joined the chorus urging Trump to denounce the threats.

JCC threats, cemetery desecration & online attacks are so troubling & they need to be stopped, the former Secretary of State tweeted Tuesday morning. Everyone must speak out, starting w/ @POTUS.

Not long after Clintons posted her call to Trump, MSNBC aired an interview in which Trump called for an end to the anti-Semitic attacks. I will tell you that anti-Semitism is horrible, Trump said.

Slideshow: Leaving hate behind >>>

Clinton has occasionally needled Trump via social media since his inauguration, supporting the womens march, stating that the presidents travel ban was not who we are, taunting the appeals court loss and making a fake news joke after the ousting of former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn.

On Monday, at least 11 Jewish community centers were evacuated after bomb threats, bringing the total number of centers that have been threatened since Trumps election to 54. In addition to the bomb threats, more than 100 headstones were recently desecrated at a historic Jewish cemetery near St. Louis.

Ivanka Trump, who converted to Judaism when she married Jared Kushner, denounced the attacks via Twitter:

America is a nation built on the principle of religious tolerance. We must protect our houses of worship & religious centers. #JCC  Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) February 20, 2017

Some, including the Anti-Defamation League and Mort Klein, president of the Zionist Organization of America, have called for the president himself to speak out.

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When asked by MSNBC whether he was directly denouncing anti-Semitism, Trump said, Of course  I do it whenever I get a chance I do it.

Trump had neglected the opportunity during two press conferences last week.

In a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump was asked, I wonder what do you say to those among the Jewish community around the United States, and in Israel, and maybe around the world who believe and feel your administration is playing with xenophobia and maybe racist tones? Trumps initial reply was to cite his margin of victory and the fact he had a daughter, son-in-law, three grandchildren and friends who are all Jewish.

And at a separate Thursday press conference, Trump was pressed about why his administration had yet to denounce the anti-Semitic attacks. Trump said that the question wasnt fair, and ordered Jake Turx  who writes for the Orthodox Jewish publication Ami Magazine  to sit down. The president also told Turx that he was the least anti-Semitic and least racist person he would ever meet.

Read more from Yahoo News:
By Tom Miles and Aaron Ross GENEVA/KINSHASA (Reuters) - Democratic Republic of Congo must investigate credible reports of atrocities including summary executions by the armed forces, U.N. human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad al Hussein said on Monday. The U.N. human rights office has documented the killings of more than 280 people since July 2016 in a flare-up in violence in Kasai Central province, where Congolese forces have been battling an uprising by the Kamuina Nsapu militia. "There are multiple, credible allegations of massive human rights violations in Kasai, Kasai Central, Kasai Oriental and Lomami provinces, amid a sharp deterioration in security situation there, including people being targeted by soldiers for their alleged affiliation with a local militia, Zeid said in a statement. "It is time to stop a blunt military response that does nothing to tackle the root causes of the conflict between the government and local militias but instead targets civilians on the basis of their presumed links to the militias," he said. The U.N. statement followed the emergence of a video at the weekend that appeared to show Congolese troops shooting dead members of the militia in the province. The U.N. said its peacekeeping mission, MONUSCO, was not in a position to verify the origin or authenticity of the video, which showed unarmed victims being shot at point blank range as they lay bleeding on the ground. After initially promising an investigation, the government has dismissed the video as a "montage" created by political opponents based in Brussels. On Monday, government spokesman Lambert Mende said it was up to foreign countries accusing the army of having committed exactions to prove their cases. "The government calls on its partners to cease promoting condescending and/or deliberately malicious attitudes toward the institutions of DRC that work to consolidate the rule of law," Mende said. The United States, France and the European Union all called for an investigation on Monday, and Zeid added his voice, saying the government must launch an independent and transparent probe and hold those responsible to account. (Reporting by Tom Miles and Aaron Ross; editing by Stephanie Nebehay and Toby Chopra)
A 10-year-old Ohio girl took to heart the old adage, "if you need help, find a police officer," seeking out local cops to lend a hand in solving her tricky math homework.

Read: Police Build Kitty Condo for Stray Cat That Has Been Visiting Department For Years

Lena Draper, 10, of Heritage Elementary School in Marion, was struggling with the order of operations unit in her math class late one night, when she decided to go online to look for help.

I saw [the Marion, Ohio Police Department] on YouTube, when a boy, a first grader, called the police with a problem, Lena told InsideEdition.com. I thought they would know math, and they do.

So, she decided to go out on a limb, and message the local law enforcement on Facebook.

Im having trouble with my homework. Could you help me? Lena wrote in a Facebook message.

Lieutenant B.J. Gruber, who has been with the department for more than 20 years, wrote back and walked her through the equation.

This is probably the most unique message Ive ever had, Gruber told InsideEdition.com. This is the exact environment we try to nurture  this sense among children that not only can you come to us if you have a problem at home or at school, if we have time, we can answer homework questions too.

Gruber, who is a father of four, said being able to help a young kid in need was just an added bonus.

I love the idea of feeling like were meeting needs within the community, he explained. I love kids.

However, Gruber joked he could probably use some help next time a student asks him about homework.

The fact that I gave her a wrong answer was kind of tough, Gruber laughed. Maths the other side of the brain  Im more of a creative type.

Read: Firefighter Delivers Baby Girl in Ambulance, Adopts Her 48 Hours Later

Even so, Lenas mom Molly Draper said she was amazed at how willing their local police department was to extend a helping hand, even if it wasnt a matter of public safety.

Story continues

I didnt believe [my daughter] at first until she showed me, Draper said. I am glad they took the time, because they have other things to do, but I thought it was fantastic.

Gruber said he plans to surprise her at her school on Tuesday with a T-shirt and other goodies, to show the police department is supporting her every step of the way.

Watch: A Cop, Skip and a Jump: Cop Plays Hopscotch With Homeless Girl to Comfort Her

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By Press Trust of India: Boston, Feb 21 (PTI) Scientists are developing a new way of extracting uranium from seawater, an advance that may help countries that lack resources to harness nuclear power from the oceans.

Researchers have long known that uranium dissolved in seawater combines chemically with oxygen to form uranyl ions with a positive charge.

Extracting these uranyl ions involves dipping plastic fibers containing a compound called amidoxime into seawater. The uranyl ions essentially stick to the amidoxime.

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When the strands become saturated, the plastic is chemically treated to free the uranyl, which then has to be refined for use in reactors just like ore from a mine.

How practical this approach is depends on three main variables - how much uranyl sticks to the fibres, how quickly ions can be captured and how many times the fibers can be reused.

Researchers from Stanford University in the US improved on all three variables: capacity, rate and reuse.

Their key advance was to create a conductive hybrid fiber incorporating carbon and amidoxime. By sending pulses of electricity down the fiber, they altered the properties of the hybrid fibre so that more uranyl ions could be collected.

Postdoctoral scholar Chong Liu oversaw the lab tests that compared Stanfords amidoxime-carbon hybrid fibers with todays amidoxime fibres.

First she tested how much uranyl each type of fiber could hold before reaching saturation.

In these tests she found that by the time the standard amidoxime fibre had become saturated, Stanfords amidoxime-carbon hybrid fibres had already adsorbed nine times as much uranyl and were still not saturated.

The electrified fibre captured three times as much uranyl during an 11-hour test using seawater from Half Moon Bay, about an hour from Stanford and had three times the useful lifespan of the standard amidoxime.

Trace amounts of uranium exists in seawater, but efforts to extract that critical ingredient for nuclear power have produced insufficient quantities to make it a viable source for those countries that lack uranium mines.

A practical method for extracting that uranium, which produces higher quantities in less time, could help make nuclear power a viable part of the quest for a carbon-free energy future.

"Concentrations are tiny, on the order of a single grain of salt dissolved in a litre of water," said Yi Cui, a materials scientist at Stanford University in the US.

"But the oceans are so vast that if we can extract these trace amounts cost effectively, the supply would be endless," said Cui.

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Researchers belive that a practical way to extract uranium from seawater is needed to reduce the energy insecurity of nations that depend on nuclear power but lack uranium within their own borders.

The research was published in the journal Nature Energy. PTI MHN SAR MHN

--- ENDS ---
Corey Lewandowski, Donald Trump's former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, has denied the president's false claim that there was massive voter fraud in New Hampshire, costing him the 2016 popular vote. Lewandowski, a resident of the state, said he didn't see evidence of voter fraud.

I live on the border, Lewandowski said in an interview with CNN's The Axe Files podcast, The Huffington Post reported. I didnt see buses coming across the line to say that, hey, weve moved up from Massachusetts.

The president has alleged that Democrat Hillary Clinton won the popular vote because undocumented imigrants illegally cast millions of votes against him, among other unverified incidents of fraud. Trump has told senators and insisted on Twitter that he would have won in New Hampshire if not for "thousands" of people who were "brought on buses" from Massachusetts to illegally cast ballots in New Hampshire. Trump has also said he would demand a major investigation into voter fraud in the country, headed by Vice President Mike Pence.

"I don't think you have that," Lewandowski said of the fraud claim.

Other New Hampshire Republicans have also defended the state's voting process, including a former GOP state party chair and the current New Hampshire secretary of state. But White House policy adviser Stephen Miller has insisted that the Trump administration has ample evidence of widespread voter fraud, none of which has been shared with the public.

The White House has provided enormous evidence with respect to voter fraud, with respect to people being registered in more than one state, Miller told ABCs This Week. Dead people voting, non-citizens being registered to vote. George, it is a fact and you will not deny it that are massive numbers of non-citizens in this country who are registered to vote.

Clinton won more voters than any other losing presidential candidate in U.S. history. She received almost 2.9 million votes more than Trump, or with 65,844,954 votes to his 62,979,879, according to revised and certified final election results in December.

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(Corrects paragraph 2 to "targeting a valuation" instead "aims to raise"; adds billion to show the range was $20 billion to $25 billion) By Simon Jessop and Sophie Sassard LONDON (Reuters) - Snap Inc, owner of popular messaging app Snapchat, kicked off its first investor roadshow on Monday, looking to persuade London money managers to back its initial public offering in the face of concerns about its growth prospects, valuation and corporate governance. The U.S. company, which has yet to make a profit, is targeting a valuation of between $19.5 billion and $22.3 billion from listing on the New York Stock Exchange, after cutting its initial target of $20 billion-$25 billion last week following investor feedback. Investors attending Monday's event said Snap's 26-year-old Chief Executive Evan Spiegel gave a sleek presentation. However, they were disappointed there were no projections on the company's future revenues or advertising share - an indication of how quickly Snap thinks it can make money from its huge user base. "That's the million dollar question and we won't find out for some time," said one potential backer on his way out from the hour-long event where Spiegel ditched his usual casual wear and wore a suit with no tie. Some were disappointed that it was just a question-and-answer session with no demonstration of Snapchat's spectacles, launched in the United States late last year, which come with a built-in camera. One attendee, however, said it made sense not to push the hardware angle too much at this stage. Few U.S. firms aside from Apple have made big profits on hardware, and camera and wearable gadget makers have much lower valuations than Snap is seeking. Most of the questions related to how the company plans to manage its engagement with advertisers and users, and monetise that better, according to people who were in the room. Its responses won over some potential investors. "Management did a good show, they were very convincing," said one attendee. Los Angeles-based Snap also plans roadshows in New York, Boston and San Francisco. It expects to price its IPO after the U.S. market closes on March 1, according to a confidential document seen by Reuters. GOVERNANCE CONCERNS Some fund managers have said they will stay away from Snap given its decision to adopt a three class share structure - the first of its kind - that will mean shareholders who buy in through the IPO will not have any voting rights. Instead Spiegel and his co-founder Bobby Murphy will have the right to 10 votes for every share, and existing investors one vote for each of their shares. "My view would be investors should tread with caution here, the fact the shares will carry no voting rights would be a major concern for me from a governance perspective," Richard Saldanha, global equities fund manager at Aviva Investors, said ahead of the roadshow. Aviva manages 318 billion pounds across a range of asset classes. Mike Fox, head of sustainable investments at Royal London Asset Management, said the inability to vote against a company at its annual general meeting was a "major red flag" and he would not be taking part in the IPO. "It is worth noting that while many U.S. tech firms have delivered tremendous returns for investors following their listing, performance of firms in this sector has not always matched investor expectations following an IPO," he said, also before the meeting. Others were less worried, though. "Snapchat offers a cocktail of hype, insane valuations, dubious fundamentals and weak governance. However, the same was said about companies like Google and Facebook when they listed," said Geir Lode, head of global equities at Hermes Investment Management. "For tech companies early in their lifecycle the weak governance structure is fairly typical, and even with those concerns subsequent shareholder returns have often been stellar." With tech-savvy millennial users of Snap's products able and willing to quickly jump ship to the next Big Thing, there were also concerns about its competitive position versus industry rivals such as Facebook. "Barriers for entry would appear low here as well, and you could see their demographic - 18-34 year olds - easily shift to another service," Aviva Investors' Saldanha said. (Reporting by Simon Jessop; Editing by Susan Fenton)
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)  A federal appeals court plans to consider arguments over the constitutionality of Ohio's lethal injection process as the state tries to start carrying out executions once again.

At issue is whether a contested sedative, midazolam, is powerful enough to put inmates into a deep state of unconsciousness before two subsequent drugs paralyze them and stop their hearts.

A related issue is whether Ohio has a realistic chance of finding an alternative drug  a barbiturate called pentobarbital  that once was widely used in executions but has become difficult or, in Ohio's case, impossible to obtain.

The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati had scheduled arguments for Tuesday, but reset them for March 7. The court's ruling, likely a few weeks afterward, will be closely watched not just in Ohio but in other states that use midazolam or might be looking to try it.

The case reached the court after Ohio appealed a federal judge's ruling that rejected the state's current three-drug method.

Executions have been on hold since January 2014 when inmate Dennis McGuire took 26 minutes to die under a never-before-tried two-drug method that began with midazolam. The same drug was involved in a problematic execution later that year in Arizona.

Ohio announced its three-drug method in October, and said it had enough for at least four executions, though records obtained by The Associated Press indicated the supply could cover dozens of procedures.

The prison system used 10 milligrams of midazolam on McGuire. The new system calls for 500 milligrams. The state said there's plenty of evidence proving the larger amount will keep inmates from feeling pain.

Ohio also said the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the use of midazolam in 2015 in a case out of Oklahoma.

"Ohio has the capability to perform constitutional executions now. It should be permitted to do so," Thomas Madden, an assistant attorney general, said in Ohio's appeal.

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Attorneys for death row inmates said Magistrate Judge Michael Merz got it right in last month's ruling, when he said that the "three-drug midazolam protocol creates a substantial risk of serious harm."

Those attorneys also said the U.S. Supreme Court case involved evidence unique to Oklahoma. And they said Ohio has an alternative option: finding pentobarbital.

Ohio disagrees, and said that over time it asked seven states in vain for the drug. Of the seven, only Georgia, Missouri and Texas appear to have reliable sources of pentobarbital when needed. Those states won't reveal the source.

On Feb. 10, Republican Ohio Gov. John Kasich delayed eight executions to allow time for the appeals court arguments.

Ronald Phillips, who was scheduled to die Feb. 15 for raping and killing his girlfriend's 3-year-old daughter in Akron in 1993, is now set for execution May 10.

___

Andrew Welsh-Huggins can be reached on Twitter at https://twitter.com/awhcolumbus. His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/andrew-welsh-huggins.

___

This story has been corrected to show the date of Oklahoma case was 2015, not last year, and updated that Tuesday arguments were reset for March 7.
Chinese students at the University of California, San Diego, are protesting an upcoming visit from the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader. The students called the university's decision to ask the Dalai Lama to serve as this year's commencement speaker culturally disrespectful and described the holy man as a separatist leader intent on dividing their home country, a view shared by China's Communist Party.

The Chinese Students and Scholars Association at UCSD said it contacted the Chinese consulate in Los Angeles to initiate negotiations with relevant departments at the university. Students also protested the decision on Facebook and Twitter using the hashtag #ChineseStudentsMatter.

The Dalai Lama is not only a religious personality but also a political exile who has long been carrying out actions to divide the motherland and to destroy national unity, the Chinese Students and Scholars Association said in a statement translated from Chinese by Inside Higher Ed. The group said it would be firm in boycotting any action taking any form, with unclear motives, that denigrate and belittle Chinese history, that recklessly disseminate provocative and extremely politically hostile discourse, in turn affecting the international image of China.

The statement adds: "These actions have dampened the passion for learning in many Chinese students and scholars."

Student Ruixuan Wang explained in the main UCSD student newspaper, The Guardian, that family members visiting from China for commencement would find the speech offensive. "The Dalai Lama, as a political icon, is viewed differently in our country. We want to spend a fantastic time with our family during the commencement, but his presence will ruin our joy," Wang wrote. "What we want to say is that objectively, he will be an excellent speaker for the commencement. Nonetheless, culturally speaking, his selection to be a presenter is inappropriate in such a situation, considering how many Chinese students and their families are going to attend this commencement.

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The university, however, has said it would not back down. The commencement ceremony was scheduled for June 17 and is by invitation only.

The University of California, San Diego, has always served as a forum for discussion and interaction on important public policy issues and respects the rights of individuals to agree or disagree as we consider issues of our complex world, the university said. Our 2017 speaker, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, carries a message that promotes global responsibility and service to humanity that is of great interest to the UC San Diego community and to our students as they enter their professional lives. As a public university dedicated to the civil exchange of views, the university believes commencement is one of many events that provide an appropriate opportunity to present to graduates and their families a message of reflection and compassion.

UCSD chancellor, Pradeep K. Khosla, called the Dalai Lama a man of peace who promotes global responsibility and service to humanity. He is the winner of the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize for "nonviolent opposition to China's occupation of Tibet."

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WASHINGTON (AP)  The National Zoo in Washington has said its final goodbye to its panda cub Bao Bao.

The zoo packed up the American-born panda Tuesday for a one-way flight to Chengdu, China, where the 3-year-old will eventually join a panda breeding program.

Bao Bao left the zoo Tuesday morning in a special crate and began her 16-hour flight to China on Tuesday afternoon from Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia.

The cub won't have to worry about finding overhead bin space or dealing with a talkative seatmate on the 16-hour, nonstop flight. She'll be the only panda on the plane, traveling with a keeper and a veterinarian.

In preparation for the trip, keepers have packed Bao Bao's favorite foods, including bamboo, apples and sweet potatoes.
Even as the clamor for President Donald Trumps impeachment grows and public protest against his presidency intensifies, Democrats seem divided on the question of impeachment in an almost catch-22 situation.

Trump began his first week in office with a 36 percent approval rating, the lowest for any new president. His overall average rating from over a dozen or so polls has since wavered at about 45 percent approving and 50 percent disapproving.

However, some Democrats have urged caution in recent days about moving forward with impeachment proceedings without further evidence of misconduct, Politico reported Sunday. While there are several issues that could potentially cause trouble for Trump, including a potential conflict of interest over his financial ties, his immigration travel ban and his alleged ties to Russia, presidents cant be impeached for their unpopularity.

"When and if he breaks the law, that is when something like that would come up. But that's not the subject of today," Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said earlier this month.

California Rep. Eric Swalwell, a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle of Pennsylvania have also urged Democrats to hold off. Before you can use the I word, you really need to collect all the factsthe I word we should be focused on is 'investigations," he said.

Part of the hesitation is the concern that an overzealous opposition may lead to galvanizing more support for Trump. Republicans in both the GOP House and Senate campaign wings have reportedly already responded to criticism with fundraising pleas to defend the president.

No president has EVER endured the level of disrespect shown to President Trump. (Its sickening) Unprecedented obstruction from the left on his cabinet nominees. Mockery and scorn from the liberal media. And now the liberal elite are calling for his impeachment  IN HIS FIRST MONTH, read one National Republican Senatorial Committee email from last week, according to Politico.

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That's not to say Democrats aren't taking any action against the Trump White House. Many are backing an investigation from the Republican-led Senate Intelligence Committee into Trumps ties to Russia.

But for Trump's fierest opponents, that's not enough. The Democratic National Committee, for example, has called Trump's coziness with Russia bigger than Watergate" and demanded an independent, 9/11-style commission into the White House.

Meanwhile, Democratic leaders such as California Rep. Maxine Waters, Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin and Texas Rep. Joaquin Castro have publicly called for impeachment proceedings to be initiated against Trump.

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President Donald Trump on Monday named Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster as his national security advisor, a seasoned military officer known for his combat leadership in two wars in Iraq, proven counterinsurgency savvy, and a hefty intellect. But while Trumps choice won universal praise in Washington, it remains unclear whether the president will grant the Army general the authority and access he needs to bring order and discipline to a chaotic White House run by political operatives.

McMaster, whose Ph.D. dissertation-turned-book in 1997 about the Vietnam War won accolades, has gained a reputation for bucking conventional wisdom as an officer in Iraq, and former colleagues say he has never shied away from speaking his mind or telling his superiors what they dont want to hear. His award-winning book, Dereliction of Duty, indicted the timidity of senior U.S. military leaders who failed to push back against the White Houses political agenda during the early years of Vietnam, sowing the seeds for defeat.

McMaster is also revered for battlefield exploits during both Iraq wars  the 1991 Gulf War and the 2003 Iraq invasion  especially his textbook campaign against al Qaeda in in the northern Iraqi city of Tal Afar in 2005. With ideological firebrands in the White House with no battlefield experience in the Middle East, McMaster could serve as a counterpoint and a voice of experience in policy debates, experts and former officials said.

But McMaster enters an administration led by a president with a predilection for improvisation and who relies heavily on Stephen Bannon and other political aides that counseled him during his electoral campaign, making it uncertain that the laureled generals strategic nous will be heard.

Trump announced the decision from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida after his previous choice, retired Vice Adm. Robert Harward, turned down the job when he was told he could not pick his own team at the National Security Council.

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Unlike Harward and other candidates for the job, McMaster is  and will remain  an active duty member of the military, and by custom and tradition does not have the option of rebuffing the commander in chief or imposing conditions before accepting the job.

Youre wearing the uniform of the nation, and when the president asks you to do something, the answer is, Yes, Mr. President, said Peter Mansoor, a close friend of McMasters and retired Army colonel who served with him in Iraq. My guess is being a serving military officer, he probably entered the job without preconditions.

The White House insisted the general would have the leeway needed to recruit his own team. The president gave full authority for McMaster to hire whatever staff he sees fit, White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said.

Trumps insistence on maintaining former Fox News analyst K.T. McFarland as deputy national security advisor was a big reason Harward bowed out.

McMasters noted book takes the militarys top brass to task for deferring to the White House in the early 1960s and failing to provide their honest opinion of  or even substantially shape  a doomed war strategy. In the book, which McMaster wrote when he was a major, he refers to the chiefs of the armed services disdainfully as the five silent men.

In his new job, McMaster could face his own test of leadership and conscience as the Trump administration weighs its approach to the war against Islamic State. The president has promised to lift restraints on the military and to deliver a swift and decisive victory against the extremists, who are already on the retreat in Iraq. But McMaster is well-versed in the complexities and pitfalls of the regions sectarian and ethnic politics, and learned first-hand how Islamist extremists took root in Iraq.

When he led the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment in the desert of northwestern Iraq in 2005, he arranged basic Arabic-language instruction for many of his soldiers beforehand and assigned them reading on Arab and Iraqi history.

And when McMaster had arrived at what he thought was a winning plan to take back the northern town of Tal Afar from al Qaeda in Iraq, the then-colonel concluded he needed additional troops to succeed. That idea was opposed by his commander, so he went over his superiors head and won approval for his plan from more senior officers in Baghdad.

His plan worked and became a model for counterinsurgency tactics in Iraq. He went to help the then-commander of American forces in Iraq, Gen. David Petraeus, reshape the Iraq campaign to enable U.S. forces to salvage a war effort that at the time was on the brink of failure.

His actions in Iraq and elsewhere put him at odds with some of the more conservative generals who ran the Army, and McMaster was twice passed over for promotion to brigadier general in 2006 and 2007. With one of the most innovative officers in the Army facing a forced retirement, Petraeus returned from Iraq to take over the promotion board, and made sure that the controversial colonel pinned on his first star in 2008.

In 2010, McMaster was sent to Afghanistan to head a task force given the thankless job of helping reform the Afghan military and stamping out corruption in its ranks. The infamously crooked institution has made some progress since then, but it remains racked by graft, allegations of abuse of civilians, and indiscipline.

McMaster, unlike Trumps first pick, Army Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, has won broad applause. Sen. John McCain, who has accused the White House of presiding over a dysfunctional national security policy-making machine, promptly issued a statement hailing McMaster as an outstanding choice.

McCain and other lawmakers have also praised other picks to Trumps national security team, including Defense James Mattis, CIA Director Mike Pompeo and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly. But so far, their influence is a matter of debate.

Trump has continued to alarm foreign partners with his rhetoric questioning the value of long standing alliances like NATO, while his cabinet officers have labored to reassure nervous allies about the strength of U.S. commitments. And his executive order on a controversial travel ban affecting seven predominantly Muslim countries was reportedly drafted with little input from his cabinet.

The inexperienced and famously impulsive president has so far resisted embracing a centralized policy-making channel presided over by the National Security Council. And McMaster will face a daunting challenge to break through Trumps inner circle to forge a rapport with the president.

The problem is theres another competing center of power in the White House, Mansoor, now a professor of military history at Ohio State University, told FP.

But if anyone can make it work, H.R.s the man.

FP reporter Paul McLeary contributed to this article.

Photo credit: NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images
A Maryland surgeon completely straightened out the arm of an 8-year-old boy, who was born with a radial club, in a surgery that utilized his foot bone.

Lai Dings genetic condition caused him to have a shortened forearm and an arm that curved at a right angle. His condition was said to be drawing unwanted attention to the boy, according to doctors.

Read: 4 Sets of Formerly Conjoined Twins Gather for Special Get-Together: 'Miracles in One Room'

His parents turned to doctors to help straighten the 8-year-olds arm and allow it to grow with him.

In the first surgery of its kind in the U.S., Dr. Ryan Katz of The Curtis National Hand Center at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital, performed a procedure that removed a bone from Lai Dings second toe, including a growth plate, and used it to create a functioning hand and arm.

Post-operatively, he has done great. He is walking without a limp and doing recreational activities, Dr. Katz told InsideEdition.com. He is using his hands more and more.

Read: CBS Newsman Charlie Rose to Undergo Heart Surgery: 'No One Loves Life More Than I Do'

The micro-surgeon consulted a doctor from Finland for instruction on the technique they used in the eight-hour procedure.

"He can now grow longitudinally. These complex problems may have complex and unique solutions and it pays to ask around to find the institutions that can offer solutions."

Lai goes to physical therapy every week and continues to grow leaps and bounds.

Watch: Surgeons at This Children's Hospital Fix Patients and Their Stuffed Animals

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There are often many controversies surrounding a reality show; some of them are true, and some are just baseless rumours/publicity stunts. Here are a few examples

By India Today Web Desk: Reality shows court controversy, and the two share a love-hate relationship with each other. And why are we suddenly talking about this? Well, as some of you might know that according to recent reports, TV personality Karan Kundrra has been replaced by popular VJ/DJ Nikhil Chinapa for Roadies Rising. Why? Because apparently Karan had slapped a contestant during an audition and had gotten violent towards another (contestant).

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But is this just a publicity stunt or is there some truth to it?

Also read: Bigg Boss 10: Om Swami to participate in the finale episode?

We say this because there have been several such controversies in the past about a contestant or a judge/host prior to a new show's premiere, but these reports quickly prove to be false when a show is launched. Here are a few examples:

Jacqueline Fernandez and Farah Khan don't get along on the sets of Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa

Jacqueline apparently dated Farah's sibling Sajid Khan, but they broke up later. Little did the actress know that she would soon be sharing a set with her former partner's sister, Farah. There were a number of reports about how the ladies couldn't stand each other and shared cold vibes on the sets of the dance reality show. But anyone who had ever tuned in to watch the show would know that they got along just fine.

Reports of Farah Khan replacing Ganesh Hegde on Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa

The popular dance reality show was in the news when someone wrote a report claiming that judge of the show and choreographer Ganesh Hegde might be replaced by choreographer-director Farah Khan. But we all know what eventually happened. Both Ganesh and Farah were roped in for the show.

Judges of Indian Idol Season 9 can't stand each other

Sonu Nigam, Anu Malik and Farah Khan were judges of Season 1 of the musical reality show. And they were called once again for Season 9 of the show. But despite the history they shared, there were some rumours about how the three of them didn't get along.

As they say, seeing is believing. And we can't see any tension between any of them.

Bigg Boss 10 contestant Om Swami was supposed to be a part of the show's finale

And we all know how that one turned out. Swami---who was kicked out of the show, thanks to his abominable behaviour---had made tall claims to various media houses that he was going to be a part of the show's finale. He had even promised to teach the other contestants and host Salman Khan a lesson for mistreating him on the show. But he was not present for the finale, much to everyone's delight.

--- ENDS ---

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Donald Trumps new national security advisor, Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, has inherited a world in which the tectonic plates are perceptibly shifting. Power, long centered in Washington, is radiating eastward toward Moscow, Tehran, New Delhi, and Beijing. Meanwhile, the rules and institutions of the international system that have for 70 years maintained some modicum of order are visibly under stress, as are the states that make up that system. Whether it recognizes it yet or not, the Trump administration will likely be forced to confront the ongoing challenge of how to restore stability.

The unraveling is most apparent in the Middle East. Four states have failed and collapsed into civil war (Syria, Iraq, Libya, and Yemen); others are at peril of the same. In Syria, it is now Russia, not the United States, that is calling the shots, having brazenly inserted its military  together with Iran and its proxies  into the conflict in 2015 to save Syrian strongman Bashar al-Assad from defeat. As in the regions other civil conflicts, the breakdown of order has led to unmitigated chaos: up to a half-million Syrians killed and more than 11 million displaced. The Islamic State and al Qaeda have profited from the mayhem to secure territory and recruits while committing unspeakable atrocities of their own.

But the unraveling is evident in Europe as well. Europe is dealing with a not dissimilar crisis of political legitimacy, most noticeably on its periphery, as weak states such as Greece and Bulgaria struggle to provide their citizens with jobs and services in the face of severe fiscal constraints. Europe also is coping with the consequences of the Middle Easts civil wars in the form of massive refugee flows and terrorist attacks. The fear these consequences have generated has strengthened far-right political parties with anti-immigrant, law-and-order messages, contributing to the Brexit victory in Britain and threatening ultimately to undermine the European Union as a whole.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed his preference for the more multipolar world that is starting to emerge from these dark centripetal forces of disorder. He appears to want to revert to 19th-century balance-of-power politics, wherein a few large states broker among themselves issues of war and peace and maintain order within their respective spheres of influence, often by aligning with local strongmen.

Some people in the new administration have suggested they would not be interested in arresting the unraveling of global politics in this direction. But they will ultimately find themselves compelled, for the sake of American power and prosperity, to try revitalizing for a new era the rules-based international order constructed following World War II. At that time, the United States, eager to prevent Europes bloody wars from ever recurring and the scourge of communism from spreading, helped design a web of international and regional institutions to shore up its European allies and encouraged cooperation rather than armed conflict among states.

A somewhat analogous challenge faces the United States today in the Middle East. The region is likely to be the fiery cauldron in which the global order either gets reforged for a new era or melts down entirely. Syria may provide the first test. The Russians would like the United States to accept Assads continued rule of that shattered country, in return for a partnership to fight the Islamic State and al Qaeda together. But that is not how stability will be achieved in the Middle East. Assad has alienated too many Syrians through his misrule and brutalities to be able to put his country back together. In the absence of a viable and vibrant Syria that offers its citizens some hope for the future, any battlefield gains against the Islamic State and al Qaeda are likely to be ephemeral.

Instead, the United States should seek to negotiate a resolution to the Syrian conflict that safeguards the interests of all parties and provides broad latitude for local and provincial self-government. The Russians need to be persuaded that the war is unwinnable and that Assad is not capable of stabilizing the country. If words alone fail to sway them, then a policy of greater humanitarian protection for civilians trapped in the conflict  combined with a stepped-up U.S. effort against the Islamic State in tandem with regional partners  should provide greater leverage to nudge them toward a negotiated settlement.

For the region more broadly, the agenda needs to be no less ambitious. The measures required to put the Middle East on a more positive trajectory resemble those undertaken in Europe 70 years ago: stop the fighting, negotiate equitable and inclusive political settlements (in this case to the regions other civil wars), shore up weak states to make them resistant to subversion, encourage political leaders to govern in ways that strengthen their legitimacy and unleash the talents of their people, and develop regional institutions that help mitigate conflict and enhance the prospects for cooperation. To achieve this, the United States should partner with states in and outside the region that share its interest in a more stable Middle East. It is high time that those in the region took the lead, providing the vision and doing the lions share of the work, but the United States, Europe, and potentially Russia and China should help, as a matter of self-interest.

This may seem a tall order, but the benefits could be substantial. A more secure and prosperous Middle East would undercut radical Islams ideological appeal, stabilize Europes southern border, and open up a market of more than 300 million consumers. Such a project could give new purpose to the transatlantic relationship while reinvigorating and expanding the existing international order for a new era.

As it contemplates how to deal with an increasingly chaotic world, the new administration will ultimately face a choice: Do you throw your lot in with strongmen who offer the semblance of order but cannot provide lasting stability, or do you double down on a rules-based international system that has been far from perfect but delivered 70 years of peace and prosperity in an otherwise anarchical world? No other choice could be more consequential.

Photo credit: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images
President Donald Trump is trying to clarify baffling remarks he made about Sweden over the weekend.

Read: Pundits, Late Night Comics Rip Trump's Bizarre Presser: 'It's Crazy What We're Watching'

The president sparked confusion when he spoke about an alleged refugee-related security incident in Sweden on Friday night. He later admitted he had been referencing a Fox News report he'd seen on television the night before.

On Sunday and again on Monday, Trump took to Twitter to blast the media's coverage of his comments.

He wrote: The FAKE NEWS media is trying to say that large scale immigration in Sweden is working out just beautifully. NOT!

My statement as to what's happening in Sweden was in reference to a story that was broadcast on @FoxNews concerning immigrants & Sweden.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 19, 2017

Give the public a break - The FAKE NEWS media is trying to say that large scale immigration in Sweden is working out just beautifully. NOT!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 20, 2017

At the Florida rally on Saturday, he had said: We've got to keep our country safe. You look at what's happening in Germany, you look at what's happening last night in Sweden. Sweden, who would believe this?"

Read: Meeting of the Minds: Hillary Clinton and Her 'SNL' Impersonator Kate McKinnon Dine Together

Since there was not attack in the Scandinavian country Friday, his comments left many baffled, including the Swedish Embassy, which sent him a message

We look forward to informing the US administration about Swedish immigration and integration policies. https://t.co/x5G3euOWRh  Embassy of Sweden US (@SwedeninUSA) February 19, 2017

Former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt also tweeted about Trump's statements.

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Sweden? Terror attack? What has he been smoking? Questions abound. https://t.co/XWgw8Fz7tj  Carl Bildt (@carlbildt) February 19, 2017

Even Chelsea Clinton tweeted at the president, referencing Kellyanne Conway's earlier statements about the non-existent "Bowling Green Massacre."

What happened in Sweden Friday night? Did they catch the Bowling Green Massacre perpetrators?  Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) February 19, 2017

Chelsea Clinton attended a Muslim rally in Times Square Sunday. The rally was held to object to Trumps proposed travel ban on refugees and people from certain Middle Eastern countries.

Thank you to all who organized #IAmAMuslimToo today - Charlotte's 1st protest rally. #NoBanNoWallNoRaids pic.twitter.com/5mSXGQtPJU  Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) February 19, 2017

During Trumps rally on Saturday, his wife, Melania Trump, made her first public appearance since becoming first lady. She recited the Lords Prayer to the crowd.

Watch: Scrawl of Duty: Handwriting Expert Reveals What Trump's Penmanship Says About His Personality

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The Hague (AFP) - The Netherlands took a step closer to regulating the wholesale cultivation of cannabis after lawmakers Tuesday narrowly passed a bill to back legal growing and sale of the soft drug under government control.

The Dutch decriminalised the sale of small amounts of cannabis -- less than five grams -- in 1976 and allowed each person to legally grow five plants for personal use.

But the wholesale growing and sale of marijuana remains banned, forcing some 600 authorised owners of so-called "coffee shops" to buy from criminals to meet demand.

The bill, suggested by progressive D66 party member Vera Bergkamp, has been "approved", the Dutch lower house said on its website.

It was accepted by a narrow majority of 77 MPs versus 72 against in the 150-seat lower house, Dutch newscaster NOS said.

It now has to be approved by parliament's upper house, but may not pass as parties who voted against the proposal in the lower house hold a majority in the Senate.

The Netherlands also heads to the polls on March 15, so it is unlikely that the draft bill will be handled in the Senate before then, Dutch media reports said.

Bergkamp argued the cultivation and sale of cannabis will be better controlled if it is regulated by the government.

This means that coffee shop owners will be able to buy cannabis from certified growers within a "closed system" controlled by the government.

"It will be better for citizens' health if we know where the weed comes from and we'll be able to demand quality standards," Bergkamp told parliament earlier this month.

It will also help fight criminality, stop coffee shop owners from having to deal with criminal gangs, clarify legislation around the issue and simplify measures to discourage smoking dope, she said.

Opponents of the legislation, however, said regulated cannabis cultivation broke international rules and would lead to more addiction among the youth.

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Organised crime, which mainly cultivates marijuana for export, would just continue to grow it for the international market, opponents told the NOS.

Dutch coffee shops generate millions of euros annually, and in major hubs such as Amsterdam have proven a draw for some of the millions of tourists that visit the country every year.

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Earth has eight continents, and world maps should reflect this, geologists say.

The eighth, a lost continent called Zealandia, isn't a huge landmass that geographers have somehow missed. Rather, only small bits  including New Zealand, New Caledonia and a few other specks of land in the vast Pacific Ocean  are above sea level. The rest of this continent lies beneath the waves, a new study suggests

"I hope Zealandia will now start to appear on world maps which show the other continents," said Nick Mortimer, a geologist with GNS Science in Dunedin, New Zealand. "There is an extra one, and it is as real as all the others." [Photos: The World's Weirdest Geological Formations]

Decades of evidence

The new study synthesizes decades of evidence for a hidden continent lying beneath the ocean surrounding New Zealand. The first line of evidence comes simply from looking at the ocean floor around New Zealand: The continental shelves of Zealandia lie at a depth of about 3,280 feet (1,000 meters) below sea level, while the nearby oceanic crust is about 9,800 feet (3,000 m) below that, Mortimer said. Just like other continents, Zealandia has a huge range in altitude, from the sub-ocean depths to Aoraki/Mount Cook at 12,217 feet (3,724 m) above sea level.

The second line of evidence supporting Zealandia's designation as a separate continent comes from extensive study of the rocks beneath the ocean. Over the past 20 years, geologists have set sail on ships to dredge rocks from the seafloor. Unlike the nearby oceanic crust, which is made up of basaltic rocks from the fairly recent geologic past, the crust surrounding New Zealand is composed of a variety of different rock types, including granite, limestone and sandstone, some of which are incredibly ancient. That is typical of continental crust, the researchers reported in the March/April issue of the journal GSA Today.

Finally, scientists have shown that there's a narrow strip of oceanic crust separating the continent of Australia from the subterranean reaches of Zealandia, meaning the two are separate continents, Mortimer said.

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Ancient formation, distant future

A proposed world map showing the eighth continent Zealandia. Though most of this continent is submerged beneath the ocean, scientists say it has all the geologic hallmarks of a separate continent. Nick Mortimer/GNS Science

Zealandia was born from the breakup of the supercontinent of Gondwana, about 85 million years ago, Mortimer said. At that time, an ocean began to emerge between Australia and New Zealand.

"Zealandia is somewhat unusual, in that just before it separated from the supercontinent of Gondwana, it got stretched," Mortimer told Live Science.

That stretching essentially thinned out the continental crust, making it sink more than thicker continental crust, which tends to float, he said.

Compared with other continents, Zealandia is pint-size; at 1.8 million square miles (4.9 million square kilometers), it's a little bigger than India and half the size of Europe.

And although only a tiny amount of the continent is lying above the water currently, at one time, its above-water footprint was even smaller. Based on geologic layers unearthed on New Zealand, the continent reached its maximum level of submergence about 30 million years ago, Mortimer said.

Now, the movement of the Australian plate is cutting Zealandia in two, which should break the continent in half in tens of millions of years, Mortimer said.

While the new findings are unlikely to change seismological maps or hazard assessments around New Zealand, "I think it will focus minds; it's just a more correct depiction of the geology and tectonics of this corner of the planet," Mortimer said.

From a geological perspective, defining Zealandia as a continent makes sense, said Bruce Luyendyk, a professor emeritus in geology at the Univeristy of California at Santa Barbara, who first coined the term "Zealandia."

As to whether maps should reflect this geologic reality, "That's a question answered by geographers and politicians, not geologists," Luyendyk told Live Science.

But there's some precedent for recognizing the continental boundaries that lie beneath the water, Luyendyk said. Other continents have continental shelves that project deeper out into the ocean, and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which sets the economic limits of a nation along its coastline, already recognizes these geologic boundaries, Luyendyk said.

Originally published on Live Science.

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Quito (AFP) - Ecuadoran officials denied claims of attempted fraud in a tightly-fought election as the last votes were counted Tuesday with the ruling socialists looking likely to face a hard-to-win runoff vote.

With just over 95 percent of ballots counted from Sunday's election, leftist ruling party candidate Lenin Moreno had 39.21 percent of the vote, according to the National Electoral Council.

That was just short of the 40 percent needed to avoid a runoff on April 2 against his conservative rival Guillermo Lasso, who was on 28.35 percent.

"There is a marked trend, and if that turns out to be the case there would be a runoff," the president of the National Electoral Council, Juan Pablo Pozo, told a news conference.

He has said it could take until Thursday for the full results to be confirmed.

Lasso said he was confident there would be a second-round runoff.

"That it should take three days to publish final results is an attempt at fraud and we are not going to allow that," he wrote on Twitter.

The electoral council has denied any fraud took place. It insisted in a statement that it would "guarantee that the people's will is respected."

"Never in the history of the country have results come out less than 48 hours after the end of voting," it said on Twitter.

- Impatience -

Supporters of Lasso earlier scuffled with police as they gathered outside the electoral council, impatient at the delay.

Lasso called on people "not to give in to provocation."

Political analyst Santiago Basabe of the social science institute FLACSO said it was "difficult for the current trend (towards a runoff vote) to be reversed."

Opinion polls indicate Moreno may well lose a runoff in which supporters of other conservative opposition groups are likely to rally behind Lasso.

Sunday's election was a test of the legacy of outgoing President Rafael Correa, Moreno's more hardline ally, who is an outspoken critic of the United States.

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Correa is leaving office at the end of his term after 10 years in power.

Ecuadorans voted on whether to continue Correa's tax-and-spend policies or give Lasso a mandate to cut spending and taxes.

If ex-banker Lasso wins the presidency, another pillar of the Latin American left will swing to the right after Argentina, Brazil and Peru did so in recent months.

Lasso has also said he will consider ending WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's asylum in Ecuador's London embassy.
By Erik Kirschbaum BERLIN (Reuters) - The German government has drafted a law to allow authorities to tap into the phone and computer data of asylum-seekers if there are doubts about their nationalities - an unusual move in a country where data protection is sacred. According to a draft of the bill obtained by Reuters, officials at the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) will receive legal clearance to scan the cellphones, tablets and laptops of applicants for asylum. BAMF officials have said many present false documents in the hope of being granted asylum. Some have no documents. The Interior Ministry, which hammered out the draft with the Justice Ministry, estimated that more than 50 percent of the 280,000 asylum applications in 2016 should have undergone closer scrutiny, such as an examination of phone data. They were not, because officials did not have the legal authority to do it. Officials have instead resorted to language experts to try to determine the true origins of applicants. "We need to establish the identities of the applicants," said Volker Bouffier, state premier in Hesse and a conservative ally of Chancellor Angela Merkel. "To eliminate any doubts of a person's origin, we need to use all information available." The measure is one of several steps Merkel's government has taken to demonstrate its determination to crack down on abuse of the country's liberal asylum rules. More than a million migrants have flooded into Germany in the last 18 months. Public support for refugees remains high but reports of abuse have alarmed voters and political leaders. Germany goes to great lengths to protect data privacy following the abuses of the Gestapo in the Third Reich and the Stasi security police in Communist East Germany. Merkel, fighting a tight battle to win re-election for a fourth term on Sept. 24, is under pressure from her party's right wing to win back conservative voters by cracking down on abuse. An Interior Ministry spokesman, Johannes Dimroth, said Merkel's cabinet was likely to endorse the measure within weeks. There are currently 213,000 asylum seekers whose applications have been rejected and are awaiting deportation but who have been allowed to stay temporarily for a variety of reasons. On Sunday, a Merkel ally said Germany deported a record 80,000 migrants denied asylum last year and that figure would rise in 2017. Nearly half of 700,000 asylum requests made in 2016 were rejected, according to chief of staff Peter Altmaier. (Additional reporting by Thorsten Severin; editing by Andrew Roche)
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitts first speech to employees of the EPA at midday on Tuesday did little to assuage the concerns of environmentalists over his ties to the fossil fuel industry.

At the EPAs headquarters in Washington, D.C., Pruitt called for civility and listening in his highly anticipated, tense inaugural address to the staff of an agency that he sued more than a dozen times as Oklahoma attorney general.

You dont know me very well. In fact, you dont know me hardly at all, other than what maybe you read in the newspaper or [have] seen on the news, he told the crowd. I look forward to sharing the rest of the story with you as we spend time together. But this is a beginning.

President Trumps decision to nominate Pruitt, who has made it clear he has no confidence in mainstream climate science, to lead the EPA immediately incited a backlash from liberals and environmentalists. More than 770 former EPA officials  including scientists, engineers and managers  signed a letter to all the members of the U.S. Senate, urging them to reject Pruitt. Despite near-unanimous opposition by Democrats, he was confirmed last Friday.

On Thursday, an Oklahoma County district judge ordered Pruitt to hand over thousands of emails he exchanged with the energy industry to the Center for Media and Democracy watchdog group by Tuesday  the day of his EPA speech.

Scott Pruitt, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, speaks to employees of the agency in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday. (Photo: Joshua Roberts/Reuters)

Why did we have to rush and have this vote before we had this information? Tiernan Sittenfeld, the senior vice president of government affairs for the League of Conservation Voters, asked Yahoo News. Everything we know about Scott Pruitt makes abundantly clear that he is unsuitable to be the EPA administrator, and it really begs the question, What was he hiding?

In the speech, Pruitt urged EPA staff members to conduct themselves according to values laid out in two books on the American Revolution and its underlying philosophies: Founding Brothers, by the American historian Joseph J. Ellis, and Inventing Freedom, by a British politician, Daniel Hannan. The values he singled out included civility, rule of law, federalism and listening.

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Civility is something that I believe in very much. We ought to be able to get together and wrestle through some very difficult issues in a civil manner, he said. We ought to be able to be thoughtful and exchange ideas.

Sittenfeld said the speech did not address environmentalists concern that Pruitt has always acted to protect the interests of industry. She characterized him as antithetical to the EPAs mission to protect the environment and human health.

The speech was pretty much a nothingburger, and given that everything about him is antithetical to the EPA, the onus was really on him to somehow convey if he had different plans that would somehow contradict his record to date, Sittenfeld told Yahoo News.

As well as suing the EPA at least 14 times, Sittenfeld said, Pruitt has received $350,000 from fossil fuel interests. He also copied letters from oil industry lobbyists and pasted them almost verbatim onto his Oklahoma attorney general letterhead for messages to the Obama administration.

All of that is extremely concerning and makes clear to us hes unfit to be the EPA administrator. And nothing about what he said gave us any reason to think otherwise, she said.

Pruitts supporters in the fossil fuel industry, as well as among conservatives opposed to regulations, see him as a corrective to what they consider the Obama administrations regulatory overreach.

Pruitt quoted Sierra Club founder John Muir toward the end of his speech: Everyone needs beauty as well as bread, places to pray in and play in.

Michael Brune, the executive director of the Sierra Club, was none too impressed by this reference.

John Muir is rolling over in his grave at the notion of someone as toxic to the environment as Scott Pruitt taking over the EPA, Brune said in a statement.

Read more from Yahoo News:
Brussels (AFP) - EU finance ministers agreed Tuesday to close loopholes that multinational firms exploit to pay low or no taxes by shopping for better deals outside the 28-nation bloc.

They said the new rules aim to prevent firms from "exploiting disparities" in tax rates, particularly those in countries outside the bloc given that the EU issued a tax-avoidance directive for its member states last year.

The agreement to tackle so-called "hybrid mismatches" aims to end the erosion of taxable bases of corporate taxpayers in the European Union.

"Today is yet another success story in our campaign for fairer taxation" said Pierre Moscovici, the EU's top economic affairs official.

"Step by step, we are eliminating the channels used by certain companies to escape taxation," he added in a statement.

The new rules are due to take effect in 2020, once member states enact them into law. In rare cases, they will apply from 2022.

The latest of many initiative comes amid growing public outrage about tax avoidance by multinational corporations.
By Robin Emmott BRUSSELS (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump sent top U.S. officials to Europe with a familiar warning from Washington that allies must spend more on defense, this time with the ultimatum "or else". But Europeans have tried to deflect the threats with the argument that a commitment to security is not just about spending targets, which diplomats said that U.S. officials did not challenge, suggesting that the stand-off will continue. "Things look very different if we add up our defense budgets, our development aid budgets and our humanitarian efforts all around the world," European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker told the Munich Security Conference last week. By current standards, Washington funds about 70 percent of NATO spending. Standing beside U.S. Vice President Mike Pence on Monday at the Commission, Juncker called for another measure of what counts. "We want ... a broader understanding that the word 'stability' in the world means defense expenditure, human aid and development aid," said Juncker the EU's chief executive, adding he was against Europeans being "pushed into" the targets. Allies who do not meet NATO targets to spend 2 percent of GDP on military budgets set out to show Pence and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis how Europeans are dealing with crises they trace back, in part, to the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003. "France has a readiness to deploy that is hard to match. Spain was leading NATO's new spearhead force last year. Italy is in Afghanistan," said one senior European NATO diplomat. "That isn't already reflected by spending targets." While Germany says Trump has a point about Europe's drop in defense spending since the fall of the Soviet Union, Berlin and the European Commission also say Washington should take note that the EU is the world's biggest aid donor, spending some 56 billion euros ($58.99 billion) a year. The United States spends about 1 percent of its federal budget on foreign aid, or about $50 billion, but that also includes running diplomatic missions and giving academic grants, according to the U.S. State Department. The European Union says most of its aid goes to the world's poorest countries. Germany deserves recognition for the 30 to 40 billion euros ($32 to $42 billion) it is spending to integrate over a million refugees, many of whom were displaced as a result of failed Western policy, Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said. 96 BLN EURO GOAL? At a NATO summit in Wales in 2014, months after Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimean peninsula, allies agreed to end years of defense cuts that left Europeans without vital capabilities, such as refueling airborne fighter bombers. They agreed all allies should reach the target of spending 2 percent of economic output on defense every year by 2024, although the goal is not legally binding. It aims to reverse a trend that saw defense research spending in the European Union fall by a third, or more than 20 billion euros, since 2006. Only the United States, Britain, Poland, Estonia and Greece met the target in 2016, although the cuts have stopped and Latvia, Lithuania and Romania are close, NATO officials say. NATO's 22 European allies and Canada will spend almost 4 percent more, or some 10 billion euros, on defense this year and Germany's increases account for some 20 percent of that. There is no European push to change the NATO target and NATO officials say the 2 percent target will remain politically useful, if not economically viable. Reaching the 2 percent target could cost NATO's European members $96 billion per year, according to think tank Bruegel. U.S. governments have been pressing Europeans to increase spending on their armed forces for decades, but Trump signaled a much tougher approach, suggesting on the campaign trail to make U.S. support conditional on meeting NATO commitments. He has since given his full support to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, but complained this month that Europeans have "been very unfair to us", for not spending more on defense. Pence maintained the pressure at NATO on Monday, telling allies they had until the end of this year to show "real progress" on spending. Pence cited his spending message as one of the successes of his debut Europe trip, diplomats said. Europeans say the biggest issue is how money is spent. Spurred on by Britain's decision to leave the European Union, Germany and France are leading plans to build a so-called European Defense Union that would allow countries to develop and share military assets together, as well as deploying troops. Collectively the European Union is the world's second-biggest military spender. But fears in Britain of an EU army held back collaboration. Governments spent in isolation and missed out on savings worth 25 billion euros a year, according to EU data. Trump's ultimatum is also still "hypothetical", Pence said. Asked what if Europeans did not spend more, he said: "I don't know what the answer is to: 'or else'. But I know that the patience of the American people will not endure forever." ($1 = 0.9493 euros) (Additional reporting by Roberta Rampton; Editing by Alison Williams)
A Delhi man has asked that FIRs be registered against two retail websites for selling products featuring Hindu signs and symbols. Amazon, this time, is not involved.

By Chayyanika Nigam: Two US-based online retailers have come under fire for hurting religious sentiments of Hindus by selling footwear with Om symbol and beer with Lord Ganesha picture on its label.

Two separate complaints have been made at the Prashant Vihar police station by animal rights activist Naresh Kadyan, who is also the commissioner (headquarters) at Bharat Scouts & Guides. The first complaint was made against a website https://yeswevibe.com for selling shoes with Om symbol while another complaint was made against www.lostcoast.com for using Ganesha photo on beer bottles.

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The first complaint, in possession with Mail Today, states that the symbol Om is affiliated with religious feelings and believes of Hindu communities across the universe. "Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs, violated the different sections of the laws of land, including 295 A and 153 A of the IPC," the complaint reads.

NO FIR YET

Speaking to Mail Today, MN Tiwari, deputy commissioner of police (Rohini district), said: "The officers have been instructed to take necessary legal action against the complaint soon." An FIR was not registered till late Monday.

Kadyan has written an official letter to the Ministry of External Affairs to register an FIR against the defaulter websites, asking them to remove the products from sale.

According to the website (https://yeswevibe.com), that is in operation from Scottsdale city in Arizona (as per www.whois.com), is selling the shoes for $59.99. The website claims that the shoes are handmade and it also promises delivery within twothree days in the US and two-three weeks globally.

Also read: Mumbai pub forced to pull down 'blasphemous' decor after customers complain

When Kadyan contacted the customer care centre via email, he was reverted with a message-"We'll forward this to our top management and get back to you soon".

The website www.lostcoast.com is an award-winning brewery located in Eureka, California.

"This innocuous trend of using Hindu symbols on fashion or marketing accessories reveals the sellers' insatiable greed for making profits," said Raveena, an activist working with Hindu Human Rights.

NOT THE FIRST CASE

The complaint has come weeks after foreign affairs minister Sushma Swaraj warned Amazon to apologise for selling doormats with Tricolour printed on it.

Soon after the incident, #BoycottAmazon trended on the social media with outraged people venting their anger against the firm.

Earlier too, holy symbols on footwear and clothes have raised angry reactions from Hindu community across the globe. A Seattle-based toiletries firm created controversy with images of Ganesha and Kali printed on toilet seats.

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Also read: Tricolour on doormat row: Amazon regrets 'offending' Indian sentiments in letter to Sushma Swaraj

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If there were ever a time for Europe to develop a Russia strategy independent of Washington, it is now.

For most of the period since Russia annexed Crimea, Russian propagandists and foreign-policy mouthpieces have been harping on Europe to break ranks with Washington, pursue its natural material interests, and do a deal. With the election of Donald Trump, the Kremlin may finally have gotten the wedge it wanted in the trans-Atlantic bloc  just not quite in the way Moscow may have expected.

An American-Russian rapprochement that abandons any effort to check the Kremlins worst behavior would mean trouble for Europe. The continent does not have the luxury of distance that the United States enjoys. Europes economy and politics have for centuries been inextricably intertwined with Russia, not always comfortably. Russia seems committed to undermining faith in European democracy through partnerships with the EUs own internal spoilers like Hungarys Viktor Orban and more covert interventions in the continents elections. Meanwhile, the escalating conflict in Ukraine  directly on the EUs doorstep  suggests that Russias military poses a threat not just to European values but to the most basic idea of European security.

The options for Europe are, to be sure, limited. For the foreseeable future, hard security will remain a NATO domain, where it will be difficult to part ways with the Americans. And military confrontation with Russia would, in any case, be too ruinous to countenance. But offering diplomatic carrots in the form of strategic patience is also not an option  Europe spent 20 years since the end of the Cold War trying to build institutional and economic partnerships with Russia, to no clear end. The EU already trades more than 330 billion euros in goods annually with Russia and has invested upwards of $7 trillion. None of that prevented Russia from going to war over the prospect of an EU trade treaty with Ukraine.

If Europe is to feel secure, there will need to be change. If Europe is to prosper, Europe itself will have to create that change.

To be clear, Europe should not be pursuing regime change in Russia; no one outside of Russia should be in the business of deciding when its time for President Vladimir Putin to go or who should replace him. Europe can and should, however, invest in the transformation of Russian society, by building a more direct relationship with Russias citizens, who would like to see their country governed differently, and by using Europes power to set economic incentives to help increase those constituencies leverage over the Kremlin.

Theres a looming gap between Russian citizens  who understand the corruption and dysfunction that plagues their country but despair of ever seeing improvement  and their leaders, who work hard to convince them that this is as good as it gets. Building a different relationship with Russia will require Europe to insert itself into that gap, to build alliances, and to mobilize to create change.

Putins vaunted approval ratings  currently around 85 percent and the numbers are genuine enough  hide an important reality: Russians may like their president, but they dont like the way their country is run. Only 14 percent of Russians believe that Putin represents the interests of the common man, while 69 percent believe that the gap between rich and poor in Russia has increased while Putin has been in power, according to the independent Levada Center polling agency. Some 55 percent of Russians say they rely on themselves and avoid any and all contact with the state, while only 10 percent say they reliably get what they need from government officials.

Nor do Russians necessarily believe everything they hear on television. Despite the rosy pictures, some 70 percent of Russians told the Levada Center in a January survey that the countrys toughest times are either happening right now or will happen in the future. And some 64 percent believe that the road to prosperity lies through integration with the West  an increase from the 56 percent who believed that before Crimea. Its no small wonder: By the Russian governments own figures, real incomes in 2016 declined by 5.9 percent, after having fallen by 3.2 percent in 2015. Russians might be happy to have Crimea back, but they understand that these are the real spoils of war.

Living in a country that fails to provide stable pathways to prosperity and security, Russians have learned over the decades to turn both inward  to their hyper-local networks of friends, colleagues, and relatives  and outward, to countries and cultures abroad. Russians have long pursued what you might call individual modernization, integrating one-on-one with the worlds most dynamic economic, cultural, and technological spaces. For many Russians, that means Europe. It is in Europe where Russians who can afford it seek to get their education and their health care. It is European culture and media most Russians consume and emulate, and it is on European models that Russians have begun to reimagine their cities and public spaces  even as the Russian government itself openly rejects European values, tries to contain Western expansion, and declares a pivot to China.

Europes approach to changing Russian behavior has typically taken the form of traditional conditionality  that is, Europe has offered carrots to ordinary Russians, such as the prospect of visa-free travel or reduced trade barriers, conditional on the good behavior of the Russian government. But this approach has it backward: It asks Russian citizens to affect the decisions of a government over which they have no control, in exchange for freer movement of people, capital, and ideas.

Consider what would happen if this logic were reversed. What if Europe were to give non-elite Russians visa-free travel right now, with no strings attached? Increase spending on mobility for students and academics by orders of magnitude, allowing Russians of ordinary means but extraordinary talents to study in Europe at European tuition rates? Allow access to European financial services and eased customs procedures for small- and medium-sized enterprises?

If ordinary Russians are permitted to learn firsthand how Europe really functions and to leverage European educational, legal, and financial institutions to build their own stability and prosperity, the balance of power in Russia itself will begin to shift. Overnight, it would become much harder for the Kremlin to argue that Europe is the enemy or to portray it as unwelcoming  something that it has done quite effectively to date. But its about more than just familiarity and warm feelings. Giving ordinary Russians unfettered access to Europe allows them to build Europe into their own life plans in ways only the countrys ruling elite can (and do) today.

Citizens whose career prospects, financial outlook, entrepreneurial business plans, and even retirement plans involve Europe, who see European universities, markets, and even bureaucracies as their own  these are citizens who will demand even closer integration and resist any new attempts by the Kremlin to manipulate the relationship for political purposes. To be sure, there are people like this in Russia today, but Europe can and should create more.

The irony of such a step is unmistakable: Europe would, under Trump-inspired duress, be giving the Kremlin something it has been seeking for years. Doing so would certainly be politically challenging. But it would also begin the process of trying to integrate Russia with Europe on the Wests terms.

None of this is a substitute for continuing to maintain pressure on Russia in Ukraine or for reinforcing the European security architecture. Nor does this change Russian policy in the near term. But there are no near-term solutions to a deeply ingrained, profound conflict that has been decades in the making. The European project, if it is of value, requires a struggle, and the battleground is Russia itself. If Europe is serious about creating stability and prosperity on the continent, it must become serious about creating change in Russia.

Photo credit: Alexander Aksakov/Getty Images
ST. LOUIS (AP)  Has anti-Semitism accompanied Donald Trump's rise to power? Some organizations that monitor hate groups and hate crimes believe so, noting a rash of recent incidents. But data is elusive, and the president's supporters note his family connection  a Jewish daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren  and his comments this week condemning hate and prejudice.

Here's a look at recent incidents targeting Jewish sites and anti-Semitism in the U.S.:

ARE HATE CRIMES TARGETING JEWS INCREASING?

Human rights activists and organizations are convinced that Trump's popularity and electoral victory created an acceptance into the mainstream of the "alt-right," an offshoot of conservatism mixing racism, white nationalism and populism, and along with it, anti-Semitism.

There have been reports nationwide in recent months of anti-Semitic incidents, including people yelling pro-Hitler comments at a rabbi on the street in Providence, Rhode Island, swastikas drawn in subway cars in New York City, and bomb threats at Jewish buildings in several cities.

But determining whether such incidents have increased is difficult.

The Southern Poverty Law Center, a nonprofit that monitors hate groups and extremists, reported last week that the number of hate groups operating in the U.S. rose from 892 in 2015 to 917 in last year. But that's still short of the all-time high of 1,018 hate groups in 2011.

The organization also counted 1,094 bias-related incidents in the month following Trump's November election victory, including 33 against Jews, 108 involving swastikas and 47 white nationalist fliers.

New York City police keep a running tab of hate crimes. As of Sunday, 31 hate crimes have been reported against Jewish people this year  more than double compared to the same period of 2016.

Official nationwide government data for the last year isn't available. The FBI tracks hate crimes, but the most recent available data is from 2015.

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WHAT HAS INCREASED CONCERNS ABOUT ANTI-SEMITISM?

Among the most recent events were bomb threats phoned in to 11 Jewish community centers across the country on Monday, including in Chicago, Cleveland and Houston.

No bombs were found and no arrests have been made, but the threats  along with similar threats over recent months at other centers  created fear and uncertainty among Jewish people.

Also on Monday, roughly 200 headstones were found knocked over or broken at a Jewish cemetery in suburban St. Louis. No arrests have been made for the damage at the Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery in University City, Missouri. Investigators have not yet determined if it was a hate crime. Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens, who is Jewish, posted a statement on Facebook calling the vandalism "despicable" and "cowardly."

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WHAT HAS TRUMP SAID ABOUT ANTI-SEMITISM?

Until Tuesday, it was what Trump hadn't said that raised eyebrows.

Jewish groups and others were upset in January when a White House statement on International Holocaust Remembrance Day failed to mention Jews. Aides to the president defended the statement as "inclusive" of all who were killed by the Nazis.

Last week, when a reporter from the Orthodox Ami Magazine tried to ask Trump during a news conference about increased reports of anti-Jewish harassment and hate crimes, Trump interrupted, saying, "not a fair question." When reporter Jake Turx tried to continue, the president said: "Quiet, quiet, quiet ... I find it repulsive. I hate even the question."

Trump went on to call himself "the least anti-Semitic person that you've ever seen in your life," and the "least racist person."

But on Tuesday, Trump denounced threats against Jewish community centers as "horrible" and "painful," saying more needed to be done "to root out hate and prejudice and evil."

Speaking after a tour of the newly opened National Museum of African American History and Culture, Trump said: "This tour was a meaningful reminder of why we have to fight bigotry, intolerance and hatred in all of its very ugly forms."

___

DOES TRUMP HAVE PERSONAL TIES TO JUDAISM?

The president is a Presbyterian, but his daughter Ivanka converted to Judaism ahead of her 2009 marriage to Jared Kushner, who serves as a senior adviser to the president.

Ivanka and Jared Kushner's children  the president's grandchildren  are Jewish.

On Monday, Ivanka Trump wrote on Twitter, "We must protect our houses of worship & religious centers," and used the hashtag #JCC, which stands for Jewish community center.
By Shwe Yee Saw Myint and Yimou Lee YANGON (Reuters) - Myanmar's army-controlled home ministry is investigating a cover-up by the country's border force of the deaths in custody of two Rohingya Muslims in troubled Rakhine State, according to a police report reviewed by Reuters and interviews with two senior security officials. The internal document is the first official admission of serious wrongdoing by security forces in their crackdown against insurgents in northwestern Myanmar that has sent more than 70,000 people fleeing across the border to Bangladesh. When contacted by Reuters, the Home Affairs Ministry denied an investigation was under way, but the commander of the Border Guard Police (BGP) in the area where the incident took place and a senior home ministry security official confirmed the authenticity of the document and said it was not the only such case that was being looked into. The home ministry oversees the national police force, which includes the BGP. The ministry is headed by an army general. Myanmar is under growing international pressure to take action against those who are alleged to have committed atrocities in Rakhine. The United Nations has documented mass killings and rapes it says may amount to crimes against humanity. About 1.1 million Rohingya Muslims live in apartheid-like conditions in northwestern Myanmar, where they are denied citizenship. Many in Buddhist-majority Myanmar regard them as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. The civilian government led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has repeatedly denied almost all allegations against the country's still-powerful armed forces during what it has said was a lawful counterinsurgency campaign that began in October. "NOT TELLING THE TRUTH" The undated document reviewed by Reuters, titled "A cover-up of two deaths by Border Guard Police", was compiled by a BGP unit in northern Rakhine and focuses on two men who were arrested on Oct. 18 and questioned on suspicion of aiding insurgents. The men died in custody, the document says, without specifying a cause of death. Instead of reporting the deaths, it says BGP officers in the village of Nga Khu Ya, in Maungdaw township, recorded that they had been transferred, with eight others, to another police detention center. Thura San Lwin, BGP chief in Maungdaw township, near the border with Bangladesh, said the document outlining the findings of the investigation had been submitted to police headquarters in the capital, Naypyitaw. "We are taking actions to punish those who lied in their reports. We won't forgive them. We are also taking actions to punish those who did not follow the rule of law," he said. He said two other incidents of BGP officers on the ground "not telling the truth" in reports on the security crackdown were also being investigated by the home ministry. He declined to provide further details about the nature of those other two incidents, or about the probe into the Nga Khu Ya case. Contradicting the local commander, Home Ministry spokesman Police Colonel Myo Thu Soe denied that any BGP officers had lied to conceal the deaths of the two detainees. He said the pair, who were father and son, died from asthma on the way to a hospital on Oct. 18. Presidential spokesman Zaw Htay said the government "has instructed the police to look into unreliable reports" during their operation in Rakhine. He declined to elaborate. BLAME GAME Phil Robertson, deputy director of Human Rights Watch's Asia division, said cover-ups of abuses by security forces were common in Myanmar. "There are many other cases of abuse that still need to be exposed," he said, adding that abuses committed by the army were "serious and widespread, and probably dwarf what the BGP committed". The army has been in direct control of northern Rakhine since early October and drove the sweeping operation there. The military press bureau did not respond to several requests for comment. Northwestern Myanmar has been cut off to aid workers and other independent observers since October. The military campaign there began after nine BGP officers were killed in attacks on security posts near the Bangladesh border on Oct. 9. It has renewed international criticism that Myanmar leader Suu Kyi has done too little to help the Rohingya Muslim minority. In a report published earlier this month based on accounts from Rohingyas who had escaped or been released, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights described "inhumane conditions and ill-treatment" including rape, torture and deprivation of food and water in various detention centers across northern Rakhine. Myanmar's presidential office, military and police forces have each set up teams to investigate alleged crimes in Rakhine after Suu Kyi promised to probe UN allegations of atrocities. That has set the scene for a behind-the-scenes tussle over who will be held accountable, according to the senior home ministry official and another source with close ties to senior figures in the military. The person with close military ties said the army and police were "trying to blame each other" for alleged atrocities. "The military did not expect such a strong response from the international community," said the source, who is familiar with the thinking of some top generals. "It is now under pressure to investigate." (Reporting By Shwe Yee Saw Myint and Yimou Lee; Editing by Alex Richardson)
By Shwe Yee Saw Myint and Yimou Lee YANGON (Reuters) - Myanmar's army-controlled home ministry is investigating a cover-up by the country's border force of the deaths in custody of two Rohingya Muslims in troubled Rakhine State, according to a police report reviewed by Reuters and interviews with two senior security officials. The internal document is the first official admission of serious wrongdoing by security forces in their crackdown against insurgents in northwestern Myanmar that has sent more than 70,000 people fleeing across the border to Bangladesh. When contacted by Reuters, the Home Affairs Ministry denied an investigation was under way, but the commander of the Border Guard Police (BGP) in the area where the incident took place and a senior home ministry security official confirmed the authenticity of the document and said it was not the only such case that was being looked into. The home ministry oversees the national police force, which includes the BGP. The ministry is headed by an army general. Myanmar is under growing international pressure to take action against those who are alleged to have committed atrocities in Rakhine. The United Nations has documented mass killings and rapes it says may amount to crimes against humanity. About 1.1 million Rohingya Muslims live in apartheid-like conditions in northwestern Myanmar, where they are denied citizenship. Many in Buddhist-majority Myanmar regard them as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. The civilian government led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has repeatedly denied almost all allegations against the country's still-powerful armed forces during what it has said was a lawful counterinsurgency campaign that began in October. "NOT TELLING THE TRUTH" The undated document reviewed by Reuters, titled "A cover-up of two deaths by Border Guard Police", was compiled by a BGP unit in northern Rakhine and focuses on two men who were arrested on Oct. 18 and questioned on suspicion of aiding insurgents. The men died in custody, the document says, without specifying a cause of death. Instead of reporting the deaths, it says BGP officers in the village of Nga Khu Ya, in Maungdaw township, recorded that they had been transferred, with eight others, to another police detention centre. Thura San Lwin, BGP chief in Maungdaw township, near the border with Bangladesh, said the document outlining the findings of the investigation had been submitted to police headquarters in the capital, Naypyitaw. "We are taking actions to punish those who lied in their reports. We won't forgive them. We are also taking actions to punish those who did not follow the rule of law," he said. He said two other incidents of BGP officers on the ground "not telling the truth" in reports on the security crackdown were also being investigated by the home ministry. He declined to provide further details about the nature of those other two incidents, or about the probe into the Nga Khu Ya case. Contradicting the local commander, Home Ministry spokesman Police Colonel Myo Thu Soe denied that any BGP officers had lied to conceal the deaths of the two detainees. He said the pair, who were father and son, died from asthma on the way to a hospital on Oct. 18. Presidential spokesman Zaw Htay said the government "has instructed the police to look into unreliable reports" during their operation in Rakhine. He declined to elaborate. BLAME GAME Phil Robertson, deputy director of Human Rights Watch's Asia division, said cover-ups of abuses by security forces were common in Myanmar. "There are many other cases of abuse that still need to be exposed," he said, adding that abuses committed by the army were "serious and widespread, and probably dwarf what the BGP committed". The army has been in direct control of northern Rakhine since early October and drove the sweeping operation there. The military press bureau did not respond to several requests for comment. Northwestern Myanmar has been cut off to aid workers and other independent observers since October. The military campaign there began after nine BGP officers were killed in attacks on security posts near the Bangladesh border on Oct. 9. It has renewed international criticism that Myanmar leader Suu Kyi has done too little to help the Rohingya Muslim minority. In a report published earlier this month based on accounts from Rohingyas who had escaped or been released, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights described "inhumane conditions and ill-treatment" including rape, torture and deprivation of food and water in various detention centres across northern Rakhine. Myanmar's presidential office, military and police forces have each set up teams to investigate alleged crimes in Rakhine after Suu Kyi promised to probe UN allegations of atrocities. That has set the scene for a behind-the-scenes tussle over who will be held accountable, according to the senior home ministry official and another source with close ties to senior figures in the military. The person with close military ties said the army and police were "trying to blame each other" for alleged atrocities. "The military did not expect such a strong response from the international community," said the source, who is familiar with the thinking of some top generals. "It is now under pressure to investigate." (Reporting By Shwe Yee Saw Myint and Yimou Lee; Editing by Alex Richardson)
By Noah Barkin BERLIN (Reuters) - In the week before U.S. Vice President Mike Pence visited Brussels and pledged America's "steadfast and enduring" commitment to the European Union, White House chief strategist Steve Bannon met with a German diplomat and delivered a different message, according to people familiar with the talks. Bannon, these people said, signalled to Germany's ambassador to Washington that he viewed the EU as a flawed construct and favoured conducting relations with Europe on a bilateral basis. Three people who were briefed on the meeting spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter. The German government and the ambassador, Peter Wittig, declined to comment, citing the confidentiality of the talks. A White House official who checked with Bannon in response to a Reuters query confirmed the meeting had taken place but said the account provided to Reuters was inaccurate. "They only spoke for about three minutes and it was just a quick hello," the official said. The sources described a longer meeting in which Bannon took the time to spell out his world view. They said his message was similar to the one he delivered to a Vatican conference back in 2014 when he was running the right-wing website Breitbart News. In those remarks, delivered via Skype, Bannon spoke favourably about European populist movements and described a yearning for nationalism by people who "don't believe in this kind of pan-European Union." Western Europe, he said at the time, was built on a foundation of "strong nationalist movements", adding: "I think it's what can see us forward". The encounter unsettled people in the German government, in part because some officials had been holding out hope that Bannon might temper his views once in government and offer a more nuanced message on Europe in private. One source briefed on the meeting said it had confirmed the view that Germany and its European partners must prepare for a policy of "hostility towards the EU". A second source expressed concern, based on his contacts with the administration, that there was no appreciation for the EU's role in ensuring peace and prosperity in post-war Europe. "There appears to be no understanding in the White House that an unravelling of the EU would have grave consequences," the source said. The White House said there was no transcript of the conversation. The sources who had been briefed on it described it as polite and stressed there was no evidence Trump was prepared to go beyond his rhetorical attacks on the EU - he has repeatedly praised Britain's decision to leave - and take concrete steps to destabilise the bloc. But anxiety over the White House stance led French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault and Wolfgang Ischinger, chairman of the Munich Security Conference, to issue unusual calls last week for Pence to affirm during his visit to Europe that the U.S. was not aiming to break up the EU. Pence obliged on Monday in Brussels, pledging strong ties between the United States and the EU, and making clear his message was shared by the president. "President Trump and I look forward to working together with you and the European Union to deepen our political and economic partnership," he said. But the message did not end the concerns in European capitals. "We are worried and we should be worried," Thomas Matussek, senior adviser at Flint Global and a former German ambassador to the Britain and the United Nations, told Reuters. "No one knows anything at the moment about what sort of decisions will be coming out of Washington. But it is clear that the man on top and the people closest to him feel that it's the nation state that creates identity and not what they see as an amorphous group of countries like the EU." With elections looming in the Netherlands, France and Germany this year, European officials said they hoped Pence, Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson could convince Trump to work constructively with the EU. The worst-case scenario from Europe's point of view was described by Ischinger in an article published last week, entitled "How Europe should deal with Trump". He said that if the U.S. administration actively supported right-wing populists in the looming election campaigns it would trigger a "major transatlantic crisis". (Additional reporting by Roberta Rampton and Alastair Macdonald in Brussels, Jeff Mason in Washington; editing by Mark John)
By Jibran Ahmad PESHAWAR, Pakistan (Reuters) - Suicide bombers attacked a court complex in Pakistan on Tuesday, killing five people and wounding 20, police officials said, the latest incident in a new surge of Islamist violence. All three of the attackers were carrying hand grenades and AK-47 assault rifles, Ijaz Khan, police chief in the northwestern district of Charsadda, told Reuters. One attacker blew himself up outside the court, while two were killed by policemen before they could enter the building. "The terrorists had come and wanted to kill as many people as they could inside the judicial complex," Khan said. "Five people were killed in the attack." Besides lawyers and judges, hundreds of litigants visit the building every day. A spokesman for Jamaat-ur-Ahrar, a faction of the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement emailed to media. Last week, the militant faction released a video announcing a new campaign of attacks against the government, including the judiciary, police and the army. A series of bombings last week, in which more than 100 people were killed, has shattered a nascent sense that the worst of the country's militant violence might be in the past. The deadliest of last week's attacks was on a famous Sufi Muslim shrine in the southern province of Sindh and was claimed by the Middle-Eastern militant group Islamic State. Islamic State has a small but increasingly prominent presence in Pakistan. Fighters loyal to it are known to be operating under different names in Pakistan to attack the government, army and members of religious minorities. Most of the other recent attacks have been claimed by factions of the Pakistani Taliban, which is waging its own fight against the government but whose ranks have also cooperated with, and sometimes defected to, Islamic State. A witness, Mohammad Shah Baz Khan, who was inside the court complex when the attack unfolded, described scenes of panic, saying several people scaled the walls of the building to escape. "Lawyers and other people in the complex started running to save their lives. There was panic and nobody knew where to go," Khan told Reuters. Television footage showed wounded people being taken to hospital. Provincial health officials said the critically wounded would be treated at a major hospital in Peshawar, about 30 km (20 miles) from Charsadda. (Additional reporting by Saud Mehsud in Dera Ismail Khan Writing by Kay Johnson and Saad Sayeed; Editing by Robert Birsel, Mehreen Zahra-Malik)
New York (AFP) - Serial provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos, a conservative firebrand and staunch fan of President Donald Trump, resigned Tuesday from the right-wing news site Breitbart amid a storm triggered by comments in which he seems to condone pedophilia.

The 32-year-old Briton had already lost a book deal and a speaking engagement after a video was leaked on Twitter over the weekend in which he defends men having sex with children as young as 13.

Facing the media at a news conference in New York -- after a 24-hour furor he described as "humiliating" -- Yiannopoulos announced he was stepping down as tech editor for the conservative US site.

"I would be wrong to allow my poor choice of words to detract from my colleagues' important reporting," he said, wearing a suit and black shades and reading from a prepared statement.

"So today I am resigning from Breitbart, effective immediately. This decision is mine alone."

Though he rejects the label, Yiannopoulos is often portrayed as a leader of the "alt-right" -- a white nationalist extremist fringe that found a home on Breitbart's pages and was catapulted into American mainstream view by the political rise of the site's former head Steve Bannon, now Trump's powerful chief strategist.

Reviled by his critics as racist and misogynistic, Yiannopoulos casts himself as a gay crusader for free speech and against "political correctness" in all its forms -- and has revelled in provoking the outrage of America's liberal left, which accuses him of spreading hate.

Yiannopoulos is also an outspoken supporter of Trump, who he nicknames "Daddy."

In the video that led to his resignation, Yiannopoulos is seen telling a radio host that the term pedophilia should not apply to "a sexual attraction to somebody 13 years old who is sexually mature" -- only to pre-pubescent children -- while calling the idea of an age of consent "arbitrary and oppressive."

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After the uproar provoked by his comments, he struck an uncharacteristically contrite tone, saying his insensitive choice of words stemmed from his own experience of abuse as a teenager.

- 'Media witchhunt' -

At Tuesday's press conference, Yiannopoulos recounted his experience, which he said included abuse by a priest, and insisted that he does not condone pedophilia.

"My own experiences as a victim led me to believe I could say anything I wanted to on this subject, no matter how outrageous. But I understand that my usual blend of British sarcasm, provocation and gallows humor might have come across as flippancy, a lack of care for other victims or, worse, 'advocacy,'" he said.

"I would like to restate my disgust at adults who sexually abuse minors. I am horrified by pedophilia and I have devoted large portions of my career as a journalist to exposing child abusers.

"To be a victim of child abuse and for the media to call me an apologist for child abuse is absurd," he said.

But Yiannopoulos also struck a defiant note, presenting himself the victim of "a cynical media witchhunt" -- announcing plans to launch a new media venture of his own in coming weeks, and saying his cancelled book would come out this year -- with part of the proceeds donated to child abuse charities.

And he vowed: "I will never stop making jokes about taboo subjects. Go into any drag bar or gay club and you will see performers cracking jokes about clerical sexual abuse."

Breitbart News issued a statement of its own, saying it had accepted Yiannopoulos's resignation, and adding that his "bold voice has sparked much-needed debate on important cultural topics."

- Campus protests -

It's not the first time Yiannopoulos has found himself mired in controversy: he was banned from Twitter for provoking online harassment of black actress Leslie Jones in July.

The University of California at Berkeley cancelled a planned speech by Yiannopoulos this month after protests against him turned violent. Trump reacted by threatening to withhold federal funds from the university.

Yiannopoulos was to have spoken Friday at the Conservative Political Action Conference, an annual meeting for conservative policymakers. Trump and Vice President Mike Pence are scheduled to speak at this year's confab.

But the invitation was withdrawn after his comments on pedophilia became public.

The publishing house Simon & Schuster said it was cancelling publication of "Dangerous," a free speech manifesto and memoir by Yiannopoulos.
Beirut (AFP) - France's far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen capped her visit to Lebanon with controversy on Tuesday when she refused to wear a headscarf to meet the country's top Sunni Muslim cleric.

On her last day in the Mediterranean country, Le Pen arrived at Sheikh Abdellatif Deryan's office in Beirut and was offered a white shawl to cover her blonde hair.

The National Front candidate promptly refused and made a brief statement to journalists before leaving.

"The highest Sunni authority in the world had not had this requirement, so I have no reason to," Le Pen said, referring to her 2015 visit to Al-Azhar, the prestigious Egyptian institution of Sunni Islamic learning.

She said she had told Deryan's office on Monday that she would not don a headscarf: "They did not cancel the meeting, so I thought they would accept that I will not wear the scarf."

"They wanted to impose this on me, to present me with a fait accompli. Well, no one presents me with a fait accompli," the candidate said.

Deryan heads Dar al-Fatwa, the highest Sunni authority in Lebanon.

In a statement on Tuesday, the body said "its press office had informed the presidential candidate, through one of her assistants, of the need to cover her head when she meets his eminence, according to the protocol assumed by Dar al-Fatwa".

"Dar al-Fatwa officials were surprised by her refusal to conform to this well-known rule," it said.

Fewer than a dozen protesters gathered near Lebanon's Zaytuna Bay on Tuesday afternoon to protest against Le Pen's visit.

- 'Fascists flock together' -

"From Beirut to Damascus to Paris to Washington, fascists flock together," one placard read.

One banner read "Fascists out!", and demonstrators carried pictures of Le Pen and US President Donald Trump.

At a news conference to cap her trip, Le Pen insisted she "has never confused the religion of Islam with fundamentalist Islam".

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"I oppose Islam as a political project. I am fighting a war against fundamentalist Islamists," she told gathered reporters.

Shunned by European leaders over her party's stance on immigration and its anti-EU message, Le Pen aimed to boost her international credibility with her first visit to a foreign head of state, President Michel Aoun.

The FN leader, whose party takes an anti-immigrant stance, also met Prime Minister Saad Hariri, a Sunni Muslim, and Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil.

Islamic dress is a hot-button issue in France, where the full-face veil is banned in public places.

- 'Lesser evil' -

Le Pen's deputy Florian Philippot swiftly lauded her controversial move.

"A magnificent message of liberty and emancipation sent to the women of France and of the world," Philippot wrote on Twitter.

France had mandate power over both Lebanon and Syria during the first half of the 20th century.

Le Pen has met few top foreign officials since taking control of the FN in 2011. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has refused to meet with her.

After leaving Deryan's office, Le Pen headed to Bkerkeh, north of Beirut, to meet Maronite Catholic Patriarch Beshara Rai.

There, she saluted Lebanon's "moderate" culture, "created by Christians and Muslims".

The candidate also met Samir Geagea, who heads the Lebanese Forces party and is a fierce opponent of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Geagea, in a statement released by his party, said he had "clarified" to Le Pen that Assad remains "one of the biggest terrorists in Syria and in this region".

In an interview with Lebanon's L'Orient-Le Jour, Le Pen had called Assad "the lesser evil" compared with the Islamic State jihadist group in Syria.

But she insisted at her news conference Tuesday that she had never met Assad and does not support him.

"What I am saying is that in the interest of France, which is my sole perspective, and in the current state of the situation in Syria, there is no alternative to the regime," Le Pen said.

She has criticised the EU's calls for Assad to stand down after nearly six years of war that have left more than 310,000 people dead.

"Marine Le Pen's statements in Lebanon are an insult to the Lebanese people and the Syrian people," wrote Lebanese Druze chief Walid Jumblatt on Twitter.
Bogota (AFP) - FARC rebels need the United Nations to reschedule the dates for Colombia's historic disarmament process, as the country readies to implement a peace deal to end Latin America's last major armed conflict, they said.

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) are due to demobilize, starting March 1, with UN supervision under a peace deal with the government after 52 years of fighting.

FARC members had been planning to surrender 30 percent of their arms on March 1, General Javier Florez -- head of the military operation to demobilize and disarm the guerrillas -- told journalists earlier.

Authorities will then collect another 30 percent of weapons on May 1, with the final disarmament date on June 1, he said.

But now, "it appears a rescheduling of the demobilization process will be needed," the FARC leadership said in a letter to Jean Arnault, head of the UN mission monitoring the peace process.

Members of the FARC, Colombia's largest and oldest guerrilla group, last Saturday finished arriving at the country's 26 zones where they will disarm and eventually live.

Rebels, however, are now complaining that the disarmament areas are not completed, in terms of basic infrastructure, water, power and roads.

They are concerned that the government appears not to be keeping its word on peace process implementation.

If basic infrastructure is not ready at most zones, many say it seems premature to be concerned just about where containers for the weapons be located, to be destroyed later under UN supervision, will be.

According to the country's Office of the High Commissioner for Peace there are 6,934 armed guerrillas concentrated in the zones.
KERNERSVILLE, N.C. (AP)  The FBI says it's looking into reports of death threats made against Muslims during a meeting of conservative activists in North Carolina.

Local news outlets report Monday the Council on American-Islamic Relations asked federal authorities to look into a meeting last week in Kernersville where a group listened to a guest speaker talk about the Muslim Brotherhood.

In audio posted on alternative newspaper Triad City Beat's website, someone says, "Any recommendations on how we can stop this? Because my only recommendation is to start killing the hell out of them."

The comment follows a conversation about Muslims who the speaker suggests are trying to take over the United States.

In a statement provided to news outlets, the FBI said it's tracking down the meeting's participants to gauge the severity of potential threats.
By Press Trust of India: Bajwa

Islamabad, Feb 21 (PTI) Pakistani army will protect its people against forms of "Indian aggression", the countrys army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa today said.

"We will continue our solidarity with people of Kashmir who are struggling for their right of self-determination," Bajwa said.

Bajwa also said that Pakistan army will protect the people of Pakistan against forms of "Indian aggression".

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He also claimed that Pakistans army was fully aware of "the Indian designs and its support to terror in Pakistan and the region".

Bajwa also accused India of "commiting ceasefire violations across the Line of Control". PTI SH UZM

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Washington (AFP) - US states that implemented same-sex marriage legislation prior to its legalization at the federal level saw a drop in suicide attempt rates among high school students, new research shows.

States that legalized gay marriage saw a 14 percent decrease in suicide attempts among gay, lesbian and bisexual adolescents, with a seven percent decline among students overall, according to the research published Monday in the Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatrics.

The researchers compared 32 of the 35 states that legalized same-sex marriage prior to January 2015 with those that had not. The US Supreme Court legalized gay marriage at the national level in June 2015.

States that did not implement such policies prior to federal legalization did not see suicide attempt rates drop, the study said.

"Permitting same-sex marriage reduces structural stigma associated with sexual orientation," said study leader Julia Raifman of John Hopkins University.

"There may be something about having equal rights -- even if they have no immediate plans to take advantage of them -- that makes students feel less stigmatized and more hopeful for the future."

After unintentional injury, suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people aged 15 to 24 in the United States.

The rate of suicide attempts among America's youth continues to rise, with those cases requiring medical attention jumping by 47 percent between 2009 and 2015.

The study shows that 29 percent of gay, lesbian and bisexual students reported having tried to commit suicide in the past 12 months, compared to six percent of heterosexual students.

Researchers used data taken between January 1999 and December 2015, examining trends starting five years before Massachusetts became the first state to legalize gay marriage in 2004.

The US Department of Health and Human Services aims to reduce adolescent suicide rates by 10 percent by 2020, as part of its Healthy People 2020 program.

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Study authors suggest that legalizing same-sex marriage has helped that effort.

"We can all agree that reducing adolescent suicide attempts is a good thing, regardless of our political views," Raifman says.

"Policymakers need to be aware that policies on sexual minority rights can have a real effect on the mental health of adolescents.

"The policies at the top can dictate in ways both positive and negative what happens further down."
(PESHAWAR, Pakistan)  A group of suicide bombers struck outside a courthouse in northwestern Pakistan on Tuesday, killing five people in an attack claimed by a Taliban splinter group.

The attack was the latest in a wave of militant assaults across the troubled country that has killed over 100 people since last week. The brazen suicide bombings have been claimed by various Islamic militant groups, including the breakaway Taliban faction.

In Tuesdays attack, three attackers hit the courthouse in the town of in Tangi in the Charsadda district.

One of the bombers detonated his suicide vest at the courts main gate while police shot and killed the two other assailants, according to the district police chief, Sohail Khalid. The other two also wore suicide vests but had notr managed to set them off before being gunned down.

Khalid said 15 people were wounded in the attack and taken to hospital.

The Pakistani Taliban breakaway Jamaat-ul-Ahrar claimed responsibility for Tuesdays attack in a text message sent to an Associated Press reporter.

In one of the attacks last week, dozens of worshippers gathered at a famed Sufi shrine were killed when an Islamic State suicide bomber walked into the shrines main hall in the southern Sindh province and detonated his explosives on Thursday. The death toll from that attack has since risen to 90.

The shrine bombing prompted a countrywide crackdown by security forces targeting militants and their hideouts.

Pakistan has been at war with Islamic militants for more than a decade. In recent years it has launched major offensives against militant strongholds in the tribal regions along the border with Afghanistan, but insurgents have continued to carry out attacks elsewhere in the country.

___

Associated Press Writer Ishtiaq Mahsud in Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan, and Asif Shahzad in Islamabad contributed to this report.
By Estelle Shirbon LONDON (Reuters) - French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron told British Prime Minister Theresa May on Tuesday not to expect any favors from the European Union during Brexit talks, and drew big cheers for his pro-EU message from French nationals in London. Macron visited May at her Downing Street office and later met Britain's finance minister Philip Hammond, a public relations coup for the young ex-banker at a time when his campaign appears to be losing momentum. "Brexit cannot lead to a kind of optimization of Britain's relationship with the rest of Europe. An exit is an exit," he told reporters outside 10 Downing Street after meeting May. "I am very determined that there will be no undue advantages." Macron, 39, a former economy minister in Socialist President Francois Hollande's government, is running as an independent. He is due to unveil his detailed program next week. The latest polls suggest he and right-wing rival Francois Fillon are tied behind far-right leader Marine Le Pen ahead of the first round of the election on April 23. Polls suggest either man would easily beat Le Pen in the May 7 run-off. Macron, who did not obtain a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel during a recent visit to Berlin, was keen to improve his standing on the world stage and court voters in London, which has an estimated 200,000 French residents. FRENCH AND EU FLAGS At his campaign rally, in a packed hall where people waved French and EU flags, Macron drew the biggest cheers when he spoke in favor of the European project. "Our country cannot succeed without Europe," he said. He advocated a "special relationship" between the EU and France on the one hand and Britain on the other. The term is more commonly used in Britain to describe ties with the United States. "Nothing will be the same (after Brexit), but I think we can defend mutual interests over the long term," he said, citing close cooperation between London and Paris on defense and security. He suggested he would seek to partially renegotiate the Le Touquet agreement, which allows France and Britain to have border controls on each other's territory, so that London would contribute more to managing the issue of refugees and migrants who gather in Calais in northern France to seek ways to Britain. Macron said he and May had discussed what would happen to French expatriates in London after Brexit. He said he wanted them to be free to continue their lives in Britain if they so wished. But he also said that he was fed up with hearing about young French entrepreneurs who felt they could not succeed in France and moved to London because it was easier to start a business there. He said his ambition as president was to make France more attractive so such people would stay, or return. (Additional reporting by Emmanuel Jarry and Michel Rose in Paris, William James and Elizabeth Piper in London; Editing by Ralph Boulton)
By Simon Carraud BEIRUT (Reuters) - French far-right National Front presidential candidate Marine Le Pen canceled a meeting on Tuesday with Lebanon's grand mufti, its top cleric for Sunni Muslims, after refusing to wear a headscarf for the encounter. Le Pen, among the frontrunners for the presidency, is using a two-day visit to Lebanon to bolster her foreign policy credentials nine weeks from the April 23 first round, and may be partly targeting potential Franco-Lebanese votes. Many Lebanese fled to France, Lebanon's former colonial power, during their country's 1975-1990 civil war and became French citizens. After meeting Christian President Michel Aoun - her first public handshake with a head of state - and Sunni Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri on Monday, she had been scheduled to meet the Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Latif Derian He heads the Dar al-Fatwa, the top religious authority for Sunni Muslims in the multireligious country. "I met the grand mufti of Al-Azhar," she told reporters, referring to a visit in 2015 to Cairo's 1,000-year-old center of Islamic learning. "The highest Sunni authority didn't have this requirement, but it doesn't matter. "You can pass on my respects to the grand mufti, but I will not cover myself up," she said. The cleric's press office said Le Pen's aides had been informed beforehand that a headscarf was required for the meeting and had been "surprised by her refusal". But it was no surprise in the French political context. French law bans headscarves in the public service and for high school pupils, in the name of church-state separation and equal rights for women. Le Pen wants to extend this ban to all public places, a measure that would affect Muslims most of all. HARIRI'S VEILED MESSAGE Buoyed by the election of President Donald Trump in the United States and by Britain's vote to leave the European Union, Le Pen's anti-immigration, anti-EU National Front (FN) hopes for similar populist momentum in France. Like Trump, she has said radical Islamism must be faced head on, although she has toned down her party's rhetoric to attract more mainstream support and possibly even woo some Muslim voters disillusioned with France's traditional parties. After meeting Hariri on Monday, Le Pen went against current French policy in Syria by describing President Bashar al-Assad as the "only viable solution" for preventing Islamic State from taking power in Syria. Lebanon has some 1.5 million Syrian refugees. "I explained clearly that ... Bashar al-Assad was obviously today a much more reassuring solution for France than Islamic State would be if it came to power in Syria," she told reporters. Hariri, whose family has close links to conservative former French President Jacques Chirac and still has a home in France, issued a strongly-worded statement after their meeting. "The most serious error would be to link Islam and Muslims on the one hand and terrorism on the other," Hariri said. "The Lebanese and Arabs, like most of the world, considers that France is the home of human rights and the republican state makes no distinction between citizens on ethnic, religious or class grounds." Speaking after meeting French President Francois Hollande in Paris, Walid Jumblatt, the main political leader of the minority Druze community in Lebanon, said Le Pen had "insulted" the Lebanese and Syrian people. "I hope France will make a better choice than this fascist right. We cannot ask the Lebanese people to forget the crimes of the Syrian regime against it and we cannot return en masse (Syrians) while there is the Syrian regime. It's a double insult," he said. Syria dominated Lebanese government and politics for years and had a military presence in the country until 2005, when it withdrew following the assassination of Saad's father, former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri, and months of anti-Syria protests. (Additional reporting by Angus McDowall and Elizabeth Pineau in Paris; Writing by John Irish; Editing by Tom Heneghan)
By Jean-Baptiste Vey and Geert De Clercq PARIS (Reuters) - A senior Socialist minister said on Tuesday he might back centrist Emmanuel Macron in France's presidential election, a new blow to the left's hopes that could help Macron as he battles to maintain his campaign's momentum. The pronouncement by agriculture minister and government spokesman Stephane Le Foll came as opinion polls pictured a wide multi-candidate race, in which far-right leader Marine Le Pen was holding onto recent gains, keeping debt and foreign exchange markets on edge. Two polls showed ex-banker Macron neck-and-neck with conservative rival Francois Fillon as favourite. A third, from Elabe, had Macron in retreat, and made former prime minister Fillon of The Republicans favourite for the first time since a scandal over alleged fake work rocked his campaign four weeks ago. All recent polls show Le Pen ahead in the April 23 first round, but losing a May 7 run-off to whichever of Macron or Fillon topped round one. They also show, however, that her losing margin has shrunk in to as little as 6 percentage points from more than 10. Le Foll's potential defection is the latest in a slew of bad news for France's divided political left. "I support the man who has been chosen (by the Socialists), but the moment comes for political responsibility with regard to what is at play, with regard to Marine Le Pen and with regard also to the programme of Francois Fillon," he said on BFM TV. Asked whether this meant he would back whoever was best placed to prevent a Le Pen-Fillon runoff, he said: "Exactly!" Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault has also said he might back Macron - rather than the ruling Socialists' chosen candidate Benoit Hamon, who is a distant fourth in the polls. Despite the prospect of heavyweight Socialist backing, the polls show Macron's campaign losing momentum. Elabe pollsters reckon he has made a series of mis-steps that explain how they now see Fillon ahead. "He has had 10 difficult days," they said. LEFT DIVIDED Macron angered opponents on the right during a visit to Algeria last week by calling France's colonial past a crime against humanity. He has upset pro-gay marriage supporters by saying their opponents had been humiliated by the government when it pushed through the gay marriage bill in 2013. On Tuesday, Macron took his centrist and pro-European campaign to London, home to a large expatriate French community who get to vote in the elections. The anti-immigration, anti-European Union Le Pen, meanwhile, caused controversy on a trip to Lebanon where her plans to meet a senior Muslim figure were cancelled after her refusal to wear a headscarf. Le Pen's surge has worried investors concerned that her policies will further destabilise fragile European unity, blow apart the euro zone and hurt the value of French debt. The cost of insuring French government debt against default has risen to its highest level in more than three years and sterling rose almost 1 percent against the euro to its highest in two months. Fillon, meanwhile, was tweaking the healthcare policies that caused a campaign wobble earlier this year, having apparently put allegations his wife Penelope was paid hundreds of thousands of euros for work she may not have done behind him. Fillon has said the work was genuine. An official inquiry is under way. Besides the three-way fight, discussions to unite candidates on the left looked to be going nowhere. Hamon is pushing a hard-left programme that divides his party and competes for votes with another leftist, Communist-backed Jean-Luc Melenchon. Melenchon is in fifth place, but a combined Hamon-Melenchon vote could theoretically put them into first or second and therefore into the run-off, instead of Fillon or Macron, against Le Pen. Talks between Melenchon, a veteran campaigner, and Hamon, an ex-education minister, were tentative from the start and both have acknowledged wide policy differences. Hamon gave the latest indication on Tuesday that they were unlikely to be joining forces. "There is a desire on Melenchon's part to go on right to the end," Hamon said on Europe 1 radio. "I respect that...In any case, I will work on right to the end." Political analysts are also eying an imminent decision from veteran centrist Francois Bayrou on whether to stand. If he stands, that could hurt Macron, but backing from Bayrou could be a further boost. (Writing by Andrew Callus; Editing by Richard Balmforth and Alison Williams)
By Jean-Baptiste Vey and Geert De Clercq PARIS (Reuters) - A senior Socialist minister said on Tuesday he might back centrist Emmanuel Macron in France's presidential election, a new blow to the left's hopes that could help Macron as he battles to maintain his campaign's momentum. The pronouncement by agriculture minister and government spokesman Stephane Le Foll came as opinion polls pictured a wide multi-candidate race, in which far-right leader Marine Le Pen was holding onto recent gains, keeping debt and foreign exchange markets on edge. Two polls showed ex-banker Macron neck-and-neck with conservative rival Francois Fillon as favorite. A third, from Elabe, had Macron in retreat, and made former prime minister Fillon of The Republicans favorite for the first time since a scandal over alleged fake work rocked his campaign four weeks ago. All recent polls show Le Pen ahead in the April 23 first round, but losing a May 7 run-off to whichever of Macron or Fillon topped round one. They also show, however, that her losing margin has shrunk in to as little as 6 percentage points from more than 10. Le Foll's potential defection is the latest in a slew of bad news for France's divided political left. "I support the man who has been chosen (by the Socialists), but the moment comes for political responsibility with regard to what is at play, with regard to Marine Le Pen and with regard also to the program of Francois Fillon," he said on BFM TV. Asked whether this meant he would back whoever was best placed to prevent a Le Pen-Fillon runoff, he said: "Exactly!" Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault has also said he might back Macron - rather than the ruling Socialists' chosen candidate Benoit Hamon, who is a distant fourth in the polls. Despite the prospect of heavyweight Socialist backing, the polls show Macron's campaign losing momentum. Elabe pollsters reckon he has made a series of mis-steps that explain how they now see Fillon ahead. "He has had 10 difficult days," they said. LEFT DIVIDED Macron angered opponents on the right during a visit to Algeria last week by calling France's colonial past a crime against humanity. He has upset pro-gay marriage supporters by saying their opponents had been humiliated by the government when it pushed through the gay marriage bill in 2013. On Tuesday, Macron took his centrist and pro-European campaign to London, home to a large expatriate French community who get to vote in the elections. The anti-immigration, anti-European Union Le Pen, meanwhile, caused controversy on a trip to Lebanon where her plans to meet a senior Muslim figure were canceled after her refusal to wear a headscarf. Le Pen's surge has worried investors concerned that her policies will further destabilize fragile European unity, blow apart the euro zone and hurt the value of French debt. The cost of insuring French government debt against default has risen to its highest level in more than three years and sterling rose almost 1 percent against the euro to its highest in two months. Fillon, meanwhile, was tweaking the healthcare policies that caused a campaign wobble earlier this year, having apparently put allegations his wife Penelope was paid hundreds of thousands of euros for work she may not have done behind him. Fillon has said the work was genuine. An official inquiry is under way. Besides the three-way fight, discussions to unite candidates on the left looked to be going nowhere. Hamon is pushing a hard-left program that divides his party and competes for votes with another leftist, Communist-backed Jean-Luc Melenchon. Melenchon is in fifth place, but a combined Hamon-Melenchon vote could theoretically put them into first or second and therefore into the run-off, instead of Fillon or Macron, against Le Pen. Talks between Melenchon, a veteran campaigner, and Hamon, an ex-education minister, were tentative from the start and both have acknowledged wide policy differences. Hamon gave the latest indication on Tuesday that they were unlikely to be joining forces. "There is a desire on Melenchon's part to go on right to the end," Hamon said on Europe 1 radio. "I respect that...In any case, I will work on right to the end." Political analysts are also eying an imminent decision from veteran centrist Francois Bayrou on whether to stand. If he stands, that could hurt Macron, but backing from Bayrou could be a further boost. (Writing by Andrew Callus; Editing by Richard Balmforth and Alison Williams)
By Marjua Estevez

At least 26 people were injured after an explosion near a bullring in the South American city of Bogota, Colombia. Police officers, who were prepping for anti-bullfighting protests in the countrys capital on Sunday (February 19), made up a majority of the victims. No one was killed, reports Reuters.

The national police rejects and condemns these acts of barbarism that affect the integrity of our police and other citizens, as well as the tranquility and coexistence of the countrys capital, the police said in statement.

Citizens have gathered en masse weekly to protest bullfighting in Bogota, which resumed last month for the first time in four years when the ban was lifted by the constitutional courtprompting weekly clashes with law enforcement and animal rights activists.

The cause of the blast is still unknown.

This post A Gang Of Police Officers Injured In Bogota Explosion first appeared on Vibe.
By Jeff Mason and Patricia Zengerle WEST PALM BEACH, Fla./WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday named Lieutenant General Herbert Raymond McMaster as his new national security adviser, choosing a military officer known for speaking his mind and challenging his superiors. McMaster is a highly regarded military tactician and strategic thinker, but his selection surprised some observers who wondered how the officer, whose Army career stalled at times for his questioning of authority, would deal with a White House that has not welcomed criticism. "He is highly respected by everybody in the military and we're very honored to have him," Trump told reporters in West Palm Beach where he spent the weekend. "He's a man of tremendous talent and tremendous experience." One subject on which Trump and McMaster could soon differ is Russia. McMaster shares the consensus view among the U.S. national security establishment that Russia is a threat and an antagonist to the United States, while the man whom McMaster is replacing, retired Lieutenant General Michael Flynn, appeared to view it more as a potential geopolitical partner. Trump in the past has expressed a willingness to engage with Russia more than his predecessor, Barack Obama. Flynn was fired as national security adviser on Feb. 13 after reports emerged that he had misled Vice President Mike Pence about speaking to Russia's ambassador to the United States about U.S. sanctions before Trump's inauguration. The ouster, coming so early in Trump's administration, was another upset for a White House that has been hit by miscues, including the controversial rollout of a travel ban on people from seven Muslim-majority countries, since the Republican president took office on Jan. 20. The national security adviser is an independent aide to the president and does not require confirmation by the U.S. Senate. He has broad influence over foreign policy and attends National Security Council meetings along with the heads of the State Department, the Department of Defense and key security agencies. NOT AFRAID TO QUESTION THE BOSS Republican Senator John McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee and a frequent Trump critic, praised McMaster as an "outstanding" choice. "I give President Trump great credit for this decision," McCain said in a statement. A former U.S. ambassador to Russia under Obama, Michael McFaul, a Democrat, praised McMaster on Twitter as "terrific" and said McMaster "will not be afraid to question his boss." McMaster, who flew back to the Washington area from Florida with Trump on Air Force One, will remain on active military duty, the White House said. Trump also said Keith Kellogg, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant general who has been serving as the acting national security adviser, as chief of staff to the National Security Council. John Bolton, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, would be asked to serve the administration in another capacity, Trump said. "He has a good number of ideas that I must tell you I agree very much with," Trump said of Bolton, who served in Republican President George W. Bush's administration. Kellogg and Bolton were among those in contention as Trump spent the long Presidents Day weekend considering his options for replacing Flynn. His first choice, retired Vice Admiral Robert Harward, turned down the job last week. McMaster, 54, is a West Point graduate known as "H.R.," with a Ph.D. in U.S. history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He was listed as one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people in 2014, partly because of his willingness to buck the system. A combat veteran, he gained renown in the first Gulf War - and was awarded a Silver Star - after he commanded a small troop of the U.S. 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment that destroyed a much larger Iraqi Republican Guard force in 1991 in a place called 73 Easting, for its map coordinates, in what many consider the biggest tank battle since World War Two. As one fellow officer put it, referring to Trump's inner circle of aides and speaking on condition of anonymity, the Trump White House "has its own Republican Guard, which may be harder for him to deal with than the Iraqis were." The Iraqi Republican Guard was the elite military force of ousted dictator Saddam Hussein. Trump relies on a tight, insular group of advisers, who at times appear to have competing political agendas. Senior adviser Steve Bannon has asserted his influence by taking a seat on the National Security Council. McMaster's fame grew after his 1997 book "Dereliction of Duty" criticized the country's military and political leadership for poor leadership during the Vietnam War. Trump's pick was praised by one of the president's strongest backers in the U.S. Congress, Republican Senator Tom Cotton, who called McMaster "one of the finest combat leaders of our generation and also a great strategic mind." "CRITICISM AND FEEDBACK" In a July 14, 2014, interview with the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer in Columbus, Georgia, where Fort Benning is located, McMaster, then the base commander, said: "Some people have a misunderstanding about the Army. "Some people think, hey, youre in the military and everything is super-hierarchical and youre in an environment that is intolerable of criticism and people dont want frank assessments. "I think the opposite is the case. ... And the commanders that Ive worked for, they want frank assessments, they want criticism and feedback." That attitude was not always shared by his superiors, and it led to his being passed over for promotion to brigadier general twice, in 2006 and 2007. On McMaster's third and last try, General David Petraeus  who at one point was also on Trump's candidate list for national security adviser  returned from Iraq to head the promotion board that finally gave McMaster his first general's star. Then a colonel, McMaster was commander of the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment that in the spring of 2005 captured, held and began to stabilize Tal Afar on the Iraqi-Syrian border. The city was held by Sunni extremists, a crossing point between Syria and Iraq for jihadists who started as al-Qaeda in Mesopotamia under Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and morphed into Islamic State after he was killed. McMaster's preparation of the regiment is legendary: He trained his soldiers in Iraqi culture, the differences among Sunnis, Shi'ites and Turkomen, and had them read books on the history of the region and counterinsurgency strategy. It was a sharp change from the "kill and capture" tactics the United States had used in Iraq since the invasion in March 2003, and to which the Obama administration returned in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria. The strategy was largely a success, although McMaster's use of it and especially his willingness to acknowledge that Iraqis had some legitimate grievances against one another and the occupying coalition forces, did not endear him to his superiors and helped delay his promotion to brigadier general. The strategy did not survive the departure of McMaster's troops, with Tal Afar falling into the hands of Sunni militants. Along with the west part of Mosul, it is now a key objective in the battle to rid Iraq of Islamic State. (This story corrects Kellogg's rank to retired lieutenant general, in paragraph 14; corrects headline to reflect that McMaster is a lieutenant general.) (Additional reporting by John Walcott and Sarah Lynch in Washington; Writing by Frances Kerry and James Oliphant; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Peter Cooney)
He termed India terror sponsor of the region and said that the Pakistan Army is fully geared up to protect Pakistan.

By Santosh Chaubey: The Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa today visited the Line of Control (LoC). Like has been the tradition, he used the occasion to spew venom against India.

He termed India terror sponsor of the region and said that the Pakistan Army is fully geared up to protect Pakistan. Seeing a pattern in the alleged cease fire violations (CFVs) by India, he repeated Pakistan's favourite Kashmir rant vowing to save people of Kashmir, that Pakistan calls Azad Kashmir and that is in illegal occupation of Pakistan, from the Indian aggression and assured Pakistan's continued solidarity with people of Jammu and Kashmir, the remaining bigger part of the state that is an integral part of India.

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Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor, spokesperson of the Pakistan Armed Forces, tweeted a video of Gen Bajwa's LoC visit.

#COAS visited LOC.Aware of Indian design, her sp to terrorism in Pak/region. #Kulbhushan an evidence. His case ll be taken to logical concl. pic.twitter.com/ZJrmDFRXiD Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor (@OfficialDGISPR) February 21, 2017

Pakistan is blamed for perpetrating terror in Pak-occupied-Kashmir and running it through a puppet government and pushing terrorists and promoting terrorism and unrest in Jammu and Kashmir. The world recognizes its propaganda and no major power stands with Pakistan when it comes to its absurd claims on Kashmir.

In fact, there has been a growing global consensus that Pakistan is the new terror backyard of the world, harbouring and sheltering terrorists who threaten the global peace, be it Taliban and its factions or Al Qaeda or the Haqqani Network or LeT or JeM or countless others. The recent move to ban Lashkar-e-Taiba's (LeT) front Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and its chief Hafiz Saeed is most probably a drama that tells the world community how shameless Pakistan has become on this front. People say the sham crackdown on Hafiz Saeed is under the US pressure but we should not forget that the US bounty of $10 million on Saeed is in place since 2012. And then, Osama bin Laden was also hunted down and killed in Pakistan.

But continuing the tradition of Pak doublespeak on Kashmir, Gen Bajwa blamed CFVs by India as 'efforts to divert the world attention from the so-called Indian atrocities against the Kashmiris'.

India and Pakistan consistently blame each-other for CFVs and summon each other's High Commissions officials regularly to lodge their official protests. Pakistan's Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) says India committed at least 178 CFVs last year in which 19 civilians lost their lives. Hansraj Ahir, MoS Home, India stated in a written reply in the Lok Sabha that Pakistan violated cease fire some 450 times last year, with around 300 of them after India's successful surgical strike in Pak-occupied-Kashmir in September 2016 to eliminate terror camps. According to the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP), 28 people including 13 security forces personnel in Jammu and Kashmir lost their lives in CFVs by Pakistan in 2016.

Another part of Gen Bajwa's rhetoric today was about Kulbhushan Yadav, the alleged Indian spy in Pakistan's custody. He said that Kulbhushan Yadav is the 'evidence of Indian designs to support terror in Pakistan and the region'. But ever since Yadav's arrest in March 2016, that Indian intelligence agencies say was an act of abduction, Pakistan's has denied every Indian request to provide consular access to him. Instead, Pakistan has been using every sort of propaganda, including Yadav's coerced confessional video statement, to shed crocodile tears that it is a victim of Indian sponsored terror in Pakistan.

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India has very clearly said that Kulbhushan Yadav was indeed an Indian Navy officer but after his retirement, the Indian government had no connection with him but Pakistan is hell-bent on proving him a serving Indian Navy officer. But in spite of all its grandstanding before the world, no one in the world community has bought the Pakistani claims. Pakistan's propaganda in this case becomes clear from the fact that even its own Foreign Affairs Advisor, Sartaj Aziz, has accepted that there is no enough proof to convict Yadav and additional evidence needs to be collected.

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Berlin (AFP) - Germany will increase its military to nearly 200,000 troops over the next seven years, the defence ministry said Tuesday, a day after US Vice President Mike Pence urged European allies to boost their defence spending.

Berlin had already announced last May its first increase in troop count since the Cold War, but the ministry said it was further revising numbers upwards.

The Bundeswehr is now expected to grow by 20,000 soldiers to a total of 198,000 in 2024.

Additionally, the number of civilian staff would reach 61,000 over the same period, said the ministry.

"The Bundeswehr has rarely been as necessary as it is now," said Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen.

"Be it in the fight against IS (Islamic State) terrorism, in the stabilisation of Mali, the ongoing support of Afghanistan and against people smugglers in the Mediterranean and the Aegean or with our increased presence for NATO in the Baltics," she said.

Over recent years, the army had seen a significant reduction in troop numbers following Germany's reunification and the end of the Cold War.

In 1990, the number of soldiers reached 585,000, before falling to a low of 166,500 last June.

Washington has repeatedly pressed Germany to increase its defence spending to reach the NATO agreed level of two percent of economic output.

So far, of the 28 NATO members, only the United States, Britain, Poland, Greece and Estonia have met the two percent target.
By Matthew Mpoke Bigg and Kwasi Kpodo ACCRA (Reuters) - Ghana's President Nana Akufo-Addo said in his first state of the nation address the economy was in a "bad way" but he would press ahead with a plan to create jobs, cut the budget deficit and improve sustainable agriculture. Akufo-Addo told parliament on Tuesday a three-year International Monetary Fund programme to stabilise national finances had failed to meet its objectives, and he placed the blame squarely on the government he defeated in elections in December. The fiscal deficit for 2016 was 9 percent of gross domestic product on a cash basis, rather than the target of 5.25 percent, he said, and estimated growth of 3.6 percent last year was the lowest in 23 years. He said the government will significantly reduce the deficit in 2017 as part of its goal of ensuring that fiscal stability becomes an engine of growth, reasoning that it would lead to lower interest rates. "The economy of our country is in a bad way," he said in a speech to parliament frequently interrupted by cheers from lawmakers from the ruling New Patriotic Party and jeering by the opposition National Democratic Congress. Just a few years ago Ghana's economy was one of Africa's most dynamic, but it was hit hard starting in 2014 by a slump in global prices for its gold and oil exports. A fiscal crisis saw inflation and the deficit rise sharply and the currency fall, forcing the previous government to enter the IMF programme. The speech before parliament was Akufo-Addo's first major address since he was sworn in on Jan. 7, and he outlined a series of priorities in line with his manifesto commitment to cut taxes and stimulate private sector growth. However, he gave few details on how the government would implement its programme, given that it inherited an economy far worse than it expected. The issue is important politically because the government faces sky-high voter expectations. Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta is due to deliver the annual budget in early March. Akufo-Addo said the government would build a dam in every village to enable year-round agriculture, start work this year on a railway line connecting the port city of Takoradi to northern Ghana and tackle the problem of joblessness for young people, which he described as a "time bomb". (Editing by Joe Bavier and Mark Trevelyan)
GIFs are inescapable, infiltrating almost every way we communicate in 2017. And now, with a new series from Giphy, the world can choose from a much more inclusive array of options.

Timed with Black History Month, Giphy has made a dedicated effort to provide users with GIFs showing the black American experience. From iconic civil rights activists to #BlackGirlMagic, the GIF search engine is honoring black culture by creating and curating GIFs that help fill a gaping hole in representation online  this February and beyond.

SEE ALSO: Snapchat celebrates Black History Month with 'Young, Black and Proud' story

Giphy's culture editor, Jasmyn Lawson  who, for the record, pronounces GIF with a hard "g"  is one of the driving forces behind the effort.

"I knew personally, just being a black woman, that if I'm going to work here and use the product, I want to use GIFs that represent me," Lawson said.

She explained that her initial drive to see more diversity came from searching through regular results, like "hello" or "facepalm." The results showed mostly white people. Lawson wanted to offer users more inclusive GIFs that could represent the many facets of being a person of color.

Ida B. Wells was a journalist and activist whose writings and activism were centered around anti-lynching in the South. #BHMGIFParty pic.twitter.com/RhiX9jzEmC  GIPHY (@GIPHY) February 1, 2017

In the first of several series, Giphy kicked off Black History Month with original, illustrated GIFs highlighting important work by black leaders. The company introduced animated portraits of icons like Toni Morrison, John Lewis, Shirley Chisholm and James Baldwin that quickly spread across Facebook and Twitter.

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Since the icon series launched, Giphy has also curated subchannels celebrating black hair, contemporary social activists, black love and black boy joy  all of which live under the Black History Month channel for easy access.

The Giphy Studios team illustrated some of the GIFs, while others were curated by editors who sort through images and assign tags (like, "awkward" or "shrug"), adding terms specifically for Black History Month.

For others, like the original Black Hair series, the company specifically hired black artists to illustrate portrayals of black culture and hair beyond just aesthetics.

"We talk a lot about black hair in terms of style and the way we wear our hair, but we don't necessarily talk about the nuanced experiences we have dealing with hair," Lawson said. "It's a big part of our culture."

She cited bonnet problems, braid struggles and barber loyalty as a few examples.

Black Girl Magic was one of Lawson's first passion projects  a collection that launched last year with the Giphy Studios team, featuring about 300 GIFs of different black women of various skin tones, hair textures and body size.

This month, just in time for Valentine's Day, Lawson was able to put similar energy behind curating images of black love  and they go well beyond straight, non-trans couples.

Giphy Culture Editor Jasmyn Lawson

Image: Martha Tesema / Mashable

Seeing regular representation of various people of color in traditional media can be a slow moving train, so diversity in something as common as a GIF has instant and powerful results.

Whether it's through the spectrum of ages, body positivity, body hair, sexual orientation or, as Lawson said, "all those random things that make up who we are and our identities," these curated GIFs attempt to represent as many people as possible. And their effect has definitely been noticed.

"I look on the internet and I can visually see the impact those GIFs have  I see people using them," Lawson said.

For Lawson, the results of the series have been overwhelming, and shed light on the need for projects like this.

"People are cringing for this representation of themselves," she explained. "It takes forever to get a series made or things to get green-lit ... For me I can be like, 'Oh you want to see yourself? Let me make that GIF,' and bow  it's out there."

The work to diversify the GIF archive may be underway, but it's far from over  and definitely won't end on Feb. 28.

"For me, black history is never ending. Even now we're still making history," she said, mentioning pioneers like Viola Davis, Simone Biles and Chance the Rapper.

More history means even more GIFs to share for the culture, and we're not mad about that in the slightest.
A new report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) shows that global arms sales conducted over the last five years have hit their highest point since 1990. India continues to lead the list and remain the worlds largest importer as far as the defense sector is concerned.

Other notable importers are the Arab states from the Gulf region, which are engaged in conflicts within Yemen, Syria or inside their own territory. The relationship between some of these states and Iran is far from friendly.

India Heads Importers List

India contributed 13% of all global arms importers during the period extending from 2012-16. Next up on the list are the likes of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, China and Algeria, as per SIPRI. Previously, during the period from 2007-11, around 9.7% of total global arms imports could be attributed to India.

The extent of Indias purchases is understandable, given that India faces a hostile geopolitical environment. On one hand it has to deal with its long standing and nuclear armed competitor Pakistan. Also, it has to prepare to deal with Chinas growing military capabilities.

In order to reduce the impact of the increasing collaboration between China and Pakistan, India has tried to improve defense ties with the U.S. as well as countries in South East Asia, such as Vietnam. However, the inability to develop indigenous weapons means that India remains largely dependent on imports to satisfy its growing requirements.

Trump Win Boosts Defense Stocks

Trumps surprise victory sent jitters through the global stock markets. However, defense companies remained largely unaffected and are expected to benefit from the policies of the new administration. Despite the fact that Trump has slammed some sector heavyweights, his approach toward the industry could lead to a marked improvement compared to the last 10 years.

In fact, Trump has vehemently criticized Obama administration for imposing budget caps on the U.S. military. The new Presidents promises to raise more troops and plans to ramp up funds for major defense players have largely been supported by the upside in stocks from the sector since the release of election results on Nov 8, 2016.

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Also, soon after taking office, Trump outlined a tough stand against ISIS and other Islamic terror groups, clearly stating his stand point of zero tolerance for terrorism. This in turn must have raised hopes of increased demand for defense products, thereby buoying optimism for this sector. (Read: 3 Defense Stocks Set to Beat Q4 Earnings)

Stocks to Watch

Lockheed Martin Corporation LMT is the largest U.S. defense contractor with a platform-centric focus that guarantees a steady inflow of follow-on orders from a leveraged presence in the Army, Air Force, Navy and IT programs.

Additionally, this Zacks Rank #3 stock is likely to gain from its solid presence in the international market. Currently, it is negotiating with the Indian government to set up a facility to produce the F-16 fighter jet within that country.

The Boeing Company BA is of the major players in the defense business, which stands out among its peers by virtue of its broadly diversified programs, strong order bookings and order backlog. The companys 2016 defense deliveries stood at 185 units.

Internationally, the company is witnessing strong demand for defense products, such as fighter jets, the rotorcraft line-up and 737-based military derivatives. The stock has a Zacks Rank #3.

Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. HII is the countrys largest military shipbuilder. Huntington Ingalls continues to boast stable financials and regular cash returns to shareholders. In addition, its multi-year stability in shipbuilding is likely to lead to robust cash flow. The stock has a Zacks Rank #1. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Northrop Grumman Corporation NOC has developed into one of the largest U.S. defense contractors in terms of revenue, with a major platform-centric focus. The company has a strong presence in Air Force, Space & Cyber Security programs.

Foreign military sales provides much needed respite at the time of negative defense budget revisions and acted as a key performance catalyst for the Zacks Rank #3 Northrop. The international market accounted for 13.1% of its business in 2016.

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With an uptick in the volume of international arms exchange estimated to be at its highest in 201216 for any five-year period since the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War in 1991, the world may be a far more dangerous place now than ever, according to newly released data.

The data on arms transfers published Monday by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) found that with a one-third share during the same period, the United States was the biggest global arms exporter. The U.S. also saw its arms exports climb by 21 percent when matched with data from the 200711 period, almost half of it going to the Middle East.

The USA supplies major arms to at least 100 countries around the worldsignificantly more than any other supplier state, Aude Fleurant, director of the SIPRI Arms and Military Expenditure Programme, said in a statement. The bulk of the U.S. arms exports included the latest-generation air and missile defense systems along with advanced strike aircraft with cruise missiles and other precision-guided weapons.

The report noted an increase of 8.4 percent in global arms trade between the periods, 200711 and 201216. During the same time period, the flow of arms increased to Asia and Oceania and the Middle East, but decreased to Europe, the Americas and Africa. With 13 percent of the global total, India was the worlds largest importer of major arms.

"With no regional arms control instruments in place, states in Asia continue to expand their arsenals. ... While China is increasingly able to substitute arms imports with indigenous products, India remains dependent on weapons technology from many willing suppliers, including Russia, the USA, European states, Israel and South Korea," Siemon Wezeman, senior researcher with the SIPRI Arms and Military Expenditure Programme, explained in a press release.

However, more worrisome than an increase in the volume of the global arms trade is the rapidly expanding international black market trade. An yearlong investigation carried out by a team of reporters from the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network and the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project published in June last year, for instance, revealed the discreet sale of arms and ammunition amounting to more than 1 billion pounds ($1.2 billion) was responsible in fueling the civil war in Syria.

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The investigation found out Eastern European countries have exported weapons to Middle Eastern nations, from where they are dispatched to key arms markets in Syria and Yemen. The report also suggested U.S. involvement. To try and counter the spread of the Islamic State group, Washington reportedly bought and delivered large amounts of military equipment for the Syrian opposition sourced from central and eastern Europe.

According to American procurement documents and ship tracking data, three cargo ships commissioned by the U.S. military's Special Operations Command have left Black Sea ports in the Balkans for the Middle East since December 2015.

Approximately 4,700 tons of weaponry has been delivered from Bulgaria and Romania to military facilities in Jordan and Turkey. On June 21, the latest U.S.-chartered ship left Bulgaria carrying about 1,700 tons of materiel for an unidentified Red Sea port.

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God wants all Christians dead, an Islamic State group in Egypt declared in a video released over the weekend featuring a suicide bomber who killed nearly 30 people in a Coptic cathedral late last year, Reuters reported Sunday. The suicide bomber identified as Abu Abdallah al-Masri claims in the 20-minute video that jihadists in Egypt will be freed soon when the ISIS group liberates Cairo.

The ISIS fighter also known as "The Egyptian" killed 29 people, mostly women and children, at St. Marks Cathedral in Cairo in December in the militant group's deadliest attack in Egypt outside the Sinai Peninsula. Islamic State in Egypt was formerly known as the Sinai Province group and the church attack was seen in Egypt as a sign that the militants were growing stronger.

Egypt, with 90 million residents, is home to 9 million Christians, the Middle Easts largest Christian community. Masri calls the Coptic pope and Christian businessmen ISIS' "favorite prey," in the video.

Finally, to my brothers in captivity: Rejoice, you believers, do not falter or grieve. I swear to God we will very soon liberate Cairo and free you from captivity, Masri says in the video. We will come bearing explosives, I swear we will, so rejoice, you believers.

The narrator explains that Christians were no longer dhimmis, or non-Muslims in Islam who benefit from state protection. Instead, Christians are infidels helping the West wage battle on Muslim nations.

God gave orders to kill every infidel, one of the militants carrying an AK-47 assault rifle says in the video. Oh worshippers of the cross  the soldiers of the state are watching you, says another masked militant.

Christians in Egypt have increasingly been threatened by violence. Coptic Christian teacher Gamal Tawfiq, 50, was shot dead Thursday by two militants on a motorbike, while militants killed Bahgat Zakher, a Christian veterinary surgeon, in el-Arish earlier this month.

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ISIS lures new recruits with its tales and videos showcasing brutal violence. Fighters from the Islamic State group have arbitrarily detained, tortured and forcibly married Sunni Arab women and girls in Iraq, Human Rights Watch said in its latest report Monday.

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A Tennessee grandmother was arrested this week after police say her 3-year-old grandson accidentally shot his 4-year-old brother while in her care at a Memphis home.

The Memphis Police Department first showed up to the home Sunday night after a report that someone had fired shots at the home at about 8 p.m.

Watch: Man Missing From Party Found Stabbed to Death Inside Shallow Grave

While investigating, police again heard gunfire that appeared to be coming from inside the house.

"At the time they were investigating you heard another pop," neighbor Chris Hill told WREG. "Like I said, all the other police were there and they ran in the house and found a child had been shot."

Authorities ran inside to investigate, where they found one boy shot in the arm.

Police say Nellums then explained that she came out of the house and fired several shots in the ground to scare off whoever was shooting at their house.

Read: Pair Killed Their Landlord, 68, Then Lived With Her Body for 2 Weeks: Cops

According to a police affidavit, Nellums later told police she left the gun in plain view in the living room. When the 3-year-old picked it up, he dropped it, accidentally shooting his brother.

Officers recovered a handgun from the home, according to the affidavit.

Watch: Columbia Grad Found Dead in Panama Was Strangled With Her Own Bathing Suit: Report

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ATHENS, Ga. (AP)  The Celtic cross tattoo on Shannon Martinez's leg gives away her past.

A victim of sexual assault at age 14 and never quite able to meet her parents' expectations, Martinez sought out other angry teens. By 16, she was a skinhead spouting white supremacist rhetoric, giving stiff-armed Nazi salutes and tagging public property with swastikas. She favored racist fashion statements  like the symbol on her right calf.

Fortified by the love of an adopted family, Martinez left the skinheads behind. Today she's helping others do the same as part of an emerging U.S. movement that helps people quit hate organizations.

Modeled loosely upon organizations that formed in Europe years ago to combat extremism, groups and individuals are offering counseling, education and understanding to extremists seeking a way out.

Now a 42-year-old mom who homeschools her kids at their house in Georgia, Martinez volunteers with Life After Hate, a leading organization dedicated to helping people leave white supremacy. On Facebook, she shares her story with others who've left or are looking to leave extremism.

Slideshow: Groups, individuals helping white extremists shed hate >>>

"We act as a group of people who understand each other," said former skinhead Christian Picciolini, an old friend of Martinez who founded the Chicago-based Life After Hate. "We understand the motivations of where we came from and why we joined. We understand what keeps people in. And we help each other detach and disengage from that ideology and provide a support system for them as they go through that transformation."

Founded in 2009, Life After Hate was awarded a $400,000 Justice Department grant in the closing days of the Obama administration  funding that could be endangered if the Trump administration decides to refocus a federal program combatting violent extremism solely on Islamic radicals, as is being considered.

While several other grant recipients are dedicated to countering radical Muslim ideology, Life After Hate concentrates specifically on showing white extremists there's another way.

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The group operates a website where people who want to explore leaving white extremism can submit contact information. It also conducts educational and counseling programs including the Facebook group where members sometimes chat with extremists trying to change their lives, Picciolini said.

"I started the organization ... because it was so difficult to leave that movement," he said. "Even though I'd abandoned the ideology, I wasn't ready to give up my community and my power and my identity, and I knew how hard it would be for other people to leave this type of ideology or this type of movement."

Another group, One People's Project, was started by Daryle Lamont Jenkins of Philadelphia. Aside from monitoring racist groups, Jenkins  who is black  confronts white nationalists at public gatherings and talks one-on-one with willing white supremacists as he can, trying to show them there is a way other than hate. Some have never met a black person, he said.

Jenkins' work is similar to that of Daryl Davis, a black musician from Maryland who has gained notice for trying to talk people out of the Ku Klux Klan.

Mark Potok, a senior fellow with the liberal Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery, Alabama, said it's hard to determine exact numbers, but around 100,000 people might be members in hate groups and several hundred thousand could be linked informally.

Potok said exit organizations began in Europe in the 1980s to counter the rise right-wing militants there.

"I do think that this is a particularly important moment for this kind of exit work to be happening because we have seen in the last year, year and a half, a real legitimization of these views," he said.

President Donald Trump's election with the support of neo-Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan has lent a new sense of urgency to opponents of white supremacy.

"The Trump election has absolutely lit a fire under the butts of the white nationalists," Martinez said. "It is like, 'Our time is coming.'"

Martinez said she grew up in metro Atlanta in a relatively normal family but rebelled after being sexually assaulted at a party. She got involved in the punk scene, which led to the skinhead movement.

Martinez said she was on a path to prison or an early death when she moved in with the family of her skinhead boyfriend, who was away for Army training. His mother showed unconditional love that pulled her out of the abyss, Martinez said.

Today, she looks at photos of herself from her skinhead days and fights back tears.

"I was filled with rage and anger and the skinheads were the angriest people that I knew and I was kind of like, 'Those are my people.' And the ideology was a means of taking something that was ethereal, something that was unnamable, an anger and a rage that I felt, and giving it a focal point," she said.

Shane Johnson was born into extremism. His father and many of his father's relatives were part of the Klan, he said, so there was only one real way for him to go as a youth in northern Indiana.

"We were known as the Klan family," he said. "I got my first Klan robe when I was 14."

Johnson eventually joined a skinhead group in addition to the KKK but finally decided to quit after getting arrested, stopping drinking and meeting the woman who is now his wife. Leaving was a real fight, though, as even relatives jumped him at a gas station one night after learning he wanted to quit.

"When I dropped out they beat the holy hell out of me," he said.

Since then, Johnson has tried to cover some of his racist tattoos with new ones and wears long sleeves to hide remnants of the past he regrets. Life After Hate is helping him numerous ways, Johnson said, including showing him how to read the Bible without seeing it as a treatise on racial separation, as he had been taught.

Johnson, now 25 and living in rural Indiana, isn't ready to begin counseling others about leaving extremism; he still sometimes longs for his racist buddies and their ways. But he said his own story is proof that hate doesn't have to be permanent.

"You can get out," he said.

____

Associated Press video journalist Teresa Crawford in Chicago contributed to this report. AP photographer Michael Conroy contributed from Indiana.
The bombers opened fire inside the court premises and threw hand grenades, local media reported.

By India Today Web Desk: At least six people have been killed and several injured in multiple blasts outside a local court in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Charsadda district. Charsadda is approximately 30km away from Peshawar.

The bombers opened fire inside the court premises and threw hand grenades, the Dawn reported.

At least one of the explosions was a suicide blast. One attacker exploded when police fired at him, it added.

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The terrorists first opened fire and then hurled hand grenades while trying to enter the court premises.

"A major tragedy was prevented as terrorists were stopped from entering the court," Geo News quoted Ijaz Khan, DIG Marda, as saying.

A similar attack in March, 2016, killed at least 16 and injured more than 20 when a suicide bomber hit the gates of a local court building in Shabqadar district, Charsadda.

Pakistan has been hit by a string of militant bombings and suicide attacks over the past 10 days, killing more than 100 people and wounding hundreds.

On February 13, suicide bombers targeted Lahore killing 13 people. The attack came just days after over 90 people were killed in suicide bombing at Lal Shahbaz Qalandar Sufi shrine in Sindh province.

Pakistani media reported that security forces launched a massive crackdown on terrorist organisations following the sufi shrine blast killing and arresting many militants.

However, it was unclear whether the new crackdown targeted terror groups like the Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba. Critics have accused Pakistan in past crackdowns of sparing militant groups that do not attack on Pakistani soil.

WATCH: At least 100 killed in suicide bombing at Lal Shahbaz Qalandar in Pakistan

ALSO READ:

After Musharraf admits using Kashmir militants as tools, Pakistan defence minister calls Hafiz Saeed a threat

Sehwan shrine attack effect: Pakistan moving heavy artillery to Afghanistan border?

--- ENDS ---
WASHINGTON (AP)  The Supreme Court has declined to disturb the conviction of former New York City councilman Daniel Halloran on bribery and fraud charges.

The justices on Tuesday rejected Halloran's appeal of his 2014 conviction for trying to help another politician buy a spot on the 2013 mayoral ballot.

Halloran argued that there was not enough evidence to convict him. A federal appeals court rejected those arguments last year and upheld his 10-year prison sentence.

The Queens Republican was found guilty based on evidence that he helped Democratic state Sen. Malcolm Smith bribe GOP leaders for their approval to let Smith run for mayor as a Republican.
By Ruthy Munoz

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Police swarmed a Houston hospital on Tuesday after reports of a shooting but found no evidence any weapon had been fired and said no one was injured in the incident.

Police said they had received multiple calls about a shooter on the second floor of Ben Taub Hospital, a major healthcare center in the city. They then conducted a floor-by-floor sweep.

"We have not found any evidence of a shooter yet," Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo told reporters outside the hospital. "We have not found anyone injured. We have not found a suspect."

He added there were multiple witnesses who said they heard two large bangs and someone yell "drop the gun."

He added: "I cant say that there was no shooting. If there was a threat, that threat is not present here now."

The hospital has returned to normal operations, he said, adding SWAT officers will stay for several hours as a precaution.

Live aerial coverage from Houston television station KHOU showed officers outside the facility, with several drawing their weapons, and patients on gurneys being wheeled out.

James and Alma Delacruz were in the hospital's emergency room when panic set in on reports of the shooter. Staff blocked some doors with furniture and tried to remove patients through others, they said.

"I was really scared," Alma Delacruz said.

(Reporting by Ruthy Munoz in Houston and Jon Herskovitz in Austin; Editing by James Dalgleish)
Impeach President Bannon posters have cropped up across New York City, Washington, D.C., San Francisco and Baltimore demanding the removal of President Donald Trumps chief political strategist Steve Bannon, according to reports Sunday. The former executive chairman of Breitbart News is accused of influencing Trump, who has rubbished the claim.

The posters are courtesy of a campaign that is calling on Bannons removal from the White House. So far the campaign has raised more than $13,500 for the posters, which includes the 63-year-old in the list of U.S. presidents since Ronald Reagan. After Barack Obama, Trump's name was replaced by Bannon's in the so-called list of presidents on the posters.

Our goal is to show Trump we know who is really calling the shots. To spark a media firestorm and put another bale of straw on that camels back. Its gotta break. Bannons got to go, the California-based organizers said on the campaign page.

No one voted for Steve Bannon, the organizers said in a statement to Yahoo News. Yet he is the de-facto 45th president of the United States.

Bannon, who does not hold an elected post, cannot be impeached. However, he can be removed as chief political strategist if Trump resigns or dies during the presidential term and the presidents successor chooses to change Trumps staff.

Several reports have said that Bannon has become one of the most powerful voices in the initial days of the Trump administration. He is being criticized for having ties to the alt-right movement. He was also in charge of the drafting of the travel ban on seven Muslim-majority countries that triggered protests across the country.

Last month, Bannon told the New York Times that the media should "keep its mouth shut and just listen for awhile."

I want you to quote this, Bannon told the Times. The media here is the opposition party. They dont understand this country. They still do not understand why Donald Trump is the president of the United States.

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Indias space agency ISRO shattered world record last week when it launched a flock of 104 satellites into space with one rocket.

SEE ALSO: Fumed Indians continue to troll NYT over 2-year-old cartoon mocking their space agency

The space agency has since won many hearts, and earned many fans including the billionaire Elon Musk. Amid all of this, it also won itself a lot of free pizzas.

Celebrating last weeks milestone, pizzeria chain Pizza Hut offered a free pan pizza treat all ISRO employees across India yesterday.

"Its a moment of great pride for us as ISRO created history and this initiative is a small token of our appreciation to put cheerful smiles on the faces who made the nation proud by achieving such an amazing feat." Unnat Varma, Managing Director Pizza Hut was quoted as saying.

According to the report, Pizza Hut spent Rs 600,000 ($8,960) to treat over 2,000 ISRO employees, who were invited to visit select Pizza Hut stores.

Last week, ISRO surpassed Russias space agencys previous record of launching 37 satellites into orbit with one rocket in 2014. The milestone was widely covered, and praised by other space agencies.

@Floydilicious Yeah, awesome achievement by ISRO. Very impressive!  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 16, 2017

Billionaire Elon Musk also found it an "awesome achievement" and "very impressive." In a tweet, he also noted that ISRO is making India proud.
Russia was set to send Iran about $1 billion worth of missile defense systems, Russian news agency Tass reported Monday. The deal was the result of a contract Iran signed with Russian defense manufacturer Rostec Corporation in 2007, but it was put on hold by Russia in 2010. Russian President Vladimir Putin recently ended the delay and paved the way for the contractual obligation for the S-300 air defense systems to be met in full starting this past November.

"The S-300 cost about one billion dollars," Rostec Corporation CEO Sergey Chemezov said. "We were through with the supplies of S-300. No plans for anything are on the agenda."

The timing of the resumption of the contract perhaps could not come at a better time for Iran, which Yemen has accused of trying to incite war with itself and countries in the region, Arab News reported.

Iran has indeed been posturing militarily in the region recently. Tehrans Revolutionary Guard launched a series of rockets Monday, though their capabilities and intended destinations were not announced. The apparent test firing, which was touted as a major accomplishment by military officials, came amid a three-day military exercise in the country, according to Sputnik News.

"Today, various classes of smart rockets with pinpoint accuracy were successfully test-fired, which showed the power of the Islamic Republic of Iran," Brig. Gen. Mohammad Pakpour said after the launches took place.

Iran also conducted a different test-launching of missiles earlier this month, which prompted the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump to hit the country with a set of new sanctions.

That came just weeks after Iran was one of the seven Muslim-majority countries named on Trump's executive immigration order banning travel from those countries to the U.S. While that executive order was eventually struck down by the courts, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis announced Monday that a new, revamped version of the executive order would be revealed Tuesday.

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BEIRUT (Reuters) - Irans Supreme Leader called on Palestinians on Tuesday to pursue an uprising against Israel, suggesting the Israeli government was a "cancerous tumor" that should be confronted until Palestinians were completely liberated. "... by Allahs permission, we will see that this intifada will begin a very important chapter in the history of fighting and that it will inflict another defeat on that usurping regime," Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said, according to his website. The Supreme Leaders bellicose comments, made during a two-day conference in Tehran focused on its support for the Palestinians, come at a time of increasingly heated rhetoric between Iran, Israel and the United States. While on a visit to Washington last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Fox News that Israel and the United States had a "grand mission" to confront the threat of a nuclear Iran. U.S. President Donald Trump has already been highly critical of a deal hammered out between Iran and world powers, including the United States, in 2015 intended to partially lift sanctions on Tehran in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program. Iran says its program is for purely peaceful means. When Iran carried out a ballistic missile test in late January, Trumps then national security adviser Mike Flynn said the administration was putting Iran "on notice". Ordinary Iranians have been posting their concerns about a possible military confrontation between Iran and the United States on social media. Khamenei did not mention any Iranian military attack against Israel in his comments on Tuesday and was focused on gains that Palestinians could make in any confrontation with Israel, which he described as tumor developing into "the current disaster". "The Palestinian intifada continues to gallop forward in a thunderous manner so that it can achieve its other goals until the complete liberation of Palestine," he said, according to the transcript of the speech posted on his website. (Reporting by Babak Dehghanpisheh; Editing by Alison Williams)
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S.-backed Iraqi forces reached the vicinity of Mosul airport on Monday after dislodging Islamic State fighters from a nearby hill, the Iraqi military said in a statement. The Iraqi forces launched the offensive on Sunday to capture the west side of Mosul that remains under the control of the militants. The militants were dislodged from the eastern part of the city last month. The Iraqi forces aim to take the airport, just south of Mosul, and turn it into a close support base for the offensive into the city itself. (Reporting by Maher Chmaytelli; Editing by Gareth Jones)
(SOUTH OF MOSUL, Iraq)  Iraqi forces advanced Monday into the southern outskirts of Mosul on the second day of a push to drive Islamic State militants from the citys western half, as the visiting U.S. defense secretary met with officials to discuss the fight against the extremists.

With aerial support from the U.S.-led coalition, Iraqi police and army troops launched the offensive Sunday, part of a 100-day-old campaign that has already driven the militants from the eastern half of the city.

Iraqi helicopters fired rockets at the village of Abu Saif early Monday, targeting a hill that overlooks the citys airport. By noon, the forces entered the village and gained control over much of the strategic hill as fighting was still raging.

Separately, militarized police in armored vehicles were moving toward the sprawling Ghazlani military base on the southwestern outskirts of the city.

A U.S.-led coalition has been providing close air support throughout the campaign to retake Iraqs second-largest city. U.S. special operations forces are embedded with some Iraqi units and thousands of U.S. troops are in Iraq providing logistical and other support.

Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis was holding discussions with U.S. and Iraqi officials, a week before he is expected to present a new strategy to President Donald Trump for defeating the Islamic State group.

Were going to make certain that weve got good situational awareness of what we face as we work together and fight alongside each other, Mattis told reporters traveling with him.

Trump has repeatedly vowed to eliminate the extremist group but has provided few details about how his approach might differ from that of the Obama administration, which had partnered with Syrian and Iraqi forces to drive IS out of several towns and cities.

The battle for western Mosul, the extremist groups last major urban bastion in Iraq, is expected to be the most daunting yet.

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The streets are older and narrower in that sector of the city, which stretches west from the Tigris River, forcing Iraqi soldiers to leave the relative safety of their armored vehicles. The presence of up to 750,000 civilians also poses a challenge.

Two suicide car bombers struck army and paramilitary forces west of Mosul on Monday, killing and wounding a number of troops, two army officers said, without specifying the number of casualties. A third suicide car bomber was blown up before reaching the troops, they said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media.

IS claimed responsibility for two attacks in an online statement, saying the attackers were British and Iraqi.

___

Associated Press writers Lolita C. Baldor and Qassim Abdul-Zahra in Baghdad and Maamoun Youssef in Cairo contributed to this report.
The panther attacked cattle and people in the nearby villages of Sariska forest.

By India Today Web Desk: A 10-year-old leopard, known to have mauled several people, was today caught near Jaipur in Rajasthan.

The feline reportedly strayed between Jaitpur and Sila in the past 10 days. Sources said that the panther had lost one of its canine teeth and was unable to hunt.

The leopard attacked cattle and people in the nearby villages. According to sources, the animal scavenged in the mountains during the day and attacked villagers in the night. The panther has been sent to Jaipur rescue centre.

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A massive search operation was carried out after about six people were killed in the regions near Sariska forest. Several teams of the forest department have been conducting extensive combing in the area since last week. Drone cameras too were deployed to track the beast.

Earlier on Saturday, another leopard was caught near Sariska after a search operation was carried out.

Also read: Panther dies after being hit by vehicle in Rajasthan

--- ENDS ---
Tel Aviv (AFP) - An Israeli military court on Tuesday sentenced a soldier to 18 months in prison for shooting dead a wounded Palestinian assailant who lay on the ground, sparking criticism from rights groups.

Defence lawyers announced an appeal and right-wing Israeli ministers immediately called for a pardon, while the Palestinian government and the victim's family condemned the sentence as too lenient.

Judge Maya Heller handed down the sentence a month after Elor Azaria, 21, was found guilty of manslaughter for killing Abdul Fatah al-Sharif in the southern occupied West Bank in March last year.

He also received 18 months in suspended sentences and was demoted from sergeant to private.

Heller said the panel of three judges had taken into account mitigating factors including the "harm suffered by his family" and the fact Azaria was in "hostile territory" when the shooting occurred.

She added, however, that he had not expressed remorse for his actions.

Azaria will begin his sentence on March 5, the court announced.

He has already spent more than 10 months confined to an Israeli military base but this is not included as time served, the court ruling said.

Azaria and his family didn't react in court as the sentence was passed down.

The March 2016 shooting in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron was caught on video by a rights group and spread widely online.

It showed Sharif, 21, lying wounded on the ground, shot along with another Palestinian after stabbing and wounding a soldier, according to the army.

Azaria then shoots him in the head without any apparent provocation.

- Calls for pardon -

Azaria says he feared Sharif was wearing an explosive belt and could blow himself up, taking nearby soldiers and onlookers with him, a claim judges rejected.

The case, which came against the backdrop of a wave of Palestinian knife, gun and car-ramming attacks that erupted in October 2015, has stirred controversy.

Some on the right have defended the soldier, a French-Israeli national, but military officials said the trial was important to maintain the institution's reputation.

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Azaria entered the packed courtroom to applause from friends.

Dressed in military uniform and smiling broadly, he hugged family members and his girlfriend.

Outside the court, around 100 right-wing demonstrators protested against the trial.

As the verdict was read out the family sat still but afterwards they sang the Israeli national anthem together.

Defence attorney Ilan Katz told reporters outside the courtroom they would appeal the manslaughter conviction as it was "more severe than the punishment he got".

Right-wing Education Minister Naftali Bennett and Culture Minister Miri Regev led calls for a pardon.

"Israel's security demands he be pardoned," Bennett wrote on Twitter.

"Elor was sent to protect Israelis at the height of a wave of Palestinian terror attacks. He cannot go to jail or we will all pay the price."

Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman called on people to respect the ruling.

But he said: "You have, on the one hand, an exemplary soldier, and on the other, a terrorist who tried to kill Jews".

There was no immediate reaction from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has previously said he too favours a pardon.

- Verdict a 'farce' -

A source close to President Reuven Rivlin, who could hand down the pardon, said no such request had been made as yet.

The reaction from Palestinians and rights groups, however, was anger and disappointment.

A spokesman for the Palestinian government told AFP the sentence was a "green light to the occupation army to continue its crimes".

Sharif's father Yusri told journalists at the family home near Hebron in the southern West Bank the sentence was a "farce".

"What does a year and a half mean? Was he an animal to be killed like this, in this barbaric way?"

Magdalena Mughrabi from Amnesty International said Azaria's initial conviction had "offered a glimmer of hope for accountability for unlawful killings by Israeli forces".

"(But) the 18-month sentence for Elor Azaria does not reflect the gravity of the offence."

Sari Bashi, Israel and Palestine advocacy director at Human Rights Watch, called the conviction an "important message about reining in excessive use of force".

She warned, however, that pardoning him would "encourage impunity".

The trial opened last May at a military courtroom in Tel Aviv's Jaffa district but later moved inside to a tightly guarded military complex.
TOKYO (Reuters) - A Japanese kindergarten that has ties to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's wife, Akie, has apologized over online comments that domestic media described as possible hate speech against Koreans and Chinese people. The private Tsukamoto kindergarten in Osaka, western Japan, has been visited by Akie Abe and is operated by Moritomo Gakuen, an educational institution that plans to open an elementary school in April with the prime minister's wife as honorary principal. Kyodo news agency reported on Friday that the kindergarten had apologized after referring to "irresponsible" South Korean and Chinese parents on its home page. "We apologize for expressions about foreigners that caused misunderstanding," the kindergarten said on its web site. The school, however, denounced "unjust, slanderous and defamatory Internet-based articles about this kindergarten" and it said it would keep fighting against "malicious criticism". Criticism of Korean residents and Chinese people is a common feature of right-wing rhetoric in Japan, where ethnic homogeneity has been a source of pride for many conservatives. Separately, the Osaka prefectural government is considering whether to take action over derogatory expressions about Koreans living in Japan and Chinese used by the kindergarten in a document sent to students' parents last year, an Osaka official said. The Tsukamoto kindergarten aims to instill in its 3- to 5-year-old students a sense of patriotism with a curriculum focused on Japanese traditions and culture. Abe was grilled in parliament last week about possible ties to Moritomo Gakuen, including whether he knew his name had been used to solicit donations for the elementary school. Abe said then he had rejected a request to have the school bear his name because it was not appropriate for an incumbent lawmaker and was unaware his name had been used in seeking donations. An official at the prime minister's office declined comment on any specific remarks by the school because they had not seen them. But the official, who declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the subject, added: "When it comes to the issue of discrimination based on nationality, ethnicity or race, it cannot be tolerated and it is extremely important to have consideration for others and to have mutual understanding." Yasunori Kagoike, the principal of the kindergarten and president of Moritomo Gakuen, heads the Osaka branch of Nippon Kaigi, or Japan Conference, a nationalist lobby group with close ties to the prime minister and his cabinet. Kindergarten officials were not available for comment. (Reporting by Linda Sieg and Kiyoshi Takenaka; Editing by Robert Birsel)
By Brendan O'Brien

MILWAUKEE (Reuters) - Several Jewish community centers (JCC) across the United States were evacuated for a time on Monday after receiving bomb threats, the latest wave of threatened attacks against them this year, the national umbrella organization said.

Some 11 centers including those in the Houston, Chicago and Milwaukee areas received phoned-in bomb threats that were later determined to be hoaxes, said David Posner, a director at JCC Association of North America who advises centers on security.

No arrests were made and no one was injured. All of the centers returned to normal operations, Posner said in a statement.

The FBI was investigating the incidents, Posner said.

Officials at the FBI were not immediately available for comment.

Officials at the Harry and Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, north of Milwaukee, received a bomb threat at 10:15 a.m. local time, the second such incident at the center over the last three weeks, it said on Twitter.

"Taking very cautious measures, we are sheltering in our gym, as has been recommended," the Milwaukee JCC said in a text message sent to parents of children who attend the preschool at the center, according to an NBC affiliate in Milwaukee.

The center reopened two hours later, the center said on Twitter.

Monday's incidents come after three waves of bomb threats in 2017. In all, 69 incidents at 54 JCCs in 27 states and one Canadian province have been reported, according to the JCC Association of North America.

"We are concerned about the anti-Semitism behind these threats, and the repetition of threats intended to interfere with day-to-day life," Posner said.

Jewish community centers typically offer after-school activities, fitness programs and various other services.

Over the weekend, the headstones at the graves of about 170 Jews were vandalized in the St. Louis area, the Washington Post reported.

(Reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee; Editing by Robert Birsel)
CAIRO (AP)  Jordan and Egypt are reasserting support for a Palestinian state, days after U.S. President Donald Trump said that peace in the Middle East does not necessarily depend on a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

In a statement issued Tuesday during a meeting in Cairo with President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, King Abdullah II says that the two sides agreed that any proposals not based on a two-state solution would have serious implications for the region.

They say the peace process must be relaunched with the two-state solution as the "only solution for ending the conflict."

Trump said last week he could accept a two-state solution or a single-state arrangement if it is agreed upon by all sides. Administration officials later said the U.S. absolutely supports a two-state solution.
Paris (AFP) - A diamond that "everyone was scared to sell": More than a month after French police arrested the suspected robbers of TV star Kim Kardashian, investigators are piecing together what happened -- they just haven't found the jewels yet.

Ten suspects were charged last month in connection with the hold-up of the reality star, who was robbed at gunpoint in October of jewellery worth nine million euros ($9.5 million) while she was staying at a luxury residence for Paris fashion week.

Those arrested in Paris and the south of France include Aomar Ait Khedache, known as "Old Omar", thought to be the ringleader of the gang.

In questioning, the 60-year-old said the prize of the haul -- a ring with an 18.88-carat, nearly flawless diamond, was too "identifiable" to sell.

He told investigators he gave the four-million-euro ring to someone whose identity he refuses to divulge, according to statements from his questioning seen by AFP.

Five men, some wearing jackets with police insignia, held Kardashian at gunpoint on the night of October 2, making off with several pieces of gold and diamond jewellery as well as the ring.

One of the robbers, Yunis Abbas, fleeing the scene on a bicycle, dropped a diamond-encrusted cross worth 30,000 euros, which was found by a passer-by a few hours later.

It remains the only piece to be recovered from the heist.

- Melted gold -

Khedache told investigators that the other jewellery was dismantled, with the gold melted down into bars.

"There must have been 800 or so grams, worth 25,000 or 28,000 euros," he said, in testimony revealed by Le Monde newspaper last month.

As for the remaining diamonds, a source close to the inquiry told AFP they had probably been sold.

After the robbery the police quickly turned their focus to Antwerp in Belgium, where another suspect, 64-year-old Marceau Baum-Gartner -- known as "Shredded Nose" -- went on eight occasions between October 7 and December 23.

Story continues

Khedache accompanied him on two of those visits to Antwerp, a jewellery-trading hub.

"It seems that Marceau was having trouble getting rid of the loot during his first trips, and the situation with 'Omar' got tense," the source said.

Unaware that their phones were tapped, Khedache was heard telling Baum-Gartner in November that the ring's sale "was supposed to be done within eight days... it's been a month."

On December 5, Khedache gave three of his accomplices an advance on the sale. Three days later, he went once again to Antwerp with Baum-Gartner.

Investigators think most of the pieces were sold during the trip, because several of the suspects started spending freely.

Some bought cars, while Baum-Gartner asked a property agent about buying land on a 100,000 euro budget.

But most of the gang never saw the colour of the money. On January 9 the police arrested 17 people, most of them with ties to organised crime, and the raids turned up a total of 250,000 euros.

Ten suspects have been charged, but only Khedache and Abbas have admitted taking part in the robbery. The eight others deny any involvement.
Two Shetland ponies from Devon, UK, were taken on the boat trip of a lifetime to trace their ancestral roots in the Shetland Islands in Scotland.

Albert and Ernie went on a Who Do You Think You Are-style trip with their owner Emma Massingale  a horse whisperer  where they met their distant relatives and ran wild with the local herd.

SEE ALSO: A woman is knitting tiny wool jumpers to keep her chickens warm

Ernie  who was rescued four years ago from Bodmin Moor in Cornwall by Massingale  is related to one of the first Shetland ponies on the Shetland islands.

Image: Malcolm Snelgrove/SWNS.com

"The Shetland ponies are very special as they aren't much bigger than a large family dog, this got me thinking: How come they are so small?" Massingale explained. She was keen to explore the history of Shetland ponies and how they live in the wild.



"I took Albert and Ernie on a boat out to a remote island where a wild herd runs free, so that Albert and Ernie could meet some ponies their own size and I could learn more about them," says Massingale.

Image: Emma Massingale/SWNS.COM

The ponies' boat trip mirrored the historic way Shetland ponies were moved from one island to another by boat. The ponies travelled via motorboat to the islands northeast of mainland Scotland. But, it wasn't easy. They had to battle high winds and large pods of orca.



Massingale and the ponies had practiced boating on a local lake beforehand to see what they made of travelling by boat.

Image: Emma Massingale/SWNS.COM

"The first time we tried, Albert got his front feet on the boat but left his back feet off, but they were really good by the end. Ernie had a little look but then hopped straight on."

Image: Emma Massingale/SWNS.COM

During the adventure, Massingale and the ponies tried out some of the old traditions that their ancestors would have been involved in. She, flanked by her ponies, collected peat, made fishing lines to catch dinner and learned about the role of Shetlands in crofting, a form of farming.



Now, that's a beautiful tail of adventure.
President Donald Trump on Monday appointed Lt. Gen. H. R. McMaster to be his new national security adviser, announcing a replacement for Mike Flynn, who was asked to resign last week.

Flynn sparked controversy when it was revealed he had misled Vice President Mike Pence about the content of his conversations with the Russian Ambassador to the U.S.

Heres what to know about McMaster:

He comes from a military background

McMaster, 54, is the latest military leader to join Trumps administration, which already includes two retired generals, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly.

McMaster, who is director of the Army Capabilities Integration Center, will remain on active military duty while serving as national security adviser, the Associated Press reported.

He graduated from West Point and earned a doctorate in military history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

He was critical of the Vietnam War

McMaster wrote a well-known book in 1997, titled Dereliction of Duty: Lyndon Johnson, Robert McNamara, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Lies that Led to Vietnam. He criticized the U.S. government for the Vietnam War and argued that the Joint Chiefs should have pushed back against President Lyndon B. Johnson.

We must address the question of responsibility for one of the greatest American foreign policy disasters of the twentieth century, he wrote in the book.

McMaster served twice in Iraq

He earned a Silver Star after commanding a unit during one of the most significant battles of the Persian Gulf war in 1991, the New York Times reported. He later returned to Iraq from 2005 to 2006, leading an operation to regain control of Tal Afar and serving as special adviser to the top U.S. commander in Iraq, according to the AP.

Republicans praised his appointment

Arizona Sen. John McCain, who has been critical of other aspects of Trumps administration, called McMaster an outstanding choice and a man of genuine intellect, character, and ability.

I could not imagine a better, more capable national security team than the one we have right now, said McCain, a veteran who was held for more than five years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam.
A German court sentenced a South Korean woman to six years in jail for the death of her cousin who was beaten and suffocated during an attempted exorcism in a Frankfurt hotel room.

Four other family members accused of taking part in the ritual, including the female victim's now 16-year-old son, were handed suspended sentences ranging from 18 months to two years, national news agency DPA reported.

Prosecutors said the victim, 41, named in court as Seonhwa P, was set upon after she began talking to herself and lashing out during a hotel stay in December 2015, leading the accused to attempt the "exorcism".

The woman's chest and stomach were beaten while she was gagged first with a towel and then a cloth-covered coat hanger during a two-hour ordeal, they said.

The victim suffered "massive chest compression and trauma to the neck" and died of asphyxiation.

Judges at the district court in the western city of Frankfurt found the victim's 44-year-old cousin, described as the main perpetrator, guilty of inflicting bodily harm causing death.

The guilty woman, named as Doean K., had "taken it upon herself to decide over life and death", prosecutor Nadja Boettinger said during the trial.

Also accused were her son, 22, and daughter, 19, as well as a 16-year-old cousin.

In delivering his ruling, the presiding judge said the family had acted in the belief that they were chasing away the victim's demons, calling it "a tragic case", according to DPA.

After finding the woman's body at the hotel, police at the time also discovered a possible second victim in the garage of a house the group had rented in the town of Sulzbach.

The second woman, who was found alive, was badly injured and suffering from hypothermia and dehydration.
World and anti-Trumps came together to commemorate the former US President on the President's Day to express their contempt towards the current commander-in-chief. They wished each other a happy Obama Day on the occasion instead.

By India Today Web Desk: Every year's third Monday of February is a holiday to celebrate Washington's birthday. This time, people instead celebrated Obama and his legacy.

Also in an attempt to publicly criticise the 45th President of the the United Sates of America, people on Twitter commemorated the former US President.

On President's Day, thousands protested against Donald Trump across the US, and raised banners which read 'Not My President'.

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#FYI || President's Day: Thousands protest against Donald Trump across the US, say 'Not My President' ||

While Donald Trump wished the country a happy President's Day, people wished the former President Barack Obama a happy one and 'not their president'.

HAPPY OBAMA DAY EVERYBODY???? We love you Mr. President!!#ObamaDay pic.twitter.com/YlxIMIoQVU

#ObamaDay when your not the president anymore and still get a day. pic.twitter.com/UFLd7euiPs

Happy Presidents Day! pic.twitter.com/4mYa8IHjUR

Jordan Uhl (@JordanUhl) February 20, 2017

I'm Every Woman (@ebpersons) February 20, 2017

Earlier this month, Illinois legislators even discussed making August 4, which is Obama's birthday, a state holiday.

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NEW YORK (AP)  The Latest on the sudden death of the Russian ambassador to the United Nations (all times local):

10:55 a.m.

The New York City medical examiner is performing an autopsy on Russia's ambassador to the United Nations after his sudden death.

Vitaly Churkin fell ill Monday in his office and was rushed to a New York City hospital, where he died. The hospital referred the case to the medical examiner's office, which was slated to perform the autopsy Tuesday.

The agency is tasked with investigating deaths of people in New York City that occur by accident, suddenly or when in apparent good health, or suspiciously.

Most of the cases taken on by the medical examiner's office end up being death by natural causes.

Churkin died a day before his 65th birthday and was remembered as a tenacious diplomat who passionately argued for his nation's best interests.

___

12:15 a.m.

Russia's ambassador to the United Nations who died suddenly after falling ill at his office at Russia's U.N. mission is being remembered by his diplomatic colleagues as a powerful and passionate voice for his nation.

Russia's deputy U.N. ambassador, Vladimir Safronkov, says Vitaly Churkin was taken to a hospital, where he died Monday. Churkin would have turned 65 Tuesday. The cause of his death was not immediately known.

Churkin had been Russia's envoy at the United Nations since 2006. He was the longest-serving ambassador on the Security Council, the U.N.'s most powerful body.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called him "a uniquely skilled diplomat, a powerful orator with great wit, and a man of many talents and interests."

Colleagues from around the world mourned Churkin as a master in their field.
JACKSON, Miss. (AP)  The Latest on four people killed in the rural eastern Mississippi community of Toomsuba (all times local):

3:30 p.m.

Authorities say a mother, her two adult daughters and a grandson were killed at a home in eastern Mississippi.

Lauderdale County Chief Sheriff's Deputy Ward Calhoun says authorities are questioning people, but have no suspects yet in the shooting deaths. Authorities believe the killings in the Toomsuba community happened sometime Monday night.

Calhoun identified the slain as 65-year-old Edna Durr and her daughters, Tomecca Pickett, 42, and Kiearra Durr, 27. Also killed was Pickett's 5-year-old son, Owen Pickett. Kierra Durr's 3-year-old daughter was not shot and survived the attack.

Calhoun says the bodies have been taken to Mississippi's state crime lab for autopsies. He says investigators continue to search the property for evidence.

The deputy has said there was no sign of forced entry, and authorities don't think the shootings were part of a murder-suicide. Neighbors called police after they got no answer at the house Tuesday.

___

Noon

Investigators say a 5-year-old boy and three of his family members were shot to death at a home in eastern Mississippi.

Lauderdale County Chief Sheriff's Deputy Ward Calhoun says investigators are pursuing "numerous leads" after the child and the bodies of three women were found in the community of Toomsuba, near the Alabama state line.

Authorities have not released a motive or the names of the slain. They say they do not think the shootings were part of a murder-suicide. They haven't identified a suspect.

A younger child was found unharmed at the home and taken to a hospital.

Neighbors called police after they got no answer at the house Tuesday. Calhoun says a deputy found broken glass and forced his way inside, finding the bodies.

___

11 a.m.

Authorities say three women and a child have died in a shooting at a home in eastern Mississippi.

Story continues

Lauderdale County Coroner Clayton Cobler says the four people were discovered Tuesday morning with gunshot wounds. Cobler says he has yet to examine the bodies, and did not release names or ages.

He says another child was found physically unharmed at the home and taken to a local hospital.

It's unclear what prompted the shooting.

Cobler says neighbors called a sheriff's deputy to the home after they didn't see any activity there Monday. Cobler says the deputy found a shattered screen door with a bullet hole.

The home is about 5 miles from the Alabama state line.
BERLIN/MOSCOW (Reuters) - The leader of Germany's far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD) held talks with Russian officials during a visit to Moscow at the weekend, including with an ultra-nationalist ally of President Vladimir Putin, a spokesman said on Tuesday. Frauke Petry, whose party is expected to enter parliament for the first time after a federal election on Sept. 24, discussed possible cooperation between Russian and German regional assemblies with her hosts. Her spokesman Oliver Lang said the two sides did not discuss possible financial assistance for the AfD and that there will be more meetings. France's far-right National Front (FN) party in 2014 borrowed 9 million euros ($9.48 million) from Moscow-based First Czech-Russian bank. The bank has lost its license to operate and Russia has started legal proceedings to recover the loan. FN leader Marine Le Pen said that, unlike mainstream parties, the FN had not managed to secure any loans from French banks. Potential Russian influence over western elections has become a sensitive issue since U.S. intelligence agencies accused their Russian counterparts of seeking to disrupt the U.S. election through hacking and cyber attacks. Moscow has denied the allegations. Vladimir Zhirinovsky, the ultra-nationalist leader of the pro-Kremlin Liberal Democratic Party of Russia and a fan of U.S. President Donald Trump, was present at the talks with Petry, a statement posted on the Russian parliament website said. Vyacheslav Volodin, speaker of the Duma lower house, and his deputy Pyotr Tolstoy were also there. The Duma statement said Volodin and Petry discussed "cooperation of regional parliaments and parties as well as improving contacts between youth organizations". Petry was invited to Russia by local authorities in Moscow, the statement said. The AfD has seats in 10 of Germany's 16 regional parliaments and is expected to become the third-largest party in the Bundestag lower house after the federal election in seven months. Austria's far-right Freedom Party (FPO) in December offered to act as a go-between for Trump and Putin after signing a cooperation agreement with the Russian president's party. (Reporting by Hans-Edzard Busemann in Berlin and Maria Tsvetkova in Moscow; Writing by Joseph Nasr, editing by Ed Osmond)
By Garba Muhammed KADUNA, Nigeria (Reuters) - At least 14 people were killed in central Nigeria, a government spokesman said on Tuesday, in fighting over grazing land and water, piling pressure on authorities already facing an Islamist insurgency in its northeast and rebels in the oil-rich south. Semi-nomadic herders shot dead at least 14 villagers and destroyed property in attacks over a 24 hour period in southern Kaduna state, Samuel Aruwan, a spokesman for the governor of Kaduna, said in a statement. Kaduna - a flashpoint for north-south, Muslim-Christian frictions - has in recent months seen the worst violence since 800 people were killed in riots after elections in 2011. Aruwan said a curfew "became necessary to protect life and property and avoid the further breakdown of law and order". "Only essential workers and those on humanitarian services are allowed movement after due clearance by security agencies," he said. The fighting over scarce resources comes at a particularly sensitive time for Kaduna city, which is about to become the main air hub in central and northern Nigeria, as the capital Abuja's airport closes for runway repairs in March. The Kaduna state government said on Monday a garrison commander from the Nigerian Army's First Division had been sent to the southern region to coordinate a response to such attacks. (Writing by Paul Carsten; Editing by Louise Ireland)
Lindsay Lohan says she was racially profiled at Londons Heathrow Airport after flying in from Turkey because she was wearing a headscarf.

The Mean Girls actress, 30, said she was stopped by a woman who asked her to take her headscarf off. She opened my passport and saw Lindsay Lohan and started immediately apologizing, but then said But please take off your headscarf,' Lohan told U.K. television show Good Morning Britain. She added: And I did, its okay. But what scared me was in that moment  how would another woman who doesnt feel comfortable taking off her headscarf feel?

Lohan, who has been photographed carrying a Koran and says she finds solace studying the Muslim holy book, said she didnt know why she was asked to take her headscarf off but found the experience really jarring. She told hosts Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid: Im from New York  Im born and raised there, but I was a little intimidated.

When Reid asked the Parent Trap star why she was wearing the headscarf, she said it was out of respect for the Turkish women she had met with on her trip. I was leaving Turkey and when I see certain people I feel more comfortable acting the same way as the other women  thats just a personal respect issue for me that I have, she said.

When Morgan asked Lohan about her views on President Donald Trump, Lohan said she thought he should be given a fair chance. I dont agree with his policies and the things he is doing, she said. But at the end of the day he is the president right now. So whats the point of picking on someone instead of seeing what theyre capable  or not capable  of. However, she added that she did think his Twitter account should be taken away or deleted. Watch the clip below:
Lindsay Lohan is turning heads again, but this time its for a reason a lot more serious than her accent.

While visiting Good Morning Britain, hosts Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid asked the actress a series of questions about Islam, Trump's presidency and Lohan's experience reading the Quran. But what was particularly interesting was Lohan's claims of being singled out at an airport because she was wearing a headscarf.

SEE ALSO: Somali-American teen wears hijab on Kanye West's Yeezy NYFW show

She explained that while flying into New York recently, she got stopped because of her headscarf and was double-checked by security. Lohan doesn't always wear one, but said she happened to don one out of "personal respect" while leaving Turkey, where she had met with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The actress explained that she eventually took off the scarf after airport personnel asked her to, but the experience was jarring.

"What scared me was, in that moment, how would another woman who does not feel comfortable enough taking off her headscarf, feel? That was really interesting to me," Lohan said. "I was a little intimidated."

Whether or not she asked to remove the scarf, Lohan would not have been required to comply according to the British government's airport rights. "If youre wearing headgear for religious or cultural reasons, you can ask for it to be checked using a hand-held scanner so you dont have to remove it," a government website states.

Something to keep in mind next time, Lohan.
By Press Trust of India: Jodhpur, Feb 20 (PTI) The Indian Air Force today denied permission to a private airline to operate its flight from here to Jaisalmer citing security reasons.

Following this the airline threatened to initiating legal action against the IAF for "disrupting" the flight and "causing monetary loss" to it.

"A private airline, which had sought permission to operate a non-scheduled flight to Jaisalmer, could not be permitted due to failure on its part to fulfill requisite conditions pertaining to safety of the aircraft and passengers as per the guidelines and non-coordination of ground logistics prior to flight operation," Defence spokesperson Lt Col Manish Ojha said tonight.

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He said IAF accords highest priority to the safety and security of passengers travelling on such airlines.

Operations of the Jaisalmer airport is under the control of IAF.

The airline alleged that the IAF disrupted its operations at Jaisalmer airport.

It claimed that it has suffered monetary loss due to non-clearance of the flight by the COO of Jaisalmer Air Force base, and threatened legal measures. PTI SDA NSD

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As numerous restaurant employees were given leave on Thursday to march in "A Day Without Immigrants" protests, others returned to their posts Friday to discover that they were out of a job.

Across the U.S. employers fired hundreds of protesters who skipped work to participate in rallies.

Eighteen employees at Bradley Coatings, a company specializing in industrial coatings, were let go after not showing up for work, according to an NBC affiliate. The company noted in a statement that the employees were not terminated for attending the protests but for being absent.

"This past Wednesday night, certain employees of BCI informed their leadership that they would not be at work the following day," the company said in a statement. "Because of the time-sensitive nature of the jobs these employees were assigned to, all employees were told that they would need to show up for work or they would be terminated. On Thursday, the majority of BCI's employees fulfilled their obligations to our clients, but eighteen employees did not. Regretfully, and consistent with its prior communication to all its employees, BCI had no choice but to terminate these individuals."

Twenty-one people were fired for missing work at Encore Boat Builders in Lexington, South Carolina. At least 31 workers were let go from Colorado-based JVS Masonry for not showing up Thursday. A dozen employees at I Don't Care Bar and Grill in Oklahoma were also fired for not notifying their employer that they would be taking the day off.

Twenty-five workers at Ben's Kosher Delicatessen Restaurant and Caterers in Long Island, New York were fired, according to Telemundo 47.

In a statement to CNBC, the restaurant disputed the claim, noting in a statement that the employers let workers go who were threatening other employees who had opted not to walk out.

People took to Twitter in the following days to comment about the series of firings.

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By Press Trust of India: Allahabad, Feb 21 (PTI) A sea of humanity flooded the streets of the Sangam city on the last day of campaigning for fourth phase of assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh today, with road shows conducted by Rahul Gandhi with ally Akhilesh Yadav and BJP president Amit Shah.

Rahul had stayed overnight at the historic Swaraj Bhavan here, the birth place of his grandmother and former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, after holding a rally at Koraon in the districts trans-Yamuna region last evening.

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He was joined this noon by the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister for their road show, which commenced at the Balson Chauraha (crossing) facing the historic Anand Bhavan.

Perched atop a Mercedes bus, the leaders were greeted by a large number of young supporters of the Congress and the state?s ruling Samajwadi Party who raised slogans like "UP ko ye saath pasand hai" (UP likes this alliance) and "Kaam bolta hai" (Work speaks for itself).

As they headed towards the Allahabad University (AU) campus, a palpable enthusiasm was seen among the students.

Two candidates in the city fielded by the Congress-SP combine ? two-time MLA Anugrah Narayan Singh from Allahabad (North) and debutant Richa Singh from Allahabad (West)- have formerly been presidents of the AU students union.

Besides, the Chief Ministers cousin and Badaun MP Dharmendra Yadav, who stood beside the two leaders during the road show, has been an AU alumnus.

Towards the close of the road show on Station Road, the two leaders made very short speeches.

The leaders said they will form the next government in the state and claimed the momentum gained by their alliance had made Prime Minister Narendra Modi jittery.

A road show was held by BJP president Amit Shah, who started the day with a rally in Soraon ? a predominantly rural assembly segment in the district?s trans-Ganga region, followed by a brief public meeting at Mundera Mandi in the city in support of party national secretary Siddharth Nath Singh, who has been fielded from Allahabad (West).

Lively crowds came out on streets to join the road show, raising slogans in support of the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Shah was joined by the partys state unit chief Keshav Prasad Maurya whose Phulpur parliamentary constituency covers a major part of the city.

Schools across the district were today ordered closed by District Magistrate Sanjay Kumar as traffic snarls were expected. Officials on election duty were also conducting poll-related exercises.

Polling for all the 12 assembly constituencies in Allahabad, the largest number for any district in the state, will be held on February 23. PTI NAC RT

--- ENDS ---

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Frances far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen canceled a meeting with Lebanons grand mufti on Tuesday after refusing to wear a headscarf for the encounter.

The media office of Lebanons grand mufti, Sheikh Abdel-Latif Derian, told Reuters they were surprised by her refusal seeing as Le Pens aides were told beforehand that a headscarf would be required for the meeting.

But Le Pen told reporters that she hadnt been required to wear a headscarf when she met Egypts top cleric in 2015. I met the grand mufti of Al-Azhar, she said. The highest Sunni authority didnt have this requirement, but it doesnt matterYou can pass on my respects to the grand mufti, but I will not cover myself up.

The National Front leader, who is on a three-day visit to Lebanon, met with Christian President Michel Aoun and Sunni Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri on Monday.

French law currently bans headscarves for high school pupils and those in public service. Le Pen wants headscarves banished from all public places.

[Reuters]
We all know that Mark Zuckerberg's resolution for 2017 is to visit and meet people in every U.S. state by the end of the year.

SEE ALSO: 14 best quotes about Facebook's master plan from Mark Zuckerberg's press tour

Faithful to his "personal challenge," the Facebook CEO posted a picture of him and his wife Priscilla Chan as they walk along the arcade of a town in Alabama, while reading a local newspaper.

Along with the image, he offered a tribute to local newspapers and journalists who "work tirelessly and sometimes put their lives in danger to surface the truth."

"Today Priscilla and I stopped by some local newspapers as we drove through Alabama," he wrote. "The folks there were working hard over President's Day weekend to keep their communities informed. It seems like a good time to say thank you to all the journalists around the world who work tirelessly and sometimes put their lives in danger to surface the truth."

"I don't always agree with everything you say, but that's how democracy is supposed to work."

"I know I join many people in America and across the world in thanking you for your work."

However, someone on Twitter found it ironic that the founder of Facebook, which many people credit as being indirectly responsible for the shutdown of many local papers, was praising journalists.

So he rewrote the post in a hilarious parody:

Wow Mark, is this really the best way to connect with rural America? pic.twitter.com/1kJVlb4aN9  Pixelated Boat (@pixelatedboat) February 21, 2017

The spoof post was SO realistic that many people actually believed it:

@pixelatedboat I hope that's a joke. Just because you have money doesn't make it right to treat people in a degrading manner  Peter J Pierre (@PJPsych) February 21, 2017

@rjkucia @pixelatedboat then he is a horrible person  Peter J Pierre (@PJPsych) February 21, 2017

@pixelatedboat I'm going to go on Facebook to tell my friends to boycott all Mark Zuckerburg products  Max Rieper (@maxrieper) February 21, 2017

@pixelatedboat What's sad (and hillarious) is how long it took me to realize this was from this account, because it made sense.  WinterinMcLeoud (@Carin_McLeoud) February 21, 2017

@pixelatedboat Is this a real revelation of something Mark Zuckerberg did, or what he does metaphorically? Either way result is the same.  Russell S. Day (@Transcendian) February 21, 2017

@pixelatedboat and the fact he may run for prez in 2020, anything goes  Kristin  (@kronos251) February 21, 2017
After the Mona Lisa, Italy's most beloved and enduring gift to world culture might be the meatball. But talk to any two Italian cooks about which ingredients actually comprise a meatball and you're going to get an argument. Fine. I took this contentiousness as a license to concoct a meatball recipe of my own using the best tips from Italian friends and colleagues.

Let's start with the meat in this meatball. Ideally, it should be an equal mix of beef, pork and veal, allowing each one to contribute its own unique flavor and texture. If you can't find ground veal at your supermarket, opt for the meatloaf mix, which contains all three meats. If there's no ground veal and no meatloaf mix, you'll be fine with half pork and half beef.

To amp up the flavor to an even higher level, I've prescribed several umami bombs: prosciutto, Parmigiano-Reggiano and tomato paste. And of course, minced garlic.

Tradition requires meatballs to be cooked well done, which can make them dry. Accordingly, I've combined the meat mixture with a panade. Panade, a paste made of breadcrumbs soaked in milk, keeps the meat juicy as the meatballs cook.

Of course, when you make meatballs, you want them to retain their shape. A raw egg helps to bind the ingredients, but you also want to be sure to mix them rigorously, either in a stand mixer or with your hands. Refrigerating the meatballs for 30 minutes before sauteing them also helps.

The finishing touch is to simmer the meatballs in the tomato sauce. This process allows for an exchange of flavors. Indeed, I think of it as a marriage. Both the meatballs and the sauce benefit greatly.

This hearty dish is tailor-made for a blustery late-winter dinner. There won't be much argument at the table about its deliciousness.

BETTER MEATBALLS

Start to finish: 2 hours, 15 minutes (1 hour, 15 minutes active)

Servings: 6

3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs

1/2 cup whole milk

1/2 pound ground beef (85 percent lean)

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1/2 pound ground pork

1/2 pound ground veal

2 ounces prosciutto, finely chopped

2 ounces finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus extra for garnish

1 large egg

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 teaspoons minced garlic

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

3 tablespoons vegetable oil plus extra for cooking the little patty

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup red wine

Marinara Sauce (recipe below) or 5 cups store-bought marinara

1 pound spaghetti

Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

In the bowl of a stand mixer, soak the bread crumbs in the milk for 20 minutes. Add the ground beef, pork, veal, prosciutto, Parmigiano-Reggiano, egg, tomato paste, garlic, salt and pepper, and using a paddle attachment, beat the mixture for 1 minute or until it is very well mixed. (Note: If you don't have a stand mixer, just mix all the ingredients well with your hands for about 3 minutes.)

Pinch off a little bit of the meat mixture, form it into a patty and in a small skillet saute it until it is cooked through. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if desired. Scoop out the mixture, preferably using a 1-ounce ice cream scoop and roll into balls. (If you don't have an ice cream scoop, roll the meat into walnut-size balls.) Chill for 30 minutes.

In a large skillet heat half the oil over medium-high heat. Toss half the meatballs in the flour, shaking off the excess and add them to the hot oil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook the meatballs, shaking the pan and turning them gently until they are browned on several sides. Transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat the procedure with the remaining flour, oil and meatballs.

Add the wine to the skillet and simmer it, scraping up the brown bits, until it is reduced by half. In a large saucepan combine the meatballs with the marinara and the reduced wine. Bring the liquid just up to a boil, turn it down to a simmer and simmer it gently, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.

Speedy Marinara Sauce

Makes: About 5 cups

4 large garlic cloves, smashed

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 (28-ounce) cans plum tomatoes (preferably fire-roasted), chopped

Kosher salt

In an unheated medium saucepan combine the garlic and the oil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, turning over the garlic several times, until it is just golden, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and a hefty pinch of salt, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and cook at a brisk simmer until the sauce is reduced to about 5 cups, 20 to 25 minutes. Discard the garlic. Season with salt to taste.

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Nutrition information per serving of the meatballs: 739 calories; 223 calories from fat; 25 g fat (8 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 128 mg cholesterol; 874 mg sodium; 78 g carbohydrate; 4 g fiber; 5 g sugar; 43 g protein.

Nutrition information per serving of the sauce: 628 calories; 346 calories from fat; 38 g fat (5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 493 mg sodium; 48 g carbohydrate; 18 g fiber; 27 g sugar; 10 g protein.

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EDITOR'S NOTE: Sara Moulton is host of public television's "Sara's Weeknight Meals." She was executive chef at Gourmet magazine for nearly 25 years and spent a decade hosting several Food Network shows, including "Cooking Live." Her latest cookbook is "Home Cooking 101."
Max Karlsson (Photo: @Sweden via Twitter)

Before President Trumps reference on Saturday to a terror attack in Sweden, the biggest story in Stockholm was this one: a report about the so-called fake news industry published by Dagens Nyheter, a Swedish newspaper.

But Trumps remark was met with a collective What did he just say? in Sweden, a country recognized by most Americans as largely peaceful, except in, say, Stieg Larsson novels.

You look at whats happening last night in Sweden, the president said to his supporters at a campaign-style rally in Melbourne, Fla., on Saturday. Sweden, who would believe this? Trump later explained he was watching a Fox News segment that featured a documentary filmmaker accusing the Swedish government of covering up an immigration-related crime wave there.

Related: Trumps Sweden gaffe gets ridiculed on late night TV

In response, Swedish officials from the prime minister on down have taken to social media to debunk those claims. And leading the defense is Swedens official Twitter handle, @Sweden, an unusual account that is curated by a different Swedish citizen each week.

This week, that suddenly important job fell to Max Karlsson, a 22-year-old paralegal and trumpet player from Stockholm who found out he would be @Swedens curator earlier this month.

Karlsson has spent the past two days firing off tweets correcting the assertions made by Trump and others by dumping facts.

Hey Don, this is @Sweden speaking! It's nice of you to care, really, but don't fall for the hype. Facts: We're ok! https://t.co/Vux6IjzOjO https://t.co/rEmO83DN1B  @sweden / Max (@sweden) February 20, 2017

We have around 100 murders per year. Thats like two days in the US. Two. Days.  @sweden / Max (@sweden) February 20, 2017

During the time Sweden received 250.000 refugees, unemployment has fallen with 1,2%-points.https://t.co/aZkMfoeOUc  @sweden / Max (@sweden) February 20, 2017

Claim: "the Swedish border is wide open" Fact: Nope. https://t.co/Qw6O7lfk1s  @sweden / Max (@sweden) February 21, 2017

Let's be clear: a lot happened #lastnightinsweden. Things happen all of the time. Just not the things @realdonaldtrump are spreading.  @sweden / Max (@sweden) February 20, 2017

Karlsson told Yahoo News that hes had a mostly positive experience conversing with both pro- and anti-Trump Twitter users.

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Ive had great conversations with both Trump opponents and Trump voters about how we can have discussions based on facts, and why polarization is hurting the truth, Karlsson said. But I have also learned and relearned that some people are unwilling to face facts, ready to threaten others for their agenda and willing to smear opponents with degrading remarks just to prove a point. I cant believe some adults are allowed online.

The @Sweden account has been run by a guest citizen each week since 2011, when the Swedish government decided to allow curators, through their tweets, [to] create interest and arouse curiosity for Sweden and everything the country has to offer.

According to the Swedish Institute, curators are free to write whatever they want, provided their tweets dont violate Swedish law, dont promote a commercial brand and are not deemed a security threat. And each curator has the right to block people who interact with the @Sweden account.

Karlsson says hes muted quite a few accounts that were extreme but has only blocked two that threatened him.

Ive been accused of working for CNN and being a snowflake communist, he said. And that was something I didnt see myself being last week.

Karlsson described the experience of maintaining Swedens official Twitter account and interacting with its 115,000-plus followers in the wake of Trumps remarks a heavy one.

Not that he needed a reality check.

My mom called me today to ask if everyone is behaving properly towards me online, he said.

More from Yahoo News:
By Marilynn Larkin (Reuters Health) - After a hip fracture, men are more cognitively impaired - and therefore, more at risk of death - than women, researchers in Baltimore say. By 2025, the number of hip fractures in men will be as high as what's currently seen in women, the researchers warn. That makes these fractures "an emerging public health concern for older men, their families, and the healthcare system, according to Dr. Ann Gruber-Baldini of the University of Maryland School of Medicine and her colleagues. Compared to women, men who fracture a hip have an increased risk of mortality . . . despite their younger age at the time of fracture. As reported in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, the researchers compared the impact of a hip fracture on thinking skills and risk of death in 166 men and 168 women over age 80. The men had significantly more other diseases to start with, and more of them had been diagnosed with dementia. Men also were significantly more impaired on most cognitive measures. After taking any pre-fracture dementia and other risk factors into account, men were still at significantly higher risk for poor scores on a variety of tests of thinking skills. Men also had higher mortality rates than women six months after hip fracture - and the men's scores on cognitive tests were significantly associated with their risk of death: those who did poorly on the tests were more likely to die during the study. On one common test - the modified Mini-Mental-State Exam - nearly a third of the men with poor scores died within six months, compared with 15 percent of women with poor scores and 11 percent of men with no cognitive problems. By contrast, only 2 percent of women without cognitive problems on this test died within six months. No significant interaction effects were seen between gender and cognition. Gruber-Baldini told Reuters Health, It may be valuable for clinicians to monitor hip fracture patients after hospital discharge - especially men - to see if they are still experiencing cognitive impairment and effects of delirium. Interventions to reduce delirium - evaluation of medications, nutrition, infections, and comorbidities - may be needed, she said by email. It is also important that those with cognitive impairment get rehabilitation to help improve their mobility. Orthopedic surgeon Dr. John Tiberi of the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in Los Angeles, California told Reuters Health, Hip fractures in the elderly are known to have significant risks, even after appropriate treatment. This study highlights the increasing incidence of hip fractures in men as well as the higher rates of some adverse outcomes in men compared to women, he said by email. Knowledge of these findings may better assist health care providers and family members in providing care and support for hip fracture patients during the incredibly important recovery and rehabilitation process. SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2lT1pvE Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, online February 8, 2017.
BERLIN (AP)  German Chancellor Angela Merkel has spoken to Algerian Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal on the phone after her planned trip the North African country was canceled at the last minute over the Algerian president's poor health.

Spokesman Steffen Seibert said Merkel and Sellal talked Tuesday about further increasing the two countries' good relations, including their cooperation on migration and security issues.

Seibert said Merkel also expressed appreciation for Algeria's efforts to help solve the ongoing crisis in neighboring Libya.

Algeria's surprise cancellation of Merkel's visit Monday was blamed on an attack of severe bronchitis suffered by the country's long-ailing President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

The German government wants better cooperation in limiting migration from Africa to Europe and curbing the Muslim extremist violence that has hit Europe in recent times.
HAVANA (Reuters) - The Mississippi ports of Pascagoula and Gulfport signed agreements in Cuba on Monday with an eye to future business and with a Republican U.S. senator from the state looking on, despite concerns President Donald Trump might backtrack on improved relations. Senator Thad Cochran is the only Republican among five U.S. senators and a U.S. representative on a three-day visit to the Communist-run Caribbean island to discuss relations and explore business opportunities. The agreements were signed during a business forum to explore future trade attended by Cochran. There is great potential for business between these ports and Cuba due to the geographical proximity and the excellent fluvial and maritime ways Mississippi has, state-run media quoted Maria de la Luz B'Hamel, director of commercial policy with the United States at the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Trade and Investment, as saying. The event was closed to foreign journalists. The congressional delegation arrived on Sunday and is being led by Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont, who was instrumental in efforts to normalize relations under former Democratic President Barack Obama. Cuba watchers are looking closely for signs of how the fragile U.S. detente with Cuba will fare under the new Trump administration. The Republican president has threatened to scrap moves to normalize relations, one of Obama's signature foreign policy initiatives, if he does not get "a better deal." Port authorities along the U.S. southern coast are strong proponents of increased trade and travel with Cuba, and some have expressed interest in using Mariel, located on the northwest coast of Cuba, as a transshipment hub. Similar agreements were signed last month with Virginia, Louisiana and Alabama. The Florida ports of Everglades and Palm Beach had also been planning to sign deals, but balked after Republican state Governor Rick Scott threatened to cancel their funding if they did business with the "Cuban dictatorship." (Reporting by Marc Frank; Editing by Peter Cooney)
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP)  A Missouri native who said he wanted to participate in a terrorist attack that would cause many deaths and injuries is charged with helping plan a Presidents Day attack on buses, trains and a train station in Kansas City, federal officials said Tuesday.

Robert Lorenzo Hester Jr., a Missouri-born U.S. citizen, was charged in federal court in Kansas City with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. The 25-year-old Columbia, Missouri, man was arrested Friday when he arrived at a meeting with what he thought was an Islamic State sympathizer who was an undercover FBI agent. The arrest was made public Tuesday after Hester made his first court appearance, during which a judge ordered him to remain in custody. A detention hearing was scheduled for Friday.

Online court records didn't list an attorney for Hester on Tuesday.

A criminal complaint said federal officials began investigating Hester in August 2016 after receiving tips about social media posts in which he said he had converted to Islam and expressed hatred for the United States and a tendency toward violence. Undercover FBI agents contacted Hester first online and then in several face-to-face meetings to discuss whether he wanted to participate in a terrorist attack.

During those contacts, Hester "expressed his interest in and exhibited his willingness to commit violence in support of a foreign terrorist organization," according to the complaint. Hester, a married father of two children who served less than a year in the U.S. Army, also provided materials such as roofing nails, batteries and other items that he was told would be used to build bombs for the attack, the complaint said. He also was shown weapons and was told several backpacks containing explosives would be placed in different locations in Kansas City.

The undercover agent told Hester the supposed terrorist organization was planning on "killing a lot of people" in an attack "10 times more" severe than the Boston Marathon attack, according to the complaint. Hester approved of the plans and rejected the undercover agent's offer to walk away if he didn't want to participate, the complaint said.

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Hester communicated five times in early February with an undercover employee via an encrypted messaging app, saying he was "happy to be part" of the plan and predicting the day of the attack would be "a good day for Muslims," according to the complaint.

On Feb. 17, Hester met with another undercover employee and provided more nails before they went to a storage facility, where Hester believed the components would be stored, the complaint said. He was arrested shortly thereafter.

On Oct. 3, 2016, Hester was arrested in Columbia in an unrelated case after he allegedly threw a knife through a store window and threatened an employee during an argument with his wife. He pleaded guilty to one count of felony property damage and one count of unlawful use of a weapon and was released on his own recognizance awaiting sentencing, which was scheduled for March.
The two accused, who lived in Rohini and were allegedly under the influence of alcohol, grabbed the girls when they left their home to relieve themselves out in the open.

By Ilma Hasan: Two minor girls, aged five and nine, have been allegedly raped in Rohini area of the national capital. Delhi Police arrested two men, one of them a minor, in connection with the incident.

According to the police, the girls didn't have a toilet at home and had gone out to relieve themselves when the incident took place on Sunday evening.

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When the girls didn't return for a long time, their families started looking for them and found them bleeding. Police said both minors had suffered injuries to their private parts.

Also read | 26-year-old raped in Delhi's Hauz Khas village: What we know so far

A case under the POSCO Act and Section 367 of the IPC has been lodged. The two rape survivors are undergoing treatment at Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital.

The two accused, who lived in Rohini and were allegedly under the influence of alcohol, grabbed the girls when they left their home. The case was filed with Rohini's KN Katju Marg Police Station.

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PODGORICA, Montenegro (AP)  Montenegro's former prime minister has accused Russia of "destructive" politics in the Balkans following what the country says was a thwarted attempt to overthrow its pro-Western government.

Milo Djukanovic, who stepped down after the alleged pro-Russian plot in October to prevent the small Balkan country from joining NATO, said that Moscow "harnessed a lot of destructive material toward Montenegro."

Montenegro is now "in the line" of Moscow's attempts to expand its influence in the war-torn Balkans, and pro-Russian opposition parties are ready to use "bloodshed and a coup" to install a pro-Kremlin government, Djukanovic said late Monday while addressing his Socialist Democratic Party youth in the country's second-largest town of Niksic, ahead of local elections.

"A new, puppet government would only serve the interest of Moscow, which wants to send a message to Europe and NATO that they cannot expand in the Balkans without its consent," said Djukanovic, who brought the country to the threshold of NATO membership.

Russian officials have recently named Serbia, Bosnia, Macedonia and Montenegro as Moscow's sphere of interest in the Balkans, saying they should not join NATO. The former Yugoslav republics were never part of the Soviet bloc and officially all of them want to join the European Union.

Speaking in neighboring Kosovo, NATO's Supreme Allied Commander for Europe, Gen. Curtis M. Scaparrotti, voiced his concern "about ways that Russia has influence in the region that is not as helpful at times, particularly in the media with disinformation and political influence."

"The stability of the western Balkans is of critical importance for NATO because security and stability in this region is important to the security and stability of Europe, a Europe that's whole, free and at peace," he said.

Montenegro's prosecutors have accused Russia and its secret service operatives of plotting the election-day coup attempt that included alleged plans to kill Djukanovic and take over parliament. Some 20 people  including two Russians  have been accused of taking part.

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The Kremlin has repeatedly denied involvement in the plot. But it has openly supported nationalist parties and groups opposed to Montenegro's NATO membership.

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Associated Press writer Dusan Stojanovic contributed from Belgrade, Serbia.
Harare (AFP) - Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, the world's oldest national ruler, turns 93 on Tuesday, defiantly vowing to remain in power despite growing signs of frailty and failing health.

He will celebrate with his staff in a private ceremony in Harare while supporters use state media to send their annual gushing messages of goodwill and congratulations.

The main celebrations will be held Saturday at Matobo National Park outside Bulawayo, Zimbabwe's second-largest city, and are expected to attract thousands of officials and ZANU-PF party faithful.

Large game animals are often slaughtered for the occasion. In previous years Mugabe has reportedly been offered elephants, buffalo and impala for the feast.

Mugabe has ruled out any prospect of retiring soon, saying that ZANU-PF officials believe there is no "acceptable" alternative.

"The call to step down must come from my party... In such circumstances I will step down," the state-owned Sunday Mail newspaper quoted Mugabe as saying in an interview aired late Monday.

"They want me to stand for elections... If I feel that I can't do it any more, I will say so to my party so that they relieve me. But for now, I think I can't say so," he said.

"The majority of the people feel that there is no replacement, a successor who to them is acceptable," Mugabe added.

The veteran leader came to power when Zimbabwe won independence in 1980 and his rule has been criticised for ruthless repression of dissent, election rigging, and for causing the country's economic collapse.

- Advanced age -

Several incidents in recent years have highlighted his advanced age -- including a fall in February 2015 at Harare airport.

In September of the same year he read a speech to parliament apparently unaware that he had delivered exactly the same address a month earlier.

Despite growing calls to step aside, his party has endorsed him as its candidate for general elections next year, and he remains widely respected as a liberation hero by other African leaders.

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On Friday, his wife, Grace, claimed that Mugabe would be the voters' choice even after he dies.

She has also vowed to use a wheelchair to transport him to election rallies if needed.

Mugabe has avoided naming a successor, and his party is divided between factions hoping to succeed him.

Grace, 51, was appointed head of the ruling party's women's wing in a surprise move that could make her a possible successor to Mugabe.

Another leading candidate is Mugabe's vice president, Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Last year, security forces brutally quelled a series of street protests in Harare, a rare public expression of opposition to Mugabe's regime.

According to Bloomberg News, Zimbabwe's economic output has halved since 2000 when many white-owned farms were seized by ZANU-PF supporters, leaving the key agricultural sector in ruins.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP)  North Carolina's new Democratic governor and attorney general say they're ending state efforts to persuade the U.S. Supreme Court to revive a GOP-backed voter ID law that was struck down by a lower court, but Republican lawmakers say they will continue pushing for the high court's review.

Gov. Roy Cooper and Attorney General Josh Stein said Tuesday they're withdrawing from the state's petition for a high court review. The Supreme Court next must decide if it will take up the case anyway.

Last year Pat McCrory, then the state's Republican governor, asked the Supreme Court to review a lower appeals court ruling. The July opinion by the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals determined tougher ballot access rules adopted in 2013 were written with "almost surgical precision" to discourage black voters who tended to support Democrats.

"We need to make it easier for people to exercise their right to vote, not harder, and I will not continue to waste time and money appealing this unconstitutional law," Cooper said in a prepared statement.

The law, passed two years after Republicans took control of the state legislature for the first time in a century, sought to entrench GOP politicians in power "by targeting voters who, based on race, were unlikely to vote for the majority party," the opinion by a three-judge panel of the court stated.

"We can only conclude that the North Carolina General Assembly enacted the challenged provisions of the law with discriminatory intent," the judges said.

The Supreme Court in August divided 4-4 on overturning the appeals court ruling for last fall's elections. That meant North Carolina's voter identification requirement couldn't be enforced and allowed an extra seven days of early voting and same-day voter registration.

The state's Republican legislative leaders decried Tuesday's "desperate and politically-motivated" effort to scuttle Supreme Court review and allow the ruling by the "three-judge panel of partisan Democrats" to stand. Outside attorneys hired by the General Assembly to defend the law will continue on the case, Senate Leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, and House Speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, said in a statement.

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The state elections board also could opt to press the Supreme Court request, but the panel itself may be revamped as part of the ongoing partisan warfare between entrenched Republican legislative leaders and the newly elected Democratic governor. The elections board meets Wednesday.

McCrory and Republican legislative leaders said last year the law's voter ID provision, which came into effect during the 2016 primaries, improved the integrity of elections. Appeals court judges said the state provided no evidence of the kind of in-person voter fraud the ID mandate would address. The law was amended last year to include a method for people unable to get a photo ID to still vote.

North Carolina voters last November backed Republican Donald Trump for president, re-elected fellow Republican U.S. Sen. Richard Burr and expanded the number of statewide GOP office-holders.

___

Follow Emery P. Dalesio at http://twitter.com/emerydalesio. His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/emery-p-dalesio
Has NASA found evidence of life in space? Some of the world's leading voices on life beyond Earth will gather for a NASA press conference Wednesday where an important announcement on planets outside our solar system was expected to be made, NASA announced Monday. Exoplanets are widely believed to be the best hope of finding life elsewhere in the universe.

NASA vowed to broadcast the announcement featuring astronomers and planetary scientists from across the world on NASA Television and the agency's website. The space agency was encouraging the public to ask questions during the briefing on Twitter using the hashtag #askNASA.

The announcement comes as NASA has also been working to send a lander to Europa, Jupiters ice moon, to explore the potential for extraterrestrial life. The project includes determining whether life can thrive on Europa.

The full press release about Wednesday's major announcement titled "NASA to Host News Conference on Discovery Beyond Our Solar System" can be found below:

"NASA will hold a news conference at 1 p.m. EST Wednesday, Feb. 22, to present new findings on planets that orbit stars other than our sun, known as exoplanets. The event will air live on NASA Television and the agency's website.

Details of these findings are embargoed by the journal Nature until 1 p.m.

Limited seating is available in the NASA TV studio for media who would like to attend in person at the agencys Headquarters at 300 E Street SW in Washington. Media unable to attend in person may ask questions by telephone. To attend in person or participate by phone, media must send an email with their name, affiliation and telephone number to Dwayne Brown at dwayne.c.brown@nasa.gov by noon Feb. 22.

Media and the public also may ask questions during the briefing on Twitter using the hashtag #askNASA.

The briefing participants are:

 Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington

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 Michael Gillon, astronomer at the University of Liege in Belgium

 Sean Carey, manager of NASA's Spitzer Science Center at Caltech/IPAC, Pasadena, California

 Nikole Lewis, astronomer at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore

 Sara Seager, professor of planetary science and physics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge

A Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) about exoplanets will be held following the briefing at 3 p.m. with scientists available to answer questions in English and Spanish."

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The ever-evolving ensemble that is President Donald Trumps national security team evolved again on Monday. Trump announced Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster will be his new national security advisor. He will replace Michael Flynn, who resigned after withholding information on contact with Russian officials from Vice President Michael Pence.

Trumps first choice to replace Flynn, retired Adm. Robert Harward, reportedly turned down the job when he couldnt hire his own staff. Trump promised McMaster a freer hand over hiring, but the new national security advisor will have to crack Trumps tight-knit inner circle to gain influence.

One other item of note: In a White House seeking rapprochement with Russia, McMaster has been hard at work studying the military threat Russia poses to the United States.

Meanwhile, Russia has been left reeling not only from Flynns departure, but from the death of its ambassador to the United Nations, Vitaly Churkin. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said her department had lost a great diplomat and a loved one. Samantha Power, who, as former U.S. ambassador to the UN, often found herself diplomatically opposed to Churkin, tweeted that she was devastated by the death of Churkin, whom she described as a diplomatic maestro and deeply caring man. Russian media outlet TASS shared a collection of his most memorable quotations on its Facebook page.

Russian media is considerably less dedicated these days to covering Trump. A new study shows that, over the past two weeks, Russian television has slashed its Trump coverage to a quarter of what it was during the halcyon days of the courtship.

And in France, National Front leader Marine Le Pen is in hot water. On Monday police searched the partys headquarters in connection with allegations that the party misspent European Union funds. The allegation is that the funds were taken to pay for European parliament assistants but in fact went to party aides.

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Le Pen is running for president and has said that, if elected, she will hold a referendum over Frances membership in the EU. But her electoral momentum could be checked by any police investigation.

Hate crimes continue apace on the homefront: Jewish community centers across the country were evacuated after 11 bomb threats, and a Jewish graveyard in St. Louis was vandalized. While Trump himself refused to address concerns about rising anti-Semitism when asked twice about it last week, his daughter Ivanka did send out a tweet urging tolerance.

Photo credit: KENA BETANCUR/AFP/Getty Images
President Donald Trump has made a fine pick in tapping Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster to replace Mike Flynn as National Security Advisor (NSA). The pick has generated near unanimous support across party lines and so McMaster will start his new assignment with a very large reservoir of a resource that is all too rare in Washington these days: trust and good will.

He will need to draw on that reservoir to deal with the geostrategic challenges confronting the country. But he may also need to tap something else that he has in particular abundance  a finely tuned sensibility for the norms of proper civil-military relations. From the outset, McMaster will face at least three important civil-military challenges.

First, he will need to build a presidential advisory process that develops and debates options in a candid setting where every professional voice is free to speak and where the perceived taint of partisan politics is not believed to have corrupted the process. Former President George W. Bush strove mightily to achieve this and, in my experience, largely succeeded. Many specialists, myself included, criticized former President Barack Obamas team for being sloppier about the way that they blurred the lines between the presidents partisan political interests and the national interest. The Trump administration has set up structures that seem to blur those lines even more.

All eyes will be on how McMaster relates to the other political advisors who have overlapping roles on national security, particularly Jared Kushner and Steve Bannon. The Trump White House could take steps to mitigate those concerns. They should ensure that McMaster has direct and independent access to President Trump, and that McMaster is included from the outset on any issue that touches on national security so he can bring inter-agency perspectives to bear before the matter goes to the president for decision.

But it bears emphasizing that McMaster will bring a special sensitivity to this issue because the relationship between politics and national security is precisely what his famous dissertation-book, Dereliction of Duty, examined. McMaster narrated how President Lyndon B. Johnson and Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara dealt with his Joint Chiefs of staff, and vice-versa, on Vietnam War decisions. According to McMaster, too many of President Johnsons war decisions were driven by domestic political considerations.

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And here it gets particularly interesting, because many people who read McMasters book believe it goes on to argue that the Joint Chiefs were derelict in their duty by not standing up to Johnson  not blocking the president from pursuing a flawed strategy in Vietnam, and not insisting on their own superior approach to the war. I think McMasters true thesis is more subtle. McMaster takes the senior military to task for not providing candid advice to the President and Secretary McNamara  for letting their own political considerations shape their advice to their bosses  and for not correcting the record when Johnson and McNamara misrepresented their advice to sell Johnsons preferred graduated escalation strategy to Congress and the American public.

But the misreading of McMasters argument to mean the military should stand up more to political civilians is so ubiquitous that I have called it (with H.R.s permission, I hasten to add) McMasterism. And McMasterism may well be the approach that some are hoping the author brings into the White House: a pugnacious, insist-that-the-boss-see-it-your-way approach.

That is not a recipe for success and it is not how I expect McMaster to function as NSA. But it may be how some Trump critics hope he operates, and navigating the gap between expectations and performance will pose a delicate civil-military challenge.

Second, McMaster will need to restore a civil-military balance in the interagency. Trump has made it clear that he feels most comfortable in picking military officers, retired or active duty, to fill civilian posts in national security. Every administration makes liberal use of military officers in such settings, in part because the military is the best resourced part of the government and so is a ready supply of top talent that can be commandeered by the more cash-strapped portions of the bureaucracy. However, Trump has taken this to a new level, and Mike Flynn further doubled down on that by drawing extensively from his own military networks to fill NSC staff roles.

I strongly supported the nomination of retired General James Mattis to be secretary of Defense, even though that broke with civil-military precedent. And I strongly support replacing retired retired 3-star General Flynn with active duty 3-star General McMaster as NSA.

But an administration can have too many general and flag officers serving in the top echelons of policymaking and policy-advising. Too many senior military will link the uniformed force in undesirable ways to the political fortunes of the administration. Likewise, an administration can have too few people offering non-military perspectives, life experiences, reflexes, blind-spots, and so on.

To restore a balance, McMaster will want to reach beyond his immediate military network to ensure that his staff has civilian political appointees representing a broad swathe of expertise and experience. And, crucially, he will want to make sure that the State Department, the Intelligence Community, the Treasury Department, and other departments and agencies are sending their best up-and-comers as detailees to staff the White House.

Last and probably least, McMaster will have to navigate the difficulty of serving in this post while on active duty as a general officer whose rank is actually one full level below the position he occupies. This is not unprecedented. Colin Powell served as NSA in Reagans second term while a 3-star, and before him Brent Scowcroft served as Fords NSA while a 3-star. (Scowcroft was retired from the military when he had his more celebrated tour as Bush 41s NSA.) Those are offered as positive examples, though you could get historians to debate how effective Powell was as NSA. On the other hand, Vice-Admiral John Poindexter clearly belongs on the negative side of the ledger, with his checkered experience as Powells predecessor.

While the NSA is not in the chain of command and so technically does not outrank the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (the highest ranking 4-star officer in the military), the NSA does typically chair the Principals Committee on which the Chairman sits as a formal advisor. (And the NSA is in protocol terms a 4-star billet and so he will be accorded 4-star treatment if ever he visits a military installation.) In the healthy interagency systems I have observed up close, there is never any doubt that the NSA de facto outranks the Chairman (and other Cabinet principals) as measured with the coin that most matters in the DC realm: access to and trust of the president. In the less healthy interagency systems I have observed up close, there were such doubts, whether because of personalities, individual caliber, or other similar considerations. The confusion of rank for active duty officers is the kind of other consideration that can produce needless distractions.

I rank this last because I think McMaster will be sensitive to it  he has managed his punch-above-his-weight-maverick profile for two decades now  and I think General Joseph Dunford and the other Chiefs will be very keen to make it work. And there are understandable reasons why McMaster might wish to remain on active duty. For starters, he may hope to continue his military career after serving in the White House, as did General Powell. He also may need more time in grade before being able to retire with full 3-star retirement benefits.

However, the example that may prove more telling in the long run may not be the other active duty NSAs but rather Doug Lute, who served as the Iraq War Czar for both Presidents Bush and Obama. He initially took the post while on active duty with the understanding that serving in the White House would not derail his bright career prospects. Despite prior understandings with two Presidents, the Secretary of Defense, and the Chairman of the JCS, Lute eventually had to retire without getting his 4-star assignment. Most people believe that the thankless tasks he had to do as czar directly affected this story. If McMaster is indeed destined to stop at 3-stars, he may decide that it is better to retire at that rank before very long, given the highly political nature of the NSA.

Indeed, other considerations may lead him to retire anyway. To serve in this post at the 3-star rank will require a Senate vote and that could even mean congressional hearings. As a general rule, administrations do not want senior White House staff testifying before congressional committees, and this administration in particular may not want all the questions that are likely to be raised about conflicts between what the President has said vs. what Cabinet officials have said, or why political advisors are sitting on the National Security Council. To avoid all of that, McMaster may be obliged to consider retirement sooner than he might wish.

These are civil-military challenges, but they are manageable ones. And with Mattis and now McMaster, these challenges will be managed in the Trump administration by thoughtful leaders who literally wrote the books on civil-military relations. That is a much-welcome cause for optimism, albeit optimism of the prudent and sober variety.

Photo credit: NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images
PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP)  A senior NATO commander has assured Kosovo that the military alliance will maintain troops in the Balkan country "for as long as it's necessary."

NATO's Supreme Allied Commander for Europe, Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti, met with local officials and Western ambassadors during a visit Tuesday to Kosovo.

Some 4,500 troops from 31 countries have been deployed in Kosovo since June 1999, after NATO's 78-day air campaign to stop a bloody Serbian crackdown against ethnic Albanian separatists. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, but Serbia has not recognized it as a country.

"We will keep in place a flexible, determined presence and will make changes only when the security situation allows. KFOR remain a robust and credible force, capable of carrying out its mission for as long as it's necessary," Scaparrotti said.

He also expressed concern about Russia's attempted influence in the region "particularly in the media with disinformation, political influence, etc."

Earlier this month, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also visited Kosovo to urge it and Serbia to normalize their ties. Tensions between Kosovo and Serbia have been building again after a series of inflammatory incidents.

Serbia, backed by Russia, has also sought to maintain influence in Kosovo's north, where most of the country's Serb minority lives.
CANBERRA, Australia (AP)  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday praised Australia for being "courageously willing to puncture U.N. hypocrisy" on anti-Israel resolutions.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull marked the first visit to Australia by a serving Israeli leader by writing an opinion piece in Wednesday's The Australian newspaper that backed Netanyahu's criticism in 2015 that the United Nations General Assembly had adopted 20 resolutions critical of Israel in the preceding year and only one in response to the Syrian war.

"My government will not support one-sided resolutions criticizing Israel of the kind recently adopted by the U.N. Security Council and we deplore the boycott campaigns designed to delegitimize the Jewish state," Turnbull wrote, referring to the Dec. 23 resolution condemning Israeli settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem as a "flagrant violation" of international law.

The United States abstained from that vote and Australia, while not a member of the security council, was one of the few countries to publicly support Israel's position.

Netanyahu said he was delighted to read the article at the start of his four-day Australian visit.

"Australia has been courageously willing to puncture U.N. hypocrisy more than once, including this absurd resolution that said the Western wall, the most sacred site for the Jewish people for thousands of years  thousands of years even before the rise of Islam  that this is occupied Palestinian territory," Netanyahu told reporters.

"So the U.N. is capable of many absurdities and I think it's important that you have straightforward and clear-eyed countries like Australia that often bring it back to Earth," he said.

Turnbull reiterated his support for a two-state solution to resolve the Palestinian conflict and described Australia as a committed and consistent friend of Israel.

"I agree with you in that the circumstances of the times ... do appear to create the opportunity where perhaps the moons aligning such that this could be a good time ... for the parties to come back to the table and reach an agreement, but, of course, as with any agreement, it needs two to tango," Turnbull told Netanyahu.

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Netanyahu dismissed calls from critics of Israeli West bank settlements, including former Australian Prime Ministers Kevin Rudd and Bob Hawke, for Australia to formally recognize Palestine as a state.

"I ask both former prime ministers to ask a simple question: What kind of state will it be that they are advocating? A state that calls for Israel's destruction? A state whose territory will be used immediately for radical Islam?" Netanyahu said.

Netanyahu and Turnbull signed agreements on technology and air services as well as discussed expanding co-operation in areas, including cyber-security, innovation and science.
The drownings - at least 74 bodies were found in Zawiya - are the latest tragedy at sea after migrant deaths rose to record levels along the Libya-Italy smuggling route over the past months.

Sub-saharan migrants hold on to ropes to keep their balance on the deck of the Golfo Azzurro boat after been rescued from a rubber boat by members of Proactive Open Arms NGO, on the Mediterranean sea, about 24 miles north of Sabratha, Libya

By AP: Scores of bodies of African migrants washed ashore in Libya, in the western city of Zawiya on the Mediterranean Sea, a spokesman for the Libyan Red Crescent said on Tuesday.

The drownings - at least 74 bodies were found in Zawiya - are the latest tragedy at sea after migrant deaths rose to record levels along the Libya-Italy smuggling route over the past months.

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The Rec Crescent's spokesman Mohammed al-Misrati told The Associated Press that the bodies were found on Monday morning and that the Red Crescent workers retrieved them between 1 pm and 7 pm

He said that a torn rubber boat was found nearby and that he expected more bodies to surface as such boats usually carry up to 120 people. Earlier, al-Misrati mistakenly told the AP that the bodies surfaced overnight.

The aid agency posted on its Twitter account photographs of dozens of bodies in white and black body bags, lined up along the shore. Al-Misrati said the local authorities would take the bodies to a cemetery in the capital of Tripoli that is allocated for unidentified persons.

Last week, Fabrice Leggeri, director of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, said the Libya-Italy smuggling route across the Mediterranean has seen record numbers of migrant drownings in 2016.

According to Leggeri, migrant deaths along the central Mediterranean route stood at 4,579 for last year, which still might be much less than the true loss of life. That's compared to 2,869 deaths in 2015 and 3,161 in 2014.

There is little sign of the surge is abating, even during wintertime. There were 228 recorded deaths in January, by far the biggest monthly toll in recent years. Leggeri blamed the very small dinghies and poor vessels used by the smugglers for the high death rate.

In Libya, the turmoil engulfing this North African country has become a death trap for thousands of migrants, most of them from sub-Saharan African countries, seeking to escape poverty and find a better life in Europe.

Libya is split by competing governments and many militias rule on the ground, many of them profiting from smuggling and human trafficking. Rights groups have documented migrants' horror journeys involving torture, rape, and forced labor inside Libya.

The country sank into lawlessness following the 2011 uprising that turned into a full-blown civil war that led to the toppling and killing of longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi.

Since then, human trafficking has thrived amid Libya's chaos.

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Who doesn't love the occasional dose of ultra trashy television? Of course, long-running hidden camera series Cheaters is right up there with the finest.

Now Netflix have paid tribute with their own parody version: Netflix Cheaterz (with a 'Z' for trademark reasons) in a bid to raise further awareness of the social epidemic that is Netflix cheating.

Original Cheaters host Joey Greco is even there to walk us through the tryst between a man and his Stranger Things.

And yes, "the confrontation" is still the best bit. Can we get this as a real series, please?
ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigeria said there was no cause for concern for President Muhammadu Buhari's health but he had to stay longer on medical leave in Britain than planned, the presidency said on Tuesday. "During his normal annual checkup, tests showed he needed a longer period of rest, necessitating the president staying longer than originally planned," the presidency said in a statement. "President Buhari wishes to reassure Nigerians that there is no cause for worry," it said, without saying when Buhari might return. Buhari, 74, left for Britain for medical leave a month ago, putting Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, 59, in charge during his absence. He had originally planned to stay 10 days. Officials have refused to disclose his illness, triggering fierce speculation in Nigerian media and on social media. That speculation has been fuelled by a previous illness, when he spent nearly two weeks in London last June treating an ear infection. Buhari's predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan, was sworn in after the death in 2010 of President Umaru Yar'Adua. His illness created a power vacuum that was only filled by Jonathan, his vice president, after three months of political infighting. Officials say the situation is different because Buhari has given Osinbajo full powers as acting president. On Monday, the central bank devalued the naira foreign exchange rate for retail customers. Buhari has repeatedly spoken against a devaluation. (Reporting by Feix Onuah; Writing by Ulf Laessing; Editing by Alison Williams)
By Colleen Jenkins WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (Reuters) - North Carolina's Democratic governor and attorney general on Tuesday withdrew a request for a U.S. Supreme Court review of a state voting law struck down last year by an appeals court that found it intentionally discriminated against African-Americans. In moving to end the state's defense of the Republican-backed 2013 law, Governor Roy Cooper and Attorney General Josh Stein said they also discharged outside counsel hired to defend North Carolina. The immediate impact on the case was not clear. The governor's office said the state Board of Elections, its individual members and its executive director remained in the case, which was appealed to the Supreme Court in December. The board's three Republicans and two Democrats are likely to discuss the issue during their meeting on Wednesday, board spokesman Patrick Gannon said. The Supreme Court is due to discuss whether to take the case on March 3. The Democratic state officials and the civil rights groups that challenged the law would be keen to avoid the Supreme Court taking up the case because there is a chance the statute could be revived. The court is currently divided 4-4 on ideological grounds, with four liberals and four conservatives. Republican President Donald Trumps nominee to fill a vacant seat, conservative appeals court judge Neil Gorsuch, could well break a tie if the high court were to hear the case, if he is confirmed by the U.S. Senate. In August, the high court split 4-4 on whether to reinstate key portions of the law prior to last years election, with the four conservative justices voting in favor. The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in July overturned the state law, which, among other things, required voters to show photo identification when casting ballots and scaled back early voting. "We need to make it easier for people to exercise their right to vote, not harder, and I will not continue to waste time and money appealing this unconstitutional law, said Cooper, who took office in January after defeating the Republican incumbent. Republican legislative leaders criticized the move and said they expected the courts to reject the Democrats' request. "Roy Coopers and Josh Steins desperate and politically-motivated stunt to derail North Carolinas voter ID law is not only illegal, it also raises serious questions about whether theyve allowed their own personal and political prejudices and conflicts of interest to cloud their professional judgment," Senate leader Phil Berger and House Speaker Tim Moore said in a statement. North Carolina passed the law weeks after the Supreme Court voted 5-4 in June 2013 to eliminate a requirement that states with a history of discrimination receive federal approval before changing election laws. The law's supporters said it was needed to prevent voter fraud. The NAACP civil rights group and individual voters sued to block the law, arguing that it disproportionately burdened African-Americans and Hispanics, who are more likely than whites to lack acceptable forms of identification. (Reporting by Colleen Jenkins. Additional reporting by Lawrence Hurley; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Leslie Adler)
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's regime faces accusations of human rights violations, including rape, torture and forced labor, after a United Nations group of experts was assigned to scrutinize the reclusive country's actions. The experts submitted their assessments Monday in a report to the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva, ahead of the 34th regular session of the Human Rights Council, which is scheduled to begin on Feb. 27.

The experts, who worked to identify legal ways to penalize Pyongyang, proposed that the human rights violations be referred to the International Criminal Court (ICC). The experts raised "serious concern" over North Korea's crimes against humanity, adding that these crimes should not go unpunished.

The report also proposed the establishment of a special international tribunal to tackle North Korea's human rights violations, for which the country earlier faced several sanctions under the Obama administration. The experts have dismissed the idea of a "mixed court" system  a North Korea-appointed judge and a U.N.-appointed justice presiding over the cases together, UPI reported, citing the Voice of America.

Human Rights Watch released a statement earlier this month highlighting North Korea's alleged exploitation of school children forcing them to work. The report was submitted to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child.

North Koreas common use of forced labor is bad enough, but its wholly inexcusable when children are exploited, Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director, said in a statement. In destroying the lives of children, the ruling Kim family shows just how low its prepared to go to sustain political and economic power. For many children, forced labor is sadly a normal hazard in everyday life.

The evaluation comes amid reports that North Korea could begin talks with the U.S. to initiate a deal with the Trump administration amid tensions between the two nuclear-armed nations, the Washington Post reported Sunday, adding that the talks were still in the planning stages.

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The Barack Obama Presidential Center in Chicago needs $1.5 billion to cover construction and maintenance, much more than the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas raised in what was then considered the most expensive tribute to a former commander-in-chief. The Chicago memorial will honor the lives of the nation's first black president and his wife, Michelle Obama.

Architectural team Tod Williams and Billie Tsien said finding that kind of cash could be difficult because Obama refused to raise money for the project while he was still in office to avoid potential conflicts of interest, the New York Post reported Sunday. The construction alone was originally expected to cost $200 million before that price tag soared to $300 million, Williams said.

Its not just about preserving the past. Its about the future, Williams said.

Williams and Tsien, a husband and wife team, have also designed the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia, the Phoenix Art Museum and the Logan Center for the Arts in Chicago. Obama's presidential library will be located at Chicago's Jackson Park, where the 1893 World's Fair was held and where the former first couple lived before moving to Washington. "Michelle and I are thrilled that the Obama Presidential Center will be developed in the heart of Chicago's South Side, a community we call home and that means the world to us," Obama said in a statement when the project was announced in July 2016. "We are proud that the center will help spur development in an urban area and we can't wait to forge new ways to give back to the people of Chicago who have given us so much."

A plane loaded with the first of the materials for the Obama presidential library landed in Chicago Thursday, according to the National Archives and Records Administration, the federal agency tasked with overseeing Obamas records. It contains hundreds of millions of textual, electronic and audio-visual materials and tens of thousands of presidential gifts, said Laura Diachenko, a spokeswoman for the archives.

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Bush raised more than $500 million toward his presidential library that opened in 2013 at Southern Methodist University in Texas.

Obama has stayed busy since leaving the White House in January by speaking out against President Donald Trump's proposed ban on travelers from seven Muslim-majority nations and encouraging protests against the new administration. He and the former first lady also have hired an agency to line up speaking gigs and oversee future book deals.

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By Tom Allard and Liz Lee KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Ri Jong Chol, a North Korean arrested in the probe into last week's murder of the half-brother of the isolated state's leader, lived in Malaysia for more than three years without working at the company registered on his employment permit or receiving a salary. Ri, 47, had a Malaysian work visa that showed he was an employee of Tombo Enterprise. But the owner of the company said he never worked a day there or drew a salary from the small herbal medicine firm. Chong Ah Kow said he facilitated Ri's working visa by stating in supporting documents that he was a product development manager in the company's IT department earning 5,500 ringgit ($1,230) per month. The visa was renewed once, he said, in June 2016. "It was just a formality, just documents, I never paid him," Chong, a Malaysian, said in an interview. "I don't know how he survives here. I dont know how he gets money." Chong, a frequent traveler to North Korea, said he was just trying to "help out" Ri. He has been interviewed by police and told Reuters he was ready to face any consequences from submitting false information to the government. Chong, who has remained friends with Ri, said the North Korean lived with his wife and two children in Kuala Lumpur. Reuters could not ascertain if Ri had any other employment or source of income. Police could not be reached for comment to explain how Ri supported his family in Malaysia. HELP UNIVERSITY Ri has been arrested as a key suspect in the murder of Kim Jong Nam, the half-brother of North Koreas leader Kim Jong Un. Police have not specified what role he may have played in last week's brazen killing at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Reuters was unable to find out whether Ri has a lawyer or to contact his wife or his daughter. Efforts to contact the North Korean embassy in Kuala Lumpur were also unsuccessful. Chong said Ri rented an apartment in Kuchai Lama, a middle-class Kuala Lumpur suburb. Three-bedroom apartments in the neighborhood typically rent for about 1,500-2,000 ringgit ($337-449) per month, according to property websites. Ri's daughter studies at HELP University, a fee-paying private college in a western Kuala Lumpur suburb that bestowed a honorary doctorate in economics on Kim Jong Un in 2013 for his "untiring efforts for the education of the country and the well-being of the people". The university has confirmed she is a student there. Chong said he and Ri met in 2013 when the North Korean came to him in Kuala Lumpur, and said he was related to the inventor of a mushroom extract with anti-cancer effects. Chong said he has visited North Korea about 10 times and admires the country for its culture. "They have great shows," Chong said. "(Ri was a) soft-spoken, courteous, humble man - just like other North Koreans." EASY ENTRY Ri met Chong infrequently, driving with his daughter to Chong's office in Kuala Lumpur. The men discussed business opportunities, such as palm oil importation, with Ri's daughter translating from Korean into English and vice versa. Nothing, however, came from the talks, Chong said. The duo last met in January. Malaysia is about the only foreign country that a North Korean can easily enter, thanks to a visa-free policy for visitors that is largely reciprocated by Pyongyang. Since the 1980s, North Korea has used the Southeast Asian nation as a hub to promote its strategic and business interests, legitimate and otherwise, some analysts say. However ties are under strain following the killing of Kim Jong Nam. Kim died last week after being assaulted at the airport with what police believe was a fast-acting poison. The two women who assaulted him, one who is Indonesian and another who carried a Vietnamese passport, are both in custody. Police have said they are also seeking four other North Koreans who fled the country on the day Kim was murdered. South Korean and U.S. officials believe Kim was killed by agents from the North, possibly on orders from his half-brother because he had spoken out publicly about his family's dynastic control of the nuclear-armed nation. Malaysia has not gone that far, but it has been annoyed by Pyongyang's suggestions that its police are acting at the behest of South Korea. COSY TIES North Korea and Malaysia have had a cosy relationship since former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad embraced the isolated state, in part to rebuff the United States. However, two-way trade between the two nations was worth only 23 million ringgit ($5 million) in 2015. Even so, Malaysia's Proton cars have been sold to North Korea and used as taxis in Pyongyang. North Korean miners work in Malaysia's Sarawak province while Malaysian palm oil and rubber is exported to the communist state. Last year, the chief executive of the Malaysia External Trade Development Corp, Dzulkifli Mahmud, spoke of North Korea "using Malaysia as a gateway to Southeast Asian markets as it finds the country business-friendly with pro-business policies." James Chin, the director of the Asia Institute at Australias University of Tasmania, said the trade figures do not include substantial illicit economic activity, much of it directed through the North Korean embassy and front companies. "Malaysia is the source of a lot of smuggling operations by North Korea to raise money for the motherland," he said. "They also buy a lot of high-end consumer goods in Malaysia for the elite in Pyongyang." (Reporting by Liz Lee and Tom Allard; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan and Bill Tarrant)
A man and woman in Florida have been charged in the murder of a landlord who was shot to death before her body was stashed in a house for weeks.

Lawrence Edward Cannon, 42, is facing a first-degree murder charge in the death of Mary Ring, 69, after Clearwater police say he confessed Monday to shooting her hours after the Super Bowl on February 5.

Watch: Man Missing From Party Found Stabbed to Death Inside Shallow Grave

Police say they arrived Monday morning to conduct a welfare check on Ring when they discovered her body.

Under questioning, cops said that Cannon confessed to shooting Ring and spending the ensuing two weeks living in the house with the body, along with 44-year-old Jennifer Elam.

Detectives said Cannon and Elam told them they spent those weeks trying to decide how to dispose of the body.

Cannon is charged with first degree murder, according to online arrest records.

Watch: Mom's Burned Body Found Just After She Posted Pic of Valentine's Day Gift to Kids

Elam is facing a charge of accessory after the fact to first-degree murder.

Both Cannon and Elam remained held at Pinellas County Jail as of Tuesday afternoon. Cannon has no bond listed. Elam remains held in lieu of $50,000 bond.

Watch: Columbia Grad Found Dead in Panama Was Strangled With Her Own Bathing Suit: Report

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In a meeting with China's top diplomat Jaishankar said he came with "a very strong sense of commitment to maintaining our relationship".

By Ananth Krishnan: Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar said in Beijing on Tuesday India was "strongly committed" to maintaining ties with China as he met with China's top diplomat in Beijing, ahead of a crucial new strategic dialogue.

Jaishankar also delivered a strong message to China on issues that have recently strained ties. In remarks to the Party-run Global Times made in an interview earlier this month and published on Tuesday, the Foreign Secretary called on China to address India's concerns on issues such as the economic corridor China is building through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and the sanctioning of Pakistani terrorist Masood Azhar.

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"For us, there are questions of sovereignty which need to be addressed first," Jaishankar was quoted as saying in an interview given mid-February on China's Silk Road project, which included the PoK corridor.

"On terror, China has a very strong, principled position on counter-terrorism. We hope the position China already has will be further implemented," Jaishankar said.

In a Tuesday evening meeting with China's top diplomat, State Councillor Yang Jiechi, at the Zhongnanhai leadership compound in central Beijing, Jaishankar, who was India's longest serving ambassador to China until 2013, said he came with "a very strong sense of commitment to maintaining our relationship".

On Wednesday, Jaishankar will hold the first meeting of what he described as a "reconstituted" strategic dialogue, where he will hold upgraded talks with China's Executive Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui.

Both sides are likely to discuss prickly issues such as counterterrorism as well as India's bid to enter the Nuclear Suppliers Group.

Despite the problems, Yang said in remarks to Jaishankar he believed relations had seen "positive growth" in 2016, with President Pranab Mukherjee visiting China and Prime Minister Modi holding three meetings with President Xi Jinping.

"We enjoyed good communication at many levels and continued good cooperation in fields of economy, trade, culture and people to people exchanges," Yang said, adding that both India and China "had been able to maintain sound economic and social development" despite a "fluid and complex" global situation.

"We truly hope that in the year ahead our two countries can enhance our exchanges and mutually beneficial cooperation so that we can jointly contribute more to the peace, stability and development of our region and the world at large, and deliver more benefits to our two countries and the people of our two countries and the whole world," he said.

Yang also thanked Jaishankar for his "important contribution" to relations with China both as envoy to China and Foreign Secretary. The FS said he was returning to Beijing was a sense of "nostalgia and very good feelings" about his time there.

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Jerusalem (AFP) - A senior Palestinian journalist has been released after 10 months in an Israeli jail without charge, he told AFP on Tuesday.

Omar Nazzal, 55, was released on Monday after nearly a year in prison and following 13 hearings in an Israeli military court, he said.

Despite that, he added, he never received specific allegations, only a "general accusation" that he was threatening "regional security".

"When my lawyer asked for details, he got only rejections from judges and military prosecutors," Nazzal, a member of the general secretariat of the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, told AFP.

He was arrested on April 23 at the border between the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Jordan, from where he had been due to fly to a European Federation of Journalists gathering in Bosnia.

Nazzal, a former employee at the Palestine Today newspaper, was detained under Israel's controversial administrative detention laws, which allow suspects to be interned for indefinite periods without charge on evidence often not given to their lawyers.

The Palestinians have labelled his arrest an attack on press freedom and several international organisations have called for his release.

Israel insists that Nazzal was detained for "his involvement in terror group activities", not "because of his activity as a journalist".

He is accused of being in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a leftist party banned by Israel.

The United Nations frequently calls on Israel to either charge or release those held under administrative detention, who number 530, according to the Palestinian Prisoners Club.

According to the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, around 20 journalists or journalism students are held by Israel, one of them for more than 20 years.

Mohammed al-Qiq, a journalist with Saudi television channel Al-Majd, has been on hunger strike for 16 days, his supporters said.
Frankfurt am Main (AFP) - French carmaker PSA on Tuesday said its chief executive Carlos Tavares had held a "fruitful discussion" with German Chancellor Angela Merkel over his firm's planned takeover of General Motors subsidiary Opel.

Tavares "presented the rationale to create the path for a European champion" by combining Opel with PSA'S Peugeot, Citroen and DS brands, the firm said in a statement.

The surprise announcement last week that PSA was eyeing Opel prompted fears in Germany that the prospective new owner could cut non-French jobs if the deal goes ahead.

Merkel vowed to do "everything politically possible to secure jobs and sites in Germany.

Tavares agreed to uphold existing job, investment and site guarantees and to maintain Opel as an independent company during the exchange Tuesday, Merkel spokesman Steffen Seibert said.

Opel workers have secured a jobs guarantee from the current management that runs until the end of 2018 and a pledge to continue investing in German sites until 2020, among other deals.

PSA would "respect the existing agreements in the European countries and to continue the dialogue with all parties," the French group said in a joint statement with powerful union IG Metall and the Opel works council earlier on Tuesday.

Tavares "communicated convincingly in the talks that he is interested in a sustainable development for Opel/Vauxhall as an independent company," said works council chairman Wolfgang Schaefer-Klug.

"PSA's ambition is to make the cooperation and the quality of relations with employee representatives a competitive advantage," Tavares said.

Peugeot's commitment to cooperate with employees is "an important signal" and "the basis to shape a possible merger constructively for the workers," said the head of IG Metall's central German branch, Joerg Koehlinger.

Opel operates some 10 factories in Europe spread across six countries, and had 35,600 employees at the end of 2015 -- 18,250 of them in Germany.

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Founded in 1862, Opel, with its lightning-bolt emblem, has long been a familiar sight on German and European roads.

But in recent years the firm has booked repeated losses, costing Detroit-based GM around $15 billion (14 billion euros) since 2000.

A sharp fall in the pound since Britain's vote to quit the EU last June sank Opel's hopes of getting back into the black in 2016, and it ended up reporting a loss of $257 million.

Britain, where it sells vehicles under the Vauxhall brand, is Opel's largest European market.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is a "serial killer" who should be forced out of office, one of his chief critics said Tuesday, as she faced arrest on drug charges which she insisted were meant to silence her.

Senator Leila de Lima invoked the famous "People Power" revolution that toppled dictator Ferdinand Marcos three decades ago, in her strongest comments yet against Duterte and his war on drugs that has claimed thousands of lives.

"There is no more doubt that our president is a murderer and sociopathic serial killer," De Lima told reporters, as she called on Duterte's cabinet to declare him unfit to lead and urged ordinary Filipinos to voice opposition to his rule.

De Lima said the constitution allowed for a majority in his cabinet to force him to step down by ruling that he was mentally incapacitated, and urged members to do so.

If they did not, she referred to the mass uprising that in 1986 ended the "iron fist" of Marcos's dictatorship.

"Now the time has come again for us to be brave and stand up to another criminal dictator and his evil regime," De Lima said.

She also compared Duterte to Batman's foe, the Joker, saying the president was also a "psychotic murderer" who led other villains in committing crimes.

The government last week charged De Lima, a former national human rights commissioner, with orchestrating a drug trafficking ring when she was justice secretary in the previous administration.

- Intimidation -

De Lima, 57, her supporters and rights groups have said the charges against her are manufactured to silence her as well as intimidate other people who may want to speak out against the president.

"The prosecution of Senator Leila de Lima is an act of political vindictiveness that debases the rule of law in the Philippines, Human Rights Watch deputy Asia director Phelim Kine said this week.

"The Duterte administration seems intent on using the courts to punish prominent critics of its murderous 'war on drugs'."

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De Lima could be detained anytime, although the courts hearing the cases must issue an arrest warrant.

When asked about De Lima's comments on Tuesday, presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella simply described them as "colourful language" and pointed out that Duterte would allow public demonstrations against him.

Duterte, 71, won the presidential election last year after promising during the campaign to eradicate drugs in society by killing tens of thousands of people.

He immediately launched the crackdown after taking office in June and police have reported killing 2,555 drug suspects since then, with about 4,000 other people murdered in unexplained circumstances.

Amnesty International has warned that police actions in the drug war may amount to crimes against humanity.

Duterte has at times insisted he and his security forces are not breaking any laws in prosecuting the drug war.

On other occasions he has boasted of killing people to set an example for police and said he would be "happy to slaughter" three million drug addicts in the Philippines.

Late last month Duterte ordered police to halt involvement in the drug war after the media revealed that anti-drugs officers had kidnapped and murdered a South Korean businessman as part of an extortion racket.

But he has vowed to continue the drug war with the military's support, while rights groups say extrajudicial killings of drug suspects by unknown attackers are continuing.

The powerful Roman Catholic Church, which helped lead the People Power revolution, has in recent months begun speaking out against the drug war and on Saturday held a rally against the killings, attracting thousands of people.

But Duterte remains popular with many Filipinos, who see him as the strongman needed to fight drugs and corruption, and there is little expectation of a popular uprising against him in the near future.
By Manuel Mogato BORACAY, Philippines (Reuters) - Southeast Asian countries see China's installation of weapons systems in the South China Sea as "very unsettling" and have urged dialogue to stop an escalation of "recent developments", the Philippines said on Tuesday. The region's foreign ministers were unanimous in their concern over China's militarization of its artificial islands, but were confident a framework for a code of maritime conduct could be agreed with Beijing by June, Philippine Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay said. Yasay did not say what developments provoked the concern, but said the 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) hoped China and the United States would ensure peace and stability. He said demilitarisation would be a key component of any ASEAN-China code of conduct, but it was too soon to say whether Beijing's dismantling of its weapons installations would be a prerequisite. "The ASEAN members have been unanimous in their expression of concern about what they see as a militarization of the region," Yasay told reporters after a ministers' retreat on the Philippine island of Boracay. Referring to China's manmade islands in the Spratly archipelago, Yasay said ASEAN countries had "noticed, very unsettlingly, that China has installed weapons systems in these facilities that they have established, and they have expressed strong concern about this." With the Philippines chairing the bloc this year, Yasay's comments signal a rare, firm position by a grouping that often struggles to achieve consensus, due to its contrasting opinions on how to respond to China's assertiveness. ASEAN's statements of concern often avoid mentioning China by name. Much is at stake from upsetting China, as ASEAN members, to varying extents, are under its influence and need its trade, investment and tourists. TRUMP UNCERTAINTY Regional geopolitics has become more uncertain since the election of U.S. President Donald Trump, particularly over his administration's role in a region strongly courted by Washington during the "pivot" of predecessor Barack Obama. Friction between the United States and China over trade and territory under Trump has fueled worry that the South China Sea could become a flashpoint. China claims most of the waters, through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims. China on Friday completed war games with an aircraft carrier that unnerved neighbors. A day later the U.S. navy said its aircraft carrier strike group had started routine patrols in the South China Sea, a step China had warned against. Yasay said ASEAN nations recognized policies under Trump were still evolving, but hoped they could be unveiled within a few months to provide a "more concrete and clearer picture", especially regarding China. "We do not know the complete picture of what this foreign policy might be, insofar as its relationship with China is concerned. We're, however, hopeful that the policy that would come out will be positive." Asked if China was committed to a set of rules on the South China Sea, he said Beijing had shown it was keen. But all parties should ensure that the code, which has made little progress since the idea was agreed in 2002, needed to be legally "binding and enforceable", Yasay added. (Additional reporting by Enrico Dela Cruz and Manolo Serapio Jr; Writing by Martin Petty; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
BORACAY, Philippines (Reuters) - Southeast Asian countries hope that U.S. President Donald Trump will unveil his policies within the next few months to provide a "more concrete and clearer picture", especially regarding China, the Philippine foreign minister said on Tuesday. "We all recognize the fact that American policy under the Trump administration is still evolving," Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay told a news conference. "We do not know the complete picture of what this foreign policy might be, insofar as its relationship with China is concerned. "We're however, hopeful, that the policy that would come out will be positive...And we would hope that within the next few months we would see a more concrete and clearer picture." (Reporting by Manuel Mogato; Writing by Martin Petty; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP)  Five people were believed killed when a light plane crashed in flames into a shopping mall on Tuesday in the Australian city of Melbourne, officials said.

The five were on a twin-engine Beechcraft Super King Air that crashed about 45 minutes before the Direct Factory Outlet mall in suburban Essendon was to open, Police Minister Lisa Neville said.

The U.S. Embassy in Canberra would not comment on a report that the passengers were U.S. citizens, but said it was working with local authorities.

"We extend our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of all those who died in today's tragic crash," an embassy statement said.

"We are unable to confirm any details about the nationality or identity of any of the victims. The U.S. Embassy in Canberra and the consulate in Melbourne are working closely with local authorities to assist in any way possible," it said.

Police Assistant Commissioner Stephen Leane also declined to say whether the four passengers were Americans.

The plane had taken off from Melbourne's second-biggest airport at Essendon on a chartered flight to King Island, 255 kilometers (160 miles) to the south, officials said.

The mall adjoins the airport.

Leane said it appeared that no one aboard the plane had survived. No one on the ground was injured.

"Looking at the fireball, it is incredibly lucky that no one was at the back of those stores or in the car park of the stores, that no one was even hurt," Leane said.

A pilot reported a "catastrophic engine failure" moments before the plane crashed into a storage area at the rear of the mall, police said.

Police and paramedics rushed to the crash site, where firefighters doused the flames.

A witness who gave his name as Jason told Australian Broadcasting Corp. he was passing the mall in a taxi when the plane crashed.

"I saw this plane coming in really low and fast. I couldn't see the impact but when it hit the building there was a massive fireball," he said.

"I could feel the heat through the window of the taxi, and then a wheel  it looked like a plane wheel  bounced on the road and hit the front of the taxi as we were driving along," he said.
By Manoj Kumar NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the United States on Tuesday to keep an open mind on admitting skilled Indian workers, in comments that pushed back against Republican President Donald Trump's "America First" rhetoric on jobs. Modi's comments reflected concern that India's $150 billion IT services industry would suffer if the United States curbs the visas, known as H-1B, it relies on to send its software experts to the United States on project work. "The prime minister referred to the role of skilled Indian talent in enriching the American economy and society," Modi's office said in a statement after he met a bipartisan delegation of 26 members of the U.S. Congress. "He urged developing a reflective, balanced and far-sighted perspective on movement of skilled professionals." Indian nationals are by far the largest group of recipients of the 65,000 H-1B visas issued each year to new applicants under a cap mandated by Congress. Exemptions on the H-1B cap are available to up to 20,000 further applicants who have obtained a U.S. master's degree. The actual number of Indian nationals working in the United States under the H-1B programme is significantly higher, however, because many visas are rolled over. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, who was born in India, also met Modi on Tuesday. He told the Economic Times earlier that his own career had been made possible by "an enlightened immigration policy". Initial confidence that Asia's third-largest economy would benefit from Trump's election victory has given way to concern that his isolationist rhetoric and hostility to free trade would hurt India's hi-tech and outsourcing industry. The sector, led by Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys Ltd and Wipro Ltd, employs 3.5 million people and is lobbying against proposed U.S. visa curbs - including increases on salaries that H-1B visa holders must earn. Part of the delegation led by Congressman Bob Goodlatte, a Republican from Virginia who chairs the House Judiciary Committee, met Ravi Shankar Prasad, India's minister in charge of electronics and IT. Goodlatte, speaking at the meeting with Prasad, declined to answer a question on visa restrictions, saying it was up to the president to reassess his policies on immigration. A senior Indian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said India hoped to resolve the visa issue with the United States but declined to be drawn on the details. The government supported a move by NASSCOM, India's high-tech industry association, to lobby U.S. lawmakers and companies to urge the administration not to crack down on allowing its skilled workers into the United States, the source said. (Writing by Douglas Busvine; Editing by Sankalp Phartiyal, Robert Birsel)
Showing off your significant other isn't reserved for Feb. 14 only anymore thanks to the hashtag #PoCInLove.

The hashtag, which was started last year by @PoCBeauty, gave people of color an opportunity to celebrate being in relationships with other people of color on the timelineand while it started last Friday, the adorable photos of diverse lovebirds trickled in throughout the weekend.

SEE ALSO: 6 gods of love for the modern era

I'm bringing back #PoCInLove. I hope to see lots of people participate. pic.twitter.com/sEWSGCglql  Beauty in Color (@PoCBeauty) February 8, 2017

"Theres not many stories out there about couples who are Arab and black or Filipino and Mexican or just black and black or Asian couples, @PoCBeauty told Buzzfeed, explaining the reasoning behind the movement. Theres really nothing about poly and LGBTQ+ couples that are people of color either.

#POCInLove chingchong kid & melei boi fall 4 each other @ a theatre festival hoho pic.twitter.com/D1QBxog806  ki(tsch)mchi (@doyouwanttokiss) February 19, 2017

It's hard to show affection when we're breaking social norms, but hey, progress never comes if we're stagnant and obedient #PocInLove pic.twitter.com/6OgnPnN0Pc  John Jimenez (@jofhqn) February 20, 2017

First time seeing the snow & first time snow boarding. I'd say the 10 hour drive to Salt Lake City was worth it  #pocinlove  pic.twitter.com/9wQXfj1v3x  mariel (@JturnerMariel) February 21, 2017

~Ethiopian and Palestinian~I saw this and had to show yalls how happy my man makes me, my other half #PocInLove pic.twitter.com/kdkBQsauSQ  Habashawdy (@newindigo8) February 19, 2017

Nigerian, Korean & Chinese. Both first gen . Five years this March . #POCinLove pic.twitter.com/e0pUBTjJS3  Paula (@ptang_) February 19, 2017

#pocinlove Mexican + Indian = some beautiful brown love & some bomb ass food pic.twitter.com/a7OVdWufGg  Ale (@Whalejandra) February 19, 2017

2 years strong and I've never been happier(ps we're late to the party but we're African so you can't really blame us ) #POCinlove pic.twitter.com/Dk2oqwviqf   (@ephrata) February 19, 2017

Sri Lankan and African American He really is the sweetest thing in my life. 7 years and counting #POCinlove pic.twitter.com/npkvGiZ8nL  babygirl (@pandatheElefant) February 20, 2017

Did someone chop onions in here?
TEXARKANA, Ark. (AP)  Police are investigating the fatal shooting of a 12-year-old boy at a home in southwestern Arkansas.

Texarkana Police Department spokeswoman Kristi Bennett says officers found the boy suffering from a gunshot wound Saturday afternoon at the home in the city bordering Texas.

Bennett tells the Texarkana Gazette (http://bit.ly/2kHmnxg ) that the boy was pronounced dead at a hospital.

Bennett says investigators are working to determine what led to the fatal shooting. She says other children and adults were at the home when the shooting occurred.

___

Information from: Texarkana Gazette, http://www.texarkanagazette.com
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP)  Authorities in North Carolina are investigating the death of an 18-year-old high school student shot after an argument at a Charlotte house party.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police say they found Chris Allen outside a home suffering from a gunshot wound about 11 p.m. Sunday. He was taken to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

Police are still investigating the death but say Allen and another partygoer got in a fight, and Allen was shot.

Allen was a senior at East Mecklenburg High School. Counselors were expected to be at the school Tuesday to help students coping with Allen's death.
By Press Trust of India: Shirdi, Feb 21 (PTI)Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam today dubbed the detention of 2008 Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed by Pakistan as an act of "hypocrisy".

Saeed was placed under house arrest on January 30 in Lahore.

"I am doubtful of the action because in his statement before a court in Mumbai, David Headley had said that no action was likely to be taken against Saeed and Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi in Pakistan," Nikam told reporters here.

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"Headley had even submitted e-mails which he had received from Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), which indicated that the action against Lakhvi was an act of hypocrisy," he added.

Nikam said Pakistan was not willing to accept that Saeed was a terrorist and the country was being supported by China which had "vested interests" in the region.

Saeed was earlier put under house arrest after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, but was freed by a court in Pakistan in 2009.

He carries a reward of USD 10 million on his head, announced by the authorities in the US for his role in terror activities. PTI CORR HVJ RMT RC

--- ENDS ---
LISBON, Portugal (AP)  A former CIA agent will be handed over to Italy in the coming days to serve a four-year prison sentence after being convicted of involvement in a U.S. program that kidnapped suspects for interrogation, a lawyer said Tuesday.

Sabrina de Sousa spent the night in a women's prison near Lisbon after a Portuguese court ordered police to extradite her, her Portuguese lawyer, Manuel Magalhaes e Silva, told the Associated Press in an interview.

He said she was detained Monday after a two-year fight against extradition and would be put on a plane once formalities between Portuguese and Italian police were concluded.

De Sousa, 61, was among 26 Americans convicted of kidnapping suspect Osama Moustafa Hassan Nas, also known as Abu Omar, from a Milan street on Feb. 17, 2003. She denied involvement in the abduction.

The U.S. rendition program, under which terror suspects were kidnapped and transferred to centers where they were interrogated and tortured, was part of the anti-terrorism strategy of the Bush administration following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Former President Barack Obama ended the program years later.

The U.S. government expressed concern with De Sousa's treatment.

"We are deeply disappointed in her conviction and sentence," acting State Department spokesman Mark Toner said in a statement. "This is a matter that U.S. officials have been following closely. We have asked our European counterparts what their next steps may be, but we are not in a position to detail those discussions."

De Sousa lost several appeals against extradition since her arrest at Lisbon Airport in October 2015 on a European warrant. She had argued she was never officially informed of the Italian court conviction and couldn't use confidential U.S. government information to defend herself.

Once in Italy, De Sousa is expected to be taken to a women's prison in Milan, but her Italian lawyer Dario Bolognesi said he would immediately appeal to the Milan court to defer her imprisonment pending a decision on her years-long request for clemency. Other Americans convicted in the case have received clemency from the Italian president.

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Bolognesi met Tuesday with Justice Ministry officials who are reviewing the clemency request and emerged optimistic. Regardless, he said he would also request that De Sousa be granted semi-freedom and serve any sentence doing social work.

He disputed the written ruling by the Lisbon judges that said that the verdict in Italy that provided the grounds for the European arrest warrant was "not final." He said the Italian case went all the way to the highest court and is final.

Magalhaes e Silva, de Sousa's Lisbon lawyer and a human rights expert who said he took her case pro bono, said the European arrest warrant guaranteed de Sousa the possibility of a new trial or an appeal. Those assurances persuaded the Lisbon court to send her to Italy, he said. But last June the Italian authorities retracted that promise in a letter to the court, he said.

"It will be interesting to see what the Italian courts do when there's an extradition based on a European arrest warrant in which Italy guaranteed to Portugal that it would respect certain rights, then like a pariah state it turns around and says no," he said.

De Sousa, who was born in India and holds both U.S. and Portuguese passports, has said she had been living in Portugal and intended to settle there. She was on her way to visit her elderly mother in India with a roundtrip ticket when she was detained.

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Associated Press writer Nicole Winfield in Rome contributed to this story.
A group of archaeologists has said the tomb of Tutankhamun may hold a hidden chamber containing the tomb of Queen Nefertiti. So far, radar scans have failed to confirm such a chamber.

Now, a physicist plans to lead a team conducting another series of ground-penetrating radar (GPR) scans as a last-ditch effort to find Nefertiti's burial site. In this method, high-frequency radio waves bounce off the ground and off of walls, and the reflected signals can reveal hidden treasures, or empty chambers.This is the third time that this method has been used in Tutankhamun's tomb and it is unclear how the new scans will be different than the others.

The study leader, physics professor Francesco Porcelli at the University of Turin in Italy, told Live Science that he cannot say anything more about the upcoming scans without the approval of Egypt's antiquities ministry. The ministry did not return a message left by Live Science. [See Photos of King Tut's Burial and Radar Scans]

In 2015, Nicholas Reeves, director of the Amarna Royal Tombs Project, proposed the idea that a hidden chamber inside King Tut's tomb contained the tomb of Queen Nefertiti. Ground-penetrating radar scans carried out by radar technologist Hirokatsu Watanabe supposedly showed evidence of two hidden chambers. Reeves published a paper presenting his theory in 2015. He did not return a request for comment from Live Science.

Then, in May 2016, a National Geographic team conducted another set of ground-penetrating radar scans.Those scans showed no hidden chambers in King Tut's tomb. However, the National Geographic Society has barred members of that team from talking publicly about their research, said Dean Goodman, one of the leaders of the National Geographic team.

The team signed a nondisclosure agreement with the society, which can't be waived unless the Egyptian antiquities ministry approves, a spokesperson for the society explained.

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While Goodman cannot speak publicly about his team's results, he expressed confidence in the Turin team, saying he knows several of its members well. The "King Tut research is in good hands," he told Live Science.

Lawrence Conyers, an anthropology professor at the University of Denver who is a leading expert in the use of ground-penetrating radar in archaeology, has criticized the decision of Egyptian authorities to withhold data. He told Live Science that he thinks it is a good idea for the Turin team to do additional scans, but that he hopes Egyptian authorities will allow researchers to access the data, which he said they did not do previously.

"Perhaps this time they will release the data to the GPR community and do a 'peer review' instead of holding it all secret and just releasing 'results' that have no basis in actual data!" wrote Conyers in an email, noting that the National Geographic team data has never been released to scientists.

"I was not privy to the National Geographic dataset, and for some reason they would not let others look at it," he said.

Conyers added that there is no way that archaeologists with expertise in ground-penetrating radar, who are not affiliated with the research, will ever support the idea of a hidden chamber or tomb in Tutankhamun's tomb unless the Egyptian authorities allow scientific data to be released for full scrutiny.

"There is going to be no consensus by anyone knowledgeable on the subject until they do more than hold press conferences," he said.

Other scientists, speaking to Live Science on condition of anonymity, have expressed similar concerns, noting that scientists who have data suggesting no such hidden chamber exists have been barred from speaking publicly. Those who advocate for the hidden tomb's existence have more freedom to talk to the media and write about their findings, these scientists have said.

Egypt's tourism numbers plunged after the 2011 Egyptian revolution, leading to a loss of jobs and tourism revenue in the country, archaeologists familiar with the situation have said. This has led to concerns among scientists that Egyptian authorities are more interested in using the publicity surrounding the scans to help the tourism industry and that authorities do not want data to be published, or publicized, which shows that there is no hidden tomb.

The Egyptian antiquities ministry did not return requests for comment from Live Science at the time this story was published.

Original article on Live Science.

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During a visit to the National Museum of African American History on Tuesday, President Donald Trump addressed the recent rise in threats against Jewish community in America, calling anti-Semitism horrible.

This tour was a meaningful reminder of why we have to fight bigotry, intolerance and hatred in all of its very ugly forms, Trump said. The anti-Semitic threats targeting our Jewish community and community centers are horrible and are painful and a very sad reminder of the work that still must be done to root out hate and prejudice and evil.

Trump: "The anti-Semitic threats targeting our Jewish community and community centers are horrible and are painful" https://t.co/MMdj6co2cJ  CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) February 21, 2017

He also told NBC News in an interview after touring the museum with Omarosa Manigault, Ben Carson and daughter Ivanka Trump, Anti-Semitism is horrible. And its gonna stop and it has to stop.

Whether its anti-Semitism or racism or any  anything you wanna think about having to do with the divide, he added. Anti-Semitism is, likewise, its just terrible.

According to Politico, when Trump was asked if he would outrightly denounce anti-Semitism, the president reportedly said, Oh, of course.

On Monday, the FBI said they were investigating a series of bomb threats against 10 Jewish community centers, NBC reported. While no one was injured, the Jewish Community Center Association of North America said threats were issued against centers in Alabama, Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Florida, New York, New Mexico, Tennessee and Texas.

RELATED VIDEO: Watch: Natasha Stoynoff Breaks Silence, Accuses Donald Trump of Sexual Attack

Also over the weekend, over 150 headstones were toppled at a Jewish cemetery in Missouri, local news outlet KSDK reported.

Though the president didnt address the threats until Tuesday, his daughter Ivanka  who is Jewish wrote on Twitter, Monday, America is a nation built on the principle of religious tolerance. We must protect our houses of worship & religious centers. #JCC.

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America is a nation built on the principle of religious tolerance. We must protect our houses of worship & religious centers. #JCC  Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) February 20, 2017

On Tuesday, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also addressed the situation, writing on social media, JCC threats, cemetery desecration & online attacks are so troubling & they need to be stopped. Everyone must speak out, starting w/ @POTUS.

JCC threats, cemetery desecration & online attacks are so troubling & they need to be stopped. Everyone must speak out, starting w/ @POTUS.  Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) February 21, 2017

In addition to the attacks, Trump addressed his controversial travel ban on Tuesday, which he insisted is about love.

We have to have a safe country, he said, according to NBC. We have to let people come in that are going to love the country. This is about love. This building is about love. And we have to have people come in that are going to love the country, not people that are gonna harm the country.




President Donald Trump is expected to announce his most significant moves yet to roll back environmental regulations this week as his newly confirmed pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) enters office.

Trump is readying multiple executive orders to roll back several key EPA regulations including the central Obama-era policy addressing climate change, according to reports in several outlets. The executive orders would not undo the policies immediately but would direct the agency to begin the long process required of undoing federal regulation.

The Clean Power Plan, former President Obamas main policy aimed at addressing climate change, ranks high among the likely targets of Trumps actions. The regulation requires states to come up with plans to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from power plants, a policy that is widely expected to hasten the transition away from coal-fired power plants.

Trump promised repeatedly to undo the Clean Power Plan on the campaign trail, though the process will take require more than a simple stroke of a pen. Many environmental policy experts have speculated on how Trump might try to achieve that goal following his election win in November. The administration could have refused to defend the rule in court or asked Congress to pass a law amending the Clean Air Act, which was used to issue the rule in the first place. But the use of executive order suggests the administration will instead take the most straight-forward option of simply unraveling the rule, a years-long process that will almost certainly result in litigation.

Read More: EPA Nominee Scott Pruitt Acknowledges Global Warming But Wants to Restrain the Agency

But Trump will have a capable ally implementing his order at the EPA. Administrator Scott Pruitt, who took office last Friday, has gained extensive knowledge and experience with the intricacies of EPA regulation at least in part through his 14 lawsuits against the agency as Oklahomas attorney general. Environmental law experts say that his expertise will help the Trump administration navigate a bureaucracy that might otherwise flummox an agency outsider. Hes got some experience and knows how to get things done in government, said Brendan Collins, an environmental lawyer at the firm Ballard Spahr, prior to Pruitts confirmation. That is something that may distinguish him.

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Pruitt has not yet laid out detailed priorities for the agency, but in remarks on Tuesday he cited federalism and the rule of law as guiding principles. Presumably Trumps orders, which could come as soon as Wednesday, will fill in the blanks. Process matters, Pruitt said in address to the agencys career employees. Regulations ought to make things regular. Regulators exist to give certainty to those that they regulate.

Read More: Donald Trump Supported Addressing Climate Change Before Calling It a Hoax

Other targets of Trumps executive orders could include U.S. participation in the landmark on Paris Agreement climate change. Trump vowed to renegotiate the deal or pull out it altogether last year but softened his tone after winning the election. Because the agreement is not a formal treaty, the president has the right to withdraw. But such a move cannot occur until 2019, three years after the measure took effect. Reports last month suggested that Trump might sign an executive order calling for a reevaluation of a wide range of United Nations measures that could include the Paris Agreement rather than pulling out full stop now. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has said he supports the climate deal.

Another executive order is expected to target the Water of the United States rule, a 2015 policy that classifies which bodies of water are under federal protection. Critics have said the government lacks the authority to regulate many of the bodies included in the rule and argued that it impedes economic development.

The executive orders will build on a series of actions taken by Republicans in Congress to undo environmental regulations issued by the Obama administration in the final months of his presidency including a measure that protects streams from coal debris. Undoing those measures required only a majority vote in Congress and the approval of the president under the Congressional Review Act.
Seville (Spain) (AFP) - Under fire Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri has called on his players to show the courage of "matadors" to cause a huge Champions League shock against high-flying Spaniards Sevilla during their last-16 first leg Wednesday.

A year on from winning the Premier League title against all the odds, Ranieri's men lie just a point above the relegation zone.

However, the Italian hopes that with the pressure lifted on their return to Champions League action, Leicester can summon the spirit of last season.

"I want the gladiator, the matadors," said Ranieri when asked if his players would be lambs to the slaughter at the daunting Sanchez Pizjuan.

"We know they are better than us, but we know we can fight.

"We have to fight with our heads held high and chests out."

The contrast in form and European pedigree between the sides couldn't be starker with Sevilla flying high in La Liga and having won the Europa League in each of the past three seasons.

"We are serious underdogs. If you look at what Sevilla have achieved in the past 10 years they are used to staying at the top," added Ranieri.

However, having saved their best for the Champions League so far this season, Ranieri is hoping a famous European night can turn their campaign around.

"Tomorrow could be the turning point. If we lose nothing happens, but if we win something inside could change and we need one match like this."

Record signing Islam Slimani hasn't recovered from injury so Jamie Vardy is likely to start on his own up front for the visitors.

The England international's dip in form has been a key reason to Leicester's change in fortunes this season, but he too is hoping a relief from the pressures of the Premier League will unleash their best.

"It's going to be a big game, we just hope we can make it a memorable one," said Vardy.

"It is a game where we can just forget about that for one night and hopefully if we get a good performance we can use that to kick on and pull ourselves away from the relegation zone."

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Leicester's disastrous form also saw them dumped out of the FA Cup in embarrassing fashion in a 1-0 defeat to 10-man Millwall of the third tier League One on Saturday.

However, Ranieri is set to recall a host of first team regulars after making 10 changes against Millwll as the likes of Vardy and Riyad Mahrez should return.

- 'Time waits for no one' -

Sevilla boss Jorge Sampaoli highlighted Vardy as Leicester's major threat.

"Vardy was decisive last year and his lack of goals explains Leicester's current problems," said the Argentine.

"When Vardy starts scoring we will once again see the Leicester that are extremely dangerous."

Sampaoli, though, admitted the pressure building on Ranieri is inevitable unless results drastically improve.

"Now no one talks about the team that won the league in an incredible and historic way, but of the present when they are not playing well and fighting against relegation," he added.

"Common sense would say that someone who achieved so much from a team with so little can turn the situation around, but time waits for no one, not even someone as good as Ranieri who won the Premier League."

Sevilla's only absences are at the back with Gabriel Mercado and Nico Pareja missing through suspension and injury respectively.

Sampaoli is expected to make just two changes from the side that beat Eibar 2-0 on Saturday to remain third in La Liga, with Brazilian right-back Mariano and Spanish international Vitolo coming into the side.
The professor who has correctly predicted every presidential election since 1984  including Donald Trumps unexpected victory  is now writing a book on what he says is Trumps imminent impeachment.

Allan Lichtman, a professor at American University, has used a set of keys to accurately predict every presidential election for more than 30 years.

Now, he focuses on the 45th President of the United States and his next forecast, that it is not a question of if President Trump will be impeached, but a question of when, Shelby Meizlik, a spokesperson for HarperCollins, said in a statement Tuesday.

In his book, The Case for Impeachment, Lichtman will argue that Trump is susceptible to impeachment because of questions surrounding his ties to Russia and potential conflicts of interest related to his businesses, the statement said. The book was acquired by Dey Street Books and is scheduled to be released on April 18.

Even before Election Day, Lichtman predicted that, if elected, Trump would be impeached.

Im going to make another prediction, he told the Washington Post in September. This one is not based on a system; its just my gut. They dont want Trump as president, because they cant control him. Hes unpredictable. Theyd love to have Pence  an absolutely down-the-line, conservative, controllable Republican. And Im quite certain Trump will give someone grounds for impeachment, either by doing something that endangers national security or because it helps his pocketbook.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Prosecutors have dropped felony rioting charges against three more people who were arrested after protesters broke windows and set fire to a limousine in Washington on Inauguration Day. That brings the total number of dropped cases to 16.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia made the announcement in a statement Tuesday. The office did not say why the cases were dismissed but prosecutors have said they're working with police to review evidence related to the Jan. 20 arrests. Some of the dismissed cases have involved journalists arrested while chronicling the actions of a group of self-described anarchists.

Police originally arrested 230 people and charged them with felony rioting, which is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. A total of 214 people have now been indicted.
An Australian woman and her British boyfriend accused of beating to death a policeman on Indonesia's resort island of Bali are facing a jail term of eight years each in line with prosecutor requests on Tuesday.

Sara Connor, 46, and David Taylor, 34, are on trial for allegedly killing officer Wayan Sudarsa whose battered body was found on a popular beach in August.

The pair were charged with murder over the policeman's death, which carries a maximum jail term of 15 years, but at Tuesday's hearing prosecutors said the accused did not intend to kill Sudarsa.

Prosecutor Agung Jayalantara told the court in the Balinese capital Denpasar they should be convicted of a lesser charge they are also facing -- group assault causing death -- and jailed for eight years each.

Jayalantara said that Taylor had shown remorse although he criticised Connor for being uncooperative. The pair appeared at separate hearings Tuesday.

Judges can impose a greater or lesser sentence than that requested by prosecutors but they often follow the recommendation.

Connor's lawyer Erwin Siregar labelled the sentence request "incredible".

"It does not make sense, if you see what kind of role David played," he said.

Taylor's lawyer Haposan Sihombing added that "eight years is too much".

Taylor has admitted hitting the policeman with a pair of binoculars and a beer bottle during a late-night fight on the beach but insists he was acting in self defence as Sudarsa tried to choke him.

The fight started after the Briton accused Sudarsa of stealing Connor's handbag.

Connor has insisted she is innocent and had simply tried to pull the men apart as they fought.

They fled the scene, but were later tracked down after witnesses reported the incident to police.

Bali, a pocket of Hinduism in Muslim-majority Indonesia, is a popular tourist destination known for its tropical climate and palm-fringed beaches.

Minor crime is common but murders are rare.
Sasikala, who is currently lodged at Bengaluru's Parapanna Agrahara Central Jail, in her letter slammed rebel party leader O Panneerselvam for 'betraying the legacy of Jayalalithaa and MGR.'

By Pramod Madhav: AIADMK general secretary Sasikala has asked her party cadres to celebrate late Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa's birthday on February 24 on a grand scale conducting public welfare events across the state.

Sasikala, who is currently lodged at Bengaluru's Parapanna Agrahara Central Jail, in her letter slammed rebel party leader O Panneerselvam for 'betraying the legacy of Jayalalithaa and MGR.'

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MUST READ: Sasikala's enigma: From a video shop-owner to AIADMK boss

"We have defeated the treacherous acts and betrayal of those who tried to swindle Jayalalithaa's hard work and MGR's legacy. We have safeguarded Amma's governance while celebrating MGR's centenary year," she stated and requested the cadres to involve themselves into conducting a lot of public welfare events.

The statement was released a day after TTV Dhinakaran, the party's deputy general secretary met Sasikala at Bengaluru jail. Another statement from the party also informed that presidium chairman KA Sengottaiyan will garland Jayalalithaa's picture at the party office on her birthday.

SASIKALA TO SERVE 13 MORE MONTHS IN JAIL IF RS 10 CRORE FINE NOT PAID

Sasikala, who is serving a jail term after her conviction in a disproportionate assets case, will have to serve 13 more months in prison if she fails to pay a fine of Rs 10 crore imposed by the Supreme Court. "Sasikala Natarajan will have to pay Rs 10 crore and if she fails to pay the punitive amount imposed by the Supreme Court, she will have to serve 13 more months in the jail," Prisons Superintendent Krishna Kumar said in a statement.

The Supreme Court had on February 14 restored Sasikala's conviction in the disproportionate assets case, awarding four years jail term to her and her relatives, besides imposing a fine of Rs 10 crore each.

(With PTI inputs)

WATCH: Prisoner VK Sasikala assigned these works on first day in Bengaluru jail

ALSO READ:

Cyanide Mallika: Sasikala's neighbour in jail, Jayalalithaa's fan and India's first female serial killer

VK Sasikala's 'floor' test in Bengaluru jail: Prisoner No 9234 denied VIP treatment

--- ENDS ---
Russia's love affair with President Donald Trump might be over before it started. Russian coverage of the new White House administration has waned over the past two weeks in a sign that the Kremlin does not expect to have better relations with Trump than it did with his predecessor, former President Barack Obama, the Moscow Times reported Tuesday.

The findings are based on a study from the RBC news agency that monitored coverage from major Russian networks, which tend to be controlled by the Kremlin. The study looked at Pervyi Kanal, Rossiya 1, Rossiya 24, TV Tsentr, Pyatyi Kanal, NTV, RBC TV, Life and Zvezda over three Sundays in February and counted all mentions of the president's name. Russian TV, for example, said the name Trump roughly 153 times on Feb. 5. A week later, that fell to about 116 mentions. By the third week of the review, Trump only came up about 38 times.

When Trump is mentioned, the conversation tends to be less than glowing, RBC found. He was increasingly being compared to Obama and questions about his ability to repair relations between Washington and Moscow had also become routine.

Russian journalist Konstantin Eggert wrote last week in an op-ed published in Deutsche Welle that the Russian media had received orders from the Kremlin to only show Trump in a negative light. The shift appears to mark a sudden turnaround for Russia.

During the 2016 presidential election, Trump vowed to maintain a very, very good relationship with Russia, and many Russians interviewed at the time by ABC News said they preferred the New York real estate magnate over Hillary Clinton, his Democratic rival. A YouGov agency in April similarly found Russia was the only major nation to back Trump over Clinton. At the same time, the Obama administration said Russian hackers were leaking emails from Democratic officials to help fuel Trump's campaign. Clinton later won the popular vote in November, while Trump became president after securing the Electoral College vote.

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More recently, Russian President Vladimir Putin allegedly ordered a report on Trump's psychology, NBC News reported Monday. The report concluded the president has a naive world view and "doesn't understand fully who is Mr. Putin  he is a tough guy," former Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Fedorov of Russia told NBC News.

Trump's relationship with Putin and Russia has been under scrutiny for months after he repeatedly praised the Russian leader on the campaign trail despite Moscow's history of human rights violations. Last week, Trump's first pick for national security adviser, Michael T. Flynn, resigned after media reports showed he hadn't been upfront about his conversations with the Russian ambassador to the United States about sanctions. The Justice Department warned that Moscow could use Flynn's misleading statements about that communication to blackmail him.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied Friday that Moscow was done with Trump, the Associated Press reported.

"We never wore rose-tinted glasses, never had any illusions, so there is nothing to be disappointed with," he said when asked if Putin's administration was unhappy with the Trump administration.

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An Angus Reid Institute poll Monday of 1,508 Canadians found that a quarter of them would actually support a Donald Trump-style ban on accepting Syrian refugees into the country.

Although a majority of Canadians approved of the ways in which the Canadian government had been handling the refugees, there was a notable divide in opinion regarding the refugee targets for 2017. A significant segment among the Canadians said the mark of 40,000 refugees expected to enter the country this year was too high. One in four Canadians said their government should have implemented its own refugee ban policy similar to the U.S. president's executive order.

The Canadian government resettled more than 25,000 Syrian refugees between Nov. 4, 2015, and Feb. 29, 2016, according to government data.

"Public opinion in this country is onside with its governments approach and response on domestic refugee policy, but is showing signs Ottawa may be testing the limits of how many migrants Canadians are willing to accept," the poll report said.

The poll was conducted over a period of three days, from Feb. 6 to Feb. 9. It showed that 41 percent of the respondents think that the number of refugees (of all nationalities) entering Canada this year was too high. In comparison, nearly half of the respondents (47 percent) were in favor of the government's refugee target for 2017.

However, one in ten (11 percent) of the total number of respondents noted that Canada should take in more number of refugees than the current figure.

After Trump's executive order, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had welcomed refugees to the country.

Other key findings in the poll stated that 60 percent of Canadians supported the government's ways of dealing with the Syrian refugee resettlement since Trudeau took office in 2015. However, initially a majority had opposed the Canadian government's plan to accept 25,000 Syrian refugees by the end of 2015.

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"The majority are not saying we should close the door, but the majority are almost just putting a bit of a hand up and saying lets take a breath here and lets look at what were doing, and lets make sure that the numbers are right, and that the ability to take people in and set them up for success is also properly arranged for," Shachi Kurl, executive director of the Angus Reid Institute, reportedly said.

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TRUMP: Beautiful morning and what a job theyve done like few others have been able to do. I am very, very proud of Lonnie Bunch, the work and the love that he has in his heart for what hes done is  I always talk about you need enthusiasm, you need really love for anything you do to do it successfully.

And Lonnie, you are where? Come on. Wheres Lonnie? You should be up here, Lonnie. Come on. And David  we have to get David up here, too. David Skorton is tremendous and he was singing Lonnies praises all morning long. So you two should at least be here. So we appreciate it very much. And David Rubenstein, whos here someplace. He is  come on, David (inaudible). You certainly deserve it. Hes a very, very successful guy who spends money doing great things and hes been a great help to so many different groups and this one in particular.

Thank you. Its a privilege to be here today. This museum is a beautiful tribute to so many American heroes. Heroes like Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, Booker T. Washington, Rosa Parks, the Greensboro students and the African-American Medal of Honor recipients, among so many other really incredible heroes. Its amazing to see.

I went  we did a pretty comprehensive tour, but not comprehensive enough. So Lonnie, Ill be back, I told you that because I could stay here for a lot longer, believe me. Its really incredible. Im deeply proud that we now have a museum that honors the millions of African-American men and women who built our national heritage, especially when it comes to faith, culture and the unbreakable American spirit.

My wife was here last week and took a tour, and it was something that shes still talking about. Ivanka is here right now and it really is very, very special. Its something that frankly if you want to know the truth, its doing so well that everybodys talking about it. I know President Obama was here for the museums opening last fall and Im honored to be the second sitting president to visit this great museum.

Etched in the hall that we passed today is a quote from Spottswood Rice, a runaway slave who joined the Union Army. He believed his fellow African-Americans always looked to the United States as the promised land of universal freedom. Today and every day of my presidency, I pledge to do everything I can to continue that promise of freedom for African-Americans and for every American. So important, nothing more important.

This tour was a meaningful reminder of why we have to fight bigotry, intolerance and hatred in all of its very ugly forms. The anti-semitic threats targeting our Jewish community and community centers are horrible and are painful and a very sad reminder of the work that still must be done to root out hate and prejudice and evil.

I want to thank a great friend of mine, Dr. Ben Carson, and his beautiful family, Candy and the whole family, for joining us today. It was very special to accompany him and his family for the first time seeing the Carson exhibit. The first time. I love this guy. Hes a great guy, really a great guy. And he can tell you better than me, but Ill tell you what, we really started something with Ben. Were very, very proud of him.

Hopefully, next week hell get his approval, about three or four weeks late, and youre doing better than most, right?

But the Democrats, theyll come along. I have no doubt theyll come along. But Ben is going to do a fantastic job at HUD. I have absolutely no doubt he will be one of the great ever in that position.

He grew up in Detroit and had very little. He defied every statistic. He graduated from Yale and he went on to the University of Michigans medical school. He became a brilliant, totally brilliant neurosurgeon; saved many lives and helped many, many people.

Were going to do great things in our African-American communities together. Bens going to work with me very, very closely. And HUD has a meaning far beyond housing. If properly done, its a meaning thats as big as anything there is. And then well be able to find that true meaning, and the true meaning of HUD as its secretary.

So, I just look forward to that. I look forward to watching that. Hell do things that nobody ever thought of.

I also want to thank Senator Tim Scott for joining us today  friend of mine, a great, great senator from South Carolina. I like the state of South Carolina. I like all those states where I won by double, double, double digits. You know, those states. But South Carolina was one, and Tim has been fantastic how he represents the people. And they love him.

I also want to profoundly thank Alveda King for being here. And as we saw her uncles wonderful exhibit, and he certainly deserves that. Mrs. King  and by the way, Ms. King, I can tell you this personally because I watch her all the time, and she is a tremendous fighter for justice. And so Alveda, thank you very much (inaudible).

I have been watching you for so long, and you are so incredible. And I wanted to thank you for all the nice things you say about me. Not everybody says nice things, but shes special.

(CROSSTALK)

TRUMP: Thank you.

(CROSSTALK)

TRUMP: Thank you. Appreciate it.

So with that, were going to just end this incredible beginning of a morning. But engraved in the wall very nearby, a quote by the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. In 1955, he told the world, We are determined to work and fight until justice runs down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream. And thats what its going to be. Were going to bring this country together. Maybe bring some of the world together, but were going to bring this country together.

We have a divided country. Its been divided for many, many years, but were going to bring it together. I hope every day of my presidency, we will be honoring the determination and work towards a very worthy goal, and for Lonnie and David and David and Ben and Alveda and everybody, I just want to  I just have to say that what theyve done here is something that can probably not be duplicated.

It was done with love and lots of money. Right, Lonnie? Lots of money. We cant avoid that, but it was done with tremendous love and passion, and thats why its so great.

So thank you all very much for being here. I appreciate it. And congratulations, this is a truly great museum.

Thank you.
By Allison Lampert

HEMMINGFORD, Quebec (Reuters) - Canadian police said on Monday they had bolstered their presence at the Quebec border and that border authorities had created a temporary refugee center to process a growing number of asylum seekers crossing from the United States.

The Canada Border Services Agency, or CBSA, said at a news conference that it had converted an unused basement into a refugee claimant processing center. Both the border agency and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police are reassigning staff from other locations in the province, as needed, to accommodate rising demand.

The CBSA said the number of people making refugee claims at Quebec-U.S. border crossings more than doubled from 2015 to 2016. Last month, 452 people made claims in Quebec compared with 137 in January 2016, the agency said.

The influx is straining police, federal government and community resources from the western prairie province of Manitoba, where people arrive frostbitten from hours walking in freezing conditions, to Quebec, where cabs drop asylum seekers off meters away from the Quebec-U.S.border, the border agency said.

Canadian Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen's office did not respond to a request for comment on Monday.

A Reuters reporter on Monday saw RCMP officers take in for questioning a family of four - two men, a woman and a baby in a car seat - who had walked across the snowy gully dividing Roxham Road in Champlain, New York, from Chemin Roxham in Hemmingford, Quebec.

"Please explain to her that she's in Canada," one Canadian officer told another officer.

Police take people crossing the border in for questioning at the border agency's office in Lacolle, Quebec, which is the province's biggest and busiest border crossing. Police identify them and ensure they are not a threat or carrying contraband.

They are then transferred to the CBSA for fingerprinting and further questions. If people are deemed a threat or flight risk, they are detained. If not, they can file refugee claims and live in Canada while they wait for a decision

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"It's touching, and we are not insensitive to that," Bryan Byrne, the RCMP's Champlain Detachment commander, told reporters near the border. "Some of these people had a long journey. Some are not dressed for the climate here."

Asylum seekers cross illegally because Canada's policy under the Canada-U.S. Safe Third Country Agreement is to turn back refugees if they make claims at border crossings. But as U.S. President Donald Trump cracks down on illegal immigrants, Amnesty International and refugee advocacy groups are pressuring the Canadian government to abandon the agreement, arguing the United States is no safe haven.

On Monday, Montreal, Canada's second most populous city, voted to declare itself a "sanctuary city," making it the fourth Canadian city to protect illegal immigrants and to provide services to them.

(Additional reporting and writing by Anna Mehler Paperny in Toronto; Editing by Diane Craft and Peter Cooney)
Istanbul (AFP) - Diplomatic tensions escalated between Turkey and Iran on Tuesday as the regional powers traded accusations over their roles in the Syria conflict and the Middle East.

The pair have been rivals for centuries but have sought to forge a pragmatic relationship in recent years, with the Islamic Republic strongly supporting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after last year's failed coup.

But mainly Sunni Muslim Turkey and Shiite Iran have been on opposite sides of the conflict in Syria, with Ankara seeking the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad and Tehran, along with Russia, his key backer.

The tensions come with UN-backed peace talks for Syria due to restart on Thursday and Turkey engaged in fierce fighting inside Syria to capture the town of Al-Bab from jihadists.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu lashed out at Iran in a speech to the Munich Security Conference at the weekend, saying some of its actions had undermined security in the region and urging Tehran to promote stability.

"Iran wants to make Syria and Iraq Shiite," he was quoted as saying by Turkish state media.

Erdogan has also in recent weeks accused Iran of promoting a "Persian nationalism" that had damaged the Middle East.

The Iranian foreign ministry on Monday summoned the Turkish envoy to issue a protest after Cavusoglu's comments while spokesman Bahram Ghassemi warned that Tehran's patience "has limits".

"We hope that such statements are not made again. If our Turkish friends continue with this attitude we will not remain silent," he added.

Turkey's foreign ministry spokesman Huseyin Muftuoglu hit back by saying it was "incomprehensible" to receive such accusations from Tehran who he charged with "not hesitating to push into war zones refugees sheltering from regional crises."

"Instead of accusing countries that have criticised Iran, it should take constructive steps and review its own regional policies."

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- 'Recognise interests' -

The angry exchanges have come just after Erdogan returned from a week-long tour to the Arabian peninsula, including talks with the leadership of Iran's arch regional foe and Ankara's Sunni ally Saudi Arabia.

Ali Vaez, senior Iran analyst with the International Crisis Group, said Iran and Turkey feared the other was seeking to capture regional hegemony via proxies on the ground.

"With each failure to find an accommodation, the context of Turkey's and Iran's rivalry has become more complex and disagreements more intractable," he told AFP.

While Turkey has backed rebels in Syria throughout the conflict, Tehran has played a crucial role in aiding Assad. Iran has provided few details over its involvement but has confirmed the deaths of some 1,000 volunteer fighters in Syria.

Ankara has meanwhile warned Iran and its allies in the Baghdad government against using Shiite militia in the assault to recapture the jihadist-held Iraqi city of Mosul.

"It's very dangerous to send Shiite militia into a 99 percent Sunni Arab city," Cavusoglu said on Tuesday.

Harmony between Turkey and Iran is crucial in ensuring the preservation of a fragile ceasefire in Syria -- also backed by Russia -- that came into force at the end of last year as a basis for peace talks.

Although Ankara says Assad should go, the government has occasionally softened its stance, indicating the president could have some role in determining the country's future.

But Vaez said the Syria talks process was reaching an impasse, while the spheres of influence of Iran and Turkey were colliding in Syria.

"Ultimately Turkey and Iran, as neighbours, will have to live with the outcome of the conflicts now burning around them," he said

"Any sustainable solution will require a regional power balance tolerable for both," he said calling on both sides to recognise the other's interests.
DONT MESS WITH TAXES. President Trump has taken to saying that no one cares about his taxes. And its true that he was able to win office while thumbing his nose at the transparency norm of releasing his tax returns while running for the White House. But the drumbeat of interest in them is not going away, and now the White House petition site registered a new milestone, the pro-transparency Sunlight Foundation noted Monday: The petition to Immediately release Donald Trumps full tax returns, with all information needed to verify emoluments clause compliance passed more than 1 million signatures since it was launched on Inauguration Day. White House petitions need to draw more than 100,000 signatures within 30 days to be considered for an official response from the White House. The previous record holder was a 2012 petition to recognize the Westboro Baptist Church as a hate group, with more than 387,000 signatures, according to a Pew study of the White House petition site.

That Trump tax release petition is just one of a number of ongoing efforts to create public  and legal  pressure on the president to release his tax returns. Sixteen states and the District of Columbia have proposed bills to prevent access to the presidential ballot without disclosing federal tax returns, the AP reported Sunday. These measures are unlikely to succeed in most states where they have been proposed even if they make it through state legislatures, because their Republican governors  such as New Jerseys Chris Christie  are almost certain not to sign them into law. Only five of the 16 states have Democratic governors. But even if only California and New York adopted the measures, turning what was a campaign norm into a campaign law, that would have some kind of impact in a world where the president needs solid support in those states to have a chance of winning the popular vote.

Elsewhere, a coalition of progressive groups has launched plans for a series of protests in more than 60 cities on April 15 to demand that Trump release his tax returns. The main Tax March will be held in Washington, D.C.

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ON THE TOWN. Taxes came up at a town hall meeting Monday as well. CNNs Kyung Lah was at Republican Rep. Scott Taylors town hall in Virginia, where attendees grumbled at his answer  he threw it back on them to hold Trump accountable for releasing his tax returns.

Q: should Trump release taxes?@Scotttaylorva: you should hold him accountable.

Crowd not exactly happy w/answer @IndivisibleTeam pic.twitter.com/0i4I7cUtuB  Kyung Lah (@KyungLahCNN) February 21, 2017

He was also booed for answering not yet when asked if hed support an investigation into Trumps Russia ties.

Biggest response of night, q on whether @Scotttaylorva would support GOP investigation on Russia. His answer: Not yet. pic.twitter.com/brlyCUpwCC  Kyung Lah (@KyungLahCNN) February 21, 2017

HOW ITS PLAYING IN PEORIA. Many Republican members of Congress are pulling back from town halls this district work period. But that doesnt mean they are going to be able to avoid protesters, as Illinois GOP Rep. Darin LaHood discovered in Peoria Monday. Reports 25 News  Week of East Peoria: Here in Central Illinois a group protested outside the Farm Bureau office in Peoria where Congressman Darin Lahood spoke Monday. Armed with signs and a cardboard look alike of 18th District Congressman Darin Lahood about a dozen protesters stood outside the Farm Bureau building in Peoria. They got there about an hour before Lahood arrived to speak to farmers gathered inside.  The protesters claim they have been trying to get a town Hall meeting with Lahood for some time concerning everything from the Republican repeal of the Affordable Care Act, to the travel ban and deregulation of big business.

MISSING MEMBERS. In Murfreesboro, Tenn., activists werent able to confront their member of Congress  GOP Rep. Scott DesJarlais  directly, so they held their meeting without him on Saturday. Reports WKRN: Dozens of people who say Rep. Scott DesJarlais isnt around to listen to their concerns met outside his office in Murfreesboro Saturday. They passed out flyers with his picture on it that read, Missing: Have you seen this man? Members of the groups Rutherford Indivisible and Alliance for Healthcare Security say theyve been trying to convince the representative of Tennessees fourth congressional district to hold a public town hall event, but he hasnt responded.

FROM THE YOU CANT WIN IF YOU DONT PLAY FILES. Because the midterm congressional elections arent until 2018 and because the Democratic Party has been so thoroughly decimated up and down the ticket, activists and organizers have vowed to start the process of rebuilding the party at lower levels and with whatever contests do come up. In Virginia, Democrats plan to challenge 45 GOP incumbents in the deep-red House of Delegates this November, including 17 lawmakers whose districts voted for Democrat Hillary Clinton, the Washington Post reports. If they do this, it would be a significant increase over 2015, when only 21 Democrats ran against GOP lawmakers. The Virginia GOP holds 66 of the 100 seats in the House of Delegates. A robust down-ticket effort might also help with the goal of winning the Virginia gubernatorial race in 2017, which along with New Jerseys gubernatorial contest is shaping up to be an early test of whether the resistance can make a difference at the ballot box.

NOT MY PRESIDENTS DAY. Thousands turned out for the Not My President Presidents Day protests in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, while a smaller crowd gathered in Dupont Circle in Washington, D.C., before heading off on an impromptu, non-permitted march down 16th Street to the White House.



Protests in Portland saw one injury.

Slideshow: Not My Presidents Day protests in the U.S. >>>

A woman's face was bloodied in the scrum, she was detained and taken away in a police vehicle @DontShootPdx #NOTMYPRESIDENTSDAY pic.twitter.com/ASUpL3cEVx  Dave Killen (@killendave) February 20, 2017

And in Chicago, protests began with a rally outside Trump Tower and continued with a march and dance party led by individuals wearing bandanas over half their faces (click through for the whole thread of images).

Over one thousand people are protesting outside Trump Tower in Chicago | #NotMyPresidentsday pic.twitter.com/KMzCUJGCUM  agitator in chief (@soit_goes) February 20, 2017

DAKOTA ACCESS DEADLINE. The number of Standing Rock campers has dwindled from thousands to hundreds, and those remaining have been given a Feb. 22 deadline to leave the No Dakota Access Pipeline protest camp or risk arrest. While the encampment  which has been in place since the summer  was at one time the largest gathering of different tribes in a century, as it shrank leaders of two of the larger protesting tribes split on whether or not it should continue, with the chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux saying it is time to seek higher ground in advance of spring flooding and the Cheyenne River Sioux chairman disagreeing. Now a Wednesday confrontation is brewing between campers and authorities, and on Monday night, those remaining released a video calling for help and a media spotlight on how that confrontation is handled.

URGENT. My friends in Standing Rock just sent this to me & asked me to share it. They are surrounded by militarized police RIGHT NOW. pic.twitter.com/plR0Tfaagc  Shaun King (@ShaunKing) February 21, 2017

(Cover thumbnail photo: Gordon Donovan/Yahoo News)

Read more from Yahoo News:
London (AFP) - Russia's Rosneft oil giant has paved the way for investment in Libya's oil sector by signing a Cooperation Framework Agreement with the National Oil Corporation of Libya, it was announced Tuesday.

The agreement was signed Monday on the sidelines of London's International Petroleum Week by NOC chairman Mustafa Sanalla and Rosneft chairman Igor Sechin, according to the NOC.

Under the deal, the two state companies will establish a joint working committee to explore possible cooperation in various fields, including exploration and production.

Sanalla last month announced plans to encourage investment by foreign oil companies in an effort to boost Libya's oil production to 2.1 million barrels per day by 2022.

"We need the assistance and investment of major international oil companies to reach our production goals and stabilise our economy," he said.

"This agreement with Russia's largest oil company lays the foundations for us jointly to identify areas of cooperation."

Once a little-known firm, Russia's Rosneft has enjoyed a meteoric rise under President Vladimir Putin.

Headed by the ex-KGB agent's powerful ally Sechin, it has scooped up some of the most prized assets in the Russian oil sector in a series of controversial deals.

Libya currently produces around 600,000 barrels per day (bpd). Before the fall in 2011 of Moamer Kadhafi, it produced 1.6 million bpd.

Since then, the country has been gripped by political and security chaos, unable to exploit or profit fully from its enormous oil resources and pushing the economy to the brink of collapse.
As governmental and public support has shifted in favor of same-sex marriage in the U.S., research published Monday in JAMA Pediatrics now links policies legalizing same-sex marriage and lower adolescent suicide attempts.

For people between 15 and 24 years old, suicide is the second-leading cause of death, with sexual minorities experiencing an even larger risk possibly due to stigma, according to a news release.

Researchers analyzed state-level Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System data for 1999 through January 2015, looking at approximately 763,000 teens before the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage across the U.S. in June 2015, The Washington Post notes. The self-reported data was collected by asking teens if they had attempted suicide one or more times in the last year.

The authors juxtaposed changes in public high school student suicide attempts from both before and after 32 states legalized same-sex marriage to those in 15 states that didn't allow same-sex marriage.

Prior to same-sex marriage policies, 8.6 percent of all high school students and 28.5 percent of sexual minority-identifying students said they attempted suicide. The results showed that same-sex marriage policies were linked to 0.6 percentage point dip in suicide attempts, or more than 134,000 fewer adolescent suicide attempts. This indicates a 7 percent decrease among high school students claiming to have attempted suicide in the past year.

Still, gay, lesbian and bisexual teenagers attempt suicide at a rate four-times higher than straight teenagers, according to the Trevor Project. Another study from the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center found that 30 percent of transgender youth said they attempted suicide at least once.

Mark L. Hatzenbuehler of Columbia University notes in an editorial along with the study that there are also other factors at play.

"... Numerous laws and policies affecting sexual minorities remain openly contested, including lack of protections related to students' sexual orientation (and gender identity) in harassment and/or bullying laws, which are currently covered in only 19 states and the District of Columbia," Hatzenbuehler wrote in the editorial. "Studying these and other laws in future research will provide important information regarding the generalizability of the results of the study by [author Julia Raifman] and colleagues.

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The study's limitations include that the data is self-reported and the authors couldn't account for socioeconomic status nor malleable state characteristics such as religious affiliation or sexual minority acceptance. It also doesn't look at possible causation.

"As countries around the world consider enabling or restricting same-sex marriage, we provide evidence that implementing same-sex marriage policies was associated with improved population health," according to the study. "Policymakers should consider the mental health consequences of same-sex marriage policies."

The authors also called for more research to study the connection with sexual minority rights, stigma and sexual minority health.

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David Oliver is Associate Editor, Social Media at U.S. News & World Report. Follow him on Twitter, connect with him on LinkedIn, or send him an email at doliver@usnews.com.
Whether you see a butterfly, dancing elephants, bloody humans or some other imagery when peering at one of the abstract blobs that makes up the Rorschach inkblot test, your answers can divulge some of the darkest, or just hidden, corners of your mind.

And now, scientists have figured out why people see so many images when looking at the inkblots: The number of images elicited by these inkblots is determined by the irregular shapes at the edges of each. The researchers specifically looked at fractals, or repeating patterns that can be seen at all scales (close-up and farther away). When the fractals are more complex, people see fewer images than when such patterns are simpler.

"These fractals are inducing these images that aren't there. They're kind of fooling the visual system," said lead study author Richard Taylor, a physicist at the University of Oregon.

The brain's visual system is adapted to process patterns, Taylor told Live Science. In nature, fractals are abundant, and can be found in trees, clouds, lightning and coastlines, he said. The visual system's ability to efficiently process such fractals results in what Taylor calls "effortless looking."

Taylor and his team decided to use Rorschach inkblots to study this image processing, given the inkblots' inclusion of fractal patterns, he told Live Science. The inkblots were first produced in 1921 by Swiss psychiatrist Hermann Rorschach, who published 10 different patterns that were then promoted as a "psychological X-ray," according to the study. The test relies on a phenomenon called pareidolia, in which people see familiar images where none actually exist (seeing a face in the clouds, or on Mars, for example). Rorschach would use his patients' interpretations of each blot to help him evaluate their mental state. [Seeing Things On Mars: A History of Martian Illusions]

A psychologist at a mental hospital in 1955 discusses a patient's interpretation of an inkblot in the Rorschach test. Three Lions/Getty Images

The researchers had 23 first-year psychology students look at 24 different Rorschach inkblot images and determine how many shapes they could see in each image, from "none" to "seven or more." By using an artificial parameter called fractal dimension, the researchers were able to quantify how complex the fractals were in each inkblot. After analyzing their results, the researchers found that the more complex the fractals were, the fewer images the participants saw in each.

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The researchers found similar results when they looked at data sets from two past studies: an analysis conducted in the 1930s by psychologist Marguerite Hertz of responses from 1,050 participants to the Rorschach blots; and a study in 1953 of Rorschach inkblots that involved people with and without schizophrenia.

Taylor hopes to apply the findings toward the development of artificial visual systems.

"We have to study the natural visual system if we're going to replace it with an artificial system," he told Live Science, adding that to build a robust artificial system, the researchers have to examine how and why the natural visual system gets fooled.

Currently, Taylor's research on artificial eyes is in the in vivo stage, meaning his team is about to implant prototypes of the eyes into mice, he said. He and his team have already completed in vitro (petri dish) studies on the concept.

Taylor noted that his team still has more research to perform before testing the artificial eyes in human patients, a move that is still about 10 to 15 years out, he said.

The study was detailed online Feb. 14 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE.

Originally published on Live Science.

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By Press Trust of India: Raipur, Feb 21 (PTI) Seven naxals were today killed and a huge haul of weapons recovered after a fierce gun-battle between security forces and ultras in Chhattisgarhs insurgency-hit Narayanpur district, police said.

"The skirmish took place in the dense forest of Kilam village under Chhottedongar police station limits of the district in which seven ultras, including three women, were gunned down," Inspector General of Police (in-charge) Bastar Range Sundarraj P told PTI.

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A joint team of Narayanpur?s District Reserve Group (DRG) and district force had launched a counter-insurgency operation from Barsoor police station of neighbouring Dantewada district this morning, he said.

When forces were cordoning off jungles of Kilam, which lies in restive Abhujmad area about 350 kms away from the state capital Raipur, they came under heavy firing from a group of naxalites leading to the encounter, the IG said.

However, rebels escaped from the spot on finding security personnel zeroing on them after a prolonged exchange of fire, he added.

"During search, security forces recovered body of seven ultras besides firearms, including two Insas rifles, and explosive materials from the spot," the IG said tagging the operation as a major success.

Among the killed rebels, four were identified as Area Committee Members (ACM) of the outlawed CPI (Maoist) ? Nasik, Somji, Janvati and Jamni, the IG said, adding, the four were carrying reward of Rs 5 lakh each.

The other killed were identified as Baldev, Ram Singh and Raimati.

While Raimati was a Jan Militia Section Commander of Bodli, Baldev and Ram Singh were active as Janatana Sarkar head and Janatana Sarkar deputy head respectively of the same Bodli region, the IG added.

Moreover, the recovered weapons also include two 12 bore rifle, one 315 bore rifle and one 12 bore pistol, he added.

Few other arms, ammunition and explosive materials have been recovered from the spot but the details would be made availableonce the party reaches back to its base camp, the officer added.

"The entire operation was planned and executed by Narayanpur SP Abhishek Meena in coordination with Dantewada SP Kamlochan Kashyap. The CRPF troops from Barsoor also provided required assistance in this operation," the IG said.

Chief Minister Raman Singh and senior police officials have congratulated the troops for the remarkable achievement, he added. PTI TKP RMT IKA

--- ENDS ---
By Lin Noueihed and Nidal al-Mughrabi CAIRO/GAZA (Reuters) - After years of strained relations, Egypt is moving closer to Hamas in Gaza, offering concessions on trade and free movement in return for moves to secure the border against Islamic State fighters who have killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers in northern Sinai. Egypt has been at odds with Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, since a crackdown by Cairo on the armed group's Islamist allies. Egypt closed the border, opening it only rarely. But in recent weeks Egypt has eased restrictions, allowing in trucks laden with food and other supplies, and providing relief from an Israeli blockade that has restricted the flow of goods into the coastal territory. The relaxation follows high-level Hamas visits to Cairo, which wants to restore its role as a regional powerbroker and crush Islamic State followers in the Sinai Peninsula, a strategic area bordering Gaza, Israel and the Suez Canal. It builds on what Egyptian and Palestinian sources say are efforts by Hamas to prevent the movement of militants in and out of Sinai, where they have killed hundreds of Egyptian soldiers and police since general-turned-president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi overthrew the Muslim Brotherhood in 2013. Egyptian and Palestinian officials say the changes could signal a new era of closer cooperation after years of tension. "We want cooperation in controlling the borders and tunnels, the handover of perpetrators of armed attacks and a boycott of the Muslim Brotherhood. They want the crossing to be opened and more trade," one senior Egyptian security source said. "This has actually begun, but in a partial way. We hope it will continue." While it doesn't engage directly with Hamas, Israel is working with Egypt on border security and monitoring of Gaza. Military officials have voiced support for any steps that bring greater stability to northern Sinai and Gaza. Hamas has increased security along its side of the border with Sinai over the past year, deploying hundreds of security forces and erecting more watchtowers. The group has also moved to round up Salafi Jihadists, who oppose an Egyptian-brokered 2014 ceasefire with Israel. Hamas, whose charter calls for Israel's destruction but which has no ambitions for global jihad, has not said how many militants it has captured and refuses to call them jihadists. Egypt has given Hamas a list of about 85 fugitives, who it says are implicated in attacks and wants extradited, the Egyptian security source said. Hamas denied links with some of them and sources in the group said extraditions were unlikely though it might make its own inquiries. Hamas has however let Egypt know that it has no interest in stoking unrest in an Arab neighbor that has mediated several truces with Israel and among rival Palestinian factions. "If we compare it with a year ago, the situation or the relationship is better but it is not yet what is needed," Mahmoud al-Zahar, a senior Hamas official, told Reuters. "The needs of our people are great, their need to travel, pursue education or treatment, attend to their businesses and families abroad, and also the need for open trade with Egypt." MUTUAL DISTRUST, COMMON INTERESTS The blossoming ties have been advanced by intense diplomacy, culminating last month in a visit by Ismail Haniyah, a deputy leader of Hamas, to meet Egyptian intelligence officials. A series of conferences on Palestinian affairs have also taken place in Egypt in recent months attended by figures from Palestinian factions. Organizers said the conferences were part of efforts to restore Egypt's regional role following the chaos of the 2011 Arab Spring revolts. "The situation now is returning to normal," said Elazb al-Tayeb Taher, writer on Arab affairs at the state-owned Al-Ahram newspaper, which hosted one of the conferences in November. "Egyptian intelligence is restoring its relationship with Hamas in accordance with certain guidelines, chief amongst them being that Hamas does not become a major gateway for threats from Gaza targeting Egypt's national security." Despite mutual distrust, Hamas and Egypt kept communication channels open, with Hamas officials regularly invited to Egypt. But ties hit a low in 2013, after Sisi overthrew President Mohamed Mursi, banned the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization and jailed many of its supporters. Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis, a militant group that emerged in North Sinai in the chaos of 2011 and initially attacked Egypt's gas pipelines to Israel, turned its guns on Egyptian forces. In 2014, it joined Islamic State and has since attacked in Cairo, killing 28 people in a church in December. 'EARLY TO TALK OF TRADE' Blockaded by Israel and facing the closure of their only other outlet, Gazans dug thousands of tunnels to smuggle in building materials and consumer goods and, according to Egyptian officials, smuggle out arms and fighters. In a bid to crush the militants, Egypt's military razed hundreds of homes and destroyed at least 2,000 tunnels. Curfews, checkpoints and air strikes have devastated an area that once drew holidaymakers to its Mediterranean shore. The desire to secure the area and restore a semblance of normality is as strong for Egypt, which wants to lure back foreign investors who fled after 2011, as it is for Gazans. Egyptians who organized the Palestinian conferences suggested the border might be reopened to trade for 10 or 15 days at a time - rather than a few days every six weeks at present - to build trust. But the ultimate aim is more ambitious; a free trade area and an industrial zone on the Egyptian side to facilitate commerce, allow Gazans to travel abroad, and create jobs for those who might otherwise join the militants. "We've gotten to a point now with Hamas where we're working on a framework on which to build for the coming period, and this will be contingent upon controlling the borders and the crossing will be open routinely," said Tareq Fahmy, of the state-linked National Center for Middle East Studies, which co-organized two Palestinian conferences last year. "We're thinking of direct trade and all this is pivotal for our brothers in Hamas and the Gaza Strip, but ... trust-building processes don't take place overnight." For residents of northern Sinai, who face a gamut of checkpoints each day, open trade seems an outlandish notion. The conflict has rendered the area a wasteland of demolished houses, sand berms and trenches. "It's early to talk of trade. We are still living in a security zone," said one resident. (Additional reporting by Ahmed Mohamed Hassan in Cairo; editing by Giles Elgood)
The Senate Intelligence Committee's chairman Richard Burr (R-N.C.), and Vice Chairman Mark Warner (D-Va.) sent out letters Friday, sending formal requests to the White House and over a dozen organizations, individuals and agencies that all materials concerning the probe into the Russian dealings with the U.S. be preserved, the Associated Press reported Sunday citing a congressional aide.

The committee members also received a classified briefing from FBI Director James Comey on Friday. However, the members did not comment on what was discussed at and after the hour-long briefing.

"I think they're going to do their job. And they have to do that. Those are things that Richard Burr and that team have to do," White House chief of staff Reince Priebus said Sunday.

"That doesn't mean that there's anything there. It just means they need to do some things that satisfy their committee, that they've looked into something. And then they can have meetings behind closed doors that they always do in the Intel Committee, and then they'll issue a report," Priebus told NBC's "Meet the Press."

Priebus also denied that members of President Donald Trump's campaign had contact with Russia before Trump's victory.

"We don't know of any contacts with Russian agents," Priebus said.

The letters that were sent out Friday by the Senate Intelligence Committee asked for confirmation that the White House, the FBI and the Justice Department had directed their employees to maintain all materials and evidences related to any contacts that Trump's administration, transition team, campaign or any other person acting on their behalf have had with Russia or its government officials.

Congressional staffers argued that they had not discovered any evidence to show that materials related to the probe are not being preserved.

However, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York said Thursday on the Senate floor: "There is real concern that some in the administration may try to cover up its ties to Russia by deleting emails, texts and other records that could shine a light on those connections. These records are likely to be the subject of executive branch as well as congressional investigations and must be preserved."

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A Serbian Trap Bilal, 24, from Pakistan, was stabbed in the chest during a fight between different groups of migrants. In the picture, Bilal, is seen at the yard of an abandoned brick factory at the outskirts of Subotica, border town with Hungary in Serbia, Feb. 2017. (Manu Brabo/MeMo)

Text and photography by Manu Brabo/MeMo

BELGRADE, Serbia  A trip along the refugee track within Serbia reveals that the old route through the Balkans is still being used despite strong border control, harsh conditions and frozen temperatures.

Near the center of Belgrade, hundreds of migrants and refugees, mainly from Pakistan and Afghanistan, live in tough conditions in abandoned warehouses and old factory buildings. Inside the buildings, the air is dense due to the smoke from the many fires lit to heat the space. Coughing can be heard at every corner like a constant soundtrack.

Despite the existence of camps built by the Serbian state, the migrants are here trying to make their way into European Union countries illegally. So they cannot risk being identified and registered for fear that they will be sent back.

This winter has been especially cold in the former Yugoslavian republic, and these below-zero temperatures have raised the prominence of this situation in the mainstream media. Once the frozen temperatures are gone, the images and stories of these people will disappear again. More pressing than the freezing conditions, they face the reality that the old Balkan route, the same path as the 2015 refugee wave, is now closed, and that the surveillance and control is stronger than ever.

At an abandoned brick factory in Subotica where migrants gather and prepare for the border crossing, refugees talk about the severe beatings and abuses suffered by those who are caught attempting to cross into Hungary and Croatia. Ive tried 35 times in the last three months, and Ive been beat up every single time, a 24-year-old migrant from Pakistan says. A friend of his adds, They throw the dogs on us, and they steal our shoes, so we have to come back here walking barefoot.

Still, every week dozens of refugees arrive in Serbia from Bulgaria and try to reach the neighboring EU countries. But very few make it.

_____

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By Jessica Jaganathan and Henning Gloystein SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Singapore's proposed plan to tax greenhouse gas emissions would probably hit oil refiners hard, ramping up costs in an industry that has been central to the city-state's rapid development over the last half-century. Monday's announcement that a carbon tax on direct emitters is to be introduced from 2019 shows that Singapore, Asia's main oil trading hub, could be moving towards a longer-term future dominated by cleaner technology and resources. "It is the first time in the history of Singapore that a budget has placed such a high emphasis on green initiatives linked to tax revenues," said Isabella Loh, chairman of the Singapore Environment Council, an independent non-profit body. "The announcement clearly underpins the priority of a future-ready and greener economy." Countries around the world have been under increasing pressure to crack down on carbon emissions, with Singapore part of the historic Paris climate accord that went into force late last year. In parts of Europe and countries such as Australia, the introduction of carbon taxes or carbon trading schemes has often driven a decline in established refining industries and a parallel surge in investment in clean energy technology. "The proposed carbon tax on emitters would prove a significant drag on industry profit-margins," said Peter Lee, oil and gas analyst at BMI Research in Singapore. The government said the carbon tax would probably cover 30 to 40 "large direct emitters" including power stations, petrochemical facilities and semiconductor makers. But it is Singapore's three refineries, run by ExxonMobil, Royal Dutch Shell and Singapore Refining Company, that would probably need to brace for the hardest blow. The tax proposal comes as those refineries, with a combined fuel generation capacity of around 1.38 million barrels per day (bpd), grapple with rising competition from China, India and the Middle East. Shell said in a statement it supported a strong and stable government-led carbon price, but that any policy "must ensure companies can compete effectively with others in the region who are not subject to the same levels of carbon dioxide costs". Exxon said "effective policies are those that promote global participation (and) let market prices drive the selection of solutions". Singapore Refining Company could not be reached for comment. Looking at a carbon tax rate of S$10 to $20 ($7 to $14) per tonne, the government estimated that would add around $3.50 to $7 to the cost of processing a barrel of crude into fuels like diesel or gasoline. Benchmark crude prices stood around $56 per barrel on Tuesday, translating to a daily surplus cost of $4.8 million to $9.7 million for the three Singapore refineries. On the flip side, the tax would help fire growth in Singapore's nascent renewable energy industries. "Existing green projects, such as solar, will enjoy the much needed premium (as they are not taxed)," said Andrew Koscharsky, energy director at RCMA Group, which trades wholesale power and retail electricity in Singapore. It would be important to adopt the law swiftly to encourage immediate investment in renewables, he added. Singapore's government will next month invite feedback on its proposals from industry and the public. (Reporting by Jessica Jaganathan and Henning Gloystein; Editing by Joseph Radford and Clarence Fernandez)
It was 10 a.m. on a bright spring morning in Johannesburg, and just outside my apartment, the zombie horde was growing restless. They shrieked and wailed, clawing at their tattered gray clothes and surging toward the walls around them. As they thrashed against concrete and barbed wire, I heard shots ring out. There was a guttural yell and then, abruptly, silence.

Finally. For three days, the undead had been interrupting my workdays to fight pitched, cacophonous battles with their human nemeses on the movie set of Resident Evil: The Final Chapter 30 floors below my kitchen window.

A post shared by Ryan (@ryanlenora) on Sep 21, 2015 at 2:20am PDT

When I had moved into Africas tallest apartment building a year earlier, I hadnt counted on my work as a journalist being interrupted by a zombie apocalypse. But in many regards, I had to admit, it made sense. For more than four decades, after all, the Ponte City tower, which juts out over downtown Johannesburg like a 54-story toilet-paper tube, has been a vertical warehouse for South Africans greatest hopes and worst fears about their cities and themselves.

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Built at the center of a buzzy, international neighborhood, Ponte began life as a posh address for white residents in the 1970s. The buildings unusual architectureits flats all face a gaping open corelent it a distinct, if eerie, appeal from the outset. But as the fall of apartheid transformed the city center, the building was dragged along with it, morphing into an outsized symbol of the violence and decay that gripped parts of Johannesburg during South Africas messy transition to democracy in the 1990s.

By the time I arrived there, Ponte was shorthand in local media and the public imagination for a city transformedor, depending on who you asked, destroyedby the warp of history. Now, it seemed that Hollywood had figured out the logical end point of that metaphor. Over the past few years, the building has appeared in several international films (its credits include District 9, Chappie, and a Drake music video, among others), always as a place both desolate and dangerous. But Resident Evil, which opened in late January in the U.S., took it a step further. It picked Ponte up out of downtown Johannesburg, and dropped it down in the middle of a gutted metropolis at the end of human history. The symbolism was hard to miss.

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In September 2015, a couple of days before Ponte transformed into Resident Evils zombie wasteland, a notice from the management appeared posted on walls around the building.

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DEAR TENANTS OF PONTE CITY, it read. THERE ARE PEOPLE SHOOTING A MOVIE IN THE BUILDING SO THERE WILL BE GUN SHOTS THAT YOU WILL HEAR, SO PLEASE JUST KEEP CALM DO NOT PANIC.

This wasnt much of a surprise. It was hardly the first time that downtown Johannesburg had caught the attention of filmmakers searching for a city whose landscape could quickly telegraph violence and disarray. This was the same city that The Hulk smashed to pieces in 2015s Avengers: Age of Ultron, and the same dystopic irradiated wasteland that Judge Dredd and his crew chased bad guys through in the comic book cum 2012 action movie Dredd. (That film even centers on a 200-story slum tower with a gaping open centera clear Ponte remake.)

And Ponte itself has had many a sordid film cameo. Alien space ships hovered above it in District 9, gangsters staged dogfights in its haunting circular core in Chappie, and Navy Seals stormed through the building in search of a team of Congolese warlords in Seal Team 8: Behind Enemy Lines (that film, whose urban scenes are shot in South Africa, ostensibly takes place in the Democratic Republic of the Congo). Drake filmed the climactic gangster-showdown scenes in his surreal 20-minute extended music video Please Forgive Me there. And in between, the building has been used to sell everything from beer to McDonalds. With a few exceptions, there are some common motifs among all these takes on Ponte: fire, garbage, garbage on fire, and of course, lots and lots of gunshots.

Ponte City (center) as an alien ship looms in District 9. TriStar Pictures

While some of the fictional stories Ponte appears in are set in downtown Johannesburg, many are not. But to South Africans, the towers oddball architecture means it is recognizable even if it is supposedly somewhere else. And wherever Ponte is dropped down in the world, what the tower represents tends to be the samea desolate, lawless place where societys rules have little meaning.

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For filmmakers, the buildings appeal lies at the intersection of its weird history and weirder aesthetics, says Genevieve Hofmeyr. Her production company, Moonlighting Films, worked on the South African segments of Resident Evil: The Final Chapter, the sixth installment in the video-game-turned-action-movie series about a woman attempting to save humanity after a deadly virus turns most of the species into zombies. From the minute the director [Paul W.S. Anderson] saw Ponte while scouting in Johannesburg, he recognized its unique architecture and immediately visualized a sequence there, she says. The look and character of Ponte personifies urban grit. Its character has morphed over time to fit perfectly into a post-apocalyptic world.

By character Hofmeyr likely means Pontes longstanding and fearsome reputation as a tower of babel, a den of iniquity run by drug dealers and thugs, a dirty, dangerous place and a building that wouldnt be lost in a sci-fi horror. For decades, indeed, rumors about the building have taken on a caricatured and almost cinematic quality that makes its recent leap into film in some ways unsurprising. For instance, one particularly tenaciousthough unprovenpiece of local lore holds that during the early 1990s, the buildings core was filled with garbage 10 stories high, chucked by residents from their windows because the city never came to collect.

But the story of how Ponte came to fit perfectly into anyones post-apocalyptic world is worthy of a blockbuster in its own right. When it was built in the 1970s, the otherworldly concrete cylinder wasnt meant to represent the end of days, but rather an ambitious new beginning. An ode to the gods of brutalism on par with anything Europe or America might produce, Ponte was a projection of white South Africas desire to be seen as Western and sophisticatedeven as its parochial racial politics said otherwise.

A group of tourists visits the 54-story Ponte Tower building in Johannesburg in January 2015. The distinctive circular tower was once a symbol of this city's modernism, then its decay and now its struggle for regeneration. AP

I lined the walls of the penthouses with shaggy dog orange carpetit was all very posh, said Rodney Grosskopff, then a young partner in the architectural firm of Manfred Hermer, which designed Ponte, when I interviewed him about the building in 2014. Everyone wanted to say theyd stayed in the tallest apartment building in Africa. Even as the final touches were being put on Pontes top floors, however, the city it was built to represent was falling apart. In 1976, the year the building officially opened, residents with flats facing southwest could see smoke rising from behind the yellow mine dumps that marked the edge of the city. Just beyond it, the black townships of Soweto were on fire.

As mass protests against apartheid built in intensity and violence on the citys fringes, many black South Africans who could afford to began illegally migrating into the inner city. There, they found landlords all too willing to look the other way on the legality of the arrangementas long as the new tenants didnt complain about details like massive rent hikes. To make up for the high prices, residents packed in, sometimes two or three families to a single flat. Meanwhile, without care from management, their buildings decayed briskly. Within a decade, most white residents had fled. By the 1990s, as Nelson Mandela walked free from prison and millions of black South Africans lined up to vote for the first time, Ponte hovered above a neighborhood gently described as transitioning.

There was always another side to Ponte, however. Even in its darkest days, the place was mostly prosaic, a large apartment building that was home to a decidedly undramatic cast of families, students, and migrants toiling on the edges of South Africas middle class. Although that might have been the dominant experience of residents, its a side of Pontes history that rarely made it into newspapersand it certainly didnt touch the kind of popular imagination that would soon turn Ponte into an international film set.

The worlds we invent always convey something about the world we know.

Theres a simple reason for that, says Zahira Asmal, a South African researcher who writes frequently about the countrys cities. Throughout Johannesburgs history, its been as if the inner city doesnt exist when white peoplespecifically white menarent looking at it, as though its life and legitimacy depend on people in power paying attention, she says. What outsiders saw when they did turn to look at Ponte and the inner citynow mostly black and increasingly internationalwas their own fears about what Johannesburg had become, she says.

That has held for filmmakers too, says Alexandra Parker, the author of Urban Film and Everyday Practice: Bridging Divisions in Johannesburg. Most filmmakers in South Africa are still white, so films do often track white perception of the inner city, not necessarily the personal experiences of people living there, she says. And international filmmakers have largely picked up on that same imagery to cast the city as a seedy underworld. In recent years, meanwhile, Johannesburgs actual inner city has changed rapidly, a combination of intensive efforts at gentrification, old-fashioned clean-ups, and better policing. But the city changes faster than its films, Parker says.

Still, the long half-life of perceptionand the way film seems to freeze in amber a version of the city many are trying hard to forgetmeans that Johannesburg still struggles to recast its image. Every time I start a tour I ask people what they know about the inner city, and every time, the answer is the samethis place is full of crime, drugs, prostitution, says Franck Leya, who runs tours of Ponte and the inner city with a company called Dlala Nje. And when I ask how people know that, they tell me its what theyve seen [in movies and television]. Ponte in particular seems to be a mythological site for many of his visitors. And when they recount what they know of the buildings history to him, Leya says their choppy horror stories often seem to blur together real-life details with cinematic fictions.

We spend years of our lives trying to change the way people see this place, but it cant match up to the millions of dollars spent on one movie that shows the opposite, he says. Of course, for a zombie movie or a comic-book action flick, having only a glancing affinity to reality is precisely the point. The hollowed out Raccoon City of Resident Evil isnt inner-city Johannesburg, exactlyits not meant to be. But Ponte didnt become the site of the films apocalypse by accident. The worlds we invent always convey something about the world we know.

Or in this case, worlds we dont. The problem here, says Leya, is that people are still telling scary stories about a place they actually know nothing about.

Read more from The Atlantic:

This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
Madrid (AFP) - A former doctor will stand trial in Madrid for allegedly stealing a newborn from her mother and giving her to another woman, a practice thought to have affected thousands of families during Spain's dictatorship.

In a court document obtained by AFP on Tuesday, a judge gave the green light for the trial of Eduardo Vela to go ahead -- the first in the dock over the "stolen babies" scandal that shook Spain when it eventually came to light in 2010.

The practice is thought to have begun after Francisco Franco came to power in 1939 following Spain's civil war pitting Republicans against Nationalists loyal to the general.

Doctors and nurses would reportedly steal babies from parents deemed politically dangerous to the dictator or born out of wedlock, and give them to families in favour of the regime.

The practice was gradually extended to include the theft of newborns from poor families for adoptive parents in Spain and abroad.

Vela is suspected of having taken part in the 1969 theft of Ines Madrigal, now in her late forties, who accuses him of having forged her birth certificate so that her adoptive mother appeared as her biological parent.

Her adoptive mother, who has since passed away, had allegedly later confessed to Madrigal that she worked as a volunteer in a convent and a priest had put her in contact with Vela who gave her the baby.

A date has yet to be set for the trial of the former gynaecologist, who is now elderly and faces charges of child abduction and falsifying official documents.

Angel Casero of the "Onwards Stolen Babies" association that campaigns on the issue welcomed news of the trial.

"It's really important as this paves the way for more cases and for people to realise that what we're telling them is the truth," he told AFP.

Estimates of the number of children who were allegedly taken from their parents vary from thousands to several hundreds of thousands.

New mothers were often told their babies had died within hours of birth and the hospital had taken care of their burials.

Victims have filed official complaints, but the judicial process has been slow in a country that has yet to fully come to terms with its civil war and Franco's subsequent dictatorship.
Stephen Colbert will never fjorget an attack that didnt happen to one of Americas allies last week.

Over the weekend, President Donald Trump puzzled some when he remarked about the events that unfolded last night in Sweden during an event in Florida, so Colbert went in. No one was more baffled by Trumps supposed Swedish incident than the Swedes, Colbert said on The Late Show on Monday, with Swedens former prime minister even suggesting that world leaders use facts correctly.

Trump later clarified that his comment was a reference from a Fox News report about immigrants in Sweden. Colbert, though, was ready to stand strong beside a nation in need. Tragically, Sweden is the third not-a-terrorist attack that has not shocked the world in the last month, Colbert said. Just because this attack didnt happen, folks, doesnt mean we dont stand in solidarity with all the people who did not suffer.

To stand strong behind Americas allies, Colbert had fun by creating a touching homage to everyone who survived the nonexistent Swedish terror attack with a touching Never Fjorget tribute. Watch below.
Ken Kratz says he feels that he was portrayed as the chief villain in Making a Murderer, Netflixs hit 2015 documentary series about the controversial conviction of Steven Avery in the 2005 murder of Teresa Halbach. But Kratz, who was brought in as the special prosecutor in the case, says he knew that hed face intense scrutiny the moment Halbachs car was discovered on Averys Wisconsin property.

We knew that this case was going to be under a microscope, because of the celebrity that Steven Avery had attained, Kratz told Yahoo News Bianna Golodryga on Tuesday. We knew it was going to be watched.

Two years before Halbachs murder, Avery was exonerated after serving 18 years for the 1985 assault and attempted murder of Penny Beerntsen. DNA testing proved that another man, Gregory Allen, had committed the crime, and Avery subsequently filed a civil lawsuit against Manitowoc County, its former sheriff and former district attorney, seeking $36 million in damages stemming from his wrongful conviction.

Kratz, whose new book, Avery: The Case Against Steven Avery and What Making a Murderer Gets Wrong, was released Tuesday, says he wasnt prepared for the backlash that followed the Netflix series.

This docudrama really flipped the narrative on his head, he said, making Steven Avery look sympathetic, like a victim.

Kratz, though, admits he does regret that the local investigators that Avery had been suing were involved in the Halbach case. Two of the officers who were deposed in Averys lawsuit were present when police found the key to Halbachs vehicle inside his home.

Would I have rather now had somebody else? Sure. Obviously, Kratz said.

But he stressed that the resources available to him at the time of the investigation were scarce, and that the Manitowoc County police officers assisting in the case were not the only officers involved.

We had dozens of officers in all the different places, Kratz said. We didnt know what we were looking for. We didnt know where Teresa Halbach had been killed.

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Avery was convicted of Halbachs murder in 2007 and was sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole.

Neither his attorney nor the filmmakers who made Making a Murderer returned requests for comment.

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By India Today Web Desk: Shah Rukh Khan and his son AbRam's love story can give any Bollywood romantic film a run for its money. The doting daddy never misses a chance to spend quality time with his three-year-old son. From shootings to promotions to parties, the little munchkin is always seen besides his superstar daddy.

ALSO READ: This photo of AbRam sleeping in Shah Rukh's arms is the cutest thing you'll see today

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ALSO READ: Shah Rukh Khan is a changed man for AbRam, has become kinder

And the charming father-son duo were seen on the streets of Mumbai when SRK took out AbRam for a drive.

The pictures of AbRam enjoying a ride with dad SRK soon went viral. AbRam looked thrilled as his dad was seen behind the wheels of an open convertible car.

The tiny tot, who has already started loving the limelight, even waved to the people on the streets.

In an interview with Mumbai Mirror, SRK had revealed that he is become a kinder man because of his son.

"I was never mean, but now I've become more accepting of the fact that people are different and need to do things at their own time, pace, space and way. I've come to understand that they have their happy days and their off-days too," he said, adding, "It's not humility but kindness, with AbRam I've come to enjoy people," he told the daily.

ALSO WATCH: Shah Rukh Khan tweets pic of his youngest son AbRam

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Swedens Prime Minister Stefan Loefven had a few words of advice for his fellow world leaders on Monday, in the wake of the whirlwind of confusion that followed President Donald Trumps recent reference to an incident in the Scandinavian country that did not take place.

I was, like many others, surprised by the comments made about Sweden this weekend, Loefven said at a press conference in Stockholm, Bloomberg reports. We must all take responsibility for using facts correctly and verifying any information that we spread.

Speaking at a rally in Florida on Saturday, Trump baffled observers with the words, Look at whats happening last night in Sweden, while talking to his supporters about national security and immigration. Sweden  who would believe this? Sweden.

After much head-scratching and Internet mockery, it was later discovered that the President was referring to a segment on Fox News about a filmmaker who claimed there was a link between an uptick in crime and migrant communities in Sweden, a country that accepted about 160,000 asylum seekers during the height of the European migrant crisis in 2015.

Trump doubled down after the ensuing criticism, tweeting on Monday: The FAKE NEWS media is trying to say that large scale immigration in Sweden is working out just beautifully. NOT!

Read More: Newspaper Reports What Really Happened in Sweden Last Night for President Trump

However, according to the online, English-language edition of Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter, the police officers interviewed by the filmmaker Ami Horowitz said they were misrepresented and described Horowitz as a madman.

One of the officers said their answers had been edited. It shocked us, said Anders Goeranzon. We were answering completely different questions in the interview.

According to Bloomberg, Loefven acknowledged during Mondays press conference that the country faces many challenges but that Sweden was also a place of opportunity. The Nordic nation is generally viewed as progressive with a strong track record on employment, equality, health and social services.

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The Swedish Embassy in Washington, D.C., has offered to help the Trump Administration understand the social dynamics in Sweden, saying it would explain the countrys immigration policy to U.S. officials.

We look forward to informing the US administration about Swedish immigration and integration policies. https://t.co/x5G3euOWRh  Embassy of Sweden US (@SwedeninUSA) February 19, 2017

While there is no reason to believe there was an incident in Sweden last Friday, reports have pointed out that there have, in fact, been a number of recent attacks in the country  unrelated to Trumps comments or the Fox News segment on which they were based.

Agence France-Presse reported in early February that there was an attack in Sweden last month, during which a group of suspected neo-Nazis bombed a refugee center in the city of Gothenburg, injuring a staff member. The attack was reportedly linked to a string of incidents committed by far-right groups.

[Bloomberg]
Texas hunters who told authorities they had been shot during an ambush by "illegal aliens" made the whole story up - and actually shot each other, authorities said.

Hunting guides Walker Daugherty and Michael Bryant have been indicted on charges of using deadly conduct by discharging firearms in the direction of each other.

Read: First-Grade Teacher Suspended Over 'Illegal Aliens' Post

Presidio County Sheriff Danny Dominguez said an investigation determined Daugherty and another member of their party were wounded by friendly fire and no one else was involved, reported KOSA-TV.

The January 6 shooting generated headlines across the country as the men told investigators of being ambushed as they slept at the Circle Dug Ranch in Texas, just five miles north of the Mexican border.

At the time, a statement issued by a rancher friend said the Daugherty family believed "the assailants intended to kill the party. The attackers were strategically placed around the lodge and the men were fired upon from different areas," the Albuquerque Journal reported.

Daugherty, 26, who was shot in the stomach, said he had no health insurance and a GoFundMe page established in his name raised more than $26,000. Edwin Roberts, 59, was shot in the arm. Both recovered from their wounds.

The story received extra traction when Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller shared the men's account on Facebook, where he has more than 400,000 followers.

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"This why we need the wall," Miller wrote in a post that has since been deleted. It was shared more than 600,000 times.

Read: After Nude Photos are Released, Melania Trump Fights Accusations She Came to U.S. Illegally

But what really happened is that Daugherty and Bryant were "paranoid" about Mexicans crossing the border, amid all the public banter about immigration woes, and they opened fire after hearing noises inside an RV, according to authorities.

Daugherty shot Roberts and Bryant shot Daugherty, the sheriff said.

It is not clear whether the men have been taken into custody. Phone messages left by InsideEdition.com for Dominquez and the county prosecutor were not immediately returned.

Watch: Donald Trump Claims Millions of People Voted Illegally

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Rights groups on Tuesday urged the Thai army to drop defamation charges against three activists over a report on torture in the conflict-hit south, decrying the prosecution as an effort to silence critics.

A state prosecutor was handed the case file on Tuesday and will now decide whether to press on with the controversial charges against Pornpen Khongkachonkiet -- the chair of Amnesty International Thailand -- Anchana Heemmina and Somchai Homlaor.

The trio could face up to seven years in jail for defamation and a separate charge filed for publishing the report online.

The case is being closely watched in junta-run Thailand where authorities routinely use defamation laws to shut down reporting of allegations of abuse or corruption.

The 2016 report, based on interviews with 54 former detainees, catalogued a host of torture tactics allegedly used by soldiers and police across the kingdom's Muslim-majority southernmost provinces.

More than 6,700 people -- mostly civilians -- have been killed in a near-13 year insurgency by Malay Muslim locals against the Thai state, which rules the region with emergency laws.

Beatings, threats at gunpoint, sensory deprivation and partial suffocation were all routine during detention of suspects, the report alleged.

The Thai army denied the allegations and launched proceedings against the report's writers.

"This is a glaring example of the Thai military misusing the criminal justice system to intimidate and retaliate against activists for reporting grave abuses," said Sunai Phasuk, a Human Rights Watch representative for Thailand.

No member of the Thai security forces has ever been jailed for extrajudicial killings or torture in the restive "Deep South".

That is despite frequent allegations of abuses, as well as inquest rulings that have found security forces to have gunned down unarmed Muslim men.

The defamation case is an attempt to silence the activists and "the right to complain by victims of torture", said Surapong Kongchantuk of the Cross Cultural Foundation.

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The group -- of which Pornpen is a member -- works closely with conflict-hit communities in the south.

Rebels want autonomy for the culturally distinct area, which was colonised by Thailand more than a century ago.

They have employed brutal tactics including shootings, beheadings and bombings.

Thai officials deny human rights abuses are systemic and say they do everything in their power to avoid harming civilians.

A spokesman for the southern army command said officers were determined to bring the three activists to trial.

"We will not withdraw the charges," Colonel Yutanam Petchmoang told AFP, adding that the rights workers "did not cooperate" when they were summoned by the military and asked to name the soldiers accused of torture in their report.
Thousands of demonstrators turned out Monday across the U.S. to challenge Donald Trump in a Presidents Day protest dubbed Not My Presidents Day.

The events on the federal holiday didnt draw nearly as many people as the million-plus who thronged the streets following the Republican presidents inauguration a month earlier, but the message was similar.

Thousands of flag-waving protesters lined up outside Central Park in Manhattan. Many in the crowd chanted No ban, no wall. The Trump regime has got to fall. They held aloft signs saying Uphold the Constitution Now and Impeach the Liar.

A rally in downtown Los Angeles also drew thousands. Demonstrators there called attention to Trumps crackdown on immigration and his partys response to climate change and the environment. Organizers said they chose to rally on the holiday as a way to honor past presidents by exercising their constitutional right to assemble and peacefully protest.

In Chicago, several hundred rallied across the river from the Trump Tower, shouting Hey, hey, ho, ho, Donald Trump has got to go.

Rebecca Wolfram of Chicago, whos in her 60s, said concerns about climate change and immigrant rights under Trump prompted her to start attending rallies.

Im trying to demonstrate as much as possible until I figure out what else to do, said Wolfram, who held a sign that said Old white ladies are really displeased.

Several hundred demonstrated in Washington, D.C. Dozens gathered around the fountain in Dupont Circle chanting Dump Trump and Love, not hate: Thats what makes America great.

Dozens marched through midtown Atlanta for a rally named with a Georgia flavor: ImPEACH NOW! (Not My) Presidents Day March.

Hundreds of protesters chanting This is what democracy looks like marched through Salt Lake City.

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The Salt Lake Tribune reports that the crowd marched to push back against Trump and his administrations stance on such issues as the environment, immigration, free speech and Russia.

Some people raised signs that said Not My President, while others held up a large American flag. Protester Reg Brookings warned the crowd that Trump is trying to divide the country by making such groups as immigrants the enemy.

A small but unruly group of protesters faced off with police in downtown Portland, Oregon.

The Oregonian reports the police confronted the crowd in front of the Edith Green-Wendell Wyatt Federal Building. Police took some people into custody.

Hundreds of Trump opponents and supporters turned out in Rapid City, South Dakota.

A larger anti-Trump faction stood on a street corner as part of a Not My President protest, similar to other demonstrations being held across the country. A group supporting the president lined up on a different corner at the same intersection.

___

Walker reported from New York City. Associated Press writers Jeff Martin in Atlanta, Tammy Webber in Chicago, Alanna Durkin Richer in Richmond and Martha Bellisle in Seattle, Washington, contributed to this story.
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP)  The women suspected of fatally poisoning a scion of North Korea's ruling family were trained to coat their hands with toxic chemicals then wipe them on his face, police said Wednesday, announcing they were now seeking a North Korean diplomat in connection with the attack. Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar told reporters that authorities are searching for two new North Korean suspects, including the second secretary of North Korea's embassy in Kuala Lumpur and an employee of North Korea's state-owned airline Air Koryo. "We hope that the Korean embassy will cooperate with us, allow us to interview them and interview them quickly," he said.

Malaysia is denying rumors that the son of the slain half brother of North Korea's leader is in the country. The victim, Kim Jong Nam, had three children and had lived in Macau. His son had been rumored to have arrived in Kuala Lumpur this week on a flight from Macau, but Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar told reporters Wednesday that was untrue. Khalid says investigators are seeking Kim's relatives to provide a DNA sample and identify the body, but none has stepped forward. He identified Kim as Kim Chol, the name on the passport the victim was carrying, though Malaysian officials have confirmed that he is the older half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

BEIJING (AP)  The investigation into the death of the exiled half-brother of North Korea's ruler is being conducted in an impartial manner, Malaysia's ambassador to Pyongyang said Tuesday, rejecting accusations from the North that the probe was politically tinged. Mohamad Nizan Mohamad spoke in China's capital, Beijing, while in transit to Malaysia to where he had been recalled following the death last week in the Southeast Asian nation of Kim Jong Nam. Kim appeared to have been poisoned at Kuala Lumpur's international airport and police have so far arrested four people carrying identity documents from North Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam.

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HONG KONG (AP)  A former leader of Hong Kong was sentenced Wednesday to 20 months in prison for misconduct after failing to disclose plans to rent a luxury apartment for his retirement from a businessman applying for a broadcasting license. It was a stunning downfall for Donald Tsang, 72, who served as Hong Kong's leader, or chief executive, from 2005 to 2012. He becomes the highest-ranking current or former official sent to prison for wrongdoing in the Asian financial hub, which prides itself on a reputation for clean governance. "Never in my judicial career have I seen a man fallen from such a height," Justice Andrew Chan said as he handed down the sentence in Hong Kong's High Court.

NUKU'ALOFA, Tonga (AP)  The South Pacific island kingdom of Tonga is mourning the death of its queen mother, who dedicated her time to helping the elderly and those with disabilities. Halaevalu Mata'aho died Sunday at the age of 90 in Auckland, New Zealand, after traveling there for health reasons. The cause of her death has not been released by her family. Her funeral procession will be held in Tonga on Feb. 28, when most people in the country of just over 100,000 are expected to turn out wearing black. She will be particularly missed by the Alonga Center and at the Tonga Red Cross, where leaders say she worked tirelessly.

PARIS (AP)  Amnesty International says "toxic" fear-mongering by anti-establishment politicians, among them President Donald Trump and the leaders of Turkey, Hungary and the Philippines, is contributing to a global pushback against human rights. Releasing its 408-page annual report on rights abuses around the world Wednesday, the watchdog group described 2016 as "the year when the cynical use of 'us vs. them' narratives of blame, hate and fear took on a global prominence to a level not seen since the 1930s," when Adolf Hitler rose to power in Germany. Amnesty named Trump, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte among leaders it said are "wielding a toxic agenda that hounds, scapegoats and dehumanizes entire groups of people." "Poisonous" rhetoric employed by Trump in his election campaign exemplified "the global trend of angrier and more divisive politics," Amnesty said.

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP)  A group of suicide bombers with grenades and assault rifles struck outside a courthouse in northwestern Pakistan on Tuesday, killing six people in an attack claimed by a Taliban splinter group. The attack was the latest in a wave of militant assaults across the troubled country that has killed over 100 people since last week. The brazen suicide bombings have been claimed by mutiple Islamic militant groups. In Tuesday's attack, three attackers hit the courthouse in the town of Tangi in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, bordering Afghanistan. The victims included a lawyer, a child and four police officers, according to Ijaz Khan, a senior police officer.

DALLAS (AP)  A pilot repeatedly yelled out "Mayday" but did not say what the emergency was before his light plane crashed into the roof of an Australian shopping mall, killing himself and four American tourists, an accident investigator said Wednesday. Police blamed "catastrophic engine failure" when a twin-engine Beechcraft B200 Super King Air crashed into the Direct Factory Outlet mall in the Melbourne suburb of Essendon on Tuesday moments after takeoff from a nearby runway. But Australian Transport Safety Bureau chief commissioner Greg Hood said modern twin-engine aircraft are designed to continue flying if an engine failed. "My understanding is he only used the word 'Mayday' a number of times," Hood told reporters, referring to radio communication from pilot Max Quartermain to air traffic controllers.

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP)  Torrential rains in the Indonesian capital have overwhelmed drains and flooded roads and thousands of homes. The disaster mitigation agency said Tuesday that more than 50 areas are flooded in Jakarta, with waters up to 1.5 meters (5 feet) high in East Jakarta. It said the city's drains couldn't accommodate the runoff and rivers also overflowed. Local media reported that a worker for the city government died and one person drowned in Bekasi, a Jakarta satellite city. Floods in 2013 killed more than two dozen people in Jakarta and forced tens of thousands to flee their homes.

BORACAY, Philippines (AP)  The Philippines' top diplomat said Tuesday it remains to be seen whether China will cooperate fully in ongoing efforts to craft a legally binding pact designed to prevent aggressive behavior in the disputed South China Sea. Despite the likelihood of tough negotiations ahead, Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. expressed confidence that the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations and China could at least complete a framework for such a pact, called a code of conduct, as early as June. Efforts to forge such a regional nonaggression pact have dragged on for years without any concrete sign of when it might be completed.
Washington (AFP) - US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly will meet this week in Mexico with President Enrique Pena Nieto, the State Department announced Tuesday, amid tensions over trade and immigration.

In a brief statement, the State Department said they will discuss "border security, law enforcement cooperation, and trade, among other issues" during talks Wednesday and Thursday.

Besides Pena Nieto, the two American secretaries will meet with Mexico's ministers of the interior, foreign affairs, finance, defense and the navy, the State Department said.

Mexico, which announced the visit last week, said it was aimed at building "a respectful, close and constructive relationship between the two countries."

Relations between the neighbors have been rocked by President Donald Trump's vow to build a huge border wall, his disparagement of Mexican immigrants during the US presidential campaign and attacks on the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Pena Nieto cancelled a White House meeting with Trump last month after the president tweeted it would be better not to have it if Mexico refused to pay for the border wall.

Trump has also vowed to renegotiate or scrap NAFTA, arguing that it was a bad deal that has led to the loss of manufacturing jobs to Mexico.

The trip to Mexico would be Tillerson's second foreign foray since taking office in early February. He traveled last week to Europe to meet with foreign ministers at the G20 gathering in Bonn.
President Donald Trump's White House will undo an Obama administration policy that allowed transgender students in the nation's public schools to be called by their preferred names and pronouns and use restrooms, locker rooms and other single-sex facilities matching their gender identity. The announcement from the Trump administration was expected to come Tuesday and marks the beginning of his second month in office during which the GOP leader has targeted immigrants, Syrian refugees, abortion access and travelers from some Muslim-majority nations.

This is the first day of the presidents second month in office and he is now fully coming after LGBT people, Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality, told the Washington Blade. Im angry; Im outraged. This is about kids who just want to go to school who just want to be themselves... its just outrageous that he go after trans kids this way.

Meanwhile, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said in a statement to the Washington Blade that the Trump administration's record so far on transgender student rights was deeply disappointing.

Former President Barack Obama's Education and Justice Departments approved the non-binding guidelines on transgender student rights in May, warning that schools practicing sex discrimination in violation of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 could lose federal funding. A school may not require transgender students to use facilities inconsistent with their gender identity or to use individual-user facilities when other students are not required to do so, officials from the Education and Justice Departments said in a letter at the time.

Several Republican-leaning state governments led by Texas sued the federal government over the policy and U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has signaled that he will not defend the Obama guidelines. Trump had pledged last year to strike down the guidelines on the campaign trail.

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The Supreme Court is expected next month to hear the case of Gavin Grimm, a transgender Virginia teenager who was denied access to the boys restroom and later sued his school.

Trump's policies have sparked protests across the nation in recent weeks after he quickly announced a ban on travel from some nations in the Middle East and Africa and vowed to deport roughly 8 million people.

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President Trump has broken his days-long silence on a rash of anti-Semitic incidents across the country that had already been condemned by Hillary Clinton, as well as his own daughter, Ivanka.

Both Clinton and Ms. Trump called for an end to the threats made recently to 11 Jewish Community Centers nationwide and added to the dozens of others made since January.

Read: Pundits, Late Night Comics Rip Trump's Bizarre Presser: 'It's Crazy What We're Watching'

"America is a nation built on the principle of religious tolerance. We must protect our houses of worship & religious centers. # JCC," tweeted Ivanka, who converted to Judaism before marrying Jared Kushner in 2009.

Glad to see this. All Jews need to urge @POTUS to step forward & share a plan. His words carry weight. His actions will speak even louder. https://t.co/uAgh1R1pA7  Jonathan Greenblatt (@JGreenblattADL) February 21, 2017

In another tweet, Clinton went several steps further, condemning the startling desecration of some 100 gravestones at a Jewish cemetery in Missouri on Monday.

"JCC threats, cemetery desecration & online attacks are so troubling & they need to be stopped. Everyone must speak out, starting w/ @POTUS," Clinton wrote Tuesday.

Anita Feigenbaum, the Chesed Shel Emeth Society Cemetery executive director, said in a statement posted to Facebook that the cleanup of the monuments will not be an easy task.

JCC threats, cemetery desecration & online attacks are so troubling & they need to be stopped. Everyone must speak out, starting w/ @POTUS.  Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) February 21, 2017

"Unfortunately, the damage occurred is going to need professional help," she said. "These monuments weigh thousands of pounds. Since the damage occurred in our oldest sections, we are taking donations to help with repairs that will be needed."

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Clinton's response came after the White House released a brief statement that appeared to reference the acts of hate.

"Hatred and hate-motivated violence of any kind have no place in a country founded on the promise of individual freedom. The president has made it abundantly clear that these actions are unacceptable," the statement read.

Trump dodged questions last week about a rise in anti-Semitism at two press conferences, CBS News reported.

On Thursday, for example, a Jewish reporter asked the president how the administration plans to address the issue. Instead of answering it, Mr. Trump told the reporter to sit down and lambasted his query as "not a fair question" before declaring "I am the least anti-Semitic person that youve ever seen in your entire life."

America is a nation built on the principle of religious tolerance. We must protect our houses of worship & religious centers. #JCC  Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) February 20, 2017

The Anti-Defamation League also urged the president to directly address these apparent patterns of anti-Semitism.

Glad to see this," ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt tweeted in response to Ivanka Trump's tweet. "All Jews need to urge @POTUS to step forward & share a plan. His words carry weight. His actions will speak even louder."

Read: Who is Melania Trump's Older Sister? Inside The Life of The First Lady's Confidante

Perhaps bowing to pressure, or just using the occasion of his visit to the African-American museum in Washington, Trump addressed the apparent hate crimes late Tuesday morning.

"We have to fight bigotry, intolerance and hatred in all of its very ugly forms," he said. "The anti-Semitic threats targeting our Jewish community and community centers are horrible and painful."

Watch: Trump Uses 'Frozen' Coloring Book to Defend Star of David in Anti-Clinton Ad

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By Press Trust of India: From Sajjad Hussain

Islamabad, Feb 21 (PTI) Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will travel to Turkey tomorrow on a three-day visit to hold wide-ranging consultations with the Turkish leadership on bilateral, regional and international issues.

Sharif will co-chair the 5th Session of the Pakistan- Turkey High Level Strategic Cooperation Council with Turkish counterpart Binali Yildirim in Ankara on February 23, the Foreign office said today.

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The council was established in 2009 as a framework for consultations at the highest political level between the two sides.

At the conclusion of the session, a Joint Declaration will be issued. The two sides are also expected to sign a number of agreements/MoUs on the occasion.

During his visit from February 22 to February 24, Sharif will also meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other senior officials.

He will hold wide-ranging consultations with the Turkish leadership on bilateral, regional and international issues.

The Prime Minister will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, consisting of ministers and senior officials.

Sharif will also visit the Turkish Parliament to reaffirm Pakistans unequivocal support and solidarity against the failed coup attempt in Turkey on July 15, 2016. The parliament was bombed on that night by rebels.

He will also pay homage to all those who laid down their lives in defence of the Turkish democracy.

The relationship between Pakistan and Turkey is unique in inter-state relations -- marked by exceptional warmth, cordiality and mutual trust, the Foreign Office said.

"These fraternal ties are nurtured by common faith, shared history, and cultural and linguistic affinities. The two nations have an abiding tradition of standing by each other and mutually supporting their respective national causes -- including Kashmir and Cyprus," it said.

Bilateral ties between Pakistan and Turkey have witnessed remarkable growth and dynamism in recent years, ranging from enhanced economic ties to deepening defence collaboration to growing educational and cultural links, it said.

Both sides are working to give powerful thrust to bilateral trade, investments, and commercial cooperation as part of the efforts to build a robust economic partnership.

The leadership of both the countries is committed to transforming this historic relationship into a strong strategic partnership in line with the realities of the 21st century.

This year also marks the 70th year of Pakistan-Turkey diplomatic relations. The two countries envisage special commemorative events throughout the year to celebrate this milestone in a befitting manner. PTI SH AJR ZH AJR

--- ENDS ---

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By Ayesha Rascoe WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump delivered his first public condemnation of anti-Semitic incidents in the United States on Tuesday after a new spate of bomb threats to Jewish community centres around the country and vandalism in a Jewish cemetery. Several of the centres were evacuated for a time on Monday after receiving the threats, the JCC Association of North America said, and another centre was evacuated on Tuesday morning in San Diego, California, according to police. Also, vandals toppled about 170 headstones at the Chesed Shel Emeth Society cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri, over the weekend. "The anti-Semitic threats targeting our Jewish community and community centres are horrible and are painful and a very sad reminder of the work that still must be done to root out hate and prejudice and evil," Trump told reporters. He was speaking at the end of a tour of the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, which Trump said showed "why we have to fight bigotry, intolerance and hatred in all of its very ugly forms." The comments marked a change for Trump, who had not explicitly and publicly condemned the threats against Jews when asked last week. Instead, he spoke more generally about his hopes of making the nation less "divided." The president reacted with anger at a news conference last week when a journalist from a Jewish magazine asked how his government planned to "take care" of a rise in threats. Trump berated the reporter for asking a "very insulting" question, appearing to believe the reporter was accusing him of being anti-Semitic. "Number one, I am the least anti-Semitic person that you've ever seen in your entire life," the president said, adding that he was also the least racist person. Trump has often noted that one of his daughters is a convert to Judaism, he has Jewish grandchildren and he employs many Jews in his business. Trump's daughter Ivanka, a close adviser to her father who practices Orthodox Judaism, responded to the latest threats in a message on her Twitter account on Monday evening. "America is a nation built on the principle of religious tolerance," she said. "We must protect our houses of worship & religious centres." On Tuesday, Trump again declined to answer a question about what action he would take to address the threats to Jewish organizations. Sean Spicer, a White House spokesman, said later that Trump would respond through "deed and action" over the coming months and years. 'BAND-AID' Trump's derogatory campaign rhetoric against Muslims and Mexican immigrants won enthusiastic backing from prominent white supremacists who embrace anti-Jewish, anti-black and anti-Muslim ideologies. It also drew greater media attention to fringe extremist groups. Trump has disavowed their support. His chief strategist, Steve Bannon, is the former publisher of Breitbart, a news website popular among right-wing extremist groups. The Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect in New York, which has criticized the Trump administration repeatedly over anti-Semitism, said his comments were too little too late. "The president's sudden acknowledgement is a Band-Aid on the cancer of anti-Semitism that has infected his own administration," Steven Goldstein, the group's executive director, said in a statement. Spicer rejected the characterization. "I wish that they had praised the president for his leadership in this area," he told reporters when asked about Goldstein's comment. "Hopefully as time goes by they'll recognise his commitment to civil rights." Jewish groups criticized the White House for omitting any mention of Jews in its statement marking Holocaust Memorial Day last month. The White House said the omission was deliberate since the Nazis also killed people who were not Jews, if in smaller numbers. The stated goal of the Nazis was the extermination of Jews. One day after speaking at a security summit in Munich, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence spent Sunday morning walking through the grounds of the Dachau concentration camp in Germany with a camp survivor. Over the course of the U.S. Presidents Day holiday on Monday, bomb threats were sent to 11 Jewish community centres, including ones in the Houston, Chicago and Milwaukee areas, according to the JCC association. They were found to be hoaxes, as was another threat that forced the evacuation of a centre in San Diego on Tuesday morning, according to police. No arrests were made. The FBI has said it is investigating recent threats as "possible civil rights violations." The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a prominent Muslim human rights group, has offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of anyone behind the threats, saying Muslims felt a duty to support any targeted minority group. The incidents on Monday followed three waves of bomb threats so far this year. In all, at least 69 incidents at 54 Jewish community centres in 27 states and one Canadian province have been reported, according to the JCC association. (Reporting by Doina Chiacu in Washington, Tom Gannam in St. Louis and Jonathan Allen in New York; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama, Frances Kerry and Jeffrey Benkoe)
By Ayesha Rascoe WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump delivered his first public condemnation of anti-Semitic incidents in the United States on Tuesday after a new spate of bomb threats to Jewish community centers around the country and vandalism in a Jewish cemetery. Several of the centers were evacuated for a time on Monday after receiving the threats, the JCC Association of North America said, and another center was evacuated on Tuesday morning in San Diego, California, according to police. Also, vandals toppled about 170 headstones at the Chesed Shel Emeth Society cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri, over the weekend. "The anti-Semitic threats targeting our Jewish community and community centers are horrible and are painful and a very sad reminder of the work that still must be done to root out hate and prejudice and evil," Trump told reporters. He was speaking at the end of a tour of the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, which Trump said showed "why we have to fight bigotry, intolerance and hatred in all of its very ugly forms." The comments marked a change for Trump, who had not explicitly and publicly condemned the threats against Jews when asked last week. Instead, he spoke more generally about his hopes of making the nation less "divided." The president reacted with anger at a news conference last week when a journalist from a Jewish magazine asked how his government planned to "take care" of a rise in threats. Trump berated the reporter for asking a "very insulting" question, appearing to believe the reporter was accusing him of being anti-Semitic. "Number one, I am the least anti-Semitic person that you've ever seen in your entire life," the president said, adding that he was also the least racist person. Trump has often noted that one of his daughters is a convert to Judaism, he has Jewish grandchildren and he employs many Jews in his business. Trump's daughter Ivanka, a close adviser to her father who practices Orthodox Judaism, responded to the latest threats in a message on her Twitter account on Monday evening. "America is a nation built on the principle of religious tolerance," she said. "We must protect our houses of worship & religious centers." On Tuesday, Trump again declined to answer a question about what action he would take to address the threats to Jewish organizations. Sean Spicer, a White House spokesman, said later that Trump would respond through "deed and action" over the coming months and years. 'BAND-AID' Trump's derogatory campaign rhetoric against Muslims and Mexican immigrants won enthusiastic backing from prominent white supremacists who embrace anti-Jewish, anti-black and anti-Muslim ideologies. It also drew greater media attention to fringe extremist groups. Trump has disavowed their support. His chief strategist, Steve Bannon, is the former publisher of Breitbart, a news website popular among right-wing extremist groups. The Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect in New York, which has criticized the Trump administration repeatedly over anti-Semitism, said his comments were too little too late. "The president's sudden acknowledgement is a Band-Aid on the cancer of anti-Semitism that has infected his own administration," Steven Goldstein, the group's executive director, said in a statement. Spicer rejected the characterization. "I wish that they had praised the president for his leadership in this area," he told reporters when asked about Goldstein's comment. "Hopefully as time goes by they'll recognize his commitment to civil rights." Jewish groups criticized the White House for omitting any mention of Jews in its statement marking Holocaust Memorial Day last month. The White House said the omission was deliberate since the Nazis also killed people who were not Jews, if in smaller numbers. The stated goal of the Nazis was the extermination of Jews. One day after speaking at a security summit in Munich, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence spent Sunday morning walking through the grounds of the Dachau concentration camp in Germany with a camp survivor. Over the course of the U.S. Presidents Day holiday on Monday, bomb threats were sent to 11 Jewish community centers, including ones in the Houston, Chicago and Milwaukee areas, according to the JCC association. They were found to be hoaxes, as was another threat that forced the evacuation of a center in San Diego on Tuesday morning, according to police. No arrests were made. The FBI has said it is investigating recent threats as "possible civil rights violations." The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a prominent Muslim human rights group, has offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of anyone behind the threats, saying Muslims felt a duty to support any targeted minority group. The incidents on Monday followed three waves of bomb threats so far this year. In all, at least 69 incidents at 54 Jewish community centers in 27 states and one Canadian province have been reported, according to the JCC association. (Reporting by Doina Chiacu in Washington, Tom Gannam in St. Louis and Jonathan Allen in New York; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama, Frances Kerry and Jeffrey Benkoe)
President Donald Trumps visit to the United Kingdom will cause an embarrassment to Queen Elizabeth II, according to British lawmakers who, on Monday, debated Trumps state visit later this year. The debate came in response to an online petition that has so far garnered over 1.8 million signatures urging Prime Minister Theresa May to cancel her invitation to the American president.

Trump, 70, was called a petulant child and racist and sexist during the debate. Labour Party legislator Paul Flynn noted that only two U.S. presidents  George W. Bush and Barack Obama  had ever been invited to state visits to the country. He maintained that it was completely unprecedented that Trump was given this invitation within a week of his presidency and described the U.S. president having a ceaseless incontinence of free speech.

In order to stress his point, the 82-year-old Flynn quoted a British journalist, who spoke about pimping out the queen for Trump. The remark triggered an intervention from the Conservative lawmaker Jacob Rees-Mogg, who said: I dont think its in order to talk about pimping out our sovereign.

David Lammy of Labour Party questioned why Britain should abandon all its principles and invite Trump, because this country is so desperate for a trade deal that we would throw all our own history out the window?

We didnt do this for Kennedy. We didnt do this for Truman. We didnt do this for Reagan. But for this man, after seven days, we say, Please come and we will lay on everything because we are so desperate for your company? He added: I am ashamed that it has come to this.

However, Conservative lawmakers maintained that revoking the invitation would do more harm than good, with Member of Parliament Edward Leigh saying the rescinding the state visit would be "catastrophic" to the trans-Atlantic relationship.

"He is the duly elected president of the United States. ... It would be a disaster if this invitation is rescinded," Leigh said.

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According to Rees-Mogg, opponents of Trump's visit were being hypocritical.

"What complaint did the honorable member make when Emperor Hirohito came here?" Rees-Mogg reportedly asked Flynn, referring to the highly controversial 1971 state visit of the Japanese emperor.

The three-hour long debate ended without a formal vote.

May invited Trump for the state visit when she met the U.S. president in the White House last month. The invitation prompted people to start the petition calling for the government to revoke the invitation, because of Trumps well documented misogyny and vulgarity," which "would cause embarrassment to Her Majesty the Queen.

State visits are different from official visits, and leaders of other countries are welcomed with royal and military ceremony. They stay at Buckingham Palace as the monarchs guests. Both Bush and Obama were invited for state visits several years into their presidency.

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United Nations (United States) (AFP) - US Ambassador Nikki Haley on Tuesday said the United States is ready to improve ties with Russia but will not compromise on its support for NATO and the European Union.

Haley told a Security Council debate on conflicts in Europe that "Russia's attempts to destabilize Ukraine" were among the most serious challenges facing the continent.

"The United States thinks it's possible to have a better relationship with Russia - after all, we confront many of the same threats," Haley said.

"But greater cooperation with Russia cannot come at the expense of the security of our European friends and allies."

The remarks came as European governments are seeking reassurance after US President Donald Trump applauded Britain's decision to leave the European Union, criticized NATO members over burden-sharing and praised Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Haley said the United States was committed to "the institutions that keep Europe safe" and that it "will not waver" in its support for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

The United States wants to deepen cooperation within NATO while "keeping the door open to new allies," she said.

Enlarging NATO has been a major bone of contention with Russia, which sees any expansion of the military alliance in eastern Europe as a policy of containment directed against Moscow.

Haley described US ties with the European Union as "deep and enduring" and said differences with European governments should not be seen as a shift in US support.

"No one should misinterpret occasional policy differences and debates as a signal of anything less than total commitment to our alliances in Europe. That commitment is strong," she said.

The ambassador stressed that the US and the EU were united in the view that sanctions against Russia would remain in place until Russia returns Crimea to Ukrainian rule.

A recent flareup of fighting in east Ukraine "show the consequences of Russia's ongoing interference in Ukraine," said the US ambassador.

Haley said Russia's decision to recognize passports issued by separatists in Ukraine's Lugansk and Donetsk regions was "another direct challenge in the efforts to bring peace to eastern Ukraine."
By John Walcott WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump has shown little patience for dissent, but that trait is likely to be tested by his new national security adviser, Army Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster. McMaster is joining the White House staff with views on Russia, counterterrorism, strengthening the military and other major security issues that diverge not only from those of the Trump loyalists, but also from those the president himself has expressed. A military intellectual whose ideas have been shaped more by experience than by emotion, more by practice than by politics, and more by intellect than by impulse may also find himself in political terrain that may be as alien, and perhaps as hostile, to him as the sands and cities of Afghanistan and Iraq were. McMaster will not be alone, however. His prominent administration allies include Defense Secretary Jim Mattis; Marine General Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and Senator John McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee; as well as many of the soldiers who have served with him. White House press secretary Sean Spicer said on Tuesday that Trump told McMaster "he's got full authority to structure the national security team the way he wants." Trump, however, already has taken the unusual step of adding Steve Bannon, his chief strategic adviser known for right-wing ideological views, to the White House National Security Council. "The real potential for flashpoints is with some of the people that Steve Bannon has brought into the administration ... people who see things very ideologically," said Andrew Exum, a former Army officer and Defense Department Mideast policy official and McMaster friend for more than a decade. Trump's early missteps on immigration and other issues "have strengthened the leverage available to not only H.R. McMaster, but also Defense Secretary Mattis and Secretary (of State Rex) Tillerson potentially," Exum said. One of the first tests of McMaster's influence will be the administration's review of U.S. policy in Syria, and more broadly against Islamic militancy. The review's results are due early next week, Pentagon officials said on Tuesday. Bannon said last June that the United States and its European allies are fighting a "global existential war" against Islam. McMaster's approach to defeating Sunni Muslim militants has been more nuanced, resting largely on separating extremists from the vast majority of the local population.As commander of the Army's 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, then-Colonel McMaster prepared his troopers for retaking the city of Tal Afar on the Iraqi-Syrian border in 2005 by having some of them dress in traditional Arab dishdashas, recruiting Arab-Americans to play the part of locals, and teaching his troops how to determine if a household was Sunni or Shiite by looking at the pictures hung on the walls.McMaster ordered his soldiers never to call the Iraqis they encountered "hajjis," which many Americans used as a derogatory term for the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca. Writing in the journal Military Review, he warned that emphasizing force, as Trump has done in his vows to bomb Islamic State into oblivion, could backfire."In Iraq, an inadequate understanding of tribal, ethnic, and religious drivers of conflict ... sometimes led to military operations (such as raids against suspected enemy networks) that exacerbated fears or offended the sense of honor of populations in ways that strengthened the insurgency," he wrote. That is not to say McMaster is a shaved-headed intellectual hesitant to use force. Twenty-one of his troopers were killed in action in Tal Afar, and one unit suffered 40 percent casualties. RUSSIA TEST A second early test for McMaster will be Russia policy. Unlike his predecessor, Michael Flynn, and Trump himself, McMaster regards Moscow as an adversary rather than a potential partner.Last May, at the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank, McMaster cited Russia's annexation of Crimea and support for rebels in eastern Ukraine as evidence of a broader effort "to collapse the post-World War Two, certainly the post-Cold War, security, economic, and political order in Europe and replace that order with something that is more sympathetic to Russian interests."A third area where McMaster's thinking differs from the president's rhetoric is the size and shape of the U.S. military. Trump has promised to add tens of thousands more soldiers, expand the Navy to 350 ships from 282, and "provide the Air Force with the 1,200 fighter aircraft they need," according to his campaign website.In his scholarly 2015 Military Review article, which has 39 footnotes, including one citing Greek historian Thucydides' account of the Peloponnesian War, McMaster argued that "promising victory delivered rapidly from stand-off range, based on even better surveillance, intelligence, information, and precision strike capabilities" is a fallacy that "confuses targeting enemy organizations with strategy."The question now is whether McMaster's views will have sufficient force to alter the course of U.S. policy set by the president and his closest aides. "The real challenges he's going to confront, I think, are not the challenges of strategy and the global responsibilities of the world's only superpower," said John Nagl, a retired Army colonel who helped rewrite U.S. counterinsurgency doctrine for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. "He knows how to deal with those things." Nagl continued. "The challenges he's going to confront are moral, dealing with an administration that has not always been clear in its support for American values." Whatever his odds, McMaster took the job not simply because his commander-in-chief could order him to do it. "Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it," he once said. "Those who ignore them are doomed to watch." (Reporting by John Walcott and Yeganeh Torbati; Editing by Warren Strobel and Jonathan Oatis)
When President Trump picks up his copy of the New York Times on Tuesday morning, hell see something he likes for a change: a photo of himself smiling and shaking hands with his new national security adviser, H.R. McMaster, a pick that has been widely praised.

Below the image, though, Trump will see a story that has continued to dog him for the last three days: the fallout over the presidents suggestion during his campaign-style rally in Florida on Saturday that a terror attack had occurred in Sweden the night before.

You look at whats happening last night in Sweden, Trump told his supporters on Saturday night. Sweden, who would believe this?

No one, it seems.

Trumps remarks drew an immediate backlash, with mystified Swedes, like former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt, wondering what Trump had been smoking.

My statement as to what's happening in Sweden was in reference to a story that was broadcast on @FoxNews concerning immigrants & Sweden.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 19, 2017

On Sunday, Trump explained on Twitter that on Friday night he had been watching a Fox News segment with a documentary filmmaker who claims the Swedish government is covering up a violent crisis stemming from the countrys acceptance of Muslim immigrants. Swedish officials called the report false.

At a news conference Monday, Swedens current prime minister, Stefan Lofven, said, We must all take responsibility for using facts correctly and for verifying anything we spread.

TV Blares, Trump Repeats And Sweden Gasps, reads the headline on Tuesdays front page of the Times.

The front page of Tuesdays New York Times. (NYT)

Just like that, without white papers, intelligence reports, an interagency meeting or, presumably, the advice of his secretary of state, the Times noted, the president started a dispute with a longtime American friend that resented his characterization and called it false.

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We are used to seeing the president of the U.S. as one of the most well-informed persons in the world, also well aware of the importance of what he says, Bildt told the newspaper. And then, suddenly, we see him engaging in misinformation and slander against a truly friendly country, obviously relying on sources of a quality that at best could be described as dubious.

Trump asked people to "look at whats happening  in Sweden." Heres whats happening there. https://t.co/LxhE34Fu1D  Washington Post (@washingtonpost) February 20, 2017

Hey Don, this is @Sweden speaking! It's nice of you to care, really, but don't fall for the hype. Facts: We're ok! https://t.co/Vux6IjzOjO https://t.co/rEmO83DN1B  @sweden / Max (@sweden) February 20, 2017

The countrys official Twitter account, which is operated by a different resident or Swedish citizen every week, has spent the last two days debunking Trumps claims about crime.

Related: Meet the 22-year-old fighting Trumps terror talk about Sweden

On Monday, a defiant Trump blasted the media for critical reports on his comments.

Give the public a break, he tweeted. The FAKE NEWS media is trying to say that large scale immigration in Sweden is working out just beautifully. NOT!

Give the public a break  The FAKE NEWS media is trying to say that large scale immigration in Sweden is working out just beautifully. NOT!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 20, 2017

Meanwhile, a pair of American late night hosts had a field day with Trumps gaffe on Monday night.

Stephen Colbert used his Late Show monologue on CBS with a star-studded montage honoring the victims of the nonexistent terror attack in Sweden. Their message: Never Fjorget.

Just because this attack didnt happen, folks, doesnt mean we dont stand in solidarity with all the people who did not suffer, Colbert explained.

While Sweden has taken in tens of thousands of refugees, he noted, Swedens crime rates there have actually fallen since 2005.

In fact, experts say 90 percent of Swedish crime actually occurs in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Colbert deadpanned.

On NBCs Late Night With Seth Meyers, the host devoted part of his 10-minute A Closer Look segment to the fiasco.

So Trump literally saw something on Fox News and confused it for reality, Meyers said. Next thing you know, hes gonna lament the terrible treatment of people with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.

The former Saturday Night Live star then pointed to a live CNN report from Stockholm citing the widespread mockery of Trumps comments in Sweden itself.

Thats how bad things have gotten under Trump; were getting roasted by Swedes now, Meyers added. The Swedish Chef is like, Dude, even I dont understand a word youre saying.

More from Yahoo News:
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is leaving nothing to chance.

Launching his campaign on Feb. 17 to expand the power of his office via a constitutional referendum, the President came out with rhetorical guns blazing. He likened the opponents of the proposed amendments to those who plotted the bloody July 2016 coup attempt that failed to dislodge him from power. He compared potential no voters to terrorists.

The presidents public bombast belies the fact that with less than two months to go before the April 16 vote, public support for the proposed constitutional revision is lukewarm at best. Even in a country where the pro-government faction dominates the media and authorities jail some political opponents, Erdogans victory in the referendum does not look assured. A poll released on Feb. 14 showed the no votes beating the yes votes 47.5 to 43.9 percent, with 10 percent still undecided.

The extent of opposition sets up a campaign with the highest of stakes. If the constitutional amendments pass, Erdogan stands to fortify his grasp on power. If the proposal loses, it would deal an embarrassing defeat to Erdogan, opening a new chapter of political uncertainty for the country.

Theres little question the constitutional overhaul would, if approved, hand enormous new responsibilities to Erdogan. The changes would eliminate the office of prime minister, grant the president the authority to appoint and sack ministers, limit parliaments ability to challenge the executive, and permit the president to formally lead a political party.

Erdogan and his faction argue the changes would bring much-needed political stability to shore up the state in the face of terrorist attacks and swirling regional volatility. Opponents say the changes would fatally undermine Turkeys already beleaguered democracy, opening an era of autocracy.

Perhaps most worrying for Erdogan and his supporters, the presidents own Justice and Development Party (known by the Turkish acronym AKP) appears to be increasingly divided over the reforms. In one public opinion poll, 35 percent of AKP members said they would not vote yes. Even Turkeys former prime minister under Erdogan, Ahmet Davutoglu, said publicly in January that he had concerns about the planned constitutional overhaul.

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Some are confused why the changes are needed, when Erdogan already enjoys sweeping power. In the wake of the failed and deadly coup attempt in July 2016, Erdogans government suspended or detained tens of thousands of civil servants and military officials. Dozens of news organizations were closed. At least 12 opposition members of parliament have been detained. With these kinds of powers already in his possession, why transform the constitution?

They have failed to explain to their own people what it actually means to change the constitution and go for a presidential system. Not everyone understands what Erdogan is trying to do, says Burak Kadercan, an expert on Turkish politics at the U.S. Naval War College.

But privately, some members are expressing concerns about the potential for a massive centralization of power in the hands of the executive. Obviously it is not a democratic move, and so there is this kind of uneasiness on the part of the [AKP] people, Etyen Mahcupyan, a prominent journalist and former advisor to Davutoglu, tells TIME. Its like the pot boiling.

The opposition within the ruling party remains a silent movement. Aside from Davutoglus gentle statement of misgivings, no major AKP figures have come forward to oppose the president. The former prime minister himself felt compelled to resign in May 2016, in a move that analysts said was prompted in part by his failure to lend full-throated support for Erdogans proposed constitutional changes.

No one is in a position to come forward and challenge Tayyip Erdogan. So thats the situation: there is discontent. There is this energy of a kind of opposition, but it is not said out loud very much, adds Mahcupyan, in a phone interview.

Thats not a big surprise given how Erdogan has sidelined his rivals. The no campaign has been demonized and most of the media fear reprisals if they challenge the president. In addition, the left-wing, pro-Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party (HDP) is reeling following the arrest of dozens of its top leaders, including members of parliament. The clampdown on the party could depress turnout among minority Kurdish voters, a majority of whom are believed to oppose the constitutional changes.

Its going to be tough. We are not well organized now because of all this pressure, but we know that there is a deep dissatisfaction against Erdogan, particularly as the economic crisis is deepening. There is definitely a chance. So, it is not a done deal for President Erdogan, says Hisyar Ozsoy, a lawmaker affiliated with the opposition HDP.

In the weeks leading up to the referendum, Erdogan is expected to campaign heavily for a yes vote, traveling the country in a campaign stressing the themes of security and stability. The president remains a popular, if polarizing figure, and he could yet translate his charisma into a win in the referendum.

Increasingly, the vote seems less about changes to the constitution, and more on the president himself. He has a lot of stake in this, says Kadercan. He personalized this by putting himself back into the field, and putting his name behind yes.
ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Forty-four Islamic State militants were killed by Turkey-backed operations around the Syrian town of al-Bab and in U.S.-led coalition air strikes on Monday, the Turkish military said on Tuesday. One Turkish soldier was killed and two were wounded during work to clear landmines and explosives in the area, the army said, reiterating that it had largely established control in the residential areas of al-Bab. The Islamic State stronghold, 30 km (20 miles) from the Turkish border, has been a prime target since Turkey launched an incursion with Syrian rebels last August to push the jihadists from its frontier and prevent gains by a Kurdish militia. Turkey's army said 15 of the jihadists were killed in clashes, artillery fire and air strikes during operations in al-Bab, while the remaining 29 were killed and four buildings were destroyed in the coalition air strikes. (Reporting by Orhan Coskun; Writing by Daren Butler; Editing by David Dolan)
By Tom Polansek CHICAGO (Reuters) - Tyson Foods Inc in June will switch its retail line of company-branded chicken products to birds raised without any antibiotics, a top executive said on Tuesday, accelerating the meat sector's shift away from the drugs. The change will make Tyson, which is the largest U.S. chicken processor, into the world's leading producer of chicken raised without antibiotics, said Sally Grimes, the company's president of North American retail, on a webcast of an industry conference. It challenges other chicken companies, such as privately held Perdue Farms, that compete for sales to consumers concerned about the use of antibiotics in meat production. In October, Perdue said it had become the first major poultry company to eliminate the routine use of all antibiotics. "We think that we can be very competitive in that space in the next 12 months," said Noel White, Tyson's chief operations officer, on the webcast. Scientists have warned that the routine use of antibiotics to promote growth and prevent illness in healthy farm animals has contributed to rising numbers of dangerous human infections from antibiotic-resistant bacteria dubbed "superbugs." The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that at least 2 million people in the United States are infected with drug-resistant bacteria each year and that 23,000 die as a direct result. Tyson previously said it would remove antibiotics that are important to human medicine from its chicken production by autumn 2017. It announced the latest change as new Chief Executive Tom Hayes is finding his footing after taking over for Donnie Smith on Dec. 31. (Reporting by Tom Polansek; Editing by David Gregorio)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will visit Mexico this week along with the Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly to discuss issues including border security with the southern neighbor amid frayed relations under new U.S. President Donald Trump.

Tillerson and Kelly will meet with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto and other top Mexican officials during the two-day visit on Wednesday and Thursday, the State Department said in a statement.

They will discuss border security, law enforcement and trade, the State Department said.

The Feb. 22-23 visit comes amid tensions between the United States and Mexico since Trump took office on Jan. 20.

Trump has vowed to build a wall on the U.S. southern border, slap a hefty tax on Mexican-made goods entering the country and pull out of a trade deal with Mexico if he cannot renegotiate it to benefit the United States.

Pena Nieto canceled a planned January meeting of the two leaders in Washington after Trump said his counterpart should not attend if he was unwilling to pay for the wall.

Despite the tensions, senior Mexican and American military and interior officials spoke this month in a sign that communication remained open between the two countries.

(Reporting by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)
Author Shobhaa De on Tuesday tweeted an image of an overweight man in uniform and mocked Mumbai police's 'heavy' arrangements on the day of the BMC polls. City police denied that the man worked for them.

By Saurabh Vaktania: On a day when Mumbai went to the polls and recorded its highest voting percentage, author Shobhaa De tweeted an image of an overweight man in uniform and mocked the city police's 'heavy' arrangements.

When the targets of her pun found out what she'd done, they swiftly denied that the man in the photo worked for them, and said they "expected better" from De.

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Here's De's tweet.

Heavy police bandobast in Mumbai today! pic.twitter.com/sY0H3xzXl3 Shobhaa De (@DeShobhaa) February 21, 2017

And here's the message tweeted by the Mumbai Police, and pinned to De.

We love puns too Ms De but this one is totally imisplaced. Uniform/official not ours. We expect better from responsible citizens like you. https://t.co/OcKOoHO5bX Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) February 21, 2017

De posted her tweet after voting was in over in Mumbai. It has been re-tweeted over 150 times and received over 400 likes. Some marked the tweet to the Mumbai Police, who took it seriously and responded promptly.

Mumbai police sources said the photograph De posted was giving the department a very bad name, and that it was a question of its image. That's why the reply was so speedy.

NO OFFENSE INTENDED

Since the tide turned against Shobhaa she replied to the accusations. In her tweet she said that she did not intend to offend the police force. In fact, she said that if the image belonged to Madhya Pradesh Police then they should consult a dietician.

Mumbai/Maharashtra Police, pranaam. No offence intended. M.P. police, consult a dietician,if it's an asli ,undoctored image doing the rounds Shobhaa De (@DeShobhaa) February 22, 2017

Now we will have to wait and watch if MP police gives reply to De if it is not them in the image.

ALSO READ: Who will rule Mumbai? BJP catches up with Shiv Sena on BMC turf, says exit poll

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By Timothy Gardner WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The new head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said on Tuesday that America need not choose between jobs and the environment, in a nod to the energy industry, as the White House prepares executive orders that could come as soon as this week to roll back Obama-era regulation. "I believe that we as an agency, and we as a nation, can be both pro-energy and jobs, and pro-environment," Scott Pruitt said in his first address to staff. "We don't have to choose between the two." Critics of the agency have complained that regulations ushered in by former Democratic President Barack Obama have killed thousands of energy jobs by restricting carbon emissions and limiting areas open to coal mining and oil drilling. Democrats, environmental advocates and many of the EPA's current and former staff worry President Donald Trump's appointment of Pruitt signals a reversal in America's progress towards cleaner air and water and fighting global climate change. Both Trump and Pruitt have expressed doubts about climate change, and Trump vowed during his 2016 presidential campaign to pull the United States out of a global pact to fight it. The Republican president has promised to slash environmental rules to help the drilling and mining industries, but without hurting air and water quality. Pruitt sued the agency he now leads more than a dozen times while attorney general of Oklahoma to stop federal rules. He did not mention climate change in his 12-minute speech at the EPA's headquarters in Washington. He struck a conciliatory tone in the address, saying he would "listen, learn and lead" and that he valued the contributions of career staff. Trump is expected to sign executive orders aimed at reshaping environmental policy as early as this week. Those orders would lift a ban on coal mining leases on federal lands and ease greenhouse gas emissions curbs on electric utilities, according to a report by the Washington Post. They would also require changes to Obama's Waters of the United States rule that details which waterways fall under federal protection, the report said. The White House did not immediately reply to a request for comment on the Washington Post story. ENERGY TIES Pruitt was confirmed by the U.S. Senate last week after contentious hearings that focussed on his record as the top prosecutor of the oil- and gas-producing state of Oklahoma. Democrats had sought to delay Pruitt's confirmation over questions about his ties to the oil industry. Some 800 former EPA staff also signed a letter urging senators to reject him, and about 30 current EPA staff joined a protest set up in Chicago by the Sierra Club environmental group. In Oklahoma, a state judge ruled last week that Pruitt would have to turn over emails between his office and energy companies by Tuesday after a watchdog group, the Center for Media and Democracy, sued for their release. The judge will review and perhaps hold back some of the emails before releasing them, a court clerk said. Nicole Cantello, a representative of the union that represents EPA workers, said that despite Pruitt's record, she was hoping for the best. "One would hope that the administrator would learn about what we do and would then not treat as lightly the EPA's mission and accomplishments, and what it is required to do under the statutes," she said. The American Petroleum Institute, an industry group, said it looked forward to working with Pruitt, the administration and Congress "on policies that will keep energy affordable, create jobs, and strengthen our economy." (Reporting by Timothy Gardner; Writing by Richard Valdmanis; Editing by Alistair Bell and Peter Cooney)
The Supreme Court hears arguments on Tuesday in a dispute over a Mexican familys ability to sue a U.S. Border Patrol officer who killed their son in a cross-border incident. Both governments filed briefs in the case, on opposite sides of the dispute.

Sergio Adrian Hernandez Guereca, 15, died in 2010 as he stood on Mexican soil by a border officer who fired his gun while on United States soil in Texas. The agent claimed Hernandez and others were throwing rocks at him as he was attempting to detain an illegal immigration suspect; the family says Hernandez was playing a game with his friends at the border location between El Paso and Juarez.

Hernandezs family sued the agent for damages, but in 2015 the Fifth Circuit Appeals Court said the family had no standing to sue because the teen was a Mexican citizen and not protected by the Fifth Amendment under its Due Process clause or by the Fourth Amendment. The full appeals court had unanimously ruled in favor of the agent.

The Supreme Court took the appeal in October 2016 and it also added a question about determining if the parents had a constitutional right to sue a Border Patrol officer.

The controversy will likely get its share of new attention because of the political situation involving the new Trump administration in Washington and its stance on immigration and Mexico.

However, the federal government brief in this case was filed by the Obama administration and it supports Jesus Mesa, Jr., the border agent. Among the arguments made by the Justice Department was that courts werent the proper location to settle a dispute that could involve foreign policy considerations, and that allowing such lawsuits would allow U.S. military and intelligence agencies to be sued for injuries incurred abroad.

The government of Mexicos brief argues that Mexico has a responsibility to maintain control over its territory and to look after the well-being of its nationals. It is a priority for Mexico to see that the United States has provided adequate means to hold the agents accountable and to compensate the victims.

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In 2015, Constitution Daily Supreme Court correspondent Lyle Denniston explained to our readers the core constitutional issue in this case.

Overseas, or offshore, application of the rights spelled out in the Constitution was dealt a major setback in 1990, when the Supreme Court ruled that a Mexican national who was being held prisoner inside the United States had no Fourth Amendment right to challenge a search of his home in Mexico by a joint investigative team from the two countries, Denniston said, referring to a case called United States v. Verdugo-Urquidez.

Even a quarter-century later, however, just what that decision actually means about extraterritorial reach for the Constitution remains a matter of considerable debate. The main opinion said that constitutional rights do not apply outside the country to an individual who had no voluntary links to the United States. But Justice Anthony M. Kennedy supplied a necessary fifth vote to make a majority in that case, and his separate opinion suggested that he thought that the specific context of each case might actually make the difference in the analysis.

Then, Justice Kennedy wrote a major opinion for the Court in Boumediene v. Bush in 2008 extending the constitutional right of habeas corpus to the foreign nationals that the U.S. was then holding (and scores of whom it still holds) at the military prison at Guantanamo Bay.

That opinion, if understood to apply beyond the specific factual situation of the detainees at Guantanamo, would appear to stand for the proposition that the extraterritorial application of the Constitutions guarantee of rights depends upon objective factors and practical concerns (as Kennedy put it in the opinion), rather than the nearly categorical approach of the Verdugo-Urquidez decision in 1990, Denniston explained.

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By Andrew Chung (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday turned away an appeal by Boston Scientific Corp of a Maryland state court jury verdict ordering the medical device company to pay $308 million to a patent licensor for breach of contract concerning implantable cardiac devices. Boston Scientific had asked the justices to hear its appeal in the dispute over its licenses to patented technology on the implantable devices owned by Mirowski Family Ventures, arguing the Maryland court made mistakes applying patent law, a job typically reserved for federal courts. In its lawsuit, Maryland-based Mirowski claimed Massachusetts-based Boston Scientific did not pay all the royalties it owed after acquiring Guidant Corp, which had licensed the patents, and then settling patent infringement litigation involving Guidant. The patents related to devices that can correct irregular heart rhythms, preventing cardiac arrest. In 2014, a state jury awarded Mirowski about $308 million in royalties and damages for breaching a license agreement. The Maryland Court of Appeals refused to hear the appeal last July. Boston Scientific said the judge in the Maryland Circuit Court violated federal precedents by refusing to interpret the meaning of one of the patents, saying the task made him feel "queasy." The case illustrates the hazards of relegating highly technical and complex issues of patent law to state courts, Boston Scientific said. Mirowski had urged the Supreme Court not to hear the appeal, arguing the state court judge merely adopted the meaning of the patent made by a federal judge in a previous case. (Reporting by Andrew Chung in New York; Editing by Will Dunham)
Uber has hired former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to conduct a review of sexual harassment claims at the ride-hailing service made by a former employee.

Holder and Tammy Albarran, who are partners at the law firm Covington & Burling, will look into the complaints about a manager at Uber, as well as general questions about diversity and inclusion, Chief Executive Travis Kalanick told his employees in a memo on Monday that was seen by Reuters.

Last year, Airbnb hired Holder, who served under former President Barack Obama, to help craft a policy to combat discrimination occurring through the online lodging services platform.

Arianna Huffington, who joined Ubers board last year, Liane Hornsey, Ubers chief human resources officer, and Angela Padilla, the companys associate general counsel, will also help conduct the review, Kalanick said in the memo.

Read More: UN Labor Chief Guy Ryder Says the Uberification of Work Has Begun

Huffington, Kalanick and Hornsey will meet on Tuesday, the memo said.

Susan Fowler, the former Uber employee who complained of being the target of sexual harassment by her manager, wrote in a blog post on Sunday that when she reported the offense to human resources officials and management, they declined to punish the alleged offender because he was a high performer and that this was his first offense.

Fowler also said, after speaking with other female employees, she realized that both HR and management had been lying about this being the managers first offense.

In a statement sent to Reuters on Sunday, Kalanick called Fowlers allegations abhorrent and against everything Uber stands for and believes in.

Fowlers tale prompted a backlash, including calls for a revival of the #DeleteUber movement. Some protesters urged a boycott of the ride service over allegations it sought to profit from the chaos at New Yorks John F. Kennedy Airport last month, after President Donald Trumps executive order barring entry to people from seven Muslim majority countries.

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Many women working in Silicon Valley, particularly in highly technical roles, say they have experienced misogyny and harassment in the male-dominated field. Technology companies are under mounting pressure to make their workforces more diverse by hiring more women, blacks and Latinos  but progress has been slow.

There have been many questions about the gender diversity of Ubers technology teams, Kalanick said. Uber will publish a broader diversity report for the company in the coming months, he said.

I believe in creating a workplace where a deep sense of justice underpins everything we do, Kalanick said. Every Uber employee should be proud of the culture we have and what we will build together over time.
San Francisco (AFP) - Uber has hired former attorney general Eric Holder to review workplace conditions after a ex-employee alleged sexual harassment and sexism at the firm.

Susan Fowler, an engineer who worked at the rideshare company until the end of last year, said in a blog post Sunday that her manager made sexual advances shortly after she joined the company at the end of 2015.

She said she complained to more senior managers and the company's human resources department, but was told that it was the man's "first offense" and that they wouldn't feel comfortable punishing a "high performer."

Uber CEO Travis Kalanick said in an email to staff Monday that Holder and another attorney at the firm Covington & Burling "will conduct an independent review into the specific issues relating to the workplace environment raised by Susan Fowler, as well as diversity and inclusion at Uber more broadly."

The case is likely to revive debates over sexism in male-dominated Silicon Valley.

Holder was former US president Barack Obama's attorney general between 2009 and 2015.

The lawyers will be aided by journalist Arianna Huffington, who is a member of the Uber board, the CEO said.

Fowler said she was given the choice of joining another team, or staying in her position with the possibility of receiving a poor performance review from her manager.

Fowler said she met other women engineers at the company who said they had experienced similar harassment, including alleged inappropriate behavior from her previous manager.

After lodging various complaints, Fowler said she was told by her manager that she was "on thin ice" for reporting the boss to human resources.

In 2015, a California jury rejected charges of gender discrimination against a prominent venture capital firm in a case seen as a proxy trial of Silicon Valley sex bias.

Ellen Pao had sued Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers (KPCB), saying she was fired after complaining about bias at the firm that notably backed Amazon, Facebook and Google.
London (AFP) - Britain announced new powers Tuesday to freeze the assets of foreign officials who abuse anti-corruption and human rights activists, following a campaign in memory of late Russian lawyer Sergei Magnitsky.

"This measure would send a clear statement that the UK will not stand by and allow those who have committed gross abuse or violations around the world to launder their money here," security minister Ben Wallace told the House of Commons.

The announcement follows a campaign led by William Browder, a former Moscow financier turned anti-Kremlin campaigner for whom Magnitsky worked when he revealed a massive fraud by state officials.

Shortly afterwards Magnitsky himself was charged with tax evasion, and after 11 months in squalid prisons, he died in detention on November 16, 2009.

Browder said the new proposals were a "huge triumph" that would "cause perceptible fear for kleptocrats in Russia and other authoritarian regimes".

"They all have expensive properties in London and think they are untouchable," he said in a statement.

Under a law passed in 2002, British judges already have the power to order the seizure of property and bank accounts that have been obtained unlawfully.

The definition of what is unlawful behaviour will now be extended to the torture or abuse by public officials of those seeking to expose official corruption or champion human rights.

The measure is expected to pass easily into law after the opposition Labour party offered its support.

However, ministers rejected alternative proposals, backed by dozens of MPs from across the political divide, to allow individuals to ask the High Court to make an asset-freezing order.

Wallace said this would "open up a whole can of worms".
Vienna (AFP) - Austria arrested one of Ukraine's richest men, a fresh twist for the one-time ally of ousted pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych.

Gas magnate Dmytro Firtash was taken into custody over alleged links to organised crime in Spain, moments after a Vienna court ruled he could be extradited to the US on corruption charges.

Firtash, 51, made money through connections with Russian gas giant Gazprom, and was at one time linked to a former campaign aide of US President Donald Trump.

He is wanted in the US over charges that he and five others paid $18.5 million in bribes to officials in India to secure titanium mining licences in 2006.

The United States argues it has jursidiction because the conspiracy involved using US financial institutions, travel to and from the US, and use of US-based communications -- computers, telephones, and the internet.

Firtash was arrested in Vienna in March 2014, but released on a record Austrian bail of 125 million euros ($130 million).

He has denied all charges and maintained he was the victim of a smear campaign.

His legal team argued that he was caught up in a larger battle over the future of Ukraine, where the government has been engaged in bloody fighting with Russian-backed separatists in the east since 2014.

Authorities in Barcelona issued a European arrest warrant in November 2016, with media reports saying Firtash was accused of belonging to a criminal organisation which had laundered 10 million euros ($10.5 million) in Spain.

But when the warrant was issued, the tycoon was already under house arrest in Austria over the US allegations.

A lower court in Vienna sided with the tycoon in April 2015 and rejected the US request.

But the appeals court said Tuesday the US had provided "sufficient" proof that Firtash "may have committed the crimes he is accused of".

The prosecutor's office refused to comment on the Spanish case or how Firtash's arrest would affect the extradition ruling.

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Austria's Justice Minister Wolfgang Brandstetter told broadcaster ORF the extradition would not be implemented until a court had reviewed the Spanish case.

- Vladimir Putin -

Firtash owns Group DF, a business empire involved in energy, chemicals, media, banking and property in Ukraine and other countries including Germany, Italy and Austria.

He made his fortune importing gas to Ukraine from Russia and Central Asia via his group Rosukrenergo, since disbanded, in collaboration with Russian gas giant Gazprom.

Having backed the 2010 election campaign of Yanukovych, Firtash was able to expand his business interests, acquiring chemicals and fertiliser factories as well as TV channel Inter.

The Russian-backed Yanukovych was ousted in protests in February 2014, and Firtash's arrest in Austria came soon afterwards, although officials deny any link.

Observers say US authorities want to detain Firtash because he holds information on close allies of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"The case against Firtash in the United States will not be limited only to the bribery allegations in India," said Ukrainian MP Sergiy Leshchenko, a former journalist who has investigated Firtash's case.

"He is very valuable not only as a defendant but as witness too."

Although Tuesday's ruling cannot be appealed, the final extradition decision lies with the justice minister.

Firtash's lawyer slammed Tuesday's extradition ruling, saying "appropriate steps" would be taken to overturn it.

"Mr Firtash categorically rejects all allegations and maintains that this all relates to US political persecution," said Dieter Bohmdorfer in a statement. "We remain confident that Mr. Firtashs innocence will be proven."
With lack of education, poor health facilities, no cremation ground, and only two shrines to pray in, Sikhs in a Pakistan province are going through tough times.

By India Today Web Desk: About 10,000 members of the Sikh community in Pakistan's Kyber Pakhtunkhwa province are having a tough time. Good education is missing and poor health facilities are provided, a Sikh leader said in remarks published on Tuesday.

Earlier, the region used to brim with gurdwaras, but that's a story before the 1947 partition. Sikhs in Peshawar now use only two shrines, the Pakistan Today reported.

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"Plazas have been constructed in place of some gurdwaras. The ones not sold have been taken over by land grabbing mafia," alleged Pakistan Sikh leader Radesh Singh Tony.

"The community does not have a cremation ground," he added. When a Sikh dies, he is taken to another district to be cremated.

Members of the Sikh community have also pulled their children out of schools due to safety concerns.

"We are renting property to create makeshift schools. It is difficult to bear the expenses. We request the government to provide us a building and funds for education," said school headmaster Baba Jugerpaal Singh.

Despite the miserable conditions, the community hopes its issues will be resolved by the government.

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PARIS (AP)  Child soldiers, underage sex slaves, orphaned adolescent refugees  France's president and UNICEF are urging the international community to do more to protect the more than 200 million children of today's conflict zones.

"The situation is as urgent as ever," French President Francois Hollande pleaded as he opened a conference in Paris on Tuesday with representatives from 80 countries, decrying "the nightmare that killed these children's innocence."

Organizers want coordinated efforts to liberate and re-integrate thousands of child soldiers from Sudan to Somalia, and thousands of girls forced into wedlock by militants from Nigeria to Afghanistan.

"Those who harm these children are harming what is most sacred to humankind," Hollande said. "Killing and brutalizing children is negating civilization."

The conference is also pushing for tougher prosecution of abusers, and protection for hospitals and schools targeted in war zones, such as in Syrian government airstrikes on Aleppo recently.

While 105 countries have signed onto promises made 10 years ago to protect conflict children, problems persist and the conference is aiming at enlisting more governments in the effort.

"Children do not belong on the battlefield. They belong in school. They belong in safe places where they are loved and protected from the battles that they had no hand in creating," U.N. Children's Fund director Anthony Lake told the conference.

Hollande also called on Britain to take in more unaccompanied child refugees currently in France.

"I call on the United Kingdom to shoulder its responsibilities concerning adolescents today in France currently who have families across the Channel. We have made efforts to shelter and welcome them. They want to go to the UK. We have agreements with our friend and neighbor country and these agreements by our friend and neighbor must be fully respected."

Hundreds of unaccompanied teens and younger children were among thousands of migrants who converged on a filthy camp in Calais last year before it was dismantled in October. The children were taken to migrant centers around France pending British decisions on whether to accept them.
By Luciana Lopez (Reuters) - Package delivery company United Parcel Service Inc said on Tuesday it will consider raising prices across the board in coming years to offset pressure on margins, particularly from the rising costs of delivering packages to e-commerce customers. "We... always have to be diligent about getting the right return," particularly as costs rise, Richard Peretz, the company's chief financial officer, said at an investor event. His comments came a day after the company tested home delivery by drone in Lithia, Florida, the first step in what it hopes will be more automated - and cheaper - deliveries in rural areas. UPS is grappling with lower margins for e-commerce, which have dented earnings. Businesses typically get more packages per stop than residences, making delivery to individual homes more expensive. Drones could be one way to reduce those costs. In Monday's test, a drone launched from the roof of a UPS vehicle flew autonomously toward its destination, dropped a package and then returned to the vehicle as the driver continued on a delivery route. "We see this as an exploration into this new technology," John Dodero, vice president of industrial engineering at UPS, said ahead of the test. The company is also considering how changes in global trade, particularly with Mexico, will impact its business as U.S. President Donald Trump vows to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which took effect in 1994. The U.S.-Mexico supply chain is "critical," said David Abney, the company's chief executive. NAFTA "is a little bit old. It's not reflective of 21st century agreements," he said. But Abney added that the company believes "global trade certainly drives jobs, and we think that southern border is very important to our customers and to the country." UPS has tested drones before and is considering other uses for the technology, such as in inventory control and helping inspect planes and vehicles within hangars and warehouses. But UPS has no timeline for when drones might be put into wider use, Dodero said, partly because federal authorities are still developing regulations on how to use the technology. The company also said it will expand U.S. pickup and delivery to six days for ground shipments and offer Saturday delivery in the largest metropolitan areas. UPS sees revenue growth of 4 percent to 6 percent over 2018 and 2019, Peretz said, with adjusted diluted earnings per share up 5 percent to 10 percent. It is planning $1 billion to $1.8 billion in annual share repurchases over the same time. (Reporting by Luciana Lopez; Editing by Alan Crosby and Dan Grebler)
WASHINGTON (AP)  The Trump administration is greatly expanding the number of people living in the U.S. illegally who are considered a priority for deportation, including people arrested for traffic violations, according to agency documents released Tuesday.

The documents represent a sweeping rewrite of the nation's immigration enforcement priorities.

The Homeland Security Department memos, signed by Secretary John Kelly, lay out that any immigrant living in the United States illegally who has been charged or convicted of any crime  and even those suspected of a crime  will now be an enforcement priority. That could include people arrested for shop lifting or minor traffic offenses.

The memos eliminate far more narrow guidance issued under the Obama administration that focused resources strictly on immigrants who had been convicted of serious crimes, threats to national security and recent border crossers.

Kelly's memo also describes plans to enforce a long-standing but obscure provision of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act that allows the government to send some people caught illegally crossing the Mexican border back to Mexico, regardless of where they are from. One of the memos says that foreigners sent back to Mexico would wait for their U.S. deportation proceedings to be complete. This would be used for people who aren't considered a threat to cross the border illegally again, the memo said.

It's unclear whether the United States has the authority to force Mexico to accept foreigners. That provision is almost certain to face opposition from civil libertarians and officials in Mexico.

For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available now on iOS and Android.

Historically, the government has been able to quickly repatriate Mexican nationals caught at the border but would detain and try to formally deport immigrants from other countries, routinely flying them to their home countries. In some cases, those deportations can take years as immigrants ask for asylum or otherwise fight their deportation in court.

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The memos do not change U.S. immigration laws, but take a far harder line toward enforcement.

The pair of directives do not have any impact on President Barack Obama's program that has protected more than 750,000 young immigrants from deportation. The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals remains in place though immigrants in the program will be still be eligible for deportation if they commit a crime or otherwise are deemed to be a threat to public safety or national security, according to the department.

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Follow Alicia A. Caldwell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/acaldwellap
Washington (AFP) - The Trump administration issued tough new orders for a sweeping crackdown on illegal immigrants, putting nearly all of the country's 11 million undocumented foreigners in its crosshairs.

The orders sent shivers through US immigrant communities, where millions of people who have spent years building families and livelihoods in the country, most of them from Mexico and Central America, were seriously threatened with deportation for the first time in decades.

Rights groups labeled the move a "witch hunt," warning that mass deportations would damage families with deep roots in the United States and hurt the economy.

But John Kelly, the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) who issued the new orders in two memos, said they were necessary to address a problem that has "overwhelmed" government resources.

"The surge of illegal immigration at the southern border has overwhelmed federal agencies and resources and has created a significant national security vulnerability to the United States," he said in one of the memos.

Senator Ben Cardin, the top Democrat of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, warned the new guidelines will "harm national security and public safety."

New York Mayor Bill De Blasio said he refused to turn the city's police officers into immigration agents or its jails into "holding pens for deportation policy that will only undermine the inclusiveness that has helped make New York city the safest big city in the nation."

- Expedited deportations -

The new rules make it easier for border patrol and immigration officers to quickly deport any illegal immigrants they find, with only a few exceptions, principally children.

The priority will remain undocumented immigrants convicted of crimes, as well as anyone who has been charged or potentially faces criminal charges.

However, people deemed as low priority for deportation by the previous administration of Barack Obama -- generally anyone not tied to a crime -- are no longer protected.

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"With extremely limited exceptions, DHS will not exempt classes or categories of removal aliens from potential enforcement," the memos said.

"All of those in violation of the immigration laws may be subject to enforcement proceedings, up to and including removal from the United States."

The memos followed up on President Donald Trump's order, issued just after his January 20 inauguration, for authorities to crack down on illegal immigration by tightening enforcement and building a wall along the nearly 2,000-mile (3,145-kilometer) US-Mexico frontier.

In the memos, Kelly ordered immediate action to begin planning the wall. He also ordered the hiring of 15,000 more officers for the Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agencies.

The move comes ahead of meetings this week between Kelly and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto in Mexico, in which illegal immigration and border security will be key topics.

- Sharp policy shift -

The turn in policy follows years in which the Obama and George W. Bush administrations, sought to find a way with Congress to allow most of the long-term illegal immigrants to stay in the country.

But Trump campaigned for the White House on a promise to crack down on what he characterized as a source of widespread crime and a drag on the economy.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer said Trump "wanted to take the shackles off" officials enforcing the laws.

DHS said there are more than 534,000 pending immigration cases in the courts nationwide, and that agents have apprehended more than 93,000 people trying to sneak into the country in October and November alone.

That work "has significantly strained DHS resources," it said.

While Spicer said the policy could evolve beyond the DHS memos, there was no indication of what form those changes could take.

- 'Mass deportation policy' -

Pro-immigrant groups, already nervous after hundreds were arrested in a series of ICE raids on immigrant "sanctuary cities" two weeks ago, expressed shock and outrage.

At the Statue of Liberty in New York a banner reading "refugees welcome" was unfurled.

"Secretary Kelly has unleashed an unprecedented witch hunt on millions of immigrant families," said Angelica Salas, executive director for the Los Angeles-based Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights.

"These guidelines represent an unlawful, expedited process, a dragnet, to remove undocumented immigrants living and working in the US. This is a dastardly approach to a very human issue."

Omar Jadwat, director of the Immigrants' Rights Project at the American Civil Liberties Union, predicted strong legal challenges to the new policy.

"These memos confirm that the Trump administration is willing to trample on due process, human decency, the wellbeing of our communities and even protections for vulnerable children, in pursuit of a hyper-aggressive mass deportation policy," he said.
Washington (AFP) - US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Tuesday called on the International Monetary Fund to provide "candid analysis" of exchange-rate policies in member countries.

Mnuchin spoke by phone with IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde in what was among the first contacts between the fund and the administration of President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly accused countries like China of using trade and currency policies to cheat its trading partners.

Trump also threatened during the election campaign to slap tariffs on imports from China and declare the country currency manipulator, which would set in motion a process that could allow the United States to take retaliatory action.

Mnuchin in his conversation with Lagarde "underscored his expectation that the IMF provide frank and candid analysis of the exchange-rate policies of IMF member countries," according to a Treasury readout of the call.

The IMF does monitor currencies and other economic policies in the 189 member countries, and its rules dictate members must "avoid manipulating exchange rates... to gain an unfair competitive advantage over other members."

However, in practice the fund can only exert real pressure to change policies on those countries that have IMF loan programs in place.

Despite the Trump administration's focus on China, charging it with keeping the renminbi artificially low to make its exports more competitive -- a charge many economists agreed with up until a few years ago -- Beijing in recent years has instead been working to keep the currency's exchange rate from falling too low.

In its last annual review of the Chinese economy, in August 2016, the IMF said the renminbi was "broadly in line with fundamentals." But in 2015 it had appreciated by 10 percent and was "moderately stronger" than the state of its economy would dictate, contradicting the Trump administration view of an artificially weak currency.

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In a reference to another key focus of the Trump administration -- trade deficits -- Mnuchin told Lagarde he "looked forward to robust IMF economic policy advice on its member countries and tackling global imbalances," given the importance Washington places on "boosting economic growth and jobs in the United States."

Asked to comment on the tone and content of the discussion with Mnuchin, IMF spokesman Gerry Rice said in a statement the conversation was "constructive" and covered "a wide range of issues of interest to our membership."

"We look forward to continuing our close and productive engagement with the US authorities."
More than 100 headstones were reportedly damaged or toppled in a historic Jewish cemetery in University City, Mo., on Monday, in what local media says was likely an act of vandalism carried out by an organized group.

According to Fox2 St. Louis, police will not say whether it is being pursued as a hate crime.

Its extraordinarily sad, I know people who are buried there, said Karen Aroesty, the regional director of the Anti-Defamation League, speaking to Fox2.

Enough already. This is where your loved ones come to be safe in perpetuity, and the level of tension in the Jewish community is pretty high.

The Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery was established in the St. Louis suburb of University City in 1893, and is a well-known and sacred memorial ground among the local Jewish population and other members of the community.

The incident follows a new round of bomb threats at Jewish community centers across the country. Its the fourth time this year that multiple Jewish institutions have received threats in tandem, causing alarm over what some say is a rise of anti-Semitism in the U.S.

The White House denounced the threats on Monday, CNN reported, citing deputy press secretary Lindsay Walters. She said: Hatred and hate-motivated violence of any kind have no place in a country founded on the promise of individual freedom. The President has made it abundantly clear that these actions are unacceptable.

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Trumps son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner is Jewish and his daughter Ivanka is a convert to Judaism. However, some Jewish community leaders have criticized the failure of President Donald Trump or his Administration to explicitly denounce anti-Semitism until now.

Racism and anti-Semitism have become more socially acceptable now, Rabbi Barry Leff of Birmingham, Ala., told the Israeli newspaper Haaretz.

When a Jewish reporter asked Trump last week about a perceived uptick in anti-Semitism, the President criticized the reporter for asking an unfair question.

At joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Feb. 15, Trump was asked a question about anti-Semitism but responded by talking about his electoral win.

The Administration was also strongly criticized in January because a White House statement on International Holocaust Remembrance Day conspicuously failed to mention Jews or anti-Semitism.
Vatican City (AFP) - The Vatican and Rome's Jewish community on Monday presented an ambitious exhibition on the menorah which will bring together 130 works featuring the iconic Jewish candelabrum, an ancient symbol of the faith.

The show on the seven-candle Hebrew lamp will run simultaneously from May 15 to July 23 at the Vatican museums and the synagogue complex in a city which once housed one of the oldest Jewish communities in the world.

The artifacts are being loaned by nearly 20 museums around the world, including London's National Gallery and the Louvre in Paris.

Among them will be one of the earliest known depictions of a menorah, an engraved stone found at the site in Israel where a synagogue from the Second Temple period was discovered by archaeologists in 2009.

Christian medieval candlesticks inspired by the menorah, as well as the works of contemporary artists, will also be on display.

But history's most precious menorah, made out of solid gold, will be missing.

The candlestick, depicted on the Arch of Titus in Rome, was one of the spoils brought back to the city by the Romans after they sacked the Temple in Jerusalem in 70 AD.

It was initially placed in the Temple of Peace but later disappeared, possibly looted by the Vandals in the sacking of Rome.

Rome's Rabbi Riccardo Di Segni said the unprecedented joint exhibition, more than three years in the making, showed the "evolution in the dialogue between Jews and Catholics".

"Times have changed, many positions have softened," he told AFP.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe on Tuesday vetoed a bill that would have blocked funding for Planned Parenthood, which provides abortions and other health services. The bill passed by the Republican-controlled legislature would have barred the state from providing funds to clinics that perform abortions not covered by Medicaid, the federal healthcare program for the poor. McAuliffe, a Democrat, said the measure would harm thousands of Virginians who relied on Planned Parenthood healthcare services and programs. He vetoed a similar measure last year. "Attempts to restrict womens access to health care will impede the goal of making Virginia the best place to live, work, and run a business," he said in a statement. Advocates for the law had said it would underpin organizations that provide the widest range of services. Planned Parenthood draws the ire of many Republicans because it provides abortions. Republican President Donald Trump has pledged to defund the organization. (Reporting by Ian Simpson; Editing by James Dalgleish)
In a letter to employees, Infosys chief executive Vishal Sikka lashed out at detractors for spreading "false and malicious" stories about the company and said they were "designed" to target him to the "point of harassment".

By Press Trust of India: Infosys chief Vishal Sikka has said "false and malicious" stories are being spread about the USD 200-million Panaya buyout to target him even as the tech major asserted that no one from the management team benefitted from the deal.

In a letter to employees, Infosys chief executive Vishal Sikka lashed out at detractors for spreading "false and malicious" stories about the company and said they were "designed" to target him to the "point of harassment".

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In a strongly-worded email to Infosys employees, Sikka said the reports questioning the company's acquisition of Panaya were "orchestrated by people who were hellbent on harming the reputation of the company and its employees".

WHAT THE INFOSYS STATEMENT SAID

In a late evening statement, Infosys said, "We categorically state that no member of the Infosys management team was involved in any prior investments in Panaya, and insinuations that anyone from the management team at Infosys benefitted from this acquisition are misleading and slanderous."

The IT giant added that it would investigate the charges made and "respond to all queries received either directly or from the regulatory authorities" as per its process.

Also read | Away from the noise, I'm trying to create a culture of innovation, says Infosys chief

In February 2015, Infosys had announced buying the Israeli automation technology company for USD 200 million or Rs 1,250 crore in cash.

A section of the media reported about a whistle-blower's letter to market regulator SEBI, alleging irregularities in the acquisition of Panaya.

SIKKA RUBBISHES CHARGES

Referring to the charges, Sikka said, "They create a false alternate-reality out of events and dates, with embellishments that are calculated to mislead and sensationalise".

He added that while these "distractions are expensive, draining and time-consuming", it is the Infosys' burden to ensure that the company's business continues "unflinchingly".

"We cannot let these stand unchallenged, and we will take every step and pursue every avenue to strongly defend the company in the face of these unfair and unwarranted attacks," the Infosys CEO said.

Also read | Vishal Sikka has the freedom to revive Infosys, says Ramesh S

Sikka is pitted against a clutch of co-founders led by N R Narayana Murthy voicing concerns over a spike in his remuneration and hefty severance packages for two former executives.

Stating that the company has "far bigger battles ahead", Sikka urged employees to "rise above the distractions, focus on what really matters, and deliver".

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"I am, as always, counting on your faith and unwavering attention to what really matters. Change is never easy, and change at the scale that we are undertaking may be unprecedented, and perhaps it is this change that has so inflamed some into trying to drag us all into the mud", he said.

Infosys said it had a strong, established internal process to evaluate acquisition targets and make investments.

--- ENDS ---
By Duncan Miriri NAIROBI (Reuters) - A Kenyan lawmaker proposed breaking up Safaricom, the country's biggest telecoms operator, on Tuesday because of its role in providing mobile financial services. Safaricom, which is 40 percent owned by Britain's Vodafone, not only has Kenya's biggest number of subscribers, it also dominates the country's thriving mobile-based financial services sector with its innovative M-Pesa platform. M-Pesa has been widely hailed as an example of a developing region successfully adapting a new technology ahead of others and then exporting the idea globally, and as a "good news" story for African business. Jakoyo Midiwo, the deputy minority leader in Kenya's national assembly, said he was proposing amendments to laws on banking and communications to force Safaricom to separate M-Pesa, which is regulated by the central bank, from telecoms. Such a move was necessary because Safaricom was offering banking services without the necessary licence, he added. M-Pesa, which allows users to send money and make payments even on the most basic phones, has allowed Safaricom to partner with leading banks in recent years, giving it access to the lucrative small loans and deposit-taking business. Vodafone says on its website that M-Pesa, which means "m-money" in Swahili, was launched in 2007 in Kenya, 2008 in Tanzania and is now present in 10 countries as the global brand for Vodafones Mobile Money service. Safaricom, which is Kenya's most profitable listed company and the biggest by market capitalisation, declined to comment. Smaller telecoms operators such as Bharti Airtel Kenya have complained of Safaricom's market dominance, with 90 percent of revenues in areas such as voice calls and text messages. "My intention is to break it into several companies," Midiwo told Reuters by phone on Tuesday. "I'm doing it through miscellaneous amendment today, this afternoon. I'm amending the banking act, I'm amending the communications act, I'm amending several acts." Midiwo's amendments would have to be cleared by parliament and then signed into law by the president. The passage of the amendments was not guaranteed, Midiwo said, but he pledged to re-introduce them if they fail on this occasion. "It would be wrong for parliament to sit back and just watch," Midiwo said, adding that it was the job of parliamentarians to make sure companies operate efficiently and benefit the local economy. Kenyan firms have expressed alarm over legislative initiatives that could hamper their operations after lawmakers capped commercial lending rates last August. (Editing by Alexander Smith)
What comes in, must go out. Especially if it's a massive goanna and it's in a restaurant.

Especially in the case of French waitress Samia Lila, who was tasked with evicting a pesky and rather large goanna which had snuck into a winery's restaurant on Sunday.

SEE ALSO: Wild koala and dog hang out, proving that we really can all get along

According to ABC News, Lila was serving diners at Mimosa Wines on the south coast of New South Wales, Australia, when one of the customers pointed to a goanna on the deck.

"I couldn't believe it was a goanna. I thought it was big dog," Lila told the news outlet.

She bravely leapt into action, pulling the goanna by its tail out of the venue. The moment was captured and posted on the Mimosa Wines Facebook page.

While some commenters on the video have noted that dragging a goanna by its tail is cruel, Lila said she was trying to be gentle in removing the intruder.

"I like reptiles, I think he is a really beautiful creature [and] I didn't want to hurt him," she said. Following the encounter, she said was a bit "shaky."

Goannas are often timid and aren't really a risk to humans, but they can produce a nasty bite if threatened.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Three of Washington's best-known monuments were defaced with graffiti over the Presidents Day weekend, the third major vandalism of memorials in the U.S. capital since 2013, a National Park Service spokesman said on Tuesday.

The Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument and World War II Memorial were defaced with a marker pen sometime from Sunday night into Monday morning, spokesman Mike Litterst said. He did not give details of what was scrawled on the buildings.

"It doesn't appear to be politically or hate motivated," and the graffiti was not sexual in nature, Litterst said in a telephone interview. He said the markings each roughly covered the area of a hand with fingers outspread.

A monument preservation crew has done a first cleaning at the Lincoln Memorial, and the clean-up at the three sites will take a few weeks, Litterst said. The monuments on the National Mall are among the top tourist draws in Washington.

Litterst said vandalism of monuments on the Mall occurred occasionally. A woman splashed green paint on the base of the Lincoln Memorial in 2013, and in November last year graffiti was spray-painted on the World War II Memorial in protest against a pipeline project in North Dakota.

(Reporting by Ian Simpson; Editing by Frances Kerry)
A Pennsylvania mother who asked an 8-year-old to watch her child allegedly stabbed the young girl over her babysitting skills, according to police.

On Friday, Collingdale Police responded to a local home and found a man running while carrying the 8-year-old girl, who was bleeding profusely from her head, according to a police report.

Read: Woman Pleads Guilty to Robbing Bank While Babysitting 2 Children

Police said they found 21-year-old Majeah Bashir on the second floor of the building, where she lives, with her hands covered in blood.

The 8-year-old girl reportedly lives on the first floor of the building. She reportedly suffered a four-inch gash to her head and was taken to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia for treatment.

Read:14-Year-Old Boy Arrested for Putting Toddler in Washer and Dryer While Babysitting: Cops

While other officers arrived it was determined that the tenant who lives on the second floor had stabbed the child who lives on the 1st floor after an argument over babysitting in the hallway of the apartment building, police said in a report.

Bashir was charged with criminal attempt homicide, aggravated assault and reckless endangerment, among other crimes. Her bail has been set at $250,000.

Watch: 19-Year-Old Teen Babysitter Driving Four Young Boys Charged With DWI

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Doing it for the gram was just taken a step  or maybe an arm, in this case  too far. A video of Viktoria Odintcova dangling off the ledge of a 73-story building in the United Arab Emirates recently went viral. Why did she do it? For a good photo (and attention, of course).

The Cayan tower, center  the worlds tallest twisted tower  at Dubais Marina on June 11, 2013, in the United Arab Emirates. (Photo: Karim Sahib/AFP/Getty Images)

The stunt, which was all captured on camera, features the Russian model in the risky act with a team of people who appear to be stuntmen and photographers.

Full video (link in bio)! @a_mavrin #MAVRINmodels #MAVRIN #VikiOdintcova #Dubai A post shared by Viki Odintcova (@viki_odintcova) on Feb 3, 2017 at 7:12am PST

The video features the crew practicing on ground, and then arriving at the Cayan Tower in Dubai to do the real thing (without permission).

Odintcova grips a blond helpers hand as he confidently encourages her to lean away from the top of the 1,000-foot building. As she leans back, her hair flows and her eyes close, and somehow she gets comfortable enough to look serene in images captured by her team.

As if that were not enough of a risk, she then gets down on her knees, while still holding the hand of her spotter and then gracefully flops off the rails, the guys forearm strength the only thing keeping her from plummeting to the ground.

Somehow, she still looks beautiful, with her T-shirt falling off her shoulders, and her sneakers (theyre not even fancy suction-cupped shoes or something high-tech!) kicking about as if shes just dangling from the side of a pool.

From reality Ph: @a_mavrin #MAVRIN #MAVRINmodels #VikiOdintcova @sashatikhomirov #Dubai A post shared by Viki Odintcova (@viki_odintcova) on Dec 29, 2016 at 7:50am PST

She lived to share the tale, and has been retelling it to her 3.3 million Instagram followers. All the stunts performed by professionals, do not try it yourself, she captioned a clip of the video.

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The photos, luckily, turned out amazing (because nothing could be worse more than risking your life for a blurry, thumb-covered shot).

According to Emirati newspaper The National, Odintcova isnt getting off that easy. An assistant to the chief of police in Dubai said that Odintcova had been summoned to sign an undertaking not to repeat any dangerous moves that could endanger her life in Dubai.

      (   )???? @a_mavrin @irina_dreyt #MAVRINmodels #MAVRIN #vikiodintcova #sochi A post shared by Viki Odintcova (@viki_odintcova) on Dec 23, 2016 at 1:33am PST

However, Odintcova will most like find someplace else. In the past, shes bungee-jumped in Sochi, Russia, with a camera in hand, and prettily posed on the edge of a cliff in Sri Lanka.

   ,            ????  ,     ,         ????????         ???????? #Vikiodintcova #MAVRIN #MAVRINmodels #SriLanka A post shared by Viki Odintcova (@viki_odintcova) on Nov 17, 2016 at 1:33am PST

Odintcova could also join other daredevils like Angela Nikolau, another Russian model who last year stepped off the roof of a ridiculously tall building in Guangzhou, China, (in an adorable dress and heels, no less)  and shared it on Instagram, of course.

While the latter are amateurs looking to make names for themselves, top model Coco Rocha puled something similar when she balanced in pink heels on a ledge lots of stories up with no strings attached for the cover of Harpers Bazaar Taiwan over the summer.

#AdvancedModelMove  my behind the scenes video showing how @mattholyoak and I shot the cover of this month's @HarpersBazaar_TW! ????#DontTryThisAtHome #BazaarTW #CocoForBazaarTW A post shared by Coco Rocha (@cocorocha) on Jul 31, 2016 at 11:51am PDT

Then she sat on the ledge, saying, So here we are on set, you think its a normal day, until you might be asked to do something like this, and you do it willingly, cuz you love the art of fashion, in her behind-the-scenes video for Instagram. She made sure to add the hashtag #DontTryThisAtHome.

But seriously  dont.

Lets keep in touch! Follow Yahoo Style + Beauty on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.


Credit: Steve Granitz/WireImage

The sparks between these two are undeniable. Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan Tatum are currently enjoying a romantic vacation in Hawaii, and their energetic vibes are giving us life right now.

The lovebirds, who met on the set of Step Up more than 10 years ago, look as smitten as ever on their tropical getaway. They've been relaxing oceanside since Valentine's Day, and yesterday, the pair were spotted goofing around on the beach in their swimsuits.



Credit: FameFlynet/AKM-GSI

Dewan Tatum, the 36-year-old actress and dancer, wore a strappy red Indah bikini top ($92; revolve.com) and bottom ($97; revolve.com), while her 36-year-old husband opted for plain black trunks. After going for a dip in the ocean, Tatum chased his fit wife around the beach, trying to pick her up and throw her in the water. Oh, Channing, you rascal!

VIDEO: Channing and Jenna's Cutest Couple Moments

Dewan Tatum also posted a few 'grams from their time in Hawaii, including one of herself sitting on the beach, looking out at the ocean. We can guess who took this shot!

RELATED: Channing Tatum Shares Nude "Nap Time" Snap of Wife Jenna Dewan Tatum

Between the gorgeous venue and the too-cute couple moments, it looks like these two had the perfect Valentine's Day week.
Demi Lovato recently shared a selfie on her Instagram channel in a Yousef Al-Jasmi gown. (Photo: Demi Lovato via Instagram)

Pop star Demi Lovato recently shared a glam selfie on her Instagram channel wearing a dazzling, sheer, bejeweled gown from designer Yousef Al-Jasmi.

The figure-hugging dress might look oddly familiar to fashion and award show aficionados: actress Ariel Winter wore a similar version just months ago at the 2016 Emmy Awards, in September 2016.

Actress Ariel Winter wore a Yousef Al-Jasmi gown to the 68th Emmy Awards on Sept. 18, 2016, in Los Angeles. (Photo: Getty Images)

The embellishments on Winters gown, which was also designed by Yousef Al-Jasmi, varied slightly from Lovatos. Her dress featured a nude underlay and an extremely high slit, which helped to show off her silver sandals. Unlike Lovato, who appeared to have teased her hair to complement the look, Winter slicked her tresses back, tying it into a chic, low bun.

On her Emmys red carpet look, the Modern Family actress told E!, Its sparkly. I feel really good in it! I saw it, I tried it on and was like, This is what I want to wear. And that was that.

Its clear the Kuwait-based designer is a go-to for celebs looking to show off their curves, as reality star Kylie Jenner donned a shorter version of the dress during New York Fashion Week in 2016.

Kylie Jenner was spotted in a Yousef Al-Jasmi minidress during New York Fashion Week in 2016. (Photo: Getty Images)

Like Winter, Jenner slicked her hair into a tight bun to put all the focus on her glitzy dress. Yeezy sandals and a denim jacket were the social media queens accessories of choice for the outing in New York City.

A number of other notable celebrities have also worn Al-Jasmis flashy designs, including Giuliana Rancic, Khloe Kardashian, Victorias Secret model Jasmine Tookes, and Victoria Justice.

Read More:

Ariel Winter Defends Her Revealing Dress: This Is Who I Am

Ariel Winter Brings Kylie Jenners NYFW Street Style to the Emmys Red Carpet





Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.
By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Feb 21 (PTI) The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) today alleged that the SIT, constituted by the Narendra Modi government to probe the 1984 anti-Sikh riots cases, was not serious about ensuring justice to the victims.

This came a day after the Centre told the Supreme Court that only 22 of the 240 cases had been reopened by the SIT for further investigation.

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AAP leader Jarnail Singh said, on February 12, 2015, two days before Arvind Kejriwal took oath as the Delhi Chief Minister for the second time, the Centre had ordered the constitution of the special investigation team (SIT).

"But, in two years, the SIT could only order reopening of 22 cases. How long will it take to reopen the remaining 218 cases?" he wondered.

In a status report filed before the apex court on the probe conducted by the SIT, the Centre said there was a "considerable progress" and 218 cases were in various stages of scrutiny. It also said a "decision has been taken for re-investigation in respect of 22 cases".

AAPs Delhi unit convenor Dilip Pandey said this vindicated the partys stand on the SIT.

"The SIT is not serious in ensuring justice to the anti-Sikh riots victims," he said.

Singh, who has contested the Punjab Assembly Polls from Lambi against Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Congress chief ministerial candidate Amarinder Singh, said if the party came to power in the state, it will also probe the alleged irregularities in the disbursement of money meant for the riot victims.

"Money sent by the Centre for those who fled to Punjab after the anti-Sikh riots was siphoned off. The Punjab government was supposed to disburse the money, but the full amount never reached the victims. We will investigate all these cases if we come to power in Punjab," he said. PTI PR RC

--- ENDS ---
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban hasn't been shy about predicting the earlier-than-expected robot revolution -- a time when people will lose their manufacturing jobs to robots. And he's not alone.

On Sunday, Cuban tweeted, "Automation is going to cause unemployment and we need to prepare for it." He linked to a Medium article highlighting similar takes from Tesla (ticker: TSLA) CEO Elon Musk, legendary physicist Stephen Hawking and Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) co-founder Bill Gates. Among other information, the article cites statements from these leaders in an effort to alert readers about the future of automation.

Automation is going to cause unemployment and we need to prepare for it. https://t.co/YEp5txG9aP

-- Mark Cuban (@mcuban)

February 20, 2017

Bill Gates suggested that governments could tax robot workers just like human workers. "You cross the threshold of job-replacement of certain activities all sort of at once," he recently told Quartz. "So, you know, warehouse work, driving, room cleanup, there's quite a few things that are meaningful job categories that, certainly in the next 20 years [will go away]."

The Medium post cites the 2013 claims of two Oxford economists who predicted that 45 percent of U.S. jobs might face automation in the coming two decades.

Musk recently even went so far as to say at the World Government Summit in Dubai that humans and machines have to merge or face irrelevance when the artificial intelligence (AI) age hits.

Fortune notes Cuban previously wrote a blog post in December on this subject, imploring then President-elect Donald Trump to spearhead America as a global leader for robotics. He wrote, "if nothing in the States changes, we will find ourselves dependent on other countries for almost everything that can and will be manufactured in a quickly approaching future."

"We have to face the fact that countries are going to lose jobs to robotics," he added. The only question that needs to be answered is which country will create and own the best robotic technology and have the infrastructure necessary to enable it."

Story continues

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David Oliver is Associate Editor, Social Media at U.S. News & World Report. Follow him on Twitter, connect with him on LinkedIn, or send him an email at doliver@usnews.com.
By Makiko Yamazaki and Taro Fuse TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Toshiba Corp <6502.T> wants to raise at least 1 trillion yen ($8.8 billion) by selling most of its flash memory chip business, seeking to create a buffer for any fresh financial problems, a source with direct knowledge of the matter said. The beleaguered conglomerate was pressured to abandon an initial plan to sell just under 20 percent by its main creditor banks which are worried about potential writedowns that may come on top of $6.3 billion hit to its U.S. nuclear unit, financial sources also said. Toshiba said last week it is now prepared to sell a majority stake or even all of its chip business, the world's biggest NAND chip producer after Samsung Electronics Co Ltd <005930.KS>, also rocked by the emergence of fresh problems at its Westinghouse unit that have delayed the release of earnings. The company has not decided on the size of the stake to be sold, preferring to focus on the amount that can be raised but would like to retain a one-third holding as that would give it a degree of control over the business, the source with direct knowledge said. Its willingness to relinquish so much of the unit underscores not only the depths of its financial woes but also resignation on the part of management to becoming a much smaller company. The sale "is the best and the only way Toshiba can raise a large amount of funds and wipe out concerns about its credit risk," said the source, adding that the sale should be completed by the end of March next year. It wants to restart the sale process as soon as possible and may sell to multiple buyers rather than one bidder with interest already received from investment funds, other chipmakers and client companies, he also said. A separate person with knowledge of the matter said Toshiba will outline terms of the sale by the end of February, conduct a first round of bids in March and aim to have chosen a preferred bidder or bidders by the end of May. The person also said Toshiba valued the chips business at around 1.5 trillion yen. A Toshiba spokeswoman said the company cannot comment on the specifics of the sale process. Sources declined to be identified as they were not authorized to speak to the media. RISKS ABOUND Other potential financial risks that Toshiba may have to deal with include Landis+Gyr AG, an unlisted German meter maker it acquired in 2011 and whose earnings have not matched expectations. "Toshiba may have to take a writedown (for Landis) of more than 100 billion yen in the current financial year," an executive at one of Toshiba's main creditor banks said. Toshiba's main banks include lenders such as Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc <8316.T> and Mizuho Financial Group Inc <8411.T>. Asked about the potential for a writedown related to Landis at a news conference last week, Toshiba's Chief Finiancial Officer Masayoshi Hirata said the company currently did not expect to take a charge. Other area of concern is a commitment to buy $7.4 billion of liquefied natural gas (LNG) gas over 20 years - a foray into big gas trading that analysts have questioned the merits of. When Toshiba was offering 19.9 percent of its chip unit, it received bids ranging from 200 billion yen to 400 billion yen ($1.8 billion to $3.5 billion), a source has previously said. Suitors at the time included rivals SK Hynix Inc <000660.KS> and Micron Technology Inc , data storage firm Western Digital Corp as well as Taiwan's Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd <2317.TW> and financial investors such as Bain Capital, sources have said. Western Digital is still interested in buying a stake in Toshiba, two sources said without specifying how big a holding it would be prepared to buy. The California-based firm, which jointly operates a NAND flash memory plant in Japan with Toshiba, is now expected to have a better chance of successfully bidding for a stake as there is more time to clear any antitrust review. Sources also said that Toshiba was expected to come up with a new business plan when it reports its full-year earnings results in May. Toshiba's share ended 1.4 percent higher compared with a 0.7 percent gain in the benchmark Nikkei 225 index. ($1 = 113.5100 yen) (Reporting by Makiko Yamazaki and Taro Fuse; Writing by Tim Kelly; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)
Dubai (AFP) - Dubai authorities are grappling with new ways of keeping the emirate's skies safe after drones halted air traffic at one of the world's busiest airports three times last year.

The delays were necessary to protect passengers, officials said, but they hit thousands of travellers and cost airlines millions of dollars.

Drones pose a "threat to the flying public" and "to an aircraft in operation," said Ismaeil al-Blooshi, deputy head of the air safety department of the United Arab Emirates' civil aviation authority.

He compared drones to the threat posed by birds, but said they were less predictable and harder to avoid.

"We have means and data to predict when and where is the bird migration... but with drones, you have this object in the air and you don't know the intentions" of the operator, he said.

The cost of closing airspace for one hour runs into millions and creates a long backlog, but there is no room to compromise on safety, Blooshi said.

"The economic impact is not even on the table" when considering the risks, he said. "The number one priority is avoiding harm to passengers."

Drones have become a more common sight in the skies above the emirate as related technology has plunged in price, with professional photographers eager to use them.

"The drone has helped us all. Before we needed a plane and a big budget to do aerial shooting. It's much easier and cheaper now," said videographer Murad al-Masri, as he shot footage of a desert festival.

After last year's incidents, operator Dubai Airports stressed that flying drones within five kilometres (three miles) of airports was illegal.

New regulations introduced last year stipulate up to three years in jail or a fine of 100,000 dirhams ($27,000, 25,000 euros) for flying a drone over a prohibited zone.

- Phone app, geo-fencing -

But Dubai-owned carrier Emirates, the world's busiest international passenger airline, urged authorities to go further, introducing drone detectors.

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"Flight diversions and network disruptions due to unauthorised drone activity... cost Emirates airline millions of dirhams on each occasion, and impacted thousands of passengers," it said after one drone-related delay in November.

Authorities have even examined the possibility of hunting down the devices.

The International Defence Exhibition and Conference, one of the largest arms fairs in the Middle East, on Monday showcased a private company's drone hunting system.

Dubai-based SkyStream said it had crafted a three-phase system that could identify whether the drones were "friendly," jam their signals in case they were not and subsequently bring them down.

A security official told AFP Dubai police now have the ability to overpower a drone and bring it down but did not elaborate on how.

The aviation authority has introduced a mobile phone application that clearly marks out no-fly zones for drones across the country, telling users immediately where they can and cannot fly.

Out-of-bounds areas include those around airports, military zones and other government installations.

The authority also wants drone owners to register their devices.

Another measure under study is geo-fencing, meaning that drones are pre-programmed to make them unable to enter restricted areas even if users try to send them there.

"We are talking to various manufacturers to impose this as an import requirement for the UAE," said Blooshi, although he said this is hard because drones are produced by many different manufacturers.

Authorities in Europe have also scrambled to apply rules on flying drones after mishaps at airports.

- Sea rescue drones -

"The risk of collision is to be taken seriously," said Yves Morier of the European Aviation Safety Agency.

"The introduction of drones has to be done in a safe manner," said Morier, whose agency is to work on common regulations for the European Union.

"There have been incidents in Europe and their number has risen in the past years."

France has forbidden flying drones within 10 kilometres (six miles) of an airport, the French civil aviation authority says, twice the maximum distance in the UAE.

But while drones can pose risks to aviation, UAE authorities are keen to make use of them for policing, rescue and security purposes.

"We use drones in various aspects, including securing events, detecting explosives and (securing) motorcades" of high profile figures, said Sergeant Abdullah al-Harbi, head of the technical support team at Dubai's General Department of Protective Security and Emergency.

He said authorities plan to use drones equipped with face detection software to hunt for suspects.

Rescue services in the emirate of Ajman have also deployed drones to help in sea rescue operations, local press has reported.

The drones are equipped with thermal sensors and cameras that scan the waters to locate casualties, and carry buoys that can be dropped to them by remote control.

And the labour ministry has been using drones since 2014 to inspect construction sites and make sure companies are giving workers their compulsory midday break during hot weather.

"Drones are good for us," said Blooshi. "We are eager to accommodate them in a healthy way."
Verizon's purchase of Yahoo will end the internet pioneer's run of more than 20 years as an independent company (AFP Photo/JUSTIN SULLIVAN)

San Francisco (AFP) - A price cut had Verizon on track Tuesday to go ahead with the purchase of Yahoo's internet business, and share the costs from a pair of epic hacks that threatened to derail the deal.

Yahoo slashed the price of its core Internet business by $350 million.

The announcement settled concerns that the cyber attacks and how they were handled by the California-based firm might scuttle the acquisition or result in an even deeper cut to the price.

"I think at this point Verizon was just too far down the path, and exiting would have been too embarrassing," analyst Rob Enderle of Enderle Group told AFP.

But, he said, "I would have walked away. It is kind of a foolish bet."

Under revised terms of the delayed deal, Verizon's purchase of Yahoo assets will total $4.48 billion.

Yahoo still faces probes and lawsuits related to the cyber attacks, which affected more than 1.5 billion accounts, and the timing of the disclosures.

Yahoo announced in September that hackers in 2014 stole personal data from more than 500 million of its user accounts. And in December it admitted to another cyber attack from 2013 affecting more than a billion users.

"Enormous hacks, dubious disclosure, bad decisions have all contributed to a decline in value such that Verizon had to renegotiate its bid for Yahoo's assets," Endpoint Technologies Associates analyst Roger Kay said in an emailed comment.

But Verizon was eager to expand its reach into digital advertising, even though the transaction faced setbacks due to the hacks.

"We have always believed this acquisition makes strategic sense," said Verizon executive vice president Marni Walden.

"We look forward to moving ahead expeditiously so that we can quickly welcome Yahoo's tremendous talent and assets into our expanding portfolio in the digital advertising space."

Under the terms of the revised sales agreement, Yahoo will continue to cover the cost of a Securities and Exchange Commission probe into the breaches as well as shareholder lawsuits.

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However, other government investigations and third-party litigation related to the hacks will be shared by Verizon and Yahoo.

The deal with Verizon was expected to close by July, and will end Yahoo's run of more than 20 years as an independent company.

Yahoo is selling its main operating business as a way to separate that from its more valuable stake in Chinese internet giant Alibaba, which will become a new entity, to be renamed Altaba, Inc., and will act as an investment company.

Prices of Yahoo shares closed the trading day up nearly 0.9 percent to $45.50, while Verizon had gained nearly half a percent to $49.43.

- Epic hacks -

Yahoo is ramping up security as it grapples with the aftermath of the epic hacks.

Mayer said last month that "approximately 90 percent of our daily active users have already taken or do not need to take remedial action to protect their accounts, and we're aggressively continuing to drive this number up."

Yahoo boasted having more than a billion users monthly in 2016, with more than 650 million of those people connecting from mobile devices.

The SEC reportedly opened an investigation into whether Yahoo should have informed investors sooner about two major data breaches.

US law requires companies that fall victim to such hacks to disclose them as soon as they are deemed to affect stock prices.

"With a billion email accounts compromised, it's a wonder anyone uses the service at all," analyst Kay said in an online post about personal experience with Yahoo Mail.

"Yahoo was never built for the modern era, and its ancient architecture was too clanky to withstand the onslaught of cage rattling besieging the Internet today."

The hacks have been a major embarrassment for a former internet leader that has failed to keep up with Google, Facebook and other rising stars.

Yahoo's most recent earnings report showed the company swung to profit in the final three months of last year, after a massive $4.4 billion loss in the same period of 2015.

Yahoo reported a loss of $214 million for 2016 on revenue that inched up to $5.2 billion from $5 billion in 2015.

Mayer will quit the company's board after its merger with Verizon, according to an SEC filing, though she is expected to remain with the core Yahoo business.

"We continue to be very excited to join forces with Verizon and AOL," Mayer said in a joint release.

"This transaction will accelerate Yahoo's operating business especially on mobile, while effectively separating our Asian asset equity stakes."
Brenda Buttner, host of Fox News Channels Bulls and Bears, has died after a battle with cancer. She was 55. The news was confirmed by Your Worlds Neil Cavuto, who shared a special tribute to Buttner during the show.

She took stock of life much more than any stock in life, Cavuto said. Its what separated her from everyone else in this business. Not just dollars, you see, Brenda had depth.

He continued: Let it be known that Brenda Buttner made us want to watch a business show with heart. Her heart, her spirit. She democratized dollars and just made sense.  Business journalism is never going to be the same. I just dont know, now that shes gone, whether well ever be. Brenda Buttner, gone way too soon at 55.

Buttner went to Harvard University, where she received a B.A. is social media, then went on to graduate from Oxford University with high honors in politics and economics. She hosted CNBCs The Money Club and was a Washington correspondent for the network. Buttner then joined Fox in 2000.

In 1997, she told the Sun Sentinel that being a woman gave her an edge, saying, Women are not afraid simply to admit they dont know about something, which men rarely do. So women realize there is no such thing as a stupid question when it comes to understanding an investment.

Buttner is survived by her two daughters.

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I laugh when Im scared, too, said Stephen Colbert recently, after delivering an opening-monologue joke about the latest President Trump gaffe. It was a throwaway line, something said while waiting for the guffaws to die down; I doubt it was written on his cue cards. But the remark gets to the heart of Colberts new surge in the ratings and as a pop-cultural force: Hes benefiting (in some ways doubtless to his regret) from the publics widespread uneasiness about the state of America since Nov. 8, 2016.

Ever since he took over David Lettermans old Late Show spot in September 2015, Colbert has kept fine-tuning his new role. Having dropped the mask of the conservative blowhard he played on The Colbert Report, Colbert was constantly being reminded by media pundits that he wasnt on Comedy Central anymore. He was scolded: Youre fronting a huge network franchise now, and you therefore need to broaden your audience and the scope of your comedic attack.

While every late-night host at least as far back as Jack Paars days hosting The Tonight Show engaged in jokes about whoever the current president might be, the gags were usually mild and equally apportioned to both Democrats and Republicans. Jay Leno did lots of Bill Clinton-is-a-horndog jokes, but also had plenty of George H.W. Bush and Bob Dole material as well. The idea was that if a host didnt appear to be an impartial jokester, hed lose half his audience. This was the rap Colbert encountered when The Late Show started slipping further and further behind Jimmy Fallons Tonight Show during Colberts first year: Why was he expressing all these opinions-wrapped-up-as-jokes that were perceived as being liberal? Wasnt Fallon  apolitical to the point of apparent ignorance; cutting back on monologue time and adding lots of playtime games  the true future of late night?

The inauguration of Donald Trump has altered the mood of the country, and the late-night genre  the real daily newspaper of the TV medium, not bland network nightly news  always reflects that mood. Theres a hunger out there for someone with mass-audience outreach to articulate what millions are feeling, and turns out, it may not be Fallon and his beer pong  or even his Box of Lies.

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For the week of Feb. 13, The Late Show was the No. 1 late-night talk show for all five nights  a first for Colbert. The show is up by double-digits versus its own performance last year during this same period. While The Tonight Show still leads The Late Show in the 18-49 demographic prized by advertisers, Colberts achievement is significant, because the dirty little secret about late-night TV is that its audience has long skewed older than is assumed  the majority of viewers for both Colbert and Fallon are over 49. Which also means that most are veterans of the voting booth, ripe for the kind of messaging Colbert is delivering.

Colbert is taking full advantage of his uptick by working hard: He came into the office on Presidents Day to cook up a fresh show on a night when The Tonight Show was airing a rerun. Next week, when the president delivers his first address to Congress, The Late Show will go live: Colbert not only knows where his sweet spot for comedy is, he also knows its best to hit that spot while the irons hot. (The preceding was a trademarked Tucker Mixed Metaphor).

The Ed Sullivan Theater audience is so primed for Colberts commentary that when the comedian recently did a joke about Gen. Michael Flynns communications with Russia, the crowd lifted a line from Trumps anti-Hillary rallies and broke into a cry of Lock him up! Dig it: spontaneous irony. Is any more proof needed that Colbert and his audience are doing a Vulcan mind-meld?

In the old days, Johnny Carson used to have to set up a joke about someone in, say, Richard Nixons cabinet by explaining what position that person held. In the Trump era, viewers are so attuned to the daily news  well, maybe punished by is a better phrase than attuned  that Colbert can make a joke about the incorrect figures Trump cited about his Electoral College win margin and add, That was the DeVos-ification of Donald Trump, and everyone laughs, knowing that he refers to the widely despised new Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos.

Meanwhile, what is Jimmy Fallon doing with DeVos? This:

Theres always the possibility that The Late Show will overload its hour with Trump japery to the point where the audience says, Enough already, and returns to playing Pictionary with Jimmy. Maybe after the Trump administration unveils its Obamacare repeal-and-replace plan. Then well see whos laughing, and with which host.

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert airs weeknights at 11:35 p.m. on CBS.

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Warning: This recap contains spoilers for Episode 7 of The Bachelor.

I might be going home tonight, too. Corinnes words  uttered at the end of last weeks shocking episode in which Nick randomly showed up at the womens hotel and send Kristina home  gave us all a little hope. But then tonight, this happened:

Raven gets a rose! Vanessa gets a rose! Corinne gets a rose! Vanessa gets a rose! Everybody gets a rose! Hometown dates all around!

Related: Chris Harrison Blogs The Bachelor Hometown Dates

Up first: Hoxie, Arkansas, home of Raven and about 2,700 other people. Am I the only one who got a little nervous watching Raven take Nick for a ride on that ATV? (Those damn things almost killed Jamie Lynn Spears daughter!) But the only danger Raven and Nick encounter is a local policeman, who just happens to drive up as theyre climbing the steps to the roof of a grain bin. And whaddya know  its Ravens big brother, Officer Weston!

After a spirited bout of mudding on ATVs, Raven and Nick do some off-roading.

Yikes, is that a leech on Nicks torso? God, I hate nature. Anyhow, after the swamp make out session, the duo get cleaned up and head home to meet Ravens family. And what a happy homecoming it is  as Raven learns that her dad, Wesley, has been declared cancer-free. Naturally, Raven is overcome with emotion. Im really thankful for you two, she tearfully tells her parents, and soon everyone is hugging and crying. And honestly, if you didnt tear up a little when Wesley told his daughter Im glad it will be me who walks you down the aisle  well, then I applaud your titanium heart.

After that sweet moment, Raven sits down with her mom, Tracy, to talk about Nick  how she thought he was going to be arrogant, but seeing him with his family back in Waukesha changed her perception of him. Mom says she trusts her little girls judgment  and then she presses a little too hard as to whether Raven feels ready to say, I love you. (She has not been putting her heart out there, explains mama in her confessional.)

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Meanwhile, Nick and Wesley are chatting out on the porch  and the Bachelor gets right down to business, asking if Dad will be comfortable with it if Raven ends up engaged to Nick. Ill be real frank, replies Wesley. Dont take this wrong, but I didnt expect to like you. I dont know why, but I didnt. (Oh dude, you know why, youre just too polite to say it.) Still, Wesley declares Nick a very likable guy, and says he has plenty of faith in Ravens decision-making skills. I just dont want no surprises! he adds with a laugh. Even after this is over. Nick gives his word  even though its a promise he cant possibly keep. (Just ask Jason Mesnick.)

Raven feels so encouraged by the visit, she decides to tell Nick she loves him  but only gets as far as telling Nick something really special could come out of us before she chickens out. I couldnt do it, she admits. I dont like to show my weakness at all Now Im just worried that I may be the only that hasnt said that Im in love with him.

Well have to put a pin in this discussion, honey, because its time for us to head to Dallas, where well meet Rachels family (for the first time this year). First up, time to rid Brother Viall of his demons.

I know my church will be a new experience for him, notes Rachel. So I am a little nervous. Is he going to be comfortable being in a predominantly black church?

Sure! Especially when everyone gives him such a warm welcome. The pastor even takes the time to introduce Nick to the congregation, adding, Rachel is very important to us, man, so we hope you take very good care of her. Does Dumping her on TV so she can turn around and star in The Bachelorette count as taking good care of her? If so, then Nicks your man.

But were getting ahead of ourselves. This date may have been rendered moot by Team Bachelors announcement last week, but Im glad it happened if for no other reason than it featured a white Bachelor saying this to a black woman on national television:

Im not color blind. I know youre black. But the reason I gave you the first impression rose was because of how easy we connected, my attraction to you physically, that you were just a very beautiful, impressive woman.

And let all of Gods children say Amen.

Now for the bummer: Rachels dad, the very imposing-sounding federal judge, will not be at home when Nick arrives due to work obligations. Still, he and Rachel are nervous as they make their way to the front door. Nick has never seriously dated a black girl. Ive never seriously dated a white guy, and Ive never brought one home, says Rachel. Someone in her family obviously has, though.

Yes, that gentleman on the far right is Alex, husband to Rachels older sister Constance. Also on the welcoming committee: Rachels mom Cathy, her cousin Andrea, her nephew Allister, and her younger sister Heather. And now, for the sound bite of the night:

Yes, the teasing comes early and often at the Lindsay family dinner table. Little sister Heather kicks things off by asking Nick if he can identify all the food on his plate. Im not from Mars, he shoots back, mock offended, before properly naming all the food  including okra.

Things get a little weird when Constances husband refers to Nick as a white, which he follows up with, Is this the first black woman that youve dated? I suppose its not an inappropriate question, given Nicks televised history and the general absurdity of competitive dating but still, something about Alex just seems a little off to me.

I suppose thats neither here nor there. Constance, meanwhile, has some real concerns about how being in an interracial relationship might affect her little sister. Right now with this climate that were in, I feel like youve seen more racism come out, she says. So [Nick] does need to be aware You have to know how youre going to navigate that path in a relationship.

Rachels no-nonsense mom Cathy is having those same concerns, but she listens politely to Nicks I like her for the woman that she is  she just happens to be black speech. Rather than prompting Nick to explain why hes good enough for her daughter, Cathy asks him if he sees any red flags with Rachel  which is a clever way for mom to suss out any potential issues with the relationship without putting the Bachelor on the defensive. Either way, Nick gives a diplomatic answer, saying he has no pressing concerns but admitting that he knows Rachel is of course not perfect.

Mom seems satisfied enough, and she gives the Bachelor a surprisingly strong endorsement once theyre alone. I like what I see with Nick, she tells Rachel. So far he seems comfortable around us. What attracted me to your dad was he knew who he was, where he was going And thats what I see in Nick. Rachel is blown away by this endorsement.

Clearly her mother is not one who hands out approbation willy-nilly. Awww man  even though I think Rachels going to be a great Bachelorette, after seeing this hometown date, Im even more disappointed that these two crazy kids dont make it.

In keeping with the things that are disappointing theme, lets head down to Miami, where Corinne informs Nick that hes going to spend the day watching her shop?

Corinne is on a first-name basis with everyone here, marvels Nick. Every time Corinne walks into a store, its like Christmas morning to the people who are working in the store. He seems more bemused than anything, and even indulges Corinne in a Pretty Woman-style dressing room fashion show. But when she charges over three thousand dollars of merch on her card, its almost too much for the simple Midwestern boy to handle.

And its only gonna get worse, because before Corinne takes Nick home, she brings him to a crowded cafe to declare her love. He responds the only way he can  by shutting her up with a kiss  and then its off to meet the woman of the hour: Raquel!

Also on the scene: Corinnes mom Peri, her sister Taylor, and her dad Jim. After the olive course, Corinne and her dad head off to her room for a chat  and Jim simply cant believe that Corinne already dropped the l-bomb on Nick.

Weve been dating for a month and a half! protests Corinne. Yeah Dad  thats, like, a lifetime in reality TV terms. As for Nick, producers must have realized that Bachelor Nation would revolt if we didnt see him get grilled by Raquel.

Though Nick doesnt actually provide a real answer to that question (beyond Corinne is amazing), Raquel seems satisfied. If shes happy, Im happy, she says of her charge. Things wont be so easy with Dad, though: He wants to know what Nick actually does for a living. After people stop paying him to get dumped on TV, how, exactly, will Nick provide Corinne with the lifestyle to which shes become accustomed? Im okay with being the breadwinner, retorts Corinne, who nonetheless disputes the idea that Nick will have to be the stay-at-home mom in the relationship. (Dont worry, pop  Nick told me during our Facebook Live chat that hes launching a mens grooming business. Thats almost like a job! Everything will be fine.)

As Jim and Nick bond over some 15-year-old Scotch, Peri tries to remind Corinne that her current situation is a fantasy and she should guard and protect her heart accordingly. Im in love with Nick, counters her daughter. And if he chooses any of the other three girls, Im going to be heartbroken. Heartbroken or on a plane to Paradise. One of the two.

Our last pit stop of the week is in the chic city of Montreal, in the Canadian province of Quebec. (Did I just do a quick Internet search to make sure Quebec was a province, and not a city or territory or whatever? Perhaps.) Anyhow, Vanessa greets Nick in a park and then takes him immediately to meet her students  all of whom are thrilled to see their teacher again.

Oh for gods sake, the date hasnt even started yet and already Im crying. After the introductions, Nick, Vanessa and her students make a scrapbook of Vanessas Bachelor journey. It doesnt seem like a very educational activity, per se, it reunites the students with their beloved teacher  and thats clearly all that matters to them.

I hate when this show makes me feel things! When its time to meet Vanessas family, she explains to Nick that hell be doing two family visits  one to her moms side and one to her dads  since her parents are divorced. Up first is mama Mary and approximately 19 other people, including this little rock star.

One of Vanessas friends jumps right in with the question thats on everyones mind: If Vanessa wins, will she have to leave Canada. Weve talked about it briefly, says Nick, a little embarrassed. We havent talked about that quite yet. I love Montreal though. Hearing this, her Aunt Catherine is disappointed and a little surprised. I think I expected more, she explains. I wanted to know, like, Whats your plan? I think there needs to be some more hard questions.

Mom agrees, so she pulls Nick aside to press him on why he likes Vanessa  and sorry, pal, but saying shes hot isnt enough. We dont get to see Nicks answer, though, because Team Bachelor cuts right to Nicks talk with Vanessas self-described big, overprotective sister Melissa. She, too, is understandably shocked that Nick and Vanessa have only touched on the rather significant question of which country they would live in should they get married. Im just really scared for her, says Melissa, as her eyes fill with tears.

Oh for Gods sake, Nick  what are you crying about? Get it together, man. Of course, this whole hometown visit is pretty emotional for everyone. Vanessas brother Patrick chokes up as he tells his sister, Honestly, in my heart, youre like the greatest person in my life, and you deserve an amazing person.

Wait, how am I just noticing now that Vanessa is wearing black leather (pleather?) pants with zippers?? Thats interesting.

But I digress. Melissa is further dismayed to learn that Vanessa doesnt even know what Nick wants to do with his life after filming ends. My sister is always a step ahead. She always likes to think things through. And I dont think shes thinking like that now, sighs Melissa. Mom tells Vanessa that shes sure Nick is a fine young gentleman, but she doesnt seem convinced that hell be able to make her happy.

Man, that was a little rough. And theres still one more family to visit! Night has fallen by the time Nick and Vanessa arrive at her dads. Team Bachelor doesnt even bother to tell us his name  or the name of the woman hes with  I guess because its already been a long day and were never going to see these people again anyway. Nick, just ask for Nameless Fathers blessing, okay? After six full seconds of silence, the Bachelor gets his answer.

You have three other women, you went to their home  did you ask their blessing also? asks Papa. And Nick doesnt do himself any favors with his weird, dishonest answer (In a way, I ran it by them). Its yes or no, counters pere, and the Bachelor is finally forced to admit that yes, he did ask three other dads for their blessing. And thats when things get really uncomfortable.

Dad: So youre telling me you want to get engaged to my daughter.

Nick: Um

Dad: Youre asking for my blessing. What does that mean?

Eventually Nick gets it together enough to assure Papa that even though he and Vanessa are in a unique and weird situation, he would not ask her to get married unless he truly believes its right. We want the exact same thing, he adds. Ultimately, Dad  who has a name, it turns out: Pat  reluctantly gives Nick his blessing. He sounded honest, he concludes. Perhaps a little too honest: When Vanessa learns that Nick also asked Corinne, Raven, and Rachels dads for their blessing, her disappointment is palpable.

It makes it less meaningful, sighs Vanessa. Gurl, what show do you think youre on? None of it is meaningful!

The next day, Nick is enjoying the view from a hotel balcony in Brooklyn, and he preps emotionally for the rose ceremony. It almost feels impossible to make a decision tonight, he muses. Perhaps this will help:

What in the holy hell is Corinne wearing? Nick, this is not the woman you want dressing you for the rest of your life.

By the time the sun sets on Brooklyn, there are only about five minutes left in the episode, so you know were about to be handed some To Be Continued action. And wouldnt you know it, just before the credits roll, Nick gets an unexpected knock at the door.

Oh FFS. Really, Team Bachelor? No one cares. No one. But well have to wait until next week to find out how little we care about what Andi Dorfman has to say to her ex. For now, I want to hear from you about tonights episode. Was Vanessas family too hard on Nick  or not hard enough? Do we really believe Raquel gets to eat with the family every night or was that just for the cameras? And which family was your favorite? Post your thoughts now! And be sure to check out Chris Harrisons exclusive blog right here. Now if youll excuse me, Im going to go order some Italian take-out. That Sunday lunch looked delicious.

The Bachelor airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on ABC. Watch clips and full episodes of The Bachelor for free on Yahoo View.
Most important: There is more Jerry to come on this season of The Walking Dead. Actor Cooper Andrews confirmed that Jerrys cobbler delivery to Carol in Sundays New Best Friends will definitely not be the last we see of the character who, in just three episodes and less than a dozen lines of dialogue so far, has become an instant fan favorite.

As most fans would likely cite as a reason for all the love, its Andrewss smile that also sparked TWD showrunner Scott Gimple and director/EP Greg Nicotero to see the potential of Jerry as King Ezekiels super enthusiastic and friendly Kingdom right-hand man. Andrews, a stunt man and sound crew guy-turned-actor whos also had roles on Halt and Catch Fire, Hawaii Five-O, and Limitless, broke down Jerrys path to that spot on the stage beside Ezekiel, and also told us what his favorite Jerry quote is (again, so far), how much he loves Jerrys fancy red coat (made from surprising, but appropriate, material), and offered some special insight into the Jerry/King Ezekiel relationship.

Related: Catch Up on The Walking Dead With Our Recaps

He also previewed his upcoming big-screen project (starring a real-life Gerry), and shared how the reveal of Negans Season 7 premiere victims was spoiled for him.

Congratulations on the Jerryness of Season 7. Are you surprised at how quickly Jerry has become a fan favorite?

Yes. Very surprised. Very appreciative, but very surprised.

Have you had fan interactions, anyone stopping you on the street or anything like that yet?

Ive had a few, but it happens a lot at the gym. I think its because when I walk by people, I get looks. Looks that are just a little bit different. They stare at me for longer moments of time. I usually dont notice that people are staring at me, but Ive just been getting these you can see this look that people have. Theyre like, Is that I dont know. At the gym, youll be sitting on the bench for 10 minutes or so and people will just youre just looking at each other. Youre in close contact with these people. Youre trying not to stare at each other, but then you just keep looking. I had this guy, I was doing legs with my buddy. This guy comes up to me and he goes, Oh, hey, man. Loved you on The Walking Dead last night. I was like, Thanks, man. Then he finishes his set and he goes, No, but if you see This was after The Well. He goes, Oh, but if you see last nights episode, you look just like that guy. I go, Oh, yeah. No, thats me. What? Yeah, yeah. That is me. Are you kidding me? I was joking. Oh, my god. Oh, my god. Then he just starts making this huge commotion. Hey. Look, man. Oh my god. I think youre hilarious. Itll be like that. Ill have these moments where I just have fun with it if people recognize me. Its just always been really welcoming and really nice from people, which I was really happy for, because Jerry is a scary character to play with.

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Related: The Walking Dead: Jerry Really Wanted Carol to Have That Cobbler

Why is that?

I was a huge, huge Walking Dead fan. Still am. When I got the audition they give you parts of the script that are not real. They just give you lines that fit in there, but originally I was talking to a crime boss and he had a dog named Santiago that I had to keep telling to chill. I was like, This is The Walking Dead? I was really, really baffled by it. I was like, Oh, because hes talking to the dog oh, its fake. Oh, its a tiger. Oh. Im talking to a tiger, not a dog. As a fan, I was afraid just because I hadnt seen this kind of character on the show. I knew to pull him off in this world I had to fully commit to this guy believing in the king, but also getting super excited that he gets to be onstage like a movie star with the king. Jerrys just always super excited to be there. Hes just really happy to be part of it. I was nervous, but I really started falling in love with the character just because of how happy he got to be, how genuinely happy he got to be. I think people have believed in it, too. I dont know where I was going with that, but thats just the Jerry story. I do this thing where I ramble. I tell this to everybody. I just ramble and I forget where I started, but I know where Im ending. I apologize. Did I answer the question?

Cooper Andrews as Jerry (Credit: Gene Page/AMC)

You did, and thats great background on Jerry. Walking Dead director and EP Greg Nicotero told me hes a huge fan of Jerry and your performance, and he said you really had a hand in the direction that Jerry took, that the character he became was based on how much everyone on set just loved your smile. Is it something that you talked about with the producers?

When I first found out about the character, [showrunner] Scott Gimple sent [the script] and said something along the lines of [Jerry] being a stoic man who can sort of pull off a little bit of danger, but he just seems tough. Just this tough guy. I played it one way, and then I had another request that I try it to be Zen-like, like Biggie Smalls. I gave that a shot. The Biggie Smalls version was the last version, but they still had me do three or four different takes on the character. When I got to the table read, I did the Biggie Smalls version. It wasnt clicking. I just didnt feel it. Scott was on the table read. He was on the conference call. We Skyped that night and he asked me what my opinions were of it. Then he told me, I remembered you from an audition that you had done awhile back. It wasnt right at the time, but the thing that I remembered was that you have this smile that is very approachable, but if youre not smiling, youre very scary looking. How do you feel about that? I was like, Yeah, that sounds like me. I try to keep a smile on. One, because Im usually happy, and two, because I dont want people to be afraid of me. I like talking to people. He then said, How would you feel if we made Jerry someone who, while in the Kingdom, is this super happy guy, but when hes out of the Kingdom, we just make him this scary dude? When hes at these meetings with these Saviors, what if we just toughen him up? I was like, Sure. We had a back and forth of how it would come to that, but yeah, there was a lot of me trying to figure this guy out while we were there, especially when you have  again, rambling, sorry  especially when you have this dialogue. When it comes to every single thing that comes out of Jerrys mouth, even though its just these few words, I thought about them hard. Theres tons of variations, because theres so many ways that I thought could be funny, other ways that I thought were too funny. We just had to try throwing up Deuces! at the end. You know, the first time Id do it, I just said, Deuces. I was like, No. What I did realize when I was reading these, I have the opportunity to have these awesome one liners. I was just thinking of how I would want this scene from somebody portraying it. I was like, I just want to see this guy happy. This guy needs to be happy. Thats how I decided where to take it.

Related: The Walking Dead: Norman Reedus on Daryl and Carols Emotional Reunion

Whats your favorite Jerry line so far?

The Well said is my favorite line at the moment. What I liked about it was that again, it was just two words, but I tried to show he was so happy to be there, and he saw this opportunity for this pun. When I first was doing that line, I didnt even think of the well part. I just thought, Well said try to sound regal. Then I realized, No, hes trying to be clever and trying to be funny with it. I liked it because he just showed this excitement. Khary [Payton, who portrays Ezekiel] and I, we talked about, what is Jerry like? Khary had a lot of tips on how we should play off of each other, too, which is great. Khary is amazing. He was like, Yeah, man. I feel like you were just supposed to stand there. Youre not supposed to say a word, and you somehow start getting words out. For some reason, I cant do anything about it. Its just how it is. It was more like, Alright, Jerry. We have people coming. Keep your mouth closed, please. Then I just have to sneak it in.

Greg Nicotero said it makes him think of George Costanza on Seinfeld every time Ezekiel says Jerry! to him. Does it remind you of that, too?

Yeah. Every Jerry, from Jerry Springer to Jerry Seinfeld. Every time I hear the name, I just think of all these things. Even when I walk in somewhere, people will be like, Jerry! Jerry! Jerry! I just crack up.

Related: The Walking Dead Postmortem: Scott Gimple on the Junkyard Group, Daryls Deception, and More

What is Jerry and Ezekiels relationship really like?

Weve had quick conversations with Greg and with Scott [about] how Jerry should be almost like a representation of what the Kingdom is. This happy place, this happy man, who follows the customs, even if theyre not he wouldnt fit in back in Shakespeares day and with the kings of England, but he tries to make it still a kingdom, even if its not this conventional kingdom. Then when hes outside the Kingdom, hes there to help. He has a bag when hes carrying the when theyre walking up to Carols house, you notice that he has this giant ax. Whats in that bag is an oversized thing of cobbler but when hes out on these patrols, hes not there to kill. Hes out there to help. The ax is just a representation of how he is. Its just more to protect than to conquer or to take. I love that the Kingdom is like that, and I think Ezekiel sees that in Jerry and keeps him close.

Cooper Andrews, Khary Payton, Lennie James, Logan Miller, and Kerry Cahill as Dianne (Credit: Gene Page/AMC)

The idea that Ezekiel sees him as a representation of what the Kingdom is maybe helps explain why Ezekiel is reluctant to join in with Ricks plot against the Saviors. Of course he would want to protect this place that he sees, as represented by Jerry, where you can still be happy in the apocalypse.

Yes. I loved his point of view and his reasons for not joining the fight. The fan in me, of course, is like, Come on, man. Dont you know who the Saviors are? Come on! Realistically, [the Kingdom] has tons of food they can provide for guests. Theyre not just getting by. Theyre thriving. But its a delicate balance. Being king is always hard.

Whats your favorite Jerry wear? Weve seen him so far in his armor, that turtle-like armor they all wear when they go to the meetings with the Saviors. Then he has that grand red coat that he wears onstage with Ezekiel.

Oh, my gambeson. Its a gambeson, which were worn as padding under knights armor. Because armor was hard and metal, they needed this protective padding, which could also in itself be used as an armor. Even though its not a real gambeson, the idea is I would I dont know if they would show it, but if a walker were to try and bite it, in theory, they shouldnt be able to get through the jacket. I think its still a theater gambeson. That theater is so hot. The lights are so hot. This gambeson is pretty much made out of sound blankets or moving blankets. We call it that. I used to be a boom operator. I used to do sound, so the joke is, Oh, so now youre just wearing the sound blanket? Its like, Yes. I loved wearing it, even when it was the summer, and it was 90 degrees, and Id be sweating clean through the thing, because were onstage and they were using actual stage lights. They were just hot as hell. The stage we were on was probably 15, 20 degrees hotter than the rest of the auditorium. Between takes, Khary and I would run to an air conditioning tube. They had these giant tubes for the air conditioning, and we would just stand by it and cool off. He would take off his jacket and leave it on his throne, so that the lights wouldnt cook the wood. The throne got really hot one time, just from the camera lights. But yeah, my favorite outfit is, hands down, that gambeson. I love it. I wish I could just wear it at all times. I think it really says to the world that he is in the Kingdom. This is what Kingdom people wear. Welcome. And I love that color. I loved everything about it.

Cooper Andrews (Credit: AMC)

It must be extra cool to get to create this character from scratch, since Jerrys not in the comic book.

Yes, I love that I got to be a part of creating this guy, and him just doing his thing, not having to be set to a destiny necessarily. Its so much fun because it really is like, Well how would I do it? Not, How was it done? I really like being able to be a part of forging what this guy does. There are some days, if Im having a bad day, Ill just think, Man, youre on The Walking Dead. Youre on your favorite show. What are you complaining about? Then Im just like, Nothing.

While you were filming your first episode, The Well, did you know what was going on with the cliffhanger, who Negans victims were?

Abraham was one of my favorite characters. All these people were my favorite characters, but at the time, he was my [most] favorite character. I didnt know it was him and Glenn until [filming] last weeks episode [Rock in the Road]. When Morgan [was asked who was killed]  filming was on our side. The cameras were looking at us [on the stage]. Im just devastated. Im like, What? On the sides, it just said victim number one and victim number two. In the rehearsal, they still said victim number one, victim number two. Then on the actual shooting day, I find out. They didnt put it in the edit, because it would be like, Why is Jerry upset about hearing these two names? But thats how I found out they died, from that first take. I didnt want to know until the [premiere]. Then during that scene, I was like, No!

Related: The Most Romantic and Bromantic Moments on The Walking Dead

Youre working on an upcoming heist movie, too, right? Den of Thieves?

Yeah. Im horrible at doing these [descriptions], but its a heist movie about this guy who is stuck in between these bad dude sheriffs and these bad dude bank robbers. Im part of the group trying to pull off this heist at a federal reserve. My character, he does a lot of the comm work, trying to get communications going. I get to have fun with this character, as well. Hes a lot tougher than other characters Ive played, but he still has to do things that are comedic, which I am looking forward to. A lot of it is some voice changing and stuff like that, trying to sound like different people. Its going to be cool. And, that cast [which includes Gerard Butler, 50 Cent, OShea Jackson Jr., and Pablo Schreiber]  Ive been so lucky with every cast Ive worked with. The cast was so, so nice. Just really cool guys. I watched 300 so many times Gerard Butler. Who is also a Gerry. I think that people named Jerry are just cool.

Its the name.

My takeaway. Its the name. Yeah.

Youve mentioned your background is unique. You describe yourself as being Samoan Jewish?

We call it the Samoan Jews. My mom, [Jeanette], was in the Peace Corps. She went to MIT, and didnt know what she wanted to do afterwards, so she joined the Peace Corps. Thats where she met my father I guess she was pregnant with me within that time. Shell kill me. You said what?! No, my mom, she raised me Jewish. I didnt know my dad. She is this awesome person. Shes my best friend. So, yeah, Samoan Jew. Were on the quest to see if there are more in the world. Im hoping to find some.

The Walking Dead airs Sundays at 9 p.m. on AMC.

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By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Feb 21 (PTI) Senior IAS officer in Chhattisgarh Government B L Agrawal was today arrested by the CBI for allegedly trying to buy favours in cases against him probed by the agency.

Agrawal, now Principal Secretary in the state, was arrested by the CBI along with his brother-in-law Anand Agrawal from Raipur and an alleged middleman Bhagwan Singh from here, CBI sources said.

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They said that during the searches the CBI has recovered two kilograms of gold and Rs 39 lakh in cash from the alleged middleman.

It is alleged that Agrawal, an IAS officer of 1988 batch, wanted to "settle" CBI probes against him which were registered in 2010 when he was the Health Secretary in the state government.

He has been chargesheeted in one while probe is going on in the other case.

Agrawal allegedly approached Bhagwan Singh, a resident of Noida, who took him to Syed Burhanuddin.

Burhanuddin, who has many aliases, claimed that he was working in Prime Ministers Office and would help him settle the case in his favour.

Burhanuddin aka OP Singh aka OP Sharma demanded Rs 1.5 crore as illegal gratification for his services, the CBI FIR has alleged.

A meeting was held by the trio on February 11, 2017 where Agrawal agreed to pay the amount to get relief in the cases against him, they said.

It is alleged that Agrawal sent Rs 60 lakh in four installments to Bhagwan Singh using hawala channel.

He expressed inability to arrange cash for remaining payment after which Burhanuddin and Singh agreed to accept two kilograms of gold as illegal gratification, the FIR alleged.

Agrawal asked his brother-in-law Anand Agrawal to deliver two kilograms of gold to Singh, it alleged.

The agency has registered a case of criminal conspiracy and under Prevention of Corruption Act against Agrawal, Singh and Burhanuddin.

"After registering the case, CBI carried out searches at the premises of accused persons and Hawala operators at Raipur, Hyderabad and New Delhi and Greater Noida. An amount of Rs 39 lakh(approx.) earlier delivered to private person (r/o Greater Noida) at New Delhi, has also been recovered during searches," CBI Spokesperson R K Gaur said here today. PTI ABS RT

--- ENDS ---
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has written to the Director-Generals of Police of Punjab and Haryana, asking them to maintain the "status quo" and ensure law and order is maintained in their respective states.

By Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has shot off a two-page letter to the Director-Generals of Police of Punjab and Haryana, asking them to maintain the "status quo" and ensure law and order is maintained in their respective states.

The move comes after Haryana's main opposition party Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) on Monday threatened to start digging the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal on the Punjab-Haryana border on February 23.

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On Wednesday, the Supreme Court will resume hearing the SYL canal issue. The Punjab Government is expected to file a response to the Haryana government's allegations that the state violated a court order to maintain the status quo.

Punjab had de-notified the area for returning it to farmers, a move put on hold by the apex court. The SYL issue was one of the key issues in the high-octane Punjab elections, which were held earlier this month. The state filed an appeal asking that the court hearing be put off till the results of the state assembly election, but its request was turned down.

Punjab DGP Suresh Arora held a meeting at Shambu, and also conducted an aerial survey. Nearly 5,000 policemen from Punjab have been moved to Patiala, and stationed at all entry points. Another 10 companies of Central Armed Police Force are at the disposal of the Punjab Police.

Sources in MHA told Mail Today that the Joint Secretary of Centre State division is expected to be in Chandigarh on Wednesday. He's likely to meet the DGPs of both the states.

MHA sources also confirmed that the Centre was "willing to offer more CAPF to the states if they so demanded."

The apex court declared Punjab's 2004 law to terminate an agreement for sharing SYL canal water with neighbouring states unconstitutional on November 10, 2016.

The court ruled that Punjab couldn't take a 'unilateral' decision to terminate the agreement - with Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi and Chandigarh - on the sharing of Ravi-Beas river waters.

The apex court had ordered status quo on the land acquired for the construction of the canal's stretch in Punjab and appointed the Union Home secretary, Punjab's chief secretary and the Director General of Police as receivers.

ALSO READ: SYL Canal controversy: Captain Amarinder Singh demands Abhay Chautala's arrest

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By Manjeet Sehgal: Punjab Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh on Tuesday called for the preventive arrest of Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) leader Abhay Chautala, who announced a march to Kapuri village on February 23 to re-dig the controversial Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal.

Here's everything you need to know about Amarinder's remarks, and about Dal Khalsa (a radical Sikh organisation) head Harpal Singh Cheema's reaction.

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1. "I demand preventive arrest of INLD leader Abhay Chautala and cancellation of party supremo Om Prakash Chautala's parole to control the situation, which had escalated to dangerous proportions. Abhay's adamant stand on the issue, and his defiant threat to go ahead with the SYL incursion even if the Army is called in, are grounds enough for his preventive detention, " Captain Amarinder Singh said on Tuesday.

2. Amarinder also called for the deployment of armed forces to prevent any untoward incident on February 23, when Chautala's party plans to force its way into Punjab to dig the controversial canal. "The central government should also immediately step in to order large-scale deployment of the armed forces ahead of the threatened move by the INLD. Abhay Chautala's defiant and provocative statements on the issue could have a long-term, explosive impact on Punjab's peace," Amarinder said.

3. The former Punjab CM said the state was sitting on a virtual landmine, with intelligence reports suggesting that many sleeping Khalistan terror cells were preparing to rear their heads again. "Intelligence reports indicate (a) terror revival threat. I have been repeatedly warning that the SYL issue had the potential to trigger the revival of terrorism in Punjab. The intelligence reports have also endorsed my apprehension. Militant organizations would exploit the fragile situation on the ground to further their anti-India agenda if not checked immediately," Amarinder Singh said.

4. Amarinder said the central government's intervention had become imperative to maintain law and order in Punjab. He called upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to intercede without further delay to prevent further vitiation of Punjab's troubled environment - which remained fragile in the run-up to the polls, and witnessed a terrorist-triggered bomb blast just a few days before voting took place.

5. "It was evident that the Haryana government was not serious about nipping the threat in the bud. Had it been serious, Abhay Chautala may have been arrested. Only the deployment of armed forces, with preventive action against the INLD leadership, could foil any attempt to violate Punjab's borders, " Amarinder Singh said.

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6. Warning the Centre against inaction in the matter, he added that "the consequences of failure to take preventive action would not only plunge Punjab back into the dark days of terrorism but would also have dangerous repercussions for the nation, which has been grappling with militancy from across the border for the past several decades."

7. Captain Amrinder is not the only Congress leader who has criticized the Badals - of the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal - for remaining tight-lipped on Chautala's call for a march. Former Opposition leader Sunil Jakhar on Monday said the Badals were silent because they share both personal and business interests with the Chautalas.

8. Reacting to Captain Amarinder Singh's demand for the deployment of the army on the Punjab-Haryana border, Amritsar-based radical Sikh organisation Dal Khalsa said the Punjab Congress chief was trying to exaggerate the situation.

9. Party head Harpal Singh Cheema took Amarinder to task for raising the bogey of terror, saying the first practical action to effectively stop the construction of the SYL canal was taken up by Babbar Khalsa militants in 90's. Had it been left to traditional mainstream politicians, the SYL would have been built long back, he said.

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He added the digging of the SYL was next to impossible now.

10. "It's not the SYL issue that had the potential to trigger the revival of armed rebellion but the continued injustice being meted out to Punjab by all the organs of the state. If Captain Amarinder was seriously concerned about any possible revival of militancy then he should work to find out (a) respectable resolution to (the) lingering Punjab problem," Harpal Singh Cheema said.

READ ALSO: SYL controversy gets new twist: INLD wants to dig up canal again

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By Press Trust of India: Peshawar, Feb 21 (PTI) Seven persons, including a lawyer, were killed and 21 others injured today when heavily-armed Taliban suicide bombers stormed a court in Pakistans restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the latest terror attack in the country.

The attackers opened fire and threw grenades as they attempted to enter the sessions court premises in Tangi, some 30 km away from the provincial capital Peshawar, prompting retaliatory fire by the security forces deployed there.

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Jamaat-ul-Ahrar (JuA), a faction of the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility for the attack.

"Several terrorists attacked the court and resorted to heavy firing at the main gate of the lower court," Sohail Khalid, district police chief, said.

"Bomb disposal experts said that each bomber was wearing seven to eight kilogrammes of explosives," he told reporters.

One bomber was killed in the firing at the gate and the second was killed as he entered the court. The third bomber died when he detonated his explosives, officials said.

"Seven people were killed and 20 others were injured during the attack," Sohail Khalid, district police chief Charsadda, said.

Provincial government sources said one lawyer is among the seven persons killed.

Khalid said due to tight security the bombers could not enter the court, but had they been successful in entering the premises it "would have been a catastrophe".

Director General Inter-Services Public Relations, Major General Asif Ghafoor tweeted, "Chief of Army Staff lauds security forces response to Charsada Blast. First tier Police response has saved many lives. Shares grief on loss of lives."

A search and rescue operation was underway, he added.

District hospitals have been put on high alert.

Charsadda has been a target of terror attacks for nearly a decade.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif condemned the attack in a statement issued by his office.

"We are a steadfast nation and will not be deterred by such attacks. Our government will continue to fight against terrorists and we will succeed," the statement said.

The latest attack came as security has been tightened across Pakistan after a recent wave of terrorist strikes killed more than 100 people.

On Thursday, a suicide bomber killed 88 people at a famed Sufi shrine in Sindh province. Following the attack, the army launched an offesive against militants and claimed to have killed more than 130 terrorists across the country.

In August last year, more than 70 people, mostly lawyers were killed in a bombing of a hospital in the southwestern city of Quetta.

A suicide bomber had struck a local court in Charsaddas Shabqadar area last year in March, killing 17 people. PTI AYZ ABH NSA AKJ AKJ

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If reports are anything to go by, Bollywood actor Vidya Balan has been roped in to play the leading lady in superstar Rajinikanth's upcoming Tamil film.

By India Today Web Desk: Following the blockbuster success of the gangster drama Kabali, superstar Rajinikanth and Pa Ranjith are once again coming together for a Tamil film.

On the contrary to reports, the film is not a sequel to Kabali, but a different subject altogether. While the project is currently in pre-production stage, reports suggest that the Bollywood diva Vidya Balan is likely to be paired opposite Thalaivar.

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Speaking about the film, a source was quoted by the Times Of India as saying, "The makers of the film met Vidya Balan recently, and have finalised her as the lead. However, they are still working on the dates, and only then the official agreement would be signed."

Despite opening to mixed response from audience and critics, the film shattered box-office records and raked in more than Rs 300 crore globally. To be produced by Dhanush, the yet-untitled film is expected to roll from May.

Meanwhile, Rajinikanth is wrapping up his much-awaited sci-fi thriller 2.0.

Being made on a lavish budget of Rs 400 crore, 2.0 is the first Indian film to be shot using the 3D technology.

Directed by Shankar, the film starring Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson, Sudhanshu Pandey and Adil Hussain is slated to released on Diwali.

ALSO READ: Malayalam actress abduction- Prime accused and two others seek bail

ALSO READ: Rana Daggubati plays a cameo in Dhanush's ENPT

ALSO READ: Singam 3 box-office collection- Suriya's film gets steady response in US

--- ENDS ---
By Press Trust of India: board exam

New Delhi, Feb 21 (PTI) Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari today said the AAP government by seeking a breather for the students of its schools from class X Board exams has revealed the "poor standard" of its education infrastructure.

"The ruling AAP had been demanding CBSE to reintroduce board exams for Class X students, but now when it has decided to switch back to it, Manish Sisodia reportedly wants exemption for students of Delhi government schools," he said.

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The Delhi government has sought a breather of two years from Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) for making mandatory Class X examination saying the students arent prepared for the "tough test".

CBSE had recently announced that the Class X exams will be mandatory again from next academic session. The decision was taken after the optional tests and automatic promotion policy came under criticism for "lowering" the level of students knowledge.

Deputy Chief Minister Sisodia, who also holds the education portfolio, in his budget speeches had claimed Delhi government has the highest budgetary provision for education, Tiwari said.

"Sisodia knows that once the Board exams are brought back the hollowness of Kejriwals claims of having the best educational infrastructure will be revealed. So he is trying to delay introduction of Board exams for two years so that the AAP government completes its term," he claimed. PTI VIT NSD

--- ENDS ---
Karnataka family blames government hospital for negligence, claims there were no doctors or even ambulance to take the girl.

By Asian News International: They say negligence is culpable carelessness as time waits for no one and the value of human life is almost non-existent in today's time. A saddening incident which occurred in Karnataka proves the above statement right.

In a shocking event that occurred in Tumkur, Karnataka, a family lost their daughter due to negligent behaviour by the government hospital.

Karnataka family loses child due to negligence (PHOTO:ANI)

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The 20-year-old Rathnamma was suffering from high fever, breathlessness and cough when she was taken to a government hospital in the Kudugenahalli, but had to return as there was no ambulance and doors of the government hospital were locked.

The father of Rathnamma took her to a private doctor in the night time as her body went ice cold, where she was given an injection.

Also read: Tribal man in Odisha had to walk 10 km carrying wife's body after being denied govt help

Rathnamma's health degraded by the morning, so the family took her to the nearby government hospital only to find the doors of the hospital locked. The family took her to the private doctor as they had no option but the doctor recommended another hospital.

The doctor told the family to take her to Madhugiri hospital, which was around 25 kms from Kudigenahalli so they decided to take a taxi. The taxi driver demanded an amount of 3,000 INR taking advantage of the sitution.

Being a daily wage worker, Rathnamma's father had to no option but to take her on the moped but she died on the way.

Also read: Men carry relative's dead body in plastic bag, allege unavailability of ambulance

Karnataka family loses child due to negligence (PHOTO:ANI)

Raju, Rathnamma's brother told Deccan Chronicle , "For people like us who are poor, good healthcare is still a distant dream."

According to the family, there was no doctor at the hospital and it has been the same ever since the hospital opened up.

Karnataka family loses child due to negligence (PHOTO:ANI)

The family tried contacting the Health and Family welfare minister, K R Ramesh Kumar to draw his attention towards the hospital's carelessness but was shooed away by his personal secretary.

"Many others too have died in the past because they did not receive prompt treatment in the absence of an ambulance. This has been brought to the notice of the government several times but it has taken no action. We don't know how many years more it will take for it to act, " he added.

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By Press Trust of India: Washington, Feb 20 (PTI) Doctors in the US have successfully completed a near-total face transplant on a 32-year-old man during an extensive, life-changing surgery to improve his ability to chew, speak, breathe and smell.

The face of recipient Andrew Sandness was devastated by a gunshot wound at the age of 21.

The surgery, which spanned more than 50 hours, was carried last year and involved restoring Sandness nose, upper and lower jaw, palate, teeth, cheeks, facial muscles, oral mucosa, some of the salivary glands and the skin of the face.

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A multidisciplinary team of surgeons, physicians and health professionals used virtual surgical planning technology and 3D printing to optimise the aesthetic and functional outcomes of the surgery at Mayo Clinics Rochester campus.

Sandness has been recovering in Rochester and likely will return home in eastern Wyoming this month, the team said.

"I am absolutely amazed at the outcome so far. I am now able to chew and eat normal food, and the nerve sensation is slowly improving, too," said Sandness.

"Andy (Sandness) has been our patient for 10 years. He has worked so hard to prepare for this, and during his entire recovery period, he has been strong, gracious and determined. Andy is an amazing person and so well-deserving of this gift," said Samir Mardini, the surgical director at Mayo Clinic Essam and Dalal Obaid Centre for Reconstructive Transplant Surgery.

Facial transplantation is the process of removing part or all of a donors face and attaching it onto a patient who has previously suffered facial injury or deformity.

Skin, fat, muscles, nerves, tendons, cartilage and bone may be components of the transplant.

Attaching nerves and blood vessels from the donors face to the recipients provides the potential (with extensive rehabilitation) for sensation, function and mobility similar to an uninjured face.

In some situations, it may allow the recipient to regain the ability to speak, chew food, avoid ongoing use of feeding tubes and regain their sense of smell. PTI SAR SAR

--- ENDS ---
The conservation of the species (Equus hemionus Khur), which is found only in Gujarat - having been rendered extinct in south India, Pakistan and Afghanistan - has earned the state plaudits from wildlife experts.

By Indo-Asian News Service: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav's "Gujarat ke Gadhe (Donkeys of Gujarat)" jibe might have been meant to score points in a bitter electoral battle, but it has inadvertently sharpened focus on the Indian wild ass, promoted in a TV spot by no less than megastar Amitabh Bachchan in his capacity as the state's brand ambassador.

In fact, the conservation of the species (Equus hemionus Khur), which is found only in Gujarat - having been rendered extinct in south India, Pakistan and Afghanistan - has earned the state plaudits from wildlife experts.

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"The conservation of the Indian wild ass is an exemplary success story for the world to follow. The Gujarat government has, over the years, done a great job," Wildlife Institute of India (WII) Director VB Mathur said.

Mathur, along with experts like Nita Shah, also of the WII, have worked on conserving the species for 22 years, back from the time when it was on the verge of extinction. Today, the animal numbers well over 4,500 in the wild.

Mathur believed that the change in the farming pattern due to better irrigation has also helped in the conservation.

"It's a unique animal... What's commendable is that that the local government managed to balance the conservation of the species and development of the region," Mathur added.

Shekhar Niraj, Head of TRAFFIC, a wildlife trade monitoring network that works in alliance with the WWF, said the species still faces several challenges for its survival.

"It's one of those rare examples where both the species and its habitat are troubled. It is still threatened but its population has gone up in Gujarat," Niraj told IANS.

THE INDIAN WILD ASS

The natural habitat of Indian wild ass is Rann of Kutch, where the animals are also referred to as "Riders and Guardians of the Rann" for their ability to run at speeds of over 60 km per hour.

The species, whose body frame matches that of a horse, is a sub-species of the near-threatened Asiatic wild ass (Equus heminous) that is now found only in small patches in India, Iran, Turkmenistan and Mongolia.

According to government records, the Indian wild ass was on the verge of extinction around 1970 due to lack of conservation efforts and a prevalent epidemic.

Experts said that conservation efforts by the state, central government and IUCN had helped increase the numbers of the species.

A census in 2014 counted 4,451 animals spread over 15,000 sq km in Gujarat. This was 454 more than the count of the 2009 census. The present population is estimated at over 4,800.

Thus, it's little wonder that experts have objected to the animal being depicted as a pejorative.

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"It's not right to drag the endangered species into political feuds because it affects the conservation efforts. We should rather feel proud the species could be saved and now attracts tourists from across the world," V.P Singh, a Uttar Pradesh-based wildlife conservator, said.

WHAT THEN IS THE FUSS ALL ABOUT?

Akhilesh Yadav, speaking at a rally on Monday, pointed to the TV spot - obliquely referring to Bachchan - to target Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah.

"An advertisement is there on donkeys. I urge the biggest actor of the century not to advertise donkeys of Gujarat," Yadav said.

The advertisement promotes Gujarat's Wild Ass Wildlife Sanctuary, one of the largest in the nation.

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said Akhilesh Yadav, had insulted the state with his remarks.

But then, without perhaps realising he was doing so, Akhilesh was only paying Modi back in his own coin.

During the campaign for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Modi had sneered at the Lion Safari, a dream project of Akhilesh Yadav to introduce the Asiatic lions (native to Gujarat) in his home town of Safai.

Modi had then wondered how the state government could take care of lions when "they had not been able to take care of (people of) the state".

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Eight Asiatic lions were bought to Safai between April and October 2014 from Gujarat and Hyderabad zoos and more followed later. However, four of those and five newborn cubs had died by June 2016.

Que sera, sera?

ALSO READ: Gujarat Tourism's 'gadha' ad: A mocking Akhilesh has a request for megastar Amitabh

ALSO READ:Akhilesh Yadav in Raibareli: Modi must speak truth, SP provides 24-hour power to Varanasi

Modi at Fatehpur: If land is given for kabristan, shamshaan must get it too

--- ENDS ---
The RSS, like before, is running a campaign under the theme of 'Phele Matdaan, Phir Jalpaan' (first vote, then eat breakfast) to get people to vote in Uttar Pradesh's Assembly polls.

By Siddhartha Rai: Though UP prepares to tend to the fourth phase of polling, the struggles of the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) have not ended. While the BJP is engaged in a pitched battle for supremacy with the SP and the BSP, the Sangh is silently, but tenaciously toiling at the grassroot level to convert every cadre and supporter into actual vote at the polling booth.

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Rejecting any disconnect between the RSS and the BJP, as the rumour mills have been churning out so far, senior Sangh functionaries from the state as well as the national level asserted that there was perfect unison in the efforts of the two arms of the rightwing.

"These are different times for the RSS and the BJP in the regime of Narendra Modi. Unlike in the past, the internal consultation mechanism is so strong that there is no information lag between the two arms and there is no communication lag too. The process is seamless," said a senior BJP functionary who has an extensive RSS background.

RSS URGES PEOPLE TO VOTE

The Sangh, said top UP RSS sources, was running a campaign called 'Jan Jagran' for getting the people to come to polling booths and use their franchise.

The campaign, as the name suggests, is aimed at educating people about the significance of exercising the right to vote and thus to give them a clarion call to do so, the first thing in the morning of the voting day.

The RSS, just as in yesteryears and in the past elections across India, is also running a campaign under the theme 'Pehle Matdaan, Phir Jalpaan' (first vote and then breakfast) to encourage voters, especially volunteers and cadre to cast their vote positively.

Also read: Uttar Pradesh elections: BJP changes poll narrative, says BSP not SP is our main rival

RSS CADRE WORKING AT GRASSROOT LEVEL

Sources also said while the RSS volunteers were not assuming any formal roles such as booth heads, they were working silently on the ground to muster votes for its political arm.

Also, the RSS is confident that non-Yadav backward castes have had enough of the "goonda raj" of SP and that their "unbridled" support would take the BJP past the magic figure to make the next government.

They also said several of their internal reports had indicated that the backwards and Dalits identified with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was seen as a leader of the dispossessed and marginalised, more so after demonetisation.

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UP RSS functionaries maintain that Mayawati's Dalit votebank too would be breached by the saffron brigade.

Also read: Uttar Pradesh election: After three phases Congress, Samajwadi Party go door-to-door

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Thala Ajith Kumar will be sporting another dashing look in the spy thriller Vivegam, says director Siruthai Siva.

By India Today Web Desk: Following the terrific success of Veeram and Vedalam, Ajith Kumar and Siruthai Siva are taming up for Vivegam.

Ever since the first look was out, Thala Ajith's mind-blowing physical transformation for the film has been the talk of the town. Needless to say, the pre-buzz for Vivegam is strong among the Tamils.

While the team is wrapping up the shoot, Siruthai Siva has shared some interesting details about the film.

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He was quoted by Behindwoods as saying, "Vivegam will be an out and out action movie which will satisfy all. It is a high budget movie and I took enough time and paid special attention to the screenplay. There would be another look of Ajith coming soon; this will even be before the release of the teaser and the trailer. There is one more schedule left and we will soon be leaving for Bulgaria."

Several Kollywood celebrities took to Twitter and praised Ajith Kumar's for his chiselled look.

Also starring Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi, Kajal Aggarwal and Akshara Haasan, the film has music by Anirudh Ravichander, and is expected to release in the second half of this year.

ALSO READ: Thakur Anoop Singh wants to lock horns with Prabhas

ALSO READ: Vidya Balan roped in for Rajinikanth's next with Ranjith?

ALSO READ: SS Rajamouli's Baahubali 2 to be dubbed in Kannada?

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By Press Trust of India: Kolkata, Feb 21 (PTI) Paying her tribute to the martyrs of the 1952 Language Movement (Bhasha Shahids) on the occasion of International Mother Language Day, West Bengal Chief Minister West Bengal Chief Minister today said all languages are equal and mother tongue should be used to express ones views.

"All languages are equal. Mother tongue must be for expressing views," Banerjee tweeted this morning.

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"How can I forget February 21 spattered with my brothers blood. I pay my tribute to the martyrs of 1952 Language Movement," Banerjee tweeted.

Heartfelt greetings to all on the occasion of International Mother Language Day," Banerjee added.

February 21 corresponds to the day in 1952 when students from the University of Dhaka, Jagannath College and Dhaka Medical College, demonstrating for the recognition of Bengali as one of the two national languages of East Pakistan, were brutally shot dead by police, then under Pakistan government, near the Dhaka High Court in the capital of present-day Bangladesh. PTI SCH MM MM

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By Press Trust of India: Kozhikode, Feb 21 (PTI) A 37-year-old woman was arrested for allegedly performing black magic and injuring another woman near Nadapuram in the district, police said today.

The accused Najima was arrested and remanded to judicial custody yesterday, after thevictim Shemina (27) of Vellayil, suffered 60 per cent burns while practising black magic and admitted to a private hospital here, Nadapuram they said.

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The victim had approachedNajima, who was staying in Purameri, seeking remedy for some personal problems, they added.

Shemina reportedly told the police that a fire broke out in the room as Najima poured petrol into the "Homa Kundam," which the latter prepared as part of the ritual.

Based on a complaint, Najima was booked under sections 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons) and 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide).

The accused was produced before the Nadapuram Judicial I ClassMagisrate court and remanded to 14 days judicial custody, police said. PTI KV ROH TRK

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"Bharti Arora is using her clout as a senior IPS officer to harass me since I am pursuing a case against Ajay Bhardwaj, whose sister Chanchal Bhardwaj is a close friend of the lady cop. As soon as she was posted as the IG Vigilance, she started harassing me. She terrorised my gunman through the Sushant Lok SHO who is not on duty since last 10 days. I am without the security cover which was provided to me by the Supreme Court," said Jyotsna.

The former model, who had accused her husband Ajay Bhardwaj of exploiting and cheating her, said that the lady cop also pestered the cops who had arrested her husband Ajay Bhardwaj on the basis of her complaint registered under section 420 and 406 of IPC.

"Since she has been posted as IG Vigilance Gurugram she has been pressurising police officers to harass those police personnel who did not bow to her and asked for a departmental enquiry against them. She even gave a message to them asking me to beg for forgiveness," Jyotsana told India Today.

Jyotsana said Bharti Arora also tried to implicate her in a false case of trespassing by sending a message through a subordinate official on the pretext that she will drop the inquiries going against her cancelled if she visits her office.

"I was made to sit in the drawing room. Bharti Arora, however, sent a message through the orderly that she should come another day. However, to my utter dismay, I later learned that a trespassing FIR had been registered against me on December 29, 2016 on directions of the IG. The contents of the FIR were that I had trespassed her official residence and tried to harm her," added Jyotsana.

Earlier on Tuesday, Jyotsana also met Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and handed over a memorandum seeking administrative action against Bharti Arora.

Jyotsana had also levelled similar allegations against Bharti Arora when she was posted as Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Gurugram. She had accused Bharti of working under the influence of R P Bhardwaj as his daughter was a close friend of her.

"The Supreme Court had given 24 hours police protection to me and had ordered Gurugram police to take necessary action but in an evident instance of contempt of court, Bharti had threatened my gunman through SHO Sushant Lok Gurugram. I am without police protection and if something happens to me both the Bhardwaj family, my in-laws and the state will be responsible," said Jyotasana.

Jyotsana said that the Punjab and Haryana High Courts on February 16 had ordered the Haryana government to take coercive action against Barti Arora and had also summoned her. She said that the senior lady cop was helping the accused who betrayed her by solemnising a bigamous matrimony without disclosing that he was married and was not divorced.

"I call for immediate intervention of Haryana CM to whom I also want to ask why the officer was posted again in Gurugram despite an inquiry indicting her? I demand immediate transfer of Bharti out of Gurugram so that she cannot influence the investigation and arm twist a single lady already wronged by a bigamist. After this, proceedings of her suspension should be initiated as Bharti is not worthy of wearing the uniform," Jyotsana Bhardwaj said.
























































































TO BE HOPEFUL in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness. What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our livesIf we remember those times and placeswhere people have behaved magnificently, this gives us the energy to act, and at least the possibility of sending this spinning top of a world in a different direction. And if we do act, in however small a way, we dont have to wait for some grand utopian future. The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory.

--Howard Zinn



I refuse to accept despair as the final response to the ambiguities of history. I refuse to accept the idea that the "isness" of man's present nature makes him morally incapable of reaching up for the eternal "oughtness" that forever confronts him.

--Martin Luther King Jr.

True religion consisted in an inward life, wherein the heart does love and reverence God the Creator, and learns to exercise true justice and goodness...I found no narrowness respecting sects and opinions, but believed that sincere, upright-hearted people, in every society, who truly love God, were accepted of him.

--John Woolman



Love each other as I have loved you.. I call you friends because I have made known to you everything I heard from my Father.

--Jesus in John 15: 12-15



...Love God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind and your neighbor as yourself.



You have answered right, said Jesus, do this and life is yours...



Who is my neighbor?



Jesus replied with the Parable of the Good Samaritan [heretic, outsider, enemy].

--from Luke 10:27-37

Religion has been emphatically embodied, not in speculative theories, but in practical righteousness, in active virtues, in reverence to God, in benevolence to man- the latter being the only sure test of the former.

--Thomas M'Clintock



...It is safer to approach God through the Holy Spirit than through the door of theology. We can identify the Holy Spirit whenever it makes its presence felt. Whenever we see someone who is loving, compassionate, mindful, caring, and understanding, we know that the Holy Spirit is there.

--Thich Nhat Hanh


Local website Chadegana, on Thursday, February 16, reported the incident happened on Thursday and in the Girls High School of Nehzat Chadegan .

Hassan Salmany, director of medical emergency and incidents of Chadegan, announced that in addition to the transfer of 20 students to hospitals, a number of students have been treated as outpatients.

Hassan Cheraghy, public relations officer of the Bou Ali hospital of Chadegan told Chadegana that people who had been poisoned had severe nausea and abdominal pain.

Ahmad Bayat, Director of Education of Chadegan, confirmed the poisoning of a number of Nehzat girls high school, adding that the required checks on distributed spoiled and non-spoiled milk in the schools are under consideration.

This incident occurred while in early January the executive director of Irans Milk Industry said the distribution of free school milk, had long been abandoned.

According to Ali Roumy, Since the government has not paid last years debt to these industries, they could not continue to distribute free school milk.

According to the executive director of Irans Milk Industry, 12 million Iranian students are deficient in vitamins and calcium.

Hassan Hashemi, Minister of Health, announced in January 2014 the shortened stature of Iranians due to ignoring the consumption of milk and dairy products.

Mr. Hashemi pointed to the importance of these foods to provide needed protein for strong bones and prevent diseases such as osteoporosis, and called removing of milk from the food basket a cultural problem.
President Trumps travel ban, which is currently suspended, included Iran. There are a large number of Iranians in the US  many of whom are students  who are affected by this. They are also very concerned. They have a wide range of backgrounds  LGBT, academics, people visiting family, refugees, etc. and they are effectively trapped either inside or outside of the US.

The American public is also concerned. It wants to know if Trump will deliver on his promises regarding scrapping the nuclear deal and tripling sanctions against Iran.

Trump called the Iran nuclear deal disastrous and vowed to scrap it. However, it is looking unlikely that the deal will be scrapped as promised. Secretary of Defence James Mattis said last month: I think it is an imperfect arms control agreement. But when America gives her word, we have to live up to it.

It is more likely that the deal will be strengthened and reinforced. The former White House Co-ordinator for Arms Control in Obamas administration said: But they will quickly find out any renegotiation of the agreement will require the US to offer additional sanctions relief.

Furthermore, if President Trump decides to pull out of the deal, he is letting the other signatories of the deal down  the UK, France, Germany, Russia and China. He would also not be able to easily issue further sanctions on Iran.

Nader Hashemi from the Centre for Middle East Studies at the University of Denver advises that there are other ways to deal with Iran and the nuclear deal. He said: I suspect Trump will try to strictly enforce the nuclear deal, hoping that Iran will break the agreement and thus be blamed internationally for it.

Iran has been relatively quiet regarding the fuss being made in Washington. There have been several public comments made  for example, on Twitter last month Khamenei said: We appreciate Trump! Because he largely did the job for us in revealing true face of America.

Some of the leaders in Iran also believe that it will be advantageous for the country to be dealing with President Trump  they see him as a non-conventional president, but first and foremost a businessman who they will be able to negotiate with.

The current President of Iran, Hassan Rouhani, is more concerned about the impact of Trump on the upcoming Iranian elections. Rouhanis two major goals of improving relations with the US and obtaining the nuclear deal are being overshadowed by President Trumps recent rhetoric. His opponents will certainly use this to defeat him.

Relations between Iran and the US will also be under scrutiny in the next few months. Both countries are supporting forces from Iraq in its attempt to recapture Mosul from Islamic State. Furthermore, Trump has promised to repair relations with Russia  something which could have a major impact on its relationship with Iran and something that Iran is deeply concerned about.

The most important move going forward is for the United States to be firm with Iran and keep the upper hand.
The situation in Iran is desperate. Reports state that 11 percent of the countrys population is below the absolute poverty line. Thirty percent are below the relative poverty line.

This means that the 11 percent below the poverty line  around 8.8 million Iranians  cannot provide themselves with even the most basic of needs like healthcare, food, housing, and education. These people are often malnourished and suffering from hunger. This 11 percent is also a minimum estimate  some experts believe that the number is closer to 30 percent.

The relative poverty line includes people whose income is lower than the standard household spending level. This 30 percent, also a minimum estimate, means that at least 24 million people in Iran are affected.

Estimates about the amount of Iranian people living under the poverty line go as high as 90 percent, and certainly more than 80 percent.

The governments debts to banks is 20 percent more than it was this time last year  around 210,000 billion tomans.

Ridiculous policies regarding banks are worsening the economy of Iran. Even President Rouhanis economic advisor was fairly negative about the situation. He said: The banking system has been hit more than any other entity by bad policies, particularly over the past ten years, and theres no sign of a turning point, either.

Speaking about the financial situation in general in Iran, the economic advisor said: Irans economy is at a historic juncture. The decision makers have no option but to choose between bad decisions and hard decisions. Irans future economic path can only be paved by reviving its lost social capital.

The Central Bank reported that the cost of basic commodities in Iran is also on the rise. Costs for rice have gone up by more than 30 percent, 27.5 percent for fresh fruit, 23.9 percent for sugar, 21.7 percent for grains, 12.9 percent for tea and 9.7 percent for dairy items.
Her daughters passport was confiscated and she has stayed with her grandparents since Nazanins arrest.

Last month her appeal was rejected by the courts.

Nazanin was able to see a specialist doctor at the Iranmehr Hospital in Tehran.

She is back in prison now, but the doctor had expressed concern about her neck, shoulder, right arm and right hand. The neurologist advised that she be immediately hospitalised to prevent permanent damage.

Years ago, Nazanin had an operation on her back and she had intensive physiotherapy on her neck and shoulder after the birth of her daughter.

Nazanin is suffering from extreme insomnia which is getting worse. She feels panicky and is having trouble dealing with the inescapable pressure she is under. Physical conditions are difficult too  she has to sleep on a stone floor. She also cannot exercise and has only been given poor quality of food.

She also has to deal with the torment of being separated from her daughter and the knowledge that there are threats against her family, including interrogations.

Her husband, Richard Ratcliffe was able to speak to Nazanin on Saturday  the first time in a month. He said that she was crying and in a very fragile state.

She cried for the entire call. Nazanins fragile health this weekend has been a reminder that we must continue to campaign, that we cannot allow many more months of this to pass. I am grateful that Nazanin has now been seen by a specialist, and that her health concerns can be addressed as soon as possible. I hope that his concerns are acted upon by the Iranian authorities  and that she does indeed not suffer any permanent physical damage from this ordeal. The psychological is already more than enough.

He also said that the terrible conditions in the prison are making his wifes health even worse.

It is clear that the move to the general cells is much better  I am thankful for the support offered to her by her fellow cell mates, for the additional visits Gabriella now has to see her mum, and for the increased medical attention Nazanin receives. However, it also means we have a greater awareness of just what Nazanin is going through, and of the price she is continuing to pay the longer this is unresolved.
[February 20, 2017] WSO2 Announces Repositioning of its Open Source Products to Drive Digital Transformation Agility at WSO2Con User Conference

Mountain View, CA, Feb. 20, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A new generation of digital businesses has emerged with novel products, services, and business models for interacting with consumers, employees and others, which are reshaping the landscape of many industries. Meanwhile established companies are seeking to engage in digital transformations to remain competitive. WSO2 today debuted the repositioning of its open source products to better address the technology demands of digital businesses. The company also announced product developments designed to bring greater agility to enterprises digital transformation initiatives, including:

Repackaging WSO2s modular software to align with key technology enablers for digital transformationconsolidating more than twenty products into five-plus comprehensive offerings.

Introducing three new public cloud offerings to take advantage of the agility and deployment flexibility enabled by the cloud.

Previewing a next-generation programming language for integration, which was created to support the closer alignment of business with IT in digital businesses. The announcements were made at two general sessions held on the first day of the WSO2Con USA 2017 user conference, which runs February 20-22, 2017 in San Francisco. Already organizations worldwide, from digitally native startups to enterprises driving digital transformations, are standardizing on our cloud-enabled, pre-integrated, open source software. And some 2.2 trillion customer transactions per year run through our platform, observed Dr. Sanjiva Weerawarana, WSO2 CEO and chief architect. Were now building on that success by re-aligning our current products and creating new technology solutions that empower organizations to rapidly evolve their digital business models by fostering agility, adaptability, and innovation. CEO Keynote  Technology Enablers for Digital Transformation

In his keynote presentation, Dr. Weerawarana examined the three technology enablers for digital transformation: an evolving business model, a focus on the customer, and operational efficiency. He then unveiled how WSO2 has repackaged its product offerings to align with these enablers. Integration for enabling digital businesses is delivered by WSO2 Enterprise Integrator, debuting today, which builds on and replaces WSO2 Enterprise Service Bus (WSO2 ESB). It consolidates WSO2 ESB and other WSO2 Integration Platform capabilities into one software package for seamlessly integrating legacy systems, software as a service (SaaS) apps, services, and APIs. More details can be found in the WSO2 Enterprise Integrator press release dated February 20, 2017. API management functionality for building internal and external developer ecosystems with API marketplaces is provided by WSO2 API Manager. It combines a consumer-like store where users can find and subscribe to APIs, along with complete API lifecycle governance for publishers and analytics and metrics to support decision-making and enforce service-level agreement (SLA) policies. Identity and access management (IAM) capabilities for managing identity, security and privacy across the digital business is delivered by WSO2 Identity Server. Its federated approach to identity enables organizations to protect users and assets internally and across digital ecosystems.



Smart analytics for enabling the data-driven decisions of digital businesses and creation of new data products are provided using WSO2 Data Analytics Server (WSO2 DAS). It offers automated real-time monitoring and analysis followed by automated responses, and it can use location and context to enhance the customer experience. Smart analytics are integrated into all WSO2 products and cloud solutions through the WSO2 DAS functionality. Internet of Things (IoT) and mobile devices become integral to enterprises digital businesses through the capabilities of WSO2 IoT Server, which launched in January 2017. It connects and manages all devices, providing the functionality to build an enterprise-grade solution so companies can focus on adding business value.

Cloud solutions from WSO2 empower enterprises with the agility to support their digital business initiatives and rapidly adapt to evolving market conditions. For details, see the WSO2 Cloud press release dated February 20, 2017. The four public cloud solutions include: Enhanced WSO2 API Cloud based on WSO2 API Manager, in production

New WSO2 Integration Cloud based on comprehensive functionality from the WSO2 Integration Platform, in production

New WSO2 Identity Cloud based on WSO2 Identity Server, in beta

New WSO2 Device Cloud based on WSO2 IoT Server, in beta Extending across all of WSO2s offerings, Dr. Weerawarana noted, were a commitment to two forms of agility. First was supporting technology agility with 100% open source software that enables enterprises to control their technical future. Second was adoption agility through the cloud with its pay-as-you-go pricing and ability to outsource technical operations. WSO2 also uniquely offers deployment flexibility, since the same software runs on-premises, in the cloud, and in hybrid environments. Enterprises can, for example, take their WSO2 software running on-premises and migrate it to the cloud for greater scalability. Conversely, they may choose to run WSO2 software in the cloud for a pilot project and then move it onto the organizations on-premises servers when going into production. Preview: Next-Generation Integration Language

Working with organizations, the WSO2 team has seen first-hand how the close alignment of IT and business within an enterprise undergoing a digital transformation is driving the need to simplify the ability to reuse, recompose and integrate services. This understanding set the stage for the preview demo of Ballerina that WSO2 provided conference attendees. A new patent-pending programming language, Ballerina brings a Visual Basic level of simplicity to writing programs that integrate with data sources, services, and network-connected APIsbridging the gap between technology experts and business professionals. Significantly, Ballerina will serve as the basis for a new generation of digital transformation technology products that WSO2 will begin rolling out this year. Ballerina features both textual and graphical syntaxes that uniquely offer the exact same expressive capability and are fully reversible. The textual syntax follows the C/Java heritage while also adopting some aspects from Go. The graphical syntax of Ballerina follows a sequence diagram metaphor. There are no weird syntax exceptions, and everything is derived from a few key language concepts. Additionally, Ballerina follows Java and Go to provide a platform-independent programming model that abstracts programmers from machine-specific details. Ballerina supports high-performance implementationsincluding the micro-services and micro-integrations increasingly driving digital productswith low latency, low memory and fast start-up. Notably, common integration capabilities are baked into the Ballerina language. These include deep alignment with HTTP, REST, and Swagger; connectors for both web APIs and non-HTTP APIs; and native support for JSON, XML, data tables, and mapping. Currently in version 0.8, the pre-production Ballerina language is available for developers to start trying out at http://ballerinalang.org. About WSO2

WSO2 uniquely increases the agility of digital businesses and enterprises engaging in a digital transformation. It offers the only completely integrated enterprise platform that enables businesses to build, integrate, manage, secure and analyze their APIs, applications, and Web serviceson-premises, in the cloud, on mobile devices, and across the Internet of Things. Leading enterprise customers worldwide rely on WSO2s award-winning 100% open source platform and its robust performance and governance for their mission-critical applications. Today, these businesses represent nearly every sector: health, financial, retail, logistics, manufacturing, travel, technology, telecom and more. Visit http://wso2.com to learn more, or check out the WSO2 community on the WSO2 Blog, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. Trademarks and registered trademarks are the properties of their respective owners. Shifali Erasmus Kinetic.PR, LLC for WSO2 [email protected] Mobile: 650-544-6424

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[February 20, 2017] WSO2 Debuts Three New Public Cloud Offerings for Managing Integration, Identities, and Mobile Devices

Mountain View, CA, Feb. 20, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Digital businesses and enterprises engaging in digital transformation are harnessing the power of the cloud to quickly get to market, easily extend functionality, and ensure high availability and performance. To support their requirements, WSO2 today debuted three new public cloud offerings based on the WSO2 open source software used by organizations worldwide: WSO2 Integration Cloud, WSO2 Identity Cloud, and WSO2 Device Cloud. WSO2 also rolled out enhancements to WSO2 API Cloud, which first launched in 2015. The announcements were made in conjunction with WSO2Con USA 2017, which runs February 20-22, 2017 in San Francisco.

Weve placed a priority on democratizing access to our enterprise-class software by making it available as public cloud solutions that organizations of any size can readily use, said Dmitry Sotnikov, vice president of cloud at WSO2. Already our WSO2 API Cloud has seen tremendous success with many government and commercial customers around the globe that have made it their platform of choice for hosting their API programs. Now we are extending our commitment with the introduction of WSO2 Integration Cloud, WSO2 Identity Cloud, and WSO2 Device Cloud. Together, these cloud solutions will empower enterprises with the agility to support their digital business initiatives and rapidly adapt to evolving market conditions. WSO2 Integration Cloud

WSO2 Integration Cloud brings together comprehensive functionality from the WSO2 Integration Platform, which manages up to billions of transactions per day at customer sites. With WSO2 Integration Cloud, users can easily provision enterprise service bus (ESB) projects, expose data as services, and host their API backends using a variety of technologies. WSO2 Integration Cloud supports leading open and proprietary integration standards, as well as all integration patterns, enabling interoperability across heterogeneous systems and business applications. As a result, organizations can connect customers, partners and employees across a range of apps running on enterprise systems, the cloud, web, mobile devices, and the Internet of Things (IoT). Additionally, it can be used to integrate data stores, create composite data views, host data services, allow easy deployment of business processes and models, and create microservices in Java. Key features of WSO2 Integration Cloud include: Hosting cloud-to-cloud and cloud-to-on-premises integration projects.

Proxy services with complex orchestrations.

Ability to link a VPN cloud environment to on-premises networks.

Ability to host API backends developed using a range of popular technologies, including Java API for RESTful Web Services (JAX-RS), Java API for XML Web Services (JAX-WS), Java, WSO2 Microservices Framework for Java (MSF4J), and PHP.

MySQL databases.

Ability to hide the services from the Internet and limit their visibility to your other services and API gateway.

Service monitoring and scaling. WSO2 Identity Cloud

WSO2 Identity Cloud features the functionality of WSO2 Identity Server identity and access management (IAM) software, which manages billions of user identities at customer sites. It enables enterprise architects and developers to improve the users experience by reducing identity provisioning time, guaranteeing secure online interactions, and delivering a reduced single sign-on (SSO) environment. It also decreases the burden of identity management and entitlement management by including role-based access control, attribute-based access control, fine-grain policy-based access control, and SSO bridging. In its initial release, WSO2 Identity Cloud provides extensible support for easily configuring SSO and poular software as a service (SaaS) applications. Other key components of WSO2 Identity Cloud include:



A small, efficient agent to connect an enterprises on-premises directory based on the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) directly to the cloud, so employees can log in to the user portal and consume the applications.

Ability to add SSO to any cloud or SaaS application using industry standards, such as including the Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML), OpenID Connect (OIDC), and WS-Federation.

Preconfigured templates for popular SaaS applications, including Amazon Web Services, Concur, GoToMeeting, Microsoft Office 365, NetSuite, Salesforce, and Zuora.

Brandable application catalog page that lets users discover applications and access them using SSO. WSO2 Device Cloud

WSO2 Device Cloud incorporates functionality from WSO2 IoT Server, the comprehensive software that provides all the features needed to start building an enterprise-grade solutionbased on IoT, mobile or bothso organizations can focus on adding business value while speeding time to market. The initial version of WSO2 Device Cloud provides out-of-the-box enterprise mobility management. Featuring highly extensible device management capabilities, future releases of WSO2 Device Cloud will:

Expose devices as APIs to support integration and application development.

Ensure secure device and app access through identity management and authorization.

Simplify app management for IT teams and end-users.

Tap insights from devices via analytics and visualizations, including analysis of data points, such as speed, proximity and geo-fencing. New in WSO2 API Cloud

Since 2015, WSO2 API Cloud has been democratizing API management by providing a public cloud version of the award-winning WSO2 API Manager, which has been implemented by Global 1000 companies and governments around the world. It offers an API Store that lets IT organizations set up their own consumer-like store where developers can easily subscribe to and consume APIs. Meanwhile, it provides API publishers with complete API lifecycle governancefrom creating to publishing, deprecating and retiring APIsas well as analytics and metrics to support decision-making and enforce service-level agreement (SLA) policies. By using WSO2 API Cloud to expose business capabilities as managed APIs, organizations can gain greater agility in developing their own digital products, as well as provide off-the-shelf potential for advertising and selling business APIs. The new release of WSO2 API Cloud now offers: Global API Gateways that allow enterprises to host their APIs in 12 different data centers across North and South America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific.

API Monetization that enables enterprises to easily create pricing plans for their APIs and start selling them with the help of a pre-integrated Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliant billing system. Availability and Support

The commercial releases of WSO2 API Cloud (http://wso2.com/api-management/cloud) and WSO2 Integration Cloud (http://wso2.com/integration/cloud) are available today. WSO2 offers five main subscription levels for each of the cloud offerings, which all provide full functionality and range from $129 to $9,980 per month. Users who want to evaluate WSO2 API Cloud or WSO2 Integration Cloud can take advantage of a two-week free trial with full functionality. Enterprises requiring a customized plan can email [email protected] The beta versions of WSO2 Identity Cloud (http://wso2.com/identity-and-access-management/cloud) and WSO2 Device Cloud (http://wso2.com/internet-of-things/cloud) are available today. Developers can use the beta releases of these offerings at no cost until they launch commercially in Q2 2017. About WSO2

WSO2 uniquely increases the agility of digital businesses and enterprises engaging in a digital transformation. It offers the only completely integrated enterprise platform that enables businesses to build, integrate, manage, secure and analyze their APIs, applications, and Web serviceson-premises, in the cloud, on mobile devices, and across the Internet of Things. Leading enterprise customers worldwide rely on WSO2s award-winning 100% open source platform and its robust performance for their mission-critical applications. Today, these businesses represent nearly every sector: health, financial, retail, logistics, manufacturing, travel, technology, telecom and more. Visit http://wso2.com to learn more, or check out the WSO2 community on the WSO2 Blog, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. Trademarks and registered trademarks are the properties of their respective owners. Shifali Erasmus Kinetic.PR, LLC for WSO2 [email protected] Mobile: 650-544-6424

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[February 21, 2017] Ekinops' 100G Solution Chosen by a Major Operator in West Africa

Ekinops (Euronext Paris - FR0011466069 - EKI), a leading supplier of next-generation optical network equipment, has partnered with Orange (News - Alert) Ivory Coast, the number one telecommunications operator in Ivory Coast, for the rollout of a 100 gigabits per second solution. Orange Ivory Coast has nearly 12 million customers. To meet the sustained growth in data traffic demand in the West African nation, Orange Ivory Coast decided to extend the transmission capacity of its network along the country's main strategic routes. To do so, Orange Ivory Coast is deploying the innovative 100G solution from Ekinops (News - Alert). Over the past few months, Orange Ivory Coast and Ekinops carried out intensive field tests. The results of these tests were particularly positive and enabled teams at Orang Ivory Coast to assess the performance and innovative nature of the Ekinops solution. This solution allows for transmission capacity to be increased from 10G to 100G very easily and without changing the network's existing infrastructure.



The Ekinops 100G solution also guarantees Orange Ivory Coast perfect interoperability with existing equipment in its network. The efficient and quick to implement solution will meet the capacity needs for Orange Ivory Coast and improve service quality for its customers. Xavier Billy, Vice-President of Strategic Accounts at Ekinops, said, "We are proud to be able to meet the challenges of increased capacity for Orange Ivory Coast with our innovative 100G application. This strategic collaboration will not only give Orange Ivory Coast increased flexibility by massively increasing the bandwidth of its national network, it will also serve its cross-border requirements with neighboring countries, a major challenge across West Africa."

About Ekinops Ekinops is a leading supplier of next generation optical transport equipment for telecommunications service providers. The Ekinops 360 addresses Metro, Regional, and Long-Haul applications with a single, highly-integrated platform. Ekinops is a market-leading innovator in 100G transport with a coherent line of products that truly optimizes optical networks and comes in 1RU, 2RU or 7RU chassis. The Ekinops 360 relies on the highly-programmable Ekinops T-Chip (Transport-on-a-Chip) architecture that enables fast, flexible and cost-effective delivery of new services for high-speed, high-capacity transport. Using the Ekinops 360 carrier-grade system, operators can simply increase capacity of their networks - CWDM, DWDM, Ethernet, ESCON, Fibre Channel, SONET/SDH, and uncompressed video (HD-SDI, SD-SDI, ASI). Ekinops is headquartered in Lannion, France, and Ekinops Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary, is incorporated in the USA. For more information, visit www.ekinops.net. Mnemonic code: EKI

Number of shares: 7,364,997 View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170220005039/en/

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HyperX Cloud Stinger Gaming Headset Wins Prestigious iF DESIGN AWARD 2017 for Product Design in the Headset Category

HyperX, a division of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., today announced the Cloud Stinger Gaming Headset is a winner of this year's iF DESIGN AWARD, a world-renowned honor recognizing design excellence. HyperX Cloud Stinger was selected for product design in the headset category for its comfort, audio quality and design detail. The competition was intense: more than 5,500 entries were submitted from 59 countries in hopes of receiving the seal of design excellence. HyperX Cloud Stinger emerged as the winner to take home the global headset award.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170221005154/en/

HyperX Stinger Gaming Headset wins prestigious iF DESIGN AWARD. (Graphic: Business Wire)

"We wanted to design a gaming headset that was affordable for all gamers and could be used on any platform," said Baron Lee, global product manager - audio, HyperX. "We focused on the core design essentials: like HyperX signature comfort, amazing sound, and simple user experience - all for an affordable price and we did just that with the Cloud Stinger headset."

Celebrating the best in design since 1953, the iF DESIGN AWARDS are organized each year by Germany's oldest independent design organization, Hannover-based iF International Forum Design GmbH. The 58-member jury of global independent design experts selected Cloud Stinger for its powerful sound, audio precision and ultra-comfort. Designed to make even the most casual gamer feel like a pro, HyperX Cloud Stinger features HyperX signature memory foam and 50mm directional drivers to deliver a comfortable, high-quality sound experience at an affordable price.

"The design success is shared by the entire global HyperX Research and Development team working together with a common goal of having the best quality and design, for a gaming headset under $50US," said Peter Chou, research and development team lead, HyperX.

More information about HyperX Cloud Stinger can be found in the "Design Excellence" section of the iF WORLD DESIGN GUIDE.

About the iF DESIGN AWARD

Since over 60 years, the iF DESIGN AWARD has been recognized as an arbiter of quality for exceptional design. The iF label is renowned worldwide for outstanding design services, and the iF DESIGN AWARD is one of the most important design prizes in the world. Submissions are awarded in the following disciplines: Product, Packaging, Communication and Service Design, Architecture and Interior Architecture a well as Professional Concepts. All awarded entries are featured on the iF WORLD DESIGN GUIDE, in the iF design app and are displayed at the iF design exhibition Hamburg. #ifdesignaward.







About HyperX

HyperX is the high-performance product division of Kingston Technology, the independent world leader in memory products. The HyperX product line includes high-speed DDR4 and DDR3 memory, SSDs, USB Flash drives, gaming headsets, gaming keyboards and mouse pads. Designed to meet the needs of gamers, over clockers and enthusiasts, HyperX is known throughout the world for quality, performance and innovation. HyperX is committed to eSports as it sponsors over 30 teams globally and is the main sponsor of Intel Extreme Masters and ELEAGUE. HyperX can be found at shows across the globe including Brasil Game Show, China Joy, DreamHack, PAX and TwitchCon. For more information visit the HyperX home page or #hyperx.

HyperX is a division of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., the world's largest independent memory manufacturer. Established in 2002, HyperX is headquartered in Fountain Valley, California, USA. For more information, please call 800-337-8410 or visit www.hyperxgaming.com or connect with HyperX on social channels including: YouTube (News - Alert): http://www.youtube.com/hyperx; Facebook (News - Alert): http://www.facebook.com/hyperxcommunity; Twitter (News - Alert): http://twitter.com/hyperx; Instagram: https://instagram.com/hyperx/; LinkedIn (News - Alert): https://www.linkedin.com/company/hyperx.

Editor's Note: For additional information, evaluation units or executive interviews, please contact Mark Tekunoff, Kingston Technology Company, Inc. 17600 Newhope Street, Fountain Valley, CA (News - Alert) USA 92708, 714-438-2791(Voice). Press images can be found in Kingston's press room here.

Kingston, the Kingston logo and HyperX are registered trademarks of Kingston Technology Corporation. All rights reserved. All other marks may be the property of their respective titleholders.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170221005154/en/
[February 21, 2017] General Micro Systems Announces Revolutionary Concept in Rugged Server Design: "Total Rack" in Only 2U

AFCEA West 2017 - General Micro Systems, Inc. (GMS (News - Alert)) today announced that the S2U "King Cobra" 2U short rack server can replace up to 15U of equivalent server rack functions. This 'total rack' server system is made possible by King Cobra's revolutionary modular and scalable architecture that is a breakthrough in electro-mechanical design. Everything about King Cobra represents a different way of thinking about rackmount server design: each sub-system is optimized for maximum performance, lowest power, highest efficiency thermal profile and modular replacement in the field. Additionally, each subsystem is scalable and upgradable to lower TCO over the installation life. Starting with the field-removable OpenVPX single-board computer (SBC) motherboard-a mainstay in deployed defense systems-dual 18 core Intel (News - Alert) Xeon E5-2600v4 CPUs mate with up to 1024GB (1TB) of DD4 DRAM and are supported with a completely PCI Express-based storage subsystem with up to 48TB of NVMe SSDs. The 17-inch deep short rack S2U King Cobra includes a 24 port (22x 1GigE; 2x 10GigE) Ethernet switch subsystem, a hardware or enterprise-class Cisco intelligent router, two Power Supply Unit (PSU) options with Auxiliary Power Unit (APU), and scalable add-in modules for algorithm coprocessors, sensor interfaces, additional I/O or legacy system interfaces. S2U is a complete system, and on-board removable smart fan trays finely manage airflow and noise using side-mounted inlet/outlets. "This server is not what everyone else is doing. It's a revolutionary concept in server design," said GMS CEO and Chief Architect Ben Sharfi. "We looked at the entire rack, identified the functions most needed in a rugged system-from the server to the switch, and from backup power in our patent-pending APU to the existing system I/O-and designed a 'total rack' into a 2U, 17-inch deep box. It's a future way of thinking about a server solution to the problem." S2U King Cobra has been awarded or has pending a total of 12 patents. "If it wasn't unique," says Sharfi, "the patents wouldn't have been issued. No server company is even close to this technology, nor will be in the near future." Patented and Designed to be Different, Efficiently

S2U is based upon 12 patents and pending patents, from the Intel Xeon CPU sockets and PCIe interconnects, to the distributed airflow that is managed via 12 individual smart fans with tachometers, to the 100 percent only-12VDC internal power buses that eliminate the inefficiencies of typical server power supplies with standard (and often unneeded) multi-voltage power rails and up/down converters. The OpenVPX motherboard is designed by GMS and based upon a proven GMS compute-engine design that is well-fielded in defense applications. The Intel Xeon CPUs are cooled via a patented version of the company's RuggedCool technology; the heatsinks are also custom designed for maximum thermal transfer to the finely managed in-box airflow. Dual hot-swappable fan trays each contain six smart fans which blow air in/out of the system to the side-not the front/rear as in typical servers. The side-facing fans operate based upon real-time cooling needs using input from in-system sensors. The advantage of this system is that it minimizes fan noise to the server environment by keeping the fans at the minimum speed to cool the system. Buses, Data and RAID

Internal PCIe buses move data to the subsystems, including the 12-tray drive nework-attached storage array. Here too, S2U is unique. While the system supports traditional SATA and SAS (News - Alert) SSDs (up to 4TB per tray), S2U is best used with PCIe-based NVMe drives. These SSDs provide a direct PCIe path between CPU and storage, eliminating the typical server drive controllers that rob performance by converting from PCIe to another interface and protocol.



The advantage of this architecture is that a hardware RAID controller isn't needed. Instead, Intel's CPUs support RSTe and RST2 software RAID, the next-generation in ultimate performance RAID controllers. The Xeon E5 v4 CPUs are designed to directly control NVMe drives and there's no performance penalty; in fact, there is a gain by eliminating a separate hardware RAID controller. With 12 drive trays available, S2U supports up to 48TB of SSD storage with performance of well over 20X better than standard SAS/SATA drives. And the trays are dual-use, another unique feature of S2U. Add-in Capability

Traditional servers have minimal ability to add-in specialty I/O or co-processors. While there may be one or two PCIe card slots for off-the-shelf modules, this is rarely sufficient for systems interfacing with multiple legacy I/O interfaces. S2U offers four different ways to add I/O and co-processors:

1) 4x PCIe x16 card slots

2) 3x 3U OpenVPX defense-quality modules

3) GMS's SAM I/O (miniPCIe) on each drive tray and on the 6U VPX modules

4) Defense-quality XMC card can be added to the OpenVPX SBC motherboard This array of add-in I/O options is completely unprecedented in the server industry, and more so in such a compact 2U short rack server. An example of what is possible with this flexible add-in modularity is with GPGPU co-processing. S2U supports up to 24 TFLOPS of arithmetic processing via just two Nvidia Quadro P6000 processor GPGPU compute engine modules. All totaled, S2U King Cobra can provide up to 25 add-in modules, including the five SAM I/O available on the motherboard and COM switch board. This kind of flexibility exemplifies what makes S2U so unique: thoughtful scalability and unprecedented engineering prowess. Power, Switch and Router

S2U includes two ways to the power the system: via the three N+1 3U OpenVPX power supplies or via the add-in PSU/APU. The PSU/APU replaces the PCIe card cage and provides battery power to allow orderly suspend-to-disk or shutdown. Regardless of which option the user selects, the power supply is optimized for maximum efficiency. All S2U internal power buses are +12VDC, eliminating the need for multiple in-system power converters. This dramatically differs from traditional servers that use commodity "black box" power supplies with multiple (often unneeded) voltage outputs. S2U's power distribution system gets the energy where it is needed without superfluous power rails. Finally, S2U is designed to be more than a high-performance server with NAS and scalable I/O. There's also a 22-port intelligent managed Layer 2/3 Ethernet switch with POE+ on all ports, plus an additional four 10GigE ports (SBC plus switch). Available Cisco routers include an Embedded Services Router (ESR), optimized for moderate performance, or Cisco's 1000V Series Cloud Services Router (CSR (News - Alert)) that creates a locally hosted, infrastructure-agnostic "single tenant router" capability. Routing is available on all the switch's 1 Gigabit and 10 Gigabit ports. The Future Is S2U King Cobra

Everything about S2U is a new way to create server design: it is efficient, scalable, field-replaceable, and at only 2U high and 17-inches deep, S2U can replace up to 15U worth of equivalent server boxes. This "total rack" design is intentional and is truly the future of rack-mount server design. Come See General Micro Systems and the S2U King Cobra at AFCEA West, San Diego, Booth #741 General Micro Systems Is Trusted and Deployed: On the Sea, in the Air and on Land For more information regarding GMS products, please visit: www.gms4sbc.com

Additional S2U press materials can be found at: http://www.gms4sbc.com/press/2017/S2U/

High-resolution product photos available here: http://www.gms4sbc.com/press/S2U/ Reader Service Contact: Jonathan Malaney 772-266-4015 ext. 402, [email protected] About General Micro Systems:

General Micro Systems (GMS) is the industry expert in highest-density, modular, compute-intensive, and rugged small form-factor embedded computing systems, servers, and switches. These powerful systems are ideal for demanding C4ISR defense, aerospace, medical, industrial, and energy exploration applications. GMS is an IEC (News - Alert), AS9100, and MIL-SPEC supplier with infrastructure and operations for long-life, spec-controlled, and configuration-managed programs. Designed from the ground up to provide the highest performance and functionality in the harshest environments on the planet, the company's highly customizable products include GMS Rugged DNA with patented RuggedCool cooling technology. GMS is also the leader in deployable high-end Intel processors and a proud Intel partner since 1986. For more information, visit www.gms4sbc.com General Micro Systems and the General Micro Systems logo are trademarks of General Micro Systems, Inc. All other product or service names are the property of their respective owners. 2016 General Micro Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170221006055/en/

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[February 21, 2017] Siemens Healthineers Establishes Global Digital Ecosystem to Drive Digitalization of Healthcare

HIMSS 2017, Orlando, Feb 19 to Feb 23, 2017; Siemens (News - Alert) Healthineers at booth 2323 -- At the 55th Annual Meeting for the Health Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), Siemens Healthineers announces a digital platform for healthcare providers as well as for providers of solutions and services, aimed at covering the entire spectrum of healthcare. The platform is to foster the growth of a digital ecosystem linking healthcare providers and solution providers with one another as well as bringing together their data, applications and services. In the Siemens Healthineers Digital Ecosystem, data from imaging, in-vitro diagnostics and medical documentation is combined and assessed. This data is generated in one of the healthcare industry's largest installed bases, i.e. the Siemens Healthineers customers who have agreed to participate in the ecosystem. Furthermore it will allow its users to exchange data and knowledge with other experts beyond their own institution. With the Digital Ecosystem Siemens Healthineers aims to set new trends in healthcare together with its customers and partners to enable healthcare providers around the world to meet their current challenges and to excel in their respective environments. Digitalization in healthcare is expected to drive the much-needed change towards widespread value-based care and dramatically reduced costs. Deep insights, i.e. into the clinical or operational performance of a healthcare facility, are essential for the digital transformation of healthcare. With its Digital Ecosystem, Siemens Healthineers plans to contribute to value-based healthcare by enabling fast, simple and seamless interaction between providers of data and knowledge. Through the Digital Ecosystem Siemens Healthineers will provide its customers with aggregated data which are usable for different evaluations. For example tools for predictive analysis could enable users to discern new correlations and trends to help improve diagnoses and guide therapy choices. Global knowledge exchange is a very important instrument in medicine to improve patient care. The Siemens Healthineers Digital Ecosystem will allow experts to link and communicate with their peers worldwide, and healthcare providers can benefit from Siemens Healthineers' extensive expertise in nearly all clinical areas, including experience in data security in the healthcare market. Because a digital ecosystem thrives if as many service providers as possible contribute to it, the Siemens Healthineers Digital Ecosystem comes with open API's (Application Programming Interface) to enable application developers and solution providers to efficiently create, market and offer services which are seamlessly integrated into a shared digital healthcare platform. Partner companies will be able to access one of the largest pools of in-vivo and in-vitro data, an share their solutions with healthcare providers in markets all across the world.



"We believe that digitalization and the associated networking of healthcare providers is essential for the transformation to value-based healthcare. Big data needs to become smart data. With the Siemens Healthineers Digital Ecosystem, we are providing our customers with much deeper insights than previously possible into the key components that create both clinical and operational value." commented Dr. Arthur Kaindl, Head of Digital Health Services at Siemens Healthineers. "Such a major transformation can only be initiated by working together. Our partners are essential to the success of this platform, and ultimately to the success of transforming healthcare." The Siemens Healthineers Digital Ecosystem is based on the cloud-based network teamplay1, which has been recognized for its handling of data privacy2 and is already in use at hundreds of customer sites. It brings together a number of additional platforms such as LifeNet or the Point of Care (POC) Informatics (News - Alert) solution from Siemens Healthineers. Built on Microsoft Azure cloud platform, it currently contains several million data records, providing, for example, insight into the level of utilization of imaging devices in a clinic or the associated radiation doses. Because data security and privacy are taken very seriously, the cloud-based network offers different privacy levels to support compliance with local regulations2.

Opening development of the ecosystem to companies such as application, service and solution providers, device manufacturers, platform developers or data providers, results in a shared digital platform on which Siemens Healthineers and its partners can offer applications and services for healthcare providers to support decision-making and increase productivity. Arterys, Dell (News - Alert) EMC, SecondOpinions.com, Stroll Health, SyntheticMR, 3D Slicer, TMC, USARAD and Viewics already agreed to provide applications and technologies for the Siemens Healthineers Digital Ecosystem, and the platform is open for additional partners. At the conference in Orlando, Siemens Healthineers will present an initial prototype of its digital platform, with single-sign-on access to its partners' applications and services. The platform is planned to be commercially available in the fall of 2017. Information about the solutions from Arterys, Dell EMC, SecondOpinions.com, Stroll Health, SyntheticMR, 3D Slicer, TMC (News - Alert), USARAD and Viewics on the Siemens Healthineers Digital Ecosystem is available at https://usa.healthcare.siemens.com/infrastructure-it/healthineers-digital-ecosystem/digital-ecosystem 1 teamplay is not yet commercially available in some countries. No undertakings can be given as to its future availability due to the special legal provisions pertaining to medical devices. More detailed information can be obtained from the relevant local Siemens organization. 2 teamplay - CORE applications: teamplay Dose, teamplay Usage and teamplay Protocols - has been awarded with the European Privacy Seal and the German "Seal of Privacy for IT products" of the Independent Centre for Privacy Protection in Schleswig-Holstein (ULD). This press release is available at www.siemens.com/press/PR201702180HCEN Siemens Healthineers is the separately managed healthcare business of Siemens AG (News - Alert) enabling healthcare providers worldwide to meet their current challenges and to excel in their respective environments. A leader in medical technology, Siemens Healthineers is constantly innovating its portfolio of products and services in its core areas of diagnostic and therapeutic imaging and in laboratory diagnostics and molecular medicine. Siemens Healthineers is also actively developing its digital health services and enterprise services. To help customers succeed in today's dynamic healthcare marketplace, Siemens Healthineers is championing new business models that maximize opportunity and minimize risk for healthcare providers. In fiscal 2016, which ended on September 30, 2016, Siemens Healthineers generated revenue of 13.5 billion and profit of over 2.3 billion and has about 46,000 employees worldwide. Further information is available at www.siemens.com/healthineers View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170221006199/en/

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Do you have a tree that needs a little pruning? Pruning young trees help them reach their potential. Pruning decisions involve an evaluation of the trees form while considering when to prune, and what to prune.

If you plant a tree this spring or have planted one in the past year or two, the only pruning necessary is the removal of dead branches. Sometimes the young tree may have two central leaders and the removal of one makes sense at planting. Otherwise, wait two or three years after planting for other branch removal as needed.

As a young tree grows its branches and leaves provide food for root growth and tree establishment. Therefore, conservative pruning and adequate watering is the rule of thumb for pruning a newly planted tree.

So what about established tree pruning? Sometimes, branches grow toward the center of the crown of the tree and cross each other. When this occurs, we can remove one branch to prevent damage from rubbing on the other. At other times, branches may die or become broken, or the form or balance of the tree may need some adjustment through pruning.

I often get questions about the best time to prune a tree. My answer frequently begins with it depends. Factors that affect the time of pruning include the kind of tree. For example, prune oaks while the tree is dormant to reduce the risk of disease transfer by insects from a sick tree to your healthy tree as they feed on the sap flow caused by the pruning wound.

What type of pruning tools should I use? Where do I cut the branch off? Can I remove too many branches? Can I safely prune my tree with the equipment I own? These are a few of the questions and considerations when deciding how and when to prune your tree.

If you would like to learn about tree pruning, a workshop titled, Tree Pruning 101 may be of interest. The University of Illinois Extension is presenting a workshop at the 4-H Center on the Coles County Fairgrounds on March 17. The presentation starts at 2 p.m. indoors and will finish outdoors evaluating trees for pruning, followed by some hands on pruning. The workshop will be finished at 4 p.m. This workshop is free to attend.

Are you ready to learn more? Then register for the Tree Pruning 101 workshop at the University of Illinois Extension Unit 19 website http://web.extension.illinois.edu/ccdms/. You can also call the U of I Extension office in Arthur to register at 217-543-3755. Preregistration is required, and the deadline for registration is on March 10.

For more information on University of Illinois Extension programming in Coles, Cumberland, Douglas, Moultrie and Shelby counties, visit http://web.extension.illinois.edu/ccdms/index.html or call 217-345-7034.
EFFINGHAM -- The Effingham Elks 1016 Lodge, in cooperation with the Illinois Elks Childrens Care Corporation, will sponsor a free childrens orthopedic assessment clinic on Thursday.

The clinic starts at 8 a.m. and is by appointment only. To make an appointment, call the Illinois Elks Childrens Care office at 1-800-272-0074 between 9 a.m.-4 p.m. There are no charges for any services at this clinic.

The Elks will hold the clinic at the Bonutti Orthopedic Clinic, 1303 West Evergreen Ave. Dr. Timothy Gray will be the clinician in charge.

No medical referral is necessary for the clinic but physicians are welcome to refer patients to the clinic for a specific reason or second opinion. School nurses are welcome to refer children and families to the clinic.

The Elks Organization has been working with physically challenged children since 1928 and this is one of the 17 clinic locations throughout Illinois. The clinic is an ideal time to have a child reviewed for bone and joint development. If your child has feet pointing out or in, who complains of back, knee, leg, ankle pain or has a back curvature, he or she can be seen at this clinic. There is no charge for any diagnostic services at this clinic.

The Elks will provide financial assistance to the best of their ability for children needing further treatment or specialty equipment when the family lacks sufficient resources to do so. In the past, the Elks have purchased therapy services, corrective shoes, braces, wheelchairs and augmentative communication devices to help children overcome a variety of physical challenges.
With all the colds and crud that have been going around, I wanted to share an article written by Extension colleague Susan Sloop regarding guidelines for keeping children home from child care and school.

Deciding whether a mildly ill child can go to child care or school is difficult. What may have been just a tummy ache in the morning could lead to vomiting and diarrhea later in the day. Parents usually make good decisions. However, work obligations sometimes do get in the way, making it hard for the parent to keep the child home. It can sometimes be a complicated decision. However, child care and school personnel also have the final say on whether the child is too sick to attend child care or school. Here are some things to keep in mind.

Colds: On average, a child catches 6-8 colds per year. If he is over 4 months, old, there is no need to keep him home with sniffles or congestion  as long as his temperature is lower than 100 degrees and he has no other signs of illness.

Vomiting or diarrhea: Keep your child home. Call the doctor if these problems persist or your child seems dehydrated. She can go back to child care when she can drink liquids without problemsat least 24 hours after the last time she vomits, and at least 12 hours after the last time she has diarrhea.

Stomachache, headache, earache, toothache: Observe your child. If he is in severe pain, call his doctor immediately. If he doesn't look or act sick, try gentle encouragement (like reminding him of something fun he will be doing that day). Call his doctor if he complains of pain frequently, his pain persists, or you're unsure he is ill.

Conjunctivitis ("pinkeye") or strep throat: Your child should stay home until she has been on an antibiotic for 24 hours and has no fever. Red "bloodshot" eyes and yellow or greenish discharge from the eyes are signs that she should see a doctor. If she has a bad sore throat or a sore throat and a fever, she should be tested for strep at the doctor's office.

Rash: You don't need to keep your child home for a minor diaper or heat rash. If he has an unusual rash with fever or acts unwell, see a doctor before sending him to child care or school. A child with impetigo (a skin infection characterized by blisters that itch) should stay home for 24 hours after starting to take antibiotics. Cover any remaining blisters or scaling with a bandage or dressing when he returns to child care.

Ask about your caregiver's or program's policies on sick children before enrolling your child. By law, Illinois child care providers must screen children for obvious signs of illness each day. State guidelines help these providers determine whether a child should be sent home.

Plan ahead. You may need to stay home or find a relative or trusted friend who will stay with the child on short notice.

In general, keep your child home if he is not well enough to take part in the usual class activities or might infect others.

Nothing in the article should be considered or used as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your health care provider if you are unsure.
MATTOON -- An official who manages the school bus system in Mattoon sees state pushes in support of requiring three-point seat belts on school buses as unnecessary at this point.

Soon after the Teutopolis school bus accident south of Sullivan injured several students on board, Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White showed support for the idea via a press release, but Mark Nelson, Mattoon school district transportation director, sees this potential measure as premature.

Nelson said he does not see the value in adding seat belts to school buses right now because of the lack of evidence he has seen to support that requiring these seat belts would ensure a students safety.

He does not see a problem with the measures already in place on a school bus that are designed to keep students safe. He said school buses are essentially built like tanks.

Buses are designed to not only avoid accidents with the bright yellow paint and flashing lights, but are also designed to remain intact should a collision occur, with the thick steel used to protect occupants in the bus. Nelson said they are made so that the cabin does not collapse and that, in most cases, it does not roll over.

These buses also feature a lot of intentional padding in the cabin to prevent injury should severe collisions happen. Nelson said the padding is designed so that someone can be jostled around in the cabin and will likely be fine.

You have a better chance of being hit by lightning than being injured on a school bus, Nelson said. It is so rare.

According to a press release, six states  California, Florida, New Jersey, New York, Louisiana and Texas  have passed laws requiring seat belts in school buses and some state lawmakers are pushing for Illinois to be among them.

State Rep. Lou Lang, D-Skokie, as well as transportation committee chairman state Sen. Martin Sandoval, D-Cicero, with the support of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), have been pushing for legislation requiring these seat belts.

While school buses are a safe form of transportation, there is no amount of safety which could ever be enough to protect our children, Lang said in a release. It is time to provide that safety by making sure that kids have seat belts on their way to and from school just as if a parent was driving them.

Charleston school district Superintendent Jim Littleford said the NHTSA "must have some reason" for now recommending school buses have three-point seat belts. The NHTSA was once neutral on school buses having seat belts but changed its stance in 2015.

The most recent accident involving a school bus transporting Charleston district students was in September. One student was slightly injured by broken glass, according to reports on the accident.

In that instance, having a seat belt would "probably be irrelevant" to avoiding injuries, Littleford said.

Nelson said looking at many of the school bus accidents that involve injuries nationwide, he is not sure how many if any would have gone injury-free with the implementation of three-point seat belts.

If we could nail it down and say, Oh gosh if we put a three-point harness on our school buses, our safety would just skyrocket, then I would say OK. Lets do it, Nelson said. But the statistics are not out there.

In some scenarios, Nelson said a seat belt might exacerbate the problem such as if a student needs to exit the vehicle quickly in an accident and is unable to unlatch the seat belt.

The implementation might prove challenging when it comes to enforcement, Nelson said.

How do we know that the kid sitting on the third seat from the back on the right side has his seat belt on? Nelson said.

Logistically, he does not see it working out the way some envision it. Currently, Mattoon already has some lap belts in buses, however, because students have just not used them, they have laid either on the seat or on the floor.

Littleford said the district would work with First Student Transportation, the bus company the district uses, to ensure compliance with a seat belts requirement if one is put in place. But he also said he wonders about covering the cost, as the state is already behind in reimbursing school districts for transportation expenses.

Nelson said it is less about the money to implement the seat belts and more about the necessity of them at all. There is just not a lot of evidence that he has seen providing the purpose for the seat belts.

I don't see nationwide where there is a problem, Nelson said.
100 years ago, Feb. 21, 1917

MATTOON -- The Mattoon City Council last night voted to close South 19th Street from Charleston Avenue to Lafayette Avenue and to open a new South 19th Street, 50 feet wide, over what is now the George W. Donnelly property, 1901 Charleston Ave.; the S.G. Auer property, 1900 Wabash; the Johanna Cahill property; 1901 Wabash; and the Illinois Central property, 1900 Lafayette Ave. The new South 19th Street will be paved a width of 40 feet, the width of the current 19th Street being 30 feet. Hulman & Company and the Illinois central Railroad will pay for the paving of the new 19th Street. Hulman & Company sought the change in order to expand its large warehouse... MATTOON -- The Mattoon Board of Local Improvements adopted yesterday a resolution calling for pavement of DeWitt Avenue from 21st Street to 33rd Street. The first hearing probably will be on March 1. The board proposes to build a brick pavement 28 feet wide. By paving DeWitt, adequate fire protection will be given the entire northwest section of Mattoon. Prairie Avenue is the farthest north paved street at present... SPRINGFIELD -- A bill was introduced in the Illinois House today, asking an appropriation of $350,000 for a new gymnasium at the Eastern Illinois State Normal School at Charleston. The bill was offered by Rep. Robert Howard of Mattoon.

50 years ago, 1967

SPRINGFIELD -- A bill to convey ownership of the fish hatchery site at Lake Paradise to the City of Mattoon was introduced in the Illinois House today. The bill is sponsored by Rep. William Cox, R-Charleston. The bill asks that the Illinois Department of Conservation give the site containing approximately 28 acres to the city at no cost to the city. The site was given by the city to the state in 1928 to establish a fish hatchery. It operated as a fish hatchery until a few years ago when it was closed by the state... CHARLESTON -- Vern Richey, former Charleston resident and editorial writer for Lindsay-Schaub Newspapers in Decatur, plans a six- to 10-month car trip through Central and South America at the end of the month. Richey, 29, served in the Peace Corps in Tanzania from 1963 to 1965. He and Dave Mangurian, a friend from Washington, D.C., will travel by car and visit villages and cities at random. They plan to do some free-lance writing about the trip. Richey attended Eastern Illinois University, receiving a bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois and a master's from Columbia University in New York... SHELBYVILLE -- The Shelby County Board of Supervisors has refused to pay the salary of one of Sheriff Glenn (Bill) Wade's three deputies. According to the board, Wade attempted to have his wife paid for three jobs, including deputy. Committee Chairman Marvin Jordan of Moweaqua said Wade's wife Nora was paid $450 a month as deputy during December and January, in addition to $100 each month as county jail cook. Mrs. Wade also claimed $250 as radio operator for December, which was not approved, according to Jordan. Consequently, Wade has had his staff reduced to two. Wade, who called the action "a smear campaign," said he will present his side at the March 8 meeting.

25 years ago, 1992

CHARLESTON -- A 19-year-old Eastern Illinois University student died Thursday morning of a meningitis infection. Sophomore Peter G. Giese of Batavia was found by his roommate about 10 a.m. in Thomas Hall on Seventh Street. Lou Hencken, EIU associate vice president for student affairs, and Dr. Richard Larson, health services director, advised all 60 third-floor Thomas Hall residents to receive medication because of the close contacts they may have had with Giese CHARLESTON -- A group of volunteers is willing to move the World War I veterans memorial from its present location near the Charleston post office. They just dont know where to take it yet. Frank Smith, an organizer of the effort to relocate the statue that bears the names of 21 men who died in The Great War, said the group doesnt want to see the monument torn down. Some have suggested it be moved to Morton Park while others believe the Coles County Courthouse lawn is a fitting spot. County Board members want to study the matter. A decision is expected at the March board meeting MATTOON -- Mattoon school officials hope the school district will come off the state financial watch list at this time next year. Mattoon was one of 155 Illinois school districts listed as financially troubled in December 1988 and one of the first eight districts listed as in financial difficulty. That designation requires a district to submit to the state a three-year financial plan with balanced budgets. Mattoon was one of three area districts on the latest watch list released yesterday. The other two are Cumberland and Findlay.

100 years ago, Feb. 22, 1917

MATTOON -- Robert Howard, Coles County's representative in the Illinois House of Representatives and a former member of the Mattoon City Council, is a candidate for the Democratic nomination for mayor of Mattoon. A petition bearing the name of Mr. Howard was filed this afternoon by George Kizer. Dr. E.E. Richardson, a well-known physician, also desires the Democratic nomination for mayor. He is circulating a petition... MATTOON -- Two young women have decided to run for Mattoon city collector. The names of Miss Ruth Sparks, a stenographer employed in the Sparks furniture store, and Miss Mary Rowe, a bookkeeper employed at the Commercial-Star newspaper, will be printed upon the ballots to be presented to voters at the primary election on March 13... MATTOON -- Owing to the high price of living, certain barbers of Mattoon are prepared to introduce at the next meeting of their union local, a resolution with a view of increasing the price of a haircut from 25 cents to 35 cents. A two-thirds vote is required... MATTOON -- C.A. Parquette, chief electrician for the Big Four Railroad, headquarters at Cincinnati, transacted company business in Mattoon yesterday. His private car was attached to train No. 16 on its departure. A trainload of soldiers passed through Mattoon late Tuesday afternoon, the change of engines and crews made in the Big Four yards. The soldiers were Ohio militiamen enroute home from the Mexico border.

50 years ago, 1967

MATTOON -- One person submitted his resignation yesterday from the Mattoon Memorial Hospital District Board and two other board members announced they will not seek reappointment when their current terms expire March 1. Resigning is O.M. Westrup, who is completing the first year of his second three-year term. Martin T. Garbe and L.L. Cowger, who have served on the board since it was formed in 1950, announced they will not seek reappointment. Recommended to fill the vacancies are William B. Hamel Jr., Donald G. Raymer and Arthur Willaredt Sr. Westrup is an official with Illinois Consolidated Telephone Co. who said business obligations would prevent him from serving... MATTOON -- An annual salary of $20,000 has been established for the president of Lake Land College by the junior college's board of directors. Virgil H. Judge, superintendent of Mattoon schools, will assume his post as president of the college on March 1. Robert Webb of Shelbyville, administrative assistant, will receive $15,000 per year, and Dale Roberts, dean of vocational-technical education, will receive $14,000 a year.

25 years ago, 1992

CHARLESTON -- About 2,000 Eastern Illinois University students sought medicine as of Friday afternoon following the death of a 19-year-old student from a meningitis infection. The university received a shipment of 50,000 capsules of the medicine Rifampin from the Dow Corning Corp. Friday afternoon, according to Richard Larson, EIU health services director. A University of Illinois police officer delivered 1,000 doses to the health center Thursday when EIU ran out of its 1,000-capsule supply EFFINGHAM -- Three area extension educators have joined a team of experts at the new Cooperative Extension Office in Effingham that will serve 11 counties. Tom Stoutenborough of Coles County, Ed Ballard of Shelby County and Beverly Combs of Clark County, plus eight other specialists, will work with local offices to develop programs to meet the needs of the 11 counties. Those counties are Clark, Coles, Cumberland, Clay, Crawford, Effingham, Fayette, Jasper, Lawrence, Richland and Shelby.
Its a TERRORIST Ban.

It is not a Muslim ban, it is not a travel ban it is a TERRORIST ban. We do not care if a person is a Muslim a Christian, Jew for Hindu. We do not care if they are black, white or purple. We do not care if they are male or female. We do not care if they are married or single. We do not care if they are gay or straight. We do not care if they are a doctor, farmer or homeless. What we care about is, ARE THEY A TERRORIST.

The congress is yapping that Trump didnt tell us before he put the TERRORIST ban in effect.

If he had, the Democrats would have told the first news reporter they ran into, ten feet out the door.

Trump consulted with his security advisors and they all said go for it. If he had told congress and the Democrats screamed no no, dont do that, do you think President Trump would have changed his mind. So a few people get inconvenienced. A small price to pay to prevent a few or many people from being killed.

It is hard to believe that any American would not want a ban on TERRORISTS. However, by the protests, the riot at Berkley, the left wing new media, many Democrats and left wing judges, we see that there many people who would rather let terrorists in our county than protect themselves, their families or their neighbors. I commend President Trump for the ban on terrorists.

Don Searles, Mattoon
MATTOON -- Disabled Illinoisans and their families have a relatively new option to save for the future that state Treasurer Michael Frerichs is promoting as he tours the state this week.

"We're excited and shouting it from the rooftops," Frerichs said Tuesday morning in an interview with the JG-TC.

ABLE, or Achieving a Better Life Experience, is an investment program with tax advantages that allows people with disabilities the option of saving for expenses related to their disability while safeguarding their federal benefits.

"We identified a problem," Frerichs said, namely that many disabled people and their families could not earn or save much money without risking their benefits. Many people who are disabled still can work, and many families want to help their disabled loved ones with monetary gifts.

Before ABLE, a disabled person receiving government benefits could not have more than $2,000 total in assets, Frerichs said. Now, through the program, they can save up to $100,000 for disability related expenses.

While the state didn't have the resources for its own standalone program of this kind, Frerichs said officials reached out to leaders in other states and now Illinois ABLE is part of the National ABLE Alliance, which includes 14 states. According to information on Frerichs' official treasurer's website, the goal of the alliance is to offer the best possible ABLE services at the lowest cost to account owners.

The program is similar to college savings efforts run by the state, letting families set aside money for future qualified expenses, invest these funds in professionally designed savings accounts, and avoid some tax penalties on the fund, according to information on the treasurer's site.

Those eligible can sign up for ABLE at www.illinoisable.com. Investment growth is tax-free at the federal level and the money can be used for a variety of qualified expenses. It doesn't require a lawyer and the fee is, on average, about 34 cents per $100 invested.

Frerichs said he has heard many heart-wrenching stories of people struggling with how to care for a disabled child, for example, before ABLE was available.

One mother worried about her son outliving her, knowing that no one else could care for her autistic child and she could not leave him funds for his care without forcing the loss of his disability benefits, Frerichs said.

One man with cerebral palsy told the treasurer that he is able to work despite his disability, which in his case primarily affects his lower body. Yet he previously could not earn much money or risk losing his disability benefits.

"For a lot of families, this is going to encourage work," Frerichs said. "A lot of people with disabilities can still work."

The treasurer believes the program helps people with disabilities not only financially but emotionally, helping boost their sense of self-worth.

"We help people invest in themselves," he said.
Yes, Simon's Cat is between the covers again The new book is called Simon's Cat vs the World and you can win your own copy, acco...
Tuesday, February 21, 2017 Modest Budget Bill Still Provokes Controversy In Divided Santa Fe, Plus: A Bad Idea For Our Small State And NM Oil Jobs May Be Past Peak



The proposed budget for the year that starts July 1 and that came out of the Dem controlled House Appropriations Committee led by Lundstrom is flat as a pancake--fixing the budget at about $6.1 billion, about the same as the past year. The



The $6.1 billion spending bill would maintain current overall funding levels for public schools, boost resources for the judiciary and restore money for business incentives linked to expansions and job training. That plan hinges on companion legislation that would raise $218 million in new revenues from a long list of taxes and fees. New revenues would come in large part from a tax-deduction overhaul for the health sector designed to raise more than $100 million and steeper charges for cross-state trucking permits. Smaller provisions include taxing online sales by out-of-state retailers and no longer exempting nonprofit groups from taxes on sales.



We'll have to peel the onion more,but on first glance--dare we say--this looks like one of the most eminently reasonable budget plans we have seen since the state was plunged into its ongoing budget crisis. What does that mean? It means the Governor will loathe the plan and pick a huge fight over this table scraps budget. So watch your behinds--err--we mean your backs, Reps. Lundstrom and Trujillo.



DID YOU KNOW



The $6.1 billion



BAD IDEA



Talk about



The Senate has approved legislation adding New Mexico to an interstate compact aimed at guaranteeing the president  in future elections  would be elected by national popular vote. The measure, Senate Bill 42, passed the chamber on a party-line 26-16 vote, with Democrats in favor and Republicans opposed.



It's true that we no longer get the gobs of presidential campaign attention we did since we went deep blue and lost our swing state status. But Trump made two visits here last year and the Dems sent in high-powered surrogates, They did it because our five electoral votes are still significant to the national presidential puzzle. The attention helps in DC. Take it away and you get even less federal power. Not quite what you want to see in a state whose economy is so dependent on federal funding



THE PEAK IS PAST







People have left the industry, and they are not coming back, said Michael Dynan, vice president at Schramm, a Pennsylvania manufacturer of drilling rigs. If its a repetitive task, it can be automated, and I dont need someone to do that. I can get a computer to do that.



Indeed, computers now direct drill bits that were once directed manually. The wireless technology taking hold across the oil patch allows a handful of geoscientists and engineers to monitor the drilling and completion of multiple wells at a time  onshore or miles out to sea  and supervise immediate fixes when something goes wrong, all without leaving their desks.



That means the days of $300 hotel rooms in Lea County during an oil boom are over and the population there will continue to retreat or stagnate.



DOWNSIZING NM



Former UNM professor Connie Thorson writes of the talk of downsizing the state higher education system:



When I was active in university politics at UNM--over 25 years ago--a group of faculty met with legislative aides to discuss the continued expansion of higher education in NM. We all agreed that no more campuses should be developed or funded. Of course, our advice was ignored. And so the pieces of the higher ed pie got smaller and smaller. We saw part of the problem as the politicians or regents who wanted memorials to themselves. For example, how reasonable is the west side campus of UNM? My point is that down-sizing is not a concept readily embraced in NM by the administrators of the universities.



Anyway, I cannot imagine the UNM administration giving up one single vice president, associate or assistant vice president or dean or department head, not to mention office managers, secretaries, or student assistants. The possibility of any of the VP's or deans taking a salary cut is minuscule, in my opinion.



The proposed budget hearing toward the House floor calls for a 1 percent cut to the higher ed budget. That's on top of previous cuts approved by the Legislature.



A GHOST STATION?







This is the home of New Mexico politics.







Interested in reaching New Mexico's most informed audience? Advertise here.



( c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2017 It appears House Committee chairs Patrica Lundstrom and Carl Trujillo have bent over backwards to get a budget deal with the Republican Governor, but without getting obscene, we all know what happens when you bend over in front of this Governor.The proposed budget for the year that starts July 1 and that came out of the Dem controlled House Appropriations Committee led by Lundstrom is flat as a pancake--fixing the budget at about $6.1 billion, about the same as the past year. The critical news is that the budget holds funding steady for the already hard hit public schools:We'll have to peel the onion more,but on first glance--dare we say--this looks like one of the most eminently reasonable budget plans we have seen since the state was plunged into its ongoing budget crisis. What does that mean? It means the Governor will loathe the plan and pick a huge fight over this table scraps budget. So watch your behinds--err--we mean your backs, Reps. Lundstrom and Trujillo.The $6.1 billion budget headed toward the House floor is the same amount as it was nearly ten years ago . The budget is as flatlined as this state's economy and its population growth.Talk about a bad idea for a small state like ours:It's true that we no longer get the gobs of presidential campaign attention we did since we went deep blue and lost our swing state status. But Trump made two visits here last year and the Dems sent in high-powered surrogates, They did it because our five electoral votes are still significant to the national presidential puzzle. The attention helps in DC. Take it away and you get even less federal power. Not quite what you want to see in a state whose economy is so dependent on federal funding We appear to have seen the historic peak in employment in the New Mexico oilfields, no matter how much prices may rebound in the future:That means the days of $300 hotel rooms in Lea County during an oil boom are over and the population there will continue to retreat or stagnate.Former UNM professor Connie Thorson writes of the talk of downsizing the state higher education system:The proposed budget hearing toward the House floor calls for a 1 percent cut to the higher ed budget. That's on top of previous cuts approved by the Legislature. So the city is going to put a new police substation at Kathryn and San Mateo in the crime infested SE Heights. Okay, so who is going to staff it when you are short over 200 officers? It's the cart before the horse problem. ABQ has plenty of police substations but if they stand as empty shells most of the time--as many do--it's like building a bridge to nowhere.This is the home of New Mexico politics. E-mail your news and comments. (jmonahan@ix.netcom.com)
Agriculture and education groups joined in line formation Tuesday to urge Nebraska's elected officials to make property tax reform and school funding their top priority this year.

Without mentioning them by name, the groups took direct aim at proposed income tax cuts by Gov. Pete Ricketts and state Sen. Jim Smith of Papillion, chairman of the Legislature's Revenue Committee.

Lagging income and sales tax receipts have already positioned the state to fall $900 million short on its obligations over the next two years, said John Hansen, president of the Nebraska Farmers Union.

"It's fairly obvious that you can't continue to meet those obligations adequately, much less deal with the inequities in how we fund education, by pursuing an income tax cut," Hansen told reporters in the Capitol Rotunda, flanked by about 50 representatives from 16 groups. "That goes, in our view, clearly in the wrong direction."

The coalition calls itself Nebraskans United for Property Tax Reform and Education and brings together such disparate groups as the Nebraska State Education Association and the Nebraska Farm Bureau.

They represent 98 percent of the state's schools and a significant share of its farmers and ranchers.

Nebraska schools are funded through a combination of local property tax revenue and assistance from state and federal governments. But a vast majority of districts receive very little state aid, leaving property taxpayers to foot much of the bill.

Farmers and ranchers provide the most extreme example. They make up about 3 percent of the state population but pay nearly one-third of its property taxes, said Doug Nienhauser, a York-area farmer and leader of the group Nebraska Fair.

Ricketts' income tax cut proposal (LB337) is backed by business groups including the Nebraska, Omaha and Lincoln chambers of commerce and the Lincoln Independent Business Association.

A spokesman said the governor's proposals include property tax reform as well, noting a second measure (LB338) that would tax agricultural land based on its ability to generate income, not on its sales value.

"Getting both bills done this year is key to bridging the urban-rural divide and growing Nebraska," said Ricketts spokesman Taylor Gage.

Members of the property tax and education coalition said years of legislative studies and recent public opinion polling show substantial property tax reform should be the top focus of state lawmakers.

"This should be priority No. 1 throughout the legislative session," said Mike Lucas, superintendent of York Public Schools and president of a lobbying group that includes 15 midsize school districts.

The coalition stopped short of endorsing any specific proposals to fund property tax reform, such as raising sales or income tax rates, or eliminating certain sales tax exemptions.

Hansen called those "minor differences" in comparison with their overall goal.

On that, he said, "We are joined at the hip."
The newest member of the Lincoln Airport Authority might be the most-qualified member in the board's history.

Bob Selig, who was approved last month by the Lincoln City Council to fill the term of newly elected state Sen. Anna Wishart, attended his first meeting Tuesday.

Selig, who grew up in southeast Nebraska, moved to Lincoln last year with his wife after retiring as president and CEO of the Capital Region Airport in Lansing, Michigan. Prior to that job, he led five different airports in the Midwest, including the Central Nebraska Regional Airport in Grand Island in the late 1990s.

Selig, an Air Force veteran, applied last October for the seat vacated by Wishart and was appointed by Mayor Chris Beutler.

He won't get much time to get his feet wet, as he faces re-election for the seat in this spring's city election. Airport Authority members serve six-year unpaid terms.
A public hearing is set for March 21 to consider applicants for a county court judgeship for Lancaster County, left vacant when Thomas Fox declined to seek retention at the end of the year.

Fox's resignation was effective Jan. 5.

The 3rd Judicial District's Judicial Nominating Commission for County Judge will meet in the Supreme Court Courtroom at the Capitol at 9:30 a.m. March 21 to receive information on the qualifications of candidates to fill the vacancy.

The public is welcome to attend and present information on the candidates.

People interested in applying can get a judicial vacancy application package on the Nebraska Judicial Branch's website at supremecourt.nebraska.gov. The application deadline is 4 p.m. Feb. 28.

Nominating commissions also will meet March 23 at the Sarpy County Courthouse and April 4 at the Gage County Courthouse to consider open district court judgeships there.

The vacancy in the 2nd Judicial District, which includes Cass, Otoe and Sarpy counties, is due to Judge David K. Arterburn's appointment to the Nebraska Court of Appeals.

The vacancy in the 1st Judicial District, which includes Clay, Fillmore, Gage, Jefferson, Johnson, Nemaha, Nuckolls, Pawnee, Richardson, Saline and Thayer counties, is due to the retirement of Judge Daniel E. Bryan Jr.
Two hundred people are sold for sex every month in Lincoln and another 700 are sold in other parts of the state, according to a new report from Creighton University.

Lincoln Police Sgt. Ben Miller said researchers spent several years analyzing the website Backpage.com, where ads for escorts often led police nationwide to sex trafficking victims. The researchers, Crysta Price and Terry Clark, cross-referenced the ads to make sure they werent counting one potential victim multiple times, he said.

Miller said there are a number of ways to determine if an ad was made by a trafficker or by someone selling him or herself -- including if the picture was taken by someone else, the verbiage used in the post and if the pictures were taken in a hotel room.

The report, "Nebraskas Commercial Sex Market," is the first look at empirical data of what the commercial sex trade looks like in Nebraska, said Meghan Malik, trafficking project manager at the Womens Fund of Omaha.

"It clearly illustrates that this is in all of our backyards," she said. "No ZIP code or neighborhood is immune -- sex trafficking is happening in our communities.

Twenty-five to 30 percent of the ads researchers studied were posted by adults working independently and not being trafficked. About 70 percent showed some sign of advertised individuals being underage or controlled by a third party, the report says.

Prostitution is defined as a person willingly exchanging sex for money. Sex trafficking happens when a commercial sex act takes place through force, fraud or coercion by a trafficker.

Backpage.com shut down its escort section in January, but until then, it accounted for 80 percent of online commercial sex advertising.

This shutdown will not affect either the supply or demand for individuals sold for sex," Malik said. "Its not about how the market size will change, but rather where these individuals will be sold next and what online hub will be used. In fact, the shutdown of Backpage increases the vulnerability of those sold for sex making an already tough situation even worse.

The report also found that people from 27 states were sold for sex throughout Nebraska and 24 percent of the victims came from out of state to be sold.

The report made these recommendations.

* Create meaningful alternatives to employment opportunities that provide the most viable path out of the commercial sex industry.

* Public and private agencies should collaborate and share information with other states and across jurisdictions.

* Increase penalties for buyers of sex.
A woman who said she was being held hostage and trying to get to the West Coast to help others was arrested Saturday after a pursuit that began in Iowa ended in Waverly, according to court documents.

The Nebraska State Patrol had been told that Council Bluffs police were chasing a shuttle van stolen from the Renaissance Marriott Hotel in Elizabeth, New Jersey. They stopped their chase on Interstate 80 about 2:30 Saturday afternoon, and the patrol, along with Omaha police, picked it up near Gretna, according to a court document.

The driver, later identified as Heidi Rene Ford, had earphones in and appeared to be singing along to music, the document said. She failed to stop, and a trooper pulled up next to her to make sure she knew he was trying to stop her, but she wouldn't look at him, the document says.

Meanwhile, an Omaha police dog unit and the patrol's airplane were heading toward the scene to help, the document says.

After the Greenwood interchange, the patrol set up road spikes but Ford managed to avoid them. They set them up again a few miles to the west, and one of her tires was punctured. Ford, 40, pulled off at the Waverly exit and parked at a McDonald's, the document says.

She told authorities she had been held hostage and was running away from people who were after her. She said she had to get to the West Coast to help other people, according to a probable cause affidavit for her arrest.

She is in jail in Lincoln on suspicion of a possessing a stolen vehicle and felony flight to avoid arrest.
Cindy Lange-Kubick Columnist Cindy Lange-Kubick has loved writing columns about life in her hometown since 1994. She had hoped to become a people person by now, nonetheless she would love to hear your tales of fascinating neighbors and interesting places. Follow Cindy Lange-Kubick Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today

I wrote some fake news last week.

It ran on Sunday -- the story of a high school student intrigued by all things presidential for most of his 17 years. That part was true. The fake part came toward the end of the column, when I wrote that Zach Hoke would be in class at Northeast High on Feb. 20 BECAUSE HE DIDNT HAVE PRESIDENTS DAY OFF.

Which seemed SAD to me at the time, and was also entirely untrue.

I discovered this when an email from a teacher greeted me Monday morning: Presidents Day is Monday. Zach will not be in school finishing things up; there is no school ... in honor of Presidents Day.

And I felt like an idiot, which is how a journalist should feel when she doesnt double-check each and every fact in her story.

Theres been a lot of talk of fake news lately, and of the untrustworthy and failing journalists who inhabit Americas newsrooms -- particularly those at the New York Times, The Washington Post and CNN, at least according to our commander in chief, who recently tweeted that the fake news media was the enemy of the American people.

If I can presume to speak for the president here -- and Im no Kellyanne Conway -- I hope hes talking about unflattering news, news from unnamed sources in the White House that makes him look less than presidential.

Or news that he sees as politically biased or politically motivated.

Because that feeling seems reasonable, but calling the press the enemy of the people sounds like Intro to Russian Propaganda.

Throughout our history, presidents have found themselves less than happy with leaks that call into question their policy decisions or the inner workings of their administrations.

That doesnt make the leaks fake news.

President John F. Kennedy spoke of the importance of an abrasive press; Barack Obama worked hard to limit its access.

We would be fools to believe every piece of information we come across is the George Washington Cherry Tree-Chopping Gospel Truth. Birthers and 9/11 Truthers and Sandy Hook Deniers can have their space; the internet is open to all.

Point of view is what the editorial page and talk radio are all about. Its the calling card of cable pundits whose political stripes range from the bow-tied condescension of Tucker Carlson to the liberal outrage of Keith Olbermann.

And there is bias in straight news. From the wording of a headline to word count in a story to placement on a page (or a website).

But it doesnt make that news fake, it doesnt make a fact a lie. Indeed, bias is often in the eye of the beholder. Case in point, this newspaper is alternately maligned for being a liberal rag and then taken to task for printing conservative claptrap.

The media should report context. Piling on for the sake of piling on is a cheap shot, an epidemic in the age of Twitter.

When President Trump spoke at the Black History Month breakfast, much was made of his bungled attempt to praise Frederick Douglass, an abolitionist and renowned scholar, long dead.

What didnt get much ink was the context, at least according to one attendee, who said Trump was referring to the bust of Douglass at the newly opened Museum of African American History on the National Mall.

We dont believe everything we read. But there is such a thing as objective truth. And verifiable facts. The sun does not revolve around the Earth. And a terrorist attack did not take place in Sweden on Friday.

The media make mistakes. We are guilty of gaffes. (Like our 45th president, who declared something unpresidented instead of unprecedented, or this columnist mistaking annunciation for enunciation in a story about a waiter who spoke very clearly.)

Almost as long as Ive been in this business, my profession has ranked right down there with dog catcher in the eyes of the public, who seem to view the mainstream media with suspicion and scorn in equal measure.

But heres the deal: We endeavor to tell the truth. We are not dishonest. We are not the enemy. We are not in the business of reporting fake news.

We own up when we get it wrong.

So youll see a correction on Page A2 of the paper today, along with this confessional in column form.

Perhaps, one day there will be an admission of the same from our president, who made a number of questionable claims in the past week ranging from a historic Electoral College victory to the vetting process for refugees to Hillary Clinton selling uranium to the Russians.

These claims were fact-checked by any number of credible news sources and found to be false -- or mostly false.

Believe it or not.
The meeting last week was about more than standing on O Street with candles and signs in support of Lincolns refugee community, though that was part of it.

Sara Gilliam knew people wanted to help -- because she'd spent time in Greece helping Syrian refugees and so people had been calling her, wondering what they could do following the presidents executive order that temporarily banned travel to the U.S. for citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries and indefinitely for those from Syria.

Because despite a court stay, there is still lots of uncertainty. That's why Lutheran Family Services helped promote Monday's Light the Way for Refugees candlelight event to show Lincoln's refugee families they're welcome.

It's why Cecilia Rossiter made a sign that said "Immigrants for Strength" and joined hundreds that stretched along three blocks of O Street Monday night waving at motorists honking in support.

"Half of my loved ones are currently immigrants, and technically we're all immigrants," she said. "This is actually what enhances our society, our country -- the energy and contributions of immigrants."

It's why Gilliam posted a Facebook invitation for a meeting -- thinking it would be a few friends who could gather in a living room and make plans. Before long, it was clear the number planning to attend would not fit in a living room.

I realized it was a good problem to have, she said.

Last week more than 80 people met at First Lutheran Church instead to get an overview of policy issues and resettlement challenges facing immigrants and refugees -- and advice about what they could do.

They learned about the candlelight vigil and representatives of several agencies talked about the challenges they face.

Lacey Studnicka, program development officer for Lutheran Family Services, told attendees shed never seen such chaos within the resettlement community -- not even after the World Trade Center attacks in 2001.

This has been a really hard time for our agency; this has been a really hard time for our refugees, she said.

As the states largest resettlement agency, Lutheran Family Services had to lay off 15 people from its resettlement division, including six in Lincoln, because the presidents executive order reduced by more than half the number of refugees allowed in the country during the current fiscal year. Some of those employees were reassigned to other areas of the organization.

Its a big deal. How we prioritize refugee resettlement in the U.S. is based on family reunification, Studnicka said. That means family members will continue to be separated.

Max Graves, with the Center for Legal Immigration Assistance, told attendees his agency has been unable to meet demand for their services for some time -- and it's gotten worse since the election and executive order.

His agency helps immigrants and refugees with myriad immigration legal issues -- everything from naturalization processes to green cards to visas.

He said he's hoping to hire one additional full-time lawyer and one part-time lawyer to meet the demand, which has grown because of the fear of what might happen, and what Graves worries could happen if more people are detained by immigration officials.

One of the agencys big concerns now, Graves said, is making sure if parents are detained they can get get bonded out quickly so their children arent left alone for extended periods.

"That's one of my biggest worries," he said.

More than 680 immigrants in various cities around the country were arrested in one recent week as part of what immigration officials have called targeted enforcement operations that are no different than actions over the past few years. Critics have characterized the arrests as raids they fear are the first step of the new administrations promise to deport millions.

ACLU of Nebraska Executive Director Danielle Conrad also spoke at the meeting last week, asking attendees to support two legislative resolutions opposing federal action to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program and to support the states refugees.

Its a dark political time we find ourselves in, but optimism is a political act, she said. After decades of political organizing in the trenches Ive never seen crowds like this.

Renae Ninneman, who got a grant to begin Girl Scouts troops for refugees, told meeting attendees she needed volunteers -- and she got them.

Gilliam asked all those at the meeting to leave with "homework" and since then, plans for action have been posted on the Facebook group Gilliam started called Refugee Support LNK.

In addition to volunteering to be Girl Scout leaders, some are organizing fundraisers for Lutheran Family Services. Another promised to recruit work and church groups to furnish apartments for new refugees and another has begun compiling a list of volunteer agencies. Churches have offered to find ways to help find places for children if parents are detained, Graves said.

And on Monday, an estimated 600 people lined nearly three blocks along O Street between 24th and 22nd streets, a visual show of support for Lincoln's immigrants and refugees.

Heidi Burkland held an American flag and donned a statue of liberty visor.

"I just want to come out and show solidarity for refugees and let them know they are very welcome in Lincoln."
The University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Dentistry has been awarded a $4 million, 10-year contract from the Nebraska Oral Health Training and Services fund to address a shortage of dentists in the state.

The Dental College will work with existing and new partners to:

* Address oral health disparities created by the shortage of dentists in rural areas.

* Increase access and dental services to underserved, uninsured and at-risk populations in the state including those on Medicaid or Medicare.

* Expand the use of telehealth to deliver dental services.

The funding focuses on three key areas: scholarships for rural graduates, an increase in patient services and access and telehealth, said Dr. Janet Guthmiller, dean of the College of Dentistry and principal investigator of the contract.

Through the contract, UNMC graduating dentists who commit to practice for at least five years in areas with a shortage of dentists will be eligible for shortage-area scholarships to lower or even eliminate the cost of dental college.

The funding also will increase the number of patients treated by the UNMC College of Dentistry with new or expanded services at its clinics in Lincoln, Durham Outpatient Center and Children's Hospital & Medical Center as well as through partnerships with the Charles Drew Health Center (Douglas County), One-World Community Health Center (Douglas, Sarpy and Cass counties), Good Neighbor Community Health Center (Platte County), Peoples Health Center (Lancaster County), Community Action Partnership of Western Nebraska (Scotts Bluff and Dawes counties), and Omaha Public Schools (Douglas and Sarpy counties).

The work will include telehealth training and patient consultation, educational programming and use of new technologies offered at UNMCs Center for Advanced Interprofessional Learning.
Yet more bad news for Obamacare last week: Molina Healthcare lost $110 million on the exchanges last year, and the CEO told investors, "There are simply too many unknowns with the marketplace program to commit to our participation beyond 2017."

At first glance, it's hard to see why this piece of news is worth worrying about. UnitedHealth recently projected several times those losses, and it's a bigger player on the exchanges. Why spend so much time looking at one modest-size insurer?

Because Molina is one of the companies that has been repeatedly pointed to, by virtually every health-care-policy wonk in the business, as one of the "bright spots" on the exchanges. Molina is a company that specializes in covering poor people. Before Obamacare, they were a sizable player in the "Medicaid managed care" model, and it seemed like the expertise they'd thusly acquired was allowing them to design the sort of plans that actually made money on the exchanges. Which is to say bare bones plans, not fancy but adequate. Apparently, that's no longer a money-maker, at least for Molina.

This isn't necessarily the pattern we've seen with other insurers. Molina seems to have made money until it was forced to pay into a fund designed to transfer money from insurers that ended up with an unusually healthy patient pool, to those who got stuck with the sicker patients. Those losses were partially offset by lower medical costs than they expected, which is certainly good news. But it's not great news. Lower-than-expected costs can be from the system working well, or they can simply come from the fact that you happened to get a healthier insurance pool. If the government makes you give the latter gains back, and more, then you're still not going to be profitable. And insurers that aren't profitable over the long term aren't going to stick around.

Nor can you fix the problem by adjusting the transfer fund. Those losses are occurring somewhere in the market; someone has to pay for the care. If you got rid of Obamacare's risk transfer provisions, those insurers would lose more money, and exit the market, and the patients would end up with some other insurer. Who would then lose a bunch of money on them. Unless the insurance market is profitable in aggregate, the exchanges are not going to stabilize.

Molina's losses suggest that instead of stabilizing, the exchanges are getting worse. There is no way to fix Obamacare without fixing the pool so that younger, healthier people buy insurance.

Democrats had six years to come up with a way to do that (or perhaps I should say, a way to do that that could actually get through Congress without hordes of angry voters burning their representatives in effigy). They failed. Now Republicans are taking their shot, and so far at least, they don't seem any more on target than Democrats were.

The life expectancy of the individual market for health insurance is not looking good.
Lancaster County has provided a warm welcome to many refugees and immigrants, but it is not a sanctuary for immigrants who are in the country illegally, regardless of what a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy organization claims.

That statement deserves emphasis in the wake of an executive order issued by President Donald Trump intended to shut off federal funding for sanctuary jurisdictions.

The federal government has no list of such sanctuary jurisdictions. In the absence of any official designation, some have turned to a list compiled by the Center for Immigration Studies. The organization includes Lancaster, Douglas, Sarpy and Hall counties among 300 communities that it has dubbed sanctuaries.

Lancaster County Attorney Joe Kelly, in an interview with Journal Star reporter Nancy Hicks, stressed that officials here cooperate with federal immigration officials in every way except one: Local officials will not keep someone in jail simply on the basis of a detainer request from Immigration and Customs Enforcement. If ICE wants a person held in jail, local officials require a court order or warrant.

The issue is no idle matter in Nebraska. Sarpy County officials mistakenly held a U.S. citizen in jail for four days in 2010 when officials confused him with another man with a similar name. Fortunately for taxpayers, a federal judge concluded that "regrettable" mistakes were "rectified at the earliest opportunity" and dismissed a lawsuit filed by ACLU Nebraska.

Kelly believes Lancaster County cannot be considered a sanctuary community under the language of Trumps Jan. 25 executive order, titled Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States.

Locally, police, sheriff and jail officials are in regular contact with ICE, and regularly give notice when a suspected foreign-born person is placed in custody. They also give notice when those suspects are near to finishing a jail sentence or posting bond. In fact, jail officials have notified federal immigration officials 77 times since Sept. 4, 2015, when someone was about to be released from jail.

Confusion persists on how Trumps order can be carried out. When San Diego Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman asked Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly for a definition of a sanctuary city earlier this month, John Kelly replied, "I don't have a clue."

Nebraskans should ignore the aspersions being cast by a poorly researched list published by an advocacy organization with its own agenda.

Its important to remember that protection against unreasonable searches and seizures is a fundamental American right guaranteed by the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Prosecutor Joe Kelly is doing his job responsibly.
I recently upgraded to a daily subscription to the Journal Star, and Im glad I did. Im learning a lot about politics, both national and local, that I had neglected to pay attention to before. In a section of Don Waltons Feb. 13 column ("Filibuster lockdown at state Capitol"), I read that Sen. Ben Sasse is expanding his national visibility and reach. Apparently, Sasse is able to climb a taller career ladder since abandoning his seat on the Agriculture Committee where Nebraskans assumed he would represent their interest. Now that he has climbed up to the Armed Services and Judiciary Committees, I wonder whose interest he intends to represent?

They say you are known by the company you keep. Last month, Ben Sasse was keeping company with billionaire Charles Koch at a Palm Springs resort, where Koch hosted his largest summit ever, with over 550 donors attending. This was written about in a Washington Post article dated Jan. 28 entitled Koch network to spend $300 million to $400 million on politics, policy in 2018 cycle. It appears that Sasse is being groomed to serve the the billionaire elite so they can pay even fewer taxes, make even more money and further compromise our democracy. After this election, they probably smell blood and Im afraid it's ours.

I plan to keep a close eye on Sasses activities and hold him accountable to Nebraskans.

Doris Pleskac, Lincoln
Michael McHale of the Nebraska Catholic Conference states ("Vouchers hearing draws a crowd," Feb. 14) vouchers will put parents in charge of their students education. My parents were always in charge of my education and that of my two brothers. My parents sent us to Catholic elementary and high schools. It was very important to my parents for us to have a Catholic education. They could have sent us to Denver Public Schools but they valued the instruction in Catholic beliefs and values we would receive in parochial schools.

It was a choice they were in charge of. They realized it was their choice and they never expected the taxpayers of Colorado to pay for their choice. They told us we had to make sacrifices -- fewer vacations and smaller birthday presents -- to accommodate their choice. My parents were in charge of our education and accepted the cost of their decision.

Skip forward a number of years. I began a career as an educator in public schools that lasted 41 years. Many aspects of public schools were very important to me. The most important was the fact that we accepted any child who showed up at the door and did the best job we could to educate them. I doubt the private schools receiving money from vouchers will do the same. I encourage the Legislature to reject LB608.

Paul Canny, Lincoln
The Journal Star story on Feb. 10 ("Consumers stay with Obamacare") notes that, More than 12.2 million people have signed up for coverage nationwide this year under the Obama-era health care law even with the uncertainty created by President Donald Trumps vow to repeal and replace it. This shows strong support for the Affordable Care Act despite its imperfections. My understanding is that suggestions for replacement thus far include health savings accounts and high risk pools, among others, and these will not meet the health care needs of middle- and lower-income people.

Our nationwide uninsured rate has fallen to 9 percent under the Affordable Care Act, which is literally a lifeline for millions. Any replacement of the ACA needs to address those needs fully. I ask Sens. Deb Fischer and Ben Sasse and Rep. Jeff Fortenberry to be responsive to the needs of their constituents, the ordinary people of Nebraska, and not give in to the pressures of the various components of the medical industry. Any changes to the ACA need to address good medical care of the people of Nebraska rather than increase the tax savings of the wealthy. Medicare for all would be great. Every one of us counts!
Several hundred demonstrators gathered outside the Grand Manse in downtown Lincoln Tuesday to protest Sen. Deb Fischer's decision not to hold town hall meetings during the current congressional recess.

Meanwhile, inside the building, the news media was barred by the Lincoln Independent Business Association from covering Fischer's address to a luncheon meeting.

LIBA luncheon appearances by public officials traditionally have been open to the media.

"We decided to have members-only at this luncheon," LIBA President Coby Mach said over and over again as he was asked why the luncheon was closed and whether Fischer or her staff wanted it closed.

"The call for no press was a decision on LIBA's behalf," Fischer spokesperson Chanse Jones said.

Toward the end of Fischer's appearance, demonstrators entered the building, gathered outside the meeting room and chanted loudly, turning heads toward the windows inside the room.

"Do your job!" they chanted.

"We want a town hall!"

Law enforcement officers separated the crowd from the meeting room entrance, but there was no shoving and no disturbance. Later, officers would gently and patiently talk the crowd into slowly moving outside the building. No arrests were made.

Fischer left through another exit, avoiding the crowd and the media.

The senator talked about the prospect of business creation and job expansion under the Trump administration and expressed hope that the new administration will negotiate bilateral trade agreements that will be good for Nebraska, according to a tape recording of the meeting later provided to the Journal Star by a participant.

"I am disappointed that (he) withdrew from the Trans Pacific Partnership trade agreement, but certainly not surprised," Fischer said, because that is what Trump said he would do.

Answering questions about immigration and the accompanying challenge of meeting workforce needs if immigrants who are living and working here no longer are secure, Fischer said border security must come first.

Secure borders are an issue of national security, she said.

After that, she said, immigration reform will be "a step-by-step process."

Fischer told another questioner she voted to confirm the nomination of Betsy DeVos as U.S. secretary of education only after she received written assurances that protect public education.

"I do not want to see a federal role," she said.

Fischer appeared reluctant to support Trump's trillion-dollar infrastructure proposal.

Pointing to the cost, she said: "I don't know that's the way to go."

Fischer told the audience that the election of a Republican president has given her an opening to " (have a) conversation and dialogue with people in the White House and the agencies that help me and Nebraska."

After seven questions and with the loud chanting of demonstrators making it difficult to hear, Mach called an end to the dialogue.

"Senator Fischer always welcomes respectful conversations with Nebraskans," her office declared in a later statement.

"She intends to continue her longstanding tradition of listening sessions across the state like she has always done. As you recall, she held 26 of these sessions last year."

LIBA's decision to close the meeting ran contrary to its usual model of welcoming, and sometimes even inviting, the media to cover luncheon appearances by public officials and political candidates.

The demonstration outside the building followed a national pattern of protests greeting Republican members of Congress during the February recess.

"Start listening to all of us," one sign said.

"Vote her out!" another sign declared.

Other signs called the senator "Trump's puppet" and "Trump's lap dog."

Several protesters said they they felt Fischer ignored their concerns when she voted to confirm DeVos.

Rachel Black, 31, said DeVos confirmation hearings showed she was woefully unqualified to direct the countrys education policy.

Just because a majority of voters in Nebraska elected Trump doesnt mean the states U.S. senators need to rubber-stamp his Cabinet nominees and policies, she said.

They represent Nebraska, the nonprofit worker said. They dont represent the (Trump) administration.

Donna Jarka, 60, held a missing person sign with Fischers photo as she stood on the Grand Manses north entrance steps.

Theyre afraid to stand up to Trump, the Lincoln woman said.

Jarka said she and others need answers from Fischer.

The least the senator can do, she and others said, is hold a town hall meeting.

Maybe a town hall wont bring total agreement, Jarka said, but at least Fischer would hear her constituents.

DiAnn White agreed. The 67-year-old retired teacher doesnt believe Fischer needs to vote no on everything, but she ought to act on concerns of Nebraskans.

DeVos is a done deal  we cant change that, said White, who is concerned the new education secretary's policies may harm public school funding.

Fischer needs to get feedback from more than just Republicans, she said.

What about the rest of the state?

Fischer is Nebraska's senior senator. She was elected in 2012, and presumably will seek re-election in 2018.
The states birthday celebration includes celebratory stops in seven communities as part of the Nebraska150 Express Tour.

The Union Pacific Streamliner locomotive's three-day Whistle Stop Tour will mark Nebraskas 150th year of statehood.

Gov. Pete Ricketts, First Lady Susanne Shore and Union Pacific CEO Lance Fritz announced the tour earlier this month.

The Nebraska150 Express will provide the opportunity for communities across Nebraska to celebrate in our states sesquicentennial, Ricketts said in a news release. I appreciate Union Pacific, a company that has had such an important and positive impact on Nebraska, taking such a vested interest in our states celebration of its great history.

After departing from Omaha, the train will travel to Columbus, North Platte, Ogallala, Sidney, Gering, Kearney and Grand Island. Each community will host a rally or festival to welcome the passengers in August.

Festivities in Columbus are still being planned, according to K.C. Belitz, president of the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce.

Belitz said he was pleased to learn Columbus is one of the stops. The event gives the city a chance to celebrate the state and railroad, which has a long history there and helped the community grow, he said.

Shore said the railroad and Nebraska are melded together.

We have, in many ways, grown up together," Shore said in the release. "I cant think of a more fitting way to celebrate this historic occasion than with a fun train tour that harkens back to the days gone by.

Invitations were sent to a select group of Nebraska celebrities and notable figures to be part of the tour in hopes that they will give speeches, take photos and sign autographs at each stop. Public train tours and tickets are not available.

The preliminary schedule for the tour has the train departing Omaha on Aug. 4 and arriving in Columbus at noon. The train will be in North Platte that afternoon. On Aug. 5, the communities of Ogallala, Sidney and Gering are on the schedule. The tour will wrap up Aug. 6 with stops in Kearney and Grand Island before returning to Omaha.
RACINE  After being closed for months, the George Bray Neighborhood YMCA (formerly the Bray Center) is set to open its doors again.

From 1 to 2 p.m. Thursday, the YMCA will host a soft opening of the facility at 924 Center St.

Jeff Collen, chief executive officer for the YMCA, said he believes this facility will help the surrounding neighborhood.

Its about providing great opportunities and initiatives for people and kids in that area, Collen said, adding that programs at the Bray Y will touch on a number of subjects from homework to fatherhood  a variety of things that I hope we can do.

In September, the Bray Center closed due to financial issues. On Feb. 3, the Racine Family YMCA board voted unanimously to approve plans to buy the Bray Center.

Collen said prior to the approval, several donors approached the YMCA asking them to be involved with the center.

Local board

Collen said liability insurance, which was an issue in the past, has been paid for and a board for the center will be put in place to help guide it.

All the ideas that we have will be tempered by the advisory group that exists from that area, Collen said. The community is getting the opportunities that it wants and that it needs.

After-school activities are expected to begin soon. Collen said the YMCA is working on agreements with the Racine Unified School District, the Racine Police Department and Racine County.

We want to get it open, (and) get kids in there doing activities and providing homework assistance, Collen said. We really have a good, solid experienced staff there that really meet the needs of that area.

There still remain several building issues that need to be addressed that the YMCA staff is looking into.

We know there are going to be issues with the building moving forward, Collen said, adding that the heating and ventilation need to be replaced, there are some electrical issues and the emergency exits need to be fixed.

Eventually, a center director will be hired to run the facility, but until then, Collen said, the YMCAs chief operations officer will help fill the position.

As things get moving, we will hire a center director that will interact with the community, Collen said.

Retaining the George Bray name of the center was important to the YMCA, Collen said, adding this is an opportunity to maintain the centers legacy while helping the neighborhood.

The board is really excited about this, Collen said. The community has really embraced the Y stepping in and getting this new neighborhood Y open and providing services.
RACINE  In a presentation Monday, City Development Director Amy Connolly outlined the most defined vision for the proposed Downtown arena project to date.

Monday marked the first time city staff publicly presented details about the proposed arena project to the City Council. Connolly and representatives of development advisory firm SB Friedman laid out a proposal that most immediately would see the city hire a firm to serve as an owners representative and spend $500,000 to $600,000 to develop a more accurate cost estimate and more deeply determine the projects financial and environmental feasibility.

Connolly, along with Steve Friedman and Geoff Dickinson of SB Friedman, presented an updated cost estimate for the convention center/arena part of the project between $43 million and $49 million, with the hotel being privately financed by its parent company. Previous estimates from early in the project put the price tag at both $40 million and $46 million.

Crucially, the updated number includes no funding sources from outside the city. Originally, Racine County and other private financing options were suggested to be a significant portion of the funding package equation.

Our financial partners that we had been discussing this development with had become noncommittal, Connolly said.

Connolly later confirmed that no funding outside of city revenue streams has been secured at this time. Dickinson said the funding will come from tax increment financing as well as intergovernmental funds.

Connolly added that once the city develops a design plan and gets a more accurate financial estimate, more outside funding could be sought.

After that, we could get those other partners to offset the cost of construction, she said.

Timeline developed with SB Friedman

Dickinson said SB Friedman began working with the city in November. Mayor John Dickert said the companys intervention has helped the project refocus.

We determined at that time that we needed to take a 5,000-foot view and get a neutral look at this, and the only way we could do that is bringing someone in from the outside, Dickert said.

SB Friedman has helped the city interview firms for the role of owners representative, which will help the city select and supervise project teams, negotiate with anchor tenants and vendors and oversee design and construction. The three finalists are: International Coliseums Company, run by early project consultant Rick Kozuback; Hammes Company, which has worked on the Kohl Center in Madison and on Lambeau Field; and International Facilities Group, a Chicago company that worked on the United Center.

Connolly said that city staff will recommend a choice to the City Council and Redevelopment Authority (RDA) at another joint meeting on Feb. 27.

If both groups affirm the citys firm choice, that group will use $500,000 to $600,000 in intergovernmental funds to fully evaluate financial and environmental concerns and present an updated cost estimate by June. The City Council will then decide whether to spend an additional $2.5 million to $3.2 million on the design process and a final cost estimate.

The bulk of the money for the project will go into the construction of the actual building, which will cost between $40 million and $45 million. That process is estimated to run from February 2018 to fall 2019, when the building would open.

The inflection point for the project appears to be June, when the council would make a go/no-go decision on the project, as Connolly put it. That could potentially put the city at risk of spending the initial $500,000 to $600,000 only to not approve the owners representatives updated cost estimate.

The biggest risk piece is the 500 to 600 (thousand), Friedman said. Everybody will know an awful lot more about what this all requires at the end of that phase.

Public weighs in

After aldermen and members of the RDA questioned Connolly, Dickinson and Friedman, Sixth District Alderman Sandy Weidner made a successful motion to suspend committee rules to allow the public to comment on the project proposal.

Of the roughly 50 citizens who attended the meeting, nearly a dozen spoke, with most expressing the need for Racine to do something to upgrade its Downtown.

We owe it to every single person in our community to see this through, Missie Mauldin said.

Denis Navratil, who owns Dimples Fine Imports, 416 Main St., was in the minority of citizens who questioned the need for and cost of the project. He also took issue with the favorable comparison of Racine to Allentown, Pa., emphasized in a video that highlighted Dickinsons presentation.

Is this actually the best use of that money that Racine can come up with? Navratil asked. Lets not confuse Allentown with Utopia.

Dickert was encouraged by the publics show of support.

I was glad to have the public comment tonight, he said. A lot of people say we should do nothing. We know what happens when we do nothing. The city goes nowhere.
RACINE  The entire student body at Horlick High School gathered at the fieldhouse for an afternoon assembly on Feb. 1. Jostens Renaissance education speaker Mike Smith was in town and he had a message for every student.

Your life isnt ordinary. You matter. What you do with your life will boil down to one question: What do you want to be remembered for?  Smith told the group.

Growing up in Nebraska, Smith travels the country talking to teenagers about their future. Hes influenced hundreds of students in schools nationwide with his professional teenager attitude that doubles as a motivational speaker.

I stay current by talking about what Im doing, not what Ive done, Smith said.

During the assembly, Smith encouraged students to pursue their passions and live out their dreams.
RACINE  It can be difficult for parents to talk with their kids about issues like terrorism, violent crime and cybercrime. But 30 students at Gilmore Middle School will learn about those topics when the Federal Bureau of Investigation talks with them over the next few months.

For the past three years, the FBI in Wisconsin has been broaching sensitive topics with students through the adopt-a-school program.

We have focused on junior high school and thats a pivotal time for a lot of teenagers, said Leonard Peace, public affairs specialist for the FBI. We want to get to them before they are influenced by other things.

In the previous two years the FBI has operated the program in Milwaukee schools, and now, until April, theyll be conducting the program every other week in Racine. Gilmore will be the only school in the state going through the program.

Our students have a huge interest in law enforcement careers, said Principal Amanda Jordan. I think its a great way for students to learn about careers that typically they wouldnt know about.

During the first session on Feb. 1, students learned about different careers in the FBI and also in the Racine Police Department.

We had Deputy Chief Al Days come in and give his personal story about being a young man, growing up here in the Racine community, and now hes a police executive here in the Racine Police Department, Peace said.

Being safe online

On Wednesday, the students learned about cybercrime and being safe on the internet  something that many students learn the hard way.

The cybercrime (session) is scary relevant right now, Jordan said. A lot of young people are having a hard time navigating life with social media.

For that session, a cybercrime agent and analyst spoke in front of the 30 students in the program about how they should conduct themselves online and how the FBI investigates cybercrime.

Cybercrime is our No. 3 top priority in the FBI, as far as what we investigate, Peace said. A lot of kids dont realize that once you put something inappropriate out there, it has an expansive universe to go into.

Jordan said she chose cybercrime as the first topic session because its most relevant, but the next important topic is violent crime, particularly with gangs.

Unfortunately its a topic our kids have to deal with on a regular basis, Jordan said. Having the ability to bring in some of our Gang Unit people and having them pair up with the FBI. Its important for students to be aware of what theyre looking at.

The other topics to be covered include terrorism, crisis management, learning conflict resolution and evidence response, where kids can act like real crime scene investigators. At the end of the program theyll tour the FBI facility in St. Francis.

Aside from learning about how to deal with serious issues, the program also is trying to create positive relationships with law enforcement.

Were trying to put the kids in contact with law enforcement officials in a non-enforcement environment, and build up that level of trust, Peace said. Were not the agents that you see that are portrayed in TV and movies.
RACINE COUNTY  Residents in Racine County will have the opportunity to weigh-in on candidates and school spending when they go to the polls Tuesday.

There are three candidates vying for the post of state superintendent of public instruction, a race in which all county voters can cast ballots. Two-term incumbent Tony Evers, a former Verona School District superintendent, will be facing off against challengers John Humphries, a former Dodegeville school administrator and Department of Public Instruction consultant, and Lowell Holtz, a former Beloit and Whitnall School District (Greenfiled/Hales Corners) administrator.

Racine Park High School math teacher Rick Melcher also is running as an officially-registered write-in candidate, which means votes cast for him have to be tallied by his name.

The top two vote-getters will face off in the April 4 election.

In Racine, there is a single primary contest for the the citys 15th District alderman post. Incumbent Melissa Lemke, who works in medical education and public health program evaluation, is facing two challengers: Dennis Shaw, a former operations manager for contract security company Allied Universal; and Jerry Hooyman, who is retired from a career in sales and management. The top two vote-getters will face off in the April 4 election.

Western Racine County

Voters in two western Racine County school districts will be deciding the fates of school referendums on Tuesday. The Waterford Union High School District is asking for $12.21 million referendum to build a new fieldhouse, fitness center and related building remodeling at the high school, 100 Field Drive. A similar referendum was rejected by voters last April.

The school district includes the Village and Town of Waterford, portions of the Village of Rochester and parts of the towns of Dover, Norway and Raymond.

The Kansasville Elementary School District (Dover District No. 1) is asking for $4.2 million to fund new classrooms and a new gym, along with renovations and remodeling of facilities. Kansasville is one of the smallest districts in the county with 110 students enrolled and the school building at 4101 S. Beaumont Ave. (Highway 75) has not had a major expansion since 1958.

Also in Waterford, there is a primary for the Waterford Graded School District Board. Four candidates are vying for a single seat on the board; they are: Ryan Ross, an antique store owner from the Town of Dover; Dean Schrader, a mail carrier from Rochester; Mike Mabert, a supply chain manager for Nestle in Burlington, of Rochester; and Doug Schwartz of the Town of Waterford, who is retired from a career with Generac Power Systems.

The top two vote-getters will meet again in the April 4 election.

The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voters will need a current and valid Wisconsin drivers license or Wisconsin state ID card. Voters must be registered to vote before casting a ballot, however, the state does allow for same-day voter registration.
SOMERS  A proposed renovation of the University of Wisconsin-Parkside's Wyllie Hall will likely be denied again after Gov. Scott Walker recommended against funding it.

Parkside has pushed for a $35.8 million renovation of the multipurpose building that includes classrooms, computer labs, administrative offices, study areas and access to the library.

Walker's recommendations, which were released Tuesday, still must be approved by the state Building Commission and the state Legislature, though legislative aides say changes to the capital budget are rare.

If approved, it would be the second straight state budget in which the Parkside project was rejected. Denying the renovation last time meant about $5.9 million in increased costs, according to a report from the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau released last year.

Chancellor Debbie Ford said Parkside will continue to lobby state legislators to include the project in the final version of the state budget, noting the UW System ranked it as a top priority.

"We are certainly disappointed to learn that much-needed infrastructure repairs to Wyllie Hall are not included in Governor Walkers initial capital budget plan for the 2017-2019 biennium," Ford said in a statement.

We believe that addressing infrastructure needs in advance of an emergency repair is far more cost effective and less disruptive to the educational experience.

A state Department of Administration spokesman did not return a message.

Overall, the proposed capital budget recommends $803 million in total projects and about $250 million in new bonding, according to a news release. The budget "prioritizes investment in current facilities and limits new construction," the release states.

Officials say the Parkside project is aimed at improving infrastructure such as mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems. The building is 44 years old and has been plagued by maintenance issues such as leaky pipes.

Plans also call for modernizing technology and making the building more compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Officials are also eyeing cosmetic and programming changes to make better use of the space.

State Sen. Bob Wirch, D-Somers, said he was "very disappointed" Walker rejected the project.

"We have a great thing going at Parkside and they just keep working against our best interests in Madison," he said.

Veterans cemetery

Also in the capital budget, Walker recommended against a proposed $2.2 million expansion of the administration building at the Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Dover. The project would have also added a fire alarm and suppression system to the building.

The governor recommended approving a $3.7 million project to raise, realign, clean and reset granite headstones at the cemetery.
UNION GROVE  The honors arent done for Frank Lamping.

A week after he was selected for the Packers Fan Hall of Fame, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos announced Lamping will receive the Wisconsin Hometown Hero Award, the state Assemblys highest citizen recognition.

In a news release Monday, Vos, R-Rochester, noted Lamping is a former Citizen of the Year in Union Grove who is heavily involved in the community, including as president of the Union Grove Lions Club.

Lamping, 60, is also fighting prostate cancer.

The impact that hes had on the greater Union Grove community is simply amazing; the citizens of the state should stop and take notice, Vos said in the release. Heres a man who is battling cancer and yet he continues to share his time, talents and passion with others. Hes been a role model and continues to bring the community closer together.

Frank dedicates himself not only to his beloved team, but also to his community, Vos added. He represents all that is good in Wisconsin; you could say this is his George Bailey moment.

Vos was referring to the main character in the classic film Its a Wonderful Life, about a man who forsakes his goals and dreams to help his family and community.

Lamping, who was named Feb. 15 to the Fan Hall of Fame after a huge get-out-the-vote effort, will receive the Hometown Hero Award at about 1 p.m. March 7, at the beginning of the next Assembly floor session.
Welcome to KARMABrooklyn! We hope that the news and other information we post on this b log will be useful to residents and merchants in Kensington and Windsor Terrace. If you'd like to contact us, write to us at karmabrooklyn [at] gmail [dot] com.
Banks post 41pc jump in H1 profits

The combined first-half net profits of the 28 commercial banks in the country stood at Rs20.84 billion, a whopping 41 percent jump year-on-year. Six commercial banks have posted net profits totalling more than Rs1 billion for the first six months of the current fiscal year.
Boarding student at Kavre school dies; parents claim negligence

Tension ran high at Gyankunj Shaikshik Pratishthan, a Banepa based-school, on Monday following a students death.
BP Highway resumes operation from Tuesday morning

Vehicular movement along BP Highway has resumed from Tuesday morning after two days obstruction.
Tika R Pradhan is a senior political correspondent for the Post, covering politics, parliament, judiciary and social affairs. Pradhan joined the Post in 2016 after working at The Himalayan Times for more than a decade.
China and France pledge further help in rebuilding efforts

The governments of China and France have expressed interest to support the post-earthquake reconstruction works on areas including education, health and archaeological sites.
Chinese envoy calls on NC Prez Deuba

Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Yu Hong called on Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba at the latter's residence in Budhanilkantha on Tuesday.
Dhangadi struck with shortage of blood

Dhangadi is facing acute shortage of blood with inexplicable reluctance on part of the local residents to donate blood.
Anup Ojha is a reporter for The Kathmandu Post primarily covering social issues and human interest stories. Before moving to the social beat, Ojha covered arts and culture for the Post for four years.
Experts urge higher investment in infra

Two-day Nepal Infrastructure Summit 2017, which saw participation from around 400 business personalities from different parts of the globe, concluded here on Monday.
Govt picks 14 envoys

The government has recommended 14 names for 13 vacant posts of ambassadors and the proposed embassy in Spain.
Govt struggling to hire specialist doctors

The Health Ministry is struggling to hire specialist doctors because of low government pay and rural deputation.
House meet deferred for Wednesday

The Legislature-Parliament meeting summoned for Tuesday afternoon has been postponed for Wednesday.
Indian side proposes March-end, early-April meeting on air routes

India has proposed March-end or early-April for Nepal-India Joint Technical Committee meeting on air routes after the meeting failed to convene in the first week of February,
Israeli soldier gets 18 months for killing wounded Palestinian attacker

An Israeli soldier who killed a wounded Palestinian attacker in a high-profile case that split opinion across the country has been jailed for 18 months.
Kin of Nepali victims yet to receive compensation

The families of Nepali workers who were killed in the landslide in Dehradun, India are yet to get compensation from Uttarakhand government even after 10 months of the tragic incident.
Leopard on tree terrifies people (with photo and video)

A leopard entered into a dense human settlement in Gothatar-1, Kathmandu early on Tuesday and spent the entire day on a tree. The locals were terrified after they spotted the leopard on the tree.
Life returns to normal in Rupandehis Marchawar

Life is gradually returning to normalcy in Marchawar, Rupandehi that had remained tense due to sporadic clashes between the supporters of CK Raut, coordinator of the Independent Madhes campaign, and security personnel for the past two days.
Madhesi Morcha boycotts all-party meeting

Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha, an alliance of seven Madhes-based parties, boycotted the all-party meeting summoned by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Tuesday afternoon.
Madhesi Morcha organise torch rally to protest election date

Cadres of Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha (SLMM) organised a torch rally in Saptari district headquarters Rajbiraj on Tuesday in protest against the government decision to hold the local level elections on May 14.
Morcha announces stir

The Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha, an alliance of seven Madhes-based parties, unveiled a month-long protest programme including Tarai banda, denouncing the governments announcement of local level election date.
Musical concert and fireworks to mark Mahashivaratri and Army Day

The Nepal Army will be hosting musical concert and pyrotechnics display during the Mahashivaratri and Army Day which falls on February 24 this year.
Pick-up plunges into Trishuli; one dead, another missing

An elderly woman died and her grandson went missing when a Bolero pick-up truck swerved off the road and plunged into Trishuli River in Kabilas VDC-4 along the Narayangadh-Muglin road section in Chitwan district on early Monday morning.
Pledge vs disbursement

On Sunday, India agreed to extend a soft loan of $340 million to Nepal for the construction of 15 road projects and a bridge.
PM Dahal calls all-party meeting

A day after the government announced the date for local bodies elections, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal called an all-party meeting at 3 pm on Tuesday.
Racing against the clock

On February 10, the mandates of Nepals two truth commissions were extended for one year, the maximum time extension allowed under the law that created them, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Act.
Re-measuring Mount Everest

Survey of India is re-measuring the height of Mount Everest according to an announcement in Hyderabad during the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the institution.
Shortage eases after fuel supply doubled

Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) on Monday increased petrol deliveries in the Kathmandu Valley by almost double to 725 kilolitres to ease a shortage caused by a strike by oil tanker operators.
Taskforce asked to up local units in Province 2

The government has directed the three-member government taskforce formed to address the agitating Madhes-based parties concerns over the Local Level Restructuring Commission (LLRC) report to increase the number of local bodies and revise the boundaries within a week.
Thapa secures united RPP chair with a landslide

Kamal Thapa was elected as chairman of the united Rastriya Prajatantra Party on Monday, securing a landslide victory over his competitor Pradip Bikram Rana at its first General Convention.
UML turns down PMs request to support statute amendment

The CPN-UML has turned down the request of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal to assist in the passage of constitution amendment bill registered at the Legislature-Parliament.
UML welcomes poll date announcement

The CPN-UML has welcomed the Cabinet decision to announce the poll date, hinting that the main opposition would allow the government to forward the constitution amendment bill for the parliamentary process.
Zonta hands over toilets to Pashupati dev trust

Zonta Club of Kathmandu handed over five toilets built unsung Sulabh technology to PashupatiArea Development Trust on Monday.
What It Is

KauaiEclectic is a collection of observations, images and writings about Kauai  Kamawaelualanimoku  and the world as seen, felt, experienced and interpreted by me.
1. Yes. Taxpayers are funding its operation; they should have a voice in the naming process.

2. Yes. The city should operate with a spirit of inclusivity. Residents will be responsive.

3. No. Public input can be problematic; rejection of suggestions can be divisive for residents.

4. No. Residents elect council members to make decisions on their behalf. No input is needed.

5. Unsure. Its hard to say whether public input would be more of a benefit or a hindrance.

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Last year a troop of West Salem Middle School drama students turned their class production of The Lion King Jr. on its head to raise money for a well in Uganda. A little more than a year later, work has begun on the well which, when complete, will provide hundreds of Ugandan families with safe drinking water.

Last week, Sister Salome Nnambi of Bethany, Uganda, and Jenny Parker of the Tomah-based nonprofit Remembering Jesse Parker visited social studies teacher Jenny Morgans classroom where the idea for the project was first conceived.

During her hour-long presentation, Salome told Morgans students about the scarcity of water in her country and the need for new wells. Salome described how many of her people had to travel as far three miles to get water and that children their age were often tasked with carrying 40 or more pounds of water home with them.

Morgan said it was an eye-opening experience for many of her students to learn.

The kids were really excited, she said.

Students also received an update on the well they help to fund.

Morgan said the well would be located near a primary school in Bbira north-east of the capital city of Kampala.

She said students who attended the school should be able to carry clean water home to their families after class.

I hope they are inspired to help others, Morgan said.

Morgan said the well fundraiser began last year during one of her enrichment courses on global water issues.

I have a soft spot in my heart for helping others, She said. Ive seen the water conditions; they are horrible.

Morgan said her students suggested using the upcoming musical The Lion King to raise money to dig a well.

She said she thought this was perfect, but was skeptical of how much the students would be able to raise.

I was thinking two maybe three years, Morgan said.

She said it quickly became clear that shed underestimated her students ability to raise money.

With high school drama teacher Amy Hansons help, students collected nearly $11,000, far more than the $8,000 to $10,000 they needed to dig the well.

The majority of this money was donated to the Remembering Jesse Parker Foundation to go toward digging a well, but smaller donations were made to local nonprofits including the Hunger Task Force of La Crosse, Wafer and the West Salem Food Pantry.

Each of us gave a little and it turned into a huge success, Morgan said.

She said shes already thinking of ways for her students to help.

I am always thinking of ideas of what we can do, she said and after the success of the last fundraiser she is thinking a little bigger.

Morgan said after Salomes presentation, she is now considering holding a book drive for the students in Bbira.

She said Salome described as many as 130 students sharing as few as 10 textbooks.
An Onalaska father admitted Tuesday to inflicting serious injuries to his infant son.

Chad Parker, 30, pleaded guilty Tuesday in La Crosse County Circuit Court to physical abuse of a child, a felony punishable by up to 25 years in prison. Three counts of felony bail jumping and possessing narcotic drugs and prescription pills were dismissed but will be considered during his April 19 sentencing.

Parker told police he passed out with the 3-month-old on the couch after drinking and woke early May 21 to find his son beneath his chest. He denied shaking the child, according to the complaint.

But Parker told a judge Tuesday he also was high on Adderall and described his violent conduct against his son after the child woke.

Right away I woke up and I just snapped and I just grabbed him by the neck and started choking him and then threw him on the couch and then picked him up and started spanking him, Parker said. All he wanted was the bottle.

The childs doctor discovered multiple skull fractures, swelling in three areas of his scalp, bleeding outside his brain and bruising to 14 parts of his body, the complaint stated. An update on the childs condition will be provided during Parkers sentencing.
Todays spring primary election features a single statewide race, for the top K-12 education job in Wisconsin, but further down the ballot things are pretty thin.

Trempealeau County voters will weigh in on one of just three circuit court primaries in Wisconsin. Judge Charles Feltes, appointed by Gov. Scott Walker to replace Judge John Damon when he retired last year, faces Rian Radtke, Trempealeau Countys corporation counsel, and longtime Osseo lawyer Rick Schaumberg.

The race for superintendent of public instruction pits a two-term incumbent backed by public school advocates and Democrats, against two more conservative opponents who want to expand the private voucher program and undo Common Core curriculum.

Incumbent Tony Evers faces John Humphries, a school administrator turned consultant in Dodgeville, and Lowell Holtz, a retired teacher, principal and superintendent. Racine math teacher Rick Melcher is running as a write-in.

Turnout is expected to be low: The past three such primaries have averaged about 6 percent.

A four-way race to represent the 7th District on the La Crosse Common Council will be narrowed to two candidates after voters choose from among incumbent Gary Padesky, and challengers Jim Bagniewski, Bryan Boland and Nicholas Dutton. The only city council race with a primary includes city wards 19 and 21, running from 16th Street between Johnson and Madison streets across Losey Boulevard near the bluffs.

The polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
DE SOTO  Matt Boardman was pleasantly surprised when he was nominated for the Luther College Dorian Festival Band.

To be nominated to the 625-member group as a junior or senior is a high honor for a high school student, he said. To be nominated and accepted as a freshman at De Soto High School is rare.

I was really surprised I got in, he said in between blowing his trumpet during rehearsal on Tuesday, let along being named one of the first trumpets. That honor means a lot to me.

Boardman is one of four students, two freshmen and two seniors, De Soto will send to the festival on Sunday and Monday. There they will join other students from high schools in the region including Cashton, Holmen, La Farge, Aquinas, La Crosse Logan, Onalaska, Viroqua and Westby.

Its a nice challenge for the kids, De Soto band director Mark Arneson said.

They get the opportunity to play with other talented students in a bigger venue.

Luther College faculty member Weston Noble first invited directors from 20 schools in the region to bring their top band students to campus for a two-day honors band festival in 1949.

A vocal festival was added in 1950, and since then the variety of festivals and camps has grown, with more than 90,000 students participating during the past six decades.

De Soto senior Lauren Voelker attended the Dorian festival last year and said she was looking forward to experiencing it again. The difference between the sound of a small school band and a large concert band is huge, she said, and it was nice to experience the difference.

The 625 students were divided into two bands that will perform at the festival, and her group will perform four pieces, including her favorite, St. Florian Choral by Thomas Doss. She said she enjoyed the way the piece moved between different melodies and how they all come together with the different instruments.

Im looking forward to being able to meet new people, she said. In a bigger band, the sound is just so much better.

Connor Ernst, a freshman playing the euphonium, will be in the second band, whose performance will include Sabre and Spurs by John Phillip Sousa. He also plays the piano and saxophone, but said he likes the euphonium, a smaller cousin to the tuba, due to its rich sound that is between the deep notes of the larger instrument and the more strident notes of a trumpet.

Unlike his three classmates, Ernst said he wasnt nervous about the concert. He said he can get lost in the feeling of the music, and he has practiced more than three hours a day to be ready for the concert.

Im just proud of all of them, Arneson said of his students. It is such a good experience for kids to play in this kind of setting. Its more than we can give them in the small schools.
BRUSSELS  After President Donald Trumps raucous first month in office, Europeans have reacted with demonstrations, counter-barbs and sheer angst that a century of trans-Atlantic friendship may be sinking.

Too much has happened, European Union leader Donald Tusk said Monday, for us to pretend that everything is as it used to be.

The governments of some traditional allies have gone a step further, uniting with fundraising plans and a special conference to balance the new U.S. administrations reverse tack from Barack Obamas presidency on abortion policies.

Beyond Trumps orders on immigration, few of the administrations policies have unsettled many European nations as much as his ban on funding for international groups that perform abortions or provide information about abortions to women in developing nations.

Belgian Vice Premier Alexander De Croo was so shocked that words were not enough. He said European nations, fearful that thousands of women and girls will die without family planning information, already are cooperating to make up as much of funding gap as possible.

What we are doing is rolling up our sleeves and saying instead of complaining we are going to take action, De Croo said in an interview with The Associated Press.

Ten EU nations wrote to the European Unions foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, telling her that Europe cannot let down women in developing nations whatever the U.S. policy.

Collectively we have a responsibility not to allow this to happen, the nations said in a common call against Trumps order, which massively expanded previous Republican bans on providing federal money to international family planning groups that perform abortions or provide abortion information.

Even if European nations were alarmed when past Republican administrations restricted international funding over abortion, the reaction against the Trump order was much more vociferous.

Within five days of Trumps action, Dutch Foreign Development Cooperation Minister Lilianne Ploumen said she received thousands of messages from over 150 countries, with many seeking information how to donate funds.

Belgium, Denmark and the Netherlands already have committed 10 million euros ($10.5 million) each and will host an international pledging conference March 2 to help cover the financial hole Trump left.

The Swedes showed their scorn toward Trump in a different way.

Trump signed the anti-abortion order two days after taking office as seven men looked on in the Oval Office. Soon after, Swedens Deputy Prime Minister Isabella Lovin posted on Facebook a photo that showed her signing a government document, surrounded by an all-woman cast. Lovin said she left it to the observer to interpret the photo.

From the quirky to the fundamental, covering anything from abortion to trade, defense and relations with Russia, the doubts about Trump made it a tall order for U.S. Vice President Mike Pence during Mondays talks with Mogherini and other EU leaders on Monday.

Pence said that Trump sent him to Europe to express the strong commitment of the United States to continued cooperation and partnership with the European Union.

The Europeans will take some convincing.

With intimidating language and caustic one-liners, Trump has called NATO, the old military bond between Europe and North America, obsolete, described Britains decision to leave the EU a tremendous asset and suggested the EU itself could soon well disintegrate.

Pence sought to assuage European allies who are constantly wondering what Trumps next quip or Twitter bomb will bring.

Too many new, and sometimes surprising, opinions have been voiced, Tusk told reporters, with Pence standing by his side.

On Saturday, Trump alluded to past terror attacks in the EU and said: Look whats happening last night in Sweden. The presidents comment left Swedes confused since nothing remotely linked to extremist action had troubled the country on Friday night.

Sweden? Terror attack? What has he been smoking? Questions abound, former Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt tweeted.

Trump said in tweet on Sunday: My statement as to whats happening in Sweden was in reference to a story that was broadcast on @FoxNews concerning immigrants & Sweden.

In Munich last week, EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker described the United States in terms of our American friends, if they should and want to remain our friends. And Tusk had put the United States in a threat category two weeks ago, insisting that Trump is contributing to the highly unpredictable outlook.

Pence sought to build bridges on Monday, not walls.

Whatever our differences, our two continents share the same heritage, the same values and above all the same purpose, Pence said.

Whatever our differences, our two continents share the same heritage, the same values and above all the same purpose. Vice President Mike Pence
PALM BEACH, Fla.  President Donald Trump has tapped Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, a prominent military strategist known as a creative thinker, as his new national security adviser, replacing the ousted Michael Flynn.

Trump announced the pick Monday at his Palm Beach, Florida, club and said McMaster is a man of tremendous talent and tremendous experience.

The presidents choice further elevated the influence of military officers in the new administration. Trump, who has no military or foreign policy experience, has shown a strong preference for putting generals in top roles. In this case, he tapped an active-duty officer for a post thats sometimes used as a counterweight to the Pentagon. McMaster, who wore his uniform for the announcement , joins Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, both retired generals, in Trumps inner circle of national security advisers. , The White House said Monday McMaster plans to remain on active military duty.

He will take on the challenge of leading a National Security Council that has not adjusted smoothly to Trumps leadership. The president suggested he does not trust holdovers from the Obama administration and complained about leaks to reporters. His decision to put his top political adviser on the senior committee of the National Security Council drew sharp criticism. On Friday, the head of the councils Western Hemisphere division was fired after he criticized Trumps policies and his inner circle of advisers.

McMaster is viewed as soldier-scholar and creative thinker. He has a doctoral degree in history from the University of North Carolina and has been heavily involved in the Armys efforts to shape its future force and its way of preparing for war. He is currently the director of the Army Capabilities Integration Center, a sort of military think tank, at Fort Eustis, Virginia.

Outside of the Army, he may be best known for his 1997 book, Dereliction of Duty, a searing indictment of the U.S. governments mishandling of the Vietnam War and an analysis of what he called the lies that led to Vietnam. The book earned him a reputation for being willing to speak truth to power.

McMaster was Trumps second choice to replace Flynn, who has been under FBI investigation for his contacts with Russian officials. Trump dismissed Flynn last week after revelations that the adviser had misled Vice President Mike Pence about the nature of his discussion with Russias ambassador to the U.S. during the presidential transition. Trump said in a news conference Thursday that he was disappointed by how Flynn had treated Pence, but did not believe Flynn had done anything wrong by having the conversations.

Trumps first choice to replace Flynn, retired Vice Adm. Robert Harward, turned down the offer.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Sixty feet and the U.S-Mexico border separated the unarmed, 15-year-old Mexican boy and the U.S. Border Patrol agent who killed him with a gunshot to the head early on a June evening in 2010.

U.S. officials chose not to prosecute Agent Jesus Mesa Jr. and the Obama administration refused a request to extradite him so that he could face criminal charges in Mexico. When the parents of Sergio Adrian Hernandez Guereca tried to sue Mesa in an American court for violating their sons rights, federal judges dismissed their claims.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday is hearing the parents appeal, which their lawyers say is their last hope for some measure of justice.

The legal issues are different, but the Supreme Court case resembles the court battle over President Donald Trumps ban on travelers from seven majority Muslim nations in at least one sense. Courts examining both issues are weighing whether foreigners can have their day in U.S. courts.

Privacy experts also are watching the case because it could affect how courts treat global internet surveillance, particularly when foreigners are involved. Its there that the Fourth Amendment question in Hernandez seems to matter most, George Washington University law professor Orin Kerr wrote on the Volokh Conspiracy blog.

The Fourth Amendment protects against unreasonable searches and seizures.
David Paul Baumgardner, died Sunday, Feb. 19, 2017, in Viroqua, of complications of coronary disease.

He was born in Camden, N.J., March 21, 1963, to Pat and Paul Baumgardner. He was one of three children and has one surviving sibling, Kathleen Baumgardner Chase in Cherry Hill, N.J. He spent his early years in New Jersey. He joined the army after graduating from Mount St. Marys college in Maryland, with a bachelors in political science. He went on to work for the IRS and the Department of Defense in Philadelphia. He married Paige Huber in October 1987 in Cape May, N.J., and they have two beautiful sons, Nathaniel and Benjamin.

They moved to Wisconsin in 1996 and established Silver Birch Farms on Newburn Ridge in La Farge. David loved to grow his own food and thought of himself as a Gentleman Farmer. He and his family raised many farm animals and enjoyed being self sufficient.

He became a Mason in 1992, while in New Jersey. He went to join the LaBelle Lodge in Viroqua, in 1996. He worked hard to live up to his masonic values and provided education and service to the community.

He was involved with the La Farge and Viroqua Boy Scouts, helping to establish the La Farge Troop in 1999, which he ran until he left for law school in 2006. Of the seven boy scouts in the troop, four achieved the highest honor of Eagle Scout, which was in part due to his guidance and love of scouting.

David graduated from the Appalachian School of Law in 2007, with his Juris Doctorate and passed the bar the following year. At the time of his death he was in private practice in Vernon County.

His service and celebration of his life will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 26, at the Masonic Lodge in Viroqua, with a visitation from 1 to 3 p.m. and service starting at 3 p.m. All are welcome to attend. Blessed be the memory of David Paul Baumgardner.
New ports and new itineraries in Europe, Alaska and the Caribbean take center stage

CELEBRATION, Fla. (Feb. 21, 2017)  In summer 2018, Disney Cruise Line will sail on new itineraries and to new ports, including first-time visits to destinations in Italy and Ireland. Disney Cruise Line takes guests on a grand tour of Europe with visits to the Mediterranean, northern Europe, Norway and Iceland. Plus, adventures continue with sailings to Alaska, the Caribbean and the Bahamas.



Bookings open to the public on Feb. 23, 2017. More details on 2018 itineraries can be found at disneycruise.com.

New sailings from Rome and Barcelona



For the first time, Disney Cruise Line guests can experience the rich culture of Barcelona and inspiring history of Rome as bookend experiences in a single cruise.

In Rome, guests can explore the Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain and the Vatican, and sample authentic local cuisine. Barcelona offers beautiful beaches, the market streets of Las Ramblas, the artistic architecture of Gaudi and the famed Sagrada FamAlia church.

On June 16, 2018, the Disney Magic will sail a seven-night cruise from Barcelona to Civitavecchia (Rome). Ports of call include Marseilles and Villefranche, France; and Genoa (Milan), Livorno (Florence, Pisa) and Naples, Italy.

On June 23, 2018, the Disney Magic will sail a seven-night itinerary from Civitavecchia (Rome) to Barcelona. Ports visited on this cruise are Naples, Livorno (Florence, Pisa) and Genoa (Milan), Italy; and Cannes and Marseilles, France.

First-time visits to Milan, Italy

Disney Cruise Line will call on Genoa, Italy for the first time in 2018, as part of three special sailings from Barcelona and Civitavecchia (Rome). The historic port town of Genoa, located on the Italian Riviera, is a gateway to the beautiful metropolis of Milan and the picturesque locale of Portofino. Milan is a global capital of fashion and design, featuring top-name designer stores, boutiques, open-air markets and art galleries.

A 10-night Mediterranean itinerary sailing from Barcelona on July 7, 2018, calls on Genoa, as well as other popular ports in Italy, France and Spain.



First-time visit to Cork, Ireland and first seven-night British Isles



The Disney Magic will call on Cork, Ireland for the first time as part of Disney Cruise Lines first-ever seven-night British Isles cruise, departing on Sept. 2, 2018. Additional ports visited on this sailing include Dublin, Ireland; Greenock, Scotland; and Liverpool, England.

Cork is home to a vibrant culinary scene and a plethora of pubs, shops and cafes. It invites visitors to connect with Irelands ancient past, with historic sites like Blarney Castle, where visitors can kiss the famed Blarney Stone.

Throughout the summer, the Disney Magics tour of Europe continues with engagements in the Baltic, Norwegian fjords, British Isles and the Mediterranean.

Return to Alaska

In 2018, the newly re-imagined Disney Wonder will return to Alaska for the summer season, opening up a world of breathtaking natural vistas, magnificent glaciers and awe-inspiring wildlife. A variety of five-, seven- and nine-night itineraries will depart from Vancouver, Canada, with stops in Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, Icy Strait Point and Tracy Arm Fjord.

Southern Caribbean special sailing



The Disney Fantasy will embark on a special 11-night southern Caribbean itinerary departing June 30, 2018, visiting tropical destinations, renowned for beautiful sun-kissed beaches, including Aruba, Barbados, Martinique, St. Kitts, Puerto Rico and the Disney private island, Castaway Cay.

Castaway Cay: More opportunities to explore Disneys exclusive private island

Castaway Cay, Disneys private island in the Bahamas, is consistently a top-rated destination. In 2018, the Disney Dream will sail a series of cruises that include two stops at Castaway Cay so guests can have twice the fun in the sun and enjoy even more of the pristine island paradise.

On June 6, 20, and July 4, the Disney Dream will sail from Port Canaveral, Fla., on four-night cruises to Nassau, Bahamas, plus two stops at Castaway Cay.



On June 1, 10, 15, 24, 29, and July 8, the Disney Dream will sail from Port Canaveral, Fla., on five-night cruises to Nassau, Bahamas, plus two stops at Castaway Cay.

To learn more about Disney Cruise Line or to book a vacation, AllEars.net recommends MouseFanTravel!

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Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Dan Trevas summarizes a bar discipline case decided today by the Ohio Supreme Court

The Ohio Supreme Court today indefinitely suspended a Strongsville attorney convicted of felonies for his role in a bribery scheme involving prominent Cleveland attorney Anthony Calabrese III, who was disbarred and is serving a nine-year federal prison sentence for bribery.

The Court voted 4-3 to indefinitely suspend Marc G. Doumbas with the majority agreeing to credit him with time served under an interim suspension issued by the Court in January 2014. The per curiam opinion stated the suspension was issued based on Doumbass conviction for two felony bribery accounts, which he unsuccessfully appealed in state court and has informed the Court he intends to contest in federal court.

Conviction Based on Bribery Complicity

Ohio Disciplinary Counsel charged Doumbas with two violations of the rules governing Ohio attorneys that prohibit lawyers from committing illegal acts and engaging in conduct that is prejudicial to the administration of justice.

Doumbas and G. Timothy Marshall represented Thomas Castro in a criminal proceeding in which Castro was charged with rape. Calabrese was Castros business attorney. Castro agreed to plead guilty to two counts of sexual battery, and before his sentencing, Doumbas and Marshall discussed the need to assemble information to request a sentence that would include no prison time for Castro.

Marshall and Calabrese offered substantial payments to Castros two sexual-assault victims as civil settlements in an attempt to show the court Castro had made restitution for his criminal conduct. In exchange, the men asked the victims to make requests that the sentencing judge not impose jail time on Castro.

Although there was no evidence that Doumbas had directly promised, offered, or given anything of value to the witnesses, the state alleged that he had been aware that Marshall and Calabrese had made or intended to make the settlement proposals and he had shared Castro, Marshall, and Calabreses criminal intents, and therefore, the state alleged, he was complicit in bribery, the opinion stated.

Doumbas was convicted of two third-degree felony counts, sentenced to two concurrent one-year prison terms, and ordered to pay a $10,000 fine and court costs. He completed his prison sentence, but as of his June 2016 Board of Professional Conduct hearing, he had not paid any of the $12,500 total in fines and costs.

The Eighth District Court of Appeals affirmed his conviction in 2015 and refused his requests to reopen his appeal.

Attorneys Post-Conviction Behavior Impacts Sanction

In developing a recommended sanction the board considers aggravating circumstances and mitigating factors. The board noted Doumbas desire to demonstrate to the judge that Castro compensated his victims for the harm they suffered. However, the board concluded that any reasonable lawyer would have recognized the risk that making such a settlement offer could be interpreted as an attempt to influence the victims statements at the perpetrators sentencing hearing.

While Doumbas might not have directly engaged the victims, the board found as Castros trial attorney, Doumbas must be held accountable for the negotiations he left to the discretion of Marshall and Calabrese and the harm they produced, the opinion stated. The board also noted that Doumbas denied any criminal wrongdoing at his trial and in the disciplinary hearings, and that he has offered no justification for the failure to pay his criminal fine or court costs other than stating his intent to further fight his conviction in federal court.

The board also recognized that Doumbas had no prior discipline, served his prison time, and demonstrated a cooperative attitude toward the disciplinary proceedings. He also produced six letters of good character, including two from judges, and one of his clients testified that Doumbas satisfactorily handled 25 cases for him and his family over the years, and that he would employ him again should Doumbas be reinstated. The board also found Doumbas to be contrite and remorseful and unlikely to engage in similar conduct in the future.

The Court agreed with the boards recommendation to indefinitely suspend Doumbas and grant him credit for time served. If Doumbas files for reinstatement, the Court required that he must submit proof he has fully paid his criminal fine and court costs as well as the costs for his disciplinary proceedings.

Justices Judith L. French, William M. ONeill, Patrick F. Fischer, and R. Patrick DeWine joined the opinion.

Chief Justice Maureen OConnor and Justices Terrence ODonnell and Sharon L. Kennedy dissented, indicating they would not grant Doumbas time served under suspension.

2016-1149. Disciplinary Counsel v. Doumbas, Slip Opinion No. 2017-Ohio-550.

(Mike Frisch)

https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/legal_profession/2017/02/convicted-attorney-gets-credit-for-time-served.html
Tuesday, February 21, 2017

The North Carolina Court of Appeals granted ineffective assistance of counsel relief to a defendant convicted of murder in a 2001 shooting outside a nightclub.

Two witnesses (Speller and Wilson) testified that he did it; two others (L. Pugh and D. Pugh) testified that he did not.

One of his attorneys (now disbarred) had previously represented and spoken to one of the two adverse witnesses. Her notes of that conversation indicted that the witness told her that someone else was the likely shooter.

When the matter was raised at trial, the notes were not admitted and the attorney continued to represent the defendant.

It is undisputed that, at the time of defendants trial, [attorney] Smallwood possessed evidence tending to show that Speller made a prior inconsistent statement concerning the identity of the shooter. The exculpatory witness claim raised in defendants MAR was whether Smallwoods failure to withdraw and testify as to that alleged prior inconsistent statement constitutes ineffective assistance of counsel. Evidence that Smallwood was privy to a conversation in which Speller identified the shooter as someone other than defendant would have been both relevant and material had it been offered at trial...

If otherwise competent...Smallwoods testimony would have been admissible and within the purview of the jury to assign weight and credibility thereto.

Thus the "exculpatory witness" contention was not meritless.

As to ineffective assistance

Defendant maintains that he received ineffective assistance of counsel due to Smallwoods failure to withdraw as counsel and testify as to Spellers alleged prior inconsistent statement regarding the identity of the shooter. In her role as counsel, Smallwoods questions on cross-examination could not be considered evidence by the jury. Therefore, defendant argues, when Speller denied the prior inconsistent statement during cross-examination, Smallwood had an actual conflict of interest between continuing as counsel or withdrawing to testify as a necessary witness. Defendant contends that because Smallwoods actual conflict of interest adversely affected her performance as counsel, he is entitled to relief...

Guided if not bound by Phillips, we believe Strickland provides an adequate framework to review defendants exculpatory witness claim. Despite Smallwoods prior representation of Speller, the record shows that the purported conversation between Smallwood and Speller took place from an investigatory standpoint in preparation for defendants trial. Because that conversation was outside the scope of her representation, Smallwood would not have bound by a duty of confidentiality. By the same token, Smallwood was not effectively silenced from testifying about the conversation and the information she learned from Speller. As the facts of this case do not make it impractical to determine whether defendant suffered prejudice, Phillips, 365 N.C. at 122, 711 S.E.2d at 137, we apply Stricklands framework to evaluate defendants exculpatory witness claim.

The trial court erred

It cannot seriously be disputed that the identity of the shooter was a material issue in defendants murder trial. Smallwood, who possessed evidence of Spellers prior inconsistent statement regarding the shooters identity, was not bound to accept Spellers answers on cross-examination. Smallwoods testimony, had it been offered, would have been admissible to impeach Speller by showing that he had previously identified Jordan as the shooter. And contrary to the trial courts conclusion, we do not believe such exculpatory evidence would have been inconsequential so as to justify Smallwoods failure to withdraw.

Smallwoods testimony would have also been admissible to show Spellers bias or interest in the trial. Jordan was initially charged with Bennetts murder and spent two years in jail before he was released. Speller testified that he and Jordan work[ed] the same job. After the charges against Jordan were dropped, he sent Speller to the district attorney to offer a statement implicating defendant in the murder...

While the admissibility of Smallwoods testimony does not in and of itself establish deficient performance, the circumstances surrounding her decision to remain as counsel leads us to that conclusion. Smallwood was the only witness to Spellers prior inconsistent statement. Her questions to Speller could not be considered as evidence and, after her ineffective cross-examination, she became a necessary witness at trial with a duty to withdraw. See N.C. St. B. Rev. R. Prof. Conduct 3.7(a) (A lawyer shall not act as an advocate at a trial in which the lawyer is likely to be a necessary witness . . . .), 2017 Ann. R. N.C. 1242. Her testimony undoubtedly related to a contested issue in the case and tended to discredit one of the States two key witnesses. High could have remained as defendants counsel and the court could have appointed a second attorney even if it meant declaring a mistrial. By failing to withdraw and testify, Smallwoods conduct fell below an objective standard of reasonableness and was deficient under Strickland.

Prejudice

The trial court concluded that defendant could not establish prejudice in light of Smallwoods effective cross-examination of Speller, Wilsons testimony, and the States cross-examination of D. Pugh based upon his prior inconsistent statement to law enforcement. We disagree.

If Smallwood had properly withdrawn, she could have testified that Speller, one of only two key witnesses for the State, had previously told her that it was Jordannot defendantwho shot Bennett. She could have attacked Spellers credibility through his prior inconsistent statement and evidence of his interest in the trial. Her testimony tended to discredit nearly half the States case and, in conjunction with the testimony of L. Pugh and D. Pugh, would have provided an evidentiary advantage to the defense.

Wilson, the only other witness to identity defendant as the shooter, had his own credibility issues. He had testified as a States witness in the past and, during defendants trial, revealed that he had been convicted of breaking and entering, two counts of second-degree burglary, larceny of a firearm, larceny of a motor vehicle, four counts of driving while license revoked, four counts of driving while impaired, two counts of injury to property, communicating threats, assault with a deadly weapon, and forgery and utteringall within the last ten years. Judge Grant even remarked at the MAR hearing: We all know Robert Wilson. . . . And a record like that, right, we know him.

Thus

We conclude that defendant was denied his right to effective assistance of counsel based upon Smallwoods failure to withdraw and testify as a necessary witness at trial. Because defendant is entitled to relief under Strickland on his exculpatory witness claim, we need not address his remaining arguments to this Court. The trial courts order denying his MAR is reversed.

Judge Dillon dissented and would find the claims procedurally barred and deficient on the merits

To establish reasonable probability, it was Defendants burden at the MAR hearing to show exactly what the substance of Ms. Smallwoods testimony would have been. Otherwise, it is impossible on review to determine whether Ms. Smallwoods testimony would have been admissible and what impact it might have had. But as Judge Grant points out in his Order, Defendant did not present Ms. Smallwood as a witness at the MAR hearing. No one else testified at the MAR hearing with any detail as to what Ms. Smallwood would have stated had she been allowed to take the stand. There is no competent evidence in the record to demonstrate that Ms. Smallwood had any independent recollection that the State witness told her that he saw someone other than Defendant kill the victim or whether her notes from the alleged conversation would have refreshed her memory. It may be that Ms. Smallwood would have offered admissible, persuasive testimony to impeach the State witness. However, Defendant simply failed to meet his burden of proof to show as much at the MAR hearing.

At the MAR hearing, Defendant did offer a copy of the notes which Ms. Smallwood attempted to show the State witness at trial. However, these notes are not admissible to show how Ms. Smallwood might have testified. The notes do not suggest that the State witness told Ms. Smallwood that he saw Demetrius Jordan fire the fatal shot. Rather, the notes suggest, at best, that the State witness told Ms. Smallwood that he did not see who fired the fatal shot, after Demetrius Jordan had fled the scene.

The majority notes that disbarred attorney Smallwood left the area and could not be called as a witness. (MIke Frisch)

https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/legal_profession/2017/02/the-north-carolina-court-of-appeals-granted-ineffective-assistance-relief-to-a-defendant-convicted-of-murder-in-a-shooting-ou.html


The United States remains a popular destination for immigrants from Africa, according to the U.S.-based Pew Research Center.

The number of African immigrants coming to the U.S. has more than doubled since 2000, Pew said in a new report.

The organization said that as of 2015, 2.1 million African-born people were living in the United States. That number is up from 880,000 in 2000. Back in 1970, there were just 80,000.

Monica Anderson is a research associate at Pew and the author of the study. She said one reason for the large increase is that many immigrants are refugees from Africa.

She noted that in 1980, only 1 percent of refugees admitted to the United States were from Africa. Today, that share is about 37 percent.

That is one major factor that is driving the growth of African immigrants, but it doesn't tell the entire story," Anderson told VOA in an interview.

She said that over the years, certain U.S. areas have developed large, established populations for African immigrants.

One of those is the Midwestern state of Minnesota. The state is home to about 25,000 people of Somali origin. This is about one-fifth of the whole foreign-born population of the state.

In different clusters in the U.S., African immigrants are really reshaping the immigrant population there, Anderson said.

Another example is the neighboring state of South Dakota, which has large refugee communities from Sudan, Somalia and Ethiopia. Overall, Africans make up about 15 percent of South Dakotas foreign-born population, according to Pew.

The top states where African immigrants live are Texas, New York, California and Maryland.

African immigrants in the U.S. include tens of thousands of refugees from Somalia, Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Eritrea, Pew said. But it also includes highly-educated doctors, engineers and others seeking a better life in America.

Randy Capps is the director of research for U.S. programs at the Migration Policy Institute. He said that as of 2013, 38 percent of sub-Saharan African immigrants had a bachelor's degree or higher, compared to 28 percent of all U.S. immigrants.

But despite the increases, Africans still make up a relatively small amount of the total U.S. immigrant population. Capps said there are both historical and geographic reasons for this.

It's a long distance from Africa, and the number of people in Africa with sufficient incomes to migrate that far has been relatively small, he said.

He added that the path for legal African migration to the U.S. was not fully opened until the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act.

The act, signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson, removed immigration quota systems based on national identity. This allowed for immigrants of all nationalities to be accepted equally. The act also made it easier for skilled immigrants to migrate to the United States.

Im Bryan Lynn.

Salem Solomon wrote this story for VOA News. Bryan Lynn adapted it for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

factor  n. something that affects a particular situation, event, etc.

cluster  n. group of things or people that are close to each other

quota  n. official limit on the amount of people allowed
Women are under-represented in the technology industry around the world.

At colleges and universities in the United States, women represent only one in six students of computer science.

That number is changing at some schools, like Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, California. The school is a leader in getting women interested in technological professions.

At its robotics laboratory, a small robot performs the movements of tai chi, an ancient Chinese meditation exercise.

Student Jane Wu writes commands from a nearby computer. With these commands, she is demonstrating a simple form of robotics and artificial intelligence.

Wu is a third-year student in mathematics and computer science at the college.

She says she decided on a career in computer science after taking a robotics class called Autonomous Vehicles. In the class, she and other students built robots that can act on their own, without any human control.

And, in that class, we got to make our own autonomous robots from scratch.

Harvey Mudd College has just 800 students. It was named after a mining engineer who helped set up the school. It is part of a group of schools called The Claremont Colleges in the eastern part of Los Angeles.

Ten years ago, the college re-created its computer science program to make it less difficult for students without much experience with computers. The effort has produced noticeable results: last year, more than half of the students who completed the program were women.

Students are first placed in groups based on their knowledge of computers to reduce their fear of technology. Many of the students later find that computer science is a beautiful intellectual discipline, says professor Ran Libeskind-Hadas, but also a useful one.

Taste of coding

All Harvey Mudd students are required to take an introductory computer class. That class fueled the interest of Veronica Rivera, who is studying computer science and mathematics.

It was a very balanced class and I think the professors also do a very good job of making sure everyone feels welcome, regardless of their coding ability.

Rivera hopes to develop computer programs to help people who have difficulty moving parts of their bodies.

Women were well-known coders in the early days of computers when Grace Hopper helped invent programming languages. She later became a top official in the United States Navy.

Jim Boerkoel is an assistant professor who supervises the robotics lab. He spoke to VOA about Grace Hopper.

So she [Hopper] is the original coder. It was only in later decades, the 1980s and 90s, that computer games and the idea of computer programming got heavily marketed toward boys rather than girls.

Women technologists

At Harvey Mudd, some women who come to study engineering rediscover programming. Each year, many attend what is said to be the worlds largest conference of women technologists. It is called the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing.

Emilia Reed is a computer science student at Harvey Mudd.

With coding, I can just have my computer, have some programming language Im working in, and I can make almost whatever I want.

Reed is helping create computer apps to increase the productivity of workers and students.

Internship programs are part of the training. Samantha Andow, a third-year student, is making plans to serve as an intern at Microsoft Corporation in the state of Washington.

Im really excited to see all the problems that computer science is working on right now.

Maria Klawe is president of Harvey Mudd College. She says computers are important to all areas of life, and the technology industry needs the best and the smartest.

If we dont manage to get a more diverse community into technology, she said, were not going to get as good solutions, as much progress as we need on the problems facing the world, whether it is climate change or education, health care.

Klawe says todays issues need the creativity that diversity brings, and that the field needs more women and minorities as future programmers. Both groups do not have enough representation in the technology industry, she says.

Im Bryan Lynn.

And Im Alice Bryant.

Mike OSullivan reported this story for VOA News. Alice Bryant adapted his report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

meditation - n. the act or process of spending time in quiet thought; the act or process of meditating

artificial intelligence - n. an area of computer science that deals with giving machines the ability to seem like they have human intelligence

regardless - adv. without being stopped by difficulty or trouble

coder - n. a computer programmer

app - n. a computer program that performs a special function

internship - n. a job for a student or recent graduate who works for a period of time at a company or organization to gain experience

diverse - adj. different from each other

discipline - n. a field of study; a subject that is taught

introductory - adj. of or related to the beginning of something
scholarship, news and new ideas in legal history
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Running from 2006 to 2019, BLIMEY! was dedicated to British comics past and present. The images of old comics on my blog are copyright their respective publishers and are only used here for review purposes. They have been scanned from my own personal comics collection, in over 50 years of collecting.The prose articles, with the exception of press releases, are Copyright  Lew Stringer and must not be reproduced without permission.




The Madeira Beach Fire Department is pioneering the use of new technology in Pinellas County. Specifically, they're developing a program utilizing drones.

Department received two drones last November through a grant

Each drone worth about $5,000

Drones deployed for situation, resource assessment

Fire Chief Derryl O'Neal said the Madeira Beach Fire Department is the first agency in the county to develop a drone program.



Weve had some other departments that have used them on a limited basis, ONeal said. I think were the first ones to actually start developing a program.



O'Neal suspects that may also be true for all fire departments across Florida. O'Neal said the Madeira Beach Fire Department received two drones last November -- worth about $5,000 -- through a grant.



Weve been training with them since then, he said. Weve actually had three incidents so far that weve had to deploy the drones, for people who have been lost or missing in the water.

Madeira Beach Fire Chief Derryl O'Neal with one of his department's two drones. (Josh Rojas, staff)



ONeal said the drones have searched for a missing kayaker in the intracoastal that turned out to be a false alarm, and in a separate incident located a missing paddle boarder.



We had a person fall off of their paddleboard and was actually rescued by another boat, but the paddleboard had drifted away, said ONeal. We were able to confirm that the paddle boarder was not in distress and locate the paddleboard for the owner.



The chief said the third incident was on Monday, when a call came in for a suspicious object in the water that turned out to be a buoy.



Rather than having a multitude of resources coming in -- multiple boats, engines, etcetera and having firefighters put themselves in harms way -- were able to deploy the drone out there to do a quick evaluation of the process and cancel resources if theyre not needed, said O'Neal.



The standard operating procedures for the drone program are still being written. There are, however, already some strict rules in place.



Not flying over 400 feet high. Youre not supposed to fly them over buildings, said ONeal. You cant fly them at night and it cant be used as surveillance operations.



Currently, ONeal himself is the only drone operator because he has a pilots license, which is an FAA requirement. Eventually, the chief hopes to have an authorized drone operator on every fire shift.



Its the very beginning stages of this operation but it provides a higher level of safety to our community, he said. Makes it more cost effective and efficient for our city and a lot safer for our firefighters who are responding to water rescue emergencies.



ONeal said Pinellas County Fire and Rescue is also looking into developing a drone program.

Photo: Josh Rojas, staff
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A Swedish think tank says that the global arms trade has steadily increased in volume the past five years, propelled by an almost doubling of arms imports in the Middle East and strong growth in demand in Asia.

Five countries  United States, Russia, China, France, Germany  accounted for 74 percent of the total arms exports.

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute said that Asia and Oceania accounted for 43 percent of global arms imports in 2012-16, with India being the largest importer accounting for 43 percent of all imports. It was followed by Saudi Arabia with an increase of 212 percent compared to the previous five years.

The largest exporter, USA, increased arms exports by 21 percent, with almost half going to the Middle East.
Chinese companies are big winners in the competition among foreign bidders for stakes in Abu Dhabis largest oil concession, snatching a combined 12 percent of the venture as the Middle Eastern emirate looks increasingly to Asia, its biggest market, for investment.

Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. awarded a 4 percent stake in the onshore venture  the last share of the project that was still up for grabs  to Shanghai-based CEFC China Energy Co., Adnoc said yesterday in an e-mailed statement. CEFC is paying an USD888 million signing bonus, Adnoc said. The announcement came one day after China National Petroleum Corp. agreed to buy 8 percent of the same concession for $1.8 billion.

The dual awards mark Chinas debut as a major shareholder in the biggest oilfield operator in the United Arab Emirates, OPECs fourth-largest member. Together, the stakes held by state-run CNPC and energy investor CEFC exceed the 10 percent shares that both BP Plc and Total SA own. BP signed on to the project in December, and Total in January 2015.

Asia will show the fastest growth in energy demand over the next two decades, according to the International Energy Agency. Abu Dhabi is among Persian Gulf oil producers including Saudi Arabia and Iraq that are tapping Asia for energy investments. While European and U.S. companies have pumped oil in the Middle East for more than a century, their Asian counterparts are relative newcomers. Japanese and Korean companies are also investors with Adnoc in the deposits.

If youre Abu Dhabi and looking for demand growth, China is the future and its demand is going to continue to grow, Chris Gunson, a Dubai-based lawyer at Amereller Legal Consultants, said Sunday. For the big buyers in Asia, the logical source of that future supply is the Gulf.

CNPC and CEFC are joining the Abu Dhabi Company for Onshore Petroleum Operations, or ADCO. Japans Inpex Corp. owns 5 percent of the venture, while GS Energy Corp. of South Korea holds 3 percent. No companies from Asia were involved in the previous concession for the onshore fields. Abu Dhabi plans to retain a 60 percent stake in ADCO.

Japanese companies are partners in at least four other oil-production ventures in Abu Dhabi, the largest sheikhdom in the United Arab Emirates. Korean and Chinese companies are exploring at smaller concessions in the emirate. CNPCs engineering arm also helped build an export pipeline in Abu Dhabi.

Elsewhere in the region, CNPC is developing Iraqs biggest oil field, together with BP. China Petroleum and Chemical Corp. is a partner in a refinery in Saudi Arabia, and Chinese firms are developing crude deposits in Iran.

With the two deals announced this week, Chinese buyers secure more supplies of Abu Dhabis main Murban crude grade. CNPC agreed in 2011 to increase purchases of crude from the emirate under long-term contracts. ADCOs international partners are responsible for funding their shares of investment in the deposits as well as paying signing bonuses.

Abu Dhabi, with 6 percent of global crude reserves, is seeking to boost production capacity to 3.5 million barrels a day by 2018. ADCO pumps about half of Abu Dhabis roughly 3 million barrels of daily crude output.

The emirate is expanding capacity amid a global oil glut that cut prices to an average of about $50 a barrel over the last two years. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries agreed in November to cut production to trim crude stockpiles and boost prices. Benchmark Brent crude has gained about 11 percent since the day OPEC announced that agreement and was up 0.6 percent at $56.13 a barrel at 12:33 p.m. in London.

The 40-year ADCO concession replaces an earlier agreement under which Western oil majors pumped the emirates crude. Exxon Mobil Corp. and Royal Dutch Shell Plc took part in the previous venture, also called ADCO, along with BP, Total and Portugals Partex Oil & Gas Group. That deal expired in January 2014. Adnoc ran the concession on its own for a year, then backdated the new deal to Jan. 1, 2015. Anthony DiPaola and Mahmoud Habboush, Bloomberg
Yesterdays trial of the citys former top prosecutor, Ho Chio Meng, was halted after only approximately 20 minutes.

As usual, the session started at 9.30 a.m., but soon after its commencement, Ho told the judges about his physical condition, stating he was feeling tired and dizzy.

Ho then requested he be excused from the hearing under the condition that it will not affect the trial.

The collegial panel then retired for 15 minutes to confer. Upon their return, presiding judge Sam Hou Fai announced the cancellation of the trial.

Hos lawyer, Leong Weng Pun, stated that his clients absence would not affect the trial and it need not be cancelled.

However, Sam turned down the appeal on the basis that the court needed to consider Hos overall condition.

As the court emptied, Ho was escorted by the Correctional Services Bureaus officers to the Centro Hospitalar Conde de Sao Januario (CHCSJ) for a health checkup.

The Hospital was required to inform the court before 4 p.m. yesterday if Ho could be present at the trial today. If yesterday had gone according to schedule, there would have been one witness called in the morning to provide testimony.

While Hos trial was adjourned, at the Court of First Instance, defendant Wong Kuok Wai, who is accused of opening shelf companies along with Ho and other defendants, answered questions regarding Hos case.

Five other defendants, who were absent from the first session, were still absent from yesterdays proceedings.

Wong said that he is a friend of Mak Im Tai (one of the defendants). The prosecutors expressed doubt over how their companies could be awarded service contracts by the Prosecution Office, since the companies had no experience in related services.

Wong suggested that it might have been because the MP was confident in their skills as a consequence of the previous projects their companies had completed.

According to a report by TDM, Wong, at the court, said that he maintains a casual friendship with Ho Chio Shun (Hos brother), who is also accused of having participated in the establishment of said shelf companies. JZ
A man was the victim of a violent robbery committed by three other men on Saturday evening, the police revealed yesterday during a press conference. One of the robbers, and so far the only one detained by the authorities, is a 20-year-old permanent resident who was acting in the company of a friend.

The victim and his wife, who, are owners of a small shop in the area of San Kio in the proximities of Kiang Wu Hospital, had just closed their shop and were preparing to head home around 10 p.m. on Saturday. The victims wife waited at the cross section of Rua da Entena and Rua de Coelho do Amaral while the victim went to get their car which was parked nearby. In the following minutes, the wife heard her husbands call for help. The man, who was bleeding from the head, said he had been beaten by three men who also stole his backpack.

The man told the police that two of the robbers were wearing facemasks. The police searched the area around 11 p.m. and approached two men seated at a staircase at Largo de Santo Antonio reviewing the contents of a backpack. The suspects tried to escape with one of them being caught and detained by the PSP.

Upon searching the bag, the police found an identification card, credit cards and a mobile phone. The victims wife reported that an iPhone 6 and the sum of HKD30,000 were missing.

Questioned by the police, the detainee said he had been invited by a friend to participate in the robbery from which he would receive a share. The detainee mentioned that he only found out about the third person at the location where the crime was carried out and does not know his identity as they had only met then.

An expandable baton which was used to beat the victim, was found in the possession of the detainee.

The police are still investigating the case and searching for the two other men involved.
The School of the Nations (SON) held its annual arts event The Art of House last week, showcasing a variety of artwork and performances, along with art exhibitions of two local universities.

The event featured a range of artwork, music, dance and drama from students and community members.

Performances included a Chinese folk dance from the Association of Chinese National Culture and Arts, a Capoeira demonstration and Naxi Tribal Dances from Lijiangs Jinhong Middle School.

Artworks from University of Macau and University of Saint Joseph students were also showcased in the schools library.

SON Arts Administrator Mark Campbell told the Times that the school, with the aim of promoting the arts among the local community, also showcased eight paintings by their staff members and made them available for auction.

The works of art from staff members of the school [were] donated for the auction [and it will contribute] to the development of the arts within the school, said Campbell.

Campbell added that while the school has a strong academic focus, it emphasizes the need for its students to be aware of and appreciate art.

SON Director Vivek Nair echoed Campbells sentiments, and remarked on the significance of including arts in humanities.

One of the things we see that is central in education is to move away the focus from simply science and mathematics and very traditional field of learning to include arts in the humanities, he said.

While the school held The Art of House internally in previous years, Nair remarked this year that there is a great value in exploring the expression in art from the wider community.

Linda Chen, an eleventh grade International Baccalaureate (IB) student whose artwork was exhibited, commended the school for giving her peers the opportunity to showcase their artworks, which she believed had helped increase their exposure.

It showcases different art pieces with their [students] own art styles, she said.

One of my pieces [] shows that art doesnt just come from imagination, it also comes from the inspiration of the things around you.

Along with the masterpiece she created, which she named bi-faces, she also performed a piano recital.

I always seek for new and different experiences, especially others artworks, to inspire ourselves to create new piece, Chen said.

Aaliyah Riofrio, a student who participated in a drama piece that tackles racism and sexism, said that the play aimed to portray how such issues are prevalent in Macau, particularly with Filipino groups in the region.

I think Filipinos are treated differently, theyre treated like the lower class just because [there is a large group] of house-helpers here, he said.

Chi Lo, a fellow drama student acting in the same play, added, We want people to know the effect of injustice, racism and sexism. We want them to take action against them because were all equal and we should act that way.

Meanwhile, Communication and Media students from the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) presented their short films and photography.

Jose Simoes, coordinator for the Department of Communication and Media at USJ, believed that it is fundamental for high school students to be aware of art produced by university students.

He also said that art events would further enhance the skills and imagination of the students.

Learning by doing is very important for them, because just theory doesnt work anymore, he said.
The two- or three-way relationship between China and the Portuguese-Speaking Countries (PSC) will be in focus today, at an international conference due to be held in Lisbon where Macaus role as a contact platform will be a central theme.

The conference called, Macau, a bridge in the China-Portuguese-speaking Countries economic relationship, for which the Macauhub is media partner, will enhance the role of Forum Macau, which is considered by a number of players in relations between China, Portugal and Portuguese-speaking countries as an opportunity for businesses, particularly to fund projects.

The event also has a partnership with Portugals Investment and Foreign Trade Agency (AICEP), whose most recent edition of Portugal Global magazine focuses on Macau, with an interview with General Garcia Leandro, current president of the Jorge Alvares Foundation and former governor of the region, who says that Macau can have a privileged role for companies that do not directly enter the Chinese market.

This, he says, thanks to all the initiatives that Forum Macau has developed, allowing meetings between Chinese entrepreneurs and those from Portuguese-speaking countries which have opened up possibilities for two- or three-way relations between companies from various countries that on their own would have no chance of success.

This capacity of Macau should be taken to the maximum. China itself, as seen last October at the Ministerial Conference [of Forum Macau], clearly showed the purpose of giving Macau a greater role in this area by proposing 18 concrete measures that will build the capacity of the Forum, even as a financial cooperation platform focused on Macau, added Garcia Leandro.

Some PALOP [Portuguese- speaking African countries] and Timor-Leste [East Timor] have felt greater need to get the most out of Forum Macaus resources, for the opportunities created there, and through the training sessions offered at its training centre and higher education institutions, he said.

The President of AICEP, Miguel Frasquilho, also challenges Portuguese entrepreneurs to look with interest at the possibilities that Forum Macau opens up in terms of three-way cooperation, that is, to support investment and development projects between Portuguese-speaking companies and countries.

Also in an interview with Portugal Global magazine, Whu Zhiwei, chief executive of Companhia de Desenvolvimento Cidade Moderna (Modern City Development  Macau) and of Tin Min Jade says, the internationalization of Portuguese companies is very important for China, for Macau and for Portugal, and that many Chinese companies have come to realize the potential of the Portuguese-speaking country markets. Portugal is decidedly a new potential and privileged partner for the Chinese government and companies.

This internationalization is necessary to get interaction and cooperation between different countries. The increasing existence of internationalized companies between China and Portugal will extend the scope, scale and success of cooperation, said Zhiwei.

The Macau, a bridge in the China-Portuguese-speaking Countries economic relationship, conference will take place at the Institute of Social and Political Sciences (ISCSP) in Lisbon, and will be attended by the Portuguese President, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and the Chinese ambassador to Portugal, Cai Run.

The event will also be attended by managers of Portuguese companies with Chinese investors, such as Antonio Mexia, CEO of the Energias de Portugal (EDP) group and Joao Faria Conceicao, executive director of the national grid Redes Energeticas Nacionais (REN), and businesses with developing relations with China such as Duarte Lynce de Faria, the director of the port of Sines. MDT/Macauhub
In a bid to boost growth and productivity amid global economic and geopolitical uncertainties, Singapore Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat announced measures to support infrastructure projects and industries like marine and processes.

The 2017 budget comes less than two weeks after a government-

appointed panel, led by Heng, outlined initiatives to propel the economy into its next phase of growth. The range of measures aim to help spur growth to 2 percent to 3 percent a year over the next decade. Here are some of the biggest winners and losers of the Singapore budget.

WINNERS

Jobs  Skills training support will be provided to aid in improving workforce productivity. More than SGD600 million will be paid out to help companies cope with rising wages. The Ministry of Manpower will extend employment age to 67 from 65. Enhanced corporate tax rebate cap would be raised to SGD25,000 at 50 percent of tax payable. The tax rebate would be extended by another year, capped at SGD10,000, 20 percent of tax payable. National Research Fund will be topped up by SGD500 million and National Productivity Fund will be increased by SGD1 billion. Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs)  Programs to support digitalization and innovation will be rolled out to aid SMEs.

Public Infrastructure Investment  The government will bring forward SGD700 million in infrastructure projects to support the construction sector. A total of SGD150 million will be spent to procure innovative construction solutions for public sector projects.

Marine & Processes  Foreign worker levy increases will be deferred for one more year to aid employers in these sectors. Sembcorp Industries Ltd. gained as much as 1.6 percent after the measures were announced. Sembcorps businesses include utilities as well as water and land development.

Healthcare  Including existing initiatives, the government will spend SGD400 million per year to provide support to persons with disabilities and their caregivers in areas of early intervention and education, employment, care services, assistive technologies and improving healthcare accessibility. Additional SGD160 million to be spent on supporting those with mental health conditions over the next five years.

Cyber security  Government will spend more than SGD80 million on programs to strengthen capabilities in data and cyber-security.

Singapore-based firms  SGD600 million in government capital will be allocated for a new International Partnership Fund to help Singapore-based firms in scaling up and internationalization.

LOSERS

Power Stations, Utilities  Government plans to implement a carbon tax between SGD10-SGD20/ton of greenhouse gas emission from 2019 on power stations, large direct emitters instead of electricity consumers.

Consumers  Water prices will increase by 30 percent in two phases, starting July 1. Prices havent been raised in 20 years and costs need to be reflected. Bloomberg
The U.S. Navy is planning a fresh freedom of navigation operation around Chinas man-made islands, the first under President Donald Trump, the Navy Times reported yesterday, citing defense officials.

The operation would most likely be carried out by the San Diego-based USS Carl Vinson carrier strike group, which began patrolling the South China Sea on the weekend. It would involve sailing within 12-mile territorial waters of the island features China claims as its own, the report said.

According to newspaper, the plans are awaiting Trumps approval.

Chinas Foreign Affairs spokesman Geng Shuang said he was aware of the reports. He said that while China respects freedom of navigation under international law, we have firm objections to any country that impairs Chinas sovereignty and security interests in the name of freedom of navigation and overflight.

We urge the U.S. side not to take any actions that challenge Chinas sovereignty and security, and respect the effort made by regional countries in safeguarding peace and stability in the South China Sea, he told reporters.

Navy warships have deliberately sailed close to Chinese-occupied features four times since October 2015, ignoring Beijings sovereignty claims. The first three missions challenged Chinas requirement for ships to obtain permission prior to transit, while the last one challenged Chinas sovereignty over waters encompassing the Paracels.

Some criticized the Obama administration for curtailing freedom of navigation operations and allowing China to build military installations on seven artificial islands in the disputed waters. Trumps Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said recently that such operations will continue while also ruling out any military escalation.

Any miscalculation from either side may escalate tensions, which could spin out of control, Zhiqun Zhu, who heads The China Institute at Bucknell University in Pennsylvania, told the Navy Times. China is unlikely to cave in no matter what the U.S. military does in the South China Sea. Cooler heads are needed from both sides, not moves to unnecessarily provoke the other side.

Just as the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier strike group begins its deployment in the South China Sea and the Western Pacific, China dispatched its own fleet for scheduled drills.

The missile destroyers Changsha and Haikou and the supply ship Luomahu wrapped up weeklong exercises on Friday. The fleet includes three helicopters and marines on board.

According to the official Xinhua News Agency, the drills involved naval aviation forces and military garrisons from both the Spratlys and the Paracels, as well as elements of the Beihai and Donghai fleets. They practiced air defense, escorting, anti-terror, anti-piracy and defensive operations under real combat conditions, Xinhua said.

China is considering revisions in its 1984 maritime law that could bar foreign ships from passing through what it considers Chinese waters and require submersibles to travel on the surface, display national flags and report to Chinese authorities.

According to a draft that was published to solicit public opinion, foreign ships that violate Chinese laws would be expelled, state-run media reported. The proposed changes are in line with international maritime law, Beijing media said, but they could also set China up for conflict with Washington, which insists on freedom of navigation.

The draft doesnt mention the South China Sea specifically, but China claims the area almost in its entirety. Late last year, China seized an underwater glider that was launched by the USS Bowditch in international waters off the Philippines and returned it after the U.S. protested.

Beijing is seeking to improve its management of maritime security by adding new operational details into law, especially details related to growing threats from foreign close-in surveillance, Lin Yongxin, a senior researcher from the government-

affiliated National Institute on South China Sea Studies, told the South China Morning Post.

Meanwhile, some 1,000 military and civilian residents of the Chinese-controlled Paracels used to get their tomatoes and spinach delivered by ship. State-run media reported theyve now started growing their own vegetables in a greenhouse, ending reliance on the mainland.

Peoples Daily reported a greenhouse covering 567 square meters was built on Drummond Island, known in Chinese as Jinqing Dao. The goal for a weekly yield: 200 kilograms.

Recent satellite images of the islands suggest China has upgraded its military facilities in the Paracels, which are also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan. MDT/AP
Taiwans foreign ministry has protested Spains decision to deport more than 200 Taiwanese telecom fraud suspects to China, in the latest instance of a government moving to deport citizens of the self-governing island to its rival.

Scores of Taiwanese have been arrested around the world in the past year in connection with vast telecoms fraud scams targeting Chinese nationals. Countries including Malaysia, Cambodia and Kenya have deported Taiwanese suspects to China, in deference to Beijing which views Taiwan as its own territory without sovereign legal status and has long tried to diplomatically isolate it.

The Taiwanese ministry said in a statement that it deeply regrets a decision by the Spanish government to agree to a request by Beijing to extradite 269 Taiwanese and Chinese nationals arrested in December in Spain.

Taiwans Mainland Affairs Office said in a separate statement that it had lodged a protest with Beijing over its request that more than 200 Taiwanese nationals be deported to the mainland.

Chinese authorities say they are authorized to try the cases because their citizens are the primary victims and have been swindled out of millions of dollars.
BOISE  A recent scam is targeting Idaho schools, restaurants, hospitals, tribal groups and other organizations.

Attorney General Lawrence Wasden warns Idahoans of the particularly dangerous phishing scam that could compromise sensitive employee data. The IRS notified Wasdens office.

Cybercriminals continue to seek to plunder confidential information from Idaho businesses and employees, Attorney General Lawrence Wasden said. This is a particularly nefarious scam and a reminder that we should all remain vigilant when it comes to protecting sensitive data.

According to the IRS,cybercriminals use various spoofing techniques to make an email look like its from an organization executive. The email is sent to someone in the payroll or human resources department and requests a list of all employees and their W-2 forms. The cybercriminal then follows up with an executive email to the payroll or comptroller and asks that a wire transfer also be made to a certain account.

Although not tax related, the wire transfer scam is being coupled with the W-2 scam email, and some companies have lost both employees W-2s and thousands of dollars due to wire transfers.

The scam is not new, but reappeared earlier this year.

Businesses and organizations are asked to alert their payroll, finance and human resource employees about this scam as soon as possible. Those who dont have internal policies for releasing employee W-2s or conducting wire transfers should consider creating them.
BOISE  The Idaho Bankers Association has named La Dawn Anderst as its new executive vice president beginning March 1.

Prior to joining IBA, Anderst was CEO for the Idaho Realtors, having also assumed the roles of education director, membership services director, policy coordinator, convention coordinator, Idaho Realtor Leadership Academy coordinator and director of operations. She has 26 years of experience in association management and leadership.

"La Dawn is an accomplished executive whose knowledge and experience will add value for our members and staff in todays rapidly changing financial services industry," Trent Wright, IBA president and CEO, said in a statement. "We look forward to the many contributions she will bring to our team."

La Dawn is a transplant from the state of Washington but lived in the Treasure Valley after attending Northwest Nazarene University, where she earned a bachelor's degree in business administration. She lives in Nampa with her husband, State Representative Robert Anderst and their two children.

I am honored for the opportunity to serve as executive vice president of the Idaho Bankers Association, La Dawn said. Im looking forward to working with the IBA board of directors, members and the wonderful staff.
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TWIN FALLS  A Twin Falls man rammed his mother with his pickup truck, crashed while attempting to hit her a second time and then sped off before he was arrested, police said.

Scott James Ridinger, 24, was arraigned Friday in Twin Falls County Magistrate Court on a felony count of aggravated battery with use of a deadly weapon.

Robin Ridinger, Scott Ridingers mother, told police she and her son were arguing Thursday insider her home on Washington Street South when the argument spilled into the alley, court documents said. She later spoke with an officer from the St. Lukes Magic Valley Medical Center emergency room.

She said she thought that he was going to leave, but put the truck in reverse and drove toward her, an officer wrote in a sworn affidavit. Mrs. Ridinger said that she believes that Scott hit her with the truck intentionally.

At the time of her interview, the extent of Robin Ridingers injuries was unknown.

Ridinger told officers that he indeed argued with his mother but that he hit her on accident, court documents said. He told police he was driving away, but when he saw his mother in his mirror yelling, he put the truck in reverse and backed up to confront her again.

He stated that he hit the clutch and not the brake, the officer wrote, Which resulted in him striking her with the rear bumper.

Ridinger said he panicked and tried to speed away, resulting in him crashing into another vehicle, court documents said. Several witnesses to the incident told police they believe he tried to hit her a second time but ran into a parked vehicle before leaving the scene.

Ridingers wife, seated in the trucks passenger seat, said she couldnt remember what happened.

Ridinger is in jail in lieu of $5,000 bond. He faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted  15 for aggravated battery and 15 for the use of a deadly weapon. Hes scheduled for a preliminary hearing Friday.
TWIN FALLS  T-r-i-c-h-i-n-o-s-i-s  infestation with or disease caused by trichinae and marked especially by muscular pain, dyspnea, fever, weakness, and edema.

E-x-a-s-p-e-r-a-t-e  to excite the anger of.

Declo teenager Zachary Hunsaker spelled those two words correctly last year at the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

Now, its time for another south-central Idaho student to shine.

The third annual Times-News regional spelling bee  sponsored by the Times News and presented by Xtreme RV  is 6:30 p.m. Monday.

Fifty-three students in first through eighth-grades from 24 south-central Idaho schools will compete for top honors.

The winner will receive an all-expenses paid trip to compete at the Scripps National Spelling Bee May 28-June 3 in National Harbor, Md.

Across south-central Idaho, spelling is often incorporated into school lessons every day. Plus, being a good speller helps students build their vocabulary and become better readers.

Its not just about spelling, but learning about the words, said Aleathea Gingell, a second-grade teacher at Morningside Elementary School and spelling bee coordinator for the Twin Falls School District.

If you can spell the word correctly, you more than likely can read the word correctly, she said.

And spelling is incorporated into a variety of subject areas  even math.

During Mondays regional spelling bee, College of Southern Idaho President Jeff Fox will be the pronouncer. Hell read each word, which will be selected at random.

Students will be able to ask a few questions, such as for a words definition.

Each participating south-central Idaho school, depending on its size, is sending its top two or three spellers to regionals.

They do their own school spelling bee and determine their own winners, said Michelle Campbell, events director for the Times-News.

Twin Falls schools began preparing for spelling bees in September. And the Times-News printed 18,000 spelling bee guides in November to distribute to students across south-central Idaho.

Most Twin Falls schools had classroom-level and grade-level spelling bees.

Then, the top finishers continued on to school spelling bees in January, Gingell said. That gave the kids and the teachers time to do some activities in the classroom and to practice.
TWIN FALLS  Whats a supplemental levy and how is the money used? Find out Tuesday night at a Twin Falls School District meeting.

The community meeting is 7 p.m. at Pillar Falls Elementary School, 3105 Stadium Blvd. in Twin Falls. Theyll be a chance to ask questions about the upcoming supplemental levy election.

Voters will decide during the March 14 election whether to approve a two-year measure totaling $8.5 million.

In December, school trustees decided to ask for $500,000 less in levy money, citing concerns about voter fatigue.

The current levy expires June 30. If approved, the new levy would replace it.
KETCHUM  Interested in protecting public lands? Theres a meeting in Ketchum in early March to find out how to help.

The Environmental Resource Center and Idaho Conservation League will hold a meeting from 6-7 p.m. March 2 at the conservation leagues office, 110 W. Fifth St. No. 201 in Ketchum.

Community members are welcome.

Attendees will spend 30 minutes learning about legislation at the local, state and national levels about public lands. The second half of the program will focus on how they can take action.

Theyll also be given information about a public lands rally Saturday, March 4 in Boise.

The Idaho Conservation League will provide a free shuttle to and from Boise for those who want to participate.

For more information, contact Hadley DeBree at 208-726-4333 or hadley@ercsv.org or Betsy Mizell at 208-726-7485 or bmizell@idahoconservation.org.
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte spent more than P277 million in taxpayers money in visiting 12 countries six months into the presidency, Malacanang said Tuesday.

Despite this huge sum of money, however, the President brought home at least US$5.85 billion in foreign investments and at least 350,000 job opportunities, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said.

The President made a total of seven foreign trips, visiting a total of 12 countries since he took office. These visits incurred about P277 million in expenses which included airfare, charter lease, and others, Dutertes spokesperson told a news briefing.

These official trips are part of the Presidents obligation to maintain and strengthen diplomatic ties with neighboring countries and has clinched numerous economic investments and commitments amounting to billions of dollarsto billions of pesos and generate thousands of jobs in the following years, he added.

Duterte visited Laos, Indonesia, Vietnam, Brunei, China, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Peru, New Zealand, Cambodia, and Singapore as part of his obligation as Head of State to maintain and strengthen the countrys diplomatic ties with other nations.

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From these foreign trips, China and Japan were the most fruitful, Abella said, with investment pledges in the billions of dollars and estimated hundreds of thousands of jobs to be generated in the next few years.

The visit to China resulted in more than 20 agreements with an estimated value, total value of US$4-billion and will generate over 100,000 jobs, the Palace spokesperson continued.

Included in the agreements, were a 50-million renminbi each for the construction of drug rehabilitation facilities and supply of equipment for law enforcement activities.

The visit to Japan likewise produced investment commitments estimated at US$1.85-billion and will generate about 250,000 jobs in the next few years, Abella said, adding five government-to-government agreements were signed that included Exchange of Notes Agreements of up to US$184-million.

Moreover, Abella mentioned 15 pipeline loans entered into by various national government agencies for various projects during the Presidents visit to Japan, which include the constructions of North Avenue to FTI Taguig subway and the Manila to Clark high-speed railway.

Duterte is set to visit Myanmar on March 19 to 20 and Thailand on March 20 to 22.

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Here is the latest, which is in the media but not being plastered all over my Twitter feed:

Just two days after President Trump provoked widespread consternation by seeming to imply, incorrectly, that immigrants had perpetrated a recent spate of violence in Sweden, riots broke out in a predominantly immigrant neighborhood in the northern suburbs of Swedens capital, Stockholm. The neighborhood, Rinkeby, was the scene of riots in 2010 and 2013, too. And in most ways, what happened late Monday night was reminiscent of those earlier bouts of anger. Swedish police apparently made an arrest around 8 p.m. near the Rinkeby station. For reasons not yet disclosed by the police, word of the arrest prompted a crowd of youths to gather. Over four hours, the crowd burned about half a dozen cars, vandalized several shopfronts and threw rocks at police. Police spokesman Lars Bystrom confirmed to Swedens Dagens Nyheter newspaper that an officer fired shots with intention to hit a rioter, but did not strike his target. A photographer for the newspaper was attacked by more than a dozen men and his camera was stolen, but ultimately no one was hurt or even arrested.

It remains correct that an American city such as Orlando typically will have more murders than all of Sweden in a year. But it is also important to process the distinction between objective and subjective metrics of disorder. A jaywalker in Germany disrupts public order and flouts norms more than is the case for a single jaywalker in New Jersey, for instance. Sweden is relatively orderly, in part, because the public and psychological reactions to acts of disorder are relatively severe and traumatic, even if those same acts might be perceived as less significant in other contexts. It is quite possible that Swedish norms are being threatened by the level of disorder currently in the country, even if to a Nigerian it all might seem absurdly neat and tidy.

There is also reasonable evidence that immigrants to Sweden are a major reason for the decline in the average quality of Swedish schooling and also Swedish PISA scores. In other contexts, we will be told that such variables are incredibly significant, but in this context the result ends up largely ignored.

The simplest metric, however, would simply be to poll citizens of Nordic and European countries who are familiar with Sweden, but dont have direct self-interest at stake, and ask them if they want the immigration history of their country to go the Swedish route. I havent seen the data, but I believe the rate of yes on that one would be quite low. You could not say the same about Canada or Australia, I suspect, or for that matter the United States.

On this whole matter, I would not say that Trumps remarks have been correct and for sure they have been irresponsible on the diplomatic front. Still, the overall presentation of his critics arguably has been further yet from the reality, and that is part of the reason why Trump finds such an audience.
Head of the Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) and Presidency Council (PC) Faiez Serraj Monday escaped assassination attempt as his motorcade underwent gun fires in capital Tripoli.

Serraj, according to local media reports, was travelling with Head of the State Council (SC) Abdulrahman Sewehli and the head of the Presidential Guard Najmi Nakoa.

It has been unclear who fired at the convoy. One press report said a black Toyota Cruiser with two passengers drew near the motorcade and opened fire.

Another report emanating from the State Council media office indicated that the firing came from the armed groups based in the (Rixos) Palaces area of Tripoli, Libya Herald reported. The SC media said two guards have been injured in the attack. The GNA media office has debunked the claim.

The Rixos Palaces were the headquarters of the Salvation government led by Khalifa Ghwell, the former Tripoli strong man.

Serrajs PC installed in Tripoli since March but has been unable to hammer home its authority.

While the PC is struggling to cooperate with rival east-based government supported by Field Marshall Khalifa Haftar, it is facing resistance from Khalifa Ghwell who still controls a group of militiamen in Tripoli.

Ghwell, still opposed to the PC, has already tried to topple the GNA and seize government buildings, but his two attempts failed.

Head of the State Council Abdulrahman Sewehli later on Monday issued a statement accusing Ghwell for directing the failed assassination attempt, Libya Herald further notes.

The motorcade was reportedly attacked on Serrajs way back from the inauguration of the Central Investigation Department in Drebi.
Chicken will be the best-positioned protein due to its low price position in times of pressure on consumer spending power but rises in production costs and the long-term impact of COVID-19 threaten to disrupt the sector, according to Rabobank.
Shenoy grew up thinking about a traditional engineering career, but changed that plan in college when he learned about the nascent field of computational neuroscience. For the first time, researchers were trying to figure out how the brain processes information, and Shenoy  then an undergraduate at the University of California-Irvine  knew he wanted to be part of that herculean effort.

I had that light bulb turn on, he said. Small things, transistors, put together create computers. The brain is spectacular  how is it built from all its component neurons that are wired together?

After completing his PhD in electrical engineering and computer science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Shenoy headed to the California Institute of Technology to do a postdoctoral fellowship in neuroscience, an experience he likens to another PhD. As he used electrodes to record signals from monkeys brains, he toyed with the prospect of tapping into the brains of people with paralysis in order to give them entirely new prosthetic devices. Existing methods of helping such people interact, like eye-blink systems or pointers strapped to their heads to let them move a cursor on a computer screen, were slow and cumbersome  and they didnt work at all for people who didnt have enough muscle control to operate them. A device that translated thoughts into actions  a true brain-computer interface  would be far more efficient and intuitive, Shenoy figured.

He kept returning to the same question: How do we design systems capable of listening in on those neurons and interpreting their language?

After becoming an assistant professor at Stanford in 2001, Shenoy devoted his research to answering that question. He recorded neural activity from hundreds of neurons at the same time while monkeys, whose brains are quite similar to human brains, performed a variety of arm and hand movement tasks. Generations of students, postdoctoral scholars and research staff in Shenoys lab used the electrode-array recordings to explore how ensembles of neurons in the motor cortex prepare and guide hand and arm movements. Their goal was to understand the fundamental ways that these neural circuits control arm movements, and to then use this scientific knowledge to design mathematical algorithms for converting, or decoding, this language of the brain into electronic signals for controlling prosthetic devices such as keyboards or robotic limbs.

Better and better

As Shenoy and his colleagues added detail and depth to their understanding of the brain, their decode algorithms kept performing better and better. That success encouraged them to start thinking about bringing this preclinical research to people.

They got a major assist in 2004 when Henderson, then interviewing for a neurosurgery position at Stanford, arrived on campus for a round of meetings. Among other skills, Henderson was an expert at using medically approved electronic devices to stimulate the nervous system for therapeutic purposes. To treat Parkinsons disease, for instance, surgeons often use deep-brain stimulation, a procedure in which they deliver tiny jolts of electricity to relieve the tremors that characterize the condition. Shenoy had the opposite goal: He wanted to read the brains faint biochemical signals and translate these into electronic data.

Neurotechnologies such as this will alter how we think about treating nervous system disorders.

But Gary Steinberg, MD, PhD, professor and chair of neurosurgery, had a hunch Shenoy and Henderson would get along. Steinberg made sure the electrical engineer got penciled into Hendersons interview schedule. During their first meeting at the Clark Center, the two hit it off.

It was chemistry, Shenoy said. Two people who just clicked. When he told Henderson about his dream of creating a brain-controlled prosthetic system, Henderson responded, Yeah, thats exactly the kind of thing Id like to do.

Hendersons interest in surgical treatment of Parkinsons disease, coupled with Shenoys expertise in recording from large numbers of brain cells simultaneously, led them to propose a joint project investigating brain activity during deep-brain stimulation surgery, using the sensor that Shenoy had been using in his laboratory. Those sessions marked the projects first tentative forays into human research and cemented the team, Shenoy recalled.

It started getting us thinking more deeply about how these [implants] could really work, if implanted for years, Shenoy said. Hendersons medical expertise helped the engineers figure out what approaches might work in a clinical setting. In turn, Henderson, who holds the John and Jene Blume-Robert and Ruth Halperin Professorship, learned about the finer points of computer control systems  how detailed algorithms allow for swift interpretation of messages coming from the brain.

Steinberg, the Bernard and Ronni LacrouteWilliam Randolph Hearst Professor of Neurosurgery and Neurosciences, was impressed by Shenoy and Hendersons teamwork. Theyre not ego-driven, he said. That allows them to build these collaborative programs, rather than feeling that as an individual they have to be the shining light.

As he watched them make necessarily slow but fundamental and systematic progress in those early years of their collaboration, Steinberg told the researchers that when they were ready to start a clinical trial to bring this to people with paralysis, the university would provide the initial resources they needed. With Steinbergs financial backing and moral support, along with support from Stanfords interdisciplinary biosciences institute Bio-X, Shenoy and Henderson formed the Neural Prosthetics Translational Laboratory in 2009.

Improving system performance

But before the team felt that their technology would provide people with a nearly natural and enjoyable experience, they needed to improve overall system performance by refining their knowledge of movement intent embedded in brain signals. Much of that pioneering work fell to graduate students Paul Nuyujukian and Jonathan Kao. They trained monkeys to think about moving a cursor toward targets on a computer screen and kept track of how the neurons in the monkeys brains formed this intention. That allowed them to develop new mathematical algorithms that continuously processed a monkeys brain signals into the movement commands that controlled the cursor.

In essence, they were decoding how the brain forms an intention and then carries out a movement. Over many such experiments carried out over several years, they steadily improved the algorithm. At first, the monkeys managed to hit one target every two to three seconds. By 2012, they were hitting a target a second because the algorithm was enabling them to make faster, straighter and more controlled movements.

It was one of the biggest operations Ive ever done in my life.

As Nuyujukian recalls, those kinds of results signaled that it was time to take those techniques, try them in people with paralysis and ask the fundamental question, Does this actually work in the real world?

That same year, Henderson surgically implanted the first electrode array in a clinical trial participant at Stanford. The 50-year-old individual had suffered for years with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrigs disease, a degenerative condition that causes the loss of motor neurons and can ultimately make movement impossible. As part of the clinical trial process it was explained that there would be no personal benefit from participation. The individual chose to proceed to help advance the research. Henderson, a seasoned neurosurgeon, typically approached the operating room with calm and composure. Less so this time.

I was definitely hyped up, Henderson recalled. It was one of the biggest operations Ive ever done in my life. After the four-hour procedure, the team went out for burritos. Henderson slumped in his chair, exhausted.

Even then the researchers couldnt relax. They wouldnt know whether they had been successful for another month or so, when they brought the first participant back into the lab to see whether the implant could pick up electrical signals from the persons brain and correctly decode them into movement controls. During that first lab session, the data was a bit difficult to interpret  the team had to make some computing tweaks to ensure the participants brain signals came through reliably. But it soon became clear that the surgery had been a success: The participant moved a cursor to an on-screen target just by thinking about it.

We definitely, as a lab, opened a bottle of Dom Perignon, Henderson said.

The celebration was, of course, preliminary. Years more work lay ahead. Another participant was implanted at Stanford, and another at Massachusetts General Hospital as part of the multi-institutional BrainGate consortium, bringing to three the participants contributing to the present round of results. Testing the results required some creative on-the-spot adjustments. Nuyujukian, by then a postdoctoral scholar at Stanford, recalls visiting the participants homes after the surgery with fellow postdoctoral scholar Chethan Pandarinath, now an assistant professor at Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology. They would arrive with a cart filled with computers and electronic recording equipment. For a few minutes at a time, they would tell each participant to look at a cursor moving back and forth on a screen and pretend they were controlling it with their mind. This process was meant to calibrate the algorithms responsible for converting patterns of neural activity into computer cursor movements.

Nuyujukian recalls watching, awestruck, as study participants became proficient at moving the cursor from one letter to the next, tapping out words, then whole sentences, using only their brains. To see that actually happen is unbelievable. It was hard to not display emotion on the spot, he said. From time to time, he and the participants would chat about how incredible all this was.

Now, 15 years into the effort and with many more years of development and testing ahead, team members think that collaborative problem solving remains the key to success. This group was so careful and just laid out every step along the way, Nuyujukian said. Next, the team plans to test the implant in even more participants  and expand the types of devices people can operate. The follow-on to this is allowing a person to use an off-the-shelf tablet device, Henderson said. And to do so 24/7, so that the participant has access to assistive devices at any time.

For all of the success in getting to this point, Shenoy remains cautious, yet deeply optimistic.

Neurotechnologies such as this will alter how we think about treating nervous system disorders, he said. And perhaps even how we think about what it means to be human.

Shenoy, Henderson and Steinberg are members of Bio-X and the Stanford Neuroscience Institute.
The Gambias new president Adama Barrow this weekend ordered the release of 171 inmates in the tiny West African nations notorious 2 Mile Prison. They were all detained without trial some time during former President Yahya Jammehs 22-year rule.

Orders have already been given for all those detained without trial to be released, Adama Barrow said during his official inauguration ceremony at the Independence Stadium in Bakau, a town 20km from the capital Banjul, on Saturday.

Gambias President Adama Barrow vowed to revive the countrys faltering economy with sweeping reforms as he sought to draw a line under the erratic 22-year rule of his predecessor.

We have inherited an economy in decline, Barrow said.

He pledged to introduce free primary education, which is guaranteed by the constitution but was not implemented during Jammehs rule.

Gambias economy depends on exports of groundnuts from small-scale farming and on the hard currency brought in by thousands of tourists drawn to its sun, white sandy beaches and lively resorts.

Barrow said his government would start work immediately to encourage investment in other sectors such as technology.
Pope Francis on Sunday urged leaders of the Democratic Republic of Congo to act quickly to resolve the political crisis and curb violence in the Central African mineral-rich nation.

During the Angelus prayer, the sovereign pontiff condemned the clashes in the opposing camps, which have been going on in the South and Kasai Central region of the country. He prayed for those affected by the violence.

I strongly share the pain of the victims especially those of many of our children taken away from their families and schools to be used as child soldiers. It is a tragedy for children to be used as child soldiers, Pope Francis said.

The Holy Father renewed his heartfelt appeal to the consciences and the responsibility of the national authorities and the international community, that they might take adequate and timely decisions to assist these brothers and sisters.

Hundreds have died in central Congo in recent months and tens of thousands have been forced to flee as battles rage between security forces and militias.

The country faced a political impasse after it was clear that presidential elections originally scheduled for November 2016 would not take place, a move critics said was an attempt by President Joseph Kabila to try to hold on to power in Africas largest copper producer.

Congolese political leaders, however, reached the eleventh-hour agreement  a deal that initially reduced tension between the government and the opposition.
Next Georgian product bound for EU: Seamless pipes to be exported to five EU countries

Georgias largest industrial enterprise, Rustavi Metallurgical Plant, will soon begin exporting seamless pipes to the European Union (EU) for the first time in its history.Italy, Germany, Poland, Bulgaria and Hungary are the new export markets for Rustavi Metallurgical Plant, where 2,000 tonnes of seamless pipes will be exported later this year.Rustavi Metallurgical Plant authorities plan to increase export volume and to widen export markets this year and sell 25,000 tonnes of seamless pipes to the EU, the United States and Russia.Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan are other traditional export markets for the plant.Founded in 1948, Rustavi Metallurgical Plant was the first, fully-integrated metallurgical complex in the South Caucasus to produce steel, hot-rolled seamless pipes and various products made of pig iron, aluminium and iron.The plant produced seamless pipes to meet the requirements of the oil fields of Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and several countries of the Middle East.
Azerbaijan urges WB not to work with Armenian banks in occupied lands

Involving Armenian banks and companies operating in the occupied Azerbaijani territories, in the World Bank projects is inadmissible, said Azerbaijans Economics Minister Shahin Mustafayev.He was addressing a meeting with WB Vice President for Europe and Central Asia Cyril Muller in Baku Feb. 10.The minister once again reminded Muller about Azerbaijan's 'fair position' in the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 the Armenian Armed Forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.Speaking about the Azerbaijan-WB cooperation, Mustafayev noted that the bank has implemented 40 projects in Azerbaijan, as of now, and 11 more projects are now being carried out.Mustafayev noted the significance of the World Banks continuing financing the projects in Azerbaijans private sector.At the same time, Azerbaijan is interested in cooperation in agriculture and training of employees of industrial parks, the Sumgait Chemical Industrial Park as well, he added.Azerbaijan joined the WB Group in 1992.
Tskhinvali separatists postpone joining Russia

By Messenger Staff

The de facto government of Georgias eastern breakaway region of South Ossetia (Tskhinvali) has stated that formally joining the Russian Federation has been postponed due to the presidential elections planned this year in April."Last year, we agreed on a scheme that would allow us to make a proposal to the Russian leadership on the accession of the president," the de-facto president of Tskhinvali, Leonid Tibilov, told the TASS news agency."This is an internal process. I put forward a proposal on amending Article 10 of our Constitution, but then various conflicting views about the procedures emerged and as the president, I came to the conclusion that the issue should be discussed in detail by a political council, Tibilov added.He said at the political council meeting the government made a decision to reconsider this issue after the 2017 elections.We have time for work with our Russian colleagues, and Moscow knows our views, Tibilov stated,Tibilov stressed that all citizens of South Ossetia seek rapprochement with Moscow.Today we can say that we are in a single economic, political and media space with Russia.Tskhinvali also knows that there are serious issues on the path towards joining Russia that need to be considered. We should not create any difficulties for our Russian colleagues, Tibilov said.In his earlier comments, Tibilov also stated that the region was thinking about changing its name, a move that was strongly condemned by Tbilisi as one more illegality voiced by the de facto leadership and the Russian occupiers.Of Georgias two de facto regions which are now occupied by Russia, Tskhinvali always follows Russias demands more keenly than their Abkhaz counterparts.Russia generally uses the regions and their occupation to blackmail Georgia, and statements such as joining Russia or changing the region's name are very likely to serve the aim of provoking Georgia.In reality, however, It is unlikely that Russia is seriously considering allowing Tskhinvali to join the Federation... or even that Moscow cares much for the fact to take place.
The News in Brief

Parliament Endorses Credentials of New MP



On February 10, the Parliament of Georgia endorsed the credentials of Anri Okhanashvili, a new MP from the ruling Georgian Dream  Democratic Georgias party-list.



Anri Okhanashvili will replace Manana Kobakhidze, who was elected as the as a Constitutional Court judge on February 8.



Okhanashvili, who was number 49 on the ruling GDDG party list of candidates, served as Parliaments head of administration since December, 2016.

(civil.ge)







51 people jailed for entering Georgias breakaway territories the wrong way



Georgia has jailed 51 people over the last nine years for entering Abkhazia or South Ossetia from the wrong direction. The ombudsman now calls for a review of the law.



Georgias Law on the Occupied Territories makes it a crime to enter the two regions through crossing points that are controlled by the separatists. It is only legal to enter the two breakaway territories from the Georgian-controlled checkpoints.



When it comes to Abkhazia, a former Soviet holiday destination with palms and sand beaches, its also illegal to arrive by sea without permission from Tbilisi. The only legal way to enter, is across the bridge over the river Inguri. There are two smaller crossing points further upstream, but they were recently closed by the Abkhaz side.



Violating the law carries the risk of a fine or up to five years in prison. Although not everyone taken in violation of the ban are held to account, nearly four hundred people have so far been charged with entering one of these disputed regions the wrong way since the law on occupied territories was passed in 2009.



The law was a way for Georgia to toughen its policy of non-recognition after the 2008 war, which led to Russia recognizing the regions as independent countries and placing military bases there.



A new report from the Georgian ombudsmans office shows that 395 persons have been held in violation and faced criminal charges between 2009 and 2016, which typically happens the next time the person enters Georgia proper and his or her passport contains stamps from the breakaway territories.



51 of the violators were sent to prison; the rest were issued a fine.



Based on information from the Venice Commission under the Council of Europe, a large share of the detained persons are foreign sailors, who, apparently, were not aware of the situation in Georgia and of the existence of this law. In addition, the Law is often violated due to force majeure (bad weather), the report reads.



The ombudsman now calls on the government to review the law. It contains problematic issues and needs to be liberalized, he argues in the report.



In 2013, the government proposed a draft , which does away with criminal liability for persons entering the breakaway territories from prohibited directions for the first time. However, the law passed only the first hearing and never made it onto the books.



Violating the procedures for entering the breakaway territories should not be a criminal but administrative offense, the ombudsman argues.



The document also recommends making exceptions for situations in which entry into the breakaway regions should not be regarded as illegal. It says that a special entry permit should be issued if this trip serves Georgias state interests, is part of work toward peaceful resolution of the conflict or for de-occupation or humanitarian purposes.



In autumn of 2016, parliament resumed its review of the bill. According to the amendments, punishment for violation of the law will be an administrative offense, instead of criminal liability. The same action committed repeatedly will be deemed a criminal offense, which, unlike confinement, will be punishable by a 400 lari (USD 150) fine.



The report says one of the reasons people end up violating the law and crossing the border the wrong way is limited access to information. Documentation providing application form and the list of required documentations are not available either on the Foreign Ministry website, or on the website of the State Security Service.



Since August 2015, only two entrance permits have been issued by the agency out of ten applications, based on information from the State Security Service.



Information about the procedure and application form for a special permit, as well as about the documents to be submitted  as provided by law  should be easily available to every person wishing to enter the occupied territories with a special permit, or to obtain a special permit after entry, the report says.



In his report, the Public Defender expresses concern about identity documents illegally issued by the secessionist authorities to people living in the conflict zone, especially those who were born since the wars in the early 1990s.



The Law of Georgia On occupied Territories does not recognize the de facto government in the occupied territories, and, therefore, it does not consider documents issued by them as legally valid.



The ombudsman, or public defender, also calls on the government to make it easier for residents in the breakaway territories to get Georgian citizenship. Most of them have Russian citizenship today.



The Public Defender believes that the government should work out an effective mechanism, so that residents of the occupied territory can obtain the Georgian citizenship IDs and legally valid documents in a relatively simple way, thus they would be able to make use of the services offered by the state reports says.



Three of Georgias regions  two of which remain as unsolved conflicts  broke out and declared independence in the wake of the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Disputed borders are also a fact of life in other parts of the Caucasus, such as Nagorno-Karabakh, which last year had the most violent flareup of violence in two decades.



The sides in each conflict engage in a strategic games of recognition and non-recognition, changing the words of the language and exploiting international attention for their own perceived benefit  and against the other side.



When the European Parliament recently voted in favor of offering a visa-waiver system for Georgian citizens, the government of Georgia seized on this by saying that also inhabitants of the breakaway regions could benefit from visa-free travel to Europe, but only if they acquired Georgian passports first. The de facto authorities of Abkhazia and South Ossetia  where the population are predominantly Russian passport holders  rejected the offer as an attempt to manipulate them.

(DF watch)




The News in Brief

President Initiates Security Strategy Update



The National Security Councils Secretariat announced on February 13 the launch of nationwide discussions for developing the countrys unified National Security Strategy.



President Giorgi Margvelashvili first spoke on the matter in his opening speech at the inaugural session of the newly-elected Parliament on November 18.



The global political context, the challenges facing the country and the transformig security environment in the Black Sea region require an update of the national security policy, President Margvelashvili told parliamentarians.



Responding to these challenges, Margvelashvili outlined, necessitated updating the national and agency-level strategic documents and developing the unified security document based on them, and with the participation of civil society representatives and the countrys senior officials.



NSC Secretary Davit Rakviashvili, who voiced the initiative again in a conversation with Rustavi 2 on February 11, stated that new approaches need to be elaborated, citing changes in the global security architecture and the diversification of threats.



Rakviashvili explained that broad public participation is necessary in the process. Without unified national approach, it will be difficult to generate the resolve, that the nation will need to cope with these hybrid threats, Rakviashvili added.



He also expressed hope that Georgias security-related agencies would support and participate in the process, which, in the words of Rakviashvili, will start in the second half of February.



The NSC released a statement on February 13 saying that the NSC Secretariat and the Presidents administration will launch the process of strategic discussions and dialogue, the purpose of which, is to develop Georgias National Security Strategy through consultations with Georgian citizens.



Here again, the NSC spoke on the changes in the global security environment, as well as the diversity of threats, and argued for updating approaches, so that adequate responses are given to existing challenges.



The strategy should respond to security-related challenges and define the implementation mechanisms of common national priorities  national sovereignty, territorial integrity, freedom, stability and Euro-Atlantic integration, the statement clarified.



The NSC emphasized that the involvement and awareness of the public strengthens one of the core pillars of contemporary security system  national willpower and resolve, which it considers crucial in countering contemporary threats.



The NSC expressed hope that an open and non-bureaucratic process will be pursued with the participation of security-related state institutions, the security community, national and particularly, regional media and other societal groups.



The role of the NSC, which is chaired by the President - whose authority has been significantly downsized by amends made to the constitution in November 2013 - was sidelined by the security and crisis management council, which was established late 2013 and is chaired by the Prime Minister. (Civil.ge)







Moscows Patriarchate member says attempt to poison Georgias Patriarch is politically motivated



As the head of Moscows Patriarchate Social Relations Department Vsevold Chaplin has declared, the attempt to poison Georgias Patriarch is politically motivated.



Im afraid this is all part of a game of Georgian politicians games. Some of them may be related to the attempt of getting rid of the patriarch. This story has been used to affect the church, he has remarked.



Patriarch Ilia II is a respected person. He represents a symbol of Orthodox conservatism in the world. No politicians are comfortable with a man having such influence, so it may be a matter of jealousy or fear. This news is very concerning. In my point of view, all this has been politically motivated, Chaplin has said. (IPN)







Meteorologists say snow in forecast till Febuary 17 in western Georgia



National Environment Agency has reported on the weather forecast.



As IPN has been informed by Georgias Environment Protection Ministry, the western part of Georgia will see snow from the evening of February 14 till February 17.



Several locations will experience heavy snowfall, with a threat of avalanches in high mountainous regions also being expected.



There will be black ice on roads, and a strong westerly wind will blow. In addition, coastal regions may see 4-5 magnitude storms. (ipn)




THE TRUE COST OF ALL THAT 'CHEAP' LAOR THAT DESTROYED AMERICA THE BIG SECRET DEMOCRATS DO NOT WANT YOU TO KNOW: Heather Mac Donald of the Manhattan Institute has testified before a Congressional committee that in 2004, 95% of all outstanding warrants for murder in Los Angeles were for illegal aliens; in 2000, 23% of all Los Angeles County jail inmates were illegal aliens and that in 1995, 60% of Los Angeless largest street gang, the 18th Street gang, were illegal aliens.
@ByKristenMClark

Steve Frappier was one of the lucky ones in baggage claim at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on Jan. 6.

As a gunman abruptly opened fire that afternoon, killing five and wounding six, Frappier escaped injury when a bullet miraculously struck the laptop in his backpack instead of him.

Frappier, a former Coconut Grove resident who moved to Atlanta last summer, is taking that life-changing experience and turning it into advocacy.

He has joined Everytown for Gun Safety and other national gun-control organizations in calling on Florida lawmakers to oppose a slew of NRA-backed measures this spring that would make it easier for conceal-carry permit-holders to have guns in public places.

Among those measures is one that now hits close to home for Frappier: Allowing concealed guns in airport terminals.

Some conservative lawmakers argue the Fort Lauderdale airport tragedy might have had a different outcome or might have ended sooner with fewer casualties had concealed-weapons permit-holders been legally allowed to carry their guns in baggage claim.

The shooting lasted less than 90 seconds.

That type of legislation actually feels like the survivors are being blamed  as if we should have been able to have been armed and done something about it, Frappier said.

Frappiers story is one of many that advocates from Everytown and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America hope will resonate with lawmakers as the two groups host a lobby day at the Florida Capitol on Tuesday.

Full story here.

Photo credit: A bullet was lodged in Steve Frappiers laptop after suspected shooter Esteban Santiago opened fire in baggage claim at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on Jan. 6. Frappier has become a gun-safety advocate and is speaking out against proposals in the Florida Legislature that would allow the open-carrying of guns and allow guns in airports and other areas that are currently gun-free zones. (c/o Facebook)
Voters across Florida would be asked to decide if Miami Dade County should have an elected sheriff under a proposed 2018 constitutional amendment that passed the Senate Community Affairs on Tuesday.

The bill, SJR 134 by Sen. Frank Artiles, R-Miami, would ask voters to require Miami-Dade to convert the county's appointed sheriff to an elected post.

In 1996, Miami-Dade voters updated the county charter to provide for an executive mayor system that included giving the mayor the ability to appoint a county manager who hired department heads, including the police director, making Miami-Dade the only one of the states 67 counties not to have a sheriff on the ballot.

In January 2007, Miami-Dade changed to a strong mayor system, giving the mayor direct oversight over county operations including the appointment of a police director and other department heads.

For Artiles, a Miami Republican who has considered seeking county office in the past, the current arrangement is devoid of the proper checks and balances needed for a local government. He noted that the Florida Sheriffs Association supports the proposal. For Artiles, a Miami Republican who has considered seeking county office in the past, the current arrangement is devoid of the proper checks and balances needed for a local government. He noted that the Florida Sheriffs Association supports the proposal.

This is a no-brainer, he said. The sheriffs association was very clear: 66 out of 67 counties have an elected sheriff. This is the most viable alternative to get this passed.

But the proposal is opposed by Miami-Dade County, which argues that if county voters want an elected sheriff, they should be able to make the decision themselves, not get permission from voters from Pensacola to Key West.

We oppose the entire state deciding for Miami-Dade County, said Jess McCarty, Miami-Dade County lobbyist, noting that if Miami-Dade voters voted against it, the rest of the state could impose something on it. I would ask you to see if you would want this for your community?

Artilles countered that while McCarty was a great guy. He works for the mayor.

John Rivera, president of both the Miami-Dade and Florida Police Benevolent Association, said his organization also supports the bill. The police union has been a long-time foe of Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez and supported his opponent in the 2016 election, Raquel Regalado.

After narrowly missing an outright win in the August primary, Gimenez became the first incumbent mayor forced into a November runoff since the strong mayor system was implemented.

Sometimes there are bills that hit the hornets nest, Rivera told the committee. He said the current system violates the principle of separation of powers, noting that in 2012 the former mayor dismantled the office of public corruption to interfere with an investigation into fraudulent absentee ballots.

We need some separation of power, otherwise you have absolute power, absolute corruption, he said.

He noted that Gimenez submitted a qualifying check that was dated 2015 instead of 2016 and the supervisor of elections, whom Gimenez also appoints, allowed the Gimenez campaign to replace the check.

Regalado filed suit just days before the election but failed to disqualify Gimenezs candidacy.

Sen. Jose Javier Rodriguez, D-Miami, who voted against the bill, said that asking 66 counties to decide the fate of another county was neither a good solution nor a good precedent.

Whether we need an elective sheriff or not should be up to Miami-Dade, he said. I dont think a very, very blunt instrument going statewide is the way to resolve this.


@PatriciaMazzei

No reporter asked Miami Republican Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen on Tuesday morning about President Donald Trump's tweet last week blasting the news media as "the enemy of the American people."

But Ros-Lehtinen chose to kick off her first public appearance of the congressional recess by addressing the president's comments anyway.

"To the members of the press, I want to say thank you," Ros-Lehtinen said. "You are not the enemy of the American people."

The row of reporters lined in the wall in front of her at downtown Miami's Venture Hive, an entrepreneurship accelerator, remained silent. Ros-Lehtinen continued.

"You have a central role in our republic," said the congresswoman, who was born in Cuba. "We thank you for it -- even when you criticize public officials."

At the White House later, Press Secretary Sean Spicer was asked if the president would consider revising his characterization of democracy's Fourth Estate.

"Certain outlets have gone out of their way to not be completely accurate and fair in their coverage," Spicer said. "He has a deep respect for the First Amendment, for the role of the press."

Photo credit: Jose I. Iglesias, el Nuevo Herald
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President Donald Trump

Since the election, however, Trump has clearly ignored the territories and started to break many of the same promises he made back in March. One could argue that he has four years to make good on his campaign promises. Still, he is already making global changes which are alarming and contrary to his commitment to the territories on matters regarding immigration, labor and how territorial matters will be handled in a Trump White House.





Empty promises

So now is as good a time as any to start keeping track to see if any of his promises are kept. The most striking promise Trump made in writing last March was his pledge that As part of my administration, I will appoint a Territory and Commonwealth Advisory Committee, or TCAC, consisting of representatives from American Samoa, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. The TCAC will be integrated into my presidential transition team, and be tasked with performing a holistic review of all federal regulations affecting the territories and commonwealths.





Republicans in the territories were very taken with Trumps promise and were ecstatic when this commitment was enshrined in the platform of the national Republican Party. However, you may have noticed, Trumps presidential transition has come and gone without any mention of a Territory and Commonwealth Advisory Committee. The latest word from Washington is that this is officially an empty promise and as such will not happen. Instead, what this so-called TCAC was supposed to do will be folded into the responsibility of the White House staffer who historically has handled Puerto Rico issues. It remains to be seen whether this will materialize or not.





Trump also made this promise to the people of the territories: "We will negotiate trade arrangements with their input, enact labor policies that help  not hurt  their unique economies and we will initiate immigration protocols that will build their communities, not tear them apart. Indeed, that is a vague statement, but Trump framed it in his written pitch as a commitment that would meet the needs of people in the territories. So far on the immigration front, the only thing Trump has done is to grandly announce construction of his wall that he continues to claim Mexico will pay for when they repeatedly have said they will not, and to push a ban on Muslims that the courts have ruled is unconstitutional.





Labor restrictions

In further examining Trumps executive action, or inaction on labor and immigration policies, one of the most serious concerns of communities throughout Micronesia is the tightening of restrictions on the import of skilled labor from countries like the Philippines. Regional leaders that I met with a few weeks ago at the inauguration of Palau President Tommy Remengesau Jr. consider these restrictions a threat to economic growth in our region. And for us living here in Guam, we believe that this will slow down the planned military buildup, hurt our local economy and further reduce jobs.



Its not at all clear if Trumps idea of appropriate immigration protocols would lead to progress on this concern, but so far there is no indication that it will. As I have mentioned in a previous column, Trumps attitude on immigration may give Gov. Eddie Calvo an opportunity to move federal agencies to be respons ive, and do its job when it comes to the deportation of habitual foreign criminals.





Impression of indifference

Trumps record , since his election and his inauguration as president , gives the impression of indifference to promises he made to the people of the territories. Even though the jury is still out on how Guam or the territories will fare in our nations capital, our efforts must focus toward a strong "One Guam" approach, so that the people of Guam will be able to advance a fair and just agenda through the Trump administration and in the new Congress.

It is intriguing how quickly things that were once seized upon as exciting and drenched in exciting new possibilities can be forgotten or disavowed. Part of the way this happens in terms of Guam is tied to our colonial position and how we interpret minute gestures that might be faint to others, as being clear indications of our colonizer caring about us and wanting to finally recognize us and take care of us. A perfect example of this came last year when Donald Trump was running for President of the United States. His campaign was barely coherent and very narrowly focused, and the territories of the US, with the exception of Puerto Rico barely factored into his rhetoric. At the time of the Republican primary Trump sent a letter to the people of Guam which wouldn't even count as pandering, since it was so lazily written it could have been sent to any number on constituencies. Hillary Clinton's pandering letter by comparison during the Democratic primary showed a least a modicum of effort. But several one promise that caught the ears and eyes of local leaders was to create a territorial/commonwealth advisory committee that would have a direct line of communication to the president and be situated in the White House. Local leaders, especially those of the Republican persuasion quickly latched onto this claiming it a big victory, evidence that Trump might be different. Even though everything about Trump's campaign indicated that he cared little for the plight of those who are demonstrably disenfranchised or forgotten and instead was built primarily on stoking feelings of white anger over their loss of various forms of privilege in the US, these leaders still someone tried to argue that Trump truly cared about those of us in the territories.Several months later, Trump is in the White House and nothing has happened and it looks like nothing will happen on this front. I'll leave it to former Senator Rory Respicio to provide you more updates from his Guam Daily Post column a few weeks ago.***************************Trumps' Promises to the Territoriesby Rory RespicioThe Guam Daily PostFebruary 8, 2017made campaign promises to the territories pledging that No more will those who reside in the territories or commonwealths be ignored. In that same op-ed piece, which was published in our local media last March, he made several very specific promises.
Coming soon

Red Cross blood drives  The American Red Cross encourages eligible donors to give blood to help ensure a readily available blood supply for emergencies. Donors of all blood types are needed. To make an appointment to give blood, download the Red Cross Blood Donor app, visit redcrossblood.org or call 800-733-2767. Donors are encouraged to make appointments and complete the RapidPass online health history questionnaire at redcrossblood.org/rapidpass to help reduce wait times.

Fitness, dance classes  Call 549-8765 or visit missoula.classes.com for information on classes offered by the Lifelong Learning Center.

Red Willow Center  For more information on the following classes at the learning center, 825 W. Kent, call 406-721-0033 or visit redwillowlearning.org:

Ongoing classes include "Yoga for Wellness" at noon Mondays, $12 or $40 for four weeks; "Mindfulness Meditation" at 12:10 p.m. Tuesdays, $12 or $40 for four weeks; "Yoga Beyond Cancer" at 4 p.m. Tuesdays, $40 for four weeks; "Yoga for Wellness" at 10 a.m. Wednesdays, $12 or $40 for four weeks; "Yoga for Chronic Pain" at 5 p.m. Wednesdays, $40 for four weeks plus $50 for prerequisite screening' "Meditation for Veterans" at 1:15 p.m. Thursdays at Missoula Vet Center, 910 Brooks, free.

Ongoing programs

AA and Al-Anon  For the latest Alcoholics Anonymous meetings list, visit aa-montana.org or call the Missoula hotline at 406-543-0011. For more information on Al-Anon and Alateen, which are 12-step recovery programs for relatives and friends whose lives have been affected by alcoholism, visit mt.al-anon.alateen.org.

Acupuncture for cancer caregivers  Missoula Community Acupuncture, located in the Radio Central Building, 127 E Main St., Suite 314, offers free acupuncture treatments for friends, family, nurses, doctors or anyone who takes care of cancer patients 5-7 p.m. Wednesdays. No appointment is necessary. For more information, call Michael Peluso at 406-926-1611.

Adult Asperger's support group  An open meeting for those with Asperger's as well as their family and friends is held 6-7:30 p.m. every Thursday at the University Center, Room 215, on campus. Contact Monique Casbeer at 406-721-3947 or Cindy Bacon Janego at cjanego@communitymed.org for more information.

Alzheimers support  Meets the second Wednesday of each month at noon at the Summit Independent Living conference room, 700 S.W. Higgins Ave. Another group meets the fourth Monday at 6:30 p.m. at the Missoula Senior Center, 705 S. Higgins Ave. For more information, contact Jackie Johnson at 406-549-3433 or jackiej45@yahoo.com.

Alzheimers caregivers support group  Meets the fourth Monday at 6:30 p.m. of each month at the Missoula Senior Center, 705 S. Higgins Ave. For more information, call Jackie Johnson at 406-549-3433.

Arthritis programs  The Montana Arthritis Program offers physical activity and self-management education programs, such as the Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program, Walk with Ease and Stanfords Chronic Disease Self-Management Program. Classes are available in several communities including Florence, Hamilton, Kalispell, Libby, Missoula, Plains and Polson. To find a class or for more information, visit dphhs.mt.gov/publichealth/arthritis.

Bereavement support groups  Frontier Hospice offers open door meetings 6-7 p.m. Thursdays at the following locations: The Springs at Whitefish on the first Thursday; Rising Mountains Assisted Living Community in Bigfork on the third Thursday; and Frontier Hospice in Kalispell on the second and fourth Thursdays. Call 406-755-4923 for more information.

Breast cancer support group  Meets the first and third Wednesday of the month from 11 a.m. to noon at the Montana Cancer Center, St. Patrick Hospital Broadway Building, second floor. Call 406-329-5656.

Cancer Center support group  Meets noon-1:30 p.m. the second Thursday of each month at the Montana Cancer Center, 500 W. Broadway. For more information, call Bonnie at 406-240-0996.

Cancer Resource Guide  The online guide covers resources including support groups, treatment centers, camps and retreats, in Missoula, Mineral and Ravalli counties. It is available at cancerresourcesMT.org.

Cancer support group  A support group for anyone affected by cancer meets noon-1 p.m. on the second and fourth Mondays at the Polson United Methodist Church, 301 16th Ave. For more information, call Tammy at 406-883-7284 or 406-824-2868.

Celebrate Recovery  The Christian-based 12-step recovery program meets 6-9:30 p.m. every Friday at Christian Assembly Foursquare Church, 1001 Cleveland St. Dinner is available from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. and child care is provided for ages birth to 11. For more information, call 406-721-6884 or email cafc@4bible.com.

Cheerful Heart  Lake County cancer patients in treatment can receive a massage and help with hair and skin problems, free of charge, from local therapists and cosmetologists. Other non-medical services include transportation to treatment and doctor appointments, running errands, yard work and meal preparation. Appointments may be scheduled by calling 406-883-3070.

Colorectal Cancer Support Group  Meets 1-2 p.m. the third Friday of every month through March 20, Community Cancer Care Conference Room, 2827 Fort Missoula Road.

"Coping, Education & Support for Women with All Cancer Types"  The support group for women in all stages of cancer treatment or survivorship will be held noon-1:30 p.m. the second Monday of every month through March 14, 2016, at the Community Cancer Care Conference Room, 2837 Fort Missoula Road. For more information, call Deb Rivey at 327-3912, Terri Paxinos at 406-327-3957 or Kimberly Hardwick at 406-327-3906.

Diabetes program  At 6:30 p.m. on the first Wednesday of every month, there will be a short presentation on a topic related to the management of Type 1 diabetes at the YMCA, 3000 S. Russell St. It will be followed by the option for socializing in the foyer or being active together at the Y. A fee of $5 per person will be collected at the door for those choosing to use the facility. Designed for ages 14 and older, children are welcome but must be accompanied by a parent/caregiver.

Double Trouble in Recovery  The 12-step program for people with mental health and addiction issues meets 3-4 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Winds of Change Recovery Mall, 2685 Palmer St., No. C (second floor). Coffee is provided. For more information, call Veronica at 406-721-2038.

Epilepsy support group  Meets the first Monday of the month from 2-3:30 p.m. at the Summit Independent Living Center, 700 S.W. Higgins Ave., Suite 101. Patients, friends, family and caregivers welcome. Call Debbie at 406-721-0707 for more information.

Free health exams  Women ages 30 to 64 who meet necessary income guidelines and either have no health insurance or have insurance that will not pay for breast and cervical health exams can receive free exams through Partnership Health Centers Montana Cancer Screening Program. Call 406-258-4162 for more information.

Gentle yoga class  The Missoula Senior Citizen Center, 705 S. Higgins Ave., offers a class that focuses on balance training, back strength and core conditioning through gentle yoga matwork every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at 9 a.m. Fee is $4 per class. All ages welcome. For more information, call 406-543-7154.

Health Insurance Assistance Service  Montana cancer patients can call the American Cancer Societys 24-hour toll-free number to be connected to a health insurance specialist to ask about coverage and insurance programs specific to the state. The number is 800-227-2345.

Mens cancer support group  Open to men in all phases of testing, treatment and followup, the group meets the fourth Tuesday of the month from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Montana Cancer Center, 500 W. Broadway. It is facilitated by Gary Weisbrich and Tom King. Call 406-329-5628 or email gary.weisbrich@providence.org for more information.

Narcotics Anonymous  Meets at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Alano Club, 8 Third Ave. W., Polson. Call 406-883-4135.

National Alliance on Mental Illness  NAMI Missoula meets every Thursday from 10 a.m. to noon in the lower level (behind the cafeteria) of the Providence Center. It is open to anyone affected by mental illness or interested in learning more about the group. The NAMI Connection group for adults living with mental illness meets 1:30-3 p.m. Thursdays at the NAMI offices, 202 Brooks St., Room 210. Call 406-880-1013 with questions.

NAMI Family Support Group  National Alliance on Mental Illness Missoula meets Wednesdays from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 202 Brooks St., in Room 210. The peer-led support for adult family members, caregivers and loved ones of individuals with mental illness is free. For more information, call 406-880-1013 or email namimissoula@gmail.com.

My No-Nonsense Nutrition Program  A seven-week webinar course to improve your nutrition and fitness. Faith-based approach to better health. Free initial consult with Judy Gilman, registered nurse, diabetes and wellness educator. mynononsensenutrition.com or 406-546-7819.

Overeaters Anonymous  Local meetings include 7 p.m. Monday and 9 a.m. Saturday at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 202 Brooks St. A meeting for newcomers is at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday followed by a "Back to Basics" meeting at 7 p.m. at St. Paul's. Everyone who wants to stop eating compulsively is welcome. There are no dues, weigh-ins or lectures. For more meeting information, visit oa.org.

SAA  For the latest Sex Addicts Anonymous meeting list visit saa-recovery.org, call the Missoula hotline at 406-241-4005 or email MissoulaBetterway@yahoo.com. SAA is a 12-step fellowship of men and women who share experience, strength and hope for the purpose of finding freedom from addictive sexual behavior and helping others recover from sex addiction.

S-Anon  Local meetings are held weekly for this recovery program for people affected by another persons sexual behavior. Visit sanonmontana.org or call 406-544-1271 to learn more.

Stroke and Brain Injury Support Group  Meets the second Thursday of each month from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. at the Providence Center, 902 N. Orange St., in the dining area on the fourth floor. For details, call 406-329-5784.

Tai Chi for Arthritis  Class offered 9:15 a.m. Mondays at the Missoula Senior Citizens Center, 705 S. Higgins Ave. $4 per class. All ages welcome.

Tai Chi Chih  Classes are offered at the following locations: Missoula Senior Citizens Center, 705 S. Higgins Ave., 9:15 a.m. Wednesdays, $4 per class; PEAK Health & Wellness Center, 5000 Blue Mountain Road, 11 a.m. Tuesdays, call 251-3344; and The Womens Club, 2105 Bow St., 9 a.m. Fridays, call 406-728-4410.

TOPS  Take Off Pounds Sensibly, an affordable, nonprofit, weight-loss support and wellness organization, meets at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the First Christian Church, 2701 S. Russell St. Another TOPS meeting is 6:30 p.m. Monday at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 2512 Sunset Lane. For additional meetings, go to tops.org, click on "Find a Meeting" and enter your ZIP code or call 800-932-8677.
CHICAGO  Sitting on a bed at Lurie Childrens Hospital, Levi Krystosek, 10, rubbed a sore spot on his foot.

Levi was born with a rare disease that causes abnormal bone development, often resulting in pain as well as unusually short arms and legs. He was at the Chicago hospital that morning to see Dr. Craig Langman, an expert in the genetic disorder and head of kidney diseases at Lurie.

Levi visits Langman every six months, even though the boy lives in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. He flies to get to his Chicago appointments  something his parents struggled to afford before finding an organization called Miracle Flights. The Las Vegas-based nonprofit provides free flights for families whose children need to see specialists far from where they live.

We were, like, how are we going to continue to do this? said Levis mother, Dona Krystosek, adding that the cost of airline tickets was taking a big toll on the familys savings. She and her husband also have two older daughters.

One night while searching online, Krystosek stumbled upon Miracle Flights, where she now works as a family advocate.

In recent years, the 32-year-old nonprofit had come under fire in the Las Vegas Review-Journal newspaper for questionable spending practices.

CEO Mark Brown took over the reins a little more than a year ago, promising better transparency and more outreach. Browns goal is to provide 100,000 flights in the next decade  about the same number the organization has made possible since its inception in 1985.

Many of the children we fly have rare diseases or illnesses, and there may be one doctor in the country that treats that, Brown said. Well fly them one time or 100 times, whatever it takes.

Levi, or Little Levi as hes known, has become a key player in Miracle Flights recent publicity campaign. He starred in a Miracle Flights commercial to spread the word about the organization. Last year, he was chosen to take Miracle Flights 100,000th trip.

Levis rare form of dwarfism has him standing at 38 inches tall, about a foot and a half shorter than most kids his age. He was born with Jansen type metaphyseal chondrodysplasia, a progressive skeletal disorder that leads to wonky bones, as Levi and Krystosek call them.

At the time he was diagnosed, Levi was one of only 17 known cases worldwide, said Krystosek, whos also a nurse.

Langman is one of the few doctors to have treated patients with the highly uncommon disorder.

When Levi was just 18 months old, he started flying to Chicago  sometimes as frequently as every six weeks  to see Langman.

This doctors our needle in our haystack, Krystosek said.

During his most recent visit in January, Levi arrived at Lurie snappily dressed in a red tie and gray vest over a checked shirt. Fastidious about his sleeves, he kept asking his mother to button and roll them just so.

Theyve been to Lurie so many times, he and his mom have developed a routine. First, they get biscuits and gravy  his favorite  in the Lurie cafeteria. He buzzes around the waiting room like a local and knows which buttons in the elevator honk like a horn.

Before stretching out on the exam room bed, Levi had his height and weight checked by a nurse.

Pure muscle! he said, lightly beating his chest.

Medical visits are part of life for Levi. Along with his visits to Lurie, the family drives five hours to Birmingham, Alabama, to see an eye doctor and a craniofacial surgeon. And with the help of Miracle Flights, they fly to Delaware to see an orthopedic surgeon.

To qualify for Miracle Flights assistance, families must provide a letter from both a referring and accepting physician. Because the children are passengers on commercial flights, they have to meet airline regulations by being medically stable enough to fly. (To request flight assistance, call 800-359-1711 or go to miracleflights.org.)

For Levis recent foot problem, Langman recommended a patch they could buy at the pharmacy.

When Levis mom told the doctor her son complains of pain in his thigh, Levi quickly piped up, I dont complain!

Langman estimates that worldwide, there are fewer than 75 cases of Jansen type metaphyseal chondrodysplasia.

Even among that small subset, Levi is special, Langman said.

Hes the only patient Ive ever had thats been out of a wheelchair at this age, he said.
HELENA  It will continue to be legal to text and drive in most of Montana after the House Judiciary Committee voted Monday to reject a statewide ban.

Rep. Virginia Court, D-Billings, argued House Bill 380 was needed to slow the growing number of fatal wrecks involving a texting driver.

The number of traffic deaths rose 7 percent between 2014 and 2015, the largest single-year increase in decades, according to the latest federal figures. Many experts point to an 8.8 percent increase in distracted driving incidents over the same period, much of which is attributed to handheld cellphone use that takes drivers eyes, hands and attention off the road.

You are really completely blindfolded, Court said.

Last week, testimony in support of Courts bill came from surviving family members of people killed because of texting and driving, doctors  including pediatricians  auto manufacturers, AAA, AT&T, commercial truck drivers, the Montana League of Cities and Towns, the Montana Highway Patrol and Montana Department of Transportation.

No one spoke in opposition to the bill.

After removing an exemption for school bus drivers, the measure failed Monday on 8-11 vote, with Democrats supporting the bill and Republicans opposing it. The bill was tabled and is unlikely to be revived.

I 100 percent agree that texting and driving is absolutely wrong, Rep. Barry Usher, R-Billings, said. My issue with this bill is its not enforceable. Theres no way for a police officer to tell the difference on whether theyre entering their password or calling a number on their phone.

Rep. Dale Mortensen, R-Billings, argued that law enforcement officers should be ticketing people under the states careless and reckless driving laws.

Under this bill, its still allowable to drive down the road at 80 miles per hour and write a letter or type on a mechanical typewriter, he said.

Court had introduced a broader bill last session that would have barred any use of a cellphone while driving, but that measure also died.
There's now a rap about Montana that includes the line, "People are outnumbered by cows."

About 30 kids headed to Missoula Children's Theatre on Monday for a camp during their day off school for Presidents Day. It was the sixth of eight "Play in a Day" camps MCT is hosting this school year, which align with some of Missoula County Public Schools' days off.

"We've been looking at giving more opportunities to children in theater," said MCT education director Matt Loehrke. "This building is very busy, with MCT, this week with the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival and with DDC (Downtown Dance Collective).

"We pride ourselves on being a community center, but we saw a need in the community on off days for child care and something to do for families."

It's the first year for Play in a Day, and MCT has seen a steady stream of kids over each session, as well as several kids who have been to many if not all of these day camps.

Two of those are siblings Branden and Nevaeh Roach, second- and first-graders at Paxson Elementary, respectively.

Monday was their fifth Play in a Day camp.

The best part, Nevaeh said, is "getting to act in front of our parents."

Another bonus: During the "Tarzan" play put on at one of the camps this year, Branden got to be a hippo and Nevaeh a piranha.

"We'd be at another camp, or at home," Branden said of what he'd be doing if he wasn't at MCT.

***

Each camp has a different theme, and is set up in a way that kids coming multiple times won't get bored with the same routine.

On Monday, they worked on "Hamil-tune," a kid-friendly version of the hit Broadway musical "Hamilton." Because Hamilton is somewhat "R-rated," Loehrke said, they modified it and made Monday's musical about states.

They steered away from singing or rapping about specific presidents, Loehrke said, in order to avoid politics.

Music is a fun way to teach kids history, he said. While the adults with MCT usually come to day camps prepared with a script or outline, on Monday the kids created most of the content themselves. This time, they ranged in age from 5 to 14.

Depending on the theme, the kids write a really short play or sketch. On Monday, they made up songs and raps. During the Halloween-themed camp last fall, it was about dance. The kids channeled Michael Jackson and danced to "Thriller."

It's "not a full-blown play," said Anna Lewing, a volunteer MCT teacher who's helped lead every Play in a Day camp.

"They only have eight hours with us, but rehearsing the entire time would be exhausting," she said.

***

Because the kids are at MCT all day, the camp is spread out. They played warm-up games and exercises Monday morning  "Tall as a giraffe! Small as a flea!" Lewing said as the kids jumped up and down  and eventually started working on their script and raps.

In the afternoon, they rehearsed and did arts and crafts  this time, something red, white and blue, obviously.

The kids learned a Montana rap written by another MCT camp leader, which started, "Our sky's the biggest and brightest of all ..."

"It's showing how rap is basically a poem that means something to you," Lewing said.

"We're talking to them this time about how (Alexander) Hamilton was not a president, but he was still incredibly influential."

Makeup, costumes and the set are minimal, Loehrke said, as it's an informal performance. Parents would start showing up after work around 5:20 p.m., and the show was set to begin at 5:30.

"We thought, if we can put on a play in a week, why not plan one in a day?" he said.

The final Play in a Day sessions are scheduled Friday, March 17, and Monday, April 24.

For more information on MCT day camps, go online to mctinc.org/childrens-theatre-in-missoula-2/day-camps-mct-center-performing-arts/.
A bill introduced on Monday at the state House of Representatives by a Democrat and a Republican from Missoula would have immense ramifications for the state's craft beer breweries.

It would allow breweries in Montana to increase their production from the current limit of 10,000 barrels a year to 60,000 barrels and still sell beer to customers on the premises.

Rep. Adam Hertz, a Republican from House District 96, and Rep. Ellie Hill Smith, a Democrat from House District 94, are co-sponsoring HB541, which was introduced Monday afternoon.

The bill would upend a tenuous alliance between The Montana Brewers Association, The Montana Tavern Association and The Montana Beer and Wine Distributors Association. Back in 1999, they agreed to a compromise that would allow breweries to sell up to 48 ounces of beer in taprooms as long as they werent producing more than 10,000 barrels per year.

The compromise has been refined a number of times over the years. For many years, the only brewery in the state that produced more than 10,000 was Big Sky Brewery in Missoula, which gives away samples for free in its taproom. Recently, a new Kettlehouse location in Bonner started production of what the owner has said would be about 20,000 barrels annually. That location does not have a taproom.

However, breweries like Bayern in Missoula are pushing right up against that 10,000-barrel limit and pressure has been mounting for a change in the law.

I was part of a coalition that worked together last session to try and get something done, Hill Smith explained. There are three legs to the stool  the distributors, the tavern owners and the breweries  and we could never get anything over the finish line. So this bill is not a product of any of them telling us what to do.

Hill said she joined with her friend Hertz to talk about revising a law so that it makes sense for Montanans, not just for special interest groups.

We are coming at this from a pure tax revenue perspective, she said. Breweries in Montana generate $36 million in tax revenue every year. From my perspective, this isnt about everyone on the three legs of the stool getting what they want. This is about our ability to get our state more money, and Republicans and Democrats are coming together to do this on our own.

Hill Smith said that she believes that government regulation is stopping breweries ability to make more money.

The demand for craft beer is one of the true economic drivers in our state, Hill Smith said. We are limiting them for some arcane reason because of backroom deals. That train has left the station. Breweries are driving the economy now. This is not a partisan issue for us. We are listening to constituents that want to drink Big Sky beer and want to drink Kettlehouse beer. Why are we holding them back? Its not good business.

Hill Smith said the 60,000-barrel limit was the number recommended by the coalition she worked with last year.

***

John Iverson, the government affairs director for the Montana Tavern Association, said his organization would oppose the bill.

We want to see changes happen as part of a broader compromise, he said. Ideally, the people that have participated under the current rules are treated fairly. If you sell the same product to the same people, you need to play by the same rules.

Iverson said his organization is going to continue working with the Montana Brewers Association on finding an industry-wide compromise that creates a system that makes sense for everyone.

Under the current rules, taverns arent allowed to open brewpubs unless they use a complicated third-party system to purchase a brewers license. Breweries arent allowed to be open past 8 p.m., cannot serve more than 48 ounces, and cannot own a beer and wine license unless they find a third-party workaround.

I really believe the groundwork has been laid for a successful compromise to come, Iverson said.

Matt Leow, a spokesperson for the Montana Brewers Association, said his organization would support the bill. He said breweries in Montana provide a total economic output of $103 million, including 704 direct jobs and 1,044 indirect jobs.

This is an important piece of legislation for economic development, Leow said. The current policy is just bad policy. The 10,000-barrel limit punishes success, limits growth and puts Montana breweries at a competitive disadvantage.

Leow said breweries that increase their capacity to near the 10,000-barrel limit are faced with two less-than-appealing options.

The first is 'dont brew more beer' in spite of public demand for their product, which is obviously not a decision that a business owner wants to make, Leow said. The other option is to stop selling beer through the taproom. These are the loyal patrons that helped you to grow your business and who often relied on the taproom as a community center that took the place of a traditional public house. And now you are eliminating revenue provided through the taproom that is important for capital investments like a new canning line.

Leow said that all breweries in his organization, both large and small, would support the bill.
Hayley Smith has seen the global refugee crisis up close in Greece, and shell be in Missoula on Thursday to talk about it.

In a week when President Donald Trump is expected to roll out a revised immigrant order and Missoula schools celebrate Diversity Week, the founding director of the Phoenix-based Lifting Hands International will present a program and discussion called The Refugee Crisis: A Discussion of Global Importance at 7 p.m. at the DoubleTree Hotel Ballroom.

Lifting Hands International has a team of long-term volunteers working at a refugee camp in northern Greece, where the military has cracked down on independent volunteers and nonprofits.

Shes dealing with all the various issues, political and social, from corruption to graciousness, said Bob Seidenschwarz, president emeritus of the Montana World Affairs Council. These are refugees who are literally coming off the boat, and the last thing they want to do is be on a boat across the Mediterranean Sea going to a foreign country. All the deep-rooted connections these people have had in many ways disappear, sometimes overnight.

Smith founded Lifting Hands after spending December 2015 in a Greek camp. The nonprofit organization is a volunteer effort that provides humanitarian and relief services to refugees in camps overseas, and assists refugees in the Phoenix area with resettlement.

Smith has a minor in Arabic from Brigham Young University and a master's in Middle Eastern studies and Arabic from the University of Londons school of Oriental studies. She taught Arabic language and culture for three years as part of a Qatar Foundation International program at the Boston Latin Academy.

The Qatar Foundation and the Montana World Affairs Council teamed up to invite Smith to Missoula. Shell share the stage Thursday night with Christina Atwood, who'll discuss the refugee vetting and resettlement process overseas and on U.S. soil.

Smith will be making radio and school appearances in Missoula on Wednesday and Thursday, and on Wednesday shes scheduled to meet with Mayor John Engen to discuss Missoulas support of refugees and efforts to make it a sanctuary city.

With the help of refugee support group Soft Landing Missoula and the International Rescue Committee, some 70 refugees from half a dozen countries have arrived in Missoula since last August.

Ticket prices for Thursday nights presentation at the DoubleTree are $10 for the general public; $5 for Montana World Affairs Council members and free for students.
University of Montana Foundation CEO and President Shane Giese is retiring, according to a joint statement issued Tuesday from the foundation and Giese.

"It has been a privilege serving the University of Montana community," Giese said in a statement. "I have truly enjoyed working with this campus, the leaders, and so many committed donors."

Mary Olson, chair of the Board of Trustees, also issued a statement thanking Giese for his service to UM.

"Oh behalf of the entire board, I would like to recognize Shane's leadership in growing support for the University of Montana's students and programs," Olson said. "Shane took our fundraising efforts to the next level while building a culture of philanthropy on campus."

The foundation is the fundraising nonprofit affiliated with UM with a mission to increase philanthropic support for the campus.

Giese had worked at the foundation since May 2013, according to the nonprofit. The CEO had been absent for several weeks before he and the board chair announced his departure.

"He just took some time off," Olson said in a brief telephone interview. She said Giese informed the foundation Friday that he would retire. "It was his decision," she said.

The foundation announced it will conduct a national search to fill the position. Cindy Williams, current vice president of development, is serving as interim president and CEO, Olson said; Williams was considered "officer in charge" while Giese was absent.

A national search is also underway for a UM president after Commissioner of Higher Education Clayton Christian in December requested former president Royce Engstrom's departure; a national search for provost was subsequently suspended pending the search for president.

In the meantime, former Commissioner of Higher Education Sheila Stearns is serving as interim UM president, and Beverly Edmond is serving as interim provost and vice president of academic affairs.

***

The Missoulian first contacted the UM Foundation about Giese's apparent absence in January. The foundation did not respond to inquiries until last week, after the Missoulian submitted questions about the status of the CEO to the office of UM President Stearns and her communications director.

Stearns requested the foundation address the matter, and a foundation representative arranged an interview this week with Olson.

The departure of the CEO and president appears to come after a period of financial success at the UM Foundation. Donations appear to have flourished in recent years, according to reports from the foundation.

In August 2016, the foundation announced that giving had topped $50 million for the third year in a row, and it had exceeded its goal to raise money for student scholarships and fellowships.

Then in November, UM secured its single largest donation in history, a $24 million naming gift from the W.A. Franke family to support conservation and global initiatives at UM.

However, the UM Foundation also has come under increasing pressure to pull its investments from fossil fuels.

Last week, a climate change advocacy group called Reinvest Montana built "snow people for climate justice" outside the foundation's offices, one of several student-led demonstrations over the past year.

And last February, Professor Steven Running, who was among the authors who contributed to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, said he believes the UM Foundation should pull its investments from fossil fuels, starting with coal.

In 2007, the Nobel Committee awarded the Peace Prize to two recipients, Al Gore and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

"I would absolutely tell our foundation that they should be on a strategic path to pulling out of coal investments as soon as they can," Running said at the time. "And then, over a little longer term, oil and gas investments."

In September 2015, the foundation released a position statement on fossil fuel divestment, noting it had a fiduciary responsibility to ensure maximum returns on its investments. Olson said the foundation's stance has remained the same.

In January, the National Association of College and University Business Officers announced higher education endowments had experienced a negative 1.9 percent rate of return in the 2016 fiscal year, the lowest performance since the financial crisis in 2008 and 2009.

Olson declined to address how the UM Foundation's endowment had fared over the same period: "I don't have any comment on that. We have an investment committee that takes care of our endowment."
In early November, state officials announced the first documented presence of zebra and quagga mussels in Montana, after positive tests at sites in the Missouri River system.

The Flathead Basin lies just a few hours from Tiber Reservoir. These devastating invasive species are now at our doorstep.

In coming days, protection of Montana's remaining non-infested waters will be determined by the aquatic invasive species (AIS) legislation and rule-making now being finalized in Helena. What is emerging appears to be a far more robust AIS program. But the devil is in the details. Experts point to a number of deficiencies that must be fixed now.

First, it is important to understand that if invasive mussels do become established here, they would ravage both the aquatic environment and the economy. Tiny, razor-sharp shells would coat and clog every hard surfacerocks, boats, pipes, docks, dams. They could ultimately cause the collapse of native fisheries, a vital cultural resource and linchpin of the recreation industry. They would wreak havoc with irrigation systems, power facilities, and municipal water supply and treatment.

Once established, invasive mussels are virtually impossible to remove. The whole game is prevention.

Our situation is even more dire because an urgent deadline is upon us. Starting in March  in just a few days  people begin moving large numbers of boats around the country. By that time, therefore, a comprehensive system of protection must become operational. We can still save the Flathead, and by extension the whole Columbia River system. But the permanent fate of these priceless waters may well depend on what we do right now.

We've applauded Gov. Steve Bullock for establishing, in November, an incident command (IC) team to address the crisis. The administration's AIS bill would substantially increase funding and establish a new AIS Bureau within Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Let me be clear: the Flathead Basin Commission (FBC) urges legislators to vote for this important measure  even as we are gravely concerned that it is not enough.

Since 2008, the FBC has helped lead the fight against invasive mussels. We've advocated for stronger perimeter defense of Montana, helped shepherd AIS bills through the legislature, and raised millions in grant funds for boat inspection stations and dog detection teams. Thanks to legislative improvements and the good work of many people, statewide efforts also improved  but still didn't meet the standard many experts deem necessary.

Today, as Montana is pursuing a dramatic expansion of its program, there are a number of areas of concern, but four are of greatest importance. To protect the Flathead adequately, all must be in place by next month:

Vigorous perimeter defense of Montana.

Comprehensive containment and decontamination of boats coming off the Missouri.

A Continental Divide firewall, ensuring inspection of all boats heading west from the infested Missouri.

A Flathead Basin pilot program of inspection-prior-to-launch.

State agencies will carry out elements of the first three items. Actual effectiveness will be determined not only by funding and early opening, but also by quality of planning and implementation. We've expressed many concerns directly to the IC. We hope the legislation and rule-making is improved to reflect our concerns.

Moreover, the experience of other states proves that multiple layers of protection are essential. The FBC therefore wants to undertake the fourth item: a Flathead pilot program requiring all watercraft to be inspected prior to launch.

We have gotten by on blind luck for far too long. Until a comprehensive system is in place, I urge state, tribal and other authorities to close or severely restrict Flathead waters. That may sound draconian. But at this point, anything less would be reckless and irresponsible.

The FBC will continue working to help protect the Flathead, both through our own programs and by coordinating with and respectfully assisting other entities, including Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, Lake County, the Blackfeet Nation, Glacier National Park, and other governmental agencies and non-profit organizations.

Future generations may look back on late February 2017 as a critical moment in our history. We urge you to raise your voice in support of the steps we've outlined here. For the Flathead, the time is now  in a way that it never has been before.
The Louvre Museum in France houses some of the most famous artworks in the world, including Leonardo da Vincis Mona Lisa and paintings by such famous artists as Rembrandt.

What would you think if you heard the famous Louvre Museum began to throw out and burn in the streets these priceless masterpieces, saying they needed to make room for the remaining artwork?

How do you think the art world would respond if they suggested that a way to save the art was for the museum to build another wing to house the paintings or even give the paintings to other museums who would gladly accept them?

But instead of following such sensible advice, the French government prohibited expansion of the museum or even the transport of the worlds heritage to other museums and argued the only solution they would consider was to burn paintings? Im certain it would be an international scandal.

But this is exactly what the Montana government is doing by the senseless slaughter of our national mammal  Yellowstones genetically unique and wild bison. These bison are a global heritage that the state of Montana is treating as if they are expendable and valueless asset. The Department of Livestock proposes to capture and kill more than 1,000 bison this winter.

Even the paintings by art masters are not as priceless as the genetically pure Yellowstone bison that are a consequence of a long line of evolution, yet Montana is treating these magnificent beasts as if they were vermin.

Worse, the justification for this butchery is flawed. One excuse is that the livestock industry is threatened by brucellosis, a disease that can cause abortions in livestock. The other major reason given for rounding up bison and slaughtering them is some assert there are too many animals for the park.

Both are questionable assertions, but even if they were valid arguments, there are viable solutions that do not require the destruction of these animals.

Fact: there is no documented transmission of brucellosis from wild bison to livestock. The only examples of wildlife transmission to cattle is the result of elk, not bison.

Fact: Yellowstones bison are genetically unique. Most bison herds in the United States have cattle genes mixed into their genome, but Yellowstones bison are one of the few genetically pure populations.

Fact: There is an abundance of public land on the Custer-Gallatin National Forest and other state and federal lands outside of Yellowstone National Park where bison could winter or even live year-round.

Fact: There are other large blocks of public land within the historic range of bison that could support herds such as Montanas Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge, Wyomings Red Desert and the Vermillion Basin of Colorado.

Fact: There are numerous Indian tribes that wish to start or augment their own bison herds, if only Montana would allow them to be transported.

Fact: Montanas livestock industry will not lose its brucellosis-free status simply because one or two herds are infected.

Fact: There are brucellosis vaccines that are available free of charge to ranchers that can reduce the chances of infection.

Fact: The only way that cattle can become infected with brucellosis is if they consume or lick an aborted bison fetus. This must occur before the bacteria dies or the fetus is consumed by scavengers like ravens, coyotes and magpies.

Fact: Even if in theory bison cows could abort and transmit the disease to livestock, bison bulls and calves cannot transmit the disease, yet they make up a high percentage of the animals being slaughtered.

Fact: There is simply no scientific or even legitimate rationale for the continued slaughter of this priceless wildlife legacy. The real reason our collective patrimony is being destroyed due to the intransigence of the livestock industry.

Please call or write to Gov. Steve Bullock and Montanas congressional delegation and ask them to work for a solution that treats Yellowstones wild bison as the priceless and precious global inheritance they represent.
The Donald Trump appointee for secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, promoted charter schools in Michigan. Therefore it is possible she may propose the same for the entire nation.

I, as a taxpayer, do not want any of my tax dollars supporting private schools, whether by vouchers, tax credits or any other method. If our public schools are not measuring up then determine why. Is federal government regulation a cause? Are we not graduating qualified teachers? Do teachers' union contracts contain terms preventing the justified termination of teachers? School administrators and school boards should be allowed to terminate poor performing teachers.

Teddy Roosevelt said that immigrants are welcome and when you come you are to accept being governed by our Constitution and laws and learn English. This means that sharia law or any other foreign laws have no place in our courts. Any judge in our country who allows the use of foreign law in his court should be removed from the bench. This is the United States!

Russian leader Vladimir Putin shows his true colors when he sends military support for the civilian murdering ruler of Syria, Bashar Assad and allies with terrorist-backing Iran. He is suspected of being behind opposition leaders' murders, in true Russian dictator fashion.

Dale C. Smith,

Cut Bank
I am writing in regard to the University of Montana's proposed research facility using live pigs to test spinal cord injuries.

I suffer with post-traumatic stress disorder, and how dare you use my disability as an excuse to cause severe trauma to these pigs! Especially knowing this is a completely unnecessary and outdated research method.

All 202 accredited osteopathic and allopathic medical schools in the U.S. and Canada terminated the use of live animals to teach medical students. This includes the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (the U.S. military medical school). In addition, 47 hospitals and colleges teaching first responders crucial life-saving methods are using human-based methods after abandoning outdated live animal use.

Under the Animal Welfare Act, no experiments  including those that inflict pain without relief  are outlawed. The Animal Welfare Act is the only federal law that applies to animals used for research.

Each species has a unique spinal orientation, movement kinetics and neural anatomy. Non-invasive imaging techniques such as PET, SPECT and fMRI can be used to visualize neural pathology at various timepoints after injury. In Miami, researchers are collaborating on the Human Spinal Cord Injury Model project.

You can read more about ethical research and education using non-animal testing methods at pcrm.org. You can also find grants for non-animals testing research at drhadwentrust.org.

Montanans do not want this facility, as proven by the failure of Initiative 181. This was due, in part, to the possibility of live animals being used as test subjects. Bringing this lab to UM, would be taking the university backward, in addition to tarnishing the image of Missoula.

UM can be joining other universities and medical schools in rejecting outdated live animal labs and using more advanced, humane and superior methods for doing research.

Jennifer Nitz,

Missoula
George Wuerthner encourages people to call or write Gov. Steve Bullock and encourage him to treat Yellowstones wild bison as the priceless and precious global inheritance they represent. As Wuerthner makes clear, this is almost purely a political issue. Even former Gov. Brian Schweitzer admitted the issue with bison is about access to grass on public lands.

Heres what I dont understand. Polls consistently show that more than 70 percent of Montanans want bison to roam free on public wildlands. To appease a small sector of the population that wields disproportionately large power - cattle ranchers representing less than 3 percent of Montanas economy but most of its legislature - Montanas image takes a big hit because of its continuing senseless slaughter of wild bison.

Why is Governor Bullock blind to the economic boon that would result from welcoming bison migration from Yellowstone to Yukon?

Hunting and angling accounts for approximately $1 billion of Montanas economy. Wildlife watching accounts for another $400 million, and more than half of the nearly half-million public lands users. Montana is the fourth-largest state by area in the U.S., with the eighth-smallest population. Big Sky country! But there is no room for wild bison?

Currently, Montana ranks 40th among U.S. states in popularity with tourists, in spite of Yellowstone National Park drawing nearly 4 million annually. Try to imagine what a wildlife mecca Montana would be with bison grazing along the Yellowstone River, on the banks of the Missouri or scattered in the Gravelly Range. Remember, youll find wild bison and cattle mixing on public lands in Wyoming, and Jackson Hole is just a little more popular than Bozeman these days.

Bison are a keystone species, and if allowed to return to their home range in Montana, fisheries would benefit tremendously. Isnt it time to let buffalo roam, governor?

Tom Woodbury,

program director,

WildLands Defense,

Boise, Idaho
Dillon voters will go to the polls Tuesday to decide on a $9.85-million bond issue to pay for new and renovated Beaverhead County High School buildings.

Polls at the county courthouse, 125 N. Idaho St., are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. By Feb. 14, the county clerk and recorder had received 1,900 mail-in ballots, said school district Superintendent Gary Haverfield.

About 5,300 ballots were mailed on Feb. 3, he said. County offices were closed on Monday due to the Presidents Day holiday.

Registered voters who did not drop their ballots in the mail can swing by the courthouse and drop them off any time on Tuesday, he added.

If passed, the bond issue would pay for:

 Improvements to the 79-year-old main high school building, 104 N. Pacific St.

 A new science and vocational agriculture education and industrial arts center.

 A remodel and new construction of B.W. Lodge Gym and music facility, built in 1968.

If property owners give the thumbs up, those with a home valued at about $143,000 would pay $7 more per month  or $84 per year in property taxes.

School board Chairman Gary Love said the district has been faithful in maintaining the buildings. But it is time to upgrade, he added.

The main two-story classroom building, built in 1938, is not in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
How do you feed 1,000 people all at the same time?

Organizers of Empty Bowls  an annual soup fundraiser for the Butte Emergency Food Bank Backpack program  stare down and overcome such a logistical dilemma every year.

They fill all the bellies who first line up to pick out an original, handmade bowl that students and local citizens create in the Butte High School pottery room. The Butte High Art Club has made about 1,000 bowls to contribute.

The fourth annual event will be held 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 5. This year, the event expands from the main floor of the Butte Civic Center to the adjacent annex.

Were hoping to just have more space, said Roisin Violette, one of the organizers. Its going to flow better. It will be much better than the hiccup last year. Upon walking in, people can get a seat first, get their soup or get their bowls, either way.

Proceeds go to the backpack program, which provides an estimated 400 bags of food for hungry school students on the weekends and holidays.

We just want to remind everyone that its a fabulous event, but we do this to keep the kids in the forefront, she added.

The event raised an estimated $45,000 last year, but Kathy Griffith, director of the Butte Emergency Food Bank, said organizers aim to raise $62,000 this year.

Tickets, $20 apiece, sell quickly, she said. Call the Butte Emergency Food Bank, 406-782-6230 and the Butte Civic Center, 406-497-6400.

Were going to be sold out quickly, said Violette.

Organizers seek more volunteers, also. Call the same numbers above for more information.
When kids arrive at school, many take their problems with them.

Butte public school kids had the day off on Presidents Day Monday, but their teachers were hard at work learning what makes their charges tick.

Featured speaker Stacy G. York, of Evergreen, Colorado, who has children of her own and has worked 16 years as a licensed clinical social worker, shared strategies with about 150 teachers in the Butte High auditorium as part of a trauma-informed initiative to create a healthier community.

Teachers dealing with students who have suffered some sort of trauma in their lives should "regulate, relate, and reason"  in that order  as a way to calm the student and better prepare them to study, she said.

"Sometimes all you can do is be a loving, caring adult," said York.

Establishing healthy patterns for students who shut down in a random environment is key to helping students overcome complex emotions.

First thing, at the start of the school day, York suggests teachers regulate students' behavior by using simple strategies: greet them, check in with how their evening or morning went, and then maybe give them a task to distract them temporarily from a bad home or peer experience, for example.

A young person's brain cortex isn't fully developed until age 25, so teachers must avoid taking a reverse reason-first, relate-second, regulate-third approach, she said.

The point is to help the student shift unhealthy thought patterns to something positive before taking on the "reason" part  say math or science.

"Repeating patterns help kids cope," said curriculum director Jim O'Neill, listening to the training from the back of the auditorium.

Ninety percent of a child's brain is already formed before age 5, so if he or she has suffered neglect or abuse, a teenager may only be developed at a toddler level, for instance. He or she may not know how to problem-solve or handle everyday tasks, causing behavior problems.

Tressa Johnson, a licensed Altacare therapist at East Middle School, said her team teaches "a lot of coping skills," like deep breathing or using a tactile stress ball.

"We always do a check-in with students and to make them feel safe if they had a bad night at home," said Johnson, who carries a caseload of 18 students. "Maybe if they didn't get breakfast, we give them breakfast."

School personnel juggle individual discrepancies all day, every day  often within a group setting. York prefers to call such arrested development "physiological" instead of a mental health issue.

Prevention  not intervention  is vital, York said.

"What are you doing to regulate those kids before they even start their day?" York asked. Students must feel safe and welcome in the classroom as opposed to the extreme opposite  an in-school suspension punishment room with white walls, no clocks, and no talking allowed, for example.

Butte school nurses, who may monitor a student's heart rate and maybe even oxygen level, have insight into how taking such vital measurements can affect a child's behavior.

Barb Brown, elementary school nurse, noticed her own 25-year-old daughter overreacts over the smallest problem  say having a flat tire  because the reason part of her brain, the cortex  isn't yet fully developed.

But for some school-aged kids, if their heart rate and oxygen levels are high, they may shut down if they are emotionally overwhelmed about anything home-, peer-, or academic-related.

Ultimately, a child's mental health can worsen and potentially lead to depression, which has been linked to the high suicide rate in Silver Bow County and statewide.

Special education teacher Terry Faulkner said he plans to shorten lessons by a minute or two to better deal with myriad student developmental and behavioral problems.

"If kids are healthier, it will reduce the stress on them," said Faulkner.

Basically, students of all abilities and grade levels can suffer from any cognitive delays, which can affect academics. York told the story of a girl with a 140 IQ who had trouble reasoning because she had been neglected as a baby.

Teachers and paraprofessionals are often expected to be social workers, parents, and confidants  which can be overwhelming on top of teaching groups and individuals.

York said if teachers keep their own heart rates down, students reflect the serenity and learn better.

"Are you someone your kids enjoy or not?" York asked teachers. "It's kind of that simple."
HELENA - The attorneys for Montanas fifth- and 11th-smallest counties came to the Capitol on Tuesday to speak against a piece of legislation they say is targeted at one of them and is the result of small-town gossip from people unhappy that an elected official owns the local watering hole.

A drama thats played out in Meagher County over the last couple years made its way to the Legislature on Tuesday in the form of House Bill 472, carried by Rep. Wylie Galt, R-Martinsdale, whose district includes White Sulphur Springs, the county seat.

The legislation would not allow county attorneys to own bars.

I think this bill is just aimed directly at me by a very small group of people who think its wrong and have no basis for that feeling, Meagher County Attorney Kimberly Deschene told the House Judiciary Committee, which heard the bill.

A dispute between Deschene and John Lopp, the Meagher County sheriff, has been simmering for years. Lopp had reported violations at Bar 47 to the Department of Revenue. Deschene has owned the bar on Main Street since 2014 and says she has been singled out by Lopp, who was elected sheriff in 2009, because the community just didn't like a county attorney owning a bar.

Lopp told The Billings Gazette last year has said he was concerned about Deschene's prosecution of DUIs, saying Meagher County had a fifth of the amount of DUI cases filed as Judith Basin County, which is roughly the same population.

One of those DUIs was Deschene's former employee at the bar, where she was accused of drinking before being pulled over by a highway patrol trooper.

Katherine Walter, who lives in Meagher County, spoke in support of the bill Tuesday. Last year she tried to circulate a recall petition against Deschene, which was eventually dismissed.

Im overly concerned about conflict of interest with our county attorney owning a bar, Walter said. It just makes sense to me that we cant have somebody prosecute DUI crime if they are possibly serving the alcohol that assists in committing the crimes.

Deschene told legislators that she has followed all ethical rules.

There has been one conflict of interest in three years. We have been extremely responsible, Deschene said. If there has been a conflict of interest very careful protocols have been followed.

The bar was for sale for two years and the owners of two other local restaurants had died, meaning a hit to the community during hunting season, which Deschene called by far the most important time of the year in White Sulphur.

Although the county attorney position is very important, what Bar 47 has done for the town is at least as important as the job of county attorney.

Dan Rice, the county attorney in Montana's 11th smallest county, Prairie, lives in Terry and owns a bar in Miles City, which is in Custer County.

He echoed Deschene in saying that in small communities sometimes people have to fill multiple roles, in this case to fill hard-to-recruit government jobs and keep towns economically viable by running businesses.

To say being a bar owner and a county attorney is irreconcilably unethical is demonstrably false, he said. This is legislation targeting one individual, who should be dealt with directly.

The committee took no action Tuesday.
HELENA  Hundreds of protesters who were upset that U.S. Sen. Steve Daines wasn't planning a town hall this week decided to bring one to him instead outside of the Montana Capitol, where Daines was scheduled to address the state Legislature on Tuesday.

Daines canceled his appearance at the last minute, prompting boos and jeers from the crowd that spilled from the Capitol steps onto the lawn. The demonstration went on, anyway.

"What a coward!" said Katherine Haque-Hausrath, one of the organizers. "If he doesn't listen to us now, he can listen to us in 2020 in the election."

Daines rescheduled his appearance before the state Legislature for Wednesday, when he also plans to visit a school and hold a news conference on Neil Gorsuch's U.S. Supreme Court nomination. His office released a statement saying the senator "welcomes the opinions of everyone from the Treasure State."

Protesters across the nation are greeting members of Congress who are home this week for a recess. Many of the demonstrators in Helena reflected the concerns of other groups, particularly about President Donald Trump's order to restrict refugee and immigration arrivals, his plans to roll back President Barack Obama's health care reforms and his cabinet selections.

Many there also objected to Daines gaveling down Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren as the presiding officer during the debate on Attorney General Jeff Sessions' nomination.

"I'm here with my daughter, and I want her to know that real men are not afraid to listen to women and they can't tell her to sit down," said Camas Sturm Kakuk, standing next to her 5-year-old daughter.

Others said they objected to Daines' vote for Betsy DeVos as education secretary after she gave him tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions.

Daines held a constituent teleconference last week. Participants in Tuesday's demonstration accused Daines of ducking them and said a phone conference was insufficient.

"People need to be able to see their senators face to face, ask questions and have a conversation," said Al Beaver, a protester from Helena.
HELENA  Doctors traveled from across the state to ask the education appropriations subcommittee for funds to expand Montanas Graduate Medical Education program, a measure they say would address a statewide physician shortage preventing patients from receiving adequate care.

But after executive action, the Joint Appropriations Subcommittee on Education didnt approve the extra $400,000 requested. The Legislature funds a fraction of what it costs to operate Montanas three residency programs, but those initial state dollars keep the program eligible for large federal grants, mostly funded by Medicare. The money would expand training in rural areas and establish a psychiatry residency to combat a statewide suicide epidemic.

The budget proposal now moves on to House Appropriations and eventually to Senate Finance and Claims where it could see additions or reductions. Sen. Llew Jones, R-Conrad, and vice chair of the committee, said tough decisions were made to ensure the already functioning programs were protected before adding something new, like additional residency positions.

However, he recognized the residency program was important in addressing the state's doctor shortage, and said there's a good chance the program could be funded later in the session with a special revenue account. But in executive action he said the committee struggled to do the least harm with limited resources.

"There's a short-term hole that's enormous," Jones said. "None of the subcommittees are having a better time."

Research shows Montana will require an additional 197 primary care physicians by 2030. There are 686 practicing primary care doctors in Montana, but the shortage is already evident. Of Montanas 56 counties, 17 have zero primary care physicians, six counties have one physician and eight counties have two physicians.

Dr. Ned Vasquez, program director for the Family Medicine Residency of Western Montana, said residents are likely to stay in the community they complete their residency in.

"One of the most important mechanisms to ensure you have more doctors in your state is to train them in your state," he said.

When doctors surpass the number of patients a practice can sustain, residents have to travel or go without health care. Vasquez said most full-time physicians will care for 1,800 to 2,500 patients. In Jefferson County, there are two primary care doctors and 11,500 residents.

Youre less likely to go have a mammogram or a colonoscopy if you have to drive three hours to have that service, he said. Theres an increased risk of health being compromised because you cant access care.

Vasquez said the shortage of doctors can be attributed to a rapidly aging population, doctors who are preparing to retire, an increase in the state population and people accessing care with the expansion of Medicaid.

While Vasquez said there arent enough residencies in Montana to fulfill the demand, state dollars would primarily expand training in rural communities. The majority of the graduate medical education program is funded by Medicare, which doesnt permit training in rural locations. Without federal assistance, getting doctors to rural communities for even a few months stresses the programs resources.

The Graduate Medical Education program receives $519,336 in state funds each year, which is allocated to Montanas three residency programs: Montana Family Residency, Western Montana Family Medicine Residency and Billings Clinic Internal Medicine Residency. In total, there are 78 residents in the program, with each doctor costing $250,000 to $300,000 a year to teach. The actual cost of the program is $20.8 million per year with $10.3 million paid in multiple matching federal grants from Medicare. The states teaching hospitals foot the rest of the bill. If the state chipped in another $400,000, the program would leverage $5.83 million in Medicaid funding eligible to be used in rural hospitals.

Vasquez said residents struggle to adequately prepare to practice in rural areas, which can be detrimental to patients.

If youre taking care of a patient who comes in with a heart attack at St. Pats, you call up the cardiologist and they come and take care of the patient, he said. If youre in Plains, theres not a cardiologist. You might talk to one in Missoula, but you have to do the initial care of that person there.

Right now the program requires residents to spend two months in rural communities. Vasquez said he would like to see resources for residents to spend four to six months in rural communities.

Theres pretty good evidence if you spend more time there youre more likely to go and practice there.

Dr. Eric Arzubi, a psychiatrist at the Billings Clinic, told the committee some of the funds would go toward establishing a psychiatry residency in the state. While mental health treatment is lacking overall, Arzubi said Montana needs psychiatrists to reduce suicides. According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Montana had the highest rate of suicide in the country in 2016 with 23.8 deaths per 100,000 people.

Montana, Alaska and Wyoming are the three states with the highest rates of suicide in the country. They also happen to be the only three states without psychiatry residency programs.

Arzubi said hes supportive of multiple suicide prevention measures going through the Legislature this session, but he worries the shortage of psychiatrists could hamper implementation of those programs.

You can roll out the best programs in the world but if we dont have a workforce, were going to have a big problem, he said. Were going to need some well-trained clinicians to roll out these programs. When there are suicide attempts we need well-trained psychiatrists.

The Montana Healthcare Foundation surveyed 35 hospitals, treatment centers and tribal health facilities to find out if a shortage of psychiatrists was inhibiting patient care. Approximately 70 percent of respondents said it was nearly impossible to hire a psychiatrist. Instead, treatment centers have to spend money out of state to hire psychiatrists to serve patients in Montana. They found organizations spent $2 million a year on temporary psychiatrists, $400,000 in telepsychiatry and $400,000 trying to recruit psychiatrists.

Arzubi said psychologists cant substitute the work a psychiatrist does. A clinical psychologist is not able to prescribe medicine or perform medical tests while a psychiatrist goes to medical school for four years and completes a residency program, working in a hospital and doing outpatient work. If a person came in with new psychotic symptoms, a psychiatrist would be able to perform the necessary medical tests to assess a patients overall well-being, Arzubi said.

A lack of rural training isnt just a challenge for primary care providers. Hospitals and clinics have struggled to recruit physicians from out of state, who often dont have training relative to Montana.

When somebody gets trained in an urban setting, theyre not right out of the gate going to practice effectively in Montana, he said. Its a different animal.

Establishing a psychiatry residency program, which would be either two or four years based on available funding, would provide necessary rural training and bring good doctors to the state.

Arzubi said a resident who learns in Montana is more likely to establish a practice in the state, and existing psychiatrists who are interested in teaching would be willing to come to Montana and train residents while also practicing.

I can say come to Montana and help us launch this training program and a lot of people will find that attractive, he said.
West Park Street from Uptown to the Montana Tech campus would become one travel lane in each direction with a two-way center lane for turning left under a revised plan by state and local officials. Construction is likely at least two years away.

The new $6 million proposal also entails one parking lane and one bike lane on each side of that 12-block stretch of West Park Street, new overhead lighting and making all sidewalk corners handicapped accessible.

New asphalt would be laid down on that corridor and along a stretch of Excelsior Avenue from Platinum Street on the south to Caledonia Street on the north. The sections would be milled before that is done.

In a news release Tuesday, the Montana Department of Transportation said the project is in a preliminary design stage with construction anticipated in 2019  if theres money. But the agency still wants public input and has set a forum for 5 p.m. on Feb. 28 at the Butte-Silver Bow Archives, 17 W. Quartz St.

Jeff Ebert, the MDTs Butte district administrator, said funding for the project could depend on whether state lawmakers provide more state dollars to the agency this legislative session so it can match federal funds. Lower tax revenues have put much of state government in a money crunch.

MDT says the project would extend the life of the asphalt, update existing sidewalk corners and improve aesthetics and safety for pedestrians and the traveling public through updated overhead lighting, traffic signalization, signing and pavement markings.

Local officials were supporting a different plan a year ago that would have reduced West Park from four travel lanes to two  one in each direction  with a tree-filled median down the middle and a few places to turn left.

That plan, touted by county Planning Director Jon Sesso and then-Chief Executive Matt Vincent, also envisioned more room for pedestrians and bicyclists and extended sidewalks so restaurants and bars could have cafe-like patios for dining and drinking.

It was months in the making, too, and designed in part to turn West Park Street into a campus-like corridor leading to Tech and hopefully spur more private development and student housing.

But that plan got pushback by residents who said, among other things, that a median would make it difficult to clear streets of snow and ice. And some residents along Excelsior said talked-about improvements for their street had been pushed aside.

During a debate with Commissioner Dave Palmer in the race for chief executive last fall, Vincent acknowledged the plan was off the table. He cited public feedback and cost concerns raised by MDT. Palmer won the election and is now chief executive.

Officials had hoped some work on Park Street would start this year, but the MDT says construction is now anticipated in 2019 depending on completion of design and availability of funds. The MDT will pay for most of the project.

Although the timetable had been pushed back, Ebert said the plan now is to do virtually all of the work in 2019 instead of tearing up separate areas over two or three years. The one-and-done approach would also cut project costs.

The idea would be to start in March or April (of 2019) and get of there by the middle of November, he said.

Lori Casey, Butte-Silver Bows assistant planning director, said Tuesday that local and state officials have met several times to talk about revised plans and cost constraints.

The project would cost about $6 million, she and Ebert said, most of it federal money passed through the MDT. The previous plan would have cost about $7 million, Sesso said last February.

We have been working with them and coming up with a lot of different costs and options and this is the plan we came up with, Casey said.

Under the new plan:

- West Park Street  from Montana Street to the Tech campus at Western Street  would be milled and paved with new asphalt. Same for the 12-block stretch of Excelsior Avenue.

- Updating all concrete sidewalk corners with ramps and other features to meet standards under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

- West Park will have one travel lane in each direction, a center lane for turning left and parking lanes and bike lanes on each side of the street.

- Pavement markings on Excelsior from Platinum to Galena will be changed to remove parking along the west side but have dedicated parking on the east side.

- Overhead lighting along West Park will be replaced with a new layout and LED lighting.

- Existing traffic signals on Park at the intersections with Washington and Idaho streets will be removed, as will one at Excelsior and Platinum. Casey said traffic counts and analyses showed they are not needed.

- The signal at Park and Excelsior will be replaced with one that meets Americans with Disabilities Act standards. That usually means buttons to push for pedestrian crossings can be reached by those in wheelchairs, Casey said.

- Spot replacement of concrete sidewalks and upgrades to all existing traffic signage also is included.

Besides the public meeting next week, opinions, comments or concerns can be submitted in writing by mail to Jeff Ebert, Butte District Administrator, at MDTs district office at P.O. Box 3068, Butte, MT 59702-3068 or online at www.mdt.mt.gov/mdt/comment_form.shtml.
Please encourage your legislator to support a mail ballot election (Senate Bill 305) to replace Congressman Zinke.

The 2016 Federal General Election cycle was an intensive process for both voters and election offices. After two and a half years of social media, news and campaign ads, voters were ready to cast their ballot on November 8.

The November 8 Federal General Election was unprecedented in many ways: historic turnout, the sudden death of a statewide candidate, late reporting times due to multiple page ballots, and now the appointment of elected Representative Zinke for Department of Interior. Election Administrators worked diligently and endlessly to provide voters of the state of Montana a successful election.

While we overcame the challenges presented to us, it came at a cost. Historically, Montanas federal general elections cost $2 million. For the November 8 Federal General, the costs exceeded $3 million; a new record. Not only was the increase due to the historic turnout of the election (increased personnel and materials), but the tragic and untimely death of candidate required every county to reprint ballots at a cost of $500,000. Because state law requires a voter to receive a corrected ballot every county had to have their ballots reprinted.

Where does this money come from? Many voters and taxpayers do not realize that elections are funded at the county level. Election offices do not receive any revenue from federal or state government. Local taxpayers pick up the bill. In an effort to minimize costs for the upcoming special election for Ryan Zinkes House of Representative seat, Election Administrators across the state see holding a mail ballot election as a solution. Mail ballot elections are safe, secure, cost effective, and work just as an absentee ballot would. The mail ballot bill still provides local governing bodies the option of conducting the election by mail or by polling place. This bill is for this election only and would not apply to any other federal elections.

If you have any concerns regarding a mail ballot election, please contact your local Election Administrator. They can walk you through security and accessibility procedures in place to ensure a mail ballot election is successful. Election Administrators juggle many elements, such as integrity of the process, accessibility, and even fiscal responsibility. For the instance of this rare special election for one race, the Association of Clerk & Recorders and Election Administrators urge voters to contact their legislators to pass a mail ballot bill. To locate your legislator, please visit www.leg.mt.gov. To read the proposed Senate Bill 305, go to http://leg.mt.gov/bills/2017/
Children with disabilities often learn at a slower pace than their nondisabled classmates. However, Montana law doesnt take this longer learning curve into account when distributing school funding. Usually, they must leave school at 19, ready or not.

Montana is the only state that stops funding students when they turn 19, regardless of why they need to continue their public education. Forty-eight states pay to educate disabled students till their 22nd birthday; one state pays till age 20.

Rep. Kathy Kelker, D-Billings, a former school trustee and special education instructor at Montana State University Billings, has proposed to right a longstanding wrong by starting to count severely disabled students in the state funding formula till they graduate or turn 22.

The more students with disabilities learn in school, the less help they will need as adults, Kelker said at the House Education Committee hearing on House Bill 274.

Parents and teachers from Bozeman told of a local vo-tech program that has helped students with severe disabilities get jobs in the community. Parents of children with Down syndrome and autism appealed to lawmakers for the extra time their kids need to master skills that are harder than average for them.

Shelly Dowdle, the mother of two boys with disabilities, said she is praying that my youngest son doesnt lose ground like his older brother who graduated and had to wait years for services while losing ground.

Despite having medical issues and a developmental disability, her oldest son had to graduate at 19. He then waited five years for vocational rehab.

House Bill 274 was endorsed by Parents, Lets Unite for Kids; the School Administrators of Montana, Disability Rights Montana and the Montana School Boards Association. HB274 wouldnt keep most special ed students in school past their 19th birthdays  only those with a significant disability who havent graduated, who are likely to need developmental disability services as adults and have an individual education plan with goals for living and working in the community.

Montana needs to make the changes proposed in HB274, for the sake of children with disabilities and for the sake of taxpayers who will pay more for their care if they cant complete their education.

On Friday, the House Education Committee tabled HB274. Three other bills Kelker introduced to provide more adequate funding for special needs children, including one for gifted children, all have been tabled.

Montana needs HB274 to do right by its young citizens with disabilities. The Legislature must fund severely disabled students education through age 21.

Montana needs a system to adequately fund special education. House Resolution 1 would study funding alternatives and make recommendations to the 2019 Legislature. Requested by the School Funding Commission that met over the past two years and sponsored by Kelker, HR1 received unanimous support in House and Senate Education Committees and passed both chambers. The study would cover needs of children with disabilities, at-risk students, students with limited English proficiency, and gifted and talented children.

Students and families deserve action now, but a study is probably all they will get this session.

-- The Billings Gazette
MUSCATINE, Iowa  A Muscatine man has been arrested after allegedly firing two rounds from a .22 caliber handgun, one of which struck a home on Washington Street on Feb. 13.

Marco Martinez, 18, has been charged with reckless use of a firearm, an aggravated misdemeanor and second-degree criminal mischief, a class D felony, according to the criminal complaint.

Martinez allegedly shot the two rounds around 11:40 a.m. Monday, Feb. 13, and one round entered the home in the 1400 block of Washington Street.

According to the complaint, the bullet went through a window and entered a leather recliner, where it was recovered. It caused more than $1,001 but less than $10,000 damage.

Two spent .22 caliber casings were allegedly found at the house across the street, the complaint said.

Martinez faces other charges as well. According to court documents, Martinez was the passenger in a vehicle pulled over during a traffic stop Feb. 16, during which police found 2.8 grams of marijuana and the AR-15 rifle in the vehicle.

The rifle had been reported stolen Feb. 13.

From that incident, Martinez also faces one count of second-degree theft, a class D felony; trafficking in stolen weapons, first offense, a class D felony; and possession of a controlled substance, first offense, a serious misdemeanor.

A preliminary hearing was set for 9 a.m. March 6, in Muscatine County District Court.

Martinez already faced pending charges of third-degree burglary, a class D felony, and fourth-degree theft, a serious misdemeanor, in connection with a break-in at Pearl City Tobacco and Liquor in November 2016, where merchandise valued at $207.92 was taken.
MUSCATINE, Iowa  Last year, Jeff Benton did something he never thought hed do: He started his own business.

It began when he came across a Facebook post about etched glasses and thought, I could do that.

But Benton needed to know more before he committed, so he joined a Facebook group for glass etchers and started asking questions. What equipment would he need? What techniques would he use? Little by little, he got the equipment he needed, and he was ready for his first project.

So he embarked on his first project, an etched mirror of an eagle, which he made for himself.

I made one just for my purpose only, for fun, he said So I took it down to the We Can Frame It shop to get a frame for it and (the owner) wanted me to do one for him.

Flynn Collier, the shop's owner, said he helped Benton find the right frame that would showcase the mirror.

After I saw the end result, I thought it was cool, I want one with my logo on it in my store, Collier said.

Benton made the logo and Collier put it on display in the store. Customers, Collier said, would ask about the logo, and how to get a design of their own and Collier referred them to Benton.

Its not something that you see anywhere else, Collier said. I really like diversity in the store when it comes to the artists. I want people to have a real choice.

The orders started flowing in: etched shot glasses for a wedding, a large mirror with a logo for a trucking company, smaller etchings to commemorate loved ones. Once a month, Benton shows his pieces at local flea markets. He estimates hes made about 100 pieces so far, and orders continue to flow in.

Each piece, Benton said, starts its life as a computer file. Benton designs a vinyl decal, which he prints using a special printer. He transfers the decal to the back of a blank mirror and using a sand blastera chamber with a gun that shoots fine sand he etches the design onto the glass. Depending on what his clients want, he can add an analog or digital clock to the piece, a frame and some lighting.

I just like the way it looks, and not a lot of people do it here in Muscatine, Benton said.

Benton, who works full-time at Bakery Feeds, works on his pieces on weekends. But he has a bigger dream.

I want to actually do it full-time. I want to open my own shop downtown, he said.

In the meantime, Benton will continue to sell his pieces in local flea markets and through word-of-mouth advertising.
MUSCATINE, Iowa The Old Barn has a 30-day reprieve.

A standing-room only crowd turned out to Monday's Muscatine County Board of Supervisors meeting to defend the Old Barn and cottage near Discovery Park, which the county is considering tearing down.

A bid for the demolition of the buildings was on the agenda, but the board agreed to give the Friends of the Old Barn, the group that has worked to restore and protect the historic building, 30 days to develop alternative plans.

Jeff Sorensen, chairman of the Muscatine County Board of Supervisors, said the problem is that the former Department of Human Services Building, 3210 Harmony Lane, will be demolished, and after it is gone, there will no longer be water, sewer or electricity access for the cottage, which serves as a restroom facility for the barn.

"So we have a bit of a mess out there and the board is trying to work through how we move forward," Sorensen said.

The sewer lift station near the former DHS building also needs to be removed, Sorensen said, which means the cottage would need a lift station or pump to connect to the city sewer system, Eric Furnas, the planning and zoning administrator for Muscatine County, had advised.

"If there's city sewer within so many hundred feet to the frontage of the property city code requires we hook onto the sanitary system," Furnas said.

As residents whispered quietly to each other, John Haskins, the president of the Friends of the Old Barn, asked for a "fair shot" to find an alternative to the barn's demolition.

"There are alternate plans and possibilities that can be done on that project without destroying the barn, the cottage and all the rest of that infrastructure," he said.

Some suggestions were discussed, and were either met with nods, cheers or snorts of derision from residents in attendance.

One challenge for the board, Sorensen said, is demolition of the barn and cottage would be an unbudgeted expense, and would be cheaper if it could be done while contractor Valley Construction is demolishing the DHS building.

"During these discussions would you keep in mind that maybe if you work with the Friends of the Barn, and historical preservation, and we all work together, we maybe can come up with a way for it to not come out of your budget," Haskins said.

Supervisor Matt Bonebrake said he was concerned the Friends of the Old Barn has not raised enough money, or done enough to care for the building. Several residents assured him they had.

Friends of the Old Barn Secretary/Treasurer Paul Carroll said the group could repeat a presentation outlining what they have done, adding he hopes the Muscatine community and businesses will support whatever project moves forward.

"We've always been able to meet our needs by going to the community," Carroll said.

Carroll pledged to bring other possibilities to the board within the next 30 days.

The board voted to table the demolition of the Old Barn, cottage and the lift station.

They approved extending a water line to the Muscatine Environmental Learning Center on Harmony Lane, because old systems could not be used to circumvent the building.

"You can't start knocking down a building that's got live water lines without at least isolation," Furnas said.

The Muscatine County Conservation Board has a shop near the Old Barn, which will be without power after the demolition, but Director Curt Weiss said water was a more pressing issue than power.
Team Oxygen Gym Introduction | by Bader Boodai

Written by Bader Boodai

21 February 2017

Team Oxygen Gym Introduction

Hello MD readers! Many of you have heard about Oxygen Gym by now, and you might know me as the owner of the four locations in Kuwait, with a fifth one opening up very soon. Oxygen Gym has quickly earned a reputation as one of the very best bodybuilding gyms in the world, so please allow me to tell you how it all started.

The best known location is our gym in Jabriya, which opened in 2004. From the start, I wanted it to have absolutely everything anyone could ever want or need to reach all their physical fitness and physique goals. I handpicked the very best equipment, selecting pieces from many different manufacturers. Also, I did not limit the selection to new equipment. As any serious trainer knows, some of the best pieces were made two or more decades ago. These were all refurbished and made good as new.

But I wanted to do even more for my members. I had visited Golds Gym in Venice Beach, and one thing I always found tremendously motivating was to be able to train side by side with some of the best pro bodybuilders in the world. So in 2006, I brought 8-Time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman over to train at Oxygen Gym. I had the idea that instead of just having the pro do an appearance or a seminar, why not invite them to stay and train for anywhere from a week to a month, with all expenses paid? I began bringing top athletes over to do just that, and soon we had stars like Dennis James, Dennis Wolf, Branch Warren, Melvin Anthony, Hide Yamagishi, Toney Freeman, Troy Alves, and Johnnie Jackson coming over to stay and prepare for contests. Later on, Phil Heath and Kai Greene also made the journey out to Kuwait. The members loved having the Pros around to inspire them, and the Pros enjoyed being able to focus 100% on bodybuilding.

Just this year, we have had a truly amazing group of Pros training at Oxygen Gym. New Pro Nathan DeAsha actually spends more time here than he does back home in the UK now, and Roelly Winklaar has been out for two different stays of six weeks each. Jonathan Delarosa was with us for six weeks, and after three weeks at Oxygen, Victor Martinez won his first contest in two years.

Of course, our most famous member is Mamdouh Elssbiay, better known as Big Ramy. He had come from his native Egypt to be a fisherman in Kuwait, but he also was very interested in training. Ramy started working at the Jabriya location in 2010 as a trainer. I didnt even meet him until late 2011, when he was just 200 pounds. Even at that size, his potential was very obvious. He was also making truly incredible progress. The next year, he won the amateur Mr. Olympia, and six months later, won his IFBB debut at the 2013 New York Pro. Its been a privilege to watch him working so hard and improving all the time. Now he is one of the top favorites to win the Mr. Olympia contest!

Next month, more about Oxygen Gym and some of the top champions who train here.

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Les blattes ou cafards (Blatta orientalis) sont des insectes qui appartiennent a la famille des Blattoptera. Ils se caracterisent par leur forme allongee, leurs ailes []
A 13-Year-Old Standard Six pupil who was attacked by a buffalo in Lamu County has died due to a lack of medical attention in public hospitals as a result of the ongoing doctors strike.

Hassan Muzamil Ali, who was a pupil at Vipingoni Primary School in Lamu County was attacked by the wild animal while returning from school on Tuesday last week.

He succumbed to the injuries on Sunday due to lack of treatment.

His father, Abdulrahman Ali, unsuccessfully sought X-ray services from two counties while his sons health deteriorated as there was no doctor to attend to him.

We rushed my son to Mpeketoni Sub-County Hospital. However, we were referred to Malindi Sub-District Hospital for an X-ray to ascertain the extent of the injuries.

On reaching the hospital, we were told it was full so we had to come to Mombasa for the X-ray.
Jackline Mwende, the 28-year-old lady from Machakos County whose hands were last year chopped off by her husband has received a new house and a minisupermarket.

Ms Mwendes turn of events after the horrific ordeal started last year after she was fitted with prosthetic hands in South Korea.

Read: Jackline Mwende Gets New Sh10 Million Prosthetic Hands in South Korea (PHOTOS)

Over the weekend, Ms Mwende had more reasons to smile after she received keys to a four-room house at Kathama village and a stocked shopping unit in Masii town to cater for her upkeep.

Taita-Taveta Women Representative Joyce Lay handed over the house.

The house, installed with solar power and a water tank, was built on her fathers farm by German organization, Merck More Than a Mother.

Ms Mwende thanked the organization for their compassionate help and urged them to continue their service to humanity.

I am very happy for your help. Now I will be able to at least support myself financially, said Ms Mwende.

Her father Mr Samuel Munywoki said on Monday that the county government had employed a helper for Ms Mwende at a cost of Sh10,000 per month.

The County government has also promised a monthly stipend of Sh30,000 which is yet to be honored.

Ms Mwendes husband Stephen Ngila was released on a bond of Sh200,000 and is facing charges of attempted murder.

The case will continue on February 27.
Cord leader Raila Odingas daughter Rosemary Odinga has reportedly been moved back to Aga Khan hospital from the Nairobi hospital.

The Kibra MP aspirant had been admitted at Agha Khan Hospital on Friday with a headache and later moved to Nairobi Hospital on Sunday.

According to a source within the hospital, Rosemary had been in the hospitals Intensive Care Unit before she was moved yesterday morning.

A doctor at the Aga Khan hospital told The Star that Rosemary has meningioma, a brain tumor that is usually harmless but which applies pressure to the brain.

The tumor is not life-threatening.

The Star reports that Rosemary, who is Railas second born, is being examined by two surgeons who will decide if she should undergo surgery.

Other sources close to Rosemary said her hospital records were untraceable and that only family members were allowed to visit.
PORTLAND, Maine  A disagreement over the right to fish for scallops off New England is pitting small boats against big ones in one of the most lucrative fisheries in the U.S.

The federal government maintains different rules for the small- and big-boat scallop fisheries, though they work some of the same areas. Small boat fishermen say the conflict has arisen in the northern Gulf of Maine, a critically important fishing area stretching roughly from Boston to the border of Maine and Canada.

At issue is the fact that the northern Gulf of Maine is fertile ground for scallops right now, and rules allow the bigger boats to harvest more of them. The smaller boats have a possession limit of 200 pounds, while the largest boats have no such limit, because they are regulated instead by a limited number of days at sea.

Smaller boat fishermen said the bigger boats have been gobbling up the scallops in one of the most important areas where they fish.

Without changes, the current arrangement could wipe out a resource that would sustain a small boat fishery for years and years and years, said Kristan Porter, a small-boat fisherman in the area who sits on a federal scallop advisory panel.

Federal regulators have identified solving the problem as a key goal in the U.S. sea scallop fishery, which has been worth more than $400 million every year since 2010. Scallops are also one of the priciest kinds of seafood that is familiar to many consumers, who often pay more than $20 per pound for them.

Mary Beth Tooley, the chair of a federal scallop committee, also works in government affairs for OHara Corp., a major player in the big-boat fishery. The big and small boats can coexist, she said, and regulators will work to make it happen.

Theres a perspective that this is a battle  we need to go to war with these big boats, she said, adding, I dont think thats necessary.

The scuffle has attracted the attention of Conservation Law Foundation, an environmental advocacy group based in New England. The group is advocating for the playing field to be leveled for both groups of boats, said Peter Shelley, an attorney with the foundation.

Its an inequity that could be corrected very easily and no one wants to do it, Shelley said. I just find that to be offensive with a public resource.

The U.S. scallop fisherys most important state is Massachusetts, with New Bedford serving as the home base. Theyre also brought to shore in other states from Maine to Virginia, with the second-largest amount of shellfish coming ashore in New Jersey.
PALM BEACH, Fla.  President Donald Trump has tapped Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, a prominent military strategist known as a creative thinker, as his new national security adviser, replacing the ousted Michael Flynn.

Trump announced the pick Monday at his Palm Beach, Florida, club and said McMaster is "a man of tremendous talent and tremendous experience."

The president's choice further elevated the influence of military officers in the new administration. Trump, who has no military or foreign policy experience, has shown a strong preference for putting generals in top roles. In this case, he tapped an active-duty officer for a post that's sometimes used as a counterweight to the Pentagon. McMaster, who wore his uniform for the announcement , joins Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, both retired generals, in Trump's inner circle of national security advisers. , The White House said Monday McMaster plans to remain on active military duty.

He will take on the challenge of leading a National Security Council that has not adjusted smoothly to Trump's leadership. The president suggested he does not trust holdovers from the Obama administration and complained about leaks to reporters. His decision to put his top political adviser on the senior committee of the National Security Council drew sharp criticism. On Friday, the head of the council's Western Hemisphere division was fired after he criticized Trump's policies and his inner circle of advisers.

Trump said Monday that retired Army Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, who had been his acting adviser, will now serve as the National Security Council chief of staff. He also said he would be asking John Bolton, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, to work with them in a "somewhat different capacity."

McMaster is viewed as soldier-scholar and creative thinker. He has a doctoral degree in history from the University of North Carolina and has been heavily involved in the Army's efforts to shape its future force and its way of preparing for war. He is currently the director of the Army Capabilities Integration Center, a sort of military think tank, at Fort Eustis, Virginia.

Outside of the Army, he may be best known for his 1997 book, "Dereliction of Duty," a searing indictment of the U.S. government's mishandling of the Vietnam War and an analysis of what he called the "lies that led to Vietnam." The book earned him a reputation for being willing to speak truth to power.

McMaster commanded troops in both American wars in Iraq  in 1991, when he fought in a storied tank battle known as the Battle for 73 Easting, and again in 2005-2006 in one of the most violent periods of the insurgency that developed after the U.S.-led invasion in 2003. He is credited with using innovative approaches to countering the insurgency in the northern Iraqi city of Tal Afar when he commanded the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment. He later served as a special adviser to the top U.S. commander in Iraq.

McMaster was Trump's second choice to replace Flynn, who has been under FBI investigation for his contacts with Russian officials. Trump dismissed Flynn last week after revelations that the adviser had misled Vice President Mike Pence about the nature of his discussion with Russia's ambassador to the U.S. during the presidential transition. Trump said in a news conference Thursday that he was disappointed by how Flynn had treated Pence, but did not believe Flynn had done anything wrong by having the conversations.

Trump's first choice to replace Flynn, retired Vice Adm. Robert Harward, turned down the offer.

Trump announced his choice sitting between McMaster and Kellogg in a luxurious living room at the resort property. The president told reporters that Vice President Mike Pence had been involved in the process, but he did not elaborate.

Trump brought four candidates for the position to Mar-a-Lago over the weekend for in-person interviews, McMaster among them. McMaster called the appointment a "privilege."

It was not clear how closely McMaster's and Trump's views align. On Russia, McMaster appears to hold a much dimmer view than Trump of Moscow's military and political objectives in Europe.

In remarks at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in May 2016, McMaster said Russia managed to annex Crimea and intervene militarily in eastern Ukraine "at zero cost" from the international community.

McMaster said Moscow's broader goal is to "collapse the post-Cold War security, economic and political order in Europe and replace that order with something that is more sympathetic to Russian interests."

In his current role, McMaster has been studying the way Russia developed and executed its campaigns in Crimea and Ukraine, where it used what some call "hybrid warfare"  part political, part disinformation, part military.

Sen. John McCain, an increasingly vocal Trump critic, called McMaster an "outstanding" choice.

"He is a man of genuine intellect, character, and ability. He knows how to succeed," he said in a statement. "I give President Trump great credit for this decision, as well as his national security cabinet choices."

The position of national security adviser does not require Senate confirmation.
The majority of Americans have no clear idea what "sell by" labels are trying to tell them. But after 40 years of letting us guess, the grocery industry has made moves to clear up the confusion.

On Wednesday, the Food Marketing Institute and the Grocery Manufacturers Association, the two largest trade groups for the grocery industry, announced that they've adopted standardized, voluntary regulations to clear up what product date labels mean. Where manufacturers now use any of 10 separate label phrases, ranging from "expires on" to "better if used by," they'll now be encouraged to use only two: "Use By" and "Best if Used By."

The former is a safety designation, meant to indicate when perishable foods are no longer good. "Best if Used By" is a quality descriptor -- a subjective guess of when the manufacturer thinks the product should be consumed for peak flavor.

That's what most "use-by" dates indicate now, though studies have shown that many consumers believe they signal whether a product is okay to eat. In fact, it's totally fine to eat a product even well after its so-called expiration date.

These dates typically indicate one of two things: a message from the manufacturer to the grocery store, telling the store when the product will look best on shelves, or a subjective measure -- often little more than a guess -- of when consumers will most "enjoy" the product. Methods for setting those dates have been left to manufacturers, rather like the phrasing of the labels themselves. But when consumers see a date labeled "use by" (or, even worse, not labeled at all) they often tend to assume that it's a food-safety claim, regulated by some objective standard.

Both the Department of Agriculture and a coalition of environmental groups have been urging the industry to clear this up. In addition to costing average Americans, in the form of prematurely tossed groceries, the waste represents a significant use of landfill space and source of greenhouse gas emissions.

"I think it's huge. It's just an enormous step," said Emily Broad-Leib, the director of Harvard's Food Law and Policy Clinic. "It's still a first step -- but it's very significant."

Advocates and environmentalists have been warning for years that many people interpret date labels as a sign that food is no longer good to eat. As a result, one industry survey found, 91 percent of consumers have mistakenly thrown away past-date food, when the label only signals the manufacturer's guess at its peak quality.

Shoppers shouldn't expect to see the new labels the next time they buy groceries; the change won't be immediate. While FMI and GMA are urging manufacturers and retailers to make it now, they have until July 2018. Even then, the standards are voluntary, so there's no guarantee that they'll be adopted by every single company.

Some states also have labeling regulations that preempt the industry standards. In Montana, for instance, milk must come with a "sell by" label. That means milk in the state will still say "sell by," even if every other product gets the new labels.

Still, a number of major manufacturers have already signaled their enthusiasm, including Walmart, the largest seller of American groceries. And both FMI and GMA are expecting to see widespread adoption, in part because the standards were written by a working group comprised of representatives from large food companies.

The voluntary standards are also a way to influence, or preempt, pending federal regulation; there has been growing interest in a federal standard for label dates, which would both align the contradictory patchwork of state rules and guarantee corporate compliance. Last May, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) introduced legislation that would standardize both date labels and food donation laws. They're expected to reintroduce the bill in the coming weeks. In mid-December, the USDA also published non-binding guidance that encouraged manufacturers to switch to the "Best if Used By" phrasing.

This all delights Broad-Leib, who made similar policy recommendations in a 2013 report with the Natural Resources Defense Council. According to NRDC, Americans throw $218 billion worth of food away each year. The anti-food-waste coalition ReFED estimates that 398,000 tons, or $1.8 billion, could be saved through standardized date labels.

Of course, that is just a drop in the waste bucket: To make a real dent in America's food waste problem, Broad-Leib said, more will have to be done. The Food Law and Policy Clinic is arguing for several federal interventions, including policy changes that make it easier for companies and farms to donate food and incentives to encourage them to do so. (Some of this appears in the Food Donation Act of 2017, which Rep. Marcia Fudge, D-Ohio, introduced a week ago.)

Broad-Leib would also like to see the Department of Agriculture designate more funds for local composting and anaerobic facilities, as well as education campaigns for consumers. NRDC and the Ad Council are currently running one such campaign, called "Save the Food."

After all, Broad-Leib points out, if Americans don't understand food waste the new labels won't help. And ultimately, neither will anything else.
Applications for Leadership Napa Valley Class 31 are now being accepted.

The program offers aspiring leaders in Napa Valley an opportunity to develop leadership skills, be exposed to a broad range of community programs and issues, network with other leaders, and have fun.

Class 31 will meet a total of 14 days from September to June 2018 to learn about tourism, agriculture, criminal justice, business, government, human services, education, the arts and more.

To learn more about the program, attend one of the following informational get-togethers:

-- Napa  March 22, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Bank Cafe, Westin Hotel, 1314 McKinstry St.

-- St. Helena  March 29, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Napa Valley Vintners, 1475 Library Lane.

Applications and more information on the program are available at LeadershipNapaValley.com. Applications for Class 31 are due by April 30.
RUTHERFORD  A viable solution to the countys traffic congestion on Highway 29 remains elusive following a winerys recent attempt to launch a commuter shuttle for its employees.

Cakebread Cellars ended its shuttle service for employees on Feb. 3 following a two-week trial run. The program encountered what has become a familiar pitfall  too few riders  for like-minded initiatives throughout the county in recent months.

We had an all-employee meeting that same day and actually said, Its ending because we dont have enough ridership to support the cost, said Cakebread Cellars Human Resources Manager Nicole Cummings.

Having solely funded the program for the two weeks of the trial run at a cost of $440 per day, the winery had sought to gauge its employees long-term interest in the program by initially offering the service for free. Partnering with Napa Valley Tours & Transportation, the shuttle ran twice daily from two locations in Napa and was available to employees hailing from the southern end of the county where the bulk of the winerys workforce lives, Cummings said.

Available to a pool of more than 50 Cakebread employees, the shuttle was also offered to employees of neighboring wineries. By the end of the two-week test run, a total of 15 employees, all from Cakebread, had ridden at least once.

And really thats all I wanted was, Come try it, ride it once, tell us what you think. Would you do this? Cummings said.

The projects suspension mirrors the outcome of the Employee Shuttle Program in Calistoga, which ended six months prior. That initiative, which ferried employees between Santa Rosa and Calistoga, folded in early August after two months of operation, with only a handful of riders having made use of the shuttle. Initially offered at a cost of $7.50 per trip to riders, the Calistoga program ultimately was offered for free, but that did little to boost ridership.

In designing Cakebreads program, Cummings said the goal was to eventually offer the shuttle for roughly $3 a day, but noted that for that price to be sustainable, a ridership of at least 50 was needed.

Early discussions of establishing a shuttle program began in September 2015 between Cakebread and neighboring wineries St. Supery and Opus One.

All three CEOs tasked us with the concept of the Google bus idea, explained Annie Waterson, human resources director at St. Supery, in a phone interview. Surveys were conducted to assess employee interest and around 40 percent of each winerys employees expressed interest in a shuttle, she said.

The surveys also offered some insight as to why employees would not ride a shuttle if it were offered. Among the given reasons, Cummings said, were that employees didnt want to be dependent on somebody else, they want to have their car available to run errands, they go places after work  so its this behavior change that we have to impact.

As the groups research continued for more than a year, eventually St. Supery and Opus One withdrew from the project. The decision, Waterson said, was less influenced by the failure of the shuttle program in Calistoga and was more about the change in the commute time over the eight, 10 months wed been researching.

Also, is it a benefit for our employees? said St. Supery CEO Emma Swain by phone last week. The cost is very high for a very small number of people who actually take it.

In a nutshell, employer cost is high and the employee would have a daily cost in addition to maintaining their own vehicle, Swain said.

Despite the programs suspension, Cummings said she is currently investigating other ways Cakebread might offer commuter services for its employees. Potential alternatives may include vanpooling or the winery owning and operating its own shuttle.

Each option poses considerable drawbacks, however, as the estimated cost of a vanpool would fall between $130-$180 a month, Cummings said, and would ultimately result in a more costly ride for employees. Owning and operating its own shuttle would burden the winery with hefty liability and, Cummings said, the insurance side would be enormous.

Despite the numerous hurdles to a feasible program, Cummings stressed her intent to press on. To me, this isnt just a Cakebread problem or a St. Supery problem. This is an industry problem. I mean Highway 29 is not going to get bigger.

The greater issue of mitigating commuter traffic continues to garner the attention of the countys wine industry and various suggestions have been publicly aired, including recent speculation that the new owners of the Napa Valley Wine Train may consider offering a commuter service.

Swain noted the appeal of collaborating with the county to craft a commuter service geared toward winery employees. In particular, the VINE bus system, with its multiple stops and various running times, would be a worthwhile option to explore, she said.

Wed love a solution, but I think that solution requires more participation with county transit and county employers.

Napa Valley Transportation Authority spokesman Mike Blasky said that while there are no forthcoming plans to partner specifically with wineries, the county is currently seeking ways to improve its express bus service, with the shared interest of keeping more cars off the main highways.

Though a solution has yet to materialize, a number of wineries including St. Supery, neighboring Rutherford winery Nickel & Nickel, and more recently, Castello di Amorosa each currently offer benefits for employees who carpool to work.

But for Cummings, a longer-term solution to employee commutes remains the highest prize. When you talk about recruiting, when you talk about the cost of gas, when you talk about economic challenges our county is facing with its roadways, with its mass transit, we have to do something different. We have to think outside of the box of just paying employees to get in cars and come together.

This is not a problem thats going away. So how do we fix it?
Napa County has identified 42 possible carbon-cutting steps to beat predicted climate-change heat, from seeking commuter rail to reducing agricultural burning.

The draft county climate action plan is available for public review and comment. Its ideas apply to Napas world-famous wine country and other parts of the unincorporated county, with cities coming up with their own strategies.

Climate change is a global problem, but one that must be addressed on a local level through partnerships and individual activities, the draft plan says.

What would Napa County life be like in a decade or two if suggestions from what amounts to a county carbon-cutting recipe book become a reality?

New buildings, be they wineries or homes, would be up to the latest energy-efficient standards. So would major alterations to existing buildings. Most rural customers would not only be using Marin Clean Energy for electricity, they would be choosing the more expensive, 100-percent renewable energy option.

If a water heater at a rural home wore out, the replacement wouldnt be powered by natural gas. Rather, it would use some of that Marin Clean Energy electricity or an alternative energy source, such as solar.

Such steps would address building energy use, the sector identified by the draft plan as the single-biggest generator of greenhouse gases at 31 percent.

Travelers would do their carbon-cutting share. Vehicles on roads and highways are the second-biggest greenhouse gas contributor at an estimated 26 percent.

More visitors to wineries and other destinations would take carpools or shuttles, given more parking spaces would be reserved for such transportation. Employees at wineries and hotels might travel to work on the Napa Commute Rail Special running on the Napa Valley Wine Train tracks.

Fewer local workers would be driving to Napa from other counties. More would be living in new affordable housing in local cities.

Meanwhile, most boaters on Lake Berryessa and the Napa River would use boats powered by alternative fuels.

The countys agricultural industry would do its share, given that it accounts for an estimated 11 percent of the rural countys greenhouse gas emissions.

Farmers would stop burning agricultural waste, such as old vineyards cleared away for replanting. They might haul this debris and other materials to a possible wood-burning energy plant that the county helps build.

Farmers would also use low-polluting tractors and other equipment and pump water with irrigation pumps powered not by gas, but by Marin Clean Energy electricity or solar power. They might have bought this equipment at below-market prices using financial incentives.

Napa County tried to pass a climate action plan in 2012. The wine industry objected, saying the plan singled it out for a disproportional share of the carbon-cutting. The county Board of Supervisors in December 2012 asked for revisions, among them a greater focus on transportation.

Rex Stults of Napa Valley Vintners said Monday that the group supports creating a scientifically based climate action plan for Napa County. Napa Valley Vintners has more than 500 members.

We didnt think the last one was up to par, Stults said. It wasnt that we didnt want a climate action plan.

Napa Valley Vintners is working on comments to submit to the county on the latest proposed plan, he said.

Napa Sierra Club has also been tracking the evolution of the proposed climate action plan.

We are very glad the city is moving ahead with a climate action plan and that one of the measures talks about the county working with the municipalities of the county to create an overall plan, said Christina Benz of the group. That will be really important for the ultimate effectiveness of the plan.

But the countys draft plan doesnt address black carbon, methane and hydrofluorocarbons, all of which are coming under state and regional air board attention, Benz said. The Sierra Club fears the county might miss out on getting state money to reduce these types of emissions.

The proposed plan gives little credence to climate change skeptics. Rather, it cites a scientific consensus that humans must cut greenhouse gas emissions significantly by mid-century to stave off the most catastrophic effects of climate change.

For Napa County, catastrophic includes threats to its wine industry in coming decades. The county has 475 wineries, the plan says.

Increasing temperatures and changes in precipitation and soil moisture could impact the growing of wine grapes by causing late or irregular blooming and affecting yields, the plan says.

Napa usually has no more than two heat waves annually of at least five days with temperatures 92 degrees and hotter, the plan says. That could increase to three-to-five heat waves annually by mid-century and as many as 16 annually by centurys end.

Fire and water could both be threat. The plan envisions more wildfires and a sea level rise that by centurys end could increase the acreage at risk from storm-driven flooding from 36 acres to 13,000 acres, including parts of downtown Napa.

In 2014, unincorporated Napa County emitted an estimated 484,283 metric tons of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Thats the equivalent to combusting 54.5 billion gallons of gasoline, according to the plan.

Based on state targets, the county could decide to cut 2 percent by 2020, 40 percent by 2030 and 77 percent by 2050.

State and federal legislation, combined with the countys recent switch to Marin Clean Energy as the default rural electricity provider, should allow the county to make that 2020 goal and then some. These steps should also provide a 28-percent boost toward the 2030 goal, the draft study predicts.

Beyond that, the draft plan suggests those 42 possible local steps.

People can submit written comments on the draft plan to the county through Friday. They can also comment on the plan when it goes before the county Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors at dates yet to be announced.

Go to www.countyofnapa.org/CAP to see a copy of the draft plan.
If federal immigration authorities want to deport somebody, they wont get any help from Howell Mountain Elementary School.

The board of the K-8 Howell Mountain Elementary School District in Angwin approved a resolution Feb. 8 declaring itself a safe haven that will not cooperate with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Its a largely symbolic gesture, since ICE in 2011 adopted a policy of not conducting enforcement actions at sensitive locations such as schools and churches.

It doesnt significantly change anything that we do, said Howell Mountain Superintendent Cindy Toews, who was previously assistant superintendent of the St. Helena Unified School District. It maintains the confidentiality that were required to maintain. It maintains past policy practices of the federal government.  It basically says that schools are safe havens for all of our children.

As they always have been, added Board President Stephanie Parry. This reaffirms that commitment.

Parry said she hasnt heard of any public opposition to the resolution yet. Nobody spoke against it at the Feb. 8 board meeting, and trustees approved it 4-0.

Toews said she was working in a Central Valley school district in the 1990s, when immigration authorities were stopping school buses, which resulted in a public outcry and an informal understanding that immigration authorities would not get involved in the schools.

Toews said she doesnt expect that to change. However, last years presidential election made immigration a hot topic again, including among kids at Howell Mountain. About 45 percent of the schools 87 students are Latino, although not all of them are immigrants.

Amongst some of the kids, after the election, there were things said, Toews said.

Parry described comments along the lines of Donald Trump is sending all the Mexicans back.

We kept saying, Not here. This school is safe for kids, Toews said. Kids dont always understand, and sometimes they just say mean things to each other.

Parry said she works with community organizations around the Napa Valley, including on school campuses.

Overall you feel this very palpable fear, she said. Some of it is justified and some of it is just fear of the unknown. But that makes it really hard for kids to learn and focus on their studies.

The resolution came at the suggestion of Tom Torlakson, state superintendent of public instruction, who in December urged California school districts to declare themselves safe havens. Howell Mountain is the first district in the Napa Valley to do so, although the Calistoga Joint Unified School District board discussed the matter on Feb. 6 and could adopt a resolution similar to Howell Mountains on March 6.

There has been talk about the federal government taking action against states and cities that declare sanctuary status. But because of ICEs policy of not interfering in schools, the safe haven policy wont endanger the small amount of federal funding Howell Mountain Elementary School receives, Toews and Parry said.
After 45 years, Howell Mountains Summit Lake Vineyards owner Bob Brakesman is passing the torch to the next generation, as his son Brian takes over as winemaker. With more than 20 years of diverse winemaking experience, Brian Brakesman takes the helm, allowing his father more time to focus on vineyard management and future growth of the property.

I consider myself extremely fortunate to be working on such an amazing piece of property that my family has been farming for over 45 years, said Brian Brakesman. We as a family and a business are excited to have this opportunity to grow and continuously strive to make better and better wines, year after year.

Brakesman studied Agricultural Engineering at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, where he discovered his passion and aptitude for winemaking. After furthering his education and training abroad, he returned home to the Napa Valley, where he worked alongside acclaimed consulting winemaker John Gibson, then as the assistant winemaker at Duckhorn Wine Companys Paraduxx Winery and finally as head winemaker at Ledson Winery in Sonoma.

Now back at home at Summit Lake Vineyards, Brakesman has come full circle. His first steps are to focus on improving the quality of the wines by phasing out older equipment and preparing for future growth, so that the winery can eventually be passed down to the third generation. He also plans to plant new grape varietals in order to diversify their experimentation with blending, including cabernet franc, petite verdot and barbera.

Additionally, he will be making wines at Summit Lake Vineyards for a new family project, Red Thread Wines, which he started with his wife Gretchen Brakesman along with their consulting company, Red Thread Wine Company. All Red Thread wines are estate made from the familys Howell Mountain property and will also be available for tastings at Summit Lake Vineyards.

Red Threads first release was the 2014 Red Blend, and later this year, they will release the 2015 vintage and also a white zinfandel, made from 100 percent zinfandel grapes in order to embody a true rose.

On May 6, the family will host a Red Thread release party and crawfish boil. Tickets can be purchased at redthreadwinewines.com/wines.
NATO Secretary General, Mr. Jens Stoltenberg will meet with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the United Arab Emirates, H.H. Sheikh Abdulla bin Zayed al Nahyan, at NATO Headquarters on Wednesday, 22 February 2017.

There will be no media opportunity.

Still imagery of the meeting will be available after the event on the NATO website.

Follow us on Twitter (@NATOPress and @jensstoltenberg)
(Natural News) It seems that Barack Obama is no longer officially president, but he is the mastermind behind a large, well-funded effort to operate a shadow government whose primary goals are a) undermining President Donald Trump, and b) preserving Obamas awful, job-killing, freedom-smothering Alt-Left agenda.

There are many fronts in this war to delegitimize Trump, and that includes battles to silence the alternative media networks and outlets that have consistently come to the presidents defense with truthful, honest reporting that the discredited establishment media is incapable of. (RELATED: Sleeper Cell Obama Running Shadow Government Op To Discredit Natural News And Other Pro-Trump Independent Media)

And these battles will begin with several organizations that were part of that Obama legacy, built over the final years he spent in office, with the singular goal of ensuring Trump fails and his Marxist far-Left agenda survives and moves forward.

As The National Sentinel reported last week, the operation was exposed by Hoover Institute media fellow, author and investigative journalist Paul Sperry, who said Obama has issued orders to his troops to swing into action:

When former President Barack Obama said he was heartened by anti-Trump protests, he was sending a message of approval to his troops. Troops? Yes, Obama has an army of agitators  numbering more than 30,000  who will fight his Republican successor at every turn of his historic presidency. And Obama will command them from a bunker less than two miles from the White House.

Sperry, writing in the New York Post, said that Obama was working to establish what will essentially be a shadow government to ensure that Trumps American First agenda is thwarted (and this guy was an American president?).

Hes doing it through a network of leftist nonprofits led by Organizing for Action. Normally youd expect an organization set up to support a politician and his agenda to close up shop after that candidate leaves office, but not Obamas OFA. Rather, its gearing up for battle, with a growing war chest and more than 250 offices across the country.

One of these groups is Media Matters, an out-there far-Left media watchdog organization run by David Brock that is gearing up to spend millions to wage war on the truth, the American people who believe in Trump and support him, and the system of government that has held our country together for more than two centuries.

Revealed in this confidential memo, Media Matters master plan is called, Democracy Matters, Strategic Plan for Action, and it involves:

 Attack the alternative media (including Natural News founder/editor Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, who was threatened with reputation destruction just last week) in a relentless attempt to discredit us as right-wing propagandists

 Specifically, the Alt-Left group pledges to weaponize our research products to understand and take action against the changing media ecosystem and the extremists seeking to manipulate it. Key alt-right figures will lose credibility and influence in response to our research and pressure

 Use social media to assault conservative voices and reputations while defending and promoting big government, authoritarianism pushed by the Democratic Party

In order to pull this off, Media Matters has assembled a budget of $13.4 million to hire 34 people to research Trump supporters in the media and elsewhere and attack them. (RELATED: Trump Calls Out Press For Sabotaging His Efforts To Improve Relations With Russia)

Liberty-minded independent media are already well aware of what were up against.

Several intelligence insiders have come forward over the past few days to describe a shadow government of Obama holdovers leaking information to derail the Trump presidency, with National Security Adviser Mike Flynns resignation their first great success, reports Breitbart News.

There are even allegations that former President Barack Obama himself is actively involved, citing his establishment of a command center in Washington and continuing involvement with activist organizations.

Never prone to conspiracy theories, even talk radio giant Rush Limbaugh has begun to discuss the plotting and scheming of the deep state  the embedded federal bureaucracy that is pro-Obama, pro-big government and pro-globalism, but anti-America-first and definitely anti-Trump.

However, discrediting us wont be as easy as Media Matters or the Obama machine think. After all, despite Hillary Clinton winning a majority of votes (thanks solely to the state of California), Trump won the vast majority of the country. Also, most Americans dont trust the mainstream media that Media Matters will have to rely on to get its message out. And using social media is no guarantee of success, either, as conservatives also use it.

Nevertheless, the battle lines have been drawn. Trumps election has brought together what remains of the Alt-Left. They wont give up and theyre not going away. Neither, it seems, is the 44th president.

J.D. Heyes is a senior writer for NaturalNews.com and NewsTarget.com, as well as editor of The National Sentinel.

Sources:

TheNationalSentinel.com

Breitbart.com

Gallup.com

NaturalNews.com
Sunday, February 19, 2017 by: Vicki Batts Tags: Canada , medical marijuana , pesticides This article may contain statements that reflect the opinion of the author

(Natural News) If theres one thing you want to be sure of when youre smoking cannabis for medicinal uses, its that the plant youre using hasnt been treated with chemicals that can make you even sicker. While this concept may seem like an obvious statement, Health Canada has recently admitted that they do not know how widespread the use of banned pesticides is in the medical cannabis growing industry.

Apparently, the regulatory agency has been allowing growers to police themselves when it comes to the use of potentially hazardous chemicals, like myclobutanil.

During a briefing with The Globe And Mail, a senior Health Canada official confessed that the department had not been testing cannabis growers to ensure they were not, in fact, using myclobutanil  which is prohibited and known to create hydrogen cyanide when heated.

Myclobutanil is often used in the cannabis industry to save plants that have become wrought with mold or mildew. Often seen as Eagle 20 or Nova 40 on store shelves, the pesticide is approved for use on some fruits and vegetables. Due to its toxic nature when heated, it is not approved for use on plants that are smoked. In California, it is considered a carcinogen, and other U.S. states like Colorado and Oregon have banned it.

The senior official stated, Up until this point, we have not required licensed producers [LPs] to test for any unauthorized pesticides, nor have we been testing all LPs, and it is because we expect their companies to be pro-actively watching and taking the appropriate measures to ensure non-authorized products arent used.

Can you imagine the effects this laissez-faire attitude would have in other industries? Wed all be green with radiation by now.

Dangerous pesticide found in cannabis

Considering Health Canadas recent admission, it comes as no surprise that in the last few weeks, three of the 38 federally licensed marijuana growing companies have had to recall their products due to the presence of myclobutanil.

Customers battling with cancer and other conditions that lead to compromised immune systems were among those angered by the dangerous find.

In December, The Globe revealed that the presence of myclobutanil was the real reason behind the cannabis recall  something manufacturers and Health Canada alike had neglected to report to the public when it was first announced. Apparently, another banned pesticide was found in Mettrums products initially, and it prompted further investigation. It was the subsequent testing that revealed the presence of myclobutanil.

Shortly thereafter, more pesticide problems began to emerge. OrganiGram and Aurora Cannabis also announced their own recalls  again because of myclobutanil. Aurora Cannabis discovered the presence of the hazardous chemical after conducting testing on a shipment of product received from OrganiGram.

Even several jurisdictions within the United States have banned the use of myclobutanil for cannabis crops. And the U.S. has been lagging behind its peers when it comes to pesticide regulation, we all know that for sure.

At least one woman, Dawn Rae Downton, has come forward to speak out about the harm tainted cannabis has caused her. She is one of several people to have reported an adverse reaction to OrganiGrams cannabis.

I am living proof there have been very adverse effects. I lost eight months of my life, she said. Im living proof that Health Canada is not protecting medical marijuana patients.

Will Canada take sufficient action?

In an effort to quell the growing issue of banned pesticides being used by cannabis growers, Health Canada has announced that they are now preparing to begin random testing on licensed producers. Letters will reportedly be sent to each of the 38 approved cannabis growers, to inform them of the new system that will be in place.

Random testing is not mandatory, regular chemical testing. Government officials say that while producers are required to test for mold, bacteria, and heavy metals, testing for pesticides regularly will still be optional. When asked how patients could be confident that the cannabis they buy is safe, Health Canada stated that they believe the system works.

Right. Thats why myclobutanil was literally just found in cannabis  because the system works.

Health Canada has said that it is open to possibly looking into regular, mandatory testing in the future, but only if additional problems persist.

Rodger Voelker, the lab director at OG Analytical in Oregon and the man credited with making the discovery of myclobutanil in U.S. cannabis, says that random testing simply isnt enough to put a stop to the problem.

Voekler explains that cannabis crops can be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, and it is often worth it to the grower to try to save the crop in any way they can  even if it means using banned chemicals. He believes leaving cannabis companies to simply police themselves is not a good idea.

Sources:

TheGlobeAndMail.com

CBC.ca
(Natural News) Beating or preventing cancer is a war of attrition. By continually and systematically reducing and eliminating chemicals from your food, water, personal care products, supplements, medicine, and the air you breathe daily, your good cells defeat the bad cells and you live cancer free. Its no easy task, and it certainly cant be accomplished overnight, but for the health enthusiasts who know what to eat and especially what not to eat, cancer isnt really much of a concern at all. Ultimately, the worst thing you can do that opens the floodgates for cancer to invade and take over your body is to weaken or destroy your immune system. Good gut bacteria is the seat of your biological defense against cancer, and to wipe out your gut flora with soda, vaccines, flu shots, fast food, GMOs, and chemotherapy is just inviting cancer cells to divide, multiply, and invade your cleansing organs.

Why are lung, liver, kidney, and pancreatic cancers so lethal, with such low human survival rates?

The first thing to note is that no doctor has ever cured anyone of cancer. Only the human immune system has to power to heal you of any disease. Therefore, if you have survived cancer, please realize that it wasnt the doctor, the medicine, the chemotherapy, or the radiation that saved your life. Your immune system is what healed you of cancer.

Similarly, when you get a cold, flu, pneumonia, virus, or bacterial infection, your immune system mounts an attack using fever, mucus, inflammation, and other natural tools to defeat it.

The immune system is the first line of defense against cancer cells, so when you take antibiotics that wipe out good gut bacteria, youre empowering cancer cells. When you go through chemotherapy, even the stuff that targets cancer cells specifically, youre crippling your immune system and flooding the blood with chemicals, and thats why chemotherapy leads to other cancers in the body.

When someone gets cancer of the lungs, liver, kidneys, or pancreas, its because those cleansing organs have been overwhelmed with chemicals for years on end, unable to do their job, which ironically is to filter chemicals from the body. Once the main body filters are filthy, clogged and infected, a good dose of chemotherapy could be the end of you. Then, if cancer reaches the lymph nodes, they function like a catapult, and many doctors will simply send their patients home to die.

No matter your stage of cancer, organic food may save you, and be your best odds of survival and permanent remission

What strengthens the immune system better than anything else on planet earth? Whole, raw, organic produce provides the minerals, vitamins, nutrients, enzymes, and thus fosters good gut bacteria. Alkalizing the body is of vital importance to beating cancer, as most people suffering from cancer have acidic systems that have been that way for extended periods of time. Hospital food and prescription medications are a formula for more cancer and a mostly acidic, low pH system.

An acidic body means a compromised immune system, which cant do its job properly to beat back cancer and kill free radicals in the body. People need to supplement with probiotics and amino acids.

Every cancer patient has a compromised immune system. Patients will not survive if their immune system is not stimulated.  Ben Johnson, MD, NMD, DO, Truth About Cancer

The problem with chemo is that it only targets the non-stem cells, not cancer stem cells

Radiation and chemo only target non-stem cells that form the bulk of typical cancer tumors, which can reduce tumor size, but does nothing to eradicate cancer stem cells. This is when oncologists send you home and say we got it! The problem is that the immune system is incapacitated by the chemical based drugs that are continually prescribed to the patient, and the cancer stem cells go on living, often becoming even more active and more aggressive.

Eventually, the patient goes back to the oncologist for follow up exams just to make sure we got everything, and thats when the doctors often find a recurrence or metastases. Will those doctors ever blame the chemotherapy and pharmaceuticals for killing your good gut bacteria and crippling your immune system? Hell no. Theyd lose their license to practice medicine. The AMA, FDA and CDC would come in and shut them down faster that you can say seek natural remedies.

Enhancing the immune system naturally gives any human the very best odds of beating cancer and preventing relapses

There are many ways to enhance the human immune system and eradicate cancer stem cells. There are nutritional programs that have been proven to attack cancer stem cells and bolster the immune system at the same time. Red berries and green tea extract are great examples. High doses of vitamin C and D are other great examples. Without proper nutrition, its like your body is going to war without any weapons against an enemy whos heavily armed with biological and chemical weapons of mass destructionlike chemotherapy, artificial sweeteners, MSG, flu shots, prescription medications, tap water, soda, hydrogenated oils, GMOs and chemical-laden gluten, just to name a few.

If you or a loved one is diagnosed with cancer, your first order of business is to do no harm and consult with a Naturopathic Physician who can closely examine everything youve been eating, drinking and putting on your skin. Remember, your immune system is your best defense against cancer, so you better check with doctors who have degrees in nutrition!

Sources:

Hope4Cancer.com

Hope4Cancer.com

BurzynskiClinic.com

CDC.news

Vaccines.news
Sunday, February 19, 2017 by: JD Heyes Tags: native advertising , Russian Propaganda , Washington Post This article may contain statements that reflect the opinion of the author

(Natural News) Within days after Donald J. Trump took the country (and the world) by storm and won the Nov. 8 election, the Washington establishment media, suddenly shaken to its core by the realization it could not must enough power and influence to push Hillary Clinton into the White House, began a smear campaign against the president-elect.

Launching the first in what would become a series of fake news salvos, the Washington Post published a story full of baseless, unsubstantiated allegations made by a shady organization no one had ever heard of that Russian intelligence fed information to hundreds of alt-right web sites aimed at hurting Clinton and helping Trump.

Among the named sites: Natural News, which prompted founder/editor Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, to demand a retraction. (RELATED: Trump calls out press for sabotaging his efforts to improve relations with Russia)

The Post, within a day, essentially did that, all but admitting that its fake news story about fake Russian newswas fake. But the die had been cast and the Post put the narrative in play: Without proof or any evidence, the paper claimed (and others followed) that Russia unduly influenced the election outcome for Trump because Moscow hated Clinton and anyway, thats the only way she could possibly have lost to a former reality TV host and billionaire real estate mogul non-politician.

Now, we find out that the real recipient of Russian largess isthe Washington Post.

As reported by Liberty Blitzkrieg, a recent interview between Fox News Tucker Carlson and Eric Wemple of the Post, who covers the media, was forced to answer why his paper accepted so-called native advertising from Russia, which is essentially the Post receiving money from Moscow to publish propaganda.

While that may be news to most Americans, it certainly is a poorly-kept secret within the world of the Washington media. In fact, in 2007, Slate lampooned Russias Washington Post propaganda effort, Russia: Beyond the Headlines.

Soviet propaganda hit the skids during the Gorbachev era, and as the empire broke up, its propaganda essentially vanished. But the heavy-handed purveyors of party-line orthodoxy and nationalist cant have returned with the rise of President Vladimir Putin, Slate reported, not mentioning that the return of propaganda was largely thanks to Putin, a former KGB agent himself who is familiar with the intelligence tactic.

The Daily Caller also reported on this  and in fact, its not just Russia, but China also pays homage to the Post to run its propaganda:

Chinese and Russian propaganda supplements are regularly included in The Washington Post, but the widely read newspaper wont say how much money it gets on the deals.

Fast forward to the 2016 election coverage  by the Post in particular, Washingtons quasi-official paper of record. Reporting on alleged Trump-Russia ties without a modicum of evidence or proof is the equivalent of journalistic malpractice; doing that while actually taking money from the Russian government and then trying to defend it is just reprehensible. (RELATED: The Top 10 Fake News Stories Of The Last Two Years That Were Relentlessly Pushed By The Fakestream Media)

During his interview with Carlson, Wemples initial excuse for allowing the propaganda to be placed in his paper was that he believes readers of the Post fully understand that such inserts are propaganda  though its not how they would know since, while they are marked as an advertisement, they are not clearly marked.

Thats really your answer? Carlson responded, noting that Wemple once attacked Politico co-founder Mike Allen for running native advertising, saying he was all spun up about it.

He also took Wemple to task for  as a media reporter  pointing out that his own paper takes native advertising designed to fool people into thinking a certain way about Russia that isnt accurate.

Watch the full exchange below, but the main point here is this: The Post has been merciless in its effort to push the unsubstantiated and unproven narrative that Russia used fake news to help Trump, all the while padding its bottom line with money from the Russian government

Heres the clip:

J.D. Heyes is a senior writer for NaturalNews.com and NewsTarget.com, as well as editor of The National Sentinel.

Sources:

DailyCaller.com

LibertyBlitzkrieg.com

Freedom.news

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) The evidence is clear that mercury is still being added to some vaccines, in the form of thimerosal, and yet the mainstream media, along with the establishment medical community, continue to cover it up despite what damage is being done to certain ethnic groups.

Vaccine truth activist Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and Oscar-winning actor Robert De Niro, noted in a recent press conference hosted by investigative reporter Sharyl Attkisson that black communities, in particular, are being targeted in a sort of medical genocide aimed at harming black babies with mercury-filled vaccines.

It is the black neighborhoods that are getting the thimerosal vaccines, Kennedy said at the press conference, held Feb. 15 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. And it appears to be that African-Americans are much more susceptible to vaccine injury than other Americans. (RELATED: Americans Wake Up To The Dangers Of Vaccines And Begin Rejecting Dangerous Medicine)

Continuing, he said that poor Americans who have to use publicly-funded clinics will get the cheapest vaccines, and those are the ones that contain thimerosal.

In August 2014, Natural News reported not only that MMR vaccines do lead to an increase in autism, but that black babies are 340 percent more likely to develop autism after receiving the shot. And it turns out that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention knew about it long before the truth came out:

As it turns out, the CDC fudged some numbers in a 2003 study it conducted on the MMR vaccine that, if honestly reported, would have revealed a 340 percent increased risk of autism among male African American infants.

Kennedy, chairman of the World Mercury Project, noted as well that it was virtually impossible for anyone within the traditional medical establishment to discuss or expose the horrific nature of mercury-laced vaccines, mostly because of the outsized influence of Big Pharma, which makes billions a year off of selling them.

As for De Niro, he was actually threatened by the pro-vaccine medical establishment to censor a film, VAXXED: From Cover-up to Catastrophe, at his Tribeca Film Festival, an annual event featuring indy films.

As Natural News founder/editor Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, reported at the time:

There has never been an assault against a documentary film in the history of America like the one weve just witnessed over the last 48 hours. The entire mainstream media waged a coordinated, simultaneous attack against the Tribeca Film Festival to censor a film none of them had even seen.

In this video published Feb. 15, Adams featured prior audio of CDC whistleblower Dr. William Thompson, who was the first to disclose his agencys fake science regarding vaccines and mercury content and how they related to a rise in autism.

Adams challenged detractors to actually drink mercury if its really so safe. He calls them mercury vaccine pushers.

If you really think mercury is safe, I challenge you to drink a liter, he says in the video. Prove to the world its safe to inject into children. (RELATED: The Unvarnished Truth About Mercury In Vaccines: Not One Modern Safety Test Has Ever Been Done)

De Niro said his autistic son changed overnight following an MMR vaccine.

Theres a lot of things that are not said. Nobody seems to want to address that, or they say theyve addressed it and its a closed issue, he said during an interview after the VAXXED film was pulled from his festival.

But it doesnt seem to be because there are many people who say they saw their kid change overnight, he said, as reported by the UKs Daily Mail. My wife says that (is what happened to my son). I dont remember. But my child is autistic.

De Niro said hes not convinced the issue is settled. Lets find out the truth.

Check out additional information at the World Mercury Project. The organization has offered $100,000 to the first person who finds a scientific study proving that injecting thimerosal into children is safe.

J.D. Heyes is a senior writer for NaturalNews.com and NewsTarget.com, as well as editor of The National Sentinel.

Sources:

NaturalNews.com

YouTube.com

Medicine.news
21:57

A 15-member delegation of China's People's Liberation Army held wide-ranging talks with their Indian counterparts in New Delhi and both sides agreed that peace and tranquility on the border was an important guarantor for expansion of ties.

The visit of the delegation from PLA's Western Theatre Command from February 21- 26 coincides with Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar's trip to Beijing for the strategic dialogue.

The PLA delegation, being led by Major General Zhao Jin Song, Vice Chief of Staff of Headquarter Western Theatre Command in Chengdu, met senior Indian Army officers dealing with border issues at the Army Headquarters on Tuesday and discussed a variety of issues.

"The two sides exchanged views on wide-ranging issues and agreed that peace and tranquility on the border is an important guarantor for development and continued growth of bilateral relations.

"The leaders of two delegations discussed the importance of having regular bilateral exchanges and additional Border Personnel Meeting points," the defence ministry said in a statement.

It said the visit is continuation of the enhanced engagement between the two armies which also saw Western Theatre Commander General Zhao Zongqi visit India in December.

The delegation will also visit Agra and Kolkata.

Sources said the issue of setting up a hotline between New Delhi and Beijing was also discussed in the meeting.

The Indian and Chinese armies had conducted a joint training exercise in Pune in November.
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Second annual Day of Percussion is March 4

by Andrea Hahn

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Beat a drum, bang a gong, the second annual Day of Percussion at Southern Illinois University Carbondale is March 4 in Altgeld Hall.

Christopher Butler, percussion faculty member, said Day of Percussion is a common format used at various music schools for a series of clinics, presentations and performances, all centered on percussion. The SIU event is student-oriented, and should appeal to college and high school students involved in any form of percussion.

The schedule this year is:

2 p.m. -- Quey Percussion Duo clinic

3 p.m. -- John David -- drum set

4 p.m. -- Doug Perkins -- multi-percussion

5 p.m. -- Quey Percussion Duo concert

7:30 p.m. -- Evening concert

Students attend all events for free. Non-students whod like to attend the workshops pay $5. The evening concert is free.

Several schools, including those in Carbondale, Carterville and Murphysboro, have expressed interest in the Day of Percussion. Interested school music personnel or others can contact him at cbutler@siu.edu or 618/536-8742.

The Quey Percussion Duo is Gene Koshinski and Tom Broscious, a pair of musicians who combine classical training with global and popular music to develop a distinct musical voice. They are artists-in-residence at the University of Minnesota Duluth.

John David is artist-in-residence and director of jazz and percussion studies at Berry College in Georgia. Hes a two-time award winner from Downbeat Magazine and a recording and touring drummer.

Doug Perkins is on the faculty of the Boston Conservatory, and is an active recording musician, conductor and producer, as well as a member of a number of music ensembles.
Conference will explore fair school funding

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Southern Illinois University Carbondales Paul Simon Public Policy Institute is hosting a one-day conference on March 10 to examine fair school funding in Illinois.

A recent report of the Illinois School Funding Reform Commission, appointed by Gov. Bruce Rauner, will be examined during the conference, which is from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Student Center. Speakers will include lawmakers who have been part of the commissions deliberations, along with state and national experts on the subject.

Paul Simon called attention to problems caused by the states over-reliance on property taxes to fund its K-12 schools when he was first elected to the Illinois General Assembly in the 1950s, Jak Tichenor, interim institute director, said. Sixty years later, per pupil spending still varies wildly between the states poorer and wealthier districts as a result. We welcome all residents, parents, teachers, school administrators, and students to learn about the Commissions roadmap to finally fix the way we fund our schools.

This conference is free and the public is invited. A complimentary continental breakfast and coffee will be available. A catered lunch and an all-day parking pass are available for $23 at the time of registration, but are not required. Other lunch options are available in the Student Center.

The conference will feature the following sessions:

8:45 a.m. -- Illinois K-12 Funding in Comparison to Other States -- Daniel Thatcher, program principal for the National Conference of State Legislatures. Thatcher tracks statewide education finance developments and Common Core State Standards implementation and legislation.

Daniel Thatcher, program principal for the National Conference of State Legislatures. Thatcher tracks statewide education finance developments and Common Core State Standards implementation and legislation. 9:45 a.m. -- Evidence-based Model Presentation  Ralph Martire, executive director of the Center for Budget and Tax Accountability. Martire will outline his organizations analysis of the potential benefits of the Evidence-Based Model (EBM) of school funding under consideration by the Illinois Commission on School Funding Reform. EBM is designed to identify the level of funding needed to deliver an adequate education to ever student in a state.

11 a.m. -- Illinois Commission on School Funding Reform Panel Discussion -- An in-depth discussion by members of the bi-partisan commission tasked by Gov. Rauner to make recommendations to the General Assembly to revise the states school funding formula. Featured panelists include: Illinois Secretary of Education Beth Purvis, state Sens. Andy Manar, D-Bunker Hill, and Jason Barickman, R-Bloomington, Kimberly Lightford, D-Maywood, and Brent Clark, executive director, Illinois Association of School Administrators.

1:30 p.m. -- A Users Guide for Budget Development Utilizing the Evidence-Based Model of Education Funding -- Features a panel discussion of school superintendents led by Brent Clark, executive director, Illinois Association of School Administrators. The discussion will provide those attending with information they will need to develop their first years budget if the state adopts the Evidence-Based Model to fund K-12 schools. Panelists include: Gary Kelly, Du Quoin Community Unit School District; Steve Murphy, Carbondale Community High School District, and Steve Webb, Goreville Community Unit School District.

A total of 5.0 professional Development hours will be available for school administrators and teachers, sponsored by the universitys Department of Continuing Education and Professional Development. A total of 5.0 continuing education credits will be available for social workers and licensed counselors (LSW, LCSW, LPC, LCPC), sponsored by the Center for Rural Health and Social Service Development and the SIU School of Medicine.

For more information and to register online, visit http://paulsimoninstitute.siu.edu/event-information/illinois-school-funding-fairness.php or call Leslie Brock, SIU Conference and Scheduling Services, at 618/536-7751 to complete registration by phone.
Known for its diverse publishing programmes across different disciplines, Oxford University Press (OUP) introduced its medical publishing programme to India. OUP's Medicine and Health publishing programme strives to provide excellent content, authored by experts across the globe and mapped to the requirements of the medical fraternity in the region. The content made available to readers is a blend of thoroughly researched and developed concepts that have undergone in-depth peer reviews for ensuring quality scholarship. Offering academic and clinical content in the form of books, journals, and online platforms, the programme is targeted at medical and healthcare professionals. The programme also extends to cover topics such as popular medicine, the history of medicine, public health, and so on. OUP India will now cater to the healthcare and medical segment with the release of the following: Handbook of Nutrition in Kidney Disease by Dr Anita Saxena: In this handbook, Dr Saxena, who is associated with the Department of Nephrology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS), Lucknow as an additional professor, brings together theoretical and practical approaches to managing malnutrition in kidney diseases. Handbook of Benign Proctological Disorders by Dr Pravin Jaipraksh Gupta: This handbook by Dr Gupta, a proctologist, would serve as a reference for family physicians that are usually the first consult for hemorrhoids, anal fissure, anal abscess, fistula, pruritus ani, constipation, and other anal complaints. Complications after Gastrointestinal Surgery edited by Dr Samiran Nundy and Dr Dirk J. Gouma: In this reference work, Dr Nundy and Dr Gouma, world-renowned gastrosurgeons from India and the Netherlands respectively, along with other contributors present the various complications that may arise from gastrointestinal surgeries along with their management based on resource-sufficient or resource-limited settings. Healers or Predators: Healthcare Corruption in India edited by Dr Samiran Nundy, Dr Sanjay Nagral, and Keshav Desiraju: Renowned gastro surgeons Dr Nundy and Dr Nagral come together with India's former Health Secretary Desiraju and other contributors to look at healthcare corruption in India from the grass-roots level. They analyse the causes, development, and progress and recommend various ways to annihilate the issue. A participant at prominent medical conferences like APICON (official conference of Association of Physicians in India), World Health Congress and ESICON (official conference of Endocrinological Society of India) in the years 2015-16, OUP aims to collaborate with premium medical institutions, academies, and societies as it works towards imparting valuable insights into medicine and healthcare in India. (ANI)
Louis Taylor, Chief Executive Officer of UK Export Finance (UKEF), is visiting India from 20-23 February. UKEF, the UK's Export Credit Agency, has up to 1 billion in capacity to provide finance to support Indian buyers of British goods, services and intangibles, with support available in Indian Rupees. While in India, Louis Taylor will travel to Chennai, Delhi and Mumbai to engage with Indian buyers from the government and private sector. During these meetings, Mr. Taylor will promote the attractive financial support available from UKEF to Indian buyers when they source from the UK. He will also affirm the UK Government's appetite to support India's major infrastructure development projects, including in the areas of transport, energy infrastructure, urban development and smart cities. Louis Taylor said:"The UK Government is committed to building strong and lasting economic ties between the UK and our trading partners in India, the world's fastest growing major economy. And through UK Export Finance, we are ensuring that no trade between the UK and India fails for lack of finance or insurance." He further said, "I am delighted to be meeting Indian banks, businesses and public sector units to understand more about how we can work together and identify opportunities to support increased bilateral trade." In Chennai, Mr. Taylor will attend a conference of international Export Credit Agencies and will meet with prominent businesses from the south. In New Delhi, Mr. Taylor will be meeting senior officials from Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited. He will also be meeting officials at Ministry of Urban Development to discuss how UKEF can support India on wider urban development projects and the smart cities programme. He will attend a roundtable with Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) and key Indian businesses looking to import from the UK. He will wrap up the Delhi leg with meetings with a number of Indian companies, including a UK success story in India, JCB. In Mumbai, Mr. Taylor, will hold meetings with senior officials at several Indian companies, including Reliance Industries Limited, for which UKEF has recently provided support for a petrochemicals project. (ANI)
Palaniswami said in a statement that he ordered the compensation towards the cost of inputs incurred by the farmers.

He said the bank accounts of the farmers will be credited with their eligible amount.

Palaniswami said crop insurers have been asked to settle the crop loss claims from the farmers at the earliest.

--IANS vj/mr

( 86 Words)

2017-02-21-19:14:07 (IANS)
Underlining the contribution of the Indian talent to the US economy and society, the Prime Minister asked the United States to develop a reflective, balanced and farsighted perspective on movement of skilled professionals, a statement from the Prime Minister's Office said.

"The Prime Minister shared his perspective on areas where both countries can work even more closely, including in facilitating greater people-to-people linkages that have over the years helped in contributing to each other's prosperity," it said.

India, in January, had expressed its concern over a bill to change rules on H-1B visas that will impact the IT industry and Indian techies working in America.

The High-Skilled Integrity and Fairness Act of 2017, introduced in the House of Representatives by California Congressman Zoe Lofgren, calls for doubling the minimum salary of H-1B visa holders to $130,000 from the current minimum of $60,000 -- a move that could impact Indian techies.

Calling the visit as a good start to bilateral exchanges following a new US administration, Modi recalled his "positive conversation with President Donald Trump and the shared commitment to further strengthening of ties that have grown deeper in the last two-and-a-half years".

"In this regard, he recognised Congress's strong bipartisan support for the India-US partnership," the statement added.

--IANS rs/lok/dg

( 258 Words)

2017-02-21-19:22:07 (IANS)
India is to donate eight water bowsers or large tanks and 100 metric tons of rice to Sri Lanka, as part of drought relief for the island country which is headed for one of its worst droughts in 30 years. The assistance was conveyed by India's Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar who visited Sri Lanka from February 18-20, for bilateral discussions with Sri Lankan leaders. Reservoirs in Sri Lanka are reported to be running at 30 per cent or less capacity. According to a recent survey by the World Food Programme (WFP) and the government, the rains last year were 23 per cent less than the 30-year average. The poor rains has also hit sowing. Of 800,000 acres, only a little above 300,000 was planted with the staple rice crop during the last harvesting season. "This is the lowest cultivation level experienced in Sri Lanka during the last thirty years," the WFP-government joint survey said. Water bowsers are large water-filled tanks that can also be fitted on wheels. During his visit, Jaishankar called on President Maithripala Sirisena, and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. He also met Minister of Foreign Affairs Mangala Samaraweera, Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade, Malik Samarawickrama, and other senior Ministers as well as Secretary to Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Esala Weerakoon. His visit is part of the continued high level engagement between the two countries and comes ahead of the likely visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the country in May for the Vesak Day celebrations. Jaishankar also interacted with a Tamil National Alliance (TNA) delegation led by Leader of Opposition, R. Sampanthan, a delegation from Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) comprising Minister of National Co-existence Dialogue and Official Languages Mano Ganesan, Minister of Hill Country New Villages, Infrastructure and Community Development P. Digambaram, State Minister of Education V. Radhakrishnan, and a delegation from Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) led by A. Thondaman. Jaishankar met with the leader of Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), Minister of City Planning and Water Supply, Rauff Hakeem and leader of All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC), Minister of Industry and Commerce, Rishad Bathiudeen. Jaishankar reviewed the entire gamut of our bilateral relations, particularly Indian assisted economic projects and development particularly with Sri Lanka. Earlier this month, Pakistan airlifted 25 tonnes of rice as relief to Sri Lanka as part of drought relief. --IANS rn ( 406 Words) 2017-02-21-20:38:07 (IANS)
Everybody knows about the terrifying ordeal Kim Kardashian had to face in Paris. The incident took a toll on her in such a way, that she has not come out with a proper response till date. But, her mother Kris Jenner now believes that Kim is ready to talk about Paris robbery in detail and moment by moment, reports E! Online. The 61 year-old, in a recent interview with Ellen DeGeneres told how talking about the incident was therapeutic for Kim. "When we started filming again and started getting up and running, obviously Kim was around because we all practically lived together on the same street. And we started filming and what was coming out of that was very therapeutic for her I think, just to explain to us and walk us through," she said. Kris also shared how the incident makes her uncomfortable by just thinking of it, "I get choked up just thinking about it and talking about it. But it's remarkable to listen to her tell the story." She looked emotional while talking about such terrible moment felt by someone she loves so much and how the moment has changed their lifestyle completely. "It's changed the way we live our lives and just the way we take care of our kids and my grandchildren and so it's been a process. It was such an upsetting time and something so awful happened to somebody that you love so much and it just, it chokes me up every time to think about it." This comes after photos from the crime scene where Kim was robbed in October have reportedly been released on French media. (ANI)
"My name has unfortunately not shown up in the list. It's very bizarre because I voted last year," Varun said as he stepped out of the polling booth.

The 29-year-old, who was upset because of the incident, said, "I'm going to find out where my name is from the Election Commission."

The 'Dishoom' star even urged people to go and vote "as it is very important."

On the work front, the actor is currently busy promoting his upcoming flick 'Badrinath Ki Dulhania' opposite Alia Bhatt. (ANI)
"It is always nice to work with good actors but it's fun to work with best actors like Murli Sharma. Thank you for everything sir," Harish posted on his Twitter page.

The film, currently being shot in the interiors of Karnataka, stars Allu Arjun and Pooja Hegde in the lead.

Going by the film's first poster released over the weekend, it is believed Arjun plays a Brahmin cook in the film. Dil Raju is bankrolling the project.

--IANS hp/rb/vt

( 118 Words)

2017-02-21-13:38:06 (IANS)
"After intense investigation, the accused has been positively identified. Various teams are raiding his probable hideouts and results are expected soon," the Police said.

Earlier, the Police launched a search for the accused, after a case was registered against unknown people for allegedly assaulting the woman.

The incident took place on February 18, when a woman, hailing from Manipur, was returning from a party in Hauz Khas village, along with her friends and cousins.

The woman told police that the incident took place around 11.30 p.m, when the accused offered to drop her home.

According to the victim, the accused told her that his car was parked at some distance and led her to the adjoining Deer Park, where he allegedly raped her. (ANI)
On February 17, a case of attempted rape was filed, after the actress was allegedly abducted and molested last Thursday night.

Earlier, one of the prime accused, her one-day driver Martin was arrested and sent to custody.

The incident, reportedly, took place while the victim was returning from a shoot, when the accused forcefully entered the car and tried to take her pictures.

According to police, the actress was held in the car for an hour, after which, she was dropped near her residence at around 10.30 pm. (ANI)
Foreign Secretary of India S. Jaishankar, visited Sri Lanka from February 18 to 20, for bilateral discussions with their leaders, as part of the continued high level engagement between the two countries. During his visit, Jaishankar called on Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. The Foreign Secretary reviewed the entire gamut of our bilateral relations, particularly Indian assisted economic projects and development particularly with Sri Lanka. In response to the drought situation in Sri Lanka, Jaishankar conveyed on behalf of Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj to Minister of Foreign Affairs Mangala Samaraweera, that India would donate eight water bowsers and 100 metric tonnes of rice as immediate assistance, and was ready to provide further assistance as required. (ANI)
The BSF 163 Battalion gunned down the terrorist in Keri Sector of Rajouri in the gunbattle that ensued between both sides.

However, two terrorists managed to flee the spot amid the hail of gunfire.

Earlier this month, a 20-metre tunnel dug from Pakistan to help terrorists infiltrate into India was found by the BSF near the International Border.

The tunnel was discovered during searches at the Ramgarh sector in Sambha. (ANI)
Tripura Law Minister Tapan Chakraborty today stated in the assembly that the state government has been assessing to open at least five Fast Track Courts in the state besides, existing three in Agartala to dispose pending cases related to crime on women. Replying to Congress legislator Ratan Lal Nath, he said, altogether 1,51,193 cases have been pending for disposal in different courts of the state and of them as many as 3185 cases have been pending for more than 10 years and a few cases were pending more than 25 years. According to Mr Nath, there were three Fast Track Courts in the state at Sonamura, Khowai and Kailashahar but without any notification the state government made them dysfunctional when the conviction rate were not satisfactory rather almost half of the national average. He argued as the number of these courts is less and women atrocities cases have been increasing every day, more fast track court becomes essential for the handling the situation and punish the criminals but the state government moving in reverse direction. However, Mr Chakraborty informed that at present 2227 cases were pending in the family courts while altogether 1626 cases had been registered in 2014, 1871 cases in 2015 and 1976 cases were in 2016 but the pendency was on raise due to shortage of judges. The government asked for required information from high court regarding pendency and nature of cases pending and afterward would take the decision to announce five more courts as fast track court, Chakraborty added.UNI BB BM -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0214-1159083.Xml
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) for investigation constituted by High Court of Tripura has been investigating as many as 78 cases of fraud by Non Banking Financial Companies (NBFC), said Chief Minister Manik Sarkar here today. Replying to questions raised by opposition MLAs Ratan Lal Nath and Asish Kumar Saha in the assembly, Mr Sarkar said among the 78 cases, the SIT has so far submitted the charge-sheet of 18 cases in the court. The chief minister also informed the house that the investigations of five cases among 78 registered cases were handed over to CBI. Replying to other cases on the forgery by chit fund companies, Mr Sarkar said all the assets of chit fund companies have been confiscated by the state government and process are going on for the assessment of total value of assets of chit fund which were confiscated.UNI BB BM -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0214-1159122.Xml
In the wake of the reported stagnation in the implementation of the ambitious Chabahar project, Iran has said India should be quick to execute its part of development of the strategic port so as not to miss a ''great opportunity.'' ''In the coming months we are inaugurating the first phase of Chabahar, and want India to increase its cooperation in the project,'' Iranian Ambassador to India Gholam Reza Ansari told UNI, hinting that desired pace from the Indian side was lacking. Ansari's remark come amid speculations that newly elected US President's sanctions against Iran for its missile and nuclear programme might affect India's involvement in the project. However, the Indian side denies that any delay on its part was taking place and any development related to the project had anything to do Donald Trump. Sources in the Ministry of External Affairs told UNI that it would be wrong to say that any slow down in the work at all had taken place. ''The work on the project is going on in full steam. There should be no doubt about our commitment to Chabahar,'' they said. India and Iran had last summer inked the agreement for joint development of the Chabahar port, some 1800 km south of Tehran, which will enable India to bypass Pakistan to reach energy rich Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asian countries. The agreement was signed during Mr Modi's visit to Iran. However, after the initial euphoria over the achievement, the work on the project was reported to be not progressing, and the Iranian sides had more than once minced no words to press for the urgency of its completion. Conceived in 2003, the Chabahar port besides giving India access to the energy rich regions was also seen as a counterbalance to China's influence in the region. China has built a deepwater port in Pakistan's Gwadar,which is already operational.More UNI NAZ SB 111239 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0091-1159174.Xml
However, no one was injured in the incident. According to police, additional forces have been rushed in the area.

Police said the armed persons resorted to heavy firing on the moving convoy. The personnel escorting the Deputy Chief Minister returned fire.

Mr Gaikhangam will be contesting from Nungba Assembly constituency.UNI NS BM

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The issue of black listing of Pakistan based terrorist Maulana Masood Azhar and India's entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), both being blocked by Beijing, are likely to top the agenda of the first 1st meeting of the India China Strategic Dialogue which is to take place tomorrow in Beijing. Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar, who is on a three-nation tour, including Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, will be co-chairing the dialogue with his Chinese counterpart Zhang Yesui, who is Executive Vice Foreign Minister of China. "China and India will hold the first meeting of the India China Strategic Dialogue co-Chaired by Foreign Secretary and the Executive Vice Foreign Minister of China on 22 February, 2017 in Beijing," the MEA said. "The two sides are expected to discuss all issues of mutual interest in the bilateral, regional and international domain," said the official spokesperson. China had been persistently blocking India's bid to get the UN to list Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar as a terrorist, provoking an angry reaction from New Delhi. Last time, when the US with support of three other nations pushed the same proposal at the UN, that also hit the China Wall. China is the only country among the UN's 15-member security council to hold out on Resolution 1267, which allows for freezing assets and ban travel for those on the list. Moreover, China is the only country in the NSG, a 48-member strong nuclear cartel that control the nuclear trade, which is blocking India's entry into the elite club citing the NPT clause, a treaty which New Delhi refuses to sign. The Indian side has been in talks with the Chinese on both these issues with no break through in sight. UNI MK SB 1336 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0090-1159245.Xml
Delhi police has arrested one suspect in connection with the alleged rape of a 26-year-old woman by a stranger on pretext of giving her a lift in the Hauz Khas village area of the city on Saturday. "One suspect identified as Raja has been arrested. He works at a restaurant near the village area. We have enough evidence against the suspect to link him to the case," police said today. Police have also recovered the i-phone of the woman from his possession, which he snatched after committing the crime and fled from the spot on the intervening night. The arrest came after police got some important clues during examination on the basis on which further action was taken. Further details are awaited.UNI DS SB 1350 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0177-1159273.Xml
Dreaded Maoists shot dead the husband of deputy Mukhiya on the charge of being a police informer at Champanagar village under Kajra police station area in the district late last night. Police said here today that extremists of outlawed CPI (Maoist) sprayed bullets from their firearms on deputy Mukhiya of Budhauli Panchayat Geeta Devi`s husband Sunil Yadav when he was fast asleep at his residence, killing him on the spot. Maoists also left a pamphlet on the spot, claiming that they shot dead Mr Yadav as he was a police informer. Infuriated over the incident, local people were demonstrating with the body of the deceased. A large number of CRPF and district police jawans had reached the spot in view of the tensed situation.UNI XC DH BM -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0214-1159218.Xml
A 10th class student was gang-raped under Mufassil police station area in this district last night. Police said here today that outlaws waylaid the 15-year old victim when she was returning from a farewell function of her seniors at her school and forced her to accompany them. Later, they took the girl to an isolated placed and raped her. Criminals had thrown her away from an auto rickshaw near Bhadeja roundabout here yesterday and made good their escape. The student had been admitted to Anugraha Narayan Magadh Medical College and Hospital where her condition was serious. She is a resident of Chand Chaura locality in Vishnupad police station area here, police added. An FIR had been lodged at Mufassil police station against one Mantu Yadav, a native of Hemja village under Wazirganj police station area in this district. A massive manhunt is on to nab criminals.UNI XC DH BM -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0214-1159278.Xml
The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) has reiterated its demand for President's Rule (PR) and early elections in Nagaland. In a statement NPCC through its media cell said that though PR was the last resort, the present situation forced the Congress to prefer PR rather than be ruled by traitors and vultures. It asserted that the Cabinet decision of January 31, 2017 would go down in history as the "greatest betrayal document", saying the state government has lost moral support of the people and had no moral right to rule. NPCC maintained that no DAN coalition member was free and clean from the betrayal of the tripartite agreement on ULB election signed on January 30, 2017. The Congress said rather than singling out T R Zeliang and abandoning him, the NPF government should collectively own moral responsibility and gracefully step down for "betraying the people of Nagaland." The NPCC also stated that the way NPF legislators shifted their loyalty by abandoning T R Zeliang to Shurhozelie Liezietsu and rushing to Kaziranga and back to Kohima proved that there was no MLA who stood by ideology, principle or ethics. "They are same as vultures hovering around carcass," NPCC said, adding that there was huge trust deficit among themselves with nobody above suspicion. In the whole ULB election episode, the congress party said NPF-DAN has proven to be "senseless and numb" by completely failing to understand the feelings and sentiments of the people. "In their mad rush driven by greed and fear, they had exhibited their instability," NPCC said. UNI AS BM -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0214-1159284.Xml
The face-off between the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) administration and the agitating students continued on Tuesday, with the university expressing shock at the "misinformation" being spread by the students community. The university has implored the students, who are protesting its notification on an upper cap on the number of M.Phil. and Ph.D. students a faculty member can guide, to end their "siege" of the administrative block. "...The university's website and media reports have plenty of appeals and requests made by the administration to these students to refrain from unlawful and harmful methods... and come forward for peaceful discussion and dialogue," the premier university of the country said in a statement. It also accused the students of misleading the public by showing their "illogical demands as genuine concerns". It is the 12th day since a hundred-odd students started their occupation of the building, blocking all entries to it and throwing, as the administration alleged, "the entire bureaucratic apparatus out of gear". "The agitators do not care at all when thousand plus contractual labourers suffer because of their agitation, and yet shed crocodile tears by invoking 'social justice' arguments," the statement said. "Do they worry at all when the university has lost huge sums of money, that are actually the country's taxpayers' money, due to their occupation and blockade of the administrative building?" "Do they respect academics, when official papers of faculty and students related to their academic engagements in India and abroad are not processed due to their illegal siege of the office building?" the university said. It also reprimanded the JNU Teachers Association (JNUTA) for supporting the students and taking the matter out of campus instead of approaching the administration. "The JNUTA has not even once given a call for ending the siege of the administration building...," it said. "Some students have resorted to confining top JNU officials for above 20 hours, breaking open the doors and disrupting meetings, putting locks in various School Buildings to prevent classes,... All these incidents ironically are not considered law and order problems by JNUTA!" said the administration. The students decided to "occupy" the administrative block on February 9, following the adoption of a 2016 University Grants Commission (UGC) notification which recommended an upper cap on the number of M.Phil. and Ph.D. students a faculty member can guide. They alleged that the cap would mean a massive seat-cut in the admissions, although the university said it will not happen. --IANS vn/in/vt ( 419 Words) 2017-02-21-14:14:09 (IANS)
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee paid tribute to the 1952 martyrs said all languages are equal and mother tongue should be used to express one's views.

"All languages are equal. Mother tongue must be for expressing views," Ms Banerjee tweeted.

"How can I forget February 21 spattered with my brothers' blood. I pay my tribute to the martyrs of 1952 Language Movement," she added.

In the city, St Xavier's College (Calcutta) Alumni Association along with Bengai Literary Society celebrated the International Mother Language Day..

Several programmes were organised across the state to mark the day.

International Mother Language Day is observed on February 21 every year since February 2000 to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism.

The date represents the day in 1952 when students demonstrating for recognition of their language, Bangla, as one of the two national languages of the then Pakistan, were shot and killed by police in Dhaka, the capital, is now Bangladesh.

On November 17, 1999, UNESCO proclaimed February 21 to be International Mother Language Day and it was first observed on February 21, 2000. Each year the celebrations around International Mother Language Day concentrate on a particular theme.

The day is now celebrated as International Mother Language Day the world over. This year the United Nations has added the theme of "Towards Sustainable Futures through Multilingual Education."

The United Nations' (UN) International Mother Language Day annually celebrates language diversity and variety worldwide on February 21.UNI BM

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Kerala government will take stern action against the culprits involved in the abduction of a leading Malayalam actress in Kochi recently. Talking to reporters here, Minister for SC/ST, Law and Cultural Affairs A K Balan said all those involved in the crime would be brought to book regardless of their status soon. ''Even if it is God, action would be taken,'' he said, adding the government has the potential for it. Admitting that there were certain bad tendencies prevailing in the film industry here, he said all out efforts would be taken to end such practices. The help of the members of film industry would be solicited for the purpose, he said. Mr Balan said he believed that attack on the actress was also part of such tendencies and efforts were also on to bring out conspiracy behind the incident. Stating police department was on their toes on a complaint by the actress, he said many assailants involved in the crime have already been arrested. Meanwhile, former state Minister and actor K B Ganesh Kumar, MLA today said presence of mafia in the film industry in the state was strong. Stating many actresses had similar experience in the past, he said they were threatened and fleeced money by the mafia but they had not lodged complaint against the miscreants.UNI PCH CS 1458 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0328-1159368.Xml
Hindustan Sanitaryware & Industries Limited (HSIL), promoters of brand hindware, the leader in sanitary ware market in India, today launched their latest line of air coolers with changeable colorful front panels under their brand Hindware Snowcrest. Talking to newsmen after the launch, HSIL Vice Chairman and Managing Director Sandip Somany said that the overall market of aircoolers size was Rs 3650 crore for both organised (Rs 1400 crore) and unorganized (Rs 2250 crore) with a growth rate of 16 per cent in the country. The organised sector was contributing to only one third of the market, the range of air coolers would help HSIL propel its presence, he said. He said that the company has targetted to achieve 10 per cent market share during the next three years and reach 15 per cent over next five years with the earning revenue of Rs 400 crore to Rs 500 crore. Mr Sandip said a sanitary ware manufacturing unit constructed at a cost of Rs 150 crore will be ready by end of March. Another unit manufacturing of plastic pipes, constructed at a cost of Rs 147 crore will be ready by April this year, he said. While explaining Hindware Snowcrest Air coolers, Mr Sandip said the new range of air coolers launched under desert, personal and window categories were available in fourteen models ranging from 18 liters to 100 liters. The changeable color panels available in select models come in three colours as of now premium purple, brick red & icy grey. With a high air delivery rate of up to 3800 m3/hr, the series was engineered to consume less power and produce exceptional cooling comfort. The trendy coolers range starts from Rs 7,990 and goes up to Rs 17,990, he added. HSIL President (Consumber Business) Rakesh Kaul, said, "We did a soft launch of air coolers in March 2016 which gave us encouraging results. With the launch of the state-oftheart air coolers range today, we expect even better results. These unique and stylish air coolers with changeable color panels, interpret a new benchmark in air coolers segment and its contemporary design idiom showcases the passion we have towards providing our customers with the best in class products."UNI VV CS 1542 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0275-1159483.Xml
Several Tamil organisations today urged the Pondy Government to shut all the liquor shops situated along the National and State Highways here.A resolution to close the liquor shops was adopted at a review meeting held by the Federation for People's Rights, which was attended by over 20 Tamil organisations.Secretary of the Federation, G Sugumaran in a statement said that the Supreme Court had directed to close down all liquor shops across the National Highways, but no initiatives in this regard was taken by the Puducherry Administration, even though, the Chief Minister V Narayanasmay had supported the judgement.Meanwhile, the liquor shop owners have filed a review petition in the SC in which they sought exemption for Puducherry. Mr Sugumaran said in the meantime, CM Narayanasamy was taking the steps to change the status of the roads in Puducherry from National and State Highways to District Highways, so that the liquor shops could continue functioning. "This is a clear indication that the government was functioning in support of the liquor baron's here," he alleged."If the Government failed, the organisations would mobilise strength and agitate against the Government," Mr Sugumaran said adding that the memoranda in this regard was being forwarded to the Lt Governor Kiran Bedi, Chief Minister V Narayanasmay, PWD minister A Namassivayam and Excise commissioner U Niranjan.UNI PAB PS SNU 1545 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0421-1159471.Xml
With the polling for 227 municipal wards in the Brihannmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) underway, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari hoped for a hike in percentage of voters as compared to last year. Gadkari cast his vote for Nagpur Municipal Corporation poll at a booth located at the Town Hall. "Every person must vote in the elections as it is a responsibility and a duty. One should vote for the betterment and welfare of the society and for the country, not on the basis of religion, caste, language, sex, etc.," said Gadkari. Local body polls are set to witness a high pitch battle between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Shiv Sena, the Congress, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). (ANI)
Kaspersky Lab researchers have examined the security of applications for the remote control of cars from several famous car manufacturers. As a result, the company's experts have discovered that all of the applications contain a number of security issues that can potentially allow criminals to cause significant damage for connected car owners. During the last few years, cars have started actively connecting to the Internet. Connectivity includes not only their infotainment systems but also critical vehicle systems, such as door locks and ignition, which are now accessible online. With the help of mobile applications, it is now possible to obtain the location coordinates of the vehicle as well as its route, and to open doors, start the engine and control additional in-car devices. On the one hand, these are extremely useful functions. On the other hand, how do manufacturers secure these apps from the risk of cyberattacks? In order to find this out, Kaspersky Lab researchers have tested seven remote car control applications developed by major car manufacturers, and which, according to Google Play statistics, have been downloaded tens of thousands, and in some cases, up to five million times. The research discovered that each of the examined apps contained several security issues. The list of the security issues discovered includes: No defense against application reverse engineering. As a result, malicious users can understand how the app works and find a vulnerability that would allow them to obtain access to server-side infrastructure or to the car's multimedia system No code integrity check, which is important because it enables criminals to incorporate their own code in the app and replace the original program with a fake one No rooting detection techniques. Root rights provide Trojans with almost endless capabilities and leave the app defenseless Lack of protection against app overlaying techniques. This helps malicious apps to show phishing windows and steal users' credentials Storage of logins and passwords in plain text. Using this weakness, a criminal can steal users' data relatively easily. Upon successful exploitation, an attacker can gain control over the car, unlock the doors, turn off the security alarm and, theoretically, steal the vehicle. In each case the attack vector would require some additional preparations, like luring owners of applications to install specially-crafted malicious apps that would then root the device and get access to the car application. However, as Kaspersky Lab experts have concluded from research into multiple other malicious applications which target online banking credentials and other important information, this is unlikely to be a problem for criminals experienced in social engineering techniques, should they decide to hunt for owners of connected cars. "The main conclusion of our research is that, in their current state, applications for connected cars are not ready to withstand malware attacks. Thinking about the security of the connected car, one should not only consider the security of server-side infrastructure. We expect that car manufacturers will have to go down the same road that banks have already gone down with their applications. Initially, apps for online banking did not have all the security features listed in our research. Now, after multiple cases of attacks against banking apps, many banks have improved the security of their products. Luckily, we have not yet detected any cases of attacks against car applications, which means that car vendors still have time to do things right. How much time they have exactly is unknown. Modern Trojans are very flexible - one day they can act like normal adware, and the next day they can easily download a new configuration making it possible to target new apps. The attack surface is really vast here," said Victor Chebyshev, security expert at Kaspersky Lab. Kaspersky Lab researchers advise users of connected car apps to follow these measures in order to protect their cars and private data from possible cyberattacks: Don't root your Android device as this will open almost unlimited capabilities to malicious apps Disable the ability to install applications from sources other than official app stores Keep the OS version of your device up to date in order to reduce vulnerabilities in the software and lower the risk of attack Install a proven security solution in order to protect your device from cyberattacks. To learn more about the connected ?ar threat, please read the blog post available at Securelist.com. (ANI)
Farmers continue to face the brunt of proceduralhiccups in Bihar as a little over 13 per cent of total subsidy amount has beenpaid to them against purchase of various agriculture equipment during the current financial year. State Agriculture Department Principal Secretary Sudhir Kumar toldnewspersons here today that a sum of Rs. 175 crore was to be paid tofarmers against purchase of agriculture equipment like tractors, powertillers and others but only Rs. 23 crore had been disbursed so far. Mr Kumar said out of total 25,028 farmers, only 4,868 farmers received subsidies during the current fiscal. He said even if best efforts were made, only 60 to 70 per cent farmers could be covered by the end of current fiscal. To a related query he admitted that his department would be left with no option other than surrendering the remaining subsidy amount.MORE UNI DH-IS KK -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0212-1159712.Xml
Keeping in view of its rich Buddhist Heritage and need of the hour to preserve for the future, Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation (TSTDC) will conduct a two-day global celebrations in the city on February 23 and 24. While elaborating the celebration details during a press conference here today, Tourism and Culture Minister Azmeera Chandu Lal along with TSTDC Chairman Pervaram Ramulu said that Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao will inaugurate the global conference in Paryataka Bhavan here on February 23. Before the inauguration of the event, a chanting by a sang will be held at Buddha Statue, Tank Bund at 0900 hours, he said. Mr Lal said more than 250 delegates including 62-70 foreign delegates from 16 countries including Taiwan, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Vietnam, Loas, Camboida, Bhutan, Tibet,USA, Canada, Bulgaria are expected to participate in the conference. While explaining about Buddhist Heritage in the state, Mr Ramulu said, the Buddhist sources said that, a Brahmin from Badanakurti in Khanapur Mandal of Adilabad District sent his 16 disciples to all the way to north India to learn Buddhism and spread the message in this region. Megasthenes, who visited India in the 4th century BC, wrote that there were 30 fortified towns of Andhras and a majority of them were in Telangana. In the historical age, Telangana had given rise to mighty empires and kingdoms like the Sathavahanas, Vakatakas, Ikshavakus, Vishnukunins, Chalukyas, kakatiyas, Qutb Shahis and Asif Jahis. Telangana has been a vibrant social entity by the time of the Buddha and continued to be so for the next two and a half millennia, he said. Mr Ramulu said the conference also included a two-day field visits for exposure of Buddhist sites in Telangana including Buddhavanam Project constructed at a cost of Rs 25 crore and spread in eight acres and Nagrjunakkonda on February 25 and 26.UNI VV CS 1641 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0275-1159578.Xml
Minister for Communication and Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad today met Microsoft Chief Satya Nadella and discussed ways to use innovative technology in the proposed Digigaon initiative, which will enable delivery services that include health and education through free Wi-Fi.After meeting, Mr Prasad told the mediapersons that the meeting was productive and he has requested Nadella to consider the use of their innovative technology in the Digital village initiative. "He particularly appreciated the initiative for digital inclusion in village, and discussed the Harisal pilot project in Maharashtra where they've (Microsoft) brought a lot of technology connectivity for digital health, digital education. It is something which I am considering to replicate it in our larger vision of Digital Village announced as Digi Gaon," the minister said. Along with them, the meeting was also attended by IT Secretary Arun Sundararajan, Additional Secretary Ajay Kumar and UIDAI CEO AB Pandey. UNI ASH SNU 1725 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0388-1159671.Xml
Slamming Minister Akhilesh Yadav for his 'donkeys of Gujarat' jibe, Union Minister for Information and broadcasting M. Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday advised the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister of using peoples' language. Addressing the media here, Naidu said while addressing people, one should use proper language. "We are addressing the people and we should speak in peoples' language, he should understand it is not peoples language," said Naidu. Further expressing confidence over the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) forming a government in Uttar Pradesh, Naidu said that he is sure that it will be a saffron swipe in the state. "I am confident of the fact that the BJP will form the government in Uttar Pradesh. Rest the fight to bag the place of opposition is on between the SP and the BSP," Naidu said. Naidu also took the occasion to lambast the opposition parties over unwarranted criticism of demonetisation and said that people of Uttar Pradesh will not support the immoral alliance of Samajwadi Party and Congress. "The opposition says that people will not forgive BJP for demonetisation. I will ask them that will the people forgive them for corruption they did? The Congress did corruption and you joined hands with it? This alliance is immoral and the people of the state will not accept this alliance. The country is moving ahead under the leadership of Narendra Modi ji and we don't want Uttar Pradesh to lag behind. The fact is that Uttar Pradesh is still a BIMARU state," said Naidu. Earlier on Monday, Akhilesh Yadav appealed 'Sadi ke Mahanayak' (without actually naming Amitabh Bachchan) not to campaign for Gujarat 'donkeys.' "I would like to request the 'mahanayak' of the century (Amitabh Bachchan) not to campaign for donkeys of Gujarat. Those who have seen the advertisement will understand whom we are talking about," said Akhilesh while addressing a rally here. "Have you ever heard of campaigning for donkeys? Gujarat's people are doing campaigns for donkeys...then they accuse me of working only for kabristan (graveyard...)," he said in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'shamshan ghat-kabristan' comment. Apparently, Yadav was referring to Gujarat Tourism's advertisement featuring Amitabh Bachchan, popularly referred to as 'Sadi ka mahanayak', with the state's famed wild asses. (ANI)
The vitals of Cheeta are said to be stable. He will be undergoing tracheotomy. A Ryle's tube will also be placed.

Chetan Cheeta got injured in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora earlier this month.

The Commandant of the 45 Battalion of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) sustained multiple gunshots during the gun battle. He was later airlifted to AIIMS trauma centre.

As many as three army personnel were killed and seven others injured in an encounter that took place between militants and security forces in the Hajin area of Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora. (ANI)
With an objective to acceleration farm mechanisation in Bihar, the state agriculture department would organise four day Agriculture Mechanisation Fair styled as 'Agro Bihar 2017' at Gandhi Maidan here from tomorrow. State Agriculture Minister Ram Vichar Rai told newspersons here that'Agro Bihar 2017', tipped as the biggest agriculture mechanisationfair of Eastern India, would be organised in association withConfederation of Indian Industry (CII). He said the fair would spread over an area of nearly 3 lakh square feet and more than 100 stalls would be set up. Farm fair mechanisation was being organised in the state since 2011 as farmers could increase crop production and improve productivity oftheir land by adopting scientific methods and using agriculture equipment, he added. Mr Rai said the challenge before farmers was more when the climate change had already started showing its impact. The farmers could sow their crops for the next season on time and get better yields by saving their time on harvesting and threshing of their crops grown in previous season with the use of modern and best agriculture equipment.MORE UNI DH KK -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0212-1159930.Xml
YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) MLA R K Roja today filed a private case in a court against the police for confining her at the Gannavaram Airport on February 11, when she came to attend National Women's Parliament. The MLA complained in her petition that the police personnel wrongfully confined her at the airport without any provocation from her. She said she was invited for the convention, organized by the AP government, as a public representative she had right to move around in any place. She appealed the court to take action against the police officials, who confined her and sent back to Hyderabad forcibly. The court admitted the petition and adjourned further hearing to March 3. Earlier, talking to media, Ms Roja alleged that the atrocities on women have been increased in the state. The crime rate in the state had gone up by 11 per cent, she claimed.UNI DP CS 1750 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0275-1159743.Xml
Mr Rao and his wife Shobha accompanied by some of his Cabinet Ministers, left for Tirupati from Begumpet airport by a special flight here this evening.

After staying night halt at Tirumala hills , the Chief Minister will worship Lord venkateswara during morning VIP break and later he will present 14.20 kg Saligram Haram golden necklace costing about Rs 3.70 crore and 4.65 kg Kanta Abharanam costing Rs 1.20 crore to Lord Venkateswara.

Before leaving for Hyderabad on February 22 , the CM will also offer gold ornament to Goddess Padmavathi temple in Tiruchanur near Tirupati.

This is the maiden visit to Tirumala temple by Mr Rao after assuming as Chief Minister of Telangana.

In October 2016, Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao presented Rs 3.5 crore worth golden crown weighing 11.7 kg to Goddess Bhadrakali in Warangal.

Massive security arrangements have been made for Mr Rao's visit to Tirupati and Tirumala .

TRS supporters also made preparations for a grand welcome to Chief Minister at Tirupati.

Among those who left for Tirupati along with the CM are Telangana Assembly Speaker Madhusudanachary, Ministers Harish Rao, Eetala Rajendra, Indrakaran Reddy, Padmarao and Pocharam Srinivasreddy, Chief Secretary SP Singh, Special Adviser to Government, Rajeev Sharma and others.UNI KNR CS 1805

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Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MLC Boddu Bhaskara Rama Rao had a miraculous escape when his car collided with a lorry at Navab Palem village near Tadepalli Gudem town in West Godavari district today. Police said that the MLC was going to Kakinada from Vijayawada in the car when the accident took place. The MLA sustained minor injuries and he was treated at a private hospital in Rajahmundry.UNI DP CS 1754 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0275-1159801.Xml
The Chief Minister said the budget session would begin on March 6. Governor E S L Narasimhan would address both the houses on March 6. This will be the first Assembly session in the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh.

The assembly sessions was held hitherto in Hyderabad.UNI DP CS 1837

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Delhi Environment Minister Imran Hussain today chaired a meeting with senior officers of the Forest and Wildlife Department, and Public Works Department to review the status of proposed Wildlife Bird Rescue Centre at Rajokri and directed that the construction of the Centre should be completed at the earliest. During the meeting, the Officers informed Mr Hussian that the Centre is being developed with technical support from PWD. The proposed Centre will have rescue facilities for baby birds, small and medium size birds, besides, big birds like peacock, eagle etc, a statement issued by Delhi Government said. Delhi being the alleged grey market of Wild Life Birds, the Government has expressed serious concerns on smuggling of wild birds like Owl and other endangered species. The proposed Centre shall provide veterinary facilities for medical improvement and health rejuvenation of injured and captured birds before they are released into wild again, it said. The Minister observed that the area housing the Bird Rescue Centre should have dense tree cover to ensure that temperature variations between day and night times does not affect the health of rescued birds. Mr Hussain also desired that the Rescue Centre should also take care of rescued snakes, wild life, tortoise etc for ensuring better well being of rescued birds and animals. He further directed that the construction of the Centre should be completed at the earliest. It is estimated that project shall cost around Rs nine crore. UNI DS SHK 1912 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0177-1159990.Xml
Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) President N Raghuveera Reddy alleged that the state government is threatening the farmers, who had not parted with their lands voluntarily for the construction of Amaravathi and 24/7 Police Section is being implemented in the capital area. Addressing a press conference here today, Mr Reddy also alleged that the government acquired thousands of acres of rich fertile land from farmers in Tulluru region for the construction of capital city. Now the government is giving the lands to Multi-nationals, National and International institutions and Yoga centres at cheaper price. He said that the government had assured to provide free medical treatment and education to 1.40 lakh people in the capital region as reciprocation for giving lands but the assurances were not being implemented and added that he would write a letter to the Chief Minister on the issue on February 23. The APCC President demanded the government to lift Police Act and Section 144 and 30 in the capital area as they were preventing the leaders from interacting with the farmers to ascertain their problems. Earlier, addressing the farmers and agriculture labourers of the capital area, the senior Congress leader assured to fight for their cause and announced to take their issue to the Centre, if required.UNI DP CS 1910 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0275-1159971.Xml
"Nationalism and patriotism is unbelievablyhigh in the hearts of Arunachalees," said Chief Minister Pema Khanduwhile attending a reception programme of students from various statesof the country visiting the state at Dera Natung Government College,here today.At least 60 students from various states like Telangana, MadhyaPradesh, Maharashtra, Uttaranchal, etc are on a three-day visit toArunachal Pradesh under the 'Students Experience in Inter-stateLiving' (SEIL) organised by Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP)since 1966. The uniqueness of the programme is that these visitingstudents live with local families called as 'hosts' during theirentire stay. The 60 students were hosted by 15 families of the statecapital giving them the experience of local cuisine, traditions andculture. They also had the opportunity to join the 31st Statehood Daycelebrations and gain knowledge about Arunachal Pradesh."Majority of the people in mainland India do not have much knowledgeabout the North East and Arunachal Pradesh. Now that you have gained firsthand experience and lived the Arunachalee life for three days, you are ambassadors of Arunachal Pradesh in your respective states anduniversities," Mr Khandu said.Explaining about the diverse culture and traditions of the communitiesinhabiting Arunachal Pradesh, he however pointed that 'three days' isnot enough to know Arunachal Pradesh."We are such a big state with so many tribes and communities, eachdistinctly different from the other, I think it will take more days ofstay to know us better," he said.Hailing the uniqueness of the programme, wherein students from acrossthe country visit the North East and vice versa, Khandu opined thatvisiting students need to be taken to districts for their stay so thatthey get the real 'feel' of Arunachalee culture.He appealed ABVP to continue the programme which is a silentrevolution working as a catalyst in national integration by bridgingthe gap between the North East and mainland India.Urging the visiting students to take back good messages of ArunachalPradesh and its people, the CM assured them that whenever they feltlike coming back, a family and a home will be waiting for them.Explaining the objective of the programme, ABVP National JointOrganizing Secretary G Laxman said SEIL was conceived in the year1965 to motivate 'emotional integration' in the 'distant regions' ofthe country. UNI PB RN 2006 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0311-1160149.Xml
T R Zeliang, who stepped down as the Chief Minister of Nagaland, was unanimously elected as the Chairman of the Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) Coordination Committee. According to sources Mr Zeliang's name was proposed by the new leader of the DAN Legislature Party Dr Shurhozelie Liezietsu at the DAN Legislature Party meeting today and was unanimously accepted by the legislators through a show of raising hands. The post was occupied by Dr Shurhozelie and the post is of the status of a Cabinet Minister as Dr Shurhozelie was elected to Chief Minister designate, he relieved himself from the post and gave the post to Zeliang, sources said. UNI AS RN 2046 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0311-1160218.Xml
A new round of dialogue on matters related to extradition and mutual legal assistance was held between the officials of India and the UK in New Delhi on February 20 and 21. In the meeting, both sides held detailed and fruitful deliberations on the legal processes and procedures in either country and reviewed the requests for extradition and mutual legal assistance pending on either side. The countries also reiterated their determination to strengthen legal cooperation and expedite the pending requests. The Indian delegation was led by Joint Secretary, Consular, Passport and Visa, Ministry of External Affairs and had representatives from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Law and Justice and investigating agencies, including CBI, Enforcement Directorate, and the state authorities concerned. The UK delegation was led by the Head of the UK Central Authority for Extradition and Mutual Legal Assistance, the UK Home Office and representatives from the Crown Prosecution Service, and the UK High Commission in New Delhi. The meeting was held pursuant to the decision taken during the visit of the UK Prime Minister to India in November 2016 wherein the two leaders had directed that the officials dealing with extradition matters from both sides should meet at the earliest to develop better understanding of each countries' legal processes and requirements; share best practices, and identify the causes of delays and expedite pending requests so that fugitives and criminals should not be allowed to escape the law. It was agreed that the Central Authorities of both the countries would review further progress in these cases every six month through Video Conference.(ANI)
Kerala Assembly speaker P Sree Rama Krishnan today said the Kannur district panchayat mission for providing social status to trans-genders through the 'Janakeeyasuthranam' is a sign of developmental democracy.The speaker, while inaugurating the workshop on "Transgender status" organized by District panchayat here, said that the trans-genders have equal rights as compared to others and the mission by district Panchayat sets an example for the nation. He also said the mission would be an important mile stone in the history of Kerala. District Panchayat president K V Sumesh said in his presidential address that the aim of the workshop was to bring the attention of the people about the distress of the transgender community. Over ten trans-genders attended the workshop and also took mobile selfie with the speaker after the inaugural function. One of the transgender Nisha Kishore while presenting the paper in the workshop said the transgenders needs self employment. "The Government and the society should provide job opportunities to us so that we can live respectfully and peacefully," she said. She said there were more number of trans-genders in North Malabar, however, the stigma related to it while identifying themselves was preventing them to come out openly.She said that neither the boys nor the girls accept them during the school or college days, which stops their education. "They are bullied in the school premises and lose their self confidence. Not only in school, they are not given the due respect at their home and fearing the stigma of the society, the parents and family members asked them to leave the house. This forces them to reach the street and live as beggars and sex workers. She said that unlike Kerala, the acceptance for the transgenders in other state is high due to the recognition to them traditionally. The hospital staffs are not ready to treat them and police also look at them as suspicion and disrespect. To create awareness among the new generation, district panchayat ensure the presence of school students during the programme along with the various NGOs.UNI AK PS RJ PR2205 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0421-1160140.Xml
The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court (HC) today dismissed two petitions filed by the expelled AIADMK Rajya Sabha Member L Sasikala Pushpa and family challenging cases registered against them by police at Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli districts.The All Women Police in Thoothukudi district filed cases against Ms Pushpa, her husband T Lingeswara Thilagan and their son L Pradeep Raja on August 10, 2016 on the alleged charges of sexually harassing two domestic maids under various Sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and also under the POCSO Act. The Thisayanvilai police in Tirunelveli district had also registered cases against Pushpa's family and their three associates on charges of ransacking the house of a woman advocate J Suganthi, who represented the domestic maids in the sexual harassment case.Pushpa and her family members filed petitions in the Madurai Bench seeking to quash both the cases.When the petitions came up for hearing before Justice G Chockalingam, the counsel for the petitioners' stated that a senior lawyer would argue in the case and prayed the court to adjourn the hearing.The Additional Advocate General (AAG) Pugazhendi argued that their petitions were not maintainable, as the petitioners' did not cooperate with the police investigation, by which they violated the Supreme Court's (SC) direction. The petitioners' had already approached the SC regarding the two cases. But, however, the SC directed them to cooperate with police inquiry. Though the police issued four summons, the accused, who received the same, did not turn up for inquiry. Their petitioners' seeking to quash cases were nothing, but an effort to circumvent the summons and appearing before the police. The investigation is at crucial stage, he contended.Following this, the Judge refused to accept the petitioners' plea. Hence, the petitioners' side expressed its willingness to withdraw the petitions. The Judge accepted their request and dismissed the petitions as withdrawn. UNI GSM SHS RJ BL2242 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0329-1160296.Xml
A local court in Meghalaya today granted bail to Champion R Sangma, the Chairman of the outlawed Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA), a terrorist outfit. Sangma, who was lodged in Shillong district jail, was granted bail by the Court of District and Sessions, Shillong under two surety bond of Rs one lakh each, Sangma's legal counsel Sujit Dey told UNI. Mr Dey, however, said that the Court directed Sangma not to leave the court's jurisdiction until further notice. Sangma was arrested from Umkrem Pyrwdiwah axis on the edge of the India-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya's East Khasi Hills district on July 30, 2012.In fact, he was first arrested by Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) commandos on November 23, 2011 from his hideout at Haluaghat in Bangladesh's Mymensingh district.Sangma, a former deputy superintendent of police, deserted the Meghalaya Police and floated the outlawed GNLA Nov 2009 for a separate Garoland in western part of Meghalaya. Sohan D Shira, who is the co-founder of militant outfit, which was declared a "terrorist organisation" under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, by the Union government, is still at large. Meghalaya police are making attempts to arrest Shira. UNI RRK SHS RJ BL2305 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0329-1160301.Xml
A militant of the outlawed Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) was killed in a shootout with the Meghalaya's Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) commandos in state's West Khasi Hills district, police said today. The incident took place in Riangdim village area after the militants opened indiscriminate fire at the commandos, police said, adding that the militant killed was identified as Walamdaria M Sangma, Police said one 22 Rifle, 70 rounds of AK 47 ammunition, one 7.65 pistol, two 7.65 pistol magazine, 3 pistol magazine, 5 round of .22 ammunition, 5 round 7.65 ammunition, 2 mobile phones, incriminating documents and one GNLA identity card in the name of Walamdaria M Sangma army no.797 were recovered from body of the slain militant. UNI RRK SHS RJ BL2306 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0329-1160302.Xml
US President Donald Trump has named Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster as his new national security adviser, succeeding Michael Flynn, who left last week amid criticism of his pre-inauguration contacts with the Russian ambassador. "General H.R. McMaster will become the national security adviser. He's a man of tremendous talent and tremendous experience," Trump, who was accompanied by the general, said in a surprise announcement at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, Efe news reported on Monday. "I watched and read a lot over the last two days. He is highly respected by everyone in the military and we're very honored to have him," the President added. McMaster, who holds a PhD in military history and is the author of a book - "Dereliction of Duty" - that criticizes the "lies" that led to the United States' involvement in the Vietnam War, had not been regarded as one of the frontrunners for the post. Retired Vice Adm. Robert Harward had been offered the post last week, but he turned it down due to a staffing dispute. Retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, who also was present for the announcement, was named McMaster's chief of staff. Neither post requires Senate confirmation. Flynn stepped down last week after a leaked transcript showed he discussed sanctions on Russia with that country's ambassador to the US prior to Trump's inauguration. Trump said retired Lt. Gen. Flynn was asked to resign because he had lied to Vice President Mike Pence when he told him that the topic of sanctions had not been addressed during the phone call. Flynn's exit has been one of the biggest crises of Trump's first month in office. Trump spent the weekend in Florida, where he announced that he would meet with possible candidates for the post of national security adviser, and is scheduled to return to Washington on Monday night. --IANS pgh/ ( 317 Words) 2017-02-21-03:30:06 (IANS)
As the politicians on Monday discussed the proposed state visit, shouts and noise from a "Stop Trump" rally taking place in London's in Parliament Square could be heard inside the Houses of Parliament, Xinhua news agency reported.

It followed a petition to parliament signed by 1.85 million people calling for Prime Minister Theresa May's invitation to Trump to be withdrawn. A second petition, signed by more than 300,000 people supported a state visit to Trump during which Queen Elizabeth would host a state banquet.

MP Paul Flynn said only two US presidents have been granted a state visit since 1952, but within seven days of Trump becoming president he had been invited to a state visit. Flynn described this as extraordinary and completely unprecedented.

Emotions ran high among MPs who supported the visit and those backing opposition to the red carpet being rolled out for Trump.

A number of MPs said Trump should have been invited to an official visit, a step down from a state visit.

Conservative James Cartlidge said removing the invitation for a state visit will make Britain a "laughing stock" and would damage Britain's national interests.

Labour MP Liam Byrne predicted that the level of protests "taking place in Parliament Square tonight" will look like a tea-party compared to the likely protests when Trump arrives in London.

But the Foreign Office Minister Sir Alan Duncan said a state visit was part of plans for strengthening bilateral relations with the United States.

Despite the petition, the second biggest since parliamentary petitions were introduced, there is no obligation on the government to act.

--IANS pgh/

( 297 Words)

2017-02-21-04:38:06 (IANS)
New York on Monday, a day before his 65th birthday.

"The Russian Foreign Ministry deeply regrets to announce that Russia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vitaly Ivanovich Churkin has died suddenly in New York on February 20, a day ahead of his 65th birthday," TASS news agency quoted the ministry as saying.

"The outstanding Russian diplomat died in harness. We offer sincere condolences to the family of Vitaly Ivanovich Churkin," it added.

No further details are available at the moment.

Churkin served as Russia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations since 2006. (ANI)
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and other leasers also placed a wreath at the altar after the President. They stood in silence for some time as a mark of respect to the memories of the language heroes, reports the Daily Star.

Humming "Amar Bhaiyer Rokte Rangano Ekushey February...", thousands of people thronged the Central Shaheed Minar in the capital and elsewhere in the early hours today to pay homage to the language heroes.

With Bangladesh, International Mother Language Day will today be celebrated across the globe, as the Unesco declared it the in 1999.

On this day in 1952, students and people took to the streets in Dhaka to protest the then Pakistan government's refusal to recognise Bangla as one of the state languages and imposition of Urdu as the only official language of Pakistan.

Following the movement, the Pakistani government was compelled to include an article in the country's constitution on February 29, 1956 that declared, "The state languages of Pakistan shall be Urdu and Bengali." (ANI)
Trump made the announcement from Mar-a-lago on Monday afternoon, alongside the general and acting National Security Adviser Keith Kellogg, reports the New York Post.

Trump also asked Kellogg to continue as chief of staff to the National Security Council.

"I think that combination is something very, very special," Trump said of the pair.

McMaster is currently Director of the Army Capabilities Integration Center and Deputy Commanding General, Futures, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command. (ANI)
North Korea's ambassador to Malaysia, on Monday, denied identifying the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) man, killed here last week, as Kim Jong Nam, the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. According to Chinese state owned Xinhua News Agency, ambassador Kang Chol, at a news conference in the front of the DPRK embassy, said an official document has been submitted to the Malaysian side, pointing out that "we did not know any other name except Kim Chol as written in the passport" of the deceased. The press conference was called after Kang was earlier summoned by the Malaysian Foreign Ministry. The Malaysian Foreign Ministry defended its investigation on the deceased man in a statement, that said the investigation has been conducted in the manner prescribed by Malaysian law. Malaysia has also recalled its ambassador in Pyongyang for consultation. Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said on Thursday that the deceased DPRK man was Kim Jong Nam. At a press conference, when asked if the man was confirmed to be Kim Jong Nam, Zahid replied, "yes, certainly yes." He said he was briefed by the police that the DPRK embassy had confirmed Kim's identity. Malaysian police had earlier also identified the deceased man as Kim Chol, according to his passport. For the unversed, Kim Jong-nam was allegedly poisoned last week at an airport in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur. Two women, one Indonesian and one Vietnamese, were among the first to be arrested. The Indonesian, named as Siti Aisyah, is said to have told Malaysian police that she had been paid to perform what she thought was a prank. According to reports, the Malaysian Police has also detained one North Korean suspect, Ri Jong-chol, and said they are looking for four more men, who may have already left the country. (ANI)
Citing Refinery29.com, an American-based fashion webloid, Fox News said in a report that Ivanka's namesake eau de parfum spray is currently a #1 top-seller on Amazon.com.

The "spicy floral" fragrance holds two top spots in the women's category: one for the full-sized bottle, the other a roll-on, which is out of stock.

However, the reviews show that customers are specifically purchasing the fragrance, not for the scent but in support of the 35-year-old mother of three.

"I bought this perfume in support of Ivanka Trump. I had no idea how it smelled. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised and I LOVE it!!," wrote one verified purchaser, as reported by the beauty news site.

"I love this scent and happily showed my support by purchasing this perfume. Just wish I can fit into her gorgeous clothing line," wrote another buyer.

No recent negative reviews were shown on the e-commerce site.

Even Amazon has not commented on the recent demand for the scent.

Ivanka was caught up in a row earlier this month, when Nordstrom, a Seattle-based luxury department store chain, said it would stop selling the her brand of products explaining that the decision was based on the sales performance.

The surge in sales comes despite the "Grab Your Wallet" campaign, which has been calling for a boycott of retailers that carry Ivanka Trump or Donald Trump merchandise.

Ivanka's business has also drawn criticism for blurring the lines between brand promotion and politics, as her company sent a style alert to journalists in November, promoting a gold bracelet that she wore during an interview to a TV channel. (ANI)
According to CNN, protesters in cities across the country took to the streets on Monday for "Not My President's Day" rallies with a anti-Trump messages.

Olga Lexell, one of about 20 people who helped organize the events in Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, said the protests were intended to show Trump there was widespread opposition to his policies and "ridiculous" executive orders.

In New York's Columbus Circle, protesters held placards with the word "No!" in different languages.

In addition, merchants sold T-shirts reading "Not My President" above smaller text reading "Elected but not chosen."

"In the name of humanity, fascist America -- No! No! No! No! No!," they chanted.

In Los Angeles, protesters gathered and held signs at City Hall, chanting "No ban, no wall!" (ANI)
India and Rwanda have signed three Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs), including a Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) as a step towards building better relationship between the two nations. During India-Rwanda Business Forum last night, both the nations signed the MoUs, which also included the establishment of an Entrepreneurship Development Centre (EDC) and an agreement for the exemption of Visa requirements for diplomatic and service passport holders. The agreement was inked by Amar Sinha, Secretary of Ministry of External Affairs, India, and three Rwandan ministers in the presence of Vice-President of India Hamid Ansari, who also launched India-Rwanda Innovation Growth Programme. On the occasion, Mr Ansari said the direct air service will benefit not only the business community but also the Rwandan people, who visit India for the health and education purposes also."India issues at least 500 students Visa to Rwandan students, who visit the country for higher education under scholarship programmes," he said. He said, "Several Rwandans, who have travelled to India for medical treatment, have returned satisfied. India is also increasingly becoming a preferred destination for quality and affordable education for Rwandan students." The Vice-President said India-Rwanda Innovation Growth Programme is being launched to expand ties in Science, Technology and Innovation, and the programme aims at creating an ecosystem wherein Indian innovations and technology enterprises will thrive and encourage business ventures from both sides. The India-Rwanda Business Forum was organised jointly by the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) and the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) in Kigali, the capital city of Rwanda. The Prime Minister of Rwanda Anastase Murekezi and other dignitaries were present on the occasion. Mr Ansari said Rwanda has put behind it the unfortunate genocide of 1994 and the efficient and clean city of Kigali captures the great strides that this country is taking on its path of growth and prosperity. He further said Rwanda today offers a range of prospects to investors, including in renewable energy, infrastructure, agriculture, mining, tourism, and Information and Communications Technology. Trade between India and Rwanda has been gradually increasing over the last few years, he added. "The translation of ideas and innovations into practical applications will require the three Ds of Discovery, Development and Delivery. We are now ready to work with our partners in Rwanda and other partners of Africa in transferring our experience in building an innovation driven economy," he added. After signing the MoUs, Mr Murekezi informed the gathering that the flight connecting Mumbai and Kigali will start April this year. It was a long pending demand from the Indian business community and Rwandan citizens. Mr Murekezi hoped that the three MoUs would boost the bilateral relations in several sectors including Science and Technology, health and education. He said the Rwandan government was committed to making the bilateral ties grow stronger.UNI SKT PY SB 1040 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0298-1159041.Xml
Israel's BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics is seeking early approval in Canada for its adult stem cell treatment for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a neuro-degenerative disease, even before it completes late-stage clinical trials.BrainStorm said today that it had signed an agreement with CCRM, a Canadian not-for-profit organisation that supports development of regenerative medicine, to support a market authorisation request for its ALS treatment, called NurOwn.CCRM is helping BrainStorm meet requirements for the Canadian health regulator's early access pathway, which provides rapid review for drugs to treat serious or life-threatening conditions.If NurOwn qualifies, it could be authorised in Canada for distribution by the start of 2018, the company said."We seemingly fit the criteria," BrainStorm Chief Executive Chaim Lebovits told Reuters.At the same time, BrainStorm will conduct a Phase 3 clinical trial for NurOwn at multiple sites in the United States and Israel. The company in December said the advanced clinical trial is expected to begin enrolling patients in the second quarter of 2017.BrainStorm also plans to submit an application in Israel that will allow patient access to NurOwn as a treatment that has been granted "Hospital Exemption". This recently approved pathway would permit BrainStorm to partner with a medical centre in Israel and be allowed to treat patients with NurOwn for a fee.Lebovits foresees possible treatments under this pathway as early as the second half of 2017.BrainStorm is also examining whether it may be eligible for early approval in the United States under new legislation passed in December that supporters say will speed access to new drugs.According to the ALS Association, 5,600 people in the United States are diagnosed each year with the disease, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, which has severely disabled British physicist Stephen Hawking. REUTERS JW PM1040 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0364-1159057.Xml
Chinese authorities have ordered all motor vehicles in Bayingol prefecture in far-western Xinjiang to be installed with mandatory satellite tracking devices, the latest tough anti-terror measure targeting the ethnically divided region.China has been stepping up already tight security in restive Xinjiang after a rise in violence in recent months.Hundreds have been killed in Xinjiang in the past few years, mostly in unrest between the Muslim Uighur people, who call the region home, and the ethnic majority Han Chinese. Beijing blames the unrest on Islamist militants."Cars are the main transportation means for terrorists, and are also a frequently chosen tool to carry out terrorist attacks," the Bayingol traffic police said in a post on its official Weibo microblog account on February 4.All vehicles will be required by June 30 to install GPS-style tracking devices connected to China's proprietary Beidou navigation satellite, "so they can be tracked wherever they go", the state-run Global Times reported today.It would also help car owners to find their vehicles quickly if they are stolen by terrorists, the report said.Cars not fitted with the devices will be unable to buy petrol at service stations in Bayingol, nor be resold on the second-hand market.Remote and sparsely populated Bayingol occupies a huge part of southeast Xinjiang, although much of the violence has been concentrated further away near Kashgar and Hotan in the southern Uighur heartland.The government has blamed much of the unrest on separatist Islamist militants, although rights groups and exiles say anger at tightening Chinese controls on the religion and culture of Muslim Uighurs is more to blame.China routinely denies any repression in Xinjiang.Violence has continued to flare particularly in the more remote southern regions of Xinjiang, although accounts are difficult to verify independently and exiles and rights groups suspect incidents are underreported.Last week, Chinese security forces in the regional capital of Urumqi and the Uighur hub of Hotan staged large-scale anti-terror rallies, parading thousands of armed police and paramilitary, as well as dozens of armoured vehicles, through city streets.Last week, three knife-wielding attackers were shot dead after killing five people in Pishan County, in Hotan prefecture.In December, five people were killed when attackers drove a vehicle into a government building, with police shooting dead the three perpetrators. REUTERS JW PM1110 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0364-1159091.Xml
US President Donald Trump named Lieutenant General Herbert Raymond McMaster as his new national security adviser, choosing a military officer known for speaking his mind and challenging his superiors.McMaster is a highly regarded military tactician and strategic thinker, but his selection surprised some observers who wondered how the officer, whose Army career stalled at times for his questioning of authority, would deal with a White House that has not welcomed criticism."He is highly respected by everybody in the military and we're very honored to have him," Trump told reporters yesterday in West Palm Beach where he spent the weekend. "He's a man of tremendous talent and tremendous experience."One subject on which Trump and McMaster could soon differ is Russia. McMaster shares the consensus view among the US national security establishment that Russia is a threat and an antagonist to the United States, while the man whom McMaster is replacing, retired Lieutenant General Michael Flynn, appeared to view it more as a potential geopolitical partner.Trump in the past has expressed a willingness to engage with Russia more than his predecessor, Barack Obama.Flynn was fired as national security adviser on February 13 after reports emerged he had misled Vice President Mike Pence about speaking to Russia's ambassador to the United States about US sanctions before Trump's inauguration.The ouster, coming so early in Trump's administration, was another upset for a White House that has been hit by miscues, including the controversial rollout of a travel ban on people from seven Muslim-majority countries, since the Republican president took office on January 20.The national security adviser is an independent aide to the president and does not require confirmation by the US Senate. The role has varied from administration to administration, but the adviser attends National Security Council meetings along with the heads of the State Department, the Department of Defense and key security agencies.Republican Senator John McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee and a frequent Trump critic, praised McMaster as an "outstanding" choice."I give President Trump great credit for this decision," McCain said in a statement.A former U.S. ambassador to Russia under Obama, Michael McFaul, a Democrat, praised McMaster on Twitter as "terrific" and said McMaster "will not be afraid to question his boss."Trump also named Keith Kellogg, a retired US Army general who has been serving as the acting national security adviser, as chief of staff to the National Security Council. John Bolton, a former US ambassador to the United Nations, will serve the administration in another capacity, Trump said.Kellogg and Bolton were among those in contention as Trump spent the long Presidents Day weekend considering his options for replacing Flynn. His first choice, retired Vice Admiral Robert Harward, turned down the job last week.McMaster, 54, is a West Point graduate known as "H.R.," with a PhD in US history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He was listed as one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people in 2014, partly because of his willingness to buck the system.A combat veteran, he gained renown in the first Gulf War - and was awarded a Silver Star - after he commanded a small troop of the US 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment that destroyed a much larger Iraqi Republican Guard force in 1991 in a place called 73 Easting, for its map coordinates, in what many consider the biggest tank battle since World War Two.As one fellow officer put it, referring to Trump's inner circle of aides and speaking on condition of anonymity, the Trump White House "has its own Republican Guard, which may be harder for him to deal with than the Iraqis were." The Iraqi Republican Guard was the elite military force of ousted dictator Saddam Hussein.Trump relies on a tight, insular group of advisers, many of whom zealously guard access to the president, and at times appear to have competing political agendas. Senior adviser Steve Bannon has asserted his influence by taking a seat on the National Security Council.McMaster's fame grew after his 1997 book "Dereliction of Duty" criticized the country's military and political leadership for poor leadership during the Vietnam War.Trump's pick was praised by one of the president's strongest backers in the US Congress, Republican Senator Tom Cotton, who called McMaster "one of the finest combat leaders of our generation and also a great strategic mind. He is a true warrior scholar, and I'm confident he will serve both the president and the country well."In a July 14, 2014, interview with the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer in Columbus, Georgia, where Fort Benning is located, McMaster, then the base commander, said: "Some people have a misunderstanding about the Army."Some people think, hey, you're in the military and everything is super-hierarchical and you're in an environment that is intolerable of criticism and people don't want frank assessments."I think the opposite is the case. ... And the commanders that I've worked for, they want frank assessments, they want criticism and feedback."That attitude was not always shared by his superiors, and it led to his being passed over for promotion to brigadier general twice, in 2006 and 2007.On McMaster's third and last try, General David Petraeus who took himself off the list last week for Trump's national security adviser returned from Iraq to head the promotion board that finally gave McMaster his first general's star.Then a colonel, McMaster was commander of the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment that in the spring of 2005 captured, held and began to stabilize Tal Afar on the Iraqi-Syrian border.The city was held by Sunni extremists, a crossing point between Syria and Iraq for jihadists who started as al-Qaeda in Mesopotamia under Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and morphed into Islamic State after he was killed.McMaster's preparation of the regiment is legendary: He trained his soldiers in Iraqi culture, the differences among Sunnis, Shiites and Turkomen, and had them read books on the history of the region and counterinsurgency strategy.It was a sharp change from the "kill and capture" tactics the United States had used in Iraq since the invasion in March 2003, and to which the Obama administration returned in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria.The strategy was largely a success, although McMaster's use of it and especially his willingness to acknowledge that Iraqis had some legitimate grievances against one another and the occupying coalition forces, did not endear him to his superiors and helped delay his promotion to brigadier general.The strategy did not survive the departure of McMaster's troops, with Tal Afar falling into the hands of Sunni militants. Along with the west part of Mosul, it is now a key objective in the battle to rid Iraq of Islamic State.REUTERS SDR 0625 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0431-1158969.Xml
Sales witnessed a major dip though traders are offering big discounts after the recent terror attacks that left about 100 people, including women and children, dead and hundreds injured.

Alarming 'alert' messages from unknown sources spread fear, depress sales across Pakistan.

Sealing of border with Afghanistan has also added to the difficulties of traders who were exporting goods to the neighbouring country.

The recent terrorist attack have cast a pall of gloom in markets across Pakistan, local media reports said today.

The reports said that major markets and shopping malls in all major cities including Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi-Islamabad, Peshawar and Quetta wore a deserted look Saturday onwards, with unknown SMS and WhatsApp alert messages, some wrongly attributed to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), warning citizens to stay away from crowded places.

Traders in various markets of Karachi complained of depressed sales since the fresh wave of firing, cracker blasts and suicide attacks.

Chairman All Karachi Tajir Itehad (AKTI) Atiq Mir said that viral SMS and WhatsApp alert messages attributed to the ISPR are scaring people and affecting sales, The Dawn reported today.More UNI XC RP1557

-- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0421-1159446.Xml
Leila de Lima's call comes after former police officer Arturo Lascanas accused Duterte of activating death squads and hiring contract killers to kill off detractors during his tenure as the Mayor of Davao, Efe news reported.

The Senator, among the staunchest critics of the Duterte-led government, called upon the Cabinet to save the country from a "criminal" President, who she claimed was incapable of running the country.

The Senator said that following Lascanas' confessions, there was no more doubt that Duterte is a "sociopath" and "serial killer", and urged the public to voice their outrage and hold him accountable.

She attacked Duterte over the large number of people killed by the Davao death squad, and the more than 7,000 extra-judicial executions that have taken place during the first seven months of the President's anti-drug war.

De Lima also criticised the anti-drug campaign for causing more deaths than during the 1972-81 period when dictator Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law.

She claimed that Duterte was the "biggest criminal" in the country, if not the entire world.

--IANS ksk/dg

( 209 Words)

2017-02-21-16:10:07 (IANS)
It contended that law does not permit such operations during which over 100 terrorists were killed and a large number arrested since February 16 when a suicide attack on Sufi shrine Lal Shahbaz Qalander in Sehwan town of Sindh province left 88 dead and hundreds injured.

The NGO 'Shuhada Foundation Trust' (SFT) also requested the court to direct the respondent authorities to provide a list of those killed and apprehended during the operations launched after the recent wave of terrorist onslaughts in the country.

The SFT filed the petition in the Islamabad High Court (HC) and challenged the legality of the ongoing operation launched by law enforcement agencies against terrorism suspects.

The petition, filed by Advocate Tariq Asad, on behalf of SFT, associated with Lal Masjid, where the Pakistani army conducted an operation in July 2007 and killed more than 40 suspected militants, submitted that the law does not permit such offensives and made the secretaries of defence and interior ministries as respondents.

It said the respondent authorities should also be restrained from arresting citizens in violation of the law.

The petition said that on February 13, 2017, a terrorist attack in front of the Punjab Assembly in Lahore left 15 people, including top police officials, dead and Jamaatul Ahrar, a faction of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), claimed the responsibility.

On February 16, terrorists targeted the shrine at Sehwan in Sindh in which 88 devotees were killed. The victims, included women and children, while hundreds were wounded.

However, as per Pakistani authorities, the attack was orchestrated from Afghanistan where the militant group operated its sanctuaries, the petition said.More UNI XC RP1615

-- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0421-1159443.Xml
China on Tuesday said it hoped the US will contribute to peace and stability in the South China Sea as an American aircraft carrier strike group began patrolling the region. "China always respects the freedom of navigation and overflight of all countries in the South China Sea in accordance with international law, but we oppose those who threaten and harm the sovereignty and security of coastal countries under the pretext of freedom of navigation and overflight," said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang at a daily press briefing. Geng made the remarks while responding to reports that the US aircraft carrier strike group, including Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, began routine operations in the South China Sea on February 19, Xinhua news agency reported. The situation in the South China Sea is becoming more stable under the joint efforts of both China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), Geng said. "We hope relevant countries, especially those outside the region, can respect the efforts made by China and the Asean, maintain the good situation, and do more things that are helpful for peace and stability in the South China Sea," Geng said. The patrolling came after China's Foreign Ministry on February 16 warned the US against challenging Beijing's sovereignty in the region. --IANS ksk/dg ( 227 Words) 2017-02-21-17:42:07 (IANS)
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on Tuesday warned that Britain would pay a "very hefty" bill for its leaving out of the bloc. Juncker said the EU will seek payment from Theresa May's government to cover existing spending commitments made by Britain, the Independent reported. "The British should know this, they know this already, that it will not be at a discount or at zero cost. The British must respect commitments they were involved in making," he told the Belgian Parliament. "So the bill will be, to put it a bit crudely, very hefty." Juncker said Britain would need years to negotiate any future trade deals with the EU after quitting the bloc. "To agree on the future architecture of relations between the United Kingdom and the European Union, we will need years," he added. Discussions are underway in Brussels on the size of the bill to be presented to the British Prime Minister when she launches withdrawal talks, with several reports suggesting the demand may be as high as 51 billion pounds ($63 billion) over the next six years. Brussels' position is that withdrawal arrangements - including the "exit bill" - must be agreed before moving on to potentially lengthy negotiations over future trade relations. The European Commission had told Britain there can be no membership of the European single market without freedom of movement for workers - a key issue for many people who voted for Brexit, the Independent said. "We need to settle our affairs not with our hearts full of a feeling of hostility, but with the knowledge that the continent owes a lot to the UK," Juncker added. His comments came during the second day of the House of Lords debate on the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill. The legislation, which would allow May to trigger the formal two-year Brexit process, already cleared the House of Commons unamended with big majorities. --IANS soni/dg ( 327 Words) 2017-02-21-19:18:08 (IANS)
The government wants an end to sporadic attacks in the province, which it blames on Islamist militants.

According to BBC, a police statement said cars are the main means of transport for terrorists.

Drivers in the Bayingol area who refuse to install the system will not be allowed to buy fuel.

Xinjiang has seen a series of bombings and knife attacks over recent years, which the government blames on separatist elements of the region's large Muslim Uighur population.

Rights groups say the violence is due to the tight controls by the government on Uighurs' religion and culture.

The government denies any repression.

The vehicle-tracking programme will use China's homegrown Beidou satellite navigation system, which was launched to reduce reliance on the US's global positioning system (GPS).

It would also help car owners to find their vehicles quickly if they are stolen by terrorists, the state-run Global Times newspaper said.

Security in the region has been further increased after five people were killed by three assailants in a knife attack last week.

--IANS gsh/vm

( 215 Words)

2017-02-21-20:58:18 (IANS)
In a meeting with Chinese State Councillor Yang Jiechi, the country's top diplomat, Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar said India attached great importance to its relationship with China and will strengthen dialogue and cooperation with China to further the bilateral ties.

Yang called for stronger ties between the two neighbours, Xinhua news agency reported.

Yang said China is willing to work with India to implement the consensus reached by the two countries' leaders, maintain high-level exchanges and enhance strategic communication and practical cooperation, according to a press release.

Jaishankar is in Beijing to co-chair the China-India strategic dialogue with China's Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui Wednesday.

India is likely to raise the issue of China blocking the ban on Pakistani terrorist Masood Azhar, among other issues.

China's opposition to India's bid for Nuclear Suppliers' Group membership is also expected to figure in the meet when Jaishankar meets Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui in Beijing on Wednesday.

New Delhi is expected to try and persuade Beijing not to roadblock its bid for the NSG membership and as well as its proposal to have Jaish-e Mohamed chief Masood Azhar branded as an international terrorist.

On the other hand, China is likely to raise the issue of the Dalai Lama and India inviting Taiwanese lawmakers, among others.

--IANS gsh/vm

( 258 Words)

2017-02-21-21:32:07 (IANS)
Syrian government warplanes carried out several air strikes against towns in mostly rebel-held Idlib today after insurgents fired on two besieged Shi'ite villages in the province, a pro-Damascus media outlet and war monitors said.The air strikes killed at least six people and wounded 21 others in Maarat Misreen, and left several injured in nearby Binnish, just a few kilometres (miles) from Idlib city, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.A military media outlet run by Syrian government ally Hezbollah said the jets had targeted the two towns in response to rebels repeatedly targeting civilians in the two neighbouring Shi'ite-majority villages, al-Foua and Kefraya.The British-based Observatory said insurgent sniper fire had killed at least three people around al-Foua and Kefraya in the last two days.The violence came ahead of planned peace talks this week in Geneva. The run-up to the talks, which are to take place nearly two months into a shaky ceasefire, has been tarnished by intensifying violence in the west of the country.Each side has accused the other of violations of the truce, which was brokered on December 30 by Damascus ally Russia and rebel backer Turkey.Al-Foua and Kefraya, most of whose residents are Shi'ite, have long been a flashpoint area. They are under government control but surrounded by insurgents.Rebels accused Damascus's Shi'ite ally Iran of holding up a deal to evacuate the last rebel-held areas of northern city Aleppo last year by insisting people in turn be allowed to leave the two villages. REUTERS SHS RJ BL2329 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0329-1160343.Xml
BEIJING, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday called for the improving of the supply-side structure to boost the quality of the Chinese economy.

Xi made the remarks during the 38th collective study held by the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.

He said that pressing ahead with supply-side structural reform was an inevitable choice for developing the Chinese economy, which had entered the "new normal," and was a strategy that had to be established for China's macroeconomic management.

Xi said that China had to improve the supply-side structure, starting with production to boost the quality and efficiency of the supply system, expand effective and medium-to-high-end supply, and increase the supply-side structure's adaptability to changes in demand, so the Chinese economy could move forward with improved quality, efficiency, equality and sustainability.

He said that currently constraints on China's economic development were mainly structural problems, existing in both supply and demand, adding that the main problem was on the supply side.

"To advance supply-side structural reform, China had to handle well the relationship between government and market," Xi said. "A major principle in promoting the reform is to let market play the decisive role in resource allocation and better play the role of government."

He said that the relationship between short term and long term also had to be well handled, stressing the importance of resolving existing prominent problems and building a long-term system and nurturing medium-to-long-term engines for economic growth.

"The relationship between addition and subtraction should also be well handled," Xi said.

He highlighed the need to cut low-end and non-effective supply, which includes cutting production capacity, destocking, and deleveraging.

Expanding effective and medium-to-high-end supply was also important, he said, including improving weak links, boosting the people's living standards, accelerating the development of new technologies, industries and products,

Xi also stressed the importance of handling the relationship between supply and demand, the two basic aspects of the market economy.

Chen Dongqi, a researcher with the Academy of Macroeconomic Research under the National Development and Reform Commission, delivered a lecture at the collective study and offered policy suggestions. Enditem
NAIROBI, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- The South Sudanese army (SPLA) on Monday dismissed allegations of tribalism leveled against it by former top officials who resigned last week.

SPLA spokesman Brigadier Lul Ruai Koang told journalists in Juba that the army courts were not applying double standards in prosecuting those believed to have committed rapes, killings and looting of property during especially the renewed July clash, last year.

"There are no sacred cows in SPLA when it comes to application of punitive measures and in fact, before and July 2016, 72 out of 82 SPLA officers, noncommissioned officers and men punished for war crimes were from Dinka ethnic group," he revealed.

This came after two high ranking military officers overseeing the army's military courts quit and authored a critical dossier exposing the ethnic favouritism afforded to President Salva Kiir and Army chief Paul Malong's Dinka tribe officers where the former allegedly exempted them from prosecution.

Brigadier General Henry Oyai Ngago, former Director for military justice and Colonel Khalid Ono Loki, the former head of military courts, became the latest officers to quit after the elite Lt. General Thomas Cirilo Swaka, the former Deputy Head of logistics resigned from the SPLA over similar allegations of tribalism and abating of crimes committed against non-Dinka tribes.

"SPLA is not a tribal army. In fact, those officers who had defected are going to be part and parcel of purely tribal outfits that is Agullek, SPLA-IO. To the contrary SPLA has more national composition and outlook," Koang added in a statement.

The renegade officers also accused the army of deliberating fanning ethnic killings in mostly Equatoria and Upper Nile regions where fighting is still ongoing between SPLA-in opposition (SPLA-IO) and SPLA forces.

They added that the SPLA was illegally arresting civilians and subjecting them to torture in detention cells, hence reinforcing various human rights reports by the UN documenting heinous atrocities committed in Yei South West of the capital and in northern towns of Malakal and Bentiu.

"On arrest of civilians, let them provide us with lists of civilians currently in military detention facilities and the leadership will not hesitate to look into circumstances under which they were arrested," Koang said.

Koang also denied allegations of deliberate recruitment of child soldiers in the rank and file of the SPLA.

"We challenge concerned bodies/institutions to go on fact finding mission to SPLA divisions in order to confirm for themselves that we have no child soldiers in our rank and files," he added.

South Sudan has been shattered by civil war that broke out in December 2013 after President Salva Kiir accused his former deputy Riek Machar of plotting a coup. Machar denied the accusation but then mobilized a rebel force.

A peace deal signed in August 2015 led to the formation of a transitional unity government in April, but was again devastated by fresh violence in July 2016.

Tens of thousands of South Sudanese have been killed, with over 2 million displaced and another 4.6 million left severely food insecure, since December 2013. Enditem
LONDON, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- MPs (members of the Parliament) in Britain's House of Commons debated Monday the proposed state visit by U.S. President Donald Trump.

As politicians discussed the proposed state visit, shouts and noise from a "Stop Trump" rally taking place in London's in Parliament Square could be heard inside the Houses of Parliament.

It followed a petition to parliament signed by 1.85 million people calling for Prime Minister Theresa May's invitation to Trump to be withdrawn. A second petition, signed by more than 300,000 people supported a state visit to Trump during which Queen Elizabeth would host a state banquet.

MP Paul Flynn said only two U.S. presidents have been granted a state visit since 1952, but within seven days of Trump becoming president he had been invited to a state visit. Flynn described this as extraordinary and completely unprecedented.

Emotions ran high among MPs who supported the visit and those backing opposition to the red carpet being rolled out for Trump.

A number of MPs said Trump should have been invited to an official visit, a step down from a state visit.

Conservative James Cartlidge said removing the invitation for a state visit will make Britain a "laughing stock" and would damage Britain's national interests.

Labour MP Liam Byrne predicted that the level of protests "taking place in Parliament Square tonight" will look like a tea-party compared to the likely protests when Trump arrives in London.

But the Foreign Office Minister Sir Alan Duncan said a state visit was part of plans for strengthening bilateral relations with the United States.

Despite the petition, the second biggest since parliamentary petitions were introduced, there is no obligation on the government to act.
U.S. President Donald Trump (C) gestures to media before boarding Marine One departing for Andrews Air Force Base en route to West Palm Beach, Florida, at White House in Washington D.C.,the United States, Feb. 3, 2017. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

By Xinhua Writer Xu Jianmei

WASHINGTON, Feb.20 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump now has been in White House for a whole month since he was inaugurated on Jan. 20, and it seems like an almost daily tug-of-war between Magic Realism and Hallucinatory Realism in the country.

Magic Realism means using magic ways to describe the reality, while Hallucinatory Realism means using realistic ways to describe an illusion. Both terms are fiction genres.

From views of most U.S. mainstream media and Trump's protesters, the past 30 days were full of protests, chaos, scandals, disarrays, division, confusion and frustration from inside and outside America.

But from views of Trump, his White House aides and his supporters, the newly-inaugurated president is loyal to his campaign pledges, very effective and has done a "wonderful job".

Monday is a federal holiday called President's Day, memorizing first U.S. Persident George Washington's birthday. On this ocassion, tens of thousands of protesters held "Not my President's Day" demonstrations in Washington D.C., New York, Baltimore, Chicago, Los Angeles and some other U.S. cities.

The new outcry follows Women's March on Jan. 21, nationwide protests over his court-frozen travel ban on global refugees and certain immigrants after his first week in presidency, as well as "Day without Immigrants" closing down by many schools, shops and restaurants across the country days ago.

Meanwhile, Trump tries to show his popularity among Republican supporters. Over the weekend, estimated 9,000 people attended his first campaign-style rally since inauguration at a hangar in southeastern state of Florida, hailing Trump when he announced his first month in presidency has already made "incredible progress".

A Gallup poll over the weekend finds Trump's 40 percent job approval is 21 points below the historic average for elected presidents around mid-February, while Rasmussen's latest Daily Presidential Tracking Poll gives Trump a 55 percent approval number.

However, Trump's job approval ratings are low largely because few Democrats -- currently eight percent, evaluate the job he is doing positively. Among Republicans, he wins 87 percent approval rating, higher than the 83 percent historical average approval presidents have got from their party backers at this point, the Gallup poll shows.

The Pew Research Center's latest survey suggests similar results -- only eight percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents approve Trump's job performance, the lowest rating for any new president from the opposing party in more than three decades, but 84 percent of Republicans and Republican leaners nod the way Trump is handling his job as president.

The intensity of the public's views of Trump is also striking: fully 75 percent either approve or disapprove of Trump strongly, compared with just 17 percent who feel less strongly, the Pew poll finds.

"In first month, views of Trump are already strongly felt, deeply polarized," the Pew report concluded.

In the past month, the pro-or-against Trump tug of war has also rolled out in another magic or hallucinatory style, featuring the fierce fighting between the White House and most major media over fake news or "alternative facts".

These news outlets say the size of Trump's inauguration crowd is much smaller than Barack Obama's in 2009, but White House spokesman Sean Spicer rebuked by calling it "the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration - period - both in person and around the globe."

Numerous reports from U.S. media say the Trump administration was often in chaos and suffered from inside fights and classified information leakage, citing the forced resignation of Trump's National Security Adviser Michael Flynn partly as a result.

And Trump, though slamming the leakers as "criminal", defended last week at his first White House press conference that his team was running like "a fine-tuned machine", blaming "fake media" for bringing down a loyal Flynn.

Approaching the end of his first month in White House, Trump further blasted on Twitter that five U.S. major media organizations are "the enemy of the American people", which includes New York Times, NBC News, ABC, CBS and CNN.

Again, Americans are found deeply divided over which side is honest. According to a new Fox News poll, 45 percent of U.S. voters trust the White House while 42 percent believed in news media.

Trump backers praise the president for the embarking of Obamacare repeal, the official TPP withdrawal, the travel ban on refugees and certain immigrants, the crackdown on undocumented immigrants, the talk about building a wall along the Mexican border, Trump's pick of a new Supreme Court Justice nominee, and so on.

In the eyes of those against Trump, the new president's administration is dysfunctional, crowded by billionaires and full of conflicts of interests, while most of his pledges are brags or lies. Many experts say that they can't see a pragmatic way leading to the fulfilment of many Trump's key campaign pledges.

"Reality collides with Trump's promises," analyst Eli Stokols claimed in a report released by the Politico magazine.

There occurs a serious question: Has the U.S. politics been plunged into somewhat magic realism or somewhat hallucinatory realism, or trapped at a point in between? If Americans can't agree with facts, what does it mean to the whole world?

In this puzzled world, maybe what we can do is just "wait and see".
BRASILIA, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's federal police submitted to the Supreme Court (STF) Monday a report that shows how former presidents Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva and Dilma Rousseff had obstructed the anti-corruption Operation Lava Jato.

The Operation Lava Jato, which unveiled the gigantic corruption ring within state oil company Petrobras, was investigating the former presidents for crimes of influence trafficking.

Marlon Cajado, author of the report, recommended that both former presidents and former education minister, Aloizio Mercadante, be charged.

For Rousseff, the charge relates to her appointment of Lula in March 2016 as her government's chief of staff, a position granting him immunity from all investigations except by the STF.

The police report comes the same week that the STF is to sign off on the nomination of of Moreira Franco as secretary-general of the presidency, a position that provides the same protection from investigation.

However, Franco has been mentioned 43 times by people already arrested within Operation Lava Jato as having benefited from corruption.

Lula's defense team has stated there is no legal basis for the accusations and that Cajado had used "political communications media" to further the case and that Lula was a victim of political persecution by public officials.
by Eric J. Lyman

ROME, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Italy's most important political party moved closer to fracturing after former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi stepped down Sunday as the Democratic Party's general secretary, setting up a showdown between his allies and the party's old guard.

The polarizing Renzi, who was prime minister for nearly three years ending in December, is looking to once again wear the prime minster's sash. But opposition to him is growing within the party, including key figures such as former Prime Minister Massimo D'Alema and Pier Luigi Bersani, who preceded Renzi as the party's general secretary.

D'Alema, Bersani and other long-time party leaders have threatened to break away and form their own party, something some expert commentators said may be inevitable.

"It's very difficult to imagine a scenario where the Democratic Party remains intact," Sergio Fabbrini, director of the School of Government at Rome's LUISS University, told Xinhua.

Fabbrini said he expected the breakaway party to stay within the current government coalition under Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, a Renzi supporter, until the end of the year so that the country's 2018 budget can be finalized.

"Once the budget is finalized in October or November, the new party will withdraw, Gentiloni will have to step down, and then new elections will follow," Fabbrini said.

If Renzi manages to secure the leadership of the Democratic Party as expected -- his resignation from that post on Sunday was a necessary precondition to his candidacy -- D'Alema, Bersani, and their allies would risk being left off the party's parliamentary list if they remained in the party. The general secretary -- Renzi in that scenario -- picks the party's candidates.

But with their own party, those figures would be almost assured to return to parliament. And once they had a few parliamentary seats, they could enter into a coalition with whichever party won, meaning they would be in a position to take control of one or more government ministries and help dictate the government's priorities.

"From the perspective of the Renzi critics, they have more options by creating their own party even if the party ends up winning only 2 or 3 percent of the vote," Arianna Montanari, an expert on the sociology of political phenomena with Rome's Sapienza University, said in an interview.

There is still no consensus on whether the elections will ultimately happen this year or early in 2018, as scheduled. But the real question is who will come out ahead when the vote takes place.

Pollsters report that the beleaguered Democratic Party has slightly more support than the anti-European Union Five-Star Movement, founded by comedian-turned-activist Beppe Grillo. But the Five-Star Movement would be favored if the Democratic Party splinters before the vote takes place.

Regarding what would happen if the Five-Star Movement finished first but fell short of the 40-percent threshold that would give it bonus seats in the new parliament, Fabbrini said that party would get the first shot at forming a coalition. But Montanari said other parties would likely band together to make sure Grillo's allies would not be able to take power.

"There are fears over what a Five-Star Movement government would mean for Italy and for the European Union," she said.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- International Monetary Fund agreed to send back a mission to Greece to complete a review of Greece's economic reforms, an IMF spokesperson said on Monday.

The announcement came after the Eurogroup meeting in Brussels, where Greece's international creditors agreed on the bailout review.

"We welcome the Greek authorities progress to meet the requirements of the institutions in key areas," said the spokesperson.

The review -- carried out by the European Commission, the European Central Bank, the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) and the IMF -- has been on hold since last December when IMF's requirement of a substantial debt relief to Greece was refused by the European creditors.

"More progress will be needed to bridge differences on other important issues, and it is too early to speculate about the prospect for reaching staff level agreement during this mission," said the IMF.

A staff-level agreement on policy reform is a necessary condition for the successful conclusion of reviews and therefore for Greece to receive financial support consisting of 86 billion euros (91 billion U.S. dollars) in bailout funds.

In its latest annual assessment of the Greek economy, the IMF said that Greece should deepen and accelerate reforms, which, together with further debt relief, are needed to allow the economy to return to a sustainable growth path.
UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Monday condemned "in the strongest terms" a terrorist attack at a market in Somalia's capital city of Mogadishu.

On Sunday, a car bomb blasted at a busy market in Mogadishu, killing at least 30 people and injuring over 40 others.

In a press statement, the 15-nation council called on all states to combat by all means threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts.

"The members of the Security Council reiterated their determination to support peace, stability and development in Somalia," said the statement.

"They underlined that neither this nor any other terrorist attack would weaken that determination," it added.

The attack came several days after Somalia elected its new president on Feb. 8. No group has yet claimed responsibility for it.
U.S. President Donald Trump (C) gestures to media before boarding Marine One departing for Andrews Air Force Base en route to West Palm Beach, Florida, at White House in Washington D.C.,the United States, Feb. 3, 2017. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

By Xinhua Writer Xu Jianmei

WASHINGTON, Feb.20 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump now has been in White House for a whole month since he was inaugurated on Jan. 20, and it seems like an almost daily tug-of-war between Magic Realism and Hallucinatory Realism in the country.

Magic Realism means using magic ways to describe the reality, while Hallucinatory Realism means using realistic ways to describe an illusion. Both terms are fiction genres.

From views of most U.S. mainstream media and Trump's protesters, the past 30 days were full of protests, chaos, scandals, disarrays, division, confusion and frustration from inside and outside America.

But from views of Trump, his White House aides and his supporters, the newly-inaugurated president is loyal to his campaign pledges, very effective and has done a "wonderful job".

People take part in the "Not My Presidents Day" rally on Presidents Day in New York, the United States, on Feb. 20, 2017. Tens of thousands of people attended the rally to protest against U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

Monday is a federal holiday called President's Day, memorizing first U.S. Persident George Washington's birthday. On this ocassion, tens of thousands of protesters held "Not my President's Day" demonstrations in Washington D.C., New York, Baltimore, Chicago, Los Angeles and some other U.S. cities.

The new outcry follows Women's March on Jan. 21, nationwide protests over his court-frozen travel ban on global refugees and certain immigrants after his first week in presidency, as well as "Day without Immigrants" closing down by many schools, shops and restaurants across the country days ago.

Meanwhile, Trump tries to show his popularity among Republican supporters. Over the weekend, estimated 9,000 people attended his first campaign-style rally since inauguration at a hangar in southeastern state of Florida, hailing Trump when he announced his first month in presidency has already made "incredible progress".

A Gallup poll over the weekend finds Trump's 40 percent job approval is 21 points below the historic average for elected presidents around mid-February, while Rasmussen's latest Daily Presidential Tracking Poll gives Trump a 55 percent approval number.

However, Trump's job approval ratings are low largely because few Democrats -- currently eight percent, evaluate the job he is doing positively. Among Republicans, he wins 87 percent approval rating, higher than the 83 percent historical average approval presidents have got from their party backers at this point, the Gallup poll shows.

The Pew Research Center's latest survey suggests similar results -- only eight percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents approve Trump's job performance, the lowest rating for any new president from the opposing party in more than three decades, but 84 percent of Republicans and Republican leaners nod the way Trump is handling his job as president.

The intensity of the public's views of Trump is also striking: fully 75 percent either approve or disapprove of Trump strongly, compared with just 17 percent who feel less strongly, the Pew poll finds.

Supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump shout slogans outside the site of "Not My Presidents Day" rally on Presidents Day in New York, the United States, on Feb. 20, 2017. Tens of thousands of people attended the rally to protest against U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

"In first month, views of Trump are already strongly felt, deeply polarized," the Pew report concluded.

In the past month, the pro-or-against Trump tug of war has also rolled out in another magic or hallucinatory style, featuring the fierce fighting between the White House and most major media over fake news or "alternative facts".

These news outlets say the size of Trump's inauguration crowd is much smaller than Barack Obama's in 2009, but White House spokesman Sean Spicer rebuked by calling it "the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration - period - both in person and around the globe."

Numerous reports from U.S. media say the Trump administration was often in chaos and suffered from inside fights and classified information leakage, citing the forced resignation of Trump's National Security Adviser Michael Flynn partly as a result.

And Trump, though slamming the leakers as "criminal", defended last week at his first White House press conference that his team was running like "a fine-tuned machine", blaming "fake media" for bringing down a loyal Flynn.

Approaching the end of his first month in White House, Trump further blasted on Twitter that five U.S. major media organizations are "the enemy of the American people", which includes New York Times, NBC News, ABC, CBS and CNN.

Again, Americans are found deeply divided over which side is honest. According to a new Fox News poll, 45 percent of U.S. voters trust the White House while 42 percent believed in news media.

Trump backers praise the president for the embarking of Obamacare repeal, the official TPP withdrawal, the travel ban on refugees and certain immigrants, the crackdown on undocumented immigrants, the talk about building a wall along the Mexican border, Trump's pick of a new Supreme Court Justice nominee, and so on.

In the eyes of those against Trump, the new president's administration is dysfunctional, crowded by billionaires and full of conflicts of interests, while most of his pledges are brags or lies. Many experts say that they can't see a pragmatic way leading to the fulfilment of many Trump's key campaign pledges.

"Reality collides with Trump's promises," analyst Eli Stokols claimed in a report released by the Politico magazine.

There occurs a serious question: Has the U.S. politics been plunged into somewhat magic realism or somewhat hallucinatory realism, or trapped at a point in between? If Americans can't agree with facts, what does it mean to the whole world?

In this puzzled world, maybe what we can do is just "wait and see".
People take part in the "Not My President's Day" rally on Presidents Day in New York, the United States, on Feb. 20, 2017. Tens of thousands of people attended the rally to protest against U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

By Xinhua writers Yang Shilong, Yuan Yue,

NEW YORK, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of Americans took to the streets Monday across the country to protest the policies of President Donald Trump, turning this year's Presidents Day into "Not My President's Day".

The federal holiday, celebrated on the third Monday of February, is originally in honor of the first president George Washington, and now serves as an occasion to honor all the presidents who have served the country.

"HAPPY PRESIDENTS DAY - MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!" is what Trump, who has been in White House for just a month, tweeted at 6:33 AM Monday.

Yet the new president might not be that happy in the day as a series of "Not My Presidents Day" rallies were held in major cities like Washington D.C., New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Atlanta.

According to organizers of the rally, some 13,000 demonstrators who filled Central Park West in New York, chanted "This is what Democracy looks like," "Hey hey, ho ho, Donald Trump has got to go," and "No ban, no wall, the Trump regime has got to fall."

"While we acknowledge that Donald Trump holds the current title, the policies he's trying to put in place are not the beliefs shared by the majority of the people," said Nova Calise, a television production manager and one of the organizers of New York event,

"He (Trump) is not my president, the people did not elect him, he lost the popular vote by almost 3 million votes," college student Eliza told Xinhua.

Most protestors shared Eliza's view by waving signs including "Worst President Ever", "Hate does not make America great", "What actually makes America great? immigrants, women...". They say Trump has attacked everything they stand for, from his crack down on immigration to his party's response to climate change and the environment.

This made Olga Mangual, in her 60s, appeared very lonely in the crowds. Wearing a sign reading "I am a Trumpist", Mangual shouted pro-Trump slogans at her most.

"I voted for him (Trump). I want him to put Americans first." Mangual told Xinhua. "I am not saying these people are wrong, but he is not a politician, he's made mistakes, let us give him a chance."

Historically, protests against new presidents are not unusual, said David Meyer, a sociology professor at the University of California, Irvine, and author of "The Politics of Protest," in an interview with CNN.

"What is unusual is the vigor, speed, size, and number of issues that they're challenging Trump on," Meyer said. "To have a sustained (protest), every weekend, every couple of days, and it's a different issue -- I've never seen anything like this before."

Just a day earlier, about 1,000 people gathered in Times Square for the "I Am Muslim Too" rally in solidarity with the Muslim community in the city.
SYDNEY, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Australian dollar creeped up slightly against the U.S. dollar on Tuesday, with political uncertainty still being pegged as the likely culprit.

At the Asian open, one Australian dollar was buying 76.82 U.S. cents, a touch up from the 76.78 cents it was sitting at on Monday.

Analysts remain sceptical on the currency market as the U.S. dollar dipped against many of the major currencies, with uncertainty in upcoming European elections in France, Germany and the Netherlands weighing on the markets.

At 0809 local time AEDT, one Australian dollar was buying 76.84 U.S. cents.
ISLAMABAD, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Afghanistan ambassador to Pakistan Omar Zakhilwal has called for reduction of tension with Pakistan, after a series of recent terrorist attacks here killed over 100 people in just five days.

Pakistan said that militants who claimed the attacks operated from the Afghan side of the border. Troops of the two countries also involved in cross-border rocketing in the past few days.

Zakhilwal said he had a "very good meeting" with Pakistan Foreign Affairs Adviser Sartaj Aziz and also had a "constrictive and positive talk" in the army headquarters from his return from Kabul on Monday.

"I expect de-escalation of the current tension and the creation of a more positive environment for responding to each other's concerns in a cooperative manner," the ambassador said in a statement.

He handed over a list of 32 "terrorist centers" which the terrorist groups use against Afghanistan to the Pakistani authorities.

A statement said the list includes the names of 85 senior members and leaders of the Taliban and other terrorist groups who are responsible for "crimes against the Afghan people."

"The initial response of the Pakistani authorities was positive this morning and we hope that the government of Pakistan takes practical steps in this regard," it said.

Pakistan also handed over a list of most wanted terrorists to Afghan embassy officials after a deadly suicide attack in a shrine in Sehwan area in Sindh Province last week.
Photo taken on Feb. 21, 2017 shows workers installing the first train of Cat Linh-Ha Dong urban railway project in Hanoi, Vietnam. First carriage of the train used for Vietnam's first urban railway Cat Linh-Ha Dong Line was hoisted in Vietnam's capital Hanoi at the dawn on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Le Yanna)



HANOI, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- First carriage of the train used for Vietnam's first urban railway Cat Linh-Ha Dong Line was hoisted in Vietnam's capital Hanoi at the dawn on Tuesday.

The 13-km Cat Linh-Ha dong Line is constructed by the 6th bureau of China Railway Engineering Corporation (CREC).

The first train, which contains four carriages, started its travel from Beijing on Jan. 20 and arrived Hanoi on Feb. 19, said Tang Hong, the general manager of Overseas Company of CREC told Xinhua, adding that the Chinese-made train applied with Chinese standards and technology.

Although it was raining, the process of hoisting and installing the train attracted more than a hundred Vietnamese journalists and Hanoi citizens. With the announcement of the successful installment of the first carriage, a chorus of claps began.

"The construction of the urban railway, as a symbol of Sino-Vietnam friendship, will ease up the traffic jam obsessed by Hanoi citizens", claimed Tang.

According to Tang, the other three carriages of the train will be hoisted and installed later this week, waiting to be tried when the electricity is connected later this year.

The remaining 12 trains purchased by the project will arrive in Hanoi following the appropriate conditions.
by Zheng Jianghua

BRUSSELS, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Vice President Mike Pence in his first diplomatic foray to Brussels tried to allay the doubts of the European Union over the new U.S. administration's stance toward it. However, whether the EU would buy it remains unclear.

European Council President Donald Tusk said he raised "three key matters," namely international order, security and the attitude of the new U.S. administration toward the EU, during his meeting with Pence, and got all positive answers.

However, as new U.S. President Donald Trump has dubbed the EU as a "vehicle for Germany," hailed Brexit as a great thing and branded NATO as "obsolete," the EU is not 100 percent sure that Pence could be really "on behalf of President Trump," as he claimed.

In addition, the Trump administration's demand for defense burden-sharing ran into a heavy flak from the EU leadership.

Although Pence in his speech at the Munich Security Conference last week reaffirmed an unwavering U.S. support to NATO, he stood the new U.S. administration's ground that NATO members should rachet up their spending on defense to 2 percent of gross domestic product. Otherwise the United States would modulate its commitment to its allies' security, he warned.

This "carrot and stick" approach ruffled the EU's feathers. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has reportedly said on the sidelines of the Munich conference that the EU should not cave in to U.S. pressure, arguing that EU's investment in development and humanitarian aid should be also seen as an investment in security.

Echoing Juncker's views, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini questioned whether increasing military capabilities is the only way to enhance security.

Stressing a "European way," Mogherini argued in Munich that "when you invest in development, when you invest in the fight against climate change, you also invest in our own security."

Moreover, Mogherini threatened that the EU would go its own way."This means that the European Union is working to do more on its defense as European Union -- not to mix with the NATO one," she said, adding that the EU is putting in place a European defense fund that will support member states' cooperative defense spending.

It's obvious that the U.S. assertiveness on NATO's burden-sharing has triggered such a strong backlash that the EU is mulling an independent defense, ditching its longstanding American ally.

Adding fuel to fire, Trump's "America first" policies would embroil the EU into a possible trade conflict.

After taking office, Trump vowed to put in place "America first" policies and adopt tough measures against those countries who have large trade surpluses with the United States. As a result, Germany, which has a goods trade surplus of 64.8 billion U.S dollars with America, became a major target of Trump.

Given Trump's attack on Germany over "manipulating the euro" and German Chancellor Angela Merkel's tit-for-tat attitude, a trade conflict, if not a trade war, is likely. A brawl between Berlin and Germany, the EU's bellwether, will certainly affect other EU countries.

There is a danger that the Trump administration is ditching the 70-year-old tradition of transatlantic relations based on common values. The EU would be definitely keen on Trump's deeds than Pence's words.
SYDNEY, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Australian petroleum giant Caltex reported their full year results on Tuesday, with a full year historic profit after tax of 610 million Australian dollars (468.82 U.S. million), up from 522 million Australian dollars in the previous year.

Caltex was, however, down on replacement cost operating profit, or the profits after replacing inventory sold, which was 524 million Australian dollars, down from the 2015 full year result of 628 million Australian dollars.

The petrol giant also had its struggles with supply volume, with the company posting a 2 percent decrease in total petrol volume to 5.9 billion litres, which it attributes to general market decline and a renewed focus on premium fuel options, while their diesel volumes were also flat at 7.2 billion litres.

There were bright spots in the results, with the company improving its net debt position over the year to 454 million Australian dollars, down from 693 million Australian dollars in June. But Caltex reiterated that two transactions which will be debt-reliant, their purchases of Milemaker and Gull New Zealand, will be funded through the accruance of debt.

Caltex will pay a fully franked dividend of 1.02 Australian dollars per share, down from the 1.17 Australian dollars paid last year.
UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday said that he "learned with shock and sadness" of the news of the sudden passing Vitaly Churkin, the Russian permanent representative to the United Nations.
SEOUL, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's exports continued to recover in the first 20 days of February due mainly to strong demand for locally-made semiconductors, customs data showed on Tuesday.

Exports reached 27.7 billion U.S. dollars in the Feb. 1-20 period, up 26.2 percent from the same period of last year, according to the Korea Customs Service.

The exports, which account for about half of the economy, kept its recovery trend after rebounding 2.5 percent in November last year. The growth rate rose from 6.4 percent in December to 11.2 percent in January.

Robust demand for chips led the rapid exports growth. Shipments of semiconductors surged 51.5 percent, with those for oil products and automobiles posting a double-digit increase.

More business days this month compared with a year earlier also contributed to the export expansion. The lunar New Year holidays move to January this year from February last year.

Daily exports averaged 1.79 billion dollars during the Feb. 1-20 period, up 9.9 percent from a year ago.

Exports to China, South Korea's biggest trading partner, surged 36.7 percent, with those to Vietnam, the European Union and Japan also recording a double-digit increase. Shipments to the United States rose 4.7 percent.
WELLINGTON, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand and Australian troops have trained their first group of Iraqi police officers at their joint training base in Iraq, the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) said Tuesday.

About 1,900 members of the Iraqi Federal Police had completed five weeks of basic combat training at Camp Taji, north of Baghdad, bringing to more than 20,000 the total number of Iraqi security forces trained by the joint training task group.

The graduates comprised the first batch of police trained by Task Group Taji in the fight against Islamic State (Daesh) insurgents.

"This is not just a training milestone," Major General Tim Gall, the Commander Joint Forces New Zealand, said in a statement.

"The latest batch of trainees to march out now form part of stabilization forces who are working to ensure that the gains made against Daesh -- in Ramadi, Fallujah, east Mosul and other parts of Iraq -- are sustained," said Gall.

The task force of about 100 New Zealand and 300 Australian troops was ensuring a steady flow of capable fighters to sustain the Iraqi military's counter-offensive against Daesh and keep the militants from regaining footholds in areas that had been cleared.

New Zealand had been contributing troops to train Iraqi forces May 2015.

The New Zealand government announced in June 2016 that it had extended the NZDF contribution to the training mission until November 2018.

Small groups of the NZDF training and force protection teams were travelling for short periods to other secure training locations in Iraq.

Since last November New Zealand soldiers had been training stabilization forces such as the Iraqi Border Guards in addition to the Iraqi Army.
RIO DE JANEIRO, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Brazilian federal police said former Presidents Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Dilma Rousseff, as well as former Education Minister Aloizio Mercadante, obstructed corruption investigations against them, O Estado de Sao Paulo daily reported Monday.

The three officials were involved in the scandal revealed by the Carwash Operation, a federal police investigation that initially dealt with a corruption scheme at state-owned oil company Petrobras, but later grew to include corruption in other governmental contracts with private companies.

According to the daily, federal police chief Marlon Oliveira Cajado dos Santos sent the report to Supreme Court Minister Edson Fachin, the rapporteur of the Carwash Operation cases in the court.

In his report, Santos suggested that Lula, Rousseff and Mercadante be formally denounced for their alleged obstruction of justice.

It is unclear whether the three politicians, if indicted, would enjoy the privilege of being tried by the Supreme Court.

According to news outlet G1, Lula's defense team said the federal police's conclusion lacks legal basis, accusing Santos of persecuting the former president.

Rousseff denied all the accusations against her, and her lawyer said the report only shows the chief's personal opinion on the case.
China's icebreaker Xuelong harbours at McMurdo Sound which connects the Ross Sea to the north, Feb. 11, 2017. (Aerial photo provided to Xinhua by Zhu Lizhong and Li Wenjun)

ANTARCTICA, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- One week ago at dusk on research vessel and icebreaker Xuelong, Chinese researchers with the country's 33rd Antarctic expedition bid farewell to the Ross Sea, where they have surveyed over the past weeks for a new base that will be built in the coming years.

After boarding a helicopter from the Inexpressible Island back to the deck of Xuelong at 9 p.m. Feb 13 local time, Chinese researchers finished the preliminary site selection for the country's 5th Antarctic research station near the Ross Sea.

The Ross Sea, a deep bay in the Southern Ocean, is regarded as the least altered marine ecosystem on Earth, or a living laboratory that could possibly tell the life history of the Antarctica.

Zhu Lizhong, researcher with China's 33rd Antarctic expedition, is conducting measurement with the help of a drone, Feb. 13, 2017. (Xinhua/Rong Qihan)

Chinese scientists chose the Inexpressible Island, a small and rocky place in the Antarctica's Victoria Land, as the primary alternative for the new base during the 29th Antarctic expedition, and conducted comprehensive research and planning during the 30th and 32rd expeditions.

This time, nine researchers selected five areas - the Inexpressible Island, the Cape Bird, the Marble Point, the Brown Peninsula and New Port Point - for further comparison in terms of their geology, flora and fauna, atmosphere and environmental conditions.

The natural bay that has been found by Chinese researchers in southern Inexpressible Island, Feb. 13, 2017. (Aerial photo provided to Xinhua by Zhu Lizhong and Li Wenjun)

A natural bay that is suitable for harbour building has been found in southern Inexpressible Island. Scientists also walked to the western part of the island to find out the possibility of building a blue ice runway.

Meanwhile, scientists quantitatively estimated the number of penguins in the northern part of the island for the first time. Bird nests and habitats of seals have been marked, and the possible environmental impact has been assessed.

Mount Erebus, located on Ross Island, is the second highest volcano in Antarctica, Feb. 9, 2017. (Xinhua/Rong Qihan)

As a living laboratory, the Ross Sea is already home to five research stations belonging to the United States, New Zealand, Italy, the Republic of Korea and Germany respectively.

China has built four research stations during its over 30 years of research on this land of snow and ice, with Changcheng and Zhongshan being the two perennial stations, and Taishan and Kunlun being the two summer stations. Scientists say a new perennial station in the area of the Ross Sea will provide a solid guarantee for China's research in the promising southwestern part.

Icebreaker Xuelong at the southernmost point where a scientific research vessel has ever reached, Feb. 3, 2017. (Xinhua/Rong Qihan)

Another breakthrough has been made during the expedition. On February 1 Beijing Time, Xuelong arrived at 7841'S, the southernmost point where a scientific research vessel has ever reached. There used to be no document or information about the hydrologic characteristics, the depth of water, or the submarine topography of this point in the Bay of Whales in the Ross Sea. That means every step here indicates a breakthrough.

After gaining more than 20 samples from the east Ross Sea and the Ross Ice Shelf, researcher Chen Zhihua said that they hoped to find out the evolution of the environment, glacier, climate and ocean here in ancient times.

Research vessel Xuelong is heading to Terra Nova Bay in Antarctica's Victoria Land, Feb. 3, 2017. (Xinhua/Rong Qihan)

China's 33rd Antarctic expedition departed four months ago on Nov 2, and is scheduled to return to Shanghai on April 11. The expedition has a list of 72 tasks to perform including preliminary site selection for China's new base near the Ross Sea.

Xuelong arrived at the Zhongshan station in eastern Antarctica in early December. After unloading at Zhongshan, Kunlun, and Taishan stations, the ship headed to Chile to resupply and then went to the Ross Sea to conduct site selection research. It will return to the Zhongshan station late February before departing home early March.
UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Monday that he "learned with shock and sadness" the news of the sudden death of Vitaly Churkin, Russia's permanent representative to the United Nations.

"Ambassador Churkin was a uniquely skilled diplomat, a powerful orator with great wit, and a man of many talents and interests," said Guterres in a statement issued Monday night.

"Although we served together for a short time, I greatly appreciated the opportunity to work with him and will deeply miss his insights, skills and friendship."

Guterres paid tribute to Churkin's contributions to the United Nations and offered condolences to his family, and to the Russian government and people.

Describing the late Russian ambassador as an outstanding diplomat, the secretary-general noted that Churkin served his country "with distinction through some of the most challenging and momentous periods of recent history."

For more than a decade, Churkin was "a forceful presence on the Security Council," said the statement.

Peter Thomson, president of the UN General Assembly, and the UN Security Council respectively issued statements to mourn Churkin's death.

Churkin died of an apparent heart attack in New York on Monday morning at the age of 64, just a day before his 65th birthday.

Born on Feb. 21, 1952 in Moscow, Churkin served as ambassador-at-large at the Russian Foreign Ministry from 2003 to 2006, before his appointment as ambassador to the United Nations. He was Russian ambassador to Canada from 1998 to 2003, and to Belgium from 1994 to 1998.
File photo taken on Sept. 25, 2016 shows Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin (Front) addressing United Nations Security Council during an emergency meeting on the situation in Syria, at the UN headquarters in New York. Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin has died in New York, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Feb. 20, 2017. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- The sudden death of Russian Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin Monday stunned the diplomatic community, staff of the UN secretariat and reporters.

The 64-year-old veteran diplomat was the longest-serving ambassador on the 15-member UN Security Council, where he was known for his quick-witted debating skills and good humor.

Churkin has been Russian permanent representative since 2006, who succumbed after an apparent heart attack in New York on the eve of his 65th birthday.

President of the 71st session of the UN General Assembly Peter Thomson said that he was "greatly saddened" at the news of the passing of the Russian ambassador.

Thomson, who described the late Russian envoy as a "dear friend," said in a statement by his spokesman that "the Russian Federation and the United Nations have lost a true son and a great international intellect."

Members of the General Assembly stood for a moment of silence in memory of Churkin before an informal briefing on Sustainable Development Goals held in the Trusteeship Council Chamber.

"The members of the Security Council were deeply saddened to learn of the death of Ambassador Vitaly Churkin," an official statement issued late Monday said.

"The members of the Security Council expressed their deep condolences to the family of the Ambassador, the Government and the people of the Russian Federation," it concluded.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was traveling in the Middle East and Europe so there was no immediate formal response, but, Farhan Haq, the deputy UN spokesman, was visibly and audibly surprised by an initial report of Churkin's death.

"He has been such a regular presence here that I am actually quite stunned," Haq said. "Our thoughts go to his family, to his friends and to his government."

The Russian foreign ministry said in a formal statement issued in Moscow, "A prominent Russian diplomat has passed away while at work. We'd like to express our sincere condolences to Vitaly Churkin's family."

Meanwhile, most reactions to the sudden death of Moscow's envoy to the world organization came in a modern-day style of Twitter messages.

U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley, Churkin's traditional rival, issued a brief statement.

"In my short time at the United Nations, Ambassador Vitaly Churkin showed himself to be a gracious colleague," she tweeted. "We did not always see things the same way, but he unquestionably advocated his country's positions with great skill."

"Devastated by passing of Russian UN Amb Vitaly Churkin. Diplomatic maestro & deeply caring man who did all he cld to bridge US-RUS differences," tweeted Samantha Power, former U.S. Ambassador to the world organization.

"Absolutely devastated to hear that my friend & colleague Vitaly Churkin has died," tweeted British Ambassador Matthew Ryrcroft.

Ambassador Gerard Araud of France to the United States and former French permanent representative to the United Nations, tweeted of Churkin, "An extraordinary colleague during my 5y in the UNSC. Abrasive, funny and technically impeccable. Sincere condolences."

Born on Feb. 21, 1952 in Moscow, Churkin was ambassador-at-large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation from 2003 to 2006. He was his country's ambassador to Canada from 1998 to 2003, and to Belgium from 1994 to 1998 before he represented Russia at the United Nations in 2006. Enditem
Photo shows the first carriage of the train arriving at Cat Linh - Ha Dong urban railway project in Vietnam's capital Hanoi on Feb.21, 2017. (Xinhua/Le Yanna)

HANOI, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- First carriage of the train used for Vietnam's first urban railway Cat Linh-Ha Dong Line was hoisted in Vietnam's capital Hanoi at the dawn on Tuesday.

The 13-km Cat Linh-Ha dong Line is constructed by the 6th bureau of China Railway Engineering Corporation (CREC).

The first train, which contains four carriages, started its travel from Beijing on Jan. 20 and arrived Hanoi on Feb. 19, said Tang Hong, the general manager of Overseas Company of CREC told Xinhua, adding that the Chinese-made train applied with Chinese standards and technology.

Although it was raining, the process of hoisting and installing the train attracted more than a hundred Vietnamese journalists and Hanoi citizens. With the announcement of the successful installment of the first carriage, a chorus of claps began.

"The construction of the urban railway, as a symbol of Sino-Vietnam friendship, will ease up the traffic jam obsessed by Hanoi citizens", claimed Tang.

According to Tang, the other three carriages of the train will be hoisted and installed later this week, waiting to be tried when the electricity is connected later this year.

The remaining 12 trains purchased by the project will arrive in Hanoi following the appropriate conditions.
SYDNEY, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- New research released on Tuesday, suggest that Australian online daters lower their standards when looking for a prospective mate, with many picking people who aren't even close to their listed desired traits.

The research conducted by the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) assessed 41,000 Australians between the ages of 18 and 80, and found major differences in what people said they wanted, and what they were willing to accept.

QUT behavioural economist Stephen Whyte said people don't contact those who match what they say their "ideal partner" is, rather, the preferences they give are often being ignored.

"Disclosure of ideal partner preferences is a widely offered and commonly used option for people creating a profile on online dating websites, but whether it's effective or useful in helping people find that special someone is unclear." Whyte said.

"This study provides quite unique findings in that people may state a preference for an ideal partner but they are more than happy to initiate contact with potential love interests that bear no resemblance whatsoever to that 'Mr or Mrs Perfect'they initially think they prefer over all others," Whyte added.

The study is the largest ever analysis of Australia's online dating scene, with 219,013 interactions of the 41,936 members of the dating website RSVP assessed.
SYDNEY, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- It is bad news for Australian rabbits as the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries are set to release a killer virus on the state's population in March.

Originating in China during the 1980's, Calicivirus will target the introduced species which have plagued farmers and caused great damage to much of Australia's native flora.

With over 1, 000 sites to be baited, "all they need to do is put carrots out in places where rabbits feed, then the rabbits will come and eat the carrots and then trigger an outbreak," Department of Primary Industries project leader Tanya Cox said.

This is not the first time an idea like this has been trialled.

In the 1990's, authorities tested the validity of controlling rabbits by infecting the population on a small island off the coast of South Australia.

As a result, the virus managed to escape its quarantine on the island and kill around 10 million rabbits in under 8 weeks, about 98 percent of the country's population.

But since then the rabbits have returned, but authorities believe a new Korean strain of the Calicivirus called RHDV-K5, will have more targeted success.

The New South Wales Department of Primary Industries have urged rabbit owners to get their pets vaccinated before the virus is released.
by Xinhua writer Liu Chen

BEIJING, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Forty-five years ago, then U.S. President Richard Nixon touched down in Beijing for a milestone visit to China, opening what he called a "week that changed the world."

Forty-five years on, China-U.S. interaction has gone through its share of ups and downs, growing into one of the most important bilateral relationships in the world. What's more important, such an engagement has proved capable of navigating rough waters and keeping moving forward.

Nixon's visit, starting Feb. 21, 1972, was one of the first steps -- and a decisive one -- in the budding rapprochement between China and the United States after more than two decades of estrangement in their history. Following the ice-breaking tour, Beijing and Washington officially established their diplomatic ties in 1979.

Since then the two sides have become increasingly interdependent with ever deepening cooperation in such fields as economy, trade, investment, security, people-to-people exchanges and global battles against common threats.

China is now America's largest trading partner and the third largest export market of U.S. goods after Canada and Mexico, according to a report from the U.S.-China Business Council.

China's direct investments in the United States hit a record high of 45 billion U.S. dollars in 2016, marking a threefold increase from 2015.

Robust bilateral trade and investment have supported some 2.6 million jobs in the United States.

On every single day, more than 13,000 people travel across the Pacific, along with 1.6 billion dollars' worth of goods and services.

Meanwhile, the two countries have unprecedented opportunities to work together in dealing with non-conventional global security challenges, such as terrorism, climate change and cyber security.

Common interests and mutual benefits have long been the cornerstone for the steady and healthy development of the bilateral relations.

In a phone conversation earlier this month, U.S. President Donald Trump told his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, that his country is ready to work with China to take bilateral ties to new historic heights.

The call, the first of its kind between the two leaders since Trump's inauguration, helped ease tensions that the new U.S. leader had triggered by accepting a call from Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen and claiming that the one China policy was open for negotiation.

In the "extremely cordial" conversation with Xi, Trump returned to the right track and stressed that Washington will honor the one China policy, the bedrock of the bilateral ties ever since the signing of the Shanghai Communique in 1972, a key outcome of Nixon's visit.

Before leaving Washington for his China trip that year, Nixon told reporters at the airport that the United States and China "had great differences" and "will have differences in the future."

Forty-five years later, differences remain, but with their cooperation reaching unprecedented levels and their ties enjoying ever higher levels of maturity, the United States and China are now better experienced and equipped to manage their divergence.

What's more, in face of climate change, terrorism and a raft of other challenges threatening mankind as a whole, more and more nations around the globe are looking to the United States and China -- the world's top two economies and two heavyweight players on international affairs -- for solutions.

Given that, the two countries need to carefully steer their relationship through the break-in period following the inauguration of the Trump administration and back into the smooth running mode as soon as possible.

It is the expectation of both nations and the world at large that they build on the forward momentum they have gathered in bilateral interaction over the past 45 years and lift the China-U.S. ties onto higher levels.
PHNOM PENH, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- A delegation of 14 leading U.S. companies visited Cambodia to engage with government officials and other stakeholders on expanding U.S.-Cambodia trade and investment ties, said a U.S.-ASEAN Business Council press release on Tuesday.

Led by Michael Michalak, regional managing director of the U.S.-ASEAN Business Council, the delegation is comprised of representatives of U.S. companies such as 3M, Chevron, Citi, Coca-Cola, ConocoPhillips, Dow, Ford, GE (General Electric), Herbalife, Elanco, MasterCard, Microsoft, RMA Group, and Visa, the press release said.

It added that the delegation met with Health Minister Mam Bunheng, Mines and Energy Minister Suy Sem, Labor Minister Ith Samheng, Post and Telecommunications Minister Tram Iv Tak, Secretary General of the Council for the Development of Cambodia Sok Chenda Sophea, and Commerce Ministry Secretary of State Ok Boung, among others.

"We have held productive discussions with our Cambodian counterparts and sought ways for U.S. companies to support Cambodia's economic development," said Michael Michalak.

"Cambodia is among the fastest growing markets in the region and we see high potential of growth in the country, especially with regards to healthcare and power development," said Dararith Lim, director of market development at GE-Cambodia.
UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Monday that he "learned with shock and sadness" the news of the sudden death of Vitaly Churkin, Russia's permanent representative to the United Nations.

"Ambassador Churkin was a uniquely skilled diplomat, a powerful orator with great wit, and a man of many talents and interests," said Guterres in a statement issued Monday night.

"Although we served together for a short time, I greatly appreciated the opportunity to work with him and will deeply miss his insights, skills and friendship."

Guterres paid tribute to Churkin's contributions to the United Nations and offered condolences to his family, and to the Russian government and people.

Describing the late Russian ambassador as an outstanding diplomat, the secretary-general noted that Churkin served his country "with distinction through some of the most challenging and momentous periods of recent history."

For more than a decade, Churkin was "a forceful presence on the Security Council," said the statement.

Also on Monday, former UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon said in a statement issued in Seoul, capital of South Korea, that he was "shocked and truly saddened" to learn of the passing of Churkin.

"During my 10 years as secretary-general, it was a privilege to work with him and watch him represent the Russian Federation with such passion and dedication. He was an outstanding diplomat and an intellectual star," said Ban, who was succeeded by Guterres on Jan. 1 after his two five-year terms as the UN chief.

"His diplomatic skills, quick wit, and ready sense of humor will long be remembered by those who knew him and by those who will study the history of the United Nations in the years to come," said Ban, adding that he extended his "deepest condolences" to the Russian government and, in particular, to Churkin's wife Irina and the rest of his family.

Earlier Monday, Peter Thomson, president of the UN General Assembly, and the UN Security Council respectively issued statements to mourn Churkin's death.

Churkin has been Russian permanent representative since 2006, who succumbed after an apparent heart attack in New York on the eve of his 65th birthday.` Born on Feb. 21, 1952 in Moscow, Churkin served as ambassador-at-large at the Russian Foreign Ministry from 2003 to 2006, before his appointment as ambassador to the United Nations. He was Russian ambassador to Canada from 1998 to 2003, and to Belgium from 1994 to 1998.
Protesters take part in a rally in Los Angeles, the United States, Feb. 20, 2017. Hundreds of protesters gathered in front of the City Hall here on Monday, also the Presidents' Day, as part of the nation-wide "Not My President's Day" rally to voice opposition against U.S. President Donald Trump. (Xinhua/Yang Lei)



LOS ANGELES, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of protesters gathered in front of the City Hall here on Monday, also the President Day, as part of the nation-wide "Not My President's Day" rally to voice opposition against U.S. President Donald Trump.

"We are here just to show the rest of the world that what made America great originally is still here and even if he (Trump) wants to change it, he can't," Scott Silver, a young protestor, told Xinhua at the rally.

Holding signs with slogans such as "Love Trumps Hate" and "NO!," protesters chanted under drizzly skies "Not My President" "No Trump, No KKK" "No Ban, No Wall" and "This is what democracy looks like."

"We are here to mourn the death of the presidency," Don Overland, another protester said to Xinhua, holding a sign reading "Taking America Backwards."

The third Monday of February marks U.S. Presidents Day, a federal holiday that honors the country's famed statesmen like George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.

By protesting on this day, the participants hoped to send a message that they are not happy with Trump.

"It is President's Day, and I am not a big fan of our current president," said a demonstrator calling himself Scott Silver.

"I'm here to support the country, to support my fellow citizenship from traitor, fakeness, and lies, and possible Fascism," Beettina, a senior female protestor, told Xinhua. "We need to be out here support what we believe, democracy, facts, sciences and on and on and on."

Despite the widespread dismay, Trump's supporters also had a saying as for the day.

Robin Allweiss, a 56-year-old attorney from Tampa, Florida, was quoted by media as saying that Trump "relates to us. He gives us a feeling that he could be our father, our brother, he could be our cousin or our best friend, and that's what makes him so different."

"He doesn't care what anybody thinks. What he wants to do is make America great again," said Allweiss. "Donald Trump cares about us. And no other president in the history of the United States, or even any foreign leader, has cared about his country as much as Donald Trump."

Anti-Trump protests also erupted in nearby Pasadena region and Disneyland in Anaheim on Monday.

Other U.S. major cities also witnessed "Not My President's Day" rallies on the same day, including New York, Chicago, Atlanta and Philadelphia.
SEOUL, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Hyundai Motor Group, South Korea's biggest car manufacturer, on Tuesday broke away from the country's largest business lobby composed of conglomerates called chaebol here over the presidential scandal that fueled calls for the break-up of the lobby group.

A Hyundai official told Xinhua that the company officially offered to abandon its membership of the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI), a business community that speaks for over 600 big corporations.

The official said other Hyundai affiliates, including Kia Motors, planned to leave the chaebol interest group.

With Hyundai's withdrawal, all of top four South Korean conglomerates seceded from the FKI, which was set up in 1961. LG Group was the first to leave the FKI on Dec. 27, followed by Samsung Group and SK Group.

The departures will put the survival of the FKI at risk as the top four chaebols accounted for around 77 percent of total membership dues as of 2015, according to local media reports.

The FKI is suspected of brokering the donations by dozens of conglomerates to two nonprofit foundations, which President Park Geun-hye's longtime friend Choi Soon-sil used for personal gains.

The corruption scandal led to President Park's impeachment. Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong is now in custody for multiple charges including bribery.

The chaebol lobby is also accused of having offered money to conservative advocacy groups, which paid, in turn, elderly protesters attending the pro-government rallies at the request of the presidential Blue House.
BEIJING, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Nobel laureate Chen Ning Yang and Turing Award-winning computer scientist Andrew Chi-Chih Yao have given up their foreign citizenship and become Chinese citizens, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) announce Tuesday.

The two scientists were formally hired as foreign academicians in accordance with the academy's regulations.
BEIJING, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Italian President Sergio Mattarella is scheduled to pay a state visit to China from Feb. 21 to Feb. 26 at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The following is a brief profile of Mattarella.

Mattarella, 76, was born in Palermo, the capital city of Sicily, an Italian island region.

He got a Bachelor's degree in law at the University of Rome. His main area of expertise was in Constitutional laws.

Mattarella has been a lawyer and a lecturer at a university before starting his political career.

In 1983, Mattarella was elected a member of the House of Deputies, or the lower chamber, for the first time.

He has served as the minister for parliamentary affairs, minister of education, vice premier, defense minister, and a judge on the Constitutional Court, respectively.

He was elected president of Italy on Jan. 31, 2015.
South Korean President Park Geun-hye bows during her speech to the nation at the presidential Blue House in Seoul, South Korea, Nov. 29, 2016. South Korean President Park Geun-hye said Tuesday that she will follow parliamentary decision including her shortened presidency. (Xinhua file photo/Blue House)

SEOUL, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- South Korean special prosecutors on Monday said acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn has yet to respond to their calls over extending investigation into a corruption scandal that led to the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye.

South Korea's opposition parties urged Hwang to approve the extension while the ruling party said "it cannot be extended indefinitely."

Also on Monday, the Constitutional Court urged Park to decide whether she will attend her final impeachment hearing.

EXTENSION

Lee Kyu-chul, spokesman of the independent counsel team, which kicked off their investigation on Dec. 21, told a press briefing that it had yet to get a response from Hwang, who is serving as acting president following Park's impeachment in early December.

The independent counsel team sent a letter to Hwang, who is also prime minister, last Thursday to ask for the extension.

Under a special law, the independent investigation is scheduled to close by the end of this month. However, with the acceptance of Hwang, the probe can be extended for up to 30 days.

The spokesman said that if Hwang gives a reply as rapidly as possible, the investigators can conduct an effective probe for the rest of the days allowed.

South Korea's opposition parties on Monday urged Hwang to approve the extension, Yonhap news agency reported.

"Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn must remember if he does not approve the extension, he will face criticism that he blindly shields his companion," head of the Democratic Party Representative Choo Mi-ae said, urging him to make a decision by Tuesday.

The four opposition parties agreed Sunday to seek a revision in the law to extend the deadline of the independent counsel team if Hwang refuses to approve an extension.

The ruling Liberty Korea Party, on the other hand, said that the opposition bloc is seeking to extend the probe for political reasons.

"The independent counsel should fulfill its duty within the time designated by the law," Representative Chung Woo-taik, the floor leader of the Liberty Korea Party, said. "It cannot be extended indefinitely."

Chung said the opposition bloc is only seeking to extend the probe to utilize it for the next presidential election.

FINAL HEARING

Acting Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court Lee Jung-mi on Monday issued a call during the 15th hearing that was held in Park's absence, saying her lawyers should stop stalling and should respond by Wednesday whether the president will attend the final session or not.

Depending on her decision, the court will determine whether to hold the final hearing Friday as planned, or postpone it to March 2 or 3 which was requested by the lawyers, Lee said.

Park's lawyers made the request in a written statement to the court Saturday, citing their need for more time to prepare for the final defense and to consider Park's own attendance at the hearing, Yonhap news agency reported.

Park's ouster requires the approval of at least six of the court's nine justices, but their number will be reduced to seven after the retirement of Lee Jung-mi on March 13. Chief Justice Park Han-chul retired at the end of last month after completing his six-year term.

For Park, chances of her reinstatement are higher after March 13 considering only two justices will have to reject her impeachment instead of three.

If Park is ousted, South Korea is required to hold a presidential by-election within 60 days. If she is reinstated, an election will be held in December as scheduled.
NEW YORK, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Dozens of workers in the United States lost their jobs after showing support for last Thursday's "Day Without Immigrants" protests.

The nationwide protests are against U.S. President Donald Trump's crackdown on undocumented immigrants, plans to build a border wall between the United States and Mexico, as well as closing the nation's door to many travelers.

"We are the team leaders directly under the supervisors and they informed us last night that we could not go back to work and the boss said we were fired," one employee told local media.

Meanwhile, many immigrants, including legal residents and some undocumented, went on a strike and stayed at home as part of the boycott. Some of them were also fired after the protest day.

Some Latino employees in the State of Oklahoma lost their jobs. They said that they didn't show up for their shift and failed to let their employers know about their absence, as local media reported.

The new wave of protests came after hundreds of undocumented immigrants mainly from Latin American countries were arrested across the country last week, many of them netted at home or workplace.

Trump issued an executive order on Jan. 25, ending the previous "catch and release" policy.

Immigration officials have acknowledged that as a result of Trump's executive order, authorities had cast a wider net than they would have.

There are estimated over 11 million undocumented immigrants living across the United States.
HANOI, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Over 50 representatives of customs offices from member economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) gathered in Vietnam's south central coastal Khanh Hoa province's Nha Trang city on Tuesday to discuss custom procedures.

The meeting of APEC Sub-Committee on Customs Procedures (SCCP) was in the agenda of the APEC 2017 first Senior Officials' Meeting and related meetings (SOM 1) which will last till March 3.

Under the theme "creating new dynamism, fostering a shared future," the session debated current prioritized issues in the Asia-Pacific like boosting sustainable, innovative and inclusive growth, bolstering extensive regional economic connectivity, increasing competitiveness of microenterprises, small and medium-sized enterprises in digital age, improving food security and sustainable agriculture, and adaptation to climate change.

The SCCP session focused its discussion on the implementation of Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), boosting connectivity of one-stop-shop (OSS) mechanism, application of information technology and risk management in customs, trans-border management of Intellectual Property rights, and boosting trans-border e-commerce, reported Vietnam's state-run news agency VNA.
STOCKHOLM, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- In a speech on Saturday, Trump suggested that something had happened "last night in Sweden," prompting Swedes to take to Twitter and other social media wondering what on earth the U.S. president might refer to.

"We've got to keep our country safe. You look at what's happening in Germany. You look at what's happening last night in Sweden. Sweden, who would believe this? Sweden. They took in large numbers. They're having problems like they never thought possible," Trump said at a rally in Florida on Saturday, according to a CNN report.

The comment appeared to refer to recent terror attacks happened in Germany, but no such attack has actually occurred in Sweden.

"No. Nothing has happened here in Sweden. There has not been any terrorist attack here. At all," the national account of Sweden on Twitter posted.

Carl Bildt, the former prime minister of Sweden, tweeted: "Sweden? Terror attack? What has he been smoking? Questions abound."

But Trump was unwilling to admit he may have made a mistake, clarifying on Monday in a Twitter post that the statement "was in reference to a story that was broadcast on Fox News concerning immigrants & Sweden."

Within two hours of Trump's Twitter post, the official account of the Embassy of Sweden in the United States responded: "We look forward to informing the U.S. administration about Swedish immigration and integration policies."

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sweden also responded, saying that it is good to receive clarification of what Trump meant when he mentioned Sweden in a speech.

"We maintain continuous diplomatic contacts with U.S. representatives, and in these contacts we keep them informed of the situation in Sweden in various areas," the ministry said on Monday.

"The Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Sweden's embassies work continuously to disseminate an accurate and fair image of Sweden. Unfortunately, we are seeing a general upward trend in inaccurate information," the ministry added.

But Trump did not want to let the incident pass. In another tweet posted on Monday, Trumps said: "Give the public a break -- The fake news media is trying to say that large scale immigration in Sweden is working out just beautifully. NOT!"

"It's nice of you to care, really, but don't fall for the hype. Facts: We're ok!" the country's official twitter account posted in response.

In recent years, Sweden has taken in more refugees per capita than any other European country with more than 160,000 people arriving in Sweden to seek asylum in 2015 alone, said a CNN report.

Although Trump and many other people may have connected the crimes in Sweden with the refugees, a crime expert has denied the connection.

"Sweden definitely, like other countries, faces challenges when it comes to integration of immigration of immigrants into Swedish society," Henrik Selin, director of intercultural dialogue at the Swedish Institute told the CNN.

"There is little evidence, however, that Sweden has turned into the lawless country it is at times being described as broad," Selin added. Enditem
ISLAMABAD, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will pay a three-day visit to Turkey from Feb. 22 for the fifth session of the Pakistan-Turkey High Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC) to be held in Ankara on Feb. 23, according to the Foreign Ministry here Tuesday.

A high-level delegation, consisting of ministers and senior officials, will accompany the prime minister during the visit. Sharif is expected to have wide-ranging consultations with the Turkish leadership on bilateral, regional and international issues, the ministry said in a statement.

Together with his Turkish counterpart Binali Yildirim, Sharif would co-chair the HLSCC, a framework for consultations at the highest political level between the two sides with focuses on trade, energy, banking and finance, Communications and railways, education, and culture and tourism.

The bilateral HLSCC was established in 2009 and the last session was held in Islamabad in 2015.

During the visit, Sharif also plans to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
JALALABAD, Afghanistan, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- About 19 militants of the Islamic State (IS) group were killed and two others wounded after security forces struck their positions in eastern province of Nangarhar, local authorities said Tuesday.

In an airstrike, 12 IS militants were killed after a drone of NATO-led coalition forces fired a missile on a moving pickup vehicle in Bandar area of Achin district on Monday evening, the provincial government said in a statement.

"In addition, Afghan security forces killed seven Daesh (Arabic acronym for IS) fighters and wounded two others during an ongoing cleanup operation in Chongai area of Haska Mina district over the past 24 hours," the statement added.

Several IS bunkers have been destroyed by security forces within the past couple of days in both districts, said the statement, adding that the elimination of targeted militants would further improve security in the eastern province.

The mountainous province with Jalalabad city as its capital, 120 km east of Kabul, has been the scene of clashes between the security forces and IS militants since the emergence of the extremist group there in early 2015.
U.S. President Donald Trump (C) gestures to media before boarding Marine One departing for Andrews Air Force Base en route to West Palm Beach, Florida, at White House in Washington D.C.,the United States, Feb. 3, 2017. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)



by Matthew Rusling

WASHINGTON, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Donald Trump's first month as U.S. president has seen more controversy than that of any other commander-in-chief in recent memory. While many blast him for several missteps, others argue that he has got a number of things right.

Others still contend that it's too early to fully assess the billionaire-turned-president.

FULFILLING CAMPAIGN PROMISES ON DOMESTIC ISSUES

Trump's outspoken manner has put him in the media spotlight for over a year now, and the controversy continued in his first month in office.

In the past month, Trump has been fighting an unprecedented war of words with the mainstream U.S. media.

He repeatedly slammed some U.S. journalists and major news outlets as "the most dishonest human beings on earth," "fake media" and "fake news" for their largely negative news coverage of his administration.

But the past 30 days witnessed Trump's rapid fulfilling of his campaign promises on domestic issues with a number of executive orders, including some that have caused controversy and criticism.

"I would say that Trump has had a challenging first month as he has sought to execute an ambitious agenda," said Dan Mahaffee, an analyst with the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress.

In terms of what he has done right, Trump has continued to pursue his policy goals and foster support from his very strident base by holding to his campaign promises, Mahaffee told Xinhua.

Meanwhile, Mahaffee noted the Trump team's "poor planning of some measures, the challenges posed by an incomplete roster of officials and difficulties in working with the Washington establishment."

Darrell West, vice president and director of governance studies of the Brookings Institution, said that the Trump administration had a slow first month, as many of his top appointments have not been confirmed and most top positions don't even have a nominee.

"It could be months before there is a fully functioning government," West told Xinhua.

This has prevented Trump from doing anything other than issuing some executive orders, and Republicans have not passed any major legislation yet, he said.

West added that Trump's best move has been nominating a Supreme Court Justice who has received a positive reaction in general. "This may be his most impactful move," he said.

A major setback in Trump's domestic moves was the controversial travel ban rolled out in a bid to keep terrorists from sneaking into the country.

The ban, which bars citizens from seven predominantly Islamic nations from entering the United States, was rejected by a federal judge in Washington state, whose ruling was later upheld by a federal appeals court.

Some have blasted the ban as anti-Muslim and un-American, while others said the problem was mainly with the rollout, as it came as a surprise to many airport customs agents and government agencies. It led to the detention of innocent travelers with no ties to terrorism.

The ban, as well as Trump's order to build a long wall along the border with Mexico, triggered widespread protests at home and abroad.

MIXED FEELINGS ON TRUMP'S ANTI-TRADE MOVES

One of Trump's first orders of business was scrapping the longstanding North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) signed by the United States, Canada and Mexico. He also ordered to quit the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), an Asia-Pacific free trade deal strongly promoted by former U.S. President Barack Obama.

Labor economists said the NAFTA has indeed, as Trump said, been a bad deal for Americans as it has led to massive job losses over the last two decades.

However, some economists said that simply taking an ax to it could disrupt trade, as U.S.-Mexico supply chains are now tightly intertwined and the scrapping of NAFTA could lead to price hikes.

On jobs, there are also mixed feelings on Trump's recent threat for a border tax. A couple of companies have already scrapped plans to set up factories in Mexico and opted to keep some operations in the United States.

Supporters said that finally someone in Washington is standing up for blue-collar folks after decades of job losses, wage stagnation and a bleak economic picture for America's rural areas.

But on the flip side, critics have called the move anti-capitalist and dangerous populism that could ultimately lead to price increases for certain products and have a negative impact on trade.

TRUMP'S FINE-TUNING OF FOREIGN POLICY

When it came to foreign policy, Trump in his first month has "fine-tuned" his positions on certain important issues.

Notably, Trump has backed down from his tough stance on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) by reaffirming his support despite his previous criticism of the alliance as "obsolete."

During recent visits to a European security conference in Munich, Germany, both U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and Defense Secretary James Mattis reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to the NATO, though urging its members to share more of the financial burden of protecting European security by increasing defense spending.

The biggest setback for Trump's foreign policy initiatives was perhaps the strong resistance he has encountered in his attempt to reset the tense U.S. ties with Russia, which was regarded by many Americans as the top strategic rival.

Michael Flynn, Trump's former national security adviser, was forced to resign last week amid criticism over his phone call with Russian Ambassador to the United States Sergey Kislyak in late December.

Flynn reportedly indicated in the call that the Trump administration would review the U.S. sanctions imposed on Russia by the Obama administration.

On China, Trump initially irritated Beijing by claiming that the one-China policy was open for negotiation. But earlier this month he moved to smooth things over in a phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping, promising to honor the one-China policy.

Trump's change of stance "suggests that he is willing to listen to his top advisers and change his mind, and that is reassuring," Bonnie Glaser, a China expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told Xinhua.

But experts cautioned that it is still too early to evaluate Trump's foreign policy as he has been in office for only a month.

"We have glimpsed only discrete aspects of the policy, but have not been presented with a coherent and articulated strategy," said Douglas Paal, vice president for studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

As political appointees from the prior administration are leaving their jobs and it takes months for those jobs to be filled, "outside observers need to be patient," said Glaser.

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LOS ANGELES, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of protesters gathered in front of the City Hall here on Monday, also the President Day, as part of the nation-wide "Not My President's Day" rally to voice opposition against U.S. President Donald Trump. Full Story

Commentary: Stable, win-win foreign policy important to Trump administration's credibility

BEIJING, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- A month into his presidency, Donald Trump has made some unexpected moves with foreign leaders and caused some disputes and concerns, but he seemed to be gradually finding his rhythm in foreign affairs and hopefully will stick to a win-win path. Full Story

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ABU DHABI, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Emirates Airline, the Dubai-based international carrier of the United Arab Emirates, said on Tuesday in an e-mailed statement that it will start flying to Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, from July 1.

The indirect flight from Dubai via Yangon to Phnom Penh will be done with a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft in a two class configuration, said the government-controlled carrier.

Emirates Airline said the rise of tourism in Cambodia triggered its decision to add the capital to its networks.

"There were more than 4.7 million foreign tourist arrivals to Cambodia in 2015, with a forecast to rise to 8 million by 2020," said the airline.

The carrier will also introduce a direct, non-stop route between Dubai and Vietnam's capital Hanoi on the same day, it added.

As a geographical focal point, Dubai International Airport has become the busiest civil aviation hub in the world, connecting major destinations between the east and west, such as the flight from Dubai to Beijing, Johannesburg and London.

"Emirates has to expand where the growth opportunities are, and these opportunities we see in Asia," said Emirates Chairman and Chief Executive Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al-Maktoum.
ISLAMABAD, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Three suicide bombers who tried to attack a local court in Pakistan's northwest Charsadda district were killed by police on Tuesday morning, local media and officials said.

District police officer Sohail Khalid confirmed that the suicide bombers tried to storm the court by opening fire at police who, however, took the situation under control soon and killed all the three attackers at the main gate.

Contradicting the police officer's statement, the deputy mayor of the district said that two terrorists were gunned down while the third one was at large.

Local Urdu TV channel ARY said that 13 people including several policemen were injured in the attack. All the injured have been shifted to hospitals. Some of injured were in critical condition.

Tahir Zafar, deputy commissioner of Charsadda, confirmed that the incident took place at a local court in Tangi area of the district located in the country's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province.

Police have cordoned off the area for investigations. No group has claimed the attack yet.
ISLAMABAD, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- At least four people were killed and 17 others injured after a local court was attacked by suicide bombers in Pakistan's northwest Charsadda district on Tuesday morning, local media and officials said.

The killed people included a lawyer and all three attackers who tried to storm the court but were gunned down by police at the main gate of the court.

Local Urdu TV channel Abb Takk said the injured people included five policemen. The injured have been shifted to nearby hospitals.

District police officer Sohail Khalid confirmed that one of the suicide bombers blew himself up at the main gate of the local court located in Tangi area of the Charsadda district in the country's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province.

The officer added that two attackers managed to enter the court but were gunned down by police.

He said that an extra police contingent and paramilitary troops have rushed to the court, bringing the situation under control.

No group has claimed the attack yet.
Photo shows Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe arrived for the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU -PF) Politburo meeting in Harare, Zimbabwe, Feb. 15, 2017. Mugabe rallied ZANU-PF members to put aside their differences and focus on work, to ensure another resounding victory for the ruling party in the 2018 elections. (Xinhua)

HARARE, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe turns 93 Tuesday and has declared that he is ready to soldier on as head of state and government.

Mugabe, who is Africa's third longest serving after Jose Eduardo dos Santos of Angola and Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea, is the only head of government Zimbabweans have ever known since the country attained independence from Britain in 1980.

In an interview with state television to be aired this week, Mugabe said he would only step down if the call came from his party, but that would not be any time soon because the party wanted him to stand as its candidate in the 2018 elections when his current tenure ends.

"They want me to stand for elections everywhere in the party," Mugabe said, adding that in any case party members did not consider anyone good enough to replace him at the moment.

His sentiments echoed those of his wife Grace who said on Friday that even if Mugabe was to contest the election as a corpse, the people would still vote for him.

Mugabe introduced universal education and a robust social program which saw previously marginalized communities benefiting while international aid organizations poured in millions in support of the fledgling government.

However, relations with Western powers started getting frosty over perceived mis-governance issues and alleged violation of human rights in the 1990s and eventually broke down in 2000 when the government expropriated land from white commercial farmers and re-allocated it to formerly landless blacks.

This led to serious economic decline with Mugabe attributing most of the failures to economic sanctions imposed on him by the European Union, the United States and their Western allies since the early 2000s over the land issue.

The government also blames persistent droughts for the decline.

The World Bank said the country's economy grew by 0.4 percent in 2016 weighed down by a drought and low commodity prices, the lowest growth since the country adopted a multi-currency regime in 2009.

The country recorded a trade deficit of 2.3 billion U.S. dollars in 2016 because of low activity in the manufacturing sector, while Foreign Direct Investment was curtailed by the government's hazy indigenization policy which favors blacks.

Zimbabwe has also been hit by cash shortages since 2014, with the U.S. dollar - the major currency in the multi-currency basket adopted in 2009 - becoming elusive.

As a result, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has introduced bond notes at par with the U.S. dollar to plug the deficit, but while many people have grudgingly accepted them, prices of some commodities continue to rise as the black market operators come into play.

Civil servants have endured the effects of a harsh economy with payments of their salaries being done late.

In the meantime, Mugabe's ruling Zanu-PF party has remained divided along factional lines over the years.

Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa is the perceived leader of one going by the name Lacoste, while Mugabe's wife is fighting in her own corner with mainly younger leaders calling themselves Generation 40.

Both factions will converge in southern Zimbabwe on Saturday to celebrate Mugabe's birthday at a lavish party organized by the party's youth league.

Former Vice President Joice Mujuru was expelled from the party following the party's congress in 2014 for allegedly harboring ambitions to topple Mugabe and has since formed her own political outfit.
TEHRAN, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday denounced the reconciliation plans with Israel and urged resistance to liberate the Palestinian occupied territories.

The earlier "reconciliation" plans for the cause of Palestine have proved "wrong" and the recent efforts to show friendship with the Palestinians is aimed to divert the course of resistance through the secret deals with the enemies, Khamenei made the remarks in the opening ceremony of a conference on Palestine in the Iranian capital Tehran.

"The resistance will never be the subject of prey (to the plots) and the third Intifada will be another defeat for the Zionist regime (of Israel)," he said according to the supreme leader's official website.
DHAKA, Feb. 21 (Xinhua ) -- Hundreds of thousands of Bangladesh people Tuesday thronged to the Central Shaheed Minar, a solemn and iconic monument in capital Dhaka, to lay wreaths and bouquets of flowers to show their deep respect to the sons of Bangladesh who sacrificed their lives on this day in 1952 to promote Bangla as a state language of the then East Pakistan.

Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid homage to the language martyrs by laying floral wreaths at the altar of the Central Shaheed Minar one minute after zero hour Tuesday marking the language martyrs' day, Feb. 21.

Norwegian Foreign Minister Borge Brende, among many foreign dignitaries, laid wreaths and bouquets of flowers to show their deep respect to the Bangladesh 1952 language movement heroes.

After ex-Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, also chairperson of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) along with her party leaders placed wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar at around 1:30 a.m. local time it was opened to the public.

Even kids in black and white traditional dresses came with their parents covering their heads and foreheads in the national flag amid festive look.

The whole Shaheed Minar area has been decorated with festoons, banners, walls and roads painted with Bangla alphabets.

Many walls on the Dhaka University campus in front of the Shaheed Minar have been inscribed with quotations from Bangla literature befitting the occasion, and poets were heard reciting poems as they sat on street islands.

Women wore black and white sharees, Bangladesh's national dress for females, in their own traditional style while men in Panjabi and Payjama, long white tunic-like shirt worn over close-fitting or baggy white pants as they gathered at the central monument here to pay tribute to the country's martyred language heroes.

By afternoon on Tuesday, the entire Shaheed Minar turned into a veritable sea of flowers.

A very sad and touching song, Amar Bhaier Rokte Rangano (My Brothers Blood Spattered), was to be played repeatedly in electronic media and cultural gatherings throughout the month, and especially on Feb. 21, which is now also being observed across the world as International Mother Language Day.

As part of the commemoration activities, Bangladesh people, not just in the capital city but also elsewhere in the country, which became independent in 1971, also placed floral wreaths at thousands of monuments across the country.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared on Nov. 17, l999 Feb. 21 as International Mother Language Day. Since then the date has been observed throughout the world every year to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism.

International Mother Language Day originated as the international recognition of Language Movement Day, which has been commemorated in Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan) since 1952 when a number of people, including many varsity students, were killed in a police firing in Dhaka during a Bengali language movement protests.

Salam, Barkat, Rafiq, Jabbar, Safiur and other brave sons of now Bangladesh sacrificed their lives on that day in 1952 as they marched in the streets calling for the use of Bangla as the official language of the then East Pakistan.

However, Bangladesh President Hamid in a message highlighted the observance of the day across the world.

"We feel proud that the spirit of Amar Ekushey (Immortal 21st February) is now inspiring the people of different languages around the globe to protect and preserve their own languages and cultures transcending the boundary of our country."

In a separate message, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina urged all for getting rid of petty differences with the spirit of the Immortal 21st February and for development of the country and upholding democratic values.

Immortal 21st February is the symbol of grief, strength and glory in the life of every Bengali, she said.
JAKARTA, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia trade ministry held back the issuance of export license for the United States-based mining firm Freeport McMoran following the latter's disagreement with the nation's mineral and energy ministry (ESDM) upon operation license.

Indonesian Trade Minister Engartiasto Lukita said that his ministry has yet to process the official export license request submitted by Freeport related to the ongoing Freeport's operation license dispute.

"We would issue the export license for Freeport after receiving recommendation from the mineral and energy ministry," the trade minister told a press conference here on Tuesday.

Freeport and ESDM have yet to reach an agreement upon Indonesian government's obligation for foreign mining firms operating in the country to alter their operation licenses into the latest scheme of IUPK.

The IUPK, drafted by the present government, obliges those firms to abide by new legal and tax aspects demanded by government.

Indonesia would only issue export licenses for those firms after they altered their contracts into IUPK.

Freeport, which processes gold, copper and bronze ores from its mills located in Indonesia's mineral-rich province of Papua, demands the continuance of the existing working contract (KK) it established with previous government that requires annual tax at the same amount until the expiration of the contract.

Freeport has planned to bring the dispute to international arbitration should an agreement is not reached within 120 days after the meeting of its executives with Indonesian senior officials last Friday.
NEW DELHI, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Indian police have arrested three people in connection with the alleged kidnapping and gang rape of a popular film actress in the southern state of Kerala last week.

"We have so far nabbed three persons, the driver of the actress and two others in the case. However, the main accused is still on the run," a senior police official said Tuesday.

He added: "We have identified the main accused as the former driver of the actress and raids are being conducted to nab him."

The incident took place late Friday night. The film actress has alleged that three persons took turns to rape her inside her own car that they had waylaid while she was on her way to dub a film.

The crime has shocked the film fraternity in Kerala and sparked massive outrage in India, with many taking to social media to vent out their anger.

The Kerala government has assured that all the perpetrators of the heinous crime will be brought to justice at the earliest.

The 2012 brutal and fatal gangrape of a 23-year-old medical student by six men on a moving bus in Delhi had forced the Indian government to introduce stricter laws to deal with crimes against women.
MOLLY RILEY/AFP/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- President Donald Trump is set to visit the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture Tuesday.



The president was initially scheduled to visit the museum in observance of Martin Luther King Day but ABC News later learned that the visit was removed from his calendar due to scheduling issues and was not fully planned out.



Last week, following the joint Trump-Netanyahu press conference at the White House, First Lady Melania Trump hosted Sara Netanyahu on a visit to the museum.



The wives were accompanied by museum director Lonnie Bunch and Smithsonian Secretary David Skorton.

"Mrs Sara Netanyahu met at the White House with @FLOTUS Melania Trump, who surprised her with a visit to @NMAAHC," read a tweet from Netanyahu's office, along with a trio of photos of the leaders' wives at the museum and the White House.

Mrs Sara Netanyahu met at the White House with @FLOTUS Melania Trump, who surprised her with a visit to @NMAAHC pic.twitter.com/c607mj9SBa  PM of Israel (@IsraeliPM) February 15, 2017

The first lady reportedly said in a statement afterwards of the visit, "As we remember, with deep humility and reverence, the historic plight of slavery which the Jewish and African-American people have known all too well, we rededicate ourselves to those powerful words that both our nations hold dear: "NEVER AGAIN!"

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Photo shows the train prototype for the Cat Linh-Ha Dong urban railway project at the Giang Vo Exhibition Center in Hanoi, Vietnam. (Xinhua/Le Yanna)

Hi, here is what you need to know about China:

BEIJING -- China's leading bicycle-sharing service provider Mobike Technology has secured more than 300 million U.S. dollars in the latest round of funding since January this year, the company's CEO Wang Xiaofeng said Monday.

Mobike received equity investment from Singapore's Temasek and add-on investment from Hillhouse Capital, which led Mobike's last round of funding. xhne.ws/Y3VB8

----

BEIJING -- China will continue to reduce access restrictions to facilitate the inflow of foreign investment, Commerce Minister Gao Hucheng said Tuesday.

He made the remarks at a press conference when answering a question about concerns of "a rush of capital flight" from the country.

The minister dismissed the concerns as biased, saying the year-on-year drop in foreign direct investment (FDI) into the Chinese mainland last month is not reflective of China's appeal to foreign investors. xhne.ws/3wHVt

----

CAPE TOWN -- China remained the leading growth market for South Africa's tourism industry, with year-on-year growth recorded at 38 percent last year, figures released on Monday showed.

The growth in tourist arrivals from China has been consistent over the year, following improvements in the visa application processes in those countries, Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom said. xhne.ws/wR8aH

----

HANOI -- First carriage of the train used for Vietnam's first urban railway Cat Linh-Ha Dong Line was hoisted in Vietnam's capital Hanoi at the dawn on Tuesday.

The 13-km Cat Linh-Ha dong Line is constructed by the 6th bureau of China Railway Engineering Corporation (CREC).

The first train, which contains four carriages, started its travel from Beijing on Jan. 20 and arrived Hanoi on Feb. 19, said Tang Hong, the general manager of Overseas Company of CREC told Xinhua, adding that the Chinese-made train applied with Chinese standards and technology. xhne.ws/RTkSb

----

PHNOM PENH -- Cambodia and China's Beihai City on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding on bilateral cooperation in technical and vocational training.

The agreement was inked here between Ith Samheng, Cambodian minister of labor and vocational training, and Chen Wei, vice mayor of Beihai City in southwestern China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

Under the agreement, which is valid for five years, the Chinese side will accept Cambodian workers and students to train various skills in China. xhne.ws/9K0hI
Pakistani rescuers work at the attack site in Pakistan's northwest Charsadda district, on Feb. 21, 2017. At least six civilians were killed and 30 others, including five policemen, were injured after three suicide bombers tried to storm a local court in Pakistan's northwest Charsadda district Tuesday morning, hospital sources said. (Xinhua/Ahmad Sidique)



ISLAMABAD, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- At least six civilians were killed and 30 others, including five policemen, were injured after three suicide bombers tried to storm a local court in Pakistan's northwest Charsadda district Tuesday morning, hospital sources said.

Mukhtar, medical superintendent of a local hospital, where all the injured people were shifted to, said that initially they received four bodies and over 30 injured at the hospital.

Mukhtar added that two of the injured people later succumbed to injuries at the hospital, bringing the death toll to six.

A member of a local bar said that the killed people also included a lawyer.

Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a splinter group of Pakistani Taliban, in a phone call to local media claimed the attack.

Mushtaq Ghani, information minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province where Charsadda is under jurisdiction, confirmed that all three suicide bombers were killed in the attack.

He said that one of the attackers blew himself up at the main gate of the court while the two others were gunned down during exchange of fire with the police.

Ghani said that the police took quick action to counter the attack and stopped the suicide bombers from entering the premises of the court.

"Had the bombers entered the crowded court, they could have wrecked havoc by killing a large number of people," Ghani said.

Bomb disposal squad said that an estimated 9 kg of explosives were used in the attack.

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif condemned the attack and praised the police for successfully minimizing the casualties of the attack.
BEIJING, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Yang Dongliang, former head of the State Administration of Work Safety, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for accepting bribes and embezzlement on Tuesday by a court in Beijing.

The verdict was made by the Second Intermediate People's Court of Beijing. Yang accepted the verdict and decided not to appeal.
BEIJING, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, on Tuesday chaired a meeting on the draft government work report.

The meeting, attended by members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, discussed the draft report, which is scheduled to be submitted to the upcoming fifth session of the 12th National People's Congress (NPC).

Tuesday's meeting also reviewed a special report on inspections of central Party and governmental authorities, and another document on a Party education campaign.

At the meeting, China's top leadership pledged to stick to the basic tone of "seeking progress while maintaining stability" in 2017, aiming for more progress from supply-side structural reform.

The meeting highlighted the significance of 2017 as the 19th CPC National Congress will convene.

Acknowledging that China has scored a strong start for the 2016-2020 period, the meeting called for further efforts to balance multiple economic tasks in 2017, including stabilizing growth, advancing reforms, pushing restructuring, improving people's livelihood and preventing risks.

At the macro level, China will continue to implement proactive fiscal policies and prudent monetary policies, according to a document released after the meeting.

Reforms in key areas will be deepened, while the role of innovation will be boosted to facilitate economic upgrading, said the document.

China will also intensify efforts to tap the potential of domestic demand and strengthen internal growth momentum.

Other tasks include pushing supply-side structural reform in the agriculture sector, widening opening-up, promoting green development and improving government services for people's well-being.

The meeting came ahead of China's annual two sessions in March, during which lawmakers and political advisors will gather in Beijing to discuss the social and economic policies for the year.

Since the CPC's 18th National Congress, anti-graft teams have carried out 11 rounds of inspections across all provincial-level governments, central authorities, key state-owned enterprises and central financial institutions, according to the document.

The inspections, which focused on the adherence to the Party's leadership, comprehensive and strict governance of the Party and observation of the Party's Constitution and rules, have been effective political "microscopes" and "searchlights," the document stated.

The document said that central Party and governmental authorities play an important role in the Party and the state and they must uphold the authority of the CPC Central Committee and its centralized and unified leadership.

It stressed that all problems detected in the inspections should be properly addressed.

The document said that the Party education campaign -- which focuses on the study of the Party Constitution and rules, as well as the speeches made by Xi, and calls for being qualified Party members -- plays an important role in Party building and governance.

Deeming it an effective tool in Party building, the document said the education campaign had helped shape the approach to governance of the Party under a new situation.

It said the education campaign should be regular and institutionalized, as this would help members understand the essence of Xi's speeches, ensure Party members unite closer around the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, and scoring new achievements in socialism with Chinese characteristics.

The document called on Party organizations at all levels to make the education campaign a strategic and basic project.

It stressed that ideological education must be prioritized and efforts should be made to educate and guide Party members, especially leading officials.

Leading officials should set a good example in the campaign, the document said, adding that evaluations of the education campaign should be carried out annually.
CHENGDU, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Two human H7N9 avian flu cases were reported Tuesday in southwest China's Sichuan Province, bringing the number of infections in the province this year to eight, including two fatalities.

Both patients had contact with live poultry and no symptoms have been observed among those in close contact with them, according to the provincial health and family planning commission.

Local authorities have taken measures to prevent H7N9 avian flu infection.

Authorities have closed 280 live poultry trading and slaughtering venues in Suining city after five human H7N9 cases this year in the city. Inspections were also enhanced to crack down on unlicensed poultry businesses.

China reported as many as 79 fatalities from H7N9 bird flu in January, far surpassing the number of deaths in recent years.

H7N9 is a bird flu strain first reported to have infected humans in China in March 2013. Infections most likely occur in winter and spring.
TEHRAN, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday denounced the reconciliation plans with Israel and urged resistance to liberate the Palestinian occupied territories.

The earlier "reconciliation" plans for the cause of Palestine have proved "wrong" and the recent efforts to show friendship with the Palestinians is aimed to divert the course of resistance through the secret deals with the enemies, Khamenei made the remarks in the opening ceremony of a conference on Palestine in the Iranian capital Tehran.

"The resistance will never be the subject of prey (to the plots), and the third Intifada will be another defeat for the Zionist regime (of Israel)," he said according to the supreme leader's official website.

Khamenei said the creation of Israel has been the plot hatched by extra-regional powers, and "this has caused the fake being (Israel) to replace the real being (Palestine)" in the region.

He advised the Islamic states to avoid getting engaged in "useless" crises and differences among themselves and, instead, to concentrate on the issue of Palestine as the core issue of Islam.

"Otherwise, the potentials and capabilities of the nations will go waste in the face of vain struggles, which would provide opportunities for the Zionist regime to become even stronger," he was quoted as saying.

The efforts to liberate Palestine should be the touchstone for unity among all the Muslim and freethinking nations, he said.

The Iranian top leader also urged "all the Islamic and national movements to serve the cause of Palestine" and stressed that "the degrees to which the Islamic republic will maintain relationships with the resistant groups depend on their adherence to the principles of resistance."

The two-day Tehran conference on Palestine, dubbed the 6th International Conference in Support of the Palestinian Intifada, seeks to show solidarity with the Palestinians in the face of Israeli occupation and expansion of Jewish settlement in their lands.

According to Press TV, around 700 foreign guests and representatives of the pro-Palestinian organizations will take part in the event.

Among other participants in the conference on Tuesday were senior Iranian officials, including President Hassan Rouhani, Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani and Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani.
PARIS, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- A French thief nicknamed "Spiderman" has been sentenced to eight years on Monday for stealing five masterpieces worth over 100 million euros (about 106 million U.S. dollars) from a top Paris museum.

Vjeran Tomic, a 49-year-old seasoned burlgar of Croatian origin, told investigators that he broke into the National Museum of Modern Art at the night of May 20, 2010, hoping to steal a work by French cubist painter Ferdinand Leger.

But after realizing the security surveillance system failed to work, he decided to take the other four paintings by Pable Picasso, Amedeo Modigliani, Henri Matisse and Georges Braque.

Inaugurated in 1961, the museum is home to more than 10,000 works from art movements of the 20th century.

Tomic, who already had 14 convictions for jewelry and arts, earned the nickname from some media due to his agility in scaling walls to break into apartments.

He and two accomplices were ordered to collectively pay an indemnification of 104 million euros (110 million dollars), which corresponds to the estimated value of the stolen artworks, to the City of Paris.

Jean-Michel Corvez, a 61-year-old antique dealer who admitted to ordering the theft of Leger on behalf of an anonymous buyer, and Yonathan Birn, a 40-year-old dealer of luxury watches who admitted to storing the paintings for a time, respectively got seven and six years in jail.

Besides the collective fine, the three criminals were also fined between 150,000 euros (159,000 dollars) and 200,000 euros (212,000 dollars) each.

Corvez also was banned from dealing in antiques or artworks for five years.

The paintings were still missing. Investigators said they have probably been smuggled out of France.
MOGADISHU, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) said on Tuesday that it has kicked off a three-day training of gender focal persons to help bring the soldiers into line with UN laws on human rights and gender equality.

AMISOM Gender Officer Major Bupe Chanda said the course was aimed at orienting the new officers on their roles as well as coordinating all gender issues in the sectors.

"This is part of capacity building for AMISOM officers and also for the Somali National Army (SNA). We have started with this one, then eventually we will train focal persons for SNA," Chanda said in a statement issued in Mogadishu.

The offices from the new battalions that were recently deployed in all the five sectors of Somalia are taking part in the orientation course.

Chanda said the officers being trained would be instrumental in preventing sexual exploitation and abuses in the sectors as well as being ambassadors for AMISOM in their respective areas of operation.

"The main aim of our training is to acquaint the newly nominated gender focal persons in sectors on gender issues and their roles as focal point persons. All sectors are required to have gender focal point persons," Chanda said.

AMISOM Deputy Chief of Staff, Col. Charles Byaruhanga who spoke on behalf of the Force Commander Lt. Gen. Osman Noor Soubagleh said the main aim of this course is to achieve the call of gender equality which is set in the charter of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325(2000) that is one of the primary and enduring responsibilities of the member states.

"I assure you that all training of gender will be supported by our office," said Byaruhanga.

The training involves newly deployed officers in the five sectors of the country to train them on mainstreaming gender issues. The officers will act as the link between AMISOM headquarters and the sectors.
HO CHI MINH CITY, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Two new terminals at Tan Son Nhat international airport in Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City will be built soon, including one slated for operation this year, the country's Transport Ministry said Tuesday.

A minute on handing 21 hectares of land previously managed by the Defense Ministry to the Transport Ministry was signed on Tuesday.

The area, previously reserved for military training of flight taking-off and landing, will be used to mainly build more taxiways and parking zones.

The Vietnamese government has asked Ho Chi Minh City authorities to increase the airport's serving capacity to 40-50 million passengers a year from the current 25 million. The airport is now overloaded, serving 28 million passengers annually.
OSLO, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Norway has pledged to donate around 10 million U.S. dollars to assist women with abortion initiatives.

The announcement, made by Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg over the weekend, will make Norway the ninth country to join the global "She Decides" campaign aiming to counter U.S. President Donald Trump's anti-abortion rule.

Last month, Trump signed an executive order -- the global gag rule, banning funding for American non-governmental organizations which support abortion initiatives worldwide.

According to estimations, the ban would cause a funding shortfall of about 600 million dollars.

In response, the Dutch government in January launched the She Decides campaign, calling on countries to donate money to replace the shortfall.

"We need to compensate for this financial blow as much as possible with a broad-based funding, where governments, businesses and civil society organizations donate so that women can remain in control of their own bodies," said Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Lilianne Ploumen in a January statement.

So far, the She Decides campaign has gained support from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, Luxembourg, Finland, Canada and Cape Verde, and has raised 40 million dollars.
BUDAPEST, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- An Iraqi man suspected of having raped a 13-year-old girl in Hamburg, Germany in November 2016, has been caught and held by Hungarian police, Hungary's National Police Headquarters (ORFK) said on Tuesday.

"The German police sent a request to the Hungarian authorities in January to help identify an Iraqi suspect and its location," the ORFK said in a statement released on its official website.

German authorities have issued a European and an International warrant on the suspect.

Following an exchange of information, the Hungarian investigators concluded that the suspect used an alias in Germany, but his pictures and fingerprints matched those of a man called C. Ali D, registered in Hungary on Nov. 18, 2016.

After having committed the crime, the man took a train to Hungary on Nov. 17, 2016, the ORFK added. ( As his identity and conditions were unclear, Hungary's Immigration and Asylum Office ordered him to be put into custody in Kiskunhalas, a city in southern Hungary, where he was arrested by police on Feb. 17.

His extradition to Germany will be decided later, ORFK said.
HANOI, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc met Russia's Council of the Federal Assembly chairperson Valentina Ivanovna Matviyenko here Tuesday, voicing wishes to enhance bilateral relations, Vietnam's government e-portal reported.

Matviyenko is visiting Vietnam from Monday to Wednesday.

In addition to existing cooperation in oil and gas, Vietnam will support Russia participating in energy and infrastructure projects in Vietnam, Phuc said, adding that the country wishes to enhance ties with Russia in defense and security.

Matviyenko said her country wants to enhance cooperation with Vietnam in trade and agriculture products and food, as well as areas that Russia has strengths, such as oil filtration, petrochemicals, liquefied petroleum.

The visiting Russian official showed respect to Vietnam's decision to end nuclear projects and said Russia wants to boost implementation of their bilateral agreement on a nuclear science and technology center in Vietnam.

This year Russian government will grant around 1,000 scholarships to Vietnamese students, Matviyenko said, affirming Russia's willingness to support teaching Russian language in Vietnam.
JINJA, Uganda, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Tucked at the back of Uganda's biggest sugar factory in the eastern Ugandan district of Jinja is east Africa's largest ethanol plant.

Production has started and Rogers Mulamba, a Supervisor at the plant, carefully assesses the process through a couple of monitors in the control room.

The 36 million U.S. dollar plant is owned by Madhvani Group, a local company that plans to produce 20 million liters of ethanol annually.

Ethanol is distilled from the fermentation of materials containing carbohydrates or sugar. Ingredients for making ethanol include sugarcane molasses, grain, sorghum, maize and sugar beet among others.

At this plant, the ethanol is extracted from sugarcane molasses through a meticulous process.

Government says it plans to enact a law that will allow the blending of ethanol with petrol, a move that will save the east African country millions of dollars in foreign exchange.

Mayur Madhvani, Joint Managing Director Madhvani Group, said if the ethanol-petrol fusion is accepted, the country would be saving 20 million dollars annually.

He also said the ethanol could be fused into the country's crude oil to ease its viscosity while it is being transported by pipeline from western Uganda to the Tanzanian seaport of Tanga.

Uganda's oil is waxy, according to experts, a factor that makes it hard to transport.

Uganda has over 1.6 billion barrels of oil in the western part of the country. It plans to start commercial production by 2020, according to government.
KUNDUZ, Afghanistan, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- A Taliban mine planter was killed and another injured as their explosive device went off prematurely in the northern Kunduz province on Tuesday, a security official Abdul Khalil said.

Two Taliban insurgents were planting a mine on a road outside Kunduz provincial capital the Kunduz city Tuesday noon when the device exploded accidentally, killing one militant on the spot and injuring another, the official asserted.

Taliban militants who are largely relying on suicide and roadside bombings haven't commented on the report.
NAIROBI, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Integration of mobile money services in East Africa has gone a notch higher after Kenya's leading telecom Safaricom partnered with its counterparts in Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania.

The partnership allows citizens in the four countries to send and receive money easily and affordably as Safaricom seeks to deepen use of its flagship mobile money service M-Pesa across the region.

The move means that Kenyans, Rwandese, Ugandans and Tanzanians can send money or receive money from their kin easily and, more importantly, transact business amongst each other.

"East Africa just got closer than you ever imagined. You can now send and receive cash fast and conveniently across the region through M-Pesa," said Safaricom in a statement Tuesday.

"Whether it's sending cash to your business partners in Rwanda, sending pocket money to your college-going children in Uganda, sending money to family in Tanzania or suppliers in Kenya, you can do it all through your phone," the statement said.

Unlike previously, all citizens now need to carry out mobile money transactions is a three digit code or a pay bill number.

And more interestingly, the money will be delivered in the currency of the country where the recipient is based, saving users the hustle of withdrawing the cash and seeking for conversion services.

"In Uganda, the funds will be delivered as Ugandan shillings, in Rwanda Rwandan Francs and in Tanzania, the funds will be provided in Tanzanian shillings," said Safaricom.

Transaction charges range from 0.02 U.S. dollars to 2.2 dollars depending on amount to be sent in all the countries, with the amounts on some of the transaction bands even being lower than those charged within in Kenya.

Analysts noted that Safaricom is spreading its wings across the region as it seeks to beat competition expected from commercial banks, which have partnered to launch their own money transfer services.

Kenyans transact up to 8.5 million dollars on mobile money in the past three months, according to the data from the Central Bank of Kenya.
by Jamil Bhatti

ISLAMABAD, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Despite stepped-up anti-terror efforts by the Pakistani government and security departments, the country is still menaced by terrorism as militants are continuously attacking different targets since last week.

On Tuesday, a suicide attack at a court compound in the countrys northwest district of Charsadda is the latest of the recent wave, which killed at least six civilians, including a lawyer, and left over 25 others injured as well as five policemen, local police said.

District police officer Sohail Khalid said that three suicide attackers hurled hand grenades and opened fire at police guards attempting to enter into the sub-district court in Tangi area of Charsadda, but policemen foiled the attempt by killing two of them, while the third one exploded his jacket.

Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a breakaway fraction of Pakistani Taliban, claimed the attack, marking the fourth suicide strike by the terrorist outfit since Feb. 13, 2017.

During last week, seven bomb attacks killed at least 119 people and injured nearly 400 others in different areas of Pakistan.

On Feb. 16, a suicide bomber attacked around 800 people when they were performing ritual of Sufi dancing inside a shrine in Sehwan area in southern Sindh Province. The blast, which was claimed by Islamic State, killed 90 people and left over 350 others injured.

On Monday last week, a suicide blast hit a police party near a rally closed to Punjab province assembly building in Lahore city and killed 14 people and injured 87 others.

Following the last week carnage, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif vowed to take the war on terror to a logical end and authorized the security forces to launch operations to crush the terrorism.

Pakistani security forces took a number of steps against the terror networks across the country. The Pakistani Army closed Pakistan-Afghanistan border for security reasons and it also summoned an Afghan embassy official to the army headquarters and handed over a list of 76 most wanted terrorists hiding in Afghanistan.

Pakistani law enforcement agencies backed by intelligence agencies started countrywide operations and killed over 150 terrorists and arrested over 500 others, including dozens of Afghan nationals.

Pakistan armys artillery troops supported by Pakistan Air Force shelled over a dozen terrorist camps at Pak-Afghan border since Thursday night and claimed to have killed 37 terrorists of Jamaat-ul-Ahrar.

On Sunday, Pakistani security forces reportedly killed at least 11 Afghan militants when they were attempting to enter into Pakistani territory.

The federal government led by Sharif has also started lobbying to win a unanimous support from both treasury and opposition benches in the parliament to give an extension to military courts, whose tenure has already expired in January after working for two years.

Secondly, the government is reportedly inspiring the countrys judiciary to quickly decide on the review petitions filed by 149 convicted terrorists who were sentenced to death by military courts.

Pakistani security and intelligence agencies are taking special crackdown on Afghan nationals across the country as Pakistans Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said that Afghan refugees living in Pakistan were used as facilitators to conduct the terrorist attacks.

During a meeting between Pakistani Adviser on Foreign Affairs and Afghan Ambassador to Pakistan Omar Zakhilwal on Monday, Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to work for betterment of relations between the two countries.

Following the Mondays meeting, Pakistani Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa said that Pakistan and Afghanistan will fight their common enemy of terrorism together, adding that enhanced security arrangements along the Pak-Afghan border were to fight their common enemy -- terrorists of all hue and color.

Security analysts in Pakistan said that it would be an ideal situation if both Pakistan and Afghanistan cooperated with each other to fight against terrorism, otherwise both countries will suffer more brutal attacks in the future.
Cars run along a road during a snowfall at Taiyuan, capital of north China's Shanxi Province, Feb. 21, 2017. Local meteorological center issued yellow alert for heavy snow. (Xinhua/Cao Yang)

BEIJING, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Snow across north China on Tuesday caused road closures and delayed flights.

Light to moderate snow fell in Beijing, alleviating the winter drought. This winter, Beijing has only seen 0.9 millimeters of rain, nearly 90 percent less than average, according to the Beijing Meteorological Center.

Qiao Lin, head of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei meteorological center, said snow was forecast across a vast area of north China from Monday to Wednesday and parts of Inner Mongolia, Shanxi and Hebei were hit by heavy snow.

"Icy roads and low visibility could affect traffic in urban cities in the rush hours Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning," said Qiao.

In Zhangjiakou, Hebei, the snow was up to 9cm deep.

Many highways in Inner Mongolia, Shanxi and Hebei were closed, as was an airport in Taiyuan, the provincial capital of Shanxi.

"It is safer to take public transportation than to drive," said a woman surnamed Zhang in Taiyuan. "But the bus is more crowded today."

Snow also fell in Henan, Shandong, Shaanxi, Ningxia and Gansu.

"The snow is good for winter wheat, but could affect crops in greenhouses," said Mao Fengwu, an agricultural technician in Henan.
BEIJING, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- China on Tuesday expressed deep condolences over the sudden death of Vitaly Churkin, Russia's permanent representative to the United Nations.

"We were shocked and saddened by the sudden death of Ambassador Churkin," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said at a daily news briefing.

Churkin died on Monday in New York, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"Ambassador Churkin is a respected and outstanding diplomat," Geng said, adding that Churkin's death was not only a loss for Russia, but also the UN.

Geng hailed the close communication between China and Russia in international and regional issues as well as mutual support in the UN and other international organizations.

Geng said China is willing to work with Russia to play constructive roles in maintaining peace and promoting development in the world.

Churkin has been Russian permanent representative since 2006. He appears to have suffered an apparent heart attack in New York on the eve of his 65th birthday.

Born Feb. 21, 1952 in Moscow, Churkin served as ambassador-at-large at the Russian Foreign Ministry from 2003 to 2006, before his appointment as ambassador to the United Nations. He was Russian ambassador to Canada from 1998 to 2003, and to Belgium from 1994 to 1998.
GENEVA, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- UN Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, is finalising preparations ahead of intra-Syrian negotiations scheduled to start on Feb. 23, his chief of staff said Tuesday.

"The Special Envoy is ready to receive, and looking forward to engaging Syrian parties who are arriving in Geneva this week for the intra-Syrian negotiations," Michael Contet told press here.

"He is putting final touches on arrangements, continuing his consultations with Syrian parties and international actors," he added.

Participants are expected to kick off talks in Geneva's UN headquarters on Feb. 23, 10 months after the last round of negotiations were put on hold amid a humanitarian meltdown and violence.

No indication on whether delegations have already arrived in the Swiss city was given.

The UN-mediated talks are seeking to broker a political end to a conflict which has killed as many as 400,000 people and displaced millions of others since March 2011.

Contet confirmed that upcoming negotiations will be guided by UN Security Council Resolution 2254.
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Doctors found no sign of puncture on the body of a Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) man, who died at the Kuala Lumpur airport last week, as the cause of death is yet to be determined by results from a lab, a Malaysian health official said on Tuesday.

Medicolegal specimen taken from the DPRK man, which include fingerprints and dental ones, have been sent to a lab for further analysis to determine the cause of his death, Noor Hisham bin Abdullah, director of health in the health ministry, told a press conference.

Hisham did not elaborate on what they found in the postmortem, which was completed on Feb. 15, but said the whole process was "conducted professionally."

He denied media reports, which said a second autopsy was conducted on the deceased man. Until now, no next-of-kin of the deceased man has showed up to help authorities carry out DNA identification, a key step in determining the identity, he said.

Bypassing a question from a reporter on what kind of toxin they found on the body, Hisham said they had to wait for the lab results.

Following the killing on Feb. 13, Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had told reporters that the man was Kim Jong Nam, the elder half-brother of DPRK top leader Kim Jong Un.

It is not known when the postmortem results could be released, but an investigation already saw Malaysia in a row with the DPRK. DPRK Ambassador Kang Chol said on Monday that he did not trust the investigation launched by Malaysian police and accused the Malaysian government of colluding with "hostile forces" and pinning suspicion on Pyongyang.

When asked about about Kang's remarks, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said on Tuesday the envoy's comments were "totally uncalled for" and "diplomatically rude," according to the state news agency Bernama.

Malaysia has been having good ties with the DPRK and has no reason to paint a negative image of the country, said Najib, adding "We are very objective."

"They (the DPRK) should help us to find out the truth. That is more important than (making) sweeping and baseless statements," Najib said.

The Malaysian police have detained two female suspects - an Indonesian and a Vietnamese. A DPRK man, working in Kuala Lumpur as an IT engineer, was also arrested.
Relatives of Palestinian Abdel al-Fattah Yusri al-Sharif, who was shot dead as he lay on the ground by Israeli soldier Elor Azaria, watch on television the verdict of the trial of the soldier, at their house in the West Bank city of Hebron, on Feb. 21, 2017. An Israeli military court sentenced on Tuesday Sgt. Elor Azaria to 18 months in prison after he was convicted of manslaughter for shooting dead the wounded Palestinian assailant Abdel al-Fattah Yusri al-Sharif last March. (Xinhua/Mamoun Wazwaz)

JERUSALEM, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- An Israeli military court sentenced on Tuesday Sgt. Elor Azaria to 18 months in prison after he was convicted of manslaughter for shooting dead a wounded Palestinian assailant last March.

A three-judge panel said the incident was "a one-time failure" for Azaria and therefore he deserves a relatively light punishment.

During the hearing, the military prosecution asked for an "appropriate sentence" of 3-5 years in jail. The maximum punishment for manslaughter is 20 years.

Azaria was also given 12 months' probation, and his military rank will be demoted from sergeant to private.

Azaria's legal team did not immediately say if they will appeal against the sentence although the lawyers said earlier that they would struggle against any prison sentence.

On Jan. 4, the court convicted Azaria of shooting and unlawful killing of Palestinian Abdel al-Fattah Yusri al-Sharif, 21, in the neighborhood of Tel Rumeida in the West Bank city of Hebron on March 24, 2016.

"There was no reason for shooting the terrorist, certainly not at his head," the judges said.

Azaria was a 19-year-old army medic at the time of the shooting.

According to the verdict, the incident took place after al-Sharif and another Palestinian, Ramzi Aziz al-Qasarwi, stabbed a soldier, wounding him lightly.

Troops opened fire at them, killing al-Qasarwi and seriously injuring Al-Sharif. Al-Sharif was lying on the ground, immobilized, for about 30 minutes, before Azaria approached him and shot to his head.

After the shooting, a video footage of the incident surfaced on the internet and went viral, prompting a military police investigation into the case.

At the courtroom in Hakirya military base in Tel Aviv on Tuesday, Azaria was greeted with applause by his family and supporters, while hundreds of other supporters rallied outside the court, waving flags of Israel.

"We will wreak havoc throughout the country if Elor is sent to jail," they chanted.

Following the announcement of the sentence, Naftali Bennet, education minister and leader of the ultra-nationalist faction of the Jewish Home, called for Azaria's release.

"The security of the citizens of Israel requires an immediate clemency to Azaria," he said in a statement.

The trial, which began in last May, has deeply divided the Israeli society, with many Israelis hailing Azaria as a "hero." Lawmakers and ministers came to his defense, saying the army should stand by its soldiers even if they were wrong.

The case also divided the country's leadership, where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and right-wing ministers call for pardoning the soldier, and the army's commanders stress the importance of punishment to keep the military's "code of ethics."

The incident occurred at a tense time between Israelis and Palestinians, amid a spate of violence in the West Bank and Israel, which has claimed the lives of at least 240 Palestinians and 34 Israelis since Sept. 2015.

The court's ruling was a rare case of convicting a soldier for killing a Palestinian.

According to figures released by Human Rights Watch on Wednesday, since Oct. 2015, there have been at least 150 clashes in which Israeli security forces shot Palestinians suspected of carrying out attacks.
BEIJING, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- The output of China's information technology industry expanded 10 percent year on year in 2016, thanks to strong performance of smart phones, routers and LCD panels, an official said Tuesday.

The growth rate was 4 percentage points higher than the rate of overall industrial expansion last year, according to Zhou Zixue, deputy head of China Information Technology Industry Federation.

China's industrial output expanded 6 percent year on year in 2016, the National Bureau of Statistics data showed.

Industrial output, officially called industrial value added, is used to measure the activity of designated large enterprises with annual turnover of at least 20 million yuan (about 2.9 million U.S. dollars).

Gross profit of the information technology industry surged 16.1 percent year on year in 2016, Zhou said at a meeting, without providing further details.

But Vice Minister of Industry and Information Technology Chen Zhaoxiong said China will put more strength behind artificial intelligence, Internet of vehicles quantum computing.
KABUL, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- A visiting delegation of U.S. Senate held meeting with President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani here on Tuesday and exchanged views on matters pertaining mutual interests, said a statement released by the Presidential Palace.

"Matters pertaining mutual interests including security situation in Afghanistan, economic development, investment and education came under discussion and the visiting senators praised the achievements of Afghan government in the said fields," said the statement.

President Ghani thanked the U.S. senators and the U.S. administration for its support to Afghanistan.

Afghan officials, including chief executive Abdullah Abdullah and advisor to president on National Security Mohammad Hanif Atmar, accompanied the president in the meeting, the statement added.
AMSTERDAM, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Mexico City has the worst daily traffic condition in the world for the second consecutive year, according to new research released on Tuesday.

TomTom, a Dutch company manufacturing traffic and mapping products, said in the study that the Mexican capital once again took the top spot with drivers expecting to spend an average of 66 percent extra time stuck in traffic everyday.

"Mexico City has an extensive subway system but it doesn't extend out to where all the population growth is happening," the company's senior traffic expert Nick Cohn said. "People don't have a lot of options for getting to work."

Besides ranking the worst for full-day traffic congestion, Mexico City also has the second worst evening rush hour traffic in the world, with drivers spending an additional 101 percent of extra time in traffic compared to an uncongested situation.

By analyzing the traffic congestion situation in 390 cities in 48 countries, the research has listed other cities, including Thailand's capital city of Bangkok, Indonesia's capital Jakarta, and Romanian capital Bucharest as the most congested cities in the world.
BEIJING, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Seven Chinese provincial-level regions, including Beijing and Shanghai, have started entrusting their pension funds to the National Council for Social Security Fund (NCSSF) for investment.

A total of 360 billion yuan (52.33 billion U.S. dollars) is being transferred from scattered bank accounts operated by local authorities to the NCSSF for centralized asset management, the Economic Information Daily reported on Tuesday.

The move is the latest effort by China to improve returns of its vast locally managed pension funds, which have traditionally been parked in banks or used to purchase treasury bills.

Unlike governments, the NCSSF is allowed to invest in a variety of financial products, including bonds and equities. The fund saw a 15-percent investment return in 2015, with total entrusted assets worth 1.9 trillion yuan.

Brokerage GF Securities estimates around 2 trillion yuan in pension funds nationwide could be used for investment, about half of the total balance of the country's pension fund accounts as of the end of last year.

Wang Zhongmin, vice chairman of the NCSSF, said the specific amount of available funds still cannot be determined due to uncertainties from local authorities.

The State Council issued guidelines to loosen investment rules on pension funds in the summer of 2015, greenlighting their entry into the stock market, which had been suffering from plunges. The move has been closely watched by the capital market, which calls for more long-term institutional investors to stabilize the market.

The government's priority remains stable asset growth, avoiding bold investments as the proportion of pension funds in stock-related investments is limited to 30 percent.

"Liquidity and safety should still be first," said Dong Dengxin, a financial researcher with Wuhan University, who advised a cap of 10 to 15 percent for equity investment during the preliminary stage.

Rather than giving an immediate boost, analysts believe pension funds will bring long-term benefits to China's A-share market, optimizing the structure of investors and curbing market volatility.
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Personnel of law enforcing agencies have arrested eight suspected insurgents in the southern Kandahar province, said a statement of National Directorate of Security (NDS) or the country's spy agency released here Tuesday.

"An eight-member group of armed insurgents have been arrested and the arrested persons have confessed to their involvement in subversive activities including targeting security checkpoints and supplying caravans," the statement said.

Taliban militants who are active in parts of the southern Kandahar province over the past more than a decade are yet to make comment on the subject.
TOKYO, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Japan's education ministry said Tuesday it had uncovered 17 more fresh instances of its personnel illegally finding post-retirement positions for bureaucrats as the scope of the scandal continues to widen.

According to an interim report conducted by the ministry, as part of a deeper probe into its jobs placement racket, the number of "amakudari" cases now stands at 27.

Known colloquially here as "amakudari" and meaning a "decent from heaven" where bureaucrats are re-employed into comfortable jobs they once oversaw, the rising figures reveals the problem is endemic in at least the education ministry and possibly in other public sectors.

"This serves as evidence that the ministry has been systematically involved in violating regulations on re-employment," education minister Hirokazu Matsuno was quoted as telling a news conference Tuesday.

"There was a lack of awareness about legal compliance at the ministry," said Matsuno, who vowed to "rigorously punish those newly implicated."

"The scandal indicates the ministry deliberately circumvented the law and is serious enough to prompt a rebuilding of the ministry from scratch," another top ministry official was quoted as saying of the deeply-entrenched practice of "amakudari".

The illegal practice, it would seem, has not just remained specific to a single ministry or agency as Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said Tuesday that he had launched an investigation into one of his ministry's former diplomats being given a cushy post-retirement position by the education ministry.

The practice of "amakudari" was effectively banned in 2007 when legislation was changed regarding the re-employment of civil servants, in part due to the potential for corruption. But those under investigation may have dodged the law by using retired civil servants to deal with the illegal job placements.

According to local media sources, the ministry's report identifies 16 ministry officials who had been engaged in the employment placement racket, and among the names were former vice minister Kihei Maekawa, who stepped down last month from the top bureaucratic spot over the scandal.

A list of prestigious universities has also been made available that have employed former ministry bureaucrats through the illegal scheme.

The ministry said it will, as part of its ongoing investigation, continue to investigate some 3,000 of those it still actively employs and 500 who have already retired.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe ordered a government-wide investigation to find out how deeply-entrenched the illegal practice is within the public sector. Abe ordered the investigation after an initial probe into the ministry was made public in January.

Abe's top government spokesperson said the government has been ordered to "flush out" the issue from scratch.

"The government has been instructed by the prime minister to flush out the issue from scratch at all ministries and agencies, and we will completely explain the results of the full investigation to the public," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a news conference Tuesday.

Suga added "it is unallowable and highly problematic for the authority in charge of education to have been entangled in the practice."
Israeli soldier Elor Azaria is embraced by his mother at the start of the sentencing hearing at a military court in Tel Aviv, Israel February 21, 2017. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

JERUSALEM, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- An Israeli military court sentenced on Tuesday Sgt. Elor Azaria to 18 months in prison after he was convicted of manslaughter for shooting dead a wounded Palestinian assailant last March.

A three-judge panel said the incident was "a one-time failure" for Azaria and therefore he deserves a relatively light punishment.

During the hearing, the military prosecution asked for an "appropriate sentence" of 3-5 years in jail. The maximum punishment for manslaughter is 20 years.

Azaria was also given 12 months' probation, and his military rank will be demoted from sergeant to private.

Azaria's legal team did not immediately say if they will appeal against the sentence although the lawyers said earlier that they would struggle against any prison sentence.

On Jan. 4, the court convicted Azaria of shooting and unlawful killing of Palestinian Abdel al-Fattah Yusri al-Sharif, 21, in the neighborhood of Tel Rumeida in the West Bank city of Hebron on March 24, 2016.

"There was no reason for shooting the terrorist, certainly not at his head," the judges said.

Azaria was a 19-year-old army medic at the time of the shooting.

According to the verdict, the incident took place after al-Sharif and another Palestinian, Ramzi Aziz al-Qasarwi, stabbed a soldier, wounding him lightly.

Troops opened fire at them, killing al-Qasarwi and seriously injuring Al-Sharif. Al-Sharif was lying on the ground, immobilized, for about 30 minutes, before Azaria approached him and shot to his head.

After the shooting, a video footage of the incident surfaced on the internet and went viral, prompting a military police investigation into the case.

At the courtroom in Hakirya military base in Tel Aviv on Tuesday, Azaria was greeted with applause by his family and supporters, while hundreds of other supporters rallied outside the court, waving flags of Israel.

"We will wreak havoc throughout the country if Elor is sent to jail," they chanted.

Following the announcement of the sentence, Naftali Bennet, education minister and leader of the ultra-nationalist faction of the Jewish Home, called for Azaria's release.

"The security of the citizens of Israel requires an immediate clemency to Azaria," he said in a statement.

The trial, which began in last May, has deeply divided the Israeli society, with many Israelis hailing Azaria as a "hero." Lawmakers and ministers came to his defense, saying the army should stand by its soldiers even if they were wrong.

The case also divided the country's leadership, where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and right-wing ministers call for pardoning the soldier, and the army's commanders stress the importance of punishment to keep the military's "code of ethics."

The incident occurred at a tense time between Israelis and Palestinians, amid a spate of violence in the West Bank and Israel, which has claimed the lives of at least 240 Palestinians and 34 Israelis since Sept. 2015.

The court's ruling was a rare case of convicting a soldier for killing a Palestinian.

According to figures released by Human Rights Watch on Wednesday, since Oct. 2015, there have been at least 150 clashes in which Israeli security forces shot Palestinians suspected of carrying out attacks.
BORACAY, Philippines, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Philippine Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay said on Tuesday that the South China Sea issue is not the "sum-total" of relations between the Philippines and China, and the two countries should focus on economy and investment.

At a news conference after the ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting, he said the Philippines has set an arbitral ruling over the South China Sea dispute aside for now and decided to pursue the bigger aspects of the Philippine relations with China, such as trade and investments.

He said the two countries should pursue the areas where they have the convergence of national interests to make sure that all parties concerned would benefit.

"That is also part of the confidence-building measure that we (the Philippines) contribute towards a peaceful (resolution of the dispute)," Yasay added.

The foreign secretary said the Philippine side is confident that in June or July the Philippines and other countries from ASEAN will work out the framework of a code of conduct in the South China Sea with China and he hopes this will lead to a peaceful resolution.

Meanwhile, Yasay said the ASEAN ministers discussed "the way forward for ASEAN community building" and exchanged views of regional and international issues of common interest and concern, and discussed ways to promote peace, stability and prosperity in the region and beyond.

These issues include non-traditional security challenges such as terrorism, piracy and armed robbery at sea, cyber-security, natural disasters, climate change, irregular migration, trafficking in persons and illicit drugs, maritime security and cooperation, and developments in crisis-hit regions, including the Middle East and the Korean Peninsula.

ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
RAMALLAH, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned Tuesday the car bombing at a Mogadishu market last Sunday and described it as "criminal."

According to the official Palestinian news agency (WAFA), Abbas paid condolences to his Somalian counterpart Mohammad Abdullah Mohammad and the families of the victims of the car bombing.

Abbas described the bombing as a "criminal act, that is against all faiths, beliefs, morality and international and humanitarian laws."

He also wished for the Somalian people to enjoy peace and security and a speedy recovery for those injured in the attack.

Last Sunday a car bomb exploded in a market in Somalian capital Mogadishu, killing 39 people and injuring at least 50 others.
BRUSSELS, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has chosen a French term to tell Britain it can expect to pay a "salty" price for quitting the European Union.

The phrase "salty" roughly translates as meaning "hefty or pricey."

Speaking on Tuesday, Juncker said, "Our British friends need to know -- and they know it already -- that it will not be cut-price or zero-cost. The British will have to respect the commitments which they played a part in agreeing."

Juncker's comments, in a speech to the Flemish parliament in Brussels, come with the Brexit talks expected to be launched next month. It is expected to be two years before Britain actually withdraws from the 28-strong bloc.

In view of this, Juncker added, "Therefore the bill will be -- to use a rather vulgar term -- very salty. It will be necessary for the British to respect commitments which they freely entered into."

In his address to Belgian parliamentarians, he also maintained Brussels' position that withdrawal arrangements -- including the "exit bill" -- must be agreed before moving on to potentially drawn out negotiations over future trade relations.

The Commission chief said, "This will be a difficult negotiation, which will take two years to reach agreement on the exit arrangements. To agree on the future architecture of the relations between the UK and EU, it will need years."

He restated the Commission's position that there will be no membership of the single market for Britain unless it signs up to freedom of movement for workers.

"Those who want to benefit from the advantages of the single market must respect the four fundamental freedoms, including the one which relates to the movement of workers," he said.

Brexit was a "crisis for us all," he said, adding that it made him personally "sad" to see a major European actor leave the EU.

"We need to settle our affairs not with our hearts full of a feeling of hostility, but with the knowledge that the continent owes a lot to the UK," he said. "Without Churchill, we would not be here -- we mustn't forget that, but we mustn't be naive."

Juncker, a former Luxembourg Prime Minister, said, "Our British friends will need to understand that we want to continue to develop European integration."

Juncker's comments came as the British House of Lords began a second day of discussion of the government's European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill, which, if passed, will allow British Prime Minister Theresa May to trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, allowing formal talks with the EU to start.
RAMALLAH, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Hawkish strongman Mahmoud Aloul, who was elected as vice chairman of Palestinian ruling Fatah Party, stresses popular resistance and diplomatic endeavor as two complementary strategies to pressure Israel.

"The more the Israeli aggressions, pressures and the crimes of the occupation, the more there will be resistance in confronting it," the 67-year-old Fatah strongman said.

On the relations between popular resistance and international diplomacy, Aloul said they are complementary.

"It is not a duality, it should be viewed as two complementary things, as it is also a form of resistance in political and diplomatic field when you go to UN agencies, the Security Council or the International Criminal Court," he said.

He said he is deeply affected by the power of the people in raising awareness and pushing for more demonstrations.

After years in exile, Aloul returned to Palestine against Israel's objection in the wake of the Oslo Accords signed between the Palestine Liberation Organization and Israel in 1993.

The man's elder son was shot by Israeli forces during a demonstration in the second intifada in Sept. 2000, when he served as the governor of northern West Bank city Nablus.

Following the death of his son, Aloul launched local networks of rehabilitation of destroyed buildings and providing aid to families of victims during confrontations between Palestinians and Israeli forces.

Aloul joined Fatah movement in the 1960s and was imprisoned by Israel in 1968 for three years, and then he was exiled to Jordan.

He had a significant role in financial and military areas during the first Palestinian popular intifada (1987-1993) as an aide to Fatah party's then top military leader Jihad Al-Wazir.

In 2007, he was appointed as Minister of Labor during the short lived national unity government formed by the Islamic Hamas movement, shortly before the internal rift took a deeper cut.

Speaking about international efforts to resume peace talks, Aloul criticized U.S. President Donald Trump for not offering concrete vision for peace and derailing the peace proposals by former U.S. leaders.

Trump's statement last week in a joint press conference with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu aroused outcry among Palestinians.

"I'm looking at two states and one state, and I like the one both parties like," he told reporters.

The statement was interpreted as United States' intention to drop the two-state solution, a long-standing bedrock of the Middle East policy embraced by successive U.S. administrations and the international community.

"We are surely very cautious about anything proposed, because sometimes they refer to one state with very different interpretations, not one state where people live in a democracy with equal rights for all, but a state with two systems that would lead to apartheid," warned Aloul.

"The only option is the two states, and now we are not questioning our faith in the two-state solution, but whether it is possible or not due to the humongous obstacles Netanyahu has put in its way," he added.

Aoul, however, also stressed that the two states is actually not the ceiling of what the Palestinians demand.

The ultimate goal the Palestinians are seeking "is independence and liberty for the people, sovereignty for the people, achieving by establishing a Palestinian state on the borders of 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital," he noted.
BEIJING, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- China will make careful evaluations and respond accordingly if the United States unveils a detailed plan on the proposed border-adjustment tax, Commerce Minister Gao Hucheng said Tuesday.

China is aware of a recent proposal within the U.S. administration concerning a border tax on imports, said Gao at a press conference when answering a question on U.S. President Donald Trump's posts on Twitter.

All countries should abide by international trade rules when formulating trade policies, the minister said.

He said China does not want to comment on remarks made by U.S. presidential candidates during the election campaign, instead it would rather focus on the new administration's attitude toward trade ties with China.

Speaking of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), Gao said there has been substantial progress in negotiation, but there were still some difficulties to be solved.

China will continue to play a constructive and positive role in the negotiation and make joint efforts with all parties to reach agreements on the remaining issues and conclude the RCEP talks at an early date, he said.

Launched in November 2012, the RCEP talks involve ASEAN and its six major trading partners -- China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, India, New Zealand and Australia -- with an aim of facilitating expansion of regional trade and investment.
MOSCOW, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree Tuesday awarding the Order of Courage to the country's late ambassador to the United Nations (UN) Vitaly Churkin.

The posthumous honor was given for Churkin's "dedication, perseverance and professionalism shown at the post of Russia's Permanent Representative to the UN," said a Kremlin statement.

Churkin suddenly passed away on Monday in New York, a day before his 65th birthday. The senior diplomat had served as the Russian envoy to the UN since 2006.

Born on Feb. 21, 1952 in Moscow, Churkin served as ambassador-at-large at the Russian Foreign Ministry from 2003 to 2006, before his appointment as ambassador to the United Nations. He was Russian ambassador to Canada from 1998 to 2003, and to Belgium from 1994 to 1998.

The UN, China and some other countries have expressed condolences over Churkin's death.
JINAN, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- A court in east China's Shandong Province decided on Tuesday to uphold a ruling ordering the revocation of a fine against a private car owner who carried passengers without a license.

The Intermediate People's Court of Jinan, capital of Shandong, ruled that the Jinan public passenger transport administration center should revoke a 20,000 yuan (2,900 U.S. dollars) fine it issued to Chen Chao, a private car owner, in January 2015.

The ruling brought China's first case involving a cab-hailing app to a close.

In January 2015, Chen was fined for carrying paying passengers, who found him via Didi, without a license.

Private car owners are not allowed to carry passengers for profit in China under the current law.

Due to the complexity of the case, the trial was postponed four times.

The Shizhong District People's Court of Jinan decided on December 30 that although Chen did transport passengers without a license, his behavior posed little threat to society and the punishment was too severe. The Jinan public passenger transport administration center later appealed.
DAMASCUS, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- At least 24 rebels were killed in the past 24 hours as a result of intense fighting between various rebel groups in Syria's southern province of Daraa, a monitor group reported on Tuesday.

As many as 10 rebel groups, including the well-known Turkey-backed Ahrar al-Sham and the Saudi-backed Jaish al-Islam, engaged in violent battles with the Khaled Bin al-Walid rebel group as well as other factions pledging allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) in the western countryside of Daraa, the birthplace of the Syrian war, near the Jordanian borders, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The 10 groups unleashed an attack on Monday afternoon against areas taken recently by Khaled Bin al-Walid rebels in western Daraa, according to the Observatory.

Khaled Bin al-Walid group pledged allegiance to the IS last May, saying in a statement that the move aims to put an end to the "treason" of other rebel groups.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) holds a welcome ceremony for French Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve before their talks in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 21, 2017. (Xinhua/Ding Lin)

BEIJING, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- China and France on Tuesday signed agreements on nuclear energy and science during French Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve's Beijing visit.

During talks with Cazeneuve, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said China is willing to work with France to deepen cooperation in the whole industrial chain of nuclear energy.

He hoped that the two sides would ensure a smooth implementation of the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant program and discuss joint development of the third-party nuclear power market.

Li suggested the two sides explore cooperation in civil aviation and space industries, deepen cooperation in coping with climate change, and speed up the eco-city project in Wuhan, capital city of central China's Hubei Province.

He also hoped the two countries to explore cooperation in whole industrial chain of agriculture, medicine and health, as well as coping with an aging society.

Li urged the two sides to facilitate bilateral people-to-people exchanges, effectively implement the Sino-French "1000 Interns" program and the mutual recognition agreement of driving license just signed between the two sides.

He called on the two nations to push the social security agreement signed last October into effect as soon as possible, which exempts company employees assigned to work in each other's countries from the mandatory social security contributions.

The premier hoped that the French side would provide Chinese tourists with better services.

On bilateral relations, Li said China and France both serve as the permanent members of the UN Security Council, and the Sino-French ties have been at the forefront of China's links with western countries.

He said the two countries should always uphold the principle of mutual respect, equality, cooperation, mutual benefit and win-win and strengthen communication and coordination in international affairs.

He called on the two sides, against the backdrop of the complicated and volatile international situation, jointly send out strong signals of safeguarding world peace and stability and promoting development, so as to respond to uncertainty with stability.

China firmly supports European integration, and hopes to see a united, prosperous and stable European Union(EU), which is not only conducive to China-France and China-Europe relations, but also in the interests of multilateralism and the development of globalization, said Li.

Li urged the EU to comprehensively and thoroughly fulfill its obligations under the Protocol on China's Accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), so as to create conditions for sound and healthy development of China-Europe pragmatic cooperation.

Under Article 15 of the Protocol on China's Accession to the WTO, the EU should have ended its "surrogate country system" by Dec. 11, 2016.

For his part, Cazeneuve praised the fruitful cooperation with China in civilian nuclear energy sector, adding bilateral cooperation in agriculture and environmental protection is exemplary.

France is ready to work with China to enhance cooperation in such areas of politics, economic and trade, investment, science, agriculture, nuclear energy, environmental protection and education, he said.

France is willing to make efforts with China to maintain trade liberalization and defuse protectionism, he added.

Noting Europe and China share broad common interests, Cazeneuve said the two sides will find proper solution to the implementation of the Article 15 of the Protocol on China's Accession to the WTO and France is willing to make efforts in this regard.

When jointly meeting the press with Cazeneuve, Li reaffirmed that China upholds to the principle of openness, inclusiveness, and win-win cooperation, opposes to all kinds of protectionism, and safeguards an open international trade system as well as the multilateral framework.

Cazeneuve said France is ready to work with China to oppose trade protectionism and promote the development and prosperity of the two countries.

Cazeneuve is paying an official visit to China on Feb. 21-23. Besides Beijing, Cazeneuve will also visit Wuhan.
by Zhang Miao, Christopher Woodburn

GENEVA, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- The World Health Organization (WHO) reaffirmed that there is no evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission of the H7N9 avian influenza virus.

"Since the first outbreak of H7N9 avian influenza virus in humans was identified in 2013, there have been five seasonal epidemics observed in China," WHO's China Country Office told Xinhua in a written interview, China reported 79 fatalities from H7N9 avian flu in January, the Chinese health authorities has said.

Since the beginning of the year, 16 provincial regions have reported human H7N9 avian flu cases, with 192 cases in January, according to the National Health and Family Planning Commission of China.

Given that most human cases were exposed to the H7N9 virus through contact with infected poultry or contaminated environments, China's health authorities implemented various measures to prevent and control the virus as well as shut down related live poultry markets.

WHO hailed China's strong surveillance system which identifies and reports new cases of emerging and infectious diseases such as H7N9, as well as its capacity to screen the virus for potential changes.

"The closure of live bird markets, and other measures to keep the markets hygienic and safe appear to have been a key factor in the control of previous outbreaks," WHO highlighted.

WHO said based on the reported information, there is no evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission, and there are no significant changes of the virus' properties or of the epidemiology of human infections.

The UN health agency explained that whenever influenza viruses are circulating in poultry, sporadic infections or small clusters of human cases are possible, especially in people exposed to infected poultry or contaminated environments.

WHO said that it is important for the general public to take precautionary measures to reduce exposure to avian influenza viruses from infected poultry.

As it is often difficult to tell whether poultry are infected with certain types of avian influenza, it is vital to promote good hygiene practices while handling, slaughtering and preparing poultry for consumption.

Due to the constantly evolving nature of influenza viruses, WHO continued to stress the importance of global surveillance to detect virological, epidemiological and clinical changes associated with circulating influenza A (H7N9) viruses.

WHO warned that nearly 40 world economies have reported fresh outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza in poultry or wild birds since November last year.
JAKARTA, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia is tapping opportunities from India's lucrative outbound tour market, which recorded significant growth in the last few years, by taking part in an India's major travel event in Mumbai.

Tourism Deputy Minister for Foreign Marketing Affairs I Gde Pitana said on Tuesday that Indonesia's presence in India's Outbound Travel Mart (OTM) in Mumbai was a proof of Indonesia's willingness to attract visitors from India.

Pitana said India has a tremendous outbound market with 20,380,000 recorded in 2015, up 11.1 percent from that of a year earlier.

"Around 45 percent of India's outbound travellers came from Mumbai, India's second largest business city after New Delhi. So, Mumbai is also a very potential city to promote our 10 new tourist destinations," Pitana said.

Some 1,150 exhibitors from 50 nations attempted to attract potential visitors from India during the event, which is expected to be visited by more than 13,000 people.

For the same purpose to lure more Indian visitors, Indonesia took part in India's largest tourism event of 2017 South Asia Travel Tourism and Expo (SATTE) in New Delhi last week.

India has been among Indonesia's top 10 market for source of visitors with 293,415 recorded in 2015, a 23-percent increase from 2014.

"The significant growth of Indian visitors to Indonesia was due to government's expanding visa-free program and more direct flights operated by (flag carrier airline) Garuda Indonesia from Mumbai to Indonesia's big cities of Jakarta, Medan, Denpasar and Surabaya," Pitana's deputy for Asia Pacific market Vincensius Jemadu said.

Indonesia welcomed more than 12 million foreign visitors last year, and is expected to see 15 million ones this year.

With a target to welcome 20 million foreign tourists by 2019, Indonesia is striving to build 10 new tourist destinations across the country, which are expected to be on a par with the resort island of Bali.
by Olatunji Saliu

ABUJA, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian leader Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday allayed fears of the country's citizens over his prolonged vacation in the United Kingdom, saying "there is no cause for worry."

An official statement made available to Xinhua did not say exactly when the vacation embarked on by the Nigerian leader would be over.

"During his normal annual checkup, tests showed he needed a longer period of rest, necessitating the President staying longer than originally planned," said the statement signed by presidential spokesman Femi Adesina.

Buhari jetted out of the west African country on Jan. 19, proceeding on a 10-day vacation as part of his 2017 annual leave and had planned to resume official duties on Feb. 6.

The president was scheduled to return to Abuja, the Nigerian capital, on the evening of Feb. 5 but was advised to complete and receive the results of a series of medical tests recommended by his doctors before returning, he personally wrote in a notice dispatched to the Senate President and Speaker of the Nigerian House of Representatives.

Buhari's prolonged absence still continues to cause tongues wagging in the country, with opposition groups insisting on the official disclosure of his real health status.

Ahead of his vacation, Buhari had transmitted a letter to the Senate, requesting that his Vice-President, Yemi Osinbajo, be empowered to act as President until his return and in accordance with the provision of the country's constitution.

Early this month, a rumor of the president's death had spread like a wildfire, causing Panic among citizens.

Many did not take the rumor of Buhari's death funny. A police investigation is underway to uncover and prosecute the masterminds of the rumor.

Some citizens even offered special prayers in their respective worship places for the president's good health.

In the statement issued Tuesday, Buhari thanked millions of Nigerians "who have been sending good wishes and praying for his health and well-being in mosques and churches throughout the country."

"The President is immensely grateful for the prayers, show of love and concern," the statement added.

Buhari's media aides insist he is not ill amid the controversy in which speculations had also risen that the president was battling a terminal illness.

On June 6, 2016, Buhari had traveled to London to have a short rest and see an Ear, Nose, and Throat (E.N.T) specialist for a persistent ear infection after being examined by his personal physician, according to Adesina.

Nigeria's main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had urged the president to address the nation, particularly on the sudden extension of his vacation and his present health status, to douse tension in the country.

The opposition group, noting the president is not a private citizen, demanded a full disclosure of the reason the president is still holding back in the UK.

"Imagine the president talking about a leave extension but not saying about when he would resume. Medical tests have dates of collection of results. It can't be open-ended without dates," the Nigerian opposition party said in a statement made available to Xinhua.

Adesina said so long as there was no vacuum in government, the president can take the time he desired until his doctors give him a clean bill of health before returning home.

"There's no lacuna because power has been transferred to the vice-president who is acting president," he added.
ROME, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Italian taxi drivers staged an angry demonstration before the parliament on Tuesday to protest against a draft legislation perceived as favoring Uber and other similar car-sharing and car-hiring services.

Meanwhile, taxi wildcat strikes entered their sixth day in the Italian capital, Milan, Naples, Turin and Genoa.

Several hundreds cab drivers from across the country gathered in the main square before the lower house since early morning. The protest was unauthorized, and anti-riot police officers were deployed around all of the major buildings in the area.

Minor scuffles between protesters and police took place near the headquarters of the ruling Democratic Party in the morning, according to the local media.

The protest was sparked by an amendment contained in a government's wide decree that was currently under discussion in parliament. The provision, if definitively approved, would postpone the introduction of new norms to control car-sharing and car-hiring services from the next month to the end of this year.

Taxi drivers believe such prolonged lack of norms would damage the taxi industry, helping de-regulating the sector, and favoring app-based car transport solutions overall.

Supporters of the decree, however, think customers in Italy deserve to be offered a greater choice in terms of city transport services.

On Monday, major taxi unions had called on their members to put an end to the wildcat strikes, at least until a scheduled meeting with Italy's Transport Minister Graziano Delrio which would take place on Tuesday. Their call, however, was not heard.

The sit-in and rally around the parliament, which lies in Rome historic center, caused disruption in the Italian capital on Tuesday. The halt of services to and from the major airports of Rome and Milan badly affected travelers as well in these days.

However, taxi services to and from hospitals and for disabled people is guaranteed in all cities throughout the strike.

The protest began on Feb. 15 when the Italian upper house started discussing the decree and widened in the following days. The package was passed by senators with 153 votes in favor and 99 against, and would now wait for the lower house's green light.

Talks between taxi driver unions and minister Delrio are scheduled later on Tuesday.
SINGAPORE, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Singapore and Britain renewed their Economic and Business Partnership (EBP) on Tuesday, paving the way for greater economic cooperation and new business opportunities in both countries, Singapore's Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) said.

The renewed EBP were signed by Singapore's trade minister Lim Hng Kiang and Britain's Secretary of State for International Trade Liam Fox, who is on a three-day visit to the city state.

The MTI said both parties affirmed the robust and multi-faceted bilateral relations, and discussed the strengthening of economic cooperation and trade links.

Lim noted that against a backdrop of rising protectionist sentiments, Singapore and Britain will stay the course on free and open trade as like-minded and forward-looking partners.

"We will work together to promote the development of an open global trading environment," he said.

The renewed EBP builds on the original agreement, which was signed in October 2011, to facilitate regular and strategic dialogue at the senior officials' level, said the ministry.

Under the renewed EBP, new areas of cooperation include collaborating on trade policy capacity-building initiatives and establishing a working group to deepen strong trade and investment ties.

According to the MTI, Britain is Singapore's fourth largest European trading partner, with total bilateral trade valued at 11.4 billion Singapore dollars (8.01 billion U.S. dollars). Singapore is the UK's largest trading and investment partner in ASEAN and also the gateway to the region for many British businesses.
OSLO, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Norway said on Tuesday that it wants to be included in any possible internal market arrangements between the European Union (EU) and Britain.

"Brexit will be a concern for all of us. Trade with both Britain as well as the EU is of enormous importance to Norway," Norwegian Minister of the European Economic Area (EEA) and EU Affairs Frank Bakke-Jensen told a meeting with EU ambassador.

"We would like to have the possibility to be included in EU-UK arrangements concerning the internal market -- permanent as well as transitional," he said.

The Norwegian minister noted that it is in his country's interests to maintain the closest possible trade policy cooperation with both sides. "I am pleased with the willingness to consult closely with us on coming negotiations about the internal market," Bakke-Jensen said.

"We also have an ongoing political dialogue with the UK and are ready to discuss our future co-operation in specific terms as soon as the situation permits," he said.

Norway is not a member of the EU but is part of the EEA and the European Free Trade Area (EFTA).

It remains subject to the same single market regulations and the fundamental principles of the free movement of goods, services, people and capital as the 28 EU member states.
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker (R) talks with British Prime Minister Theresa May during their meeting in Brussels, Belgium, Oct. 21, 2016. (Xinhua/Ye Pingfan)

BRUSSELS, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on Tuesday warned that Britain would pay a "hefty" bill for its leaving out of the bloc.

Juncker made the remarks when delivering a speech at the Belgian parliament.

He pointed out that it would take years to reach an agreement on the future architecture of the relations between Britain and the European Union, according to reports.

The debate over Brexit in Britain's Houses of Parliament has moved to the House of Lords.

British Prime Minister Theresa May made a rare appearance on Monday as she sat in the historic chamber to listen to the start of the debate over her parliamentary bill to trigger the process of Britain leaving the European Union.
CAPE TOWN, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- South Africa will continue its mediation efforts and peacekeeping operations in Africa, President Jacob Zuma said on Tuesday.

In a speech marking the Armed Forces Day in the eastern coastal city of Durban, Zuma said South Africa is committed to its peace-making initiatives in Lesotho, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Burundi, Mozambique, South Sudan, Somalia and Libya.

South African troops play a key role in the country's foreign policy, anchored on the promotion of peace and security in the continent in order to create conducive conditions for economic development, Zuma said.

South Africa plays its role in the fulfilment of the goal of silencing guns in Africa by 2020, he said.

This goal is set by the African Union (AU).

South Africa has deployed more than 3,000 members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) in the interest of contributing to peace and stability in Africa.

Zuma paid tribute to the hard work of the SANDF in the DRC.

"Together with our friends and allies they are standing under the United Nations -- Force Intervention Brigade (FIB) against armed rebels in the eastern DRC," he said.

In other parts of the DRC, where tensions continue to simmer, the SANDF is responding to ensure that peace is maintained so that people and citizens of that country can live in a safe and secure environment, said Zuma.

"We have lost soldiers in some of the peacekeeping missions in the DRC, Central African Republic or the Sudan," he said.

Zuma also pledged that the SANDF will continue to support and roll out the "Maritime Security Strategy" along the Eastern Seaboard, in the Mozambican channel in order to counter piracy.

"The presence of our troops along the border also helps to curb crime. Members of the SANDF recover illegal weapons, stop illegal migrant crossings and have recovered stolen vehicles, stock and contraband goods and dagga among others," the president said.

Five years ago, the South African government decided to use the 21st of February each year as Armed Forces Day to celebrate the contribution of the defence force to the consolidation of democracy and peace in the country.
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence (L) and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker attend a press conference in Brussels, Belgium, Feb. 20, 2017. (Xinhua/Gong Bing)

BRUSSELS, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- In his first trip abroad, United States Vice President came to Europe this weekend to talk with European leaders and NATO, with interested parties on both sides of the Atlantic hoping to see growing tensions between the U.S. and Europe soothed.

U.S. President Donald Trump has ruffled feathers in the European Union (EU) both before and after his election, creating concerns on several fronts.

Regarding security, Trump put many Europeans ill-at-ease when he called NATO "obsolete" for having been "designed many, many years ago," for not adequately adapting to the threat of terrorism, and for countries not paying "what they should."

Concerns around Trump's NATO position have only been compounded by what seems to have been a complementary softening of U.S. positions toward Russia. The U.S. president has frequently praised Russian President Vladimir Putin as a "strong leader" and indicated that a better relationship with the Kremlin might be welcome.

American commitment to a unified Europe has been further called into doubt by Trump's repeated statements praising the outcomes of the Brexit vote.

It has also been reported that the U.S. president's top pick for Ambassador to the EU is Ted Malloch, a professor who angered Europe by predicting in January that the single-currency bloc could collapse within 18 months, and saying he would "short the Euro" as an investor.

These issues and more have rattled Europe, with leaders looking for answers about future U.S. policy toward European unity and security. Mike Pence's visit, it appears, has been designed to allay fears.

"Today is my privilege to be on behalf of President (Donald) Trump, to express strong commitment of the United States to continued cooperation and partnership with the EU," the vice president said at a joint press conference with European Council President Donald Tusk after their meeting in Brussels on Monday.

"Whatever our differences, our two continents share the same heritage, the same values and above all, the same purpose to promote peace and prosperity through freedom, democracy and the rule of law," he continued.

The message of direct support for the EU will have been a relief to some European observers, after a Saturday speech at the Munich Security Conference in which Pence managed to avoid any mention of the Union.

It will be difficult for others, however, to ignore signals that U.S.-European relations have been cooling.

European Council President Donald Tusk, who previously described Donald Trump as a potential "threat" to Europe, spoke positively of his meeting with Mike Pence in a statement after the talks, but with a show of reserve.

"Too much has happened over the past months in your country, and in the EU; too many new, and sometimes surprising opinions have been voiced over this time about our relations -- and our common security -- for us to pretend that everything is as it used to be," said Tusk before thanking the American vice president for his frankness and honesty.

"Today I heard words which are promising for the future, words which explain a lot about the approach of the new administration in Washington," the European Council president admitted, before enumerating Pence's confirmation of American commitment to rules-based international governance, shared transatlantic security through NATO, and European unity.

President Tusk, though, made certain to demonstrate that he wanted action that matched Mike Pence's "promising words." "After such a positive declaration, both Europeans and Americans must simply practice what they preach," he said.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker also appeared positive about his meeting with Pence, making it clear in a speech before the talks that he would be seeking to mend relations.

"I do not think that the moment has come to divide the U.S. and the European Union. We are partners for so many decades in the world," Juncker said. "The global stability is heavily depending on the good relations between the United States of America and the European Union."

Similarly, the office of EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini said in a press release that in her meeting with the American vice president, she had discussed the importance of a strong partnership between the EU and the U.S. in an "open and warm conversation."

With all the positive spin on events, it is almost possible to forget that this round of U.S. diplomacy began with American Defence Secretary James Mattis telling fellow NATO allies on Wednesday that they needed to foot more of the security bill, claiming that it was no longer acceptable for American taxpayers to carry a "disproportionate share of the defence of Western values."

He warned that unless fellow members -- of which only five current reach a target 2 percent of GDP (gross domestic product) defence spending, including Estonia, Greece, Poland, Britain and the United States -- moved towards more equal burden-sharing, the U.S. could "moderate its commitment" to NATO.

Mike Pence himself made it clear on Monday at NATO that while U.S. support for the security alliance was "unwavering," equal burden-sharing was necessary.

The question that remains is whether Mike Pence's round of talks in Europe will be enough to calm nerves and return U.S.-EU relations to traditional warmth.

While Mike Pence is certainly addressing some worries, European leaders are likely to remain wary about the future of U.S.-EU relations. Many Europeans will be waiting, like Donald Tusk, to see if American diplomacy will be realized in practice.
VIENTIANE, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Lao Asia-Pacific Satellite signed an agreement with the AEK Group on Tuesday to start providing HD satellite TV programs to customers in Laos.

There are 60 TV channels, including six Lao channels and others from foreign countries.

It is the first time that Lao people receive the Laosat HD satellite TV signals through the Lao Sat-1 satellite, the first satellite of the country.

The deal will also encourage people to comply with the regulations and purchase only legal satellite dishes. Currently there are a number of illegal satellite dishes for sale in local markets.

Lao Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications (MPT) issued a request letter calling for the Customs Department of the Ministry of Finance to block any imports of illegal satellite receivers whose importers have not been granted permission from the MPT.

However, the ministry does not plan to collect or remove those satellite receivers that are being sold from local markets, saying that the latest move is just to block further unlawful imports.

After the Lao Sat-1 was launched in November 2015, its operations were trialed for about two months and began commercial services in mid-March 2016. Enditem
UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- At least 65,000 children have been released from armed forces and armed groups in the past 10 years, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) said here Tuesday.

The UN agency made the statement in a press release as leaders from around the world gather in Paris on the anniversary of the Paris Commitments to end the use of children in conflict.

"Ten years ago the world made a commitment to the children of war and matched it with action -- action that has helped give 65,000 children a new chance for a better life," said UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake.

"But today's meeting is not only about looking back at what has been accomplished -- but looking forward to the work that remains to be done to support the children of war," Lake said.

Exact data on the number of children used and recruited in armed conflict are difficult to confirm because of the unlawful nature of child recruitment. However, UNICEF estimates that tens of thousands of boys and girls under the age of 18 are used in conflicts worldwide:

Since 2013, an estimated 17,000 children have been recruited in South Sudan and up to 10,000 have been recruited in the Central African Republic.

In Nigeria and neighboring countries, data verified by the United Nations and its partners indicate that nearly 2,000 children were recruited by Boko Haram in 2016 alone.

In Yemen, the UN has documented nearly 1,500 cases of child recruitment since the conflict escalated in March 2015.

The number of countries that have endorsed the Paris Commitments nearly doubled in 10 years, from 58 countries in 2007 to 105 at present, signaling an increasing global commitment to end the use of children in conflict.

Estimates show that of the 65,000 children who have been released in the past 10 years, more than 20,000 were in the Democratic Republic of Congo, nearly 9,000 in the Central African Republic, and more than 1,600 children in Chad.

The Paris International Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Children in Armed Conflicts will look at ways to build on this momentum. These include calling for the unconditional release of all children, without exception, and putting an end to child recruitment, increased resources to help reintegrate and educate children who have been released, and urgent action to protect internally displaced children, child refugees and migrants.

"As long as children are still affected by the fighting, we cannot give up the fight for the children," Lake said.
WARSAW, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Poland and the Czech Republic both want the central European region to be stronger and believe the EU will be strengthened out of the current crisis, Polish Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski said on Tuesday.

During his meeting with Milan Stech, president of the Senate of the Czech Republic, Waszczykowski discussed the EU's future and cooperation within the Visegrad group (V4).

Waszczykowski underlined that a common V4 attitude during the upcoming EU 27 summit in Rome was of a vital importance.

Both sides expressed hope for finalizing some key infrastructural projects, and talked about the future of the European Union in the context of Brexit.

The day before, Stech discussed similar issues with Stanislaw Karczewski, Marshall of Polish Senate.

Commenting on the possible reforms of the EU, Stech underlined that in the Czech Republic's point of view, the EU should first deal with current matters such as Brexit and the migration problem.

Stech commenced his two-day visit in Warsaw on Monday. The visit included meeting with marshalls of Sejm and Senate (both houses of the Polish parliament).
VIENTIANE, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- The World Health Organization (WHO) said Tuesday that it will continue to provide around 2 million U.S. dollars in assistance to Laos each fiscal year from 2017 to 2021.

Laos can also submit proposals to request increased support in case of a disease outbreak such as dengue and other diseases, according to an agreement signed Tuesday in Vientiane between WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific Shin Young-soo and Lao Minister of Health Bounkong Syhavong.

"I believe that this Country Cooperation Strategy (CCS ) will guide us well over the next five years as we work together to improve the health of the people in the Laos," Shin was quoted by Lao state-run media Vientiane Times as saying.

The extended support will launch the new WHO and Laos CCS for 2017 to 2021, aiming to sustain the Lao government's health improvements and support the government to address emerging health challenges in the country.

The Lao minister, for his part, said the aid affirms the constructive partnership between WHO and Lao Health Ministry to support health sector reform and its quest to achieve University Health Sciences coverage.

They will improve service delivery of public health programs to reach the vulnerable groups and protect the public from vaccine preventable diseases, like polio, measles and rubella, Bounkong said.
TIRANA, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Based on the positive performance of Albanian economy, Finance Minister Arben Ahmetaj told a press conference Tuesday that Albania's economic growth in 2017 would be 3.5 percent.

In the first quarters of 2016, the country's economic growth reached 3.3 percent, which is very significant. The growth will continue this year and is expected to reach 5 percent in next two years, Ahmetaj told reporters while speaking about the latest developments and forecasts for the future.

Ahmetaj said that in 2016, revenues were estimated at 275.8 billion lek (2.16 billion U.S. dollars) or 18.1 billion lek (141 million U.S. dollars) more than that in 2015.

He stressed that the growth of revenues did not come as a result of tax hike but the formalization of the economy and good management.

As for Albania's agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) which is about to end on Feb. 24, Ahmetaj said, "Although the agreement will end on its scheduled deadline, the cooperation will continue as the IMF will continue to monitor Albania's finances on a quarterly basis." Enditem
TEHRAN, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon's Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri suggested that the Islamic states shut their embassies in Washington if the U.S. decides to relocate its embassy to al-Quds, or Jerusalem in Israel, Tasnim news agency reported Tuesday.

The embassy relocate plan is a scheme to disrupt peace, Berri said, criticizing the U.S. government for backing Israel policies, including the expansion of Jewish settlements in the Palestinian lands.

He made the remarks in an address to a conference on Palestine in Iran's capital Tehran on Tuesday.

Also, the visiting head of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement, Ramadan Abdullah Shalah, said here in the event that the Palestinian people have firm determination to resist the Zionist regime of Israel and will never give in.

The two-day Tehran conference on Palestine, dubbed the 6th International Conference in Support of the Palestinian Intifada, seeks to show solidarity with the Palestinians in the face of Israeli occupation and expansion of Jewish settlement in their lands.

According to Press TV, around 700 foreign guests and representatives of the pro-Palestinian organizations will take part in the event.
by Chrispinus Omar

NAIROBI, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's electoral body on Tuesday announced it had registered 3.78 million new voters in the just concluded voter listing exercise.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairman Wafula Chebukati said a target of 62 percent has been achieved since the final phase of mass voter registration exercise kicked off in mid January.

He said the electoral body has so far registered 135 diaspora voters in five African countries of Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, and South Africa.

He added that registration of voters in prisons would begin on Wednesday in 118 prison facilities, targeting 5,952 convicts and 2,246 suspects in remand.

Kenya's major political parties are mobilizing their supporters to participate in the final voter registration exercise ahead of August polls.

Both President Uhuru Kenyatta and his rivals in the opposition crisscrossed the country as they led nationwide campaigns to encourage supporters to acquire to register.

Pundits say the latest voter registration exercise will be the new battle ground for major parties as they prepare for the high octane campaigns ahead of the August 8 general election. Enditem
Palestinian chief negotiator and Secretary General of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), Saeb Erekat, speaks during a pressconference in the West Bank city of Jericho on February 15, 2017. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)

TEHRAN, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon's Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri suggested that the Islamic states shut their embassies in Washington if the U.S. decides to relocate its embassy to al-Quds, or Jerusalem in Israel, Tasnim news agency reported Tuesday.

The embassy relocate plan is a scheme to disrupt peace, Berri said, criticizing the U.S. government for backing Israel policies, including the expansion of Jewish settlements in the Palestinian lands.

He made the remarks in an address to a conference on Palestine in Iran's capital Tehran on Tuesday.

Also, the visiting head of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement, Ramadan Abdullah Shalah, said here in the event that the Palestinian people have firm determination to resist the Zionist regime of Israel and will never give in.

The two-day Tehran conference on Palestine, dubbed the 6th International Conference in Support of the Palestinian Intifada, seeks to show solidarity with the Palestinians in the face of Israeli occupation and expansion of Jewish settlement in their lands.

According to Press TV, around 700 foreign guests and representatives of the pro-Palestinian organizations will take part in the event.
BEIJING, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi on Tuesday urged China and the United States to strengthen pragmatic cooperation in a bid to push forward bilateral relations.

Yang made the remarks during a phone call with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

In a phone conversation earlier this month, Chinese President Xi Jinping and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump reached consensus on safeguarding the foundations of China-U.S. relations and promoting bilateral exchanges, paving the way for the next stage of development in China-U.S. relations, Yang noted.

China hopes the two countries, following through on the spirit of the phone conversation, could uphold the principles of non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation as well as enhance high-level exchanges, Yang said.

He also urged the two countries to properly manage sensitive issues.

The United States and China are important countries in the world, Tillerson said, adding that strong bilateral cooperation not only benefits both countries but also does good for regional and global peace, stability and prosperity.

Noting that not long ago leaders from the two countries held important talks, Tillerson said the United States is willing to work with China to enhance mutual trust and develop ties.

The two sides also exchanged some views on a number of international issues.
The dead body of migrant is seen as other surviving migrants, who were on a boat which capsized on Wednesday, sit on a beach after policemen arrested them in Tripoli, Libya, January 4, 2017. Picture taken January 4, 2017. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

TRIPOLI, Libya, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Libyan Red Crescent said that the bodies of 74 migrant refugees washed ashore off the coast of Zawiya city in western Libya, 45 km west of the capital Tripoli.

"Based on a humanitarian call from locals to our branch, a group of volunteers headed to Al-Zawiya beach and recovered 74 bodies," The Libyan Red Crescent posted on its Facebook page.

Spokesperson Mohamed Al-Misrati said that the migrants likely drowned in the last two days.

Al-Mistari added that the migrants are predominantly women the majority of whom are from Sub-Saharan African countries.

Libya is a preferred departure point for illegal immigrants wanting to cross the Mediterranean towards European shores.

Smugglers abuse Libya's chaotic and insecure state and traffic thousands of migrants in rickety boats, most of whom drown along the way.

Over 181 thousand migrants crossed the Mediterranean into Italian shores from Libya in 2016, with over 4,500 presumed to have drowned.
by Eric J. Lyman

ROME, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Taxis in major Italian cities stayed in their garages for the sixth consecutive day Tuesday, in protest that a 25-year-old statute they say is not being applied to limit car-sharing services like Uber.

The protests started Feb. 16 in Rome, Milan, and Turin, and have since spread to other cities including Bologna, Genoa, and Naples, dramatically slowing transportation in those cities.

Officials representing the drivers were set to start negotiations with government officials Tuesday, but there was still no end in sight.

Daniele Saulli, president of the Rome-based taxi driver industry group Urutaxi Lazio, told Xinhua it is unclear who first organized the work stoppages, and he said only a few taxi drivers are pushing the agenda.

"I'd estimate that 90 percent of taxi drivers would rather be working, but the other 10 percent threatens them so they stay off the streets," Saulli said.

Several commentators expressed doubts about that take on events. But regardless of the origins of the protests, economists say the taxi drivers are limiting their own prospects by declining to engage and adapt as the transport sector changes.

"In the medium-term, it's inevitable that the sharing economy will become more relevant," economist Andrea Giuricin, a fellow with the Bruno Leoni Institute, a Milan think-tank, said in an interview. "We're only a few years away from driverless cars. What will the taxis do then?"

Officially, the protests are to require non-taxi commercial vehicles to abide by the terms of a 1992 law, amended in 2008, that requires a driver to return to its office after each fare.

But even though protesters do not mention any companies by name, the protests have been cast in the Italian press and among commentators as one designed to strike a clear blow against Uber and other car-sharing services.

The new competition from car sharing services and other transport options is siphoning off business, keeping fares low, and dramatically reducing the value of a taxi permit, which drivers used to sell for hefty sums before retiring.

Drivers say the permits now fetch only around a tenth of the more-than 100,000-euro price tag (105,000 U.S. dollars) they commanded a few years ago.

One of the unintended consequences of the events, however, is that they are pushing people toward Uber and similar services.

The Italian media reported that fares for Uber services rose as much as 400 percent after Feb. 16, a reflection of the company's algorithm that increases fares when demand is high, in order to entice more drivers to enter into service.

Social media in Italy was flush with reports of people trying out Uber and other services for the first time because taxis were unavailable.

Uber's Alessio Cimmino told Xinhua the company does not release ridership data. But Francesco Rellini, one of the founders of Scooterino, a Rome-based service that provides rides on two-wheel motor scooters, said in an interview that when taxis are off the roads, it is a boon for his company.

"Each time the taxis stop working, we see demand rise 20 percent or more," Rellini said. "Once things go back to normal, some of the new clients stick around. They end up getting introduced to our service because they can't take a taxi, and they continue to use it when it is a good fit for them."

According to Giuricin, the economist, the strategy being employed by the taxi drivers is a typical one in Italy.

"The first response in this country is always to make things more difficult for the new competition rather than to innovate and adapt," Giuricin said.

Scooterino's Rellini agreed: "The taxis are confronting what is happening as if it was 40 or 50 years ago," he said. "There's no reason why we can't all co-exist. But they have to acknowledge the world is changing."
BEIJING, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Mission in Liberia on Tuesday local time honored a team of Chinese peacekeepers for their outstanding performance, according to China's Ministry of Public Security.

A total of 140 Chinese policemen, the fourth Chinese police riot squad sent to Liberia since Sept. 2013, were awarded UN Peace Medals in a ceremony held in the Liberian capital Monrovia.

The squad left China in March 2016 for a one-year mission, and was tasked with maintaining security and order in Monrovia.
ABUJA, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Members of the terror group Boko Haram who fled their former base in Nigeria's northeast region due to mop up operations by the country's security forces are relocating to the central region, governor of Kogi State Yahaya Bello said Tuesday.

Bello, while addressing a national security seminar in Abuja, the nation's capital, said some high-profile members of Boko Haram had been identified in Kogi.

"I want to tell them that they have chosen a wrong place to relocate because we will never allow them," the official said.

The Boko Haram insurgency has been blamed for more than 20,000 deaths and displacement of 2.3 million people since 2009.

Nigeria has made a considerable gain on the Boko Haram front, with its security forces operating in the restive region dislodging Boko Haram fighters from the Sambisa Forest, the group's largest training camp in the country, last December.

The security forces are intensifying aerial and ground patrol in the country's northeast, extending their offensive mission around the Green Belt Region near Niger and Chad.

Bello said the Kogi State government will work together with the Nigerian armed forces to consolidate on the victory and gains recorded in the northeast.
GENEVA, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Drought has displaced more than 135,000 people inside Somalia since last November, and there have been reports of at least 38 deaths due to drought-linked reasons in just the Bakool region of south central Somalia, the UN refugee agency UNHCR said on Tuesday.

A UNHCR spokesperson told a press briefing that more people are leaving their homes because of the drought, rising food prices, dry weather forecasts, and ongoing insecurity and are heading for urban areas.

"Swift and substantial action and adequate funding are becoming urgently needed to avoid famine and a repeat of 2011, when some 250,000 people died, more than half of them aged below five," the spokesperson noted.

According to the UNHCR, drought is also pushing some to flee the country. Since the start of the year, more than 3,770 Somali new arrivals have been recorded at Melkadida in Ethiopia, and acute malnutrition has been reported in around 75 percent of arriving child refugees.

UNHCR estimated that in order to help the needy, an urgent funding of 825 million U.S. dollars will be needed before June, but until now only 100 million U.S. dollars has been pledged.
BAGHDAD, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- At least seven people were killed and 12 wounded on Tuesday in a car bomb explosion at a crowded street in western Baghdad, the Iraqi capital, a police source told Xinhua.

The attack occurred in the evening when a booby-trapped car detonated at the Amal-Shaabi thoroughfare in the predominantly Sunni neighborhood of Ameriyah in western Baghdad, the source said on condition of anonymity.

The massive explosion destroyed several nearby shops and many stalls, along with damaging several nearby civilian cars and buildings, the source said.

The toll could rise as ambulances, police and civilian vehicles were evacuating the victims to the city's hospitals and medical centers, the source added.

No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attacks, but the Islamic State (IS) militant group, in most cases, is responsible for such attacks targeting crowded areas, including markets, cafes and mosques across Iraq.

Terrorist acts, violence and armed conflicts killed 382 Iraqis and wounded 908 others in January across Iraq, the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq said.

The attacks came as the Iraqi security forces backed by anti-IS international coalition are carrying out a major offensive to drive out the IS militants from its last major stronghold in Iraq's northern city of Mosul.
BANGKOK, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha Tuesday said on Tuesday that the order to put Thailand's controversial Buddhist temple under military control will not be revoked until the fugitive ex-abbot surrenders.

"I confirm that I won't cancel the order because this case is not yet end and the alleged wrongdoer has yet been brought to justice," said Prayut, who has endorsed an order to arrest the temple's ex-abbot Pra Dhammachayo.

Soldiers and police have surrounded the scandal-hit temple in suburban Bangkok since last Thursday.

The special decree, known as section 44, allows officials to arrest the monk, who is wanted for alleged money laundering, land encroachment and accepting embezzled funds worth 33 million dollars.

The 72-year-old monk, who always claims to be in bad health, has never been brought to court. He has reportedly been fleeing from the temple before the police's besiege.

Attempts to raid the temple's 1,000-acre compound were thwarted after thousands of its devotees defended their spiritual leader.

Scuffles broke out on the fifth day of the operation as the temple's supporters and monks erected barriers, and stopped police from entering its compound, which left several people injured.
ABUJA, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian government forces in central Kogi State nabbed four high-profile members of the terror group Boko Haram following intelligence report, a senior state official said Tuesday.

The four Boko Haram commanders were arrested late Monday, said Yahaya Bello, governor of Kogi State.

Boko Haram is suspected of regrouping in the state due to ongoing military operations in the country's northeast region.

"I want to tell them that they have chosen a wrong place to relocate because we will never allow them," Bello said in Abuja, the Nigerian capital.

According to him, the Kogi state government will, together with the armed forces, explore all means possible to rout the terrorists from their hideout.

This, the official noted, would consolidate on the victory and gains recorded by the armed forces in Nigeria's northeast region.

The Boko Haram insurgency has been blamed for more than 20,000 deaths and displacement of 2.3 million people since 2009.

Nigeria has made a considerable gain on the Boko Haram front, with its security forces operating in the restive region dislodging the Boko Haram fighters from the Sambisa Forest, the group's largest training camp in the country, last December.

The security forces are intensifying aerial and ground patrol in the country's northeast, extending their offensive mission around the Green Belt Region near Niger and Chad. Enditem
DAMASCUS, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- At least 11 civilians were killed by shelling from Turkish forces against Syria's northern city of al-Bab, reported the state news agency SANA on Tuesday.

Women and children were among the victims of the Turkish shelling, which also caused property losses, according to SANA.

For months, Turkish forces have been engaged in intense battles with the Islamic State (IS) group militants, with assistance from the Ankara-backed rebels fighting to reclaim al-Bab, the last largest city still under IS control near the Turkish borders.

According to opposition activists, Turkish forces and allied Syrian rebels managed to take parts of the western side of the city.

Activists said on Tuesday that the rebels' Free Syrian Army captured new areas inside al-Bab.

Noteworthy, the Syrian army advanced toward the city from the south, while Turkish-backed forces closed in on IS from the city's northern and western regions.

The Syrian army is fighting to capture al-Bab's southern rim, a step which would additionally shield the northern city of Aleppo from IS attacks.

As for Turks, capturing the city's northern region paved the way into predominantly Kurdish growing influence and presence in northern Syria - a red line delineated by Turkey.

However, during their advance into the city, Turkish forces killed tens of civilians, according to activists.
KIEV, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on Tuesday has called on the European Union (EU) to consider fresh sanctions against Russia over Moscow's decision to recognize identification documents issued by the authorities of pro-independence insurgents in eastern Ukraine.

"We think it is an extremely alarming phenomenon that requires decisive action up to the enhancement of sanctions," Poroshenko was quoted by his press service as saying during the meeting with the EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides.

The recognition of the documents issued by the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics is incompatible with the implementation of the Minsk agreements, Poroshenko said.

Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed an executive order on temporarily recognizing identification documents issued by eastern Ukrainian authorities to permanent residents.

Kremlin said the order, which will stay in force until the Minsk deal on Ukrainian settlement is implemented, is aimed at protecting the rights and freedoms of individuals.

The EU slapped the sanctions on Russia in 2014 over Moscow's alleged role in the conflict in east Ukraine. Russia, who has denied the involvement in the confrontation, imposed an embargo on food imports from Western countries in response.
KHARTOUM, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Sudan's army announced on Tuesday that it repelled an attack by rebels against the Al-Mashayesh region, which killed a government soldier and injured 10 others.

"A force belonging the rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM)/northern sector attacked one of our posts in Al-Mashayesh region, and our forces managed to repel them," Sudanese army spokesman Ahmed Khalifa Al-Shami told Xinhua.

"One of our soldiers was martyred and 10 others were injured," Al-Shami said, adding " there is definitely a substantial loss of human lives among the perpetrators, but we have no exact figures yet."

He deemed the attack a violation of the ceasefire declared by the Sudanese government, saying "rebels of the SPLM/northern sector are attempting to pressure the State to launch a widescale attack against them in order to condemn the government and accuse it of violating the cease-fire."

"We are committed to the declared cease-fire, but the SPLM/northern sector has continued to violate it," added Al-Shami.

Last January Sudanese authorities decided to extend the cease-fire in Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile regions.

In October 2016, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir declared a cease-fire in all conflict areas in the country until the end of 2016 before extending it for another month by the end of last December.

The Sudanese government has been fighting the SPLM/northern sector in South Kordofan and the Blue Nile state since 2011, and armed groups in Darfur since 2003.
Azerbaijan's First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva speaks at the 7th Global Forum in Baku, Azerbaijan, April 27, 2016. (Xinhua/Tofik Babayev)

BAKU, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree Tuesday to appoint his wife Mehriban Aliyeva as first vice president of the country, the presidential website said.

The posts of first vice president and vice president were created last September after a constitutional referendum, which also extended the presidential term from five to seven years.

Under the amendments to the country's constitution, the occupants of both vice presidential posts will be appointed and dismissed by the president.

Presidential powers in Azerbaijan will devolve to the first vice president -- rather than to the prime minister, who needs to be approved by the parliament, in the event that the president becomes incapable of discharging his duties.

Aliyeva, 52, became a designated UNESCO goodwill ambassador in 2004 due to her work in the field of preservation and development of folk literature and music heritage in Azerbaijan.

She is also a member of the parliament and president of the country's gymnastics federation.
DAMASCUS, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Around 250 rebels and their families reached the outskirts of Syria's northern city of Idlib on Tuesday, a day after evacuating the town of Serghaya near the capital Damascus, under a deal with the government, activists said.

The busses transporting the rebels and their families reached the al-Madiq citadel at the outskirts of Idlib, waiting for the rebels in Idilb to transport them to the city, a day after evacuating Serghaya, northwest of Damascus, close to the Lebanese borders, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The evacuation is the latest in a string of deals the government has recently struck with rebels in areas around Damascus, which includes allowing the rebels and their families as well as any other civilian wanting to leave with them, to evacuate toward the rebel-held city of Idlib in the north.

The moves are part of the government effort to clear the vicinity of the capital from any presence of the rebels, particularly those close to the Lebanese borders in northwestern Damascus.

Last month, at least 2,100 rebels and their families evacuated the Wadi Barada region northwest of Damascus, after a bumpy road leading to a deal with the government forces, which heavily bombarded the area to push the rebel to accept a deal for their evacuation as the area includes the Ain Fijeh spring, the main water source feeding Damascus with water.

Activists, including the Observatory, call these instances as forced displacement practiced on the rebels and their families, while the government names it as deals, or sometimes reconciliations.
CAIRO, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian president and Jordanian king held talks in Cairo on Tuesday where they reiterated the two-state solution as a "fixed national principle" to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Egyptian presidential spokesman said in a statement.

The meeting came a few days after U.S. President Donald Trump said in a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington that the two-state solution is not the only way to settle the dispute, which backs off U.S. commitment to sponsor it for Mideast peace.

Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and Jordan King Abdullah II discussed methods of joint coordination "to realize the two-state solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state" as one of the fixed national principles that cannot be relinquished, said the statement.

The two leaders expressed keenness on preserving the rights of the Palestinian people, stressing the necessity of ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to restore stability to the Middle East region.

Israel has always been blamed by the international community for the deadlock of the Middle East peace process due to its settlement expansion policy that is rejected even by its strongest ally, the United States.

Still, confident in Trump's support, the Israeli government recently announced plans to build about 6,000 Jewish settlement housing units in the West Bank. The announcement was preceded by an Israeli parliamentary approval of the so-called "Regulation Bill" that retroactively legalizes about 3,850 housing units in dozens of outposts built illegally on privately owned Palestinian lands.

Earlier in mid-February, Cairo hosted separate meetings of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres with President Sisi and Arab League chief Ahmed Aboul-Gheit where the world's top diplomat underscored that "there is not plan B for the two-state solution."
KIEV, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Ukrainian army and pro-independence insurgents on Tuesday accused each other of disrupting the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the contact line in eastern Ukraine.

"Today, the pullout of heavy weapons again was derailed by the Ukrainian side. Ukraine reaffirmed unwillingness to fulfill its obligations," an unnamed official from the rebel operational command was quoted as saying by the insurgent-run DAN news agency.

Commenting on the statements, Ukrainian military spokesman Leonid Matyukhin described it as a "provocation". He accused the insurgents of breaching the ceasefire, which is a key condition for the weapon withdrawal.

"Today, the illegal armed groups used heavy weapons of 120-millimeter caliber in Donetsk and Mariupol directions," Matyukhin told local media.

On midnight Monday, the Ukrainian army and insurgents started a new round of ceasefire. The pullback of their heavy weapons was due to begin 24 hours after the complete truce.

The withdrawal of heavy weapons is a part of the Minsk agreement, which is designed to put an end to the almost three-year-old conflict in east Ukraine that has killed about 10,000 people.
MINSK, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Belarus has lost 1.5 percent of its GDP in January due to the undersupply of crude oil from Russia, Belarusian Prime Minister Andrei Kobyakov said on Tuesday.

The premier noted that in January Belarus GDP declined by 0.5 percent compared to January 2016, while the forecast for the quarter reduction was to be not more than 0.4 percent.

According to him, the main reason that GDP was lower than in January 2016 is due to undersupply of oil from Russia.

A year ago Belarus refined 0.8 million tonnes of oil more than in January 2017. This resulted in a 3.3-percent decline in industry and 4.5 percent in wholesale trade. As a result, 1.5 percent of GDP was lost, Kobyakov said at a meeting of the Cabinet presidium in Minsk.

Differing interpretations of the formula for pricing supplies of Russian gas to Belarus gave rise to a non-payment dispute that resulted in Russia reducing crude oil supplies to Belarusian refineries nearly 20 percent to 18.6 million tonnes in 2016.
The UN Security Council observes a minute of silence in memory of the late Russian UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin at the UN headquarters in New York, on Feb. 21, 2017. The UN Security Council on Tuesday paid tribute to the late Russian UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, mourning the veteran diplomat with a series of condolences. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Tuesday paid tribute to the late Russian UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, mourning the veteran diplomat with a series of condolences.

Ahead of a meeting held here, diplomats stood for a minute of silence in memory of Churkin. Ambassadors of the 15 council members paid tribute to Churkin with short speeches.

Churkin, who became the Russian permanent representative to the United Nations since 2006, reportedly died of an apparent heart attack in New York on Monday morning at the age of 64. He would have turned 65 on Tuesday.

Peter Iliichev, Russia's first deputy permanent representative to the UN, expressed gratefulness for the "warm words and condolences."

He said Russia has lost "a striking diplomat" who is a high professional with deep knowledge and talent working at one of the most crucial positions to defend his country.

Chinese Ambassador to the UN Liu Jieyi said China is "deeply saddened" by the passing of Churkin, and he expressed heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family and the government of Russia as well as the Russian mission to the UN.

Liu praised Churkin as "an able, experienced and senior diplomat" who has made a huge contribution to the UN and multilateralism.

"He worked till the last minute of his life, illustrating what it's meant by dedication and professionalism, and is thus an outstanding representative of diplomats," said Liu.

Ambassador of United Kingdom Matthew Rycroft described Churkin as "a diplomatic giant."

"We disagree on many issues, but I always find him an honest and descent colleague no matter the issues, no matter the positions," said Rycroft.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also expressed his regret at Churkin's passing which "represents a deep loss for all of us in the United Nations, including in this Council, where his distinctive voice was ever-present for the past decade."

Born on Feb. 21, 1952 in Moscow, Churkin was ambassador-at-large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation from 2003 to 2006. He was his country's ambassador to Canada from 1998 to 2003, and to Belgium from 1994 to 1998 before he represented Russia at the United Nations since 2006.

His sudden death stunned the diplomatic community, staff of the UN secretariat and reporters here.
by Maria Spiliopoulou

ATHENS, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- More than 30,000 children of refugees and migrants stranded in Greece have been inoculated within the year against ten illnesses, the Greek health ministry said on Tuesday.

About 62,500 refugees and migrants are currently accommodated in camps across Greece after the closure of northern borders last winter, according to the latest data provided by the Greek migration policy ministry this week. Half of them are minors.

Greece will continue to provide health care to all refugee and migrant children, the General Secretary of Public Health Ioannis Baskozos stressed.

The education ministry, which launched the schooling program in October, repeatedly stressed that all refugee children are vaccinated before they attend classes.

Currently, 2,500 refugee children are attending afternoon classes in public schools nationwide and the aim is to increase the number to 10,000 in the coming months.

The health ministry statement was released as Greek police announced the arrest of a 25-year-old man for a racist attack on refugee children on Monday evening at an elementary school at Oreokastro, a suburb of Thessaloniki city in northern Greece.

On Tuesday, there were no incidents due to increased security measures to prevent anyone unrelated to the school from approaching its grounds.
WINDHOEK, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Namibia's minister of environment and tourism on Tuesday proposed tougher penalties for those convicted of rhino and elephant poaching in the country.

Pohamba Shifeta lamented the losses of the animals despite massive investments by the government and conservation partners towards combating illegal hunting of rhinos and elephants.

The southern African country that is home to 2,700 rhinos, the second largest population of the animal in the world, and 22,000 elephants, has seen a spike in poaching activities in recent years.

Government statistics show that Namibia lost 63 rhinos and 101 elephants last year, mostly inside the Etosha National Park and the Bwabwata National Park.

A total of 222 suspects have been arrested for rhino and elephant poaching, but the minister argued in Parliament that the arrests and convictions failed to be deterrent enough with lenient penalties.

Shifeta then introduced the Nature Conservation Amendment Bill, which seeks to increase the penalties related to wildlife crimes.

The bill, if approved, will see those found guilty of rhino and elephant poaching be liable to a fine not exceeding 25 million Namibia dollars (1.9 million U.S. dollars), up from the current maximum of 200,000 Namibia dollars.

The maximum jail sentence will also be increased from the current 20 years to 25 years. Enditem
ALGIERS, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- The leaders of Algeria and Germany talked about economic and security cooperation over the phone on Tuesday, Algerian news agency APS reported.

Algerian Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal and German Chancellor Angela Merkel agreed to strengthen cooperation in fighting terrorism and illegal migration, APS said, citing a statement from the Algerian prime minister's office.

Merkel "expressed satisfaction with the progress of bilateral relations and reaffirmed the will of Germany to further strengthen them, notably in the economic field," the statement added.

The German chancellor pledged to reschedule a visit to the North African nation as soon as possible, the report said.

She was due to visit Algeria on Monday and Tuesday, but the trip was postponed over "acute bronchitis" of Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, a statement from the president's office said on Monday.

Despite the postponement of Merkel's visit, a German business delegation came to Algiers to take part in a session of the Algerian-German Joint Committee earlier on Tuesday in Algiers.
ADDIS ABABA, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- The African Union (AU) has expressed deep concern over the recent fighting in South Sudan.

Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the outgoing Chairperson of the AU Commission, has expressed deep concern over the deterioration of the security situation in South Sudan in recent weeks, according to an AU statement on Tuesday.

The chairperson is alarmed by reports regarding the rising violations of the ceasefire, heightened hostilities in the Greater Upper Nile and Greater Equatoria regions, which has caused more refugees to flee into neighboring states, and an increase in internally displaced persons in the country, the statement said.

The recent fighting has exacerbated the already dire humanitarian situation, it noted.

Dlamini-Zuma called on the various parties to the peace agreement to restrain from further hostile activities and uphold the ceasefire to the letter and spirit.

The AU High Representative for South Sudan, former Mali President Alpha Omar Konare, will shortly begin consultations in South Sudan and in the region to help address these growing challenges, according to the statement. Enditem
RIGA, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- The status of Latvian and other European Union (EU) citizens currently residing in Britain was among the main topics in Tuesday's talks between Latvian officials and visiting British Secretary of State for Existing the EU, David Davis.

After his meeting with Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics, Davis told reporters that Britain had moral responsibility towards the Latvian citizens residing in Britain and the British citizens living in foreign countries.

Davis had arrived in Latvia just after his visit to Estonia. In Riga, he met with Latvian Prime Minister Maris Kucinskis and Foreign Minister Rinkevics.

After last summer's referendum in which most British voters supported their country's departure from the EU, British Prime Minister Theresa May has promised to submit the official application on the UK's exit from the bloc already in March. The Brexit minister is therefore touring the Baltic states to discuss the future of Britain's relations with the EU members.

In addition to economic and political cooperation, the status of the thousands of Latvians living and working in Britain is an especially important question, which Davis and Rinkevics have been discussing at their earlier meetings in Brussels and also in Riga on Tuesday.

"We are interested in the upcoming talks between Great Britain and the EU taking place as constructively and rationally as possible, without emotions," Rinkevics said, adding that Latvia would participate in these negotiations as one of the EU's 27 member states, although it also has its special interests, as Latvia wants the status of its citizens in Britain to remain unchanged after Brexit.

Davis noted that EU citizens' status in Britain and vice versa would be among the first issues to be tackled in the Brexit talks.

"We want to see the most civilized and responsible solution possible," Davis said.

The Brexit minister said Britain would be very careful about its immigration policy, being aware of the immigrants' considerable contribution to the British economy.

Latvian Prime Minister Maris Kucinskis said during his meeting with Davis that, notwithstanding Britain's forthcoming departure from the EU, Latvia wants to develop good bilateral ties with Britain also in the future and cooperate with Britain in various formats, including multilateral ones.

Latvia wants close cooperation among the Baltic states, Nordic countries and Britain to continue, including in the Northern Future Format, the Latvian governmental press service said.

Kucinskis emphasized that Latvia certainly does not want to make Brexit more complicated as Latvia's position on the process is pragmatic and rational.

Latvia is interested in trade with Britain, which is its seventh largest trade partner, to continue unimpeded. "We see an opportunity for our companies and organizations to use Brexit for creating new synergies," the Latvian prime minister said.
LISBON, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Portugal's foreign ministry agreed on Tuesday to withdraw a complaint regarding Spain's nuclear waste deposit plan, but said that didn't mean a new complaint wouldn't be presented to Europe in the future.

"Spain has committed to not issue any license or authorization regarding the operations of the warehouse," Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva said. "Portugal is committed to withdrawing the complaint but will not abdicate from presenting another complaint if joint work in the next two months leads to inconclusive results."

Santos Silvas' comments came after the European Commission revealed on Tuesday that the governments of Spain and Portugal had reached an "amicable settlement" over the Almaraz nuclear waste deposit.

Portugal sent a complaint to the European Commission on Jan. 16 regarding Spain's decision to build a nuclear waste deposit in Almaraz, about 100 km east of Portugal's border, with the Portuguese authorities pointing out that an assessment on the impact the waste facility would have on Portugal should have been carried out.
MANAMA, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Bahrain said on Tuesday that it has foiled a major terrorist plot and arrested 20 fugitives who were trying to escape to Iran by sea.

Four of those arrested were women, the Interior Ministry said, referring to counter-terror operations conducted in mid-February.

"A number of terrorist cells which were about to carry out terrorist attacks were dismantled," the ministry said in a statement.

"Proactive operations were successfully conducted and 20 individuals wanted for security issues were arrested," it said. "Four women were among those arrested and were charged with aiding and abetting fugitives."

One of those arrested admitted to killing a police officer on Jan. 29.

Among the arrested, two were involved in establishing secret bomb-manufacturing warehouses and eight had received military training in Iran and Iraq and participated in the Jan. 1 jailbreak at Jaw prison, the statement added.

The ministry released names and photographs of the fugitives, including members of the outlawed Al Dair terrorist group, and a 34-year-old, whom the ministry said received military training in Iran.

Bahrain's security forces shot dead three terrorist fugitives and wounded two others while pursuing a boat heading for Iran on Feb. 9, authorities said.

A total of 18 policemen have been killed since the 2011 unrest, and over 3,200 others were wounded in terrorist attacks in Bahrain.
LONDON, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Britain's largest ever global tourism trade event is to be staged next month at the English seaside resort of Brighton.

VisitBritain said Tuesday more than 400 international buyers from 40 countries and regions would head to the two-day event on March 2.

There they will meet with travel industry suppliers from across England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Buyers from Britain's largest and most valuable inbound visitor markets are expected to attend, said a spokeswoman for VisitBritain.

The latest figures from VisitBritain show there were 37.3 million visits to Britain last year, up 3.0 percent on 2015 with visitors spending 22.2 billion pounds (28 billion U.S. dollars), matching 2015's record spend.

The figures showed growth in 2016 from North America with 4.3 million visits, up 7.0 percent on 2015. There were a record 25.3 million visits from people from the European Union (EU) in 2016, up 4.0 percent on 2015.
KIGALI, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Indian Vice President Shri Hamid Ansari on Tuesday said more could be done to enhance trade with Rwanda while encouraging Indian companies to seize opportunities that Rwanda presents.

"Rwanda has a dynamic economy and ranks highly in the ease of doing business, providing many incentives for investors. We share with Rwanda this strong desire to provide stable democratic governance and opportunities for growth and prosperity of our people," Ansari said.

He made the comments while addressing Rwandan students at the University of Rwanda's College of Science and Technology on Tuesday.

Over the last six years, a total of 66 Indian-owned projects were registered in Rwanda valued at about 317.5 million U.S. dollars, according to Rwanda Development Board.

India has also pledged 50,000 scholarships for Africans in the next five years.

Ansari arrived in Kigali on Sunday, heading a delegation of 27 people.

Rwanda and India signed three agreements on Monday, the second day of Ansari's visit to the east African nation.

The agreements include a bilateral air service agreement, a Memorandum of Understanding on the establishment of an Entrepreneurship Development Centre in Rwanda as well as one on the exemption of visa requirements for diplomatic and service passport holders.
TEHRAN, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Iran will sign a deal with Russia to sell 100,000 barrels per day of oil to its northern neighbor, Press TV reported quoting Iranian minister of petroleum as saying on Tuesday.

The deal, to be signed in the following weeks, would provide Iran with an opportunity to find new customers, minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh said, briefing his meeting with visiting Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak.

"During the meeting, we agreed to hold a workshop in Moscow over the next few weeks on the new model of Iranian oil contracts," he said.

Russia has expressed willingness to cooperate with Iran for long-term regulation of the country's oil market.
People holding postcards participate in a protest to demonstrate how important immigrants are to America's economy on the Day Without Immigrants at Union Park of Chicago, the United States, Feb. 16, 2017.(Xinhua/Wang Ping)

WASHINGTON, Feb.21 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Tuesday released detailed policies on crack downs of illegal immigrants, which included bolstering border protection agencies and closing policy loopholes.

The new policies were designed "to stem illegal immigration and facilitate the detection, apprehension, detention and removal of aliens who have no lawful basis to enter or remain in the United States," said a document titled "Implementing the President's Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements Policies."

The paper, along with the Memorandum for the Enforcement of the Immigration Laws to Serve the National Interest, were signed Monday by John Kelly, the secretary of the DHS.

Major steps outlined in the papers include hiring more Customs and Border Protection agents, expanding a program that gives Kelly more power in directing field operations, initiating a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border, and stepping up the effort to "return aliens to contiguous countries."

The border security memo stated that it "constitutes guidance to all department personnel, and supercedes all existing conflicting policy, directives, memoranda, and other guidance regarding this subject matter."

The memos came in the wake of two executive orders signed by U.S. President Donald Trump in late January aimed at enhancing border security and restricting illegal immigrants across the country.

Another related executive order from Trump, which imposed a temporary ban on immigrants and citizens of seven Middle Eastern countries, was scrapped after federal judges ruled against it.

The status of illegal immigrants in the United States have become a contested subject especially among many of the liberal-leaning coastal states, in which many cities and counties have declared to be sanctuaries for illegal immigrants.

Federal agents have conducted raids across the country and arrests hundreds of illegal immigrants in recent weeks, according to media reports.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (2nd R, front) joins the UN Security Council to observe a minute of silence in memory of the late Russian UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin at the UN headquarters in New York, on Feb. 21, 2017. The UN Security Council on Tuesday paid tribute to the late Russian UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, mourning the veteran diplomat with a series of condolences. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Tuesday paid tribute to the late Russian UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, mourning the veteran diplomat with a series of condolences.

Ahead of a meeting held here, diplomats stood for a minute of silence in memory of Churkin. Ambassadors of the 15 council members paid tribute to Churkin with short speeches.

Churkin, who became the Russian permanent representative to the United Nations since 2006, reportedly died of an apparent heart attack in New York on Monday morning at the age of 64. He would have turned 65 on Tuesday.

Peter Iliichev, Russia's first deputy permanent representative to the UN, expressed gratefulness for the "warm words and condolences."

He said Russia has lost "a striking diplomat" who is a high professional with deep knowledge and talent working at one of the most crucial positions to defend his country.

The UN Security Council observes a minute of silence in memory of the late Russian UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin at the UN headquarters in New York, on Feb. 21, 2017. The UN Security Council on Tuesday paid tribute to the late Russian UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, mourning the veteran diplomat with a series of condolences. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

Chinese Ambassador to the UN Liu Jieyi said China is "deeply saddened" by the passing of Churkin, and he expressed heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family and the government of Russia as well as the Russian mission to the UN.

Liu praised Churkin as "an able, experienced and senior diplomat" who has made a huge contribution to the UN and multilateralism.

"He worked till the last minute of his life, illustrating what it's meant by dedication and professionalism, and is thus an outstanding representative of diplomats," said Liu.

The UN Security Council observes a minute of silence in memory of the late Russian UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin at the UN headquarters in New York, on Feb. 21, 2017. The UN Security Council on Tuesday paid tribute to the late Russian UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, mourning the veteran diplomat with a series of condolences. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

Ambassador of United Kingdom Matthew Rycroft described Churkin as "a diplomatic giant."

"We disagree on many issues, but I always find him an honest and descent colleague no matter the issues, no matter the positions," said Rycroft.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also expressed his regret at Churkin's passing which "represents a deep loss for all of us in the United Nations, including in this Council, where his distinctive voice was ever-present for the past decade."

Born on Feb. 21, 1952 in Moscow, Churkin was ambassador-at-large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation from 2003 to 2006. He was his country's ambassador to Canada from 1998 to 2003, and to Belgium from 1994 to 1998 before he represented Russia at the United Nations since 2006.

His sudden death stunned the diplomatic community, staff of the UN secretariat and reporters here.

An interpreter (R) wipes her tears as the UN Security Council mourns the late Russian UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin at the UN headquarters in New York, on Feb. 21, 2017. The UN Security Council on Tuesday paid tribute to the late Russian UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, mourning the veteran diplomat with a series of condolences.
MEXICO CITY, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- The head of the Central Bank of Mexico (Banxico), Agustin Carstens, announced on Tuesday he has postponed leaving his current job, as his country wades into delicate trade negotiations with the United States.

Carstens, who was set to take over as general manager of the Swiss-based Bank for International Settlements (BIS) starting Oct. 1, 2017, said he will remain as central bank chief for another two months, thus joining the BIS on Dec. 1.

According to Mexican media reports, President Enrique Pena Nieto asked Carstens to remain through supposed tough negotiations with the Trump administration, which wants to renegotiate a two-decade free-trade agreement with Mexico.

A Banxico statement said Carstens' decision to postpone the move resulted from "a meeting to assess the situation and outlook of the Mexican economy," which was also attended by Finance Minister Jose Antonio Meade.

In December, Carstens notified Banxico, where he has been chief since 2009, of his move to the BIS, a financial institution owned by some 60 central banks from countries representing nearly 95 percent of global GDP.

Jaime Caruana, the current general manager at BIS, has agreed to stay on until Nov. 30, 2017, the BIS said.
LONDON, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- At an international conference which opened in Manchester on Tuesday, Northern England demanded a voice at the Brexit negotiating table.

The message from a key session at the British Northern Powerhouse International Conference and Exhibition on Tuesday was that the Northern Powerhouse needed to have a seat at the table to help shape new trade deals following Britain's exit from the European Union (EU), according to a statement from the conference organisers.

The two-day conference is taking place to discuss how the region can influence the economic and political landscape in the near future.

Pat Ritchie, CEO of Newcastle-upon-Tyne City Council, said the North East of England was the only region with a positive balance of trade based on exports, with 60 percent of that trade going to the EU. "We need to think about our international relationships differently in light of Brexit and we have to think about inward investment differently. The Northern Powerhouse is a very important brand which encompasses all of the places in the North, bringing together their economic strengths will increase our ability to trade with different parts of the world."

Earlier Lord Kerslake, the former head of the British civil service said in an opening speech that more devolution and great leadership were vital to the future economic success of the North of England.

In a keynote speech, Kerslake said that fiscal devolution was key to the North's future, adding there was a need for a major shift of power away from Westminster and Whitehall.
HAVANA, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Representatives from over 50 countries will participate in the 19th Habanos Cigar Festival, the event organizer said on Tuesday.

This year's festival, to be held in Havana from Feb. 27 to March 3, will see a number of star presentations, with the H. Upmann house which received its first Gran Reserva award for its Cosecha 2011 product, the organizer Habanos S.A. said in a statement.

The emblematic Montecristo and Quai d'Orsay and other brands will see their new lines unveiled, said Habanos S.A., the state-owned organ responsible for promoting and exporting Cuban cigars worldwide, except in the United States due to the ongoing economic embargo.

During the five-day event, cigar aficionados will have the opportunity to witness and taste the novelties of the Cuban tobacco industry first-hand.

It has become a tradition that the program of the festival offers visits to the best tobacco plantations in the region of Vuelta Abajo, Pinar del Rio and to historical cigar factories.

There will also be lectures, blind tastings, a cigar rolling master class, special marriages of beverages and cigars, and the XVI International Habano Sommelier Competition, allowing experts to show their knowledge about Cuban cigars paired with wine and fine dining.

The festival will conclude with the delivery of the Habanos 2016 Awards and the traditional Humidor Auction, the proceeds of which will all go to the Cuban public health system.

The annual Habanos Cigar Festival in Cuba is considered one of the world's largest international meeting on fine cigars.
VIENNA, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Austria deported 10,677 migrants whose asylum applications were denied in 2016 in line with the interior ministry's plans to enforce the process more strictly, local newspaper the Krone reported on Tuesday.

The number is a significant increase over the 8,355 deportations the year before.

"Those who do not receive asylum in Austria will have to make the trip back home," Minister of the Interior Wolfgang Sobotka was quoted as having stated.

The report says 5,797 of the denied applicants made the trip home voluntarily, while the remaining 4,880 deportations were carried out forcibly, often via charter flights.

Increases in deportations were particularly evident for asylum seekers from countries and regions such as Algeria, Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Russia' Chechnya.

The costs for the forcibly-imposed deportations have also increased significantly, it was noted, up from 1.4 million euros (1.48 million U.S. dollars) in 2015, to 3.8 million euros (4 million dollars).
ALGIERS, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Algeria on Tuesday said it is willing to make Germany its economic ally, as the two nations held their 6th Joint Committee in Algiers.

"Germany remains a longstanding partner for Algeria, particularly in the fields of industry, engineering and petrochemicals," Algerian Industry Minister Abdesslam Bouchouareb told a press conference with visiting German Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy Uwe Karl Beckmeyer.

He said the North African nation is working on diversifying its economy in a bid to curb its dependence on oil revenues, saying "Algeria is keen to make Germany its economic ally, not only in the region, but in all Africa."

The Algerian minister added that 6th Algerian-German Joint Committee was an opportunity to review bilateral relations and discuss potential investment projects, as well as examine obstacles impeding the development of joint projects.

For his part, Uwe Karl Beckmeyer urged German operators to enter the Algerian market, reaffirming the commitment of firms already present in the North African nation to assisting local enterprises, particularly those activating in infrastructures and energy.

"We have submitted to the Algerian government a proposal to broaden the services provided by Germany to other areas, especially in infrastructure and energy projects... which would be beneficial for both countries," the German minister said.

The oil-rich North African nation is working on diversifying its economy, as part of the government plan to reduce dependence on hydrocarbons revenues.

Over 200 German companies are already established in Algeria, while trade exchange between the two nations hit 3.07 billion U.S. dollars in 2016, according to official figures.
Mecical personnels evacuate a patient from Ben Taub Hospital in Houston, the United States, Feb. 21, 2017. The police of Houston, a city in south America, rushed to a downtown hospital Tuesday afternoon after reports of shots fired inside the building. (Xinhua/Zhong Jia)

HOSUTON, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- The police of Houston, a city in south America, rushed to a downtown hospital Tuesday afternoon after reports of shots fired inside the building.

Both Houston police and the Ben Taul Hospital confirmed the reports of an active shooter who fired shots about 2 p.m. local time.

But after a preliminary investigation, police said they hadn't found any suspect and there were no victims of the possible shooting.

More than 200 police officers, some with assault rifles, responded to the scene where patients have been evacuated.

Witnesses said that they heard people screaming and running inside the hospital. Doctors told them that there had been shots fired on the second floor of the hospital building.
ANKARA, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Turkey's opposition Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) co-chair Selahattin Demirtas was sentenced on Tuesday to five months in prison on charges of "insulting the state and its institutions," while another co-chair, Figen Yuksekdag, was removed from her seat in the parliament.

The court in northeastern Agri province accused Demirtas of "insulting Turkish nation, the state of Turkish Republic and public organs and institutions," local Hurriyet reported.

Earlier on Tuesday, parliament stripped HDP co-chair Figen Yuksekdag of her status as a member of parliament over a terror sentence.

The country's top appeals court has sought a jail term of up to 83 years for Yuksekdag on charges of inciting violence and propaganda in support of a terrorist organization.

Meanwhile, Idris Baluken, a parliamentary group leader of the party, was arrested after he was released on Jan. 30 as part of a terror investigation.

He faces aggravated life imprisonment on charges of disrupting the unity of the state's territorial integrity, membership of an armed terrorist group, spreading terrorist propaganda and taking part in unauthorized meetings and marches.

In November 2016, 13 HDP lawmakers were arrested, and 10 of them, including HDP co-leaders Demirtas and Yuksekdag, have remained in custody pending trials on terrorism-related charges.

The lawmakers began facing prosecution under an anti-terrorism legislation after their parliamentary immunity was lifted in March 2016.

Turkey's government accuses the HDP of having links to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and EU.
UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- The international community should not take peace and prosperity in Europe for granted, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said here Tuesday, warning that recent crises in Europe show that the continent remains at risk from new outbreaks of conflict.

The secretary-general, while speaking at an open debate of the UN Security Council on conflict in Europe, said that such conflicts are not only a tragedy for those directly involved, but they are also reversing development gains and preventing communities and societies from achieving their full potential and contributing to regional and global prosperity.

The international community should not take European peace and prosperity for granted, the secretary-general warned, stressing that the transition towards a multipolar world is creating greater unpredictability and risk.

Referencing the situations in Cyprus, the Balkans, Ukraine as well as other areas, the secretary-general highlighted that no single factor can be blamed for the emergence and continuation of conflicts in Europe.

He noted that in many cases, peace agreements are simply not being implemented.

"Whatever the causes may be, the inability of regional and international institutions, including our own, to prevent and resolve conflicts is seriously undermining their credibility and making it more difficult for them to succeed in future," Guterres said.

Speaking specifically on the conflict in Ukraine, Guterres said the UN remains committed to supporting a peaceful resolution, in a manner that fully upholds the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Ukraine, and in accordance with relevant Security Council and General Assembly resolutions.

He also noted that the UN fully supported the efforts within the Normandy Four, the Trilateral Contact Group, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's Special Monitoring Mission, which repeatedly called for the full implementation by all sides of all the commitments under the Minsk Process, both in letter and in spirit.

"I urge all stakeholders to avoid unilateral steps or attempts to create facts on the ground, which further complicates and endangers efforts to find negotiated settlements," he said. "This is especially relevant in view of the latest actions taken in relation to the conflicts in eastern Ukraine and the South Caucasus."

He also urged all sides to give the highest priority to protecting civilians.

Meanwhile, the secretary-general also noted new challenges and threats such as the phenomenon of populism, nationalism, xenophobia and violent extremism were both causes and effects of the conflicts.

"I encourage member states, this Council, regional mechanisms and all stakeholders to intensify their efforts to define a peace and security agenda to address today's complex challenges," he said. "The status quo is not sustainable."
QUITO, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- The presidential candidate of the ruling PAIS Alliance Lenin Moreno called Tuesday for Ecuador to remain calm as votes are being counted since Sunday's first-round election.

"I make a direct call for peace and for the popular will to be respected, whoever it favors. Violence cannot decide the result," Moreno wrote on his Twitter account.

"We are calm and thank everyone. Yesterday, we begun our work beyond what is decided by the CNE (National Electoral Council). There is so much to do," added Moreno, who was vice president from 2007 to 2013.

He issued this call in a context of political protests and uncertainty in the country. While the preliminary results give Moreno a clear lead, it is not clear whether he will avoid a run-off second round.

On Tuesday, with 93.6 percent of the votes counted by the CNE, Moreno led on 39.1 percent, with the opposition right-wing candidate, Guillermo Lasso, on 28.38 percent.

To avoid a second round, Moreno would need at least 40 percent of the vote and a 10-point lead on his rival. If not, the two men will face off in a second round on Apr. 2.

The CNE has stated the full results may not be known until Thursday.

However, Moreno has seemed to accept the possibility, posting on Monday that if he did not win outright, "We will go to a second round and the Ecuadorian people will take the final decision."
BRASILIA, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Attacks and threats against journalists in Brazil jumped by a whopping 60 percent in 2016, compared to the year before, a report released on Tuesday said.

The figure puts Brazil among the 10 most dangerous countries in the world for reporters, warned the Brazilian Association of Radio and Television Networks (Abert) in a study titled "Violations against Freedom of Expression."

At least 174 journalists denounced having been the target of a physical attack or threat last year, compared to 116 in 2015, news agency O Globo reported, citing the study.

2016 was a year of political turmoil in Brazil, where left-leaning president Dilma Rousseff was impeached by a conservative legislature for alleged fiscal wrongdoing.

Most of the violent incidents targeting reporters occurred during clashes between pro-Rousseff supporters and those in favor of impeachment.
UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations refugee agency is focusing efforts on camp construction in and around the Iraqi city of Mosul, where renewed fighting could displace up to 250,000 people, UN officials said here Tuesday.

With the predicted exodus of up to a quarter of a million people, it will be impossible to accommodate such large numbers on existing land, the officials said, quoting information from the UN Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

About 217,000 people have fled from the eastern sections of Mosul since the military offensive to oust Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or Da'esh) terrorists began on Oct. 17, 2016.

About 160,000 remained displaced while others have returned to their homes in the now government-controlled areas.

The UNHCR has eight camps open or completed at present, and one under construction, and it is planning for the start of work at another site in Hamam Al Alil, south of Mosul.

The Iraqi government has decided, initially, to transport people displaced from western Mosul to camps in the east while new capacity is being added in the south.

The UNHCR has been asked to support a new site at Hamam Al-Alil, 20 km south of Mosul. It is expected that many of those fleeing western Mosul will reach there on foot. This site will provide shelter for up to 60,000 people.

According to reports and testimonies, conditions in the densely-populated west of the city are worsening, and hence concerns are mounting for the well-being of civilians.

There are shortages of food, water, fuel and medicine. Half of all food shops have closed and most people can only access untreated water.

Food prices are skyrocketing and there are reports of families burning furniture, clothing and plastic to stay warm.

The UNHCR said that during the battle for eastern Mosul, the protection of civilians was prioritized in military planning and activities, and UNHCR hopes this principle will continue to be upheld.

However, the new battle will be different as the city's west is densely populated, with many narrow streets, and fighting will be street by street. Armed groups have built a network of tunnels.

Insecurity and recent suicide attacks in eastern Mosul have resulted in some families, who had opted to return to their homes, coming back to the camps in search of safety, the officials added.

The Iraqi security forces on Sunday announced the commencement of a new phase of offensive to drive out the extremist militants of Islamic State (IS) group from its major stronghold in the western side of Mosul, the Iraqi military said.

The Iraqi army, federal police and some paramilitary units of the Hashd Shaabi have started their advance in the early morning from south and west of the Mosul.

The troops, so far, have managed to retake control of a total of 17 villages as they were marching closer to the fringes of the western side of the city, according to a statement by the Iraqi Joint Operations Command.

The troops' advance toward Mosul came after Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the start of an offensive to drive the extremist militants out of the western side of Mosul, locally known as the right bank of Tigris River which bisects the city.

Late in January, al-Abadi declared the liberation of the eastern side of Mosul, or the left bank of Tigris, after more than 100 days of fighting against the extremist IS militants.

However, the western side of Mosul appears to be a bigger challenge to the Iraqi forces with its narrow streets and heavy population of between 750,000 and 800,000 people, according to the United Nations estimates.

Mosul, 400 km north of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, has been under IS control since June 2014, when Iraqi government forces abandoned their weapons and fled, enabling IS militants to take control of parts of Iraq's northern and western regions.
Alex Scott/ABC News(NEW YORK) -- On this Presidents' Day, which celebrates the achievements of America's past leaders, thousands of protesters rallied to send a message of defiance to the current president.



"Not My President's Day" protests took place in dozens of cities across the country. Demonstrators gathered to oppose President Donald Trump's agenda on a number of issues ranging from immigration to LGBTQ rights to the environment.



"Donald Trump does not represent our values, and therefore we refuse to honor him on President's Day," organizers of the Chicago rally wrote in their event description. "Instead, we will honor the principles of democracy for which our previous Presidents fought valiantly: the right to assemble, and the right to fight for those of our brothers and sisters who have not yet been included in the word 'equal.'"



In New York City, thousands took to the streets in front of Trump International Hotel, according to ABC station WABC-TV.



"I'm not Muslim, I'm not an immigrant, I'm not undocumented," one speaker said. "But I am heartbroken when I see the fear in friends who are those things, and it's empathy. I came out to say that I'm with you."



Hundreds more reportedly gathered in cities like Chicago and Los Angeles.



The rally in the nations capital drew several hundred protesters to Dupont Circle.



"I am here to stand up for what's right, to stand up against what's wrong," one protester, Miriam Bowden, said. "And whats wrong is Donald Trump and all of his cronies who are infecting Washington, D.C."



Following the rally, the protesters took their message directly to the White House, marching through the streets with chants of "This is what democracy looks like!" and "No hate, no fear, refugees are welcome here!"



The protests were largely peaceful. However, protesters and police reportedly clashed in Portland, Oregon, and several arrests were made.

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Two Trinis caught in US raids

A 25-year-old woman, convicted of robbery in Roosevelt, NY, and a 57-year-old man convicted of driving under the influence in Richmond Hill, NY were arrested by ICE officials during the raid. It is not known whether or not the two Trinis will face deportation, but Ministry of National Security officials told Newsday yesterday that if they are deported, they should have no fear of being mistreated.

We will treat with them to ensure that they do not slip back into a life of crime while here, said Marcia Hope, Director of Corporate Communications at the Ministry of National Security.

Once they continue on the right track, they do not need to fear, we will not discriminate against them. She added that when a person is being deported, he or she would be treated differently from the regular traveller.

You would be under heavy guard, and when you are in the country, you would be handed over to Trinidad security forces. Hope said.

Last week, over 680 persons were arrested in raids across the United States.

Of those arrested, 75 percent are criminal aliens, convicted of crimes including homicide, aggravated sexual abuse, sexual assault of a minor, lewd acts with a child, indecent liberties with a minor, drug trafficking, battery, assault, driving under the influence and weapons charges.
Soldier shot while liming

At about 6.30 pm, a gunman approached the group and opened fire.

After the man escaped residents found Carter on the ground bleeding from gunshot wounds to the chest, shoulder, left leg and both hands.

He was taken to the Arima District Hospital, where he was treated and then transferred to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex (EW MSC) in Mt Hope where he remains warded in serious but stable condition.

Police believe the gunman attempted to rob Carter and his friends, but when they resisted, he shot at them. No arrest has been made and Northern Division detectives are investigating.
Accused gets $200,000 bail

Lewis of Arima Old Road and Block 22, Upper Laventille, is charged with perverting the course of justice by doing a deliberate act to conceal King with the intent to assist him to evade arrest and or lawful apprehension in connection with the unlawful killing of de Revenaux. Also charged with this offence is Christopher OConnor who was denied bail when he appeared in court last week Thursday.

King has been charged with de Revenauxs murder on February 5, at the MovieTowne cineplex at Invaders Bay, Port-of-Spain, where she worked at one of the restaurants. Two Fridays ago, police apprehended a suspect in Chaguaramas shortly after midday while he was attempting to flee the country by boat. Both King and OConnor will also return to court on March 16.
Man to stand trial

Eric Stephens, 61, was committed to stand trial by Chief Magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar shortly after the prosecution closed its case.

Stephens chose not to testify in his defence but reserved his right to call witnesses and provide alibi evidence.

Lara of Don Miguel Road, San Juan, was liming with a small group when on November 6, 2012, she was stabbed to death. Her body was found on the ground, lying in a pool of blood, with a knife in her back.
Charged with gun, ammunition, weed possession

Ackimo Penniston, of Plaisance Park, St Margarets Village, near Claxton Bay, appeared before Magistrate Brambhanan Dubay in the San Fernando Magistrates Court.

Dubay read the charge that on Friday at Southern Main Road, Marabella, Penniston had in his possession the gun, ammunition and the marijuana. However, police prosecutor Sergeant Parasan Ramsumair, told Dubay that the charges were laid indictably and there was not yet advice on whether the police should proceed summarily.

Attorney Ainsley Lucky who represented Penniston, submitted that he found it rather unusual that even charge involving the marijuana, which weighed a mere 1.5 grammes, was so laid.

Dubay said he had no powers to change the charge from indictable to summary and must proceed to conduct the case in accordance with how it was laid.

Indictable cases require the magistrate to conduct a preliminary inquiry and make a finding on whether a prima facie case is made out to determine whether an accused should be tried before a judge and jury in the High Court. In a summary matter, the accused either pleads guilty or, a trial is held.

In the High Court, the sentence is more severe when one is found guilty even for charges that are conducted summarily.
$11,100 in fines for gun possession, resisting arrest

Kyron Joseph, 24, of Mon Repos, also pleaded guilty before Senior Magistrate Nanette Forde-John in the San Fernando Magistrates Court to escaping police custody, resisting arrest and malicious damage to property. The magistrate heard from police prosecutor Cleyon Seedan that on February 3, at about 3 pm, police officers dressed in civilian clothing went to Building Seven of the Housing Development Corporations buildings at Mon Repos, Naparima Mayaro Road, San Fernando, where they saw Joseph seated on a couch in a bamboo patch. The prosecutor told the magistrate that Joseph had a gun tucked in his waist. He was arrested and taken to Church Street, Mon Repos, however, he broke loose from police officers while handcuffed.

Seedan told Forde-John that on Friday at about 5 pm, police officers were on foot patrol at La Pique Plaza, Coffee Street, San Fernando, when they spotted Joseph and they attempted to arrest him, but he pulled away. He then shouted, You see the four ah allyuh, ah go kill allyuh boy. Joseph, the magistrate was told, then smashed one of the glass doors at La Pique Plaza and attempted to escape but was apprehended.

He pleaded guilty to all of the charges, except the one relating to assaulting PC Williams of the San Fernando CID. Attorney Analee Girwar mitigated on Josephs behalf, saying that he had no previous convictions for any criminal offence. Joseph was fined $5,000 for possession of the gun, $2,500 for the ammunition, $750 for escaping lawful custody, $750 for resisting arrest, $500 for malicious damage to the glass, $1,250 as compensation for the glass and $350 as compensation for the handcuffs.

The magistrate reprimanded and discharged Joseph on the charge of larceny of the handcuffs. He was ordered to pay $1,000 forthwith and allowed 90 days to pay the remaining sum.
WPC, son survive bandit attack

The Woman Police Constable (WPC) and her four-year-old son escaped when the bandits car crashed into a light pole in Cunaripo late on Sunday night.

According to reports, WPC Natasha Coyah, 26, of Sangre Grande left home with her son to visit a male friend in Tunapuna. In the evening, mother and son left Tunapuna en route to their home, when it is believed, the bandits followed her.

When WPC Coyah arrived outside her house at 10 pm, three armed men pounced on her and forced her into the house.

The men ransacked the house and seized a quantity of items before forcing the frightened officer and her son into their (the bandits) Nissan Tiida car which then sped off to an unknown destination. In the Cunaripo district, the driver lost control of the vehicle which veered off the road and crashed into a light pole.

The bandits abandoned the car and ran off in different directions.

WPC Coyah sought assistance from a resident and a call was made to the police. A combined party of officers from both Eastern and Northern Divisions, under the supervision of Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Surujdeen Persad swung into action and a 29-year-old man from San Juan was arrested.

During intense interrogation, Newsday was told, investigators received key information regarding the other two suspects and arrests warrants are expected to be taken out for them soon. Mother and son were taken to a health facility shortly after the ordeal for treatment.

WPC Coyah told investigators that she prayed for herself and her son while in the bandits car as she did not know what was to become of them. She is expected to receive counselling from the Victims and Witness Support Unit of the TT Police Service.

The suspect is expected to be placed on an Identification Parade this week. Fingerprint experts have since dusted the crashed getaway car and WPC Coyahs house for evidence.

Investigations are continuing.
Williams: Interfaith services intended to motivate officers

We are targeting the police so that we can lift their motivation further to inspire them to do even more for the country than they are already doing knowing for a fact the majority of citizens believe in a supreme being, Williams said. He was speaking at a special media conference at the Police Administration Building, at the corner of Edward and Sackville Streets, Port-of-Spain.

Williams sought to clarify statements he made at one the recent services.

He said the TTPS has recognised, over the years, that TT has been challenged with violent crime and they have seen an upward trend from 2000 hitting an all-time high in murders with 547. Williams said, While in 2011 we saw a dip with the State of Emergency where the country had recorded 302 murders, we have had what we would call a consistency in the area of 400 and upward. He said it is critical for the police as an organisation to do everything possible to ensure that they can impact the state of violent crime.

And that is why every time I speak, I reach out to the citizens of this land with the message that we all have a part to play, no matter how small.

All the small contributions can add up to that big positive contribution that we are seeking. Williams said the TTPS has set about in 2017 to take the lead in a form of engagement because they have clearly recognised that there is more that is needed in causing that change that the citizens of the nation are seeking.

While single-handedly we may not be able to effectively bring the change that the citizens do in fact want, we believe with the support of the citizens of this land acting in a positive manner, we can achieve that change. He continued, It is in that context at this point in time we are engaging in a series of inter-faith services in all nine police divisions and it is well intended to make sure that we can bring on board the support of the various religious groupings and representatives to pray with us, seeking to have a level of intervention in the business of policing and policing this country ensuring that we can achieve finally that drop in violent crimes.
Presbyterians called to action

We pat ourselves on the back, counting schools and their scholarships every year whilst our membership is dwindling in our congregations, Teelucksingh said.

He made the comments yesterday at the auditorium of the Chaguanas Borough Corporation at an event titled Conversations. It was the second in a series hosted by the Synod to commemorate the 150th anniversary celebrations (2018) of the PCTT.

The theme of the event is Proud to be Presbyterian. Providing a historical perspective of PCTT, Teelucksingh noted that its five high (secondary) schools and 72 primary schools have powerful impacts on this countrys educational system. He questioned whether the work of the Church has become stagnant as PCTT has neither an educational institution nor a physical church building in Tobago.

He added: The years of talking and dreaming about building a secondary school in central Trinidad and a hospital, never materialised.

Should we be thinking about Presbyterian radio and television stations? Hindus and Muslims now have their own.

What about a Presbyterian university? Others have done it already. What legacy have we left for the next generation? He charged that based on the teachings of the faith, PCTT always set high standards for life in TT. Its strict ethical and moral code, preserved over the years, the lecturer said, prohibited the use of alcohol, to presiding elders, lay pastors and deaconess, Teelucksingh added that as a Church, it has not attracted more full-time pastors.

They have provided yeoman services to our church but too many of our pulpits are not occupied by ordained Ministers on a Sunday. Presbyterian culture in Trinidad and Tobago and elsewhere prefer ordained Ministers to oversee worship, Teelucksingh said.

While all auxiliary ministries are useful, they could never replace a Reverend on a Sunday, not at prayer meetings, at wakes and at funerals. Solving this problem is a priority if the church is to survive.

Maintaining the status quo keeps us in a failed comfort zone. For us in the Presbyterian Church, let us not stay any longer in the comfort of a proud history, he added. Among those in attendance were Anthony Rampersad, Justice Vasheist Kokaram and Chaguanas Mayor Gopaul Boodhan.
President of India calls upon Shri Ram College of Commerce to set itself higher benchmarks of excellence

New Delhi, Tue, 21 Feb 2017 NI Wire

The President of India, Pranab Mukherjee addressed the inaugural Ceremony of the 90th Anniversary of Shri Ram College of Commerce (February 20, 2017) in New Delhi.

Speaking on the occasion, the President said global rankings of Indian higher educational institutions remain poor. After several years of efforts, he is satisfied that at least three institutions of higher learning in the country have secured top places. Shri Ram College of Commerce, New Delhi has been doing well. It should now set itself higher benchmarks of excellence.

Pointing out the importance of research and innovation, the President said Germany was only the country unaffected by 2008 financial crisis and Euro zone crisis. This was because of the solid foundation for research and development within the country as well as the world class institutions it has established.

The President said for decades Shri Ram College of Commerce has met the essential requirements of connecting education to the needs of an emerging nation, as also developed livelihood and professional skills in the field of business and economics.

It is heartening to note that the vision of its founder, Sir Shri Ram to create an institution that would train young minds to manage the needs of industry, business and economic administration has been fulfilled comprehensively. Today we talk of industry-academia interface. It goes to the credit of the founders of Shri Ram College of Commerce that almost a century back they insisted on real life industry exposure to teachers as well as students.

The President said a class room is meant to complement the realities and complexities of the real world. Application of theoretical learning to real life situations and finding workable solutions to such situations is the real test of success in academic postulates.

He was happy that having stood the test of time, the Shri Ram College of Commerce has not only maintained excellence in academics but also produced students who have gone on to excel professionally.

Source: PIB
Health Secretary launches 'SAATHIYA' Resource Kit and 'SAATHIYA SALAH' Mobile App for Adolescents

New Delhi, Tue, 21 Feb 2017 NI Wire

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'This Resource Kit and Mobile App connect the RKSK with the adolescents': C.K Mishra

C K Mishra, Secretary, Health and Family Welfare launched the SAATHIYA Resource Kit including 'Saathiya Salah' Mobile App for adolescents, here, as part of the Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK) program. One of the key interventions under the programme is introduction of the Peer Educators (Saathiyas) who act as a catalyst for generating demand for the adolescent health services and imparting age appropriate knowledge on key adolescent health issues to their peer groups. In order to equip the Saathiyas in doing so, the Health Ministry has launched the Saathiya Resource Kit (including 'Saathiya Salah' Mobile App).

Introducing the Resource Kit and the Mobile App, C K Mishra said that 'our country is home to 253 million adolescents which is largest in the world in terms of absolute numbers and when RMNCH programs were launched globally, India was the first country to add the '+A' i.e. adolescent component to the RMNCH, making it today's RMNCH+A program'. He emphasized that 'adolescents are the critical mass of asset which in future would be the biggest dividends to the country's economy; thereby their health and wellness are of utmost priority'. To address and cater to the health and development needs of the country's adolescents, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK) in January 2014. RKSK identifies six strategic priorities for adolescents i.e. nutrition, sexual and reproductive health (SRH), non-communicable diseases (NCDs), substance misuse, injuries and violence (including gender-based violence) and mental health.

The most important component and driving force of RKSK program are its Peer Educators and this resource kit has been launched to enable them to communicate with the adolescents of their community, Mishra stated. He specified that the 'kit is being launched to enable the 1.6 lakhs Peer Educators towards taking their job forward and answering all the queries in the minds of an adolescent in-spite of the plethora of media (Magazines, TV, internet etc.) available'. The Peer Educators will be trained across the country in a phased manner, ensuring optimum use of the resource kit, which is a ready source of a range of communication material specially designed to help the Peer Educator to be recognized and respected as 'saathiya', a good friend for the adolescents.

This Resource Kit comprises i) Activity Book, ii) Bhranti-Kranti Game iii) Question-Answer Book and iv) Peer Educator Diary. In addition to the kit is the mobile app 'Saathiya Salah' (downloadable from Google play-store) which acts as a ready information source for the adolescents in case they are unable to interact with the Peer Educators. The mobile app is also linked to another important piece of cost-effective information platform of a toll-free Saathiya Helpline (1800-233-1250) which will act as an e-counselor. While the short films will be played by the Peer Educators at their group meetings, the activity book and games will bring about discussion and resolve adolescent queries. Encashing on mobile technology, the shy adolescents or those unable to interact with the peer educators due to family reasons, can access the information through the free mobile app as well the toll free helpline.

Among senior officials of the Ministry at the launch, also present were the representatives of Development Partners (UNFPA, PFI) who contributed to development of the Resource Kit. Mr. Diega Polacios, Country Director,UNFPA stated that 'the Resource Kit has being designed to present the Peer Educators with key information on adolescent health, which would then enable them to communicate the same and help the adolescents at the grass root/village level'. Further at the launch, demo of the Mobile App was conducted wherein a mock call was made to the Saathiya Helpline by Secretary (HFW).

Source: PIB

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Hamid Ansari launched the India- Rwanda Innovation Growth Programme

Kigali, Tue, 21 Feb 2017 NI Wire

Vice President Hamid Ansari launches India - Rwanda Innovation Growth Program during his visit to Africa

Kigali (Rwanda), 21th February 2017: Vice President of India, Shri Hamid Ansari, launched the India- Rwanda Innovation Growth Programme as one of the major Science and Technology initiatives between India and Rwanda. The Program was launched in presence of the Prime Minister of Rwanda, Anastase Murekezi and is a key announcement made during the high level visit of the Indian Vice President.

India-Rwanda Innovation Growth Program is a first of its kind initiative to be launched and piloted between India and Rwanda to strengthen the bilateral relationship purely based on Science, Technology and Innovation. The objective of the Program is to match the socio-economic needs of Rwanda by linking the Rwandan industry with leading edge Indian technologies and innovations. The Program will deploy 20 demonstrated and validated Indian technologies and innovations over a period of two years. The joint programs/ventures created with Rwandan partners will deliver at least 20 sustainable social enterprises that will stimulate economic impact development in Rwanda.

As a prelude to the Program, fifteen Indian techno-entrepreneurs also showcased their innovative solutions at the prestigious Kigali Convention Centre, Kigali. The Showcase and Business to Business interaction were inaugurated by the Vice President of India and the Prime Minister of Rwanda. More than 100 interested private and public sector attendees from Rwanda attended and interacted with Indian innovators and business delegates. The showcased Indian Innovations included CassavaTech, a patented technology that brings down capital cost of processing Cassava from USD 15,000 to USD 200 and reduces operating cost from USD 20 to USD 2 for 200 kg processing capacity. The technology further reduces drying time for Cassava from 10 days to 10 hours producing high quality Cassava flour. Another technology showcased was a ~100% compostable menstrual hygiene solution providing affordable pads to adolescent girls and women. This is done using a unique low cost, low electricity consuming machine that produces 1200-2400pads/8-10 hrs through community participation from 12-16 women (no specific skills required) as production workforce.

The India-Rwanda Innovation Growth Program is a joint initiative of the Department of Science and Technology and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry supported by the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.

Shri Hamid Ansari, Vice President of India stated I am happy to learn of the initiative jointly taken by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and the Ministry of Science and Technology for organizing the India-Rwanda Innovation Growth Program and a Technology & Innovation Showcase at Kigali. Science and Technology are powerful drivers of growth and development all over the world. The solution of our myriad problems lies in a deeper understanding of science and more judicious use of technology. I am sure the joint programs/ventures foreseen with Rwandan partners will play an important role in fostering sustainable development and progress in both the countries.

Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Minister of Science and Technology stated Indio-Rwanda joint initiative in field of Science and Technology and its commercial exploration is indeed a welcome step and goes a long way in further cementing Indio-Africa relationship. Visit of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to Africa and India hosting 40 head of states/government during indo-Africa Forum Summit III speaks of our mutual desire for engagement in diversified fields for benefit of people of two region. I wish this initiative will go a long way in establishing everlasting mutually beneficial partnership leading to inclusive growth of people of two region.

Prof. Ashutosh Sharma, Secretary, Department of Science & Technology shared We are proud to carry forward the vision and announcement of our Honble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, to share our validated technologies and innovations with Rwanda soon to start India  Rwanda Innovation Growth Program. This Program has been conceived to bridge Rwandas assessed needs for impact development by bringing together Rwandan entrepreneurs and public sector with Indian innovators. India is proud to partner with Rwanda in this first pilot to establish a technology transfer and enterprise creation which can then be replicated in East African nations and across the African continent.

On the launch of the program, Dr. A. Didar Singh, Secretary General, FICCI said India and Africa share a common historical background and have been long term partners in their journey of growth and development. FICCI has been working with the Department of Science and Technology over the last decade to identify, nurture and scale innovative solutions that address global development challenges. We now look forward to sharing and transferring such technological solutions to our friends in Africa and deeply engage with the entrepreneurial fraternity in Africa.
Most of the big news about landmarked sites comes from Brooklyn and Manhattan. There isnt much in Queens that makes headlines; for example, only two of the 26 sites designated from the Landmarks Preservation Commissions 95-item backlog were in Queens County. Today, however, we have news about a landmarked park in Jamaica.

The park in question is Rufus King Park, which encircles the Rufus King House, an individual and interior landmark at 150-05 Jamaica Avenue. The houses construction dates to 1730, with an addition built in about 1806. The house and grounds were acquired by the Village of Jamaica in 1897 and then fell under the jurisdiction of the new unified city Parks Department the following year. It has been a public park ever since.

Rufus King was an abolitionist born in 1755. He represented New York in the U.S. Senate from 1813 to 1825 and twice served as Minister to Great Britain. He died in Jamaica in 1827.

Individual designation, including the full area bound by Jamaica Avenue, 150th Street, 89th Avenue and 153rd Street, took place in 1966. Interior designation for the house took place in 1976. The house is now known as the King Manor Museum and is open five days a week.

The Parks Department wants to make changes to the parks paths, which have changed over the decades. Two new entrances will be added, one along 150th Street about halfway between Jamaica and 90th avenues and the other at the corner of Jamaica Avenue and 153rd Street.



The corner entrance at Jamaica and 153rd will lead to two paths that eventually make their way to the comfort station. The point where those two paths split will have accent planting and social seating. The other entrance will also have accent planting and social seating.

Other planned changes to the park include the widening of street corners, reconstruction of the south lawn as well as all fences and gates, signage replacement, and the addition of new lighting and two drinking fountains.

At the LPC session on February 7, LPC Chair Meenakshi Srinivasan wasnt happy with how many new paths would lead from the new corner entrance. Commissioner Frederick Bland said this application highlighted the vital role of house museums.

Nadezhda Williams, the museums executive director, testified that previous paving works had resulted in cracks in the houses plaster and she was worried about the new works impact on the historic structure. Overall, however, she was happy to see upgrades come to the park, including the new trash receptacles, signs, and fences. Bad fences make bad neighbors, she said.

HDC understands that the genesis for the several new, paved paths is that these trails already exist as desire paths. To minimize the impact of so much paving in this quadrant of the park, we recommend that Parks consider a more permeable, green material such as Grasscrete, which could mitigate the extensive paving, testified the Historic Districts Councils Kelly Carroll. HDC understands that manor house experienced some cracking due to vibrations the previous time paving was installed. We ask that monitors be placed in the house to ensure no further damage is done, regardless of what work is approved today.

The commissioners approved the plan, though Chair Srinivasans suggestion to remove some of the new paths might be followed. We should expect monitoring of the sites stability, but as Commissioner Michael Devonshire pointed out, once the work is severe enough to cause damage, it will be too late.

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Gazzolo describes SpongeBob SquarePants as an evergreen hit

Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) The Americas' Pierluigi Gazzolo has revealed to C21Media what the firms recent acquisition of Telefe means for its Latin American ambitions.Viacom made headlines in November 2016 when news broke that it was paying US$345m to acquire Latin American broadcaster Telefe.The deal gives the US giant control of Argentinas dominant national broadcaster, along with 12 production studios, a news operation, an international pay TV service that operates in 17 countries, and a library of some 33,000 hours of content.Viacom is a big supporter of the notion that content is king, explains Pierluigi Gazzolo, President of Viacom International Media Networks Americas and Executive Vice President (EVP) of Nickelodeon International. Telefe is not just a big broadcaster, its a studio as well, and one that produces and owns a lot of content. Having assets that can give us more content to own and exploit around the world is a key part of our strategy.The acquisition also gives Viacom a significant step-up in scale in the region. Viacom is very niche in Latin America, we have these niche brands  Nickelodeon, MTV and Comedy Central, Gazzolo adds. We were looking for an expansion of our demographic and portfolio to be able to exploit the market better, and Telefe is a great example of that.Not only because of its size and magnitude, in terms of reach and share, but also because it caters to a more general audience. Having a more complete portfolio will allow us to grow our overall pay and free TV businesses in Latin America.Argentina is not the only Latin American country Viacom sees as having potential  Brazil, Colombia and Mexico could also be future targets for takeovers. Latin America is a region we want to bet on internationally because of the growth it still has and the scale we still need, says Gazzolo. Mexico and Brazil are evolving quickly, offering bigger opportunities above and beyond linear pay TV. There are a lot of OTT opportunities within those markets.As for Colombia, pay TV penetration is high, but the ratio of investment in ad companies, broadcast and pay TV is significantly under-indexed, so theres a great opportunity there to grow.And despite Novembers deal, there could be further scope for Argentinian growth. Argentina is one of the most advanced production markets and content markets, because it is highly competitive, Gazzolo says. Its the only market in Latin America where pay TV penetration is almost 90%, just like the US. Its not a competition there between the telco broadcasters, its a competition between the 250 channels, pay TV and broadcast. And the competition creates a lot of good talent, development and production capabilities. They have a good future in terms of IP development.The Telefe takeover marked the first major acquisition deal to be struck under Bob Bakish, who became president and CEO of Viacom in December , having spent just over a month as acting president and CEO after replacing interim CEO Tom Dooley.Bob understands international, Gazzolo says. He understands the complexities of international; as such, his support and continual investment in international growth will only strengthen. Second, hes the type of manager who empowers and then supports. Hes a risk taker, and Latin America requires risk taking.Outside of acquisition potential, Gazzolo also feels positive about the future opportunities for Nickelodeon International, particularly with the growth of new shows such asand. Not that Gazzolo is prepared to acceptas a old show just yet. is not old, its an evergreen, he argues. Finding an evergreen is the hardest thing in the world. In the development world, of every 10 properties you pick up, one becomes a hit. Out of 50 properties you pick up, only one becomes an evergreen.
bobby and spongebob #spongebobgold @nickelodeonuk Viacom A post shared by bobby abley (@bobbyabley) on Feb 17, 2017 at 3:56am PST

I love you bob esponja #spongebobgold @nickelodeonuk Viacom A post shared by bobby abley (@bobbyabley) on Feb 18, 2017 at 9:09am PST



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LONDON, ENGLAND  FEB. 18: A general view at Nickelodeons SpongeBob Gold 18th Anniversary at LFW in collaboration with the LFW Design collective on Feb. 18, 2017 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for Nickelodeon)



LONDON, ENGLAND  FEB. 18: Peter Jensen attends Nickelodeons SpongeBob Gold 18th Anniversary at LFW in collaboration with the LFW Design collective on Feb. 18, 2017 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for Nickelodeon)



LONDON, ENGLAND  FEB. 18: Lyza Jane attends Nickelodeons SpongeBob Gold 18th Anniversary at LFW in collaboration with the LFW Design collective on Feb. 18, 2017 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for Nickelodeon) *** Local Caption *** Lyza Jane

--Ends--

Ahhhh, SpongeBob. Hes everyones fave pineapple-dwelling yellow square and now hes gone high fashion for London Fashion Week! In honour ofs 18th birthday, Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products (NVCP) has tapped a host of designers to create a collection of mens and womens apparel, footwear and accessories for the tSpongeBob Gold campaign. Six fashion designers created-themed clothing and hosted the SpongeBob Gold fashion collection at London Fashion Week.Including 27 items, the collection includes amazing designs from some of the coolest names in fashion:*Unisex sweatshirts by Peter Jensen*T-shirts by Bobby Abley*Vintage embroidered pieces by Bad Denim*Patchwork sneakers by Suecomma Bonnie*Accessories by Salar*Charm-adorned jewellery by Maria Francesca PepeSpongeBob Gold will be available at retail exclusively outside of the U.S. from May 2017, with retail partnerships to be announced in the coming weeks.I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm ready (to wear!)!Among the famous faces at the launch of Nickelodeon's SpongeBob Gold capsule collection was Louis Tomlinsons big sis Lottie! And she even got a piccie with the yellow sponge himself!Lottie also grabbed a photo with One Directions stylist, Lou Teasdale!Ahhhhh  looks like celebs loveas much as we do! What do you think aboutbeing a fashion icon? What items from the SpongeBob Gold collection are you hoping to pick up when they hit shops? Chat within the comments below!Tune into the brand-newepisode "Goodbye, Krabby Patty?", guest starring Emmy Award-winning actor Jon Hamm () as the charismatic, sharp-witted and devastatingly charming advertising agency executive Don Grouper, who has a big plan for the Krabby Patty that may prove irresistible, even to the impervious Mr. Krabs, premiering Tuesday 28th February 2017 at 5:30pm , only on Nicktoons UK & Ireland! In the episode, Mr. Krabs manufactures Krabby Patties on an industrial scale, but it drives a wedge between SpongeBob and Patrick. "Goodbye, Krabby Patty?" also marks the 200th episode ofAlso, via Blog.Viacom Top fashion bloggers, designers, celebs and SpongeBob himself were in attendance at the SpongeBob Gold fashion collection launch party at London Fashion Week on Saturday Feb. 18.To kick off a year-long SpongeBob Gold international campaign, Nickelodeon and Viacom Consumer Products have collaborated with six international designers on an innovative fashion collection. Featuring designs from Peter Jensen, Bobby Abley, Salar, Maria Francesca Pepe, Suecomma Bonnie and Bad Denim, the SpongeBob Gold fashion collection includes clothing for men and women as well as footwear, accessories and jewelry. SpongeBob Gold will be available at retail exclusively outside of the U.S. beginning in May.Designer Maria Francesca Pepe, who designed a range of charm-adorned SpongeBob jewelry, said of her involvement in the collection, Ive always felt the concept of pop defined the core of my creations. Developing an exclusive capsule collection of jewelry featuring the pop sensation SpongeBob felt such a match.The launch party saw most of the designers in attendance along with invited fashion press and bloggers, as well as UK celebrities including Lottie Tomlinson, Sam and Lou Teasdale, Carl Barat and Poppy Jamie. Guests could admire the pieces in the collection, each item incorporating SpongeBob iconography embellished with a golden twist. Guests were treated to catering by top celebrity chef Tom Wolfe, with a menu that included Crab Cakes, Sea Kale and Yogurt Dip, SpongeBob and Patrick cookies, mixed fruit kebabs and yellow cotton candy with gold flakes. SpongeBob was of course in attendance and kept busy posing for photos with the party guests.The SpongeBob Gold fashion collection forms part of Nickelodeons year-long SpongeBob SquarePants Gold international campaign. Over the next 12 months, Nickelodeon will celebrate everything that makes SpongeBob one of the most iconic animated characters in the world: his humor, optimism and heart of gold. The campaign will include activations on-air, online, and on social media, as well as additional product and retail launches.Kudos if you got through this post without singing Spandau Ballet's "Gold" ! :P
I used to be one of those parents who took a second look at their kids bags of candy theyd gotten Halloween night and think, Wait a minute. Is that a full-size Butterfingers bar? Why would a kid need that much candy in one serving? Id either then ask if they really wanted that item or I
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Morocco and Zambia on Monday gave a strong signal that their relationship has entered a new era as King Mohammed VI and President Edgar Chagwa Lungu co-chaired over the signing ceremony of 19 agreements, including 11 between the two countries private sectors.

Before the ceremony, King Mohammed VI, the first Moroccan Monarch to pay a visit to Zambia, and President Lungu held private talks that dealt with bilateral relations as well as with regional and international issues of shared interest.

In a statement to the media after the talks, President Lungu expressed his countrys delight to see Morocco back within its African family.

We have missed Morocco for a long time and we are glad to find him again within its African family, said the Zambian head of state.

Although Morocco and Zambia are bound by centuries-old warm relations, the royal visit and the accords sealed will upgrade economic cooperation and trade partnerships in key areas of development to higher levels for the mutual benefit of the two countries.

Moroccan foreign Minister Salaheddine Mezouar told the media that the Kings visit to Zambia is of paramount importance and translates a reorientation in ties between Rabat and Lusaka. It also mirrors the Kingdoms resolve to build a win-win partnership with this English-speaking country and to promote bilateral relations according to the new approach Morocco has adopted in its relationship with the continent, he said.

By joining words to action, Morocco led steady efforts in favor of African development that earned it credibility and respect in the continent leading to its triumphant return to the African Union with the support of an overwhelming majority of AU members.

In keeping with a south-south cooperation policy in Africa underpinned by co-development and solidarity, Morocco endeavors to strengthen ties with all African countries, including those that formerly espoused the Polisario separatists thesis, including Rwanda, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Nigeria.

And the Kings visit to Zambia is part of this momentum to extend Moroccos cooperation model to English-speaking African countries.

The accords concluded Monday include a general economic, scientific, technical and cultural cooperation agreement, a memorandum of understanding on the establishment of a mechanism for political consultations and an agreement on investment promotion and reciprocal protection.

Zambias Zesco Limited and the Moroccan energy giant Masen agreed to cooperate to develop renewable energy Projects in Zambia. The Zambian mining ministry and Moroccos office for hydrocarbons and mining (ONHYM) also signed a memorandum of understanding.

Other areas covered by the cooperation accords include tourism, education and training, and agriculture, in addition to an accord on air services providing for the opening up of the airspace between the two countries.

The Kings visit to Zambia comes after a successful visit to Ghana during which the King conferred with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on cooperation prospects as well as on regional and international issues of common interest. The visit was crowned by the signing of 25 cooperation agreements. Two weeks earlier, he visited South Sudan where he conferred with President Salva Kiir Mayardit.

After Zambia, King Mohammed VI is expected to pay visits to other African countries, including Kenya, Cote dIvoire and Mali.
German Chancellor Angela Merkels visit to Algeria has been postponed due to the falling health of Algerias President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. The two day trip was part of efforts by the German Chancellor to stem the flow of Algerian migrants and speed up the repatriation process of the Algerian nationals who failed to receive refugee status.

Local media outlets say that the visit was called off due to Bouteflikas severe bronchitis. Steffen Seibert, Merkels government spokesman, wrote on Twitter that the Algerian government requested the postponement and that the chancellor complied with the request.

Algerias 79-year-old leader rarely appears in public since a 2013 stroke left him confined to a wheelchair. He has since traveled several times to France for medical treatment.

Weakened by her open-door migrant policy, Merkel is pressured to push for ways to encourage rejected North African asylum seekers living in Germany to depart the country and return home after she received harsh criticism on the backdrop of the Berlin market attack.

Last year the success rates for asylum requests was 3.5 percent for Moroccans, 2.7 percent for Algerians and just 0.8 percent for Tunisians.

Algerias prospects seem bleak in light of Bouteflikas incapacity to govern coupled with the opacity characterizing a regime dominated by a security apparatus where power is generally presumed to reside among groups of military leaders, intelligence officials, businessmen, and politicians collectively known as le pouvoir.
Morocco seems poised to build on its recent diplomatic and economic success in Africa in order to champion an African model of economic integration based on south-south cooperation, solidarity and win-win partnerships.

Led by the Monarch himself, Moroccos African foreign policy has been given priority. Since his ascending to the throne, King Mohammed VI paid 46 visits to 25 African countries and chaired the signing of nearly a thousand bilateral and multilateral agreements.

Moroccos engagement in favor of Africas development has been steady for years making the kingdom the second largest African investor in the continent. This is evidenced by the willingness and dynamism of the Moroccan private sector in Africa where Moroccans banks, insurance companies, the Moroccan carrier and telecommunications company have been well established. At least two loans in the continent are processed by a Moroccan bank.

Moroccos commitment towards Africa has also a humanitarian approach at home and aboard. The kingdom has joined words into action launching a second legalization campaign benefiting mainly sub-Saharan migrants in the country. The legalization campaign will help sub-Saharans lead a dignified life in Morocco by offering them access to basic services.

At the continents level, Morocco conducted several humanitarian operations, establishing field hospitals, carrying out projects to the benefit of the underprivileged, or sending emergency assistance to countries challenged by disasters, diseases or famine.

The actions led by the Kingdom in Africa are also meant to pool efforts and favor regional integration. As is the case with the large scale fertilizers factories to be built as part of a joint venture between Moroccos phosphates company and local partners in Ethiopia and Nigeria. These factories will help achieve food security in two of the most populous African countries as well as their neighbors.

The gas-pipeline that will help channel Nigerias gas to the Mediterranean through West Africa is also a project that has a potential to foster regional cooperation through creating shared interests.

Moroccos helping hand has extended to countries that were formerly ardent supporters of the Algerian-sponsored separatist thesis targeting the Kingdoms territorial integrity. With countries such as Rwanda, Nigeria, Ethiopia and recently Ghana and Zambia, Morocco has made inroads in securing support for its territorial integrity through credible diplomatic efforts.

Zambia, one of the countries that used to show support for the Algerian-funded separatists, is on course to strengthening ties with Morocco following the current visit by King Mohammed VI to the southern African country.

The Kings visit to Zambia, as part of a new African tour, enabled the opening of a new era in bilateral ties marked by the signing of 19 agreements covering political consultation and cooperation in the fields of education, industry, agriculture, airlines, renewable energies, water management, tourism, finance, banking, insurance and scientific research.

The signing of these agreements came after a successful Moroccan-Zambian business forum during which the business community in the two countries discussed opportunities for future cooperation.

Prior to the signing ceremony of the 19 agreements, King Mohammed VI held talks with Zambias President Edgar Chagwa Lungu who welcomed Moroccos triumphal return to its African Institutional family.

We missed Morocco for long and we are happy for its new comeback within its African family, said Zambias president in a statement to the press.

And African leaders are right to be happy because Moroccos return to its African family is a good omen for all Africans as it renews Moroccos commitment to serve African citizens, to share and transfer its know-how, and to build a safe, solidarity-based future.

We enthusiastically invite African nations to join our countrys dynamism and to give new impetus to the whole of our continentIt is time for Africa to benefit from Africas wealth, King Mohammed VI had said in the landmark speech he delivered before his African peers after the African Union enacted Moroccos return to the continental organization.
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Scenes like these of deported immigrants could multiply rapidly if the Trump administration is serious about going after nearly all undocumented people. Photo: John Moore/Getty Images

Now that the Trump travel ban is at least temporarily out of the news headlines, attention is shifting to the broader issue of the new administrations overall immigration policies. And with todays guidance memos from Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, it is becoming clearer than ever that Team Trump is signaling a major new wave of deportations. The memos are meant to explain the earlier presidential executive order on immigration policy that was overshadowed by the brouhaha over the travel ban and the Trump-induced preoccupation with border-wall construction.

The most important thing to understand about the initial shift in policy is that it is replacing the Obama administrations carefully calibrated deportation strategy with one that treats all undocumented immigrants with the perhaps-temporary exception of the dreamers given protection by Obama in the the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) executive order  as potential targets. Thus all that is missing for a massive new wave of deportations is the infrastructure. And Kellys memos are focused on building up the resources necessary to round em up and move em out.

An earlier draft of Kellys guidance discussed the federalization of up to 100,000 National Guard personnel for deportation duty. That alarming idea did not make it into the actual memos. But heres what did:

In the so-called guidance documents released on Tuesday, the department is directed to begin the process of hiring 10,000 new immigration and customs agents, expanding the number of detention facilities and creating an office within Immigration and Customs Enforcement to help families of those killed by undocumented immigrants 



The directives would also instruct Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as well as Customs and Border Protection, the parent agency of the Border Patrol, to begin reviving a program that recruits local police officers and sheriffs deputies to help with deportation, effectively making them de facto immigration agents.

You will notice a lot of the guidance is prospective: The administration is beginning to do this or that. That could indicate an element of caution, or perhaps the need for more funding from Congress, not to mention pledges of cooperation from the local governments who would have to make their law-enforcement personnel available to become part-time ICE agents.

But these signals also most likely have an ulterior motive:

[DHS] officials also made clear that the department intended to aggressively follow Mr. Trumps promise that immigration laws be enforced to the maximum extent possible, marking a significant departure from the procedures in place under President Barack Obama.



That promise has generated fear and anger in the immigrant community, and advocates for immigrants have warned that the new approach is a threat to many undocumented immigrants who had previously been in little danger of being deported.

Fear in the immigrant community is itself a crucial tool for this administration given the signs that it would prefer that as many as possible of the 11 million undocumented immigrants in the country decide to self-deport. It is certainly less expensive and visible than running down huge numbers of people, holding them in detention facilities, and then shipping them out of the country. All the saber rattling, moreover, will thrill the nativists in Trumps electoral base nearly as much as actually deporting those pesky people who may be hard-working, taxpaying people doing jobs Americans dont want, but who broke the law, thus earning whatever ill treatment they receive.

If the self-deportation strategy doesnt work substantively or politically, then we will find out whether Kelly and Trump have the stomach for the police-state tactics that would be necessary to deport many millions of people by force.
Donald Trump. Photo: Olivier Douliery/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Donald Trump is an authoritarian by instinct. He displays the classic traits of an authoritarian personality  a man obsessed with domination and humiliation, and unable to tolerate cognitive dissonance. (Guidance for Trumps presidential daily brief directs that his memos not only be short but, Ashley Dejean reports, should only include facts that support their analyses.) For years he has lavished praise upon authoritarian regimes in China, Russia, North Korea, and Iraq for having the strength to crush their opponents. And the first month of his presidency has seen Trump metamorphose from a reality-television-populist-outsider candidate into an actual president who sounds  but, so far, at least, only sounds  like the strongman leaders he has always admired.

The prospect that President Trump will degrade or destroy American democracy is the most important question of the new political era. It has received important scholarly attention from two basic sources, which have approached it in importantly different fashions. Scholars of authoritarian regimes (principally Russia) have used their knowledge of authoritarian history to paint a road map by which Trump could Putinize this country. Timothy Snyder, Masha Gessen, and other students of Putins methods have essentially treated Putinization as the likely future, and worked backward to the present. A second category of knowledge has come from scholars of democracy and authoritarianism, who have compared the strengths and weaknesses of the American system of government both to countries elsewhere that have succumbed to authoritarianism and those that have not. Their approach has, more appropriately, treated Trumps authoritarian designs as an open question. Trump might launch an assault on the foundations of the republic. On the other hand, he might not.

What are the signs of impending authoritarianism? Trump has rhetorically hyped violence, real or imaginary, committed by enemy groups, while downplaying or ignoring violence or threats from friendlier sources. He said nothing about a white-supremacist terror attack in Canada that killed six people before denouncing a knife attack a few days later by an Islamist radical in France that killed nobody. He quickly directed a government program on countering violent extremism to focus exclusively on Muslim radicalism and stop work halting white-supremacist terrorism. Just as he urged his campaign crowds to rough up protesters, he treated news that pro-Trump bikers would patrol his inauguration not as a threat to create chaos but as a welcome paramilitary force. Thats like additional security with those guys, and theyre rough, he gleefully told reporters. Trumps rhetoric follows a pattern of politicizing violence, simultaneously justifying stringent government action against enemies he has designated while tacitly justifying vigilantism by extremists sympathetic to his cause.

Since his election, Trump has obsessively fabricated a narrative in which he is the incarnate of the will of the people. According to his own concocted history, he won a historically large Electoral College victory, and would have also won the popular vote if not for millions of illegal votes. He has dismissed protesters against him as paid agents, denied the legitimacy of courts to overrule his actions, and, most recently, called mainstream media enemies of the people. This is an especially chilling phrase to hear from an American president. Totalitarian dictators like Stalin and Mao used designation of a political figure or a social class as an enemy of the people as a prelude to mass murder.

At this point, just a month into Trumps presidency, this pattern of authoritarian discourse is only that  discourse. A threat as dire as the potential disintegration of American democracy hardly requires certainty before justifying a response. The question is, what response is necessary?

It is worth noting that, so far, normal political countermobilization seems to be working quite well. The Resistance, as anti-Trump activists have come to be known, has already rattled the once-complacent Republican majorities in Congress, which Trump needs to quash investigations of his corruption and opaque ties to Russia. Whatever pressure Trump has tried to apply to the news media has backfired spectacularly. His sneering contempt has inspired a wave of subscriptions that have driven new revenue to national media, which have blanketed the administration with independent coverage. Popular culture outlets, rather than responding to Trumps election by tempering their mockery, have instead stepped it up, enraging the president.

The most plausible (to me) mechanism by which Trump might ensconce himself in power was laid out by Matthew Yglesias three months ago. The scenario Yglesias described would be one in which Trump used the authority of the federal government to compel large firms to give him political support. Companies that opposed him, or who even refused to offer support, might be punished with selectively punitive regulation, while those that played ball might be rewarded with lax enforcement of labor, antitrust, or other regulation.

So far there is no evidence such a scenario is playing out. To be sure, Trump is attempting, sporadically, to bully the private sector. But the effort has backfired. Firms whose leaders make favorable statements about the president have seen their stock get hammered. A long list of prominent CEOs has openly criticized Trump. The reason for this is obvious. Trumps supporters may have disproportionate power in the Electoral College, but his opponents have disproportionate power in the marketplace. Firms cater in their advertising to the young, who overwhelming oppose Trump, rather than to the old, who strongly support him.

If Trump has a plan to crush his adversaries, he has not yet revealed it. His authoritarian rage thus far is mostly impotent, the president as angry Fox-News-watching grandfather screaming threats at his television that he never carries out. The danger to the republic may come later, or never. In the first month of Trumps presidency, the resistance has the upper hand.
A protester in New York City. Photo: TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images

Thousands of protesters gathered across the nation Monday to rally against President Trump in a demonstration organizers called Not My Presidents Day. In New York, protesters came together at noon near Columbus Circle where they chanted things like Hey, hey! Ho, ho! Donald Trump has go to to go! and at one point joined a brass band for a rendition of America the Beautiful.

America the Beautiful at Columbus circle #NOTMYPRESIDENTSDAY rally pic.twitter.com/7ZTWxgGNkj  Scott Heins (@scottheins) February 20, 2017

The idea for the rally began in Los Angeles and quickly spread across the nation, organizer Olga Lexell told the Huffington Post. Part of the idea was to keep the momentum that started on the day after Trumps inauguration with the D.C. Womens March. This is what the scene looked in some of the countrys biggest cities.

New York City

Los Angeles

Photo: MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images

Chicago

Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images

In Chicago this is what democracy looks like #NotMyPresidentsDay pic.twitter.com/YwEG7bLn9h  Hannah Hayes (@Hannah2060) February 20, 2017

Washington, D.C.

Photo: SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images
President Trump was asked about the threats during his press conference with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images

The Anti-Defamation League has renewed its call for President Trump to explain what his administration intends to do to address the recent uptick in anti-Semitic incidents following another wave of threats against Jewish community centers across the country.

On Monday, bomb threats were called in to Jewish centers in 11 cities  Albuquerque; Birmingham, Alabama; Buffalo; Chicago; Cleveland; Houston; Milwaukee; Nashville; St. Paul; Tampa, Florida; and Tulsa, Oklahoma. It appears that all of the threats were hoaxes, but several centers were evacuated as a precaution. The FBI and the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division are investigating, according to NBC News.

Similar threats were made on January 9, January 18, and January 31. Including Mondays threats, there have been 69 incidents at 54 JCCs in 27 states and one Canadian province in 2017, according to the JCC Association of North America. Last year, only one JCC reported a similar threat.

Over the weekend, dozens of headstones were also knocked over at a Jewish cemetery in University City, Missouri. Police are investigating whether the vandalism was motivated by anti-Semitism.

The ADL said in a statement that while no bombs have been found at any of the centers, Threats themselves are alarming, disruptive, and must always been taken seriously.

ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt added, We look to our political leaders at all levels to speak out against such threats directed against Jewish institutions, to make it clear that such actions are unacceptable, and to pledge that they will work with law enforcement officials to ensure that those responsible will be apprehended and punished to the full extent of the law.



On Twitter the ADL called out the Trump administration more directly:

We are still waiting to hear what administration will do to address ongoing threats to Jewish communities #answerthequestion https://t.co/eBSPz6krb4  ADL (@ADL) February 20, 2017

The White House did release a brief statement about the incidents on Monday. Hatred and hate-motivated violence of any kind have no place in a country founded on the promise of individual freedom, said Lindsay Walters, the White House deputy press secretary. The president has made it abundantly clear that these actions are unacceptable.

But President Trump has not condemned the threats specifically. During his press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday, Trump was asked about the sharp rise in anti-Semitic incidents across the United States since the campaign. Trump said, We are going to do everything within our power to stop long-simmering racism and every other thing thats going on, but his answer mainly focused on the size of his election win. He also noted that in addition to so many friends, his daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner, are Jewish.

The next day, Trump lashed out at Jake Turx of the Jewish publication Ami Magazine for asking about the bomb threats, accusing him of posing a very insulting question. Though Turx noted that he wasnt suggesting the president or anyone on his staff is anti-Semitic, Trump declared that hes the least anti-Semitic person that youve ever seen in your entire life, and said nothing about the bomb threats.

While Ivanka Trump has tried to steer clear of political controversy since her father took office, she tweeted out a call for religious tolerance on Monday with the hashtag #JCC. The New York Times reported that the comment was made over an issue her allies say she feels personally.

America is a nation built on the principle of religious tolerance. We must protect our houses of worship & religious centers. #JCC  Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) February 20, 2017

The ACLs Jonathan Greenblatt said the First Daughters tweet was encouraging and reiterated the groups call for her father to do more about the threats.
These Trump fans in Florida love the 45th president, but his national standing, and its significance, is harder to figure. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Do you wonder why Donald Trump thinks hes wildly popular beyond the nefarious precincts of those enemies of the people, the liberal news media? The president himself offered a succinct talking point on that subject near the beginning of his very non-succinct February 16 press conference.

A new Rasmussen poll, in fact  because the people get it  much of the media doesnt get it. They actually get it, but they dont write it. Lets put it that way. But a new Rasmussen poll just came out just a very short while ago, and it has our approval rating at 55 percent and going up.

True to form, Trump cherry-picked the most favorable polling data available, and ignored the rest. But he could not do that  short of just, well, making stuff up, which is always an option for him  if it were not for an unusually wide range of findings in the polling universe about public attitudes toward the 45th presidents job performance so far.

As Nate Silver notes, Trumps recent approval ratings vary from a high of 55 percent (with 45 percent disapproval) in the aforementioned Rasmussen poll to a low of 39 percent (with 56 percent disapproval) in a survey from Pew Research. The differences are most likely the result of a combination of sampling and survey techniques. Trump consistently does better with narrower samples. Rasmussen claims to be measuring likely voters, even though we are more than a year and a half away from the next national election. Pew is sampling all adults, a significantly larger universe than those who will ultimately vote in that next election. Rasmussen is also famously a robo-pollster, which means hes only reaching the half of the electorate that has land lines. Pew utilizes a traditional live-interview methodology, which is generally thought to be more accurate, but that some theorize can be misleading with respect to highly controversial politicians like Trump. (This is the shy Trump voter theory.)

While polls like Rasmussens have a poor reputation and polls like Pews are considered closer to the gold standard (FiveThirtyEights pollster ratings give Raz a C+ and Pew a B+), we are in a period of great uncertainty about polling quality. And as it happens, the final 2016 national poll from Rasmussen pretty much nailed Clintons popular-vote margin over Trump, while the final Pew poll (conducted two weeks out, to be fair) showed Clinton up by six points.

So with all this confusion, is Trump justified in just citing whichever polling results he wants? No, not really. Most observers who are interested in approximating the truth go with polling averages. At the moment, RealClearPolitics average of recent polls places Trumps job approval ratio at 45/51. Its also important to pay attention to trends. As it happens, since Trump bragged about his Rasmussen numbers, his approval ratio in that tracking poll has deteriorated from 55/45 to 50/50, the worst ratio of his brief administration.

It is an entirely different question how much these numbers matter as a predictor of the next election. While the party of the president almost always loses House seats and more often than not loses Senate and gubernatorial seats in midterms, and less popular presidents usually lose more than popular presidents, variations in the landscape can make it very tricky to lay odds. The Senate landscape in 2018 is insanely pro-Republican. GOP control of the upper chamber could very well survive even a Democratic electoral tsunami. Since all House seats are up in 2018, GOP control there is significantly more vulnerable, but thanks to gerrymandering and superior efficiency in the distribution of voters, Democrats will have an uphill battle to win the net 24 seats necessary for a flip in control  and with it the ability to thwart the Trump/GOP agenda. Nate Cohn appears to think its too much of a reach even if Trumps approval ratings stay roughly where they are today.

Democrats might not take the chamber with a victory on the scale of their huge win in 2006, when they gained 30 seats, or on the scale of the Republican sweep in 2010, which garnered 63 seats. With so many Republican seats safely out of play, a similarly impressive win might still leave the Democrats short of House control.



In 2006 and 2010, Mr. Bush and Mr. Obama had approval ratings near or above 40 percent on Election Day. So if you had to make a rough guess, you would probably say that Mr. Trumps approval rating would probably need to be even lower for House control to become a true tossup.

So while it is hard to deny that Trump is amazingly unpopular for a new president, unless his approval ratings trend farther down the way even those of popular presidents typically do, his party may not suffer the kind of humiliation Democrats experienced in 2010. For all the shock Trump has consistently inspired with his behavior as president, theres not much objective reason for Republican politicians to panic and begin abandoning him based on his current public standing. But in this as in so many other respects, we are talking about an unprecedented chief executive, so the collapse some in the media and the Democratic Party perceive as already underway could yet arrive.
BERTRAND GUAY/AFP/Getty Images(PARIS) -- A Paris art thief known as "Spider-Man" has been sentenced to eight years in prison after stealing five paintings worth about $110 million.

Vjeran Tomic, a 49-year-old with acrobatic skills, admitted to taking the five masterpieces from the Musee d'Art Moderne in 2010, according to BBC. The works of art-- which include an Henri Mattisse, a Pablo Picasso and an Amedeo Modigliani-- are still missing

Tomic said he originally broke into the museum to steal a work of art by Ferdinand Leger, but he decided to steal four additional paintings when an alarm did not go off, according to BBC.

Antique dealer Jean-Michel Corvez and Yonathan Birn, both accomplices, were also handed prison sentences. All three men were ordered to pay the city $110 million in compensation, plus additional fines, BBC reports.

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Congress sure could use some detailed guidance from the president. But its unclear hes got any. Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images

Even after the presidents rally this weekend in Florida came and went, it was difficult to grasp the fact that after just a month in the most powerful position in the world, Donald Trump was eager to get back on the campaign trail. Of all the possible explanations for this odd development, the most plausible  and alarming  is that the lack of interest in policy details that was so apparent in Candidate Trump has carried over to President Trump.

We will know for sure on February 28, when Trump addresses a joint session of Congress. As conservative policy wonk James Capretta reminds us, these first-year presidential addresses are usually the occasion for highly detailed and polished presentations of the new administrations agenda. Bill Clinton and Barack Obama released policy tomes of more than 140 pages laying out their plans; George W. Bushs document was 207 pages. For a politician who normally communicates in 140 characters rather than pages, that would be an astonishing feat. And its not like he has a large army of underlings in place who know the presidents mind and have nothing else to do but to bring order to his vague wishes. As John Nichols points out, Trump has only made nominations for 34 of the 549 positions requiring Senate confirmation. And it certainly seems the White House staff itself is juggling too much dynamite to do any deep thinking or extensive writing. Chief speechwriter Stephen Miller, for example, has been busy telling diplomats and airlines what to do with refugees and other immigrants. He probably doesnt have time to write up an agenda, and he works for a boss who doesnt much like to read, either.

Unfortunately, the congressional Republicans who have a lot more interest than Trump in governing the country could really use some extremely detailed executive guidance. Their plans for the year require precision timing, and nobody wants to run even the slightest risk that Trump will suddenly tweet out objections to an appropriations bill, much less one of the two giant budget-reconciliation bills designed to repeal Obamacare and cut taxes, among other big priorities. As Capretta explains, the time when rhetoric could be substituted for decisions is long past:

Trump has no choice at this point but to begin showing some cards if he wants to get anything done. The drift and paralysis that is now settling in over Washington is palpable, and it is due entirely to the lack of a clear plan. On complex issues, leadership from the executive branch has been critical in recent decades, and that is unlikely to change even with a very different kind of chief executive.

Maybe he will somehow rise to the occasion on February 28. But Trump has certainly shown no inclination to follow the usual templates up until now, judging by his belligerent Inaugural Address and his bizarre first presidential press conference. It may perhaps miss the point to talk about the man returning to the campaign trail. He may never have left it.

Before he took office, there was some speculation Trump might just focus on the ceremonial aspects of the presidency, or stick to a few big thematic topics, and let Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell basically run the country. But the trouble with a narcissist in this job is that even if he refuses to use his power, hes not about to let anybody usurp it. And if that means Congress grinds to a halt and America doesnt get made great again in the next four years  well, thats what a second term is for! No wonder Trump keeps campaigning!
Photo: Harris A Ewing/Saturday Evening Post

Medical science advanced at an astonishing pace in the twentieth century. On the whole, that is wonderful. That is a great boon for humanity. But there can be a downside to new medical science, as when it is wielded by a charismatic demagogue who cares more about his own reputation than the wellbeing of his patients.

Now, there have always been charlatans who claimed to have cures for dangerous diseases despite having no such thing. Their outrageous conduct meant that patients often dieda good indication that their treatment didnt work. However, with scientific advances, quacks could offer more than just charms to ward off disease. By the twentieth century medical science had advanced to a point where unscrupulous individuals could cause irreversible damage to patients without actually killing them. And then they could call their procedures successes. And people were not vigilant enough, or not sufficiently aware, to say, No, that is not what success means.

Which brings us to lobotomies,one of the scariest procedures modern medicine has produced. When I began writing my book, Get Well Soon: Historys Plagues and the Heroes Who Fought Them, I originally intended to focus on plagues induced by disease, not by human stupidity. This one falls squarely into the latter camp, but still, I couldnt write a book on deadly medical horrors without talking about the terror wreaked by Walter Jackson Freeman II.

* * *

The first leucotomy or lobotomy was performed on a human by the Portuguese neurologist Antonio Egas Moniz in 1935. This operation involved drilling holes into a patients skull and then making cuts into the brains frontal lobes to sever their connections to the rest of the brain.

He was inspired by a similar surgery that had been performed on a pair of chimpanzees at Yale University. The chimps, named Becky and Lucy, lost their problem-solving abilities after researchers removed the frontal lobes of their brains, according to a 2010 episode of the PBS series American Experience. But scientists also noticed that Becky was no longer frustrated when she was unable to solve problems. She was not bothered in the way a puzzle-solving chimpanzee should be at all.

The takeaway from the chimp experiment should have been, Well, that was interesting. But lets not mess around with anyones frontal lobes. But Beckys response to the procedure stood out. A reduction in anxiety and negative emotion is striking and, at first glance, seems like a very good result.

Dr. Moniz believed that such an operation would make life far better for the insane. And if better life just constitutes being less worried and agitated, he was correct. There is one problem, though: worrying about stuff serves a purpose. It means you are capable of caring and solving problems. Which means you are qualified to be an empathetic, adult human being.

Dr. Moniz was not considering the disadvantages of a life without worry.

The first lobotomies involved drilling two holes about three centimeters deep directly into a patients skull over the frontal lobes. Then alcohol was injected into the frontal lobes in an attempt to disrupt neural pathways. When the ethyl alcohol proved less than entirely effective, Moniz and his team began cutting the lobe with wire, using an instrument called the leucotome. They didnt actually remove the frontal lobes, they just severed the connections between the frontal lobes and the rest of the brain. Thats a delicate bit of neurosurgery.

Unlike Moniz, Walter Jackson Freeman II, while a physician, was not a surgeon, let alone a neurosurgeon. That did not stop him.

He and his partner James Watts performed the first version of this surgery in the United States in 1936. Their patient was a 63-year-old woman named Alice Hammatt. She suffered from severe depressionperhaps aggravated by the fact that one of her children had died, as had her sister and brother- in-law in a murder-suicide pact.

After the operation Hammatt was free from anxiety. That said, after the operation she was also only able to flip through magazines and draw pictures. She wasnt able to have a coherent conversation. She ultimately regained her ability to speak, although her husband and maid did most of the work around her home, according to Freeman. But she was very happy with the procedure and felt that she spent a lot less time worrying. Freeman thought the result was spectacular.

Perhaps the most famous example of a lobotomy gone very wrong was Rosemary Kennedy, the daughter of Rose and Joseph P. Kennedy and one of the sisters of President John F. Kennedy.

Rosemarys IQ was estimated to be low, likely from brain damage caused by a shortage of oxygen during her birth.

Rosemary was hardworking, affectionate, and fiercely devoted to her family. She grew older, however, and while her other siblings moved on to their own seemingly more exciting lives, Rosemary became increasingly prone to temper tantrums. Her father, Joseph, was terrified that shed have premarital sex, possibly get pregnant, and embarrass the family at a time when he was mapping out his sons political careers. In 1941, when Rosemary was age 23, he decided a lobotomy might be a cure for her unpredictable behavior, engaging Freeman and Watts to perform it.

After the operation she was unable to walk or talk. Even with years of rehabilitative efforts, she was only ever able to speak a few words. However, at the time the public never learned about what happened to Rosemary or cases like hers. It was in neither the Kennedy familys nor Freeman and Wattss interest to let people know about the horrifying effects of her operation.

Results like these werent enough to deter Freeman. Remarkably, he came to think that Monizs technique was not efficient enough to lobotomize all the people who he believed could benefit from the procedure. He and his partner thought that the drilling was the most bothersome part for patients. They claimed: Apprehension becomes a little more marked when the holes are drilled, probably because of the actual pressure on the skull and the grinding sound that is as distressing, or more so, than the drilling of a tooth.

So they developed the transorbital lobotomy, which involved inserting an ice pick into a patients skull through the bone known as the orbit at the back of the eye socket. Patients were generally subdued with electroshock therapy beforehand. Then the ice pick was driven through the back of the eye with a hammer. There, it would be moved back and forth in the same motion as an eggbeater, severing connections between the thalamus (which controls the motor systems of the brain, extending to basic functions like movement and consciousness) and frontal lobes (which regulate higher intellect).

The operation itself could be performed in less than ten minutes, and as soon as the bleeding stopped, patients were sent home, generally in a taxi, just as if they had been to the dentisteven though lot of the patients could barely remember who they were when they were being herded into the car.

In 1946 Freeman performed his new transorbital operation on Sallie Ellen Ionesco. She was severely depressed, and had previously tried to commit suicide and to smother one of her children. After the lobotomy she was never violent again. When she was interviewed about it later, she claimed, [Freeman] was a great man, thats all I can say  I dont remember nothing else, and Im very tired. Her daughter, however, did say that she wished Freeman hadnt gotten quite so out of hand.

Many of the people who were lobotomized were untroubled by the results. According to John B. Dynes and James L. Poppen in their 1949 American Medical Journal article Lobotomy for Intractable Pain, after patients were operated on, they never admitted they were mentally depressed and at no time did they show grief or shed tears. However, all of the patients that Dynes and Poppen surveyed who before their lobotomies had been classified as normal or in some cases in an anxiety state were afterward classified as retarded or euphoric. In addition to feeling no depression: They were indifferent to sorrow or grief, and seemed incapable of sensing or appreciating the feelings of others.

Often Freeman was inclined to see his operations as successful, while those closer to the patients saw them as anything but. Regarding the success of the operation on a 24-year-old schizophrenic, Freeman reported: It apparently requires some imagination, as well as some emotional driving force, to bring about misbehavior at the legally reprehensible level and this the patient is incapable of. That patient also probably did not have time to misbehave, given his brothers statement that he had lost all sense of time, spending four to six hours a day washing his hands but nevertheless going around with dirty clothes.

The more lobotomies Freeman performed, the more obvious the disadvantages of the operation became. Even Freeman admitted, Every patient probably loses something by this operation, some spontaneity, some sparkle, some flavor of the personality.

What is that elusive sparkle? Is it a certain panache that accompanies the telling of ones stories? An almost Fitzgeraldian gleam in someones eye as they exclaim, To the wine cellar, Maurice! Were going to fill this bathtub with champagne!

Nope. That sparkle was adult intellect.

Excerpted from Get Well Soon: Historys Worst Plagues and the Heroes Who Fought Them by Jennifer Wright, published by HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY. Copyright  2017 by Jennifer Wright. All rights reserved.
Lohan. Photo: Chance Yeh/Getty Images

Amid speculation that Lindsay Lohan may be converting to Islam, the actress now says she was recently a victim of Islamophobia. While traveling from London to New York after meeting with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey to discuss the global refugee crisis, Lohan claims she was racially profiled for the first time in my life at Heathrow Airport for wearing a headscarf. She told Piers Morgan on Good Morning Britain, [British Airport Security] opened my passport and saw Lindsay Lohan and started immediately apologizing, but then said please take off your headscarf. And I did, its okay. (She says she was wearing a headscarf out of personal respect for Turkish culture.)

However, the incident forced Lohan to consider how she benefited from her privilege as both a celebrity and non-Muslim: What scared me in that moment [is] how would another woman who doesnt feel comfortable taking off her headscarf feel? That was really interesting to me. I was kind of in shock. It was jarring. As for her religion, Lohan said it wouldnt be right to talk about converting until shes finished studying the Koran, but that its a consideration.
Photo: Getty Images

New Yorks Sex Diaries series asks anonymous city dwellers to record a week in their sex lives  with comic, tragic, often sexy, and always revealing results. This week, a 40-year-old man who works in the food industry and finally feels mature enough for a serious relationship: straight, Cobble Hill, single.

DAY ONE

9 a.m. I wake up whenever I want to because, well, I dont have kids. I dont take that for granted! Im the only guy I know without kids by now. Id love to have some soon, by the way.

I have a date with a nice lady tonight so I decide to hit the gym. I dont know what one has to do with the other, but it seems like a good idea.

10 a.m. Im at Equinox. There are some attractive women here. Theyre all married. Why do women wear huge diamond rings to run on a treadmill? Ass sweat and Tiffanys  odd combo!

Noon Now is a good time to explain that Im between jobs. I ran a restaurant that recently closed. I was the GM; a lame title for the guy who did fucking everything. After that closed, I spent a few months cleaning my life up. As in, quitting drinking, quitting fucking (as much as Id been), quitting treating myself like shit. Lately Im feeling great and ready to find a new job, possibly a girlfriend. One day at a time.

2 p.m. I am neither a chef nor a foodie, but I know how to make a motherfucker of a turkey sandwich. Its all about the aioli.

4 p.m. Some light flirtatious texting with tonights date, Melissa. I dont know much about her at this point. She could Google me and find out a lot about me, and Im sure she has. Doesnt everyone Google dates these days? Well, unfortunately for me and my romantic life, someone wrote about my failed restaurant and my drinking problem, calling me a mean drunk. I cant get it off the internet so I just have to live with it. My mom is not proud. Anyway, I met Melissa at a yoga class in Williamsburg. Shes a lawyer covered in tats. Cool mix. I pick a little bar/cafe I like in Cobble Hill.

7:30 p.m. Beat one out in the shower, just before a date. Standard.

8 p.m. Melissa is there before me, looking beautiful. I think she has a luminous aura.

8:15 p.m. I order a tea. Turns out she doesnt drink either. Nice. We talk about everything right away. She broke up with a serious boyfriend about two months ago. I havent had a serious girlfriend in almost five years, not since I was 35.

11 p.m. We had a great time. The only thing was that she got weird when we were kissing after the date at another romantic bar (more tea!). I asked if she wanted to come back to my place and she seemed offended by that, or offended by something. Then she kind of shut down and hopped on the subway. I hope she liked me. I liked her.

DAY TWO

10 a.m. Boom, another late start.

10:30 a.m. I get my coffee and eggs ready while listening to podcasts. Today it is that Death, Sex, and Money one, or is it Money, Sex, and Death? Its an older one, and theyre interviewing one of the girls on Veep. Which is better than one of the girls on Girls  that show makes my soul hurt. I hate that show so much. They are all the worst.

11:30 a.m. Melissa texts. This one is for the books: She says she had a great time but next time no splitting the bill! WHAT? Mind you, I dont even remember splitting the bill. Maybe the final bar, we did. But honestly, I thought I paid? And if we did split, I am almost positive its because she insisted. I admire the balls on her, and by balls I mean honesty. Quickly, though, I start to feel turned off about the whole thing and dont text back. I am not a cheap bastard. I might be unemployed, but I made a lot of money consulting for a corporate brand last year and saved a lot of money.

5 p.m. I miss happy hour. I might drink again. Just not today.

DAY THREE

9 a.m. Im already at the gym. Swiping left and right while speed-walking on the treadmill. Got some old-school hip-hop Spotify playing. I match with someone on Tinder who is exactly my type. Paula. Shes black, sassy, artsy. I send her a note and turn up the music.

10 a.m. Chatting it up with Paula. Shes been separated from her husband for about a year. Three kids, all under 10. Interesting. Im down. We make a date for tomorrow. She lives near me; we both love the same places.

9 p.m. I took a couple meetings this afternoon. Its all shit. The future is bleak. I went to Cornell for this stuff but that doesnt help much  and my lousy attitude doesnt help at all. Trying to snap out of it. I have therapy tomorrow.

11 p.m. Watched Loving. Super-beautiful film. Feel melancholic as I fall asleep.

DAY FOUR

8 a.m. Early therapy sesh in city. Grab a strong coffee at Everyman Espresso first.

10 a.m. I like my therapist. Been seeing her for a few months. Quitting drinking wasnt that hard. Its managing my grumpy attitude that I struggle with. Being happy and sunny doesnt come easy to me. We talk a lot about my upbringing  which was pretty good, actually. Its hard to pinpoint the culprit. I dont believe in antidepressants. Plus, I dont think a limp dick would make life more cheerful.

7:30 p.m. Paula and I are playing the most epic version of Would you rather!? I ask: Would you rather blow Trump or get eaten out by Pence? Im a classy man. But hey, she is laughing uncontrollably. Shes a high-school teacher, which I find incredibly sexy.

10:30 p.m. I PAY THE BILL. Kiss on the cheek good night. I walk home, as does she  different directions. I kind of want to pretend Im in the movies and turn back around to kiss her dramatically  but I dont.

DAY FIVE

11 a.m. Helping a buddy out on a film set today. Its an indie film and he needs me to be a hot guy standing at the bar brooding. Um, I can maybe do that. I dont have to speak, thank goodness. I ask another fake actor to take a picture of me at my post. Paula told me to do that for her. I send the picture and put my phone away.

4 p.m. When I look at my phone again Paulas texted back twice. One time with those red kissy lips and then the fist-pump emoji. The second time with a selfie of her and her youngest one. IT IS ADORABLE.

8 p.m. Im pretty tired. I text Paula to ask when I can take her out to dinner. Kids are invited too, I let her know. She says thats cool of me to offer but that shed prefer some kid-free time and can meet up two nights from now. Excellent.

DAY SIX

Noon I get a job offer. Its for a new restaurant in Greenpoint. The chef has a great reputation. Hours are rough but pay is good. I accept right away.

4 p.m. I cant say Im doing cartwheels over the job. Im pretty much over the restaurant industry. But being unemployed makes me feel so bad about myself, at least this can transition me out of that. I start tomorrow. But Ill be done in time for dinner with Paula.

7 p.m. My ex works in the food industry too and suddenly I have a weird pit in my stomach, thinking about her and all our overlap. We broke up because things just got crazy. We both partied too hard. We both fucked around on each other. It was either so good or so bad. Extreme highs and lows. Then she left me for a successful chef in Atlanta. Last I heard, they were engaged but I honestly have no idea. I just hope she isnt anywhere near me, certainly not at my new job tomorrow. I would like to be with someone again. I feel ready and willing. Mostly, I feel mature enough to handle a solid relationship with the care it deserves.

DAY SEVEN

7 a.m. Good morning, working world! I have not missed you.

9 a.m. Today is an introduction to everyone and everything. No issues yet. Cool place. The chef seems warm and normal. He has a wife and kids, which is always a good sign (he has a life).

5 p.m. Short day because the resto isnt officially open and wont be for a few more days. Some of the servers gave me dinner ideas for tonight. Grateful for that. I text Paula the place I decided on  great pasta, nice pours of wine.

8 p.m. When she shows up, its obvious that were both pretty tired. I really try to rally. I dont want my low energy to come off as disinterested. I am the opposite of that. To tell the truth, I havent been able to stop thinking about her.

10:30 p.m. Dinner was really sweet  she made a big deal about my new job and had the waiter bring over two glasses of Champagne. After dinner, she invites me to her place. (Kids are with their dad.) I happily go. Not tired anymore!

Midnight We made love! Dont laugh. Thats what it was and it was incredible. I feel a real connection to her. Tonight, I am a very grateful man.



Want to submit a sex diary? Email sexdiaries@nymag.com and tell us a little about yourself.
President Donald Trump. Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images

President Donald Trump will issue further guidance on an Obama administrative policy aimed at protecting transgender students in public schools, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said during a Tuesday news briefing.

As Politico reports, advocates expect President Barack Obamas directive to be rescinded soon. The policy was designed to protect transgender students from harassment discrimination, maintaining that Title IX guarantees their rights to use bathrooms and locker rooms that align with their gender identities. During the press briefing, Spicer told reporters that President Trump believes the matter should be decided by the states.

That is an issue that the Department of Justice and the Department of Education are addressing, Spicer said, per BuzzFeed News. I think that there will be further guidance coming from DOJ in particular with respect not just to the executive order but also the case that is in front of the Supreme Court.

Spicer continued, The president has maintained for a long time that this is a states-rights issue and not one for the federal government. So will there be further guidance coming out on this? I think all you have to do is look at what the presidents view has been for a long time. That this is not something that the federal government should be involved in. This is a states-rights issue.

Politico notes that close to half of U.S. states have filed suit over Obamas guidelines, and the U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear arguments over the matter next month.
Top Row: Melania Trump in British GQ in 2000 and in the Oval Office on February 15, 2017; Bottom Row: Ivanka Trump in Arena magazine in 2007 and at the Inauguration on January 20, 2017. Photo: Andrew Harrer-Pool/Getty Images/Anthony Behar/SIPA USA via AP Images

Its been a rough month for the Trump women and their ability to, as Melanias representatives put it, launch a broad-based commercial brand that could garner multimillion-dollar business relationships. The news that Nordstrom would be walking away from Ivanka Trumps clothing brand after it said sales have steadily declined, was, at the very least, a public-relations blow to Ivankas brand, which insists that business is booming. And in Melania Trumps lawsuit against the Daily Mail for suggesting that she worked as an elite escort in the sex business, she emphasizes the potential damage to her ability to cash in on a situation (being First Lady) she sometimes appears to only barely endure.

Despite their similar physical presentations (long legs, long hair, big chests, fitted clothing), Melania and Ivanka have sought to establish incredibly different brands, particularly in the years since Ivankas conversion to Orthodox Judaism. At present, theyve got a Betty-and-Veronica thing going on: Melania is the mysterious brunette whose pre-politics work as a model centered on bikinis and lingerie, private jets, and what might happen when one gets naked on top of a large fur throw. Once she posed in sunglasses, underwear, and boots with a handgun on the wing of an airplane; in another shot she was in a swimsuit on a white leather banquette inside the same jet with a briefcase full of jewels. The message was always sex  dangerous sex, and not-traditional-matrimonial sex.

After Melania got married in 2005, she was photographed inside her gilded penthouse pushing a gilded pram. If her brand to this point has been about the relationship between sex and money (bathing suits plus jets plus golden rooms plus fur), the new turn was suggesting that the right marriage (or, perhaps, high-stakes, in-your-underpants jewel heist) would enable you to cover your apartment in gold leaf and spend afternoons in nothing but your husbands big tuxedo shirt. Her husbands stated positions on gender support this notion  Theres a lot of women out there that demand that the husband act like the wife  Its just not me  and once upon a time it was an idea the Trumps seemed proud of. Back when the family exhibited a sort of in-on-the-joke, gleeful knowingness about themselves, Melania is said to have answered the question Would you have married Donald Trump if he wasnt rich? with If I werent beautiful, do you think hed be with me? So little has been seen or heard from Melania, both during the campaign and since the inauguration, that there hasnt been much to indicate a new direction as First Lady, apart from one halfhearted mention about the problem of cyberbullying.

By contrast, the current version of Ivanka the Brand is based, oddly, on chastity. Todays Ivanka seeks to present herself as pure. Her social-media posts frequently include her children, always bathed in conspicuous markers of Good Taste. And she has consistently pushed the idea of herself as a passionate advocate for the education and empowerment of women and girls, though there hasnt been much meat in that sandwich as of yet, just cutting a campaign commercial in which she described motherhood as the most important job a woman can have, then quitting the company she founded in order to move to Washington to support her husband and father in their official capacities, but nevertheless turning up in the Oval Office for photo ops despite having no official White House role. Before her marriage, things were different. Back then, much photography of Ivanka focused on her body, her chest heaving out of dresses and over the boardroom table, or with a businesslike suit hiked up to reveal the top of her stockings, and, once, with a leather riding crop in hand. She posed oiled up in a swimsuit on a construction site for Harpers Bazaar, a pneumatic drill placed suggestively between her legs. In another photograph, she lounged on that same site in a ballgown beside topless men in hard hats. It all read like an ad for an office-based porno  Would you like to inspect my documents, sir? But since Jared, Judaism, and motherhood, she has sought something else  something about being a modern-day working mother who has no problem raising three children on a series of white couches. She publishes odes to her husband and delights in her young son crawling for the first time inside the White House while she wears a black turtleneck and pants. Her signature Eau de Parfum recently hit No. 1 on Amazons best-seller list, with the roll-on version not far behind.

From left: Ivanka with husband, Jared Kushner, in New York City in 2011, Melania at Trump Tower in 2006. Photo: Elder Ordonez/INFPhoto

Ivanka has had a certain amount of success marketing herself, particularly when the price point is low (her fine-jewelry line was recently dropped by Neiman Marcus, which cited poor sales). But even ardent fans of the brand itself would be hard-pressed to describe its offerings as original (she is currently being sued by Italian shoe brand Aquazzura for copyright infringement involving the claim that her namesake company has produced direct copies of at least three Aquazzura designs in Chinese factories). Her successes have always been a matter of branding as opposed to a reflection of good design. The Ivanka customer could certainly do just as well at Reiss.

Before the election, Melanias attempts to monetize herself had been rocky. Her first foray was Melania Timepieces & Jewelry, a line that launched exclusively on QVC in 2010, which she described as affordable versions of her own expensive stuff (it was all manufactured in China). It was widely reported that the line sold out in 45 minutes. In 2012 came the foray intocaviar-based anti-aging skin care, which she described testing on her young son, Barron, and also hawked to Dennis Rodman on Celebrity Apprentice. This line began as a venture in tandem with New Sunshine LLC, a beauty company in Indianapolis that also manufactures bronzer for the Kardashian brands and JWoww from Jersey Shore. The owners of that company (friends of Donald Trumps) became involved in a lawsuit against one another  its complicated and sordid and involves treacherous threesomes  and Melanias face cream faded away.

But the idea that Melania is newly concerned with her ability to make some money in the future raises another possibility, particularly for members of the Free Melania movement: that she might, in fact, be looking ahead to a future where shes consigned to a life dictated by the terms of whatever prenuptial agreement she signed as the third wife of a man who was not yet president.

A post-Donald Melania brand, a sister-actually-doing-it-for-herself kind of thing, fronted by an independent Melania, a hardworking immigrant who got mixed up with the wrong guy before seeing the error of her ways. Now, thats a brand with potential.

*This article appears in the February 20, 2017, issue of New York Magazine.
Portugal: Off the beaten track

Wine-producing countries that fall outside of the top 10 might be out of the limelight but they can be ideal for independent wine merchants seeking value-for-money wines that are unlikely to be found in supermarkets. Portugal, which sits at number 11 in the UK off-trade, is a perfect example.

Portuguese wine, excluding fortified, is worth 34.7 million in the off-trade, down 1.5% compared with a year ago (Nielsen, year to December 3). Its average bottle price tends to be on the low side at 5.01 but this is up slightly from 4.87 a year ago.

It does mean, of course, that pushing up prices is one of the challenges for retailers, but there is also the opportunity to introduce consumers to new wines  which are increasingly being praised for their quality  at reasonable prices.

QUALITY MESSAGE

Nuno Vale, Vini Portugals marketing director, says the quality message is already starting to get out.

As a nation we have always been extremely proud of the quality of the wines coming out of our country, he says.

Traditionally, weve been given less shelf space in the UK, which makes it a little more challenging to capture attention. However, with more of our wines winning awards and gaining more credibility, consumers are starting to sit up and take notice.

In the longer term we hope to see this growing interest in our wines translate into even more increased retail space.

Chris Appleby, brand manager for Casa Ferreirinha and other Portuguese wines in the Sogrape portfolio, agrees the quality message is getting out but admits it is a slow process.

We would say that Portugal has been an undoubted source of quality wine for a long time. Retailers have confidence in Portuguese wines but for the most part this is confined to the independent and on-trade sectors where quality and choice are excellent but lacking in continuity that allows consumer confidence in the quality to build. Most retailers are in search of, and often only list exclusives.

Appleby says that, while this works well for established and strong-performing wine categories, Portugal would benefit from some larger brands with a good value-to-quality ratio, to help drive more appeal to a wider audience.

WHICH WINES SHOULD RETAILERS KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR?

Portugal is, of course, famous for port and this has helped direct consumers to its fuller-bodied red wines, such as those from the Douro and Alentejo.

Meanwhile, the lighter, softer blends of the Tejo and Lisboa regions also have good consumer appeal and, as Vale from Vini Portugal notes, production and interest in Portugals white wines is growing.

The quality of Portuguese white wines has improved tremendously in the past decade and the wines now show a great deal of versatility and authenticity, he says.

The white wines of Vinho Verde are especially popular with todays consumer and, as a result, we are seeing increased shelf space in UK retailers, particularly for wines made from Alvarinho and Loureiro grapes.

It is also worth keeping your eyes open for sparkling wines from Bairrada, created using the Baga grape.

Appleby adds that Vinho Verde has true diversity. He says: It was a refreshing change in 2016 to see an increasing number of retailers stocking a variety of Vinho Verdes and not just the traditional offering of one.

WHAT ELSE MIGHT RETAILERS PROMOTE FROM PORTUGAL?

Vale notes there is a good mix of tradition and innovation in Portuguese winemaking culture and there is a wealth of extremely talented young winemakers doing some really interesting things.

For the year ahead retailers should expect to see greater links between Portuguese wines and tourism, and food, says Appleby.

Adrian Bridge, chief executive of the Fladgate Partnership, also highlights the strength of port, which may help drive more interest in Portuguese wines in general.

Port is still the major export of quality wines from Portugal, accounting for over 40% of sales, he says.

It is well distributed and understood by consumers  it is the fortified wine that has been in growth in the UK for 20 years when other fortified wines have been in decline.

ONE TO WATCH: WINES OF TEJO

Wines of Tejo has just launched a UK campaign to raise awareness of its wines, with a focus on independent wine merchants and the on-trade.

This central region, a short drive from Lisbon, houses 80 wineries which account for 10% of Portugals vineyard area.

Its brand ambassador, Sarah Abbott MW, says there are few small regions of Portugal that have such a good mix of red and white wines. It also has a mix of climate zones and the price of land is really accessible, so there are younger, experimental winemakers appearing as well as some more established ones.

Tejo has an opportunity to show some of the more premium wines Portugal can produce. No one has really heard of Tejo so it is the underdog and its identity is still there to be rewritten.

Related articles:
While the Permian field has enjoyed a continued boom, with a rising rig count and an increase in investment activity, other U.S. onshore shale and tight oil fields havent been so lucky. Higher costs, declining investment and tougher competition have hit the Bakken field harder than the Permian.

A slight recovery might be in progress, coming in the wake of OPEC production cuts and rising industry confidence, despite the on-going presence of bearish fundamentals and an evident supply glut. New pipelines could also lower Bakken costs and allow a faster recovery. But prospects for the region to compete with the surging Permian seem dim, at least in the short term.

For the last few years, the news out of North Dakota wasnt pretty. The Bakken, once the center of a regional energy boom, saw a major slump in activity. Since hitting a peak of 1.23 million bpd in December 2014, Bakken crude production has declined, falling below 900 thousand bpd in late 2016, while the rig count has declined to less than fifty, according to monthly EIA data, from a high of 183 in 2014.

North Dakota, which holds the bulk of the Bakken field, has seen its production swing back and forth since October, chiefly due to the vicissitudes of the winter weather. The state sees an economic decline every year when the bitter winter kicks in, but this year oil and gas production was hit particularly hard. In December, total production fell by 10 percent to record lows, as three major storms interfered with activity and forced a number of rigs to shut down. A recovery in January brought those rigs back on-line, but the long-term trends have some wondering if the Bakken play is a bust. Related: Russia Gains Upper Hand In Asian Oil War

The EIA is now predicting total Bakken production to fall in March 2017 from 994 to 976 thousand bpd, while gas production holds steady at around 1.7 billion cfd. This is the biggest anticipated decline of any U.S. field and pales in comparison to the Permian forecast, where oil production is expected to surge another 70 thousand bpd.

The reason for the Bakken bust? Tight competition last year drove investors from the field and pulled more money south to the Permian, where conditions are more favorable and interest more concentrated. A boost in prices thanks to the OPEC deal has brought relief to U.S. shale, but recovery seems to be concentrated in the Permian, where around half of US rigs are located.

There is some good news for the Bakken, however. Support for the Dakota Access Pipeline from the Trump Administration, which may allow the controversial pipeline to be completed, would make transportation from the Bakken more economical and drive down the breakeven price. Of the 1 million bpd produced by the Bakken, only about half can be transported by pipeline, with the rest going out by rail. The Dakota Access will open up about 450,000 bpd of capacity, obviating the need to move oil by rail, a much more expensive proposition.

Yet with resistance to the project high, and the likelihood of continued protests in the area a certainty, there are no guarantees quite yet that the pipeline will be completed as originally planned. The pipeline is currently about 90 percent completed, and with approval would be finished in three to four months. Related: The Shift Towards Renewables Is Picking Up Pace

Some energy firms are confident that the Bakkens future looks bright. Hess Corporation, which is already heavily involved in North Dakota, has earmarked $2.25 billion exploration and production in the Bakken in 2017, and the company plans to increase Bakken rigs from two to six by years end.

Should the Dakota Access, along with the long-awaited Keystone XL pipeline, be completed and prices in the Bakken drop, it could bring about a renaissance for the region and increase its competitiveness with the Permian field. The Trump Administration, which has long vowed to work to bring more jobs and prosperity to the U.S. energy sector, believes constructing these pipelines will accomplish those goals. But as a recent New York Times story made quite clear, automation and changing technology has allowed production in the Permian and elsewhere to pick up without bringing a recovery in jobs.

So, even if the Bakken comes roaring back to life, theres no guarantee the boom towns of North Dakota will enjoy a similar resurgence.

By Gregory Brew for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Oil prices gained on Monday and Tuesday as both traders and analysts see crude markets tightening as a result of OPEC output cuts.

Chart of the Week

(Click to enlarge)

 The collapse of oil prices in 2014 provided a windfall for the airline industry, with industry-wide profits rising to $25.6 billion in 2015, up from $7.5 billion in 2014.

 Fuel costs fell by $16.5 billion over that timeframe.

 The profits and fuel savings have allowed airlines to upgrade their fleets, procuring new aircraft in the past few years.

Market Movers

 Statoils (NYSE: STO) Troll field will be added to calculations for the Brent crude benchmark. The Brent benchmark is priced based on physical oil from the Brent field, plus three other fields  Forties, Oseberg and Ekofisk. However, with those fields depleting, S&P Global Platts said it will include the Troll field in the mix.

 Gastar Exploration (NYSEMKT: GST) saw its share price shoot up more than 10 percent after it secured $425 million in new financing. Gastar is a small shale player in the STACK play in Oklahoma.

 Enbridge (NYSE: ENB) announced in its quarterly results that it was spending $1.7 billion to take a 50 percent stake in an offshore wind farm in the North Sea with nearly 500 MW of capacity.

Tuesday February 21, 2017

Oil prices moved up on Tuesday on hopes that the market is tightening. OPEC says its cuts are working and hedge funds are still bullish on crude, but pitfalls remain.

Hedge funds take record bullish position to new heights. Hedge funds and money managers have been on a buying spree since OPEC announced its deal in late November. Bullish bets on crude oil futures have climbed at a rapid pace in the past few months, setting new records nearly every week. Now, hedge funds and other money managers have surpassed 1 billion barrels of bullish bets, a new record high. As we have noted many times, the record buildup leaves the market exposed to a backsliding in prices if the mood of traders turns sour. Related: Oil Leaps Higher As OPEC Pushes For 100% Compliance

$30 oil possible if OPEC doesnt extend deal. The OPEC deal called for cuts of 1.2 mb/d over the course of six months. If the deal is not extended until at least the end of the year, oil prices could fall back into the $30s, according to ABN Amro Bank NV. The downside risk has become much bigger than previously, Hans van Cleef, ABN Amros senior energy economist, told Bloomberg.

Saudi Aramco prefers western stock exchange. The Wall Street Journal reported that Saudi Arabia is leaning towards a western stock exchange when it lists its state-owned oil company. The plan is a partial IPO of about 5 percent of the company, which could allow the kingdom to take in more than $100 billion. Saudi officials looked at exchanges around the world but decided against one in Asia. Now officials are looking at New York, London and Toronto, with New York as the leading candidate. The IPO could be the largest ever. However, because the company is state-owned, it will be difficult to disentangle its finances from the Saudi government. Roughly 90 percent of Aramcos profits go into government coffers and the royal family certainly takes its share as well. Only about 10 percent of the profits are reinvested in the company. The complexity of this situation is likely to push the IPO off until late 2018 at the earliest, or more likely 2019, the WSJ says.

ExxonMobil set to write off oil sands. ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM) is days away from writing off 3.6 billion barrels of Canadian oil sands assets. Exxon has been notorious for refusing to take write downs, a practice that attracted the attention of the SEC and the NY attorney general. But now the oil major is acknowledging that the oil sands are no longer profitable to produce and the company could issue a disclosure next week. But Exxon will likely emphasize the fact that the oil sands could be profitable again if oil prices rise. Longer-term, however, the chances are rising that oil sands will be left in the ground because of stricter environmental rules. For a lot of reasons the oil sands look like a prime candidate for eventual abandonment, Jim Krane, an energy fellow at Rice Universitys Baker Institute, told the WSJ. One problem is that costs are persistently higher. The high carbon content only makes it worse. On top of that, suddenly the market is talking about peak demand, the notion that the world will see consumption top off in the near- to medium-term, which could keep oil prices low enough that oil sands, and many other assets, are no longer profitable.

Shell says no glut in LNG market. The largest LNG exporter in the world is not concerned about the state of oversupply in the global market. Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE: RDS.A) made a massive bet on LNG when it spent more than $50 billion to acquire BG Group. But because a wave of LNG export terminals have come online, particularly in Australia, prices have crashed. But Shell is sanguine. Theres been a perception and quite a few headlines of the LNG market being oversupplied, Maarten Wetselaar, Shells head of integrated gas, said this week. In 2016 you didnt find any proof of that.

Related: Can Canadas Gas City' Replicate Qatars Success?

Saudi cuts make Russia largest oil producer. Russia produced 10.49 million barrels of oil per day in December, and Saudi Arabia produced just under that amount at 10.46 mb/d as it started to throttle back on output. That makes Russia the largest oil producer in the world right now. In January, Saudi Arabia took production below 10 mb/d in order to meet its obligations under the OPEC deal.

Trump administration to assault environmental rules. With his EPA chief in place, the Trump administration is gearing up for an attack on federal environmental regulations. One of the top priorities will be the EPAs limits on greenhouse gas emissions, a core part of the Obama administrations climate campaign. However, the regulations cannot be undone by a simple executive order, they must be taken apart by an official rule, which takes time to formulate. Still, the EPA is set to signal a coming wave of deregulation in an effort to prioritize fossil fuel production. It is important to note that scrapping climate regulations is not a clear win for natural gas producers, who were set to benefit from the displacement of coal. In fact, President Obamas climate campaign hinged quite a bit on natural gas as the largest source of electricity in the U.S. How this shakes out is unclear at the moment, but gas and renewables are still expected to win in the marketplace.

By Evan Kelly for Oilprice.com

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Oil prices are stuck in a holding pattern, waiting for more definitive data on what comes next. OPEC compliance is helping keep prices afloat, but rising U.S. oil production is acting as a counterweight.

A new problem that has suddenly emerged is the record levels of gasoline sitting in storage. The market has already had to digest the fact that U.S. crude oil stocks were rising, and investors have done their best to explain away the trend. But now gasoline inventories are climbing to unexpected heights.

It would be one thing if crude stocks were rising, perhaps because refiners were going offline for maintenance. But if that were the case, then gasoline stocks would draw down on lower refining runs. But if both crude and refined product inventories are going up at the same time, then there should be some reasons for worry.

In fact, the glut of gasoline is now the worst in 27 years. At 259 million barrels, U.S. gasoline storage levels are now at their highest level since the EIA began tracking the data back in 1990.

(Click to enlarge)

Part of the reason for the glut, of course, are high levels of production. Although gasoline production ebbs and flows seasonally, U.S. production has been on an upward trend in recent years. Instead of bouncing around in a range of 8.5 to 9.5 million barrels per day before 2014, U.S. production since the collapse of oil prices has steadily climbed to a range of 9 to 10 mb/d. Related: Something Has Got To Give In Oil Markets

(Click to enlarge)

But that increase came in order to satisfy rising demand (which, of course, was stoked by lower prices). More demand should have soaked up that excess supply. However, that is where the problem gets worse. Lately, U.S. demand has faltered.

(Click to enlarge)

U.S. gasoline demand plunged to just 8.2 million barrels per day in January, and sales were down 4 percent from a year earlier. It was also the lowest level in four years. Weak demand is raising some red flags for the market. Related: This Oil Nation Aims To Colonize Mars

Demand is seasonal, with softer demand in winter months, but this winters valley is lower than any other since 2012.

The problem becomes particularly acute when you take into account the fact that refiners have actually cut back on gasoline production in recent weeks. Even with lower refining runs, gasoline storage levels continued to rise.

The data is worrying, especially since broader economic data does not point to deep problems with the U.S. economy. Some, including the EIA, speculate that higher prices are cutting into demand. That would be surprising given that prices at the pump are still a fraction of what they were a few years ago.

The drop off in demand could be temporary, with consumption rebounding in a few months. Warmer temperatures tend to lead to more driving, and if demand rises it will halt the climb in gasoline inventories. But even a small hiatus in demand has led to a buildup in storage levels to such a degree that it will take time to bring down. It kind of ruins your whole year potentially, Sam Margolin, an analyst at Cowen, told the WSJ. Demand growth appears to be the riskiest element of the oil equation in 2017, and the rally could pause until driving season.

The glut of gasoline has led to tankers being turned away at New York Harbor in recent weeks, diverted to ports in the Caribbean. However, even that did not resolve the glut on the U.S. east coast. Record-high inventories in the region are now pushing prices low enough to turn the typical trade flow on its head, Bloomberg reports. The east coast typically imports a lot of crude oil and refined products. But refined products are instead heading in the other direction because of the buildup in supply.

If demand does not rebound, then gasoline inventories will rise further. At that point, refiners will be forced to cut back on production, which means a reduction of their purchases of crude oil. Less oil sales means higher crude oil inventories, pushing down prices. Ultimately, that could force drillers to reduce supply. In short, if U.S. demand  and by extension, global demand  does not come through for the oil market, then oil prices could decline this year.

By Nick Cunningham of Oilprice.com

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The South Sudanese government and three humanitarian agencies have declared a famine in some parts of the country as the newly independent nation struggle to bring oil back online.

This man-made human tragedy is a result of three-year civil war and has created an economic crisis of massive proportions, leaving nearly five million hungry.

The UN Mission in South Sudan says that 100,000 people in two counties of the northern Unity state are experiencing a famine and more than 30 percent of the population are suffering acute malnutrition. There are fears that the famine will spread as an additional 1 million South Sudanese are on the brink of starvation.

Unity state is South Sudan key oil-producing region, but production is hampered by civil war. Earlier this month, the authorities deployed more troops to secure the area for a resumption of production, which has been halted since December 2013.

Some part of the northern Greater Unity region are classified in famine, or risk of famine, chairman of South Sudans National Bureau of Statistics Isaiah Chol Aruai said.

They also warned that, unless there is a rapid increase in humanitarian aid, 275,000 children are malnourished and their lives are at risk.

"A formal famine declaration means people have already started dying of hunger. The situation is the worst hunger catastrophe since fighting erupted more than three years ago," said a statement by the World Food Program (WFP), UN children's agency UNICEF and the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO).



Related: Who Will Win The Race In Russias Emerging Oil Frontier?

Our worst fears have been realized, said Serge Tissot, head of the Food and Agriculture Organization in South Sudan. He said the war has disrupted the otherwise fertile country, causing civilians to rely on whatever plants they can find and fish they can catch.

This is not the first time South Sudan has faced starvation. Fighting for independence from Sudan in 1998, South Sudanese suffered famine and 70,000 to several hundred thousand people died.

UN officials blame South Sudans politicians for the current humanitarian crisis. According to UN officials, President Salva Kiirs government is blocking food aid to some areas.

This famine is man-made, said Joyce Luma, head of the World Food Program in South Sudan. There is only so much that humanitarian assistance can achieve in the absence of meaningful peace and security.

Somalia is the first African country to declare famine since 2011. Estimates shows that more than 250,000 people died between October 2010 and April 2012.

This proclamation came after international aid agencies are affected by catastrophes spreading in four countries. The UN warned that three other countries, Yemen, Somalia and Nigeria, are also at risk of famine.

By Damir Kaletovic for Oilprice.com

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Russia pumped the most crude oil in the world in December, dethroning Saudi Arabia as the worlds biggest oil producer. The difference in the two countries daily averages stood at 30,000 barrels.

According to data from the Joint Organizations Data Initiative, Russia produced some 10.49 million barrels daily in December, while Saudi Arabias output averaged 10.46 million bpd  a substantial decline from November, when the Kingdom pumped 10.72 million bpd. The U.S came in third, with a daily average of 8.8 million bpd.

Saudi Arabia has gone out of its way to convince the market that it is serious about the production-cutting effort, reducing its output more than it had agreed to: in January, the Kingdom reported a daily average of 9.75 million barrels, down by 700,000 bpd from December. This strategy has helped to increase the overall production cut deal compliance rate among OPEC members and has earned it praise from the IEA, but has not been enough to boost prices closer to US$60 a barrel.

Russia, meanwhile, has been cutting its 300,000 bpd gradually, reporting a 100,000-bpd reduction in its January output. It will cut another 100,000 bpd by the end of next month, and the rest of the agreed amount in the second quarter. Early this month, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak announced that global oil output was cut by 1.4 million
From Brian. As most of you already know my wife Lorine has passed away. It was a great shock to myself, her family and many of you in the...
By Taxpayer Association of Oregon

and Taxpayer Association Foundation,

Oregon has the 12th highest pay in the U.S. for state public employees. Across the states, the average state employee wage and salary income is about 5.5 percent higher than the average pay for all wage and salary employees in the state. This is in line with academic research that finds, when worker characteristics and job attributes are controlled for, public sector pay is approximately six percent higher than private sector pay in the United States.

In Oregon, however, state public employee wages are 8.2 percent higher.

In addition to the wages received by employees (average of $53,100 in 2015), other payroll expenses such as PERS and health insurance benefits increase the costs to the state by an average of $36,000 per employee, bringing the average cost of a full-time state employee to $89,100 a year.

Academic research also finds that job attributes have so little impact on pay differentials. In other words, the higher pay in the public sector is not because of any difference in job characteristics or demanded skills. Instead, the research finds that much of the public sector pay premium can be explained by the activities of unions in the public sector workforce.

Governor Kate Browns budget proposes increasing the state government workforce by 675 full-time equivalent employees. Using the cost information from the Legislative Fiscal Office, this 1.7 percent increase would cost the state more than $120 million in compensation costs for the 2017-19 biennium.

Help us educate the public on where YOUR tax dollars are going? You can support the Taxpayer Association or Foundation here.
A military officer has been detained at a guardroom at Burma Camp for allegedly leaking a CCTV tape which captured persons suspected to be members of the Invincible Forces, a private security wing of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), beating up a senior police officer at the Flagstaff House in Accra.



The 45-year-old military officer, name withheld, was on duty at the Flagstaff House when the alleged assault on the senior police officer took place on 9 January, two days after Nana Akufo-Addos investiture, and is suspected to have leaked the CCTV clip which has gone viral on social media.



Narrating her husbands ordeal on Class FM on Monday, 20 February, Abena (pseudonym) said her husband had been detained without food and water since Friday, 17 February.



He has been detained for 72 hours now with no food or water, she told show host Moro Awudu.



He called me on Friday that he had been called to report to the Flagstaff House but he didnt knowwhy he had been called. So he left home in the afternoon and around 3:00pm, he called me that they were taking him to the office of the BNI with a couple of other soldiers.



After that call, I didnt hear anything from him again. His phone went off At about 11:00pm, I had a call from someone that they had released some of the soldiers taken to BNI to report today (Monday February 20) and that my husband was one of those who were being detained.



So I started getting worried because if you have not charged him with any offence why do you keep him there?



Abena narrated that she had an anonymous call from a Good Samaritan that her husband had been taken to Burma Camp where he was detained. According to her, she visited Burma Camp to give him food on Saturday evening after he had gone the whole of Friday and Saturday morning and afternoon without food or water.

Asked what the husband had told her when she visited him at Burma Camp, Abena replied: He said he was questioned about how that video got out and he was accused of being on duty on that day, so he was a suspect for leaking the video, adding: But they dont have any proof, so I dont see why they should keep him there.



He was on duty on that day and he wasnt even aware something like that was going on. He has nothing to do with this issue.



She said her husband was devastated and down and did not understand why he was being treated that way when she spoke to him. He was, however, not tortured or manhandled.



When the EBS team contacted the Director of Operations at the Flagstaff House, Lord Commey, for governments side of the story, he replied via text: I dont think Im the right person to talk to.



From your narrative, I think its a purely security matter which I dont think Im competent enough to speak on. I may be of help in some other way or form.

video below-

Source: classfmonline.com









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Last week we examined one of the changes Americans are looking for, and we focused on Russia. This week lets look at a remarkably similar situation, namely:

Israel

As with Russia, when Barack Obama left office Americas relations with Israel had hit rock bottom, as bad as they had been since the State of Israel was formed in 1948. And as with Russia, this was hardly all Americas fault. Benjamin Netanyahus irredentist government seemed to go out of its way to annoy and embarrass the Obama Administration and to spit in the face of international opinion on the subject of the settlements in the West Bank.

All this came to a sordid end when, at the very end of Obamas Presidency, America declined to veto a UN Security Council resolution condemning Israelthe first time that had happened in 22 years. This was followed by a bizarre, hour-long rant by the usually-more-sensible John Kerry. Kerrys speech was bizarre not so much for its content, which was the usual criticism of Israel for not committing to a two-state solution, but for the fact that it happened at all. It all smelled badly of the actions of a lame duck Administration indulging its own frustrations while knowing it wouldnt have to deal with the consequences.

As is the case with Russia, Israel has been surrounded by enemies since it was founded as a nation, and as with Russia this has made numerous Israeli governments paranoid  including, especially, the Netanyahu government.

The two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian deadlock seems, from afar, to offer an ideal way to end the gridlockand possibly the killing. But since US Presidential Administrations began pressing for the adoption of the two-state solution back in the dinosauric days of Lyndon Johnson, it has become ever more unpopular in both Israel and Palestine. (Fatah still clings faintly to the two-state solution, but the more popular Hamas rejects it. Indeed, Hamas rejects the very idea of Israels existence as a state.) However ideal a solution might seem theoretically, after fifty years of zero progress on it you might suppose that a light would dawn. So far it hasnt.

In recent years the Palestinian question has been moved not just to the back burner, but all the way off the stove as a result of far more pressing issues in the Middle East: the Syrian Civil War, the rise of ISIS, the European refugee crisis, and the increasingly violent schism between Sunni and Shia Islam. Thats one reason why the UN resolution was the wrong place for America to make a stand. But there are two other reasons, both of which seem to be ill-understood by American policymakers and both of which cry out for change in Americas relations with Israel.

The first of these has to do with the revolution in Israeli politics that has occurred over the past four decades and that has been blithely ignored by one US Administration after another. Israels founders were committed socialistsand that was hardly a surprise. Immediately after World War II virtually the entire world was socialist in one form or another: China and the USSR, of course, but also Central Europe, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, India, most of Latin America, large parts of Arab and non-Arab Africa.

The socialist party of Israels foundersthe Labor Partycontrolled Israel from its founding until 1977, and because most senior Labor Party politicians had worked directly with David Ben-Gurion, the Labor Party remained committed to its socialist ideology long after socialism had gone into (one hopes) terminal decline elsewhere, and long after the Israeli public had grown fatigued with socialist dogma.

The Israeli Labor Party would have continued to weaken no matter what, but its demise as a political force was significantly hastened by the emigration into Israel of more than 1.5 million refugees from the Soviet Union and it satellites. For these Jews, socialism wasnt a glorious idea that simply had a few real-world glitches. They had lived under socialism and they knew all too well where the ghastly socialist end game wound up. Thus, while elite Israelis, mainly well-educated, affluent Ashkenazim, continued to support Labor, the new immigrants flocked to conservative and religious parties that had no interest in returning the West Bank.

Labor managed to elect the military hero, Ehud Barak, as its last prime minister in 1999, but even including Barak, Labor has been out of power for all but eight of the last forty years. As a result, despite intense international pressure the West Bank has effectively been part of Israel for nearly half a century, since the end of the Six Day War in 1967. Fifty years is a virtual Biblical eternity in a country not yet seventy years old.

Instead of harping on a West Bank solution that has no chance of happeningmore than 400,000 Israelis live there todayAmerican policy might, instead, refocus itself on the existential problem inside Israel. The Arab population of Israel is, today, about 21% of the total. But that population is reproducing much faster than Israels Jewish population, and if Israel formally annexes the West Bank, two million more Arabs (Palestinians) would reside in Israel. You dont have to be a demographic genius to see that Israels future is as an Arab-majority nation.

How will the Israelis deal with that future? Expulsion of the Arab population? Apartheid? Giving up Israels identity as a Jewish state and accepting Arab dominance? The future of the West Bank certainly plays into this problem, but its a side issue compared to the cultural, religious and demographic cluster bomb facing the Israeli state.

Will a Trump Administration be able to depart from fifty years of American focus on the West Bank and a two-state solution? I have no idea. But, as with Russia, this is an area where US policy reached a dead end long ago and where change is fervently to be desired. Fortunately, the conclusion by Sunni nations, especially powerful ones like Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, that Israel is far less a threat than Iran, opens up whole new possibilities for dialogue.

Next up: Loose Change, Part VI
Douglas V. Gibbs is a proud member of the American Authors Association

Douglas V. Gibbs is a proud member of the Military Writers Society of America.
QUEENSBURY  Henssgen Hardware has named George Waterman as sales manager.

Henssgen Hardware, which has been open since 1978, is located at 43 Everts Ave. and distributes rigging hardware manufactured from steel, stainless steel, malleable iron, die cast zinc alloy and solid brass that can be used with all types of rope, wire rope, chain, cable, leather and nylon straps.

Henssgen Hardware owner Rachel Novak said she has known Waterman for 15 years and had been impressed with his work ethic and experience.

Born and raised in Rhode Island, Waterman attended high school in East Providence and earned his degree in kinesiology from the University of New Hampshire. He has worked as an EMT on the ski patrol at Stowe Mountain, in sales for Aaron's Rental, as a store manager for Dollar General, and most recently as purchasing director at the Basin Harbor Club in Vergennes, Vermont.
HUDSON FALLS  A Washington County grand jury has indicted a Hudson Falls man on a charge that accuses him of forcibly raping a woman, a crime that came to the attention of police when he told staff at Glens Falls Hospital that he had sexually assaulted the woman, authorities said.

David E. Bailey Jr., 27, of Beech Street, has been charged with first-degree rape, a felony, for an alleged sexual assault Nov. 8 at a home in Hudson Falls, court records show.

Hudson Falls Police Detective Scott Gillis said Baileys arrest occurred after he had been taken to Glens Falls Hospital for an unspecified issue, and while there he told a staff member that he had sexually assaulted a woman. Hospital staff notified police, who questioned Bailey when he was released from the hospital, Gillis said.

She didnt report it to us. He did, Gillis said. When our guys reached her, they were told it did happen.

In a statement to Hudson Falls Police, the woman said she was acquainted with Bailey and that she was sleeping when she awoke to him having contact with her. He indicated he wanted to have sex, but she said she told him no.

He took her clothes off, held her down and forcibly raped her, according to a statement the woman gave to Hudson Falls Police, which was filed in Washington County Court.

I kept grabbing at his arm and kicking him, telling him no, she is quoted as saying. I started crying and screaming.

She said that she hit him in the face, which made him more agitated. He eventually stopped and left the home, telling her he planned to tell police himself.

Bailey pleaded not guilty during arraignment before Washington County Judge Kelly McKeighan, and was sent to Washington County Jail for lack of bail.

First-degree rape is punishable by up to 25 years in state prison.

Hudson Falls Police patrol officers Anthony Casimano, Brandon Burkhardt and Sgt. Steve Bunio handled the case.
LAKE LUZERNE  Joe Hanlon of Lake Luzerne did a double take when he spotted a photograph in The Post-Star of town Justice Rodney Johnson holding a bullhorn and leading a chant at a demonstration where U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Willsboro, was being urged to hold a town hall forum.

We saw the paper in the local market and somebody I know said, Rod Johnson made the front page, Hanlon said.

Johnson, one of the speakers at the rally Feb. 14 outside Stefaniks Glens Falls district office, repeatedly asked demonstrators, Where is Elise? to which the crowd responded, I dont know.

Hanlon said Johnsons actions appeared to violate the spirit of, if not the letter of, state judicial ethics rules.

Its just very concerning to me as a citizen, he said. Its a slippery slope, I believe.

Johnson said he has a First Amendment right to speak publicly, and when he does so, he is careful not to violate state rules of judicial conduct.

He does not speak about U.S. Supreme Court rulings or any other court proceedings, he said, and he does not raise money for political or nonprofit organizations.

What weve been told very clearly is that we can participate as a citizen. Being a town justice doesnt take away our rights as a citizen, said Johnson, who is midway through a third four-year term as town justice.

Johnson was elected as a Republican. He said he changed his party enrollment to Democrat last year so he could vote for Bernie Sanders in the Democratic presidential primary.

State rules on judicial conduct prohibit judges from leading political organizations, endorsing or speaking against political candidates, speaking on behalf of a political organization or attending a political gathering.

Johnson said the demonstration, which MoveOn.org, a political advocacy organized, was an issue event, not a political event.

I do not believe the rules say because you are a town justice, you cant go to a rally, or you cant hold up a sign.  Or you cant be concerned about the Environmental Protection Agency, he said. Thats what Im doing. I am concerned about issues. The part that Miss Stefanik plays in this is that she is the representative for the 21st Congressional District that I live in, and I would like her to hear my concerns.

State rules of judicial conduct also stipulate a judges activities outside the courtroom should not cast reasonable doubt on the judges capacity to act as a judge.

Hanlon said Johnsons participation in the rally could make people with conservative views worried they will not get a fair hearing in town court.

Why should anybody try to respect him in court? he said.

Johnson said his political views have no bearing on his court decisions.

It doesnt make any difference. Everybody gets treated exactly the same in the town court, he said. There is a presumption that everybody is innocent until proven otherwise.

Town justices are employees of the towns they serve, said Lucian Chafen, a spokesman for the New York United Court System.

Remember, hes not directly an employee of New York state. Hes works for the town of Lake Luzerne, although the court system, in and of itself, is administered by the state, he said.

Lake Luzerne Supervisor Eugene Merlino said he has received a few complaints about Johnson speaking at the demonstration.

I really dont know what to do, truthfully, right now, he said. I am contemplating what to do. I havent spoken to the gentleman.

Joe Seeman, a MoveOn.org volunteer organizer, said Johnsons critics are motivated by partisanship.

If it was a Republican who was praising Trump, they would love it, he said. Rodney was simply speaking out for justice. Thats our job as citizens.
LAKE GEORGE  The Lake George Village Board will meet Wednesday to discuss appointing a committee to study dissolution.

The special meeting will take place at 5 p.m.

Town officials have reached out to the village to appoint a group that would analyze the benefits and drawbacks of dissolving the village.

The trustees originally were scheduled to discuss the issue last week. Mayor Robert Blais was not able to attend the regular meeting because he was in Albany lobbying for sewer funding.
GLENS FALLS  A woman who worked as a nurse at Glens Falls Hospital was arrested Monday for allegedly choking a 78-year-old patient at the hospital, police said.

Stephanie L. Maybury-Caruso, 39, of Johnstown, was charged with endangering the welfare of an incompetent person, a felony, after an investigation by Glens Falls Police and the New York State Justice Center, an agency that was created to protect people with special needs.

That investigation began earlier this month when Glens Falls Police were contacted by a representative of the Justice Centers office in Glens Falls, who had been contacted by hospital staff reporting an incident between a staff member and a patient, Glens Falls Police Detective Lt. Peter Casertino said.

The patient is mentally disabled and was in the hospitals Behavorial Health Unit at the time she was victimized, police said.

Maybury-Caruso was trying to administer medication to the woman when she allegedly put her hands around her throat and squeezed it, Casertino said. The patient was not injured, but at least one other staff member witnessed the incident and it was captured on surveillance video that did not have audio, Casertino said.

We were contacted on February 6 and the hospital staff cooperated fully, he said.

Maybury-Caruso did not offer an explanation when police charged her Monday, Casertino noted.

Maybury-Caruso will also be charged with criminal obstruction of breathing, a misdemeanor, police said. She was released pending prosecution in Glens Falls City Court on March 9.

Maybury-Caruso resigned her position with the hospital after the facilitys administration was made aware of the allegations. Hospital staff would not release details about how long she had worked there, instead issuing a written statement about the incident.

Tracy Mills, the hospitals vice president, said the hospital was informed of an alleged act of physical abuse by a registered nurse on Jan. 17, and notified the state Office of Mental Health as required by law.

Maybury-Caruso resigned two days later. A second nurse who was involved in the incident was terminated, but authorities did not say how this person was involved or whether they were charged. Casertino said there was only one person who had illegal contact with the patient, and no one else was going to be charged. He said the second person was a witness, but it was unclear why they were fired.

Glens Falls Hospital is cooperating fully with this investigation, the statement reads. Our foremost responsibility is to provide safe, high-quality care to our patients, while ensuring the well-being and safety of our visitors and employees. We have zero tolerance for actions or behaviors that put anyone, especially our patients, at risk.

The state Office of Professions online database shows Maybury-Carusos state nursing license remained in effect until February 2019. She has been a licensed registered nurse in New York since December 2004.
SOUTH GLENS FALLS  Sherry Granger wasnt home a few weeks ago when her husband started having chest pains. He called 911 around 1 p.m. and the Moreau Emergency Squad responded.

Within 45 minutes of the phone call, her husband Charles was on the operating table, where his heart stopped, but he was revived.

He was sitting up eating a turkey sandwich at 5:30 in the afternoon, said Granger, who credits the Moreau Emergency Squad and a device called the LIFENET System, a cloud-based platform that shares critical patient data with hospitals, reducing the time it takes to treat patients.

In Grangers case, the squad members were able to take an electrocardiogram of his heart and transmit the pictures to Glens Falls Hospital, so doctors were ready to treat Grangers blockage as soon as he arrived.

There was a heart doctor there that told my husband he was in the middle of a major heart attack, Granger said. They were ready for him.

Andre Delvaux, the chief operations officer for the Moreau Emergency Squad, said the system helps reduce the door to balloon time  the time it takes to get from the hospital door to the catheterization lab.

Time is muscle, Delvaux said.

The squad obtained the device through grant funding and pays a monthly fee for service.

The amount of money it costs pales in comparison to outcomes we see, Delvaux said.

The technology has been around for years, but last year, a coalition from the Hudson Mohawk EMS region bought modems and receiving stations for area hospitals, said Michael Dailey, the regional EMS medical director at Albany Medical Center.

Its actually a really cool concept, Dailey said.

The technology reduces the time taken between diagnosing a heart attack and fixing it, he said.

Now my husband has a second lease on life, Granger said, adding that a doctor told her she should buy a lottery ticket because she and her husband were very lucky.

Its amazing, she added. The doctor said he would not have survived.

Granger said her husband of 26 years is doing well now. She joked about the line in their wedding vows of Till death do us part.

He says his obligation is filled, she laughed.
Jim Serowski's employees told him they'd planned to skip work Thursday to participate in "A Day Without Immigrants," the nationwide day of protest.

Serowski, founder of JVS Masonry in Commerce City, Colorado, said his position to them was clear: "If you're going to stand up for what you believe in, you have to be willing to pay the price."

As promised, when Serowski's foreman and some 30 bricklayers failed to show up for work, he fired them all with no regrets, he said.

People who skipped work -- and businesses that closed -- on Thursday aimed to demonstrate immigrants' combined contribution to the nation's economy in the face of President Donald Trump's tough stance on immigration.

Many simply went back to work Friday. But several business owners and managers told CNN that their decision to fire people who joined the protest wasn't about politics or immigration but about running their businesses responsibly.

'A slap in the face'

Serowski insisted he wasn't motivated by politics.

"I stand by what I believe in. I didn't do anything wrong," he said by phone Sunday. "They were warned: 'If you do this, you're hurting the company, and if you go against the team, you're not a member of the team.'"

His foreman told CNN affiliate KDVR that it was important for him and his co-workers to join the protest. Some of his masonry workers have relatives who are afraid to leave their homes out of fear they may get arrested or deported, he said.

But Serowski said it was a slap in the face to people like himself, who have long supported immigrant labor. He said he's known many of his employees for nearly two decades and has ensured they were paid, even when he did not have work for them.

"I've gone above and beyond for these people," he said, seemingly distraught. "No one is going to dictate how my company is run."

'We don't make money'

Steve Deese, owner of Encore Boat Builders in Lexington, South Carolina, confirmed firing 21 employees who didn't show up Thursday.

Deese said they broke company policy by not giving notice and not calling in to say they would be away from work. The employees were given an opportunity to provide a doctor's note, but failed to do so, he added.

The company does not tolerate violations, no matter who the employees are, he said.

Deese's company builds boats "to make money, so when we can't build boats, we don't make money," Deese said. "We run an assembly line, and when 21 people call out, that seriously affects our operation."

Those 21 employees were replaced by new workers who are now being trained.

Warned of the consequences

Robert Peal, attorney for Bradley Coatings, Inc., based in Nashville, confirmed to CNN that 18 employees were terminated for failing to show up Thursday.

Peal said one of the line supervisors, an immigrant, was alerted to the possibility of the no-shows and spoke to each employee individually, warning them of consequences.

Bradley Coatings is a commercial painting company that works on tight deadlines and depends on employee attendance to meet its obligations, he said.

The company owner is a longtime supporter of immigrant causes and makes mission trips to Central America, Peal said. The company previously had donated materials and labor to one of the employees who was terminated Thursday after that worker lost his home to a fire.

Peal says this was a business decision and had nothing to do with the nature of the protests.

At the I Don't Care Bar and Grill

Bill McNally, owner of I Don't Care Bar and Grill in Catoosa, Oklahoma, said his 12 line cooks gave him no heads-up that they planned to participate in the day of action. They didn't even call to say they were not coming in.

So they were fired, just like anyone else who's a no-show for work, he said.

"I'm on their side, but we have rules at I Don't Care Bar and Grill. If you're going to be late, call in. If you're not coming to work, call us. That's the American way," he said.

Six of the fired Hispanic immigrant workers told CNN affiliate KTUL they felt they had been unfairly terminated. They wanted to stand in solidarity with other immigrants and didn't think it would cost them their jobs, they said through a translator.

Under US labor law, at-will workers can be fired with no warning and without a stated reason.

McNally also insisted his action had nothing to do with politics. Had he known about the protests, he said he would have closed the restaurant in solidarity.

Why fire them, then?

"They just forgot about the 50 other people who work here," he said. "If the cooks don't show up, then servers don't have jobs, and customers can't eat."

Not so fast in New York

A restaurant owner in New York disputed local media reports that he similarly had fired a group of protest participants. The owner of Ben's Kosher Delicatessen Restaurant & Caterers, disputed the story and said he is a longtime supporter of minority rights.

Ronnie Dragoon, of Ben's Kosher Delicatessen, said he fired just one employee -- and only because that worker pressured others to walk out and physically threatened two of them.

"All other employees involved with the walkout were, and still are, invited to return to their positions with the company," the local restaurant chain said in a statement.

Added Dragoon, "And yes, I am the grandchild of immigrants, and I have been a progressive my entire life and will continue to be a progressive."
Community forum held on drug addiction problem

Bravos to the Hometown vs. Heroin group for continuing its crusade against drug addiction in the region. About 75 members turned out for a forum in Hudson Falls this week where the audience again heard the horror stories about what local people have gone through. Some progress has been made, but there is still a ways to go. What we all need to remember is that the problem is still significant in our communities.

Stefanik agrees to meet with constituents

Bravos to Rep. Elise Stefanik for agreeing to meet with small groups of constituents in the coming weeks. After posting a long statement on Facebook Tuesday that said she would not hold any town hall meetings, her office began scheduling meetings Friday with small groups who have concerns. That type of interaction with citizens is an important first step and we hope it can lead to a broader interaction with the electorate at a town hall gathering.

Big crowd turns out for political forum

Bravos to the approximately 100 people who braved single-digit temperatures and a snowstorm to attend a community forum at Crandall Public Library on the State of the Nation. It was discouraging that the discussion was very one-sided politically, but it did show the amount of concern among the citizenry. Hopefully, there can be more balance in the views of those in attendance in the future.

Graduation rates increase at 10 schools

Bravos to the 10 local school districts that saw their graduation rates rise in 2016. They included Cambridge, Corinth, Fort Edward, Glens Falls, Hudson Falls, Salem, Saratoga Springs, Schuylerville, South Glens Falls and Warrensburg. Unfortunately, even with some of the increases, some of the school districts are still graduating only three of four students. And 15 other school districts saw their graduation rates go down. We need to do better.

Police consolidation to be reviewed

Bravos to village leaders in Cambridge and Greenwich for plans to explore further options to save taxpayer money by consolidating their village police departments. The departments currently share an administration, but still operate with separate budgets while also buying equipment and liability insurance separately. The two departments have also shared part-time patrol officers. A total consolidation seems like the next logical step.

Hyde declines to answer questions

Boos to Thurmans new town supervisor, Cynthia Hyde, for refusing to answer any questions after the Town Board meeting last week. Hyde was appointed the town supervisor at the meeting after serving just over a month on the Town Board. It was a great opportunity for her to lay out an agenda of where she plans to take the town in the coming months. Im not answering any questions, she said to a Post-Star reporter. Considering Thurmans recent past, it was an unfortunate response for the people she represents in Thurman.
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iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) -- In his first overseas trip as vice president, Mike Pence is re-assuring European allies that America will honor its security commitments and has "strong support" for NATO.



As recently as January, in an interview with The Times of London, then-President-elect Donald Trump repeated his view that NATO is "obsolete," raising doubts about whether the United States, under his leadership, would jump to the defense of its NATO allies in Europe if Russia attacked them.



I said a long time ago that NATO had problems. Number one it was obsolete, because it was designed many, many years ago. Number two the countries arent paying what theyre supposed to pay," Trump said. "I took such heat, when I said NATO was obsolete. Its obsolete because it wasnt taking care of terror. I took a lot of heat for two days. And then they started saying Trump is right."



In July, when specifically asked in an interview with The New York Times about his views of Russia, Trump said that if it attacked some of the small Baltic states, which are the most recent members of NATO, he would decide whether to come to their aid only after reviewing whether those nations "have fulfilled their obligations to us."



Now, the vice president is assuaging European fears with a new message, saying Monday in Brussels, "It is my privilege here at NATO headquarters to express the strong support of President Trump and the United States of America to NATO and our transatlantic alliance."



"This alliance plays a crucial role in promoting peace and prosperity in the north Atlantic and frankly in the entire world," he added.



Pence's reassuring words come after Defense Secretary James Mattis also affirmed "the full U.S. commitment to NATO" during his meetings in Brussels last week.



One European official isn't letting the new administration forget President Trump's criticisms of NATO.



European Union Council President Donald Turk said Monday that "too many new and sometimes surprising opinions have been voiced over this time about our relations -- and our common security -- for us to pretend that everything is as it used to be."



"We are counting as always in the past on the United States' wholehearted and unequivocal -- let me repeat, unequivocal -- support for the idea of a united Europe," Tusk said. "The world would be a decidedly worse place if Europe were not united."



"The idea of NATO is not obsolete, just like the values which lie at its foundation are not obsolete," he added.



So, what exactly is NATO? ABC News breaks down the organizations history, importance and criticisms below:



What is NATO?



NATO stands for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a security alliance established in 1949 during the early days of the Cold War to counter Soviet aggression in Europe.



Now numbering 28 countries in Europe and North America, the alliances goal is to safeguard the freedom and security of its members through political and military means, NATOs website reads.



The organization promotes democratic values and encourages member nations to work together on issues of defense and security to prevent long-term conflict.



When security disputes occur, NATO advocates peaceful resolutions. But there are guidelines for how military force can be used, outlined in Article 5 of the Washington Treaty, the founding treaty of NATO.



NATO adheres to a policy of collective defense, meaning an attack on one member is considered "an attack against all." The policy is outlined in Article 5 and has only been invoked once, after the Twin Towers in New York City were attacked on Sept. 11, 2001, and NATO members sent troops to Afghanistan.



After the Taliban fell, a United Nations Security Council resolution established the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), under NATOs control, to stabilize the country. There were 1,044 non-U.S. NATO service members killed fighting in Afghanistan.



How does NATO work?



Headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, each member nation is represented by an ambassador that sits on the North Atlantic Council (NAC), the alliances political decision-making body. The NAC meets at least once a week and is chaired by Secretary General Stoltenberg, the former prime minister of Norway.



When political decisions require the military, NATOs Military Committee is involved in the planning and resourcing of military elements needed for an operation. While NATO has few permanent military forces, member nations can voluntarily contribute forces when the need arises.



The Military Committee is made up of the Chiefs of Defense of NATO-member countries; the International Military Staff, the Military Committees executive body; and the military command structure, composed of Allied Command Operations and Allied Command Transformation.



Where is NATO operating right now?



Currently, NATOs website lists five active operations and missions: Afghanistan, Kosovo, counter-piracy off of East Africa, monitoring the Mediterranean, and supporting the African Union.



Who pays for NATO?



NATO recommends that member countries spend 2 percent of their gross domestic product (GDP) on defense.



Currently, only five members meet that goal: the United States, Great Britain, Greece, Estonia and Poland.



In January's interview with The Times, Trump mentioned the five, saying, "Theres five countries that are paying what theyre supposed to. Five. Its not much.



Latvia and Lithuania are two Baltic states that don't meet the target, but those countries are likely to raise their defense spending in the face of growing Russian aggression.



On Monday, Vice President Pence repeated Trump's desire for all NATO members to pay their fair share, telling nations who don't have a plan to increase their defense spending to "get one."



Jens Stoltenberg, NATO's Secretary General, emphasized in his remarks on Monday that, in 2016, defense spending increased in Europe and Canada by 3.8 percent in real terms, or 10 billion U.S. dollars.



"We still have a long way to go," Stoltenberg admitted.



What is the history behind its origin?



The North Atlantic Treaty was signed April 4, 1949, in the aftermath of World War II and rising geopolitical tension with the Soviet Union.



NATOs website lists three purposes for its creation: deterring Soviet expansionism, forbidding the revival of nationalist militarism in Europe through a strong North American presence on the continent, and encouraging European political integration.



As the Cold War settled in, NATO stood in opposition to the Soviet bloc, communist nations that allied with the Soviet Union.



In 1991, after the Soviet Union dissolved, NATO developed partnerships with former adversaries.



NATO responded to its first major crisis response operation in 1995 in Bosnia and Herzegovina after the Bosnian civil war.



More recently, NATO responded to the Libyan crisis in 2011 by carrying out airstrikes to protect civilians under attack by the Gaddafi regime.



Is Trump alone in his criticism of NATO?



No. Trump isnt the first to criticize other NATO members for contributing less than the United States.



In 2011, Defense Secretary Robert Gates called the future of NATO dim if other nations didnt increase their participation in allied activities.



The blunt reality is that there will be dwindling appetite and patience in the U.S. Congress -- and in the American body politic writ large -- to expend increasingly precious funds on behalf of nations that are apparently unwilling to devote the necessary resources or make the necessary changes to be serious and capable partners in their own defense, he said.



It should be noted that Gates made these comments prior to Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and escalating regional tension there.



NATOs history is fraught with waves of criticism, often in moments of relative peace. After the fall of the Soviet Union, critics alleged that a European alliance was no longer necessary to counter communist governments. But militant nationalism was still occurring and soon NATO was put to the test with the Balkan Wars. Indeed, changing security threats have consistently pushed NATO to evolve over the past 60 years.



But NATOs website perhaps provides the best defense of itself:



Since its founding in 1949, the transatlantic Alliances flexibility, embedded in its original Treaty, has allowed it to suit the different requirements of different times. In the 1950s, the Alliance was a purely defensive organization. In the 1960s, NATO became a political instrument for detente. In the 1990s, the Alliance was a tool for the stabilization of Eastern Europe and Central Asia through the incorporation of new Partners and Allies. Now NATO has a new mission: extending peace through the strategic projection of security."



This is not a mission of choice, but of necessity. The Allies neither invented nor desired it. Events themselves have forced this mission upon them. Nation-state failure and violent extremism may well be the defining threats of the first half of the 21st century. Only a vigorously coordinated international response can address them. This is our common challenge. As the foundation stone of transatlantic peace, NATO must be ready to meet it.

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
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Though Michael Flynn, whom McMaster is replacing, was rather controversial  the retired general peddled conspiracy theories and ultimately resigned amid accusations he misled Vice President Mike Pence about a phone call with Russia's ambassador to the US  I don't suspect anything other than professionalism and solid advice being given to the president by McMaster.

Here's why.

He commands a great deal of respect from his troops

Much like Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who was revered by his troops while serving as a general in the Marine Corps, McMaster has earned a great deal of respect from soldiers. That's because his career has been marked by personal heroism, excellent leadership, and his tendency to buck traditional ways of thinking.

As a captain during the Gulf War in 1991, McMaster made a name for himself during the Battle of 73 Easting. Though his tank unit was vastly outnumbered by the Iraqi Republican Guard, he didn't lose a single tank in the engagement, while the Iraqis lost nearly 80. His valor and leadership that day earned him the Silver Star, the third-highest award for bravery.

Then there was his leadership during the Iraq War, during which he was one of the first commanders to use counterinsurgency tactics. Before President George W. Bush authorized a troop "surge" that pushed US forces to protect the population and win over Iraqi civilians, it was McMaster who demonstrated it could work in the city of Tal Afar.

Hes far from a being a yes man

McMaster is the kind of guy who says what's on his mind and will call out a wrongheaded approach when he sees one. That tendency is something that junior officers love, but those maverick ways are not well-received by some of his fellow generals. Put simply: McMaster isn't a political guy, unlike other officers who are trying to jockey for position and move up in their careers.

In 2003, for example, McMaster criticized then-Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's Iraq War plan that placed too much of an emphasis on technology. McMaster also pushed back on his boss' refusal to admit an insurgency was starting to take hold in 2004.

He has been held back in his career because of it  he was passed over two times for his first star  but it wasn't because of incompetence. Instead, his fight to be promoted from colonel to brigadier general was seen as pure politics, and McMaster doesn't like to play. He was eventually promoted in 2008, but that hasn't made him any less outspoken.

Hes a strategic thinker with a Ph.D.

McMaster has a lot in common with another well-known general: David Petraeus.

In fact, he was one of a select few officers who were in the Petraeus "brain trust" during the Iraq War.

McMaster is an expert on military strategy, counterinsurgency, and history. And he, like Petraeus, stands out among military officers, since both earned advanced degrees. McMaster holds a Ph.D. in history from the University of North Carolina, where his dissertation went far beyond the readership of just a few professors.

Titled "Dereliction of Duty," McMaster's dissertation became an authoritative book on how the US became involved in the Vietnam War. Much of the book's focus is on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, whom McMaster criticized for failing to push back against President Lyndon B. Johnson.

"McMaster stresses two elements in his discussion of America's failure in Vietnam: the hubris of Johnson and his advisors and the weakness of the Joint Chiefs of Staff," a review on Amazon says.

Whether McMaster can transition well from the Army to the White House is the big question now, but he's one of the best people Trump could have picked. And like Mattis, he seems unafraid to challenge the president's views.

"He's not just a great fighter and not just a conscientious leader," one Army officer told me of McMaster. "He's also an intellectual, a historian, and a forward-thinking planner who can see future trends without getting caught up in bandwagon strategic fads."
The agency, which went public in 1999, was ranked the sixth biggest digital agency in Germany last year by the advertising news website Horizont.

SinnerSchrader has 448 employees and generated 47 million in revenue in 2016.

Accenture's offer of 9 a share values SinnerSchrader at just over 100 million. Accenture plans to offer the remaining shareholders the same share price to complete a full takeover.

In a statement emailed to Business Insider, Accenture said the acquisition would help it deepen and scale its capabilities in creating customer experiences.

Brian Whipple, head of Accenture Interactive, said in the statement:"With SinnerSchrader, we continue to build out Accenture Interactives position as a leading digital customer experience agency."

This is Accenture Interactive's tenth acquisition since 2013 as it increasingly competes with advertising agencies. Its biggest move last year was the acquisition of UK-based creative shop Karmarama.
The three-year-old chat app maker boasts 5 million daily users, from employees at media companies like Business Insider, to workers at companies like IBM, who use it to coordinate code-building.

The San Francisco-based company has raised $539 million dollars from investors including Accel Partners, GV (formerly Google Ventures), and Thrive Capital.

Business Insider was recently invited to tour the company's new East Coast headquarters in New York City. According to Slack, this is where its search and East Coast sales teams will be based.

Check out the highlights below:

Welcome to Slack's New York headquarters in the city's East Village neighborhood.

The newly opened 15,000-square-foot office was designed by Snohetta, an architecture firm, who wanted to the space to mirror the city it's in. Renovations were handled by SPK Lewis.

The office faces Lafayette street and large windows let light stream in.

Slack's logo was worked into the decor, too.

When you first arrive, you sign in on an iPad. But the building was first constructed in the 1880s.

There's also a common area for talks and other public gatherings. This is where Slack CEO Stewart Butterfield addressed the crowd at the office's opening in January.

Every Slack office has good coffee. CEO Butterfield is a big coffee buff.

Slack offices also always have an espresso maker. Slack says they bring someone in to teach the employees how to pull a decent shot.

More coffee  cold brew from West Coast favorite Stumptown.

The bamboo in this conference room is alive. When it finishes growing it will cover the back wall.

Every conference room at Slack can display a clock made of of emojis on its TVs when they're not in use.

Slack's new office has lots of private phone booths for quick phone calls  important, because a lot of its sales will take place in this office.

Here's where the engineers sit.

They'll be working on search and language interpretation  basically, AI stuff.

The entire office feels surprisingly bright and airy, thanks to 6 different skylights.

Most of the furniture is custom from Gala Architectural Woodworking.

There's a large amount of plant life scattered around the office.

Even the phone booths have Slack's clock running.

There is also a nap room for tired workers  and mothers, if they need a private space.

A peek inside the nap room.
He said his government has begun to develop a national electricity master plan, which will also explore the benefits of listing VRA and GRIDCO on the Stock Exchange.

The president added that The attempts by the previous government to resolve the dumsor crisis have led to a gargantuan debt overhang in the sector.

We have inherited a heavily indebted energy sector, with the net debt reaching $2.4 billion as of December 2016, the president said, adding: I have to point out the alarming fact that $800 million of this debt is owed to local banks, which threatens their stability.

Huge indebtedness of the energy sector constitutes the single major hurdle to Ghanaians enjoying reliable and affordable electricity supply

The cost of energy destroys businesses large and small. It destroys jobs. It compounds poverty. The current state of the energy situation in our country is unsatisfactory, he said.
The service launched on Tuesday in Kenyas capital Nairobi, will now allow shippers and receivers globally to select from a range of standardised delivery options, the company has said.

Already the service currently has a presence in six markets including South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Mauritius and Tanzania, with plans to roll out to further sub-Sahara countries throughout 2017.

On-Demand-Delivery offers shippers the choice to activate specific delivery options and have DHL Express proactively notify their customers via email or SMS about a shipments progress.

Customers can then select the delivery option that best suits their requirements via the On Demand Delivery website.

Globally, we have seen the share of e-commerce deliveries grow from about 10 per cent in 2013 to more than 20 per cent of the international volumes of DHL Express in 2016, Hennie Heymans, CEO of DHL Express sub-Saharan Africa told the press in Nairobi.

The service is specifically tailored to the demands of international e-commerce deliveries, where the majority of shipments are addressed to residential addresses and customers place considerable emphasis on flexibility and convenience.

On Demand Delivery isnt just a new customer interface  it also represents an enhancement of our worldwide network, as we have tailored our last-mile operations to meet the specific demands of cross-border e-commerce deliveries.

Thanks to On Demand Delivery, we can support the service offering of online shippers and improve the delivery experience for their customers, while improving our own efficiency, particularly for last-mile deliveries, Heymans added.

Usage

The company said the site/platform can be accessed on smartphones, tablets, PC and any other related device with internet connections, offering receivers up to six delivery options, and further notes that the platform is very easy to use with no worries and on the other hand benefits both shippers and receivers.

Receivers can as well schedule a delivery; arrange delivery to a nearby DHL service point or their own alternate address, and even request that a shipment is put on hold during a vacation.

The firm plans to deploy the service to more than 100 countries across the globe in 2017, accounting for the majority of global trade and online retail activity, and is available in over 45 languages.

Shippers can incorporate their own branding into customer notifications.
Mark Okraku Manteys topmost priority as Head of the Council is to see to the revision, ratification and implementation of the Creative Arts Bill  and its passage into Law.

Former Tourism and Creative Arts Minister, Mrs. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, inaugurated an interim Creative Arts Council to regulate the industry before she exited office. The Ministry made some key creative arts policy interventions and strategies including coordination among key MDAs in the development of the creative industry, facilitation of access to finance and the export market for products of Ghanaian creative industry and facilitation of the establishment of a council for the creative industry.

The Council is expected to help the Ministry to fashion out appropriate policies and administrative structures that can propel the growth of the industry as a major pillar for socio-economic advancement.
Moments of Glory Prayer Army headed by Rev. O.B Junior has helped to amass wealth to live a life of luxurious that she constantly flaunts on social media.

READ ALSO: Killer Moves Becca winds her waist in lovely video

Mrs. Abrowah disclosed, I was in a rented single room when I joined MOGPA, but I can testify to the Glory of the Lord of MOGPA that, I now possess a luxurious 7-bedroom house with cars. Aligning myself with MOGPA has been the greatest thing that has ever happened to me. I would admonish the public to join MOGPA for dumbfounding testimonies .

READ ALSO: Pulse Style

Afia Schwarzenegger born Valentina Nana Agyeiwaa Abrokwah added that Due to the enormous blessings and uncommon favor God has conferred on me since my alignment with this Formidable Prayer Army having.
In addition to this, Egbule was also accused of collecting a fee from members of the church who required special prayer.

Some of these women also came to testify and confessed of their encounter with Egbule and how he had also tricked them to part with money as prayer fees.

He was sacked and his dismissal was announced to the entire congregation during last Sunday service, the General Overseer, Pastor Mrs. Mary- Sherry Osakwe told the PM Express.

The church head did not give the pastor an opportunity to correct his way as harboring him within the ministry will lead to a bad representation.

Egbule did not only have issues with those female members of the church, we were not happy that he had been tricking them to part with money for prayer.

Keeping such character in the church will not be in the interest of the members and the entire church.

The case of sexual assault has been reported to the police, the G.O added.

ALSO READ:Pastor gives disinfectant to member for miracles in South Africa

The news concerning the incident came to light following a fight between him and one of his flings, Ada, who also worships at the church.
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The accused appeared on a two-count charge of stealing and negligence.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to him.

The prosecutor, Insp. Chinalu Nwadione said that the accused committed the offence on Oct. 30, 2016 at No. 5, Siyanbola Close, off Akora Estate, Adeniyi Jones, Ikeja.

He alleged that the accused had been negligent in his duties and had not been quick to detect the death of one Joshua Bello, 29, who had drowned in the pool in the residence where he was guarding.

Nwadione also said that the accused stole the following items: Infinix dual sim, Apple I-pad, grilling machine, a wrist watch, a pair of ray ban glasses, a bunch of keys and N3, 000 from the deceased.

He said the offence contravened Sections 216 and 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
Obend, who resides at No. 9, Ajegunle Close, Isheri, Lagos State, is facing a charge of defilement.

He, however, denied the charge.

According to the State Prosecutor, Mr T.M. Ashafa, Obend, who is partially blind, committed the offence at about 9 a.m., on Aug. 7, 2015 at his residence.

Obend who is a neighbour to the complainant (name withheld) lured her into his apartment where he had forceful sexual intercourse with her.

He allegedly kept her in his room against her will for two days until she was discovered there by her family, he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Obend had to be assisted before he could enter into the dock due to his disability.

Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye on noticing his disability made inquiries about his state of health.

According to his defence counsel, Mr Emmanuel Umsu, his health deteriorated after he was remanded at the Ikoyi Prisons by a magistrates court for the alleged offence.

My Lord, my client had excellent sight before he was remanded in prison by the magistrates court.

After his remand, his eyesight deteriorated badly, he said.

Umsu also told the court that there was an intention from the complainant to drop the case against the defendant.

A member of a non-governmental organisation (NGO) told me that the complainant wanted to drop the case against the defendant, he said.

But an official from the Ikoyi Prisons, however, disputed Umsus claims.

He said that the accused had always been partially sighted.

Ipaye told the defence counsel that the case was now between the state and the accused.

The victim is no longer the complainant; rather the state is now the complainant.
There has not been enough effort by the respondent Adeyemi told the court in a report compiled by the Daily Post News.

Moredayo was also accused of philandering with other women despite his impotent condition, ignoring medical advice on ways to overcome his sexual performance issues.

Instead, he flirts around. He can spend weeks outside, abandoning me in the guise that he is engaged.

I pray the court to separate us so that I can try my luck elsewhere in a bid to get pregnant and have a child.

I cannot allow another man to sleep with me as long as I am still married to him, the complainant told the court.

The husband however appealed to the court, stating his disapproval of a divorce between him and Adeyemi.
The awards, which were established in 2012, seek to cultivate the understanding, appreciation and advancement of the contribution of recorded music to the Ghanaian society; from the artistic and technical legends of the past to the musical breakthroughs of future generations of music professionals.

Organised by the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA), the ceremony sees awards in 20 categories given by an academy of peers and one category voted by the public. There is also an award handed by the president of the union to an artist considered to have contributed immensely to the development of MUSIGA and Ghanaian music in general.

Nominees in the categories Traditional Music Honour, Music Industry Development Honour, Evergreen Highlife Artist Honour, Evergreen Hiplife Artist Honour, Evergreen Gospel Artist Honour and the Presidents Choice Honours are yet to be announced. The date of the event has not been made public.

Full list of nominees below:

Best Band Honour

 Afro Harmony

 Big Heels Band

 OBY Band

 Patch Bay Band

 Shabbo Crew

Best DJ Honour

 DJ Black

 DJ Mic Smith

 DJ Slim

 DJ Vision

 DJ Vyrusky

Afro Pop Artist Honour

 Adina

 Efya

 Joey B

 R2Bees

 Ruff and Smooth

Hiplife Artist Honour

 EL

 Guru

 Kofi Kinaata

 Sarkodie

 VVIP

Highlife Artist Honour

 Akwaboah

 Becca

 Bisa K.Dei

 Kwabena Kwabena

 Ofori Amponsah

Reggae/Dancehall Artist Honour

 MzVee

 Raz Kuuku

 Samini

 Shatta Wale

 Stonebwoy

Gospel Artist Honour

 Joe Mettle

 Nacy

 Nicholas Omane Achaempong

 Ohemaa Mercy

 SP Kofi Sarpong

Music Producer Honour

 B2

 Beatz Dakay

 Julz

 Kaywa

 Kuvee

Best Music Video Honour

 Becca ft Bisa K Dei  Beshiwo

 Edem ft Reekado Banks  Nyedzilo

 Guru  Samba

 Okyeame Kwame ft MzVee  Small Small

 R2bees ft Wizkid  Tonight

Most Promising Act Honour

 Article Wan

 Cina Soul

 Ebony

 Fancy Gadam

 Medikal

Best Male Artist Honour

 EL

 Kofi Kinaata

 Sarkodie

 Shatta Wale

 Stonebwoy

Best Female Artist Honour

 Adina

 Becca

 Efya

 MzVee

 Wiyaala

Best Group Honour

 44

 Galaxy

 R2Bees

 Ruff and Smooth

 VVIP

Best Group Honour

 44

 Galaxy

 R2Bees

 Ruff and Smooth

 VVIP

Peoples Choice Artist Honour

 Bisa K.Dei

 Efya

 EL

 Joey B

 Kofi Kinaata

 MzVee

 Sarkodie

 Shatta Wale

 Stonebwoy
A source close to the rapper said the song is aimed at the Ghana government for taking citizens for granted. The cry of the ordinary Ghanaian has always been for the government to perform duties that they were voted for but they hardly fulfil their promises.

"The song will spark a whole controversy for the rapper as he went all out in his lyrics to Ghanaians. It is over a year now since Strongman recorded the song but management has always delayed on releasing the song as they feared it might draw negative cloud towards the artiste in a politically motivated country as Ghana," the source stated.

Strongman is noted to be a good wordsmith and his creativity has always been one-factor music lovers have applauded him for.

The rapper who has been on the pre-hype for the visuals for his single "Oh Joo" which featured Uptown Energy frontman, Yaa Pono, has decided to release this tune before the visuals set in.
They are Emmanuel Aidoo aka Kojo Aidoo, the Boat owner, Kwabena Sekou, Paul Eshun aka Nana Yaw and Francis Binney aka Kweku Mensah, all of Axim in the Nzema East Municipality.

According to report by the Ghana News Agency (GNA), prosecuting, Police Detective Sergeant Richard Amoah, told the court presided over by Mr Abdul Majid Illiasu that at about 1000 hours on January 2, Robert Nyame Quansah, deceased, one Osaam now at large, and the four accused persons left Axim on-board "God Is King" fishing boat for a fishing expedition in Cote D' Ivoire, via the Gulf of Guinea.

He said the next day, the body of Quansah, with marks of assaults on the head, left ear and elbow, was found ashore at Bonyere near Half-Assini in the Jomoro District and a report was made to the Police who conveyed and deposited the body at the Half-Assini Government Hospital morgue.

READ ALSO: Court remands pool clerk for killing his client

The Prosecutor said about 1145 hours on February 7 the accused were seen at Axim and were arrested by the police and handed over to the Half-Assini Police for further investigation.

He said the accused said in the course of their voyage, at Ezinlibo waters near Bonyere, the deceased decided that he would not continue with the trip to Cote D' Ivoire to avoid being arrested over there.

Sergeant Amoah said the accused told him that when the deceased decided not to continue with the trip he picked a piece of Wawa board in the Boat and swam ashore while they continued with the voyage.

READ MORE: Man jailed 15 years for stealing phone

The Prosecutor said Aidoo the Boat Owner claimed he gave the deceased GHc 50.00 to use as transportation fare back to Axim but the other crew members said they did not know anything about the money.
They were arrested for allegedly attempting to traffic 11 girls to Saudi Arabia and other Arab states.

Police Chief Inspector Philip Arthur, Head of Agona Swedru Divisional Domestic Violence Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service, who disclosed this to the media, said the suspects were arrested upon a tipoff.

The suspects are Alhaji Ibrahim Imoro 60, Hajia Sward Zakari and Hajia Zaratu Ibrahim both wives of the suspect and resident at Yarlewa Zongo, a suburb of Agona Swedru.

Chief Inspector Arthur said the Immigration Service Personnel at Agona West Municipal Office had informed that Alhaji Imoro had kept the females in his house.

READ ALSO: Court remands four fishermen for murder

According to Head of DOVVU, the suspect son (name withheld) for security reasons, initially brought 12 females to Swedru and took one of them to an unknown place in Kumasi and left the rest in Agona Swedru.

He said this was not the first time the suspects son had brought a group of females to Agona Swedru to be traffic to Saudi Arabia and other Arab states for inconsequential jobs.

Chief Inspector Arthur said the suspect told the security personnel during interrogation that his son brought the ladies for safe keeping at Agona Swedru.

He said the suspect confessed that his son was in Accra to prepare Ghanaian passports to enable the ladies to travel to their various destinations.

He said two of the girls revealed during the interrogation that their parents were not aware of their supposed traveling abroad to work, which each could earn them huge dollars as salaries at the end of every month.

READ ALSO:Court arraigns 3 men for intentionally setting vehicle ablaze

Chief Inspector Arthur said nine Togolese females involved in the trafficking could not identify their hometowns where they were picked from by the suspect.
The attempts by the previous government to resolve the dumsor crisis have led to a gargantuan debt overhang in the sector, Nana Akufo-Addo told parliament on Tuesday, 21 February, 2017 in his maiden State of the Nation Address.

We have inherited a heavily indebted energy sector, with the net debt reaching $2.4 billion as of December 2016.

He explained that:I have to point out the alarming fact that $800 million of this debt is owed to local banks, which threatens their stability.

"Huge indebtedness of the energy sector constitutes the single major hurdle to Ghanaians enjoying reliable and affordable electricity supply

The cost of energy destroys businesses large and small. It destroys jobs. It compounds poverty. The current state of the energy situation in our country is unsatisfactory, he said.

READ ALSO: Soldier detained for leaking Flagstaff House brutality video

He added that his government has begun to develop a national electricity master plan, which will also explore the benefits of listing VRA and GRIDCO on the Stock Exchange, as part of fixing the problem.
The Management of the National Service Scheme (NSS) wishes to announce that eligible Ghanaians who missed the opportunity to do their national service in previous years and now wish to enroll to do the service, have up to Friday, March 17, 2017 to do so, the statement indicated.
Ahead of his presentation, some analysts in the business environment say they would want the president to lay out a detailed plan to stabilise the economy.

"We expect that the state of the nation address will make clearer the vision for the first 2017 and particularly for the business environment. And also essentially the strategy in terms of stabilising the currency which is a major worry now. It appears that it is difficult to begin to budget very well in the country now because you cannot predict the behaviour of the currency in a next week or so. So we are expecting that a vision will be laid down clearly and an outline of what measures they will take to stabilise basically the economy, the Corporate Affairs Manager of the Finatrade Group, Mr John Awuni has told Pulse.com.gh.

Ghanas education, particularly, the Free senior High School policy which is expected to begin in September this year has been a major topic in the country, especially with the source of funding for the policy.

For Dr Prince Armah, the Executive Director for the Institute for Education Studies, the president must clarify how the free SHS policy will be funded.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo complimented the Tamale South MP. He said he is one with a bright political future.

I commend also the Majority Leader, my contemporary in this House who can now put his extensive experience of parliament to use as leader of the house and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs.

He gratified him during his maiden state of nation address in Parliament on Tuesday, February 21, 2017.

READ ALSO: The NPP has inherited an indebted energy sector- Nana Addo My compliment goes to the new Minority Leader Honourable Haruna Iddrisu, who announced himself on the national stage when he came here in my last term in the House. It is clear that he has an important future in Ghanaian politics.

I want to assure him and the leadership of the House on both sides that I will cooperate fully with parliament to enhance the governance of our nation to be able to do the business of Ghana effectively.
On Monday January 9, 2017, some young men believed to be NPP supporters attempted to take over the Passport Office in Accra, the office of the National Disaster and Management Organization (NADMO), and some other state institutions.

READ MORE:

However, presenting his maiden State of the Nation Address, President Akufo-Addo condemned the behaviour describing it as unfortunate.

He said, "Mr Speaker, certain incidents occurred during the transition period that are matters of concern to me and should be of concern to every Ghanaian as they marred an otherwise dignified and successful transition.

"Wrongdoing has no political colour and I do not subscribe to the lawlessness of political party supporters simply because their party has been elected into office.

"Mr Speaker, when those incidents began, I instructed the then Inspector General of Police, John Kudalor to apply the law irrespective of political affiliation to all lawbreakers. This instruction was also carried onto his successor, Davin Asante-Apeatu, both of them acted upon it which helped to bring the situation under control.

READ MORE:Soldier detained for leaking Flagstaff House brutality video
The cameraman was trying to capture President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo when he was singing the National anthem.

In the video, the policeman after getting closer to the cameraman tried pulling him away.

The cameraman however signalled him to be patient since he possibly thought he had perfectly positioned himself to capture the president singing the anthem before he enters parliament to present his first State of the Nation Address.

The policeman continued to pull the cameraman who had also taken a firm stand not to move.

READ ALSO: William Atuguba is acting Chief Justice

The cameraman wrestled the police officer in front of the President, who was stiff, while the national anthem was being played.
The event will be attended by Justices of the Supreme Court, members of the diplomatic corps and traditional leaders among others.

The President is expected to touch on how he is going to bring into fruition the various promises he made during the electioneering period.

READ ALSO: What Ghanaians are expecting to hear from President Nana Akufo-Addo

Ahead of his presentation, some analysts in the business environment say they would want the president to lay out a detailed plan to stabilise the economy.

His speech will mainly center on the economy, health, education and other sectors.

Ghanas education, particularly, the Free senior High School policy which is expected to begin in September this year has been a major topic in the country, especially with the source of funding for the policy.

For Dr Prince Armah, the Executive Director for the Institute for Education Studies, the president must clarify how the free SHS policy will be funded.

The Corporate Affairs Manager of the Finatrade Group, Mr John Awuni has told Pulse.com.gh,"We expect that the state of the nation address will make clearer the vision for the first 2017 and particularly for the business environment. And also essentially the strategy in terms of stabilising the currency which is a major worry now. It appears that it is difficult to begin to budget very well in the country now because you cannot predict the behaviour of the currency in a next week or so. So we are expecting that a vision will be laid down clearly and an outline of what measures they will take to stabilise basically the economy".

READ MORE: What Mahama Ayariga told bribery committee

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has extolled the democratic virtues of former President John Mahama saying his contribution to the country's democracy will forever be cherished.
I dont believe in what he is saying with regards to the State of the Nation. People have suffered with regards to hooliganism and youre now saying that there should be a truce on your terms so that next time when somebody takes over it shouldnt happen. Is that what he wants us to believe he quipped.

According to the chief scribe of the NDC, the President was making a good statement at the wrong time especially with regards to the violence that has taken place after the election.

A good statement made at the wrong time is not good enough. I mean part of his government is seen to be legalizing hooliganism. Aburony3 and his invisible forces are still attacking people. Whom should we believe??" he asked.

In his reaction to the general statement, he said even though some parts were reconciliatory, his statements on the economy were not new.

READ ALSO: Nana Addo condemns unlawful seizure by NPP supporters

Its been said that there are three types of lies...Lies that lies on statistics so if you want to tell a particular story with statistics you pick the figures that you are interested in and theyll that story. If another person may pick another set of figures to tell a better story of the economy that person will also succeed.

He warned the President not to use the problems of the economy to run away from the promises he made on the campaign trail.

I am not interested in whatever description hell put to the state of the economy. I am happy he said he was elected to fix the economy. Let him fix it but he should not use any state of the economy to run away from the promises he made.

"We are expecting to see the 1 million, 1 constituency promise. We are waiting for the 1 district, 1 factory. 1 village and 1 dam. Its not about repeating what he has said because the sweetness of the pudding is in the eating he told Accra-based Joy FM.

President Nana Akufo-Addo on Tuesday, February 21, delivered his first State of the Nation Address.
Snap Inc., Snapchat's parent company, is looking to raise as much as $3.2 billion in a much-anticipated initial public offering. The executives are traveling from London to San Francisco as they try to drum up interest in the sale.

Tuesday's meeting, on the 36th floor of the Mandarin Oriental hotel in New York City's Columbus Circle, drew a standing-room-only crowd of nearly 500 people that one investor said included "the entire hedge fund mafia."

Inside the hotel ballroom, guests bearing the bright yellow IPO pitchbooks distributed at the event were treated to a light, if uninspired, lunch paired with heady prognostications by Snap's management.

While attendees nibbled on turkey sandwiches and caesar salad wraps, Snap's 26-year-old CEO Evan Spiegel, chief strategy officer Imran Khan, and CFO Drew Vollero answered questions from the crowd, according to people who attended the event.

The meeting lasted less than an hour and consisted entirely of a question-and-answer session. The company had already released an introductory video online on Friday.

Respectful but skeptical mood

Snap, which aims to begin trading on March 2, is seeking a valuation of between $19.5 billion and $22 billion. The offering is one of the largest tech IPOs in years and is being compared to past high-profile internet IPOs such as Facebook, Alibaba, and Twitter.

But while Facebook's stock has soared since its offering, Twitter has languished. And guests at Tuesday's roadshow in New York did their best to get a read on which trajectory Snap would take after its Wall Street debut.

Snap's sudden slowdown in user growth, which could echo the trouble that has plagued Twitter, appears to be among the top concerns on the minds of prospective investors.

One investor at the event told Business Insider the mood in the room was "respectful but somewhat skeptical."

The investor said they did not plan to buy Snap shares unless the company lowers the price.

The questions were tough, according to investors at the meeting that Business Insider spoke to. Here are the main takeaways from a handful of money managers who attended the roadshow. They all asked not to be identified.

Snap's leadership team said they're confident Facebook won't affect its business. They also attributed slow growth in the fourth quarter to problems accessing the app from Android phones. They said Snap will develop on Android at the same time as on Apple's iOS platform to help alleviate issues with the app on Android phones.

not

Still, attendance at the event illustrated the buzz and interest surrounding the company. Roughly two-thirds of attendees were seated at round tables in the front of the ballroom, while others filled narrow rows of seats, packed tightly, in the back of the room.

One hedge fund investor told Business Insider that despite concerns raised, he is still looking to buy Snap shares. This investor said the valuation is a fair price.

"It's not that crazy when you think about the total ... market they're trying to go after," this person said, referring to the digital-advertising market taking share from traditional broadcasters.
The plan  which The Times said was pushed by Cohen, businessman Felix Sater, and Ukrainian lawmaker Andrii Artemenko  involved lifting sanctions on Russia in return for Moscow withdrawing its support for pro-Russia separatists in eastern Ukraine, according to the report. It would also allow Russia to maintain control over Crimea, which it annexed in 2014.

Hours after the Times story was published, however, Cohen told The Washington Post that he hadn't delivered the peace plan to Flynn nor discussed it with anyone in the White House.

In an interview with The Post, Cohen corroborated The Times' reporting that he had met with Sater and Artemenko in a hotel lobby on Park Avenue in Manhattan in late January to discuss the proposal. He said that the meeting lasted less than 15 minutes and that he left with the plan in hand.

However, he "emphatically" denied "discussing this topic or delivering any documents to the White House and/or General Flynn," adding that he told Artemenko that he could "send the proposal to Flynn by writing him at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.," The Post reported.

Cohen shifted his story again on Monday, telling Business Insider in a series of text messages that he denies "even knowing what the plan is." But he said in a later message that he met with Artemenko in New York for "under 10 minutes" to discuss a proposal that Artemenko said "was acknowledged by Russian authorities that would create world peace."

"My response was, 'Who doesn't want world peace?'" Cohen said.

One of the Times reporters who broke the peace-plan story, Scott Shane, pointed Business Insider to a statement the newspaper's deputy managing editor gave on Sunday: "Mr. Cohen told The Times in no uncertain terms that he delivered the Ukraine proposal to Michael Flynn's office at the White House. Mr. Sater told the Times that Mr. Cohen had told him the same thing."

Cohen then appeared to alter his story again, telling NBC News that even if he had taken an envelope with a peace plan to the White House, "So what? What's wrong with that?"

Sater, a businessman of Russian descent who has boasted of his relationship with President Donald Trump, told The Post in May that he "handled all of the negotiations" for the Trump Organization's dealings in Russia in the mid-2000s. Trump has distanced himself from Sater, saying in sworn testimony as part of a 2013 lawsuit that "if he were sitting in the room right now, I really wouldn't know what he looked like."

Sater told The Post that he thought Cohen was going to deliver the plan to Flynn but that Cohen had to wait because Flynn was in the middle of a Russia-related firestorm.

Cohen was named as a "liaison" between Trump and the Kremlin in the explosive, unsubstantiated dossier that surfaced last month, a summary of which had been presented by top US intelligence officials to Trump.

Sater was "not practicing diplomacy" in pushing the plan, which he entertained only because he "wanted to promote peace," he told Fox News on Monday. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Artemenko, who met with Trump's campaign during the election, was also involved in drafting the proposal. Artemenko told The Times he had evidence of Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko's corruption that could lead to his ouster.

Poroshenko has been locked in a war with pro-Russia separatists in eastern Ukraine since he took power in 2014. He is considered friendlier to the West than his ousted predecessor, Viktor Yanukovych. Yanukovych's political rise was heavily aided by former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort, who worked as an adviser on Yanukovych's presidential campaign.

Cohen called the reporting surrounding the meeting "#fakenews." He said he stands by his story that he didn't do anything with the plan.
"What happens at this bed and breakfast doesn't happen anywhere else," Joel Schneider, owner of Colorado's Bud+Breakfast hotel, told Business Insider.

In 2016, Schneider brought in over $1 million managing the nation's first unabashedly pot-friendly hotel (and two locations no longer in operation). Guests ages 21 to 80 have traveled across the country, coming from mostly prohibition states, to toke legally and among like-minded enthusiasts.

After his children graduated college in 2014, Schneider, a former attorney, came to Colorado with the intention of opening a marijuana business that didn't involve growing or selling the plant. He visited radio stations, a glass-blowing factory, and tourism groups for inspiration.

At night, Schneider would stand in his hotel bathroom and blow weed smoke into the toilet bowl to hide the smell. It was an aha moment for the budding entrepreneur, who wondered why he had to be so discreet in a state where recreational marijuana had been legal since 2012. State law prohibits public use of marijuana, and most hotels ban the Schedule I drug.

Later in 2014, opened the first Bud+Breakfast in a six-bedroom Victorian home. The suites range from $299 to $399 a night, and a reservation includes complimentary "wake and bake" breakfasts, in which bacon, eggs, and waffles are served with a side of ganja.

There's a strict BYOC  bring your own cannabis  policy. While Schneider doesn't have a license to sell or distribute weed, he offers private spaces to consume it. Located in Denver's Capital Hill neighborhood, the inn is within walking distance of several dispensaries. A drug paraphernalia bar makes expensive vaporizers and roughly 200 pieces of glass, which can be pipes or bongs, accessible for people coming from states where such products are illegal.

With business going well, Schneider grew Bud+Breakfast from one location to three in 2016  but the expansion did not go as planned. Later that year, he shuttered the newer inns when one property he leased was sold and the other saw only seasonal business. Revenues averaged $110,000 a month, according to an interview with CNBC. Schneider expects to make up the difference in 2017 by licensing the Bud+Breakfast name to other proprietors.

He can also count on repeat business, which makes up a significant chunk of revenue. Texas, a state where having a small amount of bud is illegal and can mean jail time, brings in more guests than any other state.
Punch reports that Bello, in a bid to hide what he did, buried the different parts of his murdered wife in different uncompleted buildings in Lagos before fleeing to Ibadan, Oyo State.

However, he was arrested after a police team from the Ijora Badia Division, led by the Operations Officer, ASP Talabi Segun, recovered Sherifats head and neck in Morocco, Yaba, while other parts of her body were recovered in another uncompleted building on Moshalashi Street, Somolu, which led to Bello's arrest.

It was gathered that the Bello and Sherifat were married for over nine years and had kids together, but separated in July 2016.

The victim who was said to be living on Daramola Street in the Ijora Badia area, had, on Monday, February 13, 2017, reportedly demanded money from Bello for the upkeep of their three children and he allegedly invited her to a location where they allegedly met but she never returned home.

It was the victim's father, Akeem Atanda, who made a report of a missing person the following day, leading to a search for the suspect.

Atanda had reported to the police that an unidentified number called him and reported that his daughter fell into a lagoon.

The police tracked the number and discovered that the caller was in Ibadan. He (Shakiru) was arrested and brought down to Lagos around 1 am on Saturday, a police source said.

The suspect allegedly confessed to the murder of his estranged wife and led police to where he dumped some other body parts.

In his confession, Bello said he cut Sherifat's body parts into pieces and disposed of them because he was afraid of being prosecuted.

"After we separated, I secretly reconciled with her and we started meeting. On the average, I gave her N15,000 in a week. On that Monday, she called me that she needed money and we agreed to meet.

I gave her N10,000 that evening. She later begged me to accompany her to Lagos Island where her niece was admitted to a hospital.

We took a motorcycle and were on the Third Mainland Bridge when a truck hit us from behind.

I took her to my house on Olaleye Street, Somolu, around 12 am. I went out to get her balm and some drugs. Unfortunately, she died. I was afraid of her father, who didnt want to see us together.

Also, I couldnt report to the police, so I decided to put her body in a sack and dispose of it. When it was not going into the sack, I cut off her arms, head, legs and other parts, Bello said.

But a police source dispelled the confession as lies as the private parts of the victim were missing, adding that the suspect might not have acted alone, suspecting rituals connotation to the murder.

The State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Dolapo Badmos, has confirmed the incident and the arrest of the suspect.
The police spokesperson in the state, Mr Moses Nkombe, who confirmed the incident, said the security guards were apparently killed by the suspected armed robbers who were in the area to steal.

According to him, the police have commenced investigation into the killings, assuring that the perpetrators will be apprehended.

Eyewitnesses told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the lifeless bodies of the guards were found by workers at a petrol station on Monday morning.
The accused, whose address is unknown, is facing a charge of stealing a child.

She, however, entered a plea of not guilty.

The Magistrate, Mr A. T. Elias, ordered that the accused be remanded in prison and subsequently adjourned the case to Feb. 27.

Earlier, Sgt. Kehinde Omisakin, the Prosecutor, told the court that the accused was caught with the baby boy on Feb. 17 at about 10.24 a.m. at Oke-Afa, Ori-Oke in Ejigbo area of Lagos.

When questioned, the accused could not give a satisfactory explanation how she got the three-day-old baby.

The offence, she noted, contravened Section 275(a) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.
The accused, unemployed, who resides at Alarape Street, Bariga area of Lagos is being tried for rape.

The prosecutor, Sgt. Raphael Donny, told the court that the offence was committed on Feb.12 where the accused was residing.

The accused shut the door and raped her, he told the court.

The accused pleaded not guilty.

The offence contravened Section 259 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 259 prescribes life imprisonment for the offender if found guilty.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Davies Abegunde, admitted the accused to a bail of N500, 000 with two sureties in like sum.
The accused persons were Mwarga Philip and Godwin Akortsaha of Dambuwa Area of Sokoto.

The Prosecutor, Sgt. Ngumut Philemon, told the court that the accused persons on Dec. 19, 2016, conspired and broke into the office of the accountant of the church and stole the money.

The accused were arraigned on a two-count charge of criminal conspiracy, housebreaking and theft, contrary to sections 97, 356 and 287 of the Penal Code.

The accused persons, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The Magistrate, Abubakar Adamu, granted bail to them in the sum of N100,000 each with two sureties in like sum.
Sometime ago, soldiers who were sent to Gbaramatu Kingdom seized a sword reportedly belonging to the one ex-Niger Delta warlord (I no mention name oh).

According to sources who know the Ijaw nation well, the sword is a symbol of authority used by the custodian of the Egbesu shrine .

In other words, the ex-militant warlord, who is said to be the chief custodian of the shrine is the Chief priest of the kingdom or the senior babalawo.

Una know say the guy first beg government say make them return the sword so him go fit perform him duties and worship Egbesu, abi?

Knowing Ijaw winsh well, they do not leave you untii their mission is accomplished and you pay the price for daring them.

Ask me how I take know. Check out Ijaw gehs. If any Ijaw geh cash you, she will never let you go until she drain your blood or finish your gin (ogogoro) and empty your bowl of fish pepper soup.

They don't need your money, and it is advisable in this period wey eye dey red, to consider the Ijaw alternative.

Anyway, back to the matter. President Buhari has written to the Senate to ask for an extension of his already extended vacation.

According to reports, his aides revealed that tests have shown that the President needs to stay back in London until he recovers.

Really? Who was it that was singing the fit as a fiddle tune, while the other was chorusing from the script that there is no cause for alarm.

My brother open your eye and see the alarm by your side. There is nothing wrong in accepting that our Presido is ill and is responding to treatment.

Anyway, Buhari has ordered the Soldiers who seized Tompolo's golden sword of horror, sorry, honour to return it with immediate effect, make we know where the thing wey dey do am come from.

Bros ex-militant, abeg as baba don return the sword just sorry for am. I no talk say na you swear for am oh! Just use the sword pray for am.

Like I always say, I do not know Sambo Dasuki, neither have I met the underground billionaire, Andrew Yakubu.

There is no statement here about Southern Kaduna, so El-the-referee will not order for me like Chocolate City bars.

Aunty Diezani who I prayed and fasted so hard to adopt me has still not responded. Weh! I still believe in miracles.

My prayer for Mr. President is that he gets well soon.

No weapon, whether na sword oh or na apple oh, fashioned against President Buhari shall prosper. We need to jail many corrupt politicians.

Even Femi Adesina does not know when our dear President will return. How will he know, when he only speaks to those around the President and not to the President himself? Eh!

ALSO READ: Nigerians outraged as packaged Indian Garri floods market
The Director Media and Public Relation in the ministry, Mrs Boade Akinola, made this known in a statement on Monday in Abuja.

She said the minister disclosed this while visiting Yangoji Leprosy Community, Kwali Area Council, Abuja, as part of activities to mark the 2017 World Leprosy Day.

The minister said government would collaborate with FCT Administration to increase support to the people affected by leprosy in FCT and would also liaise with stakeholders to support people affected by leprosy in Nigeria.

I know there are other leprosy communities that are in serious state of disrepair.

I will certainly get in touch with the Minister of FCT so that together we can visit Dakwa community in FCT to access how we can support them.

I want to assure you that the real message we want to let the whole world know is that leprosy does not kill, leprosy is preventable, it is treatable and it is curable, he said.

Adewole explained that the theme of this year is World Leprosy Day Zero Disability among children affected by Leprosy.

He said the theme was borne out of the need to prevent children from being infected with leprosy.

He said that leprosy was preventable and treatable, if anybody noticed any child with such symptoms should quickly report to the relevant authority for treatment.

The minister commended the Board of Trustees of Leprosy Mission, Nigeria; World Health Organisation; the Damian Foundation of Belgium, German Leprosy and TB Relief Association for their support to people affected by leprosy.

She also quoted Mr Ahmed Nasir, the Chairman of Persons Affected by Leprosy, urging government to support people affected by leprosy with basic health and social amenities.

We hereby call on government and other partners at Federal, State and Local Levels to come to our aid.

We also call on all Nigerians to see us as equal and part of the society.
The funds Media Adviser in Nigeria, Hajiya Kori Habib, made this known in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.

According to her, KOICA has released the grant and further requested UNFPA Nigeria to submit a multi-year proposal of five million dollars to scale-up humanitarian work in Borno.

Habib said UNFPA Country Representative, Mrs Beatrice Mutali and KOICA experts mission were in Borno to better understand the context and assess the feasibility of UNFPAs proposal, noting Mr Kyu-Duk Noh, Koreas Ambassador to Nigeria led the Korean agency team.

The media adviser added that Kyu-Duk wanted to have first-hand assessment of UNFPAs humanitarian response programme in Maiduguri.

She stated that the delegations visited the Muna Garage displaced persons camp and met with Borno government officials and key humanitarian stakeholders in the state.

She added that the visit was designed to seek for more and sustainable support to speed-up reconstruction and rehabilitation, as well as resettlement of displaced persons in Borno.

She added that the delegation also met with Gov. Kashim Shettima, where the governor commended the Korean Republic for its support to the state.

Habib quoted Shettima as requesting that the fund be invested in providing infrastructure, schools, health facilities and shelter for internally displaced persons and the host communities.

She noted that the governor also urged for quick intervention to meet life-saving needs of affected communities, early recovery and resilience in building infrastructure and livelihood support programmes.

The UNFPA media adviser stated that the Korean ambassador had pledged his governments resolve to partner with UNFPA to work in Borno.

The ambassador, however, said even though KOICA had been working in Nigeria, it was an opportunity for the government to choose to be in at least three selected local government areas of Borno.

He added that being in three local government areas would ensure that KOICAs assistance positively affected the lives of the people.

Habib quoted Kyu-Duk as saying we in the Republic of Korea know and understand what the people of Borno are going through.
The witness, Goji Mohammed, told the Federal High Court, Abuja that he was part of the EFCC team, led by Mr Isyaku Sharu, that conducted the search in Badehs house in Asokoro, Abuja.

Mohammed is the 15th witness to testify in Badehs trial.

Badeh is standing trial on money laundering offence he allegedly committed while serving as Chief of Air Staff.

The witness also said the team recovered some bank documents, land documents, tax documents and few other instruments.

Mohammed further said the commission received intelligence report on another property located at No. 6 Ogun River Street Maitama, which was found to be Badehs property.

He said they accessed the building through the balcony by climbing, adding that they invited the security man of the neighbouring house to witness the search.

He said: "When we climbed in, we were in the living area upstairs so we used the stairs and went to the living area downstairs and started our search from there.

"When we got to the biggest room in the house, we saw a wardrobe, on opening it, we saw a bag and on opening it contained foreign currency.

"We saw 16 bundles of 50 US dollars notes and two sealed bundles containing 100,000 US dollars which we estimated to amount one million US dollars.

"On further counting the money in our office we discovered it was exactly one million dollars."

He said they also found a red box which he could not precisely remember what was inside, adding that they also found two way bills of furniture supplied to the building.

When the prosecution sought to tender the search warrant, the red box and the way bill as evidence, the move was objected to by the defence team.

ALSO READ: Witness testifying against Badeh admits to making conflicting statements

Mr Lasun Sanusi (SAN), counsel for the defendant objected to the admissibility of the items, saying they were purportedly obtained from an illegal search.

Sanusi cited Section 115 of Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, which states that the occupant of a place searched or a relation shall be at the house and see the items seized.

He said no provisions of law permitted state security agents to conduct search by looking for strangers on the street to witness it.

Sanusi said the law gave the owner of the property the impetus to nominate a representative to witness such search if he or she could not be present.

On his part, the Prosecution Counsel, Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), argued that Section 149 and 150 of ACJA which deals with house search warrant permitted the presence of two witnesses.

"This permission covers the person to whom the warrant is addressed and a neighbour within the neighbourhood the property is located," he said.

According to him, the provision allows the person to whom warrant is addressed to look for a witness in the neighbourhood.

He, therefore, argued that no provision of the law compelled the property owner to be present before a search warrant can be executed.
Civilians have often been collateral damage in the conflict that has raged in remote northeast Nigeria for nearly eight years, leaving at least 20,000 dead and more than 2.6 million homeless.

The women wait for their wounds to heal in the suffocating heat.

"Boko Haram fighters would come to their village to steal food and hide," a nurse explained.

"The army went there and put the women in a truck to evacuate them.

"The military set the village on fire, so the insurgents couldn't hide anymore. But the fire 'jumped' in the truck."

The women, with their heads covered and gold nose rings in the tradition of the ethnic Kanuri group, still look terrified.

They stare at the walls and ignore visitors, afraid that questions will focus too much on the circumstances of the "liberation" of their village.

Fighters easily blend in

The nurse says there are no more men left. They were either killed in the fighting, drafted into the civilian militia or forced to join the ranks of Boko Haram.

Some may even be at so-called "screening" centres, where soldiers pass judgement on whether local men have been involved in the insurgency.

Such checks, free from any oversight, can take weeks or months, especially if the men are Kanuri like the majority of Boko Haram.

James Adewunmi Falode, a security analyst at the University of Lagos who tracks the conflict, said Boko Haram's resemblance to "ordinary citizens" was making the fight against them harder.

"They are not a military adversary that can be easily identified and destroyed on the battlefield. These people can easily blend into the general population when the situation demands," he said.

Even women and children, who have been repeatedly used by the group as as human bombs, are a potential threat, explaining the tensions between the military and the public.

'Just criminals'

Around Dikwa and a dozen or so other secured major towns, villages have been emptied to prevent them being used by the jihadists as hideouts or resupply points.

The military also wants to stop the mass kidnapping of their inhabitants.

"Before, they (Boko Haram) would read the Koran and try to change us," said Bulama Goni, a former village chief with a white beard in long, flowing robes.

"Now, they are just criminals, asking for money, looking rough and disgusting."

Boko Haram fighters are also starving: Nigerian army tactics have been to slowly choke the rebels, cutting off their supplies of arms and food. The strategy appears to be working.

Boko Haram used to attack major towns and cities in northeast Nigeria and in 2014 controlled territory as big as Belgium.

But now it is limited to sporadic suicide bomb attacks and ambushes of military convoys and check-points.

The military's isolation strategy, however, has not seen everywhere secured and has had an effect on the daily life of civilians.

More than five million people are in desperate need of food, according to the United Nations.

"In liberated areas there is no fuel, no communication, no public transport... even the food it's all controlled by the army," said one security operative for a major international aid agency.

"This is a classical counter-insurgency strategy left over from the Vietnam war. It hasn't changed but it's not sustainable," he added.

Suspicious activity

Monguno, in the north of Borno state, is a former trading hub near the edge of Lake Chad, the watery border between Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon.

There are currently about 100,000 people in the town's camps. But some 27,000 people are waiting for food distribution.

According to Ibrahim Maina, the coordinator for the Borno state emergency management agency, the last handouts were in November last year. Everyone's face is etched with hunger.

The road linking Monguno to the state capital Maiduguri, 137 kilometres (86 miles) away, has been reopened.

Muhammadu Sanni, goes to the shores of Lake Chad once a week to catch catfish to feed his family. But he says he can't catch a lot.

"If (the military) stop me with a lot of fish, they will think I'm smuggling for Boko Haram," he said, as he fixed his nylon net.
What we have just said is what I will want us to believe. The President said he needs to rest further. The same President that communicated that to us, when it is time for him to come, he will also communicate to us, Adesina said.

He (the President) is the one who owns his body and there is nobody who will know his body more than him and he says no cause to worry.

It makes sense to say that maybe from the results of the tests, further rests had been recommended. The statement did not say how long the rest will last.

I speak for somebody, I do not speak for myself. So it is what he tells me to say that I say and the statement transmitted to me is that the President needs to rest for some further time, he added.

Adesina had earlier issued a statement in which he quoted Buhari as saying that theres no cause for worry over his health.

Buhari has been away from Nigeria since January 19, when he left the country for a 10-day medical vacation in London.

The president was due to resume on February 6, but he wrote the Senate on February 5 to extend his vacation indefinitely.

In the letter, he told the Senate that he would not return to Nigeria until his doctors ruled out "certain factors."

However, various government officials have assured Nigerians that the president is hale and hearty.

Senate President, Bukola Saraki, who visited Buhari twice in London, said that the president is in good spirits and is his usual witty self.
Jeff Okoroafor, the groups president, made the comments via a petition titled: A call for President Muhammadu Buharis resignation without further ado.

Although there seem to be a general assumption that the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is acting in the place of the president as such no vacuum is created in the system. But, we are quite aware that there are so many pending issues on the desk of Mr. President that awaits his return, Okoroafor said.

We cannot be operating in secrecy at the presidential level expecting the information hungry Nigerians to keep mute. We have the right to know what is happening and we are committed to a functional and operational Nigeria which is not halted for any political gains or satisfaction.

Based on this, we call for the immediate resignation of President Muhammadu Buhari quoting his health as the reason to fully function as the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, followed swiftly with the immediate confirmation of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo as a substantive President of the country.

We hope that this petition will reach deserving authorities in good faith, understanding that the urgency of this request is born out of the desire to salvage the country from total collapse. We pray and urge that this letter will be treated without prejudice or sentiment from whatever sphere of reasoning.

As the days on vacation recede, Nigerians yearn insistently to know the circumstances surrounding the presidents seemingly emergency exit from the country. It is ponderous to put on record that this so-called all important vacation was coming at a point when the countrys economy was demanding the innovation or yet still budgetary intervention to ameliorate the sufferings of many Nigerians, he added.

President Buhari has been out of Nigeria since January 19 when he left the country for a 10-day medical vacation in London.

The president subsequently wrote the Senate on February 5 to extend his vacation indefinitely.
President Buhari also thanked Nigerians for wishing him well and praying for him.

The president made the comments via a series of tweets posted by his spokesman, Garba Shehu on Tuesday, February 21.

President @MBuhari thanks millions of Nigerians who have been sending good wishes and praying for his health and well-being, Shehu wrote.

During his normal annual checkup, tests showed he needed a longer period of rest, necessitating the President staying longer than planned.

President Buhari wishes to reassure Nigerians that there is no cause for worry. The President is immensely grateful for the prayers, show of love and concern, he added.

The president was due to resume on February 6, but he wrote the Senate on February 5 to extend his vacation indefinitely.

In the letter, he told the Senate that he would not return to Nigeria until his doctors ruled out "certain factors."

However, various government officials have assured Nigerians that the president is hale and hearty.

Senate President, Bukola Saraki, who visited Buhari twice in London, said that the president is in good spirits and is his usual witty self.
Malam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President, confirmed this development on his Facebook page on Monday, in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the presidential aide was quoted at the weekend as saying that Nigeria was the second largest producer of rice in the world.

Shehu, quoting an investigative media reports, revealed that 48,000 new millionaires had emerged in Kebbi State alone last year, for growing rice

According to him, Nigeria has just achieved the record of the second largest producer of rice in the world, following a rice revolution started just a year ago.

He said A newspaper did an investigation in Kebbi and found out that there were 48,000 new millionaires in Kebbi State alone last year for growing rice.

This over reliance on oil has killed this country and we cannot continue like this. So, the diversification of the economy means more money will be in the hands of ordinary Nigerians.

And there will be widespread prosperity all over the country.

Shehu however stated that officials of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture would soon come up with the latest development on rice production in the country.

The statement on the Facebook page read: We are not the first to say that Nigeria has grown to the second position in rice production worldwide.

The CNN, which is not a frivolous news source, said this. We have reason to believe them because of their global reach.

While we wait the numbers from the Food and Agricultural Organisation, FAO, we are collating our own figures and in the coming weeks, the officials in the Ministry of Agriculture will be coming up with our own position on rice production.

Dont forget that since October last year, Nigeria has been feeding many parts of West, North and Central Africa.

Many of these countries have been shopping in Nigeria for rice, sorghum, sesame and millet.

To support the growing rice industry, the Federal Government just acquired 110 rice milling machines which will be installed in different parts of the country between now and July.
The board has mapped out stringent measures to scrutinise intending pilgrims to avoid abscondment being experienced amongst pilgrims."

There is no need for any pilgrim to abscond in the holy land on the premise of searching for greener pastures outside Nigeria."

Economic recession is not peculiar to Nigeria, the whole world is hit by the phenomenon, he said.

He urged intending pilgrims to understand that pilgrimage was a platform for Christians to uplift their spiritual lives and increase their faith in God.

Ezuoke admonished them to use the solemn opportunity to pray for their spiritual growth and the nations political and economic transformation.

The holy pilgrimage as we know, provides good opportunity for Christians to fulfil a very important desire."

The desire to visit Israel is to see the place where Jesus Christ was born, where he grew up, died and resurrected from the dead and from where he ascended into heaven, he added.

Ezuoke advised Christians, interested in travelling to Israel on pilgrimage, to apply to the board to obtain the form.
Mr Alexander Iya, chairman of the local governments interim management committee, who briefed newsmen on the incident, said that the gunmen stormed the village around 6 a.m. and launched a massive attack.

He said that most of the victims were women and children, whose corpses had been deposited at the Kafanchan General Hospital.

Those injured are being treated at the Kaura General Hospital, he said.

He said that the attackers also burnt many houses and destroyed crops.

Iya, however, disclosed that one of the invaders was killed by security personnel deployed to contain the situation.

The chairman appealed to the people to remain calm and avoid the temptation to take the law into their hands.

He assured them that government had deployed enough personnel to secure the communities.

Efforts to reach the Divisional Police Officer of the area were not successful, but a military personnel deployed to contain the situation, described the attack as very serious.

Meanwhile, the Kaduna State Government has announced the relocation of the Garrison Commander of Division 1 of the Nigerian Army, and the states Commissioner of Police to southern Kaduna.

A statement by Mr Samuel Aruwan, spokesman to Gov. Nasir El-rufai, said on Monday that the two officers, Brig-Gen Ismaila Isa and Mr Agyole Abeh, would coordinate a determined response to renewed attacks by armed bandits on communities in Kaura and Jemaa Local Government Areas.
THE GUARDIAN NEWSPAPER

CBN moves to end forex scarcity at airports

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday ordered all banks to open foreign exchange (forex) kiosks at major airports and approved outlets.The order was issued barely 24 hours after The Guardian exclusively reported that passengers were stranded at the international airports on account of dollar scarcity

Buhari's family still evades the Guardian's reporter in London

Members of President Muhammadu Buharis household continued to evade The Guardians reporter in London yesterday.They were forced to enter the Abuja House in London through the back door so as not to be seen by the reporter when a Mercedes Jeep bringing them back to the premises arrived around 4:09 p.m.

21 killed as fresh crisis erupts in Southern Kaduna

Afresh crisis has erupted in Southern Kaduna, despite the presence of security agents as armed Fulani herdsmen launched attacks on four communities killing no less than 21 people.

VANGUARD NEWSPAPER

Xenophobic attacks on Nigerians: FG warns S/Africa of dire consequences

AS fear of further attacks against Nigerians in South Africa spreads, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, has called on the South African government to take decisive measures to protect Nigerian citizens and other Africans in the country.

Sheriff is PDP leader - Jonathan

Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, yesterday, continued his appeal for acceptance as National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, with a high level interaction with former President Goodluck Jonathan, who affirmed him a leader of the party.

CBN orders major Forex overhaul as Naira depreciates further

The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has rolled out a new foreign exchange window to stem the tide of demand pressures which had battered the Naira in the unofficial foreign exchange market.

THE NATION NEWSPAPER

Auditor-General plans weekly audit of companies

Accounts of government agencies are now to be audited weekly to improve compliance with the provision of reports, Auditor-General of the Federation Anthony Ayine said yesterday.

Jonathan backs Sheriff as Markarfi vows to fight on

Former President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday endorsed Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as the National Chairman of the troubled Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

President to South Africa: End attacks on Nigerians

The Presidency yesterday condemned the killing of Nigerians in xenophobic attacks in South Africa.

THE PUNCH NEWSPAPER

PDP Crisis: Sheriff meets Jonathan, Markarfi appeals judgement

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, met with former President Goodluck Jonathan at the ex-Presidents residence in Abuja on Monday.

Money Laundering: Go after CBN, NNPC, Senate panel tells EFCC

The Senate, on Monday, asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to investigate officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation over alleged racketeering in foreign exchange transactions.

Suspected herdsmen kill 22 in fresh Kaduna attacks
While signing the bill before the Speaker of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Alhaji Ibrahim Balarabe-Abdullahi in Lafia, Al-Makura thanked the legislators for the speed and diligence with which they worked on the budget.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Governor Al-Makura assented to the bill shortly after the speaker presented it to him.

You have been patriotic and supportive of this administration, which is a testimony of your commitment and interest in the development of Nasarawa State.

I call on you for continued partnership in order to provide the much-needed dividend of democracy to our people, he said.

The governor said the speedy passage of the bill would guide against stagnation in the aspiration and vision of his administration to discharge constitutional obligations to the citizens of the state.

The state now has the leverage to implement the 2017 budget through vibrant functional activities which will commence immediately as approved by the Assembly.

We will abide absolutely by what has been prescribed in the budget and I hope our dreams and aspirations as enshrined in this budget will take the state forward,  he said.

Al-Makura said his administration would continue to key into good policies and programmes that had direct bearing on the lives of the people.

Earlier, the speaker said the Assembly was thorough in its scrutiny so as to ensure the smooth implementation of the budget by government, in the overall interest of the citizens of the state.

Balarabe-Abdullahi said the Assembly would continue to support the state government in the discharge of its responsibilities.

The speaker said the legislature was determined to discharge its oversight functions to ensure the budget was implemented as provided by the Appropriation law.

NAN reports that Gov. Al-Makura presented the 2017 budget proposal of N67.1billion to the House of Assembly for consideration on Dec.15, 2016.
A statement by the Ministry, made available to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), stated that the South African High Commissioner to Nigeria had been summoned by the ministry over the matter.

The High Commissioner of South Africa to Nigeria is being summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs during which governments concerns on this matter will be brought to his attention, the statement said.

The Ministry urged the South African government to take the strongest measures to protect the lives and property of foreigners living in South Africa.

It also urged South Africa to bring to justice the perpetrators of the `heinous crimes against other nationals in the country.

It noted that the latest incident happened on Feb. 5, 2017 in the suburb of Rosettenville, Johannesburg and involved attacks against foreigners including Pakistanis, Nigerians, and other Africans.

Domestic grievances over ownership of homes and default in payment of mortgages were used as justification to attack foreigners not in any way involved in the repossession and subsequent resale of these properties.

It would be recalled that in 2015, domestic grievances over unemployment and other challenges faced by South Africans were also used as justification to attack and kill, the ministry stated.

The ministry deplored these acts of mindless violence and unwarranted attacks against other nationals in South Africa on the basis of their nationality or status.

International law and the age-old written law of hospitality amongst nations and societies, recognise the sanctity of the lives and property of foreigners everywhere, the statement said.

The Ministry also observed that incidents of xenophobic attacks had continued unabated in South Africa since 2015

It expressed concern that Nigerians were among the groups mainly targeted for attack and looting of their property.

The Ministry urged Nigerians in South Africa to remain calm and law abiding but vigilant, adding that it had intensified contacts with South African authorities at highest level to address the situation.
According to Punch, GEJ continually referred to Sheriff as his chairman during the course of the meeting.

The former President, who said there is no faction in PDP, admitted that the party is sorting out some issues.

He said We are solving our problems. There are bound to be differences in politics. It is the way we resolve these differences that makes us human beings and that is what makes us leaders.

We are not factionalised; we are one. I have met with Sheriff and I have met with others. I will meet with others (again) so that we will be able to do what is expected of us as a political party.

Speaking to newsmen after the meeting, Sheriff said I will not respond to the name-calling because if I do, there would be no difference between them and me. Very soon, you will hear from me when I finish my consultation as I will roll out my programmes that will lead to the holding of a national convention.

Also, the PDP Deputy National Chairman, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh; Acting National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Bernard Mikko; and the National Youth Leader, Mr. Demis Alonge-Niyi attended the meeting.
The Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led faction had accused the APC of influencing the action.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, February 21, and signed by the ruling party's spokesman, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the APC said the police does not take instructions from the party.

The APC also refuted the claim by the PDP faction that it also influenced the recent Appeal Court judgment which affirmed that Ali Modu Sheriff remains the authentic National Chairman of the opposition party.

Abdullahi said the APC is not in any way interested in the affairs of the PDP, adding that the party is being consumed by its internal crisis.

The statement said: "Neither of these allegations is true in any respect. The Police themselves have explained why they stopped the Markarfi group from meeting at the ICC. If the factional PDP is dissatisfied with the Police explanation, they could seek further clarifications from the Police or pursue alternative means of redress.

"So far, the Makarfi group has not faulted the Police or provided any proof for its allegations against the APC, which we find quite surprising, considering that Makarfi and his group have in their ranks, individuals who are sufficiently experienced to know that without any evidence, such allegations could easily be dismissed as baseless and therefore be ignored by all right-thinking members of the public, including our party.

"The reason we have not simply ignored the wild allegations is because we are imperiled by utterances and conducts that attack the integrity and independence of our judicial system. Every Nigerians should be worried by the behaviour of the various PDPs which is capable of eroding the confidence Nigerians in our judicial system. Even as they battle themselves for survival, we urge restraint in the interest of our democracy."

The APC, however, said it 'prays' that the PDP puts its house in order soon, acknowledging that democracy is better served when the opposition is alive.
Uba made the announcement on Tuesday, February 21, during the plenary session of the Senate.

BREAKING: Senator Andy Uba formerly of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), officially defects to the All Progressive Congress (APC), the Senate Twitter handle wrote on Tuesday.

Uba, who represents the Anambra South Senatorial zone, had earlier announced his defection on Wednesday, February 1, during a news briefing in the Aguata Local Government Area of the state.

The senator said, at the time, that the APC has ideology and focus which he needs to tap into to provide quality representation to his constituents.

Uba further said that he joined the APC because of other personalities in the party with sound ideas and whom he looks up to in politics.

He listed some of the personalities to include the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, and APC National Auditor, Chief George Muoghalu.
Shortly after Sherriff's confirmation as the authentic PDP leader by an Appeal court sitting in Port Harcourt, he paid a visit to Jonathan, fueling speculations that the ex-president approves of the court judgment.

According to a statement by Jonathan's media aide, Ikechukwu Eze, the former president never endorsed Sheriff.

It said the two politicians did not discuss anything like endorsement during the visit, adding that, "not at the closed door meeting with Sheriff nor during the former Presidents interview with newsmen."

ALSO READ: Ali Modu Sheriff meets with Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja

The statement said a few reporters who were not present during the visit "chose to infuse mischief in their report."

It added that Jonathan "welcomed Sheriff and some of his supporters to his house, in line with a mediation role he is playing towards unifying and strengthening the PDP."

The statement reads in part:

"Indeed, it may interest you to know that after meeting with Sheriff, the former President also met with Senator Ahmed Makarfi, leader of the PDP Caretaker Committee, and the partys Board of Trustees chairman, Senator Walid Jubril, later in the evening.

"As a peace-loving leader of the party, the former Presidents interest is to help reposition PDP to enable it play a constructive role in the affairs of the nation, in view of the imperative of deepening the nations democracy.

"I wish to let those spinning this falsehood know that it just doesnt add up to fly a contrived banner of endorsement in one breath, and in another, concede that the former President

explained his commitment in meeting with different interest groups, towards resolving the differences in the party.

"For the avoidance of doubt, the following are the former Presidents exact words during the interview with newsmen, as had accurately been reported by most online and major national newspapers, as well as broadcast organisations:

"We (PDP) are not factionalised. We are one. We are solving our problems. There are bound to be differences in politics. It is the way we resolve these differences that make us human beings and that is what makes us leaders. I have met with Sheriff. And I have met with others. I will still meet with others, so that we will be able to do what is expected of us as a political party."
Sheriff was declared the lawful chairman of the PDP by an Appeal court sitting in Rivers state on Friday, February 17, 2017.

The declaration, apparently has not gone down well with most members of the party who have vowed not to support Sheriffs leadership.

In a meeting held at Governor Ayo Fayoses residence, members of the Makarfi faction said they will wait for the Supreme Court to rule on the matter.

Some of the prominent PDP members who attended the meeting are: Prof. Jerry Gana, Governors of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel; Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa; Rivers State, Nyesom Wike; and the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu.

After the meeting, the group released a communique saying ...We fully endorse the prompt and proactive decision of the National Caretaker Committee to lodge an appeal at the Supreme Court of Nigeria against the decision of the Court of Appeal as well as filing an application for injunction pending an appeal, all of which were done in the morning of Monday, February 20, 2017.

Having duly filed both an appeal at the Supreme Court and an application for injunction pending appeal in the morning of Monday, February 20, 2017, we pass a resounding and unqualified vote of confidence in the leadership of the Senator Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee of the PDP and pledge our unalloyed support to it as it pilots the affairs of the party in this critical transitional period of the partys life.

ALSO READ:Ali Modu Sheriff holds closed door meeting with GEJ

To this end, we are not at all deceived by the supposed olive branch being offered by Senator Ali Modu Sherrif, knowing that the only thing that can come from traitors of his ilk is nothing but a poisoned chalice and a Greek gift.
The party said this in a communique issued at the end of its stakeholders and party organs meeting organised by the Sen. Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee on Monday in Abuja.

The party stated that a PDP-led Federal Government would remove hunger in the land and restore confidence in the Nigerian economy.

It stated that the reaffirmation was necessary in view of current experiences in the country.

This, according to the party, include the decline in investor confidence and massive capital flight leading to the Nigerian currency being the worst performing on the African continent and persecution of political opponents.

The meeting agreed to appeal to all Nigerians to fully support the PDP, a genuinely democratic party that is people oriented and a great defender of equity, justice and fairness to all."

Nigerians should support PDP in its commitment to eradicating poverty, hunger and under-development from our country.

The stakeholders and leaders of the party however firmed that they were united, strong, resolute, steadfast and solid under the leadership of the national caretaker committee.

They said that their affirmation came in view of the fact that the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt, affirming Sen. Ali Modu-Sheriff as PDP national chairman was not the final court.

The stakeholders also fully endorsed the prompt and proactive decision of the national caretaker committee to lodge an appeal to the Supreme Court against the decision of the Court of Appeal.

We support filing an application for injunction pending appeal all of which was done in the morning of Monday 20th February 2017.

It stated that the meeting also reiterated that the partys constitution stipulates the process of democratically electing officers of the party.

We therefore emphatically reject any imposition such as those being illegally paraded as officers of the party by Sen. Ali Modu-Sheriff.

It however enjoined stakeholders and leaders of PDP to return to their geopolitical zones, states, LGAs and wards to convene meetings of the party and disseminate the foregoing to members.

True Party men are urged to remain calm, steadfast and loyal, even in the face of wanton provocation of sealing off the venue of a peaceful assembly of stakeholders."
The PDP senators made the call after Ubas official defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday, February 21.

Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio, who spoke on behalf of the PDP caucus, also urged Saraki to remove Uba from the position of Chairman, Senate Committee on Public Accounts by Wednesday.

Uba, who represents the Anambra South Senatorial zone, had earlier announced his defection on Wednesday, February 1, during a news briefing in the Aguata Local Government Area of the state.

The senator said, at the time, that the APC has ideology and focus which he needs to tap into to provide quality representation to his constituents.

Uba further said that he joined the APC because of other personalities in the party with sound ideas and whom he looks up to in politics.

He listed some of the personalities to include the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, and APC National Auditor, Chief George Muoghalu.
The clip was reportedly captured by a motorist who was driving past the pair as they engaged in their strange behaviour.

Paraguay's state police have launched an investigation into the dangerous act exhibited by the daredevils.

If successfully apprehended by the law enforcement authority, the couple may face a fine of $540 as punishment, Elite Daily News stated this in a report.
Dos Santos will step back from frontline politics following the transition and is set to become the party's honorary chief.

"We cannot accept impunity in the face of corruption," Lourenco said Monday as he opened a student event in the country's northeast.

He condemned "bribes which have to be paid by entrepreneurs wanting to invest in the country".

Lourenco had earlier railed against "the great sickness" of corruption during a visit to Huila state in the country's southwest on Saturday.

He has also promised improvements to Angola's ailing agricultural sector and health infrastructure.

As the incoming leader of the MPLA, Lourenco will become president of the oil-rich country in August elections if the party wins the vote as expected.

Dos Santos has often been criticised for protecting a corrupt elite and handing his family key roles in state firms.

His daughter Isabelle, who is considered the richest woman in Africa, was last year made the head of the national oil company.

The main opposition party called Lourenco's crusade against graft a facade.

"There won't be any change while the MPLA are in charge. The current president will continue to steer from the backseat even if he has employed a new driver," the Unita party said in a statement.
Unidentified assailants attacked a police station and demonstrators clashed with gendarmes in several districts of Conakry, witnesses said.

By midday, these demonstrations had unfortunately caused the deaths of at least five people, the government said in a statement, calling the protest illegal and forbidden.

Government said that 30 people had been injured, including members of the security forces, and 12 arrested.

Witnesses said that three of the dead had been shot but it was not possible to verify that information.

General strikes about 10 years ago caused major disruptions in Guinea, which has around a third of the worlds reserves of bauxite, used to make aluminium.

The subsequent crackdown led by security forces led to the deaths of 135 people.

Government spokesperson Damantang Camara later said that a deal to end the strike was signed with Guineas main teachers unions.
"His army rank has been withdrawn and his royal decorations have been rescinded," the statement said, adding that he had "behaved in a way that brought about distrust and caused severe damage to the royal family".

Thailand's enormously wealthy royal family is an opaque institution that releases little information.

It is also shielded by a draconian defamation law that makes scrutiny of its inner workings, or debate over its role, almost impossible inside the kingdom.

Media inside Thailand must heavily self-censor when reporting on the royal family.

Vajiralongkorn took the throne following the October death of his widely revered father King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who reigned for seven decades.

He has yet to attain his father's massive popularity and earlier spent much of his time outside the kingdom.

Chitpong is the latest in a string of people close to Vajiralongkorn to have been publicly stripped of their titles or seen legal cases brought against them.

Last week police announced that one of the palace's most senior officials, Grand Chamberlain Jumpol Manmai, was being investigated for allegedly building a property on parkland.

Jumpol was a former deputy national police chief before he rose up through the palace ranks.

Other close aides and even family members have been purged under the charge of improperly claiming connections to the king to make money.

In 2015 three people -- including a celebrity soothsayer -- were arrested under the lese majeste law over such allegations.

The soothsayer and one other suspect died in military custody soon after their arrests.

The year before Vajiralongkorn announced that his then wife Princess Srirasmi Suwadee, with whom he has a son, had been stripped of her titles.

That move came after half a dozen members of Srirasmi's family were arrested and later jailed on lese majeste charges for allegedly improperly using their connections to him.

Since Srirasmi's fall, Vajiralongkorn has been seen in the presence of a member of his personal security retinue who has been given the official name of Suthida Vajiralongkorn na Ayudhya.
The impoverished Himalayan nation emerged from a brutal decade-long civil war in 2006, which brought the end of the 240-year-old Hindu monarchy and transformed it into a secular republic.

But deep political divides have prevented it from implementing a new constitution that paves the way for elections, but which the minority Madhesi community says leaves them politically marginalised.

"The government has taken a historic decision. The election will be held in a single phase across the country," Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal said following a late night cabinet meeting on Monday.

"Election is compulsory for safeguarding all agendas and implementing the constitution for the functioning of democracy."

The Madhesis, who live in the densely populated Terai plains bordering India, want the constitution to be amended first and have pledged to protest against the polls.

"We will not take part in the local level election without our demands being addressed,"Mahindra Yadav, the chairman of a Madhesi political party, told AFP on Tuesday.

"The election cannot be a success unless we take part in it."

The Madhesis have long complained that the internal borders laid out in the constitution leave them under-represented at the ballot box and in the national parliament.

After the constitution was adopted in September 2015, Madhesi protesters kicked off a months-long blockade of the India-Nepal border that led to a crippling shortage of goods across the country.

An amendment to the constitution currently in parliament proposes to redraw some of provincial borders to address some of the Madhesi parties' demands.

"This is an achievement in a way but the problem is whether the Madhesi parties will be on board. If the Madhesi go for protest it will be impossible (to hold the polls)," Nishchal Pandey, director of the Kathmandu-based Centre for South Asian Studies, told AFP.

Local government representatives were last elected in 1997. Their five-year terms expired in 2002, at the height of the civil war, and their mandate was allowed to lapse.

Corruption has flourished since, hampering the delivery of basic services -- from healthcare to the appointment of teachers at government schools.
He said that the ban on North Korean coal imports will be effective until the end of the year and represents the enactment of a Security Council decision from November 2016.

Coal is North Koreas main export item.

In 2016, the country sold 22.5 million tonnes of non-lignite coal to China, up 14.5 per cent from 2015.

Chinas decision, which came soon after North Korea announced a new ballistic missile launch, shows China is determined to take a stand against its neighbours actions and prevent further instability in the region."

Such a [quick response] doesnt happen very often."

China knows it is a critical moment to take a stand and alert North Korea that it is serious this time,Cheng Xiaohe, Professor of International Relations at Renmin University said.

The Chinese government understands that once North Korea conducts a continental missile test, it could trigger military action from the U.S., Cheng said.

The coal import ban is likely unrelated to the recent alleged murder of Kim Jong Nam, the estranged brother of North Korean ruler Kim Jong Un," Yang Xiyu said.

Xiyu is the former director of the Korean Peninsula Office within Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

However, the Foreign Ministry has said it is closely following the investigation into the death of a person China had hosted and protected.

NAN recalls that on Dec. 1, 2016, the UN Security Council imposed new sanctions on North Korea aimed at cutting its annual export revenue by a quarter, after Pyongyang carried out its fifth and largest nuclear test so far in September.

The 15-member council unanimously adopted a resolution to slash North Koreas exports of coal, its biggest export item, by about 60 percent with an annual sales cap of 400.9 million dollars, or 7.5 million metric tonnes, whichever is lower.

The U.S.-drafted resolution also bans North Korean copper, nickel, silver and zinc exports  and the sale of statues. Pyongyang is famous for building huge, socialist-style statues which it exports mainly to African countries.
"Otherwise, it will not be possible to make progress in the negotiations" aimed at reunifying the island, Aknc said in a statement.

The Turkish Cypriot leader said he would "evaluate all the developments step by step" and decide on whether to resume the talks as scheduled on Thursday "once he "understands the intentions" of Anastasiades.

Aknc said Monday that the Greek Cypriot parliamentary vote on the 1950 referendum on union with Greece, or Enosis, had "caused public indignation among the Turkish Cypriot people".

UN envoy Espen Barth Eide last week voiced confidence that the meeting would go ahead after the rival leaders engaged in a war of words over a walkout last Thursday sparked by acrimony over the church-organised referendum.

Eide said it was Akinci who stormed off but the Turkish Cypriot leader has accused the UN diplomat of "hiding half of the truth".

"Eide should not come to the situation of having the trust towards him questioned by saying one half of the truth and hiding the other," Akinci told reporters.

He insists that Anastasiades left the room first, slamming the door behind him. Anastasiades has denied this and his spokesman squarely blamed Akinci.

Tensions have soared over the February 10 approval by the Greek Cypriot parliament for schools in the south to mark the referendum which overwhelmingly approved Enosis but had no legal value.

The amendment was sponsored by the far-right ELAM party, a fierce opponent of the peace talks.

The Greek and Turkish Cypriots have been engaged in fragile peace talks since May 2015 that observers have seen as the best chance in years to reunify the island.

Much of the progress until now has been based on the strong personal rapport between Anastasiades and Akinci, leader of the breakaway Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
His son Chief Ebrima Manneh, a journalist for a pro-government newspaper, went missing in 2006 during a summit held in the tiny west African country.

Agents of the feared National Intelligence Agency (NIA), which reported directly to Jammeh, appeared at the offices of the Daily Observer and took him away.

His colleagues and family have never seen him again.

In 2009 The Gambia's then attorney-general Marie Saine-Firdaus told parliament that Manneh was not in state custody, while others including the current chief of police claimed he was living in the United States.

Jammeh's stunning electoral defeat in December -- after 22 years in power -- triggered the release of many political prisoners -- but not the journalist.

"My hope is shattered," his father told AFP.

'Criminal action in court'

Despite the crushing sorrow he feels, Manneh is shaking off the fear that kept him from fighting a symbiotic system of secret police and trained killers that took an unknown number of lives.

"I want to institute criminal action in court against Yahya Jammeh and those responsible for the disappearance of my son," Manneh said.

Gambian diaspora media regularly published lists of the unsolved crimes concerning the missing, appealing for details and circulating years' worth of rumours about the most high-profile cases.

And there are nascent signs the new government of President Adama Barrow is determined to bring closure for families like the Mannehs, even while mired in a financial crisis and faced with reforming a state that Jammeh's critics say catered to the interests of one man.

Interior Minister Mai Fatty, one of the most vocal Jammeh opponents within the new administration, has said a body will be set up to look into forced disappearances and to investigate "black sites" that may still be holding victims.

"The responsibility lies on us to give an explanation to our people," he told AFP.

Pro-regime figures may still be holding Gambians incommunicado.

"Some people may still be held and are not known because the previous government has so many detention centres that were not disclosed to the public," Fatty said.

Jammeh's 'death squad'

Barrow has promised to reform the NIA, changing its name, replacing its chief and promising training for staff whose work would be limited to "intelligence gathering, analysis and advice to the relevant arms of government".

"An appropriate commission will be established to conduct inquiries into disappearances," he said.

Almost every sector of society was targeted by the NIA and the "Junglers", a group of around 40 men described as Jammeh's death squad.

Tumani Jallow, a 24-year-old soldier with the elite State Guards battalion that personally protected Jammeh, had an elevated status in Gambian society, but when the NIA came this suddenly meant nothing.

After he was arrested in September 2016, taken to NIA headquarters in Banjul, and then whisked to an unknown location, Jallow's family are painfully aware he may never return.

"He and two of his colleagues in the Gambia Armed Forces were arrested by state security agents shortly after the arson attack on the ruling party's headquarters," said his brother Buba Sawo.

"We have searched for him everywhere, but the NIA said he is not in their custody," Sawo told AFP. "We are pleading with the current administration."

Fredy Peccerelli, a world-renowned forensic anthropologist who has helped nations as varied as Guatemala and Sri Lanka identify scores of victims, told AFP the process would probably take several years.

Work on genealogy, forensics, testimony and any documentation from the prison system would be required, along with the funds -- potentially from international donors -- to pay for it.

'Large scale torture'

The Gambia would have to decide whether to have open hearings, amnesties for those who provided information, or other incentives for whistleblowing like lesser sentences, Peccerelli said, referring to the truth commission Barrow has promised.

Such testimony could also be key in any future prosecutions. Since Jammeh left for exile last month, arrests of high and low profile regime targets have begun.

Suwandi Camara, a former fighter for Liberian warlord Charles Taylor, and accomplice Bubacarr Jarju have been charged with abducting a Gambian lawmaker and a businessman in Senegal with intent to murder them.

General Bora Colley, former head of the country's notorious prison system, was arrested in Senegal last month, though later released without charge.

The biggest fish so far, former interior minister Ousman Sonko, was arrested in Switzerland in late January.

Under investigation for crimes against humanity, Sonko could face prosecution in Switzerland where authorities are under pressure from rights group TRIAL to prove he authorised what they called "large-scale torture that political opponents, journalists and human rights defenders suffered".

For Adama Kujabie, a relative of Jammeh's whose father nonetheless fell into the hands of the NIA in 2006, a day in court cannot come soon enough.
Turning the ship before it hits the iceberg
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Extensive ongoing publicity surrounding the case of Stanley Liggins will make it impossible to find a fair and impartial jury to hear the case in Scott County, his attorneys argued Tuesday.

During a nearly hourlong hearing, attorneys Miguel Puentes and Derek Jones argued that Liggins May 22 trial should be moved out of Scott County or jurors from a different county should be selected and brought to Scott County for the trial.

District Court Judge Marlita Greve, who is presiding over the case, has not yet ruled on the motion.

Prosecutors say Liggins, 55, strangled Jennifer Ann Lewis, 9, of Rock Island, and burned her remains on a Davenport school playground on Sept. 17, 1990. She also was sexually abused, according to prosecutors.

He was tried twice in the girl's death in the 1990s, once in Scott County and the second in Dubuque after he was granted a change of venue.

He was convicted in both trials and sentenced to life in prison. The Iowa Supreme Court overturned the first conviction, and on Nov. 6, 2013, the Iowa Court of Appeals reversed the second conviction.

Liggins attorneys filed a motion for a change of venue in June 2014.

According to case law, a defendant can seek to a change of venue upon a showing of an inability to obtain a fair trial in a county where he or she is charged or because of local prejudice.

To support their motion, the defense hired Personal Marketing Research, which conducts surveys for change-of-venue motions, among other services.

Company President Patricia Duffy testified during Tuesdays hearing that the company contacted by phone a sample of 400 Scott County residents who were randomly selected from voter records.

The company did similar surveys for prosecutors before Liggins trials in 1993 and 1995.

According to Duffy, the survey found that:

 31.5 percent of the people surveyed were aware of the name Stanley Liggins, while 21 percent were aware of Jennifer Lewis name.

 55 percent of people were familiar with Lewis' death and the burning of her body behind the elementary school in 1990. The number is slightly lower than the people surveyed in the 1990s.

 27.3 percent of people surveyed said they have formed an opinion of the guilt of innocence of Liggins. That number was 32 percent before the trial in 1993. The margin of error in 1993 and 2017 was 4.9 percentage points.

Under questioning by Assistant Scott County Attorney Julie Walton, Duffy testified that 291 out of 400  or nearly 73 percent  of people surveyed said they had not formed an opinion about the case.

Puentes argued that the Liggins case is unique in its procedural history and perhaps the most high-profile case to ever come through the Quad-Cities and that there will be more interest as the retrial approaches.

The local area to some degree is invested in the results of this case and is more inclined to then seek out additional materials regarding this case, many of which are littered with prejudicial commentary, he said.

Puentes pointed to multiple news articles and Suspect Convictions, a podcast about the case that was developed by former Quad-City Times reporter Scott Reeder and WVIK, which he said have given detailed accounts of the case and contained materials that have been ruled inadmissible.

That information will make it difficult to find a fair and impartial jury, he argued.

Jones suggested during the hearing that the trial could be moved to Blackhawk, Linn or Polk counties if Greve grants the change of venue.

Walton argued against the change of venue motion and said that there is no evidence to support a finding that an unbiased jury can't be selected in Scott County.

She said the survey failed to ask respondents who said they had an opinion about Liggins guilt or innocence if they had a fixed opinion and, if yes, they could set that opinion aside and keep an open mind if instructed by the court.

These are the questions that would be asked at voir dire, Walton said.

She also argued that the news accounts referenced by the defense are quite old, quite remote and that some of them give only brief details about the allegations.

Attorneys will be back in court Wednesday morning for a hearing on more pretrial motions.
Scott County prosecutors who will try Stanley Liggins a third time in the strangulation death of a 9-year-old Rock Island girl in 1990 want a jury to hear evidence that he sexually abused another girl.

The 55-year-old Liggins appeared Monday in Scott County District Court for a nearly daylong hearing on a series of motions in preparation for his May 22 trial.

Prosecutors say Liggins strangled Jennifer Ann Lewis and burned her remains on a Davenport school playground on Sept. 17, 1990. She also was sexually abused, according to prosecutors.

He was tried twice in the girl's death in the 1990s, once in Scott County and the second in Dubuque after he was granted a change of venue.

He was convicted in both trials and sentenced to life in prison. The Iowa Supreme Court overturned the first conviction, and on Nov. 6, 2013, the Iowa Court of Appeals reversed the second conviction.

Among the 10 motions heard Monday was an effort to allow evidence of the sexual abuse of a 9-year-old Rock Island County girl that occurred more than a month before Jennifer was killed.

Liggins was arrested and convicted in May 1991 in Rock Island County and sentenced to seven years in prison, according to online court records. He already had been charged in Jennifers death at the time of that trial.

The mother of the girl in the Rock Island County case testified during Mondays hearing that she and her daughter both testified at the sex abuse trial. As she was leading her daughter out of the courtroom, Stanley Liggins threatened to kill my daughter, the woman testified.

Assistant County Attorney Julie Walton argued that jurors should hear evidence about the assault on the girl because it speaks to identity, motive and intent in Jennifers murder.

She said the girl in the Rock Island County case screamed, ran for help and was able to identify Liggins to police, leading to his arrest.

On Sept. 17, 1990, Mr. Liggins wasnt going to let that happen again, she said. So, rather than choose to attack the little girl near her own home and around her friends, he lured her away in his vehicle and murdered her so that this little girl couldn't talk."

She argued that the facts of both cases, such as their age and appearance of the girls, are remarkably similar.

Defense attorney Derek Jones disagreed and said there was no evidence that the assaults on the girls were done by the same person or by Stanley Liggins.

He also argued that the probative value of the evidence does not outweigh the danger of unfair prejudice.

Attorneys on Monday also argued prosecutors' motion to read transcripts of prior trial testimony of several witnesses who have since died or are otherwise unavailable at the retrial.

One witness testimony that the defense has objected to is that of the late Donna Adkins, who testified she saw Liggins maroon Peugeot in the parking lot of the Hillside Apartments in Rock Island the morning after Jennifer was killed.

She testified that she noticed a strong smell of gas coming from the car and saw a gas can in the backseat.

Liggins was staying at a nearby motel, which has a parking lot that connected to Hillsides parking lot.

Jones argued Monday that Adkins statements contradicted those of her then-boyfriend who said he did not recall seeing the Peugeot in the parking lot that morning but did recall seeing a brown Mustang.

Police talked to the owner of the Mustang, who said it was commonly parked in the lot but did not have a gas can in it. Another neighbor said he could not remember seeing the Peugeot and denied that the Mustang had a gas can inside it.

Defense attorneys at Liggins trials in 1993 and 1995 were not given reports of their statements, as well as more than 70 other police reports, Jones said.

Allowing Adkins testimony to be read into the record violated Liggins right to confront witnesses, he argued.

Adkins former boyfriend also has since died and cannot be called upon to tell jurors his recollection of what he saw that day, he said.

Our ability to cross-examine has been crippled by suppression of the evidence, Jones said.

Scott County Attorney Mike Walton said Monday that 24 of the police reports that the defense claimed are suppressed were created after both trials. He pointed to decisions by the district and appellate courts that ruled that the statements from the three witnesses did not substantially discredit or refute Adkins testimony.

At best, its just different testimony, slightly, he said and stressed that the witnesses did not say that Adkins was lying or that she didnt see Liggins' car.

Motion hearings will resume Tuesday and could last through Wednesday. Attorneys on Tuesday are expected to argue a defense motion to move the trial out of Scott County.
DES MOINES  An Iowa senator introduced legislation Monday to address school funding inequities as students from Davenport swarmed meeting rooms and Capitol hallways to lobby for changes.

The "Worth-Less" student campaign, which originated with North High School's Anthony DeSalvo, took a "Get on the Bus" trip to the Capitol in Des Moines on Monday to press legislators on the Davenport district's top agenda item: reworking the state's per-pupil spending formula, first drawn up more than 40 years ago.

As the students were talking to legislators, Sen. Amy Sinclair, R-Allerton, who chairs the Senate Education Committee, introduced Senate File 1124. Her proposal would use $25 million a year for 10 years to support school districts that fall below the per-pupil state ceiling level, which is as much as $175 per student. Those funds also would be used to support transportation costs in districts where that is an issue.

Sinclair described the bill as a phased-in effort that will help solve equity issues in the state.

"I've always said that it shouldn't matter what a child's ZIP code is, the education should be the same," she said.

Sinclair described the legislation as historic.

"This is worth fighting for," she said.

Sen. Roby Smith, R-Davenport, is co-sponsoring the bill. He spent the most time with the Davenport contingent on Monday and said he is "cautiously optimistic" about the bill's chances.

Madison Cousins, a junior from Davenport West, said she was pleased with how much better the legislators seemed to understand the problem. The new Senate bill gives her encouragement, she said.

"My great hope is that this is not a problem for us next year," she said.

Students also met with Gov. Terry Branstad, who touted several programs that he said improve education in Iowa, including the teacher leadership policy, now in effect across the state. Legislators this year passed K-12 funding early, he said.

DeSalvo pressed the governor on the funding equity issue, and Branstad called the Iowa School Aid formula "lots more equitable than before" when it included more funds from property taxes. The governor also called on Smith to explain his ideas.

Smith discussed plans that would reduce what a district must hold in cash reserves from 20 percent to 15 percent, with the option of using the difference for the gap. Smith also agrees with a plan that would allow districts to use interest on their reserve funds to address the gap, which in Davenport would be about $250,000.

That is not enough, however, to fund the budget and the special programs the Davenport district offers, said Richard Clewell, a Davenport School Board member who accompanied students on the trip.

Members of the Iowa House and Senate spoke to the Davenport entourage over box lunches provided by the Urban Education Network.

Rep. Norlin Mommsen, R-DeWitt, said the equity legislation needs to include transportation disparities, which are important in other parts of Iowa.

Rep. Ross Paustian, R-Walcott, said there are several bills in the Senate that he can support, noting that most fixes will occur over a period of years.

Several Davenport students said came away in an upbeat mood. The legislative session was interactive, with more back-and-forth than Davenport Central senior A.J. Smith expected. Smith, who also is a student member of the school board, enjoyed the passion for education he saw in both Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds.

"You can tell how invested they are in it," he said.

It was evident to Mickey Sloat, a senior at Central, that state legislators were tuned into Davenport's top issue.

"We have their attention and vice versa," she said.
According to Callow, the group has not followed through on the threat and has not yet released any installments of Davenport's data on its multiple platforms.
A roundup of legislative and Capitol news items of interest for Monday:

CIVICS EXAM: A House Education subcommittee has postponed indefinitely further action to require high school students score 60 percent on the U.S. citizenship test to graduate.

Rep. Skyler Wheeler, R-Orange City, a co-sponsor of HF 220, wants to see a Legislative Services Agency fiscal analysis of the bill because he doesnt want to impose an unfunded mandate on local schools.

When he was running for office last year, Wheeler said, he had to explain to voters the difference between the U.S. House and the Iowa House.

Some people thought I was running against (U.S. Rep. Steve) King, he said.

Rep. Art Staed, D-Cedar Rapids, a social studies teacher, called the bill a joke. Requiring the test wont improve proficiency in social studies, he said. If students lack proficiency in social studies, Staed suggested it might be because too few teachers have a background in the subject matter.

FOREIGN LAWS: A House Judiciary subcommittee moved forward a bill, HF 223, which would make it state policy to protect Iowans from the application of foreign laws that would result in violating rights guaranteed by the state and federal constitutions, including but not limited to those applying to due process, freedom of religion, speech or press, and any right of privacy or marriage.

Civil liberties advocates advised that U.S. courts have long held international law is a part of U.S. law. That it could put Americans at risk and cast uncertainty on multinational agreements.

Another lobbyist warned the language is so broad as to require civil courts to ignore 1,000 years of the Catholic Churchs canon law in handling disputes such as those involving church property or health care directives. The bill says a court cannot enforce a law if religious or foreign laws does not match the U.S. Constitution. Canon law, Tom Chapman of the Iowa Catholic Conference, does not recognize the right to an abortion, for example.

Sponsor Rep. Ralph Watts, R-Adel, said the bill is in response to comments by U.S. Supreme Court justices suggesting that international law should be considered in deciding constitutional questions.

In the current environment, with people of many cultures coming to America Watts said it is important to preserve constitutional freedoms. Some culture, he said, permit child marriages. Some dont recognize the rights of women.

HIGHER SPEED LIMIT: A Republican senator would like to see Iowa raise its interstate highway speed limit to 75 mph. Sen. Brad Zaun, R-Urbandale, who filed Senate File 289, said transportation officials say the interstate system was designed to handle traffic speeds of up to 85 mph.

I travel a lot and I thought it was just worthy of having a conversation, Zaun said Monday. He noted the bill stalled in recent sessions but theres been a change in command with Republicans now in control of the Iowa Senate so I thought Id give it another shot.

Senate Transportation Committee Chairman Tim Kapucian, R-Keystone, said he expected a subcommittee would meet on the bill but he did not give it much of a chance of getting very far in the process.

EXPANDING FIREARM LAW: The Senate Transportation Committee agreed Monday to modify a firearm law they passed last year to expand its provisions to renters and hired hands.

Iowa landowners now are allowed to carry a loaded firearm while operating a snowmobile or an ATV on their property. Off-road vehicle operators on someone elses property are required to place unloaded shotguns or rifles in a case. In addition, Iowans with a permit to carry a handgun would be allowed to possess a pistol if it is secured in a holster similar to those used by law enforcement officers. Current law also requires snowmobilers and ATV riders to get off the vehicle to shoot. Senate File 227 would extend the provisions to Iowans who rent property or who work as a laborer as part of an animal agriculture operation. The bill now goes to the Senate debate calendar for consideration.

BABY DRUG TESTING: Lawmakers and lobbyist questioned the need for universal drug testing for babies born in Iowa hospitals. While they agreed there is a problems with infants being born with exposure to illegal substances, HF 259 was indefinitely postponed while similar legislation is considered.

Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Dave Heaton, R-Mount Pleasant, called for the universal testing to address drug problems of both newborns and their mothers. Hes interested in the childs welfare, but added, dont write off the mother.

However, Janee Harvey of the Department of Human Services Child Welfare and Community Services Bureau, wasnt convinced that testing was needed for e very newborn or that involving the DHS by filing Child in Need of Assistance papers in every case was the best way to address the problem.

Given rising incidences of heroin and opioid abuse, We need to take a strong stance, Heaton said.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: Youve not only derailed bipartisanship, you seem to have driven it off the cliff in some Thelma and Louise fashion, Rep. Bruce Hunter, D-Des Moines, referring to majority Republicans passage of HF 291, which significantly altered public employee collective bargaining rights.
MAQUOKETA, Iowa  It was billed as a veterans roundtable, but U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst heard about more than just problems with the VA here Tuesday.

A large sign-waving crowd overflowed the council chambers at City Hall, urging that the Iowa Republican do your job and that an investigation be launched against President Donald Trump.

Even as she entered the event, the leanings of many in the crowd were evident as they chanted, Your last term, before Ernst convened a panel of veterans who described their difficulties with the Veterans Administration, particularly with a program that allows vets to get care from private health care providers.

When Ernst left the meeting, some in the crowd booed and trailed her back to a waiting car, chanting, Do your job and Shame on you."

With Congress in a recess, lawmakers in many states and districts are returning to some constituents increasingly critical of the first weeks of the Trump administration and the Republican-led Congress.

Here, much of the approximately 50-minute meeting was centered on veterans issues, but it was punctuated at times with people in the crowd shouting at Ernst or criticizing her.

Some held signs, one of which read: You work for us + we are not happy."

At one point, Trinity Ray, a veteran from Iowa City, asked about foreign countries meddling in U.S. elections  to which Ernst responded that she was glad to get the question because she already had expressed her belief that the president needs to stand up to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Ernst and other Republican senators recently sent a letter to the White House pushing the president to take a stronger stand against Putin, whom they have accused of greater belligerence.

Russia is not our friend, Ernst said Tuesday.

One person, however, demanded that Ernst directly address allegations regarding Russian involvement in the elections. And the crowd chanted, Investigate Trump.

The meeting drew probably close to 300 people, with the council chambers full and many overflowing into the lobby of City Hall.

Some members of Congress are shying away from public meetings, according to national news reports. But Ernst, speaking to reporters afterward, said she and Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, are holding meetings around the state and have each begun their annual tours of all 99 counties.

Were still holding public forums, Ernst said.

Ernst also made stops Tuesday that weren't publicized, in Clinton and in Davenport at Gilda's Club of the Quad-Cities, where she spent an hour hearing from cancer patients and others. Among the topics, reporters were told, were concerns about repeal of the Affordable Care Act and its protections against being denied insurance for having a pre-existing condition.

As for the senator's accessibility, her office pointed to three public meetings that Ernst held last month in southwest Iowa. One was described as a town meeting, another as an economic development roundtable and the other a coffee. There also was a coffee scheduled in Wayne County last week that was canceled because of Senate votes.

Some in the audience at the veterans roundtable Tuesday, however, urged that Ernst hold town hall meetings in larger communities like Iowa City. One woman waiting to see her didnt think she was accessible enough.

We want our voices to be heard, said Gayle Hartwig of Mount Vernon.

Asked about the tenor of the meeting afterward, Ernst responded: Everybody has the right to free speech. You can holler all you want at me. Im the elected representative. Still, she said Tuesdays event was scheduled to be a veterans roundtable. And while she said that most in the crowd were respectful, she added she is determined to continue focusing on veterans issues.

The audience cheered veterans in the crowd on several occasions and at one point chanted, Thank you, vets.

Some pointed questions also came from veterans, one of whom asked her whether she had ever voted to reduce veterans benefits. Ernst responded, "I don't believe so," which brought shouts from some in the crowd that she should be certain. Ernst responded that, at times, money can be shifted from one program to another. "Certainly, I am here to protect the veterans," said Ernst, a veteran herself.

Some veterans who attended weren't happy with how the meeting transpired. Ed Gaudet, a veteran and service representative from Clinton County, expressed some frustration. He said that although there were valid concerns expressed by the audience, the meeting was supposed to be about veterans issues.
DES MOINES  Iowa Board of Regent member Michael Richards got caught in a political crossfire at the Capitol on Monday, dodging questions about fetal tissue research, tuition policy and the political affiliation of university faculty members during a hearing on his pending Senate confirmation.

Richards, a retired Des Moines physician and Mitchell County native who is a longtime friend and political ally of Gov. Terry Branstad, has served on the panel that oversees Iowa's three state universities and two special schools for nearly a year, replacing Mary Andringa after she stepped down in April 2016.

Richards met for nearly an hour with senators who will decide later this session whether to give him the 34 affirmative votes needed to meet the two-thirds majority needed for confirmation by the 50-member Senate.

The interim regent was asked about a GOP proposal to ban Iowa university researchers from using fetal tissue. He did not address the issue directly but told committee members "I haven't opposed the current research that's at the University of Iowa."

On another GOP proposal to allow Iowans who possess a permit to carry a firearm at the state's regent universities, Richards said he thought the decision was best up to the institutions subject to review by the Board of Regents.

"The primary concern is keeping our students and faculty and staff safe," he said. "We do currently have the safety officers armed. I think that's working and I'd like to keep it that way."

Another issue of interest for Democratic senators was a bill introduced earlier Monday by Sen. Mark Chelgren, R-Ottumwa, that would require political diversity among university professors and institute a hiring freeze if the number of registered Republicans and Democrats among faculty on the three state university campuses was not within 10 percent of each other.

Chelgren said in an interview the intent of the bill was to bring partisan balance to university faculty similar to the political balance requirements for the regents nominated by the governor and to make students aware of "the political slant" that might be coming their way during classroom instruction.

"This extends that same concept to the professors at the regent universities asking them to identify their political affiliation and, if the political affiliation of one party over the other is in excess of 10 percent, there's effectively a hiring freeze until those disparities are reconciled.

"We want diversity of thought and diversity of opinion and diversity of political expression, this would balance the regents universities that receive taxpayer dollars so that students who attend those regents universities to hear from both sides of the political spectrum," he added.

During Monday's committee hearing, Sen. Herman Quirmbach, D-Ames, asked Richards if he agreed the universities should be "keeping tabs" on political affiliations or restricting hiring based upon faculty political affiliations.

"I think it's virtually impossible for the universities to interview people and find out exactly what their political affiliation is," Richards said, adding that the universities should hire a diverse group of professors who are academically best suited in their areas and political affiliation was "none of their business."

Regent spokesman Josh Lehman said the board "expects that our public universities will hire the most qualified faculty to teach our students."

The universities currently do not have political-party requirements for faculty members, but the Board of Regents is required by Iowa code to have no more than five members in the same political party. Critics say the board right now is violating the spirit of that law, in that its nine members include five Republicans, three independents, and one Democrat.

Quirmbach called Chelgren's bill "very disturbing" and "a great interference of academic freedom."

"I think it would be an ominous intrusion," he added.

"That would be a great way to destroy our fine public universities and I'm glad to hear that you are not happy with that idea," Quirmbach told Richards.
MUSCATINE, Iowa  A Grandview man died after sustaining injuries in a motorcycle crash Saturday night on Eisley's Hill, on U.S. 61, south of Muscatine.

Charlie Chelf, 58, was transported by Louisa County Ambulance and flown to the University of Iowa Hospitals by AirCare, where he later died of his injuries from the crash, according to a news release from the Muscatine County Sheriff's Office.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness and St. Paul Lutheran Churchs Mental Health Awareness Team will host In Our Own Voice, a presentation that offers hope for those struggling with mental illness.

Two trained presenters will share personal stories of dark days, acceptance, treatment, coping strategies, successes, hopes and dreams. The one-hour event will be 7-8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23, at St. Paul Lutheran, 2136 Brady St., Davenport.

In Our Own Voice adds a critical perspective to the popular understanding of what people living with mental health conditions are like. It is recommended for peers, family members, providers, the general public, elected officials, law enforcement, students and veteran organizations.

The evening will include:

 A first-hand account of what its like to live with a mental-health condition. Presenters humanize this misunderstood topic by demonstrating that its possible  and common  to live well with a mental-health condition.

 A chance to ask the presenters questions, which allows for a deeper understanding of mental health conditions and dispels stereotypes and misconceptions.

 The understanding that every person with a mental-health condition can hope for a bright future.

To learn more about the alliance in the Quad-City region, visit www.namigmy.org. For more information, contact Ann McGlynn, 563-326-3547 or ann@stpaulqc.org.
Casting his line last fall from the bank of a private Lee County farm pond in southeast Iowa, Glenn Nichols of Davenport ignored a nearby cluster of whistling blackbirds  until he reeled in a fish.

Using a spinning reel, 8-pound test line and an artificial lure, the 69-year-old Nichols landed a 4.96-pound, 22-inch largemouth bass.

Although he caught and released a slightly heavier bass earlier that day, Nichols' second catch made the outing a memorable one.

When he went to retrieve his hook, a shocked Nichols spotted leftovers from lunch in the fish's throat and discovered part of a blackbird.

"Next thing I know, out comes two little legs," he recalled recently. "We didn't see its head or body, but both its legs and tail were sticking out."

Nichols shouted across the pond to his fishing buddy, Joe Menke, who quickly snapped a couple photos of the evidence before they released the bass back into the water.

"Thats the first time we'd ever seen that," said Menke, who also lives in Davenport. "It's something you can talk about for the rest of your life."

Nichols said he was not surprised the fish bit on his bait with a bird already in its mouth.

"Fish will eat anything they think is food," he said. "And if it's in the water, to them, it's food."

Above water, largemouth bass have been known to eat birds, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

"Bass are opportunistic foragers which prey on the most abundant and vulnerable food," the agency reports. "Fish, crayfish, large aquatic and terrestrial insects, frogs, worms and even small mammals and birds have been found in bass stomachs."

Nichols and Menke, who began fishing together in 2013, said they have noticed that red-winged blackbirds tend to nest in cattails that grow along the shorelines of ponds.

Menke, who grew up in southeast Iowa, said he has access to about 30 farm ponds. If they haul in a fish that stretches at least 18 inches, they weigh it, and Menke, a retired chemist who worked at the Rock Island Arsenal for 50-plus years, logs it in a notebook.

The duo first met when Nichols owned a bait shop, Nick's Rod and Reel Service Center on West Locust Street in Davenport.

"He would tell me his stories, and I would tell him mine," Menke, 73, said.

Nichols closed the shop in 2013 but later reopened a smaller operation in his garage on Locust Street, which he still runs.

Last week, Nichols and Menke reconvened and reminisced about the blackbird bass and other tales at the QCCA Outdoor Show in Rock Island.

They referenced Patricia Zaerr of Davenport, who owns the state record for a largemouth bass she caught in 1984 at Lake Fisher in Davis County. The 10-pound, 12-ounce fish measured 23.5 inches.

Flipping through pages of his fishing notes, which contain data dating back to 2002, Menke pointed to his personal best, a 7.3-pound bass.

Nichols called the farm ponds they fish a "gold mine" for bass "because they're not hammered by the public."

"You can go to the same pond and fish it 10 times, and all of a sudden you go there one day, boom boom boom, nothing but big fish," he said. "It's just a blast."
NORMAL, Ill.  Terry Wayne Greenlee, 55, of Normal, formerly of Norfolk, Virginia, went home to Jesus at 4:45 p.m., Friday, Feb. 17, 2017, after a short battle with advanced Parkinsons disease with Lewy Body Dementia and recent complications of influenza. Due to sudden onset of PD with LBD, Terrys twin brother, Tony, and sister-in-law, Theresa, nephew Matt Greenlee and niece Jenna (Greenlee) Phillips of Normal helped move him from Norfolk to Normal in August 2016, so he would not have to be alone far away from family and friends and so they could help manage his health care needs.

Terry was born Dec. 29, 1961, in Moline. He grew up in the Quad-City area, living mostly in and around Davenport. He graduated from West High School, Davenport, and then earned an associate of science degree in electronic engineering technology from Scott Community College, Bettendorf. Terry began his career as a digital operator at WHBF, Channel 4 in Rock Island. He then went to WQAD, Channel 8 in Moline and worked several years there until moving to Norfolk in 2000 and working for WGNT, Channel 3 for 17 years. Terry earned his digital broadcasters license and received several Chairmans Team Awards for outstanding performance from The New York Times Broadcast Media Group. Terrys career spanned a total of 31-plus years.

Terry really enjoyed studying the Bible, especially the Book of Revelations and End Time prophecies. Terry loved the mountains, hiking, camping and enjoyed Gods creation. He enjoyed science fiction and was a fan of "Battlestar Galactica." Several years ago, Terry had a black Lab named Tyco, whom he loved very much and missed terribly. Terry was a runner and ran several road races including the Bix7 a few times. In high school, Terry was on the chess team and continued to play chess in his adult life. He was an adventurist and engaged in white water rafting on some of his trips to Colorado and he swam with sharks in Hawaii. Terry loved visiting his brother Mike, in Hawaii, and went there several times. The most recent trip he took to Hawaii was late spring 2016. Terry also loved visiting friends and family in Illinois and Iowa, and he loved pizza.

Terry is survived by his mother, Joyce Joanne (Greenlee) Feeney and her husband Jack, of Davenport; his brother, Rick (Jeanine) Greenlee of Rosemount, Minnesota; twin brother, Tony (Theresa) of Normal; his brother, Mike Greenlee of Honolulu, Hawaii; several nephews, nieces, great-nephews, great-nieces, aunts, uncles and cousins. Terry was preceded in death by his father, William Red Marshall Greenlee, his brother, Robert (Bob) Rusty Greenlee, paternal grandparents, maternal grandparents, several aunts and uncles.

Visitation and a Celebration of Terrys Life will take place 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25, at Adventure Christian Community Church, 6509 Northwest Blvd. Davenport, with Pastor Sara Thompson officiating. Visitation to greet family and friends of Terry will be for one hour prior to the Celebration of Terrys Life. Please be comfortable in your attire and come as you are. Jeans are absolutely fine. Terry would have wanted it this way.

Terrys family would like to extend a special thank you to all the hospice nurses, aides and technicians of VITAS Healthcare as well as all the staff at Sugar Creek Alzheimers Special Care Center. You made Terry comfortable and there are no words that suffice enough to express our gratitude to you.

Terry will be greatly missed by his family and friends. Tony and Theresa are very thankful that they were able to show Christs love to Terry and serve him during his last few months. They shared many sweet, tender, intimate moments with him during the last week of his journey on his earth, but especially cherish those moments during his last 24 hours. We know Terry is safely home and is resting in the presence of Jesus, the God and King, whom he served throughout his life. Terry, Live long and prosper!" We love you very much and we thank God for loaning you to us.

Memorial donations may be made to a Christ-focused ministry or charity of your choice, or your local humane society. Online condolences may be shared with the family at eastlawn-bloomington.com.

2 Timothy 4:7  I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith.
STREATOR, Ill.  Police are still searching for a Streator, Ill. woman and her ex-boyfriend following an apparent abduction in Streator over the weekend, but her son, who was with her at the time, was found safe about a day later outside a Streator home.

Streator is about 100 miles southeast of Iowa in LaSalle, County.

The Bloomington Pantagraph reports that the Illinois State Police issued an endangered missing person advisory early Sunday for Kayla Stratton, 24, and initially included her 11-month-old son, Paul. An arrest warrant was issued for 33-year-old Clarence Merritte, who is wanted on numerous charges, including domestic battery and aggravated assault.

LaSalle County authorities think Merritte rear-ended Kayla Strattons car late Saturday night in Streator, causing it to crash into a utility pole. Based on a report from a witness at the scene, police said Merritte apparently then forced her and the child into his vehicle, which later was found abandoned several blocks from the crash scene.

Merritte is the childs father, police said.

Streator police were notified about 10 p.m. Sunday that a friend of the mother found the baby outside her home, sheriff's police said. The baby was taken to OSF Center for Health in Streator to be checked and then released to the mother's parents.

Anyone with any information on the whereabouts of Stratton or Merritte are asked to call the LaSalle County sheriff's office at 815-433-2161.
St. Ambrose University will host the 2017 Eastern Iowa/Western Illinois Veterans Conference beginning at noon Wednesday at the Rogalski Center, 518 W. Locust St., Davenport.

Registration opens at noon and the program begins at 12:45 p.m. Admission is free, but registration is encouraged at eicc.edu/VETSConference.

The event will include a resources fair, a panel discussion on the transition from military service to civilian life featuring veterans and spouses, as well as a keynote address by Brad Snyder, a Navy veteran who lost his vision in combat in Afghanistan and has since earned seven medals as a Paralympic swimmer.

A panel discussion, Service and Sacrifice on Two Fronts  Reflections of Veterans and Spouses will begin at 1 p.m. Brian Hilton, a history instructor at Scott Community College, will moderate the discussion. The panel will consist of Robert Fitts, a Korean War veteran; David Woods, a Vietnam War veteran; Stephen Henson, a veteran of both Vietnam and Iraq; Allison Hemmert, the spouse of a career military member; and Jennifer Watkins-Schoenig, OIF/OEF, Veterans Affairs director for Muscatine County.

For more information, call 563-244-7006 or email mmommsen@eicc.edu.
Volunteers are invited to support Special Olympics athletes by jumping into Wicks on Lake on Sunday, March 19, at Jumers Casino, Rock Island.

Check-in begins at 12:30 p.m.

Plungers can register at www.plungeillinois.com or contact Jennifer Davis, 309-734-5903. Last-minute plungers are welcome to register on-site the morning of the event.

Plungers are encouraged to come in costume and to form teams. Each team member must raise a minimum of $100 in donations; all team members individual fundraising totals will be merged to form a combined team total. Statewide, teams are placed into divisions based on size and are awarded prizes for the most money raised.

Each plunger receives an official Polar Plunge sweatshirt. Incentives for raising more money include a seven-night trip for two adults to Riu Palace Peninsula in Cancun, Mexico. For every $500 a plunger raises, he/she will have an entry into the drawing for the grand prize.

Money from the Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar Plunge will benefit Special Olympics athletes with intellectual disabilities in Fulton, Henderson, Knox, McDonough, Mercer, Rock Island and Warren counties in Illinois.

Sponsors include Jumer's Casino & Hotel, WLLR 103.7, Green Family Auto, Green Family Hyundai, Green Buick GMC, Green Chevrolet Chrysler, and WHBF-TV
IOWA FALLS  A raucous town hall meeting frequently interrupted by shouted questions, insults and do your job chants was a great example of making the process of representative government work, U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley said Tuesday.

What youve just seen is the best way to do it, Grassley, R-Iowa, said about communicating with constituents.

His early morning meeting at a volunteer fire department station in the north central Iowa town of Iowa Falls drew a couple of hundred people. Judging from the comments and questions during the hour-long forum, most did not support his re-election last fall to a seventh term.

Its just part of the job, Grassley said about his visits to all 99 counties every year for the past 36 years.

We have a responsibility to have dialogue with our constituents, Grassley told reporters later. What I just did is the best way to do it.

Over the course of an hour, Grassley fielded about 15 questions, many hostile toward him, President Donald Trump and Republicans, in general. Unlike his more typical town hall meetings, the questions  speeches, often  were longer, Grassleys answers shorter, and there was less discussion. That, he said, was unfortunate but an accommodation he was willing to make.

I dont think people had a chance to hear me as much as they normally would because there were long speeches and some applause and some interference, so they didnt get my point of view, Grassley said. But if they want me to listen to them, Im willing to listen to them.

What he heard told him weve got issues that people feel very strongly about.

He appreciated the input on the Affordable Care Act, which congressional Republicans and the president say they will repeal and replace. He hasnt had many opportunities to discuss that at town hall meetings, so I think that was a good thing to hear from people.

As confrontational as the meeting was, Grassley said it was nowhere near as intense as meetings on President Barack Obamas proposed health care overhaul in the summer of 2009.

Its nothing compared to 2009, he said. I went through this in 2009. If you get through it in 2009, this is not a problem.

In that spirit, Clear Lake farmer and Democratic activist Chris Peterson offered Grassley a gift.

I got a present for you, if you want them," he said before giving Grassley an earful on family farms, the EPA, health care and more. Theyre called Tums, and youre going to need them in the next few years.

Grassley appreciated the offer but told reporters it wasnt necessary.

The only time I need Tums is when I have chocolate ice cream before I go to bed, Grassley said.
D uring the past three years, it seems as if time has slowed down. I know thats not scientifically possible, but still something has change...
Despite a shortfall of revenue at the state level and a downturn in the agricultural economy, officials in Chadron are cautiously optimistic about the citys prospects.

Thats how Northwest Nebraska Development Corporation Director Deb Cottier described her outlook for Chadron Monday based on the number of inquiries shes had about the city and the activity with NNDCs revolving loan fund.

The city is also on target to reach its projections for sales tax receipts for this fiscal year, said Councilman Mark Werner after reviewing a report on current collections of sales tax.

The council also approved a re-plat that will make it possible for a developer to move forward with the construction of a new retail business on the east end of the city.

The re-plat was approved on a 4-0 vote with Mayor John Coates abstaining, as he has an interest in the property that was sub-divided. Coates owns the property in Block 8 of the Ridgeview Subdivision First Addition with three other individuals. The lot, which is near Wahlstrom Ford, Health and Human Services and College Heights Academy, is currently vacant.

A buyer for the lot is in place, and the citys building and zoning administrator, Janet Johnson, told the council Monday she has viewed architectural drawings for the new construction slated to begin this spring. Coates declined to comment on the plans for the lot, saying the developer will release those details in the future.

The city has collected more than $489,000 in general sales tax funds since the beginning of the fiscal year in October and another $163,000 in sales tax allocated for the aquatic center. Sales tax is received by the city roughly two months after it is collected. Monies for the general sales tax received in October totaled more than $125,000, an increase from the year prior. Novembers figures dropped by more than $11,000 from the year prior, but receipts in December and January combined for an increase of approximately $31,000 over the previous fiscal year.

The city is budgeted to receive nearly $1.4 million in general sales tax revenue this fiscal year and another $457,000 in sales tax targeted specifically for the pool project.

At NNDC, Cottier said the agency has two loan applications pending and a third applicant possibly seeking funding through the revolving loan fund. The agency has only enough funds left to take care of one application, and will be helping the other applicants find assistance elsewhere  through the citys LB840 or CDBG revolving fund or the Panhandle Area Development District revolving fund.

In other business, the council approved the one-and-six-year street plan and asked for estimates on how much it would cost to widen North Main Street to 38 feet. The council is interested in possibly widening that street to enhance safety and access to the citys industrial area on East Niobrara Street.

The council also approved the agreement with Chadron State College to provide a college resource officer to the campus. CSC pays for 10 months of the officers salary as part of the agreement. Bids were awarded to Fuller Construction for a water main loop project on Pine Crest Drive and to R&J Industries for the 10th Street parking project.

Nebraska Public Power District has updated the Chadron Community Guide, which serves as a tool to recruit new industry, businesses and professionals to the area. The guide includes information on geography, economic development, labor, market access, infrastructure, communications, tax structure, local government, education, quality of life, community services, agriculture and raw materials and climate. It is available at econdev.nppd.com.
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. | The command chief of an installation leads its enlisted force and serves as the primary advisor to the commander on matters concerning morale, welfare, war-fighting effectiveness, operational utilization and professional development.

So, it takes a certain kind of Airman to lead more than 2,500 Ellsworth Raiders.

Chief Master Sgt. Adam Vizi and his wife, Gina, arrived at Ellsworth Dec. 10, 2016, with Vizi assuming command chief duties right away.

Before arriving, he served as the chief enlisted manager for the 607th Air Support Operations Group at Osan Air Base, South Korea. Vizi previously served as a Joint Terminal Attack Controller weapons officer and an instructor and evaluator at the unit and major command levels.

Col. Gentry Boswell, 28th Bomb Wing commander, introduced Vizi at a commanders call in January; however, we wanted to delve a little deeper into who the new 28th Bomb Wing command chief really is.

Sergeant Staker: Tell me a little about yourself  where are you from, how did you grow up, how long have you been in the Air Force?

Chief Vizi: I am one of four kids, I have three sisters and am originally from Youngstown, Ohio. My sisters used to pick on me a lot but I think thats where I get my toughness from  being beat up by girls. I spent two years in college and struggled with classes. And after I finished my English 101 class, I was tired of wasting my parents money, so I went into the recruiters office and asked how soon can you get me out of here? A month later, in 1994, I was in basic training.

I wanted to do something different with my life, I needed some discipline, direction  not that I wasnt getting it from my folks, but I thought I knew everything and then realized quickly that I didnt, so I wanted some structure.

SS: How was the recruiting process for you?

CV: Initially I tried to be a combat controller and spent about two months going through the pararescue pipeline. After an unsuccessful attempt at that, I realized that something else was in store for me. I went to talk with the Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) recruiter at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas, and went to Hurlburt Field, Florida, in January 1995.

SS: Did you intend on making the Air Force a career?

CV: At first I did not, to be honest. I was in Germany weighing my options, kind of like our informed decision class here at Ellsworth, and thought  Im going to take the Montgomery GI Bill, go back to my home town, and try to finish my college degree. But life happens.

Like I tell everybody, have a plan. I put in an application to do special duty  technical school instructor  and I eventually got hired to be an instructor down at Hurlburt Field, so that prompted me to reenlist. And after that experience down at the tech school I was all in, plus 9/11 happened and we got to go and do bad things to bad people.

Also, another event that happened was I met my wife. We became a team at that point, and Ive been moving her around the world. Weve been doing awesome things in both the TACP community and now as a command chief. I also have to commend her on her service, and even though shes not wearing the uniform she still serves. But she was one of the deciding factors on why we continue to serve. She supports me in doing what I do, and its awesome to have a good support team.

SS: Tell me a little more about being a TACP and what that entailed

CV: One of my main missions was to advise ground force commanders on the capability the Air Force brings, both kinetically and non-kinetically. Its taken me all over the world. My first assignment was to Fort Drum, New York, and while I was there I had the opportunity to go to multiple training exercises, I also got to go to the jungle operations training course in Panama, which was an amazing opportunity to go and learn how to survive and operate under triple canopy in jungle-dense terrain.

(Editors note: The chief has also been to South Korea three times, Germany, Hawaii, Florida, Colorado and Nevada.)

While stationed in Hawaii, I went to Headquarters Pacific Command where I got to do some staff work, which was very eye opening when youre organizing, training and equipping forces assigned to a Major Command. That was very rewarding to me.

(Editors note: Vizi was also selected to become one of seven initial cadre members to develop the curriculum at the U.S. Air Force Weapons School. He was the first superintendent to go through the course and to push the first enlisted weapons officers through the school.)

Just to take it a step further, as a TACP controlling air strikes is a very detailed, finite procedure where you work with any asset that drops bombs in a kinetic environment  bombers, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, F-16s, A-10s, F-15s, AC-130s. Anything that puts bombs into close proximity to friendly forces, thats where the JTACs come into play. Ive gotten to do it in multiple training environments, but have also gotten to do it in combat.

SS: Why did you become a command chief?

CV: I wanted to become a command chief because I feel that every Airman has a story, and mines kind of different. Through my passings with people, theyve asked me  tell me about TACP. I feel as a command chief, I have a good starting point to get through to Airmen, coming from a battlefield Airman perspective. I think it fosters good two-way communication.

As a command chief, you get exposure to First Term Airman Center, Airman Leadership School, and other professional military education environments  thats one of the things Im passionate about is developing people and just making people better at what they do.

SS: Whenever you found out you were coming to Ellsworth to be our command chief, what did you think about that? Were you excited, nervous?

CV: Colonel Boswell called and hired me after interviewing me. I was kind of shocked at first. It was the first interview I had taken to be a command chief, and gratefully Colonel Boswell asked if I would be his command chief. I was absolutely honored and said 100 percent yes.

I was excited for the opportunity, and then started looking up the things that this wing does and the B-1. Its a good fit for me because Ive controlled B-1s in both training and combat. My learning curve has been steep coming from a TACP background, we dont have Maintenance Groups and Mission Support Groups that support us because were normally on Army forts. Its been amazing getting to see our folks and hearing how passionate they are about what it is that they do.

(Editors note: A feature story detailing the chiefs first-hand, battlefield experience with the B-1 bomber will be posted to www.ellsworth.af.mil.)

SS: What are your priorities as a command chief?

CV: My main priorities are to advise the wing commander on morale, welfare and proper utilization of the enlisted force, and also to foster and develop successful teams. Im a big fan of joint professional military education, and Command Sgt. Maj. John Troxell, who is now the senior enlisted advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has a program thats called Backbone University. One of my initiatives for approval is to take this two-day event based off the NCO and petty officer handbook, which is called the backbone, and focus on our senior airmen through technical sergeants. Thats going to my primary target audience for this PME environment, which is our backbone. Thats where we develop our replacements. Its also aligning with Gen. David Goldfeins, Air Force Chief of Staff, priority of creating a more joint-minded force.

SS: What are you most looking forward to doing or learning as our command chief?

CV: One of the things Im most looking forward to is developing a culture of trust where Airmen can feel wholeheartedly like they will be able to talk to any NCO, senior enlisted leader, or officer and know that our team trusts each other. I am going to do that through teamwork, face-to-face interaction, and getting out to hear our Airmens stories. Every Airman has a story and I want to hear it. I really do.

You dont get change or buy-in unless you have the voice of the majority, which is our junior enlisted. The enlisted force on this base is the predominant of our folks, so I want to hear whats on our Airmens minds.

SS: If you could give them any advice what would it be?

CV: First I would tell all of our people  Airman, officer, civilian, spouse  be good to each other. Also, be the best that you can be where you are. If youre not proactive in your job, then I challenge each and every one of our people when you come here to Team Ellsworth, I want you to be better at something. Go out of here better at something than when you came in.

I know a lot of folks focus on the social aspect; if youre going to be social, do things that are going to positively impact your career. Dont drink and drive, have a plan, hold each other accountable, utilize safe ride. It should be part of your going in plan but it shouldnt be your only. I just want to alleviate our DUIs and alcohol related incidents. If we start treating each other with respect and dignity and start holding each other accountable, those things will go away.

SS: Anything else to add?

CV: Invest in yourself, thrift savings plan, 401  have a little bit of coin in your pocket. I understand 10 percent of our enlisted force go on to do 20 years. So to our junior members, the mass population of our base, I would challenge you to invest in yourself. Education, money, family, whatever its going to be.

(Editors note: The chief recently attended a basic military training graduation, where he saw 800 new Airmen who were fired up and ready to move forward with their careers.)

Dont forget that feeling you had when you graduated basic training. Then you go to tech school, and then you come to your base and you kind of lose that fire. I dont want folks to lose that fire.

Im going to challenge them to remember that theyre part of a profession of arms, that theyre in the military, and we wear this uniform for a reason  to defend our constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic. We all take the same oath. Also, to reinvigorate what it means to be an NCO and lead airmen, and have good, professional relationships with people.

I want to foster that and get people back to the basics, and to remember why we serve. When we graduated basic training, that fire in our gut. I want to be part of something bigger than me. Thats the other thing we need to hurdle as a team, is it isnt about you, especially as an NCO or senior NCO. Its not about you. Its about Airmen. Its about the team.
HOT SPRINGS - Better Choices, Better Health SD (BCBH) is a collaborative partnership between the South Dakota Department of Health, SDSU Extension and South Dakota Department of Social Services to teach South Dakotans with chronic health conditions ways to manage the impact of their diseases on their lives. A Better Choices, Better Health workshop in Hot Springs will begin on Wednesday March 1 from 12:00 Noon to 2:30 PM at Fall River Health Services, 1201 Highway 71 South, Hot Springs.

The BCBH program is offered as six weekly two-and-a-half-hour workshop sessions with interactive group discussion. It is not a support group but rather a workshop on how to make small steps toward positive changes and a healthier life.

BCBH, an extension of Stanford Universitys Chronic Disease Self-Management Program, is not disease specific, and is designed for those with any chronic condition(s). This may include, but is not limited to: arthritis, heart problems, diabetes, depression, cancer, chronic pain, fatigue, anxiety and weight issues. BCBH workshops benefit caregivers and support people for those living with a chronic condition as well.

Living with a chronic condition can be difficult. In the workshops, participants learn skills and techniques to manage the impact of their chronic condition and gain the self-confidence they need to take charge of their health, said Lori Oster, Better Choices, Better Health Program Coordinator. We welcome all interested adults to attend a workshop and learn how they can take charge and live healthier lives.

Stanford University research demonstrates that participants who complete the BCBH program experience better overall health, have more energy and less fatigue, have fewer visits to the doctor, and enjoy an improved quality of life.

As one workshop participant said, As someone who has lived with chronic illness for more than 40 years, the tools I learned in the workshop took me from surviving to thriving! I thought the course would be just a lecture, but everyone participated and helped each other. It was comforting to find out that I am not alone.

The BCBH program has trained nearly 500 South Dakotans in chronic disease self-management since October 2014. Workshops and trainings are offered across the state. For more information please visit www.betterchoicesbetterhealthsd.org or email us at sdsu.betterchoicesbetterhealth@sdstate.edu.

For questions or to register for this workshop, contact Ebun Adelona at 605-745-4265 or by e-mail at eade1008@hotmail.com. A toll-free number is also available: call 1-888-484-3800 or register online at www.goodandhealthysd.org/bcbhregister.
New Business Manager hired

HOT SPRINGS  A review of the FY16 Independent Auditors Report at the regular meeting of the Hot Springs School Board on Monday, Feb. 13, revealed to board members that the district is on a financially precarious path.

Deidre Budahl, a CPA with the Rapid City-based Casey Peterson & Associates, presented the findings of her firms recently conducted audit of the schools FY2016 financials (July 2015-June 2016) which found a total of four items related to Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. Three of the four were termed Material Weaknesses with the other termed a Significant Deficiency  which is considered less severe than a Material Weakness.

While two of the three Material Weaknesses are something Budahl said the District will always have due to the size of the business staff and not being able to segregate certain duties, including the preparation of their own financial reporting, the most noteworthy and relevant finding was labeled 2016-003. This weakness cited that there is a lack of oversight and monitoring of the Districts finances. The audit stated, Several funds of the District are reporting negative fund balances as of June 30, 2016.

In relation to this weakness, the published audit report went on to say that, The District should be monitoring the budget and adjusting spending where appropriate if revenues are not being received as anticipated. In addition, the District should consider reducing expenditures in order to recover the deficit in some funds.

Some of the discoveries due to this weakness were that the Special Education, Pension and Food Service funds are all reporting negative fund balances as of June 30, 2016. In addition, the General and Capital Outlay funds will report negative fund balances in the future if changes in budgeting and spending are not made immediately.

These negative fund balances contributed to the school district needing to draw significant money from their reserves to make up for the deficits in 2016.

That fact was emphasized in the reports Financial Highlights where it stated, the Districts revenues generated from taxes and other revenues of the governmental and business-type programs were $346,891 less than the $8,272,488 of governmental and business-type expenses. This dollar amount represented a 4.56 percent decrease in the net financial position of the district during FY2016.

During discussion of the audit at the board meeting, Superintendent Kevin Coles asked Budahl what the future impact on the district would be should enrollment decrease?

Youre in big trouble, Budahl answered, adding that she did not see any West River schools benefitting from South Dakotas new state aid formula, which has been modified for FY2017 from being based on a two-year enrollment average to now based on a schools actual enrollment each year on the last Friday of September.

One of the primary sources of revenue to school districts is based on a per student allocation received from the State of South Dakota. This state aid formula is designed to ensure that property taxes plus state aid equal $4,876.76 per student.

The Hot Springs School Districts enrollment numbers have been mostly stable over the past six years, topping out at 814 students in 2011 and dropping down as low as 798 in 2013. For the past three years however, the school has been at 802 to 803 students each year.

While the impact of the new formula is currently unknown, the Auditors Report said other factors involved with this funding source may impair the Districts ability to fund future projects.

A pie chart within the audit report showed the Hot Springs School District receiving 50 percent of its funding through taxes, along with 31 percent from State Sources and 13 percent from Operating Grants and Contributions, with only about 2 percent from sources which the District had any direct control over (for example food service rates). The fact that 98 percent of the schools funding comes from sources beyond its direct control, puts the District  like most public schools  in a position of high exposure to financial difficulties.

A similar pie chart showed how the schools expenses are allocated with 53 percent toward Instruction, 38 percent to Support Services, with only 5 percent to Cocurricular Activities and 4 percent to Food Service.

Board member Mark Walton asked Budahl how the Hot Springs School Districts teacher pay compared to other area school districts?

Budahl said, that based on the amount of the schools budgeted payroll of approximately $670,000 and the number of FTEs (full time equivalent) employees, Hot Springs had an average salary of $46,000, while most schools of similar size in the area have an average salary of $39,000 to $40,000.

Coles noted that these audited numbers are also based on FY2016, which was prior to the FY2017 statewide bump in teacher pay due to the half percent sales tax increase.

Coles also pointed out, that while a review of FY2016 highlighted some troubling concerns, a number of budgetary initiatives in FY2017 have already started to show favorable returns, including a savings of approximately $15,000 thus far this year due to changing the districts food service provider, and an additional $12,500 in electrical savings due to the conversion to LED lighting throughout the district.

During Budahls presentation, she also shared a number graphs which helped paint a picture of the Districts financial situation. Included in that presentation was a pair of bar graphs  one showing a Quick Ratio comparing the total cash to current liabilities, and another showing Interperiod Equity which is achieved when the cost of current services are paid by current year taxpayers.

According to the graph, a Quick Ratio of 1.0 to 1 indicates adequate current liquidity and an ability to meet short-term obligations with cash. In 2013, the District had a Quick Ratio of 1.55 to 1, meaning there was more than enough short-term cash available. That ratio however has been steadily going down to where the District now shows a Quick Ratio of .75 to 1, which indicates that the District does not have sufficient cash to pay short-term liabilities.

The Interperiod Equity graph for the district showed that in FY2016 the General Fund (96%), the Special Education Fund (82%) and the Capital Outlay Fund (76%) all came up short of being 100 percent equitable. This indicates the districts total costs were not fully funded by current year revenues, so reserves were used to cover those costs  meaning either past or future taxpayers helped fund the cost of current year services.

The fourth and final finding  the one termed a Significant Deficiency as part of the Auditors Report  was related to how the District had been paying all personnel (exempt and non-exempt) as if they were salaried throughout the year.

It was noted during that board meeting that this was at one time an acceptable way to pay school staff, but most school districts changed that method several years ago. The audit noted that it was discovered in FY2016 than an employee was overpaid $100 due to the now improper method, which is also cumbersome and prone to error. The District has since changed this method of determining payroll for non-exempt staff, so it will not be an issue moving forward.

When contacted by the Hot Springs Star later in the week, after the board meeting, regarding the Audit Report, Supt. Coles said the Districts first order of business was to schedule a session to meet with Budahl so they could better understand the specifics of the findings.

Coles said the biggest thing he took away from the initial Audit Report was that the district needs to do a better job of getting accurate information.

As noted during the audit discussion, many of the financial issues that arose during the audit period were due to revenues not meeting their budgeted projections.

One of the Financial Highlights of the report stated, County reports on outstanding taxes due to the district have proven to be unreliable. The District needs to start tracking this on a monthly basis. It should also be noted that the Hot Springs School District includes portions of both Custer and Fall River Counties.

When questioned as to how the District plans to address the disparity in revenues falling short of costs, Coles noted how the vast majority of the Districts costs fall under Instruction and that the best opportunity to reduce costs was to address that area of the budget.

He said its going to take some creative thinking to find the solution, and similar to how most downtown businesses address financial struggles, he hopes staff reduction through attrition  resignation, retirement, or other voluntary means  will help provide a less painful alternative.

In other business:

- Supt. Coles recognized and thanked the school board members for their commitment to the District as part of School Board Recognition Week. See photo and story page ????

- Board members thanked outgoing Business Manager Lori Libra for her hard work and dedication as part of the administrative business staff. Libra recently stepped down as Business Manager and accepted the position of Data & Technology Coordinator  a position vacated by Deana Castro in September. Since that time, the District has been recruiting for a new Business Manager. Coles said Deb Ollerich will start on Monday, Feb. 20 as the Districts new Business Manager. She comes to Hot Springs from eastern South Dakota, where she was at one time the Business Manager at the Harrisburg School District. Coles said she has been on hiatus for a short time, but is anxious to make the move to the Black Hills and once again serve students.
On one corner, people held signs saying, Make America think again and Build bridges, not walls.

Across the street, the signs said, God bless our presidents and Veterans for Trump.

Both sides waved flags to celebrate a nation where the First Amendment guarantees not only the right to freedom of speech, but also "the right of the people peaceably to assemble." You can love your country and still disagree.

So whether you love President Trump or hate him, there was a group at the corner of Omaha Street and Mount Rushmore Road for you Monday afternoon.

A Not My President Presidents Day rally held at the northwest corner of Omaha Street and Mount Rushmore Road was joined by a separate demonstration in support of Trump at the northeast corner, organized by Pennington County Republicans.

Both groups of demonstrators vied for the attention of passing motorists at the busy intersection. Police officers were present and the event remained peaceful.

Les Pilgrim traveled from Custer with neighbors to join the pro-Trump demonstration of about 75 other people. He said the message is clear.

I wanted my voice to be heard, Pilgrim said. We were supporters from the start, and were tired of being silent. The message is Its about time. Weve waited for a long time for a true patriot to come along, and we have one.

Steve Gates, a 25-year-old real estate agent, said he was considering attending the pro-Trump event and ultimately decided to come after he heard about the Not My President event.

I think a lot of people in America, especially a lot of people in our good city, support Donald Trump, and sometimes its hard to tell that by the way social media looks or even the way the news looks, Gates said. Sometimes people just want to see people they agree with.

The approximately 150 people in the Not My President demonstration seemed to share the same motivation.

Lily Crooks couldnt vote in Novembers election; shes just 17. Nonetheless, she decided to spend her day off from school to let people know that despite the results of the election in South Dakota, a deep red state, there are still pockets of blue.

Im just trying to come out here because I didnt see a lot of people my age out here, and I wanted to make sure that people knew that it was represented by people of all ages, Crooks said, noting that most of the people in her U.S. government class supported Trump.

I dont care which political group you affiliate yourself with as long as you have an answer as to why, Crooks said. Because a lot of people dont.

Jo, a retired environmental engineer for 23 years who didn't want to give her last name, said environmental concerns were just one reason she opposed President Trump and his administration.

I believe in truth, facts, science, she said. I wanted to be here to be a part of the head count and let people know that there is an alternative side in Rapid City. I feel like were going backwards. He (Trump) said, Drain the swamp. I think he just filled it up and let in a bunch of alligators."

Suzanne Martley was the chief organizer of the Not My President rally and said the day provided a perfect opportunity to express the expectations people have for the presidency.

On Presidents Day we should be thinking about the kinds of qualities we want to see in a president, the kind of qualities that we valued through history, Martley said at the end of the event. Honesty, integrity, humility, public service, stewardship, kindness, dialogue  those kinds of things.

The Rapid City rally was far from the only one. Similar protests challenging the Trump administrations policies were held in cities across the United States including New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Denver, Washington, D.C., Salt Lake City and Portland, Ore.

Though the chants of supporters from both rallies were occasionally in opposition, people from both sides of Mount Rushmore Road said they were here for unity, not division.

We dont hate the folks across the street, said Rapid City resident Bruce Bedard. A broad smile across his face and a Trump T-shirt covering his torso, Bedard waved an American flag to passers-by as he preached love over hatred.

I sure wish the guy with the gay pride flag would have come over here because we love them, Bedard said. Theres no hate here.

Gates agreed.

I wouldnt say its oppositional because I dont want to create a divide or further the divide thats already there, he said.

As the Not My President demonstrators packed away signs and rolled their American and rainbow flags up for another day, organizer Martley motioned to the demonstrators across the street.

They have a right to be there," she said. "We have a right to be here.
UGLY: On the same day the state Senate voted 66-0 to limit gifts that lawmakers can receive from lobbyists (food and beverages exempted naturally), two lobbyists thought it would be funny to give lawmakers candy-filled gold watches to make an apparent statement about the legislation. Four lawmakers, including Sens. Jeff Partridge and Terri Haverly of Rapid City, joined in the fun by flashing their toy watches for a reporter who then took a picture that was published in Wednesdays Rapid City Journal. One of the lobbyists, Linda Schauer of Leola, explained to the reporter that the gifts were a joke. Supporters of Initiated Measure 22, or the Anti-Corruption Act, that the Legislature repealed earlier in the session didnt see the humor, however. It was a bit disconcerting to see lawmakers openly proclaim their relationship with lobbyists while putting their sense of humor on display for all to see.

BAD: While lawmakers have considered such important bills as when to turn your vehicles headlights on or whether liquor can be delivered to our homes, theyve done precious little to boost the states economic development efforts even as sales tax collections dwindle and the agriculture industry struggles with declining cattle and grain prices. Lawmakers, however, can take a small step in the right direction by approving Senate Bill 135, which would allow country of origin labeling, a bill strongly backed by the states cattle industry. While you might think a bill like this would be a slam dunk in South Dakota, the measure was only approved on a 5-3 vote in a Senate committee. Among those who opposed the measure was Sen. Blake Curd of Sioux Falls, the Senate Republican leader.

GOOD: Rick and Chris VanNess are helping shine a light on Hill City. The couple has been showing recent release and classic movies since November in the upper level of the Chute Rooster restaurant in the southern Black Hills community. The theater can seat between 80 and 100 movie fans. The couple, who are the founders of the annual Black Hills Film Festival, only charge $5 to see a movie. For those who want something to eat, pizza can be ordered from the nearby Silver Dollar Saloon. Movies are shown on Saturdays and Sundays. Later this month, the theater will be featuring 2016 films Arrival and Hacksaw Ridge. By bringing the movies to Hill City, the couple is adding another attraction to a community that is devoted to the arts.
Preliminary investigation into new case against Browder complete - lawyer

MOSCOW, February 21 (RAPSI, Oleg Sivozhelezov)  Preliminary investigation into separate criminal case against Hermitage Capital Management CEO William Browder has been completed, RAPSI learnt from his lawyer Alexander Antipov on Tuesday.

He noted that Browder is charged with several economic crimes, including deliberate bankruptcy and tax evasion. Antipov added that investigation into Browder was completed within the shortest possible time, from February 8 to 17, 2017. However, neither defendant nor his legal team were notified about investigation. According to Antipov, this fact exemplifies secret justice and violates law.

The lawyer said that Browder is not on the international wanted list despite contrary claims by law enforcement representatives.

On Monday, press-secretary of the Moscows Tverskoy District Court, Anastasia Dzyurko told RAPSI that the court had issued an arrest warrant for Browder in absentia.

Browders defense lawyers have already filed an appeal against the ruling. The hearing date has not been scheduled yet.

Earlier, the Tverskoy District Court arrested Browder in absentia on charges of embezzling stock of Russias oil giant Gazprom. However, the United Kingdom refused to extradite its national.

According to Russian authorities, Browder illegally bought over 130 million Gazprom shares worth at least 2 billion rubles ($32.6 million at the current exchange rate) at a lower, intra-market price through a Russian company he controlled, Kameya LLC, which amounts to large financial loss for Russia.

Earlier, a Russian court sentenced Browder in absentia to nine years in a penal colony. The court found that in 1997-2002, Hermitage Capital auditor Sergei Magnitsky created and applied an illegal tax evasion scheme in the interests of Browder.

Magnitsky worked for Firestone Duncan and represented Hermitage Capital, which the Russian authorities accused of tax evasion. Magnitsky was arrested on fraud charges in November 2008 and found dead in a Moscow detention center in November 2009. The lawyers death provoked an international outcry.

In July 2013, Moscows Tverskoy District Court found Magnitsky guilty of tax evasion and closed the case due to his death. According to the case materials, Magnitskys and Hermitage Capital director William Browders actions cost Russia over 500 million rubles (over $8 million).
Lawyers ask Committee of Ministers to take measures after Navalnys Kirovles retrial

MOSCOW, February 21 (RAPSI)  Lawyers representing Russian opposition politician Alexey Navalny, who has earlier been sentenced in Kirovles embezzlement case for the second time, asked the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to exercise any and all available options to assist in the execution of the judgment, according to documents available to RAPSI.

On February 8, Navalny was found guilty of organizing embezzlement at the Kirovles timber company for the second time and received a 5-year suspended sentence, while another defendant in the case, Pyotr Ofitserov, received a 4-year suspended sentence. Additionally, they were fined 500,000 rubles ($8,500) each.

Practicing lawyers Karinna Moskalenko and Olga Mikhaylova note that new sentence issued after retrial is almost identical to previous one, found to be in violation of the European Convention of Human Rights by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). Lawyers believe that Russian court disregarded findings of the ECHR, notably its refusal to pass any motions and requests filed by Navalnys defense. In addition, according to lawyers, Navalny has already served his time after first trial.

Lawyers note that Russian state is unwilling to exercise judgement of the ECHR in this case preventing Navalny from participating in political activities and violates his civil and political rights. As such they request the Committee of Ministers to examine this case under the enhanced procedure.

In November, the Supreme Court overturned sentences against Navalny and Ofitserov in Kirovles embezzlement case and sent it for retrial. The court delivered the ruling taking into consideration the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

In February 2016, ECHR held that the applicants right to a fair trial had been violated and ordered Russian authorities to compensate Navalny with 48,000 of legal costs and Ofitserov with 22,000. Additionally, Russia was obliged by court to pay 8,000 euro each in damages.

Russias Justice Ministry filed a request seeking referral of the case to the Grand Chamber of the Strasbourg Court, but it was dismissed.

Navalny was given a five-year suspended sentence for embezzlement at the Kirovles timber company in July 2013. Later, Moscow's Lyublinsky District Court increased a probation period for him to 5.5 years. Ofitserov received a four-year suspended sentence.

According to investigators, while serving on a voluntary basis as an adviser to the Kirov Region governor Navalny organized the theft of over 10,000 cubic meters of timber from Kirovles company between May and September 2009.

Investigators claimed that Pyotr Ofitserov, then Director of Vyatka Timber Company, and Kirovles CEO Vyacheslav Opalyov were involved in the scheme. Proceedings against Opalyov were treated as a separated criminal case after he had admitted his guilt.
Stephen D. Bryen and Shoshana Bryen

The president is being asked by the Pentagon to provide U.S. ground troops to fight ISIS in Syria. If the president is wise, he will run as fast as he can the other way.

There are four potential traps here:

The cost in American lives; The nature of the Syrian civil war that encompasses the fight against ISIS, which means we may find ourselves on the battlefield with Russia, Iran, and the genocidal government of Syria; Finding ourselves with the Turks against the Kurds; and Finding ourselves with the Kurds against the Turks.

Syria is a quagmire  ask the Russians. The late 2016 battle for Aleppo required heavy bombing; massive artillery; and even, allegedly, chemical weapons. In Aleppo overall, there were 31,000 casualties  22,633 men, 2, 849 women, and 4,548 children. Overall, 76% of the casualties were civilian. Most were caused by Russian bombing and Syrian government and allied troops  Hezb'allah and Iran  on the ground.

Daily operations in Syria are under Russian-Syrian cognizance. The Russians supply air power, combat intelligence, and special operations, targeting anti-regime forces and leaders they want to liquidate. Syrian army forces, Iranian-backed forces (many of them irregular and imported from Pakistan and Afghanistan), and Hezb'allah do the dirty work on the ground. The Russians are determined to minimize their own casualties. After the Afghan debacle  13,310 dead, 35,478 wounded, and more than 300 missing  the Russian public has a low tolerance for battlefield casualties, and in today's world where the internet reigns supreme, keeping news about deadly encounters from the Russian people is a losing battle, and the authorities know it.

Some, including Russian president Vladimir Putin, have proposed that the U.S. team up with Russia. But Defense Secretary James Mattis has said that while we might find ways to cooperate politically, direct military collaboration with the Russians is not in the cards, most importantly because the U.S. arms and trains some Syrian rebels the Russians call "terrorists" and against whom they and the Syrian government are fighting. It is inconceivable that the U.S. would fight in coordination with Russia's allies, Iran and Hezb'allah  who pose a grave threat to Israel, threaten American sailors in the Persian Gulf, and support Saudi Arabia's enemy, the Houthi rebels in Yemen.

In addition to their battle standards being anathema to Americans, the potential for U.S. casualties in Syria is high. The Second Battle of Fallujah was the most costly engagement for American forces since Hue, Vietnam in 1968. In Fallujah in 2004-05, U.S. Marines and coalition forces committed more than 13,000 troops and lost 95 men with 560 wounded. In the town, some 35,000 of the total 50,000 homes were destroyed by artillery, bombing, and street fighting. While the U.S. eventually forced al-Qaeda out, victory secured Fallujah not for long. Fighting ISIS in Syria would produce casualties on the same order of magnitude.

H.R. McMaster, newly appointed NSC advisor to President Trump, knows this better than almost anyone  he commanded the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment in Tel Afar, Iraq, ousting al-Qaeda from the city in 2004, and worked with Gen. Petraeus to rewrite the Army's Counterinsurgency Field Manual during his command of the Combined Arms Center in 2007-08.

Then there is the question of Turkey, which claims that its agenda is to knock off ISIS but is really looking to knock off Kurds  whom the Turks consider terrorists. Turkey wants to import a replacement population to Kurdish territory, beginning with the placement of "safe zones" for Syrian Sunnis in the Kurdish areas and demanding control of ISIS-held Raqqa after its liberation. Turkey is a NATO ally, so the U.S. should be inclined to work with it despite the increasing authoritarianism of Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

But to the fourth point, the U.S. arms and trains Kurdish forces in Iraq and Syria because they are the most effective fighters on the ground and have the best strategy against ISIS. The Kurds are absolutely vital to the fight in Mosul, Iraq. Without Kurdish forces, the Mosul offensive probably would collapse, and with it, the Iraqi government itself might fall. While the U.S. agrees with Turkey that the PKK (Turkish Workers' Party) is a terror organization, the YPG, the fighting arm, is part of the U.S. fighting alliance.

The Russians are also courting the Kurds, believing they can exert pressure on the Turkish position. While there is a rapprochement between Turkey and Russia, it is suspect and unstable. The Russians have given the Kurds a semi-official office in Moscow, permitted them to hold large political meetings, and built Kurdish autonomy into Russian proposals for a future Syrian constitution. This is tricky turf, so at Astana, Kazakhstan, where the political reconciliation talks between Syria and the opposition are being managed by the Russians, the Kurds as political parties were not represented. Kurdish interests are handled by the Syrian government delegation, ostensibly because the Kurdish territories are part of Syria.

So, after dealing with the potential for American military casualties on the scale of the Iraq war; Syrian/Hezb'allah/Iranian/Russian political objectives and military tactics; and the conundrum of our relations with Turkey and the Kurds and their divergent objectives, there remains the question of the size of any operation, the cost in equipment and manpower, and whether ground operations against ISIS can be sustained without a massive investment. If the U.S. were to launch any serious ground operation to defeat ISIS, the U.S. could not at the same time keep sufficient forces in Europe to defend NATO. In fact, the entire strategy to rebuild NATO would be in abeyance or dead. This would hand Putin an exceptional victory in the West.

In sum, the Pentagon recommendation lacks credibility. It is a trap, a killer, and damaging to America. President Trump should send it back where it came from with a big red X scrawled on the paper.
Kathmandu, Nepal: Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Yu Hong called on Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba at latter's residence in Budhanilkantha on Tuesday.

During the meeting the duo had discussed on ranges of issues including the recent political development of the country and the ways to strengthen the bilateral relation between the two neighboring countries.

According to the source, Chinese Ambassador Hong welcomed the government decision to hold local level election. Clearing about the looming confusion the government had on Monday announced the date for local level elections.

The welcoming note from the northern neighbor China to the government decision to announce the date for the local level elections is taken meaningfully in the political and diplomatic level as another southern neighbor India has not spoken about the government decision to hold local level elections on May 14.
MORANG, Feb 21: More than 100 pairs of gays and lesbians from Morang are deprived of their right to marriage in the absence of the law legalizing their marriage, said Blue Diamond Society.

More than 100 couples of gays and lesbians from Morang are waiting to tie the knot legally, informed Madhav Dulal, Morang branch information officer of the Society at a press conference organized today by the Society and the Paribartansil Samaj.

He said they want to get married publically. "Although the Supreme Court has allowed marriageable-age gays and lesbians to live together, marriage between them is yet to be accepted legally," he said.

Likewise on the occasion, Chairman of Samaj Biratnagar branch Muskan Shrestha said marked progress could not be made in terms of empowering gays and lesbians in the district through various income-generating program and training for want of adequate budget.

There are approximately 11,000 gays, lesbians and third genders in the district, according to available data. RSS
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal

Kathmandu, Nepal: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has called an all-party meeting at 3:00 pm on Tuesday to discuss about the future course of the politics after declaring the date for the local level elections.

In the meeting called at the Parliament building in New Baneshwar, all the leaders of the party represent in the parliament including the agitating Madhes based parties are invited, an official at the parliament secretariat said preferring anonymity.

The government has decided to hold the local level elections on May 14. Following the government decision to announce the polls date, the agitating United Democratic Madhesi Front announced protest program against the polls date.
Kathmandu, Nepal: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal urged the media persons to play constructive role to make success the local election.

Unveiling the journalist- shrine constructed in the premises of Press Council Nepal on Tuesday morning, Prime Minister Dahal made such an urge to the media to institutionalize the federal democratic system by implementing the constitution.

The media, which had played a positive role to make success the popular movement and to bring the recent changes, need play a supportive role again to make success the local level elections; Prime Minister Dahal said.

The government has declared the date for local level elections but necessary help to make success the election is must from different quarters, Prime Minister Dahal said highlighting the role of the media.

During the function, Prime Minister Dahal also made commitment for necessary assistance from the government side for the development and institutionalize the media and the Press council.

Minister for information and communication Ram Karki also urged the media to play a constructive role to make transparent the society and the political parties.

During the function, chairman of the Press council Borna Bahadur Karki, Chairman of the Federation of Nepali Journalists Dr. Mahendra Bista and Press Council Nepals member and senior journalist Kishowr Shrestha also highlighted the role of the media.
Kathmandu , Nepal the agitating United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) has boycotted the meeting called by the prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on tuesday afternoon .

The UDMF leaders did not present in the meeting saying that they are away to Kathmandu .

The UDMF leaders had already announced their protest program against the government decision to announce the date for the local level election .

prime minister Dahal had called the meeting to discuss about the situation after fixing the date for the local level elections .
Kathmandu, Nepal: Renowned comedian couple Sitaram Kattel, who is branded with nick name Dhurmus, and Kunjana Ghimire, who is also known as Suntali, have been appointed as National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) goodwill ambassadors.

The NRA, the only government authority responsible for the reconstruction of the settlements destroyed by the devastating earthquake of April 25, 2015, made the decision to appoint Dhurmus and Suntali as the goodwill ambassadors with the aim to encourage integrated settlement development.

A meeting of the NRA held on Tuesday also decided to provide the second tranche of the reconstruction grant by March 28.
New Orleans' GOATWHORE will return to the road later this month as part of Metal Blade Records' 35th Anniversary Tour alongside labelmates Whitechapel, Cattle Decapitation, Allegaeon, and Necromancing The Stone. The band's latest trek will stretch from February 21st through March 15thwith various headlining dates scattered throughout. From there, the band will take a short break before joining Amon Amarth for two weeks' worth of shows from May 1st to May 21st. Due to scheduling conflicts between the two tours, GOATWHORE will not appear on six of the Metal Blade Records' 35th Anniversary Tour stops. See a full listing of dates below.





GOATWHORE recently completed tracking the follow-to their globally adored Constricting Rage Of The Merciless full-length. Titled Vengeful Ascension, the band's latest studio offering was captured at

Earth Analog near Champaign, Illinois. Fans will be able to preorder Vengeful Ascension as part of an exclusive bundle only available directly from the band's merch booth on both tours. The bundle will come with a T-shirt and laminate exclusive to this preorder bundle only. The laminate will contain a special code to input online to have the physical copy of the album ship when released.





GOATWHORE w/ Whitechapel, Cattle Decapitation, Allegaeon, Necromancing The Stone:

2/21/2017 Spirit Hall - Pittsburgh, PA *no Whitechapel, Necromancing The Stone

2/22/2017 Brighton Music Hall - Boston, MA

2/23/2017 Lost Horizon - Syracuse, NY * GOATWHORE only

2/24/2017 The Fillmore - Silver Spring, MD

2/26/2017 House Of Blues - Cleveland, OH

2/27/2017 The Frequency - Madison, WI * GOATWHORE only

2/28/2017 St. Andrew's Hall - Detroit, MI

3/01/2017 Deluxe @ Old National Centre - Indianapolis, IN

3/02/2017 Bogart's - Cincinnati, OH

3/03/2017 Montage Music Hall - Rochester, NY * GOATWHORE only

3/04/2017 House Of Blues - Chicago, IL

3/05/2017 Riot Room - Kansas City, MO

3/07/2017 Divebar - Las Vegas, NV * no Whitechapel

3/08/2017 Belasco Theater - Los Angeles, CA

3/09/2017 House Of Blues - San Diego, CA

3/10/2017 The Fillmore - San Francisco, CA

3/11/2017 Ace Of Spades - Sacramento, CA

3/12/2017 The Rock - Tucson, AZ * no Whitechapel

3/14/2017 House Of Blues - Houston, TX

3/15/2017 House Of Blues - Dallas, TX

End Tour

w/ Amon Amarth:

5/01/2017 Vinyl - Pensacola, FL

5/02/2017 Varsity Theatre - Baton Rouge, LA

5/04/2017 New Daisy Theatre - Memphis, TN

5/06/2017 The National - Richmond, VA

5/08/2017 TLA - Philadelphia, PA

5/09/2017 College Street Music Hall - New Haven, CT

5/10/2017 The Paramount - Huntington, NY

5/11/2017 The Garrison - Toronto, ON * GOATWHORE only

5/12/2017 20 Monroe Live - Grand Rapids, MI

5/13/2017 Three Floyds Brewing - Munster, IN

5/16/2017 The Cotillion - Wichita, KS

5/17/2017 Boulder Theatre - Boulder, CO

5/19/2017 Lookout - Omaha, NE * GOATWHORE only

5/19/2017 The Blue Note - Columbia, MO

5/20/2017 Mercury Ballroom - Louisville, KY





Issued in 2014 via Metal Blade Records, Constricting Rage Of The Merciless debuted at #81 on Billboard's Top 200 chart, topping their last entry position of #171 with Blood For The Master. Crowned their most, "varied record to date, as well as their strongest," by Pitchfork and, "unrelentingly pummeling and brutally oppressive," by PopMatters. Constricting Rage Of The Merciless can be previewed and purchased at: metalblade.com/goatwhore








Algerian rulers and the Polisario leaders are caught short by the diplomatic and economic offensive Morocco is staging on the African chessboard, at the initiative of King Mohammed VI.

After he consolidated the standing of his Kingdom in French-speaking Africa and after his countrys triumphant readmission within the African Union (AU), Mohammed VI adopted a very subtle approach of unprecedented rapprochement with English-speaking African countries.

Through this large-scale approach, the Moroccan sovereign seems determined to tackle the problem at its roots, since the pseudo Sahrawi republic RASD was created on African soil, in Algeria, and since it is in Africa that the Polisario has most of its supporters.

It is in this context that King Mohammed VI began on Sunday (Feb.19) an official visit to Zambia, which was preceded by similar visits to South Sudan and Ghana. Trips to at least three other African countries are on the Kings schedule.

It is worth mentioning that Ghana and Zambia, both from Anglophone Africa, have long shown hostility to Moroccos sovereignty, but were among the 28 countries that signed a motion, addressed to the African Union President on 18 July 2016, calling for the suspension of SADR from the continental organization.

It is also worth recalling that the somewhat dubious relationships between the regimes of Algiers and Pretoria have for a long time transformed Anglophone Africa into a preserve of Algeria, that it used in its fierce diplomatic battle against its Moroccan neighbor over Western Sahara.

By ending the policy of the empty chair within the pan-African organization, Mohammed VI showed determination to cast a wide net in Africa, without excluding the few pro-Polisario countries.

No need to say that Morocco has generously extended its hand to African countries for a solidarity-based cooperation and a win-win partnership, while Algeria, with the hydrocarbon sector providing 90% of public revenues, has nothing to offer to the continent, now that it was brought to its knees by the collapse of oil & gas prices.
Where to see giant pandas in the US
Photos: Thousand across US take part in 'Not My President's Day' protests
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Are you prepared to gaze deep into The Void?

When directors Steven Kostanski and Jeremy Gillespie boldly declared that theirs was a vision worse than hell in their original pitch material they were, to a certain degree, throwing down the gauntlet to themselves. Have they delivered? Now's your chance to find out with a pair of wildly NSFW trailers for the film having recently arrived to support the upcoming UK and US releases.

When police officer Carter (Aaron Poole) discovers a blood-soaked man limping down a deserted road, he rushes him to a local hospital with a barebones, night shift staff. As cloaked, cult-like figures surround the building, the patients and staff inside start to turn ravenously insane. Trying to protect the survivors, Carter leads them into the depths of the hospital where they discover a gateway to immense evil.

The press on this one has been slinging around comparisons to Fulci and Carpenter, which is music to the ears of classic horror fans so strap in and get your first tastes below.

[Full disclosure: I am a credited executive producer on this one so, yep, I'm biased as hell.]
If you are currently a print subscriber but don't have an online account, select this option. You will need to use your 7 digit subscriber account number (with leading zeros) and your last name (in UPPERCASE).
 Awakening to a sleepy sentencing debate: do tired federal judges sentence more harshly? | Main | US Sentencing Commission releases big new report on "Recidivism Among Federal Drug Trafficking Offenders" 

February 21, 2017

Justice Sotomayor (joined by Justice Breyer) authors lengthy dissent to denial of cert in Alabama lethal injection protocol challenge

This morning, the US Supreme Court got back to work through the issuance of this lengthy order list. The one cert grant was involves a federal criminal case, Class v. US, concerning whether a defendant who pleads guilty can still challenge the constitutionality his statute of conviction (SCOTUSblog case page here). But the part of the order list likely to get the most attention is this lengthy dissent from the denial of certiorari authored by Justice Sotomayor in a Alabama capital case concern lethal injection protocols. Here is the start, heart and end of the extended opinion (which Justice Breyer joined in full):

Nearly two years ago in Glossip v. Gross, 576 U. S. ___ (2015), the Court issued a macabre challenge. In order to successfully attack a States method of execution as cruel and unusual under the Eighth Amendment, a condemned prisoner must not only prove that the States chosen method risks severe pain, but must also propose a known and available alternative method for his own execution. Id., at ___, ___ (slip op., at 13, 15). Petitioner Thomas Arthur, a prisoner on Alabamas death row, has met this challenge. He has amassed significant evidence that Alabamas current lethal-injection protocol will result in intolerable and needless agony, and he has proposed an alternative  death by firing squad. The Court of Appeals, without considering any of the evidence regarding the risk posed by the current protocol, denied Arthurs claim because Alabama law does not expressly permit execution by firing squad, and so it cannot be a known and available alternative under Glossip. Because this decision permits States to immunize their methods of execution  no matter how cruel or how unusual  from judicial review and thus permits state law to subvert the Federal Constitution, I would grant certiorari and reverse. I dissent from my colleagues decision not to do so.... The decision below permits a State, by statute, to bar a death-row inmate from vindicating a right guaranteed by the Eighth Amendment. Under this view, even if a prisoner can prove that the State plans to kill him in an intolerably cruel manner, and even if he can prove that there is a feasible alternative, all a State has to do to execute him through an unconstitutional method is to pass a statute declining to authorize any alternative method. This cannot be right.... The decision below is all the more troubling because it would put an end to an ongoing national conversation  between the legislatures and the courts  around the methods of execution the Constitution tolerates. The meaning of the Eighth Amendments prohibition on cruel and unusual punishments is determined not by the standards that prevailed when the Eighth Amendment was adopted in 1791 but instead derives from the evolving standards of decency that mark the progress of a maturing society. Kennedy v. Louisiana, 554 U. S. 407, 419 (2008) (quoting Trop v. Dulles, 356 U. S. 86, 101 (1958) (plurality opinion)). Evolving standards have yielded a familiar cycle: States develop a method of execution, which is generally accepted for a time. Science then reveals that  unknown to the previous generation  the States chosen method of execution causes unconstitutional levels of suffering. A new method of execution is devised, and the dialogue continues. The Eighth Amendment requires this conversation. States should not be permitted to silence it by statute.... Twice in recent years, this Court has observed that it has never invalidated a States chosen procedure for carrying out a sentence of death as the infliction of cruel and unusual punishment. Baze, 553 U. S., at 48 (plurality opinion); Glossip, 576 U. S., at ___ (slip op., at 3) (same). In Glossip, the majority opinion remarked that the Court did not retreat from this nonintervention strategy even after Louisiana strapped a 17-year-old boy to its electric chair and, having failed to kill him the first time, argued for a second try  which this Court permitted. Id., at ___ ___ (slip op., at 34). We should not be proud of this history. Nor should we rely on it to excuse our current inaction.

February 21, 2017 at 10:12 AM | Permalink

Comments

Reading the opinion, the guy put out the firing squad as the alternative if lethal injection isn't used. Sotomayor flagged that as an alternative some might want in her Glossip v. Gross dissent. Judge Kozinski had some support for that method for somewhat different reasons. The inert gas alternative was not raised from what I can tell in either opinion. With Oklahoma passing a law using it as a back-up, the case with a defendant raising it as an alternative is probably just a matter of time.

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/04/oklahoma-death-penalty-gas-chamber-117156

Posted by: Joe | Feb 21, 2017 10:32:20 AM

Sotomayor's dissent might be more persuasive if it weren't based upon a proposition that she would reject: that the firing squad is a constitutional method of execution. This is the hole in every abolitionist argument, that they only want to confront the method being challenged at the moment without explaining how a constitutional execution can be carried out. Look no further than litigation posture of Ohio's death row inmates, where they readily claim pentobarbital as readily available alternative in one brief, while arguing it fails to comport with the 8th Amendment in the very next. Whatever flaws the available, alternative method standard may contain (and I'd concede there are some), it is standard that is necessary based on the fundamental dishonesty of those who litigate in this space. Look no further than Sotomayor's own words, from the end of the introduction paragraph of Section IV:

"Evolving standards have yielded a familiar cycle: States develop a method of execution, which is generally accepted for a time. Science then

reveals thatunknown to the previous generationthe States chosen method of execution causes unconstitutional levels of suffering. A new method of execution is devised, and the dialogue continues. The Eighth Amendment requires this conversation. States should not be permitted to silence it by statute."

How can this statement, and the firing squad being a constitutional method of execution both be true?

Posted by: Public Servant | Feb 21, 2017 11:05:10 AM

I am reading the petition in Class.

"Instead, the government argued that all government property is inherently a sensitive place where there is no right to armed self defense. J.A.112."

Oh come on man. There is no right to self-defense in the middle of the Alaska wilderness?! It is exactly this type of argument that brings the government into such disrepute. What's worse is that we now have a SCOTUS case who real basis is not anything meaningful but the direct result of government attorneys making outlandish claims. Poison on door handles and tiny fish. Why do those spring to mind....

Posted by: Daniel | Feb 21, 2017 11:33:43 AM

"she would reject: that the firing squad is a constitutional method of execution"

Not shown. She didn't join Breyer/Ginsburg's dissent last time arguing that the death penalty is probably unconstitutional.

Also, the law isn't a matter of all or nothing. Even if given her druthers, she thinks the death penalty is unconstitutional, or rather some "abolitionist," she or they can argue that granting -- given the state of the law -- that it is, something lesser is unconstitutional. The same principle raises in other contexts; it isn't just something those against the death penalty use and they aren't unprincipled either.

There has been arguments put forth that IF we are stuck with the death penalty that the firing squad is for the defendant the best way to go. I think the major issue here isn't concern for the person being executed as much that the people authorizing the killing don't like the blunt way being used. This to Judge Kozinski is a feature, not a bug of using the firing squad.

Finally, as to the last part, it can be true. The current generation is lethal injection. The problem seems to be that the firing squad is not "new," but the overall idea shouldn't be taken that literally. The cycle of history expressed there doesn't compel no repeats, so to speak. And, in fact, the firing squad has barely been used in this country from my understanding -- some usage in the military and states like Utah. IF the firing squad becomes "the" method, it would be somewhat novel, especially depending on how its used.

Posted by: Joe | Feb 21, 2017 11:48:36 AM

The petition says "sensitive places such as schools and government buildings," not ANY government property. An example given is a parking lot at a national park an example of a claim "like" the petitioner's. This would apply to the Capitol grounds as well. The "outlandish" claim inferred is unclear to me.

Posted by: Joe | Feb 21, 2017 11:54:57 AM

And Ginsburg didn't join this dissent....

Posted by: Public Servant | Feb 21, 2017 12:35:19 PM

Let's face it--Sotomayor isn't the sharpest Member of the Supreme Court.

First of all, the idea that Arthur has strong evidence that "Alabamas current lethal-injection protocol will result in intolerable and needless agony" is up there with Ginsburg's ridiculous praising of the Judge Bye "high-school science experiment" opinion.

Second of all, Sotomayor's opinion has a Pollyanna-ish feel to it. A dialogue? Hardly. More like a dumb game of "Mother, may I?" which is profoundly demeaning to the state criminal justice process.

Third, the firing squad isn't available and wouldn't be even if it weren't illegal under state law--we live in a world where the wattage of a light bulb has constitutional moment and where a bunch of nitwit 11th Circuit judges insisted on a stay even though the drugs were tested for purity (the test, of course, obviating the "who made the drugs" issue, but try telling that to those 'rat judges). The state would have to come up with a procedure, which may be subject to its APA, and so on and so on.

Fourth, as a matter of logic, Sotomayor has a point (of course, logic is generally something that eludes her, see, e.g., her nonsense opinion with respect to a speedy trial issue), but logic isn't the end all-be all here. The federal courts, under the guise of the 8th Amendment, micromanage the execution process--so the Glossip/Baze limitations have an artificial feel to them and are better explained in terms of whether a stay is available. Sotomayor knows this, and presents the logic as if it were applicable when a date has been set.

Posted by: federalist | Feb 21, 2017 2:21:50 PM

Johnson v. Kelley presented the same issue and received the same dissents by reference. It's pretty stunning that this is not a just a per curiam case. Can it really be that inmates are limited to methods listed in the statute? What if the only alternative listed was being drawn and quartered?

Posted by: John | Feb 21, 2017 4:08:21 PM

John,

I believe that drawing and quartering is one of the few things the cruel and unusual punishments clause of the 8th amendment does cover, that it says nothing at all about what offenses can draw any particular sentence. Other prohibited punishments include burning at the stake, evisceration and breaking on the wheel. There are probably others but they all have the common thread of having been used by the time of ratification.

Posted by: Soronel Haetir | Feb 22, 2017 12:57:18 AM

The problems with her dissent are more fundamental.

It is irresponsible of her to accept the inmates claims about Midazolam, which does not allow the inmate to regain consciousness, in the overdoses administered, as the medical literature makes clear.

Coughing, wheezing, snoring and snorting are well known effects of drugs that cause respiratory distress. Obvious.

Jerking, straining and spams are common with overdoses.

A lot of the nonsense started with these two cases, which, actually had, zero evidence of consciousness.

No "Botched" Execution - Arizona (or Ohio)

http://prodpinnc.blogspot.com/2014/08/no-botched-execution-arizona-or-ohio.html

Posted by: Dudley Sharp | Feb 22, 2017 9:35:48 AM

How to solve these problems:

Make state/fed corrections dept in charge of the methods and protocols for all executions, just as they, currently, are for all other prison punishments, with language such as "executions will be carried out, by whatever methods and protocols, determined by the head of corrections to be constitutionally sound."

While subject to the same legal challenges as any other execution protocols, it avoids the massive amount of delay cause by legislative changes.

It is a mystery why states do not use their own, internal compounding pharmacists within their ocrrection depts. to make the LI drugs.

Nitrogen gas seems the obvious solution to this mess, which we have known for years.

Posted by: Dudley Sharp | Feb 22, 2017 9:48:05 AM

"it says nothing at all about what offenses can draw any particular sentence"

You can argue this but besides not being how the Supreme Court understands it (going back over 100 years), but it is not to me a very sound approach. The words are "cruel and unusual." The 'unusual' part doesn't sound like it requires that. So, we have the "cruel" part. It is hard to see how it says "nothing at all" about let's say giving someone (extreme example to make the point) ten years for jaywalking. It is "cruel" by most usages of the term to do that. One can cite historical and other grounds for this too.

This isn't exactly a "soft" way of doing things, especially if only really extreme sentences would be held to violate the amendment. As to the other comment, it is not like the dissent merely rested on the say-so of the defendant. Actual medical experts are cited. This then goes down to a debate over facts, which is a basic thing for the courts to handle. "Zero evidence" also doesn't mean "not enough for me," which isn't clarified by a few comments about what one or the other case "seems" to show either.

Posted by: Joe | Feb 22, 2017 9:56:08 AM



"determined by the head of corrections to be constitutionally sound"

We don't rely on "head of corrections" to determine this in this country though such individuals are given a lot of discretion. We have independent courts and there will continue to be findings by them that such and such protocol or whatever doesn't meet constitutional muster. Killing people isn't easy, it seems, especially when it is against general human inclinations to kill other people, even horrible people.

It also seems like legislators and the people of each state don't want to use their own pharmacies to make the drugs. The compounding process also seems to be complicated in various respects -- things aren't done generally for a reason. Sometimes, not, but usually a logical reason for it. Seems "we" also didn't know nitrogen gas is the solution, since again if it was, it would logically have been in place already.

Like other "solutions," like the link above suggests, I have my doubts this one will be the "one" too. Who knows.

Posted by: Joe | Feb 22, 2017 10:04:58 AM

As for being drawn and quartered being unconstitutional, that's precisely my point. An inmate facing an unconstitutional method of execution could only choose between two unconstitutional punishments (lethal injection and being drawn and quartered). What then should he propose?

Posted by: John | Feb 22, 2017 1:59:08 PM

The problem -- which the dissent glosses over -- is the very concept of cruel and unusual. There are certain punishments (e.g. being drawn and quartered) which we find to be inherently cruel and unusual because there very purpose is the infliction of unnecessary pain. There are other punishments (e.g. lethal injection) which are cruel and unusual only in comparison to other alternatives.

For punishments in the second category (not per se cruel and unusual), Glossip restricts the comparison to what alternatives the State actually has available. I am not sure Glossip would bar a declaratory judgment action alleging that a statute requiring the State to only use lethal injection was itself unconstitutional. However, in an action challenging a specific protocol to implement that statute rather than the statute itself, Glossip seems to require the alternative to comply with the State statutes.

Posted by: tmm | Feb 22, 2017 2:14:01 PM

There is a basic debate in the Glossip opinions on the room between the "first" and the "second" categories. Justice Alito briefly denies it is leaving open (even if there is no alternative present) really horrible things but Sotomayor et. al. argues the point.

Here, Sotomayor at one point argues the statute DOES leave open the firing squad. It then to me basically argues that "available" should include possibly being available if the law changes. A drug might be impossible to get because of those darn abolitionists in Europe etc., but a bullet is readily available.

As noted in a separate thread involving today's opinions opinions in another, there seems to be some "different wavelengths" problems here.

Posted by: Joe | Feb 22, 2017 7:53:05 PM

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I hope everybody peed and pooped outside, Dog Film Festival founder Tracie Hotchner announced humorously but earnestly, kicking off a Sunday afternoon show featuring this year's finest short films from the canine canon. The Dog Film Festival is a traveling show thats playing in a total of 15 cities nationwide, and SFist was on hand this weekend at the Roxie Theatre to catch the proceedings as the festival came through San Francisco.





A post shared by Jody Hackerott Gibney (@jodyhackerott) on Feb 19, 2017 at 4:25pm PST

The festival is the pet project of Tracie Hotchner, better known as the Radio Pet Lady and host of NPRs Dog Talk (and Kitties Too!). Dogs were actually allowed inside the Roxie for the show  a request most theaters balk at when she tries to book festival venues. But Hotchner insists dogs should be the least of the theaters worries.

They serve food and they say its against the health rules, or theyve recently renovated and theyre fearful of their carpet being stained, she told SFist. Dogs havent done anything in theaters. Its more likely that people would drop their Coca-Cola than a dog would pee.

A post shared by Buttercup (@butter_sf) on Feb 19, 2017 at 3:40pm PST

Festival attendee and Instagram enthusiast belindacherie observes that Taking Oona to the movies was very much like taking my 4-year old niece to the movies, only with different snacks. Instead of goldfish crackers and M&Ms, dried beef esophagus and bully sticks.



Image: Joe Kukura, SFist

Though it was raining  cats and dogs, you might say  on Sunday, pets and their people still posed Hollywood-style with a movie premiere backdrop outside the Roxie. The films themselves, all shorts about dogs, ran the gamut. Some of the films are dog-umentaries, others were doggie parodies with names like Game of Bones, and others tackled complex social issues to examine dogs roles in rehabilitating prisoners or the pups tragic plights in the home foreclosure crisis.



Image: Joe Kukura, SFist

The festival benefited dogs and other animals: Half the proceeds from the show went to San Francisco Animal Care & Control. We have a new shelter thats being constructed, so were looking for more funds, SF Animal Care and Control Sgt. Eleanor Sadler told SFist. SF Animal Control isn't dogmatic, either, Were an open-door shelter, which means we take in every animal that we find and we help it however we can.



Image: Joe Kukura, SFist

For it's next stop, the Dog Film Festival travels to Marin today, marking the first time ever that dogs will be allowed into Larkspurs historic Lark Theater.

Related: World Dog Surfing Championship Wraps Up In Pacifica
The hubbub surrounding a proposal to limit the number of tech shuttle stops, which have proliferated to more than 100 and whose maximum allowed number is 125 , to a system of 17 or fewer "hubs" about town, can die down completely. The Examiner reports that the still provisional Commuter Shuttle Permit Program will be reviewed at the SFMTA's Board of Directors meeting tomorrow, Tuesday, and the hub model is off the table.

The Commuter Shuttle program was in a pilot phase from 2014 to 2016 and is still in a one-year evaluation phase that extends to March 31. Commuter shuttles weren't regulated at all before 2014. Evaluating a switch to a hub system, the SFMTA solicited survey responses which ran the gamut but pointed to a clear resistance from those who currently avail themselves of the commuter shuttles. In a report issued in November, a major concern was that that group would abandon the shuttles and start driving, putting more cars on crowded roads. They predicted a 24 percent to 54 percent decrease in shuttle ridership, depending on how hubs were implemented. Now, SFMTA staff write that the alternative hub system "was not pursued for several reasons," citing that survey and ridership concerns.

In our view, the proposed ongoing Commuter Shuttle Program thoughtfully incorporates lessons learned over the past 2.5 years to ensure the continued mobility of San Franciscans, Jim Lazarus, senior vice president at the SF Chamber of Commerce writes, celebrating the program.

But at least one member of the SFMTA Citizen Advisory Committee, Sue Vaughan, disagrees, pointing to serious deficiencies into the SFMTA's consideration of the hub model. No city agency "conducted the agreed upon plan to study housing impacts of the availability of the shuttle buses  the impacts to evictions, displacement, increased suburban sprawl, and associated decreased air quality and exacerbated greenhouse gas emissions, she claims.

Related: 34,000 Passengers Per Day: Bay Area Shuttle Buses, By The Numbers
In former Uber engineer Susan Fowler's widely-circulated blog post "Reflecting On One Very, Very Strange Year At Uber," what was "strange" was repeated alleged sexual harassment, and what was "very" was the company's alleged failure to address that harassment and instead to punish her for bringing it up. In short, Fowler details a horrorshow of systemic failure at Uber that made it a seemingly unfair and unsafe place to work as a woman. As a result, Fowler claims that at Uber, women site reliability engineers like her dropped from 25% to 3% of the work force.

In response, Uber CEO Travis Kalanick ordered an "urgent investigation" into the allegations, calling the behavior they described as "abhorrent [and] against everything we believe in" at Uber. According to New York Times tech reporter Mike Isaac, Kalanick also sent out an email to employees in which he says that Arianna Huffington, a board member of the company, would be at an "All-Hands Meeting" at Uber in San Francisco today. Huffington will review the investigation, Kalanick says, as will former Attorney General Eric Holder, who has worked with tech companies like Airbnb on their discrimination policies.

Travis Kalanick just sent out a company wide email regarding the last 24 hours.  _ (@MikeIsaac) February 20, 2017 here is Travis Kalanick's company wide email to Uber employees, sent Monday afternoon, regarding Fowler's claims and HR investigation. pic.twitter.com/39PYrKr6SR  _ (@MikeIsaac) February 20, 2017

Recode also received the memo to employees, which is as follows:

Team, Its been a tough 24 hours. I know the company is hurting, and understand everyone has been waiting for more information on where things stand and what actions we are going to take. First, Eric Holder, former US Attorney General under President Obama, and Tammy Albarran -- both partners at the leading law firm Covington & Burling-- will conduct an independent review into the specific issues relating to the work place environment raised by Susan Fowler, as well as diversity and inclusion at Uber more broadly. Joining them will be Arianna Huffington, who sits on Ubers board, Liane Hornsey, our recently hired Chief Human Resources Officer, and Angela Padilla, our Associate General Counsel. I expect them to conduct this review in short order. Second, Arianna is flying out to join me and Liane at our all hands meeting tomorrow to discuss whats happened and next steps. Arianna and Liane will also be doing smaller group and one-on-one listening sessions to get your feedback directly. Third, there have been many questions about the gender diversity of Ubers technology teams. If you look across our engineering, product management, and scientist roles, 15.1% of employees are women and this has not changed substantively in the last year. As points of reference, Facebook is at 17%, Google at 18% and Twitter is at 10%. Liane and I will be working to publish a broader diversity report for the company in the coming months. It is my number one priority that we come through this a better organization, where we live our values and fight for and support those who experience injustice. Thanks, Travis

In the past, Uber has declined to publish its diversity numbers, a practice adopted by much of its cohort of tech companies, so the company decision to do so is notable. Observers of Uber might also notice a trend in that, when Kalanick last faced internal and external pressure, to terminate a working relationship with President Trump, he did so, stepping down from his role on the President's Economic Advisory Council.

Related: Uber CEO To Step Down From Trump Advisory Council
By appearances, she is a successful professional entering late middle age with every expectation of a happy next few years. Packing the contents of her Architectural Digest-to-die-for Madrid apartment, she tells her lover Lorenzo that shell probably never return to Spain once they depart for Portugal.

Thank you for not letting me grow old alone, he tells her, the first of many touching moments about the passing of time in Pedro Almodovars Julieta. But a chance encounter on the street next morning upsets their plans when Julieta runs into Beatriz, the once close friend of the daughter she hasnt seen in a dozen years. Her face registers horror, even torment at the news that her daughter, Antia, is now a mother with three children. Julieta knew none of this. Time and recriminations have separated them, with the distance becoming an abyss of loss.

Julieta is composed as if in tribute to director Douglas Sirks 1950s melodramas, perhaps even Alfred Hitchcocks Vertigo. Already in the films opening frame, the orchestral score portends tragedy in the making with its silky, dreamy, dark textures. Two colors are prominent throughout the film, the red of passion and the blue of sadness. Almodovar is able to show things forbidden by the Hollywood Production Code of the 50s but does so with beautiful discretion. Passionate sex between young Julieta and her future husband, Xoan, passes in reflection on the windows of their compartment in a fast-moving train. Antia was conceived in that encounter. But always evident is the sadness and disappointments that are inseparable from the happiness and promise of life. The book Julieta reads on the train is, in Spanish translation, The Greek Tragedies.

A series of flashbacks, triggered as she composes a lengthy tell-all letter to her missing daughter, fills much of the films running time. Its a journey through Julietas pastand Almodovars as well. The young Julieta who meets Xoan, crowned by spiky new wave hair and earrings, embodies an aesthetic that has passed into the history books along with the era when Almodovar emerged as a brash young filmmaker. The transition from 80s through 90s and into the new millennium is handled with the subtle finesse of changing clothes, cars and phones.

If the narrative, which Almodovar adapted from a trio of short stories by Canadian writer Alice Munro, has a few creaky links, the details are less important than the emotional symphony he orchestrates. Resonant notes allude to the dreams of classic cinema and the reality of times gone bystrangers who meet on a train, the thrill of receiving a letter and recognizing the handwritten address, romance by the gently murmuring ocean and loss when rough waves claim the one Julieta loves. Guilt and jealousy suffuse the story, along with debilitation and death.

Julieta inches deeper and deeper into melodrama as the story moves from past toward present, but then, melodrama is often nothing more than reality on stage and singing an aria. In the hands of an incapable cast it could all start to look foolish, but Emma Suarez as the older Julieta, Adriana Ugarte as her young self and Dario Grandinetti as Lorenzo deliver deeply felt performances. The actors help transmute their characters into living people worth caring about.
February 5, 1954. The drinks were flowing, the room was packed, and the performers were steeling themselves for one of the most daring live shows that Milwaukee had ever seen. It was Friday night at the Hayloft Tavern, a hulking old barn-turned-dance-hall located at 9355 N. Port Washington Road. It had been billed as the party of the year  a show promised to be unlike anything the men had ever seen in person. And as the rowdy gathering hooted and hollered for the festivities to begin, a few dozen lawmen  both locals and feds  waited patiently for the signal to swoop in and execute the biggest raid the area in Milwaukee history.

It was only because of the troubles in securing the talent by the partys organizers that the cops had been able to get the jump on them. The event had already been delayed twice, and the cops caught wind just a week before it finally happened. In early February, the partys organizers had found a traveling stripteaser named Jane Eaton to perform at the show. They also enlisted a trio of people living in a West Clarke Street boarding house  a 21-year-old stripper named Jean Hicks, a 30-year-old man named William Tisdell, and a 32-year-old woman named Marie Johnson. The peelers were promised $50 for the nights work, as was Tisdell. Johnson was told she would get $100 for her act. Tickets were peddled all over town, at factories and barrooms, from men in the know to other men in the know. The tickets read, Veterans Benefit Party, donation $5.

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On Friday night, the crowd began to gather at 8 p.m., sopping up beer and whiskey in the Haylofts downstairs bar. As the hour neared 9, the crowd drifted upstairs, where tables covered in blue-checked cloths had been arranged. The mass of men, however, was too great for this nightclub style of seating. By show time, every chair was filled and men crowded along the walls and stuffed the Haylofts tiny balconies. In a small space in the corner of the room, organizers cleared the way for a makeshift stage, outfit with a rickety piano and a worn movie screen and projector. As the anticipation built, the crowd began to clap and stomp their feet. The three undercover Milwaukee Police detectives hidden among them remained quiet and vigilant.

Finally, a man appeared on the stage. I know you didnt come here to see me, he told the room of over 250 men.

You aint kiddin! Someone yelled from the darkness. Bring on the women!

The host obliged and signaled for the projector. With a simple piano accompaniment, two short, soundless stag pictures were shown. The first was mostly plotless, featuring a man who kept his socks on and a woman with dirty feet. The second depicted a couple cast away on a Pacific island. Both depicted hardcore sex, and the crowd hooted their approval. Five years in the Navy and I never seen anything like that on an island! remarked one of the rooms many wiseacres.

After the films, the redheaded Eaton did a striptease, going down to what the papers later called a few small items of clothing. Next up was the 21-year-old Hicks, who ended up in nothing more than a pair of hoop earnings. It is worth noting here that, while the men in the room varied in age and social class (some where in suits, others in overalls, the papers noted), they were all white. Hicks, as well as Tisdell and Johnson, were African American. As segregated as Milwaukee was in the 1950s, and as heavily as white supremacy tinged its day-to-day life, commoditized sexual contact between white men and black women was, and had been for some time, acceptable in the proper circumstances. The crowd cheered even louder for Hicks than they had Eaton and tossed coins at her feet, even as she stumbled through her act, visibly intoxicated.

What happened next was never fully described in the papers or by the police. Tisdell and Johnson came out and each fully stripped, eventually performing an act that truly set the crowd into a frenzy. After men in the back of the room complained that they couldnt see, a pair of tables were pushed together for the couple to use. The clear implication is that they performed a series of sexual acts. At one point, they asked for a volunteer from the audience and a young man darted forward, disrobed and joined in. One man was so desperate to get a better look, he climbed up to the buildings rafters and attempted to get a high-wire view before he drunkenly tumbled off the beam and hit the floor with a loud crack. After Tisdell and Johnson finished their show, the host announced a 15-minute intermission so that the crowd could retreat downstairs for more drinks. During the break, one of the undercover men went outside for a smoke and signaled to an officer in a hidden radio car. A minute later, the cavalry was on its way.

After securing the exits and windows, two dozen officers burst through the front doors of the Hayloft, sending a screaming wave of panic over the houses well-oiled guests. When the crowd was finally brought under control, the men were lined up and made to show their ID to the officers. Addresses, occupations, birthplaces, and other personal details were all collected before the men were sent home. If the man had no ID, he was taken into custody. In total, the police counted 268 people as offenders in the raid. The organizers and the performers were hauled off to jail.

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More harrowing than the threat of a fine or even jail time to most of the men swept up that night was the prospect of their name appearing in the newspaper. Many of them were married, church-going professionals with reputations to protect. In the days after the raid, as the details of the Hayloft party made front-page news, the county covertly called each of the men cited and told them that they either needed to put up $50 bail at the county jail or be due in court that Thursday and face the humiliation of a letter of summons being mailed to their home address. By Thursday, all but 31 had paid their bail. Only 19 men  mostly those unable to raise the cash  showed up for the trial. Each was fined $25 and court costs. The judge decided not to issue warrants for 200-plus that were now technically guilty of bail jumping. A few weeks later, each of the performers and the events organizers were fined $100 for participating in an obscene show.

The raid also scuttled plans to sell the Hayloft building to the local American Legion chapter. Citing the negative publicity from the raid, the legionnaires backed out of the deal. Efforts to reopen the hall were similarly scuttled by the bad press. It remained vacant until January 1956, when it burned to the ground.
DES MOINES | Iowa Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark Cady made a personal pitch to state legislators Tuesday for adequate funding in the coming fiscal year to restore cuts and allow the state's court system to operate at peak efficiency.

Cady acknowledged that Iowa's courts are stressed due to continued underfunding coupled with a recent $3 million cut in operations that has meant vacant full-time positions and judgeships have gone unfilled and all judicial branch employees except judges and magistrates are slated to take an unpaid furlough day May 26.

"That's difficult for us," the chief justice told reporters after Tuesday's justice systems budget subcommittee meeting. "Iowans deserve and want a full service court and we want to provide it."

State Court Administrator David Boyd told legislators the judicial branch was operating at $5.4 million below it requested fiscal 2017 funding level before the Legislature approved and Gov. Terry Branstad signed another cut of $3 million to the court system by June 30. He warned another year of status-quo funding would be devastating to a system with 111 vacant positions due to a hiring freeze and 60 of 99 counties sharing clerks.

He said the hiring freeze has been particularly troublesome for rural Iowa where 32 counties have two or fewer employees and where 29 clerks supervise 68 counties - meaning reduced hours if an employee is sick to takes a vacation.

Boyd presented four different budget "decision" packages that ranged up to a maximum of $15.5 million in new money that would re-establish the judicial branch's fiscal 2016 service level, cover needed technology advances, preserve labor-intensive specialty services like drug, human services and family courts, and provide a 5 percent salary increases to all judges and magistrates - the second pay boost since 2008.

"I realize this will be a heavy lift," said Boyd, who was making his last budget presentation pending his announced retirement later this year.

"You can choose to invest in the judicial branch now, or you can choose to invest in the Department of Corrections, the Department of Human Services and the other stakeholders later because there will be a cost," he added.

Budget subcommittee co-chairman Gary Worthan, R-Storm Lake, said he hoped the Legislature could find more money in fiscal 2018 to operate the court system, telling Boyd and Cady "we'll do our damnedest to get you where you need to be." However, subcommittee member Bob Dvorsky, D-Coralville, said lawmakers are looking at another tough budget cycle, adding "I would hope the courts would come close to what they're receiving this fiscal year but even that will be tough."
KINGSLEY, Iowa | The body of a Kingsley woman missing since Sunday was found early Tuesday in a creek near Kingsley.

The Plymouth County Sheriff's Office said that the body of Lisa Derby, 57, was discovered at about 8 a.m. Tuesday by a man living at 43755 County Road C-66. The man had called authorities to report that he had been checking the unnamed creek, which is near his home, when he found an unresponsive woman in the creek.

Police, rescue and sheriff's personnel responded to the scene and determined that the woman was dead. She was taken to Floyd Valley Hospital in Le Mars, where she was identified.

Family members had notified Kingsley police at 10:30 p.m. Sunday that Derby has been missing from her home since approximately 5 p.m. Sunday and that family and friends had been unable to find her.

Authorities continue to investigate her disappearance.
SOUTH SIOUX CITY | Many officials in Dakota County applauded one another's achievements at a joint meeting Monday.

"I'm told that this is the oldest joint meeting of its kind in the country," South Sioux City Mayor Rod Koch told the crowd at the 40th annual function at the high school.

The ceremony brought together representatives from the Dakota County Commissioners; the mayors of Dakota City and South Sioux City; the superintendents of South Sioux City and Homer school districts; and various other public officials. Each entity gave updates on improvements within their jurisdiction.

Dakota County board chairman Scott Love -- in a red "Make Dakota County Great Again" hat -- gave the crowd updates on roadway work in the county. He also announced an agreement they have made with Dakota City to create a new road out to their new wastewater treatment plant in exchange for the city's old fire station, which will be used for storage.

"Contrary to popular belief, we actually have other issues going on in South Sioux City other than the obvious," Koch during his state of the city address. He was referring to the ongoing odor issues that have displaced dozens of residents in South Sioux City.

On top of trying to garner an agreement with the upset residents -- many of whom have sought legal counsel -- Koch said the city has been working on electric rates by placing solar panels near the Roth Industrial Park. These panels feed Beef Products Inc. to take the load off taxpayers, he said.

He added the city is currently working to lure a $100 million private sector expansion project.

"Our goal isn't to create low-paying jobs with this," he said. "We can get those anytime we want. Our goal with this is to create high-paying jobs with benefits, and that benefits the county, schools and all of us."

Koch added the city is trying to reduce utility rates and trying to increase the number of trees in town that were lost during the 2011 flood. Koch said another goal for the town was to create more homes, and it is doing so after Ho-Chunk Inc. invested millions of dollars near the riverfront. The purchase of over 200 acres of land is an effort by the company to build properties with a "New Urbanism" feel, said Alexcia Boggs, development director for Ho-Chunk, at the meeting.

Budgets for each entity were also discussed and updates were given on the fire stations in the county.

Dakota City broke ground in August for their new station, and construction on South Sioux City's new Dakota Avenue facility is underway and is set to be complete on a specific date later this year.

"In April, the brick and sod will be put on and the building will start to grow," South Sioux City Fire Chief Clint Merithew said. "... the grand opening, as mentioned, is tied to late summer -- September 11, 2017."
The Plymouth County Sheriff's Office received a call at 6:40 p.m. Monday that a dog had fallen through the ice at a pond about one-fourth of a mile south of Oyens.

When the Oyens Fire and Amubulance and the Plymouth County Dive Team arrived, they discovered that the dog's owner had been in the water for about five minutes before he was able to get out. Using a flat-bottom boat, rescuers were able to get the dog out of the water.
DES MOINES | Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller on Monday filed lawsuits in two Northwest Iowa counties against people who struck gas lines because they did not have the underground utilities located before digging.

The lawsuits are among seven filed Monday in five Iowa counties alleging violations of Iowa's One Call law, which requires people to call 811 prior to excavation work to have underground utilities located.

A lawsuit filed in Sioux County says that Steve Doorenboos, of Boyden, Iowa, was excavating land on May 5 as part of a drainage tile project in Boyden when he struck and damaged an underground natural gas line. The incident left the city of Boyden without natural gas service. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages against Doorenboos.

A lawsuit filed in Dickinson County accuses Lynde Construction Inc., of Sioux Falls, with hitting and damaging an underground natural gas line on April 4 while excavating a drainage tiling project in Arnolds Park. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages.
SIOUX CITY | The Light of Hope event will be held Friday to benefit the Friends of Iowa Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) system.

The hourlong event will be at 7:30 a.m. at the Crave banquet facility, 1132 Larsen Park Road, in Sioux City. The keynote speaker will be Gary Kroeger, a former "Saturday Night Live" performer from the 1980s.

Special advocates are assigned to children who are removed from homes because of abuse or neglect, as they are placed into a temporary foster care arrangement. The Court Appointed Special Advocate workers are to be the stability and voice for children in an uncertain time.

There are about 400 CASAs in Iowa and the organization is looking to add more volunteer advocates.

Light of Hope fundraising will be used in the mission of expanding public awareness of CASA activities. There is no charge to attend, but people can give a donation.

For more information, contact Tim Pearson at (515) 321-8588 or at Tim.pearson@mchsi.com.
DAKOTA DUNES | A bank is readying a summer move into a building under construction in Dakota Dunes that can house other business tenants.

NAI United official Nathan Connelly said the Gold Circle 400 Building will be completed shortly and the first business in the facility will be Central Bank, which has many locations throughout Siouxland.

The building has three floors and the bank will fill a good chunk of the first floor. The full-service bank will include a reception and waiting area, eight offices, a drive-up lane, two client service centers, a conference room, safe deposit boxes and more.

"The bank will open later this summer, and we are very pleased with the progress of the construction," assistant Vice President/Marketing Officer Janelle Holter said.

Connelly said the building is modern and will be attractive to businesses.

"We shouldn't have any problems leasing the space out," Connelly said. "It is a nice Class A office complex. Hopefully, we will get tenants in there by July 1."

Central Bank's move makes a fourth metro location and first in South Dakota. Holter said bank officials have been considering Dakota Dunes for several years, but the right opportunity only recently became present.

"When the developer first introduced bank officials to the plan for the business park, in particular the (Gold Circle 400) building, they were all in. The development is very impressive and includes a water feature that will serve as a focal point for the park," Holter said.

Holter said bank officials decided to build in the bustling planned community in southeast South Dakota to serve existing metro Sioux City metro customers and to expand the business.

"The Sioux City residential and business communities have always been very supportive of the bank. Because of those strong relationships, our customer-base continues to grow throughout the region and the Dakota Dunes community," Holter said.

"The Dunes is a thriving community and we looking forward to serving those who live and work in the area."

Central Bank has assets exceeding $650 million and has three locations in Sioux City and others in Cherokee, Storm Lake and Spirit Lake. There are also banks in central Iowa. There are more than 210 employees combined in the banks, which focus on home loans, trusts and insurance services.

The bank dates to 1887, and a growth phase began in 1990 when brothers John, of Spirit Lake, and Tim Brown, of Storm Lake, purchased the bank.

About 12 employees will work in Dakota Dunes. Jeff Lapke, senior vice president and Sioux City Market president, will oversee all four Sioux City metro locations. Holter said the bank is compiling a strong, well-experienced group of employees who will provide exceptional banking services to customers.
SPENCER, Iowa | Three Spencer residents are in custody after at least one of them threw drugs out the second-story window of their home as police officers entered the house.

Anthony Paulson, 25, Kenneth Block, 29, and Jamie Christenson, 29, all were arrested and charged with felony possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, failure to affix a drug tax stamp and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia. Each was booked into the Clay County Jail on a $25,000 bond.

At 6:36 p.m. Monday, Spencer police officers executed a search warrant at the home in the 200 block of Grand Avenue. When officers entered the home, at least one of the suspects began throwing drugs and drug paraphernalia from a window. Methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and cash were found inside the home, police said in a news release.
SIOUX CITY | Even while visiting Scandinavia earlier this month, Woodbury County Auditor Pat Gill's watchdog instincts were still strong.

Many time zones away, Gill pulled up a Journal news story and saw something amiss, with the recommendation of raises for Woodbury County elected officials from Feb. 6.

"I was up on the Arctic Circle and read the article," Gill recounted Monday for the second meeting of the month of the Woodbury County Compensation Board.

Gill had noticed that the first recommendation of raises for fiscal year 2017-18 didn't have the necessary majority to be official. Therefore, the comp board had a second meeting Monday to recommend raises.

The Woodbury County Compensation Board voted, 3-2-1, on Feb. 6 to freeze the pay of county supervisors and recommend raises between 3 percent and 6 percent for elected county department heads. For a recommendation to be official, however, it must be approved by at least four of the six compensation board members, county Attorney P.J. Jennings advised, after being notified by Gill.

Each Iowa county has a compensation board to recommend the level of pay to prevent the elected officials from approving it directly. In Woodbury County, two members are appointed by the supervisors and one each is named by the county attorney, auditor, sheriff and treasurer.

At the Feb. 6 meeting, Frank Baron, the treasurer representative, Brian Buckmeier, the county attorney's representative, and Doug Phillips, the sheriff's pick, recommended no raise for the five supervisors, 6 percent for Treasurer Mike Clayton, 5 percent for Sheriff Dave Drew, 4 percent for Jennings, and 3 percent for Gill. Casting dissenting votes were Tim Bottaro and Katie Colling, who both represent the supervisors. Al Sturgeon, who represented the auditor, abstained.

"I, we, made a mistake, so that is why we are here," Sturgeon said Monday.

The same percentage proposal from two weeks ago was aired again Monday, but failed to get an approved motion to be put to a vote. A second motion by Bottaro to give all elected officials a 3 percent raise for FY 2018 failed on a 2-4 vote.

Finally, the comp board members voted 5-1, with Bottaro voting no, to approve a recommendation to give Drew and Clayton a 5 percent raise, Gill and Jennings a 4 percent raise and no raise to the county supervisors. Buckmeier and Bottaro said some of the five Woodbury County supervisors told them they preferred to get no raise.

Under state law, county supervisors can approve or reject the recommendations, or reduce the increases by the same percentage.

The board of supervisors must act on the compensation board recommendations by March 15, which is the deadline for the supervisors to finalize their fiscal 2018 budget.

The current annual pay is $39,461 for the county board chairman, $33,151 each for the four other supervisors, $120,805 for the attorney, $100,033 for the sheriff, $84,624 for the auditor and $82,115 for the treasurer.
Todays top picks from our online calendar. Find more events at siouxcityjournal.com/calendar.

Chicago: The Musical

Set amid the razzle-dazzle decadence of the 1920s, "Chicago" is the story of Roxie Hart, a housewife and nightclub dancer who maliciously murders her on-the-side lover after he threatens to walk out on her. Tonight's show at the Orpheum Theatre begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets $32.50-$67.50.

Techniques for Extending the Season

Learn little tricks that you can employ that will extend your season in the spring and in the fall. Today from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the South Sioux City Public Library, 2121 Dakota Ave. Visit southsiouxcity.org for additional information.

Cloth as Community: Hmong Textiles

The works illustrate the profound relevance of textiles as infrastructure in the Hmong culture. The exhibition features 28 textiles, flower cloths and embroidered story clothes by those in the Hmong community. The Sioux City Public Museum exhibit is open until March 5.
SIOUX CITY | A Dakota Dunes woman was sentenced to three days in jail Tuesday for writing bad checks.

Jennifer Mozak-Wubbena, 48, also was placed on probation for using her grandmother's name to take out a $12,300 loan.

Mozak-Wubbena pleaded guilty in Woodbury County District Court to identity theft and fourth-degree theft. As part of a plea agreement, charges of first-degree theft and forgery were dismissed.

Mozak-Wubbena admitted that on June 2 she took out the loan in her grandmother's name. She also pretended to be her grandmother during phone and email contacts with the online loan company, court documents said. On May 16 she wrote two bad checks to Hobby Lobby.

District Judge Steven Andreasen gave Mozak-Wubbena a deferred judgment on the identity theft charge and placed her on three years probation. If Mozak-Wubbena successfully completes her probation, the charge will be removed from her criminal history.

Andreasen then suspended all but three days of a one-year jail sentence on the fourth-degree theft charge. He also ordered her to pay $530 in restitution to Hobby Lobby, plus a $315 fine.
Lindsay Lohan claimed on Good Morning Britain that she was "racially profiled" when arriving in London from Turkey.





She told Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid about the incident that occurred while she was wearing a headscarf.





The actress refused to confirm reports she has converted to Islam but said it was a "consideration".





Lohan said: "I got stopped recently and was racially profiled... She opened my passport, saw 'Lindsay Lohan' and immediately started apologising.





"But then said take off your headscarf."





S he said the incident left her "kind of shocked" but didn't know what the "purpose" of it was.





The actress was asked whether she was converting to Islam.





Remaining coy, she said she was studying the Quran and it is something she is interested in. - Telegraph




DES MOINES -- Iowa Board of Regents member Michael Richards got caught in a political crossfire at the Capitol Monday, dodging questions about fetal tissue research, tuition policy and the political affiliation of university faculty members during a hearing on his pending Senate confirmation.

Richards, a retired Des Moines physician and Mitchell County native who is a longtime friend and political ally of Gov. Terry Branstad, has served on the panel that oversees Iowa's three state universities and two special schools for nearly a year - replacing Mary Andringa after she stepped down in April 2016.

Richards met for nearly an hour with senators who will decide later this session whether to give him the 34 affirmative votes needed to meet the two-thirds majority needed for confirmation by the 50-member Senate.

The interim regent was asked about a GOP proposal to ban Iowa university researchers from using fetal tissue. He did not address the issue directly but told committee members "I haven't opposed the current research that's at the University of Iowa."

On another GOP proposal to allow Iowans who possess a permit to carry a firearm at regent universities in Iowa, Richards said he thought the decision was best up to the institutions subject to review by the Board of Regents.

"The primary concern is keeping our students and faculty and staff safe," he said. "We do currently have the safety officers armed. I think that's working and I'd like to keep it that way."

Another issue of interest for Democratic senators was a bill introduced earlier Monday by Sen. Mark Chelgren, R-Ottumwa, that would require political diversity among university professors and institute a hiring freeze if the number of registered Republicans and Democrats among faculty on the three state university campuses was not within 10 percent of each other.

Chelgren said in an interview the intent of the bill was to bring partisan balance to university faculty similar to the political balance requirements for the regents nominated by the governor and to make students aware of "the political slant" that might be coming their way during classroom instruction.

"This extends that same concept to the professors at the regent universities asking them to identify their political affiliation and, if the political affiliation of one party over the other is in excess of 10 percent, there's effectively a hiring freeze until those disparities are reconciled.

"We want diversity of thought and diversity of opinion and diversity of political expression, this would balance the regents universities that receive taxpayer dollars so that students who attend those regents universities to hear from both sides of the political spectrum," he added.

During Monday's committee hearing, Sen. Herman Quirmbach, D-Ames, asked Richards if he agreed the universities should be "keeping tabs" on political affiliations or restricting hiring based upon faculty political affiliations.

"I think it's virtually impossible for the universities to interview people and find out exactly what their political affiliation is," Richards said, adding that the universities' should hire a diverse group of professors who are academically best suited in their areas and political affiliation was "none of their business."

Regent spokesman Josh Lehman said the board "expects that our public universities will hire the most qualified faculty to teach our students."

The universities currently do not have political-party requirements for faculty members, but the Board of Regents is required by Iowa code to have no more than five members in the same political party. Critics say the board right now is violating the spirit of that law, in that its nine members include five Republicans, three independents, and one Democrat.

Quirmbach called Chelgren's bill "very disturbing" and "a great interference of academic freedom."

"I think it would be an ominous intrusion," he added.

"That would be a great way to destroy our fine public universities and I'm glad to hear that you are not happy with that idea," Quirmbach told Richards.
BAE Systems plc provides defense, aerospace, and security solutions worldwide. The company operates through five segments: Electronic Systems, Cyber & Intelligence, Platforms & Services (US), Air, and Maritime. The Electronic Systems segment offers electronic warfare systems, navigation systems, electro-optical sensors, military and commercial digital engine and flight controls, precision guidance and seeker solutions, military communication systems and data links, persistent surveillance systems, space electronics, and electric drive propulsion systems. The Cyber & Intelligence segment provides solutions to modernize, maintain, and test cyber-harden aircraft, radars, missile systems, and mission applications that detect and deter threats to national security; systems engineering, integration, and sustainment services for critical weapons systems, C5ISR, and cyber security; and solutions and services to intelligence and federal/civilian agencies. It also offers data intelligence solutions to defend against national-scale threats, protect their networks, and data against attacks; security and intelligence solutions to the United Kingdom government and allied international governments; anti-fraud and regulatory compliance solutions; and enterprise-level data and digital services. The Platforms & Services (US) segment manufactures combat vehicles, weapons, and munitions, as well as provides ship repair services and the management of government-owned munitions facilities. The Air segment develops, manufactures, upgrades, and supports combat and jet trainer aircraft. The Maritime segment designs, manufactures, and supports surface ships, submarines, torpedoes, radars, and command and combat systems; and supplies naval gun systems. It also supplies naval weapon systems, missile launchers, and precision munitions. The company was founded in 1970 and is based in Farnborough, the United Kingdom.
Hologic, Inc. develops, manufactures, and supplies diagnostics products, medical imaging systems, and surgical products for women's health through early detection and treatment in the United States, Europe, the Asia-Pacific, and internationally. It operates through four segments: Diagnostics, Breast Health, GYN Surgical, and Skeletal Health. The company provides Aptima molecular diagnostic assays to detect the infectious microorganisms; Aptima viral load tests for HIV, Hepatitis C, and Hepatitis B; Aptima SARS-CoV-2 and Panther Fusion SARS-CoV-2 assays for the detection of SARS-CoV-2; ThinPrep System for use in cytology applications; Rapid Fetal Fibronectin Test that assists physicians in assessing the risk of pre-term birth; and various diagnostic tests for the detection of Group B Streptococcus. It also offers breast imaging and analytics, such as 2D and 3D digital mammography systems and reading workstations, minimally invasive breast biopsy guidance systems and devices, breast biopsy site markers and localization, specimen radiology, and ultrasound and connectivity solutions; and breast conserving surgery products. In addition, the company provides NovaSure Endometrial Ablation System for the treatment of abnormal uterine bleeding; MyoSure Hysteroscopic Tissue Removal System for the removal of fibroids, polyps, and other pathology within the uterus; and Fluent Fluid Management System that provides liquid distention during diagnostic and operative hysteroscopic procedures. Further, it offers Horizon DXA, a dual energy X-ray system; and the Fluoroscan Insight FD mini C-arm to perform minimally invasive orthopedic surgical procedures. The company sells its products through direct sales and service forces, and independent distributors and sales representatives. Hologic, Inc. was incorporated in 1985 and is headquartered in Marlborough, Massachusetts.
MercadoLibre, Inc. operates online commerce platforms in Latin America. It operates Mercado Libre Marketplace, an automated online commerce platform that enables businesses, merchants, and individuals to list merchandise and conduct sales and purchases online; and Mercado Pago FinTech platform, a financial technology solution platform, which facilitates transactions on and off its marketplaces by providing a mechanism that allows its users to send and receive payments online, as well as allows users to transfer money through their websites or on the apps. The company also offers Mercado Fondo that allows users to invest funds deposited in their Mercado Pago accounts; Mercado Credito, which extends loans to certain merchants and consumers; and Mercado Envios logistics solution that enables sellers on its platform to utilize third-party carriers and other logistics service providers, as well as fulfillment and warehousing services for sellers. In addition, it provides Mercado Libre Classifieds, an online classified listing service, where users can list and purchase motor vehicles, real estate, and services; Mercado Libre Ads, an advertising platform, which enables large retailers and brands to promote their products and services on the Internet; and Mercado Shops, an online storefronts solution that enables users to set-up, manage, and promote their own digital stores. MercadoLibre, Inc. was incorporated in 1999 and is headquartered in Montevideo, Uruguay.
A group blog to promote discussion, debate and insight into the history, particularly religious, of America's founding. Any observations, questions, or comments relating to the blog's theme are welcomed.
Under Armour, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the developing, marketing, and distributing performance apparel, footwear, and accessories for men, women, and youth. The company offers its apparel in compression, fitted, and loose fit types. It also provides footwear products for running, training, basketball, cleated sports, recovery, and outdoor applications. In addition, the company offers accessories, which include gloves, bags, headwear, and sports masks; and digital subscription and advertising services under the MapMyRun and MapMyRide platforms. It primarily offers its products under the UNDER ARMOUR, UA, HEATGEAR, COLDGEAR, HOVR, PROTECT THIS HOUSE, I WILL, UA Logo, ARMOUR FLEECE, and ARMOUR BRA brands. The company sells its products through wholesale channels, including national and regional sporting goods chains, independent and specialty retailers, department store chains, mono-branded Under Armour retail stores, institutional athletic departments, and leagues and teams, as well as independent distributors; and directly to consumers through a network of 422 brand and factory house stores, as well as through e-commerce websites. It operates in the United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia-Pacific, and Latin America. Under Armour, Inc. was incorporated in 1996 and is headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland.
About Me Sandpoint, Idaho, United States Visit wwww.mariannelove.com to learn more about my three books "Pocket Girdles," "Postcards from Potato Land" and "Lessons with Love." visit www.mariannelove.com. For autographed copies, contact me at potatohead89@hotmail.com. Books are also available at www.amazon.com. I'm old, married, mother of two, retired English/journalism teacher and freelance writer. Besides writing, I enjoy gardening, photography, geocaching, horses and traveling. My quirky, sometimes irreverent sense of humor comes naturally through family genes. So, bear with me. View my complete profile

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The gravity of the existential threat we face from Islamic Jihad is truly of epic proportions. It is essentially a battle pitting free-civilized man against a totalitarian barbarian. What is at stake is the struggle for our very soul - namely who we are and what we represent. The lives that were sacrificed for individual rights and freedoms that we've come to cherish are being chiseled away from right under our noses by the stealth jihadists. And many of us are in denial and totally clueless.



The left's appeasement and pandering to evil is nothing new. What makes their utopian delusions so infuriating and unpardonable is that it is not only they who will have to pay the consequences, and deservedly, so, they are thwarting and undermining our best efforts at resistance and are thus dragging us down in the process as well.







By Peter Lancz,, the head of the Raoul Wallenberg World Campaign Against Racism.
Speeding cyclist driving on suspended license hits pickup truck; dead on scene



On Saturday, February 18, at approximately 4:19 p.m., troopers from the La Plata Barrack responded to a motor vehicle collision involving a motorcycle on U.S. Route 301 at Sadie Lane.



A preliminary investigation conducted by troopers indicates that a 2007 Ford Sport Trac, operated by Sandra Kay Goldsmith, was turning left from northbound U.S. Route 301 onto Sadie Lane when it was struck by a 2001 Suzuki GSX-R 750 motorcycle, operated by Joseph Warren Bryant, 2nd, which was traveling southbound on U.S. Route 301 at what witness described as an excessive rate of speed. As a result of injuries sustained during the collision, Bryant was pronounced dead on the scene. Goldsmith was injured and transported by ambulance to the University of Maryland Charles Regional Medical Center.



Both Goldsmith and Bryant were licensed; however, at the time of the collision, Bryant's license was found to be suspended. Alcohol is not believed to be a factor in this collision.



Troopers were assisted on scene by deputies from the Charles County Sheriff's Office as well as personnel from the Bel Alton Volunteer Fire Department, the La Plata Volunteer Fire Department, the Charles County Rescue Squad, and the Charles County Department of Emergency Services EMS Division.



Anyone who may have witnessed or who has information regarding this collision is asked to contact the La Plata Barrack Duty Officer at (301) 392-1200 and reference case number 17-MSP-007287. This investigation is being continued by Corporal M. Galgan, a Collision Reconstruction Specialist assigned to the La Plata Barrack. Upon conclusion of the investigation, the findings will be submitted to the Charles County State's Attorney's Office for review.



Cyclist witnessed driving recklessly fails to negotiate turn, wrecks, dead on scene



On Sunday, February 19, at approximately 7:20 p.m., troopers from the La Plata Barrack responded to a motor vehicle collision involving a motorcycle on Leonardtown Road at Webbs Place.



A preliminary investigation conducted by troopers indicates that a 2009 Kawasaki EX500 motorcycle, operated by Nathan William Guterry, was traveling southbound on Leonardtown Road at Webbs Place when it failed to negotiate a curve in the roadway and subsequently struck a guardrail, ejecting Guterry. As a result of injuries sustained in the collision, Guterry was pronounced dead on the scene. Witnesses reported that Guterry's motorcycle as well as several others, which remained on the scene after the collision, had been traveling at a high rate of speed in and out of traffic several miles north of the collision.



Driver error and speed are believed to be the causes of this collision. Alcohol is not believed to be a factor.



Troopers were assisted on scene by deputies from the Charles County Sheriff's Office as well as personnel from the Hughesville Volunteer Fire Department, the Charles County Department of Emergency Services EMS Division and the State Highway Administration.



Anyone who may have witnessed or who has information regarding this collision is asked to contact the La Plata Barrack Duty Officer at (301) 392-1200 and reference case number 17-MSP-007453. This investigation is being continued by Trooper First Class T. Hooten, a Collision Reconstruction Specialist assigned to the La Plata Barrack.
(WB) A new anti-transgender hate crime was reported in the country on the night of Feb. 18, but the National Civil Police (NCP) described it as the murder of two men who were wearing womens clothes in the center of San Luis Talpa in the La Paz Department.

The victims who have been identified as Yasuri, 29, and her friend Daniela, 22, had attended a dance that took place in the municipality of San Luis Talpa. According to the victims friends, a group of young men approached them with the intent of overpowering them and took them from the area. They were found dead a short time later with gunshot wounds to their faces, according to witnesses who said they were shot from a gray vehicle.

I urge all of the appropriate institutions to provide individual and collective justice, to classify all these hate crimes and to provide protection and reparation to family members and the rest of the victims of our LGBTI community, said Tatiana Molina, a trans woman and independent activist.

An amendment to Article 129 of the penal code that increased the penalty for aggravated murder that is motivated by a victims racial, ethnic or religious identity, political affiliation, sexual orientation and gender identity or expression to 60 years in prison took effect more than a year ago. Article 155 of the penal code considers threats based on race, ethnicity, sexual orientation and gender identity as an aggravated threat and punishes those who commit them with 3-6 years in prison.

Ambar Alfaro, coordinator of the Permanent Table for a Gender Identity Law in El Salvador, said that the country finds itself in a situation of extreme violence where death is unfortunately no longer a matter of if. She told the Washington Blade that trans people are three times more likely to become victims of this violence because of the heteronormative and patriarchal system.

Another factor that concerns LGBTI activists is the lack of respect in the Salvadoran media when it covers or broadcasts the news.

Xavier, a volunteer for the Generation of Trans Men of El Salvador, told the Blade that this has a negative impact. He said coverage that refers to the victims as men dressed as women and not trans women misinforms the population.

Xavier and other activists said it remains to be seen if the NCP will continue investigating whether to classify this case as a hate crime, even though it has a legal basis to apply the full weight of the law. They also said they hope the authorities will find the perpetrators and prosecute them.

Editors note: LGBTI activists and organizations said on social media that another hate crime has taken place in San Luis Talpa. The victims name is Elizabeth and she was a trans woman from the area. The Washington Blade will provide additional updates as they become available.

- Ernesto Valle, Washington Blade courtesy of the National LGBTQ Media Association
Le Collectif Cheikh Yassine a organise un certain nombre dactivites et de festivites pour les enfants de Gaza sous le theme  La joie des enfants de Gaza pour lAid . Ces activites ont commence le premier jour de lAid et continue jusquau 4eme jour de lAid dans la bande de Gaza.



Plusieurs activites, ont ete organisees parmi lesquelles : des competitions recompensees par des prix, des jeux, des animations et des chants presentes par un groupe ainsi que des distributions de cadeaux et daides financieres.




Making Mount Rushmore

It began in 1923, when South Dakota historian Doane Robinson had the idea to carve larger-than-life figures into the state's Black Hills.

Robinson wanted to honor Western heroes  both Native Americans and pioneers  but it was his sculptor, Gutzon Borglum, who suggested the monument go national, spotlighting George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Robinson appealed to Congress for funds and permission, but only permission was granted. Amid outspoken opposition to the project, planning and fundraising began in 1925. But it wouldn't have gotten very far without President Calvin Coolidge who, in one of his last executive acts, signed a bill approving funding. Borglum broke ground in 1927.

The workers were paid $8 an hour, which is more than $100 an hour by today's standards.

But the work was brutal and dangerous. They had to endure blazing hot summers and bitter cold winters. Just to clock in each morning, they had to climb more than 500 stairs and maneuver over 45 ramps to the top of the mountain. Drillers and carvers strapped into leather harnesses dangled on the side of the mountain, hundreds of feet off the ground. Anytime they needed to change position or come up for the day, a worker hand-cranked the cable. Incredibly, not a single person died in the process, thanks to the intricate, and stringent, infrastructure Borglum designed.

--- More at The Week
When Paul Hibler debuted Superba Food and Bread in Venice, California, back in 2014, one of the all-day restaurants most acclaimedthough now discontinueditems wasnt served on a plate. Instead, it was a hazelnut cappuccino developed by opening barman Tyler Wells that immediately earned the place praise, composed of two espresso shots and house-made hazelnut milk sweetened with maple syrup.

Over the last few years, and due in no small part to this citys interest in nutritional wellness and environmental sustainability, Los Angeles area cafes and specialty coffee shops have upped their alternative dairy milk game beyond the usual soy.

While Superba Food and Bread may have thrust hazelnut milk coffee drinks into the spotlight, one of the citys earliest adapters of house-made nut milk was Culver Citys three-year-old caffeine hub Bar Nine, which has also served its myriad coffee drinks with a proprietary hazelnut milk since inception. According to owner Zayde Naquib, It is our only non-dairy alternative to whole milk, and we make it every morning. After three months of research and development, testing out various nut combinations, Naquib decided on a simple blend of water, hazelnuts, dates, and sea salt, and now that combination is ordered almost as frequently in drinks as traditional cows milk. I find that hazelnuts are a little less bitter than other nuts, and the flavor pairs really well with the bright and vibrant coffees we like to roast and serve, Naquib tells Sprudge.

Similar sentiments are echoed at Gjelina co-owner Travis Letts Gjusta bakery in Venice, where the breezy, rustic eatery offers a hazelnut-almond milk blend in traditional coffee beverages, from lattes to cappuccinos.

For those keen on caffeine but looking to avoid dairy, no trip to Los Angeles would be complete without a Business & Pleasure at Charles Babinski and Kyle Glanvilles Go Get Em Tiger, a minimalist Larchmont Avenue coffee bar known for its excellent coffee, sure, but also an addictive blend of almond and macadamia milk. While customers can order the rich, creamy nut milk as a dairy replacement in a variety of hot and cold drinks, the Business & Pleasure itself is, in fact, a three part beverage. It consists of an espresso shot, a palate cleanser of sparkling tea, and finally a mix of espresso, simple syrup, and the house-made almond-macadamia milk thats dusted with ground espresso beans. Explains Babinski, We have made an effort to not treat the almond-macadamia milk simply as a dairy-alternative, but as a completely separate ingredient in our menu. Its not something you suffer from when you cant have [or] dont want to drink milk. Almond-macadamia milk drinks now account for nearly half of their business at Go Get Em Tiger.

But its not just cafes and coffee shops looking to supply quality vegan milk alternatives. Hollywood fine dining restaurant Republique, which serves from breakfast through dinner, added almond milkmade once or twice a day depending on demand to its coffee mixer roster as of last March. Next up, chef and owner Walter Manzke is working on a peanut milk recipe. Meanwhile, buzzy Fairfax Italian eatery Jon & Vinnys also offers a house-made almond milk, perfect for your cappuccino apres-meatballs.

Yet, one of Los Angeles most delicious almond milks hails from the unlikely locale of a Santa Monica ice cream shop. While Josh Loeb and Zoe Nathan of Rustic Canyon Restaurant Group first made house-made almond milks at their casual Santa Monica bakery and pizzeria cafe, Huckleberry and Milo & Olive, respectively, it was a tweaked version for sale at Sweet Rose Creamery on Pico which really took off, especially when paired with quality local roaster Caffe Luxxe brews. That recipe is now the standard at many of the groups venues.

Last spring, Santa Barbaras popular wellness-focused fruit bowl haunt Backyard Bowls landed on Beverly Boulevard, planting its acai and porridge bowls on new turf. While the cafes initial alt-milk on offer was a house-made coconut-cashew blend, co-owner Dan Goddard is currently providing either straight cashew or hemp milk mixed into bowls, coffee, or sold in jars to go. However, in the next few months hes planning to launch an alt-milk line, which will include the original coconut-cashew, plus lavender cashew, and matcha cashew.

No matter your milk preference, try one of these alternatives the next time youre in LA. In this health-minded citys newly ascendant food and beverage scene, baristas and restaurant operators will take any opportunity to make their menus stand outand the results are some truly delicious and singular house-made nut milks.

Kat Odell (@kat_odell) is a freelance writer based in New York and Los Angeles. Odells forthcoming book, Day Drinking, comes out in 2017 from Workman Publishing. Read more Kat Odell on Sprudge.

Top photo courtesy of Michelle Park.
Trot Insider has learmed that Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee Doug Brown will be headed to Prince Edward Island this spring.

The Prince County Horsemen's Club is pleased to confirm Brown as the guest speaker for their annual Dinner and Awards Banquet.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006, Brown has captured an unprecedented seven O'Brien Awards as Canada's Driver of the Year. He boasts more than 8,400 driving wins and has banked nearly $90 million in purses over his career.

The banquet will take place at the Credit Union Place Center in Summerside, P.E.I. on April 15, 2017. A reception will start at 6:00, the dinner and awards ceremony at 7:00 with music and dancing to follow. Tickets are $25 each and there are a limited number of reserved tables of eight available.

Tickets are available at the Charlottetown Vet Clinic, the Kensington Vet Clinic or from any of the banquet committee members; Brenda MacInnis, Lynn Whitlock, Clair Sudsbury, Garth Cole, Donnie Milligan or Kingsley Walsh.
Horseman George Teague recently provided Trot Insider with an update on his star pacer, Wiggle It Jiggleit. At that time, Teague did not mention that hed be making a trip north of the border in just a few short weeks.

Officials from the Truro Harness Horse Owners Association have provided Trot Insider with some of the details surrounding the organizations upcoming awards banquet, which honours the top performers from the local 2016 season of live racing.

The association is happy to announce that Teague, the longtime horse owner and trainer, will be this years guest speaker.

The awards banquet will be held on Saturday, March 25 at the Best Western Glangarry, located in Truro, Nova Scotia.

The banquet will start at 6:00 p.m. with a meet and greet. Dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m. and will be followed with the award presentations and a dance.

Tickets for the event are now on sale at a cost of $30 and can be purchased from Chantel Gillis, Pam Moore, Tammy Mackay or Penny Wesley.

As well, on Friday, March 24  the day before the banquet  there will be a meet and greet with Teague at the Truro Raceway grandstand, which everyone is welcome to attend. The meet and greet will start at 7:00 p.m.
Concerns that not all of the unions will agree to ratify their labor agreements have caused rail shippers and other transportation industry stakeholders to push President Joe Biden to act.
More than 60 businesses have benefitted from the program, which was extended through May 1 while a permanent program is in the works.
Federal law currently states that convicted child abusers are exempt from paying restitution to victims if they are military retirees.

A new Congressional bill introduced last week  sponsored by U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Washington, and co-sponsored by U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler  would eliminate the loophole in federal law that states convicted child abusers who are receiving their income from military retirement are exempt from paying restitution.

There is absolutely no reason for the existence of a loophole that puts the rights of convicted child abusers ahead of the survivors theyve harmed, Herrera Beutler said in a statement. Im proud to work alongside Congresswoman DelBene to eliminate this loophole and ensure survivors can seek this important measure of justice.

DelBene said she spoke to survivor Pennie Saum, whose father was sentenced to 17 years in prison for abusing her and her brother as a child. The victims were awarded a civil judgment for $5 million in damages. But because he was an Army retiree, he didnt have to pay any restitution.

Military retirees shouldnt be exempt from having to pay restitution for something as horrific as child sexual, emotional and physical abuse, Saum said in a statement.

The bill has 19 original co-sponsors, including Washington representatives Rick Larsen, Dave Reichert and Pramila Jayapal.

More than 58,000 children in the U.S. are sexually abused and 120,000 children physically abused every year, according to the Department of Health and Human Services National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System.
VANCOUVER  At a Tuesday morning rally in the pouring rain, more than 150 people gathered outside the Vancouver office of Southwest Washington Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler to demand that she hold more town hall meetings with voters.

The demonstration was a response to reports that many Republican congressional representatives across the country are skipping the legislative recess tradition of holding in-person town hall meetings for constituents to ask questions.

Citizens  including about 10 Cowlitz County residents  stood in the muddy grass in raincoats or shielded themselves with colorful umbrellas. Many held signs supporting the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and opposed repealing it without a replacement; others held signs condemning recent executive orders barring immigration.

Herrera Beutler hosted a Vancouver town hall meeting on Jan. 17, but she has no town hall scheduled during this legislative recess. Critics say she has hosted few such meetings since she took office in 2011.

Teresa Holloway-Nunn, 64, of Vancouver said for four years, she has tried to meet with Herrera Beutler, a Camas Republican, and was flatly refused a meeting twice.

Im very outraged that Jaime does not have the spine to meet her constituents, Holloway-Nunn shouted into a megaphone, drawing applause.

Justin Allen, 31, grew up in Kelso and moved to Vancouver six years ago. As a Navy veteran, he said he got involved in politics during the Occupy Movement but at first didnt consider himself a Democrat. Allen criticized Herrera Beutler for not being approachable.

She seems to coast by, he said. She votes along party lines very, very consistently.

In an email Tuesday, Herrera Beutler spokeswoman Amy Pennington said the congresswoman plans to have a telephone town hall in order to have as many constituents attend as possible.

Herrera Beutler was not at the Vancouver office Tuesday morning. Pennington said the fourth term congresswoman will give a speech on economic development in Skamania County, meet with oyster growers and crab fishermen, and has scheduled other tours to meet with constituents.

Town halls are one tool for Jaime to get feedback from residents in addition to telephone town halls, email, social media and phone calls, and she will continue to utilize all of them going forward, Pennington said by email.

Carla Tolle, a 51-year-old Kelso resident, attended the demonstration with her 16-year-old granddaughter. Shes a member of the newly formed Lower Columbia Indivisible group, an organization dedicated to fighting President Donald Trumps policies.

Tolle said shes most concerned about the future of health care and the environment. With the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in danger of being eliminated, Tolle said it would directly affect people living in the Pacific Northwest.

It was important to attend to bring awareness to the fact that her constituents are paying attention to her and her voting record that aligns with Trump, Tolle said. We can vote her out of office if she doesnt do her job. ... Its time for her to listen to us.

Herrera Beutler easily won the re-election in November with 61.8 percent of the vote across the 3rd District; she won 63.6 percent of the vote in Cowlitz County.

Rebecca Farvour, 63, of Kelso carpooled to Vancouver with other Indivisible group members. She said this is the first time in her life shes been political. But she said she believes Trump has fueled more hatred. She said shes especially troubled by Russias involvement in the election, his tax returns, immigration policies and the message he sends to other countries. She wants Herrera Beutler to hear those concerns, she said.

Im unhappy with the direction the country seems to be going since the election, she said. I feel like Jaime has been dodging our phone calls. ... We have things that wed like to say and wed like to hear.
Gabina VOA is designed to be an infotainment youth radio show broadcasting to Ethiopia and Eritrea in the Amharic language. The show brings varied perspectives on issues concerning young people in the Horn of Africa region. Gabina in the Amharic language is a front row taxi ridesymbolic of the shows content as a fun ride that takes audiences from point A to point B. Gabina VOAs main goal is Enlightening young people, introducing them to cutting-edge technological innovations, exposing them to new processes and ideas so they can be productive, informed and self-governing citizens.
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BharatQR code, the world's first interoperable payment acceptance solution, was launched as part of efforts to move towards less-cash economy at an "insignificant cost", according to industry members. Over the past few months, the government has been aggressively pushing for higher usage of digital payment mechanisms, including launching Bhim app and increasing penetration of PoS machines. Developed by National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), Mastercard, and Visa, BharatQR code would require merchants to only display one QR code instead of multiple ones.

Devised on the direction set by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in September last year, it will make payments seamless for buyers as they just have to "scan to pay" for transactions instead of swiping their credit/debit cards. NPCI Managing Director and CEO AP Hota said RuPay has emerged as one of the most successful "home grown card networks in the world" and BharatQR code initiative is yet another "transformational step towards building a less-cash economy at an insignificant cost."

QR code or Quick Response code is a two-dimensional machine-readable code made up of black and white squares and are used for storing URLs or other information. These can be read by the camera of a smartphone. Mastercard Country Corporate Officer (India) and Division President (South Asia) Porush Singh said the company has developed 'Masterpass QR', which was developed and created at its technology centre in Vadodara.

"It is completely 'Made in India'... We look forward to leveraging our technology backbone and partnering with the government and the industry to create a robust, safe and secure digital payments ecosystem," he added. A number of leading banks are already operationally ready to deploy BharatQR, including SBI, Axis Bank, Bank of Baroda, Bank of India, Citi Union Bank, Development Credit Bank, Karur Vysya Bank, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, IDBI Bank, RBL Bank, Union Bank of India, Vijaya Bank and Yes Bank.Many other banks are at various stages of implementation.

Mobile wallet companies like Paytm have already been working with QR codes for some time.The Alibaba-backed firm has said it plans to invest Rs 600 crore in the next 10 months to further enhance its QR code-based payments solution. MobiKwik Chief Business Officer Vineet Singh saod the BharatQR initiative will help in further advancing the digital payments ecosystem in India.

"With one code access, India will achieve its target of being a digital economy sooner... Going forward, we are confident that the government will consider including wallets in Bharat QR," he added.

PTI
tech2 News Staff

Apple, which was recently slapped with a $14 bn tax bill for its activities in Ireland has now filed a 14-point appeal against the ruling. The EC had filed a case accusing Ireland of giving state aid to Apple.

The European Commission (EC) charged Apple on various grounds, including tax evasion, and won a ruling in the ECs favour. As Apple Insider reports, Apple has submitted its appeal of the ruling and primarily contests that the Cork, Ireland, headquarters of Apple's European wing was properly set up, in accordance with all regulations and laws.

The appeal also points out various procedural shortcomings, improper attribution of income to Apple, the treatment of its status as a non-resident Irish company and more. The iPhone giant also alleges that the EC failed to conduct a diligent and impartial investigation and accused the EC of breaching articles of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.

The company has demanded that the ruling be dropped and that the EC pay the legal fees that Apple has racked up so far.

The 14-point appeal can be found here.

Many US companies operate out of Ireland because of the alleged tax benefits the country provides. The EC and US Government has been going after these companies, including Apple, Google and Microsoft, and accusing them of tax evasion.

While the matter is far more complicated than it would appear.

For example, the current so-called state-aid given allegedly by Ireland applies to money that Apple is holding in Ireland. While Apple is holding a lot of money in Ireland, a massive chunk of it is to be repatriated to the US and then subjected to US tax laws. Irish law allows for this. Ireland will only tax Apple on income generated from activities within Ireland, not on money held in Ireland.

The US is also furious at the ECs actions since it believes that the EC is trying to fleece the US Government out of taxes owed to the US Government since the money is meant to be repatriated to it. And this is only one of many other such issues.

Whether Apple and other such companies are evading tax by doing this is a matter of debate. Measures are already being taken in European countries and the US to prevent this sort of tax evasion from happening in the future. The form of tax evasion being targeted by these new laws is called a Double Irish, or, in its expanded from, a Double Irish with a Dutch Sandwich.

Companies that use this structure have until 2020 to abolish it or face severe penalties.
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Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) chairman AS Kiran Kumar on Monday said the country has the capability to develop a space station, but it needed a long-term approach and an ambitious planning. His comment follows Isro display of technological prowess last week by launching 104 satellites in a single mission.

"We have all the capabilities to set up a space station. The day the country takes the decision, we will 'ok' the project. Just draw a policy and provide us necessary funds and time," Kumar said here. He was in Indore to attend the foundation day ceremony of Raja Ramanna Center for Advanced Technology (RRCAT). "We still talk about what would be the immediate benefits of a manned space mission. That is why the country hasn't made up its mind about when to invest in a space station," he said.

A long-term thinking was needed for setting up a space station, he said, adding "the sooner the better." Kumar said Isro was also mulling tying up with the industry to enhance the country's satellite launching capability. Many more satellites were needed to keep a tab on the land and weather conditions and to enhance the communication network, he said. This would be possible with increase in the number of satellite launches, for which the country needed to enhance the basic infrastructure and reduce the cost of equipment, he added.

The number of companies manufacturing small satellites has gone up across the world, but these companies could not launch them, therefore this area had immense commercial potential and India could tap it by enhancing the launch facilities, the Isro chief said.

PTI
tech2 News Staff

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella recently spoke about his views on artificial intelligence (AI), American values, Indias Unified Payment Interface (UPI) and more in an interview with The Economic Times (ET).

Nadella, who himself is, technically, an immigrant in America, spoke about how Americas enlightened immigration policies helped him to live the dream in the interview. He stated that the things he would always advocate for are the American dream and the American enlightened immigration policy.

ET adds that despite these statements, Nadella also emphasised that governments had the right to determine immigration and trade policies.

Speaking on labour mobility, Nadella reportedly said that labour mobility depends on immigration policy, and that whatever the country, that countrys citizens will always come first. Microsoft aims to work with in such countries with these principals of local opportunity creation, he tells ET.

He was also all praise for India Stack, which he believes will bring down transactional costs in the economy and will eventually benefit everyone.

Interestingly, Nadella doesnt believe that AI will have much of an impact on Indias job market. Speaking from the human angle, he pointed out that AI will never be able to show empathy, which is more important in a services-led economy like Indias.

While AI has its place, Microsoft is pushing for greater adoption of its Cortana Intelligence Suite and Azure Cloud services after all, Nadella claims that jobs can be built around the attributes of real common sense, real empathy and real intelligence.
tech2 News Staff

Planetary Scientists, including those working on the New Horizons mission by Nasa to explore Pluto want to redefine the definition of a planet. The current definition by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) has stopped considering Pluto as a planet, and recognises that the solar system has eight planets. Pluto, and other objects like it in the outer solar system, have been designated a class of their own, known as dwarf-planets. The IAU definition is not enforceable by international law, and as such is a scientific convention.

There are a number of shortcomings with the definition, as pointed out by researchers who specialise in studying planets, as against astronomers who study planets as well as other celestial objects. A planet can only be in orbit around the Sun, and so extra solar planets in orbit around other stars are not technically qualified to be called planets. The planets are expected to clear all the other objects in their orbit, which no planet in the solar system does, as new objects constantly cross the orbits of planets. The farther away a planet is from the sun, the bigger it has to be to clear the orbit, which means that an Earth sized object in the asteroid belt would not be considered as a planet under the current definition.

Additionally, the definition is inconsistent as giant planets are considered as planets, but dwarf planets are not considered as planets. The scientists have proposed to redefine what is a planet according to the inherent characteristics of the object, instead of external factors. The suggested definition is "A planet is a sub-stellar mass body that has never undergone nuclear fusion and that has sufficient self-gravitation to assume a spheroidal shape adequately described by a triaxial ellipsoid regardless of its orbital parameters."

The proposed redefinition excludes stellar objects such as stars, white dwarfs, black holes and neutron stars. Brown dwarfs, which are on the larger end of the planetary scale and on the smaller end of the stellar scale is excluded from the definition, and left for the future when the contentious issue of the planetary status of brown dwarfs is resolved. The suggestion given for a simple definition suitable for use in school textbooks is "round objects in space that are smaller than stars".

Alan Stern, the lead scientist on the New Horizon mission by Nasa has told Tech Insider that the definition of a planet currently used by the IAU is "Bull****". Stern points out the complex geography on Pluto, including an atmosphere thicker than mercury, water ice mountains that are bigger than the Rocky mountains on Earth, and ridges on frozen plains that are signs of geological activity. "You really should listen to planetary scientists that know something about this subject. When we look at an object like Pluto, we dont know what else to call it."

If the proposed definition becomes the accepted scientific convention, then that could mean that there are over 110 planets in the solar system, with new ones being constantly discovered. The many moons in the solar system, including that of the Earth, will all be considered as planets according to the new definition. In scientific literature, there are instances in scientific literature where large spherical asteroids are described as "planets of the Kuiper belt" and the phrase "planet-wide" is used to report conditions across the entire surface of a moon.

For schoolchildren, this does not mean that they will have to learn the names of all the 110 planets in the solar system. It is sufficient to learn the names of only the 12-25 most important objects, similar to how students typically focus on only a few elements of the periodic table, and a handful of the 88 official constellations.

A better approach would be to classify the solar system into zones, and describe the objects typical in those zones. The inner solar system has rocky planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth), the middle zone has gaseous (Saturn, Jupiter), rocky (Mars) and Icy (Europa) planets, whereas the outer solar system has icy (Pluto) planets.
tech2 News Staff

Everyone is excited about the rumoured launch of Nokia in the upcoming Mobile World Congress 2017 in Barcelona later this week. Weeks prior to MWC 2017, we have been treated with a number of leaks, tips and rumours about what the future holds for smartphones. The latest does not seem to be a leak but instead, it looks more like an honest error while posting a listing online about an unreleased product.

The website in question is the Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com. It has posted Nokia 8 as a product that will be available soon for sale on the website. There is not much detail available on the website or the page listing in terms of specs or the launch date at the time of writing. The information provided on JD.com should be taken with a pinch of salt, as nothing is official yet.

According to previous reports, the Nokia 8 is expected to come with Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset, 6GB RAM, either 64GB or 128GB storage with the option to expand the storage using a microSD card slot. It will sport a 24MP OIS + EIS sporting rear camera and a 12MP front-facing camera along with dual-front speakers.

HMD Global, the company with the license to make Nokia branded smartphones has already announced its event at MWC 2017.
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Union IT and Electronics Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Tuesday met Indian-born CEO of Microsoft Satya Nadella and urged him to consider the use of Microsoft's innovative technology in the upcoming DigiGaon (Digital Village) initiative. "Had a good &productive meeting with @satyanadella. He deeply appreciated the success of ongoing #DigitalIndia program, which is transformative," the minister tweeted after talks with Nadella here.

"Requested @satyanadella to consider the use of their innovative technology in the proposed DigiGaon (Digital Village) initiative," Prasad added. In the Union Budget for the 2017-18 Fiscal, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced that a DigiGaon initiative will be launched for the provision of telemedicine, education and skills with the help of digital technology.

"It was fantastic to spend time with Minister Prasad, talking about the great progress India is making with IndiaStack and Digital India," Nadella said. IndiaStack is a set of application programming interface (APIs) that allows governments, businesses, startups and developers to utilise an unique digital infrastructure to solve India's problems towards "presence-less, paperless, and cashless service delivery".

"For us at Microsoft, our mission is to empower every Indian and every Indian organisation to be able to achieve more and with the policies of the Government of India. We are excited to contribute to help take advantage of Digital India," Nadella said in a video posted by Prasad on his Twitter account. On Wednesday, Nadella will address "Future Decoded" - Microsoft's two-day flagship technology and business conference that started off in Mumbai on Tuesday.

The conference is a platform that brings together 1,500 business and government decision-makers to engage in conversations on how technology will transform all aspects of our work and life. Earlier on Monday, leading e-commerce major Flipkart tied up with the global software major Microsoft to use its Azure Cloud platform for boosting its e-tail sales.

The strategic partnership was announced by Satya Nadella on his maiden visit to Bengaluru after he took over the reins of the world's largest software product firm in February 2014. "At Microsoft, we aim to empower every Indian and every Indian organisation with technology through strategic partnerships with innovative firms like Flipkart," said Nadella on the occasion.

As a public cloud computing platform, Azure provides a range of services, including analytics, storage and networking on network of computers (cloud). "By combining our public cloud platform and AI (Artificial Intelligence) capabilities with Flipkart's services and data assets, we will enable the e-tailor to accelerate its digital transformation and deliver new customer experiences," said Nadella.

IANS
tech2 News Staff

Reliance Industries Limited is holding a press conference at 1:30 PM today. The company Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani will be addressing the audience to deliver a statement. The nature of the statement or any announcement related to any launch is not known at the time of writing.

The press conference will be live-streamed on YouTube and Facebook along with the live tweets on Twitter. You can check the embedded live stream down below or by following Flame of Truth and Jio Digital Life channels on YouTube.

In addition to YouTube, you can also watch the live stream on Facebook pages of Reliance Industries Limited and Jio. In addition to Facebook pages, you can follow Flame of Truth and Reliance Jio handles on Twitter.

This comes right after a recent address by Mukesh Ambai at Nasscom India Leadership Forum 2017 in Mumbai. Jio stands for affordability. Jio is conceived at a time when the world was in the phase of digitising. Data is the new oil, Ambani said.

Reliance Jio has disrupted the Indian telecom industry with its free data offer till March. Ambani said Aadhaar has enabled Reliance Jio to have millions of customers within few months. Talking about digital payments, he said: After the Aadhaar, you consider the digital payments system that is fast developing. Earlier, loans and financial resources were only available to a few people at high value. Now, I see that changing on the basis of technology. Now based on data, you can get a loan on your mobile phone.

With inputs from PTI

Disclaimer: Reliance Jio is owned by Reliance Industries, who also own Network18, the publisher of Firstpost and tech2.
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German carmaker Volkswagen has fixed 470,000 cars out of 1.2 million affected by the diesel emissions scandal in Britain, the firm's UK managing director told lawmakers on Monday. Paul Willis faced difficult questions from lawmakers, some of whom are angry that the firm has not been fined in Britain and that motorists have not received compensation, unlike VW owners in the United States, where the company admitted it had used software to cheat tests on diesel emission levels.

"Out of 1.2 million technical measures which have to be applied, as of today, we have applied 470,000 and at the current rate we are applying these measures to 20,000 cars a week," Willis told parliament's transport committee. Britain's junior transport minister John Hayes said he and his boss, transport minister Chris Grayling, would be travelling to Germany next month to meet their counterparts and seek more information which could lead to an investigation into VW in Britain.

"(We) will go to Berlin next month to meet the minister ... to request that we're provided the detailed technical information that will allow us then, if we chose to, to take further steps," Hayes said. Hayes also told lawmakers he will soon meet legal representatives of consumers seeking to take legal action against Volkswagen to see what help the government could give them.

In January a British law firm launched legal action seeking thousands of pounds of compensation each for UK drivers affected by the carmaker's emissions scandal, and other firms have since sought to join the move.

Reuters
tech2 News Staff

Work on Indias first, high-speed, bullet train project has finally started. The project aims to connect Mumbai and Ahmedabad via an undersea bullet train.

The proposed high-speed corridor measures at around 508 km in length. 21 km of this will be an underground stretch between Virar and Thane district. 7 km of the stretch, set in an area around Thane creek, will be under the sea.

The undersea stretch will be around 70 metres deep and drilling has started on the section. The aim of the drilling right now is only to determine if the soil and rock at that depth is stable and ascertain its load bearing capacity.

The rest of the track will be elevated.

The project is estimated to cost Rs 97,636 crores and 81 per cent of the funding for the project will come by way of a loan from Japan. The project cost includes possible cost escalation, interest during construction and import duties, reports PTI.

The funding will be offered at a nominal interest fee of just 1 percent. Much of the technology and support will be provided by Japan. This is seen by some as a move by Japan to stem Chinas growing investments in the Asia region. China has already won a contract to assess the feasibility of operating a high-speed train between Delhi and Mumbai, reports Reuters.

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad project is expected to field trains running at around 350 km/h. This will cut down the travel time from 7 hours to just 2 hours. The average speed of trains on Indias rail network is just 54 km/h.

Construction work is expected to commence in 2018 and is estimated to take 5 years to construct.
Lenovo has been offering a good variety of smartphones in India ranging from Rs 6,000 to Rs 20,000. The company has smartphones that offer value for money and to be honest some of them are quite worth buying.

Lenovo's 'P' series saw an update last year, the Vibe P1, with a large 4,900mAh battery. This year, the smartphone sees a successor which drops the Vibe moniker and gets a larger battery. Here is an in-depth look at the Lenovo P2.

Build and Design: 7/10

Like its predecessor, the P2 features a uni-body metal design. But the P2 looks and feels way better than the Vibe P1. The design is more refined. While the Lenovo P1 measured 9.9mm in thickness, the P2 offers 8.3mm thickness. Despite having a larger battery, the P2 is slimmer and even offers less weight.

Having said that, the design is quite conventional. It looks very similar to most of the smartphones selling in the market today. The metal casing at the back has plastic strips on top and bottom while the front is covered by a 2.5D curved glass.





I was surprised to see a toggle switch on the phone, almost reminding me of the the OnePlus handsets, but this actually turns on an ultimate power saver mode. More on this later.

On the right side you will find the usual set of volume and power buttons while the hybrid SIM card tray is placed on the left side. At the bottom there is microUSB port for charging and data transfer along with two grills on either sides. The right one actually houses the loudspeaker and the left is well just for a bit of symmetry. The 3.5mm audio jack sit on the top and the microphone for recording videos.

The 5.5-inch display sits under the protective glass and has the front facing camera, earpiece and some sensors sitting above it. Right below the display is the fingerprint sensor embedded in a hardware key. This does act like the home button but there are no capacitive buttons on its sides leaving you to use the onscreen navigation buttons.

Overall the construction is solid and the design feels right. Even the hardware buttons offer a good tactile feedback and are responsive. Lenovo is offering the P2 in two colour variants, Champagne Gold and Graphite Grey.

Features: 7.5/10

The Lenovo P2 comes with a good set of features considering its price range. It features a 5.5-inch Full HD, Super AMOLED display with 2.5D Gorilla Glass on top. The phone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor clocked at 2GHz which is paired 3GB or 4GB of RAM. The one I am reviewing here is the 4GB variant. You get 32GB of storage, which is expandable to up to 128GB via a microSD card. The cameras come in the form of a 13MP Sony IMX258 rear sensor and the front is a 5MP unit.

The smartphone supports dual nano SIMs and it offers a hybrid SIM tray. Connectivity features include LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1, NFC, microUSB 2.0, FM Radio, GPS/A-GPS/GLONASS. There is a front mounted fingerprint scanner as well.

The USP of the device is the 5,100mAh battery which can be charged quickly thanks to quick charge and the bundled 24W charger. The smartphone runs on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow and supports Lenovos TheatreMax technology, which transforms your screen into a VR display when hooked up with Lenovo's ANT-VR headset.

Display: 8/10

The market is filled with 5.5-inch display equipped smartphones and the P2 is no different. However, Lenovo has used a Super AMOLED display with a Full-HD resolution. There is also a 2.5D Gorilla Glass on top giving it a nice curved finish.

The display quality is great. I have to admit, I prefer AMOLED displays over any other display panel because of the higher contrast and excellent viewing angles. Brightness levels are great even under sunlight. Text looks sharp and color saturation is slightly on the higher side.

The protective Gorilla Glass has some sort coating making the glass quite smooth. Using the smartphone you get a sense of high-quality as your fingers just glide over the display. Touch response is also good, although I noticed the corners were not as responsive as the rest of the panel. Probably a unit issue.

Software: 7/10

The P2 runs on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow with its custom UI and should get the new Nougat update. The Vibe Pure UI is pretty much stock with options to customise the homescreen style (with or without app drawer) and the multitasking screen.

The handset comes with some pre-installed apps such as McAfee Security, Skype, Evernote, UC Browser and Truecaller. Some of these apps can be uninstalled. It also comes with U-Touch which was seen on the ZUK Z1 and Lenovo Z2 Plus. It offers some gestures that can be used by tapping and swiping on the fingerprint scanner. A single tap triggers the back button, a single press takes to the home screen and a long tap opens the multitasking window. You can use them or just turn it off and use the onscreen navigation buttons.

Like most Lenovo smartphones, the quick toggle shade offers up to 13 quick setting rather than the traditional nine or six. It also offers a 'Secure Zone' feature which lets you use two accounts on one app for instance two WhatsApp accounts. You can also lock certain apps using a PIN, pattern, or your fingerprint. There is a theme store as well with some options for changing wallpapers and icons. The UI also offers a floating settings button which can be configured with apps and settings. Something similar to what you get on iOS and Xiaomi's MIUI.

The UI is quite stable and runs smooth. I didn't face any issues. Even animations seemed to be working well. For everyday usage, I think the software is pretty stable and reliable.

Performance: 7.5/10

The P2 offers similar hardware as the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 so I had my hopes high. You get the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 SoC which has a 2GHz octa-core processor with Cortex-A53 cores and an Android 506 GPU. There is an option for 3GB or 4GB RAM (I got to review the 4GB variant). This is a healthy package and for everyday usage seems to offer enough power. Casual gaming, sending emails, texting are all handled smoothly.

Gaming is fairly good although not as good as flagship smartphones. Resource intensive games such as Asphalt 8, Dead Trigger 2 run smooth but not perfectly. There is the minor lag here and there. As for the thermals, temperatures are well maintained, but you will notice heating when you are stressing the phone with long gaming sessions. It gets slightly warm but I didn't notice any unbearable conditions.

Running the standard benchmarks we got very similar results as the Redmi Note 4 and it was surprising considering they have identical hardware. While the Redmi Note 4 scored 63073 in AnTuTu, the P2 got 60868. Similarly other benchmarks showed that the overall performance capability of the Lenovo P2 is as good as the Redmi Note 4.

For some reason the PC Mark Work Benchmark shutdown three times without giving any errors, but that doesn't make a huge difference.

Moving to other performance areas, the call quality and data connectivity works flawless. I was really impressed with the loudspeaker as not only is it actually loud, it also is as good as a portable speaker. The fingerprint scanner also responds well, though it isn't the fastest but it maintains the standards.

Camera: 6.5/10

The P2 features a 13 MP camera with an f/2.0 aperture 21mm lens, phase detection autofocus and dual-LED (dual tone) flash. On the front there is a 5MP camera with an f/2.2 aperture. The rear camera can take 2160p videos at 30fps and 1080p at 30fps while the front camera can record 1080p videos.

The camera is pretty decent for a device at its price. Brightly lit objects come out good although there is a bit of softness to the pictures. Colours are balanced and pretty accurate. Pictures start losing details when you shoot indoors, in low light the image quality is just acceptable. I thought that HDR could help in certain situations but honestly it didn't make a huge difference. Landscape pictures somehow felt very flat while macros were pretty decent. Focusing is quick thanks to the phase detection auto-focus system, but of course I've seen faster phone cameras.

Moving to the camera app itself, it is responsive and offers some modes and settings to play around with. There is a smart mode which is basically an auto mode that can adjust according to the situation.

Then there are some modes like Pro (manual), panorama, art nightscape, Aristic HDR, fast-motion and slow motion.

There are a bunch of settings as well which are pretty much seen on most smartphone cameras today.

Battery life: 9/10

This is probably the reason why you should buy this phone. The handset offers excellent battery life. the 5,100mAh battery easily offers up to two days of battery on nominal usage. I fully charged the smartphone to 100 percent and was left with 40-50 percent at the end of the day. This included Wi-Fi tethering over 4G, a bit of Pokemon Go, checking mails and frequent social media surfing.

The handset also comes with an Ultimate power saver mode. This basically turns all the main functions of the smartphone off and you get a black and white mode where you can only make calls, send and receive SMS, access contacts, FM Radio, etc. At 23 percent, the remaining battery time is 36 hours and 20 mins on the Ultimate power saver mode.

The PC Mark battery benchmark scored a whooping 16 hours and 56 minutes, which is second only to the Asus Zenfone 3s Max which managed a couple of hours more with a slightly smaller battery.

Verdict and Price in India

There are many smartphones in the market today with large battery packs, but the Lenovo P2 is probably the best of the lot, from what we have tested. The company has done well to provide a value for money package to the end consumer. The one thing that disappointed me was the camera, but besides that I was quite satisfied with the experience. If you are looking for a big battery smartphone, this is the one to go for.

The 3GB variant of the Lenovo P2 is priced at Rs 16,999 while the 4GB variant, which I recommend, is selling at Rs 17,999. I think that's a fair price point and knowing Lenovo, it should shed some bucks in the coming months.

Yes if you compare it with the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (4GB RAM + 64GB ROM), it may seem priced higher for the same set of specs, but the Lenovo P2 has a much larger battery. Other alternatives to the Lenovo P2 are the Lenovo K6 Power and the Asus Zenfone 3S Max. If you are looking for a better performance package, then do check out the Lenovo Z2 Plus (currently on discount) or the LeEco Le 2.

Find latest and upcoming tech gadgets online on Tech2 Gadgets. Get technology news, gadgets reviews & ratings. Popular gadgets including laptop, tablet and mobile specifications, features, prices, comparison.
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As'ad's Bio

As'ad AbuKhalil, born March 16, 1960. From Tyre, Lebanon, grew up in Beirut. Received his BA and MA from American University of Beirut in pol sc. Came to US in 1983 and received his PhD in comparative government from Georgetown University. Taught at Tufts University, Georgetown University, George Washington University, Colorado College, and Randolph-Macon Woman's College. Served as a Scholar-in-Residence at Middle East Institute in Washington DC. He served as free-lance Middle East consultant for NBC News and ABC News, an experience that only served to increase his disdain for maintream US media. He is now professor of political science at California State University, Stanislaus. His favorite food is fried eggplants.
China is willing to enhance strategic communication with India and expand practical cooperation to further develop bilateral ties, State Councilor Yang Jiechi said on Tuesday.

Yang made the remarks while meeting with Indian Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar at the Zhongnanhai compound in Beijing.

Jaishankar is visiting China to attend the China-India Strategic Dialogue, a mechanism set up last year to create greater engagement between the nations.

China is willing to make joint efforts with India to implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries and to maintain high-level exchanges, he said.

Jaishankar said India would like to enhance dialogue and communication with China in all areas, expand bilateral and multilateral cooperation, and push forward progress in bilateral ties.

The two sides also exchanged views on issues of joint concern, including international relations.

According to a report in the Hindustan Times, trade and the economy will top Jaishankar's discussions with Chinese officials. China is India's biggest trading partner outside the European Union. Chinese investment in India grew by 7.5 percent in 2016, to $1.06 billion.

India's entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group was also likely on the discussion list during the strategic dialogue, according to Indian media reports. The 45-member NSG, founded in 1975, controls global trade in nuclear technology.

On Friday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at a regular news conference that China deems India's application for NSG membership as a "multilateral issue".

The NSG members need first to reach consensus on the criteria for entry into the group by countries that have not signed the non-proliferation treaty, and then move forward with discussions of specific cases, he said.

"Apart from India, other non-NPT state parties are also making applications. Our position on those applications is consistent," he added.

Jiang Jingkui, director of the Center for South Asian Studies at Peking University, said some Indian media outlets have accused China of intentionally blocking India's entry into the NSG, which "is wrong".

"Signing the NPT is a must for countries that apply for entry of NSG, but India has not signed the NPT yet,"he said, adding that China is just sticking to the principle, not targeting India.
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The sextoy market is growing quite rapidly in India right now.

Although it is not a big trend, it is a hot topic on the internet as it is secretly expanding its market.

In this article, we will focus on sextoy and introduce recommended sextoy for Indian beginners of sextoy by gender.

India, the birthplace of the Kama Sutra, is very strict about sex.

Also, premarital sex is basically not allowed. Therefore, there are many people who are sexually restricted.

But what happens when you continue to be sexually restricted?

Frustration may build up and you may end up taking your sexual stress out on your partner.

If you are able to adopt sextoy in a timely manner, you can get rid of those problems.

I want to have more exciting sex than Im having now.

I want more variation in masturbation

I want to get even stronger pleasure than I do on my own.

If you have any of these problems, please stay with me until the end.

What is sex toys for Indian?

Sextoy, as the name implies, is a toy used during sex and masturbation.

It is a generic term for vibrators, Egg-vibrators, Electric massagers, dildo, handcuffs and condoms.

They are used to make regular sex more exciting or to make masturbation more pleasurable.

Because sextoy is very stimulating, it can help you to get rid of the problems and frustrations of being in a rut of sex with your partner for a long time, or if you are unhappy with the lack of pleasure in sex with your partner.

The ability to satisfy your desires with movement, texture, and size, which cannot be done by a normal human being, can help you to be satisfied with sex and, as a result, improve your relationship with your partner.

It is also said to help improve sexual dysfunction (inability to get an erection or ejaculate) and difficulty in feeling during sex (insensitivity), which is attracting more attention than in the past.

In recent years, the demand for sextoy has increased due to the spread of smartphones and the Internet and the increasing number of people using online shopping.

Even those who are concerned about the appearance of sextoy (and find it difficult to purchase) can now easily obtain it by using mail order.

In the case of online shopping, most of the stores have taken steps to ensure that the contents of the products delivered to you are not revealed, so you can purchase them without your family members knowing.

Until a while ago, you had to go to the store where the adult goods were sold to buy them, so it was quite a hurdle to overcome.

Also, many people may have an image that sextoy is somehow embarrassing to own.

But nowadays, some of them are so stylish and cute that you cant believe they are sextoy at a glance.

More and more people are using them for travel and outdoor use because they are not too bulky and are suitable for carrying around.

Sextoy situation in India

Before introducing the recommended sextoy for Indians, lets talk about one of the sextoy situations in India in recent years.

In India, due to the high concentration of population, the following six cities have particularly high sales of sextoy in India.

Mumbai

Kolkata

Bangalore

Delhi

Chennai

Hyderabad

These cities account for roughly 70 percent of sextoy sales in India.

In the future, the percentage of sextoy use will gradually increase in other cities in India as well.

If you never talk about sextoy publicly, that girl in your neighborhood might be a sextoy user too.

If you are interested in sextoy, you dont have to suppress your desire for it.

What are Sextoys for beginner?

Among all sextoys, sextoy for beginners are vibrators, dildo, masturbators, Sex Lubricants, and condoms.

Sex Lubricants and condoms, which are familiar to people who have had sex, are also a great beginners sextoy.

I will explain the details of each toy later, but there are many sextoy products that are painful to use and can only be used after some anal expansion.

I assume that the Indian readers of this article are people who have not had much experience with sextoy.

If such people use professional sextoy suddenly, they are at risk of injury or trauma.

Therefore, to introduce sextoy, you need to start with a beginners version and gradually become familiar with it.

Advantages of using sextoy for Indians

There are three advantages of using sextoy for Indians

You can masturbate in a wide variety of ways.

Can have stimulating sex

Can develop new sexual zones

If you try to masturbate with your own fingers or hands, it tends to be a pattern.

However, with sextoy, you can easily masturbate in a variety of ways.

You will definitely be fascinated by the attraction of new stimulation.

Also, your daily sex life will be more exciting than ever.

There are many things in sextoy that are visually stimulating and give you a strong and intense feeling of pleasure.

This allows you to see your partners promiscuity in a way that you wouldnt normally see it.

When you are in a relationship, sex with your partner may become a pattern, but it can also eliminate these problems.

It can also lead to the development of new sexual zones (which is the training of sexual stimulation to allow you to feel orgasms).

For more information on the development of new sexual zones, see the following articles

[Women's Erogenous Zone]How to find and develop, 7 hidden sexual zones !![In India] In this issue, we will dissect the female erogenous zone! ..." Many of you may be like that. Men, in particular, shou...

Thus, the use of sextoy can only be a good thing for the men and women of India.

Sextoy for beginner men in India

So, lets continue with the recommended goods for Indian sextoy beginners.

For ease of understanding, we will introduce them by gender. Lets start with the men!

The following five goods are recommended for novice Indian sextoy men

Masturbator

Cock rings

Love Doll

Sex Lubricants

Toys for the prostate

Lets check each one in detail.

Masturbator

The masturbator is a sextoy for men that elaborately reproduces a womans vagina, mouth, and anus, and is one of the most popular sextoy products.

It is used by men to masturbate, and it is popular because it provides stronger stimulation and pleasure more easily than using hands.

Most are made of good quality silicone, and their softness is something that cannot be achieved with ones own hands.

They can provide stronger pleasure than a real womans vagina, so be careful not to overuse them. (You wont be able to have an orgasm in a womans vagina anymore.)

Again Male masturbators are a wonderful toy. I do not need any favourite timing, bothersome bargaining. You do not have to worry too much.

Revolutionize your masturbation time! ! !

Made in Japan is a wonderful kinky toy.#sextoysindia #SexToyIndia #Japanhttps://t.co/4k70QGzoTP pic.twitter.com/tRVdxTKPpa   SEXToys India PR  (@SextoysIndia) November 12, 2018

Some of them are disposable, while others can be washed and used over and over again, so its fun to buy a few to use depending on your mood.

If you want to know more about masturbator, please click here

Really pleasant male masturbation and how to do it Are you in a rut with your daily masturbation routine? I'm going to show you five ways men masturbate that you might ...

[For Beginners] How to choose and use a male masturbator without fail Gentlemen.Have you ever used a masturbator? The person who sees this article is probably the one who has not experien...

Cock Ring

A cock ring is literally a ring-shaped sextoy that is worn on a mans penis.

It maintains an erection by binding the penis with a ring of rubber and blocking blood flow.

It is sometimes used as an accessory to be worn on the penis, and may be made of metal or plastic as well as rubber.

In some cases, cock rings have parts or vibrators attached to them that stimulate the vagina, so they kill two birds with one stone, giving a woman pleasure while maintaining an erection.

Cock rings are also sometimes used to treat erectile dysfunction.

It can help with erectile dysfunction, where the penis doesnt get hard when you get an erection or doesnt last long when you try to insert it.

Men who are prone to breakage or who are unsure of the hardness and size of their erections can use a cock ring to increase the size of their penis and maintain an erection for a longer period of time.

Cock rings vary in price from around RS700 to over RS2000 with a vibrator function.

Some of them do not fit your penis, so you should check the size of the cock ring before you buy.

You should know the size of your partners or your own penis when it is erect.

[Penis enlargement] What is a cock ring? Types and usage Cock rings can make your penis bigger and harder. It also makes sex with women more fulfilling and increases your sat...

Love Doll

Love dolls, also known as Dutchwives, are dolls with the appearance of a woman who can experience simulated sex.

There are dolls that look like a woman, but they have no face and only have their breasts and lower torso cut off, and some dolls are so realistic that they can actually be mistaken for real women.

Some expensive dolls can cost more than 1 million yen, and the quality of the doll is easily influenced by the price.

The higher the price, the higher the quality of the doll will be, the closer it will be to the real woman, and the cheaper the doll will be, the less elaborate it will be, making it look like a real doll! Something is wrong! That is also true.

You cant go wrong if you choose a balance between price and taste.

There are stores that allow you to make custom-made love dolls, so you can create a girl of your choice.

You can make a girl of your choice. You can start with inexpensive love dolls at first, and once you get used to it, you can try custom-made love dolls.

If you want to know more about Love doll, please click here

Thorough explanation of the charm of sex dolls! Have you ever heard of sex dolls that are used primarily for pseudo-sex purposes? It is a doll that is quite close to...

Sex lubricants

Sex lubricants are used as a substitute for lubricating fluid during sex or as a lubricant for men to use masturbator rules.

It is not uncommon for women to have difficulty getting wet, depending on their physical condition, or to have difficulty getting wet due to their constitution.

Forcing the penis into the vagina at such times can cause painful intercourse.

There are various types of Sex Lubricants, some with a warming effect, some with a cooling effect, and some with a scent.

Changing the Sex Lubricant used during play is recommended as a good sex accent.

If you want to learn more about Sex Lubricants, click here.

What is sex lubricant?Explain the difference and usage of each ingredient The word "sex toy" may seem like a hurdle to overcome, but lotion is actually one of the most familiar sex toys. Many...

Toys for the Prostate

Another sextoy for men is prostate toys.

The most famous prostate toys include Enemagra, which was originally a prostate massager developed by an American urologist to treat an enlarged prostate line.

Modern prostate toys are imitations of Enemagra that have spread as sextoy for men.

Many people think of prostate toys as being used by gay men, but in fact they are often used by straight men.

What is the prostate?

The prostate is an organ found only in men. It is a walnut-sized organ located deep in the pelvis, just below the bladder, and its primary role is to protect and nourish sperm.

You cannot touch the prostate gland from outside the body, but you can touch it by inserting a finger or sextoy through the anus.

By inserting a finger or sextoy through the anus and touching the prostate and developing it, you can feel intense orgasms.

Orgasms felt in the prostate are mainly dry orgasms, which are orgasms that do not involve ejaculation. (You can also feel orgasms with ejaculation through prostate stimulation.)

The prostate is called the male G-spot, and dry orgasms can be much more intense than ejaculation.

Therefore, men who are able to develop a prostate can become addicted to the pleasure.

sextoy for beinner women in India

The following are the recommended goods for Indian women who are new to sextoy.

The following three are recommended for use by women who are new to sextoy.

Vibrator.

Dildo

Electric Masserger

Lets check out what each one is in detail.

If you want to check out womens toys, click here.

[BEST25]Sex Toys for Women in IndiaThat Can Help You Have an Orgasm There are many women who pretend to feel orgasm during sex. But don't worry, you don't have to pretend to feel orgasm...

Vibrators

A vibrator is a sextoy that vibrates with an Egg-Vibrator to provide stimulation and is often referred to simply as a vibrator.

Some vibrate as well as rotate, and there are many variations of sextoy.

It is quite a popular sextoy, and is well recognized by people who do not know much about sextoy.

Its usage is similar to that of a massager, but it is more compact and easier to carry than a massager, and many of them look as cute as a lipstick or a macaroon, so they are popular among women.

For a while, a famous influencer on twitter said, This is good! You may have heard of the topic of this article by introducing the recommended vibrators.

Vibrators are great for women to use on their own, but they are also recommended for men who have difficulty satisfying women with sex.

Since it is powered by electricity, it is far less tiring than moving your hands by yourself.

This makes it easier to satisfy a woman with sex because you can caress her for longer than usual.

Vibrators are mainly used on the female side, but they can also be used on men.

When used on men, they are used to attack the nipples and glans, and in both cases it is recommended to wear a condom for hygiene reasons.

Introducing how to use the vibrator, its purpose, and how to choose it! Vibrator uses the vibrations caused by the rotation of the motor to provide stimulation. It is one or two of the most...

Dildo

A dildo is a model sextoy made to mimic a male penis.

It can be made of silicone, elastomer (think of it as a material similar to PVC), metal or glass.

A dildo can be used by a man for his female partner during sex, or by a woman for masturbation to get pleasure from it.

They are mainly inserted into women, but some can be used in the male anus as well.

It is sometimes used synonymously with vibrators, but the vibrator is not the same thing as a vibrating device.

A model of a penis that does not vibrate is a dildo.

Some of them have suction cups that can be attached to the floor or wall so that you can enjoy realistic masturbation without using your hands.

For fun, there is a dildo made in the shape of your partners penis.

This one is also popular as a gift, and if youve been together for a long time and are having trouble finding a gift for your partner, you might want to pick one.

To learn more about dildo, please click here.

What is Dildo: Orgasms with Dildos for Men and Women A dildo is a model of a male organ that is used by women for masturbation and by men to stimulate the prostate gland. Th...

Electric Masserger

A Electric Masserger is a hand-held electric massager, also known as a handheld massager, and can usually be purchased at electronics stores.

It was originally designed to relieve stiff shoulders and back pain, so the hurdle of buying one in a physical store is quite low.

Many people may have seen or used it in some form or another, as it is often installed in leisure hotels.

Such a massager is highly recommended for beginners because it is easy for women to get pleasure from it when they use it during masturbation.

It is larger than Egg-Vibrator and vibrations are stronger than those of Egg-Vibrators and vibrators, so even just hitting the clitoris can give you a great deal of pleasure.

For those women who have never had an orgasm during sex with their man, the massager may be a good way to get a feel for what it feels like to have an orgasm.

It looks and feels like an electric massager, so you wont have to feel awkward if your roommate finds out.

If you are in a rut of having sex with your partner, if you want to feel an orgasm through masturbation, or if you are thinking of using a sextoy, why dont you try it from a simple massager?

To learn more about Electric Masserger, click here.

What is a massager? Introducing types, selection methods, and usage Originally, the Magic-wand vibrator and the massage machine were sold as a home massage machine used for the back and th...

How to choose a sextoy for Indian

Now that weve covered the different types of sextoy, heres how to choose one.

Especially if you are trying sextoy for the first time, pay attention to the following three points:  Does the size fit you (the partner)?

Does the size fit you (your partner)?

Is the environment able to produce sound without problems?

Price range

First of all, the choice of size is quite important.

Most sextoy are used against or inserted into the genitals, but the genitals are very delicate organs for both men and women.

For this reason, using an inappropriate size may cause damage.

Secondly, the environment should be able to produce sound without problems.

Some sextoys not only wear, but also rotate and vibrate. Its easier to get pleasure from something that moves than something that doesnt, but the fact that it moves means that the internal rotors make some noise.

If you live in a house with thin walls or if you have roommates, you may not be able to concentrate because of the noise, so it is best to choose one that is silent or has a low noise level.

Especially in India, where many people live with their families, it is very important that you dont have to worry about sound when you use it.

Finally, there is the price range.

The price range of sextoy ranges widely, from around RS500 at the cheapest to RS10,000 or more at the highest.

Its good to consider how much money you can afford and how much you want to buy.

Do you want your family to not find out about sextoy?

I live with my family and want to use sextoy without them finding out! If you are a man, you should buy a camouflage sextoy that does not look like a sextoy at first glance.

For men, there are many masturbators that do not look like a sextoy, and for women, there are vibrators that only look like cosmetics.

If you choose such a type, youll be safe in case your family members find out.

How to buy sextoys in India

The best way to purchase sextoy is through online shopping.

For more information on how to purchase sextoy, please see the article below.

Sextoy is one of them.

Therefore, you can easily get sextoy in India by using online shopping.

SexToysINDIA is a long established and stable sextoy store and you can have sextoy delivered to any place in India.

They also offer cash on delivery, so those who are worried about shopping with a credit card do not have to worry.

Of course, the latest security is in place, so your information will not be taken out when you use your credit card.

To begin with, many people may be concerned about whether they are legally allowed to purchase sextoy.

ikmAs it turns out, its not illegal.

Right now, it is not open to the public because the Indian adult market is still in the development stage, but it will gradually spread from now on.

Take advantage of sextoy and open the door to new pleasures and culture.

Cautions for Indians using sextoy

When using sextoy, keep the following three things in mind

Keep sex toys clean

Watch out for electrical leakage

Beware of the heat generated by the body while using a sex toy

As I mentioned earlier, many sextoy products are used for the delicate zone.

Therefore, it is most important to keep the sextoy itself clean. It is very important to keep the sextoy itself clean, because if a slight scratch is created by friction, bacteria can enter and breed there.

It is safe to wear a condom when using the masturbator, just in case.

In addition, many sextoy devices are powered by a power source, so if they are not waterproof, there is a possibility of electric shock or malfunction due to wetness.

Some may even develop heat during continuous use. If the fever becomes too much, you may get burned, so be careful.

If you get a fever during use, stop driving the sextoy immediately and refrain from using it.

You will enjoy sex more if you keep it safe and use it correctly.

Summary

What did you think?

In this article, we have introduced the recommended sextoy for the beginners of sextoy in India.

The sextoy market is growing rapidly in India and it will continue to grow steadily in the future.

As India is a rather closed-minded country, it can be difficult to be open about ones sexual habits and values.

However, being faithful to ones desires by properly dissolving ones sexual desire is very effective for ones physical and mental health.

If this is your first time to learn about sextoy, or if you are interested in using sextoy, why not give it a try?

Indian Sextoys for ur best! will introduce you to sextoy and other trivia about sextoy, sexuality, and sexuality for men and women.

I want to read more! If you think its a great idea, please bookmark it.
The Stage Co. of Jackson County is holding auditions for its next production, "The Importance of Being Earnest," a classic written by the infamous Oscar Wilde.

The play is a farcical comedy that revolves around the main characters' attempts to maintain false personas to avoid the burdens of social interaction.

Auditions will be held at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 27, Tuesday, Feb. 28 and Wednesday, March 1 at The Varsity Center in downtown Carbondale.

The show will be performed April 21-23 and April 27-30. Rehearsals will be 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, beginning March 7. Nearer to the date of the performance, the rehearsal schedule will expand to Monday through Friday.

Director Lee Brackett is looking to fill the following roles:

Two female actors, ages 20-30 (could be a little younger depending on maturity levels).

Two female actors, ages 50 or older.

Two male actors, ages 20-30.

Two male actors, age 30 or older.

One male actor, age 50 or older.

The younger males and females, along with one of the older females, are the lead roles. The rest of the cast will occupy smaller parts, with two of the male parts being fairly simple "walk-on" roles, according to a news release from The Stage Co.

A copy of the script is available to read ahead of time at Carbondale Public Library. Auditions will consist of cold readings from the script, so it is not necessary to prepare in advance. Anyone who can use a British accent during the audition will receive extra consideration.

For more information, contact Brackett at lee.brackett@gmail.com. The Varsity Center is located at 418 S. Illinois Ave.
The SIU Jazz Festival returns to Southern Illinois University Carbondale on Feb. 25 and brings a Saluki home for a visit.

The annual event is an educational and competitive opportunity for junior high and high school musicians from the region. Its also a chance for jazz lovers in the area to hear a high-quality performance from a specially selected guest artist.

This years guest is Tim Pitchford, formerly a faculty member at the SIU School of Music and now director of the jazz program at the Lovett School in Atlanta, Georgia.

Pitchford, a trombonist, will be the featured player in a performance of the SIU Studio Jazz Orchestra at 12:30 p.m., and hell teach a masterclass at 1 p.m. His performance credentials include Maureen McGovern, Arturo Sandoval, Gloria Gaynor, Glenn Miller Orchestra, Gladys Knight, Aretha Franklin, K.C. and the Sunshine Band and others, and he appears on several Grammy-nominated recordings.

Many factors go into selecting the guest  first and foremost their instrument, Dick Kelley, director of jazz studies at SIU and assistant professor of saxophone, said. I try to rotate prominent jazz instruments from year to year  that way we dont have five years in a row of trumpet players for example. Its been a while since we had a trombone guest.

Participating schools perform a short set during the day, and then have a chance to hear a professional critique of their collective performance in an approach that emphasizes performance and professionalism. The day ends with an awards ceremony at 5:10 p.m.

Here is the schedule of school performances. All events take place in Altgeld Hall.

Paducah Junior High School: 10: 25 a.m.

T.S. Hill Middle School (Dudley, Missouri): 10:50 a.m.

Northwest High School (Hughesville, Missouri): 11:15 a.m.

Cape Central Junior High School (Cape Girardeau): 3 p.m.

Dexter High School (Dexter, Missouri): 3:25 p.m.

North County High School (Bonne Terre, Missouri): 3:50 p.m.

Carterville High School: 4:15 p.m.
VIENNA  Perhaps only divine intervention can break the logjam and bring Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan to common ground.

So far, nothing else has worked. The same could be said for Rauner and the states largest labor union in contract negotiations.

To that end, a group of state workers are planning to gather on Saturday for a prayer rally as the budget impasse drags on, wreaking havoc across Southern Illinois.

My Brothers Keeper is hosting the event at 10 a.m. at the Vienna City Park, not far from Shawnee Correctional Center, Vienna Correctional Center and its satellite facility Dixon Springs Boot Camp.

Meanwhile, by the end of the week, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), is expected to announce the results of a first-ever statewide strike authorization vote as talks have been at a standstill for more than a year.

An affirmative vote would not mean a strike is imminent, but would give the bargaining committee the ability to call for one if AFSCME leaders deem it necessary, said union spokesman Anders Lindall.

Just because a majority might vote to strike doesnt mean there will be a strike and doesnt mean there must be a strike, Lindall said. Gov. Rauner has ample opportunity to come to his senses, to drop his unreasonable demands, and to return to the bargaining table.

But an affirmative vote on the tally would undoubtedly move Illinois into unprecedented territory and up the stakes in the ongoing feud between Rauner and the labor union.

Marsha Griffin, in a written statement she provided to The Southern, said she organized the faith-based rally in Vienna because I wanted to provide workers throughout our state a time to gather in solidarity and provide them with a day of hope as we gather to pray for our state, Southern Illinois workers and a resolution to the budget crisis.

Griffin did not specifically mention the strike authorization vote as a reason for gathering, but said it was more generally to show support for IDOC employees in dangerous jobs at a difficult time as it relates to Illinois government.

Griffin, a Democrat, ran an unsuccessful bid for the state House this past year against Republican Rep. Terri Bryant, R-Murphysboro. AFSCME was among Griffin's biggest organizational supporters in the campaign.

It is vital that the budget impasse is ended, so we can attract industry and experience job creation, Griffin wrote. Never before in our states history has the budget been held hostage for over two years while critical services and programs that the most vulnerable rely on have been slashed. This crisis has crippled our state.

A strike authorization vote could lead to chaos at some of the largest facilities in Southern Illinois that provide critical services for vulnerable people, including Choate Mental Health and Development Center and the Illinois Veterans Home of Anna, Chester Mental Health, and the Warren G. Murray Developmental Center in Centralia. DHS employees who help people sign up for food benefits and Medicaid also could walk off the job, if a strike were to be called.

The law prohibits correctional officers and lieutenants at state prisons, boot camps and juvenile justice facilities from striking, and instead would lead to binding arbitration as it relates to those specific job classifications. But prisons also could be affected by a walkout, as non-security support services personnel are not prohibited from striking.

And Lindall said all union workers at mental health facilities would have the legal ability to walk off the job in the event of a strike, even though people in these facilities have been court ordered for treatment following involvement with the criminal justice system or through the civil commitment process because it has been determined they could be a danger to themselves or others.

The administration would have the legal right to hire temporary workers willing to cross a picket line. And the Daily Heralds Kerry Lester reported this past month that Dennis Murashko, the governors general counsel, said Rauner could fill spots by mobilizing the Illinois National Guard. Minnesota did that in 2001, according to Lesters Jan. 26 column. AFSCME has been highly critical of this comment, though the governor's office has not released any type of specific plan of the administration as to how it might respond to a strike.

In an emailed comment to The Southern, Catherine Kelly, the governors spokeswoman, said, We continue to hope AFSCME chooses not to strike over the administrations contract that includes a 40-hour work week, merit pay and the use of volunteers, and therefore remain committed on working with the union to implement the terms of the contract that is similar to contracts ratified by 20 other unions.

One of the main financial sticking points between the union and administration is about the employee cost of health care, though other issues are also being debated. The governor declared an impasse a year ago, and this was upheld by the Illinois Labor Relations Board against the advice of an administrative law judge. This impasse declaration is the subject of a pending legal battle.

Lindall said that AFSCME has never before organized a vote of this magnitude. Voting began Jan. 30 and concluded this past weekend. Most voting sites were located away from places of employment but in the same communities. For example, there were voting locations set up in Chester, Anna, Vienna and Marion, among other Southern Illinois locations. The statewide tally will take place sometime this week in an undisclosed location.

Lindall said the voting was private and secure, and that the counting will take place in front of impartial observers. He was not specific about the release date of the results, except to say it is expected by the end of the week.

Ty Petersen, a Southern Illinois-based staff representative for AFCME Council 31, said the rally offers a way for state employees to educate the public about exactly how dangerous some of the jobs they perform are on a regular basis.

Marsha Griffin and My Brothers Keeper have been there in the forefront fight to enlighten not just citizens, but legislators and governors, of the struggles state employees face performing their jobs at the Illinois Department of Corrections, Petersen said.

Petersen said that local members also hope to know the results of the strike authorization vote by Friday, and this will give people a chance to gather and unify regardless of the outcome during the weekend.
The Jackson County League of Women Voters is holding three candidate forums in preparation for the upcoming election. Members of the League are asking residents to send them questions to ask at each of these forums. Election Day is April 4.

The forums are March 7, 8 and 27. They are:

The John A. Logan College Board of Trustees forum, 5:30 p.m. March 7, at John A. Logan College, Room F117 (Conference Center area). Send issues to kathyfatz@sbcglobal.net by Feb. 24.

The JALC Trustee candidates are (three to be elected):

 Becky Borgsmiller

 Bob "Hawk"Ellis

 William L. Orrill

 Mandy Little

 Glenn Poshard (incumbent)

Carbondale Elementary School Board Forum, 7 p.m. March 8, Carbondale Civic Center. Send issues to sphillips1024@gmail.com by Feb. 28.

The Carbondale Elementary School board candidates are (four to be elected):

 Stephen L. Compton

 Catherine Field

 Grant R. Miller

 Christopher C. Payne

 Gary K. Shepherd

 Carlton Smith

 Lisa Marie Smith

 Natasha Zaretsky

Carbondale City Council Forum, 7 p.m. March 27, Carbondale Civic Center. Send issues to marypohlmann@gmail.com by March 15.

The Carbondale City council candidates are (three to be elected):

 Jessica Bradshaw (incumbent)

 Lee Fronabarger (incumbent)

 Carolin Harvey (incumbent)

 Jeff Doherty

Five incumbents on the Carbondale High School No. 165 board all filed for re-election to the five open seats; those candidates are Kathy Kelley Booziotis, Joe Hudgins, Francis Tsung, Julie E. Womack Van Winkle and Brian E. Woodard.

For additional information on the LWV forums, contact Mary OHara via email at maryohara@mchsi.com or phone at 618-713-0920.
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A Breakdown of Kris Jenners Net Worth, Sources Of Income and Relationships Over The Years Standing outside and looking in, Kris Jenner looks like the oil that greases the wheels of the entire Kardashian/Jenner machine. She has been dubbed a momager and rightfully so because she seems to have had a part to play in the trajectory of each and every one of her daughters individually and the Kardashian brand ...

Pursuits That Brought Liza Koshys Fame To its Zenith and Her Love Life Since David Dobrik Liza Koshy is an American actress who has leveraged YouTube as a platform to promote her comedy while also serving as a television host on occasions. She is talented and funny and has gathered a lot of fans from around the world. Koshy started on Vine in high school and was able to get millions of ...

Alex Aiono Biography  Inside The Life Of The American Singer Not everyone who started from the streets has attained the heights where Alex Aiono is currently. His story could be referred to as the perfect definition of rising from Grass to Grace. He came into the limelight after he started out as a YouTuber, singer, and producer. One fascinating thing about the young YouTuber is ...

Virginia Vallejo Biography And Her Love Story With Pablo Escobar Virginia Vallejo can be referred to as one of the oldest whistleblowers in history after her involvement with Pablo Escobar which made her famous. Over the years, many questions have been raised about her relationship with the drug lord and why she endangered her life to be with him despite his notorious acts. The death ...

Princess Love Bio  Ethnicity, Real Name & Parents For many people, Princess Love is simply Ray Js wife but there is so much more to this feisty lady than meets the eye. She is a star in her own right and has many feathers on her cap. Princess Love is a reality TV star, a model, video vixen, and fashion designer. She and her ...

Who is Papa Franku Also Known As Filthy Frank or Joji, Where is He Now? The social media as we all know today has given people the opportunity to be creative and innovative and at the same time, make something of themselves. YouTube is one of the known social platforms we have today that makes it possible for people to express their God-given talents and post videos they created to ...

Who Is Molly Qerim, How Did She Become a Famous Sports Anchor and Who Is Her Husband? Molly Qerim is an American sports anchor popularly known for moderating First Take, a highly rated sports talk show, on ESPN. Prior to joining ESPN, Qerim hosted Fantasy Live and NFL AM on NFL Network. It is quite obvious that the widely acclaimed television personality is in a class of her own when it comes ...

Safiya Nygaard  Height, Parents & Net Worth Safiya Nygaard is an American YouTuber, writer, content producer, and director who is popular for posting makeup, beauty and fashion videos on YouTube. Her videos regularly top at least one million views, thanks to her lively character as well as her willingness to experiment with outrageous outfits and different beauty products. Here are the things to ...

The Rigors of Sunlen Serfatys Career Journey Until CNN and Fun Facts About Her Personal Life CNN correspondent, Sunlen Serfaty is an Emmy Award-winning journalist known for covering a broad range of breaking news stories, national news, and Washington politics. She has been able to garner widespread recognition for herself which even goes beyond the sphere of her work. Her profile also increased with the extensive work she did in covering ...

Demystifying Jazz Jennings Real Name, Boyfriend & Family Of One The Youngest Transgenders Jazz Jennings is an unusual personality who became famous as a transgender activist and was recorded as the youngest documented public figure to be seen as transgender. She is also a YouTube personality and spokesmodel for brands, her fans, and other transgenders. She fought for acceptance in her high school with her super supportive family for over ...

Inside Fred Armisens Life  Ethnicity, Romantic Relationships and Gay Rumors Fred Armisen is an award-winning American comedian, he is also a writer, an actor as well as a musician. He was a cast member of the legendary comedy show, Saturday Night Live for 13 years and also one of the brains behind the successful satirical show Portlandia. Find out more about this incredibly talented guy ...

Ed and Lorraine Warren Biography: Cases, Kids, and Family Life Have you ever woken up with fear you could not explain, or felt a strange presence that made the hair at your nape rise or even experienced strange occurrences around you? Well, these were some of the promptings that made the well-known paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren delve into trying to explain the ideas ...

Truth About Tony Romos Wife, Kids and Life Since His NFL Retirement Tony Romo grew from the field as a quarterback to the screens as an American Football Analyst. He was a quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys in the richest football league in the world (NFL) before retiring. As a junior, he was honored as an All-Ohio Conference Member, an Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year and ...

Who is Brittany Venti, The Controversial Game Streamer and YouTuber? In recent times, many people live stream themselves playing video games. This has become a popular pastime on the internet and many highly skilled gamers have become internet celebrities through this means. However, some of them rather than becoming renowned for their gaming skills and great commentary, have become controversial and infamous. A good example ...

Rob Dyrdeks Family: His Kids And Relationship With Wife Bryiana Noelle Flores A multi-talented star and an elite pro skateboarder, Rob Dyrdeks success story began at a remarkably young age. Yet another proof that schooling doesnt always correlate with success, Rob has established himself not just as a phenomenal sportsman but also as a successful entrepreneur. Besides perfecting his skill as a natural talent on the board, ...

xChocobars  Biography and Everything You Should Know About Her Having distinguished herself and recorded massive successes in an industry notably dominated by men, it is very safe to say that Xchocobars deserves all the attention and cash she makes from her career. A household name on Twitch (a smart live streaming video platform), the online-gamer is popularly known for streaming classic games such as Stardew ...

Everything To Know About Mary Padian, Her Boyfriend and Net Worth Mary Padian is a famous American television reality personality best known for her involvements on the Reality show Storage Wars. She also has her own shop called Mary finds where she displays her antique collections. Since her childhood, Padian has been a creative learner. At the time, she used to create new items out of reusable ones and ...

Betsy Woodruffs Family Life: Is She Married or Related To Bob Woodruff? An old name in the world of journalism, Betsy Woodruff has warmed her way into the hearts of many with her impressive talents. Through hard work, Woodruff has carved a niche for herself in a very competitive field. Betsy has strong family and work values and is also an advocate for equal opportunities for everyone ...

Matpat (Matthew Patrick)  Wife, Height & Net Worth As far as internet business is concerned, Matpat remains one of the most dynamic and seasoned figures. He boasts a wealth of experience that has helped him in growing his business from one level of greatness to another. Like most successful people, MatPat started out small but today, he makes millions of dollars from his ...

Facts About Ricegum  His Girlfriend, Real Name & Net Worth Ricegum is an online gamer and YouTube sensation who ditched college; took advantage of the digital era, and made a name for himself on the internet. Though he began as a gaming YouTuber, Ricegum soon gained recognition as a controversial internet star following his many diss tracks. Here is everything you need to know about the youngster ...

Joy Taylor Once Married MLBs Richard Giannotti  Inside Look At Her Love Life and Family The erosion of the sexist idea that women have no business in sports broadcasting created a host of women celebrities who attained fame outside of modeling and acting. One of them, Joy Taylor, a radio personality and TV host for Fox Sports 1, has been in the industry since 2009, becoming one of the most ...

What To Know About Conan OBriens Wife, Kids & Family Today The name Conan OBrien is one that jumps right at you almost immediately you start talking about the most popular television hosts in the USA and this is no surprise because the man behind that name has risen to become one of the most admired men in the business. Known for hosting the late-night talk ...

David Letterman  Net Worth, Wife & Son In all of American, one man whose face has been seen frequently by late night TV talk show lovers is none but David Letterman. The comedian and TV show veteran has been hosting late night talk shows for more than three decades. His Late Night with David Letterman show began on February 1st, 1982 aired ...

Demystifying Sssniperwolfs Family Background And The Boyfriends Shes Had Since she launched her eponymously named channel in 2013, Sssniperwolf has been on the rise when it comes to video game influencers. She is one of the biggest names in the online gaming subgenre of YouTube videos. Real name Lia Shelesh, she started with Call of Duty: Black Ops II but has diversified with other ...

Lester Holt  Wife, Family & Net Worth Lester Holt is a multiple award-winning journalist, newscaster, reporter, and actor who has worked for notable media houses like WCBS TV, CBS, MSNBC and among others. His remarkable feat in journalism has endeared him to the hearts of many and earned him some awards and recognitions. Read on to get acquainted with his biography, ethnicity, ...

What Is Louis C.K. Doing Now, Where Are His Family And How Much Is His Net Worth? It is not easy to make it in comedy. It takes more than a funny bone and the ability to elicit a few giggles from a listening audience. For all the complexities that go into making a successful career in comedy, Louis C.K, the Washington D.C-born comedian, did it. For years, he was at the ...

The Progression of Hoda Kotbs Career, Her Ancestry and Family Life Hoda Kotb gained fame as a television host and news anchor for NBC. She anchors the shows signature show Today, and it has been an excellent vehicle for her skills in front of a camera. Kotb has won several awards, including Daytime Emmys and Peabody Awards. Simply put, she is one of the most successful ...

Jerry Seinfelds Family: All About The Amazing Comedians Wife and Kids Apparently one of the highly important entertainers in America, Jerry Seinfeld is a man of many talents. A very funny man, he is considered to be one of the most successful comedians in the USA who has been in the business as a professional rib-cracker for more than 40 years. As an actor, he has ...

The Rigors Of Sarah Silvermans Rise To Prominence And Rundown Of The Men She Has Dated A comedian, writer, and actress, Sarah Silvermans art and craft is as unique as you would ever find. Her poignant use of comedy to discuss social issues such as race, sexism, politics, and religion has gained her an impressive following. As unorthodox as her style is, so is her life experiences. She previously suffered from epiglottitis ...

Who Is Hannibal Buress, Does He Have A Wife or Girlfriend & Why Was He Arrested? Making people laugh when they are tense or not in the mood is a tough order and to ply the trade, it must indeed take some guts and expertise, this is what the humor maker, Hannibal Buress has been able to achieve and sustain after his inital teething process. The African-American is a screen writer, stand-up ...

The Success of John Mulaneys Career Efforts Since His Work On Saturday Night Live and Facts About His Wife John Mulaney had been working as a professional comedian for years before Saturday Night Live changed his status for life and like many who are now his fans, you probably did not know of him then. However, that changed when he joined the sketch comedy show in 2008. Since then, he has been one of ...

Jeff Dunham  Wife, Children and Net Worth Ventriloquism is a very subtle method of making an inanimate object (like a puppet, doll or dummy) appear to be saying words which are actually coming from the person (holding the inanimate object). In effect, the individual throws his/her voice to the puppet and can even appear to be having a conversation with it. Not ...

Ellen DeGeneres  Net Worth, Wife  Portia de Rossi & Parents Ellen DeGeneres is an American female standup comedian who has proven that whatever a man can do, a woman can also do. Since her journey as a standup comedian started in 1981, she has held swirl as one of the finest comedians America and the world at large has seen. She is often referred to ...

Revisiting Joan Rivers Death  The Daughter, Husband & Net Worth She Left Behind Joan Rivers was a renowned American comedian, TV host, writer, and actress. Her brand of comedy consisted of scathing one-liners and no individual or topic is spared. She hosted her own talk shows in the 80s and 90s and was a pioneer for women in stand up comedy. She was the first woman to host a late night ...

The Struggles of Margaret Chos Childhood, How It Influenced Her Career Growth and Love Life Margaret Cho is best described as a comic star who knows how to maneuver everything related to life into a rib-cracking joke. She is also known to criticize every social and political problem, especially those involving race and sexuality. Apart from her talents as a comic actress, she does amazingly well as a singer and ...

Where Is Eric Bolling Today? Who Is His Son & What Is His Net Worth? Eric Bolling who was once a notable figure on Fox News, is an American TV personality, an author, and versatile Journalist. As a political and financial analyst/commentator, he anchored discussions bothering on finance for Fox Business Channel. Here is everything there is to know about his career, family, and allegations that led to his exit ...

Who Is Chelsea Handler and Does She Have A Husband or Boyfriend? Chelsea Handler is one of Americas top female comedians. She is also an actress, writer, television host, producer, and activist. She is known to be very outspoken even with things that are very personal. In separate interviews with The New York Times, Handler revealed that she had an abortion twice when she was 16. She has authored five books ...

How Did Laura Lee Achieve Fame, How Much is She Worth and Who is Her Husband? Laura Lee is a popular American YouTuber, make-up artist and beauty blogger. From posting videos of her makeup routines on Instagram, Lee has transformed into a beauty influencer and a YouTube sensation. Today, her YouTube Channel has over 630 million views and 4.5 million subscribers. Asides having millions of followers across all social media platforms, ...

Madison Gesiotto Bio  Ethnicity, Parents & Measurements Madison Gesiotto is no ordinary woman; although she excelled in quite a number of pageants and competitions while she was in school, it is her views on politics and issues in America that has made her name known to most people. She possesses beauty and intelligence in a seemingly equal measure and has been able ...

Who Is Lil Tay? Parents, Brother, Sister, Age, Net Worth, Ethnicity Child stardom is nothing new in the entertainment world. With the advent of social media, we have seen more stars made from the internet than ever before, and Lil Tay is one of them. Her uploaded rap videos trademark is cursing, swearing, cash-throwing, and use of obscene languages. Her fame went wild after she dropped ...

What To Know About Tig Notaros Wife, Kids and Family Today Tig Notaro is an American stand-up comic star, writer, actress, and radio analyst. Since she started her career in 2001, she has become one of Americas best comedians, particularly when it comes to observational comedy. One prominent aspect of her routine involves her family, which includes a wife and two children. Interestingly, Tig Notaro is part ...

Who Is Chantel Jeffries? What To Know About Her Age, Ethnicity & Net Worth Chantel Jeffries is a lady of many talents. Beyond being celebrated as a DJ, she has fared well as a model, an actress, musician, and as an artist. She first rose to fame on Instagram where she has a large following. However, in recent times, she has hit the spotlight for her rumored relationships with some ...

Is Ellen DeGeneres Married, Who Is The Brother  Vance DeGeneres and Family Members? Ellen DeGeneres is one of a kind celebrity in todays world as she has used her wealth for the greater good for many people. She has served a host of famous awards shows like the Grammy, Primetime Emmy and Academy Awards. Moreso, she is probably one of the most decorated entertainment personalities around the world and ...

Carli Bybel Bio  Height, Boyfriend & Net Worth Video blogging is now on the rise and YouTube is the place where most of it happens. If you are a lady who cares about her looks or a guy who likes to help his woman out with her looks, then one person whose name rings a bell when it comes to giving beauty tips ...

Who Is Lexy Panterra? What To Know About Her Ethnicity, Boyfriend & Net Worth Lexy Panterra is one of the YouTube personalities whose breakout came through the Twerk dance videos she posted on her social media handles and YouTube which has so far generated over 13 million views for her. From there on, she created her LexTwerkOut workout program in 2014. She is sure very talented as she as moved ...

Who Is AnneMunition? What Is Her Ethnicity & Does She Have A Girlfriend or Boyfriend? AnneMunition is a professional gamer and content creator of American origin. She is one of the most sought-after streamers on Twitch  a popular online platform for watching and streaming videos, especially video games. AnneMunition has almost half a million followers on Twitch and her channel has accumulated at least 13 million views. Her favorite games ...

Norm MacDonald  Former Wife, Son & Net Worth Recently, 59-year-old former Saturday Night Live stand-up comic Norm MacDonald caused a not-so-funny stir when he expressed his personal opinion about the #MeToo movement speaking in defense of Louis CK and Roseanne Barr. Following the backlash of his actions, he is diligently doing damage control for his questionable opinion by posting a public apology on ...

Inside Iliza Shlesingers Life With Husband and How Much She is Worth Now Witty, spontaneous, and truly humorous, Iliza Shlesinger is an American comedian who is clearly proving that the stereotypical claim that women are not really funny is not only incredibly wrong but completely outrageous. Having been in the game for more than 10 years, Shlesinger has grown bigger with each step, stunning fans with her incredible ...

Who Is Nessa Diab? Details of her Parents, Ethnicity & Relationship With Colin Kaepernick Nessa Diab has gained more fame as the girlfriend of different footballers than in her career. She is currently with the popular National Football League (NFL) player, Colin Kaepernick, and has stood by his side during his most trying times. Also known for her mononym, Nessa, she recently engaged in a tweet battle with the ...

Samantha Bee  Inside the Life of Full Frontal Comedian and Presenter We have over the decades seen various brands of humor and personalities who have walked the ropes. One of the formidable forces in the world of comedy is no other than the iconic Samantha Bee of the Daily Show who now runs her own television show on TBS channel. She is a Canadian-American political commentator, ...

What Happened To Jessica Williamss Boyfriend And Which Are Her Best Works? Jessica Williams is a woman who has a lot of feathers in her cap  and keeps acquiring more. The former senior political correspondent of the comic Daily Show, who is also a comedian and actress whose recent movie appearance include starring as a playwright just recovering from a recent split with her boyfriend, Damon, and ...

Who is Nicole Byer? Here are 5 Facts You Need To Know About The Comedian Nicole Byer, an American comedian, actress, and writer, made a name for herself after she played supporting roles on MTVs prank show Ladylike and the reality show Girl Code. The latter was a series that featured comedians who analyzed in minute details, all the issues that young women deal with daily, from period to dating, to weird friendship dynamics and questions about sex. Currently, ...

A Closer Look At Bart Kwans Ethnicity, Height & Personal Life Bart Kwan is one of few Asians who is known for being successful in the comic industry at an international level. His fame broke out after the YouTube channel which he created with his close pal Joe Jo garnered up massive followings. The talented duo has been running the channel since 2007 and their success ...

Heres How VanossGaming Achieved Fame Online, His Worth and Other Facts About The Gamer For many years, the decision to drop out of college to pursue an online career was considered to be foolish and self-destructive by conventional wisdom. It was no different when Evan Fong, popularly known as VanossGaming, dropped out of college to pursue a YouTube career. However, that radical move paid off, and he stands shoulder to ...

Desi Perkins  Ethnicity, Net Worth & Husband YouTube is littered with videos of makeup tutorials by different people but if you are interested in learning how to do your makeup like a pro, there is just one person on that platform who you must follow. She is none other than Desi Perkins! She is a popular make-up artist, Instagram star, and vlogger. Desi, ...

The Phases of Casey Neistats Pursuits and His Love Story With Candice Pool YouTuber, vlogger, filmmaker, and creator extraordinaire; these are just a few hats that Casey Neistat wears and the story of how he got here is incredible. A native of Connecticut, Neistat started out by making refreshingly-authentic short films and videos that featured content that was based on everyday life and called attention to serious issues. He ...

Connor Franta  Inside The Life of American YouTuber YouTube has produced a lot of young celebrities in modern times and Connor Franta happens to be one of them. Apart from being a YouTuber, the young American is also an entrepreneur, entertainer, and writer. His journey to fame began almost a decade ago when he started a self-named YouTube channel where he uploads content ranging ...

Rhett and Link  Bio, Who are Their Wives, Net Worth and Family Facts Rhett and Link refer to an American comedy duo who are very popular on YouTube. They are known for their comic songs, viral commercials, skits and the daily show, Good Mythical Morning. Good Mythical Morning is the most watched daily show online, averaging 100 million views in a month. The show has featured guests such ...

A Walk Through The Maze of Ryan Higas Career Pursuits And Relationship With Arden Cho Ryan Higa is not only celebrated as a YouTube star, but he is also famed for appearing on television screens as an actor and comedian. Nigahiga, his Youtube channel, has gathered over 20 million subscribers and billions of views with his different comic acts, short films, and music videos uploads. With the rise in his career, ...

What to Know About The Shows That Made Craig Ferguson a Star and His Family Ties Rising to the top of your profession can sometimes be a hard and difficult process. It requires days and nights of working consistently hard to be better than what you were yesterday. It requires not giving up when all of your experiences seem to be pushing you to quit. It is because of these challenges ...

David Dobrik Married Liza Koshy for One Month  Inside His Family and Relationships David Dobrik is a YouTube sensation who has garnered fame not just for his vlogs but his love life too. Given his career as a YouTuber, his channel is one place where he shares his romantic escapades. With a cute boyish look like his, this Slovakian young man is definitely a good catch, and not ...

Merrell Twins Bio  Ethnicity, Parents & Boyfriend One of the beautiful things about modern life is social media. As rudimentary as it might seem, it could turn out to be the greatest thing that would be invented in the next 50 years because of its impact on human life. Very few tools have revolutionized human behavior and culture as much as social ...

Who Is Bunny Meyer, Is She Married & What Is Her Net Worth? Bunny Meyer is a YouTube celebrity who has amassed over 8.8 million subscribers with 1.5 million viewers on her channel. She is popularly known as Grav3yardgirl and is one of the highest-paid YouTubers in the world. She initially started out as a fashion designer and later chose the path of a YouTuber. Grav3yardgirl has used her knowledge on fashion, makeup, ...

Ninja  Inside The Life of The American YouTuber and Internet Personality Ninja is a talented video game player known for his mastery of Fortnite and other seemingly difficult games he plays with ease. The video gamer made a career out of what is ordinarily the hobby of many people and has since then amassed a huge online following. Find out about him here, including the controversies that ...

What Is Eva Gutowskis True Sexuality and How Did She Rise So Fast As an Influencer? Ever since Eva Gutowski joined YouTube in 2011, it has been an interesting journey for her, moving from one milestone to the other. Backed by an army of young women and teenage girl fans known as Evanators, she has risen to become one of the most-talked-about personalities in the digital stratosphere. She has also leveraged ...

Emma Chamberlain Biography  Age, Height & Net Worth Before now, people in the entertainment industry could only achieve popularity after many years of dedication and hard work but since social media came into the scene, massive success and overnight popularity became possible. That is the story of Emma Chamberlain who encountered fame as a fifteen-year-old. Emma is one of the many young people who became ...

Anna Akana  Ethnicity, Boyfriend & Net Worth There is a new crop of YouTubers known by their different contents with a very strong uniqueness that stands every one of them out, some upload video games, some fashion while some others have comedy video contents to showcase on their channels. Anna Akana has used her platform to showcase her comedy contents to the ...

Revealing Truths About Lilly Singhs Ethnic Background, Family and Her Relationship With Yousef Erakat Lilly Singh is an Indian-Canadian YouTube personality, actress, and comedian also known as Superwoman. She kicked off her YouTube career in 2010 with the launch of her channel IISuperwomanII and followed it up with a vlog channel in 2011. This paved the way for her fame and success which led to a world tour. The ...

Who Is Andrea Constand, Is She Married and What Is Her Connection With Bill Cosby? Many people got sexually molested but could not voice out due to the stigma victims suffer and what will become of them thereafter. Very few of the victims danm every consequence to seek justice and bring the perpetrator to the book, like Andrea Constand. She never got any media buzz, not until her friend cum molester; ...

Who Is Lazarbeam (Lannan Eacott)? Here Are Facts You Need To Know Lannan Eacott became a person of interest after his YouTube channel, LazarBeam pulled him to the limelight. Initially, he started with uploads of Madden Challenge videos before deciding to build his own channel in January 2015. Within the space of three years, his YouTube channel had gathered over 7 million loyal subscribers. Today, he has not ...

Puzzling Facts About Wengies YouTube Success and More About Her Fiance Among the many YouTubers who have succeeded in winning the hearts of millions of people is Wengie. She is a Chinese-Australian YouTube personality, vlogger, singer, and voice actress. Wengie is famous for a lot of things, from her simple life hacks, DIYs, craft ideas to fun experiments, tricks and pranks. Her content portfolio also includes hair tutorials, diet & fitness tips, lookbooks, ...

Is Jeffree Star A Billionaire and How Much Does He Make On YouTube? If looks can be deceptive then theres no other person who proves this maxim better than Jeffree Star. A quick look at Stars pictures would likely leave you wondering whether or not to tag him a male or female. But who says being controversial has to be a curse? For Star, his looks have caught ...

The Place of Rosanna Pansinos Career Hats In Her Rise To Fame and Facts About Her Personal Life There are a few phrases that could summarize Rosanna Pansinos rise to fame. None of them can do it better than the famous axiom, no knowledge is lost. Her popularity YouTube comes out of her foray into other professions, specifically acting. Although acting now occupies one of the major professional hats in Rosannas resume, it was ...

Muselk (Elliott Watkins) Biography  Age, Girlfriend and Net Worth The new and best in-thing in terms of career is video gaming and we have over time seen young men and women make massive income from an activity that was purportedly designed to serve as a hobby or a relaxation activity. One of such individuals is the Australian-born YouTube Celebrity and Twitch streamer, Muselk, whose ...

PopularMMOs Biography: 5 Interesting Facts You Need To Know We have over the years seen social media millionaires, especially on the YouTube social platform. These celebrities cum millionaires have made names for themselves after carving out niches on the internet, and a typical example of one of such exciting media personality on the YouTube is American Minecraft gamer and YouTube star, PopularMMOs whose channel ...

Jason Nash Once Married Marney Hochman  What To Know About His Ex-Wife and Kids The now-defunct video-sharing app Vine was the path that led Jason Nash to fame. With it, he built an audience of over two million followers, which he parlayed into a significant YouTube career. That move has seen him become one of the most popular personalities on the internet, with the cash income to go with ...

Where Does Dantdm Live? What Do We Know About His Net Worth, Wife and Brother? Most parents buy video games for their kids to occupy their time leisure, while other parents frown at their kids when they play video games. Despite the disparity, every parent would be proud of their child if he/she eventually turns a celebrity or millionaire through playing video games like Dantdm. Biography of Dantdm Dantdm was born Daniel ...

LaurDIY  Biography: 5 Facts You Need To Know About The YouTuber LaurDIY is the YouTube channel of Lauren Riihimaki which she created on December 1, 2011, when she was still a college undergrad with the sole aim of giving Do It Yourself (DIY) as well as practical fashion and beauty tips to her followers. She has used the channel to establish herself as a YouTube personality ...

Lachlan Ross Power  Bio And Family Life Of Australian The YouTube Star It is amazing the varied sources of income that the internet has made possible in this day and age. Internet fame can get its holder a whole lot of monetary and social benefits, but it must be noted that it does not come easy or cheap. For those who desire fame, content is the sacrifice ...

Alfie Deyes  Bio and Net Worth: Everything You Need To Know Alfie Deyes is one internet personality you definitely would like to know about. He boasts of over 10 million subscribers on three of his YouTube channels and has three bestseller books to his name. He is probably the most renowned young personality on YouTube today and his vlogging empire continues to grow by the day. ...

Colleen Ballingers Love Story With Husband Erik Stocklin and How Much She Is Worth Now Colleen Ballinger is an American comedian and YouTuber who is a very funny, adventurous, and highly talented woman. She is also an actress, singer, and writer. Collen is widely known for her work on YouTube where she posts content on her channel, Miranda Sings. The comedian has gained many subscribers over the years and has ...

Who Are The Dude Perfect Members and How Much Are They Worth? Entertainment in the 21st century can be digested in many forms and with platforms like YouTube, the creators and purveyors of entertainment have been democratized. Today, one of the most popular platforms to exhibit ones creative talents is YouTube, even though there are other platforms like Twitter, Facebook, who suffer in comparison to YouTube because ...

Who Is Rudy Mancuso, What Is His Earning Power and What Do We Know About His Girlfriend? Rudy Mancuso started his internet journey on Vine. He would later transition to YouTube where he solidified his place among the internets most beloved comedic creators. He is now regarded as one of the renowned internet personalities in the world, with a presence in mainstream TV and film projects like Comedy Centrals Drunk History and ...

Vsauce (Michael Stevens) Biography and Net Worth: All You Need To Know The advent of YouTube and the internet as a whole revolutionized how human beings consume information. With each passing year, the percentage of learning that is done in a traditional classroom decrease as a seismic shift to internet-based learning happens in our education industry. From open courses online to YouTube classes and videos, there are ...

How did Jake Paul Make His YouTube Big Break and Who is His Wife? One of the most interesting Social Media personalities of the 21st century is the young and popular Jake Paul whose elder brother is the famed Vine star, Logan Paul. Jake has utilized the power of the internet to bring himself to the limelight with a channel named JakePaulProductions that has amassed up to six billion ...

5 Facts You Need To Know About Reaction Time (Tal Fishman)  The American YouTuber Before 2015, the leading meaning of reaction time was the amount of time it takes to respond to a stimulus, until Tal Fishman started his channel, Reaction Time on YouTube and the dominant meaning changed. Today, a google search of Reaction Time would deliver Tal Fishmans videos and YouTube channel link with a few physics ...

Grace Helbig  Net Worth, Boyfriend and Family Life of The YouTuber Grace Helbig is an American internet personality, comedian, actress, and writer. She became popular due to her daily vlog series, DailyGrace, which ran on My Damn Channel from 2008 to 2013. Helbig is also popular for her own indie series on YouTube, ItsGrace, which she launched in 2014. Her vlogs which feature random stuff such as ...

Mark Wiens Bio  Ethnicity, Wife and Parents Food is a great way to connect with people. We all love to eat, if not for the pleasure of food, the satisfaction of quenching hunger, and the very process of providing and sharing that food is part of the strongest bonds that bind humanity together. Maybe it is our historical connection to food, where ...

Is Filthy Frank Dead, What Happened To Him and How Much Is He Worth? As George Kusunoki Miller, he was a nobody. However, as Filthy Frank, George was one of the most famous internet personalities on the planet. The Filthy Frank Show, a sketch series on his YouTube channel, TVFilthyFrank, was one of the platforms most influential creations. He is the reason a crazy dance song, Harlem Shake, made it ...

CaptainSparklez Bio  Net Worth, House and Cars of The Famous YouTuber Sometimes, what society wants from its citizens is quite different from what the citizens want for themselves. This is evident in the life and career of video blogger and American YouTube personality, Jordan Maron famous for his YouTube channel CaptainSparklez. He dropped out of school after discovering his talent in playing an online game called Minecraft. ...

Who is Simply Nailogical (Cristine Rotenberg)? Here are Facts You Must Know Canadian Youtube personality, Simply Nailogical (Cristine Rotenberg) originally started out polishing and designing nails even before it became a trendy culture in the social media. Simply Nailogica started out her showbiz career in her early days as a child actress, acting in commercials for game and toy companies. Aside from acting, she is blogger, vlogger, specializing ...

5 Interesting Facts You Need To Know About Huda Beauty In the world of entrepreneurship, it is interesting when an individual has a mentor who he/she looks up to, this yield more productivity on the part of the individual. The iconic and rich American beautician and makeup artist Huda Kattan nicknamed Heida is the founder of the Huda Beauty blog which is number one Instagram beauty blog ...

Is Dino MasterChef Gay? Details About His Ethnicity, Girlfriend, Where He Is Now Food, for the better part of the early years of human life, was nothing more than what we needed for survival. There was no artistry or curation to the method of cooking. The scarcity of food left no room for artistic expression until we figured out agriculture and we could make as much as we ...

Who Is Gabbie Hanna And How Did She Become Famous? As the world shifts to digital media and depends more and more on streaming services for its news and entertainment content, YouTubers have become one of the leading creators in the new media world. Their understanding of the online audience: how to create, maintain, and increase followers, are all handy skills that have primed them ...

Jacksepticeye  Height, Girlfriend & Net Worth Jacksepticeye is a YouTuber and actor who gained popularity with a series of gaming videos he uploads on his channel to the delight of millions of his subscribers. He is Known primarily for his comic video game series titled Lets Play and his vlogs. His channel was formerly ranked 46th in the list of most subscribed ...

Chris Heria Personal Details: About His Wife, Height & Ethnicity Background In this generation, keeping fit has become one of the major criteria for being hale and hearty. In fact, most occupations these days are majorly concerned with ones body mass, weight and looks. Unlike the past where most people have to register in a gym to keep fit, social media has made it quite easy ...

Everything You Need To Know About Game Grumps Gaming is becoming incredibly popular on YouTube these days with game vloggers make millions of dollars out of them yearly. One of the most popular up-coming gaming YouTube channels is Game Grumps. The Lets Play series was created in 2012 and celebrated its fifth anniversary on July 18th, 2017. In six years of its existence, the ...

Daithi De Nogla Biography, Girlfriend and Net Worth YouTube has created an avenue for many to make wealth and become famous from the comfort of their homes while having fun. Many have built a career out of the platform, uploading numerous videos that have earned them the admiration of viewers across the globe. For Daithi De Nogla, he is loved for his humorous commentary on ...

Does Phoebe Robinson Have A Boyfriend or Husband and What Do We Know About Her Family? Phoebe Robinson is a New York-based comedian, writer, and actress. She is best known as the co-creator and co-host of the WNYC Studios podcast 2 Dope Queens. Just like some other female comedians, she never had any original plans of becoming a stand-up comedian even though, according to her, she took a class on a whim at Carolines on Broadway. After ...

Who Are Lex and Alana from Listed Sisters? What Is Their Ethnicity & Is the Show Cancelled? America is a country built on diversity. Everywhere you look all over the country, a countless number of immigrants or children of immigrants have become an integral part of the fabric of the country. From entertainment to business, immigrants are creating a niche for themselves and climbing to the summit of their respective professions. One ...

Riveting Facts About Danielle Lombard And What She Is Best Known For The American entertainment industry is one that provides many avenues for aspiring hopefuls to express their talents and become famous. From films to television shows and game shows, there is no shortage of ways for men and women who desire fame to pursue and earn it in the United States of America. Another tested medium ...

Unearthing New Details About The YouTube Success And Personal Life of Alex Burriss of Wassabi Productions Wildly hilarious and truly audacious, Alex Wassabi is an American YouTuber who has become a very popular face on the video-sharing platform after having garnered millions of subscribers over the years by keeping people glued to his channel with his witty parody video releases. If you have always loved parody videos, there is every chance ...

Everything You Need To Know About H2O Delirious H2O Delirious whose full birth name is reported to be Jonathan Gormon Dennis has successfully kept himself mystified by hiding his face behind the masks leaving his loyal fans speculating who he really is for many years. The American YouTube star is easily identified by the Jason Mask Style with make-up which he wears on his ...

Who Is HolaSoyGerman and What Happened To Him? German Garmendia has certainly seen it all when it comes to internet success. His channels, HolaSoyGerman and JuegaGerman are in the top twenty most subscribed channel on YouTube. The Chilean YouTuber found a way to tap into one of the worlds greatest inventions and make a living from it. He has been able to build ...

Who Are Glenn Becks Family, What Is His Net Worth And What Happened To Him? The American political commentary space is filled with different personalities. A few of them, through their rhetoric, charisma, and resources have been able to build a large following of men and women who listen to them for insight and direction for various political and social issues in the United States. For Conservatives, the story is ...

Following Charissa Thompsons Rise Through The Ranks Of Sports Casting and All About Her Boyfriend Superstar TV host and sportscaster, Charissa Thompson, has been hailed as one of the highest-profile women journalists in America, and the reason is there for all to see. She has worked for popular establishments such as Versus, Yahoo! Sports, ESPN, GSN, and Big Ten Network. She currently hosts the popular pre-game show, Fox NFL Kickoff, ...

Is Chris Kattan Gay or Does He Have A Wife? What Is His Net Worth? Chris Kattan is a popular American comedian and actor. He has appeared in several comic movies and TV series such as The Middle, A Night at the Roxbury and Bunnicula. Kattan is, however, most popular for his six-year stint as a cast member of Saturday Night Live. During his time on the legendary show, he ...

Everything You Should Know About the Rise of Insta Star Claire Abbott and Why She Gave It All Up A lot of young Americans have shot into the limelight for uploading different kinds of videos on YouTube. Some of these young stars include Connor Franta, Desi Perkins, Emma Chamberlain, the Dolan Twins (Ethan and Grayson), and Claire Abbott. The latter became a social media celebrity for uploading sexy bikini pictures of herself on social media. Apart from ...

5 Facts You Need To Know About The YouTube Channel  h3h3Productions H3h3Productions is a YouTube channel that specializes on Comic responses or reactions of other contents or trendy stories. The celebrity couple that created the channel has over time racked up sizable views for their commentaries and contents. Even though they had their own fair share of copyright cases, thankfully they scored an unprecedented victory in all ...

Lilypichu Bio  Height, Brother and Love Story With Albert SleightlyMusical Chang Like most popular internet celebrities, Lilypichu is one of those Twitch streamers who spend their lives on camera. From daydreaming about the possibility of becoming a full-time professional streamer, she grew to live out her dreams on the popular live streaming platform where people play games, make crafts, and showcase their day-to-day activities. Given the rise of ...

KSI  What To Know About His Girlfriend, Brother  Deji Olatunji & Net Worth Assuredly, when Internet inventors Vint Cerf and Bob Khan created the technological masterpiece, they probably did not know how massive the creation will be harnessed by many for different purposes including as a platform for earning money through content creation. One of such person who smiles to the bank regularly today for spending time creating ...

The Interesting Progression and Highlights of Carrie Keagans Career as a Host and Actress Carrie Keagan has garnered huge fame through her various stints on television. She is not just your regular TV host but one with a difference. Keagan has hosted several high profile events and TV shows, including VH1s Big Morning Buzz Live and Fox News Channels Red Eye with Greg Gutfeld. However, not many know she ...

The Gist On Elise Jordans Marriages And Her Rise To Prominence Political commentaries tend to be boring when it is handled by someone who does not have a knack for it. However, when you see the likes of Elise Jordan run the same commentary, you will have a lot of reasons to look forward to watching her again as the journalist is well-versed in the field ...

What Is Timmy Thick Best Known For and How Successful Is The Star? Thanks to the internet, many people whose talents would have ordinarily gone unnoticed have become famous. A very good example of this modern-day internet celebrity is Timmy Thick, an American social media star. He became popular on Instagram due to his penchant for posting raunchy pictures of himself. He also often posted videos of himself ...

What Does Heather Storm Do For a Living and Who Is She Dating? Reality Television is a great way to make a name for oneself as well as amass a fortune. Heather Storm can attest to this as she is one of those who have made a name and earned a lot from reality TV. She made her name appearing on shows like Car Fanatics, Awesome Autos, and, ...

Matt Carriker Biography  Net Worth, Wife & Height Unlike your regular veterinary doctor next door, Matt Carriker chose to spice up his noble profession with the unusual. Though he is known to many as a medical practitioner, Carriker is better renowned as a YouTube star and an animal lover. Having recorded huge successes on his various YouTube channels, the vet doctors name and ...

Jillian Mele of Fox News Career Achievements, Husband & Measurements There are quite a good number of presenters on radio and television who listeners and viewers may never wish to miss any of their shows because of their sensational golden voice, beauty or the special way or artistry they anchor their shows. Jillian Mele is one of such. She has been at the top of ...

Who is Gillian Turner of Fox News? Her Fiance or Husband and Net Worth Gillian Turner is well-known as a news correspondent for Fox News Channel but before she became a TV personality, she built an intimidating resume working for different institutions, including the American government. She served in different capacities at the White House National Security Council during the administration of former US Presidents  George W. Bush and Barack Obama. ...

Gloria Govan Bio  Age, Ethnicity & Height Even as Gloria Govan is famous as an American actress, author, a TV host, and reality television star, shes more popular as the wife of the former NBA player, Matt Barnes. She became known after appearing on the Florida version of the reality television series, Basketball Wives and later, Basketball Wives: LA  after Matt was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. Sadly, ...

Michael Fishmans Interesting Start as an Actor and Why He Divorced His Wife of Many Years When one door closes, another one opens. As silly as that axiom may seem, it is the story of the resurgence of Michael Fishman, who plays D.J Conner on the popular show, Roseanne. Having played the character for several years as a child actor into his teenage years; when the show originally ended, Michael did ...

Who Is October Gonzalez  Tony Gonzalezs Wife? All You Need To Know October Gonzalez is a popular American TV host and media personality. Additionally, she is also a model. Gonzalez has hosted several TV shows such as Beat Shazam, Entertainment Tonight, and Rachel Ray. She has also featured in several reality TV shows. Gonzalezs fame is not just due to her profession but also because of her ...

Who Is Tony Berlin  Harris Faulkners Husband: His Children and Family Facts Tony Berlin is a popular American media guru. He has variously worked as a reporter, anchor, and producer for some of the biggest TV networks in America. They include CNN, CBS, NBC, and ABC (where he hosted the popular Good Morning America). Berlin has now diversified into public relations and owns his own PR firm. ...

The Progression of Gianna Tobonis Journalism Career and Details About Her Marriage to Kyle Buckley Gianna Toboni may not be your ideal newscaster but her unusual reporting is what made her a household name. The American journalist is renowned for her hard-hitting and authentic reportage. A motivator and activist for total press freedom, Gianna loves to explore pervasive cultural issues. Not only does this unique and ambitious journalist call for all ...

Dog The Bounty Hunters Family Including Details of His Late Wife and Kids Popularly known as Dog, a name which he got from the television series, Dog The Bounty Hunter, Duane Chapman, an American bounty hunter, and one-time bail bondsman, went from being convicted for a felony to being a reality TV star. He was brought to the limelight following the capture of the convicted criminal, Andrew Luster in 2003 and this eventually made ...

Vicky Karayiannis, Chris Cornells Wifes Bio, Children and Family The world of showbiz is made up of different people who serve different roles, and function in a variety of capacities, and one of the most important people are those in the background. Publicists are undoubtedly one of these background people yet they are vital to the life and fame of most of our favorite ...

Joe Rogan Has A Step-Daughter and 2 Other Kids With Wife Jessica Ditzel  Meet His Family Joe Rogan is a popular American stand-up comedian and TV host. His journey to stardom began in the late 80s and has seen him host several shows, the most popular is the game show titled Fear Factor. The exciting show dares contestants to face some of their greatest fears and embark on challenging stunts. The ...

Josh Gates and Wife Hallie Gnatovich Have 2 Kids But Who Has the Higher Net Worth? Best known for his explorations and adventures, Josh Gates, is a television presenter with a voracious appetite for seeing the world and the beauties in it. Some of that beauty, however, is in his home, in the form of two children he shares with his wife, Hallie Gnatovich. Not excluded is their marriage which has lasted ...

Holly Sonders Wiki, Plastic Surgery & Why She Divorced Her Husband  Erik Kuselias After trying everything within her capacity to have a low key wedding, Holly Sonders was drawn to the public because of her husbands controversy at his workplace. Well, the two are rumored to be divorced but the article below will give more light on how true these rumors are. Meanwhile, Holly Sonders is yet to ...

Nadeska Alexis Bio  Age, Boyfriend & Net Worth Journalism is one diverse profession that allows the practitioners to choose their area of specialty, build a career on it by reporting the truth and facts which in the long run will distinguish them as deserving commendation and recognition among their peers. Some choose to specialize in political journalism, while to others it is sports ...

Media Platforms Charlamagne Tha God Has Explored and All The Controversies He Has Courted Charlamagne Tha God is an American on-air personality, radio presenter, and more recently, author. He is popularly known as a co-host on New York radios nationally syndicated show, The Breakfast Club, a program he has been hosting alongside DJ Envy and Angela Yee since 2010. However, his early years had no connection to his current career ...

A Look At Jimmy Fallons Net Worth and Family Including His Wife & Kids Sometimes, a childs passion for something is a pointer to what he/she would become in the future. As a child, Jimmy Fallon was literally obsessed with watching the late-night comedy program, Saturday Night Live (SNL). Then, his parents would tape the clean parts for him to watch and later, he and his sister would re-enact sketches from the ...

Kay Adams Biography  Does The Sportscaster Have A Husband or Boyfriend? When you hear the phrase sports enthusiast, women are hardly the first group that comes to mind. Well, thats changing pretty fast. Especially with the rise of female sports analysts and broadcasters like Kay Adams who is famed for knowing more about sports than most men do. And why not, shes paid handsomely for it ...

Ben Shapiros Family  Meet His Wife, Kids and Sister Who is Popular for the Wrong Reasons A multi-talented man, Ben Shapiro is a man of controversial nature, an attribute that has made him an unusual public figure. An intellectual whose career path was clearly defined even before he became a man, the Jewish conservative commentator has always had his way with words. He became popular by sharing his critical and often ...

QVC Shawn Killinger Bio  Husband, Net Worth & Facts To Know Shawn Killinger is a prominent TV personality who has worked her way to the top. Though not initially a journalist by training, she defied the odds and today has established herself as a household name, as well as, worked alongside some industry legends. More than just being a reporter, newscaster, and anchor, heres all you ...

Liv Lo  Dissecting the Ethnicity, Parents and Personal Life of Henry Goldings Wife While many are aware that Liv Lo is the better half to Crazy Rich Asians star Henry Golding, only a few understand why his beautiful wife appears increasingly endearing to fans. A former model turned TV personality, and fitness star, Liv has an impressive resume which when combined with that of her statuesque spouse is considered a perfect ...

Stpeach Age, Husband and Other Facts About The Twitch Streamer Lisa Vannatta, famously known by her online alias, STPeach is a Canadian video game streamer cum vlogger who has garnered fame through her appearances on different video-sharing/social networking platforms such as Youtube, Instagram, Twitch, Reddit, and Twitter. The beautiful lady got her career to a start in August 2015 when she joined the live streaming video platform, Twitch. She rose to ...

Insights into Seth Meyers Wife, Family and What His Net Worth Is Celebrities are mostly remembered and known for the work they do. For Seth Meyers, his career as a comedian, writer, actor, TV host, and producer is his biggest identifier. He was on Saturday Night Live SNL show as a head writer and cast member for more than ten years during which he built a reputation ...

Who Is Jessica Gadsden  Age, Net Worth & All About Charlamagne tha Gods Wife Jessica Gadsden is an American fitness coach as well as a personal trainer. She is better known as the spouse of popular American media personality, Charlamagne Tha God. Charlamange Tha God is a well-known TV and radio personality in the U.S. He has featured in several shows (both on the radio and TV) and is ...

Who Is Collins Tuohy  Michael Ohers sister ? Her Wedding, Husband & Net Worth Collins Tuohy is an American entrepreneur, philanthropist, blogger, and social media personality. She is also better known as the adoptive sister of NFL player, Michael Oher, whose life story inspired the Hollywood blockbuster The Blind Side. The Blind Side tells the true life story of Oher who grew up in an impoverished background consisting of a ...

Eye-Popping Facts About The Personal Life And Career Success Of Sportscaster Heidi Watney Heidi Watney is a media personality who has created a niche for herself as a sportscaster. Starting out as a radio presenter, the brilliant young lady has gone on to work for several prominent sports networks, and currently, she is with the MLB. The sportscaster is also known to have been an avid sports lady right ...

Marty Lagina Bio  Siblings (Martina and Rick Lagina), Net Worth and Wife Marty Lagina is an American engineer and businessman who has risen to fame as a reality TV star. This is thanks to his involvement in the adventure TV series, The Curse of Oak Island. The Curse of Oak Island is a long-running TV series which airs on the history channel. The show aims to solve ...

Is Jordan Schlansky Just A Character or a Real Life Person and What Does He Do? The world of late-night television is an interesting one. Shows during that time are geared towards giving viewers comedic relief from a long day at work through interviews and comedy sketches. The often charismatic host of this show requires the balancing talent of a producer whose primary job is to deliver great episodes. It is ...

Heres How Wealthy Jimmy Kimmel Is From All The Phases of His Career, Marriages and Sons Health Jimmy Kimmel is a renowned late-night talk show host known for his charm, wit, and the A-list guests he features on his show. As the host of Jimmy Kimmel Live! On ABC, Jimmy has been serving comedy to television viewers for years which played a pivotal role in launching him into mainstream fame and enabled ...

Natasha Bertrand Biography  Is She Married? Who Is the Husband & What Is Her Age? Natasha Bertrand is not just a young prominent journalist but a first-rate investigative reporter. With her natural beauty and smile, Natashas sharp, insightful political commentary also makes her a thorough reporter. Her sound political perspective and coverage in the country have made her a force to be reckoned with in the profession. Renowned for her ...

What Happened to Shane Kilcher? His Injury Update, Net Worth and More Shane Kilcher is well-known thanks to the Discovery Channel series Alaska: The Last Frontier. It is a show that documents the daily lives of the extended Kilcher family, people who live without plumbing or modern heating. The episodes follow their routines as they rely on hunting and farming for their nutritional needs as well as ...

Is Stephanie Gosk Gay or Lesbian, Who is the Wife or Partner  Jenna Wolfe? In August 2013, NBCs Today viewers were greeted with two shocking news. Today weekend anchor, Jenna Wolfe, announced that she was as a lesbian, introducing her partner as NBC News correspondent Stephanie Gosk, and said the two are expecting their first child. A long time has passed since then and certainly, a lot of things ...

Nikki Mudarris  Bio and Net Worth: 5 Interesting Facts You Need to Know Nikki Mudarris, also known as Miss Nikki Baby, is a reality television star, model and fashionista. Shes best known for VH1s reality TV series Love & Hip-Hop: Hollywood. Her entrepreneurial skills enable her to create and run a successful lingerie line Nude by Nikki. Not only that, but Nikki has also successfully run the Las ...

5 Interesting Things You Need To Know About Kelly Nash Ever heard of the lady who gained national prominence for taking a selfie with a dangerous ball just a few inches away from hitting her? Its no other person than Kelly Nash, an American sports broadcaster currently working as host of The Rundown show which airs on MLB Network every weekday at 2 pm ET. ...

Understanding The Height of Fame John Oliver Achieved With The Daily Show and How He Met His Wife Without knowledge of who he is and his exemplary career, John Oliver cuts an unassuming figure of a regular man but he is one of the most influential personalities in America, especially on television. Since he began his career in 1998, he has been a loud and unapologetic agent of change, using his wit and ...

Why Did Big Chief Leave Street Outlaws, Where Is He Now And Why Did He Divorce His Wife? Justin Shearer, otherwise known by his professional name Big Chief is a famous street racer and television personality. He is famously known for being one of the main characters on the racing reality television series, Street Outlaws. Justin, who had been a significant part of the show since its premiere in 2013, appeared in a ...

Who is Josina Anderson of ESPN? Her Husband and Family Facts There has been a gradual paradigm shift in the world of sports which has today produced the likes of Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka, and other female athletes that are pulling great feats in different sporting fields. Their achievements have also been followed by the emergence of female sports journalists such as Jillian Mele, Eboni Williams, ...

Is Brittany Wagner Married, Who Is The Husband, How Old Is She? Brittany Wagner has been an inspiration to a lot of sports youngster. She has won the hearts of many athletic students with her role as a life coach and an academic counselor. She is well groomed in her career and has worked over a decade for The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and The National ...

Tati Westbrook Bio  Age, Husband & Net Worth With five videos dished out every week, alongside running her own brand, beauty guru, and YouTube superstar Tati Westbrook has proved to the world that theres utterly no impossibility or limit to whatever one is passionate about. Tati is best known for being the owner and manager of the worlds most-viewed beauty and lifestyle YouTube channel, ...

Cathy Areus Long Road to Becoming a Freelance Journalist and What to Know About Her Kids An American freelance journalist, news analyst, and author, Cathy Areu has built a lasting reputation for herself on cable television. Popular for her skillful and sassy presentation of professional views on varying topics including cultural and feminist issues, Cathy is an inspiration to many women across the globe. In addition to being a journalist, she ...

Tucker Carlsons Love Story With Wife Susan Andrews, their Children and Net Worth Today On the TV screens, Tucker Carlson is that fiery fellow who passionately dishes out his conservative and often controversial views on issues of national importance. Such brazenness has fetched him many enemies, especially on the left-wing, but it has also helped him cement a reputation as one of the foremost broadcast journalists in America. His ...

Paige Wyatts Net Worth, Boyfriend and Where She Is Now Paige Wyatt became popular after the Wyatt family began running the reality television show, American Guns. The Wyatt family comprises Rich Wyatt (father), Renee Wyatt (mother), Paige and Kurt Wyatt (children). Rich Wyatt originally ran a gun shop, the Gunsmoke Guns in Wheat Ridge, Colorado which is outside of Denver. The business which he ran together ...

The Progression of Howard Sterns Career As A Media Personality And Why He Divorced His First Wife Howard Stern is a legendary American radio host, who has also done some notable work as an actor, producer, author, as well as photographer. The radio personality achieved worldwide fame as a result of his self-titled radio program, The Howard Stern Show. As a professional radio personality, he has worked in different radio stations. Since 2006, ...

Lisa Joyners Biography  Ethnicity, Net Worth and Other Key Facts Lisa Joyner is an American Journalist, TV talk show host, and actress. Some of her well-known works are her correspondences for the Los Angeles based TV KCBS, inFANity show, Find My Family Show including her film and television appearances in Brimstone, American Sweetheart, The Bold and The Beautiful among others. Lisas passion for reconnecting people with their biological families ...

Amanda Balionis Rise Through the Ranks of Sportscasting and the Identity of Her Boyfriend Amanda Balionis is an American sportscaster currently working as a golf broadcaster for CBS Sports. Among so many of her works in the field of sports reporting, Amandas PGA Tour coverage seems to be the most popular so far. She covered the Super Bowl working with CBS Sports social media team in Atlanta, where she ...

Dissecting Charles Paynes Sexual Allegations, Its After Effects and More About His Wife Charles Payne had a respectable career as an analyst on Wall Street before he made the transition to television and became a contributor and later a host on Fox. In that time, his expertise has come under scrutiny, and he has been at the center of at least one major controversy. The major controversy in question ...

Erik Asla And Tryra Banks Split: Everything You Need To Know Tyra Banks and Erik Asla have called it quits! The couple, who began dating in 2013 and have a son named York Banks Asla, has decided to end what everybody taught was the perfect relationship. Neither person has come out to give a reason for the breakup, but what is obvious right now is that ...

What to Note About Dr Terry Dubrows Qualifications, TV Works and Marriage to Heather Kent In the realm of people that we expect to see regularly on our screens, medical doctors are closer to the bottom of the list. Aside from the fact that their work has little correlation with TV, they are presumably too busy to pursue life as TV personalities. Yet, a few of them have usurped this ...

Jessica Goch  Bio: 5 Things You Didnt Know About Ninjas Wife Jessica Goch is the Schofield-born American Social Media Influencer who has worked as a model but is now better known as a host and interviewer of prominent Electronic sports celebrities at popular gaming events/tournaments. The screen queen also serves as the manager of her famous husband Ninja aka Tyler Blevins whose exploits on Twitch and Fortnite has ...

CNNs Chris Cuomo Biography  Wife, Family & Net worth Chris Cuomo needs no elaborate introduction as he has starred graced many prominent Television cable networks and his voice has been heard through acknowledged radio shows. He is a television journalist and Lawyer who has previously worked for ABC News as Chief law and justice correspondent as well as a co-anchor on 20/20. If you still ...

Neil deGrasse Tyson  Family, Religion & Net Worth Neil deGrasse Tyson is a distinguished American astrophysicist and author who has been able to achieve so much after falling in love with astronomy at the age of 9. He has since attended and become an alumnus of prestigious universities such as Harvard, Princeton, and Columbia, and also recorded numerous achievements in his field of ...

Is Simon Cowell Gay? Does He Have A Wife or Girlfriend and Why is He Famous? Simon Cowell is a well-known talent show judge, TV producer, entrepreneur and one of the most popular TV personalities that Britain has ever produced. In conjunction with his company, Syco, Cowell is the brain behind hugely successful talent hunt shows such as The X-Factor UK, The X-Factor US, Britains Got Talent, Americas Got Talent and ...

Everything To Know About Joanna Gaines Life With Chip Gaines, Their Business Pursuits and Kids Joanna Gaines and her husband Chip Gaines became celebrities after their television show Fixer Upper began airing back in 2013. The show which was about home renovation and decoration ran for about 6 seasons with a total of 79 episodes before the couple bade farewell to it in April 2018. Apart from their appearances on ...

Who Is Larry The Cable Guy? What To Know About His Wife And Net Worth Larry the Cable Guy is a self-professed country kid renowned for his trademark Southern accent and sensational catchphrase Git-R-Done! The famous comedian who talks about anything under the sun has gone on to become one of the most memorable characters in comedy history. Join us in unearthing lesser-known facts about the former on-air-personality, standup comedy superstar, movie ...

Who Is Patrick Starr, What Is His Net Worth and Gender? The make-up industry over the years has grown to become a billion dollar industry not just because there are probably more women wearing make-up but because a whole lot of men, especially the young ones, have become bold enough to wear it unlike before. A few of these men, like Patrick Starr, have even gone ...

How Did Chris Jansing Become a Senior Correspondent at MSNBC and Who Is Her Husband? An award-winning American television news reporter and journalist, Chris Jansing has succeeded in carving a spectacular niche for herself in the field of TV journalism. Outstanding for not just her excellence in journalism, Chris is also cherished for her incredibly gorgeous looks post 60! For close to four decades, Jansing has continued to soar in her ...

Jaclyn Glenn Biography  Age, Height & Ex-Boyfriend American Youtuber, Jaclyn Glenn, rose to prominence through her self-titled YouTube channel Jaclyn Glenn. She has remained an acclaimed atheist and continues to air her views on hot issues from politics, religion, animal rights, to atheism. During the heated 2016 US Presidential elections, Glenn featured in Hump Trump: Official Donald Trump Song. Her parallel acting career ...

Is Pat Sajak Married to a Wife or is He Gay With a Partner? Pat Sajak is one of the most popular TV game show hosts in America. He commenced his career as a radio disk jockey as well as a TV weatherman before being tapped to host Wheel of Fortune, the longest-running syndicated game show in the United States. Sajak has hosted the popular game show from 1983 ...

Nayyera Haqs Bio  What To Know About Her Husband, Parents And Family Nayyera Haq can take anyone on political debates as well as discussions on social issues affecting many. Her ability to masterfully deliver her stance on every issue or political debate has made her a regular face in morning and evening news media platforms. This is not a common feat especially for someone from her kind ...

Inside Guy Fieris Family With Wife, Kids and Sister Who Died of Cancer Over the years we have seen men dominate the kitchen and churn out amazing delicacies from it. Some do it way better than their female counterparts and one of such men is Guy Ramsay Fieri  an American TV host, celebrity chef, restaurant owner, bestselling author of four culinary books, and game show host. His ...

Meet Phil Mudd of CNN  The Former CIA and FBI Exec, Is He Married, Who Is The Wife? When it comes to discussing issues surrounding terrorism, American Counterterrorism and National Security Expert, Phil Mudd, occupies a globally significant position. He has voiced his interest in the fight against terrorism and insecurity on many popular media platforms, both print and broadcast, such as CNN, BBC, CBS, MSNBC, al-Jazeera, ABC, NBC, Fox, The New York Times, ...

Jim Hoffer: Biography, Wife  Mika Brzezinski, Children and Net Worth Jim Hoffer is an Emmy Award-winning journalist who works as an investigative reporter for Eyewitness News, New York City. In his over two decades of investigative journalism, Hoffer has been at the front lines of several crucial stories from the 9/11 attack to the crash of American Flight 587 to the 2003 Blackout. On top of ...

The Ups and Downs of Erin Mcpikes Journalism Career and Other Facts About Her Personal Life Erin McPike is a journalist working for the Independent Journal Review (IJR) as a White House Correspondent but she gained widespread recognition for her coverage of general news. Whether its breaking news or some mainstream story, McPike has a reputation of baring the facts. As a journalist, her work as a White House Correspondent for Independent ...

Bert Kreischer Is Married To LeeAnn Kreischer With 2 Kids  Meet His Family Those familiar with Bert Kreischer mainly have the image of a large-bellied party man whose college life inspired the National Lampoon film, Van Wilder. It is an image that one would not naturally associate with a wholesome family. The standup comedian still maintains his wild party animal image on stage. But, back at home, he is ...

How Brendan Greene Became a Game Designer to Look Out For and Facts About His Failed Marriage The name Brendan Greene may not easily ring a bell in the larger society but for gaming enthusiasts, he is considered a god and this is because of his invention of the video game, Player Unknowns Battlegrounds, also called PUBG. Based on the popular last-man-standing/battle royale concept, Greenes creation has taken the gaming world by ...

WFAAs Sonia Azad Bio  Does The Reporter Have A Husband Or Boyfriend? Emmy Award-winning journalist and Health & Wellness reporter Sonia Azad is on the news segment News 8 Daybreak for the television station WFAA-TV in Dallas, Texas, a channel which she joined in October of 2015. Besides her time on the news, Azad is also a marathon runner and a certified yoga instructor. She has covered major news ...

This Is Everything You Should Know About Caroline Heldman, Her Career Portfolio and Other Facts Love it or hate it, there is no escaping the fact that feminism has come to stay in our world. The movement has continued to garner momentum over the years and this is due to the sustained push by several women, and even men, including the likes of Caroline Heldman. A Professor of Politics at ...

Understanding The Enigma That Is Gavin McInnes, The Controversies He Has Stirred and All About His Wife Gavin McInnes is a polemical English-born writer and TV personality, who is best known for his racist and fascist ideologies, as well as his co-ownership of Vice Media and Vice Magazine. He is also an actor a
Claflin University hosted 78 high school seniors at its "Become a Visionary Leader" open house.

"We designed this event for students with strong academic records who also aspire to become visionary leaders," said Antonio McFarland, Claflins assistant director of admissions. "The selections were largely based on grade-point averages and test scores."

The Jan. 28 event included brief presentations which provided the students and their parents with a general overview of Claflin's campus admissions, financial aid, scholarships and campus services. Students also had an opportunity to talk with current Claflin students and members of university's faculty. They also toured the campus.

Among the guests attending the program was Dr. Hector Flores, president of the South Carolina Governors School for Science and Mathematics.

"I am extremely impressed with the quality of students, staff, faculty and facilities at Claflin, Flores said. We look forward to further conversation and a path to send more GSSM graduates to Claflin in the coming years."

Claflin enrolled its first student from GSSM last fall and a second student has been accepted for the fall 2017 semester.

"This speaks to the growing reputation Claflin has earned for producing graduates from STEM programs," Claflin President Dr. Henry N. Tisdale said. We are one of the regions leading liberal arts universities but our emphasis on STEM aligns with career opportunities in todays workplace.

Of the 78 students who attended the program, 17 were out-of-state students who hailed from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, New Jersey and North Carolina.

The highlight of the program was a presentation of scholarships as students received awards ranging from $3,000 to Presidential Scholarships. Presidential Scholars receive full academic scholarships, free books and a monthly stipend.
A Bowman man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison following an assault.

James Allen Green, 33, of 503 Foliage St., Bowman, pleaded guilty last week to second-degree violent burglary and first-degree assault and battery.

Circuit Judge Maite Murphy sentenced him to 15 years in prison. He was given credit for having already served 263 days at the Orangeburg County Detention Center.

She also ordered him to obtain his GED, complete anger management therapy, complete a spousal batterers treatment program and not to have any contact with the victim.

According to his indictment, Green kicked in the front door of the victims house and then physically punched, slapped and choked the victim on May 28, 2016.

In other pleas:

A Bowman woman who admitted that she committed food stamp fraud has been ordered to pay $15,000 to the S.C. Department of Social Services.

Michelle Evelyn Jones, 28, of 621 Landsdowne Road, pleaded guilty to one count of food stamp fraud/acquisition valued more than $10,000.

According to court records, she committed the fraud between Nov. 9, 2009 and April 30, 2015.

In addition to ordering Jones to pay restitution to DSS, Murphy ordered her to complete 80 hours of public service employment and undergo random drug/alcohol testing.

Alvin Nathaniel Tayler III, 36, of 5668 Freedom Road, Branchville, pleaded guilty to third-degree domestic violence.

Murphy sentenced him to 30 days at the OCDC, suspending the balance to one year of probation.

Montarious Jamaal Sharperson, 26, of 317 Lawton Street, Orangeburg, pleaded guilty to forgery valued less than $10,000.

Murphy sentenced him to prison for two years, suspending the balance of the sentence to probation for nine months.

Murphy also ordered Sharperson to complete 30 hours of public service employment.

Freddie Deamonte Dixon Jr., 18, of 843 Byron Drive, Orangeburg, pleaded guilty to unlawful carrying of a handgun.

Murphy sentenced him to 30 days at the OCDC or a $300 fine.

Chris Tyrik Argrow Jr., 19, of 565 Maple St., Orangeburg, pleaded guilty to breaking into motor vehicles.

Murphy sentenced Argrow under the Youthful Offender Act to five years in prison, suspended to two years of probation.

She also ordered him to complete 80 hours of public service employment, receive substance abuse counseling and undergo random drug/alcohol testing.

Stacy Alana Wiggins, 44, of 635 Rivers Road, Lamar, pleaded guilty to breach of trust with fraudulent intent valued at more than $2,000 but less than $10,000.

Murphy sentenced him to prison for five years, suspending the sentence to three years of probation.

She credited him for having served time at the OCDC since Oct. 30, 2016.

Murphy ordered him to complete 80 hours of public service employment, undergo random drug/alcohol testing and pay $15,500 in restitution.

Rodnequawa Shantel Riley, 23, of 413 Langley Road, Orangeburg, pleaded guilty to forgery, valued at $10,000 or less.

Murphy sentenced Riley to five years in prison, suspending the sentence to probation for three years.

Riley must also pay $1,400 in restitution, work 80 hours in public service employment, undergo random drug/alcohol testing and not to have any contact with the victim or the facility where she lives.

Barry Olando Pettus, 48, of 724 Hayden Road, Wofford, pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree assault and battery.

Murphy sentenced him to three concurrent terms of 10 years in prison, suspending the sentence to three years of probation.

She credited him for having served 320 days at the OCDC and ordered him to continue mental health counseling.

Joseph Dayquan Colter, 23, of 1120 Wolfe Trail, Apt. 289, Orangeburg, pleaded guilty to possession of Xanax, unlawful carrying of a handgun and possession with intent to distribute marijuana.

Murphy sentenced him under the Youthful Offender Act not to exceed five years.

Colter also faced the following charges, but they were dismissed: possession with intent to distribute marijuana within close proximity to a school and possession with intent to distribute Xanax within close proximity to a school.
As a part of the Voorhees College Black History Month speaker series, Lincoln University President Dr. Kevin D. Rome Sr. will be the featured guest speaker at 11 a.m. Feb. 23 in Massachusetts Hall.

Rome became president of Lincoln University in 2013 after serving as the vice chancellor for student affairs and enrollment management at North Carolina Central University for five years.

He served as the assistant dean of students at the University of Texas at Austin, assistant vice chancellor at Indiana University, vice president of campus life at Clayton State University and vice president for student services at his alma mater, Morehouse.

He earned a bachelors degree in English from Morehouse College and a masters degree in college student personnel with an emphasis in counseling from the University of Georgia. Rome earned a doctorate degree in higher education administration from the University of Texas at Austin.

Voorhees President Dr. W. Franklin Evans said he is confident that Rome will captivate the students through his message.

Dr. Rome has served in multiple student-oriented capacities over the span of his career. His training has given him the tools to communicate and relate to students. It is my hope that our students will be motivated and inspired from his speech to strive for higher academic greatness, Evans said.
A key component to President Donald Trumps pledge to make America great again is to make our infrastructure stronger than ever. While weve spent about a trillion dollars on infrastructure during the last seven years, America is ranked No. 11 among the nations of the world. Trump is right: This is an abomination, and it needs to be fixed immediately.

After eight years of federal stimulus programs and claims of shovel-ready jobs, many understandably view federal spending projects with suspicion. Trumps plan, however, appears to be vastly different from the various federal spending projects passed during the presidencies of Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama. Rather than rely on federal taxpayer outlays, the Trump plan will rely mostly on private investment to rebuild Americas crumbling infrastructure.

Libertarian economist Robert Poole of the Reason Foundation says Trump wants to treat infrastructure like a public utility. Poole has mentioned three infrastructure plans proposed by advisers to Trump, including a $1 trillion plan for an investor-funded P3 infrastructure contained in a 10-page report written by Wilbur Ross and Peter Navarro. The plan derives much of the funding from user fees, rather than tax revenues, and would quite effectively fund infrastructure projects such as toll-based bridges and highways, airports, seaports, electricity transmission lines, as well as water and wastewater systems.

Trumps transportation secretary, Elaine Chao, a critic of the Obama stimulus spending approach, agrees with the infrastructure building ideas proposed by Trump advisers. During her confirmation hearings, Chao expressed skepticism about the traditional big government approach of rebuilding infrastructure via large spending bills, and supporting ideas involving private funding and public-private partnerships for infrastructure rebuilding.

Many ideas likely to become part of the Trump administrations infrastructure policy are highlighted in a recent article by Michael Sargent of the Heritage Foundation. Reducing red tape and delays in permitting as well as reforming environmental review policies will speed the process of gaining approval for major infrastructure projects.

Additionally, reforming cost and discriminatory labor rules will save a lot of money on projects. Under federal policy enacted by an Obama executive order, federal contractors must operate under Project Labor Agreements on federally funded projects. This drives up costs by nearly 20 percent because it requires contractors to hire union-only labor. This, along with the Davis-Bacon Act, which mandates that contractors pay 22 percent higher wages than market average, forces much higher labor costs for infrastructure projects.

Infrastructure policy will be just one of many areas where Donald Trump brings an entirely different approach to the federal government. Knowing that we have nearly $20 trillion in national debt, and that it is important to seriously address out-of-control federal spending, Trump will rebuild our nations infrastructure in an innovative way that will rake in $167 billion from the private sector.

The president knows that strongly rebuilt infrastructure is needed to make America great again, but that reducing federal spending is also imperative. His infrastructure plan will accomplish both and help to bring about the strong economic prosperity that we need and deserve.
Donald Trump wants to move forward on a big increase in infrastructure spending. But  in typical Washington fashion  the spending debate may soon overshadow the original purpose of that spending: making it easy for Americans to get from point A to point B, and thus to make a better living.

Surprisingly, the most effective, economical solution isnt always more roads (and the short-term economic bounce they bring). Its the unpopular, yet highly effective, variable toll system.

Politicians, including Trump, often tout the job-creating aspects of transportation infrastructure spending. While it is certainly true that building a highway or a bridge generates construction and engineering jobs in the short-term, the long-term benefit of transportation infrastructure investment can be attributed to the greater mobility the highways and bridges provide.

Greater mobility results in better job matches, lower business costs and faster product deliveries to customers. This increases productivity, an essential driver of business expansion and economic growth. Greater mobility allows workers to cast a broader job-search net. Workers are no longer constrained to look for jobs near their residence. Not only do they have more jobs to choose from, but employers have a larger pool of prospective employees to pick from. The result is better job matches.

Better job matches lead to more productive employees, resulting in higher wages, greater employee job satisfaction, and more profitable businesses. More productive job matches promote business expansion and faster economic growth. Furthermore, since many jobs have moved from the central city to suburbs, increased mobility makes it easier for residents in the inner city to find jobs, expanding opportunities for lower-income residents.

Higher levels of mobility can also improve business profitability by reducing the need to maintain high levels of inventories. Businesses hold inventories so that they can meet unexpected increases in customer demand. However, funds tied up in inventories have alternative uses that could earn a positive return. Greater mobility allows firms to take advantage of just-in-time deliveries. Firms save money by maintaining lower inventories yet are still able to satisfy customer demand, raising profitability. In addition, greater mobility reduces the time and dollar costs of getting final products to retailers. Consumers benefit from the increase in available product variety.

In urban areas, congestion is often the biggest impediment to maintaining transportation mobility. Adding more lanes to congested highways is the most common policy directed at this problem. Unfortunately, while new investment expands the capacity of the system, it may fail to keep a lid on congestion as more drivers use the highway over time.

Another problem with the costly building approach is that decision-making is highly political, so funds are often spent in areas where the return is low, rather than directing funds to the fastest-growing communities. Every state wants its share, whether it makes sense or not.

The only way to control congestion and maintain mobility is to change the way we price highways and bridges. While unpopular, variable tolls have proven to be effective. These can be charged during peak usage times, providing an incentive to shift less essential car trips to off-peak hours, car pools or mass transit. To appease voters who do not want yet another tax, variable tolls can be substituted for fuel taxes, which take a significant (and often unnoticed) bite out of commuters budgets.

In order to achieve widespread use of tolls, federal regulations need to be modified to allow tolling on all highways. This means, in order to begin making use of the superior highway technology at our disposal, Congress would need to remove all remaining restrictions on tolling federally funded highways and bridges.

The real value of transportation systems is in promoting mobility and, therefore, economic activity. There is a proven, cost-effective way to do this, but it requires political willpower and an ability to sell people on ideas that may not initially be popular.
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SINGAPORE  Thomson Reuters today announced the official opening of Thomson Reuters Labs  Singapore. The Lab will collaborate with the government, customers, tech startups and universities to build partnerships and create innovative products and solutions for professional markets throughout the Asia Pacific region. The Singapore Lab is the first branch in Asia to open as part of Thomson Reuters Labs growing global network, joining locations in Boston, Cape Town, London, Waterloo (Canada) and Zurich.

Located in Singapores central business district at One Raffles Quay, the Lab opening was officiated by Sopnendu Mohanty, Chief Fintech Officer, Monetary Authority Singapore (MAS) and will support Thomson Reuters financial & risk, tax & accounting and legal businesses across Asia Pacific.

Thomson Reuters Labs enable lean experimentation with advanced data analytics and machine intelligence to solve global challenges for customers. Specifically, the Labs provide capabilities across the many disciplines that constitute data science, delivering data exploration tools, dashboards, visualizations and proof-of-concept applications.

Mona Vernon, Vice President, Thomson Reuters Labs, commented, Located in global innovation ecosystems, we engage with our clients, entrepreneurs and academics to invent and test emerging technologies that will define the future of knowledge work. Building a Lab in Singapore was a critical next step due to the governments commitment to the innovation economy.

Sanjeev Chatrath, Managing Director, Financial & Risk, Asia Pacific at Thomson Reuters, added, Singapore is one of the worlds most innovative cities thanks to its focus on collaboration between corporations, government, financial institutions, regulators, and academia. With our established footprint across Asia and a strong presence in Singapore, the new Lab will serve as a hub for growing our innovation efforts and fostering co-innovation with our customers and partners within the region. Thomson Reuters remains focused on helping our customers in Asia navigate current global uncertainties and an increasingly complex business world through agile prototyping, leveraging our market leading assets, and deep, proven content.

Kiren Kumar, Assistant Managing Director, Infocomms and Media, Singapore Economic Development Board, said, We welcome Thomson Reuters into our fast-growing digital innovation ecosystem, and are glad that the Singapore Data and Innovation Lab is collaborating with various partners to create new products for the region and beyond. We are also pleased that the Lab presents exciting career opportunities in data science, software development and user experience design.

To learn more about Thomson Reuters Labs, and data innovation at the company, visit labs.thomsonreuters.com.

Thomson Reuters

Thomson Reuters is the worlds leading source of news and information for professional markets. Our customers rely on us to deliver the intelligence, technology and expertise they need to find trusted answers. The business has operated in more than 100 countries for more than 100 years. Thomson Reuters shares are listed on the Toronto and New York Stock Exchanges. For more information, visit www.thomsonreuters.com.

CONTACT

Silke Marsh

Thomson Reuters

Head of PR, Financial & Risk, Asia Pacific

Tel: +61 404 763 797

Email: silke.marsh@thomsonreuters.com
By Azernews





By Nigar Abbasova

Azerbaijan Deposit Insurance Fund (ADIF) has so far paid compensations worth over 725.53 million manats ($418.13 million) to depositors of the recently closed Dekabank, Kredobank, Zaminbank, Parabank, Caucasus Development Bank, AtraBank, Bank of Azerbaijan, Ganjabank, Texnikabank and Bank Standard.

Banks Volume of paid compensations (million manats/ million USD) Volume of the insured deposits (million manats/ million USD) Bank Standard 435.313 ($250.872) 460 ($265.1) Zaminbank 54.356 ($31.325) 60 ($34.57) Dekabank 3.086 ($1.778) 5.59 ($3.22) Kredobank 27.771 ($16.05) 30.21 ($ 17.41) Caucasus Development Bank 1.974 ($1.137) 2 ($1.15) Atrabank 14.280 ($ 8.229) 14.55 ($8.38) Bank of Azerbaijan 24.161 ($13.924) 24.2 ($13.94) Gandjabank 0.976 ($ 0.562) 1 ($0.57) Texnikabank 120.433 ($69.405) 122.6 ($70.65) Parabank 43.175 ($24.881) 43.79 ($25.23)

The licenses of all the banks were revoked in 2016, as their assets were not classified in line with the law, and they didnt create adequate reserves and their aggregate capital did not meet the minimum requirements.

Some 32 banks are currently implementing their activities in the country.
By Azernews





By Amina Nazarli

Novruz Bayram, the most anticipated and favorite holiday solemnly celebrated in Azerbaijan with the arrival of spring, is just around the corner.

Novruz is celebrated each year on March 21, when the sun enters the sign of Aries on the astrological calendar. In the northern hemisphere, this date frequently coincides with the spring equinox, the day on which the number of daylight hours equals the number of nighttime hours. On our modern Gregorian calendar, the spring equinox varies from March 19 to March 21.

Being the oldest festival of spring its celebrated for more than 3,000 years in the Caucasus, the Balkans, the Black Sea basin, Central Asia and Near East.

Azerbaijanis and many other peoples throughout the world are happy to meet the warm spring and forget all about the gloom of winter.

Preparation for the holiday begins with Water Tuesday, or as it is known here, Su Chershenbesi, which will be celebrated on February 21 this year.

It is one of the four Tuesdays, each of which is dedicated to the awakening of one of the natural elements called Su Chershenbesi (Water Tuesday), Od Chershenbesi (Fire Tuesday) Hava Chershenbesi (Wind Tuesday) and Torpaq Chershenbesi (Earth or Last Tuesday).

Each of Chershenbe has its own rites. Since ancient times, on Water Tuesday young girls go to the river and other sources to bring some water.

With approaching Water Tuesday water renews. Snow on the slopes begins to melt and rush to rivers. People clean their houses with water on this day. There is also a tradition to jump over streams, which still exists in different regions of the country.

It is no coincidence that the first Tuesday prior to Novruz is associated with water, as water is the main source of life. Water awakens the nature and life on earth is impossible without water.

Rich with different traditions, Novruz has many symbols including lighting bonfires on all of the four Tuesdays, placing hats at the door in anticipation of nuts and Novruz sweets - such as shekerbura, pakhlava and gogal, as well as colored eggs and cultivated Semeni, sprouted wheat in a bowl, which is considering an essential feature of the festival.

The joyful, merry holiday of Novruz, having a lot of customs, ceremonies, performances, games and songs, also traditionally mark a large tourist flow to Azerbaijan from the neighboring countries.
By Azernews





Azerbaijan is proud to become one of the worlds centers of multiculturalism, said President Ilham Aliyev at The Fault Lines of Eurasia panel discussion at the Munich Security Conference.

Azerbaijan for centuries was a country, area, where civilizations met and today we preserve our historical heritage, and we are proud to become one of the worlds centers of multiculturalism, noted the president.

Geographical location, at the same time, good relations with the neighbors allowed us to become a very reliable partner in the region, which introduces initiatives which serve the best benefit of the peoples who live in our region, said President Aliyev.

Our policy is aimed at strengthening the cooperation first of all with our neighbors, at the same time, with Muslim world, we are part of the Muslim world, and with Europe, added the head of state.

We are one of the very few countries, which are members of Islamic Cooperation Organization and Council of Europe at the same time. In 2015, we organized the first, inaugural European Games, this year we will host Islamic Solidarity Games. So this actually shows our intentions, noted the president. And we contribute a lot to the dialogue of civilizations and cultures.
By Trend

Mehriban Aliyeva, who has been appointed the First Vice President of Azerbaijan, thanked President Ilham Aliyev for the high confidence in her, Azerbaijans AzTV channel reported.

Addressing a meeting of the Security Council, held under the chairmanship of President Aliyev on February 21, Mrs. Aliyeva stressed that she realizes the seriousness of the responsibility she was entrusted being appointed to this position.

Mr. President, I express my deep gratitude to you for this high confidence in me, she said. I believe that I will be able to justify this confidence shown by you, Mr. President, and all the people who believe in me, said Mehriban Aliyeva.

I thank you for your remarks and appreciation of my activity. It is a great honor to deserve such an appreciation, she added. Your assistance and your support stand behind each success and each achievement you have mentioned.

Over the past years, your statehood ideas, your patriotism, your faithful, volitional and bold protection of interests of the Azerbaijani state, and your unity with people and with the Azerbaijani nation have been an example for me and for all the people working with me, have been a model directing our activity, she said.

We are proud that we have been able to make our contribution, even the smallest one, to the recent years positive trends, changes, development in our country, to elevation of Azerbaijans authority on international arena, added Mrs. Aliyeva.

I am sure that a person, irrespective of the position, when choosing a path and a profession, a person should approach work, labor with conscience, should set clear goals and try to achieve them. A persons words and deeds should be in line with each other, she said.

Azerbaijans First Vice President noted that the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, headed by her, has for 13 years based its activity on the principles of humanism.

Over the recent years, we have implemented a number of large scale projects. We actively participate in Azerbaijans social and political life, we realize infrastructure projects. In the meantime, we have never been indifferent to problems of individuals over these 13 years, said Mehriban Aliyeva. To communicate with people, to listen to them, to help those in need, and to provide moral support is the direct responsibility of each employee of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and, I believe, the main duty and responsibility of all the people working in state bodies.

Humanity, compassion, mutual respect and kindness should not be forgotten in our everyday activity. By holding these moral values high, it is possible to achieve the grand victories and to reach the heights,

Mr. President, members of the Security Council, I assure you that I will try to build my future activity based on these principles, I will hold the interests of our country and nation above everything else, she said. I will worthily serve for Azerbaijan.

Once again, I express my deep gratitude to you for the confidence in me, added Mehriban Aliyeva.
By Azernews





By Laman Ismayilova

Azerbaijans capital city Baku and Belorussian Bobruisk can become twin cities in the near future, as the issue was discussed during Azerbaijani Ambassador Latif Gandilovs visit to the city.

Our countries enjoy trusted relations. The positions of Belarus and Azerbaijan coincide on many issues. You are one of those who were able to retain, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, what you had and reach a whole new level of development," said Gandilov during meeting with the city officials.

Gandilov added that he, as Ambassador, will make every effort for the development of relations between two countries.

In turn, Chairman of Bobruisk City Council of Deputies Mikhail Jeludev stressed that Azerbaijan and Belarus will have new possibilities.

"It is very important to find more common points. The formation of twinning relations is a serious step. We have big plans", he added.

The city's leadership also invited Azerbaijani side to take part in the international festival of folk arts "Wreath of Friendship" and in celebration of the anniversary of Bobruisk.

The parties also discussed prospects of cooperation in industry, mechanical engineering and agriculture.

Baku is a wonderful city on the shores of the Caspian Sea. Centuries-long history is reflected in its medieval landmarks, where the special place is given to the Old city called Icherisheher. On the other hand, it is a fast-growing megapolis with glittering skyscrapers and unusual architectural monuments of the 21st century. Oriental past and hi tech future is entwined in the way that it gives an impression of taking a journey through time.

The biggest attraction of Baku is Boulevard that stretches many kilometers along the shores of the Caspian Sea. There are different kinds of attractions in the surroundings of Baku as well. The most ancient one is the Gobustan Museum of Petroglyphs not far from another landmark  mud volcanoes. Another interesting touristy spots are fire monuments, flaming hill of Yanardag, temple of fire worshippers Ateshgah and the historical-ethnographic museum of Gala.

Bobruisk is very developing and prosperous town of Belarus. A monument to the Beaver is a symbol of the city of Bobruisk (in ancient times beaver hunting was the main activity of local people).

Besides, the Bobruisk Fortress is an outstanding defense installation, one of the best surviving specimens of fortification architecture of the first half of the 19th century.

In the early 1840s the Bobruisk citadel  the elder sister of the Brest Fortress  was the most inaccessible fortress in the Russian Empire and one of the best-equipped defense installations in Europe. The fortress witnessed the War of 1812, the Decembrist revolt, the Great Patriotic War.








By Azernews





By Rashid Shirinov

Azerbaijans state communication operator Aztelekom is testing a new Secure Internet Service, stipulating provision of filtering service for users to secure from undesirable Internet content.

This content filtering service allows to protect children from the influence of inappropriate sites by limiting their access to certain content, namely, web pages containing adult content, gambling, profanity, information promoting violence, etc, the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technology reported on February 20.

The service is not limited to ensuring the safety of children and the younger generation from the negative impact of the global network, but also provides security against viruses, phishing, and etc. Users are given access only to trusted Internet sites, which were filtered and have only useful information.

The user may at any time activate and deactivate the filtering of Internet content. In addition, there is also possibility to create "white" and "black" lists and include appropriate content in them, which also allows to restrict access to unwanted information.

Currently, the Secure Internet Service is launched in test mode in the telecommunication nodes of nine Azerbaijani regions  Absheron peninsula, Imishli, Naftalan, Goychay, Shirvan, Lankaran, Gabala, Oghuz and Hajigabul.

In the near future, the service will be extended to other parts of the country as well.

As for Baku, the Secure Internet service is carried out here by Baku Telephone Communications Production Union and is available for users of BakinterNet Internet service provider.

In Azerbaijan, with over 9.6 million people, about 77 percent of the population has an internet connection.

Earlier, the Teaching and Innovation Center of the Institute of Information Technologies of ANAS reported it will create a center of child safety on the Internet. The Center will be engaged in an intellectual analysis of the obtained information, thus playing an important role in solving this problem.








This post is prompted by a number of things that have left me pondering how as Christians we are to bring about change in our churches. When we strongly b...

7 years ago
Dubai Financial Market Company has launched its investor relations application, which allows users to easily access the companys financial information and various updates through their hand-held devices.



Available in both Arabic and English, the application features key information about the company, updated and historical data of share price, annual and quarterly reports, IR Calendar and Press releases. Investors can also set the Push notifications function to instantly receive updates as soon company news, disclosures and any other new content are posted.



The app will further enhance investor communication; further reinforce transparency level and provides investors with instant access to necessary information to take well-informed investment decisions. Investors can download the application by searching for DFM IR APP on Apple Store as well as android application stores.  TradeArabia News Service
Swisslog Warehouse & Distribution Solutions, a leading automation expert for robot-based and data driven intralogistics solutions, is introducing SynQ, the next generation of its proven warehouse management software platform.



As the next generation of software beyond Swisslogs WM 6, SynQ  short for Synchronized Intelligence  is a flexible and adaptable cloud-enabled software that intelligently connects and synchronizes automation equipment, robotics, people and processes.



The softwares ability to adapt to future technology will see users benefit from a future-proof operation, where additional functionality can be securely added, helping businesses capitalize on the opportunities emerging as Industry 4.0 evolves.



SynQ provides the software platform that future hardware will rely on, says Swisslogs Tim Eick, VP Software and Controls Development. To get the most out of automation and robotics we are increasingly reliant on data and interconnectivity. Its what is driving Industry 4.0 forward and allows users to deliver on promises to customers in the smartest way possible.



As a best-in-class intralogistics software platform, SynQ enables insights, optimization and agility in storage and distribution operations. It represents a new approach that advances Swisslogs proven warehouse management software without leaving current users behind.



SynQ not only encompasses warehouse management, material flow and automation control systems functionality, it also provides an array of business intelligence tools that allow smart forecasting through real-time data analysis, in a modular platform.



While SynQ represents a new approach to warehouse management software, it retains the core technology and functionality of our WM 6 warehouse management software, says Tim Eick. Were upgrading deployment options such as cloud and fog capabilities while ensuring field-proven performance and upgradability / semi-automated upgrade paths for our existing WM 6 customers. We as well have created migration tools for our older legacy customers.



SynQ functionality, services and crucial supporting processes are organized around three pillars: Collaboration Platform, Operational Services and Intelligence Services, explains Tim Eick. Collaboration Platform modules provide continuity no matter the level of automation the business has installed, while Operational Services deliver industry-standard processes and high-speed automation for maximum performance. Finally, Intelligent Services allow smart growth in a dynamically changing market.



Extendable Directors as well as independent or integrated extendable Managers allow SynQs integration with ERP or third party WMS software as well as new or existing material handling equipment. Directors and managers expose networked interfaces which facilitate embedding intelligence throughout the entire operation. The result is a synchronized flow of products and information across people, processes and equipment to enable new levels of

material handling performance.



The capabilities of SynQ directly correspond with the direction Swisslog is headed as digitization and Industry 4.0 advances, said Dr. Christian Baur, CEO of Swisslogs Warehouse and Distribution Solutions division. Together with the common functionality for warehousing and material flow control, the SynQ platform offers operational processes specific to our focus segments  E-commerce/Retail, Automotive, Food & Beverage and Pharmaceutical.



"In todays competitive world, companies must be able to deliver the right orders to the right customers at the right time. As a full-service provider of automated intralogistics systems, Swisslog provides everything companies need to optimize logistics from planning through implementation and acting as a lifetime partner," stated Dr Baur.



"We are looking forward to shaping the future of intralogistics through a new era of flexible, robotic and data-driven automated solutions that create exceptional customer value," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
MBDA, a leading European developer and manufacturer of missiles, has been awarded a contract by the UAE Navy to supply additional Marte MK2/N anti-ship missiles.



UK-based MBDA was formed in 2011 through a merger of French Aerospatiale-Matra Missiles, Italian Alenia Marconi Systems and British Matra BAe Dynamics. A major global player, it works with over 90 armed forces worldwide.



The UAE project win is a follow on to the initial contract signed in February 2009 for the supply of Marte missiles, said a top official from the company.



"I am delighted that the UAE has confirmed the trust placed in us for its defence requirements," remarked Antoine Bouvier, the chief executive of MBDA.



"MBDA is one of the countrys leading defence suppliers and will continue to show our long-standing commitment and support for the UAE Armed Forces," he stated.



Available with a variety of launcher configurations, Marte MK 2/N are able to strike targets at ranges in excess of 30 km, flying a fire-and-forget sea-skimming profile using mid-course inertial guidance and active radar homing, explained Bouvier.



Pasquale Di Bartolomeo, MBDAs executive group director strategy and managing director of MBDA Italia, said this new contract win reaffirms MBDA's pre-eminence in the anti-ship sector.



"It is a clear proof of the technology leadership of the Marte missile family that, over the years, has continued to be competitive and able to respond to increasing customer requirements, thanks to its modular design," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Android are being exposed to a new malicious app imitating Adobe Flash Player that serves as a potential entrance for many types of dangerous malware, said Eset, a leader in the antivirus industry.



The application, detected by Eset security software as Android/TrojanDownloader.Agent.JI, tricks its victims into granting it special permissions in the Android accessibility menu and uses these to download and execute additional malware of the attackers choice.



According to Esets analysis, the Trojan targets devices running Android, including the latest versions. It is distributed via compromised websites, including social media sites. Under the pretense of safety measures, the websites lure users into downloading a fake Adobe Flash Player update. If the victim falls for the legitimate-looking update screen and runs the installation, they have more deceptive screens to look forward to.



How does it work?



The next phony screen pops up following successful installation, claiming too much consumption of energy and urging the user to turn on a fake Saving Battery mode. Like most malicious pop ups, the message wont stop appearing until the victim gives in and agrees to enable the service. This opens the Android Accessibility menu, showing a list of services with accessibility functions.



Among the legitimate ones, a new service (created by the malware during installation) named Saving battery appears. The service then requests permissions to monitor users actions, Retrieve window content and Turn on Explore by Touch  all crucial for future malicious activity, enabling the attacker to mimic the users clicks and select anything displayed on users screen.



Once the service is enabled, the fake Flash Player icon hides from the user. However, in the background, the malware is busy contacting its C&C server and providing it with information about the attacked device. The server responds with a URL leading to a malicious app of the cybercriminals choice  in the detected case, a banking malware (though it could be any malware ranging from adware through spyware, and on to ransomware). After acquiring the malicious link, the compromised device displays a bogus lock screen with no option to close it, covering the ongoing malicious activity beneath it.



This is when the permission to mimic the users clicks comes in handy  the malware is now free to download, install, execute and activate device administrator rights for additional malware without the users consent, all while remaining unseen under the fake lock screen. After the apps secret shenanigans are done, the overlay screen disappears and the user is able to resume using their mobile device  now compromised by the downloaded malware.



Has my device been infected? How do I clean it?



If users think that they might have installed this fake Flash Player update in the past, they can easily verify by checking for Saving Battery under Services in the Accessibility menu. If listed under the services, their device may very well be infected.



Denying the service its permissions will only bring users back to the first pop up screen and will not get rid of Android/TrojanDownloader.Agent.JI.



To remove the downloader, try manually uninstalling the app from Settings -> Application Manager -> Flash-Player.



In some instances, the downloader also requests the user to activate Device administrator rights. If that turns out to be the case and user cant uninstall the app, deactivate the administrator rights by going to Settings -> Security -> Flash-Player and then proceed with uninstalling.



Even after doing so, the device might still be infected by countless malicious apps installed by the downloader. To make sure the device is clean, ESET recommends using a reputable mobile security app, such as ESET Mobile Security & Antivirus, as a hassle-free way to detect and remove threats.



How to stay safe



To avoid dealing with the consequences of nasty mobile malware, prevention is always the key. Apart from sticking to trustworthy websites, there are a couple more things users can do to stay safe.



If downloading apps or updates on browser, always check the URL address to make sure its installing from the intended source. In this particular case, the only safe place to get Adobe Flash Player update is from the official Adobe website.



After running anything installed on a mobile device, pay attention to what permissions and rights it requests. If an app asks for permissions that dont seem adequate to its function, dont enable these without double checking.



Last but not least, even if all else fails, a reputable mobile security solution will protect your device from active threats.  TradeArabia News Service
Giffin Graphics, Heidelberg, Kodak and Xerox are the latest print industry heavyweights to sign up to exhibit at 2017, the regions leading business-to-business event in Dubai, UAE.



Already set to be 10 percent larger than 2015s show, Gulf Print & Pack will be held at Dubais World Trade Centre from March 26 - 29.



Other confirmed exhibitors already announced include AFRA, Ali Alhashemi Trading Co, Bobst, Canon, Heliozid and Prestige Graphics. First-time exhibitors debuting at the show include Barberan, Holoprint Security Solutions, Imaging Care, Konica Minolta, PACFORT Packaging and Sun Papers & Labels.



The upcoming edition of Gulf Print & Pack will again focus on the latest technologies and solutions for the commercial and package printing sector and will highlight new advances and trends in presses, ink systems, 3D printing, smart labels and packaging, web-to-print software, product decoration, security and transactional materials.



Michael Hodge, sales director of Gulf Print & Pack said: Trade shows are a great barometer for business confidence and we are extremely pleased to announce yet more industry leaders will be returning to exhibit this March. The economic outlook for the Middle Easts print industry is very positive with data from Smithers Pira forecasting the markets value to reach $24 billion this year. With a bigger show floor and wealth of new product launches due to be unveiled, we expect print buyers to again have access to the best print technology in the country and for exhibitors order books to be full with quality leads.- TradeArabia News Service
Russia has signed a large contact on the delivery of T-90MS main battle tanks to a Middle East country and plans to close a deal with another foreign customer soon, Russian news agency Tass reported, citing a senior government official.



"A large-scale contract was signed with a Middle East country in December. Another contract on this type of military output is expected to be signed soon," Russias Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov said at the Idex 2017 international defence exhibition in Abu Dhabi, UAE without specifying the country.



The T-90MS tank was tested over two years in several Mideast countries, the minister added.



Deputy director of Russias Federal Service for Military and Technical Cooperation Alexei Frolkin told Tass earlier on Monday that Russia was holding talks with some Mideast states on the sale of T-90MS tanks.



Russias defence manufacturer Uralvagonzavod CEO Oleg Siyenko has said the T-90MS has large prospects on the Mideast arms market, said the Tass report.



The armoured vehicle has successfully passed tests in Kuwait, he added.
Harris Corporation, a leading US defence contractor and technology innovator, has secured a two-year contract to provide an integrated battle management system (BMS) to the UAE Armed Forces.



The $189 million contract was received during the first quarter of Harris' fiscal 2017.



As per the deal, the Harris system will provide the UAE with initial operational capabilities as the country implements enhanced battlefield management solutions.



The contract was issued under the Emirates Command & Control System (ECCS) Land Tactical System (ELTS) program, a major C4ISR program that will integrate, coordinate and maximize the combined efficiency of UAE Armed Forces assets.



This Land Tactical System project represents a major milestone in the advancement of battlefield management and staff function capabilities for the UAE Armed Forces, remarked Ed Zoiss, president, Harris Electronic Systems.



"It will help ensure that the UAE Land Forces brigades are equipped to succeed on the modern battlefield," he stated.



According to him, Harris Battlefield Management Systems offer military customers a cutting-edge, continuous operations platform for situational awareness and staff functions.



"Through a combination of sophisticated technology and high-value systems integration services, military users can effectively track hostile and blue forces, develop and execute tactical operations and integrate personnel, intelligence, local weather, planning, and other data into battlefield operations," he added.



A major player in the global defence sector, Harris works in three business segments: communication systems, space and intelligence systems and electronic systems. It supports government and commercial customers in more than 100 countries and has approximately $6 billion in annual revenue.-TradeArabia News Service
Tripbam, the hotel rate shopping service innovator, and TrustYou, the worlds largest guest feedback platform, have announced a strategic partnership between the companies.



The agreement will allow Tripbam to provide summarised review content from TrustYou, via both TrustScore Widgets and Meta-Reviews, to clients and their travelers.



In addition, the partnership will support Tripbam in furthering its mission of providing corporations, hotels, travel agencies, and travellers with a hotel shopping service that helps keep hotel costs low, increase traveller compliance, and improve negotiated hotel programs.



TrustYous review data will supplement the content that companies and travellers receive through Tripbams email notifications. TrustYous TrustScore  an independent, trusted rating calculated from all verified online reviews worldwide  will be incorporated into the emails. An embedded link will lead the traveller to TrustYous full Meta-Review of the respective hotel, showing the ratings for different categories and traveller types, including business travellers. Tripbam email notifications alert clients of lower rates, alternative hotel offerings at a better price among preferred properties, or better offers within predefined hotel clusters. Email notification type and frequency are set up depending on client defined parameters.



TrustYous easy to use, yet detailed, hotel review data will greatly benefit our clients, particularly those that utilize our cluster technology, said Steve Reynolds, Tripbam CEO. When asking a traveller to switch between properties, whether within the preferred program or the predefined cluster, accurate reviews are essential to ensure a positive traveller experience. The depth of TrustYous data will allow travelers and travel arrangers to make better informed decisions.



Michael Menzel, vice president Strategic Partnership added: We are very excited to cooperate with TRIPBAM, a very promising company in the business travel sector with a unique technology behind it. This is an important step for TrustYou towards the further establishment of review data integration in the business travel sector. The selective options of Meta-Review data outline the preferences, needs and demands for different travel types, one of them being business travellers. This is not only relevant to hotels to meet the expectations of business travellers, but also for companies to make the right choices of accommodations for their employees. - TradeArabia News Service
Airbus and Al Bayt Mitwahid, the initiative founded by the employees of the Crown Prince Court of Abu Dhabi, today unveiled a joint initiative to encourage bright Emirati students to discover, explore and choose a career path within the aerospace industry.



The programme, called Future Scientists, aims to inspire and ignite a passion for Stem (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) innovation among young Emiratis. It seeks to build a world-class UAE talent pool that the global aerospace industry can ultimately attract, nurture and retain.



A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), underlining the programme objectives, was signed today at IDEX, between Saif Al Qubaisi, chairman of Al Bayt Mitwahid Associations; and Mikail Houari, president, Airbus Africa and Middle East.



Future Scientists will provide up to 21 Emirati high-school students the opportunity to discover the aeronautics industry over a period of three years. Through engaging and hands-on sessions, participants will have the chance to learn about best industry practices, get exposed to real-life aerospace challenges and receive mentorship and advice on a career path within the industry.



The programme also includes activities such as industrial site visits in Europe and the UAE, regular classroom sessions with industry experts and access to regional and global aerospace events. At the end of the programme, the students will receive an internship at Airbus or its industry partners facilities in the UAE and an opportunity to work alongside seasoned professionals.



The Future Scientists initiative firmly asserts the importance of investing in our youth who are our future, said Al Qubaisi. "It supports the nations Vision 2021 and UAE innovation strategy, and aims to build a leading Emirati workforce that is capable of taking the UAEs aerospace industry to greater heights.



We value our collaboration with Airbus and are confident that this initiative will empower and provide the right foundation for the young Emirati to dream big and turn it into reality, added Al Qubaisi.



Airbus portfolio of talent and capacity building global and regional initiatives such as the Fly Your Ideas, The Airbus Little Engineer and Entaliq with Airbus, demonstrates its commitment to the future of aviation. These programmes aim to stretch students imagination and apply their classroom learning and research into real-life practice.



Mikail Houari, president, Airbus Africa and Middle East, said: The aerospace industry thrives on innovation and it is our privilege to work closely with the local governments and inspire young minds to embrace Stem subjects for a better tomorrow.



The Future Scientists programme will offer a creative learning environment, but more importantly, it will instil a pioneering spirit and prepare the Emirati youth to disrupt and transform the global aerospace sector in the near future. - TradeArabia News Service
Help Yourself

St. Mark's hosts Financial Peace

St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 7th and Wolcott, will have classes on money management, using the Financial Peace plan, starting Feb. 28. The classes will run from to April 25, 2017 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., on Tuesdays at the church. To register, please contact Dorothy Brown at 377-3508 or via e-mail Wyo_nana@yahoo.com, or call the church at 234-0831.

Better Breathers meet

Ammar Hussieno, M.D., will be the first guest presenter at the new Better Breathers Club support group at the Nerd Health and Wellness Center. The first meeting will be 3:30 to 5 p.m., Thursday at the Nerd Health and Wellness Center at Wyoming Medical Center, 1233 E. Second St.

Dr. Hussieno, a pulmonologist with Casper Pulmonary and medical director of WMC's Pulmonary Rehab program, will talk about Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), followed by a question-and-answer session.

Designed by the American Lung Association, the Better Breathers Club is a support group for patients with chronic lung diseases and their caregivers. It offers tools and encouragement for managing COPD, pulmonary fibrosis, asthma, lung cancer and other chronic lung disorders. It is locally facilitated by the Nerd Health and Wellness Center.

The club meets on the fourth Thursday of every month and offers presentations on exercise, breathing techniques, supplemental oxygen, general medication education, among other topics. For questions or to sign up for the Better Breathers Club, call 577-2929.

Teen Challenge spring groups

Smart Step Families: Putting two families together is never easy. Challenges arise with parenting, working with co-parents, resistance to the new marriage and having the time and energy to deal with all the challenges that may arise. The Smart Step Families, led by a Christian couple, will give answers and encouragement. Thursday evenings starting in March. Call Pastor Mark or Linda at 259-1081.

Insight: Discovering the path to Christian character, especially in the midst of stress. For more information, call Teen Challenge Wyoming at 258-5397. There are nine sessions to the class.

Professionals in Recovery: An ongoing Christian recovery group. For more information, call Gary at 267-7777.

Free to Grow: Helping people overcome disappointments and setbacks that have arrested or are presently hindering their emotional and spiritual development. Starts in February and meets on Thursdays. For more information, call Jane at 797-7271 or Judy at 251-5644. There are 12 sessions to the class.

Peacemaking: In this world of division and conflict, its important for Christians to stay grounded in what the bible teaches about resolving differences with others in a God- honoring way. Sunday at 4 p.m. For more information, call Teen Challenge Wyoming at 258-5397. There are 12 sessions to the class.

Stepping into Freedom: A Christ-centered 12-step program that offers support for anyone struggling with a life controlling problem like drug addiction, alcoholism, sexual addiction, gambling or workaholism. There are 12 sessions to the class.

New ministry at HPCC

Family Life Ministry (FLM) at Highland Park Community Church is offering premarital, marriage enrichment, and parenting workshops, seminars, retreats and conferences, empowering families to thrive through Gods love. Please visit the website for more information or to register, http://hpcc.church/FLM.

Win a new instrument

The Wyoming Symphony Orchestra and The Hill Music Company are joining forces to help young Wyoming musicians further their musical ability with the opportunity to win a new string or wind instrument.

Wyoming music students in grades 9 through 12, who may have outgrown or outplayed a wind or string instrument, are invited to apply for a new instrument.

To apply, download an application form and instruction packet from the WSO website, www.wyomingsymphony.org/outreach. Applicants will need to write a short essay about the importance of music and their particular instrument to their lives, and include references from music teachers, family, and friends.

The deadline to apply is Feb. 24, 2017. A certificate will be awarded to the winner at the Wyoming Symphony Orchestra concert on March 18, 2017. The Hill Music Company will provide the winning instrument, and assist the winner in selecting the instrument of his or her choice.

For questions please contact Erin Helms, 266-1478 or erin@wyomingsymphony.org.

Saturday watercolor classes

ART321/Casper Artists Guild holds Saturday Morning Watercolor Sessions under the direction of Ellen Black. Sessions are Saturday mornings, 10 a.m. to noon. $10 per session.

Feb. 25: Mountain Landscapes. Instructed by Jennifer Morss. Please contact Ellen Black at 265-6783 for any questions. Hope to see you all again this season.

Self-help class set

Living from the Heart: The Key to Peace, Freedom & Creative Empowerment, Feb. 26, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., offered in person at the Agricultural Learning Resources building on Fairgrounds Rd. and also via live webinar.In the new four-hour class/playshop, learn what the field of the heart really is, practice easy, practical ways to go into heart field, and learn how to live every day from this place of peace, love, well-being and personal empowerment. No prerequisite. Class taught by Cathy Hazel Adams, practitioner, Intuitive Multidimensional Transformation & Healing, and certified Matrix Energetics practitioner. For a full class description and registration information, visit: www.cathyhazeladams.com/pp/classes-webinars-event/.

Learn beginning programming

The Natrona County Library will offer a Beginning Programming class from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m., on Thursday, Feb. 23. In this extended three-hour class, participants learn all about Python, including how to get started, what advantages and disadvantages Python provides as a programming language, the essentials of programming in Python, and what tools are available to build applications in Python. No prior Python experience necessary. Call 577-READ ext. 2 or email reference@natronacountylibrary.org for more information.

Free tax help

The Natrona County VITA Program, a United Way of Natrona County initiative, is open through April 12, for free tax return assistance. This is a first come, first serve program, no appointments will be scheduled. Individuals must bring their Social Security card, photo identification and the appropriate paperwork with them. For a complete listing of required paperwork, please visit the website www.wyomingfreetaxservice.org

Hours are Tuesday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Aspen Creek Building, 800 Werner Ct., Ste. 206. Closed Sunday and Monday.

For more information, call (307) 333-5588 during hours of operation or look on Facebook. The initiative is supported by funding from the Wyoming Free Tax Service and local United Way.

Parenting class available

Mercer Family Resource Center offers a class in March designed to help parents become more effective.

Make Parenting a Pleasure is for parents and caregivers with children ages 0 to 8. Class meets March 1, 8, 15, and 22 and April 5, 12, and 19 from 6 to 8 p.m. Onsite childcare available, meets once a week for seven weeks. Cost is $35 individuals and $50 a couple.

For more information or to enroll, call Lisa Brown at 233-4276.

Job, career fair March 14

The Department of Workforce Services will be hosting a Job and Career Fair at the Casper Ramkota Hotel and Conference Center on Tuesday, March 14. The event will be open from 9 to 10 a.m. to veterans seeking employment, then open from 10 a.m. to noon for all general public job seekers. There will be many different businesses and career opportunities including representatives from the energy, construction, transportation, medical and government fields. Don't miss this chance to talk with many local businesses about their job openings or get information about other career opportunities. Questions? Please call the Casper Workforce Center at 234-4591 for more information.

ARTCORE music deadline March 15

The deadline for the ARTCORE New Music Competition is March 15. Entrants must be Wyoming residents.

The purpose of the competition is to find serious composers in the state; to provide an ongoing program for encouraging new music by these same composers; to give exposure to musical works of merit and to stimulate an interest in contemporary music in Wyoming audiences.

Performance time shall be limited to 20 minutes. Compositions shall not have been performed previously. Compositions shall be limited to no more than eight performers. Compositions may be for any combination of voice and/or instrument. Three copies of the manuscript must be submitted. Manuscripts will not be returned unless accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Submit manuscripts to ARTCORE, P.O. Box 874, Casper, WY 82602. Entry fee is $15. Manuscripts must be postmarked no later than March 15, 2017.

Seedling trees, shrubs and perennials on sale

Premium quality seedling trees, shrubs and perennials are available for windbreaks and wildlife habitat enhancement from the UW/Natrona County Extension. Order forms are available at the Ag Resource and Learning Center, 2011 Fairgrounds Rd. There are 41 species available. Order now for best selection with May 2017 delivery. For more information, call Rose Jones at 235-9400.

Dementia caregiver support

Wyoming Dementia Care offers five Alzheimers Caregiver Support groups each month. Caregivers of those with dementia-related illnesses and the loved ones they care for are welcome at any of the group sessions. Professional staff from Intermountain Home Companions will be on hand to offer separate activities and snacks for those who need care. There is no charge for Wyoming Dementia Cares support groups or for the respite care provided during the approximately one hour long sessions.

The morning support group sessions meet on the first and third Thursday of each month at 10 a.m. at Central Wyoming Senior Services, 1831 E. 4th St. The afternoon support groups meet at 1 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month at Life Care Center of Casper, 4041 S. Poplar. The evening groups meet on the second and fourth Wednesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at Meadow Wind Assisted Living, 3955 E. 12th St.

For information, email wyodementia@casperseniorcenter.com or call Dani Guerttman at 265-4678.

Family continues suicide support

Good Grief, Support will continue at 5:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month at the 12-24 Club, 500 S. Wolcott, by request of attendees. Anyone who is grieving a suicide, death, or considering suicide is encouraged to attend. Attendance at the meeting, as well as the content, will be strictly confidential. The Fresh Start Cafe will be open, and you can eat during the meetings. This meeting place was offered by Dan Cantine of the 12-24 Club. You need not be a member to attend. For more information, email jlh35@hotmailcom.

New depression group begins

J.R.s Hunt for Life is offering See it Clearly, a free peer support group for persons suffering from depression and other mental conditions that lead to suicidal thoughts and actions. The group is led by like-minded peers wishing to offer support in these struggles. Anonymity and confidentiality is offered to all attending. Meetings are at 6:45 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month at 500 South Wolcott in the conference room on the second floor, (12-24 Club). Those who have considered or attempted taking their life or are struggling are welcome. For more information, email jlh35@hotmailcom.

Family offers faith-based groups

The family of J.R. Hunter, who committed suicide, now has two additional support groups, these faith-based, in addition to the groups they run on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month at the 12-24 Club. Those continue. For more information, email jlh35@hotmailcom.

"J.R.s Hunt; for life" presents two faith-based grief and depression peer to peer support groups at 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. at Restoration Church, 411 S. Walsh. For more information, email jlh35@hotmailcom.

Grief Support Group, "Good Grief:" A faith-based grief support group that the family hosts on the first and third Tuesdays of the month at 5:30 p.m. at Restoration Church. The family's loss has moved them to offer this to anyone grieving. For more information, email jlh35@hotmailcom.

Depression Support Group, "See It Clearly:" A faith-based free peer to peer support group for persons suffering from depression and other mental conditions that may lead to suicidal thoughts and actions. The group is led by like-minded peers wishing to offer support in these struggles. Anonymity and confidentiality is offered to all attending. Meetings are at 6:30 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays of the month at Restoration Church. Those who have considered or attempted taking their life or are struggling are welcome. For more information, email jlh35@hotmailcom.

Parkinson's exercise

Rocky Mountain Therapy is offering a Parkinson's exercise program. Join us from noon to 1 p.m. Thursdays at Rocky Mountain Therapy, 2546 E. Second St., Building 500. These classes are open to anyone with Parkinson's or caring for someone with Parkinson's.

Thursday's class is tailored for the individual with more advanced Parkinson's and focuses on improving endurance, safety and managing symptoms. We are open to all ages and can tailor the class to meet varying exercise needs. The cost of the class is $5. To RSVP, call 577-5204 and ask for Jerri or Shannon.

Celebrate Recovery every Friday

Celebrate Recovery meets at 5:30 p.m. every Friday at Highland Park Community Church, just south of Elkhorn Valley Rehabilitation Hospital on East Second Street. We start with a family meal, followed by praise and worship. At 7 p.m., there's either a lesson from Celebrate Recovery's planned curriculum or a testimony by a person who has found recovery through Christ. Then, people go to gender-specific small groups until 8:30 p.m., when dessert and fellowship conclude the evening. Child care is available at no cost. For more information, contact Chris at 265-4073.

Here and Now: Dementia-focused monthly art class

Classes are every third Tuesday of the month from 1 to 3 p.m. There is no charge. Here and Now is a program made possible through a collaboration between Wyoming Dementia Care and the Nicolaysen Art Museum. It is designed to provide a supportive environment for people with dementia and Alzheimers and their loved ones.

To register, contact Dani with Wyoming Dementia Care 265-4678, ext. 106, or at wyodementia@casperseniorcenter.com or Zhanna Gallegos at 235-5247 or at zgallegos@thenic.org.

Latin Club meets

Latin Study Club language enthusiasts welcome anyone who wishes they had taken Latin in school or paid better attention when they did. The group meets at 7 p.m., on Tuesday nights at Mount Hope Lutheran School, 2300 Hickory. There is no charge. The textbook used is Wheelocks Latin, 7th edition. Noli timere!
Tuesdays Highlights</&h1>

Tuesday support meetings

Alcoholics Anonymous: 6:30 a.m., 917 N. Beech; 8:30 a.m., 500 S. Wolcott; 10 a.m., 328 E. A; noon, 500 S. Wolcott; 2 p.m., 917 N. Beech; 5:30 p.m., 1124 Elma, Imitate the Image Church; 5:30 p.m., 328 E. A; 7 p.m., 520 CY; 8 p.m., 328-1/2 E. A; 8 p.m., 328 E. A; 8 p.m., 917 N. Beech. Douglas: 7:30 p.m., 628 E. Richards (upstairs in back). Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are open. Casper info: 266-9578; Douglas info: (307) 351-1688.

Narcotics Anonymous: Noon, 500 S. Wolcott, 12-24 Club; 7 p.m., 15th and Melrose, at the church. Web site: http://www.urmrna.org.

Free tax help

The Natrona County VITA Program, a United Way of Natrona County initiative, is open through April 12, for free tax return assistance. This is a first come, first serve program, no appointments will be scheduled. Individuals must bring their Social Security card, photo identification and the appropriate paperwork with them. For a complete listing of required paperwork, please visit the website www.wyomingfreetaxservice.org

Hours are Tuesday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Aspen Creek Building, 800 Werner Ct., Ste. 206. Closed Sunday and Monday.

For more information, call (307) 333-5588 during hours of operation or look on Facebook. The initiative is supported by funding from the Wyoming Free Tax Service and local United Way.

Virtual learning info session

Students living in Natrona County who are receiving their full-time education online through a virtual school or Natrona County homeschool students may wish to consider a different opportunity for next school year.

More information is available at informational sessions from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Boys and Girls Club main club, 1701 E. K St.

The Natrona County School District offers children in kindergarten through eighth grade the chance to continue to learn from home full-time yet earn a NCSD high school diploma.

Natrona Virtual Learning offers a full-time online K-8 certified teacher each day to students learning at home. NVL students are taught by certified NCSD teachers with research-based Fuel Ed Curriculum which meets local and state standards.

Families may also visit the NVL website at http://www.k12.com/natrona or find Natrona Virtual Learning on Facebook.

Learn about Facebook security

The Natrona County Library will offer a Facebook Security class from 2 to 4 p.m. The class will explain Facebooks basic and advanced security features. In addition, learn how to recover a hacked Facebook account and how to avoid scammers. Call 577-READ ext. 2 or email reference@natronacountylibrary.org for more information.

Independent film at library

The Natrona County Librarys Independent Film Series will feature Wondrous Boccaccio, at 6:30 p.m. Ten young adults flee plague-stricken Florence, sharing bawdy tales of love and destiny in this evocative take on The Decameron. From the legendary Taviani brothers, this story about storytelling is a paean to Italian history, art, and imagination. Call 577-READ ext. 2 or email reference@natronacountylibrary.org for more information.

Never Too Old Book Club

A book discussion of young adult novel, All American Boys, by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely, will be held at 6:30 p.m., at Metro Coffee Co. The Never Too Old Book Club, sponsored by the Natrona County Library, discusses young adult literature with adult appeal. The group is open to both teens and adults, with parent-teen pairs especially encouraged. Call 577-READ ext. 101 for more information.

Needle Guild meets

The Casper Needle Guild meets at 7:15 p.m. at the Central Wyoming Senior Center, 1831 East 4th Street. The project is stitching a heart-shaped scissor fob, as well as practicing several stitches. For further information, please contact Ann Hudson at 265-5510, or email CasperNeedleGuildEGA@gmail.com.
EAST OF LOVELL  The rhythmic wop, wop, wop of the rotors in the distance signaled the doorless blue helicopter was on its way, four attached canvas bags swaying gently below.

Once the aircraft arrived at the staging area, the pilot slowly decreased the birds altitude and gently deposited the four bundles on the ground. A team of nearly 60 people rushed into action.

Crews of three to four people jogged over to remove the sedated bighorn sheep from the bags and carefully carry the animals to one of four inspection tables. The animals were blindfolded and hobbled before the flight for their own safety.

Then, like clockwork, teams quickly and quietly checked each ewe or ram or lamb in preparation for its journey to a new home. Afterward the animals were placed in horse trailers for transport to the release site, all restraints removed, to allow them to rest and move around.

The activity was part of Saturdays bighorn sheep capture east of Lovell coordinated by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. The goal of the net-gunning operation is to transplant as many as 40 bighorn sheep from the Devils Canyon herd in northern Wyoming to the Ferris-Seminoe herd in the south.

Altogether 20 ewes, three rams and one male lamb were rounded up Saturday. A second sheep capture is planned for Wednesday.

The day began with a helicopter crew from Native Ranger Capture Services of Elko, Nevada, capturing the sheep about five miles north of the staging area, said Leslie Schreiber, Game & Fish wildlife biologist who works out of Greybull.

The company owners and the pilot are all from New Zealand, even though the outfit is based in the U.S., Schreiber said. They work across the country and around the world.

The pilot works with two others, called muggers. The muggers shoot the net out the side of the helicopter to catch one of the animals.

And then they drop a mugger off to hobble and blindfold the sheep and put it in a bag so it can be ferried back here, the staging location, she said.

Schreiber spent months coordinating the bighorn sheep capture.

We try to make sure that everythings in order for this morning because it happens quick when it does, she said.

Saturdays crew included the helicopter crew, Game & Fish veterinarians, wildlife biologists and rangers. Also on hand were volunteers from the Bureau of Land Management, the Wyoming Wild Sheep Foundation and the community.

This is the third year in a row Schreiber has coordinated a helicopter capture involving the Devils Canyon herd. Twenty-five animals were gathered each of the last two years.

The Devils Canyon herd is doing very well, she said. At our last count in July, we counted 263 sheep and we try to keep it around 200.

The goal for the Ferris-Seminoe herd is 300 bighorn sheep and the population now is estimated between 130-150 animals. So the transfer helps the herds reach their optimum size.

Wildlife biologist Greg Hiatt, from the Rawlins area, works with the Ferris-Seminoe herd. This is just the latest transplant, he said. Since 2009, two groups of bighorn sheep from Oregon and two from the Devils Canyon herd have been transported to the Seminoe Mountains.

And then last year we took 24 from here and put them into the Ferris Mountains, which is where this group is going, Hiatt said, while waiting for the helicopter to return with more animals.

Before these most recent efforts, attempts to transplant bighorn sheep to the area were not successful because the animals came from higher elevations, Hiatt said. The ewes lambed in June, too late to take advantage of the lush vegetation, which kept them from nursing their lambs.

The sheep from Oregon and from the Devils Canyon herd come from an elevation similar to their new home, he said. They lamb a month to six weeks earlier, when vegetation is green and high in protein, which helps with milk production and lamb growth.

I think our ratio was about three lambs for about every five years this year and it was a little better than that last year and thats remarkably good for bighorn sheep, Hiatt said.

The health of the animals is always a concern, and one reason the Devils Canyon herd has been used for transplant is the good health of the animals.

Hank Edwards, Game and Fish wildlife disease specialist out of Laramie, was on hand for Saturdays operation. Samples are taken from all of the animals, he said.

Teams at each of the tables quickly take multiple swabs and a blood sample from most of the sheep to be tested back at the lab.

In a nutshell were checking the health of the herd, and we have checked almost all of the herds in the state, Edwards said. Its been a five-year effort and we have checked all but two.

Tonsil and nasal swabs help detect respiratory disease in the bighorn sheep. The fecal sample uncovers internal parasites and lung worms.

A blood sample helps with a mineral analysis, testing for exposure to respiratory viruses and to confirm pregnancy. Mary Wood, state wildlife veterinarian, also used a portable ultrasound machine on Saturday to discover which of the ewes were pregnant, and nearly all of them were.

This is a very productive herd, she said.

Wood also provided assistance when needed during the operation, to keep the animals stress to a minimum.

Also on hand Saturday was volunteer Dean Dijenno, secretary of the 700-member Wyoming Wild Sheep Foundation. The nonprofits goal is to raise money to help boost the population of indigenous sheep in the state.

It contributed $20,000 to Saturdays operation, Dijenno said.

What a blessing to be able to come out and see the fruits of our labor, he said. Its exciting that we have an expanding range of wild sheep in Wyoming.
JACKSON  There may be too many elk gathered at the National Elk Refuge in northwest Wyoming.

Potentially twice the desired number of elk are believed to be gathered right now, wolfing down alfalfa pellets.

Managers were expected to conduct the official count Tuesday for the 24,700-acre U.S. Fish and Wildlife property north of Jackson.

Staff biologist Eric Cole estimates that the number right now is about 85 percent above the 5,000-elk goal. Its obvious to me that were well above the 5,000 objective, Cole said.

Given trends from recent years, the high refuge numbers were expected.

In winter 2014-15, 8,390 elk  the most in 17 years  were tallied during the refuge classification.

Last winter the number dipped by about 1,100. But nearly 1,400 elk were nearby, wintering out on the northern refuge and just to the east on the Bridger-Teton National Forest.

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is in the process of counting elk elsewhere in Jackson Hole.

On Saturday, the state surveyed feed grounds up the Gros Ventre River drainage. As of Friday, feeders estimated 1,000 elk receiving hay rations in the Gros Ventre drainage. Managers goal for the Gros Ventre is 3,500 elk.

If the official Gros Ventre tally comes in at less than a third of that number, it will mark the continuation of a distribution problem that in recent years has resulted in proportionately way too many refuge elk.

A decade-old interagency federal plan setting the 5,000-elk goal calls for just 45 percent of the Jackson Elk Herd on the National Elk Refuge.

The number was devised to allow managers to forego supplemental alfalfa feeding during normal winter conditions, and in doing so reduce the spread of disease and bring the historic winter range closer to the natural condition. But in recent years, three-quarters of the herd, or more, has been gathered on or around the refuge.
CHEYENNE  A medical marijuana initiative that had been in the works since 2015 wont be on the ballot in 2018 after the Wyoming Secretary of States Office did not receive petitions by the deadline.

Nonetheless, medical marijuana supporters said they will continue to push for legalization of medical marijuana in Wyoming.

The deadline for the petition was 18 months after the petition began in 2015.

While the Wyoming chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) helped with the signature drive, the organization was not the official sponsor of the petition.

Wyoming NORML had issued a statement saying that the organization had turned in its signatures to the original sponsors, though Wyoming NORML Director Frank Latta told the Gillette News Record he thought the petition would be short signatures.

However, those never made it to the Secretary of States office.

Secretary of States Office spokesman Will Dinneen confirmed that signatures had not been received.

The original organizers of the medical marijuana petition, known formally as the Peggy A. Kelley Wyoming Cannabis Act, were hoping to get the initiative on the 2016 ballot.

When there werent enough signatures for the 2016 ballot, the effort continued with the goal of 2018.

In the meantime, there was infighting among other marijuana groups, which may have hurt the potential success of the petition.

Going forward

Since the petition began, Wyoming NORML has new leadership and has had a presence at the Legislature this session.

The group is now focused on legalizing medical marijuana.

Carrie Satterwhite, a spokeswoman for Wyoming NORML, said the group will continue its efforts in the Legislature and potential ballot initiatives.

We feel very confident in how things should go from here, she said.

Satterwhite said she thinks infighting among other groups was a factor in public perception of the initiative.

People saw the infighting as being us, she said. Theres been no fighting in our group. Weve all been on the same page.

Disagreement in other groups also negatively affected the number of signatures that were actually collected, she said.

But Satterwhite said the support is there for medical marijuana, giving the group reason to continue its efforts.

A few years ago, nobody was even talking about it, she said. Were making strides.

Latta said Wyoming NORML will have a board meeting next week to talk about the next steps.

A University of Wyoming poll in October found that more Wyoming residents support legalizing marijuana now than in 2014.

Support for medical marijuana (with a doctors prescription) increased from 74 percent in 2014 to 81 percent in 2016.

Marijuana for personal use also saw increased support, from 37 percent in 2014 to 41 percent in 2016  though the majority of respondents are still against it.

Additionally, 72 percent of Wyoming residents feel possession of small amounts of marijuana should not result in jail time, compared to 66 percent in 2014.
CHEYENNE  A 27-year-old man charged with stealing dozens of checks from the Cheyenne Board of Public Utilities' payment drop box has pleaded not guilty.

Nicholas Hill pleaded not guilty Friday to three counts of forgery. He denied a fourth forgery charge in the case last month.

Court documents say Hill broke into the drop box in October and stole roughly 60 payments.

Four public utilities customers reported their payment checks being forged and cashed the following month.

Police used surveillance video from a bank where Hill tried to cash one of the checks to identify him.

The bank teller had reported that a man came in to cash a personal check but became agitated and left after his name wasn't found in the bank's database.
I remember my first cigarette vividly. I was sprawled on the steps of a federal building on a swampy summer night in Washington, D.C. The air was thick and honey-sweet around me and my older sister. The streets were empty and silent. We were two teenagers with a car and nowhere to go.

I inhaled and fell back against the marble steps. My head was spinning and my muscles went slack. I had a moment of total panic. I thought, I cant move.

I never experienced that first high again, but the damage was done. For the next 14 years, at a total cost of more than $40,000, I smoked a pack of cigarettes every day. A glitch in my brain pulses constantly, demanding that I take a drag and stimulate the reward pathways of my brain with another dose of the oily, yellow liquid that naturally occurs in tobacco: nicotine.

Last year, I dropped the cigarettes and I started vaping. I cant recommend it for everyone, and I understand the disdain smokers have for the practice, but I havent looked back.

Vaping hasnt taken off like smoking, the real deal. There is no Marlboro man puffing away on a little metal box, no sexy Virginia Slims, no toasted Luckys in the vaping world. I dont think Id have picked up the habit if Id seen Audrey Hepburn holding a bulky, shiny gadget in one hand and a martini in the other.

However, the vaping craze is growing, especially among young people. Between 2013 and 2014, the number of middle- and high- school kids vaping went from 4.5 percent to 13.4 percent, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Doctors have their doubts about vaping. A puff from a cigarette introduces thousands of chemicals to the sensitive tissue of your lungs, and so does vaping. There is decades worth of data on what smoking cigarettes does to the body, and the expectation from doctors is that vaping statistics will tell a similar tale: lung disease, cancer, terminal bronchitis.

It might be a little bit safer than cigarettes, but it is not very safe, said Ammar Hussieno, a pulmonologist at Wyoming Medical Center. The chemicals released to the lungs; some of them are known to be carcinogenic.

In his own practice, Hussieno has already seen vaping patients with increased irritation in the lungs, symptoms similar to pneumonia and the need for oxygen treatment.

The one positive thing about the growth of vaping is that it can be a stepping-stone to kicking the smoking habit, he said  as long as its temporary.

Vaping has certainly has helped me, taking care of the addiction while I weaned myself off the illusion that I loved smoking. And though I havent stopped smoking  not really  Im glad I put the emotional attachment where it belongs: in the past.

Most smokers dont smoke because they want to. They smoke because they are addicted. The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that 35 million people want to quit every year. According to the Centers for Disease Control about 36.5 million American adults smoke regularly. Pretty simple math.

For most of the years I smoked, I wanted to quit every time I lit up. Its not surprising. Nicotine is fast-acting. It hits your brain in seconds and satiates the demand, leaving only regret in its wake. The reward dissipates as fast as it hits.

I cant count the times when I would automatically light a cigarette forgetting that I already had one in my mouth.

It sounds horrific to be trapped in that cycle. But it doesnt start that way. Every bad marriage starts with some degree of love, the sensation of butterflies in your stomach, romantic evenings that lasted until dawn.

At one time, I smoked because I loved it.

It was a reason to step out of a party when the music got too loud. Or take a walk after an argument. I smoked as the sun went down over the beach in San Diego, in a dingy pub in Northern Ireland and on a rooftop of Manhattan.

It was a relaxant in the evening and a stimulant in the morning. It made mundane moments feel purposeful.

It takes ages, despite evidence, experience and advice, to accept that it doesnt actually feel good to smoke anymore. It stops being satisfying. It doesnt taste good. And though any smoker will tell you how good it feels to light up after a heavy meal, what they dont mention is that food doesnt taste the same. Smoking kills your taste buds. Most of us didnt even notice theyd died.

When smokers talk about loving smoking, they are not talking about getting winded on a short flight of stairs. They are accepting the morning clogged sinuses and phlegmy trachea that would make a nonsmoker call in sick, expecting an onslaught of bronchitis or strep throat.

Maybe the moment of change is when you stop choosing to smoke, or maybe the lie is there all along. I really cant say. I just know that I loved it once.

Being a smoker is part of who you are. Its part of your sweetest and most painful memories. And then, its just a drag.

I started really wanting to quit about 7 years ago, and it felt like carving out a part of my identity. My older sister had kicked the habit by reading a book, Allen Carrs The Easy Way to Quit Smoking. I tried it out.

The writer builds a formidable case against smoking. He doesnt talk about the dangers to your health or others health. He talks about why smoking feels good, and why people feel like they cant possibly function without a pack in their pocket. He talks about emotional addiction and fear.

Really, the book is mind-bending. It even encourages you to smoke more while you read it. And you listen, because a smoker never turns down a chance to smoke. Never.

I burned through one cigarette after another, reading how it was affecting my brain, how it was affecting my lungs and worst of all, how it had tricked me into loving it. I started to hate smoking.

So I quit, and I was cocky about it. I bragged about how easy it was.

I shouldve known better, but an addicts brain is a lying brain.

A year after reading the book, I bummed a cigarette for nostalgias sake and was back to a pack a day by the end of the week.

My 20s turned into my early 30s. I started to worry about my health. I hated smoking more than ever.

I tried the book again, but the magic didnt work the second time. I already knew that the addiction was driving me.

Then I met a little kid, my boyfriends son. A lifesaver.

It really takes any leftover glory from the ritual of lighting up if there is a little kid sprawled out with video games and comic books in the next room.

I always hated when adults smoked near kids. It was the one thing that could never be romanticized. And knowing what all smokers know  that its a terrible habit  I didnt want him to see me do it, on the off chance that he would romanticize it, too.

So I bought a vaper, one of those cheap little sticks from the gas station, and I tried it out.

For the first few weeks, I smoked both. I didnt cut the cigarettes except when the boy was around. But Id smoke double later just to make up for it.

I started to smell the smoke again and taste the tobacco. It wasnt pleasant.

One day, I just didnt buy a pack. Id break down occasionally and smoke through 20 cigarettes in an afternoon.

Cheating is OK, said my boyfriend. And it was.

I just came back to the vaper every time.

A metal stick in your mouth doesnt look cool or feel cool. Addiction shouldnt. I know why I vape, and there is nothing romantic about it.

Im still an addict, and I know that my lungs dont feel as well as they should. I know Im putting my health in danger.

But Im glad I have it. If I light up at a bar or buy a pack after a rough day at work, it doesnt conjure up that old feeling. The ritual has lost its power.

Sometimes I remember how it felt a long time ago, when Id drink cold beer on warm, muggy nights, watch sunsets and sunrises or hear Bob Dylan croon the words to Tambourine Man. Instead of chasing that feeling, I puff on my vaper and remember the good old days.
BEND, Ore. (AP)  An Oregon dam is at risk from badger tunnels and other passages created by burrowing animals.

The Bulletin reports (http://bit.ly/2mc1BCy) Johnson Creek Dam owner Debaca Land & Cattle LLC can kill the animals or trap and move them.

Repairs are expected in the coming months.

State engineer Keith Mills told the dam owner in a January letter that the tunnels could cause leaks.

A high winter snowpack is predicted to fill the dam's reservoir for the first time in five years.

The dam made the Oregon Water Resources Department's list of the state's seven unsatisfactory dams.

The department says the dam's failure would likely cause fatalities and impact seven homes.

Safety concerns were raised after the Oroville Dam prompted the evacuation of 200,000 California residents.

___

Information from: The Bulletin, http://www.bendbulletin.com
Age: 6 years old Niki is a pretty red fawn greyhound who moved here from Kansas to retire. She ran in 87 races and after that went to the farm to raise puppies. Nikki is currently living in a foster home with lots of other dogs and is having soooo much FUN! She just loves to play! She is also house-trained and is not destructive when you are away from home. So if you are looking for a happy and very friendly hound, Niki would love to be that special someone for you! Special needs: Niki needs to be in a home with no cats. Fee: $300 Contact: Southern Arizona Greyhound Adoption Telephone: (520) 955-7421 website: sagreyhoundadoption.org email: adoption@sagreyhoundadoption.org
We've collected a few front pages from newspapers.com to give you a look at some Feb. 21 papers in history. With a subscription to newspapers.com you can search the Arizona Daily Star and many other newspapers using keywords or dates, and download articles or pages.
A child holds a sign as people denounce policies of President Trump on Presidents Day at the Not My President's Day Rally in Los Angeles, California February 20, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

Thousands of demonstrators turned out Monday across the US to challenge Donald Trump in a Presidents' Day protest dubbed Not My President's Day.

The numbers weren't close to the million-plus who thronged the streets following Trump's inauguration a month earlier, but the message was similar.

Thousands of flag-waving protesters lined up outside Central Park in Manhattan. Many in the crowd chanted "No ban, no wall. The Trump regime has got to fall." They held aloft signs saying "Uphold the Constitution Now" and "Impeach the Liar."

In Chicago, several hundred rallied across the river from the Trump Tower, shouting "Hey, hey, ho, ho, Donald Trump has got to go." Rebecca Wolfram of Chicago, who's in her 60s, said concerns about climate change and immigrant rights under Trump prompted her to start attending rallies.

"I'm trying to demonstrate as much as possible until I figure out what else to do," said Wolfram, who held a sign that said "Old white ladies are really displeased." Several hundred demonstrated in Washington, D.C.

Dozens gathered around the fountain in Dupont Circle chanting "Dump Trump" and "Love, not hate: That's what makes America great."

Dozens marched through midtown Atlanta for a rally named with a Georgia flavor: "ImPEACH NOW! (Not My) President's Day March." Hundreds of protesters chanting "This is what democracy looks like" marched through Salt Lake City.

The Salt Lake Tribune reports that the crowd marched to push back against Trump and his administration's stance on such issues as the environment, immigration, free speech and Russia.

Some people raised signs that said "Not My President," while others held up a large American flag.

Protester Reg Brookings warned the crowd that Trump is trying to divide the country by making such groups as immigrants the enemy.
Why: For conducting art activities for people with Alzheimers and/or dementia. She does this twice a month at a local community center. With help from a group of volunteers, Hamann conducts these activities for two to eight attendees each session. While the activities are going on, the attendees caregivers are able to attend another meeting with representatives from Alzheimers associations. This program is much loved and appreciated, Gray wrote in her nomination letter. Sheilas planning and teaching of this class is a shining example of what volunteerism and caring are all about, Gray wrote.
Before being submerged in scalding water, allegedly by the woman who recently adopted her, a Tucson 5-year-old lived with a foster father now imprisoned for sex crimes against children.

The girl, who is in critical condition, had been shuttled from one troubled home life to another before 911 responders found her severely burned on Dec. 29.

State authorities had removed her from her biological parents and placed her, as a toddler, in the Sierra Vista home of David Frodsham, where she lived with other foster children from 2013 until January 2015.

Frodsham was arrested in 2016 after federal authorities accused him of sexual misconduct with children and of providing at least one child to an alleged child pornographer, Randall Bischak, for sexual contact. The foster father eventually pleaded guilty to counts involving a child over age 15, in return for prosecutors dropping other charges. The names of child sex victims are not public record and would not be published by the Arizona Daily Star.

Previous reports on his case quote a federal criminal complaint as saying Bischak and Frodsham allegedly met for consensual sex with children present.

The biological mother of the Tucson child says she raised concerns with state workers that while living in Frodshams home, her toddler daughter had repeated urinary-tract infections, which can be a sign of sexual abuse in children, but says those concerns went unanswered.

From Frodshams home, the little girl had to commute nearly 90 minutes each way to see her biological parents in Tucson. She initially would cry until she fell asleep after she left her parents, said Beth Breen, a former taxi driver for children in state custody. Breen took the child back and forth for nearly a year, ending in March 2014.

The little girl would scream in fear around strange men, Breen said, making it nearly impossible for male drivers to take her, and so Breen said she became her regular driver. Breen would sing to her and the girl would watch movies on a DVD player Breen bought for the drive.

Breen has had trouble sleeping since she realized, about a week ago, that the little girl in the news was the toddler shed transported.

After the recent news reports, Breen looked up the childs adoptive parents on social media and saw family photographs that confirmed her fears: This was the same girl she had known.

We spent a lot of time together. We would sing songs and play I spy, Breen said. I would know that child anywhere. I have always had a special place in my heart for her.

Arizona Department of Child Safety records show that the girls biological mother, Michelle Tremor-Calderon, was nearly reunified with the child before her parental rights were terminated in 2015.

What Calderon desperately wants now  and she has asked Tucson attorney Lynne Cadigan to help her  is to see her hospitalized daughter and, if the little girl is not going to survive, to say goodbye.



The child was adopted last summer by Samantha and Justin Osteraas and given a new name, law enforcement records and accounts on social media show.

Samantha Osteraas, 28, was arrested Jan. 5 after the girl suffered third-degree burns over 80 percent of her body, from the upper chest down, sheriffs records show. Osteraas might have waited up to six hours to seek medical treatment, court records say. She told 911 dispatchers she didnt realize she was bathing her daughter in scalding water.

Deputies also noted bruises to the childs neck and left arm, and saw blood and signs of trauma on her upper lip. Hours after the incident, the 5-year-old was reported to be in respiratory and organ failure. She remains at Banner-University Medical Center in a medically induced coma.

DCS spokesman Darren DaRonco said Samantha Osteraas did not have a history as a perpetrator with the child-welfare agency before this case.

After the arrest, the DCS removed the Osteraas three young biological children from the familys home near North Shannon Road and West Lambert Lane. It is unclear whether they have been reunified with their father.

Samantha Osteraas, charged with two counts of child abuse, was released Thursday from the Pima County jail on a bond of $25,000.



Calderon learned a little more than a week ago that the hospitalized girl was the child shed lost. Calderon has not seen her daughter since July 2015, but, like Breen, looked up the adoptive parents on social media and saw her daughter in their family photos.

The girl was taken from her in April 2013 following a domestic fight between Calderon and the childs father, Jonathan Hileman. She remained in foster care while her parents, who struggled with cocaine addiction, worked toward reunification.

The girls father, who is a registered sex offender from a 1999 crime involving an adult victim, had failed to notify police about his new address, and that was another factor in their case, at least initially.

Throughout the dependency case, Hileman continued to relapse while Calderon began to sustain her sobriety, reports show.

As of May 2014, Calderon was moving toward reunification with her daughter when she violated a court order by letting the father, who was not allowed unsupervised visitation, to be at home with them.

The couple tried to remedy that significant error by later separating, records show. In February 2015, Hileman relinquished his parental rights. Calderon said he did this primarily to help her regain custody of their daughter.

A couple of months later, in April 2015, court records showed Calderon to be in full compliance with her case plan. But the behavior of their then-3-year-old child was deteriorating around this time, DCS records show. She had prolonged temper tantrums, urinated on herself and cried for prolonged periods after her visits.

The childs caseworker and a DCS-appointed family therapist testified this was because the child was having difficulty relating to her mother, that the mother had inappropriate conversations in front of the child and didnt know how to meet her daughters emotional needs.

In the end, a judge severed Calderons parental rights based on her violating the courts orders related to Hileman, the length of time the child had been in out-of-home care without successful reunification  well beyond the nine months required by law  and the serious negative behaviors the child would exhibit around her mother but reportedly would not display when away from her.

Calderon tried to appeal the termination, but was not successful.

They took her away, she said last week, and look what theyve done to her.



Calderon repeatedly told Breen, the driver, that she thought something was wrong while her daughter lived in Sierra Vista. Calderon said she was always on the watch, fearful her daughter was being mistreated  so much so that it was brought up as a problem in her trial to sever her parental rights.

At one point, Calderon called Sierra Vista police to have a welfare check done at the house, and this was not well-received by the DCS, according to both the mother and DCS records.

I did address my concerns to the case manager and she had no concerns, Calderon said. She told me the (Frodsham) home was a good home and nothing like that was going on there.

The repeated urinary-tract infections, which records show were treated following medical visits, were blamed mostly on the child consuming too many sugary drinks.

Records show the caseworker thought it was Calderon who was teaching her daughter to fear men and told her to stop more than once.

Breen, who also thought the Frodsham home seemed like a safe placement, said she feels guilty she didnt take Calderons fears more seriously.

When I was transporting her, her mom kept saying, Somethings not right, somethings not right, Breen said. I kept reassuring her that it seemed like a good home.



Frodsham was licensed to have up to five foster children at a time, male and female, with the ages ranging from birth to 11, the DCS reported. DCS officials said they could not comment further on the case.

Breen said several foster children of various ages were living in the home when Calderons child was there, including one other toddler. Frodsham was licensed as a foster parent in Arizona from 2002 until January 2015, when he was arrested on charges of aggravated drunk driving. His license was then suspended due to suspension of his fingerprint clearance card.

Frodsham was later charged with sex crimes after federal authorities, in 2016, alerted Sierra Vista police about his alleged involvement with Bischak, a former U.S. Army specialist. The Department of Homeland Security was investigating Bischak for allegedly producing and distributing child pornography.

Frodsham, who was indicted on seven counts related to sex crimes against children, pleaded guilty in June 2016 to three counts, including two counts of sexual conduct with a minor and attempted sexual conduct with a minor, said Cochise County Attorney Brian McIntyre.

Frodsham is now serving a 17-year prison sentence with the Arizona Department of Corrections and will be required to register as a sex offender for life.

There is an investigation pending on Bischak in Cochise County, but thats on hold until his federal case is done. Bischak was indicted on multiple counts of child pornography in a case pending in U.S. District Court in Tucson.



Calderon has a small collection of photographs from her visits with her daughter, along with photos she collected of bruises and scratched feet she feared indicated her daughter was being mistreated in foster care.

Months after her rights to her daughter had been severed, she learned about Frodshams arrest.

She agonized over that, thinking  until now  it was the worst news she could ever hear.
U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva doesnt want to talk about the 2016 elections any more. The time for picking apart what Democrats could have done differently to help Hillary Clinton win is over.

Talking to about 120 people at the Democrats of Greater Tucson meeting on Monday, the seven-term Democrat sought to energize locals frustrated with national politics.

In the last 30 days, (President) Trump has attempted to steer our nation and subvert our democracy by a perverse definition of nationalism. That is us versus them. That is their fault. We wouldnt be in this shape as a country and that we could be greater if we deal with them, he said. And the definition of them can be up to Trump.

The 69-year-old Democrat, who represents Congressional District 3, immediately clarified who is them  listing Planned Parenthood, Muslims, journalists and immigrants as enemies in Trumps eyes.

He tells one horrific lie after another, Grijalva said of Trump.

Grijalva also weighed in on Trumps attacks on the press, echoing comments made by Arizona Sen. John McCain over the weekend.

As an elected official for as long as I want to remember, Ive had this interesting love-hate relationship with the press, he said. I hate it when they report on something I dont want to be reported or a position I took that I dont want repeated over and over again. But I love em when I get to know about everybody else.

That is an essential check and balance of our government. The Fourth Estate is there for a purpose, to make sure the publics right to know is satisfied and the abuses that can occur and have occurred are both exposed and are dealt with, Grijalva said. That is the most vital check and balance right now.

While Trump dominates the headlines, Grijalva warned the audience to keep their eyes on Congress and state legislatures. The president can act but only with help from like-minded members of the GOP.

Donald Trump was nursed and now is being nurtured by the Republican Party, Grijalva said.

Those comments extended further, with Grijalva specifically mentioning Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey.

Medicare cannot go away without Duceys compliance. The National Guard cannot be called to the board in Arizona without Duceys compliance. The privatization and dismantling of public education in Arizona cannot happen without Ducey and the Legislatures compliance, he said.

Plus, he argues, many of the big policy changes wont happen with sweeping presidential actions or policy changes. They will occur incrementally.

He also offered some advice to Republican U.S. Rep. Martha McSally, who represents District 2, after an audience member asked if he had ever tried to enlighten her.

Grijalva was quick to praise his congressional colleague, but his reading of the political tea leaves suggests she has important decisions ahead of her.

(Republicans) are facing some consequential political decisions that they have to make, he said. I am not in her shoes ... but the decisions you are going to make in the next two or three months are really going to write the script on how the election goes.

Near the end of his speech, Grijalva had some advice for his party.

He said he believes that Democrats have the ability to reset the countrys moral compass through various forms of political action. And he asked that any protests be done peacefully, no matter how heated political passions become.

He also vowed to help take back Congress in the next mid-term election.
President Donald Trump pledged Tuesday to combat bigotry and unite what he called a "divided country" after wrapping up his first visit to the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

"Today and every day of my presidency I pledge to do everything I can to continue that promise of freedom for African-Americans and for every American," Trump said, calling his tour "a meaningful reminder of why we have to fight bigotry and hatred and intolerance."

"We're going to bring this country together. We have a divided country that's been divided for many, many years, but we're going to bring it together," he added.

Trump also took the opportunity to address the recent spate of anti-Semitic incidents, heeding calls from Jewish leaders and Democrats to speak out.

He called the recent threats against Jewish community centers "horrible and painful and a very sad reminder of the work that must still be one to root out hate and prejudice."

He was joined at the museum by daughter, Ivanka Trump, Housing and Urban Development nominee Ben Carson and his wife, Candy Carson, Sen. Tim Scott, R-South Carolina, and presidential aide and former "Apprentice" contestant Omarosa Manigault, among others.

The visit was arranged by Manigault, a source familiar with the visit said. The source added that the visit was originally penciled in for mid-January but was effectively nixed at that time by the Secret Service, citing security concerns.

Trump's visit to the museum, which opened last September, coincides with Black History Month. Trump first marked the event at the beginning of the month hosting a listening session with what the White House described as African-American leaders.

The attendees did not include leaders from top African-American advocacy groups such as the NAACP or the National Urban League, but instead featured Trump sitting alongside several of his campaign's top black supporters and members of his administration, including Carson and Manigault.

Last week, Trump again drew questions as he touted his outreach efforts, claiming that Rep. Elijah Cummings, a Democratic member of the Congressional Black Caucus, canceled a meeting with Trump because it would be "bad politics."

Cummings said the story was completely false and that the Congressional Black Caucus had tried to set up a meeting with Trump through the White House without success.

Trump also drew criticism when during his news conference last week asked April Ryan, a veteran White House reporter who is black, if she would help set up a meeting with the black caucus, which Ryan is not affiliated with.

Trump is the second member of the first family to attend the months-old museum in just a week. First lady Melania Trump visited the museum last week with Sara Netanyahu, wife of the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Trump made a concerted effort to reach out to African-American voters during the campaign, including through events hosted by his National Diversity Coalition and alongside Carson, the prominent black neurosurgeon who endorsed Trump after dropping out of the GOP primary race.

But Trump's black outreach often came under fierce criticism during the campaign.

With the exception of two visits to predominantly black churches -- one in Michigan and one in Ohio -- Trump largely delivered his message of outreach to African-Americans before overwhelmingly white audiences at political rallies around the country.

His description of African-American life was also often exceedingly dark and broad-brushed, as he equated the lives of poor African-Americans living in inner cities with those of all African-Americans, most of whom do not live in dire straits.

In a frequent refrain, Trump argued that African-Americans lived in conditions worse than those in many foreign war zones and pointedly called on those in the typically Democratic voting bloc to take a risk and support him.

"What the hell do you have to lose?" Trump often asked.

CNN's Joe Johns and Noah Gray contributed to this report.
OPINION: "Im sure you will see, as I have, that for all the 'God talk' that Christian nationalists throw around, their attitudes and actions are starkly antithetical to the gospel of love and inclusion for all advocated by the Jesus they claim to believe in," writes Rev. Gary Nelson, a form
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP)  Misrepresenting a pet as a service animal may become a crime in Wyoming under a bill being considered in the state Legislature.

The bill passed the Senate Travel Committee unanimously Thursday. It has already passed the House.

The issue stems from people claiming their pet is a service animal in order to bring it into a place like a restaurant, store or rental property that doesn't allow pets, The Wyoming Tribune Eagle (http://bit.ly/2l0RUq3 ) reported.

"For someone to bring a pet dog into a place is a slap in the face to someone who has worked hours and hours to make sure their dog is trained," said Michelle Woerner, the CEO of K-9s 4 Mobility.

Woerner said in one case, a client who uses a dog for balance took it to a grocery store. Another person's pet dog ran up and startled the service animal, causing the client to fall.

"This person almost lost her independence because someone had to bring their pet dog in there," Woerner said.

Jill Jensen, who uses a wheelchair and has had a service dog since 2001, has limited use of her hands and legs. She pointed to the distinction between service dogs and pets.

"This bill is very important to me  evidently a lot of businesses are allowing pets in, other dogs, where the person is stating their dog is a service dog," she said. "It's very disruptive."

Businesses have also been concerned about being forced to accommodate animals that aren't actually service dogs.

"The word has gotten out that if you present your dog as a service dog, there's not much recourse," said Barbara Stafford of the Wyoming Restaurant and Lodging Association.

Under the bill, those who misrepresent their animal as a service animal would be guilty of a misdemeanor and could be fined up to $750.

Other states have enacted similar laws.

___

Information from: Wyoming Tribune Eagle, http://www.wyomingnews.com
Help India!

By Afroz Alam Sahil, Twocircles.net

As you step out of Lucknow and move towards Malihabad, the mango capital of the state, commercial activities slow down and concrete structures give way to mango orchards (although many orchards are being chopped down to pave way for resorts for the rich). After travelling for about 35 kilometers, you reach the Gram Panchayat of Mall in Malihabad tehsil.

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Mall is like any other village in Uttar Pradesh with mixed population and people dependent largely on agriculture and sundry activities. But this Gram Panchayat has a claim to fame: it was adopted by BSP president Mayawati under Saansad Adarsh Gram Vikas Yojana. In UP politics, any link to Mayawati makes for a detailed story but Mall villages adoption by the BSP supremo was confined to three lines mentioned in local newspapers.

But the perception that adoption by Mayawati would have changed its picture is proven wrong the moment you step inside the village. Amanullah, 55, a resident of Mall village claimed, Behenji never adopted us; it was only an announcement. She left us like a step mother on the ground to die. Why was there so much drama over being adopted when the results are otherwise?

Amanullah Ansari has a family of seven which includes five girls. His son works in Delhi, leaving Amanullah to feed all his family members in the village.

The Gram Panchayat Mall has four hamlets: Veerpur, Mall, Gangan Barauli and Bidhi Shyama. In Mall village, there is a total of 1,513 families of which 629 belong to the Schedule Caste (SC) category. In terms of population, 3,147 of the 7,981 people belong to the SC category.

On first impressions, one may wonder what the fuss is all about: after all, this Gram Panchayat has eight primary schools, two private college, one hospital and several bank branches. But it is only when you see how they are distributed that you realise why the residents believe the adoption by Mayawati has failed to reach the various localities within the Gram Panchayat.

Village Committee member Sidhu Tiwa says, We did not get any benefit after being adopted by Mayawati. Even the old street lights were removed on the assurance that new ones will be installed. But the transition never happened. He adds that the little work which has been done in the region has largely remained confined to the Bheem Tola locality.

Even Bheem Tola, which is a locality of Dalits and was originally named Ambedkar Nagar, is far from developed. As you enter the village, you are welcomed by overflowing drains and unpaved roads. Most of the people in Bheem Tola continue to defecate in the open, thus shattering the claims of Swachch Bharat Abhiyan and campaigns of celebrities like Amitabh Bachchan and Vidya Balan.

The only sign of progress in this area is the 154-metre long interlocking tiles road at the cost of 6.87 lakhs. The work has reduced the sufferings and has made movement possible in the rainy season. Also, nearly 1,100 electric poles have been erected including 700 poles in their area. The area also has one electric transformer which is part of 7-8 transfers in the whole village, all done by Mayawati.

It would also be wrong to put the entire blame on Mayawati. Dharmendra, 45, another resident in Bheem Tola is quite angry with local representatives. He claims that local MLA Indal Rawat has never visited the village. MP Kaushal Kishore also never turned up and neither Behenji nor her representative has ever visited the village. Surprisingly, even the village pradhan never cared to visit Bheem Tola. His views are shared by Sarju Devi 70 and Chandrakali, 45, claiming that there are no takes for problems faced by poor.

Rajesh Kumar, a postgraduate in social sciences, claims that total population of Bheem Tola is 1,100 which includes 500 females. There is a junior high school for girls and the nearest hospital is two kilometers away. He also says that a community centre was to be constructed by Pradhan got it shifted.

Shrawan, 28, MBA and working in Ludhiana, is visiting his village for casting his vote claims that the biggest problem of Bheem Tola is that there is no place for holding marriages. Shrawans claim is, however, far fetched as hardly any village can boast of marriage hall in UP.

Beyond developmental issues, the other factors that have contributed to peoples anger have been the lack of implementation of various government schemes. Take, for example, the issues of senior citizens in the area. Tulsa is a 70-year-old who has been shown dead in official records and therefore, she is unable to receive her old-age pension for the past three years. Due to her eye sight problem, she has also not been able to get Aadhar card. Similarly, Rukana Devi, 60, claims that she has not received her pension for the past six years. She does not have a ration card, toilet or even a gas connection under Ujjawala Scheme.

People claim that most of them have Job Cards but there is no work under MNREGA. Most of them are BPL card holders but have not benefitted under Ujjawala Gas Connection. In 2013, only three girls received a laptop from Akhilesh Yadav scheme. Even the 100 people who receive the Samajwadi Pension say that it is irregular.

Although Bheem Tola has some roads, areas like Chikwan Tola cannot even claim that much. The area, which is predominantly Muslim, is in a pathetic condition. Haseen Bano, 55, claims that no politician comes here but sycophants of these leaders visit the area. Due to elections, they are however getting uninterrupted power supply. Haseen Bano refuses to be photographed.

In Pashchim Tola, Mohammad Arif, however, claims that due to Mayawatis adoption of the village, a new transformer has been installed, water over head tank has been constructed. However, they remain out of use and running water supply remains a distant dream. The Imam of Purani Masjid Mohd. Sharafatullah claims that lights were installed at 2-4 places but they are now defunct. People also claimed that there is not a single school in their locality and 70 percent of them go for defecation in open. Village Pradhan Rani Gayatri Singhs son Madhvendra Singh, who is also her representative, claims that they were expected an overnight change after Mall was adopted by Mayawati but it is clear that nothing like that has happened.

Village Development Officer Dinesh Sharma claims that no fund has been allocated to the village from Mayawatis MPLAD. But 10 halogen lights were installed through power corporation and 500-600 meter cemented road was laid and some work has been done in Bheem Tola.

He also added that it was the efforts of the Gram Panchayat along with contributions from locals that helped them build the Arya Samaj temple and a Satsang Bhawan in the village.

Mall may be disenchanted by the efforts of Mayawati, but not for long. According to reports, the BSP Supremo has now adopted a village called Fareta in the district of Mohanlal Ganj. One hopes that Fareta has a better experience than Mall.

*This story was made possible in partnership with Indian American Muslim Council*
Help India!

By Kushagra Dixit

New Delhi, (IANS): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadavs Gujarat ke Gadhe (Donkeys of Gujarat) jibe might have been meant to score points in a bitter electoral battle, but it has inadvertently sharpened focus on the Indian wild ass, promoted in a TV spot by no less than megastar Amitabh Bachchan in his capacity as the states brand ambassador.

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In fact, the conservation of the species (Equus hemionus Khur), which is found only in Gujarat  having been rendered extinct in south India, Pakistan and Afghanistan  has earned the state plaudits from wildlife experts.

The conservation of the Indian wild ass is an exemplary success story for the world to follow. The Gujarat government has, over the years, done a great job, Wildlife Institute of India (WII) Director V.B. Mathur told IANS.

Mathur, along with experts like Nita Shah, also of the WII, have worked on conserving the species for 22 years, back from the time when it was on the verge of extinction. Today, the animal numbers well over 4,500 in the wild.

Mathur believed that the change in the farming pattern due to better irrigation has also helped in the conservation.

Its a unique animal Whats commendable is that that the local government managed to balance the conservation of the species and development of the region, Mathur added.

Shekhar Niraj, Head of TRAFFIC, a wildlife trade monitoring network that works in alliance with the WWF, said the species still faces several challenges for its survival.

Its one of those rare examples where both the species and its habitat are troubled. It is still threatened but its population has gone up in Gujarat, Niraj told IANS.

The natural habitat of Indian wild ass is Rann of Kutch, where the animals are also referred to as Riders and Guardians of the Rann for their ability to run at speeds of over 60 km per hour.

The species, whose body frame matches that of a horse, is a sub-species of the near-threatened Asiatic wild ass (Equus heminous) that is now found only in small patches in India, Iran, Turkmenistan and Mongolia.

According to government records, the Indian wild ass was on the verge of extinction around 1970 due to lack of conservation efforts and a prevalent epidemic.

Experts said that conservation efforts by the state, central government and IUCN had helped increase the numbers of the species.

A census in 2014 counted 4,451 animals spread over 15,000 sq km in Gujarat. This was 454 more than the count of the 2009 census. The present population is estimated at over 4,800.

Thus, its little wonder that experts have objected to the animal being depicted as a pejorative.

Its not right to drag the endangered species into political feuds because it affects the conservation efforts. We should rather feel proud the species could be saved and now attracts tourists from across the world, V.P Singh, a Uttar Pradesh-based wildlife conservator, told IANS.

What then is the fuss all about?

Akhilesh Yadav, speaking at a rally on Monday, pointed to the TV spot  obliquely referring to Bachchan  to target Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah.

An advertisement is there on donkeys. I urge the biggest actor of the century not to advertise donkeys of Gujarat, Yadav said.

The advertisement promotes Gujarats Wild Ass Wildlife Sanctuary, one of the largest in the nation.

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said Akhilesh Yadav, had insulted the state with his remarks.

But then, without perhaps realising he was doing so, Akhilesh was only paying Modi back in his own coin.

During the campaign for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Modi had sneered at the Lion Safari, a dream project of Akhilesh Yadav to introduce the Asiatic lions (native to Gujarat) in his home town of Safai.

Modi had then wondered how the state government could take care of lions when they had not been able to take care of (people of) the state.

Eight Asiatic lions were bought to Safai between April and October 2014 from Gujarat and Hyderabad zoos and more followed later. However, four of those and five newborn cubs had died by June 2016.

Que sera, sera?
An innovative research conducted recently has found that Salmonella could one day be used to wipe out cancer after experiments on mice showed the bacteria was extremely effective at eliminating tumours. The research was carried out by scientists at Chonnam National University in South Korea. The Food Poisoning bug salmonella was genetically modified to make it innocuous, then injected into 20 mice with colon cancer and the disease disappeared in half of them after 12 days.

They believe this could sooner or later be used to treat a range of tumours in humans.

Professor Joon Haeng Rhee of Chonnam said: We believe this is a groundbreaking trial. We have a tangible plan to start preclinical and clinical trials in humans.

This is not the first time that research has indicated that bacteria such as salmonella could be useful in the battle against cancer. However, this is the first to prove it can eradicate the disease.

The Institute of Cancer Research in London has welcomed the research. Professor Kevin Harrington from the department of Biological therapies said: This is a fascinating new approach to using bacteria. Instead of asking bacteria to kill cancer cells directly, researchers have genetically engineered salmonella so it expresses a gene that triggers the immune system to mount an attack on the tumour.

The results show that this approach is effective against a range of tumour types with little or no toxicity in mice.

he also said, "However, until now, attempts to use bacteria as anti-cancer therapies have had limited success, both in the laboratory and in the clinic."

The discovery has also been revealed in the Science Translational Medicine journal published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

How does this bacteria actually work?

The discovery stems from another study when scientists discovered that bacteria attacking shellfish produced a protein that induced a strong immune response. The modified salmonella releases the same protein to prod the immune system into action, causing them to release molecules that can kill cancer.

Next steps

Going forward, scientists will see if this gene-editing discovery is safe and whether it could be used to treat humans.
The Swedish attack is not the first fake news

Trump has previously used Fake News to further his own agenda with the bowling green massacre. He claimed that after the bowling green massacre Obama restricted immigration to the US from middle eastern countries and rounded up Syrian Migrants. It should be noted that no such event as the bowling green massacre took place and no restrictions were put in place under the Obama administration. There was, however, an arrest made on two middle eastern suspects over potential attack plans.

Many swedes were baffled by the news of an attack

The announcement from Trump caused much social media storm from Swedish nationals. Many announced there confusion and outrage on twitter including on the official Swedish nationals twitter account. It was, of course, Iraqi refugees which Trump blamed for the attack showing his determination to turn the western world against refugees.

Swedish crime rates have been increasingly stable within recent years and Sweden is well renowned for its neutrality in many international conflicts. However, Trump could have picked Sweden due to its neutrality and fairly open immigration policy. It is not clear where Trump received his own sources on the attack and it is slightly shocking since he often accuses the media of creating fake news.

Is Trump using the fake Swedish attack to turn the western world on refugees?

It is clear from Trumps foreign and immigration policy so far that he does not want middle eastern or Muslim refugees in the US. After a small rise in reported terrorist attacks in Europe in recent years, Trump has always come out and criticised many European nations for their less restricted immigration policies.

If you also count the rise of fake news from outlets such as Breibart and Trump's continued attacks on the media, using a fake attack to justify his agenda and possibly implement more stringent measures with little opposition. This is however hardly the sort of thing a president should be doing in a time of crisis.
Most notable about the anti Trump demonstrations was not just the numbers, which were incredibly larger than anything in Washington yesterday for the inauguration, but that in general they actually were not anti-trump or anti-anything but instead about the same peace, love, and understanding that was the rallying cry of the peace movement of the 60s in the US.

Crowd size

The Boston police and emergency management officials were prepared for a crowd of approximately 25,000; the number that actually gathered was five or six times larger, with an official Boston Police estimate of 130,000 or more.

This reporter was in Boston as a student during the late 60s at the time of anti-war riots so bad that the physical gates at Harvard were closed and chained for the first time in living memory; todays crowds were incomparably larger than any anti-war demonstration all those years ago but they were entirely peaceful and not, for the most part anti-Trump. Many of the people in the crowd told reporters both in interviews and with their signs that they were demonstrating to promote a better America and that many still had hopes that their new president would help them.

Peaceful crowds of women and men filled the Boston Commons today as well as cities across the nation, as the womens pink march and Protest gathered people of every race to tell President Trump not so much that they are against him but rather oppose some of the policies he appears to support.

There were such gigantic crowds that many of the marches were simply impossible because there were simply physically too many people to hold a march after such a gigantic demonstration. The womens march in Washington that was supposed to end at the White House couldnt be held, not because of government intervention but simply because Lafayette Park and the entire area around the Trump White House were already so crowded that no march could physically be held.

Madonna

Giving way to the emotion of the moment, Madonna spoke so passionately that CNN felt it had to stop broadcasting her talk to pink supporters after the third live F bomb she included in her electrifying address to a massive crowd.

Film maker Michael Moore reminded CNN that this was the first giant protest rally in Washington which actually had the majority of Americans on the same side.

What will Trump do?

The unanswered question at this time is, how will the new president react to these massive rallies? Will he begin yet another tweet storm, or will his better nature humble him enough to recall that peaceful protest is the hallmark of any democracy?

He certainly didnt understand or at least he didnt publicly respect the fact that journalists are the fourth branch of American democracy, but seeing massive crowds of people supporting womens issues such as equal pay and reproductive rights should influence some members of the Republican Congress as well as presidential advisors, including First Daughter Ivanka.

The question remains whether President Trump will continue his growth and change as he has recently shown in changes to his stand on many republican standard positions.
A number of Jewish centres across America have been receiving bomb threats recently, and President Donald Trump has finally responded. Hes spoken out against anti-Semitism, which is a refreshing change after a month of banning Muslims and calling the press Americas enemies.

Trump was speaking at the National Museum of African American History

In an appearance on MSNBC, President Trump said, Anti-Semitism is horrible, and its going to stop. He said that the persecution and prejudice against Jewish people is age-old and that something exists in the world that doesnt fully allow it to heal. It might be the conservative nut thats running the country and making bigotry commonplace, but hes the one speaking out against it, so thats good.

Trump concluded that in order to eradicate anti-Semitism completely, we as a society need to get unified and stay together.

Given the history of anti-Semitism, coming to a head during World War II , its interesting to see Trump speak out against it, since his family is originally from Germany and had a much more German-sounding name, and then Hitler rose to power and everyone in America gained a passionate hatred for all things German, so they changed their name to Trump and young Donald was born.
Over the past few days, Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour Party more broadly have come under significant pressure from former Prime Minister, Tony Blair, and former first secretary of the state, Peter Mandelson, over their lack of opposition to Brexit. However, allies of Corbyn have insisted that he will continue as leader of the Labour party regardless of Labour's performance in upcoming byelections in Stoke-on-Trent and Copeland.

A crucial couple of weeks for Labour and Corbyn

Labour is optimistic that they can cling to both seats following the resignations of Tristam Hunt and Jamie Reed.

Recent polls have shown that Labour faces two tough contests, though: In Stoke, Ukip have placed leader Paul Nuttall on the ballot in an attempt to capitalise on anti-immigration sentiment and the Conservative Party have taken advantage of Corbyn's opposition to nuclear power to gain ground in Copeland.

One of Corbyn's closest allies, Diane Abbott, has reiterated that she believes that Corbyn will lead Labour into the 2020 general election, stating that there is no need for a contingency plan for Corbyn's successor. 'Over the coming weeks, we have some difficult byelections. They're going to be close. We are optimistic that we can retain these seats but it is crucial that every Labour supporter comes out and supports the party,' Abbott said.

Corbyn criticism not going away

When asked about Corbyn's future as leader of the party if Labour lose both seats, Abbott said: 'There are people that have been in opposition of Corbyn from the beginning. That won't change if we lose both seats. We have to move forward as a united party'.

One anonymous Labour MP who has been a regular critic of Corbyn, stated: 'MPs will continue to refrain from public criticism of Corbyn as he would have to leave on his own terms if he wishes to give up the leadership.

There is no appetite for another drawn out leadership contest. Besides, there is no clear candidate to run against Corbyn'.

Polling has indicated that Labour is in a weak position nationally-recent polls have shown that support for Labour is at the lowest since 2009 when Gordon Brown was Prime Minister.
As we already know, president Trump was recently elected as the 45th President of the United States. however, since he has been elected he has turn heads, caused friction across the American nation and even accused the media of being 'dishonest' by reporting 'fake news'. Donald Trump does not have many supporters on a global scale. but one who is a surprising supporter of his is the Zimbabwean leader, that is Robert Mugabe.

Mugabe backs President Trump

Like Mugabe himself, President Trump supports and puts first his own country before any other. Mugabe seemed as though he was backing the American President when he said "America for Americans and Zimbabwe for Zimbabweans".

However, the reasons for Mugabe backing Donald Trump remains unclear. It wasn't so long ago when back in 2001, Mugabe and his allies were sanctioned by the US. These sanctions included travel bans which were imposed amid allegations of human right abuses and election rigging.

Because of this, the Zimbabwean government accused the US of their countries economic struggle. But the two have some things in common. They are both controversial politicians who stand for what they say and are two of the oldest rulers of state to have ever lived.

Mugabe unfazed by Trumps policies

Since his recent reign into power, Donald Trump has set some of the most ludicrous, absurd policies. One of which was overturned by the judge, which Trump was infuriated by.

The policy was to ban Muslims from several Muslim countries from entering the country temporarily due to terrorism threats. Obviously, this did not go down well with fellow American who support immigration and anti-discrimination.

The policy also led to a global backlash and numerous protests around the world in an effort to dismiss it.

This then led to the policy being examined by the high courts who later dismissed it.

Mugabe seems unfazed by Trump's policies as he shares his nationalistic, political views which many feel are unfair and discriminatory of others, especially non-Americans.
I don't know how many young women come to this blog or how many are parents of teenage or young adult women, but here are some safety tips from Kelsey's Army:

T

I

P

S

1. Trust your instincts - If something feels wrong then something probably is wrong.2. Know your surroundings - know who and what is around you.3. Always have a plan for where you would go and what you would do if a situation arises.4. Be willing to make a scene in order to be noticed.5. Let someone know where you are going and when you will be back.Remember the acronym TIPS:ake Chargenform others of your whereaboutsrepare for any situationurvival Mentality (role play situations so you will respond should they happen)For more information, go to Kelsey's Army
The Queen invited Donald Trump over for a state visit where he could meet her, joking that she could legally kill the guy. Since then, a petition has done the rounds in the UK and drummed up a whopping 1.85 million signatures to make sure the visit gets cancelled. Thats more than enough to get the attention of Parliament (not to mention Commons Speaker John Bercows backlash against the Presidents state visit that sent shockwaves around the country, or at least the media), and now MPs are debating whether or not the visit should go ahead. Two in particular (Tulip Siddiq, whose name should give away her position on Trump immediately, and Glyn Davies) have voiced their opinions very strongly in a Guardian column.

Siddiq is strongly opposed to Trumps state visit

Siddiqs opinion is that the Queens invitation to Trump to have him over on our side of the water for a state visit was premature, and said Trump does not deserve a state visit and that his politics and allowing him to come over here in an official capacity is not in keeping with British values. She said that world leaders have to earn the right to a state visit, and that the President of the United States should not be offered one purely because he is the President of the United States, as par for the course.

Siddiq said that though it may seem like an eternity, Trump has been the President for barely a month. She summed up his actions taken during that time as moving towards economic protectionism (restricting trade between countries; America first!), having a series of rants at the press and most recently calling them the enemy of the American people, a failed attempt to ban millions of Muslims from stepping foot on US soil, and little else.

Siddiq addressed the right-wing view on it

The right-wing view of Trumps state visit, the guys who are saying he should be allowed to come over and also said that Brexit was a great idea, is that cancelling the visit could disrupt the relationship between the US and the UK that has been successful and friendly for a very long time.

Lucky for us, Trump likes Britain, but thatll all change if the state visit gets canned now. Siddiq says she is more than supportive of the special relationship between the United States and Britain. However, shes worried how this snap visit looks, describing its facade as one-sided, and like were pandering to him, desperate for him to like us, and she even used the word subservient, drawing comparisons with Trump as Christian Grey and us as Ana.

She also said that usually PMs give each President time to prove their worth before rolling out the red carpet and offering them a state visit. She noted that John F. Kennedy, who was recently ranked the eighth best President by C-SPAN, George Bush Sr., and Richard Nixon (who can be very closely compared with Trump) were never offered a state visit during their Presidencies.

She also noted that Barack Obama and George W. Bush werent offered state visits until over two years after being elected.

Siddiq added in a bit about the sure-fire way to voters hearts: taxes. Trumps state visit will be paid for with our tax money, which is a point that is sure to sway some of the public who are currently on the fence or not bothered about it. She said future generations will judge us for this meek show of support for Trump, accusing him of bigotry, racism and sexism. She believes that is a Trump state visit would be Britain remaining silent in the face of injustice, and concluded, quite simply: He must not receive a state visit.

Glyn Davies has different ideas

Glyn Davies supports Trumps state visit.

He said that due to UK/US relations, whereby America is a dependable partner and ally of Britain, he believes it is crucial for our security and economic interest to show Trump were on his side. He says that Trump won in a free and fair election (although he didnt, because of Russia) and that we have to respect democracy.
The Defense Ministry of Nagorno Karabakh told that the Azerbaijani forces violated the ceasefire regime over 75 times by firing various caliber weapons across the Nagorno Karabakh-Azerbaijan line of contact.

STEPANAKERT, FEBRUARY 21, ARTSAKHPRESS: The Ministry issued a statement which says: On February 20 and overnight February 21 the Azerbaijani side violated the ceasefire regime over 75 times by firing more than 900 shots from various caliber weapons, as well as sniper rifles at the Armenian positions in the Nagorno Karabakh-Azerbaijan line of contact. In the eastern and north-eastern directions of the line of contact, the Azerbaijani forces intensively fired 39 shots from sniper rifles.
Just as in the context of resource extractions, divisions are created in the boundaries of social groupings; there is disaggregation of social groups into supporters of candidates.

Whilst Dr Moutus dialectic focused on the corporatisation of tribal groups to attain legal visibility, I was fascinated by how his discourse could be applied in the context of PNGs 2017 general elections.

Dr Moutus lecture centred around the rules that set the boundaries of insiders and outsiders in terms of how tribal people present themselves to companies and the government.

I RECENTLY attended a lecture on social mapping by Dr Andrew Moutu, an eminent scholar of Papua New Guineas identity narratives.

The proliferation of incorporated land groups ILGs) - which, according to geographer Prof John Burton, could number over 70,000 - illustrates the level of disaggregation already in existence.

Much of the election violence and rivalry occurs when men from the same tribal boundary cause internal division in their bid to demonstrate tribal leadership.

The same applies in the struggles for legitimacy and recognition through ILGs.

Growing up at Kamusie logging camp in Western Province, I saw how the logging company kept landowner grievance in check by exploiting this quest for recognition.

Papua New Guineas tribes are heterogeneous, being comprised of rival groups each vying for pole position. Leadership is attained through conquest, by spiritual, political, economic or social means.

To some extent, PNGs opposition parties exemplify these internal divisions.

Dr Moutus other interesting insight was that whilst divisions and disaggregation of groups may in theory continue for infinity, social norms are replicated.

Thus the social norms of the original group can be found in a new group. This makes the rules of engagement are much the same.

Companies do social mapping to understand the whole and parts of particular groups in order to appropriately engage them. Candidates in the 2017 general elections could benefit from similar voter profiling.

How does one leverage the internal divisions of a tribe to control electoral behaviour?

Candidates vying for general elections would be foolish to assume that one couldnt disrupt tribal lines and exploit rivalries in order to gain broader support.
Donald Trump ignites strong emotions. The UK having opted for Brexit needs a new orientation and partners. Keeping that in mind the British Pm Theresa May became the first leader to meet Trump and immediately invited him for a state visit. Earlier presidents have been invited but Bush and Obama got the invitations after almost 800 days. No US president received an invitation in so short a time. The visit has however generated a lot of controversies and a petition signed by 1.8 million was presented to the government asking that the invitation is withdrawn.

A counter-petition asking for the visit to go on was signed only by about 300,000. The stage was thus set for parliament to discuss the state visit of Donald to the UK. Parliament can not cancel the visit but it serves as an irritant to Theresa May who has invited Donald.

Opposition to Visit

President Obama who made a state visit in 2011 also addressed the Britsh parliament. This is unlikely to happen as many MP's are opposed to the state visit of Donald. They are not against his coming but would like the pomp and glamor of a state visit to be canceled. Many feel it may compromise the queen. But people forget that the queen has played hostess to President Ceausescu of Romania and Robert Mugabe.

So a visit by Trump should not ruffle too many feathers.

The visit

A ceremonial visit is a big occasion and Trump would love it. He would also like to address both houses of parliament, but this looks remote. The mayor of London also does not want to give any importance to a Trump. The dates are not yet worked out, but Donald won't be happy at all this news about his visit.

Donald had actively supported Brexit and had mentioned that he would more than welcome a Britain once it is out of the EU.

Future

Visits by US presidents do generate controversy and when Bush came for in 2003, thousands protested against him for starting the Iraq war. This time also, the magnitude of the signatures against his state visit there could be demonstrations against him on a host of issues like the Muslim ban.
In the four weeks that he's been in office, Donald Trump has experienced the most backlash over his "Muslim ban" executive order. After the ban was blocked by a federal judge and later an appeals court, the president is ready to go back to the drawing board.

Travel ban deva ju

Closing out his first week in the White House, President Donald Trump issued several executive orders, but none more controversial than the aforementioned "Muslim ban." The order in question filed a temporary travel ban on seven different countries in the Middle East, in addition to a permanent ban on the Syrian refugee program.

Within hours, protests took place across the country as Muslim travelers were being detained in various airports. The order was first blocked by a judge, and then finally denied in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals earlier this month. As reported by Associated Press, and later The Hill, on February 20, Trump is ready to try again.

Trump's revised travel ban will target same seven Muslim-majority countries: report https://t.co/Xj2WXllIdH pic.twitter.com/l2UgSEdxPC  The Hill (@thehill) February 21, 2017

According to the report by the AP, Donald Trump's revised "Muslim ban" is nearly identical to his original executive order, at least in some aspects. The seven countries originally listed, Iraq, Syria, Iran, Somalia, Yemen, Libya, and the Sudan, will all return to the list in the new order.

The big difference, however, is that the updated ban will not include those who have a proper visa, a green card, or hold duel citizenship, which was one of the major criticisms the first time around.

Revised immigration order expected to target 7 Muslim-majority countries, exclude automatic ban on Syrian refugees. https://t.co/oeBW6FiSzN pic.twitter.com/RmqQvfpxYq  ABC News (@ABC) February 20, 2017

Another change during Trump's second go-round has to deal with the Syrian refugee program.

If accepted, the revised ban will not instruct law enforcement to "single out and reject" refugees from Syria. The civil war in Syria has become one of the most talked about international issues, with many on the left advocating for an increase in refugees from the region, while more right-wing Americans want to close the borders to the Middle East due to the rise and spread of Islamic extremism into the West.

During his campaign for president, Donald Trump was an outspoken critic of allowing refugees into the United States.

Moving forward

In the report released by the Associated Press, it's expected that the White House will officially roll-out the new executive order at some point next week. Considering only subtle changes were made to the original draft, it's likely that a new round of backlash will follow, resulting in increased protests and demonstrations against Donald Trump and his agenda, which critics label "racist" and "Islamophobic."
The Sudanese Government announced on Monday that famine was raging in several parts of the country, while food security for half of the population could be threatened by July 2017. For the first time, starvation has affected several areas of South Sudan, which have been independent since 2011 and have been ravaged by war for over three years, while nearly half of the country's population requires food assistance.

Economic crisis:

Several areas in the Unity region (north) are now "classified as starving ... or running the risk of starvation," Isaiah Chol Aruai, chairman of the National Bureau of Statistics Sud-Sudan, at a press conference.

Its figures are based on the IPC scale, the most used standard, notably by the United Nations, to classify food security.

"The long-term effects of the conflict, coupled with high food prices, the economic crisis, reduced agricultural production and reduced access to livelihoods" mean that 4.9 million South Sudanese ( Out of a total population of 11 million) are now classified in the top three levels of the CPI scale, with the highest famine. This number is expected to increase to 5.5 million by July.

100,000 people are at risk of starvation

In recent years, several reports have indicated that tens of thousands of South Sudanese may be classified as "disaster/famine", but this proportion of the population was too low to declare a region to be in a state of famine.

On Monday, three UN organizations, the Children's Fund (UNICEF), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Program (WFP), said that 100,000 people in the region May starve to death without emergency assistance.

"The biggest tragedy of the report released today is that the problem was caused by man," said Eugene Owusu, UN Humanitarian Coordinator for South Sudan.

Independent since 2011, South Sudan has plunged into civil war in December 2013, killing tens of thousands and displacing more than 3 million people, despite the deployment of some 12,000 peacekeepers.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo unveiled a plan late last week to keep racing at Finger Lakes Racetrack in Farmington for at least the next two years.

Under the proposal, Delaware North  the track operator  would commit between $600,000 and $1 million. The total would depend on the performance of video lottery terminals at the facility.

Del Lago Resort & Casino in Tyre, Seneca County, would provide approximately $440,000 to support the track's purses. That funding would've been provided to Tioga Downs if it didn't expand and become a larger gaming facility.

The New York Thoroughbred Breeding & Development Fund would vote to provide purse enrichment funds to the race track. The track would agree to discuss racing surfaces with the breeders and the state, which may provide funding.

The two-year plan would have an option for a third year. Racing at the track would be maintained at 2016 per-race purse levels with a 145-day season.

The average race purse for 2017 and 2018 would be $13,690, up from $13,224 last year.

"All parties would reconvene in August 2017 and 2018 in the governor's office to evaluate any actual impact of del Lago's operation on the race track's operation," said Lee Park, a spokesman for the state Gaming Commission. "For 2019 and beyond, officials would then have two years' worth of data to help identify a longer term solution for the track."

Last year, the Finger Lakes Horsemen Benevolent Protective Association urged the Cuomo administration to provide purse protection for the track to ensure its continued operation. The group's concern about the future of racing at the track stemmed from the del Lago casino project in Seneca County, which is expected to impact gaming revenues at the Farmington facility.

The Finger Lakes Horsemen said del Lago could reduce Finger Lakes Gaming & Racetrack's VLT revenue by up to 40 percent.

David Brown, president of the Finger Lakes Horsemen Benevolent and Protective Association, said Cuomo's proposal could preserve racing at the track.

"The Finger Lakes HBPA is very grateful to Governor Cuomo and his staff for all the time and effort put into searching for a solution to our ongoing crisis," Brown said. "We feel that the proposal just released goes a long way towards a solution that will ultimately save the many jobs, farms and businesses that rely on the race track for their financial well-being."
There wasnt a more conservative law-and-order county in the US than Maricopa County, Arizona until Sheriff Joe Arpaio lost his 7th election campaign mostly because the number of legal Latino residents in the Phoenix area voted him out.

New administration balks at ICE requests

Paul Penzone is the new Maricopa County sheriff and he has just made his first major change in the way things are done in his jurisdiction when he announced that his jails would no longer detain people for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) beyond the time when they would normally be released for whatever infraction they had committed that landed them in jail.

One thing left out of the complaints about such sanctuary regions is that if the ICE offices acted more quickly there would be no need at all for the extra 48 hours detention which they always ask for and got, until last Friday, because of Sheriff Arpaio's rule that this hold be routinely granted by the previous administration. If ICE simply kept better track of arrests and acted more quickly to pick up the offenders there would be no need for the burden placed on local police to do the job of the Federal government, a job which costs money and police time.

This dramatic switch changed Maricopa county from the most strict adherence to anti-immigrant policies to the most lenient in the state of Arizona.

An ICE statement the next day said the policy change represented an "immediate, dangerous change."

Colorful career of Arpaio

The sheriff, who was a staunch supporter of then-candidate Donald Trump, instituted the policy of only feeding inmates twice a day and using food rescue (garbage normally collected as pig feed) as a source of much of the jails daily menu.

In a move to humiliate prisoners Sheriff Arpaio, who came down heavily on drug violations, not just illegal immigrants, changed the prison uniform to pink, pink jumpsuits and pink underwear.

In 1993 Sheriff Arpaio expanded his jail facilities to accommodate the increased number of inmates by building a tent city he himself referred to as a concentration camp. There is no air conditioning in "tent city" which is located in the Arizona Desert where summer daytime temperatures reach 118 Degrees and the heat levels inside the tents are so high that the inmate's shoes began melting.

The US Department of Justice found Sheriff Arpaio guilty of the worse racial profiling record not just in the country, but in US history.

Sheriff Arpaio's policies cost taxpayers of his County more than $142 million in legal costs, fines, and settlements, in addition to whatever additional costs were involved in the loss of inexpensive immigrant labor and the loss of conventions and other events.
Western countries supporting the Syrian opposition met Friday with the new US Secretary of State in Bonn, on the sidelines of a G20.They are reassured by Washington's position on the Syrian conflict. For the first time since the start of the Trump administration, a dozen Western and Arab countries, as well as Turkey and the European Union, supporting the Syrian opposition met on Friday (February 17th) US state Rex Tillerson, in Bonn, on the sidelines of a G20.

No negotiations with Russia without distancing from Damascus:

Berlin and Paris expressed their relief:

At the end of the meeting, Berlin and Paris expressed their relief: "It has become clear that we want in all cases a political solution [to the Syrian conflict] within the framework of the UN", said the head of The German diplomacy Sigmar Gabriel, host of the G20 meeting.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault reiterated that it was "important and necessary for there to be a close dialogue with the United States on this Syrian issue."

The political transition:

The peace talks between the regime of Damascus and the opposition must resume next Thursday in Geneva. But three negotiating sessions were never able to move forward because of the huge gap between the belligerents over the contours of the political transition in the country and the fate of President Bashar al-Assad

Bashar al-Assad regime:

According to a Western source, Rex Tillerson was very clear on the need to send messages to the Russians who support the Bashar al-Assad regime: "He explained to us that there would be no military cooperation with the Russians As long as they do not distance themselves from Damascus's position about the opposition.

"

The peace agreement of Ukraine:

In addition to Syria, the US Secretary of State had held firm statements on Russia the day before, notably on maintaining sanctions as long as the peace accords were not implemented in Ukraine. Statements that reassured his partners while the White House in Washington is immersed in the cacophony following the revelations of New York on contacts between the campaign team of Donald Trump and the Russian intelligence services last year.
Vitaly Churkin, the longest standing serving member of the UN Security Council has died. It is reported that Churkin was in the Russian embassy in New York City when he went into cardiac arrest and was rushed to the the New York Presbyterian Hospital. He was pronounced dead at around 9:30 am EST. He is the third in a series of Russian diplomats that have passed away recently.

Russia's UN Ambassador would have been 65 tomorrow

Churkin's untimely death came as a shock to many, as he was set to celebrate his 65th birthday just the next day. Churkin has been Russia's envoy since 2006, having previously served a number of different diplomatic roles.

He is considered one of Moscow's greatest champions, and a skilled diplomat. President Vladimir Putin has been made aware of the death, and according to a spokesman the president is "grieved to learn about the death of Vitaly Churkin," and that the president had held Churkin's "professionalism and diplomatic talents" in high esteem.

UN colleagues react to Churkin's death

While Churkin's actions didn't always sit well with the UN or his diplomatic colleagues, it is evident by the reaction of his colleagues that Churkin was well-respected amongst his peers. On February 20, the UN held a minute of silence in memory of the Russian ambassador. The Russian embassy in the US also called his death a "tremendous loss for Russian diplomacy" on their Twitter page.

#RIP Vitaly Churkin, @RussiaUN envoy, died at the age of 64 in New York https://t.co/XIgKRh20q0 Tremendous loss for Russian diplomacy pic.twitter.com/7yXRcgQ5L3  Russia in USA  (@RusEmbUSA) February 20, 2017

Churkin was known for his personality, passion, wit and knowledge. US Ambassador to UN, Nikki Haley said of him, "We did not always see things the same way, but he unquestionably advocated his country's positions with great skill." Former U.S.

Ambassador to the U.N. Samantha Power referred to him as a "diplomatic maestro and deeply caring man". Other countries' ambassadors also chimed in. France's ambassador to the UN, Francois Delattre, revealed that despite their differences, they had "always worked together in a spirit of mutual respect and personal friendship," while his predecessor, Gerard Araud, recalls that he was "abrasive, funny and technically impeccable."

Churkin is survived by his wife and two children.
John McCain warned on Friday that the President of the US was starting to sound an awful lot like an up-and-coming dictator. Talking with NBCs Chuck Todd, McCain had a lot to say about the role of the press in a free and liberal society.

Referring to the presidents provocative tweet that labeled several media outlets as enemy of the American people', McCain said we need a #free press. "It's vital."

Six-year term and newfound power

After just being newly re-elected to another six-year term, Senator McCain was emphatic about the need for a free and adversarial press in an effort to preserve free democracy.

Thats how #dictators get started, he said. They get started by suppressing a free press. In other words, a consolidation of power." Interestingly, trump's remarks about libel law point to his desire to restrict the press  even though his new judge seems unwilling to carry these initiatives through.

With senator john mccain's newly commissioned chairmanship of the powerful #Armed Services Committee comes great power and influence. Fittingly, McCain has been careful to capitalize on his standpoint to critique Trump, apparently pushing back on the new administration's national security policies for the past few weeks, according to the New York Times.

Long seen as a #political maverick, McCain has emerged as a defender of traditional Republican attitudes toward foreign policy and as a piercing critic of the new president.

He said that these were dangerous times, and asked European allies to try and count on America.

An international security conference in Munich

McCain delivered his fiery critique of Trump at a security conference in Munch on Friday, surrounded by other high-powered world leaders and European politicos who fear the oncoming winds of change in the global order.

They are trying to maintain a sense of stability in the seven-decade old alliance between European nations, and they are worried about Russia's position and apparent regard For Trump.

McCain's critique of President Trumps 'America First' vision was celebrated by experts and allied officials worried about America's drift from the old alliance.

He told of the disarray of the new administration and described the amount of work that needed to be done. He conveyed his deep suspicions of Russia and his preference for free trade, something he has long championed.

McCain's fractious relationship with Trump goes back to the election cycle in 2016 when McCain remarked that Trump's immigration policies had garnered the support of 'crazies'. Trump responded by saying that 'I like people that werent captured,' referring to how McCain has been held  and tortured  for five years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam.

McCain never actually mentioned Trump's name during the Munich conference, but by talking about the shift in universal values, the drifting of the NATO alliance and the lies brewing in Washington politics, his message was loud and clear.

McCain also said the 'growing inability, and even unwillingness, to separate truth from lies' and the harsh resentment and mistreatment of immigrants and minority groups would shock the founders of the United States.
The Good News is that Venezuela has solved the obesity problem and could, conceivably, cite that feat as a triumph of socialism over free market capitalism. The bad news is that the once prosperous country has done so in the same manner as Dachau and Andersonville Prison, but starving their people close to death. According to the Blaze, a new study suggests that 75 percent of the population have lost an average 19 pounds over the past year. That is what happens when literally no food is available to eat.

The world has not seen this kind of famine since Ethiopia in the 1980s or Biafra in the early 1970s.

In past famines, the world banded together and sent shipments of food on a massive scale to feed the starving people until they could be back on their feet. Rock musicians would perform relief concerts and politicians would proclaim the worlds duty to save the starving children. Those same kids would show up crying on cable news with the distended bellies of malnutrition,

One reason that a relief effort has not yet been mounted for Venezuela is that it would have to shoot its way into the country. What relief supplies make it to that unhappy South American government is seized by the government and handed out to cronies and supporters. Venezuelans are too weak and malnourished to revolt against this slow motion genocide, which must suit the mad cap socialist government of President Nicolas Maduro quite well.

Political control through starvation is a well-known practice by socialist governments. North Korea does the same thing as did the Soviet Union in its early days. Hungry people may, at some point, become desperate enough to take to the streets and fight with the police and army, the theory being that death by bullets is to be preferred to death by hunger.

But the Venezuelans are not quite at that point yet. Nor is the international community disposed to form an expeditionary force to overthrow the Maduro tyranny and bring food to help the people from the brink of mass starvation. Instead we are seeing the end game of socialism, the death of a nation with barely a whimper.
Trump selects Gen. H.R. McMaster to replace Flynn as NSA:

Donald Trump on Monday announced the appointment of General Hr Mcmaster as a new national security advisor, replacing Michael Flynn, after a difficult search. A new head in the Donald Trump team. The US president announced on Monday, February 20, the appointment of Herbert Raymond McMaster, a 54-year-old general in office, as a new national security advisor. The billionaire made the announcement in front of reporters at his residence in Mar-a-Lago, Florida, calling General McMaster "a man of formidable talent and tremendous experience."

HR McMaster replaces Michael Flynn

Michael Flynn under fire:

HR McMaster is a specialist in counterinsurgency, especially in Iraq where he was deployed during the 1991 war and twice after the US invasion of 2003.

He also served in Afghanistan. "I look forward to joining the national security team and doing everything in my power to advance and protect the interests of the American people," General McMaster said in a brief introduction to the press, Alongside the US president in Mar-a-Lago.

Michael Flynn was forced to resign

His predecessor, Michael Flynn, a retired general, was forced to resign last week after revelations about discussions he had with the Russian ambassador in Washington while Barack Obama was still president. He had hidden the exact wording, including in his reports to Vice President Mike Pence. The US press reported tensions in the White House over the replacement of Michael Flynn, notably because of the influence attributed to the controversial head of the presidency Stephen Bannon, a far-right associate, National Security Council (NSC).

Robert Harward had declined the position

Donald Trump had at least one refusal to run his NSC, a highly strategic position. Retired Admiral Robert Harward had declined the position, according to the US media, not having sufficient guarantees on the role of Donald Trump's political advisers in the National Security Council policy. He saw a "shit stick," said one of his friends to CNN.
Marine Le Pen, the National Front candidate for president of the French Republic, is not expected to win the upcoming election. Of course, considering recent history with Donald Trump, one should be careful about pronouncing what can or cannot ever happen in politics. In any case, Le Pen was recently in Lebanon, a former French colony, burnishing her foreign policy street cred. She was invited to meet with that countrys Grand Mufti when she was informed she would be required to wear a head scarf. Her reaction was, along the lines, of thanks but no thanks, according to Hot Air.

To understand why Le Pen made this gesture, the gentle reader has to know how different the French (and most other Europeans) view national identity than Americans. Americans have a relatively lax attitude toward what it takes to be a citizen. An immigrant in encouraged to speak English and believe in the Constitution. Immigrants are also invited to assimilate to a certain extent to the prevailing culture, but also add his or her own to the mix, hence the concept of the melting pot.

French national identity is a bit different. One is not only expected to speak French and adhere to French culture but to do so to such a degree that is unheard of in America. That fact is one reason why many French people find the appearance of a great many unassimilated Muslims in their midst to be disturbing.

The terrorist outrages that took place in Paris and Nice in the past year or so added the hard edge of fear to the mix.

By refusing to cover up, Le Pen asserted her identity as a Frenchwoman in the face of a foreign demand that many of her followers find uncivilized, part of a shame culture that they find repugnant. Americans are taught to respect other cultures and so an American female politician would have put on the headscarf without a second thought, at least out of fear of being called racist or islamophobic. Le Pen, on the other hand, will likely pad her poll numbers with the gesture that would have been considered impolite on the other side of the Atlantic.
With his latest #press conference a wipeout and widely panned by the global media  and with Sweden virtually putting him in his place  many are looking to see if Trump's next few weeks in the #White House will take on a firmer footing. Or is this the scattered timbre of the new presidency of the United States of America?

Many have been left gasping for answers in a month that has seen a lot of firsts for the nation. It's the first time a president has passed a bill that fundamentally changes the country's #immigration policy in the first few days of his office.

It's the first time the national security adviser has been fired with a month of gaining the position.

Trump and the new age of 'trutherism'

Some have called it a new era of 'trutherism', as Damon Winter did in the New York Times on Saturday. Quoting French theorist Guy Debords book #The Society of The Spectacle, Winter postulated that we are living in a time of unanswerable lies, when truth has ceased existing or has been reduced to mere opinion. Troublingly, the spectacle itself  trump and Trumpism  warrants it own justifications by going around in circles, repeating and reaffirming without answer or confirmation of a fact, so that the spectacle becomes the only known thing.

After the inauguration crowd size became such a spectacle, the technicalities of headcount was then presented as an unnecessary burden.

The truth, for #Kelly Anne Conway in many highly charged media appearances, became an encumbrance that was spun in many different directions.

As each successive new day brings a new lie, indignity or indignation, many have felt that they no longer know what the truth actually is. There were many mistruths told be #Trump in his campaigns, and many promises not fulfilled.

There has also been a belligerent denial of the actual question itself, this by Trump himself in press conferences  where he has insisted that the media are liars and to blame.

Is this the kind of president we can expect for the next three years? A reactive and suspicious leader who doesnt seek justification for his #mendacities but rather continues to pummel his detractors with yet more lies?

Whilst a poll carried out by Fox News last week shows that 90 percent of Republicans are happy with how Trump is handling various issues, many in the mainstream media are fighting for answers. #Republican supporters might like the populist style of his latest press conference, with its lack of concern for truth and an attack on elites and news gatherers, but the media and those on the left are irate.

Foreign policy and America's global standing is highlighted

Others are criticizing the president's chaotic and destabilizing attitude to foreign policy, with some commentators suggesting that his cavalier approach to global issues and diplomacy are a new area of weakness for the US. Detractors say that a vulnerable world is looking to a #United States that has clarity of thought and a solid and trustworthy leadership, no matter what side of congress they stand on.

Whatever the truth of the matter, Trump will most probably continue to elicit opinion and outrage in the coming months. That is, unless he takes a tip from traditional political advisers and starts behaving more like a #president. And not a salesman in presidential clothing.
On the national holiday of President's Day, protesters decided to resist their current president. According to USA Today and NBC, thousands of citizens gathered in rallies across the country to chant "Not My President," "The people united will never be divided," and many more anti-trump, pro-inclusion statements. They were referred to as the "Not My President's Day" protests. I could not be more excited and inspired to see such mass political activism and freedom. I could not be more proud to be American to see my peers standing up for what they believe in for their country.

The resistance persists

Trump protests began and grew rapidly throughout the presidential election as it became more apparent that he was being seriously considered for the president. Public opinion fluctuated as the rallies got criticism about being ineffective, entitled and even childish. Some protests devolved into riots. Articles, such as one from US News, questioned whether it could survive in such a quickly-changing era. Would people lose interest when the next thing came along? Many Trump supporters do use the few riots there have been to say the movement is unproductive and negative. However, there have been many more inclusive and peaceful events. Though there is still doubt, protests on President's Day send a message: we're here, we're serious and we will fight.

Determination seems to be ever-rising for protesters to challenge the Trump administration. Having attended many of these rallies, the power and energy are tangible.

An engaged generation

Being part of the generation myself, I could see some validity to the criticism that Millennials were not involved enough in politics. In general, young people have often been absent from polling places and political events.

However, I believe this past election has dramatically changed that. It started with the inspiring and uplifting rhetoric of Bernie Sanders. The fervor continued when Clinton won the DNC nomination and many felt cheated by the Democratic Party. It reached a climax when Trump began to gain popularity and exploded when he won.

Suddenly, it seemed, Millennials were more politically active than ever. Many, myself included, joined many nonprofits, started donating, writing emails and calling representatives, signing and sharing petitions and exercising rights to peaceful protest. We started paying attention because we know we are the future. And we don't like what we're seeing of it.

Trump plays it cool, Spicer claims paid protesters

When the Women's March across the United States drew over a million citizens together against him the day after inauguration, and those in other countries as well, Trump wrote it off. He denied that there were as many protesters as there were. However, White House contacts reported that he was distraught over the resistance.

For someone as concerned with reputation and crowd sizes as Trump is, it's not surprising. He does not seem to be able to take criticism. Spicer, alternatively, has made several public statements that he believes the protesters are paid and planted, echoing a sentiment within the White House. If that's true, I wonder where my money is.

Protesters it for the long haul

Through the criticism from the White House and the "snowflake" comments from Trump supporters, the Resistance has thrived. Looking at photos and videos of these rallies, I see the drive, the signs and the sheer human power to make a statement. The events themselves may not seem very effective, particularly in areas that voted blue, but they receive news coverage, are spread through social media like Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat and collaborate with calls to representatives, politicians, petitions and donations.

It appears that this movement will not simply fade into irrelevance. Every day that Trump shows he does not have the interests of Americans above his own and that he will not stand by women, Muslims, minorities and immigrants give reason to fight harder.
Just one day after Donald Trump was sworn into office as the new president, over one million people protested around the country. As expected, Trump decided to voice his opposition using his number one form of communication; Twitter.

Trump on Women's March

Heading into Inauguration Day, Donald Trump vowed to bring out an all-time record crowd for his inauguration. However, after the estimates came in, only about 250,000 people came out to the nation's capital to see Trump become the commander in chief. Only 24 hours later, the historic Women's March took place, with over 500,000 demonstrators taking to the streets in Washington, D.C.

with an equal amount protesting in various cities across the country. Before sending out his tweets, Trump, along with White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, spent much of the day on Saturday pushing back against the reports of low attendance at the inauguration. As seen on Twitter on January 22, Trump was not happy.

Watched protests yesterday but was under the impression that we just had an election! Why didn't these people vote? Celebs hurt cause badly.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 22, 2017

"Watched protests yesterday but was under the impression that we just had an election!" Donald Trump wrote on Twitter Sunday morning, before adding, "Why didn't these people vote? Celebs hurt cause badly." In a follow-up tweet, Trump went on to brag about the high TV rating for his inauguration.

"Wow, television ratings just out: 31 million people watched the Inauguration," Trump tweeted, while noting, "11 million more than the very good ratings from 4 years ago!"

Wow, television ratings just out: 31 million people watched the Inauguration, 11 million more than the very good ratings from 4 years ago!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 22, 2017

Not long after he sent out his first two tweets on the Women's March, the former host of "The Apprentice" appeared to walk-back his original remarks with another message on Twitter.

"Peaceful protests are a hallmark of our democracy," Donald Trump pointed out, stating, "Even if I don't always agree, I recognize the rights of people to express their views."

Peaceful protests are a hallmark of our democracy. Even if I don't always agree, I recognize the rights of people to express their views.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 22, 2017

Next up

Despite the record number of protesters that voiced their opposition to the new administration, Donald Trump is still the current president, and will be for the next four years. Only time will tell what the future holds, but as Trump and his critics continue to butt heads, the hope of a unified America continues to remain in the distance.
A former maintenance supervisor at a Buffalo-area university entered a guilty plea Tuesday to charges he received up to $100,000 in bribes.

Dean Yerry, 63, of Henderson, Nevada, pleaded guilty to second-degree bribe receiving, a felony, during an appearance in state Supreme Court in Buffalo.

An investigation conducted by the state inspector general's office revealed Yerry, a maintenance supervisor at the University at Buffalo in western New York, solicited and received payments from a painting contractor from the end of 2013 through 2014.

According to the inspector general's office, Yerry collected the payments in exchange for helping the contractor secure painting contracts for student living facilities at UB.

In exchange for more than $1 million in contracts, Yerry received as much as $100,000 in bribes, the inspector general's office said.

State Inspector General Catherine Leahy Scott said Yerry violated the public trust.

"This defendant abused his position to subvert the government procurement process to greedily and brazenly enrich himself while giving his favored contractor an unfair advantage," Scott said in a statement.

Yerry retired during the inspector general's investigation. After living in Sloan, a suburb of Buffalo, he moved to Henderson, Nevada.

Following his guilty plea Tuesday, Yerry remains out on bail. He will be sentenced May 2.
Anna Devane's health is in jeopardy on ABC's "General Hospital." She is scared as Dr. Finn and Dr. Munro are both scrambling to figure out how to help save her. But first they need a diagnosis and on Monday's show, they will get the results of her test and it is not looking good at all. Spoilers say that Anna also gets a visit from her daughter, Robin Scorpio, and that has her really worried that something is terribly wrong with her.

Robin comes back to town

Last week we saw Valentin Cassadine rush Anna to "General Hospital" after she collapsed in his home.

She had broken in to find some evidence to use against him. He came back to grab the ring for Nina that he forgot and he caught the WSB agent wandering about. She passed out and he carried her to get help. Now she is alone and worried that something bad is happening to her.

On Monday, Robin is expected to show up. Griffin Munro called her to let her know what is going on with her mother. There is a sneak peek clip that "General Hospital" posted on Twitter that shows the two women having an emotional moment. Actresses Finola Hughes and Kimberly McCullough have been working together on the soap since McCullough was a little girl and their mother-daughter chemistry is always magical. The clip shows Anna telling Robin that something must be seriously wrong because she was called back to town and she could also tell by how the doctors are acting.

What is really wrong with Anna?

The word cancer was mentioned on Friday's episode of "General Hospital," so it looks like maybe the writers have decided to tackle this important issue.

Of course, there could always be something else going on with her, despite the fact that she may need a bone marrow transplant. Some previous spoilers have said that Anna is actually being poisoned by Olivia Jerome, but that may not be at all.

Now that it looks like she may have cancer, they will be searching for a bone marrow donor to save her life.

This will bring about some kind of revelation when it comes to Anna Devane's personal life. There are speculations that Griffin Munro will be a perfect match and it will be revealed that he is Anna's son that she thought she lost many years ago. Does Robin really have a half-brother? Griffin has become a beloved member of the family as he is Duke's son, so this reveal would be a good thing.

There are other rumors swirling that Valentin Cassadine will come into play as well. He could also be a match. This would give him an even deeper connection with Anna than he already has. What do you think, "General Hospital" fans? Are you hoping that Griffin is really Anna's son?
The solar power market in the United States has grown to 95 percent. In the residential and commercial utility sector, approximately 14,625MW has been installed. The average number of household electricity that is needed is .01MW (10kW) to generate enough power.

Studies show that installations have increased to 100MW or more in at least 20 U.S. states because solar panel electricity is becoming a popular trend. Now, about 1.3 million households in the country are using 40GW Solar Power.

2010 Earthquake in Haiti and Solar Power

When the Earthquake In Haiti hit on January 12, 2010, the infrastructure in Port Au Prince crumbled.

At the Marche En Fer-Iron Market, a company by the name of Coronado Solar installed an off-grid PV solar panel electrical system at the 58,000 SQ. Ft. Open-Air market. The project at The Iron Market in Haiti is the largest stand-alone solar project on the island and supplies 108,000 watts of power to the market. It is one example of how efficient solar panel electricity can help a nation of people that are experiencing a natural disaster.

New Hampshire's Bill of Green House Gas Initiative

The Conservative party is working to limit clean energy efforts in the state of New Hampshire. The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative has helped the region save billions in energy savings to local consumers.

On the contrary, there is a push back from local government to end the initiative. Donald Trump can potentially nullify The Clean Power Plan and Paris Agreement which will impact solar panel electricity in the country, and Conservatives believe that the bill might not progress.

The Goal of The Clean Energy Bill

In New Hampshire, the state of Massachusetts is working towards a 100% renewable gain for a clean energy bill to be implemented.

It is estimated that it will open 105,000 jobs in the clean energy sector and potentially increase the economy by $11.8 Billion.

Furthermore, Paul LePage, the Governor of Maine is expecting regulators to move forward with solar power electricity. Once solar panel electricity achieves penetration of 10%, a low number of upgrades will be needed. Also, once demand is at 20%, only then will the cost of the service increase.
BEIJING - The annual investment yield for the national social security fund averaged 8.4 percent in the 16 years since it was established, according to an official from the National Council for Social Security Fund.

Wang Zhongmin, vice chairman of the NCSSF, disclosed the information at a seminar on Monday.

Established in 2000, the national social security fund was designed to aid the country's aging population and be a strategic reserve to support future social security expenditure.

The funding sources include fiscal allocation from the central government, allocation from the lottery public welfare proceeds, individual contributions and capital raised by other methods approved by the State Council.

By the end of 2015, the fund's managed assets totalled 1.9 trillion yuan ($276.6 billion), according to a report from the NCSSF.

About 54 percent of its assets were invested via entrusted bodies, while 6 percent were invested overseas, according to the report.
Chinese automotive industry witnessed nearly 9.2 million sport utility vehicles sold last year, up 45.7 percent compared to 2015, according to China Passenger Car Association's statistic. Great Wall Motors' Haval series topped the rank for a six consecutive year since 2011, and with two models listed among the 10 best selling SUVs in 2016.

Let's take a look at the most popular SUVs in China:

No 10, Dongfeng Nissan Passenger Vehicle Co's Nissan X-Trail

Sales: 180,202
Foreign direct investment from the United States to China amounted to $80 billion in 67,000 projects by the end of 2016, data from the Ministry of Commerce show.

FDI from the US accounted for 7.8 percent and 4.5 percent of China's approved foreign-funded enterprises and the actual use of foreign investment. They had been important to China's job market, financial revenue and economy.

In terms of goods trade, China is the fastest growing export market to the US except Northern America.

Over the past decade, the average growth rate of the US exports to China has reached 11 percent annually.

China is the largest export market for products of aircraft manufacturing, soybeans and agriculture in the US.

China purchased 26 percent of Boeing aircraft, 56 percent of soybeans, 16 percent of vehicles and 15 percent of agricultural products over the past decade.
Shi Yu/China Daily Initiative aims to achieve industrial breakthroughs and increase nation's competitiveness

China is to further promote the manufacturing sector after recently releasing 11 guidelines to implement the "Made in China 2025" strategy, with a focus on areas such as smart manufacturing, high-end equipment, new materials and branding.

An initiative, known as "1+X", was finished earlier this month with 11 guidelines published, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. The "1" stands for "Made in China 2025" and "X" refers to guidelines for 11 subsectors, including smart and green manufacturing and innovation of high-end equipment.

More than 20 State Council departments participated in the initiative, which aims to achieve breakthroughs in the manufacturing sector and boost the country's competitiveness from a "world factory" to a true manufacturing power, encompassing design to production.

These guidelines aim to be suggestions instead of administrative requirements, endowing the market a bigger role in resource allocation, and calling for joint efforts by the government, enterprises, research institutes and universities as well as financial institutions.

"Made in China 2025" was first proposed by Premier Li Keqiang in his Government Work Report in March 2015. The premier has reiterated the plan on many occasions and promoted the upgrading of China's manufacturing sector to be environmentally-friendly, cost-effective and high-end.

In a written instruction last year, the premier called for the lowering of the threshold for market access, the better allocation of resources and reduced costs for the development of advanced manufacturing industries. He also encouraged the integration of "Made in China 2025" with initiatives such as Internet Plus, mass entrepreneurship and innovation, with an emphasis on craftsmanship.

At a State Council executive meeting on April 6, the premier said efforts should be made to boost consumer confidence in domestically-made products and promote the international competitiveness of manufacturing industries by improving quality and efficiency.

The premier also had manufacturing enterprises at the top of his schedule during each of his inspection tours to regions such as Shanghai, Tianjin and Shenzhen last year.

On a visit to a new automobile plant of the Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle Company in Shiyan, Central China's Hubei province in May, the premier encouraged workers to carry forward a revolution in quality with a spirit of craftsmanship, and promote the overall upgrading of Chinese products. "Quality revolution depends on the craftsman's spirit and innovation, and the key is consumer-oriented development," he told the workers.

"The strategy of 'Made in China 2025' and Internet Plus are inseparable, as we must upgrade the manufacturing industry and boost smart manufacturing," the premier said at a session during the World Economic Forum in June in Tianjin.

Also in Tianjin, the premier lifted a smart bicycle made from carbon fiber and took it for a test ride at a Flying Pigeon experience store, which features 100-year-old brands. "I would like to tell Chinese bicycle companies that I support the smart upgrading of the 'Made in China' strategy," he said.

Zhang Jun, chief economist at China Fortune Securities, said China's aging population will lead to a rise in the price of labor and shrinking demand, meaning smart manufacturing is a good way to boost production efficiency and trim costs.

China became the world's biggest manufacturer two years ago but still lags in branding recognition and innovation compared to developed economies, said Xin Guobin, vice-minister of Industry and Information Technology, at an earlier news conference. Smart manufacturing can help tackle challenges when the country faces downward pressure on economic growth and slowing private investment, he added.

Xin's views were echoed by Huang Qunhui, director of the Institute of Industrial Economics at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Huang said the nation should deplete all high-polluting and high-emission production capacity while promoting smart manufacturing and other subsectors mentioned in the guidelines.

In fact, the strategy has achieved major results as the nation's equipment manufacturing such as machine tools is surging. Guan Xiyou, former chairman of the board of directors of Shenyang Machine Tools Group in Liaoning province, said in July that the company received 20,000 orders for smart machine tools last year, double that of its annual production capacity. He resigned last month.

The company has decided to invest more on the production of new machine tools, which are now the most popular product, said Guan.
US President Donald Trump and his new administration apparently are delivering on bold or specific campaign promises, such as curbing immigration, creating jobs for Americans, repealing and replacing Obamacare and rebuilding American infrastructures.

Meanwhile, we should not be oblivious to Trump's many China-related assertions during his campaign: China is stealing American jobs, manipulating its currency and engaging in unfair trade practices, among others.

America's relationship with China is undoubtedly more complicated and would probably take Trump more than one or two executive orders to, first of all, accurately depict the nature of such a deeply intertwined relationship; and then roll out a reliable and consistent road map to deepen the relationship, which will not only benefit the world's two largest economies but the rest of the globe.

In their analysis and recommendations titled President Trump's Asia Inbox, which was released in early February, eight scholars at Stanford University's Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center (APARC) utilized their collective expertise in order to "offer fresh insights about key issues of US-Asia relations, including how to address a rising China, alliance management, the South China Sea, and North Korea's nuclear ambitions, to name a few areas of interest", said Gi-Wook Shin, director of the center, in the preface of the publication.

Thomas Fingar, one of the Shorenstein fellows with his research focused on the US-China relationship, said managing America's multifaceted relationship with China is arguably the most consequential foreign policy challenge facing the new administration.

"The stakes include stability and security in the Asia-Pacific region, more than $500 billion in bilateral trade, constraining nuclear weapons in North Korea, and the ability of the United States to work transnational issues in/through the United Nations. Campaign rhetoric complicates matters by raising fears and expectations at home and abroad," he continued.

The Obama administration made a big mistake in the way it responded to China's establishment of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), said Fingar.

"Declaring US willingness to join would demonstrate willingness to correct this Obama mistake, signal desire to cooperate with China when it is in US interest to do so, and help restore regional confidence in Washington's ability to manage relations with China in a way that helps states in the region to counterbalance Chinese influence while taking advantage of Beijing's willingness to invest in infrastructure," said Fingar.

"If China agrees to US membership (highly likely), we gain insight into and a voice in the bank's operations and score points with others in the region. If China demurs, it will be pressed by other members (including our allies in Europe) to accept the US. With all countries, the new administration wins credit for trying."

In a recently concluded seminar held at the University of San Francisco on China's Belt and Road Initiative, former US ambassador to Saudi Arabia (1989-1992) Chas Freeman said it has been a "foolish forfeiture of US influence" for the US not having agreed to join any of the new banks or funds led or heavily involved by China - AIIB, the New Development Bank, the South-South Cooperation Fund, the Maritime Silk Road Management Fund and the Maritime Silk Road Bank which boast a combined capital of $300 billion and will add $60 billion to $75 billion to annual lending for infrastructure projects in Asia and its periphery.

"We must hope that the Trump administration - with its emphasis on manufacturing jobs - will find a way to work with China to the advantage of American business. This will be hard if the US has started a trade war with China," warned Freeman, who served as the main interpreter for President Richard Nixon during his historic China visit in 1972.

Stanford scholars also suggested that the US should respond to Chinese actions in Asia "inimical to American interests in ways that protect our interests, achieve US goals shared by others in the region, and avoid both the reality and the appearance of being 'anti-China'", and reaffirm American commitments to allies and partners including the Chinese mainland and Taiwan.

International relations observer George Koo believes that Trump must collaborate with China in order to "make America great again". It will be crucial for the Trump administration to see the essential value of collaborating with China and continue to build on the economic cooperation, said Koo.

He cited Fuyao Glass, China's largest auto glass supplier, and its continuous investment in Ohio as an illuminating example.

Fuyao bought an old GM plant in Ohio for $15 million and will have invested $450 million and created 2,500 local jobs. It's expected to generate $25 million to $30 million monthly revenue for the Ohio economy and bring technical innovations, such as sun-blocking, energy saving glasses, embedded wire, heating glass and solar glass, to the US market.

"Many other Chinese companies are looking to invest in the US for the same reasons" such as being close to assembly plants, saving the shipping cost and maintaining satisfying customer relations, said Koo, adding such decision was driven by sensible business considerations instead of the desire to just pleasing President Trump.

Contact the writer at junechang@chinadailyusa.com
US Vice-President Mike Pence assured the European Union in Brussels on Monday that the Trump administration will develop their cooperation in trade and security and backs the EU as a partner in its own right.

A month after Donald Trump caused alarm by renewing his endorsement of Brexit and suggesting others may follow Britain out of the EU, Pence told reporters that he had come to "the home of the European Union" with a message from the president.

Speaking of a "strong commitment ... to continue cooperation and partnership with the European Union", Pence added: "Whatever our differences, our two continents share the same heritage, the same values and above all, the same purpose to promote peace and prosperity through freedom, democracy and the rule of law."

At a later meeting at NATO across town, he made clear that US support for the Transatlantic defence alliance had a price, though; Trump, he said, "expects real progress" from European governments by the end of the year in increasing their spending on military budgets closer to a NATO target of 2 percent of GDP.

Donald Tusk, who chairs the European Council of EU leaders, told reporters that Pence had given him affirmative answers to three questions on Trump's support for: the current system of international law, NATO and "the idea of a united Europe".

"Reports of the death of the West have been greatly exaggerated," Tusk said, in a nod to American writer Mark Twain.

EU officials said they were encouraged by what they called Pence's clear assurances, including on US backing for holding the European Union together after Brexit, though they will watch closely to see how far Trump's actions match his deputy's words.

"We got everything we were looking for," one official said.

Pence noted the building of common European institutions after World War II and said: "With this union and in cooperation with the United States, history will attest that when the United States and Europe are peaceful and prosperous, we do advance the peace and prosperity of all the world."

Echoing comments he made over the weekend in Germany, Pence also addressed worries in Europe over Trump's suggestion that the NATO defence pact was "obsolete"; Washington, he said, was committed to defending the sovereignty and territory of European states and holding Russia to account for its actions in Ukraine.

Pence also repeated Trump's belief that "common ground" could be established with Russia after years of confrontation.

Europeans are concerned that Trump may prefer bilateral ties with European powers rather than working with the Union. Pence spoke of cooperation, including against Islamist violence: "The safety and security of your union and our people depends on that increased collaboration on the global fight against terrorism."
Envoy's sudden death occurred on the eve of his 65th birthday

UNITED NATIONS  China offers deep condolences to Russia over the death of its ambassador to the United Nations, Vitaly Churkin, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Tuesday.

Calling Churkin an excellent diplomat who deserved great respect, ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said the ambassador's death is a loss not only for Russia, but also for the UN's work.

"We feel shocked and sad about Ambassador Churkin's sudden death and express deep condolence," Geng said in Beijing.

Churkin died in New York on Monday after becoming ill at work, the Russian Foreign Ministry said. His sudden death, apparently from a heart attack, occurred on the eve of his 65th birthday.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Monday that he "learned with shock and sadness" of the death of Churkin, who had been Russia's permanent representative to the UN since 2006 and was the longest-serving ambassador on the 15-member UN Security Council.

"Ambassador Churkin was a uniquely skilled diplomat, a powerful orator with great wit, and a man of many talents and interests," Guterres said in a statement issued on Monday night.

Describing him as an outstanding diplomat, the secretary-general noted that Churkin served his country "with distinction through some of the most challenging and momentous periods of recent history".

For more than a decade, Churkin was "a forceful presence on the Security Council," he said.

'Outstanding diplomat'

Also on Monday, former UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon said in a statement issued in Seoul, South Korea, that he was "shocked and truly saddened" to learn of Churkin's death.

"During my 10 years as secretary-general, it was a privilege to work with him and watch him represent the Russian Federation with such passion and dedication. He was an outstanding diplomat and an intellectual star," said Ban, who was succeeded by Guterres on Jan 1 after two five-year terms as the UN chief.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement issued in Moscow: "A prominent Russian diplomat has passed away while at work. We'd like to express our sincere condolences to Vitaly Churkin's family."

Churkin, who was born on Feb 21, 1952, in Moscow, served as ambassador-at-large at the Russian Foreign Ministry from 2003 to 2006, before his appointment to the UN.

He was Russian ambassador to Canada from 1998 to 2003, and to Belgium from 1994 to 1998.
The number of Chinese visitors to Dubai hit a record high in 2016 after the United Arab Emirates government began granting visas on arrival to Chinese citizens last November.

Figures recently released by the official Dubai Tourism body show the emirate attracted 540,000 Chinese visitors in 2016, a 20 percent increase year on year.

Though the Gulf states are still the major tourism sources for the UAE, China is one of the fastest growing markets.

In 2015, there were 450,000 Chinese visitors, up 29 percent year on year.

The relaxed visa rules and expanding flight networks between China and Dubai have fueled continuous growth.

Last May, the UAE's main airline, Emirates, launched direct flights from Dubai to Yinchuan and Zhengzhou in western and central China as its fourth and fifth destinations in the country.

According to Dubai Tourism, Dubai welcomed 14.9 million overnight visitors in 2016. By 2020, the emirate, known for its openness to foreigners and its dense network of luxury hotels and shopping malls, expects up to 25 million visitors, most of them visiting the six-month World Expo 2020.

Contact the writer at lijing2009@chinadaily.com.cn
More than 370 students from 22 State University of New York and City University of New York institutions have entered a coding competition launched by Gov. Andrew Cuomo to promote his free college tuition proposal.

Cuomo announced Tuesday that more than 70 teams will participate in the Making College Possible Coding Challenge. Entrants will create a prototype of a mobile app or website that provides more information about Cuomo's plan.

Teams were told to begin designing their prototypes Feb. 14. The first draft of the design is due Monday, Feb. 27.

The initial round of judging will be held in late February. The top five entries will move on to the final round of judging and a pitch session, which will be held in early March in New York City.

Experts from New York's technology sector will assist the finalists with their pitch. One winner will be selected. The winning app or website will used to promote the Excelsior Scholarship  the name Cuomo has given to the free tuition proposal.

Each team that advances to the finals will be awarded $2,000 through the SUNY and CUNY systems.

"The impressive number of submissions displays the breadth of talent and spirit of innovation embodied by our SUNY and CUNY students," Cuomo said in a statement.

Free tuition to SUNY and CUNY institutions is one Cuomo's signature proposals in 2017. He announced the plan during an event in January with U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, who made college affordability a top issue during his campaign for president last year.

Under the Excelsior Scholarship Program, students whose families earn no more than $125,000 a year would be eligible to receive free tuition to SUNY and CUNY schools.

Cuomo's office projects that 940,000 households in New York have college-aged children who would be eligible to participate in the aid program.

The cost of the program will be an estimated $163 million a year once it's phased in, according to the governor's office.

To promote the plan, Cuomo launched the coding contest in early February. SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher said students in the university network have "seized on the opportunity" to participate in the initiative.

"The competition provides an opportunity for students to showcase their talent and creativity while also producing a new platform where the value of college affordability can be shared with their peers, in their own voice," Zimpher said. "I look forward to seeing what our students come up with."

Here is the list of schools that are represented in the coding competition:

 Alfred State College

 Baruch College

 Binghamton University

 Borough of Manhattan Community College

 Broome Community College

 Buffalo State College

 City College

 Finger Lakes Community College

 Hunter College

 John Jay College

 LaGuardia Community College

 Lehman College

 New York City College of Technology

 Onondaga Community College

 Queens College

 Stony Brook University

 SUNY Fredonia

 SUNY Plattsburgh

 SUNY Sullivan

 University at Albany

 Westchester Community College

 York College
The CNY Solidarity Coalition launched its first major campaign by asking a question.

"Where's Katko?"

The group, which formed to "resist the ever-evolving Trump-Pence-Bannon-Ryan agenda," says it launched in the aftermath of the presidential election. And while they focus on national issues, central New York's congressional representative has been a frequent target.

In late January, the CNY Solidarity Coalition used the hashtag #whereskatko to question why U.S. Rep. John Katko, who's in his second term as a member of Congress, hasn't held an in-person town hall meeting.

Dana Balter, of Syracuse, is a member of the coalition. She said they've heard from many constituents in the 24th Congressional District who aren't happy with Katko's responsiveness.

"We're frustrated. We can't seem to find him so we just started asking, '#WheresKatko?' We want Congressman Katko to be available, be responsive, be here," Balter said.

"We want in-person town hall meetings. The people who put him in office have the right to know where he stands on the issues and the right to be heard. He doesn't seem to be getting that message from all the phone calls, emails and letters flooding his offices. Maybe this social media campaign will do the trick."

The group is focused on urging Katko to hold a town hall meeting not only because he hasn't held one, but because it's part of a national strategy targeting congressional Republicans.

Indivisible, a national organization launched by former Democratic congressional staffers, has inspired similar actions targeting Republican members of Congress in other parts of New York and across the country.

The group's website features a guide for activists to target their members of Congress. At the top of the guide's website is a link to a "Missing Member Action Plan"  a long list of suggested tactics if members of Congress don't hold town hall meetings.

CNY Solidarity Coalition is following at least some of the recommendations outlined in the five-step plan. The guide advises activists to "go public" if their member of Congress isn't responding.

With Katko not yet announcing an in-person town hall meeting, the group has turned to social media and events of their own, including a rally in the Syracuse building that houses Katko's main district office.

Eric Van der Vort, an organizer with the CNY Solidarity Coalition and a Syracuse resident, said Katko should be listening.

"Congressman Katko represents a district that leans Democratic and which has been one of the few actual swing districts in the country," Van der Vort said. "He pulled off a feat that no one had for a decade when he won a second term.

"Many of his constituents are concerned about the direction of public policy and he ran on a campaign to represent all central New Yorkers. How can he represent them when he is phoning it in and not connecting with many of his concerned constituents?"

Erin O'Connor, Katko's spokesperson, disputed that claim.

"Our office is always willing to engage with constituents," she said. "We take and respond to thousands of constituent calls, letters, emails and office visits. John has spoken directly with some of the individuals you mentioned and appreciates their concerns and their passion.

"With a busy legislative calendar to start the 115th Congress, one of the best ways for John to communicate with folks across all four counties of the 24th District is by telephone town hall meetings. These meetings allow him to speak directly with thousands of constituents and discuss a wide array of issues."

WILL A TOWN HALL MEETING HAPPEN?

The coalition is showing no signs of slowing down as it urges Katko to hold an in-person town hall meeting. And it's clear they have the congressman's attention.

Last week, Katko issued a lengthy statement responding to calls for a town hall meeting. He touted his constituent service record  his office responded to nearly 64,000 calls, emails and letters since January 2015, he said  and the millions in federal grant funding that has flowed into the district.

"When my constituents contact me or my office, we listen, and we focus on getting results and representing you in the most effective way possible," he said.

Katko's statement then shifted to the local Indivisible movement, which includes the CNY Solidarity Coalition, and his interactions with members of the group. He acknowledged that most want a constructive conversation with their representatives. Others, he said, "have made very clear that their foremost goal is to cause disruptions."

He accused these activists of harassing his staff and claimed that the behavior has led to security concerns.

"I have and will continue to engage in an ongoing dialogue with the constituents that I represent across Onondaga, Cayuga, Wayne and Oswego counties," he said. "But I will not allow a small, yet vocal, group dictate the terms on which I do so."

The CNY Solidarity Coalition responded with an open letter asking, "If you cannot stand in front of us, how can you stand up for us?"

The letter noted that in 2014, when Katko campaigned against then-U.S. Rep. Dan Maffei, he criticized the Democratic incumbent for refusing to participate in town hall-style debates.

Katko held town hall meetings on the campaign trail, including one in Moravia. After winning the 2014 election, he pledged to hold town hall meetings in the district.

Since taking office in 2015, he's held six listening sessions, many of which have focused on specific issues, such as the heroin epidemic. But he hasn't held a general town hall meeting that would allow attendees to ask him questions on a range of issues.

For Maureen Curtin, an Onondaga resident who joined the CNY Solidarity Coalition, a town hall meeting would allow Katko to hear their concerns and better represent their interests.

"He needs to listen to workers who can't make ends meet in two jobs," she said. "He needs to hear from constituents who will be bankrupted by skyrocketing health care costs in the post-Affordable Care Act era. He needs to meet with teachers who are better informed about what students need than multi-billionaire, Betsy DeVos. He needs to remember that the interests of the people are not represented by the billionaire in the White House or his buddies on Wall Street, nor the ones in his Cabinet."

Katko hasn't ruled out holding a town hall meeting. In his statement, he recognized that it's a "politically charged time."

Some of his Republican colleagues have held town hall meetings. U.S. Rep. Tom Reed, a Republican who represents a neighboring district, held four town hall meetings Saturday. Large crowds greeted Reed, including several attendees who challenged him on his support for repealing the Affordable Care Act.

Katko, who is back in central New York this week, said he's focused on bringing the community and country together.

"I have a record of working across the aisle and getting things done for my district," he said. "I will always make myself available to my constituents. All 708,000 of them. I will also represent them equally. A farmer in Wayne County or steel worker in Auburn matter just as much to me as an enraged 'Indivisible' member."
Unity House of Cayuga County marks its 40th anniversary in 2017, and has scheduled several events to celebrate it.

Starting in 1972 as a 21-bed housing service for veterans with emotional disabilities, the agency today serves 700 people with developmental, psychiatric and substance abuse disabilities daily in six central New York counties.

The agency will throw a 40th birthday party from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Thursday, March 23, in the building where it got its start: The Case Mansion, 108 South St., Auburn. The party is free and open to the public.

The agency will then host a Gala Board & Award Dinner from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Monday, April 24, in the Emerson Park Pavilion in Owasco. There will be a silent auction, awards presentations, a fundraiser and a talk about mental wellness by special guest speaker Kathy Cronkite.

From noon to 10 p.m. Sunday, July 2, the agency will hold a Cuddy Law Summer Bash at 1485 Turnpike Road, Auburn. The summer party  with lawn games, a swimming pool, barbecue, live music by Generation Gap and more  will cost $20 for adults and be free for children younger than 16.

Last, the agency will mark 20 years in Tompkins County with a birthday party from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 17, at the Argos Inn, 408 E. State St., Ithaca. It is free and open to the public.

For more information, call (315) 253-6227 or visit unityhouse.com/40thanniversary.
AUBURN  Keith Cuttler graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in psychology in 1988. He never thought that, years later, he would be the CEO and president of a federally qualified health care center.

Cuttler, who grew up in Albany and now lives in the town of Onondaga, became the new leader of East Hill Family Medical in September. Though he's never worked with this kind of federally regulated provider before, Cuttler comes from a diverse background of patient work, public relations, contract negotiations, insurance and even entrepreneurship, having sprung out on his own for a few years.

But he's excited to tackle his new position, working for a cause he's passionate about.

"To me, the federally qualified health center is really the ground zero for health care reform," Cuttler said. "This is where the work happens in reforming the health care system, and to me, that was really an exciting challenge, to make a solid impact on a population that really has been on the fringe and marginalized in terms of access to care, and quite frankly, deserves the best health care that anybody can offer."

It was a little trickier, too, when Cuttler began his new position last year after longtime CEO Josephine M. Rose was fired in October 2015 for undisclosed reasons. Rose had served for about 30 years in that position, and a wrongful termination lawsuit between her and East Hill Family Medical is pending. Cuttler said that due to her termination, the atmosphere at work was "a bit unsettled" when he was first starting out.

"Stability was important, kind of settling everything down, making sure that we almost really pushed the reset button on the organization and said, 'OK, here's where we stand,'" Cuttler said. "I think the CEO who left in October of 2015 was here since the company's inception. That's a long time to be in one place, and I think there comes a time in just about every organization where it's valuable for an organization to pull someone in from the outside for a fresh set of eyes, who has a different experience, a different skill set, and who can really look at things in a different way and chart a new course for the organization."

That's what Cuttler is setting out to do with his background of varied health care roles. He started out working for the Benjamin Rush Center in Syracuse in 1989, working with patients part-time before moving into a new public relations position. He would travel throughout central New York to sell employers on a new inpatient alcohol and drug rehabilitation center called the Rush Recovery Center. Cuttler said that's really what started his career in health care administration.

Cuttler, too, was working in the health care field at an opportune time. He said in the early 1990s, managed care began  today's system where patients visit certain doctors and hospitals under their health care plan, while a management company monitors the cost of treatment. Suddenly, hospitals and insurance companies could negotiate contracts, so in a new position at St. Joseph's Hospital in Syracuse, Cuttler took charge of that.

After working at St. Joseph's, Cuttler worked at Community General Hospital for a while, right after a merger between it and Crouse Hospital ended and Crouse declared bankruptcy. Because of that dissolution, Cuttler was again in charge of negotiating all-new contracts. He was also part of an effort to attract doctors and specialists back to Community General, which, he said, was successful.

But, wanting to try something new, Cuttler branched off on his own in 2012 as a strategy, marketing and business development consultant.

"That didn't work out so well," he said, laughing. "It was a tough time. Central New York had not recovered from the 2008 recession at all."

Cuttler said he enjoyed being his own boss, but after a few years of trying to make it work, he said it was time to get back into the workforce. That's when he found the opening at East Hill Family Medical.

Cuttler said he's working on two phases for the Auburn organization. The first is to finish stabilizing, using what the center has currently to maximize its operations. He expects that phase to be complete by the end of the year.

The second phase, growth, is happening now, too, though a bit more slowly. A couple of projects he has in the works include partnering with the Waterloo School District to bring health care services to students.

"In this rural community, folks don't drive, and there's no public transportation system, so how do you get all these children to appointments?" he said. "So, if there's an opportunity for us to talk with school districts and say, 'How can we work together to be able to provide better access to care?' Then that's the way we go."

East Hill Family Medical is also partnering with Cayuga County's mental health department to provide services to its patients. That's a new contract that Cuttler helped negotiate in January, he said. There's many other things in the works, and even more Cuttler hopes to tackle next year.

"I think it's got a lot of opportunity and promise, the way that folks come together to tackle those problems," he said about the city of Auburn and the community. "It's really encouraging."
AUBURN  A Jordan man has admitted to driving drunk just weeks after he was convicted of driving while intoxicated in the town of Sennett.

David J. Sass, 23, of 32 S. Hamilton St., pleaded guilty Tuesday to felony driving while intoxicated and second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, an unclassified misdemeanor.

According to New York State Police, at around 1 a.m. on Nov. 30, 2016, troopers spotted a vehicle parked on the shoulder of Grant Avenue Road with its engine running and only one headlight working. Upon investigating, police said troopers found Sass sitting in the driver's seat, and smelled alcohol on his breath.

In court Tuesday, Cayuga County Assistant District Attorney Diane Adsit said Sass failed several field sobriety tests and registered a blood alcohol content of .11 percent at the time. He was arrested and charged with felony DWI  just four weeks after being convicted of misdemeanor DWI in Sennett.

"Mr. Sass is very ill," Sass' attorney Rome Canzano told the court. "This is his only chance."

Judge Thomas Leone agreed to sentence Sass to five years probation, provided he successfully completes felony drug court. In addition, Sass will pay $1,500 in fines and have his license revoked for one year.

Should Sass fail felony drug court or get into any further trouble, he could face up to four years in prison. He was remanded to Cayuga County Jail without bail pending sentencing April 18.
If youve driven on any portion of the New York State Thruway or major roadways across the state, youve seen them. Promotional I Love NY road signs have popped up like a case of blue measles along the states most-traveled highways and byways.

There are 514 signs in all, located in every region of the state. The intent is commendable  to promote the states unique tourism opportunities. To that end, the governor has accomplished part of his goal, the signs are drawing attention. Unfortunately, the attention isnt positive and is coming for all the wrong reasons.

Road signs should not be one of the top-10,000 issues being discussed in Albany. But, a questionable project (the necessity of which was curious from the start) has turned into a feud with federal regulators that puts infrastructure funding at risk and once again raises questions of this administrations ability to be honest with the public.

SIGN STRATEGY SHOULD BE SECOND-GUESSED

Federal regulators set specific guidelines for what states can and cant do in regards to highway signage. The rules are there for a reason, and most of them are in the name of safety. In 2013, the state sought approval to install the signs, but ultimately the Federal Highway Administration denied the request. The governors team went ahead anyway, and the approach used was even more questionable than the decision to proceed.

Some of the signs were installed using emergency contracts to ensure they were in place before last years July 4 holiday weekend. This increased overtime costs and is a method generally used to conduct critical, immediate road repairs. How does installing a roadside tourism sign qualify as an emergency?

Despite promoting state tourism and the well-known I Love NY theme, some of the road signs were actually made in Arkansas. While awarding sub-contracts to out-of-state companies was permitted, it is unacceptable that tax dollars were spent outside New York on a measure to promote attractions within the Empire State.

That brings us to the cost, which has changed dramatically in recent days. In November, the state Department of Transportation (DOT) reported that the cost of materials for the signs was $1.7 million. But this week, DOT Commissioner Matthew Driscoll and Thruway Authority Acting Executive Director Bill Finch admitted the total price tag of the project was actually $8.1 million  over $15,000 per sign and more than four times what was originally stated.

WATCHING WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

How many families and small businesses would like to simply ignore certain state regulations the way the Cuomo administration ignored federal highway rules? The fate of the signs remains in limbo. Whether or not they stay put or are removed depends on which official you ask. Should federal administrators cut funding to New York State, hard questions will need to be answered.

The governor referenced these road signs in his 2014 State of the State Address, but by no means was this ever a major state initiative. Unfortunately, the molehill turned into a mountain, and now these signs represent something entirely different from their intended purpose: government waste and Albany dysfunction.

What do you think? I want to hear from you. Send me your feedback, suggestions and ideas regarding this or any other issue facing New York State. You can always contact my district office at (315) 781-2030, email me at kolbb@assembly.state.ny.us, find me by searching for Assemblyman Brian Kolb on Facebook, and follow me on Twitter.
PHOENIX  Republican lawmakers are teeing up yet another measure designed to throw hurdles in the path of Arizonans who want to craft their own laws.

The latest plan, set for debate Wednesday in the House Appropriations Committee, would require initiative backers to gather signatures in each of the state's 30 legislative districts.

More to the point, the number from each area would have to be in proportion to the number of votes cast there for governor at the last election. And if residents from any one of those areas balked, the measure would never get to the ballot.

Rep. Don Shooter, R-Yuma, the driving force behind HCR 2029, said that's precisely the purpose of the measure. He said right now it's too easy for people with money to put issue up for a vote.

If George Soros writes a check for $2.5 million, it's on the ballot, he said Monday of the billionaire who has supported liberal ballot measures in some states like requiring background checks when guns are bought and sold. That's a problem to me.

But what Shooter touts as an advantage, Rep. Ken Clark, D-Phoenix, sees as a hit to the democratic process of majority rule.

You could put yourself in a situation where the vast majority of Arizonans want something to happen but one district can hold everything up, he said.

What HCR would do is make the process of gathering signatures more difficult  and more expensive for groups that need to hire paid circulators.

Under the current constitutional requirements it takes the signatures of 10 percent of people who voted in the last gubernatorial election to put a change in law before voters. Based on the 2014 vote total of 1,506,416, that threshold is now 150,642.

Shooter's point is that all those signatures could be gathered in just one county  most likely Maricopa where 60 percent of the state's more than 3.6 million registered voters are located.

Under his plan, if 50,000 of the people who voted for governor came from his legislative district, then 5,000 of the 150,642 signatures would need to come from that district. And the same scenario would play out 29 more times across the state.

It gives the people more say-so, Shooter said. And he said it ensures that anything that gets on the ballot has a certain buy-in statewide.

If Maricopa County decided the wanted to put a referral (to voters) to steal everybody else in the state's water, the rural counties have something to say about it, he said. They can have an organized resistance in their county.

The same change in where petitions have to be circulated would apply to constitutional amendments which require the signatures of 15 percent of those who voted in the gubernatorial race to get on the ballot. And it also would affect the referendum process where people opposed to something the legislature enacted can put it on hold until the next general election by gathering the signatures of 5 percent of voters.

Clark questioned whether the measure would survive a legal challenge.

In 2014 the secretary of state's office agreed to stop enforcing a similar requirement which until then required candidates for statewide office to get signatures on nominating petitions from voters in at least three counties.

Assistant Attorney General Michele Forney admitted in legal papers filed in federal court that the statute runs afoul of constitutional requirements to treat all people equally. So rather than contesting the lawsuit, Forney said the state will simply ignore the requirement for all future elections.

But Kory Langhofer, the attorney for the Public Integrity Alliance which brought that lawsuit, said Monday that Shooter's measure might not befall the same fate.

Langhofer said the issue in his case was that counties are not equal in population, making the signatures from one county potentially worth more than other counties. In the case of HCR 2029, he said, all the legislative districts have roughly the same population.

Shooter conceded that same requirement for statewide buy-in would not apply to the legislative process itself. Lawmakers would remain free to enact new statutes with a majority of votes, even without the support of lawmakers from each district.

But Shooter said there are many, many more checks and balances on the legislative process.

The proposal is the latest in a series of Republican-crafted measures that are working their way through the legislative process in the wake of voter approval in November of an initiative to hike the state minimum wage. Other changes include bans on paid circulators, new rules that initiative circulators would need to follow and giving state lawmakers more power to overrule what voters have enacted.

Julie Erfle of AZ Schools Now, which is fighting these measures, said this is no better.

The people who are upset at the fact that some folks have been successful in getting initiatives on the ballot and are looking for any way possible to do whatever they can, right up to the line of legal, to make the initiative process more difficult, she said.

Shooter conceded that if initiative organizers do manage to get the signatures and put an issue on the ballot, his proposal still would allow measures to be enacted even if voters in a majority of the counties disagree.

That's precisely what happened in 2010 with Proposition 203 which legalized marijuana for medical use. It failed in 13 of the state's 15 counties but got enacted anyway based on strong support from Pima and Coconino counties.
As you look for ways to diversify your investments and hedge against inflation and economic uncertainty, there are several lesser-known (or at least lesser-utilized) strategies that are certainly worth your consideration. One of them is something called a gold IRA.

What is a Gold IRA?

In the simplest terms, a gold IRA is a special type of self-directed individual retirement account (IRA) that allows you to own gold bullion and still receive the preferential tax treatment youre looking for. You can also use it to invest in other assets that offer exposure to precious metals without actually owning the physical asset, including stocks in gold mining companies and gold ETFs.

Setting up a gold IRA is very easy. And while your gold IRA company can walk you through the exact steps, it typically looks something like this:

1. Open a self-directed IRA with a gold IRA company (or use an existing IRA and roll it over to the gold IRA company).

2. Select a precious metals dealer to make gold purchases for your IRA.

3. Fund your account with contributions (up to the limit) and make regular purchases.

If that all sounds a little confusing, dont worry. Part of selecting a good gold IRA company is choosing a company that will hold your hands and walk you through each individual step in the process.

The 5 Best Gold IRA Companies

There are a number of gold IRA companies in the marketplace, but here are the five best for 2022:

1. Regal Assets  Best Overall Gold IRA Company

Founded: 2009

Website: www.regalassets.com

Office Location(s): Los Angeles (LA), Waco (TX), Toronto (CA), and Dubai (UAE)

Phone Number: 1-877-205-1104

Regal Assets is widely considered to be the leader in the clubhouse. While they can handle anything related to gold IRAs, theyre known for performing IRA rollovers. In fact, they might perform more IRA rollovers than any other company on this list (which means customers can rest assured the rules are being followed).

In addition to having an extensive IRA rollover track record, Regal Assets has no fees for rollovers or transfers. And when it comes to managing the IRA, there are flat annual service and storage fees.

2. JM Bullion  Best for Purchasing Precious Metals Direct

Founded: 2000

Website: www.jmbullion.com

Office Location(s): Dallas, (TX)

Phone Number: 1-800-276-6508

JM Bullion has been in the industry for over a decade now. In that time, theyve become known for amazing customer service and the ability to purchase almost any kind of precious metal direct to your home or IRA. They even offer free shipping on all orders over $199.

3. Kitco  Best for Up-to-Date Market News

Founded: 1977

Website: www.kitco.com

Office Location(s): Montreal (CAN)

Phone Number: 1-877-775-4826

Kitco has more than 45 years of experience in the industry and has established itself as one of the most trustworthy options in the market. Not only do they have an extensive product lineup, but their website is an absolute library of content. This includes interactive charts, latest news, and other in-depth resources.

4. APMEX  Best Source for IRA and Non-IRA Bullion

Founded: 2000

Website: www.apmex.com

Office Location(s): Oklahoma City (OK)

Phone Number: 1-877-775-4826

The American Precious Metals Exchange, better known as APMEX, has been around for a little less than 20 years. However, what they lack in an extensive track record they more than make up for with a huge selection of bullion. They even have a dedicated section for IRA-approved bars and coins.

5. GoldSilver.com  Best for Low-Premium IRA and Non-IRA Bullion

Founded: 2005

Website : www.goldsilver.com

Office Location(s): Santa Monica (CA)

Phone Number: 1-888-319-8166

GoldSilver.com offers a lot of the same benefits as APMEX; however, its much more focused. They dont carry collectible or high mark-up/subjective products that other gold retailers typically sell. Everything is highly-recognized and widely-traded bullion coins and bars. And because they work with several IRA custodian partners, its easy to purchase bullion and transfer into your gold IRA.

Do You Have a Gold IRA?

A gold IRA can be used as your primary IRA, or you can simply open one as a way of diversifying your retirement savings (putting some of your investments in a standard IRA each year and some in your gold IRA). Either way, its a great option for taking a more balanced approach to wealth building. We highly recommend starting at the top of this list and working your way down until you find the company thats best for you.
More than 80 mortgage-related jobs at Bank of America will be cut in North Texas by April, Dallas Business Journal reported. The layoffs are the latest in a series of cuts in the mortgage industry amid declining mortgage and refinance activity. Tens of thousands of jobs were cut in the industry in 2013.Three layoffs will be effective April 13, according to the notice sent to the Texas Workforce Commission, and affect Dallas, Collin, and Tarrant counties. There will be an additional layoff in Richardson effective April 23.

40 workers will be laid off in the Home Loan Fulfillment unit in Richardson, 36 jobs will be cut in the Legacy Asset Servicing unit in Fort Worth, and 6 will be laid off in the Legacy Asset Servicing unit in Addison. The Legacy Asset Servicing unit handles delinquent and high-risk loans from Countrywide Financial Corp, which Bank of America acquired in 2008.

In a statement, Bank of America said the number of delinquent loans has dropped by 75% from its peak, while there has been a drastically reduced demand for refinancing.

This news comes one month after layoffs in the technology and operations division were announced. Its at least the third round of cuts in three months.

Periodic layoffs have become common at Bank of America over the last two years, with most of the cuts targeting its mortgage industry in the last year. Since 2011, Bank of America has cut nearly 40,000 job, which have targeted back office and support operations in particular.

Bank of America joins Chase and Wells Fargo with this news. Both have also announced job cuts in North Texas and elsewhere in the country. Combined, the three lenders have laid off more than 200 employees in North Texas and 11,000 across the country.

In February, Wells Fargo cut more than 700 mortgage-related jobs, while JPMorgan Chase said it plans to cut 8,000 jobs by the end of the year as the mortgage business shrinks and it aims to control costs. This trend is seen not just at large lenders but also smaller banks.

Six months ago, Bank of America closed its Beachwood and Independence facilities in Ohio, laying off 1,050 people in refinance and customer service.
The Department of Homeland Security released a pair of memos on Tuesday, laying out how it intends to implement President Donald Trumps executive orders on the enforcement of domestic immigration. In addition to calling for a massive increase in the number of immigration agents and the deputizing of local and state law enforcement across the country  described in the documents as a force multiplier the memos dramatically expand the range of people who can be deported without going before a judge.

I see now what the plan is, Greg Siskind, a Tennessee-based immigration attorney and member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association board of governors, told The Intercept. Their plan is basically to have everybody thrown out of the country without ever going to court.

This is the broadest, most widespread change I have seen in doing this work for more than two decades, said Lee Gelernt, a veteran immigration attorney and deputy director of the ACLUs national Immigrants Rights Project. After 9/11 we saw some extreme policies, but they were largely confined to particular areas around the relationship between immigration and national security. Here what were seeing are those types of policies but also much broader policies just dealing with immigration generally.

In a statement, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson, ranking member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, said that the memos show the Trump administration is more concerned with attempting to fulfill misguided campaign promises than doing what is best for the safety and security of the country and dead set on creating a massive deportation force and labeling anyone undocumented for expedited removal just to boost deportation numbers.

A number of the measures called for in the memos will not happen immediately  it will take time, money, and congressional approval to appropriate the billions of dollars needed to build a network of immigrant detention centers along the southern border with Mexico, for example, and to hire 5,000 new Border Patrol agents and 10,000 more ICE agents.

One of the only ways to legally defend against expedited removal is to claim asylum. Individuals who claim asylum are entitled to a so-called credible fear interview before an asylum official. If they pass the low threshold necessary to demonstrate a credible fear of being returned to their country, they are then entitled to make their case before a judge. If the judge approves their case, asylum can be granted  if not, the removal proceedings continue.

In order to save costs and the strain on detention facilities in the US, DHS and the Trump administration have also called for individuals who cross the border but are deemed unlikely to do so again to be deported back to the territory from which they came, where they will be given the opportunity to adjudicate their cases via video teleconference. In practice, this could mean people would be deported Mexico even if they are citizens of other countries.
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WILLIAMSVILLE, N.Y.  Teachers from elementary school through college are telling students how to distinguish between factual and fictional news  and why they should care that there's a difference.

As Facebook works with The Associated Press, FactCheck.org and other organizations to curb the spread of fake and misleading news on its influential network, teachers say classroom instruction can play a role in deflating the kind of "Pope endorses Trump " headlines that muddied the waters during the 2016 presidential campaign.

"I think only education can solve this problem," said Pat Winters Lauro, a professor at Kean University in New Jersey who began teaching a course on news literacy this semester.

Like others, Lauro has found discussions of fake news can lead to politically sensitive territory. Some critics believe fake stories targeting Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton helped Donald Trump overcome a deficit in public opinion polls, and President Trump himself has attached the label to various media outlets and unfavorable reports and polls in the first weeks of his presidency.

"It hasn't been a difficult topic to teach in terms of material because there's so much going on out there," Lauro said, "but it's difficult in terms of politics because we have such a divided country and the students are divided, too, on their beliefs. I'm afraid sometimes that they think I'm being political when really I'm just talking about journalistic standards for facts and verification, and they look at it like 'Oh, you're anti-this or -that.'"

Judging what to trust was easier when the sources were clearer  magazines, newspapers or something else, said Kean senior Mike Roche, who is taking Lauro's class. Now "it all comes through the same medium of your cellphone or your computer, so it's very easy to blur the lines and not have a clear distinction of what's real and what's fake," he said.

A California lawmaker last month introduced a bill to require the state to add lessons on how to distinguish between real and fake news to the grade 7-12 curriculum.

High school government and politics teacher Lesley Battaglia added fake news to the usual election-season lessons on primaries and presidential debates, discussing credible sites and sources and running stories through fact-checking sites like Snopes. There were also lessons about anonymous sources and satire. (They got a kick out of China's dissemination of a 2012 satirical story from The Onion naming Kim Jong Un as the sexiest man alive.)

"I'm making you guys do the hard stuff that not everybody always does. They see it in a tweet and that's enough for them," Battaglia told her students at Williamsville South High School in suburban Buffalo.

"It's kind of crazy," 17-year-old student Hannah Mercer said, "to think about how much it's affecting people and swaying their opinions."

Stony Brook University's Center for News Literacy pioneered the idea of educating future news consumers, and not just journalists, a decade ago with the rise of online news. About four in 10 Americans often get news online, a 2016 Pew Research Center report found. Stony Brook last month partnered with the University of Hong Kong to launch a free online course.

"To me, it's the new civics course," said Tom Boll, after wrapping up his own course on real and fake news at the Newhouse School at Syracuse University. With everyone now able to post and share, gone are the days of the network news and newspaper editors serving as the primary gatekeepers of information, Boll, an adjunct professor, said.

"The gates are wide open," he said, "and it's up to us to figure out what to believe."

That's not easy, said Raleigh, North Carolina-area teacher Bill Ferriter, who encourages students to first use common sense to question whether a story could be true, to look at web addresses and authors for hints, and to be skeptical of articles that seem aimed at riling them up.

He pointed to an authentic-looking site reporting that President Barack Obama signed an order in December banning the Pledge of Allegiance in schools. A ".co" at the end of an impostor news site web address should have been a red flag, he said.

"The biggest challenge that I have whenever I try to teach kids about questionable content on the web," said Ferriter, who teaches sixth grade, "is convincing them that there is such a thing as questionable content on the web."

Some of Battaglia's students fear fake news will chip away at the trust of even credible news sources and give public figures license to dismiss as fake news anything unfavorable.

"When people start to distrust all news sources is when people in power are just allowed to do whatever they want, said Katie Peter, "and that's very scary."
PHOENIX  Arizona elementary school students are a step closer to getting time each day to pretty much do what they want.

Without dissent the state House on Monday gave preliminary approval to a requirement that students in kindergarten through fifth grade be given at least 50 minutes of unstructured recess. HB 2082 needs a final roll-call vote before going to the Senate.

Rep. Jesus Rebalcava, D-Gila Bend, who has taught hyperactive students, is pushing the measure based on his belief that giving students a break during the day will help them focus better when they come back to class.

For Rep. Pamela Powers Hanley, D-Tucson, the issue comes down to physical health.

Back in December I was shopping for clothes for my granddaughter, she told colleagues.

It was so sad to see plus sizes in the little girls' department, Powers Hanley continued. We need to get our children up and moving.

The measure could still run into trouble over the issue of a state mandate.

Rep. David Stringer, R-Prescott, said if the idea of recess is so great schools would be doing it already. And he questioned whether it's a good idea for the state to be dictating the policy.

Rubalcava, however, said sometimes it's necessary for lawmakers to intercede.

I want them to recognize that recess is just as important as reading and math and writing, he said.

Until we have it mandated, it will never take that precedence, Rubalcava continued. Therefore, there are school districts that won't take the option of offering the recess.

Rep. Don Shooter, R-Yuma, said he's not disturbed by the mandate, seeing it as an antidote to a host of other directives about what schools need to teach.

This bill tries to compensate for us telling them to teach to the test and do this and do that, he said. So if we're going to tell them what to do, let's do it in a balanced way.

Lawmakers did tinker with the measure a bit before the vote.

They specifically added a definition of unstructured recess to mean a period during which adults do not define the activities or social interaction of students except for setting reasonable health and safety restrictions. And it permits schools to include the lunch recess in that 50-minute mandate.

The measure also was altered so that schools which offer only half-day kindergarten need offer only 25 minutes of recess daily.
Catching wife? Be careful, or youll be caught yourself

The practice of wife catching is a longstanding tradition. However, the tradition has a new obstacle: camera phones.

A video clip featuring an ethnic girl trying to escape from the practice in central Nghe An Province has gone viral. The poor girl was seen taking desperate efforts when forced onto a motorbike and driven away by a group of young men.

Finally, she managed to get herself free after some brilliant martial arts moves and loud screams for help.

Although the young men seemed to be enjoying themselves, the video clip quickly caught the eyes of local police, who did not find it funny at all.

Lieutenant Colonel inh Anh Dung, head of Quy Hop Districts Police Department, said that police were investigating the mens wife-catching tactics.

Initial investigations showed that the girl and a boy in the group had a dating affair when she came back from the south for Tet holiday. The girl later decided to turn back to her job after the holiday was over.

Afraid that the romantic relationship could end, the boy, together with his friends, organised to catch the girl when she waiting for the bus to the south, with dreams of a happy ending.

Ironically, the boy might be the one be caught.

Luong Thi Phuong, vice office chief of the districts Peoples Committee, said the practice of wife catching was a ceremonial event for ethnic minorities. The tradition requires consensual agreement between the couple and their two families.

Dung said the boy could face up to two years in prison if found guilty illegal arrest, and his friends could be prosecuted for being partners in crime.

In case his behavior is deemed not enough for criminal prosecution, the group will be given administrative fines.

So, remember to ask for the brides permission before taking her away, or youll pay more than a dowrys worth of ong.

Rats!

Nghe An Province farmers have faced a famously familiar headache: corn fields ravaged by rats. Tens of hectares of corn fields have been left nothing but corn pulps.

To save their corn, farmers bought mouse poison from a local shop.

Oddly, after ten days of spreading the chemical around the corn field, the only change was that the rats were chubbier.

Farmer Ho Trong Mao in Dien Truong Commune said he caught five rats for a test and surprisingly found out that they were alive, despite being pumped with the toxic.

Local farmers have immediately reported the incident to the local Plant Protection Station. The station has taken samples for test.

While scientists labour away with their lab coats, the farmers took a more old school tactic. Using shovels and buckets to kill the rats, they killed as many as 4,000 rats in a few days.  VNS
Four Vietnamese steelmakers continue to demand new measures to prevent coated steel sheets shipped from mainland China and South Korea from being sold at cheap prices in the market.  PHoto dantri.com.vn

HA NOI  Four Vietnamese steelmakers--including China Steel Sumikin Vietnam JSC, Phuong Nam Co. Ltd., Nam Kim Steel JSC, and Dong A Steel JSC-- continued to demand new measures to prevent coated steel sheets shipped from mainland China and South Korea from being sold at cheap prices in the market.

Plaintiff representative Mayer Brown JSM law firm asked the Vietnam Competition Authority (VCA)--under the Ministry of Industry and Trade--to consider applying anti-dumping taxes, document review and a data investigation of the suspected companies. The measures would aim to ensure the exact calculation on the anti-dumping amplitude and to consider the application in a 90-day period before preliminary anti-dumping imposing.

Nguyen Van Sua, vice chairman of Vietnam Steel Association (VSA) said the suitable calculation of anti-dumping duty levels aimed to prevent such imported products from being dumped in the Vietnamese market is necessary to protect local production.

On December 24, 2015, the VCA received appeals from the four steel firms to start a probe into the issue. The probe is applicable to the period from October 1, 2014 to September 30, 2015.

The ministry promulgated the Decision No 818/Q-BCT on March 3, 2016 on initiating an investigation on anti-dumping tax on imported coated steels from China and South Korea into Viet Nam.

On September 1st, 2016, the ministry issued temporary anti-dumping duties on the products.

Accordingly, eight Chinese companies have been applied an anti-dumping duties of 4.02 to 38.34 per cent while those imposed for South Korean firms were 12.4 to 19 per cent.

A representative from South Korean Posco Company told the au tu (Investment) Newspaper that the dumping has not had significant damage to the domestic businesses. The company has been imposed an anti-dumping tax of 12.4 per cent for the coated steel product.

He said the imported steel from South Korea accounted for a small portion of 4.57 per cent in the investigation period in comparison with other imported products including coated steel for high-end markets of automobile and electronic. In addition, the average of coated steel imported from South Korea was US$85 per tonne higher than that of locally produced steel in Viet Nam.

A representative from the China Chamber of International Commerce (CCOIC) also asked Vietnamese authorities to clarify some issues related to steel product differentiation.

CCOIC said local coated steel has a width of over 900mm, serving for shipbuilding industry, while those imported from China have a width of 600 to 820mm, serving for civil construction. The products therefore have not competed with each other.

Under the current laws and regulations, all ideas of related parties will be analyzed and reported in the final report. However, the VCA has not provided the final report.  VNS
HA NOI  Viet Nams export value for leather and footwear gained stable growth every year during the 2011-16 period to reach US$57.5 billion in total.

Under statistics from the General Department of Customs, export value reached $6.5 billion in 2011, $7.3 billion in 2012, $8.4 billion in 2013, $10.3 billion in 2014, $12 billion in 2015 and $13 billion in 2016.

The statistics revealed that during these year, the cycle of footwear exports usually witnessed growth in the second quarter and reached the highest level in the third quarter. In 2016, average export value of the products reached $1.08 billion per month.

The US has been the leading footwear export market of Viet Nam, accounting for 30 per cent of the industrys total export value. Footwear export value made up 11 per cent of Viet Nams total export value to the US.

In 2016, the US was the largest footwear export market of Viet Nam with turnover of $4.48 billion, up by 10 per cent against the previous year. The second place went to the Chinese market with export value of $904.9 million, followed by Belgium with a value of $825.4 million, Germany with $764.7 million and Japan with $674.9 million. In terms of region, the EU was the largest footwear export market of Viet Nam. Footwear exports from Viet Nam to the EU are expected to increase further after the signing of the EU-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement.

Viet Nams footwear industry has a long development history and is one of the industries with export advantages, contributing significantly to the national economy.

In 1992, the industry began to export footwear products, earning $5 million. So far, the industrys exports have contributed 10 per cent to the national gross domestic product, vneconomy.vn reported.

The Viet Nam Leather and Footwear Association said in terms of export volume, Viet Nam is one of the top four countries exporting footwear in the world, following China, India and Brazil. The nation has had the second largest export value of footwear in the world, after China. Viet Nams footwear products were shipped to 50 countries and territories.

However, Viet Nams export footwear products have almost been processed under foreign fashion brands orders and the domestic footwear industry has weaknesses in design and material supply, the association said.

Despite contributing tens of billions of dollars to the national export value, the industry has not received enough investment for development to match its potential in exports, it said.  VNS
Nearly 90 years ago, a young Clyde Tombaugh arrived at Lowell Observatory and was given a laborious task.

For hours each day, he was to use a special microscope called a Zeiss Blink Comparator to search glass plates for a single specific object to stand out among thousands of stars. The instrument held pairs of photographic glass plates side by side, then used a mechanical shutter to rapidly switch between the two.

As he blinked between plates that showed the same slice of sky, Tombaugh scrutinized constellations of tiny dots to spot one that moved differently from the rest. His search, of course, was for the object the observatorys founder, Percival Lowell, had dubbed Planet X.

In February of 1930, just a few months after he began the tedious comparison process, Tombaugh made the discovery that would jolt Lowell to worldwide fame.

Comparing plates taken on the 23rd and 29th of January, Lowell found what at the time was the ninth planet, Pluto.

Now, after Pluto was demoted to dwarf planet status, the hunt for a new Planet 9 is back on. NASA is hoping to replicate Tombaughs success by enlisting citizen scientists to help spot undiscovered objects in the far reaches of the solar system -- everything from balls of gas called brown dwarfs to what scientists hypothesize could be a distant ninth planet.

"There are just over four light-years between Neptune and Proxima Centauri, the nearest star, and much of this vast territory is unexplored," lead researcher Marc Kuchner, an astrophysicist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, said in a press release.

The project is based on images captured by NASAs Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer mission, which researchers believe may have imaged objects that havent been spotted before because they are so far from the sun that they barely shine in visible light.

NASA has packaged that data into colored, animated images that show a certain segment of sky over several years. Users are asked to scan through the images, which look a bit like TV static, and use a marking tool to highlight points of interest, or things that appear to move between the images. Those points will then be prioritized by scientists for follow up.

So far, nearly 18,000 volunteers have participated.

Instructions on the website for the project, called Backyard Worlds: Planet 9, say a ninth planet is expected to look like a blue dot, hopping and jumping all the way across the images.

Though it hasnt been spotted, scientists discovered indirect evidence of the existence of a ninth planet last year. A University of California Berkeley article states the planet could be as large or larger than Neptune but up to 1,000 times farther from the sun than Earth.

NASA said it needs the power of human eyes for this task because its computers get confused by images that are too crowded with stars and can get thrown off by brightness spikes sometimes caused by the instruments themselves.

If participants do spot something, NASA made clear that they will get credit for their discoveries in any scientific publications that come out of the project.

Jeff Hall, director of Lowell Observatory, applauded NASAs turn to citizen scientists.

To spot something moving across a field of view, something that might be really obvious to a human eye, can be really tough to program a computer to do, Hall said.

Human eyes have the advantage of two million years of evolution, he said.

Computers, high speed internet and advancements in telescope technology have helped make citizen science viable and valuable in the astronomy field, he said.

The observatory has its own amateur research initiative that brings in citizens to help astronomers do additional observations or follow up analysis for projects like asteroid studies or small galaxy imaging, Hall said.

Directly engaging the broader public with real discovery is a wonderful thing, he said.

And does he see the potential discovery of a ninth planet as a threat to Lowells status after Pluto got booted from that position in 2006?

Not at all, Hall said.
HA NOI  The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Sai Gon-Ha Noi Commercial Joint Stock Bank (SHB) on Tuesday signed a Revolving Credit Agreement (RCA).

Under the agreement, ADBs Trade Finance Programme (TFP) will provide a US$20 million direct loan to SHB to support pre-shipment and post-shipment trade transactions.

The revolving credit facility will enhance SHBs capacity to provide trade-related loans to its clients, including for pre-export finance of agriculture products, garments and electronics, for export to markets such as China, Japan and Singapore.

We are pleased to work with SHB to increase support to companies, including small- and medium-sized businesses. More support for trade means more economic growth and more job creation, Eric Sidgwick, ADB country director for Viet Nam, said.

SHB became a partner bank in ADBs TFP in early 2016. In less than 12 months, TFP has supported a total of 25 SHB transactions worth over $160 million. The revolving credit facility is TFPs second agreement with SHB.

SHB has total assets of more than VN215 trillion, some 7,000 employees and an extensive network of nearly 500 outlets in Viet Nam, Laos and Cambodia. SHB serves nearly four million individual customers and businesses.

Participating in TFP under RCA helps diversify our trade finance products and services. We strongly believe the partnership with ADB in this programme will lead to more future opportunities of cooperation between the two institutions," SHB CEO Nguyen Van Le said.

The TFP has been operating in Viet Nam since 2009 and currently works with 11 local partner banks. To date, the programme has conducted 5,262 transactions, supporting $7.8 billion in trade in Viet Nam -- mostly benefitting small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

The ADB TFP, backed by ADBs AAA credit rating, provides guarantees and loans to over 200 partner banks to support trade, enabling more companies throughout Asia to engage in import and export activities.

TFP complements its financial support with a regular series of workshops and seminars to increase knowledge and expertise in trade finance products and operations, risk management and fraud prevention.

Since 2009, TFP has supported more than 9,200 SMEs across developing Asia - through over 13,000 transactions valued at over $25.5 billion - in sectors ranging from commodities and capital goods to medical supplies and consumer goods.  VNS
HA NOI  The Bank for Foreign Trade of Vietnam, one of the countrys four largest State-owned commercial banks, plans to open subsidiaries in Laos and Cambodia this year, a bank official has said.

The information was released by Nghiem Xuan Thanh, chairman of the bank, on the sidelines of the meeting between officials of the State Bank of Viet Nam (SBV) and their Lao and Cambodian counterparts late lask week.

He said that in accordance with the Governments direction, the bank had worked on a strategy and roadmap to expand its presence in the region and integrate globally.

Currently, the bank, commonly known as Vietcombank, accounts for 20 per cent of the shares of import-export payment market between Laos and Viet Nam and is technically cooperating with leading Laos and Cambodian banks.

Through market research, the bank recognised there was great potential for banking operations in the two markets, therefore it proposed to the SBV a plan to set up subsidiaries.

During the conference between SBV and its counterparts, SBV Governor Le Minh Hung signed memoranda of understanding on bilateral collaboration with his Lao counterpart Somphao Phaysith and Cambodian counterpart Chea Chanto.

The bankers vowed to encourage and facilitate partnerships between Vietnamese and Lao and Cambodian commercial banks, contributing to stimulating investment and trade ties between Viet Nam and the neighbouring countries.

The State banks agreed to continue implementing joint projects in cross-border trade payment, banking inspection, anti-money laundering and personnel training.

They also committed to boosting partnership among the four countries  Viet Nam, Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia.  VNS
HA NOI  The Huawei Technologies Co Ltd announced that it would spend US$2 million for corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes in Viet Nam, which mainly focuses on training and developing ICT human resources of the country between 2017 and 2019.

The programmes include four main activities, which are training courses on new technologies; scholarship for telecom seeds to help develop local talents and promote ICT knowledge transfer; annual mobile application innovation contest for Vietnamese students and other social sponsors to narrow digital gap and improve working environment.

Huawei said that in a meeting with Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc last week, its chairwoman, Sun Yafang, lauded Viet Nams strategy for IT growth and noted her hope to contribute more to IT and telecommunication area in the country.

She also added that the group was also keen on infrastructure development and products for information safety in Viet Nam.  VNS
HA NOI - Vietnam National Shipping Lines (Vinalines) plans to develop a large-scale logistics centre in the capital as part of its development strategy for 2020, thoibaotaichinhvietnam.vn reports.

The centre, which will connect major seaports such as Hai Phong, Dinh Vu and Lach Huyen through the Dinh Vu inland waterway system, is expected to meet rising demand for container transport in the north while helping reduce transportation costs and environmental pollution.

It is slated to be built at Phu Dong Port in Gia Lam District.

Logistical development is a key service industry goal for Viet Nam. The target is to meet domestic demand and extend reach to the regional and global markets, under the Ministry of Industry and Trades draft action plan for enhancing competitiveness and developing logistics services.

The logistics services industry hopes to contribute 5 per cent of the GDP and have a growth rate of 15 to 20 per cent per year by 2020, according to the draft.

Improving logistics infrastructure and the capacity of logistics firms is essential, the ministry said. -VNS
HA NOI  Singaporean firms are eyeing the province of Thua Thien-Hue as a potential investment destination in central Viet Nam, especially in the fields of tourism, sea ports and industry, the Singapore Business Federation (SBF) told provincial leaders in their meeting on Monday.

Attending the event were representatives of the International Enterprise Singapore (IE Singapore) and 26 Singaporean construction, sea port, fisheries, education, travel and tourism firms.

The companies expressed their hope that Thua ThienHue would clarify its policy and investment orientation, especially in areas such as the Chan May seaport and Chan MayLang Co economic zone (EZ).

The chairman of the provincial Peoples Committee, Nguyen Van Cao, said Thua Thien-Hue considered Singapore as a key partner and potential investor, with many Singaporean investors already running effective projects there. He cited as an example the Banyan Tree Group and its Laguna Lang Co resort.

In recent years, Thua Thien-Hue has sought to create favourable conditions for investors as it strives to become a centre of culture, tourism, healthcare and education, as well as of science and technology, Cao added.

There are plenty of effective projects financed by many domestic and overseas enterprises in the province now, including the Carlsberg Beer Group, US-based Hanesbrands Inc, the Royal Caribbean International Group (RCI), Thailand-based Banpu Public Company Limited and Bangchak Petroleum Public Company Limited, Viet Nam-based Vingroup, Bitexco Group and Nguyen Kim Trading Joint Stock Company.

Nguyen Van Cam, Director of Planning and Business Development of the C.P. Viet Nam Livestock Breeding Joint-Stock Company (CPV), funded by a Thai business, said the company was very pleased with the environment investment in Thua ThienHue and appreciated the special support of the provincial authorities.

He said CPV also wanted to expand co-operation with Singaporean businesses to be able to export its products to the partner country.  VNS
KON TUM  A seven-year-old male Bos Gaurus bull, an endangered species listed in Group IB in Viet Nams Red Book, was killed in a protected area in Chu Mom Ray National Park last Friday.

ao Xuan Thuy, deputy director of the parks management board, said the bull, weighing 800 kilos, was discovered around 5pm on Friday by forest rangers patrolling the parks sector 677 in Sa Thay Districts Mo Rai Commune.

They found a damaged truck not far from the dead bull at the 22-km section of Provincial Road No 674, he said. The driver Nguyen Thanh Hung, who was still at the scene, had been carrying rocks for construction of Provincial Road No 674.

Local authorities who conducted an investigation were not able to find any sign of hunters or trappers in the area. They confirmed that the bull was hit by the truck.

Authorities plan to give the dead bull to scientists for research purposes.

The park and the construction managers for Provincial Road No 674 have taken necessary measures to ensure the safe movement of bulls, according to Bui Van Quang, director of the park management board.

After the incident, the management board also strengthened patrols to ensure a safe environment for the animals living there.

The managers of the park, which protects a group of 10 bulls, is now looking for a better living environment for the bulls.

Chu Mom Ray National Park, located about 30km from Kon Tum City, has the highest level of biodiversity of any national park in Viet Nam.

The park covers an area of 56,000 hectares and features over 1,500 species of flora and about 620 species of animals.

It includes more than 100 endangered species listed in Viet Nams Red Book and the World Red Book.  VNS
LONDON  Draw close to a Henry Moore sculpture and the seemingly smooth surface is scratched with tool marks, a marriage of contrasts that inspired Burberrys new collection unveiled on Monday in London.

The score marks took on new life in the laces and delicate finishes on shirts and sweatshirts, which were showcased alongside some of Moores large bronzes at London Fashion Week.

There were sculptural cuffs and sleeves, while traditional English knits were deconstructed to play with the shape, as designer Christopher Bailey explored the silhouettes and processes of the 20th-century Yorkshire artist.

Tinie Tempah and Naomi Campbell looked on from the front row, but this was far from the A-list dresses and variations on the classic trench coat that once characterised Burberry.

Mostly black and white, the collection had flashes of colour in indigo blue coats or trousers, or a sweatshirt print derived from the sculptors sketches.

In an extraordinary finale, the models emerged in dozens of cropped couture capes made of everything from white feathers to black jewels, glass crystals, clear plastic, tassels, pearls and beads.

"They were a study in the shoulder -- the trenchcoat is all about the shoulder, with the gun flaps, and the shoulder was also a big thing for Moore," Bailey told reporters backstage.

He described how he spent many hours as a child in Moores sculpture park, and relished the chance to collaborate with the foundation that protects his works.

"I put my heart into this collection," said Bailey, Burberrys creative director and chief executive.

The clothes went on sale immediately, after Burberry adopted the "see now buy now" model last year, but the capes will be displayed as part of a new Moore exhibition in central London.  AFP
HA NOI  The first-ever Ha Noi Mardi Gras Festival, which aims to highlight and celebrate the citys LGBT community, will hold its main celebration March 24 at the Australian Embassy.

The Australian Embassy in Viet Nam officially announced on Monday a series of events aiming to bring the spirit of the famous Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival to Ha Noi.

To start the event, candidates living in Viet Nam are invited to take part in two competitions  Road to Mardi Gras, an online story-telling contest and Colours of Mardi Gras, a costume contest for members of LGBT communities in Viet Nam. The contests have been run from February 18 to March 24.

Two lucky entrants will win tickets to the 2018 Sydney Mardi Gras Festival. The best stories and costumes will be on display at the main event.

The March 24 main celebration will be a feast for the senses: as well as the story exhibition and fashion show, the event will showcase memorable moments of the 2017 Sydney Mardi Gras Festival, with lively musical performances by both Vietnamese and Australian artists.

Promoting gender equality is a top priority for both the Vietnamese and Australian governments, and we are proud to support Viet Nams efforts, including through our development co-operation programme here. Through this event, we hope to bring the spirit of Sydneys famous Mardi Gras to Viet Nam, helping to raise awareness about the rights of LGBT people, said Craig Chittick, Australian Ambassador to Viet Nam.

This is a wonderful opportunity for my organisation and other NGOs to co-operate with the Australian Embassy on gender equality. Hanoi Mardi Gras Festival is not simply a fun celebration but also a very meaningful event of diversity and self-expression for the LGBT community, said Vu Kieu Oanh, founder of LGBT Community Development Center 6+ and a representative of LGBT community in Viet Nam.

Sydneys Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is a famous and well-loved annual celebration of LGBT communities across the globe. Since its founding in 1978, it has achieved an iconic status as a statement of pride and a platform to promote the broad message of diversity and acceptance. With this years theme of Creating Equality, the Mardi Gras promises to bring not only colourful and dazzling performances, but also to promote a world where everyone is treated fairly regardless of their sexuality, gender identity, race, belief, age, ability and social status.  VNS




Linh Van

HA NOI - Around 8am last Saturday, my son and I were taking a break on the banks of Ho Tay (West Lake) after riding around it on our bicycles. The sun was shining and we were enjoying the moment when it was rudely disrupted by a young couple.

The couple threw a bag of trash on the pavement, and its smell spread quickly, annoying many people who were doing their morning exercises. There was a trash bin not so far away, but they could not be bothered.

Littering is a very common occurrence in Viet Nam, including the capital city. Public spaces, including parks, are often a free-for-all space for throwing ice-cream sticks, wrappers, cans or water bottles. The habit cuts across all sections of society. People going around in expensive cars, often lower their windows and throw rubbish out. Bus and train stations are trashed all the time.

I decided to talk to the couple whod just littered on the banks of the West Lake. Nguyen Thi Huyen ,21, said theyd not known that there was a dustbin nearby. Besides, she said, there were sanitation workers responsible for keeping the streets clean and what they dumped was a small pack. It was nothing.

Huyen and many others do not realize that sanitation workers in Ha Noi alone have to deal with nearly 5,400 tonnes of household waste per day.

The littering habit is not only polluting the environment; it has also polluted the countrys image in the eyes of foreign friends.

Jonathan Meaney, from Canada, said the littering was disgusting.

In my country, littering in public places is frowned upon. We think of cleanliness of cities and public places as the responsibility of the people. In a city like Ha Noi, which can be very beautiful, its shocking that people litter so carelessly and so often, he said.

To deal with this worsening problem, the Government has issued a decree, which, starting this month imposes punishments for littering, throwing cigarette butts and ash in non-smoking areas, urinating in public places, and so on.

The decree has been welcomed by many people who say dealing with the smaller offenses can have a big impact, with violations attracting bigger fines, of up to VN7 million (US$308).

In the latest case, last week, three taxi drivers were fined a total of VN6 million by Ha Nois Hoang Mai District police for urinating on pavements.

Lawyer inh Anh Tuyet, Managing Partner of IDVN Lawyers and Vietnam International Arbitration Centre Arbitrator

Lawyer inh Anh Tuyet, Managing Partner of IDVN Lawyers and Arbitrator of Vietnam International Arbitration Centre, said the fastest and most effective way to weaken bad habits and behaviours of people is to have strong laws with punishment that can serve as a deterrent.

Singapore is well known for the severe punishment it has for littering and graffiti, and this has proved effective in the island nation, which is famous for how clean it is. In Viet Nam, too, strict fines for riders without helmets and drunk driving have reduced violations in a very short time, she said.

However, nearly a month since the new Decree took effect, there seems to be no difference, in littering or other practices.

On many streets in Ha Noi, like Tay Son, Nguyen Luong Bang in ong a District and Tran ai Nghia, Tran Khat Chan in Hai Ba Trung District, trash is still dumped outside on the pavement by local residents.

Hoang Ngoc Dung, a sanitation worker on Tran ai Nghia Street, said people continued to throw rubbish on streets despite having dustbins nearby. It makes our job harder, she said.

Huyen, who dumped the bag of trash on the banks of the West Lake, said she did not know that littering is a punishable offence.

Toilets, dustbins

Many people have criticised the Government for not ensuring enough resources, including infrastructure and human resources, necessary for stricter laws to be enforced.

Vu Thi Vinh, former General Secretary of the Association of Cities of Viet Nam, said a shortage of dustbins and public toilets was partly to blame for peoples littering and urinating in public places.

For example, there were just 340 public toilets in a capital city of up to six million people, she said.

The 1.5-km long Thanh Nhan Street in Hai Ba Trung District does not have a dustbin, so people end up throwing trash on the street, she said.

Head of the Hoang Mai District Police, Nguyen Hong Thai, said the lack of human resources and necessary tools and equipment to record violations made it difficult for police to punish violators.

Other officials also welcomed the new law with stricter punishments, but said it would take time for it to be fully enforced.

Head of the Viet Nam Environment Administration Nguyen Van Tai

Head of the Viet Nam Environment Administration Nguyen Van Tai, said waste discharge had become an urgent problem and it required stricter laws to gradually change the bad habits of many people, he said.

Local authorities should be creative in finding ways to detect and punish violators, he said. "Apart from authorised agencies like the police, public participation and co-operation is necessary for disseminating and detecting violations," he said.

Money collected via fines can be reinvested in improving infrastructure, including building more public toilets and installing more dustbins along streets.

Residents who identify violators should be rewarded, he added.

In tandem

Other people said several things have to happen together over a period of time for laws to become effective and cities to stay clean.

Administrative punishments should go along with peoples awareness and discipline, which should start from kindergarten onwards.

In Australia, for example, dusbins are located in many corners of schools, from kindergartens to universities, so students learn to deposit trash in the right places. Dustbins carry detailed information and images on the kind of waste that should be dumped in them.

Around ten years ago, Ha Noi implemented a plan to have dustbins for two kinds of waste, recyclable and non-recyclable. The plan failed because many people did not know how to classify the rubbish, which resulted from a lack of education on different kinds of rubbish and children not being taught about the importance of not littering.

James Joseph Kendall, Founder of Keep Hanoi Clean

James Joseph Kendall, Founder of Keep Hanoi Clean, which carries out clean-up activities every weekend, said he was glad to see the Government taking big steps to solve the problem of littering in the city.

I think the new law will help, but I dont think it alone will solve the problem, he said. I think education is the most important part of the solution.

Starting a program in schools to make sure all children know the importance of being responsible when they throw trash would be a good start, he said.

Meaney said the care of public spaces required a cultural and educational change. If Viet Nam wants to clean up its cities and the countryside, they need to encourage public participation, he said.

Lawyer Tuyet said strict implementation of the law could have a strong impact.

I think adequate human resources to impose penalties on violators is not the main feasibility factor for the law. If the punishment is meted out strictly, right from the start, without any concession or exception, the regulations will certainly take effect. People will become more self-conscious and careful about their behavior, and this will gradually minimise actions polluting the environment, she said.

In addition, the responsibilities of agencies and individuals in handling violations should be clearly stipulated to ensure its effectiveness. Obviously, the implementation of the new decree should be thorough and carried for a long time to be able to alter peoples behavior, she said.

Vinh, former General Secretary of the Association of Cities of Viet Nam, also said participation of the community in keeping its surroundings clean would be a key factor alongside strong determination of the administration and improved infrastructure.

Once the attitude of people changes, it would help reduce environmental pollution on a larger scale, as factories and industrial zones.  VNS

Decree 155/2016/N-CP on administrative penalties in the environmental protection sector:

Types of fines:

- Between VN500,000 ($22) and VN1 million ($44) for throwing cigarette butts and ash in no-smoking areas, including shopping malls and residential areas.

- Between VN1 million ($44) and VN3 million ($133) for urinating in public spaces, including shopping malls, pavements and parks.

- Between VN3 million ($133) and VN5 million ($313) for littering in apartment buildings, commercial buildings or public places.

- Between VN5 million ($313) to VN7 million ($308) for littering on streets, pavements or sewage systems in residential areas.

- Other fines of between VN10 million ($440) to VN25 million ($1,100) to be imposed on violations such as trucks spilling building materials like sand on streets, failing to classify solid waste as regulated, and failing to transfer solid waste to functional units.

Who can impose fines:

- Chairman of the communal and districts authority.

- Head of the communal, district police and head of provincial police.

- Police on duty

- Special inspectors, border and coast guards, customs officials and rangers.

Who can the fines be imposed on:

- Those aged 14-16 years old for intentional violations.

- Those aged over 16 years old for all violations.

The decree took effect on February 1, 2017.
HA NOI  The National Assembly Standing Committee (NASC) disagreed with a congressional vote which would mean juveniles are fully subject to criminal charges for rape, deliberately injuring people or kidnapping.

During a regular monthly meeting that began yesterday, the NASC debated amendments to the Penal Code 2015 which last year was suspended from going into effect days before implementation due to 90 technical errors.

Article 12 of the Penal Code 2015, passed by the 13th NA, regulated that any person from 14 to 16, while still legally a child, would be held responsible for criminal charges for some crimes, including rape, deliberately injuring people or kidnapping.

The Supreme Peoples Procuracy Chief Justice Le Minh Tri said that the Government wanted to narrow down the crime level to which juveniles are subject to criminal charges, making it so they only face prison terms if their crimes are very serious, Tri said.

This option is to ensure a humane policy towards those individuals, he said.

NA Committee for Culture, Education, Youth, Adolescents and Children Chairman Phan Thanh Binh said that those under 16 were considered children according to the Child Law.

We have to consider the future of those children in prison and post-prison, he said. If they cant manage their lives outside jail, can they possibly do that inside?

I acknowledge that there has been an increase in juvenile crime of late, yet we dont have any official statistics on how many 14-16-year-old children were engaged in serious crimes.

NA Committee for Legal Affairs member Nguyen Khac inh said that the juvenile regulation of the Penal Code 2015 was discussed and voted through by 266 out of 397 deputies of the 13th NA for a reason.

Many believed that we should only be humane to a group on the condition that no one is hurt from that decision, he said.

inh suggested that the issue should be brought to the 14th NA again for another vote.  VNS
The following editorial appeared in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram on Thursday, Feb. 16:

Try as we might, we cant find a way to justify Rosa Maria Ortegas voting in two elections when, as a legal U.S. resident but not a citizen, she did not have that right.

Like many others, we consider Ortegas eight-year prison sentence handed down by a jury in a Texas courtroom last week to be harsh.

We wish the 37-year-old mother of four children ages 12 to 16 didnt have to go to prison, but we cant think of the right way to fix the predicament she has put herself in.

She is guilty of voter fraud. Under Texas law, her sentence could have been 40 years.

State legislators, who set that sentence for illegal voting in 2011, apparently wanted to be harsh.

If Ortega is the type of offender they had in mind, they overshot the mark. She doesnt seem to be a threat to society. Brought to the U.S. as an infant, she says she just wanted to vote, to be a part of the world going on around her.

But we dont have enough history with clear-cut voter fraud cases to say what Ortegas sentence should be.

A jury heard the evidence in Ortegas case and decided on eight years. If you respect the jury system, you have to bow to their verdict.

Ortega earlier had turned down a plea bargain for a two-year probated sentence, for fear that it would lead to her deportation.

Her attorney says he is working on an appeal. The legal process, it appears, is going by the book.

Yet even if Ortega were to somehow escape the jurys sentence, in todays anti-immigrant environment she still faces the likelihood of deportation.

Thats a shame, but the legal system is full of tragedies.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, whose office assisted Tarrant County District Attorney Sharen Wilsons office in prosecuting Ortega, seemed happy.

The case sends a message that violators of the states election law will be prosecuted to the fullest, Paxton said about the conviction and sentence.

The lingering question is how many people are inclined to violate that law and thus need to hear that message. President Donald Trump, without proof, says its in the millions. Paxton must believe its a lot.

So far, its one. Rosa Maria Ortega. She doesnt need to hear it any louder.

The real voter fraud is the falsehood that its common

The following editorial appeared in The News & Observer on Monday, Feb. 13:

President Trump, who refuses to believe he lost the popular vote to Hillary Clinton in November by 3 million votes, must be overjoyed at an outrageous sentence imposed on a Texas woman, Rosa Maria Ortega, 37, for voter fraud. Ortega, a mother of four brought to the United States as an infant, was sentenced to eight years in prison and fined $5,000 for voting illegally in elections in 2012 and 2014. Shell also likely be deported.

Ortega, who has a sixth-grade education, insisted through her attorney that she didnt know it was illegal for her to vote. The lawyer noted, She can own property; she can serve in the military; she can get a job; she can pay taxes. But she cant vote, and she didnt know that.

Texas officials were blunt about making an example of Ortega. No less than the state attorney general said the sentence shows how serious Texas is about keeping its elections secure. In other words, it was Ortegas misfortune to be used as an example  an example that doesnt come up very often because there is very little voter fraud in the United States. But Republican legislatures around the country have used the fraud excuse for laws making it more difficult for the elderly, the young and minorities to vote. They have reduced early voting days and eliminated polling sites popular with students while pressing for strict Voter ID laws.

The Texas sentence can in part be laid at Trumps feet, because hes promised an investigation of fraud involving millions of votes in the presidential contest, something which has no basis in fact.

The danger elsewhere is that the presidents ego-driven crusade will inspire Republican leaders in legislatures to ramp up more voter suppression laws based on claims of voter fraud, even though little fraud has ever been found. Thats not going to matter to GOP leaders, who have drawn outrageous district lines for Congress and the state legislatures, and whod love to do more to hold down the vote of those who might vote against them.

Its horribly irresponsible of the president to give aid and comfort to such efforts and to imply the American election system is somehow rigged. Trump even began hedging at the end of a presidential debate when asked if he would support the outcome of the election.

But for now, a Texas mother of four is headed to prison for voting, and not with a vote that changed an election or was part of some larger conspiracy. No, she should not have voted. But eight years in prison? The penalty is more about fear mongering than it is protecting the integrity of elections.

Dreamers need protection, not mere words

The following editorial appeared in The San Diego Union-Tribune on Saturday, Feb. 18:

President Trump and his top aides dont seem to be on the same page when it comes to his promised immigration crackdown. To wit, Trumps now-suspended travel ban on incoming residents of seven majority Muslim nations appears to have been implemented, as CNN reported, at the behest of White House advisers Steve Bannon and Stephen Miller, without input from Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly. This led to two days of infighting over whether it should apply to the legal U.S. residents from those seven nations who hold green cards, as Bannon and Miller wanted. Kelly won that fight.

Now theres another public fight over how far the crackdown should go, this time over whether to end President Obamas executive order giving some legal protections to more than 1 million young immigrants known colloquially as Dreamers, who have clean or relatively clean legal records and are currently in school, have a GED or high school degree, or have served in the military. The president has repeatedly sounded sympathetic to them, including calling them these incredible kids last week.

Less than a day later, however, the Associated Press revealed it had obtained a copy of a draft of a shocking but quickly disavowed Homeland Security memo calling for the use of up to 100,000 National Guard troops to round up unauthorized immigrants. Was this leaked to remind Trump of how tough he talked on the campaign trail? Or was it leaked to discredit the proposal?

No one can be sure in our chaotic capital. But the leak cant help but inspire fear in immigrant communities, including among the Dreamers Trump admires. Thats unfortunate. When Trump finally decides on Obamas order, heres hoping his humane instincts come to the fore.

Gun-rights debate going further in the wrong direction

The following editorial appeared in Newsday on Friday, Feb. 17:

Just as with operating cars, people who want guns should have to become educated on their safe use and prove that knowledge. And they should be required to be responsible in their gun ownership and storage. That would be a sensible standard for all of us, not just 75,000 people on a government list.

The whole argument over Congress restoring gun rights to mentally ill people last week was surreal, but thats in keeping with the way the entire gun-control conversation has descended into madness.

Last week, the Senate joined the House of Representatives in striking down a rule from President Barack Obama that kept about 75,000 people, all mentally ill enough that they cannot manage their own affairs, from buying guns. President Donald Trump is expected to sign the reversal, supported mostly by Republicans in both chambers, as well as the American Civil Liberties Union.

Lets face it, the Social Security Administration list of people on disability whose affairs must be managed by others isnt a perfect tool for restricting gun ownership. Mental-health advocates say the rule reinforces stereotypes, and they argue that mentally ill people are not particularly likely to cause carnage that inspired the rule, like the mass shooting at a school in Newtown, Conn. This is likely true, though it doesnt mean its a good idea to put guns in the hands of people with mental illnesses. But something is very wrong when gun-rights groups like the National Rifle Association arent willing to consider any restrictions, no matter how obviously reasonable.

Gun ownership is a right, but possessing something so lethal is also a responsibility. Just as with operating cars, people who want guns should have to become educated on their safe use and prove that knowledge. And they should be required to be responsible in their gun ownership and storage. That would be a sensible standard for all of us, not just 75,000 people on a government list. But it would also require real action to control a dangerous problem while protecting an important right, something this nation cannot seem to undertake.

Canada remains a vital American ally

The following editorial appeared in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Thursday, Feb. 16:

The visit to Washington Monday of Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau seems to have gone relatively smoothly, in spite of the general fireworks underway surrounding Michael Flynn, the White House national security adviser who was forced to resign that evening.

Trudeau could easily have found the storm involving President Donald Trump, Flynn and Russia of considerable concern. Canada shares closely the defense of the north of North America with the United States, is a fellow NATO member, and is as close geographically to Russia as the United States is. He might also have looked uneasily at Trumps falling out with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, which led to his cancellation or  we can hope  postponement of his scheduled visit to the United States to meet with Trump.

The problems between Mexico and the United States, turning in part on immigration, are different from those between Canada and the United States, although Trump should not forget that renegotiation of the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement would involve Canada to the north as well as Mexico to the south. If part of Trumps concern over immigration, reflected in his attempted ban on travel to the United States by citizens of the seven Muslim-majority countries, currently tied up in U.S. courts, is security, Canadas more open door approach to immigrants, especially from war-torn nations including Syria, is decidedly different and potentially riskier than the one Trump is attempting to pursue.

Trump and Trudeau certainly had much to discuss. Apart from the travel that takes place across the long, largely undefended border, the two nations are important trading partners. Trudeaus governments approach to climate change is also different from Trumps so-far stated position, notwithstanding the fact that North American air is shared air.

The effort at cordiality on the part of both leaders, in spite of their policy and age differences, is welcome to Americans and Canadians. Perhaps the next step should be a three-part meeting, to draw in Mexicos president. Trudeau would want to see that; Trump should want to see it.

Good, bad and fake news on vaccines

The following editorial appeared in The Sacramento Bee on Friday, Feb. 17:

Childhood deaths have been falling worldwide since 1990. In their foundations annual letter last week, Bill and Melinda Gates estimated that science had saved 122 million children in the last quarter-century.

Thats a population larger than three Californias. What saved them? Vaccines, mostly.

The percentage of children receiving basic immunization is now at a historic high, internationally speaking. Its incredible progress, the Gates Foundation report said, a triumph of foreign aid, charitable giving and bootstrap determination on the part of developing nations. By any measure, its something to celebrate.

So why on earth, amid that good news, would other famous Americans want to undermine childhood immunization? In Washington, D.C., Robert Kennedy Jr. and Robert De Niro spoke on a panel stoking conspiracy theories about the safety of vaccines.

Their stance was based on widely discredited research that purports to link vaccines and autism. There is no such link, and claims to the contrary are not only fake science, but irresponsible and pernicious.

Though vaccines have eradicated many lethal childhood diseases, those diseases can come roaring back if we dont maintain an immunization rate of about 90 percent or higher. And anti-vaxxers  both the hardcore kind and the easily led worriers who simply delay or resist vaccinations  have managed in some communities to lower herd immunity to dangerous levels. Thats how the Disneyland measles outbreak happened, and why vaccine laws were tightened in California.

But most states still allow exemptions for religious and philosophical reasons. And in recent years, vaccination has become almost as politicized as climate science. In Texas, for example, anti-vax political action committees are trying to prevent that states vaccine laws from being tightened, the better to resist alleged government intrusion. As a result, public health experts fear the next major measles outbreak will be in the Lone Star State.

De Niro, the famed actor, has a child with autism. Kennedy, of the political dynasty, has said that President Donald Trump wants him to chair a national commission on vaccines. Trump said they were just tossing around ideas, but during the 2016 campaign, the president publicly questioned vaccine safety. It is appalling that such willed ignorance should be threatening Americans just as the rest of the planet is making so much progress. First World problems, indeed.
Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong delivers speech at a working session with key local officials of the Mekong Delta province of Bac Lieu yesterday.  VNA/VNS Photo Tri Dung

BAC LIEU  Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has asked the Mekong Delta province of Bac Lieu to focus on developing hi-tech agriculture and a sea-based economy.

During a working session with key local officials yesterday, which came as part of his ongoing three-day visit to Bac Lieu to examine its Party building and socio-economic development, the Party chief highlighted the provinces great potential for developing wind and solar energy, tourism and off-shore fishing, urging local authorities to give priority to those sectors.

He requested that the region protect the environment and natural resources, work to mobilise all social resources for development, promote regional links and create a favourable business climate to attract investment.

To effectively implement socio-economic and cultural development and defence-security tasks, Bac Lieu needs to build Party strength and strictly implement the 12th National Party Congresss Resolution on building and revamping the Party.

He emphasised the need for better criticism and self-criticism to discover limitations and shortcomings for timely solutions.

The Party leader expressed his hope that Bac Lieu will continue to fully tap its potential and strengths to achieve strong future development.

Last year, Bac Lieus gross regional domestic product increased 5.38 per cent from the previous year. The locality recorded positive development in agricultural production, with food productivity hitting over 1 million tonnes per ha. It welcomed 1.24 million visitors, earning VN1 trillion (around US$44.5 million) in revenue.

The rate of poor and near-poor households fell 3.31 per cent and 1 per cent respectively, surpassing set targets.

The day before, Party Secretary Trong visited a super-intensive shrimp farming glass house model in the Vinh Thinh commune, Hoa Binh district, which applies environmentally friendly technologies to production.

He also made a tour of the Bac Lieu wind-power plant in Vinh Trach ong commune, which includes 62 turbines with a combined capacity of 99.2 MW.  VNS
HA NOI  Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc expressed his hope that Morocco would expand multifaceted cooperation with ASEAN, including Viet Nam.

Receiving newly appointed Moroccan Ambassador to Viet Nam Azzeddiine Farhane in Ha Noi on February 20, the Government leader spoke highly of Moroccos socio-economic development achievements, especially in tourism and renewable energy.

He suggested the two countries boost economic cooperation to improve their trade, increase exchanges of all-level delegations and maintain close coordination at regional and international forums.

Viet Nam wants Morocco to continue providing scholarships for Vietnamese students to pursue their study in the African country.

For his part, Ambassador Azzediine Farhane stressed that Morocco treasured its ties with Viet Nam - a gateway for the country to promote collaboration with Southeast Asia, adding that Morocco was willing to act as a bridge for boosting the relations between Viet Nam and African countries.

He agreed with the PM that the two countries would need to enhance cooperation in tourism and education and aquatic farming.

Timor Leste firms welcomed

Viet Nam would create the best possible conditions for enterprises from Timor Leste to operate in the country, affirmed Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc when receiving newly appointed Timor Leste Ambassador to Vietnam Pascoela Barreto dos Santos on the same day.

He said he expected the country to speed up the groundwork for its free trade agreement with Viet Nam to soon come into effect.

Phuc also welcomed the ambassador to begin her duties in Viet Nam, saying he believes she would contribute to boosting all-round bilateral cooperation, which currently falls short of potential.

For her part, the Timor Leste diplomat stressed the traditional relations between her country and Viet Nam, as well as her good impression about a friendly and peaceful Viet Nam.

She hailed Vietnamese investments in Timor Leste, particularly those made by the telecommunication group Viettel.

She expected the Vietnamese Government to create more favourable conditions for businesses to invest in Timor Leste, especially in training and information technology.

She pledged to spare no effort to enhance bilateral ties.VNS
HA NOI  Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Perfecto Yasay agreed to hasten the approval of the Viet Nam-Philippines action programme for 2017-2022 to forge stronger bilateral cooperation.

The agreement was reached during their meeting in Boracay, the Philippines on February 20 on the sidelines of the ongoing ASEAN Foreign Ministers Retreat.

The two sides pledged to urge agencies of each country to implement agreements and enhance the efficiency of existing partnership mechanisms such as the bilateral cooperation committee, defence policy dialogue, Joint-Committee on maritime and ocean issues, and Sub-Committee for trade collaboration.

Yasay committed to holding the third Foreign Ministerial Meeting on Committee for Bilateral Cooperation and the ninth Deputy Foreign Ministerial Meeting on maritime and ocean issues in the Philippines this year.

He also vowed to consider creating favourable conditions for Viet Nams vegetable, fruit and poultry meat to be sold in his country.

Additionally, both sides agreed to strengthen the exchange of information and experience and to boost cooperation in combating crime, terrorism, high technology crimes, and drug and human trafficking, while negotiating to sign an agreement on extradition and another on transfer of convicts.

In the context of piracy in the region, Deputy PM Minh asked the Philippines Foreign Ministry to coordinate closely, share information and cooperate with ASEAN countries to tackle the problem to ensure maritime security and safety.

The two sides expressed delight at the strong growth of the bilateral strategic partnership, which has been fostered through exchanges of high-ranking delegations, including the Viet Nam visit by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte in September last year.

Along with bilateral cooperation, the two sides discussed international and regional issues of shared concern. They agreed to work closely in presiding over multilateral meetings in 2017, with the Philippines being ASEAN Chair and Viet Nam hosting APEC.

They would cooperate to strengthen solidarity and the central role of ASEAN in major matters related to security and the interests of each country and the region, while reaffirming the need to ensure peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and overflight in the East Sea as well as the settlement of maritime disputes based on international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The two sides also pledged to coordinate with other ASEAN countries to implement the Declaration on Conduct of Parties in the East Sea and hasten the signing of the Code of Conduct in the East Sea.VNS
HCM Citys Traffic Safety Committee and Transport Department has said it plans a series of strong measures in order to reduce traffic jams.  Photo thanhnien.vn

HCM City  HCM Citys Traffic Safety Committee and Transport Department has said it plans a series of strong measures in order to reduce traffic jams.

Nguyen Ngoc Tuong, deputy head of the citys Traffic Safety Committee, has admitted that the city is facing big problems related to traffic jams, especially during peak hours at the citys entrances, around Tan Son Nhat Airport and near seaports, a total of 37 traffic congestion hotspots in all.

A significant increase in immigration and newly-registered motorbikes and automobiles are the main reasons for the situation, Tuong was quoted as saying in the Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper last week.

Every day, the city has over 1,000 newly-registered vehicles, but land for traffic infrastructure remains unchanged, the official said at a traffic conference on Friday.

Pavement encroachment by businesses is another reason for serious traffic jams, he added.

Over 100 pedestrians died in 2016 because of pavement encroachment.

To cope with the situation, Tran Quang Lam, deputy director of the Transport Department announced seven groups of solution with 160 missions.

48 urgent traffic works will be built to tackle traffic congestion while fee collection for automobiles on downtown streets will be implemented, Lam said.

In addition, the development of an automatic fee collection system will be accelerated while a digital online traffic map will be promoted.

However, Lam confirmed that the city would be able to settle 18 of the 37 current traffic congestion spots soon and those remaining would be handled in the near future.

The citys Traffic Police Forces announced that they would increase penalties for those who have violated traffic laws.

We will carefully study 37 serious traffic congestion hotspots and arrange for traffic policemen to manage the flow of vehicles, Huynh Trung Phong, head of the HCM Citys Police Departments Road and Railway Traffic Police Sub-department said.

According to the chairman of Cu Chi district Peoples Committee Nguyen Huu Hoai Phu, pavement encroachment is a very complicated problem. In the district, total length of encroachment is around 600 km and relevant authorities have faced many challenges in the clearing of encroachments, even from commune authorities.

Cu Chi District has fired one commune chairman and disciplined two commune deputy chairmen in charge of urban order, Phu announced.

One household went to court suing local authorities, he added.

Nguyen Thanh Phong, chairman of the city Peoples Committee, asked leaders of localities and departments to increase their determination in settling traffic congestion.

Leaders of districts and departments should be directly involved in coping with traffic jams, he said.

At the meeting, Le Van Khoa, deputy chairman of the city Peoples Committee, suggested State staff should walk to work if they live less than 3 km from their offices.

He also required the Transport Department and district 1 to consider using barriers to stop vehicles from travelling on sidewalks.

Authorities should consider the impact on disabled people, he said.

This year, the Transport Department set a goal of 600 million people using public transport, a ratio of water leakage under 27.5 per cent, 16 of 40 flooding spots fixed, 62,540 sq.m of green space added and 25 km of road and 10 bridges built.

The municipal Traffic Safety Committee will focus on building a traffic culture for young people with the goal of reducing the number of deaths and injuries from traffic accidents by 5 percent.  VNS
The agriculture and rural development sector has called for a nationwide reduction in the number of pigs and animal feed factories after their overgrowth in the last few years.  Photo channuoivietnam.com

HA NOI  Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Nguyen Xuan Cuong has called for a nationwide reduction in the number of pigs and animal feed factories after their overgrowth in the last few years.

Cheap live weight prices and relatively high prices of feed have caused pig farmers to suffer losses worth VN1 million (US$43) per pig, local media reported.

According to the ministry, the country has over 29 million pigs, including more than 4.2 million sows.

In 2016, big- and medium-sized pig farms increased production by 23 per cent compared with 2015.

Total capacity of animal feed factories across the country reached over 31 million tonnes per year, about 6 million tonnes higher than that the country planned to have by 2020.

Last year, Viet Nams animal feed production was 23.5 million tonnes, making it the biggest animal feed producer in ASEAN and the tenth biggest in the world.

Localities were asked to review their pig farming plans to better match of market demand and their potential.

Localities should not increase their quantity of pigs especially sows, Cuong said, calling them to raise pigs that generate high yield or special ones to suit to certain groups of consumers.

The ministry also asked peoples committees in provinces to instruct pig farmers to apply diversified models such as semi-industrial hog production, conventional or organic farming in stead of solely develop industrial hog production.

Processing industry needs to be promoted to diversify meats, increase value added of the products.

To animal feed, minister Cuong asked localities to limit the expansion of factories, particular those in Red River Delta, Southeastern region and Mekong Delta.

Animal feed producers are encouraged to apply biotechnology and other high technologies in production and processing so that they could offer better products that replace imported ones.

The current price now is VN35,000 (US$ 1.54) per kg live weight- which is said the lowest rate in the last ten years - causing most producers to lose money.

Deputy director of Agriculture Ministrys Husbandry Department Nguyen Xuan Duong told chinhphu.vn that abandoned supply and lower purchasing power of markets resulted in decrease of pig prices.

Pig farmers have ignored warnings from Agriculture Ministry as soon as the live weight reached VN55,000 - VN58,000 per kilo.

Duong said that there was a paradox that consumers bought meat at quite high prices - about VN70,000 - VN80,000 per kilo while the live weight prices were too low.

The pig farmers are suffering losses, he said, adding that Viet Nams broader agricultural field faces major problems relating to market and prices, not just pig farming.  VNS
HCM CITY  Binh Dan Hospital this week began free health examinations and consultations for patients with urethral stricture, a condition caused by infections or accidents.

The free examinations and consultations will end on March 3.

Patients with the condition have difficulty urinating or have pain when urinating.

If the condition, which is more common among males than females, is not treated in a timely fashion, it could easily re-occur and become more difficult to treat later.

Each week, the hospital performs surgery on four or five patients with the condition.

If left untreated, it can cause sudden retention of urine, a dangerous condition because it could affect the function of the patients kidney and bladder.

The consequences of the condition can be kidney and urologic stones or male infertility.

The hospital will also provide free services every Monday from late February to March 27 for patients with overactive bladders, a condition which affects bladder-storage function, causing a sudden urge to urinate.

Patients with the condition can wake up two or more times at night to urinate.

The free health programme was organised to improve public awareness of the disorders. VNS
HA NOI  The first train of the Cat Linh-Ha ong urban railway has been installed safely on the track, the Railway Projects Management Unit (under the Ministry of Transport) announced early Tuesday.

The site that received the first train was from JR02 to JR06 pillar, La Khe station, on Quang Trung Street, Ha ong District.

The whole maneuver, using a 250-tonne crane to set the train on the elevated rail track, was done from 10:30pm Monday to 5am Tuesday.

According to Vu Hong Phuong, deputy director of the Railway Projects Management Unit, this is the first train of the batch of 13 that will arrive in Ha Noi.

The train features four locomotives and carriages and was transported from China to Hai Phong City on February 12.

During the time when the carriers are being prepared to get installed and during installation, traffic near La Khe station and the Quang Trung-Le Trong Tan intersection will be temporarily halted.

People in the neighbourhood gathered to watch the installation of the first train onto the rail track.  VNA/VNS Photo Huy Hung

Minister of Transport Truong Quang Nghia on Monday morning personally inspected transport of the first batch of locomotives and carriages for the urban railway, which were for the time being placed on the extended Le Trong Tan Street in Ha ong District. He also praised the efforts of the project personnel involved in ensuring the train got to Ha Noi safely.

The trains were manufactured by the Beijing Subway Rolling Stock Equipment Co. Ltd. Each train is 79m in length, 3.8m in height and 3.8m in maximum width. The designed maximum speed of the train is expected to reach 80km/h and the operating speed is some 35km/h.

The rest of the fleet will be transported from China to Hai Phong Port then to Ha Noi in three rounds in the coming months, and test runs are scheduled to be conducted in October.  VNS
QUANG NINH  Police in northern coastal Quang Ninh Province have decided to impose fines amounting to VN16 million (US$700) in total on four Chinese nationals for illegally entering Viet Nam from China.

A Vietnamese citizen was also fined VN7.5 million ($328) for driving the vehicle that transported the foreigners who had illegally entered Viet Nam.

On February 19, an immigration management team under the provincial police department inspected a hotel in Ha Long Citys Bai Chay Ward and found four Chinese citizens staying there without passports or equivalent papers .

Li Siyuan, 44; Luo Qiaowu, 45; Guo Wei, 38; and Yan You Ping, 34; confessed they had entered Mong Cai City by crossing Ka Long River in a ferry at 3pm on the same day.

They later hired a car driven by Vu Van Thanh, 23, in Mong Cai City to travel to Ha Long City. They planned to return to China the following day.

The police have ordered the Chinese citizens to leave Viet Nam.  VNS
HA NOI  The Peoples Committee of Cau Giay District decided to dismiss Ta Thi Bich Ngoc, principal of Nam Trung Yen Primary School, and vice principal Nguyen Thi Huong on Tuesday morning.

The decision, based on serious violations of the teachers code of ethics by the accused, was finally signed by the chairman of the district committee, Duong Cao Thanh, after a meeting with Chairman of the Peoples Committee of Ha Noi Nguyen uc Chung and the citys police department on Monday.

According to the police investigation, on December 1, 2016, a taxi carrying Ngoc and Huong ran into second grader Tran Chi Kien while he was playing in the schools yard. Kiens right leg was broken in the accident. Ngoc reportedly got out of the taxi and went to her room without saying a word to anyone. Huong took Kien to the schools health clinic to check his injuries. The student was then taken to the Viet Nam National Hospital of Pediatrics for treatment. The taxi driver also left the scene at this time.

Later that morning, Tran Chi Dung, Kiens father, received a phone call from a teacher telling him his son had broken his leg while playing in the schoolyard. The teacher did not mention the accident to Dung.

Dung rushed to the hospital, where doctors told him his sons right femur was broken. The doctors had failed to properly treat the broken bone, so Dung decided to transfer his son to the Viet NamGermany Hospital for further treatment.

Kien then told his father he had been hit by a car, noting he had seen Ngoc and another teacher sitting in the vehicle.

On December 12, Dung arrived at the school seeking clarity on the case, but Ngoc denied that any car had entered the schoolyard that morning. Dung remained suspicious and sent a string of letters to authorised agencies requesting an investigation into the case.

Two days later, Ngoc and Huong presented a fake survey of the schools teachers and students, claiming that all had unanimously agreed that no car had entered the schoolyard on the morning in question.

On December 21, the districts Education and Training Office intervened, working with the school and Kiens family. The office then handed the matter over to the police for further investigation.

The district police launched an investigation into the case on December 30.

Chairman Nguyen uc Chung suspended Ngoc for the duration of the police investigation on February 6.

Some 18 teachers issued a letter on February 18, denouncing Ngoc as a liar.

Finally, a meeting was held on Monday to give the conclusion about the case with attendance of Chung, the citys education sector and the police.

Nguyen Thanh Tinh, deputy head of the Cau Giay Districts Education and Training Office, took charge of the school after Ngoc and Huong were fired.

Speaking at the meeting on Monday, Chung said Ngoc and Huong had not only violated the schools regulations, which barred cars from entering the schoolyard, but had also lied about the accident.

Ngoc had, in fact, asked the security guard to open the school gates that morning to allow the car to enter.

For the parents of students, this incident creates a sense of deep distrust of the school and the citys and nations education sector, he said.

Additionally, the actions of the accused had physically and mentally affected Kien, he said.

Ngoc and Huong do not deserve their positions, Chung said.

Chung urged the education sector of the city to draw lessons from the case and directed relevant parties to hold a meeting to make any necessary corrections to education and training activities city-wide.  VNS
MALAGA  European countries that vote populists into power will experience a fall in jobs, investment and exports as they pull out of the EU, French President Francois Hollande warned on Monday.

Speaking at a summit in the southern Spanish city of Malaga with his counterpart Mariano Rajoy, Hollande said that nationalists not only threatened Europe but also "the interests of the nations they claim to represent."

His comments come as Frances far-right leader Marine Le Pen and Geert Wilders in the Netherlands ride high in polls ahead of upcoming elections in their respective countries.

Hollande, who will not be standing again in the French elections in April and May, said there would be "fewer exports, fewer investment and therefore fewer jobs" if eurosceptic populists took power.

Pulling out of the EU, as Le Pen and Wilders advocate, would mean "the end of trade, fake sovereignty which would translate into fewer jobs, lower growth and fewer freedoms."

The Spanish government also announced Monday that Hollande had invited Rajoy for a summit on March 6 in the city of Versailles near Paris, along with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Italys Paolo Gentiloni.

Merkel herself is running for re-election in September and faces strong competition from the hard-right populist party Alternative for Germany.

Without naming him, Hollande also criticised US President Donald Trump and his pledge to loosen up capital market regulations.

Trump argues that less regulation means fewer costs for companies and consumers.

He has for instance ordered a review of the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial reform that aims to curb the actions of the finance sector that led to the 2008 recession.

"Crises dont come from nowhere, they are due to various conducts, laxity, and the very deregulation that the United States wants to re-implement," Hollande said. AFP
WASHINGTON  US Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly leaves for Guatemala and Mexico on Wednesday to discuss border security and trade with the countries presidents and other top officials.

Kelly is well acquainted with the region, having served as head of US Southern Command under former president Barack Obama until he took up his latest post in January after being tapped by President Donald Trump.

The Department of Homeland Security said that during his first stop, in Guatemala, Kelly would meet with President Jimmy Morales, as well as the ministers of government and foreign affairs.

He will also observe the arrival of a DHS repatriation flight in Guatemala City filled with undocumented migrants to the United States who were sent back to their home country.

In Mexico, Kelly will join Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

The pair will meet with President Enrique Pena Nieto, as well as his ministers of interior, foreign relations, finance, national defence and navy.

"The group will discuss border security, law enforcement cooperation and trade, among other issues," a Department of Homeland Security statement read.

Mexico-US ties are at their most strained point in years.

On Friday, thousands of Mexicans linked arms in Ciudad Juarez to form a "human wall" on their countrys border with the United States, protesting Trumps plan to build a massive barrier between the countries.  AFP
KUALA LUMPUR  Malaysian armed guards on Tuesday stood watch at the hospital holding the body of Kim Jong-Nam, the assassinated half-brother of North Koreas leader, amid reports his son had come to Kuala Lumpur to claim the remains.

A convoy of four unmarked vehicles entered the hospital compound in the early hours of the morning, with around 30 Malaysian special forces securing the area before all of them left by mid-morning.

A white police van was seen leaving at 4:00 am (2000 GMT Monday), an AFP journalist said.

The body of Kim Jong-Nam -- assassinated last Monday at Kuala Lumpur airport -- has been at the centre of a diplomatic row between Pyongyang and Malaysia, after North Korea insisted it be returned and objected to an autopsy being performed.

But Malaysia rejected the request, saying the remains must stay in the morgue until a family member comes forward to identify them with a DNA sample.

On Monday night Jong-Nams son Kim Han-Sol was due to arrive in Kuala Lumpur from Macau, local media and intelligence sources said, but AFP was not immediately able to verify his presence.

Pyongyangs envoy to Kuala Lumpur on Monday dismissed the request for a DNA sample as "preposterous" and said the embassy had the right to reclaim the body of a diplomatic passport holder.

Ambassador Kang Chol also savaged the police investigation into the killing, saying it was politically motivated and that Malaysia had conspired with South Korea from the beginning to frame the North.

Malaysias Foreign Minister Anifah Aman said the "deeply insulting" accusations were based on "delusions, lies and half-truths".

Malaysia had earlier recalled its ambassador to Pyongyang and summoned Kang for a dressing down at the foreign ministry over the ongoing spat.

The drama erupted last Monday as Kim Jong-Nam waited at the budget terminal of Kuala Lumpurs main airport for a flight to Macau.

He was approached by two women, one of whom grabbed him from behind and sprayed his face with an apparently poisonous liquid, according to police and leaked CCTV footage.

He had a seizure and died before arriving at hospital, with news emerging the next day of his identity.

Malaysias probe has put five North Koreans in the frame for the killing, four of whom fled Malaysia the day it happened and are believed to have returned to Pyongyang.

Officers have also arrested a 25-year-old Indonesian and her Malaysian boyfriend.  AFP
LONDON  Thousands of protesters rallied outside parliament on Monday as MPs debated a petition to cancel a state visit by US President Donald Trump which gained more than 1.8 million signatures.

Placards reading "No to Trump" and "Dump Trump" were held by demonstrators in Parliament Square, in the latest rally against the US president who came to power a month ago.

British Prime Minister Theresa May became the first foreign leader to meet Trump in the White House in January, when she invited him to the UK on a state visit to be hosted by Queen Elizabeth II later this year.

The invitation came hours ahead of Trump imposing tough entry restrictions on travellers from seven Muslim-majority countries and within days an online petition to prevent the presidents state visit attracted more than 1.8 million signatures.

The British government has said it will not support the petition and stressed that the invitation still stands, but parliament went ahead and debated the issue due to the popularity of the petition.

Lawmakers also discussed a counter-petition to uphold the state visit invite, which attracted over 300,000 signatures.

During the debate, opposition Labour MP David Lammy said the government offered the state visit because it is "desperate" for a trade deal with the US.

"I think my children deserve better than that... Im ashamed that its come to this," he said.

Fellow Labour lawmaker Paul Flynn said the invitation should be downgraded from the regal affair to a regular visit.

"There are great dangers in attempting to give him the best accolade we can give anyone," he said.

While Trump was offered a state visit after just seven days in office, his predecessor Barack Obama had to wait 758 days before receiving the same invitation.

Outside parliament on Monday, protester Benjamin Kari said people needed to stand up against Trumps policies and avoid becoming complacent.

"Hes promoting racist policies, hes normalising racism and misogyny and Islamophobia," he said.

Bryan Richardson, a member of the Stand up to Racism group, said May "humiliated herself by rushing over to Washington to be the first leader to meet Donald Trump".

A Stop Trump Coalition website named February 20 a "day of action" against the US president, listing events planned across Britain.

Around 300 people gathered in Glasgow waving sometimes comical banners aimed at Trump, one describing him as a "Feckin Plonker".  AFP
Garcia Meets Northern Ireland Secretary of State

The Deputy Chief Minister Dr Joseph Garcia is in London for a number of meetings related to the proposed departure of the United Kingdom and Gibraltar from the European Union.

One of the questions that is being examined in some detail is future post-Brexit transit through land borders which the United Kingdom is responsible for. In that context, Dr Garcia this afternoon met with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland James Brokenshire MP.

Mr Brokenshire, who was promoted to Secretary of State after serving as a Home Office Minister, is already familiar with the details of the frontier at Gibraltar and has discussed this with both the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister in the past.

There is concern in Northern Ireland as to what the future transit to and from the Irish Republic will look like. It will be recalled that Dr Garcia attended a meeting of the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly in Cardiff at the end of last year and was able to address delegates on the specific challenges that Gibraltar faced.

The meeting with the Secretary of State was very useful and informative and will provide the Government with a better understanding of the situation going forward.
Waterloo

Fire Alarms Feb. 6

Ambulance runs: 29

7:37 a.m., West Ninth Street and Ridgeway Avenue, automobile accident.

9:12 a.m., 105 Madison St., assist resident.

11:25 a.m., 421 Oak Ave., assist resident.

3:11 p.m., 1820 E. Ridgeway Ave., automobile accident.

4:55 p.m., 126 Brookeridge Drive, automobile accident.

6:44 p.m., 117 E. San Marnan Drive, fluid spill.

10:40 p.m., 2815 WCF&N Drive, Hydrite, false alarm.

Fire Alarms Feb. 7 Ambulance runs: 14 11:35 a.m., 1820 E. Ridgeway Ave., assist resident.

5:34 p.m., 1425 Oleson Road, vehicle fire.

Fire Alarms Feb. 8

Ambulance runs: 15

12:55 p.m., 2715 Crossroads Blvd., natural gas leak.

4:39 p.m., Hammond and Ridgeway avenues, fluid spill

Fire Alarms Feb. 10

Ambulance runs: 18

11:07 a.m., 624 Sycamore St., false alarm.

2 p.m., 305 E. Fourth St., false alarm.

5:26 p.m., 302 Clay St., building fire.

8:04 p.m., 105 Madison St., assist resident.

8:18 p.m., 401 Argyle St., smoke removal.

8:22 p.m., 233 Gable St., assist resident.

11:10 p.m., 627 E. Fourth St., cooking fire.

11:22 p.m., 3704 Pheasant Lane, automobile accident.

Fire Alarms Feb. 11

Ambulance runs: 26

12:53 a.m., 341 Archer Ave., investigate smoke.

2:42 p.m., 623 Courtland St., unauthorized burning.

3:40 p.m., 522 Blowers Ave., false alarm.

5:21 p.m., Birmingham and Regal avenues, vehicle fire.

Fire Alarms Feb. 12 Ambulance runs: 28

9:19 a.m., 2411 Idaho St., power line down.

9:49 a.m., 327 W. Third St., assist resident.

12:24 p.m., Boston Avenue and Ester Street, automobile accident.

2:11 p.m., 722 Water St., false alarm.

5:51 p.m., 3362 University Ave., false alarm.

6:23 p.m., Highway 218 and San Marnan Drive, automobile accident.

6:38 p.m., West Ridgeway Avenue and Sheridan Road, automobile accident.

Fire Alarms Feb. 13 Ambulance runs: 21

10:08 p.m., 412 Bratnober St., assist resident.

1:35 p.m., 1326 Newell St., carbon monoxide alarm.

3:13 p.m., 1302 Hammond Ave., unauthorized burning.

3:47 p.m., 433 Center St., unauthorized burning.

7:07 p.m., 215 E. Fifth St., smoke alarm.

Fire Alarms Feb. 14 Ambulance runs: 24

6:29 a.m., 2757 Burton Ave., false alarm.

2:06 p.m., West Fourth and Washington streets, automobile accident.

3:02 p.m., East 11th and Lafayette streets, automobile accident.

Fire Alarms Feb. 15 Ambulance runs: 22

1:34 p.m., 500 Sycamore St., Hotel President, false alarm.

3:47 p.m., 425 W. Ridgeway Ave., West High School, cooking fire.

4:30 p.m., 154 Morgan Road, cooking fire.

6:44 p.m., 2950 W. Shaulis Road, dryer fire.

Fire Alarms Feb. 16 Ambulance runs: 24

12:45 a.m., 6035 Donegal Circle, electrical problem.

8:41 a.m., 300 Jefferson St., investigate smoke.

10:45 a.m., 1407 Independence Ave., smoke alarm.

5:07 p.m., 209 W. Fifth St., false alarm.

5:16 p.m., 1304 Oregon St., Kittrel Elementary School, investigation.

7:09 p.m., 3630 W. Fourth St., automobile accident.

7:31 p.m., 1400 Aspen Drive, carbon monoxide alarm.

8:33 p.m., Hawkeye Road and East San Marnan Drive, fluid spill.

Fire Alarms Feb. 17 Ambulance runs: 33

4:41 a.m., 184 Sabrina Circle, assist resident.

9:02 a.m., 2056 La Porte Road, false alarm.

9:02 a.m., 1656 Sycamore St., false alarm.

9:07 a.m., 1945 La Porte Road, false alarm.

10:35 a.m., 4025 Hammond Ave., false alarm.

12:04 p.m., 222 Boston Ave., false alarm.

12:48 p.m., 825 Hawthorne Ave., unauthorized burning.

3:08 p.m., 323 Polk St., false alarm.

3:13 p.m., 250 Polk St., false alarm.

4:51 p.m., 165 Montrose Road, unauthorized burning.

6:27 p.m., West Fourth and Washington streets, automobile accident.

10:55 p.m., 1051 Wisconsin St., assist resident.

Police Log

Jamarious Deunte Ensley, 26, of 417 Reed St., was arrested Feb. 18 on Quincy Street for second-offense operating while intoxicated, interference and driving while suspended following a traffic stop.

Taylor Alyce Price, 21, of 2623 Lafayette St., was arrested Feb. 18 on Lafayette Street for first-offense operating while intoxicated following a traffic stop.

Laquanisha Tiara Louise Stovall, 25, of 520 Adams St., was arrested Feb. 17 at 622 Grant Ave. for simple domestic assault. She allegedly assaulted Dazarris Wilkerson, 25.

Nayla Jo Lachin, 20, of 1211 Langley Road, was arrested Feb. 15 at 2060 Crossroads Blvd. for second-degree theft. She allegedly took $2,600 from Sears, where she worked, by activating and using Visa gift cards.

Marlesha Jannett Nieland, 21, of 121 W. Wellington St., was arrested Feb. 11 at her home for carrying weapons, aggravated domestic assault and possession of marijuana. She allegedly assaulted Japeria Jones, 23.

Norris Windell McFarland Jr., 28, of 153 Dawson St., was arrested Feb. 10 on Courtland Street for possession with intent to deliver cocaine and marijuana. Police found drugs during a traffic stop.

Kelli Lynn Shannon, 54, of 1515 Lafayette St., was arrested Jan. 25 at her home for third-degree theft. She alllegedly took items from CVS pharmacy, 205 Franklin St.

Arlando Rayshawn Anderson Jr., 20, of 3411 Kingswood Place, was arrested Jan. 24 on Byron Avenue for third-degree theft. He allegedly took a phone.

Kevin Louis Thurman, 32, of 663 W. Parker St., was arrested Feb. 1 for simple domestic assault. He allegedly assaulted Sarah Straube, 30.

Andrew Spates Jr., 41, of 520 Elm St., was arrested Feb. 1 at 115 Rhey St. for serious domestic assault. He allegedly assaulted Toni Bailey.

Jamaal Leshon Henry, 29, of Decatur, Ill., was arrested Feb. 1 at 147 Sherman Ave. for domestic assault and public intoxication. He allegedly assaulted Raven Wright, 33.

Tracey Lynn Lee, 30, of 5503 Rochelle Drive, was arrested Jan. 8 for assault and assault on a peace officer. She allegedly assaulted her mothers boyfriend and then kicked and attempted to bite a police officer.

Cody James Darland Heinrichs, 27, of 109 Hubbard Ave., was arrested Jan. 6 at his home for aggravated domestic assault and obstruction of emergency communications. He allegedly assaulted Kaylea Reinboldt.

Tyrisha Lashay Weekley, 23, of 236 Sherman Ave., was arrested Jan. 6 at the police station for assault. Details werent available.

Joseph Ammon Helms, 32, of Waterloo, was arrested Jan. 5 at 1652 Hawthorne Ave. for domestic assault. He allegedly assaulted Wendy Hackett on Jan. 3.

Edgar Carter Gafford, 33, of 1014 W. Fourth St., was arrested Feb. 13 at the jail for second-degree theft. He allegedly took silver coins and jewelry valued at $1,360 from a display case at Cedar Valley Coins and Collectibles, 1100 Ansborough Ave., on Jan. 11.

Denise Susanna Obrien, 40, of 403 Sunnyside Ave., was arrested Feb. 6 at her home for serious domestic assault. She allegedly assaulted Kevin Henderson, 52.

Tashieyana Loretta Oneal, 20, of 504 Lipton St., was arrested Feb. 6 at 504 Riehl St. for first-offense operating while intoxicated following a traffic accident.

Esad Begic, 50, of Waterloo, was arrested Feb. 5 at the police station for second-degree burglary, aggravated domestic assault and violation of a no contact order. He allegedly assaulted Jasna Covic, 48.

Christopher Lee Scott, 37, of 815 Grant Ave., was arrested Feb. 5 at 1422 Flammang Drive for third-degree theft. He allegedly took $308 in items from Hy-Vee on Flammang Drive.

Trudi Ann Mathes, 34, and Willis Wade Wrase-Lasley, 37, of Tama, were arrested Feb. 5 at 1501 E. San Marnan Drive for third-degree theft. They allegedly took $306 worth of items from Target. Wrase-Lasley was also arrested for possession of a theft detection removal tool, removal of a theft detection device and possession of marijuana.

Bruce Lawrence Grant Jr., 55, of Waterloo, was arrested Feb. 4 at the police station for second-degree theft and burglary to a vehicle. He allegedly took a laptop computer, phone and other items from a vehicle parked at 2181 Logan Ave. on Jan. 18.

Jordan Cane Castro, 19, of Cedar Rapids, was arrested Feb. 3 at 1155 Lantern Square for serious domestic assault and child endangerment. He allegedly assaulted Brianna Owens, 18.

Roy Anthony Baker, 33, of 227 Oliver St., was arrested Jan. 2 on Oliver Street for first-offense operating while intoxicated, driving while suspended and misdemeanor eluding following a traffic stop.

Abraham Garz, 23, of 212 Lafayette St., was arrested Jan. 1 at 506 W. Ninth St. for first-offense operating while intoxicated.

Joseph Jagger Hageman, 21, of 619 Marsh St., was arrested Jan. 1 on Kimball Avenue for first-offense operating while intoxicated and possession of marijuana following a traffic stop.

Daryl Jetnil, 32, of 803 Sonya Drive, was arrested Jan. 1 at her home for third-offense operating while intoxicated and driving while barred following an accident at West Ninth Street and Ridgeway Avenue.

Burglary: Joyce Wilder reported the theft of tools and a bike during a burglary to 2645 E. Fourth St. on Feb. 8.

Counterfeit: A counterfeit $20 bill was discovered at Veridian Credit Union, 1827 Ansborough Ave., on Feb. 13

Black Hawk County Sheriffs Office

William Clay Carrol Holman, 49, of Waterloo, was arrested Feb. 7 at the jail for second-degree theft and two counts of third-degree theft. He allegedly passed $1,578 worth of checks in September.

Trevon Michael Good, 21, of Waterloo, was arrested Feb. 7 at the jail for possession of marijuana with intent to deliver. Officers with the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force found 16 grams of marijuana during a search at 317 N. Francis Drive, Cedar Falls, on June 2.

Jeffrey Paul Meyer, 29, of Evansdale, was arrested Feb. 5 on River Forest Road for first-offense operating while intoxicated.

Dano Rodney Phillips, 60, of Cedar Rapids, was arrested Feb. 5 for two counts of forgery. He allegedly passed stolen checks in September 2014.

John Joseph Sanford Jr., 41, of 314 Allen St., Waterloo, was arrested Feb. 7 on West Third Street for possession of amphetamines with intent to distribute and possession of drug paraphernalia following a traffic stop.

Patrica Lynn Virginia Miles, 32, of Waterloo, was arrested for third-degree theft and fifth-degree fraudulent practices. She allegedly used a stolen vehicle validation tag on her car.

Dustin Keith Runyon, 26, of 1521 Iowa St., Cedar Falls, was arrested Feb. 1 at Covenant Medical Center for serious domestic assault. He allegedly assaulted Katie Kolar.

C.J. Stark, 25, of 7046 La Porte Road, Washburn, was arrested Jan. 31 at the jail for second-degree burglary and trespassing. He allegedly entered 822 Fairview Ave., Waterloo.

Cedar Falls

Police Log

Nicholas Holmes Williams, 21, of Cedar Falls, was arrested Feb. 7 on 12th Street for first-offense operating while intoxicated in connection with a Jan. 2 accident with a tree.

Clarence Ray Hovenga, 27, of Dike, was arrested Feb. 7 for second-offense operating while intoxicated and child endangerment following a traffic stop where a 1-year-old child was a passenger.

Dorondis Davaris Cooper, 30, of 412 Archer Ave., Waterloo, was arrested Feb. 5 on University Avenue for first-offense operating while intoxicated following a traffic stop.

Bryce Robert Hinders, 18, of 4301 Stewart Lane, was arrested Feb. 5 on Center Street for possession of marijuana with intent to deliver. Police found marijuana and scales during a traffic stop.

David Alan Habenicht, 47, of 921 Maple St., was arrested Feb. 5 at 2425 Center St. for third-offense operating while intoxicated and third-degree theft. He allegedly took beer from Caseys General Store.
WATERLOO --- A woman who live streamed herself berating Cedar Rapids police in November has been arrested after she allegedly led authorities on a chase Tuesday afternoon.

Melyssa Jo Kelly, 65, was detained after another motorist blocked her path on a Cedar Falls highway, said Capt. David Mohlis with the Waterloo Police Department. She was taken to the Black Hawk County Jail, and charges are pending.

Police were called after a woman allegedly took a cap from a mans head at CVS pharmacy in Waterloo and then drove off in a Toyota Prius, Mohlis said. A patrol officer spotted the vehicle in downtown Waterloo, and the ensuing chase took off on U.S. Highway 218 into Cedar Falls with speeds of up to 80 mph.

Troopers with the Iowa State Patrol and Cedar Falls police officers joined the pursuit.

Another driver blocked the Prius on southbound Iowa Highway 58 just south of the Cedar River bridge, and the Prius driver was taken into custody, Mohlis said.

Kelly caught the publics attention in November when she live streamed herself berated police officers in a downtown Cedar Rapids coffee shop, calling them vicious thugs and pigs until the shops management asked her to leave.

In the video, Kelly commented on a black band over a Cedar Rapids officers badge, which was in memorial to two police officers from Des Moines and Urbandale who had been killed earlier that month. Kelly talked about a man who had been shot and wounded by a Cedar Rapids officer, also in November.
On Monday morning, Miller shared his background on growing up in the Cedar Valley in Independence and how he got into politics. He also went into his reasons for running against incumbent Paul Pate. In particular, he expressed that the ability to vote  especially early and mail-in voting  had become more difficult during Pates tenure.
WATERLOO  The Black Hawk County Gaming Association on Monday unanimously awarded a $1 million grant to Hawkeye Community College for its planned new adult learning center.

Hawkeye received one of six grants approved by the associations board as part of its quarterly disbursement of funds from the Isle Casino and Hotel in Waterloo. The association holds the casinos gaming license and receives 5.75 percent of the casinos gross receipts to disburse in grants to nonprofit and public projects.

The $13 million, 45,000-square-foot adult learning center will be built between West Mullan Avenue and West First Street on the south side of Jefferson Street. About $8 million of the cost will come from a $25 million bond issue passed in February 2015. Remaining funding sources will include other grants and a capital campaign.

Board members noted in the motion to approve the Hawkeye grant that if the scope of the project is reduced because the needed funds arent raised, college officials would need to return to them for a review of the grants size. The funds will be disbursed over three years.

A hub for educational and assistance services, the center will house nursing and computer numerical control machining programs, English language learner and adult basic education programs, a childcare center, a medical clinic, and a third-floor event center and art gallery. Construction is expected to begin this spring. Hawkeyes Metro Center, 844 W. Fourth St., and Martin Luther King Jr. Center, 515 Beech St., will close when the new center opens.

Other grants awarded Monday included:

$500,000 to the Waterloo Leisure Services for boat house enhancements.

$400,000 to Christian Community Development/House of Hope to renovate transitional housing on West Fourth Street, creating 15 apartments for homeless single women and their children.

$61,750 to the American Red Cross for a next generation emergency response vehicle.

$20,550 to the city of Shell Rock Emergency Services for a compressor and self-contained breathing apparatus.

$1,997 to Comprehensive Systems, Inc. for a multi-sensory environment project at a group home in Waterloo.

Requested projects that didnt get funded were for $57,500 for the the Aspire Therapy Riding Program and $2,500 for Bel Canto Cedar Valley.

In other business, the board approved an extension for the Cedar Bend Humane Society until Dec. 31 to use a $10,000 grant awarded in August 2015. The agency was supposed to use the grant, which is to build an outreach facility for volunteers, by this past September.

The board also heard a report that adjusted gross revenues for casinos across the state were down 4 percent in January compared to a year earlier. Admissions were down 5 percent. At the Isle, revenues were down 4 percent and admissions were down 14 percent.
WATERLOO  Of the 33 firearms that the Waterloo Police Departments Violent Crime Apprehension Team seized last year, at least 18 were the result of tips received by Officer Jamie Sullivan, according to police.

Police Chief Daniel Trelka cited that statistic Monday as Sullivan was named the Waterloo Exchange Clubs Officer of the Year for 2016.

Over the years, Sullivan has provided valuable information to others that has resulted in numerous arrests and solved numerous crimes, including homicides, Trelka said. Thats just how Jamie is. Hes always on the go.

Trelka said Sullivan frequently fields tips from members of the public, often taking phone calls during his days off. The chief also cited Sullivans skills at interviewing and building a rapport with people he encounters.

A Wapsi Valley High graduate, Sullivan earned a degree from Upper Iowa University in Fayette in 2002, and he served with the Franklin County Sheriffs Office before he joined the Waterloo Police Department in 2006. Since that time, he has been assigned to third-shift patrol and VCAT.

Also receiving kudos Monday was James G. Scott, who was named the departments Reserve Officer of the Year.

Every year, Jim puts in a tremendous amount of time and effort into keeping the (reserve) unit intact and performing at a very high standard, Trelka said. He said Scott has written grants to provide the reserve officers with new radio equipment and often fills in for other reserves officers.

Scott has been a reserve officer since 1991. He is a Cedar Rapids native who graduated from the former Hawkeye Tech. He works at Harrison Truck Center as an information technology manager.

Reserves earn $2 a year for their work and often provide their own equipment for the job, Trelka said.

The two received their awards Monday during a Waterloo Exchange Club luncheon at the Elks Club.
WATERLOO  It was called the war to end all wars. But it wasnt.

The United States entered it to make the world safe for democracy, only to have to fight totalitarianism again a quarter century later.

It was called the Great War, the World War, but finally became known as World War I.

For America, it started 100 years ago this year, and the Grout Museum District is preparing for a centennial exhibition of the many uniforms and artifacts it has collected over the past several decades from families of local residents.

While there are no living veterans of that war, the Grout amassed a considerable collection from families of those veterans and will have much of it on display for six months, beginning in June, in an exhiblt titled From the Prairie to the Trenches: Iowans in the Great War. Museum staff are already preparing items for exhibition.

The advantage of World War I is that we have such a large collection, said Chris Shackelford, the Grout districts exhibits and programs assistant. Some is in archives and a smaller amount is on permanent display in the Grouts Sullivan Brothers Iowa Veterans Museum. For how much we already have in our permanent exhibit, its going to be really nice to get out so much of what we have.

Like World War II some 20-25 years later, America initially delayed entering the European conflict by two to three years, until April 1917.

By the time the war ended 19 months later, in November 1918, four million Americans served, half of them overseas, and 116,000 lost their lives and another 200,000 were wounded. About 115,000 Iowans served and 3,000 were killed or wounded, according to the National Archives.

Waterloos Fairview Cemetery contains a circle of World War I soldiers graves around a machine gun of that era.

Some of the items at the Grout include uniforms of:

Pvt. Leonard Walters of Tipton, who served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps as an orderly or ambulance driver.

Lt. Col. C.C. Bronson of Waterloo, a member of Iowa Gov. William Hardings personal honor guard during the war. The uniform is rare in that the sleeves bear red stars  which soon became impossible to wear when they became the emblem of the Red Army following the birth of the Soviet Union in October 1917.

A uniform of a U.S. Army Air Service mechanic, Private John H. Rohrssen of Barclay Township in Black Hawk County, who was stationed at Kelly Air Field in San Antonio, where he served on border patrol against the forces of Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa, who raided Columbus, N.M., and locations in Texas in 1916.

Haddys Hixson, a U.S. Marine who served in a supply unit, and the father of Dale Hixson, active for years with Becker-Chapman Americal Legion Post 138.

A complete horse cavalry saddle and stirrup set.

Various boots and munitions.

A Marlin potato digger light machine gun.

And theres so many complete sets of personal belongings, said Nick Erickson, museum collections registrar at the Grout, who is writing and researching a University of Northern Iowa graduate paper on the war. The peak donation time for World War I veterans was the 1970s and 80s, because thats when most of the First World War veterans were dying. Weve seen a little uptick lately, as people clean out attics of the next generation, children of World War I veterans who kept their parents artifacts.

Some older individuals who kept their parents artifacts, aging themselves, are simply looking for a rightful place for those artifacts.

This is a privilege to be able to do this exhibit, Erickson said.

A part of this project is actually getting us organized and finding out what we have available to us for World War I, said Erin Dawson, the Grouts exhibits curator. Were going through our collections, picking out whats World War I and then narrowing down, depending on what we see the exhibit becoming.

In addition to marking the 100th anniversary of Americas entry into the war, were trying to place special interest on minority populations and womens involvement in the war, Shackelford said. More than 200,000 African-Americans served in World War I.

Therell be a large section devoted to the training of African-Americans at Fort Des Moines, Camp Dodge, Shackelford said, as well as some very particular stories, anecdotal stories about womens service, not only just in the armed services but the Red Cross and other service organizations affiliated with the military.

They served alongside, not quite in yet, Dawson said of womens service. But that service was important. Another portion of the exhibit will be the reactions to the war on the home front.

Tentative start date for the exhibit is June 27, Dawson said. It will run concurrent with a year-long Korean War exhibit to begin in July. One historic figure connecting the two exhibits, and conflicts, is Gen. Douglas MacArthur, and Grout staff said that will be acknowledged.

MacArthur, best known as commander of U.S. ground forces in the Pacific in World War II, was a commander in the Armys 42nd Rainbow Division during World War I which included Iowa units, and he also was United Nations forces commander in Korea until dismissed by President Harry Truman, a fellow World War I veteran.

According to a Black Hawk County historic website maintained by the University of Northern Iowa, Rainbow Drive, a main road in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, was so named in 1918 to honor Earl King, one of Black Hawk Countys first volunteers in World War I. He was a member of Company B Infantry, 42nd Rainbow Division
Republicans last week completed a massive rewrite of Iowas laws that govern how public employees collectively bargain for wages and benefits.

The legislation was dramatic in its scope, significantly weakening employees bargaining posture moving forward. The bill was 46 pages long and essentially re-wrote a law that was first authored in 1974.

And it was signed into law a mere 10 days after it was introduced.

Thats a relatively quick shelf life for any piece of legislation, much less one this significant. And that drew the ire of many of the bills opponents.

Statehouse Democrats, union leaders and many other people who opposed the bill were sharply critical of Republicans for fast-tracking it through the legislative process.

Republicans defended the process, saying they followed all procedural rules and gave the bill ample time for debate in the Iowa Capitol.

As with anything there are two sides to this debate, and both have some merit.

Republicans are accurate when they say they followed all legislative rules that govern how a bill moves through the Iowa Capitol from being introduced to being passed by committees and then the full chambers before going to the governors office for his signature. They also held a public hearing on the bill, giving Iowans a chance to voice their concerns directly to lawmakers at the Capitol.

That said, the bill moved through the Capitol just about as quickly as is allowed. A typical bill will take weeks, even months, to move through the legislative process.

Not that there are no exceptions, even regarding significant legislation: Earlier this year the K-12 public school funding bill was signed into law nine days after it was first introduced, and in 2015 a contentious bill that increased the state gas tax by 10 cents per gallon was signed into law just 14 days after it was introduced. Legislators can move quickly when so motivated.

But the argument went something like the collective bargaining bill deserved more time in the sun before it was signed into law.

Democrats were similarly upset over the length of time spent debating the bill, especially when Republicans in the majority Thursday implemented a seldom-used deadline to cut off debate over the bill and force final votes.

Debate spanned three days at the Capitol  exceedingly long for the vast majority of legislation that passes through the chamber. Very few are debated even over the span of two days much less three. And by my unofficial count, debate lasted 27 hours in the Senate (including one overnight session) and 14 hours in the House. Those figures, too, are exceptionally high. And Republicans spent very little time speaking during debate in either chamber, so Democrats had plenty of time at the microphone.

The other argument made was the public did not have sufficient time to weigh in. Legislators were face-to-face with their constituents for only one 90-minute public hearing and one weekend back home in their districts.

Shortly after the bill passed the House, I asked Republican Speaker Linda Upmeyer if she felt the public was given sufficient time to provide feedback on the bill to legislators.

Weve had, as weve talked about here, phone calls, emails. I cant tell you the number of members that have come back and said, Hey, Ive got a school teacher, superintendent, board member, a county supervisor that wants to know how this will work. We went and found out, got the answer to them, Upmeyer said. So during this whole time  and weve been talking about this since we started session and before  this conversation was going on. We were reaching out to people and getting feedback from people. The bill changed based on what we heard. We listened. ...

So I think its not a number of days that youre in the district doing forums as long as you have opportunities, phone calls, emails, that kind of thing. Its a combination of all of that.
The election

REX JOHNSON

WATERLOO  We have to elect people as we have in the past. Listen to a politician tell us what he is going to do, and we know its not going to happen. We cant elect someone who tells us what he or she is going to do and then does it; that is not the American way. An Old West saying is we want to keep snake oil on the market.

Long memories

BRIAN PETERS

CEDAR FALLS  As a longtime resident and homeowner in Cedar Falls, I want to express my appreciation to the city of Cedar Falls and its union employees for agreeing to a contract before the Republicans in Des Moines had a chance to destroy collective bargaining for public employees.

As a taxpayer I believe a long-term agreement like this will promote a stable city work force that will be a big benefit for the community. When the next city council elections are held, I will remember the support shown for this agreement.

On the other hand, when November 2018 rolls around, the citizens of this state will remember the people who voted to gut Chapter 20 and upend the relationship between public employees and the school boards, city councils, county supervisors, state government, etc., they work for  a relationship that has served the citizens of the state well for 40 years. I thought bipartisanship might still be possible in Des Moines, but this bill was fast tracked through without any input from people directly affected by it and which a vast majority of people contacting their legislator during the short debate opposed. The voters in this state will remember.

Tax dollars

KIE MAAS

WATERLOO  Last week, America spoke out and asked the 115th Congress to reroute taxpayer dollars from Planned Parenthood, including here in Cedar Falls to comprehensive health care centers. More than 225 #DefundPP events took place in 43 states and the nations capital, drawing tens of thousands of people rallying to protest tax dollar support of Planned Parenthood.

Each year Planned Parenthood performs more than 320,000 abortions, 34 percent of the annual total. They provide less than 2 percent of manual breast exams, less than 1 percent of pap smear tests and zero mammograms for women in America. Thats not addressing womens health, reproductive or otherwise. Why not redirect our tax money to federally qualified health centers that provide a wider range of health care services and a higher standard of care? Reallocating tax dollars to supporting legitimate providers of comprehensive womens health care frees us from having to deal with Planned Parenthoods increasingly negative image. Congress has investigated Planned Parenthoods involvement in harvesting and selling fetal tissue. Do we really want that kind of business in our neighborhood?

I urge Cedar Valley residents to contact your Iowa congressmen and U.S. senators and representatives and urge them to defund Planned Parenthood now.

Minimum wages

BRIAN McMILLAN

TRAER  Currently, the state government of Iowa wishes not only to set a mandatory minimum wage across the state, but also they are using dictatorial terms in doing so and taking away yet another power from local government in the process.

This actually is a remarkably bad idea for a number of reasons fundamental to our system of government. Our society is complex: We have people of many ages, races, ideologies, etc., so in order to govern and represent them all we need a government which is equally complex. And since our society lives in communities we need a patchwork governmental system which reflects our society.

Rather than expanding state powers, we need to do just the opposite  help empower and organize local governments so they are more autonomous and efficient. The Courier says Iowa has a nonsensical number of county governments, but how many people work in each of these and what size of job is expected of them?

Can so few county representatives possibly represent all of the views of people at the local level, and why are county governments so poorly organized in comparison with states and feds in the first place? It only aids special interests.

Bridge canopy

ROMAN FRACKIEWIECZ

WATERLOO  Let me share a novel concept to city leaders anguishing over the bridge canopy; its called preventive maintenance. I have walked the Waterloo bridges countless times over the years and watched the obvious deterioration and wondered whos in charge?

Maybe city leaders need to get out and walk the bridges and other city assets and mitigate the little manageable issues before they need major capital investments.
Q. What are the dates of the Iowa State Fair this year?

A. Aug. 10-20.

Q. Will the new SingleSpeed pub have an open house in the future?

A. SingleSpeed owner Dave Morgan said he doesn't believe he'll have any more open houses -- the building was last open during the Tour de 'Loo. The pub is slated to open to the public in April, at which point you can presumably hold your own informal open house anytime.

Q. While watching the Waterloo budget session, Michele Weidner, the chief financial officer, said we are now funding animal control out of the sewer funds. Why are they using these funds for something other than the sewer? How much was in the budget for animal control last year and how much is in the budget this year?

A. Weidner noted the city moved animal control funding to the sanitation fund, which is covered by garbage fees, not the sewer fund. The decision was made by the City Council last year to help lower property taxes. The adopted Waterloo Animal Control budget for the current fiscal year shows $101,250 in revenue and $271,114 in expenses, with the difference covered by sanitation funds.

Q. The Courier had an article about Chris Schwartz, a paid supervisor, organizing a protest. Is it illegal for someone in his capacity to do this? How much will it cost the city to control the protest?

A. There is nothing illegal about a county supervisor organizing or participating in a political rally or protest. You don't lose your constitutional right to free speech by winning elected office. Cedar Falls Director of Public Safety Services Jeff Olson said police had communicated with the organizers of the rally before and during the event to provide for a safe environment for the rally. The Police Division scheduled on-duty officers and reserve officers to provide security for the event. Some officers worked overtime before and after their regularly scheduled hours, which accumulated to about $350.

Q. Can you print why they moved the light on Ridgeway Avenue to the middle of the block between Oregon and West 11th streets? Also, why didnt they put in any sidewalks?

A. We published a very lengthy explanation of this situation last April. In short, a signalized pedestrian crossing needs to be at least 100-feet from an intersection controlled by stop signs for safety reasons, especially given the speeds on Ridgeway. Sidewalks were not required as part of the city's subdivision ordinances when that area developed years ago. The city requires sidewalks for all new residential developments now but does not retroactively force residents to install them.

Q. If they redo the canopy on Fourth Street will they have security cameras and also security there to eliminate the robbing and violence that occurred when it was first built?

A. The proposed bridge project does not include security cameras. There have not been many reports of violence on the bridge in recent years.

Questions are taken on a special Courier phone line at 234-3566. Questions are answered by Courier staff and staff at the Waterloo Public Library.
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Middle East Eye

IS video threatens to increase its attacks on Christians and labels Muslim Brotherhood, Salafists, and Azharis as 'apostates'

Egyptians hold vigil for victims of attack on Coptic church on 11 December, 2016 (AFP)

The Islamic State group has threatened Coptic Christians, the Muslim Brotherhood, Salafists, and al-Azhar clerics in wide-ranging video promising more attacks in Egypt similar to a church bombing in December.

The group said there was a need for more attacks on wealthy Copts, singling out the Sawiris family, Egypts most famous billionaire Christian family.

IS also attacked the Muslim Brotherhood, as well as the Salafi, pro-government Nour Party, labelling them both apostates due to their public stands of solidarity with Copts following IS attacks.

The militant group also labelled as apostates leading Egyptian clerics following their strong criticism of IS attacks on Christians.

Those named as apostates in the video include the grand imam of al-Azhar mosque, Ahmed el-Tayeb, and Salafi sheikh Mohammed Hassan.

IS named the Coptic Cathedral attacker as Abu Abdullah el-Masry, an Egyptian citizen from the mainland, as opposed to the Sinai Peninsula where the group has its main base.

They threatened to carry out similar attacks, adding: To my brothers in prison, we swear we will free Cairo soon, and free you, and come with explosions.

According to IS, Egypts Coptic Christians have broken their "contracts" with the Muslims, and now constitute a tool of the crusaders against the Islamic faith.

For this reason, the militant group said Egypts Christian community would be the target of further attacks similar to the Coptic Cathedral bombing that killed and injured dozens in December.

IS said that the generally estimated number of Copts in Egypt, up to 18 million, is incorrect, and that their real number is not more than four million.

Despite this, IS also said that Coptic investment made up 40 percent of Egypts economy.

IS is most active in Egypts Sinai province, and aims to expand from there into Egypts other more populous provinces.
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US consortium calls for public-private SMR support

20 February 2017

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A consortium of small modular reactor (SMR) developers and customers has issued a policy statement setting out the benefits of public-private partnerships to facilitate the commercialisation and export of US-designed SMRs.

The SMR Start consortium, which was launched in January 2016, said SMRs were a "strategic option" for the US to meet the need for new generation capacity from the mid-2020s onwards. Commercialisation of new nuclear technologies involves large upfront first-of-a-kind costs and a relatively long timeframe to complete licensing and design activities, the consortium said. Investment of such amounts, over the timeframes required and without contractual commitments, presented a "unique challenge" to companies, the consortium said.

Public-private partnerships - similar to those that provide support for the introduction of other new energy technologies - would help ensure the successful commercialisation of SMRs, the consortium said, stimulating the private investments required to ensure that the technology continues to advance and is capable of competing in overseas markets without additional direct support once the technology matures. "Such partnerships are an appropriate policy due to the public benefits derived from SMRs that are not valued in the energy markets, such as carbon-free generation and improved electricity grid reliability", it said.

The policy document called on the US government to establish public-private partnerships to support the development of two or more SMR designs, the deployment of four or more commercial SMR facilities domestically, and the development of a domestic supply chain to support the SMR market, including the export of SMRs.

It said the US Department of Energy's (DoE's) SMR Licensing Technical Support (LTS) program, providing initial funding of up to $452 million on a cost share basis, was "much appreciated but not sufficient in the current business environment to achieve large-scale SMR commercialisation." It called for the LTS program, scheduled to end in fiscal 2017, to be expanded to cover design finalisation as well as licensing and to be extended to fiscal 2025, "with a commensurate increase in funding".

Public-private partnerships could support the deployment of SMRs through a combination of production tax credits, power purchase agreements and loan guarantees, the consortium said. Technology development could be supported through grid security and reliability programs and accelerated through access to and support from national laboratories.

Investment tax credits (ITC) could support investments in SMR design and construction, and "kick-start" a supply chain and the manufacturing of components for both domestic and international SMR markets. "One SMR designer has invested in excess of $300 million in a state-of-the-art purpose-built SMR manufacturing facility in the US", it noted. "An SMR ITC should be established to incentivise investments in US SMR manufacturing facilities. This is similar in amount to the ITC for renewable energy sources", it said.

"Private companies and DoE have invested over $1 billion in the development of SMRs. However, more investment, through public-private partnerships is needed in order to assure that SMRs are a viable option in the mid-2020s. In addition to accomplishing the public benefit from SMR deployment, the federal government would receive a return on investment through taxes associated with investment, job creation and economic output over the lifetime of the SMR facilities that would otherwise not exist without the US government's investment," the consortium said.

SMRs can generally be described as nuclear reactors with a typical capacity of 300 MWe equivalent or less, designed with modular technology using module factory fabrication, allowing economies of series production and short construction times. The DoE has supported their development through several initiatives.

Earlier this year NuScale Power submitted the first-ever SMR design certification application to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, with a preferred site identified at the Idaho National Laboratory for a potential first-of-a-kind reactor. The regulator has also accepted for review from the Tennessee Valley Authority an application for an early site permit for a potential SMR at Clinch River in Tennessee. The application was developed with the support of the DoE's LTS program.



SMR Start was established by SMR vendors and potential customers to advocate for SMRs in the USA. Its members are Areva, Bechtel, BWXT, Dominion, Duke Energy, Energy Northwest, Fluor, Holtec International, NuScale Power, Ontario Power Generation, PSEG Nuclear, Southern Nuclear, the Tennessee Valley Authority and Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems. The US Nuclear Energy Institute collaborates with the consortium on policies and priorities relating to SMR technology.

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News

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Restructuring allows Paladin to grow, says CEO

21 February 2017

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A restructuring of Paladin Energy's balance sheet, announced in January, will position the Australia-based uranium company to increase production rather than service its debt in response to a 'normalising' uranium market, its CEO said yesterday.

Langer Heinrich (Image: Paladin)



In an interview broadcast by Australian stockbroking firm CommSec, Alexander Molyneux said the restructuring, which would see the conversion of $362 million in existing bonds into other forms of bonds and shares, was "the most important" thing for the company.

"We have had a problem with our balance sheet over the last couple of years," Molyneux said. "We've been very successful in cutting costs; we've been very successful in having a very consistent production. But our share price and our whole business have been dragged down by our debt burden."

Paladin announced in August last year plans to sell 24% of its flagship Langer Heinrich uranium mine in Namibia and up to 75% of its Manyingee project in Western Australia. The transactions had been expected to raise over $200 million, but in December the company notified the Australian Securities Exchange the sale of the Langer Heinrich stake to CNNC Overseas Uranium Holdings was not expected to close by the end of the year as planned. In January, in the absence of further progress on the sale, Paladin announced the balance sheet restructuring to enable it to meet a $212 million debt obligation due in April.

Molyneux said yesterday the restructuring would, on completion, immediately reduce the company's debt from $380 million to $150 million, and extend its earliest debt maturity from 2017 to 2022. This, he said, would give it a sustainable balance sheet and a position in which to grow as the uranium market continues to "normalise". It would then be able to invest in restarting the Kayelekera mine and expanding Langer Heinrich, rather than dealing with its debt. Kayelekera, in Malawi, has been under care and maintenance since 2014. In September last year, he said it would take take 18-24 months to bring the mine back into production.

Supplier action



Uranium suppliers are taking action in response to declining uranium demand over recent years, Molyneux said. So-called 'demand disappointment', meaning the withdrawal of Japanese utilities from the uranium market after the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi accident, while many European and North American utilities ran down uranium stockpiles, was the "big reason" for uranium price decline. There have, however, been no major adjustments on the supply side to the decline in demand, with higher-cost producers able to continue operating thanks to long-term contracts.

With the average term uranium contract being about six to seven years long, those contracts are starting to "roll off", Molyneux said. This had provided a "catalyst" to supplier action. "It's crunch time now, and  we're seeing suppliers react," he said.

Kazakhstan's announcement in January of plans to cut supply by 10% is a key development, Molyneux said, since that country accounts for 40% of global uranium supply.

Paladin used to be more exposed to spot uranium pricing and did not have the "protection" of term uranium contracts, but it is now "uniquely positioned" for the changing market, Molyneux said.



"On the downside we were hurt more than others  Now though, we have had to address our cost structure in a more urgent way than our peers. Our costs have come down ... so when the uranium prices turn around, as they will continue to do so, we have the maximum leverage to the upside. We can expand our production by 60% to 70% in volume terms as uranium prices increase."

The restructuring is expected to conclude in late March or early April.

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News

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Here are the 1961 projections side by side with the actual 1976 population numbers for Ontario, downloaded from Statistics Canada's CANSIM table 051-0001. (An image taken from the Ontario Economic Survey can be found at the end of the post):

Back in the 1960s, the Ontario government's Department of Economics dutifully cranked out annual population forecasts. What is remarkable about these forecasts is how far wrong they were. The economists completely failed to predict the demographic changes that were about to hit Ontario.

The Ontario Department of Economics projections were most spectacularly wrong for children under 10. The economists failed to anticipate the end of the baby boom. They also, it seems, underestimated the improvements in life expectancy that would be enjoyed by older Canadians, and the amount of migration into Ontario.

Now one could argue that the early 1960s collapse in birth rates was triggered by something completely outside the economists' demographic models - a unforeseen and unforeseeable technological change.

Yet the fall in birth rates was predictable, even in 1961. With the brief exception of the 1950s, Canadian birth rates had been falling for most of the previous century - see the picture below borrowed from here:

Indeed, by 1961 the number of births in Canada had already declined from its 1959 peak. The birth control pill had been in the market since 1957 - although not marketed as such - and had already been approved for contraceptive use in the US. Second-wave feminism was beginning. For example, US President John F Kennedy signed an Executive Order calling for a Presidential Commission on the Status of Women in 1961.

If the forecasters in the Department of Economics had talked to historians, medical researchers, or even their wives, they might have come across some information that would have caused them to question their forecast of continuing high birth rates.

Now one might say - so what? Why does it matter that the Ontario Department of Economics got the demographic forecasts spectacularly wrong?

It matters because governments, firms, and other economic actors rely on demographic forecasts to make investment decisions. If the demographic forecasts are wrong, schools get built unnecessarily. Medical students train as obstetricians, when they would be better off becoming orthopaedic surgeons. Real estate developers build homes for large families, not small ones. Inaccurate demographic forecasts are unlikely to be good economic ones.

This historical incident matters because it says something about why long-term economic forecasting is hard and how forecasts could be improved. What I take from this story is that sometimes questioning the parameters of a model, and bringing in additional information from novel sources, may be of greater value than refining and tweaking a business-as-usual model.

For those who are interested, here is an image showing the 1961 Ontario population forecasts:
Doncaster-based The Topping Pie Company has shipped its first orders to New Zealand.

The Topping Pie Company has partnered with UK food exporter Smylie Ltd. This has enabled it to ship its first export orders to Union Jacks, which operates a chain of UK food stores in Auckland, New Zealand (NZ), targeting the expat community and domestic consumers.

A range of award-winning handcrafted pies have been listed by the retailer, all made with British Red Tractor pork meat and ingredients including Dinky Topped Cranberry, Cheese & Pickle, and Stilton.

Smylie Ltd, a north west-based family-run food exporter, specialises in sourcing and distributing British food and drink for the export market, supplying supermarkets, distributors, embassies and foodservice companies internationally.

Roger Topping, managing director of The Topping Pie Company, said: We are excited to secure another export order after our recent success with The Co-operative Society in the Channel Islands.

New Zealand is a popular destination for British expats and we know they crave a little taste of home, so we are delighted to be able to deliver a slice of Britain with the support of Smylies dedicated team of experts.

The FDF recently announced that total food and drink exports grew by 10.5% to a record figure of more than 20bn.
Feb 21, 2017 | By Tess

3D printed prosthetic hand maker Open Bionics has taken home the International UAE Robotics for Good Award, a recognition that includes $1 million in funding. The award, which was presented to the UK-based startup this past Saturday, was given out as part of the UAE AI & Robotics Award for Good competition.

Photo: Open Bionics Facebook

The competition, as the official award website says, intends to support innovation in the key area of artificial intelligence and robotics as part of the UAEs commitment towards the National Innovation Strategy. It is no wonder then that Open Bionics, an organization that has, since 2014, dedicated itself to developing and providing affordable 3D printed bionic hands to those in need, would take home the International Robotics prize.

Open Bionics was selected out of a pool of over a thousand applicants from all over the globe, each of which submitted their own innovative technology for consideration. Other notable applicants included Unmanned Rover System (URS) in the category of social services/relief; Marsi-Bionics Gait Exoskeleton, a wearable device that helps children with neurological diseases to move more easily; the DOME Project; the Fathom One underwater drone; and more.

We can only imagine how excited the team from Open Bionics is to have not only received recognition from the UAE but also to have received a sizeable monetary prize. Open Bionics expressed its excitement on Facebook, saying: Team OB just won the Robotics for Good Award in Dubai. Over 1,600 technologies for good applied and after competing against the top 10 best assistive technologies the judges chose our bionic hands! Now we have the funding to push our hands through the final stages of medical testing and finally get them to everyone who needs one.

Here at 3Ders, weve covered Open Bionics innovative and humanitarian work closely, from its 3D printed superhero prosthetics for kids, to its expertly designed Deus Ex inspired prosthetic arm, to its easily assembled 500 3D printed robotic hand. And we have to say we are happy to see the Bristol-based startup achieve such success.

Photo: Open Bionics Twitter

Winners in the national categories are also worth mentioning here, as they each took home a prize of Dhs1 million for their projects. Daniel Waleeds team, from the American University of Sharjah (AUS) took home the national prize for the UAE AI/Robotic for Good Awards for their innovative In-Pipe Inspection Robot, a device capable of detecting gas leaks in pipes.

In the national drone category, a team from the Sanad Academy in Dubai took home Dh1 million for their 3D printed Smart Ring drone. The idea behind the Smart Ring was to enhance traditional life-saving flotation rings with drone power. The Smart Ring, made up of only a few 3D printed parts, is designed to be deployed by life guards in order to help save drowning victims in a timely manner.

The UAE AI & Robotics Award for Good competition was organized by the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) and the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Fund.

Posted in 3D Printing Application

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Feb 21, 2017 | By Benedict

3D4Makers, a Netherlands-based developer of 3D printing materials, has devised a new way to extrude filament that does not require water. The companys multiple jet air cooling system can cool extruded 3D printing filament as effectively as water while reducing overall production time.

3D4Makers' Ardy Struijk with a prototype of the company's filament extruder

In the highly competitive 3D printing industry, you would expect the odds to be stacked against a father-and-son business attempting to produce no less than 10 kinds of 3D printing filament, all from a small production facility in the Dutch city of Haarlem and with a total staff of just five people. Surprisingly, 3D4Makers seems to be doing just fine: the company makes high-performance engineering filaments such as PEEK, as well as more standard 3D printing materials, and has even become the first manufacturer in the world to create a filament made from polycaprolactone (PCL), a biodegradable polyester with a low melting point that is used in various medical devices.

So just how is 3D4Makers managing to do all this? The secret, recently revealed by the Dutch 3D printing specialist, lies in its unique and innovative filament extrusion technique. Typically, filament producers use water to precisely cool lengths of newly extruded plastic to ensure an even shape and diameter. This is generally a very effective practice for creating a usable 3D printing material, but it has its drawbacks: all water absorbed by the plastic needs to be removed again, usually by baking it for several hours, or printing performance will be affected. Again, this is all well and good for producing good 3D printing filament, but with such fine margins for success in the industry, those hours of waiting for water to evaporate begin to add up.

PLLA test print with an Ultimaker 3D printer

3D4Makers was faced with a dilemma: how could it continue to produce such a wide range of 3D printing materials at its small production facility when production of each spool of filament took such a long time? Would it have to reduce its wide portfolio of products to remain competitive, thereby destroying one of its biggest selling points? No. Instead, the Dutch filament manufacturer did something radical: it changed the way it cooled its filament, by eliminating the water phase altogether. Its alternative? High-pressure air jets.

After two years of hard work developing a new production system, 3D4Makers eventually perfected a setup that uses multiple cooling air jets that replace water entirely. This means that plastic can be cooled down evenly and precisely, but without the need for hours of baking to remove absorbed water. This means that the small company can produce its wide range of 3D printing materials without losing precious time. Ardy Struijk, 3D4Makers head of marketing and sales, commented that he was proud of the team and [himself] for coming this far against all odds.

Printing with 3D4Makers' PEEK 3D printing filament

In addition to increasing production speed, 3D4Makers air jet extrusion system has brought other advantages. For example, the company has reported better layer adhesion in materials produced with its new extrusion system, resulting in better and stronger 3D printed parts. The team also found that impact resistance was increased in their waterless filament when compared with standard 3D printing materials made by other companies. The system even allows 3D4Makers to produce 100% pure filaments with no additives.

3D4Makers was started by father and son team Jan-Peter and Jasper Wille. Its portfolio of 3D printing filaments includes ABS, ASA, PLA, PLLA, PCL, PET-G, Hemp, PEEK, PEI, and PPSU.

Posted in 3D Printing Materials

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Feb 21, 2017 | By Tess

In terms of additive manufacturing, it has been a busy month for Swiss industrial tech company Oerlikon. Not only did it announce the upcoming establishment of an industrial 3D printing facility in Charlotte, North Carolina, but it has more recently signed two research partnershipswith the Technical University of Munich (TU Munich) in Germany, and the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Skoltech) in Russiato advance additive manufacturing technologies and surface solutions.

According to the Swiss company, its letters of intent with both TU Munich and Skolkovo will seek to address and overcome existing challenges in industrial additive manufacturing, especially as the technology becomes increasingly in demand for the production of advanced and complex components. In other words, Oerlikon and both educational institutions will use their expertise in 3D printing to advance the manufacturing technology, making it more viable for mass production in such industries as aerospace, automotive, medical, and energy.

Innovative technology is key to our growth strategy and a distinct advantage of Oerlikon, said Dr. Roland Fischer, CEO of Oerlikon. These partnerships mark important milestones in our efforts to take a leading position in additive manufacturing, as we are seeing a growing demand for advanced components that are lighter, with embedded functionality and can benefit from the increased design freedom of AM. Additive Manufacturing has the potential to meet these requirements. With our leading expertise in advanced materials and surface technologies, we are ideally positioned to drive this technology forward.

TU Munich has been the home of many innovative 3D printing research projects, including the optimization of 3D printed infill structures, 3D printing bio-INK, and others. Within an academic context, it has been a key player in driving forward additive manufacturing technologies. The letter of intent between Oerlikon and TU Munich was signed by Dr. Fischer and Prof. Dr. h.c. mult. Wolfgang Herrmann, President of the TU Munich. The agreement marks yet another partnership between academia and industry for the advancement of 3D printing.

In conducting research, it is integral for us to work hand-in-hand with technology companies to develop solutions for practical industrial challenges and applications, commented Professor Herrmann. Partnering with Oerlikon exactly adds that perspective for us to drive forward our additive manufacturing research projects and opens up opportunities for exciting future research together.

The Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, for its part, has also demonstrated expertise in advanced manufacturing, with a speciality in simulation processes and dedicated materials for additive manufacturing. Prof. Dr. Alexander Kuleshov, President of he Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, signed the research agreement with Oerlikon.

Notably, both of Oerlikons research partnership agreements were signed in Munich, largely because the German state of Bavaria will be supporting the partnerships in a significant way. The region is known for its lucrative industrial and technology sectors, and importantly, its early adoption of 3D printing tech.

Prof. Dr. Michael Suss, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Oerlikon, commented: In the name of the Board, we are proud to provide our expertise in materials and surface technologies to help advance the industrialization of additive manufacturing with two leading academic partners. Additive manufacturing is opening up new possibilities for the designing and manufacturing of industrial products. We need to exploit this potential to sustain the competitiveness of innovation-driven industrial regions such as Germany.

Posted in 3D Printer Company

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Shehryar Fazli in the Los Angeles Review of Books:

Timothy B. Tyson has written a concise and urgent book about Emmett Tills 1955 murder in a small Mississippi town, a crime that ignited civil rights defenders into a long, hard struggle against the Jim Crow regime in the South, and inspired an outraged Rosa Parks to defy segregation laws on a Montgomery city bus. Its a macabre story of inhumanity and injustice, but also of resistance and unity across a divided nation.

The facts may be known, but bear repeating. Fourteen-year-old Emmett, during a visit from Chicago to his familys hometown of Money, Mississippi, allegedly whistled at a white woman, Carolyn Bryant, in a grocery store. After Bryant claimed, untruthfully, that the black boy had also grabbed her, her husband Roy Bryant and his half-brother J. W. Milam abducted Emmett from his grand uncles house, beat, mutilated and shot him, then dumped his body into the Tallahatchie River, from where it was recovered three days later. Just another lynching in the Jim Crow South  until it wasnt. If it werent for the specific time and place, its unlikely to have become arguably the United Statess most consequential hate crime, the first act in a drama of reckoning that tested a nations moral fiber.

Expertly, Tyson demarcates and mines the territory of Tills murder, including why the killers assumed it would go ignored; of the trial, which indeed concluded with a not-guilty verdict; and of the countrywide reaction to both. Yet his analysis of the big national moment does not upstage his attention to the Till familys unimaginable personal loss.

More here.
Tim Stanley in The Telegraph:

Can a white person ever really understand how a black person sees the world? Back in 1959, six years before Martin Luther King marched for civil rights in Selma, one man tried. A white Texan writer called John Howard Griffin walked into a doctors office in New Orleans and asked him to turn his skin colour black. Griffin took oral medication and was bombarded with ultraviolet rays; he cut off his hair to hide an absence of curls and shaved the back of his hands. Then he went on a tour of the Deep South. The result was a bestselling book called Black Like Me, which is still regarded as an American classic. Griffin wanted to test the claim that although the southern United States was segregated it was essentially peaceful and just  that the two races were separate but equal.

What he discovered tells us a lot about the subtleties of racism. In 1959, unlike today, it was legally instituted. But, like today, it also flourished at the personal level  in hostility, suspicion, fear and even self-loathing. Griffin was an extraordinary man. Born in Dallas in 1920, he went to school in France and joined the French Resistance after Hitler invaded. Griffin helped Jewish children escape to England before fleeing to America. While serving in the US army, he was blinded by shrapnel. Griffin took it all in his stride  he married, had children and converted to Catholicism. Griffins strong personal faith reminds us that much of the civil rights movement was in fact a Christian mission  made possible, in this instance, by what seemed like a miracle. Walking around his yard one afternoon, Griffin suddenly saw red swirls where hitherto there was only darkness. Within months his sight had returned. And it was a man determined to make the most of his second chance who hit upon the novel idea of crossing the colour line. Those reading the book today might regard Griffins attempt to change his colour as akin to blacking up. Certainly, the transformation was awkward. Griffin may well have had dark skin but he retained his classically Caucasian features, and one suspects that the awkwardness of his encounters with some black people was down to them wondering if he was one of them or just horribly sunburnt.

More here. (Note: At least one post throughout February will be in honor of Black History Month)
AUSTIN, Texas (AP)  Texas election officials have acknowledged that

hundreds of people were allowed to bypass the state's toughest-in-the-nation

voter ID law and improperly cast ballots in the November presidential

election by signing a sworn statement instead of showing a photo ID.



The chief election officers in two of the state's largest counties are now

considering whether to refer cases to local prosecutors for potential

perjury charges or violations of election law. Officials in many other areas

say they will simply let the mistakes go, citing widespread confusion among

poll workers and voters.



The Texas law requires voters to show one of seven approved forms of

identification to cast ballots. It was softened in August to allow people

without a driver's license or other photo ID to sign an affidavit declaring

that they have an impediment to obtaining required identification.



Even after the affidavits were introduced, voters who possess an acceptable

photo ID were still required to show it at the polls.



The revelations come as President Donald Trump makes frequent claims that

the nation's voting systems are vulnerable to fraud. The president has

repeatedly said, without citing any evidence, that he would have won the

popular vote if not for 3 million to 5 million immigrants in the country

illegally who voted for his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton.



An Associated Press analysis of roughly 13,500 affidavits submitted in Texas

' largest counties found at least 500 instances in which voters were allowed

to get around the law by signing an affidavit and never showing a photo ID,

despite indicating that they possessed one.



Others used the sworn declarations to lodge protest statements against the

law.



One affidavit from Hidalgo County, along the Texas-Mexico border, read: "Did

not want to 'pander' to government requirement." In Tarrant County, an

election judge noted on an affidavit: "Had photo ID but refused to show it."



"If we see that somebody blatantly says 'I have ID' and refused to show it,

we're going to turn that over to the D.A.," said Stephen Vickers, chief

deputy elections administrator for Tarrant County, which includes Fort Worth

. "If they tried to use the affidavit to get around the system, yeah, I see

that as a violation."



The disclosures came as top Texas Republicans cheered the case of a Mexican

national who was sentenced to eight years in prison for illegal voting. Rosa

Maria Ortega was convicted earlier this month on two felony counts of

illegal voting over allegations she improperly cast a ballot five times

between 2005 and 2014 in Tarrant County. Her attorney has said Ortega was a

permanent U.S. resident who mistakenly thought she was eligible to vote.



Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton, both Republicans, cited

the case as proof that voter fraud is real and requires preventative

measures. Abbott crowed via Twitter: "In Texas you will pay a price for

Voter Fraud."



His office did not return a request for comment from the AP.



Questionable affidavits were identified in more than 20 counties around the

state.



Tarrant County alone had at least two dozen. In Bexar County, home to San

Antonio, the top election official estimated that a large chunk of the

nearly 600 affidavits submitted should have been declined and voters

instructed to cast provisional ballots instead.



Travis County, which includes Austin, identified 70 such cases out of

roughly 2,300 affidavits.



In Fort Bend County, a suburb of Houston, more than 15 percent of voters who

submitted 313 affidavits said they possessed a photo ID, but they were not

required to show it.



Under a court order issued last year, election officials were not allowed to

question a voter's reason for signing an affidavit.



The cases do not amount to voter fraud because people still had to be

registered to vote to qualify for an affidavit, said John Oldham, Fort Bend

County's elections chief.



Poll workers were trained to "err on the side of letting people use the

affidavit instead of denying them the chance to vote," Oldham said.



"We don't consider it something that we want to go out and prosecute people

over," Oldham said. "But I wish we didn't have this affidavit process. It

makes the whole photo ID law entirely meaningless."



The affidavit process was adopted after an appeals court ruled that the

voter ID law discriminated against minorities. The change was intended to

help voters who could not obtain identification for a variety of reasons,

including disability or illness, lack of transportation or conflicts with

work schedules.



Nearly 9 million Texans cast ballots in the presidential election, according

to state data, and Donald Trump defeated Hillary Clinton by more than 800,

000 votes statewide. That means the hundreds of disputed ballots could never

have made a difference in the outcome at the top of the ticket.



New York University's Brennan Center for Justice estimated that more than 16

,000 affidavits were submitted statewide in Texas. The director of the

center's voting rights and elections project said it would be difficult to

prove voters intentionally tried to thwart the system by using an affidavit.



"As far as I'm concerned, these are the better part of almost 20,000 voters

that would not have been able to participate in this election," Myrna Perez

said. "This is just a scratch on the surface."



In August, Paxton warned that voters could be criminally prosecuted for

signing an affidavit during the election if they had been issued driver's

licenses or other IDs in the past. But a Paxton spokesman was far less harsh

this week, saying "only local prosecutors can pursue those who perjured

themselves by wrongfully voting with the reasonable impediment declaration."



There will probably be some cases forwarded to prosecutors in Texas' largest

county, which includes Houston.



Stan Stanart, who oversees Harris County elections, said he believes some

people who signed affidavits committed perjury and lied about forgetting

their photo ID.



"I suspect there were a number of people purposely breaking the law," he

said. "Can you prove it in a court? Probably not without a serious

investigation or a lot of legwork."



https://apnews.com/b7b57fc61c5b462d871a942864c0afad/AP-Exclusive:-Hundreds- of-Texans-may-have-voted-improperly
In a world where a blog is created every second does the world really need another blog? Well, it's got one. An irregular set of postings, weaving an intricate pattern around a diverse set of subjects. Comment on culture, technology, politics and the occasional rant about life. Alan ... in Belfast, Northern Ireland
A new naval future fleet architecture study from the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments (CSBA) suggests that the United States Navy will need to develop a dedicated air superiority fighter to counter Russian and Chinese advances.

Counter-air operations will require low observable manned fighters with an unrefueled combat radius of more than 500 nm, the CSBA report states . These characteristics will keep refueling aircraft out of range of enemy air defenses while enabling the fighters to reach and engage bombers in a dynamic environment inside the enemys air defense envelope.

The F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and the Lockheed Martin F-35C Joint Strike Fighterwhich are not dedicated air superiority fighterswould not be suitable to defeat advanced adversary air defenses or enemy aircraft such as the Chengdu J-20 or other Chinese fifth-generation warplanes. In contrast to todays multimission strike-fighters, such as the F-35C, the design of these aircraft would need to focus mostly on the fighter mission rather than strike, so that they would have the speed, endurance, maneuverability, and air-to-air sensor capability needed for counter-air operations, the report states.

The new fighter would not only have to engage other fighters, like the Cold War-era Grumman F-14 Tomcat , the new aircraft would have to intercept Russian and Chinese strategic bombers before they could launch their payload of anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCM) at a carrier strike group. But unlike the F-14, the new interceptor would have to eliminate enemy bombers inside the range of hostile air defenses.

With the ranges of air-launched ASCMs increasing to 1000 nm, ships may not be able to use long-range surface-to-air interceptors such as SM-6s to engage enemy bombers before they can launch their ASCMs, the report states. CVW aircraft will need to conduct this counter-air mission. Long range ASCMs also enable an adversarys bombers to launch attacks on the incoming Maneuver Force while the bombers are still protected by shore-based air defenses: defenses that can reach out to about 500 nm, depending on the targets altitude.

The CSBA reportwhich was commissioned by the U.S. Navycalls for each carrier air wing to be equipped with one squadron of the notional new stealth fighters. However, the CSBA concept calls for a pair of carriers and air wings to operate together an integrated maneuver force rather than as part of a single strike group.

Within the Maneuver Force, aircraft could be shifted between the two CSGs, so one CSG supports ongoing operations, while the other rearms and makes repairs or modifications on both carriers aircraft. And with multiple CVW aircraft available, the Maneuver and Deterrence Force could provide aircraft to the joint force, such as fighters and UCAVs to support land-based bombers, and have enough strike-fighters remaining for CAP, SUW, or CAS operations closer to the CVN, the report states. To fully exploit approaches like these, the proposed fleet architecture combines the Maneuver Forces two CVWs into one large CVW. This model would require a larger air wing staff, but would be better suited for large-scale multi-dimensional war at sea.

In addition to a new stealth fighterwhich the Navy is already studying as part of its Next Generation Air Dominance or F/A-XX analysis of alternativesthe study also calls for the development of a long-range unmanned strike aircraft.

The Navy is taking the report very seriously as it studies how to rebuild its fleet after more than a decade of neglect. "The Navy is at an inflection point where we are back in competition, chief of naval operations Adm. John Richardson told The National Interest in an emailed statement.

Many of the ideas from these studies will help us win that competition. To win, our thinking must sharp and these studies help us - they give us exactly what we want...some fresh ideas. Each study provided ideas that in some cases validated and advanced the Navy's current thinking. Some of the recommendations from the studies are so sound that we will act on them quickly. Other ideas show promise and we'll study those hard. The studies will be rolled into our program of analysis, war games, experiments, technology demonstrations, and prototyping."
AsianDate recommends its top five excursions that are a must-see experience for visitors to Chiang Mai in Thailand.

AsianDate, the leading online dating service for singles seeking Asian matches, has named five of the best daytrip excursions to take while on a visit to Chiang Mai in Thailand. Thailands northern capital was named AsianDates city of the month for February, and the top-ranked dating service is hoping to provide plenty of interesting recommendations for visitors.

Chiang Mai is one of Thailands most impressive cities and a popular tourist attraction. It also acts as a convenient base for exploring the key regions around the country.

AsianDate recommends a visit to Patara Elephant Farm as the finest daytime adventure at Chiang Mai. Visitors can have a truly unique experience while riding, feeding, and even bathing an elephant. The second place in AsianDates top five excursions is the Doi Inthanon National Park, famous for being the highest point in Thailand. Located at a height of 8,415ft, Doi Inthanon offers stunning views and is also famous for the Royal Chedis, towers built in honor of the king and queen of Thailand.

Doi Suthep Mountain is the third place recommended by AsianDate on a daytrip to Thailand. This ancient destination has a history that goes back to 1383. The attractions include the 306-step staircase creatively designed to resemble a snake, and a golden pagoda.

For visitors looking to combine fun and adventure, the fourth daytrip destination offered by AsianDate fits the bill perfectly. Tiger Kingdom is a great place to visit for those who love wildlife, and feeding a tiger cub will be a very memorable experience. This leg of the tour can be combined with a visit to the Baan Tong Luang Village, where visitors can view some authentic traditional Thai living from close quarters.

AsianDate has named White Temple as the last destination on its top five excursions while on a visit to Thailand. Known locally as Wat Rong Kuhn, this place is part of the Golden Triangle trip and can offer many fascinating moments.

AsianDate urges members looking to connect with Thai singles to use the range of features available on AsianDate such as Live Chat and CamShare for a truly exciting online dating experience.

For more information, visit AsianDate.

About AsianDate

AsianDate is part of the Anastasia Family of sites, founded in 1993, which offers premium international dating to facilitate exciting and romantic companionship online between men and women all over the world. The Anastasia Family includes AsianDate.com, AnastasiaDate.com, AmoLatina.com, ArabianDate.com, and AfricanDate.com, which bring together over 20 million international users and more than 150 million online visitors annually. Additionally, over 2.5 million conversations are exchanged onsite daily. AsianDate is committed to member safety, customer satisfaction and the ongoing pursuit of innovation. Headquartered in New York, the Anastasia Family has additional representation in every country it touches providing a high level of customer service to a worldwide clientele. All members are able to communicate across a variety of top-notch multimedia platforms, including video chat and a mobile app for Android devices available in Google Play.

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The market in North America is expected to hold the largest market share. The APAC region is projected to have great opportunities in this market and to grow at the highest CAGR by 2021. This is due to the massive growth of data through IoT and other conn

Data governance market categorizes the global market by component as solution and service, by application as incident adjustment management, risk management, sales & marketing optimization, by deployment, by vertical, by business function & by region.

According to report Data Governance Market by Component (Solution and Service), Application (Incident Adjustment Management, Risk Management, Sales & Marketing Optimization), Deployment, Vertical, Business Function & Region  Global Forecast to 2021, the data governance market size is estimated to grow from USD 863.2 Million in 2016 to USD 2234.7 Million by 2021, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 21.0% during the forecast period.

The key forces driving the data governance market include the need to meet regulations & compliance deadlines and improve & sustain strategic risk management

Browse 72 market data tables and 53 figures spread through 153 pages and in-depth TOC on Data Governance Market

Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report.

Request Sample Pages  http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsample.asp?id=108243043

The managed services segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period

Among services, the managed services segment is expected to grow at a rapid pace during the forecast period. The demand for consulting services is witnessing exponential growth, mainly because almost every technological domain requires well-delivered managed services. The services being offered must fit perfectly into the clients environment. Technical expertise, service consistency, and flexibility must be provided by the vendors, regardless of the geographical location of the client. Managed services are considered crucial, as they are directly related to customer experience. These services help organizations sustain their positions in the market. Moreover, it has become difficult for companies to focus on core business processes and support various other functions, which can be resolved by implementing managed services.

Data governance solutions component is expected to contribute the largest market share in 2016

Among components, the solutions segment is expected to hold the largest market share in the data governance market in 2016. Data governance solutions ensure that the data fits a particular user- specific task and is accurate & timely.

Data governance solutions consist of data masking, data archiving, data catalog, data dictionary, access control, data collaboration, and compliance & policy management. The data governance vendors also provide standalone solutions, which are complete solutions for analyzing and acting on real-time business events. Based on the data, organizations could implement governance policies and plan the next steps accordingly in case a fault occurs.

North America is expected to contribute the largest market share; Asia-Pacific (APAC) to grow at the highest CAGR

North America is expected to hold the largest market share and dominate the data governance market from 2016 to 2021, owing to large investments in cloud-based solutions, early adoption of new & emerging technologies, and a large number of players present in this region. The APAC region is in the initial growth phase; however, it is expected to be the fastest-growing region for the global data governance market. The key reason for the high growth rate in APAC is the growing demand for cost-effective data governance platforms and tools among Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in this region.

The major vendors providing data governance are Collibra, Inc. (Brussels, Belgium), Informatica Corporation (California, U.S.), SAS Institute Inc. (North Carolina, U.S.), IBM Corporation (New York, U.S.), Oracle Corporation (California, U.S.), SAP SE (Walldorf, Germany), TIBCO Software Inc. (California, U.S.), Talend Inc. (California, U.S.), Information Builders (New York, U.S.), Varonis Systems Inc. (New York, U.S.), and Orchestra Networks (Paris, France).

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The key Innovators considered in Data Governance Market report are Global Data Excellence (Geneva, Switzerland) Data3Sixty, Inc., (Massachusetts, U.S.) Alation Inc. (California, U.S.) Magnitude Software, Inc., (Texas, U.S.) and Reltio, Inc. (California, U.S.) for their unique offerings and applications catering across all the major industrial verticals.

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FY 2016 Results - Teleconference Call Details

London, Feb 21, 2017 AEST (ABN Newswire) - SpeedCast International Limited ( ASX:SDA ) ("SpeedCast"), a leading global communications and network service provider offering high-quality managed network services in over 90 countries and a global maritime network serving customers worldwide, will announce its financial results for the year ended 31 December 2016 on Tuesday 28th February 2017 at 10am Sydney time.



Investors and analysts are invited to join a teleconference call hosted by CEO, PJ Beylier & CFO, Ian Baldwin. The call will be a presentation of the 2016 Full Year results followed by Q&A.



Dial in details are as follows:



- Time: 10.00am (Sydney time), Tuesday 28th February 2017

- Hosts: CEO, PJ Beylier & CFO, Ian Baldwin



Dial-In Details:



Australia: +61-1800-123-296 / +61-2-8038-5221

HK: +852-800-908-865

UK: +44-0808-234-0757

Singapore: +65-800-616-2288

India: +91-1800-3010-6141

USA: +1-855-293-1544

New Zealand: +64-0800-452-782

Canada: +1-855-5616-766

China: +86-4001-203-085

Japan: +81-0120-477-087



Participant passcode: 69739532#





About Speedcast International Ltd





Speedcast International Ltd (ASX:SDA) is the world's most trusted communications and IT services provider, delivering critical communications solutions to the Maritime, Energy, Mining, Media, Telecom, Cruise, NGO, Government, and Enterprise sectors. With more satellite capacity than any other provider, Speedcast enables faster, seamless pole-to-pole coverage from a global hybrid satellite, fiber, cellular, microwave, MPLS, and IP transport network with direct access to public cloud platforms. The company also integrates differentiated technology offerings that provide smarter ways to communicate and distribute content, manage network and remote operations, protect and secure investments, and improve the crew and guest experience. With a passionate customer focus and a strong safety culture, Speedcast serves more than 3,200 customers in over 140 countries. Learn more at www.speedcast.com.


NMDD062 Intersects Mineralisation Down-Dip

Perth, Feb 21, 2017 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Cardinal Resources Limited ( ASX:CDV ) ( CRDNF:OTCMKTS ) ("Cardinal" or "the Company") is pleased to report drill assay results for hole NMDD062, which is a west step-out down-dip extension drill hole.



HIGHLIGHTS



- NMDD062 has intersected the Namdini mineralised corridor down dip, within which the following highlighted intersections have been returned:



o 25m at 2.16g/t

o 30m at 4.27g/t

o 37m at 2.88 g/t



- A total of 150m of mineralised intersections, at a 0.5g/t cut off and a weighted average grade of 2.3g/t have been returned in NMDD062.



Cardinal's CEO, Archie Koimtsidis said:



"Drill hole NMDD062 continues to confirm that the mineralised corridor at Namdini extends to depth. With four diamond drill rigs currently active at Namdini we are looking forward to further drill results as we continue to define the depth and strike extensions of the project."



Resource Extension Drilling Programme



Figure 1 (see the link below) shows the location of planned drilling for the four drill rigs on site at Namdini which are currently focused on continuing the western extension, down-dip drilling and the southern strike extension programmes.



Figure 2 (see the link below) shows NMDD062 and its mineralised intersections along with highlighted intersections in other drill holes which demonstrate that the Namdini mineralised corridor continues to depth. Additional drilling is planned to explore for further mineralisation along strike and at depth.



Drill hole intersections in NMDD062 are based on a reporting rule of a minimum 3 metres down hole mineralised length, a maximum of 3 metres contiguous 'sub-grade' and a lower cutoff grade of 0.5 g/t Au (refer to Cardinal website for detailed assay results http://www.cardinalresources.com.au).



To view tables and figures, please visit:

http://abnnewswire.net/lnk/8L7Q3818





About Cardinal Resources Ltd





Cardinal Resources Ltd (ASX:CDV) (TSE:CDV) (OTCMKTS:CRDNF) is a West African gold exploration and development Company that holds interests in tenements within Ghana, West Africa.

The Company is focused on the development of the Namdini Project with a gold Ore Reserve of 5.1Moz (0.4 Moz Proved and 4.7 Moz Probable) and a soon to be completed Feasibility Study.

Exploration programmes are also underway at the Company's Bolgatanga (Northern Ghana) and Subranum (Southern Ghana) Projects.

Cardinal confirms that it is not aware of any new information or data that materially affects the information included in its announcement of the Ore Reserve of 3 April 2019. All material assumptions and technical parameters underpinning this estimate continue to apply and have not materially changed.


Half Year Consolidated Financial Statement

Brisbane, Feb 22, 2017 AEST (ABN Newswire) - National Storage REIT ( ASX:NSR ) is pleased to provide the Company's Consolidated Financial Statement for the half-year ended 31 December, 2016.



REVIEW AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS



The Financial Statements are prepared in compliance with Australian accounting standards. Users of the financial information should familiarise themselves with the "Corporate Information" and "Basis of Preparation" in Notes 1 and 2 in the Financial Statements.



Operating results



For the half-year ended 31 December 2016, total revenue increased by 46% to $54,359,000 (2015: $37,324,000) through a combination of revenue growth achieved via an increase in centre occupancy and the addition of new revenue streams with the completion of the acquisition of the Southern Cross Storage Group and additional new storage centres.



Profit after tax increased by 15% to $23,682,000 (2015: $20,620,000) and was favourably impacted by fair value adjustments associated with the carrying value of investment properties and acquisition of the Southern Cross joint venture assets in August 2016. Underlying earnings increased 40% to $20.1 million (2015: $14.3 million) through the contribution from acquisitions and improved centre operating performance.



SIGNIFICANT EVENTS AFTER BALANCE SHEET DATE



ACQUISTION OF STORAGE CENTRES



On 18 January 2017, NSR announced that it had entered into arrangements to acquire a third freehold self- storage centre in Wellington, New Zealand for NZD $9.75 million (AUD: $9.4 million). The transaction settled on 1 February 2017.



On 30 January 2017, NSR announced that it had acquired the freehold interests of two existing self-storage assets at Guildford and Rockingham in Perth, Western Australia. The transaction also involved the acquisition of two freehold land parcels adjacent to the Rockingham centre. Total consideration for the transaction is $30 million. As part of the overall transaction, NSR also negotiated improved lease terms for the Subiaco centre, securing the underlying business and long term leasehold interest.



To view the full report, please visit:

http://abnnewswire.net/lnk/GDYUNI4L





About National Storage REIT





National Storage (ASX:NSR) is one of the largest self-storage providers in Australia and New Zealand, with 123 centres providing tailored storage solutions to over 40,000 residential and commercial customers. NSR is the first independent, internally managed and fully integrated owner and operator of self-storage centres to be listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX).
(This feature is part of the "" series. These stories focus on individual Airmen, highlighting their Air Force story.)Following the unexpected death of her youngest son, Jeremiah, she became reckless. She was drinking daily and didnt care whether she lived or died.It took a failed suicide attempt and court-ordered therapy for her life to change.When Tech. Sgt. Amee Espinoza decided to end her feelings of hopelessness, she put her older son Isaiah to bed, kissed him, and then swallowed a handful of valium. At the moment before sliding into unconsciousness, she felt something other than helplessness  regret. The last thing she remembers is screaming.When the survivor and now mother of two awoke, she was in a hospital bed. Espinoza told the nurses of her experience and was admitted into a mental institution. She spent two weeks in inpatient care and was court-ordered to seek outpatient therapy upon her release.The court order saved her life and unearthed a calling in her to serve others through therapy.I was depressed, hurt, and didn't want to be around anyone, especially a therapist, Espinoza said. At that time, I was unsure if I was going to attempt suicide again. But, I knew deep down that I didn't want to die. I didn't want my son's last memory of me to be his mom being carried away in a stretcher.According to Espinoza, it took several sessions for her to begin to believe in her therapy. After a couple months she started to look forward to her sessions and eventually her thoughts shifted to the positive. Once she was successfully discharged from the court-ordered therapy, Espinoza started attending support group meetings for bereaved parents. A year later, she was facilitating the group sessions and acting as a victim advocate.She realized she had a greater purpose in life.I knew that my purpose was to use my experience to help others overcome trauma, she said. I didn't feel lonely when I was surrounded by group members. It was an amazing experience, so I decided to enroll in a master's degree program for Mental Health Counseling.During her time in graduate school, Espinoza was required to perform 600 hours of direct and indirect counseling services. She worked with individual and group counselling services focused on driving under the influence and driving while intoxicated cases, addiction, domestic violence, conflict resolution, and anger management, alongside her continued bereavement counseling and victim advocacy. She also provided individual special needs behavior therapy for children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder.When I started working with clients, I started to grasp my own counseling style and I loved it. I consider myself to be a trauma-informed counselor who just wants to assist and help people grow the strength to have a valuable quality of life, Espinoza said. This work is so special to me because it gives me a greater purpose. I enjoy doing it and I enjoy serving others.Espinoza is an Air National Guard member assigned to the Air Reserve Personnel Center at Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado. Her leadership took notice of her work helping others and decided to nominate her for the GEICO Military Service Awards Program. The annual award spotlights contributions made by enlisted military members in specific areas: drug and alcohol prevention, fire safety and prevention, as well as traffic safety and prevention.Espinoza was notified by the Air Force Reserve Command in November of 2016 that she was selected as the AFRC nominee to represent the ANG.Throughout this entire process of working, going to school full time, and taking care of my family, there were so many times that I wanted to give up. Working more than 15 hours a day at times, all while trying to maintain my own family became stressful, she said. The recognition and support of my leaders, subordinates, family and friends gave me the drive to keep pushing. When I was nominated for the award, I was proud and honored.Friends and co-workers of Espinoza know her for her positivity and kind nature. Master Sgt. Veronica Gomez, the Air Force Total Force Service Center senior enlisted leader, says Espinozas attitude is a benefit in the work center.Amee exudes positivity, no matter the circumstances or obstacles. She utilizes her personal experiences to relate to others going through difficult situations, which aides those individuals in trusting her and her commitment to see them through, Gomez said. Dealing with people can be a challenge, considering our various backgrounds, cultures and values. Amee manages to blend those differences into positive outcomes in both personal and professional environments.As a mother herself, Gomez said Espinozas outlook on life is the pure definition of resiliency.After what Amee has gone through, she is still standing. If thats not resiliency, I dont know what is, Gomez said.Espinoza uses her work and training in the civilian sector to benefit the Air Force as a Master Resiliency Trainer. She enjoys using the skills she has learned through personal experience with trauma and higher education to help her fellow Airmen.I believe that resiliency training is so important, not only in the military, but in life in general. People will face trauma, tragedy, personal crisis and other life problems, but we arent necessarily meant to understand why these things happen to us, Espinoza said. It is important to understand that we can bounce back from adversity. It is amazing what people go through, but having the right tools, the unparalleled support, and knowing how to use those tools and support is what makes us resilient.Espinoza continues to serve the Air Force as a MRT and pursue counseling opportunities in the civilian sector. Her personal journey of resiliency continues to inspire those she interacts with on a daily basis, as she spreads a message of optimism and hope to her wingmen.
USAF. (U.S. Air Force Graphic by Rosario "Charo" Gutierrez)

The 55th Wing marked another historic milestone when a Royal Air Force RC-135 Airseeker aircraft diverted to Offutt Air Force Base after experiencing landing gear problems during a joint exercise at Nellis AFB, Nevada.The RAF aircrew requested field-level maintenance assistance from the 55th Maintenance Group, which is the largest stateside request for assistance from the 55th Wing to date. It also facilitated the inaugural test of a newly adopted co-manning arrangement designed to help bridge the gap in maintenance capabilities between the RAF and the U.S. Air Force.We had a really productive deployment right until the last two missions, said RAF Warrant Officer Ray Sowersby, the 51 Squadron maintenance superintendent. We had an undercarriage fault indication and the only jacks available were at Offutt so I reached out to our cousins in the 55th and said Hey guys, can we have some help?According to Sowersby, the RAF would normally fly in equipment from home station to make repairs. However, Offutt AFB offered a better alternative due to its distance from Nellis AFB and the availability of maintenance personnel familiar with the RC-135 platform.Since 2011, the two nations have been working together to help train and equip maintenance and aircrew members on the newly acquired RC-135. Sowersby said this was the first time an RAF RC-135 has landed at Offutt AFB and the first time maintainers have worked side-by-side to repair one of their jets.The two nations have swapped aircrew members in both training and real-world missions before, but the maintenance side had not been tested.This was a great opportunity to test the co-manning initiative that has been in the works over the past two years, said U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Dustin Bagnall, the 55th Maintenance Squadron assistant operations officer.This opportunity validated all of the time and effort expended by both nations to train RAF maintenance personnel and make it possible for maintainers from both countries to work together, said U. S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Robert Wege, the 55th MXG superintendent who has been heading the co-manning initiative. The synergy created will greatly enhance the capabilities of the overall intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance effort world-wide.The RAF jet arrived at Offutt Feb. 11. Joint maintenance crews immediately towed the aircraft into a hangar and jacked it up off the ground so they could begin troubleshooting the landing gear.It was great seeing British and American maintainers working hand and hand as if they had been doing it forever, Bagnall said. The integration was seamless.A number of 55th MXS repair and reclamation shop personnel already knew some of the RAF maintainers from previous training opportunities, so the RAFs return to Offutt AFB was also a reunion of friends.We were here to provide expert help for them, said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Russel Orr, a 55th MXS aero repair technician. Their landing gear was retracting into place. However, it continued to bounce around and would not lock. At Offutt, we have capabilities and equipment that the RAF does not have, and we can provide help with some of the more extensive aspects of troubleshooting.Together, maintenance personnel from the 51 Squadron and 55th MXS raised and lowered the landing gear of the suspended RC-135, and quickly isolated the problem - a faulty main landing gear sequence valve.The parts identified for replacement were ordered by 55th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron supply personnel on a Sunday and the jet was fully mission capable by Tuesday. The quick actions from everyone involved in the supply process helped make the joint effort a success.The logistic support that was there over the weekend gave the co-manning another capability to show off, Bagnall said.This joint maintenance effort was a first for Offutt AFB and the 51 Squadron. The 55th MXG hopes to continue the relationship into the future.Sowersby expressed his gratitude for the support provided by the 55th MXG.The guys heretheyre bending over backwards to make it all work for us, he said.
CMSAF: Airmen say goodbye to Cody, welcome Wright

An American flag, the symbol of freedom, served as the backdrop in a vast aircraft hangar. The bleachers were filled to the brim with Airmen, families and well-wishers from all around the Air Force who came to bid farewell to the 17th Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody and welcome the 18th CMSAF Kaleth O. Wright during a transition and retirement ceremony Feb. 17, 2017 at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland.



The position of CMSAF has been in effect for 50 years now; a position that shapes how Airmen growa position of honor.



Chief Cody not only upheld the standards demanded of the position, he did it with grace, adopting the entire Total Force as members of his family, said Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. David L. Goldfein. He epitomized the servant leader, choosing to lead his Airmen personally, face-to-face, shoulder-to-shoulder.



Goldfein listed a number of accomplishments by Cody during his tenure as the highest enlisted Airman saying he is passionate about ensuring Airmen are prepared for the fight and that he excelled in his duties in the care of Airmen.



What we are going to miss about our Air Force is you. Were going to miss the Airmen, were going to miss their families, said Cody, addressing the crowd. We have served our entire adult lives together, we have grown up with you, (and) we have been through all of it with you.



Cody said the legacy of the 17th CMSAF isnt about him, its about all the men and women all around the world, along with their families, doing what they do every day for the nation.



During a formal reading of orders, Cody, after 32 years of service to our country, was officially retired, effective April 1, 2017.



The attention shifted to Wright as he stood on the stage.



His service jacket, with chief stripes and a command chief star in the center was exchanged for the CMSAF stripes which stand out as a highly distinguished symbol, representing all Airmen.



The exchange of the coat and service cap symbolizes the weight and consequence of assuming the responsibilities of the Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force position.



Chief Wright held a variety of senior enlisted positionseach time, providing his signature wisdom and a steady calm for a host of Air Force leaders, Goldfein said. The mantle of leadership of Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force will test you and will tire youbut when its all said and done, and our Airmen have you to thank for supporting what matters most. You will look back and know it was worth every moment and effort.



Wright is no stranger to guiding Airmen, serving in leadership positions throughout the Air Force, he is able to bring his experience to the new position.



Chief Wright has been leading our enlisted force and advising commanders at every echelon, from squadron to major commands, said acting Secretary of the Air Force Lisa Disbrow. He has been the voice of Airmen at home and down range. Chief Wright is competent, poised, and intensely motivated and tremendously humble.



Standing before the crowd as the new Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force, Wright was overcome with joy, saying if he wasnt so tough he may have shed a tiny, baby tear.



Expressing some of the areas he wishes to focus on during his time as CMSAF, Wright mentioned that training, leadership and resilience are at the center of the enlisted force.



Our Airmen need to be well trained, they need to be well led and they need to be resilient, Wright said. We will have a deliberate focus on training to make sure they are ready to fight. We will have a focus on effective talent management to ensure that they are ready to lead and we will have a deliberate focus on total Airmen and family wellness to make sure that they are ready for life. These focus areas will ensure that we are there in every mission, in every domain, in every location. Ready Airmen are essential to our success.



Wright accepted he has big shoes to fill, but said he is ready to lead today's Airmen into tomorrow's Air Force.
Partha De, the 47-year-old software engineer who was found living with the skeletons of his sister and two pet dogs at their ancestral Robinson Street house for over six months, was found dead with his body in a charred state, on Tuesday.

According to police, his body was found in burning condition inside a bathroom half a bottle of petrol and matchsticks. The preliminary investigation suggests that he allegedly committed suicide. The body was recovered from a residential apartment.

In 2015, police had reached Des house in South Kolkatas Shakespeare Sarini following a call from locals about a fire in the house.

Des father, 77-year-old Arabinda De, had locked himself up in a bathroom and set himself on fire.

While searching the house, the cops stumbled upon some skeletons, which De later confessed were of his deceased sister Debjani. It was reported that De could not come to terms with his sisters death and therefore did not cremate her.

De used to stay isolated in the flat. He did not talk to anyone in the complex, neighbours said.

He used to come down for a brisk walk in the morning every day, but he was not seen for the past few days, said a neighbour. Police are yet to ascertain when he died. The body has been sent for autopsy.

In the charge sheet filed by the police in December 2015, Partha De was charged with trying to tamper with evidence and keeping dead bodies without informing the police. He was charged under IPC Sections 268 (public nuisance) 269 (negligent act likely to spread infectious disease), along with other sections.

It is now suspected that this depression and schizophrenia  which experts believe were hereditary in Parthas case  drove him to suicide. What has added to the suicide theory is the presence of a matchbox and a can of petrol nearby, and the absence of any sign of forced entry. Nevertheless, the police are continuing their investigation in the case.
At least six persons were killed and 14 injured in a suicide blast and firing by terrorists outside a court in Pakistans Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province today.

Security forces killed three suicide attackers outside the court in Khyber Pakhtunkhwas Charsadda district, police said.

The three attackers attempted to enter the court premises in Tangi town through the main gate. They opened fire and threw grenades, prompting retaliatory fire by security forces deployed there.

One bomber was killed in the firing at the gate and the second was killed as he entered the court. The third bomber died when he detonated his explosives, officials said.

Deputy Commissioner of Charsadda said judges and lawyers were safe. He said due to tight security the bombers could not enter the court, but had they been successful in entering the premises it would have been a catastrophe.

A search and rescue operation was underway, he added.

Ambulances have been rushed to Charsadda from Peshawar, approximately 30 kilometres away, where the Lady Reading Hospital has been put on high alert.

The latest attack came as security has been tightened across Pakistan after a recent wave of terrorist strikes killed more than 100 people.

On Thursday, a suicide bomber killed 88 people at a famed Sufi shrine in Sindh province. Following the attack, the army launched an offesive against militants and claimed to have killed more than 130 terrorists across the country.

A suicide bomber had struck a local court in Charsaddas Shabqadar area last year in March, killing 17 people.
Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam dubbed the detention of 2008 Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed by Pakistan as an act of hypocrisy.

Saeed was placed under house arrest on January 30 in Lahore.

I am doubtful of the action because in his statement before a court in Mumbai, David Headley had said that no action was likely to be taken against Saeed and Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi in Pakistan, Nikam said.

Headley had even submitted e-mails which he had received from Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), which indicated that the action against Lakhvi was an act of hypocrisy, he added.

Nikam said Pakistan was not willing to accept that Saeed was a terrorist and the country was being supported by China which had vested interests in the region.

Saeed was earlier put under house arrest after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, but was freed by a court in Pakistan in 2009.

He carries a reward of USD 10 million on his head, announced by the authorities in the US for his role in terror activities.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday questioned the source of money in the bank accounts of social activist Teesta Setalvad and others which were frozen by Ahmedabad police in 2015 after allegations of misappropriation.

Whose money is this? From where did the money in these bank accounts have come, a bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra asked the counsel for Setalvad.

There are multiple donors who have donated the money for various purposes. Our personal bank accounts and the bank accounts of NGOs have been frozen by them, which also include fixed deposits. At least the court should direct them that personal bank accounts should be defreezed as lot of time has passed, advocate Aparna Bhat appearing for Setalvad said.

She said they have submitted the details of source of money to the Gujarat government but till now no action has been taken on defreezing the accounts.

Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for Gujarat, told the bench, also comprising Justices AM Khanwilkar and MM Shantanagoudar, that some time was needed to file detailed reply on the issue.

The bench then posted the matter for further hearing on April 18.

On November 9 last year, the apex court had fixed the pleas of Setalvad, her husband Javed Anand and her two controversial NGOs challenging the freezing of their accounts for final hearing.

Setalvad had objected to repeated adjournments taken by Gujarat government after the apex court issued notice saying their accounts have remained frozen for nearly three years.

Teesta, her husband and two NGOs  Sabrang Trust and Citizens for Justice and Peace  had approached the apex court challenging the October 7, 2015 verdict of the Gujarat High Court rejecting their pleas for defreezing their personal bank accounts.

One of the residents of Gulberg Society, Firoz Khan Pathan, had filed a complaint against Setalvad and others alleging that money was raised to make a museum at Gulberg Society in the memory of 69 people killed in the 2002 Gujarat riots, but it had not been utilised for the purpose.
Aiken, SC (29801)

Today

An isolated thunderstorm possible during the morning, then occasional showers this afternoon. High 78F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. Low 61F. Winds light and variable.
Students from USC Aiken and Suffolk University in Boston, Mass., pose for a group picture during a visit to Schofield Middle School. The Suffolk students traveled south as part of a leadership exchange program with USCA. The USCA students will go to Boston in March during spring break.
The history of Beatrice was shaped along the curving shores of the Big Blue River. A Beatrice group wants to celebrate that history by making the Big Blue accessible to all residents of Beatrice.

At the moment, there arent many places in Beatrice that allow disabled people to get out to fish and take in the scenic beauty of our natural resources. Big Blue River Access, wants to change that by building a handicap-accessible area in Chautauqua Park with wheelchair-accessible fishing platforms, a path to the water with hand rails and a kayak and canoe launch slide.

The access area would be the first of its kind in Beatrice and along the Big Blue river and, Steve Tart of Big Blue River Access said, it would make fishing along the river easy for everyone to access. The group is trying to raise money now to hire an engineer to draw up the plans for the city of Beatrice to approve.

Getting to the shore at Chautauqua Park is an ordeal for anyone, Tart said, but for those in wheelchairs or with walking difficulties, it can be nearly impossible. After the access road along the river was removed years ago, a thicket of branches, leaves and brambles that winds down a fairly steep incline filled in the area between the park and the river. Combine that with the thick, soupy mud that lasts for weeks after a rainfall and its nearly impassable for anyone.

And it opens up a new avenue for people who like taking a ride in oar-powered boats as well. Other than the boat ramp near River Side Park, theres nowhere to launch watercraft in Beatrice, Tart said, and that ramp is no good for boats without an engine.

There's some misconceptions about that ramp on the west side close to the park, Tart said. People think kayaks and canoes can get in there, but with what's left of the dam, you can't cross it, and it's too shallow through that area.

Thats kind of ironic, considering the rivers history, Tart said. In the late 1800s, Chautauqua Parkor Interstate Chautauqua as it was known thenwas a hotbed of activity. Speakers like President Rutherford B. Hayes, Susan B. Anthony and William Jennings Bryan took the stage, the railroad ran excursion trains to bring in sightseers and canoe races and parades packed visitors in.

Canoes were a summertime specialty along the Big Blue in Beatrice, and, Tart said, its time they make a comeback. The location of the proposed site may also have been home to an old steamboat.

We believe that the same place the launch is going to be is the very same place that the Belle of the Blue in 1893 loaded and unloaded her passengers, Tart said, so it's kind of a historic thing.

The city of Beatrice likes the idea and is working with Big Blue River Access to get the project into the hands of an engineer. Its a project the city is interested in, said city administrator Tobias Tempelmeyer.

If his group can raise some of the funds, Tempelmeyer said, there might be an opportunity there where the city can apply for a grant or apply for other funding sources to help get that project at least to the design phase, so then we know what its going to cost to build it.

The next goal of Big Blue River Access is to raise $15,000, the amount Tart estimates their share of the engineering costs to be. Fundraising, he expects, will include a raffle for a kayak, gift certificates and a hand-carved hiking stick, made by Tart himself.

Big Blue River Access will meet on March 25 at Aunt Marys on Court Street in Beatrice and the public are invited to attend and participate. Drinks and snacks will be provided, Tart said.

I got involved because I'm a true river rat, Tart said. There's a lot of unutilized possibilities there. We can learn new ways to use our river.
Merleen A. Miller, 81, of Tecumseh. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017 at the St. Johns Lutheran Church in Tecumseh, with Rev. Jason Wolter officiating. Visitation will be at the Wherry Mortuary in Tecumseh, Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2017 from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Marilyn Elizabeth (Obrist) Neukirch, 83, of Beatrice. Mass of Christian Burial services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2017 at the St. Joseph Catholic Church with Father Robert Barnhill officiating. Interment will be at the St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery. The body will lie in state at the church one hour preceding the services. In lieu of flowers, a memorial to the family's choice with the funeral home in charge.

Berneice E. Overbeck, 92, of Lincoln. Private graveside services at Lincoln Memorial Park Cemetery. Memorial services will be held on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017 at 2 p.m. at Southwood Lutheran Church of Lincoln with Pastor Greg Olson officiating. The body will lie in state at the Fox Funeral Home of Beatrice until 9 p.m. on Wednesday and not at the church on Thursday.

Louis Paul, 89, of Beatrice. Funeral services at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2017 at Holy Cross Lutheran Church of Beatrice, with Pastor Kathee Forrest officiating. Burial will be in the Evergreen Home Cemetery of Beatrice. A family prayer service at 10:15 a.m. on Wednesday at the church. The body will lie in state at the church one hour preceding the services on Wednesday. A memorial to the familys choice with Burley and Genell Copas in charge. Military graveside honors will be conducted by Bitting-Norman Post #27 of the American Legion of Beatrice.

Carl O. Peckman, 85, of Beatrice. Services will be held Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017, at 1p.m. at Immanuel State Line Lutheran, 4696 E. State Line Road, Wymore.

Fred Wittrock, 92, of Humboldt. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017, at the St. James (Long Branch) Lutheran Church in rural Humboldt, with Pastors Eric and Amalia Spruth-Janssen officiating. Visitation will be from 9 a.m.-8 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2017, at The Wherry Mortuary in Humboldt, Nebraska. Family will greet friends from 6-8 p.m. at the mortuary.
Manchester Airport has revealed the latest phase of the UK northern gateways 1bn Transformation Programme, unveiling a number of new images showing what it might look like following the massive investment.

Manchester Airports Transformation Programme represents the largest single private sector investment in the north of England.

Airport chief executive Ken OToole asserted that the airport  one of the gateways owned and operated by Manchester Airports Group (MAG), which also has London Stansted, Bournemouth and East Midlands under its wing  is pressing ahead with its wide-ranging rapid expansion project.

Infrastructure expansion is expected to support the growing number of customers using Manchester Airport and the continued development of its international  especially long-haul  connectivity. It is, for example, hoping to continue to inaugurate direct flights to key markets, building on those already established to Beijing, Houston, Los Angeles and Boston.

OToole observed: We know we are among the best airports in the world when it comes to the number of different destinations on offer, whether that be Boston, Beijing or Barcelona; Houston, Hong Kong or Hamburg.

Our 1bn Transformation Programme is all about investing in the future, so we can continue to grow by securing more direct flight services in our role as the Norths global gateway. It is also about investing in our facilities and in the latest technology.

Northern Powerhouse

OToole, speaking at a conference in Manchester, also took the opportunity to call for the UK Government to back its words on the creation of a Northern Powerhouse.

He pointed to the fact that public and private sector leaders from across the region have this year maintained momentum on implementing the Northern Powerhouse concept, but that he is looking to Westminster for the government to do more  including committing to the HS3 railway development project (also known as Northern Powerhouse Rail, or NPR) that would see a high-speed line built across the Pennine Hills to link Manchester with Leeds (and possibly other cities in the north of England).

OToole insisted: If the Northern Powerhouse is to be truly competitive on the global stage, it should be as easy as possible to travel from Hull to Hong Kong; Liverpool to Los Angeles and Sheffield to Singapore.

Slashing journey times through investment in NPR could lead to the North securing direct flights to 20-30 key global markets.

It is connectivity like that that will maximise growth in sectors like life sciences, advanced manufacturing, technology and energy. It is connectivity like that that is key to delivering an Industrial Strategy that rebalances the UK economy.

OToole told delegates that the UK government must seize the opportunity presented by the creation of a new national aviation policy this year to ensure that airports across the UK maximise their potential to link the UK to the worlds most important markets.

That will not be achieved unless road, rail and aviation policies are joined-up, he said.

Moreover, OToole said that unlocking the potential of airports like Manchester was key to creating a truly global Britain, especially in the 10 to 15 years that it might take to build a new runway at Heathrow.

Weve made a massive private investment commitment, which clearly shows our ambition for the Northern Powerhouse to succeed, and now we call upon government to match that through delivering on key infrastructure schemes, he concluded.

Through its four airports, MAG serves handles almost half a million tonnes of air freight a year, as well as more than 55 million passengers.

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Lincoln  The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, has issued an emergency order closing a child care provider earlier today.

Michelle Wilcox, doing business as Little Bits Daycare, LLC, 609 East 12th Street, Falls City, cant provide care for any children other than her own.

Wilcox may request a hearing within 15 days of the receipt of the emergency order and will be afforded a hearing within 10 days of the request, unless a continuance is granted.

DHHS has notified parents of the children enrolled in this child care program of the situation.

An emergency order is issued whenever the Department finds that an emergency exists requiring immediate action to protect the physical well-being and safety of a child in a child care program.
February 21, 2017

The Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service's star is rising as it battles the Islamic State (IS). The unit's success is fueling its influence, which is only expected to grow now that Iraq has launched what it hopes will be the final stage of liberating western Mosul.

Iraq has given the most important task of that operation to the counterterrorism force and its elite unit, the Iraqi Special Operations Forces (ISOF), also known as the Golden Division. ISOF commander Lt. Gen. Sami Arda said Feb. 17, "Anti-terrorism forces will be responsible for undertaking the street battles in the [western half] of Mosul." They also have prepared the plan for the operation, according to the commander of counterterrorism forces Lt. Gen. Abdul Ghani al-Asadi. Now, they are moving toward the western heart of the city from the south.

Al-Monitor learned from a senior source at the counterterrorism bureau, who declined to be named, that after the liberation is completed, bureau officers could serve in high posts, including the premierships military secretary, army general staff, military attache in Washington, the Mosul operations command and even the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) presidency.

The counterterrorism bureau has already received increasing attention recently in both security and political spheres. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has been recommending bureau members for positions in both areas, including the new defense minister, Maj. Gen. Irfan Hayali. Hayali previously served as the head of the bureau's training and development unit for 10 years.

Abadi has also assigned other bureau leaders to security and political positions. In July, Abadi instructed Maj. Gen. Jalil Jabbar al-Rubaie to lead the Baghdad operations, replacing Lt. Gen. Abdul Amir al-Shammari. Rubaie served as the head of intelligence in the counterterrorism bureau.

After protesters stormed Baghdad's Green Zone in April, Abadi removed Lt. Gen. Mohammed Rida from duty and appointed Maj. Gen. Karim Abboud al-Tamimi in his place to head Green Zone security. Tamimi had been a leader in the counterterrorism bureau, serving in different positions there since 2007.

This indicates that officers within the counterterrorism bureau are gradually taking up top security and military positions in the state, especially following the bureaus achievements against IS.

The most recent battles in eastern Mosul produced a field leadership that was accepted by both Shiite and Sunni Muslims. Pictures of counterterrorism bureau leaders were everywhere on social media. They have major support from the people, who recognize that these leaders are an extension of the former Iraqi army, which was disbanded in 2003.

At the same time, some members of the PMU see these leaders as potential competitors.

I fear the ambitions of these leaders, amid the military support and flow of weapons from the United States," a PMU leader who spoke on condition of anonymity told Al-Monitor.

After the liberation of eastern Mosul, the bureau, army brigades, the Special Weapons and Tactics team, and the federal and local police were charged with preserving security there, according to Lt. Gen. Abdullah Yarallah, a commander of one of the liberation operations.

Concerning the liberation of western Mosul, the counterterrorism bureau is in charge of securing the floating bridges from one side of the Tigris River to the other. The bureau, alongside its two brigades, is responsible for breaking IS defense lines along the Tigris, which runs through the city.

In an exclusive statement to Al-Monitor, one of the prominent leaders in the bureau, Maj. Gen. Abdul Wahab al-Saidi, said bureau units neutralized large numbers of IS fighters and leaders in the battles for eastern Mosul, dealing a severe blow to IS morale. He expects the operation to retake western Mosul to be easier, given that IS has been hit hard already and given that the western part of Mosul is smaller.

The counterterrorism bureau also has strong support from parliament. In August, parliament passed a bill defining the bureau as being part of the security and intelligence apparatuses and a legal entity linked to the general commander of the armed forces.

The law gave the bureau broad powers, including the ability to establish a department for intelligence, military and combat pilot training. The bureau is also allowed to arrest terror suspects and can request telephone taps, monitor social networking sites and seek to have bank accounts frozen.

This bill has allowed the bureau to be completely independent from the Ministry of Defense, after having been associated with it administratively and in terms of salaries and appointments. This bill boosted the morale of the bureaus fighters, as now they feel their rights are preserved and protected," Saidi said.

Also, the 2017 budget allows for a $2.5 billion contract with a Chinese company for arms and ammunition supplies to the ministries of Interior and Defense, the PMU and the counterterrorism bureau.

The bureau also receives direct support and training from the United States and other coalition members. A TV report on France 24 in November showed French special forces officers accompanying the counterterrorism units for advisory and training purposes in operations to liberate Mosul.

All of this mounting influence indicates that the counterterrorism bureau will assume a major role in the post-IS era not only at the military level, but also at the political and security levels.
February 20, 2017

Early Start, Grow Smart, goes the motto of Al-Murshid al-Saghir (Arabic for "Young Guide") program that educates children about the value of Egypts archaeological and historical wealth and trains them to guide tours for museum visitors. The program, launched by the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities at the end of January, is now running at a number of archaeological sites under the direction of the Department of Archaeological Awareness in Cairos Gamaliya district.

The general director of the Cultural Development and Museum Education Department at the Ministry of Antiquities, Rasha Kamal, told Al-Monitor, The Young Guide program was inspired by the Childrens Museum at the Egyptian Museum launched in 2002. The museum educates children about their countrys archaeological history by organizing plays and artistic activities for children about Egypts history and archaeological wealth.

She said, The idea was revived by the Departments of Archaeological Awareness [and] the Young Guide program has begun operating in several archaeological sites such as Alexandrias Marina town, the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, Muizz Street and Khedivial Cairo.

There are 30 9-year-olds enrolled in the program.

Children wishing to participate are required to register through the programs Facebook page or at the Archaeological Awareness Departments in Egyptian museums, she continued. The ministry is working to consolidate the program between the three sectors and implement it at all the archaeological sites so that the largest number possible of children benefit from it, understand the value of antiquities and preserve them.

She explained, The Young Guide program was able to train a group of children who are now guiding some visitors. We are also trying to teach a number of children to carry out guided tours in foreign languages.

Asked how the children are trained, Kamal said, The program relies on volunteers from antiquities faculties and others from the ministry who undergo training. In turn, they train the children and guide them on giving archaeological tours. Information must be delivered in an exciting and simple way so that children do not get bored by the end of the program. Once the program ends, child participants receive a gift and extensive follow-up.

The department also launched a number of initiatives aimed at children, such as the Archaeological Passport program, which gives children a special passport. It lists a number of archaeological sites, and each time a child visits one, the Department of Archaeological Awareness stamps the document. When all the listed archaeological sites have been visited, the child is rewarded with a certificate of appreciation. Theres also a proposal to introduce a puppet show to all museums to educate children about the history of antiquities in a simple and exciting way. The puppet will be designed according the museums history and the historical period it represents.

Asked the program goals, Kamal said, The Young Guide program aims to counter the phenomenon of antiquities theft and introduce the children to the value and history of antiquities. The child will then share what he or she learned with his or her family and entourage and show interest in preserving antiquities. Furthermore, thanks to the program, the children now feel proud of what they learned about the importance of their culture and history.

The head of Gamaliyas Department of Archaeological Awareness, Mohammad Khalil, told Al-Monitor, The programs concept was applied a few months ago at Cairos Muizz Street, although it was scheduled for last year, as security approvals hindered the process. Three primary schools participated in the program and we targeted the most difficult age  that is, 9-year-old children  to inculcate the value of antiquities in them.

Khalil added, The idea of the program consists in training the children on tour guiding and explaining the history of their antiquities. Instead of the actual tour guide, children take over the task of guiding others. It is a weeklong, three-hour per day program in which 32 children have taken part.

No budget was allocated for the Young Guide program. We provided funding through the participation of private schools that sent their students and bore some of the programs financial costs. The Young Guide program will continue, covering more age groups up until university level. We will be focusing on high school students to encourage them to join antiquities faculties by introducing them to the value of antiquities and showing them how exciting it is to teach other people about it.

Thanks to the program, many child participants now dream of becoming tour guides.

Iman Abdul-Khaliq, the head of the Archaeological Awareness Department in the archaeological area of Marina, told Al-Monitor, The Young Guide program is an extension of the special tours program Descendants at the Home of Ancestors, launched by Marinas Department of Archaeological Awareness. Targeting schools and universities, the program aims to educate students about the history of antiquities. The Young Guide program introduces children to the role of tour guides at archaeological sites.

Its organizers hope the Young Guide program's continuation will produce a generation that is aware of the value of antiquities and capable of preserving them. They hope this group will spread archaeological awareness in society and help counter antiquities theft and smuggling.
February 20, 2017

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has raised controversy once again by calling for new legislation to annul verbal divorce in Egypt. During a Jan. 24 ceremony marking National Police Day, Sisi said, I have asked the head of the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) about marriages in Egypt. He said 40% of the 900,000 marriage unions this year [will] end up in divorce within five years.

In July 2016, Sisi had raised the ire of Egyptian citizens and clergy when he issued a decision to introduce a unified written Friday sermon. But with his latest comments, the president crossed a red line by discussing a doctrinal issue. Directing his Jan. 24 speech to Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed al-Tayeb, Sisi said, "We need a law to deal with divorce issues before the maazoun [a government-authorized cleric who administers marriage and divorce] instead of verbal divorces, so that people will have the time to consider their decision of divorce. This would mean that divorce could only occur in the presence of a legal maazoun, which many Egyptian religious authorities see as contrary to Islam.

Some saw that with this call, Sisi was turning a blind eye to Egypt's severe economic crisis and was instead addressing a religious issue that had been dealt with the previous year by Al-Azhar's Council of Senior Scholars. In March 2016, when Saad al-Din al-Hilali, a professor of comparative jurisprudence at Al-Azhar University, called for legislation to annul verbal divorce, it was considered controversial and not implemented by the council, which, as Al-Azhar's highest religious authority, is in charge of issuing fatwas and legislation on such matters.

Sisi's comments provoked anger among young Egyptians, as many continue to suffer from rampant poverty and widespread unemployment. One young Egyptian posted to Twitter: People are committing suicide because of the financial crises and dying because of medical negligence, lack of medicine and all the president is interested in is marriage and divorce.

A July 2016 study by CAPMAS showed Egypt's divorce rate is on the rise. The rate increased by 50% from 1996 to 2008 in both urban and rural areas. The average age for divorce is 38 for men and 32 for women. In 2015, for every 1,000 marriages in cities, three ended in divorce, whereas the rate for the countryside was 1.7 for every 1,000.

In January, the National Council for Women welcomed Sisis call for a bill to annul verbal divorce. The chairwoman of the council, Maya Morsi, said in a press statement, The presidents call is a new victory for women and the best proof that he is keen on preserving Egyptian family ties and keeping up with the renewed religious discourse.

She continued, Sharia calls for the unity and stability of families. Having a maazoun official administer the divorce would give couples a chance to reconsider a decision they might have made out of anger. This would reduce the number of divorces, preserving family unity and cohesion and protecting children against the pain they might suffer as a result of their parents split."

Following Sisi's comments, Grand Mufti of Egypt Shawki Allam said in a televised statement, The marriage contract is established in the presence of parents, the maazoun and witnesses. The annulment of the contract must be ascertained. This means that proof must be provided [to] establish that the husband pronounced the divorce with the explicit intention to end the marital relationship. Dar al-Ifta only tackles divorce matters when the husband appears before Dar al-Ifta to make sure he really wants a divorce.

Allam, who is also chair of the state-run educational body Dar al-Ifta, added, According to Dar al-Ifta statistics, about 3,200 divorce cases are examined by Dar al-Ifta each month. After thorough and careful investigations, divorce is granted in about three cases only.

He added, According to the personal status law, verbal divorce is not legal. However, [sheikhs] pronounce the divorce if it occurs as per Sharia, and then we ask the maazoun to carry out the divorce. However, after investigation and inquiry, if we see that the divorce was inevitable, we would  request its authentication by the maazoun.

He pointed out that Egyptian law requires the husband to authenticate the divorce within 30 days or else face a penalty.

To change this we need a legislative amendment," Allam said. "The parliament must examine the pros and cons. This requires the contribution of sociologists, research centers and Sharia scholars. Allam noted that Dar al-Ifta organizes premarital courses to prepare couples to assume their marital responsibilities.

Sameh Abdel-Hamid, a Salafi leader, told Vetogate online newspaper in January, The verbal pronunciation is taken into consideration in cases of marriage, divorce, conversion to Islam, apostasy, etc. The authentication by virtue of written documents is a new phenomenon and was not applied at the time of the Prophet [Muhammad]. There is no verse or hadith limiting the occurrence of divorce to those authenticated by the maazoun or before witnesses.

He added, Those who argue that a divorce cannot occur if only verbally pronounced have no proof to substantiate their argument. On the contrary, their allegation is contrary to the provided evidence and to the opinions of imams and scholars. Undoubtedly, authentication by the maazoun is important but this is just an act to put down in words a divorce that had already occurred by being verbally pronounced.

On Jan. 27, Ahmed Karima, a professor of law at Al-Azhar University, told Al-Ghad TV that divorce verbally pronounced is the rule in Sharia. It is admitted by Islamic scholars that legitimate contracts are verbal contracts whereby parties express their consent and will. Documentation is an administrative procedure to preserve rights.

Divorce occurs whether [expressed] orally, in writing or through gestures. It is unacceptable in Sharia for an authenticated divorce contract to replace the verbally pronounced divorce. This threatens the rules of Islamic legislation. Divorce has occurred when pronounced verbally since the time of the Prophet and this will be the case until the day of resurrection. Authenticating a divorce contract by the maazoun only aims to preserve marital rights.

Ahmed Khalifa Cherkaoui, a professor of Islamic law at Al-Azhar University, told Al-Monitor, The intention is the main condition that must be met for a divorce contract to be fulfilled. Even if a man does not pronounce the phrase I divorce you, but has the intention to divorce his wife, divorce would be deemed to have occurred. On the contrary, when a man does pronounce this phrase but has no intention to divorce his wife, divorce would not be deemed to have occurred.

Mohamed al-Shahat al-Jundi, a professor of comparative jurisprudence at Al-Azhar University, told Al-Monitor, Verbally pronounced divorce is valid as long as the man pronounces the phrase I divorce you to his wife while being fully conscious and having the intention to divorce her. This has been admitted by the majority of scholars. Authentication of the divorce is a routine matter. Seeking to solve a problem does not mean we should depart from what has been prescribed by Islam.

There should be a distinction between a divorce by virtue of a written document and a divorce pronounced verbally. It is necessary to raise the awareness of men and women so as to curb the rate of divorce. Men who misuse their right to divorce their wives, and women who anger their husbands and ask for divorce, must be sanctioned.

Al-Azhar's Council of Senior Scholars issued an official statement Feb. 5 stressing the legitimacy of verbal divorce and the illegitimacy of any law that would ban this type of divorce.

People now do not need divorce legislation to be changed; rather, they are in need of measures that would ensure a decent livelihood, the council stated.
February 20, 2017

It is no secret that the Palestinian Authority's (PA) financial crisis is mounting with declining foreign support. This has prompted Mohammad Shtayyeh, a member of Fatah's Central Committee and former minister of public works and housing, to confirm Feb. 13 that donors' funding is decreasing and the PA's financial crisis is ongoing.

Shadi Othman, the communication and information officer at the European Commission in Jerusalem, said Feb. 3 that a new financial support policy for 2017 was adopted by the European Union, and that the EU contribution of 30 million euros ($32 million) that had gone to pay the salaries of PA civil servants in the Gaza Strip will be used to support families in need, provide job opportunities and fund development and infrastructure projects.

On Feb. 7, the PA government replied in a statement that the new EU approach will further increase the budget deficit. It said that last year, Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah launched efforts to prevent the EU decision, but to no avail. According to the statement, this means that the PAs financial burden will grow and the $39 million monthly budget deficit will increase.

A European diplomat in the Palestinian territories, who spoke to Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, said, The new EU approach came to implement the recommendations of the European Monitoring Committees report of 2013, which rejected that civil servants who do not punch the clock be paid their paychecks by the EU, in the absence of any valid justification for the European taxpayers explaining why their money is channeled to these civil servants. Thus, the EU did not cut the funding, but rechanneled these funds to another sector, namely the families in need, instead.

In December 2013, the European Court of Auditors recommended that the EU stop paying the salaries of PA civil servants in Gaza because the employees do not show up for work at the ministries. The EU financial support for the PA amounted to 5.6 billion euros ($6 billion) from 1993 until 2013

Mohammed Abu Jyab, the editor-in-chief of the Palestinian weekly magazine Al-Eqtisadia, told Al-Monitor, The EU move  which came without PA approval  is designed to pressure the PA to end the split between the West Bank and Gaza Strip that has been ongoing since 2007. The Palestinian governments possible commitment to bridge the financial gap caused by the EU move will further burden the general budget and cause the government to reschedule its expenditures to reduce the financial deficit and look for new financial resources.

He said, A few days ago, Palestinian Finance Minister Shukri Bishara responded to the EU move by examining the dossiers of 16,000 Palestinian beneficiaries of the EU-funded financial assistance program for the provision of additional funds. This will probably cause thousands to be removed from the list, which would provide the PA with millions of dollars and reduce the new EU moves impact on the general budget.

On Aug. 12, the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics reported that the unemployment rate in Gaza had reached 42%. Also, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East said in August that 80% of Gazans depend on humanitarian aid. In addition, Palestinian Minister of Labor Mamoun Abu Shahla said in January that there are 320,000 families in need in the Gaza Strip.

A Palestinian finance official in Ramallah, who declined to be named, told Al-Monitor, There are up to 175,000 civil servants to which the PA pays $170 million per month, including 55,000 civil servants in Gaza receiving $41 million per month. The PA had demanded that its civil servants in Gaza not punch the clock in the summer of 2007, after Hamas took over Gaza. Since then, they have been paid although they do not work. We still don't know so far how this new 30 million euro deficit will be covered, despite the austerity measures, suspension of bonuses and government expenditure reduction.

Omar Shaban, the director of Pal-Think for Strategic Studies, told Al-Monitor, The EU decision could encourage other countries to take similar steps. This is because paying salaries to civil servants who do work is against their principles. It is the PA's responsibility to pay the salaries from other sources, such as taxes and custom duties from Israel. The civil servants would rather resume work and serve their community.

In case the PA fails to give Gazan civil servants their paychecks, they will join the people in need who stand in the queues, which would further escalate the economic crisis and worsen living conditions in the Gaza Strip.

Jamal Nassar, the chairman of the budget committee in the Palestinian Legislative Council, told Al-Monitor that the EU decision is just and logical. It does not make sense to pay civil servants who do not punch the clock. The right decision is to channel these funds to the poor who are a time bomb that could go off anytime, in conjunction with the widespread unemployment and poverty. The Palestinian government is able to cover the 30 million euro deficit by increasing taxes in the Gaza Strip, and cannot refrain from paying the Gaza civil servants, as it would be harmful for Fatah and would result in financial and organizational problems within the PA.

The new EU approach is probably a sign pointing at the pressure placed on the PA to refrain from paying civil servants who do not show up for work, or to force the PA to reconcile with Hamas. At the same time, the new EU approach, which would increase the number of unemployed, may be designed to pressure Hamas, which could fear an implosion with thousands of civil servants being denied their salaries.
February 21, 2017

A new and powerful figure has joined the list of candidates among Iranian conservatives for the May presidential election: Ebrahim Raisi, a senior cleric who has gradually risen through the ranks to assume powerful positions. Born in the holy city of Mashhad in northeast Iran  home to the shrine of the eighth Shiite imam  Raisi started his career as the prosecutor general of Karaj  a city just west of the capital city, Tehran  two years after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. In 2004, Raisi was appointed as the first deputy of judiciary chief Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi. When incumbent Ayatollah Sadegh Amoli Larijani took over the judiciary in 2009, Raisi remained as the first deputy.

In 2016, following the death of Ayatollah Abbas Vaez Tabasi, Raisi was appointed by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as custodian of the shrine of the eighth Shiite imam. The manager of the shrine in Mashhad is one of the most powerful people in Iran, as he oversees the holiest site in Iran  which also engages in major economic activities. Following the naming of Raisi as custodian of the shrine, Western media speculated that Raisi is likely to become the next supreme leader of Iran. One op-ed in The Washington Post on Sept. 26, 2016, stated, This appointment not only enhances Raisis national profile but also puts at his disposal enormous funds that he can use to nurture his own network of supporters and constituents. In this vein, Ayatollah Khamenei notably served as president from 1981 to 1989, when he became supreme leader.

While there has been speculation in Western media regarding Raisi as the next supreme leader, only now is Raisi being raised in Iranian media as the likely candidate of the conservative camp in the upcoming presidential election.

The conservatives are at present making great efforts to agree on a single candidate as they assume that the nomination of more than one conservative candidate will repeat the same scenario of the 2013 presidential election, when moderate Hassan Rouhani defeated his three conservative rivals.

On Feb. 18, Amir-Hossein Ghazizadeh, a member of the hard-line Endurance Front, criticized the conservatives plan, saying, [Achieving] unity is not an issue  unity doesnt come to exist by force. The figures who work in favor of [a single conservative] candidate [by force]  at most they will vote for him, but they wont sacrifice themselves for him.

On Feb. 21, Ghazizadeh clarified the Endurance Fronts position on the presidential election and the issue of conservative unity: In my opinion, the most fit [person] at the current juncture is Mr. Raisi. I dont know a second person.  Every one of our friends across the country, when they come to Raisis name, they say Yes, this is right.'

Moreover, it seems that Ayatollah Mohammad Taghi Mesbah Yazdi, the spiritual head of the Endurance Front who wields enormous influence among the conservatives and hard-liners, backs Raisi. Of note, Mesbah Yazdi left Tehran for Mashhad on Jan. 7 and paid a visit to Raisi. At the time, the details of the meeting were not published.

It is noteworthy that in the 2013 presidential election, Mesbah Yazdi didnt come to agreement with other conservatives and decided to support former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili as the fittest candidate who is loyal to the values of the Islamic Revolution.

However, according to Entekhab news site, Raisi, who has a softer tone and approach than the hard-liners, will only agree to come forth as a candidate if the whole conservative camp  and not just the Endurance Front  reach a consensus on him.
February 21, 2017

Since the election of President Hassan Rouhani in 2013, Irans tourism industry has witnessed its biggest growth since the Islamic Revolution in 1979. The growth saw an even more significant boost following the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in January 2016. Indeed, in recent years, Iran has been among the most frequently suggested travel destinations worldwide. Business Insider and Bloomberg have both named Iran to be among the "Top 50" and "Top 20" destinations to visit in 2017. Official figures show the number of foreign tourists visiting Iran in 2015 topped 5.2 million  up from nearly 3.5 million in 2012  and the booming industry has brought the country billions of dollars in revenue and created badly needed jobs.

Reihaneh Ahsanizadeh, an English-speaking tour guide in Tehran, said there has been a surge in the number of foreign tourists during the past year. Cities such as Tehran, Esfahan, Kashan, Yazd, Kerman and Shiraz are the top destinations for foreign visitors, she told Al-Monitor. Of these cities, Esfahan has been one of the most consistently popular choices for both local and foreign travelers due to its rich and impressive architectural sites, ranging from royal palaces to magnificent bridges. Located in Irans interior, Esfahan was once one of the largest and most important cities in West and Central Asia. Its position at the crossroads of the main overland trade routes contributed to its becoming the Iranian capital during the Safavid era (1502-1736). The rule of Shah Abbas (1588-1629) was a particularly prosperous time for Esfahan, and many monuments and buildings for which the city is renowned today were constructed during this time.

Esfahans Jame Mosque is considered the oldest and largest of its kind in Iran and a must-see for any visitor. The origins of the mosque are said to go back to the eighth century, and although it burned down in the 11th century, it was rebuilt. Since then, the mosque has been remodeled, enhanced and expanded many times, turning it into a living museum of Islamic and Iranian architecture. The mosque is commonly considered to be the first Islamic building to adapt the four-courtyard (Iwan) layout of Sassanid palaces to Islamic religious architecture. It is also considered the prototype of later mosque designs throughout Central Asia.

Jame Mosque is one of 21 Iranian cultural and natural sites to have been registered on UNESCOs World Heritage List; it was inscribed as such in 2012. Historic and fascinating bazaars near the mosque's doors link it to the magnificent Naghshe Jahan Square, which became a World Heritage site in 1979. The square, which used to be a polo field, is one of the largest city squares in the world. It features a number of Islamic buildings including the Masjed-e Shah and the Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque, both of which are decorated with the famous blue-tiled mosaic designs, considered by many to be masterpieces of Safavid architecture. The square also includes the fascinating Ali Qapu Palace, a six-story building with an elevated terrace, and the beautiful gateway to the old Gheisariyeh bazaar. Martina Bisaz, a Swiss photographer who visited Iran last year, told Al-Monitor, Esfahan was a wonderful experience with so much history. Ali Qapu Palace and Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque impressed me the most.

The Masjed e-Shah is pictured at night in Isfahan, Iran, Feb. 5, 2017. (photo by Bahar Khodami)

These are just a few examples of the historical landmarks Esfahan has to offer. Kakh-e Chehel Sotun (the "40 Pillars Palace") was also constructed during the Safavid era to serve as a pavilion for entertaining and a reception hall. Though less famous, the Hasht Behesht Palace ("Eight Heavens") has no less splendid ceilings, this time decorated with mirrors and the finest Iranian paintings. But Esfahan is not just about mosques and palaces. The city is also famous for the many bridges running over the Zayanderud (Zayande River). The Sio-Se-Pol is the longest and most famous of the 11 bridges in the city; it has a length of nearly 300 meters (roughly 0.2 miles). I was very lucky to see the famous bridges with water running in the riverbed. The kindness and hospitality of the Iranian people in Esfahan was incredibly great, like nowhere else in this world, Bisaz said.

The inside of Kakh-e Chehel Sotun is pictured in Isfahan, Iran, October 28, 2016. (photo by Bahar Khodami)

Despite being one of the most important centers of the Islamic world, Esfahan is also known for its religious tolerance. The city is home to a great population of Armenians and Jews. The Vank Cathedral, built during the reign of Shah Abbas II in 1663, is the most famous of the three churches in the city. Although it has a modest exterior, the church has a lavishly decorated interior with a central dome painted with a delicate blue and gold.

Ehsan, a 38-year-old local tour guide who frequently travels to Esfahan, said he has never seen this many foreign tourists in Esfahan or other major cities before. Nowadays, there are places where the number of foreign visitors is much higher than locals [tourists]. Its good for our economy, he told Al-Monitor.

Fereydoun Allahyari, the director general of the Esfahan Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Department, told Al-Monitor that the number of foreign tourists visiting Esfahan has increased by 400% over the past four years, giving Esfahan the first rank in terms of annual increase of tourists from abroad. Last year 250,000 foreign travelers visited Esfahan, and we expect the figure to reach 350,000 by the end of this year, Allahyari added.

Noting that the average age of foreign tourists visiting Esfahan has dropped  from a previous average of 50 to between 20 and 30  Allahyari stressed that our plan is to attract 1 million foreign tourists annually by 2021.

As the citys versatility has earned it the nickname Nesfe Jahan ("Half of the World"), it appears that Esfahan is on track to tower as one of Irans top travel destinations for years to come.
February 21, 2017

Its hard to overstate the value of a personal friendship between an Israeli prime minister and an American president to the relationship between the small state and the strongest power in the world. An open door at the White House is of even greater worth when Congress is controlled by the presidents own party. Nowadays, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will find it more difficult to work against an American president, the way he did in March 2015, when he tried to hinder the Iran nuke deal championed by President Barack Obama by speaking at the US Congress without coordinating it beforehand with the White House.

The importance of the chemistry between the two leaders goes beyond the bilateral arena. When a US president looks out for an Israeli prime minister, Israel is accorded a special status in the international community. Having the ear of an American president is a priceless boon for any small country, and even more so for an occupying power under constant international censure. But this is not the case when the new resident of the White House is perceived by the world as a bumbling greenhorn.

The honeymoons of President Bill Clinton with Israeli Prime Ministers Yitzhak Rabin and Ehud Barak, and George W. Bush with Ariel Sharon and Ehud Olmert, were the golden years of Israeli diplomacy. Israeli envoys around the world were honored guests in the homes of the leaders of their host states. Senior Israeli officials were often asked to help out other countries such as Turkey, Egypt, Jordan and even the former Soviet states, and to advocate for them at the White House. The pro-Israel American Israel Public Affairs Committee was mobilized quite a few times to help countries that Israel wanted to support. Rarely, if ever, did American presidents push Israeli premiers into situations in which US global interests or policy in conflict zones contradicted those of Israel.

The crisis in Israels ties with Mexico following Netanyahus tweet on Jan. 28 enthusiastically endorsing Trumps plan to build a wall on its border with the United States showed that walking hand-in-hand with Trump is like strolling through a minefield. That crisis is officially over after President Reuven Rivlin apologized to Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto. Nonetheless, embracing Trump on such a controversial issue for the American public and in the media did not do much for Israels standing in the United States and the world. Luckily, Netanyahu did not rush into lockstep with Trump when Trump veered toward Taiwan, incurring the wrath of Beijing and several days later had to promise Chinese President Xi Jinping that he would honor the traditional American one China policy.

Trumps policy on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is also tremendously wobbly. First, he floats the idea of one state for Israelis and Palestinians at a Feb. 15 White House news conference with Netanyahu, and the next day his ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, makes it clear that the administration is adhering to the two-state solution. The intelligence assessments of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, the Mossad and the National Security Council arent worth the paper they are printed on to Israeli decision-makers.

Analysts of US policy in other countries are probably faring no better. Normally, Arab and Western leaders formulate their approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in accordance with the position of the United States, and usually in coordination with Washington. Thats the way it was with the vote on UN Security Council Resolution 2334, which rejected any Israeli construction beyond the Green Line and urged negotiations on the two-state solution.

Reactions in the world to the superficial approach of the American president  So I'm looking at two states and one state, and I like the one that both parties like  ran the gamut from ridicule to a sense of insult. France, Germany, Russia, China, Australia and even Britain are unwilling to dance to the tune of an American president who changes his diplomatic repertoire like he changes socks. Western states have consistently supported the establishment of a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders. Israels closest friends in world capitals believe that this is the only way to ensure Israels existence as a democratic, secure and Jewish state. This is the way it was before Trump moved into the White House, and thats how it remains after Trump welcomed the Israeli prime minister there earlier this month.

The first visit by an Israeli prime minister to Australia started Feb. 21. How it goes will show just how constricting Trumps embrace of Netanyahu in Washington is. The first Israeli prime minister to trouble himself to visit the distant continent will doubtless be accorded a spectacular welcome. Nonetheless, a survey conducted by an Australian public research institute owned by Frank Lowy, a Zionist Jew, revealed that Australians dont regard kinship with Trump as an advantage, despite the two countries' close relations. Though public support in Australia for the ANZUS treaty with the United States has never fallen below 90%, almost half the respondents (45%) polled on the eve of the US elections said that if Trump were elected, Australia would be better off distancing itself from the United States.

Trumps vulgar attitude toward Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in their Jan. 28 telephone conversation regarding the resettlement of refugees and Trumps freeze on negotiations over the Trans-Pacific Partnership both confirm that the concerns of those polled were well founded.

The idea that one's friends define them will dog Netanyahu in Australia. World Jewry, including the Jews of Australia, are anxiously following the rise of anti-Semitic incidents since Trump emerged in American politics. Jewish communities are increasingly concerned that the tight ties between Trump and Israel will damage the delicate fabric of their relationships with Muslim minorities, the main targets of the new presidents incitement.

The Israeli right believed that Israel was in for a treat at the White House. It is gradually coming to realize that something else entirely is in store for Israel there.
February 21, 2017

Earlier this month, the Ministerial Committee on Legislation was slated to discuss a new law proposed by Knesset member Meirav Michaeli (Zionist Camp) that would have banned the sale of fur in Israel. Ostensibly, the law, which included articles of clothing, should have passed without opposition. Animal furs are hardly a feature of the local fashion industry. The Mediterranean climate affords very few opportunities to really enjoy the advantages of natural fur, and there is no powerful furrier lobby to impede the passing of such legislation.

It turned out, however, that Israel is an important importer of furs for reasons of tradition. The shtreimel, a traditional hat worn by Hasidic Jews in Israel and around the world, is made from the tails of the sable, a small mammal that lives in the far reaches of the northern hemisphere. The tails come from many different subspecies of the animal and vary in quality and cost. The Canadian sable, for example, is the most expensive, followed by the Russian sable, but there are also shtreimels made of cheaper fur. A single tail from a Russian sable sells for about $30, while Canadian tails can go as high as $70 apiece. In the past, a single shtreimel was made of anywhere from 10-20 tails, but today, some are made from as many as 60. Even without any local fur lobby associated with the fashion industry, the ultra-Orthodox attachment to the tradition translates into a significant powerful force. What this means in practice is that the chances of the legislature banning the sale of furs is negligible. Even discussions about the proposed law were postponed for several months due to pressure from the Knesset's ultra-Orthodox parties.

"People continue to wear shtreimels, even though the cost starts at $1,600 per hat. A law banning the sale of fur is the last thing that will stop us," Menachem Farkash told Al-Monitor. Farkash works for a company that manufactures shtreimels for sale at (relatively) affordable prices. It seems that Michaeli has recognized the obstacle. She amended her proposed legislation so that the ban on the sale of fur would not cover "furs and fur products used for religious or traditional purposes."

The source of the shtreimel is frigid 17th-century Poland, where fur hats were popular among Jews and non-Jews alike. In his story "The Shtreimel Decree," author S.Y. Agnon wrote that the shtreimel came about as a result of a decree by a Polish king, who ordered Jews to wear tails on their heads in order to embarrass them. It was only later that these tails became a legitimate item of clothing, and a prestigious one at that. Regardless of its origins, however, the shtreimel is hardly appropriate headgear for the scorching Israeli summer. Nevertheless, it became an integral part of the traditional garb of Hasidic Jews around the world (including this author). They wear it on the Sabbath, holidays and other joyous occasions.

The shtreimel has had an evolution all its own and a fascinating fashion life that is changing rapidly. Comparing a shtreimel sold 20 years ago with one sold in 2017 is like comparing a rotary telephone with the most sophisticated smart phone. Over the past few years, shtreimels have become more elegant, much taller and more colorful, with rich golden-brown hues that move ever further away from the black-on-black once characteristic of traditional Hasidic dress.

"The most expensive shtreimel now sells for $8,000," said Yosef Glick, a manager of the Bnei Brak branch of Miller's, a manufacturer of premium shtreimels, based in the United States. The height of fashion is the "Bomharten," made from Canadian sable tails, each 12-25 centimeters (roughly 5-10 inches) long (compared to a normal tail's about 6 centimeters). Their natural colors range from dark brown to blond. Glick added that shtreimels are getting taller, too. In the past, the maximum height was 18 centimeters, but he is now selling shtreimels that are 22 centimeters tall.

If the international fashion capital is Paris, then the international shtreimel fashion capital is the Borough Park neighborhood of Brooklyn, populated by many ultra-Orthodox families. "In the United States, no one would buy a shtreimel for less than $4,000. They also developed the open, tall shtreimels. What we are seeing is that it takes about a year for innovations from there to make their way here," Glick said.

Over the past few years, shtreimels made of synthetic fur have started to enter the market as part of efforts to reduce costs. At first, animal rights activists believed that their introduction would lead to a revolution in shtreimel habits, but manufacturer Menachem Farkash ridicules the synthetic products. He believes that a real shtreimel must be made of real fur. "It all began around 2003, when the ultra-Orthodox sector was caught in a serious financial crisis. People started looking for cheaper alternatives and the synthetic shtreimel began appearing. But just as quickly, the whole initiative died. The synthetic shtreimel looks like a costume. It is in no way comparable to the beauty of a traditional shtreimel, made of real fur," Farkash said.

"I'm not too worried about causing suffering to animals, because we only take tails after the rest of the fur has been removed for sale to the international fashion world," said one of Israel's largest importers of sable tails, speaking to Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. "In the past, [the tail] was considered garbage, but now they realize that there is a market for it, and the price has gone up accordingly."

Nevertheless, he claimed, as soon as alternatives of the same quality and appearance as natural animal tails do appear, most people will switch to them. "We are talking about a custom, rather than a religious obligation per se," he concluded. "There is no religious reason for the shtreimel to be made out of real fur, so I have no doubt that once a synthetic replacement for the real thing of the same quality is developed, the entire market will switch to that, except for a few nouveau riche customers."
February 21, 2017

Former Jordanian member of parliament Wasfi al-Rawashdeh didn't know that the letter he addressed via Facebook Jan. 5 to Jordan's King Abdullah II would lead him to appear the following day before the State Security Court (a military court) on charges of undermining the system of governance under the Jordanian Penal Code. In the letter, which he titled The last call, Rawashdeh criticized the unprecedented corruption in Jordan and wondered, Is the king aware of what is going on?

Rawashdeh is one out of a long list of activists who were arrested by the Jordanian intelligence service in January and were referred to the prosecutor of the State Security Court. These include retired intelligence service Gen. Mohammed Abdul Karim Otoum who was arrested Jan. 12 after he called for a political reform conference. Among those arrested were also citizens who launched social networking campaigns aimed at boycotting goods in protest against the economic approach of the government.

Political activists have accused the Jordanian authorities of widely using loose charges in their legislation in order to muzzle the peaceful opposition calling for political reform, anti-corruption measures and solutions to the economic crisis. The arrests came after the government adopted in December a set of economic measures aimed at raising consumer prices and imposing taxes so as to provide the 450 million Jordanian dinars (about $635 million) needed to fill part of the 2017 budget deficit, which amount to about $1.1 billion.

Hisham al-Hisa, an activist taking part in the protests, was accused three times of repeated verbal insult and unlawful assembly after he took part in the peaceful protests against the Jordanian regime in 2011-2013, before the Arab Spring came to a halt in Syria and transformed into a fierce war that had repercussions on Jordan. Hisa told Al-Monitor, The State Security Court is holding a gun to the head of advocates of reform in Jordan."

Two years after the declaration of the martial law in 1957, the Jordanian authorities established the State Security Court as a special court under a special law called the State Security Court law. And while the popular pressure in 2013 forced the Jordanian regime to make constitutional amendments to limit the functions of the court to five competencies, including the fight against terrorism, the authorities enacted an Anti-Terrorism Act in 2006. The law was amended in 2014 and broadened the powers of the court again. The other competencies of the State Security Court include dealing with cases of treason, espionage, drugs and counterfeit currency.

In this context, political analyst Labib Kamhawi told Al-Monitor, The arrest of political activists is an extension of previous periods when the authorities would make loose accusations against opposition activists. Such accusations include undermining the system of governance, leveling criticism against [the government] and assembling illegally.

Kamhawi said that the authorities resorted to these charges in an attempt to scare those who dare oppose the government, especially considering that these charges were subject to severe sanctions under the law.

The Jordanian authorities wide referral of activists to the State Security Court raised the ire of politicians and jurists who launched a campaign in 2013 titled I deserve a civil trial to call for an end to the military trials.

President of the Jordan Bar Association and former member of parliament Saleh Armouti told Al-Monitor, Giving further powers to the State Security Court is unconstitutional as this is a special court that encroaches upon the judiciary.

Armouti said, It is the prime minister who appoints civilian and military judges in the State Security Court. Consequently, this court is not recognized by Interpol. The powers of the court have been expanded through the Anti-Terrorism Act so that the freedom of opinion and expression fall within the concept of terrorism. This would deal a blow to the freedom of opinion and expression and prevent any human being from giving their opinion, especially in regard to political issues.

According to Armouti, the second constitutional violation related to the State Security Court lies in the fact that the court prosecutor is based in the General Intelligence Department, which morally, psychologically and financially affects the course of the investigation. The trial of civilians should be moved to the public prosecutor.

For its part, the Jordanian government repeatedly confirmed its respect for the freedom of opinion and expression. In response to parliamentary inquiries about the reasons behind the arrest of 20 political activists, Prime Minister Hani Mulki said at a Jan. 15 parliamentary regular session, The government guarantees the freedom of expression and constructive criticism so long as homeland security is not affected and the law is not encroached upon.

He added, Those who have been arrested by the Jordanian judiciary carried out provocative acts that provoke the public opinion and change the basic conditions of society.

Al-Monitor contacted Musa Maaytah, the minister of political development and parliamentary affairs, and Mohammad al-Momani, the minister of state for media affairs and communications and government spokesman, to ask them about the arrest of activists, but they refused to comment on the issue.

The recent arrests carried out by the authorities against teachers, retirees and politicians received criticism from human rights organizations. Human Rights Watch Middle East Director Sarah Leah Whitson told Al-Monitor, The Jordanian authorities have been using the charge of undermining the political system of governance mentioned in the terrorism section of the Penal Code for many years now against militants, and the authorities should stop muzzling the peaceful opposition.

The Jordanian authorities used Article 149 of the Penal Code for the first time in the history of the judiciary on April 1, 2011, when the prosecutor general of the State Security Court used it against teachers who protested at the Fourth Circle, near the prime minister's building, demanding the establishment of a teacher syndicate. The court used the article once again in January against 20 detainees before releasing them Feb. 7.

Article 149 states that temporary hard labor is imposed on whoever undermines the political system of governance in the kingdom, incites opposition to the regime or attempts to change the economic or social entity of the state or the basic conditions of society.

Local human rights associations said that freedom of expression has degenerated due to the enactment of a number of laws that restrict freedom of expression, including the Information Systems and Cyber Crime law, the Public Gatherings law and the Press and Publications law.

For his part, head of the Jozoor Center for Human Rights Fawzi Samhouri told Al-Monitor, The government is contradicting the obligations it ratified in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Jordanian Constitution, all of which stipulate the right to freedom of peaceful expression.

Jordanian activists fear the government and general intelligence services continued use of loose charges under the pretext of the fight against extremism. On June 20, the authorities revealed their intention to enact a new law on social networking sites to monitor the Jordanian pages across these networks in order to combat extremism.
February 20, 2017

BETHLEHEM, West Bank  Rosette Qaabar, a woman in her 50s from Beit Jala in northern Bethlehem, just attended her first of many courses that will allow her to get a diploma in iconography, which she had always been a fan of. This course is accredited by the British university of the Princes School of Traditional Arts, and it is one of many educational courses provided by the Bethlehem Icon Center.

Qaabar, along with four other women, have taken up the art of iconography after having learned the basic principles of this art.

By the end of the course, Qaabar wants to be able to paint her own icon, as well as one for each of her five children.

She told Al-Monitor, Years ago, all my children immigrated to the United States but I could never leave my city. So I enrolled in the center for fun. I would spend my spare time here learning a beautiful, mystical art.

The Bethlehem Icon Center on Star Street is a local center specialized in painting religious icons. On Feb. 7, the center kick-started its first iconography course for 2017, as part of its mission to revive Palestinian art.

Head of the center Nicolas Geha told Al-Monitor how the idea was born, saying, In 2009, icon photographer Ian Knowles came to Bethlehem after he was invited by a friend to participate in the restoration of St. Nicholas Church in the town of Beit Jala. As he was repainting some icons and restoring others, the residents of the city asked him to teach them how to paint icons. This is where the idea of organizing courses came from. He kept going back and forth between England and Bethlehem to teach iconography in a small room provided by the monastery of the Coptic nuns.

After a while, iconography received broad acclaim and the number of students increased. Knowles then moved into two rooms in Manger Square, where he started giving courses on a regular basis. Finally in 2014, the center was officially registered, with Hosh Abu Jarour as its headquarters.

Geha noted that the centers officials seek to turn it into a specialized school for iconography, to be the first of its kind in the Middle East. It currently offers a number of courses to get a diploma in iconography accredited by the Princes School of Traditional Arts, which Qaabar attends.

Speaking about this arts religious and national importance, Geha said, Icons are part of our Palestinian Christian history. It is a Byzantine art born in Palestine and spread around the world. The first identified icon was that of St. Lukes Jesus and Mary icon.

He added, In religion, painting icons is a fundamental art adopted by all churches. Such an art requires deep faith. Before painting an icon, which could be of Jesus, Mary or a saint, the person needs to carefully examine their life, history and the miracles they performed, and thus be well-acquainted with religion.

Knowles told Al-Monitor that he is trying to bring this important art back to its rightful owners before his stay in Palestine ends and he returns to England in five years, by teaching a group of locals how to paint top-notch icons.

He noted, My job is to reinstate this religious and artistic heritage where it belongs. This art is of Palestinian Christian origins and it is part of the hidden Palestinian history. Many people around the world, and even in Palestine itself, do not realize that this art first originated from Palestine. Most people mistakenly think it is an ancient Greek art.

During the years he spent in Bethlehem, Knowles taught over a hundred students. He explained that this art requires a certain type of student who has mastered this specific kind of painting, noting that many students were able to paint icons on their own as a graduation project. According to Knowles, these courses included locals as well as foreigners who heard about the center and started attending courses.

While at the center, Al-Monitor met with Sister Marlena Kaczanowsk from Poland, who is taking advantage of her period of service at a Jerusalem church to learn iconography. She said she works in Jerusalem with people with special needs and in her spare time comes to the center to attend the course.

Although foreigners are allowed to attend these courses, Knowles believes the icons painted by Palestinian students are quite special, saying, When people create something of their own heritage, it adds a distinctive quality to the icon.

Proof is three of Knowles students, Noura Salibi, Chris Matar and Nicolas Geha, who participated in painting the Annunciation Icon at the British Lichfield church last year. They worked for two months straight and added Palestinian embroidery to their icon.

Geha noted that the centers officials hope to expand their work and to be able to paint icons for the entire Christian world as a message of love and peace from Christs home area to all believers around the world.

The icons painted by Palestinians at the center carry a national religious message and reveal the Palestinian Christian heritage that many people are still unaware of. The Bethlehem Icon Centers sole objective is to relaunch this art from its birthplace for the entire world to see and feel the spirit of Christ and his message.
NORFOLK When Deana Schreck and Bethanie Miller tell people they're family and consumer science teachers, they're typically met with a question.

What is family and consumer science?

"You say family and consumer science and they're like, 'What the heck is that?' "said Schreck, who teaches the subject at Norfolk High School. "But if you say home-ec., they say, 'Oh, so you teach sewing.' "

Not quite.

That might have been a focus of home economic classes of the past, but the classes have evolved to become much more. Hence its updated name  family and consumer science.

"I think there's more options for students," said Miller, who splits her time teaching the subject between the high school and junior high. "It used to just be that home-ec was sewing and cooking. That was it."

Now, between Miller, Schreck, and Lisa Kowalski  another family and consumer science teacher at the high school  classes in child development, food and nutrition, fashion, relationships, financial literacy, human sciences and health sciences are among the options available to students. All the classes, except one for sophomores, are taken as electives.

What's more is that the department is a part of Norfolk High School's new career academies. The department will be rolling out academies in culinary and early childhood education in the 2017-2018 school year. Plus, the health sciences academy, which was made available already this school year, starts with Kowalski's Intro to Health Sciences class.

"Even before the career academies, (our classes) have gotten more career-oriented because we are career and technical education classes anyways," Schreck said.

In fact, most of the family and consumer science classes taught at the high school include a unit on careers, and a lot of them include instruction on how to build a resume, the Norfolk Daily News (http://bit.ly/2lIcegE ) reported.

But with the addition of the career academies, students interested in careers covered by family and consumer science will be that much more prepared for their next step after graduation.

Students in the early childhood education academy could graduate and get a job at a daycare, or pursue further education to become a teacher  though they could also just as likely go on to a non-education-related career that happens to deal with children, Schreck said.

Students in the culinary academy will take courses that include culinary safety and entrepreneurship, which could allow them to pursue jobs in restaurants or test kitchens.

"They're going to know how to use knives properly, they're going to know how to use all your equipment properly," Schreck said.

An additional bonus with family and consumer science classes is that they can serve as a dose of reality for students as they prepare for life after school.

For example, a recent project in Schreck's Child Development I class focused on the cost of raising a child. Students were assigned careers, income and insurance levels, a relationship status and a number of children. Then they were asked to create a budget.

They were also dealt a scenario from "a good day" bucket and "a bad day" bucket and required to financially deal with that situation.

When asked by students if they could "re-pick," Schreck offered up a lesson  "Do you get to redo life? Do you get to rewind on a bad day?"

"That's also one of the reasons our classes are so important," she said. "They teach life skills."

Students can attest to that as plenty of the costs associated with raising children were a surprise.

"If you don't have insurance for delivery or postnatal care or prenatal care, it's a lot of money," student Alex Sotelo said. "It's like $4,000 for prenatal care. "

It's this kind of information that made student Graciela Villarreal wish she had taken a class like this when she lived in Texas.

"Now I have a kid, so if I would have known all this information it would have been easier for me to calm down because I was so stressed out about how am I going to do this?" she said. "How am I going to pay for child care? How am I going to handle if my daughter's sick?"

That project in Child Development I is only one of many examples of valuable life lessons offered across Norfolk High's family and consumer science classes. Plus, ultimately, Schreck and Miller said they see family and consumer science classes as a way to show students how what's taught in other subject areas can be applicable to the real world.
February 21, 2017

When US President-elect Donald Trump tweeted that things would be different for Israel at the United Nations after his inauguration Jan. 20, no one expected that it would include vetoing a personnel decision by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, but that is exactly what happened with the appointment of former Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad as Guterres' personal envoy to Libya.

Fayyad had undergone a rigorous selection process at the end of which all parties appeared to be onboard. The secretary-generals office even sent a draft press release on the appointment for Fayyad to review, Al-Monitor has learned. Then came the shocker: Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the United Nations, announced Feb. 10 that the United States opposed Fayyad's appointment, calling it biased and detrimental to our allies in Israel.

Former US peace envoy and ambassador to Israel Martin Indyk suggested that Haley's statement rejecting the appointment might have been triggered the night before during a private dinner in New York that included the president and his biggest donor, Sheldon Adelson. Adelson is a strong supporter of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had made it clear that his government was unhappy about Israel's treatment at the United Nations and had opposed Fayyads appointment. The reaction to the US veto was swift and crossed partisan lines.

Former US ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro slammed the move as stunningly dumb and a farce. The Times of Israel quoted Shapiro as saying, If you know Fayyad  decent, smart, honest, ethical, hardworking  its much more outrageous. Even the right-wing Jerusalem Post rejected the Trump administrations position on Fayyads appointment. In a Feb. 12 editorial, Support Fayyad, the daily criticized Israeli officials for endorsing the US position, calling Fayyad an exceptional Palestinian leader.

Fayyad, who resigned in April 2013 and had not talked to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas for more than two years, was invited by Abbas to the Muqata, the presidential headquarters in Ramallah, for a private meeting Feb. 13. The official Palestinian news agency, WAFA, issued a brief on the meeting that was also published on Abbas Facebook page, noting that the two men had discussed the destructive Israeli moves against qualified Palestinian talents.

Hanan Ashrawi, a member of the PLOs Executive Committee and a political ally of Fayyad during the 2006 Palestinian legislative elections, described the US decision as unconscionable and racist. She was quoted in various press reports from Feb. 11 as saying, Blocking the appointment of Fayyad is a case of blatant discrimination on the basis of national identity.

Guterres himself, of course, had something to say about the US move. Speaking at the World Government Summit in Dubai on Feb. 13, Guterres stood by Fayyad, calling him the right person for the right job at the right moment. He has qualities that are recognized everywhere, the secretary-general said. He has a competence that nobody denies. And it is very important to underline that nobody in the UN represents a government or a country. People in the UN have just one area of loyalty they need to respect  its the UN Charter.

Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations, told Al-Monitor that the US move is unacceptable and said, I have repeatedly stated that there is no reason to object to Fayyads nomination from the secretary-general to be his representative in Libya. Mansour said he was angry about the criteria for rejecting Fayyad. Objecting to a qualified person just because of his nationality is unacceptable, he said.

Mansour added, however, that the decision against Fayyad will not change much in the way UN agencies deal with Palestinians. There are three kinds of UN appointments, he explained. Career international appointments, and there are Palestinians there; and sectoral appointments by the secretary-general, and we had Nasser Kidwa appointed as the deputy to the secretary-generals envoy [to Syria]. However, the personal representatives of the secretary-general need the approval of the Security Council. What happened to Fayyad was because the issue of the personal representative of the secretary-general has to be approved the Security Council, where five permanent members, including the United States, have veto power.

Previous US administrations had vetoed Security Council decisions, but as Mansour noted, None have done so for a qualified appointment that went thorough consultation, and everyone was aware of it.

Al-Monitor contacted Fayyad, who was restrained in his responses, saying only that he was gratified by the reaction from around the world and from bipartisan officials, and that he had been looking forward to doing something useful. I am not used to sitting idly around doing very little with my time, Fayyad said.

The strong reaction to blocking the secretary-general from appointing a qualified Palestinian has left a mark on the Trump administration and has inadvertently resurrected the profile of a Palestinian leader the world had forgotten. It even brought about agreement within Palestinian society and its leadership. Fayyad and Palestinians are not the real losers in this case. Rather, that distinction belongs, unfortunately, to the people of Libya, who have been denied a competent, Arabic-speaking world class talent to help bring their splintered society together.
February 20, 2017

The major political slogan of the Bolshevik Party leading up to the 1917 Great October Socialist Revolution and the uprising itself, All Power to the Soviets! is now relevant to Syria.

The long-lasting civil war in Syria killed centralized government stone dead and caused a de facto territorial fragmentation. Although international players are currently voicing commitment to Syrias sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, it also is a fact that alternative forms of civic self-government, namely local councils, have held sway in rebel-controlled districts for some time now.

According to Al-Monitors sources close to the National Coalition for Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces, the countrys local councils numbered 404 after the fall of eastern Aleppo to the forces of President Bashar al-Assad. Self-government is in the offing in Turkeys buffer zone in northern Aleppo. Thus, one can argue that the self-organizing revolutionary movement suggested by Syrian activist Omar Aziz at the onset of the uprising in 2011 has materialized.

Until recently, the Kremlin refused to acknowledge the civil war in Syria, portraying the conflict only as Damascus fight against terrorists. Such a policy prevented Russian officials from objectively assessing local councils performance. Moreover, the issue is a real blind spot among many Russian politicians and pundits.

Indeed, on Nov. 8, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova labeled councils in eastern Aleppo self-proclaimed authorities doing what their external sponsors or backers told them and playing into the hands of the most radical illegal armed groups. Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said Dec. 13 that what eastern Aleppo had experienced was indiscriminate terror, rather than an opposition movement and local councils. Though Russia described self-government in formerly rebel-held areas of eastern Aleppo with broad strokes, one should note that despite random terror, Russias Defense Ministry was able to evacuate virtually all besieged fighters and their families to Idlib. At the same time, it is clear that notorious jihadis should have been detained and vetted.

However, the recapture of eastern Aleppo and the Defense Ministry's subsequent recognition of Syrias moderate opposition appear to have reset Moscows attitude toward both rebels and local power brokers. In the end, Article 15 regarding the separation of power between local councils and central government was incorporated into Syrias much-talked-about draft constitution produced by Russian experts and presented to the armed opposition at negotiations last month in Astana, Kazakhstan.

On the one hand, such a step signals Moscows willingness to make concessions and to consent to Syrias division into zones of influence within its existing boundaries. On the other hand, the move once again signifies the Kremlins inconsistency  characterized by the pretense of stability, the absence of a long-term Syria strategy and the influence of domestic policies on foreign ones.

Moscows analysts are united in stating that the draft constitution, including such controversial points as Kurdish autonomy and a seven-year presidential term, is merely an attempt to promote dialogue between all the parties concerned. Yet it is evident that a focus on legalization of local councils and their integration into the political conflict settlement represents an appropriate way to do that.

Wholesale reforms require much time and effort. The time vacuum and lack of visible achievements play into the hands of hard-line and terrorist groups. In this respect, supporting local government is the most effective and pragmatic way to restore peace for the locals, to address social needs and to create jobs after a lasting truce.

However, problems also arise. On the one hand, the councils are trying to distance themselves from any armed groups. On the other hand, they need the assistance of outer forces. Ma'arrat al-Numan, a city in Idlib province, illustrates successful coordination between the local council, local coordination committees and the Free Syrian Army's Division 13, which is closely affiliated with the local administration. They jointly managed to force Jabhat Fatah al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra) to withdraw from the region. Commanders of the armed groups and activists of local councils are quite close and the distinction between them is somewhat symbolic, even though the latter is charged with addressing pressing social issues rather than sustaining control over the areas.

Given this, an important question logically arises: How will Damascus take Moscows suggestion to decentralize power? As of now, the reaction is still unclear, as no one has publicly commented on the situation on the ground. However, the pro-government Syrian media tend to be quite skeptical about the performance of local councils. They stress that the councils fail to meet even the basic needs of the population, despite the assistance of nongovernmental organizations and funding provided by the West and the Persian Gulf states.

Meanwhile, the regime has long been playing its own game with local councils. Damascus maintains leverage in opposition-held areas, first and foremost, by demonstrating its sustained, indispensable role in providing essential public services  paying wages to teachers and money to pensioners who have not been reported as involved in opposition. At the same time, the regime has openly opposed any challenge to its monopolized areas such as providing public services and an alternative educational and health-care system. Damascus launched deliberate airstrikes in the cities where local councils had been most successful and thereby had posed a substantial challenge to the regime. That was the case, for example, in Ma'arrat al-Numan, Douma and Darayya. However, in some areas, the administration has sought reconciliation with local councils for its own benefit  as it did, for instance, in Quneitra and Daraa provinces.

At the same time, since the emergence of the first local councils five years ago, the opposition has failed to agree on a model of local administration and self-government, or to vest them with political functions. As a result, with the rare exceptions of the Kabbun and Ma'arrat al-Numan assemblies, councils provide only some public services, and they do not have any administrative duties or executive or administrative powers. The idea of holding elections to provincial councils that represent various administrative layers, interact with the United Nations and other bodies and can directly conduct political reform in the long run has not been fully implemented. As of now, only eight councils of the kind have been formed in Syria.

Local councils can possibly initiate cooperation with the regime and with the Russian officers at the Center for National Reconciliation, based at the Khmeimim military base. Some sources on the ground told Al-Monitor that there are Christians in the groups who cooperate directly with the councils and among activists. After some indoctrination, it may prove valuable to have local councils recognized by the regime as civil structures.

Remarkably, Syrian Kurdistans positive experience with local councils may well be studied and used across Syria. The Kurdish Democratic Society Movement headed by the nationalist Democratic Union Party is of particular interest to those who want to establish fully autonomous, civil-military self-government structures; consider the Manbij Military Council, for example. To streamline the work of local councils and understand their role in the transition to peace, it is important to make good use of the experience being gained during the civil war.
February 20, 2017

The US administration has tasked the Department of Defense with preparing, by Feb. 28, a comprehensive plan to defeat the Islamic State (IS) in Iraq and Syria. With only eight days left, it's clear we are entering the final phase of preparations for retaking Raqqa, the strategic heart of IS in Syria.

Turkey has been involved in many conversations with the United States this month. Following the Feb. 17 visit of CIA Director Mike Pompeo to Ankara, Gen. Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, met at Incirlik Air Base with Turkeys Chief of General Staff Hulusi Akar. On Feb. 18-19, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim discussed Raqqa and developments in northern Syria with US Vice President Mike Pence at the International Munich Security Conference.

Ankara is clearly delighted with US President Donald Trumps rapid tackling of Syria and Washington's high-level cooperation. Obviously, Moscow is not all that pleased with the resurgence of diplomatic activity between Ankara and Washington regarding northern Syria. But we also have to note that Ankara is concurrently working to fortify field cooperation with Russia west of the Euphrates River. Russia, Turkey and Iran  which organized the peace talks last month and again last week in Astana, Kazakhstan  are forming a task force to monitor and implement the cease-fire in Syria. As a first step, Russia and Turkey could field a joint cease-fire monitoring force west of the Euphrates.

While Ankara is discussing with Washington a Raqqa operation to knock out IS, it is also trying to preserve its improved diplomatic ties with Moscow to maintain Turkeys gains in Operation Euphrates Shield. Washington and Moscow are vying for leverage in northern Syria. Russia sees all of northern Syria as its area of influence, whereas the United States seems to concede the west while considering the eastern side to be its sphere of influence.

Until the United States and Russia agree on their "territories," it will be difficult for Turkey to please both parties simultaneously. Perhaps this is why, in recent days when Ankara moved closer to Washington, Moscow began playing its "Kurdish card" more openly. The Feb. 15 timing of the Regional Kurdish Conference organized by Russia in Moscow is significant.

By inviting not only Syrian Kurds but Kurdish representatives from Turkey, Iran and Iraq, Moscow signaled it has a regional perspective for the Kurdish issue. Also, Moscows close contacts with officials from the Kurdish nationalist Democratic Union Party (PYD) in Syria on drafting a new constitution for Syria is another reaction to warming relations between the United States and Turkey in northern Syria.

The perplexing question is how long Turkey will be able to manage the divergent interests of the United States and Russia. Whether Turkey will opt for close cooperation with Russia or the United States in northern Syria is not a routine foreign policy decision, but a major one that will certainly determine the route Turkey will be following in years to come.

Many people are puzzled about why the United States imposes conditions that Turkey detests, but still insists on having Turkey participate in the Raqqa operation. At the moment, there are two main causes of friction between the United States and Turkey over Raqqa. The first is Manbij, which is controlled by the People's Protection Units (YPG), immediately west of the Euphrates, south of Jarablus. The message Ankara is sending to Washington is: We will assist you at Raqqa but as a sign of your goodwill, give us Manbij, while Washington says, Lets start at Raqqa. Let us see your commitment and field performance at Raqqa. We will then talk about Manbij.

The other key friction point involves the launching point for the Raqqa operation. To prevent harm to Kobani, the United States favors launching the operation from al-Bab, 110 miles from Raqqa. But Turkey favors launching the operation from Tell Abyad, adjacent to the Turkish border, 60 miles north of Raqqa.

If Turkeys views prevail, its armored forces would overrun and control the Kurdish canton of Kobani.

There are three main reasons why the United States needs Turkey at Raqqa: military, demographic and symbolic. Militarily, Raqqa will be a conventional front, with 8,000 to 10,000 IS militants now in Raqqa mixed in with about 220,000 civilians, just as IS mixes in with the population in al-Bab and Mosul. IS appears determined to defend Raqqa to the very end with a system based on tunnel warfare, anti-tank missiles, drones and suicide attacks with armored vehicles. That is why a Raqqa operation will need tanks, armored vehicles, indirect artillery and rocket support as much as infantry. The United States badly needs Turkey's armored and artillery support in what promises to be a tough operation.

What are Turkeys options for giving military support to a Raqqa operation?

Turkey refrains from giving any form of military support on the ground but assists with logistical support primarily from Incirlik Air Base. Turkey also promises it will not undertake any cross-border operations against the Kobani and Jazeera Kurdish cantons during the operation. In this option, the question will be who will be supplying the armor and long-distance artillery support. One possibility that comes to mind is the Syrian army. But that army has been having a difficult time at Deir ez-Zor and Palmyra against IS. If Syria is forced to reach agreements with the United States and Russia, the Syrian army can deploy armored units and artillery to Raqqa without directly participating in clashes. Turkey participates in Raqqa with a special forces detachment of 250-300 troops: This will indicate that Turkey wishes to follow Raqqa developments closely and that the United States isnt against it. If this option is chosen, we can presume Turkey still hopes to have a role in reconstructing Raqqa after its capture. In addition to special forces, Turkey sends one or two each of armored and mechanized infantry brigades, plus two or three 155-meter howitzer battalions and one or two 122 mm rocketry battalions with a total of 3,000-4,000 soldiers. By choosing this option (which is actually the US' pick) Turkey would confirm that Ankara has agreed to a joint operation with a Kurdistan Workers Party affiliate, the YPG. This option would also mean that Turkey would want a role in running and reconstructing Raqqa. In addition to the special forces and armored artillery units, Turkey sends four to five commando battalions, bringing Turkeys participation to 7,000-8,000 soldiers. This option signifies the highest level of Turkish commitment to the Raqqa operation. It would mean Ankara had persuaded Washington that Turkey could make up for the infantry gap that would arise from excluding the Kurdish YPG from Raqqa. Ankara would do so by using its own commandos in addition to the Arab elements of the Syrian Democratic Forces and the Free Syrian Army. To compensate for such generous participation, Turkey would expect maximum input into the future of Raqqa and northern Syria.

The second reason why the United States insists on having Turkey join the Raqqa operation is the human terrain. Nearly all of the more than 200,000 people in Raqqa are Sunni Arabs. There is a small Christian minority and an even smaller Kurdish presence in the town and its periphery. The United States must win the hearts and minds of Sunni Arab tribes in Raqqa, which are most concerned with whether the Kurdish YPG will stay in Raqqa in the post-IS era. The United States strongly feels the need to have Turkey's support in winning over the Arab tribes.

The last reason the United States needs Turkey in Raqqa is symbolic. An operation against Raqqa is crucial for the Sunni psyche in the Middle East, and having Sunni elements in the field alongside the United States is vital for the legitimacy of the operation in Sunni eyes.

The Raqqa operation is taking shape, but amid multifaceted, tangled issues. Commanding and managing this operation is likely to be more complicated than the one at Mosul. No doubt IS is monitoring discussions between Ankara and Washington, probably even more so than are Moscow, Tehran and Damascus.
February 21, 2017

Turkeys beleaguered pro-Kurdish bloc was dealt a further blow Feb. 21 when the parliament stripped its imprisoned co-leader of her seat. An appeals court upheld Figen Yuksekdag's conviction of spreading terrorist propaganda.

Yuksekdag and fellow co-leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (HDP) Selahattin Demirtas remain in jail together with at least nine other HDP deputies  their numbers keep fluctuating  on a wide array of often sketchily constructed terror charges. Yuksekdag lost her seat because she attended the funeral of a left-wing militant deemed to be a terrorist.

Idris Baluken, another HDP member of parliament who was intimately involved in now scrapped peace talks between the government and imprisoned Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan, was rearrested today after an appeals court's objection to his release three weeks ago was sustained. Another court in the eastern province of Dogubayazit, meanwhile, slapped Demirtas with a five-month jail sentence for insulting the Turkish people, the Turkish state and its institutions.

The all-out legal assault on the HDP is widely seen as an attempt by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) to win over nationalist voters in the run-up to the April 16 referendum on boosting the powers of the presidency. The HDP is fiercely opposed to the measures that would essentially result in one-man rule.

With his boyish charm, biting wit and oratory flair, Demirtas helped carry the HDP into the parliament for the first time in June 2015 with the campaign slogan, We will not make you an executive president. The platform made him the bete noire of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish president bent on formalizing the sweeping powers he already wields.

Erdogan, who became the first Turkish politician to sanction direct peace talks with Ocalan, is credited with granting Turkeys estimated 16 million Kurds greater rights than any of his predecessors combined. But these rights are being steadily rolled back in ways that appear to criminalize any overt expressions of Kurdishness, just as happened during decades of military tutelage that Erdogan helped crush. A sad example played out in the western province of Aydin last week: A group of Kurdish high school students were taken in and grilled by police after fellow students complained that they had been listening to Kurdish music and dancing Kurdish folk dances. The local prosecutor who ordered their interrogation deemed their materials terrorist propaganda. The students were nonetheless set free for lack of evidence, the Turkish-language Hurriyet Daily News reported.

Pressure on the Kurds may well scare many in the battle-scarred southeast of the country away from the ballot box on April 16.

Erdogan and other AKP leaders have openly labeled potential naysayers as terrorists and traitors and are touting the referendum as a test of patriotism. The government is bent on keeping the Kurds at home because their votes could well tip the balance, claimed Sezgin Tanrikulu, a member of parliament for the main opposition Republican Peoples Party. Tanrikulu, who is also a globally acclaimed human rights lawyer, told Al-Monitor, The rights violations that we are currently witnessing in Turkey are on an unparalleled scale.

Tanrikulu had just petitioned the parliament to investigate allegations of extrajudicial killings and torture in the village of Korukoy near the Syrian border. A curfew was slapped on the village on Feb. 11 as part of an operation to hunt down PKK militants said to be in the area. All access to Korukoy has been blocked, leaving residents trapped inside with dwindling food supplies and allegedly subjected to sustained abuse by security forces.

Feleknas Uca, an HDP member of parliament who was prevented from entering the village over the weekend, asked, What is the state seeking to conceal in Korukoy? Uca told the independent ArtiGercek news portal that 65 families live in the village and that there were unconfirmed reports that at least 40 villagers had been detained so far. She also brought up claims that two teenage girls were being held hostage by the security forces. Graphic images said to be shot in Korukoy of the bloodied corpses of men, presumably PKK militants, circulated via social media accounts that were swiftly suspended.

The governorate of Mardin province, under whose jurisdiction Korukoy falls, dismissed the allegations of ill-treament. Contrary to media reports, the operations against the PKK were carried out in keeping with the rules of the state of law and the protection of civilian lives and property is a priority,  the governors office said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the authorities have detained 26 people said to be linked to a car bomb attack that killed an 11-year-old boy and a guard in the southeastern province of Urfa on Feb. 17. Turkish officials say the PKK, which has escalated urban attacks in recent months, killing security personnel and civilians alike, is the key suspect in the bombing.
Whole Foods remains committed to Alabama after announcing plans to shutter nine stores this year in the U.S.

Betsy Harden, a spokeswoman for the Austin supermarket chain, said the stores that will close or have already closed are in Georgia, Colorado, California, New Mexico, Utah, Arizona and Illinois. The retailer has also closed one commissary kitchen and will shut down two others in the coming weeks.

Whole Foods, which has 93 stores in development, also recently terminated two leases and signed four new ones. Harden said the company is renewing its portfolio and being "more thoughtful" about future expansion.

"As a company, we are looking forward to continue to grow," she told AL.com.

The company's most recent earnings report shows comparable store sales dropped for the sixth straight quarter to 2.4 percent in the 16 weeks ending Jan. 15. Total sales were up 1.9 percent, while net income was $95 million overall.

Whole Foods launched 13 stores, including two relocations, during the first quarter. In the current second quarter, the grocer has already opened three stores and expects to open three more soon.

Whole Foods has been in expansion mode in Alabama since 2014, opening stores in Mountain Brook, Huntsville, Mobile and Montgomery over a two-year period.

John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods, co-founded the organic and natural foods store in 1980 with Rene Lawson Hardy, Craig Weller and Mark Skiles. The business now employs 87,000 team members and has more than 465 stores in the U.S., Canada and United Kingdom.

Mackey said they are "committed to taking every step necessary to improve comps and deliver higher returns for our shareholders."

"To this end, we are refining our growth strategy, refocusing our efforts on best serving our core customers, and moving faster to fully implement category management," he said in a statement.
After a long day of traveling through Alabama, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, just wanted a quiet, relaxing dinner after they got to Birmingham Monday night.

So they went to OvenBird, the live-fire restaurant owned by James Beard Award-winning chef Chris Hastings and his wife, Idie.

"They just wanted some privacy," Chris Hastings told AL.com this afternoon. "They had chosen our restaurant in advance, and they just wanted to come and have a nice meal together - no fuss, no picture-taking. They just wanted a nice dinner after a long day."

Zuckerberg and his wife have embarked on a tour of all 50 states, starting with Alabama. They were in Mobile and Bayou La Batre over the weekend and traveled through Selma and Camden on Monday before arriving in Birmingham, where they toured the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and visited with former death row inmate Anthony Ray Hinton.

Hastings said he received word from Zuckerberg's team that the Facebook CEO and his wife were planning to dine at OvenBird, which is in the Pepper Place complex in Birmingham's Lakeview District.

The couple requested a private dining spot, and they were seated in a separate room near the restaurant's wood-burning hearth.

"We got an advance notice from his team, and they gave us some clear parameters about what to do, what not to do," Hastings said.

"Our instructions were to take no pictures, just say hello to them and let them be and have a nice, quiet meal. And that's what we did."

Hastings said guests at the restaurant recognized Zuckerberg but were respectful and did not take pictures or interrupt his meal.

Zuckerberg and his wife enjoyed a dinner that included spit-roasted duck, shaved Brussels sprouts, oven-roasted broccoli, tuna and avocado toast, shishito peppers, sunchoke paella, octopus salad and OvenBird's famous beef fat candle, Hastings said. Zuckerberg had OvenBird's signature cocktail, the Rufus Horneros, and his wife had a non-alcoholic mocktail.

"They had a big ol' meal," Hastings said. "They crushed it."

Hastings and his wife gave Zuckerberg and his wife signed copies of their "Hot and Hot Fish Club" cookbook, as well as the "Reel Masters" cookbook and the nonfiction book "Seeds of Reprisal: Monsanto vs. Michael White."

"It was a very exciting night for us," Hastings said. "When Mark Zuckerberg picks you for anything -- I don't care who you are or whatever you do -- you know he has done his homework.

"It was very flattering for us to be chosen to be the restaurant where they ate. We took that very seriously and with a great deal of pride. We just wanted to respect their wishes and make sure the food and service were spectacular and that they could just enjoy a date night."
The Rev. Al Sharpton will serve as the keynote speaker of Wenonah High School's 14th annual Unity Breakfast set for Friday

Sharpton, a Civil Rights activist, will speak on this year's theme: "Facing the Future and Cherishing the Milestones." The breakfast starts at 8:30 a.m.

The event, spearheaded by Wenonah High School Principal Regina Carr-Hope and other staff, is held every year during Black History Month. It attracts hundreds of attendees.

The breakfast will feature a culinary breakfast prepared by the award-winning Wenonah High School Culinary Arts Team, according to the city of Birmingham. Wenonah High School Choir and Fine Arts team and others will perform and pay tribute to the life and legacies of Civil Rights activists.

Birmingham City Councilor Sheila Tyson, whose district includes students who attend Wenonah High School, said she couldn't be more excited for the event.

"It's important that our students really understand what struggles our ancestors fought for and faced so that they can enjoy the freedoms of today," she said in a prepared statement. "We must help them stay focused on doing their absolute best and also encourage them set the pace for the next generation. We are all benefitting from Black History and the journey of Civil Rights can't be told enough."

Wenonah High School is located at 2800 Wilson Road Southwest in Birmingham. Shuttles are available to the school. For information on tickets, call 205-231-1700 or 205-231-1704.

Sharpton's speech will be livestreamed, according to Birmingham City Schools. A link for the livestream will be added to this post when it becomes available.

Click here for more information on Birmingham City Schools Black History Month events.

Updated at 5:07 p.m: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated the unity breakfast is on Thursday. It is set for Friday, Feb. 24.
The impeachment investigation of Gov. Robert Bentley was a subject of renewed interest in the Alabama House of Representatives last week, but lawmakers generally say the overlapping investigation by the attorney general's office rightly takes precedence for now.

Some legislators say recent developments in the almost year-long scandal involving the governor raise the distraction level as they grapple with issues like Bentley's plan to borrow $800 million to build four new prisons. Others say not much has changed.

Those recent developments include the appointment of Attorney General Luther Strange by Bentley to the U.S. Senate and the announcement by Strange's successor, Bentley appointee Steve Marshall, that the AG's office is investigating the governor.

"It is, in my opinion, a cloud over the process right now," said Rep. David Standridge, R-Hayden. "It's something we can't help but think about when we're trying to make big decisions.

"There is a problem with trust in the governor's proposals. That is causing problems in my opinion. You feel like you have to check and double check because confidence has been shaken."

Standridge, who chairs the House Rural Caucus, said House members heard concerns in their districts after Bentley took former adviser Rebekah Mason on the state plane to the Trump inauguration. (Mason went with her husband, Jon Mason, a Bentley cabinet member who had official business on the trip, according to the governor.)

"I think obviously a lot of people had a problem with that," Standridge said. "I'm talking about the citizens of Alabama. Then the appointment of Luther Strange under the circumstances raises a lot of eyebrows.

"I think the House sentiment is just a reflection of what they're hearing in their districts."

Legislators return to Montgomery on Tuesday to begin the third week of the session.

The governor has denied doing anything illegal or anything to warrant impeachment, which would not necessarily require illegal conduct.

In November, the House Judiciary Committee paused its impeachment investigation of the governor at the request of Strange, who said his office was investigating related matters.

Strange's successor, Marshall, confirmed last week that the AG's office is investigating Bentley, recused himself and appointed former Montgomery County District Attorney Ellen Brooks to oversee the probe.

House Judiciary Chairman Mike Jones said last week he would consult with Brooks about clearance to resume the committee's investigation.

Jones said he expects that to happen in time for a vote on impeachment before the end of the legislative session, which will be in late May.

Ross Garber, who represents the governor's office in the impeachment investigation, said today that Bentley is focused on governing and the legislative session.

"The governor has great respect for Chairman Jones and the members of the Judiciary Committee," Garber said in a statement. "He is confident that they recognize that any governor is afforded all due process protections at every stage of an impeachment. This is crucial because an impeachment would immediately overturn the votes of the citizens of Alabama and remove the elected governor, even before any trial in the Senate."

If the Judiciary Committee recommends impeachment to the full House, it would take a vote of 63 representatives, three-fifths of the House, to bring that recommendation up for a vote.

It would then take a vote of 53 members, a majority of the House membership, to send the charges to the Senate for a trial.

Under Section 127 of the state Constitution, the lieutenant governor would assume the duties of the governor's office upon impeachment, even before the trial.

Only acquittal in the Senate could return Bentley to office.

Last week, Reps. Corey Harbison and Randall Shedd, both Republicans from Cullman County, circulated a new impeachment resolution against the governor in the House, but it did not come up for a vote.

Harbison and Shedd, who did not sign the impeachment resolution against Bentley last year, said they were concerned about what they see as the erosion of public trust in state government caused by the lingering scandal.

Some other legislators said today the Bentley investigations are not keeping them from doing their work and can be resolved in due time.

Rep. Randy Wood, R-Anniston, said the appointment of Strange upset some people but he has not seen a great change in attitude of most House members.

"I don't think it's affecting our work," Wood said. "Not in the State House. I can't see where it is."

Rep. Reed Ingram, R-Montgomery, said he sees no sudden surge in urgency on the impeachment issue.

"I don't think the fire is lit any hotter," said Ingram, one of 23 House members who signed the resolution to send the impeachment charges to the Judiciary Committee last year.

Ingram said only a few House members talked to him about impeachment last week. He said lawmakers are more concerned about other issues, such as the prison plan and a possible proposal to raise gasoline taxes to pay for road projects and maintenance.

"I don't think it's a distraction," Ingram said. "It's still the big elephant in the room, but I think everybody is trying to get everything else done and then we'll look at it if there's enough time."

Rep. Tim Wadsworth, R-Arley, said he thinks House members are concentrating on issues like funding Medicaid and the state budgets until the Judiciary Committee issues a report.

Wadsworth said the investigations are not affecting his work.

"I represent my district and what he does in the executive branch really has very little impact on what we do," Wadsworth said.

Two Democrats on the Judiciary Committee, Rep. Merika Coleman of Birmingham and Marcel Black of Tuscumbia, said there is a growing sense of urgency among some House members to complete the investigation.

"(There is) if I'm not reading fake news," Black joked.

Black said Bentley's appointment of Strange to the U.S. Senate concerned some lawmakers.

"Not that I'm saying that there's anything there, but they did kind of dance around the investigation and related work," Black said.

Judiciary Chairman Jones has said he believed Strange made the request to suspend the investigation "in good faith" and Strange, when asked about a possible conflict caused by his appointment, noted that he made the request on Nov. 1, a week before Trump's election, which eventually created the vacancy that he now fills.

When the Judiciary Committee does resume its work, an unresolved question is whether it has the power to enforce subpoenas for witnesses and documents.

Lawyers for the governor's office say it does not.

Black said it would be difficult for the committee to gather information necessary for the investigation without subpoena power.

Black said he believes Jones did the right thing in suspending the investigation at Strange's request.

Rep. Jim Hill, R-Moody, a retired circuit judge, said there does appear to be "some level of angst among some members of the House" about the status of impeachment investigation.

"However, it is important to note that the work of the Judiciary committee was delayed at the request of then Attorney General Luther Strange in November 2016," Hill said in an email. "General Strange never reported that the work of the AG's office was completed. I don't believe it would be prudent to take an action that could interfere with the work of the AG's office.

"Steve Marshall has only recently been appointed Attorney General and I believe he deserves a reasonable period of time to assess the situation."

Rep. Ed Henry, R-Hartselle, initiated the impeachment resolution last April after allegations that Bentley had an affair with Mason and questions about whether he used state resources to facilitate it.

Bentley admitted to inappropriate behavior with Mason after recordings of phone calls on which he is heard making comments of a sexual nature became public. Bentley and Mason denied they had an affair.

In January, the governor's annual campaign finance report showed his campaign paid about $9,000 in legal fees for Rebekah Mason in January 2016.

Secretary of State John Merrill said he believed that was an illegal use of campaign funds and notified the Ethics Commission.

Bentley attorney William Athanas wrote a letter to the Ethics Commission explaining why they believed the payment was legal.
A local company that will offer pedal tours of the Magic City is closer to becoming a reality.

Claire Kobza of Birmingham Pedal Tours said while a launch date has not been set, the company is closer to finalizing the concept. "We have been working diligently with the City of Birmingham to put together a municipal ordinance that will allow us to bring pedal tours to the Magic City. There is still a good amount of work to be done before making this a reality. Our number one goal right now is to find a way to make this concept possible while keeping our passengers safe," she said.

The company started a Facebook page last week to see how interested people would be, and Kobza called the reaction "overwhelming." "It's easy to recognize our city is booming and we think this concept will be a perfect compliment to all the new restaurants, breweries, and bars."

The pedal-powered bike is designed as an alternate method of transportation for those who want to drink alcohol, but not drive. The bike can accommodate 14 passengers.

According to Kobza, the bike is equipped with an electric-assist motor, a sound system, and a vinyl rain cover. Birmingham Pedal Tours plans to offer private and public tours, and will have routes that travel to bars or breweries downtown, in Avondale, or in Lakeview.

"As residents of Birmingham we know our city is incredibly passionate about keeping things local... We live downtown, we patron the bars and breweries, we listen to what people want. This will set us apart from the franchises and large chain pedal companies in other cities," she said.

Initially, the company is not planning to offer alcohol on the bike.

Launch dates and news can be found on the company's Facebook page or website.
JCC.jpg

Birmingham police and firefighters responded Monday morning to the Levite Jewish Community Center on Montclair Road. The hoax threat was one of nearly a dozen throughout the U.S. Monday.

A bomb threat at Birmingham's Levite Jewish Community Center Monday morning was one of almost a dozen across the U.S.

The threat was received via phone around 10 a.m. The building, including the daycare, was briefly evacuated before Birmingham police gave the all-clear.

According to The Hill, the JCC Association of North America reported similar threats at 10 other Jewish community centers Monday, including facilities in Chicago, Buffalo, Houston and Tampa. All of the threats were determined to be hoaxes.

"Our JCCs are strongly rooted in communities across the country," David Posner, director of strategic performance at JCC Association of North America, said in a statement to thehill.com. "We will not be cowed by threats intended to disrupt people's lives or the vital role Jewish community centers play as gathering places, schools, camps, and fitness and recreation centers."

The JCC Association of North America reported that 11 Jewish community centers received bomb threats Monday, including centers in Chicago, Buffalo, Houston and Tampa. The threats "were determined to be hoaxes."

"Our JCCs are strongly rooted in communities across the country," David Posner, director of strategic performance at JCC Association of North America, said in a statement.

"We will not be cowed by threats intended to disrupt people's lives or the vital role Jewish community centers play as gathering places, schools, camps, and fitness and recreation centers."

According to the website, the White House issued a statement denouncing hate-motivated violence. President Trump's daughter, Ivanka, and her husband, senior Trump adviser Jared Kushner, are Jewish. Ivanka Trump responded to the threats on Twitter by saying, "America is a nation built on the principle of religious tolerance. We must protect our houses of worship & religious centers."

The JCC Association of North America reported that since the beginning of the year, there have been 69 incidents at 54 JCCs in 27 states and one Canadian province.

On Jan. 18, Birmingham police and other lawmen responded to the facility on Montclair Road in the eastern part of the city. After the building was evacuated, bomb-sniffing dogs checked out the complex and the parking lot, and the all-clear was given. The JCC Association of North America said that 28 centers were threatened that same day in the following states: Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, Massachussets, New Jersey, Connecticut, California, Kansas, New York, Michigan, Ohio, Maryland, Minnesota, Delaware, Maine, Missouri and Texas.

The FBI has previously said the investigation into the threats is ongoing.
NORFOLK  The historic Grand Theatre in downtown Norfolk is up for sale, bringing disappointment to many who tried to restore the landmark for the past 12 years.

The former theater building was built in 1920, and had then-luxury amenities like air conditioning. It became the Rialto in 1940, then the smaller divided Cinema theaters in the 1970s before it eventually closed. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2013.

Businessman J. Paul McIntosh donated the property in 2005 to the Norfolk Community Theater, which tried to obtain money to renovate the structure. The group was able to restore the front of the building and some roof repairs, but was unable to raise the $6 million to $8 million needed for improvements to the interior.

"It's very disappointing," theater board President Brad Krivohlavek told the Norfolk Daily News (http://bit.ly/2kRyy6U). "We've had various people helping us out ... but the project just isn't doable. We had to come up with plan B."

The community theater has been based for many years at Northeast Community College, but the board's vision was that the Grand Theatre would become the group's permanent home. The hope was that the building could be used to stage the community theater's productions and host recitals, business meetings and even church services that needed a facility that could seat around 300 people.

The community theater will operate at the college until it can make other arrangements.

"We're looking at all options ... but we don't have a plan," Krivohlavek said. "We want to have a facility, but we need to see what happens with the building."

The property is listed for $200,000.

"I feel bad because I'm the board president, and I couldn't get this accomplished," Krivohlavek said.
A former U.S. Department of Justice attorney, who led the prosecution of whistleblower claims against hospice giant AseraCare at a Birmingham trial, faces a federal charge in California after allegedly trying to sell information to a company under federal investigation.

He tried to make the sale under an assumed name, wearing a wig, and using a signal with a folded newspaper.

Jeffrey Wertkin was arrested Jan. 31 and charged with contempt of court as he tried to meet an official at a technology security company in Sunnyvale, Calif., to hand over a copy of a whistleblower lawsuit in exchange for $310,000 in bitcoin. The charge was unsealed and made publicly available in the online court system a week later.

A company violates the federal False Claims Act if it bills or overcharges the government for work. Employees of that company can file whistleblower lawsuits under the False Claims Act if they have information about the potential violations. In the end whistleblowers can collect a portion of any money the government recovers.

Such lawsuits, however, are supposed to be under seal while the government investigates to see if they will join the civil lawsuit and prosecute under the False Claims Act. Many times the company being investigated is unaware of the lawsuit or whistleblower allegations until the lawsuit is unsealed by a judge.

The lawsuit Wertkin tried to sell was filed under seal in January 2016, according to the information document charging Wertkin.

The employee worked with the FBI to arrange a meeting with the person trying to sell the information.

During a recorded telephone conversation Wertkin, going under the name of "Dan" at the time, told the unnamed company official that it was in the interest of the tech company to buy a copy of the lawsuit so that the company could get out ahead of the investigation.

Wertin would not negotiate on the $310,000 price and asked to be paid in Bitcoin, a digital currency, so it could not be traced, according to the information document.

A meeting was arranged where Wertkin would meet with another employee to make the exchange. The other employee was to go inside a hotel in Cupertino, Calif., and sit down in a chair with a newspaper on the seat.

Wertkin was wearing a wig when he approached the other employee and handed over a copy of the whistleblower lawsuit. The other employee was an FBI agent and Wertkin was immediately arrested.

Once under arrest Wertkin said out loud "my life is over," according to the charging document.

Wertkin was a former trial attorney for the DOJ's Civil Division who left in April 2016 to join the large Washington D.C. based law firm Akin Gump, according to the charging information. According to a biography of Wertkin on that firm's website Wertkin had led 20 major fraud investigations, according to the charging information. He also was an adjunct professor at Georgetown University's McCourt School of Public Policy.

One fraud investigation in which Wertkin was involved is the whistleblower False Claims Act allegations against AseraCare.

A trial was held in Birmingham in 2015 in the AseraCare lawsuit at the federal courthouse. The claims were that the company fraudulently billed Medicare millions of dollars for patients who were not really on the verge of dying.

The DOJ said AseraCare should be on the hook for more than $200 million for overbilling reimbursement, fines and fees.

Chief U.S. District Court Judge Karon Bowdre divided the trial into two phases. A jury in 2015 in the first phase found AseraCare had filed false claims in 104 of 121 patient cases. Bowdre, however, tossed out the verdict and ordered a new trial.

Bowdre then on March 31, 2016 tossed out the entire lawsuit against AseraCare, finding that the government's claims that AseraCare had filed false claims to Medicare were based on the opinion of one doctor.

In May 2016 the DOJ filed an appeal to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals of Bowdre's orders in the case. Oral arguments before that court are scheduled for March 16.

A DOJ spokeswoman declined comment about Wertkin's arrest. Efforts to reach his attorney for comment were unsuccessful.
Mobile County Metro Jail on July 14, 2016

The interior of a local jail in Alabama. Women incarcerated in jail for drug use during pregnancy may not receive services to stabilize their pregnancies. (Sharon Steinmann/ssteinmann@al.com)

(Sharon Steinmann)

Raven West's first child was almost 10 months old when authorities arrested the 23-year-old Pleasant Grove woman for using drugs during her pregnancy with the girl.

West and her newborn tested positive for opiates at birth in July 2015, results a social worker reported to police, according to court records. Authorities issued a warrant in October, but didn't make an arrest for more than six months.

By the time she was booked, West was pregnant again, due in less than six months and still consumed by addiction to prescription drugs and heroin. As her pregnancy became more obvious, so did her legal problems. After she missed a hearing in August 2016, a judge sent her back to the Bessemer jail - which offers little in the way of drug treatment - even for pregnant opioid addicts who typically require medication and close observation.

Heroin use during pregnancy carries many risks for babies, but quitting cold turkey can be just as dangerous. The physical shock of drug withdrawal, and the violent sickness it causes, can trigger miscarriage in the early months and preterm labor later on. For this reason, addiction specialists treat opioid abuse in pregnancy as an urgent medical condition and move moms-to-be to the front of the line for scarce treatment spots.

Alabama gives pregnant moms priority placement in drug treatment centers, but the state also has the nation's harshest laws punishing those who use drugs during pregnancy. At least 500 women have been charged with felony chemical endangerment of a child since prosecutors began applying the 2006 meth lab law to women who use drugs during pregnancy. Addiction experts argue that putting women in jail can also put therapy out of reach - and West's case shows just how hard it can be to treat women during criminal punishment.

At issue, particularly for pregnant women, is access to medication such as buprenorphine and methadone, which stabilize cravings and withdrawal but aren't usually available in jail.

Some sheriffs and district attorneys say they can use chemical endangerment charges as leverage to get women into treatment, but that didn't happen for West or Alexandra Laird, another Pleasant Grove woman charged twice for chemical endangerment after using heroin. A judge ordered Laird back to jail in September after she admitted using heroin during pregnancy, but her treatment team at UAB refused to release her due to concerns about the adequacy of care at the Bessemer jail.

In a letter submitted on behalf of Laird's defense team, Sarah Harkless, director of substance abuse treatment and development for the Alabama Department of Mental Health, wrote that jails aren't designed for drug treatment, especially for pregnant women.

"This is especially relevant to pregnant women with opioid addictions who require ongoing medical evaluation, monitoring and maintenance on appropriate medication" Harkless wrote. "Jails are not equipped to provide this level of medical care."

West, who has been incarcerated in the Bessemer jail since November, granted an interview during visiting hours in January. Despite spending much of her pregnancy behind bars, she said no one suggested treatment until a judge noticed her bulging stomach just a few weeks before her due date.

"Nobody ever said anything about treatment until I was eight months pregnant," West said.

Suzanne Muir, associate director for UAB Substance Abuse Programs, said drug treatment resources are scarce for people without private insurance and the system is difficult to navigate without assistance. Alabama spends a minimal amount on public drug treatment programs - just enough to qualify for federal funds and not nearly enough to provide treatment to a growing number of opioid addicts. Although there are services available, Alabama is not one of 19 states that have created publicly-funded substance abuse programs specifically geared toward pregnant women, according to the Guttmacher Institute.

"It can be very difficult to find out where to go for help," Muir said.

Despite Alabama's crackdown on drug use during pregnancy, the number of babies born dependent on drugs keeps rising. An analysis of claims submitted to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama showed the number of claims more than doubled from 63 to 132 between 2014 and 2016, according to spokeswoman Koko Mackin. Babies dependent on opioids must be weaned over weeks or months and can cost as much as five times more than a normal newborn to treat in the hospital, Mackin wrote in an email.

Many medical and civil liberties groups oppose Alabama's punitive approach to drug use during pregnancy. In 2011, the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists urged its members to fight such laws.

"Incarceration and the threat of incarceration have proved to be ineffective in reducing the incidence of alcohol and drug abuse," the opinion read.

Tennessee passed a law against fetal assault aimed at pregnant women who use opioids in 2014. But the law was allowed to expire two years later following reports of women avoiding hospitals during labor for fear of arrest.

Pleasant Grove sits in a pocket of post-industrial Jefferson County that has been hit particularly hard by heroin and prescription drug addiction.

Pleasant Grove Police Lt. Danny Reid said law enforcement agencies all over the area have noticed sharp increases in heroin-related crime, including chemical endangerment. Rates of heroin use have sharply increased among young women between the ages of 18 and 25, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"Whether it's the women using during pregnancy or the number of overdoses, yeah, we're seeing more of it," Reid said.

West said her drug use started with marijuana and prescription pills, before she got hooked on cheap heroin flooding the Birmingham area. West finally received a release to treatment in October, but said she felt uncomfortable at the rehab facility, which is located near burned out houses in a high-crime area. She walked out less than a day after she arrived.

"Maybe it would have been better if they sent me earlier," she said.

According to court records, she consumed Xanax and Lortab less than 24 hours later.

She used heroin the day after that, and went into labor on her third day out of jail, according to court records. Her unborn son was still kicking when she used, according to documents, but stopped before West delivered. He came into the world stillborn at Princeton Baptist Medical Center, a 7-pound infant who never took a breath.

Authorities filed more felony charges against West, contending that heroin use killed her baby - a charge that carries up to 99 years in prison. West said her doctor found blood clots on her placenta, a common cause of stillbirth that could be unrelated to drug use. The district attorney's office in Bessemer did not return calls seeking comment and would not release the autopsy report, citing the ongoing investigation.

Unable to make $30,000 bond, West returned to jail in November, grieving her baby's loss and suffering withdrawal.

Nancy Rosenbloom, director of legal advocacy for National Advocates for Pregnant Women, said the number of arrests in Alabama, and the length of prison sentences, far outpaces any other state.

"We see more cases every week from Alabama," she said. "It really is extraordinary even in the US today the fervor with which they are going after pregnant women."

Rosenbloom said research shows that incarceration is less effective than treatment - which women won't receive if they avoid doctors and hospitals for fear of arrest. The opioid epidemic - which has struck many white rural communities - has improved understanding about the disease of addiction, Rosenbloom said, but increasing sympathy doesn't extend to pregnant women.

"Again and again, addiction medicine specialists and neonatologists all say that affordable and confidential and effective health care is the answer," she said. "Our concern of course is that as this law in Alabama is used more and more, it's harming women and their families."

West wouldn't be the first woman in Alabama sentenced to prison after a stillbirth. The first woman to challenge her conviction for chemical endangerment at the Alabama Supreme Court spent three years behind bars after the death of her son, born several months premature in 2008. West could face decades in prison, a prospect unthinkable to the young woman who said she is still grieving for her son.

"Are they really going to send a woman who just lost her baby to prison?" West asked.
As legalized marijuana spreads across the United States, most observers remain skeptical that recreational marijuana will be legal anytime soon in Alabama.

"We're the Bible Belt," said Gary Hetzel, a retired warden at Donaldson and Holman prisons and now executive director of the Alabama Therapeutic Education Facility. "We're too conservative."

This is an occasional series looking at marijuana use in Alabama, from colleges to courtrooms. Most of the nation has approved some legal uses. And this year medical marijuana arrives next door in Florida.

Marijuana activists are hopeful, but realistic.

"It will be legal here when the people force their elected officials to stop enforcing an obviously failed and disastrous policy," said Loretta Nall, executive director of Alabamians for Compassionate Care and founder of the U.S. Marijuana Party, which began as the Alabama Marijuana Party. "Having been an activist here and knowing how difficult it is to motivate enough people to make a difference, I'll say that I don't see that happening any time soon."

Alabama's reputation for conservatism and lagging social trends make it an unlikely candidate. Yet everyone agrees the idea becomes less farfetched each time another state votes to legalize it and as popular opinion continues to shift in favor of legalization.

"No, I do not think there will be any legalization of marijuana in Alabama," said Ralph Hendrix, former program manager for UAB Treatment Alternatives for Safer Communities. But he sees the conversation shifting. "Marijuana is prolific now; it's just a failed strategy and policy," he said. "The tax revenue could be going toward schools. The medical uses are becoming front and center. There is a lot of evidence marijuana helps veterans with PTSD. "

The University of Alabama at Birmingham has been a focal point for research on medicinal uses of marijuana. As medical research delves into the potential benefits of marijuana for treatment of pain and diseases such as cancer, that could shift the discussion even more.

"I think there's going to be an increasing sympathy," said Dr. Bisakha Sen, a professor of healthcare organization and policy at UAB. "It would first get legalized for medicinal purposes. I would expect that in the next five years. Full legalization could come a few years later."

Former prison warden Gary Hetzel, now executive director of the Alabama Therapeutic Education Facility, thinks it's unlikely that Alabama will legalize marijuana: "We're the Bible Belt." (Greg Garrison/AL.com)

Hendrix noted that research at UAB has been the impetus for drafting legislation about cannabis treatments as early as 1982. That came to fruition most recently with Alabama's two cannabinoid oil laws known as Leni's Law and Carly's Law.

In 2016, Alabama passed Leni's Law, allowing patients who suffer seizure disorders or other debilitating medical conditions to use a product that comes from the marijuana plant. The law decriminalized cannabidiol, derived from cannabis, for those with certain medical conditions in Alabama.

That law expanded on Carly's Law, passed in 2014, that authorized a UAB study on using cannabidiol to treat seizure disorders.

Medical marijuana laws have now been passed in 18 states, including some in the Southern region: Arkansas, Florida and Louisiana.

More than half of the 50 states now have laws legalizing marijuana for recreational or medicinal uses.

Since the November election, marijuana has now been legalized for adult recreational use in eight states plus the District of Columbia.

"I think we're headed in that direction," said Jonah Tobin, founder of the Alabama Mother Earth Sustainability Alliance, or MESA. "Half the country now has medical marijuana. I think it's inevitable."

Opponents see the trend and worry. "I'm concerned about our children," said Susan Short, a children's advocate in South Alabama. "We don't know even know what the science is of the effects on an unborn baby."

Many supporters of legalized marijuana worry about the effect new U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions will have on drug policy. Sessions, the former U.S. senator from Alabama and longtime opponent of marijuana legalization, could even reverse the trend of marijuana legalization by cracking down on enforcement of federal laws against marijuana in states that have legalized it.

That would also likely squelch talk of legalization in Alabama. "I don't think there's a chance with Jeff Sessions," Hendrix said.

The Drug Enforcement Agency could shut down the legal marijuana trade in other states, although it has become big business in many of those states. "The DEA still considers marijuana a Schedule A Drug, more dangerous than fentanyl," Hendrix said. "A federal crackdown could be problematic for those 24 states. It's still against the law."

Marijuana is not a lethal drug in terms of medical effects; legalization could allow focus on fatal addictive drugs, he said.

"The benefit is we could concentrate on the killing drugs," Hendrix said. "The mortality rates are horrible in Alabama because of the opiate epidemic. Marijuana has its disadvantages, like all drugs do. In terms of harm, it's not as harmful as others. The positive far outweighs the negative."

About 47 percent of all adults age 18 and over have used marijuana, according to the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, an agency of the the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

"It's everywhere in terms of volume," Hendrix said. "We can't arrest our way out of marijuana."

Support for legalized marijuana is up to 57 percent, a sign of a dramatic shift in public attitudes over the past decade, according to a survey released in October by Pew Research Center.

Loretta Nall, executive director of Alabamians for Compassionate Care and founder of the U.S. Marijuana Party, helping roll seven pounds of marijuana to throw to the crowd at the 4/20 event at the Vancouver Art Gallery in British Columbia, Canada in 2008.

That's flipped from a decade ago, when opinion on legalizing marijuana was nearly the reverse - just 32 percent favored legalization, while 60 percent were opposed.

Younger adults are driving the change. About 71 percent of millennials, age 18 to 35, support legalization of marijuana, compared to only 34 percent in 2006, the poll shows.

About 69 percent of police officers say marijuana should be legal for either personal or medical use, according to a Pew Research Center survey of about 8,000 law enforcement officials. About 32 percent said it should be legal for both medical and recreational use; about 37 percent said they favor legalization for medical use only. About 30 percent say marijuana should not be legalized.

Southern Baptists, the largest religious group in Alabama with more than a million members, and other evangelicals have traditionally opposed the legalization of marijuana.

"I don't think they've got the votes to get it in the Legislature," said the Rev. Joe Godfrey, former president of the Alabama Baptist Convention and now executive director of the Baptist-affiliated Alabama Citizens Action Program, which lobbies against alcohol, drugs and gambling.

"I'm sure they'll keep pushing until the polls move in their favor. I think what's going to be interesting is to see how Jeff Sessions will handle this. He may crack down on it. In the past he's taken a strong stance against it. That may be what state leaders are waiting for."

AL.com reporter Kent Faulk contributed to this story.
Pat Turner, Anthony Ray Hinton

FILE - In this April 3, 2015 file photo, Pat Turner, left, hugs Anthony Ray Hinton as he leaves the Jefferson County jail in Birmingham, Ala. (AP Photo/Hal Yeager, File)

(Hal Yeager)

Mark Zuckerberg in Birmingham (Facebook)

Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg continued his trip through Alabama yesterday and met with former death row inmate Anthony Ray Hinton.

Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla, arrived in Birmingham Monday night, according to a post on his Facebook page. They met with Hinton, who spent 30 years on death row after being convicted of two capital murders in 1985. He was released on April 3, 2015.

In his Facebook post, Zuckerberg told Hinton's story and explained how Hinton was exonerated. "Years later, Bryan Stevenson at the Equal Justice Initiative started researching his case. He hired experts who proved that the bullets in the crime couldn't possibly have come from Anthony's mother's gun... Finally Bryan took the case to the Supreme Court, and they ruled that the evidence had to be considered. The state court immediately dropped the case..."

Hinton won a re-trial after the U.S. Supreme Court and a Jefferson County judge determined that his original trial attorney should have hired a better gun expert, after the one used was blind in one eye and was discredited as a witness. Prosecutors dropped the charges after the new testing was revealed.

Hinton described to AL.com after being exonerated that his prosecution and incarceration was a "state-sanctioned kidnapping." He said that prosecutors could have known the truth with bullet testing when the crime was committed.

"I knew all along that it was going to come back in my favor because I never killed anyone. I never used a gun in my life," Hinton said.

Zuckerberg said Hinton told the social media mogul and his wife that no court or state officials ever apologized for his wrongful conviction. " When I heard this, I apologized to him -- not because I could have helped in his case, but because it is all of our responsibility to make our society one of justice for all," Zuckerberg said.

Zuckerberg stopped on Saturday in Mobile and Bayou La Batre, where the couple attended church and watched a Mardi Gras parade before stopping in a local bar. Zuckerberg said he is planning to visit every state in the U.S., and Alabama was first on his list.

He posted, "As a parting thought, [Hinton] told us: "I believe that when bad things happen, good people need to stand up and make sure it doesn't happen again."

Hinton and Gary Drinkard, who was released after 5 years on Alabama death row, will be speaking about their exonerations and wrongful convictions during a conference at the University of North Alabama on Thursday and Friday. The events are open to the public.

According to a post by President and CEO of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute Andrea Taylor, Zuckerberg stopped by for a visit of the institute. He did not reveal what else he and his wife would be doing during their visit in Birmingham.
One of the largest residential projects in the history of downtown Lincoln is planned for the block that is now home to the Lincoln Journal Star.

Newman Development Group of Vestal, New York, wants to build a 10- to 12-story building on the western two-thirds of the block bounded by P, Q, Ninth and 10th streets -- considered by many the gateway to downtown and the doorstep to the burgeoning Haymarket.

The $90 million to $100 million project, dubbed City Centre, would include 245 market-rate apartments, two or three floors of office space, parking and first-floor storefronts.

Newman Development has a deal in place to buy the building at 926 P St. and plans to demolish it.

The newspaper itself is not for sale, and will continue publishing from new offices. The Journal Star would retain ownership of its production building across Q Street, where the newspaper is printed.

David Newman, one of the development company's executives, on Friday revealed plans for an upscale project with amenities that will include a rooftop pool and gathering space, fitness center and a commercial-grade kitchen. The apartments will be a combination of studio, one- and two-bedroom units.

Newman said the retail component  a number of tenants have signed letters of intent  would include businesses to serve apartment residents and workers in the building. Uses could include a bank and restaurants.

Newman said no office tenants have signed up yet, but there has been a lot of interest. The company is still deciding whether to have two or three floors of office space.

The building will feature underground parking with 100 spaces and a parking deck with about 130 spaces on the second floor.

Newman said the company also plans to negotiate with the city for a certain number of parking spots in the city-owned Market Place Garage at 10th and Q streets.

Parties on both sides declined to disclose the sales price of the 78,000-square-foot Journal Star building, saying there is a confidentiality agreement in place.

Craig Forman, a broker with Home Real Estate in Lincoln, said the price is higher than the building's $4.5 million assessed value. He and Todd Lorenz are representing Newman Development.

Newman said he would like to have the deal finalized by July so demolition can start in the fall. Construction is projected to take 20 months, and Newman hopes to have the project completed early in 2020.

That timeline is largely dependent on two factors.

One is the relocation of the Journal Star's newsroom and business offices, which have been at 926 P St. since 1951. Newspapers have operated on the corner in one form or another for 135 years.

Publisher Ava Thomas said she is evaluating potential sites.

"We've narrowed our search to a few great options," she said. "We take our role as the leading provider of news and information in this community very seriously, and we'll land in a place where we can continue to serve readers, users and customers the best."

Both Thomas and Newman said the sale agreement does not require the deal to close until the end of 2017.

The other factor involved is city tax incentives.

Newman Development plans to utilize tax-increment financing, which allows the additional property taxes generated by new development to be used to pay for portions of the development that provide public benefits.

As proposed, Newman said the project would generate several million dollars worth of TIF.
PLEASE NOTE!

Due to the March 23, 2020 NM DOH Public Health Order, These Event Listings Are Not Accurate!

All non-essential businesses are closed, public gatherings are prohibited!

(One day some of these events will be rescheduled or will resume, but they are not happening now!)
Lincoln  Television celebrity and entertainer Dick Cavett received a check today for $682.70 from the Unclaimed Property Division of the Nebraska State Treasurers Office for dividends and stock proceeds from his parents estate.

Cavett is one of 1,689 Nebraskans, former Nebraskans, and heirs to receive money from the Unclaimed Property program so far in 2017. More than $1.8 million has been paid to owners so far this year after a record $16.3 million was paid to owners in 2016. A total of 16,984 claims were paid in 2016

Cavett was presented the check at a news conference at The Cornhusker Marriott Hotel in Lincoln. Presenting the check was Meaghan Aguirre, director of the Unclaimed Property Division of the Nebraska State Treasurers Office. Cavett was in Nebraska for appearances in Lincoln, Wayne, and Hastings.

Cavetts father, Alva Cavett, died in 1994, and his stepmother, Dorcas Cavett, died in 2007. Both were well-known Nebraska educators. Cavett Elementary School in Lincoln is named in honor of the couple. -

When we receive news coverage of these types of presentations, it substantially increases the number of claims that are filed with our office, which would not otherwise have been filed, State Treasurer Don Stenberg wrote in a letter read to Cavett at the news conference. Stenberg was unable to attend.

It is fair to say that your participation in this event will likely lead to the return of tens of thousands of dollars of unclaimed property to hundreds of our fellow Nebraskans (you will always be a Nebraskan). In some cases, this money is desperately needed by those who are receiving it, Stenberg wrote.

Mr. Cavett, thank you for working with our office to claim your unclaimed property and helping bring awareness to our program, Aguirre said. In 2016, our office returned more than $16.3 million in unclaimed property to Nebraskans and former Nebraskans, which is a record amount of unclaimed property returned in a single year in the State of Nebraska.

Altogether, the Treasurers Office is holding more than $170 million in unclaimed funds for more than 350,000 owners. Common forms of unclaimed property are uncashed paychecks, refunds, rental deposits, utility deposits, stocks, dividends, insurance payments, savings bonds, matured CDs, and lost IRAs.

Aguirre said owners may search for unclaimed property anytime at treasurer.nebraska.gov. In instances in which property is $500 or less, owners may file claims online through the Treasurers website.

Aguirre offered these tips when searching for unclaimed property:

 For an amount greater than $500, an owner may complete the claim form found on the website and mail to the State Treasurers Office, Unclaimed Property Division, 809 P St., Lincoln, NE 68508-1390. The form must be notarized.

 Call the Unclaimed Property Division at 1-877-572-9688 toll free outside of Lincoln or 402-471-8497 in Lincoln. Calls are taken between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., CT, weekdays, except state holidays.

 Visit the Unclaimed Property office at 809 P Street in Lincoln or in the Treasurers Office in Suite 2005 of the State Capitol. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except state holidays. An owner should bring a drivers license and Social Security card.

 If filing on behalf of a deceased family member for an amount greater than $500, the owner will be asked for documentation to establish legal authority to file the claim, such a will, death certificate, obituary notice, and personal representative documents.
While the media focuses on rise of far-right, anti-fascist organisations are growing in response across the US.

Images of a light fixture swallowed by flames, smashed windows, battered ATMs and black-masked demonstrators throwing firecrackers at police officers were broadcast on TV screens across the US earlier this month when protests erupted at the University of California, Berkeley.

Become ungovernable read a banner carried by the anti-fascist demonstrators. This is war was scrawled across another.

Thousands of people protested that night against the university providing a platform for a far-right speaker known for his anti-immigrant rhetoric, but about 150 black-clad demonstrators decided to use force, tearing down rows of police barricades.

As fires burned outside the university, Milo Yiannopoulos, an Alt-Right provocateur and editor at the far-right Breitbart news blog, was evacuated from the campus before he could deliver his lecture

A day before the incident, Breitbart announced that Yiannopoulos and the far-right David Horowitz Freedom Centre were using his talk at the university to launch a campaign against sanctuary campuses that protect undocumented students.

In a statement before the talk, university officials expressed concern that he would use the platform to publicly name undocumented students. Yiannopoulos called the statement a total fabrication.

A week earlier, a Yiannopoulos supporter shot an anti-fascist activist protesting against a lecture by the Breitbart editor at the University of Washington campus in Seattle.

By Any Means Necessary (BAMN), a left-wing civil rights organisation, was one of the militant anti-fascist groups involved in the protest.

The movement effectively shut down Yiannopoulos because it was a mass action with thousands of people who were united in the immediate goal of preventing fascists from gaining a foothold at UC Berkeley, Yvette Felarca, BAMNs northern California coordinator, told Al Jazeera by email.

BAMN, Black Bloc [protesters] and thousands of others found a way to protect each other and unite together because we shared the same political and tactical goal, she said.

Black bloc is a tactic in which protesters  often anarchists  dress all in black and conceal their identities with hoodies, ski masks, sunglasses or scarves. Making it difficult to identify protesters serves to protect them from legal consequences.

Felarca added: Our success at Berkeley, with thousands united together to shut him [Yiannopoulos] down by any means necessary, was a rebellion against Trumps attempt to build a fascist movement in America and destroy the hard fought democratic gains that have been won here.

What is Antifa?

The violence at Berkeley was just the latest in a series of events involving anti-fascist protesters and others who advocate the use of force against the far right.

Based on principles of anti-racism, anti-capitalism and anti-authoritarianism, anti-fascist groups  often known as Antifa  are loosely knit and generally made up of semi-autonomous individuals dedicated to preventing the spread of fascism.

On the day of President Donald Trumps inauguration, Antifa protesters also used black bloc tactics.

During those protests, a limousine was set on fire, and a masked Antifa activist punched white supremacist Richard Spencer as he was being interviewed on camera.

READ MORE: White Lives Matter  A new US hate group shows its face

More than 200 protesters were charged over their involvement.

Earlier this month, about 100 anti-fascists protested at New York University, disrupting a lecture by far-right public figure Gavin McInnes. Local media reported that at least 11 people were arrested, and McInnes was pepper-sprayed by a protester during the tussle.

McInnes, who co-founded Vice Media and left the company in 2008, is a Trump supporter who has boasted of his anti-feminist views and defended racism, transphobia and other forms of discrimination. He also founded the Proud Boys, an online group whose motto is West is best.

A debate within the US left

In a statement released after the UC Berkeley protests, the universitys administration condemned the violence and argued that it violated the principles of free speech.

Writing on Twitter, Trump threatened to revoke federal funding for the university. But experts say the president is not legally permitted to withdraw funds from a university for prohibiting someone from speaking on campus.

Yet the violence also sparked a debate between factions of the US left.

In the Socialist Worker, a newspaper affiliated with the International Socialist Organisation, Mukund Rathi defended the protests against Yiannopoulos but condemned the use of black bloc tactics.

These tactics endangered several thousand people who were not given an opportunity to say if they should be used or not, wrote Rathi, who participated in the protest.

Later in the night, anarchists tagged and smashed the windows of several off-campus banks and other businesses, a pointless exercise in property destruction that doesnt politicise anyone.

But BAMNs Felarca argues that the rise in the number of racist attacks in the US demonstrates the need for a mass and militant movement that is capable of defending ourselves.

Our side is growing and also prepared to be more politically militant and support more militant struggle, she said.

Mass, militant, direct action is essential to stopping neo-fascists and defeating their whole movement. Immigrant communities and all who are targeted by fascists are stronger for having a movement that is prepared to defend against the physical and political attacks of white supremacists, Felarca added.

If the movement continues building as large and as powerfully in this direction, we can defeat Trump, his entire racist agenda, and get him out without waiting for the next election.

The rise of the far-right

The growth in the number and membership of anti-fascist groups comes as far-right organisations have been energised by Trumps campaign and election.

Since the November 8 elections, the Southern Poverty Law Centre (SPLC) has recorded 1,372 incidents of harassment and intimidation, more than 25 percent of which were motivated by anti-immigrant sentiments. Nearly 19 percent of those incidents targeted African Americans, while another nine percent targeted Muslims.

The SPLC estimates that there are at least 917 US-based hate groups, including 130 Ku Klux Klan chapters, 100 white nationalist organisations and 99 neo Nazi groups.

McMaster Universitys Henry Giroux, author of America at War with Itself and Dangerous Thinking in the Age of New Authoritarianism, describes the ideological worldview of Trump and his allies as neo fascism.

Fascist ideologies and practices of the past can reappear in new forms, he told Al Jazeera. These forms take on a very specific distinction wrapped in new kinds of symbolism, practices and spectacles, but basically reinforce fascist ideologies, policies and practices.

Giroux pointed to the appeal to the past, the claim that the nation is in decline, the notion that you have to be xenophobic in order to support a new kind of nationalism, the call for walls and barriers  white supremacy and the racial privileging that informs Trumps discourse.

READ MORE: Know your history  Understanding racism in the US

These all have echoes of a Nazi past, he said. Instead of talking about Jews, hes talking about Muslims What you have in the United States is the death of democracy, even in its most fragile forms.

Against the backdrop of increased vigilante violence towards groups already enduring state oppression or neglect  people of colour, undocumented immigrants, refugees and members of the LGBTQ community, among others  anti-fascist tactics have assumed a renewed relevance. Viewing the state as part of the oppressive apparatus that maintains white supremacy, anti-fascists reject a reliance on law enforcement to curb or hinder far-right violence and incitement.

The long history of anti-fascism

Anti-fascist movements date back to the emergence of European fascism in the 1920s. From their inception, these movements included a broad range of left-wing individuals: anarchists, socialists, communists and others ideologically opposed to fascism.

In 1924, the Red Front Fighters League, tied to the Communist Party of Germany, was one of the first organisations to engage in fights with Nazis in the streets. Its membership is estimated to have reached 130,000 within five years. After the Nazis took full control, many of its leaders were arrested, jailed, banished to camps and executed. Others fled and joined the fight against fascism in Spain and elsewhere.

The logic of direct confrontation persisted, however, through the writings of prominent leftists and in practice on the ground in the form of resistance to fascists.

READ MORE: Remembering the Battle of Cable Street

In his 1934 book Whither France?, exiled Soviet revolutionary and Marxist ideologue Leon Trotsky tackled the question of how to confront the rise of fascism. Arguing for the creation of workers militias, he wrote: But how to disarm the Fascists? Naturally, it is impossible to do so with newspaper articles alone. Fighting squads must be created.

Two years later, Lithuanian anarchist activist and philosopher Emma Goldman visited the international anarchists fighting on the front line against General Francisco Francos fascist death squads during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939).

In October 1936, a broad umbrella of communists, anarchists, Jewish and Irish groups clashed with British fascist Oswald Mosleys Blackshirts to block thousands of them from marching through Jewish and Irish communities in East London. Tens of thousands resisted the Blackshirts and the police protecting them with barricades, bottles, rocks, pipes and other improvised weapons. The events of that day are commemorated as the Battle of Cable Street and remembered as a peoples victory against fascism.

In the United States, a more recent manifestation of anti-fascism dates back to the explosive growth of racist groups, among them neo-Nazis, in the punk rock scene in the 1980s.

Largely made up of anarchists and, to a lesser extent, activists ascribing to various strands of Marxism, anti-fascist activists decided to adopt the tactic of physical confrontations against white supremacists from across the spectrum: from neo-Nazi punks to the resurgent Ku Klux Klan.

The Anti-Racist Action (ARA) was established in 1988 in Minneapolis as one of the first organised anti-fascist networks.

The ARAs stated goal is eliminating racism, sexism, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, homophobia, transphobia, and discrimination against disabled people, the oldest, the youngest, and the most oppressed people and the creation of a free [and] classless society.

The Torch Antifa Network, a successor to the ARA, is active across the country and advocates direct confrontation and the disruption of far-right events.

As happened at UC Berkeley, one of the primary tasks of Antifa groups is no platforming far-right speakers  or blocking them from being provided a venue to espouse racist or xenophobic views.

Eschewing the dominant liberal understanding of free speech, Torch argues that the right to freedom of expression shouldnt translate into a guaranteed platform and does not stop the public from opposing hateful ideas.

Liberation that includes everyone

Anti-fascists say media depictions of their tactics rest on several flawed premises, chief among them that Antifa groups and fascists are two sides of the same coin, as well as the assumption that property destruction is tantamount to physical violence against people.

Antifa DFW, a group based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas, argues that media depictions of anti-fascists as merely engaging in property destruction reflects the class position and function of the media in upholding a power structure that is patriarchal, heteronormative and white supremacist.

The tunnel-vision focus on broken windows and smashed ATMs, the group says, is a tactic used to de-legitimise militant struggle and gloss over the violence inherent to these [far-fight] ideologies and the structural violence of capitalism and the state.

READ MORE: More Americans joining socialist groups under Trump

New York City-based Antifa activist Miguel Angel, who spoke to Al Jazeera using a nom de guerre, explained that anti-fascist activities are much broader than no platforming and direct confrontation.

We make sure that [the far-right] cant hide their organsing in the shadows, so that their community, publishers and event venues know who nearby is planting the seeds of racist violence, he said.

He said Antifa groups conduct research, try to educate their own communities, train for self-defence, disrupt far-right meetings and recruitment drives, carry out counter-recruitment drives and publicly expose police officers and people in power who have connections to white supremacist groups.

They also work with grassroots collectives and NGOs that organise to block immigration raids and offer sanctuary spaces for undocumented people in places of worship and peoples homes, as well as monitor police and advocate for prisoners rights.

It also means organising our communities both for their own liberation and a more general liberation that includes everyone  and that includes poor white people who do, in fact, need an alternative to the politics of white reaction led by Trump, Angel added.

We are faced with the challenge of continuing to let them expand that space of exclusion and violence, or organising the outrage at the regimes racist and authoritarian policies  to make racists afraid again in more and more parts of the country.

Follow Patrick Strickland on Twitter: @P_Strickland_



The Rise of Trump  Fault Lines




Soldier who executed a wounded Palestinian has been sentenced to 18 months in jail and a demotion.

Nazareth  Human rights groups and Palestinian leaders have condemned what they called the extremely lenient punishment of Elor Azaria, the Israeli army medic who was filmed executing a severely wounded Palestinian in Hebron last year.

On Tuesday, a military tribunal sentenced the soldier to 18 months in jail and a demotion, nearly a year after he shot a bullet from close range into the head of 21-year-old Abdel al-Fattah al-Sharif.

There has rarely been a trial in Israel where the judges have been under such relentless  and mostly hostile  scrutiny. That appeared to be reflected in their sentencing, more than a month after they found Azaria guilty of manslaughter.

The sentence was much lower than the three to five years demanded by the prosecution, and far below the maximum tariff of 20 years. One of the three judges dissented, recommending two and a half to five years.

Azaria should have received a life sentence. This will not act as a deterrence to other trigger-happy soldiers, Jamal Zahalka, a Palestinian member of the Israeli parliament, told Al Jazeera. There are thousands of other soldiers who have killed Palestinians, but are not on trial. Israeli pilots dropped bombs on schools and hospitals in Gaza [in the 2014 war]. Why are they not on trial, too?

READ MORE: Elor Azaria case  No hope of equality before the law

He called Israel a democracy of guns, adding: The real author of the crimes against Palestinians is the Israeli state. By putting one individual on trial, Israel hopes to confer legitimacy on the whole apparatus of state-sanctioned killing.

Even before the sentencing, Azarias lawyers had said they would appeal the verdict. If that fails, they have vowed to seek a pardon. Education Minister Naftali Bennett immediately backed a pardon for Azaria.

For Palestinians, the trial was viewed as little more than a farce. The family of Sharif said that Azaria had carried out a cold-blooded execution, not manslaughter. They added: The sentence he received is less than a Palestinian child gets for throwing stones.

Azaria shot Sharif more than 10 minutes after the Palestinian had been severely wounded by other soldiers at a checkpoint and was lying helpless on the ground.





Samir Zaqout, a spokesman for the al-Mezan Centre for Human Rights, based in Gaza, said the lenient sentence came as no surprise.

Palestinians dont expect any kind of justice from the Israeli legal system, he told Al Jazeera. The lives of Palestinians are judged as worthless.

Addameer, a group defending Palestinian prisoners rights, also condemned the sentence, noting that it was less than many Palestinians received for belonging to an organisation proscribed by Israel.

The message this sends to other soldiers and police officers who extrajudicially execute Palestinians is that their actions will not be seriously accounted for and that impunity will persist, it said in a statement sent to Al Jazeera.

Despite the clear-cut evidence, military prosecutors last year rejected a murder charge and settled on the lesser manslaughter indictment, amid a wave of support for Azaria from Israeli politicians and the public alike.

Palestinians don't expect any kind of justice from the Israeli legal system. The lives of Palestinians are judged as worthless. by Samir Zaqout, spokesman for the al-Mezan Centre for Human Rights

Polls showed most Israeli Jews agreed with Azarias refusal to show remorse: They believed he acted appropriately and had been unfairly singled out for prosecution.

During the trial, it emerged that Azaria, 20, held extreme anti-Arab views, which he expressed regularly on social media. In one Facebook post during the 2014 war on Gaza, he called for the massacre of every Palestinian in the small coastal enclave.

He also admitted to spending a great deal of time in Hebron with the followers of the late Meir Kahane, a rabbi whose virulently anti-Arab Kach party was outlawed in 1994 after a supporter, Baruch Goldstein, shot 29 Palestinians in Hebrons Ibrahimi mosque.

None of that damaged Azarias popularity with a large swath of the Israeli Jewish public. The Israeli media designated him as everyones son.

Despite prosecuting Azaria, the army was reported to be worried about the damage the case was doing to morale.

Local media revealed that, after Azarias conviction last month, a senior commander approached his father to persuade the family not to appeal, reportedly offering them an 18-month jail term in return. In the end, that was what the judges imposed, even without a deal.

READ MORE: Report slams Israels military law enforcement system

The army is reportedly concerned about research showing a recent sharp drop in the proportion of combat soldiers who believe their service is more important than non-combat roles. There is a similar fall among those who believe their commander will back them if they get into trouble.

Riots erupted outside the courtroom early last month when Azaria was found guilty. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was among the senior politicians who called for a pardon for Azaria even before the conviction, implying that the trial itself was a miscarriage of justice.

Sari Bashi, the Israel-Palestine director of Human Rights Watch, said that her organisations research showed that too often, soldiers adopted a shoot-to-kill policy towards Palestinians, including when their lives were not in danger or when less force could be used.

It is important that Israels political and security leaders repudiate the shoot-to-kill rhetoric, she told Al Jazeera.

Delivering the verdict last month, the court dismissed Azarias claim that he acted in self-defence. They concluded that he sought revenge on Sharif for a knife attack on a checkpoint in the occupied Palestinian city a short time before.

The three judges, who received a flood of death threats afterwards, had to be issued with bodyguards. But while sentencing was expected a few days later, the panel seemed in no hurry to conclude the case.

It emerged that the extra time had been exploited by the army to try to reach a settlement with Azaria behind the scenes.

Azarias battalion commander, Guy Hazot, secretly approached his father, Charlie Azaria, to offer lenient treatment if his son expressed regret for his actions and promised not to appeal the conviction. Charlie Azaria recorded the conversation.

According to the Jerusalem Post newspaper, the move by Hazot was designed to end the public relations headaches and social divisions the case has created in the army and throughout the country.

Hazots actions raised serious questions about the military courts independence, said Nadeem Shehadeh, a lawyer with Adalah, a legal rights group in Israel. I have never heard of a case where army commanders went over the courts head to offer a sentencing deal, he told Al Jazeera. It is highly irregular.

READ MORE: How can Palestinians legally fight occupation?

Azaria now has various options to avert or minimise prison time. He could request the head of the armys central command reduce his sentence. But more likely, he will launch an appeal. His lawyers have said they will argue that the guilty verdict was influenced by statements last year from former Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon and army commanders that there was clear evidence Azaria shot Sharif.

If that fails, Azaria can ask for a pardon from the army chief of staff, Gadi Eisenkot. And if he refuses, Azarias final option is to submit a request for a presidential pardon.

According to polls, some 70 percent of Israeli Jews support a full and immediate pardon.

There will be nothing exceptional if Azaria is reprieved. He will simply be the latest in a long line of security officials who demonstrably killed Palestinians, but were exonerated by a system that treats such murders with impunity, noted Zahalka.





In perhaps the most notorious such case, known as the Bus 300 affair, several security officials were pardoned after they were convicted of killing two Palestinians in 1984. The officers smashed the pairs skulls with rocks after they had been arrested for hijacking a bus.

Following their pardons, one, Ehud Yatom, went on to serve in the Israeli parliament. In 2001, the then-prime minister, Ariel Sharon, appointed him as his anti-terror adviser, until the courts overruled the decision.

More often, however, soldiers face no trials at all, even where there is overwhelming evidence that they committed crimes, said Shehadeh. We see lots of cases like Azarias, where soldiers injure or kill Palestinians at checkpoints, but usually nothing happens. In Azarias case, it was filmed and there was no choice but to prosecute him.

In fact, Azaria is the first soldier to be tried for manslaughter since 2004, when Taysir Hayb, a Bedouin sniper, killed British solidarity activist Tom Hurndall in Gaza. Hayb was sentenced to eight years and served six and a half.

INTERACTIVE: Building the occupation

Usually, when the army is forced to prosecute, human rights groups have noted, the proceedings are dragged out and plea deals arranged to spare soldiers trials for more serious crimes.

Last month, Ben Dery, a border police commander, had his original charge of manslaughter reduced to negligent use of a firearm in a deal with prosecutors. Dery was filmed shooting dead 17-year-old Nadim Nuwara during a protest at a West Bank checkpoint in May 2014, even though the youth posed no danger. Three other Palestinians were hit with live rounds, one of whom also died from his wounds.

The prosecution accepted Derys claim that he had mistakenly loaded a live round into his rifle when he intended to shoot a rubber bullet. Nuwaras family called the deal a trick and shame on the Israeli justice system.

Zahalka said: There will never be real justice for Palestinians from the Israeli courts. The proper address is the International Criminal Court, where Israelis must be put on trial for war crimes.
Amman  Protests are erupting across Jordan in response to rising prices and the governments decision to raise taxes on food items and services that was enacted last week.

On Saturday, protests that broke out in the southern city of Karak sparked similar protests in the southern city of Tafilah, Salt, and Madaba. Several hundred people gathered in Karak, 90km south of Amman, calling for the resignation of the Prime Minister Hani Mulki and an end to what they called a government of taxes.

We are suffocated by the governments continuous approach to solving [dire] economic conditions by turning to peoples pockets, Muath Batoush, a protester from Karak, told Al Jazeera, referring to increasing prices and taxes. Protesters chanted slogans such as Leave Mulki, Shame on you, you have sold the country for a dollar, and We cannot pay the bills for the corrupt.

On January 23, the Jordanian parliament approved the 2017 budget, which seeks to raise $643m in additional taxes and tariffs.

READ MORE  Jordan: We are tired of living like the dead

We by Muath

economic conditions by turning to peoples pockets.]

Earlier this month, the government decided to raise fuel prices raised sales tax on several commodities and telecom services ranging from eight to 16 percent.

The governments move comes as Jordan tries to reduce its budget deficit of 827 million Jordanian dinars ($1.2bn) as part of its economic reform agreement with the International Monetary Fund. In July 2016, Jordan signed a 36-month IMF programme providing it with access to $700m in loans.

During a recent interview with state TV, Mulki said that only 30 percent of basic commodities will be affected by the tax increase so as not to touch middle and poor Jordanians.

But activists disagree. They argue that the increased sales tax has affected poor and middle-class families, calling on the government to instead fight corruption and hold those accountable to reclaim what they believe are embezzled state funds.

Jordans budget deficit could be paid by returning embezzled state funds from just a couple of corrupt people if their cases are properly investigated, said Omar al-Masri, a protester from Tafilah.









Jordans economy has been affected by the deteriorating regional security situation, following a wave of popular uprisings that swept across neighbouring countries and resulted in an influx of more than a million refugees into the country. Jordan is reliant on aid money from Gulf countries.

In 2011, Gulf states pledged $5bn to Jordan in the aftermath of the Arab Spring. But the aid package expired at the end of 2016 and there are no signs that the GCC is planning to renew it.

According to official figures, unemployment rates have risen to 15.8 percent and even higher outside Amman, where job opportunities are limited.

A recent study by the National Society for Consumer Protection, a Jordanian watchdog, indicates that 61.2 percent of Jordanians feel pessimistic about the countrys economic situation and that 58.8 percent reported a decline in their living conditions.

Previous unrest in Jordan has originated in the south, such as the 1996 bread riots following the economic woes stemming from the 1991 Gulf War. Karak and Maan were also home to the April Uprising in 1989 when riots broke out in response to rising prices.





Batoush, who holds a masters degree and has been working as a school teacher for 20 years, said his salary does not exceed 500 dinar (roughly $700). His monthly rent has drastically risen to 200 dinar ($280). Most people spend their salaries in two days and just try to get by for the rest of the month, the 42-year-old told Al Jazeera.

He considers himself luckier than many educated Jordanians who remain unemployed: Every home in Karak has at least two to three university degree holders who are unemployed, Batoush said.

Jordanian commentator Majid Toubeh says protesters anger is the accumulation of years of frustration with governments economic policies  a series of austerity measures and tax increases that have failed to revive the economy. It is a sign that people are fed up. The living conditions of poor Jordanians and what is left of the shrinking middle class has become unbearable, Toubeh told Al Jazeera, warning that it could lead people to a breaking point.

On Tuesday, Jordans Retied Military Veteran Association backed the protests in a statement and called on the current government to resign.

We demand the formation of a new government that empowers Jordanians as the source of legitimacy in the country in accordance with the constitution, said the statement. It called for an immediate legal action against corruption cases.

Batoush, who participated in the Hirak, Jordans Arab Spring-inspired street protests in 2011, warns that frustration among protesters is higher than in previous years.

Once agitated people go to the streets, they will never come back, he warned.
A previous version of this article incorrectly referred to Emory College. It is Emory University.

It took four attempts for eight-year-old Miguel Gutierrez, his mother and two-year-old brother to make it to Arizona from Sonora, Mexico.

Each time we walked through the desert. The first time was probably the hardest; it was about eight to 10 hours. We stayed out through the night and camped out there, said Gutierrez, now 21. The unsuccessful journeys often ended at deportation centres, he said.

Gutierrez is a computer science major at Swarthmore College. It is one of about a dozen US colleges that have declared themselves sanctuary campuses.

A sanctuary, though commonly known as a place of refuge, has no legal definition in the US.

Sanctuary cities became a term used to describe jurisdictions that employ varying policies of lawful non-cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials. Some declared themselves sanctuaries, but not all did.

After the 2016 elections, a small number of colleges, including Swarthmore, also declared themselves sanctuaries in opposition to US President Donald Trumps stance on immigration. Like sanctuary cities, these schools employ differing policies of noncompliance with ICE, experts say.

READ MORE: What happens during a deportation raid in the US?

Sanctuary label

Swarthmore really came forward. The whole community really came forward, said Gutierrez, who dreams of a job in Silicon Valley. He is one of thousands of undocumented students granted temporary reprieve from deportation under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) programme. I feel like if Trump repeals DACA tomorrow, Ill be safe for the rest of my time at school.

Students, faculty, alumni and activists have petitioned around 250 institutions to declare themselves sanctuaries. The sanctuary label, however, which many say has been politicised by both liberals and conservatives in the US, has some school administrations reluctant to openly adopt it.

Trumps executive order denying federal funding to sanctuary jurisdictions also did not clearly define a sanctuary, which has led to further confusion and fear, says immigration expert Phil Torrey, of Harvard Law School.





Theres a wide range of different sorts of immigrant-friendly policies, and none of those are laid out in the executive order, said Torrey. [Localities] are just not really sure whos under attack and who is not.

About 115 schools have pledged to support undocumented students, but avoid using the sanctuary label. Petitions have been submitted to around 120 other institutions, but have gone unanswered, according to crImmigration.com, a website run by Cesar Cuauhtemoc Garcia Hernandez, adjunct professor at the University of Denvers Sturm College of Law.

Advocates of the sanctuary movement say colleges should embrace the label.

I think schools should be making a strong statement to set an example for others, Gutierrez said.

READ MORE: Voices from the border  Opposing Trumps wall

Legislative backlash

School administrations hesitancy to embrace the sanctuary movement is compounded by a legislative backlash in several states. Conservative state politicians have proposed legislation to pressure schools to both cooperate with ICE officials and not declare themselves sanctuaries.

About 740,000 people have been granted DACA since the programme was created in 2012 by the Obama administration, according to the Department of Homeland Security. The US Department of Education estimates that about 65,000 (p3) undocumented students graduate from high schools in the US every year.

Swarthmore College is in Pennsylvania, where Republican Jerry Knowles introduced legislation in January to withhold state funds from colleges that adopt sanctuary policies, making specific mention of those universities requiring arrest warrants from ICE officials before allowing them on campus, as Swarthmore does. The bill has been co-sponsored by 30 other legislators.

It is my belief that the schools declaring themselves sanctuary campuses are blatantly disregarding federal law and thumbing their noses at the taxpayers of Pennsylvania, stated Knowles on his website. He did not respond to a request for an interview.

Truly terrified of deportation

In Indiana, a bill proposed by two state senators, Republicans Mike Delph and R Michael Young, would expand the already strict ban on cities enacting policies of noncooperation with immigration authorities in the state.

The proposed law has a wide-ranging definition of sanctuary policies, and identifies any college or university that restricts personnel from sending, receiving, maintaining, or exchanging information regarding the citizenship or immigration status of any individual with a federal, state, or local government entity as subject to the ban.

Undocumented students in Indiana have an uncertain future, said Pamela, a 19-year-old DACA student at Indiana University Bloomington. She asked that her full name not be used.

Intuitively I feel Trump is inching towards DACA. I dont know if hes already there, or if he just hasnt publicly said anything against it, but its going to be a trying few years, said Pamela, who was two years old when she was brought to the US from Mexico.

The biochemistry major is anxious about DACAs future, especially because she has to apply again before she graduates as the status is granted in two-year installments.

Trump vowed to end DACA during his election campaign, but has since stayed away from specifics, calling it a very, very difficult subject for him.

Indiana University Bloomington has promised not to share student information with federal authorities without a subpoena  a policy protected by federal law  according to the school. It has not declared itself a sanctuary campus.

Before Donald Trump got elected, I had never really known what it was like to be truly terrified of deportation, said Pamela, who works with the UndocuHoosiers Alliance, which petitioned the university to adopt sanctuary policies.

On Sunday, Reuters reported that two memos being reviewed by the Trump administration would greatly expand the undocumented individuals prioritised for deportation to include people who have been charged but not convicted of crimes.

The memos also suggest that wide discretion will be given to ICE agents to decide whom to deport, and considers anyone living in the US without papers to be subject to deportation, the news agency reported.

OPINION: Trumps Muslim ban is a dangerous distraction

Visible Support

Willy Palomo, a graduate student at Indiana University Bloomington who co-founded the UndocuHoosiers Alliance, which also raises funds for scholarships for undocumented students, wants the school to fully declare itself a sanctuary.

One of the big things about sanctuary campuses is that it is a visible support, Palomo said. Practically, theres only so much a school can do to support undocumented students. But this shows the school will stand with its students.

In the American deep south, with its traditionally strict immigration laws, activists say universities have the opportunity to make a statement that will resonate across the country.

In Alabama, a bill prohibiting colleges and universities from declaring themselves sanctuaries passed in the State House  a pivotal step in becoming state law.

In December, the governor of Texas threatened to cut funding to any state college that declared itself a sanctuary campus.

In Georgia, where undocumented students are banned from attending some top public institutions, a bill stripping funds from sanctuary campuses proposed by Republican Earl Erhart recently passed the Houses Higher Education Committee. Al Jazeera English reached out to all the above politicians for comment, but none responded.

Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia  a prestigious institution with a history of leading civil rights movements  highlights the complex nature of visible support, as Palomo is advocating for in Indiana.

The school doesnt call itself a sanctuary, which it noted in a statement has no legal definition.

Emory is exploring sustainable solutions to support undocumented students, said the statement provided to Al Jazeera English. It went on to say the school would not turn over student information unless presented with a subpoena.

The schools president said the decision not to declare itself a sanctuary was influenced by a discussion she had with undocumented students who were afraid it would bring increased scrutiny, according to the student newspaper, the Emory Wheel. It also reported that students from Emorys Undocumented Students Association, which represents some DACA students on campus, opposed the sanctuary designation.

But Laura Emiko Soltis, an Emory alumna who runs Freedom University, a non-profit organisation that offers education for undocumented students, compared the situation to 1962, when Emory stood up to state politicians threatening to revoke its tax-exempt status if it admitted black students.

Soltis is one of 1,500 students, faculty, and alumni who have signed a petition urging the school to declare itself a sanctuary.

The movement is different, but the tactics of the state legislators are the same, Soltis said. Emory is trying to grant equal access to marginalised groups, and the state responds with threats.

She added: Emory has taken a stand against injustice in the past.

Back in Pennsylvania, Gutierrez said he feels the challenges he has faced, like thousands of other undocumented students, have made him stronger. Despite the anxiety about his future, he feels a sense of hope.

[The election] has brought some of these problems to light, and people are starting to fight against it more now, Gutierrez said. I just hope it continues. I just hope people continue the process of being active, because we have to continue this for four more years.

Follow Joseph Stepansky on Twitter: @Joe_Stepansky
It is unlikely that Brazil will be able to pursue a prominent role in the international arena before 2019.

In a world inevitably multilateral such as ours, regional powers are supposed to have their share of responsibilities in order to build more plural paths towards a fairer and more peaceful international political environment.

Therefore, Brazil is expected to have a significant role in international politics. However, the crisis that the country is currently going through structurally prevents it from fulfilling this expectation.

Brazil is melting down, to put it softly. A euphemistic image is that the country is waking up after a huge party, with a terrible hangover, and now has to face a very hard reality.

In fact, looking at Rio de Janeiro, the former host of the Olympic Games, the metaphor is indeed reality.

Unsurprisingly, Rio is the epitome of the Brazilian tragedy. Until recently, both Brazil and Rio were in the spotlight of the international stage, receiving a lot of attention and investments.

However, turning this promising situation into a sustainable reality was simply crushed when the real party that the country was enjoying ended. Brazil was enjoying a boom in its exports of commodities thanks to the high demand in China. As soon as the Chinese demand decreased, the impact was rapidly felt.

State of calamity



The situation in Rio is tragic. Since the states economy is highly dependent on oil sales, the decrease of oil prices internationally, and alleged cases of corruption, have led to a precarious financial situation.

This resulted in a negative outlook in several areas  ranging from the states struggle to pay the wages and pensions of its public employees, to its crumbling health and security sectors.

It is not a coincidence that Rios acting Governor Francisco Dornelles declared a state of calamity in June 2016. In the political sphere, the picture is not any better. Last November, for example, Rio observed two of its major politicians, Sergio Cabral and Anthony Garotinho, both former governors, being arrested.

This is definitely a microcosm of the crisis in Brazil. The country is in a dire economic situation. During the commodities boom, Brazil missed the opportunity to make structural modifications in its economy and become less dependent on commodities price fluctuation.

OPINION: The fight for Brazils future

Inversely, the country experienced, for instance, the deterioration of its manufacturing sector. Now, it struggles to produce a sustainable economic growth and generate enough jobs, which consequently stresses its public deficit.

In this situation, following Rio de Janeiro, two other states of the federation also declared a state of financial public calamity  Minas Gerais and Rio Grande do Sul.

Therefore, three of the four largest state economies of Brazil are unequivocally broke. Even Espirito Santo, a state often praised as a financial example, is under a significant security crisis, owing to a strike of police officers demanding better salaries. The consequences of the strike claimed at least 144 lives.

Political turmoil

Notwithstanding, a pivotal dimension of the Brazilian crisis is the political sphere, which is in severe turmoil.

In recent months, for instance, the country witnessed the impeachment of President Dilma Rousseff and the arrest of the former Lower House Speaker in Congress, Eduardo Cunha.

Moreover, Brazils biggest-ever corruption investigation, known as Operation Carwash, is touching every major political party and profoundly shaking up the entire political establishment.

On the top of all this, once more Brazil is under a neoliberal restructuring in order to overcome the crisis, which is the equivalent of stepping forward when reaching the edge of a cliff.

A country that was once able to pursue a very proactive foreign policy is now unable to deal effectively with pressing crises in its neighbourhood, such as the one in Venezuela or in Haiti. by

Consequently, with its core pillars collapsed, it is illusory to expect Brazil to have a major influence on the international stage.

In fact, for quite some time already, one can observe precisely the opposite  the retreat of Brazils global ambitions.

This is clearly noticeable by simply observing the financial structure of its diplomacy-making. For instance, the country has been decreasing its budget allocated to its Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Hence, Brazil is not only recruiting fewer diplomats, but also discussing the closure of several embassies and consulates around the world, mainly in Africa and in the Caribbean.

The recent constitutional amendment, blocking federal state budget increases for two decades, undoubtedly ensures that this trend is not ephemeral.

Cumbersome presidency

Most importantly, it should be noted that a fundamental drive of Brazils diplomacy is its president. Therefore, any turbulence in the presidents office  or merely having someone that simply has no inclination to pursue proactive international policy-making, such as former President Rousseff  directly affects Brazils positioning in the world.

Therefore, it is not difficult to understand that a president who takes office through an impeachment process  like President Michel Temer did  is far from being in a solid position to perform presidential diplomacy with a global perspective.

On the contrary, the constant necessity of simply managing his political position domestically  as a consequence of a very disputed and polarising impeachment process  apprehends much more of his attention and concerns than any international aspiration.

This situation structurally suppresses Brazils ability to pursue a more relevant political objective in its international relations.

OPINION: The hidden force of current international uneasiness

Consequently, a country that was once able to pursue a very proactive foreign policy  for instance, brokering, alongside Turkey, a nuclear deal with Iran, or fostering a polycentric world with BRICS countries, engaged in the conception of an alternative international financial architecture with the creation of the New Development Bank  is now unable to deal effectively with pressing crises in its neighbourhood, such as the one in Venezuela or in Haiti.

It is hardly believable that Brazil is going to recreate the necessary circumstances to pursue a prominent role in the international arena before having a new president in 2019.

Only someone assuming the presidential office directly through the popular vote can possibly ease political tensions in Brasilia, bring some predictability to the economy and, by its turn, set the conditions to project Brazils international influence.

Until then, unfortunately for the whole world, Brazil will simply remain adrift in the turbulent waters that are in the horizon of international politics.

Ramon Blanco is a researcher and professor of international relations at the Federal University of Latin-American Integration (Brazil).

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
This is the moment to take action for establishing meaningful connections among communities and issues.

Lena Afridi is an independent writer who specialises in income inequality and racial and economic justice.

At noon on February 2, New York Citys streets were quieter than usual. On Manhattan and Brooklyn corners and down commercial corridors in Queens, corner store security grates were rolled down.

There was no sound of lunch meat sizzling on grill tops, no lines of customers waiting to purchase lottery tickets or cigarettes or toilet paper.

One of New York Citys most recognisable institutions, the bodega, had shut its collective door. A large portion of these businesses are run by the citys Yemeni immigrants.

Yemenis account for only a tiny fraction of the New York City population, but more than 1,000 corner stores closed during the Bodega Strike of 2017.

On that day, the Yemeni community banded together in response to President Donald Trumps executive order, which aimed to effectively ban immigration from seven Muslim majority countries, including Yemen.

They shut down their businesses for the day in protest against the Muslim ban, with thousands of bodega owners and allies rallying at Brooklyn Borough Hall in a women-led action at 5pm.

Crucially to the political importance of the day, this action not only protested against the Muslim ban but also expressed resistance to Trumps promised wall along the US-Mexico border.

This solidarity was coined with the phrase No Ban, No Wall, a slogan plastered across shuttered bodega gates citywide. This moment presented the largest explicit show of solidarity between Muslim and Latinx immigrants yet seen in the United States.

Re-imagining old tactics





Across the US, powerful actions such as the bodega strike are re-imagining old tactics to resist the intersection of racist and anti-working class positions that characterise the Trump phenomenon.

Though sometimes small in size, these actions are quietly building up to a larger possibility: what could be achieved if all Americans stopped work at offices, factories, restaurants, skipped class, and ceased household tasks?

General strikes have been proposed several times in the past decade, with little interest or outright dismissal from those outside unions or leftist circles, and even from many within.

A general strike is not a simple protest. It is a complete shutdown of labour across all sectors, across schools, and  as feminists have insisted  also within homes. It is, as Frances Fox Piven puts it, throwing sand into the gears of the machine .

A general strike brings collective power to the forefront. It has been met with trepidation by many Americans, in particular those people who have the most to gain from such a show of power, and also the most to lose by participating in such a broad scale labour action.

Repression is swift and consequential. Already, some participants of February 16s Day Without Immigrants protest, where restaurant workers across the nation skipped work, have lost their jobs.

The rise of the Trump administration is a boiling point for immigrants, women, black people, Muslims, indigenous people, queer and trans people, poor and working people, and all people of colour in this country. by

However, since the rise of Trump, the buzz around the prospect of a general strike has grown exponentially. Americans, unaccustomed to large-scale labour shut downs, are now entertaining the notion of such an action.

The Bodega Strike, the Day Without Immigrants actions of February 16, and February 17s nationwide protests against the Trump administration portent both a willingness for action and the capacity to organise for action.

Most successful general strike in US history

The March 8, A Day Without a Woman general strike, proposed by the organisers of the January 21 Womens March, is poised to be the most successful general strike in recent American history  but only if it continues to carry the momentum of cross-issue organising and solidarity that has begun to develop over the past two months.

It has the potential to be historic not only in size but, like the signs that forged working class Yemeni-Muslim and undocumented Latinx solidarity, it can be historic in its message: it can be a feminist and womens struggle with issues of racial and economic justice to the front.

Recent years have seen nationwide mass mobilisations that connect labour unions with non-union affiliated movements.

The Great American Boycott of 2006 saw millions of people mobilising against HR 4437, the immigration policy that funnelled funds to increased security at the US-Mexico border and made living in the US without documentation a felony  reforms similar to Trumps recent proposals.

In 2012, the Chicago Teachers Unions strike led to a 17.5 percent raise for Chicago public school teachers and a reduction in the role of standardised testing as a performance measure.

This past January, as protests erupted in airports across the nation in response to the Muslim ban, New York City taxi drivers went out on strike in solidarity with protesters in organised labours first action against the Trump administration.

IN PICTURES: US immigrants stay at home to demonstrate their value

Boycotts and civil disobedience are ingrained into this countrys history of collective struggle. The marches from Selma to Montgomery, lunch-counter sit-ins, and the Montgomery bus boycott were all effective and strategic organising tactics that created a precedent for grassroots mobilisation in the US and worldwide.

The tradition of boycotting, striking, and civil disobedience was utilised during the Vietnam War, during the gay liberation movement, during the womens rights movements of the 1970s, during the current Black Lives Matter movement, during the movement against the Dakota Access Pipeline, and countless other examples of historically consequential fights for rights and dignity.

A fractured labour movement

Despite the precedence of labour actions in the US, effective general strikes have not happened in this country since the 1930s. The US working class has largely removed itself from the tradition of general strikes.

Though these actions have very recently proved to be effective worldwide, including in Western Europe, in India, where only last year the largest general strike in history took place, and across Latin America, the US labour movement has generally shied away from the general strike as a tactic.

This might be because of the fractured nature of the American labour movement and the weakening of unions nationwide.

Such an action does not need to be called by a union; it can be called by a community, an issue-based group, or just a group of people, such as the Italian Womens movement of the 1970s.

Although general strikes have been called many times by American leftists, they have ultimately failed in size and scope because they have done little to actually organise with and for those who ultimately have the most to gain, but also more immediately the most to lose, from such actions.

OPINION: The working class Trump will suppress

Strikes and boycotts in general have concentrated on pressing and important single issues  whether immigration, womens rights, labour disputes, or racial justice. However, this particular moment requires an intersectional approach not only in how we talk and write, but also how we organise (PDF).

The rise of the Trump administration is a boiling point for immigrants, women, black people, Muslims, indigenous people, queer and trans people, poor and working people, and all people of colour in this country.

Trumps policies, on policing, immigration, womens rights, and foreign policy are frightening, but in each case they are just an extension of past concessions and repressive policies. These are not new issues and they are not new problems.

OPINION: How Trump will fix the inner cities

Injustices against marginalised people are very much ingrained in American history. However, this is a political moment where meaningful connections among communities and issues are not only necessary, but actually possible.

In order for a national general strike to be truly meaningful and effective, it must speak to all those that have routinely been silenced.

The March 8 Day Without a Woman strike has the potential to be such an action, or act as a stepping stone to a day where a true American general strike is possible.

Lena P Afridi is an independent writer who specialises in income inequality and racial and economic justice. She holds a Masters in Regional Planning from Cornell University.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
Elor Azaria shot and killed Abed al-Fattah al-Sharif as he lay on the ground incapacitated after being gunned down.

An Israeli soldier who shot and killed a wounded Palestinian, who was incapacitated having already been shot, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for manslaughter.

Judge Maya Heller of the military court in Tel Aviv delivered the sentencing on Tuesday in a case that has stoked passions, debate and protest.

Analysts had expected Elor Azaria, who was convicted of manslaughter one month earlier, to be jailed for fewer than the maximum sentence of 20 years for killing Abed al-Fattah al-Sharif.

This was at the lower end of what the prosecution had asked for when they requested that Azaria would serve between three and five years, said Al Jazeeras Bernard Smith, reporting from Tel Aviv.

In her statement, Heller claimed that there were mitigating factors to the killing, which she said took place in hostile territory.

READ MORE: Elor Azaria case  No hope of equality before the law

While she said that Azarias family suffered as a result of the trial, she noted that Azaria has not expressed remorse.

The March 24 shooting, in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron, was filmed by activists from the Israeli BTselem human rights group.

That video shows Sharif, 21, lying on the ground, shot along with another Palestinian.

Azaria, a 20-year-old combat medic, then delivers the fatal blow, shooting him again in the head without any provocation.

According to the army, Sharif had stabbed and wounded another soldier.

It was unclear whether Azarias family would follow up on a promise to appeal against a decision to imprison the soldier for more than 10 months.

Issa Amro, director of the Hebron-based Youth Against Settlements activist group, told Al Jazeera that a sentence of 18 months in jail is not proportionate with what [Azaria] did.

We are talking about a war criminal, according to international law, he said, adding that it was likely Azaria would receive a pardon from the government.

I believe Azaria was following orders to execute Palestinians, and leave them bleeding until they pass away, he said. This is what [Israeli soldiers] did in many cases in Hebron, in Jerusalem, in Ramallah. Israeli soldiers are not held to account. Ive just seen soldiers celebrating Azaria getting 18 months.





Extrajudicial killings

The case raised questions about how Israeli soldiers deal with perceived threats by Palestinians.

Shortly after the shooting, the Palestinian leadership demanded the United Nations investigate what rights groups have called Israels extrajudicial killings.

Sharifs father, Yusri, has previously said Azaria deserves a life sentence.

According to a survey in August by the Israel Democracy Institute, 65 percent of the Jewish public supported Azaria and his claim of self-defence.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other prominent Israeli politicians had thrown their weight behind Azaria, calling for the soldier to be pardoned.

Since October 2015, Israeli soldiers and settlers have been responsible for the killing of at least 244 Palestinians, including unarmed demonstrators, bystanders and alleged attackers in an upsurge in violence.

Thirty-six Israelis have also been killed in mostly stabbing and shooting incidents carried out by Palestinians.
At least six killed in blasts in town of Charsadda as suicide bombers attempt to enter court premises.

Suicide bombers attacked a court complex in northwestern Pakistan, killing at least six people, police said.

A spokesperson for the Pakistan Taliban Jamaat-ur-Ahrar faction claimed responsibility for the attack in town of Tangi in the district of Charsadda.

At least six people were killed and 15 wounded in Tuesdays attack, according to police and hospital officials at the Tangi government hospital where the wounded are being treated.

Three suicide attackers attempted to attack the court, but as they exploded their vests, they were shot dead at the gate, another police official, Sabz Ali, told Al Jazeera.

Police sources said a search operation was launched in the area following the blast. That search has now been completed and the area was deemed clear.

A wave of recent attacks has gripped Pakistan. Over the past 10 days, a string of bombings has killed more than 100 people.

In one of the attacks last week, dozens of worshippers gathered at a famed Sufi shrine were killed when an Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) groups suicide bomber walked into the shrines main hall in the southern Sindh province and detonated his explosives. The death toll from that attack has since risen to 90.

The shrine bombing prompted a countrywide crackdown by security forces targeting armed groups and their hideouts.
Pro-Kurdish HDP files application at European Court of Human Rights over arrest of its leaders, Demirtas and Yuksekdag.

Turkeys pro-Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party (HDP) has filed an application at the European Court of Human Rights regarding the continued arrest of its co-leaders , Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag.

The application was filed in Strasbourg on Monday by a delegation including the partys deputy leader Saruhan Oluc, group deputy chairman Filiz Kerestecioglu and MPs Mithat Sancar, Ertugrul Kurkcu and Osman Baydemir.

READ MORE: How could failed coup affect Kurdish peace process?

In a statement published on Monday, party officials said that the failure of Turkeys Constitutional Court to carry out an investigation into its Yuksekdag and Demirtas imprisonment has necessitated an application to the European court, the ECHR.

A total of 13 HDP politicians were arrested in November 2016 on terrorism-related charges after their parliamentary immunity was lifted last March . 10 of these MPs, including the partys co-leaders, remain in custody pending trial.

Referendum

In its application to the ECHR, the party argued that the continuing imprisonment of their co-leaders constituted a violation of the right to freedom and security, freedom of speech and the right to free elections as protected by both the Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights.

The HDP, the Turkish parliaments third-biggest party, said in its application that since the failed coup attempt in July 2016, 5,471 people have been taken into custody and 1,482 people have been arrested within the scope of operations targeting the HDP and its supporters.

The HDP said that the situation is particularly critical as Turkey is now heading for a referendum.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has approved a constitutional reform bill earlier this month, in a move paving the way for the referendum on an amendments package that seeks to extend his powers.

The referendum is planned to take place on April 16.

READ MORE: Turkeys constitutional reform  All you need to know

The HDP claimed that the continued detention of its co-leaders and MPs aimed to target and punish the opposition working to organise an effective No campaign during the referendum.

The process has become increasingly arbitrary and systematic and politically motivated, the party said.

The first hearing of Demirtas will be held on April 28, 12 days after the constitutional referendum.

He faces trial in more than 100 different cases that include charges of managing a terrorist organisation, and faces over 100 years in jail.

Turkeys government has long been accusing the HDP of being the the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Partys (PKK) political wing.

The United States and the European Union designate the PKK, an armed group that has been fighting for Kurdish autonomy since 1984, as a terrorist organisation.

The HDP denies direct links with the PKK and promotes a negotiated end to the Kurdish conflict, which has claimed hundreds of lives since a peace process, once led by Erdogan and the AK party, collapsed in 2015.
Adoption agency accused of selling at least 17 children to foreign couples in eastern state and sending them abroad.

Indian police say they have arrested the heads of an adoption centre suspected of selling at least 17 children to foreign couples, the latest trafficking scandal to hit the country.

Investigators said children aged between six months and 14 years old were sold to couples from Europe, the United States and Asia for between $12,000 and $23,000 and taken out of the country.

Police in the eastern state of West Bengal arrested Chandana Chakraborty, head of the Bimala Sishu Griha centre, and her deputy Sonali Mondal at the weekend after a tip-off from the federal adoption agency.

In the last two to three years, they have sold at least 17 children, a police officer told the AFP news agency on condition of anonymity on Tuesday.

We will try to contact the couples and are expecting more arrests in coming days.

READ MORE: Cradles in Rajasthan for Indias unwanted babies

One French couple paid $23,000 for a child in 2015, he said.

The arrested women were involved in running two other homes in the area.

Two people were arrested after raids in three charitable homes on Saturday night, Sashi Panja, state women and child development minister, told AFP.

It is not clear how the alleged sales escaped official notice.

Investigators said they had been monitoring the charity since June when child welfare authorities found discrepancies in their records and relocated all the children from one of the homes.

India has an estimated 30 million orphans, but the rules governing international adoptions are strict and domestic adoptions remain relatively rare.

READ MORE: Inside the world of Indias booming fertility industry

Only 4,362 children were legally adopted in 2014 and 3,677 in 2015, according to the Central Adoption Resource Authority.

Experts say couples wanting to adopt in India are often frustrated by lengthy bureaucratic delays and complex rules, pushing them towards the thriving illegal adoption market.

The latest scandal comes four months after police arrested 18 people over the sale of newborn babies in the same state.

The criminals stole babies from nursing homes, smuggling them out in biscuit boxes and keeping them at adoption centres before selling them to Indian and foreign couples.

The scale of the operation is still being uncovered, and the remains of five newborn girls were recovered from one of the homes in November.
Iran summons Turkish ambassador and hits back at Ankara, after officials blame Tehran of destabilising the Middle East.

Diplomatic tensions have intensified between Turkey and Iran as the two countries traded accusations over their roles in the Syria conflict and the Middle East.

Iran summoned the Turkish ambassador in Tehran on Monday over comments made by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and President Tayyip Erdogan, accusing the Islamic Republic of destabilising the region.

Turkey and Iran have been regional rivals for centuries, but have sought to forge a pragmatic relationship in recent years, with Iran strongly supporting President Erdogan after last years failed coup.





Turkey, a country with a Sunni majority, and Shia Iran have been on opposite sides of the conflict in Syria, with Ankara seeking to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad and Tehran being, along with Russia, his key backer.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu lashed out at Iran in a speech to the Munich Security Conference at the weekend, saying some of its actions had undermined security in the region and urging Tehran to promote stability.

Iran wants to make Syria and Iraq Shia, he said, quoted by Turkish state media.

Turkey is very much against any kind of division, religious or sectarian, he said.

Erdogan also accused Iran of promoting a Persian nationalism that had damaged the Middle East.

There is Persian nationalism here, we have to prevent this. We cannot just watch this oppression, Erdogan said on a visit to Bahrain on February 14.

Irans warning

The Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghassemi warned on Monday that Tehrans patience had limits after Tehran summoned the Turkish ambassador over Turkish remarks.

We hope that such statements are not made again. If our Turkish friends continue with this attitude we will not remain silent, he added.

Turkeys foreign ministry spokesman Huseyin Muftuoglu hit back by saying it was incomprehensible to receive such accusations from Tehran, whom he charged with not hesitating to push into warzones refugees sheltering from regional crises.

READ MORE: Russia, Turkey, Iran agree plan to support Syria truce

Instead of accusing countries that have criticised Iran, it should take constructive steps and review its own regional policies.

The angry exchanges have come just after Erdogan returned from a week-long tour of the Arabian peninsula, including talks with the leadership of Irans arch regional foe and Ankaras Sunni ally Saudi Arabia.

Harmony between Turkey and Iran is crucial in ensuring the preservation of a fragile ceasefire in Syria, which is also backed by Russia.

The ceasefire came into force at the end of last year as a basis for peace talks.
Ecuadors electoral council says presidential election will go to an April runoff after a nail-biter first round.

Leftist government candidate Lenin Moreno and ex-banker Guillermo Lasso will contest an April runoff to become the new Ecuadorian president, according to electoral officials.

With just over 95 percent of ballots counted from Sundays presidential election, Moreno was the clear leader with 39.21 percent of the vote, according to the National Electoral Council.

That was just short of the 40 percent needed to avoid a runoff on April 2 against his conservative rival Guillermo Lasso, who was at 28.35 percent.





With the country anxiously awaiting the final results and the opposition pressuring for clarity, the electoral body on Tuesday said the results could not change, although it was waiting for all ballots to be counted before officially proclaiming a second round.

No, its not possible, electoral council president Juan Pablo Pozo told reporters, when asked if a runoff could be avoided.

But, we have to wait for official results to be 100 percent.

Key vote

Opinion polls indicate Moreno may well lose a runoff in which supporters of other conservative opposition groups are likely to rally behind Lasso amid anger over an economic downturn in OPECs smallest oil producer and a series of corruption scandals, potentially ending a decade of leftist rule in Ecuador.

Should Ecuador move to the right with a second-round victory for Lasso, it would follow on the heels of Argentina, Brazil and Peru which have all swerved away from the left.

Sundays election was a test of the legacy of outgoing president and Moreno ally, Rafael Correa, who is an outspoken critic of the United States.

Correa is leaving office at the end of his term after 10 years in power.

Some Correa supporters see Lasso as an elitist who might slash social programmes, and the ruling Country Alliance remains popular with many of the countrys rural poor.

Were going to win the elections just like we won the first round, said Moreno in a press conference earlier on Tuesday.
Frances far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen has sparked controversy on the last day of her Lebanon visit, walking away from a meeting with the countrys top Sunni Muslim religious leader after refusing to wear a headscarf.

The leader of National Front (FN) party on Tuesday arrived at Sheikh Abdellatif Deryans office in the capital, Beirut, and was offered a white shawl to cover her hair. Le Pen promptly refused, walked towards her car and left.





Al Jazeeras Natasha Ghoneim, reporting from the Beirut, said that critics accused Le Pen, whose party takes an anti-immigrant stance, of staging the incident as a kind of stunt.

Observers, pundits and voters here say that they believe that this was planned on her part because it would play very well to her far-right base at home, and also because they say it might detract from a growing scandal she is facing, Ghoneim said.

The presidential candidate is facing a corruption scandal as French police searched on Monday the Paris-based headquarters of FN in relation to a probe into alleged misuse of EU funds allocated to her as a member of the European Parliament.

Everybody expected her to spark a new controversy, and right now Le Pen is embroiled in a new scandal, so  people will perceive that as an attempt to divert attention from the legal consequences of her actions over the past few years, Yasser Louati, a human rights and civil liberties activist in Paris, told Al Jazeera.

This was a trap and a set-up because she wanted to send a message to her own voters and supporters that she somehow refused to respect the local customs in a Muslim-majority country.

Le Pen was informed

Speaking to journalists as she walked away from the meeting, Le Pen said she had met in the past with the Grand Mufti of Egypts Al Azhar, one of the worlds leading Sunni scholars, without having to wear a veil.





So, I have no reason to, she said, adding that she had told the grand offices office on Monday that she would not wear a headscarf.

They did not cancel the meeting, so I thought they would accept that I will not wear the scarf, Le Pen said.

They wanted to impose this on me, to present me with a fait accompli. Well, no one presents me with a fait accompli.

In a statement on Tuesday, the press office for the Grand Mufti said it had informed the presidential candidate, through one of her assistants, of the need to cover her head when she meets his eminence, according to the protocol assumed by Dar al-Fatwa, the highest Sunni authority in Lebanon.

Dar al-Fatwa officials were surprised by her refusal to conform to this well-known rule, the statement added.

OPINION: Elections in France: Its all about security

Tuesday is Le Pens last day in Lebanon, where she met a foreign head of state for the first time, President Michel Aoun.

The FN leader also met Prime Minister Saad Hariri, a Sunni Muslim, and Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil.

Shunned by European leaders over her partys stance on immigration and its anti-EU message, Le Pens meeting with Lebanese top officials aimed to boost her international credibility.

This visit was viewed as an opportunity for her to enhance her stature, build her foreign policy credentials, and gain a better understanding of the Middle East, Al Jazeeras Ghoneim said.
Zimbabwe spends $2.5m on birthday party for worlds oldest leader, while opposition slams events as waste of money.

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe turned 93 on Tuesday amid growing concerns over his frailty and failing health.

The ruling ZANU-PF party is to spend about $2.5 million on the birthday celebration, local media reports said.

Opposition parties condemned the events as a waste of money while 93 percent of Zimbabweans are wallowing in poverty caused by his incompetence and misrule, NewZimbabwe.com reported.

Celebrations for the worlds oldest national ruler, who has vowed to remain in power, will be held on Saturday at Matobo National Park outside Bulawayo, Zimbabwes second-largest city.

Thousands of officials and supporters of Mugabes ZANU-PF party are expected to attend.

READ MORE: Mugabe, 92, says Zimbabweans see no replacement for him

Large game animals are often slaughtered for the occasion.

In previous years, Mugabe has reportedly been offered elephants, buffalo and impala for the feast.

Call to resign must come from party

Mugabe has ruled out retiring soon, saying that ZANU-PF officials believe there is no acceptable alternative.

The call to step down must come from my party  In such circumstances, I will step down, the state-owned Sunday Mail newspaper quoted Mugabe as saying in an interview aired late Monday.

They want me to stand for elections  If I feel that I cant do it any more, I will say so to my party so that they relieve me. But for now, I think I cant say so, he said. The majority of the people feel that there is no replacement, a successor who to them is acceptable.

READ MORE: Zimbabwe  Unfit to rule case against Mugabe dismissed

Mugabe came to power when Zimbabwe won independence in 1980 and his rule has been criticised for repression of dissent, election rigging, and for causing the countrys economic collapse.

Health fears

Several incidents in recent years have highlighted his advanced age  including a fall in February 2015 at Harare airport.

In September of the same year, he read a speech to parliament apparently unaware that he had delivered exactly the same address a month earlier.

Despite growing calls to step aside, his party has endorsed him as its candidate for general elections next year, and he remains widely respected as a liberation hero by other African leaders.

On Friday, his 51-year-old wife Grace claimed that Mugabe would be the voters choice even after he dies.

She has promised to use a wheelchair to transport him to election rallies if needed.

Mugabe has avoided naming a successor, and his party is divided between factions hoping to succeed him.

READ MORE: Under Trump, Zimbabwe might be off the radar

Grace was appointed head of the ruling partys womens wing in a surprise move that could make her a possible successor.

Another leading candidate is Mugabes vice president, Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Last year, security forces brutally quelled a series of street protests in Harare, a rare public expression of opposition to Mugabes regime.

According to Bloomberg News, Zimbabwes economic output has halved since 2000 when many white-owned farms were seized by ZANU-PF supporters, leaving the key agricultural sector in ruins.
Nigerian community in South Africa calls for protection after reports of renewed xenophobic violence in Pretoria West.

Members of Nigerias community in South Africa have raised concerns over renewed anti-immigrant violence, appealing to authorities to intervene before the situation gets out of control.

Nigerias presidency on Monday called the South African government to step in to stop what it said were xenophobic attacks following recent reports of violence against Nigerians and other nationals in the capital, Pretoria.

The Nigerian Union South Africa (NUSA) on Tuesday confirmed that Nigerian homes and businesses in Pretoria West had been attacked in several late-night incidents in recent days.





Homes and shops of Nigerians were targeted and looted in the events of past few days, Emeka Ezinteje Collins, national public relations officer of NUSA, told Al Jazeera, citing at least 10 such attacks.

He added: Our people and other foreigners are apparently living in fear of the unknown as the hoodlums have promised more attacks from Friday, when a group called the Mamelodi concerned residents is reportedly planning to hold a march against foreign nationals.

NUSA also said that some of its members had received threatening phone calls asking for payment to protect their houses and businesses.

We have also received reports from our members of receiving threatening anonymous calls requesting that money be paid to avert destruction of their properties, Collins said.

We implore the South African and Nigerian authorities to intervene early and save the situation before it spills out of hand.

Angry residents

South African police said on Tuesday at least 20 shops possibly belonging to immigrants were looted in Pretoria overnight, but they could not confirm if the attacks had deliberately targeted foreigners.

There are allegations that these shops belong to foreign nationals, police spokeswoman Brigadier Mathapelo Peters told the Reuters news agency.

It is alleged that the community members are saying that these shops were used for drug dealing, but that is unconfirmed. We will only be able to start a formal investigation once the shop owners come forward.

INTERACTIVE: Xenophobia in South Africa  Causes, attacks and history

Anti-immigrant violence has flared sporadically in South Africa against a background of near-record unemployment, with foreigners being accused of taking jobs from locals and getting involved in crime.

We are sick and tired of foreigners who are coming to sell drugs and kill our people, we cant let the community go down like this, an unemployed man in his mid-twenties, who declined to be named, told Reuters.

The attacks in Pretoria West come a few weeks after residents in Rosetenville, a suburb in Johannesburg, reportedly torched properties belonging to Nigerians and other foreigners which allegedly were being used for drug dealing and human trafficking.





The Rosetenville unrest is replicating in Pretoria West, the African Diaspora Forum said in a statement last week.

Those who are living in the area are advised to be careful. Cars and houses are set alight by angry residents claiming to get rid of drugs and prostitution. No one has been arrested after two houses were set alight, various homes raided by Pretoria West community members.

Dire consequences

Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the Nigerian presidents adviser on foreign affairs and the diaspora, said on Monday the South African government must take decisive and definitive measures to protect Nigerians and other African nationals within its borders.

She also called on the African Union to weigh in on the violence, adding: Further attacks without any reprimand may have dire consequences.

Dabiri-Erewa said there was a need for the continental body to intervene urgently, claiming that in the last two years about 116 Nigerians had been killed, including 20 last year.

This is unacceptable to the people and government of Nigeria.

There was no independent verification of the claimed number of deaths.

According to NUSA, there are about 800,000 Nigerians in South Africa, many of them living in Johannesburg.

The community was hit badly by the wave of xenophobic violence that hit the country in April 2015, but South African police said only seven Nigerians died.

An independent watchdog has said 640 people died from police brutality or in custody in South Africa.

In April 2015, Nigeria recalled its top diplomat in South Africa to discuss the anti-immigrant attacks that sent hundreds of foreigners fleeing to safety camps, as authorities sent in soldiers to quell unrest in Johannesburg and Durban.
Move follows constitutional changes made after a tightly managed referendum last year that introduced vice presidency.

Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev has appointed his wife as first vice president, the latest move seen as tightening the familys grip on the oil-rich Caspian nation.

Tuesdays appointment of Mehriban Aliyeva follows constitutional changes made after a tightly managed referendum last year which introduced the powerful position of first vice president, the second most senior official in the country.

Aliyeva, 52, has been an MP for the ruling Yeni Azerbaijan party since 2005 and head of the influential Heydar Aliyev Foundation  named after her father-in-law and former president.

Born into the powerful Pashayev family, Aliyeva has sometimes been seen as a possible successor to her husband, who took over in 2003 after the death of his father Heydar, a former KGB officer and Communist-era boss.

Cementing dynastic rule

Azerbaijans embattled opposition angrily criticised Aliyevas elevation as undemocratic and called it a ploy to cement the Aliyev familys dynastic rule.

The move throws Azerbaijan back to medieval, feudal times, opposition leader Isa Gambar of the Musavat party told the AFP news agency .





Family rule has no place in the 21st century, he added.

The president, 55, cruised to a third five-year term against limited opposition in 2013, extending his familys rule into a third decade.

Supporters have praised the Aliyevs for turning a republic once considered a Soviet backwater into a flourishing energy supplier to Europe.

But critics argue they have crushed all opposition and used their power to amass a fortune for the president and his family.

Activists have raised concerns over Azerbaijans poor rights record, with Human Rights Watch in May blasting the country for a ruthless crackdown that has seen political activists and critical journalists jailed.

Lavish lifestyle

Known for her love of luxury, Aliyeva featured prominently in US diplomatic cables published by Wikileaks, one of which dubbed her a first lady, too, in fashion.

First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva appears to have had substantial cosmetic surgery, presumably overseas, and wears dresses that would be considered provocative even in the Western world, the leaked 2010 cable said.

An eye doctor by training, she has also authored a dissertation on the ethical aspects of mercy killing.

In 2004, she was appointed a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations culture agency, UNESCO.
The US administration has issued tough new orders to begin a sweeping crackdown on undocumented immigrants, putting nearly all of the countrys 11 million undocumented foreigners in target for deportation.

Two memos signed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) secretary, John Kelly, on Tuesday make it easier for officials to automatically expel undocumented immigrants.

They order border patrol and immigration officers to deport as quickly as possible any undocumented immigrants they find, with only a few exceptions, principally children.





Although the priority for deportation will remain undocumented immigrants convicted of crimes, it will also include anyone who has been charged or potentially faces criminal charges.

In addition, categories of undocumented immigrants deemed as low priority by the previous Barack Obama administration, generally anyone not tied to a crime, are no longer protected.

With extremely limited exceptions, DHS will not exempt classes or categories of removal aliens from potential enforcement, the department said.

All of those in violation of the immigration laws may be subject to enforcement proceedings, up to and including removal from the United States.

Kelly said the mass detentions of the past, requiring judicial review, have overburdened the government.

RELATED: Mexico needs to stop accommodating Trump

The surge of illegal immigration at the southern border has overwhelmed federal agencies and resources and has created a significant national security vulnerability to the United States, he said in one of the memos.

Thousands of aliens apprehended at the border, placed in removal proceedings, and released from custody have absconded and failed to appear at their removal hearings. Immigration courts are experiencing a historic backlog of removal cases.

The wall

Kelly ordered immediate action to begin planning and building a wall along the US southern border with Mexico.

He also ordered the hiring of another 5,000 officers for the Customs and Border Protection agency and 10,000 for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.





Soon after being inaugurated president on January 20, President Donald Trump ordered action to begin construction of a wall along the nearly 2,000-mile-long (3,145km) US-Mexico border, a tightening of border security, and tougher enforcement against undocumented immigrants inside the country.

The memos come before meetings this week between Kelly and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto in Mexico.

Besides Pena Nieto, the two American officials will meet Mexicos ministers of the interior, foreign affairs, finance, defence and the navy, the Department of State said.

Key topics include border security, law enforcement operation and trade, according to a state department statement.
At least 74 bodies recovered from beach in western city of Zawiya on the Mediterranean Sea, Red Crescent says.

Libyas Red Crescent has said that 74 bodies of refugees have washed ashore in the western city of Zawiya on the Mediterranean Sea.

The aid organisations spokesman Mohammed al-Misrati told the AP news agency that the bodies washed ashore on Tuesday morning.

He said the circumstances involving the drownings were not clear yet.

The agency posted on its Twitter account photographs of dozens of bodies in white and black body bags, lined up along the shore.

#Libya: Tragedy again today as #RedCrescent recover bodies of 74 people from a boat washed ashore near #Zawiya#StopIndifference #migration pic.twitter.com/YarPI5mYEG  IFRC Middle East and North Africa (@IFRC_MENA) February 20, 2017

Misrati also said that local authorities will take the bodies to a cemetery in the capital, Tripoli, that is allocated for unidentified persons.

Controversial new plan

Earlier this month, European Union leaders agreed on a controversial new plan to help stem the flow of refugees from the North African country.

Under the new plan, the bloc would provide Libyas government with funds to increase efforts to stop refugee boats from crossing territorial waters, and to break the business model of traffickers who helped 181,000 refugees enter the EU through Libya and Italy last year.

READ MORE: EU looks to fund camps in Africa to cut immigration

The announcement received a backlash from human rights groups who said such plans exposed refugees to further risks and abuses.

Migrant deaths have risen to record levels along the Libya-Italy smuggling route across the Mediterranean Sea.

An estimated 230 people, not including the 74 found on Tuesday, have died en route to Europe since the start of 2017, according to the United Nations.

More than 4,500 people died attempting the crossing last year.
Russias ambassador to the UN, a veteran diplomat, dies suddenly after falling ill in his office at Russias UN mission.

Russias ambassador to the United Nations, Vitaly Churkin, who for years fended off western criticism and defended Moscows actions in Ukraine and Syria, has died in New York, aged 64.

Life of a career diplomat Churkin had served as foreign ministry spokesman in the early 1990s and as special envoy to the former Yugoslavia. Growing up in Moscow, he dabbled in acting in his early teens, notably in two films about Soviet founding father Vladimir Lenin. He graduated from the prestigious Moscow Institute of International Relations and began his career at the foreign ministry as a translator before working at the Soviet embassy in Washington in the 1980s. Given his long posting at the UN  previously held for a decade by Russias current Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov  Churkin joked in a recent interview that his stint was surpassed only by the envoy from Turkmenistan. He is survived by his wife Irina, son Maxim and daughter Anastasiya.

Churkin collapsed while at work at the Russian mission to the UN on Monday morning and was taken to a Manhattan hospital, apparently suffering from heart problems, diplomatic sources told AFP news agency.

In a statement announcing his death, the foreign ministry in Moscow described him as an outstanding diplomat.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said President Vladimir Putin highly valued the professionalism and diplomatic talent of Vitaly Churkin and offered condolences, Interfax reported

Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova paid tribute, writing on Facebook: A great diplomat. An extraordinary personality. An outstanding individual. We have lost someone very dear.

News of his death was met with shock at UN headquarters where Churkin, who would have turned 65 on Tuesday, had been a towering presence for a decade.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Churkin had served with distinction through some of the most challenging and momentous periods of recent history.

Guterres described him as a forceful presence on the Security Council, a uniquely skilled diplomat, a powerful orator with great wit and a man of many talents and interests.

Diplomats at a UN meeting observed a moment of silence and a tribute to him was planned at the Security Council on Tuesday.

Petr Iliichev, Russias deputy UN ambassador, said Churkin was worked until his last moments.

His whole life was dedicated to defending the interests of Russia, Iliichev said. He was on the frontline  Weve lost a prominent diplomat, a strong negotiator, a wonderful individual, a teacher.

V.Churkin passes away Great loss for Russia. His memory will live on in our hearts forever https://t.co/pj4UdxmWUM pic.twitter.com/j2AS8AIT0W  Russian Mission UN (@RussiaUN) February 20, 2017

UN spokesman Farhan Haq, who was informed of Churkins death during a daily briefing, offered his condolences.

He has been such a regular presence here that Im actually quite stunned, Haq said.

Western rift

A career diplomat born in Moscow who studied English from a young age, Churkin had been UN ambassador since April 2006, after serving as Russian ambassador to Canada and to Belgium.

Recently, relations between Russia and the West have soured, culminating with a major rift over Moscows support for separatists in east Ukraine and its military intervention in Syria.

In his final months, Churkin clashed repeatedly with then-US ambassador Samantha Power over the bloodshed in Syrias Aleppo, staunchly defending Moscows view that the Syrian government was waging all-out war against terrorists.

Russia resorted to its veto six times to block action on Syria.

Power tweeted that she was devastated and described Churkin as a diplomatic maestro who did all he could to bridge US-Russian differences.

Devastated by passing of Russian UN Amb Vitaly Churkin.Diplomatic maestro &deeply caring man who did all he cld to bridge US-RUS differences  Samantha Power (@SamanthaJPower) February 20, 2017

Powers successor, Nikki Haley, who arrived less than a month ago, said Churkin had showed himself to be a gracious colleague.

We did not always see things the same way, but he unquestionably advocated his countrys positions with great skill, said Haley in a statement.

Francois Delattre, Churkins French counterpart, said he was one of the most talented diplomats and an exceptional representative of Russia.

Matthew Rycroft, Britains ambassador to the UN, tweeted that he was absolutely devastated, describing Churkin as a diplomatic giant & wonderful character.
Yoselyn Paulino doesnt need an abortion, but she still wants to learn about available resources in Gainesville.

About 15 students gathered in Matherly Hall on Monday night for Planned Parenthood: Generation Actions first meeting of the semester, which focused on abortions and reproductive health.

Paulino, 21, just moved to town from Miami and wanted to familiarize herself with the different options in town in case a friend needed to know.

Its something Ive been very interested in because Im a woman, and I want to know what it is like out there right now, the UF reading education graduate student said.

Paulino said she considers herself a political person and tries to volunteer her time to causes she cares about, like reproductive rights.

I think no one should ever tell you what to do with your body, she said.

At the meeting, Kristin Davy, the director of Bread and Roses Womens Health Center, located at 1233 NW 10th Ave., talked about common misconceptions about abortion.

She said many women who come into the procedure are surprised at how drained it leaves them.

The color often leaves their faces, and women often experience a metallic taste, she said.

She also talked about the emotional impact of having an abortion.

Its this mix of emotion thats going on, and what we tell the patient is any of that is fine, Davy said. Whatever youre feeling afterward, its good to feel, its OK.

At the meeting, members of Generation Action talked about two clinics in Gainesville: Bread and Roses and All Womens Health Center of Gainesville.

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Crisis pregnancy centers were also mentioned because they tend to veer women away from abortions and limit the options presented, said Tessa Walters, the publicity chair for Generation Action.

Typical side effects from abortion, like cramping, were also discussed, as well as things to avoid after the procedure  like penetrative sex and heavy lifting, the 19-year-old UF international studies freshman said.

A lot of women are very scared about abortion and that right getting taken away, so we wanted to work to inform women on campus about abortions in Gainesville and what laws are being passed to try to prevent them, she said.

Contact Romy Ellenbogen at rellenbogen@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter at @romyellenbogen
Editor's Note: This story has been updated to reflect that the criminal charges against Joey N. Friedman were dismissed and the case closed.

In light of its president being arrested on a charge of sexual battery, local event company Uber Promotions Inc. now faces uncertainty among its prime clientele: UF sororities and fraternities.

On Feb. 10, Joey Friedman, was arrested on a charge of sexual battery after allegedly spiking the drink of a woman he met at Grog House Bar & Grill, a Midtown bar, according to a police report. The criminal charge was later dropped and the case dismissed.

He was released after posting a $50,000 bond. The company provides party buses and organizes social events at different bars around town and often works with different UF sororities and fraternities to host events.

It was registered in Florida in 2006, according to the Florida Division of Corporations. On the night of the assault, Dec. 14, Friedmans company hosted an event at Grog House Bar & Grill, according to its Facebook page.

Friedmans lawyer declined to comment for this article. His business partner Mike Farzad also declined to comment.

Devon Leasure, the president of UFs Panhellenic Council, said some chapters have used Uber Promotions for local events, but it all depends on the chapter. She said there have not been incidents with the company before.

However, Leasure said the council will take the sexual battery allegations into account when deciding on future bookings.

We formally stand by the notion as a Panhellenic community, that there is never a time or place where rape culture is acceptable, she said. We would not ever make any sort of exception for inappropriate behavior.

Leasure said she hopes the company takes care of the allegation and said people need to have meaningful discussions about consent.

It is certainly our hope that Uber Promotions will deal with the allegations accordingly and take the appropriate measures to ensure upstanding behavior on behalf of all the employees, she said.

Hailey Robles-Holmes, a Delta Delta Delta sister, has been on Uber Promotion buses in the past. Even before the allegations, Robles-Holmes said she is always prepared for the worst case scenario when going out.

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During her freshman year, there were several sexual assault alerts, which made her cautious. While the owners actions were bad, she said she doesnt think it reflects on the entire business.

Its definitely good to know and have your guard up, she said.

Former Alpha Epsilon Pi President Jared Cohen said his fraternity used Uber Promotions to organize a social event in January. Cohen, a 21-year-old UF management junior, said the company had been a common vendor for other fraternities, and he has heard positive reviews from others.

They give you the best rates and stuff, so that was why we went ahead and used them, he said. Thats also probably the only one we had even heard of.

He said the event ran smoothly and professionally.

They were very helpful, and nothing sketchy happened, Cohen said. Im sure if you called like 10 other frats, they would all say the same stuff, too.

Contact Romy Ellenbogen at rellenbogen@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter at @romyellenbogen
A Florida man pulled out a gun and aimed it at an officer Sunday, Gainesville Police said. The officer fired at him twice but missed.

James Vincent Barber, 18, was driving a white Nissan in Woodland Park Apartments, located at 1900 SE 4th St., at about 6:48 p.m. when he saw five police cars at the entrance of the complex, said Officer Ben Tobias, GPD spokesperson. He sped past the officers toward the back of the complex while a chase began.

Police sirens wailed as Barber fled for about a quarter of a mile, he said.

Earlier in the day, officers received a 911 call that Barber would be going to T.B. McPherson Park in retaliation for a previous shooting, according to an arrest report. Officers attempted to intercept him.

Barbers car came to a stop, according to the report.

A GPD officer, in fear of his life, shot twice at Barber missing him both times, according to the report. A passenger in the car ran away, and police have not located him or her, although Tobias said police know the passenger's identity.

After being shot at, Barber ran from police, and a .40-caliber handgun magazine, loaded with bullets, was found in the area he ran through, according to the report.

Courtesy to The Alligator The gun recovered from the suspect.

For an hour, police searched for Barber using a helicopter unit, police dogs and multiple patrol cars, according to the press release.

Another 911 call reported Barber was at the park, and police spotted him in the parking lot at about 7:45 p.m., according to the report. He saw an approaching officer, got into an SUV and left the scene.

Police pulled over the SUV and arrested Barber, according to the report.

After his arrest, Barber told police he fled officers because he didnt have a valid driver's license, according to the report. He also said the gun he pointed at police was a water gun that had an orange tip.

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Police took him to the scene and he pointed to an area where he discarded the gun but it was not there, according to the report. He said the loaded magazine found was not his.

On Monday, police found a black handgun in Evergreen Cemetery, which is on the path police believe Barber took to get to the park, according to a GPD press release. Police believe this handgun was the gun Barber was holding before the shooting.

The officer who shot at Barber was placed on administrative duty pending an investigation, according to the press release.

Officers have to prepare for the worst in situations like this, Tobias said. We are very happy that no one, including our officer, was hurt.

Alachua County Sheriffs Office is still investigating the shooting that Barber was allegedly reacting to, said Art Forgey, an ACSO spokesperson.

Later, a local emergency room reported a gunshot victim with a bullet in his or her back, Forgey said. The bullet was recovered and deputies are continuing to investigate the shooting, separate from GPD detectives.

James Vincent Barber

At this time, because we have no cooperating witnesses or participants, we dont know a lot about what went on, he said.

Police arrested Barber on charges of aggravated assault on a police officer, tampering with evidence, resisting arrest, fleeing officers and driving without a license. Authorities took him to Alachua County Jail where he remains, as of press time, in lieu of a $15,000 bond.

Contact Meryl Kornfield at mkornfield@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter at @MerylKornfield
On a holiday when American presidents are celebrated, protesters in Gainesville carried handmade signs and stood in opposition to President Donald Trump.

About 50 protesters gathered on Bo Diddley Community Plaza on Monday afternoon in a peaceful demonstration against the presidents policies, one of many that took place across the country.

Guest speakers excited the crowd with chants like No Trump, no KKK, no fascist USA and included calls to protect the press and public lands. The What Makes a President rally was purposefully held on Presidents Day and was created to demonstrate the qualities of good leadership while resisting current leaders in office, said Genevieve Murphy, the events host.

Patriotism means to stand by your country, not necessarily to stand by your president, Murphy said.

The event was held in solidarity with sanctuary cities and states, Murphy said. Standing between two large black banners that read, Resist, Murphy urged the crowd to not tolerate hate.

I think our kids need good role models, Murphy said. The president and first lady are not representative of Americans.

In the crowd was Chris Monahan, who hoisted a sign that read, We can be so much better on one side and Trump represents the worst of us on the other.

My biggest fear is that Trump will deliver on his campaign promises, the 54-year-old said. This is racism, and this is xenophobia.

Monahan said he is upset with Trumps administrative nominations and the lies he has told to the American people.

Hes doing away with the Environmental Protection Agency and clearly not set for the office, he said.

Diana Castine took to the stage at about 5:15 p.m. to announce an upcoming town hall meeting on March 4 with Congressman Ted Yoho, a Republican representing District 3.

Were not happy with his voting record, the local protester said. Basically, hes against everyone whos not a billionaire.

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While a venue for the meeting has not been set, they plan to ask the congressman questions to hold him accountable, she said.

Well hold his feet to the fire, Castine said.

As Gainesvilles downtown clock tower chimed at 6 p.m., protesters sang the national anthem and then marched to the side of West University Avenue to hoist their signs in front of oncoming traffic.

The display garnered honks and shouts of F--- Donald Trump from passing drivers. Protestors cheered for about 30 minutes before going their separate ways.

The reason why I resist constantly is that I refuse to sit idly by, Castine said. This administration is stripping us of our rights.

Contact Max Chesnes at mchesnes@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter at @chesnesmax

A line of people sit while listening to the speaker at the What Makes a President rally at Bo Diddley Plaza on Monday. The total crowd topped out at around 50, and there were chants such as "protect the press" and "release your taxes."
Amendment 1:

Should the Student Body constitution be updated and amended to reflect UFs anti-discrimination policy and read in part, Article I, Section 4, Student Government and any organization that receives funds shall be in full compliance with all federal and state nondis- crimination and equal opportunity laws, orders, and regulations and shall adhere to University of Florida nondiscrimination policies?

Amendment 2:

Should the Student Body constitution be updated and amended to decrease the maximum com- position of the Fall or Spring class of Student Senate from 60 members to 50 members and change the relevant parts of Article III, Section 2 to read: FALL CLASS.40 to 50 members elected in the Fall general election as apportioned by law from on- campus area governments as defined by law and from off-campus areas as defined by law. SPRING CLASS.40 to 50 members elected in the Spring general election from the colleges and independent schools recognized by the student senate as defined by law?

Amendment 3:

Should the Student Body constitution be updated and amended to allow summer replacement Senators to be appointed at the last meeting of the Spring semester and amend Article III, Section 4 to read in part, The Student Senate during the summer term shall have the same authority as it does during the fall and spring terms. A Student Senator who will not attend the summer academic term, or any portion of the term may nominate a Summer Replacement Senator, subject to confirmation by the Student Senate on the last meeting of spring term. The summer replacement senator shall serve only during the sum- mer academic term, or designated portion of the term. The student senator resumes office upon return to the university?

Amendment 5:

Should the Student Body constitution be updated and amended to set executive department terms to serve concurrently with the elected Student Body executive officers and read in part: Article IV, Section 5: Executive departments may be established by Student Body law, with the head of each department to be appointed by the Student Body president and confirmed with at least a concurrence of a majority of the Student Senate. Officers of the executive departments shall be responsible to the Student Body president for the execution of their duties and shall be subject to removal by the Student Body president. The terms of the heads of the executive departments shall expire concurrently with the expiration of the regular terms of the elected executive officials. The heads of the executive departments may appoint subordinate aides or other officials not provided for by Student Body law, if deemed necessary?

Amendment 6:

Should the Student Body constitution Article VI be updated and amended as follows, Section 2: The Fall general election shall occur on the Tuesday of the sixth week of the Fall term, Section 3: The Spring general election shall occur on the Tuesday of the sixth week of the Spring term and Section 9: The executive branch shall guarantee verified and secured real-time online remote voting on election day in Student Government elections to all members of the electorate?

Amendment 8:

Should the Student Body constitution Article VIII, Section 2 be updated to add the following clause: The Elections Commission shall have the authority to determine if the petition has an accurate summary, and if it determines it is not, to modify the summary so as to be accurate, and after making such determination, shall in all cases forward the petition to the Supervisor of Elections for inclusion on the ballot. Such determinations shall be subject to the Review of the Supreme Court?

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Amendment 11:

Should the Student Body constitution Article III, Section 4 be amended to change the method in selecting Summer replacement senators to the following: The Student Senate during the Summer term shall have the same authority as it does during the Fall and Spring terms. A student senator who will not attend the Summer academic term, or any portion of the term may vacate their seat for Summer. The vacant seat will then be decided by the Replacement and Agenda Committee and be subject to confirmation by the Student Senate. The Summer replacement senator shall serve only during the Sum- mer academic term, or designated portion of the term. The student senator resumes office upon return to the university.

See the full list of 11 amendments here.
Tyler James normally avoids Turlington Plaza, but on Monday he stopped to talk to a Student Government party hes never heard of.

James, 22, was one of more than 100 students who received a small orange flier that had information about Progress Party. He talked to one of its seven members. It was the partys first day asking students for ideas for its platform.

Ive seen everything from Student and Swamp Party to now, the UF doctoral health education and behavior student said.

Progress Party President Casey Witte said the response from students to his newly created party has been positive.

Everyone we talked to has resonated with our message of transparency but didnt know the elections were coming up, he said. Not a single person.

Impact Party also released its official platform Monday, Impact spokesperson Janae Moodie said.

After talking with students and determining what other large public universities have done, Impact wanted to push for a large building that would include amenities like a

new recreation center, counseling and wellness center and infirmary, she said.

Also on Impacts platform is a proposed online marketplace, which would be similar to Facebook pages UF students create to advertise and sell items. But it would be more secure and require students to login with their Gator 1 Card, she said.

Moodie said all of the platform ideas came from student suggestions and party leadership discussing which suggestions were achievable.

We are not limited to the platform we have, Moodie said. Well always be talking to the Student Body to see what else they want done.

Contact Paige Fry at pfry@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter at @paigexfry

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Despite about 54 percent of UF degree-seeking students being female in Fall 2015, according to the most recent UF data, students will vote today and Wednesday for an all-male Student Government executive ticket.

This is the rst time an executive ticket hasnt included women since 2011s Unite Partys executive candidates, according to Alligator archives. Impact Partys candidates are running unopposed: Smith Meyers for UF Student Body president, Mario Agosto, for vice president and Revel Lubin, for treasurer.

Party opponents argue the ticket shows hypocrisy in Impacts past arguments about diversity, while party members said the connection is misinterpreted. Impacts new party president, Donald Mercado, and the new party treasurer, Johnny Townsend, are also male.

The party is running 18 female senate candidates out of 49 for this Spring election.

Progress Party has seven male candidates, and one of the three independent candidates is female. Within Senate, three female Impact senators chair the six legislative committees.

Impact spokesperson Janae Moodie said the next Senate president will probably be female, but Senate will vote on that.

On April 5, 2016, Impact senators argued and ultimately didnt approve two male students nominated for UF Supreme Court positions by former Student Body President Joselin Padron-Rasines, partly because the court would have been all male if they were selected.

Kylie Werk, Senate majority leader during Spring 2016, said during the debate that because there has been fewer than 10 elected female UF Student Body presidents, theres an issue with gender diversity at UF, according to an audio recording of the meeting obtained by the Alligator.

To not diversify one of the most important bodies of UF Student Government could possibly be problematic, she said, referring to the court nominees. Who knows what a body full of males are going to do when there is an issue relating to womens rights on this campus?

Susan Webster said she remembered a conversation with Kalyani Hawaldar, of Access Party, last Spring about how they might have been UFs first two female presidential candidates.

When Webster won the presidency, she became the second female Student Body president in a row after UFs first Latina president, Access Joselin Padron-Rasines to take the position.

She said the current executive ticket isnt an issue because the men were the best candidates. Even without gender diversity, theres diversity in background and race.

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Its not about checking boxes, she said. Its about the people in the roles.

Praveen Varanasi, a former Access District D senator, said diversity was only a tagline for Impact, never an issue it actually cared about.

In Spring 2016, Varanasi said he argued for Padron-Rasines Supreme Court nominees: Adam Trumbly, the only Native American law student in his year at the time, and Kenneth Cunningham, an openly gay 15-year U.S. Army veteran in his 50s.

Varanasi, 21, said Padron-Rasines picked two qualified, impartial individuals who were denied because they werent loyal to Impact.

The lack of diversity arguments that have been made by Impact in the past was made deliberately as a way to legitimize their political agenda, he said.

Impact senators also argued that Padron-Rasines didnt efficiently advertise the positions to law students, according to the audio recording.

Padron-Rasines wrote in an Alligator letter to the editor that she emailed students about the nominations eight times through an email list. Varanasi said she also reached out on social media.

When Webster nominated agency heads, nine out of 13 were male, according to the meetings agenda. Varanasi said this showed Impact only uses diversity to further its own plans. He said the all-male ticket proves this again.

It just goes to show that these individuals will do whatever they can to further their agenda, he said.

Janae Moodie said Impact selected those most qualified for executive candidates. She said the party doesnt lack female leaders, including herself, a woman of color.

She added that Impact senators arguments against Padron-Rasines nominees cant be used against the executive ticket because the situations arent similar. She said women were in the running for the positions, but the three men were the best fit.

In the Supreme Court, there were nine out of nine positions that were filled by men compared to our 53-person slate of candidates, she said. Its not analogous.

Kenneth Cunningham, 53, stood silently in the back of Senates chamber watching the majority of senators stand and vote no on his nomination April 5, 2016.

After, he approached senators and asked why some voted against him and Trumby. He said they didnt understand the nominees qualifications or how well the position was advertised.

They promised Cunningham they would vote for him if there was a second hearing.

There wasnt.

He said some senators believed the candidate pool included all UF law students. But to be considered, law students must have a 2.0 GPA and completed the class, evidence, making the number of potential applicants about 200, he said.

Cunningham, a third-year UF law student, said he realized Impact senators voted against him because they wanted their own people in the court.

When Senate voted, that procedure wasnt followed correctly for a second hearing. Cunningham was there again, waiting to speak to senators. He said they told him party leadership had dictated how they should vote.

The leadership of the Senate had yelled at them to vote the way that they wanted them to vote, which was basically against us, he said.

Cunningham said he knew then that all arguments Impact made only lasted long enough to benefit the party.

The proof is in the pudding, he said. And there was the pudding.

Elections will be held today and Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Students will be able to vote for:

 Student Body president

 Vice president

 Treasurer

 50 Student Senate seats based on college or academic year

 11 amendments to the UF Student Government constitution

 2 referendums

POLLING LOCATIONS:

Broward Hall library

Health Science Center C2-041C Heavener, Room 202

Jennings first- floor library

Levin College of Law (Bruton-Geer Hall) - side hallways by the cafeteria

Marston Science Library, main room

Murphree Area Commons, Conference Room 106

Norman Hall Education Library

Reitz Union computer lab

Southwest Recreation Center - cafe near entrance on left side Springs Area Office, Room C202

Contact Paige Fry at pfry@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter at @paigexfry
Growing up, I was taught to fear student debt  even when I didnt truly understand what it was. This lesson didnt really come from my parents, who worked full time to pay their way through school, but from the horror stories of twenty-something-year-olds haunted by six-figure debt that so often appeared in the news. As Ive continued my education, these stories have appeared to increase in both frequency and urgency. I often manage to convince myself that this is probably due to my own hyperawareness, but it does seem as though the coverage surrounding the student-debt epidemic is at an all-time high.

The majority of this coverage paints a grim picture, detailing the growing amount of students defaulting on their loans and a record-high number of adults over 60 co-signing on these loans and struggling to repay their own portion. Its easy to breeze over the statistics, financial jargon and clinical tone, leaving you with little indication of what it all means for you.

Leading up to college, no one in my high school really talked about debt, as it was assumed that the few kids attending pricey out-of-state schools would be funded entirely by their parents. It was still an abstract concept when an admissions slideshow for one of those out-of-state schools presented the $60,000 annual price tag, surrounded by seemingly arbitrary breakdowns of additional living expenses.

I knew it was a lot of money and breathed a sigh of relief when I realized I could essentially attend UF for free through a combination of Florida Bright Futures and Florida Prepaid. In retrospect, attending UF was the smartest financial decision I couldve made, even though I merely stumbled into that decision by chance.

I knew attending graduate school would be expensive. But again, it remained an abstract concept even as I researched and compared tuition and cost-of-living expenses. Now, as seat deposit deadlines loom closer, the reality of taking on debt before I even enter the professional world is, well, terrifying.

That terror is blatantly apparent on the law school admissions forums (also known as Dantes 10th circle of hell), as clueless college students seek counsel from equally clueless college students on how much debt they can and should incur. The answer is almost invariably that no one knows for sure, its merely a matter of how much risk one wants to take.

Last semester, I wrote a column about the shift in discourse surrounding education that increasingly characterizes it as a capitalist endeavor. Continuing with that school of thought, one can choose to see student loans as an investment in your own earning potential. Like all investments, it carries a certain amount of risk, risk that law school graduates five years ago were forced to reckon with through declining job prospects.

A few weeks ago, I sat in on a law class at a school I was visiting and eventually began to discuss my admissions process with the professor. When I mentioned how scholarship offers would play a pivotal role in my decision, he stated, It used to be that students would just go to the highest ranked school, now all they seem to care about is money. Whether this is a sign of heightened financial sensibility or just rising costs of education remains uncertain, its obvious that many of us are simply aware of the risk and trying to mitigate it.

Marisa Papenfuss is a UF English senior. Her column appears on Tuesdays.

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Weve done the hard part for you. With Student Government elections taking place today and Wednesday, heres how we think you should vote on the amendments listed on the ballot and why.

Yes on 1

In a gist: Amendment 1 asks whether UFs Student Government should be in full compliance with all federal and state nondiscrimination and equal opportunity laws, orders and regulations and shall adhere to UF nondiscrimination policies.

Why we support it: We at the Alligator believe that all methods of preserving this will only benefit UF. As a governing body overseeing a $20 million budget, SG should be held to the same equal opportunity.

No on 2

In a gist: Student Senate currently has 100 senators, and Amendment 2 would keep it at that versus the original 120. If struck down, students will be able to vote for 10 more senators for both Fall and Spring elections.

Why we dont support it: We dont know much about the history of the other 20 seats, but more seats mean more representation.

Yes on 3

In a gist: Amendment 3 asks whether Summer replacement senators should be appointed at the last meeting of the Spring semester. Currently, the SG constitution requires replacement senators be confirmed by the Student Senate by May 1.

Why we support it: With Student Senate not holding meetings during the time between Spring semester and Summer A, this can leave a lot of empty seats and a lot of students unrepresented. Having senators chosen before the end of Spring would ensure students are more continuously represented.

Yes on 5

In a gist: Amendment 5 establishes term limits for the heads of executive departments in SG. This would set that the terms of the persons expire with the regular terms of the elected executive ticket, meaning the Student Body president, vice president and treasurer serve about one year.

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Why we support it: Term limits incentivize those in executive positions to get their agenda done in a year, and it creates more cohesion for the president to carry out his or her policies.

Yes on 6

In a gist: Amendment 6 concerns whether remote online voting should be allowed.

Why we support it: Online voting would the voting Student Body. About a week ago, 2,420 students were admitted to PaCE, where students take their first 60 credits online. Innovation Academy, where students arent on campus in Fall, admitted 979. If youre lucky enough to be on campus and cast a vote, theres no reason students who work just as hard as you shouldnt.

No on 8

In a gist: Amendment 8 would allow for the SG Elections Commission to determine if petitions made by students have accurate summaries before going on the ballot. If not, the Commission would be able to modify the summary before sending it to be on the ballot.

Why we dont support it: It is the concern of the Alligator that by making petition summaries reviewable solely by the Elections Commision and the Supervisor of Elections that this could exclude the makers of the petition and jeopardize the language students petition for.

No on 11

In a gist: Amendment 11 asks whether the Replacement and Agenda Committee should have authority to choose Summer replacements for senators who wont be there during Summer. Currently, senators choose their own replacements.

Why we dont support it: We believe senators should choose who replaces them. By giving the committee the power, which is typically controlled by the majority party, it renders independent and minority senators voiceless.

The Alligator chose not to endorse amendments 4, 7, 9 and 10 due to not knowing the possible effects of the amendments if passed or failed.

See the full list of 11 amendments here.
Donald J. Trump is not easy to define with exact unadorned precision. Like Shakespeares Cassius, he is fresh of spirit and resolve, to meet all perils very constantly. His universe is not a paradise of inner tranquility, but one of active decision-making. Lacking a fixed ideological point of view, he is neither the most determined conservative nor a confounded liberal. Some critics have suggested he may be eccentric and aggressive, and fond of flags and loyalty parades. A majority of the enlightened, elite classes who oppose him still doubt that he has the requisite qualifications to hold the highest office in the country and wonder who put him in the presidents chair. But one thing he is not and that is a Zionist racist.

This label and characterization was recently bestowed on him by Jibtil Rajoub, deputy secretary of the Palestinian Fatah Central Committee who was repeating similar previous comments. In the same week a writer in Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, the official Palestinian Authority paper, on November 12, 2016 wrote that his election revealed the depths of the racist trend in the U.S.

President Trump, like people of good will, is eager to see or help bring about a peaceful solution to the Palestinian-Israeli dispute. Yet, while he clearly has good feelings towards the State of Israel, and his meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears to have been cordial and perhaps productive, it is premature to call him a Zionist, in any case an honorable term. Though moving the U.S. Embassy from Tel-Aviv to the Israeli capital Jerusalem is eminently desirable there are legitimate differences, and Trump, in spite of his favorable attitude, remains, at the moment, undecided if not ambivalent.

What is most troubling about the Palestinian slander of Trump being a racist, is that it is a reminder of the constant battering of Israel for almost 40 years as a racist or apartheid state. This charge against Trump, as well as against the State of Israel, should be refuted by all objective commentators, whether they agree or not with Trumps policies or intention, as well as those of Israel.

The concept of race was crucial to Nazis ideology and policy in carrying out the persecution of Jews and the Holocaust. After World War II, UNESCO, founded on November 16, 1945 in London, asserted that the Nazi atrocities had been made possible by propagating, through ignorance and prejudice, the doctrine of the inequality of men and races particularly concerning Jews.

Using race is one way of categorizing human diversity. The initial problem in dealing with the issue was the lack of unanimity in defining the nature of race. A number of formulas were discussed and asserted by UNESCO, at that time a more serious and objective body than it has since become, starting with the document, "The Race Question" on July 18, 1950 to clarify the meaning of race. The core of the disputed issue is whether race, is a biological fact, or a social myth.

One argument is that there is a biological basis to racial categories, certain anatomical and physiological characteristics, skin color, hair texture, facial makeup and stature, qualities assumed to be essential to or innate to a specific group. These distinct physical traits, different from other groups, are transmitted by hereditary.

From the beginning, individuals such as Julian Huxley, objecting to the political use by Nazis of racial classifications, and because of possible misunderstanding of racial groups, substituted "ethnic group" for race. They wanted to avoid the use of the word because it appeared to deny or be critical of the concept of equality of the human species.

Even the July, 1950 UNESCO declaration on race itself contained contradictions in definition. Part of it was expressed in biological scientific terms, of frequent distribution of genes or physical characteristics, but more frequently the emphasis was on race as a social construction or phenomenon, even a social myth, not a biological concept. This does not deny biological factors or distinct physical characteristics of a given group of people, but more emphasis would be put on social groups with a shared history, sense of identity, geographical links, and cultural affinities.

This criticism of the biological view is based on two reasons, one scientific, the other political. The first argues there is no indisputable biological evidence to support the view that the human species consists of different races. The other, political and social one, is that the myth of race has led to slavery, apartheid, and the Holocaust.

According to the 2013 U.S. Census Bureau Report, race and ethnicity are not quantifiable values, and indeed the intended 2020 Census asking people to identify themselves plans to omit race or origin. It is a recognition that racial categories change over time. The U.S. was anticipated by France. In May 2013, the French National Assembly approved a bill to remove the words race and racial from the French penal code. Francois Hollande in his presidential electoral campaign ran on a platform calling for race to be removed from the French Constitution.

Whether one regards race as a social myth, racism is real. It is a falsehood that has taken a heavy toll in life and suffering. Its basis is that there is a hierarchy of races, some are superior to others, with the Aryan or Nordic race at the peak, and justified in dominating the inferior races, Slavs (Russians, Serbs, Poles), Gypsies. and Jews.

Racism implies discrimination on the basis of ancestry, or physical characteristics, such as skin color or certain facial features, or cultural or religious beliefs. associated with a certain group of people. According to the UNESCO formula racism includes racist ideologies, prejudiced attitudes, discriminatory behavior, structural arrangements and institutional practices resulting in inequality, as well as the fallacious notion that discriminatory relations between groups are morally and scientifically justifiable. It is reflected in discriminatory provisions in legislation or regulations and practices as well as in prejudicial beliefs and acts.

The U.S. was confronted with the issue in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka in May 1954 when the U.S. Supreme Court by 9-0 overruled Plessey v. Ferguson 1896 that upheld state racial separation laws under the doctrine of separate but equal. The Court in Brown held that state laws for separate public schools for white and black students were unconstitutional. Separate educational facilities were inherently unequal and a violation of the 14th amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

The lowest point in the history of the United Nations was reached on November 10, 1975 when the UN General Assembly Resolution 3379 by 72-35 and 32 abstentions determined that Zionism is a form of Racism and Racial Discrimination. Though the Resolution was revoked in 1991 by UND GA RES 46/86, it was a reminder of antisemitism and anti-Jewish hatred in a considerable part of the world. As Daniel Patrick Moynihan said at the time, a great evil had been loosed on the world.

Race is not a fiction. Its use is one way to characterize human diversity, and it can be objectively discussed regarding physical and generic factors. But racism is a sociological and political ordering that some races are inferior to others. It is not a scientific term but one that is concerned with discrimination, hatred, and malice.

One expects strong differences of opinion over the policies and actions of President Trump but he is no racist. The Palestinian organizations and personnel who keep using this malicious idiotic falsehood, this great evil, should be ashamed of themselves. Slanderous remarks are no way to peace.
The yearly ritual of submitting tax returns to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) may not be something most of us look forward to doing, but do we really want the federal government to do it for us?

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) has proposed legislation that would require the IRS to offer you the convenience of doing your taxes for you. The actual bill would require the IRS to create programs that help taxpayers process and file their federal taxes for free. Sen. Warren says taxpayers spend, on average, 13 hours and about $200 for tax preparation services to file their tax returns. Of course, this is unnecessary (if not misleading), as there are plenty of free services available to most Americans.

Having the IRS take over the process of filing our tax returns is not an idea that will make America great again. Our tax system is based on the concept of voluntary compliance, and hollowing this out by replacing it with a government-run tax preparation system moves the IRS from a tax administration, collection, and enforcement agency on to giving advice to the people its taking money from -- a clear conflict of interest.

How long before such "advice" becomes mandatory?

Can American taxpayers trust the same government agency that wants as much of their money as possible to also decide which benefits and deductions they will receive? Even if such a system were convenient and free, would we really want it?

Sen. Warren's office claims that the IRS's Free File program is available to 70 percent of taxpayers, yet only three percent of those eligible actually use the program. Leave it to the government to figure out a way to offer something for free that hardly anyone thinks is worth using. Perhaps that is because the private tax software companies, who offer free electronic filing service to lower-income taxpayers, have figured out how to offer low cost and free services that are more user friendly for taxpayers.

Voluntary tax compliance is an important principle. Its intellectual roots trace back to the founding of our Republic. A government-administered system of tax preparation, which would target low income and lower middle income Americans, should not be added to any comprehensive tax reform that might pass Congress. Such a system would clearly undermine any notion of delivering fairness in implementing our federal income tax.

Our current system gives taxpayers many choices as consumers, and allows for the implementation of federal income taxes in a voluntary manner. Legislation such as that proposed by Sen. Warren would eliminate consumer choices in tax preparation.

Consumers expect a lot of things from tax preparation software and websites, including accuracy. They want to know that the program they use advises them of all available deductions and tax breaks and that they get those deductions and tax credits. Taxpayers also expect the programs to be very user friendly and secure in handling their personal financial information.

Should consumers trust the same IRS, that discriminated against some political groups because of the views they espoused, to also be fair and judicious in the handling of their personal financial information?

Consumers also expect quality help and customer service from the provider of their electronic tax filing products and services. Good luck getting that from the IRS.

The same federal government that will appear to be helping you by doing your tax returns for you is the same federal government that will soon take over the process entirely doing your taxes in a way that benefits the government. When it's too late, you will realize this is help from the government you will regret accepting. The free government tax processing service will lack the convenience, security, features, and accuracy you've come to enjoy from the private services currently available.

Congress should reject the Warren bill, co-sponsored by Bernie Sander (D-VT) and six other Democratic senators, because there are better alternatives currently available. Market-based solutions are always better than giving the government even more power and competing with private tax software and service providers that help Americans file their taxes easily, securely, and without violating a conflict of interest. Private tax return services are vital parts of the marketplace and they have been innovators as opposed to the stale federal bureaucracy that will be motivated to collect more in taxes, not protect the taxpayers from being over taxed.

Dean Chambers is a former pollster. His articles have been featured on the Drudge Report and The Rush Limbaugh Program.
Organized protesters are disrupting the public events of Republican congressmen, and media commentators have widely proclaimed them the new TEA Party. Are these protest groups truly similar to the TEA parties? Will they become a lasting movement that revitalizes the Democratic Party, or is this wishful thinking?

Taxed Enough Already (TEA) was a reality felt by people who had long seen their tax dollars wasted, squandered or embezzled by government. Examples include public schools that spend twice that of private schools, but produce the worst students in the country; city executives of small towns making ten times the median income while doing one-fourth the work; and public employees making three to five times private industry while doing half the work. They saw nepotism and patronage in expensive and unproductive local and state government, and bureaucratic waste, incompetence and frustration in an expensive and counterproductive federal government.

The watchdog groups that seeded the TEA parties existed long before 2009. They would occasionally bend the ears of politicians, but the ones profiting from government would never listen. Strangely enough, the press that proclaimed itself "the watchdog of government" never gave these watchdog groups much attention, except when the most scandalous activity was exposed, and maybe not even then. These groups were largely ignored. Perhaps they failed to connect the government excesses to the peoples' pain, or perhaps the people failed to realize they were suffering under government that cost far more than its worth, but in 2009, that changed.

Contrary to the media narrative, Obama had little to do with it, other than dragging a coattail full of tax-and-spend, nepotic, and patronizing Democrats. Rising tax bills with declining incomes and property values formed a cattle prod. Everyone experienced the pain of excessive taxation, and when people sought answers and became wise to the causes, their blood didn't boil, it exploded. These groups became known as TEA parties. Their meetings routinely involved presentations by policy experts and reports on government activities. The name of Jesus was often invoked, and many palms slapped into faces, yet everything they heard was sourced, cited, and real. Government was a nightmare, and they had discovered that the hard way. When Speaker Pelosi proclaimed, "we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it", the TEA parties already knew what was in it, from where and why it originated, what it would do and was intended to do, and they were horrified and outraged. History was repeating itself, in a bad way.

The TEA parties organized rallies, for which people took time off and paid their own way to attend. In general, about two-thirds of Republicans heeded the TEA parties, while only 15% of Democrats gave them some consideration. The other third of Republicans made excuses for maintaining the establishment, while the vast majority of Democrats openly laughed at the TEA parties' concerns. The response of the Democrats was particularly confounding. They simultaneously proclaimed the TEA parties "Republican AstroTurf", while they expressed concern that these anti-establishment outsiders were taking over the Republican Party. Which was it? Considering that the Republican establishment made the same complaint, it was most definitely the latter. About 20% of TEA party attendees had routinely voted Democrat, and many had been politically inactive for decades. The TEA parties protested Republicans and Democrats, but the Democrats gave the wrong answer. Democrats implicitly or explicitly embraced everything that people saw as wrong in government, mocked their concerns, and lost.

By 2016, the TEA parties had secured management of many local and state Republican organizations, and the local governments they influenced were addressing their concerns; however, this was more the ideal than the norm. Their righteous struggles had been met with opposition from establishment Republicans, the vast majority of Democrats, and strangely enough, a news media that had become propagandists for establishment and Democrat-controlled governments. In most places, the cattle prod was still the reality, and the cause of the TEA parties was still strong; and so Donald Trump was elected president.

No sooner was Trump inaugurated than the organized protests began. First came marches for women's rights, where the protesters expressed their concerns by repeatedly chanting, "Hey, hey! Ho, ho! Donald Trump has got to go!" The pattern repeated itself. Not a single one of these groups, among their leadership or their members, has expressed any substantive policy position. On the occasions that they have attempted to do so, their statements are based more on slander and debunked fallacies than knowledge and reason. Unlike the TEA parties, whose participants addressed substantive issues from positions of knowledge and reason, these new protesters do nothing but decry Republicans and disrupt communication. You might say that they are a Tantrum at Every Action of Republicans (TEAR) party. Pronounce it whichever way you want, for they exist to cry and divide.

Who are these TEAR parties? A group of about 170 protesters gathered outside a meeting of the Palatine Township Republican Organization, at which Congressman Peter Roskam was the invited speaker. A week earlier, the leaders of the group had attempted to blindside Roskam with a media stunt, but failed. This protest was ostensibly about Roskam "hiding" from pro-ACA groups, except that Roskam had already met with two real pro-ACA lobbying groups that same week. This TEAR Party was a stunt, and at its head was the Democratic committeeman for Palatine Township. Other connected Democrats were also in the crowd. The protesters brought juvenile and teenage children to inflate their ranks, and the media cameramen used optical illusions that increased their apparent numbers. Not all of the protesters were Democratic partisans, but this was, without question, an event orchestrated by the Democratic Party and enhanced by the media. Likewise, Representative Nancy Pelosi and Senator Charles Schumer forgot to bring the "real people" to their TEAR Party event outside the Supreme Court. Examples of paid protesters and hired actors abound.

The TEAR parties bear little resemblance to the TEA parties. The TEA parties grew as people experienced the pain of excessive government, informed themselves and addressed their concerns to both political parties. The TEA parties will be long-lived, as the sword of bad government perpetually hangs above our heads. The TEAR parties are organized by Democrats, and consist of partisans and misinformed masses whose grievances are based mostly on slander and deception, and are aimed at Republicans alone. Those who honestly care about policy are acting separately from and more productively than the TEAR parties. The pool of gimmes and misinformed is also perpetual, but always in flux. Lacking any substance, the TEAR parties cry and disrupt. The Republican committeeman for Palatine made an interesting observation: the Illinois municipal elections are fast approaching, but rather than creating a slate of candidates, the Palatine Democrats have chosen to throw a tantrum.
The president is being asked by the Pentagon to provide U.S. ground troops to fight ISIS in Syria. If the president is wise, he will run as fast as he can the other way.

There are four potential traps here:

The cost in American lives;

The nature of the Syrian civil war that encompasses the fight against ISIS, which means we may find ourselves on the battlefield with Russia, Iran, and the genocidal government of Syria;

Finding ourselves with the Turks against the Kurds; and

Finding ourselves with the Kurds against the Turks.

Syria is a quagmire  ask the Russians. The late 2016 battle for Aleppo required heavy bombing; massive artillery; and even, allegedly, chemical weapons. In Aleppo overall, there were 31,000 casualties  22,633 men, 2, 849 women, and 4,548 children. Overall, 76% of the casualties were civilian. Most were caused by Russian bombing and Syrian government and allied troops  Hezb'allah and Iran  on the ground.

Daily operations in Syria are under Russian-Syrian cognizance. The Russians supply air power, combat intelligence, and special operations, targeting anti-regime forces and leaders they want to liquidate. Syrian army forces, Iranian-backed forces (many of them irregular and imported from Pakistan and Afghanistan), and Hezb'allah do the dirty work on the ground. The Russians are determined to minimize their own casualties. After the Afghan debacle  13,310 dead, 35,478 wounded, and more than 300 missing  the Russian public has a low tolerance for battlefield casualties, and in today's world where the internet reigns supreme, keeping news about deadly encounters from the Russian people is a losing battle, and the authorities know it.

Some, including Russian president Vladimir Putin, have proposed that the U.S. team up with Russia. But Defense Secretary James Mattis has said that while we might find ways to cooperate politically, direct military collaboration with the Russians is not in the cards, most importantly because the U.S. arms and trains some Syrian rebels the Russians call "terrorists" and against whom they and the Syrian government are fighting. It is inconceivable that the U.S. would fight in coordination with Russia's allies, Iran and Hezb'allah  who pose a grave threat to Israel, threaten American sailors in the Persian Gulf, and support Saudi Arabia's enemy, the Houthi rebels in Yemen.

In addition to their battle standards being anathema to Americans, the potential for U.S. casualties in Syria is high. The Second Battle of Fallujah was the most costly engagement for American forces since Hue, Vietnam in 1968. In Fallujah in 2004-05, U.S. Marines and coalition forces committed more than 13,000 troops and lost 95 men with 560 wounded. In the town, some 35,000 of the total 50,000 homes were destroyed by artillery, bombing, and street fighting. While the U.S. eventually forced al-Qaeda out, victory secured Fallujah not for long. Fighting ISIS in Syria would produce casualties on the same order of magnitude.

H.R. McMaster, newly appointed NSC advisor to President Trump, knows this better than almost anyone  he commanded the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment in Tel Afar, Iraq, ousting al-Qaeda from the city in 2004, and worked with Gen. Petraeus to rewrite the Army's Counterinsurgency Field Manual during his command of the Combined Arms Center in 2007-08.

Then there is the question of Turkey, which claims that its agenda is to knock off ISIS but is really looking to knock off Kurds  whom the Turks consider terrorists. Turkey wants to import a replacement population to Kurdish territory, beginning with the placement of "safe zones" for Syrian Sunnis in the Kurdish areas and demanding control of ISIS-held Raqqa after its liberation. Turkey is a NATO ally, so the U.S. should be inclined to work with it despite the increasing authoritarianism of Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

But to the fourth point, the U.S. arms and trains Kurdish forces in Iraq and Syria because they are the most effective fighters on the ground and have the best strategy against ISIS. The Kurds are absolutely vital to the fight in Mosul, Iraq. Without Kurdish forces, the Mosul offensive probably would collapse, and with it, the Iraqi government itself might fall. While the U.S. agrees with Turkey that the PKK (Turkish Workers' Party) is a terror organization, the YPG, the fighting arm, is part of the U.S. fighting alliance.

The Russians are also courting the Kurds, believing they can exert pressure on the Turkish position. While there is a rapprochement between Turkey and Russia, it is suspect and unstable. The Russians have given the Kurds a semi-official office in Moscow, permitted them to hold large political meetings, and built Kurdish autonomy into Russian proposals for a future Syrian constitution. This is tricky turf, so at Astana, Kazakhstan, where the political reconciliation talks between Syria and the opposition are being managed by the Russians, the Kurds as political parties were not represented. Kurdish interests are handled by the Syrian government delegation, ostensibly because the Kurdish territories are part of Syria.

So, after dealing with the potential for American military casualties on the scale of the Iraq war; Syrian/Hezb'allah/Iranian/Russian political objectives and military tactics; and the conundrum of our relations with Turkey and the Kurds and their divergent objectives, there remains the question of the size of any operation, the cost in equipment and manpower, and whether ground operations against ISIS can be sustained without a massive investment. If the U.S. were to launch any serious ground operation to defeat ISIS, the U.S. could not at the same time keep sufficient forces in Europe to defend NATO. In fact, the entire strategy to rebuild NATO would be in abeyance or dead. This would hand Putin an exceptional victory in the West.

In sum, the Pentagon recommendation lacks credibility. It is a trap, a killer, and damaging to America. President Trump should send it back where it came from with a big red X scrawled on the paper.
Even in Israel, Treating Terrorism As A Police Matter

An Israeli Defense Forces military court has convicted a young Israeli soldier of voluntary manslaughter after shooting dead a subdued terrorist, captured in the act of trying to kill Israelis. The Palestinian was caught taking part in a string of knife attacks that terrorized the country. The soldier said he feared a bomb belt and believed his life was still in danger. However, the court ruled that it was vengeance and said the 'legitimacy' of the Israel military was at stake. In a surprisingly even-handed report, CNN said the verdict had triggered protests in Israel and sharply divided society. According to Reuters and RT News: Chief Judge Maya Heller said that Azaria "took upon himself to be both judge and executioner," Reuters reported. "One cannot use this type of force, even if we're talking about an enemy's life," the court said. Sounds like a fine nod to civilized society out there, a splendid adherence to the rule of law, a continuation of the broad institutionality that sets Israel apart from its neighbors. Eveerything kapiche, right? The strong reaction against this in Israel suggests no.

For one thing, the claim of needing legitimacy seems to be a polite fiction. Legitimate to whom? Whom does Israel need to appear legitimate to? The Palestinians are never going to accept legitimacy, especially not from this verdict, and right now they haven't. Two, the incident is being covered with prurient interest by the European press, a place well known for seeking to excuse Palestinian terror and expose Israel as 'the real Nazis' or whatever. Anything to assuage their own historic guilt by saying 'everybody does it.' Their heavy coverage isn't to change any minds about Israel, and ought to be an indicator of something just a little malevolent. The other problem is that treating this incident as terrorist act and the soldier's hairtrigger reaction as a routine civilian murder no different from any other pretty well denies that the soldier, Elor Azaria, was in a wartime situation and under considerable stress. As someone right there in the heat of the action, he was less likely to have all the information presented on the news report, and more likely to have just seen something dangerous. He was, after all, a 19-year-old draftee at the time. A verdict like this seems to deny that there is a war. It merely legitimizes a 'narrative' that Palestinians just have a few bad apples like anyone else and therefore are entitled to basic civilian protections and life will go on there as normal once this 'justice' is achieved. What is submersed is that Israel is at war for survival from an implacable enemy tht won't stop and bad things happen during war. How long has this terrorism been going on in Israel? Is treating a shooting like this as a police matter going to stop it? It already hasn't. Showing the civilian society rule of law niceties to terrorists only seems to trigger more terrorism. Errors and rough actions happen in wartime. That is the reality. The enemy doesn't respond to Marquis of Queensbury rules. With that the case, the kid should be pardoned, not punished. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu seemed to recognize the problematic verdict and reportedly favors giving the kid the benefit of the doubt. If he can do something, it would be a greater justice. Something isn't working about this current response.
The leader of France's National Front Party, Marine Le Pen, canceled a meeting with Lebanon's grand mufti because she refused to cover her head in the presence of the Muslim cleric.

Reuters:

Le Pen, among the frontrunners for the presidency, is using a two-day visit to Lebanon to bolster her foreign policy credentials nine weeks from the April 23 first round, and may be partly targeting potential Franco-Lebanese votes.

Many Lebanese fled to France, Lebanon's former colonial power, during their country's 1975-1990 civil war and became French citizens.

After meeting Christian President Michel Aoun - her first public handshake with a head of state - and Sunni Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri on Monday, she had been scheduled to meet the Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Latif Derian

He heads the Dar al-Fatwa, the top religious authority for Sunni Muslims in the multireligious country.

"I met the grand mufti of Al-Azhar," she told reporters, referring to a visit in 2015 to Cairo's 1,000-year-old center of Islamic learning. "The highest Sunni authority didn't have this requirement, but it doesn't matter.

"You can pass on my respects to the grand mufti, but I will not cover myself up," she said.

The cleric's press office said Le Pen's aides had been informed beforehand that a headscarf was required for the meeting and had been "surprised by her refusal".

But it was no surprise in the French political context.

French law bans headscarves in the public service and for high school pupils, in the name of church-state separation and equal rights for women. Le Pen wants to extend this ban to all public places, a measure that would affect Muslims most of all.

Buoyed by the election of President Donald Trump in the United States and by Britain's vote to leave the European Union, Le Pen's anti-immigration, anti-EU National Front (FN) hopes for similar populist momentum in France.

Like Trump, she has said radical Islamism must be faced head on, although she has toned down her party's rhetoric to attract more mainstream support and possibly even woo some Muslim voters disillusioned with France's traditional parties.

After meeting Hariri on Monday, Le Pen went against current French policy in Syria by describing President Bashar al-Assad as the "only viable solution" for preventing Islamic State from taking power in Syria.

Lebanon has some 1.5 million Syrian refugees.
In "Trump pulls back from two-state plan" (02/16/17), the Washington Post reporters state that Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu's reason for caution of a two-state solution "stems partly from his skepticism about a peace deal and partly from political pressure at home." This is not because of anything Netanyahu said. He identified a need for security for his people and his country. And with a recent wave of knife attacks, he is not making this up. On the other hand, The Washington Post continues to make up stuff based on their opinions and interviews of people that agree with them  not facts.

In continuing their fact-free news (so damaging in a time where media distrust is soaring), The Washington Post mimics the Palestinian narrative that "settlements have become one of the main obstacles to a comprehensive peace agreement." They provide no data to prove this assertion and don't even attribute that view to a person or group. It's all Washington Post opinion  yes, in the news section.

Of course those who have done a modicum of research know that Palestinian attacks against Israel began long before settlements ever existed. Moreover, a classic test case of removing all the settlements from Gaza didn't yield peace; rather, it earned tens of thousands of mortars and rockets fired against Israeli men, women, and children.
The political and economic alliance of open borders leftists and establishment cheap labor profiteers have laid a guilt trip on America and Europe to surrender our sovereignty to refugees who want only to eat away at the structure of the host nation to divide and conquer. So-called Dreamers don't really have the American dream; if they did, they might be able to contribute a smidgen of what an immigrant like Harry Pawlik gave to the USA.

Via the Red River Valley Fighter Pilots Association comes the obituary of this remarkable immigrant, who passed away last August.

Harry Pawlik was born in 1929 in the province of Lower Silesia, Poland. When German forces invaded Poland, Harry was captured and separated from his family. He never saw his family again, and it turned out he was the only survivor. Harry was sent to multiple concentration camps, eventually ending up at the Mauthausen and Gusen II slave labor camps. After that he was shipped to the Western Front near France and Luxembourg. Then (emphasis added):

 [in] December of 1944, he was liberated by a Polish detachment with General Patton's 3rd Army and 11th Armored Division and was later adopted by the Military Police, Combat Command A, 11th Armored Division, 3rd Army. Fighting alongside U.S. military forces at the age of 14, during the Battle of the Bulge, he was struck by shrapnel near his left eye but continued to travel until the end of the war. At the time he couldn't speak English, but learned within 3 months and aided as an Allied Forces interpreter.

After the war, he wanted to go to America, but getting it done was not easy, since there were 2.5 million applicants with the same idea. Thankfully, Harry's military connections and well deserved recommendations enabled him to move his visa to the head of the list.

Harry arrived in New York Harbor on September 22, 1947. He set foot on Ellis Island with 2 suitcases and $120 in his pocket ($1 for each pound that he weighed).

But the story doesn't end there. Read the entire article, but here is a brief summary showing his dedication to his new country:

He graduated in 1954 with a bachelor's of arts in science degree from the University of North Carolina. After graduation, Harry attended Air Force ROTC summer camp at Tyndall AFB and was commissioned a 2nd lieutenant in the Air Force. He went back to UNC to work toward his master's degree in education. He held down four jobs to finance this degree.

While in the USAF, he piloted seven different aircraft, including the B-52 and the F-105 Thunderchief. He flew 101 missions in Vietnam, and on one of those missions, his aircraft was hit by enemy fire 130 times. He later commanded the 79th Fighter Squadron at Upper Heyford, England.

His awards and commendations include the Silver Star, seven Distinguished Flying Crosses, two Purple Hearts, a Meritorious Service Medal, 15 Air Medals, the Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palms, and 28 other awards.

If only a fraction of the current wave of immigrants had the courage and determination of Lt. Col. Pawlik, maybe they wouldn't even be migrating, but instead fighting to make their own countries safe for their people.

John Smith is the pen name of a former U.S. intelligence officer.
Mean girls and callous boys are nothing new. They've stalked school hallways and commandeered cafeterias for years. Yet bullies' arsenal of pain-inflicting tools has never been more relentless; smartphones and social media platforms have erased boundaries of time and space. Anytime, anywhere: So go the slings and arrows of the virtual schoolyard. Fortunately, awareness of bullying's harmful effects on mental health is widespread. But what about the ways bullying jeopardizes school performance? About this, we've known far less.Until now.A new longitudinal study from a trio of Arizona State University researchers, published in the Journal of Educational Psychology , reveals a powerful, persistent link between bullying and diminished math achievement. Bullying was tied to lower reading scores, too, but performance rebounded after the early school years. Compared to other students, bullied kids were less engaged in school and felt less competent.It's hard to focus on fractions when the lunchroom looms as a place of rejection. What if stress never stops? Researchers found that 24 percent of students experienced "high-chronic" levels of peer victimization; bullying remainedThink about that: For one in four kids, school was a consistently painful place.What's the takeaway for educators? Take findings seriously and act on them. This study's scope and focus are unprecedented. Researchers tracked the same kids from kindergarten through 12th grade. Families eventually dispersed to 24 states but, remarkably, more than three-fourths of the original 383 students stayed in the study.noted lead author, Gary Ladd, in an American Psychological Association news release announcing findings.Schools have even greater incentive to stamp out bullying early - and quickly. Students for whom bullying declined dramatically showed evidence of academic "recovery." Life improved; so did their test scores. This is heartening news. Intervention has power.How are schools tackling bullying? Todd Pipkin, Head of School at Rocky Mount Prep , a K-12 charter school in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, employs a strategy he describes as "more proactive than reactive." He focuses on educating parents through "parent universities," defining bullying clearly for the school community, and creating a safe climate that encourages open dialogue.Student support is critical; this year Pipkin added two school counselors, for a total of three. And when bullying does occur, Pipkin looks for the teachable moment -Complicating matters today are the tools of technology. A boon to learning, they're also conduits for cyberbullying. Arizona State University  researchers studied traditional school-based bullying, but cyberbullying is pervasive among tweens and teens. According to 2016 Cyberbullying Research Center data, 34 percent of middle and high school students have been cyberbullied.In 2009, state lawmakers passed legislation requiring local school boards to adopt policies prohibiting bullying; language covers cyberbullying. Policies must define bullying, outline reporting procedures, set consequences, and more. Such guidance is meaningful, but schools need help from home, too. Parents have a profound effect on a child's behavior, offline and online.Pipkin works to keep parents informed about cyberbullying and lets them know supervision is essential.he says. A constantly changing landscape of apps and social platforms makes this difficult -Pipkin says - but he and school leaders try to stay a step ahead.It's important work. And its power for good, to heart and mind, endures.
President Trump's choice for his national security adviser is winning bipartisan support. Unfortunately for the Democrats, he also vitiates one of their fantasy talking points against the president he serves. In April of last year, Bryan Bender of Politico laid out the general's role in assessing and responding to threats from Russia:

[A] decade ago, McMaster fought a pitched battle inside the Pentagon for a new concept of warfare to address the threat from Islamist terrorists and insurgents in Afghanistan, Iraq and other trouble spots. Now, his new mission is more focused. Target: Moscow.

POLITICO has learned that, following the stunning success of Russia's quasi-secret incursion into Ukraine, McMaster is quietly overseeing a high-level government panel intended to figure out how the Army should adapt to this Russian wake-up call. Partly, it is a tacit admission of failure on the part of the Army  and the U.S. government more broadly.

"It is clear that while our Army was engaged in Afghanistan and Iraq, Russia studied U.S. capabilities and vulnerabilities and embarked on an ambitious and largely successful modernization effort," McMaster told the Senate Armed Services Committee last week. "In Ukraine, for example, the combination of unmanned aerial systems and offensive cyber and advanced electronic warfare capabilities depict a high degree of technological sophistication."

In Ukraine, a rapidly mobilized Russian-supplied rebel army with surprisingly lethal tanks, artillery and anti-tank weapons has unleashed swarms of unmanned aerial vehicles and cyberattacks that shut down battlefield communications and even GPS.

The discussions of what has been gleaned so far on visits to Ukraine  and from various other studies conducted by experts in and out of government in the U.S. and Europe  have highlighted a series of early takeaways, according to a copy of a briefing that was delivered in recent weeks to the top leadership in the Pentagon and in allied capitals.

U.S. military and intelligence officials worry that Moscow now has the advantage in key areas. Lighter armored vehicles like those the Army relied on heavily in Iraq and Afghanistan are highly vulnerable to its new weapons. And main battle tanks like Russia's T-90  thought to be an anachronism in recent conflicts  are still decisive.

McMaster added that "Russia possesses a variety of rocket, missile and cannon artillery systems that outrange and are more lethal than U.S. Army artillery systems and munitions." Its tanks, meanwhile, are so improved that they are "largely invulnerable to anti-tank missiles," says retired General Wesley Clark, who served as NATO commander from 1997 to 2000 and has been sounding the alarm about what the Ukraine conflict means for the U.S. military.

Also on display in Ukraine to an alarming degree: Moscow's widespread political subversion of Ukrainian institutions, part of what experts are now calling "hybrid warfare" that combines military power with covert efforts to undermine an enemy government. Russia has since then also intervened with ground forces and airstrikes in Syria  apparently somewhat successfully  and flexed its muscles in other ways. This week, two Russian fighter jets and a military helicopter repeatedly buzzed a U.S. Navy warship in the Baltic Sea, despite radio warnings.
President Trump has taken some lumps over his comment in Melbourne, Fla. about Sweden's problems assimilating Muslim immigrants. Few nations do righteous indignation more intensely than Sweden, which parlayed its neutral status in World War II into national wealth (the Nazis were happy to pay for high-grade iron among other war materiel supplies by the Swedes) and, as a bonus, a postwar attitude of superiority over those who confronted the evils of communism.

So when President Trump referred to a documentary he had seen the night before, the Swedes rushed to put him down, claiming there was no massacre the night before.

The battle was taken to the next level, as Swedes rushed to claim that their crime statistics show a peaceful nation benefitting from diversity  the official party line. Tucker Carlson last night interviewed both a Swedish journalist in denial and Ami Horowitz, the filmmaker whose interview and excerpts sparked Trump's Florida remark, and Carlson revealed basic disagreement on  and ignoring of  crime stats for rape in particular.

Trumping this dispute (forgive me the pun!), actual Muslim immigrants in an area of Stockholm thoughtfully provided a riot to validate Horowitz's and Trump's position. Zerohedge reports:

Rinkeby is a known problem area in Stockholm. It was here NRK journalist Anders Magnus was attacked with stones last spring, and here the police never go in the evenings without reinforcements from other patrols according to Dabladet. A freelancer the newspaper spoke to, described the situation as serious. BREAKING: Massive riots happening now in Sweden. Stockholm in flames. Trump was right again!https://t.co/ZQa9Res2tu pic.twitter.com/9Qm3idTS9O  Tennessee (@TEN_GOP) February 21, 2017 "I've been in some turmoil, but this is something extra. It looks like a war zone here", he was quoted as saying. Freelance Photographer Janne Akesson has also been at the site Monday night and early Tuesday. "They threw stones at police and police fired warning shots. I got out when it was at its worst" he said to Dagbladet. He added that there were many youths with hoods and hats on. "It was very chaotic. I have seen much in Rinkeby: they burn cars all the time - unfortunately this was beyond the ordinary."

Here is a report from Sweden's Expressen TV:
The Supreme Court will hear arguments involving a case of a border agent firing his gun at an unarmed teenager who was standing on the Mexican side of the border. A cell phone video shows the agent taking aim and firing at the teen who was about 60 feet away.

NPR:

Between 2005 and 2013, there were 42 such cross-border shootings, a dramatic increase over earlier times.

The shooting took place on the border between El Paso, Texas, and Juarez, Mexico.

The area is about 180 feet across. Eighty feet one way leads to a steep incline and an 18-foot fence on the U.S. side  part of the so-called border wall that has already been built. An almost equal distance the other way is another steep incline leading to a wall topped by a guardrail on the Mexican side.

In between is a the dry bed of the Rio Grande with an invisible line in the middle that separates the U.S. and Mexico. Overhead is a railroad bridge with huge columns supporting it, connecting the two countries.

In June 2010, Sergio Hernandez and his friends were playing chicken, daring each other to run up the incline on the U.S. side and touch the fence, according briefs filed by lawyers for the Hernandez family.

At some point U.S. border agent Jesus Mesa, patrolling the culvert, arrived on a bicycle, grabbed one of the kids at the fence on the U.S. side, and the others scampered away. Fifteen-year-old Sergio ran past Mesa and hid behind a pillar beneath the bridge on the Mexican side.

As the boy peeked out, Agent Mesa, 60 feet or so away on the U.S. side, drew his gun, aimed it at the boy, and fired three times, the last shot hitting the boy in the head.

Although agents quickly swarmed the scene, they are forbidden to cross the border. They did not offer medical aid, and soon left on their bikes, according to lawyers for the family.

A day after the shooting, the FBI's El Paso office issued a press release asserting that agent Mesa fired his gun after being "surrounded" by suspected illegal aliens who "continued to throw rocks at him."

Two days later, cell phone videos surfaced contradicting that account. In one video the boy's small figure can be seen edging out from behind the column; Mesa fires, and the boy falls to the ground.

"The statement literally says he was surrounded by these boys, which is just objectively false," says Bob Hilliard, who represents the family. Pointing to the cell phone video, he says it is "clear that nobody was near" agent Mesa.
It may be that President Trump is off to a busy start, but calling it chaotic is silly and highly partisan. The real chaos is on the other side, and my good friend Barry Casselman has an interesting view:

The real chaos in the capital is in minds of those who oppose him  the same folks who determined he would fail even before he began. The establishment media is in a fury because he won't recognize them at press conferences, even though they blithely ignored the fact that his predecessor ignored the conservative media for eight years.

You want to report about chaos? Check out the Democrats and their campaign to nominate a new DNC chairman.

In the next couple of weeks, we will see the party that gave us JFK, FDR, and Truman nominate a chairman who couldn't win a general election outside San Francisco.

The Democrats are still fighting the reality of election day. They didn't just lose the presidency. They lost everything else as well.

They have two choices: they can continue to fight, resist, and make noise. Or they can act like adults and negotiate with President Trump, as Doug Schoen recommends:

Many Democratic disagreements with Trump's executive orders are valid and there is a clear opportunity for opposition to Trump on the basis of their faults and flaws. However, if Democrats want to win back power they cannot do so by moving further left, resisting Trump at every move, and taking to the streets. Put simply, the Democratic Party is on life support and there is a quiet, but ruthless, war being fought over its future. While the Democratic Party is driven left by anti-Trump activists, protestors, and Senators such as Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, America itself remains a fundamentally center-right nation.

In other words, grow up, Democrats.

Nevertheless, the media is all focused on President Trump's rough start. Frankly, President Trump's administration looks like an orderly bunch compared to the other side.

P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.
Tucked away in a quiet corner of Postman's Park in central London, easily overlooked, lies a remarkable memorial. Under a wooden canopy, stands a short stretch of brick wall upon which are affixed over fifty ceramic plaques, each bearing the name of an ordinary person who performed a final, extraordinary act of bravery and self-sacrifice in their life. Some plaques bear two or more names. Altogether some sixty-two people are commemorated here. All of them died while trying to save the lives of others.

The Memorial to Heroic Self-Sacrifice was created by artist George Frederic Watts, who put forward the idea for a memorial in a letter to The Times in 1887 to mark Queen Victoria's golden jubilee. Watts had been colleting stories of heroic sacrifice from newspaper clippings for many years. One story that struck a special chord was that of Alice Ayres, a servant who saved the lives of her employers three children by throwing a mattress out of the window to cushion the fall and dropping them to safety. Alice herself was overcome by fumes and stumbled out of the window to her death.

Photo credit: Cheesyfeet/Flickr

George Frederic Watts wrote in his letter to The Times:

The character of a nation as a people of great deeds is one, it appears to me, that should not be lost sight of. It must surely be a matter of regret when names worthy to be remembered and stories stimulating and instructive are allowed to be forgotten. It is not too much to say that the history of Her Majesty's reign would gain a lustre were the nation to erect a monument, say, here in London, to record the names of these likely to be forgotten heroes. I cannot but believe a general response would be made to such a suggestion, and intelligent consideration and artistic power might combine to make London richer by a work that is beautiful, and our nation richer by a record that is infinitely honourable.

Sadly, nobody paid attention to this beautiful idea. So Watts decided to fund the memorial himself. Ten years later, he was able to raise 3,000 for its construction he himself bore 700 (about 71,000 as of 2017). The memorial opened in 1900 with just four plaques, with a further nine tablets added during Watts's lifetime. After his death in 1904, Watts's wife, Mary Watts, took over the management of the project. But as Mary became more and more preoccupied with the management of the Watts Gallery and Watts Mortuary Chapel in Compton, Surrey, she began to lose interest in the project. Work ceased altogether in 1931 with only 53 of the planned 120 tiles in place.

The memorial came into public notice in 2004 when it appeared in the movie Closer, where the memorial was used as a key element in the movies plot. Three years later, Leigh Pitt, a print technician from Surrey, died rescuing a nine-year-old boy drowning in a canal. Following his death, his colleague, Jane Michele, approached the Diocese of London to suggest a new addition to the memorial, in the name of Leigh. Despite opposition from the Watts Gallery to proposals that the memorial be completed, a new plaque commemorating Pitts heroic actions was added on 11 June 2009  78 years after Mary Watts installed the last plaque.

The Memorial to Heroic Self-Sacrifice, today, remains an obscure destination drawing only a handful of visitors.

Photo credit: Sarflondondunc/Flickr

Photo credit: Jez Nicholson/Flickr

Photo credit: Jez Nicholson/Flickr

Photo credit: Paul Robertson/Flickr

Sources: Wikipedia / www.postmanspark.org.uk / Wikipedia
With the Midterm Elections less than one week away: What do you consider the top issues that you will be voting on to be corrected by your better representation?

Education Crime Big Government getting Bigger Biden /Democrat controlled Spike in Energy Cost Inflation created by Legislation of Majority in Power Gender Reassignment Corrupted Bureaucratic /Service (DOJ, FBI, etc.) Institutions Abortion Discredited Legacy Media Ending the Corruption of Dishonest Politicians Corruptive Influence of Social Media Wide Open Southern Border
First Time Ever! Our Federal Government Has Been Petitioned From Beyond The Grave

General George Washington has petitioned the Congress to change the name of Washington D.C. to, "Anything else ye damn well please".



He went on to say...



"I spent my life in service to this once great country and I no longer consider it an honor to have our capital named after me.



Besides, my cohorts up here in heaven have begun to laugh at me every time the word "Washington" is mentioned on the news shows down there. Since ye now have the 24 Hour News Cycle, the guffaws are never ending.



Sadly sleep is not needed up here. If we did sleep, I could get away from the ridicule for a wee bit. This being the case, the laughing and finger pointing never stops.



Benjamin Franklin is the worst!"



Authorities are baffled at how Ole George went about communicating with our 2017 11% Approval Rated Congress.



A Senate Committee will begin holding hearings next week to get to the root of this strange phenomenon. Committee Hearings are a sure way to get to the bottom of any issue of importance...Or are they?



Would I kid u?

Smartfella


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Paul Gilbert Olsen  a remarkable son of Butte, America  passed on from this world on Feb. 17, 2017. His family now celebrates the life of a truly exceptional man. Paul was born on Sept. 25, 1925, the youngest child of Albert Olsen and Anna Vennes Olsen, both Norwegian immigrants who met and married in Butte.

The Olsen family lived on the 700 block of Quartz Street in Butte. Paul grew up a scrapper in a household of big, tough men. His father was rope gang foreman on the Butte Hill. The three Olsen brothers  Ralph, Arnold, and Paul  worked early in their lives as newsboys. Paul started selling newspapers at age 7. The brothers held the corner of Broadway and Main in front of the Texaco Petroleum building for 14 years, passing it down from one brother to the next.

Paul had a passion for working with draft horse teams. At the age of 6, he watched his father and the rope gang freight the Metals Bank vault up the hill from the railroad tracks using draft teams, and he loved telling how he watched in awe as the men and the horses worked. In 1936, at the age 10, Paul began working summers for Louis and Laura Dahl at the Cottonwood Ranch in Harlowton, where he learned to farm with draft horses, delivered supplies to sheepherders and built reservoirs. He continued working summers for the Dahls until 1943, but his love of working draft horse teams continued throughout his life.

Paul had his own paper route at 16 and also worked in his brother Ralphs gas station. He graduated from Butte High School in 1943, and joined the Navy in late August of that year at the age of 17. He did his basic training in Farragut, Idaho, and then served at an ammo depot in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Paul was a hard worker, and his commanding officer recommended him for the torpedoman school in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. He served out the remainder of World War II as a submarine torpedoman in the Pacific.

Paul attended the University of Montana in Missoula on the GI Bill beginning in 1947, and it was there he met his sweetheart Jacqueline Jackie Williams at a freshmen mixer dance. The two were married in Billings in 1948. Paul began to split time between his education and driving truck in the Butte mines in that same year. He graduated from UMs law school in early 1952, and the couple moved their young family to Helena that year, where Paul worked for the Veterans Compensation Division.

In 1953, Billings attorney Willis Jones asked Paul to partner with him, and the two formed the Jones & Olsen law firm. They added Gerry Christensen in 1961, and the Jones, Olsen, & Christensen partnership remained a fixture in Billings through the end of the century. Paul Olsens law practice was dedicated to the needs of the working class and the poor.

In the 1960s, Paul Olsen gained admission to the bar of the Supreme Court of the United States on the recommendation of Senator Lee Metcalf. For a time, he was the only Montana attorney able to argue cases before the Supreme Court. He won all five cases he argued there, including a decision that granted adoption rights to grandparents.

Paul and Jackie raised four children together: Lona (1950), Peter (1952), Rebekah (1957) and Polly (1959). He is remembered as a kind, joyful and happy father. He could be hard on his children when they disappointed him, but he was always quick to forgive. Life around Paul Olsen was often an ongoing civics lesson. He taught his children that they had rights, and he loved to challenge their thinking with heated and often playful banter. He taught his children about Jesus and how to pray. Everyone was welcome at his table, and he treated everyone as an honored guest. Paul put his family above all other interests, activities and pursuits. He was the type of man that his son wanted to be, and he was the type of man that his daughters looked for in a husband. He was a lover of the Good Lord, his family, good horses, good dogs and fun.

Paul owned land near 88th Street outside of Billings, where he and Jackie eventually built a home. There, he enjoyed driving his draft horse team, Rosie and Josie. He was always busy with a welding or woodworking project in his shop. He enjoyed building his hay wagon and his sleigh there with his son Pete and his son-in-law Rod. Papas place was an open landscape for adventure. He kept a loaded BB gun propped by the back door for whichever grandkid that came to visit that day, and he seemed to know that time spent running through grass and sage kept kids out of trouble. He gave frequent lessons in shooting, riding and driving. He was known for saying goodbye with a game he called last tags, and hed tell you to ride your brakes to the bottom of the hill. When you returned, he would greet you with a Hey Tiger or an Old West quick-draw contest with his finger. He played the loser of a quick-draw contest better than any Hollywood actor ever tried.

His grandchildren called him Papa Washcloth because of his impeccably tidy habits. After a meal or a snack, he would be waiting to snag every grandkid, one at a time, with one of his big hands on the back of the head and wipe their entire face with a hot, soapy washcloth in the other hand. He washed the dishes after every meal, and he would playfully howl in pain when his grandkids would sneak up behind him and snap his flashy rainbow suspenders on his back. His arrival home was announced by his profound whistling and yodeling abilities, the air pushed out from the strong lungs inside his barrel chest. He encouraged his grandchildren to always do their best, and he always had a funny, rough-and-tumble story from his childhood in Butte to emphasize why. He kept lengths of rope on the coffee table to teach his grandchildren the knots that his father and the Navy taught him. He made simple errands seem like adventurous and special outings that he had waited for until you arrived, and he made you feel like you were his favorite. He could make a trip to the mailbox feel like the world.

Paul and Jackie were married for 68 years. They loved to travel and were known to drive for dinner in Butte at a moments notice. They were lifetime members of the Billings Saddle Club and were founding members of the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Billings. Paul served as president of the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, president of the Yellowstone Democrats Club, president of Valley Federal Credit Union, and twice as Billings Saddle Club president. Paul helped found St. Johns Lutheran Home in Billings and served as its counsel. He was particularly proud of his work as counsel for the Yellowstone Valley Electric Cooperative and the St. Labre Indian Mission. Paul was appointed to the Housing Authority Board for Retired Persons, the Cemetery Commission & Planning Board, and was a board member for St. Vincent Hospitals Senior Services. Governor Thomas Judge appointed Paul to the Montana Banking Commission. Paul also took part in the first Montana Honor Flight, visiting the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. with other Montana veterans.

Paul was a member of the Butte Clerks Union; the International Union of Mine, Mill, and Smelter Workers; the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades; and the Teamsters Union. He was also a member of the Montana Trial Lawyers Association, the Montana Bar Association, and the American Bar Association.

Paul G. Olsen was a giant of a man  in his size, in his spirit, and in his contributions to the communities in which he worked. He leaves us all wondering how we deserved him. He was a world-class gentleman.

Paul was preceded in death by his wife Jackie on Jan. 9 of this year; by his brothers Orville, Ralph and Arnold; by his sister, Agnes Webb; and by best friends Melvin Rayfish and Willis Jones. He is survived by his daughters, Lona (Wayne) Olsen, Rebekah (Rod) Propp and Polly (Troy) Namen; and son Peter (Linda) Olsen; as well as 11 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by best friend Gerry Christensen.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Shriners Childrens Hospital.

Burial will take place at 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 24, at the Yellowstone National Cemetery in Laurel. A memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25, at Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, 1108 N. 24th St. West in Billings.

Michelotti-Sawyers Mortuary is assisting with arrangements. Condolences may be made online at www.michelottisawyers.com.
Out of 1,600 photos, the best one is simple: a red-winged blackbird calling out over a reflective pool of water. But its that simplicity that drew professional photographer Brian Harrington to the image.

You will see a ton of photos of the Tetons or things like that, Harrington said. But to me, the things that stood out most remarkably, is a photo that gives you exactly what you need to see and something else.

That particular image, by Pinedale photographer Elizabeth Boehm, won the grand prize in Wyoming Wildlife magazines annual photo contest.

Boehm often sits on the edge of a pond, covered with a blind, waiting for wildlife. When the blackbird landed she focused on him, waiting patiently for him to turn toward her and call. Then he did.

I was not expecting that that morning, but it happened, she said. I was thrilled that it happened.

Harrington described the photo as dynamic with a great use of color but most importantly, it was a unique situation that couldnt be duplicated. Boehm was at the right place at the right time with the skills to make a beautiful picture.

Photographers from 26 states submitted to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department contest this year, said magazine editor Amy Bulger. Images fell into four categories: scenic, wildlife, flora and recreation. All had to be from Wyoming.

Its a good way for people to show us the things that they love most about the state and wildlife and landscapes, Bulger said. The way we recreate here and the reasons we hold the state dear to our hearts. ... I also think photography in general creates a relationship with nature thats a little different than the usual aspect we cover in the magazine. A photo can really open the door to another world.

How did the judges narrow down the top contenders? The professional photographers and Game and Fish employees looked at everything from composition to color to rarity of the image.

The Star-Tribune asked Boehm as well as two judges, Harrington, owner of BHP Imaging in Laramie, and Matthew Idler of Matthew Idler Photography in Cheyenne for their top tips for budding nature photographers.

Respect the golden hour: Not many people like to be out in the dark, especially when its cold. But if you want to capture the best photo, sometimes waking up before the sun rises or going home after it sets is a necessary discomfort. Not only is the early morning and late evening the best time to take nature photos, Idler said, but it is also generally when wildlife is out and most active. Its called the golden hour, and both Idler and Harrington said the soft light of a low sun will guarantee the best photos.

Keep it simple: Nature photos are notoriously hard to keep simple. Branches creep in the edges, trees fill the background. But crisp, compelling images are often the most basic, Harrington said. If the background is busy, use a smaller f-stop or long lens. Use f2.8 or f4 will start to blur a lot of those things or a long lens will have the same effect. Some photos in the contest rose to the top, but were ultimately pushed down the list because they didnt have the simplicity Harrington and the other judges sought.

Remember the rule of thirds: Maybe youve heard this one before, maybe you havent, but Harrington said it is a good reminder. When composing a photo, dont put the subject in the center. Mentally divide the image into thirds and place the subject in one of those thirds. It will make the image more appealing.

Stay natural: Be careful to prevent your images from straying too far to one color. While an image with blue or yellow hues can be interesting, it isnt natural, Harrington said. One image that was initially appealing was of a man walking in the snow, but it was so yellow it seemed as if the man was on Mars, he said.

Know your gear: Photographers can easily spend thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars on equipment, but in the end, knowing how to use what you have is the most important, Idler said. Its more important to know how to compose a good photo, how to know what makes an appealing photo, than having the newest, fanciest camera. So if youre struggling with your pictures, think about reading your cameras manual and spending more time shooting before you invest in an upgrade.

Learn your subject: Whatever it is you want to photograph  red-winged blackbirds, foxes or bears  know how the animal will behave, Boehm said. Knowing your subject will help you predict what it may do. And most importantly, be patient. A lot of times you go out and get skunked, you dont see anything or it gets up and runs, she said. But keep going back.
MISSOULA  A bill to add civil rights protections for LGBT people to the Montana Human Rights Act died on Monday, following debate between Democrats and Republicans about the need for such legislation.

A few days earlier, dozens had traveled to Helena to testify before the House Judiciary Committee on House Bill 417. Supporters from Great Falls to Billings shared personal stories of being denied housing, jobs and services due to their sexual orientation or gender identity without any options for legal recourse, sometimes leaving them unable to provide for their families.

This is a fundamental American value to protect people from discrimination. People should be able to be who they were born to be, House Minority Leader Jenny Eck, D-Helena, said before Mondays vote. Its long past time we get it passed.

Opponents argued the bill would fix a nonexistent problem, encourage immoral lifestyle choices, allow sexual predators into bathrooms and would become a weapon against conservative Christians, citing cases in other states where bakers or florists were fined for refusing to provide wedding services to gay couples.

Pointing to studies of 23 other states with similar legislation, experts on the law and sexual violence contradicted claims it would create a public danger or weaken existing protections for religious freedom, noting that the Supreme Court of the United States has ruled that commerce is not a religious practice.

On Monday, 11 Republicans voted against HB417, and eight Democrats supported it. The committee then tabled the measure, almost certainly killing it.

Rep. Bill Harris, R-Winnett, said he would have supported the measure if it would have provided additional protections for religious expression.

I would agree the folks in this community deserve the same rights as all the rest of us. In fact I dont see them different than the rest of us.  There are some people in this community that have taken it to an extreme and theyre angry people probably, he said, arguing for extra language so the religious community isnt discriminated against without protection no different than the community were visiting about there.

Rep. Laurie Bishop, D-Livingston, said those fears ignore the reality of discrimination faced by some Montanans.

Rather than step in and provide what seem like the obvious protections for those people, we instead reserve those protections for the imaginary among us, she said.

Rep. Lola Sheldon-Galloway, R-Great Falls, fought back tears as she explained her vote against the bill, referencing a history of discrimination and violence against Jews.

In 1930, a state governor extended an extermination order for a religious sect. You could shoot these people on the spot and not get accused of anything. Im part of that group.  This extermination order wasnt even relinquished until 1976, she said, noting that the Montana Human Rights Act protected her under the broad term of religion rather than by identifying particular belief systems.

She argued, We are not fragmenting as a group and next were going to have another group here that wants their name in here. And another group and another group, but we already have a word in here that covers this, she said, pointing to sex as an existing protection that should already cover LGBT Montanans. Im not trying to divide you. Im trying to include you in and Im offended that I could be told that because Im going to say no to this bill that Im not wrapping my arms around this group and defending them and wanting to stand with them. The stories we heard were wrong. Absolutely wrong. But youre already protected and I will stand with you in that protection.

Attorneys and LGBT citizens who had experienced discrimination had testified that, in fact, they are not covered by the existing list of protected classes, in part, because plain language definitions are different from legal ones.

If it were enough, we wouldnt even need to have this conversation, Eck said. The fact of the matter is people are being discriminated against and the language in the law as it currently stands is not enough.
CODY, Wyo.  On Sunday, Sam Mihara lead a discussion in Washington, D.C., about how a presidential order wreaked havoc for him and thousands of other people, making travel impossible, splitting up families, upending lives and sowing chaos amid the careful plans and long-held dreams of a select group of people.

But Mihara wasn't talking about President Trumps Jan. 27 executive order that suspended travel from seven Muslim-majority countries.

Mihara and others who were confined at the Heart Mountain internment center during World War II were talking about Executive Order 9066, signed 75 years ago by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on Feb. 19, 1942.

That order resulted in the imprisonment of more than 120,000 people of Japanese descent living along the West Coast, most of whom were American citizens, including Mihara. He lived with his family in a one-room shack from ages 9 to 12 at a camp located between Cody and Powell, Wyoming, where a museum now commemorates that era.

Its an awful stain on the history of this country, Mihara said in a telephone interview before Sundays program at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. The event was cosponsored by the Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation.

My family suffered some very difficult times, said Mihara, 84, a retired Boeing Co. rocket scientist now living in Huntington Beach, California.

Mihara speaks frequently at public events about his experience at Heart Mountain because its important for us to do whatever we can to make sure it never happens again to anyone else.

A 1944 U.S. Supreme Court decision upheld Roosevelts internment order, which never referenced a specific race or ethnicity, although only those of Japanese ancestry were imprisoned in such large numbers. A wide range of Constitutional scholars, including the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, have condemned the 1944 decision, which has never formally been overturned.

President Ronald Reagan signed the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, which provided an apology and modest restitution payments to internees.

Mihara said Roosevelts order was flawed because it lacked any kind of proof that we were likely to become spies or conduct sabotage, something he sees paralleled in Trumps travel ban.

The Trump order was blocked by a federal judge, and later a three-person appeals court. The administration has defended the travel ban, saying it was based partly on terrorism risk criteria developed by the Obama administration. But the Justice Department announced Thursday that it will not further defend the travel ban in court, and Trump will instead release a new order tailored to comply with recent court rulings.

Mihara said he would oppose any such executive order if it primarily applies to a specific race or religion, or fails to provide hard evidence detailing specific threats.

Shirley Ann Higuchi, a Washington, D.C., attorney and chair of the Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation, said it might be logistically difficult to secure the borders without treading on civil rights, but its not impossible.

George W. Bush managed to strike a reasonable balance in the days following 9/11, Higuchi said.

The Bush administration took appropriate measures to safeguard us with a security system that screens everyone without discriminating against Muslims or Arabs or people that simply may appear suspicious without probable cause, said Higuchi, whose mother and father first met when both were 11-year-old internees at Heart Mountain.

Higuchi pointed out that Norman Mineta was that same age while an internee at Heart Mountain, which housed more than 14,000 Japanese-Americans during its three years of operation.

Mineta served as Transportation Secretary under President George W. Bush, and recalled a cabinet meeting shortly after 9/11 for a 2006 interview with the San Jose Mercury News.

We know what happened to Norm Mineta in the 1940s, and were not going to let that happen again, Mineta recalled Bush saying during that meeting.

What the president said that day had a tremendous impact on me. It gave me a great feeling, he said.
The financial storm cloud of CHS Refinery tax protests is still ever-present for the Laurel school district, but it at least has an umbrella now.

Gov. Steve Bullock signed a bill, SB 5, on Feb. 8 that lets school districts borrow money to help pay off tax protest repayments. While school districts generally avoid spending money caught up in tax protests, the CHS refinery makes up more than 50 percent of Laurel's K-8 tax base.

Weve had to access the protested taxes just to operate, said Laurel Superintendent Linda Filpula.

Several districts access protested taxes, but Laurel is likely the most dramatic example. Should tax appeals favor CHS, Laurel would have been on the hook to potentially pay back millions of dollars, which would have been done through a one-year levy under the old law.

Now, schools still have to pay back money in one year, but they can spread out the hit by borrowing from a state loan program.

CHS protested tax bills in 2009 and again in 2014 and 2015. The 2009 dispute was settled in 2013, cutting about 15 percent from the refinerys taxes from 2009 to 2012. The underlying dispute over the assessment method wasnt addressed.

The state Department of Revenue says the plants market value for 2014 is $848 million and for 2015 is $820 million. CHS says the value is $345 million for 2014 and $352 million for 2015.

The proposal was a major priority for Laurel, which is in the midst of a facilities planning process and is likely to hold a bond election this fall to raise money for extensive renovations and perhaps a new school aimed at alleviating overcrowding and a deferred maintenance backlog.

The threat of having to pay back tax protest repayment money in one year deterred officials from pursuing bond projects in the past, district officials previously said.

Under the new law, schools would be able to borrow from Montana Board of Investments through the INTERCAP loan program to pay tax protest refund money in one year as required, but the loan could be paid back over several years, spreading out the impact on taxpayers.

The Montana Board of Investments is authorized to have about $190 million loaned out. Currently, the board has loaned out less than $100 million, said Sen. Tom Facey, a Missoula Democrat who is sponsoring the bill.

This is about flexibility for schools, he said during the bill's introduction.

The law also lets schools use the loan program to purchase modular housing for short-term use.
U.S. Sen. Jon Tester rolled out a proposal to bolster higher education opportunities for veterans and plugged a pair of bills targeting rural teacher shortages at Montana State University Billings on Monday.

The Rural Educator Support and Training Act and the Native Educator Support and Training Act were first introduced by Tester in 2015. Both acts provide targeted scholarships and loan forgiveness for teachers.

Montana has more schools that the federal government classifies as "remote" than any other state. As talk of a national teacher shortage revved up last year, small schools that have struggled to recruit and retain teachers for years say it's become even more difficult. Reservation schools struggle more than most other rural schools.

"I've seen the problems they have from every level, especially in rural communities," said Tester, who previously was a teacher and school board member in Big Sandy.

The financial incentives would likely have a disproportionately large effect in Montana, where new teachers are paid worse than any other state, especially in rural areas.

However, the proposals have failed to gain traction. Tester said he would try to attach them to larger bills and pitch them to Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander, the chairman of the Senate education committee.

"The key is floor time," he said.

He was optimistic that the veterans proposal  the Education Development for Troops and Veterans Act  could get tacked on to a likely revision of veterans health care programs.

The bill aims to tweak GI Bill benefits to make them more accessible and increase with tuition costs; lets service members defer student loans during pre-deployment training; and creates a grant program to help colleges start veterans education centers.

"It's our duty to make sure they maximize the benefits they earned while serving our country," Tester said. "This legislation will help service members reach their full potential."

Tester is the highest-ranking Democrat on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, but the Republican Party's congressional majority extends to committees as well.
Ted Heath becomes Ed, the Fred West of child murder and celebrity police appeal for calm

Time for another look at Ted Healths corpse. A high-ranking policeman reportedly said that the former Prime Minister was a paedophile. A source told the Mail on Sunday that Wiltshire Chief Constable Mike Veale, for it is he, is 120% certain the dead man was a child rapist. You can either believe it and think, Yeah, always knew he was a wrong un. Or you can wonder about the evidence, the messenger, the timing and if the hunt for the morally reprehensible can ever be satiated?

Pick your prejudice and read on

In the Salisbury Journal, dead Teds local paper, we read Veales response to the Mail on Sundays story. This is it in full:

On Friday 2 December 2016, I prepared and distributed an unequivocal open letter outlining the Wiltshire Police position in relation to the ongoing investigation into allegations made against Sir Edward Heath. This letter was written as a direct consequence further to unhelpful and inappropriate speculation about this case. However, this speculation continues and is of huge concern to me as I believe it will undermine trust and confidence in the police, have a potential prejudicial impact upon a live ongoing investigation, not to mention an impact upon the confidence of persons who have come forward with information. In my letter I made a number of points to provide absolute clarity about why Wiltshire Police is conducting this investigation. To reiterate, there is a clear legal requirement and supporting national policy from the College of Policing that I am required to undertake an investigation where allegations have been made, regardless of whether the alleged offender is living or deceased. In relation to the recent unhelpful speculation regarding the veracity of the allegations made, let me once again be clear, it is not the role of the police to judge the guilt or innocence of people in our Criminal Justice System. Our role is to objectively and proportionately go where the evidence takes us. Further, those who choose to continue to make comment on this case whilst not in possession of the facts ultimately may serve to unfairly damage both the reputation of Sir Edward Heath and / or those who have disclosed abuse. At the end of my open letter I stated that I would not be making further comment about the investigation unless it was for operational policing purposes. Other than to provide clarity around a number of key points, my position remains unchanged. The operational security of this investigation and the anonymity of the people who have come forward remains of paramount importance to Wiltshire Police.

Thats a very long no comment. And he doesnt specifically say if the Mail on Sundays story is false or true. Pity.

Mindful of the coppers words, the Sun dutifully bows its head and reports with circumspection:

HEATHS SEX CULT LINK Edward Heath linked to a murderous paedophile ring that killed 16 kids

Ted Heath was in cahoots with serial killers?! The story begins:

BIZARRE claims that former Prime Minister Ted Heath was part of a satanic paedophile ring which murdered 16 children have been dismissed as wild allegations by a close family friend.

Sensational claims make for sensational headlines.

Who are making the outlandish claims?

A group of women allege the Tory PM abused them as children as part of a sex cult run by their own parents which burnt babies in satanic orgies. Wiltshire Police have spent more than a year investigating the allegations as part of an inquiry that has cost taxpayers over 883,431, the Daily Mail reports. But Sir Edwards godson Lincoln Seligman said: I understand that these claims from the 1980s were at the time dismissed as complete fantasy by police. It is disappointing that these wild allegations have been reheated and randomly attached to Edward Heaths name.

Oh, and:

There is reportedly no suggestion that Sir Edward killed any children in the womens accounts.

Only reportedly? But gerraload of that headline!

After a few lines on tortured babies, Devil worship and murder, the paper delivers a selection of facts:

Sir Edward, who was Prime Minister from 1970-1974, was never married and died in 2005 aged 89. The lurid claims were dismissed by police in 1989, and Sir Edwards name was never mentioned to police at the time.

Over in the Mail, the Suns source, we read more.

Group of women who say they were abused by Sir Edward Heath also claim their parents ran a satanic sex cult that was involved in SIXTEEN child murders

Like the Sun, the Mail delivers the claim in a big, bold headline before noting at the very start of the story:

The farce came as police probe incredible claims that the former prime minister was linked to a paedophile ring that killed as many as 16 children  which would make them the worst child murderers in British history.

Its hard not to feel sympathy for Ted Heath, the subject of a bizarre farce. The paper adds:

The seemingly far-fetched allegations have been made by a family who allege that the politician was part of a satanic sex cult run by their own parents.

The paper delivers more on the allegations of terrible acts that only seem to be far-fetched:

They say that the cult regularly slaughtered children as ritual sacrifices in churches and forests around southern England and also participated in similar ceremonies in Africa.

They claim their mother and father  who is said to have known the former Conservative leader  were responsible for slaughtering children ranging from babies to teenagers  yet they evaded justice. The paedophile ring  which they say Sir Edward was part of  stabbed, tortured and maimed youngsters in churches and burnt babies in satanic orgies before men, women and children gorged themselves on blood and body parts, police have been told.

Can we take some small relief that no sex was involved in this alleged orgy of depravity? What wed like, of course, are some facts. But instead of them we get news that, If the bizarre allegations were to be proved, the parents who allegedly led the killings would be responsible for murdering more children than Fred and Rose West.

Did Fred and Rose West meet Ted? Sorry, Ed? If wild claims are newsworthy, look out for tales of MPs at the Wests? Reading on, were told:

The womens lurid claims were dismissed by police in 1989 when they came forward. Sir Edwards name was never mentioned to police at the time. It was only last year that he was named for the first time after one of the claimants said she had remembered a man called Ed was a prime mover in a network of paedophile abusers.

The story is so weak, a cynic might wonder if its put up to create a smokescreen to derail the whole search for so-called VIP paedophiles?

Maybe the Times can be more helpful? Beneath the headline We can link Ted Heath to alleged victims of abuse, police claim, the paper tells us:

The police investigating claims that Sir Edward Heath was a paedophile believe that they have evidence linking the former prime minister to a series of alleged victims.

Believe?

More than 30 alleged victims have contacted Wiltshire police with claims of abuse involving Sir Edward from the 1960s to the 1990s. A source close to the investigation said that strikingly similar allegations made against Sir Edward include the names used for the former politician, the type of abuse and the locations. Detectives were reported to be initially sceptical about the allegations but now believe them.

And?

Wiltshire police said it did not know if the investigation report would be published. Two men have been arrested on suspicion of child abuse, although not linked directly to Sir Edward. The investigation is also considering claims that the abuse was reported to the police years ago but was covered up.

The paper then mentions Mr Veales aforementioned letter, noting:

The chief constable had previously apologised for launching the investigation in 2015 with a public appeal outside Sir Edwards former home beside Salisbury Cathedral.

And what of the alleged Satanic murders?

An expert called in by the force to assess the claims by three women who alleged that Sir Edward was involved in occult abuse said that the police inquiry was the result of on an over-active imagination.

Is any of this going to be tested in court?

The Times revealed last week that three prominent victims of false abuse claims are suing the Metropolitan Police over their treatment in a separate inquiry. The legal actions by the former Tory MP Harvey Proctor, the former chief of the defence staff Lord Bramall and the broadcaster Paul Gambaccini could cost Scotland Yard an estimated 3 million. The widow of the former home secretary Leon Brittan was reported yesterday to have sent a letter before action to the force as a result of raids on their homes in London and North Yorkshire after her husbands death.

Having read what the police believe and what women imagine, David Mellor, the former Tory minister, takes to his blog on LBC radio, where he hosts a phone-in show:

In an interesting scoop yesterday, the Mail on Sunday claimed that the Chef Constable of Wiltshire, Mike Veale, believes that Ted Heath was a serial paedophile, whose crimes were covered up by the establishment. The MOS report that thirty complainants have allegedly been identified, and Mr Veale believes them 120%, and thinks they are totally convincing.

Scoop or utter balls?

He is not directly quoted in the piece, so it could all be made up. But I doubt it.

So much for facts. Its all about belief.

Its worth taking a look at the original Statement from Wiltshire Police following the IPCC announcement re. Sir Edward Heath investigation.

A spokesperson for Wiltshire Police said:

Following the announcement today regarding an independent investigation by the IPCC into allegations concerning how Wiltshire Police handled an alleged claim of child sex abuse made in the 1990s, we are carrying out enquiries to identify if there are any witnesses or victims who support the allegations of child sex abuse. On becoming aware of the information, Wiltshire Police informed the IPCC and later made a mandatory referral. The IPCC investigation will specifically consider how the Force responded to allegations when they were received in the 1990s. [sic] Sir Edward Heath has been named in relation to offences concerning children. He lived in Salisbury for many years and we would like to hear from anyone who has any relevant information that may assist us in our enquiries or anyone who believes they may have been a victim.

Sir Edward Heath has been named. By whom? Dunno. Whats the dead man been accused of? Dunno. The statement kickstarts the hunt. We dont know what Sir Teds been accused of but we know any victims will be believed. They are not alleged victims of They police are at pains to paint them as victims:

We are working closely with the NSPCC to ensure that any victims are appropriately supported. They provide trained helpline counsellors to listen and provide assistance Victims will receive support throughout any investigation and associated judicial process Please call the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000 or email help@nspcc.org.uk as they have dedicated staff in place to deal with victims or if you have information that may help police please call us via 101. Ends

But its not all bad for Ted Heath. In the Telegraph, an article on a hot London property spot name-checks Ted as a stalwart of good taste:

Jermyn Streets distinctive shops, some of which are still owned by the descendants of the original families that established them, have been frequented by Diana, Princess of Wales, Ted Heath and Joanna Lumley.

And you know who Diana was mates with, dont you.

Such are the facts.

Paul Sorene

Posted: 21st, February 2017 | In: Broadsheets, Key Posts, Politicians, Tabloids Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
1,500 migrants arriving with humanitarian corridors in Italy Two protocols signed with Community of Sant'Egidio,CEI -Minister

(ANSAmed) - ROME, FEBRUARY 21 - Italian Interior Minister Marco Minniti on Tuesday said ''the theme of humanitarian corridors is important''.



''We have developed two protocols of agreement: one with the Community of Sant'Egidio for 1,000 people from Lebanon and Morocco (522 have already arrived in Italy) and another with (Italian Bishops' Conference) CEI for 500 refugees from Eritrea'', Minniti said during an audition of the human rights commission.



''The idea is that, if we are able to push the breaks on illegal flows, humanitarian corridors that respect fundamental principles of humanity could be strengthened'', explained Minniti. (ANSAmed).




Multiple Montana fire chiefs and firefighter associations back a bill that would move a long-stalled state firefighters' memorial from Laurel to the Capitol grounds in Helena.

The Senate State Administration Committee heard first comments on SB267, a bill that would move the state memorial from the Laurel Volunteer Fire Department lawn to the Capitol complex in Helena.

Laurel was unable to complete the memorial for quite some time, so we want to move it somewhere thats more centrally located, said the bill's sponsor, state Sen. Jill Cohenour, D-Helena.

Officials broke ground on the memorial in 2004 with approval from the Legislature and then-Gov. Judy Martz. Estimates put the full project cost at around $500,000 for a Maltese cross with a podium and plaque, as well as a 120-foot-long, 6-foot-high granite wall that would bear firefighters' names.

The names would memorialize Montana firefighters who died in the line of duty or gave more than 20 years of service.

Little happened in the intervening 13 years. In 2013, trees were planted at the site with a $1,000 grant from the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. By that time, the overall design was adjusted to reduce cost. Testimony at Monday's committee hearing indicated the project was funded through private donations.

A concrete platform was poured last fall, said Brian Dennis, a Laurel firefighter and treasurer for the memorial project. Three flagpoles and some lights have also been installed, though nothing currently at the spot indicates a memorial.

"We had to reorganize a couple times," he said. "We're near completion. We expect to be done this spring with a ribbon cutting."

But he said that fundraising and other logistical problems have slowed the project. Those concerns prompted the bill to move the memorial. That spurred nine people to speak in favor of the bill at Monday's committee hearing.

They commented that the lack of action in Laurel prompted firefighter organizations in Montana to take over the process.

They included representatives from groups like the Montana County Fire Wardens Association, Montana Fire Trustees Association and the Montana State Fire Chiefs Association.

Our patience just ran out. We need a memorial, said Leonard Lundby, representing the Montana Volunteer Firefighters Association.

Fire chiefs from Columbus, Tri-Lakes Volunteer Fire Department, Hamilton and Sun Prairie spoke in favor of the move.

Two people spoke against moving the memorial, including state Rep. Vince Ricci, a Republican who represents Laurel. He asked that the committee give his town two more years to complete the project.

Cohenour noted that even if it were moved to the Capitol grounds, no state funds would go toward it.

Despite the introduction of SB267, Dennis said the plan is to see the memorial plan through in Laurel.

Were hopeful that well have an opp to have that finished here," he said. "Thats our intent.
Migrants: Libya, 74 bodies found on west coast Red Crescent spokesman says death toll could rise

(ANSA) - CAIRO, FEBRUARY 21 - Libyan Red Crescent spokesman, Mohamed Misrati, on Tuesday told ANSA that the ''bodies of 74 illegal migrants'', including ''three women'', were found on the western coast of Libya, in the area of Al Harsha and Zawiya'' between Monday and Tuesday.



The spokesman said a boat able to carry over 100 people was also found and did not rule out more victims of this new shipwreck could be found.



''A boat was found'', the spokesman said, adding that ''there is a possibility'' that there ''are other bodies'' in the sea as the boat ''could accommodate between 100 and 120 migrants''.



The victims appear to be of ''different African nationalities'', he also said. Misrati said the bodies washed ashore on the city's coast, referring to a place whose transliterated name is also referred to as ''ez-Zauia'', located some 50 km west of Tripoli.



Residents first saw the bodies and a police precinct in the area alerted the Red Crescent, the Muslim version of the Red cross. (ANSAmed)
- MOSCOW - The Russian center for the reconciliation of opposing sides in Syria - a defense ministry agency - has announced that it carried out six humanitarian missions in Syria over the past 24 hours, distributing aid to nearly 3,000 people.



A statement quoted by news agency Tass said that ''over the last 24 hours, the Russian center for the reconciliation of opposing sides has carried out six humanitarian missions in the city of Aleppo, providing a total of four tons of bread to residents in the districts of Hamdaniyah 3, Benezid and Sheikh Maqsood, as well as the schools Abdal Aziz Fares (in the area of al-Jazmati), Zaki Juma (in the district of al-Suqari) and Radyan Sweit (in the center)''.



Russian aircraft reportedly distributed 20.6 tons of food provided to the Syrian government by the United Nations in the area of the city of Deit ez-Zor, which is besieged by ISIS militants. The Russian army has distributed over 200 tons of humanitarian aid to Syrians since the start of the year, according to Russian official news agency Tass.
Migrants: Tunisia, 1,100 illegal migrants arrested in 2016 Prison terms for those who leave,no asylum rights for foreigners

(ANSAmed) - TUNIS, FEBRUARY 21 - Tunisian authorities in 2016 stopped 113 illegal attempts to leave and enter the country - the latter mostly from Libya - and carried out some 1,100 arrests, 80% of which regarded sub-Saharan migrants, according to data released by the National Guard.



The number includes migrants from other African countries and from Libya, in transit through Tunisia.



Current legislation, which dates back to 2004 and does not provide for asylum rights, is very harsh on Tunisians leaving the country illegally (providing for jail terms of several months) as well as those organizing or sponsoring such trips - a charge which can also befall passengers - who risk up to 15 years in jail.



As far as foreigners residing in Tunisia illegally are concerned, given the lack of official data, several human rights NGOs report that they are arrested and taken to centers of ''reception and orientation for migrants'' - about a dozen in total.



They are then reportedly forced to go back to their countries even if their rights and safety are at risk, paying for the trip and a fine. They otherwise risk being deported to Algeria through the land border (in the desert) of the governorate of Kasserine, according to unofficial sources.



Tunisians leave for Europe, even risking their lives, driven by high unemployment rates (over 30% and even more in poor areas) and the young average age of the population: almost 30% of the population is aged between 15 and 30.



Leaving the country legally is very difficult as nationals need a visa to travel almost everywhere, including most Arab countries.



According to a report by the Tunisian forum for economic and social rights (Ftds) - drafted in cooperation with the Rose Luxemburg Stiftung Foundation (Rls) - ''45% of young Tunisians looking for work said they were ready to emigrate, even illegally''. (ANSAmed).




If you missed hearing U.S. Sen. John McCain on NBCs Meet the Press Sunday morning, please read his defense of free speech:

When NBC journalist Chuck Todd asked about President Donald Trumps condemnations of several media outlets as fake news and an enemy of the American people, McCain responded with a strong defense of a free press.

I hate the press. I hate you especially, McCain said jokingly to Todd. But the fact is we need you. We need a free press. We must have it. Its vital.

If you want to preserve  Im very serious now  if you want to preserve democracy as we know it, you have to have a free and many times adversarial press. And without it, I am afraid that we would lose so much of our individual liberties over time. Thats how dictators get started.

They get started by suppressing free press. In other words, a consolidation of power when you look at history, the first thing that dictators to is shut down the press. And Im not saying that President Trump is trying to be a dictator. Im just saying we need to learn the lessons of history.

On the campaign trail, Trump told his supporters to taunt U.S. journalists who were literally penned in press areas to report on his rallies. After his election, he tweeted the false information that media organizations were paying protesters to demonstrate against his election. This outrageous behavior didnt change when Trump took office. Last week, the president held what has been described as a bizarre and chaotic news conference.

The next day, the president tweeted: "The FAKENEWS media ... is not my enemy, it is the enemy of the American People!" He singled out The New York Times and TV networks.

No. American journalists are Americans, working and paying taxes every day while trying to uphold the First Amendment guarantees of free speech and free press.

When the president of the United States, the most powerful person in world, uses his office to bash journalists for doing their job and to call them names, journalists responsibility is to withstand the barrage of criticism and keep reporting the truth.

Meg Jacobs, a presidential historian at Columbia University, summed up journalists role well in a comment to Media Matters: They have to continue to call him out when they see him fabricating and straying from the truth, Jacobs said. They have to cover his efforts to transform his relationship with the press as a story as well as the substance of what the administration is doing.

In other words, even as President Trump bashes the press, our duty is to hold him accountable to the public. Thats what a free press does.
If youre considering a subscription to the Disney Plus streaming service, you may be wondering how much it costs. The service is available on both
The Crazy Mountain Stockgrowers Association is a nonprofit, grassroots membership organization in Sweet Grass County that works on behalf of our cattle ranching families. Were deeply committed to caring for the land, livestock and rural lifestyle that makes Montana a great place for all of us. Were also school board members, volunteer firefighters, community business owners, sportsman, cowboys, professionals, volunteers, recreationists and parents to the next generation of Montanans who love this land.

Were firmly rooted and committed to the future of our rural communities and these beautiful landscapes. Because of that, we are very concerned with some of the tactics the US Forest Service is currently promoting to increase access to public land in the Crazy Mountains. If the Forest Service feels they have claim to a public easement, and the public is being denied that access, then we encourage the USFS to go through proper legal channels to settle that claim.

If an easement is proven to exist, we encourage our members to respect and honor that easement. However, if an easement does not exist or is not proven in court, we firmly support the choice of a landowner in exercising his or her private property rights.

CMSGA finds it disappointing that the USFS, in order to gain more access, is encouraging its employees and the public to compromise their own integrity by trespassing on private property. This only further divides the non-landowner and landowner citizens the Forest Service is supposed to be serving. Furthermore, this has the prospect of leading to hostile encounters between landowners and the public and is contrary to prior agency advice, as well as the Montana Access Guide.

The clashing of personalities and strife between public land users, government agencies and private landowners jeopardizes the future of our state and communities. CMSGA believes that being respectful, courteous and law-abiding is imperative when dealing with these issues. We encourage the Forest Service to adopt the same approach.
The company, that has offices in Dubai, has been shortlisted for the Best Avionics and Instruments Repair, Best Electro-Mechanical Repair, Best Fuel Systems and Fuel Accessories Repair, Best Galley Components Repair, and Best Hydraulics Repair awards.



AJW Technique's maintenance, repair and overhaul centre is renowned for using one of the best industry-specific engineering skill bases in the world. It works directly with leading airline customers to improve component reliability, maximise time on-wing, and reduce direct maintenance costs. It has enabled AJW Group to deliver reliable and first class turnaround times and a superior service for its customers.



Gavin Simmonds, general manager of AJW Technique, said: With a focus on quality and customer experience across every aspect of the business, AJW Technique is extremely proud of the reputation and MRO services it provides for its customers.



"We are pleased to be shortlisted for so many categories and believe it is testament to our expertise and service, which supports some of the world's largest airlines.
With the extension of the CAR145 approval, DCAF is now able to provide B1 (airframe) and B2 (avionics) maintenance services for the Falcon 7X at its hangar located at Dubai South.

With this approval from the GCAA, we are in a position to offer our expertise and services to other clients in the region that operate the Falcon 7X, said Michael Lindgren, director maintenance at DC Aviation Al-Futtaim. We are extremely proud to successfully complete all the regulatory procedures to receive our CAR145 extension and this approval is further proof of our commitment to provide our VVIP customers with the highest levels of services and maintenance support.

In addition to the Falcon 7X, DCAF is able to provide line maintenance support for customers operating the Bombardier Global Express, Challenger 604/605, Airbus 320 family, and the Global 6000 and Global 5000 Vision Flight Deck aircraft types.

DCAF will further expand its maintenance services on completion of a new 6,800sqm hangar which is scheduled to come online before the end of this year. The expansion will more than double the hangar capacity as well as enable DCAF to add two single-aisle aircraft maintenance bays and provide enough space for an additional workshop and equipment storage. It will also significantly increase the number and size of aircraft which can be accommodated at the facility.
The four-day event will become the focus of business networking opportunities, insightful seminar sessions, ministerial discussions and the recognition of twelve months of the tourism industrys achievements.

More than 250 exhibitors will be present representing more than 50 countries. Over 50 national and regional pavilions will have a prominent presence with the show floor space also increased by 10% compared to the 2016 event.

Last year the Riyadh Travel Fair featured 246 exhibitors with visitor attendance at 25,724. That was an increase of 30% compared to the 2016 edition. This year will continue our year-on-year growth as exhibitors hit over 250 and expected visitors numbers over 30,000, said Bander' Al Gryni general manager ASAS Exhibitions  organizer of Riyadh Travel Fair

Al Gryni continued: Year after year, we have seen a consistent positive growth on the number of participants, exhibitors and attendees at RTF. With Saudi nationals increasingly travelling both domestically and overseas, the opportunities that the Riyadh Travel Fair provides for domestic and overseas destinations, hospitality service providers and other tourism related businesses, to directly meet with the kingdoms leading travel professionals and travellers has never been more significant.

The Arabian Gulf region will have a strong presence at the fair including pavilions sponsored by; Abu Dhabi Tourism & Cultural Authority (Strategic Partner), Sharjah Commerce & Tourism Development Authority (Diamond Sponsor), Indonesia Tourism as Platinum Partner, Al-Riyadh Travel & Tourism (Gold Sponsors), Alia Travel (Silver Sponsor) and Careem (Transportation Sponsor). National pavilions confirmed to attend include those of: Austria, Kyoto Japan, Philippines, Doka, Orange County California, Sri Lanka, Seychelles, Slovenia, Turkey, Morocco, Tunisia, Bursa ,Taiwan, Mexico ,Holland ,Maldives and Korea, to name just a few.

Exhibitors from Asia, Oceania, Europe and North Africa will also be present, along with hotels, airlines, travel agencies, online booking sites, and car rental companies.
As the administrator at Eagle Cliff Healthcare Community in Billings, I have the privilege of working with some of Montanas very finest. Our residents are not clients, but they are our family.

Thats why I was shocked that the Montana Legislature is looking at balancing the state budget on the backs of our seniors and most vulnerable neighbors. I certainly understand the difficulty in making ends meet, but we look to our leaders to make wise choices that will not throw those who live on the edge, over the edge.

Skilled nursing facilities are about 60 percent Medicaid, and that number is rising according to the Montana Department of Health and Human Services. This means that six out of 10 beds are filled with Medicaid patients. The actual cost of providing 24-hour care in a nursing home is about $34 a day higher than the daily rates paid by the state of Montana. That means someone else pays more or nursing homes operate in the red.

What happens when nursing homes operate in the red? Staff numbers are reduced and we have to start turning away those who need us most.

From 2009-2013, Medicaid rates were cut and frozen and the funding situation has not recovered. New federal government guidelines published in November 2016 are estimated to cost each facility $62,500 the first year and $55,000 for each subsequent year. This will cost Montanas nursing homes a total of $5 million in the first year and $4.4 million every year after.

We hear a lot about good paying jobs these days. Skilled nursing jobs could be good paying jobs. They are skilled workers required to know about trauma and human behaviors. They do difficult work that is physically and emotionally draining. They have qualifications and training but they are paid less than fast food restaurants. Why? Because they work for Medicaid facilities and the state does not pay its fair share.

All this goes to say that 2017 is not the year to cut funding for nursing homes. Please join me in letting our lawmakers in the Billings area know that we shouldnt be balancing the budget by hurting those who need us most.
A pared-down bill to add two district court judges in Yellowstone County and one in Missoula County was approved unanimously by the House Appropriations Committee Monday and will face a third House reading before heading to the Senate.

The committee vote was 22-0.

House Bill 44, introduced by Rep. Jeff Essmann, R-Billings, at the request of the Montana Supreme Court, will cost about $843,000 during the second half of the 2018-19 fiscal year, about $1.37 million the second year and $1.39 million the third.

The cost includes three new district court judges, three court reporters, three judicial assistants and two law clerks. Initially, the two new judges elected to the bench in Yellowstone County will share a law clerk.

The bill is designed in part to ease the caseloads of the six judges in the Billings-based 13th Judicial District, Mike McGrath, chief justice of the Montana Supreme Court, told the committee Monday.

Nearly 20 percent of the 55,000 or so Montana cases filed annually in district court are in the 13th district, he said.

The judges caseload means that civil and commercial litigation cases in Yellowstone County can be delayed up to two years, McGrath said.

"It's fair to characterize that courthouse as a zoo," he said.

Cases involving the abuse or neglect of young children are cases that need to be resolved quickly, McGrath said, so that decisions can be made about where and who they are going to live with.

Ed Bartlett, representing the Montana Judges Association, the State Bar of Montana and the Montana Chamber of Commerce, said that while the committee is most interested in cost  need and cost go together. We hope youll determine this is not a substantial cost. Its a reasonable cost for judges and their staff.

Yellowstone County Commissioners have assured judicial officials they will have space for the two new judges in time for the beginning of their terms on Jan. 2, 2019.

The Missoula County Courthouse already has space for its additional judge.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 21, ARMENPRESS. Ashot Ghulyan, Speaker of Parliament of Nagorno Karabakh Republic, held a meeting on February 20 with representatives of the Basque Country: former MEP Inaki Irazabalbeitia Fernandez, former MP of Spain and Basque Country Rafa Larreina, Secretary of the foreign relations committee of the Basque Nationalist Party Jose Maria Etxeberria and member of the European Free Alliance Lorena Lopez de Lacalle, the Press Service of the NKR Parliament told ARMENPRESS.

Ashot Ghulyan expressed gratitude for accepting the invitation of carrying out observer mission in Nagorno Karabakh and mentioned that any such event, be it election or referendum, are political tests for the young state.

Thanking for the reception, Inaki Irazabalbeitia stressed that Nagorno Karabakh and Basque Country share the same values  peace and democracy.

Here we see true democracy and freedom of expression, the former MEP said.

Lorena Lopez de Lacalle, member of the European Free Alliance bureau, presented her observations during the referendum and said she was present in 14 polling stations during the day and witnesses a functioning democracy.

There are democratic elements and values here which we dont have. I am delighted especially with the 36th article of the Constitutional draft, which says if the child is able, he/she is obliged to care for his parents. These are high values, which, unfortunately, have completely disappeared in our system, Lopez said.

Secretary of the foreign relations committee of the Basque Nationalist Party Jose Maria Etxeberria, who visited Nagorno Karabakh for the first time, highlighted the experience which he gained during these days in the country.

Today I understood, doesnt matter if you have natural resources or not, if you are rich or not, the important thing is stability in values and convictions, which you have. Despite all the deprivations and losses, you havent lost your identity and you are in charge of your destiny. We are willing to help you in protecting your right to self-determination, Etxeberria said.

Ashot Ghulyan assessed the further cooperation with the Basque Country as promising.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 21, ARMENPRESS. The Defense Ministry of Nagorno Karabakh told Armenpress the Azerbaijani forces violated the ceasefire regime over 75 times by firing various caliber weapons across the Nagorno Karabakh-Azerbaijan line of contact.

The Ministry issued a statement which says: On February 20 and overnight February 21 the Azerbaijani side violated the ceasefire regime over 75 times by firing more than 900 shots from various caliber weapons, as well as sniper rifles at the Armenian positions in the Nagorno Karabakh-Azerbaijan line of contact. In the eastern and north-eastern directions of the line of contact, the Azerbaijani forces intensively fired 39 shots from sniper rifles.

The NKR Defense Army forces are in full control of the situation in the frontline and continue conducting the reliable protection of the military posts.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 21, ARMENPRESS. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres extended condolences on the death of Russias Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin, reports RIA Novosti.

Despite the fact that we served together a short period of time, I highly appreciated the chance to work with him, and it will be difficult for me to not have his understanding of the situation, skills and friendship, the UN chief said.

I extend my deepest condolences to his family, relatives, Russias government and people, he said.

Earlier the UN Security Council issued a statement over the death of Vitaly Churkin. The Security Council members expressed deepest condolences to his family, the Russian government and people.

Vitaly Churkin died suddenly in New York on February 20 at the age of 64.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 21, ARMENPRESS. As in the mid-20th century a number of harassments were made against the mother language rights in various countries, UNESCO declared February 21 as an International Mother Language Day in 1999 by this contributing to the recognition of the language rights and supporting the use of languages, reports Armenpress.

Today the future of languages in the world is in a state of uncertainty, since a number of international languages force people to refuse using their own mother tongue.

According to UNESCO estimates, 6.000 languages of the world are on the verge of disappearing.

According to the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia, Armenian is the official language.

On the occasion of this day, events are being held in Yerevan and some provinces. Numerous writers, linguists and other scholars will visit Oshakan and will lay flowers at the grave of Mesrop Mashtots.
STEPANAKERT, FEBRUARY 21, ARMENPRESS. The Republic of Nagorno Karabakh can and must have independence, members of the Russian observer delegation Vladimir Yevsen, Valery Korovin and Alexander Skakov told reporters on February 21.

We havent noticed any violations during the referendum. The level of legal consciousness of the people of Nagorno Karabakh is quite high, and here we saw an established democratic country, political scientist and delegation member Alexander Skakov said, and added that the April events will never be repeated. The Russian delegation members also said the fact that Nagorno Karabakh is unrecognized doesnt mean anything, history cannot be erased.

The Central Referendum Commission of Nagorno Karabakh said the Constitutional changes draft is adopted. 87,6% of the voters cast their ballots in favor of the Constitutional changes.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 21, ARMENPRESS. The observation mission of the Armenian National Committee of Europe considers the Constitutional referendum held in Karabakh as exemplary and in accordance with the international standards, reports Armenpress.

Gaspar Karapetyan  head of the observation mission of the Armenian National Committee of Europe, told a press conference in Stepanakert that the referendum was held in a professional and transparent way.

The Central Electoral Commission informed us that the conclusions and ideas of international observers were taken into account while holding the referendum. All observers of our mission concluded that the electoral officers managed to organize good and legal referendum, in a professional and transparent way, Karapetyan said.

The observers of the Armenian National Committee of Europe have been in 48 polling stations of 11 electoral districts and informed that the referendum was held transparent, calm and legitimate. The observers recorded the high percentage of the voter turnout, they have realized small shortcomings which, of course, didnt impact the referendum results. In general, an exemplary referendum was held, he said.

The Central Commission of the NKR referendum considered the Constitutional changes draft adopted. 69.540 citizens, overall, 87.6% of the voters, voted in favor of the constitutional referendum, and 7686 citizens voted against. 2202 ballots (2.8%) were declared invalid. 79.428 (76.5% of the total number of voters) out of 103.766 citizens took part in the voting.
STEPANAKERT, FEBRUARY 21, ARMENPRESS. The Constitutional referendum in Nagorno Karabakh proceeded transparent and free, former MP of the Basque Country Rafa Larreina told reporters.

We didnt notice any violation. Everything was organized very accurately. We had the chance to talk to the citizens and we are sure that everyone realized their mission in the referendum. It was fully in line with international democratic standards. The example of Nagorno Karabakh must be contagious for other countries lacking democracy, Larreina said.

Lorena Lopez de Lacalle, member of the European Free Alliance bureau, said the referendum was held on a rather high level and without complaints. There are issues in the region which are gradually being solved, which is noticeable. The people of Nagorno Karabakh seek to preserve and develop its language, culture and Fatherland. You are even able to maintain calm in difficult times. We will speak about the democracy of Nagorno Karabakh everywhere. We will present a report in March in Poland, where we will also present the issues of Nagorno Karabakh, Lorena Lopez de Lacalle said.

The Central Referendum Commission of Nagorno Karabakh said the Constitutional changes draft is adopted. 87,6% of the voters cast their ballots in favor of the Constitutional changes.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 21, ARMENPRESS. European Friends of Armenia international organization published an interim conclusion on the referendum over the new draft constitution held in Nagorno Karabakh / Artsakh Republic, press service of EuFoA told Armenpress.

The referendum on 20 February 2017 changes the local constitution to a strongly presidential system, and changes the name from formerly "Nagorno Karabakh Republic (Artsakh)" to "Artsakh Republic (Nagorno Karabakh)".

From all we have seen and the data we collected across Artsakh, the referendum was well administered and seen by most citizens as an obligation to respond to the threat from Azerbaijan, especially in the light of the large-scale attack in April 2016. The result clearly represents the democratic choice of the people, while some improvements remain necessary to further increase local and international trust in future votes, Michael Kambeck, Acting Director of EuFoA, summarized.

A full report will follow in a few weeks.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 21, ARMENPRESS. The defense ministry of Nagorno Karabakh denied Azerbaijani media reports on the Defense Army (NKR) opening fire on shepherds of the Ayagh Kervend village, Akna region, the defense ministry of Nagorno Karabakh told ARMENPRESS.

The ministry released a statement, saying: The Azerbaijani media reports on NKR forces firing at shepherds of the Ayagh Kervend village, Akna region yesterday night is another disinformation.

The Defense Army never targets civilian objects and peaceful population. Moreover, The Defense Army forces are never in the role of the attacker, and open fire on Azerbaijani military positions only in case of strict necessity.
HELENA  Multiple lawyers on Tuesday spoke against a proposed anti-discrimination rule that they say would infringe on the religious liberty of attorneys.

If adopted by the Montana Supreme Court, Rule 8.4(g) would prohibit attorneys from engaging in harassment on the basis of race, religion, sex, ethnicity, disability, origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or socioeconomic status in conduct related to practicing law. The rule would not limit the ability of a lawyer to accept, decline, or withdraw from representation and would not preclude legitimate advice or advocacy consistent with the rules.

The rule is supported by the American Bar Association.

Sen. David Howard, R-Park City, who said the rule would prevent attorneys from adhering to their religion, is sponsoring a resolution that would prevent the Montana Supreme Court from adopting it. Proponents of Senate Resolution 15 say the anti-discrimination rule would violate the First Amendment rights of attorneys.

James Rigby, an attorney from Billings, said the rule would prevent lawyers from disclosing certain positions, such as disagreeing with transgender people using the bathrooms of their choice.

This is a gag rule, he said. Its a way to control what people say.

The Montana Supreme Court announced in October it was considering adopting rule 8.4(g). Rep. Matthew Monforton, R-Bozeman, and Sen. Nels Swandal, R-Wilsall, filed an objection, saying the rule would affect Christian attorneys with strong beliefs. The objection says Justice Dirk Sandefur should not be allowed to participate in deliberations regarding the rule after leading a campaign based on religious bigotry, Monforton said.

During her 2016 campaign for Montana Supreme Court justice, candidate Kirsten Juras shared her belief that Catholic pharmacists should not be required to sell birth control and ministers shouldnt have to perform same-sex marriages.

During his campaign, Sandefur pointed out those statements made by Juras. Monforton said Sandefurs comments demonstrate a clear religious bias and should prevent him from being involved in proceedings related to rule 8.4(g). The Supreme Court has not responded to the objection filed by Monforton and Swandal.

In the objection, Monforton and Swandal said teaching law school classes, speaking at public events or serving in a religious congregations would fall under the scope of rule 8.4(g), and lawyers would not be allowed to speak freely at such events.

In short, rule 8.4(g) is an existential threat to attorneys who take faith seriously, the objection says.

SK Rossi of ACLU Montana opposed Howard's resolution and said a 1974 decision In the Matter of Senate Bill 630 determined the Legislature could not regulate lawyers.

Rossi said religious liberty is not threatened by the bill. If someone in a same-sex marriage were seeking representation for a divorce, the attorney could disclose their beliefs and the person could go on to find a different attorney.

Time and time again the courts that have heard those arguments have said these protections do not violate your religious liberty, Rossi said.

Other opponents of Howard's resolution included the Pride Foundation, the Montana Human Rights Network and the Montana Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence. No one on the committee asked any questions.
An Iraqi archaeologist who was recently given emergency training by the British Museum is leading a rescue operation in Nimrud, the Assyrian site which was almost totally destroyed by [ISIS] extremists. The archaeologist has been appointed by Iraqs State Board of Antiquities and Heritage to investigate the damage and stablise what can be saved.
A manhunt in Sweet Grass County ended Monday when a rancher saw two men emerge from under a pile of brush southwest off Big Timber.

The search, which spanned two days, ended in the arrest of Ronald Andrew Smith, 35, and Jairo Sebastian Veladiaz, 31. Both men lived in California, said Sweet Grass County Sheriff Dan Tronrud.

They face charges including possession of drugs with intent to distribute and assault on a peace officer.

A Montana Highway Patrol trooper pulled over the two men in an SUV Sunday night in Park County, Tronrud said. There was a scuffle at the side of the interstate.

They'd gotten into a fight," Tronrud said. "He was hit in the face. His glasses were broke. The individual was tased and they took off in the vehicle.

The high-speed chase went into Sweet Grass County, through fields and back onto Interstate 90. They eventually pulled off at the DeHart Trail interchange and went through another field before abandoning the vehicle in the nearby hills, Tronrud said.

The search began that evening but was called off around midnight. By the following morning, about 30 people from the Sweet Grass County Sheriff's Office, its search and rescue team and its reserve unit joined the search. A canine team came from Park County and the MHP provided a helicopter.

They'd identified the men from the traffic stop and got a cellphone number for one of them, Tronrud said. The phone called a number in California.

We had by that time pinged his phone, so we had some idea where they were at, Tronrud said.

Search teams found an abandoned cottage where the men stayed overnight. After another five hours, the active search effort was reduced and some stayed as spotters in the area.

By late afternoon, Tronrud said a rancher spotted the men coming out from under a brush pile. Law enforcement arrested them shortly after.

Five pounds of suspected methamphetamine were found in the vehicle and scattered nearby, Tronrud said. Initial field tests were positive for the drug, but a task force is providing more testing.

The men are being held in Park County, where the county attorney is expected to file formal charges. Tronrud said that criminal history for Veladiaz shows that he'd been deported from the United States once in the past.
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By: Dezan Shira & Associates

The Philippines Finance Secretary, Carlo Dominguez, has recommended a corporate income tax rate of 25 percent, reduced from the current 32 percent.

The proposal would be implemented as part of the Governments Comprehensive Tax Reform Program (CTRP). Dominguez made the announcement at the 5th Manila Times Business Forum in Davao last Friday.

RELATED: Pre-Investment and Market Entry Advisory from Dezan Shira & Associates

Dominguezs language was bullish: We are going to do that not only because it was a campaign promise, but more importantly, because it makes good economic sense.

Several other measures are included in the CTRP bill, which is pending in congress, including the adjustment of excise duties on fuel and automobiles as well as the expansion of the VAT base. Dominguez was also critical of the size of the current tax net, saying that the country only had a large taxpayer base of about 3,000 individuals and corporate companies in a population of about 100 million, and that tax collection remained one of the lowest in Asia.

Dominguez pointed out that the massive investment program planned by the government requires serious tax reform to fund it. The minister estimated this program would require US$18 billion over the mid- term, equivalent to about three years of the countrys GDP revenues. Dominguez expects the government to raise these funds by widening the tax base, as well as the VAT base.

RELATED: Investing in The Philippines  What To Expect in 2017

Aside from tax reform, the countrys economy is set for between 6.5 to 7.5 percent GDP growth during 2017. This growth is mainly a result of infrastructure projects.

The Philippines economy achieved a 7 percent GDP growth rate in the first three quarters of 2016, hitting the upper end of the governments official target of 6 percent to 7 percent. This was faster than growth rates inChina, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia. In addition to infrastructure spending, foreign investment in the BPO services sector has been on a high upward growth curve, in addition to textiles and furniture manufacturing.



About Us Asia Briefing Ltd. is a subsidiary of Dezan Shira & Associates. Dezan Shira is a specialist foreign direct investment practice, providing corporate establishment, business advisory, tax advisory and compliance, accounting, payroll, due diligence and financial review services to multinationals investing in China, Hong Kong, India, Vietnam, Singapore and the rest of ASEAN. For further information, please email asean@dezshira.com or visit www.dezshira.com. Stay up to date with the latest business and investment trends in Asia by subscribing to our complimentary update service featuring news, commentary and regulatory insight. 

Dezan Shira & Associates Brochure

Dezan Shira & Associates is a pan-Asia, multi-disciplinary professional services firm, providing legal, tax and operational advisory to international corporate investors. Operational throughout China, ASEAN and India, our mission is to guide foreign companies through Asias complex regulatory environment and assist them with all aspects of establishing, maintaining and growing their business operations in the region. This brochure provides an overview of the services and expertise Dezan Shira & Associates can provide.

An Introduction to Doing Business in ASEAN 2016

An Introduction to Doing Business in ASEAN 2016 introduces the fundamentals of investing in the 10-nation ASEAN bloc, concentrating on economics, trade, corporate establishment and taxation. We also include the latest development news in our Important Updates section for each country, with the intent to provide an executive assessment of the varying component parts of ASEAN, assessing each member state and providing the most up-to-date economic and demographic data on each.



Human Resources in ASEAN

In this issue of ASEAN Briefing, we discuss the prevailing structure of ASEANs labor markets and outline key considerations regarding wages and compliance at all levels of the value chain. We highlight comparative sentiment on labor markets within the region, showcase differences in cost and compliance between markets, and provide insight on the state of statutory social insurance obligations throughout the bloc.
Nadella aims to empower entrepreneurship in India by building partnerships with companies such as Flipkart.

The Flipkart co-founder Binny Bansal said that Flipkarts strategic partnership with Microsoft will help his company to scale up in the coming days.

Bengaluru: Binny and I have an exciting announcement to make. Flipkart has chosen Microsoft Azure as its exclusive public cloud platform, said the India-born CEO of Microsoft, Satya Nadella, at the Microsoft AI event on Monday.

Mr Nadella aims to empower entrepreneurship in India by building partnerships with companies such as Flipkart. The Flipkart co-founder Binny Bansal said that Flipkarts strategic partnership with Microsoft will help his company to scale up in the coming days.

Microsoft Azure and Artificial Intelligence as a platform can help us scale up our e-commerce business, said Mr Bansal. This partnership allows us to leverage our combined strength and knowledge of technology, e-commerce and markets to make online shopping more relevant and enriching for customers.

Mr Nadella, who is in India to attend Microsofts technology and business conference, shared the stage with Nandan Nilekani and spoke about the importance of technology in the public sector.

He also spoke about IndiaStack, a set of APIs that provide unique digital infrastructure aimed at eliminating problems related to presence-less, paper-less and cash less service delivery.

While talking highly of IndiaStack, Mr Nadella said that it was truly fascinating and the art form of knowing where the government needs to participate. It is ramping up as good as any technology platform.

He also commended the inclusion of e-KYC (Know Your Customer) and said that the process was brilliantly done.

Mr Nadella further said that hes excited about three platformscloud, Artificial Intelligence (AP) and Augmented Reality (AR)offered by Microsoft and emphasised the importance of Microsoft Azure, Cortana and Microsoft HoloLens.

Mr Nadella believes in building platforms in a network model to help every entrepreneur in the ecosystem to leverage it. It is short-sighted to think about just one platform, he said. You need to have an architectural world view of building a platform that acts as an ingredient for someone to build a platform.

Commenting on the entrepreneurial energy in the country, Mr Nadella said In the past 12 months we have had over 2,000 startup accelerators, adding that he looks forward to partnering with Indian startups in the coming days.
The new charges, as per the RBI draft would come into effect from April 1.

The existing MDR is capped at 0.75 per cent for transactions up to Rs 2,000 and 1 per cent for over Rs 2,000.

New Delhi: The government is working to reduce Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) charges to encourage digital payments, Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant said today.

"We are pushing digital transactions. Our aim is to bring down MDR charges. Also if volume of transactions increase, MDR charges will come down," Kant said.

Referring to RBI's recent draft circular on rationalisation of MDR for debit card transactions, the Niti Aayog CEO said, "We are examining RBI's draft circular on MDR. There are challenges to see MDR rates come dowm...We will meet those challenges."

Last week, RBI had proposed to drastically cut MDR charges on debit card payments from April 1 with a view to maintain momentum of digital transactions post note ban, especially among small merchants.

For small merchants with annual turnover of Rs 20 lakh and special category merchants, like utilities, insurance, mutual funds, educational institutions and government hospitals, the MDR charge has been proposed at 0.40 per cent of the transaction value.

Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) charge, which is levied on debit card transaction, would be even less at 0.3 per cent if transaction is through digital PoS (QR Code), the RBI had said in a draft circular on rationalisation of MDR for debit card transactions.

The existing MDR is capped at 0.75 per cent for transactions up to Rs 2,000 and 1 per cent for over Rs 2,000. However, there is no RBI cap on MDR on credit card payments. Post demonetisation, the RBI has reduced the charge till March 31.

The new charges, as per the RBI draft would come into effect from April 1. MDR for debit cards for petrol/fuel shall be decided subsequently after the industry consultation process with Oil Ministry is completed, the Reserve Bank had proposed.

As per an official document, the allocation for making payment to RBI towards reimbursement of Merchant Discount Rates (MDR) charges for 2017-18 is Rs 200 crore. It is estimated at Rs 50 crore this fiscal.

Post demonetisation, the Finance Ministry had announced that MDR charges will be absorbed by the government for payments of tax, non-tax and other payments to the government by citizens using debit cards.
SRK had boarded the train from Mumbai Central for Delhi as part of his promotional campaign 'Raees by Rail'.

Mumbai: A city-based man today approached a court here seeking its direction to Railway Police to file a case against actor Shah Rukh Khan in connection with the death of a person during promotion of the film Raees.

Farid Khan Pathan had died of cardiac arrest as crowd went berserk after Shah Rukh arrived by August Kranti Rajdhani Express at the Vadodara railway station on January 23 night.

Solanki approached the court of Judicial Magistrate First Class here seeking its direction to Railway Police at Vadodara to register a case against actor Shah Rukh Khan.

Talking to PTI today, Solanki's lawyer Juned L Saiyed said his client has demanded registration of cases against actor and others under IPC 304 (a) (causing death by negligence), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees), 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 147 (punishment for rioting).

SRK had boarded the train from Mumbai Central for Delhi as part of his promotional campaign 'Raees by Rail'.
BUTTE  An off-duty law enforcement officer escaped injury after he was almost hit by a bullet while wrestling a suspect in an attempted robbery at the Safeway pharmacy in Dillon Sunday around 10:30 a.m., authorities said.

Terry Watson of Dillon is facing an attempted deliberate homicide charge, with more charges expected, Dillon Chief of Police Don Guiberson said Monday. Watson remains in the Beaverhead County jail.

Guiberson said the officer, from Utah, whose name hasnt been released, was in the store when the situation unraveled.

Watson apparently jumped over the pharmacy counter and brandished a .45-caliber weapon to get drugs, Guiberson said. The off-duty officers wife saw what happened, then ran to another part of the store to tell her husband. The unarmed officer approached the suspect, who pointed the gun at him. The officer then backed away, and positioned himself in a way that enabled him to tackle the suspect. As they wrestled to the floor, the gun discharged, but the officer was able to take it away. The officer  with the pistol in hand  then held the suspect at bay.

Officer Nikki Cowperthwait arrived and determined an off-duty Utah law enforcement officer had struggled with and subdued an armed suspect. The investigation shows a shot was fired from the suspect's gun during the struggle, Guiberson said.

Luckily, no injuries were sustained by anyone. Several Dillon Police officers responded to the scene, as well as a deputy and detention officer. Customers and Safeway staff immediately evacuated the building.

There are no other suspects and there is no remaining threat to the community, Guiberson said. I cannot express in words the professionalism, dedication and expertise shown by law enforcement in handling the situation.

I would like to express deep gratitude to the off-duty officer who put his life on the line to save people he did not even know. He went to the store to get Tylenol, and ended up wrestling with an armed suspect. This is a shining example of what law enforcement does on a daily basis, even when not in their jurisdiction or on the clock.
Ranbir definitely bears an uncanny resemblance to Sanjay Dutt from his earlier days in the film industry.

Ranbir Kapoor snapped in his new look in Mumbai while shooting for the film.

Mumbai: Several reports had claimed that Ranbir Kapoor would be bulking up and sporting long locks to look like Sanjay Dutt for the upcoming biopic on him.

He had recently visited Sanjay Dutt at his house and his weight gain to look like the latter in a biopic on him was evident.

The actor had started shooting for the Rajkumar Hirani directorial in January this year and first pictures from the sets are out now.

As we have reported before, Ranbir is seen sporting long locks. Several pictures of Sanjay Dutt sporting long hair recently surfaced when Alia Bhatt and Varun Dhawan recreated his song Tamma Tamma for their film Badrinath ki Dulhania and with these new pictures, Ranbir definitely bears an uncanny resemblance to Sanjay Dutt from his earlier days in the film industry.

Ranbir also reportedly has been watching a lot of videos of Sanjay Dutt, 250 hours to be exact, to prep for the biopic.

The biopic is reportedly slated for a release during Christmas this year and Dia Mirza, Manisha Koirala, Paresh Rawal, Sonam Kapoor and Anushka Sharma have been signed on to play characters close to Sanjay Dutt.
The movie was well received & was highly appreciated by the film fraternity, who spoke well about the well-crafted characters by Garth Davis

Lion has managed to snag six nominations in the race for the Oscars, including one for Best Picture and one for Best Supporting Actor. Recently, the movie was specially screened in Mumbai, and many Bollywood personalities and dignitaries attended the do.

The movie was well received and was highly appreciated by the film fraternity, who spoke well about the well-crafted characters by Garth Davis. However, one person who missed out on this special screening was Irrfan Khan.

The actor could not make it to the event since hes busy shooting in Rajasthan for his untitled movie with Tanuja Chandra. However, word is that Garth will have a special screening for the actor. Garth will hold a special screening of Lion, only for Irrfan in Rajasthan, where the actor is to continue shooting for a couple of weeks more. Amidst the shoot, Irrfan will be part of this special screening, for which preparations are on.
During his visit, the Indian Foreign Secretary called on Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

New Delhi: Foreign Secretary of India S Jaishankar, visited Sri Lanka from February 18 to 20, for bilateral discussions with their leaders, as part of the continued high level engagement between the two countries.

During his visit, Jaishankar called on Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The Foreign Secretary reviewed the entire gamut of our bilateral relations, particularly Indian assisted economic projects and development particularly with Sri Lanka.

In response to the drought situation in Sri Lanka, Jaishankar conveyed on behalf of Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj to Minister of Foreign Affairs Mangala Samaraweera, that India would donate eight water bowsers and 100 metric tonnes of rice as immediate assistance, and was ready to provide further assistance as required.
State says construction impossible due to political unrest.

New Delhi: Punjab informed the Supreme Court on Tuesday that it was impossible to implement the January 15, 2002, decree on the construction of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link canal project.

In its reply to Haryanas application for the implementation of the project, Punjab said the construction of the canal for transferring Ravi-Beas water to the western Yamuna canal for utilisation in the southern part of Haryana is impossible in the given circumstances of political unrest in Punjab.

Last week, the court had refused to adjourn the hearing till the new government is formed after the polls and listed the matter for Wednesday. Ahead of the hearing on Wednesday, Punjab said it could not be compelled to construct a canal in its territory and operate the same without any obstruction or hindrance in view of the public opposition. It said the only permissible method for execution of the decree by Haryana was to apply for compensation to the Union of India or to seek direction to the Union of India to provide an alternative supply of water to satisfy the fruits of the decree.

Punjab said one such alternative way to supply water was to construct reservoirs in Haryana across the river Yamuna and its tributary, or to transfer the surplus water of Sharda to Yamuna. The National Water Development Agency has identified Sharda Yamuna Link for transfer of 4.5 million acre feet (MAF) of Sarda water to Yamuna.

Expressing its difficulty, Punjab said the total availability of water in rivers Ravi and Beas has reduced from 17.17 MAF (assumed under the Agreement dated 31.12.1981) to 13.38 MAF as per the flow series of 1981-2013, as determined by the Bhakra Beas Management Board.
The focus would primarily be on targeting militants that are hiding in forest or buildings which are away from residential localities.

Top government sources confirmed to this newspaper that the move was currently being discussed among the ministries of home and defence and office of the national security adviser. (Representational image)

New Delhi: In what may well mark a major tactical shift in its fight against terror, the government is considering using drones in targeting militants, particularly in the Kashmir Valley and Northeast.

Top government sources confirmed to this newspaper that the move was currently being discussed among the ministries of home and defence and office of the national security adviser.

Sources said the security agencies operating in these militancy infested areas are of the opinion that based on specific intelligence inputs, limited use of drones can prove to be extremely effective in flushing out militants, particularly from hideouts where possibility of loss of human life is much higher.

The issue is still being thoroughly debated at the highest level as the Centre wants to ensure that no innocent lives are lost when drones are pressed into service during an anti-terror operation. There is a possibility, sources said, that the government may give the go ahead on use of drones in a phased manner to assess its impact.

There is a view that first security forces like BSF, CRPF and Army could be allowed to use drones in the Valley but with stringent guidelines as to protect civilians and residential areas.

The focus would primarily be on targeting militants that are hiding in forest or buildings which are away from residential localities. If the experiment in Valley proves successful, it would also be extended to hit at militant hideouts in the northeast, a senior security official said. Recently, the Centre had allowed the elite National Security Guards to use drones in their counter terror operations. But unlike other security forces, NSG conducts only specific operations as was witnessed during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack and storming of the Pathankot Air Force base. At present, security forces are using drones in Naxal-infested areas but these are primarily to track movements.
The project involves the setting up of 38 additional radar stations and four mobile surveillance stations at the cost of Rs 800 core.

The surveillance system also aims at keeping an eye on the movement of vessels of foreign navies venturing close to and inside Indian waters. (Representational image)

New Delhi: The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), the defence ministrys apex procurement body, on Tuesday gave its go-ahead to the second phase of a seamless electronic surveillance along Indias coastlines.

The project will buttress surveillance along the countrys western, southern and eastern seaboards, and integrate its coastlines under a single radar system.

The project involves the setting up of 38 additional radar stations and four mobile surveillance stations at the cost of Rs 800 core. It will ensure seamless surveillance of vessels up to 25 nautical miles.

The first phase of the surveillance project comprising 46 radar stations  36 along the mainland coasts and 10 on the islands  was undertaken soon after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks in 2008 which exposed the vulnerability of Indias coastlines to forces inimical to the countrys interests.

The surveillance system also aims at keeping an eye on the movement of vessels of foreign navies venturing close to and inside Indian waters.

The radar system would enable detection and widespread dissemination of information leading to a far more coordinated action.

Besides the Navy and the Indian Coast Guard, the stakeholders of coastal security at present include the marine police, state police forces, customs, CISF, IB, R&AW and various ports.

A defence ministry source said that state-owned PSU Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) is expected to be the lead integrator for the project that will be taken up under the Buy Indian category.

For the first phase, BEL had a raft of joint ventures with foreign defence majors such as Saab (Sweden) and Thales Systems (France).

The DAC meeting, which lasted for more than two hours, was attended by defence minister Manohar Parrikar, the three defence chiefs, besides a few top officials from the military and the defence ministry. The DAC also okayed a much-needed on-shore engine repair facility for the MiG 29 K at an aircraft yard in Goa. The Russian-made MiG 29 K, is deployed on the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya.
At present, 65,000 H1-B visas are issued by the US every year, and Indians account for a major chunk in it.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the US to have a balanced and farsighted perspective on admitting skilled Indian workers, in comments that pushed back against President Donald Trumps America First rhetoric on jobs. Mr Modi, who met a 26-member bipartisan US Congressional delegation in Delhi on Tuesday, also spoke about the role of skilled Indian talent in enriching the American economy and society.

PM Modis comments reflected concern that Indias $150 billion IT services industry would suffer if the US curbs H-1B visas it relies on to send software experts to the US on project work.

Welcoming the Congressional representatives to India, he said their visit augurs a good start to bilateral exchanges following the change in the US administration and the Congress.

Mr Modi recalled his positive conversation with President Trump and the shared commitment to further strengthen ties.

The PM recognised the Congress strong bipartisan support for the India-US partnership, shared his perspective on areas where both countries can work even more closely, a PMO statement said.

The PM referred to the role of skilled Indian talent in enriching the American economy and society, and urged developing a reflective, balanced and farsighted perspective on movement of skilled professionals, the statement said.

Soon after taking over last month, Mr Trump decided to overhaul the work visa programmes like the H-1B and L-1, a move that will adversely hit the lifeline of Indian tech firms and professionals in the US. At present, 65,000 H1-B visas are issued by the US every year, and Indians account for a major chunk in it.

The proposed H-1B overhaul will result in higher operational costs and shortage of skilled workers for the $110-billion Indian outsourcing industry.

Indian IT sector, which contributes 9.3 per cent to the countrys GDP, is also one of the largest private sector employers with 3.7 million employees. The US accounts for nearly 62 per cent of the exports, while EU is the second largest market for the Indian IT services exports.

Recently, a US legislation was introduced to double the minimum wages of H-1B visa holders, a protectionist stance that could spell trouble for IT firms.
the contents can be removed if there is a nodal agency to receive complaints.

It is not possible to prevent sexual content from being uploaded to the Internet, but it is possible to remove them within few days of uploading, search engines informed the Supreme Court on Tuesday. (Representational image)

New Delhi: It is not possible to prevent sexual content from being uploaded to the Internet, but it is possible to remove them within few days of uploading, search engines informed the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

On February 1, the court had asked search engines like Google, Microsoft and Yahoo, as well as social media networks like Facebook and Whatsapp to come out with a firewall similar to the one developed in China to automatically prevent the uploading of any explicit sexual content online.

During the resumed hearing on Tuesday before a bench of Justices Madan B. Lokur and Uday Lalit, it was pointed out that in Youtube alone four-and-a-half hours of videos are uploaded every minute, and it would require lakhs of employees to scrutinise everything to prevent them from being uploaded. It was submitted that since uploading takes place across the country, it will be impossible to prevent them. However, the contents can be removed if there is a nodal agency to receive complaints and direct search engines to remove the objectionable contents.

Earlier, counsel Aparna Bhat for the petitioner, the NGO Prajwala, pointed out that China had evolved successfully a firewall to prevent any offensive material on the Internet. On behalf of the Centre, additional solicitor general Maninder Singh informed the court that the Central government had decided to allocate Rs 195.83 cr towards the setting up of a dedicated Cyber Crime Prevention Against Women and Children (CCPAWC) cell to combat the menace of such horrendous crimes against women and children. The amount has been earmarked for three years and the nodal agency will be put in place soon.
Parents alleged that the principal did not initiate action against the accused and tried to defend him.

Bengaluru: A day after a three-year-old girl was found dead near Chennai with her mouth stuffed with cloth rags, another horrific incident involving a girl of the same age has emerged. A three-year-old girl in Bengaluru has been allegedly sexually assaulted at her pre-school.

The child was allegedly assaulted by a non-teaching staff member of a pre-school near Bengaluru, police said on Monday. The incident, which occurred last Friday, emerged when the child complained to her parents. She told her parents that the man, who is a supervisor at her school, assaulted her, police said.

On consulting doctors, who suspected a sexual assault on the child, the minor's parents lodged a complaint with the police.

Police said they registered a case on Saturday and arrested the accused.

Some parents gathered near the school on Monday, demanding an answer from the management about the incident. Based on the complaints from the parents, police took the principal of the school into custody for questioning.

Parents alleged that the principal did not initiate action against the accused and tried to defend him. They also claimed that CCTV footage would not be available as the accused was in-charge of CCTV operations at the school.

Meanwhile, in Chennai, the three-year-old girl had gone missing on Saturday while playing near her home in a colony for the tsunami-affected. Her body was found in a dump yard.

The police suspect a woman in her neighbourhood killed her for jewellery. The woman has been arrested.

A week ago, again in Chennai, a Class 3 student was sexually assaulted, burnt and dumped in a bag on the highway.
The incident took place on February 18, when a woman, hailing from Manipur, was returning from a party in Hauz Khas village.

New Delhi: The Delhi Police, on Tuesday, arrested one person in connection with the alleged rape of a 24-year-old woman from northeast, in Delhi's Hauz Khas area.

Earlier on Monday, the police had claimed that they had identified the main accused in the case.

"After intense investigation, the accused has been positively identified. Various teams are raiding his probable hideouts and results are expected soon," the Police said.

The Police had launched a search for the accused, after a case was registered against unknown people for allegedly assaulting the woman.

The incident took place on February 18, when a woman, hailing from Manipur, was returning from a party in Hauz Khas village, along with her friends and cousins.

The woman told police that the incident took place around 11:30 pm, when the accused offered to drop her home.

According to the victim, the accused told her that his car was parked at some distance and led her to the adjoining Deer Park, where he allegedly raped her.
Sweet Grass County authorities apprehended two suspects around 4:50 p.m. Monday after the men had run from an attempted traffic stop earlier, according to the county's Facebook page.

The sheriff's office did not immediately return a call for comment Monday evening.

The sheriff's office first posted on the county Facebook page on Sunday night that the two men  one white and one Hispanic  escaped a Montana Highway Patrol trooper in the Dehart area southwest of Big Timber.

The men have criminal histories and are wanted for assault on a peace officer, as well as other crimes, according to posts made by the Sweet Grass County Sheriff's Office.

The Sweet Grass County Sheriff's Office confirmed that it was producing the Facebook posts.

By Monday morning, a Montana Highway Patrol helicopter and multiple troopers joined the search effort.

Law enforcement had advised area residents to lock their homes and vehicle doors during the search.

Anyone with information can contact the Sweet Grass County Sheriffs Office at 406-932-5143.
The special investigation team received a reliable tip-off in this regard and posted police personnel in plainclothes near the courts.

Pulsar Suni, the gangster allegedly involved in molesting a top Malayalam actor, is likely to surrender soon at a court here along with his absconding aide Vijesh.(Representational Image)

Kochi: Pulsar Suni, the gangster allegedly involved in molesting a top Malayalam actor, is likely to surrender soon at a court here along with his absconding aide Vijesh.

Suni had twice given cops the slip. The high court has postponed his anticipatory bail plea to March.

The special investigation team received a reliable tip-off in this regard and posted police personnel in plainclothes near the courts. Our effort is to nab them before they reach the court premises, a senior officer of the SIT said.

The two are believed to have fled to Coimbatore after escaping from the cops on Saturday evening. Various teams have been asked to camp at Coimbatore and other places within the state based on the information elicited during the interrogation of Manikandan, his key accomplice arrested from a hide-out in Palakkad.

Weve tightened the screws and he is running from one hideout to another. He is fast running out of money and our combing network has been expanded, he said.

While abducting the actor, Suni had told her he was carrying out a quotation, a crime conducted on behalf of someone else. The focus is now on to find out the third party and whether he/she is from the cine industry, the official said.
The poll focus is on BMC, retaining control of which is vital for Sena as the city has remained vital since the party's formation in 1966.

A total of 3.77 crore voters will determine the fate of 17,331 candidates for 3210 seats up for grabs in 10 municipal corporations, 11 zilla parishads and 118 panchayat samitis. (Photo: AP)

Mumbai: Polling for the cash-rich Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and 9 other civic bodies across Maharashtra ended at 5.30 pm on Tuesday. Estranged allies BJP and Shiv Sena were at the forefront of this battle of might and Mumbai registered a record voter turnout of 55 per cent, according to state Election Commission officers.

Maharashtra Chief Minister leader was all smiles and thanked Mumbai for voting in large numbers. "Thank you #Mumbai for the record voting percentage & people from all Municipal Corporations & ZP for participating in festival of democracy!," he tweeted.

Polling had began at 7.30 am at 43,160 polling stations across the state.

In Mumbai, as the day progressed, voting picked up with several politicians and film celebrities and industry figures stepping out to exercise the franchise.

NCP president Sharad Pawar was among early voters in Mumbai, while Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and his family voted at a booth near Thackeray residence in Bandra.

BJP leaders, who cast their votes in the city included party's Mumbai unit chief Ashish Shelar, MP Poonam Mahajan and Shaina NC. Former Lok Sabha Speaker and Shiv Sena leader Manohar Joshi and MNS chief Raj Thackeray also cast their vote in the megapolis.

In Nagpur, early voters included RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, while Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis cast his vote along with wife Amruta and mother in city's Dharampeth area at around 11.45 am.

Eminent personalities including former Mumbai Police Commissioner Julio Ribeiro, Joint Police Commissioner Deven Bharti, Election Commissioner K S Saharia, BMC Commissioner Ajoy Mehta also cast their votes in Mumbai.
He also added that if electricity is being ensured in the month of Ramzan, then it should also be made available during Diwali.

New Delhi: The Congress and the CPM on Monday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of vitiating the atmosphere to polarise the society in the poll-bound Uttar Pradesh.

The Prime Minister, in his election rally in Fatehpur on Sunday, had demanded that if graveyards are being built, crematoriums should also be built. He also added that if electricity is being ensured in the month of Ramzan, then it should also be made available during Diwali.

The statement made by the Prime Minister in the election fervor has not gone down well with the opposition parties. Congress Spokesperson Anand Sharma said Our Constitution does not allow anyone to divide the nation, be it on caste or religion basis. The Prime Minister is not above the Constitution or the law. We expect the Election Commission to take appropriate action on this. He further added that the Election Commission has given strict directions not to evoke passion and divide the society on the basis of religion or caste, and it is expected of the EC that it issues a notice to the Prime Minister and the BJP.

While CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury said It is a straightforward appeal, an effort for communal polarisation. The talk about kabristan (graveyard) and cremation, Holi and Eid, Diwali and Ramzan...The counter- posing (of these words) itself is an appeal to communal sentiments. He went on to add that on one hand these fork tongued speeches are being made on the other there is talk of development.

Both Congress and CPM accused BJP of polarising the society to reap political benefits as it was staring at defeat in the UP Assembly polls, voting in the fourth phase of which is scheduled for Thursday.
Allahabad has 12 Assembly constituencies, the largest number for any district in the state.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi during an election campaign in Allahabad on Tuesday. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: It seemed as if all the political stars had descended on Allahabad to woo voters on the last day of campaigning before the fourth phase of polling on February 23. While BJP President Amit Shah blew a conch shell and promised to liberate people from candidates with criminal cases like Mukhtar Ansari, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav held joint road shows.

Mr Gandhi said in Rae Bareli that the aim of the Congress-SP alliance is to win 250 seats and send PM Narendra Modi packing to Gujarat in 2019.

Allahabad has 12 Assembly constituencies, the largest number for any district in the state.

The BJP president began the day with a rally in Soraon  a predominantly rural Assembly segment in the districts trans-Ganga region, followed by a brief public meeting in Mundera Mandi in support of party national secretary Siddharth Nath Singh, who has been fielded from Allahabad (West).

Mr Shah was accompanied by the partys state unit chief Keshav Prasad Maurya, whose Phulpur parliamentary constituency covers a major part of the city. Mr Shah addressed a public meeting in support of Mr Singh before embarking on a road show criss-crossing major parts of the city.

Siddharth is my dear friend who has been doing a great job in Delhi. We asked him to fight elections from Allahabad as this is the land of his maternal grandfather Lal Bahadur Shastri and the ongoing Assembly polls are going to be historic and path-breaking, he said.

Mr Singhs candidature had surprised many local BJP leaders and the Delhi-based leader has been working hard to cast aside the outsider tag.

Despite allegations of polarising the electorate, Mr Shah said that the BJP will shut down all the mechanical slaughter houses across the state so that UP is known not for shedding the blood of hapless animals but as a land where streams of milk and butter flow.

Opposition parties have charged that the BJP was trying to raise the communal pitch after Mr Modi, at a Fatehpur rally on Sunday, said each village needs to have a graveyard and a cremation ground and that people should get power on Diwali as well as Eid, without discrimination. They say that the issue of mechanical slaughter houses is being raised for similar reasons.

Crowds also thronged the road show by young duo Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav. Mr Gandhi, who had stayed overnight at Allahbads Swaraj Bhawan  the birth place of former Prime minister and his grandmother, Indira Gandhi  was joined in the afternoon by the UP chief minister for the road show, which commenced at the Balson Chauraha, facing the historic Anand Bhavan.

Standing atop a Mercedes bus, the leaders were greeted by a large number of young supporters who raised slogans like UP ko ye saath pasand hai (UP likes this alliance) and Kaam bolta hai (Work speaks for itself).

Both the leaders also addressed students at the Allahabad University (AU) campus where they said they will form the next government in the state and claimed that the momentum gained by their alliance had made the Prime Minister jittery.

The two candidates fielded by the Congress-SP combine in the city are two-time MLA Anugrah Narayan Singh from Allahabad (North) and debutant Richa Singh from Allahabad (West). Both are former presidents of the AU students union.

Addressing a rally in Gonda, BSP supremo Mayawati said demonetisation as a diversionary tactic, a unilateral move that was implemented without the adequate preparations or groundwork.

The impact of demonetisation was so intense that people are yet to recover from its shock. The government is clueless as to how much black money it got and against how many persons penal action was initiated, she said.
A total of 630 candidates, including 50 women, are in the fray for this phase of the election.

Lucknow/New Delhi: With Bundelkhand region going to polls on Thursday, the BJP, which had pressed its top leadership  from home minister Rajnath Singh to Uma Bharati and star campaigner Prime Minister Narendra Modi  to score in this belt, is hoping to wrest a sizeable chunk of this stronghold of the Samajwadis, and to some extent the Congress.

The Bundelkhand region is dominated by OBCs who constitute 53 per cent of the population, followed by dalits who add up to 25 per cent of the population. The upper castes constitute 12 per cent, 7 per cent are Muslims and 3 per cent schedule tribes.

In the 2014 general elections, the BJP had won all four Lok Sabha seats from the Bundelkhand region. That gain came two years after the Samajwadi Party had won 24 Assembly berths and the Congress six in the 2012 Assembly polls. The BSP had won 15, and the BJP only five of the 53 seats.

During the Lok Sabha polls, despite the Congress and SPs attempts, the entire region had swung towards the BJP for its promise of achche din.

The BJP, which seemed upbeat after the third phase of polling, has been pressing on its advantage in the fourth phase. Reacting to the needs of the people in this water-scarce region, the Prime Minister on Monday promised to transform this belt like Kutch in Gujarat. Besides being an arid region, Bundelkhand also thirsts for jobs as unemployment remains a major issue in the region.

The Prime Minister also blamed the Congress, SP and BSP for the poor plight of Bundelkhand. Home minister Rajnath Singh exhorted people to vote for the BJP, while the saffron sanyasin and Union minister Uma Bharati, who won from Jhansi, had been crisscrossing the region. Ms Bharati went on compare the Prime Minister with Marx and Lenin for his pro-poor demonetisation move. Besides the top party leadership, the RSS also spread out across the region to canvass for votes.

For SP, too, has gone out all out to defend its turf. There have been huge rallies by UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav and Congress scion Rahul Gandhi over the past few days.

The problem for the SP is that it is battling strong anti-incumbency sentiment in this region, and the BSP, which hadnt fared badly in the last round of Assembly elections, has been giving it a tough fight, a Congress leader said. Thats why the SP has given more seats to the Congress in the Bundelkhand belt.

Another major battle will be fought in Rae Bareli, the home turf of Congress president Sonia Gandhi. Owning to her ill health, Mrs Gandhi has been unable to campaign in her own constituency Rae Bareli. On Tuesday it was the RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav who held the fort for her.

Known for his rustic humour and acerbic tongue, Mr Yadav, while speaking to the media in Rae Bareli, described the Prime Minister as Donald Trumps twin brother.

The Congress did not win even a single seat of the five Assemby segments in Rae Bareli in 2012 Assembly polls. Four seats were won by the SP, and one by an Independent candidate.

The 53 Assembly seats going to polls are in the region on Thursday are spread across 12 districts that include Rae Bareli, Allahabad, Pratapgarh, Kaushambhi, Jalaun, Jhansi, Lalitpur, Mahoba, Banda, Hamirpur, Chitrakoot and Fatehpur.

BSP turncoat Swami Prasad Mauryas son, Utkarsh Maurya, is contesting on a BJP ticket from Rae Bareli. Utkarsh had earlier contested thrice on BSP ticket and lost.

Other prominent contestants in the fray include Independent minister Raghuraj Pratap Singh a.k.a. Raja Bhaiyya, senior Congress leader Anugrah Narain Singh and Vivek Singh, Aradhana Misra, daughter of Congress MP Pramod Tiwari, and former minister Ujjawal Raman Singh. A total of 630 candidates, including 50 women, are in the fray for this phase of the election.

Meanwhile, according to a report of the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), at least 17 per cent of the candidates in the fourth phase of elections have criminal cases against them. The BJP tops the list with 19 candidates, followed by Samajwadi Party with 13 candidates, BSP with 12 candidates and the Congress with 8.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had registered a case against the three accused on January 28 last year.

New Delhi: A special court on Tuesday framed charges against three persons for allegedly hatching a criminal conspiracy to raise funds for the ISIS and recruiting people for the terror outfit.

District Judge Amar Nath put on trial Sheikh Azhar-ul- Islam (24), Adnan Hassan (36) and Mohammed Farhan Shaikh (25), for alleged offences of criminal conspiracy (section 120B of IPC) and under provisions of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). The court listed the matter further hearing on March 29.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had registered a case against the three accused on January 28 last year. They were arrested the next day on arrival here from Abu Dhabi.

According to the probe agency, Hassan and Shaikh had been frequently visiting the UAE in connection with job since 2008 and 2012 respectively, while Islam had gone to join them in the UAE in July, 2015.

Hassan was earlier allegedly affiliated to the Indian Mujahideen and later got inclined towards ISIS, it alleged.

The charge sheet filed by NIA had claimed that the accused persons, in connivance with other known and unknown associates, had hatched a criminal conspiracy to propagate ideology, recruit persons, raise funds and facilitate the travel of the recruited persons to Syria to join the ISIS and further its activities.
Spread over an area of over 10 acres, the park has a host of recreational facilities and a specially designed 'rain forest'.

Aerial view of the Prakriti Metro Park, a unique park created by the DMRC from waste materials at Shastri Park in New Delhi. The park was unveiled by Justice Swatanter Kumar, Chairperson, National Green Tribunal on Monday. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: Delhi Metro has put to use huge amount of junk, mainly construction waste, to create art installations that have been displayed in a park, which was inaugurated on Tuesday.

Located in east Delhi's Shastri Park, 'Prakriti - Metro Park', described as "one of a kind", was inaugurated by National Green Tribunal Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar in the presence of DMRC chief Mangu Singh.

Spread over an area of over 10 acres, the park has a host of recreational facilities and a specially designed "rain forest" apart from the art installations.

"Artists from across the country have come together to create these beautiful installations, all of which carry pertinent messages on a range of issues. Almost one third of the materials used in the park are salvaged materials," a Delhi Metro statement said.

"Utilisation of top soil from various underground station sites, plantation of nature, medicinal and pollution absorbing plants, bird attracting plant species and creation of a 'Rain forest' are some of the other attractions," it said.
This was one of the rare occasion when such a large number of rebels surrendered in the state.

Kolkata: In a major success to the police in its crackdown against the Left wing extremists in Jangalmahal, seven Maoists, including two couples, surrendered themselves with arms and ammunitions to superintendent of police (West Midnapore) Bharati Ghosh at her office in Midnapore on Monday.

This was one of the rare occasion when such a large number of rebels surrendered in the state. The rebels are identified as Saheb Murmu alias Jayanta, his wife Manasi Mahato, Dilip Singh, Dilips wife Malati Singh, Samir Mahato, Baidyanath Mahato and Banamali Mahato. Jayanta was the commander of three squads.

Ms Ghosh said there were several cases, including abduction of officer-on-charge of the Sankrail police station, Atindranath Dutta, and the brazen attack on the Eastern Frontier Rifles personnel, pending against them.

Appreciating them for shunning violence, she said they would be provided a rehabilitation package. We are calling upon those, who are yet to return to the mainstream, to leave the path of violence. The surrendered Maoists handed over an AK-47 rifle and seven country-made guns to the authorities.
Sources in the state secretariat said that the finance department has also given the nod to the proposal of trifurcation.

Kolkata: For better law and order, the Mamata Banerjee government has decide to create three new police districts by trifurcating the existing area of South 24 Parganas police. The development is significant as in the past few days; the law and order problem has rocked Bhangar and Bishnupur areas in South 24 Parganas, where public and private properties, including police vehicles have faced vandalism.

The home and hill affairs department, which is headed by chief minister Mamata Banerjee, has proposed the creation of three new police districts. It will be placed in the next Cabinet meeting. The three police districts will be South Industrial Police district, Baruipur police district and Diamond Harbour police district, a senior official of the home department said.

Sources in the state secretariat said that the finance department has also given the nod to the proposal of trifurcation. Two posts of superintendent of police (SP) and one post of deputy inspector general (DIG) will also be created for this purpose. Jhargram in West Midnapore was made a separate police district by Ms Banerjee during her first tenure as chief minister. Now South 24 Parganas will follow suit.

The South Industrial Police District will have its headquarters at Alipore and will have as many as nine police stations  Rabindranagar, Maheshtala, Budge Budge, Nodakhali, Bishnupur, Kolkata Leather Complex, Kashipore, Bhangore and Sonarpur police stations. The Baruipur police district with its headquarter in Baruipur will have as many as 10 police stations under its jurisdiction  Baruipur, Joynagar, Kultali, Maipith Coastal, Canning, Jibantala, Basanti, Gosaba, Haldibari Coastal and Jharkhali Coastal. The Diamond Harbour Police District will have its headquarter in Diamond Harbour and will have as many as 19 police stations that include Diamond Harbour, Parulia Coastal, Mandirbazar, Kulpi, Raidighi, Mathurapur, Usthi, Falta, Ramnagar, Magrahat, Kakdwip, Dholahat, Namkhana, Frasergunj Coastal, Pathar Pratima, Gobardhanpur Coastal, Sagar, Gangasagar Coastal and Harwood Point Coastal. An SP-rank officer will oversee the functioning of each of the three police districts.

After coming to power for the first time in 2011, chief minister Mamata Banerjee has excluded as many as nine police stations from South 24 Parganas police and brought them under the jurisdiction of the Kolkata Police. The police stations are Behala, Thakurpukur, Kasba, Purba Jadavpur, Jadavpur, Tiljala, Regent Park, Nadial and Metiaburuz.
BMC elections are referendum on the two netas leadership.

Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar along with wife Anjali Tendulkar displays the indelible ink mark on their fingers after casting the vote for the municipal corporation election in Mumbai on Tuesday. (Photo: PTI)

Mumbai: Mumbai on Tuesday decided who would rule Indias richest municipal corporation, which dwarfs many states in terms of its astronomical budget. This election, however, differed from all previous ones, with alliances being broken and a bitter exchange of allegations ensuing among former allies. Above all of this, the high voting percentage has left political parties wondering what exactly was on the voters minds.

The outcome of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections will decide the fate of two leaders  Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who were leading their respective parties from the front and who are seen in ubiquitously displayed posters and banners. If Mr Thackeray wins, he will tower every other leader in the city; and if the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) falters, Mr Fadnavis grip on the state BJP will be undermined.

This election is a referendum on the chief minister and the leadership of Mr Thackeray. Also, all parties depend heavily on Mumbai for its funds and with a budget of Rs 37,000 crore yearly, the BMC is a golden egg-laying goose, which all wish to covet.

The CM is being cautious, as he has trained his guns on local leaders, telling them that their position would be precarious if the pro-BJP voter turnout is bad. This highlights recent developments of internal rebellion within the BJP.

However, BJP MP Poonam Mahajan, after exercising her franchise, said the partys decision to break ties with Sena has given an opportunity to young candidates, who otherwise would have not got a chance despite doing good work.

During the Assembly polls, we observed that the percentage of BJP votes had increased. We have really good youth candidates who have done good work but never got a shot at contesting polls. Until people come out and exercise their franchise, they will not get the change they seek, she said.

Optimistic about his partys performance, BJP spokesperson Madhav Bhandari said, whether or not we get an absolute majority will be clear in two days, when the actual results are out. For the last 25 years, the Shiv Sena has been dominating Mumbai, irrespective of who ruled the state; the citys mayor has always been a Shiv Sainik. However, all these years, the Sena had been allied with the BJP, whom it considered as a younger brother. This time, things were different, and complex. The political dynamics in Mumbai have changed: The state for the first time has a BJP chief minister and the Sena is being forced to play second fiddle. In Mumbai too, the number of BJP MLAs exceeds the Senas by one, giving the former party reason to demand more seats from the Sena for the BMC elections.

Shiv Sena MLC Neelam Gorhe said every election varies as per the context at the local and national level, and the social and political fabric is changing towards tolerance and local development issues.

Senas strength is its 24X7 services for the people and its a strong organisation that has the dynamic leadership of Uddhavji Thackeray. We are confident of a grand victory in Mumbai, Thane, Ulhasnagar, Nashik and a roaring performance all over the state, Ms Gorhe said.

Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) appear to have lost the battle even before it started. While the formers chances were marred by internal strife, the NCP  which has with no MLA in the city  decided to keep its focus on rural Maharashtra. There are chances of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen emerging as a shocker for Congress with it winning more seats than the Samajwadi Party, NCP and, some say, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena.

Tuesdays polls also saw several film personalities, including veteran actress Rekha, noted lyricist Gulzar, actors Paresh Rawal, Ranveer Singh, Sonam Kapoor, Anushka Sharma, Varun Dhawan, Shraddha Kapoor, John Abraham, Vivek Oberoi and director Zoya Akhtar, stepping out to vote. Zoya expressed hope that whoever gets elected this year works towards improving infrastructure and the environment.

Overall, the battle in Mumbai appeared to be that of the Sena and BJP, with Congress coming into the picture only once or twice, and that too because of the internal bickering.

Meanwhile, Axis-India Today exit poll predicted close contest between the Shiv Sena and BJP  with both the parties winning more than 80 seats while falling short of absolute majority. The last time, both the parties contested the BMC election in alliance. The BJP had won 32 out of 63 seats it contested while Shiv Sena won 75 out of the 135 seats it contested. However, the exit poll has predicted that BJP will make huge gains this time by winning 80-86 seats, while the Sena will also increase its tally to 86-90 seats. The MNS, Congress and NCP will be losing the election badly, the exit poll said.
CASPER  John Wold, a renowned Wyoming oilman and philanthropist who also served in Congress, died Sunday night. He was 100 years old.

Wold was best known in Casper as both an oil and gas man and a philanthropist who donated to educational causes. Those who knew him said he left an indelible impression on Wyomings industries and its politics.

U.S. Sen. John Barrasso called Wold a "legend."

"John did it all. He truly exemplified our Wyoming values and Western spirit," the senator said in a statement Monday. "I will miss John's friendship and his love for all things Wyoming."

In his businesses, Wold was known for his vigor and curiosity.

"John was probably the most hands-on, enthusiastic, optimistic explorer of things to do with energy that has been in the state of Wyoming," said George Bryce of Lincoln Financial Advisors, a family friend who worked with Wold's companies over the years.

Wold first moved to Wyoming in 1949 with his wife, Jane, to work for Barnsdall Oil Company. The geologist and industry man started his own outfit, Wold Oil and Gas, the following year.

He ran the company until the 1970s, when he passed leadership over to his sons, Peter and Jack, who still run the family business.

Wold continued to be active in the oil and gas industry and community. He was an early developer of new technologies, and had particular faith in the underground gasification of coal in the Powder River Basin. Wold hoped to capture the vast reserves of coal too far beneath the surface to be obtained economically. With that in mind, he obtained the rights to 20 million tons of deep coal, but the technology never took hold.

Over the years, Wold explored business ventures in virtually every extractive industry in the state, from coal, oil and gas to soda ash and uranium.

"He thought large," explained friend and colleague, geologist Jimmy Goolsby. "He got a lot of things going that probably would never had been started if not for John Wold."

He was also a lawmaker in the Cowboy State and later Washington D.C.

First elected to the Wyoming Legislature in 1956, he became the youngest committee chairman in Wyoming history. He worked tirelessly to advance the Republican Party in Wyoming and went on to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives. Elected in 1968, he was the first geologist to serve in Congress.

On hearing of Wold's death, members of the Wyoming's congressional delegations offered condolences to the family while celebrating the businessman's unique vitality.

Barrasso noted the kindness and generosity of both Wold and his late wife Jane.

Wold gave generously to Casper College, the University of Wyomings College of Engineering and Applied Science and his alma mater, Union College.

He contributed $2 million to Cornell University, where he received his master's in geology, for the Wold Chair of Environmental Balance.

Speaking to the Star Tribune in 2011, Wold said there needed to be a deeper understanding between environmental concerns and extractive industries like oil and gas.

There should be a balance between responsible development of our minerals and desire to leave the country we work in more desirable in terms of agriculture and hunting and fishing, he said.

Wolds wife passed away in 2015. They are survived by three children, Peter, Jack and Priscilla Longfield.

Keep checking trib.com for more on his life and impact on Wyoming.
Mr Navale headed for his wedding to be held in Ghatkopar only after he first cast his ballot at about 8.30am at a polling booth.

Mumbai: So determined was Mahesh Navale, 24, a Parel resident employed as an executive with a private firm, to exercise his right to vote that not even his wedding came in the way.

Mr Navale headed for his wedding to be held in Ghatkopar only after he first cast his ballot at about 8.30am at a polling booth in Navbharat School near Bhoiwada court. He was accompanied by his neighbours at Deep Residency Society where they all stay, and the wedding band all but waited outside the school compound for the groom and his guests to finish the task at hand before heading to the wedding venue. Mr Navale said that his wife, who hails from a village near Nagar, insisted that as she could not cast her vote, at least he should fulfill his duty as a citizen before tying the knot.

Mr Navale said that the marriage had been fixed even before announcement of polling dates and hence, there was a huge debate in the family whether to go for voting or not.

The family, relatives, friends and neighbours had a meeting on how to tackle the issue as the mahurat for marriage was 12.55 pm. While some were of the view that voting should be done after the marriage, others felt that the option would result in no one voting at all. As a result, it was decided to first vote and then head for the marriage, said Mr Navale.

A neighbour and close friend of the Navale family, Jay, was instrumental in getting the entire programme charted out and in the morning on Tuesday, everyone gathered in the building before heading to the polling station. More than 100 people were present in the wedding procession that included a music band. We reached the venue and all eligible persons voted, after which we left for Ghatkopar, said Mr Jay.

Mr Navale was happy that his wife insisted he vote and hoped that others too would vote in large numbers to ensure that the right candidate was elected.
The guests will be chosen through a lottery system to dine with the King on 27th April

A special website has been set up at www.WA50.nl for those hoping to win an invitation for the dinner on 27th April. (Photo: AFP)

The Hague: Is your birthday on April 27? Do you celebrate a special birthday this year? Do you live in The Netherlands? If so, His Majesty King Willem-Alexander would like to invite you to dinner.

The royal palace announced on Monday that to celebrate his 50th birthday this year, the popular king will invite 150 people to dine with him and his wife, Queen Maxima, at their palace in Amsterdam.A special website has been set up at www.WA50.nl for those hoping to win an invitation, and the lucky 150 guests will be chosen in a lottery on March 3.

The draw is open only to those who share the king's birthday, live in The Netherlands, are over 20 and who are celebrating a "jubilee year" -- a birthday which is divisible by five, the palace said in a statement.In a specially filmed message, the king, seated at a beautifully laid table laden with cut-glass and vases brimming with tulips, says "one of these 150 seats could be for you. My wife and I are looking forward to it."

The regal dinner will be held on April 28 -- so you can still celebrate your special day with family and friends.After the dinner, the palace on Dam Square, Amsterdam, will be open to the public for free for 50 hours.April 27 is an official holiday in The Netherlands to mark the king's birthday, and hundreds of thousands of Dutch don orange clothes and turn out for street festivities.

The first King's Day was held in April 2014, after Willem-Alexander ascended to the throne when queen Beatrix abdicated in favour of her son. He became the first Dutch king in more than 120 years.
He has infuriated liberals with provocative comments on race, religion and sex and appears to delight in his ability to offend.

New York: A leading US conservative conference rescinded its invitation to provocative commentator Milo Yiannopoulos and a publisher canceled his book deal on Monday after old internet videos of him recirculated in which he discusses pedophilia.

Yiannopoulos, in a Facebook video post, denied he ever condoned pedophilia and said one video of him was edited to give a misleading impression.

Yiannopoulos, a Briton who is celebrated by some arch conservatives, was banned from Twitter last year after making highly controversial statements.

He has infuriated liberals with provocative comments on race, religion and sex and appears to delight in his ability to offend.

The chairman of the American Conservative Union, which sponsors the annual Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC, said on Sunday the group rescinded an invitation to this years Wednesday-Saturday event due to the revelation of an offensive video in the past 24 hours condoning pedophilia. We realize that Mr. Yiannopoulos has responded on Facebook, but it is insufficient, Matt Schlapp, chairman of the union, said in the Twitter post.

CPAC is a high-profile annual gathering of conservative activists. President Donald Trump is among the scheduled speakers this year along with vice-president Mike Pence, White House chief of staff Reince Priebus and senior Trump adviser Stephen Bannon. Yiannopoulos is also an editor for the right-wing Breitbart News, which Bannon once headed.

Earlier this month, the University of California canceled Yiannopoulos speaking engagement on the Berkeley campus when violent protests against his appearance broke out. Mr Trump, in response, threatened on Twitter to cut off federal funding for the university.

The latest controversy stems from a video in which Yiannopoulos seems to suggest the standard for pedophilia is whether the younger partner has gone through puberty.

At another point in the video, however, Yiannopoulos says the established age of consent, which is 16 to 18 years old in the United States, is about right. In his Facebook statement on Monday, Yiannopoulos denied condoning pedophilia.

I find those crimes to be absolutely disgusting. I find those people to be disgusting, he said, while expressing regret he used the word boys instead of young men while discussing the benefits of relationships between men with large age differences. Book publisher Simon & Schuster said it canceled the publication of Dangerous, which was due out in June  Reuters

After careful consideration @simonschuster and its @threshold_books have cancelled publication of Dangerous by Milo Yiannopoulos, spokesman Adam Rothberg said on Twitter.

Yiannopoulos acknowledged in a separate Facebook post: They canceled my book.
Mr Trump interviewed four finalists on Sunday and may meet with some of them again on Monday, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said.

West Palm Beach: President Donald Trump may do another round of interviews for the position of national security adviser with new or existing candidates on Monday as he scrambles to fill the post following the ouster of Michael Flynn.

Mr Trump interviewed four finalists on Sunday and may meet with some of them again on Monday, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said.

White House officials made clear on Sunday that the new adviser would have autonomy over staffing decisions, an issue that has been reported to have thwarted some other candidates. The President interviewed acting adviser Keith Kellogg, former US Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton, Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster and Lieutenant General Robert Caslen at his Mar-a-Lago resort.

We may have some additional meetings and names tomorrow, Ms Sanders said in Florida. The NSA is one of the most senior jobs, holding influence over US foreign policy across the globe. Mr Trump has added Steve Bannon, his chief White House strategist, as a regular attendee of NSC meetings.

Strategists have not typically been among NSC participants and Mr Bannons addition has drawn criticism because of his previous role heading website Breitbart News.
Security forces had been on high alert in Pakistan after a wave of attacks killed more than 100 people last week.

Security forces killed three suicide attackers outside the court in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Charsadda district, police said. (Representational Image)

Peshawar: At least six persons were killed and 14 injured in a suicide blast and firing by terrorists outside a court in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Tuesday.

Security forces killed three suicide attackers outside the court in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Charsadda district, police said.

The three attackers attempted to enter the court premises in Tangi town through the main gate. They opened fire and threw grenades, prompting retaliatory fire by security forces deployed there.

One bomber was killed in the firing at the gate and the second was killed as he entered the court. The third bomber died when he detonated his explosives, officials said.

Deputy Commissioner of Charsadda said judges and lawyers were safe. He said due to tight security the bombers could not enter the court, but had they been successful in entering the premises it "would have been a catastrophe".

A search and rescue operation was underway, he added.

Ambulances have been rushed to Charsadda from Peshawar, approximately 30 kilometres away, where the Lady Reading Hospital has been put on high alert.

The latest attack came as security has been tightened across Pakistan after a recent wave of terrorist strikes killed more than 100 people.

On Thursday, a suicide bomber killed 88 people at a famed Sufi shrine in Sindh province. Following the attack, the army launched an offesive against militants and claimed to have killed more than 130 terrorists across the country.

A suicide bomber had struck a local court in Charsadda's Shabqadar area last year in March, killing 17 people.
Musharraf said a holistic approach and planning was crucial at the moment to curb terrorism in the country.

Islamabad: Pakistans former dictator General Pervez Musharraf has said his administration managed freedom fighters in Kashmir but later realised a political process was needed to negotiate the issue with India, a media report on Monday said.

Mr Musharraf, who served as Pakistans President from 2001 to 2008 after he threw out the elected government in a coup in 1999, said his government was able to force India to discuss issues that New Delhi was unwilling to negotiate.

In my tenure as a military chief and President, we were succeeding. We were able to bring India to the negotiating table and to sort out issues that India was not ready to discuss, he told Dunya News in an interview.

He said his government was managing freedom fighters in Kashmir, and later they realised that a political process was required to negotiate further with India.

Musharraf said a holistic approach and planning was crucial at the moment to curb terrorism in the country, in a possible reference to a series of deadly terrorist attack in Pakistan.
Key startegic dialogue to improve bilateral ties today.

Foreign secretary S. Jaishankar with top Chinese state councillor Yang Jiechi in Beijing on Tuesday ahead of Wednesdays India-China strategic dialogue. (Photo: PTI)

Beijing: Foreign secretary S. Jaishankar held talks with Chinas top diplomat Yang Jiechi on Tuesday, ahead of a key strategic dialogue on Wednesday to improve bilateral ties hit by Chinese reluctance to support Indias admission into the NSG and back a United Nations ban on Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) leader Masood Azhar.

Mr Jaishankar, who arrived in China from Sri Lanka, met Mr Yang, who besides being the state councillor, is Beijings special representative for border talks between India and China.

In Chinese official hierarchy, state councillor of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) is regarded as the top diplomat functioning directly under the countrys leadership.

Mr Jaishankar is expected to meet Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi, besides attending an upgraded strategic dialogue with Chinas executive vice-foreign minister Zhang Yesui on Wednesday.

Underlining the significance of the strategic dialogue, which was upgraded during Mr Wangs visit to New Delhi in 2016, China has deputed Zhang Yesui, also the head of the influential CPC committee of the Chinese foreign ministry for the parleys.

Ahead of the talks, China has appeared unrelenting in its opposition to impose the United Nations ban on JeM chief Massod Azhar and ambivalent on Indias membership to the 48-member Nuclear Suppliers Group.
India and Russia signed an agreement in October to jointly manufacture 200 of the KA-226T helicopters for the Indian Armed Forces.

Abu Dhabi: Russia will start initial deliveries of military helicopters to India in 2019, with assembly and manufacturing to follow in Asia's fastest growing economy, the chief executive of state-owned manufacturer Russian Helicopters said on Monday.

India and Russia signed an agreement in October to jointly manufacture 200 of the KA-226T helicopters for the Indian Armed Forces.

Both countries have agreed to cooperate in energy and defense as India seeks to modernize its armed forces and build a nuclear industry and sanctions-hit Russia looks for investment and new markets.

"The joint venture is in process and the first delivery will start in 2019. After-sales service will also be provided in India," said Andrey Boginsky, who took over as CEO in January.

Some 60 helicopters will be delivered to India and the remaining 140 will be assembled or manufactured in India, he said at the International Defence Exhibition in Abu Dhabi.

The company has started production of the advanced medium multirole Mi-171A2 helicopter, with four deliveries set for Russia this year, he said.

China has shown an interest in the Mi-171A2, he added, without elaborating.

Overall sales in 2017 are expected to grow at least 15 percent as demand for civil helicopters increases.

"We expect to sell 220 helicopters this year," he said compared to 190 sold in 2016. Military helicopters account for two thirds of sales.

"There is demand for civil helicopters and we plan to increase volumes," he said, adding that a key market is Iran, where there is demand from the oil and gas sector.
Judges and public prosecutors removed. The number of laid off magistrates rises to 3886. They are accused of alleged links with Islamic leader Fethullah Gulen. 47 army officers on trial among them 37 members of a strike team that was supposed to kill Erdogan.

Istanbul (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The Turkish authorities have dismissed 227 more judges and prosecutors. The Turkish news agency Anadolu reports that the move is part of the punitive measures taken by Ankara against the alleged perpetrators or supporters of the (failed) July state coup. The Higher Judicial Council estimates that there are more than 3886 judges now out of work.



In the aftermath of the failed coup dEtat in Turkey last July, President Erdogan and the Turkish government have launched a campaign of repression against its alleged perpetrators. These include supporters of Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen, believed to have masterminded the coup that left 270 people dead, and thousands wounded.



In response to the failed coup, in recent months the Turkish authorities have arrested more than 41 thousand people, including teachers, soldiers, intellectuals, opposition politicians, businessmen, journalists, activists and ordinary citizens. About 100 thousand public sector officials have been suspended or laid off.

Behind the new expulsion of hundreds of judges is the accusation of ties with the Gulen movement. Commenting on the decision, the vice-president of the High Judicial Council, Mehmet Yilmaz, added that another 200 judges and prosecutors - suspended in recent months for the same reasons - were reinstated.



Also yesterday, in Mugla, the southern Turkish city, has opened the trial of 47 army officers accused of involvement in the coup of July State. Forty-four people, mostly soldiers, are in custody, while three more remain at large and will be judged in absentia.



The defendants (pictured), many in suits, were conducted into the courtroom by security forces in front of cameras, between boos and the derisive shouts from those present.

Prosecutors have asked several life sentences for each of the accused according to the charges of attempted murder of the president, violation of the constitution and membership of a terrorist organization. Those in the dock also included an assault team of 37 soldiers who were to have to carried out the plan.



On the night of July 15 last Erdogan was spending a family holiday in an exclusive resort of Marmaris, on the Aegean. He reported that he escaped death by accident; two of the escort policemen died in the attack. Responding to questions from the judge, one of the accused said that the "mission" was to "withdraw" the president and bring him in Akinci Air Base [headquarters of the coup] "safe and sound."



West and pro human rights activists groups renew the alert for the purges taking place in the country, in violation of human rights of citizens.

The widespread opinion is that the authorities exploit the state of emergency - and the recent wave of attacks - to eliminate any voice of dissent and opposition to the president.

In this context, the country is going through an institutional change that will transform the nation from the presidential parliamentary republic, with further expansion of Erdogan's powers and the ability to stay in office beyond 2019, actual natural expiry of the mandate.



The constitutional referendum will be held on April 16 and it is likely that until the vote, the government and the president will continue the campaign of repression against dissidents and opponents.
by Sumon Corraya

The Commission for Dialogue and Ecumenism organized a workshop, attended by Catholics, Hindus and Muslims. "Politicians often work only for their own benefit." "Christians must create more interfaith seminars to reduce religious fanaticism in Bangladesh"

Khulna (AsiaNews) - "I invite everyone to consult me at all times, if they hear news of persecution against Christians and Hindus. I will go on the site and will stop it": This is the promise uttered by Alhaj Nazrul Islam Molla, Chairman dell'Ulama League Dakop, sub-district of Khulna (south-western Bangladesh).

The Islamic leader spoke at a seminar for Interreligious Dialogue at St. Michael's Church, Chalna parish. The event brought together 65 representatives: Catholics, Hindus and Muslims, all engaged in the creation of a society of peace and harmony.



The seminar was organized by the Khulna Diocesan Commission for Dialogue and Ecumenism. Opening the meeting the bishop, Msgr. James Romen Boiragi, explained the reasons for such an initiative.

"We want to promote the understanding between members of different religious groups- he said - we all need to know each other in depth. " This is because, he stressed, "the lack of mutual understanding brings misunderstanding and conflict between the various confessions."



According to Msgr. Boiragi, often "political leaders are working only for their own benefit, and not to build peace. If the religious leaders work together, they could achieve peace in the easiest way through discussions and proposals ".



For its part, Alhaj Molla Nazrul Islam said that "Islam is a religion of peace. Our Prophet Muhammad has suffered much in his lifetime to establish peace. We must do the same. " Then the Muslim leader, who is very influential in his community, invited everyone to report episodes of violence or discrimination committed against minorities. "If you see that someone - he asked - is trying to create problems in your groups in the name of Islam, inform me. I will address the problem and help you to solve it. "



The Hindu leader Madon Mohon Roy said that the Hindu tradition maintains peace: "The god Krishna came to earth to establish peace. Respect for the religion of others is the only way to create a peaceful world ".



Fr. Pietanza Dominico Mimmo, director of the Center for Interreligious Dialogue of Khulna and one of the organizers, believes that "these kind of seminars bring very positive results, with friendly relations between the members of various confessions."

"Given that we Christians are a minority - he said - we should organize more similar opportunities to reduce religious fanaticism in Bangladesh".

In Bangladesh, Christians are about 0.6% of a total of over 160 million inhabitants. Among Christians, the largest community is Roman Catholic, with almost 600 thousand faithful.
CASPER  One of the two victims of a shooting Thursday in north Casper has died.

The male victim died Friday after being shot late Thursday night in his home on the 900 block of North Jackson Street, police said Monday afternoon.

The second victim of the shooting, a woman who also lived in the home, remains hospitalized, authorities said.

Casper police responded to the home about 10:30 p.m. Thursday and found the man and the woman with gunshot wounds after a third person called 911.

No arrests were made in the shooting and nobody was in custody for questioning, Lt. Chris Hadlock said Friday morning. He said investigators had identified all the people involved in the shooting and that there was no danger to the community.

Police have yet to release the victims' names, the nature of the shooting or any other details.
"Sometimes we say it with shame we priests, we priests: 'I wish for that parish ...' - 'But the Lord is here ...' - 'But I would like that ...'. The same. Not the way of the Lord, but that road of vanity, worldliness. Even among us bishops the same happens: worldliness becomes as temptation. "

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - May the Lord give us the grace of "holy shame" faced with the temptation of ambition that involves everyone, even in the ecclesial community, including priests and bishops, who are tempted by high society said Pope Francis at Mass this morning in Santa Marta, taking a cue from Jesus invitation to be servants to all. "We will all be tempted."

He drew inspiration from the First Reading, which recalls that whoever wishes to serve the Lord must prepare for temptations, and the Gospel reading, in which Jesus tells his disciples of his impending death. The disciples do not understand why Jesus has told them of his coming death but are too afraid to ask what he means. This, the Pope said, is the temptation to not complete the mission. He said even Jesus suffered this temptation.

The days Gospel also mentioned another temptation, that of ambition. The disciples argue along the way about who among them was the greatest, but remain silent when Jesus asks them what they are discussing. The Holy Father said they do not respond because they are ashamed of their words: These were good people, who wanted to follow and serve the Lord. But they did not realize that the path of service to the Lord was not an easy one. It wasnt like becoming part of a group, some charitable group doing good: No, it was something else. They were afraid of this. It happened, happens, and will happen. Let us think about infighting in a parish: I want to be the president of this association, in order to climb the ladder. Who is the greatest here? Who is the greatest in this parish? No, I am the most important here; not that person there because he did something And that is the chain of sin.

Pope Francis also gave other examples of this temptation which brings one to speak poorly of another and to climb the ladder. Sometimes we priests say ashamedly within our presbyteries: I want that parish But the Lord is here But I want that one It is the same. It isnt the way of the Lord but the path of vanity, of worldliness. The same occurs even among us bishops: worldliness comes as a temptation. Many times [it is said]: I am in this diocese but look at how important that one is and I try to influence someone, or put pressure, to get somewhere Therefore, Pope Francis exhorted his audience to always ask the Lord for the grace to be ashamed when we find ourselves in these situations.

Jesus, he said, overturns this logic. Sitting among his disciples he reminds them that if someone wishes to be first, they shall be last and the servant of all. Jesus then takes a child and places it in their midst, telling them Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me.

The Pope asked his audience to pray for the Church, for all of us so that the Lord may defend us from ambitions and from the worldliness of wishing to be greater than others. May the Lord give us the grace of shame, of holy shame, when we find ourselves in that situation of temptation and to be ashamed: But am I able to think such a thing? When I see my Lord on the cross and I would want to use the Lord to climb the ladder? And may God give us the grace of the simplicity of a child. I imagine a final question: Lord, I have served you all my life. I have been the last all my life. And now what? What does the Lord say? Tell yourself: I am an unworthy servant.
by Santosh Digal

Sister Lizzy Chakkalakal heads Our Lady's Convent Girls Higher Secondary School in Kochi. In 2012 she provided the first house to a needy family. For her, the birth of a culture of sharing and mutual care among local people" is more important than just providing housing.

Kochi (AsiaNews)  "The Passion of Jesus drove me to open homes for the poor, said Sister Lizzy Chakkalakal, a member the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary (FMM), an order present India since the early 1900s.

The nun, 47, heads Our Lady's Convent Girls Higher Secondary School in Kochi, Kerala. In 2012, she provided the first House Challenge, a house for the citys poor. Since then, she has provided a total of 54.

"My source of life and work is Jesus, who loved the poor, she told AsiaNews. This is my way of showing love, concern and solidarity to the poor. The Church is here to give hope and a better life to those in need. We are doing all we can for the poor out of love."

In Kochi, a city on the southwestern coast of India, the nun has become a point of reference. Thanks to the co-operation of students, teachers, lay Catholics, as well as also ordinary people "of good will", she offers a roof to those in need. Her houses are available to everyone, regardless of faith or cultural tradition.

Sister Lizzy noted that the cornerstones of the Franciscan Order are social justice, human rights, and the nourishment of the spirit. For this reason, her congregation has made the promotion of justice, human dignity, harmony and communion between people and communities the basic principles of its socio-pastoral ministry.

For her, "The values of the Gospel and Jesus' actions are not abstract things. They are living and life-giving expressions They are to be lived and expressed in concrete actions.

In actual terms, Our work of building houses for the poor and other missionary activities are meant to communicate love, justice, peace, care, concern and compassion for others, human rights, and dignity," she noted.

The "House Challenge" is one way in which she can achieve something concrete for the families of students who live in miserable conditions.

"I was assigned to be a teacher even though I wished to be a full-time social worker. So, one of her habits, after school hours, has been to visit the families of her students.

During such meetings she realised that many of them were living in unsafe and undignified housing, and most of the parents suffered from some form of addiction like alcoholism. Children and women were the most vulnerable.

This led her to the idea of the first house. At first it was just about people sharing materials and tools, following by the actual construction of a house.

Donations from private individuals, public bodies and churches provide the funding for the construction of housing for the poor with the authorities choosing the needy family who can benefit.

However, the most important thing for the nun "is the birth of a culture of sharing and mutual care among local people.
No state is really safe for non-believers. You find creationist ideas in schools from Louisiana to New Jersey. You find efforts to send secular tax dollars to religious schools in Indiana and Florida. And, finally, you find polls done of all Americans demonstrating that plenty of families don't want their sons or daughters marrying atheists. There are many sad states of affairs.

- Rev., executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State I am an atheist living in Mississippi, a state which consistently ranks #1 or #2 on every list of the most religious states in the U.S. Many atheists do not hesitate to suggest that no self-respecting atheist should live here or in any of the other ultra-religious states. They have a point. After all, there are many other states where atheists would find it far easier to make a home. While we are likely to face bigotry nearly everywhere one encounters high concentrations of Christians, some places are going to be better than others. And so, I certainly understand why many atheists have advised me to move.Of course, I don't particularly like being told what to do. That's one of my many flaws. It matters little whether it is the local Christians telling me to leave because "you don't belong here" or atheists in other states telling me to leave because "you'd be happier elsewhere." I'm not sure where I belong or even if there is anywhere I belong. I also don't know whether I'd be happier elsewhere. In any case, I recognize that the decision of whether to move or stay and fight is mine.If I was to adopt the position of someone giving advice to a young atheist nearing the completion of a college degree, it would be easy to suggest leaving a place like Mississippi. I can certainly understand why others would do so. Wouldn't most of us rather be in a place where our presence was tolerated vs. one where we were truly hated?At the same time, I think there is something to be said for standing one's ground and refusing to flee. Why should someone who grew up in Louisiana, Alabama, or Mississippi and still considers it home have to leave it behind due to the bigotry of the local Christians? And what about those who - for a variety of reasons -move. Isn't there something to be said for staying and working to make a difference for the benefit of everyone? I suppose that is something we each have to decide that for ourselves.I was eager to leave the state where I grew up because it seemed oppressively conservative, intolerant, and backward. I left it behind as soon as I turned 18, and I have not lived there since. Today, it has a reputation for being one of the more progressive states. I've had the opportunity to see this for myself when I have returned to visit. Funny how that worked out.I don't have any real attachment to Mississippi. I didn't grow up here, and I will never consider it home. I'll admit that it is tempting at times to flee for saner parts; however, I really like my job and most of the people I work with. So far, that has been good enough. I don't plan to retire here, but I could imagine staying here until I do. And if, while I'm here, I can help to improve the lives of others in whatever small way I can, then that is what I am going to do.I don't doubt that the day will come when the toll of Mississippi is finally too much for me. And yet, I also have the feeling that there is something I haven't finished here. There's at least some fight left in me still.
With marijuana being legalised in more states in the US, an increasing number of large law firms in the country are also launching cannabis practices. The latest of those law firms, Boston-headquartered Foley Hoag, has created a team of six lawyers to deal with the booming industry, according to a report from The Boston Globe.The team was formed when an associate approached Kevin Conroy, administrative law partner and a former deputy attorney general, shortly after the legalisation of marijuana for recreational use in a Massachusetts ballot measure last year. Conroy, who is leading the practice group, said that the firm then investigated whether this is a practice group worth establishing. Three among the practice group specialise in regulatory law while the other three are specialists in corporate, labour and employment, and trademark law, respectively.Massachusetts legalised recreational marijuana in a ballot measure last year. Other US jurisdictions which have legalised marijuana for recreational use are Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and Washington D.C.Based on that suggestion, we did about two-to-three months of due diligence, where we spoke to a number of firms that are our size in the state of Washington, Oregon and Colorado to determine whether there was a market for large firms to represent this industry on regulatory issues on the state level. And we determined that there is, Conroy told The American Lawyer.Its highly technical regulatory work that requires attorneys who know both politics and the law. We see some similarities to the [2012] gambling initiative, which we worked on, he told The Boston Globe.According to the publication, the recreational marijuana industry in Massachusetts is estimated to be worth more than US$1bn annually. The large projected market for states which have legalised the substance for recreational use has driven firms such as 891-lawyer Orrick to get involved with the industry. Greenspoon Marder; Kronick Moskovitz Tiedemann & Girard; and Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick have also launched marijuana practice groups.Foley Hoag is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts with offices in New York; Paris, France; and Washington D.C. It has 229 lawyers and had more than $173m in gross revenue in 2015, according to The American Lawyer.
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Norton Rose Fulbright has confirmed that it will combine with US firm Chadbourne & Parke.The two firms will merge in the second quarter of 2017, creating a global law firm with more than 4,000 lawyers in 58 offices in 32 countries; significantly increasing the capacity of both firms.Crucially for Norton Rose Fulbright, it means an enlarged presence in the US with 1,000 lawyers.Joining forces with our new colleagues, we can offer our clients significant new capabilities in New York and Washington, DC., said NRF global CEO Peter Martyr, who also highlighted the increased capabilities in other key markets.We will benefit from new offices in Mexico City, Sao Paulo and Istanbul, and we will be able to offer our clients expanded capabilities in London, Dubai, Latin America and other key markets, Martyr said.The combined firm will operate under the existing Norton Rose Fulbright brand.Nine member firms of the Lex Mundi law firms network have worked together on advising a global manufacturer of consumer products on multijurisdictional compliance.The clients main point of contact with the network was New Zealand firm Simpson Grier, while Australias Clayton Utz was also involved along with firms in Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, UK, South Africa and the US.The client has not been named but requested information on product distribution, sales and marketing compliance in key global markets.The next generation of lawyers will be supported by a new initiative from global law firm Baker McKenzie.The firm is giving its support to the Legal Innovation Centre based at Ulster University in Northern Ireland. It is the first of its kind in the UK and will have a global reach with the aim of advancing the use of technology-driven innovation in legal services and legal education globally.Baker McKenzie will work with the centre on research projects and on supporting students education.
Australia is continuing to expand the number of visas that can be accessed online with China the latest country to be added to the facilities available on the web.More people than ever before are visiting Australia from China and the latest figures how that more than 840,000 visitor visa applications were received from Chinese nationals in 2015/2016.Indeed, the latest projections suggest that at current growth rates the number of visa applications from Chinese visitors will reach over a million by 2018.The continued expansion of online visas globally means that Chinese nationals are now able to apply online for a visitor visa with the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) making the whole process faster and easier.China is the largest citizenship country for visitor visa applications to Australia and the expansion will offer convenient 24/7 lodgement as well as the ability to check the status of applications online.This capability complements other visa initiatives introduced for Chinese visitors during 2016, including the trial of a fast track visa service for visitor visa applicants in China which started last March.Australia also started a trial of a 10-year validity frequent traveller visa for Chinese nationals in December and a trial of an online visitor visa lodgement service in Mandarin through the Department's service delivery partner in China.'It is another boost to tourism while at the same time reducing unnecessary red tape and ensuring we maintain the integrity of our visa programme,' said Immigration Minister Peter Dutton.This year has also been named as the China Australia Year of Tourism which has been launched in Beijing by Australian Trade and Tourism Minister Steven Ciobo who was accompanied by a delegation of chief executives of seven Australian airports to explore opportunities arising from a landmark open aviation market air services secured in December 2016.The arrangement removes all capacity restrictions between Australia and China for airlines of both countries and allows airlines of Australia and China to offer unlimited flights to and from any points in Australia and China, including international airports in regional Australia.'This is the first time China has signed such an agreement with any country. Capitalising on this historic agreement will drive more Chinese tourists to Australia. The more tourists we can get to Australia, the more jobs will be created. China is Australia's most valuable tourism export market, with the potential to be worth more than $13 billion by 2020,' said Ciobo.
Hi! I dont think you have reasons to worry about.My partner and I were living together for almost 2 years but not constantly. At the moment of the application, we only had 10 continuos months. However, after some research, we found out that we only needed to prove that our relationship was a real one and prove that we were separate only temporally.Our Partner Temporary Visa was granted last week, after 14 months and 15 days.We didnt use an agent but only because I am a lawyer and pretty organized with documents. However, this process can be really tricky, so if you dont feel confident on doing it by yourself, the best option is going through an agent.I'm more than happy to give you any more tips at any time
Hi Guys,



I just got my 820 a few weeks ago after 15 months! Exciting yet another long wait till I get 801...



Before I applied for 820, I was a visa 485 holder (Temporary Graduate) and was required to have private health insurance. However, I could only go for the ones for overseas people, which are generally more expensive than the local ones (I think)



I did applied for Medicare 6 months ago (because I didn't know that you could apply as soon as your 820 application is lodged), but also I wonder if I could go for the local private health insurance now? Or is there some for visa 820 holder?



I tried to google and could not find much in regards to this...
Is Nissan taking the right decision by not bringing the all-new Micra to India?

Dear Carlos (or should I say Ghosn San),

First up, heartiest congratulations on the success of your baby, the Kwid. Sure, there were a few hiccups along the way and, by your own admission, some false starts too. But, boy oh boy, have you stuck it to Suzuki. All that crock about no one being able to make a car cheaper and deliver better value; 98 percent localisation sure blew a big hole in that myth. Heres hoping you drowned the father of the Kwid, Gerard Detourbet (of the French Foreign Legion) in some nice bubbly. An average of 9,600 cars a month; thats unreal.

But now lets go from champagne to sake, from grapes to rice, from Boulogne-Billancourt to Yokohama. Clearly, things dont seem to be as tickety-boo, pardon my French, with Nissan India. And whats worse is that there seems to be something seriously amiss with the decision-making process. Take, for example, the curious case of the Micra.

Why, it seems like only yesterday that we were being given a sneak peek of the all-new design, which at the time was known only as the K13. I still remember being hushed into a closed room at the Taj and being shown a large-sized model of the car. The retro headlights were sort of alright, but that was it.

The two-part grille, I thought, gave it the look of a startled polecat, and then there was the rear, that resembled an Ambassador gone horribly wrong.

This is final? I enquired, hoping it wasnt. But it was, and then someone from Nissan said car buyers cliniced said they loved it. Really? Well, thats the problem with clinics, I guess, you always seem to get the answers youre looking for. But the Micra didnt really have a hope in hell. Retro designs have almost no appeal here; Indian car buyers just see them as old, and thats a huge no-no. Little surprise then that the Micra took off like a lead Zeppelin.

Now comes part two; which, truth be told, is even more baffling. Unveiled at the Paris motor show, the all-new Micra (K14) set the tongues a wagging. Clearly this was an all-new direction, a huge step forward, with nothing carried over. The retro looks were gone, in place of the cheap interiors were some seriously well-crafted bits and the car felt much larger on the inside and much better built. Yeah, Nissan had finally nailed it. Indian car buyers would love this car. I said as much to Nissans design head, Shiro Nakamura, standing close by, who clearly seemed very pleased with the results. Sure, it would be a bit more expensive and that would mean it would face some stiff competition here, but this car sort of has the appeal of a Hyundai i20, and Indian car buyers just love that car. The crazy thing is Nissan has no plans of getting the new Micra here ever.

Yes, I know, localising a car here is a big task and getting it down to a competitive price, with global production now shifted out of India is like climbing Everest in stilettos. But betting the bank on the wrong car and then not getting the right one; is this the twilight zone?

As the Kwid has proved, good cars sell, bad cars dont; it really is as simple as that.

Yours,

Still Baffled
As the Samsung Tizen was underdeveloped, reports indicated that the most popular operating system in the world prevented the unwanted competition from developing faster. As a result, the Korean company got Google sued and is currently under investigation by South Korea's Fair Trade Commission.

Initially, Samsung and Google signed an agreement when both decided to engage in smartphone software development. The agreement was initiated las 2011 which forced Samsung to be the first party for apps such as YouTube, Google Maps, and Gmail on all standard Android devices. However, South Korea's FTC suggested that the latter may have infringed the contract. In fact, an official of the FTC revealed that they are currently checking whether or not Google did prevent the Samsung Tizen TV from developing faster, reported Techno Buffalo.

Before it ends as Google sued, the company remained adamant regarding the issue and claimed that other companies also use Android's source code in creating their operating system. However, they did not address whether or not they had anything to do with deferring the Samsung Tizen's development.

In other news, Digital Trends reported that the law infringed, if allegations would be proven true, is South Korea's Antitrust Law. In fact, the Google's Korean firm was initially cleared of the allegations way back 2013. However, a reinvestigation was launched into AFA last year wherein issues were found. The said issues purported to the company interfering with the device in- question's development.

Although the company found discrepancies, the spokesperson of FTC raised that they are still looking for possibilities to get Google sued. On the other hand, Google raised that Android is an open-source platform and that their partner agreements were all voluntary. Will that free the company from being sued despite the possibility of the issues being found true?

At present, the FTC investigation is still ongoing. Although the case has been cleared last 2013, would the reinvestigation shed light on matters that will get Google sued? Will the allegations prove to be true and actionable?
It may sound like a beginning of a science fiction movie, but BMW and LEGO were able to defy some fundamental laws of physics and design a flying motorcycle. Dubbed as the Hover Ride Design Concept, the flying motorcycle looks it was snatched right out of a futuristic film.

The flying motorcycle is based on the LEGO Technic BMW R 1200 GS Adventure model kit. It is a model kit composed of 603 parts which allow LEGO enthusiasts to construct a miniature version of the BMW R 1200 GS Adventure best-selling bike, according to Financial Express.

It appears that BMW was so impressed with LEGO's miniature take on the company's best-selling car that it has decided to create a full-sized replica. BMW's replica is equipped with front wheel propellers and its design simply screams futuristic. The design of the bike also makes it look like it is part of a "Transformers" movie.

BMW Builds Life-Size Flying Motorcycle Based on a LEGO Kit - https://t.co/J8CCDY2gFz #motorcycle pic.twitter.com/EGCJ2ZdIl8  Joel D. Moses (@1800motorcycle) February 17, 2017

In a statement acquired by Daily Mail, BMW Motorrad head of sales and marketing Heiner Faust said, "BMW Motorrad approached Lego Group with the idea of a collaboration because the two companies have much in common: they both successfully combine innovation and tradition in their brands and products, providing unforgettable experiences for young and old alike all over the world."

The Hover Ride Design Concept made its first official debut at the Lego World in Copenhagen, Denmark. BMW confirmed that the bike will be moved to various locations in order for other people to get a glimpse of what future bikes might look like.

The Hover Ride Design Concept will not hit the market soon, as it is just a concept idea. However, BMW said that the company is optimistic about the bike's futuristic concept. BMW will most likely play with the idea behind this concept bike in order to create a realistic one that really works.
Five occupants of a King Air, including four Americans on a golf holiday, were killed when the aircraft crashed into the roof of a large shopping mall in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday. No one was hurt on the ground, likely because the accident occurred about 9 a.m., just before the mall opened for the day. Most of the aircraft ended going through the storeroom roof of a store in the mall. Staff of the store were not in that area. The pilot was identified asMax Quatermain, a professional pilot with 38 years of experience, who operated the King Air as a charter business. He reported catastrophic engine failure in two radio calls after takeoff. The Americans on board have been identified as Greg De Haven, 70, Russell Munsch, Glenn Garland, and John Washburn, 67, all from Texas.

Assistant Commissioner Stephen Leane, of the Victoria (State) Police, said the charter aircraft had taken off from Essendon Airport, a GA airport next to the mall, about eight miles from Melbournes city center.The aircraft was on its way to King Island, which is between Melbourne and Tasmania and is a popular vacation spot in the southern summer. Daniel Andrews, the premier of Victoria, said the mishap was the worst civil aviation accident that our state has seen for 30 years. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau is expected to release more details as the investigation continues.
21 February 2017 18:18 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

Armenias aggression against neighboring Azerbaijan resulted not only in the occupation of 20 percent of its internationally recognized territories, but also caused great economic and moral damage to the Azerbaijani population.

The damage inflicted to Azerbaijan by the occupation of its lands was calculated in the amount of $819.15 billion, the working group on the assessment of damage in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan told Trend on February 21.

Armenia occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions, after laying territorial claims against its South Caucasus neighbor that had caused a lengthy war in the early 1990s. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and nearly one million were displaced as a result of the war.

The occupied cities such as Shusha, Agdam, Fizuli, Jabrayil, Zangilan, Gubadli were completely ruined and plundered by the Armenian armed forces. Today, not a single historic and cultural monument or tombstone belonging to Azerbaijani nation can be found in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. In total, Armenians plundered and set alight 464 historical monuments and museums and nine palaces of historical importance. 152 sacred places and temples, including 62 mosques remaining in the occupied territories have fallen victim to Armenian aggression.

The working group collected hundreds of thousands of documents and facts confirming the damage caused by the occupation and the Khojaly genocide, as well as other terrorist acts carried out by the Armenian aggressors.

In the course of work, the group collaborated with various international organizations and attracted international experts for assessment of the damage.

As a result, the working group determined the final amount of damage Armenia inflicted to Azerbaijan.

Thus, the damage caused to the population of Azerbaijan made up $147.8 billion. A total of $140.4 billion of this damage consisted in humanitarian and moral losses due to the destruction of the population and deprivation of health and standard of living, while the rest $7.4 billion lied in material damage to the population because of the destruction of property.

The damage caused to the state amounted to $126.46 billion, including the damage in the social ($33.93 billion) and economic ($92.53 billion) spheres.

The damage caused to the environment and natural resources hit $244.42 billion, while the damage to historical and cultural monuments made up $177 billion.

As for excessive military expenditures, restrictions and losses in connection with the Armenian occupation of the Azerbaijani lands, the volume of the damage is $124.47 billion.

The final report will be submitted to the relevant authorities.

The working group was established in October 2013 according to the Cabinet of Ministers' decree. It operates under the state commission for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the occupied Azerbaijani territories.

The Presidential Administration, as well as Azerbaijani Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the State Committee on Refugees and IDPs Ali Hasanov, and a number of ministries and committees assist in the activity of the group.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
21 February 2017 10:51 (UTC+04:00)

By Javier Solana

The world needs the European Union now more than ever. Despite recent crises and the hard blow dealt by the Brexit vote, the EU may well be the worlds best line of defense against todays most serious threats: isolationism, protectionism, nationalism, and extremism in all forms, all of which are once again growing in Europe and beyond. The key to enabling the EU to meet this potential  to save itself and the world from catastrophe  is for member states urgently to adopt a European Union first mantra.

Unlike the America first credo embraced by US President Donald Trump, such a mantra would not be an exercise in damaging unilateralism. On the contrary, it would compel member states governments to look beyond narrow national interest, defend openness and multilateralism, and confront head-on the exclusionary political forces that have lately been gaining ground. It would drive member states to consolidate the EU, thereby enabling it to overcome the challenges it faces and help preserve the international order.

That order is neither an inessential accessory nor a post-war relic. It has supported global prosperity and stability for 70 years. We need it  together with the multilateralism on which it is built  to confront many of the economic, environmental, and strategic challenges we now face, challenges that cannot be addressed at the national level.

A cornerstone of the existing international order is the recognition that maintaining peace and human welfare requires an understanding of and respect for the needs and interests of others  needs and interests that are no less legitimate than our own. Multilateralism is not a product of unsustainable solidarity, as some like to claim; it is the result of an enlightened interpretation of ones own interests. With a constructive attitude, even a large number of disparate actors can reach agreements in which everyone wins by yielding a little; without it, prospects for sustained peace and widely shared prosperity become far bleaker.

If all countries put their own interests first, paying no heed to others, competition will quickly overwhelm common interests. If nobody is ever willing to yield, we will all lose. If we depend solely on bilateral deals, the shared spaces and synergies that facilitate agreement on difficult but vital topics  from climate change to security  will narrow until they disappear.

This is why Trumps embrace of an American first mantra is so worrying. As the worlds leading power, the US sets the tone of cooperation and often provides the incentives for other countries to participate. If the US maintains a unilateral and isolationist stance, other countries are almost certain to follow suit, endangering everyone  including the US.

Recently, the Trump administration has begun to moderate some of its foreign-policy positions. In particular, Trump has finally agreed to honor the One China policy. He also seems to have rectified his approach to Japan, after having raised doubts about his willingness to follow through on Americas security commitments. These developments imply that the administration is beginning to recognize the need for a more constructive approach.

That recognition may arise partly out of an understanding of history. Experience has shown that the most effective way to prevent conflicts is through inclusion and cooperation. Exclusionary rhetoric plays into the hands of those who reduce identity to nativist definitions. When such figures  nationalists and populists  have been left to guide policy in the past, the result has been large-scale conflict.

At a time when global power dynamics are in flux, as is true today, the risk of such an outcome is even greater. Today, an effort is being made to incorporate emerging powers  particularly China  more deeply into the existing structures of global governance. Casting doubt on these structures, which have sustained stability over the last seven decades, would merely fuel more nationalism and competition, opening the way for volatility and conflict.

If the US cannot be counted on to support global stability, the EUs model and experience will become even more important. The EU is the embodiment of inclusion, cooperation, and democratic values. Despite its flaws, the EU has proved time and again how differences can be resolved peacefully and constructively. Its member states are uniquely committed to multilateralism; indeed, we practice it daily.

The results speak for themselves. No one can doubt that the EU has been a guarantor of peace, democracy, modernity, and progress for all of its members. Its community model  which requires cooperation, negotiation, and compromise to reach any consequential decision  amounts to a check on extremism, because no member country can push radical policies forward without other members pushing back.

This is not to say that EU countries face no risk of falling victim to simplistic populist rhetoric. On the contrary, the point is to highlight why EU member states must dedicate themselves to the continued construction of a stronger and deeper union. For the sake of Europe and the world, it is time to put the EU first.

No one knows better than Europe the consequences of extremism and nationalism  or how to overcome them. With an enlightened and supranational spirit, the EU has achieved a sustained peace that would have seemed impossible a century ago. It must not lose sight of that achievement. Instead, it must continue to advance the union, and show the world what multilateralism can do.

Copyright: Project Syndicate: The European Union First

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
21 February 2017 12:33 (UTC+04:00)

By Amina Nazarli

A realization of the energy corridor among Azerbaijan, Iran and Russia will be discussed in March.

This project was discussed today [February 21] with the Energy Minister of Iran. We agreed that in mid-March, our specialists will meet and discuss the implementation of the project and requirements specification of the Feasibility study, Ria Novosti quoted Alexander Novak, Russian Energy Minister as saying.

The export of electricity from Russia to Azerbaijan and further to Iran will be carried out on North-South energy corridor.

The combining of power systems of the three countries will create an opportunity for the expansion of export-import operations. Azerbaijan will strengthen its position as an exporter and transit of electricity.

A Memorandum of Understanding on the exchange of electricity between Iran and Azerbaijan was signed in December 2015.

In early 2016, Iran expressed interest in linking the electricity networks with Azerbaijan and Russia.

Islamic Republic's Energy Minister Hamid Chitchian earlier said that all three countries will benefit from linking the electricity networks.

In response, Azerbaijan confirmed the interest and readiness for resuming the meetings as part of the tripartite working group.

Azerbaijan has already turned from a country importing electricity to the country exporting it. The export potential is growing, while the country enjoys the relevant infrastructure for transmission of electricity.

This corridor can provide the energy exchange between the three countries and entry to the new markets.

The countrys power plants generated 2.19 billion kilowatt hours of electricity in January 2017, which is by 5.6 percent more than in the same period of 2016.

Thermal power plants generated 1.98 billion kilowatt hours of the total commercial electricity generated in January 2016, while hydro-power plants generated 116.6 million kilowatt hours. Wind farms produced 1.4 million kilowatt hours of electricity and solar power plants  2.7 million kilowatt hours of electricity in the reporting period.

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Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli



Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
21 February 2017 11:59 (UTC+04:00)

By Nigar Abbasova

Turkey is ready to exempt importers of products manufactured in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan from paying customs duties.

Turkeys Minister of Food, Agriculture and Livestock Faruk Celik in an exclusive interview with Trend said that to meet the needs of Turkeys eastern provinces in food products, certain goods can be imported from neighboring countries as part of the border trade.

"At the same time, Turkey must act in accordance with the rules of the World Trade Organization," the minister noted.

Turkey imposes high tariffs on imported production, namely on the import of agricultural production, to secure its domestic market. For a certain period of time, Baku and Ankara has been in talks on giving customs privileges to the exporters of goods, produced in Nakhchivan to expand export of Azerbaijani production to Turkey.

Back in 2016, the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkey adopted a resolution on regulation of border trade. Under the document goods from Nakhchivan will be imported within the set limit.

"In line with this resolution, zero rate of customs duty will be introduced for goods imported from Nakhchivan, the minister clarified.

He further emphasized that Nakhchivan is a nexus between Turkey and Azerbaijan mentioning that the Autonomous Republic has strategic importance due to its location.

Turkeys Customs and Trade Minister Bulent Tufenkci earlier voiced his countrys intention to simplify customs procedures with Azerbaijan, and establish a green corridor, similar to the one existing between Russia and Turkey.

Green Corridor mode, which implies simpler customs clearance, may provide smooth transit of goods. One of the advantages of the regime is that goods transported by entrepreneurs do not have to undergo customs inspection and examination when crossing the border. Moreover, the mechanism also applies to documents, minimizing certain bureaucratic issues.

Besides, Baku and Ankara continue technical discussions on the draft of the preferential trade agreement. Turkey actively pushes trade in local currencies with a number of countries and offers Azerbaijan to use the manat and the lira for mutual payments in bilateral trade.

The two countries signed a protocol on creation of the Joint Committee on Customs Issues in 2015 during the visit of a Turkish delegation to Baku.

Though mutual trade between Turkey and Azerbaijan has been growing steadily over the last 15 years, the top officials of both countries have been repeatedly saying that the current level of trade turnover is far below the real potential of the economic ties of the countries.

Turkey became the main trade partner of Azerbaijan in 2016, while trade turnover between the countries amounted to $2.3 billion, with some $1.13 billion of the sum accounting for export and $1.18 billion falling to a share of import operations. The countries plan to bring the volume of trade turnover to the level of $15 billion in the coming years.

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Nigar Abbasova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @nigyar_abbasova

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
21 February 2017 11:03 (UTC+04:00)

By Laman Ismayilova

Azerbaijani artist Ashraf Heybatov will display his works in Berlin on February 25, Azertac reported.

Entitled "Justice for Khojaly", the exhibition is dedicated to the Khojaly genocide committed by the Armenian armed forces in early 1990s.

In 1992, the town of Khojaly, the second largest town in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, came under intense fire by the Armenian armed forces.

Some 613 civilians mostly women and children were killed in the massacre, and a total of 1,000 people were disabled. Eight families were exterminated, 25 children lost both parents, and 130 children lost one parent. Moreover, 1,275 innocent people were taken hostage, and the fate of 150 people remains unknown. Civilians were shot at close range, scalped, and burned alive.

Ashraf Heybatov is the only Azerbaijan artist whose solo exhibitions were organized at President`s Palace in Bucharest, art galleries in Malta, Vatican, Royal cultural center in Jordan, the UN headquarters in Geneva, NATO and CoE headquarters in Brussels.

He is a member of UNESCO International Association of Art, and chairman of the Association of Azerbaijani cultural figures in Europe.

Heybatov is well-known for his thought-provoking work which reflects the Azerbaijani spirit in terms of history, culture, customs and traditions.

The Azerbaijani artist has been awarded the title Honored Artist of Azerbaijan in recognition of his contribution to the development of Azerbaijani art.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
21 February 2017 14:00 (UTC+04:00)

By Laman Ismayilova

Russian holiday "Maslenitsa" was celebrated in Baku, Trend Life reported.

Colorful events were held in "Modern" Educational complex and Azerbaijans National Art Museum.

A theatrical presentation took place at Baku`s "Modern" Educational complex. The programme featured musical and dance performance, various games and others.

A similar celebration was held in Azerbaijans National Art Museum as part of the Museums as bridges between cultures  project.

Maslenitsa welcomed its guests with performance of the folklore ensemble. Visitors cooked pancakes and made talisman that protect its bearer.

The events were organized with the support of the Russian Information and Cultural Center in Baku.

Maslenitsa, also known as Pancake Week, is the last week before Lent. It celebrates the end of winter, symbolized by the burning of effigies. The celebration has been getting more popular in recent years!

In Slavic mythology, Maslenitsa is a sun-festival, personified by the ancient god Volos, and a celebration of the imminent end of the winter. In the Christian tradition, Maslenitsa is the last week before the onset of Great Lent.

Everyday there is a special activity. For example, on Tuesday different games are held in the open air. Everyone can take part in them. On Wednesday you have to visit your mother-in-law and eat pancakes at her place. On Thursday you can go sled-riding. On Sunday a straw effigy symbolizing winter is burnt.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

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21 February 2017 17:51 (UTC+04:00)

The annual Munich Security Conference has traditionally been a venue for discussions on pressing security matters on the geopolitical agenda, and this years event promised to be no different.

The discussions at the Conference, which brought together world leaders, diplomats, and defense and security experts, have once again showed that Europe's growing vulnerability due to long-lasting conflicts in its territory.

The Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is the very conflict threatening the security of not only the South Caucasus region, but also the entire Europe. This was the message conveyed, if not confirmed, by President Ilham Aliyev, who attended the Munich Security Conference, sometimes referred to as the "Davos of Defense" or the "Munich Davos".

The conflict emerged three decades ago. This is not long in terms of history, but it is a considerable period for generations, which was forced to pass through the occupation of lands, ethnic cleansing and a number of other consequences of the war.

The conflict has brimmed and simmered for many years, but, the international community overstated it. Maybe the assessments of the conflict were pessimistic, due to which the situation is now even worse than one feared, as graver escalation could draw in powerful neighboring countries.

The policy of blindness and double standards pursued by the international community for years did not ease but only fan the conflict, while Armenia relying on its non-punishment staged political and military provocation each time there rose a hope for the peaceful resolution.

The Armenian side resorts to provocative actions, strongly violates the ceasefire regime on the contact line of troops, violates certain agreements reached in the settlement of the conflict, thus hampering peace talks. That targets provoking Baku and keeping the status-quo, which promise nothing good. The fragile peace in the region carries unpredictable consequences in the South Caucasus, as well as Europe, not least because oil and gas pipelines important to Europes energy security lie close to the Karabakh front line.

The renewed military actions have the potential to shatter the whole established security complex, particularly that of the Caucasus and that of Eastern Europe in general.

The Caucasus region has a population of more than 30 million and is very diverse politically, ethnically and religiously. Besides, apart from Nagorno-Karabakh, there are still zones of potential conflict in South Ossetia, Abkhazia and the threat of extremism in the North Caucasus. Possible consequences include the involvement of regional powers - Russia, the EU, Turkey and Iran - and the escalation of conflicts from both the South and North Caucasus to Eastern Ukraine and Transnistria.

Europe should have long realize that the term frozen conflict used in regard to Nagorno-Karabakh is now more embracing that it used to be. This is a road to nowhere, resumption of the military escalation promises even larger causalities.

Bringing the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to the forefront of the discussion in Munich, President Aliyev once again drew the attention of the international community to the existence of double standards in the approach of some global players in this matter.

These superpowers show proper respect to the objectivism of a problem in some cases, while in the Nagorno-Karabakh issue somehow demonstrate a subjective approach. For example, although the UN Security Council resolutions, which stated the necessity of withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from the occupied Azerbaijani territories, have not been fulfilled, no sanctions have so far been imposed on Armenia. The country-aggressor did not face any pressure despite the fact that it seized the territory of another state.

President Aliyev emphasized that all the conflicts must be solved on the same principle, on the same approach, territorial integrity of every country must be respected, cannot be violated, and internationally recognized boundaries cannot be changed by force.

Highlighting all these important facts, the president stated that Azerbaijan will not allow the establishment of a second Armenian state on its territory, calling on the international community to act in accordance with the resolutions and norms of international law, instead pursuing a policy of double approach.

To find a peaceful solution to a generation-old conflict, it is vitally important to unify forces to solve this issue and work effectively, not just watch as events unfold there. The UNSC resolutions must be implemented in full and this is Bakus stance on the issue. Being open to discussing various ideas, Baku, exclude any discussion on territorial integrity as it will bring chaos.

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21 February 2017 15:34 (UTC+04:00)

By Laman Ismayilova

Azerbaijan Hotels and Restaurants Association, DAIR, held a meeting of experts of the Ministry of Taxes and representatives of the hospitality and local tourism sector.

Held in JW Marriott Absheron Hotel, the meeting discussed such important issues as innovations in the tax system and its implementation, as well as issues relating to tax policy in tourism sector.

Azerbaijan` s Taxes Ministry was represented by Nijat Imanov, the head of department on tax policy and strategic research and Namig Dargahov, the head of department on strategic studies.

The ministry's experts shared the details of changes in the tax code, including the calculation of VAT, introduction of e- invoices, the ban on cash transactions, etc.

The meeting also discussed the issues related to the development the tourism and hospitality industry, including creation of 2-3 star hotels, regulation of tax burden and etc.

Chairman of the DAIR Board, Samir Dubendi noted that in order to increase the number of 2-3 star hotels it is necessary to motivate entrepreneurs by means of tax relief that will attract the segment of small and medium-sized businesses.

Due to lack of room stock in the economy segment, the sector of individual services increased, providing tourists with private apartments and houses.

Some of them offer services like a private apartment, others function as hostels, and this leads to unfair competition with hotels. The use of apartments or private homes for tourism purposes is quite normal and accepted. However, such property must meet certain standards and the owner must be registered as a taxpayer. In this case we will achieve a fair tax burden and compliance with standards. We need to be more attentive to the functioning and protection of the business interests of hotels. Necessary steps will be taken in this direction, he said.

The meeting also presented 11 companies and individuals that recently entered DAIR. Among them are the Hyatt Regency Baku, JW Marriott Absheron Baku Hotel, Baku Airport Hotel Sheraton, Bosfor Hotel, New Baku Hotel, City Mansion Hotel, as well as service and distribution companies Ayg Surucu, Rama Service, individual members of the Association are teacher at the Azerbaijani University of Tourism and management Flora Karimova and the service manager of AF Hotel Ibrahim Gafarov.

Media partners of the event are Trend.az, Day.az, Milli.az, Azernews.az

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

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21 February 2017 13:22 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

The referendum held in the temporarily occupied territories of Azerbaijan violates not only the Constitution of Azerbaijan, but also the norms and principles of international law, and, accordingly, cannot have legal force.

Georgian political scientist Guram Markhulia made the remarks in an interview with Day.az.

The so-called constitutional referendum was held on February 20 in Azerbaijans occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region, which is now ruled by a puppet regime controlled by Armenia.

Markhulia said that all these attempts show that Armenia is not interested in a political solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Obviously, the illegal regime, established by Armenia in the occupied Azerbaijani territories, demonstrates a policy of aggression and capture, the expert said.

He reminded that Nagorno-Karabakh is an Azerbaijani territory, which is recognized by all international organizations and states.

Four UN resolutions were adopted supporting this fact and demanding the withdrawal of occupying forces of Armenia from the Azerbaijani territories. Therefore, undertaking of this "action", regardless of its results, has no legal force, Murgulia said.

The expert further noted that Armenia through its political insinuations tries to show the international community that Nagorno-Karabakh is allegedly a separate "country" and "Karabakh people" are supposedly trying to amend at "referendum" the allegedly existing in the occupied territories "constitution."

Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry, as well as the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair states, namely Russia, the U.S. and France, and a number of other countries, including Georgia, confirmed that they do not recognize the referendum in Nagorno-Karabakh.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations.

Armenia still controls fifth part of Azerbaijan's territory and rejects implementing four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding districts.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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DEVILS LAKE -- A Devils Lake angler has caught what likely will be the new world line-class record white bass on Devils Lake as recognized by the International Game Fish Association.

Blake LaFleur caught the white bass Feb. 13 in 40 feet of water in the main basin of Devils Lake using 2-pound test line. The big fish weighed 4.27 and 4.32 pounds on separate scales and measured 18 inches long with a 16-inch girth.

LaFleur caught the fish on Asson Micron 3, an Italian monofilament line that was rated at 1.5 pounds with a breaking strength of 1.6 pounds. He used a palomar knot and a 4-pound fluorocarbon leader to complete the rig.

LaFleur says he studied the rules, which included 15 pages of specific requirements, to pursue the record and contacted the IGFA by phone and email to assemble the appropriate tackle.

Both scales, along with 50 feet of the line he used, are being sent to the IGFA.

The existing line-class record white bass for 2-pound test line is 3.5 pounds.

I broke the first six knots I tried to tie, he said.

Longtime pursuit

In an interview with Devils Lake Tourism, LaFleur said he has been targeting the big lakes white bass about six years, a quest that began while he was fishing perch through the ice.

Not many people catch bass under the ice, and after battling a few on light tackle, I became intrigued, LaFleur said.

Friends Clayton and Kurt Davis of Belcourt, N.D., joined him in the pursuit.

Together, we hunt to find them, and the tactics have evolved to the point where only the biggest bass are targeted, LaFleur said.

LaFleur used a 43-inch custom Thorne Brothers perch rod to catch the white bass, which hit a 1/16th-ounce Northland Tackle Buckshot Rattle Spoon.

With line that light in 40 feet of water, there wasnt any room for error.

These big bass go crazy at the hole, and to turn one and bring it up, the leader was necessary, he said. The 6-inch hole was another problem. When his head finally pointed up, he became wedged in the hole. I plunged my hand into the ice-cold water all the way to my armpit and grabbed it.

LaFleur said he moved 25 times, hunting by drilling hundreds of holes until stumbling into the school and hooking the fish.

I had never fished that spot before, he said.

White bass in wintertime feed on larvae in the bottom of the lake, and getting them to bite requires annoying them to bring out their natural aggression, LaFleur said.

This passion might seem odd to many, but we have fun and enjoy what we consider the finer side of fishing, LaFleur said. White bass in winter act much like lake trout. Its a cat and mouse game. Lures must be kept close, but not so close to the fish that they ignore it, and not so far away they lose interest.

Electronics are crucial, and when the flasher screen shows 10 to 12 feet of bass, thats when action really picks up.

We call this the mob, and when the rapidly moving school arrives, it is game-on, LaFleur said.

Playing cat and mouse with the jigging spoon, LaFleur fishes the top of the mob.

These monster white bass bulldog for 20 seconds or more, screaming through the rest of the mob, and that triggers the entire school, he said. He alternates the Buckshot with another favorite, a Clam Corp. blade-spoon, to find the optimum presentation.

Deep water

When the sonar screen shows fish, the key is recognizing they are white bass, not perch.

Another factor is that every white bass yanked from their comfort zone 40 feet under will kill them. Catch and release is not an option, LaFleur said. What my friends and I do is limit the number of fish we catch and limit the number of trips. That is our catch and release system.

So far this winter, LaFleur has only fished five times for white bass. His job with I.F. LaFleur and Sons, a coin-operated amusement business in North Dakota and northern Minnesota, demands his full attention, as do two young LaFleurs, ages 1 and 4.

Once he has submitted everything to the IGFA, LaFleur said it will take several months for the likely world record fish to be certified.

Devils Lake has a longtime reputation for producing big white bass. North Dakotas state record white bass -- a designation that has nothing to do with the IGFA record -- measured 19 inches and weighed 4 pounds, 10 ounces. Charlie Vang of Brooklyn Park, Minn., caught the state record white bass June 10, 2012, while fishing Six-Mile Bay.
21 February 2017 15:24 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

The Khojaly Genocide is the greatest injustice against humanity, said Vladimir Fekete, the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Church's Apostolic Prefecture in Azerbaijan.

Fekete, addressing an event at the Caucasus Muslims Office on February 21, said that people in Khojaly were subjected to genocide, and added that he will always pray for them.

The perpetrators of the Khojaly genocide will be punished. God will punish them, he stressed.

The town of Khojaly was situated within the administrative borders of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. Its population constituted over 7,000 people.

Late into the night of February 25, 1992, Khojaly came under intensive fire from the towns of Khankendi and Askeran already occupied by Armenian armed forces. The Armenian forces, supported by the ex-Soviet 366th regiment, completed the surrounding of the town already isolated due to ethnic cleansing of the Azerbaijani population of the neighboring regions. The joint forces occupied the town, which was ruined by heavy artillery shelling.

Thousands of fleeing civilians were ambushed by the Armenian forces. Punitive teams of the so-called Nagorno-Karabakh defense army reached the unprotected civilians to slaughter them, mutilating and scalping some of the bodies. 613 people were killed, including 106 women, 70 elderly and 83 children. A total of 1,000 civilians were disabled. Eight families were exterminated, and 25 children lost both parents, while 130 children lost one parent. Moreover, 1,275 innocent people were taken hostage, while the fate of 150 remains unknown.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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21 February 2017 16:40 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

The events in Khojaly are the most terrible act committed by Armenians against Azerbaijani people, said Mubariz Gurbanli, the Head of Azerbaijans State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations.

Gurbanli announced about this at an event dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the Khojaly genocide at the Caucasus Muslims Office on February 21.

He stressed that those involved in this crime will be punished for their actions, and noted that the Armenians committed several genocides against Azerbaijanis.

The world recognizes the Khojaly genocide. Our work in this direction continues. Christians, Jews and other communities stand in solidarity with the people of Azerbaijan, he said.

Highlighting the strength of the Azerbaijani army, Gurbanli said that if not patrons of the Armenians, Azerbaijan would have already liberated its lands.

Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Public Associations and Religious Organizations Siyavush Novruzov, in turn, said that there are serious documents related to the Khojaly tragedy and noted that international organizations and the European Court of Human Rights should pay attention to the issue.

Those who committed the Khojaly genocide, sooner or later will be punished, standing before the international court, Novruzov said.

Besides, the Caucasus Muslims Office have sent an appeal to religious leaders, parliaments, international organizations and the European Court of Human Rights, urging them to give a principled political and legal assessment to acts of aggression and atrocities committed by Armenian extremists against the Azerbaijani people and to recognize the crimes committed in Khojaly as an act of genocide.

Khojaly, the second largest town in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, came under intense fire from the towns of Khankendi and Askeran already occupied by the Armenian armed forces in 1992.

613 civilians mostly women and children were killed in the massacre, and a total of 1,000 people were disabled. Eight families were exterminated, 25 children lost both parents, and 130 children lost one parent. Moreover, 1,275 innocent people were taken hostage, and the fate of 150 of them remains unknown.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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21 February 2017 10:30 (UTC+04:00)

Azerbaijan`s Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov has met outgoing Japanese Ambassador Tsuguo Takahashi, Azertac reported.

The sides exchanged their views on the favorable potential for the development of cooperation between the two countries in various fields, especially economic and trade areas.

Ambassador Tsuguo Takahashi expressed his gratitude for the assistance to him during his tenure.

FM Mammadyarov wished Ambassador Tsuguo Takahashi every success in his future endeavors.

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21 February 2017 13:32 (UTC+04:00)

By Laman Ismayilova

Azerbaijans capital city Baku and Belorussian Bobruisk can become twin cities in the near future, as the issue was discussed during Azerbaijani Ambassador Latif Gandilovs visit to the city.

Our countries enjoy trusted relations. The positions of Belarus and Azerbaijan coincide on many issues. You are one of those who were able to retain, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, what you had and reach a whole new level of development," said Gandilov during meeting with the city officials.

Gandilov added that he, as Ambassador, will make every effort for the development of relations between two countries.

In turn, Chairman of Bobruisk City Council of Deputies Mikhail Jeludev stressed that Azerbaijan and Belarus will have new possibilities.

"It is very important to find more common points. The formation of twinning relations is a serious step. We have big plans", he added.

The city's leadership also invited Azerbaijani side to take part in the international festival of folk arts "Wreath of Friendship" and in celebration of the anniversary of Bobruisk.

The parties also discussed prospects of cooperation in industry, mechanical engineering and agriculture.

Baku is a wonderful city on the shores of the Caspian Sea. Centuries-long history is reflected in its medieval landmarks, where the special place is given to the Old city called Icherisheher. On the other hand, it is a fast-growing megapolis with glittering skyscrapers and unusual architectural monuments of the 21st century. Oriental past and hi tech future is entwined in the way that it gives an impression of taking a journey through time.

The biggest attraction of Baku is Boulevard that stretches many kilometers along the shores of the Caspian Sea. There are different kinds of attractions in the surroundings of Baku as well. The most ancient one is the Gobustan Museum of Petroglyphs not far from another landmark  mud volcanoes. Another interesting touristy spots are fire monuments, flaming hill of Yanardag, temple of fire worshippers Ateshgah and the historical-ethnographic museum of Gala.

Bobruisk is very developing and prosperous town of Belarus. A monument to the Beaver is a symbol of the city of Bobruisk (in ancient times beaver hunting was the main activity of local people).

Besides, the Bobruisk Fortress is an outstanding defense installation, one of the best surviving specimens of fortification architecture of the first half of the 19th century.

In the early 1840s the Bobruisk citadel  the elder sister of the Brest Fortress  was the most inaccessible fortress in the Russian Empire and one of the best-equipped defense installations in Europe. The fortress witnessed the War of 1812, the Decembrist revolt, the Great Patriotic War

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

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21 February 2017 15:07 (UTC+04:00)

The Belgian Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Ministry has issued statement on celebration of the 25th anniversary of its relations with Azerbaijan.

Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister Didier Reynders welcomed this celebration, confirming a bilateral relationship that has diversified over the years, Azertac reported. He also saluted the friendship between two peoples and conveyed the Azerbaijani people all his wishes for concord and prosperity.

Between 1992 and 1993, Belgium established bilateral relations with several countries following the breakup of the Soviet Union. Azerbaijan, having gained its independence, was the first among these countries to establish diplomatic ties with our country on 20 February 1992., the message reads.

Since then, bilateral relationship has been enhanced with high-level political contacts such as the visits to Baku of Prime Minister Jean-Luc Dehaene in 1998, of Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht in 2006 and of Didier Reynders in 2015. President Aliyev paid an official visit to Belgium in 2004 and 2006 and met Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy in Brussels in 2009 and King Philippe in 2017. Regular meetings also took place at parliamentary level as well as various cultural exchanges.

Economic exchanges between two countries have been particularly reinforced since 1992. Many missions, led by the Belgian Agency for Foreign Trade (BDBH / OBCE) and afterwards by the regional authorities helped to better display the commercial strengths of both parties, particularly in the field of chemicals and machinery and equipment. The nomination of itinerant Ambassadors in charge of the Caucasus from 2004, then the opening of a Belgian Embassy in Baku in 2007 have increased this potential and allowed Belgian companies to settle in Azerbaijan. The latter have contributed to the implementation of projects such as the construction of a solar plant in Nakhichivan or the SOFAZ tower in Baku, the Trans Adriatic Pipeline or the New International Port in Baku. In recent years, economic exchanges were on average EUR 90 million per year.

Belgium voiced readiness to deepen its relations with Azerbaijan, with respect for values such as the rule of law and the free market, and to strengthen the multilateral cooperation on peace and security.

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21 February 2017 18:38 (UTC+04:00)

Azerbaijans Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov has left Baku for Ankara to take part in an international conference titled Khojaly genocide, crimes against humanity and terrorism.

The event to be organized by the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States (Turkic Council) and Ahmet Yesevi University will see speeches by Turkic Council Secretary General Ramil Hasanov, FM Elmar Mamamdyarov, Turkish FM Mevlut Cavusoglu, and Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Tugrul Turkes.

The town of Khojaly was situated within the administrative borders of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. Its population constituted over 7,000 people.

Late into the night of February 25, 1992, Khojaly came under intensive fire from the towns of Khankendi and Askeran already occupied by Armenian armed forces. The Armenian forces, supported by the ex-Soviet 366th regiment, completed the surrounding of the town already isolated due to ethnic cleansing of the Azerbaijani population of the neighboring regions. The joint forces occupied the town, which was ruined by heavy artillery shelling.

Thousands of fleeing civilians were ambushed by the Armenian forces. Punitive teams of the so-called Nagorno-Karabakh defense army reached the unprotected civilians to slaughter them, mutilating and scalping some of the bodies. 613 people were killed, including 106 women, 70 elderly and 83 children. A total of 1,000 civilians were disabled. Eight families were exterminated, and 25 children lost both parents, while 130 children lost one parent. Moreover, 1,275 innocent people were taken hostage, while the fate of 150 remains unknown.

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21 February 2017 12:09 (UTC+04:00)

By Nigar Abbasova

South Stream Transport B.V., 100-percent subsidiary of Russias Gazprom Company, has signed a contract with Swiss Allseas Group on constructing the second line of the Turkish Stream gas pipelines offshore segment.

The signing of the contract became an additional indication that the project can be realized.

The Turkish Stream project envisages construction of a natural gas pipeline via the Black Sea to the European part of Turkey to be further extended to the border with Greece. The first line means to supply gas directly to the Turkish market and the other for the supply of gas by transit through Turkey to Europe. These two offshore branches are planned to be built by December 2019, while the capacity of each section stands at 15.75 bcm of gas.

However, the opinions on the possibility of the implementation of the second branch are controversial due a to a number of uncertainties including the position of the European Commission, as well as doubts over the ability of the sides to reach consent over gas price.

On December 8, 2016, the Company signed an agreement with Allseas Group S.A. on construction of the first line of Turkish Stream pipelines offshore section. Under the contract, Allseas should lay over 900 kilometers of pipes along the seabed. The work is scheduled to start in the second half of 2017.

Moscow and Ankara signed an intergovernmental agreement in October 2016 envisioning the construction of two underwater legs of the gas pipeline in the Black Sea. Both sides have already ratified the deal.

The project, with an estimated total cost of $13 billion, was announced in December 2014 during Putins visit to Turkey as an alternative to the canceled South Stream gas pipeline through Bulgaria.

Being the second biggest consumer of Russian gas after Germany, Turkey currently imports around 30 billion cubic meters gas from Russia annually via two pipelines - the Blue Stream, which passes under the eastern Black Sea, and the Western Line through the Balkans.

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Nigar Abbasova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @nigyar_abbasova

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21 February 2017 13:05 (UTC+04:00)

By Nigar Abbasova

SOCAR Energy Ukraine Trading House, a subsidiary of Azerbaijans state energy company SOCAR has launched trade operations in blue fuel in the Ukrainian market.

The company has a deal with the operator of gas-transport system Ukrtransgas (on transshipment of natural gas), as well as a number of purchase and sale contracts, published on ProZorro public e-procurement system, Ukrainian media reported.

The contract with Ukrtransgas was signed on December 14, 2016. The deal envisages the transshipment of some 180 million cubic meters of natural gas in January  December 2017 period.

Besides, on December 30, 2016 SOCAR Ukraine signed a contract with ERU Trading (one of the largest private Ukrainian gas traders) on the purchase of 131 mcm of gas and its deliveries in 2017. The company also has a contract with EuroEnergoTrade on the sale of 220 mcm of gas.

SOCAR delivered some 136,000 tons of fuel to Ukraine in 2016, recording an increase of 7 percent compared to 2015.

SOCAR Energy Ukraine, runs a network of 60 refueling stations. The company launched the first filling chain in Ukraine in 2011.

The main activity of SOCAR Energy Ukraine is to improve the network of petrol filling stations and organize wholesale of petrol and oil products in the territory of Ukraine. The company opened its representation in Ukraine in 2008.

So far, it has invested over $200 million in the development of business in Ukraine.

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Nigar Abbasova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @nigyar_abbasova

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21 February 2017 11:14 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

The value of Russias contract with Iran for the supply of S-300 air defense systems was nearly $1 billion, Sergey Chemezov, the chief of Russias Rostec state corporation, said, TASS reported.

We were through with the supplies of S-300 air defense systems to Iran last year, he said, adding that no more supplies of Russian weapons to Iran are currently planned.

Russia signed a contract with Iran for the supply of S-300 air defense systems to the country back in 2007. However, the contract was put on hold in 2010 due to the UN imposing sanctions on Iran after the country refused to suspend its uranium enrichment program.

Russian President Vladimir Putin lifted the ban for the supply of S-300 air defense systems to Iran in April 2015.

Iran and the P5+1 (China, France, Russia, the UK, the US plus Germany) inked the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on July 14, 2015 and started implementing it on Jan. 16, 2016.

Under the nuclear agreement, Iran undertook to put limitations on its nuclear program in exchange for the removal of nuclear-related sanctions imposed against Tehran.

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21 February 2017 12:25 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

Iraqi Oil Minister Jabbar Allibi and his Iranian counterpart Bijan Zanganeh signed a memorandum of understanding to study the possibility of building a pipeline to export oil from Iraqi oil fields, the Oil Ministry of Iraq reported.

Iraq and Iran signed a MoU on February 21 to consider the construction of a pipeline for oil exports from Northern Iraqi field of Kirkuk through Iran, the report says.

The agreement also calls for a commission to solve the conflict about joint oil fields and the possible transportation of Iraqi crude oil to Irans Abadan refinery.

The Iraqi Oil Minister also agreed to visit his Iranian counterpart to cooperate on the policies of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

The MOU came after both countries previously signed an agreement of construction gas pipelines. The two countries decided on a plan for developing a pipeline to carry 40 mcm of gas to Iraq in September 2015. The plan was delayed over security concerns resulting from the war the IS group has waged in Iraq.

Iraqs vast reserves of oil and natural gas make it one of the most promising, still largely undeveloped, sources of hydrocarbon reserves in the world. After decades of underinvestment due to conflict and sanctions, Iraq is actively seeking international investment and expertise to help in the development of its oil and gas sector, where output remains below potential.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Iraqs proven natural gas reserves are

111.5 trillion cubic feet (Tcf), the twelfth largest in the world. An estimated 70 percent of these lie in Basra governorate (province) in the south of Iraq.

Iran has natural gas reserves of 34 billion cubic meters, almost 40 percent more than Qatar, the worlds biggest exporter of liquefied natural gas, according to BP Plc.

Iran is producing about 700 million cubic meters per day (mcm/d) of gas, while the country has planned to increase this volume to 1,300 mcm/d by 2020.

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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

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FARGO -- A new analysis is shedding some light on the growing economic impact of immigrants who live and work in North Dakota and Minnesota as questions of immigration policy, especially for refugees, continue to split opinions locally and nationally.

Newly compiled data released Tuesday, Feb. 21, morning by national organization New American Economy crunched the number of foreign-born residents in each of the countrys 435 congressional districts and added up their purchasing power, paid taxes and more.

In North Dakota, more than 27,000 immigrants paid $124.6 million in taxes in 2014, while Minnesotas 437,000 immigrants paid $3.3 billion in taxes.

The data puts the economic power of Americas immigrants in stark relief, said Chairman John Feinblatt in a written statement. Across the map, and in every industry, immigrants strengthen the economies of big cities and small towns alike.

While Rachel Hoffman said its important to humanize the immigrants and refugees who live and work here, the chairwoman of Fargos Human Relations Commission said statistics like these can also help locals understand just how important foreign-born people have become.

Right now, were hearing that refugees are a burden on the community cost-wise, she said. Were not hearing about the benefits, and I think seeing these numbers and the contributions theyre making is important.

Economic power

While immigrants make up just 3.7 percent of North Dakotas population, they had a 2014 spending power of $435 million. About 67 percent of the states foreign-born residents are working age between 25 and 64, a figure thats well above the roughly 50 percent of native-born residents in that demographic.

Theyre also more likely to hold a graduate degree -- 9.1 percent of North Dakotas immigrants have one, compared to 6.6 percent of native-born residents.

Minnesota, meanwhile, saw an increase of almost 60,000 immigrant residents between 2010 and 2014 to a total of 437,544, making up 8 percent of the states population. They had a 2014 spending power of $8.9 billion and paid $3.3 billion in taxes, and immigrant-owned firms in the state employed roughly 53,000 workers.

Nearly 72 percent of Minnesotas foreign-born residents are working age, between 25 and 64, compared to about 52 percent of native-born residents.

In Minnesotas rural 7th Congressional District, which includes Clay County and nearly all of the western side of the state, 18,493 immigrants made up 2.8 percent of the overall population and paid about $105.9 million in taxes.

Nationally, immigrants earned about $1.3 trillion in 2014 and paid more than $328 billion in taxes.

New American Economys research comes at a time when immigration, especially for refugees from certain countries, remains a major focus both locally and nationally. President Donald Trump issued an executive order late last month to suspend the admission of Syrian and other refugees, though that ban has been stalled by court decisions.

Locally, City Commissioner Dave Piepkorn has raised questions for months about the costs of Fargos resettled refugees and the role of Lutheran Social Services of North Dakota. Piepkorn didnt return several requests for comment Monday, Feb. 20.

While the Fargo Human Relations Commission works to fully study the costs of refugees in the community, something Hoffman said could be detailed in a report to city leaders this spring, she said its also important to be aware of the positive impacts of the citys immigrant population. That includes increased diversity, cultural contributions and the arrival of working-age people who can help businesses deal with a local workforce shortage, she said.

I think we need to remain a welcoming community to be able to grow, she said.

In a news release from the Human Relations Commission earlier this month, Jim Gartin, president of the Greater Fargo-Moorhead Economic Development Corp., said the inability to fill jobs has contributed to a local slowdown that is partially answered by the arrival of new refugees.

Cutting back on the refugee resettlement program will not benefit the Fargo-Moorhead economy, Gartin said in a written statement. It will do the opposite.
21 February 2017 17:03 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

Energy-rich Turkmenistan continues studying and considering the perspectives of the countrys potential joining the World Trade Organization (WTO), President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said at the enlarged meeting of the Cabinet, Neutral Turkmenistan reported.

The Head of State outlined the top priorities of Turkmenistan's foreign policy for the next seven years.

The cooperation with the international financial and economic structures are now of great importance to the successful involvement of Turkmenistan in the global economy.

"In this aspect, we will continue to maintain a fruitful cooperation with the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Asian Development Bank, Islamic Development Bank and other major financial institutions," the Turkmen President said.

Work has been underway on Turkmenistan's accession to the WTO since early 2013. A working group to study and analyze the economic implications of the countrys potential accession to the organization was set up.

The Commission examines such issues as the study of multilateral agreements on the trade of goods, which include the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), the Agreement on Textiles and Clothing, Agreement on investment measures related to trade, the Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures.

Also, the Safeguards Agreement, the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement, regulations in respect of the rules and procedures for dispute resolution are studied.

The European Union (EU) has offered Turkmenistan's accession to the WTO in January 2011. The energy industry, high-tech industries, transport, communications, banking and financial sectors are among the promising areas of cooperation.

WTO membership will open up broad opportunities for strengthening the competitiveness of Turkmenistan in international markets, the development of foreign economic relations and an increase of foreign demand for Turkmen products and services.

Some experts believe it would be uneasy for Turkmenistan to become a member of the WTO given the barriers for foreign investments in some fields of the economy, in particular, the natural gas sector. It is considered that the main problem which stands in the way of Turkmenistan's membership is the absence of a market economy. It can take years or even decades before Turkmenistan's membership would be approved.

At present, Ashgabat is negotiating with the EU and Azerbaijan on the Trans-Caspian gas pipeline construction project which may become a part of the transnational Southern Gas Corridor project.

Brussels hopes to diversify the sources of gas consumption through Caspian resources, most of which is ensured by Russia.

The advantages of joining the WTO for Turkmenistan include improvement of legislation and formation of stable trade and investment climate, a greater access to world markets, as well as creation of favorable conditions for improved quality of domestic goods and services.

Currently, the organization has 162 members, more than 20 countries have observer status as well as some 60 international organizations including UNO, IMF, and The World Bank.

---

Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
21 February 2017 17:14 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

The United Nations and other parties to Syrian peace efforts lowered their expectations of a major breakthrough at UN-sponsored talks in Geneva, as U.S. policy on the Syrian crisis and its ties with Russia remains unclear.

The final list of participating delegations in the next round of Intra-Syrian talks in Geneva has not been formed yet, the spokesperson for UN special envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura said, RIA Novosti reported.

"Consultations on the final list of participants are underway," Sharif said.

Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov noted that under UN Resolution 2254, the delegation of the Syrian government and all opposition groups, including the Moscow, Cairo, Riyadh and Astana groups, should be invited by the UN for this weeks talks in Switzerlands Geneva.

Lavrov also underlined the importance of U.S. participation in the common efforts to establish peace and stability in the Syrian Arab Republic and expressed his hope that the new team of the U.S. State Department will actively join the Syria peace effort as soon as it is formed.

The lack of a clear U.S. position made resolving the complex issues of the six-year civil war far more complicated. It remains unclear if Trump will keep his promise to build closer ties with Russia, especially in the fight against Islamic State.

Moscow was also displeased with the fact that Moscow group of Syrias opposition has not been invited to the Geneva talks.

"The fact that representatives of the Moscow group, namely Qadri Jamil (leader of the Popular Front for Change and Liberation) have not received invitation is regrettable," Lavrov stressed, thus sending a signal to De Mistura to draw his attention to the unacceptability of such discriminatory approach to forming the oppositions delegation.

Meanwhile, Sharif refuses to comment on reports that the opposition in the negotiations can be represented only by a delegation formed by the High Negotiations Committee (HNC).

Riyadh platform or HNC previously formed a delegation, presenting it as a unified opposition, which caused the criticism of other platforms.

Syrian opposition Front for Change and Liberation said on Sunday that it refused to participate in the Geneva talks protesting against the work of the UN special envoy Staffan de Mistura.

The Front for Change and Liberation considers that de Mistura is trying to forcibly attach the number of the platforms to HNC, while the others are ignored.

The upcoming talks will focus on a new constitution, free and fair elections administered under the supervision of the United Nations, and transparent and accountable governance.

Earlier, in an interview with The Associated Press, Sharif stated that the UN special envoy began sending invitations to the peace talks in Geneva on Monday.

Previously, De Mistura said that the delegations of the opposition and the government will begin arriving in Geneva on February 20.

The UN-led intra-Syrian talks will resume in Geneva on Thursday after de Mistura broke them off almost nine months ago following several rounds that led ultimately to an escalation of violence. De Mistura earlier said the crisis in Syria may be settled this year. He explained his optimism by the fact that the ceasefire in the country, announced in December, is being observed in general.

Armed conflict continues in Syria since March 2011. Government troops are confronted by militants of different armed groups. Russia has begun airstrikes on terrorist facilities in Syria since 30 September 2015. The Russian military involvement follows an official request from President Bashar Assad to President Vladimir Putin.

The UN has repeatedly tried and failed to end the Syrian conflict, which has killed 300,000 and displaced 11 million since its beginning six years ago.

---

Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
21 February 2017 16:54 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

Turkmenistan will continue to actively cooperate on the Caspian Sea on the five-party basis, said President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov at the enlarged meeting of the Cabinet on February 21.

The newly re-elected for the third term, President Berdimuhamedov outlined the top priorities for the foreign policy of Turkmenistan for the next seven years.

The president mentioned that significant progresses have been reached in addressing some of the major issues on the Caspian Sea, including an agreement on approaches to its legal status.

Agreements on protection and rational use of the Caspian Sea water and biological resources, prevention and elimination of emergency situations in the Caspian Sea have been put forward by Turkmenistan and signed and approved by all the Caspian littoral states.

We also put forward an initiative to study the documents on trade-economic and transport cooperation on the Caspian Sea, Berdimuhamedov said, stressing the importance of systematic work with the Caspian countries to maintain the initiative, establish regular and target-oriented relationships in these promising areas of the cooperation.

The Caspian Sea is surrounded by the five coastal countries of Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia and Turkmenistan. The Sea has a total surface area of 371,000 km, holding 78,200 cubic km of water.

The legal status of the Caspian Sea has remained unsolved during the past two decades, preventing development and exploitation of its disputable oil and gas fields and creating obstacles to the realization of major projects.

Russia, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan hold to the principle of dividing into national sectors based on the median line principles since it is an international boundary lake, and leaving the sea surface for general use, i.e. they are for demarcation of mineral resources and the Caspian Sea shelf, but against dividing up its waters.

Iran seeks an equal division of the Caspian into 5 even sectors, mainly because most of the offshore energy resources are located away from the Iranian coastline. Turkmenistan also demands the division of the Sea into equal parts between the pre-Caspian countries so that each country has 20 percent of the sea.

The Caspian littoral states signed a Framework Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea in November 2003.

---

Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
21 February 2017 17:37 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Ahead of Iranian President Hassan Rouhanis impending visit to Moscow, Tehran has called for finalizing preparations for inking an agreement between the Islamic Republic and the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) on the creation of a free-trade zone.



Speaking at a meeting with Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov, Iranian First Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri expressed his countrys interest in expansion of economic cooperation with the member states of the EEU, Tasnim news agency reported.



Saying that the ties between Tehran and Moscow are expanding, the Iranian official further urged for finalizing the deal on the creation of the free-trade zone with the EEU.



The official did not provide further information on the President Rouhanis plan to visit Moscow.



Iranian sources earlier in January reported that plans were afoot to arrange President Hassan Rouhanis visit to Moscow.



Trade turnover between Iran and Russia witnessed a surge by 60 percent over the last year climbing to about $2 billon.



However, the observers believe that the surge in trade between the two countries which came after the nuclear sanctions on Iran were removed, has not satisfied the expectations.

---

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The North Dakota House easily passed legislation calling for a study of refugee resettlement in the state Monday, but not before a testy exchange on the floor.

Rep. Pamela Anderson, D-Fargo, said she didnt want to see state resources spent on a mean-spirited study. Rep. Mary Schneider, D-Fargo, read an email asking her to vote against the legislation because it tries to hide racism and religious discrimination behind a guise of rationalism and data.

Rep. Christopher Olson, R-West Fargo, the bills primary sponsor, said the Democrats comments impugned his motives and he hoped for an apology.

Bills like this always seem to get emotional, said House Majority Leader Al Carlson, R-Fargo. But I think its always important on the floor of this House that we remember to keep our comments to not be impugning someone elses integrity.

Schneider said after the floor session that she would never attack the personal motivations of a member of the House, but she argued the bills language is inappropriate.

I didnt say he was mean-spirited; I said the study was mean-spirited, Anderson said after the floor vote.

As introduced, House Bill 1427 would have allowed for a suspension of refugee resettlement if a community lacked sufficient absorptive capacity, which included the ability of various community and government services to meet residents needs. Proponents, which included a Fargo city commissioner and the chairman of the Cass County Commission, said they were merely seeking more input on the program.

The House Government and Veterans Affairs Committee heard lengthy opposition testimony earlier this month from new Americans who told stories of finding opportunity in United States.

The study was amended into a study of various aspects of refugee resettlement, which Schneider worries would only seek negative features of the program and scrutinize one group of people.

But Olson said the refugee resettlement program has largely become an unfunded mandate from the federal government on state and local services.

If this was anything else, wed ask what the cost was, Carlson said. It could show a very positive effect instead of a negative effect.

The study bill passed the House 86-5.
The Coastal city governor Hon Hassan Joho is enjoying the best welcome scene in Washington DC. The Governor who is expected to taste the feeling of Whitehouse and as the first African leader in the Soil of America in the reign of POTUS Donald Trump will hit the last nail on the head of the Coast region Coordinator Nelson Marwa.The Regional coordinator worshiped his heads and published a list of drug baron who are wanted by the US government. Now the shame is still on him because the governor got a warm welcome from the same government allegedly wanted to arrest. The Jubilee government, in other words, has failed to fight the illegal substance distribution.The Governor told the Government if they are sure that he is among the top Barons then he is in Mombasa so they can arrest him. Nothing has happened update. The Coast region coordinator deceived the Nation by publicizing that the Governor was among the Top officials wanted by US government, but as of today, the governor is almost finishing a week in the US with good care from the POTUS DONALD TRUMP state.Today the governor also had a chance to talk with people in the US through Radio interview. He was hosted by Kilimanjaro Radio in Washington where he interacted with the majority of Kenyans and African living in the US through one on one MIC Radio show. This is what he said immediately after the show,"I had the chance to engage with Kenyans in the diaspora on issues related to their lives in the US and their take on current affairs at home on The One Mic Radio Show. It was an honor to hear their thoughts and insights on how to create a Kenya that is inclusive of all tribes, the nations and creed that delivers for generations."The governor is expected to address other congregation related to activism, extremism and youth affairs in the Washington DC. Thereafter he will be meeting other heads of departments following the presidential special invite yesterday.
GRAND FORKS  North Dakotas first-of-its-kind drone academy open to the public is ready to accept potential unmanned aircraft system pilots.

SkySkopes, a Grand Forks-based aerial inspection and photography company that specializes in unmanned aircraft, announced in December it would launch a training academy that would allow the public -- from hobbyists to business people who want to expand their horizons  to learn the ins and outs of flying drones. The first set of online classes are set to produce some of the academys first graduates in March, said Brandi Jewett, the companys director of marketing and media relations.

As a service company, SkySkopes got into the niche of training prospective pilots, including University of North Dakota students through a for-credit program, according to the company. Several members of the public came to SkySkopes in hopes of being trained as UAS pilots, chief instructor pilot Cory Vinger said.

After that, the open-to-the-public training, dubbed SkySkopes Academy, was born.

Its open to anyone who enjoys flying or wants to learn to fly the aircraft we have, Vinger said.

Though classes have been offered by other groups, SkySkopes is the first academy of its kind offered in North Dakota, Jewett said.

A big lift

The industry of unmanned aircraft, also known as drones, has expanded in recent years and has helped put Grand Forks on the map. Grand Sky, the first UAS business and technology park built in the U.S., has attracted drone giants General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. and Northrop Grumman Corp., as well as interest from other potential tenants. The two companies will build large unmanned aircraft at the 217-acre business park located at Grand Forks Air Force Base.

SkySkopes also has played an instrumental part in the drone industry taking off in the Red River Valley, becoming the first North Dakota startup that was approved by the Federal Aviation Administration to fly unmanned aircraft for business purposes.

Vinger also attributed UNDs aeronautics curriculum to the success the drone industry has seen in Grand Forks. The academy isnt meant to compete with UNDs drone program but instead complement it, SkySkopes President and CEO Matt Dunlevy said in a news release.

It has developed into something that I dont think anyone really saw coming to Grand Forks, Vinger said of the industrys growth. Were trying to develop that small unmanned aircraft culture here in Grand Forks and explore what the potential is.

The drones that will be flown in the academy are considered small -- similar to the ones SkySkopes uses to survey objects and land for its clients.

Some people don't really realize that flying these small UAS can be challenging in different kinds of environments, and different rule sets apply to each environment that they fly in  so the classroom is important as is the hands-on flying, Rick Thomas, interim dean of the academy, said in a news release.

Class choices

There are two options: the online classes for this spring and the in-person flight training set to begin during the summer.

Upon completion, academy students will be given a certificate to show they have completed training.

Were not here to just teach someone how to run a drone business, SkySkopes Director of Flight Operations Mike Johnson said in the release. We want people to have a better understanding of the national airspace and be able to navigate it safely.

The goal is to eventually open more academies in other cities where SkySkopes operates, such as Minot, Jewett said. Its possible the classes could grow into topic-specific offerings, such as night classes and courses geared toward teenagers, according to the news release.

Those interested in signing up for the academy or finding out costs should visit www.skyskopesacademy.com or call (701) 738-4825.
GRAND FORKS -- The University of North Dakota is preparing to sell its long-held radio station licenses to Prairie Public Radio as it readies plans to tear down the building which houses the local studio.

Bill Thomas, director of Prairie Public Radio, said the public radio service is currently in talks with the university about transferring the licensing for its two stations, KFJM and KUND-FM, to the main network. Thomas said local production would relocate from Grand Forks to the main Prairie Public offices in Fargo, though he said viewers wont be able to tell any difference on the air.

Thomas said the transition away from the university license has been in the making for some time.

UND has been a partner in the network, Thomas said. Theyve helped oversee it but havent had a real active role for a while. I think they finally decided that it was time to pass on the license.

An early hub

Grand Forks is noteworthy as an early radio hub. The original KUND station hit the AM airwaves in the 1920s as part of the nations first wave of college radio stations and was one of the oldest stations to operate in North Dakota. The AM channel was sold off in 2004.

UND spokesman Peter Johnson said the university has owned the licenses for at least the past few decades. A general lack of use coupled with changing curricula, particularly in broadcasting, reduced the need to maintain the licenses to the point where it doesnt make much sense to retain them, Johnson said.

He said keeping the licenses comes with obligations to the Federal Communications Commission in terms of actual usage of the airspace and other compliance measures. About 1999, UND entered into an agreement wherein Prairie Public gained the right to use the licenses.

Johnson believed that agreement included a transfer of the actual broadcast towers and infrastructure to the radio entity. He said Prairie Public also took up management of the licenses about that time, a task for which they were paid in some budgetary bienniums.

Johnson believed it had been more than two years since the public radio network had been paid. With the ongoing commitments paired against low usage, Johnson said the university saw little rationale to keep its ownership of the licenses.

The idea here is the licenses would continue, the programs would continue through Prairie Public, which is already managing the programming, he said.

University leadership began discussions of selling off the licenses last spring, he said, with talks gaining momentum through late fall. Johnson couldnt put a definitive timeline on the remainder of the process but said UND is continuing to move ahead with the sale.

On demo list

Though the full studio in 314 Cambridge would shut down -- the building itself was marked by the university in January for potential demolition -- Johnson said the university now is looking to modify some space in its television station to make room for a small studioette for the purpose of conducting local interviews. Johnson said such a space might also be used for some functions of the philosophy-steeped Why? program hosted by UND professor Jack Russell Weinstein.

I think itll play out quite well, Johnson said. Weve had a very good relationship with Prairie Public Radio, and I think well continue to have that.

Though Why? will be subject to change, the move mainly will affect longtime radio host Mike Olson, who has broadcast from Grand Forks since 1984. Olson started his radio presence in the former UND building known as Old Science, which was demolished in 1999. He is now the sole occupant of 314 Cambridge.

Olsons program, Into the Music, airs weekdays and explores various musical genres through the ages. He wrote in an email that his family has lived in their Grand Forks home for the past 26 years, so it goes without saying we have lots of feelings about our move.

But at the same time, Olson wrote, I really dont feel like Im leaving at all.

So much of my world has been over the airwaves with my friends, our listeners. And I don't think that is going to change at all, he wrote. You'll still be able to find us at the same place on the dial. And I'm very thankful for that. So we accept the change and look forward to the future.
N. Oregon Coast's Manzanita Boasts Film Fest, Estuary Cleanup, Science Talk

Published 02/21/2017 at 3:49 AM PDT - Updated 02/21/2017 at 4:49 AM PDT

By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff





(Manzanita, Oregon)  The north Oregon coast hotspot of Manzanita features three fascinating events coming up in the next three weeks. One is an engaging and small film festival, the other covers the wonderful world of Oregon coast estuaries, and the third is an actual cleanup of estuaries along the Nehalem Bay. (Above: Nehalem Bay).

The first comes up this Friday, February 24, with the Manzanita Film Series hosting Fresh Film Northwest. The Hoffman Center for the Arts will screen a selection of films created by teens from throughout the Pacific Northwest for the program, starting at 7:30 p.m. Admission will be $5.

The dozen short films were drawn by the Northwest Film Center of Portland from its competitions in 2014, 2015, and 2016. Entries were judged on Freshness & Originality, Persuasive Point of View, Emotional Impact, Technical Proficiency, and successful Risk-Taking.

Submissions came from Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Alaska, and Vancouver, BC. Total running time will be 60 minutes. Each of the individual films are usually around 3 minutes long.

Some of those screened include:

Words Of Wisdom from Portland. A grandmother's advice spurs a granddaughter into action. Leo & Clark from Portland; young men compare notes on the pursuit of happiness  running at five minutes. Home from Vancouver, BC; Abbys strange powers help her find a world to call home. Toccata from Vancouver, BC; this three-minute piece centers around piano practicing that turns to obsession

The Hoffman Center is at 594 Laneda Ave. Manzanita, Oregon. 503-368-3846. hoffmanblog.org.

The next Lower Nehalem Watershed Council Speaker Series event on March 9 will welcome Paul Atwood, Assistant District Wildlife Biologist with Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. He comes to town for a presentation exploring some of the common wildlife species that use Oregon coast estuaries, including Nehalem Bay and the habitats that each species relies on. Many species utilize a variety of different habitats, while others require very specific habitats to meet their needs.

The event will be held on Thursday, March 9 at the Pine Grove Community House (225 Laneda Ave) in Manzanita. Doors open at 6:30 pm for refreshments. The presentation will start at 7:20 pm following an update from Lower Nehalem Watershed Council at 7:00 pm.

Atwoods presentation is scheduled just two days before the 10th Biennial Nehalem Estuary Cleanup and will highlight why a debris-free estuary is important for salmon, wildlife and people. On March 11, over 100 volunteers will descend on the Nehalem Estuary to remove trash and recyclables from around the bay. The all-day event culminates in an evening celebration with food, live music, and socializing.

The Nehalem Estuary Cleanup is organized by community partners Lower Nehalem Community Trust, Lower Nehalem Watershed Council, CARTM, Nehalem Bay State Park, North Coast Land Conservancy, and Tillamook Estuaries Partnership, with additional support from local businesses and community members. To learn more about the Cleanup or to register as a volunteer, visit www.nehalemtrust.org/events or see https://www.facebook.com/lnwc1. - Manzanita Hotels for these events - Where to eat - Map and Virtual Tour . More on this area below:

















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The state Senate will consider a bill this week that would put a two-year moratorium on new wind development in North Dakota, a proposal that critics say unfairly targets one industry.

The bill, which the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee voted to amend with the moratorium Friday prevents the Public Service Commission from approving an application for a wind farm thats submitted in the two years after Aug. 1. It also asks for a Legislative Management study of the long-term energy plan for the state, taking into consideration factors like the sustainability and reliability of various energy sources and an assessment of how taxes affect the energy availability from different sources.

Sen. Dwight Cook, R-Mandan, said the amended bill is intended to guarantee that North Dakota has a reliable and affordable source of electricity in the future and to save coal. He argued its not an attack on the industry, but lawmakers should find out what effect additional wind energy projects will have.

The thing we need is a firm plan of what the future landscape of North Dakotas electrical generation is going to look like, Cook said.

Cook noted Great River Energys July 2016 announcement that it would end operations at is Stanton Station power plant in Mercer County because of low energy prices in the region. Great River Energy spokesman Lyndon Anderson said Monday the additional generation in this part of the market, a lot of it coming from wind, has put a downward pressure on prices.

Anderson said the Stanton Station is still on track to close in May, 51 years after it began generating power.

The Senate proposal comes during a time of rapid growth in wind energy.

North Dakota will add about 1,000 megawatts of wind power in the 10 month-period from May 2016 through March of this year, said Randy Christmann, chairman of the Public Service Commission.

Prior to that, the state added about 2,000 megawatts over the course of 10 years.

Christmann said he didnt know enough about the proposed moratorium to have a position on it, but said commissioners would work with what they come up with.

Christmann said he is concerned that federal subsidies on wind will cause the market to be out of check. The Production Tax Credit, an incentive that has boosted wind projects, is being phased out over the next few years.

The wind industry experienced near-record growth that has propelled it ahead of hydropower dams as the largest source of renewable electric capacity in the U.S., the American Wind Energy Association announced this month.

Sen. Erin Oban, D-Bismarck, said if somebody would have proposed a moratorium on coal, oil or gas development, they would have been shunned out of the room. She said its possible to have a discussion on reasonable regulations that protect landowners from energy development without a moratorium.

I dont think its our place to protect one industry over another, said Oban, who voted against the amendment.

Sen. Jessica Unruh, R-Beulah, Senate Bill 2314s primary sponsor who supported the amendment, said she believes in an all-of-the-above energy policy, but the wind energy industry is heavily subsidized by the federal government.

If everybody is paying taxes fairly and being regulated fairly, I think the market will work itself out, said Unruh, who works as an environmental specialist for a coal mine.

Cook said the bill is expected to come to the floor Wednesday.

Carlee McLeod, president of the Utility Shareholders of North Dakota, said she hopes the full Senate rejects the moratorium. McLeod, who represents utility companies that have coal as well as wind in their portfolios, said its important for the companies to have flexibility.

Its not really the North Dakota way to shut down a whole industry, she said.

McLeod pointed out that utility companies operate regionally, not just within one state, so a moratorium on North Dakota wind would not eliminate that competition.

They will build that wind. It will be in a different state, McLeod said.

Bob Harms, a lobbyist for Tradewind, which is constructing the Lindahl Wind Project in Tioga, said a moratorium would cost the state an enormous amount of economic opportunity, including jobs, payments to landowners and property tax revenue.

Robert Noble, a member of the Laborers International Union of North America, said a wind project in North Dakota provided him with a good-paying job last year. He said he hopes to see continued wind development in the state.

I want to see the world get better at clean energy, Noble said.
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The solution to a West Texas problem could be breakfast for someone in Houston.

Trappers in Lubbock and the surrounding area are catching wild hogs - a scourge to the land in the state - and selling them to buying stations. The buying stations then sell the animals to processors.

From there, feral pigs become tame and tasty breakfast.

NEW NEIGHBORS: Feral hogs appearing in Kingwood, other Houston neighborhoods

I would say if its prepared properly, the taste is almost exactly the same, rancher Jason Bond told The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.

There are an estimated 8 million wild hogs roaming the U.S. countryside.

About 2.6 million are in the Lone Star State. Theyre known to devour corn and sorghum and AgriLife at Texas A&M estimates they cost Texas agriculture $52 million a year.

The crops, they just wipe em out, Bond, who runs a buying station in Snyder, told the newspaper.

HUNTING SEASON: Later winter can be hog heaven for hunters

There are also dangers of feral hogs running into vehicles and the damage to the ecosystem caused by the animals.

While bacon may not be the healthiest solution to the problem - or even a long-term fix - it certainly is the tastiest idea to tackle the issue.
The following hospital and health system rating and outlook changes and affirmations took place in the last week, beginning with the most recent.

1. Moody's affirms 'A1' rating on CaroMont Health's bonds

Moody's Investors Service affirmed the "A1" rating on Gastonia, N.C.-based CaroMont Health's $186.9 million of outstanding bonds.

2. Moody's affirms 'Baa2' rating on Holy Name Medical Center's bonds

Moody's Investors Service affirmed the "Baa2" rating on Teaneck, N.J.-based Holy Name Medical Center's approximately $40 million of revenue bonds.

3. Moody's affirms 'Aa3' rating on WellSpan Health's bonds

Moody's Investors Service affirmed the "Aa3" rating on York, Pa.-based WellSpan Health's bonds, affecting approximately $274 million of debt.

4. Moody's affirms 'A2' rating on WakeMed Health's bonds

Moody's Investors Service affirmed the "Aa2" rating on Raleigh, N.C.-based WakeMed Health's bonds, affecting $400 million of rated debt.

5. S&P revises Good Shepherd Health System's rating to 'A' on bonds

S&P Global Ratings revised the rating on Longview, Texas-based Good Shepherd Health System's series 2010, series 2012C and series 2015 bonds to "A" from "B-" and removed the ratings from CreditWatch developing.

6. S&P revises University Medical Center of El Paso's outlook to negative

S&P Global Ratings revised University Medical Center of El Paso (Texas)'s outlook to negative from stable.

7. Moody's affirms 'A1' rating on Jackson-Madison County General Hospital's outstanding debt

Moody's Investors Service affirmed the "A1" rating on Jackson (Tenn.)-Madison County General Hospital's $277 million of outstanding debt.

8. Moody's assigns 'Caa1' rating to Good Shepherd Health System's bonds

Moody's Investors Service assigned a "Caa1" rating to Longview, Texas-based Good Shepherd Health System's $69.2 million of series 2017A proposed hospital revenue refunding bonds.

9. Moody's assigns 'A1' rating to Children's Hospital & Medical Center's bonds

Moody's Investors Service assigned an "A1" rating to Omaha, Neb.-based Children's Hospital & Medical Center's $100 million of proposed series 2017 fixed-rate revenue bonds.

10. Fitch upgrades New York City Health + Hospitals' rating to 'AA-'

Fitch Ratings upgraded New York City (N.Y.) Health + Hospitals' rating to "AA-" from "A+" on $814 million of its bonds.

11. Moody's assigns 'MIG1' rating to South Central Regional Medical Center's notes

Moody's Investors Service assigned a "MIG1" rating to Laurel, Miss.-based South Central Regional Medical Center's proposed $58 million of series 2017 hospital revenue notes.

12. Moody's adjusts rating for Medstar Health's line of credit-back bonds

Moody's Investors Service downgraded the rating on Columbia, Md.-based MedStar Health's series 1998A multimodal revenue bonds to "Aa2" from "Aa1."

13. S&P revises Massachusetts Ear and Eye's outlook to negative

S&P Global Ratings revised Boston-based Massachusetts Ear and Eye's outlook to negative from stable.

14. S&P downgrades Reading Health System's rating to 'A+'

S&P Global Ratings downgraded Reading (Pa.) Health System's rating to "A+" from "AA-" on the health system's long-term revenue refunding bonds.

15. Fitch affirms 'AA-' rating on Children's Hospital & Medical Center's bonds

Fitch Ratings affirmed the "AA-" rating on Omaha, Neb.-based Children's Hospital & Medical Center's $100 million of series 2017 revenue bonds.

16. Fitch affirms 'BBB+' rating on Silver Cross Health System's bonds

Fitch Ratings affirmed the "BBB+" rating on New Lenox, Ill.-based Silver Cross Health System's $282 million of series 2015C revenue refunding bonds and $81 million of series 2008A revenue refunding bonds.

17. Fitch affirms 'BB+' rating on Marshall Medical Center's bonds

Fitch Ratings affirmed the "BB+" rating on Placerville, Calif.-based Marshall Medical Center's $20 million of series 2004B auction rate bonds.

18. Moody's affirms 'A1' rating on Children's National Medical Center's bonds

Moody's Investors Service affirmed the "A1" rating on Washington, D.C.-based Children's National Medical Center's series 2015 refunding revenue bonds.

19. S&P withdraws 'BBB' rating on South Central Regional Medical Center's bonds

S&P Global Ratings withdrew the "BBB" long-term rating on Laurel, Miss.-based South Central Regional Medical Center's $21 million of series 2016 bonds.
When Tzvetan Todorov died on Feb. 7, the Bulgarian/French philosopher and literary critic was lamented only in certain intellectual ghettoes. To the men and women eulogizing Todorov in these circles, he was feted properly if not stingily, which is most unfortunate. Finite word counts are a harsh mistress when a fellow writer endeavors to create a fully realized portrait of his or her subject.

Todorov leaves behind a body of historical and moral philosophy that connects the dots between the great European humanist writers prior to the Marxist experiments of the 20th century  Comte, Montaigne, Montesquieu, for example  and such documentarians of Nazi and Soviet evils as Elie Wiesel, Primo Levi and Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. Unlike the listed documentarians, Todorov never suffered the deprivations of the Soviet gulags or Nazi concentration camps. He did, however, endure the suppression of individual freedom until he was 24 years old, the age he emigrated from Soviet-satellite Bulgaria to France more than 50 years ago.

Why then should we celebrate Todorovs accomplishments? What distinguishes Todorovs works on the totalitarian experiments of the past 100 years is his focus on the moral witness by those denied fundamental dignities in the Soviet camps and German lagers. Some of these men and women silently and not so silently protested the yoke of oppression for the benefit of those other than themselves and immediate family and close friends. As Todorov noted in Facing the Extreme: Moral Life in the Concentration Camps (1996):

There are various perspectives from which the accounts of life in the camps can be read. One can ponder the precise chain of events that led to the creation of the camps and then to their extinction; one can debate the political significance of the camps; on can extract sociological or psychological lessons from them. Yet even though I cannot ignore those perspectives altogether, I would like to take a different approach. I want to look at the camps from the perspective of moral life and  concern myself with individual destinies rather than numbers and dates. But already I hear an objection: Wasnt that question settled a long time ago? Havent we learned only too well the sad and simple truth the camps revealed, namely, that in extreme situations all traces of moral life evaporate as men become beasts locked in a merciless struggle for survival?

Todorov quotes Tadeusz Borowskis takeaway from Auschwitz: [M]orality, national solidarity, patriotism and the ideals of freedom, justice and human dignity had all slid off man like a rotten rag. There is no crime that a man will not commit in order to save himself. Todorov finds similar themes in Varlam Shalamovs Kolyma Tales, which recounts stories inspired by the authors 17 years of incarceration in the infamous Soviet gulag.

When the survival instinct totally dominates moral life, one loses a sense of compassion for the suffering of others and no longer offers the help one normally would, writes Todorov. Rather than aid the next person, one might instead further his decline if it meant relief from ones own suffering. Certainly, Todorov admits, theres enough evidence to support this thesis. But, he adds: If an individuals every action is determined by the orders of those above him and the need to survive, then he has no freedom left at all; no longer can he truly exercise his will and choose one behavior over another. And where there is no choice, there is also no place for any kind of moral life whatsoever.

However, Todorovs research details a kings ransom of choices among prisoners  often refuting those prisoners own claims. Dr. Ena Weiss was an Austrian confined at Auschwitz who told another inmate she placed her own needs first, second, and third. Then nothing. Then myself again  and then all the others. Like Humphrey Bogarts Rick Blaine in Casablanca  I stick my neck out for nobody  Weiss overstated her self-preservation dramatically. Just as Bogarts anti-hero eventually reveals himself as a champion of the World War II underground freedom fighters, Weiss assisted tens, indeed hundreds of other prisoners.

Other examples abound to support Todorovs conclusion. Father Maximilian Kolbe was canonized after he gave his own life in return for the life of a father and husband while imprisoned in Auschwitz. In Voices from the Gulag (1999), Todorov adopts the first-person narrative style of Studs Terkel, transcribing stories told by Bulgarian gulag survivors. Had Terkel read these reminiscences, however, he might have loosened his fondness for socialism significantly. In her own words, Lilyana Princheva recounts some of her experiences as a prisoner for nearly six years in Belene and Bosna:

When I think about all that can be said regarding the truly awful conditions at these camps. At Bosna, we actually lived in a stable. We worked like beasts of burden in the fields. We were constantly humiliated, and the clothes we were given were no less humiliating: they were old, tattered army fatigues. We worked from morning to night, under the blazing sun of summer and in the paralyzing cold of winter.

Despite these conditions, Princheva explained:

We survived, however, because we kept our humanity  and did so despite their best effort to persuade us, day in, day out, and around the clock, that we were useless, that we were vermin and a danger to society. They humiliated us and tried to sap our ability to think for ourselves. In our ranks were anarchists, Trotskyites, Agrarians, and those who refused all labels and Party affiliations. In this intolerable atmosphere of daily hardship and hard and pointless labor, we were saved by that aspiration shared by all human beings  namely, the desire for dignity, humanity, and goodness. [Another] example of the power of the human spirit  For example, we all agreed that whenever a package arrived, we would give it to whomever was ill. Though starving, we wouldnt allow ourselves to eat a single thing from the package. It was for our sick comrade.

Unfortunately, Princheva goes on to relate that the camps often succeeded in dehumanizing many other prisoners. Many, but not all  and perhaps not even the majority of the incarcerated as Todorov reminds his readers again and again.

Its true that Podorov in his later years made lamentable comments drawing false equivalencies between the activities of Islamic terrorists and Western military actions deployed against them. While unfortunate, considering the breadth of his knowledge concerning the evils of totalitarianism, such statements are only footnotes to Todorovs greater accomplishments.

One thing is for certain and that is Communism and Fascism werent defeated by the scolding of Western politicians. It was undermined when it collapsed of its own weight, expedited by such voices as Weisel, Levi and Solzhenitsyn who witnessed its crimes and everyday horrors. Perhaps as well it was commonplace displays of the moral qualities of kindness, caring and recognition of each others dignity by the inmates in the gulags and concentration camps that helped doom such lamentable locations of human misery to the dustbin of recent history. Much of Todorovs body of work makes a pretty compelling argument that morality is a powerful weapon against the enemies of human freedom.
Medical City Plano (Texas) hired Patrick Rohan to serve as COO.

Here are four things to know:

1. Mr. Rohan previously worked at Hospital Corporation of America's Plantation (Fla.) General Hospital, where he served as COO and then interim CEO.

2. Prior to joining Planation General, he worked at several other Florida-based hospitals, including Kendall Regional Medical Center in Miami.

3. He completed his MBA degree at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton.

4. Medical City Plano is a 547-bed, acute care facility with more than 1,600 employees.
Anthony Armada, the CEO of Seattle-based Swedish Health Services, resigned Monday, just days after a Seattle Times report prompted state regulators to investigate the Swedish Neuroscience Institute on the Cherry Hill campus in Seattle.

According to Swedish, Mr. Armada's decision to step down was a personal one, and he told the board he felt it was in the best interest of the organization.

Swedish was in hot water with state regulators after a Seattle Times report, published Feb. 10, uncovered patient care concerns at the neuroscience institute stemming from what the paper called an "aggressive pursuit" for increased patient volumes.

The report found the drive to increase volume left nurses with high caseloads and led to surgeons using a concurrent surgery model. The paper also said many physicians had problems with Johnny Delashaw, MD, being chairman of neurosurgery at SNI because he had allegations against him of high complication rates.

State regulators launched an investigation into practices at NSI following the Seattle Times report. Mr. Armada had issued a statement Feb. 10 disputing the Seattle Times report, saying in part,"It was implied our priorities are misplaced. Our number one priority is quality care and patient safety, and caring for all patients who need us."

In an open letter to Swedish patients issued by Mr. Armada Feb. 17, he wrote, "We recognize that there is a loss of trust, and appreciate your patience and partnership as we work to repair that trust through as much transparency as possible."

The system's board of trustees named R. Guy Hudson, MD, as interim CEO on Tuesday. Dr. Hudson, a pediatric urologic surgeon with an MBA, most recently served as chief of physician services for western Washington with Swedish.

"We believe this is an important time to return to physician leadership," Teresa Bigelow, the chairwoman of the board, said in a statement.

Mr. Armada had led Swedish since 2013.

Scott Becker, publisher of Becker's Healthcare, says of Mr. Armada, "While not familiar with the situation at Swedish, Tony Armada is a smart, gifted leader and we personally hope he resurfaces soon in healthcare leadership."
President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Republican lawmakers will unveil a plan to replace the ACA "in a couple of weeks," according to The Hill.

"We are going to be submitting in a couple of weeks a great healthcare plan that's going to take the place of the disaster known as ObamaCare," President Trump told the crowd at a campaign rally in Melbourne, Fla., according to the report. "It will be repealed and replaced Just so you understand, our plan will be much better healthcare at a much lower cost," he added. "OK? Nothing to complain about."

While he was campaigning, President Trump vowed to cut down President Barack Obama's signature healthcare reform law. Upon his election, President Trump said he planned to repeal and replace the ACA right "out of the gate," but in early February he said a replacement plan may not be ready until 2018. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., on Feb. 7 said replacement legislation will be developed this year, but that it might take longer to implement, according to the report.

On Feb. 16, House Republicans convened to discuss a policy memo that outlines their ACA replacement plan. The brief serves as more of a roadmap than a concrete plan, and does not include information on how an ACA replacement will be passed into law, according to The Washington Post.

Click here to read about four key features of the ACA replacement included in the policy memo.
Johnese Spisso, president of UCLA Health and CEO of UCLA Hospital System, discusses the system's outpatient services expansion and strategic vision in 2017.

"Over the past year at UCLA Health, we've been focusing in on continued expansion of our primary and secondary care network. Our goal is to place UCLA healthcare conveniently throughout the greater Los Angeles area to provide high quality, cost-effective care. In some areas, we have been adding select specialty care to clinics with the same mindset. Our goal is to provide care in the most efficient setting. Our hospitals are focused on the more complex inpatient tertiary and quaternary care our patients need.

Because Los Angeles is a large metropolitan area with issues like heavy traffic, it's important for us to go where the patients are. As part of that strategy, we operate about 160 clinics in about 70 different locations throughout Los Angeles that include primary care, urgent care and select specialty care as well. Since 2010, UCLA Health has opened or will soon open outpatient facilities in about 50 new locations throughout the Los Angeles region.

The clinics are a combination of properties we own and lease. We staff them with UCLA physicians and staff, as we've found our draw from the patients is the UCLA brand. We also have select partnerships with community hospitals near our clinic locations that can provide a secondary level of care. The community hospitals are staffed with UCLA hospitalists to provide that care.

In some areas, we have outpatient surgery and procedure centers as well. Some of these centers we own and operate ourselves and a few are joint ventures. We see these centers becoming a bigger part of our outpatient strategy in the future because patients like the convenience and it helps us reduce the total costs of care while demonstrating a value-added service.

Right now, we are concerned about what will happen with the ACA. In California, the ACA expansion provides coverage to 4 million people and we're looking at how new health policies will impact our strategic plan going forward."

View the full article titled "8 hospital executives share outpatient strategy  ASCs, retail clinics, key partnerships & more"
Physicians who experience more burnout are less likely to find their work meaningful or view medicine as a calling, according to a new study in Mayo Clinic Preceedings.

Researchers polled 2,263 physicians from across all specialties between Oct. 24, 2014, and May 29, 2015. The survey asked physicians to rate their level of burnout on a scale of 1 to 5, with scores of 1 and 2 indicating little to no symptoms of burnout. Physicians also answered six true or false questions on whether they viewed medicine as their calling.

Here are four study findings.

1. More than 93 percent of physicians found their work rewarding, although only 44 percent said they would continue their work without pay if they didn't need the money.

2. Of the 2,263 respondents, 639 (28.5 percent) reported some degree of burnout.

3. Physicians reporting high burnout symptoms were less likely to: call their work rewarding, say it was one of the most important things in their lives or agree it was making the world a better place.

4. Among physicians with no burnout symptoms who enjoyed their work, 93 percent said they would choose their career again, compared to less than one-third of physicians displaying the most burnout symptoms who said the same.

"If physicians only view their occupation as a job, that has implications over time in terms of their commitment to their patients," senior author Audiey Kao, MD, PhD, vice president of ethics at the American Medical Association, told Reuters. "Having physicians who view their work as a sense of calling is not only important for physicians but as important if not more important for the patients they care for."

More articles on physician issues:

Most patients report high satisfaction with radiologists, study finds

Court overturns Florida law on physician gun talks with patients: 4 things to know

Granville Health System, Duke medical school partner to train physicians
Former neurosurgeon Christopher Duntsch, MD, PhD, was sentenced Monday to life in prison for injury to an elderly person, which is a first-degree felony, according to The Dallas Morning News.

Dr. Duntsch, who practiced as several Dallas hospitals, was accused of crippling four patients, causing the deaths of two others and leaving several more with surgical waste sewn up inside of them between July 2012 and June 2013. In 2015, he was arrested on five aggravated assault charges.

His 13-day trial this month focused on only one victim, 74-year-old Mary Efurd. She lost full use of her legs after Dr. Duntsch performed a spinal surgery on her in 2012. Robert Henderson, MD, who treated Ms. Efurd following the surgery, said he found Dr. Duntsch had amputated a nerve root, drilled a screw into her spinal cavity and put implants in muscle instead of on bone, according to the report.

At trial, Dr. Duntsch's lawyers argued he was distracted in the operating room when he performed Ms. Efurd's surgery. They also said he was "not a skilled surgeon," according to the report.

Prosecutors argued Dr. Duntsch knew what he was doing and chose to keep injuring patients. "He obviously knew at some point that what he was doing was criminal," Dallas County District Attorney Faith Johnson said at a press conference, according to the Dallas Observer. Ms. Johnson said Dr. Duntsch's case was elevated from malpractice to criminal assault because he kept performing surgeries after causing so many injuries.

Dr. Duntsch was stripped of his medical license in 2013.

More articles on legal and regulatory issues:

15 things to know about Stark Law

11 latest healthcare industry lawsuits, settlements

Co-founder of Forest Park Medical Center pleads guilty in kickback case
House Republicans recently unveiled guidelines for their ACA replacement plan via a policy brief. One Republican idea for lowering monthly health insurance premiums for the individuals who must purchase insurance on their own is to reinstate state-based high-risk pools, according to an NPR report.

Here are three arguments for and against the idea, as reported by NPR.

1. Opponents of high-risk pools argue such pools that operated prior to the ACA were too costly for patients, state taxpayers, people with employer-based health insurance and others who subsidized health plans, according to the report.

2. Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan (Wis.) is a proponent of high-risk pools, which would move people with serious and expensive medical conditions from the average pools into publicly funded insurance pools. "By having taxpayers, I think, step up and focus on, through risk pools, subsidizing care for people with catastrophic illnesses, those losses don't have to be covered by everybody else [buying insurance], and we stabilize their plans," House Speaker Ryan said on public television's Charlie Rose show in January, according to NPR.

3. Stefan Gildemeister, an economist with Minnesota's health department, spoke out against high-risk pools. According to the report, he said: "It's not cheap coverage to the individual, and it's not cheap coverage to the system."

For more on this story, read Mark Zdechlik's full report here.
Healthgrades, an online resource for information on physicians and hospitals, named its list of America's 50 and 100 Best Hospitals for 2017 on Tuesday.

Below are five things to know about the award and the hospitals that received it this year.

1. To determine Best Hospitals Award winners, Healthgrades examined Medicare inpatient data from the Medicare Provider Analysis and Review database from 2013 through 2015 for the 32 most common inpatient conditions and procedures, among other data points. Find more information here. Healthgrades' 100 Best Hospitals have all received the Healthgrades Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence consecutively for at least the last three years, while Healthgrades' 50 Best Hospitals have all received the award consecutively for at least the last six years.

2. Healthgrades' 100 Best Hospitals are not spread evenly throughout the United States: 22 states and the District of Columbia don't have a top 100 hospital.

3. Patients treated in the top 100 hospitals have, on average, a 27.1 percent lower risk of dyingthan if they were cared for in hospitals that did not receive the designation, according to Healthgrades. If all hospitals, as a group, performed similarly to the 100 Best Hospitals, on average, 179,438 lives could potentially have been saved, Healthgrades said.



4. The 100 Best Hospitals also out-perform their peers in emergency care for conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart attack, stroke, pneumonia and sepsis. These hospitals are five times more likely than other facilities to have received a Healthgrades five-star rating for treatment of those conditions, according to Healthgrades.

5. In addition to clinical outcomes, Healthgrades' top hospitals also excel at patient engagement, according to a Healthgrades whitepaper. Healthgrades cited various examples, such as Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle, which implemented the Orthopedic Patient-Peer Partner program, an idea that came from the medical center's orthopedic patients. Through the program, patients who had joint replacement surgery at the hospital can return as volunteers to support other patients who are preparing to undergo joint replacement surgery.

"Hospitals that have achieved America's Best Hospitals distinction have sustained high quality outcomes for their patients over many years and often, offer programs that engage consumers and their overall communities in their care," said Brad Bowman, MD, Healthgrades' CMO. "Healthcare consumerism is requiring hospitals and health systems to innovate in a variety of areas, including quality, to meet growing expectations about the level of care, personalization and convenience."
A coyote followed Steven Poletti, MD, into his Mount Pleasant, S.C.-based Southeastern Spine Institute office, but didn't cause trouble while in the facility, according to a report from The Post and Courier.

A security camera caught the coyote's escapades on tape, following Dr. Poletti into the office around 7:30 am on a Wednesday morning last week. Dr. Poletti didn't realize the coyote was following him until the animal brushed up against his legs after entering the building.

The coyote growled at Dr. Poletti, according to the report, and the surgeon chased his unwelcomed guest outside.

There have been other reports of coyotes in Southeastern Spine's corner of South Carolina and the town usually refers residents to trappers when an urban coyote is spotted. Dr. Poletti expressed concern in the report that the animal could follow patients into the office.
A new study published in Spine compares the short-term outcomes for primary and revision anterior cervical discectomy and fusion.

The study authors examined 20,383 ACDF procedures, with 1,219 being revision surgeries. The researchers gathered data from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program on procedures performed from 2005 to 2014. The researchers found:

1. The revision procedures were associated with increased risk of adverse events. Those events could include:

 Thromboembolic events

 Surgical Site infections

 Minor adverse events

2. The patients who underwent revision procedures were more likely to return to the operating room and receive blood transfusions.

3. Thirty days after surgery, the revision patients had an increased risk of readmissions.

4. The primary spine surgery patients' operative time was seven minutes less on average and they stayed at the hospital for half a day less than patients in the revision group.

5. The study authors advised the results could be used for risk stratification and patient counseling.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.-History enthusiasts and map lovers, the Birmingham Public Library's downtown location is preparing to host a new exhibit that will whet your appetite. "Sweet Home: Alabama's History in Maps" opens in the Fourth Floor Gallery of the Central Library, 2100 Park Place, on Wednesday, March 1 and runs through Sunday, April 30, 2017.

The public is invited to attend the opening reception on Sunday, March 5 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Fourth Floor Gallery. The entire exhibit is also available online at www.bplonline.org/ALmaps.

Timed to coincide with Alabama's upcoming bicentennial, this exhibit tells the history of our state by introducing patrons to maps that depict Alabama's development from the earliest days of exploration through the present day. Partially funded by a grant from the Alabama Humanities Foundation, the exhibit explores 450 years of Alabama history. It includes over 50 maps which have been carefully selected from the library's world class cartography collection.

Jay Lamar, head of the Alabama Bicentennial Commission, called "Sweet Home: Alabama's History in Maps," "one of the most exciting, beautiful, and stimulating exhibitions I have ever seen. People will discover things about Alabama that they never knew or imagined by experiencing these lovely, remarkable maps."

The library has been the grateful recipient of several large collections of rare, valuable, and exquisitely drawn maps. These donations were made by Rucker Agee, Dr. Charles Ochs, John C. Henley III, and Joseph H. Woodward II.

"Birmingham is incredibly fortunate to have such a large collection of beautiful maps," said Mary Beth Newbill, head of BPL's Southern History Department, which houses the map collection. Newbill hopes the exhibit will be exciting to "map lovers, genealogists, and anyone interested in Alabama history."

BPL will host two lectures from visiting scholars during the course of the exhibit, Newbill said. Dr. Martin Olliff of Troy University, Dothan will be speaking on the development of Alabama roads and highways. His lecture, "Roads That Start Somewhere and End Somewhere: How Alabama and the Nation Got its First Highways," will be at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 25.

Professor and author Dr. Melinda Kashuba will be speaking at 10 a.m. on April 8. Her program, "Making Your Sweet Home among Maps: How to Read and Interpret Maps of the Southeastern United States for Genealogists, Historians, Teachers, and Map Lovers", will be a hands-on workshop that explores the symbols and mapping conventions used on 19th and early 20th century maps to tell the story of the development of the Southeast. Students will learn how to interpret and analyze information contained on old maps.

Both lectures are in the Central Library's Arrington Auditorium. For more information, call the Birmingham Public Library's Southern History Department at 205-226-3665 or email askgenlocal@bham.lib.al.us.



For additional information about the programs and services of the Birmingham Public Library, visit our website at www.bplonline.org and be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter @BPL. The mission of Birmingham Public Library is to provide the highest quality library service to our citizens for life-long learning, cultural enrichment, and enjoyment. This system--with 19 locations and serving the community for 130 years--is one of the largest library systems in the southeast.
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Gertjan Vlieghe gives evidence to the Treasury Select Committee in the House of Commons

The Bank of England is unlikely to be able to predict the next financial crisis, despite having learned from its "Michael Fish" moment, key staff have told MPs.

Gertjan Vlieghe - a rate-setting member of the Bank's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) - warned that there were "unrealistic expectations" being placed on economics and forecasting models.

While the Bank will always try to make improvements in light of any forecasting errors, no projection can be perfect, he said.

"It is always going to be the case ... that there are going to be large forecast errors, that we are not going to forecast the next financial crisis, nor are we going to forecast the next recession.

"Models are just not that good," Mr Vlieghe said during a Treasury Select Committee hearing on Tuesday, also attended by the Bank's governor Mark Carney.

The Bank's chief economist Andy Haldane made headlines last month after saying that economists had become embroiled in a forecasting crisis following the 2008 market crash, dubbing it the profession's "Michael Fish" moment.

He compared failures to predict the financial crisis of 2008 to an October 1987 weather forecast by BBC meteorologist Michael Fish, who wrongly denied claims a hurricane was going to hit Britain.

"The reason I mentioned actually that Michael Fish moment was because that story had a happy ending," Mr Haldane told MPs on Tuesday. "

After the 1987 hurricane, meteorologists put a huge amount of effort into their models, into their data, and that effort has now borne fruit."

But Governor Carney acknowledged that factors like consumer behaviour could still confound the Bank's projections.

"Do we have a perfect model of the British household? No," he told MPs.

"We might understand that no forecast as a prediction is perfect, that there's probabilities around that, but that's not what people hear, and we need to do a better job of explaining."

Consumer spending has held up in recent months, despite initial expectations that economic uncertainty following the EU referendum would spook shoppers.

However, the Bank is expecting consumer spending to slow, as inflation - triggered by the collapse of the pound - starts to feed into retail prices.

The Bank expects inflation to hit 2% this month, peaking at 2.8% in the first half of next year, before falling back to 2.4% in three years' time.

But some MPC members believe they are edging closer to the Bank's limit in tolerating above-target inflation of 2%.

Voting member Ian McCafferty said that the Bank was "closer to those limits" than six months ago, and that it would be key to monitor how inflation impacts business and consumer behaviour.

It raises the possibility that the MPC will raise interest rates from its historic low of 0.25% in order to bring inflation back to target.

Financial markets are factoring in two interest rate hikes over the next three years, though a broader "normalisation" could depend on the outcome of Brexit talks.

"It is clear that interest rates are going to remain lower than the sorts of rates that one got used to before the crisis," Mr McCafferty said.

"Whether we can start to see a gradual normalisation of policy I think is going to very much rely on how the economy responds to negotiations with the rest of the European Union about Brexit over the course of the next few years."
UK law firms are now looking for an Irish presence after Brexit

The Brexit vote has seen London 'Magic Circle' law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer almost crack the top 10 list of Irish law firms by number of practising solicitors.

The Law Society of Ireland, the ruling body for solicitors, has experienced a surge in UK lawyers seeking to register in the Republic in the aftermath of the June referendum.

London-based multinational law firm DLA Piper has "fairly advanced" plans to launch a Dublin office, according to a senior partner at the firm.

Juan Picon told trade publication Legal Week that the move would be a "natural expansion from the UK".

"Post-Brexit, there will be more institutions looking to have a presence in Ireland," he is quoted as saying.

Writing in Ireland's Law Society Gazette this month, director general Ken Murphy said the Freshfields numbers will be a major talking point.

He said: "This results from the Brexit-related decision of 87 of their England-and-Wales-qualified solicitors not just to enter on the roll in Ireland (as a total of 806 England and Wales solicitors did last year) but to take out practising certificates in this jurisdiction.

"They chose to take out practising certificates even though the firm has no office in Ireland nor any plans to open one," he added.

A&L Goodbody tied Arthur Cox as the largest Irish law firm by number of practising solicitors at the end of last year - the first time there had ever been a tie at the top of the annually compiled list. Both firms have major operations in Belfast.

A&L drew level after adding 15 solicitors in 2016, while Arthur Cox shed 14. The Law Society figures, which rank the firms as of December 31 last year, show the number of practising solicitors exceeded 10,000 for the first time ever last year, with 10,098 holding practising certificates (PCs).

Matheson remained the third largest firm in the Republic, followed by McCann Fitzgerald.

Mr Murphy said last month that the number of British solicitors coming to Ireland should not cause alarm.

He said there was a distinct difference between someone joining the roll of solicitors, and those who take out practising certificates and actually practise in this country.

"At the moment it's a technical exercise," he added.

A small proportion of those who have joined the roll of solicitors have thus far taken out practising certificates.

Latest figures show 806 solicitors from England and Wales were added to the Irish roll last year, as lawyers scramble to ensure professional 'right of audience' in European courts. A further 27 solicitors from Northern Ireland were also added to the roll in 2016.

Before the Brexit vote, typically the Law Society would admit 50 to 100 solicitors from the UK in an average year.
Northern Ireland food will reach another 1,000 supermarkets in Great Britain as two firms announce mega-deals worth around 1m each for their gluten-free lines.

The contracts for Mash Direct in Comber and Scott's Bakery in Fivemiletown, which employ around 160 people each, are a demonstration of the continued prowess of the food industry in the province.

Vegetable giant Mash Direct and Scott's Bakery have announced deals worth 1m and 0.85m a year with 380 Morrisons and 600 Tesco stores respectively.

The deals come as Tourism NI continues to promote the legacy of the 2016 Year of Food and Drink. Mash Direct last month won the award for innovation in the Year of Food and Drink Awards in association with the Belfast Telegraph for its crispy vegetable bakes.

The company has received support of 37,000 from economic development agency Invest NI to market its gluten-free range of southern-fried potatoes, carrot and parsnip fries, potato rostis and vegetable burgers.

The entire range will now be on sale at 380 Morrisons supermarkets all over Great Britain - the first nationwide multiple deal for the Co Down family company. John Hood, Invest NI's director of food and drink, said: "Investment in innovation has enabled Mash Direct and Scott's Bakery to capitalise on the increasing market demand for 'free-from' products.

"These valuable contracts with UK multiples are significant wins for both food manufacturers."

Tesco, meanwhile, has sold Scott's Bakery's range since 1997 - but as part of the new deal, will almost double its business with the multiple. Andrew Little, product manager of Scott's Bakery, said: "We recently invested 1.5m in the business and hired 30 new staff to increase capacity for new customers.

"This allowed us to supply Tesco GB and bring our gluten-free cakes to a wider Great Britain-based audience."

Mash Direct was set up by Martin and Tracy Hamilton in 2004 at their farm in Comber, and is still run by the couple, along with their sons Lance and Jack.

The company recently said that the business "was as well-positioned for Brexit as possible" as pre-tax profits grew more than fivefold to 1.1m.

Martin Hamilton had spoken out against Brexit in advance of the vote.

The firm, which makes vegetable and potato side dishes, reported a 5.7% increase in sales from 14.2m to 14.96m. It employs 163 people.

The Scott family bakery started in the late 1960s and specialises in baking small cakes. Traditional fairy cakes were its original product, with muffins, mini muffins, butterfly cakes and cupcakes added to the product range as new product developments.

Its cakes are supplied to supermarkets all over the UK and Ireland but the latest deal is expected to double its sales.

In its accounts for the year ending March 31, 2016, the company announced turnover of 16.24m, up from 14.8m.

Pre-tax profits were up from 0.89m to 1.5m. Employee numbers had also expanded from 146 to 157, with the firm taking on another eight production staff, and three more administrative staff.

And the firm - which is run by brothers Robert and George Elliott, said maintaining and growing market share was one of the key challenges it faced.

Sandra Weir, buying manager for Tesco Northern Ireland, said: "Scott's Bakery is a well-loved, family-run Northern Irish company and its gluten-free range will capitalise on the increasing free-from trend, making this an exciting new listing for Tesco.

"This listing was progressed following a Great Britain buyer visit to the Tesco Taste Festival, which was supported by Invest NI, and we are confident that it will be a huge hit with consumers in GB.

"Tesco NI will be proud to see Scott's Bakery in the shopping baskets of GB shoppers this year and, in particular, the role Tesco NI played in this important new development for a much-loved family business."

The new products - gluten-free chocolate chip mini muffins, and assorted fairy cakes - have been made for Tesco.

A range of other Northern Ireland firms have also succeeded in meeting the growing market need for gluten-free bakery and food products, including the Co Antrim businesses Rule of Crumb and Moditions. Both firms have won supermarket deals in the UK and further afield.
Solicitors are seen by many as an integral part of the local community

I began my presidency of the Law Society of Northern Ireland in November 2016 in what seems like a year of seismic change. Brexit and the impact of the US elections has fed into a sense of uncertainty about the future.

Unfortunately this sense of uncertainty is locally pervasive in its implications for the Northern Ireland economy and heightened by the uncertainty which exists surrounding the future of our political institutions. The solicitor profession in Northern Ireland is certainly not immune from the sense of uncertainty which prevails both for our clients and for our own businesses.

As president of the Law Society of Northern Ireland I am all too aware of the challenges and threats which face our members on a daily basis.

Solicitor practices have always operated in a changing social, economic and legal environment which by necessity requires them to be responsive and adaptable.

While acknowledging the challenges and threats which exist the Law Society continues to be positive about the future of the solicitor profession and their ability to steer clients through these uncertain times.

Independent research commissioned by the Law Society in 2016 indicated that 78% of those sampled valued their local solicitor and regarded them as an integral part of their local community.

This research reflects the ongoing commitment and work of solicitors throughout Northern Ireland who continue to provide legal services, advice and support to clients, businesses and the most vulnerable within the local community. By its nature this type of work is often unseen, unheard or publicised but it is vital to both the economy and society more generally.

Few will talk of the contribution of solicitor firms to the Northern Ireland economy, much less try to quantify it, yet as local businesses, service providers and employers their contribution is substantial.

The ongoing commitment of the legal profession to seeking new business opportunities was apparent internationally with an economic trade mission to Washington in September 2016 organised by Invest NI and supported by the Law Society, which showcased Northern Ireland legal services to potential investors.

As a result of the Law Society's ongoing international connections the International Bar Association (IBA) will be hosting its mid-year meeting in Belfast in May 2017.

Over 300 international leaders of the legal profession will attend the four-day conference which will provide an opportunity to present Northern Ireland to a global legal audience.

This conference and other international engagement underscores the commitment of the solicitor community to actively supporting the Northern Ireland economy and the work done to establish global links and securing foreign direct investment.

The society's ongoing outreach and engagement strategy is manifest in the translation of 36 information leaflets into foreign languages an acknowledgement of the changing nature of our community.

Recently at Stormont the Dispute Resolution Service (DRS), which is administered by the Law Society, was publicised to a variety of business organisations and consumer groups.

The DRS offers local businesses and consumers access to professionally trained lawyer mediators who can assist in achieving a meditated solution to legal problems in a way which can save the time, expense and stress of going to court.

What has been described is but a small snapshot of some of the positive and ongoing work of the Law Society of Northern Ireland.

It reflects and underscores the commitment of solicitors to our community, to the rights of our clients and to meeting the legal needs of business and individuals.
News and more about African American entrepreneurs and Black-owned businesses. Also features a directory of events, publications, organizations, and more.
It is not the first time Piers Morgan has sworn on the show

Good Morning Britain presenter Piers Morgan has taken a swipe at Hollywood stars but was forced to apologise after swearing on live TV.

The former newspaper editor was introducing actress Lindsay Lohan just after 8am when he said most big-name stars "can't be arsed" to appear on the breakfast show.

He was ticked off by co-presenter Susanna Reid and one viewer slammed him as "rude".

As he prepared to interview Lohan, Morgan said: " It's very exciting because we don't often get Hollywood stars sitting on this sofa at this time in the morning because they can't be arsed to get out of bed", before correcting himself and adding: "Can't be bothered to get out of bed."

Reid told him to "excuse your language" before Morgan said "s orry" for the mishap.

In January last year, Morgan also had to apologise after using the word "bollocking" on the programme.

Although one viewer was offended by the remark on Tuesday morning, others saw the funny side.

Jason Whittenham posted on Twitter: "@piersmorgan you do make us laugh.. brilliant", while Tommie Jo wrote: "this guy makes me laugh hollywood stars that cant be #arsed to get outta bed. I spat my coffee out".

Tony Taban said: "@piersmorgan love da (sic) way ya just swear live on telly and not batter an eyelid."

Although Daniel Bunn wrote: "Just been watching gmb and how rude is piers Morgan, saying celebrities can't be arsed to get up", adding: "what is a celebrity these days anyway?"
Alliance leader Naomi Long called two long-serving party members who resigned last month amidst allegations of ageism and racism "balloons" on a secret party Facebook group.

In an exchange with supporters in the 'Alliance Party Activists and Volunteers' group about councillors Geraldine Rice and Vasundhara Kamble, Mrs Long wrote: "These two are complete balloons. They staged a sitdown protest when Anna Lo got a standing ovation because she said in an interview the week before she was in favour of a united Ireland."

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When a party colleague asked if their protest had not stemmed from the fact Alliance president Ms Lo had been picked ahead of Ms Rice for an Assembly seat, Mrs Long answered: "Lol... That was supposedly their reason. Gerri would never be so petty as to take umbrage about a selection surely..."

However, Mrs Long's post did not go unchallenged, with one group member writing: "Two complete balloons? Really Party Leader?? surely some mistake?!!!"

Veteran politician Ms Rice (70), the Alliance Party's longest-serving councillor, told the Belfast Telegraph last month the decision to nominate a colleague as the next mayor of Castlereagh was the "straw that broke the camel's back".

Ms Kamble, who came to Northern Ireland from India in 1995, said that, even after six years as an elected representative, she "never felt welcome in the party".

She said colleagues were "condescending" and tried to make her feel like she was stupid.

At the time Mrs Long denied the allegations, insisting that Alliance was committed to equality and diversity.

The former party councillors said they were backing the SDLP's Pat Catney in the Assembly election, who will be battling for a seat in Lagan Valley with Alliance's Trevor Lunn.

BY CLAIRE O'BOYLE
Mike Nesbitt's plan to transfer his second preference vote to the SDLP could cost unionists the Assembly election, DUP leader Arlene Foster has claimed.

The former First Minister also sounded alarm bells that the British Government could give concessions to Sinn Fein during negotiations to restore the Executive.

But she insisted if republicans increased their demands in the aftermath of the March 2 poll, the DUP would stack up its list of issues "in proportion".

Launching the party's manifesto, an add-on paper to the document it unveiled last May, Mrs Foster labelled the call by the Ulster Unionist leader to vote SDLP "inexplicable, sad and shameful".

She warned there will be constituencies where DUP and Sinn Fein candidates would be slugging it out for the last seat after each constituency was cut from six MLAs to five.

She argued: "The transfers of eliminated Ulster Unionist candidates will be the crucial and deciding factor.

"So, even if the DUP were to have a small first preference vote lead over Sinn Fein, it could well be that Mike Nesbitt's transfer advice could cost unionism the election."

The DUP Manifesto 2017 document also warned of the "danger" the Government could be prepared to compromise with Sinn Fein on the basis of its election mandate.

"This must not be allowed to happen," it said.

Mrs Foster said the SDLP "will do well" to win 10 seats in the Assembly.

And even if the UUP wins every seat where it has a chance, it would not have a higher total of MLAs than the republican party, she added.

"They are not running to win - the UUP are now running to stop the DUP from winning," she claimed.

Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams came in for no less than 12 mentions in a less than 3,000-word address.

However, the DUP leader has denied using the Louth TD as a "bogeyman figure".

But Mrs Foster believes Mr Adams is back in control of Sinn Fein now that Michelle O'Neill is the party's Northern leader, and she warned that all recent polling shows the election will be "neck and neck" between the DUP and Sinn Fein.

"The reality is that every vote for another unionist party is a vote which is lost in the battle to make sure that Sinn Fein does not win this election," she said.

She also stressed she will lead the DUP team in the negotiations after this "unnecessary and, frankly, damaging election".

Apart from taking the First Minister's post, she said a Sinn Fein surge would mean the "persecution" of security force members, demands for a new border poll, a possible republican Justice Minister and a "hugely significant worldwide propaganda boost".

Ulster Unionist Upper Bann candidate Doug Beattie accused her of scaremongering.

"The DUP are clearly desperate and are attempting to whip the unionist electorate into a state of perpetual fear," he said.

"That's why they refused to answer any questions at their manifesto launch."
The Alliance Party plotted to "hijack" a BBC radio phone-in show with fake callers, explosive posts from a secret social media group have revealed.

The party's top Press man sent a series of directives to an inner circle of members - including Naomi Long, David Ford, Paula Bradshaw, Stephen Farry and Chris Lyttle - encouraging grassroots supporters to field "tricky" on-air questions to political opponents and "softballs" to their leader.

Scott Jamison added if people were "stuck" for ideas, "we can email you a few".

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Mr Jamison, head of communications for the party, sent the messages on a 'secret' Facebook group, and said Alliance was once again targeting BBC Radio Ulster's Talkback after it had done so successfully in last year's election while David Ford was leader.

A post by Mr Jamison, dated February 2, said: "Talkback are once again doing a series of phone-in interviews with party leaders ahead of the election. We were pretty successful last year with hijacking the show with a series of callers and texters, so I'm looking to do the same again."

The shock admission, seen by 148 people on the site, went on to tell elected representatives and candidates not to bother, and to leave the calls up to everyone else. He also told the group, which has 195 members, that callers should "feel free to use a fake name and location if you're so inclined" and be sure there was "no saying you're an Alliance member etc".

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Mr Jamison pointed out that Alliance leader Mrs Long would be on the show "in two weeks, so a few supportive callers and texters on that day wouldn't be the worst thing in the world".

He went on to provide contact details for William Crawley's Talkback programme, as well as a schedule detailing when leaders from every party were due to appear.

Not all the group's members were in support of Mr Jamison's instructions, with one commenting: "Have to say I find that deceitful and unethical. Is that not what's wrong with our country at the moment?"

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Another added: "I am disappointed that we as a party think it is okay to do this."

Party veteran Mr Ford engaged in this exchange, but did not appear to condemn the practice.

Keeping on top of members, former journalist Mr Jamison sent a follow-up message on February 13 as a reminder that Mrs Long was due to be on the radio show the next day - stressing that a helpful call would be "much appreciated" by the leader.

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"We could do with some supportive callers/tweeters/texters," he wrote. "It doesn't have to be 'Why are you so amazing?' questions but by the same token, some softballs wouldn't go amiss.

"It should only take a few minutes, so if you would take five out of your working day to give the programme a call, it would be much appreciated by her."

The post, seen by 136 people and 'liked' by 10, received replies including one from former party employee Ian James Parsley - the husband of Alliance Assembly candidate for South Belfast Paula Bradshaw - that said: "Probably best not spouse of candidate either. But just by the way Naomi, why are you so amazing?"

The party leader was tagged in the original post and also in Mr Parsley's response.

In an embarrassing turn, the first of Mr Jamison's messages came just five days after he directed an extensive and tough-talking note at election candidates on January 28, warning them to take care on social media.

He told them anything they did, especially online, had "ramifications".

He wrote: "Journalists will pick up anything you say, particularly when it's written permanently online, and attempt to make a story with it. I know because I've been that journalist and I've done that very thing."

The post went on: "It also goes for this group itself. I've been concerned about a number of comments made over the past number of days in relation to several stories. To the point I'm going to go through and delete those I see fit."

The 'Alliance Party Activists and Volunteers' Facebook group works at the top level of secrecy on the social media site.

In a public group anyone can see the group, its members and their posts. In a closed group anyone can find the group and see who's in it. But in a so-called 'secret', invite-only group like this one, just members can find the group and see its members.

Today's revelations also raise questions for the BBC, whose Monday-Friday Talkback show receives calls from members of the public on politics and the biggest news stories of the day.

On February 2 Mr Jamison told members of the secret Alliance Facebook group: "You don't have to identify yourself with anything other than your name and location."

He added: "The show is on at 12, but you'd probably need to call in 10/15 minutes beforehand to speak to the producers before you go on air."

Yesterday BBC Northern Ireland said: "Our radio phone-in programmes regularly attract a high volume of callers who want to ask questions or share their views live on air. In line with our editorial and elections guidelines, our production teams do their best to assess and identify each caller to ensure they contribute to a fair and balanced discussion which our presenters chair live."

The corporation's editorial Election Guidelines 2017 warn producers to "be alert to organised campaigns or lobbying by parties, pressure groups, candidates or people acting on their behalf". The advice goes on to say that if "organised lobbying is suspected during the election period, contributors may be asked to provide contact details for verification purposes".

Last night the TUV's Jim Allister said having the "fake calls" practice exposed would cause problems for Alliance.

"Alliance like to paint themselves as whiter than white," he said. "But here they are perfecting subterfuge in organising fake calls to media outlets. That is disreputable in itself, but it is an indication of the panic they are feeling in this election if they have to jam the phonelines with favourable callers as if they're worried about real people.

"The fact this is now being exposed will cause the party more damage than they (would) ever (have) gained from it.

"I have never heard of this being done on such magnitude, in such an orchestrated fashion. They like to be the party of openness and transparency, and here they are conniving to rig phone-ins."

What the party said in response...

In a statement, a spokesperson for Alliance said: The Alliance Activists group is an informal, private forum run by activists and occasionally contributed to by elected representatives and others.

Its style is often light-hearted and tongue-in-cheek, which is well understood by everyone involved.

Any reference to phone-in shows were very obviously made in that tongue-in-cheek style.

Encouraging, not instructing, party members and supporters, who are members of the public themselves, to call in to public phone-ins is standard practice in all political parties. The selection of questions is down to the host and listening to the show, it is clear few Alliance calls were taken.

Our elected representatives are tagged in hundreds of posts a day and obviously dont see them all. It is also clear when any serious questions were brought to their attention in the forum, including recent resignations, serious and respectful answers were given.

We would be surprised if every other party does not have a similar outlet, where conversations of an equally candid and tongue-in-cheek manner take place. We would, however, be surprised if all were as tame.
Alliance leader Naomi Long described her party's manifesto as a "vision for all the people of Northern Ireland".

The party is fielding 21 candidates in the March 2 vote.

Mrs Long, who is standing for East Belfast, launched the party's manifesto - 'How to Change Northern Ireland for Good' - at an event at the Park Avenue Hotel on Tuesday.

She said the manifesto showcased the need for change and to make politics work better.

"This manifesto highlights Alliance's desire for good Government, good relations, good prospects, good services and good leadership, steps which we believe need to happen to help move Northern Ireland forward," she said.

"There is evidence of a change in mood for many people. The public are sick and tired of corruption, cronyism and incompetence, and want the reforms necessary to create a health service that delivers, an education service that works and an economy that benefits everyone.

"But a vote for Alliance is not simply a protest vote. As this manifesto shows, instead it is a vote for a party offering something positive, with a proven track record of leadership. For a party who has shown competence for Government, diligence in opposition and with a vision for all in Northern Ireland, not just some.

"This is the chance to change things and change them for good. If people take the opportunity, they can make a difference."

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Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Alliance Party Leader Naomi Long launches Alliance Assembly Election 2017 Manifesto. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press Alliance Party Leader Naomi Long at the Alliance Assembly Election 2017 Manifesto Launch at the Park Avenue Hotel in East Belfast on Tuesday. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 20/02/2017 Alliance Party Leader Naomi Long with Deputy Leader Stephen Farry during the Alliance Assembly Election 2017 Manifesto Launch at the Park Avenue Hotel in East Belfast on Tuesday. The Election takes place on the 2nd of March. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 20/02/2017 Alliance Party Leader Naomi Long with Deputy Leader Stephen Farry during the Alliance Assembly Election 2017 Manifesto Launch at the Park Avenue Hotel in East Belfast on Tuesday. The Election takes place on the 2nd of March. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press Alliance Party Leader Naomi Long launches Alliance Assembly Election 2017 Manifesto. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press Alliance Party Leader Naomi Long launches Alliance Assembly Election 2017 Manifesto. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press Alliance Party Leader Naomi Long launches Alliance Assembly Election 2017 Manifesto. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press Alliance Party Leader Naomi Long launches Alliance Assembly Election 2017 Manifesto. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press Alliance Party Leader Naomi Long launches Alliance Assembly Election 2017 Manifesto. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press / Facebook

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Whatsapp Alliance Party Leader Naomi Long launches Alliance Assembly Election 2017 Manifesto. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press
Alliance leader Naomi Long has responded to the Belfast Telegraph over revelations senior figures in her party were involved in a plot to "hijack" a BBC programme.

This newspaper exclusively revealed a secret Alliance Facebook group and messages sent out by the party's director of communications urging supporters to call into Radio Ulster's TalkBack show.

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Tuesday, saw the Alliance leader take to the stage for her party's manifesto launch at a Belfast hotel.

Responding to a question from journalist Claire O'Boyle whose exclusive Belfast Telegraph report caused shockwaves through the election campaign, Mrs Long said the messages may have been of more concern to her 'had they been serious'.

She said: "The comments made were tongue in cheek precisely because we often struggle to even get our people invited places on audience debates.

"So the tongue in cheek was quite clear."

She added: "I hope that you will include on your front page tomorrow the fact that I was able - despite having flu - that I was able to take questions.

"I noticed that the paper buried on half a page inside the paper today the fact our former first minister didn't take any questions at her manifesto launch.

"And so I think in the spirit of journalism, it will be interesting to see what prominence our willingness to answer questions and be open and accountable will be given in the paper tomorrow."

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Alliance Party Leader Naomi Long at the Alliance Assembly Election 2017 Manifesto Launch at the Park Avenue Hotel in East Belfast on Tuesday. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 20/02/2017 Alliance Party Leader Naomi Long with Deputy Leader Stephen Farry during the Alliance Assembly Election 2017 Manifesto Launch at the Park Avenue Hotel in East Belfast on Tuesday. The Election takes place on the 2nd of March. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 20/02/2017 Alliance Party Leader Naomi Long with Deputy Leader Stephen Farry during the Alliance Assembly Election 2017 Manifesto Launch at the Park Avenue Hotel in East Belfast on Tuesday. The Election takes place on the 2nd of March. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press Alliance Party Leader Naomi Long launches Alliance Assembly Election 2017 Manifesto. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press Alliance Party Leader Naomi Long launches Alliance Assembly Election 2017 Manifesto. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press Alliance Party Leader Naomi Long launches Alliance Assembly Election 2017 Manifesto. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press Alliance Party Leader Naomi Long launches Alliance Assembly Election 2017 Manifesto. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press Alliance Party Leader Naomi Long launches Alliance Assembly Election 2017 Manifesto. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press Alliance Party Leader Naomi Long launches Alliance Assembly Election 2017 Manifesto. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press / Facebook

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Whatsapp Alliance Party Leader Naomi Long at the Alliance Assembly Election 2017 Manifesto Launch at the Park Avenue Hotel in East Belfast on Tuesday. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press

Yesterday the DUP leader Arlene Foster refused to take questions from the media at her party's manifesto launch. She told supporters and Press she had "man flu".

The story and updates to it, were the lead articles on the Belfast Telegraph website for most of the day. The lead article on Mrs Foster's man flu was the most read story of Monday.

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Naomi Long at the launch of the Alliance Party's manifesto at the Park Avenue Hotel in east Belfast (Alliance Party/PA)

The 800 million annual cost of a segregated society is the "real scandal" of Northern Ireland's government, the Alliance Party leader has said.

Naomi Long said the botched Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme - which is approximately 490m over budget - is a "scandal", but added that the "real scandal" is the cost of division within the region.

She said: "RHI is a scandal not to be sniffed at, but 800 million a year on the cost of division, serving a segregated society, is the real scandal which any executive post this election needs to be able to challenge."

Mrs Long was referring to a report produced last year by Ulster University's Economic Policy Centre for the Department of Finance which said public services incur additional annual costs of up to 833 million in which division may be a factor.

Speaking at the launch of the party's manifesto - How To Change Northern Ireland For Good - the East Belfast Assembly candidate said that Alliance celebrates "diversity as a strength, rather than exploit differences as a weakness".

"That is in stark contrast to the fear-filled rhetoric we have heard from many others in this campaign," she added.

Referring to "the scourge of paramilitarism" in Northern Ireland, Mrs Long said that a "cohesive, coherent plan" is needed from the executive to tackle the threat.

She also raised concern over the lack of clarity from the DUP in relation to a major donation received by the party for its Brexit campaign.

More than a quarter of a million pounds is believed to have been donated to the party to promote its Leave Europe message.

Currently donations to political parties in Northern Ireland are kept confidential for fear of identifying donors.

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Alliance Party Leader Naomi Long at the Alliance Assembly Election 2017 Manifesto Launch at the Park Avenue Hotel in East Belfast on Tuesday. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 20/02/2017 Alliance Party Leader Naomi Long during the Alliance Assembly Election 2017 Manifesto Launch at the Park Avenue Hotel in East Belfast on Tuesday. The Election takes place on the 2nd of March. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 20/02/2017 Alliance Party Leader Naomi Long during the Alliance Assembly Election 2017 Manifesto Launch at the Park Avenue Hotel in East Belfast on Tuesday. The Election takes place on the 2nd of March. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 20/02/2017 Alliance Party Leader Naomi Long with a young supporter during the Alliance Assembly Election 2017 Manifesto Launch at the Park Avenue Hotel in East Belfast on Tuesday. The Election takes place on the 2nd of March. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press Alliance Party Leader Naomi Long with Deputy Leader Stephen Farry and Paula Bradshaw during the Alliance Assembly Election 2017 Manifesto Launch at the Park Avenue Hotel in East Belfast on Tuesday. The Election takes place on the 2nd of March. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 20/02/2017 Alliance Party Leader Naomi Long with Deputy Leader Stephen Farry during the Alliance Assembly Election 2017 Manifesto Launch at the Park Avenue Hotel in East Belfast on Tuesday. The Election takes place on the 2nd of March. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 20/02/2017 Alliance Party Leader Naomi Long with Deputy Leader Stephen Farry during the Alliance Assembly Election 2017 Manifesto Launch at the Park Avenue Hotel in East Belfast on Tuesday. The Election takes place on the 2nd of March. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 20/02/2017 Alliance Party Leader Naomi Long with Deputy Leader Stephen Farry during the Alliance Assembly Election 2017 Manifesto Launch at the Park Avenue Hotel in East Belfast on Tuesday. The Election takes place on the 2nd of March. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press Alliance Party Leader Naomi Long launches Alliance Assembly Election 2017 Manifesto. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press Alliance Party Leader Naomi Long launches Alliance Assembly Election 2017 Manifesto. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press / Facebook

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Whatsapp Alliance Party Leader Naomi Long at the Alliance Assembly Election 2017 Manifesto Launch at the Park Avenue Hotel in East Belfast on Tuesday. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press

However, Mrs Long insisted that clarity is needed around political donations.

She added that "250,000 of a donation was made to a party, possibly the largest (donation) in Northern Ireland's political history, and yet no one in Northern Ireland can know from whom that donation was received".

Making a joke in reference to DUP leader Arlene Foster, Mrs Long said that she had "the lurgy" but would still be taking questions.

On Monday Mrs Foster did not take questions from the media after the launch of the DUP manifesto.

She said she had "man flu" and a DUP spokesman said she was "too ill" to take questions.
Belfast has been named the UK's worst city for traffic congestion

Belfast has been named the UK's worst city for traffic congestion.

Drivers spend up to 200 hours a year stuck in jams - and the problem is getting worse, a survey has revealed.

Overall congestion in Belfast is up 3% on last year and is at the highest level since satnav company TomTom began its ranking in 2008.

Belfast now outstrips UK cities such as London and Birmingham for traffic chaos - and is the 18th most congested city in the world.

Today's report shows:

The most congested road was the M2/Nelson Street/York Link junction.

Drivers in Belfast spend an extra 87% of their time stuck in traffic at peak morning and evening times compared to a free flow situation.

Congestion in Belfast adds up to 200 hours of extra travel time per year - an average of 8.3 days a year.

The most congested day in Belfast last year was Tuesday, November 15 when a lorry lost its load, causing gridlock across the city and delaying a Northern Ireland football match.

Roads expert Wesley Johnston said it was clear Belfast was a very car-dependent city.

"This is in keeping with all UK cities, but the effect is more pronounced in Belfast due to the Troubles," he said.

"The violence tended to create a greater decrease in the use of public transport, as buses were routinely being hijacked, and encouraged a greater degree of movement to suburbs and satellite towns to escape the city, leading to an increase in commuting.

"Until around the millennium, it was still official Government policy here to try to meet demand with road building.

"It has since been accepted that the only way to accommodate all the cars that want to use the city streets would be road widening and demolition on a scale that would destroy much of the city centre.

"The resultant decision not to keep up with demand leads inevitably to increasing congestion."

Mr Johnston said total journey time was more important to people than the percentage congestion level, which is how TomTom measures journeys.

"It is relevant that Belfast is a small city - there is open countryside less than two miles from City Hall," he added.

"For example, a journey in Belfast that takes 30 minutes off-peak might take an hour in the rush hour, whereas a commute in London that takes two hours off-peak might take three hours in the rush hour.

"Although the former is technically more congested, it is still a shorter commute time-wise."

The TomTom Traffic Index 2016 details the cities around the world with the worst congestion.

Nationally, the UK's traffic congestion level has increased by 5% since last year.

Drivers are now spending an average extra five days a year in jams.

Ten other UK cities are in the top 100, including Edinburgh, London, Manchester, Bristol and Newcastle. The only other country to have more cities in the top 100 was China.

Although London is the third most congested city in the UK, when looking at the global picture of cities with a population of more than 800,000, it becomes the first UK city to be referenced - coming in at number 25.

In Europe, Bucharest (50%) knocked Moscow (44%) off last year's top spot for most congested large city. Mexico City is the most congested city in the world, with drivers facing an average of 66% extra travel time.
Police and ATO at the scene of a security alert in the Conway Street area of West Belfast on 21st February 2017 . (Photo - Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Police and ATO at the scene of a security alert in the Conway Street area of West Belfast on 21st February 2017 . (Photo - Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Pipe bombs and ammunition, thought to be linked to the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA), have been found at house in the Conway Street area of west Belfast.

Army technical officers examined a number of suspicious objects discovered during the search of the house and declared them to be pipe bomb-type devices.

All of the items have now been removed for further examination.

Conway Street, which was earlier closed due to the alert, has now reopened to traffic and evacuated residents allowed to return to their homes.

Detective Chief Inspector Pete Mullan said: "The search, which was part of an ongoing investigation into organised criminality associated to INLA by detectives from PSNIs Reactive and Organised Crime Branch, uncovered 5 pipe bombs and a quantity of ammunition.

"These are for one purpose only - to kill and injure people. Todays operation demonstrates our ongoing commitment to keep people safe in our communities.

"Information from the community is vital and I would continue to ask for the public to report any suspicious activity to police on 101 or if you wish to remain anonymous, through Crimestoppers on 0800 555111."

The UUP's Fred Rodgers said: "The news that Police have managed to recover five pipe bombs and a quantity of ammunition during an operation in the Conway Street area of west Belfast will be welcomed by everyone who cares about public safety and supports the rule of law.

"I understand that the Police are linking the find to the INLA. There is no place in our society for any group that seeks to impose its will on communities by the threat of, or use of force.

"Criminal gangs are causing misery to too many people in too many communities and it is essential that people give the Police every assistance by providing them with information so that the Police can root out these gangs and put them out of business."

The SDLP's Alex Attwood said the INLA represent a "serious threat to people's welfare".

He said: "Today's arms find is a welcome intervention against terror and criminality. It is the type of firm policing that is needed. We need it month in and month out, year in and year out.

"That is what I have been saying to the police. That is what gives people confidence. That is what will encourage people to further help the police in their efforts.

"The INLA represent a serious threat to the welfare of people and the community. All must face it down."
The family of solicitor Pat Finucane are considering fresh legal options after losing a court challenge against the Government's refusal to hold a public inquiry into his murder.

An application to the Supreme Court or a civil claim for damages against the authorities are two of the avenues that will be explored in the wake of the latest setback, Mr Finucane's son John said.

"This is very much unfinished business," he said after the Appeal Court ruling in Belfast.

His pledge followed a judgment that also revealed detectives are in the final stages of an investigation linked to the 1989 murder. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) subsequently confirmed an initial report has been sent to the region's Public Prosecution Service (PPS) for assessment.

The murdered solicitor's widow Geraldine, who witnessed his shooting in 1989, had appealed against a judgment that found the 2011 decision by then Prime Minister David Cameron to reject a public inquiry was lawful.

Three Court of Appeal judges in Belfast rejected her challenge on Tuesday.

Mr Finucane, 38, who represented a number of high-profile republicans, was shot dead by loyalist paramilitaries in front of his wife and three children at their north Belfast home in February 1989.

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The killing, one of the most notorious of The Troubles, is shrouded in controversy amid allegations that the security forces colluded with the gunmen from the outlawed Ulster Defence Association (UDA).

Lawyers for the Finucane family have repeatedly argued that the Government made a commitment to hold an inquiry during peace process negotiations at Weston Park in 2001.

In their ruling, the Court of Appeal judges acknowledged that a pledge to hold an inquiry had been made.

But they upheld the Government's right to balance public interest factors, such as costs, when, years later, it opted to commission a review of case papers by QC Sir Desmond de Silva rather than instigate an inquiry.

In publishing his findings in 2012, Sir Desmond said he had uncovered "new and significant" material. The Appeal Court was told that a PSNI investigation into that evidence was nearing completion.

In 2015, Mr Justice Stephens ruled that Mr Cameron's actions had been lawful and that a full-blown public inquiry would be costly, protracted and could not be confined to narrow issues surrounding the loyalist shooting nearly 30 years ago.

The three Appeal Court judges backed his findings.

Delivering their judgment, Lord Justice Gillen said the Government had been transparent in its deliberations on whether the public interest would be served by holding a potentially lengthy inquiry.

"We conclude that not only was this reasoning transparent but, based on all the range of public interest factors under consideration, it was a lawful decision by the Government, within its discretion, that it should not be held bound to maintain a policy of instituting a public inquiry in this instance," he said.

In his scathing report, Sir Desmond detailed shocking levels of state involvement in the case.

That included spreading malicious propaganda suggesting Mr Finucane was sympathetic to the IRA; one or possibly more police officers proposing him as a target to loyalists; and the mishandling of state agents inside the UDA who were involved in the murder.

While he found no evidence of an overarching conspiracy by the authorities to target the solicitor, Sir Desmond said the actions of a number of state employees had "furthered and facilitated'' the shooting.

He also said there had been efforts to thwart the subsequent criminal investigation.

While he was prime minister, Mr Cameron apologised to the Finucane family in the House of Commons.

Outside court on Tuesday, Mrs Finucane said she was disappointed but not angered by the judgment.

"One thing we will have to follow up on is the fact that the police are now investigating all the new evidence that de Silva uncovered," she said.

"Nobody knows what that is. Nobody knows at what level it's happened. So we will await that with much interest."

Asked if she would consider an appeal to the UK Supreme Court, Mrs Finucane said: "We will be looking at it most seriously."

John Finucane said the family would also be considering a potential civil action.

"That would be an option, yes," he said, before again highlighting the option of a Supreme Court bid.

Detective Superintendent Jason Murphy, from the PSNI's Legacy Investigation Branch, said detectives had sought to identify the new and significant material to consider "whether it presents any credible opportunity to progress the investigation into the murder of Pat Finucane".

He added: "An initial report relating to that material has been submitted to the Public Prosecution Service but further consideration of the de Silva material is required before the PSNI's conclusions can be fully considered by the PPS."
A Free Presbyterian minister has branded a book which promotes humanism in primary schools as "exploitation" of young minds.

Rev David McIlveen said there should be a "clear barrier" between the message of humanism and young children.

His comments come after Northern Ireland Humanists revealed it has been sending out free copies of the book, What is Humanism? to primary and secondary schools across the province.

The non-fiction children's book by authors Michael Rosen and Annemarie Young explores humanist views of morality and ethics and the relationship between religion and the state.

The books are being delivered to upper primary and lower secondary pupils following a crowdfunding campaign.

Northern Ireland Humanists, part of the British Humanist Association (BHA) charity, represent non-religious people in Northern Ireland.

The book also features content provided by broadcaster Stephen Fry, writer and broadcaster Natalie Haynes, and best-selling author Philip Pullman, who are all patrons of the BHA.

Rev McIlveen, who has retired from Sandown Free Presbyterian Church in east Belfast, said that while it's important not to censor literature, there is also a right to challenge the contents of the book.

"We know that humanism is basically anti-God and therefore anti-Christian," he said. "I think to advocate humanism can't go unchallenged and I think it is important that people do have the opportunity to challenge that and I would appeal to Christian parents particularly to express a very strong and vocal opposition to the message of humanism.

"I feel that for a child of primary school age, humanism is not something that should be put into their mind.

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"I think that they are far too young to even make that decision as to the rights and wrongs of humanism and I think this is an exploitation of young people to try and indoctrinate them into a view that many people in Northern Ireland would reject.

"I would feel very strongly about the fact there should be a clear barrier between the message of humanism and impressionable minds."

Northern Ireland Humanists trains and accredits celebrants here who non-religious humanist weddings, funerals, and naming ceremonies. It also provides trained pastoral carers in hospitals and prisons, alongside school speakers who can help teachers with delivering lessons on humanism.

Northern Ireland Humanists coordinator Boyd Sleator said the local religious curriculum is "dominated" by the Christian religions.

"It's important that schoolchildren also have the opportunity to reflect widely on the different beliefs and values that make up our society and the world we live in today," he said.

"Michael Rosen and Annemarie Young have created an excellent introduction to humanism, which is the name given to those rational, non-religious, ethical values which thousands of people across Northern Ireland rely on every day.

"Children across Northern Ireland now have a resource designed with them in mind so they can improve their understanding of humanism."
Ammunition and pipe bombs thought to be linked to the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) have been seized in Belfast.

The republican paramilitary splinter group said it destroyed its arms in 2010 as part of the Northern Ireland peace process.

It declared a ceasefire in 1998 but was suspected of involvement in a number of murders since then.

Among its most high-profile Troubles victims was Conservative Northern Ireland spokesman Airey Neave.

Police revealed they are conducting an ongoing probe into continued criminality by the group.

Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) detective chief inspector Pete Mullan said: "The search, which was part of an ongoing investigation into organised criminality associated to INLA by detectives from PSNI's Reactive and Organised Crime Branch, uncovered five pipe bombs and a quantity of ammunition.

"These are for one purpose only - to kill and injure people.

"Today's operation demonstrates our ongoing commitment to keep people safe in our communities."

The cache of explosives was found at a house in Conway Street in west Belfast.

The INLA was a much smaller group than the Provisional IRA but was capable of ruthless slaughter.

It was believed to have been responsible for more than 120 murders from its formation in 1975 until its ceasefire in 1998.

A report on paramilitarism was ordered following a 2015 killing by members of the Provisionals which jeopardised the powersharing institutions at Stormont.

It said the structures of the INLA remained in existence but there was little evidence of centralised control.

There were indications the INLA was attempting to recruit new members.

It continued to have access to some arms and was heavily involved in criminality, the report said.

Ulster Unionist Stormont Assembly candidate for next month's poll Fred Rodgers said: "There is no place in our society for any group that seeks to impose its will on communities by the threat of, or use of force."
Conan Anderson, 22, died after suffering a head injury during a night out in Belfast

A man has been charged with the manslaughter of another man who died two weeks after sustaining a head injury on a night out.

Conan Anderson, 22, from the Short Strand in east Belfast, died in hospital at the weekend.

A 27-year-old-man arrested on Tuesday morning in Belfast has been charged with manslaughter.

He is due to appear in court in the city on Wednesday morning.

Detectives have established that the fatal incident occurred in the early hours of Monday February 6 in the Arthur Lane area of Belfast.

Mr Anderson was admitted to hospital later that day.
A coalition of business leaders in Northern Ireland has voiced support for the North South Interconnector ahead of the resumption of a public inquiry into the controversial electricity project.

The NI Chamber, CBI NI, Institute of Directors, Federation of Small Businesses, Centre for Competitiveness, and the Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association are among those backing the stalled 200 million-plus scheme.

While advocates claim the link between the electricity grids on both sides of the border is vital for the island's energy market, opponents insist it will have negative environmental and health impacts.

Planning permission for the southern section through counties Meath, Cavan and Monaghan has been approved, though that decision is set to face a number of legal challenges.

The planning decision on the section through counties Armagh and Tyrone in Northern Ireland will only be made at the conclusion of the public inquiry, which resumes hearings in Armagh on Wednesday.

In total, the interconnector would involve 85 miles of overhead lines and pylons.

Kirsty McManus, from the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the project was significant for Northern Ireland businesses.

"Businesses and employers need access to electricity in the most cost efficient manner possible, and the proposed interconnector is key to achieving this," she said.

"It is an essential piece of infrastructure which will allow the all-island electricity market to do what it was designed to do - achieve savings for all consumers north and south."

SONI (System Operator for Northern Ireland) is overseeing the northern half of the project.

Robin McCormick, general manager of SONI, said: "The North South Interconnector is without doubt the single most important infrastructure project on the island today.

"It is urgently required and will reduce costs for consumers north and south, by allowing the single electricity market to work as efficiently as possible, which is particularly good news for business.

"The public inquiry is an opportunity for everyone with an interest in the project to participate in an independent planning process and we are pleased that this project, so critical to the Northern Ireland economy, has reached this stage."
A Northern Ireland man has been charged with being drunk onboard a flight to Ibiza.

Ruairi McNally (24) of Kilrea Road, Upperlands, Co Londonderry, is alleged to have committed the offence on September 1 last year.

His case was mentioned at Antrim Magistrates Court on Tuesday. He was not present in the courtroom.

No facts surrounding the alleged incident were outlined to the court. Defence solicitor Sean McQuaid said representations will be made to the Public Prosecution Service and asked for the case to be put back.

The case has been adjourned until March.
The man claimed he had been left with no feelings in his thumbs or first fingers after the officer from the PSNI "squeezed as tightly as he could" while closing the handcuffs

A police officer has been cleared of causing "possible lifelong injuries" to a man by closing handcuffs so tightly that he suffered "suspected nerve damage".

The man claimed he had been left with no feelings in his thumbs or first fingers after the officer from the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) "squeezed as tightly as he could" while closing the handcuffs.

However, an investigation by the Police Ombudsman has found there was insufficient evidence to suggest any wrongdoing by the officer.

The man was arrested in Larne in August 2016.

He claimed that he had "begged and begged" for the handcuffs to be loosened while being transported in a police cell van to a custody suite in Belfast, but his pleas were ignored.

He said his hands went numb and that he heard the two officers in the van laughing.

He also alleged that an officer refused him permission to use the toilet before he was placed in the van.

A Police Ombudsman investigator obtained accounts from the officers involved, as well as an independent witness who had seen the arrest.

The witness said the man had been struggling with police as he was being taken to the police van, and said he then heard banging from inside the van and an officer asking the man to stop.

The witness added that none of the officers had acted inappropriately during the arrest.

The officer who applied the handcuffs said he had complied with police procedures, checking them for tightness and double locking them.

A report by a police doctor who examined the man noted that there were marks on a number of places on his arms.

The Police Ombudsman investigator said this suggested that the handcuffs had had a degree of movement, rather than having been locked tightly in one place.

Other medical evidence suggested that the man may have sustained injuries to his wrists months previously.

Witnesses also recalled that the man had been offered the use of a nearby bathroom, but had refused and asked to use one upstairs.

The investigator also noted that the man did not specifically allege that the officers had been laughing at him, simply that they had been laughing.

She concluded that there was insufficient evidence to support disciplinary action against any officer and closed the man's complaint as unsubstantiated.
Police had to be called to Belfast International Airport to assist with a would-be passenger who was being aggressive toward staff whilst he was drunk in the early morning

Krzysztof Swierzko (25), of Cushendall Road in Ballyvoy near Ballycastle, was intending to fly to Poland to visit his ill-father, but was ejected from the airport on Monday morning because of his behaviour.

He was arrested and after spending the night in custody appeared at Antrim Magistrates' Court on Tuesday where he pleaded guilty to a charge of disorderly behaviour.

A prosecutor told the court police were called at 6.05am to assist with the removal of a passenger who was at the departure gate wanting to catch an outbound flight to Poland.

The prosecutor said the defendant had consumed too much alcohol and was "aggressive" to airport staff and police.

He was shouting and waving his arms about as he was escorted from the terminal.

When arrested he continued to act in an aggressive manner at a police custody suite, the prosecutor added.

Defence solicitor Steven Ewing said his client was travelling back to Poland to visit his ill father.

He said the defendant, who has a job in Northern Ireland with a solar panel firm, had taken drink the night before and had continued drinking at the airport.

He said his client did not have much memory of what happened but wished to apologise for his actions.

The lawyer said the defendant had to spend the night in custody but that he had entered a guilty plea at an early stage.

Deputy District Judge Peter Prenter said the type of incident "seems to be more common-type behaviour" and said passengers and staff were inconvenienced.

He said the defendant was in "severe danger" of being jailed but took into account his limited criminal record and the guilty plea.

He told Swierzko he was facing "quite serious matters" but he suspended a three month jail term for a year.

The judge warned the defendant: "Stay out of trouble".
Tributes have been paid to a seven-year-old girl from Cushendall who died following a short illness.

It's believed Bronagh Kinney died at the Royal Victoria Hospital for Sick Children in Belfast just days after becoming ill with meningitis.

She was a primary four pupil at Glena Primary School in Cushendall. Bronagh was part of many sporting groups - all of which paid tribute to her.

Parish priest Fr Luke McWilliams told the Belfast Telegraph that her family are getting a lot of support from the community.

He said: "Bronagh was a lovely wee girl and she was really looking forward to her First Communion this year.

"She was very popular in her school, and she would be very much missed by the community.

"They are getting a lot of support from the community and they are coping remarkably well considering the tragic nature of the little girl's death.

He added: "It's every parent's nightmare."

Cushendall Camogie Club of which Bronagh was one of their Under 8 players said they were "saddened" to hear of her passing.

It said: "We would like to extend our sympathy to the entire Kinney family at this sad time."

The Glens Youth Club said: "The committee, staff and members of The Glens Youth Club are saddened to learn of the tragic passing of our junior member Bronagh Kinney RIP.

"The thoughts and prayers of everyone at The Glens Youth Club are with Shane, Gina, Michael, Clodagh, Liam, Niall and the entire Kinney family at this sad time."

Ruairi OG CLG camogie club said it was "tragic news" and that the thoughts and prayers of the club were with the Kinney family.

The young girl's funeral will take place on Wednesday at St Mary's Church in Cushendall.
A 2.5 million retail development at Belfast International Airport is expected to create 35 jobs

Work has begun on a 2.5 million retail, food and fuel forecourt at Belfast International Airport.

A total of 35 full and part-time jobs will be created, generating about 500,000 in wages.

The contract to build on the 1.6-acre site was awarded to building and civil engineering contractors, RJ McKelvey Ltd of Castlederg, County Tyrone.

Robert McKelvey from RJ McKelvey Ltd said: "We're delighted to have won this important contract.

"This is a home-grown company awarding a contract to another local firm, and that means it's a win-win for the local economy."

Developer Moorefield Contracts said RJ McKelvey Ltd had the right level of know-how and experience to complete the privately-financed construction project.

Canice Mallaghan, of Moorefield Contracts, said: "A proven track record in construction, combined with an ability to stick to budget, were important factors in awarding the contract to RJ McKelvey Ltd.

"We're pleased that the work is going to be carried out by a local firm that has earned an enviable reputation over its 31 years in operation.

"We have some top high street names lined up to take space in our development."
A darts fan from Northern Ireland spent two nights behind bars in Scotland for trapping a policeman in his car and then attacking another officer who was trying to arrest him.

Drunken John Moorehead missed his flight back to Northern Ireland, leaving his mother to look after his children for longer than arranged.

And Moorehead, of Newtownards, Co Down, was warned he faces being locked up again if he fails to return to face justice following his conduct towards Police Scotland officers.

The details emerged yesterday when Moorehead (40) appeared in the dock at Paisley Sheriff Court over his weekend antics.

He struck a deal with prosecutors which saw him pleading guilty to three of the four charges he faced.

He admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner which was likely to cause a reasonable person to suffer fear or alarm by shouting, swearing, threatening violence and trapping PC Fraser Murray in his police car.

The first charge he admitted stated that he did "lean against the front offside door of the police vehicle there, which was stationary in the roadway, whereby Fraser Murray PC was unable to open the door from said vehicle."

And he also admitted assaulting PC Euan McMillan by grabbing him by the body armour and trying to punch him during the melee in New Street, Paisley, Renfrewshire, on Saturday, February 18.

Moorehead also pleaded guilty to shouting and swearing and hurling more threats of violence when he was taken to Helen Street police station, in the Govan area of Glasgow, to be processed for the offences.

In exchange for those guilty pleas, prosecutors dropped a fourth charge that Moorhead had struggled with four police officers - PCs McMillan and Murray and officers Douglas McGlynn and Michael MacAuley.

The exact details of Moorehead's rampage were not revealed in court and defence solicitor Waqqas Ashraf asked for him to be released on bail adding: "He is from Northern Ireland.

"He is fully aware he will have to return for sentencing.

"This is in relation to drink and a separation.

"He was here in Scotland for a darts event.

"His mother was looking after the children and, clearly, he was to go back to look after them."

As Sheriff David Pender deferred sentence until next month and called for background reports, he said: "I have two options here - grant you bail until the date given or remand you in custody for a period of up to 28 days.

"I'm going to give you bail, it seems you have young kids to look after.

"If you do not attend on the next occasion, a warrant will be granted for your arrest, you will be brought back over here and you will not get bail.

"If you care for your kids and hope to keep caring for them, you'll be here on the next occasion."
US President Donald Trump shakes hands with H.R. McMaster (L) as his national security adviser at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, on February 20, 2017. AFP/Getty Images

US President Donald Trump has chosen army Lt Gen HR McMaster as his new national security adviser.

Mr Trump announced the choice on Monday at his Palm Beach club, Mar-a-Lago.

He said Lt Gen McMaster is "a man of tremendous talent and tremendous experience".

Mr Trump said retired army Lt Gen Keith Kellogg, who had been his acting adviser, will now serve as the National Security Council chief of staff.

The president had been looking for a replacement for retired general Michael Flynn, who was ousted last week.

Mr Trump pushed out Mr Flynn last Monday after revelations he misled Vice President Mike Pence about discussing sanctions with Russia's ambassador to the US during the presidential transition.

Mr Trump said in a news conference on Thursday that he was disappointed by how Mr Flynn had treated Mr Pence, but did not believe Mr Flynn had done anything wrong by having the conversations.

Retired Vice Admiral Robert Harward, Mr Trump's first choice to replace Mr Flynn, turned down the offer.
An Israeli military court has sentenced a soldier to 18 months in prison for his fatal shooting of a Palestinian attacker who lay wounded on the ground, capping a legal saga that has deeply divided the country.

The sentence for Sergeant Elor Azaria, which included a year's probation and a demotion in rank, was lighter than expected. Prosecutors had asked for three to five years, and Palestinians dismissed the term as a "joke".

Several hundred protesters had gathered outside the Tel Aviv court hoping to see the soldier walk free. Azaria is to start serving his term on March 5, and politicians immediately called for him to be pardoned.

"Even if he erred, Elor should not sit in prison. We will all pay the price," said education minister Naftali Bennett, leader of the nationalist Jewish Home Party and an early supporter of the soldier.

The Palestinians said the sentence would encourage Israeli soldiers to use excessive force.

"This sentence is a joke, and it shows how much discrimination Israeli courts practise against Palestinians," said Issa Karaka, the Palestinian government minister for prisoners.

Azaria was convicted of manslaughter last month in a rare case of a military court ruling against a combat soldier for lethal action in the field.

The verdict marked a victory for commanders who said Azaria had violated the army's code of ethics, but the soldier generated great support among the public, many of whom see him as a scapegoat for a misguided elite punishing a soldier who they say responded to an armed attacker trying to kill other soldiers.

Azaria, an army medic, was caught in a video last March as he fatally shot the wounded Palestinian, just after the man stabbed a soldier in the West Bank city of Hebron.

The Palestinian, Abdel Fattah al-Sharif, was lying on the ground badly wounded and unarmed when Azaria shot him in the head.

The dead Palestinian's father, Yousri al-Sharif, said the sentence made a mockery of justice. "If one of us killed an animal they would have put him in jail for God knows how long. They are only making fun of us," he said.

Fathi al-Sharif, an uncle of the Palestinian, said: "It's not a punishment. This will encourage other soldiers to do the same."

The shooting occurred at the height of a wave of Israeli-Palestinian violence. Since September 2015, Palestinian attackers have carried out numerous stabbing and shooting attacks that have killing 41 Israelis and two visiting Americans.

During the same time, Israeli forces have killed 235 Palestinians, most of them attackers.

Palestinians and human rights groups have accused Israeli forces of using excessive force in some of the cases and even harming innocent people mistaken as attackers.

But in the absence of concrete evidence, they have been unable to prove these claims. The video of the Azaria shooting, taken by a Palestinian human rights activist, was the strongest evidence to date to support the Palestinian claims.

Azaria's defenders said he shot the assailant in self-defence, and hardline politicians said he should be either cleared or released with a light penalty.

"The prosecution was thirsty for Elor's blood and the sentencing proves that," Yoram Sheftel, one of the soldier's lawyers, said outside the court.

But his detractors, including senior military commanders, said his actions violated military procedures.

The uproar has put the army in a delicate position. Military service is compulsory for Israel's Jewish majority, and there is widespread sympathy for soldiers, since virtually every family has a member who is serving or has served in the past.

Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who initially defended the military, later softened his position and called Azaria's parents to console them. After the verdict last month, he called for Azaria to be pardoned.

The dispute helped fuel the resignation of defence minister Moshe Yaalon, a former military chief who sided with the army.

His successor, Avigdor Lieberman, visited Azaria in court during the trial. But since taking up the defence post, he has lined up behind the army. On Tuesday, he asked the public to respect the sentencing and urged "all sides to do what is necessary to put an end to this affair".

Dozens of the soldier's supporters outside the court chanted words of encouragement and waved banners reading: "Death to terrorists."

Azaria, 20, entered the court smiling and was greeted by applause from friends and relatives. He then had a long embrace with his mother and other family members.

Last month's verdict was accompanied by angry outbursts in the courtroom and protesters outside who briefly blocked streets and scuffled with police.

But reactions were more muted on Tuesday as Azaria's father Charlie took a more calming approach, asking supporters ahead of the sentencing not to disrupt the proceedings.

"None of us have any expectations, we shall accept the sentence whatever it may be," he said.

AP
Marine Le Pen is leading polls for the first round of the French presidential election

France's far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen has refused to don a headscarf for a meeting with Lebanon's top Sunni Muslim cleric and walked away from the scheduled appointment after a brief squabble at the entrance.

The debacle topped Ms Le Pen's three-day visit to Lebanon, where she held her first campaign meeting with a head of state.

It put a spotlight on her strong support for secularism and a proposal in her presidential platform that promotes banishing headscarves and other obvious religious symbols in all public spaces.

"I consider the headscarf a symbol of a woman's submission," she told reporters at the end of her visit. "I will not put on the veil."

She compared her refusal to wear the headscarf to the decision by Michelle Obama to decline wearing one during her state visit to Saudi Arabia.

"I note that when Marine Le Pen refuses to don the headscarf, it is criticised, but when Michelle Obama refused to do it in Saudi Arabia, it was considered admirable," she said.

Journalists shouted back that the two situations were not comparable because one was a state visit while the other was to a religious body.

French law bans headscarves in all classrooms except universities. She has proposed extending the 2004 law banning headscarves and other "ostentatious" religious symbols in classrooms to all public spaces.

While the law covers all religions, it is widely viewed as aimed at Muslims.

Asked if she fears her proposal may ignite the anger of the Muslim community, she said: "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."

The incident occurred ahead of a scheduled meeting with Lebanon's grand mufti, Sheikh Abdel-Latif Derian.

Shortly after Ms Le Pen arrived at his office, one of his aides handed her a white headscarf to put on. Following a discussion with his aides that lasted a few minutes, she refused and returned to her car.

She said she had informed her host the night before that she would not wear the scarf but they did not cancel the meeting, adding: "They tried to impose it upon me."

She said the Grand Sheik of Al-Azhar, the head of the Sunni world's most prestigious learning institute, did not require her to don a headscarf. Photos of Ms Le Pen with Ahmed al-Tayeb in 2015 in Cairo show her with her hair uncovered.

The officials at the mufti's office "kept the meeting and consequently put me before a fait accompli", she said. "I stuck to my position, because when I take a position it corresponds to a conviction. If (you don't like it) never mind."

The office of Lebanon's mufti issued a statement saying Ms Le Pen was told in advance through one of her aides that she would have to put on a headscarf during the meeting.

"This is the protocol" at the mufti's office, the statement said. It said the aides tried to give her the headscarf and Ms Le Pen refused.

"The mufti's office regrets this inappropriate behavior in such meetings," the statement said.

Ms Le Pen has tried to raise her international profile and press her pro-Christian stance with her visit to Lebanon, a former French protectorate.

On Monday, she met President Michel Aoun, a Christian, and prime minister Saad Hariri, a Sunni Muslim.

She said Syrian President Bashar Assad was "the most reassuring solution for France", adding that the best way to protect minority Christians is to "eradicate" Islamic State.

AP
Ukraine's president has called for new sanctions against Russia over its decision to recognise passports issued by separatist authorities in the east.

Petro Poroshenko denounced Moscow's action as contradicting the 2015 peace agreement.

Speaking at a meeting with EU humanitarian aid and crisis management commissioner Christos Stylianides, Mr Poroshenko called for "resolute action, up to strengthening sanctions".

The Kremlin accused Ukrainian authorities of denying vital documents to people in the rebel regions.

Officials said the decision was a "humanitarian" move to help residents of the east suffering from Ukraine's blockade, and does not amount to recognising rebel regions.

Ukrainian forces have been fighting Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine since April 2014 in a conflict that has killed more than 9,800 people.

The US and the European Union have hit Russia with sanctions for its annexation of Ukraine's Crimean peninsula and support for pro-Russian insurgents in eastern Ukraine.

The February 2015 peace agreement brokered by France and Germany has helped reduce fighting in the east, but clashes have continued and provisions for a political settlement have stalled.

Russia and Ukraine have blamed each other for the lack of progress.

Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said the decision to recognise passports and other documents issued by separatist authorities in the east was intended to protect the rights of local residents, who have found it impossible to receive documents from Ukraine because of its blockade.

"The Ukrainian authorities are doing all they can to make life as difficult as possible for the residents of those territories and make it as hard as possible for them to enjoy the most basic rights and freedoms," Mr Lavrov said.

"It's hard and often impossible to exercise those rights without documents."

Meanwhile, Montenegro's former prime minister has accused Russia of "destructive" politics in the Balkans following what the country says was a thwarted attempt to overthrow its pro-Western government.

Milo Djukanovic, who stepped down after the alleged pro-Russian plot in October to prevent the country from joining Nato, said Moscow "harnessed a lot of destructive material toward Montenegro".

Montenegro is now "in the line" of Moscow's attempts to expand its influence in the war-torn Balkans, and pro-Russian opposition parties are ready to use "bloodshed and a coup" to install a pro-Kremlin government, Mr Djukanovic said while addressing his Socialist Democratic Party youth in the second-largest town of Niksic ahead of local elections.

"A new puppet government would only serve Moscow's interests, which wants to send a message to Europe and Nato that they cannot expand in the Balkans without their (Moscow's) consent," said Mr Djukanovic.

Russian officials have recently named Serbia, Bosnia, Macedonia and Montenegro as Moscow's sphere of interest in the Balkans, saying they should not join Nato.

The former Yugoslav republics were never part of the Soviet bloc and officially all of them want to join the European Union.

Montenegro's prosecutors have accused Russia and its secret service of plotting the election day coup attempt that included alleged plans to kill Mr Djukanovic and take over parliament.

Twenty people, including two Russians, have been accused of taking part.

The Kremlin has repeatedly denied involvement in the plot, but it has openly supported nationalist parties and groups opposed to Montenegro's Nato membership.

AP
Vitaly Churkin died after falling ill at his New York City office (AP)

The cause and manner of death of Russia's ambassador to the United Nations needs to be studied further, New York's medical examiner said.

It comes a day after diplomat Vitaly Churkin fell ill at his office at Russia's UN mission in the city and died in hospital.

Further study usually includes toxicology and other screenings, which can take weeks.

The case was referred to the medical examiner's office by the hospital, spokeswoman Julie Bolcer said.

Mr Churkin, who died a day before his 65th birthday, had been Russia's envoy at the UN since 2006.

He was the longest-serving ambassador on the Security Council, the UN's most powerful body.

The medical examiner is responsible for investigating deaths that occur by criminal violence, accident, suicide, suddenly or when the person seemed healthy, or if someone died in any unusual or suspicious manner.

Most of the deaths investigated by the office are not suspicious.

The Security Council held a moment of silence on Tuesday in memory of Mr Churkin, whom UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres called "not only an outstanding diplomat but an extraordinary human being".

Russian President Vladimir Putin esteemed Mr Churkin's "professionalism and diplomatic talents", spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, according to state news agency TASS.

Moscow has not yet given a date for the funeral.

Diplomatic colleagues from around the world mourned Mr Churkin as a master in their field, saying he had both a deep knowledge of diplomacy and a large and colourful personality.

US ambassador Nikki Haley said that while she and Mr Churkin did not always agree, "he unquestionably advocated his country's positions with great skill".

Her predecessor, Samantha Power, described him on Twitter as a "diplomatic maestro and deeply caring man" who had done all he could to bridge differences between the US and Russia.

Those differences were evident when Ms Power and Mr Churkin spoke at the Security Council last month, and Ms Power lashed out at Russia for annexing Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula and for carrying out "a merciless military assault" in Syria.

Mr Churkin countered that Democratic former president Barack Obama's administration, which Ms Power served in, was "desperately" searching for scapegoats for its failures in Iraq, Syria and Libya.

Mr Churkin died weeks into some major adjustments for Russia, the UN and the international community, with a new secretary-general at the world body and a new administration in Washington.

Meanwhile, the Security Council is due this week to discuss Ukraine and Syria.

From Moscow's vantage point, "Churkin was like a rock against which were broken the attempts by our enemies to undermine what constitutes the glory of Russia", TASS quoted deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying.

Mr Churkin's UN counterparts "experienced and respected the pride that he took in serving his country and the passion and, at times, very stern resolution that he brought to his job", said General Assembly president Peter Thomson, of Fiji.

But colleagues also respected Mr Churkin's intellect, diplomatic skills, good humour and consideration for others, said Mr Thomson, who called for a moment of silence at the start of an unrelated meeting on Monday.

Mr Churkin emerged as the face of a new approach to foreign affairs by the Soviet Union in 1986, when he testified before the US congress about the Chernobyl nuclear plant disaster.

It was rare for any Soviet official to appear before congress.

In fluent English, Mr Churkin provided little new information about Chernobyl but engaged in a friendly, sometimes humorous, exchange with politicians who were not accustomed to such a tone - or to a representative in a fashionably well-fitting suit with a stylish haircut - from the Soviet Union.

After he returned to the foreign ministry in Moscow, he ably dodged questions and parried with Western correspondents, often with a smile, at briefings in the early 1990s.

Within the government, he proved himself an able and flexible presence who survived numerous course changes after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

He held ambassadorships in Canada and Belgium, among other posts.

Mr Churkin told Russia Today in an interview this month that diplomacy had become "much more hectic", with political tensions rising and stability elusive in various hotspots.

At the time, he looked in good health, reporter Alexey Yaroshevsky tweeted.

AP
There are few more satisfying sights than that of self-righteous paragons of virtue being hoist by their own petard.

So do feel free to revel in the delicious spectacle of the Alliance Party's plaster saints wriggling on the hook after being caught out trying to hijack Radio Ulster's Talkback show in the run-up to next month's Assembly election by urging members to phone in en masse and pitch the softest of soft questions to the party's representatives whenever they're on air. Surely there must be some mistake?

Read More:

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This can't be the same Alliance that has loitered on the political sidelines for years, arms crossed prissily, shaking heads and tut-tutting disapprovingly at those awful people in the other parties who don't have the same gloriously, upstanding moral principles?

Yes, the very same one; and it's not just a few over-enthusiastic grassroots activists either.

The supposedly secret Facebook group where these messages originated includes some of the party's biggest names, among them leader Naomi Long and her predecessor David Ford.

This is a man who was once highly critical of former First Minister Peter Robinson's assertion that Alliance is "holier than thou", declaring bluntly: "We're not."

You can say that again, David, and the party must allow others who've spent their lives failing to live up to Alliance's high standards a small chuckle at how the high and mighty have fallen.

Everything Alliance does is normally so bland that it might as well change the party's colours from yellow to beige.

Now it's been caught red-handedly trying to manage the media with a brazen indecency that would have shamed Tony Blair's former spin doctor Alastair Campbell.

It's like seeing one of those headlines in the old News Of The World about a crossdressing vicar.

It's shocking for a moment, then you can't help but laugh.

The whited sepulchres in politics are invariably undone by the very thing they profess to be fighting against.

The Tory "family values" man will be uncovered with his pants down in a seaside hotel with his secretary.

The scrupulous socialist who rails against greed will be nabbed with his hand in the till.

For Alliance, its big crusade has always been for probity, transparency, openness - so obviously it was going to be found out doing the exact opposite one day.

The only eye-opener is that it took so long for the mask to slip.

The party's head of communications, Scott Jamison, even told members to "feel free to use a fake name and location if you're so inclined" and be sure not to mention that they're Alliance supporters.

That will be worth remembering next time politicians complain about fake news.

No wonder they know so much about it, when they're the ones doing the faking.

It certainly doesn't suggest that the party's movers and shakers have much confidence in their own candidates' ability to field hard questions, either from journalists or ordinary voters, if they think they should only be allowed out in public behind a human shield of the party faithful, all lobbing tame questions to their heroes along the lines of: "Why can't everyone be as nice as us... er, I mean you... in the Alliance Party?"

But if you're going to do it, at least obey the golden rule of politics - don't be stupid enough to get caught.

And definitely don't get caught by blabbing about it online.

How many times must it be repeated?

Social media is not a private place however secret you imagine your interactions to be.

The internet has more holes than Alliance's plan to boost the local economy by planting more trees, or whatever the heck it happens to be.

Jamison admitted as much himself only days ago, warning candidates of the dangers of blurting out something foolish on social media.

And if that isn't the icing on an already delicious cake, I really don't know what is.
Wikicommons

The year is 1630, and a bearded man in dark clothing sits aboard the Arbella, a vessel bound for the shores of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He is studiously penning a sermon which he has entitled A Model of Christian Charity. This man and his sermon will go on to define the United States as we know it today, shaping the very soul of the nation for centuries to come. The author, however, will go on to fade into relative obscurity.

His name is John Winthrop. And he is Americas forgotten founding father.

This is an excerpt from his sermon.

We shall find that the God of Israel is among us, when ten of us shall be able to resist a thousand of our enemies; when He shall make us a praise and glory that men shall say of succeeding plantations, "may the Lord make it like that of New England." For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us. So that if we shall deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken, and so cause Him to withdraw His present help from us, we shall be made a story and a by-word through the world.

The City Upon a Hill section of Winthrops speech is familiar to most Americansit was famously quoted by John F. Kennedy in 1961, and again by Ronald Reagan in 1980, and was continually alluded to, in various ways, by American presidents thereafter.

This founding image of America as a shining example, as a lighthouse for a world wracked by storm, is deeply embedded into the American psyche. It gave rise to American exceptionalismthe belief that America is inherently different from other nations, and that it has a unique mission to transform the world. It is a mindset that can be seen at work throughout American history, including through today.

But who was this man who founded not only the Massachusetts Bay Colony, but also the soul of a nation?

The Puritan

John Winthrop was born in 1588, the same year that the British Royal Navy devastated the Spanish Armada, effectively ending the reign of Catholic Spain and raising Protestant Britain up as the ruling European power.

Winthrop grew up in prosperous times as the son of a well-to-do land owner, and as a young man, he began to feel that England was in spiritual troubleits inhabitants were pursuing wealth at the cost of their holiness, the church was corrupt, and Puritans, like the intensely religious Winthrop, were being persecuted.

The Puritanswho called themselves the Godly at the timewere a group of religious reformers who intended to purify the Church of England of its Catholic practices.

One of the biggest differences between Puritans and the Church of England was that Puritans believed that everyone should be literate and able to read scripture for themselves. The Church of England used intermediaries, usually priests, between man and God.

Puritans also felt that the Church of England was far too ostentatious. The rich decorations, art, elaborate ceremonies, and music were all distractions that the Puritans felt encouraged materialism and worldliness.

But the Puritans were violently blocked from changing the Church of England from within, and were increasingly restricted by English law controlling the practice of religion. Because of all this, they sought to establish new religious settlements elsewhere where they could practice their own vision of Christianity in peace.

And in 1629, John Winthrop, now an attorney, agreed to lead them to America.

The Governor

On April 8th of 1630, 11 ships left the English Isle of Wight, carrying Winthrop, around a thousand Puritans, and provisions for all. It was during this voyage that Winthrop wrote and presented his all-important A Model of Christian Charity.

"He had begun to create his 'City on a Hill,' quickly becoming a father figure for the burgeoning colony."

Soon after landing in Salem, then-governor John Endicott handed over the governance of the Massachusetts Bay Colony to Winthrop.

From this point on, Winthrop was the shaping force of the colony, and despite an initially difficult winter that took the lives of over 200 colonists, he successfully laid the foundations for a flourishing colony. He had begun to create his City on a Hill," quickly becoming a father figure for the burgeoning colony.

Much of the success of the colony rested on Winthrops temperate attitudehe understood that some disagreement amongst the colonists was inevitable, especially in religious matters. His inclination toward compromise helped to maintain social order in the colony.

But his influence didnt stop there. Because of Winthrops Puritan belief in literacy, the Massachusetts Bay Colony enjoyed unprecedented educational opportunities, and because of his religious belief in the sanctity of discipline and hard work, the colony had no shortage of helping hands. In fact, Winthrops idea that everything a person does, including business, is to be done for God, and to the best of ones ability, largely created what we know as the modern American work ethic.

Winthrop would go on to be elected governor several times between the years 1630 and 1648, each time striving toward what he saw as a better world, and a better way of lifeone radically different than that of Englands. But even with this grand vision with its radical goal, Winthrop worked within traditional means in order to protect his colony from the dangers of extremism.

His was a vision that reached the heavens, but that was grounded in the earthjust what was needed for a successful colony in a harsh land.

The Legacy

Winthrops Christian Charity messageone that encouraged the colonists to love one another with a pure heart, fervently so that they could delight in each other, mourn together, and suffer togethercreated an utterly unique sense of community that persists unto today.

That, together with Winthrops idea of America as a chosen nation, bound by God to be excellent in all of its doings, made the nation what it is today. Although his influence has now been largely secularized, you can still see his fingerprints wherever you turn, and his enduring metaphor for America continues to guide and shape our nation.

I think I can see the whole destiny of America contained in the first Puritan who landed on those shores.

-Alexis de Tocqueville

Wesley Baines is a graduate student at Regent University's School of Divinity, and a freelance writer working in the fields of spirituality, self-help, and religion. He is also a former editor at Beliefnet.com. You can catch more of his work at www.wesleybaines.com.
Were revisiting the important and entirely self-referential issue of defamation liability for blogging about judicial opinions. As Ive discussed before (this post is perhaps my most heartfelt), blogging about judicial opinions is automatically risky because at least one side has already demonstrated their litigiousness. A wide range of legal doctrines insulate blogging about legal opinions, including the First Amendment, especially the fact/opinion line; courts treatment of online discussions as inherently rough-and-tumble; courts treatment of hyperlinks as supporting citations; the fair reporting privilege; and anti-SLAPP laws. Unfortunately for us legal bloggers, these legal doctrines have exceptions and limitations that leave us potentially exposed, as illustrated by todays case.

The defendant is McGuireWoods, one of the 30 largest law firms in the country. In 2011, one of their attorneys, Andrew Trask, blogged at the McGuireWoods-operated Class Action Countermeasures blog about a case in which the law firm Bock & Hatch represented the class-action plaintiffs. The 2011 post said, among other things, that The trial court ruled that, while the firms actions displayed a lack of integrity, the proper remedy was discipline by the Illinois bar. In 2013, Trask blogged a related case, saying the court stated that in Ashford Gear, one of the plaintiffs firms, Bock & Hatch, had lied to a witness about keeping a list of possible faxes and recipients confidential.' Bock & Hatch sued for defamation and violations of Illinois unfair competition law.

McGuireWoods defended on Illinois anti-SLAPP law, which protects the rights of petition, speech, association, or to otherwise participate in government. Unfortunately, because of the narrow coverage of this old-school anti-SLAPP law, it does not apply to this dispute:

plaintiffs lawsuit does not resemble a strategic lawsuit intended to chill McGuireWoods participation in government or to stifle its political expression. It appears that the goal of plaintiffs lawsuit was not to interfere with and burden McGuireWoods free speech and petition rights, but rather to seek injunctive relief for the personal harm to their reputation from McGuireWoods alleged acts.

As a result, McGuireWoods anti-SLAPP motion failed and the case will proceed.

Would a more modern anti-SLAPP law lead to a different outcome? I believe it would. Although McGuireWoods posts werent about petitioning the government, the posts help track and report on official government proceedings. That is exactly the kind of socially beneficial speech that anti-SLAPP laws should protect. Thus, this ruling reinforces how a federal anti-SLAPP law would upgrade states like Illinois to more modern anti-SLAPP coverage.

The court doesnt discuss whether McGuireWoods blog posts constitute commercial speech, a common exception to anti-SLAPP laws. Law firms are important and knowledgeable sources of public commentary about court proceedings and the law, but they arent non-profit journalists. Their posts usually help build a commercially valuable reputation and demonstrate expertise that can draw new clients or retain existing ones. Our legal system doesnt handle the classification of such dual-purpose communications very well, especially when characterizing law firm blog posts under lawyer advertising rules. Depending on where this case goes, the commercial speech angle could be important.

There is an extra irony about McGuireWoods posts leading to a law suit. Many law firm blogsespecially Biglaw blogstend to be fairly straight-laced, i.e., they tend to summarize court rulings and leave it to the reader to infer the implications (in contrast, editorializing and rhetorical hyperbole are common and expected at blogs like mine). This conservative approach to blogging reflects the law firms concerns about criticizing judges that the firms lawyers might appear before or that any opinions expressed in the blog post will be cited against the law firm in future filings by litigation opponents. Ironically, McGuireWoods posts tried to be conservative reports of the court rulings, but they got sued anyway. Thus, I fear this ruling might be interpreted as another reason for law firms to stop blogging altogether.

Case citation: Bock & Hatch LLC v. McGuireWoods, LLP, 2017 IL App (1st) 160294-U (Ill. App. Ct. Feb 14, 2017)

Related posts:

* Bashing Your Litigation Opponent in an Online Message Board? Go For It!

* Law Professor Blogger Wins Anti-SLAPP Ruling, But Its Hard To Celebrate The WinWelch v. USD

* Legal Blog Faces Defamation Liability for Mischaracterizing Prior Legal ProceedingsHuon v. Above the Law (and see Now the Seventh Circuit Is Shitting On Section 230Huon v. Denton)

* Tweeted Article About Law Grads Suit Over Stalking Investigation Isnt Defamatory (and what a sad denouement to the plaintiffs story)

* Want To Avoid Defaming Someone Online? Link To Your Sources

* Are the Days of Independent Legal Blogging Over?

* Another Court Finds Online Statements With Links Are Not Defamatory  Seldon v. Compass Restaurant

* Business School Professors May Be Liable for Defamatory Blog PostZAGG v. Catanach

* Using Links as Citations Helps Gizmodo Defeat a Defamation ClaimRedmond v. Gawker Media

Also: LA Times, Blogger beware: Postings can lead to lawsuits
MOSS POINT, Miss. - The first suspect who was arrested in the cat scalding video that went viral on social media was sentenced to jail time on Tuesday.

Karmen Coleman, 23, was sentenced to serve 30 days in the Jackson County Adult Detention Center by Judge Keith Miller after pleading guilty to rendering criminal assistance.

Coleman was also assessed a $549 fine and as part of her sentence, must serve 200 hours of community service.

Coleman testified against accomplices Larry and Laderrick Rostchild, who were both sentenced on Feb. 7.

Laderrick was sentenced to serve six months in jail, assessed a $2,500 fine, along with having to serve 200 hours of community service at the Jackson County animal shelter.

Larry was sentenced to serve 30 days in jail, five months of probation, assessed a $1,000 fine and was ordered to also perform 200 hours of community service also at the animal shelter.

Moss Point police were notified by Pascagoula police after the video went viral on the social media platform, Snapchat. Residents alerted police when an address in the video's comments yielded a Moss Point address.

Coleman was the first suspect arrested by Moss Point police where she was charged with filming the act, while the Roschilds trapped the cat and doused scalding hot water onto the cat. An autopsy performed on the cat showed it suffered severe burns to its body and was deemed the cause of death.
Residents gather on a street as others gesture to hold them back during a protest by Jats in Rohtak, Haryana, Feb. 20, 2016.

A socially disadvantaged Hindu group that has blocked roads in Haryana state since mid-January on Tuesday threatened to intensify protests if a demand for 10 percent of quotas for government jobs and admission to state-run colleges is not accepted.

The Jat community, which is concentrated mostly in Haryana, has been staging rallies in 20 districts of the northern state as well as the neighboring regions of Delhi and Uttar Pradesh since Jan. 17, the groups leader said.

We are protesting the governments attempt to suppress voices in the Jat community. In the coming days we will intensify our agitation against the ruling coalition, Yashpal Malik, president of the All India Jat Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti (AIJASS), told BenarNews, referring to Indias ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

A similar Jat agitation that kicked off in February 2016 left more than 30 dead and 300 others injured in Haryana, Malik said, adding that he hoped the groups latest agitation would remain peaceful.

On Feb. 26, we will observe a black day against the government of Haryana. Then on March 1, we will launch a non-cooperation movement against both the state and the central government, following which we will march toward the parliament with the intention of blockading New Delhi, Malik said.

On Monday, Jat leaders urged community members to not pay their utility bills and bank loans as part of the non-cooperation movement. They also asked dairy farmers in Haryana to stop the supply of milk to the national capital to mount pressure on the government.

The government has been bluffing us for too long. We cannot let this happen. Our people would raise every kind of resentment and protest. We are only asking for jobs for our children, Malik said.

Seeking larger quotas

The government and the protesting Jats were unable to reach a consensus when they attempted to resolve the issue Monday, Malik said, adding the government did agree to form a four-member panel to examine the groups demand of withdrawing criminal cases against Jats during last years violence.

The scheme of caste-based quotas in Indian educational institutions, government jobs and promotions was implemented in 1990 following a recommendation from the Mandal Commission, which the government appointed to assess the situation of socially and educationally disadvantaged groups.

According to the current quota system, 15 percent of seats in government jobs and colleges are reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC) and 7.5 percent for Scheduled Tribes (ST), besides 27 percent for Other Backward Classes (OBC) and 3 percent for people with disabilities, totaling 52.5 percent. The Jats want to be included in the OBC category.

Although the Supreme Court has capped the caste-based quota at 50 percent, several states exceed this limit and are under litigation before the apex court.

Protester slapped with sedition

On Monday, the police brought sedition charges against one of the protesters who allegedly threatened to behead Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

If you say, we will behead Modi but wont let you down, the accused, Som Bir, reportedly said while addressing protesters in Rohtak district on Sunday.

The sedition charge has further enraged the community, Satpal Malik, an Uttar Pradesh-based Jat reservation activist, told BenarNews.

The BJP governments attitude is very sick toward our demands. They are practicing suppression on us, he said.

Our demands and agitation are within the scope of the Indian constitution. We are not doing anything unconstitutional. The government is trying to suppress us. But it should dare not hope to get away with it, he added.

The BJP, however, said it was not its responsibility to accept or reject demands of quotas for any particular community.

The BJP has always supported the inclusion of Jats in the OBC category. But there is a general parameter for all castes, and it has to be carefully studied for each one of them differently, BJP spokesman Bizay Sonkar Shastri told BenarNews.

The government cannot do anything in this matter. The job has been assigned to the OBC Commission which normally seeks a report from the RGI (Registrar General of India) and the state government on the historical background of a particular community and their present social, economic and educational status. The commission has to authorize [this] before any action of any kind could be taken, he said.
Three leaders of an Indonesian spiritual movement known as Gerakan Fajar Nusantara  or the Gafatar community  are standing trial in East Jakarta on charges of blasphemy and treason.

Leader Ahmad Musadeq, his son Andry Cahya, and Mahful Muis Tumanurung appeared in court most recently on Monday, the 24th session in their ongoing trial. Prosecutors are seeking 12-year prison sentences for Musadeq and Tumanurung and a 10-year sentence for Cahya.

The longer terms are sought for two of the defendants because they were convicted of blasphemy in 2006 for establishing the Al-Qiyadah al-Islamiyah movement. Musadeq claimed to be a prophet in the movement that combined tenets of Islam, Christianity and Judaism.

The Indonesian Ulema Council previously described Gafatar as a reincarnation of Al-Qiyadah al-Islamiyah.

Investigators have gathered all the required pieces of evidence to constitute the blasphemy and treason allegations against the defendants, prosecutor Abdul Rauf said.

Through testimony from 50 witnesses throughout the court sessions, prosecutors found evidence that Gafatar had established a state-like structure which consisted of president, vice president or governor, he said. Prosecutors presented an organizational chart for Gafatar where Cahya was listed as president, Tumanurung as vice president and Musadeq as spiritual leader.

They all had been sworn in so that constitutes treason, while Gafatars synchronization of three religions constitutes blasphemy, Rauf said.

Gafatar was founded in 2011 but never received the necessary permit from Indonesias Home Ministry to register as a formal organization.

Its mission was to strengthen solidarity, and unity among elements of Indonesian society and to foster mutual understanding and cooperation among those concerned with peace and prosperity in the world, according to one of the few documents produced by the group that was viewable online in January 2016.

We love this country

The trio challenged Raufs claim that they were blasphemers, taking turns presenting their plea, titled Millah Abrahams consistency as the true path of God almighty.

It was clear that The Prophet Muhammad was the inheritor and upholder of Millah Abrahams verses, which lead to the righteous path of God almighty, Cahya told the court on Feb. 16.

Musadeq denied allegations that their actions were treasonous. He said the swearing-in of committee members was not an effort to overthrow President Joko Jokowi Widodos government.

In fact, we love this country. We recognize the existing administration and we want to take part in developing this country by assuring food security, which is part of President Widodos Nawacita, he said, referring to the presidents nine goals for his administration.

Mahfud questioned why the government had not prosecuted groups who attacked Gafatars members.

About 1,000 Gafatar followers were evicted from their compound in Mempawah district in West Kalimantan province after a mob attacked and burned their settlement in January 2016.

The resistance against Gafatar movement started when a woman and her child were reported missing in Yogyakarta on Dec. 31, 2015, and resurfaced 11 days later, alleging they had gone to live with former Gafatar members.

Why is it that none of the people who evicted us by force, committed arson and looted our assets have been prosecuted? Mahfud said. It was very clear that those who evicted us and burned our houses down have been organized.

About 100 Gafatar members clad in white shirts showed up for a recent court session to show their support for the defendants.

This is to show our resistance, Gafatar member Yudi told BenarNews.
Malaysian Health Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah (second from left) talks to journalists about an autopsy on Kim Jong-Nams body at Kuala Lumpur Hospital, Feb. 21, 2017.

The half-brother of Kim Jong-Un did not die of a heart attack and his body showed no puncture wounds, but laboratory test results are needed to establish a cause of death, Malaysian health officials said Tuesday in announcing preliminary autopsy results.

Malaysian officials have identified the man who died in an alleged assassination last week at a Kuala Lumpur area airport as Kim Jong-Nam, the estranged older sibling of the North Korean leader. South Korean news reports suggested then that assassins had used needles to poison him.

No evidence of a heart attack. There was also nothing obvious to suggest any puncture marks, Noor Hisham Abdullah, Malaysias director-general of health, told a news conference in Kuala Lumpur.

Meanwhile, Malaysian officials did not confirm reports that Kim Jong-Nams son, Kim Han-Sol, had arrived in the country from Macau to claim his fathers remains. In other developments, Malaysian police Tuesday deployed commandos to guard the morgue at Kuala Lumpur Hospital where Kims body is being kept, according to reports.

Since the Feb. 13 death, Malaysias government has rejected requests by the North Korean embassy to hand over the dead mans body to Pyongyang without performing an autopsy. Kuala Lumpur has insisted that next-of-kin first come forward to identify the body and give DNA samples, saying it would release the remains to next-of-kin in accordance with Malaysian laws and procedures.

The autopsy on Kims body was done on Feb. 16 but, so far, health officials have not been able to determine the cause of death, Noor Hisham said.

Results of a full post-mortem report are due out later this week, after laboratories send back analyses of tests, according to Noor Hisham, who denied reports that a second autopsy had been done because a first one was inconclusive.

Until we have that report we cant say what it is, he said.

Authorities will pursue other ways to positively identify the body if next-of-kin fail to show up within 14 days, Noor Hisham added.

Other ways of identifying the body include dental records to match the victim and external examination [of distinctive marks] like scars, moles and previous surgeries, he said.

Mounting dispute

Kim Jong-Nam died while being rushed to a local hospital, after complaining to medical personnel at Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (KLIA2) that he felt ill after a woman attacked him with a chemical spray as he prepared to board a flight to Macau.

He was pronounced dead on arrival at Putrajaya Hospital on Feb. 13.

Police have arrested four suspects, including a North Korean national, and said four North Koreans wanted in connection with the case had fled the country on the day Kim died.

Malaysias refusal to hand over the body to North Korea has led to a diplomatic row, with Pyongyangs ambassador publicly questioning the integrity of the Malaysian investigation and accusing Kuala Lumpur of colluding with South Korea in politicizing the case.

Malaysia on Monday recalled its ambassador to Pyongyang, who was due to fly home the next day.

On Tuesday, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak described the comments made by North Korean envoy Kang Chol as diplomatically rude.
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OCEAN SPRINGS, Mississippi -- The story of John Miner is, at its core, a love story.

It began 80 years ago when he first met Maryalice Fairbank when the two were in the 7th grade. Nine years later, they were married and remained at each other's side for the next 71 years.

It ended Friday night when John Miner, an Ocean Springs businessman and philanthropist, died peacefully at his home at the age of 91.

"It was the most beautiful love story," said their daughter, Merileigh Miner Furr.

Furr was at her father's bedside when he passed. She said her father had been in declining health in recent months and they knew the end was likely near. Friday, he spent much of the day sleeping, but awoke later and called for "Bubs" -- his pet name for Maryalice -- who recently suffered a stroke.

"She was wheeled over to the side of the bed and he told her goodbye," Furr said, "that he loved her forever and then he asked her to come with him. She said 'I'm not ready yet. Can you give me a few days?'

"Then my mother said 'I love you forever' and dad said 'I love you forever.' Then mom said 'I've loved you since I was a little girl' and told him he was her 'OAO'. I didn't know what that meant. I asked if it was Hawaiian, because they had lived in Hawaii. Mom said 'No, that means One And Only.''

"Then dad said 'I'll see you tomorrow,'" Furr continued. "It was more beautiful than anything a Hollywood script writer could have written."

Through his service in the U.S. Coast Guard, 35 years as an engineer at Ingalls Shipbuilding, 30 years as a local business owner, and his community involvement and philanthropy, John Miner has left an indelible mark.

But beyond his accomplishments, John Miner may best be remembered for his gentlemanly nature, as a kind, generous man who was always quick with a smile or a kind word.

"One of his greatest characteristics was he always came across as a friendly, kind, compassionate man," said his son, Dr. Steve Miner. "He never had a cross word to say about anybody. I never heard him say anything negative about anybody in his life.

"He also had a work ethic that was just phenomenal. He felt sure enough about himself that there wasn't anything he couldn't do -- whether it was plumbing, laying bricks, fixing a washing machine -- that was the engineer in him coming out."

As the lone daughter among the four Miner children, Merileigh Furr said her father never stopped doting on her.

"He was the most tender, loyal, optimistic, intelligent person I have ever known," she said. "He never, ever tired of showing me how much he adored me. He had so much honor and integrity and devotion. It didn't have an off switch.

"I can still remember him giving me ice cream money when I was a little girl. He had such big, strong hands, but he always had such a gentle touch. It was those same hands I held during his final moments. It was tender and beautiful."

John Miner was native of Connecticut and was raised in Arlington, Va. He and Maryalice met while both in school in Washington, D.C.

John was accepted to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, where he studied Marine and Nuclear Engineering, and he and Maryalice were married on his graduation day in June 1945. A dedicated military wife, Maryalice followed John to tours of duty in Hawaii, Guam and San Francisco.

In 1952, John left the USCG and took an engineering job at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, where he was part of the team which designed nuclear submarines. They originally located in Pascagoula upon their arrival in Mississippi, but relocated to Ocean Springs in 1969.

It was during their first year in Pascagoula the Miners witnessed a child drown and participated in the search and recovery. Maryalice, a passionate swimmer, determined after the incident to begin swimming classes for children.

With John's support, they established the Aquatic Club in Pascagoula and another swim program in the St. Andrews community after moving to Ocean Springs.

In 1972, Maryalice sold a diamond ring her father had given her to acquire the money needed to buy a piece of property on Government Street in Ocean Springs where a community swimming pool could be built.

The Marmin (derived from the first three letters of Maryalice's first and last names) Aquatic Center opened as the first eight-lane, competition class, indoor facility in Mississippi. John did all the design and engineering for the natatorium.

In 1975, with the support of businessman Woody Blossman, the Miners contacted the national YMCA, donated their equity in the aquatic center, and what is now the Mississippi Gulf Coast YMCA was born.

"Literally, the Y wouldn't have that facility if it weren't for them," said YMCA Fitness Director Joey Conwill. "If they hadn't built the natatorium, if they hadn't seen the need in the community, the YMCA may not even exist. It was their vision which allowed it to happen."

The YMCA natatorium is named for John and Maryalice Miner.

In the late 1980s, the Miners were in New York City, where John was interviewing for a possible position with the U.S. Navy. Accepting the job, however, would have required the Miners to relocate.

Furr said the two visited the famed FAO Schwarz toy store in New York and that visit prompted an idea.

"My mother had always worked with kids and my dad had an MBA, so they thought 'Why not go back to Ocean Springs and open a toy store and stay in the community we love and near our family?'"

From that idea, Miner's Toy Store was founded in 1987 and the store has become one of the iconic businesses in downtown Ocean Springs. For nearly 30 years, John and Maryalice could be found there, six days a week, and the two became ambassadors of sorts for the Ocean Springs business community.

"Mr. Miner was a vital part of the community of Ocean Springs," said Cynthia Sutton, Executive Director of the Ocean Springs Chamber of Commerce. "He was a cheerleader for downtown Ocean Springs and was a really important part of what makes Ocean Springs what it is. We will definitely miss him as a community."

John Miner was devoted to his country and his community, but those who knew him best say his greatest love was Maryalice and his family.

"Even with all their pursuits, home and family were his most important priorities," son John Miner wrote in a Facebook tribute to his father. "Dad was very clear he would spend his final days at this house and no other, watching the sunset and sitting with his sweetie.

In addition to Maryalice, John Miner leaves behind four children: Steve, Merileigh, John and David. Visitation is set for 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at St. John's Episcopal Church in Ocean Springs, with a service and reception to follow.

"He woke up happy, lived happy and died happy, with his loved ones and in his beloved home," son John wrote. "He was loved by many and will be missed by many."
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The stateside partners in the Sister Shelter Project will visit shelters in Puerto Rico to lift them up and professionalize their operations. Above, a rescued cat at Canita Sanctuary in Guayama, Puerto Rico. Photo by Dennis M. Rivera Pichardo/AP Images for The HSUS

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We launched our Humane Puerto Rico program two years ago because animals are in crisis in this long-neglected, populous part of the United States. One fact, among all others, stared us in the face: some shelters in the Commonwealth had a euthanasia rate of 95 percent. There was a broad recognition that if an animal found its way into one of these facilities, it probably wasnt coming out alive.

There are caring people at the shelters  underpaid, overworked people with heart and a commitment to helping animals. But they do not have sufficient financial, human capital, or community support, and often dont have the equipment, training, and other essentials to care for homeless animals and connect them with people who can provide a loving home. Whats more, theyre placed within a setting that is rife with challenges, with 300,000 street dogs and more than a million cats roaming in the Commonwealth. Many shelter workers suffer from compassion fatigue, and when we conducted workshops to help them cope with their work struggles, they told us that our workshops amounted to a life-saving intervention. Rather than continue to confront misery and tragedy all around them, they felt like they couldnt continue and wanted to escape a world filled with so much pain.

As we work to unwind the set of animal problems in Puerto Rico, we are receiving remarkable support from the people of Puerto Rico and the political and corporate leaders on the island  from politicians helping rewrite animal welfare laws, to school administrators allowing us to conduct humane education programs in all public schools, to law enforcement leadership who support our training programs for every cop in the Commonwealth, to veterinarians who are helping us conduct spay-and-neuter programs in 61 of 78 municipalities. The people want us there, they are desperate for this help, and welcoming in every way.

Several weeks ago, I announced our horse contraception program, to deal with 2,000 free-roaming horses, on the Puerto Rican island of Vieques. This week, we launch another facet of our larger Humane Puerto program  principally to help municipal shelters by allowing them to be adopted by top shelters across the United States mainland. With an incredible assist from Maddies Fund  which does life-saving work to advance the goal of a No Kill Nation  leaders from 11 shelters are traveling to Puerto Rico this week to launch our Sister Shelter Project. These shelters include Bakersfield SPCA in California, Dumb Friends League in Denver, Colorado, Larimer Humane Society in Fort Collins, Colorado, Humane Rescue Alliance in Washington, D.C., Humane Society of Central Oregon, Mohawk Hudson Humane Society in Menands, New York, Monmouth County SPCA in New Jersey, Operation Kindness in Carrollton, Texas, Second Chance Animal Shelter in Massachusetts, and Norfolk SPCA and Virginia Beach SPCA in Virginia.

These shelter leaders will visit shelters in Puerto Rico to lift them up and professionalize their operations in the months and years ahead. All of us imagine a complete makeover of animal sheltering in Puerto Rico. These are A-list shelters, allied with us as Emergency Placement Partners, and known entities to all of us at The HSUS, and we have supreme confidence that they can help us achieve our goal.

The stateside partners in the Sister Shelter Project have experts in disease management, volunteer programs, community outreach, customer service, and lifesaving adoption programs, all items desperately needed in Puerto Rico. Tackling euthanasia and promoting adopting and sterilization and animal health takes an extraordinary set of approaches to be successful, but these shelters know the formula for success. What a wonderful, giving instinct they have to stretch beyond their communities and to help animals in such desperate need.

It is profoundly sad to see dogs with mange and other maladies roaming the streets of Puerto Rico. To know that animals in shelters are likely to be euthanized. But it doesnt have to be this way.

We can choose to stand aside and let that persist. Or we can put our shoulder to this situation and solve the problems to the greatest extent possible. Thats what were doing. But it will take an extraordinary cast of players to be successful. Today, we add to the ranks our team of Sister Shelters. Hope swells.
Wouldnt you love to know how to say no to sin instead of yes? Isnt there at least one area of struggle where you know that you arent where you ought to be and wish to God that you could make more spiritual progress?

According to Scripture, there is something that teaches us to say no to sinsomething that trains us to renounce ungodliness and teaches us instead to live righteous and godly lives. In a moment, I will tell you what it is. But first I want to tell you what its not, because you might be surprised to see what the Bible says has the power to teach us to say no to ungodliness.

Its not what most people think. Its not the fear of getting caught, for example. We might think that one of the best motivations for saying no to sin is that we will get in trouble if we do. The problem is that sometimes we go ahead and sin anyway. A close friend once asked me to pray for him because he was going on a trip and knew that when he went to the airport he would be tempted to buy gay pornography. I said, Arent you afraid that someone will see you? Thats part of the excitement, he said. Instead of producing holiness in the heart, sometimes the fear of getting caught actually adds to the enticement of sin.

Here is something else that wont teach us to say no to ungodliness: the law of God. This claim would surprise many people. They would expect to read a Bible verse that goes something like this: The law of God trains us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live upright, and godly lives. After all, isnt that what the law of God is for? Isnt it supposed to teach us to be godly? Yet the law cannot change the human heart. As Paul explained to the Romans, the law cannot bring salvation because it is made powerless by our sinful nature (Romans 8:3).

Living in a Christian community wont do it for us, eithereven a community that is bound together by a covenant with God. Wheaton College is blessed to have a community covenant. In signing this covenant, every member of the campus community makes an annual promise to live according to biblical standards. The community covenant is a helpful description of what God requires in the Christian life and also of some things that may or may not be requiredmoral and spiritual judgment calls that we believe are wise for our community, even if they are not mandatory for all Christians. But in and of itself, no creed or covenant can train us to say no to ungodliness, because even if we want to keep it, there are times when our hearts will lead us far astray.

What Grace Can Do

So I ask the question again: What has the power to teach us to say no to sin? Not the law of God, or the fear of getting caught, or living in the right community. All of these things have their place in the process of sanctification. To a certain extent they may help us in our struggle against sin. But the Bible says there is something else that we need.

We see the answer in Titus, which is a letter Paul wrote to the pastor of the first church on the island of Crete. There the apostle writes: For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age (Titus 2:11-12).

It is graceonly gracethat has the power to teach us to say no to ungodliness and to renounce the sinful desires of this world, and to live instead a life that is pleasing to God. This is the sanctifying power of the grace of God.

When Paul says that this grace has appeared, he is talking about the manifestation of salvation in the person and the work of Jesus Christ. The Greek word for appearance (epephane) means to reveal or to make known. Paul is talking about an epiphanysomething that has suddenly come to light.

The biblical word for appearance reminds of the way that a college sophomore rescued me one summer up at leadership camp. We were staying in the Northwoods of Wisconsin at a camp where I have been going since childhood. I know my around there pretty well, even in the dark, so I dont always carry a flashlight. But as I was walking back to my cabin on a black and moonless light, a college student with a headlamp rode by on a bicycle, skidded to a stop, and said, Is that you, President Ryken? Then he asked me if I needed any help and I said, Actually, I do. The student had suddenly appeared to lead me home.

This is similar to what God has done for us in Jesus Christ. When the Son of God left behind the glories of heaven to become a man, his grace appeared like a bright and shining light to lead us out of spiritual darkness and bring us home to God. This has already happened. It has appeared, Paul says, referring to a real event in human history. When Paul says this, he is talking not only about the incarnation but also about the totality of Christs saving work. He is talking about everything that Jesus has done for our salvation: his birth in Bethlehem, his exile to Egypt, his upbringing in Galilee, his teaching and miracle working in Israel, and his going up to Jerusalem to be crucified, buried, and raised again before ascending to heaven.

The grace of God has appeared in the divine person and in the saving work of Jesus Christ. It has appeared for everyonefor all the kinds of people that Paul was writing to in this letter: free people and slaves, Jews and Gentiles.

Gods grace is for everyone. So I want to ask you: Has this grace appeared in your life? For me it appeared when I was a little boy. As soon as I was old enough to know anything, people were telling me that Jesus died for my sins on the cross. Maybe Gods grace appeared to you a little later, when you were in high school and werent even interested in spiritual things, or after college, when you were going the wrong way in life. Maybe God is showing himself to you right now. What I know for sure is that his grace has appeared to bring salvation to anyone and everyone who receives it by faith in Jesus Christ.

Why Grace Can Do It

When Gods grace does appear, it will change your entire life. This was true for the people who first received these words from the apostle Paul. As I mentioned, Titus was the first pastor on the island of Crete. The Cretans were known for their ungodliness. In fact, the poet Epimenides famously said All Cretans are liars (see Titus 1:12). Epimenides came from the island himself, so he should know. The Cretans werent just liars, either. Based on what Paul says to them in this letter, we infer that they were lazy, gluttonous, rebellious, loveless, argumentative sinners. In other words, they were more like us than we want to admit.

Yet the grace of Jesus Christ was doing something amazing in the lives of the Christians on Crete. It was teaching them to renounce ungodliness. Formerly they were practical atheists, living as if God did not even exist. They had been consumed by worldly desires and fleshly passions. But now they were starting to live righteously. Right now, in this present age, with all its evil temptations, they were learning to exercise self-control. Here Paul speaks about an ongoing work of gracenot just a once-and-for-all decision to follow Christ, but the continuing power to say no to sin.

How is grace is able to have this sanctifying influence? What is it about Gods grace that has the power to do what knowing Gods law and living in Christian community do not have the power to do? These are deep questions that will repay further reflection, but here a few answers to get us started.

Grace teaches us to say no to sin because it always gives us another chance. If there were no grace, then as soon as we sinned we would be condemned. But grace is the favor of an undeserved mercy that comes to us again and again. Sometimes we are tempted to think that every time we sinespecially if its something weve done beforeGod gets a little bit more disappointed with us, until finally he gives up on us altogether. We forget that God has enough grace to forgive us again by the power of the blood that Jesus shed on the cross. So when we sin, we do not need to give up. God will give us another chance to grow in godliness.

Perhaps there is an area of morality where we have really messed up in recent days. Or maybe we sinned in some major way a while ago, and deep down we know that were still not where we ought to be spiritually. Sometimes when we sin its all we can do to drag ourselves back to the cross. What we really ought to do instead is run to the cross for mercy and then get busy serving the Lord again. One of the ways that grace teaches us to say no to ungodliness is by giving us a place to go with our sin and then offering us another chance to grow.

Here is another reason why grace has the power to sanctify: it makes us grateful, which is the best motivator for godliness. If we go through life trying to earn something from God, it will wear us out. If somehow we manage to succeed in measuring up to what we think are Gods standards, we will be proud of what we accomplish spiritually and look down on other people. If we fail, we will fall into despair. But if we know what God has done for us in Jesus Christthe grace that forgives all our sinthen we will live for him out of gratitude for his grace. Holiness is not a prerequisite for salvation, as if God only planned to save people who were good enough for him already. Rather, it is the grateful response of people who have been forgiven.

Shortly after becoming president of Wheaton College, I told the Chicago Tribune that I wanted the school to be a community of grace. Immediately the interviewer wanted to know if I planned to get rid of Wheatons grading system. They assumed that if youre living by grace, then there arent any standards. In fact, just the opposite is true, at least when it comes to sanctification. The more we know the grace that God has for us in Jesus Christ, the more we want to serve him. Grace makes us grateful in a way that leads to godliness.

Finally, grace teaches us to say no to sin because it brings us into a personal relationship with a living Savior. When Paul talks about the appearance of grace, he is talking about Jesus, the Sanctifier. Sanctification does not come by trying a little harder to do a little better in the Christian life. It comes by having more of Jesus in your life. In your struggle with sin, stop depending on what you can do and start depending on what only Jesus can do. By the truth of his Word, by the power of answered prayer, by the nourishment of the sacraments, through the work of his Spiritin short, by his sanctifying gracehe will enable you to live a godly and righteous life.

Taken from Grace Transforming by Philip Graham Ryken. Used by permission of Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, Il 60187, www.crossway.org.

Helping us to understand that we are not defined by what we do, but rather by who Jesus is and what he has done, Grace Transforming powerfully addresses the transforming power of grace that is essential for every Christian.
It can be tough to be a vegetarian. You have to work harder than everyone else to make sure youre getting all the nutrients your body needs. So, when its time to take a
Following the resignation of Representative Vic Gilliam from the Oregon House of Representatives, Clackamas County and Marion County commissioners will hold a joint session tomorrow, Wednesday, Feb. 22, to interview candidates and select a replacement for the open position.

Oregon law requires that a legislative vacancy be filled by county commissioners representing the district in which the vacancy exists. House District 18 includes voters in Clackamas and Marion counties.

The three finalists, which were selected by the Republican Party (as deemed by state law), are:

Glenn Holum (City of Hubbard Planning Commission)

Rick Lewis (Mayor of Silverton)

Jerome Rosa (Oregon Cattlemen's Association Executive Director)

The meeting will be held from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the Mt. Angel Fire District located at 300 Monroe St. in Mt. Angel. Members of the public are welcome to attend. Time has been set aside at the beginning of the meeting for public comment. Written comments may be submitted until 4 p.m. later today (Tuesday, Feb. 21). To be included in the record, comments must include the commenter's full name and address.

Please submit comments to:

Clackamas County: bcc@clackamas.us or

Marion County: commissioners@co.marion.or.us

The session will be videotaped and archived on Clackamas County's YouTube Channel and broadcast on the Clackamas County Government Channel and Capital Community Television in Marion County.

For more information, members of the media or public may contact Clackamas County Public Information Officer Tim Heider at 503-742-5911 or Marion County Public Information Officer Jolene Kelley at 503-566-3937.
Following the success of the sold-out workshop in 2016, AMASA Jhb is happy to announce that bookings are now open for the 2017 AMASA Workshop. This year we will be building on the new and exciting format launched last year. The jam-packed workshop will begin on 23 March and will be made up of two days of intensive learning around the nuts and bolts of media planning, strategy and a snapshot view of the media landscape. Delegates will then be put into groups and a selected client will present a live brief. The groups of delegates would then be required to present a full circle strategy with tangible solutions back to the client. Judging and feedback would take place on the third day, followed by a celebratory graduation dinner and party.

This workshop will allow new and experienced media practitioners to fully understand the briefing process from an agency side, as well as learning how to collaborate with suppliers to improve brief responses, networking and relationships. If you are in the media and advertising industry, as an agency, media owner or marketer, then this workshop will inspire you and set a strong foundation of media and leadership skills keeping you in touch with the ever-changing media landscape.

As tickets to the workshop are in high demand and limited, we recommend securing your booking for your staff as soon as possible.

Costs:

R6000pp sharing

Please note:

All bookings and confirmations need to be finalised by the 10 March 2017.

The cost for the four-day workshop includes accommodation, all meals, and all lecture notes and stationery.

Costs do not include transport to venue, beverages (cool drinks), alcohol, telephone calls, room service or additional leisure activities outside of the curriculum. These are deemed extra and will be charged to the delegate personally.

To make your booking, please contact Natalie Heyns, az.oc.noitavenic@eilatan

For general enquiries about the Workshop and sponsorship opportunities, please contact Parmeshan Moodliar, az.oc.aidemkraps@mp




SEOUL: Alibaba's payment affiliate Ant Financial will invest $200 million in a unit of South Korean messaging giant Kakao, the companies said on Tuesday, the Chinese firm's latest step to expand its global reach.

The investment in Kakao Pay comes less than a month after Ant bought US-based payments operator MoneyGram for around $880 million and struck a partnership deal with Thailand's Ascend Money in November.

Ant is behind Alipay, which accounts for 80 percent of electronic payments in China where it is used for e-commerce at Alibaba online venues and a large number of mobile applications. Ant is also involved in investment services and online banking.

"South Korea is an important market for Ant Financial in its global expansion," said Douglas Feagin, president of Ant Financial International, in a joint statement with Kakao.

The companies said the investment was part of a larger strategic partnership to connect Ant's 450 million users worldwide with Kakao Pay, which currently has more than 14 million subscribers.

Kakao, best known for its mobile messaging service Kakao Talk, has more than 48 million users globally. It decided in January to spin off its mobile payment service Kakao Pay into a separate entity which offers services such as bill payment and remittance.

Shares in Kakao soared 4.25 percent to 88400 won in afternoon Seoul trading Tuesday.
The major provider of cookware globally, Groupe SEB, has entered into an agreement with South African cookware manufacturer, Hendler & Hart, which will see the local company spearheading the sales and distribution of the premium range of Tefal/T-fal and Krups brands into Southern Africa.

Hendler & Hart, which celebrates its 125th anniversary in 2017, currently manufactures a broad range of aluminium and stainless steel products under its core brands - Hart, Aloe, CaterPride, Impala and Pointerware.

Hendler & Hart CEO Nash Soni says, Our new association with SEB is of significant strategic value in light of our goal to grow our presence in previously untapped South African market segments. To date, our primary target market has been the lower to middle-income consumer base but as this market undergoes rapid socio-economic advancement, we have realised that there is a gap in our current offering for a premium range of products that will better serve the burgeoning middle to upper-income consumer base in South Africa.

Perfect partnership

Groupe SEB VP for Africa, Eugene de Parscau comments, South Africa has always been a key market for Groupe SEB in terms of its size and attractiveness, however, it is also a very competitive market. That is why we have chosen to go through a partnership with a local distributor and we strongly believe Hendler & Hart is the best partner in South Africa for cookware.

He cites the companys knowledge of the local market and consumer mindsets stemming from 125 years of operation, its experienced team, strong relationships with retailers and a wide distribution network extending into neighbouring countries (Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho, Zimbabwe and Swaziland) as key factors which make it the best partner for Groupe SEB in South Africa.

From a product portfolio perspective, the agreement with SEB will also allow Hendler & Hart to add a range of innovative new products to its current offering, incorporating features such as resistant non-stick coatings and Tefals patented Thermo-Spot technology.

Full steam ahead

Hendler & Hart says it is committed to staying relevant through innovation and it plans to implement a substantial two-year re-engineering process at its Boksburg manufacturing plant, based on the concept of constant improvement. A key focus will be the enhancement of the stainless steel line producing the Aloe range of products benchmarked against the best in the world.

This will allow the plant to manufacture in line with modern processes and adapt to new technological improvements in products that the market demands, for example, induction cookware. The overall aim is to increase productivity by at least 20% and create a far more agile production process, resulting in it being able to meet the ever-changing market needs and sectoral demand.

We continue on a strong growth path despite tough market conditions and we believe this new venture will not only be beneficial to both our companies but also to our trading partners, concludes Soni.
The South African blueberry industry is in a period of robust growth, due to high demand from the UK and the EU for blueberries, in particular, as well as nascent domestic interest. It has been bolstered by a similar (if earlier) growth spurt in Australia, where many of the new cultivars used in the South African blueberry industry were developed.

elizadean via pixabay

Three companies dominate blueberry production in South Africa: Berryworld South Africa, United Exports and Haygrove SA, an affiliate of UK-based Haygrove.

Each company provides its growers with its own line of licensed blueberry plants, mostly focusing on low chill unit blueberries. Berryworld South Africa has the licensing rights to plants developed by the University of Florida, like Snowchaser and Jewel, as well as new Australian varieties.

United Exports has invested in the Australian Early Blue breeding programme which is responsible for the OzBlu series. These plants are based on the Southern Highbush blueberry, an evergreen blueberry. The company produces blueberries worldwide (Chile, Peru, the USA, Morocco) and in South Africa, United Exports has about 20 producers, roughly equally divided between traditional berry-producing regions in the south and newer regions like Gauteng, Limpopo, and Northwest Province. United Exports has been involved in stonefruit, citrus and table grape production for 15 years and new blueberry producers for the company in South Africa come from this pool of growers.

Spreading its production geographically and growing the berries out of the rainy season in each area, United Exports is able to produce blueberries in South Africa 52 weeks of the year, says Roger Horak, managing director of United Exports. Production is increasing dramatically, driven by demand. There has been phenomenal growth domestically; we hope to develop the local market through our Ozblu brand. Our varieties are very similar throughout the year, therefore, we provide the consumer with a similar product and a consistent experience.

Read the full article on Agri Africa.
News24 has had an innovative start to the year. Here, editor Adriaan Basson lets us in on their new app Edge, as well as their Project Rise initiative and how they provide more than just the standard packaged news.

Basson.

Back in January, News24 announced they had good news for news junkies with the introduction of their Edge app, which lets you select specific interests from a list of topics, and the more you read, the more youll receive the news you prefer down the line.

On the appeal of letting readers personalise the news they receive, Basson says: We live in a personalised world. When you open Facebook, it knows what you were shopping for a few minutes ago and thats okay. We are no longer freaked out by machine learning. It removes clutter and noise. If I am really not interested in rugby or food, why should I see articles on it in my content stream?

Now, News24 Edge makes it possible for the first time in South Africa to choose the news you want to read about.

In the style of those old-school TV infomercials, Basson says, But wait, theres more. Because earlier this year, even before the launch of News24 Edge, they announced they were challenging the status quo with the launch of Project Rise, an online platform that exists to facilitate a solution-focused nationwide debate on what South Africa should look like post-#FeesMustFall. This is in partnership with the Nelson Mandela Foundation and came about after former Public Protector Advocate Thuli Madonsela posed a question to us all at the annual Ahmed Kathrada Foundation lecture last year: What must rise? What will rise after fees have fallen? Is free higher education a possibility and at what cost? What does the university of the future look like?

News24 Edge.

Here, Basson explains that the time has come for a different discourse and how News24 will help shape the future with these two innovations.

Tell us about the importance of offering readers more than just news in todays connected age. Tell us about the importance of offering readers more than just news in todays connected age.

Basson: Social media has to a large extent replaced daily reporting. Twitter has become the medium of record. Whether its an accident, veld fire or protest, the first reportage of news events take place on social media by citizen journalists. We can no longer just report the news; we have to interpret, explain, analyse and interrogate. This will lead to deeper, more meaningful journalism.

Linked to that, talk us through Project Rise and how the platform facilitates debate. Linked to that, talk us through Project Rise and how the platform facilitates debate.

Basson: Project Rise was born in the aftermath of #FeesMustFall, when we realised the national discourse was stuck in a violence narrative. Every story was about police action or court appearances of teargas. With Project Rise, we wanted to elevate the conversation to future thinking. What should the future of decolonised, free education look like? The response was overwhelming. Not only from authors, including academics and students, but also the Nelson Mandela Foundation, which came on board as a partner.

Why is future-based discussion so important? Why is future-based discussion so important?

Basson: Without it, we get stuck in obsessing about the present, not thinking where we want to go. The media should increasingly create opportunities and space for future thinking to be expressed. The media is the ideal platform for a country to debate, think and innovate about what and who we want to be.
A $100m paediatric haematology-oncology treatment network has been created in public-private partnerships between American institutions and the governments of Botswana, Uganda and Malawi.

Source: BIPAI

The comprehensive initiative called Global HOPE (Haematology-Oncology Paediatric Excellence) will build long-term capacity to treat and dramatically improve the prognosis of thousands of children with cancer and blood disorders in southern and eastern Africa.

In the United States, 80% of children with cancer survive. In sub-Saharan Africa, the overwhelming majority of pediatric patients do not survive.

The mortality rate is estimated to be as high as 90%, meaning that thousands of children die from cancer across Africa each year. This is in large part due to an inadequate healthcare infrastructure and a significant lack of expert physicians and other healthcare workers trained to treat children with cancer. The most common types of childhood cancers are blood-related, including leukemia and lymphoma.

Clinical, educational and research capabilities

Global HOPE will partner with local governments and ministries of health to build medical capacity to diagnose and treat paediatric blood disorders and cancer in Botswana, Malawi and Uganda. The initiative will also create significant clinical, educational and research capabilities.

Doctors, nurses and ancillary professionals will be recruited from around the world to provide training to local healthcare professionals and to begin treating children with blood disorders and cancer immediately.

This project is building on a solid foundation for paediatric cancer treatment in Botswana that began with oncologists from Texas Childrens Cancer and Haematology Centres, said Botswanan president, Ian Khama.

The Global HOPE programme will bring to Botswana the latest bio-medical technologies and the potential to work with local institutions such as the Botswana Innovation Hub and University of Botswana to quickly increase the survival of children with cancer and life-threatening blood disorders in Botswana and the region.

The Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation is committing $50m over five years to fund the training of healthcare providers as well as clinical infrastructure and operations. Baylor College of Medicine International Paediatric AIDS Initiative at Texas Childrens Hospital (BIPAI) will raise an additional $50m for the initiative.

Sustainable health systems

We are eager to get started on this critical initiative to help children with blood disorders and cancer. Working with our partners and drawing on our expertise of building sustainable health systems in underserved countries, we will help make a significant difference in the outcomes for children while creating a blueprint for other countries to follow, said Giovanni Caforio, chief executive officer, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company.

The Global HOPE initiative will train an estimated 4,800 healthcare professionals from Botswana, Uganda, Malawi and other African countries, including doctors and nurses specialising in paediatric haematology-oncology and social workers. The programme estimates that over 5,000 children will receive care in the first five years.

With only five paediatric oncologists currently in the countries of Botswana, Malawi and Uganda combined, there are simply not enough expert doctors to treat all the children diagnosed with blood disorders and cancer.
The annual RICS Africa Summit, taking place in Sandton, Johannesburg, 22-23 February, will place a stronger focus on the empowerment of women in the built environment.

Amanda Clack, president of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) is one of the speakers at the RICS Africa Summit.

As part of an expanded event, this years summit is holding a joint mentoring workshop with the Womens Property Network (WPN) on the first day. RICS president Amanda Clack will host the workshop luncheon together with WPN leaders and women working in various levels of the broader property industry.

This is an exciting initiative for us as the workshop is part of a pilot womens mentorship and empowerment programme that RICS has started under the presidency of Amanda Clack. It provides a valuable opportunity for female property professionals in South Africa to share experiences and learn from their counterparts in the UK, says TC Chetty, RICS country manager for South Africa.

Through this mentorship programme, RICS aims to provide support to women surveyors and property professionals in South Africa, and to develop a pipeline of talent for women surveyors to remain and prosper in the profession. Both mentors and mentees will gain new skills, networks and benefit from a culture of support and sharing best practice within RICS internationally, explains Chetty.

Programme gaining momentum

Clack comments: As president of RICS, I am particularly pleased that our womens mentorship and empowerment programme is gaining momentum. I am looking forward to the womens workshop luncheon at the upcoming RICS Africa Summit in Johannesburg. Mentoring and empowering women is on the agenda of RICS through this pilot programme, which we hope to extend worldwide in the future.

In the increasing war for talent we need to attract, retain and support more women in the profession. Mentorship is a key support mechanism with both mentee and mentor gaining much from this special relationship. For me, it is important as you climb the ladder you bring someone with you. Thus, the RICS programme speaks to this agenda, she adds.

Cross-border collaboration

Lee-Anne Bac, a WPN Gauteng committee member and director of Real Estate and Construction at Grant Thornton, has been leading the effort from WPNs side on the joint womens mentorship initiative with RICS in South Africa.

It all started as a conversation between WPN and RICS last year at the RICS Africa Summit on the need to empower women in the industry through mentorship. Im glad it has become an official pilot programme between RICS in the UK and WPN in South Africa aimed for the benefit of women in the sector, says Bac.

I am passionate about womens empowerment and this is a great cross-border collaboration between WPN and RICS. Its an association that we are proud of, with this mentorship initiative having the potential to grow so that it is accessible to more women, she adds.

Click here for more information on the RICS Africa Summit 2017.
Yolandi Schoeman of Baoberry and Martin Ackermann of Thevia were recently honoured at the Global Forum during the 2017 Cleantech Week in San Francisco.

2016 GCIP-SA runner-up Martin Ackermann of Thevia

Schoeman, the winner of the 2016 South African Global Cleantech Innovation Programme for SMEs (GCIP-SA), was named one of two overall runner-up teams, while 2016 GCIP-SA runner-up Ackermann was the winner in the Green Buildings category.

Schoeman and Ackermann competed with clean technology innovators and entrepreneurs from India, Malaysia, Morocco, Pakistan and Turkey for top honours at the forum.

Schoemans aWetbox  a wetland in a box  is a nature-based ecologically engineered water-purifying solution suitable for use in rural communities facing water security challenges, as well as for residential, holiday and corporate developments. It is also available as a do-it-yourself package.

Being part of the GCIP-SA programme has been an important learning experience in my entrepreneurial career. Besides the honour of being selected a global runner-up, this acknowledgement also confirms that ecological engineering has been placed on the global map, Schoeman says.

Thevia receives award for roof tiles

Ackermann is delighted with the recognition. This award is our first step in convincing the world that this is the way all roof tiles should be made. We are extremely excited about the future of our product, he says. Thevia received the award for its roof tiles, which are manufactured from 99% waste materials (crusher discard and recycled HDPE). The tiles are 75% lighter than conventional concrete roof tiles but double the strength with less than 0,1% breakage, translating into cost savings of 8% to 15% on total roof installation.

This years Cleantech Open Global Forum winner was Green India Building Systems and Services Private Limited (GIBBS). The company developed a geothermal heat-exchange air-conditioning system that achieves up to 60% energy savings and 100% water savings compared to conventional building cooling systems.

The achievements of the GCIP-SA participants at the Global Forum illustrates the level and quality of cleantech innovation and entrepreneurship in the country, says Gerswynn McKuur, national project manager of the GCIP in South Africa. We are grateful to the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) and the Global Environment Facility for their vision and support of this programme.
As part of this year's Leap Day for Frogs, on Friday, 24 February, the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) aims to raise awareness of the plight of frogs by breaking the Guinness World Record for the largest game of leapfrog. The event will be held on the Durban beachfront promenade (near uShaka Marine World).

The record is currently held by New Zealand with 1,348 participants, so EWT are aiming for 1,500 participants.

The event will be strictly adhering to Guinness World Record rules, including crowd management, counting systems, and health and safety. Event partners include eThekwini Parks and Recreation, and uShaka Marine World. Participants will receive a sponsored educational pack (per school class) as well as a refreshment. Spot prizes will also be awarded.

South Africas most threatened amphibian species

There are 125 frog species in South Africa, of which a third are threatened by habitat destruction, increasing levels of pollution in freshwater systems, disease and climate change.

The EWTs Threatened Amphibian Programme is working hard to secure populations of some of South Africas most threatened amphibian species (including the critically endangered Amathole Toad, the endangered Pickersgills Reed Frog, and the endangered Western Leopard Toad); protect key habitats for threatened amphibians; and raise awareness about frogs and their importance, making Leap Day for Frogs a very important day.

Agenda

9.30am  Participants arrive.

9.30-10am  Participants are allocated positions.

10-10.10am  Participants take part in the leapfrog game.

10.15-10.45am  Refreshments, spot prizes and educational packs (per school class attending) are handed out.

11am  Departure

In keeping with Guinness World Record requirements, the event will be marshalled for safety and independently verified.
Newly appointed National Security Advisor LTG H. R. McMaster first rose to prominence in the Army as a Captain in command of a Cavalry Troop during Desert Storm. Eagle Troop, 2nd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment was the part of the screening force for the hail Mary wide sweep of the VII Corps main effort.*

Captain McMasters troop stumbled upon a Republican Guard defense, and in 23 minutes, destroyed the enemy, with no friendly losses. It was the first time the Army encountered the Iraqi Republican Guard.

Here is is his own account of the engagement.

The Battle of 73 Easting (a north-south grid line on the map) was one of many fights in Desert Storm. Each of those battles was different. Individual and unit experiences in the same battle often vary widely. The tactics that Army units use to fight future battles will vary considerably from those employed in Desert Storm. Harbingers of future armed conflict such as Russias invasion of Ukraine, ISISs establishment of a terrorist proto-state and growing transnational reach, Irans pursuit of long range ballistic missiles, Syrias use of chemical weapons and barrel bombs to commit mass murder against its citizens, the Talibans evolving insurgency in Afghanistan and Pakistan, North Koreas growing nuclear arsenal and that regimes erratic behavior all indicate that Army forces must be prepared to fight and win against a wide range of enemies, in complex environments, and under a broad range of conditions. There are, however, general lessons and observations from combat experiences that apply at the tactical level across a range of enemies and battlefield conditions. The purpose of this essay is to reflect on the experience of Eagle Troop, Second Squadron, Second Armored Cavalry Regiment twenty-five years ago during Operation Desert Storm to identify enduring keys to success in battle.

*Your Humble Scribe was a minor participant as part of the 1st Armored Division.
The processes related to workplace discipline often confound employees. Whether this is the result of lapping up Suits or Law & Order is an open question, but we frequently see employees misconceiving their rights and obligations when faced with allegations of wrongdoing in the workplace. Employees do their cause more harm than good when labouring under misapprehensions on the nature of workplace discipline.

Many jurisdictions require employers to have just cause for terminating employment and to follow a fair preceding procedure. The prescribed local procedure varies from merely allowing the employee an informal opportunity to state a case, on the one extreme, and a quasi-judicial processes involving presiding officers, employer-prosecutors, extensive leading of evidence and cross-examination on the other end of the spectrum. However, critical in most disciplinary inquiries are the fundamental questions of (1) did the employee do something wrong and, if so (2) what sanction should be imposed?

Did the employee do something wrong?

In respect of the first question, we often see or read in the law reports of employees adopting an attitude of "Well, prove it". The difficulty with this approach is that employees fail to appreciate the difference in proving matters using the civil onus versus the criminal onus. Internal disciplinary matters are considered on a balance or preponderance of probabilities. This essentially means "which of the various versions is more probable?" An employer is not required to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that an employee committed misconduct (the criminal law onus used by the state in prosecuting criminals).

A presiding officer or manager considering whether an employee broke workplace rules has to evaluate the evidence and argument available, then determine which version is more probable. There may still be reasonable doubt as to whether the employee committed the misconduct, but based on the probabilities, the manager or PO should be comfortable that the employee probably committed the offense.

Employees folding their arms, waiting for the employer to prove the case against them are regularly surprised when the chairperson of the inquiry rules against the employees. Where the employer puts up a plausible case, the employees are obliged to present a version that is more probable if they wish to escape a finding that they committed misconduct.

What is the appropriate sanction?

The next common mistake made by many employees in internal hearings is an unwillingness to acknowledge their mistakes or wrongdoing. Dismissing employees is the final act in managing risk posed by errant employees to the business. Where an employee is found to have committed misconduct, the presiding officer has to consider the risk posed to the organisation of the employee repeating the misconduct. If employees are unwilling to acknowledge wrongdoing and recommit themselves to the values of the company, the lingering doubt will be whether the employee will contravene the rule again in future.

In practice, it is difficult to convince an employer to take a chance on the employee and extend a lifeline where the employee remains steadfast that he or she did nothing wrong, even after the hearing's finding to the contrary. Showing true remorse and pledging full support to ensure that such behaviour is not repeated can go a long way in comforting an employer that retaining the employee in service will not result in undue risk.

Perhaps when we hear Harvey Spectre advising his clients to say "Sorry, I made a mistake and will never do that again," we will see employees changing their approach during internal disciplinary matters. Clever tactical defences may look spectacular on the big screen or television, but does little to strengthen the relationship between employer and employee.
The Competition Commission has filed with the Competition Tribunal a settlement agreement reached with Citibank N.A. for being part of the forex trading cartel.

The Commission found that from at least 2007, Citibank N.A. and its competitors had a general agreement to collude on prices for bids, offers and bid-offer spreads for the spot trades in relation to currency trading involving US Dollar/ Rand currency pair, the Competition Commission said in a statement.

Furthermore, the Commission found that Citibank N.A. and its competitors manipulated the price of bids and offers through agreements to refrain from trading and creating fictitious bids and offers at particular times.

Citibank N.A. will pay an administrative penalty of R69,500,860. This figure does not exceed 10% of Citibank N.A.s annual turnover in the Republic of South Africa. Citibank N.A. undertook to cooperate with the Commission and avail witnesses to assist the prosecution of the other banks that colluded in this matter, the Competition Commission said.

On 15 February 2017, the Competition Commission referred a collusion case to the Competition Tribunal for prosecution against Bank of America Merrill Lynch International Limited, BNP Paribas, JP Morgan Chase & Co, JP Morgan Chase Bank N.A, Investec Ltd, Standard New York Securities Inc., HSBC Bank Plc, Standard Chartered Bank, Credit Suisse Group; Standard Bank of South Africa Ltd, Commerzbank AG; Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited, Nomura International Plc., Macquarie Bank Limited, Citibank N.A., ABSA Bank Limited (ABSA), Barclays Capital Inc, Barclays Bank plc (Respondents).

This settlement was done to encourage speedy settlement and full disclosure to strengthen the evidence for prosecution of the other banks, said Commissioner Tembinkosi Bonakele.
A trust is a legal entity created by a trust founder that can be used to purchase and own property. Once a trust is created, all assets are placed into the trust by either the trust founder donating the assets to the trust or the trust buying the assets. If the assets are donated to the trust, then a donation tax will need to be paid based on the value of the assets. If the trust purchases the assets, a transfer duty will be applicable. With the costs involved in setting up a trust, why do some people still use this entity to purchase property?

While the cost of starting a trust can be significant, purchasing a property through a trust has certain advantages that many feel outweigh the cost. A trust is often used to protect the assets and ensure that the appointed beneficiaries, which are more often than not the trust founders children, get the benefit of using the assets if something happens to the trust founder.

Excellent way to protect assets

As soon as the trust is formed and the assets are transferred out of the trust founders name, the trust founder is no longer the owner of those assets. What this means is that if the trust founder passes away, the assets in the trust will not form a part of the deceased estate and will therefore not be used in the calculation of estate duty. The assets within the trust can also not be attached should the trust founder go into insolvency, provided the stipulated period has lapsed. A period of six months must elapse if the trust founder was solvent at the time of transfer of assets, or up to two years in the case of insolvency. A trust is, therefore, an excellent way to protect the assets by ensuring the beneficiaries get future use out of them while avoiding paying estate duty on the value of the assets.

If the trustees wish to purchase additional property, the property will be registered in the name of the trust and not the trustees. If the purchase of the property needs to be financed by a bank, the trustees must have the authority to purchase property in the name of the trust, borrow money for the purpose of buying property, and the authority to encumber trust assets as security for the duty of the trust.

Disadvantages

While there are advantages to using a trust to purchase and own property, there are also disadvantages. In that, because the trust founder is no longer the owner of the assets, he or she does not have sole control over them. The trust founder appoints trustees to manage the trust and its assets in a trust deed or document. The trustees are often the trust founders attorney or their accountant. However, there are instances where the trust founder also appoints themselves, along with their spouse as the trustees. The duty of the trustees is to manage the assets in accordance with the terms and provisions of the trust deed.

It is important to understand the tax implications of forming a trust, and how it differs from those of an individual. In most cases, a trust will pay a higher tax rate than an individual taxpayer. Any income received by the trust will be taxed at 41% per annum, and no rebates apply to trusts. A trust will also incur Capital Gains Tax (CGT) on any capital profit that it makes, which will be charged at a higher rate than that of an individual. On the plus side, the rate a trust pays on CGT is lower than the rate of estate duty.

Those who are considering forming a trust should ideally consult with a professional financial adviser before they proceed. While a trust can be a highly effective vehicle to manage assets, it will not suit everybody's needs. A financial adviser will be able to explain all the implications and assess whether it is the preferable route based on the individuals personal criteria.
South Africa saw the arrival of more than 10 million international tourists last year - up 13% from 2015 and well over the global average growth rate for the period. In 2016, it is estimated that about 1.2 billion international tourists travelled the world, representing a growth rate of 3.9%.

Peter Titmuss via 123RF

Tourism - a significant economic sector around the world making a substantial contribution in both developed and developing countries - now comprises 30% of all global service exports.

A major stabilising force

In South Africa, the role of tourism in the balance of payments has become increasingly important. In 2015, tourisms trade balance with the rest of the world was R36 billion, according to Statistics South Africa (Stats SA). This is a major stabilising force for the national current account.

A total of 10,044,163 international tourist arrivals were recorded in South Africa in 2016, according to the latest Stats SA statistical release, representing an additional 1.1 million international tourists.

Overseas and regional markets fared well. Overseas markets are typically associated with leisure tourism and business tourism events. Regional markets, particularly cross-border land tourist arrivals, make an enormous contribution to the economies of many border towns, as well as major cities and popular tourist regions.

Together, the differing travel patterns and behaviours of the various travel markets sustain a large and diverse sector of businesses across South Africa.

Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom commended all the people who are working hard in the private and public sector to develop and promote tourism, and to provide visitors with excellent service and memorable experiences. The spectacular growth in tourist arrivals indicates that the close collaboration between various government departments, between the Department of Tourism and industry, and between suppliers and service providers on the ground has paid off, said Minister Hanekom. We have done well to capitalise on our status as a value for money destination, offering an array of experiences for all tourist markets.

Growth in tourist arrivals

The latest Stats SA report indicates an increase in tourist arrivals in all months of 2016, compared to the previous year. The United Kingdom remained the leading source market for overseas arrivals to South Africa in 2016 (447,,840 arrivals) followed by the USA (345,013) and Germany (311,832). China remained the leading growth market, with year-on-year growth recorded at 38%. Arrivals from India grew by 22%.

The growth in tourist arrivals from China and India has been consistent over the year, following improvements in the visa application processes in those countries. We can build on this and attract even more tourists from these markets in the future, said Minister Hanekom.

The highest number of tourist arrivals from African markets came from Zimbabwe (2,028,881), followed by Lesotho (1,757,058) and Mozambique (1,268,258). Lesotho was the fastest growing African source market in 2016, recording an increase of 26% over the previous year. The monthly distribution pattern of African tourist arrivals indicates a peak in March 2016, due mainly to the Easter holiday falling in March last year.

Tourism touches the lives of all South Africans

Minister Hanekom said the robust performance of the tourism sector indicates its resilience and its enduring capacity to support jobs, a characteristic of the sector that is especially important for South Africa.

The latest Tourism Satellite Account indicates that tourism supported 711,746 jobs directly in 2015. The total number of jobs from tourism in 2015 (including direct, indirect and induced jobs) was estimated at 1.55 million, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council.

Tourism touches the lives of all South Africans, said Minister Hanekom. Given its importance to our economy, we must continue to nurture the sector and drive increasingly impactful and collaborative strategies and programmes for sustained, inclusive growth.
The Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services believes it has won widespread support from the information and communications technology (ICT) sector for its wholesale open-access network proposal for radio spectrum and that the emphasis has shifted to how the policy will be implemented.

 arcoss via 123RF

This was the conclusion drawn from a consultation in Pretoria on Friday organised by the National ICT Forum to discuss the implementation of the national integrated ICT policy white paper.

It was attended by more than 300 government officials, business leaders, industry associations, labour representatives and the National Consumer Commission. Telecommunications and Postal Services Minister Siyabonga Cwele led the discussions.

Single wireless open-access network

In terms of the white paper, a single wireless open-access network will be created that will offer broadband to all players and give the control and management of radio frequency spectrum to the minister. It will also create a new regulatory body.

In the past, the industry criticised aspects of the policy, especially the radio frequency spectrum management, as well as the open-access model for wireless networks.

"We are making progress towards implementing the new ICT policy. Our preference for consultation is yielding the desired results because we are edging closer to an agreement on how best we speedily implement this very important policy," Cwele said.

One of the results of the consultation was the commitment by cellphone network operators to purchase a significant amount of capacity from the wholesale open-access network.

Committed to consultations

"We are committed to consultations but we must speedily implement the policy because the sector is dynamic," the minister added.

The consultations were meant to ensure the policy was implemented in as least disruptive manner possible.

The department will process all the inputs as it develops the implementation plan for the white paper, which will be submitted to Cabinet. It aims to finalise the plan by the end of March and to start implementing soon thereafter those aspects of the policy that do not require legislative changes.

In terms of the policy, the wholesale open-access network should be majority black- and female-owned and controlled "in line with the call for radical economic transformation". The state's aim, Cwele noted, was to encourage competition in services and reduce competition in infrastructure because it was when companies competed on services that consumer prices fell.

Facilitating transformation

"The meeting also discussed facilitating transformation and [small business] development through procurement," department spokesman Siya Qoza said. "The delegates proposed that a minimum of 30% of government ICT spend should be set aside for broad-based black economic empowerment level one companies in year one, increasing to 40% in year two and 51% in year three.

"The proposal is for these procurement targets to be applicable to state-owned companies as well."

Discussions also focused on empowering the regulator to oversee the sector.

Source: Business Day
Gauteng premier David Makhura on Monday assured citizens that any new roads built in the province would not have e-tolls.

He said the provincial government would not make the same mistakes as before.

"We are mobilising resources for public transport infrastructure in ways that will ensure we do not commit the same mistakes. We can't build roads and only later inform citizens that they must pay. In fact, there will be no e-tolls on our new roads," he announced during his state of the province address in Randfontein.

"Only solution from national level"

Makhura admitted that the advisory panel into the socioeconomic effect of e-tolls provided no solution. "We tried our best. The ultimate solution can only come from national level," he said.

Gauteng motorists owe about R9.4bn in unpaid e-toll bills.

Recently, the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) said it was seeking clarity from the South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) on whether it intended to go ahead with civil and criminal cases against motorists.

The organisation said it understood Sanral was preparing to pursue judgments against some of the estimated 2.9-million Gauteng motorists who were not paying e-tolls.

Legal clarity

Sanral has said it is important to get legal clarity given the conflicting information regarding the legality of tolling.

Outa was engaging with Sanral over a "test case" that could provide clarity regarding the liability of Gauteng motorists who owe the agency money for tolls.

On Monday, Makhura said the Gauteng government would continue to engage the government at national level to ensure residents' interests were represented.

Source: BDpro
An extra week has been added to the Blue Man Group run in Johannesburg due to high demand. The show commenced at the Teatro at Montecasino in Johannesburg on 7 February and will now run until 18 March. It will then head to Cape Town from 21 March - 26 March.

An award-winning global smash hit phenomenon, Blue Man Group creates experiences that defy categorisation, taking the audience on a journey that is funny, intelligent and visually stunning. All this culminates in the trademark Blue Man Group finale - a blissful party atmosphere. Blue Man Group is accompanied by a live band whose tribal rhythms help drive the show to its unforgettable climax.

The groups origins

Blue Man Group was founded by three close friends Chris Wink, Matt Goldman and Phil Stanton in New York in 1991. Since the groups inception it has grown to include permanent shows in Las Vegas, New York, Orlando, Boston, Chicago and Berlin, as well as a North American Tour and a World Tour. Beyond the stage show, Blue Man Group has toured the globe with the Megastar World Tour rock concert parody, produced multiple albums, including the Grammy-nominated Audio, and the recently released THREE. They have also published their first ever book, Blue Man World, in October 2016.

South African rave press reviews comment on the shows unique offering:

They say seeing is believing and observing them in action at the Teatro, Montecasino, is a rare treat, an extraordinary journey where music, movement and striking examples of modern technology are brought to the boil and spilling over into an audience ready to accept something completely different  Artslink  Peter Feldmen

I enjoyed how interactive the show is as several members of the audience, which included musician Danny K, got to join in the fun on stage  Cape Times

CEO of Big Concerts, Justin Van Wyk said We are extremely pleased with the reaction to Blue Man Group in Johannesburg. It is a different kind of experience to most tours we bring to South Africa, but needless to say the crowd reaction is exceptional. We urge fans to go see this global phenomenon in the next four weeks before tickets sell out.

Blue Man Group is brought to South Africa by Big Concerts International  A Live Nation Company.

How to book tickets

Tickets can be purchased from www.bigconcerts.co.za and Computicket.

Johannesburg Ticket Discount: Receive a 25% family discount when you book four or more tickets for an off-peak performance (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday evening).

www.blueman.com
Datsun Go+ 1.2 Lux (R139,900)

When the Go launched in 2014, it was slammed for not having any airbags and ABS.

The 210mm longer and 5mm higher Go+ now provides seven seats for seven bottoms, and one side airbag for the driver.

The question is, will you be able to drive the Go+ at highway speeds when you know full well that theres no ABS? Under severe braking, the lack thereof will mean that the Gos wheels will lock, skid, and loss of control is probable. Doesnt instil much confidence when youre driving your little darlings to school 20km away.

Inside, youll find the same hard plastics and flimsy seat material as the original Go. At least you get air-con, electric windows, power steering, a trip computer and follow-me-home headlamps as standard. Space in the third row is cramped and is only equipped with lap belts. At R139,900, this is what you can expect. On the plus side, the rev-happy 1.2-litre engine proves to be very competent.

FAW Sirius S80 1.3 Comfort (R179,995)

Built on the previous Toyota Avanza platform, the Sirius S80 offers the most spec for the least dosh. Its not too ungainly either, looking like the real deal with its outdoorsy scuff plates.

Agreed, FAW isnt very well-known or particularly popular, being a Chinese brand, and come re-sale time youll probably regret your choice. But it does offer air-con, remote central locking, USB/MP3 audio player, an alarm, dual front airbags, ABS and alloy wheels.

While the gearbox feels a little notchy, the ride is a comfortable one. But Id rather spend a few bucks more if I could, and look a little further.

Suzuki Ertiga 1.4 GA (R193,900)

The fun-to-drive Ertiga is the perfect school runabout, offering solid handling, good build quality, and a frugal, peppy 1.4-litre engine. The only pain is the lightly coloured seat material - it doesnt mix well with messy children. The Suzuki will certainly hold its value better than the cheaper Chinese alternative.

As for safety and convenience features, the Ertiga is equipped with air-con and power steering, and ABS with EBD and two airbags. When the Ertiga received a facelift a year ago, its audio system was improved to offer Bluetooth functionality, but only on the more expensive GL-variants.

Toyota Avanza 1.3 S (R219,100)

South Africas staple people-mover, the Toyota Avanza, has benefited from a facelift in October 2016. Now looking slightly less like a breadbin, and a little more Chinese than Japanese from the front, the Avanza always had ABS but sees a significant amount of safety kit added to its latest model: Vehicle Stability Control, Brake Assist, as well as traction control.

The interior layout is functional but sorely needs a designer with some pizazz to make things look a little more current. However, that Toyota badge is a valuable thing, and those who are loyal to the brand will probably look no further. And with good reason: it won silver in the 2016 Kinsey report, meaning that its not just priced right, but also one of the most cost-effective cars to service, maintain and repair (see kinseyreport.co.za).

Honda BR-V 1.5 Trend (R238,900)

Now heres a seven-seater that looks much more upmarket than the rest of the club. The BR-Vs dapper stance and athletic exterior styling belie its humble price tag. Its also the only other budget-orientated seven-seater here with Bluetooth connectivity.

The layout is typically Honda - the buttons and dials are all large and easy to use and the stylish, minimalist dashboard are angled towards the driver. The six-speed manual gearbox is a delight, and the naturally aspirated 1.5-litre engine is keen to get going. The second row of seats can recline. But best of all - the front seats recline to 180 degrees, ie. as flat as a business class bed, enabling you to have a nice long nap if sleeping upright doesnt work for you. It has ABS, EBD and Brake Assist, with two airbags.

At this price point the BR-V truly stands out, so if your budget can stretch to R238 900, youll be buying a real winner. The BR-V also won Car Magazines Top 12 Best Buys 2017 in the Light SUV/Crossover department, beating both the Kia Soul as well as the Mazda CX-3.

The Trend-variant doesnt come standard with a service plan, while the other contenders have 4- year/60,000km plans. However, the Honda boasts a 5-year/200,000km warranty, while the above-mentioned MPVs only have 3-year/100,000km warranties.
The Southern African operation of Zurich Insurance, which used to be listed on the JSE, rebranded itself Bryte Insurance on Thursday. Its Swiss parent recently sold the company to Canada-based Fairfax Financial Holdings.

Image by 123RF

"We are delighted to introduce our new brand to the Southern Africa market. Our ambition is to be the premier, proactive business risk specialist in Southern Africa," Bryte CEO Edwyn O'Neill said.

The new brand was launched in Botswana on Friday morning. Under its new owner, the group intends expanding into other African countries. O'Neill would not be drawn on which other African countries Bryte was considering entering, but said it would first bed down its transformation before pursuing growth plans.

About 80% of Bryte's business comprises commercial and specialist lines of insurance written through independent brokers. O'Neill said it would continue to focus on these lines through in-house specialist underwriting managers.

In the next three years, Bryte would target a combined ratio (the sum of incurred losses and other claims expenses as a percentage of premium income) of 95%, with the intention of reducing this to 90% in the longer term, O'Neill said. A combined ratio below 100% indicates that an insurer has made underwriting profits - that is, it has paid out less in claims and claims-related expenses than it has collected in premiums.

The rebrand to Bryte follows Zurich's Swiss parent's decision to sell its African insurance assets as part of a strategic review. The sale was concluded in December 2016 to Fairfax, an investment holdings company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and with insurance assets around the world.

It recently acquired a small stake in SA-based reinsurer, Africa Re, as well as a 50% stake in domestic specialist liability underwriter, Camargue, through another of its subsidiaries, Brit Insurance. Fairfax was optimistic about SA and would consider further acquisitions here, said Bryte chairman and executive chairman of Brit, Mark Cloutier.

Bryte's history in SA effectively dates back to 1849, when Star Life sold its first policy. A series of mergers led to the creation of SA Eagle, which debuted on the JSE in 1968. SA Eagle was acquired by Zurich Insurance Group in 1984 and started operating under the Zurich brand in 2007. It was de-listed in 2015.

Source: BDpro.
As part of The British Library in China Project, the Library recently set up a series of Knowledge Exchange programmes with partners across mainland China and Hong Kong. Gemma Renshaw, Loans Coordinator at the Library, and Robert Davies, Editorial and Rights Manager of the Librarys Publishing team, were the two colleagues selected to visit the National Library of China (NLC) in Beijing in December. The aim of the trip was to learn from the host institution and to explore new terrain for future skills-sharing activities and collaboration.



Robert Davies and Gemma Renshaw on the first day of their visit to the National Museum of Classical Books at the National Library of China.  British Library in China

The British Library in China Project is a UK government-funded, three-year project designed to strengthen cultural ties between the two countries. The first of a series of exhibitions will be held at the NLC from April 2017 and will feature 11 iconic items from the British Library collections, including an early edition of the works of Shakespeare and Arthur Conan Doyles manuscripts. As part of this project, the Library is also developing a Chinese-language website based on the successful Discovering Literature platform, to introduce English literature authors and themes to the Chinese public.



Ms Guo Ni from the NLC International Office welcomed the Library colleagues. From left to right: Robert Davies, Gemma Renshaw, Guo Ni and Tan Wang-Ward.  British Library in China

While working closely together to develop a large-scale, joint exhibition, the Library and the NLC are now collaborating in new and exciting ways. The preparation of the joint exhibition has involved several months of fruitful interactions, including video conference calls between teams in London and Beijing. These regular conversations have increased mutual understanding, which helps tremendously when two organisations have different working methods and operating languages.

For Gemma, one of the important objectives of this trip was directly related to the upcoming exhibition. She hoped to find out more details about the exhibition hall facilities and conditions, as well as to finally meet the colleagues in Beijing with whom she had remotely worked for so many months! Gemma writes:

(On the first day of visit) we arrived early at the NLC and were introduced to the Exhibitions and Property Management teams. They showed us around the gallery that well be displaying our objects in and we talked about the display cases, the types of objects they usually show, how the exhibition hall can be laid out for our joint exhibition and how practical work is divided between the two teams. It was really helpful for me to talk to both teams because they split the work that is done by my department at the Library between them. Also, seeing for myself what the gallery and the store room were like allowed me to get answers to important questions regarding security and exhibition hall environment, which otherwise would require a lot of email exchanges and translation help from my Chinese-speaking colleagues at the Library.

Robert paid a visit to the National Library of China Press. This trip provided a valuable opportunity for Robert to build direct contact with the NLC Press. As Robert says:

The visit to the National Library of China Press was a fascinating glimpse into the very different context of museum and library publishing in China. Our counterparts at the NLC Press have a large staff (over 100!) and publish many deeply scholarly books, curating and preserving Chinas traditional literary culture for a highly specialist audience. Compared to the BL press, the NLC press focuses much more strictly on its own collection and on Chinese books. The British Library has longstanding relationships with NLC Press for key projects  works about the Diamond Sutra, for example  but we have never had direct publisher-to-publisher contact in the past. There are clear opportunities for strengthening our partnership in future years  for example, facsimiles of ancient Chinese books and manuscripts as well as the on-going project on the retro-conversion in electronic format of the catalogues of our exceptional holdings of Chinese material from the early republican period. This visit gave me a unique chance to see these projects from the other side and to build direct contact with editors and publishers  who were generous with their time in showing me their neighbourhood near the beautiful lakes of Beihai Park in central Beijing and provided an extremely delicious Peking duck lunch.

In addition to the NLC press, Robert also visited one of the most popular local bookstores  San Lian Bookstore, which is open 24/7 and is so vast that it spreads over three floors in the central area of Beijing:

Visiting a flagship Chinese bookshop was a great opportunity to find out more about the market for books in China  how they are priced, what cover designs and binding styles are used, and how translated Western books are categorised and sold among Chinese original works. It was also surprising (and inspiring) to see a very traditional bookshop  no cafe, and no gift products  busy with customers, late into the evening.





Gemma Renshaw and Robert Davies with Mr Lei Qiang from the Exhibition Department of the NLC.  British Library in China



A corner for audience participation at an NLC exhibition dedicated to the guqin, a traditional Chinese musical instrument that was often associated with scholarly life.  British Library in China

The exhibitions on display at the National Museum of Classical Books of the NLC were particularly interesting and informative: new media and interactive technologies have found their way into the NLC exhibition displays and narratives. For Robert, the highlight of visiting the exhibitions was a guided tour of the oracle bones gallery, which has an immersive set-up supported by multi-media projection and ambient sound effect. The way that the exhibition curator had made a complex and specialist subject into an accessible, interesting and hands-on gallery was very impressive.

Other activities of the Knowledge Exchange visit to the NLC included a tour of the book conservation studio and of the Ancient Rubbings and Epigraphy department. In the conservation studio, the traditional Chinese way of master-apprentice knowledge transmission is still very prominent, demonstrated by the way the room is arranged: the master conservators desks are positioned in the central area of the room while apprentices desks are on the right side of the room by the windows.

While we were there a conservator was working on her research on paper colouration. She was using Chinese brush and mineral paints and experimented combining the paint with a wide range of materials to see which combination would better match with that of an aged page from an old book. This type of approach to paper is rooted in the long history of bookbinding and book conservation in China.

The NLC conservation studio is equipped with very advanced technology machinery, including two labs for paper testing and analysis and a newly established Western Books conservation lab, which the studio manager very kindly introduced to us. This new lab is led by Xiao Yu, a young conservator who studied at the Camberwell College of Arts and has a remarkable knowledge base of both Chinese and Western book bindings and materials.



Visit to the conservation studio at the NLC.  British Library in China

At the Department of Ancient Rubbings and Epigraphy we were given a fascinating insight into the large collection of Chinese rubbings. Chinese rubbings are paper copies of the surface of engraved items or reliefs. As a technique, rubbings enjoy a long history of more than 1,500 years in China and East Asian countries. As objects, rubbings represent an invaluable medium for preserving the history and culture contained within important stone stele, bronze vessels and objects in other material such as brick and jade. We were shown how to make rubbings out of a beautiful ink-stone engraved with plum blossoms: a piece of traditional Chinese rice paper was laid flat on the ink-stone and carefully moistened with sprayed water. After the paper dried but remained stuck to the ink-stone, an inkpad with some ink was carefully and lightly pressed on the paper, leaving an ink impression of the plum blossoms image as the carved parts of the engravings were left white on the paper.



An expert at the NLC showing how to make a rubbing out of the ink-stone engraved with a plum blossom pattern.  British Library in China

Creating a Chinese rubbing is a delicate task: it requires extensive experience to balance the level of the moisture in the paper, the quantity of ink and the correct pressure. The British Librarys Chinese collection hosts a collection of Chinese rubbings, and the Curators of the Chinese section hope to work together with the NLC in future to gain specialist knowledge on how to better conserve, catalogue, store and digitise them.



Experts of the Department of Ancient Rubbings and Epigraphy at the NLC welcomed Library staff Gemma Renshaw and Tan Wang-Ward.  British Library in China

The Knowledge Exchange programme will continue alongside the three-year exhibitions project in China and will consist of a series of reciprocal visits between staff members of different areas and departments of the British Library and the Chinese partner institutions, including Shanghai Library and Mu Xin Art Museum in Wuzhen.
Main rivals Savanna Sunrise and HotelOga have signed an agreement to merge, creating an African giant in hospitality marketing technology.

Image by 123RF

HotelOga was founded by Marek Zmysowski and Maciej Prostak with an initial backing from Polish VC SpeedUP and a prominent Indian Garg family.

In less than a year HotelOga contracted more than 500 hotels, taking a lead in the Nigerian market. Their customer portfolio features reputable brands as: Lagos Oriental Hotel, Protea Hotels or Golden Tulip. HotelOgas technology was recognised by global players like Google and awarded by Expedia.

Savanna Sunrise is a travel and hospitality marketing group, launched in Kenya in 2014 by experienced hoteliers and managers Endre Opdal and Havar Bauck. The company grew organically to become a market leader in Eastern and Central Africa, with more than 400 hotel partners across 14 African countries.

The merger will create the biggest hospitality marketing technology group in online travel in Africa. HotelOga and Savanna Sunrise are changing the way hotels utilise technology and online marketing in their operations. With already inked partnerships with Expedia, Booking.com, TripAdvisor, HotelBeds, CTrip and many more, the group will be also the most preferred business partner for any new online travel company with Africa on their agenda.

Both companies are in agreement to merge at similar valuations. Marek Zmysowski will take the role of the CEO of newly established entity, and Havar Bauck will be the executive chairman. The group will retain both brands initially, until a unified marketing strategy is rolled out in the near future.

Zmysowski commented: We are so happy to join forces with Savanna Sunrise. This merger will enable us to become the leading company in our sector. Our next goals include: unifying operations within the group and strengthening our dominant position in Africa. We are also preparing our expansion to certain markets in Asia and Eastern Europe, where we can implement our learnings from Africa.

Bauck added: With this merger, we are writing a new chapter in the evolution of the hospitality sector in Africa. From the position we are building, we are now well poised to expand our footprint to frontier and emerging markets globally. The challenges facing the hospitality sector across these markets are very similar, and we are eagerly preparing to tap into the immense opportunities that exist.
Drought throughout East Africa has sharply curbed harvests and pushed the prices of cereals and other staple foods to unusually high levels, posing a heavy burden to households and special risks for pastoralists in the region.

Image by 123RF

Local prices of maize, sorghum and other cereals are near or at record levels in swathes of Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania, according to the latest Food Price Monitoring and Analysis Bulletin (FPMA).

Inadequate rainfall in most areas of the sub-region has put enormous strain on livestock and their keepers. Poor livestock body conditions due to pasture and water shortages and forcible culls mean animals command lower prices, leaving pastoralists with even less income to purchase basic foodstuffs.

"Sharply increasing prices are severely constraining food access for large numbers of households with alarming consequences in terms of food insecurity," said Mario Zappacosta, FAO senior economist and coordinator of the Global Information and Early Warning System.

The trends in East Africa, where prices of staple cereals have doubled in some town markets, stand in marked contrast to the stable trend of FAO's Food Price Index, which measures the monthly change in international prices of a basket of traded food commodities.

The difference is due to the drought that is hammering the sub-region, where food stocks were already depleted by the strong El Nino weather event that ended only last year. Poor and erratic rainfall in recent months, crucial for local growing seasons, are denting farm output.

Somalia's maize and sorghum harvests are estimated to be 75% down from their usual level, and some 6.2 million people, more than half of the country's total population, now face acute food insecurity, with the majority of those most affected living in rural areas.

Soaring prices

The FPMA Bulletin tracks food price trends on a granular level and in local terms, with an eye to flagging instances where the prices of essential food commodities increase sharply or are abnormally high.

In Mogadishu, prices of maize increased by 23% in January, and the increase was even sharper in the main maize producing region of Lower Shabelle. Overall, in key market towns of central and southern Somalia, coarse grain prices in January have doubled from a year earlier. With an earlier than usual depletion of household stocks during the coming lean season and preliminary weather forecasts raising concerns for the performance of the next rainy season, prices are likely to further escalate in the coming months.

Maize prices in Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania, have almost doubled since early 2016, while they are 25% higher than 12 months earlier in the country's largest city, Dar Es Salaam.

In South Sudan, food prices are now two to four times above their levels of a year earlier, exacerbated by ongoing insecurity and the significant depreciation of the local currency.

In Kenya, where eastern and coastal lowlands as well as some western areas of the Rift Valley all suffered below-average rainfall, maize prices are up by around 30%, with the increase somewhat contained somewhat thanks to sustained imports from Uganda.

Cereal prices aren't the only ones rising. Beans now cost 40% more in Kenya than a year earlier, while in Uganda - where maize prices are now up to 75% higher than a year earlier - and increasing around the key border trading hub of Busia, the prices of beans and cassava flour are both about 25% higher than a year ago in the capital city, Kampala.

Double jeopardy for pastoralists

Drought-affected pastoral areas in the region face even harsher conditions. In Somalia, goat prices are up to 60% lower than a year ago, while in pastoralist areas of Kenya the prices of goats declined by up to 30% over the last 12 months.

Shortages of pasture and water caused livestock deaths and reduced body mass, prompting herders to sell animals while they can, as is also occurring in drought-wracked southern Ethiopia. This also pushes up the prices of milk, which is, for instance, up 40% on the year in Somalia's Gedo region.

Lower income from livestock collides with higher prices for cereals and other staple foods in a wrenching shock to terms of trade for pastoralist households. A medium-sized goat in Somalia's Buale market was worth 114 kilograms of maize in January 2016, but at today's prices can be traded for only 30 kilograms of the grain.

FAO uses its proprietary FPMA Tool, accessible to the public online, to monitor local markets and gather data for more than 1350 domestic price series in 91 countries around the globe in order to produce its Indicator of Food Price Anomalies.
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Radio stations broadcasting to rural areas in the Eastern Cape and Kwazulu-Natal will be producing children's stories in both home languages and English as part of their regular programming as of March 2017. These radio stations include Inkonjane FM, Good News Community Radio, Ugu Youth Radio, Radio Sunny South, Radio Khwezi and Link FM.

The broadcasts will be in support of the Nal'ibali campaign's new Story Powered Schools project, which was launched at the start of the new school year by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to bring literacy development to rural schools. The project will be working with a total of 720 schools over a three-year period in the Ugu and Uthukela districts in KwaZulu-Natal and the Maluti and Bizana districts in the Eastern Cape.

For more information on the Story Powered Schools project, visit www.storypoweredschools.org.
President Donald Trump believes that decisions around which restrooms and locker rooms transgender students use in schools are best left to the states, and his administration will soon issue new guidance on the issue, Press Secretary Sean Spicer said Tuesday.

That guidance will roll back a rule issued by the Obama administration that required schools to grant transgender students access to bathrooms and locker rooms that matched their gender identity, even if it did not align with their biological sex at birth. Under that rule, schools that did not comply may have been found in violation of the sex-discrimination protections of Title IX, which Obamas Departments of Justice and Education argued applied to gender identity as well as biological sex.

The Trump administration had signaled a rollback of that rule , which had triggered multi-state lawsuits from conservative state leaders who labeled it federal overreach. A federal judge put the guidance on hold last year while he considered one of those cases, and the federal interpretation of Title IX is also at the center of a case due before the Supreme Court in March.

A reporter asked about rumors that the Trump administration would rescind that rule in the White House briefing. Heres Spicers answer:

Right now that's an issue that the Department of Justice and the Department of Education are addressing. I would tell you thatand I think there will be further guidance coming from DOJ in particular with respect to not just the executive order but also the case that's in front of the Supreme Courtthe president has maintained for a long time that this is a states' rights issue and not one for the federal government. So while there will be further guidance coming out on this, I think all you have to do is look at what the president's view has been for a long time: that this is not something that the federal government should be involved in. This is a states' rights issue."

As I wrote previously, the federal interpretation that Title IX applies to gender identity has been at the core of court wins by transgender students whove sued their schools for restroom and locker room access.

To date, transgender students have had the most success with the argument that, where Title IX could logically be interpreted multiple ways, courts have the obligation to defer to the federal agencies' interpretation that it applies to gender identity. But, if the federal agencies change that interpretation, such legal challenges will lose their grounding. Virginia student Gavin Grimm, who sued to use the boys bathroom at his school, has succeeded so far in federal courts with that argument. But the U.S. Supreme Court has put a lower court's order allowing him boys' bathroom access on hold until it considers his school district's appeal in March 28 oral arguments. Even if the Trump administration withdraws the federal guidance, school districts can still adopt their own polices to accomodate transgender students according to their gender identities. And some states, like California, have state-level anti-discrimination laws that include transgender students. But, without the federal guidance, there would be less legal ground for transgender students to challenge school rules or state-level laws that restrict restroom and locker room access according to biological sex. To this point, only North Carolina has such a law, but state legislatures, including Texas', have proposed similar measures this year."

LGBT rights groups responded to rumors of a change Monday night.

.@HRC calls on the Trump Admin to immediately & permanently affirm guidance to protect #transgender students. //t.co/gd8nOA1Jnm -- HumanRightsCampaign (@HRC) February 21, 2017

This guidance, critical for protecting #trans students, is likely to be rescinded tomorrow. We cannot back down. //t.co/yrFnyszvzQ -- GLSEN (@GLSEN) February 21, 2017

An ACLU attorney who represents transgender issues said the organization still plans to assert that Title IX protects Grimm before the Supreme Court.

Education Week video has previously explored this issue in a piece about one high schools efforts to accommodate transgender students and one students experience with her own gender identity. You can view those videos below.

Photo: Chris Carlson/AP

Related reading on transgender students:

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As the first deadline under the Every Student Succeeds Act looms, some final drafts of state accountability plans are getting pushback from some local superintendents.

The first deadline to submit plans to the federal government comes April 3. But governors get 30 days to review the plans before theyre sent off, so many departments, state board members, and state legislators have been putting their final touches on the plans in the last several weeks.

Theres a lot at stake, and thats not lost on advocacy associations that have crowded state board meetings in recent weeks.

Take Louisiana, for example. On Thursday, Feb. 16, the states influential Superintendents Advisory Council, which advises the states school board, met with the state school board and state superintendent John White.

Members of the council told board members that the plan doesnt break away enough from the current state plan under the states waiver from provisions of ESSAs predecessor, the No Child Left Behind Act.

Specifically, the group wants to, among other things, make changes to the states letter grade system, how standardized testing is conducted, and the design of the states report card, according to the Louisiana Advocate . The group brought along with it a letter signed by nine advocacy organizations in the state that are pushing for similar changes.

Louisianas governor, John Bel Edwards, a Democrat, has appointed a panel that has designed an ESSA plan with entirely different proposals than the state boards.

During the meeting, Michael Faulk, the superintendent of Central Schools Parish, proposed to slow the timeline down, but responded Superintendent White:

White to superintendents on delay:"If you want to own that vote then own it.#LaEd  Will Sentell (@WillSentell) February 16, 2017

The superintendents decided against holding a vote on whether to delay the plan.

Meanwhile, in Ohio, a group of 10 district superintendents say the states ESSA plan, in its final draft, keeps too closely to provisions of ESSAs predecessor, the No Child Left Behind Act and will continue to push teachers to focus too much on state tests. Theyve dubbed the plan, No Child Left Behind 2.0.

Specifically, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer , the superintendents want the state to make changes to the states letter grade system and reduce the amount of testing required. Some superintendents have suggested that the state wait until the U.S. Department of Education issues new guidance in March.

One of the state board members said at the meeting that she will propose at the states next board meeting to delay turning in the ESSA plan until September.

The superintendents will have a forum later this month to debate the contents of the plan and gather more community feedback.

Dont miss another State EdWatch post. Sign up here to get news alerts in your email inbox. And make sure to follow @StateEdWatch on Twitter for the latest news from state K-12 policy and politics.
What Are the Consequences of Lying to the FBI?

While you might have the right to remain silent, you certainly don't have a right to lie to the police. State laws can vary when it comes to false statements, but lying during federal investigation is a felony carrying a potential five year prison sentence.

And that's just your standard, run-of-the-mill federal obstruction of justice charge. What about misleading the FBI regarding your alleged contact with the Russian ambassador?

Inadvertent Information

Michael T. Flynn went from President Trump's national security advisor to unemployed and potentially criminally charged in just 24 days. At issue are contacts Flynn allegedly had with Sergey I. Kislyak, the Russian ambassador to the United States last December, before Trump took office:

Around the same time, Obama advisers heard separately from the F.B.I. about Mr. Flynn's conversation with Mr. Kislyak, whose calls were routinely monitored by American intelligence agencies that track Russian diplomats. The Obama advisers grew suspicious that perhaps there had been a secret deal between the incoming team and Moscow, which could violate the rarely enforced, two-century-old Logan Act barring private citizens from negotiating with foreign powers in disputes with the United States. The Obama officials asked the F.B.I. if a quid pro quo had been discussed on the call, and the answer came back no, according to one of the officials, who like others asked not to be named discussing delicate communications. The topic of sanctions came up, they were told, but there was no deal.

The FBI later questioned Flynn about the calls during the first few days of Trump's administration. Regarding the conversations with Kislyak and the questions from the FBI, Flynn asserted he had not violated the law. "If I did," he told conservative news site the Daily Caller, "believe me, the F.B.I. would be down my throat, my clearances would be pulled. There were no lines crossed."

That was early Monday morning on February 13. Later that day he admitted he had "inadvertently" passed along "incomplete information" and resigned.

Federal False Statements

Flynn's resignation, however, doesn't quite put the matter to rest. As Just Security points out:

Sometimes the cover up is worse than the crime. On all these counts, administration and former campaign associates may need to consider the False Statements Crime, that is, if they spoke directly with investigators who have been handling these cases.

18 U.S.C.  1001 makes it a federal crime for anyone who "in any matter within the jurisdiction of the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of the Government of the United States, knowingly and willfully ... makes any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or representation." The same statute has been used to convict and imprison Rod Blagojevich, Scooter Libby, Bernard Madoff, Martha Stewart, and Jeffrey Skilling.

Flynn could face at least five years in jail, or he could be offered a plea bargain to provide information on other Trump campaign and administration associates.

Related Resources:
Young Lawyer Wants to Be the ACLU for Campus Rape Survivors

When you've got an environmental lawsuit, you call Earthjustice. Civil rights? The ACLU. And if you've experienced sexual assault in high school or college, you go to SurvJustice.

At least that's how 31-year-old attorney Laura Dunn wants it to be. An activist, lawyer, and survivor of campus sexual assault herself, Dunn founded SurvJustice to represent the rights of campus rape survivors. In just a few years, and on a tiny budget, Dunn and SurvJustice have been "credited with ushering in at least 120 federal investigations of schools around the country," according to a recent profile of the young lawyer by Buzzfeed.

A Sexual Assault Survivor Fighting for Other Survivors

Dunn founded SurvJustice in 2014, the same year she earned her J.D. from the University of Maryland Carey School of Law, but her advocacy for campus rape survivors began well before that. As a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Dunn was sexually assaulted by two men from her crew team, she says. When she told her parents about it, they threatened to cut her off if she didn't change schools or become a missionary. When she reported the sexual assault to the school, she received little support and the school eventually dropped the case.

That experience led Dunn to speak out against campus sexual assault, to file a Title IX complaint against the university, and to quickly become involved in shaping campus sexual assault policy over the next decade. Within a few years, she was meeting with Vice President Biden and influencing changes in federal law and policy.

A victim turned victim's advocate, Dunn has now offers assistance to dozens of campus sexual assault survivors through SurvJustice.

Operating a Nonprofit on a Shoestring Budget

Despite SurvJustice's impact, the nonprofit gets by on a shoestring budget -- just $160,000 annually, according to Buzzfeed, for a staff of three. Still, the organization has received over 500 requests for assistance since its founding. How does Dunn handle so many requests for help? According to Buzzfeed's Tyler Kingkade:

She had to lay down some rules to deal with the caseload. Dunn won't take a case with less than a week's notice, because the one time she did, she had to cram overnight to prep for a hearing, drove to Virginia, got a flat tire, and then the hearing ended at midnight without a break for dinner. "A lot of attorneys I know wouldn't do a campus hearing but would see the results and do a lawsuit at the end; I get down in the mud," Dunn says.

"I'm always mad that we're not bigger," Dunn says -- though our guess is they will be soon.

Related Resources:
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The Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) from townships across the state met at the Arr-thit teashop in Sittwe on February 16.

The meeting was held in order to introduce the groups to each other. Many representatives of CSOs from various areas in Rakhine State took part in the meeting, which was sponsored by the Municipality Department of Rakhine State. They were invited to the introductory meeting together with some ethnic organizations leaders who live in the state, U Thar Pwint, a leading member of the CSO representation committee, told Narinjara News.

In cases of national concern, Rakhine people should have common ground.

He added that at the meeting the local CSOs discussed previous joint campaign efforts, such as lobbying against the implementation of the so-called white card system, a form of temporary identification for people who otherwise lacked documents. The cards were revoked in early 2015 in favor of a light green alternative.

The Sittwe CSO meeting also aimed to organize township-level representation committees.

There is a CSO representation committee in Sittwe. Other townships should form similar representation committees, U Thar Pwint said.

A total of 74 civil society organizations participated in the recent Sittwe meeting.

Translated by Zin Linn

Edited by by Laignee Barron for BNI
Myanmar police patrol near Koe Tan Kauk Border Guard Police post around the villages near the Maungdaw town of Bangladesh-Myanmar border, Rakhine State, western Myanmar, 22 December 2016. Photo: Nyein Chan Naing/EPA

Two members of Myanmars security forces were injured in a clash with militants on the troubled Rakhine State border with Bangladesh, VOA reported on 19 February quoting the Myanmar state counsellors office.

The government last week said the situation in northern Rakhine had stabilized and that it had ended a four-month security crackdown on Rohingya Muslims.

The security operation had been under way since nine policemen were killed in attacks on security posts near the Bangladesh border October 9. Almost 69,000 Rohingyas have since fled to Bangladesh, according to U.N. estimates, the report said.
Liberty Life Botswana and Orange Botswana this week launched a strategic partnership; where Liberty clients will be able to pay their policies through Orange Botswanas mobile money payment platform - Orange Money.

Liberty policyholders, particularly the unbanked will not have to travel to Liberty Life service points to make premium payments, but will do so from the convenience of their phones wherever they are. Speaking at the launch, Liberty Life Botswana Managing Director Lulu Rasebotsa said the partnership between Liberty and Orange will enhance the current offerings that Liberty has for its clients.

Among the key reasons Liberty has partnered with Orange is that it saw it as its responsibility to empower its clients, individuals, small businesses and large corporate institutions in offering the best suitable solutions. Rasebotsa indicated that, When we interacted with our clients outside Gaborone we noticed that there was a gap in the market for the unbanked members of society.





There were clients who wanted some of our funeral policies such as Boago, Critical Illness Plan and others, but lived far from banks and sometimes developments and from that we thought it necessary to create a solution that would ensure that our clients get convenience and have easy access to pay their policies.

Rasebotsa also highlighted that when looking for solutions they immediately thought of Orange Botswana whose main aim is also to give excellent customer experience and fortunately the mobile network company was receptive to the idea of working together.

The Orange mobile network covers nearly the entire population of Botswana, including 53 for 3G services. In the past year Orange has had growth in mobile data usages and content and continued excellence in the customer experience so we have no doubt that we have partnered with the right mobile network, she said.

She hoped that users of Orange Money will benefit from the partnership as they will have an opportunity to access a diverse mix of Liberty Life products to better manage their future and leave a lasting legacy for their families and dependents, while mitigating against the everyday risk of Life. Orange Botswana CEO, Dr Patrick Benon said the Insurance sector is one such a stakeholder, because it contributes to give our customers a better quality of life. We recognise the zeal in the insurance space as they continue to make their mark.
Standard Chartered Chief Executive Officer Moatlhodi Lekaukau has resigned, ending a five-year stay at the high office of the listed lender. The company board, which is chaired by Prof Bojosi Otlhogile broke the news to the market on Wednesday. He is expected to leave the bank which has a market value of P2, 3 billion, at the end of March 2017.

The board acknowledges and thanks Mr Lekaukau for his dedication and contribution as Chief Executive Officer since joining the company in February 2012, said the company. Mr Lekaukau has successfully guided the company through the difficult business environment of recent years, maintaining a strong balance sheet and ensuring a balance between investment and returns to shareholders The challenges the board was referring include the two-year moratorium on non-interest related products within the banking sector, which was effected on the 1st of January 2014.

There was also the liquidity squeeze which nearly brought the whole industry, half the size of the countrys Gross Domestic Product (GDP), to its knees. The central bank was forced to release P2, 3 billion to bailout the industry which is tightly controlled by British and South African banks.





However, Lekaukau managed to keep the bank stable despite external challenges which affected profitability. It was under his leadership that the bank launched 100 percent mortgage funding, a first for the Botswana market. The bank also expanded its branches and ATMs network to cement its top four position in the sector. At an impromptu press conference on Wednesday afternoon, Otlhogile told inquisitive business journalists that, the outgoing CEO also managed to ensure the company reaches an operating income of P1billion, a first for the bank which is a unit of Standard Chartered plc.

Bojosi also added that, the soft-spoken Lekaukau has also strived to ensure the local executive committee was localized. Late last year, the bank opened a branch at Sir Seretse Khamas International Airport, another first for the countrys oldest bank. The bank also has considerable exposure in the countrys mining sector. This include BCL, government owned copper producer which has since been placed under voluntary liquidation.

This week the company announced it has considerable exposure to BCL mine and its liquidation could adversely impact the 2016 performance.The company made a profit of P47 million during the 12 months to December 2015, down from P319 million made the year before. At the close of markets on Wednesday, shares of the company remained unchanged at 760thebe.

The board is not wasting time to look for Lekaukaus replacement. The process of identifying an appropriate replacement for Mr Lekaukau is underway and an announcement shall be made in due course, said the board in a statement. The person (to replace Lekaukau) must be fit and proper, stressed Otlhogile, who is a veteran law Professor at the University of Botswana.

Recently, a local newspaper, Gazette has been writing articles to the effect that, Standard Chartered breached rules when dealing with one of its clients, OSEG group, a local company. Is Lekaukau jumping ship? He is not stepping down because of OSEG accusations, said the Chairman. It was speculated this week that the University of Cape Town alumni is leaving to concentrate on his personal and family businesses. At the same conference, he told the media that he is taking a sabbatical leave.

I dont have any major plans at this point, he stated. Lekaukau, who has worked for Deloitte in South Africa said he is leaving an industry which is mature. There are a lot of opportunities in the high end market as well as in the lower market, he added. The SMMEs is also fast developing, calling for more innovative products and services from players.
This blog is looking for wisdom, to have and to share. It is also looking for other rare character traits like good humor, courage, and honor. It is not an easy road, because all of us fall short. But God is love, forgiveness and grace. Those who believe in Him and repent of their sins have the promise of His Holy Spirit to guide us and show us the Way.
Cartoonist Daniel Clowes (Ghost World) says he has forgiven Shia LaBeouf for plagiarizing him because LaBeouf has created an anti-Trump installation.

From Daily Beast:

The political landscape in the U.S. has so reshaped the vision of the world that he's not harboring any anger for anyone on the same political side in these incredibly divisive timesnot even against Shia LaBeouf, who in 2013 was accused of plagiarizing Clowes's 2008 comic "Justin M. Damiano." Although Clowes hasn't seen LaBeouf's anti-Trump installation, being anti-Trump is in and of itself enough to bond people together, he thinks. At least for now. "I look forward to the day we can go back to hating Shia LeBeouf," Clowes deadpans.
Located along the Kentucky River on the western side of the Appalachian Mountains, Owsley County had one of the highest percentage increases of cancer mortality per capita in the U.S. from 1980 to 2014, according to a recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Deaths per 100,000 people went up 45.6 percent. But this small, rural county provides just a snapshot of the larger cancer epidemic in Appalachia.

According to new research out of the University of Virginia, cancer incidence has declined in much of the country since 1969  but not in rural Appalachia. In rural Appalachian Kentucky, the cancer mortality rate is 36 percent higher than it is for urban, non-Appalachian people in the rest of the country; in rural Appalachian Virginia it is 15 percent higher; in those areas of West Virginia, 19 percent. People in much of rural Appalachia are more likely to die within three to five years of their diagnoses than those in both urban Appalachian areas and urban areas across the U.S.

The Appalachian region technically comprises all or part of 13 states, according to the Appalachian Regional Commission: Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. However, cancer clusters are often concentrated in the center, or the heart of Appalachia: southwestern Virginia, eastern Kentucky and southern West Virginia.

Researchers say the extraordinarily high cancer rates are the result of a perfect storm of unfortunate circumstances. On the surface, its lifestyle factors, said Nengliang Yao, who led the Virginia study. But there are also economic, social and environmental factors, he said. There are layers of risk for people to die early from cancer.

Although people outside of Appalachia may not know about the regions cancer crisis, researchers and community organizations in the region have been studying and fighting cancer for decades, focusing efforts on four cancers with the highest incidence and mortality rates: lung, colorectal, cervical and breast. Unhealthy lifestyle factors undoubtedly contribute to these numbers. About 42 percent of Owsley County adults smoke, compared with about 26 percent of adults in Kentucky and 15 percent in the U.S. overall. More than 34 percent of adults in Kentucky are obese, and nearly 70 percent are overweight.

Another risk factor is pollution from strip mining and underground coal mining, though the link between environmental contaminants and cancer is less clear. Owsley County ceased commercial coal production in 2012, but according to the county, there is still funding for some smaller-scale coal production. In addition, some residents travel to nearby counties for jobs; there are still mines in operation in Breathitt County, as well as Harlan and Pike counties, which are farther east. All three of these counties are hot spots for cancer as well, according to the JAMA study.

Research out of West Virginia University has shown that mortality rates and chronic illnesses were higher in coal-producing counties, and a study comparing two West Virginia counties showed that cancer rates were 5 percentage points higher in a county with surface mining than in one without. The risk for lung cancer among coal miners who spend time underground or on strip mining operations in Appalachia is also higher. Carcinogens such as asbestos, radon, chromium and arsenic have been discovered at mining sites, in waterways and in soil in parts of Appalachia, but the source of these trace elements in people living in the area is still unknown.

Environmental exposure coupled with the regions unhealthy habits exacerbates the problem, said Thomas Tucker, associate director for cancer prevention and control at the Markey Cancer Center at the University of Kentucky. For instance, Tucker said that people who smoke are 11 to 14 times more likely to develop lung cancer compared with nonsmokers. But if they smoke and are also exposed to asbestos, their risk of developing lung cancer can be as high as 300 times that of a nonsmoker.

However, the biggest issue, experts said, is lack of access to care  whether its preventive screenings or cancer treatment. If one of Owsley Countys 4,600 residents needs to visit the doctor, they have three choices: the health department or two clinics. But doctors are not always available or working, and opportunities for screening vary. For instance, mammograms are only offered once a month at the clinics, and colon cancer screenings are referred out of the county, and cervical cancer screenings are done weekly at the health department and daily at the clinic, Lucas said. The three regional hospitals are at least a 30-minute drive away on narrow, curvy mountain roads. The Markey Cancer Center in Lexington is a far drive for people in rural Appalachia.

According to Yao, 15 percent to 20 percent of women who have abnormal mammograms dont go back for any follow-up tests, partly because of reasons such as these. There are a lot of barriers, he said.

Susan West Marmagas, a public health associate professor at Virginia Tech, has studied cancer in Appalachian Virginia since 2009. She said that the majority of people who are diagnosed with cancer dont get diagnosed in the state and go to hospitals such as Duke or Wake Forest in North Carolina for treatment. In Appalachia, there often arent options involving advanced technology or clinical trials that can result in higher survival rates. The other issue is late diagnosis, and so the prognosis is much worse, and survivorship is much less, Marmagas said.

Widespread poverty and lack of education make it difficult to overcome these barriers, which Appalachian counties have been battling for decades. By late 2016, there were only 3,600 coal mining jobs left in eastern Kentucky and just over 6,200 statewide, numbers not seen since the late 1800s. The tobacco industry, once thriving in Kentucky, is also gone.

Theres nothing to replace these industries, so unemployment rates are some of the highest in the country. For instance, in Owsley, the rate is 9.6 percent, and median income is less than $21,000. People dont think a lot about their health, especially right now, with our economy, said Ashley Teague, a regional cancer control specialist for the Kentucky Cancer Program. Theyre more worried about finding a job or cant take time off work to get screened. It falls down on the list of priorities.

Some of these services are now covered by health insurance under the Affordable Care Act. Kentucky leads the nation in the steepest decline of uninsured working-age adults, dropping from 21 percent in 2013 to 8 percent by 2015. In 2016, about 67 percent of people in Owsley County got health coverage through Medicaid, which covers preventive cancer screenings and helps cover rides to necessary treatment for people who cant travel, Lucas said. Medicaid coverage also boosted rates of breast cancer screenings.

But still, cancer in Appalachia is an overwhelming, multi-pronged problem, researchers say, and communities know it. In a region that has been battling poverty for decades, studies and statistics dont mean much when no real solutions are offered. Theres a fatalism in Appalachia since everybody has family that has had cancer or died, Marmagas said. Theres a certain amount of this is going to happen to me too, and they dont get good answers from the health system around them.

But that doesnt keep people from trying. Dozens of groups in nearly every Appalachian county are working to raise awareness, traveling door to door, handing out take-home colon cancer screenings and driving women to get mammograms. Within the last two years, more than 6,000 people participated in these types of events for colon cancer awareness, hosted by the Kentucky Cancer Program, clinics, hospitals and health departments. According to the Kentucky Cancer Program, 92 percent of these partner organizations said events and materials increased screenings from 2015 to 2016.

Its small victories such as those that keep Lucas and Teague going. Theyve both lived in Appalachia their entire lives and have watched neighbors, friends and family die of cancer. We truly try hard to get the word out and work together to accomplish these goals, because our manpower and financial resources are low, Lucas said. Hopefully, the importance of prevention will resonate with the younger generation.
Texas and Chile have remarkably similar flags (though Chile got theirs first, by a matter of decades) and Texas doesn't have a Unicode-defined emoji for its flag (just a sprinkling of proprietary ones that do not cross platforms gracefully), so Texans have taken to using the Chilean flag emoji as a shorthand for the longhorn state.



This has outraged state rep Tom Oliverson (R-Austin) so thoroughly that he has introduced a bill telling Texans to knock it off, because "the Chilean flag, although it is a nice flag, can in any way compare to or be substituted for the official state flag of Texas."

The resolution was filed on Feb 16, and the Texas legislature has not taken further action on it. Yet.

According to HCR 75, "most major electronic messaging applications" include an emoji for Chile's flag but not Texas's. "All too often," it claims, the Chilean flag is used as a substitute, which will not do. The colors and symbols stand for different things, the resolution says, and so on and so forth. Therefore, by adopting the resolution, the legislature would " reject the notion that the Chilean flag, although it is a nice flag, can in any way compare to or be substituted for the official state flag of Texas and [would] urge all Texans not to use the Republic of Chile flag emoji in digital forums when referring to the Lone Star Flag of the great State of Texas."

Urging Texans not to use the flag emoji of the Republic of Chile when referring to the Texas flag. [Tom Oliverson/Texas House of Reps]

Bill Urges Texans to Use Correct Flag Emoji

[Kevin Underhill/Lowering the Bar]
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 21/02/2017 (2084 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

To the uninitiated, last weekends Crocus Obedience and Kennel Club Dog Shows and Trials at the Keystone Centre must have been an odd sight.

Purebred canines were bathed, blow-dried, trimmed and coddled, while some even found hairspray spritzed on their coats to make them appear as trim as possible.

While the obedience and rally trials found canines demonstrate their abilities, the twice-daily conformation shows found dogs judged against their Canadian Kennel Club breed descriptions.

Tyler Clarke/The Brandon Sun Handler Cindy Kowalchuk prepares little Ruby, a Cairn Terrier, for showing during the Crocus Obedience and Kennel Club Dog Shows and Trials at the Keystone Centre on Sunday.

Many of the dogs on display for judges at the local show were among the nations best, including little Ruby, a Cairn Terrier.

The best-known Cairn Terrier is perhaps Terry, the dog that played Toto in the 1939 screen adaptation of The Wizard of Oz.

Ruby was named after title character Dorothy Gales magical ruby slippers.

Recently named Canadian champion, a recent showing in Minneapolis has put Ruby on track to receiving the same recognition in the United States.

Ruby was seen grooving happily into the brush as Winnipeg-based handler Cindy Kowalchuk prepared her for a showing in Brandon on Sunday.

She loves it, Kowalchuk said while pushing the comb through Rubys neat fur.

Shes got great attitude  she loves it; its fun for her, she added. They have to like it. You cant force them to do it. Its in their heart. She loves to go out to strut her stuff.

Elsewhere, at the Keystone Centres Canada Room, Winnipegs Sandy Orford tended to her 11-month-old Shih Tzu, Donte.

The long-haired little fellow loves getting the attention, Orford said, noting that hes also adept at playing fetch, which serves a double purpose, with his little body mopping the floor as he goes.

But Sunday wasnt about mopping floors.

Donte couldnt have any debris from the ground on his fine coat, which Orford worked diligently to tidy up prior to having him face judgment  a process that takes a couple of hours of preparation.

Key organizer Gail Carroll said that the weekend event  the Crocus Obedience and Kennel Clubs biggest of the year  finds hundreds of dogs judged throughout the three days.

Tyler Clarke/The Brandon Sun Shih Tzu Donte is brushed by Sandy Orford during the Crocus Obedience and Kennel Club Dog Shows and Trials at the Keystone Centre on Sunday.

Throughout these days, 200 dogs are shown in each of two shows held per day, during which about 80 breeds are accounted for.

Its a labour of love for all involved, Carroll said, noting that she fell into the hobby like many others do, by getting their dog trained for basic obedience reasons and then wanting to take it a step further.

Carroll now has two retired Siberian huskies, 13-year-old Daisy, who at one time was the nations top Siberian husky, and Daisys daughter, nine-year-old Ruby.

While the main event at last weekends shows were purebreds, Carroll clarified that one doesnt need to own a fancy show dog to join the approximately 60-member Crocus Obedience and Kennel Club.

Obedience and trails efforts, wherein dogs run through tracks with tricks along the way, are open to any dog, be they purebred or mutt.

For those who missed last weekends show, Carroll points those interested in local canine culture to their organizations website, crocusdogs.com, or to call 204-725-2009 for more information.

 tclarke@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @TylerClarkeMB
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 21/02/2017 (2084 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Intended to keep Manitobas mobile services market competitive, Xplornet Communications Inc. is entering the Manitoba marketplace.

Its more an expansion into Manitoba than an introduction, company representative James Maunder explained over the weekend, clarifying that theyve already been providing Manitoba clients with rural Internet service for the past decade.

Last week, the Woodstock, N.B., company was given the go-ahead by the Competition Bureau to extend its Manitoba services to mobile services  an effort that comes off the hells of Bell Canadas acquisition of MTS.

Further to that, Bell has been required by the Competition Bureau to sell six retail stores, 24,700 subscribers and 40 MHz of spectrum to Xplornet.

Central to Xplornets plans in Manitoba will be improving service in the provinces more rural areas, which Maunder said the company already knows the ins and outs of thanks to its current market penetration via Internet service.

Maunder said that they hope to expand their services to include mobile services within a year  an admittedly ambitious effort that will see them install the required infrastructure over the next several months.

Theyve already started looking at what they need to do and plan on being everywhere MTS presently is.

This infrastructure includes adding fixed wireless towers to the mix as well as building off of existing infrastructure.

The net goal is to expand services using LTE technology, which will allow rural users faster service, Maunder said.

As for the efforts economic impact, Maunder said that its too early to provide any numbers at this stage, but he can confirm that at least one permanent retail space would be set up in Brandon.

Other private outlets are also likely to spring up in Westman as a result of the organizations dealer network program, he said, adding that more details are expected in the coming months.

For now, theyre just giving area residents a heads up that despite Bell Canadas takeover of MTS, there should still be ample competition in Manitoba to help keep prices down and innovation firing on all cylinders.

Thats why their licence was approved, Maunder noted.

Itching to provide greater insight on Sunday, Maunder held back, explaining that in a competitive market such as this he didnt want to preview their plans only to have competitors beat them to the punch.

While announcing Xplornets increased presence in Manitoba last week, commissioner of competition John Pecman offered that the organization would continue to keep a close watch on competition in Manitoba and across Canada in the mobile wireless services market.

He also noted: Given the findings of our review, any future potential mergers by Canadas three largest mobile wireless providers, Bell, Rogers and Telus, can expect to receive a close examination by the Bureau.

 tclarke@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @TylerClarkeMB
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 21/02/2017 (2084 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Treasury Board of Canada announced on Monday it is doubling the number of indigenous post-secondary students accepted into the Public Service Commissions federal student work experience program.

There will be 60 summer jobs available this year, compared to last years 30 positions.

All the positions are in Ottawa, but are open to students from across Canada. Support for travel and housing accommodations during the work placement are available to make sure no one who qualifies is excluded.

This is a great opportunity for indigenous students to get work experience, earn money for their education and learn the ropes of working in the federal government, but it is definitely a two-way street, Kildonan-St. Paul MP MaryAnn Mihychuk, chair of the standing committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs (INAN), said in a statement.

Its also a real benefit to the federal government to have young indigenous people who can bring the reality of their lived experience to Ottawa and share that understanding with departments and agencies.

The expanded indigenous program is a pilot project that is part of the existing Public Service Work Experience Program and Federal Student Work Experience Program.

Full-time and part-time positions are both available, with hourly wages ranging from $10.34 to $24.59 an hour, depending on education and experience.

Students must be full-time in a recognized high school, college or university, and be returning to full-time studies in the next academic term.

 The Brandon Sun
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 21/02/2017 (2084 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Illegal crossings are unsafe and a burden on local communities. Our laws should be enforced.

 Conservative MP and Public Safety critic Tony Clement

There are proper channel(s) through which people can cross into Canada. Illegal crossings are unsafe, place a burden on our law enforcement.

 Manitoba Conservative MP Michelle Rempel

The above two Twitter comments made by Opposition Tory MPs on Sunday followed an announcement by Manitoba RCMP that another 22 people had been intercepted crossing the border near Emerson on Saturday night.

The MPs are quite correct in stating that illegal crossings into Canada are unsafe, and that the rise in illegal cross-border traffic has put a strain on local law enforcement.

Last year, according to numbers reported by the Toronto Star, 430 asylum seekers walked across the U.S. border into Manitoba. And in Quebec, the Canada Border Services Agency states that the number of migrants from the U.S. intercepted by the RCMP in 2016 tripled to 1,280 from 424 the year before.

These numbers will continue to rise, thanks largely to undocumented migrants residing in the United States who fear they will be deported if they attempt to claim refugee status there. And so they make their way into Canada.

However, claims that Canadian laws are not being enforced, and that there are proper channels through which migrants can cross, are misleading. In reality, current Canadian laws are being enforced, and have contributed to the problem.

Refugees have crossed the border in these locations for decades. Overall, there has been a spike in people seeking refugee status in Canada at land border crossings. A CBC report last week noted that claims had nearly doubled over the past two years, surging to 7,023 in 2016, compared to 4,316 in 2015 and 3,747 in 2014.

But Canadian Council of Refugees executive director Janet Dench says the recent spike represents a return to the volume of refugees Canada previously received. Dench recently told the CBC that there were more than 8,000 land border claims made annually between 1999 and 2004.

In 2004, the Canada-U.S. Safe Third Country Agreement, which requires refugee claimants to request refugee protection in the first safe country in which they arrive, came into effect. It was created to better manage the flow of refugee claimants at the shared land border, but it hasnt quite worked out that way. Those coming from the U.S. are already deemed to be living in a safe place, and are turned away at official border crossings because of that agreement. This has prompted those seeking refugee status to cross illegally into Canada, where they are arrested and generally granted a hearing.

Earlier this month, in response to a question regarding the agreement, Brandon-Souris Conservative MP Larry Maguire seemed to express concern over the background of those illegal migrants seeking asylum: Why werent they accepted in the United States to start with?

The Canadian Council of Refugees offers this explanation:

The CCR believes that the U.S. is not safe for all refugees, it states on the organizations website. Because of U.S. laws and how they are implemented, some refugees who receive protection in Canada are denied refugee status in the U.S. In 2007, the Federal Court agreed with the CCR, ruling that the U.S. does not always protect refugees as required under international law. There is concern that in future the U.S. may adopt refugee policies that make it even less safe for refugees.

So what, then, are the solutions?

The cost of further increasing the number of RCMP patrols and personnel along the border would be considerable. There are already daily patrols along the border, and police and immigration agencies on both sides work together to stop smuggling and breaches along our shared border  and have been doing so for many decades.

At the same time, turning refugees around at the border in the dead of winter is hardly humane  and largely ineffectual, as they would just try some other, perhaps more dangerous location.

One outlandish suggestion is to build a wall of our own. Its the longest international border in the world, and along large portions of that border the only thing separating the U.S. from Canada is a water-filled ditch beside a service road. A wall is just not feasible  our taxes would skyrocket.

Immigration lawyers suggest altering the Safe Third Country Agreement so that potential refugee claimants would once again be able to properly enter the system in an orderly manner at an official border crossing.

This is an option  it might lessen the need for increased patrols along these border points. But politicians like Maguire express concerns that these border jumpers are also jumping the queue ahead of other claimants. Its at least a relevant critique.

However this Liberal government approaches the situation, it will be problematic. We suggest that Rempel and Clement  two MPs who were formerly part of a Conservative government that could also have addressed the issue  offer up some real solutions.
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 21/02/2017 (2084 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Trudeau taking the spotlight again!

Once again we see our infamous prime minister in the spotlight while over in Washington. Justin Trudeau never misses an opportunity to have his face captured at a prime time. Dont know why the news goes on about Donald Trumps daughter sitting in the presidents chair with Trump and Trudeau on either side of her. I am surprised Trudeau wasnt sitting in the chair. What a joke and Canada is falling along.

Brandon school board no longer effective

Manitoba has some of the highest teacher salaries in Canada, yet the least educated students with lowest test results compared to all other provinces? Obviously more money is not improving education of Manitoba students. The curriculum is set by the province, not a local school board. I have lost faith in what purpose the Brandon School Division board serves. School board trustees, who are paid, have proven year after year they are not responsible with the taxpayers dollars. The days of tax and spend are over. Its obvious the Brandon School Division board is not effective and needs to be disbanded.

Shedding a tear  not!

I got tears in my eyes when I read about the teacher, who teaches by the way, but wants us citizens of Brandon to contribute to her salary by tax increases for the Brandon School Division because this government is not supporting her. The poor soul. This province is the worst in Canada, as a report shows in December 2016. You teachers are well paid and should tighten your belt, too, once in a while before you bark out that us citizens should pay more education taxes  other sectors have. You know what my CPP increase was this year? Not even enough to pay my hydro bill for this month. Teacher salaries are continuing to compound with percentage increases every year. They are also increased with extra degrees. How many months a year do you work? Your union should get rid of some dead wood that is still hanging around and give a younger teacher a change to start. Yes, I am complaining about teacher salaries because I see no results in the gross of them. And to the teacher who wants to make the big bucks is only to retire early with a fat pension  we are getting sick and tired about you whiners not being paid enough. I dont mind paying taxes to education, but not to go to waste for fancy salaries.

No help for Hydro

We all hope that its a joke that our government in Manitoba is even talking about helping out Manitoba Hydro. There are some of us who are already paying way too much to them  now some of us pay up to $500 a month in wintertime. How ridiculous the amount of money they are wasting for building that dam. So many dollars wasted having people in and out. What a waste of our money.
Top chief executives have a "narcissistic obsession" with how much they are paid, a former UK business secretary has claimed.

Rocketing pay and perks for company bosses in the face of widespread austerity has fuelled public anger.

But Vince Cable said even at the height of the 2008 financial crash, enormous amounts of time were spent debating with bank chiefs about their salaries.

The Liberal Democrat former UK cabinet minister called for a requirement on companies to consult their workers on executive pay.

Speaking at a ResPublica event on corporate governance, he said: "The other thing that struck me, and I found actually quite offensive in many ways, was the utter narcissistic obsession with pay among the top chief executives.

"At the height of the banking crisis we devoted enormous amounts of time to debating with the chief executives of some of our banks how much they could be paid.

"They were obsessed by the subject.

"You would get reports back from the chairman that all of their conversations with their chief execs were about their pay.

"It is very, very debilitating this obsession with benchmarking."

Cable also called for a "fresh look" at reforms to curb short-termism in the business world.

He said the British coalition government had made a decision that "in retrospect might not have been very helpful" to reform capital gains tax.

He added: "The other issue which we looked at and dismissed and is probably worth having fresh look at is whether we should have different classes for shareholders, in that long-term investors can have greater voting rights."
Tributes have been paid following the death of one of Corks most popular businessmen and charity campaigners after a long and brave battle against cancer, writes Eoin English.

James OSullivan, a director of the family business M&P OSullivan Ltd and a long-serving director of Cork Business Association (CBA), died today surrounded by his family in Marymount Hospice, just weeks after his 58th birthday. He is survived by his wife Cathy and their children, Emma and Eoin.
Almost one in three pregnant women in Ireland have cesarean sections.

A new study from Trinity College and NUI Galway shows that this rate has increased dramatically in the past few years and it is now more than double the figure recommended by the WHO.
A coalition of business leaders in the North has voiced support for the North South Interconnector ahead of the resumption of a public inquiry into the controversial electricity project.

The NI Chamber, CBI NI, Institute of Directors, Federation of Small Businesses, Centre for Competitiveness, and the Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association are among those backing the stalled 200 million-plus scheme.

While advocates claim the link between the electricity grids on both sides of the border is vital for the island's energy market, opponents insist it will have negative environmental and health impacts.

Planning permission for the southern section through counties Meath, Cavan and Monaghan has been approved, though that decision is set to face a number of legal challenges.

The planning decision on the section through counties Armagh and Tyrone in the North will only be made at the conclusion of the public inquiry, which resumes hearings in Armagh on Wednesday.

In total, the interconnector would involve 85 miles of overhead lines and pylons.

Kirsty McManus, from the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the project was significant for Northern Ireland businesses.

"Businesses and employers need access to electricity in the most cost efficient manner possible, and the proposed interconnector is key to achieving this," she said.

"It is an essential piece of infrastructure which will allow the all-island electricity market to do what it was designed to do - achieve savings for all consumers north and south."

SONI (System Operator for Northern Ireland) is overseeing the northern half of the project.

Robin McCormick, general manager of SONI, said: "The North South Interconnector is without doubt the single most important infrastructure project on the island today.

"It is urgently required and will reduce costs for consumers north and south, by allowing the single electricity market to work as efficiently as possible, which is particularly good news for business.

"The public inquiry is an opportunity for everyone with an interest in the project to participate in an independent planning process and we are pleased that this project, so critical to the Northern Ireland economy, has reached this stage."
A Cork man has been found guilty of raping his former partner two months after he sexually assaulted her and then beat her up in front of their crying toddler.

The 30-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded not guilty to raping his former partner at their Cork city home on September 8, 2013.

He pleaded guilty in the Central Criminal Court to one count of sexually assaulting her by forcing her to give him oral sex and to assault causing harm at the same address on July 10, 2013.

Following a week-long trial, the jury returned a guilty verdict on the rape count after nearly four-and-a-half hours of deliberating.

After the guilty verdict was handed down, they were told the man has 16 previous convictions, including several convictions for rape, aggravated sexual assault and sexual assault. He is currently serving a 12-year sentence.

Mr Justice Paul Coffey will sentence him for these offences on May 8.

At the start of the trial, Thomas Creed SC, prosecuting, told the jury of 10 men and 2 women that the man and woman met in 2010 and had a son together a couple of years later.

The 26-year-old woman told the court that on the night of July 10, 2013, she and her partner went to bed as usual, with their 15-month-old son sleeping in the next room.

She said she was drifting off to sleep when, without warning, he grabbed her by her hair and forced her head between his legs shouting, Suck my c**k b***h repeatedly.

I was terrified, the woman said. I had gone from sleeping in my own bed to being completely attacked. I didn't know what was going on.

The man then forced the woman to perform oral sex, before she managed to escape to the bathroom.

However, after hearing her son crying, she ran into his bedroom. The man followed her in and assaulted her, hitting her head off a bed in the room while their son cried in his cot.

Afterwards, the woman said she struggled to comfort her crying child.

I was so scared and so terrified. I couldn't even sing 'Twinkle Twinkle' to calm him down, the woman said through her tears. I couldn't get the words out.

Some time later, the man knocked on the door and asked why it was locked, the court heard. He told me he didn't know what happened, she said.

The woman agreed with defence barrister, Ciaran O'Loughlin SC, that prior to this, they had a harmonious relationship.

The couple eventually broke up and on the morning of September 8, 2013, the woman and their son went to the man's home so they could work out a maintenance and visitation agreement.

The woman told the court the the toddler had fallen asleep in his buggy and they were discussing the agreement when the man suddenly said: Can we just f**k and I'll sign whatever agreement you want?

The woman said she immediately became uneasy and said she wanted to leave. But the man told her, You're going to go upstairs, you're going to strip off and we're going to f**k.

The woman said she begged him not to do it and asked him: Are you actually going to rape me? Some part of me thought if I said that to him, it would shock him out of doing anything, she told the court. But he didn't even flinch.

During the attack, the woman said she vomited twice, but each time the man led her back into the bedroom and continued to rape her. Afterwards, she said he made her a cup of coffee before walking her and their child outside to meet her parents.

The woman rang a helpline that night, went to the Rape Crisis Centre the next day and then reported the incident to gardai.

The man told gardai the woman asked him to have sex with him to help her get over the July incident.
Taoiseach Enda Kennys controversial St Patricks Day meeting with US president Donald Trump will take place during an expanded trade mission, writes political correspondent Fiachra O Cionnaith.

The trip will also include visits to New York and at least one other US city

The Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed the expected eight to 10 day trip, which is likely to be one of his final official duties as Taoiseach, alongside a series of other St Patricks Day journeys for senior Government ministers.

As part of a long-standing tradition which is regularly criticised as the endorsement of costly and unnecessary junkets, Irelands cabinet members will travel around the globe on a series of trade missions to promote this country.

In all, 27 countries will be visited with a particular focus on the need to shore up trade from North America and Europe in light of the dual US presidential election and Brexit fallout, and separate plans to promote tourism, the agri-sector and Irelands bid to host the 2020 rugby world cup.

The visits will notably see specific trips by eight separate ministers to the US, individual journeys to Britain, Scotland, France, Germany and Italy, and far-flung visits to Brazil, Indonesia, South Korea, Argentina, Australia and New Zealand.

However, Mr Kennys meeting with US president Donald Trump as part of an extended trade mission to the US has gained most attention, due to the fact it is likely to be one of his final formal acts as Taoiseach.

As part of the St Patricks Day events, Mr Kenny will travel to the US early next month to hold a series of meetings in as yet unspecified cities.

He will then meet with Mr Trump in the White House in Washington DC on March 16, before travelling to New York on March 17-18, meaning he is likely to attend the St Patricks Day parade in the city.

Other ministerial trips will include:

Justice Minister and Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald (San Francisco, San Diego and LA in the US)

Childrens Minister Katherine Zappone (Boston in the US)

Jobs Minister Mary Mitchell O Connor (Chicago and New York in the US)

Education Minister Richard Bruton (Britain)

Agriculture Minister Michael Creed (Munich, Stuttgart, Cologne and Berlin in Germany)

Social Protection Minister Leo Varadkar (France)

Housing Minister Simon Coveney (Toronto in Canada)

Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe (Japan and South Korea)

Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan (Milan and Rome in Italy)

Arts Minister Heather Humphreys (Stockholm and Copenhagen in Sweden and Denmark)

Finance Minister Michael Noonan (Malaysia and Singapore)

Disabilities Minister Finian McGrath (Edinburgh in Scotland)

Sports Minister Patrick O Donovan (east coast Australia and New Zealand)

European Affairs Minister Dara Murphy (Spain)

chief whip Regina Doherty (UAE)

minister of state Paul Kehoe (Lebanon)

minister of state David Stanton (Perth and Jakarta in Australia and Indonesia)

minister of state Marcella Corcoran Kennedy (Budapest and Prague in Hungary and the Czech Republic)

minister of state Damien English (Poland)

minister of state Andrew Doyle (Belgium and the Netherlands)

minister of state Joe McHugh (New York, Philadelphia and the Tri-state area in the US)

minister of state Sean Canney (Beijing and Shanghai in China, and Hong Kong)

minister of state Michael Ring (Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Atlanta and Savannah in the US)

minister of state Helen McEntee (Argentina)

minister of state Pat Breen (Austin in the US)

minister of state Sean Kyne (Cleveland, Dublin and Columbus in the US)

minister of state John Halligan (Brasilia, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo in Brazil)

Despite Government repeatedly emphasising the value of the St Patricks Day events, the ministerial trips have repeatedly been the subject of criticism in recent years amid concern over the travel costs and claims they are junkets.

However, while Government has spent close to 1m on the journeys since 2011, they have directly and indirectly led to millions of euro worth of investment into Ireland.
The Advertising Standards Authority of Ireland found sixteen cases to be in breach of the ASAI advertising code during its latest review.

Lidl, Meteor, Irish Cancer Society, eir and Phone Watch were among the companies found in breach of the ASAI Code.

Seventeen cases were investigated and 16 were found to be in breach of the ASAI Code.

Lidl, eir, Phone Watch and Meteor were found to be using misleading advertisements while the Irish Cancer Society was found to be instilling fear and distress.

The Irish Cancer Society advertising campaign featured a

92 complaints were received about the advertisement, many saying the wording used in the advertisement was offensive, insensitive, disrespectful and upsetting to cancer survivors.

The advertisers said their campaign had been created as a public awareness campaign, designed to save lives.

The Committee noted the level of complaint in this case and the distress that had been caused to complainants.

They considered that the Teaser element of the campaign was in breach of Sections 3.3, 3.20 and 3.23 of the Code.

A Lidl advertisement was also found to be misleading.

The ad, refering to a selection of frozen fish stated: 'Same Great Taste, Same Great Value Fresh New look!'

The complaint said the leaflet advertised the fish to be "fresh" while the products had been frozen and defrosted.

The advertisers said that while the labelling attached to the products had indicated that they were defrosted, they had included the word "fresh" in their advertising as it was their understanding that it was permissible to do so.

When it was brought to their attention that their fish products should not be advertised as "fresh" if they had been defrosted they had taken the necessary steps to remove the word fresh from their defrosted fish products.

The Committee noted that the advertising had been amended to remove the description "fresh".

They considered, however, that as the products had been frozen and defrosted the description "fresh" was likely to mislead and to be in breach of Sections 4.1 and 4.4 of the Code.

Commenting on the latest ASAI rulings, Orla Twomey, Chief Executive of the ASAI, stated:

The first ASAI complaints bulletin for 2017 highlights the ASAIs broad remit in relation to the number of advertising platforms covered. Social Media, Print, SMS, Online and more, all featured advertisements which have been found in breach of the ASAI Code.

Given the rise in the number of complaints within some sectors, the ASAI has also begun actively engaging with advertisers to promote improved engagement and compliance with the ASAI Code. The ASAI have done this in the past to address emerging trends across various sectors.
Let Me Tell You is a new bespoke podcast series from



Hosts Daniel McConnell and Paul Hosford take a look back at some of the most dramatic moments in recent Irish political history from the unique perspective of one of the key players involved.


Fine Gael TD Noel Rock has launched legal proceedings to appeal the severity of a 3,150 fine for breaking litter laws with his keep the recovery going posters.

The 29-year-old Dublin North West TD and Public Accounts Committee member was fined in October at Dublin District Court on nine counts under the 1997 Litter Pollution Act in relation to his posters.

Today his barrister successfully applied to Judge John Brennan at the district court for a two-week extension to allow Deputy Rock lodge an appeal against the severity of the fine. The appeal will go before the circuit court on a later date.

The charges were brought by Dublin City Council.

During the district court hearing on Oct. 4 last, evidence was given by three litter wardens and the court was given photos of the posters including ones with the TD's picture and a slogan saying keep the recovery going and other information about his availability at his clinic on January 14 last year.

The court heard that two posters were unlawfully put up at Prospect Road on February 3 last.

Litter wardens spotted four more of the posters on January 28 at: Iona Road, Griffith Avenue and Drumcondra Road. They found another one of his posters at Collins Avenue on January 26 last.

The general election was not called until February 3. Council litter wardens also found one of his election posters that was left up too long after the February 26 vote.

The offence can result in a fine of up to 4,000 per offence. Nine fines each worth 350 were imposed along with an order that Rock would have to pay 221 in legal costs.

Mr Rock, who was elected to the Dail in the 2016 General Election, is the youngest Fine Gael Dublin TD, representing the Ballymun Electoral Area, which includes Drumcondra, Glasnevin, Whitehall, Beaumont, Santry, Finglas and Ballymun.

In 2006, the DCU graduate, with an address at Hardiman Road, Drumcondra, Dublin 9, was selected to take part in an intern ship with US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.
Tesco is calling on Mandate to re-think its strike after six stores voted against industrial action.

The union began balloting members from another 23 stores last night after the company rejected the proposals put forward by the union on Friday.

The ballot will continue for the next two evenings - four stores out of the ten that voted last night opted to join the picket.

Tesco says there is an onus on workers to accept a Labour Court recommendation and is accusing the union of trying to undermine the court.

Mandate general secretary John Douglas says they've already rejected that recommendation and they're not going to be forced back to work.

"Our members are rock solid on the picket line, so it's only going to go one way and unfortunately, not of our making, there'll be more stores joining the strike over the next week or so until it's resolved," he said.

"There's actually no need for this at all. If the company just accepted the position that we put to them last Friday the pickets could have been lifted."
Friends of a Wicklow native, who died in a car crash in Canada, are raising money for his family to bring his body home to Ireland.

Sean Maher, 39, passed away on Sunday following a car crash.

Originally from Ballinglen, Co. Wicklow, he had emigrated to Calgary.

Family friend Eimear O Neill set up a GoFundMe page to support Sean's partner Leane and their four-year-old twin sons in the wake of his "devastating passing".

"Sean was a loving partner and father of twin boys," she says. "The money will go directly to the family and will help them cover costs such as flights to and from Ireland, wage loss and funeral costs, etc."

Family and friends have been "overwhelmed" by the donations they have received. So far over $37k (26k) has been raised for Sean's family.

Sean has been fondly remembered in a tribute by his local GAA club, Annacurra GAA.

"We remember today a wonderful Annacurra GAA man who passed away in Canada. Sean 'Slinger' Maher, partner, father, son, brother, friend, gentleman, footballer. Farewell Sean.

"Thoughts and sincerest sympathies are with his family, friends and community. Ar dheis De go raibh a ainm."

To donate to the GoFundMe click here
Renowned naturalist Sir David Attenborough is set to return to television for a new series of BBC's award-winning Blue Planet.

The seven-part series will mark 20 years since the channel's natural history unit first set out to explore never-before-seen wildlife in the deepest and darkest realms of the world's oceans.

Now Blue Planet II will see the team follow a fresh cast of aquatic animals with even more ambitious filming techniques.

Sir David said: "I am truly thrilled to be joining this new exploration of the underwater worlds which cover most of our planet, yet are still its least known."

Set to broadcast later this year, the BBC team spent four years creating the programme, filming off every continent and investigating all the planet's oceans.

Viewers will witness the very latest in discoveries from the icy polar seas, the stormy green Atlantic and the black, alien deep as the crew use manned submersibles to delve 1,000m below the surface.

They will be introduced to creatures filmed for the very first time, including the hairy-chested Hoff crab, snub fin dolphins and tool-using tusk fish, as well as underwater volcanoes.

Following the first series' famous footage of a brutal attack by a group of killer whales on a calf, the new programme documents a mother sperm whale's hunting dive with her baby.

New specially developed camera technology allowed the crew to film predators front-on, and even "travel" on the backs of whales, sharks and orcas.

Executive Producer James Honeyborne said: "The oceans are the most exciting place to be right now, because new scientific discoveries have given us a new perspective of life beneath the waves.

Surfing Bottlenose dolphins in South Africa, from Blue Planet II.

"It will provide a timely reminder that this is a critical moment for the health of the world's oceans."

Blue Planet II is being officially launched to buyers at BBC Worldwide Showcase this week.
Good news for Pippa OConnor fans!

The fashionista is set to open a POCO store in Dundrum Shopping Center and unlike her other pop-ups in Limerick and Dublin, this will stay open for six weeks instead of a single weekend.

For those of you not in the know, POCO is the name of Pippa's fashion line - currently specialising in denim jeans.

The shop is set to open from March 10 and will have trained Pippa style advisors to help you pick the perfect pair of POCOs for you.

The price of the jeans range from 85 to 110 and include everything from The Mama to Be to The Saturday Night.

On her website, PocobyPipa.com the mother-of-two explains that a fashion line has always been a dream of her but it wasnt until she was pregnant with her second child that she decided to go for it.
Thousands of Italian taxi drivers protesting against legislation they say will favour Uber have clashed with riot police during a week-long strike that has crippled transportation in Rome, Milan and Turin.

The cabbies marched through the capital and protested in front of parliament, at the headquarters of the ruling Democratic Party and at the infrastructure ministry, where officials were meeting union representatives to try to work out a settlement.
A group of suicide bombers armed with grenades and assault rifles have attacked a courthouse in north-western Pakistan, killing six people.

The attack, claimed by a Taliban splinter group, was the latest in a wave of militant assaults across the country which have killed more than 100 people since last week.

The suicide bombings have been claimed by mutiple Islamic militant groups.

In today's assault, three attackers hit the courthouse in the town of Tangi, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, bordering Afghanistan.

The victims included a lawyer, a child and four police officers, according to Ijaz Khan, a senior police officer.

He said police were on maximum alert after receiving intelligence that terrorists could target the courts in Charsadda.

One of the bombers threw grenades and detonated his suicide vest at the court's main gate while police shot and killed the other two, according to district police chief Sohail Khalid.

The other two attackers also wore suicide vests but did not set them off before being gunned down.

Mr Khalid said 15 people were wounded in the attack and taken to hospital.

Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a breakaway faction of the Pakistani Taliban, claimed the attack.

In one of the attacks last week, dozens of worshippers were killed at a Sufi shrine when an Islamic State suicide bomber detonated his device inside the shrine's main hall in the southern province of Sindh.

The death toll from that attack has reached 90.

The shrine bombing prompted a countrywide crackdown by security forces targeting militants and their hideouts.

Pakistan's army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa praised police for foiling the latest attack and "saving many lives", according to the military statement.

Mian Saqib Nisar, the chief justice of Pakistan, strongly condemned the attack in a statement and expressed his condolences for families who lost loved ones.

Meanwhile, Zafar Iqbal Jhagra, governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, told reporters that fresh talks with the militants cannot be ruled out. "Talks can be held with everyone, including the Taliban," he said.

But he maintained: "We will not bow before the terrorists."
Croatian police have filed disorderly conduct charges against two people who allegedly used a racial slur to insult Hollywood actor Jamie Foxx in a restaurant.

Police said they acted after receiving reports of "particularly arrogant and rude" insults made against restaurant guests in Dubrovnik, including "one of the guests on racial grounds".
The Homeland Security Department is greatly expanding the number of people living in the US illegally who are considered a deportation priority.

The new guidelines under President Donald Trump call for the deportation of any individuals in the country illegally if they are convicted, charged or suspected of a crime, which could include traffic infractions.
A deep fryer caught fire in the main kitchen of Canberra Hospital on Tuesday.

The ACT Emergency Services Agency said no one was hurt and hospital services were not affected.

Fire crews were called about 9.30am and arrived to find a deep fryer alight in the main kitchen.

"Kitchen staff had covered the appliance with a fire blanket and evacuated the area," it said in a statement.

Firefighters had to wait for the fryer to cool down before extinguishing the fire about 11am.
Canberra law firms have confirmed up to 26 people are now considering legal action in relation to a recent salmonella outbreak as one of the cafes allegedly affected by the infection reopened on Monday to huge community support after a forced closure by ACT Health.

Meanwhile, Lauren Kish, who has multiple-sclerosis, was being released from Calvary Hospital on Tuesday, spending nine days being treated for salmonella poisoning after eating at Ricardo's. Ms Kish said the poisoning bout had exacerbated her existing condition.

Lauren Kish and her husband David MacDonald both ended up in hospital with salmonella after eating at Ricardo's Cafe. Photo: Jamila Toderas Credit:Jamila Toderas

Slater and Gordon senior associate Liam Casey said his firm has had 14 claim inquiries in relation to the salmonella outbreak, while Maliganis Edwards Johnson partner Deborah Rolfe confirmed 12 claim inquires.

Reaction to Ricardo's reopening from locals, shop owners and social media was overwhelmingly positive as many promised to return despite the owner's admission salmonella had been found on a dish cloth and tea towel in the cafe.
Australians need 4113 reasons to start worrying about credit card debt.

A finder.com.au poll of more than 2000 people has found that the panic only sets in when they rack up $4113 in debt.

The average credit card balance is just under $3150.

People born between the mid-1960s and 70s are the most comfortable with credit card debt, saying $4357 was their tipping point.
Restaurants affiliated with the online booking site Dimmi have blacklisted 38,000 diners for failing to show up at a reservation in the past year.

From, "I've just been called into a last-minute meeting," to "I broke my kneecap on the way to our reservation," restaurant owners have heard it all.

Dimmi is Australia's largest online reservation service, hosting 4000 bookable Australian restaurants on its platform, making up about 40 per cent of Australia's restaurant market.

The blacklist figure, from Dimmi's annual No Show Report, revealed a sharp jump from the 3159 diners that had a mark against their name in March last year after the program commenced the previous month.
Oil importer, refiner and marketer Caltex has benefited from the continued swing towards premium fuel purchases, which has helped offset a decline in refiner margins and adverse currency swings over the past 12 months.

It earned a net profit of $610 million in 2016, up from $522 million a year earlier, with earnings a share rising to 232 from 193, comfortably exceeding the earnings forecast which was released in December.

That beat helped push the shares ahead 2.6 per cent to $30.43 in early trading.

On a replacement cost basis, which is the company's preferred measure, the net profit fell to $524 million from $628 million, resulting in earnings a share of 199 down from 233 in 2015.
A booming jobs market in China has helped job classifieds portal Seek offset weak results in Brazil, Mexico and elsewhere in Asia.

The company's underlying profit, excluding one-off costs, was up 11 per cent $113.6 million for the six months to December 31, compared with $102.4 million the previous year and better than analyst forecasts of $107 million.

However it is still counting the costs of the federal government's decision to stop subsidising vocational training loans last October. Seek had a $1 million loss on its education products and incurred a $10 million restructuring charge and $6 million writeoff within the education division.

Seek, the world's biggest stand-alone listed jobs website, earns most of its revenue outside Australia, mainly from subsidiaries in China, Brazil and Mexico. However, the strong Australian dollar impacted revenue from that offshore empire.
Fairfax Media is set to reveal its long-anticipated plans for its real estate business Domain at its interim results on Wednesday.

Fairfax shares were placed in a trading halt until Thursday morning pending an announcement about its online real estate classifieds business Domain.

Australia's competitive real estate market has helped boost earnings for online listings sites Domain and REA Group. Credit:Dan Soderstrom

Chief executive Greg Hywood is expected to release more details on Wednesday morning at the result announcement with the board believed to have met on Tuesday to discuss Domain's future.

The company's shares last traded at 87, the lowest price since January 31.
The surging east coast property market means Stockland, one of the country's largest home developers, is holding more deposits for its developments than ever before.

The group, which owns offices, shopping centres, logisitic centres and retirement living dwellings, on Wednesday reported a statutory profit of $702 million and generated funds from operations (FFO) of $369 million, an increase of 7.8 per cent on the previous corresponding period.

With Sydney, Melbourne and now Brisbane, markets all heading upwards the group enjoyed a 3 per cent rise in sales volumes in the first half, with 2853 lots settled, compared to the corresponding period.

Contracts on hand at the start of January 2017 totalled 5807, a new record for Stockland and an increase of 1698 on the prior corresponding period.
A childcare provider, whose owner has previously been rebuked as a remorseless offender of wage violations, is embroiled in fresh claims of exploiting low-paid staff.

The Academy for Kids childcare centre in Melbourne's south-east will face court later this month after an investigation by the national workplace watchdog.

In documents filed in the Federal Circuit Court, inspectors from the Fair Work Ombudsman allege company director Vivien Mahomet has underpaid two childcare workers by nearly $13,000 over two years.

She did not respond to Fairfax Media's requests for comment on Tuesday.
Imagine, for a second, that the top 20 per cent of Australian income earners had their own government.

Say this government had the power to levy taxes. Only its constituents  the wealthy  would pay. In return, they would receive exclusive access to certain government services. This new government would fund schools, childcare and roads, but only for high earners.

Sure, the rich might still grumble about paying taxes. But you would expect that taxation would face a lot less resistance if redistribution wasn't involved.

You would also expect the beneficiaries of this arrangement to fight fiercely to protect it.
The controversy surrounding Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Australia has intensified, with Jewish leaders accusing his critics of "staggering" hypocrisy and a Labor MP breaking ranks to openly criticise prominent pro-Palestinian figures in his own party.

Mr Netanyahu will arrive with a business delegation on Wednesday for a four-day visit - the first ever by a serving Israeli Prime Minister - that will include talks with Malcolm Turnbull and Bill Shorten.

Trade, cyber-security, intelligence, the war in Syria and the Middle East peace process will be discussed, with the two countries set to sign agreements on technological research and air services.

But the controversial leader will also be met with protests and criticism.
The highest income earners in Australia would be forced to pay a mandated minimum rate of tax under a policy proposal being pushed inside the Labor Party to counter the populist appeal of One Nation and potentially add $2.5 billion a year to the budget bottom line.

The push by the Left could mean Opposition Leader Bill Shorten goes to the next election promising a so-called "Buffett rule" requiring people earning more than $300,000 a year, for example, to pay no less than 35 per cent of their taxable income.

That would mean the richest 30,000 households would be forced to contribute an average $79,000 a year more in tax than they currently do, according to research by the National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling.

The idea has been dismissed as "class warfare" by advocates for corporate Australia but senior figures in the union movement believe Labor must respond to the rise of right-wing populism and its focus on inequality with policy positions that until recently were considered "outside the political orthodoxy".
Premier Gladys Berejiklian has followed in the footsteps of former Prime Minister Julia Gillard and posed for a fashion spread in The Australian Women's Weekly.

Unlike Gillard and that infamous knitted kangaroo cover, the Premier ensured the props were kept to a minimum and, like her federal Liberal colleague Julie Bishop, provided creative and styling assistance on the shoot.

Berejiklian chose to wear a black dress by her close friend Carla Zampatti in the shot obtained by Fairfax Media. She also turned down a Giorgio Armani ensemble that had been borrowed for the shoot, instead preferring to be photographed in her own pink jacket bought from fast-fashion chain Zara.

The new Premier arrived on set with "a swag of clothes", including a yellow Country Road dress.
Out of the two women accused of engaging in a shouting match on Q&A last week, the one who is more deserving of a petition calling for her sacking is certainly not Abdel-Magied. "So you can be a Sharia law supporter and be half-pregnant at the same time, C'mon," Senator Lambie said. Credit:ABC I cut Lambie some slack last week because, however crude and ignorant her language when discussing Islam, there is a small kernel of truth to her words: Islamic law in many Muslim-majority countries is draconian and unjustly implemented, and it is spreading rather than retreating as we would hope. Until Lambie is willing to educate herself on Islam a little more, she needs to refrain from disseminating misinformation in an already tense climate that is approaching near-hysteria. It is both embarrassing and grossly irresponsible of elected representatives to stoke fear through easily disprovable and dangerous lies such as: "Sharia law denies the right of the Jewish people to live in peace in Israel." Fact Check: Israel was created was 1948. Sharia dates back to the early 7th century. Ross Cameron speaks at the Q Society fundraiser. Credit:Wolter Peeters

2. Ross Cameron This former Liberal minister and current co-host of Sky News' Outsiders recently made something of a nincompoop of himself (to put it rather mildly) when, speaking at a fundraiser for the far-right Q Society, he not only inexplicably called bigoted political cartoonists Paul Zanetti and Larry Pickering "geniuses", he also "jokingly" referred to the Sydney Morning Herald as "The Sydney Morning Homosexual", went on an indecipherable rant about the history of that most oppressed of all groups, heterosexuals, before setting the tone for the entire evening by naturally landing on and vilifying Islam. How does he still have a job, again? 3. Bill Leak Repeat offender extraordinaire, I am tempted to say Leak has outdone himself with his cartoon depicting a monkey-like Abdel-Magied taking a selfie with what appears to be a female victim of stoning. One of Bill Leak's abhorrent cartoons. Credit:Bill Leak

But really, his record of punching down and reducing the most marginalised and discriminated against sectors of society to punchlines and vapid, ugly stereotypes, with no regard to historical, political, and social context whatsoever, is so long, deep, and murky, his nadir must surely lie somewhere far below whatever this creature is, at the bottom of the Mariana Trench. 4. Miranda Devine My favourite pundit of the surely-this-person-doesn't-mean-this-and-is only-trolling-us-to-see-what-she-can-get-away-with variety really hit it out of the park this week when she claimed cigarettes are "not that bad" because, wait for it, "they might shorten a couple of years off the end of your life, but that's a good thing. That actually saves money in the long run for the health system." Malcolm Roberts and Cory Bernardi: both highly deserving of a petition calling for them to be sacked. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen But then again, this is the columnist who blamed domestic violence on "unsuitable women who keep having children with feckless men," so maybe she's just completely deluded.

5. Luke Foley When the NSW Labor opposition leader isn't busy making us forget that a NSW Opposition even exists, his one claim to getting something done was attacking and helping to overturn the only good thing Casino Mike Baird did in his entire tenure as NSW Premier, and that was his oh so brief but oh so thrilling ban on greyhound racing. Shame, Luke Foley, shame. 6. Steve Price I really am unsure of how I can live in a world in which a 25-year-old woman can say on live TV, "my religion tells me to obey the laws of the land I am in," and be hounded for days on end, as if she is personally responsible for the laws in foreign countries, when a 60-something year old man can repeatedly utter such nonsense as: Telling a woman she is "being hysterical" because she was speaking forcefully about violence against women

Suggesting all people seeking asylum be held in detention permanently

Deriding an asexual guest on The Project as "ridiculous" and "madness."

7. Sam Dastyari Now, I have had a soft spot for permanent adolescent Shanghai Sam ever since he was blindsided by Pauline Hanson's ridiculous line of questioning regarding his Iranian Muslim heritage on Q&A last year. But while I can forgive his love of the Halal Snack Pack even though it turns my vegan stomach, I can't forgive his inexplicable stance on Palestine. Even as Labor recognition of Palestine looks a certainty, and as Israel continues to make a two state solution impossible, our boy Sam has taken the curious stance of berating his colleagues (and former Labor luminaries Bob Carr, Gareth Evans, and Bob Hawke), who are pushing for an immediate recognition of Palestine, saying, "the Labor Party can't afford to focus on the Palestinian question at the expense of the other humanitarian challenges." Say what? We don't want to focus on Palestinians at the expense of other disasters? There is not enough space in this entire website to list all the things wrong with that statement. But suffice it to say, Palestinians have been stateless since 1948 and Occupied since 1967. Indeed, many of those suffering as a result of the Syrian war, which Sam lists as a "more pressing" humanitarian disaster, are Palestinian refugees. In Lebanon last year, I met Palestinians from Syria's Yarmouk refugee camp, which they had fled after the civil war intensified, after having fled the West Bank when Israel assumed its formal military Occupation in 1967, after having fled what is now "Israel proper" when they were forced out of their homes and out of their own country.

Intersectionality Sam, I N T E R S E C T I O N A L I T Y. 8. The entire One Nation Party This is pretty self-explanatory, really. But in case you needed a reminder, here are some things members of this party have said, and done, and stand for. Pauline Hanson thinks men are the forgotten victims of domestic violence and reckons women are making false claims. She wants the Family Law Act, which established no-fault divorce, scrapped, and for all newlyweds to sign pre-nuptial agreements determining who gets the assets and custody of children.

Malcolm Roberts went on Q&A and said NASA is making up climate change data. I mean, really?

He also said abortion is part of an "anti-life agenda" being run by the United Nations. Again, really?

A Royal Commission into Islam.

Muslim immigration ban Yet not only have we rewarded them with jobs in the Senate, they've now got themselves an unprecedented preference deal with the Liberals in WA and look set to clean up at the upcoming state election. Hello?
A survey of renters released last week by consumer group Choice, National Shelter and an alliance of tenant unions unearthed widespread fear of eviction. The Reserve Bank's new assistant governor economic, Luci Ellis, also weighed into the debate last week. According to Ellis, almost one in five renters moved more than five times in the past decade  that's once every two years. "I question whether all those moves by renters were desired by those households. Many renters are happy with their current home, but are required to move because the lease expired or the landlord sold the property." "If we are concerned about inequality of housing outcomes, perhaps we should focus less on the type of tenure, and more on security of tenure."

Amen Ellis. So here it is, my simple four-point manifesto to help improve the lives of Generation Rent: 1. Abolish "no grounds" evictions Simply advocating longer leases than the standard six or 12-month period is not the answer, risking trapping renters in bad living situations. A better solution, according to tenants unions, is to remove the "no grounds" provision that allows landlords to evict tenants for no reason  albeit only when the fixed lease has expired and with standard notice periods applying. To protect owners, the allowable grounds for eviction should be widened and made more explicit, including if the property is sold, or if an owner is moving back in. But landlords should not have the power to evict for no reason, as this is often the way problematic tenants  including those who ask for repairs or those with complex needs  are dealt with.

2. Wind back property tax breaks Of course, the main structural problem creating headaches for tenants is the cottage industry nature of rental housing service providers, aka landlords. While there are many considerate landlords, there are also many owners who are far more interested in the capital gain they will get for their retirement than providing a professional service for their tenants. Our current tax system treats rental houses more as tax shelters than as providing dignified shelter for humans. There are many options for reform, but two of my favourite include limiting negative gearing and capital gains tax concessions to just one investment property per Australian and increasing the period you must hold the property before qualifying for the concessions to five years, up from 12 months currently, which would provide more stability for tenants of those properties. 3. More transparency on 'bad tenants lists' According to Choice, half of renters fear being reported to one of the many privately run databases of "bad tenants". And with good reason. Operators of these databases make money by selling this information to real estate agents. They have a vested interest in having as large a database as possible. It is all too easy for landlords to make spurious listings.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian has asked the NSW Liberal party to investigate allegations that Multicultural Affairs Minister Ray Williams accepted thousands of dollars in illegal political donations from property developers before the last election.

Mr Williams, the member for Castle Hill, has denied the allegations, published in the Daily Telegraph on Wednesday.

In a statement on Wednesday morning, Mr Williams said the allegations were "completely false and I refute them entirely".

"I state for the record, I have never received an illegal donation," Mr Williams said.
Queensland MPs should pass laws which would overturn the "gay panic" defence, a parliamentary committee has recommended.

The homosexual advance defence, to use the legal term, has been used by people accused of murder to claim they were provoked due to an unwanted sexual advance.

A parliamentary committee has recommended the gay panic reform bill be passed. Credit:Getty Images

The successful application of section 304 of the Criminal Code, killing on provocation, reduced the criminal responsibility to manslaughter, meaning the defendant avoided life in jail.

The Criminal Code does not contain a specific defence for murders that are provoked by unwanted gay advances, but it has been developed by judges in case law.
Federal Police have seized 24 kilograms of cannabis at Brisbane Airport thanks to an anonymous tip-off from a member of the public.

A 24-year-old Brisbane man has also been charged with possession over the cannabis haul, worth an estimated $550,000.

Federal Police have seized 24 kilograms of cannabis and arrested a man after an anonymous tip-off. Credit:AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE

Australian Federal Police were informed on Monday that two black duffle bags on a flight from Adelaide to Brisbane contained a large amount of cannabis.

Officers went to the baggage carousel, where they found the man collecting the duffle bags. After questioning him the police searched the bags and found them filled with cannabis inside plastic bags.
While the opening of a new Coles supermarket in Alderley may be convenient news for locals, the centre comes with serious parking restrictions.

Customers can park free for two hours at the Alderley Coles and Liquorland, but any stay over that time limit will cost shoppers a whopping $77, according to signage at the centre.

Coles Alderley store manager James Felsman said the parking limit and $77 fee was put in place to deter commuters from parking there and catching the train to the city, as the parking is for Coles customers.

The Coles centre has about 220 parking spaces and is directly across the road from the Alderley train station, which has 86 parking spaces.
The man accused of murdering drug dealer James Russouw allegedly created an alibi by paying a friend to see the movie Rambo with him and swapping clothes in the cinema, a court has heard.

Christopher John Lavery, who is charged with murder, is also alleged to have later admitted killing Mr Russouw to the friend, before threatening to kill him too if he ever told anyone what he knew.

James Russouw.

Mr Russouw, 24, had his throat slashed while in his car in the Burwood East reserve where he did drug deals, late on the night of March 7, 2008.

His car was then set alight.
An Australian model and his skateboarding friend have been hailed as heroes in New York after they risked their lives to save seven teenagers who fell through ice in Central Park.

The children, aged 15 and 16, were playing, dancing and taking selfies on a frozen pond on Monday night but their laughter turned to a fight for survival when the ice fractured and they fell into frigid waters.

Luckily for the teens, Australian model Ethan Turnbull, 24, and his friend Bennett Jonas, 23, were skateboarding past just at the right time in the iconic Manhattan park and saw the ice collapse.

"I think they all just panicked a little bit," Mr Turnbull told local television station NY1.
Nairobi: War and a collapsing economy have set off a famine in South Sudan, the United Nations announced Monday, and millions of people are in urgent need of food.

An ethnic conflict erupted three years ago in South Sudan, killing tens of thousands, driving millions from their homes and hindering delivery of lifesaving aid. Malnutrition rates have soared above emergency levels, and countless people have died of hunger, UN officials said.

"Our worst fears have been realised," said Serge Tissot of the Food and Agriculture Organisation, part of the UN.

So far, the famine has affected a relatively small area in the northern part of the country, where the conflict between the government and rebel groups has been most intense. Thousands of people in that area have fled their homes, and many are living deep in the swamps or sweltering bush and surviving off wild plants and filthy water.
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It took six hours but Bristol's councillors finally settled next year's council budget which will see council tax charges go up while council services go down.

The size of the cuts next year will be 33million, which will see people in every corner of our communities affected.

In the meantime, council tax charges will go up by 4.99 per cent which means the average householder will have to pay nearly an extra 80 a year.

A Band D householder will have to pay 1,799.75 next year which includes extra payments to run the police force of 181.81 and the fire authority, 69.28.

Next year's cuts will affect 112 council services that hit the young, the old and the infirm as well as council staff jobs, libraries, lollipop patrols, community police officers and many, many more.

But next year's budget is only part of the story because during the next five years, the council must save a total of 104million.

Council officers have managed to save about 67million  including next year's 33million  which leaves about 37million to find.

The cuts are on top of about 170 million which have already been made during the past six years.

As far as this year's budget is concerned which ends on March 31, the council will have to use 11 million from reserves to balance the books. Among the measures taken this year has been a spending freeze which is still in force.

Now that next year's budget has been sorted out, the council's finance officers will draw up proposals how to make further savings in the years ahead.

This further wave of cuts are expected to be announced in the autumn.

Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees kicked off the debate by saying that the council faced a tough road ahead but they were getting a grip on the finances and were determined to protect services as far as possible.

But he soon came under fire from hecklers in the public gallery who accused Mr Rees of lying down and failing to fight the Government against the cuts.

At one stage, Mr Rees responded by saying that he sympathised with what the anti-cuts protestors were saying.

But they shouted: "We don't want sympathy!"

The Lord Mayor Geoff Lovell warned the protestors that they would be ejected from the council chamber if they continued to disrupt the meeting.

The heckling continued and at one stage, one of the campaigners started playing opera music.

The Lord Mayor eventually called in security staff, the meeting was adjourned and the public gallery was cleared.

There was no violence and the protestors left peacefully.

Mr Rees spoke to some of the campaigners in the foyer as they filed out of City Hall.

Protestors later held a vocal demo outside which could be heard in the council chamber.

Another disruption followed when the fire alarms went off and City Hall had to be evacuated including the council chamber.

For a second time during one meeting, councillors adjourned and left the chamber.

During the debate, councillors from all parties put forward a total of eight amendments which were all lost including one to scrap free car parking permits for councillors which would have saved an estimated 30,000 a year.

Councillors from all parties acknowledged that the council faces tough times and whatever decisions were taken, it was inevitable that thousands of people from all walks of life, including the most needy in our society, would be affected.
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A council care manager in charge during the Winterborne View scandal has been banned from nursing.

Kevin Christopher Haigh worked for South Gloucestershire Council as a district manager, with responsibilities for the authority's adult social care team.

He was dismissed by the authority after a BBC Panorama documentary used secret filming to uncover horrendous abuse of adults at Winterbourne View, care home.

The documentary which aired in 2011 exposed physical abuse and humiliation of residents at the private hospital.

Following a hearing by a Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) panel, he has now been struck off the nursing register.

Twenty-four patients were transferred from the hospital following the BBC investigation and it was closed in June 2011.

Read more: Cruel' nurse struck off for bullying patients at Winterbourne View

Mr Haigh, who had been employed by the council since 2003, was responsible for safeguarding vulnerable adults in the area at the time.

He admitted a number of charges of misconduct - all relating to failings in procedures designed to ensure patients' protection.

One incident involved a staff member punching a patient to "release himself from a bite", which was described by another worker during a safeguarding meeting as "understandable".

Mr Haigh accepted that he failed to challenge the worker's assertion, or to ask for an explanation, during the meeting.

After his dismissal, in 2013, he completed a "back to nursing" course and worked for the Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Trust.

However, he resigned the following year to work for a property firm and told the NMC he no longer wanted to be a nurse.

Following a hearing in London earlier this month, the watchdog's panel decided the only suitable course of action was to remove his name from the nursing register.

Announcing the decision, the panel ruled: "Mr Haigh failed in his role as district manager to effectively safeguard the patients at Winterbourne View.

"By failing to ensure adequate and timely investigation of incidents, failing to submit safeguarding minutes and investigation reports, and failing to challenge poor decision making in other agencies and individuals, he allowed the status quo to prevail.

"In the case of Winterbourne View, this meant that residents were left in an environment where they were exposed to mistreatment and emotional and physical abuse.

"Whilst he did not bring about this state of affairs, his failings whilst in post meant that opportunities to properly identify the full extent of the institutional abuse at the hospital were missed, resulting in patients being subjected to abuse and placed at unwarranted risk of harm.

"His admitted failures do not relate directly to the provision of clinical care, however he was employed in a senior role in which a high degree of reliance was placed on his carrying out his role to the required standards to ensure that vulnerable patients were protected."
Yardley Friends Meeting at 65 N. Main Street in Yardley will host the documentary Organic Roots on Friday, November 18 at 7 p.m. Join director Al Johnson for a showing of this film followed by a discussion of the last 50 years of this movement. Organic foods are part of our life today and a tool in our concern for...
Around 6,000 left India in 2016, mostly for countries like United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Australia and New Zealand. This figure stood at 4,000 in 2015 and around 6,000 in 2014. Since 2000, about 69,000 high net worth individuals in India have changed their domicile status, according to New World Wealths latest report on global wealth and wealth migration trends in 2016, titled The 2017 Global Wealth Review.
Dr Reddys Laboratories on Tuesday informed the stock exchanges the US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) had made three adverse observations with a Form 483, after completing an audit of its active ingredients (APIs) manufacturing facility at Miryalaguda in Telangana.
Microsoft chief executive has warned that embracing Artificial Intelligence (AI) without reskilling people will have an impact on jobs, even as it has displayed efficiency in delivery of government services.
Japanese auto giant India Ltd, which was in talks with Gujarat government since mid-2014 for setting up a plant in this upcoming auto hub, is now actively acquiring land for its third plant in the country in Vithalapur, near Ahmedabad. The company, however, maintained that this is part of its long-term India plan and nothing immediate.
On a month-on-month (MoM) basis, prices rose by 2-3% in the East and South, and about one per cent in the West; while ...
It will be a historic moment when Natarajan Chandrasekaran takes over as Chairman, Tata Sons, being the first non-Parsi to take over reigns of the country's most diversified business group.
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N Chandrasekaran, new chairman of Tata Sons, walks into the corner room in Bombay House on Tuesday. Amid uncertainties at almost all group due to global challenges, litigation and legacy issues.
Infosys will investigate a whistle-blowers charges on the acquisition of Panaya, an Israeli company, even as the information technology majors Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Vishal Sikka hit out at detractors for making false and malicious charges against him. He said they were designed to target him to the point of harassment.
Uber users in India, who until now had Chinese Internet giant Alibaba-backed PayTM as the only payment wallet option available to book a ride, will now be able to pay through Infocomm's Jio Money.
American luxury department store chain may have to alter its merchandise and store size according to Indian market, say retail experts.

The retailer owned by the oldest commercial corporation in North America, Hudsons Bay Company, is in talks with the Aditya Birla group for opening stores in India, according to media reports. These stores are expected to come up at Aerocity in Delhi and the Bandra Kurla Complex in Mumbai.

Though this kind of format has not been tested in the Indian market so far, it may open up a new segment in the country. Pricing will be a challenge in the Indian market, (so) they may come out with affordable brands first and then luxury brands, said Rajat Wahi, partner and head (consumer markets) at consultancy and audit firm KPMG.

Saks sells luxury brands such as Jimmy Choo, Giorgio Armani, and Tods, besides premium brands such as Fila and Puma.

Mails sent to Aditya Birla and did not elicit any response.

Devangshu Dutta, chief executive of Third Eyesight agreed with Wahi.

Earlier, brands used to have fixed strategy in terms of store opening and merchandise mix and so on. Today they are willing to change in terms of size, merchandise mix, pricing to suit the market, Dutta said.

But Technopak Advisors chairman Arvind Singhal said Saks is nothing but the upgraded version of Kishore Biyani-owned Central, which sells Indian and global brands.

While KPMGs Wahi said procuring large retail properties is going to be a challenge, others say its not.

Technopaks Singhal said large properties are available in Aerocity in Delhi and Reliances upcoming luxury mall in BKC in Mumbai.

Real estate is not an issue..it all depends on how big a store they want to open.

Saks will be attempting to tap the rich with family wealth of over Rs 25 crore or annual income in the range of Rs 3-4 crore, reports said.

According to the Top of the Pyramid survey by Kotak Wealth Management published in July, 59% of wealthy Indians now purchase luxury apparel and accessories locally as luxury brands are more widely available in India. Many of them still prefer to shop for clothes and luxury items abroad.

The scaling up depends on the potential of the market. Its not 1.3 billion population but a portion of it, said Dutta of Third Eyesight.
With the adverse effect of demonetisation slowly wearing off, the fast-growing smartphone market in the country is set to regain its vigour.
Infosys chief executive Vishal Sikka today hit out at detractors for "false and malicious" stories about the company saying they were "designed" to target him to the point of harassment.

In a strongly worded email to Infosys employees, Sikka said reports questioning the company's acquisition of US-based Panaya are "orchestrated by people who are hell-bent on harming the reputation of the company and its employees."



"We have categorically denied the allegations in these stories, but they still get published," he wrote.

In February 2015, Infosys had announced buying New Jersey-based automation technology company Panaya -- its second largest acquisition deal -- for $200 million or Rs 1,250 crore in cash.

Sikka termed the reports as "false and malicious" and said the "speculations and fabrications are clearly designed to tarnish our reputation, and they specifically target our employees, including myself, to the point of harassment."



"We cannot let these stand unchallenged, and we will take every step and pursue every avenue to strongly defend the company in the face of these unfair and unwarranted attacks," he said.

Sikka -- who is pitted against a clutch of co-founders led by N R Narayana Murthy voicing concerns over a spike in his remuneration and hefty severance packages for two former executives -- said fresh allegations on Panaya acquisition were distractions that are "expensive, draining and time-consuming.

Stating that the company has "far bigger battles ahead", Sikka urged employees to "rise above the distractions, focus on what really matters, and deliver".

"I am, as always, counting on your faith and unwavering attention to what really matters. Change is never easy, and change at the scale that we are undertaking may be unprecedented, and perhaps it is this change that has so inflamed some into trying to drag us all into the mud," he said.

Sikka reiterated that the company takes every whistleblower complaint very seriously and that there is due process to investigate any complaint that comes to it.

A section of media reported about a whistleblower's letter to market regulator SEBI, alleging irregularities in the acquisition of Panaya.

"They create a false alternate-reality out of events and dates, with embellishments that are calculated to mislead and sensationalise," he added.

Sikka said though these "distractions are expensive, draining and time-consuming", it is Infosys' burden to ensure that the company's business continues "unflinchingly".

Emphasising that the year ahead will decisively separate the "has-beens" in the industry from the "to-bes", Sikka said, "Our success will be a success for all of us, including those whose ample shoulders we stand on. Our failure will be more than a failure of a company - it will be a failure of an industry, and a dream. We cannot let that happen."



Mentioning about his visit to a very old Buddhist temple, Sikka said, "It was a fleeting peaceful moment in an unnecessarily difficult week. But the row of Buddhas there, in a moment of clarity, indicated to me that with compassion and unflinching resolve, we will get there. We must, and we will."



Over the last few weeks, Infosys has come under fire from some of the co-founders who have alleged corporate governance lapses.

Some former employees also called for re-constitution of the Board and demanded that Chairman R Seshasayee step down taking moral responsibility over issues like steep compensation hike of Sikka and hefty severance packages to ex-CFO Rajiv Bansal and David Kennedy, its former General Counsel.

Infosys Board and management have, however, stood their ground denying these charges.

On an investor call, Sikka had also stated that the company's large clients have come out in its support.
Setting an ambitious target of earning Rs 500 crore revenue in the coming five years, Kolkata-based QSR (quick service restaurant) start-up Wow Momo, which aims to become a global brand, is readying plans for an international foray.
The has upheld the conviction of a man accused of raping his differently- abled minor cousin, but reduced his jail term from life to 10 years so that he gets an opportunity to reform himself.

A bench of justices Gita Mittal and Anu Malhotra observed that the convict was 23-year-old at the time of crime in 1999 and if the appeal would have been heard expeditiously, even if the order of life sentence had been maintained, the appellant would have long ago been able to seek executive pardon.

"On a consideration of the entirety of circumstances, given the serious nature of the offence committed by the appellant, so that he is given an opportunity to reform and make useful contribution to society and not waste his existence, we consider it appropriate to reduce the sentence imposed by the trial court of life imprisonment, to a sentence of rigorous imprisonment for a period of ten (10) years...," the bench said.

It, however, upheld the Rs 5,000 fine imposed on convict Sanjay.

Besides modifying the jail term, the bench directed the Superintendent at the Tihar Jail, where the convict shall be incarcerated, to consider an appropriate programme like correctional courses through meditational therapy for 40-year -old Sanjay.

The order came on an appeal filed by the convict against the trial court's September 2000 verdict by which he was held guilty of raping a 16-year-old girl.

As per the prosecution, the convict had raped the girl on March 22, 1999 after confining her in his room. Soon after the incident, he was arrested. He was released on bail by the high court in December 2006 when his appeal came up for hearing before it.

The convict had undergone a period of seven years, seven months and 27 days of incarceration, before he was released on bail.

Taking a lenient view, the high court said if it was feasible for jail authorities, the man should be given educational opportunity, vocational training and skill development programme to enable a livelihood option and an occupational status.

It suggested post release rehabilitation programme for the convict well in advance before the date of his release to make him self-dependent.

"Furthermore, it is directed that a bi-annual report is submitted by the Superintendent, Tihar Jail, to this court till the date of release, of the measures being adopted for reformation and rehabilitation of the appellant," the court said in its 26-page judgement.
Pakistan detained Hafiz Saeed, the 2008 Mumbai attack mastermind and a US-designated terrorist, after pressure from India, his brother and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) leader Hafiz Masood has said.

Masood also said that Saeed's house arrest at his Lahore residence and subsequent ban on the LeT front Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) has not affected the proscribed charity that continued to function under the "supervision" of Punjab government in Pakistan.

"My brother is under house arrest and he will be kept under observation by the Pakistan government," Masood was quoted by CNN-News18 news channel as saying.

"All this has been done under pressure from India and the Pakistan government has given in to the pressure. They (the Indian government) want to send a message to the world, to distract attention from problems in Kashmir, to focus on and Pakistan, so that India's misdeeds are kept hidden. India wants to create a terrorism narrative," Masood added.

Saeed was put under house arrest on January 30, days after the Donald Trump administration took charge in the US. Last weekend, Pakistan listed him under the country's Anti-Terrorism Act  a tacit acknowledgement of his links to militancy.

Masood said that the JuD had nothing to do with militant activities in Kashmir as the charity was a humanitarian organisation running schools and hospitals.

"We have nothing to do with Laskhar that is (operating in) Kashmir. It is indigenous and it is working there," he said in a telephonic interview with the news channel.

Despite his criticism of the Pakistan government for bowing down to Indian pressure, Masood said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was "a peaceful man who is a friend of Kashmiris".

"Sharif has his own priorities. He has reached out to India in the hope of friendship. It is his strategy. He thinks issues will be solved through peace and friendship. But India has shown arrogance. India has seen Pakistan's gesture of peace as a sign of weakness," he said.

Masood said his organisation has been under pressure for a long time but there were no restrictions as such on the activities of the JuD.

"See, even then the United Nations has put sanctions against us. In Muridke (JuD headquarters near Lahore), the Punjab government is running it under its control. So the JuD has been under observation for long. So, we don't know what the next step is. We have not been told of any restrictions on our activities. But Hafiz has been put under house arrest to curb his support to the Kashmir issue," Masood said.
In the backdrop of India pressing Britain to extradite Vijay Mallya, the two countries Tuesday decided to expedite the requests for extradition and mutual legal assistance pending on either side.

The External Affairs Ministry said both sides resolved to strengthen legal cooperation in pursuing the pending requests, without mentioning any specific case.

A special court in Mumbai last week had allowed the Enforcement Directorate to invoke the India-UK Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) to bring back liquor baron Mallya to India to face money laundering probe.

The issue of Mallya's extradition is understood to have figured in the dialogue though there was no official confirmation. Mallya has been probed on money laundering charges in a case of alleged default of bank loans worth around Rs 9,000 crore.

"Both sides held detailed and fruitful deliberations on the legal processes and procedures in either country and reviewed the requests for extradition and mutual legal assistance pending on either side," the MEA said in a statement after the two-day talks.

It said the two sides reiterated their determination to strengthen legal cooperation and expedite the pending requests.

"It was agreed that the central authorities of both the countries would review further progress in these cases every six month through video conference," the MEA said.

The Indian delegation was led by Joint Secretary, Consular, Passport and Visa, in the MEA and had representatives from the Ministries of Home Affairs and Law and Justice and investigating agencies, including CBI, Enforcement Directorate, and the state authorities concerned.

The UK delegation was led by the Head of the UK Central Authority for Extradition and Mutual Legal Assistance, the UK Home Office and representatives from the Crown Prosecution Service.

The MEA said the meeting was held pursuant to the decision taken during the visit of British Prime Minister Theresa May to India in November.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and May had then directed the officials dealing with extradition matters to meet at the earliest to develop better understanding of each country's legal processes, identify the causes of delays and expedite pending requests to ensure that fugitives and criminals cannot escape the law.

The ED has been wanting Mallya to join the probe in the case "in person" and had issued multiple summonses to him but could not get success as the businessman, who is in the UK, never deposed before it.

The order by Mumbai court had come as a fresh blow to Mallya as India, through the Ministry of External Affairs, has recently handed over to the UK an extradition request against him based on a CBI case in the same offence.
Britain on Tuesday said there is no cap on visa for Indian students and they are free to access world-class education in top notch UK universities.

British High Commissioner to India Dominic Asquith said the UK had announced 600 scholarships for Indian students aspiring to study in the UK.

"UK has no cap on visas for students from India or anywhere else. All are treated same. Whoever comes will join almost half a million international students who come in the UK to access word-class education in the world-class universities," he said in New Delhi.

Asquith was speaking at the India launch of the report of the UN Secretary General's High-Level Panel on Women's Economic Empowerment.

India has time and again asked Britain to relax student visa rules for greater mobility of students.

UK's visa policy requires students to return home after their courses end -- a move that has led to fall of Indian students enrolling in British universities by 50 per cent.

As per estimates, the number of study visas issued to Indian nationals have fallen drastically.

Asquith also said that the UK is participating in several initiatives of the Indian government to promote skilling.

He said the UK is already investing and supporting about 75 start-up businesses and they provided access to financial services to women in India.

British companies, on an average, are spending 7 per cent of their revenues on training and skilling employees in India and are also creating more opportunities for women, Asquith said.
A high-powered delegation led by a US Congressman is to meet Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Tuesday to discuss issues such as movement of skilled manpower and intellectual property rights.

The eight-member team is being led by Bob Goodlatte. The meeting comes at a time when the new administration in the US, under President Donald Trump, is proposing an overhaul of the popular regime, raising concerns among Indian IT firms.

Industry association Nasscom met the delegation on Monday. We have shared our views with them that the Indian IT industry is a large contributor to job creation in the US and we bring skills in areas where there is a huge skill deficit, Nasscom President R Chandrashekhar told PTI.

Microsofts chief Satya Nadella is also scheduled to meet Prasad separately on Tuesday.

Indian IT companies are heavily dependent on the US market, which accounts for more than 60 per cent of the sectors exports, and any clampdown in the visa regime could result in higher operational costs and shortage of skilled workers for the $110-billion Indian outsourcing industry.

Goodlatte, as chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, and other members play an important role in crafting policies around high-skilled immigration and intellectual property in the US Congress.

The Indian side is expected to highlight and share information on direct jobs being created by Indian IT firms in the US, and their contribution in making the American economy competitive. Growth in the Indian IT sector has been slowing amid multiple headwinds such as changing technology landscape (automation and digitisation) and global events like Brexit, apart from the proposed tightening of regime by the Trump administration.
The more than a decade old group captive model is attracting attention as power producers in the country continue to struggle with idle capacities, lack of long-term power purchase agreements (PPA), low merchant rates and pending dues from the state-run distribution companies.
Cracking the whip on stent manufacturers, the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) on Tuesday asked them to provide weekly reports on the production and distribution of the medical device.
The US is keen on striking deals with India that are in the interest of both the nations as it reassesses Indo-US policies to create jobs for Americans, according an American Congressional delegation.

"United States has brand new President who is a different kind of President in our country. This is the first President who has no previous government, political experience. He is a businessman. He would like to do deals. He wants to do deals with India and other countries around the world," House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte said today.

He was speaking to reporters after the meeting of 22-member US delegation, which included both Republican and Democrat members, with Law and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.

The issue of H1B visa was also discussed during the meeting.

"He (Trump) is also assessing what deals US has done in the past are good and what may not be so good. He wants to make sure that as he does that, and as Congress works to advance the interest of constituents and create jobs in US, we want that it is done right so that it can benefit both US and India and other countries," Goodlatte said.

He said that at this point of time they are not in position to say what all those policies would be.

"... We completely acknowledge right of US Congress and political leadership to reassess and reappraise but also keep the fact in the mind the kind of value the Indian minds, the Indian talents has contributed in making American companies more competitive and creating jobs and also creating revenue," Prasad said.

The proposed overhaul of popular H-1B visa regime by the Trump administration has raised concerns among Indian IT firms, as any change in the visa regime may result in higher operational costs and shortage of skilled workers for the $110-billion Indian outsourcing industry.

"We are both concerned about the importance of training our young people and creating opportunities for them and that is why we work together to create those opportunities. Certainly technology is a method of doing so.

"I will also say that as a great large democracy that India is and as we are the oldest democracy, I want to reinforce that partnerships of believing in democratic values," Sheila Jackson Lee, a Democrat from Texas's 18th Congressional District, said.

Indian IT sector provides employment to around 3.7 million people and is one of the largest private sector employers. It contributes 9.3 per cent to the country's GDP.

An official source said that government has asked IT industry body Nasscom to lobby in the US to highlight the contribution of IT companies to the US economy.

According to sources, the US delegation raised issue of copyright, Intellectual property rights and difference in pay between US and Indian IT professionals.

On the salary issue, the minister said that it is a



business model which has been working for years and does not depend on governments. India is a big market and going to be $1 trillion digital economy in next 5-7 years, from which the US firms can benefit a lot, according to a source.

Prasad also told the delegation that IT companies in India having high market share are all US based, and the US government should consider all these points when they reassess policies, the source added.

The US accounts for nearly 62 per cent of the exports, while EU is the second largest market for the Indian IT services exporters with around 28 per cent contribution.

Recently, a US legislation (Lofgren Bill) has been introduced that proposes doubling of the minimum wages of H-1B visa holders to $130,000. The current H-1B minimum wage of $60,000 was fixed in 1989 and has since remained unchanged.

Such protectionist stance by the US could also spell more trouble for IT firms that are already facing strong headwinds from currency fluctuation and cautious client spending.
The bad debt woes of public sector (PSBs) are not limited to gloomy numbers on books now. PSBs have started facing the music as the government is summoning them to explain why the mess occurred in the first place.
Slippages have moderated in the December quarter but delays in resolution of bad loans are making life difficult for five public sector . Indian Overseas Bank (IOB), UCO Bank, United Bank of India (UBI), IDBI Bank and Bank of Maharashtra have the highest gross non-performing assets (GNPAs) as a percentage of their gross advances.
Reserve Bank of Indias (RBI) Deputy Governor Viral V Acharya, in his maiden speech as a central banker on Tuesday, proposed the creation of two asset management companies, one private and another a quasi-government, to solve the banking systems bad debt problems for good.
The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee has extended his greetings and felicitations to the Government and people of St. Lucia on the eve of their Independence Day (February 22, 2017). .

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In a message to Her Excellency Ms. Dame Pearlette Louisy, the Governor General of Saint Lucia, the President has said, On behalf of the Government and people of India and on my own behalf, it gives me great pleasure to extend warm greetings and felicitations to you and to the people of Saint Lucia on the occasion of your Independence Day. .

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Our nations have enjoyed a long standing relationship reinforced by warm friendship and cooperation. The convergence of our views on a number of global issues has contributed to our excellent coordination in international fora. The recent visit of our Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship to Saint Lucia has enhanced our mutual understanding. Our ties have been further reinforced by our joint efforts in the Commonwealth and CARICOM. I am confident that our bilateral relations will be further strengthened for our mutual benefit in the years to come. .

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I avail this opportunity to convey to Your Excellency, my best wishes for your good health and personal well-being, as well as for the progress and continued prosperity of the friendly people of Saint Lucia". .

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The successful outcome of the WHO conducted assessment of the National Regulatory Authority (NRA) of India is a big boost to the Governments efforts towards quality healthcare, for which the Government is committed to". This was stated by Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare Shri J P Nadda, here today, as WHO congratulated him and the Ministry for successful assessment of the countrys National Regulatory Authority (NRA). He stated that the Ministry under the dynamic guidance and leadership of the Hon. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji is poised for more such laurels in the healthcare sector. .

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WHO, in its letter to the Minister, has applauded the countrys NRA being declared functional with a maturity level of 4, i.e., the highest level as per currently evolved definitions in respect of 5 functions, and maturity level 3 in respect of 4 functions. While, maturity level 4 indicates good results and sustained improvement trends, maturity level 3 reflects systematic process based approach, early stage of systematic improvements, data availability regarding conformance to objectives and existence of improvement trends. Shri Nadda has termed this as the result of hard work of all the health functionaries who have collaborated with the Ministry in its efforts. .

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The Minister informed that WHO has termed the 100% compliance in the WHO assessment (benchmarking) of the Indian vaccine regulatory system as another landmark achievement. The previous WHO assessment (benchmarking) of the Indian vaccine regulatory system was conducted in 2012 during which institutional development plan (IDP) and the road map for strengthening the NRA were developed. Pointing out to the introduction of newer vaccines in the countrys full immunisation basket through the nationwide introduction of pentavalent vaccine, and the phased roll-out of Rotavirus vaccine and Measles Rubella vaccine, Shri Nadda stated that the Ministry is confident that India shall meet all its global commitments in the healthcare sector as a result of these focussed endeavours. In addition, Mission Indradhanush has strengthened the full immunisation drive of the Government, the Health Minister stated. .

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WHO accords high importance to equitable access to quality, safe, efficacious, and affordable medical and health products. In view of India being one of the main global suppliers of drug and biological medicinal products including vaccines, medical devices, and traditional medicines, and as it is supplying several vaccines to UN agencies, the successful assessment will go a long way in strengthening global confidence in medical products from India. WHO also notes that this shall give an impetus to the Make in India" mantra of the Honble Prime Minister of India. .

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A fully functional NRA is a pre-requisite for WHO prequalification of vaccines. One of the requirements to become eligible and retain prequalification status is to have the National Regulatory Authority (NRA) assessed as functional against the WHO published NRA indicators. WHO Prequalification Programme, as such, facilitates access to vaccines that meet the unified standards of quality, safety and efficacy as well as programme needs. The vaccine manufacturers can only apply for WHO vaccine prequalification if the NRA meets the standards of the WHO NRA published indicators i.e. WHO Global benchmarking Tool on functional regulatory system for vaccines. .

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Recently, WHO has completed the assessment of the status of the Indian vaccine regulatory system against WHO NRA Global Benchmarking Tool (GBT) for benchmarking and measured the maturity of the system. The assessment has been carried out by a WHO team comprising lead experts in different areas from WHO Headquarters Geneva, WHO India Country Office, experts drawn from the regulators of USA, Italy, Germany, Netherlands, Indonesia, Thailand and Egypt. The assessment has been done in respect of nine different functionalities. .

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World Health Organisation has, based on a robust benchmarking tool developed over years of consultation with various experts drawn from across the globe, carried out assessment of the National Regulatory Authority (NRA) of India comprising the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), State Drug Regulatory Authorities, Pharmaco-vigilance Programme of India (PvPI) and Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) structures at the Central and States levels. The nine functions included in the tool are National Regulatory System; Registration and Marketing Authorization; Vigilance; Laboratory Access and Testing; Regulatory Inspection; Clinical Trial Oversight; NRA Lot Release; Licensing Premises; and Market Surveillance and Control. The Global Benchmarking Tool (GBT) so developed has 63 indicators and 288 sub-indicators, out of which 150 are critical. Earlier in 2012, NRA was assessed against 7 functions and 181 indicators. .

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Secretary (HFW), Shri C K Mishra also congratulated the entire teams which have really put in very hard work to achieve this for the country. .

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Another day, another tweet, another incident. This time Donald Trump, the prolific and seemingly indiscriminate tweeter who just happens to be leader of the free world has damaged diplomatic relations with Australia by raging against a refugee resettlement deal that had been struck in the dying days of the Obama administration.
US President on Tuesday decried anti-Semitic threats against Jewish community centers "horrible" and "painful," promising to work to bridge divisions in the country.

"This tour was a meaningful reminder of why we have to fight bigotry, intolerance and hatred in all of its very ugly forms," Trump said in remarks after visiting the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington.

"The anti-Semitic threats targeting our Jewish community and community centers are horrible, and are painful  and a very sad reminder of the work that still must be done to root out hate and prejudice and evil."



Nearly a dozen Jewish community centers received bomb threats that prompted evacuations on Monday. At the weekend, more than 100 headstones were damaged at a Jewish cemetery in St Louis, Missouri, the facility's director said.
The Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday released a set of documents translating President Trumps executive orders on immigration and border security into policy, bringing a major shift in the way the agency enforces the nations immigration laws.
Ivanka Trump, US President Donald Trump's oldest daughter and a Jewish convert, has issued a statement on Twitter calling for "religious tolerance" after a wave of threats against the community, a media report said.

Her tweet on Monday was by far the most vocal foray into a public discussion and was made over an issue her allies said she feels personally, New York Times reported.

"America is a nation built on the principle of religious tolerance. We must protect our houses of worship and religious centres. #JCC," the tweet said that was posted after she wrote, and then deleted, an earlier one moments beforehand.

converted to Judaism before marrying her husband Jared Kushner, an Orthodox Jew, putting her in a position to be a prominent voice at a moment when several anti-Semitic episodes have taken place around the country.

Her previous substantive effort in the White House involved convening a women's business council, an event she helped create when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada visited the president.

On Monday, 11 separate bomb scares were called into Jewish community centres around the country. They were the latest in a string of such threats since the beginning of the year.

A spokesman for Trump did not respond to an email seeking comment about whether the president would condemn them as well.

Trump, a prolific user of Twitter, had not weighed in by late Monday.

But he was criticised in the past as slow to condemn anti-Semitic comments, and his candidacy was hailed by White nationalists and White supremacists throughout 2016.

On Thursday, at his first lengthy news conference alone as president, Trump was asked by a reporter for a Jewish magazine how the government plans to respond to the increase in such anti-Semitic incidents.

The president responded angrily, saying the question was "insulting" and that he was the "least anti-Semitic person in the world".
US President on Monday named Lieutenant General Herbert Raymond McMaster as his new national security adviser, choosing a military officer known for speaking his mind and challenging his superiors.
Thousands of Americans took to the streets on the occassion of Presidents Day on Monday to denounce incumbent US President .

According to CNN, protesters in cities across the country took to the streets on Monday for "Not My President's Day" rallies with anti-Trump messages.

Olga Lexell, one of about 20 people who helped organise the events in Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, said the protests were intended to show Trump there was widespread opposition to his policies and "ridiculous" executive orders.

In New York's Columbus Circle, protesters held placards with the word "No!" in different languages.

In addition, merchants sold T-shirts reading "Not My President" above smaller text reading "Elected but not chosen".

"In the name of humanity, fascist America -- No! No! No! No! No!," they chanted.
Jeff Immelt gives no public signs hes ready to end his 15-year tenure as chief executive of Co., but investors are increasingly preparing for the inevitable.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) will soon decide action against five brokerages, whose clients lost significant amounts of money in the Rs 5,574-crore National Spot Exchange Ltd (NSEL) scam.
Slamming Minister Akhilesh Yadav for his 'donkeys of Gujarat' jibe, Union Minister for Information and broadcasting M. Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday advised the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister of using peoples' language.

Addressing the media here, Naidu said while addressing people, one should use proper language.

"We are addressing the people and we should speak in peoples' language, he should understand it is not peoples language," said Naidu.

Further expressing confidence over the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) forming a government in Uttar Pradesh, Naidu said that he is sure that it will be a saffron swipe in the state.

"I am confident of the fact that the BJP will form the government in Uttar Pradesh. Rest the fight to bag the place of opposition is on between the SP and the BSP," Naidu said.

Naidu also took the occasion to lambast the opposition parties over unwarranted criticism of demonetisation and said that people of Uttar Pradesh will not support the immoral alliance of Samajwadi Party and Congress.

"The opposition says that people will not forgive BJP for demonetisation. I will ask them that will the people forgive them for corruption they did? The Congress did corruption and you joined hands with it? This alliance is immoral and the people of the state will not accept this alliance. The country is moving ahead under the leadership of Narendra Modi ji and we don't want Uttar Pradesh to lag behind. The fact is that Uttar Pradesh is still a BIMARU state," said Naidu.

Earlier on Monday, Akhilesh Yadav appealed 'Sadi ke Mahanayak' (without actually naming Amitabh Bachchan) not to campaign for Gujarat 'donkeys.'

"I would like to request the 'mahanayak' of the century (Amitabh Bachchan) not to campaign for donkeys of Gujarat. Those who have seen the advertisement will understand whom we are talking about," said Akhilesh while addressing a rally here.

"Have you ever heard of campaigning for donkeys? Gujarat's people are doing campaigns for donkeys...then they accuse me of working only for kabristan (graveyard...)," he said in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'shamshan ghat-kabristan' comment.

Apparently, Yadav was referring to Gujarat Tourism's advertisement featuring Amitabh Bachchan, popularly referred to as 'Sadi ka mahanayak', with the state's famed wild asses.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As the celebrates International Mother Language Day it would be right to say that this day holds much more significance to Bangladesh, which will today pay homage to its language movement heroes.

When Pakistan was formed by the partition of India in 1947, it was composed of various ethnic and linguistic groups, with the geographically non-contiguous East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) having a mainly Bengali population.

In 1948, the Pakistani Government declared Urdu as the sole national language, sparking extensive protests among the Bengali-speaking majority of East Pakistan.

On February 21 in 1952, students and people took to the streets in Dhaka to protest government's refusal to recognise Bangla as one of the state languages and imposition of Urdu as the only official language.

Following the movement, the Pakistani government was ultimately compelled to include an article in the country's constitution on February 29, 1956 that declared, "The state languages of Pakistan shall be Urdu and Bengali."

On this day every year thousands gather at the Central Shaheed Minar to pay their respect to the language martyrs and lay wreaths.

An article in the Dhaka Tribune states that this day was the writing on the wall that Pakistan missed as the events of February 21 in 1952 galvanised an entire nation to demand Bangla as one of the state languages and that movement eventually gave birth to Bangladesh from the ashes of East Pakistan.

The movement over the demand gained momentum after the government forces opened fire on the February 21 rally in 1952, killing many demonstrators and, spreading the agitation across the East Pakistan.

The article adds that at a time when the country was in flux, Abul Fazal became the voice of calm rebellion and his quote that says: "The meaning of 21st is to never bow your head down" is drawn up on the walls near the Shaheed Minar to remind people the kind of courage it took during those days to stand up against autocratic rule.

There are of others who guided the country with their leadership such as Bangabandu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Dhirendranath Dutta whose words adorn the wall with their political speeches about how Bangla should be our state language.

These words were recited to inspire people during the long road to freedom - a movement that Pakistan had deemed as a peasant uprising.

Meanwhile, in the early hours of Tuesday, Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina led the nation in paying tributes by placing wreaths at Central Shaheed Minar to pay homage to the language movement heroes.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The resistance against the multi-billion dollar China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) reached London, when Baloch and Sindhi activists staged a protest outside the Chinese embassy.

Organised by the Baloch Organisation, and led by Javed Mengal, the protesters shouted slogans against both China and Pakistan.

The Baloch were joined by Sindhi activists from the Sindhi Congress.

The protesters were carrying banners saying "China Hands-off Balochistan", "Stop Baloch Genocide" and "No to CPEC".

People across Pakistan, Gilgit Baltistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) are raising concerns over 51.5 billion dollar China-led, multi-layered infrastructure project, which aims to connect Kashgar, in China's western province of Xinjiang, with the port of Gwadar in the Pakistani province of Balochistan.

The road and rail network under the project traverses through Gilgit Baltistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Sindh, before terminating in Balochictan.

Though touted by the Pakistan government as a 'game changer' there has been a relentless wave of opposition to the project from the local population in many parts of the country.

Some of the key project of the CPEC are being undertaken in Balochistan. Chief among them is the development of the Gwadar Port.

However, as China accelerates work on the port project and other aspects of the CPEC, opposition among the local people against them is mounting.

Baloch nationalist groups in the province, who have for years been demanding independence and have frequently clashed with the Pakistani army and establishment, have also called the opposition of the project.

People in the resource-rich province strongly believe that the CPEC will only result in the economic exploitation of Balochistan, with the people being reduced to a minority in their own land.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Bangladesh paid tribute to the martyrs of the Language Movement on the occasion of Amar Ekushey and the International Mother Language Day today.

The Language Movement martyrs had laid down their lives on this day, while advocating the recognition of the Bengali language as an official language in order to allow its use in government affairs, the continuation of its use as a medium of education, its use in media, currency and stamps and to maintain its writing in the Bengali script.

"Amar Bhaiyer Rokte Rangano Ekushey February...," The Daily Star quoted thousands of people as saying, while thronging the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka and elsewhere to pay homage to the language heroes.

The Shaheed Minar and its adjacent areas in the Dhaka University campus marked the occasion by giving a colourful look to the premises of the university with street paintings and graffiti depicting Bangla alphabets and verses about mother languages.

The national flag of Bangladesh will be hoisted at half-mast in the country to show respect to the language movement martyrs.

Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid their tribute to the language movement martyrs by placing wreaths at the Shaheed Minar and stood in solemn silence as a mark of respect to them.

Hundreds of people walked barefoot to the Shaheed Minar, later, when it was opened for the public to pay tribute to the martyrs.

With Bangladesh, 193 countries across the globe will observe this day, as the Unesco declared it the International Mother Language Day.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Madhya Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) on Tuesday arrested one more in connection with the Bhopal ISI espionage case.

The accused, identified as Manoj Mandal from Bihar's Jamui, was produced before the Bhopal court.

Earlier on Sunday, Hawala operator Jabbar, who was arrested by the MP ATS from Delhi in connection with the same, was sent to police remand till February 23.

Jabbar was working closely with mastermind Balram Singh, who was arrested earlier in the same case.

This came a day after the ATS made its 12th arrest Sahyog Singh in connection with the case.

Earlier on February 9, the ATS busted an international call racket that allegedly helped ISI agents to spy on India's military operations.

ATS chief Sanjeev Shami said that the accused were arrested in November 2016 in Jammu for collecting and using information of strategic interests for espionage.

"They were being funded by a person in Satna. Five persons from Gwalior, three from Bhopal, two from Jabalpur and one from Satna were arrested," he said.

Shami further said the accused converted internet calls to cellular network and acted as medium for overseas handlers to contact people in India.

"The arrested men are accused of supplying information regarding army and Air Force in Madhya Pradesh. Complicity of some employees of telecom companies also surfaced," he said.

In January, the Uttar Pradesh ATS had arrested 11 people who were running a similar exchange.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
With the polling commencing for 227 municipal wards in the Brihannmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Tuesday, residents of 3 out of 19 buildings of MIG Colony in Mumbai's East Bandra, summing up to at least 100 voters, did not find their names in the list.

They, reportedly, voted in the previous elections, but, this year their names were missing from the list.

The Polling Officer told the voters they need to lodge a complaint in this regard.

Meanwhile, the police have tightened the security across the city and are maintaining a strong vigil to avert any untoward incident across the 7,304 polling centres.

Polling for 227 seats of Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai will go on till 5:30 pm where a total of 17,331 candidates are in the fray for 3,210 seats in 10 municipal corporations.

In order to prevent last minute luring of voters, Mumbai Police also conducted combing operations and checked vehicles with the help of flying squads of the state Election Commission.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
With the polling for 227 municipal wards in the Brihannmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) underway, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari hoped for a hike in percentage of voters as compared to last year.

Gadkari cast his vote for Nagpur Municipal Corporation poll at a booth located at the Town Hall.

"Every person must vote in the elections as it is a responsibility and a duty. One should vote for the betterment and welfare of the society and for the country, not on the basis of religion, caste, language, sex, etc.," said Gadkari.

Local body polls are set to witness a high pitch battle between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Shiv Sena, the Congress, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
U.S President Donald Trump was accused of behaving "like a petulant child," during a British Parliament debate on his state visit.

As the British Parliament debated the state visit of the U.S. President Donald Trump, he was accused of behaving "like a petulant child".

According to CNN, the comment came to pass, as members of Parliament were discussing a petition calling against the trip because of his "well-documented misogyny and vulgarity."

Opening the debate in Westminster Hall, Labour MP Paul Flynn said that to grant the honour of a state visit to a president, who had acted "like a petulant child," would send the message that Britain approved of his behaviour and comments.

Labour MP David Lammy said it was to be expected that the US President would be invited to the UK, but that offering Trump a full state visit after only seven days in power was not acceptable and suggested that the move came because the government was desperate to make trade deals.

However, Conservative MP Simon Burns argued that the visit should go ahead because of the close links between the US and the UK.

Another Conservative MP Crispin Blunt said withdrawing the invitation risked embarrassing the Queen, but that the trip could simply be postponed.

MPs held the session after the petition attracted more than 1.8 million signatures, easily crossing the 100,000 threshold qualifying it for a parliamentary debate. A rival 310,000-strong petition in support of the state visit was also being discussed.

The Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, faced calls for his resignation from some MPs after he said he was "strongly opposed" to letting Trump address lawmakers during his visit because of Parliament's "opposition to racism and sexism."

Bercow is one of three parliamentary officials who must approve any invitation for someone to speak in Westminster Hall.

The British government has already formally rejected the petition to downgrade or withdraw the invitation.

President Barack Obama was afforded the honor 28 months into his tenure, while George W. Bush was extended the invite after 32 months at the White House.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday arrested former Enforcement Directorate (ED) JP Singh, Assistant Director Sanjay Agarwal and two other officials in a case of corruption.

The CBI has registered a case against a Joint Director (an IRS officer) posted at the office of ED in Ahmedabad, and other unknown public servants and private persons on a complaint from the Ministry of Finance.

It has been alleged that certain officers of ED, while investigating the cases of money laundering in betting and other such activities, have allegedly demanded and accepted huge illegal gratification from the accused and suspect persons in the said cases.

Huge bribe amount was allegedly taken by these officers as quid pro quo for various acts of omission and commission.

Earlier, the investigation agency also arrested IAS officer from Chhattisgarh B L Agarwal and two others, who are facing corruption charges.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Delhi court on Tuesday sent the accused in the Hauz Khas Rape case to 14-day judicial custody.

Earlir today, the Delhi Police apprehended one of the accused in connection with the rape of a 24-year-old woman from Nagaland, in Delhi's Hauz Khas area. He, later, admitted to raping the victim twice and stealing her iPhone.

The 20-year-old culprit, who goes by the name Raja, worked at Hauz Khas village and was a resident of the Arjun Nagar area.

R.P. Upadhyay, Joint CP, South Easter Range, said, "The accused, who was nabbed from his Jhuggi at Arjun Nagar, Safdarjung Enclave has admitted his crime and revealed that he had committed rape on victim twice on the night of the incident and robbed her iPhone and Rs. 600 cash from the handbag of the victim."

"After the intense investigation, nothing has come out against the juvenile accomplice of Raja who dropped the victim's cousin on that fateful night," added Upadhyay.

The accused further revealed that he had attended school at his native village in Rajasthan and studied till Std. V. After that, his family migrated to Delhi and he started taking alcohol in his early years due to bad company and on that night also he had consumed liquor.

The incident took place on February 18, when a woman was returning from a party in Hauz Khas village, along with her cousin.

The culprit told the victim that his car was parked at some distance and led her to the adjoining Deer Park, where he allegedly raped her.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Dr Ramamurthy Kosanam, an Indian doctor who was kidnapped in Libya 18 months ago, has been rescued announced External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, on Tuesday night.

Swaraj further said that Dr Kosanam, who has suffered a bullet injury, will be brought back to India shortly.

"We have rescued Dr Ramamurthy Kosanam in Libya. Dr Kosanam has suffered a bullet injury and we are bringing him back to India shortly," she said.

Lauding the mission, Swaraj took to her Twitter handle to share that with the rescue of Dr Kosanam, they have found out all the six Indian abducted.

"With this, we have rescued all the six Indians abducted there. I appreciate the good work done by our mission there," she wrote.

For the unversed, Dr Ramamurthy Kosanam was abducted by Islamic State militants in Libya, 18 months back.

The doctor hails from a village of Krishna District, in Andhra Pradesh.

He was working as a physician in the Lbn-e-Sina Hospital, at Sirte, Libya.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Donald Trump's daughter, Ivanka Trump, has a line fragrance under her name and it is currently a top seller on Amazon, despite the calls for boycotts.

Citing Refinery29.com, an American-based fashion webloid, Fox News said in a report that Ivanka's namesake eau de parfum spray is currently a #1 top-seller on Amazon.com.

The "spicy floral" fragrance holds two top spots in the women's category: one for the full-sized bottle, the other a roll-on, which is out of stock.

However, the reviews show that customers are specifically purchasing the fragrance, not for the scent but in support of the 35-year-old mother of three.

"I bought this perfume in support of . I had no idea how it smelled. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised and I LOVE it!!," wrote one verified purchaser, as reported by the beauty news site.

"I love this scent and happily showed my support by purchasing this perfume. Just wish I can fit into her gorgeous clothing line," wrote another buyer.

No recent negative reviews were shown on the e-commerce site.

Even Amazon has not commented on the recent demand for the scent.

Ivanka was caught up in a row earlier this month, when Nordstrom, a Seattle-based luxury department store chain, said it would stop selling the her brand of products explaining that the decision was based on the sales performance.

The surge in sales comes despite the "Grab Your Wallet" campaign, which has been calling for a boycott of retailers that carry or Donald Trump merchandise.

Ivanka's business has also drawn criticism for blurring the lines between brand promotion and politics, as her company sent a style alert to journalists in November, promoting a gold bracelet that she wore during an interview to a TV channel.
In yet another shocking case of apathy, a distraught father carried the body of his dead daughter to the hospital in in Karnataka's Tumkur district, as there were no ambulances available.

Rathnamma, a 20-year-old girl from Karnataka's Kodigenahalli village died on Monday morning, allegedly due to the government hospital as she was admitted with lack of basic medical facilities.

The girl's father and her uncle took her to the Kodigenahalli Government Hospital as she was suffering from high fever on Saturday night, but no doctors were present there at that time to treat her.

The family of the girl claimed that she died in the hospital due to the negligence of doctors and unavailability of ambulances.

"We then took her to a private practitioner, Dr.Gopal Rao, in our village and he gave her a few medicines. Her condition got worse in the morning and she was facing trouble in breathing. We took her to Dr. Rao again in the morning and he said that she has to be hospitalized. At around 6.45 a.m., we took her back to the government hospital and the doctors were not there," said the girl's uncle Rajanna.

"It was around 8.30 a.m. when my brother went to the doctor's house. The doctor told him that he would come to the hospital after breakfast. She was struggling to breathe and when the doctor arrived, he said that she needed to be taken to the Madhugiri Taluk Hospital, which is 20km away. There was no ambulance at the hospital and we were in the process of arranging a vehicle. It was too late and she passed away," he added.

Rajanna further informed that it took them too long to arrange a vehicle as they did not have enough money to rent one, adding that the hospital authorities did not even help them in arranging a vehicle to carry the body.

However, Kodigenahalli Zilla Panchayat member, Manjula, said that the doctors were present and that the family refused to accept help offered by several local leaders.

She accepted the fact that the hospital lacks ambulance service and there is no round-the-clock medical service there.

Meanwhile, the Kodigenahalli Councillor has claimed that the hospital did have an ambulance and the girl's family was 'stubborn' and did not accept any help.

Several shockers like this cropped up last year, like the case of Dana Majhi from Odisha's Kalahandi, who carried his wife's dead body on his shoulders when hospital authorities denied him an ambulance.

Another incident was reported from Kanpur, when an ailing son died on his father's shoulders as the hospital authorities denied him of admitting in their hospital.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
President Donald Trump has named Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, a career Army officer and strategist, as his new national security advisor as a replacement of Michael Flynn.

Trump made the announcement from Mar-a-lago on Monday afternoon, alongside the general and acting National Security Adviser Keith Kellogg, reports the New York Post.

Trump also asked Kellogg to continue as chief of staff to the National Security Council.

"I think that combination is something very, very special," Trump said of the pair.

McMaster is currently Director of the Army Capabilities Integration Center and Deputy Commanding General, Futures, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command.

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The Kerala High Court on Tuesday postponed the hearing over the anticipatory bail application, moved by Sunil Kumar one of the three arrested accused, in connection with the Malayalam actress' abduction and molestation case, till March 3.

Meanwhile, the car in which the Malayalam actor was abducted and molested, is being examined by forensic department in Aluva's SP Office

Earlier on Monday, 'Pulsar Sunil' the main accused had filed an anticipatory bail plea before the Kerala High Court pleading for an opportunity to be given a fair and just hearing.

The Aluva court had sent Sunil and one other accused arrested to a 14-day judicial custody yesterday.

On February 17, a case of attempted rape was filed, after the actress was allegedly abducted and molested last Thursday night.

Earlier, one of the prime accused, who was her one-day driver Martin was arrested and sent to custody.

The incident reportedly took place while the victim was returning from a shoot, when the accused forcefully entered the car and tried to take her pictures.

According to police, the actress was held in the car for an hour, after which, she was dropped near her residence at around 10.30 pm.

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The Kurar Police seized two cars full of liquor last night ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls here.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) flag was also visible in the cars carrying the liquor.

The liquor was seized after a tip-off to police by a person that the liquor were being transported for distributing it ahead of the BMC polls.

Mumbai Police has tightened security across the city ahead of Mumbai Municipal Corporations elections today.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Ashok Dudhe has informed that police are maintaining a strong vigil to avert any untoward incident across 7,304 polling centres.

Polling for 227 seats of Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai has started in the morning.

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Known for its diverse publishing programmes across different disciplines, Oxford University Press (OUP) introduced its medical publishing programme to India.

OUP's Medicine and Health publishing programme strives to provide excellent content, authored by experts across the globe and mapped to the requirements of the medical fraternity in the region.

The content made available to readers is a blend of thoroughly researched and developed concepts that have undergone in-depth peer reviews for ensuring quality scholarship.

Offering academic and clinical content in the form of books, journals, and online platforms, the programme is targeted at medical and healthcare professionals. The programme also extends to cover topics such as popular medicine, the history of medicine, public health, and so on.

OUP India will now cater to the healthcare and medical segment with the release of the following:

Handbook of Nutrition in Kidney Disease by Dr Anita Saxena: In this handbook, Dr Saxena, who is associated with the Department of Nephrology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS), Lucknow as an additional professor, brings together theoretical and practical approaches to managing malnutrition in kidney diseases.

Handbook of Benign Proctological Disorders by Dr Pravin Jaipraksh Gupta: This handbook by Dr Gupta, a proctologist, would serve as a reference for family physicians that are usually the first consult for hemorrhoids, anal fissure, anal abscess, fistula, pruritus ani, constipation, and other anal complaints.

Complications after Gastrointestinal Surgery edited by Dr Samiran Nundy and Dr Dirk J. Gouma: In this reference work, Dr Nundy and Dr Gouma, world-renowned gastrosurgeons from India and the Netherlands respectively, along with other contributors present the various complications that may arise from gastrointestinal surgeries along with their management based on resource-sufficient or resource-limited settings.

Healers or Predators: Healthcare Corruption in India edited by Dr Samiran Nundy, Dr Sanjay Nagral, and Keshav Desiraju: Renowned gastro surgeons Dr Nundy and Dr Nagral come together with India's former Health Secretary Desiraju and other contributors to look at healthcare corruption in India from the grass-roots level. They analyse the causes, development, and progress and recommend various ways to annihilate the issue.

A participant at prominent medical conferences like APICON (official conference of Association of Physicians in India), World Health Congress and ESICON (official conference of Endocrinological Society of India) in the years 2015-16, OUP aims to collaborate with premium medical institutions, academies, and societies as it works towards imparting valuable insights into medicine and healthcare in India.

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Pakistan Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Tuesday visited troops along the Line of Control (LOC) at Mattewala, Munaawar sector and alleged that Indian ceasefire violations are an attempt to divert the world's attention from the Kashmir issue.

Branding Kulbhushan Yadav as an example of India supporting terrorism, the COAS said, "Indian Ceasefire violations have a design. On one side it is an effort to divert world's attention from its atrocities against innocent Kashmiris, on the other; it is an attempt to dilute our response against terrorism and militancy. The targeting of civilians along the LOC is deliberate and highly reprehensible. We are fully aware of Indian design and her support to terrorism in Pakistan and the region. Indian spy Kulbhushan Yadav is one such evidence of these efforts and his case will be taken to the logical conclusion."

At the occasion, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) also briefed the COAS about operational situation.

He said the Pakistani soldiers are known for their professional competence, motivation and selfless devotion for defence of their motherland.

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U.S. Vice President Mike Pence for the first time while publicly commenting on Michael Flynn said that he was "disappointed" that former the national security adviser misled him about his conversation with the Russian ambassador.

"I was disappointed to learn that ... the facts that had been conveyed to me by Gen. Flynn were inaccurate. But we honor Gen. Flynn's long service to the United States of America, and I fully support the President's decision to ask for his resignation," the CNN quoted Pence as saying at a news conference on Monday in Brussels.

Flynn misled Pence over his conversations with the Russian ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak during the transition, in which the two discussed election-related sanctions imposed on Russia.

Flynn had initially denied discussing sanctions and even Pence, defended him in subsequent TV interviews.

Pence's comments came as he completed a multi-day security-focused trip to Europe, where he met with key US allies in Munich, Germany, and in Brussels.

The vice president also sought to reassure US allies that the premature dismissal of the President's top foreign policy adviser had not affected the strength of the US administration's national security team.

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A plane with five people on board has crashed into the side of a shopping centre near Essendon Airport, in Melbourne's north, sparking a fire at the centre.

A State Government spokesperson said that a Beechcraft five-person charter flight to King Island crashed soon after take-off at 9:00am, reports the ABC online

It is not known if there are any fatalities or injuries as of now.

Witnesses told ABC News 24 the aircraft was flying precariously close to houses before the incident, which happened under cloudless skies in seemingly good conditions.

The Guardian also reported that a plane has crashed into a shopping centre near Essendon airport in Melbourne.

The light aircraft crashed into the DFO shopping centre at Essendon and exploded about 9am on Tuesday.

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The terrorist which was neutralised by the Border Security Force (BSF) deployed at the Line of Control (LoC) in Keri Sector, Rajouri, Jammu and Kashmir has been recognised as a Lashkar-e-Taiba (Let) militant.

Earlier, the BSF personnel foiled an infiltration bid after they observed a suspicious movement. The BSF organised effective and calibrated fire, in which one terrorist was neutralised.

The terrorists also fired on the BSF troops on duty, which continued for half-an-hour.

During a detailed search of the area in the morning, one black bag was recovered containing one night vision monocular, an AK Magazine filled along with edible items.

Earlier this month, a 20-metre tunnel dug from Pakistan to help terrorists infiltrate into India was found by the BSF near the International Border.

The tunnel was discovered during searches at the Ramgarh sector in Sambha.

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Calling for stronger ties between India and Rwanda in regard with addressing peace and security related issues, Vice President Hamid Ansari on Tuesday asserted that terrorism has emerged as a major impediment amid the quest for peace and prosperity.

While delivering a lecture at the University of Rwanda on Rwanda, India and Africa: Imperatives for Cooperation', Vice President Ansari said India and Rwanda share similar views and positions on a variety of global concerns, ranging from combating terrorism and piracy to coordinating our positions in global forums over issues such as reforms at the United Nations, world trade and climate change.

"The threat of terrorism has emerged as a major impediment in our quest for peace and prosperity for our people. The spreading tide of terrorism and extremism is a threat that all civilised societies face today. In India we face the threat from across our borders. Terrorist action and violence cannot be justified on any grounds. We condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and call for strong and concerted international efforts to deal with this menace in a comprehensive manner," said the Vice President.

"The reform of political, security and economic institutions of global governance has been a key area of such cooperation, with both Africa and India underlining the urgency of undertaking such reforms, including a meaningful expansion of the United Nations Security Council," he added.

Vice President Ansari also took the opportunity to underline New Delhi's effort to combat terrorism in Africa.

"India remains committed to ensuring stability and peace in Africa under a genuine multilateral effort led by United Nations. In pursuance of this commitment, India has over 6000 personnel committed to UN peacekeeping duties in Africa. In addition, we have worked bilaterally with our African partners to enhance defence training and capacity building in security domains," said Vice President Ansari.

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Days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi sparked a controversy by comparing the number of cremation grounds with that of the graveyards in Uttar Pradesh, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Tuesday fired fresh salvos at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), alleging them to resorting to 'anti-secular' politics in order to win the polls.

The Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh have become a battle of wits and one-liners rather than action-oriented schemes for the development of the state, as a day after re-christening Prime Minister Modi as 'Negative Dalit Man', Mayawati instituted another strike at the BJP-led Central Government, citing the saffron party has brought the politics in India to the lowest levels possible. She even questioned the BJP if there was enough count of burial grounds in the states where they are in power.

"Uttar Pradesh borders Madhya Pradesh in the south and Haryana in the north. These states have the BJP in power. So, they should tell us if every village of every state where the BJP is in power, has a cremation ground. The BJP should first go and establish a cremation ground in every village of every state where they rule, and then talk of Uttar Pradesh," she said.

"The BSP has been in power in the state four times, and every time we have ensured that every religion, every caste in the state is respected. We also ensured that on every festival, irrespective of which religion or caste celebrates it," she added.

Continuing her tirade, she reiterated what the Congress and the Samajwadi Party have already said many times -- that it's unbecoming of Prime Minister's post to issue such controversial statements, adding Prime Minister Modi was trying to give the whole polling process a communal spin.

"The BJP has brought politics to its lowest level possible in the country and I don't think it is correct. It is the most communal party in the whole country. Had it not been so casteist, the Rohit Vemulla case would not have happened in Hyderabad. Why don't the other communities face the same issue? Why do only the Dalits have to suffer? Not only is the BJP communal, it is anti-secular too," she said.

"Narendra Modi should respect the dignity of the post he is at. It's so unbecoming of a Prime Minister to spew venom over this issues. The BJP is now resorting to dirty politics in order to win the polls, a politics which is based on lies and false facts," she added.

Mayawati also remarked that since she was sure that the BSP was going to establish majority in the assembly, the BJP and the SP-Congress alliance have relegated themselves to fight each other in order to secure the second spot in the polls.

"The BJP and the Congress are fighting each other, primarily for the second spot in the elections. Today, when the campaigning for the fourth phase ends in the state, Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav are holding a road show. So is BJP president Amit Shah. They are trying to battle out just each other," she said.

Prime Minister Modi had lambasted the Akhilesh Yadav-led government by drawing a parallel between Hindu and Muslim festivals, accusing the local administration of discrimination on the basis of religion.

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Foreign Secretary of India S. Jaishankar, visited Sri Lanka from February 18 to 20, for bilateral discussions with their leaders, as part of the continued high level engagement between the two countries.

During his visit, Jaishankar called on Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The Foreign Secretary reviewed the entire gamut of our bilateral relations, particularly Indian assisted economic projects and development particularly with Sri Lanka.

In response to the drought situation in Sri Lanka, Jaishankar conveyed on behalf of Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj to Minister of Foreign Affairs Mangala Samaraweera, that India would donate eight water bowsers and 100 metric tonnes of rice as immediate assistance, and was ready to provide further assistance as required.

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Sri Lanka opener Niroshan Dickwella has been suspended for two limited-over matches after he was found guilty of 'showing dissent at an umpire's decision' during Sunday's second T20I of the three-match series against Australia in Geelong.

Dickwella was found guilty of breaching article 2.1.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Player and Player Support Personnel, which relates to "showing dissent at an umpire's decision during an international match".

The incident took place when Dickwella, after being given out caught behind, paused to view the replay, kicked the turf and looked at his shoulder for a prolonged period of time.

Dickwella's accumulated demerit points have reached five within a 24-month period following his latest breach of the ICC Code of Conduct for which he received a 30 per cent fine and two demerit points.

As Dickwella had received a 50 per cent fine and three demerit points in the fourth One-Day International against South Africa in Cape Town on February 8, with the addition of these two demerit points, he has reached the minimum threshold of four demerit points, which, pursuant to article 7.6 of the Code, have now been converted into two suspension points. Two suspension points equate to a ban from one Test or two ODIs or two T20Is, whatever comes first for the player.

As such, Dickwella has been suspended from his side's third Twenty20 International against Australia to be played in Adelaide on February 22 as well as the next limited overs match he is likely to play, which is currently scheduled to be the first One-Day International against Bangladesh on March 25.

The five demerit points will remain on Dickwella's disciplinary record for a period of twenty-four months from their imposition and if he reaches eight or more demerit points within a 24-month period, then they will be converted into four suspension points. Four suspension points equate to a ban from two Tests or four ODIs or four T20Is, whatever comes first for the player.

In a related incident, Australia wicketkeeper, Tim Paine, has been fined 15 per cent of his match fee and received one demerit point for breaching Article 2.1.7 of the Code, which relates to "using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batsman upon his/her dismissal during an International Match."

The incident happened when Paine used inappropriate words after Dickwella had been given caught behind.

The charges were leveled by on-field umpires Simon Fry and Sam Nogajski, third umpire Joel Wilson and fourth official Michael Graham-Smith.

For all first offences, Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, a maximum penalty of 50 per cent of a player's match fee, and one or two demerit points.

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U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday condemned the recent spate of threats targeting the Jewish community in the country as "horrible and painful".

"The anti-Semitic threats targeting our Jewish community and community centers are horrible and are painful, and a very sad reminder of the work that still must be done to root out hate and prejudice and evil," said Trump while visiting the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

"This tour was a meaningful reminder of why we have to fight bigotry, intolerance and hatred in all of its very ugly forms," the President added.

His remarks come after pressure to speak out against anti-Semitism amid several recent episodes, including bomb threats made on Monday against 11 Jewish community centers.

Recently, vandals also toppled and damaged about 100 headstones at the historic Jewish cemetery of St. Louis area's Chesed Shel Emeth Society last week, reports the CNN.

On Tuesday, Hillary Clinton also called on Trump and others to "speak out" against the attacks.

"JCC threats, cemetery desecration & online attacks are so troubling & they need to be stopped. Everyone must speak out, starting w/ @POTUS," she tweeted.

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Louis Taylor, Chief Executive Officer of UK Export Finance (UKEF), is visiting India from 20-23 February. UKEF, the UK's Export Credit Agency, has up to 1 billion in capacity to provide finance to support Indian buyers of British goods, services and intangibles, with support available in Indian Rupees.

While in India, Louis Taylor will travel to Chennai, Delhi and Mumbai to engage with Indian buyers from the government and private sector. During these meetings, Mr. Taylor will promote the attractive financial support available from UKEF to Indian buyers when they source from the UK. He will also affirm the UK Government's appetite to support India's major infrastructure development projects, including in the areas of transport, energy infrastructure, urban development and smart cities.

Louis Taylor said:"The UK Government is committed to building strong and lasting economic ties between the UK and our trading partners in India, the world's fastest growing major economy. And through UK Export Finance, we are ensuring that no trade between the UK and India fails for lack of finance or insurance."

He further said, "I am delighted to be meeting Indian banks, businesses and public sector units to understand more about how we can work together and identify opportunities to support increased bilateral trade."

In Chennai, Mr. Taylor will attend a conference of international Export Credit Agencies and will meet with prominent businesses from the south.

In New Delhi, Mr. Taylor will be meeting senior officials from Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited. He will also be meeting officials at Ministry of Urban Development to discuss how UKEF can support India on wider urban development projects and the smart cities programme. He will attend a roundtable with Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) and key Indian businesses looking to import from the UK. He will wrap up the Delhi leg with meetings with a number of Indian companies, including a UK success story in India, JCB.

In Mumbai, Mr. Taylor, will hold meetings with senior officials at several Indian companies, including Reliance Industries Limited, for which UKEF has recently provided support for a petrochemicals project.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A delegation from the United States will meet Union Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad in the capital today, to discuss issues like movement of skilled manpower and IP rights.

The eight-member delegation led by Congressman Bod Goodlatte will meet the Union Minister around 3 p.m.

The meeting comes at a time when the new administration in the U.S. under President Donald Trump, is proposing an overhaul of the H-1B visa regime, raising concerns among Indian IT firms.

Goodlatte, as Chairman of House Judiciary Committee, along with other members, pslay an important role in crafting policies around high-skilled immigration and intellectual property in the US Congress.

The Indian side is expected to highlight and share information on direct jobs being created by Indian IT firms in the US, and their contribution in making the American economy competitive.

Apart from the delegation, Microsoft's India-born Chief Satya Nadella is also scheduled to meet Prasad today.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
At least 44 members of the Islamic State terror organisation and a Turkish soldier were killed on Tuesday in clashes in northern Syria, according to a Turkish army statement.

The statement, published by the semi-official Anadolu news agency, did not specify where the Turkish soldier was killed, but indicated that it occurred during an operation against IS in northern Syria, when a mine detonated during a de-mining operation, in which two other soldiers were wounded.

Turkey's artillery and ground forces attacked 109 IS targets on Tuesday, while the air force pounded four IS-controlled buildings on the outskirts of the city of al-Bab, Efe news reported.

Since December, the city has been under siege by the Turkish army, which managed to conquer most of it.

Anadolu reported that 44 IS fighters were killed, 15 in battles with Turkish forces, and 29 in air strikes carried out by the US-led international coalition, also joined by Turkey.

Turkish authorities announced that after it takes full control of al-Bab, operations will continue to drive IS from the city of al-Raqqa, the terror organisation's main stronghold in Syria.

--IANS

vgu/

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About Censored News Censored News is published by Brenda Norrell. Since 2006, Censored News has received more than 20 million pageviews. As a collective of writers, photographers and broadcasters, we publish news of Indigenous Peoples and human rights. Contact publisher Brenda Norrell: brendanorrell@gmail.com

From the publisher Censored News is published by Brenda Norrell, a journalist in Indian country for 40 years. Norrell created Censored News after she was censored and terminated as a staff reporter at Indian Country Today in 2006. She began as a reporter at Navajo Times during the 18 years that she lived on the Navajo Nation. She was a stringer for AP and USA Today and later traveled with the Zapatistas through Mexico. She has been blacklisted by all the mainstream media for 14 years. Contact brendanorrell@gmail.com

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At least five people, including four US tourists, were killed on Tuesday when a small chartered plane crashed into a shopping centre in Australia's Melbourne city, the city police said.

"It was a catastrophic plane crash that has taken a number of lives. But certainly if we look at the circumstances, we've been very lucky depending on the time of day and who was around," said Stephen Leane, Assistant Commissioner of Victoria Police.

The fifth victim was the pilot, an Australian national.

No one was inside the still-closed DFO shopping centre when the plane went down around 9 am, officials said, but some nearby witnesses were being treated for shock.

The complex will remain closed for another day, the police officer said.

Lisa Neville, Victoria's Minister for Police, said details regarding the cause of the crash "are still being confirmed by police and fire services".

The US Embassy has confirmed that four passengers on the plane were bound for Tasmania's King Island, the BBC said.

In a post on Twitter, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said he was "deeply saddened" by the accident.

"Our hearts and prayers are with the victims and their families," he said.

--IANS

ksk/vt

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Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav's "Gujarat ke Gadhe (Asses of Gujarat)" jibe might have been meant to score points in a bitter electoral battle, but it has inadvertently sharpened focus on the Indian wild ass, promoted in a TV spot by no less than megastar Amitabh Bachchan in his capacity as the state's brand ambassador.

In fact, the conservation of the species (Equus hemionus Khur), which is found only in Gujarat -- having been rendered extinct in south India, Pakistan and Afghanistan -- has earned the state plaudits from wildlife experts.

"The conservation of the Indian wild ass is an exemplary success story for the world to follow. The Gujarat government has, over the years, done a great job," Wildlife Institute of India (WII) Director V.B. Mathur told IANS.

Mathur, along with experts like Nita Shah, also of the WII, have worked on conserving the species for 22 years, back from the time when it was on the verge of extinction. Today, the animal numbers well over 4,500 in the wild.

Mathur believed that the change in the farming pattern due to better irrigation has also helped in the conservation.

"It's a unique animal... What's commendable is that that the local government managed to balance the conservation of the species and development of the region," Mathur added.

Shekhar Niraj, Head of TRAFFIC, a wildlife trade monitoring network that works in alliance with the WWF, said the species still faces several challenges for its survival.

"It's one of those rare examples where both the species and its habitat are troubled. It is still threatened but its population has gone up in Gujarat," Niraj told IANS.

The natural habitat of Indian wild ass is Rann of Kutch, where the animals are also referred to as "Riders and Guardians of the Rann" for their ability to run at speeds of over 60 km per hour.

The species, whose body frame matches that of a horse, is a sub-species of the near-threatened Asiatic wild ass (Equus heminous) that is now found only in small patches in India, Iran, Turkmenistan and Mongolia.

According to government records, the Indian wild ass was on the verge of extinction around 1970 due to lack of conservation efforts and a prevalent epidemic.

Experts said that conservation efforts by the state, central government and IUCN had helped increase the numbers of the species.

A census in 2014 counted 4,451 animals spread over 15,000 sq km in Gujarat. This was 454 more than the count of the 2009 census. The present population is estimated at over 4,800.

Thus, it's little wonder that experts have objected to the animal being depicted as a pejorative.

"It's not right to drag the endangered species into political feuds because it affects the conservation efforts. We should rather feel proud the species could be saved and now attracts tourists from across the world," V.P Singh, a Uttar Pradesh-based wildlife conservator, told IANS.

What then is the fuss all about?

Akhilesh Yadav, speaking at a rally on Monday, pointed to the TV spot -- obliquely referring to Bachchan -- to target Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah.



"An advertisement is there on asses. I urge the biggest actor of the century not to advertise asses of Gujarat," Yadav said.

This is what said





The advertisement promotes Gujarat's Wild Ass Wildlife Sanctuary, one of the largest in the nation. Here is the Gujarat Tourism ad featuring Amitabh Bachchan that is at the heart of the controversy:







Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said Akhilesh Yadav, had insulted the state with his remarks.

But then, without perhaps realising he was doing so, Akhilesh was only paying Modi back in his own coin.

During the campaign for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Modi had sneered at the Lion Safari, a dream project of to introduce the Asiatic lions (native to Gujarat) in his home town of Safai.

Modi had then wondered how the state government could take care of lions when "they had not been able to take care of (people of) the state".

Eight Asiatic lions were bought to Safai between April and October 2014 from Gujarat and Hyderabad zoos and more followed later. However, four of those and five newborn cubs had died by June 2016.
Processions, lighting of torches, cultural programmes marked Language Martyrs' Day (now celebrated as International Mother Language Day), as West Bengal paid homage to those who laid down their lives for the cause of the Bengali language in Dhaka (of then East Pakistan) in 1952.

Taking the lead in remembering the martyrs, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said one must respect and love all languages.

"Today is Bhasha Dibas, when people were martyred in Dhaka for demanding that Bengali be made the official language. My highest respect to the 'language martyrs' of Ekushe February (Febru ary 21). We must respect and love all languages," she tweeted.

The programmes began from midnight, with various parts of Kolkata lit brightly, and a torchlight procession started from near the Academy of Fine Arts.

Bengali plays, kirtans and Sufi songs continued through the night, as students from Bangladesh also joined in.

Students from West Bengal and Bangladesh decorated the B.T. Road in the vicinity of the Rabindrabharati University with multicolor geometric floor patterns, called alpana.

Employees of the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission here organised 'Probhat Feri' (morning procession), offering floral tributes to the pictures of the martyrs.

Schools across the state took out rallies and several showcased marching band parades that trooped though alleys playing out loud "Ekusher Gaan". Local television channels and FM radio stations aired special programmes on the occasion recollecting the history associated with the momentous struggle.

In 1948, Pakistan declared that only Urdu would be the official language for both West and East Pakistan. The people of East Pakistan, now Bangladesh whose main language is Bengali, protested against the declaration.

On Feb 21, 1952, students and political activists took out a procession protesting against Urdu being made the official language. The police opened fire killing several protesters. This lead to the protest spreading over all of East Pakistan which finally lead the Pakistan government relent and give equal status to Bengali.

Since then the day is celebrated as the 'Language Martyrs' Day'.

In 1999 the UNESCO declared Feb 21 as International Mother Language Day, a day intended to promote free language choice everywhere in the world.

--IANS

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(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Border Security Force (BSF) personnel seized ten weighing around 1.16 kg, valued at Rs 35.38 lakh, in West Bengal's Nadia district on Tuesday, an official said.

Acting on a tip-off, the BSF personnel raided the village of Fulbari under the Banpur border outpost and confronted some people trying to collect a packet thrown from the other side of the India-Bangladesh border.

However, the criminal elements managed to escape, taking the advantage of bamboo thickets, a BSF spokesperson said.

On a thorough search of the area, the para-military personnel recovered one plastic packet which contained the ten .

The seized gold has been handed over to the customs officials at Banpur.

The BSF frontier headquarters of south Bengal this year has seized 1.775 kg gold having an approximate market value of Rs 53.35 lakh and apprehended one smuggler.
Cambodia's Parliament has approved an amendment to a law governing political parties with provisions for barring candidates with criminal records and dissolving parties with convicted leaders, a local media report said on Tuesday.

The move was approved during a session boycotted by lawmakers belonging to the main opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party, whose leaders were facing trials in several criminal cases, the report said.

In early February, Prime Minister Hun Sen -- in power since 1985 -- had announced plans to carry out this legal reform, whose approval comes a year before the country goes to general elections, Efe news reported.

In the last elections of 2013, the ruling Cambodian People's Party managed to secure a tight win against the opposition, which alleged the polls were rigged.

Before the Parliament vote, rival parties had denounced the changes as being aimed at undermining the pluralist democracy set up after the 1991 peace agreements, and that the government intended to intimidate and crush the opposition.

During 2016, the Hun Sen-led administration is said to have stepped up harassment of opponents through the courts, which are subject to meddling and manipulation by the ruling party, according to critics and observers.

Last week, main opposition leader Sam Rainsy, who was convicted of defamation in the past, resigned from his party (CNRP) from Paris, where he was living in self-exile since 2015 after several lawsuits were filed against him.

Phil Robertson, Deputy Director of Asia for non-profit Human Rights Watch, remarked the latest amendments culminate the concentration of absolute power in the hands of Hun Sen and his party.

"The triumph of dictatorship over dream of Paris Peace Accords for rights respecting, multi-party democracy," tweeted Robertson.

Meanwhile, National Assembly spokesperson Leng Peng Long argued in favour of the changes, claiming they will help create an appropriate political climate.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The CBI has arrested Chhattisgarh IAS officer B.L. Agrawal and two other private persons for helping him in paying Rs 1.5 crore bribe to settle a case being investigated by the agency against him, an official said on Tuesday.

The arrested persons were on Tuesday produced before Patiala House court in Delhi that sent them to five-day Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) custody.

The CBI on Monday arrested Agrawal, a 1988-batch IAS officer currently posted as the Principal Secretary (Higher Education) in Chhattisgarh government, his brother-in-law Anand Agrawal and a private person Bhagwan Singh, a resident of Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh.

The agency on February 18 registered an FIR against Agrawal, Singh, a Hyderabad-based private person Syed Burhanuddin and others under relevant sections of criminal conspiracy and Prevention of Corruption Act.

The CBI said that the IAS officer had agreed to pay Rs 1.5 crore to Burhanuddin as gratification for helping him in a case being investigated by the agency.

"B.L. Agrawal first approached Singh over the issue, who arranged his meeting with Burhanuddin on February 11 in Delhi. Burhanuddin told the Chhattisgarh officer that he works in the Prime Minister's Office and would easily settle the matter in his favour in lieu of Rs 1.5 crore gratification," a CBI officer said.

The officer said that Burhanuddin also assured Agrawal that he would get the case transferred from the CBI to the Chhattisgarh Economic Offences Wing.

"The public servant sent an amount of Rs 45 lakh on different dates between February 12 and 16 for its onward transmission through hawala. One Raipur-based hawala operator Sanjay Taparia and others were used as channels for the movement of the amount," said the officer.

The CBI earlier conducted searches on the premises of the accused and hawala operators at Raipur, Hyderabad, Delhi and Greater Noida and recovered Rs 20 lakh.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
China has discovered a new mutation of the H7N9 bird flu virus, which is being considered the deadliest till now, a media report said on Tuesday.

The new strain is more dangerous to poultry but poses no new threats to humans, according to the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.

It "does not make the virus more infectious to humans at the moment".

The centre alerted the World Health Organization about the new development, after it confirmed the new strain that was found in four poultry samples from the southern region, Efe news reported.

It added that Chinese health and agricultural authorities will continue studying the new strain's source and impact.

The authorities, so far this year, have reported 271 cases in humans, of which 88 have proven to be fatal, surpassing 2016's figure of 22.

Various measures were taken to control the spread of the virus, including closure of markets and slaughterhouses, crackdown on illegal poultry vendors and setting up centres for prevention and control of the virus in humans.

The infection spreads through contact with live, infected poultry, especially in rural areas.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
China said on Tuesday that it supports relevant parties in conducting dialogue and contact to solve the North Korean nuclear crisis.

Beijing said the main contention was between the US and North Korea.

"The root of the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue lies in the differences between the DPRK and the United States," China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said.

He said China always supported relevant parties, including North Korea and the US in strengthening communication to enhance mutual understanding and in finding a solution through dialogue and consultation.

Under the current circumstances, China hopes that relevant parties can make more efforts in this regard and play a constructive role in maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and properly resolving the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, said Geng

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
China is close to completing construction of its second aircraft carrier, which will begin service by 2020, a media report said on Tuesday.

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy's Type 001A class aircraft carrier's scaffold has been removed and red undercoat has been painted below the ship's waterline in Dalian, Liaoning province, according to experts. A launching ceremony will soon be held.

"Unlike the Liaoning (Type 001), China's first aircraft carrier, a refitted ship built by Ukraine (under the former Soviet Union), the 001A is China-built, and its design, combat capability and technologies will be much more advanced," Song Zhongping, a military expert, told the Global Times.

"One key difference is the design will be more 'humanised,' which means all personnel on the carrier will enjoy a more comfortable and modern environment," Song said.

It means all weapons and equipment, including the radar system, air defence system and communications system will be outfitted on the carrier. After this, the carrier and aircraft on it will be tested, and then the carrier will be ready to serve, Song said.

A large amount of work remains to be done on the carrier's outfitting stage after it is launched, presumably sometime this year, said Li Jie, a naval military expert.

"It will take about one to two years to carry out functional debugging of its devices, weapons and equipment. The new aircraft carrier can begin sea trials by early 2019."

On December 31, 2015, the Chinese Defence Ministry formally announced the construction of the 001A.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Congress on Tuesday demanded that a sitting judge under the supervision of the High Court must investigate the Naliya gang rape case, allegedly involving BJP leaders from Kutch, and also questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence on the issue.

"The BJP, which came into power with the weapon of 'Nirbhaya case', is in the dock about the safety of women. The Modi government has completed half its term but women's security situation in Gujarat has become so unfortunate that women there need to be saved from the BJP leaders themselves," said Shobha Oza, chairperson, All India Mahila Congress.

"While talking about zero tolerance, the Prime Minister has awarded a ministerial berth to a rape accused, Nihal Chand," she said.

A 24-year-old woman from Kutch had filed an FIR in Naliya town last month, alleging she had been raped repeatedly by nine persons, including four local BJP office-bearers, since last year.

The Gujarat assembly budget session on Monday saw pandemonium by opposition members over the alleged gang-rape, forcing Governor O.P. Kohli to cut short his customary opening address.

"Why has the Prime Minister maintained a stoic silence on the issue of 'Naliya BJP sex scandal' of Kutch? The slogan of 'Beti Bachao' is simply a hollow one and BJP and RSS leaders have become exploiters of women in the country," said Oza.

"The sex scandal of Naliya has unmasked the real 'chaal, charitra and chehra' (character) of BJP," she added.

Oza said the Naliya incident of "women molestation was not only limited to BJP and RSS workers but also linked to other top leaders, which include leaders of Gujarat and also other BJP-ruled states".

"They are trying their best to threaten, blackmail and even lure the victim's family. They are also trying to malign the victim's character," she said.

"The past record of Gujarat government has proved that SIT investigation is a mere lip-service to save the real culprits. In this context, we want to ask why this shameful incident is not being investigated by a sitting judge under the supervision of High Court?" Oza added.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Entertainment / Music

by Staff reporter

AFTER a brutal attack by unknown assailants at a popular nightclub in Harare last Friday, rapper Stunner has come out in defence of his estranged wife Olinda following reports that she was behind the attack.In another episode of "Keeping up with the Chidemes" on social media, Stunner last week shared pictures of him heavily bandaged around his abdomen with his face visibly in pain after the alleged assault.According to an online publication, Zimeye, Olinda has been exposed in a shocking live video she shot of herself plotting to deal with Stunner. She was also heard talking to a man conniving to actually hurt her ex-hubby.The video was allegedly shot on Friday night and a man she claims is her brother is heard saying as per instruction, "I am now killing him."However, Stunner yesterday poured water over the alleged plot saying it was a case of him being in the wrong place at the wrong time."Please Zimbabwe, in all fairness I refuse to think that Olinda sent people after me. I walked at night in a bad neighbourhood after a few drinks and I got roughed up by unknown people."Let's not try to get views, ratings or get paid by Facebook nenyaya dzisidzo," posted Stunner on his own Facebook page.He said he was in good books with Olinda as the two have made peace over what has been happening on social media."Even Olinda herself has apologised to me over a few things she exaggerated on her live feeds on Facebook. I've also apologised over other things."We might not be together anymore, but we do not wish ill things for the next person. Out of anger, words might have been said between us but that was just it. She's focusing on her life and I'm doing the same, we're talking and settling our differences."He went on to apologise to his fans for making them choose sides on who to sympathise with throughout the fall out with Olinda."All is well. Let's build, is it not a better way of life than destroying? To my fans, I'm sorry for your emotions that have been tossed back and forth and you were forced to choose a side. I'm sorry," said Stunner.
The Congress on Tuesday demanded that a sitting judge under the supervision of the high court investigate the Naliya gang rape case, allegedly involving BJP leaders from Kutch, and questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence on the issue.

"The BJP, which used 'Nirbhaya case' as a plank to come to power, is in the dock over women's safety. The Modi government has completed half its term but women's security situation in Gujarat has become so bad that women there need to be saved from the BJP leaders only," said Shobha Oza, Chairperson, All India Mahila Congress.

"While talking about zero tolerance, the Prime Minister has awarded a ministerial berth to rape accused Nihal Chand," she alleged.

A 24-year-old woman from Kutch had filed an FIR in Naliya town last month, alleging she had been raped repeatedly by nine persons, including four local BJP office-bearers, since last year.

The Gujarat assembly budget session on Monday saw pandemonium by opposition members over the alleged gang-rape, forcing Governor O.P. Kohli to cut short his customary opening address.

Oza also led the protest in front of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) headquarters here against the party leaders' alleged involvement in the sex scandal in Gujarat.

"Why has the Prime Minister maintained a stoic silence on the issue of 'Naliya BJP sex scandal' of Kutch? The slogan of 'Beti Bachao' is simply a hollow one and the BJP and the RSS leaders have become exploiters of women in the country," said Oza.

"The sex scandal of Naliya has unmasked the real 'chaal, charitra and chehra' (character) of BJP," she added.

Oza maintained that the Naliya incident of "women molestation was not limited to just BJP and RSS workers but also linked to other top leaders, which include leaders of Gujarat and also other BJP-ruled states".

"They are trying their best to threaten, blackmail and even lure the victim's family. They are also trying to malign the victim's character," she said.

She also said that the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data reveals that the BJP-ruled states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra have high rates of violence against women.

"The past record of Gujarat government has proved that SIT investigation is a mere lip-service to save the real culprits. In this context, we want to ask why this shameful incident is not being investigated by a sitting judge under the supervision of high court?" Oza added.

"Why is Modiji not ready for investigation of such incidents which took place in Gujarat, Assam and other BJP-ruled states? Will Modiji take responsibility of the safety and security of the victim and her family?" she said.

On the question of rape charges against some Congress leaders in Bihar and Jammu and Kashmir, including current state PCC chief Ghulam Ahmad Mir, who was later acquitted, Oza said: "The law should take its own course. If he (Mir) was later set free, then it must have been on the basis of law."

"The guilty should not be protected or go scot-free. We are saying that probe should be done taking into account what the victim wants. A person is found guilty only after probe. Once they are found guilty, then they are expelled from the party as well. Our party doesn't want to protect anyone," she added.

Meanwhile, Congress spokesperson and MP Sushmita Dev put the onus on the Prime Minister to investigate such matters across the country.

"We are not going to protect anyone. The question is whether PM Modi will probe in such matters in all the states. We can promise that there will be no political interference from our side," said Dev

"In Jammu and Kashmir too they (BJP) have got their government. Even if there were some mistakes from our side, then they should investigate the matter as they are in the government. Congress will not condone any kind of criminal activity. The onus of good governance is now on the PM of the country," she added.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A kingpin behind the illegal currencies racket in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh has been arrested, the Delhi Police said on Tuesday.

The accused, identified as Akhujam Khan, was arrested on Monday night from Rajeev Nagar in Patna following a joint operation of Delhi Police and Patna police, a senior police officer here said.

"Police had on February 17 arrested his accomplices Sanjeev and Arvin, both from western Uttar Pradesh's Shamli district, and recovered fake currency notes of Rs 100 denomination of Rs 6 lakh in face value," the officer said.

"Akhujam Khan was focused on printing lower denomination notes as he knew that fake Rs 100 notes are in the trend these days and supplied Rs 6 lakh in these notes to Sanjeev. He is being interrogated," he added.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The government has given over Rs 153.5 crore reward money to nearly 10 lakh citizens under its scheme to incentivise digital payments and make India a less cash economy, NITI Aayog head Amitabh Kant said on Tuesday.

The winners include over 9.2 lakh consumers and 56,000 merchants, Kant said, citing the figures by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), which has been executing the schemes -- launched on December 25 last year in the aftermath of the government's November 8 demonetisation move.

The scrapping of the large currency notes of 500 and 1,000 rupee notes created an unprecedented crash crunch with people across the country queuing up outside banks and ATMs to withdraw their own money.

The government then encouraged people to go for digital transactions and launched the Lucky GrahakYojna (LGY) for consumers and Digi-DhanVyaparYojna (DVY) for merchants to incentivise them and promote digital payments. The schemes will remain open until April 14.

There are 15,000 daily winners qualifying for total prize money of Rs 1.5 crore, as per the schemes. In additional to this there are over 14,000 weekly winners qualifying for total prize money of over Rs 8.3 crore every week.

Customers and merchants who use RuPay Card, BHIM/UPI, USSD based *99# service and Aadhaar Enabled Payment Service are eligible for wining daily and weekly lucky draw prizes.

According to the data available until February 20, some 120 consumers have won prize money worth Rs 1 lakh each, Kant said, adding that nearly 4,000 merchants have also won price money of Rs 50,000 each.

"It has been 58 days since the launch of NITI Aayog's two incentive schemes ?and the public response has been quite encouraging," the NITI Ayog chairman said.

"The initiative to make digital payments a mass movement in India through the two schemes has made headway across the country with more and more people adopting digital transactions."

According to the NCPI data, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Delhi have emerged as the top five places with a maximum number of winners.

The winners, according to a NITI press statement, belong to diverse socio-economic backgrounds - farmers, merchants, small entrepreneurs, professionals, housewives, students and retired persons.

The majority of the winners are in the age group of 21 to 30.

The statement said the winners include Delhi's 22-year-old cab driver, Sabir, who won Rs 100,000 under the scheme for consumers.

"Digital payments are a blessing in disguise for him because he has to take care of his mother and differently-abled sister and doesn't have time to stand in" queues for cash, the NITI statement said.

Another winner Bhim Singh, 29, is a wheat farmer from Hissar in Haryana who uses digital payments for buying supplies from wholesalers.

Among the merchants, Damodar Prasad Khandelwal, a 42-year-old grocery store owner from Alwar in Rajasthan, has won Rs 50,000. Manju R. Gowda, a 32-year-old fast-food restaurant owner in Mumbai, is another winner of Rs 50,000 under the scheme for merchants.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In an effort to learn from the Indian education system and to gather prevailing best practices, a delegation from ministry of education, Government of Ethiopia is currently visiting India. The focus of their visit is on adapting best practices like mid-day meal programs, teacher training and mother tongue instructions from India.

The delegation also participated in a select media round tableon Tuesday. Dr. Jordene Hale, Chief of Party led the discussion along with Ato Tayachew Ayalew, Director, Mother tongue and English Language education development and Mr. Birhanu Moreda, Advisor to State Minister of General Education, Government of Ethiopia.

They were accompanied by Mr. Himanshu Sikka, Chief Strategy and Diversification Officer, IPE Global Ltd. and Shalender Sharma, Vice-President, Education and Skills Development, IPE Global Ltd.

Led by Dr Hale, the delegation also interacted with government officials from the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), NCERT, Mid-Day Meal Programme, as well as the recipients of the Gandhi Fellowship.

IPE Global, an international development consulting group, organised the visit and stakeholder engagements for the delegation.

Ethiopia's growing youth population -- the second largest in Africa -- presents a huge challenge to the education system. An estimated three million primary school-aged children and more than 20 million youth are currently outside of the formal school system.

Of out-of-school youth, a large proportion have had no education at all (84 percent in rural areas and 33 percent in urban areas). Urban youth unemployment is 50 percent and this figure is even higher in rural areas.

The Ethiopian education system has been implemented under a mother tongue language policy, the goals of which are to improve literacy rates and academic achievement, as well as to enhance appreciation of local languages and cultures.

The delegation is visiting as part of United States Agency for International Development's (USAID) Reading for Ethiopia's Achievement Developed Monitoring and Evaluation (READ M&E) project, supported activity implemented by the American Institutes for Research (AIR).

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hong Kong's former chief executive Donald Tsang was admitted to a hospital here hours after a court ordered his remand in custody over misconduct, a media report said on Tuesday.

Tsang, 72, was taken away on a stretcher, still handcuffed, to Queen Elizabeth Hospital after complaining he was feeling unwell, a local public broadcasting service said, Efe news reported.

He is the highest-ranking former government official in the history of Hong Kong to face criminal trial in connection with the use of a luxury three-storey penthouse apartment in Shenzhen, China.

He was Hong Kong's Chief Executive between 2005 and 2012, and faced a one-and-half-month long trial over three charges of bribery and misconduct.

On February 17, a city court declared Tsang guilty in one of the two counts of misconduct and abstained from ruling on the bribery charge due to a lack of agreement among the jury.

The jury considered Tsang guilty of negotiating the approval of license applications for Digital Broadcasting Corporation with one of its leading shareholders, Bill Wong Cho-bau, for his company between 2010 and 2012 when Tsang was the head of the Hong Kong government.

The businessman had apparently rented out a luxury apartment in Shenzhen to Tsang at a lower price and remodelled and decorated the apartment for free in exchange for the licences.

The Independent Commission Against Corruption started the investigation against Tsang in 2012.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Former US attorney general Eric Holder and Tammy Albarran -- both partners at law firm Covington and Burling -- will lead the probe into claims of sexual harassment by a former Uber employee.

Uber boss Travis Kalanick on Monday sent an email to his employees with more information about the investigation, and further plans the company has to address the issue, BBC reported.

"It's been a tough 24 hours," Kalanick said in the mail, adding the company was "hurting".

Uber on Sunday announced to conduct the investigation following a scathing blog post by Susan Fowler, who made public allegations of sexism and harassment at the company.

Holder served under former President Barack Obama between 2009 and 2015.

Arianna Huffington, the founder of the Huffington Post, will also help conduct the review. Huffington has been on Uber's board since April last year.

Also conducting the review will be Uber's new head of human resources, Liane Hornsey, and Angela Padilla, the company's associate general counsel.

After coming into widespread criticism for never having published statistics on diversity at the company, Kalanick said he would deliver figures in the "coming months".

He said that of the employees working as engineers, product managers or data scientists, 15.1 per cent were women -- a number which he said had not changed significantly in the past year.

"As points of reference, Facebook is at 17 per cent, Google at 18 per cent and Twitter at 10 per cent," the Uber boss said.

Until now, Uber had been standing firm on not publishing its diversity figures.

Most major technology companies make public their EEO-1 -- a government filing that breaks down employees by race, religion, gender and other factors.

Uber has not specified if it will publish its entire EEO-1 or just post select figures from the company.

Fowler in her blog post cited anecdotal figures of women leaving the company in droves.

Speaking specifically about the site reliability engineering team, which she worked on for a year, Fowler said that by the time she left, "out of over 150 engineers in the SRE teams, only three per cent were women".

She now works at San Francisco-based payment firm Stripe.

Uber said it would hold an "all hands" meeting on Tuesday to tell its employees what its "next steps" will be.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Far-right French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen cancelled a meeting with Lebanon's Grand Mufti on Tuesday after refusing to wear a headscarf.

"You can pass on my respects to the Grand Mufti, but I will not cover myself up," Le Pen told reporters.

"I have met before with Grand Imam Sheikh al-Azhar in Egypt without wearing a veil," the 48-year-old leader of the National Front (FN) party.

Le Pen was told by Lebanese officials that she would have to wear a veil for her audience with Grand Sunni Muslim Mufti, Sheikh Abdel-Latif Derian, the Independent reported.

Video footage showed Le Pen at the entrance to his office shaking her head.

Le Pen said she had met in the past with the grand mufti of Egypt's Al-Azhar, one of the world's top Sunni clerics, without wearing a veil.

"He did not have this demand," said Le Pen. "But it's not a problem, you can pass on to the Grand Mufti my considerations, but I am not putting the veil on."

Once told that customs were different in Lebanon, Le Pen walked out of the building and left in her car, according to the report.

Her aides had reportedly been informed before her visit that she would be required to wear a headscarf.

Praising the "political gesture", Florian Philippot, one Le Pen's closest aides, said it was "a beautiful message of emancipation and freedom sent to the women of France and the world", reported the Daily Mail.

The anti-immigration politician made a three-day visit to Lebanon this week to meet officials in an effort to bolster her presidential credentials two months before the first round of voting in the French presidential election.

Polls suggest that Le Pen is expected to win the first round of voting in presidential elections in April.

The latest poll on Monday, according to reports, showed support for the far-right candidate had risen by one per cent to 27 per cent.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Ghaziabad police on Tuesday seized scrapped currency notes worth Rs 15.30 lakh and took four persons into custody for questioning.

Acting on a tip off, the police intercepted a Santro car bearing Delhi registration number near Kaushambi here and recovered old Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes wrapped in a plastic bag from the car. The police also detained four persons.

After recording their statements, the police informed the income tax officials.

"We have detained them and the arrests will be made after the income tax officials ascertain why the notes were not exchanged before December 31, 2016," said Superintendent of Police (City) Salman Taj Patil.

The Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government banned Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes on November 8 and gave 50 days till December 31, 2016 to the people to exchange the old notes.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The government is looking to reduce Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) charges to encourage digital payments, Niti Aayog Chief Executive Amitabh Kant said on Tuesday.

"We are pushing digital transactions. Our aim is to bring down MDR charges. Also, if volume of transactions increase, MDR charges will come down," Kant told reporters here while briefing about the Lucky Grahak Yojna (LGY) for consumers and Digi-Dhan Vyapar Yojna (DVY) for merchants launched post demonetisation to incentivise and promote digital payments.

"We are examining RBI's draft circular on MDR. There are challenges to bring MDR rates down... We will meet those challenges," he added, referring to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) circular last week on rationalisation of MDR for debit card transactions.

Proposing to cut MDR charges on debit card payments from April 1, the RBI proposed an MDR charge on debit card transaction at 0.40 per cent of the transaction value for small merchants with annual turnover of Rs 20 lakh and special category merchants like utilities, insurance, mutual funds, educational institutions and government hospitals.

The central bank said MDR charges would be even less at 0.3 per cent if the transaction is through digital mode using the QR Code.

The scrapping of high value currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 on November 8 created an unprecedented crash crunch, with people across the country queuing up outside banks and ATMs to withdraw money.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told Parliament earlier this month that the RBI is working to reduce the MDR for debit card transactions above Rs 2,000.

"The RBI is deciding on this...the work is in progress. I am sure as volumes (of digital transactions) are increasing, the charges will come down," Jaitley told the Rajya Sabha during Question Hour.

Jaitley said that under the Payments and Settlements Act, the RBI has recently fixed the MDR rate at 0.25 per cent for transactions up to Rs 1,000, while for transactions up to Rs 2,000 it has been fixed at 0.50 per cent.

These charges have been introduced for the period from January 1, 2017, and will be applicable till March 31, 2017.

As per the RBI's rate structure announced in 2012, the MDR for transactions valued above Rs 2,000 has been capped at 1 per cent.

The RBI also announced last week that it will start reimbursing MDR charges to banks for payments made through debit cards of tax and non-tax dues to the central government since January 1.

The Centre had, in December, decided to reimburse banks' MDR charges on taxes and receipts paid through debit and credit cards.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Nobel laureate and renowned economist said on Tuesday, that if the government wants to set up world-class universities it should not try to "execute autocratic power on the universities as freedom and autonomy of institutions is vital for the country".

The 83-year-old economist said any threat to the autonomy of the universities is detrimental to the future of the country.

"The state dispenses the money to universities, it does not own the money. The government should not try to execute autocratic power on the universities because freedom and autonomy of institutions is vital for the country," he said.

"The government promises to make world-class universities but this is not the way to do it," said Sen, who was here in the capital to launch an expanded edition of his 1970 book "Collective Choice and Social Welfare".

Sen also spoke about the growing climate of intolerance in the country as he said that some sections of "people live in constant fear of being labeled anti-nationals".

"Our quality of public debate has shrunken. The tendency to threaten and ban is enormously greater today than in the past," he contended.

The economist, however, maintained that these are not the problems that only India is facing and cited the examples of Donald Trump's victory in the US and the Brexit to build the larger narrative.

He also said that the space for liberty and fraternity in most parts of the world has diminished today and is even lower than it was in 1960s.

"But India is definitely in it," he said.

has, since 1972, taught and worked in the United Kingdom and the United States. Sen has made contributions to welfare economics, social choice theory, economic and social justice, economic theories of famines, and indexes of the measure of well-being of citizens of developing countries.

He stressed that democracy demands the greatest and the longest loyalty of people, adding "there are few things as important as this today".

Sen, who was miffed that the Democratic Alliance government was in no mood to extend his tenure, quit as Chancellor of Nalanda University (NU), in 2015.

He has been critical of the Modi government's handling of the educational institutions.

"Teachers are being targeted and even the organisations that are inviting them are being targeted. These can not be seen as cultivation of fraternity but are dangers posed to liberty and fraternity of India," he quipped.

The book "Collective Choice and Social Welfare" is concerned with the study of collective preference, in particular with the relationship between the objectives of social action and the preferences and aspirations of society's members.

The original 1970 book has been republished with a chunky new section.

The additional chapters extend the original and present in a more rigorous manner some of the material in Sen's "The Idea of Justice".

There's a timely chapter on democracy, which mentions: "Given the mixed bag of results that we can actually get from majoritarian democracy, its defence, important as it is, needs to be seriously supplemented by probing scrutiny of its limits and conditionality."

was awarded the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 1998 and Bharat Ratna in 1999 for his work in welfare economics.
News / Local

by Moyo Roy

Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has been accused of ignoring a blocked sewerage system which has affected ten houses in Cowdray Park fly-over.Sibonekuhle Nkala from house number 5384 Cowdray Park told Bulawayo24.com that they had had blockages for two weeks.Nkala said: "We can't use the toilets, we have been reporting to the city council but we haven't got any help.""For us to go to the toilet we have to go to other people. The situation is so bad that we are afraid to get Typhoid."The residents complained that they had tried to inform the councillor of Cowdray Park but to no avail.
An administrative botch-up has deprived hundreds of Delhi University (DU) retirees of their pension since 2014, with the varsity telling a court here that it cannot abide by an August 2016 order to pay as it doesn't have the money to do so. The case will now be taken up on April 17.

In the decade from 1989 to 1999, Delhi University (DU) gave its employees the option through circulars to choose between Contributory Provident Fund (CPF) or pension upon retirement. It gave this option not once or twice but 11 times in total.

However, the University Grants Commission (UGC), which funds central universities like DU, asked that the option be stopped in 1999 saying it did not have the power to do so. By this time several employees had exercised their choice in choosing for either pension or CPF through these circulars, while there were many who did not choose either.

The DU circulars had come following a central government order dated May 1, 1987. The order stated that "all CPF beneficiaries... will be deemed to have come over to the Pension Scheme" from the date mentioned before, unless they explicitly request to remain in CPF by informing this to their offices on or before September 30 of the same year.

Almost two decades later, in an unrelated case, a court here ruled in 2006 that a similar option given by the Bureau Of Indian Standards (BIS) was not in order as it was applicable only until September 30, 1987. Those who did not make a choice till that date would be treated as pensioners when they retired.

The court, then, ruled that the September 30, 1987, date was sacrosanct and all central government employees, as per the recommendation of the Fourth Central Pay Commission, will be deemed to have come into pension without their having specifically expressed so.

The BIS case galvanised into action scores of DU employees who either had expressed their desire to come into pension after the cut-off date of September 30, 1987, or had refrained from explicitly choosing either.

Many of these employees started approaching the Delhi High Court which consolidated all such pleas into three categories - category 1 and category 3 for employees cited above, and category 2 comprising those who chose CPF before the cut-off date -- and delivered a combined judgement on April 30, 2014.

In a single bench judgement the court ruled that two categories (1 and 3) were eligible for pension and directed the DU to proceed accordingly. The court based its judgement on the ground laid during the BIS judgement in 2006, which upheld the indisputability of cut-off date as the final date before which an option to remain in CPF could be made, and which was irreversible.

However, DU decided to challenge this verdict.

Also in an open letter to teachers, unwittingly or wittingly, Dinesh Singh, the then Vice Chancellor, acknowledged that the university was not entitled to extend the option of choosing between the CPF and pension.

"During the period 1988 to 1999, the University had granted extensions to employees to move over from CPF to GPF-cum-pension scheme. The University and its EC (Executive Council) believed that they had the power to do so on their own and thus thousands of employees in all sincerity had exercised the above options and were drawing, or now expect to draw pension upon retirement," Singh wrote in his letter dated August 21, 2014, just days before the court judgement came.

But "unfortunately" in approaching the court, the employees, Singh continued, "ended up challenging the validity of the options granted by the University and the legitimate exercise of these options by all University employees between 1988 and 1999".

"It seems that the V C either wasn't aware of the BIS case which had, in effect, already rendered those circulars illegal, or, he didn't understand its implications," Amarnath Gupta, a retired Associate Professor from the university and an active member of Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) Pension Committee, told IANS.

"The DU staff moved the court after the very BIS case thinking that the option chosen by them for pension will not stand since the cut-off for doing was already pronounced to be long over on September 30, 1987... but they rightly got the succour from the court, since they didn't explicitly have to choose pension at any time, it was automatically done on October 1, 1987, if they hadn't explicitly selected for CPF," he said.

The DU then received another blow when a division bench of the High Court upheld the 2014 judgement on its ruling dated August 24, 2016, giving the university three months time to start paying the retirees which it had stopped after the 2014 judgement.

"In spite of being directed by the Delhi High Court to start disbursing pension, which ruled it in its August judgement last year, the university has not budged," Gupta complained.

After almost five months of the verdict, the university is yet to resume the pensions of the employees. It also seeks to challenge the verdict, as directed by the HRD ministry.

On the other hand, "a contempt of court notice was slapped on the university for not adhering to the court order," Gupta said.

He also added that during its first hearing on January 19 this year, the DU cited lack of funds for not being able to disburse pensions and the court reprimanded it for not fulfilling its responsibility as an employer.

The case is next due to be heard on April 17.

A total of 636 (teaching and non-teaching) DU employees stand to be affected by how things play out in the future. Of them, 518 are retired and have had their pension on hold and 118 are yet to retire.

(Vishal Narayan can be contacted at vishal.n@ians.in)

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The temporary travel ban imposed by the Trump administration on seven Muslim-majority countries can impact the reputation of the US as a global travel destination and any impediment to legitimate inbound travel will take away jobs from Americans, a top official of New York City (NYC) has said.

Noting that the temporary travel ban had implications for about 55,000 visitors to the US, including about 25,000 to New York, Fred Dixon, the President and CEO of NYC & Company, told IANS in an interview: "It is not a large number of travellers that are specifically affected by the ban. It is more (about) symbolism. The ripple effect that it would have on all markets of the world that can potentially show that the United States is no longer welcoming. And that is a major concern."

Overall, Dixon, who heads New York City's official marketing, tourism and partnership organisation, said that they were looking to welcome a record 61 million visitors to the city this year, including over 13 million international visitors.

He said 375,000 people were employed in travel and tourism-related jobs across all five boroughs of New York City in 2016; it was an increase of 15,000 over the previous year.

Dixon said tourism generates jobs, brings new money to the market and is a tax generator.

He said 500 international travellers help generate one job on an average and if the number of visitors goes down by that margin, a job is lost.

"So it is important to us as an economic engine for New York City that we maintain the growth in tourism and there isn't a downturn. We want to protect those jobs," he said.

Dixon, who was here in connection with the joint launch of the US-India Travel and Tourism Partnership Year, said that the image of the US was important in promoting various destinations, including New York.

He said NYC had spoken against the travel ban order that temporarily barred citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries -- Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Libya and Yemen -- and refugees from entering the US.

With the travel ban having faced legal challenges, President Donald Trump has said he will issue a new executive order on immigration.

"Travellers around the world know that we were welcoming of them. In New York they are going to be warmly received... That is of paramount importance to us. So we have come out. We will continue to speak out against any impediments to legitimate travel to the United State," Dixon said.

He said his organisation waited for some days after the order and spoke out after it was clear that the travel ban was going to create "a perception problem" for the US and for New York.

Asked if such decisions have "reputation consequences", Dixon said, "Yes. Absolutely."

He said the US was built on immigration and any ban is a bad idea.

"The global exchange of ideas and values is the lifeblood of any modern city. And so for New York (City), as a global centre of commerce and trade and tourism, it is essential that we have a welcome mat to the world for legitimate travellers," he said.

Dixon said they were making their feelings known and had spoken to elected officials to try to reach out to Trump. "And we know he reads newspapers and things. He is from New York. This is probably not lost on him," he said.

Asked about concerns in India against the perceived protectionism of the Trump regime, Dixon said he looked at the issue in the same way as tourism, and sharing of global ideas and intellect is important to the growth of any economy.

"I can't see that turning away a certain percentage of the population can be healthy. A lot of investments and improvements that we have made, the growth we have had in our economy are based on the work of immigrants, children of immigrants," he said.

He said India was the 11th largest market for inbound travel to New York City (excluding Canada and Mexico) and had seen steady growth.

"It is one of longest-staying markets and has significant economic impact," he said.

(Prashant Sood can be contacted at prashant.s@ians.in)

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
"Gujarat ke gadhe" (donkeys of Gujarat), "Loktantra ke aatankwaadi" (terrorists of democracy), "Behenji Sampatti Party", "Negative Dalit Man"... Political discourse amid ongoing assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh has touched a new low.

With three phases to elect 403 MLAs over and four rounds still to go, the lung power of the politicians, cutting across party lines, appears to have overcome propriety.

Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav's jibe on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan for an advertisement campaign on the wild ass from Gujarat has set the tone for an all-out battle of words.

The Bharatiya Janata Party, which is desperate to take power in the country's most populous state, was outraged.

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has asked the Congress, the Samajwadi Party's ally, to apologize for the Akhilesh Yadav statement.

The Chief Minister's aide, Udayveer Singh, defended the statement, saying "It was only to suggest that in Gujarat even donkeys are glorified."

On the same day the Chief Minister went on the offensive, his close aide and Samajwadi Party spokesman Rajendra Chowdhary called BJP President Amit Shah and Modi as "terrorists of democracy".

This predictably angered the saffron brigade.

Bharatiya Janata Party General Secretary Vijay Bahadur Pathak alleged that the Samajwadi Party leadership was skirting major issues and indulging in verbal slang.

Stung by the continuous barbs of the Prime Minister on its supremo Mayawati, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has begun to respond.

To Modi's jibe in Orai when he called the BSP a 'Behenji Sampatti Party', alluding to allegations of ill-gotten money by the four-time Chief Minister, the BSP hit back.

Mayawati coined a new acronym for Narendra Damodardas Modi -- Negative Dalit Man.

Modi earlier told campaign rallies that the four letters in the word 'Scam' stood for Samajwadi Party (S), Congress (C), Akhilesh (A) and Mayawati (M).

Congress leaders and senior Uttar Pradesh ministers like Mohd Azam Khan have in the past called the Prime Minister a demon, a beggar, a terrorist and what not.

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi recently told an election rally in Fatehpur that Modi was a 'Gabbar' -- the infamous villain of Bollywood hit "Sholay".

It looks the atmosphere will only get more murkier.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Vice President Hamid Ansari on Tuesday said India was Rwanda's strong development partner.

"We in India see ourselves as a strong development partner to Rwanda. We are already cooperating in sectors such as solar electrification, food processing, skill development and hydropower projects," Vice President Hamid Ansari said in an address at the University of Rwanda here.

"India's engagement with Africa has its own unique script, based on what Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called 'strong emotional link' defined by our shared history of struggle against colonialism and our aspiration to bring prosperity to our people," Ansari said.

Ansari is on a visit to Rwanda from February 19-21.

Speaking on the outcome of the visit of the Rwandan President Paul Kagame to India, Ansari said: "During President Kagame's recent visit, an understanding has been reached for a new line of credit worth $80 million for a road project. We are also committed to continuing and enhancing the provision of scholarship for training of Rwanda civilians and defence personnel under various technical cooperation and cultural cooperation programmes."

Kagame was on his maiden official visit to India from January 9-11.

During his visit, both sides agreed to raise the level of bilateral cooperation to a strategic partnership and India extended a $120 million credit to bring over 41,190 hectares of cultivable land under irrigation in the African country.

On the bilateral trade between the two nations, Ansari said: "Our bilateral trade has doubled over the last five years, but as $106 million, remains modest and much below its potential. Rwanda has a dynamic economy and ranks highly in the ease of doing business, providing many incentives for inventors."

On Indian investments in the African agriculture sector and its market potential in India, he said: "The growing middle-class in urban India can become a dependable consumer for African food processing Industry."

"India provides a long-term, stable and profitable market to the goods and services that Africa generates. For India, Africa has the potential to become a major contributor to our energy security and food security requirements. This is a 'win-win' situation."

"The quantum of Indian investment in Africa has increased in recent years and is presently estimated to be about $35 billion, with a large part of it concentrated in Southern and Eastern Africa," he added.

India has announced concessional credit of over $10 billion for Africa, over a period of next five years.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Iraq Museum of Baghdad is to display 40 ancient artefacts at the Venice Biennale art exhibition this year, including several that were recently returned after they were looted in 2003, a media report said on Tuesday.

The National Pavilion of Iraq's exhibition, titled "Archaic", staged at the 57th Venice Biennale in May, will be the first time all the objects have been legally allowed out of the country, the Guardian daily reported.

Ancient clay pots, medical objects, musical instruments and figurines of deities and animals will be among the items on display, some of which date back to 6,100 B.C.

It will be the first time since 1988 that permission has been granted for anything from the museum's collection to leave Iraq.

The museum reopened in 2015 after being closed for 12 years while the stolen and smuggled objects taken during the invasion of Iraq were recovered.

The display in the National Pavilion of Iraq at the Venice biennale will be in direct response to what co-curator Tamara Chalabi describes as the "cultural genocide" at the hands of Islamic State (IS) terror group across Iraq and Syria.

"It is more important than ever that people outside of Iraq see these objects and understand their cultural significance, at a time when they are being nihilistically destroyed in Palmyra, in Nimrud, in Mosul," the daily quoted Chalabi as saying.

"These objects do have a universality that transcends geography...It fights a cultural prejudice people have and the perception that there is no art now left in Iraq or nothing left worth saving."

For Chalabi, it was important to include a few of the 15,000 objects which were looted from the museum's collection in the aftermath of the fall of late President Saddam Hussein, a third of which have subsequently been returned.

Among the recovered objects to go on display in Venice are a small weight measure shaped like a dove and a clay figurine of a fertility goddess.

Both were returned to the museum from the Netherlands in 2010.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An Israeli military court on Tuesday sentenced a soldier to 18 months in jail for killing an injured Palestinian attacker in March 2015.

As part of the sentencing, Elor Azaria was also demoted from the military rank of Sergeant to Private, The Jerusalem Post reported.

The defence has vowed to appeal the ruling, and asked the court to delay the beginning of the sentence until an appeal is submitted. Azaria's representation requested 15 days to submit the main claims of an appeal.

Meanwhile, the Israel Defence Forces prosecution said it wanted Azaria's prison term to start by February 26.

Azaria's shooting of the victim, Abdel Fatah al-Sharif, on March 24, 2015, around 10 minutes after the Palestinian was wounded while attacking an IDF checkpoint, was filmed.

The video went viral and led countries around the world and the International Criminal Court to follow the criminal proceedings, The Jerusalem Post said.

Ahead of Tuesday's decision, the IDF prosecution had requested a three-to-five-year sentence based on past cases of manslaughter.

Dozens of right-wing protestors had gathered outside the Tel Aviv Defence Ministry headquarters, where the hearing took place, reports the BBC.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he would support any decision to pardon Azaria.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A juvenile arrested in Delhi on charge of kidnapping his employer's son for ransom said he was inspired by a Bollywood film for the crime, police said on Tuesday.

Police said the abducted boy -- kidnapped on Monday from his Kalyan Puri residence in east Delhi -- has since been rescued from Badaun in Uttar Pradesh.

"During investigation, police came to know from local residents that the juvenile, who worked for the boy's father last year, was last seen walking along with the boy. The accused had left the job and gone to his native place Badaun after the death of his mother," Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Omvir Singh said.

"The juvenile had sent multiple messages to his former employer to demand Rs 3 lakh as ransom to free his son," the police officer said.

"After the juvenile was traced to and caught from Badaun, he said he was kicked out of his house by his sister-in-law. He was on his own after his mother's death," Singh said.

He returned to Delhi in search of a job and watched a movie wherein four persons kidnap a boy for ransom, which gave him the idea of kidnapping his former employer's son, the DCP said.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Within days of the Pakistan Army summoning Afghan diplomats to demand action against militants sheltering in Afghanistan and involved in attacks in Pakistan, Kabul has handed over a list of Afghan Taliban militants and 32 terrorist hideouts on Pakistani territory.

According to a statement issued by the Afghan Foreign Ministry on Monday, the list was handed over to Pakistani authorities through Kabul's envoy to Pakistan Omar Zakhiwal, seeking action against militants operating on Pakistani soil.

"The ministry gave a list of militants and 32 terrorist-training centres operating in Pakistan against Afghanistan, and asked for immediate action against them," said the statement.

The statement warned that continued violence would push Kabul to seek international sanctions against "terrorist groups and their supporters".

In a separate development, Zakhiwal on Monday said he had a "very positive" meeting with Pakistan Foreign Affairs Adviser Sartaj Aziz.

Zakhiwal also said that he had a "constructive" talk with Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Bajwa and expected quick de-escalation of tension between the two neighbours.

Talking to the media later, Aziz confirmed that a list was handed over to Bajwa by the Afghan envoy, adding that the overall security situation in the region and border issues were discussed during his meeting with Zakhiwal.

The demand from Kabul comes after the Pakistani military targeted militant hideouts near the Afghan border, killing dozens of terrorists and destroying their hideouts, Dawn online reported.

Bajwa on Monday also said that Pakistan and Afghanistan would jointly target their common enemy -- terrorists of all hue and colour.

The comments clearly contrasted with the earlier tone which bordered on unilateralism.

The Pakistan Army had, soon after the suicide attack at the shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar in Sehwan town of Sindh province, closed border crossings with Afghanistan and the troops pounded "terrorist targets" across the border.

Bajwa had told the US commander in Afghanistan that the Afghan government's inaction against terrorists was testing Pakistan's policy of cross-border restraint.

Pakistan had also sent reinforcements to the border and deployed heavy armament.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A 23-year-old jilted lover, described as an "over-smart engineer", has been arrested from here for allegedly harassing and sending obscene messages to a Delhi University student.

The accused, Aman Singh, a resident of west Delhi's Paschim Vihar area, made the best of his technological skills to create multiple fake accounts to send messages and make calls to the victim from fake international numbers using various mobile applications, Deputy Commissioner of Police Vijay Kumar said.

"The over-smart engineer displayed his all technical skills to mislead police, but Cyber Crime Cell succeeded" in tracking him down from his residence on Monday night, Kumar said.

Singh, who was working with a reputed IT-company and drew a "good package" in salary, had befriended the victim during a college fest in 2015 where they became friends but broke up after a couple of months, according to Kumar.

The police officer said Singh was unable to come up with the terms and started harassing the girl in social media networking sites, including Facebook and WhatsApp. The victim did not respond to his messages.

In frustration, the accused started sending "unwarranted messages" to her family members.

"He also threatened them. He created a fake account of the victim on 'Facebook' and sent friend requests to her friends and family members with obscene comments," Kumar said.

During investigation, police found that the accused used a Jio SIM of his college friend to send messages as an unknown person.

Kumar said the accused confessed the crime. Police have seized his mobile phones, laptops and other gadgets that he used to send messages.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
News / Local

by Moyo Roy

Bulawayo City Council has finally rescued about ten families in Cowdray Park who had gone for over a week without using their toilets due to a blocked sewerage system.In one of the affected houses, a family was stuck inside. They could not come out as the whole house was surrounded by sewerage.A resident has thanked Bulawayo24.com for publishing their plight as the council responded swiftly after seeing the story."Thank you for publishing the story.. they have fixed the sewer.. due to seeing the publications," said Sibonekuhle Nkala via WhatsApp.
Washington must acknowledge that the US has profited from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) before Mexico will agree to renegotiate the pact, Mexican Economy Secretary Ildefonso Guajardo said.

Guajardo, who is in Toronto for a conference on the future of relations in North America along with Foreign Relations Secretary Luis Videgaray, said on Tuesday that without such an acknowledgment by the US government, talks on revising would get off to a bad start.

The Mexican Economy Secretary said he did not expect talks on renegotiating to begin "before the summer", Efe news reported

Guajardo admitted that the negotiations would "not be easy" and would definitely not include quotas or tariffs.

Trump threatened during the campaign to walk away from NAFTA, saying it was a destroyer of American manufacturing jobs and benefited Mexico, although he later said he would seek to renegotiate the trade agreement.

NAFTA, whose members are the US, Mexico and Canada, took effect on January 1, 1994.
Millions voted on Tuesday in Maharashtra to elect 10 major civic bodies, including the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), India's largest and richest civic body.

The election, which will also pick 11 Zilla Parishads and 118 Panchayat Samitis, is widely seen as a referendum on Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

By close of balloting, an estimated 50 per cent of Mumbai's 9.2 million (92 lakh) electorate had voted. Early voters included political leaders as well as Bollywood actors.

The country's commercial capital and the richest civic body has generally recorded a dismal voter turnout.

But the encouraging turnout prompted Fadnavis to tweet: "Thank you Mumbai for the record voting percentage and ... for participating in festival of democracy!"

Controlled by the Shiv Sena and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for four terms, the BMC has a budget of Rs 37,052 crore for the current year (2016-17) catering to a population of around 18.30 million.

In comparison, neighbouring Goa's budget last year was around Rs 14,700 crore.

Voting was also conducted in other nine civic bodies (besides Mumbai) -- Thane, Ulhasnagar, Nashik, Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Solapur, Amravati, Akola and Nagpur.

This is the first time the fate of a state government could rest on the outcome of a municipal election, given the bitterness between the BJP and Shiv Sena in the run up to the polls.

An aggressive Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray has put the BJP government "on notice period" and said he would decide whether to continue the state-level alliance after the results on Thursday.

Since Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar has ruled out support in such an eventuality and predicted mid-term assembly polls, the Fadnavis government will be reduced to a minority.

For the BJP, the election is a virtual mid-term report-card on its much-bandied issue of transparency and clean governance.

A generous dose of glamour, glitz and power play was visible in Mumbai at the 7,304 booths to elect 227 BMC corporators from among 2,275 candidates.

Early voters included Sharad Pawar, his daughter Supriya Pawar, Uddhav and wife Rashmi Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena President Raj and wife Sharmila Thackeray.

Chief Minister Fadnavis and his wife Amruta voted in Nagpur. So did union minister Nitin Gadkari and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat.

Among the Bollywood personalities who voted -- and asked everyone to vote too -- were Rekha, Hema Malini, Prem Chopra, Kamini Kaushal, Shah Rukh Khan, Ranveer Singh, Anushka Sharma, Shraddha Kapoor, John Abraham, Vivek Oberoi, Arshad Warsi and Shreyas Talpade, renowned poet Gulzar and filmmaker Subhash Ghai.

Several teleserial actors and Marathi film stars too exercised their franchise.

Some like BJP state spokesperson Shania N.C. and actor Varun Dhawan could not vote as their names were missing from the voters list.

An electorate of 3.77 crore has put the seal on the fate of 17,331 candidates for 5,512 seats, including 1,268 in 10 municipal corporations, 2,956 in 11 Zilla Parishads and 1,288 seats in 118 Panchayat Samitis in the second and final phase of the polling.

The results shall be declared on Thursday.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt has responded to US President Donald Trump's remarks on crime rates in Sweden, saying Florida saw more murder than the whole of Sweden.

Bildt on Monday hit the US President for his remarks at a rally in Florida, this time with statistics on the country's crime rates, The Hill magazine reported.

"Last year there were 50 per cent more murders only in Orlando/Orange in Florida, than in all of Sweden. Bad," Bildt tweeted.

Bildt was referring to the largest mass shooting in US history at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida, in June last year when Omar Mateen killed 49 people.

Mateen, who pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, was shot dead by police at the nightclub.

Bildt tweeted the statistics after already responding to Trump's comments on Friday.

"Sweden? Terror attack? What has he been smoking? Questions abound," Bildt tweeted on Sunday.

Trump clarified: "My statement as to what's happening in Sweden was in reference to a story that was broadcast on Fox News concerning immigrants and Sweden."

The Fox News segment featured a documentary filmmaker who linked Sweden's immigration policies to rising crime rates.

However, crime rates in Sweden have decreased since 2005 even as hundreds of thousands of refugees have entered the country.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The 11th edition of multi-genre music festival Holi Moo! is set to take place here on March 13. The fest, which expanded to Hyderabad last year, will also return for another edition.

While details for the Hyderabad edition will be announced soon, Holi Moo Barn at Asiad Tower Lawns here will once again host the day-long festival.

Organised by Trifecta Pvt. Ltd., Holi Moo! has grown from a modest, informal, jamming session at a farmhouse among a few musicians in 2006 to a multi-genre, multi-stage music festival.

"Right from its inception, the dream of this festival has been to create a creative eco-system that is inclusive and an experience that is ultra-vibrant. This year's Holi Moo! festival marks another successful peg in the evolution of the festival as we seed collaborations not just with artists but with leading tastemakers of our scene," the organisers of Holi Moo! said in a statement.

Inspired by Holi, Holi Moo! combines the traditional revelry of the festival of colours with a mix of music, art and culture.

For Holi Moo! Delhi, like every year, there will be multiple stages showcasing different genres -- world music, indie, electronica and hip-hop.

Each stage has been curated by industry tastemakers, ensuring names and sounds that are exciting and established.

This time, the world music stage will be an all-women one with some of the country's leading artists performing.

The indie stage, which over the years has showcased new sounds and collaborations, has been curated by cultural hub and Hauz Khas Village venue Roost.

Alternative culture specialists and online music magazine Wild City will assemble the line-up for the electronica stage.

The fourth stage, for the first time, will introduce the sounds of hip-hop, reggae, dancehall and trap.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday said all Muslim countries have a responsibility to support Palestinian resistance, which should be a source of unity in the Islamic world.

Khamenei made the remarks at the 6th International Conference in Support of the Palestinian Intifada (Uprising) in Tehran on Tuesday, Press TV reported.

"Despite the differences that exist among Islamic countries -- some of these differences are natural, some originate from the enemy's plot and the rest are because of negligence -- the issue of Palestine can and should be the pivot of unity for all Islamic countries," he said.

Palestine has been the site of increased tensions since last August, when Israel imposed restrictions on the entry of Palestinians into the al-Aqsa Mosque's compound in East Jerusalem al-Quds, according to the report.

Protests against the restrictions have been met with a deadly Israeli crackdown, which has in turn prompted strengthened Palestinian resistance, known as the third Palestinian intifada.

Khamenei pointed to the phased development of the Israeli occupation and said the cure for the disaster should also come in stages. "From the beginning, this cancerous tumour has been developing in several phases until it turned into the current disaster. The cure for this tumour should be developed in phases as well," Khamenei said.

He said that as long as the name and memory of Palestine and resistance are preserved, it will be impossible for the Israeli regime to strengthen its foundations.

"The creation of Israel has been the plot hatched by extra-regional powers, and 'this has caused the fake being (Israel) to replace the real being (Palestine)' in the region," Khamenei said.

He added that the "dangers originating from the presence of the Zionist regime should never be ignored" neither should the needs of resistance in the West Bank, "because the West Bank shoulders the main burden" of intifada.

"Supporting the resistance is the responsibility of all of us," Khamenei said, adding, "No one has the right to have special expectations of them in return for assistance."

Around 700 foreign guests and representatives of pro-Palestinian organisations participated in the conference in Tehran. Among other participants in the conference were senior Iranian officials, including President Hassan Rouhani, Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani and Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
NASA has hinted at discovery of something exciting related to planets that orbit stars other than our sun, known as exoplanets.

The US space agency said it will hold a news conference to present the findings at the agency's headquarters in Washington on Wednesday.

Prominent NASA scientists, astronomers and a professor of planetary science and physics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology will participate at the briefing.

NASA has also invited media and the public to ask questions during the briefing on Twitter using the hashtag #askNASA.

Following the briefing, a Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) about exoplanets will be held with scientists available to answer questions in English and Spanish, NASA said.

Details of these findings will also be published in the journal Nature on the same day NASA hosts the briefing.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Odisha government is planning to formulate a policy to promote tour packages to Southeast Asia in collaboration with airlines operator AirAsia.

The issue was discussed at the Tourism Advisory Committee Meeting held here under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary A.P. Padhi.

Recently, the state government signed a memorandum of agreement with AirAsia to start direct international flight operation to Kuala Lumpur.

"A specific policy will be formulated for promoting tour packages to Southeast Asia in collaboration with AirAsia. This apart, new tour packages like Jagannath Trail, Coastal Trek, Coastal Cruise, Cycle Tours, Food Festivals and Weekend Gateways will be organised under the Odisha Tourism Development Corporation," said Tourism Secretary Arti Ahuja.

Reviewing the progress made so far, Chief Secretary Padhi said the policy would boost the tourism sector in the state.

Branding of Odisha Tourism would be done at strategic places like airports in Delhi and other important cities, Mumbai Metro and international convention centres, said Tourism director Nitin Jawale.

He said it would also be linked to upcoming major events in Paris, Singapore and Madrid.

The chief secretary directed to expedite the process for setting up a sand art museum at Puri.

It was discussed in the meeting that sand art at Puri has started drawing increasing international attention in recent days and as such, the museum be set up at the earliest.

The state government claimed there has been a steady growth in tourist inflow to the state.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Around one million bankers will go on strike on February 28 following the failure of conciliation talks between the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) and the management, a union leader said on Tuesday.

The UFBU is an umbrella body of nine unions in the banking sector.

All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) General Secretary C.H. Venkatachalam said the Chief Labour Commissioner of the Ministry of Labour had called for a conciliation meeting in Delhi on Tuesday morning.

Representatives of the Indian Banks Association (IBA) and UFBU were present.

"All attempts to find solutions to the demands raised by the unions yielded no result. So the United Forum of Bank Unions decided to proceed with the proposed strike on February 28," Venkatachalam said.

He said one million employees and officers of public sector banks, private banks, foreign banks, co-operative banks and regional rural banks will strike work on that day.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will pay a three-day visit to Turkey starting February 22 for the fifth session of the Pakistan-Turkey High Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC) meeting in the capital Ankara.

Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that the meeting will be held on February 23 and a high-level delegation, comprising ministers and senior officials, will accompany Sharif during the visit.

Sharif is expected to have wide-ranging consultations with the Turkish leadership on bilateral, regional and international issues, Xinhua reported.

Together with his Turkish counterpart Binali Yildirim, Sharif would co-chair the HLSCC, a framework for consultations at the highest political level between the two sides with focus on trade, energy, banking and finance, communications and railways, education, culture and tourism.

The bilateral HLSCC was established in 2009 and its last session was held in Islamabad in 2015. During the visit, Sharif also plans to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US Vice President Mike Pence defended President Donald Trump's latest attacks on the and vowed to continue to "call out the when they play fast and loose with the facts".

At a news conference at the NATO headquarters here on Monday, Pence insisted that both he and the President "support a free and independent press", CNN reported.

It came as Trump last week called the the "enemy of the American people".

"But you can anticipate that the President and all of us will continue to call out the media when they play fast and loose with the facts," CNN quoted Pence as saying.

"And the truth is that we have in Trump someone who has a unique ability to speak directly to the American people. And when the media gets it wrong, I promise you, the President will take his case straight to the American people to set the record straight."

Speaking alongside NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, the Vice President said the US was "fully committed" to the alliance's mission, despite Trump's repeated criticism of NATO.

But he also echoed Trump's concerns that many NATO member states were not sharing the full financial burden of the alliance and said the Trump "expects real progress" from allies on that front by the end of the year.

NATO requires member states to spend 2 per cent of their GDP on defence spending, a target many of the alliance's members have not met in recent years.

Pence said he was disappointed that former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn misled him about his conversation with the Russian ambassador to the US.

Even as he worked to assure European leaders that the Trump administration was not looking to scrap longstanding transatlantic ties, Pence was met with outward skepticism from the bloc's top leaders.

European Council President Donald Tusk was blunt. Even while expressing an optimistic outlook, he acknowledged the bilateral ties had entered new, uncertain territory.

"Too much has happened over the past months in your country and the EU. Too many new and sometimes surprising opinions have been voiced over this time about our relations and our common security, for us to pretend that everything is as it used to be."

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
News / Local

by Alice Dube

Entumbane

dystrophy

"The condition I have started when I was nine years old. I do not walk in a normal way as by bones are weak to carry my full body weight.



"I once underwent an operation to have it rectified but i could not undergo physiotherapy which resulted in the problem persisting.



"I am now walking in a semi squatting position which is very painful.



"However, am appealing for donations amounting to $8000 for surgery in Malawi which is now critical.



"The amount exclude transport and food. So doctors in Malawi said i would be safe with $10 000.



"A quotation i got here in Zimbabwe was $20 000 for the same operation.



" I would be great full if anyone could assist me," said Bishop.



A 30 year oldman - Brian Bishop who has lived with muscularsyndrome since the age of nine is seeking $10 000 to undergo a critical operation in Malawi.Bishop told Bulawayo24.com today that he is confined to walking in a semi squatting position which is taking a toll on his health.He said Zimbabwean doctors gave him a quotation of $20 000 for the operation which he cannot afford.However, he traveled to Malawi on a referral and doctors who assessed him said the condition can be treated and it cost $8000.Below is his full account :Bishop can be contacted on 0772 416 739
British writer Milo Yiannopoulos' book "Dangerous" was axed after Republican conservatives released video clips which seemed to condone sex between men and boys.

"After careful consideration, Simon & Schuster and its Threshold Editions imprint have cancelled publication of 'Dangerous'," USA Today quoted the publisher as saying.

Confirming this, Milo said: "They cancelled my book."

The gay British writer, who has collected kudos as a self-described "dangerous" provocateur, teetered on the edge of disaster on Monday after the videos of the book got released.

The author is heard talking about his own past as a teenager who had sex with men and suggested that some boys might be old enough to give consent to such sexual relationships, USA Today said.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A dossier on US President Donald Trump's psychological makeup is being prepared for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Among its preliminary conclusions is that the new American leader is a risk-taker who can be naive, according to a senior Kremlin adviser, NBC News reported on Monday.

Trump "doesn't understand fully who is Putin -- he is a tough guy," former Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Fedorov told NBC News.

The file is being compiled by retired diplomats and some of Putin's staff, he added.

The attempt to get inside the U.S. president's mind is aimed at helping Putin plan for his first meeting with America's new leader, the date for which is yet to be decided.

Very serious preparatory work is going on in the Kremlin, including a paper -- seven pages -- describing a psychological portrait of Trump, especially based on this last two to three months, and the last weeks," added Fedorov, who said he has known Trump since 2000.

The dossier was being revised regularly, he said, adding that many in the Kremlin believed that Trump viewed the presidency as a business.

Fedorov added: "Trump is not living in a box, he is living in a crowd. He should listen to the people around him especially in the areas where he is weak."

Putin's government is growing increasingly concerned about Trump's battles in Washington, according to Fedorov and former lawmaker Sergei Markov, who remains well-connected at the Kremlin.

It is worried the president will not have the political power to improve relations with Russia, as he has indicated he might try to do, and even, perhaps, lift some U.S. sanctions.

US intelligence agencies concluded that Russia conducted a covert hacking operation to undermine the US election process, which evolved into an attempt to help Trump win the White House. They also believe with "a high level of confidence" that Putin became personally involved in the campaign to interfere in the election.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Indian-born Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella on Tuesday met Union IT and Electronics Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad here.

The details of the meeting and the talks were yet to emerge but Nadella, after visiting Bengaluru on Monday, was scheduled to call on the minister before heading to address "Future Decoded" --Microsoft's two-day flagship technology and business conference in Mumbai that kicked off on Tuesday.

The conference is a platform that brings together 1,500 business and government decision-makers to engage in conversations on how technology will transform all aspects of our work and life.

Earlier, leading e-commerce major Flipkart on Monday tied up with global software major Microsoft to use its Azure Cloud platform for boosting its e-tail sales.

The strategic partnership was announced by Satya Nadella on his maiden visit to Bengaluru after he took over the reins of the world's largest software product firm in February 2014.

"At Microsoft, we aim to empower every Indian and every Indian organisation with technology through strategic partnerships with innovative firms like Flipkart," said Nadella on the occasion.

As a public cloud computing platform, Azure provides a range of services, including analytics, storage and networking on network of computers (cloud).

"By combining our public cloud platform and AI (Artificial Intelligence) capabilities with Flipkart's services and data assets, we will enable the e-tailor to accelerate its digital transformation and deliver new customer experiences," said Nadella.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Thousands of houses in Jakarta were inundated by floodwaters on Tuesday following torrential rains overnight, forcing hundreds of people to flee their homes, Indonesian authorities said.

Floodwaters as high as 150 cm inundated homes and roads in 54 areas across the south, east and north areas of the city, Efe news reported.

Indonesian Air Force personnel were seen helping residents in an east Jakarta neighbourhood to evacuate their homes, with hundreds forced to take shelter at a nearby mosque.

The flooding had occurred mainly due to the inability of the urban drainage system to cope with the overflowing waters, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, head of data information and public relations at the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), said.

Public transport was affected by the floods, although rail authorities said normal services would resume shortly, according to the Jakarta Post daily.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Three suicide bombers who tried to enter a court in Pakistan's Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province were killed on Tuesday, authorities said.

About 10 others were injured in the ghastly incident in Charsadda district, The News International quoted police as saying.

Police officer Sohail Khalid told the daily that the three suicide bombers were killed when they tried to enter the court.

"One suicide bomber blew himself at the gate," Khalid said. "All three terrorists have been killed."

He said three or four people have been injured in the attack. But others at the site put the number of injuries at about 10.

Gunfire was heard after one of the blasts near the gate of a sessions court located at Tangi Bazaar, Pakistani media reported.

Hospitals in Peshawar and Charsadda were put on high alert.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf member Shaukat Yousufzai said the militants came from Mohmand Agency.

In the past 10 days, over 100 people have been killed in terror attacks across Pakistan.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Tibetan Prime Minister-in-exile Lobsang Sangay on Tuesday said March 12 would formally be observed every year as Tibetan Women's Day.

"The observance of Tibetan Women's Day on March 12 will reflect the collective will of the Tibetan leadership and people to accelerate the women's empowerment policy agenda," Sangay said here while opening a three-day first-ever Tibetan women's empowerment conference.

He said Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) departments would continue to prioritise Tibetan women's empowerment initiatives as its flagship agenda.

The conference, being organised by the CTA, is seeing more than 340 participants, including Tibetan nuns.

Sangay said the conference is a step in the right direction to carry forward the shared vision of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the CTA to promote leadership and compassionate qualities of women.

"Tibetan women parliamentarians were elected as early as 1964 when even some advanced economies still did not have women parliamentarians. In fact, today women constitute over 20 per cent of the elected representatives in the Tibetan Parliament. Women now make up 45 per cent of the overall workforce of the CTA," he said.

Lauding women's role in safeguarding Tibet's rich religious and cultural tradition beginning from the non-violent Tibetan women's uprising against the repressive policies of the Chinese government on March 12, 1959, he said the vision of the conference is aimed beyond gender equality and on furthering women's role in all socio-economic and political activities.

The Dalai Lama has lived in India since fleeing his homeland in 1959. The Tibetan exile administration is based here.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Defying prohibitory orders imposed by the police, the Telangana Joint Action Committee has decided to go ahead with its rally of the unemployed youth in Hyderabad on Wednesday.

TJAC chairman M. Kodandaram said the rally to demand the state government to fulfil its promise of one lakh jobs will be held as planned in the heart of the city even as the police made it clear that there is no permission for the rally.

He appealed to youth and students to stage a silent protest wherever they were stopped by the police.

Kodandaram alleged that police started arrests in various parts of the state from Monday and over 600 people had been taken into custody.

Police have warned the youth that if they violate the prohibitory orders, criminal cases will be booked against them.

TJAC plans to conduct the rally from Sundaraiah Vignana Kendram to Indra Park. He recalled that the permission for the rally was sought on February 1.

Earlier in the day, the matter came for hearing in Hyderabad High Court, which suggested to the TJAC to postpone the rally to Sunday or hold it at Nagole on the outskirts. It, however, did not agree to the same on the ground that preparations had already been made and the event can't be postponed in view of competitive exams and Mahashivratri.

TJAC informed the court that it is ready to change the venue to Osmania University. However, the police refused to give the permission in view of the disturbances witnessed on the campus in the past.

Stating that protest is their democratic right, Kodandaram said they would go ahead with their plans. He alleged that the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government trying to suppress a democratic and peaceful protest in the same manner in which the rulers of united Andhra Pradesh suppressed the movement for separate Telangana state.

"If this is a crime, the present Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao figured in all the cases booked during Telangana movement," said Kodandaram, who had actively participated in the movement for separate state.

TJAC is demanding that the Chief Minister should fulfil his election promise to provide jobs to one lakh unemployed. It is seeking immediate steps for filling all vacancies in government departments and public sector undertakings.

The ruling party, however, has accused Kodandaram of provoking unemployed youth and students.

It denied permission for the rally because it suspects that extremist elements have infiltrated into the group and might resort to violence.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US President Donald Trump has named Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster as his national security adviser, replacing Gen. Michael Flynn, who was last week asked to resign from the position.

McMaster is a highly regarded military officer and soldier who is known for his roles in the Gulf War, the Iraq War and the war in Afghanistan. He also served as a special assistant to Gen. David Petraeus when he was commander of the US-led coalition forces in Iraq during the 2007 troop surge, CNN reported on Tuesday.

Trump called McMaster "a man of tremendous talent and tremendous experience" as he introduced his selection on Monday to reporters at Mar-a-Lago, Florida, where he has spent the holiday weekend interviewing candidates for the post.

"I watched and read a lot over the last two days," Trump said. "He is highly respected by everyone in the military and we're very honoured to have him," he added.

McMaster is the first active-duty military officer in the post since Gen. Colin Powell.

McMaster -- who called the appointment a "privilege" -- takes over the position left by Flynn, who was asked to resign by Trump amid revelations that he misled Vice President Mike Pence on the nature of his contacts with the Russian Ambassador to the US.

Trump's first choice for the job, Robert Harward, also turned down the position last week after a dispute over staffing decisions on the National Security Council, Time magazine reported.

Retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, who served as interim National Security Adviser for the week, will return to his post as Chief of Staff and Executive Secretary of the NSC, the White House said.

McMaster has a Ph.D. in military history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He was tapped for National Security Adviser over several other finalists for the position, including John Bolton, the hawkish Ambassador to the UN under George W. Bush who also served in senior positions in the administrations of George H.W. Bush and Ronald Reagan.

McMaster, one of the military's top strategic minds, most recently served as Director of the Army Capabilities Integration Centre in Virginia, which is tasked with preparing for future threats.

As a younger officer, McMaster attained cult-like status within the military after the publication of his 1997 book "Dereliction of Duty: Lyndon Johnson, Robert McNamara, The Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Lies that Led to Vietnam". The book examined the failure of military leaders to challenge civilian policymakers' about the direction of the war.

Trump's pick earned quick praise from a contingent of Republican foreign policy leaders in Congress, Time reported.

California Rep. Devin Nunes, Chairman of the House Select Committee on Intelligence, called McMaster "a fine addition" to Trump's national security team.

Sen. John McCain, the Armed Services Committee chairman who has been among Trump's chief Republican critics on Capitol Hill, called McMaster "an outstanding choice".

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The UN General Assembly has mourned the sudden death of Russian Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin.

Ahead of a General Assembly meeting held here on Monday, diplomats rose and stood in a moment of silence to pay a tribute to Churkin, Xinhua news agency reported.

Churkin, who has been the Russian permanent representative to the United Nations since 2006, died of an apparent heart attack in New York on Monday morning at the age of 64, just a day before his 65th birthday.

General Assembly President Peter Thomson said that the assembly is shocked and deeply saddened by the passing of Churkin, while expressing the heartfelt condolences to Churkin's family as well as staff at the Russian mission to the UN.

Thomson spoke highly of Churkin's "great intellect," sense of humor and his considerations for others.

"We've all experienced and respected the pride that he took in serving his country and the passion at times of very stern resolution that he brought to his job," said Thomson.

"Not only has Russia lost one of its truest sons, here at the United Nations, we've lost one of our truest," he added.

The General Assembly will hold a formal meeting to pay a tribute in memory of the late Russian Ambassador Churkin at an appropriate time, according to Thomson.

"The Russian Foreign Ministry is saddened to announce the death of Vitaly Churkin, Russia's Permanent Representative to the UN, on Monday in New York, a day before his 65th birthday," said a brief statement, without disclosing the cause of his death.

The ministry expressed its condolences and hailed Churkin as an "outstanding diplomat," who has served as Russian envoy to the UN since 2006.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Monday took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi by asking Amitabh Bachchan to stop promoting "donkeys of Gujarat"  a sarcastic reference to a tourism promo on wild asses that features the superstar.

The remarks amid the hotly contested and bitterly fought Uttar Pradesh elections came a day after Modi told a rally that the ruling Samajwadi Party in the state was appeasing Muslims and said "if a village has a qabristan (graveyard), it should also have a shamshaan ghat (cremation ground)".

Yadav responded to the prime minister at a rally in Rae Bareli, urging Modi to stop promoting donkeys and "focus on more important things".

"There's an ad which shows donkeys. I appeal to the century's biggest star that he should stop promoting donkeys of Gujarat," the chief minister said, without naming Amitabh.

"Have you ever heard of campaigning for donkeys? Gujarat's people are doing campaigns for donkeys. Then they accuse me of working only for qabristan," the 44-year-old Samajwadi Party chief said.

Bollywood megastar and brand ambassador of Gujarat Tourism, Bachchan, was once close to the Yadavs in Uttar Pradesh. Bachchan has been campaigning for the wild ass sanctuary in Gujarat for years.

The remarks are the latest in the caustic campaigning for the Uttar Pradesh polls  seen as the semi-final before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Modi told a rally in Uttar Pradesh's Fatehpur district that "no discrimination" should be made on the basis of caste or religion.

"There must be bijli (electricity) both on Eid and Holi," said the prime minister.

Yadav retorted by asking Modi to swear on the Ganga if his government had not ensured uninterrupted power supply in Varanasi  the Hindu holy city and the prime minister's parliamentary constituency in Uttar Pradesh.

"You revere Ganga maiyya. Why don't you swear on the Ganga and tell us if the Samajwadi Party government is giving 24-hour electricity in Varanasi or not?" Akhilesh asked the prime minister.

Modi also continued with his no-holds-barred criticism at a poll rally in Jalaun of the Bundelkhand region, which he said had suffered from the years of neglect by the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) governments.

He said that the BJP's fight was against SCAM, which stood for the Samajwadi Party, the Congress, Akhilesh (Yadav) and Mayawati of the BSP.

"You have an opportunity in this election to throw SCAM out from Bundelkhand," he said.

He also mocked at Mayawati's opposition to the November 8 note ban and said that the BSP was actually the 'Behenji Sampatti Party'  calling it a personal asset of the former chief minister.

"Where has Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) reached today... When I announced note ban on November 8, rivals SP and BSP, who never see eye-to-eye, came together? I was amazed when I launched the war against corruption and asked for the details of black money. They came together and all, including the Congress, started speaking the same language," Modi said.

He said that Mayawati had alleged that the government was ill-prepared with its demonetisation move but "was it the government or it was you who was not prepared".

"Money started being deposited in banks all of a sudden and Mayawati started shouting as to why is it only at election time that the account of her brother has been made public," the prime minister asked.

"You have deposited Rs 100 crore after note ban. Those who deposit wealth for themselves, can they solve your problem?" he asked.
News / National

by Staff reporter

PRESIDENT Mugabe turns 93 today with the ruling Zanu-PF party describing him as a visionary leader, liberator and champion of education and empowerment.Zanu-PF Secretary for Administration Dr Ignatius Chombo said President Mugabe is among a rare breed of politicians and the party views him as a gift from God."We as a party are very privileged to have President Mugabe as our President and First Secretary," he said."We see his long life as a gift from God. God has been kind to us as a country and also kind to him that he has given him a long life, wisdom, integrity and strong principles. He does not change his views simply because he wants to please every Jack and Jill, no, he has dedicated his entire life to the service of this country."Such men are rare and we are very proud that such an icon is the President and First Secretary of Zanu-PF and we really wish him a happy birthday and hope that God will continue to bless him and that he continues to be with us."Zanu-PF Secretary for Youth Affairs, Kudzai Chipanga, said they regard President Mugabe's birthday as an event of paramount importance."We as young people regard these celebrations of the President's birthday as of paramount importance given the fact that we view our President as a role model for young Zimbabweans and Africans at large," said Chipanga.The Zanu-PF Women's League paid tribute to President Mugabe for his people-driven policies aimed at uplifting and empowering the majority black people.The organ's Secretary for Information and Publicity, Thokozile Mathuthu, said they were fully behind President Mugabe's candidature in the 2018 elections."As the Women's League national executive and Zimbabwean women in general, we say congratulations President Mugabe for turning 93 and we wish God could continue blessing you with good health and many more years," she said.Mathuthu, who is also the deputy Minister of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, said the organ was fully behind President Mugabe whom she described as a wise leader with a deep understanding of issues."We will be fully behind him again in 2018 when he stands as our presidential candidate in the national elections," she said."We would also like to pay tribute to the late Bona Mugabe who gave birth to this brilliant and highly intelligent child. We are certain that she is smiling from heaven at the strides made by her son to uplift his people."This year's celebrations will be held at the Rhodes Preparatory School (Reps) in Matobo district, Matabeleland South on Saturday under the theme, "Honouring our icon, unlocking value in youth."Below is a timeline of the President's history and some of his numerous achievements thus far:21 February 1924Robert Grabriel Mugabe is born at Kutama Village in Zvimba district. He is the third of six children born to Gabriel Matibili Mugabe and Bona Mugabe.He grows up herding his father's cattle in Zvimba and takes charge of the family at an early age after the death of his siblings Michael and Raphael and the relocation of their father to Bulawayo. For his early education, he goes to Kutama College where he excels in school under the Jesuits priests and guidance of Father Jerome O'Hea.1941Mugabe is offered a place in teacher training at Kutama, where he attains a diploma.1949He wins a scholarship to study at the University of Fort Hare in South Africa's Eastern Cape. There, he joins the African National Congress, and attends African nationalist meetings, where he meets a number of Jewish South African communists who introduce him to Marxist ideas.In later years he describes his time at Fort Hare as the "turning-point" in his life.1951Mugabe attains a Bachelor of Arts (History and English) degree from the University of Fort Hare.1955He moves to Northern Rhodesia, there, he teaches for four years at Chalimbana Training College while also working towards his Bachelor of Sciences Degree in Economics through correspondence courses with the University of London.1958Mugabe moves to Ghana where he becomes interested in Marxism and nationalism. He meets his first wife Sarah (Sally) Hayfron while teaching at St Mary's Teacher Training College.In tandem with his teaching, from 1958 to 1960 Mugabe attends the Kwame Nkrumah Ideological Institute in Winneba. He says it was during his time in Ghana that he finally embraced belief in Marxism.1960He returns home to Southern Rhodesia to an oppressive colonial system and he easily finds himself involved with nationalists' politics.He chairs the inaugural congress of the National Democratic Party in October and is chosen Secretary for Information and Publicity.1961Mugabe marries his first wife, Sarah Francesca Hayfron, a Ghanaian teacher.1963He, together with Ndabaningi Sithole and other nationalists like Leopold Takawira, Edgar Tekere, Morton Malianga, Enos Nkala and Maurice Nyagumbo, form the Zimbabwe African National Union (Zanu) after differences emerged within Zapu about how the struggle against the white settler regime would be prosecuted.August 1964 to December 1975He is arrested and spends the next 11 years in prison, a period he uses to improve his education. He gains several further degrees from London University: an MSc in economics, a Bachelor of Administration, and two law degrees.His first and only child with Sally Hayfron, Nhamodzenyika, dies at age three from cerebral malaria in 1966. He was denied permission to bury his son by the regime of Ian Smith.1975After being released from prison, Mugabe moves to Mozambique, accompanied by Tekere and Chief Rekayi Tangwena and assumes leadership of Zanu after the famous Mgagao Declaration signed by guerrillas at Mgagao camp in Tanzania.1976He leads a delegation to the abortive independence talks in Malta. By mid-1976, Mugabe gains the allegiance of commanders of Zanla, the military wing of Zanu, and achieves dominance over Zanu, establishing himself as the most prominent black guerrilla leader battling Smith's regime.1977He is elected the president of Zanu during the party's congress in exile at Chimoio, Mozambique.1979Mugabe leads Zanu to the Lancaster House conference in London that ended the 15-year liberation war.1980British rule ends and Mugabe becomes Prime Minister of the new Republic of Zimbabwe. He pronounces the policy of national reconciliation thus restoring confidence and peace enabling national reconstruction.1981As the country's first black Prime Minister on January 1, he calls for free primary education for all pupils and guarantees admission to secondary schools for all those who qualified.He is one of the most educated presidents in the world as he holds seven academic degrees and 11 honorary awards from different universities.1982-1986He leads the country and makes great strides in education, health care and provisions of social services are achieved under his watch.December 22, 1987Mugabe signs the Unity Accord with-PF-Zapu leader Dr Joshua Nkomo, which ends disturbances in Matabeleland and the Midlands regions which had been experienced since the early 1980s. This results in a united Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF).December, 30, 1987Mugabe becomes Executive President of Zimbabwe. Cdes Joshua Nkomo and Simon Muzenda become Vice Presidents.1988The President implements a five-year development plan, which eases price restrictions for farmers, allowing them to designate their own prices for their produce. This greatly improves the economy.1989He is awarded the Africa Prize for leadership for the sustainable end of hunger by US-Based Hunger Project. He uses the $100 000 prize money to launch the National Agricultural Scholarship Fund.1991Zimbabwe hosts the 1991 Commonwealth Heads of State Meeting (CHOGM) Summit and President Mugabe assumes chairmanship of CHOGM for the next three years.1992President Mugabe's first wife Sarah Hayfron, popularly known as Sally, dies from a kidney ailment.He assumes chairmanship of the World Frontline States in March and leads the OAU ad hoc committee in Angola.1994The end of the five-year development plan period, the economy reflects some growth in the farming, mining and manufacturing industries. President Mugabe additionally manages to build clinics and schools for the black population.1995He is conferred chairmanship of the World Solar Commission in March and he assumes chairmanship of the G15 in November. President Mugabe is also awarded the Olympic Order of Gold for his eminent contribution to the Olympic ideals.1996He hosts and is elected chairman of 101 strong Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in September.The President is awarded the Order of Jamaica and hosts the World Solar Summit and he is elected first chairman of the Sadc Organ on Defence, Politics and Security.He marries his second wife, First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe in August.1997In June, Zimbabwe hosts the Organisation of African Unity Summit and President Mugabe assumes chairmanship of the continental body.February 2000War veterans occupy white-owned commercial farms after voters rejected a draft constitution which had the clause aimed at addressing the colonial imbalances in the ownership of land. The newly-formed opposition party, Movement for Democratic Change, had mobilised voters to reject the draft, and was supported by the white commercial farmers. President Mugabe declines to send police or the army to remove the war veterans from the farms arguing that the land question was the reason why they took up arms against the Smith regime and thus needed to be addressed. This marks the beginning of the fast-track land redistribution programme which saw more than 300 000 households being resettled.2002President Mugabe is re-elected as President.September 2008As a result of the June 2008 vote, there is tension between political parties, resulting in talks aimed at bringing them together. The talks brokered by then South African President Thabo Mbeki result in a power-sharing Government of National Unity comprising representatives from Zanu-PF, the MDC-T led by Mr Morgan Tsvangirai and the MDC led by Professor Arthur Mutambara. President Mugabe retains his position as President while Mr Tsvangirai becomes Prime Minister. Prof Mutambara comes in as Deputy Prime Minister.February 2009The GNU is sworn into office.July 31, 2013The five year-tenure of the GNU ends, leading to fresh elections. President Mugabe and his Zanu-PF party win overwhelmingly, resulting in the abandoning of the GNU. President Mugabe and Zanu-PF form the new government.October 2013President Mugabe launches the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (ZimAsset). The blueprint is aimed at attaining sustainable socio-economic transformation in the four key clusters which are: Food security and nutrition; Social services and poverty reduction; Infrastructure and utilities; and Value addition and beneficiation.2014President Mugabe is elected as Sadc chairperson.2015He is elected chairman of the Africa Union. He helps the continent to become more assertive and continues to protect the continent's resources. He leads the discourse on the industrialisation of the continent and resource nationalism.2016President Mugabe is re-elected as Zanu-PF's sole candidate for the 2018 presidential elections at the Zanu-PF people's congress.He is the current President and First Secretary of Zanu-PF.
Jewish community centres (JCC) in many cities across the US received bomb threats, a media report said.

The JCC Association of North America reported that 11 centres received the threats on Monday, The Hill magazine reported.

"Our JCCs are strongly rooted in communities across the country," David Posner, Director of strategic performance at JCC Association of North America, said in a statement.

Posner said the association is in "regular communication with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which is investigating these threats."

The White House responded to the latest wave of bomb threats, saying hatred has "no place in the country".

"Hatred and hate-motivated violence of any kind have no place in a country founded on the promise of individual freedom," the White House said.

"The President (Donald Trump) has made it abundantly clear that these actions are unacceptable."

Donald Trump's daughter, Ivanka responded on Twitter by saying, "America is a nation built on the principle of religious tolerance. We must protect our houses of worship and religious centres."

She and her husband, senior adviser Jared Kushner, are Jewish, the magazine reported.

The JCC Association of North America reported that since the beginning of the year, there have been 69 incidents at 54 JCCs in 27 states and one Canadian province. However, all threats were determined to be hoaxes.

--IANS

ksk/vt

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Cyber intelligence company Vital Intelligence Group on Tuesday rolled out "Virtual Intelligence Collection System" (VICAS) for better protection against cyber threats.

"VICAS" is a suite of predictive "Open Source Intelligence Solutions" that garners critical information from a website, social media platform or any other source, including the deep dark web and analyses any internal database.

"It is the only system currently in the intelligence space that offers 360 degree constant collection of intelligence on groups, places, persons of interest," said Marc Kahlberg, group CEO and MD, Vital Intelligence Group in a statement.

"VICAS" also has the capability to furnish proactive analysis tools.

"In fact, it is a solution to counter any threat which is against the interest of a nation or mission critical organisations," Kahlberg added.

--IANS

vc/na/vt

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
With reference to the Chinese Whispers item, Focus is key (February 21), its an irony that Congress Vice-president Rahul Gandhi (pictured) is nowadays invoking Arjuna, the legendary archer in Mahabharata, for himself.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been fodder for social media memes, thanks to her humour-streaked public speeches. Banerjee is now trending on social media for her inadvertent remarks on the benchmark weight of newborns. Addressing an event in Kolkata she said: Kids who are born 500-600 grams are immature. Remember, a newborn should weigh at least 1,500 kg. Doctors present here would know this. She then went on to speak about what the state government was doing for the welfare of mothers and children.
Indias richest municipal corporation has more female corporators than men: The women are better educated, younger, and 3.3% have criminal records compared to 31.8% of menbut they ask fewer questions than the men, according to an IndiaSpend analysis of female corporators of the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) as municipal elections are held today.

Our main findings:

There are 119 female corporators over the current term (2012-17), compared to 110 male corporators.

Only four female corporators have criminal records, compared to 35 male corporators.

Women attended 72.5% of MCGM meetings, compared to 73.3% of men who did.

On average, each female corporator asked 10 questions per year between 2012 and 2016, compared to 13 for each male corporator.

As many as 34.4% of women are graduates or above, compared to 28.1% of men

We also found that female corporators spent an average of Rs 53 lakh from their constituency funds, primarily on roads, followed by recreation, sewage, water and sanitation. It was not very different for men, who spent an average of Rs 54 lakh on the same areas.
A new scam is unfolding in the poll-bound Uttar Pradesh as the Ministry of Women and Child Development has received lakhs of application forms, filled up and signed by parents of girl children from the state seeking cash benefits under the 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' scheme of the Centre.
Three alleged narcotics smugglers were arrested and cannabis was seized from their possession in Badalpur area here, police said today.

During checking of vehicles last night, a swift car was intercepted and 100 KG ganja with a market value of Rs 5 lakh was found in it, they said, adding three persons - Udhanshu Singh, Dheeraj Choudhary and Kailash - travelling in the car were arrested, DSP Rakesh Kumar said.

During interrogation, they revealed that they used to bring cannabis from Nepal via Bihar and take it to Delhi for distribution in NCR areas, police added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A light aircraft today crashed into a shopping centre near the Australian city of Melbourne apparently following a "catastrophic engine failure", killing all five people on board.

The twin-engine aircraft - heading to King Island - came in "low and fast" and hit the Direct Factory Outlet (DFO) in Essendon in the state of Victoria this morning.

State Premier Daniel Andrews confirmed the number of deaths and described it as the state's worst air accident in three decades.

The DFO was not open at the time and authorities do not believe staff members were killed in the incident. Police and paramedics rushed to the crash site, where firefighters doused the flames.

Victorian Police Assistant commissioner Stephen Leane said it was fortunate more people did not lose their lives in this "catastrophic" event. "It was a catastrophic plane crash that I think has taken a number of lives," he said.

"But certainly if we look at the circumstances, we have been very lucky today, depending on the time of day and who was around."



Victoria police superintendent Mick Frewen said investigations centred on a "catastrophic engine failure".

Craig Lapsley, Emergency Management Commissioner, said witnesses had been treated for shock and trauma but not physical injuries.

Essendon airport close to the shopping area has been closed until further notice.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Scotland Yard have arrested five teenagers aged between 15 and 19 on suspicion of planning to join the Islamic State terrorist group.

"The arrests relate to plans to travel to join a proscribed organisation," the Metropolitan Police said in a statement.

"Officers from the Scotland Yard Counter Terrorism Command have today, yesterday arrested five males from separate addresses in south, east and west London on suspicion of Preparation of Terrorist Acts, Contrary to Section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006, the statement said.

A further residential address was searched in Lambeth area of London in connection with the investigation, the Met said.

All five are being questioned at a central London police station. Some youngsters from London have been at risk of fleeing to Syria and other war zones to join the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist group.

In 2015, three teenage girls from east London went missing and were believed to have joined ISIS.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
About 56 per cent voters today exercised franchise across ten municipal corporations in Maharashtra, including the all-important Mumbai civic body BMC which recorded a 55 per cent turn-out.

BJP and its bickering ally in the state government Shiv Sena, who could not form an alliance for the civic poll in the megapolis or elsewhere this time, fought keenly, lashing out freely at each other during the bitter campaign.

"56 per cent voters exercised franchise across ten municipal corporations in Maharashtra, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation which recorded a 55 per cent turn-out," state election commission officials said.

The turn-out for 11 Zilla Parishads and 118 panchayat samiti polls was better than in the cities, at 69 per cent, state election officials said this evening.

The polling was peaceful across the state.

A total of 17,331 candidates are in the fray for 3,210 seats up for grabs in this second phase of civic/local body polls in Maharashtra, being seen as "mini general election".

The stakes are high for Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, who led their respective parties from the front and were involved in a no-holds-barred campaign, relegating the opposition Congress, NCP and other players like MNS and AIMIM to the background.

Apart from Mumbai, the municipal corporations which went to the polls included Thane, Ulhasnagar, Nashik, Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Solapur, Akola, Amravati and Nagpur.

As many as 43,160 polling booths were set up and around 2.76 lakh election staff and equal number of police personnel were deployed for the conduct of the elections.

More than 1.80 crore electorate were eligible to exercise their franchise in the zilla parishads and panchayat samitis while the total number of urban voters stood at 1.95 crore.

In Mumbai, there are 2,275 candidates and 92 lakh voters.

The outcome in Asia's largest civic body, run by the Shiv Sena with the BJP's support for the last two decades, will decide the fate of the Devendra Fadnavis government.

Retaining the 227-member BMC is vital for Shiv Sena as



the city has been its political heartland since its formation in 1966.

The campaign turned into a slugfest between the two parties, throwing up the question if there would be a parting of ways post-election.

The counting will take place on February 23.

BJP, which had been a junior partner of Sena before it gained the upper hand through the 2014 Lok Sabha and Assembly polls, declined to accept the number of seats offered by the Sena in this poll, setting the stage for a high-voltage electioneering that saw charges and counter-charges flying thick.

The BJP has its eyes set on gaining power in BMC, one of world's largest city bodies with an annual budget of over Rs 37,000 crore, undeterred by Sena's threat of pulling the plug on the state government, which its chief put on "notice period" shortly after the campaign took off.

The BJP flagged "transparency" in civic administration as the central slogan while the Sena campaigned on its performance in BMC over the last two decades.

Larger civic amenities like better roads, water supply and measures to contain pollution were drowned in the political cacophony of the campaign.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, Chief Minister Fadnavis and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari cast their votes in Nagpur. NCP supremo Sharad Pawar voted in Mumbai.

Though it was a very busy and eventful day for N Chandrasekaran who took over as Tata Sons chairman, casting ballot took precedence over his professional engagements.

Bollywood celebrities like Rekha, Ranveer Singh, Anushka Sharma, Zoya Akhtar, Gulzar and others were also seen in the queue to cast their votes for the BMC, some of them voicing concern over the civic amenities in the megapolis.

For 1,268 seats of the ten municipal corporations, there are 9,208 candidates; for 11 zilla parishads there are 2,956 candidates for 654 seats, and 5,167 candidates for 1,288 seats in 118 panchayat samitis.

The first phase of 15 zilla parishads and 165 panchayat samitis polling was held on February 16 where 69 per cent voters exercised their franchise.
News / National

by Staff reporter

A FAMILY of Christ Church pastor has been dragged to the maintenance court by his wife seeking $788 for the upkeep of their two children and spousal maintenance.Rodwell Marumahoko told Bulawayo magistrate Mr Tinashe Tashaya that he could only afford to give his wife Beatrice $100 per month.The pastor said he had stopped maintaining his wife because they were in the process of getting a divorce and she was a businesswoman."I cannot maintain her because she is a businesswoman who owns mines and has a lot of money. She deserted me and bought a house in Burnside suburb.She took our children and l heard that they are paying school fees of $1 500 per term each," said Mr Marumahoko.He said he has a lot of responsibilities including clearing a water bill which has accumulated to $2 360.Mrs Marumahoko rejected the $100 maintenance offer saying it was too little."Man of God why are you lying in court? You know that these days l am broke and l am not working. You need deliverance, maybe you will know what you are supposed to do as a man," she said."I wonder what you tell your congregants if you are failing to tell this court the truth. The reason why you don`t want to pay spousal maintenance is because last Christmas we left you when we were flying to Durban with my children for an outing."Mrs Marumahoko told the court that she left the pastor because he was an abusive man who used to assault her in the presence of their children.She said she needed $788 a month to start a business and pay school fees for her children."Your Worship, l swear if l get back on my feet l will come and discharge maintenance. If l do not do that, may this court send me to prison for six months as punishment," Mrs Marumahoko said.Mr Tashaya ordered the pastor to pay $388 per month for the upkeep of his wife and children.
About 56 per cent voters today exercised their franchise in the polling for 10 municipal corporations across Maharashtra, including the all-important Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in Mumbai.

55 per cent voting was recorded for BMC polls, eclipsing the last poll percentage by almost 10 per cent.

The turn-out for 11 Zilla Parishads and 118 Panchayat Samiti polls in the state was 69 per cent, election officials said.

Polling began at 7.30 AM at 43,160 polling stations across the state.

In Mumbai, voting picked up as the day progressed with several politicians and film celebrities and industry figures stepping out to exercise their franchise.

The impressive polling in Mumbai -- compared to 2012-- has brought cheer to leaders of BJP as the party is seeking to wrest control of India's richest civic body from its bickering alliance partner in the state government, the Shiv Sena.

The Maharashtra state election commission released the primary figures of polling across nine municipal corporations (besides Mumbai) in the state late in the evening.

These are as follows: Thane (58 per cent), Ulhasnagar (48 per cent), Pune (54 per cent), Pimpri Chinchwad (67 per cent), Solapur (60 per cent), Nashik (60 per cent), Akola (56 per cent), Amravati (55 per cent) and Nagpur (53 per cent).

The rural areas where Zilla Parishad elections were held fared better than the cities.

The district-wise percentage for ZP elections is as follows: Raigad (71), Ratnagiri (64), Sindhudurg (70), Nashik (68), Pune (70), Satara (70), Sangli (65), Solapur (68), Kolhapur (70), Amravati (67) and Gadchiroli (68).

The average percentage of turn-out for ZP polls was at 69.43 per cent.

NCP president Sharad Pawar was among early voters in Mumbai, while Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and his family voted at a booth near Thackeray residence in Bandra.

BJP leaders who cast their votes in the city included party's Mumbai unit chief Ashish Shelar, MP Poonam Mahajan and Shaina NC. Former Lok Sabha Speaker and Shiv Sena leader Manohar Joshi and MNS chief Raj Thackeray also cast their vote in the megapolis.

In Nagpur, early voters included RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, while Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis cast his vote along with wife Amruta and mother in city's Dharampeth area around 11.45 AM.

Eminent personalities including former Mumbai Police Commissioner Julio Ribeiro, Joint Police Commissioner Deven Bharti, Election Commissioner K S Saharia, BMC Commissioner Ajoy Mehta also cast their votes in Mumbai.

Chief Minister Fadnavis greeted people of Mumbai for the "record" turn-out.

"Thank you Mumbai for the record voting percentage & people from all Municipal Corporations & ZP for participating in festival of democracy!" Fadnavis tweeted.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Suicide bombers on Tuesday tried to storm a court in Pakistan's restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, killing at least seven persons and injuring 14 in the latest terrorist attack in the country.

The attackers opened fire and threw grenades as they attempted to enter the sessions court premises in Tangi, prompting retaliatory fire by the security forces deployed there.

Three attackers were killed in the police action.

Jamaat-ul-Ahrar (JuA), a faction of the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility for the attack.

"Several terrorists attacked the court and resorted to heavy firing at the main gate of the lower courts," police said.

One bomber was killed in the firing at the gate and the second was killed as he entered the court. The third bomber died when he detonated his explosives, officials said.

"Seven people were killed and 14 were injured during the attack," Sohail Khalid, district police chief Charsadda, said, adding judges and lawyers were safe.

Khalid said due to tight security the bombers could not enter the court, but had they been successful in entering the premises it "would have been a catastrophe".

A search and rescue operation was underway, he added.

Ambulances have been rushed to Charsadda from Peshawar, approximately 30 kilometres away, where the Lady Reading Hospital has been put on high alert.

District hospitals have been put on high alert.

The latest attack came as security has been tightened across Pakistan after a recent wave of terrorist strikes killed more than 100 people.

On Thursday, a suicide bomber killed 88 people at a famed Sufi shrine in Sindh province. Following the attack, the army launched an offesive against militants and claimed to have killed more than 130 terrorists across the country.

A suicide bomber had struck a local court in Charsadda's Shabqadar area last year in March, killing 17 people.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is making a desperate bid to resurrect his stature but the absence of credibility is haunting him, chief co-ordinator of Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee Ashok Gehlot said.

"Indira Gandhi's aura was different, while the aura of Modi is diminishing. Gandhi was ousted in a poll primarily due to the anger of voters but she was again accepted by them," he told PTI refusing to draw any comparison between Modi and the late prime minister.

"Modi had got a chance but he lost it. Senior party leaders like Murli Manohar Joshi and L K Advani have been marginalised. BJP workers are feeling suffocated," the former Rajasthan chief minister said here.

Gehlot said a sense of frustration has penetrated deep in his mind and added that "Modi is making a desperate bid to resurrect his stature but the absence of credibility is haunting him".

Sharpening his attack, he said, "Congress never bothered for power. But I think BJP is going to meet the same fate in Uttar Pradesh as in the Assembly elections of Delhi and Bihar."



He said BIMARU states was only a new jumla (rhetoric) coined by Modi.

"BIMARU is simply a jumla and nothing else. What is the definition of BIMARU, can you tell me? In fact, Modi is an expert in telling lies," Gehlot said, adding that Modi is busy creating a rift between the rich and the poor.

Claiming that "dictatorship" has raised its ugly head in the BJP, Gehlot said Modi's current image resembles that of US President Donald Trump.

"After 30 years, a particular party got a clear mandate. When Modi came to power, the writing on the wall was that this government would last for 10 years and this view emanated across different political parties," Gehlot said, adding that in two-and-half years, Modi's image has taken a beating.

Criticising the body language of the Prime Minister,



Gehlot alleged that Modi is a pro-corporate man and he is hell bent on realising his vested political and electoral interests.

"Have you seen any PM make such speeches, repeatedly clapping to emphasise on a particular point?" he asked.

On demonetisation, Gehlot said following the note ban, there was an atmosphere of uncertainty in the entire country.

"The credibility of the banks and currency notes have taken a beating. Note ban has yielded no positive results. There was no logic behind replacing the old Rs 1,000 currency notes with the new Rs 2,000 notes. There has been an increase in the quantum of corruption in Income Tax department and banks," he claimed.

The chief coordinator of UPCC admitted that the decision to have the SP-Congress alliance was a sudden development for the party workers.

"But, in the larger interest of the nation and UP, and to stop fascist and communal forces of the BJP from storming to power, the alliance was eventually approved by both the parties," he said.

He said party workers after being confused over the alliance, gradually understood its need and importance. "And, subsequently, they reconciled," he said.

On whether the nascent alliance would continue in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, he said, "All options are open."



He went on to claim that when UPA-1 had formed government in 2004, very few people had thought that it would rule the country for close to a decade.
Vice President Hamid Ansari today arrived in Uganda after wrapping up a three-day visit of Rwanda during which he held bilateral talks with the leadership and attended a business forum during which both the countries signed agreements.

Ansari was received at the Entebbe International Airport by his Ugandan counterpart Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi. He was also given a guard of honour at the VIP reception area.

This is the first high-level bilateral visit from the country to Uganda since 1997, Ministry of External Affairs officials said.

The Vice President arrived in Kampala this evening after bidding farewell to Rwanda, where he spent three days in its capital Kigali.

Uganda is the last leg of his five-day two-nation visit to these East African countries. During his visit here from February 21-23 he will meet and hold bilateral talks with President Yoweri Museveni, attend a banquet hosted by him and pay floral tributes to the bust of Mahatma Gandhi in Jinja.

Besides, meeting the top leadership, Ansari will also attend India-Uganda Business Forum tomorrow. On February 23, he will also interact with the Indian community here.

The Vice President along with wife Salma, is traveling with Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Vijay Sampla, four MPs -- Kanimozhi, Ranvijay Singh Judev, Ranee Narah and P K Biju, and senior officials.

Ansari embarked on the trip on February 19. He arrived in Rwandan capital Kigali the same evening and attended a banquet hosted there by the Indian High Commission of Uganda.

The Vice President had said that this visit is part of a "conscious effort" by the Indian government to "intensify interactions" with Africa.

In Kigali, Ansari paid tributes at the Kigali Genocide Memorial and called it a symbol of an "indomitable spirit" of the people of Rwanda in finding reconciliation with its turbulent past.

He also launched India-Rwanda innovation Growth Programme yesterday after which the two sides signed three MoUs for setting up an entrepreneurship development centre in Rwanda, starting flight service from Kigali to Mumbai from April 3, and for working on mutual exemption of visa requirements for holders of diplomatic and official passports.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
BJP, which is a coalition partner in Mehbooba Mufti led government in Jammu and Kashmir, today accused the state government of rewarding "stone-pelters and terrorists".

"It is shocking to know that anti-national and anti-social elements are preferred over the martyrs by the (state) government", BJP State Spokesperson Virender Gupta said today.

"It is indeed very unfortunate that the stone pelters and the terrorists are being rewarded," he alleged.

"Soft and friendly approach towards those staging proxy war against the nation at the behest of enemy or those who indulge in anti-social or anti-national activities on their instigation is really hurting," he said.

He said that it was distressing that no announcement has been made for the compensation to any of the families of the soldiers who sacrificed their lives in defending the sovereignty of the country.

Gupta said that it was "shocking to know that anti-national and anti-social elements are preferred over the martyrs by the government."



He claimed that the BJP has always been at the forefront in providing financial assistance recently it gave Rs 5 lakh each to the two families of soldiers killed in Uri attack.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A retired High Court judge will conduct an inquiry into the alleged leak of question papers in two subjects during the ongoing class X Assam board examination.

State Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, "We will conduct a probe into the entire matter by a former High Court Judge once the examinations are over."



He also said he would request Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal to relieve him from the education portfolio.

Question papers of social studies and modern indian languages (Assamese) subjects, examinations for which are due on February 24 and March 7 respectively, were wrongly distributed among students in a couple of examination centres yesterday, in place of mathematics.

The Board of Secondary Education, Assam (SEBA), which conducts the class X matric examination, has today announced that new question papers would be set for the social studies and MIL (Assamese) examinations.

SEBA also rescheduled the social studies examination to March 11 next.

Sarma claimed that the question papers were not distributed among any student or leaked. He said SEBA has decided to hold the examinations with new set of papers in order to dispel any doubt in the minds of the examinees.

"We have received official reports that only the question paper bundles of these two subjects were wrongly opened by the headmasters (of schools where examination centres were set up) who had immediately sealed them again," he said.

"Since media reports had led to doubts in the minds of people, we are going for a new set of question papers," he added.

Blaming the media for creating the question paper leak story, the minister alleged that "personal vendetta of a proprietor of a leading media house in the state" against him had led to the situation.

"The innocent students are being held hostage in this personal feud. I will request the chief minister to relieve me of the education department since I do not want students to suffer because of a personal clash," Sarma added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An Austrian court today approved a US extradition request for a Ukrainian oligarch suspected of paying millions of dollars in bribes to Indian officials.

The court decision overturns a lower court ruling nearly two years ago against extraditing Dymitro Firtash.

The judge then said that the US move was at least partially politically motivated through links to political events in Ukraine, and not supported by sufficient evidence.

Extradition, however, is still not a certainty. Leo Levnaic-Iwanski, who headed the judges' panel of the Upper State Court, said the final decision will be made by Justice Minister Wolfgang Brandstetter.

Firtash was indicted in Chicago by a US grand jury in 2012 for allegedly paying off officials through US banks in a failed attempt to secure titanium mining rights in India.

Arrested a year later in Vienna, Firtash posted bail of 125 million euros (more than USD 130 million) shortly afterward, leaving him free but unable to leave Austria.

One of Ukraine's most influential businessmen, Firtash, 51, is well connected both in Moscow and with Ukrainian politicians opposed to the Kremlin. He earned millions of dollars in the natural gas trading sector under deposed pro-Russian Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The city medical examiner was expected to perform an autopsy today on Russia's ambassador to the United Nations, who died a day earlier after falling ill at his office at Russia's UN mission.

Spokeswoman Julie Bolcer said the case was referred to the office by the hospital. The medical examiner is responsible for investigating deaths that occur by criminal violence, accident, suicide, suddenly or when the person seemed healthy, or if someone died in any unusual or suspicious manner. Most of the deaths investigated by the office are not suspicious.

Vitaly Churkin, who died a day before his 65th birthday, had been Russia's envoy at the United Nations since 2006. He was the longest-serving ambassador on the Security Council, the UN's most powerful body.

The Security Council held a moment of silence today in memory of Churkin, whom UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called "not only an outstanding diplomat but an extraordinary human being."



Russian President Vladimir Putin esteemed Churkin's "professionalism and diplomatic talents," spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, according to the state agency TASS. Moscow has not yet given a date for the funeral.

Diplomatic colleagues from around the world mourned Churkin as a master in their field, saying he had both a deep knowledge of diplomacy and a large and colorful personality. US Ambassador Nikki Haley said that while she and Churkin did not always agree, "he unquestionably advocated his country's positions with great skill."



Her predecessor, Samantha Power, described him on Twitter as a "diplomatic maestro and deeply caring man" who had done all he could to bridge differences between the US and Russia.

Those differences were evident when Power and Churkin spoke at the Security Council last month, and Power lashed out at Russia for annexing Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula and for carrying out "a merciless military assault" in Syria. Churkin countered that Democratic former President Barack Obama's administration, which Power served in, was "desperately" searching for scapegoats for its failures in Iraq, Syria and Libya.

Churkin died weeks into some major adjustments for Russia, the UN and the international community, with a new secretary-general at the world body and a new administration in Washington. Meanwhile, the Security Council is due this week to discuss Ukraine and Syria.

From Moscow's vantage point, "Churkin was like a rock against which were broken the attempts by our enemies to undermine what constitutes the glory of Russia," TASS quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Bangladesh today assured India that its soil will not be allowed to be used by anti-India elements and denied existence of any camp of Northeast insurgent groups.

This was conveyed to the Director General (DG) of the Border Security Force (BSF) K K Sharma by chief of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Major General Abul Hossain during the 44th border coordination conference held here.

According to a joint statement, "DG BGB stated that there are no Indian Insurgent Groups camp/ hideout inside Bangladesh. DG BGB further mentioned that Bangladesh does not allow her soil to be used by any entity or element hostile to any country which stems from the principle position of the highest leadership of the country".

DG BSF sought further cooperation from BGB for destruction of reported hideouts of (Indian Insurgent Groups) in Bangladesh and safe release of Indian nationals whenever abducted by them, it said.

The five-day meet highlighted the importance of Coordinated Border Management Plan (CBMP) in curbing the menace of trans-border crimes like smuggling of arms, ammunition, explosives, drugs and narcotics including Yaba (Amphetamine), fake currency notes, gold and cattle, breaching of IBB (Indo-Bangladesh Border) fence, dacoities, theft, abductions etc and both sides agreed to implement CBMP in letter and spirit.

Both sides agreed to take effective steps to prevent human trafficking and illegal crossing.

Both the delegation agreed to enhance joint capacity building of personnel from either side, sharing of information regarding organised criminal activities, increased surveillance in areas vulnerable to crimes of the border.

In this regard, mapping of vulnerable areas to trans- border criminal activities will be updated as and when required and before each DG-level talk, the statement said.

The chief of Border Guard Bangladesh expressed grave concern on the incidents of firing and killing of Bangladeshi nationals and emphasised the need for bringing the death toll to zero through exercising extreme caution by BSF and sensitising Indian nationals.

Highlighting the fact that though the non-lethal strategy has proved extremely successful in reducing deaths in the border, DG BSF said that it has also resulted in an alarming increase in incidents of attacks by the criminals on BSF personnel.

He also conveyed that BSF personnel fire with non-lethal weapon only in self-defense. DG BSF sought cooperation of BGB in stopping Bangladeshi nationals from crossing the IB, the joint statement said.

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Joint efforts by BGB and BSF will be undertaken to bring down the killing incidence to zero by increasing coordinated patrols in areas vulnerable to cattle and drug smuggling, educating border population about the sanctity of IB and preventing criminals from crossing the IB.

Both sides agreed to conduct joint spot verification and appraisal on major incident/ killing in the bordering areas of Bangladesh and India which will go a long way to reduce the differences of opinion or understanding regarding any major incidents.

DG BGB expressed gratitude to Government of India and BSF for approving plans to use Indian border roads for constructing new BGB BOPs in remote areas of Chittagong Hill Tracts.

DG BSF requested to expedite verification of nationality for early repatriation of BD nationals found staying in Indian Jails/ Correction homes.

DG BSF informed the house that, Indian Government has authorized BSF for repair and maintenance of border pillars except in the state of Meghalaya. Both sides agreed to formulate common modalities for repair and maintenance of border pillars.

Both the DGs decided to approach their concerned ministries to increase the number of 'border haats' and promote 'border tourism' which will help improving socio-economic condition of the bordering people.
In a bank robbery, miscreants looted Rs 6.60 lakh from Mahichala branch of Utkal Gramya Bank in Odisha's Kalahandi district, police said.

The miscreants broke open a window to enter the bank and looted the cash last night, the police said.

A gas cutter was used by them to cut the window and an iron chest which contained cash. They, however, failed to open the other chest containing gold, the police said.

An FIR has been lodged by the bank manager at Junagarh police station, a police officer said.

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News / National

by Staff reporter

THE Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) has given building societies up to March 31, 2017 to submit detailed plans on housing development projects they intend to embark on between now and next year.In the 2017 Monetary Policy statement presented last week, RBZ Governor Dr John Mangudya said housing and infrastructure development were critical for sustainable growth of the economy."There is currently a gap in the provision of housing and the banking sector plays a central role in bridging this gap."In this regard, building societies are required to submit detailed plans by March 31, 2017, on the housing development projects and units they will be undertaking in 2017 and 2018," said the Governor.He said in 2016, building societies funded a total of 1 531 new units valued at $75,02 million. Under Zim-Asset, the Government targets developing 300 000 housing units by 2018."It is encouraging to note that the highest number of housing units funded during 2016 was targeted at low income households in the high density areas," said Dr Mangudya.The Governor said there was further scope for building societies to re-engineer their business models, mobilise funding and forge partnerships with relevant partners to offer affordable housing units.One of the building societies, the National Building Society (NBS), has already set a target to deliver 10 000 residential units this year and 100 000 by 2021.The National Social Security Authority (NSSA) owned-building society, which was launched last year, has so far managed to deliver 1 000 housing units.As part of efforts to improve the country housing development initiative in line with Zim-Asset, NBS has also made further investment into housing projects setting aside an additional funding ranging between $30 million and $35 million.The building society was launched with an initial capital investment amounting to $25 million. Zimbabwe's housing backlog is estimated at 1,25 million.Dr Mangudya has also challenged microfinance institutions to develop innovative housing micro-finance in line with developments in other countries."Microfinance for housing is believed to progressively upgrade poor families' homes."Such upgrades will entail building a home in incremental steps by improving existing infrastructure rooms including adding a room, or installing water or electricity."As at 31 December 2016, the portfolio in mortgage business by building societies ranged between 40 percent and 73 percent signifying the need to align to the recommended thresholds of 80 percent previously announced by the Reserve Bank," he said.According to the RBZ boss, 796 high density housing units were funded to the tune of $16,1 million in 2016 while during the same period 116 medium density houses were funded at a cost of $6,3 million.During the same period, 564 low density housing units were funded to the tune of $35 million.
Popular comedian Bharti Singh says she is excited to get married by the end of this year and is looking forward to all the ceremonies which will happen during her marriage.

Bharti says she wants to enjoy her wedding with all the hustle bustle along with her would be husband, Haarsh Limbhachiyaa.

"I am very excited for the wedding but more so for all the ceremonies, like 'mehandi' and 'sangeet'. I want to do it all because all throughout the year we work hard and don't get to do these things," Bharti told PTI.

"Haarsh is so simple that he doesn't like all this 'shor-sharaba' but I am opposite, I like all these things. He had to agree with me because I am his would be wife," she quipped.

The 32-year-old comedian says, while a date has not yet been fixed, the couple will get married by the end of the year.

"By November-December we will get married. We haven't decided a date yet because there are a lot of shows we are working on. When I want to get married, I wouldn't like to do anything for one month before that.

"I want to just get busy with pre-wedding preparations. Shootings will keep happening but marriage happens only once."



Bharti is currently busy shooting for Sony Max's show "Bittu Bak Bak" along with Krushna Abhishek. The show is a comic relief filler, formulated as spoofs on iconic scenes from Bollywood.

On the show, Bharti is seen as a mischievous student 'Bittu' while Krushna features as a teacher.

Bharti says working with Krushna, with whom she has collaborated several times in the past, makes things absolutely at ease.

"I get so comfortable when Krushna is around. There are certain things which if I can't do, he will handle. He doesn't have any ego that 'I am the star so don't give any lines to Bittu where he takes my case'."



Bharti says she realised the reach of the show when she was approached by a fan in Maldives who called out her name as 'Bittu' and credits the entire team, including Haarsh who has written the gags.

"We shoot all the gags together and the experience on set is lively. Right from the light 'dada' to actors, we have a ball shooting it. There is a lot of improvisation and comfort zone. I am friends with all the unit and on top of it, Haarsh is writing it. So it is very peaceful.

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A case has been lodged against a senior Congress leader in Bihar for allegedly sexually exploiting a minor girl who is daughter of a former state minister hailing from the same party.

Bihar Congress Vice-President Brajesh Kumar alias Brajesh Pandey has been booked under POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences).

Inspector General of Police (Weaker Section) Anil Kishore Yadav confirmed the lodging of case under POCSO against Kumar on the basis of supervision note submitted by CID Women's cell Deputy Superintendent of Police Mamta Kalyani.

Refusing to divulge more details the IGP told PTI today that investigation is on in the matter.

The Congress leader's name has been included in the case along with main accused Nikhil Priyadarshi.

The girl alleged Priyadarshi duping her in the name of marriage and blackmailed her with his brother, another co-accused and the Congress leader.

An FIR has been registered in this connection with SC/ST police station in Patna.

Priyadarshi and other co-accused are absconding after a lower court here had recently rejected his anticipatory bail application.

When contacted the state Congress chief spokesman H K Verma refused any comment on the issue.

Bihar Congress President and minister Ashok Choudhary is out of state campaigning for the party in Uttar Pradesh.

Brajesh Pandey had unsuccessfully contested from Govindganj constituency in East Champaran in 2015.

The girl appeared on local TV channels today and narrated her woes. She alleged that Brajesh Pandey was introduced to her as a big leader and used to threaten her with dire consequences.

She also alleged Pandey of being involved in a sex racket.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
BJP leader Vishwajit Krishnarao Rane, who has been accused by his former driver of killing a man over 10 years ago, today said allegations levelled against him were "politically motivated".

Pandurang Adarkar, a former driver of Rane, has claimed he had witnessed the killing of one Shanu Gaonkar in 2006 by the BJP leader, who contested the February 4 Goa Assembly election from Poriem constituency.

"The allegations are baseless. I had removed the driver from his job two months before election as he used to pick up quarrels with people," Rane told PTI, breaking his silence over the allegations which surfaced on Sunday.

"The conduct of the driver would have worked against me during the elections so I relieved him of his duty and sent back home.

"During election campaigning, he often called me and requested to take him back in service, but I did not entertain him as I was busy in the campaigning," he said.

The BJP leader said he was shocked after a video surfaced on social media in which Adarkar purportedly claimed he was a witness to Rane "shooting" Gaonkar dead in Sattari tehsil.

"He has been used by my political opponents for their gains. The allegations are politically motivated," Rane maintained.

The driver, currently detained by Valpoi police, had claimed Rane shot Gaonkar in a bar to avenge the killing of his brother Prithviraj who was lynched by a mob in 2005.

Police have started a preliminary inquiry into the allegations and are recording statements of people named by Adarkar in the video.

Inspector Dipak Pednekar has said he would not summon Rane till preliminary inquiry is over.

Meanwhile, Congress today demanded immediate arrest of Rane. "Rane should be immediately arrested. Only his custodial interrogation would reveal the truth," All India Congress Committee Secretary Girish Chodankar told reporters here.

(Reopens BOM15)



The Congress leader said police were under pressure from some of their seniors due to which there is no fair inquiry into the claims made by Adarkar, a native of Kolhapur in adjoining Maharashtra.

In a related development, social activist Aires Rodrigues today moved a petition before Goa State Human Rights Commission seeking directives to the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police to conduct an impartial inquiry in the case.

Rane contested the Assembly election from Poriem constituency against Congress leader Pratapsinh Rane.
Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu today exuded confidence of BJP winning the Uttar Pradesh assembly election with majority and said SP and BSP are only fighting for the role of main opposition party.

Naidu, who holds the portfolios of Information and Broadcasting and Urban Development, also criticised Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav for his "donkeys of Gujarat" comment, saying language used was not "people's language".

"We have full confidence that BJP will win with majority in Uttar Pradesh and form the government. Both SP and BSP are fighting for the role of opposition. People will decide who will be the opposition party between SP and BSP," he told reporters here.

Naidu was speaking on the sidelines of a conference 'Real Estate Sector Post Remonetisation and RERA', organised by PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

On Yadav's comment about "donkeys of Gujarat", he said, "When we address the people, we should speak the people's language. We understand that this (Yadav's comment) is not people's language".

Yesterday while addressing a rally at Rae Bareli, Yadav advised Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan not to endorse the "donkeys of Gujarat".

Without taking names, he referred to an advertisement in which Bachchan, the brand ambassador of Gujarat Tourism, is seen inviting tourists to visit the Wild Ass Sanctuary located in Little Rann of Kutch in the state.

"There's an advertisement on TV which shows donkeys. I appeal to the century's biggest star, please stop endorsing the donkeys of Gujarat," Yadav had said.

Hitting out at SP-Congress coalition, Naidu said the SP has aligned with Congress which he alleged was responsible for black money and corruption.

He dubbed the coalition as "immoral and unrealistic" and claimed that people on the ground are "not accepting" it.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An advertisement published in newspapers today sparked off another controversy with the Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP rushing to the State Election Commission with complaints of violation of the model code.

The Sena objected to the full page advertisement featuring Bollywood actor Aamir Khan which was released by NGO Mumbai First.

Yuva Sena officer-bearer Dharmendra Mishra has lodged a complaint this afternoon with the SEC objecting to the advertisement.

In his complaint Mishra said, "The words and images used in the newspaper clearly say about change of government (refers to the change of power in BMC) which is nothing but an act of their corrupt practices which they are using for the purpose of influencing voters."



The parties argued that the use of words 'transparency' and 'transformation', the key words in BJP's election campaign for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) election amounted to influencing voters.

The advertisement also urged Mumbai's electorate to exercise their franchise and stated, among other things, that people must vote for accountability and transparency.

The SEC had banned any political advertisement after 5.30 PM on February 19, the deadline of campaigning.

About 56 per cent voters today exercised franchise across ten municipal corporations in Maharashtra, including the all-important Mumbai civic body BMC which recorded a 55 per cent turn-out.

According to state Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant, "The advertisement in English and Marathi newspapers clearly highlights the issues of transparency and change promoted by the BJP."



"Although it has been issued by an organisation, everybody knows its close association to Devendra Fadnavis. This is a blatant violation of code of conduct and we have a meeting with the State Election Commissioner to lodge a complaint tomorrow," he said.

NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik has pointed out that as per the new notification of Election Commission, no advertisement can be published 48 hours prior to the polling day.

"BJP has a role to play in this advertisement. The NCP will take up the issue with the SEC and ensure an FIR is filed against those involved," he said.

State Election Commissioner J S Saharia said, "The commission will take cognizance once the complaint is registered."



"Raising the issues faced by citizens for awareness in the election is the right of any organisation. We will take action if a nexus is proved by the complainant," Saharia said.

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Bihar Congress Vice-President Brajesh Kumar alias Brajesh Pandey has been booked in a case of sexual exploitation of a minor girl, following which he tendered resignation from his post.

Pandey has been booked under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act on the basis of a supervision note submitted by CID Women's cell DSP Mamta Kalyani, IGP (Weaker Section) Anil Kishore Yadav told PTI today.

Refusing to divulge more details, the IGP told PTI that investigation is on in the matter.

Pandey's name has been included in the case along with main accused Nikhil Priyadarshi.

The victim girl, daughter of a former state minister also from Congress, alleged that Priyadarshi duped her in the name of marriage and blackmailed her with his brother, another co-accused and the Congress leader.

An FIR has been registered in this connection with SC/ST police station in Patna.

Priyadarshi and the other co-accused are absconding after a local court recently rejected their anticipatory bail.

The girl appeared on local TV channels today and narrated her woes.

Alleging that Pandey, who was introduced to her as a big leader, used to threaten her with dire consequences, she accused him of



being involved in a sex racket.

As the matter hogged media limelight, Pandey resigned from his post saying, "I do not want that the party suffer in any manner because of me".

He faxed his resignation letter to state party president Ashok Choudhary.

State party spokesman Harkhu Jha said in a statement that the state president, who is now campaigning for Uttar Pradesh Assembly election, accepted the resignation.

Pandey, who had unsuccessfully contested from Govindganj constituency in East Champaran in 2015, pleaded innocence in his resignation letter.

The victim girl has been accusing Nikhil Priyadarshi and his family but "I do not know how come she is now naming me... I am deliberately victimised on behalf of somebody," he said in the letter.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The city police on Tuesday arrested six youths for allegedly vandalising the regional office of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) in Hyderabad for not giving clearance to the Telugu film "Sharanam Gachchami".

Six protesters, belonging to various student organisations, barged into the office in Kavadiguda area and damaged the furniture while shouting slogans, said an officer from Gandhi Nagar police station.

A employee suffered minor injuries during the incident, he added.

The students were protesting non-issuance of censor certificate to "Sharanam Gachchami", the police officer said.

A official lodged a complaint with the police and the students were arrested under The Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act and IPC offences of trespass, criminal intimidation, etc.

"Sharanam Gachchami", which touches on the issue of reservations, was sent to the CBFC regional office in the first week of January but was refused clearance, the film's director Enumula Prem Raj had said earlier.
China is building a third aircraft carrier based on American models as it seeks to fortify its claims in the disputed South China Sea and dominate the larger Indian Ocean region to realise its blue water aspirations.

Chinese experts said China is on course to build 5-6 aircraft carriers.

While the first aircraft carrier, Liaoning, is a refitted Soviet-era ship, the second is being built on the same model with more advanced facilities and is likely to enter service in 2020.

The latest carrier, under construction at Shanghai, is based on US models, state-run Global Times reported today.

Based on information released by Chinese defence ministry, the second Type 001A carrier being built at the northeast Dalian port uses the ski-jump technology for aircraft to take off, like the first carrier Liaoning rather than a more advanced catapult technology used by American carriers.

The second aircraft carrier is expected to have a displacement of 50,000 tonnes.

China is looking into catapult technology for the third Type 002 carrier being built in Shanghai, the daily quoted Li Jie, a naval military expert, as saying.

"In other words, 002 is entirely different from Liaoning (001) and 001A, and it will look like a US aircraft carrier rather than a Russian one," Li added.

Official Chinese media have earlier reported about the possibility of a third carrier but it is the first time they have announced that it was being built.

Most advanced carriers use the Electromagnetic Catapult System, or Electromagnetic launcher (EML), to launch fighter jets, but China is also testing steam catapults, Li said.

"In order to protect China's territories and overseas interests, China needs two carrier strike groups in the West Pacific Ocean and two in the Indian Ocean. So we need at least five to six aircraft carriers," Yin Zhuo, a senior researcher at the PLA Navy Equipment Research Centre, said.

Chinese media has often highlighted the construction of aircraft carriers as the US deployed aircraft carriers in the disputed South China Sea challenging Beijing's claims.

The US Navy on Sunday announced that an aircraft carrier strike group has begun "routine operations" in the South China Sea. The announcement came despite a warning from China not to interfere with Chinese sovereignty in the region.

China has a long history of maritime disputes with its South China Sea neighbours. It claims almost all of the South China Sea, despite objections from the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Vietnam.

China has also created artificial islands in the area, outfitting some of them with military features.

(REOPENS FGN 8)



Meanwhile, the Liaoning carried extensive exercises in the South China Sea and Taiwan straits. China is ramping up plans to produce J-15 fighter jets to be deployed on the carriers. Some of them are seen exercising on the Liaoning.

China Central Television has reported that the second carrier's scaffold has been removed and a red undercoat has been painted below its waterline. A launch ceremony will soon be held.

"Unlike the Liaoning, the 001A is China-built, and its design, combat capability and technologies will be much more advanced," said Song Zhongping, a military expert.

"One key difference is the design will be more 'humanised,' which means all personnel on the carrier will enjoy a more comfortable and modern environment," Song said.

However, "there's still a long way to go from its launch to enlistment, which normally takes two years," Yin said.

"Its status can be compared to a house whose paint job has been completed but requires decorating, which, in military terms, is called the 'outfitting stage'," Song said.

It means all weapons and equipment, including the radar, air-defence and communications system will be outfitted on the carrier. After this, the carrier and aircraft on it will be tested and then the carrier will be ready to serve, Song said.

A large amount of work remains to be done on the carrier's outfitting stage after it's launched, presumably sometime this year, Li said.

"It will take about one to two years to carry out functional debugging of its devices, weapons and equipment. The new aircraft carrier can begin sea trials by early 2019," he said.
The Supreme Court today said a constitution bench would in May hear the question whether the children of illegal migrants born here can avail the benefit of citizenship under the existing law.

A bench headed by Chief Justice J S Khehar said that four constitution benches would sit during the summer vacations, scheduled from May 11 to July 1, to hear contentious issues, including triple talaq, constitutional validity of Aadhaar and status of children of illegal Bangladeshi migrants to Assam.

Besides, the larger bench would also deal with the issue of constitutional validity of section 6A of the Citizenship Act with regard to the cut-off date for awarding citizenship to the Bangladeshi migrants.

"We will have four constitution bench (during summer vacations). This matter will be one of them," the bench, also comprising Justices D Y Chandrachud and S K Kaul, said.

At the outset, the bench told the petitioners, "You do not seem to be serious. You are taking it very casually".

The parties in the case contended before the bench that they were ready to argue the matter during the vacation.

"Counsel for the parties agrees that this matter be posted for hearing in the vacations. Let it be fixed for May 11," the bench said.

In July 1025, another bench of the apex court had referred the question for adjudication by a constitutional bench.

"We are referring to the Constitution bench the question as to the whether the children of illegal migrants would get the benefit of Section 3 of the Citizenship Act, as amended," the bench headed by Justice Ranjan Gogoi had said.

The bench, which was hearing various pleas arising out of its verdict on PILs on influx of illegal Bangladeshi migrants to Assam, had decided to keep monitoring the implementation of its directions.

It had earlier passed a slew of directions, including an order to the Centre to complete the fencing work along the India-Bangladesh border within three months to check cross-border influx of illegal Bangladesh nationals into Assam and streamline the process to deport them back.

The apex court had also laid down a time-table for



updating of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam so that the entire updated register is published by the end of January, 2016.

It had earlier appointed a panel of three former High Court judges, headed by Justice Aftab H Saikia, to monitor the NRC updation.

The apex court had also asked NRC to consider the request for registration by persons in Assam who were not residents of the state till March 24, 1971, if they provide proof of their citizenship of other Indian states.

In December 2014, the apex court had referred to a larger bench the issue of constitutional validity of section 6A of the Citizenship Act with regard to the cut-off date for awarding citizenship to the migrants.

It had asked the Centre to detect and deport all illegal migrants who have come to Assam after March 25, 1971 and hold discussions with the Bangladesh government to ensure that illegal migrants are sent back.

It had ruled that the foreigners, who came to India between January 1, 1966 to March 24, 1971, be awarded citizenship as per law.

The apex court's verdict had come on the pleas of Assam Sanmilita Mahasangha, Assam Public Works and All Assam Ahom Association filed in the aftermath of large-scale riots in 2012 and 2014 resulting in the death of a large number of persons.

In their writ petition, the petitioners have said the sovereignty and integrity of India is itself at stake as a massive influx of illegal migrants from a neighbouring country has affected the core constitutional value.
Rajya Sabha MP K T S Tulsi, BJP leader Subramaniam Swamy and AAP today joined Union minister Venkaiah Naidu in demanding a thorough probe into allegations that former CBI chief Amar Pratap Singh favoured controversial meat exporter Moin Qureshi.

"The allegations have to be throughly enquired into. It is a real shame for all of us that director of a premier investigative agency has now been charged," Naidu said earlier.

"This shows the level of corruption that has crept into the system. It should be taken to its logical conclusion and whatever links are there should be throughly investigated," he said.

BJP leader Subramanian Swamy said the development has sent a message that anybody, irrespective of his position, could be brought to book.

"In the first time in history, a CBI director has been brought to book," he said.

Senior lawyer and Rajya Sabha MP K T S Tulsi, who was nominated to the Upper House during the UPA regime, said it was a serious blow to the reputation of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

"One after the other the directors seem to be compromising the integrity of law and an institution which is the premier investigating agency in the country. If people lose faith in the institution, how are we going to have inquires against terrorists and those committing most heinous crimes?



"It is very important to have faith in the impartiality of the institution. It is a sad state of affairs," he said.

Demanding unearthing of the conspiracy in the case, senior AAP leader Ashutosh said the incident reflected the corruption in India's premier investigating agency and the way appointment of its directors was done.

The CBI had named Singh along with Qureshi and others in an FIR registered last week for allegedly favouring the meat exporter after receiving a complaint from the Enforcement Directorate. The agency had carried out searches at the residence of Singh yesterday.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
News / National

by YAfm

More than hundred dams in the country are now spilling over due to heavy rains still pounding the whole country. Zimbabwe National Water Authority, spokesperson Majorie Munyonga told yafm news that people living near water bodies should be on high alert.ZINWA says there is high probability of flooding in downstream communities, with the traditionally flood prone areas such as Muzarabani, Middle and Lower Sabi, Tsholotsho, Chikwalakwala, Malipati, Gokwe and Chiredzi being at risk.Meanwhile, areas such as Masvingo and parts of Midlands yesterday received some rainfall caused by Tropical Cyclone Dineo.
A communal clash was averted near an economic weaker section colony in Giaspura locality here today when two groups of people clashed with each other on a minor pretext, police said.

Brickbats and rods were used in the clash in which some persons received minor injuries.

According to police, members of both the communities sat together and settled the issue amicably.

They also demanded setting up of a permanent police post in the locality so that no such incident took place in future, police added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Delhi court has put on trial a lawyer for allegedly sexually assaulting his minor daughter after rejecting the cancellation report of the police giving him a clean chit.

Additional Sessions Judge Vinod Yadav pulled up the Delhi Police for "not showing any sensitivity towards the plight of the child" and deliberately delaying recording the statement of the 13-year-old girl before a magistrate.

The court refused to accept the cancellation report filed by the police, summoned the accused lawyer after taking cognisance of the offences and framed charges of sexual assault, sexual harassment and threatening his daughter under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and IPC.

"I find enough material on record not to accept the cancellation report filed in the matter as the child victim has levelled serious allegation of commission of sexual assault upon her by the accused, who is none other than her father. She had reiterated similar allegations against the accused at the time of her medical examination," the judge said.

"For the reasons best known to the investigating officer (IO) the statement of the child under section 164 CrPC was delayed for about six days. It appears that during those six days the accused could win over the child. Neither the IO, nor concerned SHO or ACP have shown the sensitivity towards the plight of the victim in the cancellation report filed in the matter," the court said.

The court framed charges against the man, a practicing lawyer, after he pleaded not guilty and claimed trial. He was granted bail after he appeared in the court in pursuance to summons.

The girl had told the police that in July 2016, her mother away at her relative's place and she was living in her house along with her father and siblings.

She alleged that her father had sexually harassed her by asking for sexual favours and established physical relations with her for several days. She had said her father had sexually assaulted her and used criminal force by twisting her arm with an intention to outrage her modesty.

Later, she said in her statement before a magistrate that her father had not committed any crime with her and police officials had come to her house following a quarrel between her parents and took her signatures on a blank paper.

The police in its cancellation report said in view of the girl's statement to the magistrate, no cognizable offence was made out against the man.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Dal Khalsa today strongly criticised Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh who predicted "terror" revival threat in the state over the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue, and blamed him for exaggerating the situation.

Taking Amarinder to task for allegedly raising the bogey of terror, Dal Khalsa party head Harpal Singh Cheema reminded the former chief minister that the first practical action to effectively stop the construction of the SYL canal was taken up by Babbar Khalsa militants in 1990s.

Had it been left to traditional mainstream politicians, the SYL would have been a reality long back, he said.

He said the digging of SYL was next to impossible now adding it is not the SYL issue that had the potential to trigger the revival of armed rebellion but the continued "injustice" being meted out to Punjab by all organs of the state.

He said if Amarinder was seriously concerned about any possible revival of militancy then he should work to find out respectable resolution to lingering Punjab problem.

Cheema said Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) leader Abhay Chautala was creating chaos only to revive his political moorings, adding the Badal family have abandoned Punjab in this hour of crisis to felicitate their Haryana friend Om Parkash Chautala to play misadventure.

He said given the chance, the people of Punjab were enough to deal with the likes of Chautala and protect its water resources from any outside aggression.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das will lead a high level delegation comprising political leaders to China as part of bilateral exchange programme to be held this year.

In a letter written to the Chief Minister, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has asked to fix the dates before August 15 and inform the foreign ministry so that the programme could be scheduled after talking to the Chinese authorities, according to an official release.

"It is a part of exchange programme of high-level delegations from the both countries with the chief minister as the head of the delegation," it said.

The main objective of the programme is to make both the sides understand each other's country to strengthen bilateral relations, the release added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The cause and manner of death of Russia's ambassador to the United Nations needs to be studied further, the city medical examiner has said, a day after the diplomat fell ill at his office at Russia's UN mission and died at a hospital.

Further study usually includes toxicology and other screenings, which can take weeks. The case was referred to the medical examiner's office by the hospital, spokeswoman Julie Bolcer said.

Vitaly Churkin, who died a day before his 65th birthday, had been Russia's envoy at the United Nations since 2006. He was the longest-serving ambassador on the Security Council, the UN's most powerful body.

The medical examiner is responsible for investigating deaths that occur by criminal violence, accident, suicide, suddenly or when the person seemed healthy, or if someone died in any unusual or suspicious manner. Most of the deaths investigated by the office are not suspicious.

Russian President Vladimir Putin esteemed Churkin's "professionalism and diplomatic talents," spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, according to the state agency TASS. Moscow has not yet given a date for Churkin's funeral.

Diplomatic colleagues from around the world mourned Churkin as a master in their field, saying he had both a deep knowledge of diplomacy and a large and colorful personality. US Ambassador Nikki Haley said that while she and Churkin did not always agree, "he unquestionably advocated his country's positions with great skill."



Her predecessor, Samantha Power, described him on Twitter as a "diplomatic maestro and deeply caring man" who had done all he could to bridge differences between the U.S. And Russia.

Those differences were evident when Power and Churkin spoke at the Security Council last month, and Power lashed out at Russia for annexing Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula and for carrying out "a merciless military assault" in Syria. Churkin countered that Democratic former President Barack Obama's administration, in which Power served, was "desperately" searching for scapegoats for its failures in Iraq, Syria and Libya.

Churkin died weeks into some major adjustments for Russia, the UN and the international community, with a new secretary-general at the world body and a new administration in Washington. Meanwhile, the Security Council discussed Ukraine yesterday and is set to discuss Syria later in the week.

Ukraine is currently holding the Security Council's rotating presidency, and Ukrainian Ambassador Volodymyr Yelchenko led members Tuesday in a moment of silence in Churkin's memory. Yelchenko didn't add his own words to the tributes that followed, though Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin gave condolences when reporters asked afterward.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The opposition on Tuesday submitted a letter to Tamil Nadu Assembly Secretary AMP Jamaludeen for a No-Confidence Motion against Speaker P Dhanapal.

The DMK's move came a day after party Working President and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly M K Stalin said his party will move a No-Confidence Motion against the Speaker in the backdrop of the February 18 trust vote which Chief Minister E K Palaniswami won with a 122-11 margin.

"We have given a letter to the Assembly Secretary for bringing a No-Confidence Motion against Speaker Dhanapal," Stalin told reporters at the Secretariat here.

A copy of the letter has been submitted to the Speaker as well, he said.

"During the session on February 18, the Speaker acted with ulterior motives. On that basis, given that there is no confidence on him, we have submitted the letter seeking a No-Confidence Motion against him," he said.

Stalin on Monday had said would move a No-Confidence Motion against Dhanapal, accusing him of "deliberately harping on his community to malign" the opposition party.

His statement had come in response to Dhanapal's charge on Saturday after the confidence vote faced by Palanisamy that he was perhaps targeted by the during the ruckus for hailing from a particular community.

"When we see that the Speaker is deliberately harping on his community to maligns us, it is very regrettable. It is a matter of shame, according to us, for Tamil Nadu," Stalin had said.

"Therefore, we will move a No-Confidence Motion (against Dhanapal). Signatures of 34 of our MLAs are enough for that and the (Assembly) rules mandate that it (motion) should be taken up within 15 days," he had said.

The DMK has 89 MLAs in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly.

On Saturday, amidst chaotic scenes involving the DMK which eventually led to eviction of its members enmasse, the Palaniswami government won the trust vote by the huge margin.
Political parties of Manipur today met the full bench of Election Commission here and urged it to ensure free and fair elections in the state which will be held in two phases early next month.

The ruling Congress also requested the EC to provide more forces in the Naga infested areas of the Hills, so that people can cast their votes without fear.

"We have requested them to provide more forces for the hills so that people can vote without fear," state Congress general secretary Vidyapati Sejam told PTI.

The opposition BJP expressed satisfaction with the preparations of polls and urged the EC to conduct the elections in a free and fair manner.

Another opposition party Trinamool Congress, which is contesting in 24 seats, accused the ruling Congress of letting loose a reign of terror and charged a section of the police officers with working partially.

"We have told the EC how our candidates are being threatened by Congress in various places. We want our candidates in hills to be given protection. The police are hand in gloves with Congress and are not taking any action," TMC leader in charge of Manipur, Samrat Tapadar said.

Most of the police officers are working in such a way as if they are activists of Congress, Tapadar alleged.

Other political outfits also met the EC officials.

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Ecuadoran officials denied claims of fraud in a tightly-fought election as the last votes were counted today to determine whether the ruling socialists will have to fight a runoff vote.

With just under 94 percent of ballots counted from Sunday's election, leftist ruling party candidate Lenin Moreno had just over 39 percent of the vote, according to the National Electoral Council.

That was just short of the 40 percent needed to avoid a runoff against his conservative rival Guillermo Lasso, who was on 28.4 percent.

The president of the National Electoral Council, Juan Pablo Pozo, said it could take until Thursday for the full results to be confirmed.

Lasso said he was confident there would be a second round runoff.

"That it should take three days to publish final results is an attempt at fraud and we are not going to allow that," he wrote on Twitter.

The electoral council has denied any fraud took place. It insisted in a statement that it would "guarantee that the people's will is respected."



"Never in the history of the country have results come out less than 48 hours after the end of voting," it said on Twitter.

Supporters of Lasso earlier scuffled with police as they gathered outside the electoral council, impatient at the delay.

Lasso called on people "not to give in to provocation."



Political analyst Santiago Basabe of the social science institute FLACSO said it was "difficult for the current trend (towards a runoff vote) to be reversed."



Opinion polls indicate Moreno may well lose a runoff in which supporters of other conservative opposition groups are likely to rally behind Lasso.

Sunday's election was a test of the legacy of outgoing President Rafael Correa, Moreno's more hardline ally, who is an outspoken critic of the United States.

Ecuadorans voted on whether to continue Correa's tax-and-spend policies or give Lasso a mandate to cut spending and taxes.

If ex-banker Lasso wins the presidency, another pillar of the Latin American left will swing to the right after Argentina, Brazil and Peru did so in recent months.

Lasso has also said he will consider ending WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's asylum in Ecuador's London embassy.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Governor of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana E S L Narasimhan today emphasised the need to provide quality education from school-level onward and rued thousands of graduates are coming out of colleges every year with "zero skills".

Speaking after inaugurating TalentSprint's 'SmartCampus' here, he said the education sector is not producing the desired results and needs to be restructured.

Students coming out of colleges are turning into machines instead of human beings, an official release quoted the Governor as saying at the event.

He lamented engineering graduates are unable face interviews due to lack of desired skills. "Thousands of graduates are coming out of colleges every year with zero skills."



Narasimhan said, "Today what we require is skill development. I would also like to appeal that this is the time for all of us to sit down and think what is wrong with our education system.

"Something has gone wrong with our education system, the capacity to think, innovate, ask questions or the intuitive system has collapsed, our educational system has just become a mechanical process, that's where the skill talent will provide a platform which will take us forward."



He felt that with increasing digitisation in all aspects of life, memory power is decreasing in students, forcing them to rely more on virtual world.

He said changes are necessary in methods of teaching to ensure students are fully equipped with required skills and are ready to face the real time world.

"It is time for Government to reinvent education and there is no purpose in opening IITs, IIMs all over the place unless I have the right quality of faculty and right quality of education," the Governor added.

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A city court today awarded life imprisonment till death to a 22-year-old man for raping and killing an 81-year-old widow at her South Delhi residence two years ago, saying it was a "brutal and diabolic" act.

"Keeping in view facts and circumstances of the case, I sentence the convict to undergo rigorous imprisonment for life which shall mean imprisonment for the remainder of his natural life or death," Additional Sessions Judge Sanjiv Jain said while handing down the jail term to Neeraj Safi, the victim's servant who raped and killed her in her Greater Kailash-II house on July 7, 2014.

"In the instant case, the convict not only committed the vile act upon the victim, an old lady aged 81 years, but also strangled her to death. He was her full-time servant and was engaged to take care of her. He set the victim on fire after cutting pieces of mattress and using kerosene oil. The act of the convict was brutal and diabolic," the judge said.

The court, which said he committed a heinous offence and betrayed the trust of his master who was an aged lady, refused to award death sentence, considering Safi's age and clean antecedents.

"It is also true that the convict is a young man aged 22, and does not have previous record of conviction and his parents are old and poor, but it is still noted that he committed rape and murder of his master aged 81 years who used to live alone. He betrayed her trust and did heinous offence.

"On considering the facts and circumstances of the case, balancing the interest of the society at large and the rights of the convict, I am of the view that this case does not fall under the category of rarest of rare case warranting death sentence," it said.

The court also observed that "brutality in taking away the life of the victim is only one of the factors which is required to be taken into consideration for coming to the conclusion that the case in hand is one of the rarest of rare ones," adding that it has to strike a balance between aggravating and mitigating circusmtances.

Besides the jail term, the court also imposed a fine of Rs 18,000 on him considering his poor background.

Special Public Prosecutor A T Ansari, who was also the



prosecutor in the December 16, 2012 gangrape case, had termed the incident as "more gruesome" than the Nirbhaya case which had triggered a public outcry across the country.

The SPP hailed the judgement, saying "I am satisfied that the accused has been held guilty on all counts of charge. This is one of the few cases I have dealt with in recent past including Nirbhaya case where accused demonstrated exceptional depravity and extreme brutality."



The victim's family, however, expected harsher punishment for the convict.

"Justice has been delivered. However, we were expecting a harsher punishment. Till now, we have not gone through the verdict. The moment we go through it, we will take our call accordingly," said the victim's daughter.

The court had on January 31 this year, convicted Saifi of offences under sections 302 (murder), 376 (rape) and 201 (destruction of evidence) of IPC.

The police, in its charge sheet, had said that on July 7, 2014, the convict raped Rekha Duggal, who used to stay alone since her husband died in 2005, and then strangled her with her 'chunni'.

The convict, who hails from Madhubani in Bihar, had then set the body of the victim on fire using kerosene and dragged it to an adjacent room, the police had said.

After killing her, Safi tried to mislead neighbours and the police about her whereabouts stating that she had not returned from her evening walk in a nearby park, the police had said.

The trial began on November 8, 2014 and was conducted on a daily basis for some time. However, due to pendency of forensic reports, it was discontinued.

The judgement in the case was reserved in July 2016, after the hearing of the final arguments.
News / National

by Ndou Paul

Yes 543 people or 110 families rescued by 11pm yesterday with some 100 or so people expected to be rescued today! https://t.co/5KxMyMUfrm  Prof Jonathan Moyo (@ProfJNMoyo) February 21, 2017

Professor Jonathan Moyo, the Higher Education Minister and MP for Tsholotsho, has risen to the challenge of saving his constituency, savaged by floods.Moyo yesterday summoned the Zimbabwe National Army to a serious humanitarian assistance operation not experienced in Zimbabwe to date which roped in Moyo's close ally Saviour Kasukuwere.543 people or 110 families were rescued by 11pm yesterday with some 100 or so people expected to be rescued today.Last night, the local CPU led by Tsholotsho District Ms Gladys Zhou said the rescue mission was still on course.She said people were being airlifted to Sipepa Secondary School and Sipepa Health Centre."The helicopter has so far done eight trips and it's still continuing. We hope by the end of the night to have moved everyone to safety," she is quoted in some sections of the media.Ms Zhou appealed for clothing and food for the affected villagers.Chief Mathuphula described the situation as dire, but said he was happy with the swift CPU response.
Taking over the reins of USD 103 billion Tata Group, Natarajan Chandrasekaran today called for more rigour in capital allocation so as to enhance shareholder value as also individual businesses of the conglomerate topping in their sectors.

The 30-year company veteran, Chandrasekaran, or Chandra as he's known, listed "enabling higher shareholder value" and making a significant and lasting social impact as his priorities as the Chairman of Tata Sons.

Taking over after a very public 4-month long boardroom battle involving ousted chairman Cyrus Mistry, he said the 'Tata Code of Conduct' has always been the bedrock of his personal commitment to value system and will always remain at the core of his leadership.

"We need to work together to excel, and to be ranked among the top performers in our respective industries," Chandra, 53, wrote to the group employees on his first day in office. "We will also bring more rigour to our capital allocation in order to consistently enhance stakeholder value."



Saying that it was humbling to lead the 150-year old Group, he said the Tata brand occupies a special place in people's hearts and minds as the flag bearers for trust and social responsibility.

"I have taken pride in our achievements as a group, in our ability to innovate and take risks in order to create pioneering and global businesses, and in our ongoing contribution to the communities that we work in," he wrote.

Credited with creating India's largest IT company TCS, Chandra said a key part of entrepreneurial DNA in Tata Group has always been its pioneering spirit and "ability to lead and not follow".

He said: "As a group, we have enormous collective strengths. Working together, our companies, Tata Sons and the Tata Trusts have been very successful in the past, and have created great value for all our stakeholders.

"Now, as we face the future, we have a huge opportunity to do so once again - in terms of our business performance, by enabling higher shareholder value, as well as by making a significant and lasting social impact with a view to make a sustainable difference in communities."



To achieve this, he said, a relentless focus on the customer, gaining a deeper understanding of their aspirations, and by designing products and services to meet their needs is needed.

(Reopens DEL 29)



"In today's context, where technology is playing a key role in business success, the need for innovation is vital to help reimagine and reinvent our businesses for the future," Chandra said.

Stating that Tata Group employees bring passion into everything they do, he said, "We need to work together to excel, and to be ranked among the top performers in our respective industries. We will also bring more rigour to our capital allocation in order to consistently enhance stakeholder value."



He said he has had the opportunity of working and interacting with several "legendary leaders" at the group and was fortunate to work closely with Ratan Tata, "who relentlessly challenged us at TCS to be the leader. He is an inspiration for all of us in the group and I look forward to taking the group forward in the same spirit".

"I have always believed that living these values every day has contributed significantly to our sustained business success and to the reputation of the Tata brand globally. The Tata Code of Conduct has always been the bedrock of my personal commitment to our value system. It will always remain at the core of my leadership of our group," he said.

He expressed his deep appreciation for commitment of the employees to the ideals of the Tata group.

"We will strengthen and enhance all our employee engagement platforms and create new ones so that we can share ideas, collaborate and shape the future of the Tata Group together. It will be my endeavour to work with all of you to bring the power of 'One Tata' to bear upon our business, our employees and the community at large.
The National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management in Tamil Nadu has been tasked with mapping the environmental impact of the oil spill following a collision between two ships last month in Chennai.

Environment Secretary A N Jha said that the enquiry on the shipping company involved in the accident is ongoing and action will be taken based on the report.

"The National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management in Tamil Nadu has been assigned the task to map the impact of the oil spill. The Environment Ministry has taken a lot of measures," Jha said.

He said soon after the accident, the Environment Ministry had issued guidelines to the Ministry of Shipping to take all urgent measures under the Environment Protection Act.

Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) too had issued directions and guidelines under powers vested in them, he said.

"Our regional office in Chennai and regional experts have gone and been in touch with Tamil Nadu government and coastal authorities. They have been sending us reports on a day-to-day basis," he said.

The Environment Ministry had earlier said that it is likely to issue a show cause notice to the Kamarajar Port (Ennore port) in Chennai for "mishandling" the oil spill following a collision between the two ships.

"That enquiry is going on and as soon as we get the report from the Ministry of Shipping, they will take action," Jha said when asked whether any action will be taken against the company.

On January 28, two shipping vessels had collided outside the Kamarajar Port at Ennore, resulting in rupture of a ship and oil spill.

The mishap had occurred at around 4 AM on January 28 when 'M T BW Maple', with a flag of Isle of Man, was leaving the port after emptying Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and 'M T Dawn Kanchipuram', loaded with petroleum oil lubricant (POL) was on its way to the berth at the Kamarajar Port at Ennore.

The seawater had blackened and some turtles were found dead near the north Chennai shoreline following the incident.
BSP supremo Mayawati today warned the Muslim electors in Uttar Pradesh against voting for the Samajwadi Party as there votes will not only go "waste" but directly benefit BJP.

"If you vote for Samajwadi Party, not only your vote will go waste but may directly benefit the BJP. You should vote en masse for BSP and not SP," Mayawati told election rallies in the poll-bound state, in remarks that fly in the face of the Supreme Court verdict on use of religion during elections.

The Supreme Court had last month ruled that any appeal for votes on the ground of "religion, race, caste, community or language" amounted to "corrupt practice" under the electoral law.

Mayawati, while appealing to the Muslims to vote for her party, accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP of trying to give "casteist and communal tinge" to the poll campaign in Uttar Pradesh.

"In the past couple of days, BJP and its top leaders, including the PM, have been issuing wrong statements after assessing that the party has fared badly in the first three phases of polling," she said in a statement in Lucknow.

Referring to Modi's "graveyard-cremation ground" and "Diwali-Eid" comments, Mayawati said such a view was aimed at giving casteist and communal colour to polls.

At his Fatehpur rally on Sunday, the PM has said each village needs to have a graveyard and a cremation ground and the people should get power on Diwali as well as Eid without discrimination.

"He (Modi) seems to be giving polls casteist and communal hue...Before saying this, he should see whether every village in BJP-ruled states like Haryana and MP have the same facility," Mayawati said.

She said the Prime Minister should get cremation ground in each village in BJP-ruled states first and then talk about it in Uttar Pradesh.

"Such kind of wrong statements prove that they have stooped to politics of lies," she said, adding BJP has "lowered" the level of politics which is not good for democracy.

"PM says BJP does not indulge in caste and communal politics, but this is wrong," Mayawati said, also citing the Rohith Vemula case.

Rohith Vemula was a research scholar at University of Hyderabad who had committed suicide last year alleging discrimination on the basis of caste.

She said BJP has not given ticket to even a single Muslim candidate in UP which has some 18 to 20 per cent population of the community. Mayawati's party has fielded nearly a 100 Muslim candidates in the state which has a 403-member assembly.

Addressing an election rally in Gonda, Mayawati warned," "If BJP wins, it would not hesitate in implementing the agenda of the RSS. This means that either the system of reservation would be brought to an end or it would be rendered virtually ineffective."



The BSP chief also criticised the Centre for taking steps to end the minority status of institutes like Aligarh Muslim University and Jamia Millia Islamia.

In the aftermath of the firing on the Kar Sevaks at Ayodhya in October, 1990, when Mulayam Singh Yadav was the Chief Minister, and the demolition of the Babri Masjid, Muslims, traditionally the vote bank of the Congress, have backed Samajwadi Party.

Some in the community have also been voting for BSP, with a minuscule percentage going to Congress.

Seeking to engineer a Dalit-Muslim combination, Mayawati decided to field nearly 100 Muslims. However, with Samajwadi Party and Congress forming an alliance, the lion's share of Muslim votes are expected to go to the new combine.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Four members of a family, including a woman, were injured in a fire that broke out in a house in Kapashera area this morning, an official said.

A call was received at 7.05 AM about the fire and a fire tender was rushed to the spot, an officer of Delhi Fire Services said.

It is suspected that the fire started from an LPG cylinder and engulfed the entire house. The blaze was doused by 9 AM and the injured were taken to a hospital, he said.

The injured have been identified as Lallan (45), his wife Anjali (40) and their sons Ashish (15) and Aditya (10).

Anjali's condition is critical as she has sustained 90 per cent burns, the officer said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron said today he wants London bankers and academics to move to France after Brexit, following a meeting with British Prime Minister Theresa May.

"I want banks, talents, academics, researchers and so on. It will be part of my programme to be attractive for these kinds of people," the centrist former economy minister said.

Macron was speaking ahead of a campaign speech to drum up support among London's large community of French voters, as a new poll showed him losing ground ahead of April's first round presidential election.

Addressing reporters outside Downing Street, the former investment banker said he wanted to tell expats living in Britain that "France is changing".

"In the coming years, they'll have a lot of opportunities to come back to France and succeed in France," Macron said.

The centrist candidate, who created his own En Marche! (On the Move!) party, also slammed his far-right rival, National Front leader Marine Le Pen.

He accused her of wanting to "divide France into non-Muslim people and Muslim people", and said her "programme is one to push France into the 19th century".

Opinion polls suggest Le Pen would win the first round of France's presidential election on April 23, but would lose in the run-off vote on May 7.

Macron had been the favourite to take her on, but a new Elabe survey published Tuesday suggests conservative Francois Fillon has now overtaken him.

Despite a damaging investigation into claims that his wife had held a fake parliamentary job, Fillon was up three points to 21 percent, while Macron was down five to 18.5 percent.

Le Pen polled at 28 percent, up two points on the same poll in early February.

As he arrived for talks with May, Macron said he wanted to discuss "the relationship between France and the UK, Brexit and some very important bilateral issues".

It is unusual for a British prime minister to host a foreign candidate for elected office, although Downing Street noted that former prime minister Tony Blair had hosted Nicolas Sarkozy months before he became French president in 2007.

"Monsieur Macron was in already in London, he asked for a meeting and we were able to accommodate," May's spokesman told reporters, adding they would have a "broad range of discussions".

Asked if May would be prepared to meet Le Pen, he said: "There's a long-standing policy that we don't engage with the Front National.

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Federal Republic of Germany today opened an Honorary Consulate office at Madhapur here.

Achim Fabig, German Consul General for Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, and BVR Mohan Reddy, the Honorary Consul of Germany for Telangana and Andhra Pradesh opened Honorary Consulate office, a release said.

The office of the Honorary Consul will also provide limited consular assistance in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and support the German citizens within the two states.

BVR Mohan Reddy, founder and executive chairman Cyient Ltd, was appointed as the Honorary Consul of the Federal Republic of Germany in October last year.

As Honorary Consul, Reddy will work towards further strengthening the collaboration between the two nations; promoting culture, industry and commerce, facilitating investments, educational exchange and enhancing goodwill, the release added.

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Telangana Tourism Department would hold a two-day 'Global Celebrations on Buddhist Heritage in Telangana' from February 23.

Chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao would inaugurate the celebrations, a government release said here today.

Telangana has a glorious history, including Buddhism, the release said adding that the conference would be followed by familiarisation tours to some of the Buddhist sites in the state.

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The Defence Ministry today cleared a project to set up 38 radar stations to significantly ramp up surveillance of the country's over 7,500 km long coastline.

The Defence Acquisition Council, chaired by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, gave in-principle approval for the Rs 800-crore project.

Four mobile surveillance stations will also be set up and they will be integrated with the Vessel Traffic Management System (VTMS) in Gulf of Kutch and Khambatt, Defence Ministry sources said.

A total of 46 radar stations have already been set up under the first-phase of the 'static sensor chain' project for gap-less electronic surveillance along the coastline.

The lead integrator of the crucial project would be Bharat Electronics Limited, Bengaluru.

India had decided to significantly strengthen its coastal surveillance following the Mumbai terror attacks in 2008.

The DAC also cleared a proposal to set up an integrated engine repair facility for Naval Mig-29K fighter jets at naval aircraft yard in Goa, the sources said.

The meeting is also understood to have deliberated on a number of other initiatives including procurements.

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A Private Member's Bill, which seeks to declare a country sponsoring terrorism, will be opposed by the government in Parliament.

'The Declaration of Countries as Sponsor of Terrorism Bill, 2016', moved by Independent member Rajeev Chandrasekhar in Rajya Sabha, "seeks to call out states like that continue to associate, promote, patronise and sponsor terrorism against our nation" and provides for snapping all economic and trade relations with that country.

"India can't declare any country a 'Terror State' as it has to maintain diplomatic relations with all countries. Besides, in principle it is very rare that government supports any Private Member's Bill," a home ministry official said.

The home ministry has conveyed to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat about its opposition to the Bill, saying such a move may "jeopardise" international relations.

While moving the Bill on February 3, Chandrasekhar had stated that for decades, India and other countries in the region have been victims of terror attacks from organisations and individuals based in and with the support of elements in .

"Yet for decades we have remained engaged with Pakistan in an attempt to draw it into the mainstream. This Bill is to finally put into motion the process of calling terror sponsors to account," Chandrasekhar said.

He also quoted data to say that from 1998 to 29, January 2017 14,741 civilians have been killed in terror attacks in this country, 6,274 security force personnel lost their lives and we have 23,146 terrorists.

He also referred to the terror attack on Parliament, the Indian 'temple of democracy', on December 13, 2001, to press his point.

Stating that "Pakistan's history and track record of fostering terrorism and terrorists is long and indeed distinguishable and incontrovertible," he added, "It is time that we stop running to other countries to declare Pakistan a terror state and stood up and did this job ourselves."



Asserting that the world is getting tired and has lost patience with "rogue nations", he said as the global opinion consolidates around the conduct of some countries like Pakistan, the focus will naturally come on what India and the Indian Parliament's approach to that threat is.

Chandrasekhar said the Bill can apply in the future also to other countries that directly or indirectly aid terror attacks against India.
The government's top brass, led by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, will brainstorm on Thursday on how best it can push large-scale adoption of electric vehicles in the country, ahead of the rollout of FAME India.

At the meeting schedule on February 23, Power, Coal, Mines and New & Renewable Energy Minister Piyush Goyal will make a presentation explaining the various aspects related to increased use of electric vehicles like rise in power consumption, impact on the environment and how economies of scale can make it viable for India, sources told PTI.

According to experts, several factors including higher cost of vehicles, power outages, lack of charging infrastructure and dearth of facilities for eco-friendly disposal of batteries to curb pollution are among the factors inhibiting consumers from buying electric vehicles in India.

To promote eco-friendly vehicles, the government has been offering incentives on electric and hybrid vehicles of up to Rs 29,000 for bikes and Rs 1.38 lakh for cars under the FAME India scheme launched last year.

The scheme has since been in a pilot phase, and a nation-wide rollout is scheduled from April 1.

Apart from Goyal, NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Arvind Panagariya and representatives from Ministries like Railways, Defence, Heavy Industries and Road Transport & Highways will also be present in the meeting to provide inputs on ways to increase the adoption of electric vehicles, sources said.

At present, the Department of Heavy Industries is the nodal agency for implementing the FAME India scheme. However, other wings of the government, especially the one headed by Goyal, would also play a key role in facilitating promotion of clean energy.

FAME India - Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric vehicles in India - is a part of the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan. In Budget 2017-18, Rs 175 crore has been earmarked for the FAME India scheme as against the revised and budget estimates of Rs 122.90 crore for the current financial year.

However, experts believe that the provision of funds is insufficient to incentivise the use of electric vehicles.

The Heavy Industries Ministry had estimated a total requirement of about Rs 14,000 crore for the programme.

In 2013, the then UPA Government had also launched the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan (NEMMP) 2020. It aimed to achieve national fuel security by promoting hybrid and electric vehicles in the country.

It had set an ambitious target to achieve sales of 6-7 million hybrid and electric vehicles year-on-year from 2020 onwards. The government has been keen to provide fiscal and monetary incentives to kickstart this nascent technology and boost sales of electric and hybrid vehicles.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
News / National

by Mary Charamba

libuthakatha

Ayitatwa

enenge

Bulawayo residents have expressed concern over continued distortions of the Ndebele language by corporates, saying it was a violation of the people's identity and language. Surprisingly the shona translation is perfect.The residents expressed displeasure at the trend of misspelt isiNdebele words with the latest typographic error coming from a Harare based healthcare company, Crown Health Care which produces Camphor cream.On its camphor cream containers, the company wrote 'Ithobisa ijwabu iligcine libutshelezi njalo. Iyanceda iminkenke.ngumoya ilanga lonke. Ile glycerineThe words that have raise the ire of Ndebele speakers are libuthakatha instead of libuthakathaka, libuthakatha sounds as if Crown is saying something on witchcraft. Ayitatwa has been spelt wrongly. The other point of pain for the speakers is the word 'enenge' which has no meaning in the language.
For famed British explorer Levison Wood, it is a great kick to see people globe-trot and he is particularly impressed with how Indians are taking off to foreign locations besides exploring their own country.

"Indians are travelling. They are seeing not only the world but their own country which I think is great. I was in Haridwar and I saw people who had come for pilgrimage. I saw something which was amazing. There were 2 million people and all in orange shirts," Wood told PTI over phone from London.

Wood, 34, has visited India seven times and he says every time he is amazed to see how swiftly the country changes.

"What strikes me during my visits to India is how fast the country is moving. Everything is changing. I remember going to Dharmshala in 2004. It was a small sleepy village full of western hippies then. I went back again last year and it was filled with Punjabi tourists," says Wood, who trekked 1700 miles across the Himalayas in a series called "Walking the Himalayas".

In his new show "Walking The Nile", Wood took the daunting journey of covering the length of the world's longest river - The Nile.

The former British Army paratrooper took a 4250-mile trek over the course of 9-months to become the first person to go on this journey on foot. On the way, Wood travelled through deserts, jungles and war zones in the African continent.

"I have always been interested in East Africa. Nile is the river that goes through diverse cultures and landscapes. The idea occurred to me seven years ago when I was doing charity in Africa. I thought it would be a great experience if I walk. Walking gives you a chance to see a lot more places that you otherwise wouldn't see."



On his journey, Wood says he dodged minefields and headed into a 120-degree desert, besides coming face-to-face with a violent civil war in South Sudan.

"Walking The Nile" will premiere on February 22 on Discovery Channel.

Wood says the job of a traveller is not as glamourous as one thinks it to be and he has often faced life-threatening situations.

"A lot of planning and preparation goes into my job. Travelling by foot is physically draining and it takes a toll on your body. I have had plenty of close calls with dangers. I take my job very seriously. But on the whole it is very enjoyable as I get to see fantastic places."



Wood also has a few tips to offer to all the aspiring travellers. He says young explorers have to leave aside all inhibitions, ignore all logistics, financial matters and just set out on their journey like he did.

"The hardest part is starting. When I was 22, I always wanted to travel to India. I had just 750 dollars. I hitchhiked all the way to India. It took me five months but I reached. I want to tell young travellers that you don't need a lot of money to travel.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pakistan has said Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed, who has been listed under an anti-terrorism law, can pose a "serious threat" to the nation, and was thus placed under house arrest in the country's "larger interest".

The acknowledgement of the danger the Mumbai attacks mastermind poses came from Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif during an international security conference in Munich, Germany.

"Saeed can pose a serious threat to the society," Asif told the audience at the Munich Security Conference on Sunday, The Nation reported.

Saeed was "arrested in the larger interest of the country", he added, according to the report.

Saeed was placed under house arrest under the fourth schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) on January 30 in Lahore, provoking an uproar from his party and allies. Saeed's inclusion in the list shows he is linked with militancy in some way. Saeed was earlier this month put on the Exit Control List, barring him from leaving the country.

During a panel discussion on countering extremism and terrorism, Asif said: "Terrorism is not synonymous to any religion. Terrorists aren't Christians or Muslims or Buddhists or Hindus. They are terrorists, they are criminals."



The action against Saeed was taken after Pakistan was hit by at least eight terror attacks this month in which more than 100 people died, the latest being a suicide bombing on a famed Sufi shrine in Sindh province that claimed 88 lives.

Saeed was also put under house arrest after the Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008 in which 166 people died, but he was freed by a court in 2009. He carries a reward of USD 10 million announced by the US for his role in terror activities.

In a statement critical of the American policies, Asif said Pakistan is determined to fight terrorism: "Let me assure the world community that Pakistan is a frontline state in this war and it will continue to fulfil its obligations to its own people and the international community but if the West's policies are going to be isolationist it won't help the fight against terrorism, only fuel it.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Jamaat-ud-Dawah chief and four today challenged their house arrest in the Lahore High Court.

LHC Justice Sardar Muhammad Shamim Khan will hear their petition tomorrow.

Hafiz Saeed, Malik Zafar Iqbal, Abdur Rehman Abid, Qazi Kashif Hussain and Abdullah Ubaid challenged their detention through senior advocate A K Dogar.

Earlier, the LHC had dismissed a petition filed by a senior advocate Erum Sajjad Gull on 'technical' ground observing the petitioner had not furnished the impugned notification of Saeed's detention.

The government on January 30 had put Saeed and four other leaders of JuD and Falah-e-Insaniat (FIF) under house arrest in Lahore under the country's anti-terrorism act.

In their petition, Saeed and four said the government in light of Interior Ministry's order detained them for a period of 90 days (with effect from January 30) in exercise of powers under section 11-EEE(1) of Anti Terrorism Act 1997. They said Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had claimed that the government was fulfilling its obligations under United Nations Security Council's resolutions.

"The government has proved that the Pakistan is a servile and a dependent nation. We have been serving the country like iconic social worker Abdul Sattar Edhi for the last many years," they said.

The petitioners said the US had clearly told Islamabad that in case of not following the advice to take action against JuD it (Pakistan) may face sanctions.

Previously, the petitioners said the government had used the same UNSC resolution for detain and a full bench of LHC had set him free.

"The government has no evidence that we are a 'risk' to security of Pakistan and merely on the basis of the UNSC resolutions our liberty cannot be curtailed," the petitioners said and prayed to the court to declare the government order being mala fides without jurisdiction and void the fundamental right to their life and liberty and ordered for their liberty.

Saeed, who is carrying a $10 million bounty on his head, was also put under house arrest after the 2008 Mumbai terror attack but he was freed by Lahore High Court in 2009.
Hafiz Saeed's house arrest was in Pakistan's "larger interest" as he can pose a "serious threat" to the country, Defence Minister Khawaza Asif has said in the first public admission of the JuD chief's terrorism links.

Asif's remarks about the danger posed by the mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai attacks - in which 166 people died - came at an international security conference in Munich, Germany.

"Saeed can pose a serious threat to the society," Asif told the audience at the Munich Security Conference on Sunday, The Nation reported.

Saeed was "arrested in the larger interest of the country", he added.

Saeed was placed under house arrest under the fourth schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) on January 30 in Lahore, provoking an uproar from his party and allies. Saeed's inclusion in the list shows he is linked with militancy in some way. Saeed was earlier this month put on the Exit Control List, barring him from leaving the country.

Saeed was also put under house arrest after the Mumbai attacks in November 2008, but he was freed by a court in 2009.

He carries a reward of USD 10 million announced by the US for his role in terror activities.

During a panel discussion on countering extremism and terrorism, Asif said: "Terrorism is not synonymous to any religion. Terrorists aren't Christians or Muslims or Buddhists or Hindus. They are terrorists, they are criminals."



Pakistan was hit by at least eight terror attacks this month in which more than 100 people died, the latest being a suicide bombing on a famed Sufi shrine in Sindh province that claimed 88 lives.

In a statement critical of the American policies, Asif said Pakistan is determined to fight terrorism: "Let me assure the world community that Pakistan is a frontline state in this war and it will continue to fulfil its obligations to its own people and the international community but if the West's policies are going to be isolationist it won't help the fight against terrorism, only fuel it.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Sanitaryware company HSIL Ltd expects to commission two plants - for manufacturing plastic pipes, and security caps and closures - in April in Telangana, where it is likely set up a production unit for water heaters, a senior company official said today.

"...They (the two plants in Medak district of Telangana) will be commissioned in April," the company's President, Consumer Business, Rakesh Kaul told PTI.

"...And there could be likelihood of water heaters also coming up (production unit) in Telangana which is in association with our European partner (Groupe) Atlantic International which is a French MNC of USD 2 billion," he said.

The company has kitchen appliances, water-heaters, water and air purifiers and air cooler products under the consumer division, which is on course to clock a business of about Rs 150 crore in the current fiscal, a 140 per cent growth compared to the previous financial year, he said.

The company's consumer business faced "slight impact" following demonetisation of high-value currency last November but the sales "rebounded" in December, Kaul said.

"The objective is to be among the top three in each of the category (under consumer business) where we work. As we go up the ladder and get higher market share, we will obviously look at own manufacturing set up for these categories as well," Kaul said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Swiss government today said Sebastien Hug has been appointed as the Consul General of Switzerland in Bengaluru.

He would also be the head of swissnex India -- an initiative of Swiss government to facilitate exchanges between the two countries in the areas of science, education, art and innovation.

Hug will take up the post in November this year, Swiss government said in a release.

Swissnex India is a part of the Consulate General of Switzerland in Bangalore.

Hug began his career as attache for higher education, science and technology at the Swiss embassy in Canada in 2007.

Since 2013, he has been working in the International Relations Division of the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation at the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research, the release said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
State-owned on Tuesday said it has proposed to dilute stake in some non-core businesses to shore up capital base.

The board of the bank has approved in-principle proposal to divest some of its non-core investments, subject to compliance with all applicable laws and regulations and final approval obtained for each transaction, said in a regulatory filing to the stock exchanges.

The decision was taken at the board meeting held on Tuesday.

Minister Arun Jaitley in 2015 had hinted at a change in wherein the government would continue to hold a majority stake, yet keep it at arms length.

Citing the example of Axis Bank, he had wondered if IDBI Bank could follow that model.

But since then, there has not been much progress on the plans due to one reason or another. IDBI Bank has a large portfolio of real estate, which was not taken into consideration during the valuation exercise.

The bank is looking at this aspect and trying to find a way out so that its valuation gets better.

As far as the stake sale of IDBI Bank is concerned, both the government and the banks board have already given nod for qualified institutional placement (QIP).

The governments holding in IDBI Bank stood at 73.98 per cent as on December 2016.

Public sector banks, including IDBI Bank, have been allowed to raise capital from public through follow on public offer (FPO) or QIP by diluting the government of Indias holding up to 52 per cent in a phased manner based on their capital requirement, their stock performance, liquidity, market conditions... the government had informed Parliament in 2015.

Meanwhile, in a separate filing, the bank said it has deferred the agenda on issue of capital. Regarding tentatively considering the agenda on issue of capital at the board meeting scheduled on February 21, IDBI Bank has now informed BSE that the said agenda could not be submitted for discussion at the board meeting held on February 21, it said.

The same may tentatively be submitted in a subsequent board meeting for which a separate disclosure will be made under Sebi regulation, it said.
Renowned Kannada novelist S L Bhyrappa today said the emphasis on learning English at the cost of one's mother tongue is killing children's "thinking and feeling" power.

The author, though not in favour of a complete ban on English in the educational process, suggested that children should be taught in their regional languages "through stories, songs, poems and simple prose" in the beginning.

"Kannada was the medium of instruction in 90 per cent of the schools till 1970. But now in every city and town of Karnataka parents prefer to send their children to English medium schools because they dream of their children becoming doctors or engineers," Bhyrappa said during the inaugural session of "Festival of Letters" here.

Organised by Sahitya Akademi, the festival is focusing on "Protecting the mother tongue and folk literature" this year.

Citing educationists, the author said one's mother tongue is the "most suitable" language for mental and emotional development of a child.

"Imposing a foreign or unknown language simply kills the child's thinking and feeling power. But the parents do not pay heed to this wise counsel," he said.

Asserting the importance of regional language as a reflection of country's rich culture, Bhyrappa said, "The language that creative writers use is formed, shaped, used and nourished for centuries by our ancestor authors. It was given life by our folk culture. Every word we use even in ordinary life has a cultural history."



He said though English is used for science, technology and administration, it is "culturally lifeless".

"... Therefore Indian writers writing in English are deprived of the cultural soul of this country," he said, warning that if the trend of English medium schools continued, there would be no readers or writers of regional books.

The 85-year-old author, who has penned more than two dozen books in a career spanning over five decades, also rued the lack of good translations of regional literature to English.

"It is easy to translate from one regional language to other. Most of my books have been translated to several regional languages, but it has always been difficult to find good translations of our literary works in English. English translations of my books have always created problem," Bhyrappa said.

The author blamed politicians of treating education as a "personal profiteering business" which has aggravated the problem.

"So far no government has deep-dived into the complexity of the problem and given continuity to action through an act in the Parliament," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India has conveyed to WTO the reason for imposition of minimum import price (MIP) on steel products and is ready to discuss the issue further if required, Steel Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh has said.

Japan has dragged India to the World Trade Organization against certain measures taken by New Delhi on imports of iron and steel products.

"The rationale for imposition of MIP had also been communicated to WTO through our Indian Ambassador. So, if there is any further clarification required, Ministry is ready to discuss the same," Singh told PTI.

India has moved from MIP to the regime of anti-dumping and safeguards, he said, adding that the MIP mechanism was an exigency measure that was taken to curb the unabated surge in imports at predatory pricing.

He said MIP was notified as an emergency measure as other trade remedial measures such as anti-dumping rules and safeguard rules are process oriented and time consuming in terms of implementation and impact.

"However, MIP was gradually phased out as and when suitable trade remedial measures were put in place," he added.

The Government of India, he said, has provided extensive support to the domestic steel industry by way of various trade remedial measures in recent times, such as MIP, anti-dumping and safeguard measures and quality control.

"The current scenario in the steel sector is well known, and hence the government will take all necessary measures as and when required to support the industry," Singh said.

As on date, 124 out of 173 tariff lines initially notified as MIP, are covered under anti-dumping duties in addition to the safeguard duties on Hot Rolled Coils and Plates.

MIP has also been withdrawn on February 4, he added.

"On December 20, Japan notified the WTO Secretariat that it had requested dispute consultations with India in the dispute 'India-Certain Measures on Imports of Iron and Steel Products'," the WTO had said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
With an annual growth rate of 19 per cent, India is expected to be self-sufficient in silk production by 2020, Central Silk Board (CSB) Chairman K M Hanumantharayappa has said.

"Our output is 28,000 MTs (metric tonne) to 30,000 MTs at present. Our production is growing year to year. We are aiming to stop imports from China and produce that much in three-four years," Hanumantharayappa told PTI here.

China produces 80 per cent of global silk output, while India's share is 13 per cent, he said.

The production in other countries account for the remaining 7 per cent.

However, there is a 19 per cent growth in production and the aim is to produce around 34,000 MTs to make the country self-sufficient, he said.

"We have come closer. If we can continue this momentum, we can do it in the next three-four years," he said.

Silk imports have come down to 3500 MTs now from about 6,500 MTs, he said.

China produces only mulberry, but India produces other varieties, including Tasar and Muga, he said.

The CSB, a statutory body established in 1948 by an Act of Parliament, functions under the control of Union Ministry of Textiles.

Its mandated activities include, research and development, maintenance of silkworm production seed production network, leadership role in commercial silkworm seed production and standardising quality parameters in various production.

The CSB chairman said the Board is offering a number of services like technological support to farmers, subsidies on machines and free training to the farmers.

The state governments can pitch in to increase silk production by supporting farmers through monetary benefits and through other means, he said, adding that the Board would also help the cause.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
News / National

by Stephen Jakes

The National Electoral Reform Agenda (NERA has made submissions to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission over the proposed government take over of the Biometric Voters' registration kits procurement process. Below are the demands made.Dear Justice MakarauRe: Proposed Government Take-over of the BVR Kits Procurement ProcessWe refer to the recent statements from the media attributed to the Minister of Finance to the effect that the government has decided to take over the BVR kits procurement process from the UNDP. We also learnt from the press that the government has advised you that it has secured money to fund the procurement.The same reports quote you as saying you were surprised that the government had decided to come in at this stage. However, more fundamental to us is that you were quoted as supporting the government take-over of the procurement process.As you are no doubt aware, NERA has been actively participating in the ZEC-Political Parties Platform ever since the platform was established. This platform provides a forum for interaction between ZEC and the political parties on ways to improve Zimbabwe's electoral system.We are happy that so far the platform has yielded very positive results. Notable among these is the commitment to interaction and dialogue between ZEC and political parties and other stakeholders, the establishment of political party sub-committees to oversee the work of the ZEC sub-committees, the agreement that political parties should make an input into the political parties' election code of conduct.Part of the notable achievements of this interactive platform is the agreement that there should be a transparent and inclusive Biometric Voter Registration system. This system would then result in the construction of a new voters roll. The voter registration system would be polling station based and will take place with the active participation of the political parties without compromising the independence of the ZEC.We are happy to note that in an effort to improve our electoral system, ZEC engaged experts from the UNPD who immediately identified four areas critical to electoral reforms.a. Constant engagement between ZEC and political parties and other stakeholders.b. Inclusive voter education process.c. Biometric Voter Registration system that is polling station based.d. The construction of a completely new voter's roll.To that end it was agreed that through the UNDP, ZEC would undertake the procurement of Biometric Voter Registration kits. Consequently, a joint advertisement for potential vendors was done by ZEC and UNDP in the press.Subsequently, you did invite five representatives of political parties to witness the opening of the bids which was being done in Copenhagen. Together with the UNDP Country Director you advised the political parties and the nation on the remaining steps to be taken in the procurement of the kits.We should state at the onset that as political parties we were satisfied with the level of transparency at that stage of the procurement of the BVR kits.In preparation to the Biometric Voter Registration process, a polling station mapping exercise is already underway in the country and political parties are participating actively through the Mapping subcommittee which is providing oversight to the ZEC Mapping Subcommittee. As chairperson of ZEC, you have already given a green light to political parties to start voter education programs for their members.It is against this background that we were taken aback by the government announcement that it is taking over the procurement process. More shocking was the decision by government to elbow out the UNPD in this process. We were however even more flabbergasted by the decision by ZEC to endorse this illegal move by the government.We therefore formally advise of our total opposition to this move by the government and ZEC. Our opposition is based on the following legal and factual grounds;a. An agreed process of procurement is already underway. As political parties and stakeholders we now have a legitimate expectation of Biometric Voter Registration Kits procured without government interference. The new developments affect our legitimate expectation.b. The current process being carried by ZEC through the UNDP has so far been objectively transparent and satisfactory to all stake holders. There is no reason to interfere with same.c. In terms of the constitution, ZEC is an independent institution. The current move by the government to stop a transparent procurement system by ZEC through the UNDP is a serious assault on the independence of ZEC.d. With all due respect your apparent readiness to embrace a clearly unconstitutional move by the government to take over the process that is supposed to be yours is an unacceptable surrender of the independence of ZEC so guaranteed by the constitution of Zimbabwe.e. A lot of disquiet has accompanied the government's move and the motivation behind it. May it be because the government's preferred bidders may not have made it and have to be accommodated by the government take-over of the process hitherto going on smoothly? Or is it not an attempt by the government to manipulate the biometric voter registration process?The final question to be addressed is whether a UNDP procurement process undermines the sovereignty of Zimbabwe. We hold that it in fact enhances the sovereignty of the Zimbabwean people rather than inhibit it. We say so for the following reasons:a. Zimbabwe is part of the United Nations by choice. Ipso facto it is a member of the UN institutions like the UNDP for example. A process involving the UNDP acting in partnership with a state institution like ZEC does not at all undermine the sovereignty of Zimbabwe.b. The constitution of Zimbabwe now recognizes the sovereignty of the people. The procurement of BVR kits through a transparent process enhances rather than inhibits the sovereignty of the people.c. The true independence of ZEC enhances the people's ability to elect leaders of their choice. This is the hallmark of the whole concept of the sovereignty of the people.d. In the constitution-making process, the UNDP assisted government by mobilizing donor funds for the process and administering the basket fund for the same. Zimbabwe's sovereignty was never affected.We therefore demand that the current UNPD procurement process must proceed undisturbed. We would appreciate your response as soon as possible. We should make it clear that we will resist (through lawful means of course) any move by the government and ZEC to change goal posts at this stage.Yours FaithfullyDouglas Togaraseyi Mwonzora
India has a lot to learn from Rwanda on governance models like sanitation and smart city and efforts are being made to give more content to bilateral strategic relationship, a top government official said today.

"Vice President Hamid Ansari had a very fruitful visit to Rwanda and during bilateral talks both sides endeavoured to give our strategic relationship more content. We think its a great governance model and the Vice President has stated that he hasn't seen a better capital city. And, now we wish to further enhance our ties in several sectors," Amar Sinha, Secretary, Economic Relations in the MEA, said.

"One of course is 'Swachh Bharat' and then 'Smart City', two of our great initiatives and we would like to engage with Rwanda more in these areas. In fact, we will try to send delegates from some of our states, like Andra Pradesh, which is building a new capital," Sinha said.

He was interacting with reporters during a briefing as Ansari wound up his trip to Rwanda, the first leg of his two-nation tour.

"Besides, cleanliness and smart city initiatives, we have so much to learn from Rwanda, on governance models. It has zero-corruption for tolerance, and and one of the best places to do business. India certainly can take home a lot from this visit, and we certainly will," he said.

Another area where they have sought cooperation is production and shooting of Bollywood films.

"After a Hritik Roshan-starrer film was shot in New Zealand, it pushed tourism in a big way in that country. We hope we can find models to replicate it in Rwanda," he said.

"Rwanda's greatest achievement is its reconciliation with its turbulent past. From signs of great conflict, it has become a shining star of Africa. This is truly remarkable and worthy of emulation," he said.

Ansari during his three-day visit to Rwanda held bilateral talks with President of the Senate Bernard Makuza and President Paul Kagame.

India and Rwanda also signed three MoUs innovation, aviation and visa requirement.

A joint communique on the visit said the Vice President and Kagame committed to further promote bilateral trade and investment and increase people-to-people interactions. The Vice President expressed admiration for remarkable growth and transformation of Rwanda under the able leadership of President Kagame and expressed an interest in exploring the untapped enormous methane reserves in Lake Kivu for energy production.

The Vice president reiterated India's decision to open a resident Indian Mission in Rwanda highlighting that this will further cement the strategic partnership.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India said it has lost a friend with the sudden death of Russia's UN envoy Vitaly Churkin as the United Nations expressed shock at the demise of the veteran diplomat who fiercely defended Moscow against the West's criticism.

Churkin died yesterday, a day before his 65th birthday.

"Farewell Friend. Russia loses a stalwart diplomat; the world of diplomacy a consummate practitioner; India a friend. RIP Amb. Vitaly Churkin," India's Permanent Representative to the UN Syed Akbaruddin said in a post on Twitter.

Akbaruddin's message was accompanied with his picture with Churkin taken at an event at India's Permanent Mission here.

Churkin's death shocked the world body and its leaders.

The Russian Permanent Mission in a statement said Churkin was in his office "fulfilling his duties" when the tragedy occurred. It did not give details about the cause of his death but it is understood Churkin was rushed to hospital after a cardiac arrest.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he "learned with shock and sadness" about the Russian Ambassador's death.

Guterres said Churkin was an outstanding, uniquely-skilled diplomat, a powerful orator with great wit, and a man of many talents and interests.

"Although we served together for a short time, I greatly appreciated the opportunity to work with him and will deeply miss his insights, skills and friendship," he said.

It was Churkin, as President of the UN Security Council in October, who had announced the selection of Guterres as the next UN chief.

Guterres's predecessor Ban Ki-moon, in a statement from Seoul, said during his 10 years as Secretary-General it was a "privilege" to work with Churkin and watch him represent Russia with passion and dedication.

"His diplomatic skills, quick wit, and ready sense of humour will long be remembered by those who knew him and by those who will study the history of the United Nations in the years to come," Ban said.

The 15-nation Security Council "mourned" for the Ambassador, who spent more than 40 years at the Russian Diplomatic Service and headed the Russian Mission to the UN for over a decade.

(Reopens FGN 12)



The came around the time of the daily noon briefing at the UN and deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq was visibly shocked when a journalist mentioned that Churkin has died.

"Oh! Oh, no. This just happened? He's been such a regular presence here that it's... That I'm actually quite stunned. And our thoughts go to his family, to his friends, and to his Government," Haq said.

UN General Assembly President Peter Thomson said: "His name will live on in the annals of UN history. We will remember him for his intellect and diplomatic skill, his good humour and consideration for others. We all experienced and respected the pride he took in serving his country and the passion and resolution he brought to his job."



Appointed the Permanent Representative to the UN in 2006, Churkin was one of Russia's longest-serving ambassadors to the UN.

Churkin often clashed with American colleagues in the Security Council and fiercely defended Russia's policies, including Moscow's actions in Ukraine and its bombing of the Syrian city Aleppo to oust rebels opposed to President Bashar Al-Assad.

In December, when the Council argued on actions in Syria, former US envoy Samantha Power asked Syria and its allies Russia and Iran whether they are "truly incapable of shame?"



Retorting Power's remarks, Churkin said she was speaking "as if she was Mother Teresa".

Yesterday, Power tweeted, "Devastated by passing of Russian UN Amb Vitaly Churkin. Diplomatic maestro &deeply caring man who did all he cld to bridge US-RUS differences".
India and Rwanda have signed three agreements to boost bilateral cooperation in areas like science and technology, that includes setting up of an entrepreneurship development centre here, and starting of direct flights to Mumbai.

The two sides signed three Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) late last evening in the presence of Vice President Hamid Ansari and Rwandan Prime Minister Anastase Murekezi at the India-Rwanda Business Forum here.

Ansari is visiting the East African country as part of his five-day visit to Rwanda and Uganda.

The first agreement envisages setting up of an entrepreneurship development centre in Rwanda to further cement ties between the two countries in the field of science and technology as well as sharing of India's expertise in the field.

"The centre would be funded by India and we will also guide them and do hand-holding to establish it for them. This will further boost our cooperation with this East African country," a senior MEA official said.

The other two MoUs entail starting of flight operations to India by state-run RwandAir and easing of visa regime from both sides for travellers holding diplomatic and official passports.

"The agreement seeks to facilitate mutual exemption of visa requirement for travelers holding diplomatic and official passports," the official said.

The direct flight from Kigali to Mumbai is expected to begin operations by early April. Ansari, during a function hosted here by the Indian High Commission of Uganda had said that a direct flight would soon become a reality. Though, officials have not given any date yet, the website of the Rwandan carrier says it will commence from April 3 and will make four flights in a week.

"With the signing of these MoUs our relationship from here forth is going to grow stronger," Murekezi said while addressing the business forum, attended by top industry leaders and innovators from both countries.

"We have 54 years of fruitful bilateral relationship. Rwanda and India share important ties and we are committed to make this relationship grow stronger. Rwanda is a safe country and a recent report has ranked the country as one of the best places to do business.

"We are also third least corrupt country in Sub-Saharan Africa region and we definitely are ready for business and greater cooperation," he said.

The Rwandan Prime Minister also pitched for Indian companies to "look beyond" the traditional sectors while engaging with Rwanda.

Incidentally, Ansari at the forum, hosted by FICCI and Rwanda Development Board, also launched India-Rwanda Innovation Growth Programme to boost ties in areas of science, technology and innovation, and said Rwanda offers a "wonderful platform" to Indian partners to enhance their presence and capacities in other parts of Africa.

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India and Rwanda have signed three agreements during the visit of Vice President Hamid Ansari to boost bilateral relations that include establishment of an entrepreneurship developement centre in Kigali.

According to the Memorandum of Understandings signed between Rwanda and India, Rwanda Air will soon begin services to India, and the two countries will mutually exempt visa requirements for diplomatic and official passport holders.

Rwandan Prime Minister Anastase Murekezi said the MoUs will boost economic and business ties with India.

"We have 54 years of fruitful bilateral relationship. Rwanda and India share important ties and we are committed to make this relationship grow stronger," Murekezi said.

Ansari, who is on a five-day tour to Rwanda and Uganda, earlier yesterday launched an innovation growth programme and addressed business leaders and experts from the two countries.

He said Rwanda offers a "wonderful platform" to Indian partners to enhance their presence in other parts of Africa and emphasised India was "ready to work" with partners in Rwanda and the larger African continent in "transferring our experience" in building an innovation-driven economy.

"India-Rwanda Innovation Growth Program is being launched to expand ties in science, Technology and Innovation. After this pilot project, the programme is proposed to be implemented in the East African community in seven countries and will then be scaled up to seven other economic zones across Africa," he said.

Under the programme, 20 Indian technologies and innovations are to be adopted over a period of two years.

"The programme aims at creating an ecosystem wherein Indian innovations and technology enterprises will thrive and encourage business ventures from both sides," Ansari said.

The vice president said it was an "exciting prospect" to see the captains of trade and industry from Rwanda stand alongside the Indian business community and innovators.

"This portends well for the future of Rwanda-India commercial and economic relations," he said.

Prime Minister Murekezi attended the event organised by Rwanda Development Board, the Private Sector Federation of Rwanda and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI).

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Two IndiGo and SilkAir planes almost collided over Kolkata airspace last December, it has emerged, prompting the government to launch a probe.

The IndiGo plane from Kolkata to Hyderabad (VT-IEM) and the Kolkata-bound SilkAir aircraft from Singapore (9VMGH) were involved in the incident that happened on December 11.

Together, there were more than 200 people in the two planes. Both the airlines did not provide the number of passengers who were on board their respective flights when the incident happened.

Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has started a formal inquiry into the "serious incident", according to a recent notification issued by the Civil Aviation Ministry.

Citing preliminary data from Indian authorities, French aviation watchdog BEA said vertical separation between the two aircraft "was zero feet" while the least horizontal separation between the two planes was reduced to just 0.6 NM.

About the incident, an IndiGo spokesperson said there was a reduction in horizontal separation between the two aircraft but "no error has been found on part of the IndiGo flight crew".

The airline also said the situation could have been avoided had the Air Traffic Controller (ATC) not cleared its plane for take-off and made SilkAir discontinue the approach.

When contacted, a SilkAir spokesperson said the airline has provided AAIB with all the information and reports for the flight to aid them in their investigation.

In a statement sent to PTI, the spokesperson said as the SilkAir aircraft was on approach and preparing to land, it was alerted about the Indigo plane taking off from the same runway.

As the pilots could not clearly identify the location of the IndiGo aircraft on the runway, they decided to discontinue the approach and circle the airport for another approach to land, the statement said.

The SilkAir plane landed safely, it added.

IndiGo was flying Airbus 320 plane while SilkAir was operating Boeing 737 aircraft.

The seating capacity is around 180 seats and 162 seats for the IndiGo and SilkAir planes, respectively.

A senior official at aviation regulator DGCA said it has received information about the incident and AAIB probe is on.

BEA said "IndiGo flight IGO6619 sector Kolkata-Hyderabad departed runway 19L at 1525 UTC while the SilkAir flight MI488 commenced go around at the same time."



"The least horizontal separation between MI488 and IGO6619 was 0.6 NM during the entire event and the least vertical separation was zero feet," as per information available on BEA website.

BEA has also mentioned that it is "preliminary data based on the notification from the authorities of India".

An official, who earlier served at aviation regulator DGCA, said considering the facts available the incident is like a near collision since the vertical and horizontal separation of the two aircraft were well below the stipulated requirements.

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Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called today for the "complete liberation" of Palestine from the "tumour" of Israel, renewing his regime's refusal to recognise Israel's right to exist.

Khamenei was speaking at the sixth international conference in support of Palestinian intifada (uprising), one of a number of showcase events the Tehran authorities organise in solidarity with the Palestinians.

"This cancerous tumour, since its start, has grown incrementally and its treatment must be incremental too," Khamenei said in a speech broadcast live on state television.

"Multiple intifadas and continuous resistance have succeeded in achieving very important incremental goals.

"It continues to advance towards its other objectives, ultimately the complete liberation of Palestine," he added.

He listed Israel's withdrawal from south Lebanon in 2000 and from Gaza in 2005 as two major achievements so far.

Moderate President Hassan Rouhani, and the conservative brothers who head parliament and the judiciary -- Ali Larijani and Ayatollah Sadegh Larijani -- flanked the supreme leader as he spoke.

Among the guests from the 80 countries taking part in the conference were the parliament speakers of Algeria, Mali, North Korea, Lebanon and Syria, and the leader of the hardline Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement, Ramadan Shalah.

Ever since the Islamic revolution of 1979, Iran has been implacable in its opposition to Israel and has provided extensive support to Palestinian militant groups.

It expressed strong backing for the two Palestinian intifadas of 1987-1993 and 2000-05.

Khamenei said the most important achievement of the Palestinian "resistance" movement had been "creating a fundamental obstacle against the Zionist project... By imposing a war of attrition on the enemy".

It had prevented Israel from implementing its "master plan of... Dominating the entire region," he said.

"If the resistance had not blocked the Zionist regime, now we would be witnessing them violating other territories from Egypt to Jordan, Iraq and the Persian Gulf, etc."



Hardliner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who served as president from 2005 to 2013, famously called for Israel to be "wiped off the map", a comment that sparked an international outcry.

Iranian officials have said the call refers to the state not the people, and underline that the Islamic republic has its own Jewish community.

But Khamenei's renewed reference to Israel as a "tumour" comes as new US President Donald Trump fills his administration with appointees with hawkishly pro-Israel and anti-Iran views.

Trump's pick for ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, has gone on the record calling on Sunni Arab states to ally with the Jewish state against Shiite Iran.

Rouhani is set to close the two-day event with a speech tomorrow.

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An Israeli military court will today sentence a soldier convicted of the manslaughter of a Palestinian attacker in a case which has stoked passions, debate and protest.

The court last month delivered a guilty verdict against Elor Azaria, 21, for killing Abdul Fatah al-Sharif as he lay wounded.

The three-judge panel ruled there was no reason for Azaria to open fire since Sharif was posing no threat.

The March 2016 shooting in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron was caught on video and spread widely online.

It showed Sharif, 21, lying on the ground, shot along with another Palestinian after stabbing and wounding a soldier, according to the army.

Azaria then shoots him again in the head without any apparent provocation.

Azaria says he feared Sharif was wearing an explosive belt and could blow himself up, taking nearby soldiers and onlookers with him. The claim was rejected by the judges.

The offence carries a maximum sentence of 20 years but in sentencing arguments prosecutor Nadav Weisman requested he be jailed for between three and five years.

The trial opened last May at a military courtroom in Tel Aviv's Jaffa district but later moved inside the tightly-guarded military headquarters complex in central Tel Aviv.

Police have made arrests over online death threats against a judge and other officials and the army has assigned bodyguards to the three judges who convicted Azaria.

Another man was arrested on suspicion of inciting violence against armed forces chief of staff Lieutenant General Gadi Eisenkot, who ordered the prosecution of Azaria, during a rowdy protest immediately following the verdict.

Police are prepared for fresh protests following the sentencing, spokeswoman Luba Samri told AFP yesterday night.

"Police are ready for any exceptional incident," she said. "Police are prepared for any scenario, anywhere in the country."



The case has stirred controversy and rocked Israeli politics, with some on the right defending the soldier, a French-Israeli national.

The shooting came against the backdrop of a wave of Palestinian knife, gun and car-ramming attacks that erupted in October 2015.

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Italy's coast guard has rescued about 630 off the coast of Libya who were trying to cross the Mediterranean.

The two rescue operations came as the bodies of 74 who drowned trying to reach Europe washed up on a beach west of the Libyan capital, the Red Crescent said today.

The Italian coast guard said it mounted operations to rescue two drifting vessels, a large boat and a rubber raft.

In the absence of an army or a regular police force in Libya, several militias act as coast guards but are often accused themselves of complicity or even involvement in the people-smuggling business.

The number of attempted crossings has surged this year, with most departures taking place from the west of Libya, from where Italy is just 300 kilometres (190 miles) away.

Europeans are considering measures aimed at blocking the arrival of thousands of migrants, alarming NGOs which fear that those stranded in Libya may suffer mistreatment.
Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar today held talks with China's top diplomat Yang Jiechi ahead of a key strategic dialogue tomorrow to improve bilateral ties hit by Chinese reluctance to support India's admission into the NSG and back a United Nations ban on JeM leader Masood Azhar.

Jaishankar, who arrived in China from Sri Lanka, met Yang, who besides being the State Councillor is Beijing's Special Representative for border talks between India and China.

In Chinese official hierarchy, State Councillor of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) is regarded as the top diplomat functioning directly under the country's leadership.

Jaishankar is expected to meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, besides attending an upgraded strategic dialogue with China's Executive Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui tomorrow.

Underlining the significance of the strategic dialogue, which was upgraded during Wang's visit to New Delhi last year, China has deputed Zhang Yesui, also the head of the influential CPC committee of the Chinese Foreign Ministry for the parleys.

Ahead of the talks, China has appeared unrelenting in its opposition to impose the UN ban on Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Azhar and ambivalent on India's membership to the 48-member Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).

Putting the onus on India to prove Azhar's involvement in the Pathankot terrorist attack, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters on February 17 that China will back the move to list him only if there was solid evidence.

Last year, China twice put a technical hold on India's application to 1267 sanctions committee of the UNSC and again blocked a resolution moved by the US - and backed by France and the UK - in January.

"Whether last year's application by India or this year's by relevant country our position is consistent. Our criteria is only one, we need solid evidence. If there is solid evidence the application can be approved. If there is no solid evidence there is hardly consensus," Geng said.

On India's admission into the NSG, again blocked by China, he reiterated China's stand, "We stick to two-step approach namely, first NSG members need to arrive at a set of principles for the entry of NSG by non-NPT state parties, and then move forward discussions of specific cases," he said.

Also, bilateral ties have strained over the USD 46 billion



China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), over which India has protested as it goes through the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

China defends the ambitious project, saying it is development project and made no difference to its stand that Kashmir issue should be resolve by India and Pakistan.

Officials say the strategic dialogue will cover the whole gamut of bilateral ties.

Two sides have been stressing that both sides are holding talks at various levels to iron out differences stressing that dialogue is the best way forward.

Commenting "friction points" including Azhar and NSG, Geng said "differences between China and India are inevitable, but through various forms of in-depth exchanges, including the upcoming Strategic Dialogue, differences can be minimised and new agreement can be reached on further cooperation".

Officials say Jaishankar's talks here in the next two days were expected to set the tone for bilateral ties this year.
A Japanese kindergarten known for its nationalist curriculum has apologised after coming under fire for hostile comments about Korean and Chinese parents.

The operator of Tsukamoto Kindergarten in the western city of Osaka was questioned by local education authorities last month after complaints from parents in December.

Kyodo agency reported last week that the school had handed parents copies of a statement which described the parents of Chinese and Korean children as having "evil thoughts."



The private pre-school had also posted a statement on its home page referring to "delinquent" South Korean and Chinese parents.

But it has now deleted that from its website and replaced it with another expressing remorse.

"We apologise for our expression about foreigners that led to misunderstanding," it said.

The kindergarten previously had said the insults were provoked by criticism it had received from Chinese and South Korean parents.

The kindergarten has drawn attention for introducing a curriculum that includes the memorisation of an 1890 imperial edict which was widely used to promote militaristic education during World War II.

A number of incidents of hate speech against specific ethnic groups on the streets or online have been reported in Japan in recent years.

They are most commonly directed at Koreans who came to Japan when the Korean peninsula was under Japanese colonial rule between 1910-1945, and at their descendants who stayed in the country.

China's rising economic and military profile, as well as a simmering territorial dispute with Japan over uninhabited islands in the East China Sea, have also raised tensions.

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News / National

by Staff reporter

Senior Reporter Staff in the Office of the President and Cabinet this morning threw a birthday party for President Mugabe who turned 93 today. President Mugabe attended the party at his Munuhumutapa Offices before proceeding to Cabinet.President Mugabe is shown a picture book carrying artistic images by Zimbabwean artists by Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Misheck Sibanda while Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa looks on at Munhumutapa Building. Picture by John ManzongoThe Head of State and Government and Commander in Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces thanked God for giving him a long life.President Mugabe cuts his birthday cake together with his son in law Simba Chikore his offices in Harare this morning. Picture by John ManzongoChief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Misheck Sibanda presented three presents to the President.The party was also attended by the two Vice Presidents, Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko and Cabinet ministers.President Mugabe listens to his daughter Bona Chikore during his 93rd birthday at his offices in Harare this morning. Picture by John Manzongo
Jamaat-ud-Dawah supporters today held rallies in different parts of Pakistan to protest against Defence Minister Khawaja Asif's statement against the outlawed group's chief Hafiz Saeed and demanded his resignation.

The major demonstration was held at JuD headquarters in Chauburhi Lahore in which a large number of JuD and Falah-e-Insaniat activists participated.

Holding banners and placards inscribed with 'Hafiz Saeed - Pakistan's Defender - Mian-Modi friendship - unacceptable' they demanded immediate release of Saeed and resignation of Asif.

Addressing the demonstration in Lahore, JuD leader Hafiz Abdul Rehman Makki threatened to hold a 'long march' towards Islamabad if Saeed was not released.

He said the controversial statements of some ministers against Saeed and Jud are part of a 'well-designed agenda'.

Asif had told the audience at the Munich Security Conference last Sunday that "Saeed can pose a serious threat to society." He had said Saeed has been placed under house arrest in the country's "larger interest".

Other demonstrations were held in Islamabad, Faislabad, Gujranwala, Multan, Bahawalnagar, Quetta, Peshawar, Muzaffarabad and Kotli.

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A Portuguese court has ordered police to extradite a former CIA agent to Italy, where she will serve a prison sentence after being convicted of involvement in a US program that kidnapped suspects for interrogation, her lawyer said today.

Police took Sabrina de Sousa, who was born in India, to a Portuguese jail where she is awaiting extradition, her Portuguese lawyer, Manuel Magalhaes e Silva, told the Associated Press.

He said in an email that she was detained Monday and is expected to be sent to Italy within days.

De Sousa was among 26 Americans convicted for kidnapping suspect Osama Moustafa Hassan Nas, also known as Abu Omar, from a Milan street on February 17, 2003. She denied involvement in the abduction.

The US rendition program, under which terror suspects were kidnapped and transferred to centers where they were interrogated and tortured, was part of the anti-terrorism strategy of the Bush administration following the September 11, 2001 attacks. Former President Barack Obama ended the program years later.

De Sousa lost several appeals against extradition since her arrest at Lisbon Airport in October 2015 on a European warrant. She had argued that she was never officially informed of the Italian court conviction and couldn't use confidential US government information to defend herself.

De Sousa holds both US and Portuguese passports, has said she had been living in Portugal and intended to settle there. She was on her way to visit her elderly mother in India with a roundtrip ticket when she was detained.

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France's far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen sparked controversy today during her brief visit to Lebanon when she refused to wear a veil to meet the country's top Sunni Muslim cleric.

On her last day in the small Mediterranean country, Le Pen arrived at Sheikh Abdellatif Deryan's office in Beirut and was offered a white shawl to cover her blonde hair.

The National Front candidate promptly refused and made a brief statement to journalists before leaving.

"The highest Sunni authority in the world had not had this requirement, so I have no reason to," Le Pen said, referring to her 2015 visit to Al-Azhar, the prestigious Egyptian institution of Sunni Islamic learning.

She said she had told Deryan's office on Monday that she would not don a veil: "They did not cancel the meeting, so I thought they would accept that I will not wear the scarf."



"They wanted to impose this on me, to present me with a fait accompli. Well, no one presents me with a fait accompli," the candidate said.

Deryan heads Dar al-Fatwa, the highest Sunni authority in Lebanon.

In a statement on Tuesday, the body said "its press office had informed the presidential candidate, through one of her assistants, of the need to cover her head when she meets his eminence, according to the protocol assumed by Dar al-Fatwa".

"Dar al-Fatwa officials were surprised by her refusal to conform to this well-known rule," the statement said.

Fewer than a dozen protesters gathered near Lebanon's Zaytuna Bay on Tuesday afternoon to protest against Le Pen's visit.

"From Beirut to Damascus to Paris to Washington, fascists flock together," one placard read.

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British telecom operator Vodafone today said that its mobile wallet M-Pesa registered 614 million transactions in December.

"As Vodafone marks the 10th anniversary of M-Pesa, the world's leading mobile money service, it was revealed that a record 614 million M-Pesa transactions were processed during December 2016," the company said in a statement.

Vodafone now offers M-Pesa services in 10 countries including India, Kenya, Albania, Egypt, Ghana and Tanzania.

As of the end of December 2016, M-Pesa claims to have almost 29.5 million active customers through a network of more than 287,400 agents, the statement said.

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Mahindra & Mahindra today said it will foray into the intermediate commercial vehicles segment by the end of 2017-18 as part of its plans to triple market share in the CV market in next five years.

The company is in the process of investing Rs 700 crore to develop new intermediate commercial vehicles (ICVs) and light commercial vehicles (LCVs).

It is expecting to launch 15-16 models of ICVs and LCVs altogether as it seeks to become a full range CV player by in the next two and half years.

"We will be entering into the ICV segment by the end of FY18. It is a part of our plans to become a full range CV player," Mahindra Trucks and Buses Ltd Managing Director and CEO Nalin Mehta told PTI here.

The ICV ranging from 8-16 tonnes vehicles will be supplemented by new products from LCVs, he added.

"Currently an investment of Rs 700 crore is ongoing. This investment is for both ICV and new LCV. We already have prototypes which are being tested," Mehta said.

Elaborating on the company's plans, he said:"Our target is to double our market share in the CV space in two years. Once we become a full range player we are looking a triple it.

"M&M currently has 3.5 per cent share in the heavy commercial vehicles segment while in LCV it has around 9 per cent share. It is not present in the ICV category. Tata Motors and Ashok Leyland are the major players in the segments.

"So, as we go ahead we will be launching a new product every two-three months starting from the end of FY18. We have great expectations from our CV division," Mehta said.

When asked by when the truck and bus division is expected to be a profit centre, Mehta didn't share an exact time line but said it could happen in the next five years or even before that.

"Once we become a full range player, our production capacity utilisation will increase, our ability to leverage on suppliers will increase. So we should be able to achieve profitable growth," he added.

He said the engines for the ICV are being developed by its engineers at Chennai and will be assembled at the Pune facility.

"These ICV engines can also find their way to our tractors. Since the products are being launched close to 2020 most of them will be BS VI emission norm complaint," Mehta added.

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The cause of death has not yet been determined for the exiled member of North Korea's ruling family who died last week after apparently being poisoned in a Kuala Lumpur airport, officials said today.

The autopsy showed no evidence of a heart attack in Kim Jong Nam's death, or sign of puncture wounds on his body, Noor Hisham Abdullah, the director general of health, told reporters.

Asked if there was any indication that he had been poisoned, Noor Hisham said medical specimens had been forwarded to experts who can determine the cause of death. "We have to confirm with the lab report before we can make any conclusive remark," he said.

No family members have come forward to claim the body, he said. The older half brother of North Korea's ruler, Kim had spent most of the past 15 years living in China and Southeast Asia.

The attack spiraled into diplomatic fury when Malaysia refused to hand over Kim's corpse to North Korean diplomats and proceeded with at least one autopsy over the diplomats' objections.

The two nations have made a series of increasingly angry statements since then, with Malaysia saying it was following its legal protocols, and North Korea insisting Malaysia is working in collusion with its enemy South Korea.

Police have so far arrested four people carrying identity documents from North Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam.

Those arrested include two women who were allegedly seen approaching Kim on February 13 as he stood at a ticketing kiosk at the budget terminal of the Kuala Lumpur airport.

Surveillance video, obtained by Japan's Fuji TV and often grainy and blurred, seems to show the two women approaching Kim Jong Nam from different directions that morning. One comes up behind him and appears to hold something over his mouth for a few seconds.

Then the women turn and calmly walk off in different directions. More video shows Kim, a long-estranged half brother of North Korea's ruler, walking up to airport workers and security officials, gesturing at his eyes and seemingly asking for help. He then walks alongside as they lead him to the airport clinic.

Fuji TV has not revealed how it acquired the video, which was taken by a series of security cameras as Kim arrived for a flight to Macau, where he had a home.

Kim, who was in his mid-40s, died shortly after the attack, en route to a hospital after suffering a seizure, Malaysian officials say.

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Mehbooba Mufti today made a special gesture to win the hearts and minds of displaced Pandits as she visited several of their camps here to extend "personal greetings" for the upcoming Shivratri, becoming the first Chief Minister to do so.

She visited Purkhoo, Muthi, Nagrota and Buta Nagar camps besides the Jagti township and extended her greetings to the inhabitants for the festival which will be celebrated on February 24.

Touched by the Chief Minister's gesture, the inhabitants received her in the traditional Kashmiri style.

While interacting with the inhabitants, Mehbooba said, "Kashmiri Pandits are an inseparable part of the Kashmiri society, and the inclusive ethos, for which Kashmir has been known for ages, is incomplete without them."



She said the Muslims in the Valley are eagerly waiting for return of Pandits to their ancestral place.

The Chief Minister assured the community that government would consider their demand for participating in panchayat and municipal elections.

On the occasion, Mehbooba took stock of the facilities being provided to the displaced people at these places.

She said her government would take all possible steps for the welfare of the community.

Revenue and Relief Minister Abdul Rehman Veeri, Divisional Commissioner of Jammu Pawan Kotwal, Relief Commissioner and other senior officers of Relief Organisation accompanied the Chief Minister during the visit.

Some KPs demanded ouster of the Relief Commissioner for his alleged "bad behaviour" with the migrant community.

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The resignation of Mizoram's Labour Minister Lalrinmawia Ralte, who has been blamed for sending 32 students from the state to a fake institute in Kolkata and misusing money, has been accepted by Governor Nirbhay Sharma, Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla said today.

Ralte's resignation, which had been submitted on February 15, was accepted as he had pleaded that there should be fair and impartial inquiry into the allegations against his department, the chief minister told newsmen here.

Ralte and Mizoram Youth Commission(MYC) chairman T. Sangkunga were "compelled" to resign as some government officials had misguided them, he said.

The minister's portfolios - employment and industrial training, environment, forests and climate change, soil and water conservation and cooperation besides labour, would now be held by him, Thanhawla added.

The minister had tendered his resignation over controversy surrounding sending of 32 Mizo students to Nalanda Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS) in Kolkata, which was reportedly declared a fake institution.

Thanhawla haD already accepted the resignation of Sangkunga as chairman of the MYC.

Ralte had said in his letter that the opposition parties were "gunning" for his resignation and were also trying to blame the chief minister in the fiasco.

Opposition parties held Ralte, who was also chairman of Mizoram Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board (MBOCWWB) and T Sangkunga, Mizoram Youth Commission (MYC) chairman responsible for the plight of the Mizo students who had been sent by the state government to the eastern metropolis to study Bachelor of Hotel Management.

They alleged that the two were responsible for sending the students to a fake institution and misusing over Rs 128 lakh provided by MBOCWWB.

The state government had recently suspended two officials - Rotlunga, the former director of labour and employment and information technology and former superintendent of MYC recently. But the opposition parties stuck to their demand for resignation of the two Congress legislators.

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The fourth round of peace talks between Mizoram government and Hmar People's Convention (Democratic), which was scheduled to be held in mid February has been deferred and is now likely to be held in March.

State home department officials today said efforts were being made to speed-up the peace process and two other government departments were to be involved.

Earlier, additional secretary to the state home department, Lalbiakzama had said the peace talks had made tremendous progress and were nearing conclusion with both sides optimistic about finding an amicable solution to the Hmar imbroglio.

Implementation of the proposed framework agreement would necessiate a legislation by the state assembly for establishment of a revamped council called 'Singlung Hills Council' by replacing 'Sinlung Hills Development Council', he had said.

Provisions for the proposed legislation would have to be vetted by the state law and judicial department which would take time, he said.

The finance department's approval also was being sought as expenses for rehabilitation of the HPC(D) cadres would have to be worked out before they come overground after signing the proposed peace agreement, he added.

The Hmar community who are concentrated in the north eastern part of Mizoram adjoining Manipur have been demanding autonomy along the lines of the autonomous district councils of the Maras, Lais and Chakmas in the southern part of the state.

HPC went underground in 1989 demanding a separate autonomous district council and signed an agreement with the state government in 1994 which resulted in the formation of the Sinlung Hills Development Council (SHDC).

HPC(D) was formed by former HPC cadres who were unhappy with the agreement and launched armed insurrection for a separate autonomous district council for the Hmars. However, they agreed to abandon the claim and give more power to SHDC during the peace talks in August last year.

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West Bengal Chief Minister West Bengal Chief Minister today said all languages were equal and mother tongue should be used to express one's views.

"All languages are equal. Mother tongue must be for expressing views," Banerjee tweeted on the occasion of International Mother Language Day.

"How can I forget February 21 spattered with my brothers' blood? I pay my tribute to the martyrs of 1952 Language Movement," Banerjee tweeted.

Heartfelt greetings to all on the occasion of International Mother Language Day," Banerjee added.

Some Dhaka University students who were demonstrating for the recognition of Bengali as their national language along with Urdu were shot dead on February 21, 1952 by the police in the then East Pakistan.

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Opinion / Book Reviews

Another Potential Zimbabwean Amazon BestsellerTwo-time Amazon Bestselling author, Kwapi Vengesayi, is a skilled and gifted writer who keeps you enthralled through his captivating musings, motivating stories and thought-provoking conversations about those nagging and eternal topics concerning love, relationships, life and our human experiences. Accompanied by guest writers, Men Cheat More, Women Cheat Better: Stories and Conversations About Love, Life and Everything in Between makes for an engaging read that is as witty, candid and enlightening as the books before it, albeit with more diverse voices and unique perspectives.A Seattle resident, but born and raised in Zimbabwe, African oral tradition has left a deep-rooted impression on the author. Both his writing and storytelling style exhibit and paint a picture of an in-depth understanding and appreciation of one of the most important tenets of African oral tradition: every story should have a moral."Love intrigues us, life consumes us, and everything in between just adds to the chaos," Kwapi once wrote: a moment that captures the recurring themes in his books as well as the essence of his writing and this new collection of stories and conversations.Vengesayi's former two releases: Hashtags: The Dumbest, Smartest, Funniest, Deepest Things I've Ever (and never) Said About Love, Politics, and Everything in Between (2013) and Love is Work: Hashtags About Love, Life and Everything in Between (2014) became Amazon bestsellers and were applauded by his readership. Men Cheat More, Women Cheat Better: Stories and Conversations About Love, Life and Everything in Between is yet another installation that undoubtedly has the potential to become another bestseller.Men Cheat More, Women Cheat Better will be available worldwide January 31, 2017 (pre-sale January 17) on Amazon, Amazon Europe and Amazon Kindle in both paperback (US$11.99) and Kindle eBook (US$2.99) format (eBook available for pre-order on January 17).To keep up to date with the author's work, visit visit: www.kwapiv.com , connect with him on Facebook @kwapivengesayi, or follow him on Twitter @kwapiv and Instagram @kwapiv
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella today met Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well as the IT Minister and discussed the company's digital inclusion programme that leverages technology for improving rural healthcare and education.

The India born CEO also participated in a round table at NITI Aayog on tapping into cloud computing for good governance in the country.

In a tweet, NITI Aayog said: "@Microsoft CEO @satyanadella answers queries of senior govt officials on secure use big data and cloud computing for good governance."



It also shared a photograph of NITI Vice Chairman Arvind Panagariya presenting Nadella a book titled 'State Forward' about best practices in governance from States.

Nadella and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad talked about the software giant's rural digital initiatives and leveraging its professional networking platform, LinkedIn, for creating employment opportunities.

The high profile executive, who is on a multi-city tour, is scheduled to address a conference on 'Future Decoded' in Mumbai.

He was in India's tech hub Bengaluru yesterday speaking on a slew of topics including Artificial Intelligence and re-skilling, meeting the startup community and unveiling a cloud partnership with e-tailer Flipkart.

Terming his meeting with Nadella as "fruitful", Prasad said India would look at applying the experiences of Microsoft's pilot project in Harisal for its newly-announced Digi Gaon initiative.

"Microsoft is doing good work in India. In particular, we have appreciated their initiative for digital inclusion in village...The Harisal pilot project in Maharashtra where they brought in a lot of technology and connectivity for digital health and digital education...," Prasad said after the 30-minute meeting.

"This is something I am considering for replication... given our larger vision of digital village announced in the Budget by the FM under Digi Gaon initiative," he added.

Prasad said other issues that were discussed in detail included "LinkedIn involvement in skilling professionals to be exposed to good job opportunities".

"In particular, LinkedIn exposure for creating more employment opportunities and Digi Gaon becoming a success with application of the experience of pilot project in Harisal, is something we eagerly look forward to," Prasad said.

The issue of H-1B visas did not figure in the meeting with the Microsoft CEO, he said.

Nadella and Google CEO Sundar Pichai, he said, represented a "powerful statement of extraordinary contribution" of India's talent, and accomplishments in the field of technology.

On the issue of cloud, the Minister noted that India has a cloud first policy, and added, "we have empanelled Microsoft also".

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Two IndiGo and SilkAir planes were involved in a near-miss over Kolkata airspace last December, it has emerged, prompting the government to launch a probe.

The IndiGo plane from Kolkata to Hyderabad (VT-IEM) and the Kolkata-bound SilkAir aircraft from Singapore (9VMGH) were involved in the incident that happened on December 11.

Together, there were more than 200 people in the two planes. Both the airlines did not provide the number of passengers who were on board their respective flights when the incident happened.

Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has started a formal inquiry into the "serious incident", according to a recent notification issued by the Civil Aviation Ministry.

Citing preliminary data from Indian authorities, French aviation watchdog BEA said vertical separation between the two aircraft "was zero feet" while the least horizontal separation between the two planes was reduced to just 0.6 NM.

About the incident, an IndiGo spokesperson said there was a reduction in horizontal separation between the two aircraft but "no error has been found on part of the IndiGo flight crew".

The airline also said the situation could have been avoided had the Air Traffic Controller (ATC) not cleared its plane for take-off and made SilkAir discontinue the approach.

When contacted, a SilkAir spokesperson said the airline has provided AAIB with all the information and reports for the flight to aid them in their investigation.

In a statement sent to PTI, the spokesperson said as the SilkAir aircraft was on approach and preparing to land, it was alerted about the Indigo plane taking off from the same runway.

As the pilots could not clearly identify the location of the IndiGo aircraft on the runway, they decided to discontinue the approach and circle the airport for another approach to land, the statement said.

The SilkAir plane landed safely, it added.

IndiGo was flying Airbus 320 plane while SilkAir was operating Boeing 737 aircraft.

The seating capacity is around 180 seats and 162 seats for the IndiGo and SilkAir planes, respectively.

A senior official at aviation regulator DGCA said it has received information about the incident and AAIB probe is on.

BEA said "IndiGo flight IGO6619 sector Kolkata-Hyderabad departed runway 19L at 1525 UTC while the SilkAir flight MI488 commenced go around at the same time."



"The least horizontal separation between MI488 and IGO6619 was 0.6 NM during the entire event and the least vertical separation was zero feet," as per information available on BEA website.

BEA has also mentioned that it is "preliminary data based on the notification from the authorities of India".

An official, who earlier served at aviation regulator DGCA, said considering the facts available the incident is like a near collision since the vertical and horizontal separation of the two aircraft were well below the stipulated requirements.

IndiGo said the incident occurred when its flight was



given backtrack on runway 19L at Kolkata, and at the same time Emirates 777 was given line up from taxiway K and cleared for take off.

During this time, the SilkAir aircraft was around 5-6 miles from touchdown and as the Emirates plane delayed its take-off that led to a situation wherein IndiGo airplane's departure was also delayed, it added.

"By the time Emirates took off and IndiGo commenced take off roll after cleared by Kolkata ATC, SilkAir aircraft was around 2 miles to touchdown.

"IndiGo aircraft took off and followed all instruction of ATC. SilkAir aircraft carried out a go around. This led to a situation of reduction in horizontal separation between the two aircraft," IndiGo said.

Further, the airline noted that no TCAS (Traffic Collision Avoidance System) caution or warning triggered in either aircraft but this reduction in horizontal separation was a breach of ATC norms.

Generally, TCAS warning is triggered when an aircraft is in proximity of another one.

"Last known information, the said controller was put off duty. No error has been found on part of the IndiGo flight crew. This situation could have been avoided in case the ATC controller would have not cleared IndiGo aircraft for take off and made Silk Air discontinue the approach," it said.

Ordering AAIB probe, the ministry said, "It appears to the central government that it is expedient to investigate and determine the causes and contributory factors leading to the said serious incident and make recommendations to avoid recurrence of such serious incidents in future."



The committee, headed by AAIB Assistant Director Jitender Loura, has Assistant Director Raje Bhatnagar and Air Safety Officer Dinesh Kumar as members is probing the incident.

Whenever required, the panel can take the assistance of other experts and agencies.

Meanwhile, IndiGo said most events of breach of separation is due to implementation of "High Intensity Runway Operation" wherein the ATC controllers are having difficulty coping up with the increase in air traffic due to lack of sophisticated radars.

SilkAir -- part of Singapore Airlines group -- also said it always takes the safety of passengers and crew seriously, and ensured that all relevant procedures are reinforced.
Has your mind been preoccupied with negative thoughts lately? Do you feel irritated time and again? A new study suggests that you might be suffering from stress.

Conducted by YourDost, an online counselling and emotional wellness portal, the study notes "negative thinking is one of the major symptoms of stress".

While highlighting that psychological issues like stress are often neglected and ignored, it reveals that in 50 per cent cases "irritability" and "pessimistic thoughts" are indicative of the onset of stress, along with other manifestations in mannerisms like irregular eating and sleeping habits.

"41 per cent of the participants felt their sleeping and eating habits changed when they were stressed. 39 per cent of people showed temperament changes.

"Reduction of productivity was observed in 36 per cent, while overwhelming feelings and self-criticism increased in about 35 per cent of the participants," says the study.

Attributing the rising levels of stress to changing lifestyles, psychologist Shruti Singhal says an incompatibility between personalities and environments also contributes towards increased stress levels.

"Stress levels are rising in every walk of life. We encounter daily cases of people breaking down under the pressures of highly competitive and demanding academic, professional and lifestyle stressors.

"In addition to that, the emotional and social fabric of the society has become very fragile. Issues like break ups, family/marital discord, loneliness have only added to the emotional breakdowns. Introversion and shyness in a social set up where extroverted characteristics are sought after," she says.

The study also points out that "14 per cent of India's total population are in high-stress zone and needed expert intervention" and 58 per cent of these people are inclined to consult a counsellor.

"While only 6 per cent of these stress-affected individuals actually talked to a psychologist, the rest 52 per cent resorted to listening to music and sleeping to de-stress themselves," it says.

In another interesting finding, the study says that more number of women were stressed in the country compared to men, adding that "singles and unmarried people" find it easier to cope with stress than married couples.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
NCP chief Sharad Pawar today exercised his franchise in a municipal ward where nine candidates are contesting and none of them belongs to NCP.

Pawar, along with son-in-law Sadanand Sule and grand daughter Revati, voted here at a polling booth in ward no. 214, which comprises landmarks like the Mahalaxmi Mandir, Jaslok Hospital and the historic Gowalia Tank ground.

There are nine candidates contesting from ward 214 in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections, including those from Congress, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena and Shiv Sena.

Arvind Bane of Shiv Sena, Dhanraj Sahadev Naik of MNS, Kaushik Jasubhai Shah of Congress and Sarita Ajay Patil of BJP are some prominent candidates in the ward, where the number of eligible voters is 60,236.

Meanwhile, a 108-year-old woman voted at a polling booth in Fansavle village of Maharashtra's Ratnagiri district for the zilla parishad polls.

The woman, who came to the booth with the help of a 'walker', along with three generations of her family, also appealed people to vote.

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Odisha government will soon formulate a policy to promote tour packages to South East Asia in collaboration with airlines operator Air Asia.

The issue was discussed at the Tourism Advisory Committee Meeting held here under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary A P Padhi.

"It was decided in the meeting that a specific policy will be made for promoting tour packages to South East Asia in collaboration with Air Asia.

"This apart, new tour packages like Jagannath Trail, Coastal Trek, Coastal Cruise, Cycle Tours, Food Festivals and Weekend Gateways will be organised under the Odisha Tourism Development Corporation," said state Tourism Secretary Arati Ahuja.

During the meeting, Padhi said a special tour package to South East Asian countries would help boost tourism in the state. He also directed to expedite the processes for setting up a sand art museum at Puri.

Tourism department officials said branding of Odisha Tourism would be done at the strategic places like airports in Delhi and other important cities, Mumbai Metro and international convention centres.

It would also be linked to upcoming major events in Paris, Singapore and Madrid, Director Tourism, Nitin Jawale said adding, three trips would be organised for senior citizens during 2017-18 under the Baristha Nagarika Tirthayatra Yojana like previous years.

The official said there has been steady growth in tourist footfall in Odisha over the last seven years.

In 2010 the total tourist footfall was around 76.41 lakh with 50,432 foreign tourists and it has been steadily increasing since then, they said.

By 2013, the total tourist footfall increased to 98.66 lakh with 66,675 foreign tourists and by 2016 (till November), the figure reached 110.62 lakh with 67,108 foreign tourists, the officials said.

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Concerned over mounting bad loans, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has called the heads of public sector banks to explain issues relating to NPAs, including the loans given to Vijay Mallya-led firms.

"To begin with, the panel has called CEOs of Indian Bank and Indian Overseas Bank at its meeting in Chennai on February 27," its Chairman and senior Congress leader K V Thomas told PTI.

Besides, representatives of the Finance Ministry will also be present at the discussion over issue of bad debts in the public institutions.

The PAC will be holding such meeting separately with other lenders on the rising NPAs, which has become a major source of concern for the public sector banks, Thomas said.

The PAC is learnt to have already dispatched a questionnaire to the heads of banks to seek details about bad debts and major defaulters.

The questions asked are on quantum of the bad debts, the reasons for increase in such loans, steps taken to recover them and also the factors delaying the recovery.

As on September 30, 2016 gross NPAs of public sector banks rose to Rs 6.3 lakh crore as against Rs 5.5 lakh crore at the end of the June quarter.

This works out to an increase of Rs 79,977 crore on quarter on quarter basis.

A consortium of 17 lenders to Kingfisher, including the State Bank, have struggled to recover close to Rs 6,000 crore loan given to the defunct Kingfisher Airlines.

The liquor baron quietly flew to London in March last year, chased by banks as well as investigating agencies over allegations of financial fraud.

To recover some of the money, the SBI has tried to auction Mallya's property. Among the assets pledged as collateral is the flamboyant businessman's luxurious Kingfisher villa in Goa, which the bank has yet to find a buyer for.

Recently, former top officials of IDBI Bank were arrested by CBI in connection with Kingfisher Airlines case, putting bankers to become extra cautious resulting in slowdown in processing of loan proposals.

During the meeting on February 27, the PAC will also undertake performance review of import and export trade facilitation through Customs Port and Special Economic Zones where representatives of Revenue Department will also be present.

Besides, it will also discuss performance audit on assessment of assessees in pharmaceuticals sector for the year ended March 2014.

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Asking displaced Kashmir Pandits (KPs) to pray for peace on Mahashivratri, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today said the peace will remain elusive unless and until Pandits do not feel that they will be able to live in Kashmir Valley "again".

"Even after we hold talks (with Pakistan), reopen roads between two sides, Kashmir will remain incomplete and peace in Kashmir is incomplete, unless and until KPs do not feel that they will able to live in Kashmir again," Mehbooba said.

"That is real test to us," the Chief Minister told KPs at Jagti camp today.

"Please pray on holy night of Shivrati to God to create peace in Kashmir so that all migrants could return to their homes and hearths with respect and dignity," she said.

"It is big need of the time that you return back to your roots with respect", Mehbooba said.

"Kashmir has lagged behind due to your migration from the Valley. You were our assets. Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs --all are big treasure of brotherhood and composite culture," she said.

"We lost it in Kashmir, it has come up in Jammu. People of different religions live here (in Jammu). People speaking Dogri, Kashmiri, Gojri, Punjabi and Ladakhi live here. But we lost this composite culture in Kashmir", he said.

Mehbooba said "one of my KP brother was saying that Government of India should be pressed to commence dialogue with Pakistan. Even after we hold talks with Pakistan, reopen roads between two sides, Kashmir will remain incomplete and peace in Kashmir is incomplete, unless and until KPs do not feel that he will able able to live in Kashmir again. That is real test to us."



"I know you have lot of problems. I would have come earlier, but situation became worst last year --four to five months passed off very badly," she said.

The Chief Minister said, "You may have many problems but there is huge mental stress among people in Kashmir. You may be feeling the difficulty due to this barbed wire, but Kashmir is laid with such wires. It is we Kashmiris who are responsible for that. We are responsible for this."



"When we cross Jawahir tunnel towards Jammu, the mind opens and we become free but in Kashmir, people are under huge stress. We have created the situation ourselves," the CM said.

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Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who spearheaded BJP's campaign for the civic polls, today exuded confidence that people will support the party on basis of the work it has done.

Fadnavis, along with his wife Amruta and mother, voted in the Nagpur Municipal Corporation election at a booth near their residence in Dharampeth here at around 11.45 AM.

The Chief Minister, who is facing a battle of prestige in the election to 10 Municipal Corporation, including cash-rich Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, told reporters, "I have full faith that on the basis of work we (BJP) have done, people will back us."



He appealed to voters acrossthe state to exercise their voting right in order to strengthen democracy.

Fadnavis said voting is the responsibility of citizens and they should participate in the democratic process.

Polling for Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and nine other civic bodies across Maharashtra got underway this morning with estranged allies BJP and Shiv Sena locked in an intense battle.

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Certain personality traits considered permanent undergo major changes during the course of a human's lifetime, according to new study.

In the longest study of its kind, researchers from the University of Edinburgh in UK found that character traits like self-confidence and desire to learn altered greatly between the ages of 14 and 77.

"We hypothesised that we would find evidence of personality stability over 63 years but our correlations did not support this hypothesis," said the team led by Mathew Harris, research associate in brain imaging at the university.

Only two of the traits analysed, stability of mood and conscientiousness, showed signs of lasting a lifetime in a significant way but even then there was no guarantee.

The basis of the study, reported in 'The Times', was a mental health survey conducted in Scotland in 1950 when the personalities of more than 1,200 children were assessed.

Their teachers filled in six questionnaires, in which they assessed pupils' levels of self-confidence, perseverance, stability of mood, conscientiousness, originality and desire to learn.

The six qualities were amalgamated into a single score that researchers said was similar to dependability. The children also took intelligence tests.

In 2012 researchers tracked down 635 of those who participated in the original study and again tested all who were willing.

Now aged 77, the participants rated themselves and nominated a close friend or relative to do the same. They also completed a new round of intelligence tests and answered questions on their general wellbeing.

"A wide range of genetic and environmental factors likely contribute to change in personality traits over time and it is not yet clear why some traits might be more affected by these factors than others," the researchers said.

"Personality changes gradually throughout life. There may be only subtle changes over relatively short periods, but these changes accumulate, leading to bigger differences over more time. It may change more rapidly throughout certain times of life, such as adolescent development, but whether specific life events have substantial, lasting effects on personality is less clear," they added.

Previous personality studies, conducted over shorter periods, have appeared to show more consistency in character traits.

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Opinion / Columnist

Kudakwashe Chikwanda is Political Analyst and Social Commentator with Khuluma Africa.

The coalition of the willing has failed to exterminate the regime and Tsvangirai and Mujuru's alliance is accelerating into its own political Waterloo. In reality ZANU-PF has survived the implosion engineered from without. For perspective, history has it that by ditching ESAP, undertaking FTLRP and nationalization of critical areas of the country's economy ZANU-PF by default became a sworn enemy of capitalist church.To thwart the domino-effects of such policy shift by Zimbabwe the west banked on the civilian pain = political gain through sanctions to prop up MDC-T into power but thanked be the sons of the soil for their intellectual vigilance; Zimbabweans managed to see through the curtains of semantic obfuscation.The grand coalition of the west, NGOs and MDCs dismally failed. From last year to date Tsvangirai and Mujuru had mooted to join hands in their quest to overthrow the regime but a spirit of confusion has engulfed the two centers which they represent; Brains behind Mujuru are no more so she is destined to fail and on the other end Khupe is questioning the relevance of the marriage. She like many in her corner have concerns on who will be the VPs if it happens that they will win the fast approaching harmonized elections in 2018.The bowl has Chamisa, Mudzuri, Khupe, Ncube, Mujuru, Makoni,Biti and who knows maybe another Professor Mutambara eyeing the two VP posts and with this in mind it's dog eat dog and the coalition against the people's party is good as dead. Even if the self professed coalition husband avoids polygamy and choose Mujuru for a coalition will that add value on the background that she is now brainless after firing those who hired her.If the two draft a political marriage it will be a coalition of the losers ; MDC-T failed to dislodge ZANU-PF since inception and has been disintegrating and on the other hand Mujuru jailed to get at least 49 percent of the votes in Bikita-West by-elections and became more statistical about the battering. ZANU-PF will organize a celebratory extravaganza if the opposition coalesces.Why? It survived an annihilative and combative international coalition from 2000 and NERA or CODE is but a chick which will experience a baptism of fire from the will be 94 years old ZANU-PF's presidential candidate come 2018. In reality the revolutionary party will without much strain survive in 2018 harmonized elections.After all this celebration ZANU-PF has to be wary of one man, it's the Professor. I have no qualms about it, he is learned and as a political science intellectual he knows quite well that the revolutionary party is very strong ideologically, combative in approach, vigilant in character and united as a force. In early 2000s he once professed that to destroy ZANU-PF you have to do it from within and to his credit Jonathan Moyo is a principled chap he has lived to his word; he is destroying ZANU-PF from within.The party has a spokesperson but the professor has anointed self as the party's mouthpiece maybe by virtue of his professorship. The First Secretary countless read the riot act and ordered the Central Committee members to desist using social media to score trivial political vendettas but to every cadre's surprise Prof Moyo is twitter addicted more than Trump.The Prof have guts to disappoint his appointer and this had a bad precedence and personalities like Chimene, Shoko and Chipanga have followed suit by denigrating senior party members including the part of the presidium's trinity. It is the professor who created and gave names to factions, it's him who saw ambitions to overthrow on a mug, it's the Minister who sees evilness in the powers vested on his excellence to appoint his VPs yet he once propagated clandestinely for the one-centre of power.It is Moyo who can challenge ZACC's composition and powers to bring Robin Wood before the wheels of justice; maybe it is because you can't question the rationality of actions by a professor because he is learned and if you challenge his conduct it is tribalism.The professor is sowing the seeds of disharmony and disloyalty among comrades. The revolution has survived the coalitions of the willing but will it survive the capture by the professor? Can comrades sell the professor a political dummy and let his experiment of destroying the people's party from within strangle him? Be wary when dealing with the unrepentant professor and pass my word to him that those who sow wind will definitely reap whirlwind.
Animal rights group PETA today claimed an "investigation" showed that some prominent poultry companies in the country adopt cruel methods in dealing with "unwanted" male chicks.

In its findings, PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), India, names companies including Venky's, Suguna Foods who allegedly indulge in such practices. The two companies have denied the charges.

PETA termed the practices "criminal" and urged the government to probe the issue.

Refuting the charges, Suguna Foods said it was not in the egg-business and therefore "there was no question of culling of male chicks".

"We are into the broiler-business where male and female chicks are reared together so it is a completely wrong allegation," a senior Suguna official told PTI.

On the other hand, Venky's said there was demand for male chicks in rural areas where they are sold for meat. "Why will they be killed when there is a demand?" it said.

Nikunj Sharma, a PETA India official, screened a video in Hyderabad showing purported cruelty to animals allegedly at different hatcheries.

Poultry Federation of India President Ramesh Chander Khatri shared the companies' views saying while he could not comment on the videos, such practices were unheard of.

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, PETA India CEO Poorva Joshipura said shortly after birth, male chicks are separated from female ones via a process known as 'sexing' which is extremely distressing as they hare handled roughly by workers.

PETA based its claims on an investigation conducted by Anonymous for Animal Rights between February and April 2016 in several hatcheries in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

"Hatcheries consider male (chicks) useless as only female (ones) can lay eggs. They are stored and killed in horrific ways," she said.

Male chicks- and others that are sick or considered unprofitable otherwise for meat or egg production- are killed in disturbing ways- "by grinding, drowning, burning, crushing and suffocation, or feeding them live to fish", she said.

Venky's DGM (sales and marketing) Omkar Verma questioned the authenticity of the videos shared by PETA and said male chicks are treated as byproducts for the companies in the layer sector, where egg laying poultries are raised.

"They are sold in rural areas. Why will they be killed when there is a demand? They are treated like desi birds in rural areas and reared likewise and later sold for meat," Verma said.

PETA has written to the governments of Telangana and



Andhra Pradesh on the issue, Sharma said, adding the animal rights group would also be writing to the companies concerned soon, he said.

"In response to these atrocities, PETA is calling on the public to go vegan and the government to consider new 'in ovo' sexing technology, in which chicks' gender is determined before they hatch, potentially preventing large scale deaths of male chicks," Nikunj Sharma of PETA told reporters in Hyderabad.

The outfit also requested the government "to establish and implement a written standard for painless euthanasia for unhealthy chicks and take stern action against companies that kill chicks in cruel ways.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is a "serial killer" who should be forced out of office, one of his chief critics said today, as she faced arrest on drug charges she insisted were meant to silence her.

Senator Leila de Lima invoked a famous "People Power" revolution that toppled dictator Ferdinand Marcos three decades ago, in her strongest comments yet against Duterte and his drug war that has claimed thousands of lives.

"There is no more doubt that our president is a murderer and sociopathic serial killer," De Lima told reporters, as she called on cabinet to declare him unfit to lead, and asked ordinary Filipinos to voice their opposition to his rule.

De Lima said the constitution allowed for a majority in his cabinet to force him to step down by ruling that he was mentally incapacitated, and urged it to do so.

If the cabinet members did not, De Lima referred to the mass uprising that ended the "iron fist" of Marcos's dictatorship in 1986.

"Now the time has come again for us to be brave and stand up to another criminal dictator and his evil regime," De Lima said.

The government last week charged De Lima, a former national human rights commissioner, with orchestrating a drug trafficking ring when she was justice secretary in the previous administration.

De Lima, 57, her supporters and rights groups have said the charges against her are manufactured to silence her as well as intimidate other people who may want to speak out against him.

She could be detained anytime, although the courts hearing the cases must issue an arrest warrant.

When asked about De Lima's comments, presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella simply described them as "colourful language" and pointed out that Duterte would allow public demonstrations against him.

Duterte, 71, won presidential elections last year after promising during the campaign to eradicate drugs in society by killing tens of thousands of people.

He immediately launched the crackdown after taking office in June and police have reported killing 2,555 drug suspects since then, with about 4,000 other people murdered in unexplained circumstances.

Amnesty International has warned police actions in the drug war may amount to crimes against humanity.

The powerful Roman Catholic Church, which helped lead the People Power revolution, has in recent months begun speaking out against the drug war and on Saturday held a rally against the killings, attracting thousands of people.

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A political crisis or a failed love story have been the perennial favourites of playwrights.

Director Mohit Takalkar combines both the plots to narrate two parallel stories in his captivating play 'Main Huun Yusuf Aur Ye Hai Mera Bhai' that was staged recently as part of National School of Drama's 19th Bharat Rang Mahotsav here.

Set in the backdrop of 1948 Palestine, when the British mandate was ending and the United Nations was voting for dividing the country into two, the play tells the story of a small village straddling between an 'imminent war resulting in a refugee status' and an 'unlikely love story'.

Narrated in the voice of a mentally challenged Yusuf, the play is the story of how the boy's handicap as "Gaon ka sabse bewakoof ladka" (the most stupid boy of the village) came in the way of his brother Ali's marriage with the love of his life Nada.

As the war plays out in the backdrop and 'land owners' in the village turn refugees, the production captures the anguished existence of the villagers through nuanced performances by the actors.

One of the most striking scenes in the narrative where a villager carrying an uprooted tree fearing that it will forget him once the new ocupants arrive, evokes a heart wrenching sense of loss and uprootedness.

"Hopefully I will plant it again," says the villager, holding the tree over his head.

Peeling off deep layers of 'guilt' and 'forgiveness', the play ends with Ali's purgation as he confesses of throwing Yusuf in a well during their childhood that resulted in his handicap.

"I am the one responsible for your condition. I threw you in the well when we were children out of jealousy. I didn't want, but then my hands pushed you. Please forgive me," Ali tells Yusuf, as the latter helplessly pleads with his brother not to leave him.

What follows is Ali's hopeless pursuit of Nada accompanied by the doggedly loyal Yusuf, that culminates in Ali's death.

Takalkar's production is an adaptation of the Hindi-Urdu translation of the original play by Palestinian playwright Amir Nizar Zuabi.

"Zuabi's play was powerful, elegiac, exploration of history, memory and different forms of love.

"I rehearsed everyday with a certain zeal and enthusiasm to unearth multiple layers and narratives of this fascinating play and left everyday with moist eyes and a parched throat," says Takalkar.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Suspected militants today fired at a police party deployed for the visit of Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam in Tamenglong district of Manipur, a senior police official said.

Police returned the fire, triggering a gunbattle.

"About 8.30 AM, suspected militants fired at a police advance party which was deployed there in view of Deputy Chief Minister's visit in the area. Our forces fired back. There are no reports of casualties so far," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The central government today quoted data collected by an NGO and cited media reports to counter the contention of UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav about 24-hour availability of power in Varanasi, the Lok Sabha constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Amid a war of words between Modi and Akhilesh over supply of electricity in UP where polls are underway, the central government said it had created an URJA App to provide urban power data for the consumers but the state government had stopped giving data in it.

Modi on Sunday alleged discimination in power supply in the state on the basis of religion. In his counter, Akhilesh yesterday asked Modi to swear by 'Ganga Maiyya' (mother Ganga) if his constituency Varanasi had not been getting 24-hour power supply.

"The UP government was providing data in it till August 2016 but due to very bad ranking particularly in power cuts (in terms of times and duration), the state government has stopped giving data," it said in a statement.

"As per the data provided in August 2016, UP had more than 2 times the number of power cuts and 7 times the hours of power cuts as compared to (rest of) India," the Centre said.

It added that, "If Varanasi is getting 24-hour power, then why is UP government trying to hide power supply data from the world? Independent third party shows poor power supply position in Varanasi."



Citing some media reports, the Centre said parts of Varanasi suffer long power cuts, including on last Sunday when the Prime Minister said there should be no discrimination in supply of electricity.

It also quoted the statistics prepared by NGO 'Prayas' which collects power supply data from specific towns across the country.

"As per the data collected by them (Prayas), in four parts of Varanasi (Sundarpur, Pandeypur, Sarang Talab and Shivpur), in Shivpur (in Varanasi District), the situation is very bad where the area has been experiencing almost 8-10 hours of power cuts per day for the last 3 months.

"Situation in other areas in Varanasi like Sundarpur, Pandeypur and Sarang Talab is also poor and have been experiencing power cuts of 1-2 hours per day," it added.

Citing a reporty by 'Prayas', the Union government said, "UP is the only state which has not signed 'Power for all' document. All other states in the country have signed the 'Power for all' document which creates a roadmap for providing power to all consumers in the states."



The statement added that, "Despite, repeated follow ups, UP has not shown interest in providing power for all of its citizens. Despite 5 letters to UP Government in 13 months, the document was not signed.

"Also, 7 meetings and video conferencing notices were issued on this subject to UP, but the UP government has not shown any initiative to sign this document."



The statement said, "1.6 of 3 crore rural households in UP don't have electricity connections, but the present government is not interested in resolving electricity crisis."



Alleging discrimination on religious grounds in implementation of the DDUGJY (Deen Dayal Ujwal Gram Jyoti Yojana) Scheme, the Centre said the Samajwadi Party government had "selective focus" on "few areas".

It claimed that "large scale discrimination on the basis of religion has been unearthed in Moradabad".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Jaipur police today uneartheed a huge cache of explosives from the possession of a villager on the outskirt of the city and arrested him for keeping the contraband.

The cache of explosives seized from the man included 300kg of ammonium nitrate, 400 gelatin rods and 3,200 meters of fuse wire said the police today.

The city police arrested Nandram Raigar of Deeppur village on a tip off that he has been keeping the explosive material illegally.

The accused had kept the explosives in six gunny sacks weighing 50 kg each, police said.

Raigar had kept the explosives under a temporary shelter near to a hillock few meters away from his residence.

We had received a tip-off following which we arrested him, SHO, Harmada police station, Lakhan Singh told PTI.

Police booked the accused under various sections of the Explosives Act 1884.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The resignation letter of Mizoram minister Lalrinmawia Ralte has been sent to Governor Nirbhay Sharma by the Chief Minister's office today.

The resignation letter was submitted by Ralte, who holds the portfolios of labour, employment and industrial training, to Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla on Wednesday last, said Lalram Thanga, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister.

Ralte was embroiled in a controversy over sending 32 Mizo students to a fake institution - Nalanda Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS) - in Kolkata to study Bachelor of Hotel Management.

In his resignation letter, he alleged the opposition parties to be the reason behind his resignation and that they were also trying to involve the chief minister in the controversy.

Besides charging Ralte for the fiasco, the opposition parties also alleged the misuse of Rs 128 lakh, provided by MBOCWWB (Mizoram Bru Displaced Peoples Fourm) for the purpose.

The state government has so far suspended two officials in this regard.

Lal Thanhawla has already accepted the resignation of Sangkunga, chairman of the MYC (Mizoram Youth Commission) in this connection.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma today said PSU oil majors ONGC and OIL will release Rs 6,320 crore pending royalty to the state for 2008-2014 within the next two years.

"Out of Rs 6,320 crore due to us, the Centre will release 15 per cent or Rs 948 crore within the next month. Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan will himself visit Assam to give us the amount," Sarma told a press conference.

Another Rs 2,844 crore will be released in 2017-18, while the remaining Rs 2,528 crore will be given in 2018-19 financial year, he added.

Sarma said Rs 6,320 crore will be in addition to Rs 1,450 crore that the state has already received from the oil companies in August last year for the difference in royalty payable at pre-discounted price from 2014 to 2016.

With Assam receiving Rs 3,792 crore of oil royalty during 2017-18, which was not considered while tabling the state's budget for the next fiscal earlier this month, the deficit of Rs 2,349.79 crore will be taken care of.

"In fact, we will have a surplus budget of over Rs 1,000 crore. People can now be reassured that the government will implement all the promises made in the budget," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam today dubbed the detention of 2008 Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed by Pakistan as an act of "hypocrisy".

Saeed was placed under house arrest on January 30 in Lahore.

"I am doubtful of the action because in his statement before a court in Mumbai, David Headley had said that no action was likely to be taken against Saeed and Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi in Pakistan," Nikam told reporters here.

"Headley had even submitted e-mails which he had received from Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), which indicated that the action against Lakhvi was an act of hypocrisy," he added.

Nikam said Pakistan was not willing to accept that Saeed was a terrorist and the country was being supported by China which had "vested interests" in the region.

Saeed was earlier put under house arrest after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, but was freed by a court in Pakistan in 2009.

He carries a reward of USD 10 million on his head, announced by the authorities in the US for his role in terror activities.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court today directed a trial court of Jammu and Kashmir to proceed with a matter against NGO 'Transparency International India (TII)' relating to a media report on alleged corruption in lower judiciary.

A bench headed by Chief Justice J S Khehar asked the judicial magistrate-first class to proceed in "accordance with law" in the matter in which the lower court had sought the presence of officials of TII, Centre for Media Studies (CMS) and others to respond to the show cause notices issued against them earlier.

The matter relates to a report of a survey conducted by the global anti-corruption NGO and on the basis of which a Jammu and Kashmir-based newspaper had published an article on alleged corruption in lower judiciary in the state.

"In view of the above, while disposing of the writ petition, we direct the officer holding the charge of judicial magistrate first class to proceed with the matter in furtherance of the original show cause notice dated May 4, 2006," the bench, also comprising Justices D Y Chandrachud and S K Kaul, said.

The bench agreed with the contention of senior counsel Jayant Bhushan, representing TII and CMS, and said the judicial magistrate had "absolutely no jurisdiction" to pass the order to ensure presence of the petitioners before it.

"We, however, are satisfied in accepting the arguments that the judicial magistrate has absolutely no jurisdiction to pass the impugned order whereby it attempted to enforce presence of the petitioners...In order to respond to the first order dated May 4, 2006," the bench said.

The apex court had in September 2006 stayed the execution of warrant of arrest issued by the magistrate against the petitioners and had also stayed the proceedings pending there.

During the hearing, Bhushan argued that the magistrate



was not competent to initiate contempt proceedings against them as he only had the power to refer it to the high court.

He said the order initiating contempt proceeding was beyond the jurisdiction of judicial magistrate and "at best he could have made a reference to the high court".

Bhushan said that both TII and CMS had responded to the show cause notices but they had not appeared before the court.

He also argued that TII as well as CMS were not at all connected with the newspaper or its publisher and they had not even seen the article on the basis of which the lower court had initiated action against them.

The apex court, in its order, noted that assertions in the report were made against the lower judiciary of Jammu and Kashmir and "it was clearly open to any member of the lower judiciary" to take note and subsequent action as per the law.

"We may clarify that the term 'of a subordinate court' used in section 15(2) of the 1997 Act could well contemplate a situation where simultaneously contempt is committed for more than one count and in such an eventuality, any such court can take action and make reference to the high court," the bench said.

The judicial magistrate had passed order under provisions of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1997 and under various provisions of the Ranbir Penal Code, including 499 and 500 (criminal defamation), against TII, CMS and others.

The lower court had thereafter in July 2006 issued notices asking them to appear through authorised representatives to answer the material questions.
Opinion / Columnist

Matthew 7 verse 11 "If you then, being evil are able to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your father in heaven give good things to those who make request to him?God wants us to know that he is not a father who takes pleasure in seing us in pain, defeated or distressed. He is a father that gives us exactly what we ask in his name. His love for us is long suffering.God gave us the gift of children inorder for us to understand what a father-heart or infact a parent heart is like. If we being sinners and evil doers are able to give good things to our children, how much more will God give us what we ask in his name. His love is unconditional, he demonstrates it to everyone be it sinners or saints. This is what a father does to his children however good or bad they are.1John 3:1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.This is the pure love we ought to have, to love even they that appear to be unlovable. One thing that comes to my mind is, we are all God's children and not servants. That is why we are given this special privilege of a father to child relationship with God. Then that means you and me are brothers and sisters thus we ought to love one another.Now here is something that disturbs me. If were brothers and all of us as Christians acknowledge this, would it be proper for us to send our children to expensive private schools while our brothers as beggars and destitute children at the street corners?Isn't it more of a neglect of duty and or partly acceptance of the Christian religion rather that wholly embracing it? Is there equality among the children of God and equal distribution of blessings or some vessels are consuming that which they should have transported to others too. We have an obligation to care for one another. You are a brother's keeper, so am l?Iwe neni tinebasa. Mina lawe silomlandu.Donate to the numbers below for their education and welfare.Word Powered by; TROVOCO a newly registered Christian oriented charity Trust wholly devoted to alleviate the plight of the underprivileged (destitute children, the orphans and the disabled amongst others).Make your donations to these kids via our Treasurer on +263 772 937 477( cash range from as little as $2 to as much as you can afford).Contact; (Chairperson) Mthulisi Ndlovu +263 778 481 481/ +267763 50865. To get more information or to join us.TROVOCO 'A closer walk with them'.
The Supreme Court today questioned the source of money in the bank accounts of social activist Teesta Setalvad and others which were frozen by Ahmedabad police in 2015 after allegations of misappropriation.

"Whose money is this? From where did the money in these bank accounts have come," a bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra asked the counsel for Setalvad.

"There are multiple donors who have donated the money for various purposes. Our personal bank accounts and the bank accounts of NGOs have been frozen by them, which also include fixed deposits. At least the court should direct them that personal bank accounts should be defreezed as lot of time has passed," advocate Aparna Bhat appearing for Setalvad said.

She said they have submitted the details of source of money to the Gujarat government but till now no action has been taken on defreezing the accounts.

Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for Gujarat, told the bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and M M Shantanagoudar, that some time was needed to file detailed reply on the issue.

The bench then posted the matter for further hearing on April 18.

On November 9 last year, the apex court had fixed the pleas of Setalvad, her husband Javed Anand and her two controversial NGOs challenging the freezing of their accounts for final hearing.

Setalvad had objected to repeated adjournments taken by Gujarat government after the apex court issued notice saying their accounts have remained frozen for nearly three years.

Teesta, her husband and two NGOs -- Sabrang Trust and Citizens for Justice and Peace -- had approached the apex court challenging the October 7, 2015 verdict of the Gujarat High Court rejecting their pleas for defreezing their personal bank accounts.

One of the residents of Gulberg Society, Firoz Khan Pathan, had filed a complaint against Setalvad and others alleging that money was raised to make a museum at Gulberg Society in the memory of 69 people killed in the 2002 Gujarat riots, but it had not been utilised for the purpose.

The freezing of the accounts by Ahmedabad Police had come soon after its Crime Branch had started probing a case in which Setalvad and others were accused of embezzling Rs 1.51 crore collected to convert Gulberg Society into a museum.

The high court had upheld the verdict of a lower court in this regard observing that the probe was at a serious point in the alleged case of Gulberg society fund embezzlement.

In their plea before the apex court, the petitioners had alleged that their accounts were "illegally" frozen without following the due process of law.

"The accounts of the petitioner have been frozen by the respondents without any prior notice and this act of freezing her personal accounts is not pursuant to the discovery of any offence but is in terms of a fishing expedition as an attempt to find out if any offence has been committed," the plea has said.

The petitioners had claimed there was no nexus between the alleged offence and their accounts which were frozen.

"The freezing of the accounts of the petitioner has led to personal hardship and humiliation. It is also a violation of the fundamental rights of life, association and assembly.

"The aim of the respondents was and is to humiliate and defame the Petitioner in every way possible as also to financially cripple the Trusts and even block her personal finances so that legitimate activities come to a standstill," it alleged.

In the embezzlement case lodged by the Gujarat Police, the couple had challenged the cancellation of bail in the apex court, while in the alleged FCRA violation case, CBI has challenged the anticipatory bail granted to them by the Bombay High Court. Both matters are pending before the apex court.

Gujarat Police has filed an affidavit in the apex court alleging that the funds collected by them for setting up of a museum in memory of the riots victims of Gulberg Society was spent on personal use.
The Rachakonda Police today claimed to have busted an alleged nexus between ex-servicemen and civilians involved in diverting subsidised goods meant for defence personnel to the open market.

Police arrested seven persons, including four ex-servicemen in connection with the case, said a release issued by the Rachakonda Police Commissionerate.

Sleuths of the Special Operation Team (Malkajgiri Zone) raided a godown in Neredmet Police Station limits here where the accused used to store groceries purchased from CSD canteens to be later sold to traders at higher rates, said the release.

S Srinivas, who is running a grocery store in Old Alwal was arrested along with A Kantha Rao, E Laxmaiah, B Varuganti, M Srinivasulu (all ex-servicemen) besides two others G Veera Basker Reddy (who is also into grocery business) and a driver of an auto-trolley B Devidas, it said.

Police seized 129 cartons of CSD canteen groceries worth Rs 5 lakhs, 15 CSD Canteen Smart Cards, from the possession of the arrested accused, said the release.

Explaining the modus-operandi of the racket, police claimed that Srinivas knows some ex-servicemen residing in the nearby localities. These former defence personnel used to purchase groceries and other electronic items from the CSD canteens and sell them to him.

Srinivas paid them 22 per cent extra on the canteen bill, said the release.

"These former officials even used canteen cards of men who are presently in service to procure goods for Srinivas," police said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will travel to Turkey tomorrow on a three-day visit to hold wide-ranging consultations with the Turkish leadership on bilateral, regional and international issues.

Sharif will co-chair the 5th Session of the Pakistan- Turkey High Level Strategic Cooperation Council with Turkish counterpart Binali Yildirim in Ankara on February 23, the Foreign office said today.

The council was established in 2009 as a framework for consultations at the highest political level between the two sides.

At the conclusion of the session, a Joint Declaration will be issued. The two sides are also expected to sign a number of agreements/MoUs on the occasion.

During his visit from February 22 to February 24, Sharif will also meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other senior officials.

He will hold wide-ranging consultations with the Turkish leadership on bilateral, regional and international issues.

The Prime Minister will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, consisting of ministers and senior officials.

Sharif will also visit the Turkish Parliament to reaffirm Pakistan's unequivocal support and solidarity against the failed coup attempt in Turkey on July 15, 2016. The parliament was bombed on that night by rebels.

He will also pay homage to all those who laid down their lives in defence of the Turkish democracy.

The relationship between Pakistan and Turkey is unique in inter-state relations -- marked by exceptional warmth, cordiality and mutual trust, the Foreign Office said.

"These fraternal ties are nurtured by common faith, shared history, and cultural and linguistic affinities. The two nations have an abiding tradition of standing by each other and mutually supporting their respective national causes -- including Kashmir and Cyprus," it said.

Bilateral ties between Pakistan and Turkey have witnessed remarkable growth and dynamism in recent years, ranging from enhanced economic ties to deepening defence collaboration to growing educational and cultural links, it said.

Both sides are working to give powerful thrust to bilateral trade, investments, and commercial cooperation as part of the efforts to build a robust economic partnership.

The leadership of both the countries is committed to transforming this historic relationship into a strong strategic partnership in line with the realities of the 21st century.

This year also marks the 70th year of Pakistan-Turkey diplomatic relations. The two countries envisage special commemorative events throughout the year to celebrate this milestone in a befitting manner.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Sikhs and Kashmiris are among new categories being considered for additional ethnicity tick-boxes on the 2021 census form by the UK's Office of National Statistics (ONS).

"We are a long way off as there is still a lot of research that needs to be done to ensure that the census held every 10 years collects all the right information. Ethnicity is just one aspect of this research and Sikhs and Kashmiris are among a number of requests we received," an ONS spokesperson said.

Sikhs are already recognised as a separate religion in the optional religious question introduced in the 2001 Census.

The UK's Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 placed an obligatory and specific duty on the country's public authorities to monitor and positively promote race equality in the provision of public services.

Sikh groups based in the UK have been campaigning for a separate category for British Sikhs for years and are hopeful that research launched this week to inform the census questionnaire will lead to such a change.

"If the Census 2021 ethnicity question does not include a Sikh tick box question, the impact from a service user perspective will continue to grow and result in Sikhs being invisible to those who develop policies and deliver public services," Sikh Federation UK and Sikh Network said as part of their representations to the ONS.

"This will span across the inequalities observed by Sikhs in health, education, employment etc," it said.

For Kashmiris, Manchester City Council expressed the view that adding such a category would help them benchmark their services for the community.

"Including Kashmiri in the Census will allow us to benchmark our practice and the outcomes of Manchester's Kashmiri population with the rest of the UK," the council said.

Gypsy, Jewish, Latin American, Somali and Turkish are among some of the other ethnicities that are being considered as part of a UK-wide survey of nearly 40,000 households which began yesterday. The results of the survey will be analysed and published later this year before a 'Census White Paper' is prepared for Parliament by 2018.

According to British Sikh groups, public bodies tend to



only reference the ethnic groups used in the census and demand a separate Sikh ethnic tick box to ensure Sikhs have fair access to all public services.

"We have started our awareness campaign to ensure as many Sikh households as possible, probably around 2,000 each in Hounslow and Wolverhampton, take part in the survey. We are in the process of liaising with MPs, local councilors and Gurdwaras to provide any assistance necessary with those who require help in completing the online survey as we would during the Census itself," said Bhai Amrik Singh, chair of Sikh Federation UK.

"We have also told ONS legal action will be taken on the basis of unlawful racial discrimination by ONS under the Equality Act 2010 if a separate Sikh ethnic tick box for the Census 2021 is not recommended when proposals are presented to Parliament in the Census White Paper in 2018," he said.

The UK has been collating ethnic group data since the census of 1991 and the data is used for resource allocation by central and local government, to inform policy development and to help organisations meet and monitor their statutory obligations.

The ONS explained that questions used for the census have evolved to remain relevant to contemporary British society and phraseology of the census questionnaire is targeted to ensure the public and data users have complete clarity.
Spanish police said today they fired on a truck loaded with butane gas bottles which was driving the wrong way down a road in Barcelona, managing to stop it and detain the Swedish driver.

"We detained a person who was of Swedish nationality," a spokesman for police in the popular Spanish Mediterranean resort city told AFP.

Barcelona's city hall said the small white truck -- which had dozens of orange gas bottles stacked on the back in plain view -- had been stolen.

There was no indication as yet whether this was an attempted attack or just a plain robbery.

Mireia Ruiz, a woman who saw the truck from her home nearby, said the driver ignored people screaming at him to stop as he sped down the wrong side of a ring road.

"When people shouted at him, he would laugh and make offensive gestures with his hand," she told AFP.

Police did not say whether there were any injuries.

Around 20 police officers and at least six police cars were on site, and several gas bottles were lying on the ground, an AFP correspondent reported.

The trace of at least one gunshot was visible on the windscreen of the truck.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Indian Polyurethane Association (IPUA) wants the government to take steps to promote domestic industry and address issues such as inverted duty structures.

The association, which will host the 5th PU Tech exhibition next month with an aim to promote polyurethane, also wants the government to impose only a 'reasonable' duty on the sector under the new GST regime.

"At the moment, the domestic industry faces inverse rate of duty because of which local companies face pressure," IPUA President Mukesh Bhuta told PTI.

Seeking government support, Bhuta, who is also the Chairman and MD of Expanded Polymer Systems, said steps must be taken to create more research centres and provide more grants to the polyurethane industry.

On the much-awaited GST, he said IPUA would request the government "to be reasonable on the duty imposed in the new GST regime".

Polyurethane is used in the manufacturing of foam seating, durable elastomeric wheels and tires such as roller coaster, escalator, elevator and carpet underlay, among others.

Commenting on the impact of demonetisation, he said it "disrupted the industry growth as sale of refrigerators, shoes and automotives went down in which the raw materials of polyurethane are used".

The association is organising the 5th PU Tech exhibition from March 8 to March 10 to create more awareness about the polyurethane. It will be held at India Expo Centre, Greater Noida.

The three-day exhibition would feature over 250 exhibitors that will bring together raw material producers, equipment suppliers, end users and industry at large.

The Indian Polyurethane Association is a non-profit organisation created to promote growth of the polyurethane industry in India.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Seven persons, including a lawyer, were killed and 20 others injured today when Taliban suicide bombers stormed a court in Pakistan's restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the latest terror attack in the country.

The attackers opened fire and threw grenades as they attempted to enter the sessions court premises in Tangi, prompting retaliatory fire by the security forces deployed there.

Three attackers were killed in the police action.

Jamaat-ul-Ahrar (JuA), a faction of the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility for the attack.

"Several terrorists attacked the court and resorted to heavy firing at the main gate of the lower court," police said.

One bomber was killed in the firing at the gate and the second was killed as he entered the court. The third bomber died when he detonated his explosives, officials said.

"Seven people were killed and 20 others were injured during the attack," Sohail Khalid, district police chief Charsadda, said.

Provincial government sources said one lawyer is among those killed.

Khalid said due to tight security the bombers could not enter the court, but had they been successful in entering the premises it "would have been a catastrophe".

Director General Inter-Services Public Relations, Major General Asif Ghafoor tweeted, "Chief of Army Staff lauds security forces' response to Charsada Blast. First tier Police response has saved many lives. Shares grief on loss of lives."



A search and rescue operation was underway, he added.

District hospitals have been put on high alert.

Charsadda is a nearly 40 minute drive from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's provincial capital Peshawar, and has been a target of terror attacks for nearly a decade.

The latest attack came as security has been tightened across Pakistan after a recent wave of terrorist strikes killed more than 100 people.

On Thursday, a suicide bomber killed 88 people at a famed Sufi shrine in Sindh province. Following the attack, the army launched an offesive against militants and claimed to have killed more than 130 terrorists across the country.

In August last year, more than 70 people, mostly lawyers were killed in a bombing of a hospital in the southwestern city of Quetta.

A suicide bomber had struck a local court in Charsadda's Shabqadar area last year in March, killing 17 people.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Seven persons, including a lawyer, were killed and 21 others injured today when heavily-armed Taliban suicide bombers stormed a court in Pakistan's restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the latest terror attack in the country.

The attackers opened fire and threw grenades as they attempted to enter the sessions court premises in Tangi, some 30 km away from the provincial capital Peshawar, prompting retaliatory fire by the security forces deployed there.

Jamaat-ul-Ahrar (JuA), a faction of the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility for the attack.

"Several terrorists attacked the court and resorted to heavy firing at the main gate of the lower court," Sohail Khalid, district police chief, said.

"Bomb disposal experts said that each bomber was wearing seven to eight kilogrammes of explosives," he told reporters.

One bomber was killed in the firing at the gate and the second was killed as he entered the court. The third bomber died when he detonated his explosives, officials said.

"Seven people were killed and 20 others were injured during the attack," Sohail Khalid, district police chief Charsadda, said.

Provincial government sources said one lawyer is among the seven persons killed.

Khalid said due to tight security the bombers could not enter the court, but had they been successful in entering the premises it "would have been a catastrophe".

Director General Inter-Services Public Relations, Major General Asif Ghafoor tweeted, "Chief of Army Staff lauds security forces' response to Charsada Blast. First tier Police response has saved many lives. Shares grief on loss of lives."



A search and rescue operation was underway, he added.

District hospitals have been put on high alert.

Charsadda has been a target of terror attacks for nearly a decade.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif condemned the attack in a statement issued by his office.

"We are a steadfast nation and will not be deterred by such attacks. Our government will continue to fight against terrorists and we will succeed," the statement said.

The latest attack came as security has been tightened across Pakistan after a recent wave of terrorist strikes killed more than 100 people.

On Thursday, a suicide bomber killed 88 people at a famed Sufi shrine in Sindh province. Following the attack, the army launched an offesive against militants and claimed to have killed more than 130 terrorists across the country.

In August last year, more than 70 people, mostly lawyers were killed in a bombing of a hospital in the southwestern city of Quetta.

A suicide bomber had struck a local court in Charsadda's Shabqadar area last year in March, killing 17 people.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Thousands of protesters rallied outside parliament today as MPs debated a petition to cancel a state visit by US President Donald Trump which gained more than 1.8 million signatures.

Placards reading "No to Trump" and "Dump Trump" were held by demonstrators in Parliament Square, in the latest rally against the US president who came to power a month ago.

British Prime Minister Theresa May became the first foreign leader to meet Trump in the White House in January, when she invited him to the UK on a state visit to be hosted by Queen Elizabeth II later this year.

The invitation came hours ahead of Trump imposing tough entry restrictions on travellers from seven Muslim-majority countries and within days an online petition to prevent the president's state visit attracted more than 1.8 million signatures.

The British government has said it will not support the petition and stressed that the invitation still stands, but parliament went ahead and debated the issue due to the popularity of the petition.

Lawmakers also discussed a counter-petition to uphold the state visit invite, which attracted over 300,000 signatures.

During the debate, opposition Labour MP David Lammy said the government offered the state visit because it is "desperate" for a trade deal with the US.

"I think my children deserve better than that... I'm ashamed that it's come to this," he said.

Fellow Labour lawmaker Paul Flynn said the invitation should be downgraded from the regal affair to a regular visit.

"There are great dangers in attempting to give him the best accolade we can give anyone," he said.

While Trump was offered a state visit after just seven days in office, his predecessor Barack Obama had to wait 758 days before receiving the same invitation.

Outside parliament yesterday, protester Benjamin Kari said people needed to stand up against Trump's policies and avoid becoming complacent.

"He's promoting racist policies, he's normalising racism and misogyny and Islamophobia," he told AFP.

Bryan Richardson, a member of the Stand up to Racism group, said May "humiliated herself by rushing over to Washington to be the first leader to meet Donald Trump".

A Stop Trump Coalition website named February 20 a "day of action" against the US president, listing events planned across Britain.

Around 300 people gathered in Glasgow waving sometimes comical banners aimed at Trump, one describing him as a "Feckin Plonker".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
President Donald Trump has tapped Herbert Raymond McMaster, a decorated and outspoken US Army lieutenant general to be his new national security adviser, days after he fired his first pick and his second turned down the crucial post.

54-year-old McMaster, the head of the Army Capabilities Integration Center, will become one of Trump's top national security and foreign policy advisers, taking the helm of the White House's National Security Council, which was left rudderless after Lt Gen Michael Flynn was forced to resign after just 24 days on the job.

"I just wanted to announce that Gen H R McMaster will become the national security advisor. He's a man of tremendous talent and tremendous experience," Trump said while making the announcement at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida yesterday.

"I watched and read a lot over the last two days. He is highly respected by everyone in the military and we're very honored to have him," Trump said.

In his brief remarks, McMaster said he looks forward to joining the national security team and doing everything he can to advance and protect the interests of the American people.

McMaster will take on the new role after having served several tours of duty in Germany, Southwest Asia and Iraq, including a stint as special assistant to Gen. David Petraeus when he was commander of the US-led coalition forces in Iraq during the 2007 troop surge.

McMaster's predecessor, Lt Gen Michael Flynn was forced out by Trump after revelations that he misled Vice President Mike Pence about discussing sanctions with Russia's ambassador to the US during the presidential transition.

Trump then offered the job to retired Vice Admiral Robert Harward, who turned down the role, citing "personal reasons".

The acting national security advisor, Gen (retd) Keith Kellogg, will now serve as Trump's national security council chief of staff.

The President also said John Bolton, a former US ambassador to the United Nations, would serve the administration in another capacity.

"I met with many other people. I have tremendous respect for the people I met with. I know John Bolton, we'll be asking him to work with us in a somewhat different capacity. We had some really good meetings with him," he said.

"He had a good number of ideas that I must tell you I agree very much with. So we'll be talking with John Bolton in a different capacity. And we'll be talking to some of the other generals that I've met," Trump said.

Top Republican Senator John McCain, who is Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and a fierce critic of Trump, welcomed McMaster's appointment.

"Lt General H R McMaster is an outstanding choice for national security advisor. I have had the honor of knowing him for many years, and he is a man of genuine intellect, character, and ability. He knows how to succeed," he said.

"I give President Trump great credit for this decision, as well as his national security cabinet choices. I could not imagine a better, more capable national security team than the one we have right now," McCain said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Opinion / Columnist

In the evening of 27th February 1978, a detachment of 35 BDF soldiers, 2 teenagers from Lesoma village and 2 or 3 ZIPRA combatants were ambushed by Smith's Rhodesian Soldiers at Lesoma sand ridge. 15 BDF soldiers, 1 teenager from Lesoma and a ZIPRA combatant lost their lives from the ensuring fire fight and it is to them that this short story is dedicated.Retired Captain Gukhwa Bangai pulled over his pride-a battered 2006 Pajero at Northgate filling station in Nata village. The time was just shy of ten o'clock in the morning. He had driven without a break for the past four hours from Xhumo and his body flashed warning signs of creeping fatigue and the need to dash to the gents. A smiling petrol attendant dutifully directed him to the bathrooms behind the restaurant.The bathrooms were invitingly clean and he silently awarded the facility two stars. There were five urinary booths in the bathrooms and were all occupied except one. He proceeded to it and in a deep voice said, "Barena dumelang". The four men at the urinals simultaneously shifted their attention to him and acknowledged his greeting differently."Re teng boss." The first one to reply said with a pleasant smile on his face."Go tsogilwe ntates, wena?" The second to acknowledge the greeting said.The third to respond was a grey haired man and he said, "Re tsogile morwa rra, ga go na molato."The last one who appeared to be in his late teens said, "Sharpest, go jwang?""Marapo ke one a barena bame," Gukhwa said and took a minute to complete his call at the booth.After finishing his duty he went to the nearest hand basin to wash his hands, or more precisely his right hand. What used to be his left hand was now a stump that was aided by an artificial limb. He looked in the mirror that was above the basin and his scarred face starred back at him. The scars were generously spread all over his face and looked like a product of a novice artist. The scars had become part of him and he had long come to accept them.A phalanx of what he suspected to be passengers from one of the numerous buses which serviced the two tourist areas of Okavango and Chobe invaded the bathrooms when he was about to exit. He politely yielded for the whole group to enter. Besides the common purpose of answering the call of nature, the group was what some Batswana would call a mixed-masala.The crowd was made of the young and the elderly, the dapperly dressed and the shabbily clothed. Various languages spoken in Botswana intermingled in the confined space as the different passengers conversed animatedly. Tjikohane, Shiyei, Ikalanga, Otjiherero, Shuakhwe and Tjinandzwa escaped and reverberated from the different learned lips. Batswana and their beautiful languages, Gukhwa soliloquized as he finally exited the bathrooms.Gukhwa found an unoccupied table on the veranda of the restaurant and ordered coffee. The place was packed with customers on transit and the coffee nevertheless took a short time to be brought to him. He drank two cups at a leisurely pace then signalled to the waiter. He settled the bill and gave the waiter a ten Pula tip. He felt rejuvenated as he went to his car to continue with his journey to Lesoma.Travelling to Lesoma was a pilgrimage that he always made on the 27th of every February. Coincidentally the 27th of February was his birth date as well as that of the President of the Republic of Botswana, His Excellency Lieutenant General Doctor Seretse Khama Ian Khama. The journey however had less to do with birthdays but more with the missing left hand and the bold scars that decorated his face.Driving from Nata to Lesoma junction was always an adventure for Gukhwa. He loved wildlife and the open plains which the Nata-Kazungula road offered in abundance. The road although littered with potholes, was wide and comfortable to drive on. Traffic on the way was light which gave him the pleasure of watching the various animals that grazed along the road. He saw elephants, giraffes, kudos and impalas all the way starting from Ngwasha gate and up to the Lesoma junction. The beauty that he saw somehow made his journey miraculously shorter. He took under three hours to reach the Lesoma junction.After turning at the junction he stopped his car and went to a sign board that read, 'Lesoma Disaster Monument'. He inspected it thoughtfully for a moment and then went to sit under a nearby mukwa tree. Lesoma village and the Lesoma disaster monument were just below the sand ridge that could be seen from the turn-off. As he sat under the mukwa tree his thoughts wandered to what happened thirty eight years back on the evening of the 27th February 1978 just below the ridge.On that day, Gukhwa had been a newly graduated Private of No. 2 Platoon with the similarly new Botswana Defence Force on a trip at Kazungula base. The day had taken a different course when two teenagers from Lesoma had been sent by the Chief to report disturbing activities by Rhodesian soldiers in the vicinity of Lesoma. The Platoon Commander had immediately summoned No.4 Platoon to be the one to go. Members of No. 2 Platoon had been shattered as everyone had been eager to go on that mission. Gukhwa and four of his squad mates from No. 2 Platoon had literally prayed to be part of the team.Thirty five young men armed with AK 47 and FN rifles and the two teenagers had boarded three land rovers under the command of Platoon leader Sennanyana. At Lesoma, the platoon with rifles at the ready had searched the dense bush meticulously for two hours. They had come across two heavily armed ZIPRA combatants who had been hiding in the bush and the Platoon had apprehended them without firing a shot.The two freedom fighters had informed the Platoon that they had engaged the Rhodesian security forces at dawn on the Rhodesian side and the Rhodesians had suffered heavy losses. It had been strictly a hit and run operation and the freedom fighters had disengaged after they had achieved their objective and had crossed into Botswana. Having taken refuge in the February-green Lesoma bush, the two freedom fighters had closely followed the activities across the border.Reconnaissance planes of the Rhodesian soldiers had flown across the border at tree top level while spotter planes had glided at a higher altitude above the Lesoma bushes. The two combatants had also seen members of the Selous Scouts numbering not less than one hundred entering Botswana in hot pursuit. The two combatants had gone deeper into the Lesoma bush, camouflaged themselves and with AK 47s at ready had waited for any eventuality. The two combatants had therefore been relieved to see members of the Botswana Defence Force and had readily surrendered to them.With no evidence of the Rhodesian soldiers on the Botswana side of the border, the platoon had concluded that the Rhodesians had returned to their country. The thirty five BDF soldiers, two ZIPRA combatants and the two civilian emissaries had boarded the three dirty green BDF land rovers to return to the Kazungula base. At that time the platoon had relaxed and had become less attentive. Returning to the base had been taken as mere routine. Fingers had been taken away from the trigger guards and friendly conversations had been struck.It had been below the Lesoma sand elevation after the platoon had driven hardly a kilometre when all hell had broken loose. The still evening had been shattered by thunderous rumblings of heavy machine gun fire. The air had been punctuated with screaming bullets from automatic weapons firing relentlessly at full auto. The three land rovers had been hit by bullets after bullets and in the process had suddenly caught fire.Caught unprepared and in the midst of raining bullets, shrapnel and flames it had been a question of every man for himself in the packed land rovers. Some had been killed instantly while in the land rovers, while others, wounded and confused had managed to jump from the burning vehicles. Some of the wounded had been unable to crawl to the nearby mophane cover due to the extent of their injuries and had thus remained easy pickings for the Rhodesians. Unbelievably there had been those who had escaped unscathed.The then Private Gukhwa Bangai had been one of those who had escaped the mayhem albeit with a severed left arm from the elbow. At that time he had felt no pain as the rush of adrenaline in his body had acted as an anaesthesia. He had staggered into the thick forest bleeding and confused until recovered at midnight by a platoon that had come to investigate after hearing the gunfire.The following morning, bodies of 15 BDF soldiers, 1 ZIPRA combatant and 1 civilian had been recovered from the scene. On account of Botswana's policy, the ZIPRA guerrilla was classified as civilian. The incident which became known variously as the Lesoma Massacre or the Lesoma Ambush or the Lesoma Disaster became the turning point which defined the active engagement of Rhodesian soldiers by BDF at any opportunity.This active engagement however had not been sanctioned by the political leadership but had been a tacit resolve by the BDF to avenge its fallen comrades. Following the ambush, whenever the guerrillas engaged the Rhodesians along the border, the BDF would surface to defend its territory as well as guerrillas that inevitably would enter Botswana after every skirmish that took place along the border.Retired Captain Gukhwa Bangai rose from the mukwa tree shade and solemnly drove to the monument. From the entrance he marched slowly until he was a metre away from the inscribed marble monument where he came to attention and expertly saluted. With a heavy yet proud heart, his eyes went through the names of the fifteen comrades who fell at the hands of Ian Smith's notorious regime.The fallen heroes were two Sergeants and thirteen Privates. They were listed as Sgt Moremi Mothudi (Shoshong), Sgt Daniel Setlhogile (Tshane),Pvt Moliti Lesole (Tshimoyapula), Pvt Mathe Mathe (Serowe), Pvt Lesitamang Mponyo (Mponyo),Pvt Olaotse Ikobeng (Serowe), Pvt Sejo Katung (Serowe), Pvt Anton Mlandu (Jackalas), Pvt Olaotse Oefile (Molepolole), Pvt Oabile Modiko (Molepolole), Pvt Mokgadi Rasekedi (Molepolole), Pvt Monyoi Mosweunyane (Tobane), Pvt Bathusi Nteta (Molalatau), Pvt Stanley Thebele (Tati Siding) and Pvt Mbakile Butale (Butale).For Bangai, the incident that claimed the fifteen seemed as fresh as if it had happened the previous day not thirty eight years back. He saluted again, made an about turn and exited the monument.
Dubai authorities are grappling with new ways of keeping the emirate's skies safe after drones halted air traffic at one of the world's busiest airports three times last year.

The delays were necessary to protect passengers, officials said, but they hit thousands of travellers and cost airlines millions of dollars.

Drones pose a "threat to the flying public" and "to an aircraft in operation," said Ismaeil al-Blooshi, deputy head of the air safety department of the United Arab Emirates' civil aviation authority.

He compared drones to the threat posed by birds, but said they were less predictable and harder to avoid.

"We have means and data to predict when and where is the bird migration... But with drones, you have this object in the air and you don't know the intentions" of the operator, he said.

The cost of closing airspace for one hour runs into millions and creates a long backlog, but there is no room to compromise on safety, Blooshi said.

"The economic impact is not even on the table" when considering the risks, he said. "The number one priority is avoiding harm to passengers."



Drones have become a more common sight in the skies above the emirate as related technology has plunged in price, with professional photographers eager to use them.

"The drone has helped us all. Before we needed a plane and a big budget to do aerial shooting. It's much easier and cheaper now," said videographer Murad al-Masri, as he shot footage of a desert festival.

After last year's incidents, operator Dubai Airports stressed that flying drones within five kilometres (three miles) of airports was illegal.

New regulations introduced last year stipulate up to three years in jail or a fine of 100,000 dirhams (USD 27,000, 25,000 euros) for flying a drone over a prohibited zone.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
UN-brokered Syria peace talks restart in Geneva after a 10-month hiatus that has seen the opposition weakened and political upheaval in the foreign powers shaping the conflict.

Since April 2016, when rival delegations were last in the Swiss city, government forces have recaptured territory including the former rebel bastion of eastern Aleppo.

Main opposition ally Turkey has forged a partnership with government-backer Russia while the United States, long the most powerful voice demanding Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's departure, is under new and uncertain leadership.

Hopes for a breakthrough remain dim with the sides still deadlocked over Assad's fate and violence on the ground persisting.

United Nations envoy Staffan de Mistura has moderated three failed previous rounds of talks and said he was not "deluded" about the prospects for a deal this time.

But he told a weekend security conference in Munich, "it is time to try again."



De Mistura has said the agenda remains consistent with the last round, meaning rivals will discuss governance, drafting a new constitution and organising UN-monitored elections, in keeping the framework laid out by the Security Council in 2015.

But unlike 10 months ago, the rebels "have pretty much lost all leverage", said Karim Bitar at the French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs.

Turkey, Russia and fellow regime-backer Iran have organised separate negotiations in Kazakhstan's capital Astana, viewed as prelude to the UN talks.

After a ferocious falling out in 2015, Moscow and Ankara have mended ties and begun cooperation over Syria, including a joint campaign against the Islamic State group (IS).

In Munich, de Mistura said the fact that Russia and Turkey were now "talking business" on Syria was a "game-changer."



Moscow's military support for Assad has been decisive, notably in the regime's Aleppo victory, but observers said Russia's renewed diplomatic push could help the Geneva meet.

"The Russians have an interest in leaving this situation of endless conflict," a European diplomatic source who requested anonymity told AFP, drawing a contrast with Iran's "blind support" for Assad.

While the UN envoy may see bright spots in the new Ankara-Moscow partnership, the situation in Washington is another matter.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Africa's complementary strengths to become a major contributor to India's energy and food security requirements make the resource-rich continent a "natural economic partner" of the country, Vice President Hamid Ansari today said.

The imperatives that drive Africa-India engagement are based on "shared challenges, common interests, and perceptions of mutual benefit" and come from "our complementary strengths and capacities that make us natural economic and commercial partners," Ansari said.

"India provides a long-term, stable and profitable market to the goods and services that Africa generates. For India, Africa has the potential to become a major contributor to our energy security and food security requirements. This is a 'win-win' situation," he said.

Addressing a gathering at the University of Rwanda here, he emphasised that India's 328 million youth, who constitute 28 per cent of its population, like young people everywhere, are "anxious to build a better world."



"The upsurge in India-Africa relations comes at a time when the world has acknowledged India's growth story. The rapid growth of our economy over the last 25 years has provided India with additional resources, not only to augment its own developmental efforts, but also to collaborate with our partners in their developmental efforts across the world, and particularly in Africa," Ansari said.

Ansari said the upsurge takes place also at a time when Africa has "cast-off its image of deprivation and hopelessness and taken control of its own resources and destiny, as winds of progress, peace and participation sweep across this great continent."



"This new-found confidence and developmental zeal is best demonstrated by your own country (Rwanda) whose economic performance has been termed 'remarkable' by the International Monetary Fund," he said.

Minister of Education of Rwanda Musafiri Papias Malimba and Chancellor of University of Rwanda Mike O'Neal were also present during Ansari's address, which was his last formal engagement in Rwanda before he departs for Uganda.

He arrived in the east African country on February 19 and has launched a India-Rwanda Innovation Growth Programme that seeks to cement the "strong ties" between the two countries.

During Rwandan President Paul Kagame's visit to India in January an understanding was reached for a new Line of Credit worth USD 80 million for a road project.

"We are also committed to continuing and enhancing the provision of scholarships for training of Rwandan civilians and defence personnel under various technical cooperation and cultural cooperation programmes," Ansari said. "Our bilateral trade has doubled over the last five years, but at USD 106 million, remains modest and much below its potential."



The quantum of Indian investments in Africa has increased in recent years and is presently estimated at USD 35 billion.

(Reopens FGN 19)



Ansari yesterday visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial here and lauded the "resilience and courage" of Rwandans in putting behind hatred and moving ahead on the path of reconciliation.

"I say this in the confidence that your generation would have the wisdom to avoid the follies and limitations of the past and look forward instead to a future for our world in which the operative principle would be cooperation rather than contention and the objective would be mutual benefit rather than selfish greed," he said.

Ansari said India shares with Rwanda, this strong desire to provide stable democratic governance and opportunities for growth and prosperity of people.

"We in India see ourselves as a strong development partner to Rwanda. We are already cooperating in sectors such as solar electrification, food processing, skill development and hydropower projects," he said.

The vice president has described his two-nation visit a "conscious effort" by India to "intensify interactions" with Africa.

"India is increasingly an important source of investment for projects in Africa, which span diverse sectors such as pharmaceuticals, information technology and telecom, engineering, education, health and agriculture. Indian private sector has been a pioneer in making investments in Africa, contributing to generation of employment and growth in the countries receiving such investments," he said.

"Our present choices are informed by our shared experience of anti-colonial struggle against exploitation and racial discrimination. India, despite the constraints of its growing economy, was a forerunner in championing the interests of developing countries, including those from Africa, through initiatives such as the Bandung declaration of 1955, the Group of 77 and the Non-Aligned Movement," Ansari said.
Amidst simmering tension between the US and Mexico over the issue of the border wall, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly would be visiting the southern neighbor this week.

"During their visit, the two Secretaries will meet with President of Mexico Enrique Pena Nieto and the Mexican ministers of Interior, Foreign Relations, Finance, National Defense, and Navy," Acting Spokesperson of the State Department Mark Toner said.

"The group will discuss border security, law enforcement cooperation, and trade, among other issues," Toner said.

Kelly would also travel to Guatemala to meet with its President Jimmy Morales.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The special operation group (SOG) of Uttarakhand police with support of forest department today arrested an alleged wildlife smuggler and recovered three leopard skins from his possession.

Acting on a tip-off, the SOG team of Champawat police nabbed Hoshiyar Singh from Chalthi village in Champawat police station area.

Police said that Singh had confessed to shooting one of the leopards six months ago and said he was selling leopard skins from last two years and has sold several such wildlife organs in Delhi market.

The three skins are 7 to 9 feet long, which belonged to the leopards aged from 3.5 to 5 years of age, said Ramchandra Rajguru, Superintendent of Police (SP) Champawat.

He said that the police team has been awarded with Rs 12,500 by DIG Kumaon Ajay Rautela.

The accused is a resident of Satpuli village in Tamli region at Indo-Nepal border in Champawat district.

A case has been registered in Champawat police station and the accused has been booked under relevant sections of the Wildlife Protection Act.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A woman was killed and her brother was injured when their bike collided with a truck on Meerut-Karnal highway in Shamli district, police said today.

The incident took place last evening when the woman, who was unwell, was being taken to the hospital by her brother, Circle Officer Upender Kumar said.

The brother Akram was shifted to the hospital in a serious condition, he said, adding the truck driver fled from the spot.

Irate people blocked the road for some time following the incident.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India is a hotbed for battles between the worlds leading providers of cloud computing  Amazon, Microsoft, and Google. The fast-growing mobile internet, coupled with the boom in startups, makes this one of the most hotly contested markets.
In an interaction with Nandan Nilekani at an event in Bengaluru, Microsoft's India-born chief executive officer on Monday praised Aadhaar - the ambitious, biometrics-based citizen identification program. He also spoke about augmented reality, artificial intelligence, digital transformation, US President Donald Trump's immigration order and robots.
Lucep co-founder Zal Dasturs the one whos sent the room into stitches. Hes joined by Shekar Sahu, co-founder of HealthcareMagic (he sold the company for $18.5 million to Ebix in May 2014), and global marketing head Puneet Chhahira, who works with Infosys subsidiary EdgeVerve. Together, they point out eight tips for startups struggling to sell well.
Opinion / Columnist

Tererai Obey Sithole - Youth Leader and a Development Scholar. He writes in his own capacity and can be contacted via email: igwetetso@gmail.com

The month of February is that time of the year were we as Zimbabweans are subjected to the endless praising and worshiping of Mr. Robert Mugabe ahead, on and after his birthday. Likewise, members of his party ZANU-PF are running around tirelessly planning for this year's celebrations as the man turns 93 years.As this happens my heart bleeds profusely, not because I am opposed to the celebration of birthdays but it is because of the manner and circumstances in which this birthday is celebrated. It is totally irresponsible for a man called a president to celebrate lavishly at a time when the generality of citizenry is facing unprecedented suffering.I read that this year's birthday bash is budgeted at not less than US$ 2,5 million. Considering the overabundance of challenges currently prevalent in our nation, splashing such huge amounts on one man's birthday is both a misguided and misplaced priority which is deplorable and should be condemned in all terms. It is more horrendous to channel such amounts of money for the purposes of lavishly celebrating a birthday of Robert Mugabe, the same man who is presiding over the demise of the economy.While ZANU-PF decides to spend the tax payers' money on this event, it is shocking on how they have become so blind to the fact that genuine civil servants remain victims inconsistent pay dates. The pay dates have of late become an issue of guess work with words such as either today or tomorrow backed by excuses such as the government has no money. In some parastatals, employees have been reduced to slaves, going for years without salaries with the government remaining mum in addressing such regrettable circumstances.On the other hand, we continue to witness countless students dropping out of school with each day as they cannot afford the exorbitant tuition fees which have shockingly become an unwanted hallmark of our education sector. The government sadly remain adamant in reintroducing students grants and loans albeit several loud calls from the students. Our Constitution guarantees the right to education but the government remains reluctant in investing in this fundamental right, instead they choose to massively invest in Mugabe's birthday bash.We continue to lose our beloved ones due to road carnages because our roads have turned into death traps due to potholes with the same government choosing not to invest in the repairs of our roads. Our hospitals are in a sorry state and again lives continue to be lost even on the simplest conditions that can be cured had it been the government is seriously investing in the health sector. Unemployment levels remain faithful in skyrocketing to alarming levels as companies are shutting down daily attributing to the harsh operational environment that the same government created through their investor unfriendly policies.I do not understand how a sober thinking person with a conscience can celebrate a birthday while knowing that they sent guiltless Yvonne Musarurwa, Tungamirai Madzokere and Last Maingehama to prison on a politically motivated sentence. I still do not understand why they carry on to party while an innocent Pastor Mugadza is unjustly languishing behind bars, a manifestation of a compromised justice system. I still do not understand how Mr. Mugabe is going ahead to happily share a cake with his ZANU-PF family while the Dzamara family cannot be happy for almost 3 years following Itai Dzamara's state sponsored abduction.It is mind perplexing having these and other many challenges as unadulterated evidence that we are in a deep crisis yet Robert Mugabe and his cabal unashamedly go ahead to wine and dine instead of addressing pertinent issues confronting us as a nation. This ostracized decision by Robert Mugabe and his ZANU-PF to continue with their lavish bash amid deep national crisis is a clear indication of an irresponsible and callous government. As we approach 2018, I take this as a wakeup call to the nation to stand firm in voting out this kind of a government which disregards genuine issues yet prioritizing selfish interests.
Behind the massive public rallies and roadshows of key leaders, a world of war rooms of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Samajwadi Party (SP)-Congress alliance exists, which revels in outsmarting the other but also exchanges notes and even gives rivals a pat on the back for a job well done.
Even as Uttar Pradesh, Indias most populous state, is in the midst of electing a new government, a survey has found that there is huge support for solar energy among the majority of voters.
IT giant Microsoft on Monday announced a strategic partnership with India's leading e-tailer Flipkart in which, as a first step, the online retailer will adopt Microsoft Azure as its exclusive public cloud platform.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Flipkart Group CEO Binny Bansal said the strategic partnership was aimed at providing consumers in the country the best online shopping service.

"We are launching our strategic partnership together. I have always been an admirer of what Flipkart has done, in not only starting e-commerce, but now in payments and logistics. It is really getting India on the map... I'm pleased to announce that Flipkart has chosen Microsoft Azure as its exclusive public cloud platform," said Nadella.

"Of course this is just a start, because ultimately for us as well it is all about being able to support entrepreneurs of India to be able to create global scale businesses, and when we think about our mission that's at the centre of it," he said.

"Starting with computing infrastructure, Microsoft Azure will ultimately add a layer of advanced cloud technologies and analytics to Flipkart's existing data centres.

Microsoft's strong presence in India along with its global scale allows for continued growth and expansion, setting the stage for the long-term partnership," Microsoft said.

ALSO READ: Sometimes you are assigned what people think is sexy: N. Chandrasekaran



This partnership allows us to leverage our combined strength and knowledge of technology, e-commerce and markets to make online shopping more relevant and enriching for customers, Bansal said.

He said Flipkart in its tenth year of operations had taken ecommece to about 50 million customers and the question now was how to take this to 500 million people in the next ten years.

Microsoft said Flipkart plans to leverage artificial intelligence, machine learning and analytics capabilities in Azure, such as Cortana Intelligence Suite and Power BI, to optimise its data for innovative merchandising, advertising, marketing and customer service.

With 'powerful insights' about its business and new, intelligent services, Flipkart can deliver increasingly relevant and personalised experiences to its customers, it added.

The partnership has come at a time when Flipkart firm Flipkart is looking to raise a fresh round of funding but has faced a valuation markdown by one of its mutual fund investors. In December, a muttual fund managed by Morgan Stanley drastically marked down the value of its holdings in Flipkart by about 38% to $52.13 a share, down from $84.29 a share in the June quarter. The mutual fund currently holds 1,969 shares in Flipkart that are collectively valued at $102,644.

This effectively pegs Flipkart's valuation at $5.54 billion, compared to $9 billion in the previous quarter and $15.2 billion when it last raised capital in July 2015. Prior to this, Flipkart has also witnessed a series of markdowns.
Infosys chief Vishal Sikka today said "false and malicious" stories are being spread about the USD 200-million Panaya buyout to target him even as the tech major asserted that no one from the management team benefitted from the deal.

In a letter to employees, Infosys chief executive Vishal Sikka lashed out at detractors for spreading "false and malicious" stories about the company and said they were "designed" to target him to the "point of harassment".

In a strongly worded email to Infosys employees, Sikka said the reports questioning the company's acquisition of Panaya are "orchestrated by people who are hell-bent on harming the reputation of the company and its employees".

In a late evening statement, Infosys said, "We categorically state that no member of the Infosys management team was involved in any prior investments in Panaya, and insinuations that anyone from the management team at Infosys benefitted from this acquisition are misleading and slanderous."

The IT giant added that it will investigate the charges made and "will respond to all queries received either directly or from the regulatory authorities" as per its process.

In February 2015, Infosys had announced buying the Israeli automation technology company for USD 200 million or Rs 1,250 crore in cash.

A section of media reported about a whistleblower's letter to market regulator SEBI, alleging irregularities in the acquisition of Panaya.

Referring to the charges, Sikka said "they create a false alternate-reality out of events and dates, with embellishments that are calculated to mislead and sensationalise".

He added that while these "distractions are expensive, draining and time-consuming", it is Infosys' burden to ensure that the company's business continues "unflinchingly".

"We cannot let these stand unchallenged, and we will take every step and pursue every avenue to strongly defend the company in the face of these unfair and unwarranted attacks," the Infosys CEO said.

Sikka is pitted against a clutch of co-founders led by N R Narayana Murthy voicing concerns over a spike in his remuneration and hefty severance packages for two former executives.

Stating that the company has "far bigger battles ahead", Sikka urged employees to "rise above the distractions, focus on what really matters, and deliver".

"I am, as always, counting on your faith and unwavering attention to what really matters. Change is never easy, and change at the scale that we are undertaking may be unprecedented, and perhaps it is this change that has so inflamed some into trying to drag us all into the mud," he said.

Infosys said it has a strong, established internal process to evaluate acquisition targets and make investments.

"In the case of Panaya, all the requisite steps in this process were followed. The valuation was done by Deutsche Bank, the financial and tax due diligence was done by one of the Big four firms and legal diligence was done by a leading law firm Kirkland & Ellis," it said.

"The management presented the rationale behind the acquisition - including synergies and business potential to the Board, along with necessary reports and findings."

The board deliberated the acquisition, and unanimously approved the investment, which was well within the valuation range determined by the evaluator, it added.

Infosys emphasised that Panaya was looked at as an acquisition candidate based on its "strategic fit".

Over the last few weeks, Infosys has come under fire from some of the co-founders who have alleged corporate governance lapses.

Some former employees also called for re-constitution of the board and demanded that Chairman R Seshasayee step down taking moral responsibility over issues like steep compensation hike of Sikka and hefty severance packages to ex-CFO Rajiv Bansal and David Kennedy, its former General Counsel.

Infosys board and management have, however, stood their ground denying these charges. On an investor call, Sikka had recently stated that the company's large clients have come out in its support.
Jammu and Kashmir government today announced a number of restrictions to curb the wastage at social, government and private gatherings, especially weddings to prevent wastage of food.

"There shall be complete ban on sending dry fruits, sweet packets extra with invitation card by any person to relatives, friends, guests, invitees etc," reads an order, issued on Tuesday.

"The number of guests to be invited on marriage of daughter (barat), marriage of son and small functions like engagement of son or daughter and other small functions should be restricted to a maximum of 500, 400 and 100 respectively," the order said.

Even though there's a practice of serving a number of Wazwan dishes during wedding ceremonies in the state, the government order restricts the number of non-veg, veg dishes to be cooked in such functions to a maximum of seven each and two stalls of sweets and fruits at social gatherings.

There order also puts a complete ban on use of amplifiers, loudspeakers and firecrackers during functions.



The new guidelines put in place by the government would be effective from April 1.




Britain said on Tuesday there is no cap on visa for Indian students and they are free to access world-class education in top notch UK universities.

British High Commissioner to India Dominic Asquith said that the UK had announced 600 scholarships for Indian students aspiring to study in the UK.

"UK has no cap on visas for students from India or anywhere else. All are treated same. Whoever comes will join almost half a million international students who come in the UK to access word-class education in the world-class universities," he said here.

Asquith was speaking at the India launch of the report of the UN Secretary General's High Level Panel on Women's Economic Empowerment.

India has time and again asked Britain to relax student visa rules for greater mobility of students.

UK's visa policy requires students to return home after their courses end -- a move that has led to fall of Indian students enrolling in British universities by 50 per cent.

As per estimates, the number of study visas issued to Indian nationals have fallen drastically.

Asquith also said that the UK is participating in several initiatives of the Indian government to promote skilling.

He said the UK is already investing and supporting about 75 start-up businesses and they provided access to financial services to women in India.

British companies, on an average, are spending 7 per cent of their revenues on training and skilling employees in India and are also creating more opportunities for women, Asquith said.
Last week's breach of foreign portfolio investor (FPI) limits in HDFC Bank stock conveys two strong messages. It demonstrated the massive demand for quality Indian company stocks in the international markets. It also demonstrated that Indian regulators can be naive.

On February 16, 2017, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) removed HDFC Bank from its foreign investment ban list. It meant that the next day -- on Friday, February 17 -- foreign investors could buy the HDFC Bank stock from the open market. While the market had clearly anticipated that the demand would be high for the HDFC Bank stock, the regulators didn't anticipate the kind of rush seen.

On February 17, the stock of HDFC Bank opened nearly 9 per cent higher and by afternoon had touched a high of Rs 1,450. Within hours of the market opening the foreign investment cap had hit its upper limit. At 1:40 pm, RBI put HDFC Bank back into the ban list for hitting the investment cap of 74 per cent. It is evident that the regulators didn't anticipate the surge in demand because the foreign investment cap limit in the HDFC Bank stock was breached even before the notification was released. There was a lag in the notification which led to the development.

It wouldn't be difficult to find the trades which were executed after the breach in FII limits. The settlement for the HDFC Bank stock is still on hold and some sections of the market feel that the regulators may not annul any trades that have taken place on Friday. Still, there is a high chance that the trades executed by foreign investors after the breach would be annulled. "The quick fill up of the limits and the 66 per cent delivery volume last Friday against 5-10 per cent on a normal day highlight that quality remains in demand despite pricing being moderate and not cheap," says Gurunath Mudlapur, Managing Director at Atherstone Capital Markets, a Mumbai-based investment bank.

The regulator is yet to take a decision on Friday trades in HDFC Bank's stock. It is also considering who should be held responsible for the breach. But it again proves that market is willing to pay premium for quality and also highlights that the regulators should be vigilant and be able to anticipate the future to avoid mishaps that can give wrong signal to the market players. It can bring a bad name to the Indian market and regulators.
Opinion / Columnist

Political Fatigue



How do we reenergise the opposition's political base?

Coalition with the view of reenergising the electoral base.

Bringing young and new leaders to the fore.

Reframing our message

In a nutshell

I was lucky to be among 23 student leaders who got scholarships to come and study in the Netherlands after having been expelled from Great Zimbabwe University and banned from attending any other state owned tertiary institution in Zimbabwe. It was a privilege that was not afforded to every victimised student leader of my generation. Other expelled leaders had to finish their studies through correspondence with the University of South Africa.When we came to the Netherlands we regarded ourselves as exiled revolutionaries, it was as if we had no other interests. We discussed nothing but Zimbabwe. I am sure our friends outside our little Zimbabwean community found us very monotonous and boring.For us, those days during the Government of National Unity were so exciting; there was so much drama going on in the body politic. Not only were those days exciting but they were also very promising. Change was within grasp, you could feel it in the air, thick and so dense you could almost touch it with your fingertips. As they say, so near yet so far. 2013 came and proved our feelings to be nothing but an illusion, empty emotions if I may say.We too became disenchanted. How could we not, week in week out, year in year out, we spoke about the same things and saw no meaningful progress. Let's face it, Zimbabwe has been stuck in the same place for the past 17 years. We have had the same conversations about Zanu PF corruption and incompetence for almost two decades.It therefore comes as no surprise at all when people become more interested in discussing Olinda and Stunner than the political crises engulfing our country. Exciting as it might have been, whilst Olinda and Stunner's drama was unfolding, civil servants were promising to go on strike and doctors were downing tools.These are nothing but signs of political fatigue. People would rather entertain themselves with this marital drama unfolding live on Facebook than discuss about the impending Zanu PF manufactured crisis.When political fatigue sets in, things need to shift. It cannot be business as usual. The opposition cannot afford to have the same actors doing exactly the same actions they have done in the past, speaking exactly the same message they have spoken in the past 17 years.Even for us political junkies, we are worn out. So, before the opposition tries to win over support from Zanu PF strongholds in the rural areas it must start by reenergising and revitalising its support base.In primary school, we were taught that 1+1=2; the logic being nothing can be created from non-existing materials. Interestingly, at university we were taught that synergies from mergers produce added value that is by combining two entities the result should sum up to an outcome larger than the separate entities, i.e. 1+1=3.This is the logic behind the formation of a coalition. We hope by joining hands the coalition will have a larger value than its separate parts. By joining hands the opposition will send a clear and unambiguous message that they seriously want change and are prepared to do everything within their power to realise it. This is one message that can reenergise and revitalise the opposition's political base.There are some new and some not so new, young exciting players like pastor Evan Mawarire, Maureen Madeumanga, Linda Masarira, Promise Mkwananzi, Silvanos Mudzvova whom the opposition or rather the coalition must court in order to help mobilise the younger generation.According to a 2013 report done by the Research and Advocacy Unit after the 2013 elections there were about roughly two million unregistered young voters under the age of 30. This is a significant chunk of the adult population. They constituted roughly about 40% of the total registered voters in 2013, knowing young voters want change its possible they could have won the election for the opposition.The drive to get everyone registered to vote should start now, as Mr Jumbe my former headmaster at Mazowe Boys High would say, why do tomorrow what you can do today. We must launch a vigorous campaign targeting the young generation, those aged below 35, to register as voters using all available mediums to get our message across.Times are changing, we must embrace new forms of media in order to communicate effectively with the potential young voters. Even Yoweri Museveni in 2010 had to go outside his comfort zone, rapping a song trying to entice the young generation to register and eventually vote for him.Do not be distracted by my example of Museveni, the import of my message is that we have to adapt our methods of communication in order to effectively communicate with the young generation.For too long we have hammered Zanu PF's faults. I think going forward we must emphasise what we stand for. Companies are closing, loads of young people are unemployed and a majority of our people underemployed, we therefore must articulate our economic policies unequivocally and sell our economic vision for the new Zimbabwe. Farai and Farisai must be able to understand our economic policies and explain them to their friends.As the opposition, we must be in the business of selling hope, not fear. The people already know that Mugabe is the commander in thief, corrupt and incompetent. However, our key constituency is concerned not only with a functioning economy, but also service delivery, which is at the core of improving their everyday lives.We must be ashamed with the way we have run the urban councils for the past 16 years, for we have not reflected the excellence we associate ourselves with. Of course, the government has been putting spanners in the running of our urban councils, but we have not articulated well enough how that challenge must be addressed in the future.To me, devolution and decentralisation must be at the centre of our campaign for a new Zimbabwe. Not merely as a slogan but as a clear policy articulating how we want the devolution to work and how it can be used as a tool to address the marginalisation problem confronting many regions in our country.We can fault Zanu PF for many things, lack of good implementation included, but we cannot fault them for not coming up with clear and articulate policies. This is one vital lesson the opposition must learn from their rivals.In a nutshell, negative campaigning can discredit one's opponents but it does not reenergise and revitalise the electoral base. That can only be done through positive campaigning. We must not be afraid to promise, for the opposition must be in the business of selling hope.I know this article is insufficient to provide adequate methods to counter political apathy but at least it should spark some conversation around the issue, hopefully together we can reengage the young voter.Change is possible in Mugabe's lifetime!
An eight-member high-powered delegation led by US Congressman Bob Goodlatte will meet IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad tomorrow to discuss issues like movement of skilled manpower and IP rights.

The meeting comes at a time when the new administration in the US, under President Donald Trump, is proposing an overhaul of the popular H-1B visa regime, raising concerns among Indian IT firms.

Industry association Nasscom met the delegation this afternoon.

"We have shared our views with them that Indian IT industry is a large contributor to job creation in the US and we bring skills in areas where there is a huge skill deficit," Nasscom President, R Chandrashekhar told PTI.

Indian IT companies are heavily dependent on the US market that accounts for over 60 per cent of the sector's exports, and any clampdown in the visa regime may result in higher operational costs and shortage of skilled workers for the USD 110 billion Indian outsourcing industry.

Goodlatte as Chairman of House Judiciary Committee, along with other members, play an important role in crafting policies around high-skilled immigration and intellectual property in the US Congress.

The Indian side is expected to highlight and share information on direct jobs being created by Indian IT firms in the US, and their contribution in making the American economy competitive.

The meeting is also of significant given that growth in the Indian IT sector has been slowing down amid multiple headwinds like changing technology landscape (automation and digitisation) and global events like Brexit, apart from proposed tightening of H-1B visa regime by the Trump administration in the US.

Industry body Nasscom, along with top industry leaders, are scheduled to meet lawmakers in the US later this week on concerns around clampdown on visas and flow of skilled manpower between the two nations.

Apart from the delegation, Microsoft's India-born chief Satya Nadella is also scheduled to meet Prasad in separately tomorrow.
In a letter to J P Nadda, Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, the WHO applauded the country's NRA, declaring it "functional' with a maturity level of 4 -- the highest level as per currently evolved definitions in respect of 5 functions -- and maturity level 3 in respect of 4 functions. While, maturity level 4 indicates good results and sustained improvement trends, maturity level 3 reflects systematic process based approach, early stage of systematic improvements, data availability regarding conformance to objectives and existence of improvement trends.

The WHO appreciation for India's drug regulatory system could not have come at a more appropriate time as there have been concerted efforts from several quarters to show India's drug regulatory mechanism in poor light. The objective of undermining India's regulatory capabilities was to undermine the strengths and competitiveness of India's thriving generic medicine manufacturing industry.

In a world where there are growing concerns over high medicine prices, India's ability to manufacture low cost, high quality generic medicines is seen as huge business opportunity by the domestic industry. A weak drug regulatory administration would thus have strengthened the lobbying against Indian drugs by the competition.

"The successful outcome of the WHO conducted assessment of the National Regulatory Authority (NRA) of India is a big boost to the Government's efforts towards quality healthcare, for which the Government is committed to, says" Nadda.

A fully functional NRA is a pre-requisite for WHO prequalification of vaccines. One of the requirements to become eligible and retain prequalification status is to have the National Regulatory Authority (NRA) assessed as functional against the WHO published NRA indicators. WHO Prequalification Programme, as such, facilitates access to vaccines that meet the unified standards of quality, safety and efficacy as well as programme needs. The vaccine manufacturers can only apply for WHO vaccine prequalification if the NRA meets the standards of the WHO NRA published indicators i.e. WHO Global benchmarking Tool on functional regulatory system for vaccines.

Recently, WHO has completed the assessment of the status of the Indian vaccine regulatory system against WHO NRA Global Benchmarking Tool (GBT) for benchmarking and measured the maturity of the system. The assessment has been carried out by a WHO team comprising lead experts in different areas from WHO Headquarters Geneva, WHO India Country Office, experts drawn from the regulators of USA, Italy, Germany, Netherlands, Indonesia, Thailand and Egypt. The assessment has been done in respect of nine different functionalities.

In view of India being one of the main global suppliers of drug and biological medicinal products including vaccines, medical devices, and traditional medicines, and as it is supplying several vaccines to UN agencies, the 'successful assessment will go a long way in strengthening global confidence in medical products from India', the minister states.

The review is based on a robust benchmarking tool developed over years of consultation with various experts drawn from across the globe. The National Regulatory Authority (NRA) of India includes the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), State Drug Regulatory Authorities, Pharmaco-vigilance Programme of India (PvPI) and Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) structures at the Central and state levels. The Global Benchmarking Tool (GBT) has 63 indicators and 288 sub-indicators, out of which 150 are critical. Earlier, in 2012, NRA was assessed against 7 functions and 181 indicators.
It seems that Reliance Jio is not stepping off the throttle. Last September, the telecom operator launched its mobile services with free data and voice calls. The free offer concluded in December upon which it extended the free offer - under a new name, Happy New Year Offer - for three more months. Today, Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) chairman and managing director Mukesh Ambani introduced a subsidised version of the initial tariff plan submitted by Jio with telecom authorities. He launched Prime membership programme, a one-time scheme priced at Rs 99, where users get free unlimited voice calls, 30 GB data (1 GB per day), and a bouquet of Jio services until March 2018 at a monthly tariff of Rs 303. The users can buy Prime membership throughout next month.

The dole out shows that Jio is making the lives of its rivals tougher. The older telcos are already facing the heat of Jio which has so far kept its services free. Airtel, Vodafone and Idea Cellular are already finding it difficult to survive. Market leader Bharti Airtel, for instance, has registered 54.9 per cent drop in net profits in third quarter of 2016/17 as compared to corresponding period last year. Idea Cellular is even worse. It reported a loss of Rs 383 crore in the same quarter. The older telcos are particularly hit by free voice services of Jio.

The older telcos have asked telecom dispute tribunal TDSAT (Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal) to look into telecom regulator TRAI's (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) decision to allow Jio to continue free promotional offer beyond stipulated 90 days. TRAI has said that Jio's promotional offer is valid as per the current rules. However, TRAI has recently floated a consultation paper on tariff regulations.

While the Jio offer is beneficial for its 100-million subscribers, it raises serious doubts on its ability to charge customers. The telco is currently riding on the back of the financial strength of its parent company - RIL. It has invested some Rs 1.7 lakh crore. Last month, Jio said that an additional Rs 30,000 crore - to be raised via rights issue - will be invested to boost networks.

Analysts say that Jio's focus will shift from being a price disruptor to being a preferred telco (for its users) when it transitions from free to a totally-paid service at some point in time. Several analyst reports say that it's going to be the biggest challenge for Jio going forward.

Securities firm J.P. Morgan, in a January report, said that "a lot would depend on how many of the current subscriber base migrates into paying subscriber base and at what level of ARPUs (average revenue per user) they come in. Given RIL's financial strength to back Jio, that they could likely play the pricing game for longer, but given that most incumbents are comfortably based on financial metrics, any pricing strategy will likely be matched and thus the market share gains would be limited for Jio."

A recent study by TRAI shows that Jio's average download speed (8.34 Mbps) has decreased by 50 per cent in January, whereas Airtel has almost doubled its speed (8.42 Mbps) in the same month. For Jio, it's equally important to maintain decent data speeds and calling experience to woo customers and retain existing subscribers beyond offering subsidised tariffs.
European Union finance ministers hope to move closer to devising common rules to counter multinationals' tax avoidance and drawing up a common list of tax havens at a regular meeting in Brussels on Tuesday.

The meeting will aim to overcome different positions on how to tax the dividends of multinational corporations and on how to define a tax haven, part of an EU push to recoup revenues from wealthy individuals and companies that unfairly reduce their tax bills by shifting profits to countries with low or no taxation.

"We hope we will manage to clinch a deal," Maltese Finance Minister Edward Scicluna told reporters before the meeting. Malta holds the current six-month rotating EU presidency.

Ministers were upbeat about a deal on dividends taxation, known in EU jargon as hybrid mismatches. "I expect we will have an agreement," Dutch Finance Minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem said.

The target was to stop multinationals from exploiting different rules on taxes and tax deductions in the countries where they operate, which have allowed them to drastically reduce their tax bills.

Last December, ministers failed to reach a deal on the issue, after a proposal put on the table by the then Slovak presidency and backed by Britain, was seen as a watering down of the plan by other ministers.

Scicluna said that the deal may hinge on more coordinated rules to prevent multinationals from skipping dividends taxation altogether, but with a commitment to make sure that corporations will not pay double taxes under the new system.

Ministers are also expected to agree on the criteria to define a tax haven. Attempts to have a common EU list of "non-cooperative jurisdictions" have so far failed as several EU countries preferred to maintain their own, often empty, listing.

But the idea of setting up a common list has gained traction after several revelations of massive tax avoidance in countries, such as Panama or the Bahamas.

Countries that apply zero tax rates will not automatically be considered a tax haven. But they may be put under pressure, and even threatened with sanctions, if they do not cooperate with the EU on tax matters or if they encourage off-shore structures.

The list should be finalised by the end of this year. So far letters have been sent to 92 countries, including the United States, to start a screening of practices that could be seen as facilitating tax avoidance. (Reuters)

Source: www.businessworld.ie
Irelands largest fuel and convenience retailer, Topaz announced yesterday that it will be creating a total of 230 jobs in conjunction with McDonalds across two Motorway Service Areas located on the M8 Cork/Dublin Road in Fermoy and the M9 Dublin/Waterford Road at Rathcrogue, Co. Carlow.

Additionally, during the construction phase of both developments a total of 100 jobs will be created across both sites. The Fermoy development will be in direct conjunction with local developer JR Oronco and is due to open in Autumn 2017. Topaz Junction 5, M9, Co. Carlow is due to open in March 2017.



The overall Topaz investment in the construction of both of the new state-of-the-art Service Stations will be 14 million which will both feature McDonalds restaurants, representing a 2 million investment by the restaurant chain and bringing the total investment to 16 million. The service area will be in well-positioned Motorway locations on the Dublin to Cork and Dublin to Waterford routes.



This latest investment announcement by Topaz follows a 1.2million investment in a major site redevelopment at Dublin Port in partnership with Dublin Port Company late last year.

In the past 24 months, Topaz has invested 36.1million in its retail network with investment going towards the development of its Re.Store brand, the upgrade and rebrand of the recently acquired Esso network and the development of major Topaz sites at City Avenue in Dublin and Ballysimon in Limerick.



Commenting on the new deal, MD of Topaz, Niall Anderton commented, "The Dublin to Cork and Dublin to Waterford routes are two of the busiest routes in Ireland, and we are excited to announce this development of two new full-service stations to serve Irish motorists. The development represents a very significant investment by Topaz, and we are also delighted to be able to bring a large number of jobs to both Cork and Carlow."



Source: www.businessworld.ie
Up to 900 delegates are expected to attend the inaugural Cork University Business School (CUBS) Conference, Shaping Irelands Future, on Monday, March 6th in Cork Opera House.

The conference will feature leading international experts from the spheres of finance, business, technology and politics who will speak on a diverse range of topics.



It will be Irelands largest student led, student-focused conference and is organised by students in Cork University Business Schools Accounting and Finance Society, Business Information Systems Society, Commerce Society and Entrepreneurship and Social Society at UCC.



Speakers at the event will include:

Marissa Carter (Award-winning Creator of Cocoa Brown)

Willie Slattery (Executive Vice President of State Street Corporation)

Jim Norris (Managing Director of Vanguard International)

Joe Guinan (Founder of Advantage Futures, Chicago)

Eugene O'Callaghan (Director of the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund)

Colm Lyon (Founder and CEO of Realex Payments and Fire Financial Services)

Chris Kennedy (CTO and founder of Trustev)

The conference will also feature younger entrepreneurs making waves in their specialist areas including 18 year old Leaving Cert student Harry McCann, founder of Kid Tech/ Digital Youth Council and 18 year old Conor O'Flaherty, Founder and CEO of Pursue, an influencer management agency that works with video platforms delivering bespoke experiences and opportunities for influencers and brands alike.



Speaking about the upcoming conference, Dean of Cork University Business School, Professor Ciaran Murphy said, "We want to produce graduates wholl be thinkers, shapers, designers and developers of the future  essentially movers and shakers in the business sphere  like many of the great speakers the student organisers have lined up for March 6th."

He added, "This conference will further emphasise the need for students to be inventive and entrepreneurial in their approach to business, and will provide delegates with insights and ideas which will help them to develop their careers and become leaders within their industries  shaping Irelands future."

Source: www.businessworld.ie
Uber Technologies Inc has hired former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to conduct a review of sexual harassment claims at the ride-hailing service made by a former employee.

Holder and Tammy Albarran, who are partners at the law firm Covington & Burling, will look into the complaints about a manager at Uber, as well as general questions about diversity and inclusion, Chief Executive Travis Kalanick told his employees in a memo on Monday that was seen by Reuters.

Last year, Airbnb hired Holder, who served under former President Barack Obama, to help craft a policy to combat discrimination occurring through the online lodging service's platform.

Arianna Huffington, who joined Uber's board last year, Liane Hornsey, Uber's chief human resources officer, and Angela Padilla, the company's associate general counsel, will also help conduct the review, Kalanick said in the memo.

Huffington, Kalanick and Hornsey will meet on Tuesday, the memo said.

Susan Fowler, the former Uber employee who complained of being the target of sexual harassment by her manager, wrote in a blog post on Sunday that when she reported the offense to human resources officials and management, they declined to punish the alleged offender because he "was a high performer" and that this was his first offense."

Fowler also said, after speaking with other female employees, she realized that both HR and management had been lying about this being the manager's "first offense."

In a statement sent to Reuters on Sunday, Kalanick called Fowler's allegations "abhorrent and against everything Uber stands for and believes in."

Fowler's tale prompted a backlash, including calls for a revival of the #DeleteUber movement. Some protesters urged a boycott of the ride service over allegations it sought to profit from the chaos at New York's John F. Kennedy Airport last month, after President Donald Trumps executive order barring entry to people from seven Muslim majority countries.

Many women working in Silicon Valley, particularly in highly technical roles, say they have experienced misogyny and harassment in the male-dominated field. Technology companies are under mounting pressure to make their workforces more diverse by hiring more women, blacks and Latinos - but progress has been slow.

"There have been many questions about the gender diversity of Uber's technology teams," Kalanick said. Uber will publish a broader diversity report for the company in the coming months, he said.

"I believe in creating a workplace where a deep sense of justice underpins everything we do," Kalanick said. "Every Uber employee should be proud of the culture we have and what we will build together over time." (Reuters)

Source: www.businessworld.ie
Flooding continues to be a concern in Northern Utah and Southeastern Idaho. Over the weekend, Cache County posted on their Facebook page some photos of some flood rescue efforts that took place in the Mount Sterling area. In the video and some of the photos, you can see a wide area of land under a lot of water. Also some of the crews are seen preparing their rescue efforts and some of the finished work as they dug trenches, in one case, directly through the road to alleviate flood waters and save homes.

On <a href=http://610kvnu.com/assets/podcaster/324/2017_02_21_324_54650_2867.mp3 target=_blank>KVNUs For the People program on Monday</a>, Cache County development services director Josh Runhaar said the county has tried to stay ahead of major troubles.

We try to monitor it the best we can but typically were getting phone calls from residents through dispatch, and theyll call out to one or two of our crew members who are on call. And then when we know flooding is coming, well typically have as many as four or five individuals driving the valley and looking at our potential problem spots, watching for these issues, he explained.

Runhaar said the fact is they cant be everywhere so calls into County Dispatch direct them to the right locations. He said in talking with residents there, they had not seen this type of water in many decades. It was cutting new paths and going in locations where they had not seen it go before.
Home at 67 S. 200 W. in Preston, Idaho where police found four dead, Sunday afternoon.

PRESTON, Idaho  Police believe that four people found dead Sunday night were from a murder-suicide, after a father killed his three sleeping children, before shooting himself.

Preston City Police Chief Ken Geddes said officers were called to the home at 67 W 200 S., after a family member found the family deceased around 5 p.m.

Police have released the identities of the victims as six-year-old Jessica Spillett, seven-year-old Tate McKoy Spillett, and 15-year-old Corbin A. Hillaker.

Geddes said officers believe the children were all shot while asleep in their beds by 37-year-old Tate Spillett, who was the father of Jessica and McCoy, and the step-father of Corbin. Tate was also found dead inside the home from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Officers along with others from the Franklin County Sheriffs office, Idaho State Police Forensic lab, Idaho State Police and the Franklin County Coroners Office, spent most of the night and early Monday morning gathering evidence inside the home.

Geddes said Spillett, who was in the process of divorcing the childrens mother, used a semi-automatic rifle to kill the children and himself.

Police had postponed officially releasing the victims identities, while the childrens mother, Summer Layton-Spillett returned to Preston. She was currently living in Chicago, Illinois.

Friends and family have created an online support page for the family at <a href=https://www.youcaring.com/summerlaytonspillett-761072 target=_blank>YouCaring.com</a> and a <a href=https://www.gofundme.com/funeral-services-spillett-family target=_blank>GoFundMe</a> account. Funeral services are being arranged.

<hr /><p style=text-align: center;>will@cvradio.com
LOGAN  Authorities say a 14-year-old girl found early Friday morning, in a dry canal in Smithfield, was shot in the head. The information was released during a joint press conference, Tuesday morning at the Cache County Courthouse.

Smithfield City Police Chief Travis Allen said the victim, Deserae Turner, was found lying in the canal bed, east of Sky View High School, after authorities and family members tracked the location of her cell phone. She had been missing since Thursday afternoon, when she didnt return home from school. She was semi-unconscious and transported by ambulance to a Logan area hospital and later, flown to a Salt Lake area hospital.

Further medical evaluation revealed that Deserae had suffered a gunshot wound to the head, said Allen. This information started a large scale investigation into the circumstances surrounding Deseraes condition.

Investigators sealed off the area where Turner was found. They determined that there appeared to be at least one other person in the same area, around the same time frame.

Allen explained that investigators interviewed Turners friends and acquaintances on Friday. They were able to determine where she had been during the day and who she had been with.

Investigators have served multiple search warrants and recovered key evidence. Items that have been seized include the handgun believed to be involved in the shooting, much of Deseraes personal belongings, including her cell phone and other collaborating evidence. All the facts obtained through the investigation have led to the arrest of two male suspects.

Both boys are 16-years-old and are being held in the Juvenile Detention Center. Their identities have not been released, due to their ages. Allen also wouldnt release details of a possible motive or the relationships between the suspects and Turner.

Cache County Attorney James Swink said prosecutors have already received enough evidence to file charges against the two suspects.

We have charges against two 16-year-old juveniles, said Swink. Those charges include one count of aggravated attempted murder, a count of aggravated robbery and four counts of obstructing justice.

Swink explained that prosecutors hope to try the boys as adults in 1st District Court, under the Serious Youth Offender Act of Utah state law. Both suspects are expected to be arraigned in Juvenile Court Wednesday morning.

A spokeswoman for the victims family, Jill Parker, read a prepared statement from Turners parents, expressing gratitude to law enforcement, medical staff and the communitys support.

We know that our Father in Heaven is watching over her and all of us have been touched by her, read Parker. We know that He hears and answers prayers, and we can see His hand at work as Deserae continues to make progress. We ask that you continue to respect our privacy at this time.

Turner is still hospitalized in critical condition. Doctors have placed her in a medically induced coma. Parker said, she is in the fight for her life right now.

<hr /><p style=text-align: center;>will@cvradio.com
LOGAN  An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that was designed entirely by Utah State University students is ready for flight.

The Utah Water Research Laboratory at USU recently unveiled the BluJay. Capable of flying more than 200 miles in a single trip, the battery-powered plane weighs less than 30 pounds with a full load  that includes equipment and software designed to capture aerial images for data research.

Laboratory Director Mac McKee said with all its capabilities combined, no other UAV comes close to the BluJay.

BluJay can probably cover, Im guessing at least three times the geographic area of its closest competitor in a single flight and with the payload that we carry, he said. The quality of data and the imagery we bring back is the equivalent of the best of NASAs satellites.

Because of their distance to the earth, McKee said top satellites will produce an image with a resolution of a pixel for every 30 by 30 meter square. Being much closer, the BluJays resolution will be able to capture 20 square miles with a 10 centimeter by 10 centimeter resolution. McKee said the difference is about 100,000 times more data per acre.

This is a high quality piece of field equipment that returns incredibly high quality scientific information that just happens to be able to fly, he said.

The BluJay is the third major rollout of the Aggie Air program in its 11-year history, and its capabilities will be a benefit to the wine industry. The E & J Gallo Winery in Northern California will be using the UAVs software to gather data about the soil. A USU press release stated that by using the UAVs to create forecast information, irrigation efficiency will be improved.

McKee said both the Gallo Winery and the USDAs Agricultural Research Service both contributed funding for the project.

Its significant funding, he said, and were going to ramp us our research over vineyards in California, at least in order of magnitude form where we have been working in the last couple of years.
China's gradually increasing economic role in Central Asia since the early 2000s is unsurprising considering the region's geographic proximity to China's dynamic economy. In this context, Beijing has carefully shaped a military strategy in the region, particularly in neighboring Tajikistan. In September 2016, Beijing offered to finance and build several outposts and other military facilities (in addition to the Gulhan post, which was opened in 2012) to beef up Tajikistan's defense capabilities along its border with Afghanistan, whereas China's and Tajikistan's militaries performed a large counter-terrorism exercise in October 2016. These unexpected actions have raised concerns in Russia over rising Chinese influence in Tajikistan.

Chinas gradually increasing economic role in Central Asia since the early 2000s is unsurprising considering the regions geographic proximity to Chinas dynamic economy. In this context, Beijing has carefully shaped a military strategy in the region, particularly in neighboring Tajikistan. In September 2016, Beijing offered to finance and build several outposts and other military facilities (in addition to the Gulhan post, which was opened in 2012) to beef up Tajikistans defense capabilities along its border with Afghanistan, whereas Chinas and Tajikistans militaries performed a large counter-terrorism exercise in October 2016. These unexpected actions have raised concerns in Russia over rising Chinese influence in Tajikistan.

BACKGROUND: Chinas economic expansion in Tajikistan is relatively new. In the early 2000s, Chinas influence in Tajikistan was quite weak and limited due to the lack of transport communications that could connect the two countries. Bilateral trade rates significantly increased only after the opening of a new major highway Dushanbe  Kulma. China has invested approximately US$ 720 million in infrastructure improvements in Tajikistan, including the rebuilding, widening and improvement of the road between Dushanbe and Khujand, which has proceeded since August 2007 with equipment, labor, and oversight from China. Another factor that contributed to the empowerment of Chinas economic activity was the availability of financial resources and its readiness to invest even in less important sectors of Tajikistans economy.

The bilateral economic relations entered a new phase during the deepening global economic crisis in 2008, and particularly as Tajikistans relations with Russia deteriorated. In 2009, Russia took a position favoring Uzbekistan in its dispute with Tajikistan over the Rogun Hydro Power Plant, which became the main catalyst that pushed official Dushanbe towards China. Tajikistan, one of the poorest former Soviet republics, is heavily dependent on hydroelectric power imports and regularly experiences electricity outages. Therefore, the construction of Rogun HPP is a matter of life and death for Tajikistan, which urgently needs to increase domestic electricity production capacity. Tajik authorities say the Rogun Dam would be able to produce electricity for the whole country, and also provide parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan with cheap electricity.

Tajik authorities were therefore looking for an alternative partner and economic counterweight to Russia, which became China. While China has actively participated in several sectors of Tajikistans economy, it has been careful to avoid infringing on Russian interests. Chinas main interest in Tajikistan is in power-engineering, which is the most lucrative for foreign investors. However, China has not sought to replace Russia as the main constructor of Rogun HPP and surprisingly, Tajikistans President Emomali Rakhmon announced in October 2016 that the country re-launched the construction of the worlds tallest dam for the hydro plant. In a speech broadcast by state television, Rakhmon said Rogun will start providing electric power in late 2018.

Through its growing economic influence, China has quietly become the pre-eminent economic power in the region. Trade between China and the five post-Soviet central Asian states  Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan  has risen from US$ 1.8 billion in 2000 to US$ 50 billion in 2013. And Chinas influence in the region, and in Tajikistan in particular, also has a military dimension driven by security concerns. In fact, by increasing its expenditures on security in the Central Asian region, China seeks to create secured buffer zones along its borders with Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Tajikistan. China is primarily wary of the threat emerging from radical Islamism in the region, which could spill over to destabilize Chinas Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Province.

IMPLICATIONS: For these reasons, China has set up an anti-terrorism alliance with Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan in order to boost coordination with regional countries to tackle a growing domestic militant threat. In this context, China is becoming more militarily active in Tajikistan, which is otherwise considered to be firmly under Russian influence.

On October 2024, 2016, a combined force of 10,000 military personnel from the National Army of Tajikistan and the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) of China engaged in a five-day counterterrorism exercise in Tajikistans Ishkoshim region, bordering Afghanistan. To date, neither Beijing nor any of its regional partners have publicly commented on Chinas sudden interest in bilateral military cooperation with Tajikistan. Dushanbes willingness to promote ties with Beijing is linked to the growing activity of what it considers domestic radical Islamists, namely members of the banned Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan.

Although these moves could position China as a vital player in Central Asia, Russian experts are seemingly doubtful about the future of Chinas military cooperation with Central Asia. Notably, Russia has an entrenched presence in the region and its largest foreign military base is located in the heart of Tajikistan. Yet while Moscow has not publicly condemned Chinas military activities in Tajikistan, it is hardly comfortable with Chinas growing influence in the Central Asian region. Although Russias presence in the region has weakened over the last decade, it still considers Central Asia as its area of privileged interest.

Russian officials are careful not to dramatize Chinas current activities in Tajikistan, pointing out that the main priority of the military cooperation is border security. Even though Russia has not been invited to join the new quadrilateral alliance, it has sustained a military presence in Tajikistan for over fifty years, and the new military agreement between Moscow and Dushanbe prolongs its deployment in Tajikistan until 2042.

Presumably, China will continue its expansion in the Central Asian region, including in Tajikistan, both economically and militarily. Chinese direct investment in Tajikistan in 2015 amounted to US$ 273 million  58 percent of the overall total. The potential consequences of Tajikistans growing economic reliance on China came into sharper focus in 2011, when Dushanbe agreed to hand over about 1 percent of its territory to Beijing in exchange for debt relief.

Chinas neighborhood policy towards Central Asia indicates Beijings interest in playing a central role in the security field in the region, which is an important part of its multi-billiondollar investment into the Silk Road Economic Belt. China also seeks to ensure that Al-Qaeda- or Taliban-affiliated Tajik Islamists and insurgents will not pose a serious threat to its national security (in particular to the Xinjiang province). Chinas new regional security construct could also involve other Central Asian countries, probably Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, in the future. The new China-Tajikistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan quadrilateral military alliance (excluding Russia) mainly aims to prevent the growing threat of Islamism in the region, which affects all of the participating countries. Geopolitically, China is also interested in establishing a safe zone along its Central Asian borders, whereas the alliance will mostly contribute to strengthening coordination, along with training of military staff and Special Forces.

CONCLUSIONS: China seemingly does not deem economic investments alone to be sufficient for further expansion in Central Asia, for several reasons including language barriers, religion, and incompatible doctrines. Therefore, China actively promotes and funds the establishment of Confucius Institutes and language centers in local universities, and offers study or exchange programs for students from Central Asia.

However, at this stage, Chinas main military focus is on arms export, counterterrorism, border security, and joint military initiatives. Moreover, even though countries in Central Asia are willing to deepen ties with Beijing, most of them, and Tajikistan most of all, are still unable to ignore Russias influence in the region and their heavy reliance on Russia.

AUTHORS BIO: Fuad Shahbazov (@fuadshahbazov) is a policy analyst for Wikistrat Inc. He is the author of the books Syria 1946-2012 and Tunisian model of Democracy in the Arab world.

Image source: en.kremlin.ru accessed on February 17, 2017
| BY Lynchy |

Driving a catalyst for conversation by creating the only person designed to survive a car crash, convincing a bank theres more to life than money, hanging a pair of talking balls on a billboard high above the city street and making the internet very angry indeed, one agency certainly made the work count in 2016 and has come out on top. For a record ninth time Clemenger BBDO Melbourne is Campaign Briefs Agency of the Year.

Clemenger BBDO Melbourne creative chiefs James McGrath and Ant Keogh believe people have better things to do with their time than worry about advertising. They are late for work, they have to dig a hole in their backyard, they have to take their daughter to a Nordic-themed birthday party so who has the time for anything really?

Therefore, when it comes time to talk to them, Clemenger BBDO Melbourne aims to make it count.

We all know the disproportionate number of messages we encounter in our daily lives, says Clemenger BBDO Melbourne creative chairman James McGrath. So being distinctive, recognisable and captivating creatively as always, is vital but the shift to meaningfulness, to being useful, to being confirming of an ideal, reinforcing being a brand worth belonging to, thats what make it count is all about. We also talk about make no pollution, hard to do, particularly when any message should be timely and relevant because of its context.

According to Clemenger BBDO Melbourne executive creative director Ant Keogh, advertising is a bit like if you stopped at a train station, youre hanging out the window and you see the love of your life  youve got a few seconds to say something before the train leaves again. You have a few words and whatever you say better count, says Keogh. We have these limited moments to make a disproportionate impression.

This observation paid off, not only with industry recognition but in real life: theres a guy with a Carlton Dry tattoo, memes of TACs Graham spread and mutated around the world, people tweeted angry and hilarious tweets for Snickers Hungerithm and the Bonds Boys campaign continued to elicit startled reactions from newsreaders seeing large talking testicles for the first time.

The ballsy campaign also picked up a truckload of awards from all over the globe, including five Cannes Lions, four Golds at the Clio Awards, First Prize at New York Festivals in Film and Digital, along with countless awards at Spikes, Caples and IAB Mixx.

Yet when it comes to personal standouts, Clemenger BBDO Melbourne chief executive officer Nick Garrett points to NAB and the More Than Money brand relaunch.

Its a huge platform with immense potential and one of those rare comments where communication can drive cultural change on a huge scale for an organisation, he says. But in terms of a pure idea, for me it has to be Graham for TAC because it is one of those special moments that none of us expected, but we all secretly hope for, and its global amplification has been remarkable.

Snickers Hungerithim is also high on his list because of the complexity of making it happen and bringing the idea, technology and supply chain together seamlessly.

Whilst the agency attracted five star ratings at the award rounds, selected as Agency of the Year at CLIO and Network of the Year at AWARD Award, last year was also Clemenger BBDOs biggest financial year in its 70-year history. Revenue grew by 11 per cent and profit margins were up by 13pc. New business was strong on the agenda with the agency winning pitches for Airbnb, Myer Digital, Mattel, AHM, La Trobe University, The Australian Federal Government and the Victoria State Government, along with BCF, 2XU, Ovarian Cancer Australia and more work for Australia Post.

Another major focus for the year was addressing the future of the agencys structure, with Clems Melbourne moving from a creative department to a creative agency by sharing accountability across departments with senior business and leadership teams for each of its clients businesses based on a triangular model. Each team now has a representative from account management, planning and creative and all decisions have to be made collectively  with each team responsible for the work, the relationship and the money.

The rest you can read in the latest issue of Campaign Brief, which includes the annual CB Agency Hot+Cold Charts, out next week.
| BY Ricki Green |

Aussie expat and worldwide chief creative officer at J. Walter Thompson Matt Eastwood will present a talk called Passion Trumps Talent for AWARD in Sydney on Wednesday, March 22, 4:30pm at J. Walter Thompson in Pyrmont. Numbers are strictly limited. AWARD and TCC members $28.

Eastwood will reveals how passion and potential go hand in hand. Passion and imagination tend to be thought of as entities that can assist your career, but not necessarily make or break it. Skillsets are what initially qualify you for a job opportunity, and if you happen to be passionate about your profession, you might be one of the lucky ones.

But Eastwood says its time to rethink this misconception. He firmly believes that passion is the strongest indicator of potential, and prefers passion over talent, pedigree and a well-tailored suit.

No matter what the subject, people who are passionate about something are usually more passionate about everything  including their work. Thats why its valuable to have everyone from shoe lovers to Formula One afficionados on your team.

Learn more about how passion fuels a creative, dynamic work environment in this exclusive AWARD event.

Sydney 22 March at 4.30 pm, followed by drinks

J. Walter Thompson Sydney

Boardroom, 235 Pyrmont Street, Pyrmont

AWARD & TCC Members $28
| BY Lynchy |

Following on from a series of country-level appointments around its network, Publicis Communications Global CEO, Arthur Sadoun has announced key leadership appointments in the Australia and NZ market.

Michael Rebelo (above) is appointed as CEO for Publicis Communications ANZ, in addition to his current responsibility as CEO for Saatchi & Saatchi Australia and New Zealand. He will report to Global Chief Operating Officer, Loris Nold, and will focus on driving transformation and ensuring that global and local clients are given full access to the Groupes expertise, talents and resources across Publicis Communications.

Andrew Baxter (left) is appointed as Chairman of Publicis Communications in addition to his current responsibility as CEO of Publicis Worldwide. He also reports to Nold and along with continuing to drive growth for clients, will focus on collaboration with other Publicis Groupe solutions hub, including Sapient Inside and the ramping up of Prodigious.

Melinda Geertz (below left) will take the newly created position of CEO for Leo Burnett Australia. Under Melindas leadership, Leo Burnett Melbourne has become one of the best agencies in Australia and in the world. Geertz will work closely with Rebelo to continue to grow the agency across Australia and ensure the right connectivity between the Melbourne and Sydney operations, led by Pete Bosilkovski.

Says Sadoun: Australia and New Zealand are key markets for Publicis Communications; these appointments will allow us to further harness the Power of One to deliver to all of our clients seamless end-to-end solutions that draw on our world-class expertise and resources, no matter where they may be located. I know I can count on Mike, Andrew, Melinda and the teams to accelerate on the great momentum theyve already been building through the recent wins of Tiger Beer global, H&R Block, Caltex, Spirit of Tasmania and Betfair, to name just a few.
| BY Ricki Green |

Photoplay has signed internationally renowned director, Lance Kelleher, who returns to Australia from time spent living and working in the United States and across Europe.

Returning to Sydney for family, Kelleher is excited to devote more time to the local production industry. He joins Photoplay for representation in Australia, New Zealand and Asia.

Now known for creating work that is epic in scope but always intimate in detail, Kelleher found his start in New Zealand as a news and documentary editor and filmmaker. He then began directing music videos that lead him first to Sydney and then on to London. This early training has continued to inform his work as a visual storyteller. His move into advertising now spans a 30-year career that has seen Kelleher direct commercials on every continent. His most recent work includes projects for Herbalife (USA/global), IKEA (Europe), Nationwide Insurance (USA), Jim Beam (Global), VW (China) and Rexona (Australia).

With a talent for dramatic visuals, VFX post, and in-camera stunts, Kelleher has created an impactful legacy. His portfolio includes campaigns for Jaguar, Canon, Renault Global, Lexus, Jim Beam, Qantas, Alfa Romeo, Chevrolet, Coca-Cola, IKEA, BMW, Heineken, Sony and Samsung. Kelleher is the director behind the multi-award winning TAC The Ride commercial (Australia). Over the years, he has accrued creative awards at major international shows such as Cannes, D&AD, One Show, Clios and New York Festivals.

Says Oliver Lawrance, EP, Photoplay: Its been great to get to know Lance over many catch-ups and beers, hes a truly passionate filmmaker driven to make his work truly stand out. The production landscape is changing at a rapid pace and Lance is someone who has truly embraced the filmmaking challenges this entails. Im excited to have Lance back in Sydney and available for local projects.

Says Kelleher: Meeting Oli and the team at Photoplay, I was immediately drawn to their talent and ethos. As a collective of creative people, I have great respect for their work and for the wonderful relationships they have built up in Australia and further afield. Im really happy to have found a home in Photoplay and look forward to working with our countrys finest agencies.

Having secured the film rights to Tim Bowdens bestselling novel One Crowded Hour, Kelleher will co-produce alongside Todd Fellman and Sylvia Wilczynski with writer-director Kim Mordaunt and with assistance from Screen Australia. One Crowded Hour follows Australian combat photojournalist and cameraman Neil Davis who documented areas of extreme conflict in South East Asia for over 20 years.
| BY Lynchy |

Following the agencys win of OCBC Bank in September 2016, GOVT Singapore has announced four senior hires to lead one of Singapores largest accounts.

Leading the OCBC account as Group Account Director is Gloria Tan, who brings with her over 15 years of experience in agencies such as Saatchi & Saatchi, TBWA, BBDO and Leo Burnett, handling the likes of SK-II, Great Eastern Insurance, Singapore Airlines and Standard Chartered Bank. Most recently, Gloria held the position of Business Director at independent Australian specialist agency Ward6. In GOVT Singapore, Tan reports to the agencys Business Director, Jude Foo.

The second senior account handler hired for OCBC Bank is Senior Account Director Jaslyn Lam, most recently from Saatchi & Saatchi Singapore, where she led the Global and Regional management of P&G brand, Pampers. Prior to Saatchi & Saatchi, Lam had stints at DDB working on Health Promotion Board, at TBWA on global and regional digital and brand campaigns for Royal Salute, VISA, Standard Chartered Bank and ANZ, and JWT on Pizza Hut and Listerine. Lam reports to Group Account Director and account lead Tan.

Leading the creative unit of OCBC is Associate Creative Director Mark Lim. Lim has spent the past 11 years of his career in agencies such as TBWA and DDB, and was most recently Creative Director at local creative agency Splash.

Last but not least, is Creative Group Head Andrew Ho. Ho was an integral part of MullenLowe  Agency of The Year at the 2016 Singapore Creative Circle Awards. His work for global and regional Unilevers Clear, Lifebuoy, Citra, Knorr and DirectAsia Car Insurance has won him multiple accolades at international award shows such as Cannes Lions,

Spikes Asia, D&AD, One Show and AdStars.

Both Lim and Ho will function as a team and report to the agencys Creative Director, Tim Chan.

Managing Director of GOVT Singapore, Leon Lai, said, We have always believed that Singapore possesses some fantastic talent, and it has truly been an honour to be able to work together with some of the best minds in our industry. Gloria, Jaslyn, Mark and Andrew have put their faith in us despite coming from a multinational network background, and the feeling of assembling this amazing leadership team is akin to the feeling we initially had when we first received news that we had been awarded one of Singapores most coveted accounts in OCBC Bank. In the coming couple of months, we hope to be able to put out some stellar work.
Emily Ratajkowski's Nude And Intimate Photos Leaked From iCloud

Trending News: 200 Private (And Nude) Pics of Emily Ratajkowski Just Got Leaked

Long Story Short

Emily Ratajkowskis privacy has been violated  again. A hacker stole up to 200 intimate and nude photos from the models iCloud account and the cyber creep wants to see them published.

Long Story

Remember The Fappening? Well its back.

Metro reports that 200 nude and private photos of model and actress Emily Ratajkowski have been leaked.

The news derives from Helen Wood, a British reality TV star who claims to have been sent a folder in a DM on Twitter, which turned out to be the photographs from Em Ratas iCloud account. The hacker allegedly wanted Wood to include the photos in her Daily Star column.

Last week, I was pondering along through life, when I received a DM on Twitter. No idea who this guy was, but had a peek all the same out of curiosity," she wrote in her column (which didnt include any leaked pics of Em Rata). "Turns out, it was a link to Emily Ratajkowskis iCloud pictures. This clown had inboxed me and asked that I release the full set of naked images in my column.

Wood continued: "To be clear, this wasnt footage of a randy star salivating at the mouth wanging their bits about while fishing for a random on Skype for a sex sesh. This was private stuff, sent between two people," the former escort wrote.

This isnt the first Ratajkowski has been hacked. She was one of the many celebrities to be hacked in 2015, in what got dubbed The Fappening.

The culprit of the 2015 hack, a father, was sentenced to prison time a few months back. So that would count him out of the most recent hack...right?

Own The Conversation

Ask The Big Question

Was this hack carried out by the same group of hackers, or was it a copycat?

Drop This Fact

Ratajkowski has faced plenty of criticism for her revealing photos, but has always stated that it is her body, so she can do whatever she wants with it.
The company, the countrys incumbent fixed and mobile operator formerly owned by Orange, has agreed a contract to use Avanti Communications Hylas 2 satellite to provide the links.

Avanti CEO David Williams said: The project is a great example of how our technology is positively impacting ICT development across Africa. Avantis proven Ka-band technology continues to consistently deliver high-speed high quality connectivity to meet the needs of the most demanding operators and governments.

The hubs  to be called Constituency Incubation Hubs (CILs) will allow young adults and entrepreneurs to develop their ICT skills and applications, bringing them into the digital world and enabling them to grow and start new businesses.

There are a total of 290 constituencies as part of the project in Kenya, with 4 CIHs being installed per constituency. Each hub will have a VSAT system, WiFi router and 40 tablet devices, which users will be able to use to connect online and discover new business opportunities.

Kris Senanu, managing director of the enterprise division at Telkom Kenya, commented: As a strategic partner to the Kenya governments national ICT agenda, Telkom Kenya is able to provide end-to-end solutions, tailor-made to meet a growing set of needs for the public sector. The CIH project is demonstrable proof of the confidence placed in Telkom Kenya by the government, through the Ministry of ICT, to realise a key connectivity milestone for Kenya.

Avanti has not put a price on the contract, except to say it is in the millions of dollars. The company has rights to orbital slots covering Europe, the Middle East and Africa, covering a market of over 1.7 billion people. Avanti says it has invested $1.2 billion in a network that incorporates satellites, ground stations, data centres and a fibre ring.

Orange acquired 51% of Telkom Kenya from the countrys government in 2007, later increasing its holding to 70%, but sold its entire stake to Helios Investment Partners in 2016. The government now owns 40% of the company.
Donald Trumps Tweets Are Leading Companies To Take Out Crisis Insurance

Trending News: Trump IS Creating Jobs, And Its All Thanks To His Mean Tweets

Long Story Short

Donald Trumps tweets have been known to bomb company stocks, which has led many companies to seek crisis insurance if the president launches an attack their way.

Long Story

Surely youve heard about Trumps pre-election Twitter tirades, but while some speculated hed cool off when in the White House, he hasnt. The president continues to pound away at his old security risk of a phone, which is particularly bad news for companies.

A couple of weeks ago, Trump put high-end clothing retailer Nordstrom in his crosshairs for choosing to drop his daughter Ivankas clothing line.

My daughter Ivanka has been treated so unfairly by @Nordstrom. She is a great person  always pushing me to do the right thing! Terrible!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 8, 2017

Other targets of the career businessman include Lockheed Martin, Toyota, Carrier, Ford, General Motors, Boeing and Macys.

Good news, disloyal @Macys stock is in a total free fall. Don't shop there for Christmas! https://t.co/wpDDCWcLFD pic.twitter.com/vT3uGjiZ9B  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 4, 2015

In total, Yahoo counts at least 60 businesses who have, for one reason or another, drawn Trumps ire.

Considering the very real threat of a Trump tweet attack, what are companies to do? Well, many are turning to crisis management insurance, which helps counsel your business through the Trump attack.

Quartz reports that at least eight companies in Washington were seeking Trump tweet insurance in the first month of his presidency with one company consultant saying they put the attacks on par with an earthquake or a flood.

We are putting them in the same class as a natural disaster: a random event, out of the blue, with a really massive cleanup, said the consultant.

See, Trump is creating jobs  in the risk mitigation business, at least.

But paying for Trump insurance isnt the only way to avoid his wrath. You could always support the president, like Linda Bean of L.L. Bean did.

Thank you to Linda Bean of L.L.Bean for your great support and courage. People will support you even more now. Buy L.L.Bean. @LBPerfectMaine  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 12, 2017

The problem with the Bean method (economics textbooks can have that one for free) is that supporting the president might not go over well with any liberal Beaners.

Just look at what happened to Uber after they didnt actively go against the immigration ban (although Lyft isnt complaining). Or look at Elon Musk who extended an olive branch to the president and is now being called a crony capitalist.

For some companies, though, theres no reason to be afraid. Businesses like Starbucks and say, Patagonia, who know coastal liberals are their main customers, Trump bashing isnt frowned upon, its applauded.

But if youre a major American company that appeals to most Americans and you dont want to pay for insurance nor kiss Trumps ass, what should you do? Well, I heard Canadas got a decent corporate tax rate

Own The Conversation

Ask The Big Question

Will Trump eventually get more conservative with his Twitter tirades?

Drop This Fact

The Trump team doesnt want any weird domain names popping up, so it bought over 3,000 of them, including TrumpFraud.org.
Our Promise: Welcome to Care2, the world's largest community for good. Here, you'll find over 45 million like-minded people working towards progress, kindness, and lasting impact.

Care2 Stands Against: bigots, racists, bullies, science deniers, misogynists, gun lobbyists, xenophobes, the willfully ignorant, animal abusers, frackers, and other mean people. If you find yourself aligning with any of those folks, you can move along, nothing to see here.

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The Union Public Service Commission issued a notification for the IES/ ISS Examination, 2017.

Interested candidates can apply latest by March 3, 2017.

Essential details about eligibility criteria for IES/ ISS Examination- 2017:

All the aspiring candidates will be provided with the essential details about the IES/ ISS Exams below. Candidates need to have a glance on the eligibility criteria decided by UPSC who wish to apply for IES & ISS exam 2017.

Eligibility Criteria:

Nationality:

A candidate must be either a citizen of India or a subject of Nepal or a subject of Bhutan or a Tibetan refugee who came over to India, before January 1, 1962, with the intention of permanently settling in India.

A person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, and Ethiopia or Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India.

Provided that a candidate belonging to categories above shall be the person in whose favor a certificate of eligibility has been issued by the Government of India.

A candidate in whose case a certificate of eligibility is necessary may be admitted to the examination but the offer of appointment may be given only after the necessary eligibility certificate has been issued to him/her by the Government of India.

Age Limits:

A candidate must have attained the age of 21 years and must not have attained the age of 30 years on August 1, 2017 i.e he/ she must have been born not earlier than August 2, 1987 and not later than August 1, 1996.

Minimum Educational Qualifications:

A candidate for the Indian Economic Service must have obtained a Post-Graduate Degree in Economics/ Applied Economics/ Business Economics/ Econometrics.

A candidate for the Indian Statistical Service must have obtained a Bachelor's Degree with Statistics/ Mathematical Statistics/ Applied Statistics as one of the subjects or a Master's degree in Statistics/ Mathematical Statistics/ Applied Statistics from a University.

Last date for submission of application:

The online applications can be filled up to March 3, 2017 till 18.00 Hours.

Physical Standards:

Candidates must be physically fit according to physical standard for admission to Indian Economic Service/ Indian Statistical Service Examination, 2017.

Fee:

Candidates (excepting Female/SC/ST/PH candidates who are exempted from payment of fee) are required to pay a fee of Rs.200/- (Rupees Two Hundred only) by cash, or by using net banking facility or by using Visa/ Master Credit/Debit Card.

How to apply:

Candidates are required to apply online using the official website: http://www.upsc.gov.in/
Andhra Pradesh Sub Inspector exams results will be out soon on 15, March 2017. Thousands of aspirants had appeared in the Andhra Pradesh SI exams. The recruitment board has also released answer keys for Papers III and IV in the series - A, B, C and D. Candidates can submit their objections to the answer keys before 22, February 2017.

The exam was held to recruit 707 Sub Inspector, Special Police, Special Protection Force, Fire Station Officer and Communications SI vacancies in the state of AP. Aspirants can download the answer key of SI Final Written Test from the official site.

Where were the exams held?

Exams were held on 18, February 2017 and 19 February 2017 in Visakhapatnam, Kakinada, Guntur and Kurnool districts of the state.

Posts Available:

SI (Civil) - 355 Posts

Reserve SI - 113 Posts

Reserve SI (SAR CPL) (Men) - 9 Posts

Reserve SI (APSP) (Men) - 209 Posts

Deputy Jailor (Men) - 16 Posts

Assistant Matron (Women) - 5 Posts

For further information, candidates can check it on the official website:

http://recruitment.appolice.gov.in/
Sometimes its good to be reminded of just how good a car is by giving it go once more. In the case of the Mitsubishi Xpander, its the smal...
An ex-Beazley executive is joining AXIS Capital Holdings Ltd. in a leadership Role. The Hanover Insurance Group promoted an executive to become the new CEO of Chaucer Syndicates Ltd., its international member company through which it underwrites business at Lloyds of London. Swiss Res Corporate Solutions division named a new head of sales for terroritory covering Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

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A former Beazley executive joined AXIS Capital Holdings Ltd. in a leadership role.

Julian Brown took on the position of vice president and Underwriter, and hell be responsible for leading growth initiatives and product development for the insurers London market Managing General Agency Unit. Hell work with Paul Cullum, senior vice president, London MGA, and his team of underwriters, who currently operate in the property and liability market in London.

Brown, a 20-year insurance industry veteran, joins AXIS from specialist insurer Beazley, where he was International Focus Group Leader, with responsibility for teams in London, France and Singapore. Previously, Brown worked for broker SBJ International, where he specialized in international professional lines.

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The Hanover Insurance Group promoted John Fowle to the position of chief executive officer of Chaucer Syndicates Ltd. He is replacing Johan Slabbert, who is leaving the company to pursue other opportunities.

Fowle has held a number of leadership positions at Chaucer since joining the company in 2002, most recently serving as chief underwriting officer, with responsibilities for developing and executing the companys underwriting strategy.

Before that, he was the active underwriter at Chaucers main syndicate, 1084. Before Chaucer, Fowle held various underwriting positions in the London and Lloyds markets.

Fowles appointment is pending Lloyds and regulatory approval.

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Swiss Re Corporate Solutions named Loredana Mazzoleni Neglen as head of Sales, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA).

I n her new role, Mazzoleni Neglen will be responsible for developing and executing the companys distribution and sales strategy in the region. She will be based in Zurich and report to Tony Buckle, CEO EMEA, Swiss Re Corporate Solutions. Mazzoleni Neglen succeeds Antonio Simone, who has been appointed country head, Switzerland.

Mazzoleni Neglen, an Italian and Swiss National, has more than 17 years of experience in the insurance industry. Since joining Swiss Re in 2000, she has held several senior positions in sales and underwriting in EMEA and Asia Pacific. Most recently, she was head Specialties Asia Pacific, based in Singapore, where she was responsible for establishing several specialty lines of business and their underwriting centers.

Sources: The Hanover Insurance Group, Swiss Re, AXIS Capital Holdings.
Ironshore International boosted the capacity for its Terrorism & Sabotage coverage insurance programs. A division of Argo Group International Holdings, combined with a partner, is now offering transactional risk insurance designed to facilitate M&A transactions. RMS unveiled its new Colombia earthquake model.

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Ironshore International boosted the capacity for its Terrorism & Sabotage coverage programs to $400 million, up from the current $375 million limit.

The cover provides insurance protection against damage to commercial and residential property, including business interruption stemming from global terrorist attacks. It is provided on either a full value or first loss basis, with optional policy extensions that can respond to loss due to malicious damage, strikes, riots and civil commotions.

The insurer said that the cover has been increased in part due to the rice of terrorist attacks and incidents of civil unrest around the world. Ironshore offers War & Terrorism coverage globally through its Lloyd Pembroke Syndicate 4000 platform.

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Argo Group International Holdings Argo Pro division is partnering with BlueChip Underwriting Services LLC to provide transactional risk insurance to facilitate mergers and acquisitions.

Plans call for BlueChip to sell and underwrite the insurance, which will include Representational & Warranties, Tax Indemnity and Contingent Liability insurance products.

In turn, Argo Pro will be the lead provider, with capacity provided by Argo Groups Lloyds of London operation, ArgoGlobal Syndicate 1200, which will offer global clients limits of up to $30 million for any one transaction.

Argo Pro provides professional lines insurance products and services for medium and large organizations on an admitted and non-admitted basis.

***

Catastrophe modeling firm RMS won Colombian regulators O.K. to begin marketing its new earthquake model to national and global insurance companies who write earthquake risk in the country.

The approval is noteworthy because, as RMS explained, insurers writing earthquake risk in Colombia can only use catastrophe models approved by regulators to determine their probable maximum loss, average annual loss and to manage their capital reserves. RMSs approval follows similar action taken previously regarding AIR Worldwides Colombia earthquake model.

RMS said its new model will allow insurers and reinsurers to access latest scientific understanding of regional earthquake hazard, combined with RMS modeling capabilities, to improve their risk selection and pricing. RMS said its Colombia model is one of eight focused on South America earthquake modeling. The others include Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Ecuador and Venezuela.

RMS said it developed the models by collaborating with South American seismology and engineering experts.

Sources: Ironshore, Argo Group International Holdings, RMS.
Google has been seeing its top talent fleeing out of their autonomous car project for many reasons, including strategy doubts or leadership change, but the weirdest one is because they got paid lots and lots of money.



The tech giant recruited the first batch of employees in its autonomous car project with an unusual compensation scheme that awarded them with huge amounts of money, based on the projects value.

Bloomberg reports that by late 2015, the numbers became so big that several veteran employees decided that they didnt need the job security anymore and instead opened themselves to other opportunities. Two sources familiar with the matter called it F-you money.

The unusual payout system started back in 2010, when Google unveiled its first self-driving vehicle. The point was to tie the employees pay to the performance of the project, instead of Googles own money. That included cash salaries of course, but some of the people working on the project were given bonuses and equity in the business as well, with the rewards being set aside in a special entity.

After several years, Google applied a multiplier to the value of the awards and paid some or all of it out, with the multiplier based on periodic valuations of the department according to the same sources.

The precise values that the division was measured by and caused the bonuses to become impressively big are not known, with the sources talking about a large multiplier being applied to the compensation packages in late 2015, resulting even in multi-million dollar payments in some cases. It is said that one employee had a multiplier of 16 applied to bonuses and equity amassed over four years.

These big payouts are considered to be a strong factor in Googles talent drain as these came after key milestones were reached and at a time when rivals were recruiting heavily, even though the ultimate goal of the project -a working fully autonomous vehicle- remains years away.

Departures from Googles car division increased in 2016, with some of the employees being dissatisfied with the pace of progress and had doubts about the new head of the division John Krafcik, while others just wanted to start their own autonomous vehicle companies.

Its worth noting that Chris Urmson, previous head of Googles autonomous project, is now working on a startup while other early staff members left to create Otto, an autonomous trucking company that was purchased by Uber. Another former Google exec, Bryan Salesky founded Argo AI which recently got a $1 billion investment from Ford.

Last December, Google detached its car business and made it a standalone unit called Waymo. The payout system was also replaced by a more uniform pay structure that treats all the employees the same.

PHOTO GALLERY
Mercedes-AMG are not only working on their dedicated hypercar, baptized the Project One, but also on a new concept, which will reportedly debut at this years Geneva Motor Show.



Offering a preview of the CLS Shooting Brake replacement, the four-door study is based on Mercedes-Benzs specially modified MRA modular rear architecture, which is also used in the AMG C63, E63 and S63, Autocar reports.

Known as the GT4, it uses the heart of the latest AMG performance models, the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8, and is said to feature new twin-scroll turbochargers fitted between the cylinder banks. With this recipe, induction qualities are to be improved over the standard version of the engine.

Gunning for the Porsche Panamera, Audi A7 and BMW 6-Series Gran Coupe, the production version of the GT4 is expected to reach European dealers in 2018. By then, it will adopt the aforementioned lump in two power outputs: 4Matic+ and S 4Matic+. In the latter, output is believed to top the 603 horsepower of the latest AMG E63 S.

The engine could feature a newly developed integrated starter generator (ISG), which will allow it to deliver more power for short periods of time, via the 20 HP electric motor mounted within the transmission, and instant start-up. The ISG uses a 48V electrical system, and the final production version of the car could adopt a lithium-ion battery, of moderate size.

Besides the 4.0-liter V8 engine, a 3.0-liter inline-six unit could join it, probably with the same ISG. Both versions will use latest iteration of the brands dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Pictured is an older rendering based on the AMG GT from Theophilus Chin

Photo Gallery
Not many 3-Series models can turn heads like the original M3 E30, and this example is still in good condition, nearly 30 years after its birth.



Set to hit the SilverstoneAuctions event next weekend on February 25 , at Stoneleigh Park in Coventry, UK, the 1988 M3 is estimated to change hands for around 30,000-35,000 ($37,440-$43,680), which is more than its original sticker price of 26,000 ($32,450) back when it was all-new.

Originally supplied to Germany, the car was then taken to the United Kingdom a decade later, where it was enjoyed by five different owners, before the vendor got it into its possession. Said to have been bought from an Irish collector in 2012, it was used as a daily driver ever since, with its odometer reading close to 112,000 miles (180,247 km).

Offered alongside this classic BMW M3, by separate negotiation, are two sets of wheels, one from Hartge with winter tires, and Cecotto BBS rims. Additionally, a spare engine and gearbox can also be included, for an undisclosed price. The personal number plate isnt included in the sale.

The car doesnt just look ready to hit the road, its also legal to drive, as its accompanied by a fresh MoT, which expires on January 26, 2018.

PHOTO GALLERY
Taking a Lamborghini Huracan LP 580-2 out for a night ride on a twisty mountain road may seem scary, but in the right hands, this Italian bull can prove to be a delight.



Shot at Mont Ventoux, in the French Alps, this footage will likely leave you craving for more videos like this, but before moving on to it, lets talk numbers.

A 5.2-liter V10 naturally aspirated V10 engine remains the heart of the supercar, which may not be as powerful as the same lump used on its four-wheel drive sibling, but it still delivers 580 PS (572 HP) and 540 Nm (398 lb-ft) of torque.

Going from rest to 100 km/h (62 mph) takes as little as 3.4 seconds, but give it enough space and the needle will eventually point to 320 km/h (199 mph)  not bad for a car whose power-to-weight ratio is 2.4 kg/hp.

VIDEO
As a glorified Porsche clone, this Macan-like Zotye SR9 apparently flew too close to a Cayenne and ended up making contact.



The incident took place in Shanghai, and according to CarNewsChina, the SR9 appeared brand new, still wearing dealer tags and a temporary license plate.

The woman in the picture is presumably the driver of the SR9, chatting up the owner of that Cayenne. Unfortunately we dont know exactly what happened and how, nor do we know the full extent of the damage.

Still, there is irony to be found with this incident, just like there was with that crash from last year when a Landwind X7 crashed into a Range Rover Evoque, the very car it was copying in terms of design.

Formerly known as the SR8, the Zotye SR9 is a surprisingly accurate Porsche Macan ripoff, with a slightly longer wheelbase and a few extra inches in overall length, width and height.

Photo via Weibo
Photo: CTV

A flight policy denied a dog owner the ability to see her dying pet.

Robyn Larocques dog Cheech was in Calgary this week being treated for radiation treatment for a tumour. The pet was ready to come home this weekend, but was denied the ability to fly home.

The pit bull-cross flew there a week ago with WestJet, but WestJet's cargo desk in Victoria was closed on weekends. Cheech was unable to fly home with Air Canada because it bans snub-nose breeds from flying.

The Air Canada policy was implemented in 2015 following research and tests.

These breeds are prone to experiencing breathing difficulties especially during air travel, making it distressing and potentially harmful to them, and our decision was made solely out of concern for the safety of these animals, Air Canada said in an email.

Larocque says that Cheech had the OK from the vet to travel.

If my vet said we dont think it would be a good idea for you to fly this dog we would never do this, were trying to save his life as opposed to shorten it or end it, Larocque said.

Larocque wants Air Canada to re-visit the ban and take pets on a case-by-case basis.

If theyre going to have a policy on snub nosed dogs, let it be based on actual research, actual advice from a vet, she said.

Larocque stressed the point that the dog could have died at the airport over the weekend and she wouldn't have been there to say goodbye.

To be alone for an extra 72 hours in a facility, hundreds and hundreds of kilometres away from us, thats not where he needs to be when hes as sick as he is, Larocque said.

The dog was able to fly home on Monday.

 with files from CTV Vancouver
Photo: RCMP

Sometimes all it takes is a helping hand and that was offered last week by an RCMP officer in Kamloops.

On Friday, a transit bus driver noticed a man in a power wheelchair who appeared to be having difficulty.

Suspecting he might be stranded, the driver notified police.

When Const. Sukhdeep Toor arrived on the scene, the man in the wheelchair said the motor on his chair had broken down. The disabled man had no family to call and no money for a cab.

Toor realized he couldnt fit the wheelchair into his police car to take the man home.

Instead, he asked where the man lived and pushed him in the wheelchair through the snow and slush over six blocks to his residence.

This man just needed a helping hand, said Toor. I was glad to help him get home safely.
Photo: Contributed

The drumming of black-backed woodpeckers is a sure sign the boreal forest is slowly bouncing back from the devastation caused by last spring's wildfire near Fort McMurray.

Woodpeckers are busy in the roughly 5,900-square-kilometre area in northern Alberta that was torched. The birds gorge on bugs that have been attracted to dead and dying trees.

Flames that killed birds and animals or forced them to flee have created conditions for different species to flourish.

"The population of those kinds of woodpeckers will just sort of explode in that early post-fire habitat," said Steve Van Wilgenburg, a boreal ecologist with the Canadian Wildlife Service.

"There are suddenly all these open territories that they can move into."

There are other signs of regeneration across the fire-scarred region. Lush, green shoots from aspens, the predominant tree species in the area, have burst from the burned soil and are a metre high in some areas. The root systems of aspens can survive the flames and heat from wildfires.

Dan Thompson, a research scientist with the Canadian Forest Service, said a warm, wet summer created ideal conditions for regrowth.

Within about 10 years, aspens will be tall enough to appear like a forest again and will grow to pre-fire levels in about 30 years.

Other tree species such as spruce will take much longer to recover.

Dramatic pictures last May of walls of flames consuming stands of trees might leave the impression that nothing could withstand such a destructive fire.

But wildfires have been part of the life cycle of the western boreal forest for thousands of years, Thompson said.

"The ecosystem there is really adaptive to fire," he said. "Even though we had really bad human consequences, the natural consequences of this fire are just a tiny, tiny fraction of what the human consequences were."

The wildfire killed or displaced an unknown number of animals and its aftermath poses different problems for different species.

Deer, bears, wolves and caribou would have tried to move out of the flames' path. Smaller critters such as mice and voles would have sought shelter in burrows deep in the ground.

The challenge for animals will be to find enough food and cover for them to survive. Van Wilgenburg said some animals might have been able to find refuge in areas within the fire zone that didn't burn.
Photo: Contributed

Two motorists discovered one particular peril of not having snow tires: they were arrested for possession of 6.8 kilograms of cocaine after their car slid off a Nova Scotia road.

RCMP say they spotted the car off a rural road in Kemptown at about 3:30 p.m. Saturday.

"They noticed a vehicle in the ditch so they stopped to help," Cpl. Jennifer Clarke said Monday. "It all started with just stopping to provide assistance."

But officers soon discovered both people in the car had outstanding warrants, the driver had been suspended from operating a motor vehicle  and they were allegedly carrying a major cache of cocaine.

"It's a lot (of cocaine). Definitely a significant amount for us," Clarke said. "That would be a really good shot in the arm for anyone to pick off a seizure like that, that's a good one."

Despite the slippery conditions, the pair weren't driving on snow tires, Clarke said  an omission that likely led to their predicament.

A 34-year-old man and a 30-year-old woman from Moncton, N.B., are facing charges of cocaine possession. They are to appear in court in Truro, N.S., on Tuesday.

It's the second major drug bust stemming from a routine traffic stop in Nova Scotia this month.
Photo: Contributed

Dignitaries met on the front steps of Penticton City Hall on Monday to celebrate a birthday.

In recognition of the Penticton and Wine Country Chamber of Commerce 110th anniversary this year, Mayor Andrew Jakubeit proclaimed Chamber Week.

Chamber President Michael Magnusson said a strong chamber is crucial for a city.

We couldnt do it without the city, and wed like to hope that the city cant do it without us, in the sense that every city needs commerce and commerce obviously needs a city to thrive.

I like to look at as a symbiotic relationship, and if we can further the quality of life in Penticton through the growth of business and an extended tax base, jobs for workers then it's a win-win for everyone, he added.

A series of events will be running this week to mark the anniversary. Details can be found online.
Photo: CTV

Keeping up with the times, the North Okanagan Shuswap School District has banned vaping as well as smoking on any of its premises.

District 83's official trustee Mike McKay recently gave third and final reading to the updated policy.

The policy states: North Okanagan-Shuswap School District is a smoke free district with no smoking, tobacco or vapour product (including e-cigarettes and pipes) use permitted as directed by board policy and provincial law.

All school grounds, buildings and vehicles whether owned or leased by the district shall be free from smoking, tobacco and use of vapour products at all times including evenings and weekends.

Superintendent Glenn Borthistle said there was input from both students and parents, the RCMP and Interior Health before the policy was updated.

"We take our responsibility for wellness and health of students very seriously. We wanted to move on this as quickly as possible," said Borthistle.
Photo: The Canadian Press

The Prime Minister has promised to answer questions from the public in the language they are asked, after receiving a slew of complaints from angry citizens who felt he recently violated the country's bilingualism policy.

On a stop in Sherbrooke, Que., during his January cross-country tour, Trudeau insisted on speaking only in French, even in response to questions asked in English from the province's anglophone minority.

His actions were called "tone deaf" in the media and they triggered a series of complaints to the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages.

A Montreal-based anglophone advocacy group, which sent a critical letter to the prime minister about the town hall, received a formal apology from Trudeau on Feb. 14 and published his letter on its website Monday.

"As for the Sherbrooke town hall, I would like to express my sincere regrets," read the letter, written in English and signed by Trudeau.

"I recognize I should have answered questions in the language they were asked, be it in Quebec or anywhere else in Canada. You can rest assured that I will do so in the future."

James Shea, president of Quebec Community Groups Network, which received Trudeau's letter, said he was satisfied with the prime minister's response.

"Clearly it was a violation of the Official Languages Act that commits the government of Canada to doing business in Canada in the two official languages  English and French," Shea said.

Nelson Kalil, spokesman with the languages department, said that's not necessarily correct.

Kalil said Trudeau himself doesn't fall under the languages act, rather, it's the bureaucratic arm of the Office of the Prime Minister, the Canadian Privy Council.

The languages department is investigating whether the Privy Council has any obligation to demand the prime minister answer questions in the language they are asked during town hall events.

Kalil added that his department also received complaints about another stop in Trudeau's January tour after the prime minister responded in English to a question posed to him in French in Peterborough, Ont.

He said an interim report on the roughly 60 complaints his office received will be out in the next few weeks.

For Shea, however, he said Trudeau's response was "gracious" and added, "the case is closed."
Photo: Google Street View

A six-year-old boy has died and his brother was in hospital after both fell through ice north of Calgary.

RCMP Cpl. Curtis Peters says they got a 911 call Monday afternoon from a woman who saw the boys fall through the ice on a canal in Airdrie.

Peters says firefighters got the brothers out of the water.

The six-year-old was taken by air ambulance to Alberta Childrens Hospital in Calgary and was pronounced dead.

The 10-year-old was also in hospital in serious condition and Peters says his prognosis was good.

Peters says recent warm weather has affected the ice in small bodies of water, adding he's not sure if there were warnings to stay off the canal in Airdrie.

"The ponds and the canals in all these areas that take on drainage this time of year,they're not going to be stable, they're not going to be safe to be on. Hopefully we can get everyone to stay away from those."

Peters said it happened in the Bayside neighbourhood of Airdrie.

"All the houses in that area back onto the canal system. It has a park around it and people recreate there."

Monday was Family Day in Alberta, a statutory holiday.

"It's awful, it's pretty hard to talk about it," Peters said.

Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version said the older boy was eight.
Photo: Contributed

One in four Canadians would support a Donald Trump-style ban on Syrian refugees coming to Canada, according to a new poll.

Still, six in 10 Canadians say the government made the right call by standing behind its policy to keep the country's doors open to those fleeing war-torn Syria.

"As the American travel ban on refugees, visitors and immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries creates serious foreign policy differences between Canada and the U.S., border communities in Manitoba and Quebec are bearing witness to the fallout, watching asylum seekers trudging through the snow to cross the border," says the pollster.

"Against this backdrop, the latest survey from the Angus Reid Institute finds public opinion in this country is onside with its governments approach and response on domestic refugee policy, but is showing signs Ottawa may be testing the limits of how many migrants Canadians are willing to accept."

Key findings are:

Six in 10 Canadians say the government has done a good job overall in handling the resettlement of Syrian refugees since taking office in 2015.

Close to half of Canadians say the government is taking in the right number of refugees (Syrian and other nationalities) in 2017. A large group (41 per cent), however, say that the total is too high, while one in 10 say Canada should be granting access to more asylum seekers.

The full poll results can be read on Angus Reid's website.
Photo: Contributed

When you think fashion shows, expensive designer wear comes to mind.

But, the Salvation Army is turning that on its head with its first Thrifty Fashionista spring collection fashion show.

Models will strut the runway Feb. 27, 7 p.m., at the Ramada Hotel.

They'll be sporting casual wear, work outfits and over-the-top party gowns.

The Sally Ann says its local models will "represent the diversity of women today" and will also include Lady of the Lake Michelle Mazur and Kelowna Princess Rachel Sousa.

Tickets are $10 and are available at Salvation Army thrift stores in Westbank, Rutland and on Sutherland Avenue in Kelowna.

The Salvation Army has been helping the marginalized in Canada since 1882 and is the country's largest non-governmental provider of social services.
More snow on the way BC Interior - 9:33 pm
Photo: Contributed

British Columbia's privacy watchdog has launched a probe into a controversial vigilante group.

The Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner confirms it is investigating after receiving a complaint about Surrey Creep Catchers.

No details have been released about the nature of the complaint or the investigation.

Creep Catchers is a loose collection of organizations across Canada that claim to expose people they allege are child sexual predators by posing online as minors before meeting in person to film and berate their targets.

An RCMP officer was arrested and charged last September after a group calling themselves Surrey Creep Catchers livestreamed a sting involving a man they allege was planning to meet an underage girl.

Law enforcement officials across Canada have repeatedly expressed concern about the groups, warning the public that confronting alleged child predators could put people in danger and compromise police investigations.
Photo: Contributed

Kevin Thomson wants to take adventure tourism to new heights in Vancouver.

Specifically, to the top of Lions Gate Bridge.

Thomson has been in talks with the Ministry of Transportation to win approval for his venture, which would see tourists climb ladders inside the bridge's support towers to lookouts 100 metres up.

The climb is not for the faint of heart  or the out of shape. The non-stop climb is in a confined space, and the heights are dizzying. Climbers would have safety harnesses though.

The climb may be steep, but so will the price be. Thomson estimates "the $230 to $380 range is in line with similar attractions."

The tourism opportunity here could potentially be quite significant, Transportation Minister Todd Stone told reporters at the legislature on Monday.

But he stressed there are a lot of hoops yet to jump through.

We've made very clear to the current proponent we would only consider moving forward with this if there were financial benefits that could be arrived at to the benefit of the taxpayers of British Columbia, said Stone.

 with files from CTV Vancouver
Photo: CTV

UPDATE: 5:50 a.m.

All seven people reported missing Monday at a ski resort near Kamloops have been found safe.

Alan Hobler with Kamloops Search and Rescue says three people were found late Monday in fair condition, but the search at the Sun Peaks Resort continued overnight for the other four.

Hobler says the remaining members of the group that included five skiers and two snowboarders were located at various times after midnight, with the last two spotted and brought to safety about 3 a.m.

There was concern because the seven had entered a hazardous gully where Hobler says they could have ended up in a creek or stranded by the steep terrain.

He says the 18-member search crew was assisted by mild conditions that included a low avalanche hazard temperature of around -1 C.

Rescuers also used infrared-equipped drones to lead them to the last four people because none was believed to be carrying cellphones or other electronics.

 The Canadian Press

ORIGINAL: 9:50 p.m.

Rescue crews are searching for as many as seven snowboarders missing at a ski resort near Kamloops.

Alan Hobler with Kamloops Search and Rescue says the snowboarders went out of bounds at Sun Peaks on Monday afternoon.

The rescue team sent 18 members and a drone team to look for the group Monday night.

Hobler says the avalanche hazard level in the area is low and conditions are fairly stable.

He says two avalanche forecasters joined the search to help keep rescuers safe.

Hobler says there's a risk the snowboarders could have been drawn into a gully and that they could end up stranded or in a creek.
Photo: Contributed

A British Columbia man convicted by a jury of wilfully promoting hatred against people of the Jewish religion has lost a constitutional fight over the same issue in court.

Roy Arthur Topham's lawyer argued in B.C. Supreme Court that his client's communication on his website was justified in a free and democratic society and that in this Internet age, the same viewpoints are available in many places.

The Crown noted that the arguments were based on an erroneous assumption that Topham only republished material written by others on his website  which wasn't the evidence put before the jury during his trial last November.

In a decision posted Monday, Justice Bruce Butler says that fact that the Internet has increased people's ability to communicate widely doesn't raise a new legal issue.

In fact, he said in his ruling that the Internet may make the risk of harm associated with hate speech a more pressing issue.

The judge dismissed the constitutional challenge, saying Topham failed to identify any new legal issues under the charter and didn't present any evidence that would shift the debate about the hate statements being justified.
Photo: Contributed

A new study suggests more than half of Canadians, especially those with health conditions, are worried the foods they're buying are not what labels claim  and preventing falling victim to such scams can be difficult, experts say.

In an online survey conducted by researchers at Dalhousie University, 63 per cent of respondents said they were concerned about the widespread practice known as food fraud. Notably, worries about counterfeited food products coming from Canada were even greater in those study participants with food intolerances.

That's likely because the fallout for someone with allergies eating a mislabelled product can be severe, says lead researcher Sylvain Charlebois.

He calls food fraud "the big elephant in the room."

"People are aware of the problem. They just don't know how to deal with it," Charlebois said.

Ingredient lists are lifelines for people with food allergies, says Beatrice Povolo, the director of advocacy and media relations for Food Allergy Canada, a non-profit organization advocating on behalf of people with food allergies.

"They count on that to be accurate and truthful and complete in order for them to make a decision of whether that would be a suitable product or not," she said, adding deliberate ingredient substitutions are not on the organization's radar at the moment.

Olive oil is the perfect example of a product that frequently contains unlisted ingredients, according to Larry Olmsted, author of "Real Food Fake Food." Sometimes it'll be watered down with peanut or soy oil, he says, and both are allergens.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency receives an average of 40 complaints annually from consumers about potential food misrepresentation, spokeswoman Lisa Murphy wrote in an email, and it investigates each case.

The CFIA has studied the scope of the issue and determined concerns include short-weighting products, substituting ingredients, and making false and misleading claims about products.
Photo: CTV/file photo

A sheriff shortage has let an accused drug trafficker walk free in Victoria.

Defence lawyer Michael Munro says the courthouse shortage is the worst hes seen.

Its been occurring for the last number of weeks or months in Provincial and Supreme Court, and the judges are sick and tired of it," he told CTV.

Due to a lack of court staff, specifically sheriffs, they couldnt get my client into the courtroom, he said. There we were, ready to go. He was in a sheriffs cell downstairs, and there were no sheriffs to bring him into the courtroom.

He says the shortage poses a security risk as well.

The courthouse is a place of high conflict. Peoples tempers are up, its a dangerous place."

Sheriffs union spokesman Dean Purdy says money is to blame.

Sheriffs earn a base wage of $57,000 a year  less than correctional officers, transit cops and police.

Many of the sheriffs that are hired on, because theyre the lowest paid peace officer occupation in B.C., they move on to other higher paying law enforcement jobs.

Victoria currently has 22 sheriffs, compared to 35 in 2007.

Justice Minister Suzanne Anton told CTV the department plans to hire more sheriffs.

 with files from CTV Vancouver Island
Photo: The Canadian Press

The case of the man charged with murder in last month's mosque shootings in Quebec City will resume March 30.

Alexandre Bissonnette appeared in court this morning as the Crown handed over evidence to the defence lawyer.

Bissonnette faces six counts of first-degree murder and five of attempted murder using a restricted firearm.

The charges are in connection with the Jan. 29 deaths of Mamadou Tanou Barry, Ibrahima Barry, Azzeddine Soufiane, Abdelkrim Hassane, Khaled Belkacemi and Aboubaker Thabti.

The six victims, aged between 39 and 60, were killed when a gunman stormed the mosque and opened fire on men who were attending prayer.

Nineteen people were wounded in the attack.
Photo: Contributed

A cellphone battery and charger burst into flames in an airplane's overhead locker on the weekend, forcing a flight to make an emergency landing.

According to aviation website aeroinside.com, flight crews doused the inside of the locker with fire extinguishers after passengers noticed the flames. They then submerged the phone and charger in water.

The Spring Airlines' flight, which was enroute from Harbin, China, to Nagoya, Japan, diverted to Shenyang, China.

Flight crew donned oxygen masks due to the electrical smell in the plane.

The aircraft landed safely and the cabin crew were credited with bringing the situation under control.
Photo: Contributed

Police say they're investigating notes with anti-Semitic messages that were left on doors at a north Toronto condominium as a hate crime.

They say several residents of the building found notes containing "racial comments" attached to their doors on Sunday.

Local television footage from the building on Monday showed at least one small note bearing the phrase "no Jews" above a drawing of a swastika.

Police say the mezuzah  a Jewish religious symbol  was removed from several doors.

They say the incident is being investigated as a "hate bias crime" and are asking anyone with information to contact police.

In a statement Monday afternoon, Mayor John Tory said Jewish residents should not have to face hatred at their doorsteps.

"Anti-Semitism has no place in Toronto," Tory said. "These acts, and the people who carry them out, do not represent Toronto or Torontonians."
Photo: The Canadian Press

The Supreme Court appears to be evenly divided about the right of Mexican parents to use American courts to sue a U.S. Border Patrol agent who fired across the U.S.-Mexican border and killed their teenage son.

Justice Anthony Kennedy and other conservative justices suggested during argument Tuesday that the boy's death on the Mexican side of the border was enough to keep the matter out of U.S. courts.

The four liberal justices indicated they would support the parents' lawsuit because the shooting happened close to the border in an area in which the two nations share responsibility for upkeep.

A 4-4 tie could cause the court to hold onto the case and schedule a new round of argument if Judge Neil Gorsuch is confirmed as the ninth justice.
Photo: Flickr - Canadian Forces

Two senior Canadian generals are defending the current strategy for defeating ISIL in Iraq and Syria, which the U.S. military is reviewing following scathing criticism by President Donald Trump.

Brigadier-generals David Anderson and Stephen Kelsey are both based in Baghdad and while Canadian, each holds a key position within the larger international coalition for defeating ISIL.

For the past year, they have watched the fight against ISIL unfold, culminating this week in Iraqi forces launching their long-awaited assault on the extremist group's last major bastion in the country, west Mosul.

But Trump has previously expressed frustration with the pace of the campaign against ISIL, and has given his defence secretary, retired general James Mattis, until the end of the month to find ways to hasten its defeat.

Anderson and Kelsey say it is ultimately up to the U.S. to decide the course it feels is best, but they believe the existing strategy strikes the right balance between speed and Iraq's long-term needs.

They say rushing operations before they are ready or having U.S. and coalition troops doing the actual fighting could cause more harm than good, and so they're hoping that Trump opts to stay the course.
Photo: CTV - File Photo

Los Angeles is famous for celebrities, sunshine and smog... lots, and lots of smog.

But, L.A. doesn't hold a candle to Courtenay. The tiny Vancouver Island community has the second-worst air quality among cities in Canada and the United States.

A report on air quality was published by the British newspaper The Guardian, after gathering data from cities around the world from the World Health Organization.

The study ranked Courtenay No. 2 in North America, behind only the tiny California communities of Visalia and Porterville, situated between L.A. and San Francisco in a valley known as 'America's Salad Bowl.'

Courtenay's poor air quality, according to a CTV Vancouver Island story, is easy to pinpoint.

According to the experts, it is wood smoke, Jennell Ellis of Breathe Clean Air told CTV.

The open burning of big slash piles and land clearing, the backyard burning and then a lot of it is smoke from wood stoves.

Ellis said there have been four air quality advisories in the region this winter alone, lasting well over two combined weeks.

"We had a high health risk warning many, many nights"

Regina was the only other Canadian city listed in the top 10.

While Courtenay has the worst air quality in Canada, according to the report, Ellis is skeptical.

Their numbers arent quite accurate and we might not be that bad, but we definitely have a problem here, she said.

The report shows Canada and the United States are second only to New Zealand and Australia for air quality in the world.

The seven worst cities in the world for air quality are in India and the Middle East.

 files from CTV Vancouver Island
Photo: The Canadian Press Russia's Ambassador to the U.N. Vitaly Churkin

The cause and manner of death of Russia's ambassador to the United Nations needs to be studied further, the city medical examiner said Tuesday, a day after the diplomat fell ill at his office at Russia's U.N. mission and died at a hospital.

Further study usually includes toxicology and other screenings, which can take weeks. The case was referred to the medical examiner's office by the hospital, spokeswoman Julie Bolcer said.

Vitaly Churkin, who died a day before his 65th birthday, had been Russia's envoy at the United Nations since 2006. He was the longest-serving ambassador on the Security Council, the U.N.'s most powerful body.

The medical examiner is responsible for investigating deaths that occur by criminal violence, accident, suicide, suddenly or when the person seemed healthy, or if someone died in any unusual or suspicious manner. Most of the deaths investigated by the office are not suspicious.

The Security Council held a moment of silence Tuesday in memory of Churkin, whom U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called "not only an outstanding diplomat but an extraordinary human being."

Russian President Vladimir Putin esteemed Churkin's "professionalism and diplomatic talents," spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, according to the state news agency TASS. Moscow has not yet given a date for the funeral.

Diplomatic colleagues from around the world mourned Churkin as a master in their field, saying he had both a deep knowledge of diplomacy and a large and colorful personality.

U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley said that while she and Churkin did not always agree, "he unquestionably advocated his country's positions with great skill."

Her predecessor, Samantha Power, described him on Twitter as a "diplomatic maestro and deeply caring man" who had done all he could to bridge differences between the U.S. and Russia.

Those differences were evident when Power and Churkin spoke at the Security Council last month, and Power lashed out at Russia for annexing Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula and for carrying out "a merciless military assault" in Syria. Churkin countered that Democratic former President Barack Obama's administration, which Power served in, was "desperately" searching for scapegoats for its failures in Iraq, Syria and Libya.

Churkin died weeks into some major adjustments for Russia, the U.N. and the international community, with a new secretary-general at the world body and a new administration in Washington. Meanwhile, the Security Council is due this week to discuss Ukraine and Syria.

From Moscow's vantage point, "Churkin was like a rock against which were broken the attempts by our enemies to undermine what constitutes the glory of Russia," TASS quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying.
Photo: File photo

A Toronto man has been arrested after allegedly using a camera hidden in a thermos to film people in a washroom.

Police say officers responded to a call about a suspicious incident at the Rexdale Community Health Centre last Friday and seized a silver thermos located in a staff washroom.

They say a pinhole camera was located in the thermos.

Police allege the device was used to film staff members inside the washroom.

They say 48-year-old Wayne Bassaragh has been charged with 10 counts of voyeurism, mischief interfering with property and corrupting morals.

Police say Bassaragh is a chiropodist at the community centre and also has other clinics in the Greater Toronto Area.
Photo: Instagram

CBC Montreal's Daybreak morning radio show got heated on Tuesday morning when the Conservative Partys public safety critic, Tony Clement, ended the discussion by hanging up the phone.

Host Mike Finnerty welcomed Clement on air and at first, the conversation seemed cordial.

Finnerty was questioning Clement's concerns about asylum seekers crossing into Canada after a growing number of people are choosing to walk across the border to claim refugee status. Dozens have been arrested.

On Sunday evening, Clement and MP Michelle Rempel both expressed concerns over illegal crossings, saying they are unsafe and place a burden on local law enforcement.

Their concerns came after Manitoba RCMP said 22 people were intercepted crossing the border near Emerson Saturday.

We have a problem, lets make sure people are crossing our border legally rather than illegally, Clement said to Finnerty on-air.

Clement said he wants the Justin Trudeau government to do more and said that more resources are needed for RCMP to do their job.

Finnerty pushed him further, saying that wasn't the question  rather he was asking if the rule be changed to allow claimants to cross in a normal way, by bus or train, instead of on foot.

Things started to get heated and the two were talking over each other.

Thats the law right now, rebutted Clement.

Finnerty challenged back, saying you think they should keep that rule in place? Meaning that people will still try their luck and cross on foot.

Clement said again, that he thinks the RCMP need more resources to prevent that activity.

But Finnerty was quick to respond that pictures have been appearing of RCMP officers welcoming refugees on foot with welcoming arms.

We are a welcoming society, Clement responded.

Are you saying they should act differently? said Finnerty.

No now you are putting words in my mouth, Clement said. I already told you, sir. We should apply the law.

And when Finnerty pressed him again on how to apply that law a dead ring tone followed.

He took to Twitter after hanging up to express his frustration.

Way to go CBC. Taking a serious issue (illegal crossings) to shout me down on the air. Your tax dollars at work.  Tony Clement (@TonyclementCPC) February 21, 2017

 with files from The Canadian Press
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UPDATED: 2:30 p.m.

B.C.'s finance minister tabled what he said is the province's fifth consecutive balanced budget in the legislature Tuesday afternoon.

And, if given the mandate, he said the three-year fiscal plan would provide seven straight balanced budgets.

As promised in last week's throne speech, the government has opened the purse strings with new funding promised for classrooms, mental health services and other services for families and children.

At the top of the list, a 50 per cent reduction in MSP premiums for households with an annual net income of up to $120,000. The reduction will take effect Jan. 1, 2018.

The government says the reductions mean two million residents will pay no MSP premiums, while another two million will see premiums cut in half.

The province says the cuts will cost $953 million.

"Budget 2017 represents this government's fifth-consecutive balanced budget, showing the benefits of a fiscal plan that includes steady, solid growth and managed spending," said de Jong in introducing the budget.

"There's additional funding for the programs people rely upon and almost $1 billion left in the pockets of British Columbians to let them make the choices that are important to them."

Reviews were mixed.

The pre-election budget includes an additional $740 million for education, $4.2 billion in health care and $796 million for families, individuals and children most in need. Each is funded over the next three years.

The province has also committed $920 million to help in the creation of more than 5,300 affordable housing units, and is raising the threshold for the first-time homebuyers' program to $500,000.

On the business side, the small business corporate income tax rate is being cut from 2.5 per cent to two per cent and PST on electricity will be eliminated over the coming two years.

The government also pledged $13.7 billion over the next three years in new and upgraded infrastructure.

De Jong said the province is forecasting modest surpluses in each year of the three-year fiscal plan. He said by the end of the three-year plan, the direct operating debt, forecast at $1.1 billion, will be 90 per cent lower than in 2013.

De Jong adds there is an opportunity for the province to be free of operating debt by 2020-2021.

The government is forecasting economic growth between two and 2.1 per cent over the next three years.

However, he says those forecasts could change.

"Downside risks to B.C.'s economic outlook include uncertainty in U.S. fiscal and trade policy, ongoing fragility in Europe, slower-than-anticipated economic activity in Asia, exchange rate uncertainty, and the potential for a slowdown in domestic and Canadian economic activity."

The three-year surplus is expected to hit about $760 million.

This is the Liberal government's final budget before the province goes to the polls to elect a new government May 9.

Premier Christy Clark will speak about the budget at a Kelowna Chamber of Commerce luncheon Friday.
Photo: Google Images

Up to 75,000 British Columbians are estimated to be living with hepatitis C, and they are about to get better treatment.

The province is promising better access to treatment thanks to the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance.

This agreement changes the landscape for hepatitis C patients living in B.C., said Health Minister Terry Lake.

Not only are there four new treatment options for what is now a curable virus, but the savings that were negotiated will allow us to cover treatment options for all hepatitis C patients  rather than just those in more advanced stages of the disease.

B.C. and Ontario co-led the negotiations on behalf of the alliance.

The collaboration resulted in huge cost savings to drug plans for provinces and territories that are invloved. The agreement also allows treatment to be affordable for patients who are eligible.
Photo: Contributed

The Okanagan Basin Water Board is urging the province to include proper mussel prevention funding and says there isnt much time to stall.

With news of invasive mussels in Montana and the B.C. government gearing up to announce its latest budget, the board is lobbying for funding.

We urge you to immediately allocate permanent, sufficient funding for an expanded inspection and decontamination program, starting with this years provincial budget, said chairwoman Tracy Gray. Prevention now will be far more cost-effective than dealing with a widespread infestation.

Numerous other recommendations were included, such as requiring all watercrafts entering B.C. to go through a inspection station prior to launching in provincial waters.

Gray expressed urgency in the situation.

Time is not our friend in this, and all it takes is one infested watercraft to put our drinking water, our fisheries, our economy, beaches and more, at risk, she said. We dont want to say, we knew this was a concern and we should have done more.

A letter also suggests the invasive infestation be added as a specific hazard under B.C.s Emergency Program Management Regulation to ensure appropriate supports are available to immediately contain infested water bodies.

A study done in 2013 estimated that zebra or quagga mussels could costs $43 million each year to the Okanagan in lost revenue, added maintenance of aquatic infrastructure and irreparable ecological damage.

We need to do as much as possible now, so our kids and grandkids have the same opportunity to walk on our beaches in bare feet like we have, said Gray.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Canada should work to strengthen its ties with China and other countries while ensuring it maintains a good relationship with the United States, former prime minister Paul Martin said Tuesday.

While Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has sought to deepen Canada's ties to China, he's also building a relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump who has taken an anti-China stance in many of his comments.

"The Trudeau government should do exactly what it's doing, which is to look to our needs," Martin said in an interview with The Canadian Press.

"And our needs require, obviously, that we have good relationships with the United States and, obviously, that we should establish sound relations with other countries  including China."

Martin said pension reform is one of the areas where Canada and China have common interests, because each faces the challenge of a retirement population that's growing faster than its workforce.

"We have an aging population and we, obviously as a country, have to deal with it," he said.

Canada and China will each have only about 2.5 workers per retiree by 2046  compared with Canada's current ratio of four-to-one and China's ratio of about seven-to-one as of 2016, according to the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board.

Martin made his comments following the official launch of a Chinese-language edition of "Fixing The Future," a 380-page book about the creation of the CPPIB in 1997 while he was federal finance minister.

The CPPIB's fund has since grown to nearly $300 billion  making it the biggest retirement fund in Canada  although it shares the world stage with retirement funds managed by Quebec's Caisse de depot and the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan.

Martin said the CPPIB's collaboration with China's pension reform efforts is the "kind of thing we should be doing."

"At the same time," he added, "we should be establishing the best relationship we can with our largest trading partner, which is the United States."

Asked if he had advice for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Martin replied: "I think the prime minister is doing very well."
Photo: The Canadian Press

Think of the frost fairy on a really bad hair day.

Those are the prospective winners at the Takhini Hot Pools hair-freezing contest that have captured the attention of many through the Internet.

Andrew Umbrich, owner of the hot pools just outside of Whitehorse, says the competition started off in 2011 as a small event that took place over a few weeks every February during the annual Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous Festival. But things got a bit hairy in 2015 when a few people from France and one person from Quebec submitted a video of some fantastic frozen hair.

Before then, the coiffure competition would only see about 10 contestants a year, but so far this year they've had 35 photo submissions and Umbrich said they expect many more.

Conditions need to be just right, he said. While the hot springs are always around 42 Celsius, the air has to get at least minus 20 to get the right ice sculpt.

"It's still possible to freeze your hair at (warmer) temperatures, but it just takes a lot longer."

Beards and long locks are best for sculpting, he said, because they allow for ice-covered hair styles that can resemble anything from a Mohawk to Medusa with a frosted coating.

Getting the exact coif take some skill and a bit of experimentation, Umbrich said.

"When you're sitting in 42-degree water, theres a lot of steam coming up. And when its minus 20, 30, 40, the steam is even more pronounced.

"First you wet your hair and all that steam gathers on your wet hair and it freezes very quickly when it meets the minus-40 air."

In the right conditions it takes from 10 to 15 minutes for hair to freeze.

"Some people even use a bit of snow to accelerate it," he added.

Umbrich said he's never heard complaints of hair breaking or getting damaged, and the frosty coating disappears the moment it's dunked back in the water.

Of course, the disadvantages are that it can be cold out of the water, especially for your ears, he said.

"But all they do is just dip their ear in the water. Other than that, you're in 42-degree water. If anything, you might be too hot."

The first-place winner gets $750 and a complementary 30-soak membership, while second and third place get $200 and $100 respectively, along with complementary passes.
Photo: Dustin Godfrey

The City of Penticton is considering the hiring of up to four new staff, which would cost up to $463,000 per year.

That staffing increase would bring the city up to 284 employees  up from 280 last year and 273 the year before, but still well below the 300 the city employed in 2008.

There dramatic decrease between 2009 and 2010. This is when we implemented our core services review, where we laid off six per cent of our union staff and 30 per cent of our management staff, human resources manager Gillian Kenny said during Tuesday morning budget talks. However, the work did not dissipate.

Those four new staff include engagement officer JoAnne Kleb, who has already been hired, as well as a process improvement specialist for the finance department, who would be on for a three-year contract.

A sustainability co-ordinator for the operations department and a building inspector development services are also among the potential new staff.

In 2015, the citys staff made up 0.81 per cent of the total population, according to a presentation from Kenny. With an increase of 11 full-time equivalent positions to 2017, and based off of 2016 census population data, the ratio would bump up to 0.84 per cent.

That ratio sits at about average for other smaller cities, according to the presentation, which included examples that ranged from West Kelowna at 0.48 per cent to North Vancouver at 1.05 per cent.

The city is uniquely positioned; we are the central municipality of the South Okanagan, Kenny said. We have our own electric utility as well as a regional RCMP detachment.

Increased staffing hasnt come without its criticisms, however, as the city made the Canadian Taxpayers Federations naughty list last year. One of the reasons cited by CTFs B.C. director Jordan Bateman was the creation of the engagement officer position.
Photo: Contributed

A Penticton man who pleaded guilty to slashing a pizza delivery driver with a box cutter will have to wait a few more weeks to be sentenced.

Dayne Jones, 28, pleaded guilty to assault with a weapon and resisting arrest in connection to an incident on Dec. 14, 2015.

The court heard that the victim, Brian Booth, first attended Jones apartment to deliver a pizza, but Jones was extremely drunk and could not find his wallet.

Booth left with the pizza, but returned later that night after Jones called Canadian 2 for 1 again, demanding another pizza, or else Ill come down there and strangle them, according to the Crown prosecutor.

The Crown states Jones then promptly attacked Booth with a box cutter, resulting in injuries to the victim's face and hand that required upwards of 30 stitches to repair.

Booth fled to his car and drove to hospital where staff called the police. RCMP attended Joness apartment and a significant struggle ensued during the arrest. Joness hand was bloodied and wrapped in a white towel and electrical tape. Several other bloody items, including a box cutter, were also seized.

Defense lawyer James Pennington disputed that the attack was unprovoked, acknowledging that Jones used excessive force, but argued it was more of a fight.

The victim is a franchise co-owner of the Canadian 2 for 1 Pizza, and Pennington questioned why he would return to the home of a man who just threatened his business. Booth is also trained in Jiu Jitsu and had about 60 pounds on Jones.

He added that the blood found at the scene indicated the altercation took place inside the apartment.

The crown requested a two year sentence, followed by probation, maintaining the attack was unprovoked, pointing to Joness own statement where he said he had armed himself with the box cutter before opening the door.

The prosecutor acknowledged that Jones has made significant progress on his mental health, has completed treatment and has shown a great deal of remorse.

Pennington presented a series of previous cases that supported his request for a two- to three-year suspended sentence, or 90 days intermittently. He said Jones has not touched a drop of alcohol since the incident. He has been employed and living at home with parents, who sat with him in the gallery.

The mental health and substance clinician working with Jones told the court a period of custody would be destabilizing, adding that he has been fully engaged in tackling his severe depression and anxiety.

Im regretful of the situation and Im doing my best to get my life on track, Jones told the courtroom.

Counsel has given me a lot of thinking to do, Judge Gale Sinclair said, This isnt happening today.

Jones will return to court to hear his sentence sometime after March 1.
I, amongst about 2 or more thousand people, drive to work in the dark morning and evening hours. This means no light to see road potholes.

Add to this oncoming traffic in only 2 lane traffic, so that our choice is either hit the oncoming traffic, or hit the potholes, which are deep and wide enough to damage our tire rims, affecting our maneuverability, steering, pocketbook etc!

ICBC should not punish us financially for commuting in the dark if we hit potholes.

Catherine Knox
Photo: Contributed

Land line phone service has been restored to 500 customers in Kamloops.

The service was knocked out on Friday when rising temperatures caused snow melt to flood a handful of manholes containing Telus infrastructure.

Cables were damaged, disrupting home phone service for affected customers. Internet, TV and cellphone service were not impacted.

Telus spokesperson Liz Sauve thanked customers for their patience and said technicians worked around the clock to restore service, pumping out water and repairing damaged cables.

Service was restored for the majority of customers on Monday, and was fully restored to all of them this morning.
Todays career and technical education (CTE) looks a lot different from the vocational ed of old. While CTE still includes trades such as welding and nursing, it has expanded to include a greater emphasis on basic education components, as well as self-directed programs that help non-traditional students find their passion, while keeping up with a quickly changing workforce.Students used to study mechanics in auto shop, but todays auto manufacturing plants have few mechanics and lots of computers. To keep current, todays CTE students are trained as computer technicians and can choose to focus on such advanced technologies as fuel cell or electric car design.Most of the changes were seeing echo trends in the broader education and workforce development realm, said Alisha Hyslop, director of public policy at the Association of Career and Technical Education (CTE). In the last couple of years, weve seen a resurgence of interest from policymakers, parents and the broad range of stakeholders, and a lot of recognition of the value of CTE, both academically and in the labor market.The very definition of CTE continues to change with workforce demands. It strives to prepare students to be college- and career-ready by providing core academic skills, as well as technical, job-specific skills. Through 16 career clusters, students can pursue careers as diverse as information technology, agriculture, food, natural resources, law, public safety and security.Whatever the career focus a student chooses, opportunities for CTE are available at high schools and technical schools, and in higher education. The outcomes are promising for both students and businesses. Postsecondary CTE students achieve significantly higher earnings than those who majored in academic fields, according to the 2014 National Assessment of CTE Final Report Meanwhile, demand for CTE grads outstrips supply. The Bayer Corporations Facts of Science Education report pointed out that almost half of talent recruiters at Fortune 1000 companies say they have trouble finding qualified candidates with two-year STEM degrees.Although CTE policy stalled at the federal level with an attempted reauthorization of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006, ACTE just released its annual report , which shows states continue to invest in CTE and have focused on encouraging and incentivizing industry partnerships.Our school has 11 campuses and we are growing every year, said Gina Riggs, emergency medical services (EMS) director at the Kiamichi Technology Center in Poteau, Okla. Anything in the health sciences is doing really well. We dont have enough seats.This is due, in part, to expanded opportunities for careers, which allow more flexibility and seamless transitions between education and workplace for adults or students who need to earn money right away, according to Riggs.For instance, a student can get a certificate and immediately begin working in emergency medical services. While working, that student can continue to attend community college or start another certificate. Programs such as this allow students to continue to advance their education without taking out loans or leaving the workplace.Additionally, new programs that demonstrate the value of education are appealing to some students who may have struggled in high school. Kiamichis Environmental and Spatial Technology (EAST) program , which promotes student-driven community service projects, allows students to create their own curriculum and study what theyre passionate about while meeting certain criteria. The focus is on self-improvement, growth and critical thinking, said Riggs. EAST prepares them to work on special projects in their community. For instance, one student worked with 3-D printing for autistic children.Responding to specific local labor needs is another way that CTE stays relevant. The Metro Technology Center in Oklahoma City started an aviation program in response to Boeings request for aviation technicians.Integrating technology with education keeps CTE growing. Griggs cites Kiamichis disaster response and EMS training simulator as one example. The 48-foot mobile trailer brings training directly to community health-care providers. The unit includes life-size mannequins capable of breathing, talking, crying, seizing and reacting to health-care provider interventions, allowing emergency medical personnel to practice their critical thinking reactions and skills in a non-threatening environment.John Miller, acting president at Williston State College in North Dakota, said Willistons virtual welding program provides opportunities their students wouldnt otherwise have. Distance students can take advantage of learning online, and so can students who are interested in welding, but are a little shy about using the actual welding unit.In our case, the virtual welders we have are another teaching tool to help our instructor better assist his students, he said. And they are certainly a program enhancement.All of this adds up to a positive future for what was once an uninspiring career choice. CTE is really a hidden gem. If parents knew what it can do for their students, they would push them to take CTE classes so they could graduate with some skills, said Riggs. Were not the same old vo-tech system. Were now the technical education system that helps technology and industry, as well as helping kids succeed in life.
The Red Bank Council of the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce will host a Local Heroes event at their monthly meeting on Tuesday, from noon-1 p.m.

Members of police, firefighting and emergency medical services agencies that impact the Councils footprint (Red Bank, West Hamilton County, North Chattanooga and Signal Mountain ) will be recognized for their exceptional service.

The meeting will be held at the Red Bank Community Center at 3630 Tom Weathers Dr., behind Erlanger North Campus.
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Neshawn Calloway, guest vocalist, will be performing a song by Duke Ellington with jazz combo, and a Gospel song that was a favorite of Dr. King Littleton H. Mason Singers will perform "Fight On" by Kevin Davidson to end the program Dr. Jonathan McNair, composer of two works on the program, including a world premiere, is also the organizer and main sponsor of the event. He will also be at the piano for a couple of performances.. Previous Next

In appreciation for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.s life, legacy, and impact on the civil rights movement, the UTC Department of Fine Arts Music Division will host a gala event, O King, on Thursday, March 9.

"My favorite aspect of Dr. King's work is his combination of tough-mindedness and tender-heartedness: thinking clearly and carefully while speaking truth to power is compatible with acting out of love and compassion for all human beings," said Dr. Ethan Mills, UTC Department of Philosophy and Religion.

O King will take place at the Roland Hayes Concert Hall at the UTC Fine Arts Center, 752 Vine St., at 7:30 p.m. with the presence and support of Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke. This event will be followed by a reception in the Lobby of the Fine Arts Center. Admission and parking are free.

The multi-disciplinary event will feature music ranging from Gospel and Spirituals to Jazz and Classical music by black composers, with performers from across campus and the community.

In between performances, faculty members from the departments of Political Science, Criminal Justice, and Philosophy will be joined by campus and community leaders to offer brief spoken reflections about various aspects of Martin Luther Kings impact on society, and how to benefit from his ideas in todays world.

For more information, visit www.UTC.EDU/Music, or call 425-4679.






Airnet Group, Inc. announced it has been named the 2016 U.S. Education Rising Star Partner of the Year by Microsoft.

The U.S. Public Sector Partner of the Year awards were presented during Microsofts US Public Sector Industry Solution University yearly event, where Microsofts Public Sector executive team was on site to congratulate Airnet for its achievements. Winners were chosen from more than 100 organizations across public sector segment areas of US Government, Education and Health & Life Sciences.

The 2016 Public Sector Partner of the Year Award winners represent the most innovative and transformative work being done across our partner community, serving the mission of customers across U.S. Government, Education and Health & Life Sciences said Curt Kolcun, vice president, U.S. Public Sector, Microsoft.

Over the last two years, Airnet has worked with many education organizations nationally, including county school systems, state and independent colleges and universities, and others to support the adoption of Microsofts Azure Cloud solution, improve customers IT Infrastructure performance and lower costs.

Airnet is honored to be awarded U.S. Rising Star Partner of the Year for 2016, Arlin Grant, chief sales and marketing officer for Airnet said. Our team works hard every day to ensure education organizations see the value of migrating to Microsoft Azure, and we will continue to passionately support the IT Infrastructure needs of education.
The Tennessee Board of Regents Committee on Finance and Business Operations will meet Thursday to continue its discussion of student fee requests by TBR colleges and universities and a draft policy on how TBR will consider university budgets under the FOCUS Act.The committee will meet by telephone conference call at 3 p.m. CST. It has no action items or votes scheduled on the agenda, but rather will discuss items that the committee will act on later.The Finance and Business Operations Committee annually reviews requests for new and increases in existing student fees by TBR institutions.The discussion for fee requests for the next academic year opened with a telephone meeting of the committee on Feb. 7, and will continue Thursday and in future meetings not yet scheduled. All new fees and fee increases for TBR colleges must ultimately be approved by the board of regents.Discussion items on the agenda include: Overview of institutions mandatory and incidental fee requests; and Draft policy on Consideration of University Budgets.The FOCUS (Focus on College and University Success) Act of 2016 creates new governing boards for each of the six current TBR universities. Although the new boards, which are expected to convene for the first time in March or April, which will approve budgets for their campuses, the FOCUS Act also requires the Board of Regents to continue to review and approve budgets for the universities for the limited purpose of ensuring that each university can appropriately cover outstanding indebtedness. The draft policy will outline procedures for reviewing and approving the university budgets.The meeting is open to the public. Anyone wishing to join the conference call as listeners should contact TBR interim communications director Richard Locker at 615-366-4417 or rick.locker@tbr.edu by 11 a.m. CST Feb. 23 for call-in information. Persons with disabilities who wish to listen but require special services to do so should also contact Mr. Locker by 4:30 p.m. CST Feb. 22 to request services.
Students from Georgia Northwestern Technical Colleges (GNTC) Cosmetology program on the Floyd County Campus hosted a special Valentines Spa Day for women from the Floyd Training Center and Highland Rivers Outreach that volunteer regularly for Angle Express, Inc.

The students provided free haircuts, hair styling, makeup services, and full service manicures and pedicures.

Our students have shown a great passion for helping others and thrive on the experience of giving back, said Anna Williams, instructor of Cosmetology at GNTC.

In addition to the services, clients also were provided with a special Valentines gift bags that were donated by volunteers from the Westminster Presbyterian Church.

As the instructors of the Cosmetology program, we hope that giving back to our community will inspire the students to continue to volunteer their time and talents when they are licensed and working in a salon, said Williams.

According to Susan Stephens, instructor of Cosmetology at GNTC, community service projects have become an ongoing part of GNTCs Cosmetology program.

Last year we hosted a Valentines Spa Day for residents of the Hospitality House for Women in Rome, said Stephens. Our students also volunteered their time and talent to the William S. Davies Homeless Shelter in Rome during Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday.
Approximately 200 industry experts from Europe but also Australia, India, Brazil, and the US discussed the way forward for biofuels and materials worldwide, the status of legislation in the European market, and the latest developments in biorefineries at the 9th Lignofuels: Advanced Biofuels & Materials congress in Helsinki, Finland. This included the role of biofuels in decarbonizing transport, pre-treatment and hydrolysis processes, the use as jet fuel and marine diesel, pilot plants, latest R&D work, and national perspectives.



Figure 1. Conference opening by Samanta Fawcett, ACI. (Photo by Ville Vauhkonen; Courtesy of UPM Biofuels)

Lignocellulosic Biorefinery and Biodiesel

First-generation (1G) or conventional biofuels are made from sugar (e.g., from sugar cane), starch (e.g., from corn), or vegetable oil (e.g., from rapeseed). Second generation (2G) or advanced biofuels are made from various types of biomasses, waste and residues, or sources of organic carbon and do not compete with food chain. In a lignocellulosic biorefinery, biomass refined from wood, agricultural residues, energy grass, and other plant material is transformed to C6- and C5-sugars (cellulose and hemicellulose) and lignin, a class of aromatic polymers. Lignocellulose is the most abundant biomass, however, severe conditions for disassembling and additional purification steps are required to convert it into liquid fuels and chemical products.

After pretreatment depending on the process design, lignocellulose can be transformed biochemically (fermentation, anaerobic digestion) or thermochemically (e.g., thermal/catalytic/hydro-pyrolysis, gasification) to higher value intermediates or products. In fast pyrolysis, the feedstock is rapidly heated at >100 Cs1 to a temperature of 400600 C. The liquid yield or bio-oil is a complex mix of hundreds of different organic compounds including anhydrosugars, furanics, aromatics, carboxylic acids, aldehydes, and ketones. A major challenge in using bio-oil as a fuel is its high oxygen content. Effective, deoxygenating processes remain a significant hurdle [1]. Lignofuels can also be produced by hydrotreatening wood-based oils, such as crude tall oil, as raw material.

Lignofuels produced by hydrotreating wood-based oils and 2G fuels are called renewable diesel. Biodiesel refers to fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) and 1G fuels. It has a blending limitation of 7 %. Renewable diesel is chemically the same as petrodiesel and, therefore, can be used as fuel for vehicles either in its pure form or blended into normal diesel. Advanced biofuels have low CO 2 emissions or high greenhouse gas emission (GHG) reduction, and achieve zero or low indirect land use change (ILUC) impact. By converting grassland and forests to cropland, atmospheric CO 2 levels may increase because grasslands and forests typically absorb high levels of CO 2 . Lignobased biofuels currently make up less than 10 % of global transportation fuels.

Finnish & European Strategy

As conference host nation, Finland is an exemplary ambassador with regards to lignocellulosic biomass. Overall, the Nordic countries have strong competencies in biorefining technologies and want to send a strong signal to the global community.

Nils-Olof Nylund, Professor at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd., Espoo, Finland, introduced the fleet and decarbonization strategy of Helsinki Region Transport (HSL). HSL has tested renewable diesel since 2007 and has cooperated with VTT for about 15 years in research on vehicle performance and alternative fuels.

As advanced after-treatment of the exhaust brings down emissions close to zero, they think that Euro VI vehicles are extremely clean. However, high fuel quality is needed to maintain low emissions. HSL considers the combination of Euro VI vehicles and renewable diesel to be a very good solution for both climate and local air quality.

HSL says that the regulated emissions of a vehicle, mainly NOx and PM (particulate matter), are first and foremost determined by the emission control technology, not the fuel. The carbon intensity of the fuel or the energy carrier is critical for the well-to-wheels (WTW) CO 2 emissions, not the vehicle technology. WTW analysis is a modified cradle-to-grave life-cycle analysis. Therefore, CO 2 assessment should be carried out on a WTW basis, not looking at tailpipe CO 2 emissions only.

HSLs strategy includes running the bus fleet in Helsinki Region on 100 % biofuels by 2020.



Figure 2. Panelists of the first session. Left to right: Harri Laurikka, CEO, Bioenergia Ry  The Bioenergy Association Of Finland, Nicholas Oksanen, Poyry, Vantaa, Finland, Sari Mannonen, VicePresident, UPM Biofuels, Lappeenranta, Finland, Riku Huttunen, Director General, Energy Department Of Finlands Ministry Of Economic Affairs And Employment, Helsinki, Finland, Eric C. Wormslev, Director Innovation, Climate Change & Energy, NIRAS, Copenhagen, Denmark. (Photo by Ville Vauhkonen; Courtesy of UPM Biofuels)

Riku Huttunen, Director General, Energy Department Of Finlands Ministry Of Economic Affairs And Employment, Helsinki, Finland, spoke about the Finnish energy and climate strategy. Finland is committed to EUs 2030 energy and climate targets. According to the wealth of a country, the European Commission has outlined different targets for different countries: Sweden, Luxembourg, Denmark, and Finland received the highest targets. Finland has to reduce its emissions of greenhouse gases by 39 % by 2030 compareed to 2005.

Finland is the number three in Europe for renewables (share of renewables in gross final energy consumption). Wood-based biofuels are most produced in Finland.

For the future, Huttunen sees the Finnish economy growing as it does now or even stronger. Till 2030, they want to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 37 % (one-off flexibility mechanism), reduce oil demand by 50 %, and raise the share of renewable transport fuels to 40 %. To make this happen in a cost-effective way, lots of R&D and innovation is needed. The country supports commercialization of new technologies in the EU Emission Trading Scheme (ETS) sector. The main focus is on the promotion of bioenergy and advanced biofuels for transport. [2]

Harri Laurikka, CEO, Bioenergia Ry  The Bioenergy Association Of Finland, Helsinki, Finland, reported on Scandinavian examples of bioenergy. He emphasized that it is important to persistently increase carbon stocks of forests and soil in the long-term while promoting the transition away from fossil fuels instead of only narrowly looking at the short-term annual changes of sinks. Afforestation and forest management should in his opinion be treated as equitably as possible in EU legislation. He also claimed that no closed lists for advanced biofuels should be given by the EU. All non-food-based raw materials including biogas should be treated as advanced biofuels.

Nicholas Oksanen, Poyry, Vantaa, Finland, gave an overview on the European market regarding advanced biofuels and materials. In his eyes, this is a business which needs to start on a bigger scale. The question is how to make a business out of it. An important boundary condition for such business is that the wood prize is quite stable.

Oksanen sees the pulp mill in transition: While yesterday and today it produced only one product, the future pulp mill will produce one main product as well as additional value added products. Main challenges are in feedstock resourcing (cost of feedstock, supply chain for getting the wood out of the forest) and uncertain policy (oil price, EU legislation and mandates after 2020).

Sari Mannonen, Vice President, UPM Biofuels, Lappeenranta, Finland, presented the companys way from the pulp and paper business to a wood-based industry producing also new bioproducts such as biofuels, biocomposites, and biochemicals from forest biomass. UPM renewed their business in 2006. With 78 % of Finland covered by wood and with regulation supporting biofuels, UPM sees wood as a versatile raw material. They invested 10 % of their cash flow in R&D towards fuel transformation. They have developed a process to produce renewable diesel in commercial scale with a capacity of 100,000 tonnes per year. The renewable diesel, UPM bioverno, is 100 % made from renewable feedstock, reduces CO 2 emissions versus fossil fuel by 80 %, and uses no biomass from the food chain. The companys process to convert lignin and biofibrills to biochemicals is in market entry stage.



Figure 3. One day before the conference, some conference attendees visited the UPM Lappeenranta Biorefinery, Finland. The first commercial scale wood-based biorefinery. (Photo by Ville Vauhkonen; Courtesy of UPM Biofuels)

Advanced Sustainable Jet Fuel

Aviation is globally responsible for about 2 % of all anthropogenic CO 2 equivalent emissions. The growth of aviation is supposed to almost triple emissions by 2050 with over 2.6 Gt/a of CO 2 in a baseline scenario [3]. Although the aviation industry has set forth voluntary emission-targets, there is currently no fully functioning commercial supply chain for sustainable jet fuel.

Eric C. Wormslev, Director Innovation, Climate Change & Energy, NIRAS, Copenhagen, Denmark, expects that there is an increasing demand for sustainable jet fuel. Airplanes get lighter and more efficient, batteries and solar panels are impossible to be used, so currently there is no alternative to biofuels. However, sustainable jet fuels are four to five times as costly to produce compared to fossil fuels due to high production costs of sustainable jet fuel and historically low contemporary oil prices. In addition, the lack of an international consensus with regards to what constitutes sustainability makes it difficult to industrially produce sustainable jet fuel. However, Wormslev argues there is a market if somebody could produce such fuel. Airports and countries are putting pressure on airlines and an increasing number of commercial flights operate worldwide on a blend of commissioned biofuels. Nordic countries are the leader in this field in Europe due to their strong competencies in biorefining technology.

In the US, a stable commercial production could be likely in the near future.

Figure 4. During the lectures.  V. Koester

Pilot Plants and New Technologies

So far, the chemical industry is not able to produce 100 % bio-based basic drop-in aromatic chemicals (i.e., benzene, toluene, xylenes (BTX)) in an efficient, cost-competitive, and scalable process that uses renewable non-food biomass feedstocks. The thermal catalytic biomass conversion technology (Bio-TCatTM) process, a one-reactor catalytic process, will change this, explained David Sudolsky, CEO, Anellotech, Pearl River, NY, USA, by giving an example of their strategic partnership with the brewing and distilling company group Suntory, Tokyo, Japan. They develop 100 % bio-based PET for sustainable beverage bottles out of bio-p-xylene. The process is currently being tested in a pilot plant.

Advantages include that a solid catalyst in just one fluidized-bed reactor is needed, the hydrocarbon product is substantially free of oxygen, only mild hydrotreating is required to remove trace impurities, and the process uses renewable and readily available non-food materials, such as wood, corn stover, bagasse, which are less expensive compared to processes relying on sugar as a feedstock. The latter also avoids competition with the food chain.

Paul OConnor, Founder/Director, BIOeCON Inc., Hoevelaken, The Netherlands, introduced a simple, robust, and feedstock-flexible technology that operates under mild conditions and uses ZnCl 2 nH 2 O as an inorganic ionic liquid. Lignocellulose after hemicellulose removal is treated with the molten salt hydrate ZnCl 2 medium. Cellulose is dissolved. Then hydrolysis of cellulose to glucose, hydrogenation of glucose to glucitol (sorbitol), and further dehydration to isosorbide takes place. The ZnCl 2 hydrate medium intensifies hydrolysis and catalyzes the dehydration [4]. The process has been demonstrated at pilot scale.



Figure 5. Networking break.  V. Koester

Karolien Vanbroekhoven, Program Manager, VITO NV, Mol, Belgium, introduces membrane separation technology as a method within the lignocellulosic value chain. Membrane separation processes have attracted widespread attention in biorefinery applications because they provide low chemical consumption, high energy efficiency, low environmental impact, and outstanding fractionation and separation capabilities. Membranes could be used in various stages of biorefining processes for process intensification, product recovery and purification, and bioenergy production.

Europes largest renewable diesel producer, Neste, has a renewable diesel refinery in Singapore and one in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, and also produces renewable diesel in a smaller amount at their Porvoo site in Finland. Based on their NEXBTL technology, they produce renewable diesel, jet fuel, naphtha, propane, and isoalkane. Neste uses various different raw materials and constantly expands its raw materials portfolio. Markku Patajoki, R&D Manager, Biotechnology, Neste, Espoo, Finland, spoke about their experience in lignosellulosic biofuels development and the lengthy and expensive way of bringing a new technology to market. Commercialization normally takes at least ten years once it is ready and costs amount to more than 100 M US$. In this regard, long term stability in regulations should be promoted.

To help speed up commercialization, Thomas Ladrak, Sales Manager, Zeton BV, Enschede, The Netherlands, described how small scale commercial plants can be built in a modular way similar to a prefabricated building. This allows scaling-up and developing innovative process technologies to bring them to market with lower costs, faster, and at a high quality standard, he said. When a concrete soil is available, the plant can be reassembled mechanically within eight days.



Figure 6. Networking break.  ACI



Legislation and Certification

Biofuels reduce GHG and replace fossil fuels. However, concerns about their overall sustainability have been raised. These include the competition with food production, the use of water and other resources to produce biomass, the release of stored carbon, and impacts on biodiversity if land is cleared to grow energy crops.

As biofuels gain market share and the international trading of biomass, raw materials, and biofuels expands, socio-economic sustainability along the whole supply chain has to be ensured. This includes aspects such as land use, agricultural practices, competition with food, energy efficiency, and GHG emissions, as well as life cycle analysis (LCA). Certification procedures need to be applicable at both global and local levels and relate both to small farmers or foresters and large conglomerates.

Schemes that demonstrate compliance with the sustainability criteria for biofuels and thus are recognized by the European Commission include ISCC (International Sustainability and Carbon Certification), Bonsucro EU, RTRS EU RED (Round Table on Responsible Soy EU RED), RSB EU RED, 2BSvs (Biomass Biofuels voluntary scheme).

Norbert Schmitz, General Director, ISCC Systems GmbH, Cologne, Germany, certifies agricultural, forestry and alternative feedstocks and products for various markets, including bioenergy and chemical/technical applications. The globally leading certification scheme has system users in 100 countries. 3,500 companies are using ISCC to prove sustainability along their supply chains. Independent auditors do the controls which include checking all the documents and doing controls on the spot. The company importing or producing biofuels pays the scheme.

In November 2016, the European Commission has released its Clean Energy For All Europeans package, better known as winter package. It contains numerous legislative documents outlining the energy policy to meet the Paris COP21 climate change targets [5].

The Renewable Energy Directive (REDII) for the period 20202030 sets an EU target for renewable energy in gross final energy consumption of 20 % by 2020. EU countries are also each required to have at least 10 % of their transport fuels come from renewable sources by 2020.

The Effort Sharing Decision gives binding targets for annual greenhouse gas emission for Member States for the period 20132020. These targets involve emissions from most sectors not included in the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), such as transport, buildings, agriculture, and waste. The national emission targets have been set on the basis of the relative wealth, measured by Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita, of the Member States. They range from a 20 % emissions reduction by 2020 (e.g., Denmark) from 2005 levels to a 20 % increase (e.g., Bulgaria). Collectively, the national targets will by 2020 deliver a reduction of around 10 % in total EU emissions compared with 2005 levels. Together with a 21 % cut in emissions covered by the EU ETS, this will reach the overall emission reduction goal of the climate and energy package, namely a 20 % cut below 1990 levels by 2020.

Timo Huhtisaari, Sustainability And Biofuels Expert, North European Oil Trade Oy, Helsinki, Finland, sees the winter package rather critical and is quite certain that REDII targets will not be met. The global energy trend is that gas, coal, and oil will increase in the next years. Most interesting here is the development of jet fuel in his opinion. As long as fossil jet fuel consumption is increasing, we will not reduce any carbon, Hutisaari said.

To fulfil global decarbonization efforts, it is crucial to have all the feedstock sources available to be able to fulfill the Efforts Sharing Decision. The winter package has to be changed so that efforts are put into the most sustainable and cost-efficient technologies and the demand for alternative fuels is emphasized. He gave an example: E95 (95 % ethanol blend in gasoline) is used in Helsinki and to some extent in Stockholm. It is ethanol with some additives. However, due to the EU excise duties on the sale or use of specific products such as alcohol, they they do not fulfill the EU minimum and are paying twice the tax over diesel in Finland. This shows that it is crucial that excise duties must be levelled between different energies to take energy content and CO 2 into consideration. In addition, manufacturer of cars need to be mandated so that they need to have all vehicles to be certified for high concentrate biofuels combined with hybrids. All fossil fuel companies must have an investment obligation into renewable energy.

There is a significant need for advanced ethanol, but not a real market. Huhtisaari thinks that we have to move faster towards creating higher concentrate ethanol blends in gasoline like E20, E85. For car manufacturers like Volkswagen (VW) it seems to not really matter whether it is E20 or 30. One thing he completely misses in the discussions is what is going to happen to the EU Fuel Quality Directive (FQD) after 2020. He also emphazises that ethanol/ethyl-tert-butylether (ETBE) blending allows blending of other biocompounds like low octane bionaphta. Ethanol can replace diesel in heavy duty transport. Advanced ethanol has the largest feedstock basis in global use.

EUs greenhouse gas reduction targets cannot be met without significant emission cuts in transport. Different types of biofuels will be needed to reach the national targets, thinks Marko Janhunen, Vice President, Stakeholder Relations, UPM Biorefining, Lappeenranta, Finland.

Outlook

The conference showed that there is a lot happening in this young industry which is not profitable yet. At least in Europe there is a lack of investors. Some participants felt that the biofuels industry has to be unified; together they have to look at holistic solutions and benefits instead of fighting for single one and only solutions. Much of the worlds available biomass is underutilized or inefficiently used, according to Andrew Lang, Vice President, World Bioenergy Association, Australia. To lead into the right direction, a close exchange and commitment of the research community, industry, and governance is needed.

The 10th edition of Lignofuels will be held in February 2018 in Europe with location due to be finalised alongside pre-conference site visit. For further information do not hesitate to contact Dimitri Pavlyk, ACI, UK, on +44 203 141 0627 or [email protected] or watch the ACIs webpage.

References

[1] A Perspective on Catalytic Strategies for Deoxygenation in Biomass Pyrolysis, Michael W. Nolte, Brent H. Shanks, Energy Technol. 2017, 5, 718. DOI: 10.1002/ente.201600096

[2] Riku Huttunen, Government report on the National Energy and Climate Strategy for 2030, Publications of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, Finland 2017.

[3] ICAO 2013 Environmental Report, Aviation and Climate Change, Environment Branch of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), 2013.

[4] Cellulose Conversion to Isosorbide in Molten Salt hydrate Media, Rafael Menegassi de Almeida , Jianrong Li, Christian Nederlof, Paul OConnor, Michiel Makkee, Jacob A. Moulijn, ChemSusChem 2010. DOI: 10.1002/cssc.200900260

[5] European Commission, Clean Energy for All Europeans package, Brussels, 30 November 2016.
Clinique Freeman, a freshman at the Chicago Vocational Career Academy, shakes hands with former Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. (Keri Wiginton / Blue Sky)

Around a table at Chicago Vocational Career Academy Friday afternoon, the conversation between high school kids and former U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan veered between violence and ideas for apps that might help.



Freshman Nikkita Baker told Duncan about an idea for an app that would let students report instances of bullying so teachers could interfere  and allow them to be anonymous so they wouldnt be labeled as a snitch.

How did you come up with that? he asked her.

Its a lot of people being bullied she said.

Nikkita Baker, 14, tells former Secretary of Education Arne Duncan about her app to prevent bullying at the Chicago Vocational Career Academy. (Keri Wiginton / Blue Sky)

The group discussed how bullying and social media posts can lead to tension and outbursts of violence. Then Duncan asked how many of the students knew one, five or 10 people who had been shot.

Hands were raised each time.



I just want you guys to know thats  thats crazy, he said. Thats not OK. Its not fair that you guys are growing up like that, and that we as adults have let you guys down. And weve got to do a lot better.

Students who know someone who has been shot raise their hands while meeting with former Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. (Keri Wiginton / Blue Sky)

Duncan, who was secretary for most of Barack Obama's presidency and served as CEO of Chicago Public Schools before that, sees STEM education  curriculum in the science, technology, engineering and math fields  as one way to give kids exposure to life beyond violence.

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We have to give kids exposure, he told Blue Sky. We have to give them a glimpse of what exists outside of their block or their neighborhood.

He says a huge percentage of future jobs are in STEM fields, claims there aren't enough workers with those skills and cited a lack of women and people of color holding technical roles. He noted that he believes a STEM path is a good option for many students, but not necessarily the right option for all.

Former Secretary of State Arne Duncan talks with students at the Chicago Vocational Career Academy. (Keri Wiginton / Blue Sky)

You put those three facts together, its a very, very obvious conclusion, he said. The more we can provide exposure, the more we can let kids find their passion, find their interests, it literally opens up a new world of opportunity for them.

Today, Duncan lives in Chicago and is managing partner of Palo Alto, Calif.-based philanthropic organization Emerson Collective, founded by Laurene Powell Jobs, Steve Jobs widow. In the role, Duncan is working on a Chicago-based program to create job opportunities for 17- to 24-year-olds.

But today, hes thinking about planting those seeds in young students.

The freshmen at Chicago Vocational told Duncan about their work with Lumity, a Chicago-based nonprofit that provides STEM education for high schoolers. The students participated in a one-day challenge at Motorola Mobility last month to brainstorm ways to tackle problems in transportation, unemployment and access to healthy food.

In the classroom this semester, students are looking at ways to use technology to address bullying and violence issues. Lumity will work with the groups to determine whether the concepts are viable and will help students develop some of the ideas.

Two student teams will compete against teams from other schools on March 9 at Lumity's annual benefit dinner, where Duncan will be speaking.

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Makiya Wright, a freshman from Roseland, chose to tackle a new transportation idea during the challenge last month. Her team worked on an app called Scholars with Drive that would let parents arrange safe rides to school for their kids. Wright said she takes two buses and a train to and from school each day.

Teacher Alea Allen, from left, talks with freshman Makiya Wright, 14, at the Chicago Vocational Career Academy. (Keri Wiginton / Blue Sky)

You never know what to expect, she said. Theres also violence sometimes at the bus stops, and also its costly.

Wright came to Chicago Vocational to study cosmetology, but now shes thinking about how some aspects of STEM could play in a role in her future. She said she thinks about technology and science to create new beauty products, and she realizes how important math will be for running a business.

Her mother, Ericka Russell-Luckes, said the STEM training has opened her daughters eyes to these different areas.

Ive always supported the fact that she says she likes to do hair  shes been doing it for awhile. Shes really, really great at it, she said. But being able to be introduced to the science and technology side of it is maybe expanding that.

The STEM programming with Lumity began this year with freshmen and will gradually expand to all four years, said the organizations executive director, Kara Kennedy. The group runs the program in three high schools, with the goal of 25 percent of those students eventually working in a STEM-related career.

Duncan said he hopes this kind of training will one day be intrinsic to all U.S. schools.

Whether its learning to code, or whether its having an opportunity to do research, or whether it's having an opportunity to design apps  that has to start to become the norm," he said. "That has to be not a program, it has to be what we do.

He cited the United Kingdoms decision in 2014 to require coding in all schools. Chicago Public Schools also made computer science a graduation requirement last year.

If thats where the world is going, we need to adjust yesterday, not tomorrow, he said. If we dont  I worry about not just our kids lives, I worry about our country's economic competitiveness. The stakes here are large.

mgraham@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @megancgraham
Jacob Lenzini, the son of an organ donor, and Dr. Martin Hertl, a Rush organ transplant leader, discuss the importance of organ donation. (Lisa Schencker/Chicago Tribune) (Chicago Tribune)

When Jacob Lenzini's dad died suddenly two years ago, it felt, to the teenager, like the end of hope.

The Park Ridge man, Chris Lenzini, had a stroke, and within a few days was declared brain-dead, the result of a previously undiscovered brain tumor.

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Jacob never thought anything positive could come from the tragedy  until he met the man who got his father's heart, a Wisconsin farmer with grandkids. In all, six of Chris Lenzini's organs went to others in need.

"Obviously, nothing can make up for the fact that I lost my dad, but  knowing their lives have been saved made a huge difference," said Jacob, now 16. "It really is one of the greatest things my dad did, and he was a great man, he did a lot of great things."

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Jacob was one of many who spoke Tuesday at an event focused on the importance of donation and ways to make Chicago a hub for organ transplantation. Last year, Illinois hospitals performed 1,208 organ transplants, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services  and now Gift of Hope Organ and Tissue Donor Network, which coordinates organ and tissue donation in Illinois and northwest Indiana, wants to boost that number to 2,000 a year by 2020.

More than 5,000 Illinois residents are waiting for organs, according to Gift of Hope. About 300 Illinoisans die each year waiting for a transplant, according to the Illinois Secretary of State's office.

Representatives of the state's leading medical centers spoke Tuesday about how they plan to pitch in:

Rush University Medical Center plans to double the number of kidney transplants it performs over the next three years with kidneys from living donors. It also plans to use at least 40 kidneys a year from patients who are brain-dead or whose hearts have stopped functioning. Hospitals typically prefer to use kidneys from living, healthy patients because they can have better outcomes and it can be less costly for hospitals, said Dr. Martin Hertl, director of Rush's solid organ transplant program. But using kidneys from deceased donors is an important option for patients who have no immediate living donor options, Hertl said.

University of Chicago Medicine plans to increase its transplant activities by 20 percent over the next five years. It's aiming to help more patients on Chicago's South Side, in southern Illinois and northern Indiana get transplants.

Loyola University Medical Center plans to launch a pancreas transplant program this year.

Northwestern Medicine plans to expand its programs allowing healthy people to donate kidneys and livers and continue its research into building new organs for those in need.

"Imagine a world where patients in need of organs can have a customized organ built just in time," said Dr. Michael Abecassis, director of Northwestern's Comprehensive Transplant Center. "We do it with cars. We should be able to do it with organs."

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Abecassis said such a world might not be as far off as it once seemed.

Until that time, however, transplantation advocates plan to continue working to raise awareness, increase chances for patients to get organs and boost opportunities for potential donors to contribute.

Illinois lawmaker Rep. Deb Conroy, D-Villa Park, recently introduced a bill that would allow 16- and 17-year-olds to register to be organ and tissue donors when applying for driver's licenses or state IDs, though parents would still have the final say until they turn 18.

Conroy's husband is in kidney failure and has been on dialysis for two years. Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White said he's talked with lawmakers and expects the bill, which will be in committee Thursday, to "zip through the House without any problems."

Mayor Rahm Emanuel said Chicago can be "a national example of how to help others and give of oneself so others can live fully." He spoke with police Superintendent Eddie Johnson at his side. Johnson revealed last month that he is on a waiting list for a kidney transplant.

"This is what we want to be known for," Johnson said of Chicago and organ transplantation.

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He wasn't the only member of the law enforcement community to speak Tuesday.

Christine Ho, the widow of Chicago police Officer Jonathan Ho, also implored more Chicagoans to register to be organ donors. Jonathan Ho died in 2015 after a car struck his motorcycle while he was off-duty. He was an organ donor.

Christine Ho said her husband was someone who always strove to help others  and who loved spending time with his kids. She and Jonathan, she said, used to talk about what types of grandparents they'd be when they got older.

"What will I tell his grandchildren he'll never meet?" she asked. "He was a man who helped."

lschencker@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @lschencker
Amid merger speculation that boosted the company's stock, Oreo-maker Mondelez International announced the launch of a savory snack brand Tuesday targeted at today's health-conscious consumers.

Shares of Mondelez closed at $44.97 Tuesday, up more than 5.8 percent, bolstered by speculation that the Deerfield-based company could once again be a takeover target. Over the weekend, Kraft Heinz withdrew its $143 billion bid for the European firm Unilever, reviving the possibility that a Kraft Heinz could turn its attention to Mondelez.

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Meanwhile, Mondelez, the global snack and confectionary company known for Oreo cookies, Ritz crackers and Cadbury chocolate, attempted to help its own prospects for sales growth by introducing a brand that's in step with consumer trends. The new Vea products, including crunch bars, crisps and seed crackers, contain no artificial ingredients, colors or flavors and no genetically modified ingredients.

They're due on shelves in the U.S. and Canada by July and later will be expanded to other global markets. On Tuesday, Mondelez executives promised that more changes, including possible acquisitions, could be coming in the year ahead.

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"We're actively working to revamp existing products and introduce new ones that are aligned with today's definition of well-being," said CEO Irene Rosenfeld at the Consumer Analyst Group of New York conference on Tuesday.

Mondelez sees opportunity in reduced-guilt snacking.

The company already sells Oreo Thins, a skinnier modern-day iteration of the popular cookie first made in New York City in 1912. Last year, Mondelez launched Good Thins, savory snacks made without artificial ingredients. And later this year, Mondelez will introduce Ritz Crisp & Thins in the U.S., a more contemporary version of a cracker brand that's been around for decades.

Mondelez hopes Vea is the next big thing and introduced it as a power brand, a category that includes the company's other high-performing brands like Oreo, Ritz, Triscuit, Wheat Thins and Chips Ahoy. The company's power brands represent about 70 percent of Mondelez's global revenues.

In an interview Tuesday, Mondelez Chief Growth Officer Tim Cofer said the Vea products would be launched across retail channels, including grocery, convenience and club stores, as well as through online retailers. Flavors will include Thai Coconut and Peruvian Sweet Potato, among others.

"This is a brand developed specifically with millennial consumers in mind. ... This is built to be a global power brand," Cofer said.

In her remarks Tuesday, Rosenfeld outlined global economic and political challenges that have affected Mondelez, such as the slowing growth rate of global gross domestic product and, citing the Brexit vote, the "growing backlash against globalization."

Mondelez's growth strategy includes cutting costs, prioritizing its top-selling brands and creating new products to appeal to today's consumers. The company has worked in recent years to grow its profit margins, making progress even as sales have declined.

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None of it is likely to quash persistent rumors that Mondelez could be acquired by Kraft Heinz, which would be a reunion of sorts. Mondelez came into existence in 2012 when Kraft Foods split into two publicly traded companies. The spun-off North American grocery business, Kraft Foods Group, later merged with Heinz to become Kraft Heinz.

Kraft Heinz, backed by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway and the Brazilian private equity firm 3G Capital, shocked the industry late last week when it confirmed its grand plan to acquire Unilever. But the offer was unceremoniously rejected, signaling that other companies, like Mondelez, could once again be in play.

gtrotter@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @GregTrotterTrib
Amid ongoing tensions over changes to U.S. immigration policy, Chicago Public Schools on Tuesday told principals not to let federal immigration authorities inside district buildings unless they have a criminal warrant.

Principals were also urged to have parents update student emergency contact forms and include backup contacts that schools could turn to if a child's parents were detained.

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The new guidelines to principals from CPS Chief Education Officer Janice Jackson were included in materials that acknowledged community "concern and anxiety about immigration matters" amid President Donald Trump's vows to crack down on people living in this country illegally.

The Department of Homeland Security announced a broad expansion of immigration enforcement priorities, with particular focus on immigrants who have been convicted of any criminal offense or have unresolved criminal charges pending.

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"To be very clear, CPS does not provide assistance to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the enforcement of federal civil immigration law," the district's message to principals said.

A district spokesman said CPS was not aware of any recent efforts by immigration agents to access schools. But according to Jackson's letter, principals have asked how to handle interactions with ICE officials.

Officials told principals to contact CPS attorneys if immigration enforcement agents arrived at their school, according to a brief list of guidelines given to principals. "ICE agents should wait outside while the school is reviewing the matter with the Law Department." School principals also should not share student records with agents, the district said.

As an extra "proactive measure," CPS said schools should encourage parents to update emergency contact forms.

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"If a child is left stranded at your school and you suspect it is because his or her parent is detained, please exhaust the child's emergency contact list," the list of CPS guidelines said. "Please have a staff member remain with the student until the parent, guardian or emergency contact can arrive."

Principals would get more detailed answers to their questions "in the coming days," Jackson's letter said.

CPS attendance dropped considerably last Thursday during a citywide series of pro-immigration demonstrations.

According to CPS, slightly more than three-quarters of the district's Hispanic students attended classes that day  a figure the district said was significantly below average.

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"While many of our families have serious concerns and anxiety about recent federal actions and statements, we want to make sure that parents know school is a safe place for all students regardless of their race, ethnicity or country of origin," Jackson wrote.

jjperez@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @PerezJr
Valparaiso University Sophomore Cassidy Wright, 19, of Round Lake, Ill. created her own sweet, simple and satisfying dessert bar recipe using crushed Oreos to salute the cookie's 105th birthday in March 2017. (Philip Potempa / Post-Tribune)

When the Oreo cookie was launched in the United States on March 6, 1912, by the National Biscuit Company, (Nabisco), there's was also another flavor option offered besides the traditional chocolate sandwich cookie with vanilla cream.

A lemon-flavored version, filled with vanilla cream, also was introduced and sold as a "lemon meringue" Oreo sandwich cookie. However, it was discontinued by 1920s.

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While teaching a recent Introduction to Public Speaking course at Valparaiso University, one of my students paid tribute to the Oreo cookie, its history and also shared an easy and delicious Oreo cookie dessert bar recipe for her demonstration speech assignment. That student is Cassidy Wright, 19, a sophomore at Valparaiso University who originally is from Round Lake, Ill., is studying communication, with minors in general engineering and humanities.

Even though many people associate chocolate chip cookies as the most popular choice, according to Kraft Foods  the parent company of Nabisco  Oreos rank as the world's best-selling cookie with more than 450 billion Oreos produced worldwide since the cookie's debut.

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As Cassidy explained, the cookie's basic recipe also has changed in recent decades.

Originally, the white cream filling consisted of pork lard blended with sugar and a few other ingredients. The This initial recipe was devised by Nabisco's food scientist Sam Porcello. After Porcello's retirement in 1993, Nabisco opted to remove lard from the filling and replace it with partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Starting in January 2006, any trans fat used in the filling ingredients was replaced with nonhydrogenated vegetable oil, making Oreos both Kosher and vegetarian friendly.

Today, Nabisco is a subsidiary of Illinois-based Mondelez International. Nabisco's plant on Chicago's Southwest Side, a 1,800,000-square-foot plant at 7300 S. Kedzie Ave., ceased production of Oreos in July. It used to be billed and ranked as the largest bakery in the world, employing more than 1,500 workers and turning out some 320 million pounds of snack foods annually.

Growing up at our farm, rather than Oreos my mom tended to buy the competing Hydrox brand of chocolate sandwich cookie for our lunchbags, since they were more economically priced. While most people have categorized Hydrox as the knock-off brand for Oreos, Hydrox chocolate sandwich cookies were introduced first. Produced by Sunshine Biscuits Company and first sold in stores in 1908, they arrived on store shelves four years before Oreos.

According to the company's website, the Hydrox name is derived from the atoms that make up the water molecule: hydrogen and oxygen. The cookie's creators were said to be "looking for a name that would convey purity and goodness." The origin of the Oreo name is unknwown. Some food historians say the term comes from the French word "or," which means gold and could have been associated with the cookie's original gold packaging when sold. Other brand researchers speculate the name is a nod to the Greek word of the same spelling oreo, which means "beautiful, nice or well done."

Wright said she likes her Oreo Dessert Bar recipe because can be both dairy-free and vegetarian friendly.

"These bars store well and they are a great pick-me-up snack for studying," she said.

Columnist Philip Potempa has published three cookbooks and is the director of marketing at Theatre at the Center. Mail your questions to: From the Farm, P.O. Box 68, San Pierre, IN 46374.

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pmpotempa@comhs.org

Cassidy's Easy Oreo Dessert Bars

Makes 16 bars

1 (16 ounce) package Oreo cookies

1 (10.5 ounce) package marshmallows

4 tablespoons of butter or margarine (or vegan butter)

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1. Line an 8-inch by 8-inch pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper.

2. Using a large sealed back, crush Oreo cookies until no large pieces remain and set aside.

3. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt butter or margarine. Remove the bowl from the microwave and add the marshmallows. Heat the bowl for an additional 30 seconds or as needed to melt the marshmallows.

4. Remove the bowl from the microwave and mix in the crushed cookies. Press the mixture in the foil-lined pan and allow the bars to cool for around 10 minutes, until they are set.

5. Cut the bars into small squares, or tear off pieces to eat and enjoy.
Actor Jesse Tyler Ferguson, pictured at the Screen Actors Guild Awards in January, will host the James Beard Awards in Chicago in May. (Christopher Polk / Getty Images for TNT)

Fans of "Modern Family" and glitzy food award shows, rejoice! Jesse Tyler Ferguson is set to host this year's James Beard Foundation Awards in Chicago, to be held May 1 at the Lyric Opera House.

You may be wondering: What does Jesse Tyler Ferguson have to do with food? The actor writes a food blog, Julie & Jesse's Recipes, with former Saveur test kitchen chef Julie Tanous. The two offer a wide range of recipes, including, recently, sweet potato gnocchi and paleo eggnog.

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RELATED: 32 Chicago restaurants, chefs and restaurateurs make James Beard semifinalist list

The media portion of the award ceremony, which takes place March 25 in New York, will be hosted by Andrew Zimmern. The "Bizarre Foods" host has been nominated for 10 James Beard Awards throughout the years and won three of them.

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Last year, Carla Hall from ABC's "The Chew" hosted the main ceremony, while chef Ming Tsai took care of the media awards.

nkindelsperger@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @nickdk






"We're all from different places," says Ardit Dizdari, "but food brings people to the table."

The general manager of Southport & Irving, Dizdari is in the midst of rolling out a series of Unity in Diversity dinners, where the restaurant will play host to immigrant cooks from India, Pakistan, Mexico, Iraq, Ireland and Albania, among other countries. The first dinner will be Feb. 23.

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"When we started talking about this dinner (series) in December, our focus was grandmas," explains Dizdari, "We didn't intend to be political. (The conversation) was 'we all have a different meatball, a different dumpling.' It's about showing commonalities between cultures."

Berta Navarro, who consults for the restaurant and owned Cafe 28 until it shuttered in 2013, is helping Dizdari bring the series to fruition and is cooking the first dinner herself. "We all grew up around our mother's and grandmother's tables  I'm a grandma myself. We may have different processes, but the point is we have shared stories."

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While Dizdari and Navarro insist that the original intent was not political, they concede that rising tensions and discussion about immigration on the national level partly inform their goals. "People are sensitive to politics right now," said Dizdari, who is Albanian, "But there's no restaurant that doesn't have immigrant employees. Look around in every kitchen, they're there. They have stories to tell too.

"We want to shed a light on unity in spite of what's happening all over the world."

Navarro agrees. "When I started thinking about this project, my memories sent me back to my grandmother's table. I'm from Mexico  Jalisco  and I just remember her hosting these big communal dinners, with everyone gathered around the table enjoying themselves. I want to re-create that."

The first dinner ($55) will focus on Navarro's Mexican roots. For starters, she'll whip up sopes, corncakes that are like thick tortillas served with different toppings, in this case, chorizo and potato. Entrees will run the gamut, from slow-braised beef birria to a comforting pozole, a stew of pork and hominy. Tequila, naturally, will make a cameo during the included cocktail hour.

"We hope to introduce people to regional differences," said Navarro. "The music, the food, the tradition of serving  this is an opportunity to introduce people to all that in a restaurant setting."

"Regionality is interesting," said Dizdari. "There's not one kind of Mexican, like there's not one kind of American. Look at regions here  there's the South, and then there's Boston or the Midwest."

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Future dinners will feature other cooks, cooking together. For example, says Dizdari, three Indian sisters will partner with a Muslim Pakistani matriarch to cook, among other things, dishes from India's Gujarat region. "I've invited my mom to cook Albanian food, and we've invited Irish cooks too," he says. "If guests find this interesting, we'll try to expand the concept to include more cuisines."

Southport & Irving will be hosting these dinners roughly once a month. After Navarro's Feb. 23 dinner, the next, cooked by an Irish immigrant, will be March 24. After that will be an Iraqi-Jewish dinner; then, the Indian-Pakistani partnership described above.

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The profits from each dinner will also benefit a charity of their choice. "It makes sense to give back," said Dizdari. Navarro's pick is Mujeres Latinas en Accion, a Pilsen nonprofit providing services to Latina women from leadership training to counseling.

"I hope the event gets people's attention," said Dizdari. "We have the same story, just different words and different languages to communicate. Food helps make it easier."

Navarro puts it much more simply. "We all have to eat  there's always something to talk about."

Southport & Irving, 4000 N. Southport Ave., 773-857-2890, www.southportandirving.com

jbhernandez@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @joeybear85






Pianist Jason Moran and band director Gerald Powell work with students from the Kenwood Academy Jazz Band rehearsing for a concert at the Kennedy Center in Washington. (Zbigniew Bzdak/Chicago Tribune). (Zbigniew Bzdak/Chicago Tribune/Chicago Tribune)

Kids are talking, laughing, blowing into their horns, pounding their drums and otherwise cranking sound when Jason Moran steps into the band room.

Suddenly the place falls nearly silent.

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Everyone stares at the tall, slender man wearing a hoodie and jeans and bearing an international reputation as a creative jazz pianist and MacArthur Fellowship winner.

"I'm Jason Moran  it's nice to meet you all," Moran says to the Kenwood Academy Jazz Band, which has been rehearsing for this moment for months.

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The students know exactly why Moran has come to their school, on South Blackstone Avenue: He's going to rehearse with them for their concert together at one of America's most prominent arts complexes, the Kennedy Center, in Washington, on Friday.

"When he came in, I was like: 'Yeah, it's kind of a butterflies-in-your-stomach excitement,'" freshman trombonist Garrett Powell, 14, says later.

The stakes indeed are high. For everyone in this ensemble knows that nearly three years ago, the Kenwood Academy Jazz Band made history playing the world premiere of Moran's "Looks of a Lot" with him in Orchestra Hall at Symphony Center.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 28 Pianist Jason Moran, center, and band leader Gerald Powell conduct a practice of the Kenwood Academy Jazz Band at Kenwood Academy High School Chicago on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2017. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)

Moran created the piece, in part, to address gun violence in the neighborhoods where many of these students live. But their triumph on the night of the performance was streaked with tragedy. For less than two weeks before the May 30, 2014 premiere, Kenwood guitarist Aaron Rushing was shot to death. He was three days short of his 16th birthday.

The Kenwood band heroically played on, sounding more formidable during the concert than in any of its rehearsals. Many musicians later said that Rushing was on their minds as they performed. Their work proved so compelling that Moran, who serves as the Kennedy Center's artistic director for jazz, was determined to bring the young musicians to national attention.

"I had such a kind of emotional ride working on this piece with the students here," says Moran after the first rehearsal for the Kennedy Center concert.

"You know, it's one thing to go from the South Side to Chicago Symphony Center. But what if we went all the way to D.C.?"

Kenwood bandleader Gerald Powell (father of Garrett Powell) began preparing the students during winter break, knowing that whatever pressures existed during the Symphony Center premiere would only be heightened at the Kennedy Center. And because most members of the 2014 band had graduated from Kenwood, Gerald Powell would be training a largely new group of musicians for a daunting task that he considers a privilege.

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"It's a great opportunity for them  it's no way in the world I could let that go by," says Powell, a respected Chicago jazz musician.

"I've never been to the Kennedy Center, let alone performed in it, and so it's a big event for myself as well."

When Moran cues the young musicians to begin playing, it's clear that the students know the score. They sound big and brawny in thunderous passages, sensitive in lyrical ones.

"It's not as hard as I thought it would be, but it's still a challenge to play it," says reedist Jarrett Crenshaw, 18, a senior.

"It's quite easy once you get used to it," adds drummer Nairobi Tribble, 17, a senior.

Then again, continues Tribble, "Doing that in front of that many people, in front of Jason Moran, is like a little on the edge."

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Trombonist Alyssa Younger, 18, counts herself lucky that she played the piece three years ago and gets another shot at it now.

"I sort of kind of feel old, because I was a freshman when I did it, and it was a new thing," says Younger.

"Last time I didn't too much care because I was a freshman.  But now it's like that was a really big thing!

"I put it on college applications and stuff like that. Because I'm just now figuring out that Orchestra (Hall) is like a really big place.

"Actually, my mom told me the Kennedy Center is even bigger  so now it's just sinking in to me that we're actually going to do it."

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Bandleader Powell believes that no high school student could fully comprehend the impact of this experience. The value of rehearsing an evening-length work for months, collaborating with a charismatic jazz musician and performing alongside him in a revered concert space "won't hit them until their mid-20s," Powell says.

But the experience can be transformative. For quite apart from the demands of performing this music, these students could learn a great deal about transcending obstacles.

There are "things that students here in Chicago go through that maybe other students in other areas don't have to deal with," says bandleader Powell, referring to Chicago's much-documented violence.

"But they still overcome. They still overcome."

Moran references these challenges starting with the title of the piece, which he drew from a video of Chicago rapper Lil Durk, who noticed police swarming a concert of his and observed, "Looks of a lot of blues" (meaning lights on squad cars).

But Moran's opus stretches well beyond this theme, messages of hope, perseverance and vindication radiating through much of the work. Toward the end, Moran's score quotes Elgar's "Pomp and Circumstance" March No. 1  the ubiquitous graduation march  as if to send these students on to future successes.

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"What I hope happens in Washington is that the kids feel like they earned this," says Moran. "And that they have fun doing it, and that they never forget it.

"And I hope that this lasts as a real marker in their timelines.

"Fifteen years from now, if I run into one of them at a jazz festival or a restaurant, then they'll say: 'You know, let's talk about that piece.' I kind of hope that for them."

As for those on the other side of the footlights, "I hope the audience starts to understand the importance and the value in the youth," says Moran.

"I think many times people have talked only about the problems without ever getting their hands wet. So they're talking about this from some platform.

"But they have never gotten down here on the soil."

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With "Looks of a Lot," Moran, Powell, colleague Bethany Pickens and students are doing much more than talking about social issues from a safe distance.

They're taking action, through music.

Listeners at the Kennedy Center are about to find out what they have to say.

Howard Reich is a Tribune critic.

hreich@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @howardreich

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To find videos, photo galleries and complete Kenwood coverage, go to www.chicagotribune.com/kenwoodjazz

RELATED STORIES:

Part One: Kenwood jazz band journeys to Symphony Center stage

Part Two: Kenwood band members grieve for slain guitarist, 15

Part Three: Voices of Kenwood: Taking the stage







Watch the latest movie trailers.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 122 Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, anger management student, in "Dark Phoenix." The film, the latest in the "X-Men" franchise, costars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jessica Chastain. Read the review. (Twentieth Century Fox)
Riccardo Muti will lead the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Chorus and Chicago Childrens Choir in the premiere of an oratorio drawn from Prokofievs music to director Sergei Eisensteins unfinished film Ivan the Terrible. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)

No major 20th century composer enjoyed a closer working relationship with the musical life of Chicago, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in particular, than Sergei Prokofiev.

Chicago is indelibly associated with the world premieres of two of the Russian composer's most important works, his Third Piano Concerto and opera "The Love for Three Oranges," both of which he oversaw here in 1921. As a matter of fact, the performances he gave in Chicago over a period of two decades, as pianist and conductor, launched his American career.

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Beginning with Prokofiev's CSO debut in 1918 and ending with his final appearance with the orchestra in 1937 (when he led the U.S. premiere of selections from his as-yet-unstaged ballet, "Romeo and Juliet"), he appeared with the CSO in no fewer than seven different programs.

Although his initial impressions of our city were disappointing (he found the Chicago of 1918 sooty and unattractive), he later came to relish the attention heaped on him by the city's musical press (one reporter called him "the best-dressed man" in town) and concert audiences, whom he found more receptive to his music than those in New York, as Philip Huscher recounts in his informative essay in the current CSO program book.

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If the Chicago Symphony is lavishing an unusual amount of attention on Prokofiev's music this season  this, in honor of the 125th anniversary of his birth  the orchestra and Riccardo Muti are reserving their biggest celebratory guns for this weekend's subscription concerts at Symphony Center.

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There, the music director will lead the CSO and Chicago Symphony Chorus, Chicago Children's Choir, vocal soloists and narrators in the CSO premiere of an oratorio drawn from Prokofiev's music to the great Soviet director Sergei Eisenstein's unfinished film classic, "Ivan the Terrible" (1942-45).

Chicago audiences are much more familiar with the cantata Prokofiev based on his soundtrack for an earlier Eisenstein film, "Alexander Nevsky," than they are with the music for "Ivan the Terrible." For various reasons Prokofiev never got around to turning the latter score into a concert work. That task fell to Abram Stasevich, the Russian conductor who had recorded the "Ivan" soundtrack.

The "Ivan the Terrible" oratorio Stasevich created in 1962, nine years after Prokofiev's death, draws from the film script to construct a narration meant to substitute for Eisenstein's richly allusive cinematic imagery. For these CSO performances, Czar Ivan IV will be impersonated by French actor Gerard Depardieu, a longtime Muti friend and collaborator. The spoken Russian narration provided by Depardieu and Yasen Peyankov will tie together the 20 musical cues to produce a dramatic chronology paralleling that of the film.

Eisenstein dropped his plan to shoot a third part of the film following Soviet dictator Josef Stalin's banning Part 2 of the planned trilogy. That official condemnation ended Eisenstein's career as a film director and Prokofiev's as a film composer. Part 2 of "Ivan" wasn't screened in public until 1958, five years after Stalin's death and a decade after Eisenstein's. (Prokofiev and Stalin passed away the same day in 1953.)

Why the ban? Stalin expected Eisenstein's grand cinematic portrait of Ivan Grozny  the 15th century Russian ruler who overcame enormous internal and external resistance to unite a fragmented empire  to reflect glory on himself: The czar's relentless cruelty could be used as a means of justifying the brutality of Stalin's own reign of terror.

Eisenstein, however, had a more nuanced portrait of Ivan in mind. The czar depicted in the director's brilliantly stylized film is a lonely and sorrowful man, deprived of love, betrayed by his friends. Part 2 suggests Ivan's psychological decline, and that did not sit at all well with his paranoid modern counterpart. The film was withdrawn. "Ivan the Terrible" would languish in obscurity until the Khrushchev "thaw."

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Muti's belief in the high artistic merit of Prokofiev's music for the film dates from the early 1970s, when he conducted the Stasevich reworking for the first time with the Hilversum Orchestra in the Netherlands. He went on to lead performances in London, Philadelphia, New York, Paris, Milan, Florence and Naples, Italy. Critics have long rated his 1977 recording, made with the Philharmonia Orchestra, as a benchmark interpretation.

In an interview last week, Muti recalled that he discovered the score in the early 1970s at a music shop in Vienna. Fascinated, he then sought to familiarize himself with the Eisenstein epic, then little known outside cult circles.

"It's a great film with a fantastic score," he said. "I have conducted 'Alexander Nevsky' many times and I find the musical ideas even more interesting in the later film score. The choral parts and orchestration are richer as well, with all kinds of moods and colors."

At Muti's behest, the CSO screened Eisenstein's unfinished masterpiece Sunday evening at Orchestra Hall. Those who missed the screening, or are unfamiliar with the score, should not feel at a loss, Muti said.

"The music can stand perfectly well on its own  it doesn't need the film," he said of the 80-minute sequence Stasevich drew from the three hours of music Prokofiev delivered to Eisenstein. "In many instances, Eisenstein based his visual images directly on music Prokofiev had already written. The music has its own life. All one needs to do is listen."

The conductor's recording of "Ivan the Terrible"  the first made in the West  served to focus the attention of many listeners on the strengths of Prokofiev's final film score. Since its initial appearance other conductors, and Russian music scholars as well, have taken up the cause of "rehabilitating" the music and bringing it to the attention of a wider public.

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A variety of concert versions now exists on recording. Conductors Leonard Slatkin and Mstislav Rostropovich have released recordings with English-language narration, Slatkin opting for the Stasevich edition (which he introduced to Grant Park in 1977), Rostropovich for an edition prepared by Michael Lankester. Neeme Jarvi has recorded a "concert scenario" compiled by Christopher Palmer that dispenses with the narration and the more fragmentary episodes included in the Stasevich version.

Following the 1997 publication of a new edition collating every piece of music Prokofiev wrote for the film (also some bits that were left out), there appeared a Russian recording, led by Vladimir Fedoseyev, of the complete film music incorporating music from the Russian Orthodox liturgy Prokofiev and Eisenstein selected for use in the movie. The entire film is available on home video (Criterion Collection).

Finally, audience members should not be put off by the fact that the oratorio will be sung and spoken in Russian, since the CSO will employ English surtitles.

"They will be very impressed with the music and, if they happen to have seen the film, will appreciate all the more the genius of Eisenstein," Muti said. "They will go home enriched by the Prokofiev score. For this is not just another evening at Orchestra Hall  it is a cultural event."

The only pity, perhaps, is that Prokofiev, who considered Chicago his American home in the early decades of the last century, won't be around for it.

Riccardo Muti will lead the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and choruses, soloists and narrator in Prokofiev's oratorio "Ivan the Terrible," at 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday at Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave.; $34-$220; 312-294-3000, www.cso.org.

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Sharps and flats

A $50,000 MacArthur Foundation grant awarded to the Chicago Philharmonic Society will fund an exchange with Poland to share works by Chicago composers, connect with Polish musicians and students, and generally increase local awareness of Polish music and culture.

The exchange, which the orchestra announced Tuesday, will culminate in a three-day Chicago festival of Polish music and culture in November 2018. A Polish conductor and vocal and instrumental soloists will take part in orchestral and chamber concerts of works by Polish composers. Concerts will include music of several genres, ranging from classical to jazz to film.

In spring 2018, Scott Speck, the orchestra's artistic director, will travel to Poland with some of the musicians to lead master classes and workshops for music students. They also will perform new classical works by Chicago and American composers.

The Polish consulate general in Chicago is partnering with the society to present the festival. Richard Guerin, a New-York-based advocate for Polish music, is the curator of festival events.

The 18th Handel Week Festival will continue with a program of George Frideric Handel's vocal and instrumental chamber music, 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Grace Episcopal Church, 924 Lake St., Oak Park; tickets are $30.

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Artistic director Dennis Northway will lead the concluding festival event, a performance of Handel's oratorio "Alexander's Feast," 3 p.m. March 5 at the church; tickets are $35. For further information, call 708-383-4231, or visit www.handelweek.com.

John von Rhein is a Tribune critic.

jvonrhein@chicagotribune.org

Twitter @jvonrhein

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Watch the latest movie trailers.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 122 Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, anger management student, in "Dark Phoenix." The film, the latest in the "X-Men" franchise, costars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jessica Chastain. Read the review. (Twentieth Century Fox)
The narrative terrain in Irish playwright Marina Carr's work bursts with ghosts. But we're far away from, say, Conor McPherson's "The Weir," where a newly arrived transplant from Dublin finds comfort amid the supernatural stories traded around the fire in a country pub.

"By the Bog of Cats," perhaps Carr's best-known work (Holly Hunter starred in a West End production over a dozen years ago) has its roots in Euripides' "Medea," but its heart and soul is Irish. This comes through most clearly in the play's recurring themes of displacement and dispossession. A literal Irish backwater serves as its physical setting, but it carries some of the weight of the Irish diaspora on its shoulders, just as the characters struggle with the weight of rage, resentment and guilt.

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Hester Swane (Kristin Collins) is the daughter of a "tinker," Josie Swane, who abandoned her in a broken-down caravan at age 7 on the edge of the Bog of Cats. Now nearing 40 and mother to her own daughter, Josie (Elise Wolf), Hester is about to be cut loose again by Josie's father, Carthage Kilbride (Tim Musachio), who is ready to wed the young, lovely (and heir to land) Caroline Cassidy (Kelsey Phillips). But going away quietly isn't Hester's style.

If you know "Medea," you can probably see where this story is heading. Thankfully, Carr isn't doing a mere palimpsest of Greek tragedy with Irish accents. This production at The Artistic Home, directed with a sure and sensitive hand by John Mossman, does tend to blow past the red zone on the vocal histrionics meter from time to time. Yet it is shot through with rich unexpected veins of humor as well as sorrow and anger.

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Carr is produced stateside far less than McPherson or Martin McDonagh, despite a long-running relationship with Dublin's celebrated Abbey Theatre, which has served as a pipeline for Irish dramatists to American stages for decades. It's anyone's guess why that is  but to my knowledge, this play hasn't been produced locally since the now-shuttered Irish Repertory of Chicago (not to be confused with the current Irish Theatre of Chicago) produced it in 2001. If nothing else, this production provides a rare opportunity for fans of contemporary Irish drama to see Carr's work onstage.

Mossman and his cast dig into the textures of Carr's script with gusto and sensitivity. Collins gives a bravura performance that manages to meld Hester's swaggering devil-may-care carapace with the gaping wounds of a woman who has never gotten over the pain of abandonment. That pain is one she shares with her rival, Caroline, whose mother died when she was young and left her to the questionable ministrations of her overbearing father, Xavier (Frank Nall).

The ghosts here aren't only in memories. Hester's dead half-brother, Joseph (Kieran O'Connor) shows up bearing scars of their last encounter. (A "ghost fancier," played by John LaFlamboy, does feel like a bit as if Carr is gilding the mystical lily). The show opens with a potent portent  Hester dragging a dead black swan onstage. The local eccentric/seer, Catwoman, the Tiresias of the tale, offers dark prophecies in between snacking on mice and lapping up wine at the wedding banquet. (Caroline Dodge Latta's cagily comic but relatively understated performance, enhanced by Zach Wagner's inspired coat of tatty fur, is a highlight.)

The wedding feast for Caroline and Carthage itself provides a grotesque but often hilarious counterpart to the misty tragic world of the bog (evoked by the deliberately flat and not-quite-realistic backdrop by Anders Jacobson and Judy Radovsky, set off by Claire Sangster's chiaroscuro lighting).

Father Willow (Michael Rogalski) falls into tangential musings while saying grace and admits that he wears earplugs in the confession box, rather than hear his troubled flock tell the same stories over and over. Meantime, Carthage's mother (Jane DeLaubenfels), who commits the ultimate faux pas of wearing a long white dress to the wedding, seems to have the same kind of unnatural attachment to her son that Xavier bears for Caroline.

Certainly Carr is far from the first Irish writer to explore "the past happening over and over again" in the land of tortured poets. But she does so in a way that, with only a few lapses, avoids sentimentality and overstated metaphor and drives home the never-ending pain of never feeling loved or wanted enough.

"I'm the one who chooses and discards," Collins' Hester declares early on. But as we have known from Euripides' time to our own, fate has its way with human desires. As Monica Murray (Darrelyn Marx), Hester's sympathetic neighbor who is mourning her own lost child points out, this world doesn't "yield easy to mortal wishes." Artistic Home's production ultimately offers an emotionally rich portrait of a woman who isn't easy to love  or to forget.

Kerry Reid is a freelance critic.

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ctc-arts@chicagotribune.com

Review: "By the Bog of Cats" (3 stars)

When: Through April 15

Where: The Artistic Home, 1376 W. Grand Ave.

Running time: 2 hours, 10 minutes

Tickets: $28-$32 at 312-811-4111 or theartistichome.org
NEW YORK  Pulitzer Prize winners Junot Diaz, Viet Thanh Nguyen and Jane Smiley are among 32 writers contributing to a book of letters responding to the election of President Donald Trump.



Vintage Books told The Associated Press on Monday that "Radical Hope: Letters of Love and Dissent in Dangerous Times" will be published May 2 as a paperback original.



"The anthology offers readers an antidote to despair: it is a salve, a balm, a compass, a rallying cry, a lyrical manifesto, a power source, a torch to light the way forward," Vintage announced.

Edited by Carolina De Robertis, the book will be divided into three sections. "Roots" will explore the historical origins of this time. "Present" will feature letters addressed to contemporary communities. "Seeds" will look ahead to future generations. Other writers will include Karen Joy Fowler, Claire Messud and Lisa See.



"Radical Hope" continues a wave of releases from the publishing world since Trump's stunning upset last November of Democrat Hillary Clinton. "What Do We Do Now: Standing Up for Your Values in Trump's America" is a January release from Melville House that features suggestions for action from Gloria Steinem, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and George Saunders. Gene Stone's "The Trump Survival Guide: Everything You Need to Know About Living Through What You Hoped Would Never Happen" is another January publication, from Dey Street Books.



The Associated Press






Chicago-based Girls Supporting Girls is a small but powerful organization that teaches girls (and boys, despite the name) how to raise money to build schools in countries where girls are often left out of education. (webphotographeer / E+)

In 2013, Judy Sutton Taylor had a couple of back-to-back wake-up calls she knew she had to answer.

First she caught a screening of "Girl Rising," a documentary about nine girls living in Haiti, Nepal, Ethiopia, India, Egypt, Peru, Cambodia, Sierra Leone and Afghanistan and fighting mightily for their right to go to school.

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Then she heard a radio interview with John Wood, the founder of Room to Read, an international nonprofit that works to increase literacy and gender equality in education around the world.

"I knew I wanted to do something to get my own kids more involved and aware," Taylor said. "And I also wanted to help on a more global level."

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She huddled with a couple of friends and established Girls Supporting Girls, a small nonprofit that offers after-school programs to teach kids about the barriers that girls, particularly, face when trying to receive an education in many developing countries. The group is in just three schools so far, but Taylor is hoping to expand across the city if she can attract more volunteers and funding.

Students learn about the state of education in developing countries and brainstorm ways to make it more accessible. They host bake sales and lemonade stands and sell T-shirts and buttons at school events to raise money for schools in Asia and Africa.

"They're learning that it's not so easy for a lot of kids to just walk down the block to a school that's willing and able to accept them," Taylor said.

Even better, they're learning to do something about it.

Girls Supporting Girls partners with Room to Read, which has an established infrastructure to build schools and libraries around the world. Taylor said her group helped raise $35,000 to build a school in northwest Cambodia in 2015, which serves around 155 middle schoolers. And now it's trying to raise $55,000 to build a school in Sri Lanka.

Despite the name, Girls Supporting Girls programs are all coed.

Taylor has twin eighth-graders  a boy and a girl  and knows firsthand that the work of improving the world isn't limited to a single gender. But girls are disproportionately left out of school in far too many countries, which is one of the things Taylor's group tries to remedy.

"Our primary goal is to help girls because there are roughly 33 million fewer girls than boys in primary schools around the world," Taylor said. (United Nations statistics concur.) "And educating girls betters the chances that entire families are lifted out of poverty."

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I admire so much about Taylor's story. How many of us have thought  watching a documentary, riding in our cars, reading an article  I should do something about this? But life intervenes. Or the problems feel too large. Or progress seems too elusive.

Girls Supporting Girls remind kids  and all of us  the wisdom of that lovely Margaret Mead quote:

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

hstevens@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @heidistevens13

Girls Supporting Girls will hold its annual fundraiser 6-9 p.m. Thursday night at City Winery, 1200 W. Randolph St. It's open to the public, and the money raised will go toward funding the Sri Lanka school, Taylor said. Go to gsgbuildbash.com for more details.

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Skiers fill the lifts in 2007 at Stowe Mountain Resort in Stowe, Vt. Colorado-based Vail Resorts announced that it is purchasing the Vermont resort for $50 million. If the deal goes through, it would be Vail's first East Coast resort. Vail owns 10 mountain resorts and three urban ski areas. (Toby Talbot / AP 2007)

STOWE, Vt.  Stowe Mountain Resort in Vermont is being purchased by the Colorado-based Vail Resorts for $50 million.



Vail said Tuesday in a statement that it had reached an agreement to acquire the Stowe resort from the Mount Mansfield Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of the American International Group.



If the deal goes through, it would be Vail's first East Coast resort. Vail owns 10 mountain resorts and three urban ski areas, including Wilmot Mountain about 65 miles north of Chicago. Vail bought the Wisconsin ski resort last year and made $13 million in improvements to it over the summer.

At Stowe, Vail would acquire all the assets related to the mountain operations at Mount Mansfield and Spruce Peak. Other facilities such as the Stowe Mountain Lodge, Stowe Mountain Club and the Stowe Country Club would be retained by the Mount Mansfield Company.



Vail Chairman Rob Katz says they're thrilled to add Stowe to their family of resorts.



The Associated Press

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Ski industry skews big, so smaller resorts tout authenticity

Vail Resorts to plow $13 million of improvements into Wilmot Mountain
July 18, 1982 Church congregation begins taking in refugees The Wellington Avenue Church congregation votes to join the sanctuary movement -- becoming just the second church in the U.S. to harbor refugees who entered the country illegally. The movement, which has roots in the medieval tradition of churches providing sanctuary for those fleeing persecution, was aimed at providing a safe haven for Central Americans running from political repression and violence in their home countries. They were refused asylum here because of U.S. support for the governments of El Salvador and Guatemala. About 20 Chicago-area churches became sanctuaries in the 1980s. Salvadorans wear masks to hide their faces during a visit to Wellington Avenue United Church of Christ on Aug. 9, 1982. (Chicago Tribune)

November 1982 Group becomes national leader in sanctuary movement Recognized for its work in organizing and transporting refugees from El Salvador to a network of welcoming churches around the U.S., the Chicago Religious Task Force on Central America becomes the national clearinghouse for the sanctuary movement. The group distributes books on the sanctuary movement and holds rallies in downtown Chicago to bring awareness to the issues facing Central American refugees. Members of the Chicago Religious Task Force on Central America protest outside the Federal Building on Sept. 16, 1983, in Chicago. (Chicago Tribune)

Jan. 20, 1985 Chicago's chief legal officer: Don't assist the feds A week after 18 workers driving cabs were arrested, Corporation Counsel James Montgomery recommends Chicago not cooperate with federal immigration authorities in arresting immigrants living in the U.S. illegally unless subpoenas are obtained. Chicago's Immigration and Naturalization Service Director A.D. Moyer criticizes Montgomery's suggestion.

March 7, 1985 Mayor encourages 'equal access by all persons' to city services, licenses Mayor Harold Washington signs an executive order ending the city's practice of asking job and license applicants about their U.S. citizenship and halting cooperation by city agencies with federal immigration authorities. Mayor Harold Washington says he took an oath to obey the laws and raises his hand before signing the executive order enhancing Chicago's sanctuary status on March 7, 1985. (Chicago Tribune archives)

Dec. 17, 1985 'Operation Taxicab' rounds up immigrants suspected of living in U.S. illegally Calling cabdrivers who are living in the U.S. illegally "a serious menace," the city's immigration director, Moyer, orders spot checks of drivers' identification at airports and other hangouts. Dubbed "Operation Taxicab," 129 drivers are arrested in a single day -- 51 could later prove they were in the U.S. legally. Though there was no federal law prohibiting employers from hiring workers in the country illegally, Moyer blames Mayor Washington's earlier executive order for opening the door. An abandoned cab is towed following a raid by immigration agents at the Merchandise Mart taxi stand on Dec. 17, 1985. (Chicago Tribune)

April 30, 1987 Feds offer immigrants ways to gain legal status Less than 1 1/2 years after overseeing raids on taxi drivers in the U.S. illegally, Moyer details plans to open four centers to help immigrants with paperwork to become legal U.S. residents. The effort is part of the Immigration Reform and Control Act, a law passed by Congress and signed by President Ronald Reagan to offer a path to legal residence for people in the U.S. illegally since Jan. 1, 1982. A.D. Moyer, Chicago district director for immigration services, points out locations at a April 30, 1987, news conference where immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally can get help. (Chicago Tribune)

Nov. 1, 1987 Sanctuary group urges 'hiring undocumented workers' The Chicago Religious Task Force, a national clearinghouse for the sanctuary movement helping Central American refugees, said in a Chicago Tribune story that it was planning to urge priests, nuns and "employers to break the law by hiring undocumented workers" in the Chicago area, where tens of thousands of the immigrants live.

April 25, 1989 Daley adopts Washington's sanctuary stance Shortly after taking office, Daley signs 13 executive orders including one that reaffirms "fair and equal access" to employment, benefits and licenses to all -- regardless of nationality or citizenship. Mayor Richard M. Daley signs an executive order on April 25, 1989. (Chicago Tribune)

June 4, 1992 Chicago Crime Commission asks for amendment The group asks Mayor Daley to amend the 1989 executive order to allow Chicago police to share citizenship information with the INS to help combat street gangs. Later, Daley says any information about a person involved in serious crimes would be turned over to the feds. (This provision would be added as part of the city's 2012 Welcoming City ordinance.)

March 29, 2006 City's sanctuary policy becomes law The City Council votes -- 44-0 -- to pass an ordinance providing all residents equal access "to the services, opportunities, and protection it provides or administers."

Aug. 15, 2006 Woman seeks church refuge to avoid deportation, reviving sanctuary movement Ordered to be deported, Elvira Arellano and her U.S.-born son take refuge inside Adalberto United Methodist Church in Chicago's Humboldt Park neighborhood. She had been arrested in a post-Sept. 11, 2001, sweep of O'Hare International Airport, where she was working as a cleaner. Authorities discovered she had been using a fake Social Security number and had been previously deported to Mexico. Arellano would spend a year living in the church with her story receiving national attention. While awaiting a decision on her application for political asylum, Arellano is living in Humboldt Park with her partner and two sons. Elvira Arellano and her son, Saul, greet supporters at Adalberto United Methodist Church on Sept. 30, 2006. (Abel Uribe/Chicago Tribune)

Sept. 7, 2011 Cook County won't fulfill ICE detainer requests In a vote of 10-5, the Cook County Board passes an ordinance to free immigrants suspected of living in the U.S. illegally who are jailed in both felony and misdemeanor cases despite federal immigration authorities' requests to detain them. The ordinance was based on a recent federal ruling in Indiana that determined ICE detainers are voluntary requests and not criminal warrants.

Sept. 12, 2012 'Welcoming City' ordinance passes Building on an existing ordinance that prohibits agencies from inquiring about the immigration status of people seeking city services, this ordinance also prevents local police from detaining people solely on the belief that they are in the U.S. illegally, and cooperating with federal agents when they suspect status is the only reason the warrant has been issued. With its introduction in July 2012, Mayor Emanuel said the ordinance would "make Chicago the most immigrant-friendly city in the country." Mayor Rahm Emanuel after the City Council meeting on Sept. 12, 2012. (Nancy Stone / Chicago Tribune)

April 2, 2014 City Council urges President Obama to stop deporting 'individuals with no criminal history' The City Council passes a resolution encouraging Congress and President Barack Obama to pursue immigration reform. "Children and their families should not have to live in fear of government-forced separation," it stated.

Nov. 18, 2015 Alderman pushes for Rauner to reverse decision on Syrian refugees Following the Paris terrorist attacks, 31 governors -- including then-Indiana Gov. and now-Vice President Mike Pence and Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner -- sought to turn away Syrian refugees from their states. In a resolution reaffirming Chicago's sanctuary city status and "refuge for refugees from around the world," Ald. Ed Burke, 14th, says it's up to the federal government to make that decision. Fatima Adris and her son Osama Omarien, 2, were on hand when the City Council backed a resolution asking Gov. Bruce Rauner to reverse his decision on accepting refugees Nov. 18, 2015. (Nancy Stone/Chicago Tribune)

Oct. 5, 2016 City workers, police can't use immigration status for intimidation Following Jianqing Klyzek's case, aldermen amend 2012's Welcoming City ordinance to require that reports of "physical abuse, threats or intimidation" against immigrants, in the U.S. legally or illegally, be sent to oversight agencies that cover the Chicago Police Department and other city agencies. Surveillance footage from the raid on July 31, 2013, shows Jianqing Klyzek, 32, shortly after Chicago police officers entered the Copper Tan and Spa. Klyzek says she was hit in the head by a Chicago police officer while she knelt on the floor. (Image from video via Klyzek's attorney)

Oct. 12, 2016 Municipal ID program launches Suggested in 2015 by a City Council ordinance, Mayor Emanuel launches a program to give all Chicagoans -- including immigrants in the U.S. illegally, the homeless, the formerly incarcerated, young adults and the elderly -- official identification that will not convey information about national origin or legal status. New City Clerk Anna Valencia will oversee the program.

Nov. 13, 2016 Following Donald Trump's election, Mayor Emanuel defends city's stance "Since the Presidential Election, there has been a sense of uncertainty among many immigrant communities in Chicago and across the nation. I want to assure all of our families that Chicago is and will remain a Sanctuary City," Mayor Emanuel said in a Nov. 13, 2016, news release. "Chicago has been a city of immigrants since it was founded. We have always welcomed people of all faiths and backgrounds, and while the administration will change, our values and our commitment to inclusion will not." Mayor Rahm Emanuel speaks during a news conference at Lurie Children's Hospital the day following his statement. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune)

Dec. 5, 2016 City looks for Rauner's backing of sanctuary status A resolution sponsored by Mayor Rahm Emanuel, new Democratic state Comptroller Susana Mendoza and 35 of the city's 50 aldermen calls on Governor Bruce Rauner to issue a statement of "support for cities that welcome our undocumented family members and neighbors and condemn any effort to strip the city of Chicago of federal funding." The resolution calls on Rauner to speak at a special council meeting "held solely for the purpose of discussing the president-elect's plans for cities that welcome and protect immigrants." Asked to respond to the specifics of the city resolution, a Rauner spokeswoman instead issued a general statement reiterating the governor's support for immigration reform.

Jan. 25, 2017 Emanuel defends city from President Trump's threats In response to President Trump's signing of an executive order intended to block federal funding to sanctuary cities like Chicago, Mayor Emanuel says, "There is no stranger among us. We welcome people." The city's aldermen vote to reaffirm that Chicago protects all residents regardless of race, ethnicity, immigration status, criminal record, gender identity and sexual orientation. "You mess with one in Chicago, you mess with all of us," said Northwest Side Ald. John Arena, 45th. Mayor Rahm Emanuel presides over the meeting of the Chicago City Council on Jan. 25, 2017. (Nancy Stone/Chicago Tribune)

Jan. 27, 2017 Chicago advocates condemn Trump's order on migrants Chicago immigration reform advocates and Muslim leaders denounced President Donald Trump's executive order to temporarily block refugees coming to the U.S. while the government reviews screening processes, calling it an effective ban on Muslims in America. In issuing the order, which calls for a four-month halt on all refugee admissions, an indefinite ban on Syrian refugees and a temporary moratorium on immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries with terrorism concerns, Trump said he seeks to protect the nation from terrorist attacks. He called for a review of all screening procedures for those seeking immigrant visas to the U.S. Demonstrators converge in reaction to the executive order travel ban on Jan. 29, 2017, outside Terminal 5 of O'Hare International Airport. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)

Jan. 30, 2017 'Safeguarding Sanctuary Cities Act' introduced in U.S. House Rep. Mike Quigley, of Chicago, and 32 Democrats introduce a bill that would "ensure that federal funds cannot be unduly withheld from any state or local authority that limits or restricts compliance with a voluntary immigration detainer request." This bill was introduced during a previous session of Congress but was not advanced.

Feb. 10, 2017 Rauner doesn't take a position on Democrats' immigration plan Asked if he would support legislation to make it harder for federal authorities to access information about immigrants living in Illinois, Governor Bruce Rauner didn't reply yes or no, saying he is "very pro-comprehensive immigration reform" and wants the state "to continue to be welcoming and diverse." Legislation under consideration at the state Capitol would allow schools, medical facilities and places of worship to decline access to federal immigration authorities, and it would limit cooperation and communication between local police and immigration officials. The plans were introduced as part of a broader "sanctuary state" effort to extend statewide some protections like those in Chicago and Cook County, where local laws prohibit government workers and police officers from asking about residents' immigration status. The legislation is sponsored by Democrats, and their party controls the General Assembly. Pressed to provide his position on the sanctuary state idea Friday, Rauner declined. "I've answered it," he said. "I've said what I'm going to say." Gov. Bruce Rauner takes questions from members the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board on Feb. 1, 2017. (Abel Uribe/Chicago Tribune)

March 15, 2017 Former sanctuary seeker allowed to stay in the U.S. another year following ICE meeting Elvira Arellano, the twice-deported immigration activist whose year of living in a Humboldt Park church a decade ago made her a lightning rod in the immigration debate, was granted a reprieve and allowed to remain in the United States for another year. She is awaiting a hearing on her petition for political asylum, which she filed three years ago. Elvira Arellano, 42, was allowed to stay in the U.S. another year following her annual check-in with Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Chicago on March 15, 2017, the third such appointment since she returned to the U.S. in 2014. (Abel Uribe/Chicago Tribune)

March 27, 2017 U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions says sanctuary cities could lose federal funding Attorney General Jeff Sessions says he is "urging states and local jurisdictions to comply with these federal laws." He says the Justice Department will require compliance with immigration laws in order for the cities to receive grants through the Office of Justice Programs. The Obama administration had a similar policy in place.

July 25, 2017 Justice Department rules intensify crackdown on sanctuary cities like Chicago The Justice Department escalated its promised crackdown on so-called sanctuary cities, saying it will no longer give cities coveted grant money unless they give federal immigration authorities access to jails and provide advance notice when someone in the country illegally is about to be released. In this file photo, Attorney General Jeff Sessions speaks in Columbus, Ohio on Aug. 2, 2017. (Jay LaPrete/AP Photo)

Aug. 7, 2017 Emanuel sues Trump's Justice Department over sanctuary city policy Mayor Emanuel's Law Department files its much-touted lawsuit against President Donald Trump's Justice Department over its effort to withhold some grant funding from so-called sanctuary cities.

Aug. 16, 2017 Sessions blasts sanctuary cities, singling out Chicago During a news conference in Miami, Sessions vowed to continue fighting cities that refuse to cooperate with immigration authorities -- aiming much of his frustration at Chicago.

Aug. 23, 2017 Mother of 6 seeks sanctuary in a Chicago church to avoid deportation Francisca Lino, 50, a Bolingbrook resident and mother of six children -- five of them U.S. citizens -- is taking sanctuary in the same Chicago church that protected immigration activist Elvira Arellano. Lino was scheduled to meet with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials, but, instead, she held a West Side news conference at Adalberto United Methodist Church in Humboldt Park. Francisca and Diego Lino, left with their twin daughters Juliana, 15, middle and Judith in the room where Francisca is taking sanctuary. The Lino family along with their supporters gathered at Adalberto Church in Chicago's Humboldt Park neighborhood on Aug. 23, 2017 to announce that Francisca Lino, who was required to turn herself into immigration that day, will instead take sanctuary in the church. (Nancy Stone/Chicago Tribune)

Sept. 15, 2017 Judge rules in city's favor on sanctuary cities, grants nationwide injunction A federal judge in Chicago blocked the Trump administration's rules requiring so-called sanctuary cities to cooperate with immigration agents in order to get a public safety grant.

Oct. 13, 2017 Chicago judge refuses to change ruling on sanctuary cities U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber said Mayor Rahm Emanuel's administration could suffer "irreparable harm" in its relationship with the immigrant community if it were to comply with the U.S. Department of Justice's new rules requiring sanctuary cities nationaide to cooperate with immigration agents in exchange for receiving public safety grant money.

November 2017 Lino's attorneys file a civil rights lawsuit They allege the U.S. government violated her Fifth Amendment rights and expeditiously deported her in 1999 without due process.

April 19, 2018 Emanuel wins legal victory in sanctuary city lawsuit The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago upholds a nationwide injunction prohibiting Attorney General Sessions from requiring cities to give immigration agents access to immigrants in the U.S. illegally who are in their lockups, in order to get certain public safety grants. Following the ruling, Mayor Emanuel calls on President Trump's Justice Department to hand over grant money to Chicago.

October 2018 Chicago sues Trump administration for withholding police funding The city has already sued over the matter, but now the DOJ has imposed a new round of restrictions, city officials say. Among other things, the new stipulations include requiring local police to inform immigration officials about immigrants in custody who have questionable legal status and allowing them to access the prisoners for questioning.

July 27, 2018 Judge: Feds can't dock sanctuary cities A federal judge sides with the city of Chicago in its sanctuary city lawsuit, ruling that the Trump administration does not have the authority to withhold federal public safety funding from the city if it limits its cooperation with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials. Chicago Corporation Counsel Ed Siskel, shown in 2017 addressing the lawsuit against the Justice Department, called the July 27, 2018, ruling "another significant legal victory for Chicago." (Jose M. Osorio/Chicago Tribune)

May 2019 Pregnant mother of three takes sanctuary inside Chicago church Adilene Marquina Adam, 34, says she was told to report to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Instead, the family takes refuge inside a small storefront church, the Faith, Life and Hope Mission, on 63rd Street in the Chicago Lawn neighborhood. Adilene Marquina Adam with her son Joshua Pino Marquine, 3, inside the Mision, Fe, Vida Y Esperanza church in Chicago on May 22, 2019. (Zbigniew Bzdak/Chicago Tribune)

Sept. 26, 2019 Mayor Lightfoot upstages ICE press conference Robert Guadian, ICE's newly appointed Chicago field office director, held a news conference to underscore what he said are the dangers of local police not cooperating with his agency in so-called sanctuary cities like Chicago. But outside of ICE's Chicago office, Lightfoot appeared with a group of immigration activists and called Guadian's criticism of the city's sanctuary ordinance "nonsense." Mayor Lori Lightfoot speaks at a rally outside the Chicago ICE office on Sept. 26, 2019, to denounce recent actions taken by the immigration agency. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)

Oct. 28, 2019 President Trump makes his first visit to Chicago as the nation's chief executive Speaking at the annual gathering of the International Association of Chiefs of Police at McCormick Place, Trump slammed Chicago police Superintendent Eddie Johnson in front of his peers and criticized the type of federal order the city is under to reform the CPD. Trump also called Chicago "the worst sanctuary city in America" and cited the refusal of the city's Police Department under Johnson to detain people in the country illegally for immigration enforcement. President Donald Trump speaks at the International Association of Chiefs of Police Annual Conference at McCormick Place on Oct. 28, 2019. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune)

Feb. 15, 2020 Border Patrol to deploy to Chicago The Trump administration is deploying law enforcement tactical units from the southern border as part of a supercharged arrest operation in sanctuary cities across the country, including Chicago, an escalation in the president's battle against localities that refuse to participate in immigration enforcement. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot released a video condemning the news that additional agents were being sent to sanctuary cities to help immigration enforcement, and warned residents that they did not have to open doors to anyone who doesn't have a warrant. No matter what the Trump administration does, remember that you have power and you are not alone. Chicago will always stand strong and we will use all of our tools to make sure everyone is safe. pic.twitter.com/q4FPklwxrw  Mayor Lightfoot (@chicagosmayor) February 15, 2020

Feb. 18, 2020 City leaders call for end to attacks on immigrants Chicago politicians and immigrant advocates vowed to push back against plans by President Trump's administration to deploy tactical units from the southern border to strengthen immigration enforcement in Chicago and other so-called sanctuary cities. U.S. Rep. Jesus "Chuy" Garcia contended the timing of the initiative was intended to "instill fear" in immigrants not just about deportation but about participating in the 2020 census. "The timing is no accident," Garcia said at a news conference. "The attempted intimidation has a clear purpose: It is to intimidate our neighbors who are Latino, African American, Asian American communities in particular, not to open their doors. Trump succeeds if we do that. Trump wants us to be undercounted in our communities so that we would lose federal resources and services that are vital to our communities and weaken our political power." U.S. Rep. Jesus "Chuy" Garcia holds a news conference to demand an end to President Trump's attacks against sanctuary cities and in defense of immigrants and refugees at the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago on Feb. 18, 2020. (Jose M. Osorio/Chicago Tribune)

April 30, 2020 Judges rule in favor of Chicago in sanctuary city fight with Trump Justice Department President Donald Trump's Justice Department can't withhold federal grants from sanctuary cities such as Chicago that extend protections to undocumented immigrants, a federal appeals court ruled. Mayor Lori Lightfoot said she was delighted by the ruling, saying she "let out a cheer" when she found out about it. The battle started in 2017, when Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the federal government would require sanctuary cities that want federal public safety funding to give notice when immigrants in the country illegally are about to be released from custody and allow immigration agents access to local jails.
Drew Peterson has been transferred out of custody of the Illinois Department of Corrections and into federal prison.

Peterson was transferred to a federal prison in Terre Haute, Ind., a source said. The Bureau of Prisons website Tuesday evening listed Peterson as a registered inmate but did not provide further information. The reason for the transfer was not immediately clear.

The former Bolingbrook police officer convicted of killing his third wife and trying to arrange a hit on the prosecutor who put him behind bars had been incarcerated at Menard Correctional Center in downstate Chester.

IDOC spokeswoman Nicole Wilson released the following statement:

"Drew Peterson has been transferred out of IDOC custody. For safety and security purposes, the IDOC does not discuss details concerning the placement of offenders who are transferred under the terms of the Interstate Compact Agreement."

Peterson's fourth wife, Stacy, disappeared nine years ago. He is the sole suspect in her disappearance, authorities have said, but he has not been charged with a crime related to her case.

Will County state's attorney spokesman Chuck Pelkie said IDOC's decision to transfer Peterson out of its custody had no connection to the ongoing investigation into Stacy Peterson's disappearance.

Drew Peterson's adult son Stephen told the Tribune last month that he believes his father killed his third wife, Kathleen Savio, and is responsible for Stacy's disappearance as well.

Peterson, 63, was convicted last year of trying to arrange from prison for a hit man to kill Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow.

kthayer@chicagotribune.com

cmgutowski@chicagotribune.com

mwalberg@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @knthayer

Twitter @christygutowsk1

Twitter @mattwalberg1
A 19-year-old man accused of shooting a man in Englewood last month, then shooting him again when the man swore at him, was denied bail Monday.

Rashaad Collins, 19, is accused of shooting a 27-year-old man who was walking home on the 900 block of West 71st Street about 10:10 a.m. Jan. 31. Cook County Judge Peggy Chiampas ordered Collins held without bail in a hearing Monday afternoon on the aggravated battery with a firearm charge against him.

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The victim reported that Collins and another man, who the victim recognized as someone nicknamed "Chicken," fired at him, hitting him in the right leg. The victim called Collins and the second attacker a crude word implying that they were weak, and Collins responded by shooting him in his genitals.

Facebook photos of Collins holding a gun aided in his arrest on aggravated battery charges Friday. Prosecutors could not provide any more information on the second attacker.

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The man who was shot was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn in good condition, according to a police report.
Three men were taken into custody for questioning after a more than five-hour standoff with Chicago police Monday evening in the Jeffery Manor neighborhood on the Far South Side, police said.

About 5:10 p.m., police responded to a call of gunfire in the 9800 block of South Bensley Avenue, according to police. A man then barricaded himself in a home.

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The incident then developed into a barricade situation, and a police SWAT team was called in. The barricade situation ended about 10:45 p.m. with police taking three men into custody.

There weren't any reported injuries, police said.
Drone footage shows S.H. Bell, a Pittsburgh-based firm that stockpiles manganese and other materials near former petcoke sites along the Calumet River. Feb. 18, 2017. (Chris Walker / Chicago Tribune) (Chris Walker / Chicago Tribune/Chicago Tribune)

Dusty mounds of petroleum coke are gone from Chicago, but federal and city officials discovered a potentially more dangerous type of pollution while investigating the black piles that once towered above the East Side neighborhood.

Air monitors posted around two storage terminals on the Calumet River during 2014 and 2015 detected alarming levels of manganese, a heavy metal used in steelmaking that can permanently damage the nervous system and trigger learning difficulties, memory loss and anxiety.

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Investigators have an educated guess about which company is responsible for the pollution. Yet their efforts to pinpoint the culprit and crack down on its emissions have been thwarted for nearly three years.

The chief suspect, S.H. Bell Co., a Pittsburgh-based firm that stockpiles manganese and other materials near the former petcoke sites, has repeatedly ignored city regulations adopted in 2014 that require bulk storage operators to install air pollution monitors around the perimeter of their properties. The company also spurned a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency request for monitoring equipment, prompting the EPA to sue S.H. Bell in federal court last year.

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Now the company, which denies it is responsible for the pollution, is resisting the city's efforts to get the monitors installed before a March 1 deadline S.H. Bell agreed to as part of a legal settlement with federal authorities.

The ongoing dispute highlights the difficulties regulators often face when enforcing public health laws. Environmental lawyers say it will be even tougher to fight polluters if President Donald Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress follow through on plans to gut the EPA's enforcement office and dramatically reduce the agency's workforce.

"Cases like this show why it's so important to have government agencies looking out for communities when corporations dig in their heels and do everything they can to avoid complying with the law," said Mary Gade, who was forced out of the top EPA job in Chicago during President George W. Bush's administration after she forced Dow Chemical to speed up the removal of toxic waste near its Michigan headquarters. "Without a well-trained, experienced enforcement staff, it's easier for companies to cut corners in ways that can harm people."

About 20,000 people, including 1,730 ages 5 and younger, live in low-income, predominantly Latino neighborhoods within a mile of the S.H. Bell facility between 101st and 103rd streets. Parents at Gallistel Language Academy, five blocks away from the storage terminal, said they knew little about the company beyond the dump trucks they see rumbling through its gates.

Unlike the gritty, lung-damaging dust that blew through the neighborhood from petcoke storage facilities, the flakes of manganese that worry federal scientists generally aren't visible.

Researchers who once assumed the health hazards were limited to steelworkers are increasingly concerned about concentrations detected in the air surrounding facilities that handle manganese. Regular exposure to high levels of the heavy metal can cause manganism, a condition with symptoms similar to Parkinson's disease, and make it more difficult for children to learn and remember.

"We thought we had won a big victory, getting the petcoke out of here so it is safe for our kids to breathe outside," said Veronica Gutierrez, president of the Gallistel PTA. "This manganese is all really new to us, but we don't like what we're hearing."

Inspectors began taking a closer look at S.H. Bell in 2014 after reviewing data from pollution monitors the EPA required around two sites operated by KCBX Terminals, a company owned by the conservative industrialists Charles and David Koch, who are major financial backers of congressional efforts to strip the EPA of its powers.

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KCBX shuttered one of its Chicago sites and stopped storing petcoke at the other after the EPA accused the company of violating the federal Clean Air Act and Mayor Rahm Emanuel's administration adopted the city's stringent regulations for bulk storage facilities.

The federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, an arm of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, later confirmed the petcoke dust posed a health hazard. Buried in the agency's report about KCBX was another startling finding: The pollution monitors picked up spikes of manganese on days when winds blew from the vicinity of S.H. Bell across the river.

A company spokeswoman said there is no proof it is responsible for the pollution and noted that other facilities in the area also handle manganese, which is used to make steel stronger and more rust-resistant. An email response to questions from the Tribune described the element as a "naturally occurring substance" and an "essential nutrient for human health."

"S.H. Bell believes it has a duty to comply with environmental regulations, and consistently invests in best available technology in order to do so," the company email said.

Court records and other documents detail a contentious history with government regulators.

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan's office cited S.H. Bell in 2012 for failing for more than six years to have a valid environmental permit . State regulators in 2006 had requested more information about the effectiveness of the company's pollution controls but S.H. Bell never responded, according to the complaint.

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Under city regulations, the company should have installed pollution monitors in 2014. The Chicago Department of Public Health has denied multiple requests for an exemption.

The EPA, citing its authority under the federal Clean Air Act, filed its own request for monitors in March 2015. After giving the company more than a year to comply, the government filed its lawsuit in federal court.

S.H. Bell's attorneys have argued in court documents and letters that the company is struggling financially and shouldn't be required to install the monitors until after it takes steps to tamp down dust. During a September hearing, a company attorney argued the EPA "didn't have a rational scientific basis" for requesting the equipment.

U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Durkin questioned why it took federal prosecutors so long to haul S.H. Bell into court. He also was skeptical of the company's defense.

"I'm very uncomfortable with the fact that a company that claims to be complying with environmental laws won't allow equipment on their property to prove it," Durkin said.

Regulators already have years of experience fighting S.H. Bell in Ohio, where federal and state officials have pushed the company to curb manganese emissions from its facilities near East Liverpool, a struggling factory town on the Pennsylvania border west of Pittsburgh.

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The Ohio EPA has cited S.H. Bell four times since 2008 for allowing manganese dust to blow into surrounding areas. A 2010 federal study found that people living near the Ohio facilities were more likely to suffer body tremors and have problems with motor skills  ailments linked to chronic manganese exposure.

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In September, federal scientists reported that average manganese concentrations in East Liverpool were higher during the past two years than they were a decade ago. The findings prompted another crackdown that resulted in a federal legal settlement announced last month.

S.H. Bell agreed to install pollution monitors around its property, install video cameras to track its equipment and take additional steps to reduce manganese dust. The deal also included a common provision allowing S.H. Bell to avoid taking responsibility for the pollution.

John Walke, an EPA lawyer in the Clinton administration who now works at the nonprofit Natural Resources Defense Council, said it is not surprising that companies put up a fight when accused of violating environmental laws. But there are signs the Trump administration may pull back on filing enforcement cases in the first place.

Scott Pruitt, newly sworn in as Trump's EPA administrator, abolished an environmental enforcement division while serving as Oklahoma attorney general and has led or taken part in 14 lawsuits that challenged the federal agency's authority

"We're talking about the bread-and-butter protections that Americans have come to expect," Walke said. "The public assumes somebody is looking out for them, but it takes political will and people enforcing the law to do that."

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mhawthorne@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @scribeguy
Barbara Welch, of Des Plaines, holds up a sign protesting President Donald Trump during a rally at Wabash Avenue and Wacker Drive in Chicago on Feb. 20, 2017. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)

Michelle Brasure recalls little of past Presidents Days, except learning about Washington and Lincoln in grade school.

Artist Debby Spertus remembers coloring in stovepipe hats as a kid, but that's about it.

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Graduate student Samantha Kray says she has virtually no memories of the holiday: "I just remember having the day off."

But Monday, they said, was extremely memorable  and meaningful. They joined hundreds of protesters in downtown Chicago to rally against President Donald Trump. Police at the event estimated about 800 protesters attended the rally.

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"I'm doing something for my country, instead of just having the day off," Spertus said.

Buoyed by sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-60s, the protesters chanted, "Hey, Hey, Ho, Ho, Donald Trump has got to go"; took pictures of each other's homemade signs; and listened to speakers who assailed Trump, his Cabinet picks and his policies. In the background, across the Chicago River, loomed the 98-story Trump condo and hotel tower.

The protest was part of numerous "Not My Presidents Day" rallies in U.S. cities.

"Donald Trump does not represent our values, and therefore we refuse to honor him on Presidents Day," local rally organizers wrote on their Facebook page. "He was elected by a minority of the American public but governs as if there's no resistance."

Many protesters said they had a variety of problems with Trump; several who were interviewed had trouble naming the issue that angered them the most. "It's hard to pick just one," said Kray, the graduate student.

Allison McCarthy, a teaching assistant in Evanston, said, "Every day it's something new." She ticked off her concerns: Racism. Immigration. Refugees. Women's rights.

Signs in the crowd reflected the range of issues: "Hands off our EPA." "Babes against bigotry." "Black lives matter." "I stand with Planned Parenthood."

One summed it up: "So many issues, so little sign." And this one yielded many laughs: "Pray for Sweden."

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Brasure came to the rally with her 15-year-old son, Oliver Bunzli, who carried a sign that said "Fake President." She said she is fearful what Trump might do next.

"I'm nostalgic for George W. Bush," Brasure said. "I never thought I would say that."

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Oliver said he doesn't like Trump because "he acts so immature and is disrespectful to those who don't agree with him."

A 9-year-old girl held a sign reading, "My Grandma is a Muslim immigrant." Her mother, Melanie Turek, drew the block letters, and the girl, Sofia, colored them in.

Turek, a teacher from La Grange Park, said Sofia's grandmother is from Egypt. "It saddens me that the leader of our country is making a religion negative in people's minds."

She said she welcomed the opportunity to bring Sofia and her 5-year-old sister, Chloe, to the rally. "They will remember this more than Disneyland," she said.

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Community organizer Michelle Hoppe Villegas said she came to the rally because Trump "is taking the country completely off the rails." She said she is particularly concerned about any ties Trump might have with Russia.

Friend Debby Spertus, the artist, said the rally helped make Presidents Day relevant. "It's an idea we can galvanize around and ask, 'What does the presidency mean?'"

sroe@chicagotribune.com
Masked thieves brokes into a car dealership in Chicago's Portage Park neighborhood on the Northwest Side early Tuesday, but they were unable to find keys for any of the cars, police said.

Just before 1:40 a.m., a security company monitoring the cameras of the dealership in the 5200 block of West Irving Park Road noticed five masked men were inside the business, police said.

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One of the men got in through a broken window of a service door, and he then let the other robbers into the business, police said.

The men were not able to find the keys to the vehicles, and they weren't able to leave with any cars, police said.

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No one was in custody.

On Sunday, five cars valued at more than $205,000 were stolen from a Libertyville dealership and later were involved in a high-speed chase in Wisconsin, according to Libertyville police officials.



Sunday's heist came after six cars were stolen Feb. 13 from an Infinity dealership in Clarendon Hills, four BMWs and a Porsche were stolen Feb. 3 from the Autobarn Mazda in Evanston, and five luxury cars were stolen in late January from a Mercedes dealership in Glencoe.
A 22-year-old man has gone missing from the Southwest Side, and authorities are seeking the public's help in locating him, Chicago police said.

Mario Leon, of the 4200 block of South Washtenaw Avenue, in the Brighton Park neighborhood, was last seen Thursday, police said.

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He was wearing a navy jacket, gray sweatshirt, dark blue jeans and brown work boots.

Leon's family said he may be in need of medical attention.

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If located, call 911 or contact Area Central Detectives at 312-747-8380.
An activities assistant at New Trier High School has been charged with theft, official misconduct and unlawful use of an account number following an investigation by school officials and police, according to the Winnetka Police Department.

Jeanine M. Brooks, 36, of the 8500 block of West Bryn Mawr Avenue in Chicago, was charged as a result of "potential fraudulent activity" discovered by New Trier officials who subsequently notified the Winnetka police, according to a press release issued Monday by police. It said Winnetka police conducted an investigation that included the execution of a search warrant at Brooks' residence.

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Details of the alleged crimes were not immediately available, but the release said they allegedly occurred during the 2016-2017 school year and that Brooks was charged with theft of more than $10,000 but less than $100,000. Brooks was taken to a bond hearing on Feb.18, where bond was set at $25,000, it said. She could not immediately be reached for comment.

New Trier communications director Nicole Dizon said Monday she could not say if Brooks is still employed in the district because it is a personnel matter, but she said an activities assistant typically works with the more than 150 extracurricular student work clubs at the two schools.

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Brian Cox is a freelancer for Pioneer Press.
*Birthday wishes for the governor? How about $5: Gov. Rauner marked his 61st birthday over the holiday weekend, and his political team let supporters know how they could help celebrate.

Saturday was Governor Rauners birthday  and we need your help to celebrate! said an email from the Rauner campaign. Were rallying all of Team Rauner to show their support for Bruce by chipping in $5 on his birthday.

The Republican governor in December put $50 million of his own money into his campaign fund for his re-election, and his political aides have said there was plenty more to come  an effort to dissuade potential Democratic challengers. He also declared on his tax forms a state taxable income of $188 million for 2015.

Governor Rauner is constantly working to put the people of Illinois first, and his birthday is a great opportunity to show him that he has our support, the fundraising email said. Chip in $5 to wish the governor a happy birthday and to show him that you are on his team as he works to bring back Illinois.

First Lady Diana Rauner also tweeted out a birthday message to her husband on Saturday: Happy birthday to my best friend @GovRauner! I couldn't ask for a better partner and a more loving husband. The governors response: Thanks @ILFirstLady, there's no one I'd rather celebrate with. (Rick Pearson)

*Municipal agenda: Illinois Municipal League Executive Director Brad Cole and other mayors are scheduled to unveil their legislative agenda on Tuesday in Springfield.



The Moving Cities Forward package includes the state automatically paying out motor fuel tax, 911, use tax and gaming revenues an outgrowth of the states historic budget impasse.



In addition, the group also is seeking changes in workers compensation and prevailing wage laws, an expansion of home rule eligibility for smaller municipalities and a consolidation of municipal public safety pension funds. (Rick Pearson)

*Duckworth delivers Democratic response: U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth delivered the Democratic response over the weekend to President Donald Trump, accusing him of a series of broken promises, including saying this is not the presidency we were promised.

Duckworth said Trump broke a promise to fully remove himself from his business interests and to drain the swamp of special interests, who she said who are assisting him in the Cabinet or as advisers. She also said Trump has raised threats to Mexico that could harm U.S. exports and hurt Midwestern farmers.

Duckworth also criticized Trump over former national security adviser Michael Flynn, who was forced to resign after not being forthcoming with Vice President Mike Pence over conversations with the Russian ambassador over U.S. sanctions against Russia.

...President Trumps choice left himself exposed to blackmail, betrayed our countrys interests andjust 24 days into the joblost the trust of the commander in chief and the American people, Duckworth said. Senior Democrats know the American people deserve an independent and transparent investigation into who at the White House knew about General Flynns contacts with the Russians and when they knew it, she said.

Duckworth said, We can and should expect much more from our leaders, but the bare minimum the American people should accept in a president is truth and accountability, standards she said Senate Democrats would work to hold Trump to. (Rick Pearson)

*How they voted, EPA edition: Illinois' two democratic U.S. senators both again voted against a nominee for President Donald Trump' cabinet, this time Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt.

Sens. Dick Durbin and Duckworth joined other Democrats in voting against Pruitt, but Republicans prevailed to confirm him by a 52-46 vote Friday.

"Pruitt has demonstrated time and again his unwillingness to accept the science of climate change and his contempt for the laws protecting our air and drinking water," Durbin said in a statement. "The Trump Administration has made American great for polluters again."

Duckworth and Durbin, along with many Democrats, have often voted similarly on Trump's picks. He has criticized lawmakers for not confirming his cabinet nominees more quickly.

*The Sunday Spin: On this week's show, Chicago Tribune political reporter Rick Pearsons guests were Martha Jo Black, author of Joe Black: More than a Dodger; Michael Mini, executive vice president of the Chicagoland Apartment Association; state Sen. Michael Hastings, D-Tinley Park; and Steve Ferkau, a volunteer for the Respiratory Health Association who received a double lung transplant in 2000. Listen to the full show here.

What we're writing

*Rauners pivot on Senate budget plan provides political breathing room.

*Democratic U.S. Rep. Bustos won't run for Illinois governor in 2018.

*Federal prosecutors allege Dorothy Brown took bribe, but her lawyer calls it loan.

*Chicago Urban League settles lawsuit with state over alleged school funding discrimination.

*Bob Michel, Illinois Republican leader skilled at compromise, dies at 93.

*Madigan: Lawmakers will consider Rauner's plan to sell the Thompson Center.

*Mayoral candidates square off in suburban election primaries.

*Former CDOT supervisor set for $370,000 settlement after alleged false arrest.

*Little Village streets, restaurants quiet as deportation fears rise.

*Trump to visit S.C. Boeing plant days after workers reject union.

*Schneider's town hall meeting draws large crowd.

What we're reading
President Donald Trump spoke out against anti-Semitic threats Tuesday, but his words were not enough for the Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect, whose executive director called the president's acknowledgment of anti-Semitism a "Band-Aid on the cancer of Antisemitism that has infected his own Administration."

"The anti-Semitic threats targeting our Jewish community at community centers are horrible and are painful and a very sad reminder of the work that still must be done to root out hate and prejudice and evil," Trump said after a visit to the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture.

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He also called his tour of the museum a "meaningful reminder of why we have to fight bigotry, intolerance and hatred in all of its very ugly forms." Trump told NBC News earlier in the day that anti-Semitism was "horrible," and was "going to stop."

On Tuesday morning, Steven Goldstein, executive director of the Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect, blasted Trump in a Facebook post.

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"His statement today is a pathetic asterisk of condescension after weeks in which he and his staff have committed grotesque acts and omissions reflecting Antisemitism, yet day after day have refused to apologize and correct the record," Goldstein said in the statement. "Make no mistake: The Antisemitism coming out of this Administration is the worst we have ever seen from any Administration."

The statement continued:

"The White House repeatedly refused to mention Jews in its Holocaust remembrance, and had the audacity to take offense when the world pointed out the ramifications of Holocaust denial. And it was only yesterday, Presidents' Day, that Jewish Community Centers across the nation received bomb threats, and the President said absolutely nothing. When President Trump responds to Antisemitism proactively and in real time, and without pleas and pressure, that's when we'll be able to say this President has turned a corner. This is not that moment."

In a tweet, the center wrote: ".@POTUS @realDonaldTrump do not make us Jews settle for crumbs of condescension. What are you going to do about #Antsemitism in @WhiteHouse."

.@POTUS @realDonaldTrump do not make us Jews settle for crumbs of condescension. What are you going to do about #Antsemitism in @WhiteHouse pic.twitter.com/95Z5GP1OBc  Anne Frank Center (@AnneFrankCenter) February 21, 2017

Trump's comments came after Jewish community centers across the country were hit with bomb threats, according to the Anti-Defamation League. The organization said in a news release that this was the fourth "series of such threats" this year. They also followed the news that more than 170 gravestones at a Jewish cemetery in Missouri had been found toppled.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Tuesday reported that the vandalism occurred over the weekend and was under investigation.

The Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect has its headquarters in New York and an office in Los Angeles, according its website. It has previously been critical of Trump.

The Trump administration in January was criticized for not mentioning Jews in a statement issued on International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Trump remembered "the victims, survivors, heroes of the Holocaust" but did not specifically mention Jewish people in the brief statement.

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"I don't regret the words," White House chief of staff Reince Priebus said, when he was asked to defend the statement during a "Meet the Press" appearance.

Priebus added: "Everyone's suffering [in] the Holocaust including obviously all of the Jewish people affected and miserable genocide that occurs - it's something that we consider to be extraordinarily sad."

Trump on Feb. 15 was asked about what he was going to do to about the increase in anti-Semitic incidents in the U.S. since his campaign and Election Day victory. He responded by talking about his electoral college win. And at a news conference Thursday, he was asked about the increase in anti-Semitism.

"Number one, I am the least anti-Semitic person that you've ever seen in your entire life," Trump said. "Number two, racism, the least racist person."
Ukrainian oligarch Dimitri Firtash successfully fought efforts to bring him to face justice in a Chicago courtroom for most of President Barack Obama's second term.



But now an Austrian court has ordered the billionaire  who has ties to both the Kremlin and to President Donald Trump's former campaign manager Paul Manafort  be extradited to the U.S. to face racketeering charges.



Taken into custody in Vienna by Austrian police following the court's ruling Tuesday, Firtash is also wanted by Spanish authorities. But the odds of him finally standing before a federal judge in Chicago have gone up considerably.



And Firtash has assembled a formidable all-star American legal team to defend him.



Former U.S. Attorney Dan Webb, Clinton White House counsel Lanny Davis and former Homeland Security secretary Michael Chertoff have all been hired by Firtash, who denies allegations that he bribed Indian politicians while masterminding an international racket that sought to sell titanium to Chicago-based Boeing.



Though none of the legal eagles has appeared in a Chicago court on Firtash's behalf since he was indicted in his absence in 2013, Webb told the Tribune on Tuesday that he has been representing the oligarch "for two and a half years" while Firtash fights efforts to bring him to the U.S.



Webb said he was "very disappointed" that an Austrian appellate court on Tuesday overturned a lower court's previous ruling that the Obama-era U.S. Department of Justice had been politically motivated and was seeking to punish allies of Russian leader Vladimir Putin when it indicted Firtash in the wake of the Russian annexation of Crimea.



Firtash, who had been free in Austria on a bond of $174 million, was taken into custody and must now be brought to Chicago to stand trial unless Austrian Justice Minister Wolfgang Brandstetter intervenes on his behalf, the Austrian court ruled Tuesday. It was unclear what impact the case brought by Spanish authorities will have on the efforts to bring him to the U.S.



The oligarch's business dealings with Manafort are detailed in court filings in a separate, civil case in New York and add an intriguing wrinkle to a case that already had the potential for wide-ranging repercussions. Manafort's ties to Russia are under federal investigation, according to The New York Times.



Asked Tuesday whether the Trump administration might be less interested in prosecuting Firtash than the Obama administration was, Webb told the Tribune that he didn't "want to get out over my skis  it's not my place to comment on that."



But he added, "Mr. Firtash had a huge victory in the Austrian trial court where a judge previously found that the case was politically motivated. I'm very disappointed that has been overturned."



Chicago U.S. Attorney's office spokesman Joseph Fitzpatrick declined to comment on the case, or to say when Firtash might appear in Chicago, but thanked "the government of Austria for its close cooperation." Messages sent to the White House and to Manafort were not returned.



Associated Press contributed.



kjanssen@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @kimjnews
At least 10 Jewish Community Centers across the country, including one in Chicago, were the target of bomb threats Monday, according to officials.

A threat to a facility in the 5200 block of South Hyde Park Boulevard about 10:10 a.m. Monday brought police to the scene, but officers and staff found no evidence that the threat was bona fide, according to police. No evacuation was necessary, according to police. The Hyde Park Jewish Community Center is at 5200 S. Hyde Park.

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In upstate New York, a bomb threat that forced the Jewish Community Center to evacuate two buildings in Buffalo and Amherst late Monday morning was part of a nationwide effort that saw at least 10 such centers targeted with similar threats, according to local and national officials.

Similar threats were reported Monday  Presidents Day  in Cleveland, Houston, Tampa, Fla., Nashville, Tenn., Birmingham, Ala., Albuquerque, N.M., St. Paul, Minn., Milwaukee and Whitefish Bay, Wis., according to media reports and local Jewish Community Center officials.

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In all, 48 JCCs in 26 states and one Canadian province received nearly 60 bomb threats during January, according to an association of Jewish community centers across the nation. Those threats have continued in February.

Following an earlier round of threats  there have been at least four instances in which multiple Jewish centers have been targeted with telephone threats on the same day  the FBI confirmed that it is investigating the threats.

"The FBI and the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division are investigating possible civil rights violations in connection with threats to Jewish Community Centers across the country," a national FBI spokeswoman said in a statement late in January. She refused to provide further information, citing the ongoing investigation of the threats.

A Chicago FBI spokesman cited the earlier statement as all the information being released by the FBI regarding the threats.

On Monday, the community centers in Amherst and Buffalo, N.Y., were evacuated immediately following the threat phoned in to the Amherst facility. Law enforcement officials searched both buildings, nothing was found, and both centers reopened within 2 1/2 hours.

The bomb threat was made about 11:15 a.m., according to Amherst Assistant Police Chief Charles Cohen. Everyone in the building was evacuated to a nearby location, and the all-clear alert was sounded around 12:45 p.m.

"The NFTA dog helped us with a sweep," Cohen said. "Areas where we couldn't get a dog in were visually checked by officers and staff."

In Buffalo, evacuees were taken to a nearby building. After Buffalo police investigated, the facility reopened by 1:30 p.m., according to witnesses on the scene.

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"They accomplished what they wanted," local JCC Executive Director Richard A. Zakalik said of the people coordinating the threats. "The whole point was to scare and disrupt. Nevertheless, we take it very seriously, and we follow the procedures and protocols that are in place."

Zakalik thanked County Executive Mark Poloncarz, the State Police and other law-enforcement agencies that have reached out to help establish those procedures. And in a written statement to JCC members, Zakalik also praised his staff's professional actions and the members' cooperation in evacuating so quickly.

 The Buffalo News via Tribune Content Agency; the Chicago Tribune's Liam Ford contributed.
Different varieties of marijuana are displayed at a marijuana dispensary in Portland, Ore. (Gosia Wozniacka / Associated Press)

When Massachusetts voters overwhelmingly approved a ballot measure in November to legalize recreational marijuana, Josh Miller saw this as a sign that his time had finally arrived.

The Rhode Island state senator has a reputation among colleagues as a cannabis crusader  a battle that, so far, he's lost. For the last three years, Miller introduced legislation to legalize recreational pot, and for the last three years, his efforts have died in committee hearing rooms.

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But now, in a turnaround, some of Miller's colleagues are signaling an interest in legalized weed  and raking in the tax dollars that come with it.

"We now have the wind at our backs," said Miller, who introduced his latest pro-pot bill last week. "Seeing our next door neighbor legalize it should help us  a lot."

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In the fall, three other states joined Massachusetts in passing recreational pot ballot measures: California, Maine and Nevada. Four other states  Alaska, Colorado, Oregon and Washington  have legalized marijuana through ballot initiatives as well.

But this year lawmakers in 17 states  Connecticut, Minnesota and Hawaii among them  have become emboldened enough to introduce more than two dozen measures to legalize recreational pot for adults and tax its sale. The experiences of Colorado and Washington state  the first two states to legalize the drug still considered illegal under federal law  drive the trend.

This month, Colorado officials released a report showing the state brought in $200 million in tax revenue last year. Washington raked in even more  about $256 million. Most of the money goes toward public school systems.

"Our focus is on revenue and bringing in cash to the state as legalization becomes more and more widespread," said Mary Washington, a state delegate from Maryland who introduced a bill recently that would tax marijuana like alcohol. She estimates the state could net $165 million a year. (California estimates that legalized recreational marijuana will bring in about $1 billion a year in state tax revenue.)

Washington, whose district is in Baltimore, has not sponsored pot legislation in the past, but has been a supporter of legalization. She's viewed the issue from a criminal justice perspective after witnessing young black men in her community continuously arrested for low-level possession.

Now, with individuals able to carry up to an ounce of marijuana legally in some states, along with the cash generated from sales, she felt that it's time to join the broader legalization movement. The success of Maryland lawmakers in passing medicinal marijuana legislation in 2014 also makes her optimistic.

"These conversations need to be happening now, in state legislatures," Washington said, adding that even with voter- approved ballot measures, lawmakers are often tasked with hashing out laws that regulate sales. "Why not get it done now? We're elected to do a job. More and more states are moving in this direction."

The legalization of medical marijuana took a similar path.

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Six states passed ballot measures approving medicinal pot from the mid-1990s until 2000. It wasn't until that year when Hawaii became the first to do so through the Legislature. Since 2004, nearly twice as many states have adopted medical laws through legislatures  13  compared to seven passed through ballot initiatives.

Mason Tvert, a spokesman for the Washington, D.C.-based Marijuana Policy Project, a group dedicated to ending cannabis prohibition nationwide, said voters led the way on legalizing cannabis for medicinal use before lawmakers woke up.

"Voters saw through the government's reefer madness and led the way on medical marijuana. Those laws inspired citizens in other states to demand action from their elected officials, who could now see that such laws were not just popular, but possible," Tvert said. "The same thing is now happening with broader legalization."

For wary lawmakers, polling is helpful as public approval of legal marijuana is increasing, similar to the country's quick shift in favor of same-sex marriage over the years.

A Pew Research Center survey from October showed that 57% of Americans believe marijuana should be legalized, compared to 37% who believe it should remain illegal. By contrast, a similar Pew poll in 2006 showed almost the opposite  60% believed it should be illegal, compared with 32% who supported legalization.

And a poll released this month by Public Policy Polling showed that 59% of Rhode Islanders support legalization, compared to 35% in opposition. In Rhode Island, where a motorist can drive out of the state in 30 minutes or less, lawmakers fear losing millions of dollars to Massachusetts. So too do lawmakers in Connecticut and New York, where legalization measures are also being debated.

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The polling of Rhode Islanders, mixed with the Massachusetts vote, became enough to change the opinion of Rhode Island state Sen. Ryan Pearson.

He staunchly opposed Miller's past efforts, because he believed, among other things, that edible marijuana, such as cookies and candies, would be enticing to children.

"Then, I saw this shift around the country with other states. It's crept into New England and we see it legal right next door," he said. "Now it's not a matter of if, but when, for legalization in this state.  We should take the initiative to get this done right."

The issue of edibles is a widespread concern and Gov. John Hickenlooper of Colorado has warned lawmakers in other states, including California recently, to regulate them carefully.

Still, opposition to legalization can often be seen in the corridors of state capitols.

In Rhode Island, law enforcement agencies have expressed concerns about enforcing and prosecuting people driving under the influence. Moreover, Rhode Island Atty. Gen. Peter F. Kilmartin remains staunchly opposed, saying it's "a complex policy decision that has long-lasting effects and unintended consequences, much of which are still unknown."

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"This is not a decision that should be made lightly," he said in an email. "It must be made with a full understanding of the complications of regulating a new industry, its effect on our youths' development, what impact it will have on our future workforce, the public health implications."

For Miller, despite each of his past efforts faltering in committees, he's seen momentum for his cause over the years.

"One member of legislative leadership would back it, then another. It was a slow trickle," said Miller, who in recent years has met with representatives from Colorado to talk about the ups and downs of legalization.

Rhode Island state Rep. Scott Slater, Miller's House sponsor for the legal pot measure, said pressure is on the state.

"We see legalization moving into the New England area and out here it's a very regional economy," he said. "Why give Massachusetts all the benefit?"

kurtis.lee@latimes.com

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Twitter: @kurtisalee
WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump called anti-Semitic violence "horrible" and vowed Tuesday to take steps to counter extremism in comments that followed criticism that the White House had not clearly denounced vandalism and threats targeting Jewish institutions.

Hours before Trump's remarks, Hillary Clinton called on her former presidential rival to speak out against anti-Semitic acts after more than 170 Jewish graves were found toppled at a cemetery in Missouri.

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"The anti-Semitic threats targeting our Jewish community at community centers are horrible and are painful and a very sad reminder of the work that still must be done to root out hate and prejudice and evil," Trump said following a visit to the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Trump called the tour "meaningful reminder of why we have to fight bigotry, intolerance and hatred in all of its very ugly forms." Earlier, he told NBC News that "anti-Semitism is horrible and it's going to stop."

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The remarks by Trump also appear aimed at easing pressure on his administration, which faces claims from opponents that it has failed to distance itself from extremist ideology and has emboldened right-wing groups through its populist, America-first themes.

The tweet from Clinton did not specifically mention the gravesite disturbances in University City, Mo., but noted increasing reports of "troubling" threats against Jewish community centers, cemetery desecrations and online intimidation.

Clinton's message to Trump came as the president of the World Jewish Congress, Ronald S. Lauder, also urged U.S. officials to recognize that "anti-Semitism is alive and kicking."

"American Jews are worried," Lauder said in a statement. "It is shocking to see that Jewish sites are once again being targeted by criminals."

On Monday, the Anti-Defamation League reported a wave of bomb threats directed against Jewish Community Centers in multiple states, the fourth series of such threats since the beginning of the year, it said, a development that elicited comments from a White House spokesman and Ivanka Trump, neither of which used the phrase "anti-Semitism" or mentioned Jews.

Ivanka Trump's tweet: "America is a nation built on the principle of religious tolerance. We must protect our houses of worship & religious centers. #JCC"

"Glad to see this," the ADL's Jonathan Greenblatt tweeted about Ivanka Trump's comment. "All Jews need to urge" the president "to step forward & share a plan. His words carry weight. His actions will speak even louder."

The exchanges were particularly noteworthy in part because of Trump's unusual response at a news conference Wednesday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to a question about the rise in anti-Semitic incidents around the country. Rather than condemning them, Trump responded by talking about his electoral college victory, describing the question as unfair.

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Trump has been criticized for refusing to describe the threats toward Jews as "anti-Semitism." An op-ed at the Forward, the New York-based newspaper written for a Jewish audience, described Trump's "silence about anti-Semitism" as "deeply disturbing."

When asked again about the rise in anti-Semitic threats, during another news conference on Thursday, the president responded as if he was being personally accused. Trump said that the question was "very insulting" and that he was "the least anti-Semitic person that you've ever seen in your entire life."

The weekend's events, coming in the wake of last week's public exchanges with Trump, served to heat up a long-simmering tension between some leaders of the nation's Jewish community and the Trump White House.

The perpetrators of the cemetery vandalism and their motives were not yet established. Police in University City, an inner-ring suburb of St. Louis, were just launching an investigation, reviewing video surveillance at the cemetery, operated on a not-for-profit basis by the Chesed Shel Emeth Society and calling on anyone with information to come forward.

Because of the Sabbath, the cemetery does not operate on Saturday, the director of the Chesed Shel Emeth Society, Anita Feigenbaum, told The Washington Post in a phone interview.

A groundskeeper arrived Monday morning to find gravestones overturned across a wide section of the cemetery, the oldest section, bearing the remains of Jews who died between the late 1800s and the mid-20th century.

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She called it a "horrific act of cowardice," beyond anything the cemetery had experienced in the past.

The cemetery was founded in 1888 by the Russian Jewish community in St. Louis "to aid all Jews who needed burial whether they had the money or not. They started with the burial society and then extended to hospitals and houses that help the poor and the sick. To this day that's what we do. We are not for profit. We help in this horrible time in a person's life."

Feigenbaum had walked through the cemetery during the day and had not yet completed counting the number of damaged stones, most of them pushed over, off their bases. So far she said she had found than 170. Feigenbaum said she was starting to hear from families of people buried there. "We will reach out to the families that are affected," she said.

The cemetery holds the remains of more than 20,000, she estimated.

She said she was getting an "outpouring of support from across the United States" with people volunteering to help with repairs.

Separately on Monday, the Anti-Defamation League reported a wave of bomb threats directed against Jewish community centers in multiple states, the fourth series of such threats since the beginning of the year, it said.

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"While ADL does not have any information at this time to indicate the presence of any actual bombs at the institutions threatened, the threats themselves are alarming, disruptive and must always be taken seriously."

Bomb threats were called in at Jewish community centers in 11 cities across the United States: Albuquerque, Amherst, Birmingham, Chicago, Cleveland, Houston, Milwaukee, Nashville, St. Paul, Tampa and Whitefish Bay, Wis. Since January, there have been 69 bomb threat calls targeting 54 centers in 27 different states, according to the Jewish Community Center Association.

In Amherst and Buffalo, the community centers were briefly closed after a threat was phoned to the Amherst center. Disruption was the goal, said Richard A. Zakalik, the local New York JCC executive director, to the Buffalo News on Monday. "They accomplished what they wanted," Zakalik said to the Buffalo News. "The whole point was to scare and disrupt."

No devices or bombs were found in connection with the threats; the Jewish Community Center Association described all of Monday's incidents as "hoaxes." The FBI and the civil rights division of the Justice Department will probe the series of calls for federal violations, according to the Star Tribune.

Paul Goldenberg, the director of Secure Community Network, the security affiliate of Jewish Federations of North America, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that the bomb threats appeared to originate from the "same serial caller." Noting that not every building that received a call decided to evacuate, he said that the community centers were "very well-equipped to handle this." The centers also increased their security measures after the threats, the JCCA noted.

The weekend spate of anti-Semitic threats was not limited to the United States. In Canada, a 70-year-old Toronto woman named Helen Chaiton said that her mezuza, the case containing Hebrew verse traditionally affixed to a doorpost, had been vandalized twice over the weekend. Chaiton and her neighbors also found that the vandals had left behind sticky notes with swastikas, the CBC reported.

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Responding to an inquiry from NBC News about the threats, the White House tweeted back: "Hatred and hate-motivated violence of any kind have no place in a country founded on the promise of individual freedom. The President has made it abundantly clear that these actions are unacceptable."

The tweet from Ivanka Trump, a convert to Judaism, appeared to be unsolicited and drew generally favorable reaction, but also questions about why her father, the president, seemed reluctant to speak out.
Washington  Donald Trump knew a man he named as a senior business adviser in 2010 had been convicted in a major Mafia-linked stock fraud scheme, according to Associated Press interviews and a review of court records.

Trump had worked with Felix Sater previously during the man's stint as an executive at Bayrock Group LLC, a real estate development firm that partnered with Trump on numerous projects after renting office space from the Trump Organization. But Sater's past was not widely known at the time because he was working as a government cooperator on mob cases and the judge overseeing Sater's own case kept the proceedings secret. After Sater's criminal history and past ties to organized crime came to light in 2007, Trump distanced himself from Sater.

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Less than three years later, however, Trump tapped Sater for a business development role that came with the title of senior adviser to Donald Trump. Sater received Trump Organization business cards and was given an office within the Trump Organization's headquarters, on the same floor as Trump's own.

Trump said during an AP interview on Wednesday that he recalled only bare details of Sater.

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"Felix Sater, boy, I have to even think about it," Trump said, referring questions about Sater to his staff. "I'm not that familiar with him."

According to Trump lawyer Alan Garten, Sater's role was to prospect for high-end real estate deals for the Trump Organization. The arrangement lasted six months, Garten said.

The revelation about Sater's role is significant because of its timing and directness, and marks the first time the Trump Organization has acknowledged publicly that Sater worked for Trump after the disclosures of Sater's criminal background. Trump has said that among his secrets of success is that he surrounds himself with the "best and most serious people" and with "people you can trust."

Sater never had an employment agreement or formal contract with the Trump Organization and did not close any deals for Trump, Garten said.

"He was trying to restart his life," Garten said. "I believe he was regretful of things that happened in the past."

Trump did not know the details of Sater's cooperation with the government when Sater came in-house in 2010, Garten said. But Garten noted that U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch praised Sater's cooperation with the federal government, when senators asked about him during her confirmation hearings early this year. She said Sater cooperated against his Mafia stock fraud co-defendants and assisted the government on unspecified national security matters.

"If Mr. Sater was good enough for the government to work with, I see no reason why he wasn't good enough for Mr. Trump," Garten said.

He pleaded guilty in 1998 to one count of racketeering for his role in a $40 million stock fraud scheme involving the prominent Genovese and Bonanno crime families, according to court records. Prosecutors called the operation a pump-and-dump scheme, in which insiders manipulate the price of obscure stocks and then sell them to hapless investors at inflated prices. Five years earlier, a New York State court had sentenced Sater to more than a year in prison for stabbing a man in the face with a broken margarita glass.

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Sater declined to discuss his work with Trump.

"Obviously a Donald-and-the-bad-guy piece is not interesting for me to participate in," Sater wrote in an email to AP. His lawyer, Robert Wolf, said information about Sater in public records and lawsuits obtained by the AP was defamatory. He credited Sater's stint as a government cooperator with potentially saving American military lives, although he did not provide details. Wolf told the AP to write about Sater's past "at your own risk" but did not cite specific concerns.

After his 1998 racketeering conviction, Sater spent more than a decade as an informant on the Mafia and on national security-related matters. Federal prosecutors kept even the existence of Sater's racketeering case out of publicly available court records for 14 years.

During that time, Sater launched a luxury real estate development career. Sealed court records prevented potential customers or partners from learning about his past association with organized crime. Sater altered his name, to Satter, and became a top executive in Bayrock, a development firm that partnered with Trump on the Trump Soho high-rise hotel in Manhattan and other branded luxury real estate deals.

Civil lawsuits  including a sealed case filed in U.S. District Court in the Southern District of New York that was obtained by the AP  have alleged that Bayrock engaged in a pattern of misconduct during Sater's tenure, sometimes involving potential Trump projects. The AP obtained a copy of the sealed lawsuit, which was refiled last month, when the original complaint was included as part of a lawsuit Sater filed in an Israeli court. Bayrock's attorney told AP that the firm did not mislead anyone about Sater's past and denied any misconduct. The firm has not yet responded to a version of the complaint refiled in U.S. court last month.

Trump's lawyer, Garten, said Trump had no knowledge of alleged improprieties at Bayrock or reason to believe that Sater was a major stakeholder in Bayrock's projects. Trump only learned of Sater's troubled past when The New York Times reported details in December 2007. In the article, Trump distanced himself from Sater, saying: "I didn't really know him very well."

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Garten said Trump had no further interactions with Sater at Bayrock following the revelations of his criminal history. But a new relationship was formed in 2010 when Trump offered Sater office space and a chance to round up new business possibilities for the Trump Organization.

"The guy's been in business a long time, he's got a lot of contacts," Garten said of Sater.

Associated Press
The Trump administration plans to roll back protections for transgender students, reversing federal guidance that required the nation's public schools to allow children to use the bathrooms and locker rooms that matched their gender identities.

In a letter to the nation's schools, administration officials plan to say they are withdrawing guidance issued by the Obama administration that found that denying transgender students the right to use the bathroom of their choice violates federal prohibitions against sex discrimination, according to a draft of the letter obtained by The Washington Post.

"This interpretation has given rise to significant litigation," states the two-page draft, which indicates that the Education and Justice departments plan to issue it jointly. The draft says administrators, parents and students have "struggled to understand and apply the statements of policy" in the Obama-era guidance.

As a result, the departments "have decided to withdraw and rescind the above-referenced guidance documents in order to further consider the legal issues involved." The letter makes clear that schools must protect all students and that the withdrawal of the guidance "does not diminish the protections from bullying and harassment that are available to all students. Schools must ensure that transgender students, like all students, are able to learn in a safe environment."

A final version of the letter is slated to be issued Wednesday, according to a Republican operative with knowledge of the conversations within the Trump administration on the issue. The administration is expected to release the letter despite objections from Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, who did not want to rescind the guidance, the operative said. Officials with the Education and Justice departments did not immediately respond to requests for comment late Tuesday night.

The reversal would represent a significant setback for the gay rights movement, which made enormous gains under President Barack Obama. It suggests that President Trump, who had signaled during the campaign and in the early days of his presidency that he supports gay and transgender rights, will hew closer to the GOP party line.

"I think that all you have to do is look at what the president's view has been for a long time, that this is not something that the federal government should be involved in, this is a states' rights issue," White House spokesman Sean Spicer told reporters at a daily media briefing Tuesday afternoon, saying that the Education and Justice departments would issue fresh guidance soon.

The decision would not have an immediate impact on the nation's public school students because a federal judge had already put a hold on the Obama-era directive.

But it would instantly affect several legal cases, including that of Gavin Grimm, a transgender Virginia teen who sued his school board for barring him from using the boys' bathroom. The U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments in Grimm's case next month.

A lower court ruled in favor of Grimm based on the Obama administration's position on transgender student bathroom use. The change would at least partially undermine Grimm's case.

Gay rights groups, which expected the Trump administration to change course from the earlier transgender guidance, condemned the move preemptively.

"Such clear action directed at children would be a brazen and shameless attack on hundreds of thousands of young Americans who must already defend themselves against schoolyard bullies, but are ill-equipped to fight bullies on the floors of their state legislatures and in the White House," Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality, said in a statement Tuesday.

The Obama administration's guidance was based on the position that requiring students to use a restroom that clashes with their gender identity is a violation of Title IX, the federal law that bars sex discrimination. Transgender students and their parents cheered Obama's move to expand the protections, but it drew legal challenges from those who believe it was a federal intrusion into local affairs and a violation of social norms.

The issue of which bathrooms transgender people should be permitted to use has evolved in recent years into a central debate about rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. Transgender advocates say that allowing people with gender dysphoria to use their preferred restroom is essential for their health and psychological well-being. Opponents say the accommodations violate student privacy and traditional values.

Many legal experts say that federal law protects transgender students no matter what agency guidance says.

"This administration cannot strip away the rights of transgender students by retracting the guidance - the issue is before the courts now and the law has not changed," said Vanita Gupta, who worked as the head of civil rights for the Justice Department in the Obama administration and issued the original guidance. "To cloak this in federalism ignores the vital and historic role that federal law plays in ensuring that all children (including LGBT students) are able to attend school free from discrimination."

It is unusual for a new administration to overturn such significant civil rights guidance, according to advocates who closely track the issue. And such a reversal is likely to leave schools confused about how to proceed, they say; Obama administration officials said that they developed the transgender guidance in response to requests from school officials.

"Schools repeatedly asked for guidance on how to support transgender students and create a safe and inclusive learning environment for all," said Anurima Bhargava, who helmed the educational opportunities section of Justice Department's civil rights division under Obama. "The guidance has been, and will continue to be, an important and practical resource for schools."

Nearly 800 parents of transgender students wrote to President Trump last week, urging him to keep the guidance to protect their children from discrimination.

"No young person should wake up in the morning fearful of the school day ahead," the parents wrote. "When this guidance was issued last year, it provided our families - and other families like our own across the country - with the knowledge and security that our government was determined to protect our children from bullying and discrimination. Please do not take that away from us."

The Obama administration's directive sparked immediate backlash from those who saw it as a gross overreach of executive power, and several states sued in response.

Texas Lt. Gov Dan Patrick (R) has been one of the most vociferous opponents of the Obama guidance, calling it "blackmail" and the most important issue for families in schools since the Supreme Court ruled against school-sponsored prayer.

In January, Patrick joined Texas Republicans in supporting a bill that would require the state's transgender residents to use bathrooms and locker rooms corresponding to their biological sex, not their gender identity. He said the legislation was necessary to protect Texans' privacy, including in public schools.

"We know it's going to be a tough fight," Patrick said at the time, according to the Texas Tribune. "But we know we're on the right side of the issue. We're on the right side of history. You can mark today as the day Texas is drawing a line in the sand and saying no."

In an interview in May with The Washington Post, Donald Trump, then the presumptive Republican presidential nomination, said he thought that the government should protect transgender people but that it should be up to the states to decide on the bathroom issue.

"I think it's something where we have to help people - and hopefully the states will make the right decisions," Trump said in the interview.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions has been a longtime opponent of broadening LGBT rights. While in the U.S. Senate, he endorsed a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage and opposed expanding hate crime legislation to include acts against gay and transgender people.

DeVos, who was narrowly confirmed this month after a contentious hearing, has a more nuanced record on gay rights. By reversing course on the transgender issue, she could again find herself mired in controversy at the outset of her tenure.

DeVos has been accused of hostility to LGBT rights because of her extended family's donations to socially conservative advocacy groups and efforts to ban same-sex marriage. She has tried to distance herself from her family's position; in 2004, for example, she and her husband did not contribute to a ballot initiative to ban same-sex marriage in their home state of Michigan, though several of their relatives did.

At her confirmation hearing, she asked senators not to confuse her record with that of her family: "I embrace equality, and I firmly believe in the intrinsic value of each individual, and that every student should have the assurance of a safe and discrimination-free place to become educated," she said at the time. A week later, a spokesman for the DeVos family told BuzzFeed News that DeVos supports same-sex marriage.

The Washington Post's Matt Zapotosky contributed to this report.
I am a Muslim. I do not pray. I do not fast during Ramadan. I drink alcohol and eat pork. I do not believe in God. But I identify as a Muslim. Islam is a large part of the world I grew up in; it is inseparable from home.

The world in which I grew up in Lebanon included practicing and nonpracticing Muslims. It also included many Christians. But my family is Muslim; so is our culture. Extended family celebrations often revolved around the Eids, for which we would buy new clothes and meet for elaborate lunches, the children excitedly hoping for money, the Eidiyya, from the grown-ups. During Ramadan, we met our cousins, many of whom fasted the whole month, for iftar, breaking the fast with them as soon as the muezzin finished his prayer.

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When I think back on my grandmothers, I often remember them praying in a calm, naturally lit room in the back of the house. I would catch a glimpse of them through an open door, white translucent veils running down their shoulders, kneeling down on the prayer mat, murmuring words that intrigued me and that I longed to learn.

I never learned the prayers, but I listened to many stories from Islamic history told by my father, often refracted through the great Muslim historian Ibn Khaldun, whom my father liked to read and quote: deeds of the prophet, his relationship to his companions, the passing of political authority to the caliphs, the struggles that ensued. But I also learned the stories of the caliphs, and especially of the Shiite Imams Hassan and Hussein, at funerals, in which professional readers would recount them in a tearful voice, slowly rising up in pitch, until it turned into cries, sending the mourners into uncontrollable sobs.

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I also learned the Fatiha, the first sura of the Koran, from my mother, who encouraged me to recite it when I had trouble falling asleep as a child. I now recite it when we visit the tombs of my grandparents and uncles and aunts, kneeling by them, one hand on the marble. But I have found myself lately reciting the Fatiha when I am anxious, for example on airplanes, as I have become increasingly fearful of turbulence during flights. I do not recite it unconsciously, unaware of the meaning of the act, but as skeptical as I am, I still find it soothing. Perhaps what it ultimately conjures up is my mother's protection, not God's. But she expressed this protection through this religious gesture, which she probably learned from her own mother. To be a Muslim, to me, is precisely to have inherited these gestures, the rituals with which I grew up, and which have become a part of me.

Does this make me a Muslim according to President Trump's definition? It sometimes seems as if his view of religion amounts to holding a certain set of beliefs (hence the proposed religious test) rather than a memory, a ritual or a culture. I did not choose to be a Muslim, but it was not imposed on me either. It is just part of who I am, just like being Lebanese, or a woman or a (former) resident of Beirut.

So far Trump's ban has not included my country, Lebanon, though it does fall under the rubric of a "Muslim-majority" country. And because I do not wear any religious dress, I have been spared the harassment inflicted by some of his supporters on women who wear the veil. But I still very much feel included when he talks of "Muslims." The problem, of course, cannot be with the different answers millions of us give to the question of being a Muslim; the problem is with the question. It is the wrong one to ask, and for all the wrong reasons.

Loubna El Amine is an assistant professor in the department of political science at Northwestern University. She is the author of "Classical Confucian Political Thought: A New Interpretation."

Related articles:

Will it soon be Donald Trump vs. Mike Pence?

The dumbing down of the American voter

Trump needs to fire Steve Bannon

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Trump's White House is falling apart
To get a sense of how insular and disrespectful, even to its own, the Trump administration has become just 30 days in, consider the case of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

Tillerson is less empowered on foreign policy matters than the president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who oversees the Middle East; his personal lawyer, who, reports say, was involved in writing a "peace plan" for Russia and Ukraine; and political adviser Steve Bannon, who has an unprecedented seat on the National Security Council and deep influence on the president's views on a host of foreign and domestic policies.

Meanwhile, Tillerson, one of the most powerful former chief executives in the world, is reduced to reorganizing the State Department bureaucracy, a worthwhile and substantive initiative, but perhaps better left to a deputy, if he could only hire one without prior White House approval.

Speculation has already begun on how long before Tillerson tells President Donald Trump that he didn't sign up to be neutered and irrelevant, and he moves on.

While Tillerson may not stand for the humiliation and waste of his time, Vice President Mike Pence probably will.

Pence has been treated with great disregard and disrespect too.

He mattered so little to the president and those closest to him that they allowed him to look like a fool when he denied that former NSC chair Michael Flynn discussed sanctions with Russia. And just this weekend, Pence was sent to a NATO meeting with the promise that Russia will be held "accountable" for its actions in Ukraine, which makes the reports of a private back-channel communication seeking accommodation with Russia over Ukraine another example of Pence's cluelessness.

But, unlike Tillerson, Pence has reasons to stick around and bear the slights. First, he has an independent base of power through his former colleagues in Congress and with Republican governors. They rely on Pence as the steady go-between with an inexperienced and erratic administration. Ultimately, if Trump succeeds in his first term, it will be because Pence was able to work with Congress to pass some version of tax reform, repeal and replace of Obamacare, and infrastructure investment legislation, all wrapped up in a budget that enacts the Republican dream of lower taxes and massive cuts in entitlements.

Working for Trump must cause people to consider daily whether they have made the right decision for themselves, their families, their country. The Clash lyric "should I stay or should I go" would seem to be the right soundtrack for those who work in the Trump administration. My guess is Tillerson goes, but Pence stays.
Chief White House Strategist Steve Bannon, left, walks with White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus to Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Friday, Feb. 17, 2017. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP)

Washington Post  President Donald Trump's most colorful foreign policy critic, Eliot Cohen, reacting to appearances by chief of staff Reince Priebus on the Sunday shows, tweeted that Priebus reminds him "of the colorless, beliefless, spineless functionaries of 20th century totalitarians." Well, Priebus, who happily turned over the GOP to Trump, has as much experience as anyone from his job as the Republican National Committee chairman in the "colorless, beliefless, spineless" functionary department.

At the RNC, Priebus was in charge of getting rich people to cough up money and running a political shop that over the years has been overshadowed by the Republican Governors Association, the House and Senate election committees, the Koch brothers, American Crossroads and other entities. To the extent he believes in anything  reaching out to minorities and pursuing comprehensive immigration reform, for example, were his aims from the 2013 GOP autopsy report  it is only for the moment.

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What is obvious both from his appearances and from recent events is how small and unimpressive Priebus is. He willingly parrots any Trump line no matter how loathsome, as he did in facing Chris Wallace on "Fox News Sunday":

WALLACE: This is what he wrote, "The fake news media (failing New York Times, NBC News, ABC, CBS, CNN) is not my enemy, it is the enemy of the American people."

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Reince, the president believes that a free and independent press is a threat to the country?

PRIEBUS: No, I think  I think for the most part  and I understand where he's coming from  is that there are certain things that are happening in the news that just aren't honest. And we're not talking about everyone, Chris. We're not talking about all news, but we're talking about something that I guess he's termed as fake news ...

WALLACE: Here's the problem, when the president says we're the enemy of the American people, it makes it sounds like if you are going against him, you are going against the country.

PRIEBUS: Here is the problem, Chris  the problem is you're right. Some of these things were covered, but you get about 10 percent coverage on the fact that you get a very successful meeting with Bibi Netanyahu, the prime minister of the U.K., the prime minister of Canada 

WALLACE: We covered all of those news conference live. Everybody did.

PRIEBUS: Right. Sure, yes, for about  yes, right. But then as soon as it was over, the next 20 hours is all about Russian spies 

WALLACE: But you don't get to tell us what to do, Reince.

(CROSSTALK)

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PRIEBUS:  nothing is happening. Give me a break.

WALLACE: You don't get to tell us what to do any more than Barack Obama did. Barack Obama whined about Fox News all the time, but I got to say, he never said that we were an enemy of the people.

PRIEBUS: Let me tell you something, he said a lot of things about Fox News, Chris. I thought you ought to go check the tape. He blamed you for a lot of things. And I'm surprised, as someone from Fox, that you forget all of the shots that he took 

WALLACE: No, he took the shots. And we didn't like it. And, frankly, we don't like this either, because, you know  but he never went as far as President Trump has and that's what's concerning because it seems like he crosses a line when he talks about that we're an enemy of the people. That is concerning.

Lacking Trump's confidence and bravado, Priebus comes across as bitter and whiny.

Meanwhile, Priebus isn't doing his actual job very well, which is to make the White House run smoothly and to establish a clear chain of command. Instead, Steve Bannon pulls a fast one on the president, getting himself put on the principals committee of the National Security Council. Apparently, Trump allies entirely outside the government are ready to negotiate with Russia over Ukraine (!).

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White House aide Stephen Miller reportedly contacted a U.S. attorney directly to instruct him on the arguments (losing ones, it turned out) to defend the travel ban, running way outside his "lane," as they say. Perhaps next time Miller should let lawyers advise other lawyers. ("The Eastern District declined to comment on any contact between [U.S. attorney Robert] Capers and Miller, the 31-year-old former Jeff Sessions aide and America First true believer with no legal background of his own, who a few months ago was warming up Trump's campaign crowds and is now writing executive orders for the President to sign."). Multiple former White House veterans weighed in on Twitter to remark that an aide bypassing the White House counsel and entire Justice Department leadership would have been a fireable offense under the presidents whom they served.

Whether it is the travel ban rollout, Bannon's repeated vetoes of Cabinet secretaries' deputy picks (so that major departments still do not have a No. 2, let alone lower-level political appointees), the botched phone calls with foreign leaders or the Michael Flynn fiasco, Priebus is not performing the key, critical functions of a chief of staff  providing the president with all the information he needs, setting a clear process for decision-making and actually executing the president's directives in a clear and timely fashion. Priebus is outmaneuvered and outmuscled by Bannon, leaving him to clean up messes rather than set up a structure to avoid blunders.

The Boston Globe reports:

"The president's impulsiveness and reliance on his own gut reactions don't appear to have any real check within the system he's created. He continues to fire off bizarre tweets, including one that he deleted and then reposted Friday evening where he labeled the news media as 'the enemy of the American people.'

"The White House declined to comment for this story, though on Saturday Trump posted on Twitter his own view: 'The White House is running VERY WELL.'

"There's little to suggest he is right or that the situation will change: None of the power centers in the White House has demonstrated an ability to have a deliberate, tempering effect on Trump. And, up until this point, no one knows how the West Wing will react to the many unpredictable parts of the job."

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Priebus is the chief of staff Trump wants, for now. Priebus' weakness promotes chaos and impulsiveness, which Trump enjoys. Since discipline, order and chain of command are designed to minimize chaos and conflict, a less assertive and respected gatekeeper is essential for Trump. At some point  and we hope it's not by virtue of a national security crisis induced by White House dysfunction  the president may see that government chaos breeds gridlock, legislative stalemate and policy blunders. When he does, Priebus will be a useful sacrificial lamb.

Washington Post

Jennifer Rubin is a Washington Post columnist.
Photos: 'This Protest Is Real News' & Other Favorite Signs From 'Not My President's Day'

By aaroncynic in News on Feb 20, 2017 9:35PM

Hundreds gathered at noon across the river from President Donald Trumps monument to his own ego for a protest demonstrators dubbed not my Presidents Day, to call out the man for policies they say target marginalized communities.

As human beings it is our job to stand up and fight back when we believe something is wrong, said a protester named Artemis. As our grandparents and parents fought for the right for us to speak and to vote, we would do a disservice to them to have the ability to make change and decide not to.

Demonstrators, who have organized protests around the country for the past two days on the one month anniversary of Trumps inauguration, say that the presidents policies have already done and will continue to do considerable damage to marginalized communities in the United States.


At what point does a body of evidence become massive enough to count as proof? When has a question been answered enough times that it can be put to rest?

When it comes to the safety and effectiveness of vaccines, it sometimes seems as though public health advocates must constantly roll the burden of proof toward a mountaintop that never comes into view.

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The latest salvo against vaccinations came courtesy of Robert Kennedy Jr. and Robert De Niro. At a recent joint appearance, Kennedy offered $100,000 to anyone who could turn up a study showing that it is safe to administer vaccines to children and pregnant women, with a specific call out to concerns about mercury. De Niro was there to lend his endorsement and a patina of Oscar-winning gravitas.

Both men have an unreliable history when it comes to their views about vaccinations. Kennedy's reference to mercury alludes to thimerosal, a preservative once used in vaccines, which he has long maintained can lead to autism. (It doesn't.) A meeting earlier this year between then President-elect Donald Trump (who has hair-raising views of his own about vaccines) and Kennedy caused grave concern within the medical community, myself included. Kennedy claimed Trump asked him to helm a commission on vaccine safety (even though the United States already has a vaccine safety commission), but it has yet to materialize.

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De Niro came under fire for endorsing a film that purports a link between vaccinations and autism, though instead of mercury, it blames the measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) vaccine. The Tribeca Film Festival, which De Niro co-founded, included the anti-vaccine documentary in its 2016 lineup. After complaints, it was pulled from the schedule, but the actor subsequently touted its message and urged people to see it. Unfortunately, it's clear he hasn't changed his mind since then.

Like most people, I can think of many handy uses for a spare hundred grand, and would gladly sit down and share my experience as a pediatrician with De Niro and Kennedy at great length. It's nearing two decades since I graduated from medical school, and in that span of time I've immunized thousands of patients. Not once have I encountered a case where those immunizations could be plausibly linked with autism.

In the off chance that my word alone isn't sufficient to collect the $100,000, I'm happy to proffer lots of studies that support the safety of vaccines. Studies never seem to settle the question for anti-vaccine activists, but they are the best evidence we could ever have, based on millions of people and using many different types of comparisons, that vaccination is safe for kids.

The explanation for the bogus vaccine-autism link is a constantly shifting target. As noted, both the MMR vaccine and thimerosal have been blamed, and the anti-vaccine movement happily gloms onto both explanations despite the fact that they are completely unrelated. That the various theories never really cohere doesn't seem to give the movement pause. Blurring dark but vague threats, anti-vaccine activists blend them into a miasma through which no given study can hope to penetrate. Uncertainty is good for stoking fear.

When studies show that the MMR vaccine doesn't cause autism, and when the original study suggesting a link is exposed as a fraud? It must be thimerosal! Other studies show no association between thimerosal and autism, and thimerosal isn't even used anymore? The combination of all the vaccines at once is the problem! Produce evidence to support the safety of the current vaccination schedule, and the boogeyman simply adopts another form.

Because much of the evidence in support of vaccines comes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, detractors seize on corruption as an explanation for studies with findings contrary to their beliefs. The anti-vaccine movement affords the CDC roughly as much respect as you'd typically give cardsharps and second-rate grifters, and anything the CDC produces is dismissed out of hand. But even if the CDC were a hotbed of malign pharmaceutical industry influence, that doesn't explain why large studies demonstrating the safety of vaccines come from places like Denmark or the United Kingdom, where the CDC doesn't have a lot of pull.

All of this information is readily available to anyone who chooses to look for it  350 health organizations recently reaffirmed the safety of vaccines and highlighted more than 40 of the most respected studies in an open letter to President Trump  and yet still Kennedy and De Niro are happy to pretend none of it exists.

Conversely, a growing body of evidence suggests brain differences associated with autism may be found early in infancy  well before children receive most vaccines. Changes in the volume of certain brain areas found by MRI may help predict autism in infants with an older sibling who has the diagnosis, according to a recent study in the journal Nature. Other studies have found that alterations in brain cell development related to autism may occur before birth. These findings are clearly inconsistent with vaccines as a cause of autism.

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But none of this emerging research seems to have dampened the fires burning within the anti-vaccine movement. I could resurrect Edward Jenner and Jonas Salk for joint TED talks about the benefits of vaccination, and somehow I doubt it would make any difference at this point. Despite Kennedy's disingenuous plea for evidence of safety, it's not evidence he really cares about. If it were, he could find more than enough for free.

However, if either De Niro or Kennedy read this article and change their mind, I'm happy to take the $100,000 anyhow.

Washington Post

Daniel Summers is a pediatrician in New England.
Coyotes are clever, adaptable animals that once roamed the western two-thirds of North America. A determined federal government extermination campaign in the 1940s and '50s led to the killing of more than 6 million of them. But in recent decades, coyotes have made a comeback, expanding beyond their historic range. They've even taken up residence in Chicago, which hosts upward of 2,000.

Many people, however, still regard them with suspicion and contempt. Mark Twain contributed to this view by describing the coyote as a "slim, sick and sorry-looking skeleton" with a "furtive and evil eye" and "a general slinking expression all over." The belief that the only good coyote is a dead coyote persists among some people in some places.

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Illinois is one of them, playing host to hunting contests whose goal is to kill as many coyotes as possible in a given period  say, 24 hours. At one "predator challenge" in southern Illinois in 2015, participants bagged 36 of their quarry.

This year's competition, however, also drew a dozen protesters led by the Humane Society of the United States. It regards the pastime as barbaric  the moral equivalent of dogfighting. "Shooting live animals for fun or for target practice is animal cruelty," Illinois state director Marc Ayers told us. California banned such contests in 2014, and the Humane Society would like other states to do likewise.

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Good idea. Unlike deer and ducks, coyotes aren't hunted for their meat. And there's no good excuse for wantonly slaughtering them. Coyotes play a key role in the environment, eating rodents and scavenging carrion. They occasionally prey on small livestock, which is an argument only for allowing the shooting of specific problem animals.

Anyway, the toll in Illinois is modest: Fewer than 10 percent of the sheep and lambs that die each year are killed by coyotes. Experts stress that preventive measures, from fencing to guard dogs, are the most effective remedy.

Defenders of these hunts argue that without such population control methods, coyotes would proliferate to intolerable numbers. But the Humane Society cites scientific evidence that culling stimulates reproduction and predation on livestock. The University of Illinois Extension agrees that "coyote population reduction (removing some or all of the coyotes in an area) is usually unrealistic and always temporary." Wildlife scientist Robert Crabtree, head of the Yellowstone Ecological Research Center, says, "It cannot be over-emphasized how powerfully coyote populations compensate for population reductions."

Trying to protect farm animals  or pets  by indiscriminately killing these predators is a losing strategy. A better approach is to remove food sources that might attract coyotes, while taking measures to protect the animals they might attack.

In recent years, people in this state and the rest of the country have come to appreciate the presence of native creatures that were once regarded as enemies. That holds for bobcats, wolves, bears and even rattlesnakes  one type of which has been granted federal protection in Illinois in an attempt to prevent it from disappearing.

It also applies to coyotes, who have persisted on this continent for more than a million years. They have even learned to adapt to modern humans. Modern humans ought to return the favor.

Editor's note: An earlier version of this editorial misstated Marc Ayers' title. He is the Illinois state director for the Humane Society of the United States.
Mark Oppenheimer writes that as frightening as President Donald Trump feels to many of us, in order to be credible, we need to acknowledge that the rise of anti-Semitism is not unique to Trump, that prior to November, anti-Semitism was rising. He also states that we must support today's scapegoats, Muslims and immigrants, because when any group is targeted, it is unacceptable and Jews are soon to follow. I wholeheartedly agree.

As someone who believes we must challenge Trump's ties to the alt-right, along with his anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim policies, it seems that to be credible, we also need to call out the extreme left, which has too often tolerated anti-Semitism. At a time when minority groups are at risk, if Democrats want to be the inclusive party that stands against bigotry, then they need to protect Jews as well.

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Recently, the Anti-Defamation League and the Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect have both adamantly condemned refugee bans and the persecution of Muslims and immigrants. Jonathan Greenblatt, national director of the ADL, has urged Jews to sign up as Muslims if a discussed registry is ever implemented. Yet, Democratic Party chair candidate, U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison, heard in a 2010 tape making comments that promote anti-Semitic stereotypes and prejudice, is supported by many progressive Democrats. While originally accepting Ellison's disavowal of youthful ties to Louis Farrakhan's anti-Semitism, once the tape emerged, the ADL came out strongly against Ellison. Yet, many on the far left continue to support him. Why?

To be credible in the fight against prejudice, the left also needs to fight speech suppression. Instead, on many liberal college campuses, in the name of safe-space for students, speeches that challenge moderate views or create discomfort are blocked. This sanitization of conversation perpetuates the bubbles that allow hate to flourish unchallenged. Justice Louis Brandeis once argued that "fear breeds repression; that repression breeds hate. The path to safety lies in the opportunity to discuss freely supposed grievances and proposed remedies." In 1977, when a Nazi group planned a march in Skokie where many Holocaust survivors lived, the American Civil Liberties Union defended the Nazi marchers' First Amendment rights for this reason. If we silence our enemies, what happens when the marginalized need to speak out?

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These feel like dangerous times for Jews and non-Jews alike. Challenging today's bigotry must be practiced not just preached for all by the left if they're to have credibility delegitimizing hate.

 Alana G. Baum, Ph.D., Chicago
Since facts tend to be very flexible things in the custody of President Donald Trump, one wonders what comes next with his self-declared "running war with the media."

His constant cries of "fake news" to any news that does not blow him a kiss ratcheted up to a more threatening tone when he sent this Friday afternoon tweet:

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"The FAKE NEWS media (failing @nytimes, @NBCNews, @ABC, @CBS, @CNN) is not my enemy, it is the enemy of the American People!"

With that he escalated from mere trolling to the ominous bombast of a tin-pot dictatorship. A cooler head, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, assured us Sunday that at least he did not view the media as the enemy. Still I was left wondering what his boss has in mind.

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That's our reality-show president. Remember how delighted he was last year as the Republican candidate by the unauthorized and unlawful leaks that came from hacks of the Democratic National Committee emails?

Now his cheerleading for leaks against other people has turned to condemnation of secrets leaked from his own administration.

The president was particularly upset by the departure of his national security adviser, Michael Flynn, after Flynn admitted to misleading Vice President Mike Pence about conversations he had with the Russian ambassador about U.S. sanctions before Trump took office.

Trump praised the departed Flynn as "a wonderful man" who "has been treated very, very unfairly by the media." Even though it was Trump, not the media, who fired Flynn, the media tend to be too inviting a target for Trump to resist.

A couple of days before he put the media on the same level as Islamic State and other public enemies, he fumed in a morning tweet, "Information is being illegally given to the failing @nytimes & @washingtonpost by the intelligence community (NSA and FBI?). Just like Russia."

A few hours later, he sounded like the "shocked, shocked" prefect in "Casablanca" as he tweeted about "classified information (being) illegally given out by 'intelligence' like candy. Very un-American!"

Un-American? On the contrary, Mr. Trump, welcome to Washington.

Get used to it. You are hardly the first president to discover that our great ship of state leaks like a sieve.

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Washington's biggest scandals often begin with leaks. Think of the Pentagon Papers, the Iran-Contra affair, the Panama Papers or the WikiLeaks disclosures by soldier Chelsea Manning and former CIA employee Edward Snowden.

Leaks big and small are so common that Stephen Hess, a senior fellow emeritus at the Brookings Institution and veteran of four presidential administrations beginning with Dwight Eisenhower's, once categorized types of leaks in a book.

They included the "Ego Leak" to satisfy a sense of self, the "Policy Leak" to bring attention to a proposed policy change, the "Trial Balloon Leak" to test out a proposal, the "Whistleblower Leak" to bring attention to a problem or idea through the press after getting nowhere internally and the "Animus Leak" to settle grudges.

Yet as much as every president is frustrated and infuriated by leaks, the laws against leaking are almost never enforced. That could change under Trump, who ironically would have new tools left by President Barack Obama's administration.

A 2013 report by the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists, on whose board I happen to sit, found that Obama had pursued the most aggressive "war on leaks" since President Richard Nixon's leak-fixing "plumbers" led to the Watergate scandal.

Under Obama the Department of Justice pursued not only sources and whistleblowers but also journalists, including James Rosen at Fox News and Jim Risen at The New York Times. As with most earlier cases of this sort, the government backed away from that pursuit.

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Is Trump just blowing off steam through his Twitter account, or could his war escalate into full legal combat, putting reporters in jeopardy of jail for doing their jobs? He might find that pursuit to be more trouble than it's worth. The public might prefer to have the information than see journalists go to jail.

Besides, putting reporters in jail might just backfire and make journalists, Trump's favorite foils, actually look sympathetic. He might well prefer to leave us free  and an easy target to kick around some more.

Clarence Page, a member of the Tribune Editorial Board, blogs at www.chicagotribune.com/pagespage.

cpage@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @cptime

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A Sheridan man and woman have been charged with the armed robbery of a 46-year-old Aurora woman in the parking lot of a West Side strip mall, Aurora police announced Tuesday.

Edwin Sergio Alequin, 37, and Nicole Barkes, 29, both of the 200 block of East Grant Street, Sheridan, each face felony charges in connection to the robbery, which charging documents allege was motivated by a desire for drug money  specifically to acquire money to buy heroin.

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Alequin is charged with armed robbery, a Class X felony; aggravated robbery, a class 1 felony; and unlawful possession of a credit or debit card, a class 4 felony, according to Kane County court records.

Barkes is charged with armed robbery, a Class X felony, and unlawful use of a credit card, a class 1 felony.

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Alequin and Barkes pulled the robbery so they could get money to fund their heroin addictions, according to charging documents.

Though the two live together, they were apprehended separately, according to Aurora police reports, while police said Barkes was arrested nearly two weeks ago.

At about 4:35 p.m. Jan. 27, Aurora police responded to an armed robbery in the West Aurora Plaza parking lot on the 1900 block of West Galena Boulevard.

A woman told police she was approached by a man who asked for money and, when she refused, he took out a gun that was later determined to be a pellet gun. The woman, who was not injured, told police when she ran in fear, she heard four "pops," which turned out to be one of the robbers breaking out a window to her car with the butt end of the pellet gun, according to police.

The man grabbed the woman's purse off the front seat and got into an SUV driven by Barkes, which was last seen eastbound on Galena, according to police.

Detectives quickly learned the woman's credit card, which had been in the stolen purse, was used at a gas station in Berwyn and a department store in Forest Park within two hours of the robbery, police said.

After securing video of those transactions, detectives discovered Barkes and could see another subject  Alequin  was driving the SUV, police said.

Detectives located redlight cameras in the area of the businesses, viewed video from the systems as provided by Forest Park police, and discovered the license plate on a Chevrolet Traverse SUV owned by Barkes, police said in the news release.

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Police confirmed Barkes' identity by comparing her driver's license photo with images taken at the Berwyn and Forest Park businesses, along with two Aurora pawn shops where she was known to do business, according to the news release.

Aurora detectives and community policing officers took Barkes into custody Feb. 9. They went to Sheridan and set up a surveillance on her home, then saw her entering a car registered to one of her relatives and stopped the car on Route 71 in Norway, police said.

Alequin, however, "eluded authorities" until Feb. 17, when U.S. Marshals Great Lakes Fugitive Task Force agents traced him to an Aurora hospital, where he was eventually taken into custody without incident, police said. Aurora police spokesman Dan Ferrelli said the reason Alequin was in the hospital had nothing to do with the robbery.

Alequin was presented with warrants when he was found at the hospital on Friday, Ferrelli said. Aurora police booking reports state that Alequin was arrested Monday on the 1300 block of North Highland Avenue. He would have been processed "after he was well enough to leave the hospital," Ferrelli said.

In addition to the charges stemming from the robbery, Alequin was also wanted by the Kane County Sheriff's Office on a contempt of court warrant.

"This case demonstrated amazing teamwork between different divisions of the police department and an unwavering commitment to putting all the pieces of a complicated case together," Aurora Police Chief Kristen Ziman said in the news release.

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Alequin is next to appear in court at 9 a.m. March 3 before Judge David P. Kliment at the Kane County Judicial Center in St. Charles. His bail was set at $150,000 with 10 percent to apply for bond.

In 2012 he pleaded guilty to harassment by telephone, a 2011 misdemeanor charge out of Plano, and was sentenced to 12 months of conditional discharge, according to Kendall County court records.

Alequin's other previous nontraffic convictions since the year 2000 include possession of between 10 and 30 grams of marijuana in 2005 in Aurora; criminal damage to government property worth between $500 and $10,000 in 2003 in Batavia; possession of less than 2.5 grams of marijuana in 2002; domestic battery causing bodily harm in 2001 in Geneva; and battery causing bodily harm in 2000 in Batavia, according to court records.

Barkes is next to appear at 9 a.m. Friday before Kane County Judge Donald M. Tegeler. She was released Feb. 14 from Kane County custody after posting $5,000 bond.

hleone@tribpub.com

Twitter @hannahmleone
Fox Valley Habitat for Humanity is building a house like this one in Aurora. (Fox Valley Habitat for Humanity / Handout)

From large big box home improvement stores to small mom and pop companies, a Fox Valley Habitat for Humanity house under construction on Spruce Street in Aurora is being built primarily from in-kind donations.

This house will be the 56th house built by Fox Valley Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit that has been building houses in southern Kane County since the early 1990s.

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Families who qualify for a Habitat for Humanity home are working families that do not have the income level or savings for a down payment to purchase a home on their own, Jeffrey J. Barrett, executive director of Fox Valley Habitat for Humanity, said.

With a mission to provide affordable housing for people in need by being a hand up and not a hand out, he added, "Our homeowners do have a mortgage."

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However, Fox Valley Habitat for Humanity acts as the mortgage company and doesn't charge any interest to the homeowner.

"When homeowners make a payment every dollar is taken off the principal," Barrett added.

The Spruce Street home is being built on a piece of property that Habitat for Humanity received through a City of Aurora/HUD neighborhood rehabilitation program, he added.

Initially, the plan was to rehab the home.

Typically, Barrett said, "We will rehab almost anything, but this one was beyond hope."

Once the home was torn down, Naperville-based Torch Architecture developed plans for a one-and-a-half story, three-bedroom, two-bathroom home for Juan and Maria Martinez and their four daughters who have been living in a two-bedroom apartment for the last 10 years.

Both Juan and Maria were born and raised in Mexico. The two met in 2003 when they were both selling Amway products. At the time, Maria was a single mom to two children.

Juan came to the United States in 1992 with his family and worked for 16 years as a machine operator for a company before it went out of business.

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He then went to work for another company which also went out of business. For the last three years, he has worked at an electronics company.

Maria, who began picking strawberries in Mexico when she was 12 years old, came to the United States when she was 17 and began working in a factory.

The Martinez family, like all of Habitat for Humanity families, have committed to providing "sweat equity" hours by working on the house. Depending on the size of the family, Barrett said families are required to contribute 350 to 500 hours in sweat equity helping to build Habitat for Humanity homes, including their own.

Fox Valley Habitat for Humanity typically builds about one or two houses per year; however, in the last several years, it has begun to build more houses each year and is utilizing different methods to fund the building of the homes.

Even with the large amount of in-kind donations for the house on Spruce Street, Habitat for Humanity still had to fundraise for about 20 percent of the cost of the home.

Another home is being built through a Faith Build Project which brings together 32 churches to raise funds, provide material and labor to build the home, Barrett said.

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There is a great need for affordable housing in the area, Barrett said.

"From the retail shops in Naperville to the factories in Batavia and the industrial parks in Geneva, the workers are living here in Aurora," he said.

Apartment rents in the area have gone up so there is even a greater need, he added.

"If we can provide someone with equity in a house as opposed to paying rent," Barrett said, "these homeowners will end up paying less in their mortgage payments than they would in rent."

In addition, he said, when Habitat for Humanity goes into a neighborhood to rehab a home, the neighborhood begins to change.

"Other homeowners begin to do improvements to their own houses," Barrett added.

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Cathy Janek is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News

Fox Valley Habitat for Humanity Fundraiser

What: Pancake breakfast

When: 8 to 11 a.m. Feb. 25.

Where: Advent Christian Church, 905 N. Edgelawn Drive, Aurora

Suggested donation: $7 per meal. Children under 10 years old eat for free.
A special census for Yorkville is on hold due to a federal hiring freeze put in place by President Donald Trump.

"We were due to have a special census this spring," Mayor Gary Golinski told aldermen at a recent City Council meeting.

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The city decided to hold a special census last October and sent a $108,000 check to cover the cost of the census, which includes covering salaries for part-time census workers required to get the latest population count.

Trump issued an executive order Jan. 22 that prohibits the hiring of federal civilian employees. The order does not include or apply to military personnel.

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Golinski said the city was prepared to do the special census but was notified recently that due to the federal hiring freeze the U.S. Census Bureau would not be hiring any census-takers "even though we pay the salaries of them."

The mayor said he approached U.S. Rep. Randy Hultgren (R-Plano) about the dilemma.

"Congressman Hultgren is looking into it. Hopefully, they'll find a workaround or at least give our $108,000 back," Golinski said.

Golinski said he did some research to find out whether other municipalities or villages were in the same predicament.

Golinski said the mayor in Volo, which is located in Lake County, mentioned they were in a similar situation. However, they were recently notified that they could proceed with their special census since they were further along in the process of hiring people than is the case in Yorkville.

"We hope that we can get ours going again," Golinski said.

The mayor said Yorkville would not receive its fair share of tax disbursements from income and motor fuel taxes until an accurate population count is registered with the federal government.

"We stand to lose between now and the next census about $600,000 from tax revenues," Golinski said. He added that's equal to about $15,000 in tax revenues per month going into the city's coffers.

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Golinski said the last regular census was done in 2010, which showed the city with 16,921 residents. He said since then the city has grown by more than 1,000 people. A regular census is done once every 10 years.

According to the presidential memorandum, "no vacant positions and no new positions may be created, except in limited circumstances."

The order does not include or apply to military personnel. The head of an executive department or agency can request an exemption of any positions that pertain to national security or public safety responsibilities.

The U.S. Forest Service was recently granted clearance to hire seasonal workers, some of which are firefighters to fight wildfires.

Linda Girardi is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News
Students in East Aurora High School's Survivor Literature class discuss this year's project that is centered around the memoir of kidnapping victim Jaycee Dugard, who will be coming to East High to speak in April. (East Aurora High School / Handout)

Last year, they took to the streets. And roads. And Prairie Path.

In April a group of over 100 students from East Aurora High School walked in the dark for six hours, trekking from Wheaton North High School to Aurora's RiverEdge Park  in an exhausting effort to bring awareness to suicide prevention.

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Those blisters and aching feet and the $16,000 raised in this overnight walk were part of a successful project by East Aurora teachers Shane and Sarah Gillespie, who each year focus their literature classes on a different aspect of survival, then guide the students in planning a project around it to raise awareness and funds that go toward organizations working for even more awareness.

After researching a variety of topics, this year's Survivor Lit students voted to put their spotlight on abduction and sexual abuse, using the New York Times best-selling memoir "A Stolen Life," by Jaycee Dugard as inspiration. But instead of lacing up their walking shoes again, more than 160 students have already signed up to be part of an 18-hour lock-in, with each hour representing one of Dugard's unimaginable 18 years being held captive by her kidnapper and rapist.

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Over the course of the fieldhouse lock-in, students will even limit certain activities in an attempt to recreate some of the suffering Dugard endured after she was abducted in 1991 at age 11 on her way to the school bus in Lake Tahoe. Restricting food, bathroom breaks and human contact will be important aspects of the event, some of which were even suggested by Dugard herself in emails to the class.

The lock-in is at the center of the class' fundraising efforts to reach $7,000, which will be donated to the now 36-year-old woman's JAYC Foundation that helps other families reconnect and heal after tragic situations.

And like last year when the students hosted author and suicide survivor Kevin Hines, one of only a few to live after jumping from the Golden Gate Bridge, the lit class is bringing Dugard to East Aurora High School April 25 to speak to the students and, later that evening, at a public assembly.

In talking to the students last week, it was apparent Dugard's courageous words in "A Stolen Life," part of which come from a diary she kept during her latter years in captivity, resonated deeply with the students. Some even brought up their own experiences with abuse, with one young man describing "flashbacks' he went through as he "relived the moments  as the chapters went on."

Another student, who said he struggled with abuse at the hands of his father, admitted the book made him realize he was taking his own anger out on a younger brother. Understanding how Jaycee was able to deal with and heal from her experience, he added, "became therapy for me."

The book is a quick and compelling read in which Dugard holds little back, not only describing the kidnapping, rapes, isolation, manipulation and deprivation she endured  she gave birth to two daughters while in captivity  but also pausing after each chapter to reflect on how those experiences shaped her survival and, just as importantly, her healing.

What Dugard's book did, several students pointed out, was help give voice to all those who are suffering any sort of trauma in silence.

The more they read, researched and talked among themselves, the more they came to understand there are many ways to be held captive.

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While an abduction is obviously not something many will endure, domestic abuse and sexual assault are far too common, noted Erika Farias-Diaz, with victims too often "shutting out the world" as they are forced to keep their secret.

Josue Tecaxco said reading Dugard's words made him more understanding of the abuse a relative went through. "Only by putting ourselves in their shoes and looking through their eyes," he acknowledged, can we come to truly "understand how those who are mistreated feel  how they suffer and how they feel trapped."

The book, students also agreed, was more than a litany of horrific experiences. It was a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. Dugard, an innocent child who became a mother and a woman while being held prisoner in a monster's backyard, was not only able to survive the unthinkable, she found a way to endure and grow stronger, then taking all she learned in those struggles to give back to others.

"It made me feel there are brighter days ahead," noted Elise Robinson. "Her story gives you hope."

And, others pointed out, appreciation.

"We live every day taking so much for granted," said Farias-Diaz. "I need to be grateful for what I have. We are free."

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Contributions to support the visit by Jaycee Dugard and the East Aurora students' campaign to raise awareness about abduction and sexual abuse can be made by going to https://www.gofundme.com/a-stolen-night

Dcrosby@tribpub.com
The Downside To This Record Warmth? Apples At Risk, More Mosquitoes

By Stephen Gossett in News on Feb 21, 2017 6:55PM



Photo: Sean Gallup



Updated 2:00 p.m. While Chicagoans continue to enjoy record February warmth, Illinois climate researchers expressed anxiety about how so much unseasonably high temperatures could impact some plant life and important agriculture, especially certain fruit crops, and result in more pests.

The primary, immediate concern revolves around plant life that has broken dormancy and bloomed early than usual. If a winter-appropriate cold snap were to eventually return before the arrival of the actual spring season, it could lead to a host of damage to those early-appearing buds, according to Jim Angel, Illinois State Climatologist.

"When the cold weather does return we can see a variety frost damage. Some of that is Cosmetic butwhen you look at trees that flower for fruitthat could damage buds and lead to diminished fruit production," Angel told Chicagoist. "That's the big worry now," he added, noting that daylilies have already popped up in his yard. (Reminder: It's February.)

That could spell trouble for some Illinois agriculture. Apple orchards are at particularly high risk, Angel said, while the peach crop more common to southern Illinois plus winter wheat and alfalfa face uncertainty, too. "Growers are nervous about this weather, and there's not much we can do," he said.

Pests tend to increase in following warm winters, also, according to David Kristovich, Head of Climate and Atmospheric Science Section, Illinois State Water Survey. Mosquitoes and other insects, along with burrowing yard pests that are usually diminished by a normal winter could very well be in higher numbers in the spring, Kristovich said.

This potential cycleuntimely warmth followed by plant-damaging frostshas hit Illinois before, most recently in 2012 an 2007. Nationwide in 2007, that perfect-storm combination resulted in an estimated $1 billion in lost agricultural and horticultural crops, according to the US Department of Commerce.

Angel notes that, while the forecast for the next week or so calls for more warm weather, "beyond two weeks, those colder temperatures might return."

The best case scenario? A return to cooler, normal-for-February temperatures, but without a bitterly cold snapa turn of events that Angel sadly calls "a long shot."

"It's not unusual even in late March to get a real, hard freeze, where the temperature doesn't even go above freezing during the day," according to Doug Taron, Chief Curator of the Chicago Academy of Science. "There's lots of uncertainty over what will happen over the next month."

With the recent warm front, Taron has received reports of frogs and butterflies spotted out in the region much earlier than usual. But at least, he said, if the cold returns those animals can "hunker back down."

In the meantime, we suggest enjoying an apple or twoand enjoying not being covered in mosquito bites.
A jury was being selected Tuesday to hear the murder charge against a Downers Grove man accused of killing his mother at a time authorities had targeted him in an immigration scam.

The trial of Michael Zaky Bassaly, 31, was anticipated to begin Wednesday morning in the DuPage County courtroom of Judge Daniel Guerin.

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Guerin told members of the jury pool that the case may be completed for deliberation by Thursday. Selection began around 11 a.m.

Bassaly is accused of the first-degree murder of Yvonne Zaky Bassaly, 61, who was shot to death on Aug. 29, 2013 in her car, which was parked in the lot at St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church in Burr Ridge.

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Authorities are expected to argue at trial that Bassaly, who along with his mother had emigrated to the U.S. from Egypt, had been representing himself to other immigrants as a federal employee who could help fellow Egyptians attain political asylum in America.

However, Bassaly did not have a government job and had falsified information in the cases of more than 100 Egyptians who had approached him for help, according to courts records.

Authorities say that federal immigration officials had discovered what Bassaly was doing and that he was under investigation. Bassaly drove his mother to the church, intending to shoot her to "protect" her from the results of the investigation, and then kill himself, according to a letter Bassaly wrote that was later recovered by authorities.

"Every asylum case I have done is fake," wrote Bassaly, who noted there were "about 120 or 130 cases."

He wrote his conscious got the "better of me and I could not stay silent."

"I had to report everything knowing full well ... most likely I will spend the rest of my life in a jail cell or get killed by someone in the Egyptian community," he wrote. "I decided to take my own life."

However, after allegedly shooting his mother, Bassaly instead called 911 to report it, according to authorities.

Clifford Ward is a freelance reporter.
Rockler now is open in Orland Park's Lake View Plaza. (Bob Bong / Daily Southtown)

A new store that specializes in woodworking and DIY products opened last week in Orland Park.

Rockler Woodworking and Hardware opened a new, 7,000 square foot retail store Saturday at 15758 S. LaGrange Road in Lake View Plaza.

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Visitors will find a broad range of products that include power tools and laser machines, as well as project ideas, lumber, hardware and finishing accessories. The new store includes dedicated classroom and demonstration space, along with ongoing free classroom demonstrations and a knowledgeable staff to assist with project advice.

"The new Orland Park store reflects Rockler's ongoing efforts to provide the greater Chicago area with more and better access to a truly wonderful educational resource and retail experience for woodworking and DIY tools and supplies," Rockler Vice President of Retail Dana Busch said in a release.

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The official grand opening will be held in April and will include special product demonstrations, manufacturers' representatives, and promotions.

The new Orland Park location is the company's third in the Chicago area and its 36th store nationwide. Other area stores are in Schaumburg and Bolingbrook. The company was founded 63 years ago.

The Orland Park store will employ approximately 12 people.

Cal City Bakery opens in new location

Cal City Bakery moved from its original location on State Line Avenue to its new digs at 816 Burnham Ave. on Jan. 27.

The bakery opened in the former Steffens Bakery at 714 State Line in February 2014.

The bakery serves fresh doughnuts, pastries, strudels, cookies, breads, cakes and wedding cakes.

Hours are 5:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday and from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sunday.

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For information, call 708-862-6640 or visit its website at www.calcitybakery.com.

The bakery owner is Jose Rojas.

Top Driver buys A-Orland Driving School

Top Driver driving school announced last week that it had acquired A-Orland Driving School in Orland Park.

Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

Top Driver, which is the largest private driving school in the Midwest, closed on the deal to acquire Orland Driving School on Feb. 14.

A-Orland Driving was established in 1967 and is one of the best known private driving schools in the southwest suburbs. Top Driver said it would continue to operate out of the majority of A-Orland locations effective immediately.

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Top Driver said in a release acquiring A-Orland extends the company's footprint, visibility and service area. Top Driver previously had classroom locations in Bolingbrook, Oak Lawn, Homer Glen, Manteno, New Lenox and Tinley Park. It also operates at Providence Catholic High School in New Lenox.

Top Driver was founded in 2003 and now has more than 65 locations.

Top Driver CEO Paul Zalatoris said in a release, "Top Driver is excited to have the opportunity to service the driving needs of teens and adults of the southern suburbs of Chicago and the Kankakee region."

For information, visit topdriver.com or call 800-374-8373.

Bob Bong is a freelancer.
Oak Lawn Community High School students in an honors English class incorporate yoga routines into their study of the novel "The Great Gatsby." Teacher Erika Johnson said the fusion of literature and yoga helps students connect to the book. (Erika Johnson photo)

Jay Gatsby never let go of his past. Daisy Buchanan spent too much time worrying about her future.

But the Oak Lawn Community High School students who've read "The Great Gatsby" in Erika Johnson's honors English class have spent time focusing on how to make the most of the present. After reading the classic American lit novel, they had extended discussion of the book in the school dance studio and capped it off with yoga.

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Last summer, Johnson and fellow teacher Jessica Nickless attended a class that combined yoga and literature using the F. Scott Fitzgerald novel. Johnson liked the idea of fusing academics and yoga and arranged to have the yoga instructor, Liz Smith, join her students for a special 2-hour discussion and yoga session about the novel.

"Yoga is in the moment," Johnson said. One of the major themes about the classic American lit novel is that the two main characters dwell on the past or the present, but don't live in the moment.

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"(I'm) teaching along a theme," Smith explained. "Let go of the past. Let go of worrying about the future. Just be here in this moment, in this room, right now." It's a message that can resonate with high school students who may be stressing about college applications and their futures, or dwelling on the history of their relationships with peers, she said.

Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

Johnson and Nickless had to get approval from English department chair David Johnson for what amounted to an in-school field trip of two class periods.

"He was pretty supportive," Erika Johnson said. "We went over what we found were the merits, and what we thought the students would get out of it."

Smith, a former classroom teacher who runs Serendipity Yoga and Wellness and teaches at a variety of area yoga studios, said she has been trying to build on a traditional book club to fuse yoga into it. She looks for themes in the novels  choosing some of her favorites that also are common on teen reading lists and high school syllabuses  that can then be focused on during yoga. Some of the titles she is looking at include "Fahrenheit 451," "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," and "The Kite Runner."

Johnson said her students gave her positive feedback after the session, and some commented that yoga was much more challenging than they thought it would be, and some said that the yoga breathing exercises were very helpful.

"Our hope is that it helped them connect to the book," Johnson said. She said yoga dovetails well with the social-emotional learning requirements of today's schools, including ways to relieve stress.

"I do think it's definitely something they can use," Johnson said.

Paige Fumo Fox is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
The Chubby Bullfrog in West Dundee will relocate to Spring Hill Mall. (Erin Sauder / The Courier-News)

West Dundee has given the nod to helping a popular dining spot relocate from its current space in the Tartans Crossing shopping center to Spring Hill Mall.

At Monday's meeting, board members approved an economic incentive agreement with Mike Morrison, owner of The Chubby Bullfrog Bar & Grill, which will allow him to renovate the space at 1494 Spring Hill Mall, last occupied more than a decade ago by JJ Finnegan's Food and Spirits.

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"The whole idea is to keep to The Chubby Bullfrog in the confines of West Dundee and this is hopefully a way to make it work," Trustee Michelle Kembitzky said before the vote.

Through the incentive agreement, the village will provide a low interest loan up to $48,000 for a four-year period and a sales tax rebate for a period of five years of 50 percent incremental sales tax.

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Morrison, a Dundee-Crown High School graduate, opened The Chubby Bullfrog bar and grill at 1959 Huntley Road in 2012. He and co-owner Mike Burcker attended Monday's meeting.

"We've worked very hard to make our restaurant work. We just need a bigger space," Morrison said.

In 2015, the restaurant was featured on WGN-TV's "Chicago's Best" television show.

As far as the new spot, just west of the mall entrance between Sears and Macy's, "it's a beautiful space and a was very popular location when JJ Finnegan's was in there," Morrison said. "It's been empty 12 years and it's a mystery why."

Board members praised Morrison for the success he's had with his current location.

"It's a tough spot and you've made it work," Trustee Dan Wilbrandt said. "You've done a great job."

Mayor Chris Nelson calls the relocation "a positive development."

"We wanted them to stay within West Dundee," he said. "So it's a nice complimentary use of the mall and they're taking a space that has been vacant for some time."

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He added the economic incentive was necessary to bring the project to fruition.

"There are some buildout challenges they're experiencing and they required some assistance to surmount those," Nelson said.

According to village documents, Morrison's investment in the new location, including HVAC work, plumbing, electrical and sanitation, will be about $250,000.

Morrison said the loan from the village will help keep the restaurant's operating budget healthy during the buildout "and will keep our focus on quality control, customer experience and retention while in the beginning stages of being open," according to documents.

In a memo to board members, Community Development Director Tim Scott said the relocation and reinvestment of the restaurant has the potential to increase the restaurant's customer base, which in turn would result in additional tax revenue to the village. The mall is in the midst of a nearly $40 million renovation project. In December, the new 37,000-square-foot Cinemark opened in the former J.C. Penney wing.

Morrison thanked board members for their support.

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"My hope is someday we'll be franchising this business and we can talk about our humble beginnings in West Dundee," he said.

Erin Sauder is a freelance reporter for the Courier-News.
West Dundee Police Department Sgt. Donald Pate was given the village's most recent Lamplighter Award. (Erin Sauder / The Courier-News)

A familiar face among the community's students, parents and teachers has nabbed West Dundee's most recent Lamplighter Award.

Created by West Dundee Mayor Chris Nelson, the distinguished award is meant to recognize individual employees on a bi-annual basis who go above and beyond the call of duty.

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West Dundee Police Department Sgt. Donald Pate was recognized at Monday's Village Board meeting for his dedication and service to the community and District 300 through his 26 years as a Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) instructor.

"This is an honor to present," Nelson said.

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Pate was nominated by West Dundee Police Chief Andrew Wieteska.

Before presenting him with the award, a PowerPoint presentation was shown in Pate's honor. Included in it were accolades from parents and teachers, as well as pictures of Pate throughout the years with some of the students he taught.

He began as a full-time patrolman with the police department in 1972 and was promoted to patrol sergeant in 1976.

"However, he found his true passion in 1992 when he became West Dundee's first DARE instructor," Wieteska said.

After completing his DARE training with the Illinois State Police, Pate taught his first three classes at Dundee Highlands Elementary School, St. Catherine's School and Immanuel Lutheran.

Though he retired from active duty with the police department in 2005 after 33 years of full-time service, he continued to teach the DARE program for several years. He is now retiring from that role.

Wieteska said when putting together the presentation for Pate he went through the former employee's file.

"The number of citizen thank-yous that were in there was unbelievable," Wieteska said. "(Over the years) the letters kept coming in and coming in."

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Pate was joined at Monday's meeting by his family, friends and fellow officers.

"The award is one thing but I was hoping it would be attached to a new car," he joked.

But he was humbled by the recognition.

"It's been a good ride and I couldn't have asked for more," he said. "I just love the kids. Kids are so very important. They're our future. The book, "It Takes a Village" reminds me of this over and over again."

Nelson said the community's children took to Pate just as much.

"I can't see the program working without him," Nelson said. "The connection you made with the kids was very clear. I commend you for dedicating such a large portion of your life to West Dundee."

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Wieteska said the most common reason given by police officers for why they chose that profession is they want to make a difference.

"Without question, Sgt. Pate, you can retire knowing you made a difference," he said.

Erin Sauder is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
The 8 Best Candy Shops In Chicago

By Anthony Todd in Food on Feb 21, 2017 5:18PM



A sea of gummies, via Shutterstock

Valentine's Day might be over, but that's no reason to stop eating sweets. Whether you're a lover of chocolate, gummies, sours or vintage treats, somewhere in Chicago is the perfect candy shop for you. Here are our eight favorite candy shops. Did we miss one of your favorites? Please comment to let us know.



The OMG Bar (our favorite chocolate bar in Chicago) at Amy's Candy Bar. Photo via Facebook.

Amy's Candy Bar

Let's start off with a bang: Amy's is probably our favorite candy shop in the entire city. It's not the biggest and it doesn't have the most insane variety of sugary treats, but its selection is perfectly curated. From vintage candies to chocolates, sours to gummies, you can get a snack for every type of candy lover. The interior is adorable, it's right next to an El stop, and they have root beer floats. Plus, their homemade treats (including the expensive but amazing OMG Bar, stuffed with hazelnut, chocolate and sea salt caramel) will keep you coming back again and again.

Amy's Candy Bar is at 4704 N. Damen Ave.

Katherine Anne Confections

But wait, you might say, isn't Katherine Anne Confections a chocolate shop, not a candy store? First, I'm not entirely sure where that line is, since everywhere on this list sells chocolate. More importantly, Katherine Anne Confections doesn't just sell fancy truffles! They've also got a full line of marshmallows and an incredible selection of caramels, which we secretly like more than the chocolatesnot because the chocolates aren't great, but because the caramels are freaking amazing.

Katherine Anne Confections is at 2745 W. Armitage Ave.



Margie's Candies

Sure, the interior decor is a tiny bit creepy and a tiny bit dusty. Sure, the dishes look like they have been around since 1968. And sure, most people are there for ice cream and not for candies. But Margie's Candies (as the name implies) stocks a huge variety of homemade candies and chocolates, and while their flavors aren't as fancy or complex as some modern chocolates, sometime you just want a big hunk of milk chocolate to scarf down. Margie's to the rescue.

Margie's is at 1960 N. Western Ave. and 1813 W. Montrose Ave.



The interior of Candyality's Wicker Park Store. Photo via Facebook.

Candyality

Candyality is probably the most prolific of Chicago's fancy candy stores, with four locations scattered throughout the city. We first encountered Candyality at the Southport location, but these days they are probably better known for their Water Tower shop. No matter where you stop, there will be a huge selection of vintage-style candies, which is what we go to Candyality to seek out. Plus, they do a super cute gimmick where they determine your "Candy Personality" (or your candy horoscope, depending on the location and the day) by figuring out the sort of treats you like to eat. Totally silly and totally adorable.

Candyality has four locations throughout Chicagocheck their website for details.



Aji Ichiban

This Chinatown spot is tucked into the bottom floor of the strip mall off of Archer Avenue, and it's easy to miss if you're not looking for it. But if you're addicted to any Chinese candy and can't find it elsewhere (or if you're looking for a unique treat for a gift, a candy dish or a party) this is the place to go. The variety is insane, though you might have to ask for help reading some of the labels.

Aji Ichiban is at 2117 S. China Pl.



The exterior of Dylan's Candy Bar. Photo via Facebook.

Dylan's Candy Bar

Some Chicagoans might turn up their noses at this New York transplant on Michigan Avenue, but don't knock it till you've tried it. It's filled with giggling tourists, but it's also got the best, largest, most comprehensive candy selection we've ever seen. If you've ever even heard of a sweet, it's probably here, and they've also got an impressive selection of house-branded chocolate bars in every color and flavor imaginable. Tack on their cocktail bar and a candy lover could literally spend an entire afternoon in this mini-candy-theme-park.

Dylan's Candy Bar is at 445 N. Michigan Ave.

Blommer Factory

Blommer is best known for being the source of the delicious chocolate smell that envelops all of downtown during production days, but many people don't realize you can actually get a taste of that chocolately goodness. There's a small factory store behind a fairly unassuming door on Kinzie, and their selections (which include a wide variety of truffles, candies, and chocolate-dipped goodies) are surprisingly affordable.

Blommer is at 600 W. Kinzie St.

Dulcelandia

If you've ever bought a piAata in Chicagoland, there's a strong chance it came from Dulcelandia. They claim to be the largest retailer of Mexican candy in the Midwest, and if you walk into any of their four Chicago-area locations, you won't doubt them for a second. There is literally zero chance you will be able to walk out of Dulcelandia without buying something.

Dulcelandia has four locations throughout Chicago - check their website for details.


Stacks and bags: With the election of President Trump, we have a tireless leader. Did you see the stacks of paper on his desk? The bags under his eyes show that he doesn't sleep. He may be our best president ever.

Buy American: A caller complained about a Speak Out that said Americans should be American and buy American cars. He asked what kind of clothes we wear and what kind of televisions we watch. We wear foreign clothes and watch foreign televisions because of people who bought foreign products and put Americans out of business. General Motors was almost gone but came back from the brink. We lost Pontiac and Oldsmobile. We can't have better jobs when people come here and buy foreign products. That sends jobs out of the country or to nonunion states. Be American and buy American, and we will all be better off.

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Accept responsibility for your actions: The Trump administration sent Navy SEALs to Yemen. We lost a Navy SEAL in Yemen, and a few more SEALs were injured. President Trump said former President Obama started this, and his administration just took it over. During his campaign, Trump said Obama did nothing right, so why did he take on something Obama started? In addition, Trump didn't have to give the go-ahead for the operation. He is the commander in chief. If you put the jacket on, wear it.

Baldwin banter: I think "Saturday Night Live" is hilarious, especially when Alec Baldwin is on. If the president didn't do certain things, Baldwin wouldn't have any material to act on.

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Stand up for America: It does seem that America is becoming a very racist country. I will not be quiet, I will not shut up and I will continue to talk when someone says they had to endure a Democratic president for eight years and now it's their turn. It is their time to stand up and ensure that America remains great.

Show respect for president: This is about the people who complained about the Jimmy Fallon show and "Saturday Night Live." I agree. Jimmy Fallon should be replaced with Jay Leno who respected the president of the United States. They make fun of President Trump on "Saturday Night Live." These two shows aren't anything like "Laugh In" or the "Smothers Brothers." They did their jokes, but they never made fun of the president of the United States. They respected the president.

Medical mafia: The medical society has become the medical mafia. They have seniors where it hurts in our so-called golden years. The gold in old age is theirs. Look at the commercials. Ninety percent of the ads are pharmaceutical ads for old age-related illnesses or greedy personal injury lawyers trying to sue the medical society.

Move forward: The presidential election has been over for a few months. Get over it. Start being a team that works together. Each party is setting a bad example. It's making citizens angry and short-tempered. Let's all move forward for the betterment of our country. Remember that we are the greatest nation in the world. Never forget it.

Need for other nations: President Trump has his own agenda, and some of it might be good. He has to learn how to talk to our allies and not treat them like an old pair of shoes. When our allies run away from us because of Trump, we will be very vulnerable. As powerful as we are, we do need these other nations.

Something to say about Uruguay trip: On February 3, WGN television reported that Eric Trump billed the United States government $97,000 for a trip he recently took to Uruguay. I'm wondering why U.S. taxpayers should pay for a Trump family business trip. In order to ensure no conflict of interest while he is president, Donald Trump signed a trust that transferred his family business dealings over to his two oldest sons. The sons are not to discuss family business with the president while he is in office. My question: Why are U.S. taxpayers being billed for Trump's son's trip? If it was for family business, the Trump organization should pay for it. If it was for U.S. government business, why was Trump's son involved? If the trip involved both the government and the Trump family business, it would set up a questionable conflict of interest. Something isn't right here.

Spicy situation: President Trump is still shooting from the hip. He will say something dumb, and Sean Spicer will be the cleanup man. He will say: We'll get back to you and let you know. This is the real "Saturday Night Live."

Condolences for Linder: I would like to send my sincere condolences out to the family of the late Elgin police Sgt. Tom Linder. I live in the Century Oaks area on Hillcrest, and I remember him coming by here to chat with us. He said if we had any problems, just give him a call. He was a good police officer and a great guy. He will be missed.

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First lady conduct: I must respond to the caller who said we finally have a first lady who conducts herself like a first lady. I should remind the caller to look on the internet to find the first lady doing a total nude layout. Yes, this is good conduct. No other first lady has performed such good conduct.

Cable question: I'm calling to ask if anyone knows of a cable company that is cheaper. My cable bill is very high, and most of the shows are reruns. Does anyone have a suggestion?

Stunned by Senate action: Did you get a load of that Senate floor action that made Sen. Elizabeth Warren sit down and shut up? People were angry because someone told the truth. I'm almost 70 years old, and I've followed Jeff Sessions for many years. I know he is a racist. We are trying to confirm a person, and they shut someone up for telling the truth. What is America coming to?

Editor's note

Speak Out is a reader-generated column of opinions. If you see something you disagree with or think is incorrect, please tell us. Call us at 312-222-2460 or email couriernews@tribpub.com. Please include "speak out" in the subject line.
"Jazz is about the future," the impassioned pianist portrayed by Ryan Gosling in the Oscar-nominated musical "La La Land," proclaims. That future is yours for the hearing at the Elmhurst College Jazz Festival, running Feb. 23-26.

This is the festival's golden anniversary. The format remains the same  high school and college bands from across the country performing in the afternoon and professional ensembles performing at night  but to honor the festival's 50th, there will be an opening night concert on Feb. 23 for the first time. The concert will feature three-time Grammy-winner Dee Dee Bridgewater, who in April will receive a Jazz Masters award from the National Endowment for the Arts.

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On Feb. 26, another Jazz Masters honoree, Bill Holman, with his big band, will perform a piece commissioned by the college to commemorate the festival's 50th.

The festival is an opportunity to hear where jazz has been and where it's going. "It's an art form and always trying to break new boundaries," noted Doug Beach, the director of jazz studies who also has overseen the festival for the last 24 years (he has been with Elmhurst College for 39 years). "It is very aware of its history, but also looking to see what can develop from what hasn't been done yet. Jazz is inclusive; it's looking around to see what else can be brought to it. Miles Davis was a leader in bringing contemporary and rock and roll rhythmic approaches."

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The festival evolved from the former American College Jazz Festival, a nationally organized event for which Elmhurst College was one of the regional sites. Winning ensembles and vocalists from each site would get an all-expense paid trip to the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. for a finals competition. "There was some pretty big corporate money behind it in the beginning," Beach said.

Not as much these days, but when the national organization folded in 1973, Elmhurst College administrators such as former Dean of Students Jim Cunningham, lobbied to pick up the torch, which it has carried ever since. Elmhurst College's own jazz program has also grown apace. The college now offers a jazz studies major. The Elmhurst College Jazz Band has toured internationally and in 2014 was a Downbeat magazine Student Music Awards winner in the large jazz ensemble category.

In addition to Bridgewater, the festival's featured performers include on Feb. 24 the Grammy-winning Vanguard Jazz Orchestra (an outgrowth of the former Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra), the Patrick Williams Big Band on Feb. 25, and on the afternoon of Feb. 26, the Bill Holman Big Band.

"I'm amazed at the creativity these bandleaders bring to the music," Beach said. "Patrick and Bill and the members who compose for the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra write everything their ensembles play. These three groups present in many ways some of the cutting edge music bring written for a large ensemble."

But the raison d'etre for the festival remains its young performers. The opening day of the festival, as per tradition, is dedicated to high school jazz ensembles. "I'm so impressed with the dedication of the musicians and the seriousness with which they take the music," Beach said. "They are not fooling around, they really care about it."

This is especially meaningful at a time when there aren't as many venues for jazz as there once were.

Beach is a firm believer that, to paraphrase Mark Twain, reports of jazz's demise are greatly exaggerated. "The festival provides a place for these students to perform, to be heard, and to develop their craft. It also gives them the chance to hear other musicians. You always learn from listening to someone else."

For the past 50 years, Beach said, the festival has helped to nurture jazz's next generation. "A lot of the pros who have performed here over the years played (at the festival) when they were in college."

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So while he is charged with staging the festival, he is also a fan. "I just can't wait to hear the music," he said.

Elmhurst College Jazz Festival

When: Feb. 23-26

Where: Elmhurst College, 190 Prospect Ave.

Tickets: $10-$36 for individual events; $110 for full weekend package

Contact: 630-617-5534; www.elmhurst.edu/jazzfestival
Evanston police gather outside an abandoned house on the 1300 block of Asbury on April 19, 2016. Police annouced at the Feb. 13, 2017 City Council meeting that most crimes were down in the city in 2016 versus 2015. (Bob Seidenberg / Pioneer Press)

Evanston police reiterated their call for residents to lock vehicle doors and remove valuables from them, after announcing last week that vehicle thefts and break-ins increased in 2016 versus the year before.

While incidents of other kinds of theft were down last year compared to 2015, there were 73 reported cases of motor vehicle thefts  an increase of nearly 18 percent, police said during a presentation on 2016 crime statistics at the Feb. 13 City Council meeting.

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Police added that burglaries were up 5.1 percent to 329 incidents from the 313 cases the year before.

"Unfortunately there were increases in two notable categories," said Evanston Police Deputy Chief James Pickett.

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"The vehicles in question were often left unsecured," he said.

A number of vehicles were driven off after they were left running and unoccupied, Pickett said.

Most cars stolen out of Evanston were recovered on the West or South Side of Chicago, police said.

Of the automobiles that were burglarized, "more than 90 percent of the vehicles were left unsecured," Pickett said.

Most of those were broken into in the evening or overnight, and often in areas were multiple cars were hit. Most burglarized cars also had something of value in plain sight, like a cell phone, tablet or purse, according to police.

The figures were part of the police department's Part I crime statistics for 2016. Those figures "are the focus of public attention when measuring safety within a community," according to a police department statement, and include murder, criminal sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault/battery, burglary, theft, motor vehicle theft and arson.

Overall, Part I crimes were down 7.2 percent over 2015 and 5.1 percent from 2014.

The police reporting indicates there were 1,811 Part I crimes reported for 2016, compared to 1,952 for 2015.

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According to Evanston police, "theft continues to be the dominant factor" among the city's reported crime and accounted for 1,269 of the 1,811 Part I incidents  even though thefts in 2016 were down from 2015.

Specifically, Evanston robberies were down more than 25 percent  with 38 reported cases in 2016 and 51 the year before. Thefts dropped nearly 12 percent, going from the 1,440 reported for 2015 to 1,269 last year, according to police statistics.

Also, murders were down in 2016, from 3 to 2.

Reports of aggravated assault/battery, however, rose 9.1 percent over 2015, according to a police statement.

Police explained that theft involves taking something that isn't yours, while robbery taking something from someone else while using force, threat of force, or while armed.

Burglary, police said, is the act of unlawfully entering a place and stealing something.

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Pickett reminded Evanston residents to remember the CLEAR method when dealing with crime. That acronym includes calling the police, locking doors and windows, encouraging neighbors to be aware, avoid leaving valuables visible and recording serial numbers.

gbookwalter@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @GenevieveBook
It's a safe bet the nine candidates running for the North Shore District 112 school board are getting lots of questions about school closings as they make themselves known in the community.

As the Highland Park News kicks off our District 112 election coverage, each hopeful was asked if the district needs to close schools in the near future. Candidates were also asked if they could support closing buildings for the 2018-19 school year if it appears a reconfiguration model won't be ready for a March 2018 referendum.

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All but one candidate views school closings as imperative for financial and educational reasons. Many believe BDR3  the board's earlier plan to close Ravinia, Lincoln, Elm Place and the Green Bay Early Childhood Center  was excessive.

Daniel Jenks, Art Kessler and Brent Ross have the backing of the District 112 caucus. The group interviewed seven candidates in early December.

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Four contenders  Alexander Brunk, Julie Campbell, Lisa Hirsh and Brent Ross  are backed by CARE, a political action committee that originally opposed the $198 million referendum and now is focused on electing candidates aligned with its views.

Alexander Brunk, a member of the 2.0 panel, is a southwest Highland Park father whose children are not yet enrolled in the district's schools. A data analyst for a drug store corporation, Brunk was an active opponent of the district's $198 million referendum that included a middle-school campus in his neighborhood.

Brunk said he's thoroughly reviewed school configuration as a member of the study panel, and believes reorganization is long overdue.

"With enrollment declining, our students are spread too thin across too many classes per grade level," Brunk said.

Brunk said he disagrees with the "all or nothing" approach of the prior school board and does not believe the district should close four schools in a single year. "We have a rich tradition of neighborhood schools that we should strive as much as possible to maintain," he said.

He says the district will have a good sense by fall of its long-term configuration plan regardless of whether a bond referendum is ready for the ballot.

He would support closing one or more buildings and consolidating the dual language program at two buildings to achieve cost savings and improve the learning environment.

Julie Campbell, who serves on the 2.0 steering committee, is an attorney with children at Ravinia school. She's convinced the district needs to close schools in the near future to reduce the financial liabilities, based on the evaluation done by the 2.0 finance committee.

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"The finance committee was comprised of community members from both the 'yes' and 'no' groups, so I trust that the evaluation of the district's financial status was thorough and reasonably accurate," she said.

Campbell says the 2.0 financial model indicates the district can be sustainable with nine schools and needn't close four buildings.

"To over-consolidate at the elementary level will severely impede the district's potential to offer full-day kindergarten in the future," Campbell said. She noted that full-day kindergarten not only benefits students and working parents, but all households because it will increase property values.

"Right now, the district is drastically behind surrounding suburbs in offering full-day kindergarten," Campbell said. "This is negatively impacting decisions by new families to move to Highland Park."

Lisa Hirsh is an Elm Place and Indian Trail parent who has spoken publicly about her efforts to have her son, who is on the autism spectrum, placed in general education classes at his home school, Elm Place. She strongly advocated last fall for keeping Elm Place and Ravinia schools open when both schools were slated for closing under the plan known as BDR3.

"I fully support the Reconfiguration 2.0 process and I'm optimistic that a plan based on sound financial projections and broad community input will be presented to the board before December of 2017," said Hirsh, co-owner of a medical billing company. "Some schools may need to close, not just for financial reasons but for educational priorities as well," Hirsh said.

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She said she would support school closures if a reconfiguration proposal is not ready for the ballot next March, but adds, "I would not support a building closure plan similar to the BDR3 plan."

Hirsh said closures should be carefully planned to be least disruptive to children, educators and the community. She believes the district also must gauge how much change the community will tolerate.

Daniel Jenks says District 112 cannot continue to operate 12 schools and be financially sustainable without a significant tax increase, and recent public opinion surveys indicate a majority of community members are unwilling to support a tax hike.

"The large backlog of deferred capital work on these buildings is the major financial challenge, a situation exacerbated by operating expenses that are rising faster than property tax revenues," said Jenks, who as co-chair of the 2.0 financial committee developed a financial modeling tool with his co-chair.

He said an 8 percent property tax increase would be needed starting next year to keep all 12 schools open through 2030, and that would only cover basic repairs without improvements like ADA accessibility or air conditioning or new programs like full-day kindergarten.

Jenks said he would seriously consider closing some buildings in the fall of 2018 if the 2.0 team does not deliver reconfiguration options to the school board this summer. "I would first consider buildings that are virtually certain to close under any long-term model chosen by the district," he said.

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Jenks, who holds a law degree and an MBA, has been a stay-at-home parent who has taken on community leadership roles. He co-chaired the pro-referendum citizen's group for District 113 in 2013, and currently chairs a Highland Park High School advisory committee that addresses sensitive neighborhood issues.

Art Kessler, an Indian Trail and Elm Place parent who serves on the 2.0 steering committee, said the district will need to cut back on educational programming if steps are not taken to reduce the number of school buildings in the next several years.

"Most of our buildings are severely under capacity to the point where we have classes that are impractically small," Kessler said. "This unnecessarily raises our operational expenses and creates an unfavorable environment both academically and socially for our students."

He's also mindful the district's finances could be adversely impacted by a two-year property tax freeze that's part of the "Grand Bargain" under discussion in Springfield, as well as other legislative proposals.

Kessler said the 2.0 panel is working hard on options that can be voted on in time for a March 2018 referendum. "We will have an idea of what the final configuration of the district will be in plenty of time to plan for the 2018-19 school year," he said.

He believes some parts of the plan can be implemented without a successful referendum because of excess capacity in the district. He said an interim plan that's consistent with the final configuration plan will allow the district to save money and avoid wasteful spending to maintain facilities that will ultimately close.

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Bennett Lasko, a business litigation attorney, served on the Superintendent Citizens Finance and Facilities Advisory Committee (SCFFAC) that studied school reorganization issues from late 2012 to early 2014.

"The cost of operating more buildings than we need is draining resources from education, which is not acceptable," said Lasko. He does not believe anyone who has seriously looked at the issues has concluded that school closings are unnecessary. The conclusion was reached by virtually all of the 50-plus SCFFAC members and dozens of citizens on both sides of the failed 2016 referendum, Lasko said.

On the issue of closing schools for the 2018-19 year, Lasko thought it inappropriate for a potential board member to prejudge.

"The answer should be based on detailed analysis, dialogue and recommendations by the district's full-time professional administrators," Lasko said, noting the decision would need to take into account underlying financial, educational, demographic and facilities issues.

Jane Solmor-Mordini, the only incumbent in the race, has been a vocal advocate for reducing the number of schools and modernizing buildings to better prepare students for the future.

She notes the 12-school model is a legacy from the consolidation of three elementary districts more than two decades ago. She said the model is unsustainable and is limiting the district's ability to deliver education in a competitive manner.

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"All surrounding Illinois school districts with similar student populations operate six to nine buildings, and we must do the same," she said.

While a successful referendum would allow the district to consolidate schools and invest in infrastructure, the district must close some aging buildings and modernize those that that remain with or without a referendum, she said.

"We are spending money we do not have to operate 12 buildings and we are missing out on educational opportunities, like the ability to offer all-day kindergarten, provide for teacher collaboration, and offer truly contemporary middle school education," said Mordini, who is seeking a third term.

Brent Ross, a management consultant who has advised the Chicago Public School system, serves on the Reconfiguration 2.0 committee. He is the father of two young children not yet of school age.

Ross is proposing the district close one elementary school and the Green Bay Early Childhood Center, which he said would ensure financial sustainability.

"Closing Green Bay and one elementary school, reducing non-teacher costs by five percent and pragmatically smoothing our capital plan would make the district sustainable," Ross said. "In other words, this approach would keep the fund balance above 25 percent of operating expenses through 2030."

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The district strives to maintain fund balances equal to at least one fourth of annual spending.

Ross said he would support measures to reduce the number of schools in 2018-19 because his plan is less drastic and disruptive than the board's previous plan.

"The measured change I propose is more in line with the scale of historic closures in other districts," Ross said. He said his plan does not require that students be separated from classmates. Nor is it likely to conflict with any long-term plan offered by the Reconfiguration 2.0 panel.

Steven Welhouse, a construction and real estate attorney, is the only candidate who does not believe District 112 needs to close schools in the near future.

Welhouse, an Indian Trail parent, said the Reconfiguration panel has not completed its work, and has yet to make recommendations that schools close. In addition, he believes the district's budget picture is improving for the first time in eight years, making near-term closures unnecessary.

"The answer to District 112's budget difficulties does not lie in closing schools," Welhouse said. "It lies in reforming our education system, which is neither pro-student nor pro-teacher," said Welhouse. "Personnel cost obligations are uncontrollable and unsustainable and have put us in the position of considering school closures."

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Welhouse said no schools should close until the Reconfiguration 2.0 panel has completed its work, and closures should be implemented gradually, with no more than one or two closed at one time.

This is the first story in a continuing series on the North Shore District 112 school board race. The election will be held on April 4 and early voting begins March 20.

kberkowitz@pioneerlocal.com

Twitter @KarenABerkowitz
The bright new mosaics in the Hinsdale Public Library are designed by artist David Lee Csicsko, but the next mosaic that will be installed is the work of children in a mosaic-making workshop at the library.

Csicsko designed odd, colorful characters on large ceramic tiles that are displayed on the upper wall of the youth services department on the lower level.

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"I was very impressed with them," said Navnita Gupta of Hinsdale. "It's so vibrant and full of nature."

The characters include owls, unicorns and suns. But not all are easy to define. Some suggest walking books, dragons, reindeer, wind-up toys and space aliens.

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Library officials decided Csicsko's artwork would be a good fit for the youth department, which recently was renovated and redecorated.

The walls were a blank canvas for him, said Ridgeway Burns, the youth and young adult services manager.

Csicsko also designed two vertical mosaics of birds perched on top of a tree for two columns in the section, which he calls "the reading forest."

When Gupta saw Csicsko was leading a mosaic-making class for children at the library, she enrolled her 10-year-old daughter, who enjoys art at school.

The class filled up with 18 fourth- through eighth-graders within two hours after registration opened, Burns said. The children worked in small groups filling patterns of birds designed by Csicsko with pieces of colored glass.

Dominic Tortorello, 10, and his sister Lola, 11, worked on different squares. Dominic said the birds reminded him of cardinals. Each one perched on a branch with dark green rectangles representing leaves.

The individual birds then were assembled on either side of a brown tree trunk. Alfonsa Vistian, who works with Csicsko on large projects, explained the next step was to add grout to secure the tiles, finish it and let it dry.

In about two weeks, she said, it should be ready to hang in the library permanently.

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After the mosaics were made, Csicsko talked to the children about his work. He has large pieces displayed in such places as a hospital in Kalamazoo, Michigan, the Loyola School of Nursing and the Belmont CTA station in Chicago.

The CTA wanted to make the station "more imaginative and more friendly," Csicsko said.

He also has illustrated a book, "The Skin You Live In," by Michael Tyler.

Csicsko thinks the unicorn he created for the Hinsdale Library ceramics may develop into a character for a book. He already has a name for the character, Funky the Unicorn, he said.

The children had questions for Csicsko.

Anya Raman, 10, asked which artists inspired Csicsko. He named Pablo Picasso, because "he's a rule breaker." Picasso could draw subjects realistically, but proceeded "to play with what is possible and opened doors for everyone who came after him," Csicsko said.

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Another girls asked who started Csicsko on the path to art when he was growing up.

He said he often got compliments for his artwork, which encouraged him to continue.

"As I got older, I met teachers who were more difficult and wanted me to work harder," which helped him develop his talent.

Csicsko pointed to a boy's T-shirt that read, "The best don't rest," and said it was true.

"To be good at something, it takes a lot of effort," Csicsko said. "You have to practice."

kfornek@pioneerlocal.com

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Twitter @kfdoings
In the wake of what they called "reports about incidents of hate, intimidation and division in Lake County," local leaders on Tuesday morning held an event promoting tolerance at the College of Lake County in Grayslake, where they told stories of fear among minority communities and brainstormed ways to be more inclusive.

At the end of the event, Lake County Board Chairman Aaron Lawlor wanted to address "how to transform words into action," he said later.

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So he took significant action himself.

In his remarks to the audience, he noted that, "While Illinois has significant protections for those individuals in our LGBT community, under federal law you can still be denied renting an apartment because you are gay. You can still be denied financing or a mortgage for a house, because you are gay. You can be fired from your job solely on the purpose that you are gay."

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He used the federal policy as an example of the work that is still left to do on civil rights in the United States. And then he asked the crowd to think about, "What would happen if we didn't have that Illinois law?

"Who in your life would that impact?  Maybe a neighbor, maybe a family member, maybe it's a co-worker that you know; a classmate here at CLC," Lawlor said. "It could even be your County Board chairman."

After the event, Lawlor, 34, said in a phone interview that he "meant to share with the audience that I'm gay."

Lawlor said he has "never hid" or "lied about" his sexual orientation. He has lobbied in the past for marriage equality and has been active with groups like Equality Illinois, a group advocating for LGBT rights, he said. But Tuesday's remarks were the first time he publicly acknowledged his sexual orientation in a political setting.

"It's all about making sure Lake County is an inclusive and welcoming place," Lawlor said. "And that starts with understanding each other and understanding our differences, and making them into strengths."

Lawlor, a Republican, joined the County Board in 2009 and was elected chairman in 2012, becoming the youngest ever elected to that position. His district includes Vernon Hills and Indian Creek, plus portions of Hawthorn Woods, Long Grove, Mundelein and unincorporated Lake County. He has never married and does not have children, he said.

"I hope it added value to the discussion," Lawlor said of his remarks. "I think it did, by the response that I'm getting."

The two-hour event centered on promoting tolerance and unity, and leaders were asked to sign a pledge to, "make Lake County an inclusive and welcoming community." While Lawlor and Lake County State's Attorney Mike Nerheim, who helped organize the event, both said that prejudice, hateful rhetoric and bullying were not new phenomena, they both acknowledged the role of the national political climate in magnifying those issues.

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"It did seem very divisive," Nerheim said of November's presidential election. "I think all elections can be divisive, but this one seemed particularly divisive."

Looming over the event was the controversy surrounding the presidency of Donald Trump. While the discussion was not specifically about Trump, panel members such as Megan McKenna Mejia, executive director of the Round Lake Park-based immigrant resource nonprofit Mano a Mano, spoke about, "a recent increase in fear and anxiety in the community."

Trump has moved to aggressively change federal immigration policy, ran on a platform suggesting he would deport immigrants who didn't have permission to be in the country and pledged to build a border wall between the United States and Mexico.

Trump himself on Tuesday condemned recent threats targeting the Jewish community, calling them "horrible" and "a very sad reminder of the work that still must be done to root out hate and prejudice and evil," the Washington Post reported. He also toured the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture, and said it was a "meaningful reminder of why we have to fight bigotry, intolerance and hatred in all of its very ugly forms."

Many criticized Trump's remarks throughout the presidential campaign as intended to appeal to prejudice toward immigrants, Muslims and other minorities.

Nerheim said there has been, "an increase in incidents around Lake County" related to such issues. But he acknowledged most of the reports have been anecdotal.

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"There's been fear in our Latino community and our Muslim community," he said.

The event was also hosted by the Partnership for a Safer Lake County, a group of organizations and individuals "committed to ending violence in Lake County," according to a county news release.

"The partnership will combat violence of all kinds, including child abuse, elder abuse, sexual assault, human trafficking, LGBTQ crimes and domestic violence," the news release reads. "It is something that must be done, and cannot be done working alone."

Lawlor said he hopes his comments about his sexual orientation help encourage Lake County residents to embrace both the similarities and the differences between them and their neighbors.

"I haven't hidden it, so why is there a need to do a big, flashy announcement?" Lawlor said of the reason he never talked about being gay so publicly before. "I think it's better and more impactful for me to talk about it in this setting, and on this topic."

lhammill@tribpub.com

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In Remembrance Of Rezkoville, Chicago's Great Lost Urban Wilderness

By Stephen Gossett in News on Feb 21, 2017 4:52PM



Chicago has its fair share of green oases for whenever we urbanites require a quick fix of wilderness. But as much as we adore, say, the Garfield Park Conservatory or the Nature Boardwalk at the Lincoln Park Zoo, there isnt a great bounty of honest-to-god, untamed, non-manicured wilderness to explore within the city limitswhich is why the recent razing of Rezkoville, as its colloquially known, leaves such a sting.

In early December, crews were spotted clearing the site a massive 64-acre parcel of land bordered by Roosevelt, 16th Street, Clark and the riverfrontand by late January, it appeared to be fully leveled and fenced in. With it gone, so too goes the sites curious and unique ecosystem: a place of strange bird sightings; unexpected wildlife; plant life uncommon to Chicago bursting in abundance; and off-the-beaten-path, impromptu trails, much-loved by adventurous cyclists.

All the brush and overgrowth is gone because, really, it was inevitable: a giant swath of riverfront land between the South Loop and Chinatown wont go undeveloped forever. A 2002 plan by former owner and disgraced Rod Balgojevich associate Tony Rezko (hence the name) fell through; but last year, developer Related Midwest announced a 15-year project that would transform the onetime rail yard (vacant since its demolition in 1971) by adding thousands of new residences, plus retail and office space. It will be an entirely new neighborhood, essentially. (A court ruling in 2016 determined that Related partner Nadhmi Auchi owed more than $17 million related to loans involved in the deal, which may potentially stall the timetable.) Either way, the citys long-overdue Wells-Wentworth Connector plan, which will run a north-south road the length of Rezkoville remains scheduled to begin construction next year.

But lost to all that development is one of Chicagos most unique, relatively untrammeled urban escapes. Jana Kinsman, mastermind behind celebrated beekeeping initiative Bike a Bee, said she saw city-rare birds like an indigo bunting, stumbled across a highly unlikely jewelweed patch, and witnessed the distinctly non-urban sight of mud daubers building nests over the course of the past two summers when she frequented (as often as twice a week) Rezkoville. There were coyote tracks, and friends reported spotting foxes, she said. It was a really special, quiet area, with a lot of wildlife that was allowed to exist without the urban din, Kinsman told Chicagoist.

Because it was all neglected, there were so many processes happening there freely without human intervention, she said.

Liz, 33, of Edgewater, echoed Kinsmans fond, in-the-semi-wild memories. Last summer we saw a kind of blue firefly I've never seen anywhere else. Being in the middle of a the city, surrounded by the smells and sounds of a prairie, with the city lights rising up all around you was kind of mind bending, they told Chicagoist.

There is a danger in glamorizing the space as a sort of back-to-nature quasi-preserve/urban-explorer playground. For the homeless tent-city residents who once lined the south branch of the river at Rezkoville, it was a real-life sanctuarynot of the wildlife kind, heavily littered in parts, and not always safe. (Kinsman recalled one homeless woman with whom she became well acquainted and who described a predominantly functional, live-and-let-live environment; but Kinsman nevertheless admitted feeling intimidated at times when going to Rezkoville unaccompanied.)

And theres little doubt that the Wells-Wenworth Connector will be a boon to both the South Loop and Chinatown neighborhoods it will connect, acting as the very sort of (potentially bike-friendly) alternate passage that so many of us initially sought en route to discovering Rezkoville. Also, greater housing density could help moderate rising costs in the area. But given that The 606, Big Marsh, andperhaps sooner than laterSouth Works may soon receive their inevitable, ultimately impossible-to-argue-with makeovers, Rezkoville felt like perhaps the last of a secret-escape kindand certainly the most expansive.

Still, while we pour one out for Rezkovilles inimitable lost ecology, those who loved it still hold out hope that it wont prove so difficult to replicate in the long run after all. Given Auchis legal entanglements, all the new sewer systems that would have to be installed to accommodate Related Midwests development, and the possibility of environmental damage as a result of its old railroad past, could it all somehow stall and allow for another wilderness to sprout?

As Kinsman put it, We hope that its cursed.

(Note: Related Midwest did not return requests for comment. Ald. Danny Solis (25th Ward) did not immediately return requests for comment about relocation of homeless residents or potential environmental risks on the site. This post will be updated as necessary.)
Love it or leave it

To those who feel that our duly elected president is not their president: Remember, this is a free country and you are free to leave at any time. If you choose to stay, then give the man a chance. He is trying to put in place policies that he campaigned on and was elected on, not the lies of the last eight years such as, "If you like you doctor, you can keep your doctor."

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Principal did right thing

Who decided to reprimand the principal instead of the child that was "out of control?" The student was obviously in danger of harming himself or others. I think calling the police to deal with this situation was exactly right. Running out of the school, climbing over a fence, etc. is bizarre behavior for a child. If the staff had tried to manage the situation themselves and the child was hurt, the school would be responsible and liable. This child obviously has behavior problems that will surface again. Will another teacher be held accountable for poor parenting, behavior problems, etc.? Teachers are hired to teach students, not to apprehend and restrain them. I found it interesting that a parent did not pick the child up after the incident. That should tell us something.

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How things have changed

I married a Japanese women in 1951. The government had a policy to discourage servicemen from marrying Japanese women. It took four years of investigations, examinations, interviews and threats of dire consequences to finally obtain permission to marry. Sixty years of happiness followed. I favor immigration. When we purchased our home, our block was an example of the best of America. three black families, a family of Polish immigrants, a family of immigrants from China, an immigrant from the Philippines and one from Japan. I still live here, but things have changed. People died, children moved away and sold their homes. Today, I am surrounded by the new generation of immigrants. Two of the nine adults work, but they get paid in cash so no income taxes. The rest of them are supported by the taxpayer. Food stamps, WIC, LINK, Medicaid, Section 8, and other programs support them. The men drink a lot of alcohol judging by the cans and bottles laying about. The women are pregnant. Five of the adults voted in the last election, registering with IDs bought on Pine Street. This block has transformed from a place to be proud of to a place of shame.

Same planet, same people

We all live on the same planet. What goes on in America or elsewhere impacts all of us. That includes jobs, environment and the well-being of ourselves and others. We all need to get along. That's why there's a United Nations and the European Union, which at least try. This helps prevent wars. Blowing up verbally and or physically might cause mankind's extinction. Think Hiroshima. It will be worse than that for all of us.

Obama already has a holiday

Why should there be a state holiday for Obama's birthday? What did he do that was so significant for him to deserve a holiday? It's called Presidents Day. What more is needed.

Manuals on tape?

Do potential presidential candidates receive job description manuals before, during or after an election? Everyone knows that Trump doesn't read. Do these manuals come in audio versions?

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Lake County News Sun Twice-weekly News updates from Lake County delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

Crack down on killers

As long as there is soft punishment for the killers, the killing will continue. Capitol punishment needs to come back into service so the killers will have something to think about before pulling the trigger. And if they pull the trigger, then they need to be removed from society. Nobody needs them, black, brown or white.

What a joke

I doubt if the News-Sun was going for humor, but I laughed out loud when I read that both Republicans and Democrats want state employees to continue to get paid, yet both rejected the other side's similar plan. That pretty well typifies the sad state of dysfunction Illinois has become. I have a good idea. If Lisa Madigan wants to force a budget compromise, why doesn't she put the pressure where it belongs, on the executive and legislative branches? Don't pay anyone in the executive branch, and don't pay any of the state legislators until they come up with a budget. It would only be fair.

Twitter @NewsSun

Editor's Note

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Talk of the County is a reader-generated column of opinions. If you see something you disagree with or think is incorrect, please tell us. Call us at 312-222-4554 or email talkofthecounty@tribpub.com. For a continuously updating blog of Talk of the County comments, go to newssunonline.com/talk.
Lincolnwood police are working to reinstitute the town's Neighborhood Watch Program, according to a news release from village officials.

Following the request of Mayor Gerald Turry, the department will work with a group of residents to help "detect and prevent crime," according to the release.

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Volunteers will be trained on how to recognize suspicious and criminal activity which they will report to the police department, the release states.. Police will install window and door decals and parkway signs for interested residents.

"A Neighborhood Watch Program is a wonderful opportunity to assist the Lincolnwood Police Department, help make your neighborhood safer, and meet your neighbors," Turry said in the release.

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Anyone interested in learning more should call police Sgt. Travis Raypole at 847-673-2167 or traypole@lwd.org.

gbookwalter@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @GenevieveBook
A ruined 2012 Toyota Corolla sits in the driveway of the Daily Lane home of Saeed Jellouli and Souad Mahir, which was destroyed by fire Monday morning. Five motorcycles Jellouli had collected also were destroyed in the blaze. (Bill Bird / Naperville Sun)

While his wife was out grocery shopping Monday morning, Saeed Jellouli was working on his computer and their children were home for the Presidents Day holiday.

Jellouli, an instructor at DeVry University in Tinley Park, said it was just before 11 a.m. when smoke began pouring into their Naperville house on Daisy Lane from the garage area "and the fire alarm triggered."

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"It went so fast," Jellouli said of the dizzying spread of the flames. "I tried to put it out with a fire extinguisher" before dialing 911. "I was frantically screaming for the fire department" before getting the children  Malak, 16, Selma, 10, and Jed, 12, who uses a wheelchair  out of the house safely.

"I had just my pajamas (on,) and my bare feet," Jellouli said. "By the time (firefighters) got here, the garage had collapsed."

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"If there's a silver lining, it's that we all got out safe. But everything is gone. Everything we have worked for is gone."

Naperville Fire Department investigators on Tuesday continued their search for the source of the blaze that gutted Jellouli's house and seriously damaged that of his neighbors. Jellouli said his neighbors were in Wisconsin at the time of the blaze.

The flames left the Jellouli home charred beyond repair and consumed its contents. They also reduced the attached garage to a gnarled, blackened mound of wood and melted metal, and destroyed the family's 2012 Toyota Corolla and the five prized motorcycles Jellouli had collected over the years and kept stored in the garage.

Jellouli said he thought Naperville firefighters were "painfully slow" in arriving on the scene. "For me, it seemed like an eternity because the fire was just eating everything."

Fire Division Chief Amy Scheller said the first contingent of firefighters arrived at the home at 10:58 a.m. Monday, "within seven minutes" of receiving Jellouli's 911 call.

Firefighters "set an objective of six minutes" for arriving on the scene of a blaze or other emergency, and meet or better that arrival time "90 percent of the time," Scheller said Tuesday. She stressed a seven-minute arrival time "is not something that's completely out of the range" of the department's aims.

Complicating matters was the discovery that the fire "was being fed by natural gas," Scheller said Monday in a news release. Nicor Gas employees had to be called to the scene, she said.

Jellouli on Tuesday pointed to a mound of mud left by a backhoe Nicor workers used to get to a gas main. "You could hear the gas line hissing" during the fire, he said. "It was loud."

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The fire also spread to the neighbors' house, seriously damaging the side facing the Jellouli home. A deck fire that erupted at a third home was extinguished quickly, Scheller said in the release.

Firefighters "were able to extinguish the main body of fire within the (Jellouli) garage and home within 30 minutes," Scheller said. "Crews were unable to fully extinguish fire within the (neighbors') home until the main gas line was shut down."

Both houses were deemed uninhabitable by an inspector from the city's Transportation, Engineering and Development office.

The loss of their home, which Jelloui and his wife purchased 13 years ago after immigrating from Morocco 10 years earlier, might be especially painful for Jed Jellouli, who suffers from chronic seizures and last spring received a "bedroom makeover" courtesy of Special Spaces. The nonprofit, Tennessee-based organization creates dream bedrooms for children battling life-threatening illnesses.

Donors and volunteers in April refurbished Jed's bedroom with two custom beds and storage areas. "Mini-makeovers" were provided for his sisters' rooms.

Jed is a student at Scullen Middle School in Naperville. Kelly Knox, a friend of the Jellouli family, said Scullen teachers, students and parents are already rallying to the family's aid.

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"This is the kind of family (where) they are still being gracious, and have a smile on their face, even through all of this," Knox said Tuesday.

Jed requires a specialized wheelchair and feeding instruments "to have a normal day," Knox said. "He didn't even eat Monday," because the wheelchair and other equipment were consumed in the fire, she said.

Knox said Jed's teacher, Olivia Mayszak, has set up a gofundme page for the family, which had raised $1,500 by Tuesday afternoon. Scullen employees are trying to get a discount on a replacement wheelchair, and Special Spaces officials "have already approved redoing the bedrooms" once the house is rebuilt, "so that's super-exciting," Knox said.

Saeed Jellouli said he and his family will live with relatives until the ruins are torn down and the house rebuilt, a process he said he expects to take at least six months.

Knox said donations to the family can be made at www.gofundme.com/jellouli.

wbird@tribpub.com
It's easy to be fooled by the tranquillity with which the play begins.

A priest staying in the American Embassy explains the background of the story. And there's a brief exchange between the ambassador and his son.

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"Everything looks like it's just a quiet little outpost. Until the first three minutes, you think 'well, this is going to be a nice, quiet little play,'" Director Bernie Weiler said. "Then mayhem erupts  and never stops."

Pair the non-stop action with witty dialogue, and the result is the Woody Allen farce, "Don't Drink the Water." The play opens Feb. 24 at Steel Beam Theatre in St. Charles, running through March 18. Performances are at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday.

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"The script moves along at a very rapid clip," Weiler said. "There's something happening every minute."

Set in the 1960s at the height of the Cold War, the story involves a New Jersey family of three: a caterer named Walter Hollander; his wife, Marion; and their daughter, Susan. The trio is on vacation in an unnamed country behind the Iron Curtain when they are accused of being spies.

"While they're out and about the caterer takes photograph of a restricted area, and they are chased by gun-wielding secret police into the American Embassy, which is led by an ambassador who has been recalled to the United States," Weiler said. "Upon leaving, the ambassador has just turned the control of the embassy over to his son, who is a junior diplomat who has failed in 13 other diplomatic assignments."

As the Hollanders find themselves caught up in an episode of international intrigue, an agreement is made to exchange the family for an Iron Curtain spy who has been captured by the United States.

"That exchange goes awry, and they plan to escape the embassy, which in the meantime has been surrounded by the Communist secret police so they can capture these spies, should they leave the embassy," Weiler said.

Throughout the ordeal, the family argues with those in the embassy, and each other. Walter and Marion fight about the decision to vacation in the foreign country instead of going to Atlantic Beach. And they are disappointed Susan has broken off her engagement with a prominent attorney, only to fall in love with what they perceive to be the incompetent ambassador's son, Weiler said.

"There's something for everyone. There's Communist police coming in and demanding to drag these spies out and shoot them," he said. "There's a priest whose been hiding in the embassy for six years under the same circumstance. And he turns out to be a magician. So there's magic and high hilarity, intrigue and adventure and gunshots."

Written in 1966, "Don't Drink the Water" was Allen's first professionally produced play. When it premiered it was very well received. But when Steel Beam was planning its current season of all comedies, there was some concern about whether the script was dated because the Cold War is over, Weiler said.

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"It doesn't matter because what he writes about how people behave is so relevant to every age. And he's captured it," he said. "He's a really a very brilliant comedic writer, and I think this is his best work."

The way Allen depicts the characters and their method of fighting, will have audience members recognizing their own family members, he said.

"Woody Allen's writing is so precise and funny. The characters are so well-drawn that everyone will recognize either an aunt or an uncle or their parents," Weiler said. "He just captures the way that loving couples argue. It's a beautiful thing."

Throughout the play, nine actors play 13 different characters.

"It's really a very, very accomplished cast," Weiler said. "We're really pleased with the level of acting."

All of the action takes place inside the embassy. And as a farce, that means the action moves along in a very unpredictable way, Weiler said.

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"There's no shortage of plot twists or turns. It's a challenge to kind of keep up with all the action that's going on," he said. "The challenges are that there are so many things happening at once, that the number of people who are running in and out and the number of conflicts that occur. One conversation is interrupted and creates a completely new thing to argue about."

"It's a lovely script," Weiler said. "Something happening every minute."

Kathy Cichon is a freelance reporter for the Courier-News.

'Don't Drink the Water'

When: Feb. 24-March 18

Where: Steel Beam Theatre, 111 W. Main St., St. Charles

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Tickets: $28 Adults; $25 Seniors 62+; $23 Students; $22 Groups of ten or more

Information: 630-587-8521 or www.steelbeamtheatre.com
Iris Yipp (left) and Rose Joseph are shown at a Harry Potter event in this 2007 photo. (Dianne Brogan / Chicago Tribune)

Those close to a local children's bookstore co-founder known for her warmth and imaginative window displays say her spirit lives on in the store.

Rose Joseph, 73, died Feb. 11 after a long battle with cancer, said her son, Aaron Joseph of Oak Park. A memorial was held for the former Magic Tree bookstore co-owner Feb. 17 at Cheney Mansion; there were more attendees than there were chairs, noted Iris Yipp, who founded the store with Joseph.

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Beth Albrecht, who bought Magic Tree from Joseph and Yipp in 2015, called Joseph gracious, generous and creative.

"Rose was amazing. I can't say enough good things about her," Albrecht said. "I'm just trying to keep, to tend this beautiful thing they created."

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The shop opened in 1984. Yipp, Joseph's neighbor, said they wanted to open a neighborhood place and decided on a bookstore. Joseph  whose husband, Bertram, was from Trinidad  and her neighbors felt a diverse community like Oak Park needed a multicultural book shop, said Aaron Joseph, the second of Joseph's four children.

It was first located at Madison Street and Cuyler Avenue, near Joseph and Yipp's block. About five years later, the shop moved to its Oak Park Avenue location.

"She really had an eye for the opportunity," Aaron Joseph said. A multicultural children's bookstore "was something that was not represented in the market when we were kids, in the '70s and '80s."

Aaron Joseph said his mother  a Canadian immigrant, entrepreneur, and a single, working mom  is an inspiration to a lot of people.

"She was an interesting woman, because in many ways, she was a revolutionary  but she had none of the aggressive personality that sometimes accompanies that," Albrecht said.

Prior to opening the shop, Joseph worked in customer service for TWA airlines, which allowed the family to travel around the world, Aaron Joseph said.

Joseph, who had an art degree and a design background, was known for her creative and elaborate window displays. She created the logo for the shop, modeled after two of her children sitting under a tree.

"She'd get a vision, and she'd follow it through," Yipp said.

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Aaron Joseph said she put the same care and artistic design into her children's Halloween costumes. Joseph and Yipp were early fans of J.K. Rowling, and the shop was known for its trendsetting Harry Potter release parties, among other special events, some of which brought thousands of people to the store and closed Oak Park Avenue, Yipp said.

"We kind of created this wonderful space where families could come," Yipp said. "It was sort of more than a store."

Aaron Joseph admired his mother's quiet brilliance, as well as her determination and strength. Joseph died on the 27th anniversary of her husband's death.

"She told us that's when she was going to die," Aaron Joseph said. "It says a tremendous amount about her will and spirit."

Aaron Joseph said his mother felt it was time to let go of the shop when she and Yipp sold the business to Albrecht, largely because Joseph had been battling cancer and was ready to move on.

"To see the store persevere for 30 years, that speaks to its position as a neighborhood staple and a community hub," Aaron Joseph said. "She felt like they had the right person in Beth."

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Albrecht credited Joseph and Yipp with having "big, welcoming personalities," which made the business stand out over the years. The shop has "encompassed a lot of the morality that Oak Park encompasses," Albrecht added.

"She touched so many lives: children and whole families," said Albrecht, whose own children grew up visiting the book shop. "I hope I'm half as good at this as she was.  Her creative spirit lives on in the store."

Caitlin Mullen is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Park Ridge participants take the plunge into Lake Michigan on Feb. 18 at Clark Street Beach in Evanston. (Michael Schmidt / Pioneer Press)

Hawaiian shorts, bare chests, a tall leprechaun wearing a large inner tube and even a few tutus were among the sights seen from those who splashed into Lake Michigan at Evanston's Clark Street beach in the name of the Special Olympics, representing the Park Ridge community at the 2017 Polar Plunge.

In spite of unseasonably warm weather, participants showed that high temperatures did not take the zeal out of fundraising efforts. For some, it didn't even take the polar out of their plunge.

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"Horrible," acting Mayor Marty Maloney said of the water just after the Park Ridge team plunged. "It was much colder than what I thought it was going to be. Literally, take your breath away. ... Very shocking."

For a so-called "polar" plunge event, temperatures hit 70 degrees by early afternoon on Feb.18, just around the time of the plunge. Water temperatures were around 40.

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Whether the plunge was a challenge was subjective.

"I think it qualifies." Maloney said. "The temperature of the air may not qualify. But the temperature of the water more than makes up for it."

Park Ridge participants take the plunge into Lake Michigan on Feb. 18 at Clark Street Beach in Evanston. (Michael Schmidt / Pioneer Press)

The Polar Plunge is one of several events conducted by Special Olympics Illinois in conjunction with law enforcement. This is Maloney's first year as a plunger.

"I wish I had come out here before. It's a neat thing to see everyone come out for the Special Olympics," he said.

There were 19 Park Ridge plungers for the 2017 Lake Michigan Polar Plunge. This year's team consisted of mostly police officers, department staff, youth commission, elected officials and police explorers.

"[Police departments] in general do a lot more than just protect and serve, they actually participate in things like this, which makes a big difference," 1st Ward Ald. John Moran said. "When they're here with high school students doing this with them side-by-side, it really helps solidify their commitment to the community. It's a great thing. I'm happy to help them, and they all do a great job."

As the Park Ridge team began to retreat from the water, Moran dunked Park Ridge Police Chief Kaminski.

"No, I wasn't expecting that," Kaminski said. "That was great. They want you to do a full immersion, I have a tendency to do the speed in and speed out. ...They wouldn't let me get away with that."

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Each plunger is expected to raise at least $100 for Special Olympics, and each team has a goal. In total, the Park Ridge Police and Community Pact raised $3,920, as of Tuesday afternoon. The team is still accepting donations at www.soill.donordrive.com to meet its $4,500 goal.

In addition to $100 minimum plungers, there are "super plungers" who plunge every hour on the hour for 25 hours, who began the previous day to raise more money

"I did the Polar Plunge for eight years, three in which I was a super plunger," Park Ridge Police Officer Julie Genualdi said. She and Cmdr. Bob Kampwirth were dressed in blues on the beach supporting the Park Ridge plungers.

"This year, we're working. So that's why we're not going in," Kampwirth said. "It's very important. The Special Olympics is a great cause. The athletes are phenomenal people, and any way we can support that cause, we're there for them."

Park Ridge participants take the plunge into Lake Michigan on Feb. 18 at Clark Street Beach in Evanston. (Michael Schmidt / Pioneer Press)

Although she has been a Polar Plunge participant in the past, Genualdi wasn't going in the water and quipped about the extraordinary warm weather.

"This is not fair," she said with a laugh. "The hours of putting Vaseline on my legs so that they wouldn't get cut by the ice is probably something I think they should all experience."

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"It's good," she added. "It will encourage people maybe who will come out and do it again and again and just grow this effort that is so dear to my heart."

Deputy Police Chief Duane Mellema said every person who plunges "brings in more money to a fantastic charity."

"Whether or not it's cold  I'm going to enjoy the fact that it's not cold this year," Mellema said. "It's so mild. It's like a regular dip in the lake; it is not nearly as tortuous and cold as it usually is."

Mellema said it was his 10th time as a participant.

"Just a teeny bit," Mellema said about whether the weather took the polar out of his plunge. "It's not as hard when you're coming out and you start warming up right away."

Mellema said he felt the weather contributed to there being more plungers this year. Mellema said he started plunging 10 years ago with three or four participants from the city.

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"It has really picked up in the past couple years. I don't know if that's more involvement with the police department just roping in more people. But it's definitely nice to have a lot more people coming in," said his son, Jake Mellema, 16. "When there's more people, it feels more like a community when you're jumping in. And you really get the sense that there are more people that actually care for the charity, that are actually doing stuff to help promote this."

Jake Mellema is a junior at Maine South and was in his sixth year as a plunger.

"It think it was just about the warmest one that I've ever done. I'm a little disappointed in that aspect. But I mean, it's pretty nice. I get to work on my tan," he said.

Did the weather take the polar out of his plunge?

"Pretty much," he said. "I prefer when it is around like 20-ish and actually cold."

"The first couple of years, that's the way it was, and then global warming ... ruined everything I guess," he said with a laugh.

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As for next year, he smiled as he said he hoped it would be "maybe a little bit colder."

Taryn Galbreath is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
The pain of losing their loved one more than two years ago was still palpable as family members delivered victim impact statements at the sentencing hearing Tuesday for a Hammond man who admitted he killed his friend during an argument.

"You shot him right here in his heart," Cynthia Love, the fiancee of Lonnie Lovell Williams, said as she looked at Jimmie Earl Jacobs Jr.

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Williams, 44, was killed during his birthday celebration on Sept. 24, 2014, at his Hammond home.

Lake Superior Court Judge Samuel Cappas imposed a sentence outlined in the plea agreement of 26 years and eight months in the Indiana Department of Correction. The last three years will be served in Lake County Community Corrections.

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Jacobs, who was originally charged with murder, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter.

In court last month, Jacobs said that he was in the 1000 block of Bauer Street and got into an argument with Williams, who told Jacobs to leave. A short time later, Jacobs returned to the Bauer Street address in a Chevrolet Lumina and parked near May and Bauer streets. Jacobs said he fired several shots at Williams in sudden heat.

Williams' brother, Kenneth Coleman, said Jacobs' split-second decision to shoot Williams has devastated his family. "You didn't just destroy our family, you destroyed yours as well when you took my brother's life," Coleman said.

Coleman said that Jacobs spent considerable time with Williams' mother at the party. "I personally took a picture of you and my mother," Coleman said.

Jacobs apologized to Williams' family and said he prays for them. "Me and Lovell were good friends. Drugs and alcohol played a big part," Jacobs said. "I hope one day you find it in your heart to forgive me."

Jacobs also apologized to his family and thanked them for their support.

"It's an unfortunate circumstance to see this fact pattern," Cappas said. "A split second changed many, many people's lives for the worse," the judge said. Cappas said Jacobs has always been respectful in court. "I don't know what came over you that day but I wouldn't have expected that conduct," Cappas said.

Ruth Ann Krause is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
Nationally-Acclaimed Bartender Takes Mezcaleria Las Flores In A New Direction

By Anthony Todd in Food on Feb 21, 2017 3:36PM



The A Huevo at Mezcaleria Las Flores. Photo courtesy of Mezcaleria Las Flores.

Almost a year ago, a new bar opened in Logan Square. Attached to Johnny's Grill, the bar boasted a huge collection of mezcal, a veteran of Frontera Grill running the show and a commitment to a very intense sort of authenticity (down to the imported drinking vessels). Flash forward a year: a new bartender has taken over at Mezcaleria Las Flores, and she's brought a new, friendly vision (and a new level of complexity) to the menu.

If you're a cocktail geek, you've likely heard of Caitlin Laman. She's been named a Food & Wine Best New Mixologist, she's won the giant national cocktail competition called Speed Rack, and she's been in charge of a bar in San Francisco that's won just about every award that a bar can win: Trick Dog. But after all that success, Laman was really just looking for a little bit of a break.

"When I first came here, I was looking for just a regular bartending job," Laman told Chicagoist. "I wanted to clock in, clock out, and I wanted time to do projects."

However, even after talking to Laman for just a couple of hours, it became obvious to me that, whether she knows it or not, she's not cut out for a regular shift job, and that's not where she ended up. Through a few personal connections (and a lot of experience with mezcal), she ended up at Mezcaleria Las Flores, which had recently lost its opening bartender, Jay Schroeder.

After getting the lay of the land, Laman set about reshaping the menu. Her new take on the bar's identity launched last week. Gone are the "authentic" ceramic drinking vessels ("Super simple pretty glassware is very sexy to me. I think the drink should be the vibrant thing."), and gone is some of the obsessive focus on the more obscure varietals of mezcal, but in their place is a menu that manages to be both more approachable than its predecessor and still one of the more interesting cocktail lists in town. Laman has brought a variety of different spirits onto her list, along with a nerdy love of sherry and vermouth, and has managed to blend that sensibility with Mexican ingredients to create something unique.

While in some ways Schroeder's Mezcaleria felt like an attempt to transport guests to a very spirits-heavy version of Mexico, Laman wants to blend cultures.

"Were in Chicago, were in a very Mexican neighborhood in Chicago, and I think a little bit of both is great," she said. "This is a Chicago Mexican bar." That approach is showcased in a number of ways. Even in the non-mezcal drinks, every drink contains a Mexican ingredient. For example, the "Deep Roots" is a combination of gin, housemade celery syrup and Salers gentian liquor, but the whole thing is topped off by with a blast of hoja santa, a salt mixed with a Mexican herb that I've never seen in a drink that gives the concoction a complex vegetal note.



The Mero Mole. Photo courtesy of Mezcaleria Las Flores.

If you're a fan of classic cocktails, a lot of this menu will look vaguely familiar. "Im giving away my secrets hereIm very much about classic drinks," Laman said. "Theres a lot of cool stuff people are doing these days, but no one has come up with something as wonderful as an old fashioned, or as beloved as a negroni. You can look at every drink on my menu and it comes from a classic." Take the "Mero Mole," which is a thinly-disguised old fashioned, combining bourbon, bitters and a mole-based Amaro with a lot of chile made by CH Distillery. The Chaca Chaca is a French 75 variation, except made with tequila, mezcal and absinthe, along with a personal touch. "I wanted to put hibiscus on the menu because it was such a big part of my life in Mexico, so I put it in the French 75." All of that makes a complex menu unusually approachable because things look vaguely familiar to most drinkers.

"Part of the thing that was important to me was making this menu full of vermouth, sherry and Mexican ingredients easy to read," Laman said.

Don't let a focus on the classics (or Laman's modesty) fool you; there's plenty of interesting stuff going on at Mezcaleria. Take the A Huevo, a frothy, smooth drink unlike any other egg cocktail I've ever tasted - it combines Mezcal with amontillado sherry for a dry, smoky, rich taste that goes down dangerously quickly. Laman thought no one would order it, but it's been the surprise hit of the new menu. Since I'm a loudmouthed vodka hater, it's a surprise that I even love Laman's take on a vodka soda, the "Flor Life," which blends vodka, sherry, vermouth and soda water for what is going to become Chicago's ultimate summer sipper. This is a menu full of personality - Laman's mother even drew all the illustrations on the menu!



The Flor Life. Photo courtesy of Mezcaleria Las Flores.

Laman's also not blind to the fact that she's using Mexican ingredients to make fancy drinks in a gentrifying neighborhood. She's spent time in Mexico, but doesn't pretend that anything here is "authentic"in fact, she isn't sure that really means much.

"We like to argue a lot about whats 'traditional,'" she said. "If you go to 10 bars in Mexico City and order 10 micheladas theyre all going to be different. Its the way that people do things it differs."

So straight pours of mezcal at Mezcaleria are served with oranges, chile salt and cacao salt. Is that "authentic?" At some bars in Mexico, sure, and at others, not so muchbut it tastes good, people like it, and that's what matters.

She's also connecting with the neighborhood. $1 from every "Bridges not Walls," a fruity combination of mexcal, chile, strawberry, basil and lime goes to Darwin Elementary School right down the street, and Laman hopes to make more connections like that in the future.

At the end of the day, Mezcaleria Las Flores is a bar, a place to relax after work. Laman is entranced by Chicago's dive bar scene ("You have the most wonderful dive bars in the world") and her goal is to create someplace where guests want to be, regardless of the complexity of the menu.

"Our job as bartenders is to make people comfortable, from dive bars to wine bars to cocktail bars. People come in from stressful days and they sit down and they need to relax," she said. "Its our job to help them do that."

Watching Laman greet guests, joke with regulars and pour shots on a Thursday night, it's pretty clear that she's fitting into her new city just fine.


Monday

Smoking cessation classes in Gary

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Methodist Hospitals will offer Smoking Cessation classes from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday through April 3 at the Northlake Campus, 600 Grant St., Gary. The fee for the session is $60. Based on the American Lung Association's Freedom from Smoking Program, instruction is designed to help individuals develop an approach to quitting that works for them through the use of coping skills, self-monitoring, and stress and weight management. Registration and more information is at 888-909-3627 or MethodistHospitals.org.

Library holiday closing in East Chicago

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The East Chicago Public Library system, including both the main branch, 2401 Columbus Drive, and the Pastrick Branch Library, 1008 W. Chicago Ave., will be closed Monday in observance of Presidents Day. The closing also applies to the library's community centers: King, Owens, Penn, Marktown, Clemente and Heritage Hall. Regular hours will resume Tuesday. More information is at 219-397-2453 or 219-397-5505.

Date set for Savor the South Shore

The South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority will host Savor the South Shore-Restaurant Weeks from Monday to March 5, and is seeking restaurants to participate. More than 30 restaurants took part in last year's event, which offers diners discounted three-course menus. Restaurants interested in participating can submit their menu information at www.alongthesouthshore.com/savor. The form includes menu price points and specifics, hours and whether a special lunch menu will be offered. Participation is free and open to all restaurants in Northwest Indiana offering lunch and/or dinner. Restaurants also will have their menus featured on the Savor the South Shore webpage, and will be promoted on the Facebook page and VIP Text List. More information is with Heather Becerra at 219-989-7770.

Grant to benefit homeowners in Gary

Senior residents that are U.S. veterans and are homeowners in Gary could receive weatherization upgrades to their homes through a community improvement grant recently awarded to the city. The city of Gary is a recipient of a $5,000 Community Impact Grant from the Home Depot Foundation. The foundation provides grants and volunteer opportunities to support small home modification projects, weatherization assistance and other improvements for existing homes and other structures. The program also will serve as a training opportunity for veterans living in Gary. Veterans will be able to shop for materials and work alongside the contractor assigned to perform construction work. Applications are available to those fitting the criteria at the city's Community Development Department, 839 Broadway. Applications must be completed by Monday. Residents are asked to bring a recorded deed, a tax bill, an identification card, a utility bill, proof of homeowner's insurance, verification of income and proof of veteran status. The amount allocated for residences will be determined based on need, cost of materials and the number of applications received. Applications will be reviewed and approved on a first-come, first-served basis. For information, call 219-881-5075.

Tuesday

Dinner and a movie at Dunes Learning Center

Food for thought is on the menu at the second meeting of the Dunes Dinner Club to be held from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Dunes Learning Center's Cowles Lodge dining hall, 700 Howe Road, Chesterton. A screening of "The Land, an Adventure Play Documentary" will precede a four-course dinner. Guests are invited to explore the center's trail system before or after the event. Tickets are $60 per person or $100 per couple. The purchase price includes a tax-deductible donation to send local children to camp. Reservations required before Tuesday at www.duneslearningcenter.org/events.

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Free film screening in Porter County

The Porter County Substance Abuse Council will host a screening of "Generation Found" in conjunction with a Providers Network Night at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Portage IMAX, 6550 U.S. 6. The community is invited, and tickets are free for Porter County residents. Mental health providers, substance abuse professionals and police officers are invited to provide information and resources for those in attendance before and after the screening. Tickets are at www.eventbrite.com/generationfound. More information is at 219-462-0946.

East Chicago special education meeting

The School City of East Chicago will host its monthly special education meeting for parents from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the district's administration building, 1401 E. 144th St. The topic will be strategies for handling challenging behaviors. Refreshments will be provided, and children are welcome to attend. More information is at 219-391-4100 or scec.k12.in.us/groups/3600.

Portage Kiwanis Club to host speakers

The community is invited to join the Portage Kiwanis Club at their 7:30 a.m. meetings every Tuesday as they host presentations of local interest. Randi Light, of Enlightened Living, will speak on Tuesday. All meetings are held in the cafe at Porter Hospital, 3630 Willowcreek Road, Portage. More information is at 219-781-3295 or www.kiwanis.org.

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Porter Hospital offers support groups

Porter Regional Hospital has announced upcoming support groups. Hope and Healing, a women's cancer support group, will meet from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Fagen Pharmacy, 3400 N. Calumet Ave., Valparaiso. More information is with Peggy Banks at 219-983-6128. Beyond the Baby Blues, a support group for mothers struggling with postpartum depression, will meet from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Community Room at Porter Regional Hospital, 85 E. U.S. Highway 6, Valparaiso; and from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Childbirth Melodies, 138 S. Main St., Crown Point. More information is at 219-331-1945 for Valparaiso or 219-782-4149 for Crown Point. The Ostomy Support Group will meet from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday in the community room at Porter Regional Hospital, 85 E. U.S. Highway 6. Information is with Sarah Grcich at 219-309-5939 or Michele Kaplan-Jones at 219-406-0019. A stroke survivor support group for survivors, caregivers and family members will be from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Thursday at the Duneland Family YMCA, 215 Roosevelt St., Chesterton. More information is at 219-983-8355.

Wednesday

Community interest meeting for autism center

Lighthouse Autism Center will host meetings to gauge the level of interest for an applied behavior analysis autism center in Porter County at 2 and 6 p.m. Wednesday at Hampton Inn and Suites, 1451 Silhavy Road, Valparaiso. Lighthouse serves the communities of South Bend, Mishawaka, Plymouth and Warsaw. The meeting is open to all interested parents and professionals. More information is at 574-387-4313, PatS@LighthouseAutismCenter.com or www.LighthouseAutismCenter.com.

IU Northwest celebrates Black History Month

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Indiana University Northwest's office of Diversity, Equity and Multicultural Affairs invites the campus and community to celebrate Black History Month with a series of cultural events spotlighting African-American arts and culture. Films will be screened throughout the month: "The Road to Brown" will be shown at 1 p.m. on Wednesday. Tickets are not required. A guided discussion will take place after each film and light refreshments will be served. All films will be at the Savannah Center, Rooms 205/206, 3400 Broadway, Gary. A Jazz History Concert featuring Billy Foster will trace the history of jazz and its genres from the early 1900s to today, 6 p.m. Feb. 28 at the Bruce W. Bergland Auditorium, Savannah Center, 3400 Broadway, Gary. Tickets and information are with Tierra Jackson at 219-980-6596 or jacksoti@iun.edu.

Thursday

Franciscan nurse career fair scheduled

Franciscan Health's Dyer, Hammond and Munster hospitals will host a free nursing career recruitment fair for their medical-surgical and critical care units from 1 to 5 p.m. Thursday at The View restaurant at Centennial Park, 1005 S. Centennial Drive, Munster. Participants are asked to bring multiple copies of their resumes. Prorated sign-on bonuses will be available for specific positions. There also is a residency program for new nurses. More information is with Mary Jo Erickson at 219-865-2141, ext. 44774, Elsa Martinez at 219-932-2300, ext. 33194, or Heather Hedrick at 219-934-2946.

Friday

Exploring Science program

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Join staff and fellow adventurers for a night of science exploration at 7 p.m. Friday at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Visitor Center, 1215 N. Indiana 49, Chesterton. Megan Korte of the United States Geological Survey is a researcher investigating an endangered species at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. She will discuss scientific investigations in progress within the Great Lakes national parks. More information is at 219-395-1882 or www.nps.gov/indu.

Saturday

Author to speak at Dunes Visitor Center

Pioneering aviator Octave Chanute will be the subject of discussion at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center, 1215 N. State Road 49, Chesterton. Simine Short, author of the book "Locomotive to Aeromotive: Octave Chanute and the Transportation Revolution," will speak about the life of Chanute, a civil engineer who was a major figure in the development of aviation and a contributor to the Wright Brothers' success. More information is at 219-395-1882 or www.nps.gov/indu.

Community Hospital to offer screening

Community Hospital will provide Coronary Health Appraisals from 8 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday at the hospital, 901 MacArthur Blvd., Munster. The screening includes total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides, hemoglobin A1C, blood pressure and body mass index. The fee is $30. Register at 219-836-3477 or 866-836-3477. More information is at www.comhs.org.

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PNW to provide free tax assistance

Students from Purdue University Northwest tax and accounting classes will offer free federal and state income tax preparation assistance to taxpayers/families with incomes of $54,000 or less, individuals with disabilities and elderly residents. The volunteer tax preparers have completed 12 credit hours in accounting, including at least one tax course at Purdue North Central, and passed a rigorous IRS examination on tax rules and filing procedures. Students at the Westville Campus are participating in the Internal Revenue Service's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program with support from the La Porte County United Way. Appointments are required and are available from 9:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturdays through March 25, except March 18. Services will be offered in the Technology Building, Room 109, 1401 U.S. 421, Westville. Hammond Campus students are assisting efforts of the American Association of Retired Persons by providing tax help at several Lake County communities. Following is a list of locations and phone numbers for appointments: Calumet Township Municipal Center, 1800 W. 41st St., Gary, 219-880-4900; Lowell Public Library, 1505 E. Commercial Ave., Lowell, 219-696-7704; Merrillville Municipal Center, 7820 Broadway, Merrillville, 219-769-3501; Schererville Town Hall, 10 E. Joliet St., Schererville, 219-322-2211; Salvation Army, 8225 Columbia Ave., Munster, 219-838-0380; and Crown Point Public Library, 122 N. Main St., Crown Point. Appointments must be made in advance in person on school days at the library. More information is at www.pnw.edu.

Sunday

Annual Heritage Gala

The Gary Section of the National Council of Negro Women will host its Annual Heritage Gala at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, at the Genesis Convention Center, One Genesis Plaza, Gary. The theme for the event will be Fortified by the Past . . . Focused on the Future. Tickets are $40 in advance, $45 at the door. Tickets and more information are at 219-808-4795 or 219-689-2158.

Lithuanian Independence Day celebration

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Lithuanian American Community, Inc., East Chicago, and Knights of Lithuania Council 82 of Gary, will host the Annual Lithuanian Independence Day celebration beginning at 1 p.m. Sunday at the American Legion Griffith Post 66, 132 N. Wiggs Ave., Griffith. Lunch will be served. A speaker, soloist and Lithuanian folk dancers will be featured. Tickets are $20. Reservations are with Loreta Vician at 219-614-2498 or lrutav1218@sbcglobal.net.

March 1

Youth winter skill clinics begin

Valpo Parks in conjunction with local partners is offering youth T-ball skills sessions. T-ball clinics will be from 4:30-5:45 p.m. March 5 and 12 for ages 3-6. Cost is $15/resident, $27/nonresident. Registration ends March 1. All clinics will be held at the Valparaiso High School field house, 2727 N. Campbell St., Valparaiso. More information is at 219-462-5144 or www.ValpoParks.org.

IU Northwest to participate in college fairs

Indiana University Northwest will be take part in three college fairs scheduled at St. Joseph's College in Rensselaer. The fairs will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, as well as March 1 and March 14. Last week, St. Joseph officials announced the suspension of activities at the end of the 2016-17 academic year. IU Northwest has promised to waive the application fee for admission for students transferring from St. Joseph's. More information is with Kathy Spicer at 219-980-6848.

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 Staff report
Opposition over the planned location of a new South Shore train station at Ridge Road and Manor Avenue continued Monday night at another packed house meeting of the Munster Town Council .

But Monday wasn't the only opportunity for residents to be heard about the proposal.

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The council meets in a study session at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Town Hall. Once the council closes the public comment portion of the meeting they will get on with discussing the contents of a resolution drafted by residents targeting the Northern Indiana Public Transportation District (NICTD) and its West Lake Corridor Project.

The proposed resolution plots several concessions involving the construction of the train station. These include specific height and type of fencing around the station and parking lot, resident-only parking on streets within one mile of the station, widening Harrison Avenue, quiet zones through residential areas, a traffic control study and financial compensation to homeowners within a quarter-mile of the station or train tracks in the event property values decrease.

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Whether council members agree to keep all, some or none of the resolution remains to be seen. Council President Joe Simonetto reminded the residents Monday that the town cannot dictate the project but hopes to be influential nonetheless.

"We're just as confused about a lot of things as you are," he said.

Munster is allocating 34 percent of its annual economic development funds derived from the Lake County Option Income Tax as part of the local match from the Regional Transportation Authority to the federal earmark U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky, D-Merrillville, is seeking to fund the South Shore's expansion.

Councilman John Reed explained the town is "buying a seat at the table" so that NICTD officials will strongly consider Munster's wishes with respect to the project. He said the fact the train will come through Munster and that a station will be located in town is not the town's decision and that it will happen, provided the federal funding is secured, whether anyone likes it or not.

"We are here to protect the people of Munster, but you're never going to make 25,000 people happy," Reed said. "We're going to do everything we can to lessen the impact on our residents."

Munster resident Adam Cooper lamented the loss of the bike path near the station, while Jason Lucas questioned the need for the expansion. A daily rider of the South Shore to Chicago, Lucas, who lives in the 8400 Block of Harrison Avenue near the planned station, said more and more people are telecommuting for work and thus questioned the need to expand the commuter railway.

"I don't believe people will move to Munster to be close to a train station," he said. "I moved here for the community."

Jim Masters is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
The Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center's new exhibition, "Operation Finale: The Capture and Trial of Adolf Eichmann," recreates the 1961 trial of the infamous Nazi war criminal. This Feb. 16, 2017, picture shows elements from the exhibit, which runs through June. (Mike Isaacs / Pioneer Press)

The Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center's new exhibition, "Operation Finale: The Capture & Trial of Adolf Eichmann," takes visitors chronologically through the operation that led to Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann's capture, trial and execution.

The exhibition opened Sunday but the museum held a news media preview event three days before that.

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"Operation Finale" is scheduled to run through June 18 with a series of related programming slated at various times, museum officials said.

"It was essential for (Israeli Prime Minister David) Ben-Gurion that the youth of Israel heard the story of the Holocaust, and it was through this trial that they learned about the Holocaust," Arielle Weininger, the museum's chief curator of collections and exhibitions, said at the Feb. 16 media preview.

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The exhibit showcases how Mossad, the national intelligence agency of Israel, apprehended Eichmann and then smuggled the war criminal out of Argentina and to Jerusalem where he would come before the court.

The filmed trial of the infamous Nazi Eichmann showed him protected in a bullet-proof glass booth as witnesses testified to the barbarous crimes for which he was found guilty.

The lead-up to his capture in Argentina is the stuff of riveting espionage and spy stories, museum officials said, but there is a much greater significance to it too.

"Much of the world learned about the Holocaust this way," said museum CEO Susan Abrams. "It was brought into their living room through radio and television."

"Operation Finale" grew out of the discovery of some of the original pre-digital artifacts used in the covert operation, said former Mossad agent Avner Avraham, exhibit curator. Among them are hand-forged documents, printed case files, a surveillance camera and photos to verify Eichmann's identity and goggles Eichmann was forced to wear so he never knew his destination.

The exhibition takes visitors through the nuances of the operation and the team that targeted Eichmann.

Exhibit artifacts, films and panels tell of how Eichmann remained hidden in captivity in Argentina longer than the Mossad agents had intended.

A chilling highlight of "Operation Finale" is the recreation of the trial in Jerusalem using archival footage projected on three screens.

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Eichmann's response to the trial is seen straight ahead through the actual glass booth where he sat in court more than 55 years ago. On the right screen are prosecutors making their case against him, on the left the often anguished response of those witnessing the trial.

"Operation Finale: The Capture & Trial of Adolf Eichmann" is a co-production of the Mossad-Israeli Secret Intelligence Service; Beit Hatfutsot  The Museum of the Jewish People in Tel Aviv; and the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage in Cleveland, Ohio, museum officials announced.

misaacs@pioneerlocal.com

@SKReview_Mike
The New Trier High School Board of Education listens to public comments during a school board meeting on Feb. 20, 2017. (Brian O'Mahoney / Pioneer Press)

The president of the New Trier Township High School District 203 board had a simple message for the hundreds of people who showed up at Monday night's meeting for intense debate about the school's civil rights seminar day next week.

"Our message to the New Trier community is that this all-school seminar day will proceed as planned," Greg Robitaille told a packed house Monday night.

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The seminar program roused opposition from people who say it lacks conservative voices, and equally vehement support from parents and residents who championed the schedule of speakers and workshops as an crucial way for students to ask questions, speak about racial topics they might otherwise be afraid to talk about, and make up their own mind on those issues.

More than 700 parents, students, New Trier district residents and others filed into the Cornog Auditorium at New Trier's Northfield campus an hour and a half before the meeting's public session began, and Robitaille said roughly 100 people put in requests to speak.

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Mark Weyermullen speaks in opposition to the upcoming all-day seminar on civil rights at New Trier High School during a school board meeting on Feb. 20, 2017. (Brian O'Mahoney / Pioneer Press)

Student Isabelle Hauser of Wilmette  who opposes the seminar - said when she tried to speak her mind at school, she received backlash from students who didn't share her view.

"There's no balance in the seminar day as planned," she said, adding that racial discrimination is not a problem at the high school.

In the end, 19 people spoke for more than an hour in support or opposition to the day, following an administrative presentation that Assistant Superintendent Tim Hayes said was intended in part to correct misconceptions about what the schedule provided to students.

Most speakers, several of them current or former New Trier students, supported the seminar day, a sentiment that appeared to be mirrored by most of those in the audience, who repeatedly applauded speakers despite Robitaille's request that they not do so.

Callie Baker, front, and Ally Freemond, 17, speak in support of the upcoming all-day seminar on civil rights during the Feb. 20, 2017, school board meeting. (Brian O'Mahoney / Pioneer Press)

Wilmette resident Mimi Rodman, who organized an online petition backing the seminar day, presented more than 5,000 signatures to the board, and said 83 percent of them came from current or future New Trier parents, district residents or alumni. When she asked supporters in the audience to stand up, most of those attending rose to their feet.

But Rodman said the debate was not a popularity contest, noting that "this hasn't been easy for you on the board, or for people on both sides," and said that the minority voice matters.

Several speakers said talk about race might be uncomfortable for students, but was necessary to help prepare students from the overwhelmingly white district for adult life in a world that did not look like New Trier.

"I for one want my children to be ready to engage with the world beyond New Trier," Wilmette resident Ami Campbell said.

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"We as students don't need to be coddled about things that make us uncomfortable  Intellectual curiosity is what makes New Trier New Trier," Glencoe's Brett Zaslavsky, a New Trier student, said.

Julia Stoller, a 2011 New Trier graduate and now a teacher in Boston, said she had felt "embarrassingly uninformed" about matters of race after graduating, and wished she had had access to a similar seminar day as a student.

"If people feel threatened about their white privilege, the response to that is to educate themselves," Stoller said.

The "Parents of New Trier" online group has petitioned administrators to add more conservative voices to the seminar. Among its suggested speakers was Chicago pastor Corey Brooks, who said Monday night that "if the goal is education and not indoctrination, that you'd make it a little more fair  consider that poverty, not race, is the critical issue, that the real segregation is not racial but economic."

Betsy Hart, a "Parents of New Trier" organizer, said at the meeting that she was thrilled to see the crowd, and it represented the diversity of views that her group tried to bring to the seminar day schedule itself. She said she found it ironic "that people who say they are for open minds and here for inquiry are actually trying to shut us down."

Robitaille ended Monday's meeting by saying he was convinced the current seminar setup was worthwhile, and that he saw no evidence of political or ideological bias on the part of teachers or other seminar planners.

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On Tuesday, people on both sides said Monday's meeting was a success.

"I saw a respectful conversation between people in the community," Rodman said. "We need more of that, everywhere."

Hart claimed victory after board member Lori Goldstein said the district should consider adding parents to the planning process of any future event, and after board member John Myefski said it wasn't appropriate to silence any voice.

Nicole Dizon, the district's communications director, said Tuesday that administrators were pleased with the meeting.

"We were particularly impressed by all the students who wanted to speak and how eloquent they were ... In the end, we felt very good about the level of engagement, the people we heard from, and the ability of the board to discuss what this day is, and is not," she said.

kroutliffe@pioneerlocal.com

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Twitter: @pioneer_kathy
Second grade students in teacher Julie Ahern's class at Waukegan's Andrew Cooke Magnet School show the books they received Feb. 17 from the Rotary Club of Winnetka-Northfield. Club members, rear, brought the books to Ahern, front, and her class as part of Random Acts of Kindness Day. (Rotary Club of Winnetka-Northfield / HANDOUT)

A book is a dream that you hold in your hand. (Neil Gaiman)

Living without books to encourage dreams, or open doors and windows into broader worlds of knowledge and imagination, is to live without one of the world's great treasures.

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When Waukegan teacher Julie Ahern saw how one of her second grade students reacted to getting a new book on Friday, she could tell that he certainly thought the gift was a treasure.

"He said, 'Do you mean I can keep this?' and he hugged the book and his eyes just lit up," said Ahern, who has taught at Waukegan's Andrew Cooke Magnet School for 22 years.

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Ahern's young charges were the beneficiaries of a donation of 45 books from the Rotary Club of Winnetka-Northfield. Club president Patti Van Cleave said the donation was the club's effort for National Random Acts of Kindness Day, a day publicized by the Denver-based Random Acts of Kindness Foundation.

"(The donation) isn't particularly random, but it is an act of kindness," Van Cleave said.

Van Cleave said that many Rotary clubs had their own projects for the day. The Winnetka-Northfield club, which was founded in 1924 and currently has 60 members, began working on its Random Acts of Kindness project about a month ago, she said. The group bought the books from the First Book nonprofit organization, which provides books and other learning materials at a discount for schools and programs serving children from low-income families, she said.

Van Cleave said fellow club member Rich Lalley chose the 45 books, enough to provide each child in Ahern's classroom with a title to take home, and one to keep at school. They ranged from biographies of Benjamin Franklin to stories of great American women, poetry for children and much more, Van Cleave said.

The club inserted a bookplate into each volume, showing that the book was donated by the Winnetka-Northfield club, she said, as well as the words of Rotary's "four-way test."

"We recite the test at our meetings," Van Cleave said. "Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build goodwill and better friendships? Will it beneficial to all concerned? We put that in so the kids understand what we in Rotary are, and what we do in the world."

The club has had a relationship with Ahern for a few years, Van Cleave said. Ahern is a former Rotary Ambassador who said her experience as an ambassador in England convinced her to become a teacher.

Ahern said the relationship with the Winnetka-Northfield group began when she met Lalley, and he invited her to speak to the club.

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"We've kept in touch ever since. About a week ago, he sent me a Facebook message saying, 'Give me a call, I've got a great idea,'" Ahern said of the donation project.

Van Cleave said the donation wasn't the only thing club members undertook on Random Acts of Kindness Day; the club printed business cards that said "You've been the recipient of a random act of kindness" that members could hand out after doing something nice for someone, like picking up the tip for a neighboring table in a restaurant, she said.

"It's fun, and I hope we encouraged our members to hand them out," she said.

Van Cleave invited people interested in joining the Rotary Club of Winnetka-Northfield to attend one of the club's regular Thursday meetings, held from 12:15-1:30 p.m. at the Winnetka Community House. To learn more about the club, it program schedule, and its charitable and service programs, visit www.wnrotary.org.

kroutliffe@pioneerlocal.com

Twitter: @pioneer_kathy
2022 election guide: Here are Pueblo County's top races, ballot issues

Here's what you need to know about the local candidates and ballot questions in the 2022 election, as well as how to vote in Pueblo, Colorado.
Nearly 200 Headstones Vandalized At Historic Jewish Cemetery In St. Louis

By Stephen Gossett in News on Feb 21, 2017 4:23PM

Vandals knocked over nearly 200 headstones at a historic Jewish cemetery in University City, MO, near St. Louis, according to reports. The damage happened the same day that nearly a dozen Jewish community centers nationwide received bomb threats. After prominent political figures such as Hillary Clinton called on President Donald Trump to speak out against the vandalism and intimidations, the White House issued a statement on Tuesday morning denouncing hatred and hate-motivated violencealthough the statement does not mention Jews or specific acts.

Police on Monday confirmed the vandalism on Monday, which happened sometime over the weekend and targeted Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery. The Chesed Shel Emeth Society has been in operation in St. Louis for more than 125 years, according to its website. The cemetery was founded in 1888 by Jewish Russian emigres to serve the Jewish community in St. Louis.

"It's hard to even express how terrible it was," Anita Feigenbaum, executive director of the Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "It was horrible."

Leah Greenberg, co-author of the Indivisible Guide, Tweeted on Monday that her great-grandfather was killed in an anti-immigrant assault and is buried in the cemetery.

My great-grandpa was murdered in an anti-immigrant attack when he was 20 years old. Never saw his son born.



He's buried in this cemetery. https://t.co/4VCrCd5ueh  Leah Greenberg (@Leahgreenb) February 21, 2017

Deaths on the damaged headstones ranged between roughly 1921 and 1962, according to reports.

Police do not have any suspects in custody as of Tuesday morning; and they said the possibility of hate crime charges remains open, according to the Post-Dispatch. Officials on Tuesday are taking inventory of the damage and will notify the appropriate families.

Following the cemetery desecration and yet another wave of violent threats to Jewish centersthe fourth round this yearClinton urged the president to speak out. Trump had been largely silent or evasive in terms of addressing the rise in hate incidents that has taken place since the election.

JCC threats, cemetery desecration & online attacks are so troubling & they need to be stopped. Everyone must speak out, starting w/ @POTUS.  Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) February 21, 2017

The Anti-Defamation League on Monday made a similar call in the face of Trump's silence. ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said in a statement:



We look to our political leaders at all levels to speak out against such threats directed against Jewish institutions, to make it clear that such actions are unacceptable, and to pledge that they will work with law enforcement officials to ensure that those responsible will be apprehended and punished to the full extent of the law.

Ivanka Trump, the president's daughter and a convert to Judaism, Tweeted on Monday that religious centers and places of worship must be protected.

America is a nation built on the principle of religious tolerance. We must protect our houses of worship & religious centers. #JCC  Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) February 20, 2017

A statement from the White House ultimately arrived on Tuesday morning, although in keeping with a pattern, the administration did not specify that the attacks were directed toward Jewish institutions.

The White House press office said:



"Hatred and hate-motivated violence of any kind have no place in a country founded on the promise of individual freedom. The President has made it abundantly clear that these actions are unacceptable."

A forceful backlash against the White House's vague phrasing emerged shortly thereafter. Steven Goldstein, executive director of the Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect, called the statement "a pathetic asterisk of condescension" in a scathing rebuke.

executive director of the Anne Frank Center calls Trump's statement on antisemitism "a pathetic asterisk of condescension" pic.twitter.com/ni3i3plC9w  Kelsey Sutton (@kelseymsutton) February 21, 2017

Donations are being accepted to help repair and maintain the headstones at the cemetery. They can be made here.
Children's author Cao Wenxuan's novel Goat Do Not Eat Heaven Grass is set to be adapted for the stage later this year.

"Goat Do Not Eat Heaven Grass", by Cao Wenxuan. [Photo / chinadaily.com.cn]

The China National Theatre for Children will put on the play on July 7 during the 7th China Children's Theatre Festival.

Cao and Yin Xiaodong, president of the China National Theatre for Children signed an adaptation agreement in Beijing recently.

The book centers on the hard life and adventures of a boy named Ming Zi who was driven away from a remote rural area to a big city to work for a living.

Yin said the reason he chose to adapt this work is the poetic and deep thinking that shone through when the boy faced obstacles. The book doesn't intentionally hide the tragedies in daily lives and the sorrows that children may suffer, yet it emphasizes finding the bright side of human nature and those precise characters despite difficulties and challenges.

"We want to let children learn more about the life mirrored in Cao's novel," Yin said. "We have faith in adapting a successful drama and give a good experience to children who don't often go to theatres."

Cao agreed to make the play accessible to children of all ages, but will target teens aged 13 to 17.

The China National Theatre for Children has proposed establishing a system of graded children's plays, divided into three categories according to ages: 2-6, 7-12 and 13-17.
Chinese conglomerate HNA Group is seeking to expand its finance business and further diversify its operation structure after taking a stake in Deutsche Bank, the first Chinese investor to take a major stake in the bank.

Starting from Feb 15, HNA, the parent behind the country's largest private commercial airline, holds 3.04 percent of Deutsche Bank, according to the statement of the German bank.

HNA's stake is worth over 700 million euros ($740 million) at current share prices.

The purchase makes HNA the fourth-largest shareholder in the German lender, after BlackRock, which holds 6.07 percent, and two sovereign wealth funds that are controlled by Qatar, which together hold 6.1 percent.

In January, HNA expanded its global asset management business by acquiring a majority stake in New York-based SkyBridge Capital, an alternative investment firm founded by Donald Trump's adviser Anthony Scaramucci.

Pang Guoteng, an analyst at Morning Whistle Group, a Shanghai-based internet platform that helps Chinese capital conduct cross-border investment and overseas mergers and acquisitions, said the move has further strengthened the finance business of HNA.

A few years ago, the finance business was a short board of the company, when it failed several times to get a banking license.

HNA's business now includes aviation, finance, real estate, logistics, hospitality, tourism and ecological technology.

HNA Capital, a financial group under HNA Group, has operations in more than 100 countries, and it deals with businesses include leasing, insurance, internet banking, securities and futures. Its total assets have reached over 340 billion yuan ($49 billion), according to the company.

A spokesperson at HNA said Deutsche Bank is very attractive in terms of investment, and HNA is willing to stay as a long-term shareholder in the bank.

HNA said it could buy further shares in Deutsche Bank, and keeps its stake below 10 percent, Xinhua News Agency reported.

The German lender said it welcomed in principle any investor with a long-term view, Reuters reported.

As the largest commercial bank in Germany, Deutsche Bank has suffered losses for two years in a row, and its share prices have been lukewarm.

German media regarded the deal a good move and said Deutsche Bank has been doing business in Asia for many years, and it's natural for Asian investors to inject capital in the bank.
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China's Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) said Saturday that it has sent air quality inspection teams to 18 cities to investigate air pollution.

The teams went to cities in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and neighboring areas, including Shanxi, Shandong and Henan provinces, according to the MEP.

By Thursday, the teams had found 33 problems after visiting 137 local government departments and companies.

At the county level in Shijiazhuang, capital of Hebei Province, the environmental bureau played the major role in implementing emergency responses to heavy air pollution, but other departments were not actively involved, the statement said.

Small companies producing medical intermediates in Shijiazhuang were highly polluting, it added.

Several companies in Cangzhou city, Hebei, failed to meet requirements for cutting pollutants and power use.

Shanxi Longhui Coal Gasification Company did not shut down its coke oven as required after environmental checks.

In Henan's Hebi city, two construction sites failed to stop working during top-level alerts for air pollution. A company in Hebi poorly managed its pollution-control facility, while another failed to take effective measures to prevent dust.

The teams have forwarded the problems to local authorities for further investigation and correction.

"China will push to revamp industrial and energy structures in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and surrounding areas, home to some 50 percent of China's coal consumption and steel production capacity," said MEP deputy head Zhao Yingmin.

"China will also reduce pollutants by acting on highly polluting companies, promoting clean use of coal and eliminating vehicles with excessive emissions," Zhao said.
A man in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, was placed under investigation for threatening two doctors, blaming them for his aunt's death from pneumonia.

According to the hospital, the man, surnamed Wang, claimed to be a national security worker and said he would take revenge on the two doctors at Jiangsu Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine who sent his aunt to an intensive care unit for emergency treatment on Saturday.

Relatives of the 70-year-old patient insisted that only two traditional Chinese medicine treatments could be used to save her life, and they brought one remedy to the hospital themselves, the hospital said.

Doctors who treated the patient explained her condition to the relatives and received approval - and the signature - of her son. However, a nephew claimed that the emergency treatment caused the woman's death, it said.

Although the hospital asked Wang to take his complaint to a higher authority, he continued to insist that the doctors, surnamed Lu and Zhao, should "pay for what they did", the hospital said. Some witnesses said that Wang took pictures of the two doctors and claimed to know their personal information.

"As a doctor, I did what should be done to save a life," the doctor surnamed Zhao said. "I don't understand why he targeted me. He didn't threaten me face-to-face, but told my colleagues that I should pay."

The police in Qinhuai district received reports on Saturday afternoon and have been investigating the case. They confirmed that Wang does not work for the government.

Yuan Shenghan, a lawyer in Nanjing, said threatening other people does not violate Chinese law if no action results.

"But he could be punished for disturbing public order under China's public security administration law," Yuan said.

The news received wide public attention in China. A top transplant specialist was stabbed just two days earlier in his office in Nanjing.

The specialist, Sun Beicheng, head of Jiangsu Provincial Hospital's liver transplant unit, is said to be one of the country's finest. An alleged ticket scalper locked the door of the doctor's office, stabbed Sun in his left leg, fractured his jaw and cut him around the mouth, later telling police that the doctor had once criticized him for buying up appointment tickets in bulk and selling them at inflated prices to would-be patients.

According to the Qinhuai publicity department, the results of the investigation into Wang's threats will be made public by the end of this week.
An undated photo shows traffic on a road in Beijing. [Photo/China.org.cn]



Beijing will boost green commuting this year to make it account for up to 72 percent of the way citizens travel, with the length of rail transit increasing by over 30 kilometers.

Beijings 16 district governments and 22 departments have been instructed to cap the number of motor vehicles at 6 million, and keep the road network traffic index in the central area within a mild range.

Beijing will conduct a trial run of Line S1, Line Xi Jiao and Line Yan Fang in sections, making the length of rail transit in the city surpass 600 kilometers. Another 40 kilometers will be open exclusively to buses. Moreover, the city will roll out and optimize 40 bus lines on the basis of road conditions and public needs.

The city will also designate 600 kilometers for bicycle lanes alongside landscape construction. Main walkways inside the 3rd Ring Road will be equipped with bike rental booths.

Beijing-Qinhuangdao Highway will be built within the year. Once completed, there will be three direct routes connecting the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

Additionally, six districts will choose five regions to relieve parking difficulties by providing more designated areas, setting up mechanical parking facilities among other measures. At the same time, a financial subsidy policy will be set up to manage public parking.
Microplastics, which are small particles of plastic debris found in cosmetics and cleaning products like toothpastes, is viewed as a major environmental concern along with climate change, ozone depletion and ocean acidification.

A national key research project on microplastics was recently launched in Shanghai to assess their impact on the ecological environment, especially in the ocean.

Led by East China Normal University, the study will be conducted by several college laboratories and research institutions in a time span from 2016 to late 2020 and aims to detect marine microplastics, establish research standards and monitoring procedures and develop ways to control their risks on the ecosystem.

Microplastics, which are small particles of plastic debris found in cosmetics and cleaning products like toothpastes, are too small to be captured through existing wastewater treatment processes and are washed straight into the oceans.

GESAMP (The Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection), an inter-agency body of the United Nations, listed microplastics as a mild killer whose harm is equal to marine garbage. In 2015, it was viewed as a major environmental concern along with climate change, ozone depletion and ocean acidification.

Due to its widespread presence in the oceans and potential harm to marine life, some countries have already rolled out countermeasures to deal with the increasing concern.

The US was the first country to announce that it would ban microbeads use in cosmetics; the European Commission is developing proposals to ban them in cosmetics across the EU, following calls from a number of member states. And the UK government has announced plans to ban microbeads use in related products by 2017.

Environmental agencies should tighten emissions of microplastics in different land- and sea-based activities, formulate stricter punishment measures for violations and accelerate legislation research on limiting the production and use of microplastics, said Professor Li Daoji, chief expert of the project.

Observers say the public also needs increased awareness of their potential harm to marine life and should refuse to buy cleansing products with polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and nylon.
Yang Dongliang, former head of the State Administration of Work Safety, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for accepting bribes and embezzlement on Tuesday by a court in Beijing.

Yang accepted the verdict and will not to appeal.

According to the verdict by the Second Intermediate People's Court of Beijing, from 2002 to 2015 when Yang was vice mayor of Tianjin and a member of the standing committee of the Communist Party of China Tianjin municipal committee, head of the State Administration of Work Safety and other posts, he help others in running businesses, promotions, tenders and other issues, illegally accepting assets worth 28.5 million yuan (US$4.1 million).

In 1999, as head of Tianjin's economic commission, Yang bought an apartment with public funds of 270,800 yuan.

Yang was shown leniency as he pleaded guilty, expressed remorse and returned his illegal gains.
The forthcoming official visit to China by Italian President Sergio Mattarella marks a very significant moment in the long-standing and thriving relations between the two countries.

Though not comparable in size, population or economic power, China and Italy share many historical and cultural affinities. The Republic of Italy and the People's Republic of China were born just three years apart, in 1946 and 1949, respectively. Both republics are the offspring of two ancient civilizations that had a strong influence on other cultures. Fifty years ago, Italy did what China has done in more recent times, transforming itself in less than two decades from a largely agricultural backwater into a most dynamic industrial nation. The life of the Italian and Chinese people is equally centered around the family, and finally, large numbers of Italian and Chinese migrants have historically settled in many countries of the world while preserving their original customs and traditions.

President Mattarella's trip comes at a time when China and Italy's role in the international order face unprecedented challenges. He is the third Italian president to visit China after Sandro Pertini in 1981, when China was about to launch a radical plan to liberalize its economy, and Giorgio Napolitano in 2010 on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

President Mattarella will be in China from Feb. 21 to 26, and after meeting President Xi Jinping in Beijing he is scheduled to visit Shanghai, Chongqing and Xi'an. Italy and China are united by ever-growing economic, scientific and cultural cooperation, which in the last five years has been boosted by a great number of official visits and meetings at the highest institutional levels.

Since the appointment of Ambassador Ettore Sequi as head of the Italian Embassy in Beijing, the China-Italy comprehensive strategic partnership has become "increasingly ambitious and increasingly concrete" as Mr. Sequi and the Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs of the PRC with responsibility for European Affairs Liu Haixing jointly described the status of the relations between the two countries at a recent meeting.

Both countries have intensified cooperation in five priority fields, including energy conservation and environment protection, agriculture, sustainable urbanization, health care, aviation and aerospace. The next stage is to align China's Belt and Road initiative with Italy's national development strategies, integrate "Made in China 2025" with Italy's "Industry 4.0," and connect China's "Internet plus" strategy with Italy's technological innovation plan.

As far as cultural relations are concerned, China and Italy are carrying forward a diversified program of activities aimed to enhance mutual understanding and traditional friendship between the two peoples. Italy is a major EU country with worldwide influence and China stands ready to heighten communication and coordination with Italy on the reform of the U.N. Security Council, climate change, sustainable development and other issues.

The Italian president visit couldn't find a better climate in the relations between China and Italy. Both countries are committed to working together for a harmonious relationship and for a peaceful and prosperous future for all of humanity.

Elenoire Laudieri Di Biase ( Twitter account: @ElaudierLaudier ), sinologist from the university of Ca' Foscari and Melbourne University, Australia, is an expert on international diplomacy and psychoanalysis. Senior analyst on China at the Nato Defense College Foundation.

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors only, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.
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Mongolia reaffirmed its commitment to the one-China policy on Monday during the visit by the country's foreign minister, after bilateral relations were disrupted by the Dalai Lama's visit to the landlocked country in November.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with Mongolian Foreign Minister Tsend Munkh-Orgil in Beijing on Feb. 20, 2017. [Photo/fmprc.gov.cn]

A long-standing, stable, mutually beneficial and equal relationship with China is Mongolia's primary foreign policy goal, Mongolian Foreign Minister Tsend Munkh-Orgil said in Beijing.

Speaking at a joint press conference with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi after their two-hour-long talks, Munkh-Orgil said Tibet is an inseparable part of China and Tibet-related issues are China's internal affairs.

Mongolia made efforts to repair ties with China and promised it would never allow future visits by the Dalai Lama, a political exile with ambitions to split Tibet from China under the guise of religion.

Hailing the Mongolian foreign minister's statement, Wang said it was important for the two countries to boost ties from a new beginning.

The two countries should outline high-level communication, synergize China's Belt and Road Initiative with Mongolia's Prairie Road program and promote cooperation in various fields, Wang said.

Munkh-Orgil said the Belt and Road Initiative would bring great opportunities for Mongolia's development, adding that Mongolian Prime Minister Jargaltulga Erdenebat will visit China and attend the Belt and Road forum for international cooperation in May.

He also thanked China for its support during Mongolia's financial difficulties.

Vice President Li Yuanchao also met with Munkh-Orgil on Monday, during which both sides agreed to protect the political foundation for bilateral relations.
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A total of 34 members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) were killed on Monday in two separate cross-border airstrikes in northern Iraq, Turkish Armed Forces said in a written statement.

Turkish warplanes killed 23 PKK members on early Monday as the group was planning an attack against the Turkish territory, said the statement.

Another 11 PKK members were killed in the afternoon in a military campaign by Turkish Air Forces, the statement said.

In recent weeks, the Turkish army accelerated its military campaign against the PKK both in Turkish territory and northern Iraq where the group has hideouts for thousands of militants.

Turkish government aims to maintain security and hinder the group attacks before upcoming constitutional referendum on April 16.

As clashes intensified, curfew was imposed in several towns in southeast Turkey where operations are carried out in the area.
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The Russian Ambassador to the United Nations (UN) Vitaly Churkin suddenly died on Monday in New York, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

File photo taken on Sept. 25, 2016 shows Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin (Front) addressing United Nations Security Council during an emergency meeting on the situation in Syria, at the UN headquarters in New York. [Photo/Xinhua]

"The Russian Foreign Ministry is saddened to announce the death of Vitaly Churkin, Russia's Permanent Representative to the UN, on Monday in New York, a day before his 65th birthday," said the brief statement, without disclosing the cause of his death.

The ministry expressed its condolences and hailed Churkin as an "outstanding diplomat," who has served as Russian envoy to the UN since 2006.

UN Secretary-General Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq said he was shocked by Churkin's sudden death and mourned him, RIA Novosti news agency reported.
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China extended its support to Mongolia on Monday for overcoming economic difficulties, as Foreign Minister Wang Yi announced a number of measures to help the debt-ridden neighbor.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with Mongolian Foreign Minister Tsend Munkh-Orgil in Beijing on Feb. 20, 2017. [Photo/fmprc.gov.cn]



Observers said that since the bilateral ties are emerging from a time of political frustration, Beijing's latest help is a sincere move to assist the landlocked neighbor to diversify its economy.

The measures include providing assistance and favorable loan terms to Mongolia and extending a bilateral currency swap deal that is vital to Mongolia's foreign trade and currency stability, according to a joint news conference after Wang's talks with his visiting Mongolian counterpart Tsend Munkh-Orgil on Monday.

The International Monetary Fund said on Sunday that the country has agreed to implement an economic rescue package proposed by the IMF and refinance bond loans, easing concerns that Mongolia might default on a loan in March.

China supports the aid by international financial institutions to Mongolia, and it will also consider Mongolia's hope to expand exports of mineral, agriculture and husbandry products to China, Wang said.

Since Mongolia is trying to avoid missing a $580 million sovereign-guaranteed debt repayment due in March, the IMF said in its statement on Sunday that the Asian Development Bank, World Bank and bilateral partners, including Japan and South Korea, will provide up to $3 billion in aid.

People's Bank of China, the central Bank of China, will extend a currency swap line to Mongolia worth 15 billion yuan ($2.18 billion), while the IMF said it will offer three-year loans worth about $440 million, Agence France-Presse reported.

Mongolia angered China in November by allowing a visit by the 14th Dalai Lama, who has pushed for separating Tibet from China.

In January, during a phone call between Wang and his Mongolian counterpart, Mongolia said it had reflected deeply on the visit and promised to not allow the Dalai Lama to visit again.

On Monday, Wang said the bilateral relationship "is ready for another start".

Munkh-Orgil, the Mongolian foreign minister, said his country remains true to the one-China policy and Tibet is part of China. Additionally, Mongolia appreciates China's help in addressing economic problems, he said.

He added that Mongolia's prime minister expects to visit China in May to attend the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation.

Xing Guangcheng, a senior researcher on Russian and Central Asian studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the helping hand was offered at a time when Mongolia has fixed the trouble brought by allowing the Dalai Lama's entry, which "pushed on China's bottom line".

Zhang Jingquan, a professor on Northeast Asian studies at Jilin University in Changchun, said the measures announced by Wang on Monday "are meeting the desperate need" of Mongolia.

The country could take the improvement in bilateral ties as an opportunity to diversify its conomy and change its inefficient development pattern, Zhang noted.
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About 227 judges and prosecutors were discharged on Monday during the current investigation against the so-called Gulenist Terror Group, announced a Turkish top judicial regulatory body.

According to the state-run Anadolu Agency's report, the recent dismissals bring the total number of discharged judges and prosecutors to 3,886 since the July 15 coup attempt, said the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors official.

Turkey has been conducting an extensive investigation into suspects with alleged ties to Gulenists following the July 15, 2016 attempted coup.

Operations have been ongoing in the military, police and judiciary sectors, in addition to state institutions throughout the country.

The U.S.-based Fetullah Gulen has been accused by Ankara of masterminding the failed coup attempt which killed 248 people and wounded almost 2,200 others.
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U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday named Lieutenant General Herbert McMaster as his new national security adviser.

"He is a man of tremendous talent and tremendous experience...he is respected by everybody in the military, we are very honored to have him," Trump said in his Florida residence Mar-a-Lago.

For his part, McMaster said he looked forward to advancing and protecting the interest of the American people.

The appointment came days after former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn resigned after it was revealed that he had misled Vice President Mike Pence about his telephone conversation with the Russian Ambassador to the United States, in which he made comments about U.S. sanction on Russia.

McMaster, 54, is considered a military strategist among the U.S. top brass, he has written extensively on the U.S. military failures in the Vietnam War, and has contributed to a shift in tactics in the military campaign in Iraq.
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The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) continued to advance against the Islamic State (IS) group in the countryside of the northern province of al-Raqqa, the de facto capital of IS, a monitor group reported on Monday.

Violent clashes are still incessant in the countryside of al-Raqqa between the SDF and the IS coupled with heavy shelling targeting the IS positions, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The UK-based watchdog group said the SDF has become in control of 12 towns in the eastern countryside of al-Raqqa since starting its attack in recent months.

The aim of the attack on IS in al-Raqqa is to cut off the road between the city and the eastern province of Deir al-Zour, and to completely isolate the city from its countryside as a prelude to storm al-Raqqa, according to the Observatory, which says it relies on a network of activists on ground.

This comes as the IS has suffered losses during battles with the Syrian army in the southeastern countryside of Aleppo province in northern Syria.

The general-command of the Syrian army said Monday that as many as 48 towns and villages have been liberated in Aleppo countryside from IS since the Syrian unleashed a wide-scale military campaign on that region last month.
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The South Sudanese army (SPLA) on Monday dismissed allegations of tribalism leveled against it by former top officials who resigned last week.

SPLA spokesman Brigadier Lul Ruai Koang told journalists in Juba that the army courts were not applying double standards in prosecuting those believed to have committed rapes, killings and looting of property during especially the renewed July clash, last year.

"There are no sacred cows in SPLA when it comes to application of punitive measures and in fact, before and July 2016, 72 out of 82 SPLA officers, noncommissioned officers and men punished for war crimes were from Dinka ethnic group," he revealed.

This came after two high ranking military officers overseeing the army's military courts quit and authored a critical dossier exposing the ethnic favouritism afforded to President Salva Kiir and Army chief Paul Malong's Dinka tribe officers where the former allegedly exempted them from prosecution.

Brigadier General Henry Oyai Ngago, former Director for military justice and Colonel Khalid Ono Loki, the former head of military courts, became the latest officers to quit after the elite Lt. General Thomas Cirilo Swaka, the former Deputy Head of logistics resigned from the SPLA over similar allegations of tribalism and abating of crimes committed against non-Dinka tribes.

"SPLA is not a tribal army. In fact, those officers who had defected are going to be part and parcel of purely tribal outfits that is Agullek, SPLA-IO. To the contrary SPLA has more national composition and outlook," Koang added in a statement.

The renegade officers also accused the army of deliberating fanning ethnic killings in mostly Equatoria and Upper Nile regions where fighting is still ongoing between SPLA-in opposition (SPLA-IO) and SPLA forces.

They added that the SPLA was illegally arresting civilians and subjecting them to torture in detention cells, hence reinforcing various human rights reports by the UN documenting heinous atrocities committed in Yei South West of the capital and in northern towns of Malakal and Bentiu.

"On arrest of civilians, let them provide us with lists of civilians currently in military detention facilities and the leadership will not hesitate to look into circumstances under which they were arrested," Koang said.

Koang also denied allegations of deliberate recruitment of child soldiers in the rank and file of the SPLA.

"We challenge concerned bodies/institutions to go on fact finding mission to SPLA divisions in order to confirm for themselves that we have no child soldiers in our rank and files," he added.

South Sudan has been shattered by civil war that broke out in December 2013 after President Salva Kiir accused his former deputy Riek Machar of plotting a coup. Machar denied the accusation but then mobilized a rebel force.

A peace deal signed in August 2015 led to the formation of a transitional unity government in April, but was again devastated by fresh violence in July 2016.

Tens of thousands of South Sudanese have been killed, with over 2 million displaced and another 4.6 million left severely food insecure, since December 2013.
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Iraqi security forces reached the vicinity of the international airport in western Mosul on Monday, as the troops are pushing closer to the city in a new phase of offensive to drive out Islamic State (IS) militants from its major stronghold in the western side of it, the Iraqi military said.

Iraqi counter-terrorism forces assemble in Bartella town, about 20 km east of Mosul, northern Iraq, on Feb. 20, 2017, preparing to participate in military operations to retake western Mosul. [Photo/Xinhua]

In south of Mosul, the federal police forces and Counter-Terrorism Service freed the hill of Albu Saif, just south of Mosul airport, after clashes with IS militants, leaving many of them killed and destroying a booby-trapped vehicle, a statement by the Iraqi Joint Operations Command said.

The recapture of the strategic hill of Albu Saif is crucial for the Iraqi forces, as the area will give the troops the ability to command IS positions in the southern neighborhoods and inside the airport.

In southwest of Mosul, the army's 9th armored Division and a paramilitary unit of Hashd Shaabi recaptured the villages of Lazaga and Sahaji, after sporadic clashes with IS militants, killing many of them and destroying three car bombs, the statement said.

The troops' advance toward Mosul came after the Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced on Sunday the start of an offensive to drive the extremist militants out of the western side of Mosul, locally known as the right bank of Tigris River which bisects the city.

"We announce the start of a new phase in the operation (We Are Coming Nineveh) to liberate the western side of Mosul," Abadi, who is also the commander-in-chief of the Iraqi forces, said in a brief televised address, referring to the province of Nineveh, of which Mosul is the capital city.

Late in January, Abadi declared the liberation of the eastern side of Mosul, or the left bank of Tigris, after more than 100 days of fighting against IS militants.

However, the western side of Mosul, with its narrow streets and a heavy population of between 750,000 and 800,000, appears to be a bigger challenge to the Iraqi forces, according to the United Nations estimates.

Mosul, 400 km north of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, has been under IS control since June 2014, when Iraqi government forces abandoned their weapons and fled, enabling IS militants to take control of parts of Iraq's northern and western regions.
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Doctors found no sign of puncture on the body of a Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) man, who died at the Kuala Lumpur airport last week, as the cause of death is yet to be determined by results from a lab, a Malaysian health official said on Tuesday.

Medicolegal specimen taken from the DPRK man, which include fingerprints and dental ones, have been sent to a lab for further analysis to determine the cause of his death, Noor Hisham bin Abdullah, director of health in the health ministry, told a press conference.

Hisham did not elaborate on what they found in the postmortem, which was completed on Feb. 15, but said the whole process was "conducted professionally."

He denied media reports, which said a second autopsy was conducted on the deceased man. Until now, no next-of-kin of the deceased man has showed up to help authorities carry out DNA identification, a key step in determining the identity, he said.

Bypassing a question from a reporter on what kind of toxin they found on the body, Hisham said they had to wait for the lab results.

Following the killing on Feb. 13, Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had told reporters that the man was Kim Jong Nam, the elder half-brother of DPRK top leader Kim Jong Un.

It is not known when the postmortem results could be released, but an investigation already saw Malaysia in a row with the DPRK. DPRK Ambassador Kang Chol said on Monday that he did not trust the investigation launched by Malaysian police and accused the Malaysian government of colluding with "hostile forces" and pinning suspicion on Pyongyang.

When asked about about Kang's remarks, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said on Tuesday the envoy's comments were "totally uncalled for" and "diplomatically rude," according to the state news agency Bernama.

Malaysia has been having good ties with the DPRK and has no reason to paint a negative image of the country, said Najib, adding "We are very objective."

"They (the DPRK) should help us to find out the truth. That is more important than (making) sweeping and baseless statements," Najib said.

The Malaysian police have detained two female suspects - an Indonesian and a Vietnamese. A DPRK man, working in Kuala Lumpur as an IT engineer, was also arrested.
By Grant Bradley, The New Zealand Herald | Feb. 21, 2017

Sichuan Airlines will begin three direct flights per week between Auckland and Chengdu in southwest China from June.

The airline will use an A330-200 aircraft, with business and economy class configuration and operate initially on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

It is the latest regional Chinese carrier to enter the New Zealand market following the arrival of Tainjin and Hainan airlines during summer.

The flight will only take 13 hours flying directly from New Zealand to the Southwest part of China.

Sichuan Airlines was founded in 1986 and currently has more than 215 routes, including long haul services to Australia, Canada and the United States.

It has a fleet of 120 Airbus aircraft, mainly A330s and A320s.

Chengdu is the provincial capital of Sichuan and also renowned for its fertile land and agricultural wealth.

The airline says it is the home town of the giant panda, City of Brocade, City of Leisure and Eden of the East are several of its widely spread names.

"There is a saying that 'once you come to Chengdu, you do not want to leave' which reveals the charm of this city."

JC Zhi, Sichuan Airlines' New Zealand general manager said the airline was delighted to announce the new service.

"We have great confidence in the New Zealand market and this news clearly demonstrates our ongoing commitment as we open further gateways and services to China."

The flights will depart Auckland at 8:30 p.m. to reach Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport around 6:00 a.m., with a 1:55 a.m. overnight return leg arriving into Auckland at 6:45 p.m.
By Lena Ge, China Aviation Daily | Feb. 21, 2017

Okay Airways has filed an application to the Civil Aviation Administration of China, seeking rights to further expand its network to Philippines in March.

Pending government approval, the Tianjin-based carrier plans to launch a thrice-weekly services to Kalibo from Tianjin and Xi'an, according to a notice released Tuesday on the CAAC's website.

It also applied for a thrice-weekly services between Changsha and Cebu in March.

All three routes will be operated by Boeing 737 aircraft, the CAAC added.

The Air Transportation Department of CAAC is soliciting public comments on the application until February 27, 2017.
Birmingham Airport wants to restart a direct flight link to China. [China Daily]

Birmingham Airport may be close to resurrecting a direct air route to China, while Edinburgh Airport is also hoping to invigorate Scottish tourism and business links with China through its own long-haul connectionas both British airports go on the active hunt for direct flights to the mainland.

For Birmingham, if negotiations with an as yet unnamed airline succeed, it will be the first link between that city and China since 2015, when a Chinese tour operator ran summer charter flights bringing holiday makers to the English Midlands region.

"Demand for flights to China from Birmingham is significant, driven mainly by the Midlands' strong trading relationship with China and we are in discussions with a carrier to reinstate services in the future following our successful Beijing operations in 2014 and 2015," a spokesperson for Birmingham Airport said.

In October, China and the UK's transport departments agreed to increase the maximum number of weekly flights between the two nations from 80 to 200.

There are currently 38 flights a week operated by Chinese airlines between both countries, while British airlines operate 29. The news was welcomed by industry players, however, it is challenging for UK airports that are not large transfer hubs to convince airlines to establish new long haul routes, according to Zheng Lei, director of the Centre for Aviation Research at the University of Surrey.

Zheng said that for the airlines, the biggest concern was demand.

"The airport needs to convince the airline there is sufficient demand in the airport's catchment area. And it's very difficult to get enough traffic for long-haul flights on a daily basis. That's why they operate on hub networks," he said.

"Airports such as Edinburgh, Birmingham and Manchester are not hubs, so it's very difficult to convince airlines to fly direct into their region. They have to rely on local traffic rather than transfers and the local market may not be big enough."

Tourism and transport officials in Edinburghin the top five urban centers in the UK visited by Chinese tourists, have officially lobbied for a direct link with China since 2015.

That's when the City of Edinburgh, Edinburgh Airport and Marketing Edinburgh launched the Edinburgh China Air Link Project. Last week the project landed its first commercial sponsor, jeweler Laing Edinburgh.

"Private sector support shows the nature of the commitment the city has to a direct air route," said Rob Laing, head of marketing at Edinburgh Airport.

"Edinburgh is the second most popular destination with Chinese tourists behind London in the United Kingdom, and we want to make sure that any potential airlines appreciate the scale of the support the private sector will offer as well."

A number of major airlines offer direct routes between London and China, including Virgin, British Airways and Air China, while Hainan Airlines connects China and Manchester.

In October 2016, British Airways terminated its direct route from London to Chengdu, stating it was no longer commercially viable.
Crew members get off a plane of Hainan Airlines, a subsidiary of HNA Group Co, after landing at Nansha Islands. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Move aims to expand finance business and diversify operation structure

Chinese conglomerate HNA Group is seeking to expand its finance business and further diversify its operation structure after taking a stake in Deutsche Bank, the first Chinese investor to take a major stake in the bank.

Starting from Feb 15, HNA, the parent behind the country's largest private commercial airline, holds 3.04 percent of Deutsche Bank, according to the statement of the German bank.

HNA's stake is worth over 700 million euros ($740 million) at current share prices.

The purchase makes HNA the fourth-largest shareholder in the German lender, after BlackRock, which holds 6.07 percent, and two sovereign wealth funds that are controlled by Qatar, which together hold 6.1 percent.

In January, HNA expanded its global asset management business by acquiring a majority stake in New York-based SkyBridge Capital, an alternative investment firm founded by Donald Trump's adviser Anthony Scaramucci.

Pang Guoteng, an analyst at Morning Whistle Group, a Shanghai-based internet platform that helps Chinese capital conduct cross-border investment and overseas mergers and acquisitions, said the move has further strengthened the finance business of HNA.

A few years ago, the finance business was a short board of the company, when it failed several times to get a banking license.

HNA's business now includes aviation, finance, real estate, logistics, hospitality, tourism and ecological technology.

HNA Capital, a financial group under HNA Group, has operations in more than 100 countries, and it deals with businesses include leasing, insurance, internet banking, securities and futures. Its total assets have reached over 340 billion yuan ($49 billion), according to the company.

A spokesperson at HNA said Deutsche Bank is very attractive in terms of investment, and HNA is willing to stay as a long-term shareholder in the bank.

HNA said it could buy further shares in Deutsche Bank, and keeps its stake below 10 percent, Xinhua News Agency reported.

The German lender said it welcomed in principle any investor with a long-term view, Reuters reported.

As the largest commercial bank in Germany, Deutsche Bank has suffered losses for two years in a row, and its share prices have been lukewarm.

German media regarded the deal a good move and said Deutsche Bank has been doing business in Asia for many years, and it's natural for Asian investors to inject capital in the bank.
Locals stand beside a China-made locomotive at Port Reitz in Mombasa, Kenya. [Photo/Xinhua]

Unified arbitration mechanism is needed for legal issues due to diverse cultures

This should be the beginning of a busy year for Wang Guiguo. This year he wants his idea of building a modern legal structure for China's new-age Silk Road initiatives to come to pass.

Wang, who is the president of the Hong Kong-based International Academy of the Belt and Road, and is a professor of international law in Beijing, Hangzhou and New Orleans in the United States, published a book in Octoberabout the dispute resolution mechanism for the new Silk Road initiatives proposed and led by China.

The new Silk Road project, which cover both the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, is called the Belt and Road Initiative.

This year, beginning with US President Donald Trump withdrawing the US from the 12-nation trade deal Trans-Pacific Partnership, the need is becoming more acute, Wang said, for China to work with other countries to structure their own free trade systems and related legal mechanisms.

"In fact, how to build a fair, all-round and workable dispute resolution system for international trade and investment is a common task for governments and legal professionals," Wang said.

Whether or not the US or any other country stays in or leaves a free trade pact won't affect the need, he said.

"Globalization is not going to stop," Wang said.

That is also why ideas such as international dispute settlement and international dispute tribunals are more often heard from judicial forums in Europe, he said.

Since 2013, after the Belt and Road Initiative was proposed by President Xi Jinping, China has signed partnership agreements with some 40 countries in the world.

Overall, the Belt and Road Initiative covers 60 percent of the world population and one-third of the global GDP (around $2 trillion). For the past decade or so, it has shown the fastest growth of all regions.

Owing to their diverse legal systems and practices, the implementation of the Belt and Road-related agreements will inevitably give rise to many issues in the governing of trade and cross-border investment, Wang said.
Night view of Caiyuanba Yangtze River Bridge in Chongqing, Southwest China, August 3, 2016. [Photo/VCG]

As the latest addition to China's Free Trade Zone project, Chongqing will focus on policy innovation to become a pivot in the country's Go-West campaignthe national effort to develop the vast western regions, home to energy and mineral resources crucial to its future growthaccording to its FTZ development blueprint.

As the only municipality in western China directly under the central government, the traditional industrial hublocated at the intersection of the Belt and Road Initiative's trade route and the Yangtze River Economic Zonehas witnessed fast and steady economic growth in recent years and led the country's GDP growth rate table for two consecutive years in 2014 and 2015.

In 2016, its auto and electronics industries contributed to over half of the city's industrial growth, according to the latest figures from the government.

Chongqing is the country's biggest automobile manufacturing base, producing 3.16 million cars last year. It also made 58 million laptops in 2016, accounting for one third of the worlds' total.

Last year, the city was picked as the operational center of the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity, the third intergovernmental project between the two countries. The initiative will pilot cooperation in fields ranging from financial services, aviation, transportation and logistics to information communications technology.

As a result, the central government is requiring the city's FTZ to play a vital role in the opening up and development of inland China.

Under the Chongqing development blueprint its FTZ, spanning 120 square kilometers, comprises three partsLiangjiang New Area, Chongqing Logistics City and Chongqing Microelectronics Park.

According to the FTZ blueprint, Chongqing will build itself into a pilot zone of inland free trade featuring a convenient investment and trade environment, efficient supervision, complete finance services as well as a sound legal environment for business.

Based on plans for the Chongqing-Xinjiang-Europe intercontinental railway, it will become the center of international logistics, inland services trade and inland finance.

"We see the FTZ as principally a logistics and commodities-driven government reform, which is expected to evolve to encompass the whole range of financial and professional services, and beyond," said Du Guoyu, chief representative of the China-Britain Business Council in Chongqing.

"The Chongqing FTZ will first influence companies which currently do not have a presence in the country and are planning their entry. Secondly, it will become an incentive for current UK business when considering restructuring and relocation," Du added.

Zhang Xu, deputy head of Chongqing Automobiles and Motorbikes Association, said the FTZ could help Chongqing manufacturers build an international trade system.
BEIJING - China's civil aviation sector posted strong growth in passenger trips and cargo transportation in 2016, official data showed Monday.

Air passenger trips rose 11.8 percent year on year to 487.8 million last year, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).

That growth was faster than the 11.3 percent increase recorded in 2015 and the annual average rate of 10.4 percent between 2010 and 2015.

Passenger trips made on domestic routes increased 10.7 percent year on year to 436 million in 2016, while those made on international routes surged 22.7 percent to 51.6 million.

During the same period, cargo and mail transportation reached 6.7 million tons, up 6 percent year on year.

China ranks second in the world in terms of passenger and cargo turnover by air, behind the United States.

The country aims to build 44 new airports and complete construction of 30 airports in the 2016-2020 period, most in the mid-west regions, according to a plan released by the CAAC last week.
CAPE TOWN - China remained the leading growth market for South Africa's tourism industry, with year-on-year growth recorded at 38 percent last year, figures released on Monday showed.

The growth in tourist arrivals from China has been consistent over the year, following improvements in the visa application processes in those countries, Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom said.

South Africa can build on this and attract even more tourists from China and other countries, the minister said after Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) released figures which showed a sharp increase in tourist arrivals.

According to Stats SA, international tourist arrivals surpassed 10 million last year, 13 percent more than 2015.

This is well over the global average growth rate for the period. It is estimated that about 1.2 billion international tourists travelled the world in 2016, representing growth of 3.9 percent over 2015.

Britain remained the leading source market for overseas arrivals to South Africa in 2016 (447,840 arrivals) followed by the United States (345,013) and Germany (311,832).

Tourism is a significant economic sector around the world, and it makes a substantial contribution in the developed and developing countries. Tourism now comprises 30 percent of all global service exports.

In South Africa, the role of tourism in the balance of payments has become increasingly important. In 2015, tourism's trade balance with the rest of the world was 36 billion rand ($2.7 billion).

This is a major stabilizing force for the national current account, Stats SA said.

A survey by Stats SA has found that overseas markets are typically associated with leisure tourism and business tourism events, while regional markets, particularly cross-border land tourist arrivals, make an enormous contribution to the economies of many border towns, as well as major cities and popular tourist regions.

Together, the differing travel patterns and behaviours of the various travel markets sustain a large and diverse sector of businesses across South Africa, Stats SA said.

Hanekom commended all the people who are working hard in the private and public sector to develop and promote tourism, and to provide visitors with excellent service and memorable experiences.

"The spectacular growth in tourist arrivals indicates that the close collaboration between various government departments, between the Department of Tourism and industry, and between suppliers and service providers on the ground has paid off," said Hanekom.

"We have done well to capitalize on our status as a value for money destination, offering an array of experiences for all tourist markets," he added.

The latest Tourism Satellite Account indicates that tourism supported 711,746 jobs directly in 2015. The total number of jobs from tourism in 2015 (including direct, indirect and induced jobs) was estimated at 1.55 million, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council.

Tourism touches the lives of all South Africans, Hanekom said.

"Given its importance to our economy, we must continue to nurture the sector and drive increasingly impactful and collaborative strategies and programmes for sustained, inclusive growth these markets in the future," he said.
HANOI - First carriage of the train used for Vietnam's first urban railway Cat Linh-Ha Dong Line was hoisted in Vietnam's capital Hanoi at the dawn on Tuesday.

The 13-km Cat Linh-Ha dong Line is constructed by the 6th bureau of China Railway Engineering Corporation.

The first train, which contains four carriages, started its travel from Beijing on Jan 20 and arrived Hanoi on Feb 19, said Tang Hong, the general manager of Overseas Company of CREC told Xinhua, adding that the Chinese-made train applied with Chinese standards and technology.

Although it was raining, the process of hoisting and installing the train attracted more than a hundred Vietnamese journalists and Hanoi citizens. With the announcement of the successful installment of the first carriage, a chorus of claps began.

"The construction of the urban railway, as a symbol of Sino-Vietnam friendship, will ease up the traffic jam obsessed by Hanoi citizens", claimed Tang.

According to Tang, the other three carriages of the train will be hoisted and installed later this week, waiting to be tried when the electricity is connected later this year.

The remaining 12 trains purchased by the project will arrive in Hanoi following the appropriate conditions.
Commerce Minister Gao Hucheng said opinions on withdrawal of foreign direct investment (FDI) in China are biased, as the market plays the key role in allocating global capital resources.

"FDI in any country comes and goes with the development of economy and the change of industry structure," Gao said.

He said the government has noticed that some low-end companies have left the country while high-end industries are starting to invest more in China, because the country is witnessing upgrading of both industrial and consumption structure.

As the total volume of global foreign direct investment sharply declined last year, China attracted nearly 813.2 billion yuan ($126 billion) in 2016, up 4.1 percent year-on-year.

FDI to pharmaceutical manufacturing business, medical equipment industry and high-tech services all saw a notable increase in absorbed foreign investment, surging 55.8 percent, 95 percent and 86.1 percent on a year-on-year basis, respectively.
BEIJING-- China will make careful evaluations and respond accordingly if the United States unveils a detailed plan on the proposed border-adjustment tax, Commerce Minister Gao Hucheng said Tuesday.

China is aware of a recent proposal within the US administration concerning a border tax on imports, said Gao at a press conference when answering a question on US President Donald Trump's posts on Twitter.

All countries should abide by international trade rules when formulating trade policies, the minister said.

He said China does not want to comment on remarks made by US presidential candidates during the election campaign, instead it would rather focus on the new administration's attitude toward trade ties with China.

Speaking of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), Gao said there has been substantial progress in negotiation, but there were still some difficulties to be solved.

China will continue to play a constructive and positive role in the negotiation and make joint efforts with all parties to reach agreements on the remaining issues and conclude the RCEP talks at an early date, he said.

Launched in November 2012, the RCEP talks involve ASEAN and its six major trading partners -- China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, India, New Zealand and Australia -- with an aim of facilitating expansion of regional trade and investment.




China's Global Newspaper





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By REN XIAOJIN and LI XIANG in Beijing and ZHANG MIN in Tianjin | China Daily | Updated: 2017-02-21 08:12

The office of KinCheng Bank of Tianjin Co in the Tianjin Free Trade Zone. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Programs to support the coordinated development of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei provinceinto a planned new city cluster expected to fuel the growth of the whole Bohai Bay area in the coming decadeswill get the backing of Tianjin's banking sector, senior financial officials from the region said.

They said regulatory committees from the region would also work closely to eliminate any financial risk.

Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei province had a combined GDP of just over $1 trillion last year which accounted for around 10 percent of China's 74 trillion yuan ($10.7 trillion) GDP.

The municipalities and the province have signed a memorandum of understanding with the China Development Bank to prepare the way for 210 million yuan in funding in next three years.

Bank of China has, meanwhile, signed a cooperation plan with the Tianjin municipal government to provide 30 billion yuan of loans in the future, while 15 billion yuan in funding is promised between the Pudong Development Bank and Binhai district in Tianjin.

Banking regulation committees in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei province should focus on the process, said Wang Wengang, deputy director of the Tianjin bureau of the China Banking Regulatory Commission.

"We are also working to integrate the resources of the three places," Wang added.

He said the aim of the arrangement was for better allocation of financial resources in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei.

The Tianjin bureau of the China Banking Regulatory Commission would encourage the banks to invest in the clean energy sector, ease the excess capacity problem in steel industry and accelerate industrial upgrading, Wang added.

Tianjin will also set up funds and venture lending projects to support emerging industries, advanced manufacturing sectors and its pillar industries.

Multibillion yuan of funds have been established to reform and upgrade industry structure.

Officials said Tianjin free trade zone would continue to promote the opening up of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei province.

According to Xu Shaoshi, minister of the National Development and Reform Commission, the Tianjin Pilot Free Trade Zone will play a more proactive role, encouraging cross-border investment and financing, equity transactions and entrepreneurship within the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region by unifying relevant rules and regulations.

"Financing support plays an important role in promoting the integrated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region," said Zeng Gang, a researcher of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

"It can function as leveraging in promoting infrastructure, industrial restructure and green development of the region."

He added that risks also existed in such programs, but tended to be lower theoretically as they were State-level programs.

"Financial institutions are expected to support the strategic development of the three places but also need to assess the risks accordingly," Zeng said.

Cheng Yu contributed to the story.
Customers try Xiaomi smartphones at an outlet of Xiaomi Corp in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang province. XU KANGPING / FOR CHINA DAILY

A recent news report on the battery fire of a Xiaomi smartphone caught my attention, because, as one among the millions of Xiaomi users, I should have concerns about my own safety.

A Xiaomi user, surnamed Wang, claimed that her Redmi Note 3 cellphone, which she bought from one of the country's biggest e-commerce platforms at a price of 1,299 yuan (about $190), caught fire while charging.

She reported the case to Xiaomi Corp, which, before having conducted a thorough investigation, promised to provide a refund and an additional 600 yuan in compensation, according to the Beijing Morning Post.

A consumer would have been pleased by such a swift and considerate response from the phone manufacturer, but wait, that was not the whole story.

Xiaomi allegedly required Wang to sign a confidentiality agreement, which would mandate her not to disclose any information of the incident to the media or the public, should she want to get the refund and additional compensation.

The way that Xiaomi handled the incident made me feel puzzled. To me, the logic is a bit weird, or it could be considered a rash decision or a cheap PR trick, if not amounting to an attempted cover-up.

For Xiaomi, whose brand was valued at 52 billion yuan by the Hurun Brand List, it should have cherished its brand more than anything else and it would be naive to attempt to use less than one hundred dollars to keep the incident hush-hush. If not appropriately handled, it could harm its branding efforts, and the slightest damage to its brand image could easily cost it millions or even billions of yuan.

Just before I started writing this article, I logged on to the Xiaomi website to check the latest developments in the incident, but unfortunately, I did not find a single word about it or investigation progress, as if nothing had ever happened.

For the concerned customer, her safety and dignity should not and could never be measured by a few hundred yuan in compensation, and that simply won't work.

I'd like to thank the user for not agreeing to Xiaomi's offer. The exposure of the incident would at least force Xiaomi to act to eliminate any hidden hazards to Xiaomi users.

Also, industry regulators would probably exert pressure on Xiaomi to improve its battery design and manufacturing.

With Samsung's global recall of its flagship Galaxy Note 7 smartphones, which could catch fire while charging, as a precedent, Xiaomi should have taken the incident more seriously.

For branding and confidence-building purposes, it would be advisable for Xiaomi to use the most transparent way to reveal details of the incident and investigations, to keep the public and Xiaomi users informed.

If investigations prove that the fire was caused by a quality defect, Xiaomi would have to bear liability and take remedy measures. Battery design and manufacturing should then be improved, which would be good to all users. And if it was proved otherwise, as caused by inappropriate use such as overcharging, it would help Xiaomi boost its image as a responsible company.

Whatever the findings might be, the incident should serve as a warning for Xiaomi and its likes: always give top priority to the quality of their products and the safety of consumers.

Xiaomi, a six-year-old tech company, has established itself as one of the top smartphone vendors. In 2016, its smartphone shipments were 41.5 million, down about 36 percent from 2015, according to International Data Corpo.

With such a big customer base, it is hoped that Xiaomi will take customers' safety seriously, and take its brand seriously, on its way to achieving its 2017 revenue goal of more than 100 billion yuan.
A worker at a Mobike factory in Hengyang, Hunan province. PENG BIN /FOR CHINA DAILY

Bike-sharing firm hopes funding can help it expand in China and overseas

Chinese bike-sharing startup Mobike announced on Monday it has received a strategic investment injection from Singaporean company Temasek Holdings, as it is locked in a fierce battle with Ofo for dominance in China.

With the deal the three-year-old company has raised more than $300 million since the start of 2017. Mobike did not disclose the specific amount.

Davis Wang, co-founder and CEO of Mobike, said within just 10 months, the Beijing-based company has accumulated more than 10 million users across 21 cities. In the same time frame, it has provided more than 200 million bike-sharing rides.

"With the help of new investors, we will expand presence in China and the overseas markets," he added.

Hillhouse Capital, a leading investment powerhouse, also increased its bet in the company after it led an investment into Mobike in late 2016.

Zhang Lei, founder and chief executive of Hillhouse Capital, said in a statement that the Mobike team has a clear vision for the future of urban transport.

"We look forward to leveraging our global network and resources to help Mobike bring its urban transportation solution to cities around the world."

The new investment came shortly after Mobike signed an exclusive strategic partnership with Foxconn Technology Group in January, which would help double its annual bicycle production capacity to more than 10 million units.

Mobike is competing with Ofo for supremacy in the country's booming bike-sharing sector, which is now one of the most popular investment destinations.

In January, Mobike raised $215 million from investors including the social networking giant Tencent Holdings Ltd, while Ofo clinched an investment of $130 million in October 2016.

In the first week of 2017, Mobike's mobile app had 5.85 million weekly active users. In comparison, the number for Ofo is 1.4 million, data from the research firm iResearch Consulting Group show.

The cash-burning battle between ride-sharing platforms is continuing as they are attracting new users with subsidies, according to Zhang Xu, a Beijing-based transport analyst for internet consultancy Analysys.

"The two sides are all armed with enough cash now. The competition will depend on which can offer better services with lower costs," he said.

"Local governments are preparing to unveil regulation policies. Players need to pay attention to that," he added.
Baidu's self-driving car at an exhibition in Wuzhen, Zhejiang province. Zhu Xingxin / China Daily

Govt gives firm nod to lead deep learning tech lab

Lu Qi, president of Baidu Inc [Photo provided to China Daily]

Search engine Baidu Inc will take the lead with the first national lab on deep learning as China strives to rise up the ranks of artificial intelligence research.

The National Development and Reform Commission, the country's top economic regulator, has appointed Baidu to lead the national lab on deep learning technologies and applications, as Beijing prioritizes AI development through policy and financial support.

The company will team up with China's leading institutions such as Tsinghua University and Beihang University in areas including deep learning, interactive technologies, visual and sensory technologies and standardized services.

Baidu will also share its rich resources on computing, algorithm and big data, which are crucial to beef up fundamental research in AI.

"We will give full support and abundant resources to the lab to ensure the mission is accomplished effectively and in high quality," said Lu Qi, president of Baidu.

Deep learning is a leading algorithm that aims to improve search results and computing tasks by training computers to work more like the human brain, said Wang Guanchun, chief executive officer of Laiye, a Beijing-based AI company that provides personal scheduling services.

The country is betting on the technology to advance high-end manufacturing as it shifts from an export-driven economy to one that is higher up the value chain.

Fueling the trend is a three-year initiative led by the NDRC and the Ministry of Science and Technology to boost the industry through to 2018, in which China aims to achieve make breakthroughs in core AI technologies, stay in line with global standards on fundamental research, and potentially develop a whole set of transformative technologies on the application front.

"AI should be put on the national agenda as it could transform the industrial, service and even the defense sectors. Baidu is in a good position to lead the lab, considering its vast input in the field," said Wang.

Baidu's Institute of Deep Learning set up a Silicon Valley lab in 2013, tapping the region's talent pool, to gain more muscle to compete with global rivals from Apple Inc to Google Inc.

In January it also hired noted AI expert and former Microsoft executive Lu Qi as its new president, overseeing all business functions.

Tan Tieniu, vice-chairman of the Chinese Association for Artificial Intelligence, said more attention should be paid to the most fundamental groundbreaking work, which is largely dominated by US researchers, and that's what a national lab is meant for.

China's AI industry is worth 9.56 billion yuan ($1.38 billion) in 2016, said market research firm Forward Intelligence.
Wu Xiubo [Photo provided to China Daily]

Chinese actor Wu Xiubo has been appointed Tourism Australia's Ambassador for the 2017 China-Australia Year of Tourism.

The appointment was announced by Steven Ciobo, the Australian minister for trade, tourism and investment, on Feb 21.

The Chairman of the China National Tourism Administration, Li Jinzao, was present.

The China-Australia Year of Tourism celebrates the close relationship between the two countries and recognizes the importance of the China market for Australia's tourism industry.

Steven Ciobo (left), the Australian minister for trade, tourism and investment and Chinese actor Wu Xiubo. [Photo provided to China Daily]

"This year promises to bring Australia and China closer and provide more opportunities for further engagement, be it in tourism and travel or more broadly in trade, sport and culture or social and academic exchanges," says Ciobo.

"China is Australia's most valuable tourism market, with the potential to be worth more than $13 billion by 2020. Last year, 1.2 million Chinese visited Australia. We anticipate this will grow during the China-Australia Year of Tourism and will continue to grow afterward."

Recent initiatives to support two-way tourism between the two countries include the trial of the 10-year visitor visa; the open aviation market services arrangement which removes all capacity restrictions for airlines on both sides; and a new Beijing to Sydney service by Qantas Airways which was launched in January.

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China to build monitoring network for ecological security

Xinhua | Updated: 2017-02-21 07:30

BEIJING - China will build a comprehensive monitoring system by 2020 to implement its ecological "red line" strategy and supervise activities inside the nature reserves, the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) said Monday.



This will include a space-ground ecological observation system and a ecological security monitoring system linked up to big data and the Internet, according to the ministry.



China will push forward ecological protection during the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020), as the country still faces a severe condition in this field, said Cheng Lifeng, an official with the MEP.



From this year, authorities will conduct remote sensing monitoring on all national-level nature reserves twice a year, the ministry said, adding that it will build a space-ground observation system with satellite remote sensing technology to monitor ecological changes.



China has 2,740 nature reserves that cover 1.42 million square kilometers of land, 14.8 percent of the country's land territory, said Cheng.



Among them, 446 are national-level reserves, covering 970,000 square kilometers.



China's central authorities issued guidelines earlier this month on an ecological "red line" strategy that will make certain regions protected. The zones will be clearly defined by the end of 2020.
File photo of Lyu Xiwen.[Photo/Xinhua]

CHANGCHUN - Lyu Xiwen, former deputy Party chief of Beijing, was sentenced to 13 years in prison for taking bribes on Monday.



According to the court, Lyu was also fined 2 million yuan (290,816 U.S. dollars), and her illegal gains shall be recovered and turned over to the state treasury.



Lyu was found to have taken advantage of various official posts from 2001 to 2015 to seek benefits for others. She accepted bribes worth 18.79 million yuan.



The Intermediate People's Court of Jilin City in northeast China's Jilin Province said it showed leniency as Lyu confessed to her crimes, expressed remorse and voluntarily returned illegal gains.

Lyu accepted the verdict, according to the court.
Central government ministries and departments responded to public concerns in a series of areas, such as the HIV infection incident in Zhejiang and the development of industry and information technology.

HIV infection

The National Health and Family Planning Commission said that it has paid a great deal of attention to an accident concerning HIV infection in Zhejiang province. The provincial health authorities received a report from the Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, a Grade Three Class A hospital, on Jan 26 that a hospital technician violated standard operating procedures that may have led to the possibility of five patients contracting HIV. After being informed of the accident, the national health commission said that Li Bin, the minister, ordered local authorities to investigate the case, take contingency preventive measures and strictly punish relevant personnel responsible for the accident in accordance with relevant laws.

On Feb 3 and 12, Li convened special meetings, pointing out that medical safety concerns public life and health and any negligence is intolerable. She said the authorities must attach great importance to the accident and guidance should be provided for the local health department to try to reduce any harm from the accident. She also said the internal management of the country's medical institutions must be strengthened to ensure hospital staff strictly abide by operational procedures.

On Jan 31 and Feb 7, Wang Guoqiang, deputy head of the commission, led a team to Zhejiang to investigate the accident and provide guidance in tackling the aftermath. The commission said it will send a team to investigate the case again.

The commission said it had organized two expert panels to discuss the causes of the accident on Feb 4 and Feb 10. Participants at the discussions said that the main causes include lack of medical safety awareness by some staff, porous management procedures for infection prevention and control, the ineffective implementation of relevant rules and a failure to abide by technical rules and standard operational procedures. They said the responsibility awareness of medical institutions must be strengthened, their management improved, potential medical safety risks examined, and education of hospital staff strengthened to ensure the rights of patents are protected.

The commission sent a circular to all hospitals nationwide requiring that they further strengthen medical safety management and convened a meeting of all local hospital and health commission heads to demand that they learn the lessons of the Zhejiang accident. The local health management authorities, in particular, should strengthen supervision to ensure medical safety.

Industry growth

Senior Ministry of Industry and Information Technology officials held a news conference on Friday to share information on China's industrial development with the public.

Miao Wei, minister of industry and information technology, said much headway has been made as China has become the world's top manufacturer and internet power. He said breakthroughs had been made in manufacturing high-end equipment and Chinese enterprises have become globally competitive in areas such as high-speed rail, nuclear power plants and telecommunications. As a sign of China's progress in economic restructuring, emerging industries, such as robotics, mobile internet, cloud computing and big data, have achieved fast growth, he said.

China has set a target of 6 percent growth year-on-year in terms of industrial output and Miao said the target is achievable.

Miao also said that the ministry will join hands with the Ministry of Finance to adjust the subsidy policy for new energy vehicles to prevent false application for subsidies and support the healthy development of the new industry.

Xu Lejiang, vice-minister of industry and information technology, said at the news conference that the ministry will make greater efforts to reduce excessive production capacity in the steel industry.

"The roles of the market and government will be combined in cutting excessive capacity," Xu said.
China to improve government service in townships

Xinhua | Updated: 2017-02-21 07:52

BEIJING - The central authorities have issued a document calling for improved public services at the township level.



The document was issued by the General Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council.



Township governments should provide quality education in rural areas with suitable teaching environments, safe campuses and support for under privileged students, according to the document.



It called on township governments to offer better training and vocational opportunities to rural residents, and ensure basic social services for special groups including the disabled, migrant workers, and children living in poverty.



Governments at the township level should implement national insurance policies and improve public health services, said the document.



It stressed that ancient villages of great historical and cultural value should be properly protected and developed, adding that township governments should also improve their service in areas such as environmental protection, food safety and juvenile protection.



The document urged governments of county-level and above to provide financial support for infrastructure, public services and other social undertakings in townships, and to encourage loans and investment to small towns and villages.



Township government budgets and spending should be strictly regulated to fend off local debt risks and guarantee fiscal balance, it said.



The document also called for preferential policies for township officials, such as easier promotions and subsidies, to attract talent to work in townships.
Nonprofit institution is expected to have 3,000 students at full enrollment

After spearheading a revolution in e-commerce, the founder of Alibaba Group, billionaire Jack Ma, is setting his sights on China's education system by establishing a private bilingual school.

He and other partners of Alibaba co-founded the Yungu School, or Cloud Valley, in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, where the e-commerce empire is headquartered. The school will span 15 years of education, offering classes from kindergarten through high school.

Yungu aims to give its students an opportunity to make the best of themselves, according to a written reply from the company. Compassion, independence, social responsibility and lifelong learning are among the key traits that the school believes are crucial for students to become global citizens.

The move comes amid mounting scrutiny of China's burgeoning private education market, which was worth 78 billion yuan ($11.3 billion) in 2015 and is expected to grow by up to 15 percent in the next few years, according to estimates from Industrial Securities.

In a revised law in November, China banned profit-centered private schools from the nine-year compulsory education system, which covers the years from primary school to junior high school, because it is a public service to be provided by the government.

Alibaba said its school is registered as a nonprofit organization and will comply with the law. It declined to disclose tuition fees.

At full capacity, Yungu is expected to have 3,000 students. For the upcoming September semester, it plans to enroll 60 students in first grade, and another 48 in seventh grade.

After submitting online applications, candidates will be assessed based on their materials and face-to-face interviews with the student and parents. Prospective candidates do not need to hold a Hangzhou hukou, or household registration.

To meet the needs of bilingual teaching, up to 40 percent of the faculty are hired from a global pool, each having more than five years of teaching experience internationally. The rest are mostly award-winning teachers with experience in domestic educational institutions.

Yungu said it will have a favorable ratio of teacher to students - one teacher for every five students - in a bid to address common problems of public schools such as cramped classrooms. To explore the full potential of students beyond their schoolwork, it also includes personalized modules and social services in the curriculum and pays special attention to utilizing technology in teaching.

China has 162,700 private schools nationwide, which recruit more than 45.7 million students, according to Ministry of Education statistics from last year.

Ma spent seven years teaching English before starting his own business. In 2015, he created an award to help rural teachers, and he established a scholarship program in Australia in January to sponsor disadvantaged students with a demonstrated commitment to cross-cultural understanding and social justice.

hewei@chinadaily.com.cn
A man in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, was placed under investigation for threatening two doctors, blaming them for his aunt's death from pneumonia.

According to the hospital, the man, surnamed Wang, claimed to be a national security worker and said he would take revenge on the two doctors at Jiangsu Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine who sent his aunt to an intensive care unit for emergency treatment on Saturday.

Relatives of the 70-year-old patient insisted that only two traditional Chinese medicine treatments could be used to save her life, and they brought one remedy to the hospital themselves, the hospital said.

Doctors who treated the patient explained her condition to the relatives and received approval - and the signature - of her son. However, a nephew claimed that the emergency treatment caused the woman's death, it said.

Although the hospital asked Wang to take his complaint to a higher authority, he continued to insist that the doctors, surnamed Lu and Zhao, should "pay for what they did", the hospital said. Some witnesses said that Wang took pictures of the two doctors and claimed to know their personal information.

"As a doctor, I did what should be done to save a life," the doctor surnamed Zhao said. "I don't understand why he targeted me. He didn't threaten me face-to-face, but told my colleagues that I should pay."

The police in Qinhuai district received reports on Saturday afternoon and have been investigating the case. They confirmed that Wang does not work for the government.

Yuan Shenghan, a lawyer in Nanjing, said threatening other people does not violate Chinese law if no action results.

"But he could be punished for disturbing public order under China's public security administration law," Yuan said.

The news received wide public attention in China. A top transplant specialist was stabbed just two days earlier in his office in Nanjing.

The specialist, Sun Beicheng, head of Jiangsu Provincial Hospital's liver transplant unit, is said to be one of the country's finest. An alleged ticket scalper locked the door of the doctor's office, stabbed Sun in his left leg, fractured his jaw and cut him around the mouth, later telling police that the doctor had once criticized him for buying up appointment tickets in bulk and selling them at inflated prices to would-be patients.

According to the Qinhuai publicity department, the results of the investigation into Wang's threats will be made public by the end of this week.

cangwei@chinadaily.com.cn
China has set a new record for copyrights, processing more than 2 million new registrations last year, a rise of 22.3 percent compared with 2015, the National Copyright Administration of China said on Monday.

Nearly 1.6 million registrations were publications including literary works and photographs, while 407,774 were software, according to the administration.

The number of software copyright registrations has increased about 40 percent compared with 2015. More than 80 percent of the software works were registered in 10 cities in Guangdong province, along with Beijing and Shanghai.

China's copyright registrations have seen a steady, rapid rise. The number has increased about fourfold since 2011, when the number of copyright registrations was 570,000.

In 2013, China's copyright registrations hit what was then a record 1 million.

"The increase in copyright registrations shows the rise of people's copyright protection awareness," said Du Ying, a professor of intellectual property rights at Central University of Finance and Economics in Beijing. The State's strategy to promote copyright protection and innovation has created a positive environment for copyright, she added.

"Registration is used as concrete evidence when disputes arise," she said.

The vitality of China's cultural products market contributed to the rise, Du said.

luowangshu@chinadaily.com.cn
Xiao Yan (right), a reporter from Xinhua News Agency, interviews a migrant worker on a train heading for Shanghai earlier this month. [Photo/Xinhua]

One year later, president's words continue to resonate with news organizations

Following President Xi Jinping's speech last year on the principles of the Communist Party of China's media and publicity work, the country's major media outlets recently published articles highlighting the changes they have made to news reporting.

On Feb 19 last year, Xi, who is also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, visited People's Daily, Xinhua News Agency and China Central Television before presiding over a symposium on news reporting and public opinion.

During the symposium, Xi ordered all news media outlets run by the CPC and the Chinese government to strictly follow the Party's leadership and focus on "positive reporting".

According to Xi, the Party's media work should unite and guide the general public, serve the country's overall interests, tell right from wrong, instill confidence and connect China with the world.

Calling for innovative concepts, content and methods, Xi told media groups to make use of new media's edge in publicity; amplify their voices on the international stage; tell stories about China effectively; and build flagship media with a strong global influence.

On Sunday, People's Daily published an article noting that the past year has seen great changes across all media outlets thanks to the "fresh vitality" engendered by Xi's speech.

The credibility of mainstream media has improved markedly, it said, adding that it has become more influential and that content is more appealing and persuasive.

The article praised the "reasoned voice" of media outlets when covering issues of public concern, such as employment, health services, education and food safety. It also lauded the "creativity and innovation" of online and new media content.

On Friday, a Xinhua article said the media's work in the past year has generated positive energy that has motivated the public to work toward realizing the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the nation. It added that the Chinese media's international communication skills should be honed so stories about China are told effectively.

One of the most high-profile moves to this end has been the rebranding of CCTV's news output as China Global Television Network at the end of last year.

According to CGTN statistics, its content is accessed by about 400 million people worldwide.

Last year, more than 700 People's Daily articles were translated into more than 20 languages and published by major international media outlets.

In the past year, Xinhua has published 4,500 stories a day for overseas audiences, with more than 100 commentaries on international issues carried by mainstream Western media.

Developments were also made in the promotion of overseas social networking platforms operated by leading Chinese media.

Accounts run by People's Daily attract about 35 million followers, while the figures for Xinhua and CCTV stand at about 23 million and 50 million respectively.

While visiting CCTV's multimedia division on Sunday, Liu Qibao, head of the CPC Central Committee's Publicity Department, encouraged all mainstream news providers to prioritize multimedia integration, helping to improve competitiveness and expand their reach.

Shi Anbin, a professor of journalism and communications at Tsinghua University in Beijing, said standards of news reporting and public opinion in China has risen along with the nation's growing strength and international status.
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All textbooks and reference books used from primary school to universities have adopted the phrase "14-year Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression," marking a revision to the current wording, as the new semester began on Feb 20, Beijing Youth Daily reported.

A document on the revision, issued by the Ministry of Education in the beginning of this year, mandates textbooks to fully reflect the crimes committed by Japanese troops in the war, underscoring the continuity of the 14 years of War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression starting in 1931.

Textbooks currently use the phrase "Eight-year Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression," which reflects the date of the beginning of Japan's full-scale invasion of China on July 7, 1937, to the date Japan declared its unconditional surrender on August 15, 1945.

The revision applies to textbooks of all disciplines from primary school to universities and vocational education, and of all courses both prescribed by the state and stipulated by local government.

According to People's Education Press, one of China's main textbook publishers, their textbooks of all disciplines, including Chinese, history, ideology and moral education, politics, and related reference books and exercise books, have completed the revision process.

China was the first nation to fight against fascist forces. On Sept 18, 1931, Japanese troops blew up a section of railway under its control near Shenyang and then accused Chinese troops of sabotage as a pretext for attack. They bombarded barracks near Shenyang the same evening, starting their invasion of Northeast China. This came to be known as the September 18 Incident.

The attacks intensified when Japan's full-scale invasion began after a crucial access point to Beijing, Lugou Bridge, also known as Marco Polo Bridge, was attacked by Japanese troops on July 7, 1937.

The September 18 Incident was the start of the Chinese people's resistance against Japanese invasion, ushering in a prelude of the world anti-Fascist war and delivering a profound impact on world history, said Wang Jianxue, vice-chairman of the China Association of Historians Studying Modern Chinese Historical Materials.

Although both sides of the Taiwan Straits traditionally use the phrase "Eight-year Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression," the historical research results based on facts prove that the phrase "14-year Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression" to be more accurate, said Xu Yong, expert of anti-Japanese war historiography and professor at History Department of Peking University.

When China marked the 70th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the end of WWII on September 3, 2015, President Xi Jinping said in the opening of his speech, "Seventy years ago today, the Chinese people, having fought tenaciously for 14 years, won the great victory of their War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, marking the full victory of the World Anti-Fascist War. "

Earlier in July 2015, Xi urged researchers to study events from 1931 as well as those after 1937.
Nobel laureate C.N.Yang (left) and Turing Award winner Yao Qizhi. [File photo]

Nobel laureate C.N.Yang and Turing Award winner Yao Qizhi have become Chinese citizens and officially joined the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) as academicians, the academy's faculty office said on Tuesday.

They are the first overseas scientists to relinquish their foreign citizenship to join the official faculty of China's highest scientific research organization. Yang, 94, would join the mathematical physics department, while Yao, 70, would enter the information technology and science department.

"They are both internationally renowned scholars," the office said in a press statement. "Their entry into the academy's faculty will increase the influence of China's scientific circles globally."

Yang and his colleague Li Zhengdao received the 1957 Nobel Prize in Physics for their work on parity nonconservation of weak interaction, becoming the first Chinese to win a Nobel Prize.

Yao received the Turing Award, the most prestigious award in computer science, in 2000, "in recognition of his fundamental contributions to the theory of computation, including the complexity-based theory of pseudorandom number generation, cryptography, and communication complexity".

In late 2016, both scientists had relinquished their foreign nationality and submitted their request to join the academy. The faculty office had to implement new interim procedures to accept them.

In recent years, the faculty office is actively trying to build a "big academician family", connecting renowned scholars around the world to advice and contribute to China's major scientific development. There are now 754 Chinese and 78 foreign scientists at the academy.




Jiang on her way to take the subway in Beijing, Feb 14, 2017.[Photo/VCG]

Rugged up in her coat in the chilled spring air, a drowsy Jiang Jingzi walks briskly towards the parking lot outside the railway station in Cangzhou, a small city in North China's Hebei province, on the night of Feb 15.

For the umpteenth time, Jiang returns home to Cangzhou late at night, after leaving work in Beijing.

For a whole year, Jiang kept up this daily routine. Rising at about 6:10am, taking a taxi to the railway station in Cangzhou by 6:50am and catching a high-speed train at 7:23am that delivers her to Beijing 58 minutes later. She arrives at her company at about 9:15am after completing the final leg on the subway.

The inter-city transportation has surprised many for its long distance, and high fees. It's 15 yuan ($2.20) for a taxi, 94.5 yuan ($13.70) for high-speed train and 4 yuan (60 cents) for the subway ride. That adds up to 225 yuan ($33) for a daily return commute, amounting to a monthly cost of almost 5,000 yuan ($726).

While this has caused many jaws to drop, Jiang Jiangzi smiles for her own reasons.

After her university graduation in Beijing in 2009, Jiang chose to stay in the city and became a "Beijing drifter".

She met her husband, who works for Beijing Hyundai Motor, at the end of 2011. By the time they were married, the couple had their own house near the East Sixth Ring Road, each spending about two hours on their journey to work.

In 2015, Jiang's husband was transferred to Cangzhou, leaving Jiang and their 1-year-old baby in Beijing.

Six months later, Jiang decided to start her two cities life. Before that, Jiang's husband had considered finding her a new job in Cangzhou, but Jiang refused as she didn't want to give up her career in Beijing.

"I was surprised by myself that I could hold on the trip for such long time," Jiang said, as she sorted out all the tickets she's collected in the last year.

"I admire what she has done for me and our family." her husband said. Jiang's persistence also won the support from her family.

Jiang said she was mindful of the high transportation costs, but said it was all worthwhile as long as the family could be together every day.
Zhao Muhe studies in class. [Photo/China Youth Online]

He got his first bachelor's and master's degrees in his nineties, and is now working on his PhD. He traveled the world after retirement and learnt to use the internet.

"I won't stop learning new things unless I die," 105-year-old Zhao Muhe told domestic media.

Zhao was born in Shandong province in 1912. He moved to Taiwan at 39, and found a non-teaching job at National Kaohsiung Normal University. Almost 30 years later, he retired from the university. That's normally the time for people to begin a peaceful but boring pensioner's life, hanging out with friends and looking after grandchildren. But that was not for Zhao.

He decided to go to another university, this time to study, not to work. Zhao attended the National Open University in Taiwan in 1999. He commuted to school by bike every day, never missing a single class. He studied late into the night, and it only took him four years to finish the 128 academic credits required to graduate with an arts degree, which he did at the age of 91.

Several years later, Zhao decided to continue his studies. He passed the entrance examination for Nanhua University in Taiwan and got a master's degree in philosophy two years later. He is now auditing classes at National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan as he prepares to earn a doctorate degree. He thinks it's never too late to learn.

In addition to studying, he also fulfilled his dream of touring the world, when everyone else thought that it was impossible for a man of his meager means and old age. He traveled on a shoestring, like many young people do it.

He may look impoverished, but he is not. In fact, he started learning calligraphy from childhood. Years of practice made him a bird-worm calligraphy master. He has donated huge sums of money raised by his calligraphy works to people in need.

Now he is learning to use a computer.

"Internet is no use for a dying man like you, bro," his fellow pensioner said humorously to him.

"But I'm still alive," he replied with laughter.
China expressed its deep condolences on the death of Russia's ambassador to the United Nations, Vitaly Churkin, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Tuesday.

Describing Churkin as an excellent diplomat who won respect from all who knew him, spokesman Geng Shuang said that his death was a loss for not only Russia, but also for the UN and its humanitarian mission.

"We feel shocked and sad at Ambassador Churkin's sudden death and express our deep condolences," Geng told a regular news conference in Beijing.

Churkin died suddenly in New York on Monday after being taken ill at work, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

China and Russia, both permanent members of the Security Council and enjoying a comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination, are in close communication on international and regional hotspot issues, Geng said.

"We have been supporting each other and undertaking fruitful cooperation at international organizations and multilateral institutions, such as the United Nations," he said.

China would like to continue to work with Russia and jointly play a constructive role in upholding international peace and security and promoting world development and cooperation, he added.
BEIJING -- China said on Tuesday that it hoped the United States would do what is good to the peace and stability in the South China Sea as a US aircraft carrier strike group began patrolling the region.

"China always respects the freedom of navigation and overflight of all countries in the South China Sea in accordance with international law, but we oppose those who threaten and harm the sovereignty and security of coastal countries under the pretext of freedom of navigation and overflight," said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang at the daily press briefing.

Geng made the remarks while responding to reports that the US aircraft carrier strike group, including Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, began routine operations in the South China Sea on Feb. 19.

The situation in the South China Sea is becoming more stable under the joint efforts of both China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Geng said.

"We hope relevant countries, especially those outside the region, can respect the efforts made by China and the ASEAN, maintain the good situation, and do more things that are helpful for peace and stability in the South China Sea," Geng said.
Cooperation between China and France plays a very important role in world peace and security, French Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said in Beijing on Tuesday while beginning his official visit to China.

Cazeneuve delivered a speech at Peking University that morning. He said both countries have an important role to play on a multilateral level, citing the benefits gained during the Paris Climate Conference held in 2015.

"This shows what we can contribute to the world when China and France work together," he said.

The prime minister also encouraged Chinese companies to invest in France, adding that France is creating a favorable environment for foreign investment.

China and France, which established diplomatic ties in 1964, have been cooperating closely in civilian nuclear power. They are working together on developing a nuclear plant project in Hinkley Point, Britain.

The two countries also have strong cooperation in the aviation industry. An Airbus China A330 completion and delivery center, which is being constructed in North China's Tianjin, will deliver its first A330 jet in September.

Cazeneuve also encouraged more Chinese students to study in France, and said his country is taking measures to keep facilitating visa procedures to attract Chinese tourists.
The department of chemistry at Xian Jiaotong-Liverpool University has become the first at an independent Sino-foreign university in China to achieve professional accreditation for its undergraduate degree program.

The BSc Applied Chemistry program was granted accreditation by the Royal Society of Chemistry in the United Kingdom, one of the worlds foremost professional bodies for chemical scientists.

The accreditation means that upon graduation, BSc Applied Chemistry students will have partially gained the academic requirements needed to achieve chartered status and be able to demonstrate internationally recognized standards of competency as chemists.

Professor Rudi Marquez, head of the Department of Chemistry at XJTLU, said: Gaining chartered status as a chemist recognizes that individuals have well-developed skills, knowledge and professionalism, all key to advancing their careers.

The accreditation of BSc Applied Chemistry means prospective students can be confident that they will study a program that is seen as among the best in the world, which supports them in developing skills that are in line with global practice and in high demand from employers.

The accreditation was granted after a rigorous quality assurance process that involved an on-site visit by a team of Royal Society of Chemistry representatives and academics from Imperial College London and the University of Malaya.

They toured the departments facilities and laboratories, teaching rooms and the XJTLU library, as well as talking to current students about their experiences on the program. The visiting delegation also spoke to staff to learn about teaching practices at XJTLU.

A report, compiled after the on-site visit, commended a wide range of aspects of the program, including the facilities, which were highlighted as some of the best the site visit team had seen.

The department enjoys state-of-the-art equipment that allows students to conduct cutting-edge research in the fields of energy, environmental chemistry, materials science and biological chemistry.

The experience of students on the program was also praised in the report, including the amount of hands-on experience students gain with equipment, and the relationship between staff and students in the department.

Ricardo Lopez, a student in the department, said: The Department of Chemistry at XJTLU is small and allows students direct and easy access to great equipment. I have learned a lot of very useful skills while studying here. The size of the department also makes it really easy to make connections, not just with staff in the department itself, but from others around the University. I have been able to work very closely with researchers in biology, which has given me new perspectives and lines of enquiry, as well as allowing me to better understand the applications of my work.

Toby Underwood, accreditation manager at the Royal Society of Chemistry, said: Accreditation of degrees is an important aspect of the Royal Society of Chemistrys duty as a professional body for chemistry. Not only does it allow us to share global best practice, but through peer review we give staff and students reassurance that the quality of a degree is appropriate for their future careers, and help with mobility if they wish to continue studying overseas. We are delighted with this new engagement with XJTLU and look forward to future interactions.

Professor Marquez said the department was delighted to have achieved this accreditation, which, in addition to demonstrating the high-quality of the program, is a testament to the ambition of staff in the department to develop a program that is a leader among chemistry degrees in China.

Founded in 2006, XJTLU is the largest independent Sino-foreign university in China, a partnership between Xi'an Jiaotong University in China and the University of Liverpool in the UK.

XJTLU is part of a small group of independent Sino-foreign universities operating in China, defined as legally independent entities formed as joint ventures between Chinese universities and international partners.
China will be the guest country at the 2018 Cuba International Book Fair as a sign of historically friendly ties between the two nations and a way to expand cultural cooperation, a senior Cuban official said on Sunday. "Inviting China to be the guest country at next year's fair will be of great importance for our bilateral cultural relation because we have distinct historical ties," Abel Prieto, Cuban minister of culture, told Xinhua.

Prieto said there are high expectations regarding the fair because China's great literature and arts will be available for the Cuban people to enjoy from Feb 1 to Feb 11 next year.

He recalled the Chinese migration to Cuba in the 19th century, saying their footprints in the island have become an important component of what makes up the Cuban nation.

"The book fair dedicated to China will be an important event to remember that tradition, and to update our knowledge of the younger, more recent literature that must be extraordinary. I think it will be a great opportunity for the Cuban people to have closer contact with Chinese literature and arts," he added.

Meanwhile, Juan Rodriguez, president of the Cuban Book Institute, said over the last decade the institution edited about 30 kinds of books by different Chinese authors, but next year's fair will be an opportunity to increase that figure significantly.

"It is a great pleasure to have China as a guest country of honor because our ties and collaborations will increase. Also we'll edit books by Cuban authors that have been published in China and print as many books by Chinese authors as possible," said Rodriguez after closing this year's book fair.

He said the Cuban people had always been eager to learn more about Chinese culture, and the fair, considered the island's greatest cultural event, will be a perfect opportunity.

"We have already worked with the Chinese side in the recently concluded 2017 International Book Fair. We believe China will be a great guest country in the 2018 edition of the event," he added.

According to Rodriguez, the 10-day book fair attracted more than 416,000 people to the colonial fortress of San Carlos de la Cabana, east of Havana.

More than 301,000 books worth 3.1 million pesos ($132,000) were sold at the fair.

(China Daily 02/21/2017 page11)
Eight Chinese companies are showcasing their products

The biennial International Defense Exhibition and Conference kicked off in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Sunday.

Themed "Disruptive Innovation in Defense and Security Technology," the 13th edition of the five-day event has attracted more than 1,200 companies from 57 countries, according to the organizer Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, vice-president and prime minister of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi and deputy supreme commander of the UAE Armed Forces, as well as Omar Al-Bashir, the president of Sudan, attended the opening ceremony.

The use of drones, robots and digital solutions rose to a global phenomenon among armies across the globe which has led defense companies to develop new solutions in order to bring disruptive technologies to the next level.

Eli Airborne Solutions from Estonia demonstrated at the fair its multi-rotor Elix-XL, which according to the producer can be used for exterior reconnaissance flights after "a few hours of training".

German defense giant Rheinmetall, the 10th biggest producer of military hardware in Europe, showcased for the first time in the Middle East Panoview, a pair of 3D-glasses which equip the commander of a tank with a quasi-robotic eye so that he can look around the vehicle without climbing on the turret of the tank and being exposed to direct enemy fire on.

Rheinmetall has developed a new cyber network security solution. "Our new system called 'cyel equilibrium' can't be hacked because these systems permanently change the IP-address, so that hackers have no static entry point," claimed Oliver Hoffman, spokesman with Rheinmetall.

"The French army is undergoing a major technical upgrade," Major Laure Barbeau told Xinhua. "Under the 'Au Contact' modernization scheme, the French army tanks Scorpion, Jaguar and Leclerc will be modernized by 2020 with digitalization technology in order to produce a tactical effect on the terrain while against enemies."

"Disruptive technology and its impact should be understood and monitored by all military branches of service, because the technology leads to the rise of cyber warfare," Mohammed Al-Bowardi, UAE minister of state for defense said on Saturday.

Protection of military sensitive data was also in the focus of the US company DRS Technologies. The company said it had been awarded an initial five-year contract worth $9.3 million by the US Navy "for updated communications systems that allow ship commanders to securely share real-time tactical data information".

UAE's Siham Al Khaleek Technology and Italy's Leonardo MBDA showcased IDEX Siham3, a UAE-made standalone anti-air and anti-surface weapon system which according to both companies "will allow for a significant reduction in the ship's installation requirement" based on a single mounted system.

Meanwhile, state-of-the-art defense equipment covering all military sectors are being showcased here by renowned global giants including Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Boeing, Airbus and Safran.

Covering nearly 1,500 square meters, China's pavilion is composed of eight leading military manufacturers, such as Norinco and Poly Technologies, exhibiting Chinese tanks, artilleries, UAVs, submarines, frigates, laser weapons and missiles.

Dai Ning, Deputy General Manager of Poly Technologies, said: "The Middle East suffers from turmoil over the past years. Our major goal in the region is to help stabilize society, especially help eradicate terrorism."

The fair closes on Thursday. On the opening day, deals worth 4.42 billion dirhams ($1.2 billion) were made, according to the orgnizer.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, prime minister of the United Arab Emirates, visits the Chinese pavilion with Li Pei, vice-general-manager of China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corp, at the 13th International Defense Exhibition and Conference in Abu Dhabi, UAE, on Sunday.Zhao Dingzhe/ Xinhua News Agency

(China Daily 02/21/2017 page11)
Lin Fengmian visits the National School of Fine Arts in Paris in 1979, where he studied oil painting in the 1920s.[Photo provided to China Daily]

The late painter Lin Fengmian, who challenged convention, is honored with a display of his works in Beijing. Lin Qi reports.

In 1931, master painter Qi Baishi received an artwork from Lin Fengmian, a fellow artist and then-principal of the Hangzhou Fine Arts School (now the China Academy of Art) in the country's east. In the painting Roosters, Lin portrays three white-feathered birds with red crests in light strokes of ink.

Qi treasured the gift, and after his death it was donated with many other artworks he created to the Beijing Fine Arts Academy.

The painting is now on show at the academy's art museum for an exhibition marking Lin's contributions to modernizing Chinese painting and fine-arts education.

Lin was also among the few people to recognize Qi's talent when he was still an unknown artist from Central China's Hunan province.

When Lin headed what is now the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing in 1927, he employed Qi to teach classical Chinese painting.
As spring fever hits, spring bamboo shoots are hitting restaurants and supermarkets. The fresh bamboo is so important to Japanese kitchens that they make use of every part of the plant. The leaves and bark are used as wrappers and the most commonly eaten part is the tender shoots. In Beijing, you can find dishes made from fresh bamboo shoots at Keikiku Japanese restaurant at Hotel Kunlun: We recommend the "fresh bamboo shoots with grilled Wagyu sirloin".

Keikiku Japanese restaurant, Hotel Kunlun, 2 Xinyuan Nanlu, Chaoyang district, Beijing. 010-6590-3228.

- China Daily
The fourth Brussels "Le Salon du Chocolat" brought together more than 130 Belgian chocolate manufacturers, distributors and confectioners recently, offering a visual and interactive experience.

Many Belgian chocolate companies such as Leonidas and Pralibel, who took part in the event, expressed their eagerness and willingness to explore the Chinese market and also spoke about the challenges they faced in the market.

The Neuhaus Company, which has chocolate stores in Shanghai, said that although it wanted to open more stores in China, one of the difficulties it faced was not being able to understand the flavor preferences and shopping habits of its Chinese customers.

At the event, visitors were treated to a number of displays. One of the most fascinating scenes was the "chocolate Eiffel Tower" which was 3 meters tall and weighed 350 kg. It was made by a Belgian chocolate master and the chocolate brand Leonidas, and it took about 550 hours to complete the masterpiece.

Chocolate fashion shows were also staged at the event. Besides, chefs did cooking demonstrations using chocolate in their recipes.

A chocolate classroom was also set up for children to let them learn about the production of chocolate.

(China Daily 02/21/2017 page19)
A worker looks closely as containers are unloaded in Qingdao Port, Shandong province. [Photo/China Daily]

The United States registered 20 anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigation cases against China involving $3.7 billion in 2016, according to statistics from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce.

Given the rising pressure of trade disputes on China, the election of Donald Trump as US president has raised concerns that the new US administration may seek exorbitant and unreasonable economic concessions from and even stage a trade war with China. Some even cite the trade disputes to say China's economic prospects look gloomier.

Such a view is simplistic. Economic and trade ties between China and the US are by no means a zero-sum game. Instead, they are mutually beneficial. Since the US' huge and still rising "twin deficits" (fiscal and trade deficits) cannot continue forever, Washington needs to launch tangible reforms to correct the situation. It is thus understandable that many US citizens have higher expectations from the Trump administration. But only if the US has a stable and sustainable macro economy can it ensure a healthy and prosperous trade atmosphere for itself as well as China.

As it is different from China's less-powerful trade partners, the US' macroeconomic soundness is very important. So if the Trump administration adopts economic policies that can actually lower the US' national savings deficit, it will also be a boon to China because it will open up a more sustainable external market and an improved international economic system for Chinese industries.

In such circumstances, the best solution for China will be to strike a series of economic and trade deals under reasonable terms. And an adjustment to the synchronized development model by China and the US could result in a simultaneous buildup of their sustainable development capabilities leading to a more stable world economy.

China should seek to strike economic and trade deals with the US that have strong potential to yield mutually profitable results. But such efforts should not be based on wishful thinking. Whether or not a deal can be mutually beneficial also depends, to a large extent, on the US' actions.

Despite his sharp rhetoric, Trump has said he is willing to have mutually beneficial cooperation with China and Russia. The congratulatory message he sent to China ahead of the Lantern Festival and cordial telephone conversation he had with Chinese President Xi Jinping also seem to testify that China-US relations are emerging out of the "gloomy stage".

But quite a few uncertainties still remain that could prevent China-US economic and trade ties from advancing smoothly and limiting bilateral trade disputes within a reasonable range.

Some observers still believe China-US trade frictions will deal a severe blow to China's economy and the risk of a large-scale trade war will prompt Beijing to accept a series of unreasonable demands from Washington. Such an argument is based on the wrong notion that China is still a very vulnerable economy, when the fact is that even a large-scale trade war with the US may not undermine China's economic status in the global market.

China is the world's second-largest economy, and the world's leading manufacturer and exporter. China has also built a complete industrial system that covers almost all categories. And if it manages to keep its economic growth above that of the other major economies, China's status and share in the international economic system will keep rising.

Besides, external economic chaos is unlikely to spell doom for a country such as China that has a strong risk-resisting capability so long as it can manage to avoid domestic turbulences. The continuous rise in its economic strength after the Asian financial crisis and the global financial crisis is enough proof of China's economic resilience in the face of external crises. So, any possible trade war forced on China is unlikely to weaken its economic situation and its development course.

The author is a researcher at the International Trade and Economic Cooperation Institute of the Ministry of Commerce.
Wang Huiyao, president of the Center for China and Globalization, China's largest independent think tank, sees the likely collapse of TPP due to US non-participation as an opportunity to reshape Asia-Pacific trade.[Photo by Zou Hong / China Daily]

Chinese think tanks, be they State-sponsored or private, are inching forward in the global intellectual race. Nine of these made it to the world's top 175 think-tank list prepared recently by the Lauder Institute of University of Pennsylvania. The university report says the United States has the largest number of think tanks (1,835) and China the second largest (435).

The ranking gives an idea of the effectual buildup of Chinese think tanks and how they supplement policymaking. Thanks partly to the concerted endorsement of the central and local governments, China's policies can be rather effectively implemented at all levels with the needed political motivation. China's expanding high-speed railway network, which has greatly changed how Chinese people travel, could well serve as an example of administrative efficiency.

However, without proper consultation with those in the know and the active participation of think tanks, a well-intentioned policy could become ineffective at the expense of public funds.

So, decision-makers should learn from their past mistakes. Including more think tanks in the decision-making process can be a viable solution to make the most of intellectual resources, which are plentiful in both public universities and independent institutions. And if their voices are heard, they could play an important part in improving the country's policymaking.

As China strives to play a bigger role in setting the global agenda, it is important that its major proposals, such as the Belt and Road Initiative (the Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road), are translated into universal language. There is no turning back on globalization for China, one of the biggest beneficiaries of global trade, despite the fact that Western economies including the United States and the United Kingdom are inclined to a strategic retreat from global governance: The US has elected a president who during his campaigning threatened trade partners with punitive tariffs, and the UK is working on a "hard" exit from the European Union.

That President Xi Jinping's vocal endorsement of globalization at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January was widely applauded shows that Beijing's voice does matter when it comes to free trade. Chinese think tanks have done a lot to translate, interpret and promote the country's proposals. They should intensify their efforts now as China "goes global", for which they have to expand their talent pools by taking on board more political, academic and business professionals.

Perhaps it is time to introduce the "revolving door" approach to enhance the interaction between think tanks and retired ministers, ambassadors, and directors who held high posts in different government departments.

Diversified funding channels too are needed. In the US many think tanks were set up with leading entrepreneurs' donationsthe Brookings Institution and Carnegie Endowment for International Peace being just two examples. Chinese entrepreneurs are yet to develop such a taste, as they spend most of their donations building schools or houses. Should they be informed of the importance of investing in research institutions, there will be more to expect from what Chinese think tanks have to offer.

The author is head of Center for China and Globalization.
European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini addresses a joint news conference with Libya's Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj (unseen) at the EU Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium February 2, 2017.[Photo/Agencies]

Many European leaders have run out of words to describe the situation in the European Union. But there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel.

On Feb 13, the European Commission updated its economic forecast, saying all the 28 EU member countries will register growth in 2016-17 and 2017-18, although the overall pace of their growth will be less than 2 percent.

This is the first time in a decade that all EU members can expect their economies to grow, although the EU is still "navigating choppy waters", according to a report. But that even the Greek economy is expected to grow at 2.7 percent and 3.1 percent in 2017 and 2018 is a promising sign for the EU.

The forecast is extremely encouraging for the EU, which has been fighting against economic governance loopholes, stagnation and fluctuations over the past few years. Of course, Europeans know how difficult it will be to realize this forcast, because their economies have long relied on expansionary investment programs amid very high debt levels.

Any political developments, such as the United Kingdom's exit from the EU and the upcoming presidential election in France, could become a disruptive factor for the EU's growth if they are not handled properly. Therefore, the EU's decision-makers have to make sure this growth momentum is maintained by passing more policies favorable to growth. To begin with, they should set up an expert team to devise a feasible policy package which will help the EU's economy to keep growing at a stable pace in the coming five to 10 years.

EU politicians have to realize that a feasible development momentum could serve to build a better foundation for the continent to cope with other challenges. They must also realize that sound cooperation between China and the EU, which together comprise up to 1.9 billion consumers, will help drive the EU's economic growth.

The EU has the habit of keeping its cards close to its chest when it comes to dealing with China. Hopefully, now it will act to strengthen the EU-China economic relationship.

On Thursday, Federica Mogherini, the high representative of the EU for foreign affairs and security policy, said China is not a threat but an opportunity for the bloc at her meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Bonn. The tone of her remark was different from that of EC President Donald Tusk, who recently described Russia, the US and China as external threats for the EU. But it is disturbing that Germany, France and Italy, instead of sharing Mogherini's views, have asked the EC to erect more barriers for foreign investors in the name of safeguarding the EU's security. Some observers say this is targeted at China, because Chinese investment has been increasing on the continent.

The move demanded by Germany, France and Italy will not be beneficial to the EU, as it is in the interest of the bloc to keep the door to investment open because it creates more jobs in the EU which young Europeans so badly need.

The EU should fulfill the commitment it made to the World Trade Organization when China joined the world trade body more than 15 years ago, that is, to recognize China as a market economy. During recent Beijing-Brussels talks, China has repeatedly requested that the EU fulfill its promise while Brussels has said it is still working to resolve the issue.

The fact is, China can help boost the EU's economic growth in the coming years, but for that Beijing and Brussels have to overcome some thorny issues and lead the world in fighting protectionism.

If they do so, which they are likely to, the light at the end of the tunnel for the EU will not be an optical illusion.

The author is deputy chief of China Daily European Bureau. fujing@chinadaily.com.cn
Xia Ming/China Daily

The second semester of the school year started on Monday, which means that parents will once again be burdened with homework as doing some of their children's homework has become an obligation of the parents. Guangzhou Daily commented on Monday:

It is not uncommon for parents to post an SOS message on their social media, calling for help to finish a school assignment for their children.

Customized homework for students that requires the assistance of their parents is a manifestation of quality education.

But it has become an extra burden for parents, and it means that teachers do not know their students' genuine performance. Children will lose precious learning opportunities and confidence to complete assignments by themselves.

There is no problem in liberating children from the mountains of textbooks and workbooks, or in parents helping their children to solve problems and participating in their children's learning process.

But the problem is that the assignments cannot go beyond a child's age and ability, the need for parental assistance should be limited. After all, homework is an important carrier of school education. It should be led by the school and completed by the students independently.
FLORIDA  When Denise Krohn came home to find her goldendoodle Kirby bleeding on the kitchen floor, she at first thought it was a terrible accident. But she soon realized that her home had been ransacked, and that her other dog, Quigley, was lying dead on his favorite blanket in the living room.

Burglars who tore through her hilltop farmhouse north of Albany made off with several televisions, a laptop, some cheap jewelry and change. And, police say, they apparently shot her friendly, goofy dogs on their way out the door.

"It was just a mean, nasty thing," Krohn said.

A year later, the crime remains unsolved. But what bothers Krohn is that police told her that if someone is caught, they would likely get 25 years in jail for burglary, but no additional punishment for killing the dogs.

"It's just not right," she said. "I don't care about the TVs and other stuff. What hurts us every day is losing our dogs."Krohn hopes to gain some measure of justice by making her pets the poster pups for New York state legislation that would make it a felony to harm a companion animal, even by accident, during the commission of a crime. Conviction would be punishable by a $5,000 fine and two years behind bars on top of the jail time for the burglary or other crime.

Dubbed "Kirby and Quigley's Law" for the slain dogs, the proposal currently faces an uphill fight among lawmakers. But if it does pass, experts say it would be one of the toughest animal-cruelty charges in the nation.

Diane Balkin, a former Denver prosecutor who's now with the Animal Legal Defense Fund, likened it to felony murder, a legal rule that allows someone to be charged with murder if they kill someone during the commission of another dangerous crime, even if the killing wasn't intentional.

Sen. Jim Tedisco, a Schenectady County Republican who first introduced the bill five years ago, said he was originally motivated by two cases in which heroin traffickers smuggled drugs in the stomachs of puppies and dogs and were charged with drug crimes but not animal cruelty.

"Attorneys said it had nothing to do with cruelty, they were just smuggling heroin," Tedisco said. "What this bill does is make it clear that if you harm a companion animal while committing another crime, you face an additional penalty."Tedisco's spokesman said the measure is intended to apply only to cats and dogs. But the bill says "companion animals," and a state appellate court once upheld a felony cruelty conviction under the current law of a man who stomped a goldfish to death.

The bill passed the state Senate 59-2 this month but has died in committees in the Assembly the past five sessions. Opposition has focused on whether such a law is really needed.

In the case of Kirby and Quigley, Balkin said the criminal could probably be charged under the existing cruelty law because the shooting was clearly an intentional act. The new law would also cover an unintentional act, such as hitting a pet with a getaway car.

"This bill is unnecessary," said Assemblyman Joseph Lentol, a Brooklyn Democrat. "It's already a crime to assault or kill an animal; it's already a felony if you do it with malicious intent."Lentol said if the point of the law is to deter cruel acts, it makes no sense to expand it to include unintentional harm.

Publicity about Kirby and Quigley led several breeders to offer goldendoodle puppies to the Krohns. They now have 8-month-old Porter and 7-month-old Tedi, who's related to the blond, curly Quigley and looks just like him, right down to the joyful grin.

Krohn has already written a pile of letters to lawmakers and promised to keep fighting for the bill.
US President Donald Trump gesture as he walks on the South Lawn of the White House upon his return to Washington, US, after a weekend in Palm Beach, Florida, February 20, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump now has been in White House for a whole month since he was inaugurated on Jan 20, and it seems like an almost daily tug-of-war between Magic Realism and Hallucinatory Realism in the country.

Magic Realism means using magic ways to describe the reality, while Hallucinatory Realism means using realistic ways to describe an illusion. Both terms are fiction genres.

From views of most US mainstream media and Trump's protesters, the past 30 days were full of protests, chaos, scandals, disarrays, division, confusion and frustration from inside and outside America.

But from views of Trump, his White House aides and his supporters, the newly-inaugurated president is loyal to his campaign pledges, very effective and has done a "wonderful job".
US President Donald Trump and his newly named National Security Adviser Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster (L) speak during the announcement at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida US February 20, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump on Monday named Lieutenant General Herbert McMaster as his new national security adviser.

"He is a man of tremendous talent and tremendous experience...he is respected by everybody in the military, we are very honored to have him," Trump said in his Florida residence Mar-a-Lago.

For his part, McMaster said he looked forward to advancing and protecting the interest of the American people.

The appointment came days after former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn resigned after it was revealed that he had misled Vice President Mike Pence about his telephone conversation with the Russian Ambassador to the United States, in which he made comments about US sanction on Russia.

McMaster, 54, is considered a military strategist among the US top brass, he has written extensively on the US military failures in the Vietnam War, and has contributed to a shift in tactics in the military campaign in Iraq.
BRASILIA - Brazil's federal police submitted to the Supreme Court (STF) Monday a report that shows how former presidents Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva and Dilma Rousseff had obstructed the anti-corruption Operation Lava Jato.

The Operation Lava Jato, which unveiled the gigantic corruption ring within state oil company Petrobras, was investigating the former presidents for crimes of influence trafficking.

Marlon Cajado, author of the report, recommended that both former presidents and former education minister, Aloizio Mercadante, be charged.

For Rousseff, the charge relates to her appointment of Lula in March 2016 as her government's chief of staff, a position granting him immunity from all investigations except by the STF.

The police report comes the same week that the STF is to sign off on the nomination of of Moreira Franco as secretary-general of the presidency, a position that provides the same protection from investigation.

However, Franco has been mentioned 43 times by people already arrested within Operation Lava Jato as having benefited from corruption.

Lula's defense team has stated there is no legal basis for the accusations and that Cajado had used "political communications media" to further the case and that Lula was a victim of political persecution by public officials.
UNITED NATIONS - The UN Security Council on Monday condemned "in the strongest terms" a terrorist attack at a market in Somalia's capital city of Mogadishu.

On Sunday, a car bomb blasted at a busy market in Mogadishu, killing at least 30 people and injuring over 40 others.

In a press statement, the 15-nation council called on all states to combat by all means threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts.

"The members of the Security Council reiterated their determination to support peace, stability and development in Somalia," said the statement.

"They underlined that neither this nor any other terrorist attack would weaken that determination," it added.

The attack came several days after Somalia elected its new president on Feb 8. No group has yet claimed responsibility for it.
UNITED NATIONS - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Monday that he "learned with shock and sadness" the news of the sudden death of Vitaly Churkin, Russia's permanent representative to the United Nations.

"Ambassador Churkin was a uniquely skilled diplomat, a powerful orator with great wit, and a man of many talents and interests," said Guterres in a statement issued Monday night.

"Although we served together for a short time, I greatly appreciated the opportunity to work with him and will deeply miss his insights, skills and friendship."

Guterres paid tribute to Churkin's contributions to the United Nations and offered condolences to his family, and to the Russian government and people.

Describing the late Russian ambassador as an outstanding diplomat, the secretary-general noted that Churkin served his country "with distinction through some of the most challenging and momentous periods of recent history."

For more than a decade, Churkin was "a forceful presence on the Security Council," said the statement.

Also on Monday, former UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon said in a statement issued in Seoul, capital of South Korea, that he was "shocked and truly saddened" to learn of the passing of Churkin.

"During my 10 years as secretary-general, it was a privilege to work with him and watch him represent the Russian Federation with such passion and dedication. He was an outstanding diplomat and an intellectual star," said Ban, who was succeeded by Guterres on Jan. 1 after his two five-year terms as the UN chief.

"His diplomatic skills, quick wit, and ready sense of humor will long be remembered by those who knew him and by those who will study the history of the United Nations in the years to come," said Ban, adding that he extended his "deepest condolences" to the Russian government and, in particular, to Churkin's wife Irina and the rest of his family.

Earlier Monday, Peter Thomson, president of the UN General Assembly, and the UN Security Council respectively issued statements to mourn Churkin's death.

Churkin has been Russian permanent representative since 2006, who succumbed after an apparent heart attack in New York on the eve of his 65th birthday.` Born on Feb 21, 1952 in Moscow, Churkin served as ambassador-at-large at the Russian Foreign Ministry from 2003 to 2006, before his appointment as ambassador to the United Nations. He was Russian ambassador to Canada from 1998 to 2003, and to Belgium from 1994 to 1998.
Standing Committee to meet ahead of NPC's fifth session

The 26th session of the Standing Committee of the 12th National People's Congress will be held in Beijing from Wednesday to Friday. It will prepare for the NPC's fifth session next month. Delegates will discuss the committee's Work Report and the draft agenda for the NPC session.

Internet security company to launch smartphone

Qihoo 360 Technology Co, China's largest internet security company, will launch a new smartphone on Wednesday. A newcomer in the fiercely competitive smartphone industry, the Beijing company had launched a slate of handsets before, but they did not impress the market. The company is also expected to announce its new business strategy for the year.

Hong Kong education show draws 300 exhibitors

A major education and career exhibition will open in Hong Kong on Thursday. The four-day HKTDC Education and Careers Expo 2017 will offer guidance on higher education and career choices both at home and abroad. More than 300 exhibitors will participate.

Insurer to release survey on investor sentiment

Manulife-Sinochem, a Chinese-Canadian life insurer, will release a survey about investor sentiment in Asia on Thursday. The survey will reveal investment preferences across major asset classes in China, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia. It will also look into attitudes toward long-term investment.
A reveller takes part in the annual block party Cordao de Boitata during pre-carnival festivities in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil February 19, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

RIO DE JANEIRO  Instead of costly and elaborate costumes with glittering sequins, expect more cheap getups featuring fake mustaches, hats and tiaras at this year's Carnival.

Revelers are bargain-hunting ahead of Rio de Janeiro's world famous party, which is about to kick off amid a prolonged economic crisis that is hurting pocketbooks and the myriad businesses that depend on the bash for a large part of their annual incomes.

Many parade tickets have not been sold, sponsors have declined to pony up for street parties and hotels are expected to be emptier than last year's also disappointing blast, when worries about the Zika virus kept some foreign tourists away and the recession depressed local spending.

"Last year was not great, but we still had the 2016 Olympics as a peg to Carnival. Now we can feel there is a reduction," said Cristina Fritsch, head of Rio's travel agents association. "Security is also making people worry at a time when public servants, including the police, are threatening to go on strike."Rio's tourism agency is hoping to attract 1 million tourists who spend about 3 billion Brazilian reals ($950 million) in the city during the Feb. 24-28 festivities. If that pans out, it would be roughly the same amount of revenue as last year.

Hotels estimate they will see only a 72 percent occupancy rate, about 14 points less than last year.

With festivities starting Friday, there are still 800 stand tickets for the parade, which typically sell out right after New Year's Day. Many of the box seats for the float parade, which feature local and global celebrities, have been distributed among the samba schools that put on the spectacle. Organizers say they want to make sure television cameras don't capture any empty spaces.

The backdrop is the worst recession that Latin America's largest nation has suffered in decades. Brazil's central bank estimates the country's economy shrank more than 4 percent in 2016 and unemployment is around 12 percent.

Rio's state government has felt that impact like few others, with public servants having their pay delayed for months. Violent protests have become frequent as the state legislature considers several austerity measures.

In the neighboring state of Espirito Santo earlier this month, military police went on a weeklong work stoppage that coincided with an upsurge in murders and other crimes. The fear that Rio police would stage a similar strike was so strong that resident Michel Temer has activated 9,000 soldiers to patrol in the state of Rio.

In Rio's popular commerce areas this week, stores were filled with products but light on customers. Full Carnival costumes, with prices varying between 30 reals (about $10) and 3,000 reals (about $1,000), were not selling. Instead of glittery pieces for revelers to dress as harlequins, policemen, nurses and Wonder Women, party-goers are most concerned about finding a deal.

Claudio Muniz, who manages a Carnival store in downtown Rio, said sales in January were nonexistent and only in recent days have people started looking  for bargains.

"Last year was already bad. People only bought kits," said Muniz. "We didn't raise any prices, but people still think it is expensive."Homemaker Marina Hill is one of the locals spending less. Last year, she bought two costumes, but this year will buy only one that she plans to wear every day.

"I am not spending more than 150 reais ($55)," she said. "It's not easy, but not celebrating would be even worse."Even some good Carnival news nationwide reflects bad news for Carnival in Rio. Stores in Sao Paulo, the nation's largest city, project a rise of 6 percent in sales for party-goers. But that is because many people who usually travel to Rio are staying home.

For the vast majority of Cariocas, as Rio residents are known, Carnival celebrations have always been about street parties, called "blocos da rua."Even the 451 "blocos" this year may suffer.
PARIS  An agile thief nicknamed "Spiderman," an antiques dealer and an art expert were sentenced to prison Monday and ordered to pay Paris for stealing five masterpieces from the city's Modern Art Museum worth 104 million euros ($110 million). The paintings  by Picasso, Matisse, Modigliani, Braque and Fernand Leger  have not been seen since the dramatic 2010 heist.

The Paris court convicted "Spiderman" Vjeran Tomic of stealing the paintings and sentenced him to eight years in prison. Jean-Michel Corvez, the antiques dealer who orchestrated the theft, was sentenced to seven years.

Yonathan Birn, who stored the paintings and told the court he destroyed them out of fear of getting caught, screamed at the judge who sentenced him to six years in prison.

His lawyer, Caroline Toby, called Birn's sentence "particularly severe."The court also jointly fined the men an eye-popping 104 million euros for the loss of the paintings, but the verdict did not detail how they might go about raising even a fraction of the fine.

Birn, a 40-year-old expert and dealer in luxury watches, previously told the court he threw the masterpieces in the trash and "made the worst mistake of my existence."Investigators think the paintings were smuggled out of France, although they were not able to prove that, court documents showed. Birn's co-defendants testified he was "too smart" to destroy the masterpieces.

Tomic, a thief with 14 previous convictions, said before sentencing that he got a buzz from the May 20, 2010, overnight break-in. He took advantage of failures in the security, alarm and video-surveillance systems to move around the high-ceilinged museum near the Eiffel Tower.

"It's quite spectacular. There is an adrenaline rush the moment you enter the space," he said. "The sounds resonate from one side to the other."Authorities found climbing gear at his home: gloves, ropes, climbing shoes and suction cups. He removed the glass from a bay window without breaking it and cut the padlock of the metal grid behind it, allowing him to move from one room to another without raising the security alarm.

Tomic was there to steal a painting by Fernand Leger and possibly a Modigliani ordered by Corvez, the 61-year-old antiques dealer who confessed to being a receiver of stolen goods. Tomic said when he came across the Picasso, the Matisse and the Braque paintings, he decided to take them as well.

Several hours after the headline-making burglary, Tomic said he offered the five paintings to Corvez, who said he was "totally stunned" by them.

Corvez said he initially gave Tomic a plastic bag containing 40,000 euros ($43,000) in small denominations just for the Leger, because he was unsure he would get buyers for the other paintings.

Corvez then became worried about keeping the artworks in his shop after several months and showed them to his friend Birn, who agreed to buy the Modigliani for 80,000 euros ($86,000) and to store the others in his studio. The Modigliani was hidden in a bank safe, he said.

Birn said he panicked when police began investigating. He says one day in May 2011 he retrieved the Modigliani from the safe, returned to his workshop to break the stretcher bars on all the canvasses with fierce kicks and then threw them all into the building's trash.
EAU CLAIRE  Brielle Paine loves to hear peoples stories and help them whenever she can.

Those qualities have led Paine, now a senior at Eau Claire North High School, to volunteer through Key Club and DECA at her school, and serve at her church.

Its just nice to help people around the community, and I love talking to people, she said.

Shes familiar with the concept. Paine took on a parenting role at a young age, caring for her younger sister and brother as her mother struggled with a narcotics addiction.

For all the help Paine is used to giving, it didnt dawn on her to ask when she could use some herself.

Throughout sophomore year, feelings of sadness and anxiety took over. She found herself missing classes and dropping grades, eating less, and not wanting to attend social events.

She didnt realize it at first but recognizes now how serious it was.

All of the tragedies and responsibilities I experienced at a young age added up, and sophomore year was filled with feelings of depression, she said.

Brielle Paine is North High Schools recipient of the fourth annual Chippewa Herald Extra Effort Award.

A steady build-up

Paine grew up in a small town in Colorado. Her mother successfully battled a narcotics addiction through rehab, but at a young age Paine learned how it felt to be second-best to a little pill.

At about 10 years old, her parents separated, and as the oldest, Paine took on the second parental role at each household.

I usually think about other peoples problems and dont pay attention to my own, Paine said. I dont like discussing things Im going through because I dont want them to worry.

Paine took on the new responsibilities without complaint, but by her sophomore year, everything had piled up a bit too high. Feelings of sadness and anxiety became commonplace, but it took her nearly a year to realize her feelings had a name.

I was home alone taking a bath, thinking there were so many things on my plate, and I thought what if I just went underwater? Everything would just kind of end, she recalls. That was the moment I was like, I dont want to be like this. This has to change.

She went to her mom and dad, knowing how strong they had been getting through addiction and divorce. Her parents encouraged her to seek counseling, which helped, but even more helpful was being able to open up to her friends and family.

I did have people to turn to, but I didnt realize it at first, she said.

Writing release

Another breakthrough moment happened her junior year, in an AP English class with her teacher, Melissa Amyotte.

When Amyotte met Paine, she saw a quiet student who kept to herself toward the back of the classroom. She did what she was asked, but nothing more.

Each semester, Amyotte assigns her students to write a memoir, warning them that its difficult because its so personal.

When Amyotte read Paines moving story of struggling with depression, she said giving it a letter grade was impossible.

So we sat down and talked about the content, and how she was and wasnt dealing with (her depression), Amyotte said. We did get around to talking about mechanics but they seemed so minuscule on the scale of human emotion.

Amyotte continued to check in on Paine, and was pleased to see positive changes by the end of that year. Paine smiled more, with her whole face, and put more effort into her writing. Paine even passed her AP exam, a major accomplishment.

She is becoming more confident in herself and realizing her potential. Her abilities are just astounding, Amyotte said. She doesnt have that emotional struggle anymore.

Meeting Paine today, it would be hard to notice the struggle she had been through. Her smile is bright, and shes always willing to lend a hand.

But Paine knows looks can be deceiving. Her own past reminds her of that.

When I see people acting out or feeling sad, I try to empathize with them because theres probably something else going on. Its not just what is on the surface, she said.

Its a lesson she learned the hard way. Still, shes grateful her parents were always open and honest with her. She knows she can tell them anything, and they are still very close.

They are supporting her in her dream to attend New York University next fall, where she is still waiting to hear back on her application.

Paine is interested in fashion and business and hopes to some day own her own business in that field.

Either way, she loves the hustle and bustle, and cant wait to move to the big city, which shes visited a few times.

Some days are a struggle, but she reminds herself that its just high school, a phrase her dad has said over and over. He always said high school is a difficult time, but life gets so much better after that, she said. So I always remember that, its going to get better, and push through.

With big dreams and plenty of strength, she has her sights set on a bright future.
LONDON  A British couple who want their relationship recognized in law without the "patriarchal baggage" of marriage on Tuesday lost the latest stage in their fight to be allowed a civil partnership.

Rebecca Steinfeld (L) and Charles Keidan leave the Royal Courts of Justice in central London, Britain, February 21, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

Rebecca Steinfeld and Charles Keidan say they and other couples face discrimination because only same-sex couples are eligible for civil partnerships.The High Court ruled against them last year, and on Tuesday the Court of Appeal upheld the decision by a 2-1 margin.Since 2005, gay couples in Britain have been able to form civil partnerships, which give them the same legal protection, adoption and inheritance rights as heterosexual married partners. Same-sex marriage became legal in 2014.The couple's lawyer, Karon Monaghan, said Steinfeld and Keidan wanted "to enter into a legally regulated relationship which does not carry with it patriarchal baggage, which many consider comes with the institution of marriage."The government says it wants to see the impact of gay marriage on civil partnerships before deciding whether to extend them to everyone, abolish them or phase them out.The three appeals judges agreed the situation was discriminatory, but two of the three said the government should be given more time to decide on the future of civil partnerships.Steinfeld said that although the couple lost, "all three judges agree that we are being treated differently because of our sexual orientation."Keidan said they would appeal to the Supreme Court unless the government agrees to change the law.
Teams Distribute Food, Shoes, Supplies to Afflicted on World Leprosy Day Gospel for Asia-supported workers give help and hope to those living in isolation



Contact: 800-946-2742, pressrelations@gfa.org; www.gfa.org/press



WILLS POINT, Texas, Feb. 21, 2017 /Christian Newswire/ -- People affected with leprosy throughout South Asia received food, shoes, blankets and household supplies as workers supported through Gospel for Asia (GFA) commemorated World Leprosy Day, held each year to promote awareness and prevention.



Photo: To commemorate World Leprosy Day, a Gospel for Asia-supported worker leads a dedication ceremony in Central India, where a team built a house for a woman affected with leprosy.



GFA teams also launched new leprosy ministries in Southern and Northern India, while in other parts of the country, leprosy patients received meals and fruit, mosquito nets and blankets. About 6,000 people benefitted from these ministry efforts.



"In certain areas of the world, people with leprosy remain among the most rejected and forgotten members of society, yet Jesus himself touched them and healed them," said K.P. Yohannan, GFA's founder and director. "Jesus told us to go and do the works that he did. We, as his representatives, can show these precious people that compassion, health and healing are found in Jesus."



In Central India, a team dedicated a one-room house to a woman affected with the disease. In addition, she and another woman with physical challenges received saris, a typical Indian dress; sheets; blankets; and pressure cookers. A local worker shared the love of Jesus with her.



"I am deeply thankful to this team for understanding my needs and for the love and care, which are beyond my expectation," the new homeowner said. "I will remain grateful to my God and his people."



In one area of Northern India, teams distributed blankets and other items to 50 leprosy-affected families, praying for and counseling each one. At another Northern India site, workers also cleaned wounds and provided medication.



In the same region, GFA-supported teams distributed blankets at a 5,000-member leper colony, where plans are underway to provide tents for the homeless. A team tended to those newly diagnosed by cleaning wounds, helping with housework, providing groceries and praying for the afflicted. Plans are in process to provide a well, bathrooms and a medical camp for colony residents.



One person who suffers with leprosy wept as she shared, "I don't have a husband or children. I am all alone here. Nobody comes to see me. I have been staying here for more than 50 years, and now I cannot go back to my home. I am so thankful to God for those giving me this blanket and coming here and praying for me."



Gospel for Asia hasfor more than 30 yearsprovided humanitarian assistance and spiritual hope to millions across Asia, especially among those who have yet to hear the Good News. Last year, this included more than 75,000 sponsored children, free medical services for more than 180,000 people, 6,000 wells drilled, 11,000 water filters installed, Christmas presents for more than 400,000 needy families, and spiritual teaching available in 110 languages in 14 nations through radio ministry.



To schedule an interview with a Gospel for Asia representative, contact pressrelations@gfa.org.

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(Photo : Norinco) VT-4 MBT at IDEX 2017.

(Photo : Sastind) Scale model of the FC-31 fighter

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China's VT-4 main battle tank (MBT) and the Shenyang FC-31 stealth fighter have become the centers of attraction at China's exhibit showcasing weapons and military equipment built for export at the ongoing IDEX 2017 arms show in Dubai.



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China is displaying a full-size, working version of the VT-4, the only same-size Chinese weapon on show at IDEX. Also known as the MBT3000, the VT-4 was specifically designed and built by Norinco for overseas export.



It's the latest tank model from the Type 90-II tank family. It mounts a 125 mm smoothbore gun and is being touted for its onboard active protection system called GL5 and a laser warning device.



The Royal Thai Army is currently the only foreign user of the VT-4. It has ordered 28 of the MBTs with a future option to buy 153 more.



State-owned Norinco or China North Industries Corporation makes tanks, guns, ammunition and other weapons in wide use by the People's Liberation Army (PLA).



The most popular Chinese weapon, however, is the FC-31 low observable fighter, which is being billed as a multi-role fighter with stealth characteristics. Only a scale model of the fighter is on display at IDEX 2017, however.



Originally called the Shenyang J-31 low observable fighter, the FC-31 was renamed to its current designation in December 2016 to better reflect its role as a fighter intended for export to other countries.



The FC-31 is being marketed as a far cheaper export competitor to the Lockheed Martin F-35 stealth fighter has. The FC-31 is an upgraded version of the J-31.



It made its flight debut in the northeastern city of Shenyang, capital of Liaoning province, on Dec. 23, 2016. The jet is made by Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, a subsidiary of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). It costs some $70 million each.



The FC-31 looks like a clone of the F-35 and it's long been widely held in the West the reason for this is the theft by Chinese spies of top secret F-35 plans in covert operations spanning over a decade.



Also called the Gyrfalcon or Falcon Hawk, the FC-31 is powered by two Russian-made Klimov RD-93 turbofan jet engines. During its first test flight in 2012, the first FC-31 managed to stay airborne for only 11 minutes.



Since 2007, spies working for China have stolen secret data -- especially about stealth technologies -- used in the F-35; the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor and the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit stealth strategic bomber.



Eight Chinese companies are taking part in IDEX 2017, or the 13rd Abu Dhabi International Defense Exhibition and Conference. IDEX 2017 opened at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center on Feb 19 and will end Feb 23.



The eight Chinese companies in IDEX 2017 are part of the "China Defense" state delegation and are headed by the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for the National Defense of China.



The firms are China North Industries (Norinco); Poly Technologies; China Precision Machinery Import-export Corporation; China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation; China Shipbuilding Trading Co., Ltd.; CETC International; China Shipbuilding & Offshore International Co., Ltd and Aerospace Long March International Trade Co., Ltd.



The Chinese companies are exhibiting models and videos of airplanes, missile systems, tanks, ships, drones, radars and other defense-related products.



Among these made for export weapons are the FD-2000 long-range air defense missile system; the FC-31; the Type 052C guided-missile frigate and the VT-4.



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TagsVT-4 main battle tank, Shenyang FC-31 stealth fighter, china, IDEX 2017, Dubai, Royal Thai Army, People's Liberation Army, FC-31 low observable fighter, F-35, F-22 Raptor
(Photo : Getty Images) Pipelines are seen at the TOTAL oil refinery on January 10, 2007 in Leuna, Germany.

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Two Chinese firms won a total 12 percent of stakes for Abu Dhabi's biggest oil concession, beating other foreign bidders.



Shanghai-based CEFC China Energy Co. snatched the last 4 percent stake for the onshore venture, Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. (ADNOC) confirmed on Monday. CEFC will be paying an $888 million signing bonus. China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC) was also awarded an 8 percent in exchange for a signing bonus of $1.8 billion.



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The deal with ADNOC marks China's debut as a major shareholder in the largest oilfield operator in the United Arab Emirates, Bloomberg pointed. When combined, the two Chinese firms surpassed oil majors BP Plc and Total SA, which have a 10-percent stake each in the onshore concession operated by the Abu Dhabi Company for Onshore Petroleum Operations (ADCO).



But the recent deal will help the Middle Eastern emirate to establish a stronghold in Asia, its biggest and fastest market on energy demand in the next 20 years, the International Energy Agency noted. Abu Dhabi is one of the Persian Gulf oil producers that have been eyeing on the Asian market for energy investments.



"You can see the attraction for Abu Dhabi and for China on both sides of this deal," Richard Mallinson, London-based Energy Aspects Ltd.'s analyst, told Bloomberg. "In China, Abu Dhabi sees a huge and growing importer. China's gone to great lengths to establish supply footholds, so there's a real benefit in tapping large and stable reserves."



Both CNPC and CEFC will join the ADCO. Japan's Inpex Corporation and South Korea's GS Energy, with 5 percent and 3 percent stake, respectively, are the other foreign shareholders in the venture. No Asian companies were included in the past concession for the onshore fields.



Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi plans to retain more than half (60 percent) of ADCO's stake. ADCO produces nearly half of ADNOC's 3.15-million-bpd output, which is currently lower as UAE comply with the OPEC supply-cut deal. ADNOC is slated to increase its output to 3.5 million barrels of oil per day next year.



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TagsChina UAE oil, Abu Dhabi, CEFC China Energy Co., China National Petroleum Corp., Abu Dhabi National Oil Co, oil energy, Petroleum
(Photo : Getty Images. ) As counter terrorism measure, Chinese authorities have made it mandatory for all vehicles in Bayingol prefecture in Xinjiang province to install satellite navigation system.

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Chinese authorities are going all out in shoring up security in the insurgency prone Xinjiang province as it issues latest order to mandatorily install 'satellite navigation system' in all the cars travelling across Bayingol prefecture.



As per the order, starting from this Monday all car owners in Bayingol prefecture will have to install 'Beidou Navigation Satellite System,' which is China's indigenous satellite navigation system, very similar to the GPS system.



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"Cars are the major means of transportation for terrorists, and also a frequently chosen tool to conduct terrorist attacks. So it's necessary to use the Beidou system in all vehicles," Bayingol traffic police said on its official Weibo account.



A employee working with Bayingol traffic police told The Global Times that that the satellite navigation system would help to track the cars "wherever they go" and It also "helps car owners to find their cars quickly if it's been stolen by terrorists."



The last date for car owners to install Beidou Navigation System is June 30 and all those who don't they will not be allowed to buy petrol at service stations and nor will they be allowed to resell their car in the second-hand market.



Although Bayingol region has comparatively witnessed less violence than Hotan and Kashgar towns, it is still an important region from security perspective. This is especially because it is the largest prefecture-level division in China. However, It is still not clear whether this latest order will be implemented in the Hotan and Kashgar towns.



Last week, the Chinese security forces held a massive anti-terrorism rally in the provincial capital city of Urumqi, with scores of gun totting Chinese soldiers and policemen strolling through the streets as they were accompanied by armoured vehicles.



The rally was carried out in the wake of recent surge in violence in Xinjiang province after 10 people were left dead and scores of people injured in recent the spate of terrorist attacks. Xinjiang province is China's Muslim-dominated province, where Muslim Uygur community is waging a low-intensity insurgency against China.



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Tagschina, Bayingol Prefecture, Xinjiang Province, China Muslism, China Insurgency
(Photo : Getty Images) Oppo teases 5x photography technology in the upcoming MWC 2017.

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Oppo will be at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2017 in Barcelona and currently it has released media invitation with a tagline of Go 5x further, suggesting that the company will show off a new camera technology.



Thechinese smartphone maker has unveiled teasing statement surrounding 5x photography technology, claiming it will change the way mobile photography works. The most obvious theory about Oppos teaser on 5x is optical zoom. It will add lens adjustments to a smartphone camera, without taking up the entire back of the handset similar to Lumia 1020.



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Oppo's relentless pursuit of perfection without compromise has given birth to a remarkable technological breakthrough that will change how the world perceives smartphone photography. This remarkable achievement is the result of an extensive, year-long R&D process, combined with Oppo's unparalleled expertise in smartphone imaging technology, said Oppo's Vice President Sky Li.



Oppo calls the 5x project as the next breakthrough smartphone technology. There is a possibility that Oppo's new and upcoming smartphone photography technology will officially debut on the company's future handsets to be released this year. The company said that it has been working on the technology for a year



Recently, Oppo shifted its focus on front smartphone camera, launching the Selfie Expert F-series in 2016 with its F1 Plus smartphone. Its F1 Plus features a 16MP front camera and the companys own beautification software called Beautify 4.0.



This is not the first time that Oppo introduced a new technology at MWC. In 2016, Oppo launched VOOC Flash Charge, which is a battery fast-charging system that claims that it can charge the 2500mAh battery from 0 to 100 percent in just 15 minutes. The company also unveiled its SmartSensor image stabilisation which was meant to ensure that photos were not shaky.



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TagsOppo, MWC 2017, MWC, Oppo Go 5x further, 5x, smartphone photography, 5x photography technology
(Photo : YouTube) Chinese warships conduct military exercises in east Indian Ocean.

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A flotilla of Chinese warships carried out a drill in the Indian Ocean, a few days after the country finished its training exercise in the disputed South China Sea, state-run Xinhua News reported.



"Chinese #navy flotilla carries out high-seas training in east #IndianOcean," the Chinese news agency tweeted on Tuesday accompanied with several images of the ongoing drill. No further details were revealed.



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According to the Indian Express, earlier this week, Xinhua confirmed to Reuters that a flotilla of warships is heading to the eastern Indian Ocean and the Western Pacific to conduct training exercises at South China Sea. The warships, which include a destroyer that could launch guided missiles, are set to train on sudden attack drills.



Last Friday, three Chinese warships wrapped up their week-long training exercises, which started since Feb. 10, in the South China Sea. Such exercises, particularly by the aircraft carrier Liaoning, have unnerved its neighboring countries, specifically those with long-running territorial disputes.



Yin Zhuo, military affairs experts, told China Central Television that the military exercises were "without an arranged script" and "as close as possible to real combat." He added that regular Chinese navy exercises in the high seas were an "unchangeable trend," although he noted that its long-range naval capabilities are still not enough to secure its interest.



Meanwhile, despite a stern warning from China's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday against challenging its sovereignty and security, US aircraft carrier Carl Vinson along with a fleet of supporting warships started patrolling the disputed South China Sea. The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier started its routine operations last Saturday, according to its Facebook page.



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TagsChinese warships, South China Sea, Indian Ocean, Liaoning, military drills
Georgia Right to Life PAC Endorses Judson Hill for Congress



NORCROSS, Ga., Feb. 21, 2017 /



"Senator Hill has a strong pro-life record and we're confident he will be an effective standard bearer to protect innocent human lives at all stagesfrom the pre-born to the elderly and infirm," said Genevieve Wilson, GRTL PAC director.



Hill is one of 18 candidates vying to replace Price, who recently assumed his new position as Secretary of Health and Human Services in President Trump's administration.



A special election for the seat will be held on April 18th. A runoff, if necessary, would be on June 20th.



"I encourage all pro-life supporters in the 6th Congressional district to make it a priority to vote in this important election," Wilson said. "It's critical that we increase the number of pro-life representatives in Congressinnocent lives depend on it."



GRTL PAC only endorses candidates who fully support its principles and positions on all pro-life issues.



Senator Hill was endorsed after signing GRTL's "Personhood Affirmation," which asks candidates to support a Personhood amendment to the Constitution.



Such an amendment would guarantee a constitutional right to life for every innocent human being, from earliest biological beginning through natural death.



Senator Hill a played key role in passing legislation in 2014 that ended federal and state taxpayer funding of state employee insurance plans that paid for abortions.



He also was instrumental in passing legislation in 2016 that terminated parental rights for rapists.



Hill earned his B.A. degree in political science and economics from Emory University and his law degree from the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University.



A former federal prosecutor, Hill was first elected to the Georgia State Senate in 2004.



Georgia Right to Life promotes respect and effective legal protection for all innocent human life from earliest biological beginning through natural death. GRTL is one of a number of organizations that have adopted Personhood as the most effective pro-life strategy for the 21st century.

Share Tweet Contact: Genevieve Wilson, Georgia Right to Life , 770-339-6880NORCROSS, Ga., Feb. 21, 2017 / Christian Newswire / -- Georgia Right to Life (GRTL) PAC today announced its endorsement of State Senator Judson Hill (R-Marietta) for Congress to replace Tom Price in the 6th district."Senator Hill has a strong pro-life record and we're confident he will be an effective standard bearer to protect innocent human lives at all stagesfrom the pre-born to the elderly and infirm," said Genevieve Wilson, GRTL PAC director.Hill is one of 18 candidates vying to replace Price, who recently assumed his new position as Secretary of Health and Human Services in President Trump's administration.A special election for the seat will be held on April 18th. A runoff, if necessary, would be on June 20th."I encourage all pro-life supporters in the 6th Congressional district to make it a priority to vote in this important election," Wilson said. "It's critical that we increase the number of pro-life representatives in Congressinnocent lives depend on it."GRTL PAC only endorses candidates who fully support its principles and positions on all pro-life issues.Senator Hill was endorsed after signing GRTL's "Personhood Affirmation," which asks candidates to support a Personhood amendment to the Constitution.Such an amendment would guarantee a constitutional right to life for every innocent human being, from earliest biological beginning through natural death.Senator Hill a played key role in passing legislation in 2014 that ended federal and state taxpayer funding of state employee insurance plans that paid for abortions.He also was instrumental in passing legislation in 2016 that terminated parental rights for rapists.Hill earned his B.A. degree in political science and economics from Emory University and his law degree from the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University.A former federal prosecutor, Hill was first elected to the Georgia State Senate in 2004.Georgia Right to Life promotes respect and effective legal protection for all innocent human life from earliest biological beginning through natural death. GRTL is one of a number of organizations that have adopted Personhood as the most effective pro-life strategy for the 21st century.
The Islamic State terrorist group recently released a video in which they warn Egyptian Christians that more attacks are coming.

In December 2016, a horrific bombing of a Coptic Christian church was carried out by Islamic State militants, killing 28 Egyptian Christians and injuring nearly 50 others. It was the worst bombing attack against Egypts Christians in the nations history, as ChristianHeadlines.com previously reported.

Persecution against Christians in Egypt (known as Coptic Christians) has been steadily increasing. Just last week, an Egyptian Christian schoolteacher was gunned down on his way to work by suspected ISIS militants. The right of Egyptian Christians to build churches has also been under fire.

Now, the Islamic State has released a video in which they claim previous attacks against Christians are only the beginning.

According to SRNNews.com, in the 20-minute video, the Islamic State claims that Christians are their favorite prey.

The video also shows footage of Abu Adbullah al-Masri, who killed nearly 30 people in the church bombing.

Christians make up about 10 percent of Egypts predominantly Muslim population. Egypt ranks 21st on Open Doors 2017 World Watch List of countries where Christian persecution is most severe.

Photo courtesy: Thinkstockphotos.com

Publication date: February 21, 2017
In Nigeria, which is Africas most populous country, Christians dont have time to worry about culture wars. Theyre too busy facing a real one instigated by their Muslim neighbors and by a government that has studiously decided to look the other way. The scope of the violence is so vast as to be almost beyond belief, so let me first give you a snapshot of whats happening on the ground.

Deborah, now 31 and living in a camp for the internally displaced, was captured by the Boko Haram terrorist group and held captive for a year and a half. The Islamists came to her village and slaughtered her husband and family before abducting her and marrying her off to a 20-year-old Muslim terrorist, who complained of her argumentativeness while raping and impregnating her. After Deborah was recaptured following an escape, she received 80 lashes as punishment. She told journalist Douglas Murray that she no longer fears death.

What sort of death would I be running from? Deborah asks. I have already died once.

You could repeat Deborahs basic story countless times in Nigeria. Operation World estimates that Nigeria, which is an officially secular state with a Muslim president, is 51 percent Christian and 45 percent Muslim. Since 1999, the West African nation of about 158 million people has been convulsed by ongoing attempts at imposing Islamic law in eight northern, mostly Muslim states, as well as in four other states where Christians predominate or where the numbers are fairly even.

Things are particularly bad in the north right now. Unarmed Christian villages there are sitting ducks for Muslim Fulani tribesmen, who have been armed with weaponry provided by elements in the national military. According to The Spectator, its religiously motivated genocide, although outside agencies dismiss the violence as tit-for-tat.

The locals darent collect the freshest bodies, the magazine reports. Some who tried earlier have already been killed, spotted by the waiting militia and hacked down or shot. The Fulani are watching everything closely from the surrounding mountains. Every week, their progress across the northern states of Plateau and Kaduna continues. Every week, more massacresanother village burned, its church razed, its inhabitants slaughtered, raped or chased away.

Open Doors USA, as part of its annual World Watch List, says the killings have jumped by a whopping 62 percent in a year. And while Nigeria is No. 12 on the World Watch List of Christian persecution globally, its in the top 10 in terms of overall violence.

And yet its not all gloom and doom in Nigeria. As Tertullian reminded us, the blood of the martyrs is often the seed of the church. Operation World says the country now boasts a strong prayer movement, dynamic church growth, and a growing missionary movement, with more than 5,000 cross-cultural workersmany of them in Nigeria or in other African nations.

So while much of the world has forgotten about Nigerias persecuted Christians, surely those of us in the West cannot. They are our brothers and sisters, and theyre doing great things in the midst of severe trials. Lets hold them up in powerful, prevailing prayer.

Lets also speak up to the new administration in Washington, which says it will stand up for persecuted Christians around the world. Lets remind them of their promises and make sure they follow through.

The Christians of Nigeria need us, and since we are members of the same worldwide Body of Christ, we need them.

Come to BreakPoint.org and click on this commentary for organizations that assist the persecuted, and for information on contacting the White House and State Department.

BreakPoint is a Christian worldview ministry that seeks to build and resource a movement of Christians committed to living and defending Christian worldview in all areas of life. Begun by Chuck Colson in 1991 as a daily radio broadcast, BreakPoint provides a Christian perspective on todays news and trends via radio, interactive media, and print. Today BreakPoint commentaries, co-hosted by Eric Metaxas and John Stonestreet, air daily on more than 1,200 outlets with an estimated weekly listening audience of eight million people. Feel free to contact us at BreakPoint.org where you can read and search answers to common questions.

Eric Metaxas is a co-host of BreakPoint Radio and a best-selling author whose biographies, children's books, and popular apologetics have been translated into more than a dozen languages.

Publication date: February 21, 2017
Britain, America, and other missionary-sending countries are on the decline, and even the reality of the Korean church is grim, said Byung-Gook Yoo, a missionary who has been serving as the president of World Evangelization for Christ (WEC) for six years.

But God will never stop doing missions.

There are studies that say that in 10 years from now, the number of Christians in South Korea will decrease to 2 million, Yoo added. But in the meantime, there are other nations in which Christians are increasing, like China, India, and the Philippines. It seems really difficult for nations that have already become secularized and materialistic to come back around in being a leader for world missions. The role of the Korean church in world missions will also soon decrease in significance after some point.

The day has already come for nations that were once mission fieldsincluding China and Indiato become missionary-sending, and the time will soon come even for Africa, he said. Right now is a very important time to help and invest in emerging missionary-sending nations.

Referring to the Chinese church, Yoo said, It grew in a very short amount of time, but they have a fire and passion for missions. Many Chinese missionaries are going overseas in faith.

The churches in Beijing, Manchuria, Henan, and others are growing very quickly, and many say that that growth simply needs to continue westward. We want to send missionaries to Central Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, Yoo said.

However, Yoo added that there are missionaries in China who live like the homeless due to a lack of financial support, and language and cultural barriers.

The Chinese church has been realizing the importance of training missionaries who go overseas, but they dont have the resources to train on their own. So theyve been reaching out to mission organizations for help, Yoo explained. Hence, there are Chinese missionaries that have been trained and sent by the WEC who are currently doing ministry in Taiwan, the Philippines, and Thailand, and several are being trained in New Zealand.

Yoo said that evangelization in each continent would be most effective by way of the native people themselves.

Missions in Africa must be done by African people. Theres a limit to the effect that foreigners can have, he said. There are a lot of missionaries that go out to Nigeria, Ethiopia, and other nations. But even if those from other continents dont show much interest to these African nations, missions in Africa can be done autonomously, by the people themselves.

Even in the Middle East, theres a limit to how much foreigners can do, and the impact that they can have. In Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, and other nations in the area, there are ancient Coptic churches and Orthodox churches, but there are also Presbyterian churches and Pentecostal churches, and there are many in these churches that want to do mission work.

Meanwhile, Yoo said that in order for the Korean church to do missions more effectively, there is a need for a collaboration between local churches and mission organizations.

We cant be so caught up in our own groups, he emphasized. In the mission field, people from all nations work together. But if were too busy thinking about the organization, or the church, it limits how much of a role that the missionaries can have in the nations, and the competition and conflicts that may arise between these groups may even hurt the ministry in the mission field.

Its sad that churches are so adamant in wanting to send their own missionaries, and it seems that even after sending the missionaries, many churches fail to take care of them well, Yoo added.

Yoo commended churches for evangelizing to foreign workers and/or exchange students from foreign nations and sending them back to their home countries for missions, but he said that how churches should go about sending the missionaries is a completely different story.

Grassroots missions cannot happen if those people [the foreign workers and/or exchange students] go back to their home countries and simply live in abundance off of the financial support from Korean churches, he explained. This kind of negative effect happens often when churches do not partner with mission organizations and send missionaries on their own. Mission organizations exist to fill the need in areas that churches may be lacking, he said. Yoo added that there are some churches that have experienced this firsthand, and now only acknowledge missionaries when they are sent in collaboration with a mission organization.

Ultimately, Yoo said, In order for the Korean church to be able to resolve these issues, the leadership must first be awake to realize and clearly understand these problems.
The origin of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church is a story of slow, steady separation.

"When the first Methodist Episcopal Society was established in New York (whites), among whom were several colored persons, the two races found no difficulty in the reciprocity of religious fellowship, and the equal employment of religious rights and privileges, but as the church grew popular and influential, the prejudice of caste began to engender negro proscription, and as the number of colored members increased, the race friction and proscription increased, which finally overcame the tolerance of the colored members of the M.E. Society."

So begins the story, in the 1884 account by John Jamison Moore, of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. The church received its official charter on February 16, 1801, about five years after several African Americans from New York's John Street Methodist Church had begun holding their own meetings. Moore, an AME Zion bishop, goes on to give details:

Again the M.E. church in New York, licensed a number of colored men to preach, but prohibited them from preaching even to their own brethren, except occasionally, and never among the whites. The colored preachers, being thus deprived of the opportunity of improving their gifts and graces, as they then stood connected with the white M.E. Society, and prohibited from joining the annual M.E. conference, as itinerant preachers, with their white brethren. Thus restricted in their church relations, they were prompted to seek the privilege of holding meetings among themselves.We set forth these facts because we are frequently asked why we separated from the mother church, and why we don't now return to the mother church and let them take the supervision of us. We simply say in answer to the above query, we could not consistently ...
International Religious Freedom Garners Bipartisan Support in Congress 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative releases IRF Congressional Scorecard



Contact: Lou Ann Sabatier,



WASHINGTON, Feb. 21, 2017 /



"Having served 34 years in Congress," says former Congressman Frank Wolf, now Distinguished Senior Fellow with the 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative, "I know that the International Religious Freedom Congressional Scorecard is a much needed tool. The IRF Congressional Scorecard will help recognize and encourage members of Congress who are doing vital and difficult work promoting religious freedom around the globe. Just as important, the Scorecard will inform Americans and help strengthen their voices."



How does the Scorecard work? Members of Congress were evaluated on their public engagement with international religious freedom based on their sponsorship of bills, resolutions, and amendments, related caucus work, and votes in the House and the Senate. Senator Marco Rubio and Representative Chris Smith earned the overall top scores. Thirty-nine legislators (22 Republicans and 17 Democrats) are recognized as "Notable Leaders."



The purposes of the Scorecard are to increase congressional awareness of international religious freedom issues, to encourage legislators to take bold action in support of this cause, and to publicly recognize the work of religious freedom champions.



The 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative scored twenty-five (25) items in the House and fourteen (14) items in the Senate from the 114th Congress. A key achievement was the passage, with overwhelming bipartisan support, of the Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act, which broadens America's ability to advance religious freedom worldwide through enhanced diplomacy, training, counterterrorism efforts, and stronger political responses to religious freedom violations and violent extremism. President Obama signed the Act into law on December 16, 2016.



Congress also declared that atrocities perpetrated by the Islamic State against religious and ethnic minorities in Iraq and Syria constitute war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.



In the words of 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative President and Founder Dr. Randel Everett: "The International Religious Freedom Congressional Scorecard is an educational tool and should not be perceived as an effort to support or endorse specific legislation or candidates. I am pleased that results in this Scorecard demonstrate that religious freedom issues can transcend the partisan divide."



The International Religious Freedom Scorecard can be read online or downloaded at:



Please direct inquiries to: Lou Sabatier, 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative, 703-216-2941,

Share Tweet Contact: Lou Ann Sabatier, 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative , 703-216-2941, Lsabatier@21wilberforce.org WASHINGTON, Feb. 21, 2017 / Christian Newswire / -- International religious freedom issues are growing in urgency and importance worldwide, and today the 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative is releasing the International Religious Freedom Congressional Scorecard for the 114th session of Congress."Having served 34 years in Congress," says former Congressman Frank Wolf, now Distinguished Senior Fellow with the 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative, "I know that the International Religious Freedom Congressional Scorecard is a much needed tool. The IRF Congressional Scorecard will help recognize and encourage members of Congress who are doing vital and difficult work promoting religious freedom around the globe. Just as important, the Scorecard will inform Americans and help strengthen their voices."How does the Scorecard work? Members of Congress were evaluated on their public engagement with international religious freedom based on their sponsorship of bills, resolutions, and amendments, related caucus work, and votes in the House and the Senate. Senator Marco Rubio and Representative Chris Smith earned the overall top scores. Thirty-nine legislators (22 Republicans and 17 Democrats) are recognized as "Notable Leaders."The purposes of the Scorecard are to increase congressional awareness of international religious freedom issues, to encourage legislators to take bold action in support of this cause, and to publicly recognize the work of religious freedom champions.The 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative scored twenty-five (25) items in the House and fourteen (14) items in the Senate from the 114th Congress. A key achievement was the passage, with overwhelming bipartisan support, of the Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act, which broadens America's ability to advance religious freedom worldwide through enhanced diplomacy, training, counterterrorism efforts, and stronger political responses to religious freedom violations and violent extremism. President Obama signed the Act into law on December 16, 2016.Congress also declared that atrocities perpetrated by the Islamic State against religious and ethnic minorities in Iraq and Syria constitute war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.In the words of 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative President and Founder Dr. Randel Everett: "The International Religious Freedom Congressional Scorecard is an educational tool and should not be perceived as an effort to support or endorse specific legislation or candidates. I am pleased that results in this Scorecard demonstrate that religious freedom issues can transcend the partisan divide."The International Religious Freedom Scorecard can be read online or downloaded at: www.IRFscorecard.org Please direct inquiries to: Lou Sabatier, 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative, 703-216-2941, Lsabatier@21wilberforce.org
A Doll For Boys? Blurring Of Gender Lines Feared With Creation Of First Full-Sized Male Doll

Don't be surprised to see boys playing with dolls one of these days. A U.S. toy company has just unveiled its first full-size male doll, intended not only for girls but for boys as well, Christian News reported.

On Tuesday, American Girl presented the character doll named Logan Everett, which is advertised on the American Girl website as a bandmate and drummer to a female doll character named Tenney.

"Meet Logan, Tenney's bandmate and drummer!" the company's online description of the new doll states.

In a statement, American Girl spokeswoman Stephanie Spanos said the company created the male doll because it's "a top request from our fans for decades."

"We're hopeful Logan will appeal to both girls and boys," Spanos said. "For boys, we know Logan can speak directly to them and give them something unique and special to call their own."

However, criticism greeted the unveiling of the male doll.

"This is nothing more than a trick of the enemy to emasculate little boys and confuse their role to become men," Keith Ogden, pastor of Hill Street Baptist Church in Asheville, North Carolina, was quoted as saying by the Asheville Citizen-Times.

"There are those in this world who want to alter God's creation of the male and female," the pastor continued. "The devil wants to kill, steal and destroy the minds of our children and grandchildren by perverting, distorting and twisting [the] truth of who God created them to be."

Ogden believes the new male doll simply reflects society's gender confusion and lack of morals.

"Now you are going to have little boys playing with baby dolls and that's not cool," he said. "We need to get back to our old values and morals."

"It just doesn't make sense," Ogden added. "It's not natural for a boy to act like a girl. It's not natural for a girl to want to be a boy. ... You've got the government and people who placate this mess instead of telling little boys they can't change their biology."'

Critics fear that the new male doll will blur gender lines and confuse boys on whether it's now normal for them to play with dolls, just like girls.
Archbishop Of Canterbury Warns Of Crisis In South Sudan As Millions Face Starvation

Justin Welby has warned of the 'dire situation' in South Sudan as a state of famine has been declared in parts of the African nation where an estimated 100,000 people are already starving, according to the UN.

The Archbishop of Canterbury appealed in a Facebook post for new humanitarian corridors for aid to reach people in need in the crisis-ridden country, which has been devastated by three years of civil war.

'We stand prayerfully alongside the South Sudanese people and their leaders,' wrote Archbishop Welby, who is visiting several African countries.

'We pray for those on the ground who are delivering humanitarian assistance, that there will be an opening up of humanitarian corridors for the aid that is so desperately needed.'

The comments come as the UN reports that 275,000 children are severely malnourished and more than 5 million people are urgently in need of food, agricultural and nutritional assistance.

'I've seen first-hand the consequences of the volume of refugees attempting to cross the borders to find safety, and the crisis facing those neighbouring countries as well as those in South Sudan,' Welby said.

The famine in South Sudan is the first to be declared since the Somalian famine in 2011, when more than 250,000 people died from starvation over a two year period.

The Archbishop's intervention came as the international children's charity World Vision is warning that almost 5.5 million people - half the country - will face severe food shortages by July if international donors and governments do not urgently work together.

Perry Mansfield, the National Director for World Vision in South Sudan said: 'The situation facing children who were already hungry and going without meals is now rapidly unravelling. If aid, funding and deliveries are not immediately scaled up we should expect to see children facing starvation.'

She added: 'The rainy season is only weeks away and once that arrives the roads become impassable, meaning that millions of people will be cut off from aid. We have a small and rapidly closing window of opportunity to get food into these remote areas, to preposition it, before it is too late."

World Vision is working in partnership with the World Food Programme to provide food assistance to half a million of the most affected people in various parts of the country.

Separately, Christian leaders in Sudan said that state officials in the country plan to demolish at least 25 churches in and around the capital, Khartoum, according to Morning Star News (MSN).

A letter written in June last year from the Executive Corporation for the Protection of Government Lands, Environment, Roads and Demolition of Irregularities of Khartoum State reveals the names and locations of 25 church buildings marked for demolition. The government reportedly claimed the churches were built on land zoned for other uses, but Christian leaders said it is part of wider crack-down on Christianity, MSN reported.

'This is not an isolated act but should be taken with wider perspective,' said Yahia Abdelrahim Nalu, moderator of the Sudan Presbyterian Evangelical Church's Sudan Evangelical Synod.
Atheist Teacher Faces Backlash After Calling Her Students 'Cretins' For Allegedly Harassing Her In Class

In anger, this teacher called her students "cretins," and now she's facing a backlash.

Susan Creamer, a self-declared atheist teacher, is under investigation by the Florida public school district after she wrote disparaging remarks about her students on a Facebook page for local atheists, The Walton Sun reported.

The teacher said she was forced to strike back after suffering from alleged harassment from her students because of her beliefs.

Writing on the Atheists of Bay County's private Facebook page, Creamer said boys in one of her classes "are taking turns either inviting me to their church or leaving (anonymously) flyers inviting me to church events."

She said when a student sneezes, the boys would loudly say "God bless you!" and look at her.

"I have complained twice to my principal  one last month and once today. She has spoken privately to one or two of the little cretins, but it seems to do NO GOOD. I am feeling bullied and harassed," Creamer wrote.

Her Facebook comments came to the attention of the Bay District Schools, which responded by saying that school policy does not allow teachers to criticise students either in person or online.

At least one parent also lashed at Creamer. In a letter of complaint sent to the school, the unnamed parent wrote, "First and foremost she should not be discussing her religious preferences (or lack thereof) with any of these students. Had she not been proudly boasting of her atheism these children would not know of her personal beliefs ... Secondly, as an adult in a professional occupation her choice of words to describe her students is completely unprofessional and completely out of line."

Relatedly, this question may be asked: How should Christians treat or deal with atheists?

For Dr. Jim Denison, founder of the Denison Forum on Truth and Culture, it's useless for Christians to argue with atheists.

He said the problem with atheists is that they don't understand Christianity at all.

Nevertheless, he said Christians should not argue with atheists since they cannot argue people into faith.

Denison said what Christians should do is to show the atheists the reality of Jesus in their own lives. "When lost people see the transformation and joy of Jesus in us, they will want what we have," he said.
Captured ISIS Militant Freely Admits Raping 200 Women From Iraqi Minorities, Says It Was 'Normal'

This captured Islamic State (ISIS) militant does not see any anything wrong with raping helpless women and killing other defenceless captives.

"This is normal," said Amar Hussein, a 22-year-old captured ISIS militant, who was presented recently by Kurdish intelligence authorities to a Reuters news crew in his cell in Sulaimaniya, Iraq.

Hussein said he had raped more than 200 minority women in Iraq, mostly Yazidisand he had no regrets whatsoever.

He said he was only following orders from the "emirs," the commanders of his unit, who told him and other militants that they could rape as many Yazidis and other women as they wanted.

"Young men need this," Hussein told Reuters.

It was also "normal" for ISIS militants like Hussein to kill people. He said he had killed about 500 people since he joined the terrorist group in 2013.

"We shot whoever we needed to shoot and beheaded whoever we needed to beheaded," he said matter-of-factly.

"Seven, eight, ten at a time. Thirty or 40 people. We would take them in desert and kill them," he said, adding that he had become highly efficient in his "job" and had never once hesitated in pulling the trigger.

"I would sit them down, put a blindfold on them and fire a bullet into their heads," he said. "It was normal."

It has long been recognised that the ISIS has institutionalised sexual violence and is using it to systematically advance its "key strategic objectives."

In May 2015, the U.N. Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Zainab Bangura, said there is no doubt that ISIS is using sexual violence as a "tactic of terrorism" in its bid to establish a caliphate in the Middle East.

"Girls are literally being stripped naked and examined in slave bazaars...categorized and shipped naked off to Raqqa or Mosul or other locations to be distributed among [ISIS] leadership and fighters," Bangura said.

ISIS has reportedly even issued guidelines on how female slaves are to be raped. One instruction states that ISIS fighters are free to have intercourse even with girls who haven't yet reached puberty.

As a result of the atrocities being committed on women by ISIS brutes, Amnesty International said in 2014 that some young women in ISIS-occupied areas had committed suicide rather than be defiled by the jihadists.
China Arrests 4 South Korean Missionaries, Expels 32 More After Raids on Churches

No to Christian missionaries, but yes to local churches  but only under strict government control.

China has once again underscored this policy following the arrest of four South Korean Christian missionaries and the expulsion of at least 32 others last week, reports said.

The arrests and expulsions reportedly came after a series of police raids on churches as part of an ongoing crackdown against Christian missionaries, according to UCAN.

Prior to their arrest and deportation, the South Korean missionaries were reportedly conducting evangelisation activities in China's northeast Yanji region while at the same time helping North Korean defectors in navigating the risky journey across the Yalu River, which separates China and North Korea.

The South Korean government has confirmed reports that a number of South Korean missionaries had been arrested in China, according to Breibart. It noted that some of the missionaries had been working in China for decades.

Last September, Chinese authorities arrested the Vatican-appointed coadjutor bishop of Wenzhou, Msgr. Peter Shao Zhumin, on the ground that he hadn't been approved by Chinese officials, The Christian Post reported.

Bob Fu, founder and president of China Aid, an organisation that documents persecution of Christians in China, earlier provided an explanation behind China's crackdown on missionaries. Speaking to The Christian Post, he said "the top leadership is increasingly worried about the rapid growth of Christian faith and their public presence, and their social influence. It is a political fear for the Communist Party, as the number of Christians in the country far outnumber the members of the Party."

However, despite Beijing's action, Pope Francis has publicly defended China's practice of religious liberty.

Last month, in an interview with the Spanish daily El Pais, the pope said Christianity is thriving in China, noting that churches are full and religion is practiced freely.

He even said he would love to visit China "as soon as they invite me," according to Breitbart.

However, religious freedom groups have pointed out that religious practice in China is not free at all.

This year, the non-profit group Open Doors has placed China among the worst offenders against religious freedom in the world, ranking 39th in its 2017 "Watch List" of top Christian persecuting countries.
Christian Vlogger Accuses Facebook Of 'Muzzling' Her For Saying Bible Condemns Homosexuality

A Christian vlogger has accused Facebook of 'muzzling' her by removing blog posts where she argued the Bible condemns homosexuality.

'They are muzzling me and my biblical message while Mark Zuckerberg claims that Facebook is unbiased,' said Elizabeth Johnston  known online as the 'Activist Mommy'  according to LifeSiteNews.

Johnston had her Facebook page frozen three times by the social media site, after she published a post last week which argued the Bible condemns homosexuality. Facebook said they removed her post 'because it doesn't follow the Facebook community standards', and blocked Johnston's account access.

When her page was unfrozen, Johnston returned to Facebook to publicly post complaining about the freeze. That post was then removed and Johnson was blocked from accessing her page for another seven days.

'The post Facebook deleted included no name-calling, no threats, and no harassment. It was intellectual discussion and commentary on the Bible,' Johnston said.

She asked 'why the doctrine of tolerance only applies to those who subscribe to Mark Zuckerberg's Silicon Valley leftist ideology'.

Facebook states that it 'removes hate speech, which includes content that directly attacks people based on their race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation.'



Johnston said she could understand the freeze 'if I were threatening people or posting slander. But this is a classic case of censorship of Christians and our First Amendment rights to free speech'.

She did add that she was 'very appreciative of the platform Facebook gives us to promote family values,' and accepts that Facebook 'has the right to set their own rules'.

Yesterday Johnston posted on her Facebook page in response to the popularity of her story. 'People are sick of the censorship of conservatives on social media!' she said.
Couple Think They're Never Going To Have Baby After Miscarriage  But God Blesses Their Faith With Twins

Sometimes God chooses to be silent when people pray to Him, not giving an answer right away. For couples who are praying to conceive, it can get pretty frustrating not getting an answer from God.

Lauren Walker from Texas understands that frustration quite well. After all, she struggled to conceive for almost two years. She went through several fertility treatments and tried just about everything to get pregnant.

Finally, God answered her prayer. She is now 13 weeks pregnant with twins.

Lauren shared her pregnancy announcement in the most creative way on Facebook. In the photo, she posted 452 needles that surrounded two onesies that say "Worth the Wait" and "and Wait and Wait and Wait."

"We prayed for 953 days...452 Needles, 1000's of tears, 1 corrective surgery, 4 clomid/letrozole, attempts, 2 IVF rounds, 3 failed transfers & 1 Amazing GOD," she wrote.

Lauren and her husband, Garyt Walker, first attempted to have a baby in 2014. After a few months, they realised things were actually more difficult than expected. Walker then decided to go for In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), a process of fertilisation where eggs are extracted, a sperm sample retrieved, and then manually combining an egg and sperm in a laboratory dish. The embryo is then transferred to the uterus.

Lauren was able to produce five healthy eggs. At one point, she actually got pregnant. But unfortunately, she had a miscarriage.

"I thought we were just never going to be able to have kids. I was in such a horrible state of depression, and confusion, anger and bitterness," Lauren told Inside Edition.

They then took a break from getting another round of IVF treatment, and when they went for it again, God finally blessed them with their hearts' desire: twins.

Lauren said they are expecting the twins, already named Duke and Diana, this August. She hopes her past struggles will inspire anyone who needs it, and that her success story will urge couples never to give up on their dreams to have a baby.

"We also know that there are people out there still struggling. I remember on my hardest days seeing all the baby announcements, it was hard. I would go look at fertility blogs and find someone who was like me having a baby. I wanted to be that reassurance for someone," she said.
GAFCON Issues New Calls For Rebellion Against Archbishop Of Canterbury

The conservative Anglican grouping GAFCON is renewing calls for rebellion against the Archbishop of Canterbury after the Church of England threw out a report keeping the traditional teaching on marriage as between one man and one woman.

The conservative leaders criticised the 'turmoil' in the CofE after the 'almost unprecedented vote against the motion'.

Although the majority of the ruling general synod backed the report, the vote was held across three 'houses'  the laity, clergy and bishops  with the clergy blocking further progress by 100 votes to 93.

Following the vote, GAFCON is calling for a 'new vision' for the Anglican Communion.

A statement on Monday read: 'Despite its enduring historical symbolism, Canterbury can no longer be the defining centre, but through the Gafcon movement a growing number of faithful Anglicans are now recovering their true identity in the gospel itself as the Bible is restored to its rightful place at the heart of the Communion.'

Following the vote last week Justin Welby and the Archbishop of York John Sentamu called for a 'radical new Christian inclusion' towards gay couples.

In the strongest hint yet of a change in Church policy they called for a new teaching document on sex and marriage that will be based on 'a proper 21st century understanding of being human and of being sexual'.

A letter sent to all synod members the day after the defeat read: 'The way forward needs to be about love, joy and celebration of our common humanity; of our creation in the image of God, of our belonging to Christ  all of us, without exception, without exclusion.'

Every bishop will now meet with synod members under their authority 'to establish clearly the desires of every member of Synod for the way forward,' the archbishops said.

They called for a solution that was 'founded in Scripture, in reason, in tradition, in theology and the Christian faith as the Church of England has received it; it must be based on good, healthy, flourishing relationships, and in a proper 21st century understanding of being human and of being sexual.

'We need to work together  not just the bishops but the whole Church, not excluding anyone  to move forward with confidence.'
Moonlight Star Speaks Of Abuse After Converting From Christianity To Islam

Moonlight star and Oscar nominee Mahershala Ali has spoken movingly of facing discrimination as a black man after converting from Christianity to Islam.

Named after the biblical figure Mahershalalhashbaz  the longest prophetic name in the Bible  Ali is nominated for best-supporting actor for his role as Juan alongside co-star Alex Hibbert.

The film's all African-American cast has won acclaim after the #OscarsSoWhite controversy last year. But Ali, who rose to prominence for his role playing Remy Danton in House of Cards, has spoken of the abuse he's faced as a black Muslim in the US.

Despite his Christian roots with his mother a minister in blue-collar California, Ali converted to be an Ahmadiyya Muslim.

'My wife stopped wrapping [wearing a head scarf] in New York, as she had so many bad experiences,' he said in an interview with the Radio Times.

'She didn't feel safe anymore.

'But I will say, if you convert to Islam after a couple of decades of being a black man in the US, the discrimination you receive as a Muslim doesn't feel like a shock. I've been pulled over, asked where my gun is, asked if I'm a pimp, had my car pulled apart.'

Although commissioned before the rise of Donald Trump, Ali says he is pleased the film is around now, after the President blocked all travel from seven Muslim majority countries and suspended the entire US refugee programme.

You can watch the Moonlight trailor below:
Not So Much 'Onward', As 'Repent' Ye Christian Soldiers

Key EU buildings are based on the Tower of Babel. The Euro features a glorified image of the Beast of Revelations. Nazi's planned the EU in 1942. And pro-EU Christians have committed 'spiritual treason against almighty God and his kingdom'.

These suggestions are made in a leaflet shared at the UKIP party conference by a group within the party called Christian Soldiers  a name that will spark the same levels of 'Oh, good' in Christians as the name Islamic State must create in Muslims. As in - not 'good' at all.

The leaflet, which says that the EU's 'central aim' is to 'abolish our Christian nation state, our nationhood and the ancient Laws & Freedoms bestowed on us by God,' was called 'bizarre' by the Independent, and 'completely bats***' by Buzzfeed's political editor Jim Waterson. Many thoughtful Christians from across the political spectrum will no doubt agree, but this is a mistake. Christian Soldiers are not insane, they are just wrong. And tempting (sorely tempting) as it is to mock them, that's probably not the best thing we can do.

This is not because laughing at those with whom we disagree is always pointless, as some are fond of saying. Satire and comedy have the power, like music and popular culture, to have an impact on society. Ask anyone from the Je Suis Charlie liberals to the conservatives picketing the latest blasphemous film/musical/book/toy to irritate them.

But laughing at Christian Soldiers and calling them crazy ultimately does a disservice to the Church as a whole. And, far more important: it isn't true.

The reason we call them crazy, why we snigger at their leaflets and feel the urge to mock rather than correct is not just because they are wrong, which of course they are. It's because they believe differently. We think of them as simple and a little stupid and credulous and, yes, crazy, because they believe how Christians have for thousands of years believed: with an assumption that the supernatural is real.

They have not learned the sophisticated ways of explaining away the devil and miracles and prophecy that predicts as well as speaks truth to power, poor dears. They cling to the 'super' in superstition and have not managed to become what we are: so much cleverer than the vast majority of Christians who have ever lived. Too clever to see worldly struggles as having spiritual roots. Too clever to see Scripture as beyond time. Too clever to believe in any sin but impoliteness. In this way, Christian Soldiers are like the World Church, who we are so fond of pretending to respect for their depth of faith.

And whether this rather extreme caricature is entirely true or only partly, that's fine. These are perfectly legitimate positions to hold and call yourself a Christian. But to judge others (actively or by implication) for letting the existence of God and the importance of his Son point them to a faith that believes in mystery and the supernatural is not only arrogant, it's stupid hard to defend, rationally. We accept an invisible deity who saves us but draw the line at his knowing the future? Why? It's an acceptable position, but not so unassailable as to justify belittling those without faith enough to effectively remove Deus from the machina.

If the progressive Church is to avoid abandoning the believers in signs and wonders to the clutches of fear-mongers and bigots, we are going to have to give up of this particular arrogance, which is, at its heart, more aesthetic for most of us than theological. It's a question of tactics as much as respect. We don't have to believe how they do. And we certainly don't have to pretend they are right. Because they are not.

The EU is not a Nazi conspiracy, run by Satanists trying to destroy Britain and therefore Christianity. Everybody knows it's a shill for banks. Or something.

It's flawed, anyway, and has done harm as well as good. We can debate that. We can also debate, if we have a mind to, which earthly kingdom truly seems more likely to be represented by the great Beast, the antichrist, the dragon. Smart money, one would think, would be on the richest, the most warlike, the ones with histories of slaves. But that is just a thought. Up for debate.

What is not debatable, I think, is that God's kingdom is not of this world, that the kind of patriotism that sees the betrayal of a human country as a betrayal of the Lord is almost certainly sin, most likely idolatry, and requires repentance.

That's a word I want to hear applied to Christian Soldiers. Not ROFL - rolling on floor laughing - or ridiculous, but Repent. Let's try speaking each other's language, but let's not give up on using it to say some things are just wrong.
Pope Blasts Politicians For 'Populist Rhetoric' And 'Self-Centredness' Over Migrants

Pope Francis today called on politicians to help 'welcome, protect, promote and integrate' migrants and attacked 'self-centredness' which is 'amplified by populist rhetoric'.

The comments follow the ban by the new US President Donald Trump on migration, travel and asylum from seven Muslim-majority countries.

'Faced with...rejection, rooted ultimately in self-centredness and amplified by populist rhetoric, what is needed is a change of attitude, to overcome indifference and to counter fears with a generous approach of welcoming those who knock at our doors,' the Pope said.

'For those who flee conflicts and terrible persecutions, often trapped within the grip of criminal organisations who have no scruples, we need to open accessible and secure humanitarian channels. A responsible and dignified welcome of our brothers and sisters begins by offering them decent and appropriate shelter.'



Speaking to participants of an International Forum on Migration and Peace taking place in Rome, the Pope said the political community, civil society and the Church must share the response to the complexities of the phenomenon of migration today.

'Our shared response may be articulated by four verbs: to welcome, to protect, to promote and to integrate,' Pope Francis said.

He also highlighted the plight of refugees, citing 'children and young people who are forced to live far from their homeland and who are separated from their loved ones'.

The Pope linked migration to the pursuit of human happiness. 'Migration, in its various forms, is not a new phenomenon in humanity's history,' he said. 'It has left its mark on every age, encouraging encounter between peoples and the birth of new civilizations. In its essence, to migrate is the expression of that inherent desire for the happiness proper to every human being, a happiness that is to be sought and pursued. For us Christians, all human life is an itinerant journey towards our heavenly homeland.'

He also emphasised that conflict and other disasters result in forced movement of peoples. 'The beginning of this third millennium is very much characterised by migratory movement which, in terms of origin, transit and destination, involves nearly every part of the world,' he said. 'Unfortunately, in the majority of cases this movement is forced, caused by conflict, natural disasters, persecution, climate change, violence, extreme poverty and inhumane living conditions.'

Francis went on: 'Before this complex panorama, I feel the need to express particular concern for the forced nature of many contemporary migratory movements, which increases the challenges presented to the political community, to civil society and to the Church, and which amplifies the urgency for a coordinated and effective response to these challenges.'

The Pope also talked of a 'duty of civility' and a 'duty of solidarity' in the face of tragedies towards migrants and refugees.

The two-day forum is organised by the new Vatican Dicastery for the Promotion of Integral Human Development in collaboration with the Scalabrini International Migration Network.
Rome's Catholics And Jews Unite In Art Exhibition Celebrating Ancient Biblical Symbol

Rome's ancient Jewish community and top Catholics are uniting to host an exhibition centred around the historic symbol of the menorah - a seven-armed candle described in the Hebrew Bible.

The joint art exhibition, which will open in May, celebrates the iconic symbol revered in Jewish and Christian faith traditions, Crux reports.

The exhibition 'recounts the multi-millennia, incredible and suffered history of the menorah,' organisers said on Monday.

The announcement was made by the Vatican's Cardinal Kurt Koch, Rome's chief rabbi Riccardo Di Segni, and officials from the Vatican Museums and the Jewish Museum of Rome.

'This is an interesting initiative from a cultural point of view and its ideological symbolism,' Di Segni told RNS. 'Although the menorah is essentially considered a Jewish symbol, it also has a history in the Christian world.'

The interfaith show will explore the rich, complex history of the Menorah, which is not to be confused with the nine-armed candelabrum used by Jews at Hannukah. It will include a 2,000 year old stone block  bearing the symbol of the menorah  recently uncovered by archaeologists in an Israeli synagogue in the town of Magdala.

It will also explore the legend of the solid gold menorah featured in Jerusalem's Second Temple, but stripped from it after the Roman destruction of the temple in 70AD.

Most of the 130 artefacts will be displayed at the Vatican Museums' Carlo Magno exhibit space in St. Peter's Square.

Arnold Nesselrath, deputy director of the Vatican Museums said: 'We have some great works of art, including six or seven bronze candlesticks which also show the Christian tradition of the menorah.

'Many Christian churches simply pointed to their Jewish roots this way.'

Nesselrath said the joint effort, the first of its kind, could show the potential for positive religious cooperation as a counter to the 'conflict' often perceived.

'Fundamentalism is not inherent in religion,' he said. 'We want to do this exhibition to show we can do something positive together and there is a long history of 2,000 years of mutual reference.'

The exhibit will run from May 15 to July 23.
Sunday Swimming Row In Scotland Makes A Splash

Protestors in Scotland are calling for devout Christian sabbatarians to get in the swim with modern life and allow access to a public pool on Sundays.

For some Christians, Sunday remains a holy day of prayer and rest in accordance with the Lord's commandment. Orthodox Jews also revere the laws around the Sabbath which starts on Friday evening at sunset.

A row over the right to swim on a Sunday has broken out in Scotland's highly religious Western Isles after the Scottish Secular Society (SSS) backed a local charity calling for pool access on the Sabbath.

Tensions have been rising in the Isles' capital, Stornoway after a local community organisation, Families into Sport for Health (FiSH) challenged the local authority Comhairle nan Eilean Siar on the issue last year.

The chair of the SSS, Megan Crawford said: 'It is disheartening to watch a community come together for the betterment of their families, only to have their efforts thwarted by elected representatives abusing their powers.'

The SSS alleges that councillors have repeatedly changed its reasons for not opening on a Sunday, with the most recent being a lack of funding for the pool being open for an extra day of the week.

FiSH has now raised the necessary 11,400, helped by donations from the SSS and the National Secular Society for a 12 month, half day Sunday trial.

When approached with the funding, council leader Angus Campbell denied their request, saying that the pool being closed on Sundays represents 'the views of the majority of people' in the area.

FiSH is now preparing to present a cheque for 11,400 to the CnES this Friday in front of the Stornoway council buildings.

A FiSH spokesperson said: 'We feel it is necessary to hold a public event for this offering as throughout this campaign there has been public confusion. The community saw the crowd-funder as a solution to the stated financial problem as precedent had been set with the swim club. We would like the CnES to provide an official and public statement in light of funds now being available as reasons against opening on Sundays have been ever-changing and the process for achieving community engagement ambiguous.'
U.S. Republicans, Democrats Unite To Support Pastor Imprisoned In Turkey, Ask Turkish President To Free Him

U.S. lawmakers are being hailed by religious rights advocacy groups for their show of unity in calling for the release of a detained pastor in Turkey, Christian News reported.

Nearly 80 members of CongressRepublicans and Democrats from both the Senate and House of Representativeson Wednesday signed a joint letter addressed to Turkish President Recep Erdogan, calling for the immediate release of pastor Andrew Brunson.

The American pastor has been languishing in a Turkish prison since October after being slapped with a false terrorism charge mainly because of his Christian faith, supporters say.

The pastor has spent "Thanksgiving, Christmas, and his birthday locked away in a prison cell in Turkey, the only Christian among 19 prisoners confined in a 10-person cell," according to the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ).

The 78 members of Congress who signed the letter express their belief that Brunson is innocent of the charge and that his imprisonment is unjust.

"There appears to be no evidence to substantiate the charges against him for membership in an armed terrorist organization," the letter reads. "Moreover, your government has repeatedly denied regular and appropriate access to legal counsel and American consular services."

It asks that Erdogan "inquire as to the options for promptly deporting Mr. Brunson and ... act on them expeditiously."

The lawmakers warned that Brunson's imprisonment "places significant strain not only on him and his family, but also on the robust bilateral relationship between the United States and Turkey."

Reacting to the lawmakers' initiative, International Christian Concern (ICC) advocacy director Isaac Six said, "We're overjoyed to see such incredible support for Andrew from across the U.S. Congress."

Brunson has been leading a Protestant church in Izmir, Turkey. He and his wife Norine have been living in Turkey for over 20 years.

In October, the pastor was suddenly accused of having "membership in an armed terrorist organisation," specifically Fetullah Gulen, which Turkish authorities accused of instigating a military coup against the Erdogan government in July.

He and his wife were immediately arrested and taken into police custody. Brunson's wife was released 12 days later, but Brunson remained locked up in prison.
Why Do Christians Seem To Think Sex Is More Important Even Than Whether God Exists?

A Martian reading the secular media would deduce certain factoids about the Church.

One, Christianity is all about sex. Two, Christians passionately disagree about sex. Three, Christians consider sex crucially important... far more so than whether God exists. Et cet.

And yet if I were a betting man, I'd be prepared to lay short odds on my being in agreement with the vast majority of Christendom regarding sex. Viz: it's a lot more fun to practise than talk about; talking about it was never much cop and has now become very boring indeed; an awful lot of other things matter a lot more  including world poverty, the doctrine of the Trinity and whether or not the congregation really didn't know the tune of the opening hymn last Sunday or was just half asleep.

Thus, when asked if I'd like to comment on the spat in Synod last week I had to confess that I hadn't read the Bishops' Statement; I hadn't read the Archbishops' Radical Inclusion letter; I hadn't even read the Episcopal-Hasbeens' Letter, though for some reason now long forgotten, I'd examined a line-up of mug-shots of the Hasbeens involved.

So it with the effort of heaving myself out of my apathy that I address the subject now  with apologies to the minority for whom the subject is obviously of very great personal importance indeed.

Let's start by establishing what most of us can surely agree on:

First, human sexuality is not the most vital issue facing the human race. Whether I am waved through on Judgement Day is really not going to hang on my beliefs about homosexuality. Which is just as well because I'm not at all sure what my beliefs about homosexuality are. Nor have I ever been. (Though I was put in a box on the subject about twenty years ago, when a new contributor to Thought for the Day and naively assuming the aspiration was to stimulate thought, preferably for about a day. Most contributions at the time being thoughts for about three and a half seconds, I over-compensated.) So far in my life  as I said on Radio 4's Moral Maze recently  I've changed my mind by a hundred and eighty degrees at least four times.

Why the uncertainty?

Because, secondly, scripture doesn't say a great deal about same-sex attraction or what to do about it. Last time I counted, there were half a dozen references in the whole of Holy Writ. Compare that to references to social injustice, for instance...

Admittedly, thirdly, all of those references are negative. Which makes for uncomfortable reading when considering gay people, their loving relationships and what we should do about those who seek to make faithful lifelong commitments.

Fourthly however, from memory most references to divorce in Scripture are pretty negative too. So why is same-sex love the random Rubicon? There seems to be a grossly hypocritical double standard here  tolerated by many of us who would claim to draw a holy line in the sand and lay down our lives for biblical truths.

It is also a (more intuitive) biblical truth that God hates divorce (Malachi 2:16). And that the marriage template at the beginning of Genesis involves one man and one woman, exclusively, for life. Which means that ever since Synod rescinded the ban on those already married being married twice, there has been a contradiction when it comes to same-sex marriage. I can't for the life of me see how we can logically allow one unbiblical form of church wedding and not another. (Though I can easily see why. Pure homo-sexism: there being more divorces among us than gays; and most of us more easily imagining divorce happening to us.)

The Church was pastorally and theologically sound when she refused services of remarriage but welcomed the blessing of remarriages that had already happened. (Take the heat out of the issue by envisaging the Church in a polygamous society: obviously we wouldn't perform second or third marriages; but would sensibly support those already in place.) If we had stuck to our pragmatic guns, it would have been reasonable to have followed the same procedure for same-sex marriages.

But we didn't, so we're now in a right old pickle of  mostly heterosexual  hypocrisy and self-righteousness.

Which (fifthly, I believe?) was the sin Jesus seemed to condemn most vehemently. It's hard to see how any Christian could object to Radical Inclusion  yes, even of the unwashed and homeless, who backwash into the Communion chalice  given that we've been included ourselves. Judging by Our Lord's attitude, a smidgeon of theological fudging and forgiveness seems rather more Christian than aggressive self-certainty... On either side.

So I'm mostly praying for a little more space and leeway, from everyone.

Something which has puzzled me for most of my adult life is the almost ubiquitous requirement for others to agree with us. I was, I now realise, unusually fortunate in being brought up in a large and vocal family, in the centre of a University city. Disagreement was frequent, vociferous and almost entirely amicable. We continued the tradition and no family meal reaches its conclusion without half a dozen passionate disagreements over our kitchen table. My idea of Heaven is of arriving to find that I have been wrong on most things I have ever expressed an opinion on... along with most of my brothers and sisters who have disagreed with me.

A young disciple asked his rabbi for the Jewish tradition on a dilemma. Well, his teacher replied, this school maintains this; and that, that; then there's the other which holds the other.

'Faced with such disagreement,' asked the confused pupil, 'how can we discern the tradition?'

'The disagreement,' said the rabbi, 'is the tradition.'

Anne Atkins is the author of three novels and has contributed to most of the UK's national newspapers. She is on Twitter @anne_atkins.


Why The Church Needs To Rethink Its Attitude To Marriage

A loving couple have just lost a Court of Appeal battle to have a civil partnership. What could possibly be the problem? Civil partnerships have been around for years and provide all the legal protections without the marriage label.

The problem in this case is that the couple is heterosexual, not same-sex. Rebecca Steinfeld and Charles Keidan don't want to get married, but they do want to be formally and legally linked. As it stands, the law only allows gay people to be civilly partnered and they want to change that.

The fact that they lost their appeal might have some conservatives breathing a sigh of relief, thinking the judiciary has had a welcome outbreak of sanity. Why not just get married, if they want to be together? But it's not as simple as that: the judges all agreed the law does discriminate against them, they just thought the government ought to have a little more time to sort it out. Among the options are extending civil partnerships to heterosexual couples, or even  according to the QC for the secretary of state for education, Dan Squires, abolishing them entirely.

There's no doubt that the present system is, well, odd, and civil partnership looks very much like marriage by a different name. But for various reasons, some people balk at the m-word. Perhaps most wouldn't bother with a civil partnership, but long-term cohabiters, loving and committed, who may have raised children together, won't get married.

There are all sorts of reasons for this. For some, the word comes with too much baggage. It's an oppressive tool of the patriarchy, perhaps, or it reminds them painfully of their parents' divorce. Some object even to the minimalist wording of the civil marriage ceremony, which only require the parties to say, 'I call upon these persons, here present, to witness that I do take thee to be my lawful wedded wife/husband.' There are no such 'contracting words' in a civil partnership ceremony. And in many social and cultural contexts a marriage is a big deal, requiring a party, expensive and awkward if you aren't a party person.

There are all sorts of questions about it, too. Shouldn't society require people to make some sort of promise to each other if they want the benefits of marriage, however defined? Shouldn't we be able to make a value judgment about it? Why should the state accept that people are atomised individuals, making choices which don't reflect their setting in a whole society? We're all in this together, after all, though the forces of individualism and the worship of the great god Choice are challenging that.

There are particular challenges  and opportunities  for Christians, too. If heterosexual couples are allowed to enter into civil partnerships, what will their status be if they come to church? They clearly aren't just shacked up together for convenient sex, but they aren't exactly married either. So do we approve, or disapprove, or semi-approve? It's all very awkward.

But it's always awkward when our preconceptions are knocked sideways. Because what this legal conundrum shows us very clearly is that Christians have been leaning on the state's definition of marriage for far too long. We've become obsessed by a word whose meaning and status is administered by Parliament, rather than asking what a really Christian approach to marriage might be. In part, of course, this is because we have a state Church that is deeply implicated in what Parliament decides.

For a very long time Church and state more or less agreed about what marriage was. Given the way marriage systematically disadvantaged women until quite recently, that is rather shameful for the Church. Now they do not. So now is a good time for the Church to do some soul-searching about just how far it wants to be tied to the state's definition of it, and how it can make a declaration of spiritual independence.

One way it can do so is by cutting the link between the civil and the religious elements of the marriage service altogether. We could move to a continental system, where in many countries marriage is always civil and a religious ceremony is optional. Ministers would no longer act as functionaries of the state; they would be ministers of the gospel.

In this understanding, the state is entirely free to define marriage however it wants. The Church is entirely free to define marriage however it wants, too. There'd be a considerable overlap, but there's no reason why they should be identical.

And rather than sterile campaigns for 'biblical' marriage which are really campaigns against gay marriage, Christians could stop teach about love, fidelity and forgiveness; about kindness, patience and stamina; about the rich blessings of a relationship between two people whose roots entwine over the decades, who might decide when they're young that they will grow old together and who walk hand in hand with God all the way.

Follow Mark Woods on Twitter: @RevMarkWoods
Hubert de Givenchy: You can feel Diegos fingers in everything he created

The legendary fashion designer discusses his collection of bespoke pieces by Diego Giacometti ahead of our 6 March sale in Paris  and offers an exclusive glimpse inside his chateau

You can feel the artists hand, Diegos fingers in everything he created, says Hubert de Givenchy as he discusses his long friendship with Diego Giacometti. The sale of 21 pieces made by Giacometti for the great couturier  Les Giacometti dHubert de Givenchy  takes place at Christies in Paris on 6 March. Even if my heart tightens at the idea of parting with these objects, thats it, the designer explains. My decision has been taken. What is so interesting about this collection is that it tells the story of a friendship between two artists, comments Pauline de Smedt, Christies Head of Design in Paris. The latter was unusual, she says, because he had two careers: the first was as his brother Albertos assistant, and the second was as an artist in his own right.

The pieces in the collection are all personal and tell a specific story about the relationship between the two men. I was already an admirer of his amazing creations, which he made with a lot of imagination and dexterity, explains M. de Givenchy of how this special relationship began. The man who created iconic pieces for some of Hollywoods biggest names  from Audrey Hepburn to Grace Kelly and Ingrid Bergman  was initially seduced by the shape of Giacomettis octagonal tables, of which three very important examples are offered in the sale. Other standout pieces being offered in Paris include Giacomettis bronze of Mill Reef, the famous racehorse owned by Paul and Bunny Mellon. When the horse won the Grand Prix de lArc de Triomphe race in 1971, Hubert de Givenchy presented the first version of the relief to Mrs. Mellon, before ordering one of his own in 1973.
The Celis name is returning to its Austin brewing roots.

Christine Celis, whose father, Pierre Celis, founded Celis Brewery in Austin in 1992, has reacquired the "Celis" trademark and will resurrect the brewery with a 22,000-square-foot facility in northwest Austin.

"Rebuilding the Celis Brewery has been a labor of love that has taken me many years to accomplish," she said in a news release. "We have a new location and new state-of-the-art brewing equipment, but will brew the same great Celis beers like the famous Celis Wit and Celis Grand Cru, to name a few."

The brewery closed in 2001, and Celis-branded beer has been occasionally brewed by other companies. Pierre Celis died in 2011.

About a year ago, Christine Celis and Atwater Brewing Co. of Detroit announced they would collaborate on a brewery in north Austin. At the time, they said they would share the facilities and a brewing staff but produce and sell beer separately. But without the rights to use the family name, Celis had planned to call her project Flemish Fox Brewery and Craftworks.

RELATED: New brewery project a hat tip to Texas' past and future

In Tuesday's announcement, Celis Brewery said it expects to begin production in early spring. It will brew more than 50,000 barrels a year, including Pierre Celis' recipes from both the original Celis Brewery and his earlier days in his native Belgium.
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Texas Monthly readers are wondering: Did Did Tim Taliaferro mean what he said?

In a story posted Monday by the Columbia Journalism Review, Texas Monthly's new editor alarmed the magazine's fans with a discussion of his plans for the magazine.

The story said that Taliaferro, who joined the magazine in November, intends to take Texas Monthly in a "lifestyle" direction, scaling back political coverage and in-depth reporting in favor of more stories about food and travel.

"Texans don't care about politics," said Taliaferro, who took the magazine's reins in November. He also said that "lifestyle sells Texas Monthly better."

TEXAS SIZED DISPUTE: Judge sues for job after refusing to watch LGBT training video

The blowback was hard and fierce. Texas Monthly has a national reputation for hard-hitting stories and in-depth reporting, and its readers were not amused. Within an hour of the story's publication, "Texas Monthly" was trending on Twitter, with readers threatening to cancel their subscriptions.

"And another one bites the dust," tweeted former Houston mayor Annise Parker, linking to the story.

Other readers weighed in:

"That's a shame. Texas Monthly was famous for really deep dive reporting."

"This is just straight up stupid."

"Adios, Texas Monthly."

But hold up. Was this all a misunderstanding?

COMING HOME?: Why the capitol of Texas should have never left Houston

Almost immediately, Taliaferro said his words were misrepresented.

The Columbia Journalism Review quickly defended its story, tweeting out a piece of the transcript from writer Lyz Lenz's interview with Taliaferro:

On Tuesday morning, Taliaferro softened his tone. He posted a note to readers on Texas Monthly's website, saying he "unfortunately gave the CJR the wrong impression." Politics coverage and longform stories, he said, are not going away.

In an email sent through a representative, Taliaferro further explained that while Texas Monthly isn't abandoning politics, the magazine may focus more on in-depth coverage than day-to-day: "Our strength with political coverage is our analysis, our longform, and our voice. There are other outlets better equipped to do incremental legislative coverage."

NEW BOSS: Taliaferro tapped as new editor of Texas Monthly

The magazine's owner, Paul Hobby, said he "strongly refutes" the notion that Texas Monthly won't be covering politics.

Texas Monthly

"Texans and Texas Monthly readers care a great deal about politics and that's why the Texas Lt. Governor is on the cover of the February issue," Hobby wrote in an email. "Strong political coverage will remain the cornerstone to the magazine and any suggestion we would move away from our tradition of fine journalism is patently false."

Hobby's Houston-based private equity firm, Genesis Park, bought Texas Monthly for $25 million in October, and he hired Taliaferro soon after. Hobby is the grandson of former Texas Gov. William P. Hobby and the son of longtime Lt. Gov. William P. Hobby Jr.

In his note to readers Tuesday, Taliaferro tried to explain his remarks:

"What I was trying to point out is that there is much more to the Texas identity," he said.

"Texas Monthly has a long, rich history of investigating and holding those in power accountable, and that history must continue."

Texas Monthly has about 300,000 subscribers and claims a readership of more than 2 million. Since the magazine was founded in 1973, it has won 13 National Magazine Awards and has been recognized for outstanding reporting and writing, art, photography and design.

HELD CAPTIVE: Austin Tice, Texas journalist, held in Syria, still alive

Lenz, the writer of the Columbia Journalism Review piece, defended her story in an email Tuesday morning:

"Taliaferro's comments were reported accurately and given the appropriate context based on the interview he gave with me. That being said, Texas Monthly is home to some of the best long form journalism in the nation and some of the best writers in the world. As an avid fan of the magazine, I'm happy to see [Taliaferro] soften his stance with his most recent note to the readers. And I hope the magazine continues to be a standard bearer of quality journalism in a time when we need it the most."

Mimi Swartz, a Texas Monthly executive editor who lives in Houston, said the flap has revealed at least one thing for sure: "It shows how loyal our readers are."

Texas Monthly readers have a relationship the magazine, she said, and feel they have a stake in how it changes. "And in that way, I think it's different from a lot of other national magazines."

Ileana Najarro contributed to this report.





>>>Scroll through the gallery to see one of the lists put out by Texas Monthly
Michael Kovac/Getty Images for The Humane Society Of The United State

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Danielle Riley Keough, the daughter of Lisa Marie Presley, and granddaughter of Priscilla and Elvis Presley, has led the quintessential life of Hollywood legacy.

Despite the controversy surrounding Lisa Marie Presley's, 49, divorce from her fourth husband Michael Lockwood, her 27-year-old daughter is keeping it together. Presley told the Associated Press she's broke and is living rent free with her daughter Keogh. Presley's 8-year-old twins are in the care of their grandmother, Priscilla Presley according to the 71-year-old's Facebook.

Keough was born to Lisa Marie Presley and Danny Keough on May 29, 1989.

For a short while from 1994 to 1996, she called Michael Jackson, stepdad. And from 2002 to 2004 Nicolas Cage was her stepdad.

Beauty and talent are in the genes for this third-generation performer, so it's no doubt that Keough would grow up to be a fashionista and talented actress, much like her King of Rock and Roll grandfather, whom she never met. You can not deny the resemblance though. It's all in the eyes.

We first saw a curly-haired 14-year-old, Keough on the runway in 2004 during Milan Fashion Week walking for Dolce and Gabbana.

Fashion Week: See the celebs spotted at NYFW

The same year after turning fifteen, the model walked in the Christian Dior show in Paris, France.

For years, Keough was seen frequenting fashion shows, and occasionally her mother, Lisa Marie Presley would join.

Then in 2010, Keough's film career began as she big screen debut as Marie Currie in the 2010 film, The Runaways, working alongside Dakota Fanning and Kristen Stewart.

Celebrity Twin Trend: First Beyonce, now Madonna, George Clooney and Amal

Keough's grandfather Elvis Presley, starred in more than thirty films during his career.

Following The Runaways, the actress landed roles in several films including the commercially successful 2012 movie, Magic Mike, and Mad Max: Fury Road (2015).

Koeugh received her first Golden Globe nomination in 2017 for her acting skills in the Starz series, The Girlfriend Experience.

Take a look at the gallery above to see Riley Keough's incredible looks through the years.
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Under a new bill proposed by Austin Democrat Kirk Watson, sex on Texas college campus requires a yes.

New legislation filed by Watson on Tuesday would require all institutions of higher education to enact an affirmative consent standard to be tougher on those accused of sexual violence.

CIVIL RIGHTS: Which students are most likely to be reported to police?

The absence of yes should also mean no, Watson said in a statement.

A separate bill would change the definitions of consent in the penal code in three ways, including establishing that consent is absent each time someone knows his or her partner is incapable of understanding the nature of the sexual activity.

>>>Scroll through the above gallery to see some of the key players and issues being debated during the legislative session in Austin
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Authorities are offering a $50,000 reward for information in the 2015 death of 19-year-old Frank Medrano.

Crime Stoppers and the Houston Police Department announced the new reward - which comes from funds raised by the victim's family - Tuesday morning, according to Crime Stoppers spokesman Jeff McShan.

The Houston-area construction worker was shot and killed by an unidentified person around 7:30 a.m. on Feb. 18, 2015, while working on a house in the 700 block of South Ella Creek near Rushcreek.

REWARD OFFERED: Help solve one of these cold cases, a $3,000 reward is available

Afterward, witnesses spotted a man fleeing the scene. Police believe the killing came as part of an attempted robbery.

Saturday was the two-year anniversary of Medrano's death.

At a news conference at the time of the crime, Houston police described Medrano as a friendly, hardworking person.

"Frank was kind, honest, and had an infectious smile. He woke up at 5 a.m. to go to work, worked all day, and then spent a lot of time with his family- a big, good, honest family," Sgt. Warren Meeler said.

WHO IS HE?: Found in Ohio, the FBI think's he's from Texas, but have no ID

The shooter is described as being about 5-foot-10 and in his 20s. He had a medium build and wore a black hoodie with a gray stripe on each sleeve.

"If anyone knows something about who killed my brother, we beg you to come forward," his brother Erick Gutierrez said in 2015. "Because, if whoever did this once to someone who was really innocent, he will do it again."

Crime Stoppers initially offered a $5,000 reward, which Medrano's family supplemented with another $25,000. Now, the family has increased its offering and handed the funds over to Crime Stoppers.

Anyone with information about the case is urged to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308 3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713 222-TIPS.

>>>Scroll through the gallery to see other unsolved homicide cases in Texas
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A Houston man was shot in the back during an overnight home invasion, according to police.

On Tuesday just after midnight, a group of men dressed in red forced their way into Coral Hills Apartments in the 6300 block of Beverly Hill.
ATF agents reflect for the first time on the bloody raid at the Branch Davidian compound in Waco; a judge warns Texas it must curb heat-related prisoner deaths; a look at two of the 600 people suing over the San Jacinto waste pits and a peek at Houston's transit future - all part of this week's in-depth and investigative reporting.

The Raid on Mount Carmel

by St. John Barned-Smith

@stjbs

The ATF agents who were there rarely talk about the raid that kicked off a seven-week siege at the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, ending in a shootout and blaze that killed more than 70 people.

They've kept quiet about the worst loss of life in ATF history and the challenges that followed. But the government's decision to return their gear last year brought it all back. Now, more than two decades later, agents shared experiences that have largely gone untold amid a slew of documentaries, books and news coverage.

Jon Shapley/Staff

Fishermen, landowners allege harm from waste pits in suit against owners of San Jacinto River Superfund site

By Lise Olsen

@chrondigger

Now both in their 50s, Rick Kornele and Charles Rayburn met for the very first time late last year in a lawyer's office in downtown Houston, united by the crushing belief that their life-long love for the San Jacinto River and its fish may be killing them. Lifelong fishers and crabbers, Rayburn and Kornele have both been diagnosed with cancer.

They are among 100 people whose claims that they were sickened after a lifetime of consuming toxic seafood from the fouled San Jacinto River are expected to take center stage in a legal showdown that pits 600 residents and property owners mostly from Channelview, Highlands, Baytown and Houston against the companies that inherited the dioxin and PCB-tainted dumping grounds.

Judge's order hits state over heat-related inmate deaths

By Gabrielle Banks

@GabMoBanks

A federal judge has ruled the Texas prison system and its top leaders must stand trial in a civil rights lawsuit over the heat-related death of an inmate, a sharp rebuke that focused new attention on the deaths of more than 20 other inmates in prison units that lack air conditioning.

The 83-page order by U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison - who personally visited a prison in the summer heat - cites the state's own records documenting a heat index of about 150 degrees inside the Hutchins State Jail near Dallas, where inmate Larry Gene McCollum, 58, a cab driver from Bellmead near Waco, died during a 2011 heat wave. He's one of 22 inmates who have died from heat-related causes since 1998.

Metro drawing up long-term Houston regional transit plan

By Dug Begley

@DugBegley

Choose any Houston freeway, and someone living along it thinks that's the place where Metropolitan Transit Authority should put its next big project. A pending long-term regional transit plan, and likely voter referendum as early as November, will determine where Metro goes. More importantly, the two will measure the support Houston region residents have for more buses, longer train routes and other commuter services for increasingly urbanizing suburban communities.

Karen Warren/Staff Photographer

What's clear, transit officials acknowledged during their first in-depth discussion of the transit plan's focus, is that many solutions to traffic congestion will likely stall. "We know we will never have enough resources to build everything," Metro board member Christof Spieler said. "How do we choose which projects are most worthwhile?"
In the wake of bomb threats at the Jewish Community Center in Houston and 10 other cities, Ivanka Trump has used the global forum of Twitter to call for religious tolerance. A convert to Judaism, the president's oldest daughter is married to an Orthodox Jew, Jared Kushner.

Her tweet posted early Monday evening notes that America is a nation built on the principle of religious tolerance and calls for protection of worship sites and religious centers.
A suspected serial motorcycle thief is in custody after Pearland police say he sped off on several after telling the owners he was going for a test drive.

When local motorcycle groups started to notice a rash of thefts with a familiar pattern, they contacted police.

The suspect, 23-year-old Chaisson N. Porche of Pearland, was going online through Craigslist and Ebay looking for sellers with dirt bikes, police reported. The suspect would arrive at the agreed-to meeting place and ask the seller if he could take the bike for a test spin.

"When the seller granted permission, the suspect would then take off and not come back," Pearland police spokesman James Wells said.

Sometimes the suspect would trade fake car keys as guarantee of his return with the bike, police said.

"These people were trying to sell a product, and it's common place for people to ask if it runs appropriately. They were acting in good faith and letting him test their product," Wells said.

"The motorcycle community is a small and tight one and when you narrow that down to dirt-bike motorcycle riders, it's going to get smaller and tighter," Wells said.

Police are investigating how many bikes were stolen. At least three thefts have been confirmed.

"The end goal is to try and do what they can to recover anything taken without authorization, but unfortunately 100 percent recovery is not always possible in these kind of cases," Wells said. "Normally, products like this can change hands two or three times, and there is not much of a paper trail."

Porche is being held in custody facing charges of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.
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The Woodlands Township and The Woodlands Development Company are trying to figure out how to improve the water quality in the Waterway amid problems that have arisen over the past year.

The Development Company already has asked for approval from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to add grass carp to the Waterway to eat the aquatic weeds affecting the quality of the water, according to John Powers, assistant general manager of the township.

The problems came to light last May when Ironman Triathlon officials changed the swim route two days before the competition due to water quality concerns in the canal, with officials stating the water was not suitable for swimming. The entire 2.4-mile swim course then was completed in Lake Woodlands. Ironman Texas officials rely on The Woodlands Township for water testing and assessment, and those results are evaluated according to the Texas Surface Water Quality Standards for Primary Contact Recreation.

DOG RESCUE: How Woodlands fire fighters marked Love Your Pet Day

However, according to information from the township, the water quality in the Waterway is 100 percent the responsibility of The Woodlands Development Company.

The township board wants the problem addressed quickly and discussed the situation Feb. 16.

Board member Bruce Rieser, who also serves as chairman of The Woodlands Visitor and Convention Bureau, said the issue has been a topic of conversation for the CVB.

"Obviously the Waterway is critical and really important to our ability to make (it) an attraction," said Reiser, noting several community members had asked him about the smell of the water.

Maintenance of the water quality of the Waterway is defined in the Waterway Maintenance Services Agreement between the Township and TWDC, according to Powers. He said TWDC is very aware of the poor conditions of the water and has been working to resolve the problems since last June. Per the agreement, the costs associated with maintaining the water quality are not the responsibility of the township.

Officials with TWDC were unable to provide information regarding the water quality before Monday afternoon.

Powers provided information to the board noting that during summer 2016, the water in the upper canal of the Waterway began to experience prolific growth of aquatic vegetation and algae. Beginning early June, the Waterway was treated by the contractor for TWDC regularly. However, the algae growth and aquatic weeds continued to adversely affect the motors of the Waterway boats throughout the summer and fall season. The algae is now under control, but the aquatic weed, Southern Naiad or Bushy Pondweed, is still a problem. The EPA-approved aquatic herbicide for this weed is effective when water temperatures are stabilized at 70 degrees and the plants are actively growing. TWDC is monitoring the water temperature and will apply the herbicide as soon as it is appropriate.

Powers said there have been reports of obstructions in the bottom of the Waterway, such as possible silt/sand bars. TWDC advised that it is working with multiple contractors discussing options on removal of the sand buildup and is investigating long-term solutions to these issues.

Regarding the carp, the TPWD stated the grass carp is are potentially harmful to native resources. Because of its utility as a biological control for aquatic vegetation, the grass carp has been legally introduced into at least 35 states in the United States, including Texas. Currently, only sterile grass carp are legal for use in Texas, and a permit is required to obtain them.

"They are ferocious feeders; they are also ferocious in population," Powers said. "At some point, there will be some population control."

It is unclear how the introduction of carp could affect other fish, plants and animals that survive on the resources in the canal and Lake Woodlands.

Board member John Brown said he was concerned about the water even before he was elected to the board.

"The water quality has been deplorable for more than a year," Brown said. "In the summer, it gets so bad that there is this smell; it's not the aquatic weed in there, it's the algae growing on top.  I am concerned about their urgency to rectify the situation."

Brown added he has visited with business owners along the Waterway and their concerns about the smell.

"It is noticeable, especially when it is 100 degrees out there," he said. "It's really bad."

According to board Chairman Gordy Bunch, the township will take ownership of the Waterway in 2023.

"We have in the past asked them to advance that ownership," Bunch said. "It is in the township's interest to maintain that water quality, it's an amenity and an attraction."
Houston police are asking for the public's help identifying men wanted for questioning in the 2016 death of a man in western Harris County.

On July 3, Felipe D. Meza was killed after a fight in a convenience store parking lot in the 8300 block of Boone.

Now, nearly eight months later, police have released surveillance footage of the incident to help track down the men involved.

REWARD OFFERED: Family raises $50,000 for info in unsolved slaying

The footage shows a dark, four-door sedan pulling into the parking lot. Two men in the front seat get out and return a few minutes later - but then the video cuts out.

When it resumes, Meza is seen lunging at one of the men, who punches him to the ground. Both men hop in the car - with a third person in the back - and leave the scene.

Witnesses stayed until paramedics arrived to rescue Meza, but he died of blunt force trauma six days later in a hospital.

COLD CASES: Help solve one of these cases and a $3,000 reward could be at hand

Police do not know the cause of the dispute or the involvement of the men shown on camera, but are interested in questioning them about what occurred.

Anyone with information on their identities is urged to contact the HPD homicide division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.

>>>Scroll through the gallery to see details of cold cases in Texas
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A 52-year-old math tutor will spend five years on probation after pleading guilty Tuesday to having an inappropriate relationship with a student while working at Sharpstown High School last year.

In one of the more unusual scenes at the Harris County Criminal Courthouse, the student, now 19, sat next to Aldo Leiva in court while he filled out the paperwork admitting his guilt. The judge ordered deferred adjudication, which means Leiva will not have a criminal record if he completes the terms of the probation successfully.

Leiva's lawyer said the couple want to continue their relationship, after spending a year apart because of a court order.

MORE TROUBLE: Teen charged with blackmailing woman with revenge sex video

"If they want to have a relationship now, they certainly can," said attorney Gary Tabakman. "I'm not advocating as far as appropriateness of the beginning of their relationship; it's certainly questionable. However that's why he took responsibility."

Leiva made headlines across the country last year when he was arrested for lewd photos he exchanged with the student, with whom he was having a consensual sexual relationship.

The teen was 17, the legal age of consent, when they began dating in the summer of 2015.

However, different laws that govern explicit photographs and the relationship between educators and students meant Leiva was facing up to 20 years in prison.

ON TAPE: 2 teachers, 4 students arrested after camera catches sexual behavior

Last year, state District Judge Brad Hart signed a no-contact order that kept the couple apart.

On Tuesday, they whispered to each other as they sat together in the courtroom.

Leiva will have to perform 250 hours of community service, pay a $500 fine and spend five years on probation. If he violates probation, he could go to prison for 20 years. If he successfully completes it, he will not have a felony conviction on his record.

When the relationship began, Leiva was participating in a tutoring fellowship program. He was not a teacher at the west Houston high school.

OUSTED: Houston area teachers who lost their licenses because of sex scandals

When the teen's mother learned of lewd photographs and text messages, she notified school personnel, and the messages were investigated by the Houston Independent School District police department.

At the time, the teen said she was dating her tutor. She said they held hands, kissed and went on dates, according to court records.

brian.rogers@chron.com

twitter.com/brianjrogers

>>>Scroll through the gallery to see teachers who lost their licenses in sex scandals
If there's a tornado warning or a kidnapped child, your phone might wake you at 3 a.m.

But if there's a cloud of chlorine gas descending on your neighborhood, it's anybody's guess who will let you know, and when.

A state lawmaker has filed a bill to bridge the gap in emergency notification.

It would create a system to push alerts to mobile phones during any chemical mishap that would "substantially endanger human health or the environment."

Chemical fires and releases across Houston in the last year, and the Houston Chronicle's Chemical Breakdown series, have shed light on problems with toxic stockpiles and emergency response. The bill's backers hope the added attention will drive the legislation forward.

The bill would create a statewide "opt-out" system, meaning phone users would get the alerts unless they deliberately choose not to, just as some Amber Alerts and weather warnings are pushed to mobile phones automatically. Currently, decisions about chemical alerts are left up to a patchwork of local agencies, which may release conflicting information or fail to notify the public at all.

That's what happened a week ago when a sulfur-like stench drifted across Houston, said Adrian Shelley, director of Air Alliance Houston. Initial reports linked the smell to a chemical refinery, but officials later walked back that assessment, and the incident remains under investigation. Some residents wondered how the government could be assured the vapors posed no danger, Shelley said.

Under federal law, Texas companies are required to report toxic releases to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality when they exceed a certain amount, which varies with each chemical. The threshold amount for chlorine gas, for example, is 10 pounds.

Under the bill by Rep. Eddie Rodriguez, D-Austin, the commission would use those reports to trigger an alert in the affected area.

"I am proud of HB 1927, a bill that I have joint authored with State Representative Hubert Vo of Houston," Rodriguez said in a statement. "This bill will ensure that Texans receive timely, accurate and useful information regarding toxic chemical spills in an accessible way."

'Imminent threat'

Shelley acknowledged it's not the perfect solution. The commission could make the wrong call. And it might be based on inaccurate or incomplete information from the company. In 2014, when a gas release at DuPont's pesticide plant in La Porte killed four workers, the initial 911 caller from DuPont told a dispatcher that the release posed no public danger. In fact, there was no air monitoring, and the U.S. Chemical Safety Board later determined that the gas could have ignited and exploded.

Those are deeper problems this bill can't address. But "this is a good step in situations where there is a known imminent threat," said Stephanie Thomas, an organizer for Public Citizen who called for better alerts last year after a chemical warehouse fire in Spring Branch.

"My hope is that this can instigate an even larger conversation about how we make sure we relay information properly between the industry and emergency management, and how we support some of the communities where - if you have a volunteer fire department - you are dependent on the industry" to accurately depict the threat, Thomas said.

Unnecessary danger

One solution, Shelley said, might be to indemnify companies against lawsuits that could arise from shelter or evacuation orders that inconvenience people but may be deemed unnecessary after the threat has passed.

The bill will need a Republican co-sponsor to vault it out of committee. Shelley said it might appeal to Rep. Kyle Kacal, R-Bryan, whose district includes the fertilizer depot that blew up in West in 2013, destroying a section of town and killing 15 people. Federal investigators deemed it an unsolved arson, but they also pointed to problems with the way the explosive fertilizer was stored, and with the emergency response, which put firefighters and residents in unnecessary danger.

Kacal couldn't immediately be reached for comment.
AUSTIN -- President Donald Trump's favorability ratings in Texas have improved, according to a new University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll.

The first public statewide poll since Trump's inauguration found that 46 percent of Texas voters approve of the job he is doing as president, while 44 percent disapprove. That's an increase from his earlier numbers in the Lone Star State, mostly thanks to a 21 percent increase in favorability ratings from Texas Republicans.
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Nearly a dozen Republican state lawmakers, mostly from rural and suburban districts, filed a flurry of bills Tuesday aiming to derail plans for a privately-funded high-speed rail line in Texas.

The 18 bills, nine each in the Texas Senate and Texas House, aim to limit Texas Central Partners ability to develop a Houston-to-Dallas line supported by both metro areas, but strongly opposed by many rural landowners and elected officials.

The bills complicate the private companys right to acquire property via eminent domain, strengthen landowner protections, compel state agencies to assess the feasibility of the planned rail line and prohibit the state from ever maintaining or operating a high-speed rail line.

"I still have doubts about whether a high-speed rail project makes sense for Texas" said Senator Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe. Taxpayers should not be expected to pay the bill if the project fails.

Bulllet train bills The following bills were filed this morning, summarized by the authors: SB 973 by Creighton/HB 2168 by Bell (Railroad Determination Before Surveys) - prohibits a private high-speed rail entity from entering private property to conduct a survey unless the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) first determines that the surveying entity is, in fact, a railroad. SB 974 by Creighton/HB 2181 by Cook (Option Contract Protection) - voids any high-speed rail option contracts held by a high-speed rail entity upon a bankruptcy initiated by or against the entity. SB 975 by Birdwell/HB 2169 by Schubert (Security Requirements) - provides a framework of minimum security requirements to be followed during the construction and operation of a private high-speed rail line. Requires the high-speed rail authority to coordinate security efforts with state and local law enforcement, as well as disaster response agencies. SB 977 by Schwertner/HB 2172 by Ashby (No Taxpayer Bailout) - prohibits the legislature from appropriating new funds, or allowing state agencies to utilize existing funds, to pay any costs related to the construction, maintenance, or operation of a private high-speed rail in Texas. SB 978 by Schwertner/HB 2104 Bell (Property Restoration Bond) - requires a private high-speed rail entity to file a bond with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) sufficient to restore property used for the rail service to the property's original conditions if the service ceases operation. SB 979 by Schwertner/HB 2179 by Cook (Right of Repurchase for Non-HSR Use) - prohibits an entity that operates or plans to operate a high-speed rail from using property acquired for purposes other than high-speed rail. If the high-speed rail authority doesn't use the property for that specific purpose, the original landowner must be given the opportunity to repurchase the land. SB 980 by Schwertner/HB 2167 by Schubert (Put Texas First) - prohibits any state money from being used for any purpose related to a privately owned high-speed rail, unless the state acquires and maintains a lien in order to secure the repayment of state funds. Requires that the state's lien be superior to all other liens, effectively making Texas a priority creditor. SB 981 by Kolkhorst/HB 2162 by Wray (Interoperability) - requires an entity constructing a high-speed rail line in Texas to demonstrate compatibility with more than one type of train technology. SB 982 by Perry/HB 2173 by Ashby (High-Speed Rail Feasibility Study) - upon request of a legislator, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) must generate a feasibility study of a proposed high-speed rail project. The study must indicate whether the project is for a public use, whether it will be financially viable, and what impact of the project will have on local communities. See More Collapse

Company officials, in a statement, defended the project, noting Texas needs new mobility options.

"Contrary to the national focus on infrastructure projects that stand to create tens of thousands of jobs and benefit millions of people, it is ironic that the proposed legislation calls for more government regulation in trying to block a free market led project that will create jobs and generate economic development," said Holly Reed, managing director of external affairs for Texas Central.

Since the legislative session began, state lawmakers have said they planned to use Austin to constrain development of the high-speed rail project, notably its rights to survey and acquire rural land. Critics of the company have said it has used heavy-handed tactics to force landowners into sales agreements.

Earlier this month, Texas Central announced about 30 percent of the parcels needed for the 240-mile project are covered under sale option agreements, meaning landowners have agreed to sell the land once the project has the necessary environmental clearances and is ready for construction.

The company, which is said its still finalizing its private funding, will use Japanese bullet train technology to travel between the two metro areas. The trip, company officials said would cost around the same as airline travel, estimated to take 90 minutes. In addition to Houston and Dallas, the company plans a stop near College Station.

Along the route, residents and elected leaders who feel the project doesnt benefit them and ruins the rural character of their communities have banded together to oppose it. State lawmakers, among them Sens. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, and Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, and State Reps. Cecil Bell, R-Magnolia and Byron Cook, R-Corsicana, have repeatedly questioned the need for the project.

"Transportation is a critical issue for our state, which requires thoughtful and pragmatic solutions for today and the future," said State Rep. John Wray, R-Waxahachie. "Texas Central has failed to demonstrate a viable or comprehensive plan addressing the real mobility needs of our state, and the legislation filed today seeks to address the legitimate issues posed by this project."

One of the major issues dividing Texas Central and opponents is the company's right to acquire property via eminent domain. The company claims it has rights as a railroad to use eminent domain, though some landowners have challenged that.

Courts, thus far, have issued mixed rulings. In a handful of cases, either courts have not approved the company's requests or Texas Central has pulled the claims. In a Harris County case last month, in which the landowner did not appear in court, Texas Central was granted a default summary judgement allowing it to survey property and declaring it a railroad.

Lawmakers, many who contend Texas Central does not have eminent domain authority, have said many of their concerns focus on landowner rights.

"Texans have always had a deep respect for the land and for the law," Kolkhorst said. "That's why the Legislature must tread lightly when property rights are at risk."
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Bestiality - people engaging in sexual activity with animals - is a problem in the Texas Panhandle, officials say.

It's a big enough problem that Amarillo animal welfare workers are proposing that the city make such behavior illegal.

But don't assume the Panhandle is a hotbed of perversion, said Richard Havens, director of the city's Animal Management and Welfare.

ARRESTS: Deputy accused in bestiality case faces additional child porn charges

"Every single jurisdiction experiences what we experience in the Panhandle," Havens said by phone from his office. "Whether they want to talk about it, I have no idea. We have to bring awareness to a problem before we can change it."

Tuesday afternoon, in a work session with the Amarillo City Council, Havens is presenting a proposal to make bestiality a Class C misdemeanor.

Right now, the behavior is not illegal, either in Amarillo or in Texas, one of 13 states with no law against sex with animals. If someone hurts an animal through bestiality and fails to get the animal veterinary treatment, that can be prosecuted, Havens said.

TRACK ABUSERS: Florida county set to track animal abusers like sex offenders

In the two years he has been director of the agency, Havens said the city has received eight to 12 reports of people engaging in sexual activity with either male or female dogs.

The most memorable case came to the city's attention when a man reported that his wife was engaging in sex with the couple's male dog. He had been suspicious about her and set up a hidden camera, which confirmed his worst fears.

"He was horrified and shocked," Havens said. "It was a PTSD-type thing. The dog sustained no injuries so there was nothing we could do."

If the city council agrees to move forward with consideration of an ordinance, that process could start next week, Havens said. Live-stream coverage or archived video of the council meetings can be seen on the city website.
Meet the Chihuahua mix that was lucky enough to be saved by a Texas police officer and veterinarian after suffering from a heroin overdose.

Appropriately, the pooch was named "Lucky." A Carrollton Police Department officer spotted the dog on the floorboard of a parked truck at a local Home Depot parking lot. The pooch was suffering from a heroin overdose while police say its humans were busy inside the home-improvement store switching price tags.

HAPPY DOG STORY: Thanks to community, stray dog finds home with Saint Arnold co-founder

Lucky the puppy was taken by the police and the folks at the North Texas Emergency Pet Clinic in Carrollton were able to nurture the pup back to health.

Dr. Stacie Fowler (DVM) works at the clinic and told Chron.com the 4-month-old dog was nearly comatose and "was pretty close to checking out." Through a series of medications administered to Lucky, he was able to recover from the overdose in 24 hours. An employee at the clinic told Chron.com that the pooch is now with Carrollton Animal Control, but they keep receiving calls for information about adopting the young dog.

"He is adorable. He is a tiny little thing. probably only 4 months old and loves to give kisses and is wiggly and wags and is very, very sweet," Dr. Fowler told Chron.com. "He's recovered from something that could have been fatal and thanks to the police staff and the staff here he was able to come out of it."

HOMEGROWN TEXAN: Dog names that define what it means to be from Texas

The owners, on the other hand, weren't able to come out of the situation as luck as Lucky. Thomas Romero, 46, and Nina Crawford, 38, face charges of possession of a controlled substance/heroin and fraudulent destruction, removal or concealment of writing, according to the Star-Telegram.
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After a woman on Twitter posted that her grandfather was robbed at gunpoint by an undocumented immigrant in South Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott weighed in on the incident.

"Let him know that Texas is coming to his rescue," Abbott responded. "We'll work to protect him and put an end to this."

Cassie Luevano, the South Texas regional director for the Republican Party of Texas, told valleycentral.com her 80-year-old grandfather was held up at gunpoint in the parking lot of a Church's Chicken by a man who spoke Spanish.

She said the man asked her grandfather, Homero Guzman, if he was a citizen and demanded he hand over his ID and wallet.

RELATED: Gov. Abbott uses Tom Brady to throw NFL's 'bathroom bill' warning back at them

Luevano tweeted Friday that her "innocent grandpa (was) targeted by illegals for his ID," according to screenshots obtained by valleycentral.com. Luevano's Twitter account is private.

She said refugees and undocumented immigrants often enter the country through McAllen and asked her followers to share her story so the border could be secured.

Officer John Saenz, McAllen Police Department spokesman, told valleycentral.com: "There's nothing in this report that would indicate any other matter than a robbery."

RELATED: Gov. Abbott tweets he's adding 'free chips and salsa' to emergency legislation list

The McAllen Police Department did not immediately respond for comment.

Governor Abbott's tweet was met with more than 1,000 likes and retweets and dozens of comments.

One person was confused and asked if the woman was "just assuming an undocumented person did it because there's a refugee center nearby?"

"You're an AWESOME gov!" another said.

kbradshaw@express-news.net

Twitter: @kbrad5
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The Department of Homeland Security Tuesday released a set of documents to deport the majority of undocumented immigrants living in the U.S.

Undocumented immigrants who commit even minor offenses or traffic violations could be deported.

TRUMP'S 'SOUTHERN' WHITE HOUSE': Trump spends three consecutive weekend at his vacation property, Mar-a-Lago

It implements President Trump's deportation plan through several different measures. Some key points of the memos:

 More than 10,000 immigration and customs agents will be hired, which will dramatically increase the number of detention facilities.

 Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement will be required to detain and hold undocumented people caught illegally entering the country, thereby ending the "catch and release" practice.

 An ICE office will be reserved to support families of people killed by undocumented immigrants.

It will include people who have been living in this country for up to two years.

 A program would allow local police officers and sheriff's deputies to operate as immigration agents by helping with deportations.

 Undocumented immigrants from Central America could be held in Mexico to await hearings, this would likely require Mexico to accept the terms.

 Instead of informing families of the criminal status of alleged undocumented immigrants, ICE will distribute the information publicly.

 No directives would affect the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.

"Department personnel have full authority to arrest or apprehend an alien whom an immigration officers has probable cause to believe is in violation of the immigration laws," one memo read. "They also have full authority to initiate removal proceedings against any alien who is subject to removal under any provision of the (Immigration and Nationality Act)."

BORDERING: There's already a border wall; this is what life around it looks like

The deportation guidelines signed by DHS secretary John F. Kelly go beyond Obama's plan. His administration focused on hard criminals who had been convicted of serious crimes.
WASHINGTON  A divided Supreme Court weighed a civil rights case Tuesday stemming from the death of a 15-year-old Mexican boy who was killed by a U.S. Border Patrol Agent firing a pistol across the border from El Paso, an incident that rocked the region and led to reforms in the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency.

Seven years after the shooting, the family of Sergio Hernandez says it has been denied justice in American courts because their son collapsed and died on the Mexican side of the border, out of reach of U.S. constitutional protections against unjustified use of deadly force.

The family, after a series of court reverses, is seeking a high-court ruling to allow them to bring suit in Texas against the border agent, Jesus Mesa. Lawyers for Mesa and the U.S. government argue that American legal jurisdiction ends at the border. The case, which already has divided the U.S. and Mexican governments, comes amid separate court battles over President Donald Trump's executive orders on immigration challenging the rights of non-citizens under the U.S. Constitution.

DRUG BUST: 3 Louisiana men arrested, $750K of cocaine seized

It is among some 243 shooting along the U.S.-Mexican border in modern times, about a dozen of them involving shots fired by U.S. agents across the border. At least six have resulted in death.

"And every time the Constitution, according to the government, turns off at the border, even though all the conduct happens in the United States," said Corpus Christi attorney Robert Hilliard, arguing the family's case before the justices.

Randolph Ortega, and El Paso lawyer representing Mesa, argued that Mexico has never recognized U.S. legal jurisdiction beyond the border, even if Mexican authorities have championed Hernandez's case.

"The border is very real and very finite," Ortega told the justices. "It is not elastic."

DEPORTATION POLICY: Trump puts out new, tougher immigration rules

One of the main hurdles facing Hernandez's family was raised by Chief Justice John Roberts, who wondered about a floodgate of lawsuits against U.S. military officials over civilian casualties from overseas drone strikes. "How do you analyze the case of a drone strike in Iraq where the plane in piloted from Nevada?" Roberts said.

Hilliard said a ruling for Hernandez's family could be limited to cases involving "ongoing domestic, routine law enforcement issues along our Southwest border."

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, one of the liberals on the court, noted that Mesa's actions occurred entirely on the U.S. side of the border. "So I don't understand all this about Mexico," she said. "It's the United States law operating on the United States official who's acting inside the United States. This case has, as far as the conduct is concerned, United States written all over it."

ENFORCEMENT PLAN: Things to know about Trump's new immigration rules

Hernandez, who was unarmed, reportedly was shot by Mesa while he and three other boys played in a concrete culvert that separates El Paso from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. U.S. officials have alleged that the boys were trying to sneak over the border, and then began throwing rocks when Mesa, on a bicycle patrol, detained one of their friends.

The family and passers-by, some armed with cell phone videos, have cast doubt on Mesa's contention that he fired in self-defense. But in deciding whether the Hernandez suit can proceed in U.S. courts, the justices do not have to determine which version of events is true.

>>>Scroll through the above gallery to see images of border patrol agents working the Texas-Mexico line
The summers final Live on the Waterfront concert was held Wednesday evening at Prince Arthurs Landing. The popular series in Thunder Bay has completed nine weekly shows that began on July 13. Wednesdays concert was unique as it was held one hour later in the evening to mesh with the 10 p.
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Many B-town celebrities descended upon their local polling booths in Mumbai to cast their ballot for the BMC Elections on Tuesday. They also asked their followers to make their votes count by showing up at their respective poll centres.

Priyanka Chopra: Deeply affected by Trump's immigration ban . Priyanka Chopra, who could not cast her vote, made it a point to urge her followers on social media to exercise their franchise in the ongoing BMC elections. She tweeted, "To vote is our greatest right. If I was home I'd definitely be voting. Exercise your right! #VoteForMumbai #BMCPolls2017"

To vote is our greatest right. If I was home I'd definitely be voting. Exercise your right! #VoteForMumbai #BMCPolls2017

 PRIYANKA (@priyankachopra) February 21, 2017

PeeCee is currently fulfilling her 'Quantico' shooting commitments in New York. The actress is continuously creating waves in the US with her talk-show appearances and her upcoming Hollywood debut 'Baywatch'.
BNM anunta concurs pentru postul vacant de expert coordonator (durata determinata) responsabil de control pe teren si din oficiu a sistemelor de plati
* Editors note: Texas Monthly Editor in Chief Tim Taliaferro on Wednesday published an editors note saying he had given CJR the wrong impression in an interview for this story. Read the letter.

The new editor in chief of Texas Monthly plans to pull back from the kind of longform and political coverage that gave the title a national profile to focus instead on lifestyle coverage, website enhancements, and a live-events business.

Tim Taliaferro, who took over after the sale of the magazine to Genesis Park LP, tells CJR it would be foolish to walk away from the history of the magazine, but he hopes to focus on growing the lifestyle vertical because lifestyle sells Texas Monthly better. He added, Literary circles have a bias against lifestyle, but lifestyle is an important part of the magazine, including travel and food.

The change has alums and current staffers worried about the potential for layoffs and the future of the magazine as a home for ambitious journalism and celebrated writing. Several top journalists have left, and others are updating resumes.

Texas Monthly bears the tagline The National Magazine of Texasand it has lived up to the billing. Since its founding in 1973, the magazine has won 13 national magazine awards for public interest, politics, feature writing, and general excellence.

It was a mantle embraced by former owner Emmis Communications Corp, which sold the magazine in October 2016 to Genesis Park, a private equity firm co-founded by Paul Hobby, grandson of former Texas governor William P. Hobby, who owned the now-defunct Houston Post. The buyers quickly found a new editor in Taliaferro, 33, the former vice president for communications and digital strategy for Texas Exes (the University of Texas alumni association) and the editor in chief of Alcalde, UTs alumni magazine.

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Taliaferro spoke with CJR about his plans for Texas Monthly, which are a departure from the magazines long history of in-depth political coverage and longform journalism. Of his plans to scale back local political coverage, he says, Texans dont care about politics. As an example of the coverage he plans to cut back on, Taliaferro cited stories on transgender bathrooms.

Taliaferro replaced former editor in chief Brian Sweany, who told D Magazine that he was going to hole up in his office, grow a beard, and work on a book. Since the sale, senior editor Erica Grieder quit with no new immediate employment plans, and web editor Andrea Valdez left to work as a site editor for Wired. Stacy Hollister, director of editorial operations, also left after the sale.

TRENDING: Former White House photographer grabs headlines with Instagram sass

Journalists on staff and alums reached by CJR described a gloomy feeling about the changes but declined to speak on the record. The magazine is known as an incubator for talent with writers such as Mimi Swartz, Skip Hollandsworth, Jan Reid, Gary Cartwright, and Pamela Colloff. The editor of The New York Times Magazine, Jake Silverstein, is a Texas Monthly alum.

The next shoe to drop for Texas Monthly employees may be layoffs: The $25-million sale agreement required former owner Emmis Communications Corp to set aside $3 million in severance related expenses. While no layoffs have been announced, when asked about the $3 million in severance, Taliaferro replied, Where did you get those numbers? Then he said the matter was a personnel issue and declined to comment further.

During Taliaferros tenure at Texas Exes, he expanded digital and multimedia offerings. He plans to do the same at Texas Monthly, growing what he calls, comprehensive and immersive digital experiences.

A statement on the Genesis Park website notes that Genesis Park is the third owner of the Texas Monthly brand and will use its deep Texas relationships and media history to drive the brand into digital content, social media, expanded events, merchandising and a broader custom publishing business for the next chapter in Texas Monthlys storied career.

Genesis Park did not respond to requests for comment via phone and email concerning the magazines new direction.

When asked for comment on Taliaferros vision, former Texas Monthly editor in chief Evan Smith, who is now CEO of the Texas Tribune, replied simply, Nah.

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Lyz Lenz is a writer based in Iowa. Her writing has appeared in Pacific Standard, Marie Claire, Jezebel, and the Washington Post. Follow her on Twitter @lyzl.
AFTER DUCKING HIS CONSTITUENTS and protesters this monthby leaving a closed meeting through the back door, in one instanceIllinois Rep. Peter Roskam, a Republican who represents the west Chicago suburbs, hosted 18,000 people for a teleconference call last week through his campaign website.

The day after Roskams telephone town hall, Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner fielded questions about his budget through Facebook Live, a platform the Republican has embraced in order to interact with constituents about statewide issues. The video attracted 16,000 views.

The technology enabled both officials to claim rightfully that they were talking with constituents, and large numbers of them at that. But, in the more controlled virtual space, they also were able to avoid potential confrontation with voters and questions from the press. (Roskams staff cancelled a scheduled meeting with constituents earlier this month when a reporter came with them.*)

The urge to control access is getting worse, says Thomas Suddes, assistant professor at the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University. He says social media provides a false sense of access to elected officials. It used to be that if a person were ducking reporters it was easy to say they were, he says. Now, social media makes the appearance of access for the public as significant as genuine access.

But the appearance of access should not be mistaken for the genuine itemespecially at a time when some politicians are retreating from contentious in-person encounters.

In a searing editorial, the Elgin Courier-News, a suburban newspaper owned by the Chicago Tribune, blasted Roskam for voicing his support for President Donald Trumps legally questionable travel ban under the friendly cover of conservative talk radio. The paper noted that Roskam declined to talk directly to his constituents or answer questions from the media, and did not acknowledge multiple requests for an interview with the suburban Naperville Sun.

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David Pasch, spokesman for Roskam, says the lawmaker has one of the busiest district schedules of any member of Congress. Last year, Roskams schedule included 74 meetings at his district office, 30 roundtable discussions, 113 speaking engagements and 111 tele-town halls like the one he had last week, Pasch says.

In defending his decision not to hold large public meetings with constituents, Roskam (once again on the radio) told WGNs Rick Pearson in an interview that town hall meetings tend to be platforms for people to shout at one another and get angry at one another and leave more upset and disappointed and bent out of shape than when people came. And for proof, Roskam added, just look at the national news.

REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS IN PARTICULAR are facing tough questions from their constituents back homeabout what will replace the Affordable Care Act if it is eliminated, about their support of some of President Donald Trumps cabinet picks, about changes in environmental policies and a host of other issues. In some districts, the exchanges have become quite heated, and protesters have showed up to voice their disapproval. At a press conference last week, Trump dismissed the town hall protests, saying the protesters are not the Republican people that our representatives represent. He offered no evidence that the concerned citizens are not Republicans.

A staff member at the Little Rock office of Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton cited recent threats as a reason why the office staff wont meet with voters. A constituent told the Arkansas Times, a weekly alternative newspaper, that the staff has turned off office phones and locked doors. After Cotton promised an organizing group that he would meet with them, the newspaper said it still had questions about who would be let into the town hall event. However, the paper noted, Cottons team does not respond to questions from the Arkansas Times.

The chair of Utahs Republican Party offered a similar argument last week in order to dissuade legislators from attending town halls. A statement posted to the partys Twitter account carried the headline: Utah Republican Party asks Congressional Leaders to Delay Town Hall Meetings Due to Acts of Intimidation and Violence. The statement referenced a recent event held by Congressman Jason Chaffetz, though Chaffetz told The Salt Lake Tribune that it was not a violent meeting, and said he has a duty and a need to hear from everybody in my district.

In Virginia, Rep. Barbara Comstock, who narrowly won her district in November, invited constituents to two events. Her staff promised that shed be there. But she wasnt, Politico reported. Her staff said there were errors in the invitations.

In California, Rep. Tom McClintock held a town hall meeting that attracted hundreds of people, many of whom were unable to go into the event space. Protesters told ABC there was more room inside, but McClintock said the fire marshall claimed it was at capacity. McClintock told ABC that his team planned to cycle members of the crowd into the space, then cancelled that plan and left the event under police escort, citing concerns for his safety. The police chief told The Sacramento Bee that the congressmen was never in danger, and the story pushed back against the McClintock teams characterization of the event.

And in Indiana, The Herald Bulletin in Andersonville, north of Indianapolis, reported that hundreds of constituents were upset when Rep. Susan Brooks met individually with people at a meet the congresswoman event instead of holding a more traditional town hall meeting.

Not all meetings with constituents have ended with politicians leaving out the back door. At a town hall meeting with two Republican state lawmakers on Monday in Tomah, Wisconsin, the 16 people in attendance were polite, if not restrained, says Steve Rundio, editor of The Tomah Journal. He covered the story for the Lee Enterprises newspaper, which has a print circulation of about 3,500.

I just get the impression around here that people are really burned out on politics, he says. They really dont want to talk about it.

He did notice something peculiar, Rundio tells me. The lawmakers seemed to go out of their way to not use President Donald Trumps name, as well as party labels like Republican and Democrat.

I could tell the lawmakers wanted to keep the temperature down, he says.

ABDUL HAKIM-SHABAZZ, a radio talk show host and editor and publisher of a popular Indiana political blog, says he can understand why politicians may prefer a more controlled environment.

These days, local politics is a lot more overall cantankerous, he says. Part of it is because of social media. People will say things online that they would never say to your face, and that is where social media hasnt helped the discourse.

Still, Hakim-Shabazz doesnt condone the use of controlled events to avoid voters or the press. While he follows what elected officials post on social media, Hakim-Shabazz doesnt let them have the last word there; he insists on asking follow-up questions.

I will take whatever the thing they are trying to spin on social media and have them elaborate, he says.

Suddes, the Ohio University professor, says lawmakers in uncontested districts dont have a reason to put themselves in front of constituents and reporters, especially if they perceive that there might be a confrontation.

If you are an office holder in a circumstance where you have a safe seat, the only thing you run risks of doing is crossing a major interest group, he says.

Still, the heightened discourse in the country, however unflattering and uncomfortable for politicians, is no excuse for lawmakers to avoid their constituents or to bypass the press. Ohio Republican Rep. Jim Jordan told The Washington Post over the weekend that he was taking the heated exchanges in stride. Furthermore, he rejected the notion that he shouldnt listen to protesters who might not be his constituents. If there are people here who arent constituents, theyre still Americans. Im happy to talk to them, he told the Post. Thats how it should be.

Correction: This story originally stated that Roskam, rather than his staff, cancelled the meeting. CJR regrets the error.

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

Jackie Spinner is CJRs correspondent for Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Wisconsin. She is an associate journalism professor at Columbia College Chicago and a former staff writer for The Washington Post. Follow her on Twitter @jackiespinner.
Ten snowmobilers have died in thinly frozen lakes across the Northeast so far in a relatively mild winter.

Most of the accidents happened in New York state, where officials warned that, despite recent snowfalls, many lakes have not had enough cold days to develop ice thick enough for riding.

There is more unsafe ice this winter, said Col. Andrew Jacob of the New York Forest Rangers. In most places of the state we havent had the bitter cold, below-zero weather you need to get really thick ice.

Surprisingly, most of the accidents have involved men in their 50s and 60s who have been riding snowmobiles most of their lives.

That was the case with Steve Sattler, 67, and his brother Ed, 64, who died this month when their snowmobiles plunged through the ice on Tupper Lake in the Adirondacks as they were riding back to the familys vacation home.

It was unexpected because they were always very careful when they went out on ice, said Linda Sattler, Steves daughter.

We think they became disoriented because the weather was bad, she said. It was snowing and they apparently lost track of the trail that ran along the pond. When they realized where they were, it was too late.

In New Hampshire, a 15-year-old boy drowned but his father was rescued after their snowmobiles fell through ice on Lake Winnipesaukee on Feb. 11. The same day, two men in their 60s died after their snowmobiles went through ice on a different part of the lake. A 54-year-old man was rescued by friends when his snowmobile fell through ice on the Piscataquog River Jan. 21.

In Maine, a 52-year-old Massachusetts man died when his snowmobile went through ice on Messalonskee Lake in early January.

A search was suspended after police spent four days looking for the bodies of two 40-year-old men who disappeared during a snowmobile outing on Conesus Lake in western New York on Feb. 11. All that has been found is their helmets. Meanwhile, a search continues on Lake Champlain for the body of the second of two Vermont men, ages 23 and 32, who rode across to the New York shore the evening of Feb. 9. Their snowmobiles were found in the water Sunday morning. One body was found Wednesday.

Several ice fishermen also have died after falling through ice in the region, including a 62-year-old man who fell into Lake Willoughby in Vermont on Jan. 26 and two men in their 60s who drowned in a bay at the eastern end of Lake Ontario Jan. 23.

This is just not the year to go crossing a lake, said Dominic Jacangelo, president of the New York State Snowmobile Association. No matter how good and inviting it looks, its likely theres going to be a lot of thin ice underneath that snow.

That thin ice is due to a statistically mild winter. In Glens Falls, New York, known as the Gateway to the Adirondacks, the average temperature for January was 29 degrees, 11 degrees above normal, and the temperature rose above freezing on 23 days. The average temperature so far in February is 25 degrees, nearly 6 degrees above normal.

Beyond the thin ice, it already has proven to be a deadly winter for snowmobilers in New York, with 14 total deaths, most involving crashes into trees or other obstructions. That compares with four deaths last year, when there was scant snow, and 10 the year before.

Maine officials report four snowmobile deaths this year.

Ranger Jacob said snowmobile deaths by breaking through ice are uncommon. Jacangelo said he remembers just one other case  when two men in their 70s and 80s drove into a lake in Canton, near the Canadian border, in March 2013.

The snowmobile association and state Department of Environmental Conservation put out notices last week warning riders to be wary of thin ice.

None of the 10,500 miles of state-designated snowmobile trails cross lakes, Jacangelo said, adding that one of the purposes of new community-connector trails the state is creating in the Adirondacks is to give a safer alternative to riders who might otherwise travel on a lake.

Cutting across the lake isnt worth it, said Linda Sattler. Take the extra time and go the long way around.

(Associated Press writer John Kekis contributed to this report.)

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
"We applaud your efforts to pursue tax reform that is both big and bold," the letter states. "Incremental tweaks will not level the playing field for American workers or dramatically reinvigorate economic growth."

In a letter to House and Senate leadership, they argued that the current tax system penalizes American factory workers and restrains business investment and economic growth. Among the 16 executives who signed the letter are Dennis Muilenburg of Boeing , Jim Umpleby of Caterpillar , Thomas Kennedy of Raytheon and Gregory Hayes of United Technologies .

More than a dozen chief executives from some of the nation's biggest manufacturing companies called on lawmakers Tuesday to overhaul the corporate tax code and embrace a controversial proposal that would reduce the cost of exports but penalize imports.

President Donald Trump greets Boeing Chairman, President and CEO Dennis Muilenburg during a ceremony celebrating the rollout of the Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner at the Boeing South Carolina plant in North Charleston, South Carolina, February 17, 2017.

The letter underscores the deep division within the business community as Washington debates the most sweeping changes to the American tax system in more than 30 years.

The companies backing the letter are part of the newly formed American Made Coalition and would benefit from the proposal championed by House Speaker Paul Ryan.

That plan would reduce the corporate tax rate from 35 to 20 percent and allow exporters to deduct the cost of production from their taxable earnings. However, companies would not be able to deduct the cost of imports  a feature known as "border adjustment" that effectively imposes a tax on those imported goods.

The proposal is similar to the way European countries treat imports under the value-added tax system, and companies have long complained that American products are more expensive overseas as a result.

"This reform is consistent with the tax policies of nearly every other country in the world, and it would effectively end the 'Made in America' tax that creates an unfair advantage for foreign-based companies at the expense of U.S. jobs and economic growth," the letter states.

The plan faces significant opposition from the retail industry, however, and top executives from Best Buy, Target and Gap, among others, flew to Washington last week to press their case at the White House and on Capitol Hill. They have warned the proposal would raise their costs  and, by extension, prices for consumers. And they have established their own lobbying group, the Coalition for Affordable Products.

In addition, Ryan's proposal has received a lukewarm reception in the Senate so far. At least two Republicans, Mike Rounds of South Dakota and David Perdue of Georgia, have come out against it. About half a dozen others have said they have significant concerns about how the system would work in practice, jeopardizing Republicans' ability to garner the simple majority required for legislation to pass in Senate under budget reconciliation.

However, the White House has yet to weigh in on the proposal  and it could prove the deciding factor in the debate. President Donald Trump has pledged to unveil a "phenomenal" tax proposal within weeks but details remain unclear. During the election, he called for slashing the corporate tax rate from 35 to 15 percent but also repeatedly vowed to slap double-digit tariffs on imports.

Adopting Ryan's plan could fulfill both of those promises. White House spokesman Sean Spicer even floated using revenue raised through border adjustment to pay for the wall separating the United States from Mexico. Trump has, however, previously dismissed Ryan's proposal as too complicated.

On Friday, Boeing's chief executive had the president's ear. Muilenberg has been one of the most outspoken proponents of border adjustment, and Trump visited one of the company's factories in South Carolina for a raucous campaign-style rally.

At the end of his visit, Trump provided few hints of which way he is leaning.

"We are going to lower taxes on American business so it's cheaper and easier to produce products and beautiful things like airplanes right here in America," he said.
JIAXING, China  Billionaire investor Wilbur Ross has taken aim at China for what he describes as its unfair trade practices as well as stealing jobs, but at least one of Ross's companies has sought to benefit from off-shoring jobs to China.

In an industrial park in Jiaxing, CNBC went to find a factory in which Ross, who was chosen by President Donald Trump be the next U.S. commerce secretary, had invested.

The site, which opened in 2007 in a city about a two-hour drive from Shanghai, produces denim fabric, and it belongs to an American company, which at the time was owned by a textile group controlled by Ross.

The factory was built as part of an effort to save costs: Production in the U.S. textile industry had been moving overseas, and the company was building up this factory in China while simultaneously downsizing staff in its main facility in North Carolina.

The downsizing was significant enough for the U.S. Labor Department to offer trade adjustment assistance to the American workers.

Ross sold out of the textile operation only weeks before the U.S. presidential election. His office and the denim company declined to comment to CNBC.

The billionaire has repeatedly criticized China, telling U.S. lawmakers in January that the country was the "most protectionist" among large economies, and that Chinese officials "talk much more about free trade than they actually practice."

"I am not anti-trade. I am pro-trade," Ross said at the time, according to Reuters. "But I am pro-sensible trade, not trade that is to the disadvantage of the American worker and to the American manufacturing community."

But as Ross and others in the Trump administration criticize China for stealing jobs, factories on the ground are battling rising costs and people in manufacturing towns like Jiaxing say they are increasingly worried about production moving to even cheaper countries.

In fact, some in the Chinese business community have even conjectured that Ross's experiences in manufacturing and the global supply chain could make him a more moderate voice on China within the Trump administration.

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Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (centre R) and his Singaporean counterpart Lee Hsien Loong (C) inspect the guard of honour during a welcoming ceremony at the Istana presidential palace in Singapore on February 20, 2017.

During a visit to Singapore, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that his country was pursuing greater ties across Asia.

"Israel is pivoting towards Asia in a very clear and purposeful way," he told a press conference and dinner event, according to a video from an attendee provided to CNBC Asia.

The language echoed former U.S. President Barack Obama's plan to pivot U.S. diplomatic relations toward Asia, in part to counter China's growing power, but that plan appeared to have been abandoned by the current U.S. president, Donald Trump.

Netanyahu said he was set to visit China next month and that India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi would visit Israel later this year. The comments came during the first visit to Singapore by an Israeli head of state in three decades.

Business ties between Israel and Asia have been growing.

Earlier this year, Israel and China reportedly reached a deal for around 6,000 Chinese construction workers to come to Israel to help with housing construction. Israel has long faced a housing shortage, in part due to a lack of sufficient construction workers.

On Tuesday, Netanyahu was scheduled to visit a Singapore public housing estate, a visit the Israeli prime minister said he requested as he wanted to learn how the island-nation had resolved the issue. Recently, Israeli officials have also traveled to Singapore to study the city-state's public housing system for ideas on how to help ease its own housing shortage. Ironically, in the 1960s, Singapore set up its own system after studying Israel's.

Israel and China have agreed to begin negotiating a free-trade agreement. Additionally, Chinese investment in Israeli technology companies and in infrastructure has been growing and Chinese tourists have been heading to the country.

India and Israel have had long-standing economic, trade and defense ties, with India among the largest customers for Israel's military equipment.

Israel's prime minister highlighted that his country cooperates with Singapore on the economy, trade and technology.

"This strengthens both our countries. We have extraordinary reputations within the world, but the fact is when we combine them, we have an even more powerful brand," Netanyahu said. "That brand is very powerful. We spoke today about collaborating with third countries. We're already doing that in one African case. I think we should do that in many countries in Africa, many countries in the Pacific."

Netanyahu noted that a joint research and development fund with Singapore had already funded 150 projects.

Netanyahu's visit to Singapore followed a visit by Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to Israel in April, which marked the first visit by a Singapore head of state to the Middle Eastern country, in a trip that included other nations in the region.



Lee noted at the press conference that SingTel , a Singapore telecommunications company, and Singapore state-owned investment company Temasek were both investing in Israel, while many Israeli startups were using Singapore as a base to invest in Asia.

Lee said that he had a "full discussion" with Netanyahu about the developments in the Middle East and the desire for progress on peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians. Lee reiterated Singapore's support for a "two-state" solution as the "only way" to bring peace and security.

Netanyahu's visit to Singapore comes hard on the heels of the Israeli prime minister's meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in the U.S. this week.
North Korea can generate a lot of instability and will probably be "the single most defining geopolitical challenge" for the Trump administration, a former Asia director at the U.S. National Security Council said.

Evan Medeiros, who was at the NSC from 2009-2015 and the top Asia advisor from 2013-2015 during the presidency of Barack Obama, told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Tuesday he was concerned the crisis over North Korea's nuclear weapons program could escalate.

While diplomacy, sanctions, deterrents and military actions were always on the table, expectations for talks with North Korea should likely be low, Medeiros, who is currently a practice head for Asia at consultancy Eurasia Group.

"North Korea doesn't want to give up its nuclear weapons. Nuclear weapons are key to its survival," he said. "Talks for North Korea are really about getting sanctions relief, playing for time, playing for advantage, trying to get sanctions lifted. And so if that's the case, I think Trump's tolerance and the tolerance of the Chinese may actually be somewhat limited."

Medeiros expressed concern about how U.S. President Donald Trump might react.

"What I worry about is Trump, understanding that his options are relatively limited, feeling like he's a great negotiator, as he tells us all, that he might give talks a try only to learn the lesson that several other American presidents and Japanese prime ministers and South Korean presidents have learned, which is, the North Koreans really aren't serious about talks at all," he said. "In which case, in a year, we could find that the effort at initial talks failed and we're in an escalating crisis."

Concerns about North Korea's nuclear program, and its missile development resurfaced earlier this month when the pariah nation launched a missile, which media reports said flew about 500 km (300 miles) into the Sea of Japan.

The test launch, which came as Trump hosted Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Palm Beach, Florida, marked a significant step forward for North Korea's ballistic missile program.

To be sure, so far Trump's response to North Korea has been fairly low key.


Olivia Harris | Reuters

Malaysian state-owned oil and gas firm Petronas is aiming to sell a large minority stake in a prized upstream local gas project for up to $1 billion as it seeks to raise cash and cut development costs, two sources familiar with the matter said. Petroliam Nasional (Petronas) is looking to sell a stake of as much as 49 percent in the SK316 offshore gas block in Malaysia's Sarawak state, the sources told Reuters, a move that would be among its first major recent sales as it grapples with oil prices that have slumped by half over two-and-a-half years. That slide has squeezed the cash flows of Petronas, hurt its earnings and forced it a year ago to announce a 50 billion ringgit ($11.2 billion) cut in capital expenditure over four years.

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Petronas, which accounts for a third of Malaysia's oil and gas revenue, has also cut its dividend. Sources had told Reuters in September it is considering selling its majority stake in a $27 billion Canadian liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant, although the company denied it. It is now working with an investment bank on the SK316 gas block stake sale and kicked off the process this month, one of the sources said. Petronas did not respond to a request forcomment. Petronas is currently gauging interest from potential buyers, said the sources, who declined to be identified as they were not authorized to speak about the matter. Gas from the NC3 field in the SK316 block feeds Malaysia's LNG export project, known as LNG 9, Petronas' joint venture with JX Nippon Oil & Energy that started commercial production in January. The sources said the stake is expected to include a combination of the producing NC3 gas field, the potential development of the Kasawari field in the same block and other exploration acreage in the block.

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The funds raised could contribute to the future development of the Kasawari field, one of the largest non-associated gas fields in Malaysia, which has an estimated recoverable hydrocarbon resource of about three trillion standard cubic feet. Petronas put on hold plans to develop the field in 2015 after oil and gas prices fell, according to media reports. Prasanth Kakaraparthi, senior upstream research analyst at consultancy Wood Mackenzie said overall capital expenditure for the 316 block is estimated at around $4 billion, of which the upcoming phase of development accounts for nearly 50 to 60 percent. "Given that the second phase of development will involve a significant amount of capital commitment, it's not completely out of the question to think that they might want to bring in some partners to sort of share some of that burden," he said. The stake could appeal to firms such as Indonesia's state-owned Pertamina, Thailand's PTT Exploration and Production and some Japanese companies, the sources said. They said it might also appeal to the Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Company, which snapped up Royal Dutch Shell 's stake in Thailand's Bongkot gas field for $900 million last month.

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Uber's CEO Travis Travis Kalanick has sent a company-wide email responding to a blog written by former employee Susan Fowler alleging workplace sexual harassment, according to a copy posted on Twitter on late Monday in the U.S. and confirmed by CNBC, announcing a review led by former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder along with a partner at the law firm of Covington & Burling.

The email also said the Uber board member Arianna Huffington, and recently hired Human Resources head Liane Hornsey, as well as the company's associate general counsel Angela Padilla will join the probe. Among the allegations in Fowler's blog, was a pattern of sexual harassment and gender bias during her roughly year-long employment at the company, including via the internal messaging system.

"On my first official day rotating on the team, my new manager sent me a string of messages over company chat. He was in an open relationship, he said, and his girlfriend was having an easy time finding new partners but he wasn't. He was trying to stay out of trouble at work, he said, but he couldn't help getting in trouble, because he was looking for women to have sex with."

Kalanick's email did not go into details about the claims by Fowler, but did indirectly address gender diversity at the firm.

"There have been many questions about the gender diversity of Uber's technology teams," Kalanick wrote in the email. "If you look across our engineering, product management, and scientist roles, 15.1 percent of employees are women and this has not changed substantially in the last year. As points of reference, Facebook is at 17 percent, Google at 19 percent and Twitter is at 15 percent."

[Editor's note: Uber issued revisions to Kalanick's statement on the other companies' diversity statistics. Those changes have made to the above quote and below reproduction. The original version of his note under-reported the percentage of female employees at Google and Twitter.]

He added that the review would be conducted in "short order."
President Donald Trump wasn't even in office for a month before his administration decided to hold a pep rally for the new Commander-in-Chief in Melbourne, Florida this past weekend.

Um, isn't it a bit early or just plain strange to do something like that?

Not if you're President Trump. Not when he's up against what and whom he's up against. In fact, he may need to hold these kinds of rallies more often.

The Trump team has made many of the typical missteps each new presidential administration makes in its first weeks. That includes the quick resignation of National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, an immigration and travel ban executive order that set much of the country into hysterical protest, and all of this wrapped into the odd and erratic messaging efforts of spokespeople like White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer and Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway.

But with a media and political establishment that's quite well-organized and remarkably uniform in its attacks on the new president, deserved or not, these missteps have all be magnified for maximum effect and presented to the public as evidence of a White House in disarray and a president who is, in the words of one veteran national cable network anchor, "unhinged."

Here's the thing: More than half of the country still likely doesn't see it that way. The stock market continues to roar, as the post-election Trump rally hasn't really paused for more than a day or two since the election. President Trump's poll numbers are weak compared to other new presidents at this stage, but his overall approval ratings in the Rasmussen and Gallup polls are both stronger than at any time during the 2016 election. Rasmussen's daily "right track/wrong track" survey has consistently shown a 12-year-high in respondents answering that the country is on the right track since the inauguration. And another Gallup survey from last week shows that 62 percent of respondents see Trump as strong leader who keeps his promises.

But how can the Trump team tap into that decent support? Enter the raucous pep rally complete with First Lady Melania Trump reciting the Lord's Prayer and vowing to remain "truthful, no matter what the opposition says about me." That double shot across the bow was the just the beginning as President Trump himself followed with several references to the news media and his official political opponents as the "enemies" of not just him, but all of the American people.

Like his Twitter account, the rally is President Trump's truly effective way of getting around the traditional media channels to speak directly to the American public. Love or hate his message, it's exceedingly helpful to the Trump team to dictate the timing and tone of those messages. Waiting for the evening network news or even a favored cable news show just isn't as effective.

Other than beating the media to the punch, will this kind of tactic really work? Timing is a key factor in the answer. All the rallies and calls to action can be meaningless if they're done too late or not in the right context. During a low point early in his first term in office, President Richard Nixon called on the great "silent majority" of the nation to be silent no more and show public support for him and his Vietnam War policies. Nixon gave a nationally-broadcast speech in November, 1969 using that "silent majority" term. It worked. Tens of thousands of supporting letters and telegrams poured into the White House and a Gallup poll showed a whopping 77 percent of Americans supported the president's message. Even as Nixon's popularity ebbed and flowed during his first term, he was always able to draw on that direct message to the public that he had made at just the right time. One crucial example of that played out in the spring of 1970 when a group of "silent majority" construction workers stopped being so silent and eventually even physically attacked anti-Vietnam War protesters in Lower Manhattan. That kind of simmering support for Nixon that always seemed to elude the mainstream news media at the time played a big role in his massive re-election victory in 1972.

But Nixon wasn't always so timely. For example, the fact that President Trump held this rally in an airport hangar must not have been lost on those who remember the final days of Nixon's term in office. Long after his fate had been effectively sealed by the Watergate scandal, the Nixon team put together an "impromptu" supportive rally for Nixon at an airport hangar in Caribou, Maine as the president returned from a summit meeting in Moscow. The term "too little, too late" was quite appropriate for that event since about five weeks later Nixon resigned.

This Trump rally, as silly and too soon as it may seem to many, sure looks like it's more like the shrewd "silent majority" variety right now. It served as a chance for the Trump team to continue to remind its detractors that there are plenty of Americans in key states who support the new president and are not even listening to the media's general message about him right now. And it should also remind them that until the Trump opponents start to speak to those people, they won't get much further than they did last November. For Trump, that's a win/win. It's when he's unable to draw a large or enthusiastic crowd at all that he should be worried. And so far, we're not there yet.

Commentary by Jake Novak, CNBC.com senior columnist. Follow him on Twitter @jakejakeny.



For more insight from CNBC contributors, follow @CNBCopinion on Twitter.
From sea to shining sea, thousands of Americans marked Presidents Day on Monday by denouncing the current occupant of the White House  President Donald Trump.

"Not My President's Day" rallies were staged in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Philadelphia and more than two dozen other cities across the nation in a spirited display of defiance against a president who has been in power for just one month.

In Trump's hometown, a huge throng rallied outside the Trump International Hotel in Manhattan, with the crowd blanketing the southwestern corner of Central Park and singing "We Shall Overcome."

Many carried signs that read "Not My President" and "Resist" and chanted "No Ban, No Wall"  a reference to Trump's executive order on travel by immigrants and his still-unbuilt wall along the Mexican border.

"I'm really concerned for where our country is headed," said Sayief Leshaw, 22, who joined the rally with his boyfriend and another pal. "We've sold out to corporate interests, and Donald Trump's policies are downright offensive."

Sporadic shouting matches erupted in nearby Columbus Circle when a handful of Trump supporters exchanged angry words with rally-goers.

It was the fifth straight day of protests in Gotham against Trump.
A surprise announcement from Beijing last weekend that it had banned coal imports from North Korea is causing a fracas in China's coal market, as traders scramble for supplies of the commodity that is used in steel-making and heating.

In 2016, China imported 22.5 million tons of coal from the hermit kingdom, representing 12.3 percent of its total imports, said BMI Research. The commodity is also a key export for the isolated nation in the Korean Peninsula.

Prices of steel and coking coal are rallying this week as mills will need to meet the shortfall of 22 million tons should the ban be fully enforced.

On Tuesday morning, the most active steel rebar futures on the Shanghai Futures Exchange and coking coal futures on the Dalian Commodity Exchange were both up about 3 percent, extending gains of 2 percent on Monday.

The ban will be a net positive for coal prices, said BMI's global commodities strategist, John Davies.
On Sunday, Elon Musk's SpaceX made history, successfully completing the first commercial rocket launch from the NASA launch pad that also sent astronauts to the moon. The win comes after multiple failures for the SpaceX and Tesla CEO, who wants to change the way people travel and send humans to Mars. Don't miss: The best cash-back credit cards with no annual fee Since his childhood, books have played a crucial role in fueling Musk's ambitions. It's said that he read the entire Encyclopedia Britannica at age nine and would pore through science fiction novels for more than 10 hours a day. When asked how he learned about rockets, Musk reportedly said, "I read books." His voracious reading habit was essential to launching his history-making career.

Here are eight books that shaped the revolutionary entrepreneur: 1. "Structures: Or Why Things Don't Fall Down" by J.E. Gordon



When Musk decided he wanted to learn rocket science, he studied textbooks on astrophysics and engineering. While reading advanced texts on physics may not be for everyone, this book offers a lighter take on the science behind SpaceX. "It is really, really good if you want a primer on structural design," Musk says in an interview with KCRW.

2. "Benjamin Franklin: An American Life" by Walter Isaacson

Ben Franklin, author, inventor, scientist and diplomat, is one of Musk's heroes. "You can see how [Franklin] was an entrepreneur," Musk says in an interview with Foundation's Kevin Rose. "He was an entrepreneur. He started from nothing. He was just a runaway kid." 3. "Einstein: His Life and Universe" by Walter Isaacson

Musk tells Rose he was influenced by the biography of theoretical physicist Albert Einstein, and it's clear why. Some of Einstein's most famous quotes, like "The important thing is not to stop questioning," and "Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new," speak directly to Musk's vision for his companies. 4. "Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies" by Nick Bostrom

Though Musk is a futurist and deeply interested in artificial intelligence, he has shared his worries about potential dangers and ethical concerns associated with the technology. Bostrom's book, which deals with the potential challenges presented should computational intelligence surpass human intelligence, is "worth reading" Musk tweeted in 2014. 5. "Merchants of Doubt" by Erik M. Conway and Naomi Oreskes Musk recommends this argument by two historians who believe that scientists with political and corporate connections have purposefully muddied the facts around many public health issues, such as the negative effects of smoking. He posted his recommendation on Twitter in 2013. 6. "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding This classic novel on survival, competition and greed left its mark on the tech entrepreneur. "The heroes of the books I read always felt a duty to save the world," he tells the New Yorker. 7. "Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future" by Peter Thiel



The book, based on notes from a popular class Thiel taught at Stanford University in 2012, focuses on the need for unique thinking among would-be startup founders. Musk says that his Paypal co-founder's book offers an interesting exploration of the process of building super successful companies. 8. The "Foundation" trilogy by Isaac Asimov

In a 2013 interview with The Guardian, Musk says Asimov's books taught him that "civilizations move in cycles," a lesson that encouraged the entrepreneur to pursue his radical ambitions. "Given that this is the first time in 4.5 billion years where it's been possible for humanity to extend life beyond Earth," he says, "it seems like we'd be wise to act while the window was open and not count on the fact it will be open a long time." Check out how Elon Musk got his start.
Crude oil prices could shoot up to $70 a barrel by the end of 2017 as supply and demand levels continue to rebalance in coming months, according to analysts at Citi.

Nearer-term, the research team has raised price estimates modestly by $5 to an average $55 per barrel for the first quarter and by $2 to an average $56 per barrel for the second quarter.

Yet investors will likely have to wait a few more months for a more sustained rise, says Citi in the note published Tuesday, as Brent traded up marginally to around $56 in early European trade.

"Oil prices are not likely to stray far from their current $53-58 per barrel range in the near term as record investor net length and bearish inventory data will likely cap prices until more tangible evidence of a tighter market emerges," write the analysts.

Citi's research team is looking to the second quarter for positive effects from both the reported 93 percent compliance level of OPEC participants in last November's production cut agreement as well as substantial refinery maintenance in Asia scheduled for the spring.

However, a close eye must be kept on delivery timetables, David Ernsberger, Global Head of Energy at S&P Global Platts, told CNBC's Squawk Box on Tuesday.

"There is the shadow looming of new supply coming to market not just from Iran but also from the U.S. and what we're looking at heading into the second quarter is when will that oil come to market and will it begin to take the edge off prices a little bit," he noted.

Looking beyond 2017, Citi's optimism also fades on expectations that increasing numbers of shale producers will be enticed back into the market by more favorable pricing.

However, the impact of shale is hard to accurately predict given the lack of uniformity in the product says S&P Global Platt's Ernsberger.

"One cargo of shale oil is not like another and you don't really know what is going to happen when you put it through your refinery until it lands at your port and that's a little more uncertainty that even the oil refinery industry - which is used to uncertainty - is really willing to embrace right now," Ernsberger explained.

"So there's a stability of new supply issue that really needs to get worked out in the next few years," he added, saying this was the "big story" regarding shale right now.
Not long ago, Americans' knowledge of Denmark more or less started with Hamlet and ended with an unpopular cheese-filled pastry. That has changed since Denmark became a global trend-setter with the food phenomenon Noma, its binge-worthy crime dramas "The Killing" and "Borgen," and a design sense that has everyone coveting blond wood and sheepskins. So it was only a matter of time before Americans started wondering about another Danish wonder: One of the happiest populations in the world, according to annual surveys by the United Nations, among others. Enter hygge (pronounced "hoo-ga"). It's a Danish word without a precise analog, but loosely translated as cozy contentment. It's an important part of the Danish world view  people talk about how hyggeligt it will be to get together, and how hyggelig that get-together was. And it's the subject of a lifestyle publishing boom. More than 20 books on hygge have been published in the last year, with more to come. "The Little Book of Hygge" was published in the U.S. last month after a successful run in the U.K. It's been compared to Marie Kondo's "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up" and the feng shui movement. It was such a hit in Britain that the Oxford dictionaries named hygge one of its top 10 words of 2016, and Pinterest called it one of its top trends for 2017.

anyaberkut | Getty Images

Appropriate to Denmark's climate (and our winter), hygge is about hunkering down: It's all candles, blazing fires, warm blankets and fuzzy slippers, reading nooks (called hyggekrog), comfortable pants (hyggebukser), wollen socks (hyggesokker) and tea. But it's not about isolation; quite the opposite. Danes plan hyggelig evenings of cooking together or playing board games. It's possible to have hygge while curled up on a rainy day watching TV, but it's heightened if you are part of a casual gathering, preferably in a cozy cabin in the woods. "Like the emergence of fireflies, when we hygger we shine individually but glow in unison to reveal an inclination toward a powerful collective harmony," writes Louisa Thomsen Brits in "The Book of Hygge." Meik Wiking (pronounced "Mike Viking"), CEO of a think tank called The Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen, describes hygge as "like a warm hug, but without the physical contact." Wiking, author of "The Little Book of Hygge," spoke with NBC's BETTER to explain hygge, the importance of candles and the persistence of Denmark's bleak crime dramas. For those unfamiliar with the concept, how would you explain hygge? I think the shortest label to put on it is "consciously cozy," or "the art of creating intimacy" or "the pursuit of everyday happiness." But I think it's probably best explained with the anecdote that I think also opens the book: I was in Sweden with some friends and we had been out hiking and came back in the cabin and had the fire going and got the stew boiling on the stove and we were just relaxing, kicking back and enjoying silence and each other's company and one of the guys said, "could this be any more hygge?" And then one of the girls said "yes, if there was a storm outside." Because it's also this feeling of being sheltered from the outside. We all have our cozy moments, but what are we Americans missing? I think you're missing the conscious part.  That's the feedback I've been getting from readers in France and Poland and Portugal, where I've been  they say "I've been doing this all my life. I didn't know there was a word for it." And I think that helps people appreciate it more and I think it helps people both plan for it and acknowledge it when they experience it. I think that's the difference between Danes and a lot of other people, that we have a word that describes that situation, and that makes us more aware of it and perhaps makes us plan for it more and appreciate it more. And then secondly the major difference is that we see it as part of our culture and part of our DNA, the same way Americans see perhaps freedom as part of their culture or DNA.

Faroe Islands, Denmark. Wolfgang Kaehler | Getty Images

Just as an example, I spoke to a mother of two in France a couple of months ago and she said, "Earlier I would have cuddled up with my two kids on the couch on a Sunday afternoon and we would perhaps have had some treats and tea and I would have called that a lazy afternoon and felt guilty about it. Now I call it having a hygge afternoon and feel good about it." I thought that was really nice, that we help people with the word find value and help them understand why this is a good thing and not something they should feel guilty about. You study happiness in general and Denmark specifically. People in Denmark have shorter workdays, universal health care, free college education. Given that, does hygge really have anything to do with their happiness? The welfare state is the biggest explanation. That's why Denmark does well in the happiness rankings  there's social security, universal health care, equal opportunities for men and women, free university education  all that, of course increases quality of life and happiness. We've been looking at Bernie Sanders and thinking, why are you not electing him? It's interesting that his ideas are considered progressive in the U.S. I think to us, it's not progressive, it's just common sense. But the trouble with that explanation was it doesn't help us understand why Denmark does better than the other Scandanavian or Nordic countries, because Sweden, Finland, Iceland also have the same high levels of welfare, social security and education, all of that. So that's why we looked at the cultural differences. If you look at Denmark objectively, the weather is awful, the taxes are high, everyone wears black and drinks a lot of coffee. You have these bleak crime dramas. You don't look that happy. The weather's not great, that's a given. We do have summer  it lasts about three hours. Take the high taxes  it's true we pay some of the highest income taxes in the world, but I think it's more important to see there's wide public support for that level of taxation. I think it's because we feel and experience that we get a lot of return in terms of our high quality of life for that taxation. The dramas: There have been a lot of Nordic noir thrillers out of the Scandanavian countries  I think it's perhaps because the countries are so safe that people long for some excitement.

People fight with pillows during World Pillow Fight Day in front of the City Hall in Copenhagen, Denmark April 2, 2016. Nikolai Linares | Getty Images
WHEN: Today, Tuesday, February 21st

WHERE: CNBC's "Squawk on the Street"

Following are excerpts from the unofficial transcript of a CNBC EXCLUSIVE interview with Irene Rosenfeld, Mondelez Chairman and CEO, on CNBC's "Squawk on the Street" (M-F, 9AM-11AM ET) today, Tuesday, February 21st. Following are links to the video on CNBC.com: http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=3000594908 and http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=3000594909.

All references must be sourced to CNBC.

ROSENFELD ON CONSUMERS WANTING INDULGENCE

CONSUMERS STILL WANT INDULGENCE. I THINK THERE IS ALWAYS A SENSE THAT OH, EVERYBODY IS MOVING TO WELL-BEING. WE CERTAINLY, ON OUR INDULGENT BRANDS, WE ARE CONTINUING TO EVOLVING THEM WITH PRODUCTS LIKE OREO THINS, WITH PRODUCTS LIKE BUBBLY CHOCOLATE. AND MAKING SURE WE HAVE PORTION CONTROL PACKAGES. SO THERE'S ALL SORTS OF WAYS TO MEET THE CONSUMER'S NEEDS. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THERE IS NO QUESTION, IT IS A TREND EVERYWHERE IN THE WORLD. AND AS THE WORLD'S LARGEST SNACKING COMPANY, WE INTEND TO CAPITALIZE ON IT.

ROSENFELD ON DEAL SPECULATION

THERE IS A LOT OF SPECULATION OUT THERE. WE CAN'T SPEND A LOT OF OUR TIME THINKING ABOUT IT. IF YOU STEP BACK A SECOND, THOUGH, WHEN I SPLIT THE COMPANY, I DID IT BECAUSE THESE WERE TWO VERY DIFFERENT PORTFOLIOS AND THEY ACTUALLY HAVE SHOWN THEMSELVES QUITE CAPABLE OF CREATING GREAT VALUE FOR THEIR RESPECTIVE SHAREHOLDERS AS SEPARATE COMPANIES. OUR COMPANY HAS CREATED OVER $60 BILLION OF MARKET CAP AS A RESULT OF FOCUSING ON SNACKS. AND WE'RE JUST GOING TO CONTINUE THAT FOCUS.

ROSENFELD ON KRAFT HEINZ CHASING UNILEVER

YOU KNOW, THERE'S LOTS OF FOLKS THAT COME IN AND OUT OF STOCKS. AND AS I SAID, OUR FOCUS REMAINS ON CONTINUING TO DELIVER WHAT WE BELIEVE IS A MORE SUSTAINABLE MODEL OF TOP AND BOTTOM LINE GROWTH.

ROSENFELD ON ACTIVISTS INVOLVEMENT IN DEAL SPECTULATION

I'D LIKE TO THINK IT IS BECAUSE WE'VE CREATED A GREAT COMPANY. I THINK THAT THE OPPORTUNITY  WE'VE SHOWN OUR ABILITY TO GENERATE SIGNIFICANT MARGIN EXPANSION. DOUBLE-DIGIT EPS GROWTH, EVEN IN THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENT. I THINK THE POSSIBILITY OF HAVING A PORTFOLIO THAT HAS STRONG CATEGORIES AND GOOD GEOGRAPHIC FOOTPRINT IS AN ATTRACTIVE PROPERTY.

ROSENFELD ON THE PORTFOLIO

I'M QUITE PLEASED WITH OUR PORTFOLIO. I THINK WE ARE IN VERY VIBRANT CATEGORIES. SOME OF THEM ARE SOMEWHAT MUTED IN TODAY'S ENVIRONMENT, GIVEN THE CHALLENGING MACROS AROUND THE WORLD. BUT I'M QUITE CONFIDENT THAT THEY WILL RECOVER OVER TIME.

ROSENFELD ON MARGINS

WE'VE COMMITTED TO MID 16s IN 2017. WE'VE DELIVERED ABOUT 500 BASIS POINTS SINCE 2013. SO OUR MARGIN EXPANSION, DRIVEN BY OUR SUPPLY CHAIN REINVENTION, ZERO BASED BUDGETING, THE GLOBAL SHARED SERVICES INITIATIVES THAT WE PUT IN PLACE  ALL OF THAT IS ALIVE AND WELL. AND IT BECOMES AN IMPORTANT SOURCE, NOT JUST OF MARGIN EXPANSION, BUT THEN OF FUEL, TO BE ABLE TO INVEST IN OUR GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES.

ROSENFELD ON REGULATIONS

AS A GLOBAL MULTI-NATIONAL COMPANY HEADQUARTERED HERE IN THE U.S., THESE REGULATIONS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO US. WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO WAIT AND SEE HOW THE POLICIES EVOLVE. YOU CAN'T REALLY JUST TAKE ONE PIECE OF IT. MY HOPE IS THE PRESIDENT HAS INDICATED HIS DESIRE TO CREATE A VIBRANT GLOBAL ECONOMY. AS A COMPANY THAT DOES BUSINESS IN 165 COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD, THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO US.

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While some companies in the U.S. have sent a letter to lawmakers in support of the proposed border adjustment tax, other companies say it's too early to predict the consequences of the tax.



Speaking to CNBC in Boca Raton, Florida, on the sidelines of the annual Consumer Analyst Group of New York Conference, ConAgra CEO Sean Connolly said he's hoping there'll be opportunities for growth with the tax in place, but it's "too early" to know the impact of the border tax.

"No one knows exactly how that will play out, but certainly our view is that the best thing that can happen in this country is to get back to growth," Connolly told CNBC's "Squawk Alley." "It impacts everyone differently. But we will try to sit and watch how it unfolds. Certainly we hope there are some opportunities here, but it is too early to tell yet, we'll see."

To spur growth, Connolly said ConAgra is focused on innovation and remarketing beloved longtime food favorites like Slim Jims, Reddi Whip and Peter Pan to millennials.

"To really restart a company the way we have done, you have to rebuild the innovation pipeline from scratch. This is our first wave and it will just compound from here," Connolly said. "The more we can invest in innovation, upgrading our brands and delighting consumers, the better growth and environment we see, and the happier our investors, employees and customers will be."

And even though Connolly is uncertain about what the border tax will bring, he remains optimistic about the economic policies so far.

"We have to watch and adapt as we see things unfold," Connolly said. "But overall I'm optimistic. We have this business and company going the way we want it to."

Connolly wouldn't comment directly on executive orders impacting immigration, but reiterated ConAgra's intention to support its employees.

"You know, we have, being a U.S. food company, we have 13,000 employees, the vast majority of them are here, and they're excited about what we're doing as a company," Connolly said. "We can't be successful without our employees and we will give them every bit of support that we can. They drive value for our shareholders and we're proud to have them on the team."

CORRECTION: This story has been updated to reflect Connolly's quote to the following: "We have this business and company going the way we want it to."
Check out which companies are making headlines before the bell:

Home Depot  The nation's largest home improvement retailer reported quarterly profit of $1.44 per share, 10 cents a share above estimates. Revenue also beat forecasts. Home Depot increased its quarterly dividend by 29 percent and announced a new $15 billion share buyback program, as well.

Wal-Mart  The retail giant beat estimates by 1 cent a share, with adjusted quarterly profit of $1.30 per share. Revenue was slightly short of consensus, however. Wal-Mart posted a 1.8 percent increase in U.S. comparable-store sales and also saw a 29 percent jump in U.S. online sales compared to a year ago.

Yahoo  Yahoo and Verizon announced a revised deal that cuts the price of Yahoo's internet assets by $350 million to a total of $4.48 billion in cash. The two will share liabilities resulting from the Yahoo data breaches which were revealed after the initial deal was struck.

Tiffany  The luxury goods retailer struck an agreement with activist investor Jana Partners that will add three new independent directors. One of those additions, former Bulgari CEO Francesco Trapani, will join the search committee seeking out a new CEO for Tiffany. Jana and Trapani together own about 5.1 percent of Tiffany's outstanding shares.

Unilever  Kraft Heinz withdrew its $143 billion bid for its rival food company. Unilever had rejected Kraft's approach, but Kraft initially was hopeful the two sides could come to terms on a deal.

Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen  Popeyes will be bought by Burger King and Tim Hortons parent for $1.8 billion in cash, or $79 per share. The initial approach by Restaurant Brands to Popeyes was first reported on February 13.

Dick's Sporting Goods  Oppenheimer downgraded the sporting goods retailer's stock to "perform" from "outperform," based on a spate of soft sales data throughout the industry.

HSBC  HSBC reported a 62 percent drop in annual profit, with the bank's bottom line falling well short of analysts' estimates. The results reflected significant writedowns from restructuring, among other factors.

BHP Billiton  BHP declared a first-half dividend of 40 cents per share, more than double the year-ago figure of 15 cents a share and above analysts' forecasts for a 34 cent payout. The miner's move reflects the rebound in commodity prices, although BHP said it was still prioritizing paying down debt.

Las Vegas Sands  CEO Sheldon Adelson told a Tokyo investor conference that a casino-based resort in Japan could cost up to $10 billion to build. The company is bidding for operating rights in what could become the world's second-largest casino market following Japan's legalization of casinos late last year.

General Motors  GM got a positive mention in this weekend's Barron's, based on its plan to sell its Opel division in Europe. The paper said selling Opel could free up as much as $1 billion in cash annually.

Microsoft  The company's Windows 10 operating system is still under scrutiny by European Union privacy watchdogs, who say they are still concerned about the privacy settings despite a recently announced change. The officials say users lack control over how Microsoft uses their personal data.
A win for far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen would spell the end of the EU  but the French are not crazy enough to let that happen, insists European Commissioner Pierre Moscovici.

"I'm confident. I know my citizens and my compatriots well and know they are not going to elect a candidate who is proposing France exiting (Europe). That would be the end of the European project," Moscovici, who is European Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, told CNBC Monday.

In a clear nod to the rising populist movements in Europe, the election of U.S. President Donald Trump and the U.K.'s EU referendum, Moscovici, said he believes common sense will prevail as France goes to the polls in the two-round election this year.

"I cannot imagine 50 percent of the French are crazy enough to vote for her," he said.

"I'm quite convinced that she cannot win  she never even ever won a regional election in France  never ever."


Europe posted solid gains by Tuesday's market close, supported by a strong uptick in oil prices, positive business activity data and a solid performance by the German DAX.

The pan-European STOXX 600 closed near session highs, ending 0.64 percent up with almost all sectors and bourses closing in positive territory.

Germany's DAX led the gains, closing up 1.18 percent supported by solid data, while France's CAC closed up 0.49 percent. Meanwhile the FTSE 100 ended down 0.34 percent with HSBC's performance weighing on the index.

Investors were given a lift during trade, on the back of a better-than-expected euro zone composite Purchasing Managers Index for February, which came in at 56.0  the highest level since April 2011. France meanwhile reported a composite PMI of 56.2 for February, well above analyst forecasts, while Germany also surged to a figure of 56.1 for the month.

The oil and gas sector outperformed its fellow counterparts, as oil prices rose sharply during Tuesday's trade.

According to Reuters, OPEC said it would be sticking to its agreement to cut production, adding that it hoped compliance from the deal would be higher in the future. At the market close, Brent stood at $56.97 per barrel, while U.S. crude hovered at $54.37.

Sticking with commodities, oilfield services company John Wood Group was the STOXX 600's worst performer, after a heavy fall in full-year profits missed market expectations. The company's shares plummeted almost 8 percent.
When Instagram copied Snapchat's popular Stories feature in August  it's a tool that lets users share photos and videos for up to 24 hours before they disappear  Instagram execs said they did so because Stories was a format lots of other services would copy, too.

"[We] built on a format that Snapchat invented," Instagram's product boss Kevin Weil explained in December. "It's a format, [and] we believe that format will be universal."

That format is becoming universal  at least at Facebook .

More on Recode:

One way Snapchat's IPO will be unique: The shares won't come with voting rights

Don't blame Facebook for Trump, Bloomberg's Brad Stone says

People love GIFs  but turning GIFs into ad dollars is taking some time

On Monday, WhatsApp, which Facebook owns, became the latest Facebook property to launch a Stories feature when it unveiled a new version of its existing status update option that it's calling WhatsApp Status.

Instead of posting a short status message like "out to lunch" to your profile, the new feature lets users share photos and videos in a montage format for up to 24 hours before they disappear.

Sound familiar? It looks and feels very much like Snapchat and Instagram Stories. (Facebook is testing something similar in its core app, too.)

There are some elements that make WhatsApp's version of Stories unique  you can share GIFs to your Status, for example, and all Status updates are end-to-end encrypted, which means that once they disappear they really disappear. Videos can be 45 seconds long, not just 10 seconds like on other platforms, and Status updates are only shared with users in your address book, not followers you may not actually know.

But the concept remains the same, as does the reasoning for adding the new feature.

"This is a format that is being broadly adopted, and we're adopting it as well," Randall Sarafa, a product manager at WhatsApp, told Recode. "There are some pretty interesting things that we've done to make it unique to WhatsApp."

WhatsApp has historically been a bare-bones messaging experience  it offered a way to send text messages and photos in virtually any network environment, for free. The company's focus has historically been on reliability, which is why WhatsApp is popular in so many markets outside of the U.S. that are still developing network infrastructure, including emerging markets like Brazil and India.

But in the past six months, WhatsApp has started to build more elaborate media features into the app that other messaging services already have. That includes products like video calling and photo-editing features like stickers.

Now it's adding Status (Stories), too, a feature that feels like a more natural fit for services where users are used to sharing publicly, like Instagram. Sarafa says that WhatsApp's users share lots of media within the app, and he believes that will translate to Status as well. Those sharing totals include 3.3 billion photos and 760 million videos sent inside WhatsApp every day, twice as many photos and three times as many videos as were sent one year ago.

Instagram and Snapchat both make money by placing ads alongside user Stories, and WhatsApp just appointed its first COO, a sign that the company is starting to think about monetizing its 1.2 billion monthly users.

But Sarafa reiterated that WhatsApp isn't interested in showing ads to its users, and Monday's update doesn't change that.

"We're not adding ads to WhatsApp, and we don't have plans to do that," he said.

The new status update feature is rolling out to WhatsApp users in the Netherlands and France beginning Monday, and to the U.K., Spain, Italy, Israel and Saudi Arabia later in the week.

By Kurt Wagner, Recode.net.

CNBC's parent NBCUniversal is an investor in Recode's parent Vox, and the companies have a content-sharing arrangement.


No-one in France's business sector believes populist presidential candidate Marine Le Pen will win the presidency in the upcoming general election, the chief executive of France's Publicis group told CNBC Tuesday.

"No-one in business really believes, at least in France, that Marine Le Pen will make it," Maurice Levy, chief executive of Publicis, told CNBC on Tuesday.



Le Pen, leader of the anti-immigration National Front party, has promised to renegotiate the terms of France's membership of the European Union if elected president, though her chances of success appear limited.



"Clearly she is leading in the first round but if you look at history and what has been the case (for) many years there is no chance that she is getting elected," Levy added.

Elections for the new French president are due to take place in a two-round process beginning in April and ending in May.



Levy, who is due to step down in June, was speaking with CNBC on Tuesday ahead of the group's Viva Tech event which is aiming to become the largest tech event in Europe. The chief executive stressed France has been the number one country on the continent in terms of supporting tech start-up companies and expected around 5,000 start-ups to attend this year.



The world's third largest advertising group reported weaker than expected underlying sales in the final three months of 2016 on February 9. Publicis had cited a challenging calendar year that led to a write-down to part of its digital business as a key factor in the earnings result.
President Donald Trump takes the oath of office as his wife Melania Trump holds the bible on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol on January 20, 2017. Getty Images

One month in, Donald Trump's presidency looks much like his campaign: a continual series of crises. Trump's formula worked in the campaign and led to his surprise victory. So far, however, his administration is having trouble turning his election promises into a functioning government. Trump has been confronted with a series of administrative crises while struggling to move the ball on key policy priorities. He even returned to the campaign trail in Florida on Saturday. More from NBC News:

Despite President's Day, protesters give Trump no respite

America gives Trump an earful at 'Not my President's Day' rallies

Trump travel ban highlights divide in Michigan's immigrant communities At his first solo news conference last week, Trump likened his White House to a "fine-tuned machine." But the president faces a personnel crisis after firing national security adviser Michael Flynn. Trump's first choice to replace him, retired Navy Vice Adm. Robert Harward, turned him down. The White House has also been bogged down in side battles over such issues as the size of the crowd at his inauguration to voter fraud conspiracies, sapping attention and draining aides. One of Trump's signature policy initiatives, blocking travel and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, has been held up by the courts and widely panned for its faulty deployment. And there are ongoing issues surrounding his potential conflicts of interest and recent reports linking campaign advisers to Russia. Trump has said the focus on those struggles overlooks success elsewhere. He has argued that other executive orders he's signed, besides the travel order, deserve more attention, along with emerging work on foreign policy, trade and energy. Many of his key Cabinet choices have been confirmed despite a wall of Democratic opposition, which delayed their Senate votes and helped derail his first nominee for labor secretary, Andy Puzder. "There has never been a presidency that's done so much in such a short period of time," Trump said. But most of Trump's executive orders are still limited in scope, and some of the more far-reaching proposals face serious obstacles before they can take effect. Congress has yet to send major legislation to his desk, apart from measures to roll back some regulations issued in the last months of President Barack Obama's administration. In many cases, the new administration still hasn't worked out consistent positions on such important issues as health care, immigration and taxes, which makes it hard to judge their progress. There's also still a feeling-out period abroad, as world leaders nervously try to determine which of Trump's more unorthodox proposals were campaign rhetoric and which ones are new policies. At the same time, Trump has attended to some less difficult campaign promises and laid the groundwork for potentially major moves. There's still plenty of time to regroup, but the first 100 days are considered crucial to enacting a new president's agenda. One month in, here's a look at some of the movement Trump has made.

Health care

Trump made no mention in his inaugural address of repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act, despite its being a cherished Republican priority. Yet the future of the ACA, or "Obamacare," may end up as the defining policy fight of Trump's presidency. Republican hopes for rapid repeal have been deflated by intraparty disagreements on policy and procedure.

Speaker of the House Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) (3rd L) speaks as (L-R) House Republican Conference Chair Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), House Majority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Rep. Diane Black (R-TN) and House Majority Whip Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) listen during a news briefing after the weekly GOP Conference meeting January 10, 2017 at the Capitol in Washington, DC. The House Republicans discussed the repealing of the Affordable Care Act. Getty Images

House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin, says legislation is imminent that would partly repeal and at least partly replace the ACA. But details are scarce, and there's a widening divide between conservatives, who want a cheaper replacement that would likely cover fewer people, and moderates (especially in the Senate) who are reluctant to adopt changes that would take Medicaid or private insurance from those who have obtained it under the law. Part of the problem is that Trump's own orders have been unclear. He initially said he would release his own plan that would include "insurance for everybody" and "much lower deductibles," but so far Congress is taking the lead. Trump said at his news conference to expect an "initial plan" in March, without specifying its origin. It's not yet clear whether he'll intervene if Republican leaders produce legislation that falls short of his coverage goals or violates his pledge not to cut Medicaid spending, which looks especially likely in the House. In the meantime, ACA exchanges are troubled as more insurers pull out, and delays in naming a replacement plan could spook companies further. Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price has taken some steps to try to stabilize the market while the administration works out a replacement.

Immigration and refugees

The Trump administration moved quickly to implement a version of Trump's pledge to enact "extreme vetting" of travelers and a freeze on refugees from countries that pose "security concerns"  a climbdown from his initial proposal to ban all Muslim travel to the United States, which almost no Republican official supported. The confusing rollout of the executive order ended up trapping permanent U.S. residents at airports and generating widespread protests. It was blocked by the courts, which prompted an enraged response from the president. Trump has since said he plans to issue a new order rather than continue to defend the original one in court. But there's been other movement on immigration, too. Trump issued executive orders to build his signature wall along the Mexican border, cut funding to so-called sanctuary cities and expand deportations. The Homeland Security Department is considering further directives that could authorize officials to detain and deport certain undocumented immigrants more quickly.

Protestors gather at the Milwaukee County Courthouse where they attend a rally against President Donald Trumps policy on immigration February 13, 2017 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Getty Images

The wall, which would require funding from Congress, faces a variety of legal and logistical hurdles, and it's not clear that the White House has much leverage over local governments. But the administration's order broadening its deportation priorities beyond serious criminals might already be having an impact. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials say recent raids and arrests are in line with policies under Obama, but immigration activists say Trump's orders are spurring authorities to go further. In one case, a mother of two children who are U.S. citizens was arrested and deported, even though she had checked in with immigration authorities regularly after a 2008 arrest for using a false Social Security number to work. Other areas are still to be determined. Trump has held off calls from the right to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy, which protects young undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children, but his long-term position is ambiguous. He told reporters "I love these kids" last week, saying the situation was a "very difficult subject" that required "heart," without elaborating on policy details. His stance on legal immigration and foreign work visas is also unclear, and it could pit advisers against one another.

Courts

This is arguably Trump's biggest success so far. His choice of Neil Gorsuch to fill the Supreme Court seat left open by the death of Antonin Scalia earned universal praise from Republicans, and the rollout has been relatively smooth, even if Trump wasn't always happy with the process. Gorsuch hasn't been confirmed yet, however.

Neil Gorsuch Getty Images

Trade

Trade is another area in which Trump has had at least one significant accomplishment: He formally rejected the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which he attacked regularly on the campaign trail. Trump has continued to criticize Mexico for what he claims are unfair trade practices, and he reiterated his demand that Mexico pay for a border wall, which prompted Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto to cancel a planned meeting. At the same time, Trump has suggested that Congress fund construction of a wall immediately, even if no agreement with Mexico is in place. Republican leaders in Congress sound amenable, but there's no legislation yet. The president said at a news conference with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that he still plans to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement, but his primary concerns were with Mexico and not Canada.

Energy

Trump signed executive orders advancing approval of the Dakota Access and Keystone XL pipelines, a departure from Obama administration policy. Smoothing their progress was a popular promise among Republicans during the campaign, but it faces opposition from environmental groups and Native American activists.

Winds whip across Oceti Sakowin Camp as blizzard conditions grip the area around the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation on December 6, 2016 outside Cannon Ball, North Dakota. Native Americans and activists from around the country have been at the camp for several months trying to halt the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline. T Getty Images

There could be more action soon, however. When he was attorney general of Oklahoma, Scott Pruitt, now the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, led lawsuits against the federal government's regulations on emissions tied to climate change. Environmental groups are gearing up for a fight over what they expect to be a major effort to dismantle them. Trump has also questioned climate science and criticized regulations and international agreements surrounding the topic as overly burdensome to business.

Tax reform

Trump campaigned on a pledge to cut taxes, although he was inconsistent on the details and changed plans entirely late in the race. He's identified tax reform as a top priority since winning in November. As with repealing the Affordable Care Act, it's a popular Republican idea on paper, but it's troubled in practice a month into Trump's presidency. And as with health care, Trump has made fairly confusing statements about what he expects from a deal.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump gives a speech outlining his vision for tax reform at his skyscraper on Fifth Avenue on September 28, 2015, in New York City. Getty Images

House Republican leaders want to adopt a new border adjustment tax, which would penalize companies that rely heavily on imported goods, to finance an across-the-board cut in corporate tax rates. Trump criticized the idea shortly before he took office, but he has since indicated that he might be open to it. Manufacturers, whom Trump has emphasized in speeches, like the idea, but big retailers, who rely on cheap goods from abroad to stock their stores, are gearing up for a major campaign to stop it.

Infrastructure

Trump and top advisers like Stephen Bannon have long mentioned infrastructure spending as a top priority to generate jobs and fix crumbling roads, bridges and airports. But so far, there hasn't been much visible movement in Congress. Democrats are usually more enthusiastic about the idea than Republicans, and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York unveiled a $1 trillion plan last month in hope of attracting the White House's attention.

A bridge collapse on Interstate 5 near Mt. Vernon, Washington Getty Images

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, told reporters last week that Republicans still expect to tackle the issue in some form, but he has previously warned the White House against spending too much.

Foreign policy

Nowhere has Trump broken further from mainstream politics than in foreign policy, with even few Republican lawmakers willing to fully endorse his views. Since taking office, Trump has sent mixed messages on his priorities, with a mix of conciliatory moves and more aggressive ones, and world leaders have expressed deep concern about whether he will undermine the current system of alliances and agreements on trade, defense and human rights. Trump has praised the use of torture  even as he says he won't implement it  and he has suggested that he might consider seizing Iraq's oil in the future, which Defense Secretary James Mattis reassured Iraq was not the case in Baghdad this week. Trump is noted for his calls for closer relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom he praised often during the campaign. That story got more attention after Flynn resigned over his discussions with Russia's ambassador to the United States and reports  unconfirmed by NBC News  that several Trump aides had contact with Russian intelligence officials during the campaign.

Vladimir Putin Sergei Ilnitsky | Pool | Reuters
Macy's earnings topped analysts' expectations Tuesday, but its top line fell short as it struggled to get consumers into its stores over the holiday period. The retailer sees tough times persisting during the fiscal year that just began, as shoppers continue to spend more of their money online.

Shares of the chain were roughly flat in afternoon trading, having given up their earlier gains.

Here's how the company did in the fourth quarter:

EPS: $2.02 per share, adjusted, versus $1.96 per share, adjusted, expected by a Thomson Reuters consensus estimate

Revenue: $8.52 billion, versus $8.62 billion expected by Thomson Reuters

Comparable sales: Decline of 3.5 percent, excluding licensed departments, versus a decline of 2.5 percent, excluding licensed departments, expected by FactSet

"While 2016 was not the year we expected, we made significant progress on key initiatives that are starting to bear fruit," CEO Terry Lundgren said in a statement. "These include continued improvement in our digital platforms, the rollout of our new approach to fine jewelry and women's shoes, an increase in exclusive merchandise and the refinement of our clearance and off-price strategy."



Like its department store peers, Macy's has been struggling to attract shoppers who are increasingly spending their money online, at off-price stores, and on traveling and dining out.

The company said last month that sales at its established stores fell 2.1 percent in November and December, which was at the low end of its previous guidance. That decline was despite easy comparisons from the previous holiday period when unseasonably warm weather kept shoppers from splurging on winter apparel.

Macy's earnings per share also declined during the fiscal fourth quarter, falling from $2.09 a year earlier.

The department store is taking a number of steps to try to restore its prior sales growth and profitability. On the retail side, these initiatives include expanding its Bluemercury and Backstage businesses.

The chain is also testing some ways it could reduce its reliance on coupons, which have dented its margins. Hoguet emphasized the company would proceed slowly with any changes to its promotional strategy.

As J.C. Penney learned under the leadership of Ron Johnson, moving too quickly away from promotions could alienate discount-seeking shoppers and deliver a blow to the business.

"You will hear more on this subject as we move forward," Hoguet said.

On the real estate side, Macy's reiterated that it still plans to close another 34 stores or so over the next few years. In January, the company released a list of 68 stores that it plans to close, saying it eventually planned to reach 100.

The chain is meanwhile working to boost its value by selling off some of the flagship locations it owns. Macy's has been under pressure from activist investor Starboard to make money off its vast real estate empire.

"I think [Starboard], like our other investors, they want to see our stock price go up. And so do we. We're all aligned in this regard," Lundgren told CNBC Tuesday.

Adding to uncertainties about the chain, reports surfaced earlier this month saying Hudson's Bay had approached Macy's regarding a takeover. Neither company has confirmed the validity of those reports.

"You've heard and talked about the rumors of somebody buying us, and you've probably also heard we're buying them," Lundgren said. "What I can tell you is we're going to do the right thing for our shareholders. We're not going to be a highly-leveraged retailer because those movies never turn out well. We've seen that before."

Lundgren will step down March 23 but continue on as executive chairman. He will be succeeded by Jeff Gennette, who was named Macy's president in 2014.

During the fiscal year that just kicked off, Macy's projects comparable sales excluding licensed departments will fall between 2.2 percent and 3.3. percent. Analysts had been forecasting a decline of 2.2 percent.

However, the department store said it expects sales to decrease between 3.2 percent and 4.3 percent due to store closures. Analysts had been calling for a decline of 4.1 percent.

The company also said it expects adjusted earnings per share to be between $3.37 and $3.62 a share in fiscal 2017, excluding the impact of expected settlement charges related to the company's defined benefit plans.

However, when excluding for an expected fourth-quarter gain on the planned sale of the Union Square Men's building in San Francisco and the settlement charges, Macy's should earn between $2.90 and $3.15 a share in fiscal 2017.

In fiscal 2016, Macy's generated $673 million in cash from asset sales, $209 million of which has been booked.

Correction: This story has been corrected to reflect Macy's beat analysts' earnings expectations.




Martin Shkreli, chief executive officer of Turing Pharmaceuticals LLC, center, and attorney Evan Greebel, left, exit federal court in New York, on Thursday, Dec. 17, 2015.

"Nothing has been able to stop  and nothing will be able to stop  Mr. Shkreli from trying to turn this trial into a circus as part of a deliberate strategy to obtain jury nullification rather than have the jury focus on and carefully consider the evidence," said the filing by Greebel's lawyers.

Those lawyers go on to say that the "bizarre, one-of-a-kind spectacle" that Shkreli has created since his arrest  which includes trolling Hillary Clinton, journalists, women, celebrities and government officials  is an intentional effort to "become more polarizing" among the public and potential jurors for his trial so that he will win acquittal.

In addition, Shkreli, 33, has a long-term pattern and practice of blaming others for his own misconduct, according to criminal defense lawyers for his co-defendant, Evan Greebel.

In scathing new court filings seeking to be tried separately from Shkreli, the former corporate lawyer for Shkreli's company claims the pharma bro's chronic lies included misleading his own business lawyers  and also said he used them as unwitting "pawns" in his "fraudulent schemes."

Accused securities scammer Martin Shkreli's co-defendant said Shkreli is a serial liar who "is guilty of committing fraud"  and is creating a media "circus" to distract jurors from the evidence against him.

The term jury nullification refers to when jurors acquit a defendant even when they believe he is guilty of charged crimes.

The sensational allegations are contained in documents filed in federal court in Brooklyn, New York.

The two men face an upcoming trial in that court on charges they conspired to loot a drug company that Shkreli founded, Retrophin , out of millions of dollars, in part to pay off investors that Shkreli was accused of defrauding at hedge funds that he ran.

Shkreli's lawyer Benjamin Brafman also has filed a new motion to sever the trials, citing the dueling versions of reality offered by the two men.

In that new motion, Brafman wrote that "Martin Shkreli maintains his complete innocence."

"The evidence will show that he did not defraud, steal, lie, or cheat anyone out of money, and that he devoted his best efforts to bringing value to his investors," Brafman wrote.

Brafman said that Greebel's argument about being misled by Shkreli is "patently unfounded and flatly contradicted by the written communications between Shkreli and Greebel as well as other evidence."

Greebel's defense, according to Brafman, is "unfortunate, disingenuous and unfounded."

Brafman told CNBC in a statement, "We believe that it would be quite impossible for either Defendant to get a fair trial if tried together."

"As for Greebel's efforts to try and distance himself from Martin's legal issues, the fact is that Greebel and his firm billed Martin almost $10 million for legal advice during the very period in question," Brafman said in an email. "If not giving him counsel, he should return the money!"

The accusations in the pending criminal case are unrelated to the controversy that first brought Shkreli national notoriety: his having hiked the price of an antiparasite drug by more than 5,000 percent after acquiring it for his other company, Turing Pharmaceuticals.

Greebel is accused of two criminal counts: conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit securities fraud. Shkreli is accused of those counts, as well as six others.

Shkreli has pleaded not guilty to the charges, as has Greebel. Greebel's filing notes that the two men disagree about whether Greebel was Shkreli's lawyer  as Shkreli claims  or solely counsel for Retrophin, as Greebel says.

Shkreli's criminal defense lawyers said they will, at trial, mount a so-called reliance on counsel defense. That means Shkreli will claim he is innocent because his alleged criminal actions were committed after his own civil lawyers told them they were legal.

In his filing for Shkreli, Brafman noted the large legal fees paid Evan Greebel and his law firm, and also says that Shkreli spoke and emailed with Greebel and other lawyers "virtually every day, often dozens of times per day," on every topic facing Shkreli's business. The filing cited "tens of thousands of emails" between Shkreli and Greebel.

"Greebel provided legal advice and insight to Shkreli, which Shkreli followed faithfully," Brafman wrote. "Because Shkreli relied closely on his experienced legal counsel and other attorneys at the firm, Shkreli has a valid 'reliance on counsel' defense."

In their own new legal filing, Greebel's lawyers argue that having him tried with Shkreli would seriously compromise his right to a fair trial, particularly since the two men "have mutually antagonistic and irreconcilable defenses."

The filing said that because of those dueling defenses, "there will be no realistic way for a jury to find both defendants not guilty."

"We will be arguing to the jury that, among other things, Mr. Shkreli is guilty of committing fraud and that Mr. Greebel is not guilty of the charges against him," wrote Greebel's lawyer Reed Brodsky.

In a related document, Brodsky wrote, "United States v. Martin Shkreli and Evan Greebel is the quintessential case that requires severance."

"We will present strong evidence that Mr. Shkreli repeatedly lied to, misled, and omitted material information from Mr. Greebel and other attorneys at Katten Muchin Rosenman," Brodsky wrote, reffering to Greebel's former law firm.

"Indeed, we will demonstrate that Mr. Greebel was an unknowing pawn in a fraud about which Mr. Greebel was unaware," Brodsky wrote.

"We will also demonstrate ... that Mr. Shkreli is seeking to have Mr. Greebel found responsible for his own misconduct in the same way that, over the years, he has repeatedly shifted the blame for himself to anyone and everyone around him."

The filing said that Greebel's lawyers will also argue that Shkreli told third-parties that he had obtained legal advice from Greebel and other lawyers at Katten Muchin when he actually had not received any such counsel.

The filing lists several examples of Shkreli allegedly lying, including one instance in which Shkreli told Greebel that a former Retrophin director was making an "equity investment" in the company, when in fact that man was making a loan to Retrophin.

Brodsky also wrote that, "If asked whether during the period from 2011 through 2014, how Mr. Greebel has come to learn that Mr. Shkreli lied to him, I anticipate that Mr. Greebel would answer that he discovered these lies from his review of documents produced in discovery in this case that he had never seen before prior to the charges filed against him."

The filing for Greebel's motion for severance notes that he comes "from a long line of attorneys going back at least three generations, including his father and grandfather."

"He is a family man, husband, and father of three young children," the filing said.

"The dichotomy between the charged codefendants is stark."

The filing said that Shkreli has a "plan of creating chaos to distract the jury's attention away from the evidence and obtain jury nullification."

"Unlike any other case that we have been able to identify in history, Mr. Shkreli has a stated plan  corroborated by his repeated post-arrest actions  to disrupt the criminal trial, instill confusion, taint the jury, and apparently seek jury nullification," court documents argue.

Greebel's lawyers argue that because of Shkreli's notoriety, as well as his post-arrest actions and statements, "Mr. Greebel will be deprived of his right to a fair trial."

Their filing argues that while Shkreli has an "extraordinary amount of negative notoriety," Greebel "has absolutely no notoriety."

The filing notes that Shkreli, in a Financial Times interview last November, admitted to having a plan "to make the case 'more polarizing and popular' by creating a circus-like atmosphere and encouraging hostile publicity."



"And he admitted that his goal is to create the same kind of chaos that surrounded the OJ Simpson, Casey Anthony and Sean 'P Diddy' [C]ombs trials to obtain an acquittal as the defendants did in those cases," the filing said.

The Financial Times quoted Shkreli as saying, "I have this fringe theory that I've sort of stress-tested a little bit  the more polarizing and popular a case is, the more likely an acquittal," the filing noted.

After citing the Simpson, Anthony, and Combs' acquittals, Shkreli said, "What's fascinating for all these cases? They were all widely seen to be guilty," the filing noted.



Greebel's lawyers argued in their filing that "as part of his calculated effort to become 'more polarizing,' Mr. Shkreli has engaged and continues to engage an almost-daily, if not hourly, basis in deeply offensive attacks on women, the media, public figures and government officials."

An attached exhibit, the filing noted, identifies about "75 examples of news articles, social media reports and video and audio recordings" that reflect "Shkreli's ongoing and deliberate efforts since his arrest to spread hate and hostility."

The filing said that Shkreli's attacks "on women have been extreme, hostile, and unrelenting."

Among them, the filing noted, is Shkreli saying on an online live-stream two days after his arrests that "he would let pop star Taylor Swift listen to an unreleased Wu-Tang Clan album he owns 'in exchange for sexual favors.' "

Shkreli also tweeted on Election Day last fall that he was the "new right-wing boyfriend" of pop star Katy Perry after she tweeted that she was going to cry about the presidential election results.

"Most recently, Mr. Shkreli sexually harassed a married Teen Vogue writer, inviting her to attend the presidential inauguration with him and flooding his Twitter feed with engineered photographs of them together on which he emblazoned ' 'Till Death Do Us Part,' " the filing said.



Shkreli has also "taunted Stephen Colbert with a homophobic slur," and taunted and heckled Hillary Clinton outside her daughter's home after she became ill at a Sept. 11 memorial event last year.

In his own filings, Shkreli's lawyer Brafman painted a picture of Shkreli as a child of "working-class Albanian parents," who was "raised in a modest Brooklyn apartment."

While attending Hunter College High School, "his brilliance and ambition were obvious," the filing said.

The filing goes on to say that while working in a mail room of a hedge fund founded by CNBC's Jim Cramer "[Shkreli] showed a knack for understanding biotech stocks," and had earlier "taught himself the complex chemistry and biology necessary to learn why certain drugs are effective and why others fail."
An employee works in a lab at Momenta Pharmaceuticals in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Shares of U.S. biotechnology company Momenta Pharmaceuticals  plunged on Tuesday after the firm said Pfizer , a key supplier for its multiple sclerosis drug, has received a warning letter from the Food and Drug Administration.

Momenta's stock shed 15.5 percent on Tuesday, ending the day at $16.05 per share.



In a release on Friday, the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based company said that Pfizer has indicated that the letter does not restrict the production or shipment of the 20 mg dose of Glatopa, a product that is currently marketed by partner Sandoz in the U.S.

The approval of Glatopa 40 mg, ANDA, will be dependent on the resolution of Pfizer facility compliance issues.

"We are fully committed to work with Sandoz and Pfizer to resolve the recently announced warning letter," Momenta Pharmaceuticals President and CEO Craig Wheeler said in a statement on Tuesday.

Glatopa is a generic version of Copaxone, an injection by Teva Pharmaceutical used to treat patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis.

The company said approval in the first quarter of 2017 is "unlikely."

The company's announcement came ahead of its better-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings results. The company posted earnings of 60 cents per share on revenue of $34.2 million on Tuesday.

Analysts expected the company to report a loss of 24 cents per share on revenue $22.4 million, according to Thomson Reuters consensus estimates.

Despite Tuesday's losses, the stock is up more than 6 percent year to date.
Here are some of the key stories CNBC is following this hour:

Libya says the bodies of 74 migrants washed ashore in a city on the Mediterranean Sea. The circumstances involving the drowning of the migrants are not yet clear. Migrant deaths have risen to record levels along the Libya-Italy smuggling route.

Italy's taxi drivers staged a sixth day of protests in major cities Tuesday. Demonstrators blocked traffic in central Rome as they pushed the government to crack down on Uber and limousine drivers. Scuffles erupted outside Democratic party headquarters.

Three national monuments in Washington were defaced with graffiti over President's Day weekend, the third major vandalism of memorials in the capital since 2013. The Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, and World War II Memorial were hit sometime between Sunday night and Monday morning.

A Mayo Clinic survey reveals that men and women have different motivations for exercising. It found that women exercise to lose weight while men exercise as a form of recreation. But fewer than half knew what their target heart rate should be.
Here are some of the key stories CNBC is following this hour:

President Trump is denouncing recent threats against Jewish community centers. He made these statements while he was touring the newly-opened National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC.

Two commuter trains crashed outside Philadelphia Tuesday morning. No one was trapped, and there are no reports of life-threatening injuries. The trains were not in service at the time of the crash, reports say.

The popular giant panda, Bow Bow, which was born at the National Zoo in Washington, is moving to China. In grand style, the plane dubbed "The Panda Express" is taking off later Tuesday with Bow Bow on board. She's returning to China to help make more pandas.




Jimmy Kimmel will host, La La Land is likely to win big, and Justin Timberlake and John Legend will perform: these are the things that we know about this Sunday's 89th Academy Awards ceremony. But this isn't just a night for the stars to shine: the Oscars are also a huge opportunity for brands and their marketers. From who will wear what on the red carpet  designer brands work with stylists to dress and accessorize celebrities, even though one brand told CNBC it doesn't know until the night whether their label has been chosen  to which type of tequila gets drunk at the after parties, Brand Oscar is big business.

Alicia Vikander wears a Louis Vuitton dress at the 88th Oscars, in 2016 Matt Petit | Courtesy of AMPAS

CNBC takes a look at some of their marketing efforts this year. The red carpet This year sees Swarovski not only provide crystals for the awards set at the Dolby Theatre, adorning it with thousands of gems, but also launching a collection of "ethical" fine jewelry for the red carpet. It has announced that actors Priyanka Bose (star of "Lion") and Emma Roberts, who appears in the forthcoming "Billionaire Boys Club" movie, will wear pieces from its Atelier Swarovski collection, according to an emailed statement. The brand will collaborate with Red Carpet Green Dress, an organization that runs a competition for designers to create dresses and tuxedos using "environmentally and socially responsible fabrics," according to its website.

Stella Artois has worked with Marchesa on a dress to promote a partnership with Water.org

Meanwhile, Stella Artois is also working on a red carpet outfit to promote its partnership with charity Water.org, according to an online statement. Model and presenter Olivia Culpo will wear the Marchesa-designed dress, featuring glass beads made from Stella chalices during E!'s "Countdown to the Red Carpet" show on Sunday. Stella is also running a three-part "Journey of a Dress" series on E! News' digital network. Brands behind the scenes Swarovski is also a key player inside the theater. Its crystals have adorned the stage set for 10 years, and the brand has worked with production designer Derek McLane for the past five. Last year's set featured more than 110,000 gems.

The stage at the Dolby Theatre at the 2016 Oscars, using Swarovski crystals in a set designed by Derek McLane Scott Diussa | Courtesy of AMPAS

Backstage, Rolex will be exclusive sponsor of the Oscar's green room for the second year running. Last year's featured a "combination of classic style and superlative quality that are the hallmarks of both the Oscars and Rolex," according to an online statement. However the watchmaker would not comment on the cost of its sponsorship, or how it measured the return on its investment when CNBC.com contacted it via email. Rolex has also set up a mentoring program for emerging artists. For those not lucky enough to attend the ceremony, Rolex is sponsoring a party in London, where the event will be live streamed. Guests at the city's Ham Yard hotel will be treated to a midnight feast and espresso martinis. The TV ads Academy Awards broadcaster ABC has sold out of advertising slots during the ceremony, it confirmed to CNBC.com via email. Ad spots are said to cost as much as $2.5 million per 30-second spot, and brands including Adidas, Stella Artois, AT&T, GM, Hyatt, McDonald's, Samsung, Verizon and Walmart are set to advertise during the ceremony. Walmart is the only retail sponsor of the Oscars, and it has worked with Hollywood directors Antoine Fuqua ("Southpaw") and Marc Forster ("Monster's Ball") and "Superbad" creators Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg to produce one-minute films based on six items on a Walmart receipt: bananas, batteries, paper towels, a scooter, wrapping paper and a video baby monitor. A teaser ad is currently running on its YouTube channel, with the full films to be released during the ceremony.

Its sponsorship is part of a multi-year partnership with the Academy, and a way for the brand to be involved in "cultural moments," according to chief marketing officer Tony Rogers. "This campaign is celebrating creativity and storytelling, something our customers do every day. A Walmart receipt tells a story as diverse as the customers who shop with us," he said in an emailed statement. Hyatt, meanwhile, will use its Oscars ad to kick off a global campaign, details of which are yet to be released, while Stella Artois will run its "Buy a Lady a Drink" ad with Matt Damon during the broadcast. The parties Elton John has held Oscars' parties for 25 years, raising funds for his AIDS Foundation. This year's "Viewing Party" guests will eat dinner prepared by Gordon Ramsay while they watch the awards via telecast. Sponsors include jeweler Bulgari and low-calorie beverage brand Neuro Drinks, while Chopin Vodka and Clase Azul Tequila will provide the hard stuff at the event at West Hollywood Park.

Mixologist Charles Joly making a Hilhaven Lodge cocktail
watch now

A pre-election "action plan" released by President Donald Trump listed a plan to renegotiate or withdraw from the North American Free Trade Agreement as the top strategy it will pursue to protect American jobs. But it could be quite some time before a new version of that deal is formally set in motion, according to trade experts. To renegotiate NAFTA, under a law passed in 2015, the White House must open an official 90-day negotiating window with Congress, during which time the legislative and executive branches will debate how the deal should be changed. That hasn't happened yet, according to congressional aides with knowledge of the process. The White House is, however, pursuing informal negotiations, as evidenced by a meeting with leadership from the Senate Finance Committee and House Ways & Means Committee in early February. Press secretary Sean Spicer called the group  which included chief strategist Steve Bannon, presidential adviser Jared Kushner and the then-unconfirmed Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross  an "all-star team" that would "chart the future of U.S. trade policy."

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer directs trucks entering the United States from Mexico through the Otay Mesa Port of Entry in San Diego, California. David Maung | Bloomberg | Getty Images

"The fact that the President met with Congressional leaders on Feb. 2 and discussed NAFTA renegotiation does not mean the U.S. clock has started," according to Ambassador Carla Hills, the primary NAFTA negotiator as U.S. Trade Representative under George H.W. Bush. A senior Trump administration official called that meeting informal, saying the White House would pursue substantive changes in the deal through "proper channels." In the meantime, aides for the House Ways & Means committee and the Senate Finance committee  the groups with jurisdiction to rework trade agreements  told CNBC they had not received communication from the White House to do so before recess began this week. The purpose of the 90-day period is to allow the Administration and Congress to "develop common goals," according to Ambassador Miriam Sapiro, a former deputy U.S. trade representative under President Barack Obama who today is with public relations firm Finsbury.

Mexico begins 'contingency plans'
President Donald Trump on Tuesday condemned anti-Semitism in his strongest terms so far after criticism that he failed to respond specifically to recent threats at Jewish community centers.

"I will tell you that anti-Semitism is horrible, and it's going to stop and it has to stop," Trump told MSNBC in an exclusive interview, saying he denounces prejudice "wherever I can."

The statement comes amid a wave of threats to Jewish community centers around the country. Federal authorities were investigating threats made to 10 facilities on Monday, according to NBC News. No one was injured and the calls appear to be hoaxes, NBC said.

Trump faced criticism for his recent responses to questions about Jewish community centers getting targeted in the U.S. At a press conference last week, Trump denied that he is personally anti-Semitic but did not explicitly condemn threats against the centers. He told a reporter that his question about the threats was unfair and appeared to think that he was accused personally of anti-Semitic behavior, though the reporter's question did not suggest that.

He also failed to denounce threats in last week's joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Trump later condemned anti-Semitism in a statement following his tour of the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington.

"The anti-Semitic threats targeting our Jewish community and community centers are horrible and are painful and a very sad reminder of the work that still must be done to root out hate

and prejudice and evil," Trump told reporters.

In one instance, vandals toppled headstones of about 170 graves at a historic Jewish cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri.

Asked Tuesday why Trump did not explicitly denounce the threats when he was given a chance last week, White House press secretary Sean Spicer argued that Trump has "been very clear over and over" about his administration's push for unity. He said that Trump may not need to respond to every incident because "he's spoken very forcefully" against prejudice.

 Reuters contributed to this report
Then-Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump holds a sign supporting coal during a rally at Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., on Oct. 10, 2016.

President Donald Trump plans to sign executive orders to revise Obama-era initiatives on carbon emissions from power plants, coal mining on federal land and government authority over bodies of water, The Washington Post reports.

The story cites individuals briefed on the proposals and adds new details to previous reports on efforts by the Trump administration to shake up the Environmental Protection Agency's climate change efforts through executive action.

The efforts will take some time to implement and are likely to draw legal challenges.

The Post reports Trump will order the EPA to rewrite the Clean Power Plan, a core part of President Barack Obama's efforts to reduce the country's greenhouse gas emissions and meet its commitments to the Paris Agreement, an international accord aimed at moderating the impacts of climate change.

The rule requires states to devise plans to significantly cut carbon emissions from power plants and was expected to impact coal-fired plants in particular. The Supreme Court delayed implementation as the U.S. District Court considers legal challenges to the rule.
Tyson Foods signage is displayed on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on Monday, Nov. 21, 2016.

In his first televised interview as CEO of Tyson Foods , Tom Hayes told "Squawk on the Street" that the U.S. Security and Exchange Commission's probe is based on an unfounded lawsuit.

"So the SEC is investigating, is reviewing, because there's an underlying case, an antitrust case, that is baseless," he said. "And really, plaintiffs' lawyers, grasping at straws, grasping at straws. And for us, [the antritust cases are] noise, but it'll last some time."

Speaking to CNBC in Boca Raton, Florida, for the annual Consumer Analyst Group of New York Conference, Hayes said there's still a lot of good news. The company just announced that it will make its flagship poultry products antibiotic free, allowing it to potentially boost profit margins. And investors, he says, are on board with the company's moves.

"We're the only company in the last three weeks against our major competition that's actually growing volume," Hayes told CNBC. "So they're excited about our growth story, they're really coming along with us and that's been the exciting part of our story today."

And on President Donald Trump, Hayes seemed optimistic. Tyson, he says, doesn't export a lot to Mexico. While he refused to take a stance on Trump's immigration order, he did say that Tyson has many immigrant employees and is working to provide support for them.

"We haven't taken a stance [on President Trump's immigration order]," he told "Squawk on the Street." "Our view is we want to make sure Tyson is right."

CORRECTION: This story has been updated to reflect the proper text of Tyson Foods CEO Tom Hayes' quote about grasping at straws.
Wells Fargo said Tuesday that it has terminated four senior managers based on its board of directors' ongoing independent investigation into the bank's sales practices.



In a release, the Wells Fargo said four current or former senior managers in community banking have been terminated.

 Claudia Russ Anderson  former community bank chief risk officer

 Pamela Conboy  Arizona lead regional president

 Shelley Freeman  former Los Angeles regional president (now head of consumer credit solutions)

 Matthew Raphaelson  head of community bank strategy and initiatives

The board met in January and discussed withholding bonuses for senior executives, including Chief Executive Timothy Sloan and Chief Financial Officer John Shrewsberry, The Wall Street Journal had reported.

These terminations follow the bank being fined $185 million by regulators including the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau over fraudulent accounts for some 2 million customers.

The practice known as cross-selling created scandalous headlines and shook investor confidence.

The bank fired more than 5,000 staffers over a five-year period after reviewing the credit card and checking accounts for which it "could not rule out the possibility that an account was unauthorized."

Wells Fargo later expressed regret and said it would take full responsibility for "any instances where customers may have received a product that they did not request."

Sloan, on the company's fourth-quarter earnings conference call last month, said the company continues to work to rehabilitate its image.

"We are leaving no stone unturned so that we can emerge from this a better, stronger company," Sloan said.

The executives listed on Tuesday will not receive a bonus for 2016 and they will forfeit all of their unvested equity awards and vested outstanding options, the bank said.

The board said findings are expected before its 2017 annual meeting.

 Reuters and CNBC's Jeff Cox contributed to this report.


The growth in nonbank lending is truly staggering, from just 10 percent of the mortgage origination market in 2010 to half of it today, according to Inside Mortgage Finance. Its share is dominant in government-insured lending by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), which was particularly aggressive in holding big banks accountable for any mistakes in loan underwriting.

Paul Miller, a banking analyst at FBR Capital Markets, said he believes big banks will return to the market, "but they will need solid protections on reps and warrants"  the financial due diligence that's done on both sides of the transaction before a deal can close. He added that banks will also need rules concerning the ability to repay bad loans to be relaxed.

The revolution went largely unchallenged, but that may be about to change if the Trump administration removes regulations on the big banks and stops sending bad loans back to the banks for repayment. Deregulation would open the door for big banks to move back in.

For the past six years, there has been a quiet revolution in the mortgage market: Big banks like JPMorgan , Bank of America and Citibank have moved out and nonbank lenders such as Quicken, loanDepot and Caliber Home Loans have moved in  in a big way.

FHA loans are riskier by definition because they require just a 3.5 percent down payment. The big banks moved out of FHA loans almost entirely. Banks that are still in the market are much less competitive in pricing and have therefore dropped in market share.

With the exception of Wells Fargo , which is the largest mortgage lender by a wide margin, big banks have become far less competitive in the overall mortgage market because they have had to shell out billions of dollars in fines and legal settlements resulting from the financial crisis.

"It's become very unattractive from a regulatory perspective," Josh Rosner, managing director at Graham Fisher, said in an interview on CNBC's "Sqawk Box."

Big banks also continue to bear the brunt of mistakes in underwriting and, as a result, protect themselves by charging slightly more for home loans. Wells Fargo declined requests for a comment on potential deregulation.

The Trump administration has not put forward any specifics yet, but the banking sector is expecting changes in some of the more stringent rules put on mortgage lending following the financial crisis. If deregulation happens, nonbank lenders who were able to grow market share so easily will face tougher competition.

"I fully expect that the banks will also step up their exposure to lending a lot more, and I expect it to be more from the regional banks than from the major banks in terms of the sequencing of how lending will grow," said Sanjiv Das, CEO of Texas-based Caliber Home Loans.

Das headed Citigroup's CitiMortgage unit from 2008 to 2013 during the worst of the housing and mortgage crisis. Caliber has been one of the first lenders to begin offering loans to borrowers with less-than-perfect credit. Das said even with deregulation, he believes nonbank lenders will still have the edge.

"The independent lender will continue down the path of continuing to gain market share because they are substantially more nimble and more focused," said Das.

Nonbanks are subject to all Dodd-Frank consumer protections, and they mostly sell their loans to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, so they are subject to strict underwriting rules. The same with FHA, which nonbanks have moved into the most. Deregulation could create more competition, but, at the same time, it could grow the mortgage business as a whole.

"I think it will benefit us because what I think it's going to do is provide a higher level of volume, so I think industry growth overall is going to be good for the industry and for the consumer," said Anthony Hsieh, CEO of loanDepot, a nonbank lender. "We are prepared for any direction that the new administration would want to take, but certainly I think providing more available credit to the country really is a good direction."

The government still provides 90-plus percent of mortgage financing, with Fannie, Freddie, FHA and Veterans Administration loans. That is expected to change in the new administration, and new regulations on the capital coming into the market will change along with that. Smaller regional banks will surely want to take advantage, even if the big banks hold back.

"I don't expect a lot of competition from the super big lenders, but I do expect that the regional banks will step up their exposure to lending a lot more because the U.S. consumer is still very strong, home buying is very strong, and everyone has to show growth for their shareholders and investors," said Caliber Home's Das.

Unfortunately for all lenders, rising mortgage rates will take overall mortgage origination volume down in 2017, deregulation or not. Refinance volume is already at half the level it was one year ago, and while home sales are expected to rise very slightly, that will not make up for the huge downshift in refinancing.


ROME, N.Y.  Mohawk Valley Community College (MVCC) recently formally opened its Rome campus, completing a $30 million renovation that started in June 2015.

Officials held a ribbon cutting in the Plumley Complex atrium at 1101 Floyd Ave. on Feb. 10, the college said in a news release.

The renovation work included the addition of 48,000 square feet on the Plumley Complex with two wings on either side of the building.

Crews also updated classroom space with equipment to allow for expansion of programs that include educational interpreting, surgical technician, unmanned aerial systems, cybersecurity, and STEM programs. STEM is short for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Crews also merged the library and learning center into a Learning Commons, which includes four group-study rooms, a conference room, a computer lab, math and writing labs, a testing center, and tutoring stations.

The work also included the addition of a dining room and an update of the kitchens and cooking labs for the hospitality programs.

The renovations also included the addition of a 120-person community-event room, and improvements to the parking and quad areas, along with the building entrances, MVCC said.

MVCC described the renovation work as a collaboration with both Oneida County and New York State.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com
Types of obituaries

The Missourian publishes two types of obituaries  family obituaries and life stories.

A family obituary is the version submitted by a funeral home or family. Please see the submission form for details on cost and deadlines. Family obituaries

A life story is a closer look at a person's life and involves a reporter contacting family and friends. Life stories are based on newsworthiness and consent of the family. Life stories.
What did Eli Drinkwitz say after Missouri's game vs. Kentucky?
At least 10 U.S. lawmakers have written University of California officials about their plan to move IT jobs offshore. It has been called it "ill-advised" and "dangerous," and some have demanded its reversal. But the letters have had no apparent impact, and employees are slated to be laid off Feb. 28.

The next step in the fight is legislation.

[ Discuss this story. Join our H-1B/Outsourcing group on Facebook. ]

California Assembly member Kevin McCarty, (D-Sacramento), introduced a bill (AB 848) Thursday in the state legislature that's backed by university unions. It would require the University of California and California State University to certify that any contracted work "will be performed solely with workers within the United States."

McCarty's legislation may be too late to help the University of California-San Francisco (UCSF) IT employees scheduled to lose their jobs this month. But it could stop the loss of other IT jobs across the university system.

The agreement UCSF signed with IT services contractor India-based HCL can be used at other campuses, potentially putting hundreds of other IT jobs at risk.

UCSF is laying off about 50 full-time IT workers, plus contractors, and is eliminating vacant posts. Nearly 100 positions will be affected all together. School servers, which were outsourced to a Dell facility in Washington state, will remain in the U.S. But the systems will be accessed by workers overseas, a university official has said.

McCarty notes in his bill that this action has precedent. In 2012, California approved legislation ((AB 2508)) prohibiting the offshore outsourcing of call centers that administered state public benefits program. It was signed into law by the Gov. Jerry Brown, who is still in office.

McCarty's legislation is backed by unions affiliated with university employees, including the University Professional and Technical Employees, a Communications Workers of America local.

"This bill is important as we put a stop to this nonsense," said Kurt Ho, one of the affected IT employees at UCSF. He said U.S. taxes should be used to create jobs in the U.S., not in other countries.

UCSF has said that its $50 million, five-year contract with HCL will save it $30 million. University officials have blamed cutbacks in state assistance and rising healthcare costs for the decision.

But the university is a publicly supported institution, and the outsourcing move has prompted a backlash from lawmakers.

The complaints have arrived in letters written over the last several months and sent to Janet Napolitano, the UC president. They discuss the appropriateness of a public institution sending jobs overseas, and question the role of H-1B visa workers in this shift.

Originally, Labor Condition Application notices were posted at UCSF, indicating plans to bring in H-1B workers. Computerworld received copies of the notices. But the university said that none of the workers is being replaced by H-1B visa holders. This does not remove the H-1B visa use from the discussion. While HCL is far from the largest user of H-1B visa workers, it is in the top 10.

Offshore outsourcing firms are the major users of H-1B visa workers, and increasing numbers of lawmakers say it was never the intent of the program to facilitate offshore outsourcing. "Generally speaking, the H-1B program should never be used to cost U.S. citizens their jobs," wrote U.S. Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.).

Another issue involves the use of public monies to offshore jobs. "I believe that California tax dollars should be used to support high-quality jobs in our state," wrote U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.).

In a joint letter, U.S. Reps. Mark DeSaulnier (D-Calif.) and Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) wrote: "This move has potential negative consequences not only on jobs and the local economy, but calls into question the responsibilities of public institutions that receive taxpayer funding."

U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), after originally sending the IT workers a form letter that her spokeswoman acknowledged was a mistake, followed up with something stronger.

"I understand that UCSF may need to cut costs for a number of reasons, but I firmly believe that this is not the way to do it," Feinstein wrote to Napolitano. "I urge you to address any budget issues without outsourcing domestic jobs to foreign workers and reconsider the decision to contract with a foreign firm for labor currently being performed by Californians," she wrote.

U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) said: "This decision would set a dangerous precedent that could be used at other campuses, and other institutions, to erode the American workforce."

U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa,) the chair of the Judiciary Committee, fired off a long list of questions to university officials, while House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) called the outsourcing decision "ill-advised."

U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.)., told the university its plan "should be reversed," as did U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.).

And the UCSF faculty association argued that it was wrong for publicly funded institution to ship jobs overseas.

"We ask that you immediately rescind this outsourcing of IT services, both because it is not appropriate for a university operating with a majority of its funds coming from public sources to abrogate its responsibility to the public and because the quality of the IT work done will be compromised when workers are not be on-site, indeed may be outside the country," wrote Edward Yelin, a professor of medicine and health policy at UCSF and chair of the UCSF faculty association.
Day two of the Lords debate on the Brexit Bill, and a hundred speakers to go. Can anyone have the strength to listen to all ten hours of this?

Especially as ones attention is drawn to the distressing sight of Lord Humbug, embedded in a row of more distinguished figures. As plain Henry Humbug MP he played a forgotten, but for a day or two vaguely significant, role in a Tory leadership campaign towards the end of the last century.

Humbug has his reward, but looks 20 years older. It occurs to us that he actually is 20 years older. Worse than that, he looks at deaths door, and can hardly totter to his place. What an emblem of mortality, and of the vanity of human wishes.

We did not enjoy listening to Humbug in the Commons, and will avoid his contribution this afternoon in the Lords, but for a moment we feel a twinge of pity for the self-important old fool.

Lord Willoughby de Broke, who with Lords Pearson and Stevens makes up the UKIP contingent in the Upper House, congratulated Theresa May on her Lancaster House speech: It was a transformational speech, it was actually my Lords a UKIP speech.

If he is right, what need is there for UKIP?

The most emotional contributions at the start of the debate came from bereaved members of the losing side. Lord Liddle, a Labour peer who used to advise Tony Blair on European matters, expressed terrible sadness at the referendum result: I hang my head in shame.

He denounced the present leader, Jeremy Corbyn, for never being a European true believer and for leading Labour MPs into the division lobbies alongside a right-wing Tory government dancing to Iain Duncan Smiths tune.

Liddle added that Keir Hardie never flinched in the face of the jingoists and imperialists, but declined to express an opinion about Sir Keir Starmer, who currently leads for Labour on Brexit.

Baroness Kennedy of the Shaws  the barrister Helena Kennedy  said their grandchildren would want to know: Did you dance to the tune of the Daily Mail? She urged her fellow peers to say: Not in our name!

Lord Lisvane, who as Sir Robert Rogers was Clerk of the House of Commons, warned with lucid authority of the risk that Brexit, if mishandled by Parliament, could lead to a major transfer of power to the Executive. His speech deserves to read in Hansard.

Baroness Kramer, one of the large contingent of Lib Dem peers, claimed in the urgent tone she would have employed in an emergency debate at the Lib Dem conference that the financial services industry was in danger.

But Viscount Trenchard calmed peers by recalling that when he represented Kleinwort Benson in Japan, it derived its standing from the fact it was a British firm, headquartered in London, and this had nothing to do with being a member of the EU.

Baroness Altmann, who served as Pensions Minister, warned that MPs risk rushing headlong into lighting the fuse of a two-year time-bomb, and urged them not to lead the country over a cliff-edge without taking care to put in strong safety nets.

Danger, mixed metaphors ahead! But perhaps leaving the European Union is not a manoeuvre that can very usefully be compared to taking out a pension plan.
Could the Conservatives win the Stoke Central by-election? This was the question posed after Theresa Mays visit yesterday to the constituency.

Until recently, it would have seemed absurd to ask whether Labour could lose Thursdays poll to the Tories. If anyone presented a threat, it was surely UKIP.

But in the course of several dozen conversations with voters in Stoke yesterday, it became clear that the dissolution of tribal loyalties, and indeed of tribal hatreds, no longer favours UKIP.

It has instead created a confused and volatile situation, in which many people who once gave unquestioning support to Labour are not sure who if anyone they will support on Thursday.

At the 2015 general election, Tristram Hunt held the seat with just under 40 per cent of the vote, but a majority of 5,000 over UKIP and the Conservatives, each of whom polled 7,000 votes.

The turnout was 50 per cent, and on Thursday will be much lower. Young voters yesterday expressed a total lack of interest in the by-election, saying things like I dont know anything about it and I dont do anything to do with politics. Perhaps the decline of tribalism  which modern-minded people regard as an unmitigated good  will lead to sharply declining participation in politics.

Several things are, however, clear from talking to the middle-aged and the elderly. No one expressed regret that Britain is leaving the European Union: in Stoke, that is a source of general satisfaction.

Many people also expressed strong opposition to immigration. Some volunteered their particular opposition to the admission of child refugees from Syria.

Given these opinions, it is perhaps not surprising that the only party leader for whom widespread admiration was expressed was May, for she is implementing Brexit and is determined to reduce immigration.

Jeremy Corbyn is regarded with disfavour, Tony Blair with grave irritation, but the UKIP leader, Paul Nuttall, who is also the partys candidate in Stoke, was often referred to in even more unflattering terms. He has had an unhappy campaign, with each day bringing some fresh embarrassment.

His false claims about the Hillsborough disaster have the additional drawback for UKIP of advertising to the people of Stoke the fact that he is from Merseyside.

At Stoke station, the traveller is greeted by a statue of Josiah Wedgwood (1730-95), holding one of his pots. And fresh off the London train were two Labour MPs, Ed Miliband and Jack Dromey, while a Conservative MP, David Rutley, appeared outside the station, waiting for a lift.

Amber Rudd, Philip Hammond, Chris Grayling, Nick Gibb and David Gauke are among the Conservatives who have recently visited Stoke.

Walking in to the city centre, I met a Labour voter who said: Bring back Harold Wilson! Voters in Stoke seem to be more than usually keen to baffle inquiry by saying things like that.

At UKIPs headquarters, a spokesman said Nuttalls Hillsborough remarks were not as big a problem in Stoke as for the people of Liverpool, and pointed out, with justice, that Labours candidate has suffered his indignities as well. But another UKIP person suggested the Conservatives have, in Jack Brereton, a better and more reliable candidate than either of the other parties.

An unemployed 61-year-old man said of the by-election: Ill be glad when its over. Ive had that many leaflets from each candidate, its ridiculous. He thought UKIP very poor, deeply disapproves of the Conservatives because of the bedroom tax, and is displeased with Hunt, the sitting Labour MP, for doing a runner. But he still thinks he may vote UKIP.

The next people I met were a married couple, Ann and Alan Tranter, who live at Longton, which is one of the six pottery towns but outside Stoke Central. They nevertheless expressed, in vivid form, what many other disillusioned Labour supporters said in a more fragmentary way.

Alan: We definitely vote UKIP. I voted Labour all my life. Never again. Corbyns the main reason. I think Theresa Mays doing a good job. Shes certainly the best leader in the Commons at the moment. Ive never voted Tory.

Ann: I would. I believe shell do what she said.

Alan: Id find it very difficult to vote for the Tories.

Ann: Labour isnt the party it was. And Tony Blair, how he dares to show his face, I dont know. This city has always been Labour, but I dont think we are now.

Alan: Weve got three Labour MPs who voted Remain.

Ann: Which is ridiculous. Blair makes out we dont know our own minds. We know our own minds. No matter what he says, we want out of Europe.

Alan: We didnt want to go in the Common Market in the first place.

Ann: They always said thered be more work in the pots. And what happened? All the pot banks have shut. We had Chinese coming round the pots, copying what we did. I said Im not sitting here showing them what I do. I went to the loo.

Alan: There was 35,000 people working in the pottery industry. Now its down to well under 5,000. We had to go along with all that Common Market rubbish. If Tony Blair came along and offered me a million pounds, I wouldnt change my mind.

A retired foundry worker said of May: Shes better than the last woman Prime Minister. Margaret Thatcher didnt have much empathy for the working class. I think the elections just between two parties here, the Conservatives and UKIP. Labour has no chance, theyre against Brexit. I used to be a Labour voter, but things have changed.

A bricklayer said: Im not interested. Itll be UKIP if I vote for anyone. But it doesnt matter who you vote for, I think Labourll get in. I wonder why weve got a Scouser [Nuttall] trying to represent us. He knocked at my door  I didnt realise who it was  I said, What are you doing round here? Blair was the best Prime Minister we ever had. He banned all smoking in public places.

An Iraqi who has acquired British citizenship said: Labours going to win, but I voted Conservative. But now really I dont want to go to vote. Now I dont trust the politicians. Cameron said he would stop ISIS, he would stop criminals in Iraq and Syria, but he did nothing. ISIS is like cancer. Its coming to Europe. Its coming to everywhere. Honestly, its very, very dangerous.

I returned to the station feeling confused, but here, thank heavens, I met Henry Bellingham, the Conservative MP for North West Norfolk, who had just been out canvassing.

Bellingham said: A lot of the Labour vote that was edging towards UKIP is returning to them and some of the UKIP vote is coming to us. Nuttall is very accident-prone, and hasnt been professional.

In Bellinghams view, the Conservatives have an outside chance in Stoke. But he added that the Labour MPs he met while campaigning in Stoke looked quite cock-a-hoop because the UKIP challenge is fading rapidly.

I agree with Bellingham. It seems to me that although the traditional loyalty of many voters to Labour is dissolving, it is not melting away fast enough to hand victory to the Conservatives. If Nuttall flops on Thursday, he rather than Corbyn could well be the first victim of Stoke. Copeland, of course, could be a different matter.
Sajid Javid is under fire. The Local Government Secretary was already lumbered with the never-popular task of revaluing the nations outdated business rates, to the alarm of various Conservative MPs, but now he is under fire from his colleagues for circulating a letter which they allege fed them distortions and half-truths about the scale of the changes. The Chancellor has hinted that there might be some reliefs available for small businesses, but for now Javid is left hanging in the wind, the target for negative headlines and interviews by his colleagues.

Ministers proposing controversial policies often come in for criticism, perfectly naturally. But Javid seems to be taking particular flak on this occasion.

Part of that is due to the scale of the changes proposed. But theres also a personal element.

Take the letter which has angered so many MPs, for example. Javid wasnt the only signatory  David Gauke, stalwart of the Treasury, also put his name on it. But Gauke is mentioned only in passing, if at all, in the diatribes that have resulted. The Times led its splash with Sajid Javid accused of misleading his own MPs, while The Sun had Cabinet minister Sajid Javid slammed for peddling dodgy figures' and the Mail devoted a leader column to branding him petulant. Theres no suggestion that Gauke bears any greater responsibility for the fiasco than Javid does, but its notable who is getting a drubbing for it.

How did he get into this fix?

Fates like this rarely befall a minister overnight  they normally take a bit of working up to, and so it is in the case of the Local Government Secretary. Ordinarily, a politician under fire can expect support and defence from their supporters and perhaps from a patron. In the last 12 months, Javid has lost protection on both fronts.

Think of where he was a year ago. An ardent Eurosceptic who was also an Ayn Rand-reading libertarian, he had a fan base in certain sectors of the Conservative Party who saw him as a likely Leave supporter and either an inheritor of the Thatcherite economic mantle, the person to bring freedom back into the Tory conversation. Some even considered him a possible future leader  certainly he looked likely to be a wildcard when the leadership race eventually came  and plenty of people were willing to stick their necks out on his behalf.

That grassroots armour was battered away by events. We must take his word that the economic argument persuaded him to support Remain, but if so then he hadnt helped himself by showing more than a little ankle to Leavers before making that decision. In the end, he ended up pleasing neither side by supporting staying in while trying to retain his status as a Brussels basher all the same.

That cooled Eurosceptics enthusiasm, and the Thatcherites were in for the same experience. Despite his enthusiasm for Rand (and the courtroom scene from The Fountainhead in particular), by April he found himself nationalising part of the steel industry. Again, not only did he lose former fans in doing so, but his handling of the Port Talbot storm didnt win him any new ones.

The effect of these two events can be seen in our Cabinet League Table  in January 2016, Javid was fourth with a net approval rating of +73.5, but this month he sits in 15th place, his net approval rating having halved to +38.5.

Even then, he still had a powerful patron in George Osborne. Javid was one of Team George, arrayed around the Cabinet table effectively in waiting for the eventual transition of power. The then-Chancellor had considerable clout (we may yet see in the Brexit process the extent to which he still does)  certainly enough to cast a protective shield around his supporters.

But Osborne isnt in the Treasury any longer  hes on the back benches, quietly carving out a new role for himself under the new management. Without his patronage, and without the backing of the Eurosceptic and Thatcherite parts of the Tory grassroots, Javid has become more vulnerable. Theres no sign that he is going to be sacrificed any time soon, but the experience is an uncomfortable one nevertheless.

As we have previously written, Javid has a crucial job to do  particularly on housing, which will be an essential test of Mays pledge to those just-about managing. To get it done, his position needs to be bolstered.
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Homestead National Monument of America is hosting a week of special programs, activities and cake commemorating the sesquicentennial of Nebraska.

Kicking off Statehood Week will be Omaha World-Herald writer David Hendee who will present a program on his recently published book; Nebraska 150 Years Through 93 Counties. This special presentation will take place Sunday, February 26, 2017 at 2 p.m. at the Homestead Education Center. Following Hendees special program there will be a book signing. Copies of the Hendee book will be available for purchase from the Homestead Bookstores operated by Eastern National. At 1 p.m. prior to Hendees presentation, the film Frontier University Dreams will play. This film is about the University of Nebraska, a land grant university established through the Morrill Act..

On Statehood Day, Wednesday, March 1, starting at 1 p.m. with storyteller Darrin Crow followed by the Homestead Harmonizers at 2 p.m. with the finale of the Beatrice High School Jazz Band at 2:30 p.m. The Harmonizers are a barbershop mens choir that has performed at different venues in Middle America. Storyteller Darrin Crow will share stories from a time when settlers were staking their claims. The Beatrice High School Jazz Band will serenade the audience to wind up the day. Birthday cake, provided by the Friends of Homestead, will also be a part of the afternoons activities!

Thursday and Friday, March 2-3 three storytellers will present stories throughout the day. Joel Gajardo and Rosie Cutter will join Crow in presenting The Heartland Storytelling Festival-Celebrating Nebraskas 150th. Each day during the two day festival stories will be told at 9:30 and 10:30 a.m., 12 noon and again at 1 p.m. Festival goers are welcome to bring lunches for the noon performances.

Sunday, March 5 Joe Starita will present his book; A Warrior of the People. The film Medicine Woman, which was produced by Nebraska Educational Television (NET) will show first at 1 p.m. NET Producer Chris Lesiak will introduce the film. Both Lesiak and Starita jointly give a presentation on the film engaging the public in discussion of it. An autograph session will take place after the program. Both the movie and book will be available for sale in the park bookstores.

All sesquicentennial activities during statehood week will be held at the Homestead Education Center and admission will be free. All activities have been identified as Official Events of the Nebraska Sesquicentennial.

Homesteading played a big part in the development of Nebraska with 45 percent of the state settled through the Homestead Act. Each of Nebraskas 93 Counties had homesteading take place. Today, over 93 million Americans are descendants of homesteaders. Superintendent Mark Engler added: everyone is invited to Homestead National Monument of America and explore this National Park Service site that commemorates the changes brought to Nebraska, our Nation and the World through the Homestead Act. Visiting Homestead is a great way to commemorate Nebraskas Sesquicentennial!

Homestead National Monument of America is a unit of the National Park Service located four miles west of Beatrice, Nebraska and 45 miles south of Lincoln. Hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission is free.
This 10 day road trip in Ireland will show you top sights and provide exciting adventures in the Emerald Isle.

You'll be able to experience lively Dublin, the craggy coastline, famous Irish filming locations, isolated island communities, neolithic burial sites, and medieval ruins.

Along the way, you'll sample some whiskey and a Guinness or two as well as a big Irish breakfast.

This itinerary has been designed for travelers who want the best of Ireland in a compact driving tour.

The timing here is great for those with full time jobs (like us!), as you could leave on a Wednesday night and return 10 days later to have to take only 7 days vacation total.

Ireland is a small country, so you'll be able to dive into the culture, Gaelic language, and history in no time.

Book your rental car, and let's start planning a trip to Ireland in 2022!
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Neighbors of a woman from Springfield had no idea she was stuck in her home for seven months. The smell of human excrement reached the sidewalk while emergency responders worked to remove a 550-pound woman from her living room chair on Thursday evening.

According to Fox News Lucas County Sheriff office reported that Barbara Foster, 75, has been sitting on the chair since July 2016. Her body weakened and her skin molded the chair's shape. The emergency crew were required to wear protective hazmat suits because of the home's unsanitary conditions said Assistant Fire Chief Rick Helminski.

Ms. Foster was so physically weak that her bones were breaking when they were attempting to carry her out of the house. She was then taken to the University of Toledo Medical Center where she is now recovering.

The Toledo-Lucas County Health Department had assessed her house and surrounded the property with caution tape. The house was declared unfit for habitation on Friday.

Neighbors said they didn't know Ms. Foster that well but she had a volunteer from her church that regularly delivered food. The volunteer from Our Lady of Lourdes church told investigators that he had delivered food to her for the past ten years. He said he got used to the smell but called 911 on Thursday because Ms. Foster was not acting herself.

According to News.com.au based on county auditor records, Ms. Foster had become $1400 behind her property taxes. Her first missed payment was on July 2016, the same time she became stuck to the chair.

Lieutenant Carter said that detectives are now reviewing the case for any potential crime. Adult Protective Services through Lucas County Job and Family Services will handle investigations of abuse and neglect on the elderly.

In 2006, Ms. Foster filed a complaint against a woman she had allowed to live with her in return for assistance with chores. The woman was accused of threatening to burn down her house if she was not given $3,000 according to court records from the Lucas County Sheriff's Office.

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Boy Scouts chili feed set today

COLUMBUS -- Boy Scout Troop 212 will host its annual chili feed from 4:30-7:30 p.m. today at the American Legion, 2263 Third Ave.

Homemade chili and chicken noodle soup will be served, along with desserts and drinks.

Admission is a freewill donation, with a recommended donation of $7 for those ages 11 and older and $5 for those ages 6-10. Proceeds will help members pay for summer camp.

Cemetery group to meet today

COLUMBUS -- The first semiannual meeting of the Granville Pioneer Cemetery Association will be held 7 p.m. today at the Cornhusker Public Power District meeting room.

Discussion will include the spring clean-up and work schedule. The public is invited to attend.

For more information, call Dick Gill at 402-564-2046.

OSHA course slated for CCC

COLUMBUS -- A 10-hour OSHA construction industry course will be offered from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. March 1 and 8 a.m.-noon March 2 in the West Education Center, room 179, at Central Community College-Columbus.

The registration deadline is Wednesday; however, class size is limited so early registration is encouraged. The cost is $225.

The course is designed for construction workers, supervisors and other individuals involved in construction activities. It will cover OSHAs general construction safety and health standards.

For more information or to preregister, contact Sue Baer at 402-562-1425; toll-free at 1-877-222-0780, ext. 1425; or email sbaer@cccneb.edu.

Shrine Circus set Wednesday

COLUMBUS -- The Pawnee Shrine Circus will have two shows Wednesday at the Platte County Agricultural Park arena.

The James Cristy Cole Circus showtimes are scheduled for 4 and 7:30 p.m.

The circus will feature elephants, tigers, horses, aerialists and clowns, as well as cotton candy, popcorn and novelties.

Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for kids ages 6-12 and free for children 5 and younger. Tickets will be sold at the door.

Farm bureau sponsoring forum

SCHUYLER  The Colfax County Farm Bureau is sponsoring a Road to Property Tax Reform forum scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Schuyler fire station.

The event is open to the public.

Presenters will be Trent Fellers, executive director of Reform for Nebraskas Future, and Bruce Rieker, vice president of governmental relations for Nebraska Farm Bureau. They will present the property tax landscape in Nebraska and answer any questions.

Fischer staffer in Schuyler

SCHUYLER -- A member of U.S. Sen. Deb Fischers staff will be at the Schuyler city offices, 1103 B St., from 1-2 p.m. March 1.

Tiffany Settles, the senators constituent services representative and outreach coordinator, will be available to receive feedback and assist with issues.
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Yellow fever outbreak took over Brazil which affected thousands of residents. As of the latest update in regards to the disease, it was confirmed that yellow fever that plagued Brazil possibly came from monkeys.

Thousands of monkeys were found dead in Brazil's forest which was then followed by a series of people getting sick and some were even found dead. NPR reported that Brazilians were once forced to evacuate after yellow fever hit their land in the 1940's. A mass vaccination took place as health care officials strive to eliminate the virus.

It's been two months after the first yellow virus case was confirmed. People living in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil were hit by the virus last December. As of this date, the Brazilian Ministry of Health already confirmed more than 1,000 suspected cases of yellow fever among Brazil's residents.

Anna Durbin, a professor of international health at the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins opens up about the dangers that accompany the yellow fever which rampantly spread in the area. Durbin pointed out that only a few cases would surface concerning yellow fever, but the one that recently took place in Brazil turned out to be more alarming.

"What we are starting to see now is a larger number of cases," Durbin stated. "And the concern is it could spread to a city and you'd have urban yellow fever, which they haven't really had in South America in something like 50 years."

CBC also added that Brazil's recent yellow fever case is one of the wort outbreaks in decades. It was suspected that the widespread was caused by howler monkey were in more than 600 of them were found dead in Brazil's Atlantic forest. Sergio Lucena mentioned that the number of monkeys that were hit by the outbreak continually increase making the case more alarming.

Monkeys are said to be more suitable to the disease due to their nature, their habitat and food supply. Researchers are still trying to confirm the root cause of the outbreak but they're already coming to a lead wherein it was mentioned that yellow fever that plagued Brazil possibly came from monkeys.

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Herbal Medicine is considered as an alternative medicine because it is not based on evidences gathered by using scientific method. The scope of herbal medicine is extended to bee and fungal products, as well as shells, minerals and certain parts of animals. Although modern medicine is getting advanced today, herbal medicine is still widely use nowadays.

According to DAILY NATION, patients at western Kenya counties are turning to herbal medicines. They turned to herbalists to cure their diseases because doctors continue to strike and paralyze the services in hospitals throughout Kenya.

Herbalists from Kisii and Kisumu counties are cashing in on the strike to sell herbal medicines to various patients who can't pay for costly private hospitals. There are also a number of poster displays announcing their services.

Three months ago, doctors began their strike and demanding the implementation of a 2013 collective bargaining agreement. Several rounds of negotiations have been made. But they still failed to reach a pay deal.

Enock Nyakeruri, Kisii County Herbalist and Research Center chairman, said that the number his patients increased since the strike started. He also said that the herbs that they are using are very effective especially in diseases like typhoid, impotency, epilepsy, infertility and amoeba.

On the other hand, Jessica Atieno Omuok, a popular herbalist known as Mama Winnie said that when the strike of doctors began on December 5, the patients seeking her service also increased. Mama Winnie treats ailments such as herpes, ovarian cyst, malaria, typhoid and ears and nose problems and is living in Kisule village in Kisumu County.

Another herbalist at the Kisii Stadium named Linda Kemunto said that he had cured a number of patients that are complaining from sexually transmitted infections and stomachache. And as a result of treating her patients successfully, she had gained some trusting clientele.

Herbal medicine is becoming popular in western Kenya counties especially with the continuous strike of doctors. But according to Health Canal, some traditional herbal preparations contain toxic chemicals from animals and plants, as well as pesticides and heavy metals.

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Mario Gutierrez was viciously attacked in the line of duty. Gutierrez shot and killed the felon after he was stabbed. In the hospital the wounded cop asked for the Police Department's psychologist.

Gutierrez, an officer from the Miami-Dade Police department was parked at a gas station when he saw a man pulling a gas hose. The cop acted instinctively and used his taser on the man identified later as Dominique Jean.

Jean assaulted and stabbed the police officer which led Gutierrez to draw and fire his gun. Gutierrez later said he feared not being able to see his family again and it made him angry..

Dr. Scott Allen responded to the call. A police psychologist in the Miami-Dade Police Department since the 1980s, Dr. Allen and the rest of the department's psychological services team are on call 24/7. They respond to scenes where officers face major traumatic events like involvement in gunfire exchanges and getting injured.

Dr. Allen defines a traumatic event being any event is any event that is outside the typical scope of normal human actions. The police department hired him to help lower the incidence of suicide in the force which was high 30 years ago. NBC reported there were 108 police suicides across the US in 2016.

Officer Gutierrez emphasized it's very important for a person to have someone to talk to so that he'll be guided to healing and go back to the normal routines.

"He was in a very dark place."

Last week, Andrew Summerscales, a former cop made his own death report using official paperwork before committing suicide.

Like Gutierrez, Summerscales had a traumatic experience while on the job.

The Guardian reported that Summerscales was one of the first one to respond to a tragedy on September 18, 2012. The victims were his fellow officers and good friends Nicola Hughes and Fiona Bone.

The officer's son, Joshua and his former girlfriend, Carly Weston both agreed that the event gravely affected Summerscales. The police officer struggled with depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Weston said Summerscales was in a very dark place. She tried to persuade Summerscales to get help but he refused to.

Summerscales went on a 12-month sick leave after the incident. He went back to work disillusioned and unhappy with the job. The police officer also expressed intentions to take his own life in more than one occasion.

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Vladimir Kara-Murza, a critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin was hospitalized this month after an alleged poisoning. His lawyer said on Sunday that Vladimir and his wife Evgenia have left the country to seek further treatment. They were accompanied by a physician to undergo a rehabilitation course after his second poisoning.

Kara-Murza, 35, first fell into a coma in 2015 after a suspected poisoning. He was then hospitalized February 3 after falling ill, the poisoning led to kidney failure and nearly killed him. Kara-Murza, had been in a critical state of coma before he left. His lawyer Vadim Prokhorov said that the hospital showed the same diagnosis, "toxic effects of unknown substances."

Prokhorov said his client plans to continue to pursue the restoration of democracy in Russia. Kara-Muza and his anti-Putin activist organization, Open Russia, are calling for open elections, a free press and civil right reforms.

According to CNN his wife, Evgenia said he woke up on February 9 from a medically induced coma and has blamed Kremlin for her husband's hospitalization. Her claims cannot be confirmed, and Russia has denied any connection to the illness.

Daily Mail reported that lab tests abroad found high levels of heavy metals in his blood. Russian Investigative Committee had denied his request to probe whether he was a target of intentional poisoning.

Toxic metals most commonly associated with poisoning are lead, mercury, arsenic and cadmium. Toxic metal poisoning may occur as a result of exposure to air or water pollution, foods, medicines, improperly coated food containers, or the ingestion of lead-based paints.

Kara-Murza with his wife and three children live in Virginia. He was in Russia to promote a documentary about the assassination of his friend, Boris Nemstov, a former leading opposition figure. Nemstov was shot to death on a bridge near Kremlin in February 2015; four months after Kara-Murza fell ill.

Kara-Murza's hospitalization triggered US Sen. Marco Rubio, who has urged the White House and the State Department to question Russian authorities about the case.

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The Hebrew Home, a nursing home in Riverdale has taken an unusual step of helping its residents by using medical marijuana. The new program aims to treat various illnesses with an alternative to prescription drugs.

Older Americans from retirement communities and nursing homes are turning to marijuana for relief from aches and pains. Ruth Brunn, 98 has found this as solution to excruciating pain caused by neuropathy. She found marijuana to be less addictive with fewer side effects compared to morphine.

The staff will not store or administer marijuana, but the residents are allowed to buy it from a dispensary. They will be allowed to keep in in locked boxes in their rooms and take it on their own.

According to Geo News, marijuana is still banned by federal law, but has been approved for medical use in 29 states, including New York, and the District of Columbia. Scientific evidence has shown marijuana is effective for treating medical conditions such as neuropathic pain; sever muscle spasms associated with multiple sclerosis, unintentional weight loss, and vomiting and nausea from chemotherapy. Medical marijuana has also helped people with Alzheimer's disease, dementia and Parkinson's disease.

According to New York Times, Anita Mataraso, 72, a grandmother of six who is the program director of Rossmoor Walnut Creek said "I would be in a lot worse shape if I wasn't using cannabis, both physically and mentally." She takes marijuana daily for her arthritis and nerve pain. Her retirement community located east of San Francisco has grown to 530 members.

A lot of older people have come to represent the use of marijuana for medical purposes, but questions are being raised about safety and accessibility. Even in states where medical marijuana is legal, older people often cannot get it. Most nursing homes do not allow its use, and many doctors are reluctant to endorse it.

They say not enough is known about the risks in the oldest age groups. There is no shortage in marijuana research, it's just that little of it has focused explicitly on older users.

See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare
Close

For most new mothers it can be devastating if their baby refuses to breastfeed. But for Sarah Boyle, a 26-year-old call center worker, she believes it saved her life. Her son Teddy, now 1, would scream when she tried to feed him with her right breast.

Boyle was concerned and went to see her doctor where she was referred to get a scan and biopsy. She discovered a lump that turned out to be a benign cyst that had been growing for three months. After two weeks she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

"Teddy is my hero - if it hadn't been for him I would never have suspected I had cancer," she said.

New Zealand Herald reported Teddy was born in February last year, five months after her son could tell the milk from her right breast was different and he rejected it. She would offer him that breast and he would completely freak out and scream. Breastfeeding helps a mother and a baby bond, it indicated that Teddy was trying to tell her something was wrong.

In November last year, Boyle had an ultrasound scan at Royal Stoke University Hospital. Two weeks later her she had a biopsy and was diagnosed with am extremely rare disease known as grade 2 triple negative breast cancer. She was told to stop breastfeeding and started chemotherapy.

According to Daily Mail, triple negative breast cancer is a type of breast cancer that does not have receptors for oestrogen and progesterone hormones, or the protein HER2. It is common with women under 40. Treatment is a combination of surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Sarah lives with her husband Steven, 28, in Staffordshire. She is now halfway through her chemotherapy treatment. She is now planning to have a double mastectomy with immediate breast reconstruction surgery.

"I never imagined that I would be diagnosed with cancer so young but the hospital have been fantastic," said Boyle.

See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare
Close

Federal authorities are reported to be stepping up in their investigation of drug theft in Department of Veterans Affairs medical enters. There has been a sharp increase in opioid theft, missing prescriptions and unauthorized drug use.

NBC News reported that doctors, nurses and pharmacy staff of federal hospitals, mostly affiliated by the VA, have looted controlled substance for their own consumption or street sales. Drugs intended for patients have mysteriously disappeared.

Some VA hospitals are reported to be too lenient in tracking supplies that could have encouraged drug theft. As per congressional auditors, they found four VA hospitals which skipped monthly inspections of drug stocks during spot checks. The oversight has already been noted since 2009.

Jeffrey Hughes, the VA's acting assistant inspector general for investigation, said the drug theft is an area of concern. He recommends monthly inspections to help VA hospitals uncover potential discrepancies and crime.

Opioid abuse in the United States is widespread. Many are concern if drug theft is worse at the VA hospital than in private facilities. According to a report by CBS News, VA secretary David Shulkin said that recognizes that opioid addiction is a crisis. However, the department has not provided a list of VA facilities where there have been reports of missing drugs or disciplinary actions taken.

In 2009, there were 272 cases of drug theft or losses at federal hospitals which include more than 1,100 VA facilities. By 2015, the figures rose to 2,926 though it dipped last year to 2,457.

The office of inspector general estimates that there are nearly 100 open criminal probes in VA facilities involving drug theft or loss. Just this month, VA employees were charged with conspiring to steal drugs at the a VA hospital in Little Rock, Arkansas. A pharmacy technician is reported to order 4,000 oxycodone pills, 3,300 lydrocone pills and other drugs which cost the department $77,700. The drug's street value is estimated to be at $160,000.

See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare
COLUMBUS  An educational and awareness event is asking participants to put their best hearts forward.

The annual Go Red for Women gathering will be put on next week by the American Heart Association to shine a light on what's called the No. 1 killer among women  heart disease.

Heart disease can affect women differently and include warning signs that are different from those seen in men. Go Red was created to inform women about heart health and clear up misconceptions, said Shannon Hilaire, communications director for the American Heart Association in Nebraska.

She said in 2004 the American Heart Association realized there was a huge challenge. About half a million women in America die annually because of heart disease and stroke.

Women werent paying attention. They threw it off as an old-man disease, Hilaire said.

Go Red for Women started to get the word out about the dangers associated with cardiovascular disease and push women to focus on their health. Communities such as Columbus have hosted the event where women gather to learn and share stories for a number of years.

It is a great testament that when women come together, we can open eyes and doors to different ideas, Hilaire said.

This is the seventh year for Go Red in Columbus. It will be held Feb. 28 at Ramada-Columbus. Doors open at 5 pm. for registration, cocktail hour and the start of the silent auction. Dinner and a program will follow at 7 p.m. Tickets for the evening are $40 and can be purchased at www.heart.org/columbusnegored or by calling 402-875-7382.

The event also serves as a fundraiser. This year, the goal is to raise $60,000 locally with all of the money staying in Nebraska, said Liz Zillig, corporate events director with the Midwest affiliate of the American Heart Association.

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the country and Nebraska. In Platte County, 28 percent of deaths in 2014 (the latest figures available) were from cardiovascular disease, according to the American Heart Association.

But, Hilaire said Go Red is having a positive impact.

Among those who have attended a Go Red event, the majority have taken steps in their lives to promote heart health. The American Heart Association reported that 91 percent of women who attended Go Red visited their doctor in the past year, 64 percent started to follow a regular exercise routine, 90 percent had their blood pressure checked in the past year and 75 percent had their cholesterol checked in the last 12 months.
COLUMBUS  John Lohr has never been afraid to serve.

He spent three years in the U.S. Army, volunteering for a yearlong tour in Vietnam from 1969-70, before a lengthy career with the family business, Lohr Petroleum Company.

In his retirement years, hes been director of the Columbus Community Hospital Foundation and a board member for NeighborWorks Northeast Nebraska, Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce, First National Bank and Northeast Nebraska Economic Development District.

The Columbus native was elected to represent his community on the city council in 2004, and re-elected to his fourth term in November.

Lohrs involvement with those groups made him a strong candidate for his next role as he was recently selected to serve on the Nebraska League of Municipalities Executive Board.

I feel very privileged to be there. I feel very honored to be there, said Lohr, who, as far back as anyone locally can remember, is the first Columbus resident to receive a spot on the board.

The 15-person executive board appoints new members, and Lohr began expressing his interest in the position during conversations with West Point Mayor Marlene Johnson, a current member and former president of the group.

Id have to say that she was probably my champion with the executive board, said Lohr.

He joined the League of Municipalities about three years ago and already served on the legislative committee for First Class cities.

The opportunity to move onto the executive board didnt arise until Sue Fuchtman decided last year not to seek re-election as mayor of Norfolk, opening a spot on the board. Lohr will serve the final year of her three-year term before seeking a full term.

You just barely get your feet wet in one year, he said.

The executive board, which includes the mayors of Lincoln and Omaha and other municipal officials from across the state, is tasked with developing a legislative agenda for the League and determining what issues to take a stance on.

This includes opposition to legislation viewed as detrimental to municipalities and collaboration with senators to introduce and promote bills that fit the Leagues mission of preserving local control for Nebraska cities and villages.

The nonprofit group, formed in 1909, bills itself as a voice for municipalities at the state Legislature. More than 385 communities that make up 98 percent of the states population are members.

Lohr, never afraid to voice his own opinions, said his time on the Columbus City Council has given him a feel for whats good for cities and what isnt.

The executive council seat will allow him to promote Columbus priorities and bring back information that keeps officials here ahead of the curve.

I hope that the end result will benefit the city, said Lohr.
ALBION  Ed Ryan is all too aware of the hold and power of memories.

His experiences nearly 50 years ago during a yearlong tour as an Army infantryman in South Vietnam loom in the front of his mind every single day.

Memory is an incredible thing, said the 70-year-old Riverside, California-based psychologist who will present a seminar March 18 in Albion on post-traumatic stress disorder and the impact it has on people who experience or witness traumatic events.

There hasnt been a day since I got back (in 1968) that some memory of something that happened in Vietnam hasnt come back into my mind, said Ryan, who grew up on a farm outside Greeley before enlisting and serving in the Armys Ninth Infantry Division.

Ryans ticket out of South Vietnam came with a searing memory.

On June 8, 1968, he and a group of other infantrymen got involved in a jungle firefight with the enemy Viet Cong. One the squads men was wounded and went down in the middle of the night, while the others were pinned back and couldnt reach the fallen soldier.

I couldnt get to him, nobody could get to him, remembered Ryan, who was shot up pretty bad trying to rescue the soldier, suffering bullet wounds to his neck and shoulder. The soldiers body was recovered the next morning.

I spent the next three months in the hospital, Ryan said.

Next months seminar, sponsored by the Vietnam Veterans of America, Associates of the Vietnam Veterans of America and Daughters of the American Revolution, is set for 2-4 p.m. in the Caseys Building at the Boone County Fairgrounds.

The PTSD seminar is not only aimed at combat veterans, but encompasses people such as first responders (police, fire, emergency medical technicians and medical providers) and people who have been subjected to child abuse, domestic violence and physical and sexual abuse.

Those people see trauma, too, Ryan said.

Ryan, who still maintains a full-time practice as a psychologist, has been educating people about PTSD and TBI (traumatic brain injury) for more than a decade. He has been an adviser on national and California mental health councils on the conditions for more than a decade.

PTSD leaves some vets with painful symptoms such as flashbacks, avoidance, isolation and hyper-arousal reactions that can include anger outbursts, tension and hyper-vigilance. These emotional and behavioral changes can have devastating effects on someones personal life, and their family and work life as well.

If left untreated, PTSD can spiral into other problems ranging from panic disorder, substance abuse, depression and suicidal feelings. Spouses and children can also be greatly affected by these invisible injuries and their side effects.

Ryan said he tries to teach PTSD and TBI sufferers to understand what can trigger a response to a memory  oftentimes something such as a smell, sight, touch, sound or color  that can bring on feelings of sadness or anger.

A lot of people dont know where its coming from, and they think theyre going crazy, Ryan said. It does not mean you are crazy. Its an education process, learning to go with the flow, so to speak.

Ryan, who also teaches doctors at VA hospitals about PTSD, knows the disorder is taking a terrible toll on servicemen and women, especially those who served multiple tours of duty in war zones such as Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia.

Twenty-two active duty military personnel commit suicide every day, Ryan said.

They do it in suicide by cop (incidents), drugs, alcohol and running into a tree, he said.
Editorial

Fuelling fear and hostility

As the homogenisation of the various interconnected fascist groupings in Australia  their normalisation  by the media and the two major parties gathered momentum and white noise, on February 10, the fascist PR lobby the Q Society hosted a fundraising dinner at Victoria Universitys city convention centre in Melbourne. The event, deceptively titled defend freedom of speech, was to raise funds for legal fees related to a defamation law suit by Mohamed El-Mouelhy, a Halal certifier.

The Q Society continually pushes the line of Islam/terrorism and is lobbying parliament to ban Halal food certification. The event at Victoria University also made clear the Societys roots in the raving hate of fascist terrorist vigilantes; make mayhem out of unreason and exploit the worst of harboured fears and impulses.

In 2014 the Q Society toured far-right Dutch MP Geert Wilders, who advocates a total ban on Muslim migration. At another money gathering Q Society dinner held in Sydney, Larry Pickering, cartoonist and special guest stated Lets be honest, I cant stand Muslims. Cory Bernardi, former Liberal Party senator, was a key note speaker at the event in Melbourne. Bernardi has been a vocal opponent of Islam, opposes reproductive freedom for women and has linked same sex marriage to bestiality.

Ideologically, the common propaganda line of aligned fascist forces in the industrialised western countries  among them National Front in France, Freedom Party in the Netherlands, Alternative for Germany party, UKIP in Britain, its most prominent member the Trump administration  is based on a mantra that Western Civilisation (the civilised world) is in a global war against  a religion, Islam.

General Michael (Mad Dog) Flynn was Trumps choice as national security advisor who he was obliged to dump when Flynn contravened US law. In his book The Field of Fight, Flynn states: Were in a world war against a messianic mass movement of evil people, most of them inspired by a totalitarian ideology, Radical Islam.

The owner of the right wing US drum-beater news stream Breitbart, Steve Bannon, has used it to forge closer ties to fascist groupings in Europe. Bannon, as Trumps chief strategist, speaks in terms of a global war against Islam. (It is instructive to recall that Tony Abbott, when ensconced in the PMs office, pushed as a priority Australias role in what he constantly called the evil forces ... coming to get us.)

Trump, in his inaugural address, pledged to defend, not the free world, but the civilised world: to lay down a mantra of the west in civilisational and racial terms. This is why for example even if Trump loses the legal battle over his ban on refugees from Muslim majority countries, he will return to it with other measures. Further terrorist incidents will fuel the fear and hostility.

In next months WA elections the Liberal Party will give its preferences to One Nation. This has been explained away by the Turnbull government as being based on One Nations increased sophistication: its normalisation into the political mainstream.

As to the recent Q Society hate fests, an anti-racist student group, in an open letter stated:

Victoria University has a very diverse student and staff population whose human rights and freedom to go about their daily lives are threatened by the repressive and reprehensible ideas of the Q Society.

Providing a venue for the Q Society contradicts the universitys vision of being  open and excellent, creating exceptional value for any student from any background and uplifting the communities in which we operate.

It also threatens Victoria University Safer Community strategy which is designed to foster an inclusive and safe environment for staff, students and the broader community.

Hosting the Q Society contravenes the Universitys policy that clearly states that facilities will NOT be made available for: (a) Unlawful activities or activities that may be a breach of University policies; (b) Activities that are in conflict with or deemed incompatible with the Universitys values or strategic direction.

We demand the university issue an apology and donate any money received from the Q Society or any affiliated institution to the Islamic Society of Victoria University or other related student and/or staff bodies.
Abuse and criminal behaviour allegations

This week Seven West Media (SWM), which runs Channel Seven, will seek a permanent ban on public statements by former executive assistant Amber Harrison about her period of employment with the company.

David Horner and Amber Harrison.

The case, which concerns an affair between Harrison and SWMs chief executive, David Horner, is remarkable because of extreme actions the company has taken to silence Harrison and recover company information and equipment they say she retains.

After the affair ended in July 2014 an internal accounting investigation was carried out and Harrison was charged with misusing credit cards and making purchases amounting to $14,000.

She admitted the offence, but later pointed out that senior staff frequently played fast and loose with credit cards, and that she was the only person among 4,000 SWM employees who had been investigated.

She also publicly revealed her affair with Horner. The company claimed it was inappropriate and docked him $100,000, but later promoted him from head of TV to chief executive.

Harrison was not dismissed over the credit card misuse, allegedly because of her poor health, and in an astonishing move in October 2014 the company offered her $100,000 (minus the $14,000) on condition that she return a mobile phone, laptop and copies of emails and SMS transmissions, and enter into a confidentiality agreement.

SWM subsequently claimed she hadnt met these conditions, and hired accountancy firm Deloittes to further investigate her financial transactions. They alleged she had undertaken questionable transactions amounting to $262,000.

Harrison denied this, but the company sacked her immediately. She took them to court, and SWM offered her another $350,000 on condition of confidentiality and the return of the company property.

SWM paid $250,000 plus $50,000 for her legal costs, but then claimed shed discussed the case with journalists, made copies of the documents, and retained the property.

In December last year Harrison alleged publicly that sexual abuse of female employees was common in SWM, that Horner had also misused company credit cards and used cocaine, and that their relationship had adversely affected his professional conduct and her work.

The company denied those allegations and hired lawyers Allens Linklater to investigate SWMs activities and review the 2014 Deloittes investigation.

Former Victorian premier Jeff Kennett, now an SWM board member, claims that female members of the companys staff interviewed by Allens Linklater have rejected Harrisons allegations and taken action to defend their reputations, and that the investigation has exonerated Horner from the allegation of credit card misuse.

In February SWM obtained a temporary injunction prohibiting Harrison from further public discussion of the issues. They also threatened her with action under the Proceeds of Crimes Act, and warned other media organisations not to reproduce her tweets about the case.

However, Kennett himself may have breached the injunction by engaging Harrison in a Twitter battle on the day the injunction was issued!

What secrets are in the phone, laptop and documents?

On February 4 this year Harrison declared The lesson for women is dont work for Seven West Media and [dont] expect to be treated equally and with respect. Male executives at Seven West Media have just been given the green light to prey on female staff, and if there is any objection Seven will smash you with their legal juggernauts.

The mobile phone, laptop and documents may contain material confirming those allegations. It passes belief that SWM would pay Ms Harrison $380,000 to regain the property if it was only to avoid further embarrassment from the release of more salacious emails or texts, as Kennett claimed.

Moreover, Kennetts odd statement about certain women having taken action to defend their reputations implies they stand accused of having willingly had affairs with male executives. But that wasnt Harrisons allegation at all. She said they were unwilling victims, and if shes right, it isnt their reputations that need defending but those of the male executives.

Was Kennetts statement a subtle hint that the womens reputations would be under threat if they confirmed Harrisons allegation of abuse? None of the female employees have publicly rejected the allegations, and Sheila McGregor, a non-executive director of the company, resigned the day before release of the Allens Linklater report, sparking rumours that she disagreed strongly with its findings.

For his part, SWM chairman Kerry Stokes has referred to Harrisons allegations as irrelevant and insubstantial. But he himself has described the companys payments to her as compensation, seemingly a tacit admission that she herself was the victim of abuse.

A picture is now emerging of a company where sexual abuse and bullying are commonplace, and where protest will lead to reprisals, if necessary by brutal legal force.

And thats not all. Evidence provided during a 2014 court case referred to payment by Channel 7 of $25,000 to Mercedes Corby regarding her sister, convicted drug smuggler Schappelle Corby.

SWC denied making any payment, but profiting from crime is a criminal offence, and the Australian Federal Police subsequently raided SWCs office, with warrants to prevent the proceeds of crime going overseas. They failed to find incriminating evidence. SWC then sued the AFP, and received a public apology for unnecessary reputational damage.

However, on February 9 Harrison tweeted images of a 2014 email from a Channel 7 executive, saying We got Mercedes signature late last night. So very close. The E-mail was sent two days before Schappelle Corby was released from prison.

Harrison sent another image of an email sent by an executive during the AFP raid, assuring the company it had nothing to worry about, and saying It isnt an offence to pay money and the authorities are entitled to go after the payee.

If the feisty Harrison can produce evidence from the phone, laptop and documents that sexual misconduct is rife within the companys ranks, and/or that SWM did actually pay Mercedes Corby, the sky will fall upon the companys corporate head. That possibility would certainly make sense of SWMs payment of $380,000 to Harrison.

But will this weeks court hearing reveal the answers? As they say, watch this space.
Get re-elected or die!

They call him Ahok, and according to many, he is the best thing that ever happened to Jakarta  this enormous, polluted and until recently unloved capital city of Indonesia.

Basuki Tjahaja Purnama  Ahok.

Very loosely translated, Ahok is an abbreviation of the Chinese words (yes, he is ethnic Chinese). The meaning is: never stop learning (ban-hok), a piece of advice given to him by his greatest role model  his father.

And learning he is! Instead of just doing what his predecessors have been doing for decades  aimlessly travelling to Western Europe, the United States and Japan, Ahok goes where he can actually really discover things that are implementable in his city, one so full of grave problems  China and Latin America.

Before him, almost everyone gave up on Jakarta. The citys reputation was terrible, and the verdict and diagnoses of many became short and dark: Beyond salvation, beyond repair!

Jakarta has been suffering all imaginable ills: from endemic corruption, toxic bureaucracy and inefficiency, to the epic traffic jams, pollution, deadly annual floods (due to its terrible drainage system), lack of modern garbage collection and garbage processing, appalling filth (rivers and canals clogged with trash, waste covering sides of the roads), notorious lack of green spaces and parks, and the almost total lack of cultural institutions. Public transportation could be described at best as a joke.

The most talented brains were leaving. Expats found it impossible to convince their families to follow them to the Big Smoke (one of the citys nicknames), and most of them decided to settle in Singapore or Kuala Lumpur, commuting to Jakarta on a weekly basis.

Capitalist and pro-Western to the core, Jakarta has been offering some of the most cynical images of social inequality on Earth: posh 5-star hotels and shopping malls, and deadly slums in their vicinity. Poor people simply ceased to exist; their plight didnt matter.

Then came Ahok!

In just over two years, Jakarta has changed. Its infrastructure has been getting better: there are new green areas and parks, and new public transportation projects. Canals and rivers are being cleaned and the drainage is improving (as a result, during the rainy seasons, the floods are not reaching their previous devastating levels).

But above all, there is now hope. It lifts and it transforms the entire city and its surrounding areas. Expectations of the people are suddenly high.

Khairul Mahadi, a retired civil servant, is content:

In my opinion, there is great progress achieved under Ahoks leadership, especially when it comes to the public services. There are also some significant changes in work ethics of the local government. Their services are faster, and the culture of bribes is almost gone.

Anton Hinawan, an architect, agrees:

The most important thing about his leadership is that the local governments budget is not used for bribes and corruption. Funds are now used for development, and it is visible. Im very optimistic, and I support his leadership. If elections are fair, he should have no problems of winning.

Elections are right around the corner, scheduled for February 15. Ahok is supported by over 40 percent, which is nearly double the backing enjoyed by the next most popular candidate.

But Ahok is stepping on too many feet, and his anti-corruption drive is not necessarily popular with the elites of the country. Even less so are his attempts to relocate and house the poor, and to provide them with adequate medical care.

His enemies are ingenious and venomous.

Now he is on the election trail, but he is also facing a trial for defaming Islam, a twisted case brought against him by his political opponents and based on a gross manipulation of the language.

To make things worse, some Indonesians loathe him for being ethnically Chinese, in a country that is known for its racial intolerance, for the genocides in East Timor and Papua, and countless anti-Chinese pogroms.

Still, most of Jakartas residents are pragmatic. The Governors performance seems to be much more important to them than his race or religion.

Ms Mustika Purwanegara, a professor at the prestigious Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) is all praises for Ahok:

I admire what he has been doing for Jakarta. He is a great leader, and he works for the people, unlike what we have here in West Java. Other cities in Indonesia should be following his example.

But is he doing too much, in such a short time? Can he really survive in a country that is constantly dragged down by inertia and by the corruption rooted in Suhartos era? Rachmad Mekaniawan, the CEO of a construction management company, Ciria Jasa:

Ahok is insane! But Jakarta needs truly a crazy person as a leader. Who else would dare to start tackling, for instance, seemingly unsolvable problems of capitals traffic congestion by beginning to build various modern modes of public transportation?

Mekaniawan is an Ahok fan, but even he is uncertain about whether the governor can get re-elected, with all those powerful political and economic forces trying to derail his campaign.

Several years ago, in a backroom of a restaurant, a prominent Indonesian businessman told me that no comprehensive public transportation network would ever be allowed to grow in Jakarta, because the foreign car and scooter makers had already totally corrupted the city government. An effective mass transit scheme would significantly reduce their profits.

Still, Ahok dares. Now there are ten-carriage second-hand Tokyo subway trains running on rapidly improving commuter rail tracks, two elevated LRT lines are being constructed, the airport rail link is about to open by the end of 2017, and 11 previously notorious bus-ways are receiving new and modern vehicles.

Suddenly there is hope, but there is also fear.

Late in the evening, I visited his Rumah Lembang in Central Jakarta, a support centre for the Ahoks campaign. There I informally spoke to his two volunteer aides, one Muslim, one Christian.

The atmosphere was tense. It was clear that what is taking place in Jakarta is having an enormous impact on the entire Indonesia. People all over this vast archipelago are watching, and beginning to demand the same changes that are taking place in the capital.

Do you expect the elections to be manipulated? I asked.

Yes  We see that there is definitely such a possibility, Im told by Rekky Silalahi. He continues:

Those who are determined to vote for Ahok are already facing some serious problems: like getting their election cards issued 

What if the elections are rigged? Would there be an explosion? I wanted to know.

There would be a big one, I was told. If hed lose fairly, than its okay. If rigged, there would be huge trouble.

Southeast Asia is boiling, awakening: Thailand before the coup, Philippines under the present administration, and now Jakarta, the enormous and scarred capital city of perhaps the most complex nation in the region.

Here, changes have come with the new and enlightened leaders. Some of them have managed to plant fragile seeds of hope, something that had not been done for decades, under the Western-sponsored dictatorships and pseudo-democracies.

After that, the expectations of people grow very quickly. And with the expectations comes a strong determination to fight for, to defend even those small gains that have already been made.

Information Clearing House
Israels vision: Terrifying

Empirical historical evidence combined with a little common-sense are enough to tell us the type of future options that Israel has in store for the Palestinian people: perpetual apartheid or ethnic cleansing, or a mix of both.

The peace talks rarely slowed down the Israeli bulldozers and the construction of more Jewish homes.

The passing of the Regularisation Bill on February 6 is all we need to imagine the Israeli-envisaged future. The new law allows the Israeli government to retroactively recognise Jewish outposts built without official permission on privately-owned Palestinian land.

All settlements  officially recognised settlements and unauthorised outposts  are illegal under international law. The verdict has been passed numerous times by the United Nations and, more recently, pronounced with unmistakable clarity in UN Security Council Resolution 2334.

Israels response was the announcement of the construction of over 6,000 new housing units to be built throughout the Occupied Palestinian territories, the construction of a brand new settlement (the first in 20 years), and the new law that paves the way for the annexation of large swathes of the occupied West Bank.

Undoubtedly, the law is the last nail in the coffin of the two-state solution, but that is not important. It never mattered to Israel, anyway. The talk of a solution was mere smoke and mirrors as far as Israel was concerned. All the peace talks and the entirety of the peace process, even when it was in its zenith, rarely slowed down the Israeli bulldozers, the construction of more Jewish homes or ended the unceasing ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians.

Writing in Newsweek, Diana Buttu described how the process of building settlements is always accompanied by the demolition of Palestinian homes. One hundred and forty Palestinian structures were demolished since the beginning of 2017, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the Occupied Territories.

Since Donald Trump was sworn in as president of the US, Israel has felt liberated from its obligation to doublespeak. For decades, Israeli officials spoke passionately about peace, and did everything in their power to hinder its attainment. Now, they simply do not care. Period.

They have perfected their balancing act simply because they had to, because Washington expected it, demanded it. But Trump had given them a blank cheque: do as you please; settlements are not obstacles to peace; Israel has been treated very, very unfairly and I will correct that historical injustice, and so on.

Almost immediately after Trump was inaugurated as president on January 20, all masks came off.

On January 25, the real Benjamin Netanyahu resurfaced, dropping his act altogether, and declaring in enviable brazenness: We are building, and we will continue to build illegal settlements.

What more is there to talk about with Israel at this point? Nothing. The only solution that mattered to Israel is Israels own solution, always driven by blind American support, European uselessness and always imposed on the Palestinians and other Arab countries, by force if needed.

The guardians of the grand charade of the two-state solution, who shrewdly crafted the peace process and danced to every Israeli tune are now bewildered. They have been outed by Israels dreadful plans that shot their solution right between the eyes, leaving Palestinians to choose between subjugation, humiliation or imprisonment.

Jonathan Cook is right. The new law is the first step towards the annexing of the West Bank or, at least, most of it. Once small outposts are legalised, they would need to be fortified, (naturally) expanded and protected. The military occupation, in effect for 50 years, will no longer be temporary and reversible. Civil law will continue to apply to Jews in Occupied Palestinian Territories and military laws on occupied Palestinians.

It is the very definition of Apartheid, in case you are still wondering.

To meet the security needs of the settlers, more Jewish-only bypass roads will be constructed, more walls erected, more gates to keep Palestinians away from their land, schools and livelihood will be put up, more checkpoints, more suffering, more pain, more anger and more violence.

That is Israels vision. Even Trump is growing frustrated by Israels shamelessness and audacity. He called on Israel in an interview with Israel Hayom newspaper to be reasonable with respect to peace.

There is so much land left. And every time you take land for settlements, there is less land left, Trump said. He is backtracking on promises he made with regard to moving the US embassy and the unchecked expansion of the settlements and more, as he is realising that Netanyahu and his US supporters have led him to a cliff and are now asking him to jump.

But it matters little, anyway. Whether Trump holds on to his extremely pro-Israel position or reverts to a wishy-washy stance similar to that of his predecessor, Barack Obama, reality is unlikely to change  for only Israel is ultimately allowed to influence outcomes.

Israeli lawmakers approval of the bill is, indeed, an end of an era. We have reached the point where we can openly declare that the so-called peace process was an illusion from the start, for Israel had no intentions of ever conceding the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem to the Palestinians.

The Palestinian leadership is hardly blameless in all of this.

The greatest mistake that the Palestinian leadership committed (aside from its disgraceful disunity) was entrusting the US, Israels main enabler, with managing a peace process that has allowed Israel time and resources to finish its colonial projects, while devastating Palestinian rights and political aspirations.

Returning to the same old channels, using the same language, seeking salvation at the altar of the same old two-state solution will achieve nothing but waste further time and energy.

But Israels humiliating options to the Palestinians can also be read in a different way. Indeed, it is Israels obstinacy that is now leaving Palestinians (and Israelis) with one option, and only one option: equal citizenship in one single state: a horrific apartheid and more ethnic cleansing.

In the words of former President Jimmy Carter: Israel will never find peace until it permit(s) the Palestinians to exercise their basic human and political rights.

That Israeli permission is yet to arrive, leaving the international community with the moral responsibility to exact it.

Information Clearing House
Demilitarise Kings

Kings College London has given a misleading explanation about its investments in firms that supply weapons and their components to Israel and Saudi Arabia. Over the past few months, students at the British university have been protesting at its financial connections to the arms industry.

At the launch of Demilitarise Kings.

A group called Demilitarise Kings has researched how the college invests  via funds  in such companies as BAE Systems and GE. The group has calculated that Kings has invested more than 1.5 million (US$1.9 million) in the weapons trade.

Rather than address the concerns raised by the group, the chief administrator at Kings has tried to fob them off.

Kings College London does not have any direct investments in the arms trade, Edward Byrne, the universitys president, told The Electronic Intifada. We only invest through funds and in so doing seek to balance our financial objectives with wider societal considerations.

Byrne added that Kings uses a fund run by the financial services firm BlackRock, which, according to him, purposely excludes investment in companies that produce controversial weapons.

Distorting truth

Research undertaken by Demilitarise Kings suggests that Byrne is distorting the truth. The research shows that Kings has invested in GE via the BlackRock fund to which Byrne referred. GE provides equipment and services to Israel through the US military aid program.

The corporation is directly involved in the production of controversial weapons. Its aviation division has, for example, provided engines for Apache helicopters, which were used extensively during Israels 2006 attack on Lebanon and its subsequent offensives against Gaza.

Demilitarise Kings has based its research on details obtained under freedom of information rules. The research has been carried out in cooperation with Fossil Free KCL, a campaign group demanding that the university ditch its investments in the oil and coal industries.

Demilitarise Kings has put particular emphasis on the universitys investments in BAE. Britains largest arms firm, BAE is a key exporter of weapons to Saudi Arabia.

In total, Britain has authorised weapons sales worth more than 3.3 billion (US$4.1 billion) to Saudi Arabia since it began bombing Yemen almost two years ago. The weapons sales to Saudi Arabia have continued despite how the British governments own export control organisation has recommended that it would be prudent and cautious to halt them.

BAE also has a subsidiary in Jerusalem and has teamed up with Elbit, a leading supplier of drones to the Israeli military, on a variety of projects. Furthermore, BAE makes components for the F-35 warplanes assembled by Lockheed Martin, the US weapons giant.

Israel has ordered 50 of those warplanes.

Hypocrisy

The administrators at Kings have faced accusations of hypocrisy. Last month activists from Demilitarise Kings disrupted a speech that Byrne gave at the launch of a plan called 2029 Vision.

In his introduction to that plan  which looks ahead to the universitys bicentenary in 2029  Byrne writes that the founding ethos of Kings is simply to make the world a better place.

Despite that claim, the university has strong links to institutions that support Israeli aggression.

Kings, for example, hosts the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation (ICSR). The ICSR was formed in partnership with the Interdisciplinary Centre in Herzliya, a city in Israel.

The Interdisciplinary Centre is best known for organising an annual conference at which Israels political and military leaders discuss their strategies. It also runs courses in public diplomacy  a euphemism for propaganda  that focus on presenting Israels war crimes in a positive light and on countering the Palestine solidarity movement.

Byrnes stance signals a disregard for democracy. In 2014, the student union at Kings voted to support the Palestinian call for boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) against Israel.

The continued investment in the arms industry suggests that Kings is not paying adequate attention to the views of its students.

The Electronic Intifada
Culture & life

Trumps bad news for Palestinians

Right-wing Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahus visit to Australia is an expression of support from our right-wing Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull and his entire cabinet. Netanyahu comes here fresh from visiting right-wing US President Donald Trump where (not surprisingly) their views were singularly in agreement. Israels colonisation of the remaining parts of Palestine would clearly be OK with the new US administration.

Right-wing Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu meets with Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop.

As the group Jewish Voice for Peace commented on the Trump-Netanyahu meeting: Didnt hear anything from Trump or Netanyahu that indicates any intention to enable Palestinians to have equal rights and freedom.

Emboldened by Trumps extreme-rightwing posture on just about everything, a bare five days after Trumps inauguration as US President, Netanyahu declared on January 25, with regard to the illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian land, a vital part of Israels process of colonisation of Palestine, We are building, and we will continue to build.

As Palestinian-born author and commentator Ramzy Baroud notes: All settlements  officially recognised settlements and unauthorised outposts  are illegal under international law. The verdict has been passed numerous times by the United Nations and, more recently, pronounced with unmistakable clarity in UN Security Council Resolution 2334. However, confident as they are of the unquestioning support of their American ally, Israels leaders simply thumb their nose at the international body.

In fact, Israels contempt for the UN and world opinion could not be more obvious. Israel has announced the construction of over 6,000 new housing units to be built throughout the Occupied Palestinian territories, the construction of a brand new settlement (the first in 20 years), and a new law that paves the way for the annexation of large swathes of the Occupied West Bank.

Diana Buttu has described in Newsweek how the process of building settlements is invariably accompanied by the demolition of Palestinian homes. In fact, 140 Palestinian structures have been demolished since the beginning of 2017 alone, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the Occupied Territories.

Any criticism of Israels bulldozing of Palestinian homes, its feverish construction of more and more Jewish homes and its blatant imposition of apartheid on the occupied Palestinian territory, is met with shrill cries of anti-Semitism and suggestions that such criticism is immoral in view of Jewish suffering during the Holocaust.

In fact, however, the Holocaust experience renders Israels unceasing ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians all the more inexcusable. Trump, of course, raised none of these issues with Netanyahu during their meeting. Instead, Trump said that Israel has been treated very, very unfairly, presumably by the UN  certainly not by the long-suffering Palestinians. Trump indicated that he would correct the historical injustice of Israels supposed mistreatment.

Says Baroud: The new law [the Regularisation Bill of February 6 which allows the Israeli government to retroactively recognise Jewish outposts built without official permission on privately-owned Palestinian land] is the first step towards the annexing of the West Bank or, at least, most of it.

Even Israels own High Court has described the countrys status in the West Bank as that of a belligerent occupier. Nevertheless, right-wing members of Netanyahus coalition are pressing for annexation of territory in the West Bank, while on his recent UK and US visits Netanyahu noticeably backed away from any commitment to a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict. That should be alarming to the Australian Jewish community because most of its representative bodies have publicly declared their support for a two-state solution.

To meet the security needs of the settlers says Baroud, more Jewish-only bypass roads will be constructed, more walls erected, more gates to keep Palestinians away from their land, schools and livelihood will be put up, more checkpoints, more suffering, more pain, more anger, and more violence.

It is the very definition of Apartheid, in case you are still wondering.

However, Baroud sees contradictions in Trumps attitude to Israel. Trump doesnt like being taken for granted and Baroud notes that even Trump is growing frustrated by Israels shamelessness and audacity. He called on Israel in an interview with Israel Hayom newspaper to be reasonable with respect to peace.

There is [only] so much land left. And every time you take land for settlements, there is less land left, Trump said. In addition, he is backtracking on promises he made with regard to moving the US embassy and ... he is realising that Netanyahu and his US supporters have led him to a cliff and are now asking him to jump.

Hitherto, the US has nominally at least supported the so-called two-state solution for the Israel/Palestine conflict, a solution that would see a separate Palestinian state beside Israel. Israel however has fought tenaciously to thwart such an outcome. At his Washington meeting with Trump, Netanyahu voiced the extraordinary view that a two-state solution would give rise to a terrorist, Islamic dictatorship, which sounds like something meant to frighten Americans rather than a serious assessment.

As for Trump, he was ambivalent: Im looking at two states and one state. I like the one that both parties like. I can live with either one, Trump said, as Netanyahu laughed.

Lead Palestinian negotiator Saab Erekat, secretary-general of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation, lashed out at Trumps and Netanyahus wavering on their commitment to a two-state solution, arguing that the only alternative to two sovereign nations is a single, secular democratic state.

Contrary to Netanyahus plan of one state and two systems, apartheid, the only alternative to two sovereign and democratic states on the 1967 border is one single secular and democratic state with equal rights for everyone, Christians, Muslims and Jews, on all of historic Palestine, Erekat said.

The Netanyahu government however, prefers a policy of aggression and apartheid, which does not augur well in the long term for the people of either Palestine or Israel.
LINCOLN  Several hundred demonstrators gathered outside the Grand Manse in downtown Lincoln Tuesday to protest Sen. Deb Fischer's decision not to hold town hall meetings during the current congressional recess.

Meanwhile, inside the building, the news media was barred by the Lincoln Independent Business Association from covering Fischer's address to a luncheon meeting.

LIBA luncheon appearances by public officials traditionally have been open to the media.

"We decided to have members-only at this luncheon," LIBA President Coby Mach said over and over again as he was asked why the luncheon was closed and whether Fischer or her staff wanted it closed.

"The call for no press was a decision on LIBA's behalf," Fischer spokesperson Chanse Jones said.

Toward the end of Fischer's appearance, demonstrators entered the building, gathered outside the meeting room and chanted loudly, turning heads toward the windows inside the room.

"Do your job!" they chanted.

"We want a town hall!"

Law enforcement officers separated the crowd from the meeting room entrance, but there was no shoving and no disturbance. Later, officers would gently and patiently talk the crowd into slowly moving outside the building. No arrests were made.

Fischer left through another exit, avoiding the crowd and the media.

The senator talked about the prospect of business creation and job expansion under the Trump administration and expressed hope that the new administration will negotiate bilateral trade agreements that will be good for Nebraska, according to a tape recording of the meeting later provided to the Journal Star by a participant.

"I am disappointed that (he) withdrew from the Trans Pacific Partnership trade agreement, but certainly not surprised," Fischer said, because that is what Trump said he would do.

Answering questions about immigration and the accompanying challenge of meeting workforce needs if immigrants who are living and working here no longer are secure, Fischer said border security must come first.

Secure borders are an issue of national security, she said.

After that, she said, immigration reform will be "a step-by-step process."

Fischer told another questioner she voted to confirm the nomination of Betsy DeVos as U.S. secretary of education only after she received written assurances that protect public education.

"I do not want to see a federal role," she said.

Fischer appeared reluctant to support Trump's trillion-dollar infrastructure proposal.

Pointing to the cost, she said: "I don't know that's the way to go."

Fischer told the audience that the election of a Republican president has given her an opening to " (have a) conversation and dialogue with people in the White House and the agencies that help me and Nebraska."

After seven questions and with the loud chanting of demonstrators making it difficult to hear, Mach called an end to the dialogue.

"Senator Fischer always welcomes respectful conversations with Nebraskans," her office declared in a later statement.

"She intends to continue her longstanding tradition of listening sessions across the state like she has always done. As you recall, she held 26 of these sessions last year."

LIBA's decision to close the meeting ran contrary to its usual model of welcoming, and sometimes even inviting, the media to cover luncheon appearances by public officials and political candidates.

The demonstration outside the building followed a national pattern of protests greeting Republican members of Congress during the February recess.

"Start listening to all of us," one sign said.

"Vote her out!" another sign declared.

Other signs called the senator "Trump's puppet" and "Trump's lap dog."

Several protesters said they they felt Fischer ignored their concerns when she voted to confirm DeVos.

Rachel Black, 31, said DeVos confirmation hearings showed she was woefully unqualified to direct the countrys education policy.

Just because a majority of voters in Nebraska elected Trump doesnt mean the states U.S. senators need to rubber-stamp his Cabinet nominees and policies, she said.

They represent Nebraska, the nonprofit worker said. They dont represent the (Trump) administration.

Donna Jarka, 60, held a missing person sign with Fischers photo as she stood on the Grand Manses north entrance steps.

Theyre afraid to stand up to Trump, the Lincoln woman said.

Jarka said she and others need answers from Fischer.

The least the senator can do, she and others said, is hold a town hall meeting.

Maybe a town hall wont bring total agreement, Jarka said, but at least Fischer would hear her constituents.

DiAnn White agreed. The 67-year-old retired teacher doesnt believe Fischer needs to vote no on everything, but she ought to act on concerns of Nebraskans.

DeVos is a done deal  we cant change that, said White, who is concerned the new education secretary's policies may harm public school funding.

Fischer needs to get feedback from more than just Republicans, she said.

What about the rest of the state?

Fischer is Nebraska's senior senator. She was elected in 2012, and presumably will seek re-election in 2018.
A Louisiana woman who jumped into the way of danger to help a police officer said she simply did what God needed me to do.

FoxNews.com reports that Vickie Williams-Tillman, 56, noticed that a police officer was being overpowered by a suspect and stopped to help. Williams-Tillman was driving to a store, listening to gospel music on the radio when she took note of the altercation.

A Baton Rouge police officer had confronted a suspect who was asleep in his vehicle around 8 a.m. Drugs were present in the vehicle. When the officer confronted the suspect, the man became violent, grabbed the officers baton, and began hitting him with it. He also tried to grab the officers gun.

Thats when Williams-Tillman came to the officer's rescue. Without losing a moment, she jumped on the suspects back, making it possible for the officer to overpower him.

"I could see in his eyes he needed help," Williams-Tillman recalled. "You don't have time to think about it  I did what God needed me to do."

Police reinforcements arrived soon after to take control of the situation.

Williams-Tillman is now being hailed as a hero. Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sharon Weston-Broome praised her act of bravery.

"Vickie Williams-Tillman epitomizes the true Good Samaritan," Weston-Broome said. "She reached out and offered a courageous and unconditional response to the officer. Ms. Williams-Tillman is a hero and demonstrates the true meaning of loving God and loving your neighbor."

Photo courtesy: Thinkstockphotos.com

Publication date: February 21, 2017
COLUMBUS  The states birthday celebration includes a celebratory stop in Columbus as part of the Nebraska150 Express Tour.

Columbus is one of seven communities selected as a stopping point this summer during a Union Pacific Streamliner locomotive's three-day Whistle Stop Tour marking Nebraskas 150th year of statehood.

Gov. Pete Ricketts, First Lady Susanne Shore and Union Pacific CEO Lance Fritz recently announced the tour that harks back to the early 19th century.

The Nebraska150 Express will provide the opportunity for communities across Nebraska to celebrate in our states sesquicentennial, Ricketts said in a press release. I appreciate Union Pacific, a company that has had such an important and positive impact on Nebraska, taking such a vested interest in our states celebration of its great history.

Columbus was picked as a stop because of its location along the Union Pacific main line.

We worked with the (Union Pacific) Heritage Fleet and we wanted to hit the communities along that main line. We wanted to be able to visit a variety of communities, said Regan Anson, executive director of the Nebraska 150 Celebration.

After departing from Omaha, the train will travel to Columbus, North Platte, Ogallala, Sidney, Gering, Kearney and Grand Island. Each community will host a rally or festival to welcome the passengers in August.

Local festivities are still being planned, according to K.C. Belitz, president of the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce.

Belitz said he was pleased to learn Columbus is one of the stops. The event gives the city a chance to celebrate the state and railroad, which has a long history here and helped the community grow, he said.

Shore said the railroad and Nebraska are melded together.

The Nebraska 150 Celebration is incredibly grateful to Union Pacific for its generous support of this event and commitment to our state, Shore said in a release. Our histories are inextricably linked. We have, in many ways, grown up together. I cant think of a more fitting way to celebrate this historic occasion than with a fun train tour that harkens back to the days gone by.

Invitations were sent to a select group of Nebraska native celebrities and notable figures to be part of the tour in hopes that they will give speeches, take photos and sign autographs for audiences. Public train tours and tickets are not available.

Union Pacific is thrilled to be part of our home states sesquicentennial celebration, visiting communities along the original transcontinental railroad route with our proudly restored, decades-old heritage equipment, Fritz said in the release.

The preliminary schedule for the tour has the train departing Omaha on Aug. 4 and arriving at noon in Columbus. The train will be in North Platte that afternoon. On Aug. 5, the communities of Ogallala, Sidney and Gering are on the schedule. The tour will wrap up Aug. 6 with stops in Kearney and Grand Island before returning to Omaha.
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The number of Croydon families with young children who have become homeless has doubled in the past five years.

Shocking figures obtained by the Advertiser reveal the number of families, physically or mentally ill individuals and elderly people struggling to find a home in the borough.

There may be further problems ahead as radical welfare reform fuels Croydon families' fall into homelessness by capping benefits and delaying payments.

Last year almost 2,000 desperate families and single people in the borough sought support for homelessness.

Croydon Council assessed and accepted 1,255 priority cases, who were deemed to be vulnerable and in need of a roof over their heads.

A startling 86% of those accepted as homeless and in need of council support were households with children  1,084 families in total.

This is a dramatic rise from the 575 households with dependent children recorded in 2012.

There were also eight pregnant women who had been made homeless, and needed the council's help.

Once assessed as vulnerable, the homeless households  including those with children  are given whatever temporary accommodation is available until a permanent solution can be found.

People may be a forced to live in a hostel, bedsit or B&B.

The highest number of those seeking help, who did not have dependent children, were those who were vulnerable due to medical factors - a total of 69 households.

The third biggest group of those in need were the mentally ill, with 24 households approaching the council or being referred.

The elderly made up the next largest group of homeless households.

Other people within the 1,255 families or individuals made officially homeless had physical disabilities, learning difficulties, were formerly in care, or prison, or a house which was hit by fire or flooding.

Many others  35% of all applications for council help  did not fit the priority criteria to be entitled to council homeless duty, and may have ended up on the streets, or riding the bus all night, or flitting from friend's couch to friend's couch. These are mainly working-age men.

Just as more households with children are struggling to maintain a roof over their heads, there has been a significant rise in the number of rough sleepers since 2012.

Five years ago there were 22 people living on the streets, now there are 68 rough sleepers - most of whom have been attacked - , making Croydon the seventh worst area in the country for homelessness.

In 2012 there were 1,749 homeless households in temporary accommodation  now there are 3,137, of which a large proportion have dependent children.

Further problems are anticipated by Croydon Council, the housing officer of which has highlighted the impact of government welfare reform on borough households.

The introduction of Universal Credit means there is a delay for benefit payments, which can lead to arrears building up for the most vulnerable, low-income Croydon citizens.

Housing benefit caps mean there is a maximum pay-out for accommodation for those in need  but this may not cover their rent, particularly in London.

These changes could lead to evictions for failure to maintain rent payments.

"It's absolutely terrible," said Alison Butler, Croydon Council's cabinet member for homes.

"Welfare reform is just a step too far. If you look at the situation in London, where rents are very high and opportunities for accommodation are low, it just doesn't work."

According to figures collated by politically neutral council officers, from November 2016, the benefit cap has been reduced from 26,000 to 23,000. This has impacted 1,044 people of whom 599 are on housing benefit and 445 are on Universal Credit.

Of those on housing benefit 162 people are losing more than 100 per week and are facing a significant risk of eviction, and 90 of these will require a move to homes outside London and the South East.

READ MORE: Number of homeless people in Croydon 'is same as during the recession'

The remainder will need other interventions to prevent homelessness, and a further 526 households with 1,604 children will be affected by the cap.

Cllr Butler said: "The government needs to rethink its plans, otherwise you're going to get more and more families in this kind of situation.

"Some people have no choice but to approach the council for help, and you have children stuck staying in B&Bs, which nobody wants to see.

"Unfortunately there are no easy answers. We try to build more homes, but that is just like a sticking plaster unless the government changes its stan
Almost 20 years ago, Chris Wysopal was among a group of hackers who testified before U.S. Congress, warning it about the dangers of the internet.

Unfortunately, the U.S. government is still struggling to act, he said. "Youre just going to keep ending up with the status quo," he said, pointing to the U.S. government's failure to regulate the tech industry or incentivize any change.

Its a feeling that was shared by the experts who attended this weeks RSA cybersecurity show. Clearly, the U.S. government needs to do more on cybersecurity, but what?

Public and Private sector

Perhaps, the need for U.S. action hasn't been more urgent. In last year's election, Russia was accused of hacking U.S. political groups and figures in an effort to influence the outcome.

In addition, major internet companies, including Yahoo, have also reported huge data breaches, one of which exposed details to a billion user accounts.

The list of problems goes on and on. However, what the U.S. government's role should be in cybersecurity isn't as clear-cut as one might think. That's because most of the IT infrastructure is in the hands of the private sector, which is constantly churning out new -- and sometimes vulnerable -- tech products. But it's not always the biggest fan of regulation.

"Every year, people talk about improved collaboration between the public and private sectors," said RSA CTO Zulfikar Ramzan. "And of course, every year, it feels like we haven't made that much progress."

Michael Kan RSA CTO Zulfikar Ramzan speaks at RSA 2017.

He predicts the state of cybersecurity will first get worse before it gets better. Nowadays, one relatively simple hack involving a phishing email can affect an entire U.S. election, like it did, last year.

Ramzan recommends that the U.S. fully outline the public and private sectors' roles in cybersecurity, as opposed to leaving this muddled. "That would help things move forward," he said. "Each respective sector can do what they do best."

For instance, the U.S. should be pushing out more standards on IT security, based on guidance from the industry. Meanwhile, the private sector can focus on developing new innovations that government bureaus can beta test and support.

Practical approaches

Others like Wysopal, who is now CTO at Veracode, think the U.S. government is in a unique position to spark change that can reach out across the industry.

Imagine if tech vendors all suddenly decided to build securer products -- not because of any new regulation -- but because they wanted to win bids from a customer.

The U.S. government happens to be one of the biggest customers of technology. So it's in a prime position to demand tech vendors secure their products, which would pass those benefits on to other buyers such as enterprises and consumers, Wysopal said.

"It isnt regulation. Its securing the government and getting that ripple effect," he said.

"But they've never really done that," he added. "They've never put acquisition requirements in place. There's recommendations. But they're not as stringent as we see with the banks."

Experts at the RSA show also brought up the urgent need for the U.S. government to train new cybersecurity talent  which is scarce in today's industry  and to readily share its intelligence on the latest cyber threats, rather than wait until it's too late.

"Dont tell us what to do, how to do it," said Jeremiah Grossman, chief of security strategy at SentinelOne. "Just tell us what's out there."

"The faster we get the data out to the masses, the sooner we can counteract," he said. "By sharing threat intel data, we force them [the hackers] to change their tactics."

Hard questions

But in the cyber realm, perhaps the biggest challenge facing the U.S. government is what to do about state-sponsored hacking.

The U.S. still doesnt have a clear policy on how to retaliate, which does nothing to discourage foreign governments from striking again. But at the same time, many of these cyber attacks might be considered an act of war, said Mike Rogers, a former U.S. congressman who was chairman of the House intelligence committee.

Michael Kan Former U.S. congressman Mike Rogers.

During a panel at the RSA show, he pointed to the example of North Korea's suspected hacking of Sony Pictures in 2014, which costs millions of dollars in damages.

"Is that an act of war?" he asked. "It's so hard to come to that conclusion, because [these cyber attacks] are happening a million times a day."

In 2007, U.S. officials began realizing they needed a policy around cyberwarfare, Rogers said. But the government still isn't close to defining it, despite wrestling with the topic for years.

"We were having a hard time coming to any agreement, and we're not there yet," he said.

But clearly, something needs to change.

"I think the United States is in cyberwar and most Americans don't know it. And I'm not sure we're winning," he said.

Bolster our comment section by heading to Facebook.
Phishing messages, spam, and emails with malicious file attachments are assaulting Gmail users at an astonishing rate.

The Google Security Blog states that every minute, the company prevents over 10 million unsafe or unwanted emails from reaching Gmail users and threatening them with malicious attachments that infect a users machine if opened.

At the RSA Conference in San Francisco last week, Google explained some interesting differences between threats to Gmail consumer vs. corporate email inboxes. In a nutshell, business users are at greater risk than individuals.

The Gmail Q1 2017 stats:

Attackers send 4.3x more malware to corporate users than personal users

Attackers send 6.2x more phishing messages to corporate users than personal users

Attackers send 0.4x as much spam to corporate users than personal users

The hackers are smart enough to know there's more to gain from businesses than consumers.

Fortunately for the Gmail recipients, Google's state-of-the-art email classifier detects abusive messages with 99.9 percent accuracy. But there are some harmful emails that will still get through.

To enhance Gmail security, Google recommends:

Turn on Gmail's two-step verification (multi-factor authentication) which is a security system that requires something you know (your login ID and password) and something you possess (i.e. your phone) in order to gain access to a device or app.

Pay attention to the new security warnings in Gmail introduced this past summer. If you receive a message that can't be authenticated or with a link to a dangerous site known for phishing, malware, and Unwanted Software -- don't click.

Enterprise customers (G Suite Enterprise edition users) should consider using Google's new Hosted S/MIME -- which stores incoming encrypted email using Google's encryption.

With billions of malicious emails incoming every day, Gmail users are wise to heed Google's security advise. The 0.1 percent of bad mail that gets through is wreaking havoc on email accounts -- and contributing to the cybercrime epidemic that is costing the world trillions of dollars annually.

Send your comments, as long as they aren't malicious, to our Facebook page.
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DANBURY  Almost all immigrants living in the United States without documentation are now subject to arrest and deportation, the Department of Homeland Security said Tuesday in a move to clarify the implementation of executive orders President Trump signed soon after taking office.

City immigrant group advocates, who held A Day Without Immigrants strike and a 500-person rally last Thursday, said they werent surprised by Tuesdays memos, but theyll step up know your rights training sessions in response. Undocumented immigrants in the city shouldnt be afraid, they said, reasserting last weeks rallying cry that city business leaders, lawyers and the large immigrant community will continue to support those in the city without documentation.

Its not scary until something happens around here, said Rolando Castro, who owns two area delis and helped organize last weeks rally and strike. We were all together last week, the people know we all have their backs.

Angelica Idrovo, a Danbury-based CT Students For A Dream organizer, said her group will start knocking on doors, and hold more know your rightsseminars on the heels of Tuesdays news.

Two memos signed Tuesday by DHS Secretary John Kelly in response to two January executive orders by President Trump call for the hiring of 10,000 new Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, more coordination with municipal law enforcement agencies, and say the the department no longer will exempt classes or categories of removable aliens from potential enforcement.

The memos undo President Obama policies that made undocumented immigrants largely safe from deportation if they werent, for example, convicted criminals or recent border crossers. The memos also say ICE will add to the 32 agencies it deputizes to carry out immigration arrests, and will include all qualified law enforcement agencies that request to participate.

The Connecticut ACLU Tuesday released a statement condemning the DHS memos:

This could open the door to unjust, biased profiling in communities across Connecticut. It is critical for community members to loudly and clearly tell their local police departments and town governments not to participate in deporting their neighbors, the ACLU said.

DHS officials still place convicted criminals at the top of a deportation priority list. But now undocumented people who have been charged with a crime, have abused public assistance or been caught with fake documents, will be arrested and deported, too.

Danbury restaurant owner Wilson Hernandez, who also helped organize Thursdays rally at City Hall, said the city immigrant community would gladly uproot criminals, but most undocumented immigrants arent criminals.

Whats a criminal to Mr. Trump? Its so ambiguous, Hernandez said. We have to clearly say immigrants are not criminals, nobody is advocating for criminals, only hardworking people  99 percent of immigrants are hardworking people.

The department will prioritize deporting undocumented immigrants who pose a public safety threat, the memos said. But all of those present in violation of the immigration laws may be subject to immigration arrest, detention, and, if found removable by final order, removal from the United States, added a DHS news release.

DHS officials said Tuesday that their actions should not alarm or cause panic in immigrant communities and there are no plans for mass deportations, according to several media reports. Officials also said the memos wont affect Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients, who, too, are protected by Obama-era immigration policies.

blytton@hearstmediact.com; 203-731-3411; @bglytton
BRIDGEPORTA month after his co-conspirator pleaded guilty, a lawyer formerly of Easton has switched his own plea and admitted to participating in a scheme that took advantage of distressed homeowners.

Bradford Barneys, 51, pleaded guilty Tuesday in a federal court in Hartford to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire a fraud, according to a statement from the office of Connecticut U.S. Attorney Deirdre Daly.

From his law offices in Bridgeport, Barneys provided co-conspirator Timothy Burke a veneer of legitimacy as he defrauded struggling homeowners, according to the DOJ.

Between approximately 2011 to at least 2014, (he) participated in dozens of meetings with Burke, according to a DOJ statement. At the meetings, Burke represented to homeowners that he would purchase their properties and presented to the homeowners quitclaim deeds, management agreements, indemnification agreements, and third party authorizations.

According to officials, Barneys know that Burke was offering a fraudulent lifeline homeowners facing foreclosure. He stood by as Burke arranged fake sales of their homes, promising to take on their mortgage debt. He also helped Burke evict tenants from the houses he rented.

Once they were out of the house, he would rent the properties out and pocket the rental income, as the mortgage bills piled up. Many of the properties were ultimately foreclosed on, according to the DOJ.

When homeowners asked about the status of their property sales, (he) would assure them that their sales to Burke or one of his companies were progressing as Burke promised, the DOJ said. (He) also knew that, once Burke obtained the properties from the homeowners, he would rent them out to tenants.

Property owners, mortgage companies, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development ultimately were defrauded as part of the scheme, according to the DOJ.

Burke, 61, pleaded guilty Jan. 24 to mail fraud and tax evasion. He faces up to 25 years in prison, and is scheduled for sentencing in April.

Barneys, who had moved to Odenton, Maryland since the bulk of the fraud occurred, initially pleaded not Guilty according to the Associated Press. He could be sentenced to as many as 20 years in prison. Judge Shea is scheduled to sentence him at the Hartford district court on June 13, 2017.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys David T. Huang and Sarah P. Karwan are prosecuting the case.
The case may have to be made one state at a time, but Connecticut has now weighed in with the findings of an investigation: voter fraud was not an issue in the state in Novembers presidential election.

President Donald Trump has protested ever since the election that millions of people voted illegally, costing him the popular vote, which was won by Hillary Clinton, his Democratic opponent, by some 3 million votes. Trumps victory came in the Electoral College, a weighted state-by-state representative body.

Theres no question that chicanery happens in elections.

Voters rising from the grave still occasionally get their voices heard and long vacant buildings can be miraculously repopulated on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November.

But even the most skilled political operative - or team of them - would be hard pressed to turn out illegal voters in the numbers alleged by the President.

When you look at the millions of votes cast in Connecticut, the number (of illegal votes) is very small, said Michael Brandi, executive director and general counsel of Connecticuts State Elections and Enforcement Commission, which handles complaints of voting irregularity.

Of the 1.6 million ballots cast in Connecticut in November, 16 ballots are under review, according to Brandi.

And, since 1975, there have been about 90 allegations of improper ballots.

Trump has alleged, among other things, that busloads of people from Massachusetts were brought into neighboring New Hampshire to vote illegally and helped Clinton build a 3,000-vote margin of victory in that state.

Neither Trump nor his aides have offered any proof of their claims. And New Hampshire officials, Republicans and Democrats alike, have said theyve seen no evidence of fraudulent voting in their state.

Connecticut employs a network of safeguards to keep voting as pure as possible.

For one thing, the state participates in a 20-state consortium that allows for detecting duplicate voter registrations.

Applicants have to provide social security numbers.

Drivers licenses used for online registration are checked against the Department of Motor Vehicles database and the drive-only licenses given to immigrants are not valid for voting.

Absentee ballots must be requested and are mailed directly to the voter or a family member. Once they are returned, the name on the voter roll is checked off to prevent the recipient from voting in person.

Studies have found that there are wrinkles in the voting system that could be ironed out. For instance, a 2012 report from the Pew Charitable Trust found that more than 1.8 million deceased people were still on active voting lists, that roughly 2.75 million people were registered in more than one state, that some 24 million registrations were in one form or another inaccurate, and that 51 million eligible people were unregistered.

Part of the reason for the above numbers, the organization found, was the increasing mobility of people.

The Presidents continued insistence that voter fraud played a role in the 2016 election rings more hollow with each passing day.
Google maps

Two fugitives wanted by Georgia police on multiple charges of identify thefts have been arrested nearly a thousand miles away living in Woodbridge.

Ayelet Ellituv, 34, and her husband, 53-year-old husband, Eliahu Shetrit, 53, were wanted by Fulton County, Ga. sheriffs for more than 50 counts of identify theft and fraud in the greater Atlanta area, Woodbridge police said.
President Donald Trump pledged Tuesday to combat bigotry and unite what he called a "divided country" after wrapping up his first visit to the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

"Today and every day of my presidency I pledge to do everything I can to continue that promise of freedom for African-Americans and for every American," Trump said, calling his tour "a meaningful reminder of why we have to fight bigotry and hatred and intolerance."

"We're going to bring this country together. We have a divided country that's been divided for many, many years, but we're going to bring it together," he added.

Trump also took the opportunity to address the recent spate of anti-Semitic incidents, heeding calls from Jewish leaders and Democrats to speak out.

He called the recent threats against Jewish community centers "horrible and painful and a very sad reminder of the work that must still be one to root out hate and prejudice."

He was joined at the museum by daughter, Ivanka Trump, Housing and Urban Development nominee Ben Carson and his wife, Candy Carson, Sen. Tim Scott, R-South Carolina, and presidential aide and former "Apprentice" contestant Omarosa Manigault, among others.

The visit was arranged by Manigault, a source familiar with the visit said. The source added that the visit was originally penciled in for mid-January but was effectively nixed at that time by the Secret Service, citing security concerns.

Trump's visit to the museum, which opened last September, coincides with Black History Month. Trump first marked the event at the beginning of the month hosting a listening session with what the White House described as African-American leaders.

The attendees did not include leaders from top African-American advocacy groups such as the NAACP or the National Urban League, but instead featured Trump sitting alongside several of his campaign's top black supporters and members of his administration, including Carson and Manigault.

Last week, Trump again drew questions as he touted his outreach efforts, claiming that Rep. Elijah Cummings, a Democratic member of the Congressional Black Caucus, canceled a meeting with Trump because it would be "bad politics."

Cummings said the story was completely false and that the Congressional Black Caucus had tried to set up a meeting with Trump through the White House without success.

Trump also drew criticism when during his news conference last week asked April Ryan, a veteran White House reporter who is black, if she would help set up a meeting with the black caucus, which Ryan is not affiliated with.

Trump is the second member of the first family to attend the months-old museum in just a week. First lady Melania Trump visited the museum last week with Sara Netanyahu, wife of the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Trump made a concerted effort to reach out to African-American voters during the campaign, including through events hosted by his National Diversity Coalition and alongside Carson, the prominent black neurosurgeon who endorsed Trump after dropping out of the GOP primary race.

But Trump's black outreach often came under fierce criticism during the campaign.

With the exception of two visits to predominantly black churches -- one in Michigan and one in Ohio -- Trump largely delivered his message of outreach to African-Americans before overwhelmingly white audiences at political rallies around the country.

His description of African-American life was also often exceedingly dark and broad-brushed, as he equated the lives of poor African-Americans living in inner cities with those of all African-Americans, most of whom do not live in dire straits.

In a frequent refrain, Trump argued that African-Americans lived in conditions worse than those in many foreign war zones and pointedly called on those in the typically Democratic voting bloc to take a risk and support him.

"What the hell do you have to lose?" Trump often asked.

CNN's Joe Johns and Noah Gray contributed to this report.

This story has been updated.
CBC RadioFebruary 21, 2017Louis Theroux's latest documentary film, My Scientology Movie, is a deep dive into the strange world of Scientology.Hamilton Leithauser strikes up a 'lucky' collaboration with RostamLouis Theroux attempts to infiltrate the world of Scientology in his new film.When documentary maker Louis Theroux reached out to the Church of Scientology, to try to create a film about this controversial religion, they swiftly rebuffed his requests. But that didn't stop Theroux.Theroux's latest film, My Scientology Movie, finds ways around its topic including re-enactments of accounts from the former senior executive of Scientology, Marty Rathbun. Also, the film follows Theroux's (sometimes hilarious) attempts at infiltrating the church."I was trying to understand Scientology almost from the perspective of a Scientologist," he explains. "And it's quite a funny religion. We're not talking about ISIS [...] We're not talking about beheadings or hostage-taking, so I think comedy is an appropriate genre for the movie to take place in."My Scientology Movie is out now in Toronto, and will be available in other cities in Canada soon.
We must rethink the U.S. response to infectious disease. Here's why.
What a disappointment the ministerial career of Communities and Local Government Secretary Sajid Javid is in danger of becoming.

With his Thatcherite instincts and impressive back story, this self-made millionaire and son of a bus driver appears to have everything going for him and has been talked of as a future Tory leader.

But in the past 12 months his star has fallen. First came the EU referendum, when this most ardent of Eurosceptics fell in line with Project Fear only months after declaring that the costs of membership outweighed the benefits.

What a disappointment the ministerial career of Communities and Local Government Secretary Sajid Javid is in danger of becoming

In March, as Business Secretary, Mr Javid disappeared on a trip to Australia when thousands of jobs hung in the balance at the Tata steel plant in Port Talbot. He then pulled the same trick last week, despite growing uproar over the iniquitous business rates revaluation. This newspaper, and company owners up and down the country, were asking: Wheres Sajid?

But after he and Treasury minister David Gauke sent a spectacularly ill-judged letter to Tory MPs that arrogantly dismissed criticisms of the rates review as distortions and half-truths, perhaps he should have stayed away after all.

Their claim  against all the evidence that this antediluvian tax is fair will have enraged every one of the half-a-million business owners facing rate rises of up to 300 per cent, especially as supermarkets and online retailers are in line for rate cuts.

That Mr Javid sent the letter hoping to reassure his fellow MPs, when some are facing staggering average rate rises in their constituencies, displays a woeful lack of sensitivity.

Indeed, this entire episode has shown him to be worryingly out of touch. Thankfully, there are clear signs a rethink is already under way in the Treasury. It cannot come quickly enough.

As for Mr Javid, he should rediscover his political roots, think twice before sending petulant letters  and start fighting for British business.

Shes watching you!

She could not speak in the House of Lords yesterday as the Brexit debate began but, with her very presence, Theresa May sent an unmistakable message: Defy me at your peril!

Few politicians can make so clear a statement without saying a word. Just in case any ermine-clad peers had forgotten they have no democratic mandate, here was an emissary from the elected Commons, representing both 17.4million Leave voters and countless Remainers who accept the result and want ministers to get on with it.

She could not speak in the House of Lords yesterday as the Brexit debate began but, with her very presence, Theresa May (top right) sent an unmistakable message: Defy me at your peril!

While Mrs May (circled) was staring down recalcitrant peers, this newspaper hopes she was also taking names of would-be Brexit-blockers

Among the latter group is former Tory leader Lord Hague, who warned that reversing the referendum result would open up the most protracted, bitter, potentially endless conflict in British politics that we have seen since the decades of debate on Irish home rule.

It is a salutary warning, and yet Labour and the Lib Dems are determined to amend the Article 50 Bill  in what would be a clear affront to democracy.

While Mrs May was staring down recalcitrant peers, this newspaper hopes she was also taking names of would-be Brexit-blockers. After all, a cull of the bloated upper chamber is long overdue.

Back in 2013, BBC director-general Lord Hall admitted there was a problem with actors mumbling on TV. Four years and countless inaudible dramas later nothing seems to have improved. In fact, viewers of last nights SS-GB about a successful Nazi invasion in 1940 were resorting to subtitles to keep up. At a time of unrivalled technical wizardry in visual special effects, is it too much to ask to be able to hear what people are saying?
Let us be clear. The debate which opened yesterday in the House of Lords is bigger simply than the issue of triggering Article 50 and beginning the arduous process of negotiating Britains way out of the European Union.

It is about understanding the mood of ordinary people towards political elites  not just in Britain but across Europe and America. It is about unelected peers appreciating that politics as usual is no longer acceptable.

Whether you like it or not, the vote to leave the EU last June, against the wishes of the majority of the political Establishment, demonstrated a fundamental change in attitude from those who felt their views on everything from immigration to Brussels red tape and City fat-cats were being ignored by the people running the country.

Baroness Smith of Basildon speaks in the House of Lords, London, during the debate on the Brexit Bil

Elites

The same trend is clear in America, where the election of Donald Trump as President was a resounding expression of dissatisfaction with the political status quo. Opinion polls in the run-up to elections across Europe this year show a similar pattern, with far-Right candidates leading in both Holland and France.

Last Friday Tony Blair made a passionate and well-argued case for those who lost the referendum not to give up. He argued that Brexit was not inevitable, and called for pro-Europeans to rise up in defence of what we believe.

His views were repeated in speeches yesterday in the House of Lords by some who felt that the referendum result was the wrong one.

But people have had enough of elites telling them what to do  or telling them how wrong theyve been.

Last Friday Tony Blair made a passionate and well-argued case for those who lost the referendum not to give up

And that is why, as we in the House of Lords decide whether to try to block the Article 50 Bill, and what amendments if any should be incorporated into it, it is vital to think of the broader political implications of our decisions.

I am firmly of the opinion that the Lords should not hold up this Bill. Any sign that an unelected second chamber is seeking to thwart the withdrawal of Britain from the EU would be seen as acting in defiance of the people.

It may be within the constitutional right of peers to try to prevent Brexit, but we should think twice before doing so.

I say this with a heavy heart, as someone who voted and argued passionately to stay in the EU. I still believe it is a major mistake to detach ourselves from a European bloc of sufficient political weight to counter the rising power of China and India, never mind an increasingly belligerent Russia and a United States under President Trump.

But the argument is over. Both sides presented their case  in my view extremely badly  and the people made up their minds.

To ignore the consensus of the people, to dismiss their views, is to denigrate those on whose behalf politicians speak. It is surely the duty of politicians in any democracy to reflect the views of the people. That is why so many MPs, despite believing that we are making a grave error in leaving the EU, nevertheless voted to trigger Article 50.

Yet despite this principled behaviour by MPs, the Liberal Democrats in the Lords are arguing for wrecking amendments to this simple Bill.

These are the same Lib Dems who argued vehemently for an in-out referendum on the EU whatever the outcome of David Camerons negotiations to improve Britains deal within Europe, yet because that referendum did not produce the right outcome refuse to accept the result.

The same Liberal Democrats, too, who favour an elected House of Lords  which presumably means they should follow the will of the people and not just the views of those who have been elevated to a peerage.

Perception is all in this debate  the significance of which was underlined by the symbolic visit of the Prime Minister to the Lords, where she sat on the steps of the throne in order to listen to the opening speeches.

It is vital that peers involved in this debate appear to be looking after the peoples interests rather than their own. Many of the lords who have been expressing opinions over the past few days have a great deal of experience of the EU, having worked there or having been our representatives as Commissioners.

Yet as this newspaper has pointed out, some of those who served in such capacities have considerable interests in the EU, not least in the form of pensions. And while their contributions to the debate are vital, they must be extremely careful not to put their personal situations before the countrys decision.

These are the same Lib Dems who argued vehemently for an in-out referendum on the EU whatever the outcome of David Camerons negotiations to improve Britains deal within Europe

Challenge

Given the expertise in the Lords, it is reasonable for the Upper House to consider or suggest amendments to the Bill before them.

It makes sense, for example, to reinforce the commitments in the Bill that have already been made in Parliament. Not least, the right of Parliament to have a vote on the final Brexit package after it has been negotiated with Europe.

It is not in any sense acceptable, however, to use the debate to block Article 50, thereby undermining the straightforward legislation which arose from the Supreme Court decision last month that Parliament should have the final say on Brexit.

It is not acceptable in the present climate and with the vote of the British people clearly in our minds, for the House of Lords to determine that Britain should or should not remain a member of the single market, and therefore place the Government in a situation which is entirely contrary to that laid out by the Prime Minister.

In the words of the former Conservative European Commissioner Jonathan Hill, who stood down after the Brexit vote, the Government has to be given a little slack in its difficult task.

That view was eloquently reinforced by the Labour leader of the opposition in the Lords, Baroness (Angela) Smith, who has made it clear that it is not her intention at this stage to challenge the will of the electorate.

Ignored

I am sure common sense will prevail. Most members of the House of Lords recognise their delicate constitutional situation and the even more delicate position democracy faces in light of the alienation from the political process felt by so many.

As I said four weeks ago in the Lords, these wider considerations cannot and must not be ignored.

In other words, the issue of our place in Europe has been decided. There is not going to be a second referendum, much as I wish there could be.

Although those arguing for a vigorous debate are right, the outcome can only be a greater understanding of what we are losing, an appreciation of the difficulty the Government faces in the negotiations in the years ahead  and an agreement that we should come together to try to find the best possible deal we can for Britain in the very different world of tomorrow.

That is the task that faces all who remain in public life. It is not an easy road to travel and for many of us not one we would have chosen.

But, if we believe in democracy, it is the will of the people and not the predilections of those in positions of authority which must prevail.
Sir Edward Heath during his days as an MP

Another day, another conspiracy theory. Or, rather, another two conspiracy theories.

First, Wiltshire Chief Constable Mike Veale is said to be 120 per cent sure that the former prime minister Sir Edward Heath was a paedophile.

Furthermore, the police are apparently investigating claims that Heath was part of a satanic sex cult involved in 16 murders.

On the same day, the excitable American crime novelist Patricia Cornwell claimed to have uncovered new evidence to support her long-standing conviction that the real Jack the Ripper was none other than the great painter Walter Sickert.

She is, she says, more sure than ever that Sickert was the Victorian serial killer.

I put his toll at a dozen, maybe as many as 20, or possibly more.

Its hard to know which of these ideas is the more nutty.

A dozen years after his death, Sir Edward (right) remains an unusually unpopular figure, but even his worst enemies doubt he was a paedophile.

Writer Matthew Parris, who worked for Mrs Thatcher before becoming a Conservative MP, has dismissed allegations against Heath.

If Heath was a child abuser, then Im an aardvark, he says.

The case against Sickert might seem, at first, rather more solid.

Fifteen years ago, Cornwell spent $2million researching a book that argued Sickert was the Ripper.

Fifteen years ago, Patricia Cornwell (pictured) spent $2million researching a book that argued Sickert was the Ripper

When the book was dismissed by critics, she spent yet more money on full-page advertisements in the Independent and Guardian demanding her work be taken seriously and arguing that the Rippers victims deserve justice.

Having spent 500,000 and 15 years assembling new evidence, the film director Bruce Robinson published a book two years ago in which he declared himself 100 per cent certain that Jack the Ripper was the eminent Victorian composer Michael Maybrick.

At the same time, he dismissed Cornwells allegations against Sickert as mind-numbing and outrageous . . . nonsense.

For some reason, Ripperologists, as these people call themselves, prefer to collar celebrities for the crimes.

Over the years, books have been written arguing the Rippers murders were committed by, in no particular order, Lewis Carroll, Dr Barnardo, Queen Victorias brother, Sir Winston Churchills father, George Vs brother, William Gladstone, the novelist George Gissing and the poet J. K. Stephen.

It cant be long before someone sets out to prove they all did it together, along the lines of Murder On The Orient Express.

Patricia Cornwells evidence is patchy, to say the very least.

Her new book, Ripper: The Secret Life Of Walter Sickert, revolves around the idea first put about by an unknown man called Joseph Gorman.

In the late Sixties, Gorman announced he was the illegitimate grandson of Walter Sickert.

He subsequently changed his mind, saying he was, in fact, the son of Walter Sickert and the grandson of Prince Albert Victor.

This also made him the great-grandson of Edward VII, and the great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria, and so on and so forth.

Gorman then claimed that the royal physician, Sir William Gull, was the real Jack the Ripper and that Walter Sickert had told him this just before he died, in 1942.

A journalist called Stephen Knight then adapted Gormans claim, stating in his 1976 book Jack The Ripper: The Final Solution that Sickert was a co-conspirator in the murders.

Two years later, Gorman once again changed his mind, saying that his Ripper conspiracy theory was a hoax  I made it all up.

Sir Edward Heath, who died in July 2005

He was, it seems, something of a perpetual fantasist.

He once told the author Colin Wilson that he often went to tea with the Queen.

In 2000, he claimed he had been left several Sickert pictures in the will of Sickerts third wife, Therese, even though Therese had not left a will.

However, it is a golden rule of conspiracy theorists that a total lack of evidence is the surest sign of a cover-up. This means that Patricia Cornwell is more convinced than shes ever been.

I wonder if she realises that Walter Sickert once met Edward Heath?

In 1934, the 18-year-old Heath went carol singing near his home in Broadstairs, Kent, and happened to sing outside the house of the 74-year-old Walter Sickert.

Eventually the curtain at the window was drawn aside and through the chink we saw a small, wizened, grey-bearded face, Heath recalled in his 1976 book, Music: A Joy For Life.

Almost immediately, the curtain slipped back again. We waited. Then the door, on a chain, was opened a fraction.

Go away! said Sickert and we left.

For Patricia Cornwells next book, I urge her to join forces with Chief Constable Veale.

Heath And Sickert: The Real Jack The Rippers could prove just the tonic publishers need for a bonanza next Christmas.
It's hard to resist the lure of a spending spree - especially when you've just been handed a 26,000 lump sum.

Donna, 38, a single mother from Southend-on-Sea, who has been on benefits since she was 16, celebrates her windfall with her three sons Reggie, George and Jacob, splashing out on a fancy dinner.

And that's just the start, Donna then squanders the cash on a shopping spree which sees her spend money on new trainers, clothes and a bottle of perfume costing 100.

But Donna's payout is not the result of a lottery win - she's one of the participant's in Channel 5's social experiment The Great British Benefits Handout, where people on benefits are given the equivalent of a year's handouts in one go in order to turn their lives around.

Despite aiming to open her own hair salon, Donna manages to blow 6,000 of the money she was meant to pour into the business in the space of just four weeks.

She is then given the news that her out-of-control spending has put a stop to her plans to open up a salon.

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Donna gets carried away when she's handed 26,000 and goes straight out to spend it on fancy dinners and gifts for her sons

Having been n benefits since 16, the large amount of money is a lot to handle for the single mother-of-three and while she wants to treat her sons she also needs to budget

'It's so easy to do,' she admits. 'Before the week's end you realise you've spent 100 on rubbish.'

After living on benefits since she was 16 and never having a full-time job, the money is a shock to Donna's system.

Flush with cash, on her first day she gives her neighbour 200 and takes her sons for a fancy meal costing 136.

She then takes them on a shopping spree, spending 406 on clothes and trainers - including 100 on perfume for herself - before buying supplies for the salon she doesn't yet have.

Reality sinks in for Donna when she properly considers her finances and has to think about how much it would really cost to open a salon

During a tearful moment Donna says: 'I feel like I have got no emotional support. Its a really big step I have taken, its a really big risk.

'I am frightened I am not going to make it. Thats the last thing I want people to see is me fail, especially my kids and my friends. I have failed at loads of things in my life I dont want to fail at this.'

Welfare expert Lee Healey, then delivers her the news of her out-of-control spending and has to put a stop to Donna's plans of opening up a hairdressing business.

Donna with her sons (L-R), George, youngest Reggie and oldest Jacob. She comes off benefits completely as part of the experiment

Now Donna has to learn to manage her outgoings, and that means cutting back on buying things she doesn't need

After confessing she has not cut hair for three years and has no salon experience he suggests she should go back to basics and try and get a job as a hairdresser.

Donna admits she worries she will run out of money before she's had chance to make a success of herself.

'I was gutted for myself, it was embarrassing to tell people, not all people. But I know I have made the right decision,' she says.

'We are not going to have the money for much longer if I do spend it, and I will end up back on benefits. Ive got to make something of my life because if I dont do it I never will.'

Donna eventually bites the bullet and starts cutting hair again after three years since her last time with a pair of scissors

After handing in her CV to several hairdressers, she invites her first paying customer round to her house to test the waters.

She makes her first 10, but that only covers a small portion of her latest spend - new blinds for her sons' room after they previously went without curtains because she couldn't afford them.

It won't be revealed until a future episode whether Donna has managed to get a job or if she's back on benefits.

The Great British Benefits Handout airs Thursday, Channel 5 at 9pm
Hindus are forbidden from eating beef, but for Casualty star Sunetra Sarker secretly consuming Bovril was her way of rebelling against her heritage.

The actress, 43, is the daughter of first generation immigrant parents who settled in Liverpool from Calcutta, India, a few years before she was born.

But as she delves into her family history for BBC programme Who Do You Think You Are? she confesses as a young girl she turned her back on her Indian roots and instead strived to be as British as possible.

She laughs as she reveals on the show: 'Me and my mates were secretly buying Bovril soup which is unheard of because Hindus don't eat beef, and I probably denied being Indian as much as I could.'

Actress Sunetra Sarker, 43, is the latest celebrity to trace their family history in a bid to learn more about themselves

The actress made a name for herself as Dr Zoe Hanna on the hospital drama Casualty from 2007 to May 2016

As a youngster in Liverpool, Sunetra was more interested about being as English as possible, but goes on an emotional journey while visiting Calcutta. (Right) She starred in Brookside when she was 15

Best known for her role as Dr Zoe Hanna in the long-running hospital drama, as well as parts in Brookside and No Angels and a stint on Strictly Come Dancing, Sunetra said she ignored her own rich culture in favour of her home city of Liverpool.

'I've always been really proud to say that I'm from Liverpool, something that comes so easily to me. The minute anyone says "where are you from?" I say Liverpool, and I really like saying that actually.

Suentra's father Bachi Sarker is a retired doctor and her mother Bisakha is a statistican who taught Indian classical dance. Said Suentra: 'Growing up was definitely an Indian household, mum always wore a sari and a bindi on her forehead. We only ever ate Indian food, even Christmas dinner was Indian.

'I preferred to be more British, so I would speak with a Liverpool accent. As many British, English, Anglicised things I could bring into my life I did,' she said.

Sunetra, who has a son Noah with her ex-husband Nick Corfield, speaks with her mother about her great-grandfather and their history.

She admits her regret at not listening to her mother as a child, because she simply wasn't interested in anything to do with India.

'My mum has always been really good talking about family, but I really didn't see the point in paying attention to my history because we weren't in India.

Her great-grandfather Nuresh was a writer and was friends with 19th century poet Rabindranath Tagore, who some in India was nicknamed 'India's Shakespeare'

Sunetra admits that she ignored her own culture because she was proud to be from Liverpool but now embraces all things Bengali that she missed out on

'I really wish I had paid more attention, because now I am grown up and I know it is not about being cool anymore. My family is all from India and I actually like it and I want to know more about it.'

Sunetra's great-grandfather Nuresh, a writer and political activist, was friends with Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore in the 19th century. His sister, who was sent to prison for her beliefs was also a political activist and was friends with Mahatma Gandhi, leader of the Indian Independence Movement.

During a visit to a school for girls established by one of Nuresh's daughters, Sunetra is overwhelmed with emotion as she listens to the pupils sing the Indian national anthem Jan Gan Man, which celebrates independence.

After visiting old family archives at a residence left untouched after a family member's death, she heads off to meet historian Dr Asher Ingram to find out more about her great-grandmother Labanya.

Sunetra (pictured as a child with her mother Bisakha) rejected her Indian lifestyle in favour of all things British

She breaks down in tears as she discovers her written memories of her childhood from the 1920s: 'The one thing I'd like to know was what she was like, as I'm all about emotions as I deal with those as an actor.

'I was hoping I would find something that would at least give me an idea of what she was like... This is gold dust for me and to my mum and so many other people.'

Sunetra meets with a 92-year-old village local who knew her relatives and takes her through a temple and house that her great-grandfather used to be the landlord of.

After the trip down memory lane, Sunetra discusses the tragic events of her grandmother's death.

Her voice breaks as she said: 'I don't really like talking about how my grandmother died in a really horrific way... She was cooking in her sari and it caught fire and she died.

(Pictured) Sunetra crossing the River Mersey on a Mersey Ferry during filming for the BBC programme Who Do You Think You Are?

'Nobody in the whole family really talks about that, she was really special to a lot of people. That was my grandmother, I never looked beyond her but I think if she knew I was walking through her grandfather's house I think that would make her so happy, and my mum.'

After offering flowers to an idol left behind by her ancestors and feeding the village locals she says: 'This whole journey has been full of surprises, I think I came blind but curious.

'Blind in a way that I am ashamed to say because I was in complete denial of my Bengali roots. I was so keen to be British girl from Liverpool, and I still am.

'That is really what my identity began and ended with for me. And now I couldnt be more Bengali. I'm wearing Bengali clothes, I'm eating Bengali food and mixing with the Bengali locals.

'I am so very grateful, I am grateful to call myself Bengali and I think I have new paths to my identity thanks to everything I have learned.'

Who Do You Think You Are? airs Wednesday on BBC One at 8pm
Widely tipped to marry Princess Eugenie, Jack Brooksbank is making sure that hes well-positioned to take advantage of joining The Firm.

After seven years as her boyfriend, Brooksbank has set up a company called Jack Brooksbank Ltd, which he hopes will make his fortune.

The business will distribute alcoholic drinks and he has managed to win the support of a famous client. Brooksbank, below with Eugenie, has been handed the role of ambassador for Casamigos tequila, the brand part-owned by Hollywood star George Clooney, who, by coincidence, shares an ex-girlfriend with Prince Andrew, Eugenies father.

Widely tipped to marry Princess Eugenie (right), Jack Brooksbank (left) is making sure that hes well-positioned to take advantage of joining The Firm

Brooksbank has big plans for his new company, with his spokesman telling me: In time, Jack will utilise his experience to expand the business.

While Eugenie, 26, attended Newcastle University, Brooksbank, 30, learned his trade in a string of Chelsea pubs frequented by Prince Harry and his court jester Guy Pelly. When Pelly went to work at Harrys favourite Mayfair nightspot Mahiki, Brooksbank followed, becoming the clubs manager.

Pelly has since set up a Mexican-themed club in Chelsea called Tonteria, so hell be delighted his old friend Jack is giving a career as a tequila salesman his best shot.

George Clooney with girlfriend Monika Jakisic

Brooksbank has been handed the role of ambassador for Casamigos tequila, the brand part-owned by Hollywood star George Clooney, who, by coincidence, shares an ex-girlfriend with Prince Andrew, Eugenies father (pictured)

Its not clear if Eugenies parents put in a good word for Brooksbank with Clooney, but Andrew and the Duchess of York, both 57, share some intriguing connections with the 55-year-old actor, who lives in Sonning, Berkshire, with British wife Amal.

Andy was reported to have enjoyed a fling in 2014 with Monika Jakisic, a Croatian model previously courted by Clooney.

The actor is a member of Mayfair members club 5 Hertford Street, where Jack and Eugenie let their hair down with Fergie.

Brooksbank has previously spoken of his dream of opening a chain of country hostelries, saying: I have fond memories of Sunday roasts in pubs with log fires, and its something I want to recreate. The Queens Head has a nice ring to it . . .

Top jockey Scudamore and his wife split up

Hot favourite to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup next month on his horse Thistlecrack, Tom Scudamore is said to have admitted defeat in his marriage.

I hear the 34-year-old jockey has separated from his aristocratic wife, Charlotte, 41. Its very sad, but theyve split, a friend tells me.

The son of eight-time champion jockey Peter Scudamore married Charlotte Stucley in 2005 and they have two daughters. Her brother, George, hosted a lively stag weekend of surfing in Devon for the Duke of Cambridge before his wedding.

Charlottes baronet father, Sir Hugh, and mother, Angie, live for part of the year at Affeton Castle, near South Molton, Devon, and run their 12th-century home, Hartland Abbey, as a visitor attraction.

Being a page of honour to the Queen is a privilege for any young aristocrat, but not one that lasts very long.

The Duchess of Argyll, whose son Archie, 12, was a page, has revealed the conditions for the role, which involves carrying the train of the Queens 18ft Robe of State at events such as the Opening of Parliament.

She says: Before the official letter, we received an informal phone call from Buckingham Palace inquiring about our sons height  as a page, apparently youre not meant to be bigger than the Queen.

Ugg! What would HM say, Claire?



Actress Claire Foy was spotted wearing Ugg-style sheepskin boots during a break from filming the second series of the drama in Greenwich, South London

The Queen has worn the same style of 1,000 patent leather shoes handmade by Kensington cobblers Anello & Davide for more than 50 years, but Claire Foy, who plays her in The Crown, prefers more comfy footwear.

The 32-year-old was spotted wearing Ugg-style sheepskin boots during a break from filming the second series of the drama in Greenwich, South London.

And while Her Majesty studiously avoids being pictured eating, Foy appeared to be gobbling a snack. Bang goes her damehood!

The BBCs new Sunday night drama, SS-GB, about a London occupied by Germany during World War II, has won praise from the critics, but its executive producer risks offending viewers. Shes equated Boris Johnson and Donald Trump with the Nazis.

Sally Woodward Gentle says of the series: Ive been developing this for a few years, and I didnt think there was an appetite. I think whats happened since is that were now living in an alternate world with Brexit, Trump and Boris. She adds: We know, as well, that fate can turn really easily. Its terrifying.

Dont her comments reveal much about the mindset at the BBC?

Tony Blair, who provoked derision with his calls to rise up against Brexit, is using his vainglorious new institute to reward his loyal retainers. Former Barclays banker David Lyon and Jason Searancke, of KPMG, have moved from being directors of his shadowy network of companies, to the not-for-profit Tony Blair Institute. Joining them is Catherine Rimmer, his Downing Street aide thought to be paid a staggering 280,000 per year at Blairs company Windrush.

It could be the heavy lip-liner, one guest observed. But it just looked very odd.

Billie Piper was the talk of theatreland for more reasons than one when she picked up a prize for her role in Yerma at the WhatsOnStage Awards.

Guests at the West Ends Prince Of Wales theatre couldnt help but notice the 34-year-old had a visibly larger pout. Her spokesman has previously said: She has never had any surgery to enhance her lips.

It could be the heavy lip-liner, one guest observed. But it just looked very odd.
A 27-year-old nurse has been left confined to a wheelchair and unable to walk, after a tragic accident on Australia Day 2017 saw her dive into a blow-up pool and be rushed to hospital.

Carly Wade, from Melbourne, has been in both Intensive Care and the general ward in the Royal Melbourne Hospital - where she previously worked - ever since.

'This is everyone's worst nightmare. Everything was working out for me, and the next thing I know all I could do was move my arms,' Ms Wade told Daily Mail Australia from the hospital.

'I don't see myself as being brave in the situation. What else can I do?'.

27-year-old nurse, Carly Wade, has been left confined to a wheelchair and unable to walk, after a tragic accident on Australia Day 2017 saw her dive into a blow-up pool (pictured right with her friend in Hawaii)

Carly Wade (pictured in hospital) was rushed to Intensive Care after she dived into the pool and couldn't move; 'this is everyone's worst nightmare,' she told Daily Mail Australia

Ms Wade said she is a very outgoing, extroverted kind of person - she previously travelled the world (pictured) - she had had a few drinks when she decided to dive into the water

Ms Wade celebrated Australia Day like countless other Australian twenty-somethings.

Having spent the afternoon at one friend's house where she had drinks and listened to the Triple J Hottest 100 songs of the year, she was driven by her sister, Samantha - who had not been drinking - to another party in the evening.

'I'm quite outgoing, and a bit of an extrovert,' Ms Wade said.

I was totally aware of everything, I called to my friend Jess to get me out as I knew something bad had happened. But I couldn't feel anything

'I think I was trying to be a show pony and had had a few drinks. I decided I would dive into this plastic blow-up pool from the pool table I was dancing on, and so I tried it.'

The pool contained water that was less than a metre deep.

'Instantly, I couldn't move my body at all. I was totally aware of everything, I called to my friend Jess to get me out as I knew something bad had happened. But I couldn't feel anything,' she said (pictured in India right)

Ms Wade was promptly rushed to the hospital in Melbourne where the doctors ran some scans; they soon found that she had fractured her spine and she was sent to a specialist hospital (pictured in hospital)

'Instantly, I couldn't move my body at all. I was totally aware of everything, I called to my friend Jess to get me out as I knew something bad had happened. But I couldn't feel anything.'

Ms Wade was promptly rushed to the hospital in Melbourne where the doctors ran some scans.

They found that she had fractured her spine and sent her to a spinal specialist hospital for surgery.

'I don't remember my trip there, I don't remember them operating on me,' Ms Wade said.

'I don't think I had any pain. I think I was just in shock.'

'I don't remember my trip there, I don't remember them operating on me,' Ms Wade said. 'I don't think I had any pain. I think I was just in shock' (pictured travelling)

Carly Wade's sister, Samantha, said that she has spent as many as 'ten hours some days trying to respond to all of the messages' of support for her sister

At the same time as Carly Wade was rushed to hospital, her younger sister, Samantha, 26, remembers Carly's best friend banging on her door telling her to go to hospital:

'I was asleep as I had to work the next day,' Samantha Wade told Daily Mail Australia. 'I remember rushing to the hospital when they did the CT scans.'

After she was operated on in ICU, Ms Wade was asleep for a week.

'When I came out of the incubator, I was delirious and confused,' Carly Wade said.

'I had a fever for two weeks, an incredibly high temperature of around 40 degrees and I kept having these crazy nightmares where I thought I could walk and I was somebody else.'

Carly Wade was later moved back to ICU with her fever and chest infection.

'I stayed there until last week and was being fed with a tube until yesterday,' she said.

'Getting the tube removed was one of the best days of my life.'

Since she was rushed to hospital, Ms Wade has spent the past few weeks there, unable to move her body and confined to a wheelchair (pictured with her sister, Samantha and friend, Jess)

She stayed in ICU for two weeks, and developed a fever which saw her temperature rise to around 40 degrees; 'I kept having these crazy nightmares where I thought I could walk and I was somebody else,' she said (pictured in hospital)

Ms Ward is now back on the general ward having physio and occupational therapy.

She has spinal cord damage which has left her unable to feel from the arms down, can only sit up for several hours a day and uses a wheelchair to get around.

'My close friends have been hugely supportive, and I've had hundreds of messages from well-wishers which has been amazing,' she said.

Carly Wade's sister, Samantha, added that she has spent as many as 'ten hours some days trying to respond to all of the messages'.

'My sister has done so much travel over the course of her life, she's been to Central America, Europe and jumped off cliffs in the past,' Samantha Wade said.

'My close friends have been hugely supportive, and I've had hundreds of messages from well-wishers which has been amazing,' Ms Ward said (pictured with her sister)

'I think that's why she's so frustrated. She's done so many crazy things and one small thing that happened in our town has done this.'

Ms Wade's best friend, Megan O'Connor, has set up a GoFundMe page to help to raise funds for Carly Wade and her family as they go through this difficult time.

In just seven days, the page has amassed close to AUD $6,000.

'I will be in hospital for at least another month, I won't be able to work for a year or more and there will have to be modifications made with regards to my life,' the 27-year-old said.

'I'm so grateful for the support.'

You can donate to Carly Wade and her family here on her GoFundMe page.
Only a month after they met each other at the altar and tied the knot, the Married At First Sight brides and grooms faced the prospect of meeting the families in Tuesday night's episode.

The brides accompanied their new husbands home, staying in their houses and meeting their family and friends.

In the episode, many couples' relationships strained under the pressure of everyday life and new surroundings.

In this week's Married At First Sight, the women accompanied their husbands to their home towns

Cheryl visited Andrew's family in Perth, surprising his mother who was expecting Andrew's former bride Lauren

Andrew wrote a song for Cheryl and played it for her on the beach during the week

Cheryl and Andrew, who re-entered the competition last week, started their home stay well but then a faux pas from Andrew quickly changed the mood.

The 38-year-old firefighter had to explain to his loved ones why he had turned up at the family home in Perth without Lauren, whom he married in front of them in Sydney earlier on in the series.

His mother and sister were clearly shocked, but welcomed Cheryl into their home.

'I'm surprised, but pleasantly surprised,' the firefighter's mum said.

'I think Cheryl is a good match for Andrew.'

He then tried to kiss the 25-year-old, who rejected him very quickly

The 38-year-old said it was 'frustrating' to be rejected, and both were clearly unhappy with the interaction

ANDREW'S SONG FOR CHERYL Sitting with you girl Impossible to know What the future holds Where my heart will roam But you shine a light You picked me up when I was low Girl you make me feel like home Advertisement

Later, Andrew - who revealed that he wanted to get his first kiss with Cheryl - set up a picnic for them on the beach.

He then serenaded the 25-year-old hair salon manager with a song he wrote himself while she was in the shower.

Andrew played the guitar and sang for his new match, but Cheryl didn't look impressed.

Afterwards she told him the song was 'really cute', and he gave her the piece of paper with the lyrics.

Andrew then tried to kiss the 25-year-old, pulling her close to him.

But Cheryl was not pleased, pulling away from the older man. 'I don't want to kiss you,' she told him firmly.

Andrew seemed very unhappy with this, telling the camera it was 'frustrating' for him that Cheryl wasn't affectionate.

The 25-year-old told producers that the kiss was 'too much' for her and that she wanted to move slowly after what happened with her matched husband, Jonathan.

Meanwhile Simon and Alene visited Ipswich where the nurse got used to country life

But when visiting his sister (left) Simon was asked hard questions about his future with Alene

He said he 'wasn't going to answer' questions about their future but confirmed they had not slept together

Meanwhile there were also rough times for Simon and Alene, who headed to Ipswich for the week.

While Alene got used to the heat, she also got a taste of country life, feeding cows and enjoying the countryside.

Alene went for dinner at Simon's sister's house, having her first in-depth chat with his family.

Things got tense, however, when Simon's sister started asking him about how he was feeling about Alene, and if he saw a future.

'I'm not going to answer that yet,' he said, becoming withdrawn and agitated. 'I don't know Alene well enough to answer that.'

He was definite about one thing though, give a firm 'no way' when asked if he had slept with his new wife.

Sean and Susan also enjoyed country life, with the truck driver learning about farm chores

But the couple did have difficult conversations about if Susan could fit in on the farm

Also in the country, Susan was getting used to country life on Sean's Queensland farm.

She helped her husband out with all the farm chores, but was not happy about the heat and humidity in the area.

'I've only had two hours sleep,' she said one morning, remarking that it was too hot to get a night's rest.

The couple did get off the farm for one day though, taking a horse and cart ride in the local town and going out for dinner.

Michelle and Jesse went to Adelaide, where the blonde discovered her husband lived with his mum (centre)

While Sharon grilled Nick's friends in Melbourne about how often he saw strippers

Twins Michelle and Sharon were separated again on Tuesday night's episode, with Michelle travelling to Adelaide with husband Jesse, and Sharon to Melbourne with Nick.

Michelle was surprised when she arrived at Jesse's home, which she quickly discovered was actually his mother's house.

'It's a little bit weird that a 31-year-old is living with his mother,' the blonde said. 'It's unattractive to me.'

Meanwhile Sharon met Nick's friends, and had some questions for them about her husband's visits to strip clubs.

While Nick brushed it off again, saying it meant nothing, his friends had only praise for his wife.

'I think he's in love with her, and I've lost $200,' one friend told the producers.

Vanessa and Andrew had to deal with Tommo, Andrew's friend who didn't approve of his wife

And Anthony and Nadia had a difficult day trying to get the wifi to work, with Anthony's temper returning

The final two couples, Anthony and Nadia and Vanessa and Andrew, had smoother times during the week.

Anthony's temper raised its head again when the wifi went down in his apartment and he spent a long time on the phone with customer service.

For Andrew and Vanessa, their biggest challenge was one of Andrew's friends Tommo, who doesn't think the relationship will last.

'My first impression of Vanessa is that I'm a little bit unsure,' he told the camera.

Tommo also said that he didn't see any sparks between the pair, and that he couldn't see it working out because Andrew would never move to Melbourne.
A medium who became the 'face of thalidomide' when she was born with no arms claims she can communicate with the spirits of dead relatives - using her feet.

Mandy Masters hit headlines worldwide in 1962 at the height of the thalidomide scandal when a photo of her as a nine-month-old tot became an iconic symbol of the disaster.

Critics told the 55-year-old's mother she should have had her daughter 'put down' - but Mandy adapted to her disability by using her highly-dexterous toes as fingers and worked as a telephonist, hairdresser and beautician - writing, applying makeup and even cutting hair with her feet.

The married grandmother-of-seven, from Grays, Essex, is now a medium and claims she can channel the spirits of dead relatives by putting her feet on other people's foreheads to channel their spirits.

Mandy Masters, a medium who became the 'face of thalidomide' when she was born with no arms, claims she can communicate with dead relatives using her feet

Mandy hit headlines in 1962 at the height of the thalidomide scandal whena photo of her as a nine-month-old tot became an iconic symbol of the disaster

Thalidomide was originally prescribed as a 'wonder drug' for morning sickness, headaches, coughs, insomnia and colds. Thalidomide babies often suffered missing or deformed limbs and extreme shortening of arms and legs, but the drug also caused malformations of the eyes and ears, genitals, heart, kidneys and digestive system.

Mandy, who believes she was the UK's first thalidomide baby to become a grandparent, said: 'I am just an ordinary Essex girl who happened to be born without arms and is able to connect with the above.

'I have always used my feet as hands, and all my life I have worked very hard to become very successful in spite of my disability,' says Mandy.

'From a young age I always felt different, and when I was 14 and having a hard time and I went to Lourdes and bathed in the water.

'The next day, spirits started communicating with me. At first I thought I was going crazy, but my mum told me they wouldn't hurt me.

'Spirits were approaching me all the time, but sometimes I didn't want to hear it - all I wanted to do in life was find a husband and have children.'

Mandy holding the newspaper cutting from the Sunday Pictorial

Mandy said: 'I am just an ordinary Essex girl who happened to be born without arms and is able to connect with the above'. She added: 'There will always be sceptics, but to see me in action - it is just unbelievable. First I ask the person to relax, then I put my feet around their head'

Thalidomide was marketed as a mild sleeping pill safe for pregnant women - but caused thousands of babies worldwide to be born with malformed limbs. Mandy believes she has achieved most things in life that she wants to despite this

Mandy focused her attention on raising a family, and it was only later that she concentrated on psychic readings.

'After I'd married and brought my children up I rediscovered my abilities and have now been doing what I do for more than 22 years.

'My feet are my hands, so it made sense to use my feet to do body reads. I'm the only person in the world who does this in this way.

'There will always be sceptics, but to see me in action - it is just unbelievable. First I ask the person to relax, then I put my feet around their head.

'I go into a meditative trance and I am able to tell them things about their loved one that I couldn't possibly know - things they had spoken about or done together.

'When I contact the spirit world my voice changes and I am able to speak to them as their relative or loved one, in their voice. No other person in the world is doing this.'

Thalidomide was marketed as a mild sleeping pill safe for pregnant women - but caused thousands of babies worldwide to be born with malformed limbs.

The apparently-harmless drug, which also reduced morning sickness, was first licensed in July 1956 and the first links to birth defects were made in 1961.

Mandy's mum June Hornsby, who died last month aged 79, was prescribed thalidomide during her pregnancy because she was struggling to sleep.

'When I was born without arms and hands doctors told my mum they could take me away so she could have a normal life,' Mandy says.

'As a baby my photograph went round the world and I became famous - it was even used in a history book - but my parents received hate mail telling them they should have had me put down.

The mother-of-two, who has been married to husband Wayne for 36 years, can also drive, type and hold utensils using her toes. The couple are pictured, left and right, on their wedding day

Before Mandy became a medium, she worked as a telephonist answering phones and taking notes in an office and then turned her hand to being a hairdresser and beautician

The mother-of-six had no idea there was anything wrong with her daughter throughout her pregnancy and only discovered Mandy's disability when she was born on September 20, 1961.

The following July, when Mandy was nine months old, she became world famous when a black and white image of her was used on the front page of the Sunday Pictorial newspaper.

Before Mandy became a medium, she worked as a telephonist answering phones and taking notes in an office and then turned her hand to being a hairdresser and beautician.

The mother-of-two, who has been married to husband Wayne for 36 years, can also drive, type and hold utensils using her toes.

Mandy, as a child, who has an eighth grandchild on the way, also believes she was the first thalidomide baby to become a grandmother

Mandy said if the doctors who told her mum to give her away were alive today, she would 'stick her fingers up at them if she had them'

As well as carry out her customary body reads, she also deals tarot cards and reads crystals using her feet.

Mandy realised how far she had come earlier this month when a friend chanced upon a copy of the front page article she featured in at a recent auction, buying it for 50.

And the grandmother, who longs to be a Loose Women guest star, said adapting to life without hands as a baby set her up to make the most out of her life.

Mandy, who has an eighth grandchild on the way, also believes she was the first thalidomide baby to become a grandmother after the birth of her grandson Callum in 1997.

Mandy says that spirits started communicating with her as a child and at first she thought she was going crazy

The 55-year-old said: 'When my mum was pregnant with me she felt like something was wrong, but until I was born my parents had no idea of my disability. The risks of thalidomide just weren't known.

'If the doctors who told my mum to give me away were alive today, I always say if I had fingers I would stick my fingers up at them.

'I wouldn't change who I am for the world. I have always wanted to prove I could make something of my life and have done everything I want to do - except for appear on Loose Women.

'As I grew up when it came to what I would do for work I worked in an office typing and answering the phones. My handwriting is beautiful, and I can use my feet to hold utensils too.

'I also worked as a beautician and hairdresser, doing makeup and cutting hair. I had always done my own, so it made sense to do it for everyone else too, and no one could tell I was using my feet instead of my hands - everyone was quite amazed.

'When my friend discovered the front page I couldn't believe it to see the picture after all that time - and the picture was me. I think it was a sign to show me how far I have come.'

Mandy added: 'I wouldn't change who I am for the world. I have always wanted to prove I could make something of my life and have done everything I want to do - except for appear on Loose Women'
It was a moment made for Hollywood, when popular University Challenge contestant Sophie Rudd snatched victory from the jaws of defeat...by barking a last-chance answer at host Jeremy Paxman.

The oh-so-tense stand-off came in the dying moments of last night's episode of the academic quiz as Warwick University saw off Bristol University in the quarter finals.

And fittingly, it was one of this series' more popular contestants who delivered - with excitable vigour - the killer blow to the opposition.

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I know this one! Brainbox Sophie Rudd thrilled fans of the show last night by correctly answering a question about Austrian director Fritz Lang, which gifted her team victory in a tense battle with Bristol University

Paxman looked characteristically unmoved by the thrilling contest...but the rest of the world went crazy for Rudd's heroic last-gasp correct answer

How did the moment play out?

A typically deadpan Paxman asked: Which Austrian directors first sound film was entitled M?

Clearly knowing the answer, Rudd unleashed it, shouting: 'Fritz Lang!'

As the enormity of what Rudd had done sunk in, she couldn't hide her glee at pushing Warwick a step closer to the elusive final.

And the moment has quickly slotted into University Challenge folklore, with fans taking to Twitter in their thousands to celebrate Rudd's passion for European film.

With just one question left, it was home and dry for Warwick, while a dejected-looking Bristol licked their wounds and headed for the door.

SO, WHO EXACTLY WAS FRITZ LANG? When University Challenge host Jeremy Paxman fired off the question 'Which Austrian directors first sound film was entitled M?', all but Sophie Rudd looked baffled. Fritz Lang pictured at the 1964 Cannes film festival. The director, born in Austria, produced cinematic masterpieces including Metropolis So, who exactly was the Austrian film director? Born in Vienna in 1890, he was an Expressionist dubbed the 'Master of Darkness' who lived much of his life in the US. His most famous work was the 1927 science-fiction film Metropolis. An expressionistic portrayal of a dystopian, capitalist society, it has garnered cult status among movie lovers. When the film was released in 1927, it was more than two and a half hours long. It tells the story of the futuristic city of Metropolis where society is divided into two classes - managers, who live in luxury skyscrapers and workers who spend their lives underground. The mind-bending Metropolis is now considered a classic but it was panned by critics after its initial release in 1927 The two worlds collide when the son of a manager falls in love with a worker, leading to an implosion of the status quo. Metropolis was panned by critics, including the author H.G. Wells, when it was first released. M in 1931 proved more influential at the time and was considered a precursor to the film noir movement. A restored version of Metropolis was screened during the Berlin Film Festival in 2010 where it came to be considered a masterpiece. Advertisement

A shocked looking Rudd realises the enormity of her correct answer, which guarantees a place for Warwick in the semi-final of this year's University Challenge

Victory by a hair's breadth: 120 to 110 was just enough to defeat Warwick's rivals Bristol

...and the team couldn't hide their joy when the final bell tolled to signal the end of the show

Rudd, who sported a pale green shirt with cats on it for the appearance, has become a fan favourite this season for her impassioned expressions.

She joins other viewers' favourites including Canadian Eric Monkman, of Wolfson College, Cambridge who has become something of an internet celebrity thanks to his animated facial expressions and eccentric demeanour.

And Emmanuel College Cambridge's Bobby Seagull has won fans for his interesting name and his cheery approach when trying to fathom out the answers with his team-mates.
A South Dakota representative claimed that limiting abortion rights wasn't an attack on women, using the fact that some fetuses are female to bolster his argument.

Representative Steven Haugaard, 60, used the rhetoric last week in Pierre while arguing in favor of a bill that would increase penalties for doctors who perform abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy.

'The fact is, half of the abortions include the death of a girl, so it's certainly not an attack against women,' Haugaard, a Republican, said, according to the Argus Leader.

Rhetoric: South Dakota Representative Steven Haugaard (left) claimed last week that limiting abortion rights wasn't an attack on women because some fetuses are female

Family man: The 60-year-old, pictured left with his family, is a father-of-eight and grandfather-of-nine

The lawmaker, a married father of eight who also has nine grandchildren, was defending House Bill 1101, of which he is a sponsor.

If passed, the measure would bump up abortions performed after 20 weeks from a class one misdemeanor to a class six felony.

This means doctors who give women the procedure after that period of time would face two years behind bars at a state penitentiary instead of one year in a county jail, and / or a $4,000 fine instead of $2,000.

Haugaard, an attorney who lives near Renner and identifies as pro-life, views the stricter penalties as a way to keep doctors from giving women abortions.

Medical access: There is currently only one abortion clinic in South Dakota, the Planned Parenthood center in Sioux Falls (pictured)

'I think if physicians understand they're facing a felony in the event they choose to proceed with the abortion when they know the child is pain-capable, they should know that their license is at risk of being taken away,' the politician told the Argus Leader.

Opinions: Haugaard (pictured) lives near Renner and identifies as pro-life

There is currently only one abortion clinic in South Dakota: the Planned Parenthood center in Sioux Falls.

That clinic does not perform elective abortions after 14 weeks, according to Planned Parenthood.

South Dakota banned abortions after 20 weeks of gestation in March last year, with exceptions only if the mother's life is in danger or if a doctor determines the fetus would not survive after birth.

There are no exceptions for victims of rape and incest.

Women who want to get an abortion in South Dakota currently have to go to the facility for a first visit, then wait for 72 hours and return for the procedure.

Weekends and national holidays are not included in the waiting period.

The South Dakota House Of Representatives passed House Bill 1101 by 58 votes to eight last week. The measure now rests in the Senate.
Wellington boots and a waterproof might be the go-to look for a day in the country but Queen Maxima sported a very different outfit when she visited a farm today.

The Dutch royal dazzled in a vibrant pink dress and brown suede heels as she toured the land in Gouderak, in the Netherlands, with husband King Willem-Alexander.

The 45-year-old is rarely seen out without her hat and she did not disappoint today, stepping out in a wide-brimmed woven number with a matching brown bow.

Farmyard glamour: Queen Maxima and King Willem-Alexander in Gouderak, the Netherlands

Vibrant: Maxima dazzled in a vibrant pink dress and tan heels in nearby Bergambacht

Pink perfection: Queen Maxima smiled and waved at well-wishers as she arrived for the visit

Despite the chilly temperatures, Maxima left her coat at home and instead chose a thick brown shawl for the day outdoors.

A beaded necklace and earring set, in almost the same hue of pink as the dress, brought an added sense of fun to the look. Tan leather gloves finished the ensemble.

The royal balanced the busy outfit with a simple but polished beauty look, keeping her hair swept back in a low chignon and opting for a slick of pale pink lipstick.

Famed for her enthusiasm, she flashed her million-dollar smile as she greeted well-wishers in the town of Bergambacht alongside her husband.

Gracious: The 45-year-old queen waved from the moment she stepped out of her car

Supporters: The mother-of-four took the time to speak with elderly well-wishers today

Royal visit: The King and Queen, left, visited a business in Bergambacht today

The Argentinian-born Queen received a beautiful bouquet of flowers and took time speaking to elderly supporters.

The royal couple later posed for photographs at the farm in nearby Gouderak, with the Queen clutching a different bunch of flowers.

The King and Queen, who have four children together, looked very much in love as they smiled for the camera with their arms around each other.
The best place to live in the UK has been revealed  and youve probably never heard of it.

While most people might think Manchester, London and Leeds would be the ideal spots for people in their twenties to settle down - South Ribble, an area of Lancashire just below Preston, beats them all, according to a new study.

The borough scored highly across the board when looking at factors considered most important for young adults such as wages, housing prices, well-being and accessibility to other cities.

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St Saviour's Church in Bamber Bridge makes for a scenic backdrop on a summery day in the county

Worden Park is on the outskirts of Leyland, a hidden gem with woodlands and open meadows in the grounds

Leyland is part of the South Ribble county, the statue at the entrance of a local Morrisons supermarket represents the history of the site which was once a bus factory

Warrington, in Cheshire, followed closely behind due to its affordable housing and excellent transport links while Blaby in Leicestershire came third.

Manchester was ranked as number 14, followed by Edinburgh at 15 and Leeds in the 20th spot.

Nowhere in the English capitol and the South East featured in the top 50, as young people are simply priced out of these areas.

The UKs Best Place to Live, which aired on Channel 4, presented by Sarah Beeny, created an index to figure out the top spot for young people to live in Britain.

The old tramline that runs through Cuerden Valley and across Ribble Valley is one picturesque natural delight

The show commissioned Dr Alasdair Rae, Senior Lecturer University of Sheffield, to look at the latest ONS data for 391 local authority areas across the UK comparing nine aspects which were weighted differently depending on how important they are to young people.

Housing affordability was the most critical aspect, followed by the proportion of people aged 20-29 in the area, life satisfaction, happiness and the number of jobs.

In terms of property prices, South Ribble fared well. The areas housing market is healthier than most other parts of the UK, with the average home priced at just over 157,000, making it 138,000 cheaper than the national average and over 425,000 cheaper than London.

Manchester was ranked in the 14th best place to live in the UK and is the place to be for culture and diverse nightlife

And as well as low house prices, the Lancashire borough has a broad range of employment opportunities.

The same number of jobs were created in the area alone between 2004 and 2012 as Manchester and Liverpool combined, according to international auditors Grant Thornton.

BEST PLACES TO LIVE IN THE UK 1. South Ribble 2. Warrington 3. Blaby 4. Copeland 5. Cheshire East 6. Ribble Valley 7. Rugby 8. Warwick 9. Lancaster 10. Cheshire West and Chester Advertisement

But if you do land a job in another city, the borough is well connected. It only takes five minutes to get from the largest town, Leyland, to Preston and commuters can be in Manchester or Liverpool in under an hour.

Big companies have also seen the potential in the little-known district. Waitroses distribution centre is located in the area and it is also home to technology company BAE systems aerospace academy.

And South Ribble council is part of Lancashires ten year City Deal, which is forecast to generate 2.3 billion in investment.

Nicola Adam, resident and deputy editor, The Lancashire Evening Post, said: Theres an awful lot of investment in the area and because our great transport network a lot of business has migrated to the area so theres lots jobs in the area.

The top ten places to live in the UK are all north of London, as younger people are priced out of living south in the captial
The arrival of the oral contraceptive Pill in the Sixties revolutionised birth control, but it could soon be a thing of the past as scientists move closer to developing high-tech versions of contraception for both sexes.

As the Mail reported recently, one option to replace the 'snip' may be an innovative blob of gel.

Under a local anaesthetic, Vasalgel is injected into the same tubes (the vas deferens) that are sealed in a vasectomy.

The holy grail of contraceptive research, the male pill, has so far proved disappointingly elusive. Much of the focus is on developing drugs that rely on hormones

It forms a barrier to stop sperm swimming to the penis. It's easily reversible  you'd just need an injection of a chemical to dissolve it.

Here, we look at other advances set to transform birth control.

FOR HIM

'MALE PILL' BLOOD PRESSURE DRUG

The holy grail of contraceptive research, the male pill, has so far proved disappointingly elusive.

One reason, scientists say, is that much of the focus is on developing drugs that rely on hormones  such as testosterone.

While effective at stopping sperm production, side-effects such as mood swings, reduced sex drive, acne and blood clots have hampered progress.

One of the most promising non-hormonal alternatives is a 20p pill called nifedipine.

Scientists found that men taking the blood pressure drug were more likely to be sterile while on it.

Nifedipine appears to switch off sperm's swimming ability  stopping it from reaching and fertilising an egg.

While effective at stopping sperm production, side-effects to the current male pill include mood swings, reduced sex drive, acne and blood clots have hampered progress

Scientists from Harvard University are testing whether drugs such as nifedipine could be developed as the first male pill. This could be available in five years.

Allan Pacey, a professor of andrology at Sheffield University, says: 'I don't think there will ever be a hormone-based pill for men because of the side-effects.

'But a drug that could control sperm without using hormones and is reversible once you stop taking it could succeed.'

THE SPERM SWITCH

What if birth control was as simple as turning off a light? This is the promise of the Bimek SLV, a device that is surgically inserted into the vas deferens.

It has a hollow channel with a valve inside. In the up position, the valve diverts the flow of sperm back to the testicles, where it's reabsorbed. In the on position, the sperm is ejaculated as normal.

What if birth control was as simple as turning off a light? This is the promise of the Bimek SLV, a device that is surgically inserted into the vas deferens

Because the vas deferens are close to the outside of the scrotum, the device can be switched on and off by pressing the device through the skin.

The procedure to insert it is expected to last 30 minutes. Its inventor, German engineer Clemens Bimek, is believed to be the only recipient so far. Trials on 25 men, due to begin last year, have been delayed.

GEL TO REPLACE THE SNIP

Another gel alternative to a vasectomy has been under development in India for more than ten years.

RISUG (reversible inhibition of sperm under guidance) works like Vasalgel, but also kills sperm when they come into contact with it.

A gel alternative to a vasectomy has been under development in India for more than ten years

Studies suggest gel plugs can leak when the vas deferens stretches around them.

In a study of 25 men who had the RISUG gel jab, 21 had zero sperm count after two months, reported the journal Contraception in 2003.

FOR HER

MORNING AFTER CREAM

Every year, thousands of women rely on the morning after Pill.

It can be taken up to 72 hours after sex, but can have nasty side-effects, including sickness, dizziness, tender breasts and abdominal pain.

Viramal Ltd is working on a morning after cream that avoids nasty side-effects and allows higher quantities of the drug to be absorbed through the skin

Viramal Ltd is working on a morning after cream that avoids these side-effects and allows higher quantities of the drug to be absorbed through the skin and the mucous membranes inside the vagina.

REMOTE CONTROL IMPLANT

Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are working on an implant that can be turned on and off by remote control.

This means women who decide they want a baby can switch off the gadget themselves, rather than having to visit a doctor.

Once they have given birth, the device can be switched on again.

Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are working on an implant that can be turned on and off by remote control

The new implant, which is smaller than a stamp, releases small doses of the hormonal contraceptive drug Levonelle.

The implant generates a small electric charge that slowly melts the seal holding the drug in the reservoir.

The remote control can stop it by switching off the instructions that control the release of the drug. It could be available in three years.

SUPPOSITORY MADE OF CURRY SPICE

While it doesn't sound high-tech, a vaginal suppository made from curry spice could be a contraceptive.

Several studies have found curcumin  which gives turmeric its distinct yellow colour  is an excellent spermicide.
Patients will be put at risk if the Government doesnt back plans to close A&E and maternity units, a leading think-tank warns.

Local health managers are trying to redesign NHS services in their areas so they can be run more cheaply and offer a better standard of care.

But their sustainability and transformation plans could lead to the closure of dozens of A&Es, maternity wards, specialist cancer units and even entire hospitals.

The sustainability and transformation plans could lead to the closure of dozens of A&Es, maternity wards, specialist cancer units and even entire hospitals (file photo)

A report by the Kings Fund today urges MPs to back the proposals  even though they are likely to be unpopular with voters.

It warns that not supporting the plans would mean politicians were colluding to allow unsafe departments to remain open.

However, the think-tanks appeal to MPs marks a U-turn on its position last year, when it was critical of the plans.

In a report in November, it highlighted widespread concerns among health managers, with one admitting the idea was a recipe for disaster.

The sudden about-turn has led to speculation that NHS bosses have put pressure on the Kings Fund to be more supportive of the proposals.

Although it claims to be independent, approximately a third of its funding comes from conferences and training sessions attended by NHS staff.

There are 44 sustainability and transformation plans in England, and managers have been working on them since the beginning of last year.

The details have yet to be finalised, but drafts suggest 24 A&Es face closure, along with 11 maternity units and three hospitals. The report states the level of support from politicians is uncertain but their backing will be crucial.

Local health managers are trying to redesign NHS services in their areas so they can be run more cheaply and offer a better standard of care (file photo)

Chris Ham, chief executive of the Kings Fund, said: If youre not willing to support plans of this kind, essentially you are colluding as politicians in the continuation of unsafe services.

Where there is a clear case that hospitals cannot continue providing safe, high-quality care because of a shortage of nursing staff, shortage of medical staff and other factors, then a reluctance to engage in difficult conversations about why the case for change is compelling means the public will continue to access services of a lower standard and quality.

Politicians need to step up to the plate and be brave.

The Kings Fund said any plans that required the closure of vast numbers of hospital beds would have to be reversed because most hospitals have been more than 95 per cent full this winter and A&E units have been overcrowded, with patients queuing on trolleys.

Mr Ham said this meant any managers who had intended to close hospital wards would now be trying to keep them.

He added: Cutting hospital beds when capacity is already at its limits  we dont think thats going to happen.

We do not think now is the time to start cutting back on acute hospital beds and capacity anything like on the scale set out in some of the plans.

The British Medical Association told yesterday how the NHS had lost 15,000 beds in the past six years  equivalent to closing 24 hospitals.
There is no need for different medicines to tackle 'wet' and 'dry' coughs, scientists claim.

Instead, branding for such products are just a marketing ploy designed to snatch consumer's money, a new review suggests.

All common coughs have the same cause and can be treated with just one medicine, according to a respiratory expert.

There is no need for different medicines to tackle dry and tickly coughs, scientists claim

Professor Alyn Morice, based at the University of Hull, is one of many calling for a change in pharmacy guidelines.

No longer should chemists ask questions to find out whether the cough is 'wet' or 'dry' as it is based on outdated science, he said.

He added: 'The way in which the medical profession in general manage cough is in urgent need of review.

'These arbitrary categories are based on what was once best practice for the treatment of tuberculosis and chronic bronchitis.

'They have no place in the modern-day real world where there is no danger of the previously fit patient with acute cough drowning in their own phlegm.

'From a marketing point of view it's a sound strategy but from a scientific view it is outdated.'

He added that in terms of acute respiratory tract infections, there is little difference between either a dry cough and one producing phlegm.

All common coughs have the same cause and can be treated with just one medicine, according to a respiratory expert

All colds are driven by cough reflex hypersensitivity, he says in a review published in the journal Clinical Pharmacist.

This happens when nerve endings in the throat become super-sensitive to any irritation and this triggers coughing.

Professor Morice's review comes after King's College Hospital, London, researchers conducted the largest cough medicine trial in the UK.

THE GREAT COUGH SYRUP CON Pharmacy cough medicines work little better than a placebo, while other remedies such as echinacea, vitamin C and zinc are not likely to help either. A review of studies on cough medicine found that in 15 of 19 cases, it either had no benefit or the results were conflicting. Researchers from the American Chemical Society said that, at best, all the expectorants and cough suppressants lining pharmacy shelves can offer is a good nights sleep from drowsiness. Advertisement

They found Unicough, a chocolate-based medicine, helped to reduce both frequency and duration of coughs.

Nearly a third of patients taking the new treatment saw their cough symptoms disappear by day four.

While just 17 per cent reported the same effects after taking linctus - a recognised medicine.

Professor Morice said: 'Its the first study to challenge the idea that different types of cough require different medicines.

He added that it further reinforced evidence that classifying coughs as 'wet' or 'dry' is unhelpful.

A 2014 Cochrane review concluded that there is no proof cough syrup can help when you're under the weather.

'There is no good evidence for or against the effectiveness of over-the-counter medicines in acute cough,' the authors declared.

Cough medicines, which usually cost between 3 and 5 for a small bottle, are part of an over-the-counter healthcare industry worth 3 billion a year.
Cocaine addicts could be more likely to develop dementia, new research suggests.

Regular use of the illegal drug causes excessive amounts of iron to accumulate in parts of the brain.

However, high levels of the mineral are associated with the death of brain cells, which has been linked to the neurodegenerative disease.

Regular use of cocaine causes excessive amounts of iron to accumulate in the brain, which is often linked to cell death - a sign of dementia

The research, conducted by the University of Cambridge, examined brain tissue in 44 people who were addicted to cocaine - and 44 volunteers who were not.

In the former, they detected excessive amounts of iron in the globus pallidus, a part of the brain which ordinarily acts as a 'brake' for inhibiting behaviour.

The concentration of iron in this area was also directly linked with the duration of cocaine use, the study published in the Translational Psychiatry journal found.

So, in other words, the longer that participants had used cocaine, the greater the accumulation of iron.

At the same time, the increased concentration of the mineral in the brain was accompanied by mild iron deficiency in the rest of the body.

This suggested that iron regulation in general is disrupted in people with cocaine addiction.

Cocaine disrupts iron metabolism, possibly by reducing the absorption of iron from food, scientists believe

Dr Karen Ersche, lead author of the study, said: 'Given the important role that iron plays in both health and disease, iron metabolism is normally tightly regulated.

'Long-term cocaine use, however, seems to disrupt this regulation, which may cause significant harm.

THE LINK BETWEEN COCAINE AND STIS Cocaine has long been linked to risky behaviour. But a study earlier this month confirmed the suspicions around the popular street drug when it comes to having sex. Users are less willing to wait for a condom before getting under the sheets with a stranger, scientists from Johns Hopkins University discovered. Being 'high' off the stimulant causes people to become impatient - possibly explaining why addicts are more likely to carry an STI. Advertisement

'Iron is used to produce red blood cells, which help store and carry oxygen in the blood.

'So, iron deficiency in the blood means that organs and tissues may not get as much oxygen as they need.

'On the other hand, we know that excessive iron in the brain is associated with cell death, which is what we frequently see in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease.'

Dr Ersche believes the most likely mechanism is that cocaine disrupts iron metabolism, possibly by reducing the absorption of iron from food.

But there is no suggestion that cocaine addiction necessarily increases the risk of dementia, the researchers added.

The mechanism underlying the increase in iron in the brain in Parkinson's disease, for example, is different to that in cocaine addiction, as are the affected brain regions.
It was meant to be just a routine surgery.

Instead it led to the shockingly premature death of art icon Andy Warhol.

The pop artist, who was just 58 years old, had entered the hospital for a seemingly simple gallbladder operation.

Less than 12 hours later, he was pronounced dead.

The news sent shockwaves around the world, with headlines questioning how an operation so straightforward could have been deadly.

But in a new analysis Dr John Ryan, a medical historian and retired surgeon, has revealed that the mystery surrounding Warhol's death is not so cloudy.

As the 30th anniversary of his passing approaches, Dr Ryan has published an in-depth breakdown of what went on inside the operating theater.

His conclusion: we should have seen it coming.

Pop artist Andy Warhol went in for a seemingly simple gallbladder operation in 1987 but ended up dying just 12 hours later - shocking the nation. But now, a doctor says we should have seen the icon's death coming

In 1987, newspaper headlines shared in the nation's confusion of how such a young man, who went in for a seemingly simple surgery, ended up dead.

But Dr Ryan says that the media's narrative has been wrong for years.

'This was major, major surgery - not routine - in a very sick person,' the emeritus chief of surgery at Virginia Mason Hospital in Seattle told The New York Times.

According to the doctor, who presented his findings on Sunday at the annual meeting of the Pacific Coast Surgical Association, Warhol's death should not have come as such a surprise.

Looking at the pop artist's medical history, Dr Ryan discovered that Warhol had almost 15 years of gallbladder trouble and a family history of it as well. Warhol's father had his gallbladder removed in 1928, the same year his son was born.

Warhol had been sick for at least a month before his death, although he had attempted to hide it. His fear of hospitals was another factor in his lack of receiving any serious treatment.

And even once Warhol finally went to see leading surgeon Dr Bjorn Thorbjarnarson - famous for treating the Shah of Iran - the artist pleaded for some kind of stay-at-home treatment.

Dr Thorbjarnarson refused, however, and told Warhol he needed surgery. The artist caved and was admitted to New York Hospital (now NewYork-Presbyterian). The surgeon found a gallbladder full of gangrene, so much so that the organ fell to pieces upon removal.

The revered artist had a fear of hospitals which delayed his ability to receive serious treatment

Further medical records research showed Dr Ryan that Warhol was dehydrated and gaunt from having barely eaten in the previous month.

Additionally, Warhol had been taking speed daily for years. And he was still feeling the effects of a brush with death in 1968 after he was shot by Valerie Solanas, a radical feminist writer.

He had been declared dead in the emergency room and had nine damaged organs - Warhol's surgeon gave even odds on the artist lasting the night.

His recovery left him a lifetime of trouble with eating and swallowing, as well as a split in his abdominal muscles that gave him a large hernia.

Warhol's bad luck should be thought of as less like a lightning strike than like being hit by a car while crossing the street Dr Stewart Walsh, National University of Ireland

So in 1987, on top of the gallbladder removal, Dr Thorbjarnarson had to repair Warhol's abdominal wall.

According to reports, the operation seemed to go well, and Warhol was in his room making calls that evening. A private nurse who went to check on him at 4am said he still seemed fine.

But about two hours later, she found Warhol blue and unresponsive, and resuscitation efforts failed. An autopsy concluded that 'ventricular fibrillation' was the cause of death, meaning that Warhol's heart had quivered and stopped.

Stewart Redmond Walsh, a professor of vascular surgery at the National University of Ireland, Galway, has researched sudden death after surgery, and says it's more common than we think.

Newspapers all over the country shared the nation's confusion over Warhol's premature death

Headlines openly questioned how an operation so straightforward could have been deadly

He explained that when a sick body goes through the trauma of a major surgery, the entire body feels the stress, not just the organ being operated on, which can be fatal.

Dr Walsh said although Warhol 'was unlucky', his bad luck should be thought of as less like a lightning strike than like being hit by a car while crossing the street.

When Dr Ryan entered the data from Warhol's case into the new Surgical Risk Calculator of the American College of Surgeons, it put such a patient's chance of dying at 4.2 percent.
The Union health ministry plans to open 79 new blood banks to address the national shortfall. The banks will open in different states across the country including Uttar Pradesh, J&K, Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh.

Over the past two years, the ministry has proposed 1,135 government blood banks in the country and planned to operationalise 780 blood banks, out of which 300 blood banks could be made fully operational.

The other existing blood banks are still not upgraded and lack manpower and the latest equipment to help patients in cases of emergency.

The Union health ministry plans to open 79 new blood banks to address the national shortfall

A senior health ministry official said, 'A proposal has been passed for commissioning 79 new blood banks at different states. In many of these cities, work has already started.'

'At present, only 50 per cent of people voluntarily come forward to donate blood, which government is planning take it to 70-80 per cent through awareness programmes,' he added.

In Uttar Pradesh, the government has decided to set up blood banks in Hapur, Shamli, Sambhal and Amethi, whereas in Uttarakhand, the same would be set up in Rudraprayag, Bageshwar and Champawat.

In J&K, blood banks would be set up in Bandipora, Shopian, Ganderbal, Reasi and Samba, while Himachal Pradesh, Lahaul and Spiti have been shortlisted.

Over the past two years, the ministry has proposed 1,135 government blood banks in the country and planned to operationalise 780 blood banks, out of which 300 blood banks could be made fully operational

The Centre has decided to commission at least three blood banks in Karnataka; five in Bihar, Manipur and Assam; nine in Andhra Pradesh and 11 in Chhattisgarh.

Despite being a country with a population of 1.2 billion, India faces a blood shortage of three million units.

While the requirement is 12 million units, only nine million units can be collected. NCR alone faces a shortage of 1,00,000 units per year.

Recently, the Centre gave its approval for the transfer of blood from one blood bank to another to better utilise blood and blood components and fixed an exchange value for surplus plasma available at some blood banks.

This was done to ensure safe blood and enhance access to blood products by patients.

The move was followed by recommendations of the National Blood Transfusion Council.
Two US-based online retailers have come under fire for hurting Hindi religious sentiments by selling footwear sporting the Om symbol and beer with Lord Ganesha's picture on its label.

The separate complaints were lodged at Delhi's Prashant Vihar police station by animal rights activist Naresh Kadyan, who is also the commissioner (headquarters) at Bharat Scouts and Guides.

The first complaint was made against website yeswevibe.com for selling shoes with the Om symbol while another complaint was made against lostcoast.com for using Ganesha's image on beer bottle packaging and labels.

A website called lostcoast.com is the subject of a complaint for using Ganesha's image on beer bottle packaging and labels

The first complaint, seen by Mail Today, states that the symbol Om is affiliated with religious feelings and beliefs of Hindu communities across the globe.

'Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs, violated the different sections of the laws of land, including 295 A and 153 A of the IPC,' the complaint reads.

Speaking to Mail Today, MN Tiwari, deputy commissioner of police (Rohini district), said: 'The officers have been instructed to take necessary legal action against the complaint soon.'

Meanwhile website yeswevibe.com has been selling footwear bearing the Om symbol

A FIR was not registered till late Monday. Kadyan has written an official letter to the Ministry of External Affairs to register an FIR against the defaulter websites, asking them to remove the products from sale.

The complainant says that the two companies have deliberately disrespected Hindus

According to the website yeswevibe.com, that is thought to be in operation from Scottsdale city in Arizona, is selling the shoes for $59.99.

The website claims that the shoes are handmade and it also promises delivery within two to three days in the US and two to three weeks globally.

When Kadyan contacted the customer care centre via email, he was reverted with a message: 'We'll forward this to our top management and get back to you soon'.

The website lostcoast.com is an award-winning brewery located in Eureka, California.

'This innocuous trend of using Hindu symbols on fashion or marketing accessories reveals the sellers' insatiable greed for making profits,' said Raveena, an activist working with Hindu Human Rights.

The complaint comes weeks after foreign affairs minister Sushma Swaraj warned Amazon to apologise for selling doormats with the Tricolour flag printed on it.

The complaint comes weeks after foreign affairs minister Sushma Swaraj warned Amazon to apologise for selling doormats with the Tricolour flag printed on it

She warned Amazon that their workers would be denied visas to India if the product wasn't removed and an apology issued

The minister also threatened to stop granting visas and rescind existing ones to Amazon officials if the product wasn't pulled from the Canadian arm of the site.

Angry people also took to social media with the hashtag BoycottAmazon before the global online retailer removed the item being sold by a third party on the website.

Under Indian law any desecration of its flag is punishable with fines and imprisonment.

Earlier too, holy symbols on footwear and clothes have raised angry reactions from Hindu community across the globe.

A Seattle-based toiletries firm created controversy with images of Ganesha and Kali printed on toilet seats.
The Army is on a hunt for missiles which can be fired from the ALH Rudra chopper to destroy enemy tanks, under the fast track procedure for urgent acquisition.

Seeking to provide more firepower to its aviation fleet, sources said it is moving a proposal worth over Rs 1,300 crore before the crucial meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council to buy a limited number of anti-tank guided missiles.

The ATGMs sourced from global suppliers would be fired from the helicopters - a weaponised version of the ALH Dhruv manufactured by the HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited) - which would be used by both the Army and Air Force.

The Rudra helicopter is a weaponised version of the ALH Dhruv manufactured by HAL

They would also be equipped with the indigenous HELINA missiles when they are ready for operational deployment in future, it is claimed.

Sources in the Defence Ministry said the Army needs missiles which can hit enemy tanks at a distance of seven kilometers in all conditions, claiming that the indigenous HELINA can't do so - but there is doubt whether any foreign-origin missile can achieve the strike distances from a helicopter.

The programme to utilise the weaponised version of the ALH was started over five years ago by the HAL and it handed over the first chopper to the Army in 2013.

The force had initiated a tender to procure helicopter-fired ATGMs earlier also in which private firms from Israel, Sweden and France had participated and their trials were held at foreign locations.

The Army wants to 'urgently' secure missiles that can be launched up to 7km from target

However, none of the vendors could meet the Indian requirement of providing twin-tube missile launchers as the attack helicopters fire from four tube launchers.

'The previous tender had to be scrapped in 2015 as the twin-tube solutions could not be found and having a four tube launcher would have resulted in the boom touching the ground while landing as the Rudra is not a genuine attack machine,' sources in the Army said.

However, the continuous delays in the project have also resulted in the Army postponing its plans to utilise the choppers in anti-tank roles due to the lack of attack choppers in its inventory.

'We are taking clearance from the Defence Ministry under the fast track procedure to buy these ATGMs as they are required urgently for our choppers,' Army sources said.

The Indian Army and the Air Force together are looking to acquire a fleet of 76 weaponised Rudra choppers which would be fitted with a 70mm guns and rocket pods along with four anti-tank missiles with two each fitted on both sides.

The HELINA missile, is a heli-borne version of the NAG missiles developed in the 1980s.
Mohammed Iqbal, 32, the latest ISIS 'recruit' in the custody of Rajasthan Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) has set alarm bells ringing in security and intelligence agencies.

They are now investigating whether money earned from a Chinese goods business was pumped into ISIS accounts in Syria and used to attempt to buy his way out to be a jihadi fighter.

On the face of it, everything about Iqbal - a businessman of Chinese mobiles and goods - looked innocuous.

Mohammed Iqbal, 32, is currently under investigation for alleged links to ISIS

He belongs to a well-to-do Chennai-based family and is married with two children, staying in the upmarket locality of Myalapore.

However Iqbal's undoing began after he was radicalised online.

With two foreign handlers and one local link 'Jameel Khan', Iqbal is now being probed for his alleged links to Shami Witness, now known as Mehdi Masroor Biswas, who was arrested by Karnataka Police in 2014.

He was alleged to have operated the single most influential pro-ISIS Twitter account from India, which was followed by two-thirds of all the foreign jihadis, but its was identity exposed following a Channel 4 News investigation in the UK.

Jameel Ahmed was arrested in October after police claimed they had uncovered evidence suggesting he was handling accounts which provided funds to ISIS

A top source in ATS said: 'Iqbal didn't know Biswas personally but was in touch with him. We believe that the connection between them was beyond just influence. We are still probing as to how they established the contact.'

Biswas was one of the first arrests in the ISIS case, which triggered a series of arrests by the National Investigation Agency.

Iqbal who ran an account 'Travel Haq' on social media sites had deleted his account just before his arrest on February 4, making it difficult for the ATS to establish the link.

Iqbal frequented Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Mecca and Medina but his business interests took him to China seven to eight times.

Iqbal is believed to have been radicalised and convinced to join ISIS online

A year before his arrest, he is believed to have gone through websites of ISIS, drawn by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's declaration of a caliphate.

Through social media applications like Kik messenger and telegram, Iqbal allegedly established contact with two ISIS handlers Abu Saad al-Sudani, a Sudanese, and Abu Osama Al Somali, a Somalian notorious commander.

Arrested earlier this month in Rajamundri on Andhra Pradesh-Tamil Nadu border, Iqbal spilled the beans of his failed dream to fight along with other ISIS militants in Syria and Iraq to establish a caliphate.

On invitation from Saad, Iqbal made two attempts to reach the warzone in Syria - first, applying for a visa to Turkey to slip into Syria to get trained as an ISIS fighter in one of several ISIS' camps, and secondly, by trying to reach Turkey through the France route,' Rajasthan ATS ADG Umesh Mishra told Mail Today.

'After his failed attempts, Sudani advised Iqbal to raise funds for the establishment of caliphate. Five fund transfers made by Iqbal to [Jameel] Ahmed are now under scanner.

'Four were made from India, one from China through the Western Union to account of Ahmed. Ahmed, 42, was arrested in October last year by Rajasthan ATS. Ahmed who worked in Dubai in an MNC was handling accounts which provided funds to ISIS in Syria, Bosnia and at least four other countries.'

ATS SP Vikas Kumar said: 'All five transactions remained under a lakh of rupees to avoid being under the radar of security agencies. While four fund transfers were made from within India, one fund transfer was done from China, through the Western Union.'

Ahmed admitted that he had provided funds to ISIS through hawala, it was claimed.

'He also said somebody from Tamil Nadu was helping him raising funds. When we went through Ahmed's chat history, 'Travel Haq' appeared multiple times,' Kumar said.

After three months of surveillance, the ATS was able to establish the real identity of Travel Haq.

'Iqbal used Travel Haq as username on social media websites. He has smuggling network spread across Bangladesh and China. Iqbal was arrested with 3.5 kg gold and was locked up in Chennai Jail.

'We are interrogating him to get more details about his other supporters,' said the official.

The Rajasthan ATS has written to MHA to hand over the case to the NIA.
A fresh round of talks between protesting Jats and the Haryana government in Panipat on Monday remained inconclusive as community leaders stuck to their demands and said the stir will continue.

The government's five-member committee headed by chief secretary D S Dhesi held talks with Jat leaders for over three hours and announced to constitute a four-member panel to resolve the issues, including withdrawal of cases registered during the last year's stir.

All-India Jat Aarakshan Sangarsh Samiti (AIJASS) chief Yashpal Malik, who is spearheading the protest, said, 'The agitation will continue till the demands are met.

Yashpal Malik addressing dharna site at Jassia village of Rohtak district

It has been decided that a four-member panel comprising two members each from the government and the Jats will be formed to resolve the matter,' he said, adding that government representatives have agreed to raise compensation for those seriously injured during last year's stir to Rs 2 lakh.

'The meeting was held for over three hours in two to three phases. Understanding has been reached between the Jats and government on two issues and peace will be maintained at all costs in the state,' Dhesi said.

He said the government has provided jobs to the next of kin of 25 of those killed during last year's stir.

'The Jats wanted permanent jobs for the next of kin of those killed in the violence and the government will consider this after discussions with the new panel,' Dhesi said.

The Jats are holding protests across Haryana seeking fulfilment of their demands including reservation as well as compensation and jobs to families of those who were killed during the protest held last year

The chief secretary said after the court verdict, the government will refer the Jats' demand for reservation in government jobs and educational institutes to the Centre.

The first round of talks between the two sides, held on February 11, had also remained inconclusive.

Terming chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar as a wise man, Malik alleged that a few people within the BJP want to destabilise him.

On Sunday, Khattar had said that the Jats' demands will be fulfilled within the scope of law.

Malik said February 26 will be observed as Black Day by Jats and community members will wear black turbans and ribbons and arm bands to protest the government's policies.

'If all our demands are met before February 26, we will call off our agitation. From March 1, we will not cooperate with the government. No one will pay power, water bills and installments of loans that they owe to the government,' he said.
While the BJP is engaged in a pitched battle for supremacy with the SP and the BSP in the fourth phase of polling in Uttar Pradesh, the RSS is silently, but tenaciously toiling at the grassroots level to convert every cadre into an actual vote at the polling booth.

Rejecting any disconnect between the RSS and the BJP senior Sangh, functionaries from state and national level asserted that there is a perfect unison in the efforts of the two arms of the right-wing.

'These are different times for the RSS and the BJP in the regime of Narendra Modi.

Children participate during a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) organisational meeting in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh

'Unlike in the past, the internal consultation mechanism is so strong that there is no information lag between the two arms and there is no communication lag too. The process is seamless,' said a senior BJP functionary who has an extensive RSS background.

The BJP is engaged in a pitched battle for supremacy with the SP and the BSP in the fourth phase of polling in Uttar Pradesh

The Sangh, said top UP RSS sources, are running a campaign called 'Jan Jagran' for getting the people to come to polling booths and use their franchise.

The campaign, as the name suggests, is aimed at educating people about the significance of exercising the right to vote and thus to give them a clarion call to do so, the first thing in the morning of the voting day.

The RSS, just as in the past elections across India, is also running a campaign under the theme 'Pehle Matdaan, Phir Jalpaan' (first vote and then breakfast) to encourage voters, especially volunteers and cadre to cast their vote positively.

Sources also said while the RSS volunteers were not assuming any formal roles such as booth heads, they were working silently on the ground to muster votes for its political arm.

Also, the RSS is confident that non-Yadav backward castes have had enough of the 'goonda raj' of SP and that their 'unbridled' support would take the BJP past the magic figure to make the next government.

They also said several of their internal reports had indicated that the backward classes and Dalits identified with Prime Minister Narendra Modi , who was seen as a leader of the dispossessed and marginalised, more so after demonetisation.

UP RSS functionaries maintain that Mayawati's Dalit votebank too would be breached by the saffron brigade.
Two people running an adoption centre in West Bengal suspected of selling at least 17 children to couples abroad have been arrested, police said on Tuesday.

The orphanage allegedly sold children as young as six months to families in Europe, America and Asia for between $12,000 and $23,000.

Police arrested the head of the orphanage and the deputy at the weekend after a tip-off from the federal adoption agency.

The orphanage allegedly sold children as young as six months to families in Europe, America and Asia for between $12,000 and $23,000

'In the last two to three years, they have sold at least 17 children,' a police officer told news agency AFP on condition of anonymity.

'We will try to contact the couples and are expecting more arrests in coming days.'

One French couple paid 1.5 million rupees ($23,000) for a child in 2015, he said.

The accused were also involved in running two other homes in the area.

'Two people were arrested after raids in three charitable homes on Saturday night,' Sashi Panja, state women and child development minister, said.

The heads of an adoption centre are suspected of selling at least 17 children to foreign couples

It is unclear how the alleged sales escaped official notice.

Investigators said they had been monitoring the charity since June when child welfare authorities found discrepancies in their records and relocated all the children from one of the homes.

One said the accused ran health camps to identify poor and unmarried pregnant women and convinced them to give away their babies for adoption after paying them.

'They used fake fitness certificates and police stamps to process the adoption applications,' the officer said.

Police are also said to be investigating whether the adoption racket was part of a wider human trafficking operation.

'What is shocking is that the head of the (orphanage) was also running a shelter for destitute women and selling their babies,' Rashmi Sen of the West Bengal state women and child development ministry told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Only 3,011 children were legally adopted by local couples in India between April 2015 and March 2016 (photo for representation only)

'Ongoing investigations will also probe if the women were trafficked to the home to keep the adoption racket going.'

'There are at least 17 children who were housed in this home (in Jalpaiguri) who are untraceable,' Subodh Bhattacharjee of the Jalpaiguri child welfare committee told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

'They were giving children for adoption without our knowledge, violating laid down guidelines.'

'Our own enquiry last year revealed that the children had not been entered into the government system, which mandates recording of every abandoned child,' Sen said.

'In January we moved 15 children from the orphanage to other homes for their safety. They were all below the age of five, some just a few months old.'

India has an estimated 30 million orphans, but the rules governing international adoptions are strict and domestic adoptions remain relatively rare.

Only 3,011 children were legally adopted by local couples in India between April 2015 and March 2016, down from 3,988 in the previous period, according to the Central Adoption Resource Authority.

Experts say desperate couples wanting to adopt in India are often frustrated by lengthy bureaucratic delays and complex rules, pushing them towards the thriving illegal adoption market.

In recent years the federal government has pledged to relax the adoption rules for local couples.

For foreigners and couples of Indian origin living abroad, the number of adoptions has risen by almost half but they remain subject to intense scrutiny, and the adoption process can take years.

The latest scandal comes four months after police arrested 18 people over the sale of newborn babies in the same state.

Thirteen babies were rescued and skeletons of two other infants found near the port city of Kolkata.

Those arrested include doctors, midwives and the owners of charities and clinics and they are suspected of taking babies from women immediately after they had given birth and telling them their children were stillborn.

They were then smuggled out in biscuit boxes and kept at adoption centres before being sold. The scale of the operation is still being uncovered.

Reports of human trafficking in India increased 25 per cent in 2015 compared to the year before, with more than 40 per cent of cases involving children, according to government crime data.
Neil Craven is a senior business reporter and retail correspondent at the Mail on Sunday.

The business rates farce has now descended into outright chaos. Im here to say we were all warned.

Since 2012, I and other business journalists have been scripting the iniquities of this crumbling system which has caused so many firms to stumble and fall.

Five years of warning that this has been coming. That the delay in the revaluation would hurt. That the phased transition over the next two or three years would hurt those already overpaying.

Business rates: Most likely those who will bear that pain of any PR-spun fiddles will be those whose voices are the quietest - small firms, probably not based in London

My concern now is not over what effect this atrocious system will have on the country in the short or medium term - there is, Im afraid, only pain to be borne by someone, whatever the Government does in the coming weeks.

Fiddling with this system - which the Government will undoubtedly have to do to make it look like it is taking action - can only serve, once again, to kick the can down the road.

Most likely those who will bear that pain of any PR-spun fiddles will be those whose voices are the quietest. Small firms. Probably not based in London.

Most likely based in the North or on the fringes economically, furthest from the seats of power and well beyond the cares of the most powerful lobby groups.

No, my concern - my hope - is whether, finally, this will serve as a long-overdue wake-up call. Whether the Government will make any meaningful changes in the long-term.

I would hope that at least the Government admits it has got things wrong. And it can do that by ordering a long-term review.

Having a tax based on property values in todays business world is like having a personal tax based on your shoe size

Because the only way to salvage anything from this crisis is to tear up the current system and start again.

To start afresh with a blank piece of paper and draw up a tax system for commerce and local government funding requirements which fits the modern era.

Having a tax based on property values in todays business world is like having a personal tax based on your shoe size.

I have already seen comments in some quarters about other forms of tax, possibly based on a sales tax (consumers and retailers wont like it - so the Government will never do it) which sounds workable. Or perhaps a simple extension of corporation tax.

Extending VAT also sounds like an equitable solution - but again would not be popular and easy for big lobby groups (who, again, wouldnt like it) to undermine.

Options: Instead of business rates, retailers could be charged a tax based on sales

But a serious overhaul could also include a seriously extended transition time - so that those who were to bear more of the burden in the future would have time to stomach the new reality, perhaps even over a decade or more.

Whatever the solution, change is necessary. Necessary because this Government needs now more than ever to show us all that, when it can see when things are going wrong, it should pause for breath.

The Government needs to show that it can listen; it should be preparing business for Brexit, not hamstringing it.

It needs to acknowledge it can see a mess when it falls headlong into it - and that it is willing to admit that its covered from head to foot.

If it cant do that now, at this moment, then please god help us in two years time. Because Brexit has all the potential to be business rates multiplied by ten.

And if it Brexit does not go to plan, we need leaders who are prepared to take swift action - use levers and controls to which only they have access.

Because the next debacle of this nature could be far more disastrous for the business and economic interests of the nation.
Royal Bank of Scotland defied expectation yesterday, soaring after it cancelled the sale of its Williams & Glyn branches.

Shares in the struggling bank were widely predicted to bomb this week ahead of its results on Friday, when the group is expected to confirm a ninth consecutive year of losses.

RBS, which the Government still has a 72 per cent stake in, had been told to offload its 300 Williams & Glyn branches to meet EU State Aid requirements after it received a 45 billion taxpayer-backed bailout in 2008. But it has struggled to find a buyer.

On the up: Royal Bank of Scotland defied expectation yesterday, soaring after it cancelled the sale of its Williams & Glyn branches

Both Santander and Clydesdale had been among bidders but no deal was ever made. Clydesdale last night formally withdrew its bid.

But now the Treasury has stepped in to change the requirements. Instead it will now deliver a 750 million package of remedies to promote competition in the market, which would see it working with challenger banks.

Nicholas Hyett, equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: This means the years of toil and billions spent trying to divorce its Williams & Glyn division have achieved almost nothing. Its a mark of how bad things have been for the bank that despite a tough alternative agreement shares have still risen. The new agreement should at least be achievable.

A possible downside, however, is that the group will no longer benefit from the proceeds of the sale.

Shares in the struggling bank were widely predicted to bomb this week ahead of its results on Friday, when the group is expected to confirm a ninth consecutive year of losses

Investec increased its target price by 20p to 225p on the announcement, but kept its sell rating.

Shares surged 6.8 per cent, or 16.5p, to 258.9p.

STOCK WATCH: FISHING REPUBLIC Fishing Republic said that revenue should be 40 per cent higher year-on-year thanks to a combination of organic growth and new stores. The company, one of the largest tackle retailers in the UK, has seen sales generated from its website climb 132 per cent over the year. It opened a store in Milton Keynes in January, and two more, in Reading and Ipswich, are planned for the first quarter. Results for the year should be in line with expectations. Shares climbed 1.9 per cent, or 0.75p, to 39.75p.

The FTSE 100 finished fractionally lower at the close, down 0.1 points at 7299.86.

Among the highest risers on the day was Rolls-Royce, which revved up as Goldman Sachs upgraded it to a buy. Analysts expect earnings to improve and added the stock to its conviction list. Shares climbed 6.3 per cent, or 42p, to 708p.

Pearson slipped after Berenberg downgraded it to a sell.

Analysts slashed 100p off their target price to 400p as it said one of the firms major divisions faced problems at the firm had more leverage than it had assumed.

Berenberg said it couldnt see a short-term fix for Pearsons higher education courseware business and couldnt see any ways the firm could save any more cash.

Pearson will publish its full-year results on Friday. Shares fell 3.9 per cent, or 26p, to 642.5p.

Coloured gemstone miner Gemfields tumbled as it reported a 10.9 million loss in the six months to December 31.

The firm blamed the deferral of an emerald auction which had been due to take place in December. Gemfields produced 10.7 million carats of rough emerald and beryl at its Kagem mine, down from 15m in the previous year.

Ruby and corundum production climbed to 5.6 million carats at its 75 per cent-owned Montepuez mine, up from 2.1 million carats in 2015.

Gemfields said a demonetisation programme in India had created uncertainty, but prospects were strong over the long term with an increasing demand for responsibly sourced rubies and a resurgence of colour gemstones in the luxury sector.

Shares spiralled down 4.9 per cent, or 2.5p, to 48p.

Condor Gold climbed on plans to raise 5.24 million from investors to help it further develop its gold mine in Nicaragua.

The gold miner is placing around 8.3 million shares at 62p each. Leading the backers is renowned mining investor Ross Beaty, who has snapped up 1 million of the placing.

The move will increase his stake in the firm to 8.7 per cent, making him the largest shareholder. Shares leapt 3.1 per cent, or 2p, to 67p.
Vice President Mike Pence says European nations need to speed up plans to contribute two percent of their gross national income to NATO and encourage other member nations to do the same.

At a news conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Monday in Brussels, Pence reiterated the Trump administration's position 'that for too long, for too many' the burden of paying for NATO has 'not been shared fairly among our NATO allies.

'That must come to an end,' the vice president said.

The U.S. leader declined to make new threats to nations that don't pay up, but he warned, 'The patience of the American people will not endure.'

At a news conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Monday in Brussels, Mike Pence reiterated the Trump administration's position 'that for too long, for too many' the burden of paying for NATO has 'not been shared fairly among our NATO allies

Pence told nervous Europeans on Monday that President Donald Trump remains committed to transatlantic ties. However, NATO allies they must boost their defense spending in return.

At NATO headquarters, Pence said Trump expects NATO allies to make 'real progress by the end of 2017' towards meeting a goal they set in 2014 of raising defense spending to two percent of GDP over a decade.

Trump said last summer on the campaign trail NATO countries need to pay up or prepare to defend themselves from attacks.

His defense secretary, James Mattis, delivered another stern message at a NATO defense ministers meeting last week. Washington could 'moderate' its commitment to NATO if allies fail to pay their dues, he said.

Invoking the U.S. defense secretary again, on Monday Pence told NATO nations, 'If you don't yet have a plan -- these are my words, not his -- get one. It is time for actions, not words.'

The vice president wasn't, however, prepared to back up Trump's 'or else' style threats.

'Questions about the future we'll just leave in the future as hypotheticals,' Pence said.

But he at the same time warned that American people's patience would eventually run out.

Bringing up Trump's crusade to reform NATO on the campaign trail, Pence said, 'Frankly, it struck a very resonant chord.'

The American people are frustrated 'that as our country continues to make investments in Europe's security, we see European countries falling behind,' he said.

So far, of the 28 NATO members, only the United States, Britain, Poland, Greece and Estonia have met the two percent target.

'America will do our part but Europe's defense requires Europe's commitment as much as ours,' Pence said Monday.

So far, of the 28 NATO members, only the United States, Britain, Poland, Greece and Estonia have met the two percent target - Pence said Monday that has to end

Scores of protesters gathered in the EU quarter of the Belgian capital during Pence's visit, criticizing the Trump administration's attitude towards women, gay people and climate change.

Two female protesters went topless and carried banners saying 'Pence get out of our pants,' while another placard read 'Love Trumps Hate'.

Pence, Mattis and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson have stuck close to established policy during their first foray into Europe despite Trump's previous pronouncements.

But they have also been left to cope with their president's unpredictable remarks, and by a growing scandal over the new White House's links to Russia.

The vice president admitted on Monday he was 'disappointed' that former US national security adviser Michael Flynn had given him 'inaccurate' information about his contacts with Russia over US sanctions before he resigned last week.

However he said he fully backed Trump's decision to accept Flynn's resignation.

Pence also defended Trump's criticisms of the media, whom the president has called 'the enemy of the American people'.

'Rest assured, both the president and I strongly support a free and independent press,' he said. 'But you can anticipate that the president and all of us will continue to call out the media when they play fast and loose with the facts.'

Capping the European trip aimed at allaying fears about the new administration's support, Pence said Washington's backing for the EU remained 'steadfast and enduring'.

'Today it is my privilege on behalf of President Trump to express the strong commitment of the United States to continued cooperation and partnership with the European Union,' Pence said after talks with EU president Donald Tusk in Brussels.

He said after the meeting with Stoltenberg that the United States understand that its economy is tied to Europe's and so it its heritage.

'Looking for ways that we could reassure this weekend leaders of the European Union of our commitment to ongoing cooperation and that maintaining that partnership in the years ahead is hopefully a resonant message that came through, and it's my great privilege to be here to deliver it,' Pence said.

European allies have been unnerved by Trump's criticism of the EU as a vehicle for Germany, his praise of Britain's decision to leave the bloc and his dismissal of NATO as 'obsolete' even as he praises Russian President Vladimir Putin.

But Pence pledged the United States would keep working with Europe to boost the world's two biggest economies, fight terrorism and defend eastern EU states against Russian encroachment.

Tusk, a former Polish premier, said that Europeans 'truly needed' the meeting with Pence and that the 28-nation bloc counted on 'wholehearted and unequivocal' US support.

'Too much has happened over the past month in your country and in the EU... for us to pretend that everything is as it used to be,' Tusk said.

Capping the European trip aimed at allaying fears about the new administration's support, Pence said Washington's backing for the EU remained 'steadfast and enduring'. He's seen today with EU president Donald Tusk in Brussels

Pence also met European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker, a former Luxembourg premier, who stressed that the United States 'needs a strong united Europe.'.

Pence's visit came two days after Trump referred, during a rally in Florida, to a non-existent Swedish terror incident and urged people to 'look at what's happening in Brussels' as he listed a series of European cities struck by deadly terror attacks.

Pence said the United States would remain 'full partners' with the EU in fighting terrorism, a Trump priority.

He also pledged it would defend Europe's 'territorial integrity' and said the Trump administration will 'continue to hold Russia accountable' for the violence in eastern Ukraine and demand that Moscow honor the Minsk agreements for a ceasefire due to begin Monday.

An EU source told AFP that Pence's meeting with Tusk was 'very positive'.

'Will it allay all Europeans fears about Trump? No but it was the best we could have hoped for,' the source added.

Trump is expected to attend a NATO summit in Brussels at the end of May and he has also been invited to meet EU leaders.
Eight months after Karen Ristevski' suddenly vanished, her body was discovered wedged under a huge log by a bushwalker.

The grim discovery brought an exhaustive search for the 47-year-old Melbourne mother to an end and gave her family some closure.

But today police  who have launched a murder investigation  begin their hunt to find Karens killer.

Officers arrived at her family home on Tuesday to break the news to Mrs Ristevski's husband of 25 years and 21-year-old daughter.

Scroll down for video

The search for Melbourne mother Karen Ristevski (pictured) has turned into a hunt for her killer

Officers arrived at her family home on Tuesday to break the news to Mrs Ristevski's husband Borce, 52, (right) and 21-year-old daughter (left)

The 47-year-old's remains were discovered hidden under a log (pictured) by a bushwalker on Monday

Family members broke their silence on Tuesday and said they were happy to have finally found her.

'Devastated that's how she was discarded,' Mrs Ristevski's aunt Patricia Gray told The Age.

'How a person such as Karen, so full of love, life and laughter, could be left, abandoned, discarded with no thought or emotion shown is unforgivable,' she said.

The 47-year-old's cousin Lisa Gray described Mrs Ristevski as a 'beautiful, kind, generous and loving person' before thanking the police for helping the family search for her.

The question of what happened to Mrs Ristevski has gone unanswered since she mysteriously vanished from her home on June 29, 2016.

Mrs Ristevski was last seen leaving her home on Oakley Drive in Avondale Heights in Melbourne's north-west following an argument with her husband.

Since then police have followed up endless leads and searched various areas, but the 47-year-old has not been seen for almost eight months.

Her phone was switched off and her bank accounts have not been accessed since her disappearance.

Mrs Ristevski's husband Borce Ristevski was the last person to see her alive. He said she left their family home after a fight, and went for a walk to 'clear her head'.

Mr Ristevski was questioned by police immediately after his wife's disappearance, but was released a short time later pending further inquiries.

Shortly after her disappearance, actor Samuel Johnson took to social media to plead for his friend to come home.

Johnson, known for his lead role in TV series The Secret Life of Us, described Ms Ristevski as a 'sensitive, generous, intelligent and kind woman,' the Herald Sun reported at the time.

Melbourne mother Karen Ristevski disappeared on June 29, 2016

He said she left their family home after a fight, and went for a walk to 'clear her head'

That same week the family held a conference with media, police revealed that CCTV cameras did not show Mrs Ristevski leaving her home on the day she disappeared.

Police have not suggested that Mr Ristevski has had anything to do with his wife's disappearance.

In the weeks after Mrs Ristevski's disappearance, SES crews, water police and police on motorbikes searched the Maribyrnong River and surrounding areas.

It was also reported by The Australian at the time that the family were struggling with their debts and on the verge of losing their home when she vanished.

Police searched for Mrs Restivski in areas where her body was found on Monday

In the weeks after Mrs Ristevski's disappearance, SES crews, water police and police on motorbikes searched the Maribyrnong River and surrounding areas

Police divers are seen searching for Mrs Ristevski near Gisborne

A month after her disappearance Mrs Ristevski's meth-addicted step-son Anthony Rickard, 32, claimed his stepmother was planning on leaving his father.

Mr Rickard, a father-of-two who has been questioned by police in relation to the 47-year-old's disappearance, previously told the Herald Sun that he did not kill his stepmother, but that he is angry over a family conflict.

Then in August the 32-year-old posted a series of disturbing and unsubstantiated messages to social media which revealed hi troubled relationship with his family.

Among a stream of violent and often incoherent messages Mr Rickard called his father a 'coward,' claimed he watched him do drugs and that he and Mrs Ristevski, who has been missing nearly two months, had an affair.

An information caravan is seen where Mrs Ristevski was last seen before she went missing. The caravan was set up by Victoria Police

A missing poster for the 47-year-old is seen on a pole near her Melbourne home

Police have not suggested that Mr Ristevski has had anything to do with his wife's disappearance

Timeline of Karen Ristevski's mysterious disappearance June 29, 2016: Karen Ristevski disappears from her house on Oakley Drive in Avondale Heights, Melbourne, at about 10am. Her husband Borce, the last person to see her alive, said she went to 'clear her head' after a fight July 11: The missing persons squad is called in to investigate July 8, 2016: Mr Ristevski questioned by detectives and denied any involvement in her disappearance July 13: Actor Samuel Johnson took to social media to plead for his friend to come home July 13: Police and SES scour bushland behind the Ristevski home, near the Maribyrnong River July 14, 2016: Mr Ristevski is asked 'Did you kill Karen, Borce?' ending a press conference appealing for information about her disappearance. The same day, police said CCTV did not catch her leaving the house that morning July 21, 2016: Mr Ristevski claims their home's security cameras stoped working months before her disappearance July 23, 2016: Ms Ristevski's meth-addicted step-son Anthony Rickard, 32, claimed his stepmother was planning on leaving his father July 29: Police divers search another part of the Maribyrnong River, about three kilometres from the Ristevski house September 9, 2016: Neighbour hands police CCTV possibly showing Ms Ristevski's car on the day she disappeared August 11, 2016: Mr Rickard posted a series of disturbing and unsubstantiated messages to social media which revealed his troubled relationship with his family. He claimed their marriage was 'fake', called his father a 'coward', claimed he watched him do drugs and that he and Mrs Ristevski had an affair August 24, 2016: Mr Ristevski's brother Vasco suggested she might have fled to the U.S. or China on a fake passport December 19-20, 2016: Police drained dams and searched countryside at Toolern Vale - just south of where her body was found on Monday February 20, 2017: A bushwalker found the body under a large log on Mt Macedon, about 52 kilometres from the house, and contacted police about 12.30pm February 21, 2017: The body is confirmed to be Ms Ristevski's and police break the news to her family Advertisement

Nephew Chris Ristevski told A Current Affair at the time that he was shocked his cousin, who has struggled with ice addiction, would stoop so low.

'It's outrageous - it's supposed to be his family.'

In September it was revealed that a car driving away from Mrs Ristevski's home on the day she disappeared closely resembled her own one.

CCTV footage captured by a neighbour's camera showed a car resembling the Melbourne mother's, the Herald Sun reported.

Then on December 19 and 20 last year, police drained dams and searched countryside at Toolern Vale - just south of where her body was found on Monday.
Two traffic wardens have been caught taking a 50-minute nap in their branded council car in a permit-only space.

The employees were spotted sleeping in a Lambeth parking services Ford Fiesta on a council estate in Clapham, south London, on Tuesday afternoon.

Passer-by Mitchell Krishnan, 54, took a video of the soporific wardens and could see a pile of forms on one of their laps.

Two traffic wardens were caught on camera taking a 50-minute nap in a Clapham council estate, in south London, on Tuesday afternoon. One of the employees had a list of where they had been (pictured)

The paperwork, which may be considered confidential, detailed where they had been that day.

Mr Krishnan saw the traffic wardens parked in the permit-only space at 4.30pm and at 5.20pm, the council workers left.

The disgruntled passer-by complained about them to Lambeth Council and the incident is being investigated.

The wardens are employed by contractor APCOA, who run car parks around the country, including one at Heathrow airport.

Mr Krishnan told the Sun: 'They've clearly tucked themselves away there so they can skive from work and have a siesta.

'These officers are constantly penalising us for the silliest of things  we're getting battered financially by these wardens.

Local Mitchell Krishnan, 54, saw the pair park at 4.30pm and leave at 5.20pm. The Civil Enforcement Officers are employed by firm APCOA, who have been contracted by Lambeth Council to manage their parking services

'They were there for at least 50 minutes, and since there's two of them, that's nearly two hours of government paid time in a government vehicle.'

Firm APCOA were contracted by Lambeth Council to run a car pound and the area's parking services in October 2016.

The eight-year contract is worth 27 million.

In the video, Mr Krishnan circles around the car, which is branded with a Lambeth Parking Services sign on the bonnet and the doors.

The Ford Focus the pair were napping in was branded with Lambeth Parking Services signs on the bonnet and doors. Mr Krishnan complained to the council, who said they are investigating the incident

The wardens, who are wearing hi-vis tabards and are identified as Civil Enforcement Officers, continue to sleep throughout the incriminating clip.

In a statement a spokesman for Lambeth Council said: 'APCOA, our parking enforcement contractor, are currently investigating this matter, and have assured us they will take appropriate action once they have concluded their investigation.'

Last April, Lambeth Council were accused of painting a disabled parking bay around a Renault Clio, then fined the owner 110.

Owner Matt Armstrong called the incident a shocking waste of council tax.

At the time, the council said they would cancel Mr Armstrong's fixed penalty notice.
A truck driver whose unattended truck ran over and killed a North Carolina boy has been sentenced to just 65 days in jail.

The dump truck, which came down a hill, hit five-year-old Everett Copeland on December 26, while illegal immigrant Alejandro Suarez made a bathroom stop.

He had put the truck in neutral and put on the brakes in a Hillsborough subdivision. The boy was taken to Duke University Hospital and died later.

Suarez had entered a plea of 'no contest' on Monday and an Orange County judge accepted it.

Everett Copeland, left, was playing outside his home with three other children on December 26 when he was hit and killed by a truck driven by Alejangro Suarez, right

Everett's father said in court: 'We fully understand that no one intended to hurt Everett, including Mr Suarez.

'Everett's death was preventable. There will always be that ache in our hearts.'

Suarez has been in jail since the death and will be released on February 28.

Suarez, who came from Mexico and has been in the US for 11 years, will be transferred to federal custody.

He had an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer placed on him because he is alleged to be in the country illegally.

It is unclear if Suarez will be deported following his release from jail.

Suarez, who came from Mexico and has been in the US for 11 years, will be transferred to federal custody

Authorities said dirt was being loaded into the truck when it 'rolled away from its work area.'

According to a certified mechanic, the brakes had been applied to the truck but the vehicle was left running before it went down the hill.

The district attorney said workers chased after the truck but were unable to catch up to it before it hit several light poles, then jumped the curb, crashed into a tree and hit Everett.

District Attorney Jim Woodall said Suarez remained at the scene, claimed responsibility and had cooperated fully during the investigation.

Woodall said: 'He acknowledged from the very beginning that he was the driver of the truck, so he was the one responsible for making sure that the truck was properly secured.

'This will affect that family every day for the rest of their lives.'

Attorney Bill Young said Suarez 'feels horrible like any human whose massive mistake would have resulted in this type of tragic outcome.'
A beauty pageant contestant is facing first-degree arson charges after setting her roommate's bed alight during an argument.

Christen McAllister was arrested after police were called to the 300 block of Armstrong street at The Retreat, an off-campus housing community for the University of Louisville's Belknap Campus.

McAllister, 22, was a Top 5 finalist in the Miss Kentucky USA pageant last month.

Christen McAllister was arrested after police were called to the 300 block of Armstrong street at The Retreat, an off-campus housing community for the University of Louisville's Belknap Campus

McAllister, second from left, was a Top 5 finalist in the Miss Kentucky USA pageant last month

Authorities say McAllister admitted to setting the mattress on fire while two roommates were inside the home after she and her roommate got in an argument

The Louisville Metro Arson Bureau said the fire began around 12:15am on February 18, according to Wave 3.

Authorities say McAllister admitted to setting the mattress on fire while two roommates were inside the home after she and her roommate got in an argument.

The confession was captured on a police body camera.

On social media, she claims to be a member of the Sigma Kappa Sorority and studies Marketing at the University of Louisville.

Details of her bond have not been given, but the student continues to share on her personal Facebook page.

No injuries have been reported as a result of the fire.
Christopher Duntsch (pictured), 46, has been sentenced to life in prison for seriously injuring an elderly woman in a botched spine surgery in Plano, Texas

A jury has sentenced a former North Texas neurosurgeon to life in prison for killing two patients and maiming others who had turned to him for surgery to resolve debilitating injuries.

The decision came Monday afternoon, almost a week after the Dallas County jury convicted 46-year-old Christopher Duntsch of first-degree felony injury to an elderly person.

Duntsch was the first doctor in Dallas County to be convicted for a surgery gone wrong, District Attorney Faith Johnson said in a news conference after the sentencing Monday.

'We have done something historic here', Johnson said.

Prosecutors alleged numerous cases of malpractice against the former Plano physician, including that he improperly placed screws and plates along patients' spines, left a sponge in another patient and cut a major vein in another.

One of his victims, Jerry Summers, who he had known since they were children, woke up after undergoing spinal surgery at Baylor Regional Medical Center of Plano unable to move his arms or legs, according to the Dallas Morning-News.

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The charges stem from incidents where Duntsch (left and right) is accused of causing the death of two patients, while mutilating four others - including Jerry Summers, who woke up after undergoing spinal surgery unable to move his arms or legs

Duntsch was the first doctor in Dallas County to be convicted for a surgery gone wrong, District Attorney Faith Johnson (center) said in a news conference on Monday

Summers said in a video testimony played in court earlier this month: 'I don't remember feeling any pain, I just couldn't move.

'It just feels like your body weighs about 10,000 pounds and you cant pick it up'.

In the video, which was shot in January in Summers's Memphis, Tennessee, home so he did not have to travel to Texas for Duntsch's trial, he then demonstrated how he is still unable to move his arms or legs.

Summers's 'botched' surgery took place in February 2012, after Duntsch had offered to perform the basic procedure to rid him of pain and numbness he had in his arm as a result of a previous car crash.

However, the surgery did not go according to plan, with the anesthesiologist who put Summers under revealing he lost more than 10 times more blood than usual during the operation.

Summers now suffers from incomplete paralysis - meaning he is unable to move his arms and legs, but still feels pain and touch.

'I don't remember feeling any pain, I just couldn't move,' Summers (pictured) said in a video testimony played in court earlier this month

Later in the same year, Duntsch operated on Kellie Martin.

Martin bled out and died after the doctor cut through her spinal cord, slashing a major artery, prosecutors allege.

Surgical nurse Catherine Kelly-Lorenz, who was involved with Duntsch for the deadly surgery, said the disgraced surgeon did not seem concerned with what had happened - despite the fact Martin was 'screaming in pain' when she first woke up and had to be put back under.

Another of Duntsch's patients, 63-year-old Floella Brown, also died in July 2012.

Brown suffered a stroke after she underwent spinal surgery, in which the Texas Medical Board found the doctor 'went overboard'.

Kellie Martin, pictured left, died after Duntsch performed a 'routine' spinal surgery, one of two patients prosecutors said died as a direct result of Duntsch's malice. Mary Efurd, pictured right, woke up after surgery barely able to move her legs

Records state Duntsch removed 'bone from an area that was not required by any clinical or anatomical standards, resulting in injury to the vertebral artery'.

Another female patient, Mary Efurd, testified in court last week about injuries she suffered allegedly at Duntsch's hands during another 2012 surgery when she was 74.

During the surgery to help fix her back pain, Efurd lost a half-gallon of blood and the use of her legs, the Dallas Morning-News reports.

'I trusted him, I trusted he would do what was right,' she told the court earlier this month.

Duntsch has his license revoked in 2013, despite him claiming at the time: '99 per cent of everything that has been said about me is completely false'.

The surgery on Summers in 2012 took place at the Baylor Regional Medical Center of Plano (pictured)

The medical board cited abuse of care with six patients when they revoked his license.

A surgeon testifying for prosecutors said it was like letting an amateur loose in surgery.

'The pain wont go away for [the victims]', Johnson, the district attorney, said Monday.

'But we hope they will just have a little joy to know that the person that did this thing to them will be serving a life sentence'.

Duntsch's attorneys argued he wasn't a criminal, just a lousy surgeon.

An affidavit revealed that in an email from December 2011 Duntsch outlined a desire to inflict pain upon his patients.

'I am ready to leave the love and kindness and goodness and patience that I mix with everything else that I am and become a cold blooded killer', he wrote to an employee.
Starbucks is to open its fourth coffee shop on one street - just 300 yards from an independent coffee shop set to be bled dry by the business rates overhaul.

The coffee giant yesterday unveiled plans to open its fifteenth store in Cardiff, and its fourth along the citys busy Queen Street  the most on any one street in Britain.

The four Starbucks shops will be just 350 yards apart, within a five minute walk of each other.

Yesterday Charlotte Barker, the owner of neighbouring Coffee Barker, condemned the announcement as an example of the Governments failure to stick up for smaller traders in the face of punishing rate hikes.

A map shows where each of the current Starbucks stores are located, as well as the new shop

The coffee giant yesterday unveiled plans to open its fifteenth store in Cardiff, and its fourth along the citys busy Queen Street  the most on any one street in Britain

The four Starbucks shops (one of which is pictured) will be just 350 yards apart, within a five minute walk of each other

Starbucks ran into a tax controversy in the UK in 2012 when it was accused of paying no tax on sales of 1.2bn in this country over the previous three years.

Mrs Barker said it was heartbreaking that multi-national companies seem to get away with murder in their tax bill while smaller businesses like hers are forced to the wall.

Speaking for thousands of struggling businesses, she said: The Government should be sticking up for small traders and not letting these giants control everything.

We are waiting to hear how big our rate rises will be. But it could tip people like us over the edge. The taxman already gets 20 per cent VAT, PAYE and income tax from us along with the rate rises.

In the last six years independent coffee shops have gradually disappeared from Queen Street. However another Starbucks will soon be homed in this empty shopfront

Starbucks ran into a tax controversy in the UK in 2012 when it was accused of paying no tax on sales of 1.2bn over three years (another Queen Street Starbucks, located inside a Next store)

We are being bled dry while you hear about people like Starbucks and so on hardly paying a penny.

Im sure people look at my shop and think it is a dream to run that. But, believe me, it is an uphill battle every day and the Government are making it even more difficult for small traders.

All cities will lost their character and just become one chain unless something is done.

A customer said: How can it be a level playing field when you see Starbucks apparently not pay all they should in taxes?

Really we should be giving tax advantages to small independents who bring character and personal attention to our High Streets.

Mrs Barker has owned her business premises since 1982. It opened as a fashion store but was transformed to a coffee shop six years ago to catch on to the booming demand for coffee.

There are now 20 times as many high street coffee shops to choose from than a generation ago. Demand has boomed with an estimated 70 million cups a day being drunk, more than one for every person.

But in the last six years independent coffee shops have gradually disappeared from Queen Street, the Welsh capitals main shopping area, while the bigger chains have thrived. The independent Atlantic coffee shop closed suddenly just weeks ago.

Dr Eleri Rosier, a senior lecturer in marketing at Cardiff Business School, told how a number of vacant units and short-lived discount shops along the street is a symptom of high-rental costs.

She said: They move in to quickly make their money and then leave. We have lots of empty units that can be really off-putting. Obviously seeing everything closed isnt the most attractive.

MPs fear independent shops be wiped out from Britains high streets under planned rate hikes from April. It is feared the larger, multi-national companies will stay because they can easily afford to stay open.

There are now 20 times as many high street coffee shops to choose from than a generation ago. Demand has boomed with an estimated 70 million cups a day being drunk

The changes, the first revaluation of business rates for seven years, will affect more than 500,000 cafes, shops, hotels, nurseries, schools and hospitals.

Business groups including the Institute of Directors, the CBI and the British Retail Consortium have protested against the planned overhaul. Small traders have also expressed outrage that online giants such as Amazon would benefit.

Announcing the new store yesterday, a Starbucks spokeswoman said: We are opening a new store on Queen Street, Cardiff in April, which will create fifteen new jobs.

We are committed to opening stores with local connections to their communities and the two stores we directly operate on Queen Street feature dual-language Welsh menu boards.
Banning Donald Trump would be against the national interest and only benefit Vladimir Putin because it would divide the West, MPs said yesterday.

The warnings came during fierce clashes in a debate on whether the US President should be given a state visit to Britain.

Sir Simon Burns said a ban would isolate the UK and make it less influential.

The ex-Tory minister and Hillary Clinton supporter added it was a no brainer and Mr Trumps grotesque characteristics should not undermine UK-US relations.

Some 2,000 protesters gathered in Parliament Square as MPs debated petitions for and against a State Visit

The warnings came during fierce clashes in a debate on whether the US President should be given a state visit to Britain

As thousands gathered at Parliament Square to protest against Mr Trumps visit, Sir Alan declared diplomacy matters

Foreign Office minister Sir Alan Duncan defended Theresa Mays invitation to the President, saying a state visit was the most important diplomatic tool in an increasingly dangerous world.

He said working closely with allies was of critical importance and the Government was placing the national interest at the heart of its decisions.

As thousands gathered at Parliament Square to protest against Mr Trumps visit, Sir Alan declared diplomacy matters. He added: The visit should happen and it will happen.

RAGE AT MP'S SEXISM 'DEFENCE' A former Tory minister caused outrage last night as he apparently played down sexist and abusive remarks by Donald Trump. Speaking during a Commons debate on whether to allow the US president on a state visit to Britain, Sir Edward Leigh said that Mr Trumps comments that he would grab a woman by the p***y were horrible, but many other politicians will have made some ridiculous sexual comment in private. SNP MP Hannah Bardell said: Is he seriously suggesting that the comments made in public by Trump and in private, which were recorded and broadcast, on sexual abuse and attacking women, are a legitimate position? Sir Edward replied: As far as I know Ive never spoken like that and no friends of mine have ever spoken like that  I completely deplore it and find it ridiculous to speak like that in private. Advertisement

The three-hour debate was triggered by two petitions  one against the state visit, with 1.85million signatures, and one in favour, backed by 311,000.

Sir Simon said Britain cannot afford to be isolated and ignore our friends in the wake of Brexit.

He added: We would become isolated, we would become less influential and it would not be in our national interest.

Tory MP James Cartlidge said the UK would gain nothing if it withdraws the offer of the visit.

He said: There is one man who will win and that is Vladimir Putin. There will be smiles all round in the Kremlin because the one thing they want in the Kremlin above all else is to divide the West.

They want the UK and the US to be divided, they dont want a strong transatlantic partnership.

Senior Tory Julian Lewis said castigating Mr Trump would encourage him to retreat into a bunker away from Nato.

He warned MPs could not indulge their opinions when US military support for Europe could stop another world war.

On the opposing side, MPs said ministers should not sell our souls by allowing Mr Trump to come to Westminster and urged Mrs May to drop the invitation.

MPs accused Mr Trump of being disgusting immoral with a protozoan capacity for intellect and a bigot. In the packed debate, they said the Queen had been put in a very difficult position and the theme put forward by Trump is that lies are the truth.

As MPs debated, chants were heard from the 2,000-plus protesters in Parliament Square

Placard: One of the crowd says 'No to racism and no to Trump' outside Parliament

Protesters wearing masks depicting British Prime Minister Theresa May and US President Donald J. Trump and holding hands demonstrate against the proposed State visit

Protesters gathered in Parliament Square in support of migrant workers against Donald Trump

They held aloft placards with slogans bearing the words, 'Stand with migrant workers'

They were addressed by Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott who condemned the dark shadow of racism and anti-immigrant sentiment

SNP MP Alex Salmond accused Mrs May of fawning subservience. Labour MP Paul Flynn warned America was becoming Orwellian under Mr Trump as he peddled lies as truths

As MPs debated, chants were heard from the 2,000-plus protesters.

They were addressed by Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott who condemned the dark shadow of racism and anti-immigrant sentiment.

SNP MP Alex Salmond accused Mrs May of fawning subservience. Labour MP Paul Flynn warned America was becoming Orwellian under Mr Trump as he peddled lies as truths.

Labour MP Naz Shah said Mr Trumps presidency has been chilling, adding: By rolling out the red carpet, we are endorsing all his views.

 Yesterday Mr Trump named Lieutenant General HR McMaster as his new national security adviser to replace Michael Flynn, who was ousted last week.
An Australian gym has been forced to remove advertising for a fitness campaign after it was said to contain inappropriate language.

The Anytime Fitness campaign titled 'F*ck Unfit' was banned by the Advertising Standards Board in February on five platforms - letterbox flyers, posters, social media, outdoor and SMS format.

The campaign featured slogans such as: 'F*CK UNFIT! THIS IS MY YEAR. BEAT THE EXCUSES. SMASH OVER 1,100 WORKOUTS WITH OUR ANYTIME FITNESS APP. GET STARTED WITH A 7-DAY FREE TRIAL. JOIN IN-CLUB AND DOWNLOAD IT TODAY #ANYTIMEWORKOUTS.

Australian gym Anytime Fitness has been forced to remove advertising for a fitness campaign (pictured) after it was said to contain inappropriate language

The campaign titled 'F*ck Unfit' was banned by the Advertising Standards Board in February on five platforms - letterbox flyers, posters, social media, outdoor and SMS format

In one case report, the complainant said their 10-year-old son had collected a flyer with the slogan from their mailbox.

The complaint said: 'I find it extremely offensive, unnecessary. I DO NOT want my children to be exposed to this sort of thing in our daily mail collection.'

Customers are said to have also received text messages sent from Anytime Fitness Munno Para club with the following wording:

'Say F*CK UNFIT with the new Anytime Workouts app. Join in-club today at [insert Club name]. Reply STOP to opt out.

In one ASB case report, a complainant said their 10-year-old son had collected a flyer with the slogan from their mailbox, and said they didn't want their children exposed to that type of langauge

As well as advertising on poster in gyms, letterbox flyers and ads on social media, customers are also said to have received text messages with the slogan advertising gym membership

'Say F*CK UNFIT with the Anytime Fitness & 3 free 30 min PT sessions. Join in-club today at [insert Club name]. Reply STOP to opt out.'

The complaint about a poster read: 'I am not happy with there being #F*ck all over their walls and I find it offensive they think it's acceptable to have this in their inspire quotes. I find it unnecessary'.

Anytime Fitness' response in the ASB report said they had acknowledged the ABS's decision.

'The advertising campaign concluded on 11 February 2017 and our franchise networks have been advised to discontinue use of all marketing materials and advertisements associated with the campaign.'

In the ASB report Anytime Fitness said they had acknowledged the ABS's decision

Anytime Fitness said the advertising campaign with the slogan F*ck Unfit' had ended on 11 February 2017 and all their franchises had been advised to discontinue using the marketing materials

Aside from complaints to the ASB one woman also voiced her disappointment with the campaign on Instagram, posting a photo of an Anytime Fitness poster in Sydney.

She captioned it with: 'Really, #anytimeworkouts? 'F**k unfit' with a picture of a conventionally attractive, thin person? (Points for PoC, I guess...) This and your scaremongering 'too many Australians are fat' mass email are really making me question my decision to sign an 18 month contract a couple weeks ago. Disappointing.'

The company replied and said: 'We are sorry that you feel that way however, this campaign is not intended to offend anyone. The aim of this campaign is to address and challenge a fundamental health problem, being unfit, and highlight how we can help to fight this issue.

Aside from the ASB report one woman (pictured) also voiced her unhappiness with the advertising campaign in an Instagram post, saying she was disappointed and was questioning signing an 18 month contract with the gym

'To us, the use of the F word demonstrates how strongly we feel about it, and that we wanted to spark the attention of those who need the realisation, motivation and support to do something about it.

'We understand being healthy and fit can mean many different things to all of our members, we love that people have different goals and achievements, there is no one size fits all. We celebrate these differences but no matter who you are, every Australian deserves to be fit and healthy.'

An Anytime Fitness spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia they were disappointed in the decision from the ASB, but are respectful of the ruling.

'As the biggest fitness community in Australia, we are committed to inspiring a fitter and healthier nation, which is why we launched the campaign to promote our new 24/7 fitness app.

The campaign ended on 11 February, so marketing materials have already been removed but our future marketing strategy will continue as planned.'
Philip Hammond told restive Tory MPs that he was open to listening to the hardest-hit firms in a bid to help their plight

The Chancellor last night promised a tax clampdown on Amazon and other big online companies as he hinted at help for small shops hammered by business rates rises.

Philip Hammond told restive Tory MPs that he was open to listening to the hardest-hit firms in a bid to help their plight.

But he disappointed backbenchers by declining to commit himself to action to alleviate the impact of the business rates revaluation in next months Budget.

He did, however, pledge longer term reform to level the playing field between large online firms and small high street shops.

He is said to be looking at reforms to the property tax system to ensure that online firms pay their fair share.

The move comes a week after it emerged that Amazon would pay less in business rates for its warehouses  while independent stores on the high street face rises of up to 300 per cent.

The first business rates revaluation in seven years will leave more than a quarter of companies facing higher bills. But some online retailers have benefited because the value of their out-of-town premises has fallen, while the value of stores in affluent, urban areas has risen.

A series of MPs who attended last nights 80-minute meeting of the Tory backbench 1922 committee confronted him with examples of firms in their constituencies facing steep rises.

One Tory MP at the meeting said Mr Hammond had said there may need to be some relief for small retailers in areas of high rents.

The Chancellor also apparently warned, however, that he may not be able to do anything soon because the first rates bills were being sent out from next week.

A Treasury source said: Hes open to listening to the issues of those who are hardest hit, but there was no decision either way.

The source indicated that the Chancellor was looking at a longer-term solution to ease the difference between the traditional high street shops hit by the revaluation and the internet giants whose out-of-town warehouses benefit from low rates.

The Chancellor last night promised a tax clampdown on Amazon and other big online companies as he hinted at help for small shops hammered by business rates rises

One point that he raised is one of the challenges of the tax system right now is the challenge faced by the digital economy, he said. Thats something that you cant do something about overnight.

This is a property tax. He made the point that the growth in the digital economy presents a challenge to that type of taxation and thats something that has to be explored with HMRC and other departments.

Last night Tory MP Andrew Bridgen said he was disappointed that Mr Hammond did not spell out concrete help for small businesses.

He added: What ministers need to understand is that all funding for public services is generated by wealth creation from business. It comes from nowhere else.

The Government says 73 per cent of businesses will see their rates cut or stay the same, with some 600,000 firms not paying at all.

Mr Hammond stressed that the revaluation was the subject of consultation with business organisations.
Tamron Hall has been making the most of her unexpected time off over the past month following her sudden decision to exit NBC after 10 years with the network, and on Monday kept that trend going with a little volunteer work.

The former Today anchor offered up her time and kitchen to some of the children from Common Thread, a program created for low-income students in urban areas that promotes diversity and nutrition.

It was a busy afternoon for Hall and her pint-sized helpers, who put together an impressive and healthy meal of fish tacos, Spanish rice and coleslaw.

The group displayed their finished product in a video Hall posted on social media at the end of the day, which also gave her a chance to show off her apron and chef's hat.

Hall's sartorial selections were on display one day prior as well, when she was spotted strolling the streets of Soho in Manhattan with a stylish group of gal pals.

The 46-year-old looked pretty as a peacock on that outing, wearing a colorful and pricey selection of designer duds.

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Today while not on Today: Tamron Hall spent Monday afternoon cooking with five children from Common Thread at her Manhattan apartment (above)

Style stars: The day of giving back came after Hall spent Sunday walking around Manhattan's Soho neighborhood with friends (above)

Colorful clothing: The former Today host took advantage of the unseasonably warm weather while showing off her impressive collection of designer wears

Pretty and pricey: Hall paired a $5,400 Gucci blazer with a pair of the label's $900 pants while carrying a Louis Vuitton bag that costs upwards of $5,000

Temperatures in New York were in the low 60s on Sunday, and Hall was just one of the many city dwellers to hit the streets and enjoy the warm weather.

It also gave her a chance to show off some of her impressive designer wears, starting with her $5,400 grosgrain-trimmed appliqued leather blazer from Gucci.

She wore that over a $160 distressed Ramones tee from Madeworn, which she tucked into her $890 stretch wool and silk-blend straight-leg pants in red that were also from Gucci.

Designer shades and a classic Louis Vuitton bag finished off the look, driving the total price of the stylish ensemble to approximately $10,000.

Hall seemed to be in good spirits while out with her girls, and just as happy during her time lending a hand on Monday.

Hall posted a picture on Twitter Monday of her five little chefs from Common Thread, writing: 'Live from my home @CommonThread mini chefs. We are working together today to bring attention to #nutrition & #Diversity. Now who cleans?'

She followed that up with a lengthy video of her students, one of whom accidentally reveals that the group also got some not so healthy treats from Hall when asked to name his favorite part of the meal.

'Chocolate,' says the boy.

Hall later revealed that the chocolates was all the group got to eat, saying that they did not have a chance to sample their own creations.

She also stressed to the youngsters that chocolate is fine in moderation.

That treat was no doubt much deserved after the group spent four hours cooking and cleaning under the intense and very hot glare of spotlights being used by Common Thread, who were filming Hall's afternoon with the young chefs.

The three girls and two boys who joined Hall also got a chance to show off their on-camera talents in the video posted by the news anchor after the taping was done for the day and before they returned to their parents.

That video also showed Hall giving the children a look through her refrigerator, which was stocked with items better suited for a more adult palate including bottles of San Pellegrino, some pork shoulder and a glass jar containing a probiotic drink to combat bloating.

Hall herself admitted that item was the 'weirdest' in her fridge and being used so she could fit into a 'tight dress at Mardi Gras.'

The eight-minute long video, in which hall also introduced the members of the crew who were filming and her dog, ended with hall thanking fans for their 'sweet messages' and promising to see everyone soon.

Great cause: Common Thread aims to promote diversity and teach nutritional cooking and eating habits to low-income children in urban areas

Filming underway: Tamron Hall (above) posted video of herself on the set of Deadline Crime in Pottsdam, New York on Wednesday

Percolatin': Hall, 46, had been enjoying an unexpected two week vacation after walking away from her job at NBC News following 10 years with the company (above with Mary J Blige in LA this weekend)

The hardworking Hall, who at times hosted upwards of four programs on NBC and MSNBC in a single day, posted a video last week as she returned to work on the fifth season of her popular Investigation Discovery show Deadline Crime.

The show is produced by NBC's production arm, Peacock Productions, but airs on a network that is owned by Discovery Communications.

It marked the end of an epic two-week vacation for Hall, who took full advantage of her time off by spending her first full day away from set cleaning her apartment and closet, and every subsequent day out and about.

Among the spots that Hall was spotted in a little over 10 days were the Super Bowl in Houston, Grammys weekend in Los Angeles, fashion parties in New York and even the 62nd Annual Viennese Opera Ball.

At these events she got to hang with the likes of Mary J. Blige, Jesse Williams, Martina Navratilova and Laurence Fishburne.

Hall suffered a devastating loss in 2004 after her sister Renate was bludgeoned to death and found face down in a swimming pool in Houston.

Although the murder is still unsolved more than a decade later, police speculated the death was the result of domestic violence.

Tamron has spoken in the past about witnessing a physical assault between Renate and a male companion, whom she said she would not name out of fear of retaliation.

The anchor first revealed details of her sister's murder back in 2014 during a Television Critics Association panel for Investigation Discovery.

That is likely a big reason why she wants to hold on to her job as host of the show, despite working with a company tied to NBC.

She has yet to speak about the network, who told her in late January about their plans to replace her time slot with Kelly's program.

On air: Hall stopped by to spend time with Laurence Fishburne and Larenz Tate at the launch of their audio series Bronzeville Series (above)

Big names: Hall hung out with Grey's Anatomy star Jesse Williams (left) BET CEO Debra Lee (right) in LA last weekend

Icon: Hall also ran into tennis great Martina Navratilova while out in Los Angeles (above)

An NBC insider told Dailymail.com that the plan is for the former Fox News darling to get her own hour of morning television that would not fall under the Today brand, would be a new brand, and would cancel the fourth hour of the program all together.

That news comes on the heels of Hall's abrupt departure from the network, who refused an offer of over $2million a year after Today cancelled the third hour of the show which she hosted with Al Roker.

Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb are now expected to move to the third hour and the fourth hour will be cancelled for Kelly.

The news of their cancellation was announced to Roker and Hall on same day it was confirmed that they had beaten Live With Kelly in the key demo for the month of January, according to an insider.

They had won they key demo for eight straight weeks when Today decided to inform them of the Kelly news.

Roker and Hall were told on the last Friday in January shortly after Today ended and just a few minutes before Hall was going on air to host MSNBC Live.

Hall walked away from the money three days later.

She and Roker ended up together at 9 am after Billy Bush was abruptly axed in wake of the Trump p**sy tape scandal.

Kelly's hire, at a reported $12million a year, has reportedly rustled feathers at the Peacock Network, where she is expected to debut this fall.

She will reportedly be moving into a 30 Rock office space in May.

Roker addressed Hall's departure the day after it was announced on Today.

'As some of you may have heard by now, our good friend Tamron Hall has decided to leave NBC News, ' said Roker.

'Personally, Tamron has been not just a co-host here on Todays Take for the past three years but a good friend. And not just to me, to all of us here.'

Roker then added: 'We want to wish her nothing but the best, much continued success and cannot wait to see what her next chapter is.'

Sheinelle Jones, the host of Weekend Today and MSNBC Live who was filling in on Thursday, then added: 'Shes going to rock it, no matter what she does.'

Drink it up: Hall spent her first hours away from NBC at a Dolce & Gabbana party in NYC (above)

Black tie: hall also found time to attend the Viennese Opera (left) and the he 14th annual Woman's Day Red Dress Awards at Jazz at Lincoln Center (right)

Wrapping it up: Hall spent Wednesday at an AIDS fundraiser in Los Angeles (above)

In a statement at the time, NBC hailed Hall as an 'exceptional journalist' while stressing that it was her decision to walk away.

'We are disappointed that she has chosen to leave, but we wish her all the best,' said the network.

A source familiar with the discussions between Hall and the NBC told DailyMail.com: 'NBC News very much wanted Tamron to stay, she was offered a multi-million dollar/multi-year contract and she chose to go.

Hall has long been one of the hardest working personalities on the network, and in the past two months had filled in for both Savannah Guthrie on Today and Lester Holt on NBC World News Tonight while also anchoring the third hour of Today.

On one day in December she filled in for both Guthrie and Hall while also hosting MSNBC Live.

She also hosted Dateline Extra on MSNBC, as well as lending her on-air talents to NBC's coverage of the Westminster Dog Show.

Roker will now anchor the third hour of Today until the show debuts their new morning lineup this fall.

Unlike Hall however, the meteorologist already had a steady gig on Today, and will continue to appear on the program's first two hours when Kelly arrives on the scene.

The news of Hall's departure also caused outrage among many on social media.

That is due in large part to the fact that Hall and Roker, two African-Americans, are being moved out of the time slot to bring in Kelly, a white woman.

'Not a good way to start Black History Month @ NBC letting @TamronHall go. Who's next.... @AlRoker?' wrote one woman on Twitter.

Many on Twitter had that same thought, with some also going after Kelly in their comments, who was called everything from a 'racist apologist' to 'the racist "santa is white" b****.'

And one man wrote: 'NBC purging black faces. If they had any clue, @TamronHall would be co-hosting Today.'

There is still no word on where Hall may be heading next.

Meanwhile, overall ratings for Today have been down 10 percent and 11 percent versus this time last year in the two weeks since Hall has gone, but that is for the entire program and just her segment.

The show has lost an even higher percentage of viewers in the key demo versus this time last year.

Good Morning America and CBS This Morning also posted losses as well over those two weeks in both overall and key demo viewers.
An army of grandparents are saving parents more than 16billion a year in childcare costs, a report claims today.

It says grandparents spend an average of more than eight hours a week looking after their grandchildren.

The estimated nine million-strong grandparent army of childcarers includes 2.7million who are relied on heavily.

The report comes from insurer Ageas in partnership with the International Longevity Centre UK.

An army of grandparents are saving parents more than 16billion a year in childcare costs, a report claims today (file photo)

It calculates that grandparents save families around 1,786 in formal childcare costs per year, a 16.1billion saving across the UK. The average figure is based on grandparents caring for one child, so those looking after siblings could be saving families even more.

The research found two-thirds  65 per cent  of grandparents provide some form of childcare for their grandchildren, making it easier for parents to go out to work.

And 68 per cent offer financial contributions to their grandchildrens upbringing, such as payments towards clothes and leisure activities as well as pocket money.

As well as babysitting themselves, 23 per cent of grandparents also say they pay for babysitters so that everyone can have a break.

Baroness Sally Greengross, president and chief executive of ILC-UK, said: It is clear grandparents have become one of the biggest sources of childcare after parents themselves, allowing more parents to work and thereby reducing the costs of childcare.

Nevertheless, how we support and reward this growing unpaid army and how we reconcile an increasing need to work longer for the over 50s, 60s and 70s and shape and expand family friendly policies for all, remains subject to debate.

Thousands of people who are helping to bring up their grandchildren could be missing out on valuable credits which would help to build up their pension, according to research from insurer Royal London suggested.

Under the rules surrounding specified adult childcare credits, if a mother goes back to work after the birth of a child she can sign a form that allows a grandparent, or other family member, to receive National Insurance (NI) credits for looking after the child.

Grandparents who give up their job to look after their grandchild could otherwise be losing out on their state pension rights.

Royal London found an average of just two grandparents per parliamentary constituency were benefiting.

The research found two-thirds  65 per cent  of grandparents provide some form of childcare for their grandchildren, making it easier for parents to go out to work (file photo)

Andy Watson, chief executive at Ageas, said: Grandparents are saving working families billions every year.

But grandparent child carers could be harder to find in the coming years. Official figures published last week show the rising state pension age for women is already forcing them to work for longer.

A surge in the number of older women still working pushed the female employment rate up to 70 per cent for the first time since the Office of National Statistics started collecting comparable data back in 1971.

There are 1.3million more women in work since the state pension age started rising for women from 60 in April 2010, when the female employment rate was just above 60 per cent.

The ONS confirmed that the record employment rate is partly due to ongoing changes in the State Pension age for women, resulting in fewer women retiring between the ages of 60 and 65.

The number of the women aged between 50 and 64 employed rose 139,000 over the last year to 4.1million, while the number of men working in the age group rose by just 95,000.

The state pension age for women started to gradually rise in April 2010 from 60 to 65 to bring it in line with mens.

From December 2018, the state pension age will start to increase for both men and women to reach 66 by October 2020.

More than 2,000 people were surveyed for the Ageas and ILC-UK report, which used average childminder costs as a base for its calculations.
Jean-Claude Juncker may dramatically walk out of his top Brussels post just weeks before Brexit negotiations begin amid an escalating row about his plans to reshape Europe, it emerged yesterday.

The outspoken European Commission president is said to have been left furious after several top leaders tried to block the release of his grand blueprint on the future of the EU.

Mr Juncker was determined to present a white paper setting out a vision for how Europe can progress after Brexit at a key meeting of EU chiefs next month.

But it has now emerged the Brussels chief is on the cusp of quitting his lofty role after leaders supposedly rounded in an attempt to block the proposals.

European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker looks on during a joint press conference

His potential departure, which would likely coincide with the triggering of the article 50 exit clause, would send shockwaves throughout Europe.

After recent claims that the EU is facing an existential threat, it was expected that Mr Juncker would use his paper to call for solidarity and a move towards a more federal system.

But leading EU countries, including France, Germany and Holland, expressed concerns about his decision to release the report at a time when Europe is under intense scrutiny.

Some have suggested the plans could lead to even more support for the wave of anti-European parties gaining support across the continent.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is understood to have told Mr Juncker that unveiling the plans at the EU summit in Rome could derail her attempt to seek re-election later this year.

Reports yesterday claimed that Mr Juncker, whose official term runs until October 2019, may decide to leave Brussels if he is explicitly asked to shelve his report.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel

The 62-year-old spoke in public only several days ago about his decision not to stand for a second term and insisted that he is not suffering from fatigue.

The former prime minister of Luxembourg told an international security conference in Munich that he is squeaky, fresh and alive.

His supposed optimism however has also been matched by repeated declarations about the perilous state of European politics, using a recent interview to claim the bloc is in major danger.

Despite behind-the-scenes rumblings over divisions between the Brussels chief and European leaders over the future direction of the EU, Mr Junckers minions clambered to deny the reports yesterday.

One senior spokesman even mimicked Donald Trump by suggesting the claims, originally made by La Repubblica newspaper, represented fake news and alternative facts.

Another member of staff said: The president will serve his whole mandate with lots of energy, enthusiasm and determination.

Speculation about Mr Junckers future came as EU leaders warned Donald Trumps right-hand man that they would not tolerate egoism and arrogance yesterday during a visit to Brussels.

US vice-president Mike Pence was asked to ease the bitter rift between Europe and America after the US leaders previous criticism of the bloc.

But despite Mr Pences offer of a steadfast and enduring commitment to the EU, Mr Juncker used a meeting with his American counterpart to state that Europe is more important than some in the US will think.

Welcoming the White Houses change in approach, European Council chief Donald Tusk delivered a cutting challenge to practise what you preach.

Mr Trump had caused uproar in Brussels with his claims that the EU was simply a vehicle for Germany and suggestions that other countries would follow Britains decision to leave.

US Vice President Mike Pence (left) and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker attend a press conference in Brussels on Monday

Donald Trump had caused uproar in Brussels with his claims that the EU was simply a vehicle for Germany and suggestions that other countries would follow Britains decision to leave

But Mr Pence said yesterday: Today it is my privilege on behalf of President Trump to express the strong commitment of the US to continued co-operation and partnership with the EU.

The senior republican also sought to ease tensions about US support for NATO, but said Mr Trump expected European countries to implement real progress in boosting spending commitments.

Americas insistence that members of the military alliance should spend two per cent of GDP on military spending has caused growing uproar in Europe.
An attempt to get rid of Commons Speaker John Bercow was in danger of fizzling out last night, as it emerged just five MPs had signed a motion of no confidence in him.

Former Tory minister James Duddridge tabled the Commons motion this month after Mr Bercow criticised Donald Trump when it was suggested the US President would make a state visit to Britain.

Rebel MPs believed they had the support of at least ten Tories, with one report claiming as many as 150 could join the bid to axe Mr Bercow. The Government also indicated it would not lift a finger to save Mr Bercow, with sources saying ministers would be able to vote against him in any bid to remove the Speaker.

But as MPs returned from their half-term recess yesterday, it was revealed that just five Tories had publicly backed the call for him to resign.

An attempt to get rid of Commons Speaker John Bercow (pictured) was in danger of fizzling out last night

The revelation will disappoint Mr Bercows critics who believe many MPs are frightened to speak out for fear of being shunned by him in future debates. Mr Duddridge last night acknowledged that too few MPs were willing to put their necks on the line at this stage  but insisted the fight to remove Mr Bercow was not over.

An ICM poll yesterday found that more members of the public want Mr Bercow to go than want him to stay.

Some 32 per cent agreed with the statement John Bercow should resign or be removed as Speaker because he is not impartial, while 30 per cent said he was doing a good job and should stay.

But former SNP leader Alex Salmond said MPs from all parties would stop Mr Bercow being removed over his outburst about President Trump.

Mr Salmond said: To allow this process to be the pretext for another assault on the Speaker is beyond madness.
Fox News correspondent Brenda Buttner died Monday aged 55 after a cancer battle.

Tributes poured in for the long-time host of the network's financial show 'Bulls & Bears'.

Colleagues painted the picture of a modest intellectual, far more concerned with the little things in life, who inspired many with her sharp wit and caring nature.

For eight years from 1990 to 1998, she hosted CNBC's 'Money Club' before joining Fox News in 2000 where she remained for the last 17 years.

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Fox News correspondent Brenda Buttner passed away on Monday at the age of 55 after battling cancer

Colleagues painted the picture of a modest intellectual, far more concerned with the little things in life, who inspired many with her sharp wit and caring nature

The long-time host of the network's financial segment 'Bulls & Bears,' tributes began to pour in after her death was announced on Monday

Fox News' chief White House corresponded James Rosen responded to the news

The reporter graduated near the top of her class at Harvard University and spent two years as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University in the 1980's

Buttner famously told the Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel in 1997: 'Women are not afraid to simply admit they don't know about something, which men rarely do, so women realize there is no such thing as a stupid question when it comes to understanding an investment.'

Fox News host Neil Cavuto commented on the quote as he announced her passing on his show, 'Your World' on Monday evening.

He added: 'The thing is, Brenda didn't ask stupid questions.

Fox News host Neil Cavuto announced her passing on his show, 'Your World' on Monday evening

'She asked real questions, and woe to the guest who wasn't ready for them. Brenda kept scores without ever having to settle scores.

'Everyone deferred to her, everyone listened to her. Maybe because everyone respected her.'

He joked that he and Brenda's colleagues said that hers was a 'different bucket list in life' - one that made you consider your own values.

Fox News contributors Julie Roginsky and Nomiki Konst also tweeted their heartbreak at the news of Buttner's passing

Konst said Buttner was 'always warm, welcoming, open-minded and bright'

Watch the latest video at <a href="http://video.foxnews.com">video.foxnews.com</a>

'In her sickest moments, battling an unrelenting cancer, there was Brenda, cheering you on,' he said.

'Business journalism is never going to be the same. I just don't know, now that she's gone, whether we'll ever be.'

'Brenda's captured what really mattered in life,' he said.

For Brenda, that was her daughters, animals, and her surprising love of motorcycles.

'No bravado, just brave,' Cavuto continued.

'Incredibly brave.'

Fox News contributors Julie Roginsky and Nomiki Konst also tweeted their heartbreak at the news of Buttner's passing.

The reporter graduated near the top of her class at Harvard University and spent two years as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University in the 1980's, according to Fox News Insider.
This is the shocking moment a disabled pensioner on a mobility scooter is robbed in the middle of the street as motorists drive on by.

The 74-year-old's necklace was snatched as he tried to get away from the thieves on Sunday morning.

Police say he had been driving along Keswick Avenue in Ashton-under-Lyne at around 9.15am when a man ran up behind him.

The suspect got out a map of the London Underground and started asking him for directions, before a woman in what appears to be a long purple dress confronted the victim from the other side.

As the pensioner tried to drive off, the woman stuck her hand out and snatched the necklace, and the pair fled towards Furness Avenue.

Footage of the incident shows the victim in the middle of the street struggling with the robbers, while at least two vehicles pass on by  even mounting the kerb to get past.

The two thieves approach the 74-year-old on Keswick Avenue, Ashton-under-Lyne

Several motorists drive by the pensioner as he is confronted but either won't stop, or don't realise that he is being robbed

A spokesman for GMP confirmed they were investigating the incident, and were aware of the CCTV.

GMP said: 'We were called at 9.28am on February 19 to reports of a robbery.

'A man had been driving down Keswick Avenue in Ashton-under-Lyne on a mobility scooter when he was approached from behind by two people and his necklace stolen.

As the pensioner tries to escape the robbers grab his necklace and flee down the road

Police say they are looking for a woman around 40-years-old and a man in his early thirties

'The male suspect is described as being white, in his early thirties, around 5ft 8ins tall and of skinny build. He was wearing a grey woolly hat with a brown jacket and blue jeans.

'The woman was around 40-years-old, 5ft 8ins tall, of large build with shoulder length brown hair.

'Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101 using the log number 733 of February 19.'
A man has been charged after allegedly sexually assaulting a woman at Sydneys Central Railway Station.

The 21-year-old woman was sitting on the platform when the man allegedly approached her and indecently assaulted her on 7pm on Saturday 10 December 2016.

The woman pushed the man off her before alerting Sydney Trains staff who then alerted police, who this week arrested a 32-year-old man.

A man has been charged after allegedly sexually assaulting a woman at Sydneys Central Railway Station (stock)

The man was charged at Auburn Police Station on Monday and charged with assault with act of indecency.

A spokesperson for NSW Police told Daily Mail Australia he had been called into the station after an investigation into the incident.

Officers from Police Transport Command had investigated the alleged assault under Operation Artemis.

The man was granted strict conditional bail to appear at Burwood Local Court on 16 March.
A Sudanese man who was on the receiving end of a revolting racist tirade from strangers on the street penned an eloquent response to the men that verbally abused him.

Paul Aleer, a student and Australian citizen, was sitting outside a shopping plaza in the Queensland city of Toowoomba on Friday when a man approached his car.

'[He] mumbled under his breath 'you don't belong here, go back to your country,' Mr Aleer wrote in his viral post.

According to The Chronicle, Mr Aleer was born in a refugee camp and moved to Toowoomba when he was nine-years-old.

Paul Aleer (pictured) was at the receiving end of a revolting racist tirade from strangers on the streets of Toowoomba

A shocked Mr Aleer, who is studying social science and anthropology at USQ, ignored the remarks and believed he misheard the man, and politely responded with an 'excuse me'.

'With the guidance of one of his friends he continued to spray me with words like ''scrub, 'this 'isn't your country, go back you 'black ***t'','

But Mr Aleer wasn't going to sit back and allow his harassers to hurl the disgusting abuse at him without sticking up for himself

'I immediately defended myself by saying ''mate, I've been here for 14 years and in that time I have treated Australia with the utmost respect, I became a citizen and Currently studying at university, what do you do for living?'

'Obviously nothing because you're small minded and uneducated, you're the reason racism still exists today.'

The student and Australian citizen, was sitting outside a shopping plaza in the Queensland city of Toowoomba on Friday when this man approached his car

Mr Aleer was told 'this isn't your country, go back you 'black ***t' by a man who was being guided by a friend

Mr Aleer believes his harassers didn't think he had a mouth or 'even knew how to speak English'

His quick response left the men speechless, Mr Aleer believes they didn't think he had a mouth or 'even knew how to speak English'.

A woman who witnessed the racist tirade approached Mr Aleer and walked him to his car, telling the student 'you're welcome here and you deserve as many rights as we do in this beautiful country'.

Mr Aleer posted: 'I commended her and made sure she knew my appreciation for her kind words. Never in my decade and a half of living in Australia, would I have suspected that a revolting attack occurred in the very eyes of the public.'

A woman who witnessed the racist tirade approached Mr Aleer and walked him to his car, telling the student 'you're welcome here and you deserve as many rights as we do in this beautiful country'

But speaking to The Chronicle, Mr Aleer said 'there's no way in hell I'm going to judge a minority that think like that.

'They were individuals and that was their opinion.

'It just caught me off guard so I guess I wanted to raise awareness that it can happen to anyone.'

He extended his thanks to the woman who came to his aid in the cark park.

'That's the Australia I know and love,' he said.
A son who hit his father's vehicle in a head-on crash killing them both was driving home from a night of partying, a relative said.

Bread delivery driver Jeffrey Morris Brasher, 50, was heading to work at 4am on Fayette County 49 in Alabama when his 22-year-old son Austin Blaine Brasher crashed into his 2006 Ford pickup.

One of Austins cousins Monica Marie Aker, told People: 'Austin did drink and was coming home from partying when they crashed.

'To know that they collided head-on is one of the hardest things to comprehend. Our whole community is just devastated by this'.

Jeffrey was killed instantly. Austin, who was driving a 2004 Chevrolet, was rushed to the hospital, where he died five hours later.

Jeffrey Morris Brasher, 50, and Austin Blaine Brasher, 22, were killed in a head-on car collision with each other early Saturday morning

Austin Blaine Brasher, 22, had been partying before the crash, a relative said

Alabama state troopers say alcohol is a factor in the crash that killed them.

The accident has left the tight-knit community of Bankston, Alabama, reeling.

Signs have been hung in the area asking passersby to pray for the Brasher family as they recover from their loss.

'You really just cannot imagine it', Pamela Brasher Dennis, Jeffs sister and Austins aunt, told People.

'There are no words that can be said. Everybodys life changed on Saturday morning. No ones life will be the same after this'.

The father and son lived in Bankston, and neither were wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash

A memorial to Jeffrey Brasher at a Walmart in Winfield, Alabama

Neither man was wearing a seatbelt, Al.com reported.

Troopers continue to investigate the cause of the crash.

One family member, Jennifer Brasher, took to Facebook to express her distress at the death's of Jeffrey and Austin.

Posting a link to her timeline, she asked 'Can this all be just a dream?'.

The crash occurred on Fayette County 49, one mile west of Winfield, where the 2006 Ford pickup the elder Brasher was driving collided with his son's 2004 Chevrolet

And in another emotional post, Brasher called them both 'her guardian angels now' and said that she 'misses them so much already'.

Another family member, Pam Brasher, said she was devastated to lose them in such a tragic accident.

'Our hearts are broken while our faith remains in Him. There are no words to describe the heartbreaking loss of losing both Jeff Brasher and Austin Brasher. There is peace in knowing they are together but our hearts are heavy knowing that they are know longer here with us.'

A joint funeral is planned for Wednesday afternoon, relatives said.
The Australian Defence Force's gender adviser has claimed the attacks on Yassmin Abdel-Magied were motivated by sexism and has urged other business and community leaders to throw their support behind the Muslim activist.

Last Monday, the 25-year-old writer was met with criticism when she told ABC's Q&A program she regarded Islam to be 'the most feminist religion' during a fiery exchange with Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie.

A petition calling for her to be sacked from the national broadcaster amassed more than 26,500 signatures by Tuesday afternoon, but the ABC said they would not fire the Sudanese-born writer.

Julie McKay, gender adviser to the chief of the Defence Force and partner at PriceWaterhouseCoopers, said the public should be 'proud' of Ms Abdel-Magied and said the activist was targeted for her taxpayer-funded trip to the Middle East because she is a woman, the Herald Sun reported.

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The Australian Defence Force's 'gender advisor' has claimed the attacks on Yassmin Abdel-Magied (pictured) were motivated by sexism and has urged other business and community leaders to throw support behind the activist

Julie McKay, gender advisor to the chief of the Defence Force and partner at PwC, said the public should be 'proud' of Ms Abdel-Magied

'Last week, young women all around Australia learned that it is better to stay quiet, to keep your opinions to themselves, to not aspire to be a visible leader  because if you do, you risk being torn down in the most public of ways,' Ms McKay wrote.

'We are calling on all business and community leaders to actively give a platform to young women such as Yassmin, to hear their concerns and take their advice.

'We are better leaders for having done so and Australia would be a better country when we do.'

Ms McKay's call for support has been signed by six other directors, including the Foundation for Young Australians' chief executive Jan Owen, PwC partner Marcus Laithwaite and Rodin Genoff & Associates managing director Rodin Genoff.

Last November, Ms Abdel-Magied went on a speaking tour to repressive Islamic regimes, which was paid for by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade,The Australian said.

She visited Sudan, where 90 per cent of women have undergone genital mutilation.

She also went to Saudi Arabia where women are banned from driving and the United Arab Emirates which has laws allowing stoning for adultery.

Ms Abdel-Magied sparked controversy last week when she told ABC's Q&A program Islam is a 'feminist religion'

Just three days after the heated television debate, Ms Abdel-Magied asked Hizb ut-Tahrir spokesman Wassim Doureihi (pictured) on social media how she could have better presented her opinion

Ms Abdel-Magied talked to Mr Doureihi on social media (pictured) three days after her appearance on Q&A

Ms McKay said her tour would not have been 'front page news "if" a man had visited the same countries to speak about trade'.

Ms Abdel-Magied, who hosts the Saturday morning program Australia Wide on ABC News 24, was responding to Senator Lambie's call to deport all Muslims who support 'Sharia law' when the fiery debate between the pair began on Q&A.

Just three days after the heated television debate, Ms Abdel-Magied asked Hizb ut-Tahrir spokesman Wassim Doureihi on social media how she could have better presented her opinion.

Support for a petition calling for her to be sacked from the ABC as a presenter, over her remarks about Sharia, surged from 10,635 signatures late on Sunday night to 20,068 late on Monday afternoon before surpassing 26,500 on Tuesday afternoon.

Hizb ut-Tahrir, which operates in 50 countries including Australia, is campaigning for a pan-Islamic superstate that implements Sharia and has a constitution which calls for the killing of ex-Muslims, known as apostates.

'Salams! Well, I am always happy to take feedback. What specifically was problematic and how can I do better in the future inshallah?,' Ms Abdel-Magied posted on Mr Doureihi's Facebook after he called her arguments 'indeed problematic.'

Mr Doureihi responded: 'First of all, may Allah reward you for your tireless efforts. Not an easy task, but you consistently do so with grace, humility and courage.

In a heated clash with Senator Jacqui Lambie (pictured), Ms Abdel-Magied said her Sharia faith meant obeying the laws of the land on which she was on

Hizb ut-Tahrir, which operates in 50 countries including Australia, is campaigning for a pan-Islamic superstate that implements Sharia (pictured right is Mr Doureihi at a rally in 2014)

Right-wing AltCon News group has called for Ms Abdel-Magied (pictured) to be sacked as the host of the ABC's Australia Wide program

'In a nutshell, you've ended up framing Islam through a secular lens, aimed at a secular people and conscious of the presence of a secular government. The end result was always going to be ugly.'

Ms Abdel-Magied agreed, saying 'it was always going to be a tricky one' before offering to privately message him.

An ABC spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia the 25-year-old writer will not be fired despite more than 26,500 signatures on the petition demanding she be sacked.

Sharia is practised as a legal system imposed by faith courts across much of the Muslim world, including Saudi Arabia, Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Nigeria, Yemen and the Indonesian province of Aceh.

The Sharia system is controversial because it includes harsh punishments, known as 'hudud, where thieves have had their hands amputated in Saudi Arabia, Somalia and in Islamic State-controlled areas of northern Iraq and Syria.

In the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Theresa May last year ordered a review into the 'harm' caused by Sharia courts operating in Britain, when she was home secretary.

An ABC spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia the 25-year-old will not be fired, despite a petition with 26,573 signatures calling for her removal (pictured)

The change.org petition calling on the ABC to 'publicly condemn and fire Yassmin Abdel-Magied over pro-Sharia law comments' was posted by a right-wing group called AltCon News.

They argued that while she hasn't called for a new legal system in Australia, her support for Sharia means she is advocating for Islamic faith courts.

'As Yassmin Abdel-Magied made these comments on the taxpayer-funded Q&A program, and as she is a regularly paid commentator on the taxpayer-funded network, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, needs to reassure the taxpaying public that they condemn her rhetoric and that Australians obey one set of laws, that no religious law is higher than the law of the land and that her blatant lies about this law will not be tolerated or funded by the Australian taxpayers,' the petition said.

In the heated clash with Senator Lambie, Ms Abdel Magied said her Muslim faith obliged her to 'follow the law of the land on which you are on.'

The current petition, with more than 20,000 signatures, is seven times greater than another change.org petition last week calling on the ABC to 'apologise' to the Muslim community for allowing Senator Lambie to have a heated clash with Ms Abdel-Magied.

This petition, backed by 49 Muslim activists and community leaders, has attracted a more modest 2,792 signatures since it went live on Wednesday.

Ms Abdel-Magied (right) with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull (centre), The Project host Waleed Aly (left) and his wife academic Susan Carland at Sydney's Kirribilli House last year

The writers of the petition calling on Ms Abdel-Magied to be sacked condemned her for 'lying to the public about the merits of Sharia law and the oppressive impact it has on non-Muslim groups, homosexuals and women'.

They also criticised her for posting a follow-up video arguing the ban on women driving in Saudi Arabia was cultural and not due to Islam, as other Muslim nations didn't have such sexist restrictions.

'I'm not going to deny it: some countries run by Muslims are violent, sexist and do oppress their citizens,' Ms Abdel-Magied said.

'But again that's not down to Sharia, that's down to the culture, and the patriarchy and the politics of those particular countries.'

Ms Abdel-Magied last year went on a taxypayer-funded trip to Sudan, Saudia Arabia and the United Arabic Emirates to promote a book she had written, but has made no mention of female genital mutilation across the Muslim world or stoning for adultery.

Hardline Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir criticised Ms Abdel-Magied for presenting Islam in a 'secular' way yet she has reached out to this group

Somali-born writer and Islamic critic Ayaan Hirsi Ali has criticised Yassmin Abdel-Magied's appearance on Q&A

Hizb ut-Tahrir's other Sydney-based spokesman, Uthman Badar, has also condemned her on Facebook for presenting Sharia 'in the image of secular liberalism'.

He said she had failed to acknowledge Sharia is a set of laws and not just a personal relationship with a God.

Somali-born writer and former Dutch lawmaker Ayaan Hirsi Ali, an internationally-prominent critic of Islam now based in the United States, has criticised Ms Abdel-Magied's assertion on Q&A last week that 'Islam is the most feminist religion' and how culture, and not Islam, were to blame for the oppression of women.

'That is absurd. Abdel-Magied fits into a familiar pattern, where the government of a free society such as Australia invests a considerable sum in an individual or a group in the hope that the person is a 'moderate' Muslim and will advance the assimilation of their Muslim minority through constructive engagement,' Ms Hirsi Ali, a former refugee, said in a column for The Weekend Australian on Saturday.

'Then the supposed moderate the government has invested in is exposed as a closet Islamist, in this case sympathetic to Sharia law.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Ms Abdel-Magied for comment.
Russia could set honey traps for British troops when they deploy to Estonia next month in an attempt to discredit a Nato mission to protect its borders, its top spy chief has warned.

Mikk Marran, the head of the countrys equivalent of MI6, said Moscow will target the soldiers with a huge tool box, which will include fake news.

In Cold War style-tactics, they will attempt to penetrate the soldiers social media accounts to find information for blackmail purposes, he said.

Mikk Marran, the head of the countrys equivalent of MI6, said Moscow will target the soldiers with a huge tool box, which will include fake news

Some 800 UK troops  including cyber specialists  are deploying to the country in the coming weeks as part of the biggest build-up on Russias borders since the Cold War.

Mr Marran said British and Estonian officials have been discussing the Russian threat to UK troops for months in an attempt to avoid Cold-War style spy games.

He said the deployment will provide a perfect opportunity for Moscow to create a false impression of Western aggression by spreading fake news stories.

Mr Marran said British and Estonian officials have been discussing the Russian threat to UK troops for months in an attempt to avoid Cold-War style spy games

Speaking about the subversive efforts, the director-general of the Estonian Information Board (EIB), told the Times: We are seeing some of it already.

Some degree of noise along the lines of: these troops are not welcome by the local population.

There will be 800 young British soldiers. People will be travelling from their bases to the cities. Probably they [will] do some pub hopping.

We cannot exclude some fights that might be triggered by the opposite team, as we call it in Estonia. For example traditional honeytraps and so forth.

Soldiers from 5th Battalion, The Rifles, will head the British mission, which begins around the end of March.

They will deploy alongside cyber warfare experts and GCHQ specialists trained to counter electronic attacks from Moscow.

Soldiers from 5th Battalion, The Rifles, will deploy alongside cyber warfare experts and GCHQ (pictured) specialists trained to counter electronic attacks from Moscow.

Mr Marran added: Cyber espionage might be used, disinformation campaigns might be used, blackmailing on the basis of stolen data for example.

They have a huge tool box.

The UK troops will be working alongside 300 French soldiers in one of four battalions.

The battalions of 4,000 troops will be spread across the Baltic States and Poland from next month to deter Russia from a Crimea-style invasion of Nato territory.

The deployment will be a fraction of the Russian forces massed along Russias western border.

Last year the Army investigated claims two British troops in Latvia were involved in a brawl as part of a plot by Russia to smear UK soldiers.

The brawl with a group of locals was filmed by a crew linked to a media outlet sympathetic to Russia.

Asked about that incident, Mr Marran said: Certainly it had some Russian background to it.

He spoke after his agency published a report about President Putins attempts to undermine Nato and the European Union.
The fight for equal rights turned physical in a Philadelphia barber shop earlier this week when openly gay boxer Yusaf Mack decided to stand up to a man who had been attacking him online.

Video of the incident, which occurred at the LA Clippers barber shop, shows Mack swinging at a man named Hector Echevarria who had been reportedly been posting comments about him which were derogatory and homophobic.

Hector is seen lying on the ground and cowering for cover, than at one point attempting to stand up, which Mack, 37, reacts to by slugging him in the face and sending him back to the floor.

At the end of the fight, which lasted approximately 30 seconds, Mack grabs a jar full of barber's tools and smashes them on Hector's head.

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Comes out swinging: Yusef Mack beat Hector Echevarria (above)after the man repeatedly made homophobic comments about the openly gay boxer online

Fighting back: He then pummeled Hector with punches until he was cowering on the ground and his face bloody

Some close to the victim wrote on social media that he may have broken his ankle during the fight against Mack, a retired boxer who was outed because of his second career as an adult actor in gay films.

Photos from after the incident show Hector sitting on the floor with an orange towel covering his head and multiple cuts on his face.

He was also complaining about pain in his leg.

The fight did little to stop his attacks on Mack however, and he was posting on social media once again shortly after the fight, which took place last week.

'I rather have a video of some beating me up then a video of someone seeing me take a d*** up my a** any day,' wrote Hector.

He also stated that he and Mack would fight again, seemingly undaunted by the result in their first meeting.

That was followed by more homophobic messages and comments on his Facebook page, which he then made private.

Mack meanwhile has been keeping a low profile, and it is unclear if police plan on pressing charges in the incident.

One person who was present at the fight and appeared to have no connection to either man stated that Hector's head was actually in the sink when the fight began, and was surprised by the sneak attack.

Hector has been busy hiding his comments across social media, also making his twitter account private on Monday.

Mack meanwhile has said he has no issue taking on Hector in a rematch of the fight, which was first reported by TMZ .

The father-of-10 came out after first lying in an interview and claiming to have been drugged and raped when someone identified him as an actor in the adult film.

He claimed that he remembered nothing from the night he made the film, which features him having sex with two men, and woke up on a train with $4,500 and no idea where he had been.

The champ: Hector made his social media accounts private, but did write after the fight he would rather have that on film than getting a 'd*** up my a**' (Mack above in 2012)

Changes: Mack was a newly engaged father of ten when he came out as gay in 2015 after being spotted in an same-sex adult film (above)

The porn company threatened to sue after he made that claim, and he soon backtracked on his statement with an apology.

'This is an issued public apology from my heart. I want to address a few situations with the first being the false claims I made about being drugged during the (DawgPoundUSA.com) film,' said Mack.

'I have never spoke negatively about the company that produced the film although the claim to have been given a drug by someone during set was a lie.

'I was completely aware and fully conscious during the film.'

He also apologized to his fiancee at the time, who he split with after coming out, and his children.
A Russian Instagram model, who risked her life dangling from a 1,000ft-high Dubair skyscraper for a photoshoot, has been forced to sign a statement vowing to never do it again.

Viki Odintcova, 23, was held up only by the hand of a male assistant as she leaned out into thin air from the 1,004-foot tall Cayan Tower in Dubai in a bid to get the perfect Instagram shot.

The Russian model first tilted backwards over the huge drop, before dangling high above the ground from the arm of her bearded helper.

Her video and photos went viral and was brought to the attention of the local police, who dragged her into custody.

Major General Halil Ibragim Al-Mansuri, of the Dubai Police, told The Sun: 'The actions of the Russian woman put her life at risk.'

Despite the telling off, Ms Odintcova said the police should have thanked her for highlighting safety issues at the Cayan Tower.

The Instagram queen, who has more than three million followers on social media, admitted that she was a bit nervous before the stunt.

'I still cannot believe that I did it. Every time I watch this video, my palms get sweaty,' said the St Petersburg-based beauty.

Ms Odintsova posted the video on her social media page where it quickly went viral.

The model is a big proponent of a healthy lifestyle and has said she takes her fitness very seriously.

Viki Odintcova posed for the death-defying photoshoot on top of one of the world's tallest skyscrapers

Ms Odintsova, 23, was only held up by the hand of a male assistant as she leaned out into thin air from the 1,004-foot tall Cayan Tower in Dubai

The Russian model first lent backwards over the huge drop in an attempt to get the perfect Instagram shot

The model is a big proponent of a healthy lifestyle and has said she takes her fitness very seriously

Many of her fans were stunned she performed the stunt without any safety equipment. If she did use any secret safety equipment, it's certainly well hidden from the naked eye.

Some pointed out that she would not have had a chance of surviving if anything had gone wrong.

One commented: 'How can you disregard your life like that? If I was your parent I would smack both you and the guy with the beard!'

Ms Odintcova appears happy during the video, smiling and laughing as she dangles above the ground

The Instagram queen has more than three million followers on social media and admitted that she was a bit nervous before the stunt

Some users accused her of copying another beautiful young Russian, Angelina Nikolau, 23, who has made headlines around the world with her dangerous selfies taken on top of skyscrapers.

The Cayan Tower was the world's tallest building with a 90-degree twist when it opened in 2013.

This record has since been beaten by the Shanghai Tower.

Many of her fans were stunned the beauty (pictured in one of her many Instagram modelling shots) performed the stunt without any safety equipment
Master Wei Yaobin is a ball-breaker and proud of it.

Over ten years this martial arts expert has carved a legendary reputation in city of Luoyang, central China as an 'Iron Crotch Kung Fu' master.

Unsurprisingly he specializes in teaching students how to take blows to the crotch in their stride.

Combatants subject themselves to training that includes battering rams, kicks and bricks to their nether-regions.

It's bound to make plenty of male viewers wince in pain but enthusiasts think it's important for sexual health.

It's a blow that would leave most men on the ground, but Master Wei barely moves

Wei claims that the practice helps combat erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation

Hundreds of would-be-masters attend the practice every year, claiming it can cure erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation - despite their being no scientific evidence to back it up.

However in the video both Master Wei and his students seem to take the pain in stride.

His classes attract hundreds of students each year, willing to let their crotch be battered

Hardly any of them move as they take the blow after powerful blow to their nether-regions.

Bystanders - including several women - can be seen gasping in shock and filming as Master Wei and his students put on a public display of strength.

Master Wei says that Iron Crotch Kung Fu was previously an exclusive family practice, but he now wants it to be more 'popular and accepted by the public'
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Thirteen people were arrested in Portland, Oregon, after a small group protesting President Donald Trump clashed with the police.

The demonstrators, who did not have a permit, spilled out onto the streets outside the Federal Building and failed to heed the warnings of police in tactical gear.

The protest was just one of several held across the country as part of the 'not my Presidents' Day' rallies against Trump.

Planned marches took place in New York, Los Angeles, Washington DC, Chicago and Salt Lake City to mark President's Day while unofficial demonstrations with the same theme cropped up elsewhere.

Protesters even greeted the president on the route from his Mar-a-Lago home to Palm Beach Airport where he boarded Air Force One to return to Washington DC in the afternoon.

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The demonstrators, who did not have a permit, spilled out onto the streets outside the Federal Building in Portland, Oregon, and failed to heed the warnings of police in tactical gear

Margaret Ann Zebroski (pictured) was among the 13 people who were arrested. She had a bloodied nose after she was knocked to the ground and one witness questioned whether police were using excessive force

Police gave protesters verbal warnings to clear the streets. Eight were arrested at SW 3rd Avenue and Madison Street, and another five were arrested blocks away at Southwest 6th Avenue and Salmon Street

Portland police faced off against a group of protesters who were not a part of a planned demonstration later in the day

The planned protest, held an hour later with permitted street closures, occurred without problems with the police. Police deployed pepper spray and 'less-than-lethal munitions' in the earlier clash with protests

One protester dressed as a founding father held a sign declaring Trump was not his president. Another man held a sign that read 'yes you can' in Spanish

Police warned demonstrators in Portland on Monday morning about blocking the roads near the Edith Green-Wendell Wyatt Federal Building at around 11am.

'Officers on bicycles and on foot attempted to maintain order but required assistance from Rapid Response Team officers,' according to a statement issued by the police.

Law enforcement used pepper spray and 'less-than-lethal munitions' in clashes with the protesters.

Eight were arrested at SW 3rd Avenue and Madison Street, and another five were arrested blocks away at Southwest 6th Avenue and Salmon Street.

They consisted of seven adults and six juveniles, all of whom received a traffic citation for failing to obey the police.

Video footage of the arrests show several people pressed to the ground with their arms behind them. Among them was Margaret Ann Zebroski, 66, with a bloodied nose after she was knocked to the ground and arrested.

Ben Thomas questioned whether the police were exercising excessive force, telling the local news channel: 'She was blocking traffic, but is that really worth knocking her to the ground to arrest her? I don't think so.'

A larger rally with permitted street closures was held later in the afternoon without incident, police said.

Protesters filled Central Park West on Monday as part of a 'Not My Presidents' Day' demonstration against Donald Trump

New York: The activists held signs slamming Trump and Vice President Mike Pence as they marched

New York: A protester joins crowds at Central Park West, a stone's throw from Trump's Manhattan bolthole on 5th Avenue

New York: The crowds waved American flags as they marched from noon into the late afternoon for the Presidents' Day protest

In New York, 15,000 people RSVPed to the event on Facebook. Police couldn't confirm whether any arrests had been made on Monday afternoon but the demonstration is thought to have been peaceful.

The organizers wrote on the event page: 'Donald Trump is literally our President, but figuratively, he has attacked every value New Yorkers embody and does not represent our interests.

'We will be staging a rally at Columbus Circle to protest the un-American policies of the current White House.

'He governs as if there's no resistance but there is and on February 20th, we will honor previous presidents by exercising our constitutional right to assemble and peacefully protest everything Donald Trump stands for,' a Facebook announcement of the rally said.

Among their grievances is Trump's plan to cut federal funding to the state to 'turn us against our immigrant population'.

The Los Angeles event was the first to be organized. Its organizers are demanding that Trump face impeachment for his 'Islamophobic' and 'unethical' policies.

New York: activists held a banner to advocate women's rights. In signs they branded Trump a 'fascist' as they marched at Columbus Circle

New York: Activists used some of the president's favorite complaints against him in their signs. One deemed him 'fake', a description he often gives the mainstream media

New York: School children joined the crowds at Columbus Circle bearing signs which read 'Not my president' and 'you re a good president - not!'

New York: Protesters with their homemade signs in New York City. Some labeled the president a 'dump'. One protester dressed up as a beauty queen with hands grabbing at her in a nod to Trump's run in with former pageant winners during the election

New York: The New York City protest was at on the doorstep of the president's Manhattan hotel

New York: The event was organized on Facebook and drew crowds including young children who joined in with their own signs

New York: A common theme among protesters was anger over Trump's immigration ban and threats against undocumented workers

New York: The were expected to gather tens of thousands of people across the country on Monday. It's not yet clear how many turned out though big crowds had gathered by the late afternoon

New York: Protesters wore 'dump' underwear with Trump's face on the behind in another gesture of protest

New York: Street sellers cashed in on the occasion in New York City by selling t-shirts with the slogan 'not my president'

In New York, protesters stretching at least eight blocks chanted: 'He cheats, he lies, open up your eyes' near the Trump International Hotel on the edge of Central Park.

'I think he's got a mean personality,' said marcher Edith Cresmer, a 78-year-old urban planner. 'But the worst thing about him is how he incited peoples' fears and pits them against each other.'

Luis Llobera, 38, and his wife and baby took a train from Westchester County north of the city attend the Trump protest.

'We are not American citizens but our son is,' he said as his wife cradled their 7-month-old, Atlas. 'We want to make sure our son has a government that is right and good.'

Los Angeles was the first protest organized under the hashtag. Activists there showed off their commitment to the cause by dressing up in costume to mock the president.

There were no arrests at the L.A. protest.

In downtown Chicago, about 1,200 people gathered across the Chicago River from the Trump International Hotel and Tower.

Los Angeles: Crowds gathered outside City Hall in Los Angeles on Monday morning for a West Coast effort against the president

Los Angeles: protesters carried enormous signs outside City Hall which bore unflattering portraits of the president

Los Angeles: In California, protesters carrying signs demanding that the president face impeachment

Los Angeles: Protesters in California were in high spirits. Many came dressed in costume while others painted themselves orange to mock the president's skin tone

Los Angeles: Three protesters painted themselves orange to illustrate the imaginary condition they believe has overcome the president

Los Angeles: Activists in California poked fun at the president's hair and also demanded he reveal his tax returns

Los Angeles: A child holds up a sign reading 'defend the constitution' with a badge in the corner reading 'not my president'

Signs spotted in the crowd included My body My Choice and 'Jesus was a refugee,' references to Trump's anti-abortion stance and his efforts to stop admission of refugees.

As people gathered, a group of 25 local musicians called themselves #SAHBRA, 'Sousaphones Against Hate, Baritones Resisting Aggression,' played songs to lighten the mood.

With Monday being a day off for many schools, many parents brought their children to the protest.

Eileen Molony, a photographer from Oak Park, had her 12-year-old son and 9-year old daughter in tow.

'As an immigrant family we feel strongly against the ban,' she said. 'We feel America is about inclusion, but everything Trump has shown is that hes about division.'

Chicago police reported no arrests in the protest, the latest in a series since Trump's Jan. 20 inauguration.

Palm Beach, Florida: Protesters even turned out to line the route the president's motorcade traveled from his Palm Beach home to the airport on Monday

Palm Beach, Florida: The protesters held up signs labeling Trump a 'total meltdown' on the route to the airport

Chicago: A female protester held up a bright pink 'not mine' sign while others demanded to see what the president was 'hiding' by not releasing his tax returns

Chicago: A man holds up a sign calling for protesters to say 'Nyet' - the Russian word for no - to treason in a jab at the president's ties with Putin

Chicago: Women hold signs demanding Trump's impeachment as they take part in a rally in Chicago

Chicago: A young Muslim girl holds up a sign reading 'we need extreme vetting for presidents not refugees!' at the protest in downtown Chicago

Chicago: Protesters hold up signs in Spanish and English protesting against Trump's 'fascist' America

The protests come after another weekend of outrage against the Republican president which drove activists in the US and abroad to the streets in protest.

Celebrities including Susan Sarandon and Russell Simmons joined a Muslim protest in Times Square on Sunday where crowds admonished the 'fascist USA' Trump has created.

Mayor Bill de Blasio and Governor Andrew Cuomo were also in attendance. Simmons, a one-time friend of the billionaire, gave him credit for unifying crowds in protest.

'We are here, unified, because of Donald Trump, so we wont speak too harshly of him tonight  today. We want to thank him for bringing us together,' he said.

Washington DC: Protesters filled the streets in Washington DC as they marched past the White House in a Presidents' Day protest

Washington DC: Protesters flocked to DuPont Circle in the nation's capital to protest against the president on Monday

Washington DC: Protesters wore clownish mass to resemble the president and carried bags of Cheeto puffs - a mocking reference to his bright tan

Washington DC: Other groups took on Trump's campaign slogan and twisted it to 'F*** Trump, Keep America Great Again'

Washington DC: 10-year-old Marcel Ast from New Jersey holds up a sign reading 'impeach now' as he's hoisted up on someone's shoulders

Austin, Texas: In Texas there were unofficial protests against Trump in honor of Presidents' Day

Austin, Texas: Jane Shimkus, a resident of Austin, Texas, used Trump's 'bad hombres' quip against him to demand that he be 'deported' from the White House

Salt Lake City, Utah: Residents in Salt Lake City, Utah, also turned out to share their anger over Trump's administration

Salt Lake City, Utah: A protester holds up a sign slamming Trump's immigration policies at the protest in Salt Lake City

Philadelphia: Protesters came out in force just one day after a climate-change march was held

Philadelphia: Protesters held signs denouncing Trump and calling for his impeachment. Pictured right, police on bicycles forming a wall during the protest

There were also protests in Chicago, Los Angeles and Boston where activists lashed out against the 'threat to science' they say Trump's administration is harboring.

Environmental groups and scientists came together for the protest against what they described as an 'anti-science rhetoric' coming from the White House.

The president arrived back in Washington DC on Monday night after holding a rally in Florida on Saturday, where he greeted crowds of fans.

Thousands of his supporters packed an air hangar in Melbourne to hear him continue his assault on the mainstream media in a fired up speech.

First Lady Melania Trump also delivered some rare public remarks at the campaign-style rally.

President Trump was in Florida over the weekend where he gave a fired-up speech to fans at a campaign-like rally in the town of Melbourne on Saturday

The president arrived back in Washington DC on Monday night after spending a long-weekend at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida
Uber announced on Monday that former US Attorney General Eric Holder will spearhead the independent investigation into claims of sexual harassment and gender discrimination alleged by a former employee.

CEO Travis Kalanick addressed the claims made by former engineer Susan Fowler in a company-wide email Monday, and informed employees that Holder, his partner Tammy Albarran and Uber associate general counsel Angela Padilla would head the legal proceedings.

Holder served as Attorney General under President Obama, and has some Silicon Valley experience, after helping Airbnb craft an anti-discrimination policy.

Uber announced on Monday that former US Attorney Eric Holder will spearhead the independent investigation into claims of sexual harassment and gender discrimination alleged by a former employee

In a lengthy blog post on Sunday evening, former Uber employee and best-selling author Susan Fowler Rigetti details a number of concerning incidents she experienced during her year with the company.

Kalanick called the accusations 'abhorrent and against everything we believe in,' and said he's instructed a new chief human resources officer to conduct an 'urgent' investigation into Fowler's claims.

He continued: 'There can be absolutely no place for this kind of behavior at Uber.

'Anyone who behaves this way or thinks this is OK will be fired.'

Uber CEO Travis Kalanick, left, said on Sunday evening that the company will launch an investigation into the serious accusations of former employee Susan Fowler Rigetti, right, who detailed a number of concerning incidents she experienced during her year with the company

TRAVIS KALANICK'S FULL EMAIL Uber CEO Travis Kalanick addressed Susan Fowler's allegations in a company-wide email on Monday, courtesy of Axios: Team, It's been a tough 24 hours. I know the company is hurting, and understand everyone has been waiting for more information on where things stand and what actions we are going to take. First, Eric Holder, former US Attorney General under President Obama, and Tammy Albarran -- both partners at the leading law firm Covington & Burling-- will conduct an independent review into the specific issues relating to the work place environment raised by Susan Fowler, as well as diversity and inclusion at Uber more broadly. Joining them will be Arianna Huffington, who sits on Uber's board, Liane Hornsey, our recently hired Chief Human Resources Officer, and Angela Padilla, our Associate General Counsel. I expect them to conduct this review in short order. Second, Arianna is flying out to join me and Liane at our all hands meeting tomorrow to discuss what's happened and next steps. Arianna and Liane will also be doing smaller group and one-on-one listening sessions to get your feedback directly. Third, there have been many questions about the gender diversity of Uber's technology teams. If you look across our engineering, product management, and scientist roles, 15.1% of employees are women and this has not changed substantively in the last year. As points of reference, Facebook is at 17%, Google at 18% and Twitter is at 10%. Liane and I will be working to publish a broader diversity report for the company in the coming months. I believe in creating a workplace where a deep sense of justice underpins everything we do. Every Uber employee should be proud of the culture we have and what we will build together over time. What is driving me through all this is a determination that we take what's happened as an opportunity to heal wounds of the past and set a new standard for justice in the workplace. It is my number one priority that we come through this a better organization, where we live our values and fight for and support those who experience injustice. Thanks, Travis Advertisement

Huffington Post creator and Uber board member Ariana Huffington has promised to aide the human resources officer in the investigation.

In Fowler's post, titled 'Reflecting on One Very Strange Year at Uber,' the author recounts being propositioned sexually by a manager on her first day at the office.

Using the company chat system, she said that the unnamed manager told her that he and his girlfriend had an open relationship, but that his girlfriend was having an easier time finding sexual partners than he was.

Kalanick called the accusations 'abhorrent and against everything we believe in,' and said he's instructed a new chief human resources officer to conduct an 'urgent' investigation into Fowler's claims

He continued, saying that he wanted to stay out of trouble at work, but that it was difficult because he was trying to find women to have sex with, Fowler said.

'It was clear that he was trying to get me to have sex with him, and it was so clearly out of line that I immediately took screenshots of these chat messages and reported him to HR,' she continued.

According to her account, she joined the company as a site reliability engineer in November 2015. At that time, she says, about 20 per cent of the employees in her field there were women - compared to just three per cent on her last day.

Despite her reporting the incident to management, the manager received no repercussions from his actions apart from a 'stern talking-to', she was told, because he was a 'high performer', meaning he had positive reviews from superiors.

In Fowler's post , titled 'Reflecting on One Very Strange Year at Uber,' the author recounts being propositioned sexually by a manager on her first day at the office

She said that both HR and upper management officials didn't feel comfortable punishing him for what was 'probably just an innocent mistake on his part', and was a 'first offense'.

It was not, however, this manager's first offense, Fowler discovered after discussing the matter further with fellow female employees. She said many women had experienced similar sexual harassment in the office, and some even from the same manager.

In response to Fowler's report of the incident, Uber HR reportedly told her that she could choose to either move to another team and not have to interact with the problematic manager, or remain on the same team - but to be aware that the manager would probably rate her poorly when it came time for performance reviews.

Fowler said that one HR representative explicitly told her that a negative performance review 'wouldn't be retaliation' because she'd been given a choice whether to remain on the team.

Uber HR reportedly told her that she could choose to either move to another team and not have to interact with the problematic manager, or remain on the same team - but be aware that the manager would probably rate her poorly when it came time for performance reviews

Following another incident in which she claims Uber reportedly refused to purchase leather jackets for the six women on the engineer team despite buying them for the over 100 men in the company, Fowler again found herself in a terse meeting with human resources.

Although she had at this point expressed countless concerns via chat and email to the HR team, the representative allegedly told her there was 'absolutely no record' of the incidents she claimed to have reported.

A breaking point for Fowler came shortly after, during a one-on-one meeting with her new manager. She says he told her that she was on 'very thin ice' for her continued convergence with to human resources, and threatened to fire her if she did so again.

She alerted him that such action would be illegal - and again reported the threat to HR and upper management - though no action was taken, she later found out, because of her manager's status as a 'high performer'.

A breaking point for Fowler came shortly after, during a one-on-one meeting with her new manager. She says he told her that she was on 'very thin ice' for her continued convergence with to human resources, and threatened to fire her if she did so again (stock image)

The ramifications for Fowler were substantial during her year with the company, and affected her professionally by having two transfer attempts blocked and rendering her ineligible for the Stanford University computer science graduate program she was enrolled in.

In the post, she claims to have overheard her manager bragging that although the company was losing women, he still had some on his team. The only explanation she says she received for having her transfer attempts blocked were that she was not showing signs of an 'upward career trajectory'.

Fowler has moved on to write a best-selling book on computing theory and has been invited to speak at major technology conferences.
A teenage girl said she was offered money for photographs by a fake modelling agent.

The 15-year-old Queensland girl received the unsettling call last Thursday, she told the Gladstone Observer.

She said an unknown man called her from a private number, offering her thousands of dollars for modelling shoots, and promising her career opportunities and travel.

A teenage girl said she was offered money for photographs by a fake modelling agent. The woman in the picture is not the girl in the story

The girl said she was initially flattered and gave her age and birth month to the stranger, but became suspicious when he said the photographs would be sent abroad and not used in Australia.

'At the start of the phone call, I didn't feel uncomfortable as I don't think the worst of people and what could happen,' the girl told the Observer.

'But at the end once he started promising me and assuring me things, is when I got uncomfortable.'

She said she suspected that the man was aiming to get nude pictures of her.

'It clicked to me... child pornography,' she said.

Queensland police were unaware of the incident, a police spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia.

A spokesperson for the Australian Federal Police said that while the agency participates in projects to protect children online, such as ThinkUKnow.org, individual cases of attempted online scams are a matter for state police.

The girl said an unknown man called her from a private number, offering her thousands of dollars for modelling shoots, and promising her career opportunities and travel (Stock photo)

Australian modelling agencies like Chic Management have warned of potential scams.

On its website, Chic Management advises would-be models to think twice before posting their personal details on casting websites.

The modelling industry network Aussie Elite also warns about scams, saying people should be wary of offers of large sums of money in exchange for pictures.

A helpful resource for people who think they may be the victim of an attempted online scam is the Australian Cybercrime Online Reporting Network.
A woman is in a serious condition in hospital after falling from a convertible Holden Astra.

The 20-year-old woman was travelling in the convertible in Springdale Heights near Albury, New South Wales at 2.45pm on Monday.

Police said she was sitting in the rear of the convertible when the car turned a corner and she fell from the car onto the road.

A 20-year-old woman is in a critical condition in hospital after falling from the back of a moving Holden Astra Convertible in Albury, New South Wales (stock image)

Police said the woman was sitting in the rear of the convertible when the car turned a corner and she fell from the car onto the road (stock image)

She was treated at the scene by NSW Ambulance paramedics, before being taken to Albury Base hospital in a serious condition.

An Albury Base Hospital spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia the woman was then flown to The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne on Monday night in a critical condition.

The circumstances of the incident are being investigated by Albury Local Area Command officers.

Police are urging anyone with information in relation to this incident to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Ivanka Trump took to Twitter to show her support for the Jewish community after 11 Jewish Community Centers were targeted with bomb hoaxes on President's Day.

She tweeted: 'America is a nation built on the principle of religious tolerance. We must protect our houses of worship & religious centers. #JCC.'

On Monday 11 JCCs were evacuated in Birmingham, Cleveland, Chicago, St. Paul, Tampa, Tulsa, Nashville, Milwaukee, Houston and Buffalo after receiving the threats. All appear to be hoaxes and no one has been injured.

They come after the FBI launched a hate crime investigation into JCCs after 60 threats were received in January.

The First Daughter, who flew back to Washington D.C. on Monday after spending the weekend in Mar-a-Lago, converted to Orthodox Judaism when she was 27 before marrying Jared Kushner.

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Ivanka Trump, pictured flying out of Palm Beach with her children yesterday, spoke out against recent attacks on the Jewish community

Ivanka Trump took to Twitter to say: 'We must protect our houses of worship & religious centers' after 11 JCC's had bomb threats in one day (pictured with husband Jared Kushner and their children stepping off of Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland last night)

Ivanka Trump took to Twitter to acknowledge the spike in bomb threats on JCCs. Last week, her father berated a Jewish reporter for asking why the administration has stayed silent

FEBRUARY 20 JCC BOMB THREATS Eleven Jewish Community Centers in the US were targeted with bomb hoaxes on President's Day. JCCs in the following cities were evacuated: Levite JCC (Birmingham) Tampa JCCs and Jewish Federation (Off-site preschool only) Hyde Park JCC (part of JCC Chicago) JCC of the Greater St. Paul Area JCC of Greater Albuquerque Jewish Community Center of Greater Buffalo (both sites) Mandel JCC of Cleveland Jewish Federation of Tulsa Gordon JCC (Nashville) Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center of Houston The Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center (Milwaukee) Source: JCC Association of North America Advertisement

In regards to the most recent threats, the FBI said in a statement: 'The FBI and the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division are investigating possible civil rights violations in connection with threats to Jewish Community Centers across the country.'

The FBI has labeled these bomb threats hate crimes, not terrorism.

In January alone, JCCs received 60 bomb threats in the US and Canada.

David Posner, director of strategic performance at JCC Association of North America said in a statement: 'While we are relieved that all such threats have proven to be hoaxes and that not a single person was harmed, we are concerned about the anti-Semitism behind these threats, and the repetition of threats intended to interfere with day-to-day life.'

Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner were photographed hosting Shabbat last month, inviting members of Team Trump to observe the Sabbath with them.

Former First Daughter Chelsea Clinton, who is also Ivanka's friend, also took to Twitter and criticized President Trump for not commenting on the attacks or the Jewish cemetery vandalism in St. Louis Monday.

She wrote on Twitter with a link to a statement by JCC North America: '<2 months into 2017: 'JCC bomb threats, synagogue defamed, subway swastikas, Jewish cemetery desecrated. NOW will Trump condemn antisemitism?'

Many took to Twitter to echo Clinton's sentiments, pointing to the President's lack of action towards minority targeted hate.

Although the President himself has not commented on the attacks, White House press secretary Sean Spicer responded to the nationwide threats, telling NBC News: 'Hatred and hate-motivated violence of any kind have no place in a country founded on the promise of individuals freedom.'

Chelsea Clinton bashed President Trump's silence towards the recent wave of anti-Semitism

Police investigate a bomb threat at Marin County Jewish Community Center earlier this month. There have been 69 bomb threats at JCCs since the beginning of this year

Investigators with the University City Police Department are working to determine who knocked over or damaged several headstones at a Jewish cemetery in St Louis

VANDALS TARGET JEWISH CEMETERY NEAR ST. LOUIS On February 20, over 100 gravestones were damaged at Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery, a historic Jewish Cemetery in University City. Police suspect it was a group crime and not the act of a single vandal. They have not said whether or not it is considered a hate crime. On January 18, several Jewish Community Centers were evacuated because of a bomb threat. Source: Fox2Now Advertisement

'The President has made it abundantly clear that these actions are unacceptable.'

Spicer's statement comes less than a week after her father berated a Jewish reporter for asking why the Trump administration has not acknowledged the recent spike in anti-Semitism.

President Trump responded to the Ami Magazine reporter, saying the question was unfair, continuing: 'So heres the story, folks. Number one, I am the least anti-Semitic person that youve ever seen in your entire life. Number two, racism, the least racist person.'

Previously, on November 13, Trump told supporters on 60 Minutes to 'stop it' when it comes to racially motivated attacks.

And many questioned whether or not the White House intentionally failed to mention Jews as victims of the Holocaust when they sent out the statement for the day of remembrance.

After Ivanka's tweet, people started tweeting at her father questioning his silence
An inmate has been stabbed in the neck at Parklea Correctional Centre in northwest Sydney.

The 27-year-old inmate was stabbed in the neck by another prisoner before 9.30am on Tuesday morning and rushed to hospital, according to a Correctional Services spokeswoman.

The inmate suffered non-life threatening injuries and remains in stable condition in Westmead Hospital.

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A 27-year-old inmate was rushed to hospital after being stabbed in the neck

The police believe they have identified the 33-year-old offender but investigations are ongoing, according to the NSW correctional services spokeswoman.

No staff were injured in the attack.

Parklea maximum security centre was embroiled in a staff attack at the beginning of 2016 when 40 prisoners attacked guards.

Officers had to barricade themselves inside a safe room while special ops detained the inmates.

The 27-year-old inmate was rushed to hospital but is in a stable condition
Six teenagers attempting to capture the perfect selfie on an off-limits frozen pond in New York City's Central Park had to be rescued Monday evening when they plunged through the ice.

Police said the unidentified 15 and 16-year-olds fell into the pond around 6pm on Monday at the southern end of the park near 59th Street and Fifth Avenue.

A nearby sign said, 'Danger: Thin Ice Keep Off'.

Ice floats on a pond in New York City's Central Park after six teenagers were rescued when they fell through the ice into the off-limits pond Monday evening

'The kids were playing', Maia Ramirez, a 15 year old who is visiting the city from Paraguay, told the New York Post.

'They were breaking the ice. Some were like, "No its dangerous" and [others] were like, "No, lets [walk on the ice]".

'So after that they all got on together and said, "Lets take a selfie". But when they all went together, it broke and they all went down'.

Ramirez and her mom grabbed one of the numerous orange rescue ladders strapped to the trees near the pond and extended it to the flailing teens in the water.

'I was very scared about what would happen', said Ramirez. 'There was one [boy] who, from the very first minute he went down, he didnt come back up'.

A pile of clothing remains in Central Park after the 15 and 16-year-olds were rescued

An ice rescue ladder lays beside an area where the teens had fallen into the pond

Two other tourists said they jumped into the pond before emergency crews arrived and began pulling the teens out of the water.

'He went in the water, man. I was like halfway in. So yeah, we were just shoveling them out. That was pretty much it', Ethan Turnbull told CBS 2.

'They were out, man. The last one was unconscious, and the other three were failing as well'.

Police and fire rescue units, including divers, responded and pulled the teenagers out of the freezing water.

The deepest part of the pond where the teens fell in was about 18 feet, fire officials said.

A police spokesman said the teens are suffering from some mild hypothermia but are expected to be okay.
A gang member who had been released early from prison killed a veteran police officer and wounded another cop when they arrived at the scene in Whittier, California, after he rear-ended another vehicle.

Officer Keith Boyer died after the suspect involved in the crash on Monday morning pulled out a semiautomatic pistol and opened fire, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

A shootout ensued, and Officer Patrick Hazel was wounded, along with the suspect, identified as a 26-year-old gang member who was driving a stolen car, said Lt. John Corina.

The suspect had killed his cousin earlier Monday, before stealing his car and crashing it three hours later, Corina said.

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Officer Keith Boyer, a 27-year veteran on the Whittier police force, was killed on Monday after he was shot dead by a gang member who was recently released on parole

Police were unaware that the suspect was driving a stolen car, which he had slammed into other vehicle near Colima Road and Mar Vista Street

The officers approached the suspect and started patting him down when he pulled out a gun from his waistband and started shooting

The police officers were responding to what they thought was a routine traffic call at 8.30am on Monday, according to the sheriff's department.

Police were unaware that the suspect was driving a stolen car, which he had slammed into other vehicle near Colima Road and Mar Vista Street in the eastern Los Angeles County suburb.

The officers approached the suspect and started patting him down when he pulled out a gun from his waistband and started shooting, Corina said.

The officers, who were wearing bulletproof vests, returned fire and injured the suspect.

Boyer, a 27-year veteran of the Whittier police force, died in the hospital, while Hazel is reportedly in stable condition.

'Unbeknownst to the Whittier police officers, when they went to pull the car over, they had a murder suspect ... in a stolen car,' Corina said.

'It's extremely tragic,' he said. 'You just never know when officers respond to a call what they are going to run into.'

Sheriff Jim McDonnel said: 'They walked up on the vehicle believing the motorist was in need of medical help and then they ended up in a gunfight for their lives.'

Boyer, a 27-year veteran of the Whittier police force, died in the hospital, while Hazel is reportedly in stable condition

After the shooting, a long line of police cars escorted the slain officer's body from a hospital in Irvine to the coroner's office

Mourners placed candles and flowers outside police headquarters, and fellow police officers saluted his casket

Pictured, Boyer's family members. He was a 27-year veteran on the police force who had recently spoken about retirement

The suspect, whose name has not been released, was treated in the intensive care unit and is now in stable condition, police said.

The heavily tattooed gang member has a history of serious crimes and police believe he was released on parole as recently as a week ago as part of a new scheme designed to cut incarceration rates.

Witnesses said the suspect killed his cousin at 5.30am on the 1400 block of Volney Drive, less than 15 miles away from the scene of the car crash, according to Corina.

He stole his cousin's car, and crashed into another vehicle about three hours later.

'We're still trying to determine why he shot. Obviously, he was in a stolen car. He is a gang member. We're trying to determine if anything else sparked that,' Corina said.

After the shooting, a long line of police cars escorted the slain officer's body from a hospital in Irvine to the coroner's office.

Mourners placed candles and flowers outside police headquarters, and fellow police officers saluted his casket, honoring the first officer from Whittier killed in the line of duty since 1979.

Boyer is the first officer from Whittier killed in the line of duty since 1979

Whittier Police Chief Jeff Piper, who was friends with Boyer for more more than 25 years, told the

'All of us have been grieving,' the chief said. 'And I didn't think I had any tears left.'

Boyer, who joined the force as a dispatcher in 1989 and became a full-time officer in 1990, had recently talked to the chief about retiring.

A divorced father who played the drums, he was 'the best of the best' who was sought for advice by his colleagues and superiors, the chief said.
Federal officials have now said that at least 12 aircraft violated flight restrictions over the weekend around Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago home, where he has been since Friday.

At least five of those planes were 'buzzed' by military aircraft in attempts to contact the offending pilots.

A 'sonic boom' was heard in parts of South Florida on Friday as two F-15s raced at 'supersonic speeds' to intercept eight private aircraft flying near Trump's home.

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F-16s raced to intercept a plane that flew near Trump's Mar-a-Lago home on Sunday. Trump, pictured in Florida on Saturday, is spending his third straight weekend at the estate

The F-15s were deployed from Homestead Air National Guard Base, about 90 miles south of Mar-a-Lago.

A statement reported by Fox News read: 'The intent of military intercepts is to have the identified aircraft re-establish communications with local FAA air traffic controllers and instruct the pilot to follow air traffic controllers' instructions to land safely for follow-in action.'

On Sunday around noon - military aircraft were again called after radio communication couldn't be made with a pilot.

Two F-16s were later able to establish contact with the pilot, who was 'very compliant' and left the airspace quickly, the Orlando Sentinel reported.

Unlike a Friday evening incident, there was no 'sonic boom' heard over South Florida on Sunday, as the fighter jets were not travelling at supersonic speeds near the Palm Beach estate.

The F-15s were deployed from Homestead Air National Guard Base, about 90 miles south of Mar-a-Lago

When Trump is at Mar-a-Lago, there is a no-fly zone within a 1-mile radius of the estate, no private aircraft allowed within a 10-mile radius - which includes Palm Beach International Airport and Lantana airport - and restricted flight within a 30-mile radius

These incidents follow another two weeks prior, in which a private plane flew within two miles of Trump's aircraft on February 3.

The Federal Aviation Administration said it will continue teaching pilots about the new restrictions over the airspace.

No recent sitting president has spent extended periods of time in a non-governmental location in a densely populated area like this.

When Trump is at Mar-a-Lago, there is a no-fly zone within a 1-mile radius of the estate, no private aircraft allowed within a 10-mile radius - which includes Palm Beach International Airport and Lantana airport - and restricted flight within a 30-mile radius, the Palm Beach Post reported.

Two F-16s were later able to establish contact with the pilot, who was 'very compliant' and left the airspace quickly, the Orlando Sentinel reported

Friday incident caused 'sonic boom' to be heard in parts of South Florida. In both cases, local residents could see the planes from below and posted to social media about it

The F-15s were deployed from Homestead Air National Guard Base, about 90 miles south of Mar-a-Lago, pictured, on Friday. It is not known where the F-16s came from on Sunday

Trump is expected to leave Mar-a-Lago around 5pm on Monday. He has spent the past three weekends in a row at the resort, which he termed the 'Southern White House.'

He tweeted Saturday morning: 'Will be having many meetings this weekend at The Southern White House.

'Big 5.00pm speech in Melbourne, Florida. A lot to talk about!'
Discount website Scoopon have announced they will be selling 150 domestic flights across Australia for just $9 each.

At 4pm on Tuesday, the limited number of discounted one-way flights will go on sale online for five legs across the country, including Melbourne to Sydney, Sydney to Melbourne and Brisbane to Sydney.

While Scoopon has not revealed the airline passengers who score the flights will travel with, they have confirmed all fares include 7kgs of carry on luggage, discounted restaurants and spa packages.

Discount website Scoopon have announced they will be selling 150 domestic flights across Australia for just $9 each (pictured)

At 4pm on Tuesday, the discounted one-way flights will go on sale online for five legs across the country, including Melbourne (pictured) to Sydney, Sydney to Melbourne and Brisbane to Sydney

The flights are available for travel from June 19 to 25, 2017.

The website is only advertising 150 flights, 30 for each departure city. The five legs include Melbourne to Sydney, Sydney to Melbourne, Brisbane to Sydney, Adelaide to Melbourne, Perth to Melbourne.

While it can be expected the flights will sell out in a matter of minutes, the offer will be valid until midnight on Tuesday.

Scoopon has not announced which airline passengers will fly with, but it is expected to be TigerAir, according to Escape.

In November, the budget airline offered $9 flights across the country from February 1 to March 22.

One-way from Brisbane (pictured) to Sydney is included in the Scoopon deal

At 4pm on Tuesday, the limited number of discounted one-way flights will go on sale online for five legs across the country, including Melbourne to Sydney, Sydney to Melbourne and Brisbane to Sydney (stock image)

The heavily discounted flights are part of Scoopon's 'A-List' 48 hour online sale
An interracial Connecticut couple who had a racial slur spray-painted on their garage door has been fined thousands of dollars for refusing to remove or cover it up.

The N-word has remained on the home of Heather Lindsay, who's white, and Lexene Charles, who's black, for about five weeks, despite a city order to paint over it, the Stamford Advocate reports.

City officials issued the couple a citation, which carries a $100 daily fine, and it has now reached $3,600.

Lindsay said their home has been vandalized multiple times and at least three of her neighbors have yelled the N-word at her husband.

Heather Lindsay (right) and Lexene Charles (left) have been fined more than $3,600 for failing to remove or cover up the N-word that was spray painted on their garage during MLK weekend

The slur has remained on the home, for about five weeks, despite a city order to paint over it

She said Stamford authorities have failed to properly investigate and she won't remove the slur until they do, ABC 7 reports.

Stamford police have made repeated offers to remove the slur from the property at no cost but the couple has refused, Ted Jankowski, the citys director of public safety, told the Stamford Advocate.

NAACP representatives on Monday called for a full investigation, including canvassing the neighborhood and posting a patrol car to make sure the couple is safe.

The City of Stamford issued the couple a citation, which carries a $100 daily fine. Police have offered to remove the graffiti for free, but the couple have refused

'For them to be called n*****, it must be so hurtful that they can easily just erase the board and suffer within, quietly by themselves, and act like nothing happened', Darnell Crosland, legal counsel for the state NAACP, told the Stamford Advocate.

Lindsay has told authorities she will not paint over the graffiti unless they investigate the alleged harassment

'And in fact, thats what the Stamford police asked them to do. They were requested to take the sign down ... and to just act normal, like nothing happened'.

The city's director of public safety said an investigation is underway.

No one has reported seeing or hearing anyone spray painting the N-word on the couple's sheet-metal garage door.

'The incident that occurred is disgusting and it is something the Stamford Police Department continues to have under investigation', Jankowski said.

Neighbor Paul Evanko said he understands the seriousness of the incident but wants the slur removed quickly.

'There are kids in this neighborhood', said Evanko. 'Why do we have to subject them to that?'

Crosland believed removing the slur will make the couple's home a target again.

'We say "no" to that', he said. 'Theyre not going to suffer alone. Were going to suffer with them'.
A Perth child who raped an eight-year-old boy while armed with a weapon has had his sentencing delayed after questions were raised about his capacity to understand the court process.

The 10-year-old boy, who cannot be named, appeared in Perth Children's Court on Tuesday having previously pleaded guilty to sexual penetration of a child under 13 and threatening to kill.

But the court heard that following a psychological report there was the possibility the boy did not understand the court process, so Magistrate Andree-Marie Horrigan ordered an additional report.

A Perth child who raped an eight-year-old boy while armed with a weapon in December has had his sentencing delayed (stock image)

Defence lawyer Neville Barber said he thought the psychologist misunderstood the criminal code regarding capacity.

'(He) is well aware of what he should not have done,' he said.

'On my instructions, he is well aware he did what he should not have done.'

The attack happened in December and the boy has been on bail while awaiting the court outcome.

But shocked parents at the boy's school were outraged to only learn about the attack on social media over the weekend.

Parents gathered outside the school on Monday to share their concerns that the boy was not being supervised properly and some pulled their children out pending the court outcome.

The boy, 10, who cannot be named, appeared in Perth Children's Court on Tuesday (pictured) having previously pleaded guilty to sexual penetration of a child under 13 and threatening to kill

A mother told 6PR radio the accused boy's bail conditions required him to attend school and be supervised in the library during breaks (stock image)

A mother told 6PR radio the accused boy's bail conditions required him to attend school and be supervised in the library during breaks.

'One parent told me that her son had been playing with him at lunch time for the last three weeks,' she said on Monday.

'We just want the best for our children. We want our children to be safe, and of course this child needs help.

'He needs to be in the right care and if he is going to be at the school, he needs to be supervised at all times.'

The school refused to comment to AAP on Monday, but the Education Department said the boy was being 'constantly supervised' by two staff members while at school.

'The school is doing everything reasonably possible to ensure the safety of all students,' a spokesperson said.

The eight-year-old victim does not go to the same school as the offender.

The case will return to court next month.




Three young men have been called to come forward for questioning after a vandalism incident saw seats from a train ripped up and stacked at one end of the carriage.

The mischievous act gained notoriety on social media after images showed the seats piled high on one end of the carriage as the train made its way through the Blue Mountains last Tuesday night.

The police have released images of three young men they would like to question over the Sydney train incident.

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Police are calling for these three young men to come forward to help assist inquiries over the Sydney train seat pile up

The images of the vandalism showing the seats piled up at the back of the train went off on social media

'Police are urging anyone who knows the identity of the three depicted in the images, or anyone with information, to come forward,' NSW Police said in a statement on Tuesday when releasing CCTV stills of the trio.'

Steve Mateer boarded the Intercity train in Katoomba in the Blue Mountains in NSW on Tuesday night only to find all the seats had been ripped off.

'I looked at the guy behind me, who walked in the door behind me, and he was equally as shocked as I was,' Mr Mateer told 7 News.

'I was just bewildered that anyone would go to that sort of length for something so insignificant.'
Blackwing has since been convicted of rape and a slew of additional charges

But men in the home heard noises upstairs and stopped them - with one man subduing one of the women with a samurai sword until cops came

Raven Blackwing, 22, and a 19-year-old accomplice are accused of breaking into the girl's home in West Jordan, Utah armed with a knife

Authorities believe he sent two of his wives to murder a 14-year-old girl set to testify against him for rape in 2014

A polygamist and two of his wives have been charged with the attempted murder of a 14-year-old girl who was due to testify against him for rape.

Raven Blackwing, 24, and a 19-year-old accomplice armed themselves with a knife, cellophane, matches, a screwdriver, syringes and Formalin - a chemical used to knock people out - before allegedly breaking into the girl's home in West Jordan, Utah in 2014.

Their 'shared husband' Kain Blackwing, who currently resides in Beaver County jail, forced his victims to call him 'Lord', and has since been convicted of rape of the 14-year-old girl.

Now, Blackwing and his third wife, Theresa Baker, 25, have been charged with orchestrating the home invasion and subsequent murder plot.

Their 'shared husband' Kain Blackwing, who currently resides in Beaver County jail, forced his victims to call him 'Lord', and has since been convicted of rape of the young girl

Baker also reportedly goes by the name Diana Blackwing.

They face charges of solicitation for aggravated murder, conspiracy to commit aggravated murder and attempted aggravated murder, according to NY Daily News.

Raven Blackwing was sentenced serve up to 15 years in a Utah State Prison. The second woman, who cannot be named because she is a victim of sexual assault, was sentenced to a year of probation.

Kain was charged in 2015 with seven counts of rape, forcible sodomy and three counts of forcible sexual abuse against the accomplice who helped Raven Blackwing break into the girls home, KSL reported.

Kain reportedly met that woman when she was 17, and began a sexual relationship with her. He taught her 'survival skills', and allegedly told her he was a god and 'shen lord'. He also told her that 'if he ever bonded with a woman she became his and the only way out of the relationship was death'.

Raven Blackwing was sentenced serve up to 15 years in a Utah State Prison

Kain will appear in court again for that case on February 28.

It was revealed that Blackwing planned the attack with the two women for 11 weeks, during which time they conducted surveillance on the home.

They reportedly referred to the murder plot as ' playing a video game' and used code names for their targets such as 'Juggernaut,' 'Boss' and 'Guards.'

The 14-year-old girl was staying with her mother and mother's fiance at their home during the time of the break-in. It is believed that the fiance is related to Kain Blackwing.

The fiance was able to stop the attack when he awoke to hear the upstairs floor creaking just before 4am, the Deseret News reported.

When he went to investigate, he came across two people dressed all in black who lunged at him and tried to grab his throat, according to charging documents.

'I heard a creak, and there was silence for about 30 seconds,' he told FOX News 13.

'I went to the bottom of the stairs and saw a couple of ninjas coming down. They were all dark gray or black, and they had black rubber gloves on and masks. All I could see was their eyes.'

Police in Utah say the attack happened near this junction in West Jordan shortly after 4am on Friday

He added: 'My adrenaline was pumping so bad. They grabbed for me and one of them covered my mouth, and the other grabbed my throat, but they were both pretty small so I threw them back and started shouting to get anybody awake that I could.'

Another man in the home heard the noise and went to help, but one of the assailants went for him with a stun gun. He was able to wrestle her and pinned her down until police arrived.

When cops reached the home, they also found one of the men holding Blackwing back with a samurai sword on the couch, according to the charges.

'I grabbed my sword on the mantle, unsheathed it and told her to sit down, that if she moved, she would lose body parts,' the man said.

The 14-year-old girl, who was asleep at the time, was set to testify against Kain Blackwing, just four days after the attack. Blackwing was charged with her rape in July of 2014.
The parents of an eight-year-old boy have been charged with child endangerment and drug possession after their son overdosed on heroin, police said.

Charles Dowdy and Danielle Simko were arrested after their son was taken to the hospital on January 11, where staff found prescription pills and a small bag of heroin inside his sock, according to cleveland.com.

Dowdy, who called 911 and told the dispatcher his son was no longer breathing, admitted to using drugs in their Berea, Ohio, home earlier that day.

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Charles Dowdy and Danielle Simko of Berea, Ohio, were arrested after their son was taken to the hospital from an apparent heroin overdose

Dowdy said he had been in bed with Simko and their son on the 100 block of Milton Street when they noticed his lips had turned blue, according to a police report cited by WKYC.

In an audio recording of the 911 call, Dowdy can be heard telling the dispatcher to hurry.

He explained: 'I think he was sleeping and I think what happened was he rolled over and I dont think he could breathe. I think he was just, like, in the pillow and he suffocated.'

Dowdy also told the dispatcher his son was seven, even though records indicate he is eight.

Paramedics arrived and the boy was taken to the Southwest General Medical Center, where a urine test revealed he had heroin in his system, WKYC reported.

Hospital staff also found pills and heroin hidden inside a toy watch in the boy's sock, according to the local news channel.

Dowdy (left) admitted to using drugs in the house earlier that day, and both he and Simko (right) were arrested at the hospital

Dowdy and Simko were arrested after the father admitted to using drugs earlier that day, and police found narcotics and syringes inside their home.

The two were charged with child endangerment on Friday and held on $150,000 bond.

They are scheduled to appear in court on February 22.

Their eight-year-old son is in the custody of relatives, as Dowdy and Simko have been barred from contacting him.

Berea, a suburb of Cleveland, is in Cuyahoga County, where police said there were at least 46 fatal heroin and fentanyl overdoses in January alone.

At least 14 suspected overdoses occurred over the course of just one weekend, from February 3 to 5, police said.
A body found in bushland is confirmed to be that of missing mother Karen Ristevski, 47, eight months after she disappeared on June 29.

Police on Tuesday evening confirmed the 'badly decomposed' remains discovered 52 kilometres from her Melbourne house on Monday afternoon were hers.

Two detectives from the missing persons squad visited at her $1.1 million two-storey house in Avondale Heights, Melbourne, at about 4.45pm to break the news.

They spent about 50 minutes inside the house speaking to family including her husband of 25 years Borce, 52, and their daughter Sarah, 21, but did not answer questions as they left.

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The body of missing mother Karen Ristevski, 47, (pictured here with husband Borce) has been found in bushland 52 kilometres from her Melbourne house

Two detectives from the missing persons squad visited at her luxury two-storey house in Avondale Heights, Melbourne, at about 4.45pm to break the news

A bushwalker found the body under a large log on Mt Macedon, about 52 kilometres from the house, and contacted police about 12.30pm on Monday.

The fallen tree trunks she was wedged between were so big it was not possible to see her body unless you were standing directly above them.

A nearby resident and regular walker said he smelled a rancid stench in the area for months but assumed it was a dead kangaroo and never investigated, he told 3AW.

Borce Ristevski's brother, Vasco, and his son, Chris - both who have spoken publicly about the death - arrived at the home about 6.30pm.

Chris Ristevski kept his phone glued to his face but neither answered questions. A blonde woman also rushed to the home after the news broke.

Another woman, who said she was just a neighbour, laid flowers at the entrance.

They spent about 50 minutes inside the house speaking to family including her husband Borce and their daughter Sarah, but did not answer questions as they left

Police at the scene where a 'badly decomposed' body was found in Mount Macedon, north of Melbourne, on Monday afternoon

Ms Ristevski's phone reportedly pinged a tower in Gisborne - about 11 kilometres from the site - on the day she went missing

Her family was on Monday told the body might be Ms Ristevski's, who disappeared on June 29 last year, and to prepare for the worst.

The missing mother's brother Stephen Williams reportedly also visited the scene on Monday for about two hours with a red rose in his back pocket.

Ms Ristevski was said to have left the house for some fresh air' after a fight over finances with her husband Borce.

Mr Ristevski's brother Vasco suggested she might have fled to the U.S. or China.

A blonde woman also rushed to the home after the news broke

Chris Ristevski, nephew of ms Ristevski, arrives at her home after hearing that her body was identified keeping his phone glued to his face

Another woman, who said she was just a neighbour, laid flowers at the entrance

Another man arrives at the house to console the grieving family

A third man arrived at the Ristevski house after news of her remains being found broke

The discovery site is about 25 kilometres from the Toolern Vale area where police were searching for her last December.

Missing persons detectives are appealing for anyone who may have walked along the dirt track off Loch Road, or seen any vehicles, to get in touch.

Police were also requesting any people who took photos or videos in the area to contact them.

The discovery site is about 25 kilometres from the Toolern Vale area where police were searching for her last December

Ms Ristevski was said to have left the house for some fresh air' after a fight over finances with her husband Borce

A Victoria Police spokeswoman said the remains were being taken for forensic tests to determine the cause of death.

Ms Ristevski's phone reportedly pinged a tower in Gisborne - about 11 kilometres from the site - on the day she went missing.

No one has yet been charged in relation to her body's discovery and police have not yet ruled it a murder.

Timeline of Karen Ristevski's mysterious disappearance June 29, 2016: Karen Ristevski disappears from her house on Oakley Drive in Avondale Heights, Melbourne, at about 10am. Her husband Borce, the last person to see her alive, said she went to 'clear her head' after a fight July 11: The missing persons squad is called in to investigate July 8, 2016: Mr Ristevski questioned by detectives and denied any involvement in her disappearance July 13: Actor Samuel Johnson took to social media to plead for his friend to come home July 13: Police and SES scour bushland behind the Ristevski home, near the Maribyrnong River July 14, 2016: Mr Ristevski is asked 'Did you kill Karen, Borce?' ending a press conference appealing for information about her disappearance. The same day, police said CCTV did not catch her leaving the house that morning July 21, 2016: Mr Ristevski claims their home's security cameras stoped working months before her disappearance July 23, 2016: Ms Ristevski's meth-addicted step-son Anthony Rickard, 32, claimed his stepmother was planning on leaving his father July 29: Police divers search another part of the Maribyrnong River, about three kilometres from the Ristevski house September 9, 2016: Neighbour hands police CCTV possibly showing Ms Ristevski's car on the day she disappeared August 11, 2016: Mr Rickard posted a series of disturbing and unsubstantiated messages to social media which revealed his troubled relationship with his family. He claimed their marriage was 'fake', called his father a 'coward', claimed he watched him do drugs and that he and Mrs Ristevski had an affair August 24, 2016: Mr Ristevski's brother Vasco suggested she might have fled to the U.S. or China on a fake passport December 19-20, 2016: Police drained dams and searched countryside at Toolern Vale - just south of where her body was found on Monday February 20: A bushwalker found the body under a large log on Mt Macedon, about 52 kilometres from the house, and contacted police about 12.30pm February 21: The body is confirmed to be Ms Ristevski's and police break the news to her family Advertisement

Mystery has surrounded the disappearance of Melbourne mother Karen Ristevski ever since she vanished on June 29, 2016.

Mrs Ristevski, 47, was last seen leaving her home on Oakley Drive in Avondale Heights in Melbourne's north-west following an argument with her husband.

Her boutique Bella Bleu closed in February last year, leander caveats put on the family home, and Borce tried to get a loan from a notorious Melbourne loan shark at least twice.

Since then police have followed up endless leads and searched various areas, but the 47-year-old has not been seen for almost eight months.

Ms Ristevski's daughter Sarah (L) and husband Borce (R) were reportedly devastated at hearing the body could be hers

Shortly after her disappearance, actor Samuel Johnson (L) took to social media to plead for his friend to come home

Her phone was switched off and her bank accounts have not been accessed since her disappearance.

Mrs Ristevski's husband Borce Ristevski was the last person to see her alive. He said she left their family home after a fight, and went for a walk to 'clear her head'.

Mr Ristevski was questioned by police immediately after his wife's disappearance, but was released a short time later pending further inquiries.

Shortly after her disappearance, actor Samuel Johnson took to social media to plead for his friend to come home.

Johnson, known for his lead role in TV series The Secret Life of Us, described Ms Ristevski as a 'sensitive, generous, intelligent and kind woman,' the Herald Sun reported at the time.

Ms Ristevski was a successful boutique shop proprietor living in a luxury two-storey house

Police mounted an extensive search for Ms Ristevski over many months but turned up nothing

During a press conference three weeks after the woman's disappearance, a reporter asked her husband whether he killed her.

'Did you kill Karen, Borce?' a Seven News journalist quizzed.

The family cut the media conference short and Mr Ristevski has consistently denied any involvement in his wife's disappearance.

That same week police revealed that CCTV cameras did not show Mrs Ristevski leaving her home on the day she disappeared.

Police have not suggested that Mr Ristevski has had anything to do with his wife's disappearance.

In the weeks after Mrs Ristevski's disappearance, SES crews, water police and police on motorbikes searched the Maribyrnong River and surrounding areas.

It was also reported by The Australian at the time that the family were struggling with their debts and on the verge of losing their home when she vanished.

The missing mother's brother Stephen Williams reportedly also visited the scene on Monday for about two hours with a red rose in his back pocket

Police and SES volunteers search for missing mother Karen Ristevski near Gisborne South northwest of Melbourne in December as part of the long search

A month after her disappearance Mrs Ristevski's meth-addicted step-son Anthony Rickard, 32, claimed his stepmother was planning on leaving his father.

Mr Rickard, a father-of-two who has been questioned by police in relation to the 47-year-old's disappearance, previously told the Herald Sun that he did not kill his stepmother, but that he is angry over a family conflict.

Then in August the 32-year-old posted a series of disturbing and unsubstantiated messages to social media which revealed his troubled relationship with his family.

Among a stream of violent and often incoherent messages Mr Rickard called his father a 'coward', claimed he watched him do drugs and that he and Mrs Ristevski, who has been missing nearly two months, had an affair.

Police divers search a river near Gisborne South northwest of Melbourne in December

No one has yet been charged in relation to her body's discovery and police have not yet ruled it a murder

Nephew Chris Ristevski told A Current Affair at the time that he was shocked his cousin, who has struggled with ice addiction, would stoop so low.

'It's outrageous - it's supposed to be his family.'

In September it was revealed that a car driving away from Mrs Ristevski's home on the day she disappeared closely resembled her own one.

CCTV footage captured by a neighbour's camera showed a car resembling the Melbourne mother's, the Herald Sun reported.

Then on December 19 and 20 last year, police drained dams and searched countryside at Toolern Vale - just south of where her body was found on Monday.
A trial date has been set for a 15-year-old girl accused of stabbing her classmate 19 times to appease fictional internet character 'Slenderman'.

Two motions filed by the attorney for Anissa Weier, one of the two girls accused of the crime, were denied in court on Monday as the case proceeds.

Her lawyer, Maura McMahon, requested that her initial confession be thrown out, and that the jury be selected from a pool outside of Waukesha County, Wisconsin - both of which were not granted.

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Two motions filed by the attorney for Anissa Weier, one of the two girls accused of the crime, were denied in court on Monday as the case proceeds

Victim: Payton Leutner (above) was also 12 years old at the time of the incident. She crawled to a road where a bicyclist found her. She recovered from her wounds and returned to school that fall

When Weier was arrested for the stabbing of her friend Payton Leutner in 2014, she told investigators that 'Slenderman' told her to. She was just 12 at the time.

The judge's striking down of her attorney's request means that the trial can proceed using Weier's original confession. However, McMahon said she wasn't surprised by the court's ruling - a similar motion for the other suspect in the case were denied last week, Fox 6 reported.

Maura McMahon, Weier's attorney, said: 'When you're 12 years old and you don't even truly understand the right to remain silent, how is that a knowing a voluntary right? Particularly when law enforcement simply reads verbatim a list of rights that are designed to be read to an adult.'

Her lawyer, Maura McMahon, requested that her initial confession to the murder be thrown out, and that the jury be selected from a pool outside of Waukesha County, Wisconsin - both of which were not granted

The presiding judge Michael Bohren disagreed, saying that the girl made the statement of her own volition.

He said: 'The interview was voluntary. The statements were voluntary. It was not in a coercive or police conduct situation.'

Bohren also ruled that the jury for Weier's trial would be chosen from a pool of candidates in Waukesha County, despite the trial being widely publicized.

Bohren also ruled that the jury for Weier's trial would be chosen from a pool of candidates in Waukesha County, despite the trial being widely publicized

Morgan Geyser is also charged in the case. She has pleaded not guilty Friday by reason of insanity. Pictured at a hearing in August 2016

He continued: 'The news environment, the public comments that have been stated in this case are not inflammatory to the extent that a fair trial cannot be had.'

McMahon said in regard to the jury - they will just have to create a strong juror- questionnaire and hope for the best.

Weier's friend Morgan Geyser is also on trial for the attack and pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity in September. The trial is expected to last for about two weeks.

Weier will stand trial beginning September 11, 2017 while Geyser's trial will begin in October.
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Despite the tech world's movers and shakers flocking to New Zealand for the tranquil way of life, the Land of the Long White Cloud isn't all farms, entrepreneurs and rolling hills.

Out of the public eye is one of the nation's most infamous gangs Black Power, whose members operate in a lawless and hyper-violent world.

Despite being underground, Sydney photographer Casey Morton managed to pry open a window into the lives of member with a set of candid portraits.

Morton earned the trust of the notorious mob - made up of mainly Maori and Polynesian members - in order to shed light on their story.

What followed was a striking glimpse into the gang.

Sydney photographer Casey Morton captured candid photos of members of Black Power, one of New Zealand's most infamous gangs

Bearing full-face tattoos, the gang's appearance lives up to their brutal reputation

Photographer Casey Morton's desire to capture gang members was to 'show them for who they really are'

'I have some relatives who are associates, so I used them to bridge the divide,' Morton told Daily Mail Australia.

'I wanted to show another side to what Black Power is about. The idea was to show them for who they really are and let people make up their own mind.'

He jetted to Christchurch to meet with members of the local chapter and shoot them in a clubhouse.

Wearing blue and black gang colours and bearing full-face tattoos, the gang's appearance matches their fearsome reputation. But Morton said he felt safe.

'Beforehand they laid the ground rules. At times I felt very intimidated by them, but I never felt unsafe,' Morton said.

The tech moguls hot-footing it to New Zealand PayPal co-founder and Facebook board member Peter Thiel has gushed about his great pride in his New Zealand citizenship and how he has found no other country that aligns more with my view of the future. Perhaps what he really meant was exposed, after one of his Silicon Valley chums, the venture capitalist Sam Altman, revealed that, at the first sign of global disaster, he and Thiel would fly to New Zealand. Other uber-rich Americans who have recently bought homes there include the billionaire hedge-fund pioneer Julian Robertson and the Hollywood film director James Cameron. Local estate agents say their U.S. clients rarely intend to live in New Zealand, but cite reasons for their purchases such as the toxic presidential election and the spate of mass shootings in America. In the first ten months of last year, foreigners  mainly Australians and Americans  bought nearly 1,400 square miles of land there, more than four times what they bought in the same period the previous year. Advertisement

The photos offer a striking glimpse into members of the notorious Black Power gang

Who are the bikie gangs of New Zealand? Gangs in New Zealand have been blasted as a severe social problem, with reports of violent brawls, murders and rapes sparking fear in local communities, since the 1960s. The three largest gangs are Black Power, the Mongrel Mob, and the Nomads - and there is fierce rivalry between them. The groups first formed in the 1950s and by the 1960s even the countrys then prime minister, Rob Muldoon, had partied at a Black Power residence. Muldoon formed a close bond with Black Power, encouraging them to form work trusts and assisting them to find accommodation. A 'Maori urban drift' in the 1960s and the rapid immigration of Pacific Peoples in the 1970s is said to have bolstered their membership - joining a gang was often seen as a solution to the problems people faced. By the 1970s, the gangs had turned further towards organised crime and now they have stringent codes against outsiders. As well as donning menacing face tattoos, some of the Mongrel Mobs, for example, use reviled Nazi symbols as an act of rebellion towards authority. The gangs are influenced by their American counterparts, such as Hells Angels, but also have their own unique codes. Advertisement

The patched vests, in the same way as outlaw bikie gangs in the US, signal the members' status. In order to earn them they must endure a gruelling initiation period that can span a year before they are officially welcomed.

The Black Power was founded in the 1970s to counter the Mongrel Mob, with whom they have a bitter and decades-long rivalry.

Tensions boiled over last month, when shots were fired at a Mongrel Mob member's funeral stormed by Black Power members in Whakatane, in the Bay of Plenty Region in the North Island of New Zealand.

But Morton believes BlackPower are not as violent as they once were, and says there is more to the group than meets the eye.

'The gang is not as violent as they once were, and what I saw on the day felt a lot more like a brotherhood than anything else.'

'At times I felt like I was just hanging out with family, uncles and brothers, but at the same time you also knew and could feel that there was a dark side to them.'

The members are reminiscent of characters portrayed in the 1994 New Zealand film, Once Were Warriors, about life in the slums of Auckland, including an eldest son who leaves his family to join a gang with facial tattoos.

Black Power members are shown wearing blue and black, the colours of the gang

The Black Power gang is made up primarily of Maori and Polynesian men

A patched vest shows the status of members within the Black Power gang, in the same ways as outlaw bikie clubs

Photographer Casey Morton managed to pry open a window into the secretive lives of Black Power members

The photos shed light on the secretive lives of Black Power gang members

Photographer Casey Morton flew to Christchurch to take photos of members of the local Black Power chapter in a clubhouse

The Black Power gang has been described as 'more like a brotherhood than anything else'

Black Power members were photographed over a day and a half to portray their story

The aim of the photos was not to portray the gang members in a positive light, but to photograph them for who they really are and let people make up their own mind
A British ISIS suicide bomber has been revealed as a former Guantanamo prisoner who was handed 1million in taxpayers' money as compensation before fleeing to Syria.

UK national Jamal Udeen al-Harith was photographed moments before blowing himself up in an attack on a military facility near Mosul in Iraq.

Shortly after detonating the explosive-laden car near an army base, ISIS released a statement revealing al-Harith had been fighting for them under the name Abu Zakariya al-Britani.

The Muslim convert - who changed his name from Ronald Fiddler in 1994 - was sent to Guantanamo Bay in 2002 after he was caught by American forces in Afghanistan.

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UK national Jamal Udeen al-Harith was photographed moments before blowing himself up in an attack on a military facility near Mosul in Iraq (pictured)

Al-Harith's British wife Shukee Begum, along with their five children, joined him in Syria in 2015 before fleeing from the Isis-controlled territory

He denied being a terrorist and claimed to have been taken prisoner by the Taliban after visiting the Middle East as part of a 'religious holiday'.

After intense campaigning by Tony Blairs government led by then-Home Secretary David Blunkett, the British citizen was freed two years later.

He launched a compensation claim on the grounds British agents knew or were complicit in his mistreatment and was handed 1million to stay silent.

Using his payout, al-Harith bought a three-bed, semi-detached home in Stockport, Greater Manchester for 220,000, but struggled to find work after his release.

At the time of his release from Guantanamo, David Blunkett said: 'No one who is returned will actually be a threat to the security of the British people.'

But it emerged that, despite security services being fully aware of his previous detention, al-Harith, who worked as a web designer for a time, was able to escape the UK in 2014 to fight with ISIS in Syria, leading to his eventual death.

Al-Hariths brother Leon Jameson told the Times: 'Im not ashamed of him, I never will be. But its his own decision. I can only just give him advice if he needs any.

'All I know is one day he brought a Quran home,' he added. 'We were supportive of it, yeah,we didnt see anything wrong with it at the time and the trouble only started later, seems like hes been dragged into it.'

His journey was revealed following an escape from ISIS-controlled Syria in 2015 by British mother Shukee Begum and her five children.

Miss Begum was married to al-Harith before he left the family home in Birmingham to fight in Syria, and had flown to the war-torn country to try to persuade the fanatic to return to the UK.

The Muslim convert changed his name from Ronald Fiddler to Jamal Udeen al-Harith in 1994, before fighting for ISIS under the new name Abu Zakariya al-Britani

Al-Harith gives testimony before a Council of Europe panel in 2004 (shown right), as part of an inquiry into human rights abuses at Gauntanamo Bay

However, her attempts failed, and she endured a ten-month ordeal being passed between hostages and rebel groups as she tried to escape.

In 2015, she told Channel 4: 'Id love to go back to the UK. The UK is my home. I grew up there. My friends are there. My family are there. Thats where I consider to be home.

'But Im just not sure at the moment, with the track record of the current government, if the UK is somewhere I can achieve justice. I hope Im wrong.'

At the time, she said she was biding her time before returning to Britain because she fears she could face terrorism charges.

Ms Begum, a law graduate from Greater Manchester, insists she did not support the extremists, and says she wanted to persuade al-Harith to return to the family home.

She told Channel 4 News: 'I was thinking about the children's futures. Was he part of it? Will he come back? All these things go through your mind.'

Footage said to have been captured yesterday morning shows Abu Zakariya's reinforced vehicle setting off along a dusty road

The video then cuts to a plume of smoke in the distance after the car bomb is detonated

She added: 'I was seeing on the news at this point that Isis was going from bad to worse So I decided that I was going to try and speak some sense into him.

'At the same time I wanted to see him. I wanted the children to see their father. I wanted the baby to meet his father as well.'

After arriving in Syria, Ms Begum ended up living in a crowded safe-house in the ISIS stronghold of Raqqa, along with dozens of other foreign women looking for their husbands.

TIMELINE OF EVENTS 1966: Ronald Fiddler is born in Manchester to devout Christian parents originating from Jamaica 1994: He converts to Islam, changing his name to Jamal Udeen al-Harith October 2001: Al-Harith travels to Quetta in Pakistan, on a 'religious holiday'. A few day later the US invasion of neighbouring Afghanistan began Early 2002: He is arrested by American forces in Afghanistan after they discover him in a Taliban jail and later transferred to Guantanamo Bay prison 2004: After lobbying from Tony Blair's Labour government, al-Harith is released along with five others. He returns to the UK where he is released without charge, and joins three other prisoners in suing Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld 2009: His case against Rumsfield and the US government is finally dismissed on the grounds of 'limited immunity' for government officials 2014: Despite security services being fully aware of his previous detention, he is able to escape the UK to fight with ISIS in Syria 2015: His British wife Shukee Begum, along with their five children, join him in Syria before fleeing from the Isis-controlled territory February 2017: Al-Harith is killed in a suicide attack near Mosul, Iraq Advertisement

Eventually, Ms Begum and her children were reunited with al-Harith, and the family moved to a house near al-Bab in northern Syria.

But her planned to bring him home failed as she could not convince him to leave.

Ms Begum said she only planned to keep the children in Syria for a month, but after a bag containing her phones, travel money and passports was stolen, she found herself trapped.

She asked her husband to help her get out, to no avail. And she appealed to an Islamic court to give her permission to leave, but was told: 'Women and children belong in ISIS territory.'

She reached safety when she was rescued by Al Qaeda-linked group Al Nusra. Her last known location was in Syria, on the Turkish border.

Al-Harith's back story has resurfaced after pictures online shows him grinning next to what appears to be wires connected to a red-buttoned detonator.

ISIS claim his attack, during a raging battle for control of the city, caused multiple casualties but this has not been confirmed. They gave his name as Abu Zakariya al-Britani.

After his release from Guantanamo, al-Harith spoke of the treatment he received at the hands of the guards.

Speaking in 2004, he told the Mirror: 'The whole point... was to get to you psychologically.

'The beatings were not nearly as bad as the psychological torture - bruises heal after a week but the other stuff stays with you.

'After a while, we stopped asking for human rights - we wanted animal rights.'

He said said he was interviewed upwards of 40 times by American officials - sometimes to 12 hours at a time - and nine times by British agents.

He was finally released with five others and alongside the three men known as the Tipton Three  Rhuhel Ahmed, Asif Iqbal and Shafiq Rasul.

Muslim convert al-Harith (left) was sent to Guantanamo Bay in 2002. He has been pictured in the past with fellow Guantanamo prisoner Moazzam Begg (right)

Born Ronald Fiddler, he turned to Islam in the 1990s and changed his name to Jamal Udeen al-Harith.

He travelled to Pakistan during the 90s and settled in North London for a short while with his first wife Debbie Odoffin in 1997.

He later visited Australia for several months in 2000 after striking up a relationship online with Samantha Cook, the daughter of senator Peter Cook.

He stayed with Samantha in Perth up until mid-2000, before returning to Manchester.

In October 2001, he travelled to Quetta in Pakistan, on what he claimed was a religious holiday. A few days later the US invasion of neighbouring Afghanistan began.

He claimed the Taliban locked him up and accused him of being a British spy. A few months later he was found in a Taliban jail by US special forces and transferred to Guantanamo Bay.

Maxine Fiddler, Jamal's father and Maxine Fiddler, Jamal's sister, pictured during his detention at Guantanamo

US authorities considered that he was probably involved in a former terrorist attack against the US.

He was assessed as being an Al Qaeda fighter and considered a high threat to the US.

When al-Harith was released in 2004, he was repatriated to England and released without charge.

This is a scandalous situation, said Tory MP Tim Loughton. So much for Tony Blairs assurances that this extremist did not pose a security threat.

He clearly was a risk to Britain and our security all along. It adds insult to injury that he was given 1million in compensation because of Blairs flawed judgement that he was an innocent.

Liberal Democrat MP John Pugh said: This raises serious questions about the reassurances Labour gave us that this man posed no danger.

CAGE WEBSITE'S GLOWING AL-HARITH REFERENCE The website, originally formed to raise awareness of the plight of prisoners of Guantanamo, still has a profile for al-Harith on its website, from when he was released. It reads: 'Al-Harith converted to Islam in his 20s after reading Malcom X's biography. He has two sisters, Maxine and Sharon. 'His family say he is a gentle, quiet man who rarely spoke of his faith unless asked, and after four years learning Arabic and teaching English at Khartoum University in Sudan, he seemed happy enough to return home where he started to study nursing. At this time, he also established a computer business. He later moved back to Manchester, where he worked as an administrator in a Muslim school. 'He travelled from the UK to Pakistan at the end of September 2001, retracing a journey he had made to Iran in 1993. He paid a lorry driver to take him from northern Pakistan to Iran as part of a backpacking trip, but they were stopped near the Afghan border by Taliban soldiers who saw his British passport and jailed him, in October, fearing he was a spy. He had been away from home only three weeks when he was captured. 'As the operation to mop up al Qaida forces went on into the spring of 2001, he was captured by US forces while being held in Kandahar Jail. He was interrogated by the CIA in Afghanistan before being taken to Guantanamo. 'He was released from Guantanamo and returned to the UK on 9th March 2004. After a few hours of questioning he was released without charge and reunited with his family. Jamal was the first of the British detainees to speak publicly about his ordeal. He married in late 2004 and has three children (aged 3,5, and 8) from a previous marriage.' Source: old.cageprisoners.com Advertisement

Al-Harith (left) is pictured in his early years in Manchester, England, before his detention at Gauntanamo in 2002. His wife Shukee Begum is shown right

It is a kick in the teeth that he was given a fortune in taxpayers money after claiming he was innocent only to flee to Islamic State and pose a risk to the UK.

The Home Office needs to explain how he was able to leave the country so easily despite his background mixing with those at the very top of Islamic terrorism.

ISIS said al-Harith as one of two militants involved in the attack on a Shiite army outpost.

The attack came as Iraqi forces advanced on ISIS positions in the west of the city.

Footage said to have been captured on Monday shows a reinforced vehicle setting off along a dusty road. The video then cuts to a plume of smoke in the distance.

A statement released by the terror group today said: 'The martyrdom-seeking brother Abu Zakariya al-Britani - may Allah accept him - detonated his explosives-laden vehicle on a headquarters of the Rafidhi army and its militias in Tal Kisum village, southwest of Mosul.'

The attack came as Iraqi forces advanced on ISIS positions in the west of the city

Kyle Orton, a specialist in Islamist groups at the Henry Jackson Society security think-tank, said: Fiddler is part of a considerable cadre of people released from Guantanamo Bay who have returned straight to the ranks. This keeps happening so the drive to shut the camp has always been a very, very serious threat.

Allowing people to be put back in the field is a concrete security threat. The drive to release has been disastrous in terms of the consequences for Western security.

Afzal Ashraf, a former counter-terrorism adviser to the United States in Iraq, told the BBC that the incident showed some of the people in Guantanamo Bay were up to no good.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: 'The UK has advised for some time against all travel to Syria, and against all travel to large parts of Iraq.

'As all UK consular services are suspended in Syria and greatly limited in Iraq, it is extremely difficult to confirm the whereabouts and status of British nationals in these areas.'

Terror suspects we gave 1million each to keep them quiet

By Ian Drury, Home Affairs Editor

As many as 16 British citizens and residents received millions of pounds in compensation after being held in Guantanamo Bay.

A deal believed to be worth almost 20million was agreed by the Government after the terror suspects threatened legal action.

The detainees, many of whom claimed they were victims of kidnap and torture, warned they would sue Britain for its involvement in their abuse. Many alleged that UK spies were complicit in barbaric mistreatment at the US military base in Cuba following 9/11.

Ministers settled the case on the grounds that they could not defend themselves against the damaging allegations without harming British security by revealing sensitive intelligence information.

Former detainees of Guantanamo Bay; al-Harith, Moazzam Begg and Martin Mubanga

Then Justice Secretary Ken Clarke, who revealed details of the settlement in the Commons in November 2010, said the deal was confidential but necessary.

A legal battle would have laid bare the depth to which Tony Blairs Labour Government was complicit in rendition and torture  but the Tory-led coalition made clear that it wanted to avoid a court case which would have cost up to 50million.

The payouts sparked anger among MPs, who called them money for old rope and said the settlements would give comfort to our enemies.

Up to 1million was handed to each of the former Guantanamo Bay captives, including Binyam Mohamed, who alleged that British agents fed questions to his interrogators.

Mohamed was arrested in Afghanistan in 2002 and sent to a CIA prison in Kabul, then transferred to Morocco, where he claimed he was cut and repeatedly beaten. In 2004 he was sent to Guantanamo, where he was held until his return to the UK in 2009.

Another terror suspect to receive compensation was Martin Mubenga, a joint citizen of both the United Kingdom and Zambia. He was held in Africa, and claimed to have been interrogated by a British man who said he was an MI6 official. They allegedly told him that his UK passport, which he had reported stolen, was found in an Al Qaeda cave in Afghanistan. He was sent to Guantanamo Bay and held for 33 months.

Another recipient was Moazzam Begg, who ran a Muslim bookshop in Birmingham before moving to Afghanistan.

He was captured in Pakistan in 2002 by the CIA, who said he was an Al Qaeda recruiter.

He is now a leading member of the discredited Cage human rights group, described knife-wielding executioner Mohammed Emwazi  dubbed Jihadi John  as a beautiful young man after he was killed in an airstrike. Shaker Aamer, the last British resident in Guantanamo, also received 1million. The father of four was freed in October 2015, but his release was delayed for at least eight years amid claims the US was concerned about Britains ability to monitor terror suspects.

Mr Aamer, who was held without trial or charge for almost 14 years, was seized in Afghanistan in 2001. He denied accusations that he was a key aide of Osama Bin Laden.

Compensation: (from left to right); Martin Mubanga, Moazzam Begg and al-Harith

He was released after a campaign by the Mail, which argued that although he had questions to answer about his presence in Afghanistan, it was an affront to justice to detain him without charge or trial.

In 2010, then Prime Minister David Cameron ordered Sir Peter Gibson to head the Detainee Inquiry to look into the claims that our intelligence services were complicit in torture. However, it was suspended after two years while police investigated claims that MI6 was involved in the extraordinary rendition of two Libyan dissidents, Abdul Hakim Belhaj and Sami al-Saadi. In 2013 Sir Peters inquiry closed its investigation on the basis that it could not continue while Scotland Yard pursued its own inquiries. The probe was scrapped after prosecutors controversially ruled that no one would stand trial over claims that spies helped to put Mr Belhaj and Mr al-Saadi in the clutches of Colonel Gaddafi in 2004.

However, an interim report by Sir Peter, a High Court judge, found that MI6 agents had not properly raised concerns about sleep deprivation and waterboarding for fear of offending US allies.

Parliaments Intelligence and Security Committee was handed the case as part of its wider inquiry into rendition.

For the first time, it was officially confirmed that politicians knew the UK was involved in the CIAs unlawful programme of torture flights. Mr Cameron was accused of a whitewash after rejecting calls to re-open the Detainee Inquiry.

He re-iterated that the work would be done by Parliaments secretive ISC  even though it is subject to a Government veto on the evidence it sees and what it can publish.

In 2010, Mr Cameron had told Parliament an ISC inquiry could not command public confidence. But last June he maintained that giving it the brief was the right approach.
Missing Madeleine McCann's parents have accused the Supreme Court judges who ruled against them in their court fight with ex-police chief Goncalo Amaral of nonsensical 'contradictions.'

Furious Gerry and Kate made it clear through lawyers that they strongly disagreed with the judges' 'erroneous' premise the lifting of their status as 'arguidos' or formal suspects did not mean they were innocent of any involvement in their daughter's May 3 2007 disappearance.

Portugal's Supreme Court issued its devastating put-down earlier this month when it backed Amaral over his hurtful 2008 book 'The Truth of the Lie' in which he claimed the McCanns faked Madeleine's abduction to cover up her death in their Algarve holiday apartment.

Judges angered the McCanns by claiming the July 2008 archiving of the first Portuguese probe into their daughter's disappearance 'was determined by the fact that public prosecutors hadn't managed to obtain sufficient evidence of the practice of crimes' by them.

Kate and Gerry McCann have accused the Supreme Court judges who ruled against them in their court fight with ex-police chief Goncalo Amaral of nonsensical 'contradictions'

The couple's fight-back was laid out in a nine-page complaint revealed today, which was lodged with the Supreme Court last Friday in a bid to invalidate its ruling rejecting the McCanns' libel appeal against Amaral and the makers of a TV documentary based on his book.

The document, drafted by the McCanns' Portuguese lawyer Isabel Duarte and and her colleague Ricardo Correia, says: 'The appellants understand the archiving of the case took place because during the inquiry, sufficient evidence had been collected to show the 'arguidos' had not committed any crime.'

They said the removal of the McCanns' 'arguido' status had legally binding connotations and claimed the Supreme Court judges' argument 'lacked foundation and could be easily altered.'

Accusing them of acting 'frivolously' and contradicting themselves with their statements about the reasons for the 2008 probe archive, they added: 'It cannot be stated that it is not acceptable that the archiving of the case is considered the equivalent to proof of innocence.'

Goncalo Amaral's 2008 book 'The Truth of the Lie' claimed the McCanns faked Madeleine's abduction to cover up her death

Mrs Duarte confirmed at the weekend the McCanns had lodged a formal complaint against the latest court ruling, although she declined to go into detail about why and how they were fighting it.

It was unclear today if another set of Supreme Court judges would deal with complaints about rulings - or if they would be handed to another judicial body to review.

Amaral was ordered to pay the McCanns 430,000 by a Lisbon court in April 2015 after they won round one of their lengthy judicial battle over his book and a subsequent TV documentary.

The former police chief got that ruling - and a ban on selling his book - overturned on appeal in April last year.

The decision by Lisbon's Court of Appeal sparked the Supreme Court fight which was resolved on January 31.

The full 76-page ruling which sparked the new legal challenge by the McCanns was released just under a week later.

Madeleine McCann disappeared from an Algarve holiday apartment on May 3, 2007

Judges made it clear in their decision their job was not to decide whether the McCanns bore any criminal responsibility over their daughter's disappearance and it would be wrong for anyone to draw any inferences about the couple's guilt or innocence from their ruling.

But they added: 'It should not be said that the appellants were cleared via the ruling announcing the archiving of the criminal case.

'In truth, that ruling was not made in virtue of Portugal's Public Prosecution Service having acquired the conviction that the appellants hadn't committed a crime.

'The archiving of the case was determined by the fact that public prosecutors hadn't managed to obtain sufficient evidence of the practice of crimes by the appellants.

'There is therefore a significant, and not merely a semantic difference, between the legally admissible foundations of the archive ruling.

'It doesn't therefore seem acceptable that the ruling, based on the insufficiency of evidence, should be equated to proof of innocence.'

They added, highlighting the McCanns' Tapas Nine friend Jane Tanner's much-questioned sighting of the suspected 'abductor': 'It's true that the aforementioned criminal inquiry ended up being archived, namely because none of the apparent evidence that led to the appellants being made 'arguidos' was subsequently confirmed or consolidated.

Kate and Gerry, both 48, of Rothley, Leicestershire, have said they will sue if 'The Truth of the Lie' is sold in Britain

'However even the archive ruling raises serious concerns relating to the truth of the allegation that Madeleine was kidnapped.'

The Supreme Court judges said the McCanns claimed Amaral's book and the TV documentary based on the book formed no part of case files made public in 2008 and would have damaged the honour and good name of any 'innocent person who had been cleared through the shelving of the criminal investigation.'

But they stated: 'We consider the invocation of the violation of the principle of innocence should not be taken into account here, since this issue is not relevant to the resolution of the question that needs to be decided here.'

They said the 'crucial question' for them was how to resolve the rights of Kate and Gerry McCann to their 'good name and reputation' and the rights of Goncalo Amaral and the other respondents including the book editors to the constitutionally enshrined right of 'freedom of expression.'

Concluding Amaral had not acted 'illicitly,' they ruled his book was not a personal and unjustified attack on the McCanns with a 'defamatory intention' behind it which would not be protected by freedom of speech rights.

Describing the book and the TV documentary based on it as an 'opinion' based on the logic of facts and evidence contained in the criminal case files, they added: 'Our opinion is that rather than an injurious animus, the intention was informative and defensive.'

The Supreme Court ruling meant Amaral was spared having to pay the McCanns the compensation he was ordered to hand them after the first court ruling in 2015.

The payment was frozen when he launched his successful appeal.

Earlier this month it emerged the ex detective, removed as head of the investigation into Madeleine's disappearance after criticising British detectives, was writing a new book about the unsolved mystery.

It is understood he will be critical in the new book of some of the things Scotland Yard did in their review and later ongoing investigation of the case.

Kate and Gerry McCann leave the court house in Lisbon after delivering statements in their case against Portuguese police officer Goncalo Amaral on July 8, 2014

The former cop insisted from day one of his court fight with the McCanns that everything he wrote in his book was based on the publicly available case files.

Kate and Gerry, both 48, of Rothley, Leicestershire, have said they will sue if 'The Truth of the Lie' is sold in Britain.

They said in a statement after learning of the Supreme Court ruling against them: 'What we have been told by our lawyers is obviously extremely disappointing.

'It is eight years since we brought the action, and in that time the landscape has changed dramatically, namely there is now a joint Metropolitan Police and Policia Judiciaria investigation which is what we have always wanted.

'The police in both countries continue to work on the basis that there is no evidence Madeleine has come to physical harm.

The former cophas insisted that everything he wrote in his book was based on the publicly available case files

'We will of course be discussing the implications of the Supreme Court ruling with our lawyers in due course.'

It is believed the McCanns are discussing the possibility of taking the case to the European Court of Human Rights.

The 20,000 page 'Madeleine files' made public in 2008 contained a report by public prosecutors which said:' No element of proof whatsoever was found which allows us to form any lucid, sensible, serious and honest conclusion about the circumstance of Madeleine's disappearance from the apartmentincluding, and most dramatically, establishing whether she is alive or dead, which seems more probable.'

Referring to the McCanns' much criticised decision to leave their daughter, then three, alone with younger siblings Sean and Amelie while they ate tapas nearby, it added: 'We must also recognise that the parents are paying a heavy penalty over the disappearance of Madeleine for their carelessness in monitoring and protecting their children.'

Portuguese police chiefs said late last year they were 'completely in tune' with British detectives still investigating Madeleine's disappearance, appearing to end years of tension between the two forces whose theories on the youngster's fate have differed wildly.

Portuguese prosecutors reopened their probe into Madeleine McCann's disappearance in May 2014, and are now working in close coordination with Scotland Yard's scaled-down Operation Grange probe into Madeleine's fate.
An organization run by a former white supremacist that helps neo-Nazis, members of the KKK and other far-right radicals leave their hateful groups is under threat by federal budget cuts.

Ex-skinhead Christian Picciolini founded Life After Hate in 2009, and uses his understanding of fascist hate groups to encourage others to step into the light.

The group was awarded a $400,000 Justice Department grant in 2016 to continue its work with white extremists.

But Donald Trump is now considering reallocating those funds to groups solely focused on fighting Islamic extremism - putting Life After Hate's unique mission at risk.

Reformed: Christian Picciolini is a former skinhead and the founder of Life After Hate, which gets ex-white supremacists to help other radical right members to leave hate groups

Old times: Piccolini is seen here as a youth with Shannon Martinez, who also reformed and helps the group. But Life After Hate is threatened by Donald Trump's possible budget changes

Helped: Shane Johnson grew up in the KKK, but Life After Hate is helping him acclimate to the wider world. Trump wants to shift all anti-extremist money to counter Islamic extremism

Piccolini said he started the organization because it's hard for white extremists to disengage from the communities that support them.

'Even though I'd abandoned the ideology, I wasn't ready to give up my community and my power and my identity, and I knew how hard it would be for other people to leave this type of ideology or this type of movement,' he explained.

It's a system that other organizations without intimate experience of the white power movement would have trouble replicating.

It is also very much in need, says Mark Potok, a senior fellow with the liberal Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) in Montgomery, Alabama.

He says it's hard to determine exact numbers, but around 100,000 people might be members in hate groups and several hundred thousand could be linked informally.

'I do think that this is a particularly important moment for this kind of exit work to be happening because we have seen in the last year, year and a half, a real legitimization of these views,' he said.

Last week the SPLC revealed that anti-Muslim groups had increased from 34 to 101 from 2015-2016, and white nationalist and neo-Nazi groups are also on the rise.

However, the Trump administration is now considering redirecting a federal program combating violent extremism of all kinds to solely focus on Islamic radicals - even though several other grant recipients already deal with that issue.

The 'Countering Violent Extremism,' or CVE, project may be changed to 'Countering Islamic Extremism' or 'Countering Radical Islamic Extremism,' sources close to the president have said.

Worried: Martinez, seen today, became a skinhead to deal with the anger of being sexually assaulted. Now she worries that there is a dangerous upsurge in far-right groups

That is a dramatic shift for the CVE. In 2016, Congress appropriated $10 million in grants for CVE efforts, awarding the first round of grants - including Life After Hate's share - on January 13, 2016.

The year before, Dylann Roof became the highest-profile white supremacist terrorist in some time when he shot nine black people inside a historic African-American church in Charleston.

Among others approved for the money were local governments, city police departments, universities and non-profit organizations.

Life After Hate isn't the only group trying to dissolve white power groups; the Philadelphia-based One People's Project was set up both to monitor racist groups and to confront them directly.

Its founder, Daryle Lamont Jenkins - who is black - meets white nationalists at public gatherings and talks one-on-one with to show them there's a way other than hate. Some have never met a black person, he said.

But Life After Hate is unique in that it uses insider knowledge of former white extremists to connect with those still in hate groups.

Ex-racist: Martinez, seen giving a Nazi salute as a teen, talks to white supremacists on Facebook and encourages them to leave the hate groups that form their entire community

Shannon Martinez, 42, is a long-time friend of Piccolini's who was also swayed away from extremism. She now works with Life After Hate, and talks on Facebook to doubting white supremacists.

She grew up in a relatively normal Atlanta family, but rebelled after being sexually assaulted at a party, getting into the punk scene then the skinhead movement.

A photograph shows her and Piccolini giving Nazi salutes in front of a Confederate flag.

She believes she was on a path to prison or an early death when she moved in with the family of her skinhead boyfriend, who was away for Army training. His mother showed unconditional love that pulled her out of the abyss, Martinez said.

Today, she looks at photos of herself from her skinhead days and fights back tears.

'I was filled with rage and anger and the skinheads were the angriest people that I knew and I was kind of like, "Those are my people,"' she said.

She added that 'the ideology was a means of taking something that was ethereal, something that was unnamable, an anger and a rage that I felt, and giving it a focal point.'

Marked: Martinez (seen with her kids) still has a Celtic cross - a white power symbol - tattooed on her leg. She thinks Trump's election 'lit a fire under the butts of the white nationalists'

Those insights allow her to get through to the white supremacists in a way that other groups cannot, Piccolini says.

The need for such an organization is even stronger after Donald Trump became president despite having high-profile backing of neo-Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan.

'The Trump election has absolutely lit a fire under the butts of the white nationalists,' Martinez said. 'It is like, "Our time is coming."'

So, Piccolini says, Life After Hate needs to reach out in a way that only it can.

'We act as a group of people who understand each other,' Piccolini said. 'We understand the motivations of where we came from and why we joined. We understand what keeps people in.

'And we help each other detach and disengage from that ideology and provide a support system for them as they go through that transformation.'

Shane Johnson knows only too well how hard it can be to divorce yourself from a hate group - especially when they are members of your own family.

The northern Indiana man was born and raised in extremism, joining his dad and many relatives in the Ku Klux Klan when he was just 14.

'We were known as the Klan family,' said Johnson, whose body is an elaborate patchwork of swastikas, and fascist iconography. One tattoo, on his left forearm, reads 'ARYAN.'

Johnson later joined a skinhead group, too, but he finally decided to quit after getting arrested, stopping drinking and meeting the woman who is now his wife.

His family didn't like that, he said, and jumped him at a gas station one night after learning he wanted to quit.

Out: Johnson was beaten up by his family when he left the KKK but made it out. Life After Hate is now helping him read the Bible without seeing it as a treatise on racial separation

'When I dropped out they beat the holy hell out of me,' he said.

Since then, Johnson, now 25, has tried to cover some of his racist tattoos with new ones and wears long sleeves to hide remnants of the past he regrets.

Life After Hate is helping him numerous ways, he said, including showing him how to read the Bible without seeing it as a treatise on racial separation, as he had been taught.

Johnson isn't ready to begin counseling others about leaving extremism; he still sometimes longs for his racist buddies and their ways.

But he said his own story is proof that hate doesn't have to be permanent: 'You can get out.'
It was a village bus stop that had been left in a sorry state having been plagued by vandals for many years.

But residents of Walkhampton in Devon now have a stone shelter they can be proud of after it received a stunning makeover by a guerilla interior designer.

The transformation means villagers can now enjoy a homely front room with an arm chair, scatter cushions, throws, pot plants and even pictures on the walls.

Impressive change: Residents of Walkhampton in Devon now have a stone bus shelter they can be proud of after it received a stunning makeover by a guerilla interior designer

Waiting game: The heavily vandalised bus stop in the Devon village has been transformed into one of the cosiest in Britain after being given a makeover by the mystery artist

Residents in the small Dartmoor village say they are thrilled at the transformation of the shelter which they have billed the 'cosiest bus shelter in Devon'.

The unknown designer has lovingly lavished the once bleak interior with divine details and little touches with a Valentine's Day theme.

They include a single red rose, red hearts and matching lampshade, a classy candelabra and even a little wicker basket filled with Celebrations chocolates.

The shelter is served by the 56 Tavistock to Meavy Target Travel bus service  and locals were so pleased by their new stop that one added a thank you note.

Pleasant: Residents in the small Dartmoor village say they are thrilled at the transformation of the shelter which they have billed the 'cosiest bus shelter in Devon'

Turnaround: The extravagant and occasional sprucing up of the site has been going on since at least August 2016, according to locals

It read: 'To the person responsible for the fantastic periodic make-overs of the Walkhampton "bus stop", providing a source of amusement for the residents of the village... Thank you!

'To the individual responsible for the nasty, deliberate destruction of the other's efforts... Words fail me.'

The extravagant and occasional sprucing up of the site has been going on since at least August 2016, according to locals.

Bus stop: The shelter is served by the 56 Tavistock to Meavy Target Travel service  and locals were so pleased by their new stop that one added a thank you note

Burrator parish councillor Keith Scrivener said: 'There has been a history of vandalism of the bus shelter which has had to be cleaned up time after time.

'Now we have the cosiest bus shelter in Devon. Well done to whoever is responsible for the good dead.'

The Reverend Preb Nick Shutt, West Dartmoor Mission Community rector and a resident of Walkhampton, added: 'I don't know who has done it and I haven't spoken to anybody who seems to know, but it has brought a smile to everyone's faces.

'It's like having our very own Banksy, who likes doing some installation art. It has cheered everyone up and it's nice to have a bit of good news for a change.'
Far-right French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen today cancelled a meeting with Lebanons most senior Muslim cleric  saying she objected to covering her hair.

Her political gesture against the Grand Mufti was aimed at asserting French secular values in Lebanon, where the main religions are Islam and Christianity.

It came as the 48-year-old leader of the National Front (FN) tried to boost her credentials as a world leader by visiting the Middle East state.

An aide of Lebanon's Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdel-Latif Derian, left, gives a head scarf to French far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen, right, but she refuses to wear it

Marine Le Pen, center, was told of the tradition before visiting the Dar al-Fatwa, headquarters of the Sunni Mufti, in Beirut, Lebanon, today but said 'I won't be veiled'

Ms Le Pens visit to Sheikh Abdellatif Deryans offices in Beirut had been planned well in advance, but when she was offered a shawl to put over her head, she immediately refused it.

This was despite being told about the traditional procedure of covering the head as a mark of respect.

Ms Le Pen said she had visited Al-Azhar, the Egyptian centre of Sunni Islamic learning, in 2015, without covering up. The highest Sunni authority in the world did not require wearing this, so I have no reason to, Ms Le Pen said today.

She told reporters: But it doesnt matter. You pass on my regards to the Grand Mufti, but I wont veil myself.

Praising the political gesture, Florian Philippot, one of Ms Le Pens closest FN aides, said it was a beautiful message of emancipation and freedom sent to the women of France and the world.

Sheikh Abdellatif Deryan is in charge of Dar al-Fatwa, the highest Sunni authority in Lebanon.

Body guards escort a vehicle that carries French far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen, as she drives away from the headquarters leaving the staff at the office baffled

After leaving today, pictured, Ms Le Pen said she met in the past with the Grand mufti of Egypt's Al-Azhar, one of the world's top Sunni clerics, without wearing a veil

In a statement it said it had informed the presidential candidate, through one of her assistants, of the need to cover her head when she meets his eminence, according to the protocol assumed by Dar al-Fatwa.

The statement added that the leaders of Dar al-Fatwa were surprised by her refusal to comply with this well-known rule.

It is common practice for foreign politicians and diplomat to adopt local customs when visiting religious institutions abroad.

Israel, which is next door to Lebanon, expects visitors to wear kippahs - a hat that covers the top of the head - when appropriate, for example.

During a campaign speech in Lyon earlier this month, Ms Le Pen pledged to promote secularism as part of her anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant agenda.

She is currently at the centre of a fake jobs corruption enquiry in France, but is expected to win the first round of voting in presidential elections in April.

However, polls suggest that she will be well beaten in the second in May, when independent Emmanuelle Macron is expected to win.
A Muslim ABC presenter who told Q&A she practised sharia turned to an Islamist who repeatedly refused to condemn Islamic State murders in a shocking television interview.

Youth activist Yassmin Abdel-Magied told Q&A last week sharia to her meant praying five times a day and that Islam was the 'most feminist religion'.

After that polarising appearance the 25-year-old writer, who also hosts an ABC News 24 program, turned to Hizb ut-Tahir spokesman Wassim Doureihi for advice on social media about how to present her arguments.

This is the same man who in October 2014 repeatedly refused to condemn Islamic State's murderous atrocities in northern Iraq - despite being asked 11 times to do so in an 11-minute interview on the ABC's Lateline program.

Muslim activist Yassmin Abdel-Magied (pictured) turned to hardline Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir for advice after her Q&A appearance

Lateline presenter Emma Alberici repeatedly asked the Hizb ut-Tahrir spokesman Wassim Doureihi to condemn Islamic State atrocities in Iraq

Lateline presenter Emma Alberici had repeatedly asked Mr Doureihi to condemn their violent tactics.

'Answer my question please,' she said after the Hizb ut-Tahrir spokesman repeatedly blamed western governments for the rise of ISIS.

'Why will you not point blank condemn the actions of IS fighters?'

At one point, she even asked: 'Are you outraged by the image of an Australian-born child of seven-years-old holding up severed heads like trophies in Iraq or Syria?'

Mr Doureihi replied: 'Let me tell you what I am outraged by.'

But the Lateline host took him to task for avoiding the question yet again.

Ms Alberici also asked: 'Men who cut off the heads of innocent journalists and aid workers, why will you not take the opportunity?'

Ms Abdel-Magied turned to Mr Doureihi for advice on Facebook last week, three days after her Q&A appearance.

He is part of a political group that wants sharia law imposed as part of a pan-Islamic state.

Support for a petition calling for Ms Abdel-Magied to be sacked from the ABC as a presenter, over her remarks about sharia, has surged from 10,635 signatures late on Sunday night to more than 26,800 on Tuesday night.

Hizb ut-Tahrir spokesman Wassim Doureihi repeatedly refused to condemn Islamic State

Ms Abdel-Magied sparked controversy last week when she told ABC's Q&A program Islam is a 'feminist religion'

Just three days after the heated television debate, Ms Abdel-Magied asked Hizb ut-Tahrir spokesman Wassim Doureihi (pictured) on social media how she could have better presented her opinion

Ms Abdel-Magied talked to Mr Doureihi on social media (pictured) three days after her appearance on Q&A

Hizb ut-Tahrir, which operates in 50 countries including Australia, is campaigning for a pan-Islamic superstate that implements sharia and has a constitution which calls for the killing of ex-Muslims, known as apostates.

'Salams! Well, I am always happy to take feedback. What specifically was problematic and how can I do better in the future inshallah?,' Ms Abdel-Magied posted on Mr Doureihi's Facebook after he called her arguments 'indeed problematic.'

Mr Doureihi responded: 'First of all, may Allah reward you for your tireless efforts. Not an easy task, but you consistently do so with grace, humility and courage.

'In a nutshell, you've ended up framing Islam through a secular lens, aimed at a secular people and conscious of the presence of a secular government. The end result was always going to be ugly.'

In a heated clash with Senator Jacqui Lambie (pictured), Ms Abdel-Magied said her Sharia faith meant obeying the laws of the land on which she was on

Ms Abdel-Magied agreed, saying 'it was always going to be a tricky one' before offering to privately message him.

A petition calling for Ms Abdel-Magied to be sacked from her role as an ABC television presenter reached 26,800 signatures by Tuesday night.

The change.org petition calling on the ABC to 'publicly condemn and fire Yassmin Abdel-Magied over pro-sharia law comments' was posted by a right-wing group called AltCon News.

An ABC spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia on Monday the 25-year-old writer would not be fired.

Ms Abdel-Magied, who hosts Saturday morning program Australia Wide on ABC News 24, was responding to Senator Lambie's call to deport all Muslims who support 'Sharia law' when the fiery debate between the pair began.

Hizb ut-Tahrir, which operates in 50 countries including Australia, is campaigning for a pan-Islamic superstate that implements Sharia (pictured right is Mr Doureihi at a rally in 2014)

Right-wing AltCon News group has called for Ms Abdel-Magied (pictured) to be sacked as the host of the ABC's Australia Wide program

Sharia is practised as a legal system imposed by faith courts across much of the Muslim world, including Saudi Arabia, Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Nigeria, Yemen and the Indonesian province of Aceh.

It is controversial because it replaces secular law with religious courts.

Full sharia includes harsh punishments, known as 'hudud', where thieves have had their hands amputated in Saudi Arabia, Somalia and in Islamic State-controlled areas of northern Iraq and Syria.

In the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Theresa May last year ordered a review into the 'harm' caused by sharia courts operating in Britain, when she was home secretary.

The petition argued that while Ms Abdel-Magied hadn't called for a new legal system in Australia, her support for sharia meant she was advocating for Islamic faith courts.

An ABC spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia the 25-year-old will not be fired, despite a petition calling for her removal (pictured)

'As Yassmin Abdel-Magied made these comments on the taxpayer-funded Q&A program, and as she is a regularly paid commentator on the taxpayer-funded network, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, needs to reassure the taxpaying public that they condemn her rhetoric and that Australians obey one set of laws, that no religious law is higher than the law of the land and that her blatant lies about this law will not be tolerated or funded by the Australian taxpayers,' the petition said.

In the heated clash with Senator Lambie, Ms Abdel Magied said her Muslim faith obliged her to 'follow the law of the land on which you are on.'

The current petition, with more than 26,800 signatures, is almost nine times greater than another change.org petition last week calling on the ABC to 'apologise' to the Muslim community for allowing Senator Lambie to have a heated clash with Ms Abdel-Magied.

This petition, backed by 49 Muslim activists and community leaders, had attracted a more modest 3,000 signatures by Tuesday night, and it also went live on Wednesday last week.

The writers of the petition calling on Ms Abdel-Magied to be sacked condemned her for 'lying to the public about the merits of sharia law and the oppressive impact it has on non-Muslim groups, homosexuals and women'.

Ms Abdel-Magied (right) with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull (centre), The Project host Waleed Aly (left) and his wife academic Susan Carland at Sydney's Kirribilli House last year

They also criticised her for posting a follow-up video arguing the ban on women driving in Saudi Arabia was cultural and not due to Islam, as other Muslim nations didn't have such sexist restrictions.

'I'm not going to deny it: some countries run by Muslims are violent, sexist and do oppress their citizens,' Ms Abdel-Magied said.

'But again that's not down to sharia, that's down to the culture, and the patriarchy and the politics of those particular countries.'

Ms Abdel-Magied last year went on a taxypayer-funded trip to Sudan, Saudia Arabia and the United Arabic Emirates to promote a book she had written, but has made no mention of female genital mutilation across the Muslim world or stoning for adultery.

Hardline Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir criticised Ms Abdel-Magied for presenting Islam in a 'secular' way yet she has reached out to this group

Somali-born writer and Islamic critic Ayaan Hirsi Ali has criticised Yassmin Abdel-Magied's appearance on Q&A

Hizb ut-Tahrir's other Sydney-based spokesman, Uthman Badar, has also condemned her on Facebook for presenting Sharia 'in the image of secular liberalism'.

He said she had failed to acknowledge sharia is a set of laws and not just a personal relationship with a God.

Somali-born writer and former Dutch lawmaker Ayaan Hirsi Ali, an internationally-prominent critic of Islam now based in the United States, has criticised Ms Abdel-Magied's assertion on Q&A last week that 'Islam is the most feminist religion' and how culture, and not Islam, were to blame for the oppression of women.

'That is absurd. Abdel-Magied fits into a familiar pattern, where the government of a free society such as Australia invests a considerable sum in an individual or a group in the hope that the person is a 'moderate' Muslim and will advance the assimilation of their Muslim minority through constructive engagement,' Ms Hirsi Ali, a former refugee, said in a column for The Weekend Australian on Saturday.

'Then the supposed moderate the government has invested in is exposed as a closet Islamist, in this case sympathetic to Sharia law.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Ms Abdel-Magied for comment.
Qingqing Rao, 29, pictured, is fighting for her life in hospital after being stabbed in the head by a stranger while walking home in Dagenham last week

A woman is fighting for her life after she was stabbed in the head by a stranger as she walked home.

Qingqing Rao, 29, remains in critical condition in hospital after the attack in Dagenham, east London.

She was rushed to hospital after being found unconscious with serious head injuries and had been walking home across a park after leaving her job as a business analyst in the City.

The attack took place on February 13 and detectives returned to the scene of the crime last night to urge witnesses to come forward.

Detective Chief Inspector Gary Holmes, leading the investigation for the Metropolitan Police's Homicide and Major Crime Command, said: 'Qingqing remains unconscious in hospital in a life-threatening condition.

'Her parents and husband are by her side and desperate to catch the person who did this to her.

'Officers will be returning to the area tonight in the hope someone comes forward with information that could help our investigation.

'If you know anything at all, or saw something suspicious that night, please contact us as soon as possible.

'We are still keeping an open mind about the motive and exploring all lines of inquiry but indications are Qingqing was brutally attacked by a stranger.'

Officers believed she left central London on the night via Liverpool Street and then boarded a bus at Rippleside Cemetery, Barking, at around 9.37pm, getting off three minutes later at Castle Green.

She was found seriously injured by two women around 10 minutes later and officers are appealing for them to come forward and help with inquiries.

It is believe the stabbing occurred as she was walking across the park. Her bag was later found in nearby Goresbrook Road.

Detectives are still appealing for two women who helped paramedics to contact them, as well as anyone else who has information about what happened.

There have been no arrests at this stage.

Chief Superintendent Sean Wilson, of the Barking and Dagenham borough, added: 'This was clearly a horrific attack that has left a young woman fighting for her life.

The attack took place in Castle Green park in Dagenham, pictured, on February 13

'Attacks like this are rare but I know our local community will be very concerned about what has happened.

'We are putting extra officers on patrol in the area to offer reassurance and giving every support to DCI Holmes' investigation.

'We do not want to alarm people but it's prudent for everyone to take sensible crime prevention precautions.

'Avoid secluded and poorly lit areas at night, particularly if you're alone, and do tell a friend or family member where you are going.'

Anyone who can help is asked to call incident room on 020 8345 1570, contact police via 101 or by tweeting @MetCC.

To give information anonymously contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit crimestoppers-uk.org.
Advertisement

A rare 'fire rainbow' formed in the skies of Singapore on Monday for just 15 minutes.

The incredible ball of multi-coloured light formed 'out of nowhere' behind a cloud on Monday afternoon in North-East District, Singapore.

It was so bright that onlookers even mistook it at first for a UFO as it loomed ominously across the skyline.

Fire rainbows - also known as circumhorizontal arcs - are a rare occurrence caused by light bursting through cirrus clouds at high altitude.

A rare 'fire rainbow' formed in the skies of Singapore on Monday for just 15 minutes. The ball of multi-coloured light formed 'out of nowhere' behind a cloud just after 5pm in North-East District, Singapore.

The incredible phenomenon was so bright that onlookers even mistook it at first for a UFO as it loomed ominously across the skyline

Fire rainbows - also known as circumhorizontal arcs - are a rare occurrence caused by light bursting through cirrus clouds at high altitude

The sunlight is reflected through the ice-crystal clouds into a bright prism of colours.

Pet stylist Bernard Ong, who recorded a clip of the fire rainbow, said: 'I have never seen such a beautiful Mother Nature before. This was totally something amazing.'

'It was quite bright,' he added. 'Someone said it looks like a UFO, too.''

Onlooker Natalie Claudia Wong also captured the fleeting rainbow on her phone at around 5pm before it disappeared just 15 minutes later.

Pet stylist Bernard Ong, who recorded a clip of the fire rainbow on Monday, said that he had 'never seen such a beautiful Mother Nature before'

Onlooker Natalie Claudia Wong also captured the fleeting rainbow on her phone. She said she found herself 'in awe of this beautiful cloud'

HOW DO FIRE RAINBOWS FORM IN THE SKY? The phenomenon was first dubbed a 'fire rainbow' back in 2006, when one was spotted by a Washington journalist. And meteorologist Justin Lock told 14 News that a strict set of conditions are required for such phenomena to appear. They only occur in high-level cirrus clouds, which usually form at about 18,000ft. They appear thin and wispy and are made up of tiny ice crystals. 'To produce the rainbow colours the sun's rays must enter the ice crystals at a precise angle to give the prism effect of the color spectrum,' Lock said, adding the sun must be at an altitude of at least 58 degrees above the horizon. The same sort of thing occurs when we see coloruful sunsets. In those instances, high-level cirrus clouds produce many colours due to the sun's low angle, meaning that we see reds, oranges and purples. Advertisement

Student Wong, 23, said: 'I was walking towards my bus stop when I found myself in awe of this beautiful cloud and the myriad of colours that were bursting out of it.

'This was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen, and I literally turned on Facebook Live to share the exact moment that I saw it.

'I was feeling pretty down over the past week, but this immediately lifted my spirits.'

Because such a specific angle is necessary for the colours to be visible, the phenomenon is most common at middle latitudes.

'You're more likely to see this type of rainbow during the summer in North America,' Dayna Vettese, a meteorologist at The Weather Network, told Daily Mail Online two years ago. 'But in places like Europe, the arcs are much rarer.'
A Brazilian television channel has revealed the dancer fronting its Rio Carnival coverage will wear clothes for the first time in 26 years.

TV Globo's dancer, known as Globeleza, has appeared in clips interspersing carnival programming since 1991, with different dancers taking on the role over the years.

But while previous samba stars have performed naked, other than high heels, sequins, a lick or two of shimmery paint - and in some years barely that - a controversial change has been made for 2017.

This year's Globeleza, Erika Moura, has been unveiled as wearing lush, ankle-length, folkloric outfits - and the costume sparked debate after making national news.

A Brazilian television channel has revealed the dancer fronting its Rio Carnival coverage will wear clothes (right) for the first time in 26 years. Normally, dancers they use for the role are naked (left) after from body paint and high heels (left)

TV Globo's dancer, known as Globeleza, has appeared in clips interspersing carnival programming since 1991, with different dancers taking on the role over the years. Erika Moura (pictured) is this year's star

'For the first time, Globeleza is dressed' and 'Who dressed Globeleza?' were among the chorus of headlines.

But the new look handed to Globeleza - a mash-up of Globo and the Portuguese word for beauty - is only one sign of shifting morality in Brazil as carnival goers rehearse for the famously wild pre-Lenten bash starting Friday.

Rio's new mayor Marcelo Crivella, an Evangelical bishop elected last year on the conservative wave sweeping the country, reportedly will not even attend the carnival.

Although this has not been confirmed, the city's culture secretary says he has been deputised to stand in for Crivella on Friday at the traditional handing over of the city keys to Rei Momo, the carnival king who is typically a large, jolly man elected by samba enthusiasts.

Given that the carnival is Rio de Janeiro's biggest annual event, drawing approximately one million tourists, the absence of the mayor might seem odd.

While previous samba stars have performed naked, other than high heels, sequins, a lick or two of shimmery paint - and in some years barely that - a controversial change has been made for 2017

The new look handed to Globeleza - a mash-up of Globo and the Portuguese word for beauty - is only one sign of shifting morality in Brazil as carnival goers rehearse for the famously wild pre-Lenten bash starting Friday. Moura is pictured being prepared for last year's show

Crivella, whose billionaire uncle founded the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God, would be the first mayor to miss the first carnival of his time in office.

His absence would be all the starker given that his predecessor, Eduardo Paes, never looked happier than with a beer and a tambourine in hand.

Crivella appears unperturbed by the fuss. His office would only say that it refuses to comment on 'speculation about the destination of the mayor.'

But another former mayor, Cesar Maia, is not amused. 'I understand that because of his religion he doesn't like to dance samba or something like that, but his presence... is obligatory,' he told O Globo newspaper.

Right-winger Crivella may find the Rio debauchery not to his liking, but it is pressure from the left that is having the biggest impact.

Globeleza has long been targeted by activists who saw her nudity reinforcing popular images about black women as sex objects.

Globeleza has long been targeted by activists who saw her nudity reinforcing popular images about black women as sex objects. This year, TV Globo appears to have changed its stance as pictures from its

Globo TV downplayed this year's switch to a clothed Globeleza, merely saying it wanted to 'enrich' the character and that 'the warm reaction of the public shows we took the right path.'

They were also angered by an episode in 2014 when the dancer picked by Globo took flak on social media for being too dark and was replaced the following year by the lighter-skinned Moura.

Globo TV downplayed this year's switch to a clothed Globeleza, merely saying it wanted to 'enrich' the character and that 'the warm reaction of the public shows we took the right path.'

But Luana Genot, who founded a racial equality nonprofit organisation called ID-BR, is celebrating Globeleza's reinvention.

'That's something that the black feminist movement has been struggling to get for years and years,' she said.

'Our struggle right now is for people to see that (black women) cannot be reduced only to this stereotype,' she said. 'People were just turning off the TV and sending a message that black people don't want to be portrayed this way anymore.'

Music is another battleground. Feminists targeting sexual harassment have come up with a new carnival anthem, sung by Bruna Caram and Chico Cesar, that mixes the traditional body-shaking rhythm with a promise of respect: 'It doesn't matter what you wear, I won't touch you unless you consent.'

Erika Moura is performing the role of Globeleza for TV Globo during the Rio Carnival this year

There is also fierce debate over alleged sexism and racism in the lyrics of some of the carnival's classic marching songs, for example in their use of the politically charged word for mixed-race women 'mulata.'

Several street carnival groups, known as blocos, have cut the songs, often written more than half a century ago, from their playlists.

Debora Thome, who founded the feminist bloco Mulheres Rodadas, says the tide is turning.

'It's something new. A lot of people have talked about it for years but not as much as now,' she said.

'In our bloco we play about 10 songs and we choose from music sung by women or composed by women and which have empowering lyrics, or funny ones.'

However, veteran carnival composer Joao Roberto Kelly, whose output of samba hits includes the perhaps awkwardly titled 'Menino Gay (Gay Boy)' and 'Maria Sapatao (Maria the Dyke),' accuses feminists of spoiling the party.

'I've not seen such censorship since the time of the dictatorship,' he fumed in O Estado de S. Paulo daily.
This is the shocking moment a family watched in horror as their pet dog was snatched and eaten alive by a crocodile.

A man could be seen throwing a rope around the reptile as it was swimming in a river in Mexico.

But seconds later, the dog approached the animal and it quickley ended up in the beast's jaw.

This is the shocking moment a family watched in horror as their pet dog was snatched and eaten alive by a crocodile. The giant reptile (left) was spotted in a shallow river in Mexico and seconds later a helpless dog approached it

Its stunned owners watched the crocodile retreat back into the water with the pet in its mouth.

A child could be heard screaming and crying after witnessing the helpless pet being taken away.

The man who was holding the rope desperately tried to pull it back towards him, but to no avail.

The two-minute video clip ends with the crocodile swimming away with the pet still in its mouth.
Donald Trump's former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski has attacked his ex-boss's inner circle for the uneven start to his tenure in the White House.

Lewandowski was fired by Trump on June 20 but remained loyal to the former Apprentice star as he continued his run for the presidency.

Now in a damning interview, Lewandowski has blamed Trump's inner circle of advisers such as Kellyanne Conway, Reince Priebus, Jared Kushner and Steve Bannon for the administration's checkered beginning.

Former Donald Trump aide Corey Lewandowski, pictured, has attacked the president's inner circle over their repeated failures to implement their boss' policy agenda effectively

Speaking to David Axelrod's 'The Axe Files', Lewandowski said many of the recent policy decision announcements such as the immigration executive order were poorly prepared.

He said: 'You have a President who wants to move very quickly, who has a grand vision of what he wants to accomplish and is leaving the details to the staff to implement and (hoping) that the staff understands what that means.

'As I look at the totality of senior staff - and if that's Kellyanne Conway, Steve Bannon, Reince Priebus, Jared Kushner - the senior staff inside of the building, none of them have ever worked inside the government and I think it's both a plus and a minus. You don't know what you don't know.'

Lewandowski criticized several of Trump's senior advisers including Kellyanne Conway

One of the major problems of Trump's first month in office was the need to sack his first National Security adviser Michael Flynn, (right), over conversations he had with the Russian ambassador

Lewandowski was replaced by Republican strategist Paul Manafort, who himself was dropped within two months after stories emerged about his paid lobbying efforts in Ukraine.

Lewandowski urged Trump to exercise more caution when trying to set his agenda.

He added: 'What I think you'll see moving forward hopefully is a measured approach. Not to scale back on fulfilling the promises of the campaign but making sure that you have vetted it properly not only with the right legal entities but also giving a head's up to those people in congress so you don't have backlash from your own party.'

Since taking office in January, Trump has been forced to sack his first choice as National Security Adviser Mike Flynn after the former general was accused of discussing diplomatic policy with the Russian ambassador before the inauguration.

Lewandowski also criticized Jared Kushner, (left), but did not mention his wife, the first daughter Ivanka Trump, who does not have a formal role in the administration

Earlier, he had been forced to ditch New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who was an early Trump supporter along with former New York mayor Rudy Guiliani.

Trump also had to withdraw his choice for labor secretary, Andy Puzder after it emerged the fast food CEO would not have received Senate confirmation.

Also, there are claims of damaging leaks from inside the White House.

Earlier, long-time Trump adviser Roger Stone acknowledged the problem on NBC.

He said: 'I think that in the newest administration you should hire as many experienced capable people who are supporters of yours and who are loyal to Donald Trump from the beginning. The leaking that is coming out of the White House is a manifestation of the fact that there are some people who are not loyal to the president.'

During the campaign, Trump made a virtue of his status as a 'political outsider' with promises to 'drain the swamp'.

He promoted former pollster Conway, 50, to be the first woman to run a presidential campaign.

Steve Bannon spent four years in the Navy before becoming an investment banker

Early in the primaries, Conway worked for Ted Cruz and was even responsible for some attack adverts aimed at Trump, although she is widely respected by the Republican leadership.

She has been described by the New York Times as 'The Trump Whisperer'.

Steve Bannon is the former head of Breitbart News and is Trump's chief strategist. He has been described as a formidable political adversary.

The 63-year-old father-of-three spent four years in the Navy and worked as an investment banker.

He also spent time as a film production, financing Hollywood movies. Under Bannon's guidance, Breitbart News thrived producing news for a right-wing audience.

Donald Trump's White House Chief of Staff is Reince Priebus, a 44-year-old father-of-two and former lawyer.

He was previously the chairman of the Republican National Committee between 2011 and his West Wing appointment in January, and is seen as a key link between the Trump administration and the GOP hierarchy.

Reince Priebus, pictured left, was formerly the chairman of the Republican National Committee; while Jared Kushner, right, husband to Ivanka Trump, is a senior adviser in the administration despite having no political experience

As the administration enters its second month, Priebus is seen as key in pushing forward Trump's promises for health care and tax reform which will require the support of Congress.

Last weekend, he tried to reassure nervous party leaders over Trump's continuing battles with the media over immigration and Russia.

Speaking in Florida, he said: 'Obviously with the White House staff, you're able to walk and chew gum at the same time. The economic team isn't screwing around with the legal case and the lawyers aren't screwing around with tax reform.'

Jared Kushner is a millionaire property developer who owns a New York skyscraper a few blocks from the Trump Tower.

He is married to the President's eldest daughter Ivanka and is a senior adviser in the administration.

The 36-year-old father-of-three is an Orthodox Jew and will not work on the Sabbath.

Due to his status as a member of family, he is seen as key within the administration. It is believed he may have even been behind the decision to ostracize Chris Christie.
An event organiser died in his sleep from a mix of cocaine, Ecstasy and alcohol after he had spent the night partying at a Christmas jumper party.

Darren Batey, 32, had been talking to Paul Sutemire, a man he had previously met at a party, through the gay dating app Grindr in Manchester in 2015, while he was out with friends at the festive party he held every year.

Mr Batey and his friends had gone out in Manchester, and Mr Batey had invited Mr Sutemire back to his flat in Hulme after the party, in the early hours of December 20.

Darren Batey had worked for the Albert Kennedy Trust, which cares for young people in the LGBT community

He was found dead by his flatmate 24 hours after Mr Sutemire had been spotted leaving the apartment.

Mr Sutemire, 33, was questioned by police, but cleared of wrongdoing as tests showed no evidence of violence on Mr Batey's body.

The dead man - whose friends included Coronation Street actor Antony Cotton - had worked for the Albert Kennedy Trust which cares for young people in the LGBT community and had helped raise 100,000 for charities including MacMillan Cancer Support.

Nicknamed 'Sweet Cheeks' the Loughborough University graduate ran gay festival Bolton Pride, volunteered at Brighton Pride and also helped at the 2012 Commonwealth Games in London.

Mr Batey died after taking a cocktail of drugs through the night at an annual Christmas jumper party that he held for friends

The tragedy occurred after Mr Batey threw a party at his flat last December 19 and invited various friends.

Flatmate Adam Bethall told an inquest in Manchester: 'He often used Grindr and it wouldn't be too surprising if someone else was in the flat with Darren.

'That evening Darren had friends visiting and there were a number of friends there. At around 10.30 that night, Darren used Cocaine which he snorted. He didn't have a lot and only takes it on the odd occasion.

'We headed to a few bars in Manchester - Cruz 101 and The Thompson Arms and at around 4am we made our way back home. It was just me and Darren and we got a taxi back together. We said goodnight and we just went to bed.

'I went to sleep and I remember hearing someone else in the flat at around 6am, I heard sexual noises coming from Darren's bedroom. The next morning I woke up at about 9am and got up and got ready. I was going to see my brother in London.

Mr Batey arranged to meet with Paul Sutemire in the early hours of December 21 and Mr Sutemire went to Mr Batey's flat

Coronation Street star Antony Cotton was one of those who paid tribute to the popular event organiser

'I didn't see Darren but I did see someone else in the area - I had not seen this man before.

'At around 11am on the 21st of December I came back to the flat with my mother. When I went to the front door it was unlocked which is very unusual.

'I checked all the rooms and then came to Darren's room. I found him on the bed in a kneeling position with his head down. It wasn't until I saw his colour and his face that I realised. The curtains were closed and the main light was on.

'I panicked and called 999 - it was clear to me that he was dead. I had never seen Darren take any other drugs, I only ever witnessed him taking Cocaine. I had never witnessed him taking ecstasy or methadone.'

Mr Batey was found by his flatmate 24 hours after Mr Sutemire had left the house

Mr Sutemire told the hearing: 'I had met Darren previously at a party - probably about a couple of months before that night. On the 19th of December I wasn't at Darren's party but I had been out myself. I was my work's Christmas party.

'I went home around 1am which isn't far from Darren's house. I carried on drinking with my flat mate and his friend. Darren and I were chatting on the dating app Grindr and we decided to meet up and I got a taxi to his. I can't remember whose idea it was to meet up.

'I had also taken Cocaine. I think I got to Darren's at around 6am. I don't remember anything after getting to his flat, I don't even remember if we had sex.

'The only thing I remember is going to the bathroom at some point to be sick. I remember seeing Adam the next morning.

'I went to go and charge my phone and then I fell asleep on the couch. I woke up and that is when I left - I didn't see Darren before I left. I didn't go back to Darren's bedroom after 9am and when I left the room he was asleep. To my understanding he was alive and asleep and did not complain of feeling unwell.'

He added: 'I didn't have any of his friends on Facebook so I didn't feel it was appropriate to speak to any of them about it when I found out. I didn't find out about Darren's death till a couple of weeks later. It didn't even occur to me that it happened after the night that we spent together.'

Mr Batey was found lying face down on his bed in the foetal position with jogging bottoms around his knees. Tests showed he had died from drug toxicity with traces of MDMA, Cocaine and Methadone in his system and he was also the equivalent of twice the legal limit for driving.

Mr Batey had helped raise more than 100,000 for charities like MacMillan cancer care and counted Antony Cotton as a friend

Det Insp Anthony Lee of Greater Manchester Police said: 'We couldn't speak to the last person who had seen Darren alive. We wanted to investigate further as Adam had claimed that he had heard the couple having sex.

'Mr Sutemire actually left the property at 12.21 hours and was wearing jogging bottoms and grey hoodie. He was carrying his shoes in his hands.'

Recording a narrative conclusion of drugs related death, Senior Coroner Nigel Meadows said: 'There were no signs of any kind of assault or natural explanation for his death. Darren was an adult and if he wished to take drugs and alcohol that was up to him but sometimes that can have very adverse effects. Nobody really knows what the effect of taking these kinds of drugs are as they are not medicinal.

'Mr Sutemire's statement is very vague about that night but there is nothing to suggest that even if they did have sex it was not consensual. We do not know when Darren died only when he was found. It could have been a few hours before he was found or it could have been the night before.

'I will just say that anyone who takes drugs and alcohol are are risking death.'

Following Mr Batey's death Antony Cotton, who plays Sean Tulley in Coronation Street, tweeted his condolences as did Wes Streeting, the Labour MP for Ilford North in London, who knew the dead man through the National Union of Students.
Jean Claude Juncker, pictured in Brussels yesterday, has warned Theresa May he will never agree to a 'cut price' Brexit

Jean-Claude Juncker has warned Theresa May he will never agree to a 'cut price' Brexit.

Brussels is determined Britain will pay its share of existing commitments for the next six years and some officials are eager to get agreement on a 50bn bill before talks move to other matters.

Germany has reportedly agreed with Britain that the any divorce charge should not be agreed in isolation.

But EU Commission President Juncker today warned the bill would still be 'salty' - French slang for large - when it is handed over.

Speaking at the Belgian parliament, he said: 'Our British friends need to know - and they know it already - that it will not be cut-price or zero-cost.

'The British will have to respect the commitments which they played a part in agreeing.

'Therefore the bill will be - to use a rather vulgar term - very salty. It will be necessary for the British to respect commitments which they freely entered into.'

Mr Juncker warned the talk would be lengthy in remarks that will raise fears striking a deal will be impossible in the two year timescale outlined in the treaty.

He said: 'This will be a difficult negotiation, which will take two years to reach agreement on the exit arrangements.

'To agree on the future architecture of the relations between the UK and EU, it will need years.'

Michel Barnier, who is leading the talks for Brussels, wants to hand Theresa May a charge of about 50billion to cover Britain's remaining liabilities before it quits.

He wants agreement on the sum before negotiating anything else, including the future UK-EU trading deal.

But Germany has insisted the negotiations on Brexit itself and the future arrangements can be completed in parallel, The Times said today.

Theresa May (left) wants to take negotiations on the terms of Britain's exit and the future arrangements in parallel but EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier (right) wants to sort out the 'divorce' payment first

German ministers are said to be wary of handing Britain a large bill at the start of the negotiations.

Were Mr Barnier to get his way of sorting out the settlement first and working on the future arrangements later, the strict two year exit timetable under Article 50 of the EU treaties could leave little time for resolving a trade deal.

No 10 yesterday pointed to Angela Merkel's commitment to parallel talks last year, when the German chancellor said: 'The UK has to clearly outline how it sees its future with the European Union. These have to be parallel processes.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has backed Britain's proposal of tackling the negotiations in parallel ahead of the start of official talks next month

'You can't completely cut off the bonds and then after a long, winding negotiating process come up with how one sees the future relationship.

'So a good negotiating process is in all of our interests.'

The squabble over even the timetabling of the talks lays bare the difficulties of the two year Brexit process.

The remaining 27 EU countries have held a series of meetings without Britain since the Brexit vote in an effort to strike a unified position.

Mrs May intended to file her Article 50 notification next month, firing the starting gun on the two year process.

Theresa May plans to start her Brexit talks next month. She is meeting her Cabinet today including (from left) Communities Secretary Sajid Javid, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson

Home Secretary Amber Rudd was also in Downing Street today ahead of the weekly Cabinet meeting in No 10 this morning

The Prime Minister has been engaged in a whirlwind schedule of bilateral meetings, hosting the Spanish and Italians in Downing Street in recent weeks.

Brexit Secretary David Davis has spent the past fortnight on road, visiting Scandinavia last week and spending time in eastern Europe this week.

The series of meetings has led to claims in Brussels Britain is attempting to 'divide and rule' in the Brexit talks by squaring allies before entering formal talks.

Speaking in Estonia yesterday, Mr Davis said: 'We want to see both a constructive discussion, a constructive negotiation leading to a long-term constructive partnership.

'One of the reasons Estonia is one of the earlier countries I have visited is because we are friends, we have similar views on defence, on free trade, on security, a whole range of matters.

'We very much voted the same way inside the European Union, we were mutual allies inside and we expect to continue to be mutual allies when Britain is outside.

'We are good friends, good allies, good mutual supporters and long will that continue.'
Panda watchers are saying a sad and fond 'bye bye' to Bao Bao.

The three-year-old female panda, born in August 2013 at The National Zoo in Washington DC, has spent her last moments in the US and has caught her flight to China, where she will join a panda breeding program.

As part of the zoo's cooperative breeding program with the country, all cubs born here move to China before turning four years old in order to breed with other pandas and keep the genetic lines diverse, said the zoo's website.

Scroll down for video

So sad to see you gao! On her last day in the US, Bao Bao was presented with a pink and white ice heart cake

All this for me? You shouldn't have! A week of special events ran up to Bao Bao's departure for China and its breeding program

Bao Bao's special cake was made of bamboo shoots, bamboo, apple, cooked sweet potato, water, pear and leaf eater biscuits

The popular panda left the zoo Tuesday morning and flew from Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia to Chengdu, China. Experts say it is best for pandas to make long trips during the winter, when they are more comfortable due to their thick woolly coats.

Bao Bao is being flown by FedEx, which donated an aircraft as it did for her older brother, Tai Shan, who moved to China in 2010 and which brought her parents, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, to the zoo in 2000, said the website.

The panda will travel the 16-hour non-stop flight to Chengdu with a zookeeper and veterinarian

Special delivery! Bao Bao will travel with 55 pounds of bamboo, two pounds of apples, two pounds of cooked sweet potatoes and ten gallons of water

The young panda has been getting acclimated to her travel crate for the past several months

Bao Bao enjoys her last days in Washington DC before she headed for China

Zoo keepers carry bamboo that will travel with giant panda Bao Bao as she is heads for her new home in China

The cub won't have to worry about finding overhead bin space or dealing with a talkative seatmate on the 16-hour, nonstop flight. She'll be the only panda on the plane, traveling with a keeper and a veterinarian who will monitor her.

And Bao Bao is being cut some slack on baggage weight limitations. She gets to travel with 55 pounds of bamboo, two pounds of apples, two bags of leaf-eater biscuits, two pounds of cooked sweet potatoes and 10 gallons of water.

Bao Bao may miss her home but zookeepers will be able to communicate with her through hand signals and body language

Dozens of fans gathered to watch Bao Bao's last moments as she was packed into a FedEx truck

Zookeepers gathered to say a sad good-bye to the cuddly panda bear

Bao Bao was loaded into a FedEx crate to make the journey to her FedEx plane and then to China

The panda has her own specialized plane (above) in which she'll travel first class with a zookeeper and vet

The cub has spent the last several months getting acclimated to her specialized travel crate, which she spent longer and longer periods of time in so she would be comfortable when the time came to fly. The crate is 55 inches wide by 75 inches long and 50 inches tall.

Bao Bao's zookeepers speak to her in English, however, hand signals and body gestures are used to ask her to do certain things, and her new Chinese zookeepers will be given those signals.

Bao Bao is scheduled to depart the zoo Tuesday for a one-way flight to China, where the three-year-old will eventually join a panda breeding program

Bao Bao's last day was celebrated with a frozen ice cake in the shape of a Chinese pagoda. In the week leading up to her departure, the zoo held a series of events, including spectators getting to watch Bao Bao paint, and presenting the panda with her traveling 'suitcase' which contained gifts symbolizing her new and old cities.

Fans on Facebook were sad to see her go. 'Lots of love from all of us out here. And when you cry, know that we share your tears. No matter how painful this is, I would do it all over again. Bao Bao is a joy and how lucky we have been to have her in our lives,' wrote Jean Mayo.

Bao Bao is the first surviving cub born at the National Zoo since 2005. In China, she will be reunited with her older brother Tai Shan, who left the National Zoo for China back in 2010, though pandas are solitary creatures and generally don't interact unless its breeding season.

China has begun the process of reintroducing pandas to the wild and the goal is to have Bao Bao's descendants living in their natural habitats.
There is no evidence that Kim Jong-Un's murdered brother died from a heart attack and no puncture wounds or marks have been found on his body, Malaysia's health ministry said on Tuesday.

Kim Jong-Nam - the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un - died after being attacked at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

Malaysia's Health Director-General Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said no cause of death has been determined and authorities are still awaiting the results of an autopsy.

'There's nothing to suggest puncture wounds or marks,' he told the Strait Times.

CCTV footage from Kuala Lumpur International Airport shows Kim Jong Un's half brother, Kim Jong-nam, speaking to security guards and officials after apparently being poisoned

Malaysia's Health Director-General Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said no cause of death had been determined

He also denied that more than one autopsy had been held, dismissing media reports suggesting otherwise.

Earlier reports from South Korean media outlets had suggested that the man had died after being pierced with a poisoned needle.

Dr Noor did not say when the lab results would be released, but Health Minister Datuk Dr Subramaniam Sathasivam suggested earlier that they may be available as early as Wednesday.

The only autopsy was carried out on February 15, two days after Jong Nam died on his way from the airport to hospital.

The health director answered questions frm reporters during a packed press conference at Kuala Lumpur Hospital

He also said that no puncture wounds or marks had been found on s body

CCTV footage from minutes before Kim Jong-un's half-brother dropped dead was released yesterday, showing that he sought help at a customer service desk and appeared to explain that he had been attacked by two women.

Kim Jong-nam died en route to a hospital following a seizure after two women allegedly sprayed him in the face with poison.

Minutes after the women confronted him, he told officials at a customer service that 'two unidentified women had swabbed or had wiped his face with a liquid and that he felt dizzy', the Deputy National Police Chief of Malaysia, Noor Rashid Ibrahim, said.

He can be seen on video pointing to his face, as if he was telling the security guards that he had been grabbed by the face.

Meanwhile, North Korea's ambassador to Malaysia on Monday said he would not accept local autopsy results for Kim Jong-nam, and claimed that the older Kim died of 'natural causes'.

Another CCTV video released over the weekend allegedly shows the moment which led to the assassination of Kim Jong-nam.

He can be seen on video pointing to his face, as if he was telling the security guards that he had been grabbed by the face. Kim Jong-nam died en route to a hospital following a seizure after two women allegedly sprayed him in the face with poison

Minutes after the women confronted him, Kim Jong-nam (second from right, walking through the airport) found a customer service desk and told them what happened. Police said that he told officials that 'two unidentified women had swabbed or had wiped his face with a liquid and that he felt dizzy'

A woman in a white top and jeans is seen grabbing the man and holding him back, while another woman sprays a toxic substance in his face.

Jong-nam, who often spoke out against his brother's regime, died on the way to hospital.

Since the incident, police have so far arrested four people carrying identity documents from North Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam.

Those arrested include two women who were allegedly seen approaching Kim on February 13 as he stood at a ticketing kiosk at the budget terminal of the Kuala Lumpur airport.

North Korea's ambassador to Malaysia Kang Chol also called an investigation into the man's death politically motivated and demanded a joint probe amid increasingly bitter exchanges between the once-friendly nations.

A woman in a while top and jeans is seen grabbing the man and holding him back, while another woman is sprays a toxic substance in his face

Kim Jong-nam, pictured, died shortly after the hit squad administered the poison on Monday

Malaysia responded with its own accusations, with a foreign ministry statement saying the ambassador's comments were 'culled from delusions, lies and half-truths'.

The attack spiraled into diplomatic fury when Malaysia refused to hand over Kim's corpse to North Korean diplomats and proceeded with at least one autopsy over the diplomats' objections.

'The investigation by the Malaysian police is not for the clarification of the cause of the death and search for the suspect, but it is out of the political aim,' Kang told reporters Monday, saying Malaysia was in collusion with South Korea, as Seoul tries to deflect attention from its own months-long political crisis.

Police 'pinned the suspicion on us, and targeted the investigation against us', Kang said, calling on Malaysia to work with North Korea in a joint investigation.

Malaysian police have arrested Ri Jong-chol, centre, who is believed to be a North Korean chemistry expert in connection with the murder of Kim Jong-un's half brother Kim Jong-nam

Jong-chol was arrested following a dramatic raid by Malaysian police hunting the killers

Kang referred to the dead man as 'Kim Chol,' the name on the passport found with Kim Jong Nam.

Malaysia Prime Minister Najib Razak told reporters later Monday that he had confidence in the objectivity of his country's police and doctors.

Malaysia had no reason to 'paint the North Koreans in a bad light,' he said, adding, 'We expect them to understand that we apply the rule of law in Malaysia.'

Autopsy results on Kim Jong Nam could be released as early as Wednesday, said Health Minister S Subramaniam.

The Malaysian foreign ministry said the government has kept the North Korean Embassy informed, telling them that because 'the death occurred in Malaysian soil under mysterious circumstances, it is the responsibility of the Malaysian government to conduct an investigation to identify the cause of death.'

Meanwhile, Malaysian police have arrested a North Korean chemistry expert in connection with his murder.

Malaysia's National Police Deputy Inspector-General Noor Rashid Ibrahim, left, said his officers have identified four North Korean men who flew out of Kualar Lumpur on the day of the murder

Kim Jong-nam, pictured, is believed to have been murdered using a fast-acting poison in Kuala Lumpur airport on February 13 on the orders of his half-brother Kim Jong-un

Ri Jong-chol, 47, who studied medicine and chemistry in Pyongjang was detained in Kuala Lumpur in connection with the murder.

Police are also hunting four North Korean men who flew out of Kuala Lumpur the same day Jong-nam was assassinated.

The four suspects are believed to have been part of a hit squad sent to murder the despotic leader's half brother on the tyrant's orders.

Malaysian police have so far arrested four people - including the chemistry expert - in connection with the murder probe.

Pyongyang, however, said it had no faith in the investigation and claimed Kuala Lumpur was in cahoots with 'hostile forces'.

One of the suspects, North Korean Hong Song Hac, left Malaysia on the day of the murder

Ri Jae Nam arrived in Malaysia on February 1 and left the country on February 13

O Jong Gil was only in Malaysia for a week before escaping on the day of the murder

Ri Ji U is also one of the suspects who Malaysian police are looking for following the murder

Police have released CCTV image in the search for three more men over the murder

Over the weekend, Malaysia recalled its envoy to North Korea and summoned Pyongyang's ambassador Kang for a dressing down. But an unbowed Kang hit back.

'It has been seven days since the incident, but there is no clear evidence on the cause of death and at the moment we cannot trust the investigation by the Malaysian police', he told reporters in the Malaysian capital.

Pyongyang also criticised Malaysia for carrying out a post-mortem examination without North Korean permission - a complaint Kuala Lumpur said was groundless.

'The ministry emphasised that as the death occurred on Malaysian soil under mysterious circumstances, it is the responsibility of the Malaysian government to conduct an investigation to identify the cause of death,' the foreign ministry said.

'The Malaysian government takes very seriously any unfounded attempt to tarnish its reputation. The Malaysian Government views the criticism... as baseless'.

Doan Thi Huong from Vietnam and Siti Aisyah, right from Indonesia have both been arrested

North Korean Ri Jong chol, left is believed to be a chemistry expert while Malaysian Muhammad Farid Bin Jallaludin, right, has also been detained in connection with the murder

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak backed those running the probe, saying it would be 'very professional'.

'I have absolute confidence that they are very objective in whatever they do,' he said in his first comments since news of the killing broke.

'We have no reason why we want to do something that would paint the North Koreans in a bad light. But we would be objective and we expect them to understand that we apply the rule of law in Malaysia.'

Kim Jong-nam is believed to have been murdered in a plot using a fast-acting liquid poison.

One of those arrested has been named by Malaysian police as Ri Jong-chol, 47, from Pyongyang.

It is understood Jong-chol graduated in chemistry and medicine from a North Korean university in 2000, later working in chemistry research in India.

Police also released a photograph of Vietnamese suspect Doan Thi Huong

A diplomatic row has deepened in the wake of the death of North Korean Kim Jong-nam

A police source said it was too soon to conclude that Jong-chol was behind the liquid poison believed to have been used to kill Kim Jong-nam.

'He is being quizzed on this and he is also being questioned about the whereabouts of three accomplices who are still at large,' the police source said.

Police fear, however, that three other men - said to be part of a gang of four men working with two women in Kim's murder - might have already escaped from Malaysia.

Special branch officers studying CCTV footage from Kuala Lumpur Airport, where Kim was attacked last week, have allegedly pinpointed three men aged between 30 and 50 who boarded a flight to another Southeast Asian country immediately after the incident.

CCTV footage shows that the suspects changed their clothes before heading to the departure hall to board their flight.

'The suspects wore grey, purple and green clothing respectively prior to the attack,' said a police source.

The 'LOL assasin' (left) who allegedly murdered Kim Jong-nan, right, by wiping poison on his face may have been 'duped into killing him' by 'friends who told her it was a harmless prank'

It is believed one of the attackers distracted him in the check-in queue while another 'came from behind, locked in a chokehold and administered poison'. Pictured is one of the suspects on CCTV, wearing a white top branded with LOL

A second woman named as Siti Aishah (pictured in the passport profile image), 25, from Indonesia and her Malaysian boyfriend were arrested over the death

How the chillingly audacious murder of North Korean tyrant's brother in a major airport may have involved a poisonous handkerchief and fountain pen

'However, after the attack, they went to a restroom and changed before heading to the departure hall to board their flight.'

Police are convinced this was a preconceived plan as the two women allegedly involved in the attack - and who have claimed they were tricked into believing they were taking part in a TV prank - have told officers there was no sign of their male accomplices after the event.

If the arrested North Korean man, Jong-chol, was part of the assassination team, either directly or indirectly, police believe he would know the names of the three men who remain at large.

This would enable Malaysian police to alert authorities in neighbouring countries to watch for them and detain them.

On Sunday, the Deputy National Police Chief of Malaysia, Noor Rashid Ibrahim, said four other suspects were on the run. He said the men were North Korean and had flown out of the country last Monday, when Kim died.

'I am not going disclose where they are,' he told a room packed with journalists. Interpol was helping with the investigation, he said.

Former North Korean leader Kim Jong Il (bottom left) poses with his first-born son Kim Jong-nam (bottom right), in this 1981 family photo in Pyongyang, North Korea

Noor Rashid showed photographs of the four North Korean men police were trying to track down. They were travelling on regular - not diplomatic - passports and are aged 33, 34, 55 and 57.

He also said there was a fifth North Korean man whom authorities wanted to question.

Noor Rashid said Sunday that he expected autopsy results to be released within days.

'We have to send a sample to the chemistry department, we have to send a sample for toxicology tests,' he said.

Investigators also want to speak to Kim Jong-nam's next of kin to identify the body. He is believed to have two sons and a daughter with two women living in Beijing and Macau.

'We haven't met the next of kin,' Noor Rashid said. 'We are working, we are trying very hard to get the next of kin to come and to assist us in the investigation.'
The millionaire father of TOWIE star Cara Kilbey bankrolled the luxury lifestyle of his daughter and her alleged drug dealer boyfriend, a court has heard.

Daniel Harris, 33, is said to be the ringleader of a gang that raked in nearly 500,000 a week selling drugs across London.

When police searched the lavish apartment Harris shared with Ms Kilbey and their daughter Penelope Blu in Theydon Bois, Essex, officers found 116,000 in cash in an Asda shopping bag inside a black holdall in the child's bedroom.

The millionaire father of TOWIE star Cara Kilbey bankrolled the luxury lifestyle of his daughter and her alleged drug dealer boyfriend Daniel Harris (pictured together), a court has heard

When police searched the lavish apartment Harris shared with Ms Kilbey and their daughter Penelope Blu in Theydon Bois, Essex, officers found 116,000 in cash in an Asda shopping bag inside a black holdall in the child's bedroom

In the flat there were Louis Vuitton bags, Brunella Cochinelli shoes and a Hermes jacket.

Miss Kilbey's father Gary, 58, was called to give evidence as part of Harris' defence case.

He explained how he had financed the couple through his business TECH-EN and the spread betting accounts he had set up for each of his three children.

Harris drove a Porsche Carrera, but Mr Kilbey revealed he had confiscated the car from his youngest son Tom, 24, after he lost 50,000 in a single day on his personal spread betting account, and gave it to his daughter and Harris.

He said: 'The Porsche Carrera was bought by my son Tom, and I didn't want him to have a really nice car because he's only 24, but he put a 2,000 deposit down and I paid the balance in 2015.

'But three months later Tom, without my knowledge, traded on my account and lost 50,000 in a single day - now that's unheard of.

Miss Kilbey's father Gary, 58, was called to give evidence as part of Harris' defence case

'So to punish him I took the car off him and gave it to Cara and I bought him a Smart car. He's 6ft 4. '

Mr Kilbey explained how he had set up spread betting accounts for his children 'because I wanted to get my kids some tax free money' and estimated Cara's account would generate her around 70,000 per annum.

When he was asked if Cara was ever short of money, he replied: 'No she was never short of money, if she was I would help her out - there were of course times when I wouldn't help her out.'

He added that he and his wife Ann had bought the flat in Theydon Bois for Miss Kilbey, and that he had been quite relieved when she met Daniel because she slowed her party-hard lifestyle.

'She changed because she fell pregnant - she met Daniel and fell pregnant which was a big shock because we'd only known Daniel five minutes.

'But the good thing was that when she met Daniel and fell pregnant because Daniel's financial situation was quite tight she stopped going to the Ivy and Nobu and was more buy-one-get-one-free down the local shop.

'It was a fundamental change from the negative to the positive and we worked out the profit and loss for the two of them and a plan for going forward.'

Mr Kilbey said he got to know about Harris's previous life as a city trader and decided to give him a certain amount of control over his spread betting accounts.

The couple lost their first baby in 2015 when Miss Kilbey suffered a miscarriage, and almost immediately took a holiday to Abu Dhabi.

Miss Kilbey, who appeared on the first four seasons of The Only Way is Essex, has 458,000 followers on Twitter and 344,000 Instagram followers. She is pictured with Harris

Police found Harris (pictured) had been using an encrypted PGP Blackberry phone and had made computer searches for '250 kilos of drugs' and 'counter surveillance course in UK'

Mr Kilbey said he had insisted the couple take a break, saying: 'Cara had done some high profile magazine shoots of the baby bump and there was quite a lot of emotional pressure.

'She'd had a still birth and that was traumatic to say the least. Daniel was very strong in that situation.'

He said that despite funding the trip, he had still insisted Harris pay for the flights 'because he still has to be a man. He still has to have some responsibility.'

Mr Kilbey added: 'Cara would have flown first or business class for most of her life and on that flight they went economy.'

He explained how he had handed Harris 50,000 in two instalments to help him pay off his tax bill and finance his dream of launching his own CrossFit gym.

He also employed him to help him recover a 425,000 debt owed to Tech-En and described Harris as his 'Man Friday'.

TOWIE star Cara Kibley is pictured right

'He was 100 per cent focused on the CrossFit gym - that rained a little when they lost the baby, but it began to pick up again in August of that year.'

Asked about meals out as a family, he said: 'I paid generally. Daniel always wanted to pay, he's a good man, but he didn't have any money.

'In terms of Cara's lifestyle, she lived the High life before she met Daniel. He didn't enhance that, it was more the other way round.

'But I was happy it was the other way round because she was over doing it.'

Asked about the other luxury goods found in the flat, he said: 'I don't know much about social media and I don't really want to get involved but I know social media was sending a lot of things to Cara.'

He said that since Harris's arrest, Miss Kilbey had been 'Angry, worried - she's a woman with a baby on her own - and confused.'

Miss Kilbey, who appeared on the first four seasons of The Only Way is Essex, has 458,000 followers on Twitter and 344,000 Instagram followers.

Harris was allegedly at the heart of a gang which supplied cocaine across London using moped riders posing as black cab drivers learning 'The Knowledge'.

Police found Harris had been using an encrypted PGP Blackberry phone and had made computer searches for '250 kilos of drugs' and 'counter surveillance course in UK.'

Raids on other alleged gang members led to the seizure of high-purity cocaine with a street value of nearly 1million as well as large quantities of cutting agents and cash, jurors heard.

The cocaine was marked with the labels 'Fox' and 'Cocoa' while the self sealed bags used by the gang were emblazoned with the Union Jack flag, the court heard.

But Harris denies involvement and has insisted his only dream was to open a 'Crossfit' gym.

Bank records show that when he was arrested in March 2016 he had only 75 in his account, the court heard.

Harris, of Theydon Bois, Essex, denies two counts of conspiracy to supply class A drugs and one of possessing criminal property.

The trial continues.
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These are the incredibly rare photographs showing the British ingenuity that brought the dawn of the tank age and changed the Allies fortunes in the First World War.

The images show triumphant British troops atop the world's first tanks, as well as life from the inside manning the machine guns.

These black-and-white photos are taken from the new book 'Armoured Warfare in the First World War 1916  1918' by Anthony Tucker-Jones and published by Pen & Sword Military.

Mr Tucker-Jones said: 'The first tanks came about through the desperate need to break the terrible deadlock in the trenches.

'Interestingly the British, French and Germans took completely different approaches with varying results.

'Although the tank helped secure victory and German soldiers dubbed it "Germanys Downfall" the country was ultimately brought to its knees by the Allies blockade.'

The British military produced 'Little Willie' in Autumn 1915 weighing 18 tonnes, which had a crew of two plus four gunners. It was referred to as a water tank to ensure secrecy.

Mr Tucker-Jones said: 'This led to the strange looking Mark I with its peculiar rhomboid shape, designed to cross trenches with guns in sponsons on either side.'

In one image a Mark II male tank can be seen passing through a crumbling French village in 1917.

Another image shows jubilant British troops hanging onto a Mark IV tank following the Battle of Cambrai in November 1917 where the British army initiated a surprise attack using 476 tanks to penetrate the German trenches at The Hindenburg Line.

Above, Hornsby developed a caterpillar artillery tractor before the war based on agricultural machines. It meant heavier machinery could be carried than traditional horse-drawn artillery

The images also give a glimpse into life inside the tanks, manning the machine guns, as above, in this picture of a Schneider tank gunner manning one of two Hotchkiss M1814 machine guns. This type of tank was developed in France and is considered to be the first French tank, though it was closer to a 'turreted vehicle'

Above, the German A7VU was developed as a copy of the British rhomboid shape but did not go into production before the Armistice. According to author Mr Tucker-Jones, the Germans were reluctant to start the process of developing tanks

Above, a field full of female tanks awaiting delivery. The tanks were first developed as a way to break the deadlock in the trenches

Above, Mark II male with spudded tracks captured by Germans near Arras on 11 April 1917. These types of tanks carried eight crew. Although the Germans favoured other types of warfare, they would make use of any British tanks they captured

Another insight into life inside the tanks is the above 'splatter mask' worn to protect the wearer's face and head inside the tank. According to the book's author, those inside could still be hurt when the tank was hit by spraying shrapnel because the cover on the machines was often made of unhardened steel

Mark I tanks produced as male with 6-pounder guns inside sponsons or female versions with machine guns clad in armoured jackets, pictured. The Mark I was first produced in 1915 and used in combat at the Somme in October 1916. It weighed between 27 and 28 tons and its weaponry was dependent on whether is was a male or female variant

BRITISH TANKS AND HOW THEY GOT THEIR NAME Why were tanks called tanks? Tanks came by their name out of a need to be subtle about the new equipment coming to the battlefield. British commanders didn't want their enemies to guess what they might be about to face, so called the machines 'water carriers' as a code name. It didn't take long before the name was shortened to 'tanks', and it stuck. Mark I: Developed from the Little Willie tank prototype, this was the first British Tank to enter the battlefield in the First World War. Officially, they were called His Majesty's Land Centipede. They first trialled in April 1916. They were more than 32ft long including their tail and 8ft wide, and carried eight crew members. They travelled at 3mph. In total, 150 of these machines were produced. A Mark II tank, used as a stopgap between the Mark I and its real successor, the Mark IV Mark II and Mark III: Superficially identical to the Mark I, there were some key upgrades needed in the first model to benefit the battlefield. The Mark II and Mark III were stopgaps while better improvements were made and were used by training groups only. Mark IV: This model was the true successor to the Mark I, and was a great improvement, with better protection. It weighed between 27.5 and 28.4 tonnes, depending on whether it was female or male, and more than 1,200 of these were produced. It could carry eight crew members at a speedy 4mph. The tank was first used at Messine Ridge in June 1917, then later in the year at Cambrai, where the large number of tanks proved to be instrumental in the battle. Source: Tanks Encyclopedia Advertisement

British Mark I or II male tank identifiable by long-barrelled naval 6-pounder gun, above. Both models looked the same from the outside, but commanders needed upgrades to the Mark I by 1917. According to Mr Tucker-Jones, tanks were 'rudimentary to say the least and were seen as land warships, hence naval terms such as hull and turret'

The Holt 75 model gasoline-powered caterpillar tractor provided the inspiration for the tank. The first full prototype was dubbed Little Willie, and was saved from being scrapped in 1940. Early models of tanks were made with such poor materials that those manning them would be covered in shrapnel when they were hit

Above, the German A7V Sturmpanzerwagen which went into production in October 1917, but only twenty of these cumbersome land fortresses were built. There could be up to 18 men inside one of these overcrowded vehicles and they weighed as much as 33 tons

A number of different FT-17 variants built an initial char mitrailleuse model armed with 8mm Hotchkiss machine gun, above. It was the most revolutionary model, thanks to its moving turret. It was in service until 1949

Belgium was one of the first countries to deploy the armoured car with its Minerva Model 1914. The vehicles had double wheels to support the weight and no doors for better rigidity. The Allied forces were quick to use the vehicles in their offensive tactics and the flat terrain of Belgium lent itself to these machines

A British 15in Howitzer at Passchendaele. This machine was a development of a 9.2in seige Howitzer and Winston Churchill wrote about it in his book, the World Crisis. Mr Tucker-Jones said: 'Although the tank helped secure victory and German soldiers dubbed it "Germany's Downfall" the country was ultimately brought to its knees by the Allies blockade'

German troops familiarize themselves with an enemy tank now under new ownership. Those that fell into enemy hands were utilised but they didn't create as many of their own until the latter part of the war, and some of those didn't see the battlefield before Armistice Day

Jubilant British troops hitch a ride on a Mark IV after the massed tank fleet spearheading attack at Cambrai on November 20, 1917. Mark IV represented a re-siting of the fuel tank and better armour as well as easier transportation. It was first used at Messine Ridge in June 1917

Mark I male tank with its distinctive wheeled steering tail and chicken-wire 'bomb roof'. It was named officially 'His Majestys Land Ship Centipede', but was know colloquially as 'Mother' or 'Big Willie', as a joke directed towards the German Kaiser and the crown prince, both named Wilhelm

MILITARY INNOVATIONS OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR As well as tanks, the First World War was a time of innovation for several other aspects of modern warfare. Tracer bullets were invented by the British Army, perfected by 1916 Flamethrowers: The first design for the modern flamethrower was submitted to the German Army in 1901, though similar weaponry was used by the Chinese and the Byzantines in the medieval period. They reached their full potential in trench warfare, as enemy soldiers would huddle together in one part of a bunker after a mass assault. The flamethrowers could burn people alive, without damaging the surroundings, so the forces could then use the same bunker. Tracer bullets: A British Army invention, tracer bullets emitted small amounts of flammable material that left a phosphorescent trail in order to aid nighttime fighting. The second development was a great improvement as the first model was erratic and only worked up to 100m, but by 1916 the technology was popular. Air traffic control: The US Army installed the first two-way radios in planes during the Great War so by 1916, pilots could send radio telegraphs over 140 miles and between planes during flights. This ended the isolation of pilots who had not been able to get any signals while in the air. Pilotless drones: Developed by the US Army between 1916 and 1917 by Elmer Sperry and Peter Hewitt, it was directed with gyroscopes and a barometer to determine altitude. It was initially meant to be a unmanned aerial bomb, but its technology was too imprecise to be used again ships. It was developed and used until 1925. Sanitary towels: The modern method for handling a monthly period was developed thanks to the introduction of a cellulose bandage material during the First World War. French nurses worked out that the absorbent material was better than anything they had used before, and British and American nurses followed suit. It was picked up and marketed by Kimberley-Clark who launched KoTex in 1920. Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Furious, a modified Courageous-class battlecruiser which was the first of its kind to launch and land aircrafts Aircraft carriers: The first aeroplane to be launched from a moving ship happened in 1912, when a biplane took off from a ramp on the HMS Hibernia. But this wasn't an aircraft carrier, as planes couldn't land on deck. The HMS Furious was adapted from life as a battle cruiser amid fears the guns would be too strong and would shake it to pieces. A long platform to launch and land aircrafts was added and the planes were stored underneath the runway in hangers, as they are today. Source: Mental Floss Advertisement

Number 1 Lincoln Machine prototype built by William Foster & Company in September 1915. This model was never engaged in battle and only existed as this prototype. It was then developed into the Mark I which in turn, led to several more versions of the Mark machines

This Mark II male was photographed passing through a crumbling French village in 1917. Of these models, 20 were shipped to France, and 25 stayed at the training ground in Dorset

To counter British tanks the Germans used flamethrowers and artillery. Unlike grenades, flamethrowers could burn alive enemy soldiers in these confined spaces without inflicting structural damage. Mr Tucker-Jones said the Germans saw tanks as 'unchivalrous' and were slow to grasp its utility

'Armoured Warfare in the First World War 1916  1918' by Anthony Tucker-Jones is available to purchase from Amazon for 14.99
This is the nail-biting moment a toddler is almost crushed by the swift chop of subway doors.

CCTV footage shows the infant, who appears to be a girl, riding on her mother's back on the underground system in Nanning City, southern China.

Just as her mother jumps into a train carriage the doors close, and she narrowly misses being trapped.

This is the nail-biting moment a toddler is almost crushed by subway doors

While the mother rushes to catch the train, she also pushes a young boy out of the way in the process.

Unfortunately he isn't able to get inside the carriage and is left waiting on the platform.

According to China News, someone spotted the incident and the doors were re-opened to allow the boy to board.

CCTV footage shows the infant, who appears to be a girl, riding on her mother's back on the underground in Nanning City, southern China

Just as her mother jumps into a train carriage the doors close, and she narrowly misses being trapped

Surprisingly, the woman and the child whom she pushed on the platform are thought to be one family.

Ou Jun, a officer from the Nanning Public Security Bureau told a reporter, said the pair had entered the subway station together and had been talking to each other prior to the incident.

Mr Ou said: 'Perhaps this was the first time they had taken the subway. When they was the train was about to depart, they wanted to jump onto it.'

Subways wardens are now warning people to be less hasty on their commutes.

They say rushing to catch a train can be dangerous and lead to similar incidents, where riders might not be so lucky.
The bodies of 74 migrants have been found washed up on a beach near the western Libyan city of Zawiya, after their attempt to reach Europe ended in tragedy.

The Libyan Red Crescent - the country's equivalent of the Red Cross - said the bodies had been retrieved by its workers.

Red Crescent spokesman Mohamed al-Misrati said the bodies had been recovered on Monday and the migrants appeared to have died during the past two days.

Bodies of 74 people that washed ashore and were recovered by the Libyan Red Crescent, near Zawiya, Libya

The Libyan Red Crescent says at least 74 bodies of African migrants have washed ashore in western Libya

He said local authorities would transfer the bodies to a cemetery for unidentified people in the Libyan capital, Tripoli.

The migrants were all adults, mostly from sub-Saharan African countries, and all but three of them were men, Misrati said.

Harrowing photographs posted show dozens of white body bags lined up along the shore.

Libya is the main departure point for migrants hoping to reach Europe by sea, and the bodies of those who drown attempting the risky crossing are frequently found washed up on Libyan shores.

The mass-drowing is the latest tragedy at sea along a perilous trafficking route to Europe

The bodies recovered by rescue workers, were all adults, mostly from sub-Saharan African countries, and all but three of them were men

A torn rubber boat was found nearby, and it is feared more bodies may surface as similar vessels typically carry up to 120 people.

According to the International Organisation for Migration, the UN's migration agency, the boat had left Libya on Saturday with 110 people on board.

It is feared that some of those unaccounted for could be children.

At least 5,000 people drowned last year while trying to reach Europe via the Mediterranean.

Libyan coast guard spokesman Ayoub Gassim said that more than 500 migrants were rescued at sea on Friday and Saturday off the coast of Sebratha, a city to the west of Zawiya.

Local authorities said they would transfer the bodies to a cemetery for unidentified people in the Libyan capital, Tripoli

A volunteer from the Red Crescent looks out to the sea as workers recover bodies washed ashore at the coast near Al Zawiya

The migrants' boats were about 5 to 7 miles from the coast.

Gassim said smugglers were packing larger rubber boats with up to 180 people, dramatically increasing the risk of capsizing.

'We are seeing the new boats, which are not equipped with anything, but they carry more people,' he said. 'This is going to be even more disastrous for the migrants.'

The Libya to Italy smuggling route across the Mediterranean has seen record numbers of migrant drownings in 2016, Fabrice Leggeri, director of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, said last week.

Some 4,579 migrant deaths were documented in 2016, up from 2,869 deaths the previous year and 3,161 in 2014. The real number of deaths is believed to be much higher.

Leggeri blamed the small dinghies and poor vessels used by the smugglers for the high death rate. The smugglers also appear more willing to brave the choppy winter sea. January alone saw 228 recorded deaths, by far the biggest monthly toll in recent years. IOM says the latest tragedy brings the total death toll this year to 365.

More than 180,000 people made the crossing last year, an increase of 17 percent from 2015.

At least 5,000 people drowned last year while trying to reach Europe via the Mediterranean

A torn rubber boat was found nearby, and it is feared more bodies may surface as similar vessels typically carry up to 120 people

Libya was plunged into turmoil by the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi, and has since emerged as a popular, if extremely dangerous, route to Europe for those fleeing poverty and civil war elsewhere in Africa.

Libya is largely governed by local militias, many of which profit from the trafficking. Rights groups say migrants traversing Libya have been tortured, raped and subjected to forced labor.

The European Union has plans to halt the tide by training the Libyan coast guard and stepping up cooperation with neighboring Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt. But rights groups fear that such measures could leave tens of thousands of migrants stranded in the restive country.

The plan would also require a much stronger Libyan government capable of controlling the country's waters. At present, Libya is split between two competing governments which convene in different parts of the country.

The European Union has plans to halt the tide by training the Libyan coast guard and stepping up cooperation with neighboring countries

Some 4,579 migrant deaths were documented in 2016, up from 2,869 deaths the previous year and 3,161 in 2014

The head of Doctors Without Borders, Arjan Hehenkamp, says the EU plan shows that it is 'delusional about just how dangerous the situation in Libya really is.'

His organization, also known by its French acronym MSF, has aided in the sea rescues. He said survivors have recounted starving in Libyan detention centers and other abuses.

Earlier this month, Italy reached a deal with the U.N.-brokered government in Tripoli, which is not recognized by rival authorities in the east, to train and equip the Libyan coast guard and improve conditions in detention centers.

Mohamed Siala, the foreign minister of the U.N.-backed government, told the AP that 70 coast guards have received training and a second group will follow. He denied allegations by critics that the deal would pave the way for the resettlement of migrants inside Libya.

He expressed fear, however, that the flow of migrants would increase this spring, saying rescue operations have encouraged more migrants to risk the journey.
A One Nation candidate believes black Africans have lower IQs and government welfare is preventing human evolution.

David Archibald, a geologist who is running for Pauline Hanson's party at next month's West Australian elections, wrote an opinion piece for the niche, right-wing American Thinker website, in May 2015.

One Nation's candidate for the mining-rich Pilbara region, in the state's far north, said Africans in the continent's southwest had intelligence quotients which were much lower than the average IQ of 100.

One Nation candidate David Archibald said bushmen in southwest Africa had lower IQs

The One Nation candidate said bushmen in southwest Africa, like these men in Botswana, had average IQs of 60, which is much lower than the human average of 100

David Archibald believes bushmen in southwest Africa, which would include these hunters in Namibia, have IQs at the bottom end of the spectrum

'One major kind of diversity is in the range of human intelligence, with the bushmen of southwest Africa at the bottom end with an average IQ of 60 and Ashkenazi Jews at the top end with an average IQ of 115,' he said.

In the same article, titled 'Genes, Mutations and Behaviour', Mr Archibald said government welfare was also stopping millions of years of human evolution.

'Human evolution, both the enhancement of the good and the winnowing of the bad, has now stopped due to the rise modern medicine and the welfare state,' he said.

'Mutations continue, though, so in theory the human genome is going backwards now.'

Earlier this month, One Nation's federal leader Pauline Hanson hit out at journalists and politicians, including Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese, who had called for Mr Archibald to be disendorsed for saying single mothers were producing 'lazy and ugly' children.

'To all the fat lazy politicians and fat lazy journalists in the fat lazy media playing fat lazy political correctness, identity politics - the answer is no,' the Queensland senator wrote on Twitter.

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson earlier this month hit out at journalists and politicians calling for David Archibald to be disendorsed over his comments on single mothers

One Nation's candidate for the Pilbara electorate says government welfare is stopping human evolution

David Archibald said government welfare was stopping human evolution by stopping the 'winnowing of the bad'

CONTROVERSIAL ONE NATION CANDIDATES Pastor Lawrence Shave, 73, running in Dawesville, advertised for bikini baristas in 2015 and later for a Russian mail order bride, aged 20 to 44. His ex-wife Michelle Meyers, in Bateman, picketed abortion clinics and said homosexuals were using 'Nazi mind control strategies'. Rozane Bezuidenhout, the Cannington candidate, posted a petition on Facebook calling for the return of white rule in South Africa. Advertisement

In another article for the Australian conservative Quadrant magazine in August 2015, Mr Archibald described gay marriage as 'degenerate'.

'It is possible that the incidence of homosexuality is an acceptable loss, in evolutionary terms, so that the rest of the males can be more male-like.

'Viewed in that way, homosexuality is part of the human condition. But so is marriage  it is more than just a social construct.

'A successful culture wouldnt mix the two. A degenerate culture might.'

In the same opinion piece, titled 'Evolution versus Gay Marriage' he said pregnant women in the Middle East were stoned to death during the time of Jesus' birth.

'Marriage as a social institution was reinforced in part by stoning to death women who became pregnant outside of marriage,' he said.

'The miracle of Marys virgin birth has been explained as an act of charity by Joseph in taking in a pregnant woman who otherwise would have been stoned to death.'

Mr Archibald, who is running against Nationals leader Brendon Grylls, is the latest controversial One Nation candidate to be running in Western Australia.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Mr Archibald for a response on Facebook.
Armed Spanish police have arrested a Swedish driver after he was seen speeding the wrong way down a motorway towards Barcelona in a stolen truck carrying gas cylinders.

Officers are said to have opened fire as the man was driving the lorry against the flow of traffic along the Roda del Litoral towards the heart of the city.

The vehicle, carrying dozens of butane canisters, rammed several cars before it was finally stopped on one of the road's exits.

A Swedish man identified as 33-year-old Joakim Robin Berggren was reportedly arrested at gunpoint.

Spanish police have arrested a driver after he was seen speeding towards Barcelona in a stolen truck carrying gas cylinders, it has emerged

The trace of at least one gunshot was visible on the windscreen of the truck, which was small

The vehicle, carrying dozens of butane canisters, rammed several cars before it was finally stopped on one of the road's exits

A Swedish man identified as 33-year-old Joakim Robin Berggren has reportedly been arrested

Spain's Interior Minister, Juan Ignacio Zoido said this morning that it was 'not a terrorist act' adding that the arrested man has 'a psychiatric history'. He was not carrying any form of weapon, the police said.

Officers started chasing the truck after the driver failed to obey orders to stop from police who had seen it driving at high speeds and dropping part of its load.

A regional police spokeswoman said the truck was travelling in the wrong direction along a highway near the north eastern Spanish city's famed harbour around 11am.

Spanish national television TVE reported that the truck had rammed several cars before local police fired several gunshots to stop it.

The trace of at least one gunshot was visible on the windscreen of the truck, which was small.

Officers started chasing the truck after the driver failed to obey orders to stop from police who had seen it driving at high speeds and dropping part of its load

It has been widely reported that 33-year-old Joakim Robin Berggren has been arrested

A regional police spokeswoman said the truck was travelling in the wrong direction along a highway near the north eastern Spanish city's famed harbour around 11am

The vehicle, carrying dozens of butane canisters, was finally stopped on one of the road's exits

Lavanguardia reported that a passer-by was injured by a butane bottle falling from the truck as it sped along.

Barcelona's city hall said the small white truck - which had dozens of orange gas bottles stacked on the back in plain view - had been stolen.

There was no indication as yet whether this was an attempted attack or just a plain robbery.

Mireia Ruiz, a woman who saw the truck from her home nearby, said the driver ignored people screaming at him to stop as he sped down the wrong side of a ring road.

'When people shouted at him, he would laugh and make offensive gestures with his hand,' she told AFP.

Police did not say whether there were any injuries.

There was no indication as yet whether this was an attempted attack or just a plain robbery

Around 20 police officers and at least six police cars were on site, and several gas bottles were lying on the ground

Several cars were hit during the attempted escape, she said, adding that the truck had been stolen earlier in the day in a nearby district

Spain has kept its national security alert to one step below maximum since July 2015, following violent attacks in France and elsewhere

A gas company worker unloads gas bottles from a delivery truck with bullet holes in its windscreen after police fired shots to stop the driver

Around 20 police officers and at least six police cars were on site, and several gas bottles were lying on the ground, an AFP correspondent reported.

The police spokeswoman wouldn't confirm the gunshots but said the driver was being interrogated.

'We detained a person who was of Swedish nationality,' a spokesman for the regional police told AFP.

Spain has kept its national security alert to one step below maximum since July 2015, following violent attacks in France and elsewhere.
Shocking footage has emerged of a violent racial attack on a packed city train - as one passenger hurls vile abuse at an African man before throwing him onto the ground.

The video was captured by a terrified passenger in Adelaide - who watched the attack unfold just metres away and in full view of frightened young children and their parents.

The shirtless attacker, who claimed to be an Aboriginal man, screamed at the African teenager before assaulting him.

A man has been caught on camera attacking a teenager on a train in Adelaide on Monday

A witness said the shirtless man had taken offence to something said by his victim.

'You want to f*** with me?' he screamed.

Before forcing the young African man to repeat him as he screamed insults just inches from his face.

'You say it, say it, you say I love Aboriginal people. This is our land,' he screamed.

'Don't ever disrespect my aboriginal people again.

'The Aboriginal's own this land and I will kill you.'

The 4pm attack took place on Monday - one witness told 7 News she was left 'shaken' and speechless by what she saw.

She said it was 'confronting' and 'disturbing' to see the violent abuse on public transport during the afternoon.

The man screamed at the teenager and told him to respect Aboriginal people

The violent attack happened in front of terrified passengers - as well as children

She also admitted to being afraid the tormentor would turn on other passengers of that he would seriously hurt his young victim.

The shirtless man punch the train's security camera before he got off at his stop.

Police are investigating - there have not been any complaints made to Adelaide Metro.
More than 100 workers have been fired for walking out to take part in anti-Trump 'Day Without Immigrants' protests on Thursday.

In cities all over the US, hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets in widespread demonstrations against the President's anti-immigrants stance and rhetoric.

Activists called on immigrants to walk out of their jobs to highlight their role in the economy in the light of recent policies, such as a proposed ban on migrants born in some Muslim countries and a suggested wall between the US and Mexico.

More than 100 employees have lost their jobs as a result of walking out to take part in anti-trump Day Without Immigrants protests on Thursday (pictured in Washington)

Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets in widespread demonstrations against the President's anti-immigrants stance and rhetoric (pictured in Austin, Texas)

Activists called on immigrants to walkout of their jobs to highlight their vital role in society as the crowds marched (pictured in Chicago, left, and Austin, right)

But since the march, more than 100 people in states from South Carolina to New York have lost their jobs for not coming to work in order to take part in protests.

Jim Serowski, founder of JVS Masonry in Commerce City, Colorado, fired 30 workers after telling them specifically that they could not miss work to attend the march.

Defending his actions, he told CNN: 'If you're going to stand up for what you believe in, you have to be willing to pay the price.'

Steve Deese, owner of Encore Boat Builders in Lexington, South Carolina, said he fired 21 employees after their absence 'seriously affected' their production line.

Bradley Coatings Inc., based in Nashville, said that 18 workers lost their jobs after not turning up on Thursday despite being warned of the consequences beforehand.

The company claimed it supports immigrant causes but the firings were a business decision, taken irrespective of the motive for the absences.

There have since been calls to boycott the company, with hundreds of people backing a social media campaign on Facebook.

Bill McNally, owner of I Don't Care Bar and Grill in Catoosa, Oklahoma, said 12 cooks were fired after not arriving for work and giving him no prior warning.

Jim Serowski, founder of JVS Masonry in Commerce City, Colorado, fired 30 workers after telling them specifically that they could not miss work to attend the march

Bill McNally, owner of I Don't Care Bar and Grill in Catoosa, Oklahoma, said 12 cooks were fired after not arriving for work and giving him no prior warning

An advert for new employees on the company Facebook page sparked massive debate, with more than 4,000 comments on the decision to let the cooks go

Carmen Guerrero, an immigration activist, told the Philadelphia Inquirer that six people were fired from Bahama Breeze in King of Prussia, Philadelphia, but the restaurant disputes this

An advert for new employees on the company Facebook page sparked massive debate, with more than 4,000 comments on the decision to let the cooks go.

Carmen Guerrero, an immigration activist, told the Philadelphia Inquirer that six people were fired from Bahama Breeze in King of Prussia.

The restaurant claims no-one was fired but Miss Guerrero alleged they were re-hired quickly to make it look as though no-one had lost their jobs.

At Grace Community School in Bonita Springs, Florida, it is alleged that two employees were fired and four more resigned over the sackings, reported NBC2.

It was initially reported that 25 workers were fired from Ben's Kosher Delicatessen Restaurant & Caterers in Long Island, New York, but the company now disputes this.

It has released a statement claiming that only some workers who put 'physical pressure' on other employees to walkout will lose their jobs, while all others are invited to return to work.

From burger joints to high-class restaurants, scores of restaurants in the political heart of Washington shut down Thursday, as the protests spread across America.

Bradley Coatings Inc., based in Nashville, said that 18 lost their jobs after not turning up on Thursday despite being warned of the consequences beforehand

Steve Deese, owner of Encore Boat Builders in Lexington, South Carolina, said he fired 21 employees after their absence 'seriously affected' their production line

Some restaurants closed out of solidarity with the largely low-earning people who staff them, a strike to show how important foreign born workers are to the economy.

Others shuttered because not enough staff showed up to work in the immigrant-dominated restaurant industry.

From New York to Los Angeles, immigrants stayed home from work, kept their kids out of school, avoided buying gas and otherwise tried to illustrate the cost to America of living without them.

One museum in Massachusetts removed all artworks created or donated by immigrants.

All 18 Washington branches of Sweetgreen closed for the day and one shuttered store, a short ride from the White House, displayed a sign explaining what it was all about.

'The three of us are sons of immigrants,' the trio of co-founders wrote. 'We respect our team members' right to exercise their voice in our democracy.'

Edward Burger, 84, a retired doctor, stood reading that sign and said the protest was a great idea.

Some restaurants closed out of solidarity with the largely low-earning people who staff them. Pictured is a closed cafe in Cambridge, Massachusetts

In Texas alone (pictured), the crowd, which grew to well over a thousand participants, marched from the Austin City Hall to the Texas State Capital

'This question of immigrants and the hospitality of the United States is terribly important, both for them and for us,' said Burger.

'We are closed to support our Hispanic community,' read a sign on a shop in the Mount Pleasant district, home to many Latinos.

The mix of protest, boycott and strike comes as acute fear spreads mainly in Latino communities across the United States because of raids and the arrests of hundreds of illegal immigrants.

Some have been summarily deported as Trump says he is making good on a campaign promise to get rid of unauthorized immigrants.

Anger also remains over his now-suspended ban on entry of all refugees and people from seven mainly Muslim countries.

Undocumented immigrants make up about nine percent of employees in the hotel and restaurant industry in 2014, according to the Pew Research Center.

At least 11million people are living in the US illegally, most of them Latinos.
These are the huge logs missing mother Karen Ristevski's body lay wedged after she disappeared eight months ago.

A bushwalker stumbled upon the grisly sight on Monday afternoon, finally bringing the long-running search to an end and giving family some closure.

While most of the devastated family consoled each other at the family home, her stepson Anthony Rickard responded to the news with one cryptic comment.

The 47-year-old woman's 'badly decomposed' remains were found on Mount Macedon, about 52 kilometres from her house in suburban Melbourne.

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These are the huge logs missing mother Karen Ristevski's body lay wedged between for eight months after she disappeared

Ristevski's 'badly decomposed' remains were found on Mt Macedon, about 52 kilometres from her family home in suburban Melbourne

The fallen tree trunks she was hidden under were so big it was not possible to see her body unless you were standing directly above them.

A nearby resident and regular walker said he smelled a rancid stench in the area for months but assumed it was a dead kangaroo and never investigated, he told 3AW.

Police on Tuesday evening confirmed the body was Ms Ristevski's, having told her family to prepare for the worst the day before.

Her brother Stephen Williams reportedly also visited the scene on Monday for about two hours with a red rose in his back pocket.

The fallen tree trunks she was hidden under were so big it was not possible to see her body unless you were standing directly above them

Police on Tuesday evening confirmed the body was Ms Ristevski's (pictured here with husband Borce), having told her family to prepare for the worst the day before

Asked whether he had been told anything about the body, her stepson Anthony Rickard replied: 'What's to tell?' but did not answer further questions

Two detectives from the missing persons squad visited at her $1.1 million two-storey house in Avondale Heights, Melbourne, at about 4.45pm to break the news.

They spent about 50 minutes inside the house speaking to family including her husband of 25 years Borce, 52, and their daughter Sarah, 21, but did not answer questions as they left.

However, Mr Rickard gave a cryptic comment to Daily Mail Australia just before family flocked to the house to grieve.

Asked whether he had been told anything about the body, Mr Rickard replied: 'What's to tell?' but did not answer further questions.

The self-confessed ice addict has previously made unsubstantiated claims about his mother and family conflict within the Ristevski clan.

Police at the scene where a 'badly decomposed' body was found in Mount Macedon, north of Melbourne, on Monday afternoon

Ms Ristevski's phone reportedly pinged a tower in Gisborne - about 11 kilometres from the site - on the day she went missing

The discovery site is about 25 kilometres from the Toolern Vale area where police were searching for her last December

Ms Ristevski's aunt Patricia Gray earlier said the family was happy she was finally found but 'devastated that's how she was discarded'.

'How a person such as Karen, so full of love, life and laughter, could be left, abandoned, discarded with no thought or emotion shown is unforgivable,' she told The Age.

Her cousin Lisa Gray paid tribute to Ms Ristevski and vowed the family would do everything it could to help bring her killer to justice.

'Karen was such a beautiful, kind, generous and loving person,' she said.

'We will continue to do everything we can to assist police to help find the person responsible.'

Two detectives from the missing persons squad visited at her luxury two-storey house in Avondale Heights, Melbourne, at about 4.45pm to break the news

They spent about 50 minutes inside the house speaking to family including her husband Borce and their daughter Sarah, but did not answer questions as they left

Borce Ristevski's brother, Vasco, and his son, Chris - both who have spoken publicly about the death - arrived at the home about 6.30pm.

Chris Ristevski kept his phone glued to his face but neither answered questions. A blonde woman also rushed to the home after the news broke.

Another woman, who said she was just a neighbour, laid flowers at the entrance.

Ms Ristevski was said to have left the house for some fresh air' after a fight over finances with her husband Borce.

A blonde woman also rushed to the home after the news broke

Chris Ristevski, nephew of ms Ristevski, arrives at her home after hearing that her body was identified keeping his phone glued to his face

Another woman, who said she was just a neighbour, laid flowers at the entrance

Mr Ristevski's brother Vasco suggested she might have fled to the U.S. or China.

The discovery site is about 25 kilometres from the Toolern Vale area where police were searching for her last December.

Missing persons detectives are appealing for anyone who may have walked along the dirt track off Loch Road, or seen any vehicles, to get in touch.

Police were also requesting any people who took photos or videos in the area to contact them.

Another man arrives at the house to console the grieving family

A third man arrived at the Ristevski house after news of her remains being found broke

A Victoria Police spokeswoman said the remains were being taken for forensic tests to determine the cause of death.

Ms Ristevski's phone reportedly pinged a tower in Gisborne - about 11 kilometres from the site - on the day she went missing.

No one has yet been charged in relation to her body's discovery and police have not yet ruled it a murder.

Timeline of Karen Ristevski's mysterious disappearance June 29, 2016: Karen Ristevski disappears from her house on Oakley Drive in Avondale Heights, Melbourne, at about 10am. Her husband Borce, the last person to see her alive, said she went to 'clear her head' after a fight July 11: The missing persons squad is called in to investigate July 8, 2016: Mr Ristevski questioned by detectives and denied any involvement in her disappearance July 13: Actor Samuel Johnson took to social media to plead for his friend to come home July 13: Police and SES scour bushland behind the Ristevski home, near the Maribyrnong River July 14, 2016: Mr Ristevski is asked 'Did you kill Karen, Borce?' ending a press conference appealing for information about her disappearance. The same day, police said CCTV did not catch her leaving the house that morning July 21, 2016: Mr Ristevski claims their home's security cameras stoped working months before her disappearance July 23, 2016: Ms Ristevski's meth-addicted step-son Anthony Rickard, 32, claimed his stepmother was planning on leaving his father July 29: Police divers search another part of the Maribyrnong River, about three kilometres from the Ristevski house September 9, 2016: Neighbour hands police CCTV possibly showing Ms Ristevski's car on the day she disappeared August 11, 2016: Mr Rickard posted a series of disturbing and unsubstantiated messages to social media which revealed his troubled relationship with his family. He claimed their marriage was 'fake', called his father a 'coward', claimed he watched him do drugs and that he and Mrs Ristevski had an affair August 24, 2016: Mr Ristevski's brother Vasco suggested she might have fled to the U.S. or China on a fake passport December 19-20, 2016: Police drained dams and searched countryside at Toolern Vale - just south of where her body was found on Monday February 20, 2017: A bushwalker found the body under a large log on Mt Macedon, about 52 kilometres from the house, and contacted police about 12.30pm February 21, 2017: The body is confirmed to be Ms Ristevski's and police break the news to her family Advertisement

Mystery has surrounded the disappearance of Melbourne mother Karen Ristevski ever since she vanished on June 29, 2016.

Mrs Ristevski, 47, was last seen leaving her home on Oakley Drive in Avondale Heights in Melbourne's north-west following an argument with her husband.

Her boutique Bella Bleu closed in February last year, leander caveats put on the family home, and Borce tried to get a loan from a notorious Melbourne loan shark at least twice.

Since then police have followed up endless leads and searched various areas, but the 47-year-old has not been seen for almost eight months.

Ms Ristevski's daughter Sarah (L) and husband Borce (R) were reportedly devastated at hearing the body could be hers

Shortly after her disappearance, actor Samuel Johnson (L) took to social media to plead for his friend to come home

Her phone was switched off and her bank accounts have not been accessed since her disappearance.

Mrs Ristevski's husband Borce Ristevski was the last person to see her alive. He said she left their family home after a fight, and went for a walk to 'clear her head'.

Mr Ristevski was questioned by police immediately after his wife's disappearance, but was released a short time later pending further inquiries.

Shortly after her disappearance, actor Samuel Johnson took to social media to plead for his friend to come home.

Johnson, known for his lead role in TV series The Secret Life of Us, described Ms Ristevski as a 'sensitive, generous, intelligent and kind woman,' the Herald Sun reported at the time.

Ms Ristevski was a successful boutique shop proprietor living in a luxury two-storey house

Police mounted an extensive search for Ms Ristevski over many months but turned up nothing

During a press conference three weeks after the woman's disappearance, a reporter asked her husband whether he killed her.

'Did you kill Karen, Borce?' a Seven News journalist quizzed.

The family cut the media conference short and Mr Ristevski has consistently denied any involvement in his wife's disappearance.

That same week police revealed that CCTV cameras did not show Mrs Ristevski leaving her home on the day she disappeared.

Police have not suggested that Mr Ristevski has had anything to do with his wife's disappearance.

In the weeks after Mrs Ristevski's disappearance, SES crews, water police and police on motorbikes searched the Maribyrnong River and surrounding areas.

It was also reported by The Australian at the time that the family were struggling with their debts and on the verge of losing their home when she vanished.

The missing mother's brother Stephen Williams reportedly also visited the scene on Monday for about two hours with a red rose in his back pocket

Police and SES volunteers search for missing mother Karen Ristevski near Gisborne South northwest of Melbourne in December as part of the long search

A month after her disappearance Mrs Ristevski's meth-addicted step-son Anthony Rickard, 32, claimed his stepmother was planning on leaving his father.

Mr Rickard, a father-of-two who has been questioned by police in relation to the 47-year-old's disappearance, previously told the Herald Sun that he did not kill his stepmother, but that he is angry over a family conflict.

Then in August the 32-year-old posted a series of disturbing and unsubstantiated messages to social media which revealed his troubled relationship with his family.

Among a stream of violent and often incoherent messages Mr Rickard called his father a 'coward', claimed he watched him do drugs and that he and Mrs Ristevski had an affair.

Police divers search a river near Gisborne South northwest of Melbourne in December

No one has yet been charged in relation to her body's discovery and police have not yet ruled it a murder

Nephew Chris Ristevski told A Current Affair at the time that he was shocked his cousin, who has struggled with ice addiction, would stoop so low.

'It's outrageous - it's supposed to be his family.'

In September it was revealed that a car driving away from Mrs Ristevski's home on the day she disappeared closely resembled her own one.

CCTV footage captured by a neighbour's camera showed a car resembling the Melbourne mother's, the Herald Sun reported.

Then on December 19 and 20 last year, police drained dams and searched countryside at Toolern Vale - just south of where her body was found on Monday.
Consultant anaesthetist Emil Guirguis, 59, built a vile library of abusive images

A Christian doctor found with a sick haul of over 11,000 indecent images of children has launched a legal battle to have himself struck off the medical register.

Consultant anaesthetist Emil Guirguis, 59, built a vile library of abusive images after developing a 'compulsion' for child porn.

The church-goer's double life was exposed after a police raid, but he avoided jail and escaped with just a community rehabilitation order.

Now Guirguis, who took early retirement, has asked for his name to be struck off the register so that he can follow a career as a trader on the stock market.

During his trial, Stoke Crown Court heard how he used the internet search terms 'pre-teen hardcore' and 'paedo' to trawl for thousands of images of youngsters being abused by paedophiles.

The devout Christian - who volunteered his services as missionary in Africa - built an online library of pictures which he kept in folder entitled CP - which stood for 'child porn.'

But his secret double life was exposed when police raided his 400,000 home in Solihull, West Midlands and seized his computer equipment.

Officers also searched Guirguis' second home in Penkhull, Staffordshire, where they seized more electronic devices.

Police examined four lap tops and six computer hard drives and found more than 11,000 indecent images of children and 1,028 extreme pornographic images.

Guirguis initially claimed he had intended downloading adult porn but began looking at child pornography out of 'curiosity' before developing a 'compulsion' to continue downloading the images.

He denied getting any sexual gratification from the pictures claiming he did not realise what he was doing was illegal or that the victims were being abused.

Police found that Guirguis - who had volunteered as a missionary in Africa - had a sick haul of over 11,000 indecent images when they raided his two homes

Last October Guirguis who had worked for a total of 35 years at the Royal Stoke University Hospital and Birmingham Heartlands Hospital escaped with a three year community rehabilitation order after he admitted possessing and making indecent images of children and possessing extreme pornographic images.

But his case has been referred to the General Medical Council, where today the doctor himself - who has taken early retirement - applied to a disciplinary panel to strike him off.

The GMC could have taken a number of disciplinary routes at the tribunal, including a suspension, but it Guirguis decided to use the hearing as a platform to leave medicine on his own terms.

He told the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service in Manchester: 'I've been out of a practice for almost two years now, although I've developed a good level of skills and knowledge.

'I've decided not to proceed in medicine and have trained to do some sales work. I'm exploring the area of doing stocks and shares trading which has given me a chance to do self education.'

Guirguis said that he did not get any sexual gratification from the images and downloaded them after developing a 'compulsion' for child porn

He added: 'Of course I knew anything to do with child abuse is illegal - the act itself - but I was not aware that finding a picture on the screen of a computer is considered illegal.

'Now I'm in a totally different position, I do understand all the facts related to that. One of the elements was a lack of proper knowledge, or ignorance, on my part.

'I was asked whether I took a child protection course during my professional life. As I'm not a paediatric doctor I only did a basic course which is related to recognition of any signs that could indicate a child patient would be abused and then to raise awareness or reach the appropriate channels.

'That did not have any impact on what I have briefly seen on screens which I totally regret because I did not relate the picture on the screen to the actual moment of time when the abuse was happening.

Guirguis wants to be struck off the medical register and plans to embark on a career as a trader on the stock market

'I did discuss that with the counsellor and he referred to my description as 'lack of empathy' at that time. I did not relate the picture to the actual incident, now I do.

'I had to put myself in the position of the child and if I had the slightest degree of trying to live that moment I would have finished because it's unpleasant and it would have been very different. Why I did not do that I didn't fully understand until I was assess by a professional person'.

Earlier counsel for the GMC Miss Helena Duong said Guirguis was held in June 2015 after police from the child exploitation team carried out raids.

She said: 'A number of electronic devices were seized and they found a large number of indecent images both still and moving of children. Dr Guirguis had made a self referral and the images relate to a large amount of photographs and videos.

'In summary there were over 11,000 indecent images of children and it was also apparent that Dr Guirguis had used file sharing software to download indecent images. A folder was created by the user, Dr Guirguis, entitled 'CP' and the police suggest that means 'child porn'.

'He said he had used the file sharing software to download movies and adult porn and he described looking at some of the child pornography out of curiosity but not saving them. He described a compulsion to continue downloading them images but not getting any sexual gratification.'

In total, 1,618 images of category A - the most serious were recovered; 1,072 at category B; 8,320 at category C; and 1,028 extreme pornographic images. The images showed children in pain and visibly distressed as they were being sexually abused.

The MPTS hearing continues.
A builder who torched former AFL star Dane Swan's historic Melbourne hotel and caused millions of dollars' damage said he was in a panic to finish renovations.

Andrew McMahon has pleaded guilty to arson after he set fire last October to south Melbourne's Albion hotel which he had been contracted to renovate.

On Tuesday, the County Court heard McMahon admitted being in a panic to finish the work three weeks before the hotel's official launch.

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Andrew McMahon has pleaded guilty to arson after he set fire last October to South Melbourne's Albion hotel

The fire caused more than $5 million damage to the three-storey building

McMahon torched the historic Melbourne hotel because 'he was in a panic to finish renovations'

'I am sorry, I just thought this would buy me some time,' McMahon told police.

'I was just in a panic.'

The fire caused more than $5 million damage to the three-storey building, which is more than 150 years old.

The cost of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade call-out was $336,000.

Prosecutor John Livitsanos said McMahon set the building alight 18 days before the hotel's official launch party, to which thousands of people had been invited.

The Albion Hotel is part-owned by former AFL star Dane Swan (pictured)

The cost of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade call-out to the fire was $336,000

McMahon set the building alight 18 days before the hotel's official launch party

Andrew McMahon (pictured left) had been contracted to renovate the Albion Hotel

CCTV footage was played to the court showing the accused circling the building on the day it was torched.

When he finally gained access, he set it alight with a match.

McMahon then called 000 to report the fire, claiming he was assaulted by two masked males as he investigated what he thought was a burglary.

The fire was later deemed deliberate and the accused's injuries were believed self-inflicted.

The defence has called clinical psychologist Patrick Newton to give evidence during the plea hearing.

In his report to the court, Mr Newton said anxiety affected McMahon's ability to think clearly about his conduct and his options, and this detrimentally affected his decisions.

The plea is continuing.
A charity has named a toilet block in Gambia after MP Simon Danczuk in a tongue-in-cheek swipe following a row over donations.

London-based Sohm Schools Support dubbed the facilities the 'Simon Danczuk Toilet Block' as part of their programme to improve two schools in a tiny village.

Charity founder and trustee John Walker had initially vowed to name a more prestigious school building in Sohm after the Labour MP for Rochdale.

London-based Sohm Schools Support dubbed the facilities the 'Simon Danczuk Toilet Block' as part of their programme to improve two schools in a tiny village

Grand opening: The charity has named the toilet block in Gambia after Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk in a tongue-in-cheek swipe following a row over donations

It came after they met in 2012 to discuss background information for Mr Danczuk's book 'Smile for the Camera: The Double Life of Cyril Smith'.

But the 69-year-old claims he never got a charity donation in response for his help - and chose to name the school's toilet after the MP following the disagreement.

Mr Walker, who lives in London, said: 'I never had any financial interest in Simon's book but I would have appreciated a charitable donation as recognition for my work.

'I told Simon if he put a couple of grand our way I would be happy to name a building after him.

'But I never received a donation from him  so, given the way I felt about it, I thought that toilet block would be appropriate instead.

'It's great that these toilets are up and running and very much appreciated by the students and you can see it on their delighted faces - they are flushed with pride.

Cutting the ribbon: The charity's founder claims he never got a donation in response for his help with Mr Danczuk's book - and chose to name the school's toilet after the MP

Disagreement: Charity founder and trustee John Walker (left) had initially vowed to name a more prestigious school building in Sohm after the Labour MP for Rochdale (right)

'It's a hard squeeze getting money to help these schools but Mr Danczuk's small deposit was a movement in the right direction.

'One of the students told me that when they go to the toilet they now ask if they can "go to the Danczuk".'

One of the students told me that when they go to the toilet they now ask if they can 'go to the Danczuk' John Walker, Sohm Schools Support

Former journalist Mr Walker previously worked for the Rochdale Alternative Paper, which first exposed paedophile politician Cyril Smith back in 1979.

The allegations resurfaced following the former Liberal Democrat's death aged 82 in 2010.

Mr Walker claims after meeting with Mr Danczuk to discuss a book on the politician, he requested a donation as recognition for the information he provided.

He said the cash would have be used to develop a building for one of the schools, such as a science or computer block, that could be named in Mr Danczuk's honour.

Mr Walker claims after meeting with Mr Danczuk to discuss a book on the politician, he requested a donation as recognition for the information he provided

Unveiling: Mr Walker vowed to use a 250 donation to name the toilet block after Mr Danczuk  and he unveiled it on a trip on Tuesday last week

But Mr Walker alleges he never got a donation from Mr Danczuk directly - although the book's publisher did give him 250 for the use of a reconstruction of the Rochdale Alternative Paper's front-page expose on Smith on the paperback cover.

Mr Walker, who was acknowledged in the book's foreword along with the paper's co-editor David Bartlett, then vowed to use the donation to name the toilet block after Mr Danczuk  and he unveiled it on a trip on Tuesday last week.

Mr Danczuk confirmed he met Mr Walker twice before the book was written but said the trustee had nothing to do with the book - and so did not receive a donation.

However, he added that Mr Walker was acknowledged in its foreword because of the part he played in helping uncover Smith's wrongdoing.

Mr Danczuk said: 'My book has given countless victims of abuse the confidence to come forward and seek justice for the horrific crimes committed against them, and has shone a light on the darker side of Westminster.

'I am sorry for Mr Walker who is clearly confused about his involvement with authoring the book, which evidently has contributed an awful lot to raising the issue of child abuse and continues to help victims deal with their traumatic past.'
A jealous chef was jailed for a minimum of 18 years today for beating his millionaire heiress Chinese girlfriend to death over a phone message from another man.

Jordan Matthews, 23, who claimed to be a black belt in karate, was convicted of murdering Xixi Bi, 24, whose brother says he has 'ripped the heart' out of his family.

His victim moved to Britain for her education and was in line to take over the multi-million pound family business back in Nanjing, China, when she completed her masters in International Business.

But she fell under Matthews' spell in 2015 and would use her wealth to lavish him with gifts and luxury trips abroad.

Before she died the 'brilliant student' was missing lectures because of his months of 'controlling and coercive behaviour' and her weight had also plummeted to 7st.

Xixi went to hospital with a broken jaw a month before she died in August last year and was killed when Matthews flew into a rage after wrongly suspecting her of getting a text message from another man and left her with catastrophic injuries.

Killer: Jordan Matthews, 23, left, a black belt in karate, was jailed for at least 18 years for murdering his wealthy Chinese girlfriend Xixi Bi, 24, right

Abusive: During their relationship Xixi's fell to just 7st and the 'brilliant student' was missing lectures because of his months of 'controlling and coercive behaviour'

As he was jailed for life with a minimum 18 years today her brother Zexun told the court Matthews had 'ripped the heart' of his family.

Chinese media have reported that Xixi's father is a billionaire transport mogul in the food industry.

Her brother told the court in a statement: 'Xixi was needlessly and selfishly killed by Jordan Matthews, a person which she trusted.

'Xixi was a kind, friendly, approachable person. She was intelligent and had the whole world in front of her.

'My father and mother will never get to see Xixi get married, and won't get the opportunity to hand over the running of the company.

'The company was a multi million pound company, and Xixi was in line to take over that company.

'The heart has been ripped out of our family. We as a family will never come to terms with our loss, and Xixi will always be in our hearts however broken they are.'

When Xixi was brutally killed on August 19 last year Matthews claimed he and his girlfriend of 16 months had just had a 'bicker' and called 999 to say she was struggling to breathe.

But when paramedics arrived her body was so battered and bruised one medic thought she was already dead. She died in hospital the next day.

His victim, who bankrolled his lifestyle and trips across Europe, called her a 'worthless piece of s**t' and would tell her he would hit her if she did not perform sex acts on him.

Mrs Justice Davies outlined the abusive relationship between Matthews and Miss Bi from when they met in April 2015.

She said: 'Xixi Bi was a generous and loving young woman.

'When you met Xixi you were unemployed. She was the daughter of wealthy parents living in China.

'She came to the UK for her education ... Xixi provided you with a home, clothing, she bought a car for you. You took what she gave.'

Anger: Matthews has been labelled 'selfish, mindless and gutless' by Miss Bi's family today

Miss Bi's studies started to suffer after she began a relationship with Matthews (pictured together), and he lived off her money and enjoyed trips across Europe

Matthews, 24, called the 999 operator 'darling' as he explained he had been 'really, really horrible' to his diminutive girlfriend - in fact he had rained dozens of blows on her, causing 'massive bruising' and multiple fractures.

His trial heard she went into cardiac arrest at 8.30am on August 19 last year because of complications from her multiple injuries.

After his arrest denied murdering Miss Bi, 24, but pleaded guilty to manslaughter, insisting he had not meant to kill her.

Matthews' texts to his girlfriend revealed he called her a 'worthless piece of s**t' and would beat her around the head

But on Friday a jury found him guilty of murder after a 10-day trial at Cardiff Crown Court.

Born in China, Miss Bi was educated in the UK from the age of 15 and was a post-graduate student at Cardiff Metropolitan University at the time of her death.

Matthews has been labelled 'selfish, mindless and gutless' by Miss Bi's family today, who described her as an 'intelligent and energetic person who had a very bright future and her whole life in front of her'.

In a statement released by South Wales Police, they said she was a much-loved daughter, granddaughter, sister and friend.

'All this was taken away from her, and us, by the selfish, mindless and gutless actions of Jordan Mathews, who brutally killed her for no other reason than jealousy,' they said.

'He has wallowed in self-pity and refused to accept the truth.

'This has meant that we have had to endure having to hear the events of Xixi's death played out in the public arena of the crown court and the media.

'The heart has been ripped out of our family.'

The family thanked the police and the prosecution for their work to ensure 'justice has been done'.

They added: 'We accept the decision of the court and hope that the sentence imposed upon Jordan Mathews will prevent him ever having the opportunity to hurt anyone else and give him time to reflect on his actions.'

Detective chief inspector Gareth Morgan, said Miss Bi 'was enjoying her life living and studying in Cardiff, but that tragically changed when she met Jordan Matthews'.

He said Matthews identified her vulnerabilities and manipulated them with his 'controlling and coercive behaviour which escalated into extreme and sustained violence that led to her death'.

She met Matthews in April 2015 on the dating website Plenty of Fish and they moved in together soon after.

The couple lived first in her apartment at the Hayes in Cardiff city centre before moving to France together so Miss Bi could improve her language skills.

Matthews, who repeated over and over in his police interview how much he had loved his 'amazing girl', said that was the first time he had been abroad.

They returned to South Wales after her visa was rejected and moved into the Ely Road flat in the Llandaff area of the city, which the jury heard was not as nice as Miss Bi was used to.

During their relationship, Miss Bi lost contact with her ex-boyfriend, lost weight, stopped taking care of her appearance and became 'quiet, withdrawn and submissive', according to friends.

Her attendance on her university course dropped and she was forced to resit a year after missing a number of deadlines.

The polyglot, who spoke excellent English, French and Spanish, supported Matthews financially, paying for his clothes, food, accommodation and a car.

Evidence: The day before Miss Bi's death, the student (left and right) had travelled to London to visit a friend who spotted bruising on her face. A month before that she suffered a broken jaw

Lies: A transcript of Matthews' (left) police interview was read out to the jury at Cardiff Crown Court in which he said: 'The last thing I would ever do to my beautiful Bi is kill her'

Meanwhile, her brother said he saw her she wearing very heavy make-up with what looked like bruises underneath and neighbours reported hearing the sound of arguing coming from their ground-floor flat.

She was admitted to hospital the month before her death for surgery on a broken jaw, which she claimed happened when she fell down stairs while wearing heels at home.

TIMELINE OF TORMENT: XIXI BI AND MATTHEWS'S TURBULENT RELATIONSHIP Jordan Matthews and Xixi Bi met on dating site Plenty Of Fish in April 2015. This is how their relationship developed: April 2015 - Matthews and Ms Bi go on a date in Cardiff after meeting online and move in together soon afterwards. March 2016 - The couple have an argument and Matthews sends his girlfriend a message calling her a 'worthless piece of s***'. May 2016 - The victim's brother Zexun Bi notices bruising around her eyes, which she has tried to cover with make-up. Two months later, Ms Bi is admitted to hospital for surgery on her jaw and tells doctors she fell down stairs at home, despite living in a ground-floor flat. August 18 - She spends the day in London with a friend, but Matthews becomes convinced she is cheating on him. August 19, 1.30am - After Matthews picks her up from Cardiff Central station, the fatal assault begins. Matthews claims it lasts for 10 minutes but a neighbour reports hearing crying all night. August 19, 8.30am - Matthews makes a 999 call, telling the call handler: 'Me and her had a bicker last night.' Paramedics arrive and find Ms Bi lying on the bedroom floor as Matthews claims: 'I didn't punch her.' She is pronounced dead in hospital an hour later. Advertisement

The jury heard messages sent between the pair, which included one where Matthews said to Miss Bi: 'F*** you. Stop texting me you worthless piece of s**t.

'You never do anything right. I can't be bothered texting you.'

In another he said: 'I have to hit you repeatedly in the head while screaming at you.'

On the day before she was killed, Miss Bi, who weighed 7st 9lb, arrived back in Cardiff from a trip to London at around midnight and was picked up by Matthews.

They went for something to eat before returning home, where a neighbour was woken at 1am by the sound of a male voice shouting, noises that she told police continued throughout the night.

Paul Lewis, QC, prosecuting, said a post-mortem examination showed Miss Bi had suffered 'numerous and widespread' bruises over her head, face, shoulders, chest, arms and legs, which indicated multiple 'blunt impacts' by fist, knee or foot.

Other bruises were caused by a rod or stick-like weapon, he added.

'The defendant beat Miss Bi to death in her own home and in a vicious, sustained and prolonged attack that he launched upon her,' he said.

As well as new injuries, which included a broken jaw and broken ribs, she was also found to have a number of healing injuries.

Matthews was arrested and told officers he became violent after he saw what he thought was a dating app message on Miss Bi's phone.

He claimed they had argued 'four' times during their relationship but that he had never hit her before.

After hitting her on the night before she died, they made up and had sexual intercourse, he said, adding 'make-up sex was always better than normal sex anyway'.

Matthews told police he had been planning to propose to Miss Bi and offered to show them the ring.
When a ten-year-old girl in Ohio got stuck with her mathematics homework she turned to the police for help.

Surprisingly, an officer was happy to oblige - but unfortunately he ended up answering one of the questions incorrectly.

Lena Draper sent a message to the Marion Police Department's Facebook page after struggling with her fifth-grade maths assignment.

Instead of ignoring her request Lieutenant B.J. Gruber, the officer who runs the page, tried to help.

Lena Draper sent a message to the Marion Police Department's Facebook Page after struggling with her fifth-grade maths assignment

Lena (pictured) asked the police for help with her maths assignment on Facebook

Lena started to list some maths problems, saying 'well I don't understand [8+29] x 15.'

The officer responded: 'Do the numbers in the parenthesis first so in essence it would be 37 x 15.'

The 10-year-old then asked the officer: 'Ok now if I had this (90+27) + (29+15) x 2. Which one would I do first?'

To that, the officer said: 'Take the answer from the first parenthesis plus the answer from the second parenthesis and multiply that answer times two.

'Work left to right doing the work inside the parenthesis first.'

Unfortunately, as some Facebook users pointed out, the officer's advice turned out to be wrong.

The correct answer is to add the numbers in the second parentheses and multiply only that by 2, then add it to the numbers in the first parentheses.

Instead of ignoring Lena's request Lieutenant B.J. Gruber, the officer who runs the page, tried to help

MATHS EQUATION For those in need of math equation help, remember the acronym PEMDAS, which stands for parentheses, exponents, multiplication, division, addition and subtraction - the order in which mathematical operations should be performed in an equation. Advertisement

Her mother, Molly, told ABC News: 'I didn't believe her and asked for a screen shot. I thought it was pretty funny. And I love that they went ahead with it.

'I was happy, but not surprised that they responded so quickly. They are wonderful with their communication with the community.'

She added: 'I thought it was just a goofy life moment to share with some friends, but it seems to really be striking a chord with people.'

After the error was pointing out to him, Gruber joked: 'Hoping it is truly the thought that counts since apparently I cannot!

'Especially since the answer was wrong, it was very nice for Molly to acknowledge our attempt to help her daughter with some math homework.'
A High Court judge has concluded a businessman dubbed 'Africa's youngest billionaire' lied during the latest stage of a cash battle with his estranged wife.

Ashish Thakkar and travel journalist Meera Manek, who are both in their 30s, separated in 2013 after four years of marriage and disagree on the size of the fortune at stake.

He says he has assets totalling less than 500,000 but Miss Manek says he is a billionaire.

Ashish Thakkar repeatedly lied during a battle over his disputed fortune, a judge has found

Meera Manek, 33, who separated from Mr Thakkar in 2013 after four years of marriage, says he is hiding money from her

Mr Justice Moor had been asked to make decisions about who owned business assets.

He heard Mr Thakkar had 'joined forces' with his parents and other family members to create a collection of companies known as the Mara Group.

The judge was told the 'beneficial ownership' of that holding company was hotly disputed.

The judge has now concluded Mr Thakkar, who has worked with former Barclays Bank chief executive Bob Diamond, has a 100% interest in the Mara Group.

He has also concluded Mr Thakkar has a 100% interest in a group called Inspire Holdings.

The judge said Mr Thakkar and two relatives 'repeatedly lied' when giving evidence at a recent family court trial in London.

He is expected to make decisions on how much cash Miss Manek should get after further hearings.

Mr Thakkar, pictured with Hollywood star Sean Penn, will be told how much he should pay Ms Manek at a hearing expected later this year

Mr Thakkar (pictured skydiving) has a 100% interest in two companies, the judge found today

The judge said he heard evidence from Mr Thakkar, 35, Mr Thakkar's father, Jagdish, 68, and Mr Thakkar's sister Ahuti, 41.

He added: 'I find I have been repeatedly lied to by all three respondent Thakkar witnesses.'

A spokesman for Mr Thakkar said today the businessman had 'no comment'.

In July, Mr Thakkar lost an opening skirmish when Mr Justice Moor ruled the couple should not finalise a divorce until decisions had been made on how much Miss Manek would walk away with.

The judge said Miss Manek might be at a disadvantage if she was fighting as an ex-wife rather than a wife.

Mr Justice Moor has heard how Mr Thakkar's parents were forced to leave Uganda in the early 1970s to escape Idi Amin's exile of the 'non-African community'.

A High Court judge was asked to rule on the situation ahead of a battle over the money

They had lost everything and 'started again' in the UK, working in factories and then setting up their own business, lawyers said.

Mr Thakkar was born in Leicester in 1981. His family returned to Africa in 1993 and settled in Rwanda, shortly before hundreds of thousands were killed in a genocide. He saw atrocities as a teenager.

He and his family were evacuated to Hotel des Mille Collines, the hotel in the film Hotel Rwanda, before escaping to Kenya and settling in Uganda.

The judge was told Mr Thakkar left school at 15 with no qualifications and started to trade in computer hardware after his parents lent him about 3,500.

Financial journalists have described Mr Thakkar as 'Africa's youngest billionaire'.

In June 2014, he featured in a Financial Times article which indicated Mr Thakkar had been described as Africa's 'youngest dollar billionaire'. Mr Thakkar told the newspaper: 'I don't like the 'Africa's youngest billionaire' title.'
Riots have broken out in the Swedish suburb that Donald Trump referred to in his speech about immigration problems.

Police were forced to fire warning shots after a group of rioters began setting fire to cars, throwing stones at police and looting shops in the Rinkeby district of Stockholm on Monday night.

A police officer was injured during the clashes, Swedish public service broadcaster SVT reported.

Donald Trump made his confusing remarks about immigration in Sweden at his Florida rally on Saturday.

Trump was initially thought to be talking about terrorism when he warned of 'what's happening last night in Sweden'.

Riots have broken out in the Swedish suburb that Donald Trump referred to in his speech about immigration problems

Donald Trump made his confusing remarks about immigration in Sweden at his Florida rally

But he later claimed he was talking about an edition of Fox News' Tucker Carlson Tonight about immigrant crime in the Scandinavian country.

Trump was mocked widely for his Florida speech, in which he said: 'You look at what's happening in Germany, you look at what's happening last night in Sweden.

'Sweden. Who would believe this? Sweden. They took in large numbers. They're having problems like they never thought possible.'

He later clarified on Twitter that he was denying 'fake news' claims that 'large scale immigration in Sweden is working out just beautifully.'

Police said in a statement that at least seven or eight cars were burned in the district, which has one of the largest immigrant populations in Stockholm, during Monday's disorder.

A police officer was injured during the clashes, according to Swedish public service broadcaster SVT

Police said in a statement that at least seven or eight cars were burned in the district, which has one of the largest immigrant populations in Stockholm

Police later said they suspected that cars had been set on fire to lure them to the scene.

A photographer from the Dagens Nyheter newspaper also claimed that he spent a night in hospital after he was assaulted by a group of 15 people in Rinkeby as he attempted to report the unrest.

'I was hit with a lot of punches and kicks both to my body and my head. I have spent the night in hospital,' he said.

A shopkeeper was also reportedly beaten while trying to protect his store, while another person was also beaten, with both taken to hospital for treatment.

Police later said they suspected that cars had been set on fire to lure them to the scene

Police said between 30 and 50 young men were involved in the violence, which saw two civilians and a police officer taken to hospital

The disorder reportedly broke out after police arrested a wanted person, believed to be a drug dealer, at the subway station in Rinkeby at about 8pm that night.

'It happened in connection with an intervention near the metro station, the officers were to detain a person, our colleagues got stones thrown at them' Eva Nilsson at the police regional command center in Stockholm told Aftonbladet.

While it was initially reported that police had fired warning shots, national public broadcaster SVT later said that the officers, in fact, fired directly at the rioters.

The suburb, north of central Stockholm, has a population made up of 75 per cent immigrants

'That is correct. According to initial reports it was warning shots, however the officers did indeed fire directly at the stone throwers but missed their targets', police chief Tony Lagerkrantz told SVT.

Stockholm police spokesperson Lars Bystrom, said officers were unclear exactly how many people had been involved in the riot, but estimated that the number was between 30 and 50 young men.

'Some may have disappeared, others have been added, it is difficult to get a handle on how many exactly,' he told SVT. 'We have a fairly large number of police officers trained to handle this type of a situation.'

Officers managed to get the violence under control by around midnight, and have now launched an investigation in an attempt to track down those responsible for the disorder.

The disorder reportedly broke out after police arrested a wanted person, believed to be a drug dealer, at the subway station in Rinkeby

Officers managed to get the violence under control by around midnight, and have now launched an investigation

The suburb, north of central Stockholm, has a population made up of 75 per cent immigrants.

'We will make sure to reestablish law and order,' Lars Bystrom, press officer at the Stockholm police told Aftonbladet.

Swedish Minister of Interior Anders Ygeman added: 'The police do not back out, the police are there. It is good that the police intervene, they arrested a wanted person.

'They have expanded their presence in our suburbs and it has led to more interventions, it can also risk getting a bit messy, but in the end it leads to greater security for the residents', he told the national daily SVD.
Milo Yiannopoulos lost his $250,000 book deal on Monday in light of his comments that appear to defend pedofiles

The head of the American Conservative Union is defending his decision to invite controversial speaker Milo Yiannopoulos to the annual CPAC conference  even though he withdrew the invitation after videos containing 'out of bounds' comments emerged.

Matt Schlapp, who heads the ACU, told MSNBC's 'Morning Joe,' indicated he was aware of anti-Semitic statements by Yiannopoulos, but decided to invite him to highlight campus free speech issues.

'I think when it comes to what he does on campus  You have a right to be heard in America and you have a right to be heard on campus. And its not fair on campus that just voices that emanate from the left seem to be cherished and not voices from the right,' Shlapp said.

But he took back the invitation after videos came out where Yiannopoulis described the benefits of 'coming of age relationships'  though the outspoken conservative said he was not defending pedophilia.

'There are boundaries, and over the weekend I was made aware of these comments and it just broke though very important boundaries and we felt like the CPAC stage was not an appropriate place for this any longer,' said Schlapp.

Yiannopoulos, Breitbart's Technology Editor, lost his $250,000 book deal on Monday after video was leaked that showed the alt-right poster boy appearing to defend pedophilia.

Publisher Simon & Schuster said: 'After careful consideration, Simon & Schuster and its Threshold Editions imprint have canceled publication of Dangerous by Milo Yiannopoulos.'

Shclapp said he issued the invitation after meeting with Yiannopoulos.

Scroll down for video

Matt Schlapp defended the decision to invite Milo Yiannopoulos to the annual CPAC conference, although the invitation got rescinded

Milo Yiannopoulos claimed he was not defending pedophilia when he said some younger boys could benefit by coming involved in a consensual relationship with an older man. He has now been banned from speaking at the Conservative Political Action Committee conference

'I made the decision. he came to see me. He wanted to give some remarks about his experience on campus where he is often shut down, and there was so much press around his attempt to speak at Berkeley. We think that what happens with these speech codes and the chilling of free speech on campus is un-American, its wrong and hes brave to stand up in those situations.'

Host Joe Scarborough then pressed him on why CPAC couldn't get someone 'that's not an anti-Semite' to speak.

'Joe, its a fair point,' Schlapp responded. 'But the other point is that whether we like it or not he is a big voice in this movement. And we believe that our attendees can handle it and make their own judgments on whether or not they think a speaker is saying what is accurate or being inaccurate or being hateful. I dont want to shield that kind of conversation from our attendees.'

'As a matter of fact a lot of our attendees want to have these kind of choices before them and make their own choices, he said.'

In just one of his incendiary comments, Yiannopoulos told a Minnesota State University crowd that BuzzFeed News media writer Joe Bernstein represents a typical example of a sort of thick-as-pig s*** media Jew, who has all these sort of right, P.C. politics,' the Forward reported.

'Morning Joe' cohost Mike Barnacle tried to give Shlapp a way to back away from his comments supporting the decision to bring Yiannopoulos to the annual conservative confab.

'We like you here. Youre a nice guy. Were gonna give you a chance. You described a few mins ago Milo Yiannopoulos as being brave. You wanna take that back?'

'No. I think when it comes to what he does on campus  You have a right to be heard in America,' he said.

'Im comfortable with putting it on the stage and having that conversation having that debate,' he said. 'He was going to have to answer all the tough questions by a moderator who had thought through these controversial statements and was going to challenge him on it.'

'Dangerous' was set to be published under Threshold Editions, the conservative branch of the publisher according to USA Today.

The book deal received backlash since the announcement in January, with many on social media threatening to boycott the publisher.

Yiannopoulos's lewd comments saying relationships in which 'older men help those young boys to discover who they are' seemed to have pushed the company to back out.

After the announcement, the 33-year-old speaker posted on Facebook: 'They canceled my book.'

Milo Yiannopoulos reacted to publisher Simon & Schuster cancelling his book deal

The 'Dangerous' author would have been paid $250,000 for the book

And minutes later: 'I've gone through worse. This will not defeat me.'

On Tuesday, he is slated to hold a press conference about the comments at 3pm in New York City.

The 'Dangerous' author also published and deleted a 10 minute Facebook video emphasizing he wished he had used the term young men as opposed to young boys during 'The Drunken Peasants' clip.

The video of the comments resurfaced after he was slated to speak at the Conservative Political Action Committee.

Just six days ago, Yiannopoulos the wrote on Instagram: 'I asked my publisher, Threshold Editions, for more time to submit the manuscript for DANGEROUS so I could include material about the craziness and rioting at UC Berkeley, UC Davis and UW Seattle.'

'Dangerous' was set to be released on March 14 but was pushed back to June 13.

When the book hit number one on Amazon's best sellers last month, Yiannopoulos posted on Instagram: 'I only know how to win.'

Earlier, Yiannopoulos has been uninvited from the the Conservative Political Action Committee conference because of his comments on gay relationships between boys and older men.

The conservative firebrand was told he will not be able to attend the event this weekend by Matt Schlapp, chairman of the American Conservative Union.

He released a statement on Monday saying his invite was 'rescinded' after the 'offensive' video surfaced.

'We realize that Mr. Yiannopoulos has responded on Facebook, but it is insufficient, he added.

'It is up to him to answer the tough questions and we urge him to immediately further address these disturbing comments.'

The move comes just hours after Yiannopoulos strongly denied that he was defending pedophilia with his comments.

On Monday, he wrote on Facebook: 'I'm partly to blame. My own experiences as a victim led me to believe I could say anything I wanted to on this subject, no matter how outrageous.

'But I understand that my usual blend of British sarcasm, provocation and gallows humor might have come across as flippancy, a lack of care for other victims or, worse, "advocacy." I deeply regret that. People deal with things from their past in different ways.'

The conservative-leaning Reagan Battalion released footage of the online discussion

The conservative firebrand was told he will not be able to attend the event this weekend by Matt Schlapp, chairman of the American Conservative Union. He released a statement on Monday saying his invite was 'rescinded' after the 'offensive' video surfaced

Beitbart's News Editor was taking part in a debate between several American men, one of whom was wearing a superhero-style mask, when he defended 'coming of age' relationships.

A five-minute edited tape of the discussion was posted online forcing the controversial media star to clarify his comments.

Yiannopoulos was due to address the annual Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington this weekend.

After the footage was released, conservatives called for him to be banned.

During the online discussion, Yiannopoulos said: 'This is a controversial view, I accept. But we get caught up in this whole child abuse thing even to the extent we are policing consensual relationships between consenting adults, such as grad students and professors at universities.

'The whole consent thing is not as black and white as people try and paint it.'

Yiannopoulos agreed that the age of consent was 'roughly' at the right age.

Yiannopoulos wrote a second apology on Facebook on Monday. He said that he was abused as a child and felt he could speak freely on the topic

Yiannopulos is due to address the Conservative Political Action Conference 2017

The controversial columnist is often greeted by protests, such as this one earlier this month in Berkeley, California where he was forced to cancel a planned speech due to the demonstration

He continued: 'There are certainly people who are capable of giving consent at a younger age. I would certainly consider myself to be one of them, people who are sexually active younger.

'I think it particularly happens in the gay world, by the way. In many cases actually, those relationships this is one of the reasons I hate the left. This one-size-fits-all policing of culture. This arbitrary and oppressive idea of consent, which totally destroys, you know, the understanding that many of us have, of the complexities, subtleties and complicated nature of many relationships.

People are messy and complex, particularly in the homosexual world. Some of those relationships between younger boys and older men, the sort of coming of age relationships, the relationships in which those older men help those young boys to discover who they are, and give them security and safety and provide them with love and a reliable rock where they cant speak to their parents.'

Yiannopoulos said: 'Pedophilia is not a sexual attraction to somebody 13 years old who is sexually mature. Pedophilia is attraction to children who have not reached puberty. Pedophilia is an attraction to people who dont have functioning sex organs yet, who have not gone through puberty, who are too young to understand about the bodies. That is not what we are talking about.

You dont understand what pedophilia is if you thing Im defending it, because Im certainly not.'

Yiannopoulos suggested a relationship between 'younger boys and older men' can be 'hugely positive experiences for the young boys' saving them from possible 'suicide and drugs'

Yiannopouloswrote an 'apology' titled a 'note for idiots' on Sunday. He insisted he does not support pedophilia and mentioned sex criminals he had 'outed' during his career

Yiannopoulos claimed some teenagers could find a relationship with an older man quite beneficial.

He added: 'In the gay world, some of the most enriching and incredibly life-affirming and shaping relationships, very often between younger boys and older men, can be hugely positive experiences for those young boys. They can save those young boys from desolation, suicide and drug addiction, all sorts of things, providing theyre consensual.'

Later, Yiannopoulos wrote on Facebook blaming deceptive editing and his own 'sloppy phrasing' for any indication he supported pedophilia.

He said he spoke of his own relationship when he was 17 with a man who was 29. The age of consent in the UK is 16.

It's unclear who edited the videos.

The video was published by the Reagan Battalion, a blog that describes itself as 'news, information, commentary, from a conservative perspective'.

According to a Facebook post, Yiannopoulos insisted he should have used the term young men as opposed to young boys.

According to a statement on The Daily Caller, Yiannopoulos attempted to defuse the scandal.

He said: 'I do not support pedophilia. Period. It is a vile and disgusting crime, perhaps the very worst. There are selectively edited videos doing the rounds, as part of a co-ordinated effort to discredit me from establishment Republicans, that suggest I am soft on the subject.'

He added: 'I did say that there are relationships between younger men and older men that can help a young gay man escape from a lack of support or understanding at home. Thats perfectly true and every gay man knows it. But I was not talking about anything illegal and I was not referring to pre-pubescent boys.

'I shouldnt have used the word "boy" when I talked about those relationships between older men and younger gay men.'

Yiannopoulos suggested there may be an ulterior motive in trying to ban him from the event this weekend.

He added: 'This rush to judgment from establishment conservatives who hate Trump as much as they hate me, before I have had any chance to provide context or a response, is one of the big reasons gays vote Democrat.'
Vicar David Fletcher is alleged to have abused a boy while he was a teacher in Bradford during the 1980s and 1990s

A former headteacher who went on to become a Church of England vicar has been accused of sexually abusing a boy for seven years.

David Fletcher, 63, is alleged to have indecently touched the youngster, who was between nine and 15, from the late 1980s and into the 1990s before targeting him again when he was an adult.

During this period Fletcher, who is currently a vicar in East Yorkshire, was deputy headteacher at a primary school and later a headteacher of a secondary school in Bradford.

A man said Fletcher touched him indecently before thrusting his body at him and 'snogging' him.

The complainant has also accused the vicar of sexually assaulting him in a kitchen on a date between 2009 and 2011.

Fletcher denies seven allegations of indecent assault, relating to a child aged between nine and 15, and a charge of sexually assaulting the same complainant on a single occasion when he was an adult.

Bradford Crown Court heard that the complainant had looked on Fletcher as a 'father figure' because his own father was not around.

He has accused Fletcher, now living in Driffield, East Yorkshire of putting his hands up his shirt and touching him indecently.

Prosecuting, Ian Howard said Fletcher inveigled his way into the boy's life, gaining his trust to abuse him.

Mr Howard also told the jury the complainant had also accused a former vicar at St Oswald's Church, Australian national Graham Doyle, of sexually abusing him; however, he was not in court.

Mr Howard said: 'The Rev Doyle is out of the jurisdiction, beyond our shores. He is not being prosecuted.'

A man has accused Fletcher of touching him indecently and 'snogging him' during an alleged attack while he was a child

The court heard that Fletcher changed career paths in 2001 when he was ordained into the Church of England priesthood and became vicar.

It was alleged that years afterwards Fletcher 'came on to' the complainant, then an adult, trying to kiss and touch him.

The man went to the police with his accusations about Fletcher and Doyle in 2014.

When he was arrested by the police, Fletcher denied all the allegations.

Giving evidence to the court by video link, the complainant said he had been a boy searching for a father figure and at the time he thought he had found 'his perfect family'.

He said: 'I respected him and wanted to be loved as part of a family.

Of Fletcher he said: 'He used to kiss me like a girl.'

The man said he was abused by Fletcher when he went to his home at Queensbury to help feed and clean out the goats on the family's smallholding.

The man has also alleged that Graham Doyle would watch him shower and sexually abuse him when he was 12 or 13.

He said: 'Psychologically, I am in a mess because of them.'

Cross-examined by defence barrister Rodney Ferm, the alleged victim agreed he was physically much stronger than Fletcher but said he still felt terrified of him.

The man, who is now married with children, said he had sung in a church choir as a child and was still religious, although he no longer attended church.

The trial continues.
A British DJ accused of murdering a police officer in Bali did not intend to kill him, Indonesian prosecutors have admitted.

Prosecutors on the island have now requested that judges find David Taylor convincingly guilty of fatal group assault, rather than murder. They recommend that Taylor serve eight years in prison.

Taylor, 34, who is also known as DJ Nutzo, confessed to attacking police officer Wayan Sudarsa with a large beer bottle, binoculars, a mobile phone and his bare fists on Kuta Beach.

Taylor claims he acted in self-defence after a row broke out over a missing handbag belonging to his Australian girlfriend, Sara Connor, 46, who was also charged with murder.

The bloodied body of the policeman was found on the beach in the early hours of August 17 last year.

Brtish DJ David Taylor, 34, and his Australian girlfriend, Sara Connor, 46, were both charged with murder. This has now been downgraded

Taylor claims he acted in self-defence after a row broke out over a missing handbag belonging to his girlfriend

Mr Taylor, 34, pretended to hit the 'victim' with a broken bottle as he re-enacted the alleged death of officer Wayan Sudarsa

During the re-enactment Ms Connor was seen straddling the officer and appeared to pretend to strike him with a walkie talkie. Ms Connor denies this ever happened and claims she was told to act scenes that didn't occur

Police say Australian woman Sara Connor was 'definitely involved' in the death of a Bali police officer after she and her British DJ boyfriend were forced to re-enact the alleged murder as part of their trial

The fatal assault charge carries a maximum penalty of 12 years' jail, but prosecutors have requested that Taylor only serve eight years minus time already served.

Authorities said they had decided to bring the lesser charge as Taylor had only been involved in a fight and had 'no intention to kill'.

Prosecutor Agung Jayalantara said: 'The victim was still alive when he left and he died later from swelling of the brain. We believe therefore the appropriate article to charge him with is group attack leading to death.'

One of Mr Taylor's lawyers, Haposan Sihombing, said he would accept the charge 'more gentlemanly' to admit he had taken place in the scuffle than to protest his innocence.

'It was committed by more than my client,' he said.

Changing face: David Taylor pictured before his arrest (left) and during an earlier hearing after he was charged with murder (right)

David Taylor waits inside a holding cell before a trial at the Denpasar District Court in Bali

Police officer Wayan Sudarsa's (left) bloodied body was discovered on August 17 last year. David Taylor and Sara Connor (right) were arrested after the body of police officer Wayan Sudarsa was discovered on the beach in Bali

The lawyer said he would ask the judges to look leniently on Taylor because was young and had no intention to kill.

Both Taylor and his girlfriend face the same three alternative charges - murder, fatal group assault or assault leading to death - but are being tried separately.

The three charges carry maximum sentences of 15 years', 12 years' and seven years' jail respectively.

Australian Sara Connor faces the same charges as Taylor, but is being tried separately

The couple denied murder, with Taylor saying he acted in self defence

Prosecutor Agung Jayalantara told the court in the Balinese capital Denpasar that Taylor had shown remorse although he criticised Connor for being uncooperative. The pair appeared at separate hearings on Tuesday.

David Taylor, 34, who is also known as DJ Nutzo, confessed to attacking police officer Wayan Sudarsa

Mr Sudarsa's wounds are believed to have been caused by a beer bottle.

Taylor, whose father is a vicar, fled the scene with Connor, but were later tracked down after witnesses reported the incident to police.

The fight allegedly began when Taylor 'frisked' the officer in search of Connor's lost handbag.

Prosecutors said that on the night in question, the couple went out for dinner dinner, had some drinks and then went down to Kuta Beach.

When they realised Connor's purse was missing, Taylor confronted Mr Sudarsa but did not get the response from the police officer he was hoping for, as he allegedly felt he was being 'treated as a suspect'.

After the fight, during which Taylor hit Mr Sudarsa with a large Bintang beer bottle, the couple said they left the victim on the beach, and claimed he was still breathing.

Mr Jayalantara said this showed they did not mean to intentionally kill him.

Sara Connor said she was attempting to separate her boyfriend from the police officer

Taylor has previously written to the police officer's wideo, Ketut Arsini, to apologise for his death.

Judges can impose a greater or lesser sentence than that requested by prosecutors but they often follow the recommendation.

Connor's lawyer Erwin Siregar labelled the sentence request 'incredible'.

'It does not make sense, if you see what kind of role David played,' he said.

Accused: Taylor and Connor both denied murdering the police officer in Bali last year

Taylor's lawyer Haposan Sihombing added that 'eight years is too much'.

Taylor, from Stoke Newington in London, has admitted hitting the policeman with a pair of binoculars and a beer bottle during a late-night fight on the beach but insists he was acting in self defence as Sudarsa tried to choke him.

Connor has insisted she is innocent and had simply tried to pull the men apart as they fought.

Bali, a pocket of Hinduism in Muslim-majority Indonesia, is a popular tourist destination known for its tropical climate and palm-fringed beaches. Minor crime is common but murders are rare.
For the last six months, Noor Hasher has been fatherless.

The six-year-old girl from Portage, Michigan, hasn't heard from her dad since their parents divorced and he walked out.

So her 17-year-old brother Mohammad has taken over as her father figure and made the ultimate gesture for her daddy-daughter dance, by being her date.

On the day of the dance, the teenager saw his baby sister sitting on the couch wearing monkey pajamas with a dress over the top.

'Her hair was messy because she had just woken up. She looked silly, but she was looking down at the ground, looking sad,' he told Today.

'I said: "Noor, what in the world are you doing?" She told me about the dance, and said, "I can't go, but I still wanted to dress up."

A 17-year-old Michigan boy took his younger sister to a father-daughter dance at her elementary school, six months after their parents divorced and her father walked out on them. Mohammad Hasher is pictured with his sister Noor (left and right)

Mohammad Hasher tweeted this message, saying 'I'll always be there for you'

'I said: "Noor, stop! I'll take you.'" I didn't think it was something she should have to think about.'

Later that night they went to the event at the 12th Street Elementary in Portage, Michigan, on February 4.

Hasher shared several photos on Twitter February 6, tweeting: 'Got to take my baby sister to her first daddy daughter dance the other night.

'Sorry you don't have a dad but I'll always be there for you.'

The siblings' parents divorced six months ago, according to People.

Both Hasher and his mother Sadia Karamat told the website that the family hasn't heard from the children's father since the divorce.

After Hasher found out about the dance, he went shopping with Noor at a Target store. He said: 'The theme was Alice in Wonderland, so we picked out something fun'

Hasher says that Noor told him to enter a dad dance contest - and that he won and received a candy as a prize

Hasher's father isn't contact with the family anymore due to legal reasons, and the divorce was hard for the Pakistani family, Today reported.

The teen told the website: 'We were sort of abandoned. It's brought (my sister and I) really close.

'We have to depend on each other ... I don't have a dad either, but I'm older and wiser, and I stepped in because (Noor) needs someone to take care of her.'

Hasher went shopping with Noor at a Target store, telling People: 'The theme was Alice in Wonderland, so we picked out something fun.

'She modeled for me, and it was perfect! Everything came together last minute.'

He also revealed that at the father-daughter dance: 'It's so funny, they had a dad dance contest and Noor goes, "You HAVE to enter!"

'So I did! And I won! I got candy as a prize. All the other dads were so salty.'

Noor told People: 'We had a lot of fun. He looked very good and he is so funny.'
In the week before U.S. Vice President Mike Pence visited Brussels and pledged America's 'steadfast and enduring' commitment to the European Union, White House chief strategist Steve Bannon met with a German diplomat and delivered a different message, according to people familiar with the talks.

Bannon, these people said, signaled to Germany's ambassador to Washington that he viewed the EU as a flawed construct and favored conducting relations with Europe on a bilateral basis.

Three people who were briefed on the meeting spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter. The German government and the ambassador, Peter Wittig, declined to comment, citing the confidentiality of the talks.

Meeting: Bannon had a conversation with Peter Wittig, the German ambassador to Washington, in which he signaled that he viewed the EU as a flawed construct

Reassurance: Vice-president Mike Pence had been in Brussels where he tried to quell fears among members of the European Union that the Trump presidency was opposed to the trading zone

A White House official who checked with Bannon in response to a Reuters query confirmed the meeting had taken place but said the account provided to Reuters was inaccurate.

'They only spoke for about three minutes and it was just a quick hello,' the official said.

The sources described a longer meeting in which Bannon took the time to spell out his world view.

They said his message was similar to the one he delivered to a Vatican conference back in 2014 when he was running the right-wing website Breitbart News.

In those remarks, delivered via Skype, Bannon spoke favorably about European populist movements and described a yearning for nationalism by people who 'don't believe in this kind of pan-European Union.'

Western Europe, he said at the time, was built on a foundation of 'strong nationalist movements', adding: 'I think it's what can see us forward'.

The encounter unsettled people in the German government, in part because some officials had been holding out hope that Bannon might temper his views once in government and offer a more nuanced message on Europe in private.

One source briefed on the meeting said it had confirmed the view that Germany and its European partners must prepare for a policy of 'hostility towards the EU'.

A second source expressed concern, based on his contacts with the administration, that there was no appreciation for the EU's role in ensuring peace and prosperity in post-war Europe.

'There appears to be no understanding in the White House that an unraveling of the EU would have grave consequences,' the source said.

The White House said there was no transcript of the conversation. The sources who had been briefed on it described it as polite and stressed there was no evidence Trump was prepared to go beyond his rhetorical attacks on the EU - he has repeatedly praised Britain's decision to leave - and take concrete steps to destabilize the bloc.

Capping the European trip aimed at allaying fears about the new administration's support, Pence said Washington's backing for the EU remained 'steadfast and enduring'. He's seen today with EU president Donald Tusk in Brussels

At a news conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Monday in Brussels, Mike Pence reiterated the Trump administration's position 'that for too long, for too many' the burden of paying for NATO has 'not been shared fairly among our NATO allies

But anxiety over the White House stance led French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault and Wolfgang Ischinger, chairman of the Munich Security Conference, to issue unusual calls last week for Pence to affirm during his visit to Europe that the U.S. was not aiming to break up the EU.

Pence obliged on Monday in Brussels, pledging strong ties between the United States and the EU, and making clear his message was shared by the president.

'President Trump and I look forward to working together with you and the European Union to deepen our political and economic partnership,' he said.

But the message did not end the concerns in European capitals.

'We are worried and we should be worried,' Thomas Matussek, senior adviser at Flint Global and a former German ambassador to the Britain and the United Nations, told Reuters.

'No one knows anything at the moment about what sort of decisions will be coming out of Washington. But it is clear that the man on top and the people closest to him feel that it's the nation state that creates identity and not what they see as an amorphous group of countries like the EU.'

With elections looming in the Netherlands, France and Germany this year, European officials said they hoped Pence, Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson could convince Trump to work constructively with the EU.

The worst-case scenario from Europe's point of view was described by Ischinger in an article published last week, entitled 'How Europe should deal with Trump'.

He said that if the U.S. administration actively supported right-wing populists in the looming election campaigns it would trigger a 'major transatlantic crisis'.
Boris Johnson has revealed he was mistaken for Donald Trump in Newcastle as he defended the President's state visit.

The Foreign Secretary has previously admitted to being mistaken for the new US President in New York - using the experience to mock the then long-shot candidate.

Mr Johnson's tone was markedly different today as he insisted the controversial state visit would be a 'great success'.

Boris Johnson admitted to MPs today (pictured) that he had been mistaken for Donald Trump in Newcastle - months after claiming a similar incident in New York

 Slide me  Both Donald Trump and Boris Johnson have improbably blond hair and their bombastic political style has also been compared

MPs staged a furious debate over the invite last night and scores of politicians tore into Mr Trump as unfit to be welcomed to Britain with the grandeur of a full state visit.

The debate took place to the echoes of a noisy demonstration against Mr Trump outside on Parliament Square.

Mr Johnson's revelation was prompted by former SNP leader Alex Salmond, who recalled his insult he would not go back to New York for fear of being mistaken a second time for Mr Trump.

Mr Johnson made the quip about Mr Trump during the Republican primary campaign after he made controversial claims about the terror threat in London.

But the Foreign Secretary told MPs today: 'I am embarrassed to say that I was mistaken for Mr Trump inI thinkNewcastle, which rather took me aback.

'It also happened in New York, which was a very humbling experience for me.'

MPs are furious at the invite to Donald Trump, pictured arriving back at the White House last night, to come to Britain for a full-blown state visit

Mr Johnson said the state visit would go ahead now the invite had been issued.

He said: 'It is a wholly appropriate thing for the British Government to do, and it will be a great success.'

Crispin Blunt, the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, asked Mr Johnson if he had suggested to US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson postponing the state visit to 2020.

Mr Blunt said this was the '400th anniversary of the Pilgrim Fathers' and warned occasion could avoid trip becoming a 'rallying point for every discontent in the United Kingdom?'

Mr Johnson said Mr Blunt's suggestion was 'interesting' but had not been raised with Mr Tillerson.

Mr Johnson said during Foreign Office questions: 'It's not one, I'm afraid to say, that I had time to make to our American counterparts.

'Let us see how the matter of the state visit evolves. The invitation has been issued, it has been accepted.

'I'm sure it will be a great success.'
Angelina Jolie opened up about her split from Brad Pitt in a new interview, admitting that the actor is a 'wonderful' father to their six children.

The actress and director spoke with George Stephanopoulos on Good Morning America Tuesday morning to promote her new film 'First They Killed My Father,' and was asked by the anchor if she still believed the words she had used to describe her ex as a parent in an interview from years back.

'Of course,' said Jolie, who then added: 'We will always be a family. Always.'

Jolie, 41, filed for divorce citing the 'health' of her family back in September after Pitt and oldest son Maddox were involved in some sort of skirmish on the family's private plane.

The incident was later investigated by the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, who determined there was no reason to press any charges or keep Pitt from seeing his children.

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Opening up: Angelina Jolie was asked in a new interview (above) if she still believed Brad Pitt was a 'wonderful' father despite filing for divorce

Moving forward: The actress said 'of course' Pitt was a wonderful father before adding that she, her ex and their six children will 'always be a family'

Jolie also got emotional at one point when asked about the health of her family in the five months since she made the decision to file for divorce.

'We are ... we are focusing on the health of our family. And so we will be [healthier],' said Jolie.

'We will be stronger when we come out of this, because that's what we're determined to do. '

Jolie spent part of the interview speaking about her six children with Pitt, including son Maddox who was adopted from Cambodia, the country where she filmed her new movie.

The film, which Jolie directed, is about the 1.7million Cambodians who are believed to have been killed under the Khmer Rogue and Pol Pot, the leader of the country's Communist party.

Some believe as many as 3million may have been killed under the dictatorship, which came to power in 1963 and committed mass genocide a decade later.

Close to a quarter of the population died, and as Jolie explained everyone in the country was affected as a result.

That is why she wanted to work with Maddox on the picture.

'I dont know much of my childs birth parents but I believe they would have gone through this war,' said Jolie.

'I wanted to understand him and his culture in a deeper way and I wanted to bring this story to this country in their language.'

And Maddox was with her every step of the way she told Stephanopoulos.

'I talked to Maddox about this film and about doing it, and it was him in the final hour who said he was ready, and that he wanted to understand more, and that he wanted to work on it, and he wanted me to make it,' said Jolie.

'Being with him on set and studying the history of this country with him and being with his people was extraordinary.'

She also added that her son Pax worked on the film as well doing the 'still photography.'

Back in the day: Jolie said that she is still 'determined' to make her family 'healthier' after deciding to file for divorce back in September (family above in June 2015)

Big day: Maddox, 15, is the couple's oldest child and was adopted from Cambodia, the setting of Jolie's new film 'First They Killed My Father' (Jolie at the premiere with Shiloh and Maddox)

Jolie spoke earlier in the interview about what an 'honor' it was to not only be let into the country to film, but also to tell the history of the Cambodian people.

On that note she was asked about refugees, and her opinion of allowing them into our country in the wake of Trump's immigrant ban, which he may reinstate under new guidelines in the near future.

'Who are we? We are people as Americans who represent the world and we have to understand who these people are we're speaking of,' said Jolie.

'And we have to remain tolerant and open and base our policies on facts and civil rights and human rights.'

She then spoke about Loung Ung, the Cambodian human rights activist who wrote the screenplay and was just 5-years-old when she was forced to flee her village because of the Khmer Rogue.

'She is a proud american citizen who has contributed, who makes our country better by her existence and her citizenship,' said Jolie of Ung, who came over to the United States as child.

Jolie later said of the immigrant ban: 'To use fear tactics and summarize groups of people based on their backgrounds based on their religion and to accuse them all of being people we should be afraid of is policy based on fear and is not nearly close to the reality of what is happening and who these people are.'

On a lighter note, Jolie was also asked if she thought Pax and Maddox might be entering the film world after their experience on set.

'I don't know. I think they would probably rather be musicians. I don't know how they feel about film,' said Jolie.

'I think they like the adventure of the crew and they like to be in the thick of it.'

Eat up: Jolie (above eating a scorpion) also spoke about her children's love of bugs in the interview

Snack: Jolie said her daughter Shiloh (seen above last week) 'loves a tarantula, loves a bug'

And she also spoke about her children's love of bugs, specifically Shiloh who 'loves a tarantula.'

Jolie said she is currently learning to cook bugs with more 'flair' for the children.

On Saturday, Jolie made her first official appearance in Siem Reap, Cambodia, for the premiere of First They Killed My Father.

She was joined by her children Maddox, 15, Pax, 13, Zahara, 12, Shiloh, 10 and eight-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne.

Maddox was adopted in 2002 from an orphanage in Cambodia, where Jolie filmed the Tomb Raider movie.

In an interview before the film's premiere last week, Jolie said: 'Weve been coming back and forth for 17 years, it feels like a second home to me. The children have close ties to the children here, many of them are their best friends.

She then added: 'Maddox is happy to be back in his country.'
A US Air Force plane used to detect nuclear explosions has been sent to Britain amid concerns over a spike in the levels of radioactivity found in Europe.

The WC-135 Constant Phoenix, which is known as a nuclear 'sniffer' plane, was deployed to RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk last week on an undisclosed mission.

News of the deployment comes amid claims Russia may be testing nuclear weapons, either to the east or in the arctic, after a spike in radioactivity was reported.

The WC-135 Constant Phoenix, which is known as a nuclear 'sniffer' plane, was deployed to Britain last week on an undisclosed mission (file image from a previous mission in 2011)

Air quality stations in Norway, Finland, Poland, Czech Republic, Germany, France and Spain have detected the presence of Iodine-131 at low levels

Air quality stations across the continent detected traces of radioactive Iodine-131 in January and February, which seem to have come from eastern Europe.

The high levels of Iodine-131 has led some to suggest Putin is testing nuclear weapons in Novaya Zemlya near the Arctic.

However, the CTBTO (Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation) ruled out a nuclear test had recently taken place.

In a statement on Monday, the CTBTO said: 'If a nuclear test were to take place that releases I-131 it would also be expected to release many other radioactive isotopes.

'Thus the CTBTO measures isotopes. No other nuclear fission isotopes have been measured at elevated levels in conjunction with I-131 in Europe so far.'

The organisation, which operates a worldwide monitoring system, said that it was not concerned about the reports of Iodine-131 in Europe.

'No detections above typical local historical levels have been observed,' the CTBTO said.

The deployment of the WC-135 aircraft, which detects and identifies explosions from the air and was used after the Chernobyl disaster in the Soviet Ukraine in 1986, adds weight to the argument.

The plane was deployed to RAF Mildenhall in Britain (pictured) but it is still not clear exactly why it has been sent to Europe

The US Air Force plane was tracked flying into RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk last week on an undisclosed mission

WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THE SPIKE? A NUCLEAR REACTOR LEAK IN EASTERN EUROPE An air filter station in Svanhovd, Norway, was the first place to measure the Iodine-131 in the second week of January. Next it was measured in Rovaniemi, in Finnish Lapland. Within two weeks, it was traced in Poland, Czech Republic, Germany, France and Spain. This movement led the Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority (NRPA) to suggest the particles may have originated in Eastern Europe. It's possible that the particles could have come from an incident at a nuclear reactor. IODINE PLANT LEAK The compounds may also have also come from an Iodine plant. The isotope Iodine-131 is used in medicine to treat to thyroid problems and is produced commercially across Europe. RECENT EVENT The isotope has a half-life of only eight days, so whatever caused the spike must have happened in the first two weeks of January. 'It was rough weather in the period when the measurements were made, so we can't trace the release back to a particular location,' Astrid Liland, head of emergency preparedness at the NRPA, told the Barents Observer. Advertisement

It's arrival comes amid tense times between Russia and the West, with Americas highest ranking military officer General Joe Dunford comparing the political climate to that during the Cold War.

He said that his meeting with General Valeriy Gerasimov, his counterpart in the Kremlin, is 'absolutely critical' as the tension between the two nations verges on breaking point.

It comes after two Russian jets flew low over a Royal Navy destroyer docked off the coast of Romania in a show of force branded 'unsafe and unprofessional' by Navy officers.

And a Russian spy ship armed with surface-to-air missiles with a crew of 200 sailed within 30 miles of a key US submarine base on the Connecticut coastline.

Scores of people filmed a mysterious light travelling through the sky at the weekend and the US Navy released a statement saying its testing of two Trident missiles was 'not in response to any world events'

The US Navy have been contacted for comment on the WC-135 but it has not yet released any official comment on the purpose of its mission.

And while it is not unheard of for the planes to fly to Europe, missions are rare and its arrival coincides with the detection of Iodine-131.

It was first recorded in Norway and have now been found in Poland, Czech Republic, Germany, France and Spain.

The isotope has a half-life of only eight days, which suggests the particles must have entered the atmosphere after a recent event.

The pattern of movement of the particles suggests they may have originated in Eastern Europe, according to the Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority (NRPA).

The pattern of movement of the radioactive particles suggests they may have originated in Eastern Europe, according to the Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority (NRPA)

HOW THE 'SNIFFER' TESTS THE AIR The WC-135 is known as the 'sniffer' or 'weather bird' by its crews because of its unique role in the sky. It gathers effluent gasses with two scoops on the sides of the fuselage, which then trap fallout particles on filters that the crew can analyse in real time. They can then use the data to confirm the presence of nuclear fallout and possibly determine the characteristics of the warhead involved. It can use the materials in the air to confirm the type of explosion, for example, whether it is from a warhead or a power plant. The WC-135 can also be used to track radioactive activity, which it did after the Chernobyl disaster in the Soviet Union in 1986 and Fukushima in 2011. One was also deployed near North Korea in anticipation of Kim Jong-un's rocket launches. A WC-135 was also seen transiting into UK airspace in August 2013 raising speculation it was used in Syria after claims chemical weapons have been used. The plane has a maximum crew of 33. However, it usually flies with a minimal crew to lessen the risk of chemical exposure. Advertisement

'It was rough weather in the period when the measurements were made, so we can't trace the release back to a particular location,' Astrid Liland, head of emergency preparedness at the NRPA, told the Barents Observer.

'Measurements from several places in Europe might indicate it comes from Eastern Europe.

'Increased levels of radioactive iodine in air were made in northern-Norway, northern-Finland and Poland in week two, and in other European countries the following two weeks.'

She said it is difficult to pinpoint where the radioactive material came from.

It's possible that the particles could have come from an incident at a nuclear reactor.

An explosion at a plant run by French firm EDF  just 75 miles across the Channel  added to concerns over nuclear safety earlier this month.

Scientists are yet to explain where the radioactive material came from but the particles may have come from an incident at a nuclear reactor. Pictured above is the Chernobyl nuclear power plant

The company, which is planning Britains first nuclear power station in a generation, was forced to shut down its nuclear reactor at the Flamanville plant in Normandy after the blast caused a fire that left five people suffering from smoke inhalation.

WHY IS IODINE-131 DANGEROUS? Iodine-131 has a very short half life of just eight days, making it very radioactive. When it is present in high levels in the environment, it contaminates food. After it is swallowed it will accumulate in the thyroid. As it decays, it damages body tissue and can cause thyroid cancer. However levels present in the atmosphere today are too low to be damaging. Advertisement

But the compounds may also have also come from an Iodine plant. The isotope Iodine-131 is used in medicine to treat to thyroid problems and is produced commercially across Europe.

Iodine-131 can cause harm because it has a very short half life of just eight days, making it very radioactive.

When it is present in high levels in the environment, it can contaminate food and after it is swallowed it accumulates in the thyroid.

As it decays, it damages body tissue and can cause thyroid cancer.

However levels present in the atmosphere today are too low to be damaging, according to Ms Liland.

She said: 'We do measure small amounts of radioactivity in air from time to time because we have very sensitive measuring equipment.

'The measurements at Svanhovd in January were very, very low. So were the measurements made in neighbouring countries, like Finland.

'The levels raise no concern for humans or the environment.'
President Donald toured the National Museum of African American History in Washington, sending a signal of inclusion to the country in black history month days after defending him during a press conference as the 'least racist' person.

The president viewed a collection that included exhibits on the 'paradox' of Thomas Jefferson's slaveholding, got told about actual slave shackles in the museum's collection, and learned about the bloody slave rebellions led by Nat Turner and Toussaint Louverture.

He called the tour 'a meaningful reminder of why we have to fight bigotry, intolerance and hatred in all of its very ugly forms.'

'We have a divided country. Its been divided for many many years. But were going to bring it together,' Trump said in formal remarks.

'Today and every day of my presidency I pledge to do everything I can to continue that promise of freedom for African Americans and for every American. So important  nothing more important,' the president stated.

Trump summoned Alveda King, the niece of Martin Luther King, Jr., to the podium as gave her a big hug. 'She is a tremendous fighter for justice, and so Alveda, thank you very much.'

King praised him right back, telling the president, 'I love you and your family. You're the best. You're great.'

President Donald toured the National Museum of African American History in Washington, sending a signal of inclusion to the country in black history month. He's pictured hugging Alveda King, the niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, at the museum today

'She is a tremendous fighter for justice, and so Alveda, thank you very much,' Trump said. King praised him right back, telling the president, 'I love you and your family. You're the best. You're great'

He was accompanied by Housing and Urban Affairs Secretary designee Ben Carson  who got to show the president an exhibit about his own medical achievements - and Carson's wife Candy. Trump's daughter Ivanka was also on the tour

White House official and former 'Apprentice' star Omarosa Manigault took the tour with Trump, too

Trump said of Carson in his remarks after the tour: 'It was very special to accompany him and his family, for the first time seeing the Carson exhibit,' Trump said. 'I love this guy. He's a great guy. Really, a great guy'

The president said his tour was 'a meaningful reminder of why we have to fight bigotry, intolerance and hatred in all of its very ugly forms.' Carson stands to his right, while King and Ivanka listen to his left

Trump also spoke out forcefully against anti-Semitic attacks on Jewish community centers  something he failed to do when asked about them at a press conference last week.

He instead went after the reporter who asked the question and claimed he's the 'least anti-Semitic person you've ever seen in your entire life.'

In remarks at the museum, Trump said, 'The anti-Semitic threats targeting our Jewish community and community centers are horrible and are painful and a very sad reminder of the work that still must be done to root out hate and prejudice and evil.'

He told MSNBC's Craig Melvin in a one-on-one before the speech that he 'of course' denounces anti-Semitism and does so 'whenever I get a chance.'

'I do all the time. And I think it's terrible. I think it's horrible, whether its anti-Semitism or racism or anything you want to think about having to do with the divide,' he said. 'Anti-Semitism is horrible, and it's gonna stop. And it has to stop.'

Haitian general and leader of the independence movement against France, Francois Dominique Toussaint L'Ouverture (1743 - 1803) was among the figures described to Trump and his visiting party at the museum. In 1791 he joined blacks in Haiti in a rebellion to liberate slaves

Among his favorite exhibits was one of the great heavyweight Mohammad Ali.

Smithsonian secretary David Skorton said the president particularly enjoyed the exhibit. "He's a big fan of fighting,' said another official.

Lonnie Bunch told the reporters that that Trump also showed a keen interest in everything he saw, including Nat Turner's Bible.

'It was very nice. A nice educational thing. The kind of thing that I think helps bring people together,' said Carson.

Trump was accompanied on his museum tour by White House official and former 'Apprentice' star Omarosa Manigault and Housing and Urban Affairs Secretary designee Ben Carson  who got to show the president an exhibit about his own medical achievements.

'It was very special to accompany him and his family, for the first time seeing the Carson exhibit,' Trump said. 'I love this guy. He's a great guy. Really, a great guy. We really started something with Ben. We're very, very proud of him.'

Carson is a retired neurosurgeon who competed against Trump last year for the Republican nomination for president.

Trump's daughter Ivanka also came along.

'My wife was here last week and took a tour and it was something that she's still talking about. Ivanka is here right now. Hi, Ivanka,' the president said of his adult daughter in his remarks, earning a wave from Ivanka, who was standing behind him and to his left, next to King.

'My wife was here last week and took a tour and it was something that she's still talking about. Ivanka is here right now. Hi, Ivanka,' the president said. His daughter waved back

During his remarks the president also shook his friend's - and future aide's - hand and said: 'We really started something with Ben. We're very, very proud of him'

Carson is a retired neurosurgeon who competed against Trump last year for the Republican nomination for president. He and Trump are pictured in front of his museum exhibit

'Anti-Semitism is horrible, and it's gonna stop. And it has to stop,' said Trump. His daughter Ivanka converted to Judaism

The Senate's only black Republican, Tim Scott, was also present for Trump's remarks. He stood on the other side of Ivanka.

Trump referred to him as 'a friend of mine, a great, great senator from South Carolina.

'I like the state of South Carolina. I like all those states where I won by double, double, double digits,' Trump said. 'And Tim has been fantastic how he represents the people, and they love him.'

The president had been planning a visit to the new Smithsonian museum on the National Mall before his inauguration that was delayed until Tuesday. President Barack Obama delivered remarks at the museum's opening in September. He said Trump should also visit.

Today the sitting president, Trump, gave his predecessor a nod in his remarks from the museum today, saying he was 'honored' to be the second American president to come to the site.

'This museum is a beautiful tribute to so many American heroes,' he said. Trump said his tour was 'not comprehensive enough,' though, and promised, 'I'll be back.'

Trump (C) views an exhibit on slavery during the American revolution while visiting the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington on Tuesday

The president nodded as he toured some exhibits. Museum director Lonnie Bunch escorted him, while a museum official told him about Benjamin Banneker, a surveyor and former slave who helped lay out Washington, D.C. He also was joined by South Carolina Republican Senator Tim Scott.

He also heard about Haitian revolutionary leader Toussaint Louverture, who led a bloody slave rebellion.

During a brief part of the tour where cameras were present, officials could be hold describing slave shackles on display in the museum.

The group was escorted by founding director of the museum Lonnie Bunch and secretary of the Smithsonian David Skorton.

Bunch told the president's group that the museum was about 'humanizing people that have been left out of history.'

Trump said his tour was 'not comprehensive enough,' though, and promised, 'I'll be back'

Trump won election after a heated campaign where rival Hillary Clinton accused him of making racist comments.

The president defended himself as recently as last week, when he got a question about why he hadn't spoken out about harassment as synagogues.

'Number one, I am the least anti-Semitic person that you've ever seen in your entire life,' Trump said. 'Number two, racism, the least racist person.'

The president told MSNBC today that the fake bomb threats on Jewish community centers are 'just terrible.'

'And you don't know where it's coming from, but I certainly hope they catch the people,' the president said. 'I think you maybe have had it for longer than people think, and maybe it gets brought up a little bit more.'

President Donald Trump looks at an an exhibit on slavery during the American revolution while visiting the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington

STUDY UP: Ex-slave, American abolitionist, agent of the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society and US Minister to Haiti in 1889, Frederick Douglass

Trump earlier this month gave an odd remark at the White House early this month where he spoke about black statesman Frederick Douglass in a tense that made it unclear if he realized Douglass, a US minister to Haiti, was no longer alive.

'I am very proud now that we have a museum on the National Mall where people can learn about Reverend King, so many other things,' Trump said.

'Frederick Douglass is an example of somebody whos done an amazing job and is getting recognized more and more, I notice. Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, and millions more black Americans who made America what it is today. Big impact.'

He had a chance to study up on Tuesday.

The president walked through an underground gallery that recounts the history of slavery and features objects from a slave ship that went down off the coast of southern Africa.

An airplane is viewed during a press preview at the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC on September 14, 2016

RIDING ALONG IN MY AUTOMOILE: A media member looks at rock music icon Chuck Berry's 1973 Cadillac during a press preview at the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC

At one point, Bunch talked about a statue of Thomas Jefferson, the slaveholder who penned some of the most stirring calls for liberty in the declaration of Independence. The statue sits near an exhibit titled 'The paradox of liberty'.

Behind the statue is a wall made of bricks  with each brick bearing the name of a slave Jefferson owned.

Trump listened and nodded his head while being instructed about the exhibits.

Ivanka Trump viewed glass cases with objects from Jefferson's estate which is not far from a Trump-owned winery near Charlottesville.

She and Omarosa looked on as Bunch mentioned 'actual shackles.'

The group also viewed a bible belonging to Nat Turner, who led a bloody and unsuccessful slave rebellion in the U.S.
This is the shocking moment customers stood and watched an armed robber 'pistol whip' an elderly shop worker before forcing him to open his till while holding him by the neck.

CCTV footage captured the dramatic incident which saw two men dressed in tracksuits and crash helmets burst into the shop in Rainham, east London.

The elderly worker, thought to be in his 70s, is seen selling a customer cans of beer when one of the men, dressed in dark clothing, comes round the back of the till and grabs him by the neck.

He is then seen hitting the trembling man in the head with what appears to be a gun and forces him to open the cash register.

An armed robber wearing a crash helmet burst into a shop in Rainham, east London, forcing a worker to open the till, pictured

At one point the robber even pistol-whips the shop worker to get him to do what he says

The robber grabs a handful of notes and is then seen heading towards the exit.

Meanwhile the other man is seen guarding the door, but steps aside to let another customer in.

The pair then exit the shop and flee the scene on a motorbike that was left outside.

During the incident, the customer who was buying the beer, dressed in a blue jacket and grey t-shirt, is seen standing by in shock at what is happening before him.

The customer who walked in during the robbery then approaches the shop worker after the robbers and left, and appears to be checking his welfare.

A local customer, who asked not to be named, said: 'The customers in the store were obviously in shock whilst the incident was taking place - it happened so fast, and there's not much they could have really done to help, especially in the face of a gun-toting robber.'

He added: 'Two men pulled up by bike in the early evening with their faces obscured by motorbike helmets.

The masked robber then grabs the man by the neck and makes him open the cash register

Another robber, also wearing a crash helmet, pictured, stood guard by the door as the incident took place

'They entered, one stood in front of the counter shouting instructions initially and then proceeded to go behind the counter and accost the employee working.

'The other robber stood guard near the door. A gun was produced by the robber that physically went behind the counter and grabbed the money in the till.

'One of the robbers pistol whipped the employee behind the counter and forcibly removed the money in the till.'

The local added support had poured in from the community for the shop worker.

He added: 'There have been messages of support, numerous people stopping in to ask about him to see if he is okay, and some even giving gifts.

'If there's one positive that has come from the incident is that it has shown the local community of Rainham to be genuinely caring to one of their own.

'To my mind, the community deserves recognition for that, the locals are good people.'

It is understood the Metropolitan Police has launched an investigation.

Meanwhile customers in the shop stood by in shock, pictured, as the robbery unfolded before them
Dick Smith says Australia's housing affordability crisis is the fault of 'ridiculous' immigrant numbers driving up population.

The millionaire entrepreneur and aviator said young people would no longer be able to afford a house as prices in capital cities skyrocket by hundreds of dollars a day.

'A lot of our problems are from this unbelievable population increase,' he told Sky News on Tuesday night.

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Dick Smith says Australia's housing affordability crisis is the fault of 'ridiculous' immigrant numbers driving up population

'You can't drive in Sydney at the moment. The house price are enormous. Young couples can't even afford a house with a backyard anymore.'

The 72-year-old businessman from Sydney's Northern Beaches, who in December threw his support behind Pauline Hanson's One Nation, said each generation was supposed to be better off than the last.

'Yeah, you can buy more LCD TV sets and you can fly to Bali cheaper but the most fundamental right is to get a house with a backyard,' Mr Smith said.

'Young couples can't do that anymore purely driven in 95 per cent of the cases by the enormous population increase mainly driven by ridiculous immigration.'

The entrepreneur and aviator said young people would no longer be able to afford a house because immigration levels were too high

'Yeah, you can buy more LCB TV sets and you can fly to Bali cheaper but the most fundamental right as to get a house with a backyard,' he said

Mr Smith's comments come as new data showed average house prices in Sydney had increased by $222 a day since mid-2013.

But this was tiny compared to the most sought-after suburbs, where prices went up more than $600,000 in the past year, The Daily Telegraph found.

Sydney already has a median house price of $1.1 million, making it the second most expensive housing market in the world after Hong Kong.

An Australian worker on an average full-time salary of $78,832 would struggle to even get a bank loan for a Sydney house, with Core Logic data showing the city now has more houses priced above $2 million than under $600,000.

Property experts blamed rich overseas investors, a decade-long housing shortage, and a large number of immigrants for creating driving demand for housing.

Mr Smith frequently rails against Australia's rapidly increasing population, and the John Howard-era policy of doubling net migration

Mr Smith frequently rails against Australia's rapidly increasing population, and the John Howard-era policy of doubling annual net migration.

He took The Project host Waleed Aly to task for saying a high migration rate was necessary to offset the country's ageing population.

'Yeah, that's absolute rubbish. You don't understand basic economics and all I can say is it's going to get worse and worse,' he said in December.

'Peter Costello said that we've got to have three per cent growth. That doubles everything every 25 years. It gets to most incredible figures. A billion people in the time of 200 years of modern Australia. That would be ridiculous.'

He took The Project host Waleed Aly to task for saying a high migration rate was necessary to offset the country's ageing population saying: 'You don't understand basic economics'

The 72-year-old in December threw his support behind Pauline Hanson's One Nation largely because of its zero net migration policy.

The Dick Smith Electronics and OzEmite founder backed One Nation primarily because of its zero net immigration policy, insisting he didn't agree with its 'anti-Muslim' stance.

'I just have the plan to tell people that her population policy is right, otherwise we will destroy Australia,' he told Network Ten's Studio Ten program.

'What I'm saying is, why don't one of the major parties take on her population policy because that would be sensible.'

Mr Smith regularly cites former federal Labor MP Kelvin Thomson, who noted that annual net overseas migration jumped from 100,000 in 2004 to more than 200,000 in just a couple of years as a result of government policy.

Former foreign minister and New South Wales premier Bob Carr also has called for a cut to annual migration levels.
Move has angered Trump supporters who say it's an attack on their free speech

admitted to editing abusive posts about him from Trump backers to make it look as though they were criticizing the

He also announced plans to block the subreddit's community announcements from appearing on the website's r/all page - a curated list of popular subreddits

He said the website could no longer tolerate the 'antagonistic' behavior of many of The_Donald users

CEO Steve Huffman announced they were cracking down on 'toxic users and poorly behaving communities' last November

Reddit's biggest pro-Donald Trump forum will no longer appear on its visitors' homepage.

Posts from the_donald forum - known as a subreddit - have disappeared from the online discussion site's r/popular page - the first page any new visitors or anyone who is not logged in, are directed to when they visit Reddit.

The page shows the site's most popular discussion forums - with a few exceptions - such as subreddits that users consistently filter out of their r/all page.

The move has sparked fury among Trump supporters who claimed it was an attack on free speech.

'This is their attempt to stunt growth to this subreddit and the mods and users should be f***ing furious,' one user wrote. 'They're censoring us in a sneaky way that makes us think we're not censored,' another added.

'I guess Reddit doesn't believe in free speech,' one user wrote.

CEO Steve Huffman announced they were cracking down on 'toxic users and poorly behaving communities' last November.

In a Reddit post, he explained that he had refused requests to ban The_Donald forum - known as a 'subreddit' - outright. But he said that the website could no longer tolerate the 'antagonistic' behavior of many of The_Donald users.

Reddit has blocked the most popular pro-Donald Trump forum from appearing on its visitor's homepage. This graph shows how many posts are being filtered from the page

He announced plans to block the subreddit's 'stickies' or community announcements from appearing on the website's r/all page - a curated list of popular subreddits.

'The sticky feature... was not meant to circumvent organic voting, which r/the_donald does to slingshot posts into r/all, often in a manner that is antagonistic to the rest of the community,' he said.

Reddit has faced criticism in the past for editing the posts of Trump supporters.

In November, Huffman, one of Reddit's co-founders, admitted he had been secretly changing posts criticizing him, so they appeared to criticize Trump instead.

Huffman said: 'Yep. I messed with the 'f*** u/spez' comments, replacing 'spez' with r/the_donald mods for about an hour. It's been a long week here,' he wrote.

Posts from r/the_donald will no longer appear on Reddit's 'most popular' page

Reddit has faced criticism in the past for editing the posts of Donald Trump (Trump pictured in Washington yesterday) supporters

The move sparked a furious backlash from conservative commentators who attacked the CEO, whose username is Spez, for 'censoring perfectly legitimate discussion'.

'Listen man, I'm not the type that would type f anyone, but unless you change the rules upfront what you did compromises everything about this website,' wrote one Reddit poster. 'You really screwed up here.'

Steve Huffman (above), the CEO of Reddit said he was cracking down on abusive users

'I'm hesitant to join any controversial topic now. It's one thing if a post is deleted, but another when a precedent is set that content can be changed without the author knowing,' another wrote.

Reddit has previously banned a number of controversial, white supremacist 'alt-right' subreddits because users repeatedly violated the sites terms of service regarding harassment and releasing private information of other users.

The most prominent was r/altright, which was shut down earlier this month, alongside r/alternativeright and r/rightyfriends.

The controversy surrounding Reddit is a byproduct of the struggle to walk the delicate balance of combating online abuse while also protecting freedom of speech.

And the online discussion site is not alone in being accused of partisan censorship.

Last year, Facebook was forced to change its rules on Trending Topics after the company was accused of blocking news reports supporting right-wing candidates and causes.

Facebook's Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg met with Glenn Beck and a dozen other prominent conservative commentators after the allegations surfaced on Gizmodo, based on a single, anonymous source.

The story, featuring a former Facebook worker claimed the company deliberately downplayed conservative news.

Facebook also came under fire over accusations its Trending Topics were politically biased (file picture of CEO Mark Zuckerberg)

Then, right-wing activist Lauren Southern complained she was banned by Facebook for complaining on the network over their censorship of conservatives

Then, right-wing activist Lauren Southern complained she was banned by Facebook for complaining on the network over their censorship of conservatives.

Facebook later lifted Southern's suspension claiming it was a 'human error'.

As part of its review, Facebook found that members of the team working on trending topics could temporarily suppress topics if news outlets weren't reporting on them enough.

But said it found no evidence of systemic political bias, though it couldn't discount that a lone wolf might be able to game its system.

As part of the changes outlined Monday, Facebook will stop looking to news outlets like The Wall Street Journal, Huffington Post and Drudge Report to automatically nominate topics for its trending feature. It also automatically nominates topics based on a spike in user posts about a subject.

Twitter also came under fire last year for allegedly censoring conservative gay voices after Breitbart journalist Milo Yiannopoulos was suspended

Spokeswoman Jodie Seth said: 'In our meetings last week, we received feedback that any list - even a good one - inherently raises questions of which publications are included versus which are not. Based on this feedback, we felt that the best approach would be to clear up this issue by removing these lists entirely and focus on surfacing the conversation on Facebook.'

Twitter also came under fire last year for allegedly censoring conservative gay voices after Breitbart journalist Milo Yiannopoulos was suspended and a popular pro- Donald Trump hashtag apparently disabled from the site's auto-complete system.

Yiannopoulos, who espouses anti-feminist and anti-Islam views, and whose college tour recently ended in a riot, had his account suspended shortly after the Orlando gay club shooting after he was particularly critical of Islam.

His account was restored later that day. He claims it was suspended after mass reporting, following a call out by a user with 1.2 million followers to report him. Twitter has not commented.

That same day, Twitter apparently blocked the hashtag #GaysForTrump from appearing automatically when typing.
Malia Obama found herself in the middle of a raging party on an Aspen mountaintop Sunday afternoon while enjoying lunch with a few of her socialite pals.

The 18-year-old intern at the Weinstein company was spotted at Cloud Nine Alpine Bistro on Highland Mountain with pals including Elizabeth, Zachary and Holden Tisch, Tassilo von Furstenberg, Brice Lourd and Audrey Kotick.

The group stuck to water for their afternoon seating at the popular hotspot, but nearby a group of close to 100 were spraying over 200 bottles of Veuve Clicquot while dancing on tables, some shirtless.

DJ, producer and tour manager Matthew Chirichillo, who has worked with everyone from The Eagles, Joe Walsh, Don Henley, Christina Aguilera and One Republic, posted a photo of just a few of the many bottles before they were showered on guests, writing: 'Spraying off Champagne fireworks with a bunch of marvelous maniacs and Obama's daughter.'

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The crew: Malia Obama enjoyed lunch in Aspen on Sunday at Cloud Nine Bistro while skiing with a group of friends (clockwise from left: Malia, Elizabeth Tisch, Audrey Kotick, Monique Lhuillier, Julian Gratry, Jamie Tisch, Crystal Lourd, Danielle Oerlemans, Tom Bugbee, Holden Tisch, Bryce Lourd, Zachary Tisch and Tasillo von Furstenberg)

MALIA'S BILLIONAIRE BUDDIES Elizabeth Tisch (right) and Audrey (left) Elizabeth Tisch (Daughter of billionaire New York Giants chairman and Oscar-winning producer of Forrest Gump Steve Tisch. He has won a Super Bowl ring and an Oscar. Mother is popular philanthropist Jamie, who owns a home in Aspen. Parents are divorced.) Audrey Kotick (Daughter of billionaire Activision CEO Bobby Kotick, whose company released the game Call of Duty. Bobby is dating Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg. Mother is Nina, a writer and family and women's rights advocate. ) Holden Tisch (left) and Brice Lourd (right) Holden Tisch (Daughter of billionaire New York Giants chairman and Oscar-winning producer of Forrest Gump Steve Tisch. He has won a Super Bowl ring and an Oscar. Mother is popular philanthropist Jamie, who owns a home in Aspen. Parents are divorced.) Brice Lourd (Son of money manager Blaine Lourd, whose brother is CAA superagent and Carrie Fisher ex Bryan Lourd. Mother is Crystal Lourd, the VIP Relations Director for Tom Ford on the West Coast.) Tasillo von Furstenberg (left) and Zachary Tisch (right) Prince Tasillo von Furstenberg (Son of Prince Alexander von Furstenberg, who is a partner and director in the fashion company launched by his mother, Diane von Furstenberg. Diane was married to Prince Egan, and is now with billionaire Barry Diller, the former chief at IAC. Mother is Alexandra von Furstenberg, daughter of duty free shop magnate Robert Warren Miller and sister of Marie Chantal of Greece. The couple is divorced and Alexandra is now wed to architectural designer Dax Miller) Zachary Tisch (Son of Steve and Jamie) Monique Lhuillier (left) Julian Gratry (right) Monique Lhuillier (Designer worn numerous times by Michelle Obama while in the White House, including when she met Pope Francis in 2015 after her arrived in Washington DC. Lhuillier was born in the Philippines to a prominent businessman and society figure before heading off to finishing school in Switzerland and design school in Los Angeles. She has designed looks for Britney Spears, Katy Perry and Reese Witherspoon. Julian Gratry (Money manager and boyfriend of Jamie Tisch) Jamie Tisch (above) Jamie Tisch (Second wife of New York Giants chairman Steve Tisch, who married the billionaire in 1996 and had three children - Holden, Zachary and Elizabeth. Moved to New York City after splitting from her husband and soon after broke up with Todd Meister, Nicky Hilaton's ex-husband, when she found emails between him and socialite Serena Boardman. Meister had previously dated Serena's sister Samantha, and Serena was Tisch's real estate broker. Crystal Lourd (left) and Danielle Oerlemans (right) Crystal Lourd (Wife of money manager Blaine Lourd and mother of three boys included Brice who heads up VIP relations for Tom Ford on the West Coast. She is close with a number of A-list stars and spent her 50th birthday in mexico with pals including Gwyneth Paltrow and Amber Valletta. Danielle Oerlemans (Wife of Dutch TV host Reinout Oerlemans and a former professional cyclist who previously dated Lance Armstrong. She won a bronze in the World Championship as a teenager) Advertisement

Get wet: Outside, close to 100 people gathered for a daytime dance party while spraying over 200 bottles of Veuve Clicquot champagne (above @twin_tonic, @sassysuzied and @trickynickydon video of @warrenboone2 & @eisaac17 on Sunday outside Cloud Nine)

Rage: 'Spraying off Champagne fireworks with a bunch of marvelous maniacs and Obama's daughter,' wrote one reveler

Videos posted on social media show large groups joining the outdoor party on Sunday, though Malia appears to have stayed indoors.

'Celebrating the birthday by spraying 200 bottles of Veuve Cliquot at Cloud 9 on Aspen Highlands. I'm doing this every year from now on,' wrote one man on Instagram along with a video of him shooting alcohol on joyful revelers.

Another video showed two men in patriotic jumpsuits similar to those worn by Evel Knievel as they sprayed the crowd, with the caption: 'Team USA.'

Also joining Malia inside the restaurant was a designer who was a favorite of Malia's mom Michelle during her years in the White House, Monique Lhuillier.

She posted a photo of the group at lunch, in which Malia could be seen smiling for the camera with her head covered in a red, white and blue hat that said 'USA.'

Lhuillier, who was there with husband Tom Bugbee, captioned the picture by writing: 'Happy President's Day!! xM.'

Also in attendance were Dutch professional cyclist Danielle Oerlemans, who once dated Lance Armstrong, and her husband Reinout, the former host of the Dutch version of American Idol.

Courtesy of Twin & Tonic

Spray it don't say it: The restaurant can seat 120 people indoors and 130 in the patio (Sunday sprayer on left, restaurant on right)

Get it popping: Bottles line the snowbanks ready to be bust open on Sunday (above)

Pay to spray: A bottle of champagne at Cloud Nine, which only sells Veuve Clicquot, will set a guest back $125

Some of the parents of Malia's young friends were also in attendance, including the Tisches' mother Jamie, who is a philanthropist and hosted Malia at her Aspen home over the weekend.

Their father Steve is the only person in history to win both a Super Bowl ring and an Oscar, with the chairman of the New York Giants having also produced a number of films including Forrest Gump.

Prix Fixe: Most lunch items at Cloud Nine cost $49 and come with soup or salad

Brice's mom Crystal, the VIP Relations Director for Tom Ford, was in attendance too. She is married to money manager Blaine Lourd, whose brother is CAA superagent Bryan.

Not grabbing lunch with the group, or kept out of the picture, was Audrey's dad Bobby Kotcik and Tasillo's dad is Prince Alexander von Furstenburg.

Bobby is the billionaire CEO of Activision Blizzard who is dating Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, while Alexander is the son of fashion designer Diane and Prince Egan, whose great-grandfather founded Fiat.

Cloud Nine is a ski-in and ski-out restaurant located at the top of Highland Mountain, which has just two seatings daily - one at noon and one at 2pm.

It is open for just four hours each day, with the crowd being told just before 4pm that they have to make their way back down the mountain.

Guests can also dine at the restaurant, and are taken up and down the mountain in a snowcat.

Spraying champagne is a tradition now at the establishment, which has a limited but somewhat pricey menu.

The champagne of choice is Veuve Clicquot for most guests, and bottles go for $125. This means that a 200 champagne-spraying party would set a guest back $25,000.

On the food side, guests can start with some $18 steak tartare, a bit of $16 chicken liver pate or a platter of lobster, shrimp and crab for the table to share at a cost of $150 for 'Le Petit' or $250 for 'The Cloud 9.'

Higher: Cloud Nine is located on the top of Highlands Mountain in Aspen (above)

Malia appears to have left Aspen now to return to New York following her long weekend, with the former first daughter doing one of her fellow travelers a nice little favor of the flight home

The main course is usually a choice between gruyere fondue which comes with apple, chorizo and cornichons or the raclette with air-dried beef, pickled onions and potatoes.

Other options include salmon, short rib and bolognese.

All main courses are part of a prix frixe menu which and cost a comparatively reasonable $49, coming with a soup or salad.

To finish it off, there is chocolate fondue and apple strudel.

The biggest problem with dining at Cloud Nine is getting reservation however, and guests must call starting 30 days in advance, with the 120 seats inside quickly filling up and the 130 outdoor seats not the best sport on days that are no sunny or there is heavy snowfall .

A sign is posted outside when the restaurant is full, letting skiers know to not even try to enter.

Cloud Nine is only open for four months every year, and is reportedly the largest purchaser of Veuve Clicquot in the country.

Fashion designer Monique Lhuillier, a favorite of Malia's mom Michelle (above at President Obama's farewell party) while in the White House, was also in attendance and posted a photo of the group

Style star: Michelle famously wore a blue dress by Lhuillier to meet Pope Francis at the White House in September 2015 (above)

Later that day, Malia reported headed out to the club with her friends, stopping by Bootsy Bellows.

That is the same spot where Conor Kennedy, the grandson of Robert F. Kennedy, was arrested after a night of partying in December when he got into a fist fight with a another patron.

'Malia Obama at Bootsy Bellows aspen... what!?' wrote DJ Tritz on Twitter.

Malia appears to have left Aspen now to return to New York following her long weekend, with the former first daughter doing one of her fellow travelers a nice little favor of the flight home.

A fellow passenger wrote on Twitter after landing in the Big Apple: 'Malia Obama reminded me today that I left my gate-checked bag on the airplane. THANKS, OBAMA.'
Brazen fly-tippers are being hunted by police after they dumped 110 fridges on a residential cul-de-sac.

The shameless crooks left behind the heavy load in Kings Norton, Birmingham and city council workers believe it is the worst case of fly-tipping the city has ever seen.

The incident comes after damning figures reveal that Birmingham is the third worst council in the country for cases of fly-tipping, with 21,000 incidents annually, an average of 57 a day.

Brazen fly-tippers are being hunted by police after they dumped 110 fridges on a residential cul-de-sac in Birmingham (pictured)

Birmingham City Council workers said the dumping (pictured) was one of the worst cases of fly-tipping they had ever seen in the city

Environmental officers from Birmingham City Council originally thought they were going to pick up six fridges when they received reports of the dumped load - but were stunned when they counted 110 by the roadside.

Council bosses believe it is unlikely no one heard or saw the culprits dropping such a large number of goods.

Jacqui Kennedy, from Birmingham City Council, said: 'It's outrageous that people think dumping rubbish on a road, blighting our city, is acceptable - it is not.

'Enforcement officers are currently investigating to try and identify the perpetrators, so if you have any information please contact the council.

'I know the local community will be as horrified by this as I am, so I hope anybody with information will be brave enough to come forward.

'This is totally unacceptable and we will prosecute flytippers where evidence is available.

The 110-strong fridge dumping (pictured), comes after Birmingham was revealed to be the third worst council in the country for fly-tipping

BRITAIN'S TOP 20 GROT SPOTS Below are the 20 councils with the most reports of fly tipping last year. Haringey - 39,036 Manchester - 30,386 Hounslow - 22,255 Brent - 18,293 Redbridge - 16,225 Hillingdon -14,032 Gateshead - 12,449 Peterborough -12,045 Leicester City - 9,458 Kensington and Chelsea - 8,903 Edinburgh City - 8741 Manchester - 30,386 Birmingham City - 21,124 Newham - 19,537 Northampton -17,092 Leeds City -16,172 Bradford -13,720 Sheffield City -12,115 Ealing -11,598 Greenwich - 9,268 Basildon - 8,755 Source: ITV Advertisement

'Keeping Birmingham's streets clean is everyone's responsibility - no one wants to live in a dump - so we will continue to clamp down on these criminals, targeting areas where there's a persistent problem.'

Fly-tipping is illegal and offenders can face an unlimited fine and up to five years in jail if convicted at court.

The incident in Birmingham comes after it was revealed that Britain was facing a rubbish crisis.

Many councils are dealing with around 50 incidents a day, while others face more than 100 cases daily.

Local authorities spend around 50million every year dealing with the problem.

Allison Ogden-Newton of Keep Britain Tidy said: 'Fly-tipping is an epidemic. It's reached crisis levels and something needs to be done about it.

'Local authorities are overwhelmed with instances of criminal fly-tipping and we need to address this urgently.'
The political comeback of disgraced former deputy mayor Salim Mehajer has been put on hold as it has been revealed he has been banned from running for a position on his local council this year.

The former councilor from Auburn in Sydney's west was banned from holding civic office for three years following an investigation into corruption allegations.

According to The Daily Telegraph, Mehajer will not be able to work as a politician until the ban expires in November next year.

Former Auburn City Council deputy mayor Salim Mehajer can't hold civic office until after November 2018

The controversial former deouty mayor came into the spotlight after his wedding to Aysha, both pictured on the day

Aysha and Salim are now estranged - Aysha fled to stay with relatives in Wollongong when things soured between the couple

The controversial former politician who has openly described his dreams of becoming the prime minister of Australia found the media spotlight after his wedding his now estranged wife Aysha in 2015.

Mehajer illegally shut down a street in Lidcombe in the city's west for the million-dollar wedding.

Barely a year later, Mrs Mehajer had reportedly packed her bags and left their mansion in Lidcombe, western Sydney, to stay with family in the NSW Illawarra region.

Mehajer was then slapped with an Apprehended Violence Order (AVO) taken out in Aysha's name by police in July last year.

Mehajer has often let his ambitions of becoming Australia's prime minister be known

Mehajer illegally shut down a city street on his wedding day
A grieving mother has described her heartbreaking goodbye to her daughter who died in a car crash.

Moments before 16-year-old Lara Glover died, her mother Jayne arrived at the crash scene on State Highway 1 in Marlborough, in New Zealand's South Island.

'I was able to say goodbye It meant everything,' Jayne Glover told the New Zealand Herald.

Moments before 16-year-old Lara Glover (pictured) died, her mother Jayne arrived at the crash scene on State Highway 1 in Marlborough, in New Zealand's South Island

The call came from a friend who was at the scene of the crash.

'I felt so blessed that someone had done that and very, very, very thankful,' Jayne Glover said.

On Sunday Lara and seven friends were driving to the beach when their mini-van rolled.

It has been reported at least five others were injured in the crash.

Four were taken to Blenheim Hospital via ambulance and one was airlifted to Wellington Hospital in a critical condition.

Jayne Glover has asked friends and family not to speculate on the circumstances surrounding the crash.

'There's no resentment. It was just an accident and accidents happen even to the best of us. They're all really good kids. It's just a silly accident,' she said.
NATO jets intercepted Russian fighter jets and bombers flying in formation above the Baltic Sea twice in one week, it has emerged.

On both occasion NATO pilots were scrambled to escort an Il-22 bomber tailed by two Su-27 fighters, according to Lithuania's government.

Vladimir Putin's jets appeared to be on a round trip from Russia to Kaliningrad - the country's province sandwiched between Poland and Lithuania.

NATO jets intercepted Russian fighter jets and bombers flying in formation above the Baltic Sea twice in one week, it has emerged (file picture)

Vladimir Putin's jets appeared to be on a round trip from Russia to Kaliningrad - the country's province sandwiched between Poland and Lithuania

According to Newsweek, the jets came close to allied airspace on February 14 and 16 and only the bomber had its transponder on.

A submitted flight plan was only recorded for one of the three planes in the second flight, while no flight plan was received for the February 14 formation, Lithuania's Ministry of Defence reported.

The reports surfaced at a time of heightened tensions between Putin and the West and is the latest example of NATO jets having to intercept the Russian president's war planes.

In October, a pair of Russian Blackjack bombers were intercepted by fighter jets from four European countries as they flew from the direction of Norway to northern Spain and back.

Britain, France, Norway and Spain all scrambled warplanes as the TU-160 planes 'skirted' the airspace of each country.

The UK deployed RAF fighter jets then intercepted Russian bombers nearing UK airspace twice in four days.

The Russian military aircraft flew in an 'area of interest' off the coast of Scotland in the middle of the night on October 12 and again on October 16, the MoD revealed.

Typhoon jets from RAF Lossiemouth near Elgin, Scotland, were scrambled in response, supported by Voyagers from Brize Norton.

Just days ago Lithuania said it wanted US President Donald Trump's administration to help beef up air defence in the Baltic region as security concerns grow over Russia. A US 'Black Hawk' helicopter takes off for operation 'Atlantic Resolve' from a harbour pier in Bremerhaven, Germany last week

Just days ago Lithuania said it wanted US President Donald Trump's administration to help beef up air defence in the Baltic region as security concerns grow over Russia.

President Dalia Grybauskaite also warned that measures adopted last year by NATO to reinforce its eastern flank 'are no longer sufficient'.

Lithuania, the largest and southernmost of the three Baltic states, plans to buy Norwegian NASAMS medium-range anti-aircraft missile systems in the coming years but would still lack a long-range Patriot-type system.

Poland and Romania host two US missile interceptor stations that are part of NATO's larger European shield, due to become fully operational by 2018.

US and NATO officials insist the system is intended to counter the threat of short- and medium-range ballistic missiles, particularly from so-called 'rogue' states in the Middle East.

But with Poland's Redzikowo station just 155 miles from Kaliningrad, Moscow views the system as a security threat on its doorstep.

Last year Russia deployed nuclear-capable Iskander missiles into the heavily-militarised Kaliningrad, which borders both Lithuania and Poland and also holds frequent military drills in the region, rattling nearby NATO states.

President Dalia Grybauskaite also warned that measures adopted last year by NATO to reinforce its eastern flank 'are no longer sufficient'. US tanks are pictured in eastern Romania last week

The Kremlin has denied any territorial ambitions in its Soviet-era backyard and claims NATO is trying to encircle Russia.

Under Moscow's thumb in Soviet times, Poland and the Baltic states have been on edge since Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine in 2014.

At a summit in Warsaw last year, NATO agreed to deploy multi-national battalions in each of them.

But Grybauskaite said Saturday that more needs to be done to address Russian military activity and called for speedier decision-making within the US-led alliance.

'We see that Warsaw agreements are no longer sufficient. We need a faster decision-making process,' Grybauskaite said, adding she expected to see progress at a NATO summit later this year.

Grybauskaite also said the US had the 'full right' to push European allies to boost their defence spending to two percent of gross domestic product.

Estonia and Poland are among the few NATO nations that meet the alliance's benchmark, while Lithuania and Latvia pledged to reach it next year.
This brave mother zebra desperately defended her foal after a vicious male rival tried to drown it at a watering hole to assert his dominance over the herd.

The baby is seen upside-down as the male holds it under the water at a lake in Etosha National Park, Namibia.

But the baby manages to get onto its feet and runs away from the attacker, beginning a life-or-death chase.

Male zebras regularly kill foals sired by other males in order to assert their claim to be the dominant male in the herd and ensure they do not become a future rival.

The baby is seen upside-down as the male holds it under the water at a lake in Etosha National Park, Namibia

The killing of a female's young also frees her up to be a potential reproductive partner.

The mother tries to knock the male off course to protect her baby, who runs towards some bushes.

It is not clear whether the foal survived the encounter as the footage cuts out after a minute and 50 seconds.

The video was filmed by wildlife enthusiast Daniel Tjarnen, who called it a 'once in a lifetime sighting'.

He said: 'We were driving up to this waterhole, hoping to get some good sightings and especially hoping to see some predators.'

'As ever with mother nature, trying to predict what you'll see in the bush is never easy. More often than not, you are way off!

But the baby manages to get onto its feet and runs away from the attacker, beginning a life-or-death chase

The mother tries to knock the male off course to protect her baby, who runs towards some bushes

'Instead of predators, we saw this dazzle of zebras drinking from the waterhole.

'We suddenly noticed that one zebra was actively attacking a young foal. First, it was a bit shocking but then I thought - it's the way of nature.'

THE DARKER SIDE OF ZEBRAS Zebras are grouped into harems, which consist of one dominant male with as many as 6 females and their foals. Stallions fight each other for females and regularly steal them from each other. Males will often kill a foal reared outside their harem in order to ensure they do not become a rival. The death of the foal also frees the mother to be a potential reproductive partner. This brutal process ensures that the strongest zebras survive and pass on their genetics to future generations. Advertisement

Many of the people watching reacted differently and wanted to help the foal.

Mr Tjarnen added: 'After a long battle between the male, mother and foal, the zebras disappeared behind the trees.

'I think the baby survived for the time being, but it looked injured. Maybe it was chased off or killed later on by a passing predator.'

Game ranger Richard de Gouveia said the site of males trying to kill their rivals' babies is not uncommon at the reserve.

He added that zebra stallions will sometimes even go as far as stealing females from one another.

He added: 'If the female which is stolen is pregnant, the new male will rape her until such time as she has aborted the pregnancy.

'Abortion would be done by releasing hormones that would cause her body to reabsorb the fetus or miscarry or if she gave birth to a live foal it would be kicked to death by the male.'

It is not clear whether the foal survived the encounter as the footage cuts out after a minute and 50 seconds
President Donald Trump on Tuesday decried anti-Semitic threats against Jewish community centers and promised to work to bridge divisions in the country.

'The anti-Semitic threats targeting our Jewish community and community centers are horrible, and are painful,' Trump said in remarks after visiting the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington.

They are 'a very sad reminder of the work that still must be done to root out hate and prejudice and evil,' the president added, having told a reporter earlier in the day that anti-Semitism must stop.

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President Donald Trump on Tuesday decried anti-Semitic threats against Jewish community centers and promised to work to bridge divisions in the country in remarks at the African-American History Museum on Tuesday

At a press conference last week Trump failed to speak out forcefully against anti-Semitism and community center bomb threats.

He instead went after the reporter who asked the question, telling him to be 'quiet' when he tried to interject, and declared himself the 'least anti-Semitic person you've ever seen in your entire life.'

Trump told MSNBC's Craig Melvin in a one-on-one before his Tuesday speech that he 'of course' denounces anti-Semitism and does so 'whenever I get a chance.'

'I do all the time. And I think it's terrible. I think it's horrible, whether its anti-Semitism or racism or anything you want to think about having to do with the divide,' he said. 'Anti-Semitism is horrible, and it's gonna stop. And it has to stop.'

The Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect cast Trump's statements today as 'too little too late' in a statement posted to Facebook after this morning's event.

Steven Goldstein, the group's executive director said, 'The Presidents sudden acknowledgement is a Band-Aid on the cancer of Antisemitism that has infected his own Administration.

'His statement today is a pathetic asterisk of condescension after weeks in which he and his staff have committed grotesque acts and omissions reflecting Antisemitism,' Goldstein said, charging that 'the Antisemitism coming out of this Administration is the worst we have ever seen from any Administration.'

At the weekend, more than 100 headstones were damaged at a Jewish cemetery in St Louis, Missouri, the facility's director said.

Nearly a dozen Jewish community centers received bomb threats that prompted evacuations on Monday. All of the threats turned out to be hoaxes.

The FBI and the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division are said to be investigating those incidents, and dozens more reported since the start of the year.

Goldstein chided Trump in his statement for saying 'absolutely nothing' about those incidents yesterday.

'When President Trump responds to Antisemitism proactively and in real time, and without pleas and pressure, thats when well be able to say this President has turned a corner. This is not that moment.'

Trump's White House press secretary, Sean Spicer, scoffed at Goldstein's accusations in his daily briefing. The president was 'unbelievably forceful' today, he said, and has 'been very clear' prior to this about his position.

'He has brought a diverse group of folks into his administration...and I think he has been very forceful with his denunciation,' Spicer said. 'It's ironic that no matter how many times he talks about this, that it's never good enough.'

Trump said earlier in the day that his 'tour was a meaningful reminder of why we have to fight bigotry, intolerance and hatred in all of its very ugly forms.'

Spicer said the visit was a 'very eye opening and powerful tour for him' and he was inspired after 'seeing the struggles that so many Americans face' to address anti-Semitism.

While Trump's daughter Ivanka, who converted to Judaism, denounced the threats over the weekend, saying on Twitter that 'we must protect our houses of worship & religious centers,' the president had not commented.

Following his museum visit, Trump also pledged 'to do everything I can to continue that promise of freedom for African-Americans and for every American.'

'The anti-Semitic threats targeting our Jewish community and community centers are horrible, and are painful,' Trump said in remarks after visiting the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington

The Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect cast Trump's statements today as 'too little too late' in a statement posted to Facebook after this morning's event

Accompanied by Ben Carson, the African American retired neurosurgeon he tapped to head the department of Housing and Urban Development, Trump praised the museum's work honoring 'African American men and women who built our national heritage.'

But it also was clearly intended to assuage concerns raised over Trump's embrace by white supremacist groups and an 'alt-right' movement given a platform on Breitbart, the online news outlet once headed by Trump's chief White House strategist Steve Bannon.

The White House raised eyebrows on International Holocaust Remembrance Day late last month by issuing a statement that made no mention of the six million Jews killed in the Nazi genocide.

When an Orthodox Jewish reporter asked Trump at a White House news conference about a post-election surge in anti-Semitic incidents in America, Trump reacted defensively, telling his questioner to 'sit down.'

As he toured the museum Tuesday, he was asked by Melvin whether he would clear up the confusion by denouncing anti-Semitism, Trump said, 'I do all the time.'

'You don't know where it's coming from but I certainly hope they catch the people,' he said.
The widow of solicitor Pat Finucane who saw him shot dead in front of her and their children has lost her latest legal battle for a public inquiry into his murder.

The republican lawyer, whose clients included IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands, was shot 14 times by loyalist paramilitaries in his Belfast home as he ate lunch with his family 28 years ago.

His wife Geraldine Finucane went back to court to appeal against a 2015 judicial ruling that said the decision taken by then Prime Minister David Cameron in 2011 not to hold a full inquiry to the was lawful.

But Court of Appeal judges in Belfast rejected her challenge on Tuesday afternoon.

Upset: Widow of solicitor Pat Finucane, Geraldine Finucane (centre) with her son John (left) and daughter Katherine (second right) speaking outside the Royal Courts of Justice in Belfast, after she the widow lost her challenge against the Government's refusal to hold a public inquiry into his murder

Victim: Mr Finucane, 38, left, who represented a number of high-profile republicans, was shot dead in front of his wife and three children in February 1989. David Cameron apologised to the Finucane family in the House of Commons in 2012, right, but refused a public inquiry

Mr Finucane, 38, who represented a number of high-profile republicans, was shot dead in front of his wife and three children at their north Belfast home in February 1989.

Outside court surrounded by her family, Mrs Finucane said: 'Obviously we are disappointed today that the court has not overturned the first result.

Battle: Geraldine Finucane was at Westminster when a 2012 report was published and exposed 'shocking' levels of state collusion in the murder of her husband

'At the same time there is definitely unfinished business, which the court highlighted today'.

Mrs Finucane stressed that her family were not the only ones still pursuing justice for their loved ones in Northern Ireland.

'There are many of us who are seeking truth and justice in different ways,' she said.

Asked if she would consider an appeal to the UK Supreme Court, Mrs Finucane said: 'We won't make a decision on that today. We will be looking at it most seriously.'

Her son John said the family would also be considering a potential civil action.

Mr Finucane's killing, one of the most notorious of the Troubles, is shrouded in controversy amid allegations that the security forces plotted with the gunmen from the outlawed Ulster Defence Association (UDA).

A 2012 a report has exposed 'shocking' levels of state collusion in the murder of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane.

Police and army officers gave intelligence and even supplied a weapon to the loyalist gunmen.

They proposed the 39-year-old as a target, passed information to the culprits and then obstructed the murder investigation, said the review by Sir Desmond de Silva.

However, he concluded there was 'no overarching state conspiracy'.

Mr Finucane's widow, Geraldine, dismissed the findings as a 'sham' and a 'whitewash' and demanded a full public inquiry into the 1989 killing by Ulster loyalist paramilitaries.

Assassination: Catholic father of three Mr Finucane, whose clients included IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands, was shot 14 times in front of his wife and children at the height of the Northern Ireland 'Troubles'

Catholic father of three Mr Finucane, whose clients included IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands, was shot 14 times in front of his wife and children at the height of the Northern Ireland 'Troubles'.

The report said the Royal Ulster Constabulary and the military had advance intelligence of a murder plot by the Ulster Defence Association.

But two paramilitaries were acting as paid informers for the British authorities at the time they planned killings, including that of Mr Finucane.

Investigators suggested charging a third man in 1991, but he was instead taken on as an agent.

In September 2004 a loyalist accused of murdering the solicitor, Ken Barrett, pleaded guilty at the start of the trial

Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams said Mr Cameron was unwilling to open a 'can of worms' over collusion.

In today's ruling the Court of Appeal judges acknowledged that a pledge to hold an inquiry had been made.

But they upheld the Government's right to balance public interest factors, such as costs, when, years later, it opted to commission a review of case papers by QC Sir Desmond de Silva rather than instigate a statutory probe.

Mr Finucane's family have long campaigned for an independent inquiry and challenged that decision through a judicial review.

In his lengthy 2015 judicial review judgment, Mr Justice Stephens told Belfast High Court the then Prime Minister's actions had been lawful and that a full-blown public inquiry would be costly, protracted and could not be confined to narrow issues surrounding the loyalist shooting nearly 30 years ago.

Lawyers for the Finucane family have repeatedly argued that the Government made a commitment to hold an inquiry during peace process negotiations at Weston Park in 2001.

In a scathing report published in 2012 following his review, Sir Desmond detailed shocking levels of state involvement in the case.

That included spreading malicious propaganda suggesting Mr Finucane was sympathetic to the IRA; one or possibly more police officers proposing him as a target to loyalists; and the mishandling of state agents inside the UDA who were involved in the murder.

While he found no evidence of an overarching conspiracy by the authorities to target the solicitor, Sir Desmond said the actions of a number of state employees had 'furthered and facilitated' the shooting.

He also said there had been efforts to thwart the subsequent criminal investigation. While he was prime minister, Mr Cameron apologised to the Finucane family in the House of Commons.
Gordon Ramsay's father-in-law and other family members have been charged as part of a police probe into computer hacking.

Chris Hutcheson, 68, who is the father of Ramsay's wife Tana, along with Tana's sister Orlanda Butland, 45, and her brother Adam, 46, were charged after a probe by officers from the Met Police's Operation Tuleta.

Another of Hutcheson's sons Chris, 37, has also been charged, it was announced today.

Gordon Ramsay's father-in-law Chris Hutcheson (left) and other family members have been charged over hacking claims

Chris Hutcheson, of Druillat, France, and his children Adam, of Sevenoaks, Kent; Orlanda, of south London; and Chris of Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on March 14.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: 'The charges follow allegations that between 23 October 2010 and 3 March 2011, they conspired together to cause a computer to access programmes and data held in any computer without authority, contrary to section 1(1) of the Criminal Law Act 1977.'

Operation Tuleta was originally set up to investigate allegations of computer hacking at newspapers.

Ramsay and Tana married in 1996 and have four children together. Tana is understood to have cut off contact with her father and his family some years ago.

Ramsay has not commented on the police announcement.
Alin Apopei, 27, stabbed 25-year-old sex worker Denisa Silmen (pictured together) to death

A jealous boyfriend who accidentally recorded his lover's screams as he tried to decapitate her in a 'sadistic and frenzied' killing has been found guilty of murder.

Alin Apopei, 27, repeatedly threatened to kill 25-year-old sex worker Denisa Silmen and boasted he would get away with it by pretending to be mad.

Then, in July 2015, he followed through with his threats and stabbed Miss Silmen to death in a horrific killing which was recorded on her mobile phone. Her last words were: 'You finished me off'.

Miss Silmen was later found dead at the flat they shared in east London, partially naked and with 'horrendous injuries', including her head almost entirely severed from her neck.

Her chest cavity was also cut open, revealing her internal anatomy, the court heard.

Today, Apopei was found guilty of murder after a jury at the Old Bailey rejected his defence of mental illness. He will be sentenced tomorrow and faces life in jail.

During the trial, jurors heard how the couple had a 'volatile' relationship and Apopei had been violent towards Miss Silmen before.

On one occasion, he told her: 'If you will leave me I shall kill you. If I will go to prison I will pretend I am mad, they will put me in hospital and I will get free from there because I have lots of money.'

In February 2015, Miss Silmen visited a friend in Italy and the defendant turned up on Valentine's Day to surprise her.

During a night out at a Milan nightclub, the victim said she could not take any more and Apopei slapped her, jurors heard.

Miss Silmen then fled to her mother in Romania but later got back together with her violent boyfriend.

But his threatening behaviour continued. The court heard how, a month before the murder, Apopei laughed and threatened her and a friend, saying: 'One day I kill you both.'

On the day of the killing, Apopei was heard by a neighbour to tell his girlfriend: 'Look what's happened, don't play with fire.'

Miss Silmen (pictured) was found partially naked at the couple's London flat and had suffered from 'horrendous injuries', with her head almost entirely severed from her neck

The attack on Miss Silman just after 2pm was recorded on her mobile phone which was activated, either by accident or deliberately.

It recorded the sounds of the couple apparently having sex before a man is heard to say: 'I'm going to kill you now. Shall I give you the first one?' then a slapping noise.

The victim screamed 'oh my God', and Apopei responded: 'What did I do to you? Why did you kill me?' Her last words on the recording were: 'You finished me off.'

Afterwards, Apopei changed his clothes and left the flat with Miss Silmen's mobile phone.

When her friends tried to contact her, he said they would see what happened when you 'play with fire'.

Miss Silmen was found in her room half inside her wardrobe covered in blood with her suitcase on the bed.

Following his arrest, Apopei behaved 'erratically' often laughing hysterically then becoming aggressive. He said: 'I'm guilty. I did do it, but I can't make prison.'

He described his girlfriend as 'a witch' and paced around his cell ranting about devil worship, the court heard.

The court heard psychiatrists had differing opinions on whether Apopei was mentally ill and it was for jurors to decide whether his responsibility for the killing was diminished.

Ms Johnson said: 'It is the prosecution case that the defendant deliberately and viciously stabbed Denise to death because he was enraged and jealous at the prospect of her finally leaving him.'

Following his conviction she told the court there was a 'sadistic' element to the killing. In a statement, the victim's mother Monica Silmen said her daughter had come to Britain for a 'better life'.

She said: 'The light in my eyes died when she died.'
The frontrunner for the French presidency has promised Theresa May a 'fair Brexit' before vowing to try and lure bankers from London to Paris.

Emmanuel Macron visited No 10 for talks with Mrs May today as part of a visit to London to canvass 200,000 French voters in the British capital.

He is leading the race for the Elysee Palace in an improbable run as an independent that appears set to see him overhaul the establishment parties to reach a head to head contest with the Front National's Marine Le Pen.

Mr Macron quit Francois Hollande's Socialist government to campaign as an independent and is now set to beat both the Socialists and Republicans to the final round.

Emmanuel Macron, the front runner for the French presidency, dropped into No 10 for talks with Theresa May, telling her he was committed to a 'fair Brexit'

Mr Macron is the improbable front runner and appears set to overhaul the establishment parties to contest the run off with Front National candidate Marine Le Pen

Downing Street said it had been happy to accommodate Mr Macron's request for a meeting but said the non-engagement policy with Ms Le Pen's far right party was unchanged.

Speaking outside No 10 after his talks, Mr Macron said he assured Mrs May of his willingness to seek a 'fair execution of Brexit' which protects and defends French and European interests.

And he reaffirmed his intention to co-operate with the UK on defence under an 'improved' Le Touquet deal.

Mr Macron said he was concerned about ensuring the rights of French residents to stay and work in the UK after Brexit.

But he added that he hoped to attract his fellow countrymen - many of whom work in London's financial sector - to return home.

'In my programmes I will have a series of initiatives to get talented people in research and lots of fields working here to come to France,' he said.

Marine Le Pen seems unlikely to get a similar reception in Downing Street as No 10 made clear its non engagement policy with the Front National is unchanged

'I was very happy to see that some academics and researchers in the UK because of Brexit are considering coming to France to work.

'It will be part of my programme to be attractive for these kinds of people.

'I want banks, talents, researchers, academics and so on.

'I think that France and the European Union are a very attractive space now so in my programme I will do everything I can to make it attractive and successful.'

Mr Macron accused his main rival Marine Le Pen of the National Front of trying to 'push France into the 19th century' and said her plan to take the country out of the EU would 'kill' the economy and harm middle-class interests.
A hero rower who was attempting to become the oldest man to cross the Atlantic single-handedly had to be rescued from the freezing ocean after his boat capsized.

Graham Walters, 69, was plucked to safety on Monday after his restored historic boat capsized near the Canary Islands, a Spanish archipelago off the coast of northwestern Africa.

He had only set out the day before from the nearby Spanish island, Gran Canaria, on his attempt to become the oldest man to row single-handedly to Antigua, some 3,000 miles away.

The trip would have taken the rower, from Thurmaston, Leicestershire, three months in grueling conditions.

It is understood his tiny 20ft boat, called the Khaggavisana, overturned during bad weather that has hit the region, creating huge waves and gale-force winds.

Graham Walters, 69, was plucked to safety on Monday after his restored historic boat capsized near the Canary Islands, a Spanish archipelago off the coast of northwestern Africa

He had only set out the day before from the nearby Spanish island, Gran Canaria, on his attempt to become the oldest man to row single-handedly to Antigua, some 3,000 miles away

He is seen in a life jacket in the video as a rescue team pulls him into a helicopter. His boat, which he bought in 1969, was not seen in the rescue video

The video released by Spain's Maritime Rescue service shows he is safe.

As of yet, there is no update as to his condition, but he is believed to be well.

The footage suggests that he was plucked from the water, with his life jacket having kept him afloat. There is is no sign of the boat in the video.

Walters had intended to raise money for the Help the Heroes fund, a cause close to his heart.

This was the fifth Atlantic row, and his third trip solo.

Had he succeeded, he would have become the oldest person to row any ocean solo and the only one to row the Atlantic east to west solo three times. He is already in the Guinness Book of Records.

It is understood Walters' tiny 20ft boat, called the Khaggavisana, overturned during bad weather that has hit the region, creating huge waves and gale-force winds

Walters rescued the Khaggavisana from a maritime museum several years ago. It was the boat used to make the crossing from England to America back in 1969, when he was in his early 20s. He had spent two years renovating it

His rowing website reported on Sunday night: 'A worrying call from Graham, he's been in 35kn winds since 12.00 and shipping water badly.

'He's hoping the winds will moderate before too much longer.'

Ironically, an earlier bid in 2006 was aborted because the restored boat was deemed not sea-worthy.

Modifications were then carried out, including a sheath of fiber glass to deal with the leaks.

The planned departure from Las Palmas, the capital of Gran Canaria, also had to put off this time for a week because of battery problems.

Rescue crews pulled Walters into a helicopter, like the one pictured above, and he is believed to be well following the ordeal

Walters rescued the Khaggavisana from a maritime museum several years ago.

It was the boat used to make the crossing from England to America back in 1969, when he was in his early 20s. He had spent two years renovating it.

He decided to support Help the Heroes after he helped to rescue the craft of a team of ex-servicemen, all amputees, four years ago who had to abandon their attempt in the Atlantic Challenge.

In 2016, he was also part of a team attempting a record-breaking crossing when a 21-year-old crew member fell into the ocean and died.

Before his latest adventure, Walters said he was very aware of the risks but was well-prepared and experienced and wanted to show people that age was no barrier.
This is the bizarre moment a young couple were caught on camera having sex while on the back of a moving motorcycle.

Police have launched an investigation after the footage, filmed in Encarnacion, south-eastern Paraguay, went viral online.

It was captured by a witness using a smartphone and he could not believe his eyes when he spotted the semi-naked couple.

The woman was lying back on the petrol tank with her short skirt hitched up and her legs were wrapped around the shirtless male rider.

The young semi-naked couple were filmed on the back of the motorbike while it was moving

The video has provoked a lively debate on internet forums across South America and around the world.

Many users pointed out that in addition to their incredibly dangerous sexual antics, neither of the young couple were wearing helmets.

Police are believed to be investigating the incident which happened in the Santa Maria neighbourhood of Encarnacion.

Officers are said to be scrutinising the video in an attempt to identify the randy pair.

The young couple were spotted on the back of the motorbike as it was moving on a busy road

A police spokesman said that they would face a fine of around three million PYG (430) if they were tracked down and convicted.

However, if there was evidence that the biker had been drinking he would face a hefty fine and possibly even prison.

Encarnacion is the capital of the department of Itapua and the third-largest city in Paraguay.

In recent years, it has also become the tourism capital of the country, with its wide beaches and newly completed waterfront boardwalk.
Chris Bryant claimed there is 'clear evidence' of direct Russian interference in British elections

There is 'clear evidence' of direct Russian interference in British elections, a former Labour minister has claimed.

Chris Bryant also warned that many believed some of the highest level security decisions affecting the UK had now been compromised by Russian interference.

Another Labour MP Ben Bradshaw was mocked for claiming it was 'highly probable' the Russian interfered with the Brexit vote via cyber warfare - something ministers say is unfounded.

But fears have grown over Russian funding of dubious news websites based in the UK but far outside the media mainstream.

Mr Bryant raised fears over Kremlin involvement as MPs considered new powers to tackle money laundering, which many have seen as a crackdown on corrupt money flowing into the UK from Russia and other countries.

He said: 'There is now clear evidence of Russian direct, corrupt involvement in elections in France, in Germany, in the United States of America, and I would argue also in this country.

'Many believe that some of the highest level decisions affecting security in the United Kingdom, in Germany, in France and in the United States of America are now compromised by Russian infiltration.'

Donald Trump has been dogged by allegations of links between his senior team and Russia.

Emmanuel Macron, the favourite to become the next French president, has also accused Russia and its state-owned media of using hacking and fake news to interfere with the French presidential race.

Both claims are rejected by the Kremlin.

Russian president Vladimir Putin has denied the Kremlin is seeking to influence Western elections

Mr Bryant went on to criticise both British and US policy towards Russia in recent years.

He said: 'My personal perception was that both David Cameron and President Obama were very reluctant to show a strong arm to Russia, because they thought by pressing the reset button, that was Obama's view, somehow or other you would manage to get major concessions out of Putin.

'I have to say, that has simply not proved to be an effective strategy.

'In every single regard, Putin has simply taken those moments as a sign of weakness and preceded to use force in greater degree.'

It emerged last year that Putin was waging a propaganda war on the UK and the West using a news agency funded by the Kremlin.

Sputnik News, whose UK version operates from an Edinburgh office block, produces news from a pro-Moscow perspective.

In the immediate aftermath of the tragic Jo Cox murder, Sputnik ran a story describing her death as 'timely' for the remain campaign.
This is the moving moment that a bereaved mother met the little girl whose life was saved by her daughter's heart.

Amber Travaglio lost her seven-year-old daughter, Melody, in June 2015. But recognizing the need of other children and parents, she made the brave choice to donate Melody's organs.

And this month Travaglio met five-year-old Peyton Richardson, the young girl who received Melody's heart - and the gift of new life - Fox 8 reported.

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Powerful: This is the powerful moment that bereaved mom Amber Travaglio met five-year-old Peyton Richardson, who was saved after she received the heart of Amber's daughter

Donation: Peyton (left) had her heart ruined by a cold virus and was on a machine for months. When Melody (right) died of an unexplained breathing problem, she received her heart

Melody, of Cleveland, Ohio, had been a healthy young girl until she suffered a sudden and fatal asphyxic asthma attack for reasons that remain unknown.

'I just remember flailing onto her hospital bed with her and holding her, just screaming her name,' a weeping Amber said.

But even through her grief, she knew that Melody - who knitted hats for premature babies and dreamed of being 'a doctor in space' - would want to help others, even in death.

'That heart was irreplaceably special, and I knew it just had more to give this world,' Travaglio said.

That same day, 550 miles away in Atlanta, Georgia, Peyton was celebrating her fourth birthday from a hospital bed with mom Ashlyn Richardson.

Peyton, like Melody, was also a healthy girl laid low by a sudden illness after her heart was attacked by a cold virus, leaving her hooked up to machines for months.

'There was just a three per cent chance of survival,' Richardson said. Then the call came through: Melody's heart was a match for Amber's.

'I just cried,' Richardson said, 'And I kept thinking of that person that lost their child.'

Travaglio was also thinking of where the little girl's heart would go. And so, 20 months later and just before Valentine's Day, she arranged to meet the girl her daughter had saved.

Hospitalized: This was Peyton in 2015. Today she is recovering from visual and physical damage thanks to Melody's heart, which she received in June 2015

Special: Melody was a kind girl who would knit hats for premature babies and wanted to be a 'doctor in space'. Her mom said the girl's 'irreplaceable' heart 'still had more to give'

Both moms were in tears as they met at Richardson's house, the sound of their hearts beating in unison picked up by Fox 8's microphones.

The tears flowed again when Travaglio met Peyton.

'I grew that heart inside of me,' she said afterward, recalling the moment she hugged the young girl, who is recovering well from the physical and visual damage done by the virus.

'I say they are two beautiful girls with one perfect heart,' she said.

Later, on Facebook, she wrote: 'Meeting [Melody's] heart recipient this week brought me some peace and closure, I am forever grateful for that.

'Peyton and her mom are amazing strong people and I am touched and honored to call them family.'

She said she hopes to one day know the names and faces of all the children saved by her daughter's organs.
It appears that Anthony Bourdain is in love, Italian style.

The chef and self-proclaimed film fanatic is reportedly dating actress Asia Argento, who he met last year when she appeared on the Rome episode of his Emmy-winning travel show Antony Bourdain: Parts Unknown.

Bourdain even paid a visit to Argento in Rome on February 9, flying into Italy after a visit to Ferran Adria's new restaurant Enigma in Spain.

The lovebirds could be seen walking around the city hand-in-hand and then sharing a kiss after enjoying dinner at Pommidoro.

The two then returned to their hotel room.

Argento, 41, first met Bourdain, 60, in September, just around the time when it was revealed that he and his wife Ottavia were separating after nine years of marriage.

The actress and Bourdain's ex-wife are near look-alikes and both hail from Italy.

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New couple: Anthony Bourdain is dating Italian star Asia Argento according to multiple outlets in that country (above on February 9 in Rome)

Romance in the air: After dining at famed restaurant Pommidoro on February 9, the two were seen sharing a kiss before returning to Bourdain's hotel room (above on February 9 in Rome)

Happy together: The pair first met last year when Argento appeared on the Rome episode of the chef's travel show, Antony Bourdain: Parts Unknown

Ex: Shortly after Bourdain and Argento filmed the Rome episode of Parts Unknown it was revealed that the chef and his wife Ottavia had separated

The pair have yet to comment on their relationship, but Bourdain raved about Argento back in December when the episode they filmed aired on CNN.

'The episode would not have been possible  or be anything like it is without the truly magnificent Asia Argento,' wrote Bourdain in a post that appeared on Medium.

He later wrote in that piece: 'Always honest, completely unsparing. If you ask Asia a question, you are going to get an answer - and she doesnt care if it reflects badly on you - or on herself. Shes going to give it to you straight.'

Argento was also a big fan of the episode, and wrote before it aired: 'It was a true gift rediscovering the eternal city with you @Bourdain.'

Bourdain's Rome episode of 'Parts Unknown' was a remarkable feat, and one that was inspired in some ways by Argento's father.

Dario Argento is considered by many to be one of the great horror directors, and is known for his highly stylized films, among them the 1977 classic Suspiria.

The episode was shot entirely in widescreen and featured no imagery of classic Rome, choosing instead to show only 'the architecture of Mussolini and post-Mussolini era.'

Fan: 'The episode would not have been possible  or be anything like it is without the truly magnificent Asia Argento,' wrote Bourdain of Argento (above) before the show aired in December

Unique look: The Rome episode (scene above) was shot entirely in widescreen and featured no imagery of classic Rome

Peas in a pod: Argento was also a big fan of the episode, and wrote before it aired: 'It was a true gift rediscovering the eternal city with you @Bourdain' (above)

Argento helped Bourdain with this by showing him some of her favorite spots and having her sister cook for him.

She even took Bourdain to what he described as a 'bats*** crazy boxing club where we ate pasta ringside as gladiators pounded one another and the crowd hooted and roared.'

Argento is a fan of the sport, and back in August posted a photo of her in gear, writing: 'I love boxing almost as much as I love sex.'

Another big fan of that sort of physical workout is Ottavia, who practices mixed martial arts and often competes in tournaments.

Bourdain opened up about his relationship with Ottavia in an interview with the New Yorker for a story that was published just last week.

He was interviewed for the story while shooting his biggest episode to date in Hanoi, Vietnam with President Barack Obama.

There is a good deal of talk about how difficult it was for Bourdain to maintain a relationship because he is always away and working on the show.

Fighters: Argento is a big fan of boxing (left) while Ottavia practices mixed martial art (right)

Family: Bourdain has a daughter Ariane who was born in 2007, the same year that he married Ottavia (family above at dinner last year)

Casual dinner: Last year, Bourdain managed to score his biggest guest to date when he had dinner in Hanoi, Vietnam with president Obama (above)

Then, in an email to the writer of the story back in August he said the the two were calling it quits, writing: 'Its not much of a change of lifestyle, as we have lived separate lives for many years. More of a change of address.'

He went on to write, jokingly: 'Shes an interesting woman. I admire her choices. But I married Sophia Loren. She turned into Jean-Claude Van Damme.'

Bourdain also wrote that he was happy the couple no longer had to 'pretend.'

The two were set up by Eric Ripert, who employed Ottavia at his restaurant Le Bernardin in New York City.

Bourdain said that he never saw himself as a father but the two decided after some time together to give it a try, and Ottavia was son pregnant.

The same year that they were married the couple welcomed daughter Ariane.

'Im shocked by how happy my daughter is. I dont think Im deluding myself. I know Im a loving father,' said Bourdain in that interview.

He then added however: 'Do I wish sometimes that, in an alternative universe, I could be the patriarch, always there? Tons of kids? Grandkids running around? Yes. And it looks good to me. But Im pretty sure Im incapable of it.'

Smile for the camera: Argento has a teenage daughter Anna and young son (family above in Tokyo last summer)

Fan: After Bourdain met Argento he posted a pic of Dario with his young daughter on Twitter, writing: 'Happy Birthday to the master' (above)

Global star: Argento was first introduced to many in America with her role in XXX (left in XXX, right in Land of the Dead)

Argento has two children, a 7-year-old son Nicola with her ex-husband Michele Civetta and a 15-year-old daughter Anna from her relationship with musician Marco Castoldi.

She shot to fame as a teenager due to her famous father and roles in a number of Italian movies, receiving the Italian equivalent of the Academy Award twice before the age of 20.

Argento then found fame in America with her role opposite Vin Diesel in XXX, and two years later was back with her English language directorial debut, having adapted J. T Leroy's controversial novel 'The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things.'

She has appeared in a number of films over the past decade, most notably Marie Antoinette, Boarding Gate, The Last Mistress and Mother of Tears.

In 2014 she premiered her film Misunderstood at the Cannes Film Festival, which she wrote and directed, telling the press that she was done with acting.

Bourdain was a fan of the film, which he called 'remarkable and beautiful,' and is a big fan of Argento's dad.

After the two met he posted a pic of Dario with his young daughter on Twitter, writing: 'Happy Birthday to the master.'
Professional bass angler Kyle Mabrey was killed when his SUV drove off of Interstate 459 in Alabama and was then struck by an oncoming train Sunday night. He was 42.

Mabrey, a married father-of-two from MaCalla, was part of the FLW Tour and also worked as a respiratory therapist at Birmingham Children's Hospital of Alabama.

Mabrey was a professional fisherman for 14 years and was ranked 286th in the world.

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Freak accident: Professional bass angler Kyle Mabrey, left and right, was killed when his SUV drove off of the road in Alabama Sunday and was hit by a train

Mangled mess: Mabrey's white Chevy Tahoe is seen being hauled away from the scene of the one-vehicle crash in Jefferson County

Mabrey's SUV was pulling a boat at the time of the collision with a Northfolk Southern train, which caused the driver to be ejected from the vehicle

According to investigators, Mabrey was traveling north on I-459 on his way to a fishing spot when his Chevy Tahoe SUV left the roadway and went down an embankment, reported Al.com.

Mabrey's vehicle, which was pulling a boat at the time, landed on railway tracks near McAdory School Road, where the fishing vessel was struck by a Northfolk Southern train.

The angler was ejected from the vehicle on impact and was pronounced dead at the scene shortly before midnight.

Mabrey is survived by his wife of 13 years, Elizabeth, and the couple' two children, Evan and Emma.

The fishing league's website indicates that Mabrey had earned more than $288,000 over the course of his six-year career as a pro bass angler.

Fish tales: Mabrey was a professional fisherman for 14 years and was ranked 286th in the world

Like everybody else who knew him, I really admired Kyle Mabrey, Bill Taylor, FLWs senior director of tournaments, tells flwfishing.com. He loved to go fishing with his little boy and always brought that up in our conversations. He would always text me pictures of their fishing results; his closeness with his family was all the world to him.

Mabrey was being honored not only for his fishing prowess, but also for his work as an accomplished respiratory therapist who had helped improve the lives of thousands of ailing children.

Family man: Mabrey is survived by his wife of 13 years, Elizabeth (pictured), and the couple' two children, Evan and Emma

Katie Broome, whose son, Jace, was born at 24 weeks last February and spent the first year of his life at Children's of Alabama, remembered Mabrey for his comforting bedside manner and how he instantly made her son break into a smile the first time they met, she tells the station WIAT.

Mabrey's best friend and fellow FLW Tour pro Blake Nick expressed his shock and dismay at having lost someone who was special to so many people.

Youre talking about a guy who would go fish his heart out all weekend in a tournament and then, come Monday morning, work with kids on ventilators and try to make them as comfortable as he could, he said.

Fellow pro angler Brad Knight, of Tennessee, has launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for Mabreys widow and their children. As of Tuesday afternoon, the fundraiser has drawn a little under $15,000 in donations,
A 16-year-old girl who came to Britain from Poland was found hanged in the toilets at the school where she been bullied, a coroner heard today.

Dagmara Przybysz, who moved to Britain with her family nine years ago, was found dead last May.

At a pre-inquest hearing, police told the coroner they had gathered evidence of bullying in a bid to establish whether cruel jibes and racism from classmates played a part in her death.

Dagmara Przybysz, who moved to Britain with her family nine years ago, was found dead in her school toilets last May

Grief-stricken friends and family paid tribute to the 16-year-old following her tragic death

The hearing heard police and paramedics were called to the Pool Academy, but Dagmara, who lived in Redruth, Cornwall, could not be saved.

Before she died, Dagmara had complained about suffering taunts at school on website ask.fm.

Answering a question about what problems she had at school, she replied 'racism', adding that it makes her sad when friends say things behind her back.

The comments were made three years ago, but, after her death, several friends referred to continued problems.

One friend posted online: 'It is so sad what people do to make people do this stuff. F*****g ridiculous.'

Another friend wrote: 'Such a beautiful girl, died a such a young age because of absolute p***ks.'

Speaking after her death last year, the youngster's grief-stricken grandmother Zofia Dobek said she was at a loss to explain why school pupils hounded Dagmara and made her feel like an outsider in the weeks and months in the build up to the teenager's death.

Speaking from the village of Radgoszcz, west Poland, she told MailOnline: 'When she turned 16 no one even congratulated her.

'I cannot understand this. Why? She was such a lovely girl, so full of life. She was such a beautiful, friendly and helpful person.

'But I can't understand why people didn't like her. Now people are saying my granddaughter had mental health issues. She had no such problems.'

Police investigating the schoolgirl's death have gathered evidence of bullying and presented it to the coroner

Senior coroner for Cornwall Emma Carlyon is looking into the youngster's death and said it was currently unclear whether bullying played a part.

But Detective Constable Craig Daddow, of Camborne CID, confirmed that police had gathered evidence of bullying incidents.

Dagmara's grandmother Zofia Dobek paid an emotional tribute to her granddaughter

He told the hearing in Truro: 'We spoke to many pupils and we gathered evidence that there were incidents in which Dagmara was bullied by a group of girls and she was also pushed in a corridor on one occasion.

'We did not speak to any individuals about the bullying because we do not want to worry them that they are in trouble in a criminal way.'

After the tragedy, school principal Zelma Hill paid tribute to the student she described as a, 'beautiful, bright and creative 16 year old student with a very promising future ahead of her.'

She added Dagmara 'was passionate about fashion and photography.'

Dr Carlyon added that it will be her role during the full inquest hearing to examine the circumstances behind Dagmara's death, but not to attribute blame.

She said: 'We have had one incident and we don't want this to lead to another. We don't want any more young people getting poorly because of this.'

A full inquest hearing is scheduled before the summer, expected to last two days.

The hearing was told around nine witnesses would be called, including Dagmara's mother, boyfriend and several staff from Pool Academy.

If you or someone you know in Australia needs help, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or beyondblue on 1300 224 636
A Minnesota high school backtracked on its requirement for female students to submit prom dress photos for pre-approval to ensure the gowns were appropriate enough to wear to church.

Girls at Osakis High School in central Minnesota were asked to send in photos of themselves wearing their prom dresses to make sure it complied with the school dress code back in January.

The school of around 350 students changed its mind on the photo submission after it had originally sent out a dress code letter that said girls should feel comfortable enough to wear the outfit to church.

The district said the photos were merely a suggestion on Tuesday but haven't commented on whether attire should still be appropriate enough for church, the Star Tribune reported.

Osakis High School in central Minnesota backtracked on its requirement to have girls send in photos of themselves wearing prom dresses to ensure it complied with the school dress code on Tuesday

The letter released in January says that an acceptable prom dress 'is one that you would feel comfortable wearing to a formal event at your church'

The letter released in January on the school district's website strictly spells out what young women are expected to wear to the dance on April 22.

A portion reads: 'For ladies, an acceptable prom dress is one that you would feel comfortable wearing to a formal event at your church.

'Dresses that expose undergarments, midriff and other low-cut areas, even with a see through material, are not acceptable.

'Length of dresses must be lower than the fingertips when arms are held straight down at sides.'

Despite the letter requesting all questions or appeals on attire to be approved by March 24, the school interim superintendent said it wasn't a requirement, just a suggestion.

'We are not going to require any such photo prior to the prom,' the statement said.

Pictured: Principal of the high school Tim Roggenbuck (left) and the interim superintendent Randy Bergquist (right)

The district said Tuesday that it was merely a suggestion but haven't commented on whether attire should still be appropriate enough for church (pictured Osakis High School)

At the bottom of the letter detailing the rules of prom is a form students are expected to return with their signatures.

It reads: 'It is important for students attending prom to recognize that this event is a privilege and not a right'.

While the dress code goes into specifics on what kind of dresses were deemed acceptable for girls, young men are simply told to wear a tux or dress pants and shirts.
Mark Williams-Thomas theorises that Madeleine McCann left her holiday flat to look for her parents on the night she went missing

The parents of Madeleine McCann are 'baffled' by a TV show hiring an ex-cop to tell the nation what he thinks happened to their daughter.

Kate and Gerry McCann hit out at ITV's This Morning for using Mark Williams-Thomas, now an investigative journalist, for voicing his 'astonishing new theory' about Madeleine's disappearance, a close friend said on Tuesday.

The couple have always insisted their three-year-old daughter was snatched from a Portuguese holiday flat while they were dining in a nearby tapas bar, either by a sex fiend or during a botched burglary nearly ten years ago.

But TV detective Mr Williams-Thomas, believes the unsettled youngster walked out of the unlocked apartment searching for her parents in the poolside restaurant.

The McCann's spokesman Clarence Mitchell said: 'This is pure speculation and as such Kate and Gerry will not be dignifying it with any sort comment whatsoever.'

A source close to the pair said: 'It's baffling a television programme had him on as an authority on the Madeleine case. He's re-invented himself as a criminologist but when did he become an expert on this high profile case? Never!'

The friend added: 'He said he had received a statement from the McCann's saying they were pleased there was an on-going investigation which they hoped would unearth some news but they haven't been in contact with him, neither has their spokesperson.

'It seems he was re-hashing a years-old statement that was circulated to all the media.'

Former police officer, Mark Williams-Thomas, theorises that the child woke up in the middle of the night and wandered off in search of Gerry and Kate McCann who were dining at a Tapas bar in the Algarve resort of Praia da Luz.

Williams-Thomas went to the resort just days after Madeleine went missing on May 3, 2007 aged three and has followed the unsolved case since.

Speaking This Morning as part of a new series on unsolved crimes on Tuesday he said: 'On that morning of Madeleine's disappearance, we do know she went to [her parents] Gerry and Kate and said: 'Where were you last night?' he explained.

'Because we know the twins did wake up on days prior to her disappearance.

'And I think as a result of that, Madeline was clearly aware they were in the tapas bar that was in the resort.

'Now the interesting element in that is in order to get to the tapas bar you had to actually come out of the premises, walk on a public road to go back in again.

Madeleine, then aged 3-years-old, vanished from an apartment in Praia da Luz as her parents ate at the nearby restaurant

'And that raises a concern I have in regards to Madeleine I believe woke up in the middle of the night, she went looking for Gerry and Kate and she left the apartment and went out.

'Because we know the patio door at the back was insecure.'

Co-host Phillip Schofield had to pause the reporter from theorising further under legal obligations.

Madeleine vanished from an apartment in Praia da Luz as her parents ate at the nearby restaurant.

Detectives are said to be working on a theory that she was kidnapped by a European trafficking gang with an apparent 9,000 sightings of her across the world since she went missing.

At the early stages of the investigation journalists from Portuguese magazine Sol speculated that her parents were involved in the disappearance but allegations against them were dismissed quickly.

Gerry and Kate still hold hope that their eldest daughter is still alive despite being missing for close to a decade.

This could be Operation Grange's final year of searching for the missing child.

They have been concentrating on the notion that she was sold by child traffickers  her parents' and their first team of private investigators' initial hunch  and could still be alive.

Parents Gerry and Kate McCann were dining at a Tapas bar in the Algarve resort of Praia da Luz, Portugal when their eldest daughter went missing

So far the inquiry, launched in May 2011 on orders of then Prime Minister David Cameron, has cost more than 12 million with topped-up funds set to run out at the end of March.

The McCann source added: 'With no disrespect to this investigative reporter he is forever trying to latch himself onto the Maddie case. He's said this all before and he once stood outside Apartment 5a reporting his same old belief.

'Allowing him on This Morning to air his views won't help the show get in Kate and Gerry's good books. But they're not going to fall out with him over this. It's all based on speculation and it's a free country and they've got enough to be dealing with.'

Former GP Kate and heart doctor Gerry, both 48, of Rothley, Leics, believe Maddie could still be alive and have never given up hope of finding her. They face the heart-breaking 10th anniversary of her disappearance in 10 weeks. She would now be aged 13.

Mr Williams-Thomas boasts he has 'far-reaching experience of working at the centre of high profile investigations.'

The self-styled commentator boasts on his website how he has 'over the last decade reported on the biggest crime stories.'
Shaun Walmsley, 28, has fled the Aintree University Hospital in Liverpool, sparking a major operation to find him by Merseyside Police

The car used to help a convicted murderer escape while on a hospital visit from prison has been recovered.

Shaun Walmsley, 28, fled the Aintree University Hospital in Liverpool on Tuesday, sparking a major operation to find him by Merseyside Police.

The escape car used by the accomplices has now been discovered.

Merseyside Police believe the gold-coloured Volvo  number plate MW02 XHE  was parked in Fazakerley, Liverpool, from 12pm yesterday with at least one man inside.

It was then seen travelling to Aintree University Hospital, where it was spotted parked from 1.25pm onwards.

Police said after the car was used in the getaway it was discovered back in Adlam Crescent at 8pm last night and has already been towed away for forensic examinations.

Two men, carrying a gun, knife and pepper spray, reportedly jumped out and held up guards so the murderer could escape in the gold-coloured Volvo.

Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson said he would calling for an immediate inquiry and writing to the Home Secretary Amber Rudd

Mark Fairhurst, Prison Officers' Association National Executive spokesperson, said: 'Walmsley was transported in a private hire taxi. That is regular protocol in most prisons, unless the prisoner is a Category A prisoner in which case they would go with two armed police officers in a van.

'Walmsley was returning to the taxi after the appointment when he and the two officers were approached by two males.

'One put a gun to an officer's head and the other put a knife to the other officer's throat and they released the cuffs.

'It is a life-threatening situation and they have to do what they can to save their life.

'At the end of the day, they only have an extendable baton and a white prison shirt.

'We have asked for more equipment because we don't have things like stab vests like police do as a deterrent but they have been turned down.

'Even as a visual deterrent, if we looked more like the police do it would be useful to stop events like this from happening.'

WHO WAS ANTHONY DUFFY? Anthony Duffy was stabbed 28 times in Aintree Anthony Duffy was 33 when he was killed by Walmsley and three others in Aintree, Liverpool. He was stabbed 28 times and later died in hospital. Mr Duffy was a cocaine and cannabis dealer who was said to have crossed Walmsley's path when he tried to steal his 60,000 crop because he was annoyed about debts pressure they were putting on his cousin. He is said to have enlisted John Hore to help with the burglary but he was betrayed to his killers by the career criminal. An obituary in the Liverpool paper said he was partner to Stacey and father to three girls, Heidi, Daisy and Faith. His surviving family was praised for acting with dignity throughout the trial. Advertisement

A source told The Sun: 'The cab was just leaving the hospital site when it happened.

'The officers involved are hugely shaken up.

'There will be serious questions to answer about why a convicted murderer was travelling in a minicab in the first place, especially so soon after his conviction.'

HMP Liverpool chiefs have launched an investigation following the incident.

Walmsley, who is serving 30 years for his role in the murder of Anthony Duffy, 33.

The drug-related incident saw the victim stabbed and slashed 28 times, before he died.

Neither of the prison guards were hurt during the incident that took place after Walmsley's appointment.

Walmsley, from Walton, is described as white, 6ft tall and of slim build with dark brown hair and blue eyes. He was last seen wearing dark bottoms and a dark jacket.

The gunman is described as having his face covered and was wearing white shoes, grey tracksuit bottoms with a stripe down each side, a grey hoody and a dark coat.

The second man, who was believed to be armed with a knife, is described as having his face covered and he was wearing a green coat, dark Nike trainers and grey tracksuit bottoms.

A manhunt is now under way and police are carrying out an extensive search of the area.

The gold coloured Volvo found by police in Liverpool on Wednesday following the escape of Walmsley on Tuesday

Officers are appealing for anyone who saw this car to get in touch with information. It is believed it was spotted for a number of hours in a street before going to the hospital in the afternoon

The public are being warned not to approach the killer - described as dangerous - as he could also be in the company of the armed men who ambushed the car.

Merseyside Police Detective Superintendent Natalie Perischine said: 'We are keeping an open mind at the moment.

'Walmsley could still be with the two men that were involved yesterday or he could be with other people.

'The prison officers are physically unharmed but one the men who threatened them had a gun and the other had a knife so they will undoubtedly have been affected by the traumatic event.

'I cannot confirm that Walmsley was taken to hospital in a mini cab, but patient confidentiality prevents me from going into what the appointment was for.

'But anything that happens around Shaun Walmsley leaving the hospital or being treated is not the focus of the investigation, that is for the Ministry of Justice.

'Given the gravity of the offence that Walmsley has committed, it was a murder for which he is serving a life sentence with a minimum tariff of 30 years, so by its very definition it is a really grave offence and was a pre-meditated, violent attack.

'Undoubtedly, Walmsley is a dangerous, violent person and the two other people are dangerous and violent too.

'My advice to member so of public would be not to approach him and call 999 if they see him.

HMP Liverpool chiefs have launched an investigation following the incident

'And to add to that, I would like to add to reassure them we are working extensively to look for him and we will find him.

'It is an extremely rare occurrence and we will not rest until Walmsley is behind bars.'

Deputy General Secretary of the Prison Officers' Association (POA), Andy Darken, said it is 'fairly common' for non-Category A prisoners to be moved in taxis after a risk assessment is done to ensure this is safe.

'There's not a lot of difference if they are held up by armed gunmen in a secure van or a taxi', he told the BBC.

The Mayor of Liverpool Mr Anderson said: 'We have to call for an inquiry into what has gone on and what has happened - I am going to write to the Home Secretary.'

He added: 'This is somebody who is a convicted murderer who could well be in my city or anywhere else.

'We don't know whether he has got out to be part of any drug disputes in the city.'

Mr Anderson said it is a 'tense time' in the city of Liverpool following recent murders and that to him it looks like Walmsley has been able to plan the escape well in advance.

He also said his understanding is that the two prison officers and Walmsley turned up to the hospital appointment in a taxi, but that he is waiting for confirmation of this.

'The issues are; how it has been allowed to happen, why there were only two guards for a category A prisoner, and why he was not in a secure vehicle, if that was the case,' he added.

'Why is it the case he has been able to communicate with people outside, exactly when he was attending a hospital appointment - these are questions that all need to be asked.

'For the people of this city it is an unacceptable breach and lapse of security and we are lucky that the officers were not challenged and the firearm was not discharged in that situation.'

Walmsley was remanded in custody at HMP Liverpool after being sentenced to life in June 2015, with a 30-year tariff, for his part in the murder of Anthony Duffy.

A manhunt is now under way and police are carrying out an extensive search of the area. Pictured is Aintree University Hospital

Mr Duffy, 33, was lured to an address in Aintree in May 2014 and 'repeatedly stabbed'.

Liverpool Crown Court heard Walmsley had a large criminal network with Christopher Kenny, the Liverpool Echo reported at the time.

Judge Clement Goldstone said the two men had decided Mr Duffy needed to be 'eliminated, not only because he was a rival drug dealer, but even more because he had dared to cross them', the Echo said.

The pair along with Kirk Mello, from Kirkby, Liverpool, and John Hore, of Orrell Park, Liverpool, were found guilty of murdering Mr Duffy.

After their sentencing, Merseyside Police said the four men had 'never shown any emotion' and had 'not expressed any remorse'.

A Prison Service spokesperson said: 'A prisoner from HMP Liverpool has escaped while on an escorted hospital visit on Tuesday, February 21.

'The offender involved is described as dangerous and police are advising the public not to approach him.

'We are working closely with the police and are urgently investigating the matter. It would be inappropriate for us to comment further at this stage.'

Speaking to residents near where the car was found, one neighbour said: 'We didn't see anyone get out the car at all, but this road is usually busy because of the hospital parking so we didn't think anything of it. It was parked on the street corner and the police were here about 9pm.'

Another neighbour, who also did not wish to be named, said: 'It's quite normal to see a car there and I missed the police call but I looked out about 10pm and they were taking the car away. It is a terrible story and I really think that the hospital shouldn't let them get away with that.'

Another anonymous resident said: 'For me, the car was there all day so it could have been there before. I had never seen a gold-coloured metallic Volvo before so it was quite distinctive. I saw it parked on the corner but I didn't see the police take it away.'

WHO IS SHAUN WALMSLEY? Shaun Walmsley is one of four men who was convicted of killing drug dealer Anthony Duffy in Aintree. He was jailed alongside Christopher Kenny, John Hore and Kirk Mello. The men denied murder and a trial at Liverpool Crown Court lasted eight weeks in 2015. John Hore, left, was hired by Mr Duffy but he was betrayed and given over to Walmsley and Kenny. Kirk Mello, right, was given a life sentence with a minimum term of 22 years One witness described how Mr Duffy begged for help while two men stabbed him with a 10-inch carving knife and a 'black instrument'. Mr Duffy had enlisted career criminal John Hore, to help with the planned burglary of a 60,000 cannabis farm but prosecutors said he had betrayed him to Walmsley and Kenny. Christopher Kenny was jailed for his part in the crime Walmsley, now 28, planned to escape to Amsterdam but Hore gave his name to the police after his arrest. Walmsley was sentenced to life with a minimum of 30 years. All four received life sentences with jail terms amounting to about 100 years. Liverpool Crown Court heard Walmsley had a large criminal network with Christopher Kenny, the Liverpool Echo reported at the time. Judge Clement Goldstone said the two men had decided Mr Duffy needed to be 'eliminated, not only because he was a rival drug dealer, but even more because he had dared to cross them', the Echo said. After their sentencing, Merseyside Police said the four men had 'never shown any emotion' and had 'not expressed any remorse'. Advertisement

A neighbour of Walmsley said: 'I didn't really know him and had only seen him a couple of times.

'It's a quiet street and everyone keeps themselves to themselves but I think he grew up here and lived with a brother.

'The police helicopter was circling above the street last night so I knew something was going on but wasn't aware of what it was.'

In nearby roads close to the hospital on Wednesday morning, residents were shocked by what had happened.

An anonymous resident said: 'I didn't hear anything or see anything it was only when my partner told me that I heard about it after.

'It is quite shocking at hear that two gunmen were able to turn up and get him.

'I have children so if prisoners are being transported just in black cabs then that is not very good, is it?'

Another resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said: 'I was in all day with my wife and I didn't see anything and never heard anything and I'd have been the first to look at the window if I did.

'If cutbacks mean that they have to transport them using black cabs then that is a bit c***.

'They're going to start asking questions if a convicted killer was being moved in a cab and was this easy to get to.

'But it has happened before all around the country and it will happen again.

'But police are always around in the area so it is no surprise to see them there this morning.'

Another resident, who asked not to be named, said: 'This is the first I have heard of it but I am not too surprised as I remember an identical thing happened a few years ago.

'Once they are past the hospital grounds and the first streets and gardens, it is very hard to stop them and they are gone.'

Police are asking who has seen him, or knows where he is, to contact them on 999 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
Under ISIS rule, most of the animals in Mosul zoo were killed or died of starvation.

But now the two emaciated animals left are receiving medical help from aid workers who have come to rescue them.

A veterinary team from charity Four Paws has started treating animals at the Mumtaz al-Nour zoo in eastern Mosul, Iraq today.

The emaciated animals that are left in Mosul Zoo have been rescued by aid workers, who are giving them medical treatment

International charity Four Paws have sent a veterinary team to help heal the animals. Pictured a volunteer holds and apple for a bear at the abandoned zoo

The starving bear is given an apple by an aid worker. Earlier this month, it was revealed that only a lion and a bear were left in the former tourist attraction

Based in Vienna, Austria, the organisation sends aid workers worldwide to rescue bears, big cats and stray animals.

Local volunteers fed a bear with apples and cleaned out the filthy cages while medical professionals.

Earlier this month, it was revealed that only a bear and a lion were left in the former tourist attraction.

An abandoned lion licks its lips before receiving treatment from Four Paws vets. Most of the animals at the zoo in Nour Park, Mosul, were killed by shrapnel or died of starvation

A volunteer washes out a filthy cage in the zoo while the animals are treated by vets. Based in Vienna, Austria, Four Paws sends aid workers worldwide to rescue bears, big cats and stray animals

A vet sqeezes a solution onto a lion's eye. The big cat's muzzle has been tied with black fabric to stop it from biting any of the aid workers

The malnourished animals were found by volunteers close to their former enclosures in Nour Park.

While the city was under the control of ISIS, the zoo was targeted by coalition bombers.

Most of the animals were killed by stray shrapnel and shells.

A volunteer holds out a dead bird to feed to a lion. The big cat pushes its paw through the bars of its cage in anticipation

Vets work on the eyes of a sedated bear. When the Mosul was under ISIS control, the zoo was used as a target for coalition bombers

During the conflict, a shell hit a monkey cage, letting the animals wreak havoc on neighbours.

Faten Amar, who lives across the road, said: 'The monkeys were jumping on the houses, scaring the children and stealing the fruit.

'Ducks and other animals were running around, the whole neighborhood had to run around trying to catch them.'

A vet uses a long dart to anaesthetise an abandoned bear as it walks around its cage. The malnourished animals were found by volunteers close to their former enclosures in Nour Park

In shocking images, the animals stare blankly out of their cages.

The vets have to anaesthetise the animals so they can check them over.

A local volunteer is pictured feeding the lion a dead bird. The starving animal's paw is outstretched in anticipation.

The sedated lion's tongue lolls out as a vet checks his paws for infection. The vets have to anaesthetise the animals so they can check them over

A bear's mouth is winched open with forceps so vets can inspect its teeth

Earlier this month, owner Abu Omar said: 'When the battle intensified, it was impossible for the guard and animal handler to reach them.' Pictured, vets look over a sedated lion

In its heyday, the zoo boasted four lions. After the first two died, the surviving animals ate their carcasses.

Earlier this month, owner Abu Omar said: 'When the battle intensified, it was impossible for the guard and animal handler to reach them.'

Saif al-Bassef, a volunteer sent by the Kurdistan Organisation for Animal Rights, brought the first substantial food for a month. 'It's shameful to watch the animals struggle, they need help. They are not connected to the war,' he said.

A group of volunteers and vets carry a lion by its legs and tail. Saif al-Bassef, a volunteer sent by the Kurdistan Organisation for Animal Rights, brought the first substantial food for a month at the start of February

In its heyday, the zoo boasted four lions. After the first two died, the surviving animals ate their carcasses

A bear paws at its cage in Mosul zoo. Volunteers have been bringing apples for the bear for the last month

The park, which also features colorful children's rides, sits in the eastern half of the city that has recently been retaken by Iraqi forces.

Groups of children jump around in the ruins of the playground, not far from an unexploded bomb and a disused freezer full of ordnance.

Before aid workers could relieve the starving animals, children came to the zoo to feed the lion and bear.

Before aid workers could relieve the starving animals, children came to the zoo to feed the lion and bear

The zoo sits in the eastern part of the city that was recently liberated by Iraqi and Kurdish forces

The park, which also features colorful children's rides, sits in the eastern half of the city that has recently been retaken by Iraqi forces

But there is little food for the animals in a city where the population are starving.

The zoo sits in the eastern part of the city that was recently liberated by Iraqi and Kurdish forces.

The animals were also being fed by the Kurdistan Organization for Animal Rights Protection earlier in the month.

Groups of children jump around in the ruins of the playground, not far from an unexploded bomb and a disused freezer full of ordnance
Milo Yiannopoulos said Tuesday that political adversaries and mainstream media had sparked a 'witch hunt' against him following the emergence of a video in which he appeared to support pedophilia - but said that despite losing his job and a book deal, he would not be silenced.

He used a press conference in New York to fight back after videos were published in which he spoke about 'inter-generational relationships' and was revealed to have said: 'The whole consent thing is not as black and white as people try and paint it.'

The storm cost him first a $250,000 book deal, then a prestigious conservative speaking engagement and finally his job as technology editor of conservative website Breitbart, from which he resigned shortly before the press conference.

'It was a politically motivated witch-hunt and they waited until the most damaging moment,' he said.

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Speaking out: Milo Yiannopolous quit Breitbart on Monday afternoon amid mounting controversy over what he said about 'coming of age of relationships'

Under pressure: The former Breitbart columnist had endured a weekend of criticism for saying: 'The whole consent thing is not as black and white as people try and paint it.'

Quitting: Milo Yiannopolous left his role as technology editor at Breitbart, the conservative website, amid a growing storm over what he said about pedophilia. He arrived at a press conference in New York on Monday to explain his resignation

'They held the footage back, that has been out there in the world for over a year, because they don't care about the victims and they don't care about children. They only care about bringing me down.'

He added: 'They will fail.'

The alt-right figure took responsibility for his words and apologized to the victims of child abuse over his remarks.

He went on to say that this was the first time he had apologized and unlikely would again - as well as saying he had exposed three pedophiles in his time as a journalist.

MILO'S F-WORD PRESS CONFERENCE... AND WHAT HE SAID ON: ...the press: 'They have reported things about me which they know aren't true and f*** you for that' ... sexual abuse: 'It's not the worst thing that's ever going to happen to you. Going bankrupt is worse' ... the publishers of the tape: 'They only care about bringing me down' ...Steve Bannon: 'He made me a star' ... the future 'Im now a performer with millions of fans. I look forward to making you all laugh, cry and think for many, many decades to come' Advertisement

'I do not support child abuse,' he said. 'It's a disgusting crime of which I am a victim.'

He addressed abuse victims directly to tell them 'it's not the worst thing that's ever going to happen to you' before adding that 'going bankrupt is worse'.

He went on to rail against the media and the Left, claiming that the video of his comments had been deceptively edited.

'They have reported things about me which they know aren't true and f*** you for that,' he said to the assembled press.

He said that he had exposed three pedophiles in his journalistic career, adding 'three more than most of my critics'.

'Most journalists have no sense of the country they are reporting on and I do,' he later added.

He also said he believed he has done more for the image of gay people in the 'flyover states' than any other gay rights charities, advocacy groups and publications in the last 30 years.

Yiannopoulos said Breitbart had stood by him and that he had decided to step down to allow them continue with their work, adding that he would now be focused on 'education and entertainment'.

'I don't think this has done any harm for my profile,' he said - announcing that he would be setting up his own website, and returning to speaking at campuses and commercial speaking events very soon.

He opened the press conference, by reading from a prepared statement: 'I am a gay man and a child abuse victim. Between the ages of 13 and 16, two men touched me in ways they should not have. One of those men was a priest.

'My relationship with my abusers is complicated by the fact that at the time, I didn't perceive what was happening as abuse. I can look back now and see that it was.

'I still don't view myself as a victim but I clearly I am that. Looking back I see the effects that this had on me. In the years after this happened, I fell into alcohol and nihilistic partying. It lasted well into my twenties.

'A few years ago, I realized it was time to do something good with my life. I started focusing on work but the black comedy, the gallows humor and the love of shock value from my twenties never really went away.

'I've reviewed the tapes that appeared two days ago in the proper context and I don't believe that they say what is being reported.

'Nevertheless, I do say some things on the tape that I do not mean and that do not reflect my views.'

He added: 'My experiences as a victim led me to believe that I could say almost anything on the subject  no matter how outrageous.

'But I understand that my usual blend of sassy, gay, British sarcasm, provocation and gallows humor might have come across as flippancy and lack of care for other victims, or even worse as seems to have been the case in reports, advocacy. I am horrified by that impression.

'I would like to restate my disgust for adults who sexually abuse minors.'

He said that he believed the age of consent 'was about right' and did not believe it should be lowered, adding that he believed the legal age of consent in Germany - 14 - was too young.

Yiannopoulos claimed that a section in the tape where he talked about the age of consent had been edited out.

BREITBART: FAREWELL TO 'BOLD VOICE' Breitbart made a brief statement about Yiannopolous's decision to quit: ' Milo Yiannopoulos's bold voice has sparked much-needed debate on important cultural topics confronting universities, the LGBTQ community, the press, and the tech industry. Milo notified us this morning of his decision to resign as editor of Breitbart Tech and we accepted his resignation.' Advertisement

'I don't believe that sex with 13-year-olds is okay,' he said. 'When I mentioned the number 13 [on the tape], I was talking about myself and the age I lost my virginity.'

The firebrand commentator said he would not apologize for 'dealing with my life experiences in the way that I choose to which is through humor and provocation. No one can tell me or anyone else who has lived through these experiences how they should best deal with those emotions'.

He added: 'But I am sorry to other abuse victims who may have interpreted what I said as flippant or uncaring.'

Yiannopoulos said he 'would never stop making jokes about taboo subjects' and said that in any gay club or drag bar there was 'joke after joke after joke about clerical sexual abuse'.

He complained that he was not afforded the same freedom to make those kind of jokes and blamed the media for 'selectively defining me as a political figure in some circumstances and a comedian in others. And also, of course, because I'm conservative.'

And he said he believed that Simon & Schuster's decision to jettison his book, Dangerous, would make them 'popular at New York cocktail parties' but said other publishers had expressed interest and that he believed it would still be bought by his millions of followers.

The controversy began when a Twitter account, @ReaganBattallion, was used to publish the videos in which Yiannopolous discussed 'inter-generational relationships' and said: 'The whole consent thing is not as black and white as people try and paint it.

Among his comments, he said: 'People are messy and complex, particularly in the homosexual world.

It's over: Milo steps down from the site which had propelled him into becoming one of the most high-profile parts of the so-called alt-right

'Some of those relationships between younger boys and older men, the sort of 'coming of age' relationships, the relationships in which those older men help those young boys to discover who they are, and give them security and safety and provide them with love and a reliable rock where they can't speak to their parents.'

He also said: 'Pedophilia is not a sexual attraction to somebody 13 years old who is sexually mature.'

That led to a storm of criticism aimed principally at Simon & Schuster, the publishing house, for his $250,000 book deal - which it canceled on Monday - and the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), which had invited him to speak later this week, and which rescinded its invitation on Monday.

Breitbart, his employer, had however stood by him. At his press conference he said that he would not be deterred from carving out a career as a conservative and libertarian provocateur.

In quitting Breitbart, he said he did not want to distract from the site's work. In a statement, he said: 'Breitbart news has stood by me when others caved.

'They have allowed me to carry conservative and libertarian ideas to communities that would otherwise never have heard them.

Guarded: Yiannopolous was escorted by minders with earpieces as he arrived for his press conference in New York

Developing row: As the fallout continued from the taped comments, Yiannopolous lost first his book deal (left) and then was told he was not welcome at conservative get-together CPAC, whose chair Matt Schlapp (right) said he was no longer welcome

'They have been a significant factor in my success. I'm grateful for that freedom and for the friendships I forged there.

'I would be wrong to allow my poor choice of words to detract from my colleagues' important reporting, so today I am resigning from Breitbart, effective immediately.

'This decision is mine alone.'

He added: 'When your friends have done right by you, you do right by them. For me, now, that means stepping aside so my colleagues at Breitbart can get back to the great work they do.'

Pressure on British-born Yiannonpolous, 34, had grown on Monday morning as the editor-in-chief of Breitbart, Alex Marlow, called his comments 'indefensible'.

Marlow had offered a defense of his right to speak - and claimed that what Yiannopolous had said was no worse than the actions of liberal favorites including Lena Dunham, who, writing in her autobiography, described touching her sister's private parts when they were both children and Roman Polanski, still wanted for statutory rape.

Mentor: Yiannopolous said that Steve Bannon, the former executive chairman of Bretibart, had made him 'a star'

Politico reported that Marlow told the Breitbart radio show that his columnist's comments were 'indefensible', 'troubling' and 'upsetting' - and a 'total surprise' to his employers.

'He seemed to be speaking from personal experience as a gay man; he also revealed he's a victim of child abuse himself,' Marlow said,

'He himself told me he's never had inappropriate contact with a minor since he was an adult.  it's all very upsetting and something we take very seriously at Breitbart.'

But he added: 'We have many examples on the left who have admitted to statutory rape; Lena Dunham had in her book touching her sister's private parts as a child; you have Roman Polanski; you have millions of examples of the left of normalizing behavior, similar to what Milo described.

'There's no evidence Milo has been a predator, and so I do think that is also very important context.'

Breitbart is closely linked to the White House. President Trump's chief strategist, Steve Bannon, was until he joined the Trump campaign, Breitbart's executive chair and had been one of the founding member of its board.

Yiannopolous has credited Bannon as a mentor and said: 'He made me a star.'

Yiannopolous said at his press conference in New York that he had not spoken to Bannon about his resignation.

He added that his immigration status in the U.S. was not tied to a work visa for the publication.

Yiannopoulos said that he has an 01-B visa - designated for aliens of 'extraordinary ability', which means that the current storm is unlikely to affect his presence in the country.

HOW MILO STARTED STORM Video of the Breitbart editor taking part in an online discussion from summer 2016 were posted online by a Twitter account called the @ReaganBattalion - which is linked to a conservative blog. It said it was acting out of concern that he had been invited to CPAC later this week. In the videos he said: 'This is a controversial view, I accept. But we get caught up in this whole child abuse thing even to the extent we are policing consensual relationships between consenting adults, such as grad students and professors at universities. 'The whole consent thing is not as black and white as people try and paint it.' Yiannopoulos agreed that the age of consent was 'roughly' at the right age. He continued: 'There are certainly people who are capable of giving consent at a younger age. I would certainly consider myself to be one of them, people who are sexually active younger. 'I think it particularly happens in the gay world, by the way. In many cases actually, those relationships this is one of the reasons I hate the left. This one-size-fits-all policing of culture. This arbitrary and oppressive idea of consent, which totally destroys, you know, the understanding that many of us have, of the complexities, subtleties and complicated nature of many relationships. Milo Yiannopoulos claimed he was not defending pedophilia when he said some younger boys could benefit by coming involved in a consensual relationship with an older man. He has now been banned from speaking at the Conservative Political Action Committee conference 'People are messy and complex, particularly in the homosexual world. Some of those relationships between younger boys and older men, the sort of 'coming of age' relationships, the relationships in which those older men help those young boys to discover who they are, and give them security and safety and provide them with love and a reliable rock where they can't speak to their parents.' Yiannopoulos said: 'Pedophilia is not a sexual attraction to somebody 13 years old who is sexually mature. Pedophilia is attraction to children who have not reached puberty. 'Pedophilia is an attraction to people who don't have functioning sex organs yet, who have not gone through puberty, who are too young to understand about the bodies. That is not what we are talking about. 'You don't understand what pedophilia is if you think I'm defending it, because I'm certainly not.' Yiannopoulos claimed some teenagers could find a relationship with an older man quite beneficial. He added: 'In the gay world, some of the most enriching and incredibly life-affirming and shaping relationships, very often between younger boys and older men, can be hugely positive experiences for those young boys. They can save those young boys from desolation, suicide and drug addiction, all sorts of things, providing they're consensual.' Advertisement

AND HOW HE DEFENDED HIMSELF

Yiannopouloswrote an 'apology' titled a 'note for idiots' on Sunday. He insisted he does not support pedophilia and mentioned sex criminals he had 'outed' during his career




Police in Thailand, who were hunting for a missing British tourist, have found a body.

Andrew Apperley, 38, was reported missing after failing to return to his hotel four days after going to the party.

Formal identification has not yet taken place, but the tourist's family from Gloucester have been informed.

Andrew Apperley, 38, was reported missing after failing to return to his hotel four days after going to the party.

A spokesman for Gloucestershire Police said: 'Following inquiries with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) we can confirm that a body has been found in the search for Andrew Apperley.

'Our thoughts are with Andrew's friends and family.'

Mr Apperley, from Eastbourne, was staying at the Hotel ibis Samui Bophut in Bophut and went to the full moon party in Ko Phangan on February 12.

He told his mum Linda in a message he would be returning the next day but the hotel reported him missing four days later.

His brother Richard Apperley said he checked in on the morning of the party and left his passport and driving licence with the hotel reception.

His bank told his family his cards had not been used since going to the party, it is understood.

His bank told his family his cards had not been used since going to the party, it is understood.
Two TV actors revealed they narrowly escaped death when their car was swallowed whole by a massive Los Angeles sinkhole.

Bobb'e J. Thompson from sitcom 30 Rock and Zachary Williams from TV drama Lincoln Heights were inside one of the two vehicles that fell into a sinkhole in Studio City on Friday.

The friends said they were fighting for their lives as they escaped from their Honda car as it sunk down into the 20-foot pit that was filled with rainwater.

Williams, 22, was driving his mother's Odyssey with Thompson, 20, when the actor said to TMZ that it felt like the earth moved as his car fell into the gaping hole in the middle of the road.

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Bobb'e J. Thompson, 20, (left) from sitcom 30 Rock and Zachary Williams, 22, (right) from TV drama Lincoln Heights were inside one of the two vehicles that fell into a sinkhole in Los Angeles on Friday

The two friends said they fought for their lives and narrowly escaped death as the Honda Odyssey fell into the 20-foot sinkhole in Studio City

The pair quickly scrambled to make their way out of the vehicle and said they 'were just trying to fight for our lives'.

Williams added they were 'not trying to let it go down like that'.

After the two escaped to safety, they realized a woman from the other car swallowed by the sinkhole still needed to be rescued.

Thompson said she was screaming for help and was standing on top of her overturned car.

LAFD arrived at the scene off Laurel Canyon Boulevard and found the 48-year-old woman in the hole full of rushing water.

She was brought to safety after firefighters lowered a 20-foot extension ladder down, allowing her to climb out standing on top of her upside down car.

The driver of the other car that fell into the sinkhole stood on top of her overturned car as she cried out for help

Thompson played Tracy Jr on the hit NBC sitcom 30 Rock that starred Tracy Morgan

Williams played the recurring character of Malik Dobbers on the ABC Family Channel drama Lincoln Heights from 2007 to 2009

Southern California was battered by gale-force winds and heavy rain that left 130,000 without electricity

The area of Southern California was battered by the strongest storms its seen in years, bringing floods, power outages and trees toppled by heavy winds.

Another roadway on the southbound Interstate-15 was washed away last week leaving a fire truck wobbling on the edge the highway before the road collapsed.

The fire engine ended up falling off the road, but no one was injured, The LA Times reported.

Four people have been killed so far as a result of the fierce storms pouring down in the area. Around 130,000 people were left without power due to the storm on Friday night.
Former suburban Chicago police officer Drew Peterson has been transferred out of an Illinois prison and is now in a federal prison in Indiana

Former suburban Chicago police officer Drew Peterson has been transferred out of an Illinois prison and is now in a federal prison in Indiana.

Illinois Department of Corrections spokeswoman Nicole Wilson said Tuesday that the 63-year-old Peterson was transferred but declined to say why or where, citing security.

The federal Bureau of Prisons said Peterson is in the federal penitentiary in Terre Haute, Indiana.

Peterson was sentenced to 38 years in prison for the death of his third wife, Kathleen Savio, in 2013.

The investigation into her 2004 death was reopened when Peterson's fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, went missing in 2007. Her body has never been recovered.

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Peterson was sentenced to 38 years in prison for the death of his third wife, Kathleen Savio (pictured left), in 2013. The investigation into her 2004 death was reopened when Peterson's fourth wife, Stacy Peterson (pictured right with Drew), went missing in 2007. Her body has never been recovered

Peterson was sentenced to another 40 years in prison last year for plotting to hire someone to kill State's Attorney James Glasgow, the prosecutor who won the conviction in the Savio case.

Savio was found in a dry bathtub with a bloody gash in her head.

It was 23-year-old Stacy's disappearance in 2007 that prompted investigators to exhume Kathleen Savio's body and reclassify her death, which previously had been ruled as an accidental drowning, as a homicide, eventually leading to her husband's arrest and conviction.

The Bolingbrook ex-cop has been named a suspect in Staceys disappearance but was never formally charged in that case, and the investigation remains open.

The 63-year-old had been due for parole in 2047 at age 93, but the additional years added after his hit on Glasgow all-but guarantee he will die behind bars.

MURDER AND NOT AN ACCIDENT: THE CASE OF KATHLEEN'S DEATH The biggest challenge facing prosecution attorneys was that because Peterson's third wife's death was originally deemed an accident, very scant evidence was ever collected let alone stored until they decided to reopen the case after his fourth wife Stacy disappeared. As a result, much of the testimony in the case was hearsay. A neighbor found Kathleen Savio's body on March 1, 2004, face down in a dry bathtub of her suburban home outside Chicago. Her thick black hair was blood-soaked and she had a 2-inch gash on the back of her head. The drowning death of the 40-year-old aspiring nurse was initially deemed an accident - a freak slip in the tub. Some of the testimony from Savio's friends painted a grim portrait of her relationship with he husband. Kristen Anderson testified that Savio told her Peterson once warned her at knife point, 'I could kill you and make it look like an accident.' Savio so feared for her life that she kept a knife under her mattress. A former co-worker of Peterson's, Jeff Pachter, testified that Peterson offered him $25,000 to hire a hit man to kill Savio, though he never followed through. Advertisement
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has arrived in Australia to hold talks with his counterpart Malcolm Turnbull as part of a historic four-day visit.

He's the first sitting Israeli Prime Minister to visit Australia.

Mr Netanyahu flew in from Singapore with his wife Sara on Wednesday morning and will kick off proceedings with the Australian Prime Minister with a formal welcome at Admiralty House before they sit down for talks at nearby Kirribilli House.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) and his wife Sara (right) pictured arriving at Sydney airport on Wedneday

Mr Netanyahu is the first ever sitting Israeli Prime Minister to visit Australia

High on the list of discussion topics is likely to be whether Israel remains committed to a two-state solution to resolve the Palestinian conflict and if Mr Netanyahu will heed US President Donald Trump's call to 'pull back' on settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank.

Mr Netanyahu and Mr Turnbull will sign agreements on technology and air services as well as discuss expanding co-operation in areas including cyber-security, innovation and science.

Two-way trade between Australia and Israel is worth about $1.2 billion a year.

Live animals, aluminium and coal make up the bulk of Australian exports to Israel, whose major exports Down Under are minerals, pearls and gems.

The federal government is particularly keen to tap into Israel's burgeoning tech industry.

In 2015 it chose Tel Aviv as one of its five off-shore 'landing pads' it has established as part of its national innovation and science agenda.

High on the list of discussion topics is likely whether Mr Netanyahu will heed US President Donald Trump's call to 'pull back' on settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank

During the historic visit Mr Netanyahu and Mr Turnbull will sign agreements on technology and air services as well as discuss expanding co-operation in areas including cyber-security, innovation and science

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stands with his wife Mrs Sara Netanyahu as he speaks to the media after arriving at Sydney airport

Mr Turnbull said the friendship between Israel and Australia dated back to the establishment of Israel in 1948

Bit of an early start? The Israeli Prime Minister breaks into a yawn as the historic four-day visit kicks off

Security is expected to be tight for his visit, with a pro-Palestinian protest planned at Sydney Town Hall on Thursday

Mr Netanyahu will also meet with Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove and NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian as well as attend a major function for Israeli and Australian business leaders.

Security is expected to be tight for his visit, with a pro-Palestinian protest planned at Sydney Town Hall on Thursday.

Mr Turnbull said the friendship between Israel and Australia dated back to the establishment of Israel in 1948.

'It is anchored in our shared values, commitment to democracy and mutual interest in a rules-based international system and an open, global economy,' he said in a statement.
A group of activists have launched a petition to stop gun ranges using black silhouette targets.

The No More Black Targets campaign claims that black targets contribute to trigger bias and gun violence against African Americans.

'Young black men are three times more likely to be shot by trained shooters than their white peers,' it states on its website, before noting a 'disturbing potential correlation' between the trend and 'the most popular target for shooters to learn to use their firearm is a black silhouette.'

The campaign points to a 2015 study by the University of Illinois which found people not only shot faster at a black target compared to a white one, they were also more likely to shoot a black silhouette.

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A group of activists have launched a petition to stop gun ranges using black silhouette targets (right) and have launched their own colorful, artistic versions (left) as a substitute

Yara Mekawi, from the university, told NPR that one explanation was that when people were firing at black targets it was 'stereotype-consistent,' so was consistent with their expectations.

Another theory is that individuals perceive black targets as being more threatening.

No More Black Targets argue that this 'unconscious bias can be deadly, and we need to fight the deadly epidemic of gun violence towards black people.

'This petition seeks to eliminate the use of the most popular target for shooters to learn to use their firearm: a menacing black silhouette.'

They are calling on gun range up and down the country to abandon black targets and replace them with more diverse target designs.

The collection of activists and artists have even created multiple potential replacement targets in bright colors, patterns and styles.

The No More Black Targets campaign claims that black targets contribute to trigger bias and gun violence against African Americans

They are also calling on the International Association of Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors to 'update and modernize the instruction and teaching techniques being used to train the majority of law enforcement officers by taking into account recent research on trigger bias.'

The Association was unavailable for comment when contacted by DailyMail.com.

So far, the petition has only garnered 250 signatures but the campaign is slowly gaining traction.

This is not the first campaign to try and change the typical black silhouette targets.

In 2015, a Pennsylvania lawmaker unsuccessfully attempted to ban all targets showing a human form from shooting ranges in the state.

Meanwhile several other states have banned the figures including Massachusetts - although public safety personal can still use them.
A police officer who cheated a farmer after finding a haul of historic gold coins worth 15,000 on his land has been sacked.

PC David Cockle, 50, had a contract allowing him to go metal detecting on the landowner's fields in return for splitting the proceeds of anything he unearthed.

But the Norfolk officer decided not to honour the deal after he dug up ten Merovingian Tremissis coins dating back to the early 7th century.

He did not tell the landowner about the find and instead secretly sold the French coins to a dealer for 15,000 and kept the profits.

PC David Cockle, 50, admitted theft after keeping the haul of gold coins and selling them on for a 15,000 profit

Cockle admitted stealing ten coins between April 2012 and November 2015 at Ipswich Crown Court last month and is due to be sentenced on March 8.

He was sacked on Monday at a misconduct hearing carried out by Norfolk Chief Constable Simon Bailey who said the theft 'was one of the grossest breaches of trust'.

Mr Bailey said it was clear Cockle was allowed to use the land to search for treasure 'because he was a police officer and the farmer liked the idea of a police officer on his land'.

The chief constable added Cockle had let the force down by keeping the coins and had 'most importantly let the farmer down and the wider public'.

The hearing was told the breaches amounted to gross misconduct with the only appropriate outcome being immediate dismissal.

Cockle, who did not attend the hearing, expressed his remorse and apologised in a written statement presented by the Police Federation.

The hearing at Ipswich Crown Court was told he had also failed to report his find to the Norfolk coroner who would have considered if it was treasure trove.

The coins which he sold in three batches over 14 months are believed to have been part of a larger hoard.

Merovingian Tremissis coins were made in Gaul, now France, are said to be very rare in the UK with only around 100 of them found in modern times

Similar gold coins were found in the same field in west Norfolk by another metal detecting fan who also had permission to be on the land.

Unlike Cockle however, the other man reported his find to the authorities, enabling it to be declared as treasure trove.

THE MEROVINGIAN DYNASTY The Merovingians were a powerful Frankish dynasty, which exercised control much of modern-day France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and the Low Countries. During the Early Middle Ages, the Merovingian kingdoms were arguably the most powerful and most important polities to emerge after the collapse of the Western Roman Empire. Merovingian Tremissis coins were made in Gaul, now France, and other low countries of Europe and are said to be very rare in the UK with only around 100 of them found in modern times. Advertisement

According to reports, the two finds together potentially made it the largest ever hoard of the type of coins ever found in the UK.

The offence happened when Cockle was living in Wereham near Downham Market, Norfolk. He is now living in Leigh, Lancashire.

Cockle initially denied stealing, but changed his plea to guilty on the day his trial was due to start.

Judge Rupert Overbury adjourned sentencing until March 8 for a pre-sentence report, but told the officer that he was considering giving him a suspended prison sentence.

The judge added that there was a rigid process to be followed if treasure was found.

But he said that Cockle had sold the coins in batches to the dealer on the basis that he legitimately owned them.

Cockle also denied three charges of converting criminal property. Prosecutors said that they would not proceed with the charges.

A Norfolk Police spokeswoman said Cockle had been suspended since being charged in May 2016.

The spokeswoman said he was 'in breach of a contract he had signed with the landowner' to share the proceeds of any find.

She added: 'The investigation was launched after the Norfolk and Suffolk Anti-Corruption Unit received information from a member of the public and Cockle was arrested in November 2015.'
The Utah teen kidnapped by sex traffickers in Las Vegas in January and found in Venice Beach, California, on Friday remembers little about what happened to her, her stepfather has said.

Speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com, Todd Ellis, 49, of St George, Utah, said 17-year-old Sarah Dunsey has told police everything she knows but it is not a lot.

He also disclosed that she feared being recaptured and beaten by her captors if she tried to run away and said the teen is still terrified that she will be found.

Sarah disappeared from the MGM Grand hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, on January 15, where she had been spending the weekend with her boyfriend.

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Todd Ellis (left) told DailyMail.com his stepdaughter had been spending the weekend with her boyfriend in Las Vegas when she was snatched

Sarah was reunited with her father Michael and stepmother Terri (above) on Saturday after being rescued from 'human traffickers'

Sarah's mother Amie (above with her stepfather Todd) appeared in the video to urge her daughter to 'fight' her kidnappers

Ellis, her stepfather of seven years, says her boyfriend went to the restroom and returned to find that the 17-year-old had vanished  after being allegedly sedated with a date rape drug.

She was eventually discovered in Venice Beach, California, on February 17 in the company of two men  one of whom has now been released according to Ellis.

The FBI are thought to be investigating but refused to comment on the status of the case when approached by DailyMail.com.

The teenager was reunited with her parents on Saturday morning at UCLA hospital in Los Angeles and driven back to Utah the same day.

According to Ellis, Sarah has now left the family home and is in an undisclosed location with her mother and siblings after becoming afraid she would be found by her captors.

Ellis said: She [Sarah] got really upset when it was reported where we live. She kept saying: Theyll find me, theyll find me. She is really scared.

He added: People have said things like, she was a runaway, she meant to leave [Las Vegas]. She didnt. She was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Sarah's stepbrothers wept as they were reunited at home in St George, Utah, on Saturday

The teenager disappeared from the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, on January 15

Sarah left her home in Utah to got to Vegas with her boyfreind. She was finally rescued a month later in Venice, California

In her final text message to her loved ones, she said: 'If I die tonight it's a guy named'. The family shared the message in a video plea for her return but redacted the man's name

I said to her, did you never think to try to run away [from her captors]? And she said, No  you dont understand. Everybody is connected and they watch and you have to be careful what you say, you have to be careful what you do.

She doesnt remember a lot [about what happened]. She was pretty open with the police but I dont know exactly what was said and we dont know what the charges are.

We now have to let them [the police] do their job.

Sarah disappeared from Las Vegas on January 15 during a weekend away at the four-star MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, which offers rooms starting from $132 per night.

Sarah was found on Friday a month after going missing

Close family friend Dave Cox, 61, told DailyMail.com that her parents believe she was given a roofie  the date rape drug Rohypnol  while in the casino and was spirited away while her boyfriend was in the restroom.

He said: The story I heard is that the boyfriend went to the restroom, came back out and she was gone. She was given a roofie or something like that. Then they [the alleged traffickers] just took her off.

According to Ellis, the family immediately began searching for Sarah  initially keeping the investigation quiet on the advice of trafficking charities before launching a social media appeal on February 5.

The appeal went viral on February 14 after Sarahs mother, Amie Dunsey, 36, released an emotional video message in which she appealed for information on her daughters whereabouts.

Ellis, who says he cannot give too many details because the case is ongoing, said the family were initially helped by a Good Samaritan but that ended after one of our family members tried to call the number.

He claims the Las Vegas police department were initially reluctant to take Sarahs disappearance seriously but says he is not angry because so many kids go missing there.

He added: I can understand. Im not here to criticize. They [the police] have a tough job. Im not here to throw stones at anybody. We understand.

Instead, the family turned detective themselves; working with charities such as Ark of Hope For Children, which specializes in finding sex trafficking victims.

After the Good Samaritan stopped sending information, Ellis says the family pursued other leads that took them to addresses in Las Vegas and San Diego.

According to Cox, who is Ellis boss at Parke Cox Trucking, Sarahs family had staked out addresses in Las Vegas  and had been terrified she would be taken to Mexico.

Cox said: They did a bunch of stake outs and things like that in Vegas because they were thinking she was there but as far as I know, they [the alleged traffickers] took her straight from there and right down to Venice [Beach].

I dont know how good the information they [the family] were getting from Las Vegas was. For a while, they thought she was in San Diego  that was pretty fearful for them.

They were thinking if something happened in San Diego, they would just ship her across the border and then shed be gone. They were just beside themselves.

Ellis says they had been advised to keep their investigation into Sarahs disappearance quiet in order to avoid tipping off the alleged sex traffickers but, after drawing a blank, decided to launch a social media appeal for help.

When the campaign launched, with a Facebook page called Help Us Find Sarah Dunsey, the first post suggested the family had reason to believe she was still in Las Vegas or possibly California.

A slew of photographs of missing Sarah followed and, when that failed to work, a video was released on Valentines Day in which a clearly distressed Amie issued a plea for the teens safe return.

Surrounded by family and friends, she said: 'January 15 our daughter Sarah Dunsey was abducted from Las Vegas, Nevada; she's being held against her will and Sarah is a victim of sex trafficking.

'This is my absolute worst nightmare. We need Sarah home. I cannot wonder where she is and if she is safe. Please help us find her.

'Sarah this message is for you: I want you to fight. Because I need you, all of us need you. The world needs you, so fight. We are coming to get you.'

Amie was reunited with her daughter at a California hospital this weekend. The two are pictured before her alleged abuduction

Just three days after Amies appeal went viral, Sarah was discovered at an apartment in Venice Beach, where, according to Cox, she had been kept quiet with sedatives.

He said: They kept her drugged for most of the time down there. He [the kidnapper] kept her on a pretty tight rein and would only take her out at night. I just cant imagine how it must have been.

The teenager was taken to nearby UCLA hospital and subjected to a battery of tests, including for rape and sexual assault, before being reunited with her parents at 6am the following morning.

According to Ellis, news of Sarahs discovery felt like being released from every parents worst nightmare.

He said: It was just release from a month of not knowing. From the pain of listening to your wife cry through the night.

Theres no worse pain than listening to and trying to console a mothers cry through the night  is she [Sarah] safe? Is she being beaten? Is she being fed?

Theres no words that you can say that can ever ease that suffering. The darkness of the night is brutal. When we finally got her, it was just pure release.

The teenager, who Ellis describes as being a sweet girl and extremely smart was later reunited with her six siblings and step-siblings at the family home in St. George, Utah.

Now Ellis says she needs time to recover from her ordeal and to feel safe again. We definitely just need to spend some quality time together as a family.

Lots of love, being open, being consoling and trying to make her feel safe. Thats the most important thing we can do for Sarah.

Yes, itll be a long road. But hopefully we can turn this into awareness of these issues [sex trafficking] because there are so many kids, so many people, who dont have the support we had.

This is a nightmare no parent should ever have to go through.




One of the largest sailing yachts, which was impounded after the shipbuilder claimed its Russian billionaire owner still owed them money, has been released.

Sailing Yacht A was seized in Gibraltar after shipbuilders Nobiskrug claimed that Andrey Melnichenko owed 9.8 million as an outstanding payment, as well as 5.5m for subcontractors and interest charges.

The sum is in arbitration and the yacht will leave Gibraltar soon.

Super Yacht A, which was impounded after the shipbuilder claimed its Russian billionaire owner had not paid fees, has been released

The 468ft-long superyacht has three 300ft masts that are taller than Big Ben's tower.

It boasts eight floors, a helipad and an underwater observation room.

Mr Melnichenko will receive his prized possession in the spring.

A spokesman for Sailing Yacht A told MailOnline: 'This unfortunate incident is now resolved.

'The yacht will now be handed over to the owner's project team and will leave Gibraltar shortly.'

Its registered owner is Valla Yachts Ltd, a Bermuda company.

Mr Melnichenko will receive his prized possession in the spring

The 468ft-long superyacht has three 300ft masts that are taller than Big Ben's tower

Mr Melnichenko hit the headlines in September when he moored his other 240 million masterpiece, 'Motor Yacht A', on the Thames.

The boat's internal fit-out was set to continue at another shipyard before being handed over to Mr Melnichenko in late Spring.

As the boat made its way to Spain earlier this month, Mr Melnichenko's Project Director, Dirk Kloosterman said: 'This has been the most challenging assignment of my career. I am confident Sailing Yacht A will be the world's greatest yacht in terms of design and technology for the years ahead.

Melnichenko, who has an estimated net worth of $13.4 billion (10.8 billion), is said to favour using the letter 'A' so that his vessels are listed first in shipping registers

Sailing Yacht A boasts eight floors - with a helipad on one of the decks - and an underwater observation room

'Her beauty is breathtaking, and Philippe Starck's astonishing design and ultimate vision will be the subject of many conversations wherever she travels around the globe.

Melnichenko, who has an estimated net worth of $13.4 billion (10.8 billion), is said to favour using the letter 'A' so that his vessels are listed first in shipping registers.
The executive director of a human rights organization founded in Holocaust victim Anne Frank's name exploded on President Donald Trump today as a 'purveyor' of anti-Semitism and called on him to fire a senior White House aide accused on making insulting statements about Jews.

Steven Goldstein blasted Trump on CNN on behalf of the Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect for waiting to respond to telephone terror at Jewish community centers and the desecration of Jewish graveyards until today.

'His silence was deafening. His silence is why there is a cancer of anti-Semitism in the White House,' Goldstein said. 'It was just a Band-Aid on a cancer.'

Goldstein said the president and 'his henchman' Steve Bannon, Trump's chief strategist, whom Goldstein also referred to on CNN as 'a notorious anti-Semite,' have 'done nothing to change the circumstances.'

'Our president is creating an incubator of hatred,' he said. 'When you don't respond to anti-Semitism as well as Islamophobia and racism in real time, when you wait days and sometimes a week to respond to attacks, you are sending a signal to the haters.'

The executive director of a human rights organization founded in Holocaust victim Anne Frank's name exploded on President Donald Trump today as a 'purveyor' of anti-Semitism

Steven Goldstein blasted Trump on behalf of the Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect. He said the president was 'creating an incubator of hatred' and called on him to fire Steve Bannon, a senior White House aide accused on making insulting statements about Jews

Goldstein said the president and 'his henchman' Steve Bannon, Trump's chief strategist, whom Goldstein also referred to on CNN as 'a notorious anti-Semite,' have 'done nothing' about anti-Semitism

This morning the president denounced anti-Semistism in remarks at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. and said the threats to Jewish centers are 'horrible and are painful.'

On Facebook, the Anne Frank Center responded with a statement from Goldstein that said the speech was 'too little too late.'

'The Presidents sudden acknowledgement is a Band-Aid on the cancer of Antisemitism that has infected his own Administration,' Goldstein said. 'His statement today is a pathetic asterisk of condescension after weeks in which he and his staff have committed grotesque acts and omissions reflecting Antisemitism.'

Goldstein claimed that 'the Antisemitism coming out of this Administration is the worst we have ever seen from any Administration.'

'When President Trump responds to Antisemitism proactively and in real time, and without pleas and pressure, thats when well be able to say this President has turned a corner. This is not that moment.'

Trump's press secretary, Sean Spicer, scoffed at Goldstein's accusations in his daily briefing. The president was 'unbelievably forceful' today, Spicer said, and has 'been very clear' prior to this about his position on anti-Semitism.

'He has brought a diverse group of folks into his administration...and I think he has been very forceful with his denunciation,' Spicer said. 'It's ironic that no matter how many times he talks about this, that it's never good enough.'

This morning the president denounced anti-Semistism in remarks at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. and said the threats to Jewish centers are 'horrible and are painful'

Trump's daughter Ivanka converted to Judaism when she married Jared Kushner, now a senior advisor to the president. 'We must protect our houses of worship & religious centers,' she said last weekend on Twitter

On Facebook, the Anne Frank Center responded to Donald Trump's remarks this morning statement from Goldstein that said the speech was 'too little too late'

It was Goldstein's turn to jeer over at CNN after the White House responded to his statement.

'I'm furious. I look at Sean Spicer and what he said, it's preposterous. Sean said, no matter how many times President Trump condemns anti-Semitism - he's never condemned it before today.'

Last weekend more than 100 gravestones were assaulted at a Jewish cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri, its director said. Eleven Jewish centers received bomb threats.

A total of 54 Jewish Community Centers in 27 states have been hit with the hoax calls since the beginning of January, CNN reported, for a total of 69 bomb threats, many of which occurred on January 9, 18 and 31, in addition to yesterday.

'Where was the president?' Goldstein asked Brooke Baldwin on CNN. 'There has to be a fire storm for this president to respond, Brooke, he doesn't respond unless groups like mine just go crazy pleading, begging Mr. president condemn anti-Semitism.'

Baldwin pointed out that Trump this morning said it's time to put a stop to anti-Semitism, before The Anne Frank Center's latest statement came out.

'This tour was a meaningful reminder of why we have to fight bigotry, intolerance and hatred in all of its very ugly forms,' Trump said. 'The antisemitic threats targeting our Jewish community and community centers are horrible and are a painful and a very sad reminder of the work that still must be done to root out hate and prejudice and evil.'

Trump told MSNBC's Craig Melvin in a one-on-one before his Tuesday speech that he 'of course' denounces anti-Semitism and does so 'whenever I get a chance.'

'I do all the time. And I think it's terrible. I think it's horrible, whether its anti-Semitism or racism or anything you want to think about having to do with the divide,' he said. 'Anti-Semitism is horrible, and it's gonna stop. And it has to stop.'

After watching the clip of Trump's speech replay, Goldstein asked, 'So what's he going to do? Is he going to fire Steve Bannon, who is a notorious anti-Semite?'

Bannon's ex-wife said her husband made slurs against Jews in their 2007 divorce proceedings. The former Mrs. Bannon said Steve 'did not want their daughter to attend a Los Angeles school because of the numbers of Jews who went to school there.'

'He said that he doesnt like Jews and that he doesnt like the way they raise their kids to be "whiny brats" and that he didnt want the girls going to school with Jews.'

The Trump aide has said through a spokesman that the charges are not true.

The Trump aides former news website, Brietbart, also referred to The Weekly Standard's Bill Kristol as a 'renegade Jew' in a May 2016 article.

David Horowitz, who is Jewish, wrote the article and said after the November election that he alone was responsible for the comment.

Bannon is also associated with the 'alt-right' movement, which has been castigated as racist, although the White House official has said it's nationalist.

Ivanka and Jared are seen exiting Air Force One with two of their children in Florida earlier this month

Trump's daughter Ivanka converted to Judaism when she married Jared Kushner, now a senior advisor to the president, and their three children, Trump's grandchildren, are Jewish.

'America is a nation built on the principle of religious tolerance. We must protect our houses of worship & religious centers,' she said last weekend on Twitter.

Her father had an opportunity last Thursday to speak out, but chided a Jewish reporter asking him a question about anti-Semitism, instead.

The reporter stated that he did not think that Trump was anti-Semetic as he asked him for his response to the increasing amount of threats.

But Trump didn't want to listen, telling him to be 'quiet' and 'sit down' during the East Room news conference, all the while claiming he was the 'least anti-Semitic person you've ever seen in your entire life.'

Three of Trump's grandchildren are Jewish. He's pictured leaving the White House with Jared and Ivanka's daughter Arabella and her brother Joesph on Friday

Reacting on Tuesday, Goldstein said the president has a 'tin ear for the symbolism of love and hatred in our country.

'He couldn't even accept that there was a reporter who was Jewish, who was not controversial, who was not looking to be confrontational. Yet the president saw somebody dressed in a kippah, in Jewish garb, and thought that that person was going to be hostile. That says it all, Brooke.'

He had previously suggested, in a Facebook post just after the incident, that trump had been 'adding magic mushrooms' to his 'chopped liver on matz.'

'To be fair, perhaps you appointed a blue-ribbon panel to come up with the assessment,' he said of Trump's anti-Semitic declaration. 'We can only guess the Judeophiles you appointed: Steve Bannon, Pat Buchanan and David Duke.'
British grandparents murdered by armed robbers on their farm in South Africa have been found dumped in a river.

Grandparents Roger and Christine Solik - who moved from Wales to South Africa in 1981 - were killed in the robbery at their farmland estate.

Police are hunting the armed raiders who broke into their house before tying them up and dumping them in a river.

Christine, 57, was found dead in a river 45 miles from her home and the body of Parkinson's sufferer Roger, 66, discovered the next day.

Roger and Christine Solik (pictured) were brutally murdered by armed robbers on their farm

Neighbours reported finding the couple's home on a farmland estate had been broken into and a search was launched for the 'inseperable' pair.

The couple, from Aberycynon, near Aberdare, South Wales, are understood to have moved to South Africa after getting married in 1980.

In a statement, their four children said: 'Our parents were inseparable and their relationship was something to aspire to.

'It is hard to understand that on their community farmland estate, with rolling hills and endless nature, and neighbours 100m away, that something so violent could happen.

'Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers.'

Their children, twins Alexander and Gregory, 32, Jessica, 30, and Brendon, 29, described them as devoted to each other.

Christine (pictured) was found a day before her husband Roger

The family launched a heart-wrenching appeal to find Roger after the body of Christine was found in Impendle, Natal, 45 miles from her home in the the town of Nottingham Road.

They said they had been informed by their local police chief that their mother was dead and their father was missing.

The children said: 'He informed us that there had been a robbery at our family home at the Bend Country Estate, and that our mother Christine Solik had been found in a river murdered some 70km away from the house.

'Our father, Roger Solik, however, is still missing.

'He has fought hard against Parkinson's disease for twenty years. Daily medication is essential for his condition and, no matter how mentally fit he is, without his medication he will become totally dysfunctional within 48 hours.

'It is critical that we find our father soon as he has hours to live.'

The children later said they were 'comforted' by the fact their father's body had been recovered even though he was dead.

Christine returned to Wales just last month for the funeral of her father Glyn.

The couple initially emigrated on a two-year visa but decided to stay.

Their children said: 'Our father was beloved for his wicked sense of humour, his kindness and his passion for food and wine.

'Our mother was the glue that kept us all together with her well-known warmth, and gentle, loving touch.

'They were totally devoted to each other, and to our family, which has always remained extremely close even as we have moved to different parts of the country.

'While the loss of our parents has shattered our hearts, the generous spirit with which they lived and loved the world will never leave us. We will always remember them for this, their gift to the world.'

A spokesman for the South African Police Service confirmed Mr Solik's body was found 3km away from his wife's body. He said: 'We are working around the clock to locate the suspects.'
Karen Matthews, pictured in 2008

The despised mother who has turned to God  and, bizarrely, Bear Gryllss motivational DVDs  to get over her guilt. The loyal friend who insists a conspiracy has yet to be uncovered. The father whose life fell apart.

And the heartbroken grandparents, who have only old photographs to remember their precious granddaughter by.

This is the real aftermath of the Shannon Matthews story, which was so grippingly portrayed in the BBCs The Moorside dramatisation last week.

Some ten million of us tuned into the tale of the search to find nine-year-old Shannon, who in 2008 went missing from her home in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire.

Kidnapped by her own mother Karen, the girl was drugged, tethered to a wall and hidden inside a divan bed  all in a quest for the reward money, generated from the publicity, for her safe return.

But what the programme didnt show is what happened after justice had been served on those behind the kidnapping.

Here, we reveal how the scars of Karen Matthewss crime have yet to heal  and just what happened to the young girl who was brutally betrayed by the one person she should have been able to trust

The Shannon Matthews story, which was so grippingly portrayed in the BBCs The Moorside dramatisation (pictured)

NEW IDENTITY AND CELEBRITY NAME

The mother, Karen Matthews

Its little wonder her crime earned Karen Matthews the sobriquet the worst mother in Britain  and, today, she claims to be still struggling with her guilt.

The now teetotal 41-year-old has, apparently, found religion, with her only friends the members of her church, who regularly meet to watch motivational DVDs by the survival expert Bear Grylls.

In public, she has been keen to cultivate an image of a woman racked with guilt. I asked for forgiveness through prayer, she said recently. I know I did something wrong, but Im not the baddest person people are making out. Im sorry for hurting people.

How the scars of Karen Matthewss crime have yet to heal  and just what happened to the young girl who was brutally betrayed by the one person she should have been able to trust

However, while it may be that Matthewss main motivation was money (and with a 50,000 reward offered for the return of her daughter, the sums involved were considerable), those who closely followed the case believe it was also about seeking attention.

Following her release from jail in 2012, after serving half an eight-year sentence, shes had more tastes of fame. One involved being accosted outside a fish and chip shop by a woman who threw a pot of mushy peas at her, while shouting: You evil b***h. I am a mother too!

While Matthews has assumed a new identity, rather curiously for someone who claimed to want to flee the limelight, shes taken the name Kate, after her favourite actress Kate Winslet.

Today, she lives in a seaside resort dubbed Monsters-by-the-Sea owing to Tracey Connelly, the mother of murdered Baby P, also being a resident. The mother-of-seven (whose children have at least five different fathers and have since been taken into care and given new identities) has struggled to create a new life.

Karen Matthews and her then-partner Craig Meehan on the steps of their home in 2008

Shannon: What happened to the young girl who was brutally betrayed by the one person she should have been able to trust

Unable to secure work  she told a friend she blames her notoriety, rather than her having no history of working  she lives on benefits, but complains about having to get by on benefits of just 25 a week.

Physically, shes all too familiar. Her famous red locks may now be jet black, and shes put on weight, but Matthews is still instantly recognisable. So much so that shes reportedly asked for cosmetic surgery.

The day after The Moorside first aired, she was pictured arranging a window display in a charity shop, sparking speculation that she has a job for the first time in her life (even if it is unpaid).

She complained that the BBC dragging up her history would make her new life untenable.

I cannot go out of the door. Im frightened out of my life. Im shaking like a leaf. Im s*** scared to even get any shopping or anything, she said.

I know I cant stop it, but why does it have to be dragged up again? Why dont they just leave me alone and let me get on with my life?

CONVINCED OF A BIGGER CONSPIRACY

The loyal friend, Julie Bushby

Her friends: Natalie Brown and Julie Bushby

What an unlikely heroine Julie Bushby was. When her neighbours daughter went missing (they lived ten doors apart, but were acquaintances rather than close friends), Julie, who was involved with the local residents association, immediately rallied the community.

Little wonder the writers used no-nonsense Julie with her potty-mouthed language but heart of gold, and played by Sheridan Smith, as their central figure.

Although she was horrified to find out that Matthews was involved in her own daughters abduction, the devastating discovery did not see her turn against her, like most of her neighbours.

Julie admits she felt hurt and conned, but to this day, her loyalty remains unwavering. She even believes Karen wasnt the mastermind of the kidnap plot, saying there are other people who are keeping the real story of Shannons disappearance a secret.

Her friend, says Julie, was weak and manipulated, more childlike than anything else: Im not saying she was totally innocent, but shes not evil. Karen is a child in adults clothing and easily used and manipulated.

The mum-of-three, who remains on the same Moorside estate and still keeps her ducks and geese as portrayed in the series, revealed she visited her friend in prison every month for four years, each time asking Karen why she did it. She stopped visiting when she didnt get answers.

I just wanted the truth. She kept saying other people were involved, Julie said.

After Karen was released from prison all contact with Julie stopped as the terms of her release did not allow it.

Even to this day, I still class myself as a friend to Karen, she insists. She also champions the estate where all this unfolded, challenging claims it was  or is  a real life Beirut.

Thats no easy task, however. It transpires other residents on the estate have been offering guided tours of the streets where the famous Shannon Matthews lived, for 30 a pop.

HAUNTED AND UNABLE TO FORGIVE

The doubting friend, Natalie Brown

THE BOYFRIEND WHO HAD TO FLEE VIGILANTES 5 TIMES The mothers boyfriend, Craig Meehan Craig Meehan, Karens seemingly hapless young partner No one could have predicted the repercussions the case would have on Craig Meehan, Karens seemingly hapless young partner. While Craig was not deemed involved in either the abduction plot or the elaborate cover story, the ensuing investigation tore his life apart, nonetheless. Police examined computers at the house and found images of child porn on his. He was then convicted of possession of child porno-graphy and sentenced to 20 weeks imprisonment although he was released on the same day as he had spent longer on remand. Now 30, he lives the same sort of miserable existence as Karen. He, too, is living under a new name, but its believed he has moved five times.His first move took him to Keighley in West Yorkshire, but after being attacked, he tried another address, but horrified locals there drove him out. While it may seem like he is free to live a normal life (last weekend he was pictured shopping for groceries), its not an easy one. A report this week claimed hed been set on by three men as publicity for the TV series grew. They attacked him near a supermarket and one called him a pervert. Advertisement

Natalie Brown lived next door to Karen Matthews, considered herself a close friend and was first to offer support after Shannon went missing. Natalie threw open the doors of her own home when Karen needed somewhere to stay while police were searching her property, and treated Karens other children as her own.

Yet she was the first of the inner circle to express doubts about Karens odd behaviour  and her growing sense that something was very wrong led to her joining Julie in a confrontation that prompted Karens confession.

While Julie still professes friendship, however, Natalie cannot forgive her former friend. She moved away from the estate in the immediate aftermath of the case and is still haunted by the events.

Her doubts started, she said this week, when Karen did the very first interview with reporters outside her house.

I was there when the family liaison officer told her not to do the interview until they had as much information as they could gather. It was owing to previous cases when a child has gone missing and it could put their life in danger.

But Karen did the interview. To me, as a mum, why would you do that when youve been told it could put your childs life at risk?

STILL MISSING THEIR GRANDDAUGHTER

The heartbroken grandparents

The fact Shannons grandparents keep their treasured photos of her in a biscuit tin, carefully out of sight, speaks volumes about the gaping hole left in their lives.

June and Gordon Matthews say it is simply too painful to see the pictures every day.

Although the pair had a fractured relationship with their daughter (they did not approve of her lifestyle and were horrified by her parenting approach, even before the kidnap), they stepped into the breach early in Shannons life, helping to raise their granddaughter.

Her disappearance, and the subsequent discovery that their own daughter was behind it, shattered them.

What Karen did to Shannon is unforgivable, Gordon says. That poor mite. That poor girl. And what she put us through almost killed us. I cant forgive her. She is dead to me.

Gordon is not a well man. He has lost almost 3 stone and been in and out of hospital with anxiety-related issues, something his wife blames on the trauma of the past nine years.

Sian Brooke as Natalie Brown and Siobhan Finneran as DC Christine Freeman in The Moorside

DAD WHOSE WORLD WAS SHATTERED

Shannons father, Leon Rose

Shannons father, Leon Rose pictured leaving Dewsbury Court, Yorkshire in 2008

One of the most upsetting moments in the drama came when police find Shannon had scrawled on her bedroom wall that she wanted to live with her Dad.

Her father, Leon Rose, had been in a new relationship since 1998, but Shannon was a regular visitor to the Huddersfield home he shared with partner Tracey Goldsmith and their two children.

Shannon would stop over every other week, Tracey told us. He thought the world of her.

When Shannon was reported missing, Leon drove to Dewsbury each day to help in the search, initially believing she had run away. Tracey, however, had her suspicions. Things didnt add up. Karen was doing TV appearances, doing appeals and smirking. She was eating in front of the cameras. We couldnt eat because we were sick to the stomach. We felt we were in a horrible dream.

She says Leon was over the moon when Shannon was found. It was like he had won the lottery, but it was better than money. He had his daughter back.

Then the truth emerged  shattering the happy ending. Leon was devastated. His ex-partner claims they split in 2008 and it was the stress (over Shannon) that caused the break up. What Karen did led us to split up. Leon, who now works as a photographer, remarried in 2014.

THE PARTNER IN CRIME WHO VANISHED

The accomplice, Michael Donovan

Michael Donovan, the uncle of Karens boyfriend Craig Meehan, was Matthewss co-conspirator. Guilty of kidnapping, false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice, he was also sentenced to eight years in prison, but had already been released by the time Karen got out of jail.

Although Karen has always been presented as the main perpetrator, Donovans role was vital. It was in his home, trapped and drugged under a divan bed, that Shannon was found. Born Paul Drake, he changed his name to Michael Donovan after a character in Eighties sci-fi TV series V.

Michael Donovan, the uncle of Karens boyfriend Craig Meehan, was Matthewss co-conspirator

Neighbours called him a weirdo and even his sister branded him a fantasist. He had been charged with abducting his eldest daughter prior to Shannons kidnap but the case was dropped.

His IQ is so low that he is classed as mentally impaired. When he was jailed, there were fears Donovan would take his own life andwas moved to a suicide watch unit at Wakefield Prison. He was also assaulted and at one point refused to eat, dropping to 8st.

In 2012, while on parole, his actions were called into question again when he was spotted acting suspiciously while sitting on a bench in Leeds. He was returned to prison for a period, and its not know what happened to him after that. Of all the key players, he alone has slid out of public view.

NOT FORGETTING POOR SHANNON

The victim, Shannon Matthews

Ironically, we know least about whats become of Shannon, the girl at the centre of this astonishing saga. She never did come home, but was placed with a new family. She is 18 now and was not consulted on the drama about her life. Did she watch it, though? That is the most chilling question of all.




Police in Alabama are searching for a mother-of-four who vanished without a trace nearly two weeks ago after taking an emergency phone call at work.

Tiffany Nicole Helms, 29, of Gadsden, was last seen on February 9 when she answered a call about a family emergency.

Helms, who has four young daughters, took off from her place of employment at Rapha House Christian Homes in Gadsden at around 11.30am and has not been seen or heard from since.

Missing: Tiffany Nicole Helms, 29, has not been seen or heard from since February 9. She has four young daughters and a newly estranged husband

Mystery call: Helms took off from her place of employment at Rapha House Christian Homes in Gadsden, Alabama (pictured), after getting an emergency call

Relatives reported the woman missing on February 13. Gadsden police Sgt. John Hallman tells Gadsden Times Helms' family are concerned because it is unlike her to go away without letting anyone know.

On Friday, a woman identifying herself as Helms' sister posted a plea on Facebook asking people for help in locating her missing sibling.

Brittany Mewbourn writes that Helms 'may be in severe danger,' and that her estranged husband, George Michael Smith, is also missing.

According to Mewbourns post, just weeks before Helms went missing, she and Smith separated and her brother-in-law allegedly began 'stalking' his ex, the status update reads.

Mewbourn also notes that Smith is a convicted child sex offender and calls him 'a very dangerous individual.

Mom: Helms is pictured here with her four girls. She was reported missing on February 13

Rocky relationship: Helms' sister said in a Facebook post that the 29-year-old and her husband, ex-convict George Michael Smith (right), separated just weeks ago

Police have not named Smith a suspect or a person of interest in the missing person case.

Predator: George Michael Smith, 33, has a 2013 conviction for sexual abuse of a child

Online court records indicate that a George Michael Smith, 33, from Gadsden, Alabama, has a 2013 conviction for second-degree sexual abuse involving a child under the age of 12.

The attack took place in July 2012, according to reporting by WBRC. Smith worked for a traveling carnival at the time.

Tiffany Helms' Facebook page indicates that she and George Smith got married in February 2016.

Helms is described as 5-foot-3, weighing 240lbs with blonde hair and blue eyes. She has numerous tattoos, including two strawberries on her chest.

Anyone with information on Helms' whereabouts is being asked to call Gadsden police at (256) 549-4500.
President Donald Trump has given Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster '100 per cent control' over his team as the new head of the president's National Security Council, White House press secretary Sean Spicer told reporters Tuesday.

'The president has made clear to [McMaster] ... he's got full authority to structure the national security team the way he wants,' Spicer told reporters on Tuesday, a day after Trump announced his selection of McMaster.

Trump's granting of full authority to McMaster follows reports that a previous candidate, Retired Navy Vice Adm. Robert Harward, had turned down the post over his inability to pick his own team.

Spicer even said McMaster would be given consideration if he made the case for booting Trump whisperer Steven Bannon from the security council. Bannon earned a spot on the panel of top security officials under an executive order Trump signed in his first days in power.

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President Donald Trump will give Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster '100 per cent' control over his national security team, the White House said Tuesday

'Obviously with something like that, he would come to the president and make that recommendation. But the president would take that under serious consideration,' Spicer said when asked about the hypothetical scenario.

McMaster has been lauded by senators including Armed Services chairman Sen. John McCain of Arizona for his battlefield savvy and intellect.

But since he is a member of the active duty military, the Senate will be a role in his installation, Defense News reported.

Trump was able to install Lt. Gen. Mike Flynn to the top White House security post despite Flynn's longstanding Russia ties  which included a paid speech in Moscow in 2015 where he ended up sitting next to Russian President Vladimir Putin  in part because the Senate has no role in confirming White House appointees.

President Donald Trump, right, shakes hands with Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, left, at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., on Monday

President Trump 'would take that under serious consideration' if McMasters were to recommend removing close advisor Steven Bannon from the National Security Council, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said

Lt. Gen Michael Flynn resigned as national security advisor under scrutiny for his Russia ties

Although Trump has frequently praised Russian president Vladimir Putin, Russia skepticism runs strongly among Republicans and Democrats in Congress.

But the case of McMaster is different since he is active duty military and already has a flag officer position. The Senate already confirms top military officers.

Since McMaster would keep his rank but change jobs, the Senate must reconfirm him, according to the publication.

'General McMaster does not require Senate confirmation to serve as National Security Adviser,' a Senate Armed Services Committee aide told Defense News in a statement.. 'However, if it is the president's desire that General McMaster serve as National Security Adviser while in his current grade of lieutenant general, the law requires that General McMaster would have to be reappointed by the president and reconfirmed by the Senate in that grade for his new position.'

Rather than holding a confirmation hearing, the Armed Services Committee could ask McMaster to agree to testify in the future, a former committee staff director told the publication.

That would give Democrats and Russia critics the opportunity to try to grill him on administration priorities or try to drive a wedge between the security advisor and the president.

Whereas Flynn became a lightning rod because of his Russia ties  he ultimately got pushed out over his contacts with the Russian ambassador to the U.S.  McMaster oversaw a military panel looking to adapt to Russia's military advances, Politico reported last year.

'It is clear that while our Army was engaged in Afghanistan and Iraq, Russia studied U.S. capabilities and vulnerabilities and embarked on an ambitious and largely successful modernization effort, McMaster told the Senate panel in 2016.

In Ukraine, for example, the combination of unmanned aerial systems and offensive cyber and advanced electronic warfare capabilities depict a high degree of technological sophistication,' he said.

In a statement issued Monday, McCain said 'Lt. General H.R. McMaster is an outstanding choice for national security advisor. I have had the honor of knowing him for many years, and he is a man of genuine intellect, character, and ability. He knows how to succeed.'

'I give President Trump great credit for this decision, as well as his national security cabinet choices. I could not imagine a better, more capable national security team than the one we have right now,' McCain added.

Trump's first choice to replace Flynn was retired Vice Admiral Bob Harward, an ex Navy SEAL who reportedly turned down the post after failing to secure the ability to choose his own staff. The disagreement reportedly centered on the role of deputy K.T. McFarland, a former Fox News commentator who is close to the Trump family.

Two sources familiar with the decision told Reuters Harward turned down the job in part over the issue of bringing in his own team.

But Spicer said Tuesday called such reports '100 per cent false.' Spicer said Harward turned down the post for 'financial and family' reasons. 'Admiral Harward made it very, very clear that he wanted this job," Spicer said. 'I would urge people to actually talk to him.'

McMaster has warned that Putin relies on 'propaganda, disinformation, political subversion' and says the U.S. must adapt to Russian reliance on nontraditional warfare.
A prep school graduate convicted of using a computer to lure an underage girl into having sex is back in court pushing for a new trial.

Owen Labrie, from Tunbridge, Vermont, was acquitted in 2015 of raping a 15-year-old classmate as part of a game of sexual conquest at St Paul's School in Concord, New Hampshire.

He was convicted of misdemeanor sexual assault and child endangerment, as well as a felony computer charge that requires him to register as a sex offender for life.

Labrie, who is now 21 years old, is claiming his trial lawyers failed to challenge the felony charge.

Owen Labrie convicted of using a computer to lure a girl for sex, is back in court pushing for a new trial. He is pictured at Merrimack County Superior Court on Tuesday

Labrie (pictured on Tuesday), from Tunbridge, Vermont, was acquitted in 2015 of raping a 15-year-old classmate but was found guilty on lesser charges

Attorney Jaye Rancourt served as local counsel and on Tuesday described being virtually ignored by Labrie's out-of-state team.

She highlighted evidence she said could have impeached the credibility of key witnesses.

Labrie is currently out on appeal, but he is under a curfew that mandates he must be home between 5pm and 8am.

His new lawyer, Robin Melone, said the 21-year-old is 'committed to pursuing his studies and justice in his case' in a statement released last week, before going on to bash the original trial lawyers.

Owen Labrie is pictured entering the Merrimack County Superior court with his attorney Robin Melone during the first day of a hearing on whether he deserves a new trial on Tuesday

Owen Labrie speaks with his attorney Robin Melone during the first day of a hearing (left). Melone argues Labrie's (right, in a booking photo taken in March 2016) trial lawyers did not contest the felony charge against her client

'The question now is whether those mistakes were so significant that he was deprived the quality of representation every defendant is entitled to,' Melone said in the statement, according to Boston.com.

If a new trial is granted, Labrie could again face the charges he was convicted of, however the ones he was acquitted of would not be brought back up.

Labrie's lead trial lawyer was JW Carney Jr - who famously once defended the notorious Boston gangster, James 'Whitey' Bulger.

Carney claimed in court documents at the time of the trial, that the court needed to set aside his client's guilty conviction for the computer charge.

Attorney Jaye Rancourt, who served as local counsel, is sworn in during the hearing. She highlighted evidence she said could have impeached the credibility of key witnesses

The lawyer described the law as part of a nationwide effort to prosecute people who 'would troll the internet, trying to entrap children into committing sexual acts with them,' not two teenagers who were flirting with each other through email and Facebook.

However Labrie's new lawyer claims the old legal team was ineffective, and that the law is meant to stop trolling online, but the messages sent between the student and his victim were only on the school intranet.

Melone argued the intranet does not count as an online or internet service.

Labrie's victim, Chessy Prout (pictured), spoke out in an interview last year about what happened to her when she was a 15-year-old freshman at St Paul's

Owen Labrie is pictured being escorted out of the Merrimack County Superior Courtroom on Monday, May 16, 2016

The call for a fresh trial comes after Labrie's victim, Chessy Prout, spoke out in an interview last year about what happened to her when she was a 15-year-old freshman at St Paul's.

'It's been two years now since the whole ordeal, and I feel ready to stand up and own what happened to me and make sure other people, other girls and boys, don't need to be ashamed, either,' Prout, who was 17 at the time of her interview and about to start her senior year at a different school, told the Today Show.

She added: 'I want everyone to know that I am not afraid or ashamed anymore, and I never should have been.'

Prout also said at the time she was disappointed in the decision to acquit Labrie on the felony sexual assault counts.

'They said that they didn't believe that he did it knowingly and that frustrated me a lot because he definitely did do it knowingly,' she said.

'The fact that he was still able to pull the wool over a group of people's eyes bothered me a lot and just disgusted me in some way,' she added.

However, she said that disappointment should not dissuade other sexual assault victims from going to the police and bringing their attacker to justice in court.

'Although it was scary and although it was pretty difficult, I wouldn't be where I am today without having been able to speak up for myself during that time,' she said.

In the interview, Prout broke down in tears as she described how the attack left her with anxiety that sometimes causes her to have panic attacks.

She explained how she hides in her closet during these attacks and that her little sister tries to calm her down.

'She comes into my room sometimes and she'll come into my closet when I'm rocking on the floor and punching my legs, trying to get myself to calm down and she'll try to give me the biggest hug and she'll say, "Chessy you're OK, Chessy you're ok"', the teen said.
A 70-year-old Japanese crime boss has been accused of ordering a female nurse to be stabbed in retaliation for a botched plastic surgery on his genitals.

Satoru Nomura, who heads up the Kudo-kai firm, is said to have been unhappy with the results of his plastic surgery, prosecutors said on Monday.

In order to take his vengeance, he is accused of getting someone to stab a female nurse who was part of the surgical team.

Satoru Nomura (pictured), who heads up the Kudo-kai firm, is said to have been unhappy with the results of his plastic surgery, prosecutors said on Monday

Prosecutors believe Nomura ordered Yoshinobu Nakata to stab the woman in the neck and chest in January 2013, according to Japan Today.

The attack happened on the street in the city of Fukuoka.

Nakata, 41, admitted giving a lift to a perpetrator in the case, but denied attacking or intending to attack her and added he did not know if the assault was organised by the Kudo-kai.

The crime firm's boss underwent cosmetic surgery in August 2012.

Prosecutors say he decided to opt for 'organised retaliation' as he 'unjustifiably resented the failed surgery'.

It is not known what the surgery entailed, other than it was performed on his privates.
A toilet-goer had to be rushed to hospital in China after the bathroom started to crumble around him.

The young boy, 14, surnamed Li, was reportedly using the public washroom at Huangshi city, central China's Hubei province at noon on February 17.

Footage shows the teenager being pulled out of the rubble by rescue workers.

Firefighters were reported to the scene and pulled the boy out of the rubble in 10 minutes

According to People's Daily, he didn't sustain any major injuries and escaped with a slight bump to his head and arm.

The video posted by Pear indicated that the accident happened at midday, so luckily workers could easily locate the boy by daylight.

The cement-built public toilet was located at a car park in a local community.

It appeared that bricks from the upper-floor buckled and fell on the public toilet, breaking the ceiling and wall.

The crumbled public toilet is at a car park in a local community of Huangshi city, Hubei

He suffered minor injuries on head and arms and being sent to the hospital for treatment

Li was reported to be using the toilet at the moment it crumbled.

Members of public noticed he was buried under the rubble and called the police.

Firefighters and policemen arrived the scene and spent 10 minutes to pull Li out from the debris.

Li suffered minor injuries on his head on arms and sent to the hospital for treatment.

Policemen are currently investigating how the collapse came about.
A huge fire ripped through a one-storey high warehouse in south China's Guangxi province yesterday, filling the sky with a huge plume of smoke.

The incident took place at a warehouse near a village in Nanning city yesterday afternoon.

Police crews, ambulances and over 80 firefighters rushed to the warehouse at 4pm and brought under control in an hour. No injuries have been reported.

A fire ripped through two units of a warehouse at south China's Nanning city yesterday afternoon - aerial footage captured the terrifying blaze

A huge plume of black smoke can be seen from afar and pictures quickly emerged on social media sites

A video emerged showing a massive plume of smoke could be seen from afar, reaching up to few storeys high.

According to Huanqui.com, an affiliation to People's Daily Online, two units were set on fire, which one is storing hardware and the other storing chemical fertilisers.

Nanning Fire Department has called rescue teams from eight divisions, a total of 16 fire engines and 80 firefighters to put out the fire.

16 fire engines and 80 firefighters were reported to the scene and put out the fire in an hour

No injuries or casualties were reported in the incident, according to fire service department

A statement has been issued via their official social media account on Weibo, a Chinese equivalent to Twitter, confirming that there are no injuries or casualties in the incident.

Policemen are currently investigating the cause of the fire.

Dozens of pictures and videos of the fire have emerged on Chinese social media.

Many eye witnesses said they were alerted to the blaze after spotting billows of black smoke loom over their homes.
An eight-year-old girl is purposely gaining weight in a bid to donate bone marrow to her leukaemia-stricken mother.

Xiao Huixuan, from the city of Shouguang in eastern China, only recently learned she could be a donor match for her mother, Ba Lili, who was struck by disease in 2015.

In less than two months the prep school student has gained around five kilograms. She now only has one kilogram to go before she meets the 30 kilogram weight (66 pounds) requirement for the transplant to take place.

Xiao Huixuan, from the city of Shouguang in eastern China, only recently learned she could be a donor match for her mother, Ba Lili, who was struck by disease in 2015

If you have a condition that affects your bone marrow, such as leukaemia, you may need a transplant to boost healthy blood cells.

For this to succeed, the 'tissue type' of a donor and patient must match very closely.

According to People's Daily, out of all of Ba's relatives, only her daughter was found to be a suitable match.

I tried my best not to cry because my mother would be sad if she heard me crying

Doctors have commended the youngster for her bravery.

She is due to undergo a final assessment before the transplant is green-lighted.

On February 14 Xiao underwent a bone marrow biopsy at the Peking University People's Hospital in Beijing to evaluate her marrows function and to assess for disease.

Because of her age, she could not have any anesthetic to numb her hip bone as a needle was inserted.

If you have a condition that affects your bone marrow, such as leukaemia, you may need a transplant to boost healthy blood cells

Recalling the painful procedure she said: 'I tried my best not to cry because my mother would be sad if she heard me crying.'

Han Tingting, the doctor overseeing the treatment, said the test results will be available in one or two weeks.

The family is hopeful that Xiao will meet the requirements.

Her mother says she has been a massive source of support throughout her illness.

'Xiao often gives me a massage to relieve my pain and she often says, "I love you, Mom" to make me confident,' she explained.

Xiao said she would do anything for her mother, no matter how much it hurt.

She concluded: 'I will endure all of the agonies as long as my mom can survive. I love my mom, and I have to save her.'
A fearsome six-foot (two-metre) long carnivorous worm swam through the sea more than 400 million years ago, scientists have discovered.

The monstrous worm had snapping jaws and sensory bristles used to capture unsuspecting fish.

Scientists found jaws from the giant extinct bristle worm at the bottom of Hudson Bay near Ontario, Canada.

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Scientists have a discovered a six-foot long carnivorous worm with giant snapping jaws that swam through the sea 400 million years ago. Pictured is an artist's impression of the beast

WHY WAS IT SO BIG? Luke Parry, a PhD student at Bristol University, told MailOnline: 'We know the worms lived in warm, shallow tropical seas and this might have enabled them to grow bigger and bigger. 'Another reason could have been competitive dominance. It's possible the worm evolved to be bigger than its rivals so it could get the most food.' 'We've only found one set of fossils so it's difficult to tell how long they were around for or when they went extinct.' Advertisement

They named the worm Websteroprion armstrongi after Alex Webster, a bassist from Death Metal band Cannibal Corpse, which is the favourite band of researcher Luke Parry.

Mr Parry, a PhD student at the University of Bristol told MailOnline: 'Through our research we've managed to describe the largest bristle worm ever known.

'We found jaws of the worm in a remote locality at the bottom of Hudson Bay in Ontario in Canada.

'We then compared the jaws with those of their closet living relatives which are bobbit worms and we managed to work out that this new species was around two-metres long.'

Mr Parry said is not known why the ancient evolved to be so giant.

The fossilised imprint of the new species, pictured, helped scientists work out that the beast was close to six foot (two metres) in length

He said: 'We know the worms lived in warm, shallow tropical seas and this might have enabled them to grow bigger and bigger.

'Another reason could have been competitive dominance. It's possible the worm evolved to be bigger than its rivals so it could get the most food.'

'We've only found one set of fossils so it's difficult to tell how long they were around for or when they went extinct.'

Despite only discovering the jaws of the beast, the researchers were able to work out how the animal might have behaved by studying its closest relatives.

The researchers conducted a 3D reconstruction of parts of the jaw apparatus of the animal, pictured, from CT scanning of the fossil specimens

The jaws of the new species were found at the bottom of Hudson Bay near Ontario, Canada in 1995 before going on show at the Royal Ontario Museum

The new species is related to the 'giant eunicid' worm, nicknamed the bobbit worm, a fearsome and opportunistic ambush predators who use their powerful jaws to capture prey such as fish and cephalopods (squids and octopuses).

Mr Parry said: 'Bobbit worms sit in burrows at the bottom of the sea and use their sensory appendages to monitor what food is going by.

'When they sense prey is near, they snatch it up and pull it into their burrow.'

The new species is unique among fossil worms and possessed the largest jaws ever recorded in this type of creature, reaching over one centimetre (less than half an inch) in length and easily visible to the naked eye.

Lead author Mats Eriksson from Lund University said: 'Gigantism in animals is an alluring and ecologically important trait, usually associated with advantages and competitive dominance.

'It is, however, a poorly understood phenomenon among marine worms and has never before been demonstrated in a fossil species.

The new species is closely related to the iridescent Eunice aphroditois, nicknamed the bobbit worm, pictured, which catches ambushes prey using its razor-sharp mandibles

'The new species demonstrates a unique case of polychaete gigantism in the Palaeozoic, some 400 million years ago.'

The specimens were collected over a few hours in a single day in June 1994, when Derek K Armstrong of Ontario Geological Survey was dropped by helicopter to investigate the rocks and fossils at a remote and temporary exposure in Ontario.

Sample materials from the Devonian Kwataboahegan Formation were brought back to the Royal Ontario Museum, where they have been stored ever since.

David Rudkin, from the Royal Ontario Museum, said: 'This is an excellent example of the importance of looking in remote and unexplored areas for finding new exciting things, but also the importance of scrutinising museum collections for overlooked gems.'

The findings were published today in Scientific Reports.
Not only did the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco cost Samsung billions of dollars, but the exploding Androids also cost them their reputation.

A survey has revealed that Samsung sits at 49th place in this year's Reputation Quotient Rations, which ranks American's 100 most visible companies  in 2015, the firm came in third.

Samsung has secured a spot in the top 10 for the last three years, but it appears the failed handsets and arrest of the heir-apparent Lee Jae-yong on bribery charges has tarnished the firm's character.

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An annual survey has revealed that Samsung sits at 49th place in this year's Reputation Quotient Rations (RQ), which ranks American's 100 most visible companies  last year the firm came in seventh. Samsung has secured a spot in the top 10 for the last three years

LOSS OF REPUTATION The annual survey, Reputation Quotient Rations, ranked Samsung in 49th place among American's 100 most visible companies Last year, Samsung was 7th and has secured a spot in the top 10 for the past three years. Experts say the exploding Galaxy Note 7 handsets were to blame. The first issue was that the battery components in the Galaxy Note 7 did not fit in the battery's casing. This caused the battery cell's upper right corner to be crimped by the casing. The second round affected the devices sent to replace the original faulty phones. These were caused by manufacturing issues, including poor welding at the battery manufacturer. Experts also believe it was the arrest of Samsung's heir-apparent Lee Jae-yong on bribery charges that also contributed to its diminished character. Advertisement

The Reputation Quotient Rations (RQ) is an annual survey conducted by Harris Poll, an online site that investigates and 'provides opinions on every aspect of life in North America'.

'Best-in-class companies demonstrate that corporate reputation matters  to your customers, employees, potential hires, business partners and investors,' said Sarah Simmons, senior reputation consultant at Nielsen, which owns The Harris Poll.

'Not only does it matter, but corporate reputation is critically important to measure and understand in the context of your company's business goals.

'A positive reputation can provide competitive advantages and help your company achieve its objectives while a poor one can obstruct your ability to execute against your business plan.'

Amazon reclaimed the top spot, marking the eighth consecutive year the online retailer has ranked in the top ten, while Takata dropped to the bottom.

When asked which company damaged their reputation the most this past year, most consumers cited Wells Fargo (23%), followed by Volkswagen (9%) and Samsung (5%).

The RQ measures companies' reputation strength based on the perceptions of more than 23,000 Americans across 20 attributes classified into six corporate reputation dimensions: Social Responsibility, Emotional Appeal, Products and Services, Vision and Leadership, Financial Performance, and Workplace Environment.

The reputations of the 100 most visible U.S. companies range from 'excellent' (scores of 80+) to 'very poor '(scores of 50 to 54).

In this year's study, the top nine companies earned 'excellent' scores and 35 companies received 'very good' scores.

It appears that the exploding Note 7 Galaxy handsets and arrest of the heir-apparent Lee Jae-yong on bribery charges has diminished it character

'Samsung has to overcome its tarnished reputation by rolling out a better gadget, and use Lee's arrest as a chance to enhance transparency by cutting off collusive links between business and politics,' said Suh Yong-gu, a professor at Sookmyung Women's University

'The failed Galaxy Note 7 and the arrest of heir apparent Lee Jae-yong on bribery charges are huge negatives,' Suh Yong-gu, a professor of marketing at Sookmyung Women's University, told The Korea Herald.

'Samsung has to overcome its tarnished reputation by rolling out a better gadget, and use Lee's arrest as a chance to enhance transparency by cutting off collusive links between business and politics.'

On August 2, Samsung took the stage in New York to unveil its 5.7 inch handset, a place where the firm also saw an opportunity to take a stab at Apple.

'Want to know what else it comes with', teased Samsung's vice-president of marketing, Justin Denison.

GIRL, 13, SUFFERS MINOR BURN FROM NOTE 7 REPLACEMENT A Minnesota father says his daughter suffered a minor burn to her thumb when her replacement Samsung smartphone melted in her hand last week. Andrew Zuis of Farmington, Minn., said his daughter, Abby, was holding the Galaxy Note 7 in her left hand Friday when it melted. Zuis saidthat the family had acquired the new phone on the day the replacement phones were released. There had been no problem with the original phone, he said. 'It's very fortunate Abby was not injured and was holding the phone,' Zuis said. 'If it was in her pocket, I think it would have been a whole different situation. I'm just very disappointed in Samsung and their product.' Zuis provided KSTP-TV with receipts showing that the family bought a Galaxy Note 7 in August and then exchanged it Sept. 21 after Samsung announced the recall. Andrew Zuis, of Farmington, Minn., showed the replacement Samsung Galaxy Note 7 phone (pictured) belonging to his 13-year-old daughter Abby, that melted in her hand 'She's done with Note 7s right now,' Zuis said of his daughter. A Samsung representative told KSTP that an investigation is underway. 'We want to reassure our customers that we take every report seriously and we are engaged with the Zuis family to ensure we are doing everything we can for them and their daughter,' the representative said in a statement. Advertisement

'An audio jack. I'm just saying.'

Within a few days of the launch, it appeared Samsung was eating their own words after reports surfaced that the Note 7 was bursting into flames.

Just a month after the launch, Koh held a press conference in Seoul, South Korea where he announced the recall of 2.5 million Galaxy Note 7 devices that would eventually be replaced with a new and safe Note 7.

Within a few days of the launch, it appeared Samsung was eating their own words after reports surfaced that the Note 7 was bursting into flames. Just a month after the launch, Koh held a press conference in Seoul, South Korea where he announced the recall of 2.5 million Galaxy Note 7 devices that would eventually be replaced with a new and safe Note 7

Although the firm was praised for its quick thinking, it was also criticized for announcing these plans prior to establishing a strategy on how to gather millions of phones in 10 countries and get each person a replacement.

In the meantime, Samsung had short-term solutions such as shutting phones off and not using them to a software patch that prevents batteries from overheating. And just last month, the firm announced the results of its own investigation into the problem.

It was found that the faulty batteries from Samsung SDI were not the correct size for the device, according to the people, which caused the overheating.

Issues were also found to occur with Note 7 smartphones carrying batteries made by ATL, which focuses on a manufacturing issue sparked by 'the quick ramp-up in production of replacement phones
The 'ape that's in us all' is being made ill by modern life, scientists have warned.

Gadgets, energy production and processed foods are all confusing our senses.

As a result more people need glasses, there is an an obesity epidemic and pollution is stifling our sense of smell.

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Gadgets, energy production and processed foods are all confusing our senses. As a result more people need glasses, there is an an obesity epidemic and pollution is stifling our sense of smell (stock image)

HOW MODERN LIFE IS MAKING US ILL - Sweets are available all the time which is causing an obesity epidemic. - Synthetic lighting means were are not able to develop such sharp vision. - Looking at screens means we do not develop long-distance vision - Polluted cities disrupts our sense of smell - Our less refined sense of smell means we are not able to pick up on social cues from other human beings. - We don't have to hunt to get our food which allows us to be lazy Advertisement

Experts spoke about their concern for our well-being at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Boston.

The obesity crisis is in part caused by 'the ape that's in us', said Paul Breslin, professor of nutritional sciences at Rutgers University, quoted in the Independent.

'The love of sugar in humans, I think, can be tied to the fact we are an ape and shared a common ancestor millions of years ago with the other apes on the planetall of which live in forests and are primarily eating fruit, which is both sweet and sour,' he said.

He explained that fruits come and go as the trees come into fruit.

Apes will gorge on sugary foods until there is no more and then they will have to eat leaves and less nutritious food on the forest floor.

However, we are no longer reliant on seasonal fruit - we can fulfill our desire for sugary food all year round.

The professors also encouraged people to get outside as to encourage our vision to develop properly.

'We're inside, we're in fake lighting, we're not spending as much time outside in the context in which our vision system evolved,' said Professor Amanda Melin of Calgary University.

'And our lighting, as well as other things like near work tasks, might be drastically affecting our acuity', she said.

'What we need to do is we need to get outside more in order for our eyeball to grow properly and for us to have the right proportions so that the images are really clearly in focus on the retina.'

Experts at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Boston believe are 'in a state of mismatch' with the world we have created (stock image)

Dr Melin proposed putting policies in place to get kids and young people to go outside more.

Professor Kara Hoover from Alaska University, who also spoke at the conference, said we're 'in a state of mismatch' with the modern world.

She said cutting pollution would improve our sense of smell.

ARE WE BORN LAZY? According to an expert in human physiology at Harvard University, human biology may actually make us predisposed to laziness. Our hunter-gatherer ancestors would have expended energy tackling prey and looking for wild food and shelter, so were likely to have limited unnecessary bursts of energy-sapping physical activity. But our biology makes a constant trade-off between activity and inactivity, balanced for an environment in which calories are limited. In the modern environment, the free availability of calories coupled with this propensity for inactivity is interacting negatively with the energy-saving genetic machinery, resulting in a boom in conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and osteoporosis. Experts believe that while modern society has developed treatments to tackle the symptoms, regular exercise could help to tackle the root of the problem - providing it is done right and made enticing or necessary. Advertisement

'Pollution tends to disrupt the sense of smell and that puts you at greater risk of things like mental health disorders, such as depression and anxiety, and it also puts you at greater risk for physical health [problems], such as obesity, and greater risk for social health, not being able to pick up on social cues from other human beings.

'The greener the city the better the environment would be for our sense of smell,' she said.

Having poor sense of smell means we get less enjoyment from food. It also means we are less able to detect fear or anxiety in others.

'I think it's continuing the theme that we're talking about quite a lot in modern society today, having a better, healthier atmosphere', she said.
Twitter has begun to remove tweets which it deems offensive in a move to further punish abusive behaviour on the site.

The social network recently began limiting accounts after the use of language that Twitter feels is objectionable.

But in a further crackdown, individual tweets are now being removed from public visibility - without informing the people who posted them.

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Twitter is removing tweets it deems offensive without informing users Twitter user John Sweeney @SuperNerdCow was the first to alert others to the removal of his tweet, which he believes was hidden from public view for offensive content

WHAT DOES TWITTER ALLOW? Twitter says it 'prohibits the promotion of hate content, sensitive topics, and violence globally.' But this policy does not apply to news and information that calls attention to hate, sensitive topics, or violence, but does not advocate for it. And it also doesn't apply to commentary about products, services, companies, or brands. The site has been criticised for failing to tackle some high-profile cases. For instance, it has allowed Donald Trump to use it as a platform for what many believe is hate speech. The filter also doesn't appear to be hugely effective yet. MailOnline investigated some of the words not blocked by Twitter found in recent tweets and account names and bios. Racial slurs, homophobic language, 'ablest' slurs, and sexist language have all slipped through Twitter's new censorship feature. Advertisement

Twitter user John Sweeney @SuperNerdCow was the first to alert others to the removal of his tweet, which he believes was hidden from public view for offensive content.

Mr Sweeney shared a satirical meme responding to criticism of the appearance of controversial 'alt-right' Breitbart journalist Milo Yiannopoulos on comedian Bill Maher's US political talk show.

Although the tweet itself was not directed at an individual user and did not contain any offensive language, the attached meme did contain the phrase 'autistic screeching'.

The 'autistic screeching' meme is used on image bulletin board 4chan and elsewhere as shorthand for an overreaction to a given situation.

Tweets that have been ghost deleted still appear on the feed of the people who sent them.

But other user's of the site cannot see the message and any links to the Tweet will forward to a page that says the tweet has been deleted.

This means that users whose tweets have been deleted have no way of knowing their post has been removed from public view, according to reports in Heatstreet

As the offensive material In Mr Sweeney's tweet was contained in an image, rather than the text of the tweet, this would suggest that the image was manually viewed and the tweet containing it removed, rather than automatically detected through the use of filters.

Twitter had been under fire after nearly a decade of failure to address hate and abuse on the site

MILO YIANNOPOULOS'S TWITTER BAN In July 2016, Twitter banned conservative provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos, an editor of the right-wing site Breitbart News. The company accused Yiannopoulos of 'participating in or inciting targeted abuse of individuals.' The move came a day after Yiannopoulos had incited his 300,000 followers to barrage Ghostbusters star Leslie Jones with racist and demeaning tweets. Advertisement

In a video released by Mr Sweeney, a British video games writer and editor for SuperNerdLand, he attributes the deletion to the inclusion of the hashtag #nottheenemy.

The hashtag was created in response to President Trump's perceived hostility to the media, to suggest that journalists are not the enemy.

Mr Sweeney inverted the premise to suggest that the media were overreacting to Mr Yiannopoulos' appearance on the Maher show.

And he believes that Twitter deleted the tweet for editorial or political reasons, rather than due to any offensive content.

MailOnline has contacted Twitter for a comment.

Speaking in the video, he said: 'Twitter has essentially ghost deleted my tweet without telling me. It still shows up to me.

'It's ridiculous, I've not [directed it at] anyone.

'It's a meme, a relatively popular one, until Twitter decided that shouldn't exist. It's a tweet we don't like, it's expressing an opinion we don't like and "bam", it's gone.'

Video posted by Twitter user John Sweeney @SuperNerdCow. WARNING: Contains strong language.

Last week, Twitter launched a new way of censoring offensive behaviour by temporarily restricting abusive users' accounts.

Some users have been notified that their account is limited for 12 hours.

When an account has been censored, only people who follow them can see their tweets or receive notifications.

When limited accounts are retweeted, people outside of that account's network are blocked from seeing the retweets.

Twitter previously launched a new way of censoring offensive behaviour by temporarily restricting abusive users' accounts for 12 hours

Twitter is honing in on accounts for 'abusive behaviour', such as harassing an account that doesn't follow them back, or spamming popular hashtags with external links.

Users have theorised that the temporary blocks are also based on abusive keywords, but this has not been confirmed by Twitter.

Twitter says it 'prohibits the promotion of hate content, sensitive topics, and violence globally.'

But this policy does not apply to news and information that calls attention to hate, sensitive topics, or violence, but does not advocate for it.

And it also doesn't apply to commentary about products, services, companies, or brands.

Twitter launched a new way of censoring politically incorrect language on its site by temporarily restricting abusive users' accounts. Some users have been notified that their account is limited for 12 hours after using language that Twitter deems abusive

The feature was brought in by Twitter to limit harassment on its site.

Twitter had been under fire after nearly a decade of failure to address hate and abuse on the site.

But a search showed that some abusive language was still slipping through.

MailOnline investigated some of the abusive words not blocked by Twitter found in recent tweets and account names and bios.

Racial slurs, homophobic language, 'ablest' slurs, and sexist language have all slipped through Twitter's new censorship feature. These included p**fter, m**g, p**y, p**sy and f**got.
In 2010, the Deepwater Horizon disaster saw 172 million gallons of oil leaked into the sea.

Now, deformed fish that were affected have helped scientists establish how air pollution could be damaging human hearts.

Researchers found traces of pollutants capable of disrupting heart function in the body tissue of mutant fish living in the Gulf of Mexico, the site of a major oil spill.

The pollutants are also present at high levels in the air surrounding cities, and scientists have warned that the chemicals could be posing a major threat to our health.

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Deformed fish affected by the Deepwater Horizon disaster in 2010 are helping scientists understand how pollution is damaging human hearts. Pictured is a gulf killfish embryo affected by the spill

WHAT IS PHENANTHRENE? Phenanthrene is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) found in oil. The chemical enters the environment through car engine combustion as well as oil spills. The pollutant is also found in cigarette smoke and is a known skin irritant. It is known to negatively affect the strength and rhythm of the heart in all vertebrates, including humans. Advertisement

The Deepwater Horizon disaster took place on April 20, 2010, and led to the death of 11 workers.

It is widely considered the worst environmental disaster the US has ever seen.

Dr Holly Shiels, a senior lecturer at the University of Manchester who worked on the study, said: 'These open ocean fish are hard to study in captivity, but understanding what component of the Deepwater Horizon disaster oil negatively affected the heart is really important.

'It could help us distinguish the cardiotoxic potential of environmental catastrophes.

'It also provides insight into the possible cardiac impacts of urban air pollution on public health.'

The chemical, called phenanthrene, is found in crude oil and enters the environment through car engine combustion as well as oil spills.

Scientists from the University of Manchester and Stanford University studied the heart cells of pelagic fish, such as tuna and mackerel, that live in the Gulf of Mexico.

Fish affected by the oil spill suffer from a range of physiological abnormalities. A normal yellowfin tuna larva not long after hatching (top) and a larva exposed to Deepwater Horizon crude oil during embryonic development (bottom)

DEEPWATER HORIZON The rig blew on April 20, 2010, and spewed 172 million gallons of oil into the Gulf through the summer. Scientists are still trying to figure where all the oil went and what effects it had. BP was suspended from performing any new government work in America in November 2012, after it agreed to plead guilty and pay a $4.5billion fine (2.8billion) for criminal charges over the Deepwater Horizon disaster. Advertisement

The team discovered traces of phenanthrene, a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) that is released from oil.

Phenanthrene is known to negatively affect the strength and rhythm of the heart in all vertebrates, including humans.

The use of oil and its derivatives, in particular in car engine combustion, has been a cause of concern for some time, with high levels of air pollutants measured in urban areas around the world, including in the UK.

Dr Shiels said: 'Very little information to date has been available on individual PAH chemical toxicity beyond developmental and carcinogen effects.

'As a result we hope that this study will raise global interest in this important pollutant, given the prevalence of petroleum and PAHs in our environment.'

The research was published in the journal Nature Scientific Reports.
After five years of extensive explorations in the Western Ghats in India, researchers have discovered seven new frog species, known as Night Frogs.

The adorable creatures are among the smallest in the world, and four of the new species are tiny enough to fit on a fingernail.

Despite only just being discovered, the researchers warn that five of the new species are under direct threat of extinction, and urge environmentalists to set up conservation programmes immediately.

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The adorable creatures are among the smallest in the world, and four of the new species, including the Vijayan's Night Frog (pictured) are tiny enough to fit on a fingernail

THE NEW SPECIES The seven new species of night frog are: 1) Radcliffe's Night Frog 2) Athirappilly Night Frog 3) Kadalar Night Frog 4) Sabarimala Night Frog 5) Vijayan's Night Frog 6) Manalar Night Frog 7) Robin Moore's Night Frog Advertisement

Researchers from the University of Delhi discovered the frogs in the Western Ghats, which is known to be a hotspot for biodiversity in India.

Unlike other frogs in the genus that live in streams, the new miniature frogs were found under damp leaves and vegetation.

The researchers were surprised by the relative abundance of these previously unknown species at their collection localities.

Sonali Garg, who worked on the study, said: 'The miniature species are locally abundant and fairly common but they have probably been overlooked because of their extremely small size, secretive habitats and insect-like calls.'

Unlike other frogs in the genus that live in streams, the new miniature frogs were found under damp leaves and vegetation. Pictured is the Manalar Night Frog

The 12.2 mm long Robinmoores Night Frog is small enough to comfortably sit on the Indian five-rupee coin (24 mm diameter)

In the lab, the frogs were confirmed as new species using DNA studies and detailed analysis of sounds the animals produce.

Until now, 28 species of Night frogs were known, but the new finding takes the total to 35 species.

The discovery of the new species can provide useful insights into the evolution of frogs in the Western Ghats.

The Manalar Night Frog measures 13.1 mm, and was discovered from a fragmented forest patch adjacent to tea plantations in the southern Western Ghats

Vijayans Night Frog is 13.6 mm long, and was discovered in the Agasthyamala hills in the Western Ghat

The past decade has seen a huge increase in the number of new amphibian species described from this region.

Of the 1,581 new species of amphibians found globally in 2006-2015, the highest number were from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, followed by the Western Ghats-Sri Lanka biodiversity hotspot, with 103 species described alone from the Western Ghats region.

The researchers were surprised by the relative abundance of these previously unknown species at their collection localities

But the researchers warn that the future of many of the new species may be bleak.

Professor SD Biju, who led the study, said: 'Over 32 per cent, that is one-third of the Western Ghats frogs are already threatened with extinction.

'Out of the seven new species, five are facing considerable anthropogenic threats and require immediate conservation prioritisation.'

The Sabarimala Night Frog is 12.3 mm long, and was found in close vicinity of the Sabarimala Pilgrimage centre in the Western Ghats
Package delivery company United Parcel Service tested home delivery by drone in Lithia, Florida, on Monday, the first step in what the company hopes will be a move toward more automated delivery.

A drone launched from a UPS car roof, flew autonomously toward its destination, dropped a package and then returned to the vehicle, as the driver separately continued on a delivery route.

The Tampa-area test, which UPS said went as expected, came less than a month after UPS said it would push forward investment in automation and technology as the company, along with rival FedEx Corp, struggles with slimmer margins from e-commerce business.

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Package delivery company United Parcel Service Inc tested home delivery by drone in Lithia, Florida, on Monday, the first step in what the company hopes will be a move toward more automated delivery

HOW IT WORKS The system is aimed at rural routes where deliveries are spread out over a large location. It allows drivers to simply pass close to the final delivery destination on a preprogrammed route. Once near, a drone launches from a UPS car roof and flies autonomously toward its destination. There, it drops a package and returns to the vehicle, as the driver continues on a delivery route. Advertisement

'We see this as an exploration into this new technology,' said John Dodero, vice president of industrial engineering at UPS.

The company has conducted drone tests before, and is weighing other uses for the technology, such as in inventory control and helping inspect planes and vehicles within hangars and warehouses.

But UPS has no timeline for when drones might be put into wider use, Dodero said, partly because federal authorities are still developing regulations on how to use the technology.

UPS sees potential particularly in rural routes, such as in Monday's test.

A drone launched from a UPS car roof, flew autonomously toward its destination, dropped a package and then returned to the vehicle, as the driver separately continued on a delivery route

The company has conducted drone tests before, and is weighing other uses for the technology, such as in inventory control and helping inspect planes and vehicles within hangars and warehouses

Cities are dense enough that drivers typically have deliveries grouped relatively close together.

But rural routes are more spread out, and thus more expensive.

If drones can handle some of those deliveries, the company can be more efficient along those areas and lower some costs, Dodero said.

He declined to say whether the company's workforce could be trimmed by attrition as UPS expands drone delivery.

Dodero added UPS is not looking to use drones as a replacement for drivers. 'UPS is never looking to replace our UPS drivers,' he said, calling them 'the face of our company'

UPS sees potential particularly in rural routes, such as in Monday's test. Footage from the test can be seen above

'We have no idea how all that will play out until we find out how to integrate them into the business,' he said.

However, Dodero added UPS is not looking to use drones as a replacement for drivers.

'UPS is never looking to replace our UPS drivers,' he said, calling them 'the face of our company.'

UPS has no timeline for when drones might be put into wider use, Dodero said, partly because federal authorities are still developing regulations on how to use the technology

Cities are dense enough that drivers typically have deliveries grouped relatively close together. But rural routes are more spread out, and thus more expensive. If drones can handle some of those deliveries, the company can be more efficient along those areas

In December, Amazon Air carried out its first drone delivery from its testing site near Cambridge to a farmhouse just 765 yards away.

The package contained an Amazon Fire TV box and a bag of popcorn, and was dropped off just 13 minutes after it was ordered.

Amazon's US billionaire founder Jeff Bezos confirmed the delivery in a tweet earlier that week and posted a video.

'First-ever AmazonPrimeAir customer delivery is in the books, Bezos wrote.

13 min - click to delivery.'

Dodero declined to say whether the company's workforce could be trimmed by attrition as UPS expands drone delivery

The test comes just months after Amazon's first successful tests with drones. In December, Amazon Air carried out its first drone delivery from its testing site near Cambridge to a farmhouse just 765 yards away
New leaks have revealed how far Apple goes to keep its prototype iPhones a secret.

Smartphones are shipped from China to the US in a 'stealth' black case that only shows a small portion of the display.

There are strips of yellow tape on the indicate if someone has tampered with the device and a passport is also included to document how it performed during tests.

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New leaks have revealed how far Apple goes to keep its prototype iPhones a secret. Smartphones are shipped from the supply chain in China to the US in a 'stealth' black case that only shows a small portion of the display

APPLE'S TRICKS Images reveal how far Apple is willing to go in order to keep its iPhone prototype a secret. The leaks show an iPhone 6 Plus being shipped from the supply chain in China to the US. The black stealth case covers the entire handset, leaving just a small portion of the screen and little circles around the cameras and microphone visible. There are also strips of yellow tape on the side that if ripped, indicate someone has tampered with the device and a passport to document how it performed in tests. The prototype also has an engraved QR code on the back, which lets Apple track the device on its travels. Advertisement

The leaked images were sent to MacRumors by Sonny Dickson, who is known for sharing inside Apple details.

Each component or product that is tested they document in the page, Dickson told MacRumors.

The person writes their initials next to it and any notes about it passing or failing or any other comments.

It makes its way through each test/person.

It then is finally sent with its 'passport' from China to Apple.

The passport is put in place for quality assurance/testing control', according to Dickson.

The images sent to MacRumors appear to show an iPhone 6 Plus and on the back of the device is an engraved QR code that Apple uses to keep track of the product on its journey across the Pacific.

Although Apple is known for being obsessed with secrecy, there are times when the cat makes itself out of the bag and into the eyes of the public.

In March 2016, the Chinese website Bastille Post published an image that they claimed was the first possible real photo of the iPhone 7 Plus, which ended up being the final product.

This leak gave away the highly-anticipated dual-lens camera that was surrounding with so much mystery.

The image shows the camera protruding from the back of the smartphone and the pill-shaped enclosure, reports MacRumors.

However, this leak may not be as bad as the blunder that occurred in 2011, when the iPhone 4 was set to come out.

There are strips of yellow tape on the indicate if someone has tampered with the device and a passport is also included to document how it performed during tests. The passport is put in place for quality assurance/testing control'

An Apple employee, Gray Powell left the iPhone 4 prototype in a bar in Redwood City, California, which later found its way into a Gizmodo reporter  Jason Chen.

According to media reports in the U.S., Apple employee Gray Powell apparently left the iPhone behind after celebrating his 27th birthday at the Gourmet Haus Staudt bar, not far from the computer giants Cupertino, California headquarters.

Gizmodo said the person who found the phone claimed it was logged into Powells Facebook account and the last post on the social networking site was said to be: I underestimated how good German beer is.

After trying unsuccessfully to return the iPhone to its owner, the finder sold it to a 'mysterious middleman' who then sold it to the website for $5,000 (3,250), Gizmodo editorial director Brian Lam said.

Mr Lam said the phone was shut down remotely by Apple, adding to suspicions that the phone held secrets the company didnt want exposed.

The images sent to MacRumors appear to show an iPhone 6 Plus and on the back of the device is an engraved QR code that Apple uses to keep track of the product on its journey across the Pacific

The device and its photos were shopped around to a number of different publications but Gizmodo ended up purchasing the prototype for its own exclusive coverage ahead of Apple's announcement of the iPhone 4 in June.

Gizmodo eventually gave the iPhone prototype back to Apple, but only after an e-mail back-and-forth with Steve Jobs and a letter from Apple legal demanding that it be returned.

The incident sparked lively debate online over who, if anyone, should be charged for passing around Apple's leaked property.
At 66-years-old the world's oldest known breeding bird, an albatross named Wisdom, has hatched another chick.

The chick hatched two months after Wisdom was first spotted incubating an egg at the same nesting site her and her mate, Akeakamai, use each year.

Almost every year for the past six decades, Wisdom has laid an egg on Midway Atoll, an island in the Hawaiian archipelago.

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At 66-years-old, the world's oldest known breeding bird, an albatross named Wisdom (pictured), has hatched another chick (pictured beneath Wisdom). The chick hatched two months after Wisdom was first spotted incubating an egg at the same nesting site her and her mate, Akeakamai, user each year on Midway Atoll, an island in the Hawaiian archipelago

ALBATROSS FACTS An albatross has an average wingspan of 11ft. They spend most of their days out at sea and spend hours gliding on headwinds. The ancestral Hawaiian name for the bird is moli, which means a bone tattoo needle which was made from the bone of an albatross. The bird was famously mentioned in Samuel Taylor Coleridges epic poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, where the mariner shot an albatross, which was considered a sign of good luck. As punishment, the mariner was forced to wear the dead albatross across his neck. Advertisement

It takes nearly seven months to incubate the egg and raise a chick to fledge - when young birds develop wing feather's that are large enough for flight.

During that time, Wisdom and Akeakamai, like all albatross parents, take turns incubating the egg or caring for the chick, while the other partner forages for food at sea.

Researchers have already banded the new baby, but haven't named it as yet.

'Wisdom continues to inspire people around the world. She has returned home to Midway Atoll for over six decades and raised at least 30-35 chicks,' said Bob Peyton, US Fish and Wildlife Service Project Leader for Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge and Memorial.

'Because Laysan albatross dont lay eggs every year and when they do, they raise only one chick at a time, the contribution of even one bird to the population makes a difference,' he said.

Albatross and other seabirds show high nest fidelity behaviors - which means they return to the same nesting site each year.

They start to return from sea to breed in late October, and by the end of November almost every available nesting space on the atoll is claimed by a breeding pair.

'Laysan albatross and other seabirds depend on the habitat protected by Midway Atoll and other Pacific remote wildlife refuges to raise their young,' said Mr Peyton.

It takes nearly seven months to incubate the egg and raise a chick to fledge - when young birds develop wing feather's that are large enough for flight. During that time, Wisdom and Akeakamai, like all albatross parents, take turns incubating the egg or caring for the chick, while the other partner forages for food at sea

Wisdom laid the egg at a nesting site at the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge (shown) in the North Pacific, about 1,200 miles (1,930 km) northwest of Honolulu, Hawaii

'Thanks to the hard work of our volunteers, we have been able restore the native habitat that the birds need for nesting sites, ensuring a future for these seabirds,' he said.

Layan albatrosses are monogamous animals, laying usually just one egg every other year - which is why Wisdom's fertility and pattern of laying an egg almost every year is so remarkable.

Wisdom was tagged by scientists in 1956 when she was about five years old. Since then, she's given birth to about 41 chicks and has flown more than 3 million miles. Because the birds are seen as a barometer for the ocean's ecosystem and its ability to sustain life, Robert Peyton of the Midway refuge, said: 'Wisdom is an iconic symbol of inspiration and hope'

Wisdom was tagged by scientists in 1956 when she was about five years old.

Since then, she's given birth to about 41 chicks and has flown more than 3 million miles.

Wisdom was tagged by scientists in 1956 when she was about five years old. Since then, she's given birth to about 41 chicks and has flown more than 3 million miles

Because the birds are seen as a barometer for the ocean's ecosystem and its ability to sustain life, Mr Peyton said: 'Wisdom is an iconic symbol of inspiration and hope.'

Experts at the US Fish and Wildlife Service claim Wisdom is the oldest bird they know of in the organisations 90-year history.

The refuge is home to the world's largest colony of albatross - where nearly 70 per cent of the world's Laysan albatross and almost 40 per cent of Black-footed albatross live.

Refuge manager Dan Clark said: She provides to the world valuable information about the longevity of these beautiful creatures.

In the case of Wisdom, she has logged literally millions of miles over the Pacific Ocean in her lifetime to find enough fish eggs and squid to feed herself and multiple chicks, allowing us the opportunity to measure the health of our oceans which sustain albatross as well as ourselves.

Laysan albatrosses breed on the Hawaiian islands of Oahu, at Kaena Point, and on Kauai, at Kilauea Point.

The Midway Atoll Refuge is home to the world's largest colony of albatross - where nearly 70 per cent of the world's Laysan albatross and almost 40 per cent of Black-footed albatross live

About 99.7 per cent of the bird's population of 2.5 million live in the northwestern Hawaiian islands.

Their feeding grounds are off the west coast of North America, including the Gulf of Alaska, and they spend their first three to five years constantly flying, never touching land.

Scientists believe they even sleep while flying over the ocean.
A 53-year-old female tourist has been arrested for feeding breadcrumbs to fish near an ecologically sensitive coral reef.

Olga Smirnova, from Russia, is due to appear in court in Thailand following the incident in the popular tourist hotspot of Phuket Island.

The maximum punishment for the violation of the island's strict environmental laws is a year in prison, a 100,000 Thai Bhat (2,300) fine - or both.

Olga Smirnova, a 53-year-old Russian tourist, was filmed feeding breadcrumbs to fish in the popular tourist hotspot of Phuket Island in Thailand, and later arrested

Smirnova (far left, according to the Phuket News) stands by the beach as she's questioned

Smirnova was allegedly feeding bread to fish close to a coral reef, against the island's strict environmental rules and in defiance of posters erected all over the area. Phuket is one of Thailand's most popular tourist spots

Ms Smirnova is being held in police custody in Phuket's Chalong district because she did not have enough money to make bail.

She was apprehended by officers from the Phuket Department of Marine and Coastal Resources who were carrying out routine checks for illegal activity around Plub Pla Bay.

They say that she was feeding bread to fish close to a coral reef, against the island's strict environmental rules and in defiance of posters erected all over the area.

A Marine and Coastal Resources spokesman said: 'We are taking a very strict stance on this. She has to pay the bail and remain in Thailand until her case is processed by a court.'

The maximum punishment for the violation of the island's strict environmental laws is a year in prison, a 100,000 Thai Bhat (2,300) fine - or both. The police are pictured here with Ms Smirnova

A Russian consulate official said the consul had not received any official notification of the arrest.

But he added: 'We managed to talk to officials at the police station where the woman is being kept.

'The Russian citizen did not have the money needed for bail and that's why she is awaiting trial there.'

Ms Smirnova has been charged with 'feeding fish in a forbidden area or in an area with coral reef', the Russian official said.
She heated up the beach in Miami, Florida over the long Presidents' Day holiday weekend.

And on Monday, Charlotte McKinney covered up her envy-inducing bikini body as she was spotted back in Los Angeles.

The 23-year-old model made a modest traveler as she sported a black hoodie, matching pants, and a denim jacket upon arrival at LAX Airport after her sexy beach romp on the opposite coast.

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Modest traveler: Charlotte McKinney covered up her envy-inducing bikini body as she was spotted back in Los Angeles on Monday after heating up the beach in Miami over the weekend

Charlotte completely covered up her hard-earned tan for her travel day.

The Florida-native hid her famous cleavage beneath a cozy, plain black sweatshirt, which was topped off with a distressed denim jacket.

The five-foot-seven stunner added a pair of matching comfortable sweatpants which were slim-fit to show off her lithe legs.

She completed her laid-back travel style with a pair of stark white Adidas trainers.

All covered up: The model, 23, sported a black hoodie, matching pants, and a denim jacket upon arrival at LAX Airport after her sexy beach romp on the opposite coast

Where's the tan? The Florida-native hid her famous assets beneath a cozy black sweatsuit

Travel style: The blonde beauty pulled her lengthy tresses into a high ponytail and donned a dark black pair of sunglasses. She completed her laid-back look with white trainers

The blonde beauty pulled her lengthy tresses into a high ponytail and donned a dark black pair of sunglasses.

Charlotte made an efficient jet-setter as she rested her large black fringe tote on top of her roll-away luggage.

She was joined by her travel buddy and looked like she had a good flight.

Details: Charlotte made an efficient jet-setter as she rested her large black fringe tote on top of her roll-away luggage. She was joined by her travel buddy who was also spotted in Miami

All smiles: She looked like she had a good flight as she revealed a large smile while grabbing a phone call after baggage claim

What's so funny? Later, Charlotte and her pal both giggled as they were spotted out and about in Beverly Hills

Charlotte revealed a large smile as she caught a phone call after baggage claim.

Charlotte and her gal pal left the airport and headed straight to lunch in Beverly Hills.

The beautiful ladies enjoyed a meal alfresco at hot spot Nate 'n Al's after being cooped up on the long cross-country flight.

Hungry: Charlotte and her friend left the airport and headed straight to lunch in Beverly Hills

Let's dine: The beautiful ladies enjoyed a meal alfresco at hot spot Nate 'n Al's after being cooped up on the long cross-country flight

Good mood: The blonde stunner was in a great mood and looked happy to be back in LA

Biker girl: Charlotte's distressed denim jacket featured the Harley-Davidson Motorcycle logo on the back

The Wilhelmina model had been parading her stunning figure around the beach in Miami with a few gal pals over the weekend.

The bombshell made quite a scene as she frolicked in the sand in multiple revealing bikinis during her stay.

Charlotte was in Miami to celebrate her front cover spot on Ocean Drive Magazine's February issue.

Bikini parade! The Wilhelmina model had been flaunting her stunning figure in revealing swimwear while in Miami with a few gal pals over the weekend

The model-turned-actress is set to appear in five films in 2017, including Baywatch.

The star is cast in an undisclosed role, so fans will have to wait until the bawdy beach film hits theaters May 26 to find out more about Charlotte's part.

She stars alongside Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson and Zac Efron.
She took some time off from Hollywood to pursue activism in the Middle East.

And on Monday, Lindsay Lohan announced her comeback to La La Land with a new reality TV series called Nerd.

During her appearance on The View, the 30-year-old actress explained the concept behind the show, which she will produce with business partner and manager Scott Carlsen.

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She's back: Lindsay Lohan, 30, announced she's making a comeback to La La Land with a new reality TV series called Nerd

'We just finished the sizzle reel for a show I'm producing and created with my business partner called Nerd. Basically, we'll go to someone and I hijack their social media for 24 hours and their phones and their tweets.

'I dare them to do things that they think they're good at. They'll win money and it goes to proceeds for charity. It's funny too,' the Mean Girls star divulged.

According to a source for TooFab, the show is a crossover of the movie Nerve, starring Emma Roberts and Dave Franco, and MTV's Punk'd with Ashton Kutcher.

Boss lady: During her appearance on The View, Lohan explained the concept behind the show, which she will produce with business partner and manager Scott Carlsen

'I dare them to do things:' Lindsay explained the concept behind the show, which is a crossover of the crime thriller film Nerve and MTV's Punk'd with Ashton Kutcher

Nerve was the crime-thriller film that showed teenagers running around the city doing dangerous dares for money, and Punk'd was MTV's celebrity pranking series.

According to the source, Lindsay's Nerd is currently being shopped around.

'I want to make my own movies, I don't want to have to answer to anyone,' Lindsay revealed during Monday's interview when she was asked about dealing with addiction.

'I want to make my own movies:' Lindsay revealed on The View that to avoid slipping back into addiction, she's decided she doesn't want to answer to anyone but herself

A day before her appearance on the talk show, Lohan took to Instagram to let Disney know she would like to play Ariel in the live-action remake of The Little Mermaid by posting a photo of herself side by side with the red-headed animated character.

The caption - which was edited sometime between Sunday night and Monday morning - read:

'I will sing again, as #ariel #thelittlemermaid. @disney approve that #billcondon directs it along with my sister @alianamusic singing the theme song for the soundtrack.

Pick me! Lohan took to Instagram to let Disney know she would like to play Ariel in the live-action remake of The Little Mermaid

'...also @kgrahamsfb plays Ursula. Simply because, she is the best. take one. @disneystudios.'

The caption now simply reads: '#thelittlemermaid.'

Lohan, who has been making the rounds doing interviews and attending events since her return to the U.S., will next be seen on Tuesday for an interview with Good Morning Britain.




She may not have been walking in the shows, but Lily Donaldson ensured she'd be the most talked about model during London Fashion Week.

The Victoria's Secret stunner, 30, flaunted her phenomenal figure in an entirely sheer dress for the Burberry show on Monday, but just hours later slipped into a tiny co-ord.

For her first stop of the evening, the blonde bombshell turned heads at Makers House on Manette Street where she oozed glamour in her scanty dress.

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Twice as nice: Lily Donaldson, 30, flaunted her phenomenal figure in an entirely sheer dress for the Burberry show on Monday, but just hours later slipped into a tiny co-ord

Daring to go braless beneath the sheer dress, Lily flashed a hint of cleavage as she strutted into the venue.

In a bid to protect her modesty, the blonde bomnshell donned a tailored jacket which she rolled up just past the elbow.

Also putting her enviably long pins on parade, Lily's dress grazed the top of her thighs, whilst the skirt exposed a pair of large black knickers.

Proving that less is more, the star swapped heels for grungy black biker boots, whilst her golden locks were styled in loose waves.

All eyes on her! Turning heads inside the venue at Makers House on Manette Street, the British model, 30, oozed glamour on the evening

Chest a glimpse! Daring to go braless beneath the sheer dress, Lily flashed a hint of cleavage as she strutted into the venue

Layering up: In a bid to protect her modesty, the blonde bombshell donned a tailored jacket which she rolled up just past the elbow

Leggy lady! Also putting her enviably long pins on parade, Lily's dress grazed the top of her thighs, whilst the skirt exposed a pair of large black knickers

Blonde bombshell: Lily accessorised with a delicate gold necklace

Later in the evening, Lily also offered a look at her impeccably toned abs as she slipped into a scanty co-ord.

Consisting of a tiny crop top and matching skirt, the starlet dazzled as she attended the Burberry afterparty with Love Magazine at Annabel's Club.

Ensuring she wouldn't show off too much, the blonde beauty also donned a long fur coat and thigh high boots.

Two's company: Lily settled in alongside Adwoa Aboah on the front row

Sitting pretty: The models eagerly watched the models storm past

The model - who has 28 Vogue covers under her belt - conquered the catwalk at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in Paris in December.

It marked the seventh time the veteran Angel had stormed the catwalk at the prestigious annual fashion event.

Meanwhile, Lily previously discussed reigniting her passion for adventure after a terrifying accident forced her to change her outlook on life.

Chic co-ord: Consisting of a tiny crop top and matching skirt, the starlet dazzled as she attended the Burberry afterparty with Love Magazine at Annabel's Club

In an interview with The Edit, the star recalled her horse-riding accident which left her unable to walk for three months.

'It readjusted my feelings. It was like, 2Oh, you can hurt yourself"', she said.

Lily enjoyed a period of soul searching, taking time to travel the world before returning to her modelling career.

'I'd (modelled) solidly for a long time and it was great, but I had to take a step back', she said.

Leggy ladies! Lottie Moss dazzled in a baby pink mini dress whilst Ellie Goudling sizzled in a busty blue number at the Burberry after-party
In his longtime feud with Howard Stern, Gregg 'Opie' Hughes might have overstepped his bounds - literally.

The SiriusXM host, 53, said his job as an on-air personality could be in jeopardy after he breached the King of All Media's sealed-off wing of the New York City building both broadcast out of last week, gaining access from a cleaning lady as he live streamed the proceedings on YouTube.

'We'll see if the old man has a sense of humor, cause I think it comes down to him,' Hughes said Tuesday in reference to the 63-year-old Private Parts star, who wields huge power with SiriusXM brass as the face of the company the past 11 years. 'The old man just has to go like that and its over, it's over for everybody.'

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On the rocks? Radio personality Gregg 'Opie' Hughes, 53, said his fate with SiriusXM could be in the hands of his longtime rival, Howard Stern, 63, after he convinced a cleaning lady to grant him access to Stern's sealed-off quarters at the company's New York City headquarters. Hughes (left) was snapped at an NYC film screening in 2014, while Stern was seen in Manhattan in 2013

Behind enemy lines: Hughes breached Stern's sealed-off compound in a clip he live streamed on YouTube

Caught in the crossfire? Hughes told a cleaning lady that he had forgotten something inside the area, to which she granted him access to Stern's facility

Hughes said in a Facebook post: I feel horrible about the cleaning lady and it wasn't right to get her involved,' noting that SiriusXM officials told him that 'her job was never in jeopardy'

Booted: Security quickly caught wind of the breach and asked Hughes and comedian Sherrod Small, seen here, to exit the premises

The incident made for a hot topic on Stern-centric online forums such as Radio Gunk, Dawgshed and Reddit, amid Hughess candid admission that his fate with the company might be up to his longstanding nemesis.

Hughes, who currently hosts The Opie Radio Show afternoons on SiriusXMs Faction Talk channel, explained the course of events during his Tuesday broadcast alongside comedian Sherrod Small.

In the live stream on his YouTube account, Hughes took his online viewers on a tour of the lavish Big Apple broadcasting facility, trailed by Small and comic Vic Henley. As he progressed, Hughes eventually peered down a hall where Stern's since-abandoned fist emblem adorned the door.

Small, in reference to the animosity between the shock jocks, joked they had happened upon 'forbidden territory' and a 'No Opie zone, but that didn't dissuade Hughes from causing a bit of mischief.

Radio rivalry: Hughes said of his feud with Stern: 'I've been at fault over the years, but he's also been dirty.' Stern was snapped filming America's Got Talent in Hollywood in 2015

Lets see if we can go in there, come on, Hughes said as he filmed his approach of the Stern compound, where a cleaning lady in front of the door tended to her job.

Can you let me in? I forgot something - you got a key? Hughes asked the worker, thanking her as she granted him access.

Henley told Hughes, Youre gonna get in trouble, with Hughes responding, Why am I gonna get in trouble? Im just taking a look.

Hughes made his way deep into Stern territory until he was summoned out of the area by security.

Henley told Hughes, I hope that [cleaning] woman doesnt get in trouble, to which Hughes responded, Nah, shell be alright - she doesnt speak English ... shell be alright.

In the doghouse? Hughes (left) said he was 'yelled at for 45 straight minutes' by SiriusXMs president & chief content officer Scott Greenstein (right) in the wake of the security breach. The satellite exec was snapped in December during the companys Bon Jovi concert in Miami

On the air the next day, the broadcasting veteran of more than two decades joked he got 'a Stern talking to' from Scott Greenstein - SiriusXMs president & chief content officer - amid the live streamed security breach.

Instead of preparing for the radio show today, I was getting yelled at for 45 straight minutes, he told Small of his tense pow-wow with Greenstein. They're talking about breaking and entering ... I might be fired, I might be fired.'

The Long Island native said that the executive told him that the incident was out of his hands and under review in the companys legal department.

He said, They're not sure if you've been breaking into other offices, Hughes said. They're saying breaking and entering and I'm saying maybe a bit of trespassing.'

The radio host said he had a regrettable lapse in judgment in the incident.

Ah f---, I knew it was wrong! I knew it was wrong! I said that to [Greenstein], "I know it was wrong, I know ... this might be a bad one. I didn't sleep last night, I knew, I was like, F---, we went too far.

Hughes said he 'didn't think [the cleaning lady] would swipe' him into the area, adding that company officials reassured him that her position is safe.

'There are a------- out there thinking I was getting people fired and stuff - I'll be the one fired before they fire a cleaning lady, trust me,' he said. 'I do feel bad for the cleaning lady, I put her in a bad spot.'

All hail the king! Sirius employees made sure to clear the halls as the satellite star made his way into his wing of the building, as documented in a video Hughes recorded and posted to YouTube channel last fall

Wise-quack: Former co-host Artie Lange joked to Hughes that the scene with Stern and bodyguard Ronnie Mund 'looked a duckling got ahead of the mama duck'

Hughes illustrated how secure Sterns fortress is in a YouTube clip he filmed last October. In it, he was stopped from entering the SiriusXM compound as Stern made his way to his studio. In the brief clip - titled, in part, We're In Lockdown - security cleared the halls as Sterns longtime security chief Ronnie Mund paced ahead of 6ft5 entertainer, who in the past had endlessly ridiculed radio adversaries such as Don Imus and Philadelphia-based John 'The Zookeeper' DeBella for demanding star treatment at their stations.

Hughes said Greenstein asked him why he has issues with Stern.

'I said, "This beef goes back so many f---ing years, but I'll sit down [with Stern] anytime - anytime, and I'll tell him to his face ... why," Hughes said. 'There's a lot of whys - I've been at fault over the years, but he's also been dirty.'

'I win, they lose': Stern told Sean Hannity in 2006 that he had persuaded radio executives with Infinity Broadcasting to prohibit Hughes and former partner Anthony Cumia from ever mentioning his name on their broadcasts. The radio rebel was snapped in LA in 2013

The animosity in question dates back nearly 20 years, when Stern and Hughes (with former co-host Anthony Cumia) both worked for Infinity Broadcasting: Stern with K-Rock, Hughes with WNEW.

Stern, a one-time poster-boy for free speech in his clashes with the FCC, used his clout with upper management, persuading them to forbid Hughes and Cumia from mentioning him on their broadcasts. Stern admitted the ploy in a March 2006 interview with Sean Hannity, who asked him why he would do such a thing as a supporter of free speech.

'I'm a strong supporter in my free speech,' Stern said, adding that he didn't mind being hypocritical in essentially censoring his opponents to protect his brand.

I win, they lose, he said, later telling a caller, I believe in censoring anyone who is my enemy ... I believe in censorship when it benefits me.

Yazoo! Stern's relentless attacks on Philadelphia-based John 'The Zookeeper' DeBella (right) in the 80s and 90s motivated Hughes and Cumia to fight back against the King of All Media, Hughes said

Hughes said he and Cumia took an aggressive approach in their early battles with Stern after seeing other radio personalities try to take the high road, only to wind up decimated by Stern's unrelenting attacks.

'We went at him because we were scared s---less [that] he was going to do to us what he did to every other radio show ... scared that he would take us out like he did DeBella and all those other shows,' Hughes revealed.

Small noted that Stern 'knocked people out of the [radio] business,' to which Hughes said, 'Yes, he did.'

Unwelcome: Former Stern Show intern Steve Grillo (left) revealed to Artie Lange a few weeks back that he'd been asked to leave the Stern compound by co-host Robin Quivers when remarks he made in a Periscope clip surfaced in an online news article

The incident involving Hughes might be particularly sensitive following recent reports of highly-restricted access to the Stern compound amid a rigid corporate culture - even among past show regulars often heard in replays on Sterns two SiriusXM channels.

Former intern Steve Grillo spoke earlier this month with Stern's right-hand man of more eight years, Artie Lange, on the Artie Quitter podcast. He told Lange that on his most recent visit to the studio, hed been informed by co-host Robin Quivers that he was banned from the premises and had to vacate the area immediately.

The reason: Hed ruffled feathers with remarks hed made about the show in a Periscope clip that surfaced in a Radar story.

Opie & Artie: Lange has not appeared on Stern's show since his 2009 departure, but has sat in with Hughes on multiple occasions over the past year

Not his bro: Lange (left) envisioned a scenario in which Stern producer Gary Baba Booey Dell'Abate (right) would pretend not to know who he was during a publicist's attempt to book him on the show. The former co-workers were snapped in NYC in 2006

Can you imagine, you had to leave right now?' said the New Jersey native, whos currently appearing on Judd Apatows new HBO comedy, Crashing. 'Listen to the madness going on over there - its a G**damn nightmare!

In a subsequent podcast this week, Lange joked of a scenario in which Stern producer Gary Baba Booey Dell'Abate pretended not to know who he was when a publicist tried to book him, Apatow and Crashings Pete Holmes on the show. Lange said the publicist told him, When I said to Gary [that] Artie Lange is on [Crashing] too, he said, Who? ... he said he doesnt know who you are. He also says Judd and Pete are not allowed to mention your name.

Daily Mail has reached out to Hughes and Cumia for comment.
She's regarded as one of the most iconic supermodels of her time.

And on Monday, photos revealed that Cindy Crawford looks just as good now as she did at the height of her career.

The former runway strutter's friends and family took to Instagram to send the age-defying beauty well-wishes on her 51st birthday with some heart-warming throwback pictures.

'Happy birthday to my girl:' Range Geber, 54, wished Cindy Crawford - his wife of nearly two decades - a happy 51st birthday on Instagram

Rande Gerber, Crawford's husband of nearly two decades, shared an adorable photo of his wife sitting in his lap on her birthday, 25 years ago.

In the photo, taken in 1992, the gorgeous brunette flashed her megawatt smile as she looked down excitedly on a cake decorated with white icing and juicy strawberries.

The father-of-two wrote: 'Some things never change, just the number. Happy Birthday to my girl.'

Rande and Cindy were married on May 29, 1998.

So sweet: The furniture designer's 15-year-old daughter Kaia Gerber also made sure to send her mom some love on her special day

The furniture designer's 15-year-old daughter Kaia Gerber also made sure to send her mom some love on her special day.

Posting a throwback photo of herself, Cindy, and older brother Presley at Disneyland, the up-and-coming model wrote: 'happy birthday mama, we love you very much.'

Though Kaia is pint-sized in the old photo, she and Cindy could now be easily mistaken for sisters.

Beauties! Longtime friend and clothing designer Gail Elliott shared a black-and-white photo of herself and the model in the 90s

Longtime friend and clothing designer Gail Elliott shared a black-and-white photo of herself and the model in the 90s.

The duo took a smoke break while on a private plane to Barbados, provided by Pepsi.

Cindy was famously a spokesperson for the company and helped turn many Americans onto it.

The caption read: 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Cindy! Having a naughty (cigarette emoticon) aboard the #pepsi #gulfstream from New York to Barbados with @cindycrawford & @joe_coffey in the 90s.'

Stunners: Perhaps the sweetest birthday message, however, came from former supermodel Christy Turlington Burns

Perhaps the sweetest birthday message, however, came from former supermodel Christy Turlington Burns.

In a photo taken by Mario Testino for Vanity Fair, the beautiful pair wear coordinating black outfits and white gold jewelry.

The caption read: 'Happy Birthday to this beauty! We were doubled up right from the start. We shared more in common than the others of our era.

'We were the Americans of our bunch and we were both one of three sisters. I always looked up to Cindy and found her to be both calming and really funny when we worked together.

'She has been a consistent and reliable friend and so supportive of everything I have done over the years. Have an amazing day and year!'

Birthday twins! Meanwhile, the mother-of-two took to Instagram to wish fellow Pisces Rihanna a happy birthday

Meanwhile, the mother-of-two took to Instagram to wish fellow Pisces Rihanna a happy birthday.

In two photos posted side-by-side, the two beauties can be seen wearing similar black mini dresses and black leather jackets.

She captioned the photo: 'Same outfit, different generation. Must be a Pisces thing! Happy to share a birthday with this amazing lady!'

'Kissing 50 goodbye!' Cindy took to Instagram to thank her family, friends, and fans for all the birthday love and well-wishes

The former cat walker later took to Instagram to thank her family, friends, and fans for all the birthday love and well-wishes.

She wrote: 'Kissing 50 goodbye - hello 51! Looking forward to what the year will bring! Thanks for all the birthday wishes!'
Bachelor in Paradise's Josh Murray and Amanda Stanton have some explaining to do.

Murray sat down with ET's Lauren Zima for a Facebook Live interview on Monday and was immediately put in the hot seat over the photos taken at a dinner he shared with his ex-fiancee on Sunday.

The formerly engaged duo were caught on camera kissing in Los Angeles after confirming their breakup in January.

'Who was watching us?' the 32-year-old questioned, with a smile and a laugh.

He's 'single':: Josh Murray sat down with ET's Lauren Zima for a Facebook Live interview on Monday, seen here in a photo he shared the same day to Instagram

Rumors had been circling for a while about the breakup of the couple, who was one of three pairs to get engaged on last summer's Bachelor in Paradise season finale.

Stanton, 26, confirmed that things had ended between them, also to ET in January.

But now it seems things may have rekindled, or that there's at least the possibility of a reconciliation.

Though somewhat hesitant to authenticate the images put in front of him, he admitted freely to meeting the mother-of-two for a meal.

'It was a good evening. We had a good time. Whenever we're together, especially outside of the show and outside all the drama, it's always been a good relationship,' Murray said. 'There were just so many outside forces and outside factors that got involved after we were together on the show, and it was unfortunate for a little bit.'

In the hot seat: Murray was put in the hot seat over the photos taken at a dinner he shared with ex-fiancee Amanda Stanton; the two are seen here in Los Angeles on December 2, 2016

Stanton, herself, previously admitted their breakup had 'been a little hard.'

'I havent really, you know, thought about what to say, but yeah, we did break up. It's sad,' she told ET at the charity premiere party for Nick Vialls season of The Bachelor on January 2.

During Murray's interview on Monday, Zima host wasn't shy about asking the hard questions, and went straight to point to see if the two were now back on again.

'There's a possibility for anything,' Murray said, being somewhat evasive, but he clarified that right now he considers himself 'single.'

Whatever is going on between the two of them, they seem to be on the same page about taking a more private approach to their relationship from here on out.

'It's a tough situation with the kids, and we don't want to kind of fully dive into anything, because we're thinking about them as well,' Murray shared during the talk.

'I don't like talking about my relationships unless everything is great and there's positive things to be said,' he went on. 'There are positive things to be said of course, but there's a lot of things that we still need to talk about, just for moving on as friends or anything in the future, and we're beginning to do that.'

More private: Whatever is going on between the two of them, they seem to be on the same page about taking a more private approach to their relationship from here on out; Stanton is seen here in a social media post from Thursday with her daughters, Charlie and Kinsley

Stanton isn't letting on about anything, at least on social media, with one of her most recent posts from Wednesday showing her in Long Beach, California with her daughters, Charlie and Kinsley, with the caption, 'everything I need.'

Murray also played coy when initially confronted with photos that showed him sharing a kiss with his ex.

'Let's see how Photoshopped they are,' Murray said, as Zima pulled up the pictures.

Then he leaned in to see what she had on her smart phone and said, 'That's not me.'

The ET correspondent chided him, saying, 'Josh,' in a tone that showed she didn't believe him for one second. 'This is a kiss between you and Amanda,' she stated frankly.

'That looks like my brother,' he kept on. 'He looks like me, too.'

'I would be worried if your brother was kissing Amanda, Josh,' she said.

Keeping his cards close: Murray stuck to a refrain that he and Stanton 'had good sushi last night;' the two are seen here in Los Angeles on November 10, 2016

Murray finally let up, asking, 'Who was watching us? Where do you guys come from?'

When Zima asked him if he was happy in the photo in question, he returned to his refrain throughout the nearly 40 minute interview, that they two of them 'had good sushi last night.'

'I wanna know who got that photo,' he said, getting the last word on the subject with a smile on his face.

'This is the first time I've seen her in a while. When I came out this week, I came for one of my friend's events, and I did some other stuff while I was here, and we ran into each other and stuff,' he explained, about their decision to have dinner together.

'You know, we just had long conversations. They were conversations that needed to be had, and [we had] a great dinner.'

So they had some great sushi, and only time will tell the rest.
Josh Gad has been using his social media to pester Daisy Ridley about any secrets she could reveal from the upcoming Star Wars: Episode VII - The Last Jedi flick.

But this time the 35-year-old Frozen star has certainly outdone himself.

Gad enlisted in the help of several A-listers including Chris Pratt and Penelope Cruz to help him get answers from 24-year-old Ridley in a hilarious Instagram video posted on Monday.

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Not giving in: Daisy Ridley was pestered for Star Wars: Episode VII - The Last Jedi spoilers in a hilarious clip posted by Josh Gad

Back-up: Questions were asked by A-listers including Penelope Cruz and Chris Pratt

Great moment: Perhaps the most hilarious person searching for answers was JJ Abrams who actually directed Episode VII and is Executive Producer of the entire new trilogy

Perhaps the most hilarious person searching for answers was JJ Abrams who actually directed Episode VII and is Executive Producer of the entire new trilogy.

Josh starts out the video by putting the camera on Daisy and apologizing for previously pestering her for spoilers.

He then leads her to a room in his home as she is surprised to fine it full of many stars who begin to ambush her with questions.

Intrigued: Josh starts out the video by putting the camera on Daisy and apologizing for previously pestering her for spoilers

Pretty: Some of the marquee names querying the starlet included Bryce Dallas Howard who said: 'Did the heels of your boots ever get stuck in the grates of the Millennium Falcon?'

Hilarious: Pratt, 37, does not even ask a question but instead promotes his upcoming projects as he said: 'I'm in Guardians of the Galaxy,' 'Uh Jurassic World opens June 2018' and 'Actually I can answer that; I am in the Avengers'

Some of the marquee names querying the starlet included Bryce Dallas Howard who said: 'Did the heels of your boots ever get stuck in the grates of the Millennium Falcon?'

Pratt, 37, does not even ask a question but instead promotes his upcoming projects as he said: 'I'm in Guardians of the Galaxy,' 'Uh Jurassic World opens June 2018' and 'Actually I can answer that; I am in the Avengers.'

Penelope, 42, spoke in Spanish the entire time and even tried to answer Lucy Boynton's question in her native language.

Double-fisting: Actress Lucy Boynton also asked a question

Stunning: Penelope, 42, spoke in Spanish the entire time and even tried to answer Lucy's question in her native language

Man with a plan: Perhaps the funniest moment of all came when 50-year-old filmmaker Abrams asked: 'Does Luke finally get to say any lines in Episode VIII? Please tell me Daisy'

Aww: At the very end the camera pans back to Daisy who couldn't help but react with a smile

Perhaps the funniest moment of all came at the end when 50-year-old filmmaker Abrams asked: 'Does Luke finally get to say any lines in Episode VIII? Please tell me Daisy.'

At the very end the camera pans back to Daisy who couldn't help but react with a smile.

Other stars included in the hilarious clip included Hamilton star Leslie Odom Jr, Star Wars: Episode IX director Colin Trevorrow and screenwriter Derek Connolly.

In tune: Hamilton star Leslie Odom Jr asked if there are any musical numbers

Dynamic duo: Star Wars: Episode IX director Colin Trevorrow (left) and screenwriter Derek Connolly (right) also asked questions

This has been a long-running gag and just a week prior Josh had posted another hilarious video from his trailer as he said that director Kenneth Branagh wanted her to answer a few questions which ended up being centered around Star Wars.

Gad, Ridley and Branagh are working together alongside Cruz, Johnny Depp and Michelle Pfeiffer on crime drama Murder On The Orient Express which is set for release in November of this year.

Fun times: This has been a long-running gag and just a week prior Josh had posted another hilarious video asking her questions about the saga while in a trailer
Singer Lauryn Hill has become a grandmother.

The 41-year-old's oldest son Zion Marley, 19, and his girlfriend welcomed their son Zephaniah into the world over the weekend.

She has yet to comment publicly about the new addition to the family.

She's a grandmother: Lauryn Hill's eldest son, Zion Marley, welcomed his baby son Zephaniah into the world at the weekend making her a granny at just 41

But proud grandfather Rohan Marley, the son of reggae legend Bob Marley, took to social media to celebrate the baby's arrival.

And the 44-year-old captioned a snap he reposted from his son's private account with a passage from the Bible saying: 'In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack.'

Zion also gushed about his new arrival in a snap, saying: 'If there EVER was a question who I do it for... #myson (sic).'

Growing family: Lauryn, pictured at her 40th birthday in May 2015, has yet to comment on the new addition to her clan

He also shared a snap of his baby's beautiful mother without naming her.

However the teenager paid a heartfelt tribute to her, captioning it: 'Another super strong woman in my life right here! Zephaniah's mother.

'Thank you for bearing him and putting up w everything I put you thru.. idk how you do it but you deserve all the love and all the respect.. you are a WARRIOR bringing in little "Zeph Curry" #LIFE #LOVE.'

Proud grandfather: Rohan Marley, son of the late Bob Marley, posted this adorable snap on Instagram, captioned, 'Jah blessings. We give thanks for life. Welcome to earth little Zepheniah Nesta' along with hashtags joyofmyworld, Marleyboys and Lionorder

Lauryn, who found fame as a member of the Fugees, has five children with Rohan, whom she never married, and a sixth with a man whose identity has never been disclosed.

Meanwhile, the celebrity, who is notorious for turning up late to her gigs, apologized to fans earlier this month after hitting the stage three hours behind schedule for her gig in Pittsburgh on January 31.

She apparently was at the Heinz Hall at 5.30pm but her band was delayed by bad weather and she didn't go on until 11.20pm, playing until 1am for those who stayed, according to the San Francisco affiliate of CBS .

So adorable: The tiny tot was born at the weekend

On Facebook the following day, Lauryn wrote: 'In hindsight, we should have cancelled the performance and rescheduled for a later date, but we decided to try and make it happen.

'We are working on scheduling another performance in Pittsburgh later this month, before the end of the tour, for the people who bought tickets to my show last night.

'More details will be announced over the next few days. We look forward to seeing the fans in Pittsburgh again in a few weeks. Thank you for your understanding.'
They're the hunky Aussie siblings, who continue to make their mark in Hollywood.

But in their downtime, brothers Liam and Luke Hemsworth prefer low-key beach outings - with the duo hitting the surf in Malibu on Monday.

Dressed in a full-body wetsuit, younger brother Liam, 27, led the way as the pair made their way into the ocean.

Hitting he surf: Brothers Liam and Luke Hemsworth were pictured enjoying a low-key surf in Malibu on Monday

Westworld actor Luke, 36, followed closely behind while clutching his surfboard.

The Melbourne-born brothers, whose third sibling Chris was nowhere in sight, showed off their impressive surfing skills as they climbed the waves.

The pair looked focused yet at ease as they worked their way through a swell.

Leading the way: Younger brother Liam, 27, showed his brother how it was done

Anything you can do: Westworld actor Luke, 36, followed closely behind

Crushing it: The Independence Day star is often seen surfing at Malibu beach when he is in the US, but he once said the surf just doesn't compare to back home

On board: The actor's muscly physique was on show in his black wetsuit

Wet, wet, wet: The bearded star was unfazed by the murky, grey skies as he enjoyed himself at the surf

Talent: The Melbourne-born brothers, whose third sibling Chris was nowhere in sight, showed off their impressive surfing skills as they climbed the waves

The Independence Day star is often seen surfing at Malibu beach when he is in the US, but he once said the surf just doesn't compare to back home.

'Surfings my favorite thing to do in the world ... Id rather do that than anything - if I could travel around the world and surf for a living, I would,' he told Men's Fitness.

'The surf in L.A. can be really good, though most of the time here in California the swell is pretty small and its supercrowded because so many people surf.

Having a swell time: Liam made light work of the rough conditions

Doesn't compare: The Independence Day star is often seen surfing at Malibu beach when he is in the US, but he once said the surf just doesn't compare to back home. Pictured: Liam (L), Chris (C) and Luke (R)

Passion: 'Surfings my favorite thing to do in the world ... Id rather do that than anything - if I could travel around the world and surf for a living, I would,' Liam once said

Taking a tumble: The actor departed his surfboard as he fell into the water

He added: 'It constantly blows my mind when I turn up at the beach and, you know, theres a two-foot surf and about a million people out there. That just wouldnt happen where I grew up. We always had consistent swells, but about one-seventieth the crowd.'

Liam is currently engaged to American pop star Miley Cyrus, 24.

Meanwhile Luke, who plays Ashley Stubbs on Westworld, will return to the American series when season two airs later this year.
His age has always been a source of interest on social media.

And with Google search as well as fans previously claiming that Tim Bailey is 63 years old, the Channel Ten weatherman set the record straight on Tuesday's KIIS FM Kyle and Jackie O Show.

'I'm 54,' the reporter began, before humorously adding to co-hosts Kyle Sandilands and Jackie 'O' Henderson: 'I'm always going to be a sensational lovemaker.'

'I'm always going to be a sensational lovemaker': Channel Ten weatherman Tim Bailey joked about life at 54 on Tuesday's KIIS FM Kyle and Jackie O Show, after setting the record straight on the mystery surrounding his age

'They say I'm 63,' Tim said live on-air, regarding online speculation of his age.

'I was born in 1963 so I had my birthday on Sunday and I'm 54.

'But between the right ear and the left ear, I'm always going to be 25,' the veteran presenter continued, adding playfully: 'I'm always going to be a sensational lovemaker.'

Ongoing: Tim's comments come shortly after he set the record straight again, in an interview with News.com.au: 'I was born in 1963 which makes me 54, but the 63 thing just keeps going and going and going'

Tim's comments come shortly after he set the record straight again, in an interview with News.com.au.

'People ask me as much about my age as they do about the weather, which is a lot,' he told the publication.

It appears the confusion that surrounded Tim's age, spurred from a misprint years ago that 'snowballed' into an ongoing joke.

'The 63 thing just keeps going and going and going,' Tim added.

The journalist claimed he is constantly questioned by people on Twitter and on the street.

Oops! The confusion surrounding the weatherman's age was spurred by a misprint on Google search

Confused: Fans often taken to Twitter to scout for answers about Tim's real age

Going straight to the source: The weatherman revealed people often ask him about his age as much as 'they do about the weather, which is a lot'

'Does anyone even know how old Tim Bailey is?' one curious fan Tweeted in 2015.

'Hey @dailybailey10 how old are you? The people need answers to this mystery,' another Tweeted, directing the query at the man himself.

'@dailybailey10 hey Tim we're trying to figure out how old you are, but it's hard to find online! Care to share and settle a bet?' someone else asked back in 2014.

Curious: The journalist claimed he is constantly questioned by people on Twitter and on the street

'Hey @dailybailey10 how old are you?' one fan Tweeted earlier this month

'Tim bailey 63 years old? No way,' another wrote, not realising the journalist's real age

Meanwhile, those who went off Google's records were astonished to find the keen surfer has maintained his youthful looks into his sixties.

'Hot off the heels of my discovery that Craig David is only 35, I would like to inform you all that Tim Bailey is SIXTY THREE YEARS OLD,' one fan gasped.

'Tim bailey 63 years old? No way,' another wrote in disbelief.

Meanwhile, Tim revealed his secret to looking fit at 54.

Looking good at 54: The avid surfer credits his youthful appearance to a regime of '500 sit-ups and push-ups Monday to Friday'

'I train in my own backyard and I do 500 sit-ups and push-ups Monday to Friday...but I do that for no other reason than to be able to drink beer,' he told News.com.au.

His rigorous exercise regime should come as no surprise to those who follow him on social media, with the weatherman regularly showing off his physique in board shorts while reporting from tropical locations.

The happy-go-lucky reporter has been with Channel Ten for a quarter of a century, celebrating his 25th anniversary with the network last week.
Millie Mackintosh and Hugo Taylor were left red-faced in front of the great and good of the fashion world as they were turned away from LOVE magazine's star-studded London Fashion Week bash on Monday night.

The former Made In Chelsea stars arrived at Annabel's private members' club in the hope of partying alongside the likes of A-listers Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid and Jourdan Dunn.

But it's been confirmed to MailOnline that Millie, 27, and Hugo, 30, were turned away at the door of the LOVE and Burberry event because they did not have an invite to the exclusive soiree.

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Ouch! Millie Mackintosh and Hugo Taylor were left red-faced as they were turned away from LOVE magazine's star-studded London Fashion Week bash on Monday night

A spokesperson for LOVE magazine told MailOnline: 'Millie was not a guest at this event. She tried to get in and was turned away.'

A source added: 'Millie and Hugo weren't invited. They were pictured outside Annabel's when they arrived to a flurry of flashbulbs, but they weren't let in.'

The star-studded event was a strictly A-list bash, with the likes of supermodel squad Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid, Jourdan Dunn, Winnie Harlow and Lily Donaldson in attendance to toast the close of London Fashion Week.

And it's little surprise Millie was keen to gain access to the party as an aspiring fashion designer with a successful online brand.

A representative for Millie Mackintosh has been contacted by MailOnline.

Awkward: The former Made In Chelsea stars arrived at Annabel's private members' club in the hope of partying alongside the likes of A-listers Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid and Jourdan Dunn

Something to hide? After her spectacular show for the camera, Millie suddenly grew camera shy as she hopped into a cab with Hugo

Not now! The couple appeared to exchange a cross word as Hugo pulled a grimace before leaving the do

In spite of her embarrassment, the former reality star looked sexy but sophisticated in a plunging black dress as she arrived at Mayfair's swanky Annabel's Club with her man on her arm.

Millie showed off her sensational figure in her slinky black gown, which flashed her enviably toned stomach with a saucy cut-out across the front.

Pulling into spaghetti straps to show off plenty of her glowing skin, the velvet number then plunged into a low round neck to give a glimpse of her cleavage.

Cinching in at her petite waist, the dress then skimmed her figure to its chic ankle hem - which was made sexier by a racy thigh-high slit at one side, to display her enviably leggy figure beneath.

Your name's not down! It's been confirmed to MailOnline that Millie, 27, and Hugo, 30, were turned away at the door of the LOVE and Burberry event

Off you pop: Millie and Hugo did not have an invite to the exclusive soiree

Reach for the stars: It's little surprise Millie was keen to gain access to the party as an aspiring fashion designer with a successful online brand

Not a smile in sight: The duo didn't look too happy as they headed home

She co-ordinated her outfit perfectly with a pair of pointed court shoes and sleek black clutch bag, while the dress' vibrant red lining added a splash of colour.

She pulled her tresses back into a chic up do to keep all eyes on her show-stopping look as she made her way into the star-studded bash with her boyfriend Hugo.

The former Made In Chelsea hunk dressed up for the occasion in a typically clean-cut grey checked suit, layered on top of a trendy blue shirt and jazzy spotted tie.

Dressed to impress: In spite of her embarrassment, the former reality star looked sexy but sophisticated in a plunging black dress as she arrived at Mayfair's swanky Annabel's Club

Slinky: Pulling into spaghetti straps to show off plenty of her glowing skin, the velvet number then plunged into a low round neck to give a glimpse of her cleavage

Some of the fashion industry's top models, including Bella Hadid, Kendall Jenner, Jourdan Dunn and Winnie Harlow, scored an invite to the hottest bash of fashion week.

Millie and Hugo looked more loved-up than ever as they attempted to make their way into the swanky venue arm in arm - proving their relationship has only gone from strength to strength since moving in together at the weekend.

The beauty took to her Instagram page on Saturday to inform her 1.3million followers that she has moved in with her boyfriend of close to one year.

Accessories are key: Millie co-ordinated her outfit perfectly with a pair of pointed court shoes and sleek black clutch bag, while the dress' vibrant red lining added a splash of colour

Natural beauty: She pulled her tresses back into a chic up do to keep all eyes on her show-stopping look as she made her way into the star-studded bash with her boyfriend Hugo

Millie shared a snap of the couple from Friday night's London Fashion Week bash Fashion Film cocktail party, sponsored by River Island - adding the caption: 'My roomie'.

Millie first dated Hugo in 2011 when they first made their names on the E4 show, yet their relationship was brutally cut short when she discovered he slept with her best friend Rosie Fortescue.

The heiress announced her split from rapper Professor Green in February 2016.

Their two-and-a-half-year marriage was dissolved in just 30 seconds in May 2016.

Suited and booted: The former Made In Chelsea hunk dressed up for the occasion in a typically clean-cut grey checked suit, layered on top of a trendy blue shirt and jazzy spotted tie

Next step: The pair looked more loved-up than ever as they made their way in arm in arm - proving their relationship has only gone from strength to strength since moving in together

Frayed knot! Kendall Jenner slipped into fashion forward cropped oversized knot inspired knit as she attended the same party at Annabel's

Style it out: Her model pals Bella Hadid, 20, Winnie Harlow, 22 and Jourdan Dunn, 26 attended the bash (Pictured L-R)

Party people: Model Lily Donaldson (L) joined the friends at their table as they got their night going as they sipped on Belvedere cocktails

The same week as her divorce was finalised, Millie confirmed she was dating her former Made In Chelsea co-star and ex-boyfriend Hugo.

The happy reveal that she had moved in with love Hugo came days after her ex-husband played a Valentine's prank on his followers as he claimed to be engaged to his model girlfriend Fae Williams.

The recording artist posted a picture of his girlfriend wearing an eye-popping opal on her ring finger.

The tongue-in-cheek caption read: 'Fingers crossed this time ay?' in what appeared to be swipe at ex-wife Millie.
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She's set her fashion fans tongues wagging as she stepped out in a sizzling gold velvet mini dress earlier in the day.

Now making her second outfit change for the evening, Kendall Jenner slipped into fashion forward cropped oversized knot inspired cape as she attended the LOVE and Burberry London Fashion Week Party on Monday night at Annabel's.

The 21-year-old model was sure to make it a night to remember as she arrived at the star-studded bash alongside her model pals Bella Hadid, 20, Jourdan Dunn, 26, and Winnie Harlow, 22.

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Frayed knot! Kendall Jenner slipped into fashion forward cropped oversized knot inspired knit as she attended the LOVE and Burberry London Fashion Week Party on Monday night at Annabel's

Style it out: Her model pals Bella Hadid, 20, Winnie Harlow, 22 and Jourdan Dunn, 26 attended the bash (Pictured l-r)

Keeping to a cream tone, the fashion darling opted to wear her Burberry couture cape's hood up for added sport luxe's vibes as she arrived to the bash.

The E! reality star showcased her enviable figure in a simple raw silk slip dress that grazed her slender thighs as she settled into the night's festivities.

Clutching onto her phone, she accessorised her fashion week ensemble with a number of delicate gold chains around her neck which matched her large hoop earrings perfectly.

Kendall made her attire pop as she applied a slick of vibrant red lipstick across her pout and styled her brunette locks into chic centre-parted chignon.

Picture perfect: The reality star coordinated her pal Bella in her racy leather look while she stopped for a photo with LOVE magazine editor Katie Grand (centre right)

Fashion forward: Kendall styled her brunette locks into chic centre-parted chignon

Striking: The beauty looked incredible in her thigh-skimming look

Hooded beauty: Kendall looked sensational in her fashion forward Burberry couture cape, which was unveiled on Monday's runway show

Model behaviour: Kendall, Bella and model pal Stella Maxwell posed for photos inside the fashion bash

Red hot! Kendall offset her cream two-piece with a vibrant red lip alongside friends Bella and Stella

Knot to everyone's taste! Kendall wrapped her arm around the acclaimed magazine's editor's waist

Stylish duo! Kendall added inches to her statuesque height with a pair of black pointed boots

Chilled: The girls appeared relaxed as they settled into the party atmosphere where they were treated to Belvedere cocktails

Leggy display: The Californian stunner held onto her negligee inspired dress as she arrived at the private members club alongside Jourdan Dunn (R)

Showcasing her personal style, Bella Hadid sported a sultry plunging leather mini dress that featured a kimono style belt as she partied at the event, which saw the A-list guests treated to Belvedere cocktails.

She accessorised her flesh-flaunting look with a matching pair of over-the-knee boots that hugged her slender pins, while she wrapped a goth inspired cross necklace around her neck.

Accentuating her flawless complexion, she kept her beauty look to a minimum as she worked her glossy locks into a side parting.

Party people: Model Lily Donaldson (L) joined the friends at their table as they got their night going

Dance to it! The trio appeared to be having fun as they danced and smiled for photos

It's party time! Kendall seemed to be having a fabulous time with Radio One DJ Nick Grimshaw

Dance moves: The pair appeared to be coordinating in time to the music

Party on: Nick was sharing everything he knows as he and Kendall tried their hands at DJ-ing

All smiles: The models certainly seemed to be letting their hair down at the bash

The pair were joined by fellow model Winnie Harlow, who dazzled in a nineties satin pink look, that oozed Clueless vibes.

Displaying her endless pins, she paired her ensemble with a black turtleneck and eye-catching purple platform boots as she cuddled into hitmaker Ellie Goulding.

The models appeared to have a whale of a time during their fashion week night out as they were joined by runway stars Stella Maxwell and Lily Donaldson at the after-party.

Hell for leather: Showcasing her personal style, Bella Hadid sported a sultry plunging leather mini dress that featured a kimono style belt while Kendall displayed her gold tooth

Having a giggle: Bella shared a giggle with model pal Lily as they celebrated Kendall's s #LOVEME17

Syle mavens: She accessorised her flesh-flaunting look with a matching pair of over-the-knee boot that hugged her slender pins and a goth inspired cross necklace as she arrived at the party with Stella

Hysterical: Lily held her hand to her face as she attempted to contain her laughter with a smiling Bella

Glossy: Accentuating her flawless complexion, she kept her beauty look to a minimum as she worked her glossy locks into a side parting

Oops! Bella suffered a rather revealing wardrobe malfunction as she made her way home in the taxi

Worse for wear: Stella Maxwell showed off her slim pins, while Sofia Richie looked slightly more demure in an all-white ensemble and Winnie Harlow sported towering platform boots

Good party? Stella lounged in the back of a taxi while clutching her cell phone

Meanwhile, Ellie Goulding sent tongues wagging as she joined her ex flame Dougie Poynter at Burberry's Love Magazine party, shortly after attending the Dame Vivienne Westwood and James Jagger's Mad Max bash.

The pop songstress, 30, looked busty in a skin-tight dress as she joined the former McFly singer, 29, for a cosy display during London Fashion Week

The Burn hitmaker oozed sex appeal in the figure-hugging navy dress which perilously plunged down the middle to bare her ample assets.

All cuddles: Winnie paired her look with a black turtleneck and eye-catching purple platform boots as she cuddled into hitmaker Ellie Goulding

Nineties: Winnie dazzled in a nineties satin pink skirt look, that oozed Clueless vibes

Catching up! Jourdan dazzled in her red wool crop top alongside long-time friend Winne

Golden gals: The gal pals were joined by Leomie Anderson at the bash in her show-stopping gold sequin look

Sensational: Helena Christensen showcased her toned pin in a saucy printed midi

Tummy teasing: British beauty Lily flaunted her taut stomach in a slinky crop top and high-waisted mini

She teamed the look with a pair of towering black heels, while her blonde tresses, which framed her autumnal make-up look, effortlessly caught the wind.

Earlier in the night, Kendall took the streets of London like a catwalk, as she headed to Dover Street Market for a fan signing with Love Magazine.

The brunette beauty showed off her sensational figure in a shimmering mini dress of gold velvet and racy leather boots, as she headed out for another evening in the city.

The young beauty truly dazzled in the dress, which stood out from the crowd with its bold gold hue and chic velvet material.

Racy lady: The Burn hitmaker oozed sex appeal in the figure-hugging navy dress which perilously plunged down the middle to bare her ample assets

Reuniting: Ellie Goulding, 30, sent tongues wagging as she joined her former flame Dougie Poynter at Burberry's Love Magazine party, shortly after the Vivienne Westwood bash at LFW on Monday

Blue-tiful! Daisy Lowe, 28, attended the Burberry after-party on Sunday in a sheer gown that clung to her every curve and left little to the imagination as it flashed her nipples

Model behaviour: Helena Christensen looked as stunning as ever in an eclectic colourful striped dress with black lacy panels while Daisy posed with Game Of Thrones star Gwendoline Christie

Styled like an oversized jacket, the frock remained sophisticated with its high neckline and long sleeves, but cinched in at her incredibly petite waist with a ribbon tie belt.

Cutting off at an eye-watering height for added sex appeal, Kendall then gave a flash of her enviably long and slender pins to all as she stepped out for another glamorous evening.

Lengthening her statuesque frame further, she teamed the dress with a pair of leather stiletto boots, which extended all the way up her thigh in a risque touch.

Slinky: Pulling into spaghetti straps to show off plenty of her glowing skin, Millie Mackintosh's velvet number then plunged into a low round neck to give a glimpse of her cleavage

Suited and booted: The former Made In Chelsea hunk dressed up for the occasion in a typically clean-cut grey checked suit, layered on top of a trendy blue shirt and jazzy spotted tie

Edgy: Suki Waterhouse also arrived at the bash in her ensemble from the evenings runway show

Having a blast: Rafferty Law attended the star-studded party in a cricket jumper

Pink to make the boys winks: Lottie Moss slipped into a slinky blush coloured mini for the night

Pink lady: Alice Dellal cut a typically eclectic figure in her crop top and black denim hotpants

Sweeping her hair into a slick up-do to showcase her striking features, the E! reality star tied her look together with a glamorous slick of scarlet lipstick and a smattering of matching gold jewellery, as she headed out to relax with friends.

The brunette has enjoyed a busy few days in London - supporting her best pal Bella Hadid at the Versus Versace catwalk on Saturday night, and exploring different parts of the city, including fashion hot-spot Portobello Road.

While she is better known for posing for photographers however, Kendall had displayed her interest in what goes on behind the camera on Sunday as she embarked on a photo-shoot in Soho Square.

The supermodel had exuded Parisian irreverence in a pair of white wide-leg trousers and a Nineties-inspired cropped denim jacket as she took photos of her well-dressed friends.

It's my party: Rocco Ritchie's rumoured girlfriend Kim Turnbull partied the night away with her female pals

Cheers: Presenter Billie JD Porter (L) and Camille Benett looked sensational at the bash

Work it: Lady Alice Manners, Erin O'Connor and Elizabeth Debicki attended the fun fashion party (Picture l-r)

Demure darlings: Actresses Amber Anderson and Anya Taylor-Joy(R) looked the part at the party

Metallic muses: Adwoa Aboah and Hari Nef(R) wowed in their complementing sequin looks

Kendall turned from model to photographer as she took pictures of each of her friends in the park and next to a telephone box.

It comes as Kendall shared that she has shot several covers for Love magazine during a visit to The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

Fallon, 42, showed off her images of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West's 3-year-old daughter North West.

'She's a cutie,' said Jenner who looked stunning in a classic Chanel suit.

The Keeping Up With the Kardashians star has also shot Sienna Miller for a Love magazine cover.

'That's un-retouched by the way,' she said as they examined the cover shot.

'There's no retouch, she's just perfect like that,' she praised.

Golden girl: Kendall took the streets of London like a catwalk on Monday night as she headed to Dover Street Market in one of her trademark show-stopping looks

All eyes on me: The young beauty truly dazzled in the striking dress, which stood out from the crowd with its bold gold hue and chic velvet material

Kendall also described how sister Kylie, 19, and mother Kris Jenner, 61, shout so loudly at fashion shows that it almost throws her off her game.

'I've told myself, since my first show, like I never look at the audience, ever. If I do it will mess me up,' she said.

'But Kylieactually, if she's at a show, and my mom usually, I can hear them screaming,' she laughed.

Leggy lady: Cutting off at an eye-watering height for added sex appeal, Kendall then gave a flash of her enviably long pins to all as she stepped out for another glamorous evening

Finishing touches: The beauty swept her hair into a slick up-do

Hectic schedule: The brunette has enjoyed a busy few days in London - first supporting her best pal Bella Hadid at the Versus Versace catwalk on Saturday night

Jenner, who touched down in London over the weekend, was previously in New York City for Fashion Week.

Kendall Jenner made sure to take a break from modelling duties on Sunday by enjoying a hearty takeaway from Nando's with Bella Hadid.

The model, 20, and the reality star turned model, 21, shared a snap from the set of their photoshoot during London Fashion Week.

Sharing the mouth-watering remnants of their chicken wing and garlic bread feast, she captioned the picture: 'nandos lemon wings (sic).'

Clearly enjoying her time in London, Kendall also partied at celebrity hotspot The Box on Saturday night

Sequin stars: Betty Bachz and Noomi Rapace attended the star-studded fashion bash
Karl Stefanovic enjoyed some family time on Monday night, ducking out to get some wine at 9pm as he celebrated his uncle George's birthday.

Karl was seen embracing his uncle warmly and later going out to pick up a bottle of dry red wine in the waterside suburb of Castlecrag on Sydney's North Shore.

Seemingly absent was his new 'girlfriend' Jasmine Yarbrough, who arrived in Sydney last week reportedly to visit her new TV host beau.

Family time: Karl Stefanovic enjoyed some family time on Monday night, ducking out to get some wine at 9pm as he celebrated his uncle George's birthday

Karl appeared to be in good spirits and wore a tight denim shirt with rolled sleeves and the buttons undone to flaunt his chest.

The TV personality, who looked a little bit sunburned, paired the shirt with dark denim jeans and a pair of worn-in brown dress shoes.

Karl also took to Instagram to share an image of himself and his uncle appearing rather festive as they enjoyed the red wine.

Seemingly absent: His new girlfriend Jasmine Yarbrough who arrived in Sydney last week, reportedly to visit her new TV host beau, didn't seem to be there

Catch up: Karl was seen embracing his uncle warmly and later going out to pick up a bottle of dry red wine in the waterside suburb of Castlecrag on Sydney's North Shore

Family time: Karl also took to Instagram to share an image of himself and his uncle appearing rather festive as they enjoyed the red wine

According to representatives at Channel Nine, Karl is off the Today show as he's currently filming another program, This Time Next Year, this week.

Meanwhile, Karl and his 33-year-old love interest Jasmine put on an amorous display as they partied on a boat over the weekend on Sydney's Northern Beaches.

A source close to the LA-based model told the Daily Telegraph that Karl, 'rented a secret hideaway with water views' for the pair over the weekend.

Love nest? Meanwhile, Karl and his 33-year-old love interest Jasmine, pictured here, put on an amorous display as they partied on a boat over the weekend on Sydney's Northern Beaches

Meanwhile, according to a story in women's weekly magazine Woman's Day, Karl and Jasmine are 'so committed to each other' that they are 'looking for a place to rent together in Sydney.'

However the blonde shoe designer, who arrived in Sydney with her sister last week, didn't appear to be at the get together with Karl's uncle on Monday night.
They broke up in May last year after just five months of dating.

So Daisy Lowe was no doubt feeling awkward as she ran into her ex-boyfriend Thomas Cohen and his new girlfriend Zoe Sidel while attending the LOVE and Burberry Fashion Week Party at Annabel's on Monday evening.

The model, 28, looked sensational as she slipped into a stylish negligee while her former flame went for his typical retro style which coordinated with his new 22-year-old love's funky getup.

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Blue-tiful! Daisy Lowe, 28, attended the Burberry after-party on Sunday in a sheer gown that clung to her every curve and left little to the imagination as it flashed her nipples

Daisy and Thomas dated last year, in his first public romance since his wife and Daisy's pal Peaches Geldof passed away following a heroin overdose in 2014, although they sadly split after five months.

The SCUM frontman shares two sons with his late wife, Astala Dylan Willow Geldof-Cohen, four and Phaedra Bloom Forever Cohen, three.

A source exclusively told MailOnline at the time: Daisy and Thomas split about a month ago. Its all very amicable, they had lots of fun and a great time together. It just sort of fizzled out and had run its course.

It was revealed in November that Thomas had found love once more with Zoe, who is the daughter of Rosanna Arquette, as they were spotted out on the town following reports they had celebrated her birthday together in October.

Daisy who? Thomas went for his typical retro style which coordinated with his new love's funky getup, as they attended the same bash as Daisy

That was then... Daisy and Thomas (pictured left last year) split amicably while he went public with Zoe (pictured left last night) in November

Late wife: The SCUM frontman shares two sons with his late wife Peaches Geldof, Astala Dylan Willow Geldof-Cohen, four and Phaedra Bloom Forever Cohen, three.

While Daisy and Thomas' split was amicable, it was no doubt an uncomfortable scenario as they both appeared at the LFW bash.

Daisy turned heads with her flesh-flashing ensemble when she stepped out for the Christopher Kane show earlier in the day.

But she took things a step further as she attended the Burberry after-party in her sheer gown that left little to the imagination and debuting fuller bangs.

Daring to go braless for the occasion, the model flashed her nipples beneath the scanty materials, but didn't seem fazed by the malfunction, beaming broadly as she posed for snaps.

Chest a glimpse! Daring to go braless for the occasion, the model flashed her nipples beneath the scanty materials, but didn't seem fazed by the malfunction

What a waist! Clinging to her hourglass curves, the satin garment clung to her every curve and contour, emphasising her phenomenal figure

Clinging to her hourglass curves, the satin garment clung to her every curve and contour, emphasising her phenomenal figure.

Featuring a sheer hem, the dress also offered a look at her tanned and toned pins, which were elongated by a pair of barely there black heels.

She finished off the look by styling her raven coloured locks in a retro bouffant that framed her pretty face.

That's a wrap: Daisy layered up with a cropped brown leather jacket that she teamed with her baby blue gown and a long gold pendant

Fit to bust! Daisy was certainly not afraid to show off her killer body on Monday, as she put on a particularly eye-popping display at Christopher Kane's London Fashion Week show

Confidence is key: Clearly feeling fierce in her sexy look, Daisy later took to her social media to further show the outfit off (above)

Earlier in the day she gave a seriously saucy flash of her bust as she arrived at the event in a daring plunging midi dress, complete with a sexy thigh-high slit.

The brunette beauty set pulses racing in the retro button-up frock - which she left mostly undone to reveal her famously plentiful cleavage and enviable assets beneath.

Styled like a vintage jacket and shirt, the dress cinched in at her petite waist, before skimming her slender figure all the way to its sophisticated calf-hem.

Adding further sex appeal to the look, the slinky skirt then cut into a daring thigh high split at one side, to display her famously long and lean legs to all as she posed up a storm for the cameras.

Hot stuff! The brunette beauty set pulses racing in the daring button-up frock - which she left undone to reveal a large glimpse of her famous assets beneath

Gorgeous: Cinching in at her enviably petite waist, the dress then skimmed her womanly figure all the way down to its sophisticated calf hem

She accessorised with a simple pair of black pointed court shoes to keep all eyes on her show-stopping look - before layering a selection of bejewelled necklaces around her neck to tease further at her bust.

Proving herself to be every inch a natural beauty, the former Strictly star swept her brunette locks into a loose ponytail to showcase her pretty features to all - which she accentuated with minimal make-up.

Despite her sexy outfit, the stunner swapped a smoulder for her winning smile as she made her way in to take her place on the FROW, alongside the likes of Katy Perry and Alexa Chung.

Finishing touches: She accessorised with black pointed court shoes and a selection of bejewelled necklaces, to tease further at her bust

Star-studded: She was joined by the likes of Katy Perry, who dazzled in a shimmering bardot ensemble (L), and Alexa Chung, who looked typically grungy-chic for the event (R)

Say cheese! Daisy and Alexa happily cuddled up to one another as they took their places on the FROW to view the designer's latest collection

The look marks yet another stylish ensemble for the British beauty, who has attended a whole host of high-profile catwalk shows during this year's London Fashion Week, including House of Holland, Astley Clarke and Versus Versace.

The hectic week sees Daisy getting back to her fashion duties after spending the last few months touring the country with her Strictly Come Dancing co-stars.

As the tour came to an end on Sunday night, the beauty took to Instagram to pay tribute to her partner Aljaz Skorjanec, who she has formed a close friendship with since first appearing on the beloved BBC show in September.

Sharing a photo of the pair onstage together, she wrote to fans: 'For the last time last night.... our waltz- thank you @aljazskorjanec for truly being the greatest partner I could have ever wished for... it was such an honour.

'I love you with all my heart. @strictlycomedancinglive thanks for the best adventure to date! What a company.'

Catching up: The glamorous star caught up with her fellow guests at the bash - including designer Jonathan Saunders (R)
She's normally based on the East Coast, so no doubt was hoping for some sunshine in California.

But Naomi Watts was faced with wet and stormy weather as she stepped out shopping in Los Angeles on Monday.

The 48-year-old actress battled the elements while getting her groceries with a pal.

Pouring down! Naomi Watts was faced with wet and stormy weather as she stepped out shopping in Los Angeles on Monday

The Mulholland Drive actress looked to have come straight from a work out, as she was still in her gym leggings and trainers.

They were, perhaps, not the ideal garments to protect her from the downpour - as the bedraggled beauty attempted to cover up a little in a hooded lightweight jacket from Volcom.

She carried her belongings in a black leather satchel-style bag.

Walk on the wild side! The 48-year-old actress battled the elements while getting her groceries

True to celebrity form, despite the grey skies, the Divergent Series star covered her eyes in sunglasses.

She appeared to be make-up free, and underneath her hood had pulled her blonde tresses into a practical ponytail.

Her assistant appeared to be just as ill-prepared for the gloomy weather in the normally sunkissed city, as she wore chestnut sheepskin boots and had nothing to cover her long blonde hair at all.

Action woman: The Mulholland Drive actress looked to have come straight from a work out, as she was still in her gym leggings and trainers - as she shopped with a pal

Low-key: She appeared to be make-up free, and underneath her hood had pulled her blonde tresses into a practical ponytail

Chilly? Her assistant appeared to be just as ill-prepared for the gloomy weather in the normally sunkissed city

Helping hand: Naomi cheerily looked the other way while her pal loaded her shopping bags into the trunk of her car

Sensible shopper: Naomi responsibly took the time to return her shopping cart

Naomi - who was born in Kent, U.K. but moved to Sydney, Australia when she was 14-years-old - had enjoyed a more lively weekend, as she shared a snap of a star-studded Sunday lunch alongside Isla Fisher, Laura Dern and Aaron Taylor Johnson.

She has sons Alexander, 9 and Samuel, 7, with her ex-partner actor Liev Schreiber.

Naomi is currently filming a new Netflix thriller, Gypsy, in which she plays a therapist who begins to develop dangerous and intimate relationships with the people in her patients lives.
The Trouble With Dad

Rating:

When comedian David Baddiels father Colin was diagnosed with Picks disease, a form of dementia, the neurologist explained it meant he would swear uncontrollably, display inappropriate behaviour and be bad-tempered.

Davids response was: Does he have a disease or have you just met him?

Last nights The Trouble With Dad (Channel 4) was about the struggle of David and his two brothers to deal with their fathers illness.

Last nights The Trouble With Dad (Channel 4) was about the struggle of David Baddiel (right) and his two brothers to deal with their fathers illness

It was incredibly touching in places and occasionally sad, but what it was throughout was very, very funny.

The idea of finding comedy in an 82-year-old mans illness may, at first, seem cruel and in bad taste. But if you think about it, seeking humour in terrible circumstances is probably the British number one coping mechanism.

The Baddiel brothers have always had a relationship with their dad based on abusive banter. What Picks disease had done was to remove any kind of filter.

If Colin thought it, he said it. He told his sons they were boring, ugly, annoying and he wished they would all just eff off. I couldnt give a rusty damn, was his response to pretty much everything.

The idea of finding comedy in an 82-year-old mans illness may, at first, seem cruel and in bad taste. But if you think about it, seeking humour in terrible circumstances is probably the British number one coping mechanism

As unfortunate as Colins condition was, David admitted hed far prefer that to the type of dementia where a person just sits and stares at a wall.

The family chose to make the documentary following reaction to Davids recent stand-up show in which he spoke about Colins illness.

Many people contacted him to say their relatives also had Picks, but that there seemed to be very little public awareness of it.

Towards the end of the programme, we saw Colin suffering a kidney infection and becoming withdrawn and silent.

It was at this point that the brothers realised how much they missed the abusive, foul-mouthed dad they admitted to being slightly scared of as children and whod never shown them any affection.

Happily, Colin recovered from his illness in time to tell his sons he couldnt care less about the birthday treat theyd arranged for him and that David had a face like somebodys backside.

The Trouble With Dad was like an unconventional love letter to a difficult man and one many people caring for elderly relatives would identify with.

Jon Richardson: How To Survive The End Of The World

Rating:

Another programme that should have been funny, but was an unfocused shambles, was Jon Richardson: How To Survive The End Of The World (Channel 4).

It should have been called Jon Richardson: How To Pad Out A Three-Minute Stand-up Sketch Into One Hour Of TV.

Anyone who has seen Richardson live, or as a team captain on 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown, will know he is very witty and one of lifes pessimists.

Anyone who has seen Richardson live, or as a team captain on 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown, will know he is very witty and one of lifes pessimists. Jon Richardson: How To Survive The End Of The World should have been funny, but it was an unfocused shambles

Last night he compiled a list of his fears and then set about talking to experts on how he could tackle risk and stay alive.

He met a woman who swore she could help anyone live to 150 (at a price) and the De Watts family, who bottled and sold fresh air for 80 to the gullible.

There was a man in Canada who had dedicated his life to designing invincibility suits to help defeat death under any circumstances.

One suit was made to withstand a bear attack. The only problem was it took 15 minutes to put on, by which time the grizzly would have eaten you.
She's taking full advantage of President's Day by spending quality time with her kids.

On Monday, Julia Roberts braved the rain and headed to Malibu for lunch with her 12-year-old twins, Phinnaeus and Hazel.

The 49-year-old devoted mother held onto some leftovers as she headed back to her car with her children, who seemed to be in high spirits on their day off from school.

Day off! On Monday, Julia Roberts braved the rain in a coat by Stutterheim and headed to Malibu for lunch with her 12-year-old twins, Phinnaeus and Hazel

The Golden Globe winner was demure in black skinny jeans, a longline gray-black raincoat with the hood pulled low over her forehead, and brown ankle boots with gold hardware.

She completed the off-duty look with a bright green scarf and a pair of seeing glasses.

Her signature brunette tresses seemed to have been lightened, as the waves cascading out of her jacket appeared honey-coloured.

Good times: The 49-year-old devoted mother held onto some leftovers as she headed back to her car with her children, who seemed to be in high spirits on their day off from school

The mom-of-three is often seen wandering about Malibu Country Mart with her children.

Julia Roberts had her twins at 37, and welcomed her 9-year-old son Henry just a few years later, with husband of 15 years Daniel Moder, 48.

The Oscar winner was gearing up for the release of two movies in April.

The first was Smurfs: The Lost Village, for which Julia voiced Smurfwillow, starring alongside Ariel Winter, who voices Smurflily.

Devoted mom: Julia Roberts had her twins at 37, and welcomed her 9-year-old son Henry just a few years later, with husband of 15 years Daniel Moder, 48

The second was Wonder, the dramatic film about a young boy born with a facial deformity determined to fit in at a new school, which also stars Owen Wilson.

The latter's release date was pushed to November 2017.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, after the film performed well in screen testings, Lionsgate decided to push it to around Thanksgiving, a popular time for movies.

Smurfs hits the big screens April 7.

Julia will soon be reunited with Viola Davis, her Eat Pray Love co-star, for an upcoming film titled Small Great Things.
Jonathan Cheban set his Instagram account to private on Sunday after being trolled for his body-shaming of a vegan blogger last Tuesday.

After Nancy Sidley called him a 'furhag,' the 42-year-old reality star viciously retaliated in the comments of her Sophisticated Vegan account.

'Worst looking vegan alive,' the former Celebrity Big Brother contestant wrote. 'If that's vegan give me beef!!!'

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Put in his place: Jonathan Cheban set his Instagram account to private on Sunday after being trolled for his body-shaming of a vegan blogger last Tuesday

Cheban also called Sidley (who wears a size 2) a 'fat, wrinkled mess' with a 'huge chin' and suggested: 'Get some lips.'

'I can't believe @kimkardashian is BFF's with this guy?' Nancy wrote to her 922 followers on Thursday.

'What if North grows up and doesn't want to get any plastic surgery like me? Would he says the same things to her? The Kardashian brand should not be about putting down women based on their looks and he is part of their brand.

'Of course you wear glasses': After Nancy Sidley called him a 'furhag,' the 42-year-old reality star viciously retaliated in the comments of her Sophisticated Vegan account

Cheban also called Sidley (who wears a size 2) a 'fat, wrinkled mess' with a 'huge chin' and suggested: 'Get some lips'

Nancy wrote to her 922 followers on Thursday: 'I can't believe @kimkardashian is BFF's with this guy? What if North grows up and doesn't want to get any plastic surgery like me? Would he says the same things to her? The Kardashian brand should not be about putting down women based on their looks and he is part of their brand'

'#furismurder': The Portland-born animal activist had also called out Jonathan's BFF Kim Kardashian West, Khloe Kardashian (L), and Kendall Jenner (R) for wearing fur

'He is on their reality show and apart of Kim's Hollywood game. People need to call this guy out on body shaming. We are all beautiful just the way we are.'

The Portland-born animal activist had also called out Jonathan's BFF Kim Kardashian West, Khloe Kardashian, and Kendall Jenner for wearing fur over the last year.

On Monday, the Keeping Up with the Kardashians star - whose first appearance on the E! series was in 2009 - took a JetSmarter plane to Paris 'for crepes.'

Snob: On Monday, the Keeping Up with the Kardashians star - whose first appearance on the E! series was in 2009 - took a JetSmarter plane to Paris 'for crepes'

Pictured in 2013 and 1991: Cheban isn't anyone to criticize a person's figure or face, having undergone rhinoplasty since graduating from Fort Lee High School in New Jersey

Any takers? The Hofstra University grad is currently competing on the second season of the British dating series Celebs Go Dating, which airs weeknights on E4

Cheban isn't anyone to criticize a person's figure or face, having undergone rhinoplasty since graduating from Fort Lee High School in New Jersey.

The Hofstra University grad is currently competing on the second season of the British dating series Celebs Go Dating, which airs weeknights on E4.

And while not vegan, the Burger Bandit restaurateur will soon launch his own lifestyle blog, Foodgod.com.
Kanye West stepped out for a solo lunch in Los Angeles on Monday.

The rapper, who continues to sport platinum blonde hair, was seen arriving at a restaurant in the Brentwood neighborhood.

He wore dark jeans and a bomber jacket along with tan boots.

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Where's Kim? Kanye West stepped out solo in LA on Monday for lunch at a Brentwood restaurant

The 39-year-old is back on the West Coast after the rather low-key launch of his Yeezy season 5 collection during New York Fashion Week last Wednesday.

The reception for his latest clothing designs was muted and most of his wife Kim's Keeping Up With The Kardashians family stayed away.

Reality star Kim had, according to insiders, expressed concern about how her husband would cope with the pressure of his runway show following his hospitalization in November for 'temporary psychosis.'

But on Monday Kanye seemed in reasonably good spirits despite being by himself.

Quiet outing: The 39-year-old is back on the West Coast after the rather low-key launch of his Yeezy season 5 collection during New York Fashion Week last Wednesday

Dressed for rainy weather: Kanye wore dark jeans and a bomber jacket along with tan boots and carried a cell phone

Sticks out in a crowd: The rapper is still sporting his dyed platinum blonde hair

Kanye canceled his Life Of Pablo tour as a result of his breakdown and now his NYFW show is out of the way, it's not clear what his plans are going forward.

Wife Kim has begun posting again on social media after an absence following her robbery in Paris last fall.

And the the couple have been spending time with their children North, three, and Saint, one.

Getting better: Kanye was hospitalized in November for 'temporary psychosis' and canceled his Life Of Pablo tour as a result of his breakdown

Good spirits: Kanye flashed the peace sign while exiting Bandera Restaurant

In style: The musician had on a bomber jacket and Yeezy desert boots
She's the bikini babe who traded life as a lawyer to be an Instagram model.

And Pia Muehlenbeck did what she does best on Tuesday, while showing of her bikini body in a poolside snap on Instagram.

The 22-year-old put on a busty display in a black and white two-piece and told her followers she's counting down the days until Bali.

Sizzling hot: Pia Muehlenbeck did what she does best on Tuesday, while showing of her bikini body in a poolside snap on Instagram

'This time next week... Bali,' she captioned.

Gazing at the camera, Pia posed with one hand running through her luscious brunette locks.

Fans of the social media stunner went wasted no time gushing over the image - which garnered 31,000 likes on Instagram.

'That bikini's almost gone!': Social media sensation Pia Muehlenbeck shared a cheeky flashback photo of her previous trip to Bali in May 2015 in a tiny G-string - sending fans in a frenzy

Excited for Bali! She captioned her post, 'This time next week... Bali,' along with a cute palm tree emoji'

'Looking absolutely gorgeous as usual doll!,' one user wrote.

Another commented: 'You look gorgeous as always and have an amazing figure!'

Another fan wished her and boyfriend, Kane Vato, an awesome trip ahead of their travels.

Holiday vibes: Pia last visited hu'u Villa in May 2015 and at the time posted a slew of sexy photos, including one where she appeared to be naked in bed

She first announced her trip to Indonesia in a cheeky throwback post on Saturday.

In the photo, she flaunting her pert derriere in tiny G-string, sending her 1.7 million fans into a frenzy.

One user wrote: 'I think your bum's a little hungry.... that bikini's almost gone.'

Instagram sensation: The 22-year-old regularly showcases her fit figure, including her exercise and diet regime

Pia last visited hu'u Villa in May 2015 and at the time posted a slew of sexy photos, including one where she appeared to be naked in bed, covering her modesty in a quilt.

In a recent interview with Daily Mail Australia Pia revealed she owned approximately 200 bikinis.

The swimwear enthusiast joked: 'I try to cull regularly, but Im like "but I might need this one one day", I'm terrible.'

'Im not a bikini hoarder alright,' she added with a laugh.
They've been dating for two years, having met on Channel Seven soap Home And Away.

And Bonnie Sveen was seen packing on the PDA with her long-term boyfriend Nathan Gooley while out in Sydney's Paddington on Saturday.

The 27-year-old looked radiant and flashed a glimpse of her toned legs in a maxi-skirt with thigh-split as she embraced her assistant director beau.

Still going strong! Bonnie Sveen, 27, looked radiant and flashed a hint of toned thigh as she was spotted packing on the PDA with long-term boyfriend Nathan Gooley in Sydney's Paddington on Saturday

The couple cut a casual figure as they strolled the streets of Sydney's trendy inner-city suburb.

Bonnie showed off her petite upper frame in a simple black tank top, teamed with a high-waisted floral maxi-skirt that revealed a glimpse of her lean legs.

Accessorising with a pair of black strappy flats, a coordinating leather clutch and a delicate silver necklace, the former Home And Away star swept her blonde locks into an effortless up-do with a floral clip.

Low-key: The couple cut a casual figure as they strolled the streets of Sydney's trendy inner-city suburb

Pretty in floral: Bonnie showed off her petite upper frame in a simple black tank top, teamed with a high-waisted floral maxi-skirt

Effortless: Accessorising with a pair of black strappy flats, a coordinating leather clutch and a delicate silver necklace, the former Home And Away star swept her blonde locks into an effortless up-do

Shielding her eyes behind a pair of stylish dark sunglasses, the Channel Seven personality appeared to sport a minimal amount of makeup, drawing attention to her natural beauty.

Nathan, who works at OOW Productions in Sydney, was equally as casual in a black tank top and pair of white patterned shorts.

Camouflage Crocs, a black cap with a logo emblazoned on the front in white, and black sunglasses, finished off the low-key look.

Cool and casual: Nathan, who works at OOW Productions in Sydney, sported a black tank top and a pair of white patterned shorts

Simplistic: A black cap with a logo emblazoned on the front in white, and black sunglasses, worked as low-key accessories

Appearing very much in love, Bonnie and Nathan embraced one another as they strolled the streets, before heading for a juice at Paddington Fresh, followed by a quick bite of sushi.

In quite a playful mood, Nathan was seen holding up his iPhone for paparazzi, zooming in on the text: 'Help Me'.

While flipping his iPhone around revealed the text: 'Luv u!'

Thirsty work: The couple ordered a juice at Paddington Fresh, followed by a quick bite of sushi

Smitten: Bonnie only had eyes for her beau of two years, gazing affectionately during the outing

Last year, Bonnie, gushed to TV Week magazine about having a partner in the same industry.

'He's great. He's in this game too so he gets that there's an interest in my private life,' the Tasmanian-born star told the publication.

'We get each other's work. He has a bit more experience than me on different shows,' she continued.

Content: Last year, Bonnie, gushed to TV Week magazine about having a partner in the same industry: 'He's great. He's in this game too so he gets that there's an interest in my private life,' she told the publication

Timing: Bonnie was single for four years before meeting Nathan on Home And Away

Speculation: Engagement rumours swirled last year when Bonnie was seen with a ring on her wedding finger

Bonnie was single four years before meeting Nathan on Home And Away.

Engagement rumours swirled last year when Bonnie was seen with a ring on her wedding finger.

A spokesperson for the star dismissed the possibility of impending nuptials, telling Daily Mail Australia in May: 'I can confirm Bonnie is not engaged.'

No truth: A spokesperson for the star dismissed the possibility of impending nuptials, telling Daily Mail Australia in May: 'I can confirm Bonnie is not engaged'

Similar interests: Bonnie and Nathan met on Channel Seven soap Home And Away
It was a virtual roll call of high powered Hollywood stars when Aussie ex-pats Naomi Watts and Isla Fisher got together for a girls-only LA lunch date on Sunday.

New York based Naomi was in Tinseltown and met up with friends including good pal Isla, actress Laura Dern, filmmaker Sam Taylor-Johnson and producer Lisa Rubin.

Fifty Shades Of Grey director Sam, 49, however brought along her much younger husband, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, 26, leading Isla to joke that he was a 'stripper'.

Who's who! It was a virtual roll call of high powered Hollywood babes when Aussie ex-pats Naomi Watts and Isla Fisher got together for a girls-only LA lunch date on Sunday

The redhead shared a picture of the get together on Instagram and poked fun at the lone bloke at the ladies luncheon.

The Confessions Of A Shopaholic actress captioned the image, which shows a bashful Aaron sporting a mustache, 'Finally the stripper has arrived!'

Also in attendance was Aussie Emma Cooper, an old friend of Naomi's who is married to television writer Harry Cripps, and top stylist Kate Stirling.

The women had much to celebrate, with Laura Dern's new TV series, Big Little Lies, co-starring Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon, about to hit the air.

No boys allowed! Fifty Shades of Grey director Sam, 49, however brought along her much younger husband, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, 26, leading Isla to joke that he was a 'stripper'

Ex-pat BFFS: Naomi and Isla have been friends for many years, posing together at the I Heart Huckabees premiere in 2004 and seen shopping together in New York in 2011

Best mates: They were also inseparable at the 2012 Cannes film festival (pictured) and have caught up with one another regularly ever since they both actresses respectively left Australia

Naomi has started work on TV series Gypsy, in which she plays a neurotic therapist who gets too close to her own patients.

The show is produced by Lisa Rubin, who was present at the lunch, and Sam Taylor-Johnson, also pictured at the luncheon, is one of it's guest directors.

Former Home And Away star Isla has just had success in two different movies, the comedy Keeping Up With The Joneses and the Oscar nominated Nocturnal Animals.

Famous friends: Naomi has a lot of big name buddies including Stella McCartney (L) and actress Julianne Moore (R) who she spent time with recently

Naomi and Isla have been friends for many years, posing together at the I Heart Huckabees premiere in 2004 and seen shopping together in New York in 2011.

They were also inseparable at the 2012 Cannes film festival, and have caught up with one another regularly ever since they both actresses respectively left Australia.
Rooney Mara stepped out in Hollywood on Monday in an all black ensemble that flaunted her slim physique.

The actress, 31, donned skintight leggings and sneakers with a sweater over a gray t-shirt for her solo outing.

Her trip to a West Hollywood spa came as PageSix.com claimed that the Girl With The Dragon Tattoo star and actor Joaquin Phoenix, 42, are 'madly in love.'

Casual attire: Rooney Mara stepped out in Hollywood on Monday in an all black ensemble that flaunted her slim physique

The romance rumors are nothing new as it's previously been reported the two stars fell for each other while making the Biblical film Mary Magdalene.

In January they skipped town over the Golden Globes weekend to spend time together at a desert spa.

Earlier this month they were seen out shopping together in Los Angeles looking very close and happy in each other's company.

Beanie babe: The actress, 31, donned skintight leggings and sneakers with a sweater over a gray t-shirt for her solo outing to a West Hollywood spa

Big romance rumors: Her pamper session came as came as PageSix.com claimed that the Girl With The Dragon Tattoo star and actor Joaquin Phoenix, 42, are 'madly in love'

On set love: The two stars are reported to have fallen for each other while filming the Biblical film Mary Magdalene in Italy last year. They're pictured shooting a scene in November

Meanwhile, the trailer for Rooney's newest big screen release - Terrence Malik's Song to Song - dropped over the weekend.

The film, which also stars Ryan Gosling, Natalie Portman and Michael Fassbender, paints a portrait of love, beauty, music, passion and betrayal against the artsy backdrop of Austin, Texas.

It also has a star-studded supporting cast including Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Val Kilmer, Benicio Del Toro and Holly Hunter.

The movie will premiere at South By Southwest on March 10, and then screen in Los Angeles and New York from March 17.
Meg Ryan is getting as much quality time as possible with her daughter before she gets back to work.

On Monday, the Sleepless in Seattle star was spotted out with 12-year-old Daisy True, appearing in high spirits as she enjoyed her only girl's company.

The 55-year-old actress and her preteen took advantage of President's Day - and no school - as they held hands and ran errands after grabbing lunch together in Soho.

Mother-daughter outing: On Monday, Meg Ryan, 55, was spotted out with 12-year-old Daisy True in high spirits as the duo enjoyed each other's company

The pair, who are very close, were dressed smartly yet comfortably for the casual outing - Ryan donned loose, bootcut blue jeans and a purple turtleneck long-sleeve sweater.

The City of Angels actress paired the low-key look with black hiking shoes, black sunglasses, and a brown peacoat.

Meg's golden tresses were allowed to dry naturally into loose waves.

Off-duty: Ryan donned loose, bootcut blue jeans and a purple turtleneck long-sleeve sweater

Daisy - whom Meg adopted from China in 2005, when Daisy was only 14 months old -wore denim pants as well, tucked into black UGG boats and paired with a black longline coat that featured a shearling hem.

After grabbing lunch at a restaurant in SoHo, the duo picked up baked goods before heading home.

The Golden Globe nominee is set to star in the upcoming comedy series Picture Paris.

The show, based on the 2011 short film, centers on a suburban mom whose dream trip to Paris with her husband does not quite live up to expectations.

Comfy: Daisy wore denim pants as well, tucked into black UGG boats and paired with a black longline coat that featured a shearling hem

According to Deadline, this would mark a return to TV for Ryan who, except for occasional guest appearances, has not been a series regular since the 1985 ABC Western Wildside.

Meg also recently revealed her second career: home renovation.

The When Harry Met Sally star appeared on the cover of Architectural Digest and announced that she was selling her Soho loft for $8.7m.

Dessert! After grabbing lunch at a restaurant in SoHo, the duo picked up baked goods before heading home

The apartment is the eighth property she has renovated and she is now looking for a new home to sink her decorating teeth into.

The star said that while renovating so many apartments may sound odd to others, she thought it was linked to her lifestyle as an actor.

'I love renovating. I think it's tied to living the actor's life,' she told Architectural Digest.

Natural: Meg's golden tresses were allowed to dry naturally into loose waves

'As an actor, you are so rarely in control.

'Youre always saying words that someone else has given you, standing in a room that someone else has designed, to create a reality that someone else wants to see.

'But with decorating I am in control; its a chance for me to bring my vision into the world.'
Kerri-Anne Kennerley is reportedly taking part in the Aussie version of Fashion Police and it looks as if she could be slated to take on the Joan Rivers role on the program.

Peter Ford reported on 6PR radio on Tuesday that Kerri-Anne shot for the Foxtel pilot this week, according to TV Tonight.

The chat show involves celebrities praising and slating outfits worn by A-listers on the red carpet, and Joan Rivers was known for making some of the most controversial comments of all.

New role: Kerri-Anne Kennerley is reportedly taking part in the Aussie version of Fashion Police and it looks as if she could be slated to take on the Joan Rivers role on the program

While Keri-Anne is no pushover, the 63-year-old doesn't have quite the same brash demeanour that the late comedienne was known for.

Joan sadly passed away in 2014 aged 81, and the original cast of Fashion Police, including Giuliana Rancic and Kelly Osbourne, continued for a time.

Much like it's American counterpart, the local version appears to be rounding up some well known and colourful personalities.

KIIS 1065 radio host Jackie O is also said to have taken part in shooting for the show this week.

Original cast: Joan was the original host of Fashion Police and was joined by (L-R) Kelly Osbourne, Brad Goreski and Giuliana Rancic

In her honour: After Joan sadly passed away in 2014 aged 81, the original cast continued for a time

Other names who have reportedly filmed for the pilot include radio host Sophie Monk, fashion designer Alex Perry and fashion blogger Patti Huntington.

Joel Creasey will reportedly host the show, and according to Peter Ford the controversial comedian is 'born for this job.'

The gig marks a welcome return to the spotlight for Kerri-Anne, who has been caring for husband John who was left paralysed from the neck down after a fall last year.

Back to work: The gig marks a welcome return to the spotlight for Kerri-Anne, who has been caring for husband John who was left paralysed from the neck down after a fall last year

During an emotional interview on Seven's Sunday Night the TV star admitted, 'I hate this new life to be quite frank. I hate it. It's just awful'.

John, 76, has since regained the ability to speak and some movement in his hands and the couple have sought progressive treatments in the USA.
He was teased after he confessed to sporting an adult diaper during a recent bout of gastro.

But comedian Dave Hughes, 46, didn't let that queezy feeling get the better of him ahead of his stand up show in Adelaide, on Friday night.

The KIIS FM host told co-host Kate Langbroek on their afternoon drive show that he once again depended on the protection of an adult nappy.

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Let it slip out! Dave Hughes he once again depended on the protection of an adult nappy revealing he wore an adult diaper to stand up show in Adelaide on Friday

He was heckled by audience members who knew about his dirty, not so little secret, but fortunately him, he reported no accidents happened during his show.

It was only after his gig that he knew he needed a change and raced back to his hotel room only to be met with Guns N Roses fans clogging up the lobby who wanted to take photos with him.

After relieving himself, Hughesy made the decision to protect the bed he was sleeping on by wearing the nappy to bed.

Crowds going while: The comedian said he was heckled by audience members who knew about his gastro situation

'I went through three nappies,' he admitted much to the amusement of his co-host and producer.

'I didn't really need to go through all three of them, but I thought it felt better with fresh nappies,' he said.

The problem came the next morning when he needed to dispose of the soiled diapers before house keeping arrived.

Not happy! The 46-year-old revealing he'd been wearing the special underwear to fight gastro he contracted on Valentine's Day

Laughs all round! More laughs erupted from co-host Kate (pictured) after the host revealed he didn't buy the special underwear specifically for the gastro - because he already had them

'[There were] three little bins in my room, so I put a nappy in each,' he said.

Thankfully Hughesy said he is all good and better now.

The comedian's struggle was revealed after the producer prompted him to say he had been wearing adult nappies since contracting a nasty bout of gastro on Valentine's Day.

'Very comfortable': Shortly after, Dave decided to embrace his trademark transparency, saying: 'They're very comfortable I won't deny it'

Realising he had been backed into a corner by the show's producers, Dave began to openly discuss his predicament.

'I'm wearing paper undies, I've got an 8 pack... They're very comfortable I won't deny it,' he said told the studio.

More laughs erupted after he revealed already had the nappies following a past medical procedure.

But soon after his businessman instincts kicked into gear when he realised he could be landing some advertising money for his endorsement.

'But with these, I have full confidence!' The fact is they are handy, they're comfortable for wear,' he declared.
She previously appeared on Famously Single.

But it appears Brandi Glanville is no longer single - and in fact, she has a boyfriend that loves to show her off...all of her.

On Monday, the 44-year-old former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star's 'man mate,' also 44, posted a photo in which the couple can be seen in the nude.

NSFW: Brandi Glanville and new beau Donald Friese lay nude together in a shot the 44-year-old posted to his Instagram account on Monday

Donald Friese, known on social media as DJ, took the photo as a mirror pic and posted it to his Instagram account, where he is followed by just over 4k people.

The caption read: 'Loving my V-Day Present #reflection #nofilter #bodyart.'

Though shadows conceal the couple's modesty, the photo is definitely NSFW.

The steamy shot comes just over a week after the pair made their first red carpet appearance together.

First red carpet: Brandi and DJ came out as a couple just in time for Valentine's Day

In an interview with Hollywood Today Live, Glanville dished about her new man, which she has several different names for: 'Mr. Gushy,' 'man-gina,' and 'man mate.'

'The sex is great, so I'm good,' Brandi divulged honestly, 'he's actually hornier than me, which is hard to do.'

When asked about their plans for Valentine's Day, Brandi, who was previously married to actor Eddie Cibrian, replied: 'He has the whole day planned. He's excited.'

She also revealed that they have been together for almost 5 months, but have no plans of getting married anytime soon, as they are both divorcees.

A tamer look: Earlier today, Glanville was spotted having lunch with best friend Kristen Taekman and doing some shopping Calabasas on Monday

Earlier today, Glanville was spotted having lunch with best friend Kristen Taekman and doing some shopping Calabasas on Monday.

The two posted a selfie together, indicating they are the best of friends.

The caption for the filtered photo read: 'Blonde & blonde @kristentaekman & I hanging like the OG bffs that we are.'

Brandi worked a much tamer look for the daytime outing, wearing pair of skintight light denim jeans paired with a cream sweater, layered on top of a white t-shirt.

Blonde and blonder: The two golden-haired beauties posted a selfie to their respective Instagram accounts

Acting coy: Brandi worked a much tamer look for the daytime outing, wearing pair of skintight light denim jeans paired with a cream sweater, layered on top of a white t-shirt

She carried a taupe handbag and for footwear, she opted for brown flats.

The ensemble put her slender 5'10 frame on display.

The mother-of-two's highlighted yellow mane was blown out and split in the center as it cascaded down her chest.

Glanville chose to keep her makeup light and fresh for the outing on President's Day, sticking to mascara, rouge, and a bit of eyebrow pencil.
Lindsay Lohan claimed she was targeted by customs officials at Heathrow Airport because she was wearing a headscarf.

The actress, 30, revealed the incident while speaking to Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid on Tuesday's Good Morning Britain.

She explained: 'When I was flying to New York recently. I was wearing a headscarf and I got stopped at the airport and was racially profiled for the first time in my life.

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'Freaked out': Lindsay Lohan, 30, claimed she was targeted by customs officials at Heathrow Airport because she was wearing a headscarf

'She opened my passport and saw Lindsay Lohan and started apologizing but said "take off your head scarf".

'I did, I mean its OK. But what scared me was that moment, how would another woman who doesnt feel comfortable taking off her headscarf feel? That was really interesting to me. I was kind of in shock.

'I cant speak for what the purpose of it was. But it was jarring. I got double checked until she realised. No [Id never had that before]. It was strange. It did [freak me out]. Im from New York, born and raised. I was a little intimidated.'

Lindsay was wearing the garment as she had flown from Turkey where she had met with the country's President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Respectful: Lindsay was wearing the garment as she had flown from Turkey where she had met with the country's President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Happy: Lindsay was in fine spirits for her early morning appearance

Candid: The actress revealed the incident while speaking to Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid on Tuesday's Good Morning Britain

The star said she wore the item out of respect for the people of Turkey and kept it on at the airport because it made her less likely to be recognised.

A representative for Heathrow told MailOnline: 'Heathrow respects the cultural and religious needs of all passengers travelling through the airport.

'We work hard to provide our passengers with great service while ensuring everyone remains safe and secure.

Get behind him: The Mean Girls star also claimed US President Donald Trump should be given a chance by those protesting against him

Rumours have been circulating for some time that Lindsay has converted to Islam, however, she was coy when pressed by Piers.

She said: 'I think that me studying the Quran is something I found solace in. You can't just convert to a religion overnight. I just study it, nothing is confirmed yet.

'Religion is a personal belief, my sister's a Buddhist. I don't want to speak on something I haven't finished yet. I find a solace in studying not just the Quran but meditation.

Looking good: The star wore a pink floral dress for her TV appearance

'The Islamic culture, I feel it's a family to me, they've been really good people to me. I want to learn the language so I can discuss situations with them (Syrian issues). It calms me. It's something I'm interested in.'

The Mean Girls star also claimed US President Donald Trump should be given a chance by those protesting against him.

'Its such a double edged sword, said Lindsay. 'I dont agree with his policies and the things that hes doing, but at the end of the day he is the President right now, so whats the point in picking on someone instead of just seeing what theyre capable of or not capable of  I cant speak on that because Im not him, I dont know what goes on, Id love to be a fly on the wall in the Oval Office these days.

Unexpected: She explained: 'When I was flying to New York recently. I was wearing a headscarf and I got stopped at the airport and was racially profiled for the first time in my life'

Hollywood hottie: Lindsay looked radiant wearing a slick of pink lipstick and neatly-styled luscious copper locks

New chapter: Since turning 30, Lindsay has a new-found calm and outlook on life

'People are making it overly dramatic. I do think his Twitter needs to be taken away or deleted. I just think you know, dont kick someone when theyre down.'

The star has made no secret of her desire for another Mean Girls film, and she said she 'hopes someone writes me back soon' so that the project can get underway.

Her troubled past has been well-documented, with failed relationships and boozy tales almost overshadowing her film career.

Shedding some light on the difficulties of growing up in the public eye, she said: 'People really like to harp on the past, that was over 10 years ago.

Back to her best: The actress also reflected on her past personal issues

'I think also at the time when I was being hounded by paparazzi it was the beginning of this era. We didn't have Instagram or Twitter, it was the beginning of a phenomenon and I was left to my own devices which isn't great when you're young.'

However, since turning 30, Lindsay has a new-found calm and outlook on life.

She went on: 'When I turned 30 I always aspired for this, I always said when I turn 30 that will be the defining moment of what I want to do. I found a lot of solace I reached inside and what my intentions were in the world. Taking control of my life.

Victim of her surroundings: She blamed a lot of her woes on the LA lifestyle

'I don't think it was ever turning to anything, it (drink) was very accessible when I was 16, 17, 18, 19. I had been working so much and surrounded myself with the wrong people going out drinking was the wrong thing to do. I didn't listen to anyone.

'My dad worked on the stock exchange, on Wall Street then he went away with Jordan Belfort (Wolf of Wall Street) and my mum was taking care of all of us and that must have been really difficult.

'I found therapy through acting. When I had the ability to leave and start my own life is when I should have listened to my mum.

I think so (LA the problem). It moves so fast there, it's easier to surround yourself with any person than it is to be alone.'
Stephanie Davis has followed up her wonderful weekend with a cute snap of her baby son Caben-Albi.

The actress, 23, is besotted with her baby boy and took a picture of him lying peacefully on his back in an oversized outfit with plenty of room for him to grow into.

Wearing a white polo shirt and a grey sleeveless pullover, the little one rested on a personalised cuddly elephant and gazed up at the camera.

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Adorable: Stephanie Davis has followed up her wonderful weekend with a cute snap of her baby son Caben-Albi

With the picture saying more than words could, Stephanie simply posted a love heart alongside the image.

Baby daddy Jeremy McConnell, 26, recently tweeted he'd had an 'amazing few' days meeting his new son.

And Stephanie echoed his sentiment on Sunday as she took to Twitter to share a sweet post about the weekend.

Clearly in good spirits, the former Hollyoaks star hared a post which read: 'A Sunday well spent brings a week of content'.

Chirpy: Stephanie took to Twitter on Sunday to gush about her wonderful weekend after Jeremy McConnell met their son for the first time since it was confirmed he is the father

She captioned the tweet with several smiling face emojis but kept coy as to what had made her so full of joy.

The post coincided with Jeremy's visit to Steph's hometown of Liverpool where he met month-old Caben-Albi for the first time.

The reality star and model tweeted he had 'an amazing few days' with the newborn and is 'feeling blessed' after jetting in from Dublin to see his child.

Sweet words: Clearly in good spirits, the former Hollyoaks star shared a post which read: 'A Sunday well spent brings a week of content'

The news comes after Jeremy spent nine months vehemently denying the paternity of the baby.

Yet when he discovered last week that he is the father, he was quick to step up.

Sources told The Sun that the hunky Irish model is determined not to miss anything from the life of the tot, who was born last month.

Jeremy, who started his romance with Stephanie a year ago inside the Celebrity Big Brother house, learnt he was the father to month-old Caben-Albi last week.

'It was an emotional reunion': When Jeremy discovered last week that he is the father of Stephanie's baby son Caben Albi, he was quick to step up as he reportedly jetted to Liverpool

Feeling blessed: The model tweeted on Friday that he has had an 'amazing few days'

After awaiting the DNA results, having given a swab live on This Morning, the former Beauty School Cop Outs star was unveiled as his parent.

He has now reportedly spent the weekend with his child in Liverpool - where he and Stephanie were thought also to bury the hatchet - and insiders claim he has remained in the city to spend more time with his son.

A source said: 'Jeremy is still in Liverpool with Stephanie at the moment. Theyre using this time to get to know each other again away from the cameras and things are going well.

Conflicting stories: Sources tell The Sun that the hunky Irish model, 26, remains in England with the family as he is determined not to miss anything from the life of the tot, who was born last month

'Its been an emotional couple of days for them both but theyre beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel. Jeremy was keen not to miss out on any more time with Caben and Stephanie agrees its important for him to be there.'

It was revealed earlier in the week that Jeremy had finally met his son and spent time with Stephanie for the first time since their dramatic split.

Having hit it off in January 2016, during their time in CBB, Stephanie sacrificed her outside relationship with now-ex-boyfriend Sam Reece and continued to date Jeremy following their subsequent evictions from the show.

But by May last year things had grown acrimonious and the pair had split up, in what turned out to be a nasty, vitriolic and very public break up.

You're the daddy: After awaiting the DNA results, having given a swab live on This Morning, the former Beauty School Cop Outs star was unveiled as his parent

While Jeremy always insisted he would take a paternity test once the baby was born, there were remarks made that the child was not his; leading to further anger between the pair.

But last week, as the promised paternity test revealed that Jeremy is indeed the father, it seemed that the revelation had bridged the gap between the estranged parents.

A source said earlier his month: 'Stephanie and Jeremy are back on speaking terms. Theyre trying to rebuild a civilised relationship for the sake of Caben  they both knew that the situation had to change for things to move forward. Its going to be a slow process but theyre gradually heading in the right direction.'

Yet to meet: Despite sharing a sweet snap of the newborn and gushing he 'loves the little monkey', Jeremy had not met his son at the time of the post

Where or not they will give their relationship another shot or not is another matter, with friends allegedly feeling concern that they will do, for the sake of it.

The insider explained: 'There has always been a spark there even if it did end badly the first time round. They have a child together now  everythings changed.'

Jeremy shared a sweet snap of the newborn when the DNA results were revealed, gushing that he 'loves the little monkey' on Saturday.

He had - at this point - not met his son; and was reported that the picture of Caben shared by Jeremy was taken from one of Stephanie's private social media accounts.

First time father: After months of uncertainty, Jeremy, 26, announced on Saturday that he was the father of Stephanie Davis' three week old son Caben-Albi

Not his own: It's been reported that the picture of Caben shared by Jeremy as he announced the news was taken from one of Stephanie's private social media accounts

The reports come after Jeremy broke the news that he is the father by sharing a shot of Caben with his 495,000 Instagram followers.

Captioning the snap, he wrote: Happiest man alive, my new focus.

Showcasing his devotion to the tiny tot, he also wrote on Twitter, 'I'll love this monkey with every bit of me'.

Case of the ex: Jeremys confirmation brings to an end months of acrimony with former Hollyoaks actress Stephanie, who gave birth to their son on January 13

Jeremy appeared on This Morning last week, to address the issue, prior to taking the paternity test and prior to ironing out his differences with the actress.

'I'm upset,' he told hosts Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby as he spoke about the debacle for 'the first and last time.'

Jeremy claimed Stephanie wanted him to sign an 'unreasonable contract' in order to get the DNA results done - the contents of which cannot be discussed for legal reasons.

Jeremy said: 'No man in their right mind would sign that. It's disgusting. She's puppeteering the public. I'm sorry, I just can't.'

Speaking out: 'I'm upset. She's puppeteering the public,' he told Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby

As seen on screen: The reality star had gone to great lengths to determine whether he was the father of Stephanie Davis' son, even taking a DNA test on live television

Tweet then delete: Following his appearance, Stephanie took to Twitter to share a statement in which she called her ex's display 'humiliating' but since deleted the note

Following his appearance, Stephanie took to Twitter to share a statement in which she called her ex's display 'humiliating'.

The now-deleted statement claimed: 'Jeremy has caused Stephanie massive amount of stress, pressure and upset throughout her pregnancy, ruining what for most women is one of the most special time of their lives.

'Jeremy has at no point throughout the pregnancy or after the birth been in contact directly with Stephanie. Jeremy was categorically not banned from the birth nor did he ever ask to attend.'
They were rocked with scandal when Tom Daley was accused of having an 18-month affair with a male model while Dustin Lance Black was working abroad.

But the Olympic diver and his fiance put on a united front on Monday, as they attended the screening of his new series When We Rise at San Francisco's Castro Theatre.

The Team GB athlete, 22, and the American film director, 42, brushed aside the shocking allegations as they wrapped their arms around each other and smiled defiantly.

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Brave face: Tom Daley and his fiance Dustin Lance Black put on a united front at the screening of his new series When We Rise at San Francisco's Castro Theatre on Monday

Tom - who was accused of exchanging explicit messages and having 'physical' liaisons with model Edward William, 27 - looked casual in an all-black outfit.

Meanwhile his partner Dustin kept things quirky in a denim jacket over a shirt and tie, which he teamed with Converse trainers.

The pair looked happy, with Tom wrapping an arm around Dustin, as they attended the screening for the ABC series that Dustin wrote and produced.

And it seems the director was keen to move on from the allegations, as he shared a cryptic Instagram snap of himself looking rainbow on Sunday - which he captioned simply: 'Hopeful.'

Rmour has it: Mr Daley, 22, is said to have exchanged sexually explicit messages with Edward William (pictured), 27, and is also accused of having 'physical' liaisons

United front: The Team GB athlete, 22, and the American film director, 42, brushed aside the shocking allegations as they wrapped their arms around each other and smiled defiantly

All smiles: The pair looked happy, with Tom wrapping an arm around Dustin, as they attended the screening for the ABC series that Dustin wrote and produced

On Sunday Tom was rocked with allegations that he an 18-month affair with male model Edward William while his fiance was working abroad.

The Team GB athlete reportedly met his 6ft 6ins lover in the street and began chatting online in 2014.

A source told The Sun: 'Ed said the messages Tom sent would say things like, "I'm home and horny, can you come round?"

'Others would say, "Lance is away, are you going to be about?"

'Ed told them it was a purely physical relationship with not much emotion involved.

Looking dapper: Tom looked casual in an all-black outfit while Dustin kept things quirky in a denim jacket

''Hopeful': It seems the director was keen to move on from the allegations, as he shared a cryptic Instagram snap of himself looking rainbow

British diver Tom Daley announced his engagement to American writer, director and producer Dustin Lance Black in 2015

'He said Tom was very confident and forward with a huge sex drive.'

The newspaper reported that the pair would meet for coffees at Mr Daley's London flat and also attended.

Their relationship is also said to have become 'an open secret' among the local gay community.

Mr William and Mr Daley's affair ended in 2015 but they have been in touch as recently as this month.

Claims: The newspaper reported that the pair would meet for coffees at Mr Daley's London flat and also attended

Loved-up: Just days before the allegations, the couple shared a sweet Valentine's Day selfie

Mr Daley previously confessed to having an online tryst with another man during a secret relationship break with Lance  and has promised to his fiance that it will never happen again.

Footage of the diving ace stripping for online sex has emerged, prompting Tom to confess a number of online relationships to his fiance.

Mr Daley admitted to being on a seven-month break from his then boyfriend as the pair were tied up with demanding work commitments.

Last month, Mr Daley revealed that he knew he wanted to settle down with the 42-year-old film-maker just one week into their romance - and it only took a month of being together before they had the discussion.

Diving into romance: Tom Daley has revealed that he wanted to marry his fiance Dustin Lance Black just one week into their romance

Tryst: Tom recently admitted to having had an online tryst with a fan during a secret break in his relationship with Dustin

'After the first week wed been together, I just knew,' the Olympian told The Mirror. 'And ever since then its just felt like a waste of time not being married to Lance.'

When asked if he'd have seen himself getting married so young, he responded: 'Not at all. If youd have told me five years ago Id have been, "Pff, yeah, sure." But it just felt right. Within the first month wed talked about it.'

As for their wedding plans, he added: 'Its all going well, were looking at dates, but everything is staying under wraps at the moment.

'Who knows what its going to be like, I havent been to a wedding since I was five, so I have no idea. We just want to do what we like. Well just make it us.'
He's the only cast member remaining from Home And Away's premiere way back in 1988.

And Ray Meagher, 72, proved his staying power yet again on Tuesday.

The iconic actor - who plays Alf Stewart - was seen looking animated in deep in conversation with crew on the set, while Ada Nicodemou and other stars were spotted heading home.

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Ever been bit by a crocodile? Home And Away star Ray Meagher looked animated on set of Home And Away on Tuesday, using his hands to describe something to the small crowd that had assembled around him

Dressed in a floppy tweed hat, casual khakis and striped button-up, the actor used his hands to describe something to the small crowd that had assembled around him.

A hunky lifesaver in red and yellow joined a grey-haired man with a script in his back pocket.

Surfboards sat atop an open-backed vehicle branded 'rescue,' the shoot's Palm Beach location making it increasingly likely the scene was beach related.

Ray formed a crocodile-like v shape with hands as he spoke, the gang's eyes giving him their full attention.

How big? The 72-year-old wore a floppy tweed hat, casual khakis and striped button-up, pulling his arms shoulder-length apart as he stared down at the measurement that could have been describing all manner of things

In another image, his bubbly storytelling pose was still present, as a wide-shot showed a thin layer of sand scattered on a road below him.

This time, he pulled his arms shoulder-length apart as he stared down at the measurement that could have been describing all manner of things.

Shot from behind, a short-haired listener's jawline made it seem as if Ray's story was drawing some laughs.

Home time for me: Not around to hear what Ray had to say was brunette beauty Ada Nicodemou, who was snapped carrying a brown shopping bag as she headed home after filming

Not around to hear what Ray had to say was brunette beauty Ada Nicodemou, who was snapped carrying a brown shopping bag as she headed home after filming.

She looked elegant in a summery pink top, her ripped blue jeans hugging her lithe legs.

The low-cut top exposed the bronzed actress' ample cleavage, as aviator sunglasses covered her eyes.

The Cypriot-born star who plays Leah Patterson-Baker on the show was snapped from a side-profile in one image, highlighting her slender frame.

Looking good! The Cypriot-born star who plays Leah Patterson-Baker on the show was snapped from a side-profile in one image, highlighting her slender frame

Blonde beauty Raechelle Banno did hang around after the shoot, greeting the fans who turned up to watch the shoot.

She wore an elegant, uniquely shaped dark top with a colourful pattern running down the middle.

The Olivia Fraser Richards actress moved her hands into a prayer pose in an apparent thanks to the dedicated onlookers.

Hanging around: Blonde beauty Raechelle Banno did hang around after the shoot, greeting the fans who turned up to watch the shoot

At one point, she looked genuinely moved as she touched her hands to her chest, parsing a gracious smile.

Also heading home for the day was Lynne McGranger, who plays Irene Roberts on the show.

The 64-year-old wasn't around for Ray's story time either, not needing to prove her staying power either as the longest serving female cast member of the show's 29-year history.

Thanks for coming! At one point, she looked genuinely moved as she touched her hands to her chest, parsing a gracious smile

Heading home: Also heading home for the day was Lynne McGranger, who plays Irene Roberts on the show. Air swept her short red hair as she looked comfortable in a spotty button-down top and skinny jeans

Her short red hair was whipped in the wind as she looked comfortable in a spotty button-down top and skinny jeans.

The series is now in its 30th season on Channel 7, with Ray recently winning the honour of Australia Medal for his longtime contribution to the country's arts.

He holds the Guiness World Record for the longest serving actor in an Australian serial.

30 down, still animated: The series is now in its 30th season, with Ray being the only cast member remaining from Home And Away's premiere way back in 1988

On top of the world: He holds the Guiness World Record for the longest serving actor in an Australian serial




NRL's The Footy Show returns to Channel Nine on Thursday.

And the stars of the panel show decided to mark the special day by comically comparing it to preparing for the 'biggest day of their lives.'

The short TV commercial features ALL hosts dressed in white wedding gowns as they parody Nine's romantic dating series Married at First Sight before referencing their own network's 'jacketgate'.

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They're all-white! The Footy Show's Erin Molan don strapless wedding gowns in hilarious TV commercial parodying Married At First Sight

Hosts Paul 'Fatty' Vautin, Beau Ryan, Erin Molan and Darryl 'The Big Marn' Brohman begin the commercial frantically preparing for a wedding as a voice over states: 'It's the day they've all dreamt of.'

Beau opens the commercial showcasing his muscular physique with a towel worn low around his waist as he appears hesitant about the day ahead, screaming: 'This is crazy!'

The over dramatics continued with Erin snapping at a makeup artist and asking 'do I look pretty?'

Arriving in separate cars for their 'big day', the ad conveniently hides the male co-hosts wardrobes from neck down, as Erin provides a busty display as she wriggles around in the backseat.

Frantically preparing for Footy season: The over dramatics begin immediately with Erin Molan snapping at a makeup artist in a stunning wedding gown to ask 'do I look pretty?'

Not ready? At one point she screams as she tries to settle her jitters, yelling: 'I'm okay... I'm not okay!' as the 'biggest day of their lives' nears

Pretty boys! Hosts Paul 'Fatty' Vautin, Beau Ryan and Darryl 'The Big Marn' Brohman are hilariously shown waiting for Erin at the aisle in white wedding gowns holding bouquets

At one point she screams as she tries to settle her jitters, yelling: 'I'm okay... I'm not okay!'

As Erin arrives at the outside wedding, she's shocked to see her co-hosts in similar wedding frocks holding bouquets.

'This is ridiculous!' she exclaimed as the men looked at each other in confusion.

'Where's wardrobe? You're ALL wearing white!' The comedic clip also poked fun at Channel Nine's infamous 'jacket gate' between presenter Amber Sherlock and Julie Snook both wearing white, as Erin became angered that all three of her male co-stars had also worn white wedding gowns

The comedic clip also poked fun at Channel Nine's infamous 'jacket gate' between presenter Amber Sherlock and Julie Snook both wearing white, as Erin proceeded to add: 'Where's wardrobe? You're ALL wearing white!'

While no one suggested the option of throwing on a jacket, Beau debated the colour: 'This is actually ivory.'

NRL'S The Footy Show returns on Channel Nine on Thursday.
She regularly shows off her perfect hourglass figure in an array of sizzling photographs.

And Kelly Brook was at it again on Tuesday, albeit in a more simple fashion - posting a snapshot of herself in the bath of her hotel room.

The shot, taken from behind, shows the 37-year-old model and actress gazing at a spectacular view of the Big Apple alongside the caption: 'Bath with a view.'

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Room with a view! Kelly Brook shared an Instagram snap of herself enjoying a bath during a trip to New York City

The brunette's hair is pulled into a bun and she is seen in the water leaning onto the window sill of the room while admiring the scenery.

Kelly is enjoying a romantic city break with her French beau Jeremy Parisi and has been posting an array of selfies with her boyfriend all over the city.

A snap of the pair cuddling up on the Brooklyn Bridge was captioned 'cheesy tourists' while another shot of herself tucking into a slice of pizza was captioned 'Happy place.'

Cheesy selfie! Kelly and her beau posed for a loved up snap on Brooklyn Bridge

Kelly travelled to the city from Malibu with Jeremy on Saturday also posted a snap of themselves enjoying a romantic walk in Washington Square Park.

Not forgetting to experience the culinary delights, the good-looking couple also tucked into frozen sweet treats at Little Italy, and a delicious looking creme brulee in Manhattan.

Kelly also showed off her maternal side as she cradled her adorable nephew Hunter while posing in front of the Brooklyn Bridge.

Enjoying that? Kelly Brook, 37, tucked greedily into a cheesy slice of pepperoni pizza on Sunday in New York

Loved-up: The model and actress has been taking in the sights of the Big Apple with her French beau Jeremy Parisi

Meanwhile, Kelly recently admitted she was 'amazed' that people still wanted her to do a calendar, and felt 'self-conscious' about stripping off.

'I am still amazed that they want me to do my calendar,' she told The Sun.

'That's the only time of the year I go, "Oh God I have got to put a bikini on and have my picture taken.

Quite the mouthful: Jeremy couldn't resist getting in on the pizza action too

Showing off her maternal side: Kelly cuddled her adorable nephew Hunter

'I am just as self-conscious as anyone else. I am in LA right now and I turned up with puny white hairy legs, they have not seen daylight for at least six months.'

Kelly, who has been dating Jeremy for two years now, described him as 'cultural, intelligent and lovely'.

'He's a very private person who has great morals,' she told Weekend magazine last year. 'I know I'm his priority  not work, not the limelight, just me.'

Jet-setters: Kelly, who travelled to the city from Malibu with Jeremy on Saturday, seemed keen to document their sight-seeing efforts

Double trouble: Kelly held Hunter while posing in front of the Brooklyn Bridge

The couple met after Kelly 'fell in love at first sight' while watching a video of performing martial arts and got in touch for fitness advice.

Letting their romance progress gradually, they chatted on Skype for six months before finally meeting in person.

And Kelly recently revealed on Twitter that the couple thought outside the box when it comes to romance, and did not celebrate Valentine's Day with a traditional romantic meal.

Feeling insecure: Kelly recently admitted she was 'amazed' that people still wanted her to do a calendar, and felt 'self-conscious' about stripping off

Candid: ' I go, "Oh God I have got to put a bikini on and have my picture taken," ' she admitted

The Kent-born beauty posted a picture of herself in a fast food joint, posing in front of a tray bearing two delicious-looking burgers and a pile of French fries.

While curvaceous Kelly has been taking a break from modelling, she has been hard at work on her movie career.

This year will see the release of her latest flick, Legacy The Movie. The brunette stunner filmed the horror movie in South East Asia.

'Took these little fellas for a romantic stroll': The good-looking couple tucked into frozen sweet treats at Little Italy
She made a foray into the music world with her hits Dance All Night and Dominos.

So Jessica Wright was undoubtedly overjoyed to be rubbing shoulders with industry top dogs as she attended the Universal Music pre-BRIT Awards party in partnership with American Airlines at London's One Embankment on Tuesday evening.

The 31-year-old former TOWIE star was dressed to impress in a plunging navy jumpsuit which made the most of her eye-popping assets and perky derriere.

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Meeting the stars: Jessica Wright was undoubtedly overjoyed to be rubbing shoulders with industry top dogs as she attended the Universal Music pre-BRIT Awards party in partnership with American Airlines at London's One Embankment on Tuesday evening

Jessica soared to fame on the ITVBe show in 2010, when her central storyline was her attempt at musical superstardom with her girl group LOLA before she went it alone in 2012.

Ahead of Wednesday night's BRIT Awards, the great and good of the music industry gathered at the bash Jess ensured she looked her very best.

Her chic navy jumpsuit helped emphasise all her best assets, as she flaunted her flawless curves due to the hourglass silhouette of the one-piece.

With a wraparound neckline, she managed to give just a hint of her perky assets, the result of a boob job in 2011 - boosting her natural cleavage to a 32DD.

Glam: The 31-year-old former TOWIE star was dressed to impress in a plunging navy jumpsuit which made the most of her eye-popping assets and perky derriere

Stunner: Jessica soared to fame on the ITVBe show in 2010, when her central storyline was her attempt at musical superstardom with her girl group LOLA before she went it alone in 2012

Proving she knows how to work all her best assets, she not only flashed her chest but also her perky posterior as she spun and showed off her derriere.

Jess boosted her height and long legs, which she previously tipped as her favourite body part, with a pair of staggering nude heels with a bevy of thin straps.

Illustrating her attention to detail, she paired the look with a nude clutch bag by Yves Saint Laurent with the instantly recognisable YSL monogram on the front.

Shunning her one-time favourite look, comprising of skin-tight dresses and a bold orange tan, she now opts for a more sleek style.

Naughty in navy: Her chic navy jumpsuit helped emphasise all her best assets, as she flaunted her flawless curves due to the hourglass silhouette of the one-piece

Brunette beauty: She wore her bouncy tresses in a chic chignon pulled at the nape of her neck while her make-up was flawlessly styled with a plum lip

She wore her bouncy tresses in a chic chignon pulled at the nape of her neck while her make-up was flawlessly styled with a plum lip.

Jess accessorised perfectly as she wore plush-looking jewelled earrings with a burgundy stone surrounded by smaller sparklers.

She later took to Instagram to share a snap of the evening with her 1.2million followers as she sizzled into the camera while posing with a pal.

All jewelled up: Jess accessorised perfectly as she wore plush-looking jewelled earrings with a burgundy stone surrounded by smaller sparklers

The brunette beauty signed a three single deal with All Around the World Productions in 2012, the same label boasting Tulisa and Dappy on its books.

When she was signed, she revealed: 'I've always wanted to sing. I've been in a girlband since I was 13 and so I've just been working on it for the last few years. I got signed recently to All Around The World Records and they love the track I wrote.'

When she was asked if she had sought advice from her labelmates Dappy and Tulisa, she said: 'I haven't met either of them yet! I think Tulisa's wicked - she does her own thing and is individual.'
She found fame as Lord Alan Sugar's second ever The Apprentice winner in 2006.

But despite securing the business mogul's backing, Michelle Dewberry was battling with a deep depression, and things got so bad she tried to take her own life in 2012.

The 37-year-old star spoke candidly to presenter Helen Skelton on Tuesday's installment of Lorraine, detailing the complexity of her feelings at her lowest ebb.

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Speaking out: The Apprentice's Michelle Dewberry appeared on Tuesday's installment of Lorraine to discuss her battle with depression

Michelle explained: 'I wanted to die. It was a constant absolute certainty that I didnt want to live.

'The only reason I didnt is because I didnt want to hurt my family. You feel like a burden to everyone around you.

'I just felt with absolute conviction I just wanted to die. I wanted someone to scoop me up and look after me and make it all right again.'

Business minded: The TV personality fame as Lord Alan Sugar's second ever winner of The Apprentice back in 2006

Lowest ebb: Things got so bad that Michelle tried to take her own life in 2012

The blonde - who set up her own consultancy and became a Sky News presenter after stint on reality TV - felt compelled to get better for the sake of her mother.

She said: 'My mum was heartbroken. She wanted me to go to the doctors. I went almost out of respect for my mum.

'I went privately and did a lot of private therapy. I wouldnt ever wish it on my worse enemy. I hated myself. It was horrible.'

Seeking help: The blonde - who set up her own consultancy and became a Sky News presenter after stint on reality TV - felt compelled to get better for the sake of her mother

Bouncing back: Michelle looked ready for the boardroom in a chic navy dress and black heels as she left the ITV studios following her TV appearance

The former employee of Lord Sugar now works with The Princes Trust as well as Womens Aid's Give Me Shelter campaign and Comic Relief.

After turning her life around, Michelle is determined to help others with by sharing her story, and implores fellow depression sufferers to seek help.

'You dont deserve to live sad. I dont take my mental health for granted anymore', she explained.

'Its something that happens in spite of your circumstances. You cant get rid of it.'

Charity work: The former employee of Lord Sugar now works with The Princes Trust as well as Womens Aid's Give Me Shelter campaign and Comic Relief

Raising awareness: Michelle is determined to help others with by sharing her story, and implores fellow depression sufferers to seek help
She shot to fame thanks to her fiery nature and explosive rows on Ex On The Beach.

And Jess Impiazzi made sure she stayed in the limelight as she stripped down to a pair of tiny bikini bottoms during a sun-soaked break in Spain.

The 27-year-old reality star went braless under a semi-sheer blue wet T-shirt as she enjoyed a relaxing dip in the pool.

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Revealing: Jess Impiazzi, 27, made sure she stayed in the limelight as she stripped down to a pair of tiny bikini bottoms during a sun-soaked break in Spain

The brunette beauty wore her long hair slicked back off her face and wore minimal make-up aside from false lashes for her sun-bathing session.

Showcasing a n intricte thigh tattoo, she rocked a pair of vibrant multi-coloured bottoms.

After taking a quick dip in the pool, she cooled off and shook her hair back as she sat on the side.

Clearly confident in her toned figure, the reality star arched her back and eased herself slowly out of the water.

Steamy: The reality star went braless under a thin blue wet T-shirt as she enjoyed a relaxing dip in the pool

Natural: The brunette beauty wore her long hair slicked back off her face and wore minimal make-up aside from false lashes for her sun-bathing session

Turning heads: Showcasing a delicate thigh tattoo, she rocked a pair of vibrant multi-coloured bottoms

Her outing comes as Jess, who caused explosive rows and drama during two seasons of Ex On The Beach, recently passed judgement on the latest batch of MTV daters.

She branded blonde beauty Maisie Gillespie the biggest troublemaker and claimed she was 'too cringe' in how she tried to bed the men in the villa.

'Maisie seems to just get with everyone's guy and not give a s***, so I think because of that she is out there to cause trouble,' she told the Daily Star.

'If you wanna be a s***, be a s***, I have no problem with anyone loving a bit of d***, because that's just how it is.

Working her angles: Clearly confident in her toned figure, the reality star arched her back and eased herself slowly out of the water

Racy: After taking a quick dip in the pool, she cooled off and shook her hair back as she sat on the side

She's got a lot of front: Jess inexplicably chose not to wear the matching bikini top under her T-shirt

'The way she comes across is quite cringeworthy with the things that come out of her mouth, it's too desperate.'

Meanwhile, Jess has finally find true love - after becoming engaged to boyfriend Denny Solomona.

The reality star looked over the moon as her rugby player beau, 23, got down on one knee and popped the question outside the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas back in November.

Jess was first linked to the Castleford player last year when they were spotted kissing after a romantic dinner together last May.

Reality star: She shot to fame thanks to her fiery nature and explosive rows on Ex On The Beach

Soaking up the sun: Jess seemed to be enjoying her trip abroad

The loved-up couple later moved in together and even bought a place of their own, before they split in June last year.

However the pair later resolved their issues and rekindled their flame later in the summer - even travelling to Samoa together for Jess to meet Denny's extended family.

Back in December, Jess revealed that she nearly died in a freak accident caused by her dog.

Tension: Jess branded current Ex On The Beach star Maisie Gillespie the biggest troublemaker and claimed she was 'too cringe' in how she tried to bed the men in the villa

Awkward: 'Maisie seems to just get with everyone's guy and not give a s***, so I think because of that she is out there to cause trouble,' she said

The Page 3 girl, who owns a Doberman and Dalmatian, took to Twitter to inform her followers of the shocking incident, that saw her nearly poisoned by gas after her pet pooch managed to cause a leak.

She wrote: 'Went for a bath and the dog jumped on the stove and turned the gas on when I came down I had bad headache! And house is stinking of gas!

'So lucky I noticed before I passed out or lit a candle or something! Jeez!'
They clashed in the South African jungle from day one.

And I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! stars Ash Pollard and Keira Maguire's feud reached a new level of intensity on Tuesday night's episode.

Ash used a few choice words against the former Bachelor 'villain' after Keira claimed she would purposely stop doing Tucker Trials to 'p*** people off.'

'Self-obsessed, repugnant, obnoxious little monster!' I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! star Ash Pollard slams Keira Maguire during Tuesday night's episode after the former Bachelor star claims she might purposely fail future Tucker Trials

Keira's snarky comment about Tucker Trials, of which she has now completed three, came after she insisted there were 'favourites' being picked in the camp.

She claimed Ash, who usually cooks dinner, was given a larger portion compared to her 'not very fair' amount.

'You can see they're uneven. Anyone could. Ash had the biggest bit there. It's like favourites. It's ridiculous!' she ranted loudly so everyone could hear.

'It's like favourites. It's ridiculous!' Keira claimed potion sizings at dinner favoured Ash and other celebrities better, while she had been forced to endure a dish of earth worms, boiled intestines and chicken hearts hours earlier

'I don't want to do any more trials, any more': Her previous Tucker Trials have ended in tears and meltdowns, with the dinner servings forcing Keira to say she didn't want to do any more challenges and hinted that she might 'stop doing stuff to p*** people off'

'I don't want to do any more trials, any more. I may just stop doing stuff. To p*** people off,' she joked with a smirk.

Ash didn't appear to find the comment humorous, lashing out about her co-star in the jungle diary room.

'I have never in my life met such a self-obsessed repugnant, and obnoxious little monster,' she said of Keira.

'I have never in my life met such a self-obsessed repugnant, and obnoxious little monster': Ash didn't appear impressed by Keira's whinging over dinner, lashing out about her co-star in the privacy of the jungle diary room

Later, feeding off each other's hostile energy, Ash mimicked Keira.

Keira said 'I hate this place!', to which Ash mocked her by repeating: 'She loves this place, guys.'

During her first day on camp, Keira revealed to the cameras that she wasn't feeling much love between the pair, saying: 'Ash is an alpha female like I am, so I feel like it's a natural thing we may clash.'
Via the Daily Trust: How the recent Lassa fever outbreak has spread. Excerpt:

Since the recent outbreak of Lassa fever in the country new cases of infections and deaths have been reported. The disease has also been spreading across states.

Lassa fever is an acute febrile illness which was first detected in Nigeria in 1969 and comes with bleeding and death in severe cases, with an incubation period of 6-21 days.

The virus is carried in multimammate rats (the common soft-furred African rat whose female has a double row of breasts), which normally live in bushes and visit nearby homes for food, which they contaminate.

Eighty percent of Lassa fever cases pass unnoticed with symptoms similar in many common diseases as mild fevers, body aches, tiredness and loss of appetite. But severe cases progress with sore throat, cough, vomiting, diarrhoea and unexplained bleeding from body openings.

Some days ago, the Director of Public health in the Nasarawa State Ministry of Health, Dr. Ibrahim Adamu,said eight people had died since the reported index case in November 2016.

The Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Abuja, Dr. Chikwe Ihekwazu, recently, in an interview, said that Lassa fever outbreak is yet to become an epidemic but that there are fears that the continued deaths of Nigerians as a result of the fever might be pointing in a different direction.

Highlight of weekly report of the endemic diseases shared by head, technical communication NCDC, Lawal Bakare, revealed that Lassa fever is currently active in nine states; Ogun, Bauchi, Plateau, Ebonyi, Ondo, Edo, Taraba, Nasarawa and Rivers.

The highlight stated that, since its onset in December. 2016 (Week 49), a total of 196 suspected cases with 40 deaths have been reported.

Of these, 58 have been either classified as confirmed or probable (confirmed 53, probable 5), with 31 deaths (26 deaths in confirmed and 5 in probable). Case Fatality Rate for confirmed/probable cases is 53.4% and 20.4% for all cases (including probable/confirmed and suspected).
Lisa Oldfield has been in the public eye for over a decade as a politician's wife.

Now, it's the 41-year-old's time to shine, as she and husband David Oldfield stepped out on Tuesday for the launch of her new reality TV series, Real Housewives of Sydney.

The pair's outing at Sydney's Woolloomooloo Wharf comes just a day after the raven haired TV personality claimed the couple's 17-year marriage was under strain.

Time to shine: After years as a 'politician's wife' it was Lisa Olfield's time to shine as she and David stepped out on Tuesday for the launch of her new reality TV series, Real Housewives of Sydney

No trouble in paradise? The pair's outing at Sydney's Woolloomooloo Wharf comes just a day after the raven haired TV personality claimed the couple's 17-year marriage was under strain

'We started filming the show when our marriage was on its last legs,' Lisa told New Idea magazine, in an interview published on Monday.

Filming of the series began in October but it would seem things are fine between the couple now, as they put on a public display of affection on the red carpet outside Otto Restaurant.

While David had a glass of champagne in hand, Lisa had both arms around her husband as they posed for photos.

The duo then leaned in for a kiss.

Passionate kiss: While it seems Lisa was hoping for a passionate display, David kept his lips closed before they had a peck on the lips

Moving forward? Their loved up display seems very different to the picture Lisa painted in the magazine

And while it seems Lisa was hoping for a passionate display, David kept his lips closed before they had a peck on the lips.

Their loved up display seems very different to the picture Lisa painted in the magazine, where she revealed: 'We've had a lot of marital problems and I'm very open about them'.

'It's been really interesting filming [the show] because it really held a mirror up to us and made us realise that we're not communicating anymore,' she revealed.

'[The show] made us realise that we're not communicating anymore': Lisa opened up about her marriage woes in a recent interview

Loved up: Clearly communication has been flowing as the couple cuddled up at the event

Clearly communication has been flowing as the couple cuddled up at the event.

At one stage Lisa, who was dressed in a fitted black and white Marchesa dress and pearls, wiped the sides of her face.

It's not known if the controversial TV personality was making a rude gesture or simply fixing her lipstick.

What is she doing? It's not known if the controversial TV personality was making a rude gesture or simply fixing her lipstick

Controversial star: The raven haired TV personality was sure to show her cheeky side also

Classy look: Lisa attended the event dressed in a fitted black and white Marchesa dress and Levendi jewellers pearls

The couple were then pictured mixing and mingling with other guests, which included Lisa's RHOS cast mates.

AthenaX Levendi, Krissy Marsh, Matty Samaei, Melissa Tkautz, Nicole O'Neil and Victoria Rees all attended in busty and glamorous ensembles for the mid-week do.

David too enjoyed an animated chat with his wife's co-stars - it's not known if this was the first time he had met them or not.

Meeting the colleagues: The couple were then pictured mixing and mingling with other guests, which included Lisa's RHOS cast mates

Ahead of the launch of the series, Lisa took offence to her original tagline on the show 'Politician's wife'.

She made such a noise about it that Producers tweaked it to 'Politically incorrect' instead, which made her much happier.

The raven-haired firecracker took to Instagram to vent her frustration over the term 'politician's wife', uploading a screenshot of the ad alongside the caption: 'Can you believe after an enormously successful corporate career @foxtel have labelled me as a #politicianswife?'

Changed! After complaining about being referred to as 'Politician's wife' in the RHOS promos, Lisa had it changed to 'Politically Incorrect'

'Nevermind that my husband left politics 10 years ago! I think I just became a feminist at 41,' adding the hashtags 'first world problems' and 'p**** off'.

Further in her comments she explained to a follower: '... I sold my first company for $43M at 29.

'In context, every other cast member had their achievements lauded in their title, yet I'm relegated to wife status and a career my husband had a decade ago??'

The new Foxtel series launches on Arena TV on Sunday, February 26.
After a high profile marriage to Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, she has kept her relationship with beau Brad Falchuk relatively low key.

And Gwyneth Paltrow and the producer-director made a rare public appearance on Sunday as they headed out for coffee in the Los Angeles city of Calabasas.

The actress wore her blonde hair in a loose slightly dishevelled style while slouchy blue dungarees and a baggy grey cardigan added to the casual look.

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Low key and make-up free: Gwyneth Paltrow plumped for a natural look as she and beau Brad Falchuk headed out for coffee in Calabasas, California on Sunday

Only a slick red manicure and several sparkling rings on her fingers betrayed her more glamorous Hollywood roots.

Brad meanwhile, sported a long sleeved black sweaters and loose fitting grey trousers and trainers as he followed his girlfriend through the car park.

The couple went public with their relationship in an Instagram post back in September 2015 - nearly 18 months after Gwyneth famously announced her 'conscious uncoupling' with husband Chris.

Rare appearance: Gwyneth and Brad Falchuk made their way through a car park together with the producer looking equally casual

The actress's make-up free appearance came two months after she said she was embracing the ageing process.

Now 44-years-old, she told People: 'Of course I have wrinkles [and] grey hair. But I genuinely love it. This is who I am.

'I have been through incredible ups and downs,' she added, 'And I feel so blessed that I have the wrinkles to tell the story.'

Rare showing: Gwyneth and Brad have kept their romance on the down low since they went public with their relationship - pictured in October 2015

And she believes that turning 40 a few years back has given the Oscar-wining star a new lease of life.

'I really believe that when a woman turns 40, she gets a software upgrade, I have never been happier,' she added.

And her career is also going from strength to strength. This year, she stars in the biopic 33 Dias about artist Pablo Picasso and his fraught relationship with Guernica collaborator and lover Dora Maar.

She'll also hit the silver screen in the made-for-TV movie One Hit Wonders directed by Glee's Ryan Murphy.
Tuesday's sudden death cook-off on My Kitchen Rules saw Queensland couple Alyse and Matt axed with measly score of 27/60.

But fans have taken to Twitter to suggest 'winners' Josh and Amy should have also met the same fate.

Also scoring less than 30, avid viewers claimed Josh and Amy didn't deserve to be in the competition as they also 'failed' and 'cooked terribly.'

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With scores like that both teams deserve to leave: My Kitchen Rules fans slam BOTH teams (Elyse and Matt and Josh and Amy) in sudden death cook-off for uninspiring performances and poor dishes on Tuesday night's episode

'They both failed': Fans have taken to Twitter to suggest 'winners' Josh and Amy should have also met the same fate as their rivals, with a measly two-point lead

The two rival teams went head-to-head in the cook-off to earn their spot on the cooking show, with Josh and Amy narrowly claiming victory with a two-point lead.

'With scores like that both teams deserve to leave to be honest. They both failed,' one angered viewer reacted on Twitter.

Judge Pete Evans described Matt and Elyse's three-course meal as a 'bumpy road', while judge Colin Fassnidge added: 'It was a fail!'

Narrow win: Josh and Amy only narrowly avoided eviction, with the judges noting their entree's rice wasn't cooked well and they overcooked the fish, which is supposed to be Josh's specialty

'Nobody deserved to win': One user claimed the head-to-head battle was 'amateurish'

Josh and Amy didn't avoid the harsh criticism for their dishes either, with the judges noting their rice wasn't cooked well and they overcooked the fish, which is supposed to be Josh's specialty.

With lack-lustre dishes, low scores and disappointed judges, the episode was quickly a topic of conversation on Twitter.

'Nobody deserved to win tonight - poor cooking on both side. Very amateurish,' one user said of the uninspiring cook-off.

'I wish both teams could've been booted': Proving MKR's loyal fans are all about the cooking, users claimed their poor scores should have meant they both left the show

'So disappointed': While the judges were noticeably displeased by the contestant's attempts to prove their worth in the competition, avid viewers wished the judges would have made BOTH teams hang up their aprons

Others agreed, by writing: 'I wish both teams could've been booted tonight' and 'So disappointed. I thought BOTH teams would be hanging up their aprons.'

The judges were noticeably displeased by the contestant's attempts to prove their worth in the competition, stating: 'Congratulations, I didn't think a team could fall from grace as much as the first team.'

Colin added: 'We do this for a living. we taste everyday, if there's something not quite right and you give it to us, we're going to taste it.'

Eliminated: Newlyweds Alyse and Matt were sent home, after the two teams went head-to-head in the cook-off on MKR

Dessert tips: Poking fun at the team's poor performances, one viewer joked they should have stuck with store-bought ice cream and chocolate sauce

Ouch! In another blow for the pair, he added about the dish: 'Congratulations, I didn't think a team could fall from grace as much as the first team,' referring to Josh and Amy's bad feedback

Poking fun at the team's poor performances, one viewer joked: 'Both teams would have been better serving Streets ice cream with ice magic on it for desert.'

After describing Alyse and Matt's entree as 'perfect,' Chef and judge Guy Grossi said: 'We started really strong and took a nose dive.'

About their dessert, he added: 'Some of the components didn't come together from a technical point of view.'.

Cooking up a disaster: The pair cooked an entree of sumac spiced salmon with figs, a main of lemon and herb spatchcock with silverbeet and carrot puree and a dessert of banoffee pavlova with peanut praline

Job well done! Josh and Amy remained in the competition for scoring 29 points out of 60, falling back on their main and dessert

Guest judge Karen Martini said their dessert was poor, saying their praline wasn't cooked enough and wasn't a praline, and their banana was burnt and the sauce was lack-lustre.

Josh and Amy fell back on their main and dessert after getting rave reviews for their entree, with Pete saying it proves 'why you are in the competition.'

However Colin delivered the pair a blow, saying to them before giving his final score: 'To be honest, I should of left after the first course.'

Flavour fail: They failed to cook their curry paste in the pan for long enough, meaning flavour failed to come through in the dish

Josh even was worried at one point, saying his dog eats better food than what they had served to the judges for the main.

Upon hearing he had narrowly avoided elimination and had sent their rivals home, Josh said to camera how excited he was.

'We just knocked off our rivals, it feels wicked!' he said with a laugh.

My Kitchen Rules returns to Channel Seven on Wednesday at 7.30pm
They caused stirs while getting hot and heavy on-screen during Love Island last year.

And Cara de la Hoyde proved her relationship with Nathan Massey is as steamy as ever as they enjoyed a sexy romp on the shores during a recent trip to Gran Canaria, in which she lit up the beach with her stunning physique.

The 26-year-old circus performer wowed in a sizzling bikini as she locked lips with her beloved Essex boy, 27, before he enjoyed an appreciative glance at her derriere, which he lauded 'The best bum in the world' on the ITV2 show.

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Love up: Cara de la Hoyde proved her relationship with Nathan Massey is as steamy as ever as they enjoyed a sexy romp on the shores during a recent trip to Gran Canaria, in which she lit up the beach with her stunning physique

Cara and Nathan were victors on last year's second series of the renewed show, which first aired in 2005 before rebooting ten years later.

Having locked eyes in the very first stage of the show, where contestants are told to couple up immediately, the duo remained close throughout.

Now their love appears stronger than ever as they were seen putting on their romantic display while soaking up some winter sun away from the UK's dreary climes.

Cara looked nothing short of sensational as she slipped into her sexy beach look, comprising of high-waisted bottoms with a racy tie extending along the hip.

Wowzers! The 26-year-old circus performer wowed in a sizzling bikini as she locked lips with her beloved Essex boy, 27, before he enjoyed an appreciative glance at her derriere, which he lauded 'The best bum in the world' on the ITV2 show

Locking lips: Cara and Nathan were victors on last year's second series of the renewed show, which first aired in 2005 before rebooting ten years later

Long time love: Having locked eyes in the very first stage of the show, where contestants are told to couple up immediately, the duo remained close throughout

Hot stuff! Cara displayed her peachy posterior for her adoring boyfriend to see

Look at me in the sea! The sexy star dazzled as she stripped down to her tiny ensemble

Having a giggle: The talented star threw her head back with laughter as she enjoyed her trip to the beach

Never leave me! The couple proved just how tight their bond

The unique look was made ever more quirky with the addition of the top which comprised of just loose pieces of material layered over the triangle cups.

Proving her attention to detail, Cara layered her outfit beneath a coordinating kimono which billowed lightly in the warm breeze.

She wore her lengthy raven tresses cascading down her back while pushing the lengths off her face with the help of a trendy pair of sunglasses.

Oh my! Her perky derriere looked fantastic in the high-waisted bottoms

Hot stuff: The unique look was made ever more quirky with the addition of the top which comprised of just loose pieces of material layered over the triangle cups

Into the distance: The couple looked stunning as they lapped up the sunshine

Out and a pout: The star wowed as she paraded along the shores in her bikini

Kicking up a storm: Playful Cara looked stunning as she larked around

Strutting her stuff: The star proved she knows how to work her best bits as she sizzled in the two-piece

Stripping down: She was quick to show off her figure

You spin me right round... Cara was the object of her beau's desire during their turn on the shore

Hold me close! The couple could not resist getting close to one another

Despite being on the beach, Cara was heavily made up with lashings of foundation framing her fluttering eyelashes and plump pout.

With their romance as lively as ever, Nathan larked around his girlfriend, playing the clown as usual, shortly before grabbing her for a steamy clinch.

The duo are fast approaching their first anniversary, having met on Love Island in May, where their romance grew during the seven week stint in the villa.

Cara and Nathan are branching out with their reality roots, as the couple have now signed up to TOWIE where Essex-based Nathan will join some of his best pals, including Tommy Mallet, in the dramatic goings on of the real life soap.

I love you! The duo are fast approaching their first anniversary, having met on Love Island in May, where their romance grew during the seven week stint in the villa

Trouble in paradise: While things certainly seemed steamy during their trip to Gran Canaria, earlier in the trip things were more fraught after Cara was seen throwing a glass of water in Nathan's face in the midst of a blazing row

Legs eleven! Cara was not shy about flaunting her figure as she walked the beach

Shaking her thing! She dazzled as her boyfriend cast some very appreciate glances at her frame

While things certainly seemed steamy during their trip to Gran Canaria, earlier in the trip things were more fraught after Cara was seen throwing a glass of water in Nathan's face in the midst of a blazing row.

Speaking to Daily Star after the argument, the star was insistent she was totally to blame for the trivial argument which unfortunately escalated.

She said: 'It was my time of the month, you know what it's like when they wind you up. It was chucking the water or a punch so I chucked the water.'

Nathan insists his penchant for 'being a wind up' was to blame: 'I'm just a massive wind up. I've not done anything naughty. I lost a hotel key and blamed it on her.'

Building things up: Speaking to Daily Star after the argument, the star was insistent she was totally to blame for the trivial argument which unfortunately escalated
She partied the night away with the great and good of the fashion world at the LOVE magazine x Burberry London Fashion Week bash on Monday.

But Kendall Jenner came over all shy as she arrived at the capital's Heathrow Airport to catch a flight on Tuesday morning.

Covering up her face as she made her way through the terminal, the supermodel, 21, looked worlds-away from the fun she was having with her pals at Annabel's private members' club in Mayfair the previous evening.

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All partied out? Kendall Jenner came over all shy as she arrived at Heathrow Airport to catch a flight on Tuesday morning after boogying the night away at the LOVE magazine bash

Despite the heavy night before, the catwalk queen still managed to look every inch the stylish A-lister as she donned an all-black ensemble.

Showing off her incredibly statuesque figure, Kendall paraded her long and lean pins in skintight leggings.

The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star teamed the look with a simple T-shirt, while adding a sophisticated touch by layering a military styled blazer with large gold buttons.

Kendall dressed down her look by giving her usually heeled feet a rest in a pair of comfortable Vans trainers.

Camera shy: Covering up her face as she made her way through the terminal, the supermodel, 21, looked worlds-away from the fun she was having with her pals at Annabel's

What a difference a day makes! Kendall looked a far cry from her glamour appearance the night before at the LOVE magazine and Burberry London Fashion Week bash

In a bid to stay incognito, the brunette beauty opted for gold-rimmed Aviator sunglasses as she hid her tired eyes.

Kendall looked a little worse for wear as she covered her face with her hand, clearly not in the mood for pictures.

The reality star's gloomy appearance was a far cry from her excited demeanor the night before, where she partied the evening away with her model pals at London's Annabel nightclub after the LOVE x Burberry bash.

Stylish: Despite the heavy night before, the model still managed to look every inch the stylish A-lister as she donned an all-black ensemble

Bareface beauty: Showing off her statuesque figure, Kendall paraded her long and lean pins in skintight leggings

On the move! The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star teamed the look with a simple t-shirt, while adding a sophisticated touch by layering a military styled blazer

Work, work, work: Kendall dressed down her look by giving her usually heeled feet a rest in a pair of comfortable Vans trainers

Kendall let her hair down as she made the most of her night off in the British capital with a whole host of her supermodel pals.

The star shunned her usual girl next door look for a more daring and edgy style, as she donned a gold grill across her pearly whites.

Kendall dared to be different in a statement Burberry cream cape, complete with pom pom detailing, which debuted on the runway earlier in the evening.

Who's that girl? In a big to stay incognito, the brunette beauty opted for gold-rimmed Aviator sunglasses as she hid her tired eyes

Bling: The reality star's gloomy appearance was a far cry from her excited demeanor the night before, where she partied the evening away with her model pals

The quirky cover up was teamed with a bodycon beige dress which flattered her long legs and a pair of heeled ankle boots, adding some extra height.

The brunette beauty was sure to make it a night to remember as she partied alongside her model pals Bella Hadid, 20, Jourdan Dunn, 26, and Winnie Harlow, 22.

The models appeared to have a whale of a time during their fashion week night out as they were later joined by the likes of Ellie Goulding, Nick Grimshaw and Sofia Richie.

Party pals: The star shunned her usual girl next door look for a more daring and edgy style, as she donned a gold grill across her pearly whites (pictured with Lily Donaldson and Bella Hadid)

All eyes on her: Kendall dared to be different in a Burberry cream cape complete with pom pom detailing, which debuted on the runway earlier in the evening
The glamorous socialites are set to compete for attention when Real Housewives of Sydney premieres on Sunday.

But jewellery designer Athena Levendi and model Krissy Marsh appeared content in sharing the spotlight on Tuesday in extravagant red gowns.

The pair, among their Sydney housewife co-stars, descended on Sydney's Woolloomooloo Wharf to celebrate the launch of the series.

Girls night out! The Real Housewives Of Sydney cast wowed on the red carpet at the show's Foxtel Arena TV launch on Tuesday night at Woolloomooloo Wharf, with Athena Levendi and Krissy Marsh BOTH wearing red

Sporting different shades of red, the duo did not appear to pose together one-on-one at the event, instead showcasing their designs by posing alone.

Krissy put on a leggy display in a daring design that gave a glimpse of her inner-thigh with a large front split.

The dress was printed with floral detailing, with its off-the-shoulder design pushing her ample assets to spill over the cut.

She wore her luscious brunette locks down over her exposed shoulders and partnered her look with black strappy heels.

Va va voom! Model Krissy Marsh flaunted a leggy display in a daring design that gave a glimpse of her inner-thigh with a large front split

Athena's ensemble was the most lavish of all, with a satin skirt and rhinestone bralette top with tulle wrapped around her and tied into a bow on her waist.

The painter added luxury to her look with a designer necklace and barrel curls.

Adding to her bright look, she pouted for the cameras with a stylish red lipstick perfectly applied on her lips.

Fit for a princess: Athena Levendi's ensemble was the most lavish of all, with a satin skirt and rhinestone bralette top with tulle wrapped around her and tied into a bow on her waist

Fairytale beginnings: At the launch of the series, due to air this Sunday, Athena added to her bright look by pouting with stylish red lipstick perfectly applied on her lips

Shimmering her way into the event, beauty expert Matty Samaei donned a short sparkly number with silver gladiator heels.

Her outfit was decorated in sequins and beads, as she toted a nude handbag over her left arm.

Matty's makeup was flawlessly applied, with her blonde tresses falling around her face.

Shine bright! Beauty expert Matty Samaei donned a short sparkly number decorated in sequins and beads with silver gladiator heels

Simply stunning! Former Miss Australia Nicole O'Neil went for a more angelic appearance in white with a fitted white frock with frilled straps

Former Miss Australia Nicole O'Neil went for a more angelic appearance in white.

She showcased her slender frame within a fitted white frock with frilled straps.

Nicole partnered her look with nude and silver heels, while toting a brown clutch.

Elegant! Victoria Rees also played it safe with a full-length black frock with a leg split and a minor cut-out over her bust

Victoria Rees also played it safe with a full-length black frock with a leg split and a minor cut-out over her bust.

Not afraid of flaunting their bosoms were co-stars Lisa Oldfield and Melissa Tkautz.

Melissa wowed on the red in a black lace cropped corset top with a low sweetheart neckline that made her busty assets unmissable.

Posing with one hand on her hip, the now reality TV starlet showed off her svelte figure and slender arms, while offering a sultry gaze down the lens.

Out-there stars: Not afraid of flaunting their bosoms were co-stars Lisa Oldfield and Melissa Tkautz

Wow! Melissa wowed on the red in a black lace cropped corset top with a low sweetheart neckline that made her busty assets unmissable

Cheeky! Showing her cheeky side during the launch party, Lisa bent forward on the red carpet to give a full view of ample assets in her low-cut design

Lisa meanwhile was dressed in a fitted black and white Marchesa dress with pearls worn around her neck.

Showing her cheeky side during the night, she bent forward on the red carpet to give a full view of ample assets.

Lisa was also seen having fun with her fellow housewives at the event, including raising Athena's leg for a laughter-filled pose on the red carpet.

Life of the party? Lisa was also seen having fun with her fellow housewives at the event, including raising Athena's leg for a laughter-filled pose on the red carpet
They've been inseparable from the moment their fairytale romance began in late 2012.

But Michelle Keegan wasn't always such a fan of her now-husband Mark Wright, sharing some rather amusing yet scathing views about the former Essex Lothario in her old Love It! magazine column.

In a section from her newly-resurfaced column from 2011 - branded 'Tut Tut, Mark' - the 29-year-old actress aired her views about the ex-TOWIE hunk's poor treatment of then-girlfriend Lauren Goodger - and women in general.

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Ouch! Michelle Keegan hasn't always been a fan of her now-husband Mark Wright, sharing some rather amusing yet scathing views about the former Essex Lothario in her 2011 Love It magazine column

Michelle wrote about her future Mr. Right: 'I love TOWIE! It's one of those shows you don't want to watch, but just can't help turning on.

'I don't know how Lauren can take Mark back so easily, though - it's so cringe!

'I wouldn't' be able to get back with someone who'd slept with lots of girls I knew, but that's just me.'

Mark and Lauren, who were together for ten years on and off, rose to fame on the ITVBe reality series, with storylines revolving around his numerous flirtations with other women, including Lucy Mecklenburgh and Sam Faiers.

'It's so cringe!': Michelle shared of Mark's then-girlfriend Lauren, 'I don't know how Lauren can take Mark back so easily, though'

Reformed womaniser: In a her 2011 column, Michelle aired her views about the ex-TOWIE hunk's poor treatment of then-girlfriend Lauren Goodger - and women in general

Long-term love: Mark and Lauren, who were together for ten years on and off, rose to fame on TOWIE, and viewers saw their realtionship and eventually their bitter break-up play out in front of the cameras

Mark and Lauren even got engaged on TOWIE in March 2011 - only for the Essex lad to call things off five months later - and there has been bad blood between the pair ever since.

A year and a half later, Mark and Michelle met on a group holiday to Dubai and fell madly in love.

In September 2013, less than a year after their New Year's break, the pair were engaged, trying the knot in May 2015.

But it hasn't always been smooth sailing between the happy couple and Lauren, although things are cordial these days.

Whirlwind romance: In September 2013, less than a year after meeting in Dubai, Mark and Michelle got engaged, trying the knot in May 2015. The couple are pictured five months into their relationship

Ahead of his wedding to Michelle, the former reality star took to social media to hit out at his long-term love on Twitter after a war words.

He had seemingly taken issue a Lauren's not-so-cryptic post, reading, 'She's the kind of girl a guy meets when he's too young and he f**ks up because there's too much living to do. But later he realises she's perfect'.,

Mark declared: 'If your reading this, please PLEASE respect my wife and STOP. I wish you well but leave me, my life and my wife out of it. Im sure there is other ways to make money [sic].'

He then went on to re-tweet a series of responses from fans, all supporting his stance.

The wedding itself, a lavish bash for 200 guests, was followed by a luxury two-centre honeymoon, with the couple starting in the Maldives before joining members of both families in Dubai.
She's spent much of the series professing her love for him.

So Ex On The Beach star Nicole Bass will undoubtedly be both delighted and devastated as her beloved ex-boyfriend Jacques Fraser arrive on the shores on Tuesday night's episode of the show.

The 25-year-old former TOWIE star will see the arrival of the hunky South Londoner, who will no doubt be shocked to discover that his former love has heard rumours that he cheated on her - much to her horror.

Ahead of Jacques entrance into the villa he sat down with MTV to answer some heated questions about his intentions for Nicole, who currently has a whopping three exes in the house.

The Essex-born beauty entered the show as Joshua Richie's ex, shortly before her former loves Jack Devlin and Alexzander Leslie arrived on the show - with the latter baring terrible news.

After Nicole blasted Alex for how he treated her, while insisting Jacques Fraser made her feel 'like a princess', he then delivered the crashing blow that her esteemed former boyfriend had cheated on her.

Finally able to have his own say on Tuesday's episode, the hunky newcomer, who is strictly known by his full name Jacques Fraser, revealed some cheeky facts to fans before he entered the show.

Heartbreak: Ex On The Beach star Nicole Bass will undoubtedly be both delighted and devastated as her beloved ex-boyfriend Jacques Fraser arrive on the shores on Tuesday night's episode of the show

Happy times: The 25-year-old former TOWIE star will see the arrival of the hunky South Londoner, who will no doubt be shocked to discover that his former love has heard rumours that he cheated on her - much to her horror

See what he's missing! Stunning Nicole naturally wowed the newcomer

In his clip, he said: 'I'm Jack, 26, from south London. I'm a man's man, you know, say it like it is, got good banter, love the birds.

'Everyone knows me as Jacques Fraser but my real name is Jacques Renee Fraser. The funny thing is, is no one in my family's french.'

Much to her delight no doubt, Jacques then revealed his intention to win Nicole back as he lamented that she is: 'The one that got away'.

He explained: 'I came to the show as Nicole's ex, I've come to get her back. We had a few issues. I'm tryna get her back, she's the one who got away.

Hand on heart: Ahead of Jacques entrance into the villa he sat down with MTV to answer some heated questions about his intentions for Nicole, who currently has a whopping three exes in the house

Wink wink: Jacques Fraser then went on to reveal a bevy of very steamy secrets - which would undoubtedly further deepen Nicole's trust issues

'Met her on a night out. Met her, we started talking as friends and got to know her better, started catching feelings and fell in love. When I was younger I never got attached to birds when they caught feelings I'd just let them go.'

It seems despite his 'catching feelings' with Nicole, it was not enough to keep his eyes from straying, if Alex's revelation is to be believed.

Jacques Fraser then went on to reveal a bevy of very steamy secrets - which would undoubtedly further deepen Nicole's trust issues.

My girls: He said: 'One sexy secret is I slept with three different girls in 24 hours in Ibiza. Another one is I've had sex in the cinema. I can't remember the film. Another is I've had quite a few threesomes'

He said: 'One sexy secret is I slept with three different girls in 24 hours in Ibiza. Another one is I've had sex in the cinema. I can't remember the film. Another is I've had quite a few threesomes.'

From his explanation of his perfect girl, it seems Nicole slots perfectly in, with his love of all natural appearances from his ladies.

He revealed: 'My type of girl is natural, naturally pretty, I don't like the fake look. I dont like the fake look, fake hair, fake lips, fake t*ts, fake personality.'

The upcoming star is determined to find his ideal woman: 'I wanna wake up next to a bird and her looking the same as she did on a night out - not wake up next to her and think: "F**k about".'

Ex On The Beach continues tonight at 10pm, only on MTV

Serious talk: The upcoming star is determined to find his ideal woman: 'I wanna wake up next to a bird and her looking the same as she did on a night out - not wake up next to her and think: "F**k about"
Elizabeth Olsen has been working up a sweat around Los Angeles to stay in fighting form for her forthcoming superhero flick Avengers: Infinity War.

And the actress rewarded her discipline on Monday in Studio City, California, when she popped into McConnell's Scoop Shops for a frozen treat.

The younger sister of actresses Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen sampled four different flavors before selecting one to fill a pint-size order, along with a large cookie that she carried out in her hand.

Sweet deal! Elizabeth Olsen indulged in samples of ice cream flavors on Monday in Studio City, California on a solo outing

The blonde was casual for the solo outing and kept her look simple with jeans, a brown sweater and a black jacket. Her ombre tresses were styled loose and rested around her shoulders, and she opted to go make-up free.

Last week she turned 28 years old and didn't shy away from cake when she celebrated among friends.

And there are more big things ahead for the movie star to celebrate, as her big screen career is busier than ever.

Rewards: The action movie star settled on a pint of ice cream and a cookie

Sweet tooth! The sister of Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen walked off with a large cookie in her hand

The movie star is currently reprising her role as Scarlet Witch in the third installment of the Avengers, which will hit theaters next year.

Last month she wrapped promoting her two forthcoming pictures at the Sundance Film Festival, Wind River and Ingrid Goes West.

Just premiered: In Ingrid Goes West, Elizabeth stars as Taylor, a social media celebrity whose online presence enraptures Ingrid, an unhinged woman played by Aubrey Plaza

Haunting: Wind River stars Jeremy Renner as Cory Lambert, a US Fish & Wildlife agent, and Elizabeth as Jane Banner, a rookie FBI agent

In the drama Wind River, she plays opposite her Avengers co-star Jeremy Renner as a rookie FBI agent who teams up with the US Fish & Wildlife agent in the investigation of a dead and raped teenage girl who was discovered in Wyoming's Wind River Indian Reservation.

In the dark comedy Ingrid Goes West, Elizabeth stars as Taylor, a social media influencer whose e-fame enraptures an unhinged woman played by Aubrey Plaza.
Josh Murray seems to be back together with his ex fiancee Amanda Stanton after a two months break. And on Tuesday photo evidence of their reunion surfaced.

The handsome dark-haired reality star can be seen leaning in for the smooch with the pretty, petite blonde after they dined at the Japanese restaurant Katana in West Hollywood.

Later the TV star was seen walking into the Sunset Boulevard Best Western Hotel with his former Bachelor In Paradise co-star.

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The kiss: Josh Murray is back together with his ex fiancee Amanda Stanton. And on Tuesday photo evidence if the reunion surfaced

Date night: The handsome dark-haired reality star can be seen leaning in for the smooch with the pretty, petite blonde after they dined at the Japanese restaurant Katana in West Hollywood

Murray wore a dark jacket and grey jeans with boots. Amanda wore all black with shirt boots and a long-strapped purse.

The beauty had to stand on her tippy toes to give Josh his kiss. He was also seen with his arm around her.

They were also seen hand-in-hand and laughing as if they have not a care in the world.

My place? Later the TV star was seen walking into the Sunset Boulevard Best Western Hotel

The two seemed to be caught up in each other and didn't notice other people on the street.

These photos come out just after Murray talked to ET's Lauren Zima about the snaps.

'Who was watching us?' the 32-year-old questioned, with a smile and a laugh.

He's 'single': Murray sat down with ET's Lauren Zima for a Facebook Live interview on Monday, seen here in a photo he shared the same day to Instagram

Rumors had been circling for a while about the breakup of the couple, who was one of three pairs to get engaged on last summer's Bachelor in Paradise season finale.

Stanton, 26, confirmed that things had ended between them, also to ET in January. In December, TMZ claimed they split after a massive fight at the Jingle Ball at the Staples Center in LA.

Though somewhat hesitant to authenticate the images put in front of him, he admitted freely to meeting the mother-of-two for a meal.

'It was a good evening. We had a good time. Whenever we're together, especially outside of the show and outside all the drama, it's always been a good relationship,' Murray said. 'There were just so many outside forces and outside factors that got involved after we were together on the show, and it was unfortunate for a little bit.'

In the hot seat: Murray was put in the hot seat over the photos taken at a dinner he shared with ex-fiancee Amanda Stanton; the two are seen here in Los Angeles on December 2, 2016

Stanton, herself, previously admitted their breakup had 'been a little hard.'

'I havent really, you know, thought about what to say, but yeah, we did break up. It's sad,' she told ET at the charity premiere party for Nick Vialls season of The Bachelor on January 2.

During Murray's interview on Monday, Zima host wasn't shy about asking the hard questions, and went straight to point to see if the two were now back on again.

'There's a possibility for anything,' Murray said, being somewhat evasive, but he clarified that right now he considers himself 'single.'

Whatever is going on between the two of them, they seem to be on the same page about taking a more private approach to their relationship from here on out.

'It's a tough situation with the kids, and we don't want to kind of fully dive into anything, because we're thinking about them as well,' Murray shared during the talk.

'I don't like talking about my relationships unless everything is great and there's positive things to be said,' he went on. 'There are positive things to be said of course, but there's a lot of things that we still need to talk about, just for moving on as friends or anything in the future, and we're beginning to do that.'

More private: Whatever is going on between the two of them, they seem to be on the same page about taking a more private approach to their relationship from here on out; Stanton is seen here in a social media post from Thursday with her daughters, Charlie and Kinsley

Stanton isn't letting on about anything, at least on social media, with one of her most recent posts from Wednesday showing her in Long Beach, California with her daughters, Charlie and Kinsley, with the caption, 'everything I need.'

Murray also played coy when initially confronted with photos that showed him sharing a kiss with his ex.

'Let's see how Photoshopped they are,' Murray said, as Zima pulled up the pictures.

Then he leaned in to see what she had on her smart phone and said, 'That's not me.'

The ET correspondent chided him, saying, 'Josh,' in a tone that showed she didn't believe him for one second. 'This is a kiss between you and Amanda,' she stated frankly.

'That looks like my brother,' he kept on. 'He looks like me, too.'

'I would be worried if your brother was kissing Amanda, Josh,' she said.

Keeping his cards close: Murray stuck to a refrain that he and Stanton 'had good sushi last night;' the two are seen here in Los Angeles on November 10, 2016

Murray finally let up, asking, 'Who was watching us? Where do you guys come from?'

When Zima asked him if he was happy in the photo in question, he returned to his refrain throughout the nearly 40 minute interview, that they two of them 'had good sushi last night.'

He added: 'This is the first time I've seen her in a while. When I came out this week, I came for one of my friend's events, and I did some other stuff while I was here, and we ran into each other and stuff,' he explained, about their decision to have dinner together.

'You know, we just had long conversations. They were conversations that needed to be had, and [we had] a great dinner.'
He's been forced to wear his left arm in a sling after breaking his collarbone while snowboarding down the slopes in Whistler.

But Brooklyn Beckham refused to let the injury get him down on Tuesday, as he cut a chirpy figure upon returning to London.

The 17-year-old managed to raise a brave smile as he stepped out after the Canadian winter getaway, looking quirky in a pink beanie and ripped jeans.

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Brave face: Brooklyn Beckham, 17, proved that he refused to let his collarboine injury get him down as he cut a chirpy figure when he returned back to London

The eldest son of David and Victoria Beckham kept things casual in a white sweatshirt with a slogan emblazoned on it.

He added a pair of stonewash distressed jeans and opted for comfort in his footwear with classic Vans trainers.

Adding a skater-style beanie to the outfit, Brooklyn smiled as he strolled along the streets for a casual solo outing.

Flash those pearly whites: The teen managed to raise a brave smile as he stepped out after the Canadian winter getaway, looking quirky in a pink beanie and ripped jeans

Cool guy: The eldest son of David and Victoria Beckham kept things casual in a white sweatshirt with a slogan emblazoned on it

Doing alright? He added a pair of stonewash distressed jeans to the look

David and the family were spotted in Canada on Sunday morning preparing to jet back to the UK after their idyllic winter getaway.

Brooklyn wore his left arm in a sling after breaking his collarbone while snowboarding down the slopes in Whistler.

He shared a video of the moment he injured himself on Instagram where he showed his impressive snowboarding ability leading up to the accident, smoothly carving through the powder in the scenic setting.

Cool yet casual: He opted for comfort in his footwear with classic Vans trainers

Hats off to him! He added a dose of colour with a pink skater-style beanie

After seemingly negotiating the trickiest part of the descent, he falls forwards while on an innocuous wide expanse, cracking his bone in the process.

The video, which was viewed almost 400,000 times in the first four hours, was simply uploaded with the caption: 'Broke my collarbone at the end.'

Hours later, he shared an image of his X-Ray, displaying his collarbone ripped apart, putting him out of action for the rest of the trip.

Ouch: The second-generation star also shared the X-ray confirming the injury on his social media

Man down: The model lost control of his body, leading to the a violent impact on the snow

Slope master: Prior to his tumble, Brooklyn navigated the mountain with precision

Getting on with things: He seemed not to be hindered by the black sling

The family appear to be have spent some quality time together in the winter hotspot after a hectic and fraught few weeks.

Not only was Victoria busy preparing for her A/W17 showcase in New York City, emails were then leaked of David reportedly reacting angrily to not being given a knighthood.

The former England captain allegedly branded the Honours Committee unappreciative c***s in the messages, and dismissed lower awards.

According to the revelations, the Honours Committee had already agreed that Beckham's nomination  almost certainly proposed by his PR advisers  was well 'merited' before a routine check of his tax affairs.

A bit tired? The teenager is no doubt ready to get some rest after the skiing holiday in Canada

Family affair: The Beckhams appear to be have spent some quality time together in the winter hotspot after a hectic and fraught few weeks
An exquisitely crocheted gown ensured she dominated proceedings at the London premiere of her new film on Thursday evening.

But it was a comparatively low key Sienna Miller who stepped out on Tuesday afternoon as promotional commitments for The Lost City of Z continue further afield in the United States.

The willowy British actress showed off her naturally pretty features by opting to go make-up free during an appearance in New York City.

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Natural beauty: Sienna Miller showed off her naturally pretty features by opting to go make-up free during an appearance in New York City on Tuesday

Sienna, 35, added to her relaxed look by sporting a casual grey hoodie over fetching leopard print leggings and a pair of battered Adidas trainers.

A fleece lined winter jacket completed the look, while her tousled blonde locks fell across her shoulders as she hailed a cab.

Accessorising with a colourful striped handbag and carrying a baby pink scooter in her right hand, the actress was hard to miss while waiting on the sidewalk.

Finishing touches: Sienna, 35, added to her relaxed look by sporting a casual grey hoodie over fetching leopard print leggings and a pair of battered Adidas trainers

Sienna had previously dazzled at the London premiere of The Lost City of Z last Thursday evening, while looking phenomenal in a crochet white gown with a sexy bustier detail.

The actress ensured she encompassed both high fashion with sizzling style as she sported underwear as outerwear in the corseted gown.

Sienna has always been known as a style icon since first launching into the public eye when she began her high-profile romance with Jude Law before kicking off her wildly successful acting career with 2004 movie Alfie.

Stunning: Sienna had previously dazzled at the London premiere of The Lost City of Z last Thursday evening, while looking phenomenal in a crochet white gown with a sexy bustier detail

Her trailblazing boho style was a huge hit in the early Noughties and she appeared to return to her old ways in the antique style gown.

The intricate lace of her gown added a plush feel to the look, while the shape accentuated her stunning figure, complete with her perky bust and tiny waist.

Sienna star plays Nina Fawcett in her latest movie alongside main men Robert Pattinson, Charlie Hunnam and Tom Holland, in the true story telling the story of a British explorer Col. Percival Fawcett, who mysteriously disappeared while searching for a city in the Amazon in the Twenties.

The widely-anticipated movie has been lauded in many reviews with the Telegraph deeming the film 'an immediate classic'.

The Lost City Of Z opens in cinemas across the United Kingdom from March 24 and the United States from April 21.

Coming soon: Sienna star plays Nina Fawcett in her latest movie alongside main men Robert Pattinson and Charlie Hunnam
They've been firm friends for years.

So the atmosphere on set was no doubt a relaxed one as Kate Winslet and Idris Elba shared a steamy smooch for upcoming film, The Mountain Between Us.

Putting on a sultry display as they filmed in Vancouver, Canada on Tuesday, the pair proved to be ever the professionals as they got through the scene.

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Pucker up: s Kate Winslet and Idris Elba shared a steamy smooch for upcoming film, The Mountain Between Us as they filmed in Vancouver on Tuesday

Looking close to tears, Kate passionately embraced her co-star as she pulled him in close for a kiss.

Struggling to reach her handsome co-star's 6 3 frame even in wedges, the Titanic actress reached up on her tip toes as she draped herself over him.

Kate also donned a navy polka dot dress for the scenes, whilst a beige satchel was slung over her shoulder.

Two of a kind: They've been firm friends for years so the atmosphere on set was no doubt a relaxed one as they filmed the sultry scenes

Her golden locks were styled in loose ringlets, whilst a neutral make-up palette accentuated her pretty features.

Idris also looked stylish in straight cut jeans and a crisp blue shirt.

Whilst the pair only had eyes for each other, they appeared to be in the midst of chaos as they filmed the scenes.

Pucker up: Looking close to tears, Kate passionately embraced her co-star as she pulled him in close for a kiss

Tiny: Struggling to reach her handsome co-star's 6 3 frame even in wedges, the Titanic actress reached up on her tip toes as she draped herself over him

Looking lovely: Kate also donned a navy polka dot dress for the scenes, whilst a beige satchel was slung over her shoulder

They were no doubt emotional ones as The Mountain Between Us follows the characters of Ashley Knox and Ben Payne as the two survive a plane crash in the mountains.

Ashley (Winslet) is on her way to her upcoming wedding while Ben (Elba) needs to get to a patient in need of surgery, so the latter charters a private plane when their commercial flight gets cancelled due to bad weather.

Fate steps in and the pilot has a heart attack mid-air, stranding the badly-injured strangers, along with the pilot's dog, in the wilderness where they must band together in order to survive.

Blonde beauty: Kate's golden locks were styled in loose ringlets, whilst a neutral make-up palette accentuated her pretty features

Dapper: Idris also looked stylish in straight cut jeans and a crisp blue shirt

Tense: They were no doubt emotional ones as The Mountain Between Us follows the characters of Ashley Knox and Ben Payne as the two survive a plane crash in the mountains

Final scenes? Filming began in December but is expected to wrap later this month

Late additions: Before Kate and Idris came on board, the film had a troubled casting history

Snuggled up: Idris grasped Kate by her golden locks as he looked intensely into her eyes

Emotional: The scenes will no doubt be tense ones

Breaking character: The pair shared a giggle between filming the intense scenes together

Based on the 2011 novel by the same title written by Charles Martin, the script was rounded out with the help of J. Mills Goodloe and Chris Weitz.

The adaptation is being directed by Hany Abu-Assad, who has earned Academy Award nominations for both 2013's Omar and 2006's Paradise Now.

Filming began in December but is expected to wrap later this month.

On a mission: Kate looked steely-eyed as she prepared to film her scenes on the set

Legs eleven: Kate flashed her toned pins in a chic navy polka dot dress

That's a wrap: Kate layered up with a black thick coat and mustard scarf between takes

Making an entrance: Kate dazzled as she emerged from her car onto the set

Before Kate and Idris came on board, the film had a troubled casting history.

Michael Fassbender, Margot Robbie and Rosamund Pike were all at one point attached to the project but dropped out citing scheduling conflicts.

The film, which is expected to be an Oscar contender, is due to be released in October.

Getting shirty: Idris looked dapper as he stepped out onto the set

Making moves: The pair were spotted moving around the movie set in Vancouver
She's known for her style chameleon ways on the red carpet and glitzy after-parties.

And Gillian Anderson, 48, was back to her old fashion tricks as she slipped into a chic Roksanda dress for the UK premiere of Viceroy's House at the Curzon Cinema on Tuesday night.

The Fall star looked chic in her stylish SS17 gown which boasted billowing white sleeves with red cuffs as she posed for pictures.

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Fashion forward: Gillian Anderson, 48, slipped into a chic Roksanda dress for the UK premiere of Viceroy's House at the Curzon Cinema on Tuesday night

Taking the female lead in the historic drama, the mother-of-three made sure all eyes were on her as her chic number featured a key-hole detail in the midst of her chest, teasing at her ample cleavage.

The X Files actress' waist cinching dress boasted a sultry slit in the back of her number that hinted at her toned pins.

She teetered up the red carpet in her black strappy sandals, while opting to forgo accessorises to let her block coloured garment against her alabaster skin do the talking.

Leading lady: Taking the female lead in the historic drama, she made sure all eyes were on her as her chic number featured a key-hole detail in the midst of her chest, teasing at her ample cleavage

Dazzling: Accentuating her delicate features, she worked her blonde coif into a sweeping chignon

Flawless: The mother-of-three aided her youthful complexion with a dusting of warm blush across her cheeks

Pin-credible: The X Files actress' waist cinching dress boasted a sultry slit in the back of her number that hinted at her toned pins

Accentuating her delicate features, she worked her blonde coif into a sweeping chignon while she made her dazzling eyes pop with a shimmering shadow look across her lids.

She's had whirlwind few weeks with the highly-anticipated flick, having travelled with it to the Berlin International Film Festival last week.

The British-Indian drama, directed by Gurinder Chadha, was specifically chosen to screen at the German capital's film festival out of competition on Sunday.

Grateful: Gillian stopped to sign autographs and take photos with excited on the red carpet

Excited: Gillian appeared in high spirits as she chatted to eager fans

Saucy: The TV star's chic ankle-grazing dress featured a saucy silver zip in the back

Also arriving to the premiere was Anderson's co-star Hugh Bonneville and his wife Lulu Evans.

Looking dapper, the Downton Abbey actor worked a three piece suit alongside his long-term love.

Meanwhile, Lily Travers, Huma Qureshi and Jaz Doel - who also star in the British flick - showcased their red carpet fashions in full as they posed for photos.

Making a splash on the carpet, Emeli Sande sported a long gold silk number as she arrived at the premiere with producer Naughty Boy.

Ethereal: Film star Lily Travers sizzled in a thigh-skimming ethereal mini dress for the occasion

Sky-high: She teamed her flirty number with a pair of platform silk heels

All smiles: Also arriving to the premiere was Anderson's co-star Hugh Bonneville and his wife Lulu Evans

Suit up: Looking dapper, the Downton Abbey actor worked a three piece suit alongside his long-term love

Chic: Huma Qureshi (L) and Jaz Doel - who also star in the British flick - showcased their red carpet fashions in full as they posed for photos

Atmospheric: Tanveer Ghani - who stars in the upcoming film - soaked up the atmosphere on the carpet with his date

Going for gold: Emeli Sande sported a long gold silk gown for the evening's cinematic festivities

Premiere pals: The critcially acclaimed singer sported arrived at the premiere with music producer Naughty Boy

The flick takes place in 1947, during the Partition of India, and follows life in the famous Viceroy's House - the official home of the country's President in New Delhi.

It chronicles the life and events of the last Viceroy of India, Lord Mountbatten, and his wife Lady Mountbatten, played by Gillian.

While Hugh Bonneville portrays her powerful husband, while Michael Gambon plays Hastings Ismay, a General who was Chief of Staff in the House.

Depicting both the couples life in the upstairs-downstairs-esque drama of during the divide between Muslim, Sikh and Hindu Indians in colonial India.

Outfit change: Gillian later changed things yup by opting for a plunging green dress for the annual BFI Chairman's Dinner honouring Peter Morgan with the BFI Fellowship at Claridge's Hotel

Gorgeous in green: The X Files star was truly out of this world as she poised for photos

In good company: Gillian helped Peter Morgan celebrate on his special night

Upstairs lived the Mountbattens and downstairs lived some 500 employees from a mixture of Hindu, Muslim and Sikh backgrounds who served them.

In their time, the Mountbattens were the cause of many rumours in their relationship. One such rumour was that Lady Edwina was engaged in an affair with the then prime minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru.

Tanveer Ghani who stars as the prime minister in the film said there is definitely a romance shown.

He told Daily Mail: 'There is some flirting and it is definitely alluded to in the film, but there are no shenanigans - at all. It's a PG film.

Picture perfect: Hugh Bonneville, director and writer Gurinder Chadha and Gillian posed together on the carpet (Pictured L-R)

'But one thing this film wants to depict is independence, difference and most importantly, love.'

Written and directed by Gurinder Chadha, she said: 'I decided I wanted to make a film about what I call The Peoples Partition.'

'I didnt just want to explore why Partition happened and focus on the political wrangles between public figures, I also wanted to make sure the audience understood the impact of Partition on ordinary people.

The film is set to hit UK cinemas on March 3.

Film fancy: The flick takes place in 1947, during the Partition of India, and follows life in the famous Viceroy's House - the official home of the country's President in New Delhi
Lisa Oldfield might enjoy some of the girlish things in life like make up, jewellery, facials and high heels but the reality star insists she's 'not like other women'.

The wife of former One Nation co-founder David Oldfield has told The Daily Telegraph her motto is, 'I am different from other women'.

The controversial brunette surmises that is, 'because I am probably more like a man'.

Lisa has told The Daily Telegraph her motto is: 'I am different from other women'.

She may see herself as more like a man but the 41-year-old Real Housewives of Sydney star has been known to swear like a sailor, as the saying goes.

In a promotional clip for the show the brassy housewife was seen yelling out 'Oh f****** shut up, you c***!' to partner David.

The Northern Beaches local doesn't spare the bad language around her kids either, raising eyebrows when she traded swear words with her four-year-old son.

According to a report in The Daily Telegraph, Lisa's four-year-old son Albert, Bert for short, called his mother a 'a bloody f**king idiot' in one shoot for the show.

Cool girl: The controversial brunette surmises she is, ' probably more like a man'

Lisa was just as potty mouthed, the exchange starting with the socialite calling her four-year-old son 'a d**khead' when he wouldn't get in a pool.

Although she stars on a show about 'housewives', the business woman considers herself independent from her husband and his career.

She was outraged after being labelled a 'politician's wife' in the first promotional trailer for the reality program.

Not just a wife? She was outraged after being labelled a 'politician's wife' in the first promotional trailer for the reality program

After the outburst: Lisa's official description was altered to 'politically incorrect' in revamped ads and trailers for the upcoming Foxtel program

In response Lisa uploaded a screenshot of the original ad alongside the caption: 'Can you believe after an enormously successful corporate career @foxtel have labelled me as a #politicianswife?'

Despite previously sharing memes poking fun at the women's equality movement in the past, Lisa said being labelled as a 'politician's wife' turned her into a 'feminist'.

She wrote: 'Nevermind that my husband left politics 10 years ago! I think I just became a feminist at 41'.

Politically incorrect: The Northern Beaches local doesn't spare the bad language around her kids. raising eyebrows when she traded swear words with her four-year-old son

According to a report in The Daily Telegraph: Lisa's four-year-old son Albert, Bert for short, called his mother a 'a bloody f**king idiot'

After the outburst, her official description was altered to 'politically incorrect' in revamped ads and trailers for the upcoming Foxtel program.

Lisa proudly showcased the updated advertisement on her Instagram, uploading a photo of a large banner baring her name alongside the new tagline.
Just hours after revealing interview about her split from husband Tarek, this star has confirmed her new relationship is also over.

Flip Or Flop's Christina El Moussa has split with her contractor boyfriend Gary Anderson.

The 33-year-old HGTV star confirmed to Us Weekly via her rep that her romance - which began mid-2016 - was over.

It's over: Flip Or Flop's Christina El Moussa has split with her contractor boyfriend Gary Anderson it was revealed Tuesday. The pair were photographed together for the first time earlier this month in Yorba Linda, California

Her rep Cassandra Zebisch told the magazine: 'Christina is single and being in a relationship is the last thing on her mind.

'She is taking this time to focus on her children and herself.'

An insider told the magazine the pair 'broke up because of too many outside pressures'.

Gary was the first man Christina dated after calling it quits on her marriage of six years to her HGTV co-star and husband Tarek.

Single and ready to mingle: The star's (pictured Tuesday) rep confirmed, ''Christina is single and being in a relationship is the last thing on her mind. She is taking this time to focus on her children and herself'

Back on the horse: Gary was the first man Christina dated after calling it quits on her marriage of six years to her HGTV co-star and husband Tarek

The relationship was subject to a lot of public scrutiny, but Gary and the star were only photographed together for the first time earlier this month in Yorba Linda, California.

The 33-year-old reportedly met the older divorcee after he came to work at her family's home but it was not until she separated from Tarek did the relationship turn romantic.

It is understood Gary was at the home when the police were called in May last year after Tarek stormed off with a gun. Both Tarek and Christina have denied anyone came between their marriage.

Too much: An insider said the pair 'broke up because of too many outside pressures'

Splish splash: The 33-year-old reportedly met the older divorcee after he came to work at her family's home but it was not until she separated from Tarek did the relationship turn romantic

News of her split comes as Christina told People magazine - which she is on the cover of this month - that she is enjoying post-married life.

She said: 'It's invigorating to know I am starting over. It's fun to be able to create my own destiny right now.'

Christina was on a media spree on Tuesday also appearing on Good Morning America, and sat down with Michael Strahan and said she and her former spouse are doing just fine.

Moving forward:Christina was on a media spree on Tuesday also appearing on Good Morning America, to talk about how while she and her estranged husband may have called it quits on their marriage but have no plans to quit television any time soon

'I'm doing really good!' Christina sat down with Michael Strahan and said she and her former spouse are doing just fine

'Honestly despite everything, I'm doing really, really, good,' the house flipper revealed.

The mom of two - Brayden, 18 months, and Taylor, six, - said they have no plans to stop filming Flip Or Flop and currently film together three or four times a week.

'Currently season six is on air and Tarek and I are filming season seven of Flip Or Flop.

Not quitting: The mom of two - Brayden, 18 months, and Taylor, six, - said they have no plans to stop filming Flip Or Flop and currently film together three or four times a week

'We have so much fun on set and we look forward to continuing the show.'

The pair also run real estate seminars together so Christina told Michael they 'will always be working together'.

Christina said they were colleagues way before they were romantically involved, so it is not too much of a stretch to stay professional.

More than just professional: The star said, 'We have so much fun on set and we look forward to continuing the show'

'We met at work so we worked together before we ever started dating. It's our normal.'

The pair also have their children to focus on to ensure they work as a cohesive unit.

'[Co-parenting] is going really good. Our kids are amazing... Our kids are transitioning well. Tarek and I are friends and we have a lot of support from our family.'

Been through worse: Christina - who is currently writing a book about her struggles, including the divorce, and how she coped - said the pair have weathered worst storms than this

Focus on their kids: The house flipper said, co-parenting 'is going really good. Our kids are amazing... Our kids are transitioning well. Tarek and I are friends and we have a lot of support from our family'

Putting differences aside: While they had issues since May, the two have tried to not let that come between them and their children (pictured here August)

Christina - who is currently writing a book about her struggles, including the divorce, and how she coped - said the pair have weathered worst storms than this.

'Tarek and I met 10 years ago at work we went through a market crash... we went through cancer and infertility and now we're going through a very public divorce.

'Despite everything, our primary focus is and always will be out kids and we continue to work together.

Feeling good: The 33-year-old could not stop smiling as arrived at Good Morning America

Going with the flow: the reality star wore a flower print floaty chiffon dress which featured a high neck but a very short skirt

'In the end we are just normal nice people who just want to be the best parents and co-workers we can be.'

New normal: Christina said, 'In the end we are just normal nice people who just want to be the best parents and co-workers we can be'

The former couple will, however, each be telling their 'side of the story' in separate magazines out this week, with Christina the cover story of People and Tarek on the cover of Us Weekly.

Christina's cover reads 'The truth about my divorce' and promises to reveal 'the terrifying day she decided to leave Tarek' as well as talk about her love life, while Tarek's is heralded simple as 'My side of the story'.

In a sneak peek of the People story, Christina said they had started to separate long before they actually called it a separation.

'I think the separation process begins long before people actually separate. So by the time we officially did, I felt like a weight was lifted off me.'

Christina revealed she was struggling after the birth of their son, which followed a miscarriage and IVF treatments, and it took its toll on their relationship.

Magazine face off:The former couple will, however, each be telling their 'side of the story' in separate magazines out this week, with Christina the cover story of People and Tarek on the cover of Us Weekly

Out tomorrow: Christina's cover reads 'The truth about my divorce' and promises to reveal 'the terrifying day she decided to leave Tarek' as well as talk about her love life, while Tarek's is heralded simple as 'My side of the story'

The star went back to work just four weeks after Brayden was born, which she says was 'too soon for me'.

'I was overwhelmed. The tension between me and Tarek was high.

'We weren't able to properly communicate anymore. It got to the point where we weren't even driving to set together.'

Relief: Christina (pictured March) said they had started to separate long before they actually called it a separation, so when their split became public knowledge she felt 'like a weight had been lifted' off her

Hard to find balance: Christina revealed she was struggling after the birth of their son, which followed a miscarriage and IVF treatments, and it took its toll on their relationship

Now that they are moving forward separately and doing well, Christina says they do however, make sure not to talk about dating other people.

The 33-year-old said: 'Tarek and I don't discuss each other's personal lives.

'It is what it is and we are going through a divorce and eventually we will be dating other people. I'm happy for him and whatever steps he takes in his life and I just hope he's happy.'

'I just hope he's happy': Now that they are moving forward separately and doing well, Christina (seen here in March) says they do however, make sure not to talk about dating other people

Did not want to end it: Tarek El Moussa has denied he had any intention to take his own life when police were called to his house in May during an interview with Today show on Tuesday, which was on while his estranged wife also appeared on television

While their split was not revealed until late last year, the television couple had struggled for some time.

Police had been called to their home in May after Tarek armed himself with a gun following an argument, which Tarek discussed on Tuesday morning also.

Tarek - who filed for divorce in January - spoke to Today on Tuesday morning and denied he had ever planned to take his life that day in May despite police being called for an armed 'possibly suicidal' man.

Misunderstanding: The 35-year-old Flip Or Flop star insisted to Today's Joe Fryer that he was not suicidal saying, 'No, no, no. Never. Never. Absolutely never'

For protection: Tarek insists he took the gun - which he is licensed to carry - to simply protect himself while hiking the Chino Hills State Park Main Ridge Trail, even though police were called on May 26 to a report of an armed 'possibly suicidal' man. The star is seen here with one of his guns in a video he deleted after the incident came to light

'No, no, no. Never. Never. Absolutely never,' the reality star said when asked if he had planned to take his life.

The 35-year insists he took the gun - which he is licensed to carry - to simply protect himself while hiking the Chino Hills State Park Main Ridge Trail as 'there's mountain lions, bobcats and rattlesnakes and big wildlife back there'.

'I went out for a hike to scout some trails, it wasn't even a big deal. I didn't understand.'

Wildlife risk: The star said, 'There's mountain lions, bobcats and rattlesnakes and big wildlife back there. I went out for a hike to scout some trails, it wasn't even a big deal'

'I literally thought I was going to die': Tarek revealed on Today that after being diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2013 he was then told he also had testicular cancer (pictured here after his thyroid removal surgery in 2013)

Tarek also revealed on Today that after being diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2013 he was then told he also had testicular cancer.

'Dealing with thyroid cancer was hard enough and then a few weeks later finding out I had testicular cancer, I literally thought I was going to die.'

While Christina recently posted an Instagram of her ex and the production crew saying filming season 7 had been a 'breeze' and said things were 'fun' during her morning show interview, Tarek was more candid.

Couldn't save marriage: The home flipper said their split, he said, was a long time coming, 'As time went on we got distant from each other, there's a lot going on in our lives, we tried the counselling and it just wasn't working'

'I'm not going to lie and say it's been easy': While Christina recently posted an Instagram of her ex and the show's production crew saying filming season 7 had been a 'breeze', Tarek was more candid

'I'm not going to lie and I'm not going to say it was easy. It's like anything in life, there is challenges.

'But we love filming, that's our job. We've been doing it a long time, and we love releasing a good product for our fans. Just try to fight through it and do the best we can.'

Life & Style reported that she often locked herself in the car to avoid her spouse during breaks in filming and the crew actively avoided too much downtime to minimize her exposure to her ex.
Artificial insemination, embryo transfer and genetic selection have led to significant improvements in animal breeding in recent years

Gene editing, which has raised ethical concerns due to its capacity to alter human DNA, is being considered in the United States as a tool for improving livestock, experts say.

The technique is different than that used in genetically modified organisms (GMOs) because it does not introduce foreign genes, but rather alters already existing DNA.

But scientists and consumer groups say there is not enough evidence yet to shed light on the potential risks of gene editing, particularly regarding its trickle-down effects on the environment and the ecosystem.

"Gene editing is one of the newest and most promising tools of biotechnology," Alison Van Eenennaam, an expert in animal genetics and biotechnology at the University of California, Davis, told the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

It "enables animal breeders to make beneficial genetic changes, without bringing along unwanted genetic changes," she added.

Artificial insemination, embryo transfer and genetic selection have led to significant improvements in animal breeding in recent years.

For instance, in the United States, selective reproduction to improve the milk output from cows has meant far fewer cows in the United States -- nine million today compared to 25.6 million in 1944 -- produce 1.6 times as much milk.

"Thanks to improvements made in the dairy industry through traditional breeding, a glass of milk today is associated with just one third of the greenhouse gas emissions linked to producing a glass of milk in the 1940s," Van Eenennaam said.

Gene editing can complement the toolkit available to breeders today by "precisely introducing desirable genetic variations into livestock breeding programs," she added.

This technique has already been used to make certain animals resistant to disease, such as pigs that are resistant to porcine reproductive and respiratory virus.

A tuberculosis-resistant form of cattle was also reported recently out of China.

- Cows without horns -

Van Eenennaam is working on a gene editing technique that allows cows to be born without horns.

Typically, the animals are born with them but undergo a painful process to remove them when they are young so that they don't damage other cows or people working with them.

Some breeds, such as Angus cows, naturally carry a genetic mutation that prevents them from growing horns.

Gene editing has the ability to modify a normal, identical gene in Holstein cows and insert this same genetic variation seen in the Angus.

This trait is then passed down to the cow's offspring.

Other teams of geneticists around the world are hoping to benefit from gene editing techniques.

For instance, it is now possible to alter chickens so that they only lay eggs that produce female chicks, a practice that can double the output of a chicken farm and curb the cruel practice of killing roosters.

Researchers are also working on a variety of chicken that would be resistant to bird flu, a potentially deadly disease that regularly devastates flocks worldwide and can spread to people.

- Potential risks -

Gene editing can also improve plant growth, said Dan Voytas, a professor of genetics and cellular biology at the University of Minnesota who has used the CRISPR/Cas-9 simple yet powerful gene-editing technique to improve soy crops.

"We are probably the first genome-edited product to enter the food supply," he told the AAAS conference.

"We have a soybean product which produces a healthier cooking oil, it is high in non saturated fat, no transfat."

But Doug Gurian-Sherman, a plant pathology expert at the Center for Food Safety, warned that certain applications could be risky.

For instance, research that alters the genes of insects and grains to fight resistance to insecticides and herbicides could introduce mutations in nature that modify entire populations of animals and plants in the course of just a few years, potentially destabilizing the food chain and allowing other species to invade.

"We don't say it's inherently bad or these crops are inherently dangerous," Michael Hansen, senior staff scientist at Consumers Union, told The New York Times recently.

"It's just they raise safety issues, and there should be required safety assessments."

In November, a US Department of Agriculture advisory board unanimously recommended that standards for organic foods exclude gene-edited crops even if they were grown without chemical fertilizers.

Then, the US Food and Drug Administration said in January that all animals whose genomes have been intentionally altered must be examined for safety, much the same way as new drugs are scrutinized before they hit the market.

"It's not yet clear what regulatory status food-animals produced with gene editing will have," said Van Eenennaam.
Bomb threats have been received at 54 Jewish community centers in 27 US states and one Canadian province since Donald Trump became president a month ago

Nearly a dozen Jewish community centers across the United States received bomb threats that led to evacuations Monday, in the latest wave of such attacks since Donald Trump became president a month ago.

The latest phoned-in threats, at 11 separate sites, bring to 69 the total number of such incidents -- at 54 Jewish community centers in 27 US states and one Canadian province -- according to the JCC Association of North America.

It cautioned, however, that all bomb threats made Monday, as well as on three others dates -- January 9, 18 and 31 -- turned out to be hoaxes, and all targeted community centers have resumed normal operations.

The FBI and the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division are said to be investigating the incidents.

Meanwhile, local media reported that more than 100 headstones were damaged at a Jewish cemetery in St Louis, Missouri.

"Over the past weekend, unknown persons knocked over multiple monument headstones within the cemetery," University City police said in a statement.

Police staff declined to confirm the number of damaged headstones at Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery as they review video surveillance on the property and nearby businesses for the ongoing investigation.

The Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks extremism, said in a recent report that the number of hate groups is rising and now at near-historic highs, linking it to the surge in "right-wing populism" during a bitterly fought presidential election that "electrified the radical right" and ultimately elected Trump.

- White House condemnation -

The Trump administration denounced the latest incidents.

"Hatred and hate-motivated violence of any kind have no place in a country founded on the promise of individual freedom," a senior administration official said.

"The president has made it abundantly clear that these actions are unacceptable."

Trump's daughter Ivanka, a convert to Judaism who has played a prominent role in his young administration along with her husband Jared Kushner, was quick to denounce the bomb threats on the Jewish community centers.

"America is a nation built on the principle of religious tolerance. We must protect our houses of worship & religious centers. #JCC," she wrote on Twitter.

The JCC Association of North America, vowed that it "will not be cowed by threats intended to disrupt people's lives or the vital role Jewish community centers play as gathering places, schools, camps and fitness and recreation centers."

"While we are relieved that all such threats have proven to be hoaxes and that not a single person was harmed, we are concerned about the anti-Semitism behind these threats, and the repetition of threats intended to interfere with day-to-day life," said the group's director of strategic performance David Posner.
The government has announced that Nepal will hold its first local elections in 20 years this May

Nepal will hold its first local elections in two decades in May, the government has announced, a key moment in the country's fraught transition to democracy.

The impoverished Himalayan nation emerged from a brutal decade-long civil war in 2006, which brought the end of the 240-year-old Hindu monarchy and transformed it into a secular republic.

But deep political divides have prevented it from implementing a new constitution that paves the way for elections, but which the minority Madhesi community says leaves them politically marginalised.

"The government has taken a historic decision. The election will be held in a single phase across the country," Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal said following a late night cabinet meeting on Monday.

"Election is compulsory for safeguarding all agendas and implementing the constitution for the functioning of democracy."

Local polls will be held on May 14, paving the way for provincial and then national elections later in the year.

The Madhesis, who live in the densely populated Terai plains bordering India, want the constitution to be amended first and have pledged to protest against the polls.

"We will not take part in the local level election without our demands being addressed," Mahindra Yadav, the chairman of a Madhesi political party, told AFP on Tuesday.

"The election cannot be a success unless we take part in it."

The Madhesis have long complained that the internal borders laid out in the constitution leave them under-represented at the ballot box and in the national parliament.

After the constitution was adopted in September 2015, Madhesi protesters kicked off a months-long blockade of the India-Nepal border that led to a crippling shortage of goods across the country.

An amendment to the constitution currently in parliament proposes to redraw some of provincial borders to address some of the Madhesi parties' demands.

"This is an achievement in a way but the problem is whether the Madhesi parties will be on board. If the Madhesi go for protest it will be impossible (to hold the polls)," Nishchal Pandey, director of the Kathmandu-based Centre for South Asian Studies, told AFP.

Local government representatives were last elected in 1997. Their five-year terms expired in 2002, at the height of the civil war, and their mandate was allowed to lapse.

Corruption has flourished since, hampering the delivery of basic services -- from healthcare to the appointment of teachers at government schools.

"People are fed up with having to pay a bribe even to get a marriage licence. They are fed up with the slow process," Pandey said.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has pledged to kill tens of thousands of people in his campaign to rid his country of drugs

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is a "serial killer" who should be forced out of office, one of his chief critics said Tuesday, as she faced arrest on drug charges she insisted were meant to silence her.

Senator Leila de Lima invoked a famous "People Power" revolution that toppled dictator Ferdinand Marcos three decades ago, in her strongest comments yet against Duterte and his drug war that has claimed thousands of lives.

"There is no more doubt that our president is a murderer and sociopathic serial killer," De Lima told reporters, as she called on cabinet to declare him unfit to lead, and asked ordinary Filipinos to voice their opposition to his rule.

De Lima said the constitution allowed for a majority in his cabinet to force him to step down by ruling that he was mentally incapacitated, and urged it to do so.

If the cabinet members did not, De Lima referred to the mass uprising that ended the "iron fist" of Marcos's dictatorship in 1986.

Philippine Senator Leila de Lima faces arrest over what she says are fabricated charges meant to silence her

"Now the time has come again for us to be brave and stand up to another criminal dictator and his evil regime," De Lima said.

The government last week charged De Lima, a former national human rights commissioner, with orchestrating a drug trafficking ring when she was justice secretary in the previous administration.

De Lima, 57, her supporters and rights groups have said the charges against her are manufactured to silence her as well as intimidate other people who may want to speak out against him.

She could be detained anytime, although the courts hearing the cases must issue an arrest warrant.

When asked about De Lima's comments, presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella simply described them as "colourful language" and pointed out that Duterte would allow public demonstrations against him.

Duterte, 71, won presidential elections last year after promising during the campaign to eradicate drugs in society by killing tens of thousands of people.

More than 6,500 people have been killed since President Rodrigo Duterte launched his war against drugs

He immediately launched the crackdown after taking office in June and police have reported killing 2,555 drug suspects since then, with about 4,000 other people murdered in unexplained circumstances.

Amnesty International has warned police actions in the drug war may amount to crimes against humanity.

The powerful Roman Catholic Church, which helped lead the People Power revolution, has in recent months begun speaking out against the drug war and on Saturday held a rally against the killings, attracting thousands of people.

But Duterte remains popular with many Filipinos, who see him as the strongman needed to fight drugs and corruption, and there is little expectation of a popular uprising against him in the near future.
President Francois Hollande chides Britain over underaged migrants stuck in France with family in the UK

French President Francois Hollande called Tuesday on Britain to "accept its responsibility" to take in stranded under-age migrants stuck in France who wish to join up with family in the UK.

The issue has been a constant irritant between the two countries, made worse by Britain's decision this month to end an arrangement to take in up to 3,000 unaccompanied minors from Europe.

The scrapping of the so-called "Dubs agreement" by Britain's conservative government has sparked criticism from opposition MPs in London and led to anger in France.

"France is playing its part in the European effort. We expect that our partners do the same, particularly when we are talking about minors on their own," Hollande told a conference on children in conflict zones.

"I call on the United Kingdom to accept its responsibility for adolescents in France at the moment who have family on the other side of the Channel," he added.

Last October, French authorities cleared a squalid camp near the Calais port on the Channel sea separating the countries which was filled with thousands of migrants hoping to reach Britain.

The camp dwellers, many fleeing war in Sudan, Iraq or Afghanistan, were dispersed around France. Children with family in Britain were assured that authorities would help them travel to reach them.

A first wave who arrived in Britain shortly afterwards sparked outrage in the right-wing press, with opponents questioning the age of some of the children who appeared to be teenagers or older.

One conservative MP suggested the new arrivals should undergo dental tests to prove their age.

On February 8, the government announced it would limit to 350, instead of 3,000, the number of unaccompanied young migrants who would be admitted from Europe.

Interior minister Amber Rudd argued that the scheme was encouraging children to travel to Europe and that Britain had accepted thousands of others from camps bordering war-torn Syria.

Prime Minister Theresa May has made reducing immigration one of her priorities since taking office in July following her country's decision to leave the European Union.
Fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces gather near a village north-east of Raqa, northern Syria on February 3, 2017

Syrian government officials and opposition figures will gather in Geneva on Thursday for the fourth round of UN-brokered talks aimed at ending their country's brutal six-year conflict.

Here is a breakdown of the forces involved in the complex war, which has killed more than 310,000 people since it broke out in 2011:

- Regime and allies -

The Syrian army's 300,000-strong pre-war force has been halved by deaths, defections and draft-dodging.

It is bolstered by 150,000-200,000 irregulars and supported by 5,000-8,000 men from Lebanon's Shiite militia Hezbollah, as well as Iranian, Iraqi and Afghan fighters.

Key regime backer Russia began an air campaign in support of President Bashar al-Assad in September 2015 and has helped Damascus recapture several key areas, including Aleppo city.

Iran has also provided major financial and military support to Assad.

The Syrian army's 300,000-strong pre-war force has been halved by deaths, defections and draft-dodging

The government controls around 34 percent of Syria's territory, including key cities such as Damascus and second city Aleppo. Of the 16 million Syrians who remain in the country, 65.5 percent live in regime territory.

- Rebels -

Syria's opposition comprises a wide range of factions, including moderate rebels and Islamist groups.

Estimates of its total number of forces range from tens of thousands up to around 100,000.

Early on, rebels coalesced under the banner of the Free Syrian Army (FSA), but the opposition has since splintered.

The most powerful is Ahrar al-Sham, which espouses a hardline Islamist ideology and boasts a commanding presence in Idlib and Aleppo provinces.

Representatives of the Syria regime and rebel groups along with other attendees take part in the second session of Syria peace talks at the Rixos President Hotel in Astana, on February 16, 2017

Another key opposition group is the Saudi-backed Jaish al-Islam (Army of Islam), whose leading member Mohammad Alloush has led previous delegations to both Geneva and parallel talks in Astana.

Rebels now hold only around 13 percent of the country, including areas where they are allied with Fateh al-Sham, according to Fabrice Balanche, an expert on Syrian geography.

Around 12.5 percent of Syria's remaining population lives in rebel-held territory.

- Jihadists -

There are two rival jihadist forces: the Islamic State group and former Al-Qaeda affiliate Fateh al-Sham Front.

IS emerged from the chaos of the war to seize control of large parts of Syria and Iraq in mid-2014, declaring an Islamic "caliphate", committing widespread atrocities and carrying out or inspiring deadly attacks abroad.

Rebel fighters, part of the Turkey-backed Euphrates Shield alliance, pose with an Islamic State group flag as they advance on February 20, 2017, towards the city of Al-Bab

Under pressure from an air war launched two years ago by a US-led coalition and fighting on multiple fronts, IS has suffered major losses.

But it still holds 33 percent of Syrian territory, including its de facto capital Raqa, ancient desert city Palmyra and Al-Bab in northern Syria.

Fateh al-Sham Front split in July 2016 from Al-Qaeda in a move analysts said was aimed at easing pressure from both Moscow and the US-led coalition which have regularly targeted its forces with air strikes.

Fateh al-Sham had been closely allied with Ahrar al-Sham since 2015, but infighting broke out between the two factions in January.

Rebel groups were forced to ally with either Ahrar or Fateh al-Sham, which rebranded itself again into Tahrir al-Sham.

- The Kurds -

Syria's Kurds have largely stayed out of the conflict between the government and armed opposition, carving out a semi-autonomous region in north and northeastern Syria.

Their People's Protection Units (YPG) have become a key partner of the US-led coalition fighting IS as part of the Kurdish-Arab Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

The YPG controls about 20 percent of Syrian territory but as much as three-quarters of the northern border with Turkey. Two million people, around 12.5 percent of Syria's remaining population, live in Kurdish-held territory.

The SDF has launched a drawn-out offensive against IS's stronghold in Raqa.

Syria's UN ambassador and head of the government delegation, Bashar al-Jaafari (C), Syrian ambassador to Russia, Riad Haddad (L), and delegation members arrive prior to the second session of Syria peace talks in Astana, on February 16, 2017

Turkey began an offensive into Syria in August 2016 against IS and the YPG, which Ankara regards as the Syrian branch of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) that has waged a 32-year insurrection inside Turkey.

- Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar -

Sunni-majority Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey have provided military and financial support to rebels fighting Assad, who belongs to the minority Alawite community linked to Shiite Islam.

Long accused of turning a blind eye to jihadist activity along its southern border, Turkey has joined the US-led coalition fighting IS and has deployed troops to fight the group in northern Syria.

Although they support opposing sides of the war, Ankara and Moscow have worked closely in recent months to secure a political solution to the conflict.

They brokered a fragile ceasefire between rebels and regime forces in December and hosted talks on reinforcing the truce and other confidence-building measures in Kazakhstan last month.

- International coalition -

A US-led coalition has carried out air strikes against IS and other jihadists in Syria since 2014.

The coalition's members include Australia, Bahrain, Britain, Canada, France, Jordan, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.
A woman receives medical care for burns following clashes between the Nigerian military and Boko Haram Islamists in Borno State

The four women lay dazed on the beds of the clinic. The face of one of them was burnt. Another broke her leg during the Nigerian army offensive against Boko Haram Islamists in their village.

Civilians have often been collateral damage in the conflict that has raged in remote northeast Nigeria for nearly eight years, leaving at least 20,000 dead and more than 2.6 million homeless.

The women wait for their wounds to heal in the suffocating heat.

"Boko Haram fighters would come to their village to steal food and hide," a nurse explained. "The army went there and put the women in a truck to evacuate them.

"The military set the village on fire, so the insurgents couldn't hide anymore. But the fire 'jumped' in the truck."

The women, with their heads covered and gold nose rings in the tradition of the ethnic Kanuri group, still look terrified.

They stare at the walls and ignore visitors, afraid that questions will focus too much on the circumstances of the "liberation" of their village.

- Fighters easily blend in -

The nurse says there are no more men left. They were either killed in the fighting, drafted into the civilian militia or forced to join the ranks of Boko Haram.

Some may even be at so-called "screening" centres, where soldiers pass judgement on whether local men have been involved in the insurgency.

Displaced families stand at the main gate of a camp for internally displaced people in Monguno district of Borno State

Such checks, free from any oversight, can take weeks or months, especially if the men are Kanuri like the majority of Boko Haram.

James Adewunmi Falode, a security analyst at the University of Lagos who tracks the conflict, said Boko Haram's resemblance to "ordinary citizens" was making the fight against them harder.

"They are not a military adversary that can be easily identified and destroyed on the battlefield. These people can easily blend into the general population when the situation demands," he said.

Even women and children, who have been repeatedly used by the group as as human bombs, are a potential threat, explaining the tensions between the military and the public.

- 'Just criminals' -

Around Dikwa and a dozen or so other secured major towns, villages have been emptied to prevent them being used by the jihadists as hideouts or resupply points.

The military also wants to stop the mass kidnapping of their inhabitants.

"Before, they (Boko Haram) would read the Koran and try to change us," said Bulama Goni, a former village chief with a white beard in long, flowing robes.

"Now, they are just criminals, asking for money, looking rough and disgusting."

Boko Haram fighters are also starving: Nigerian army tactics have been to slowly choke the rebels, cutting off their supplies of arms and food. The strategy appears to be working.

Civilians have often been collateral damage in the conflict that has raged in remote northeast Nigeria for nearly eight years, leaving at least 20,000 dead and more than 2.6 million homeless

Boko Haram used to attack major towns and cities in northeast Nigeria and in 2014 controlled territory as big as Belgium.

But now it is limited to sporadic suicide bomb attacks and ambushes of military convoys and check-points.

The military's isolation strategy, however, has not seen everywhere secured and has had an effect on the daily life of civilians.

More than five million people are in desperate need of food, according to the United Nations.

"In liberated areas there is no fuel, no communication, no public transport... even the food it's all controlled by the army," said one security operative for a major international aid agency.

"This is a classical counter-insurgency strategy left over from the Vietnam war. It hasn't changed but it's not sustainable," he added.

- Suspicious activity -

Monguno, in the north of Borno state, is a former trading hub near the edge of Lake Chad, the watery border between Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon.

There are currently about 100,000 people in the town's camps. But some 27,000 people are waiting for food distribution.

According to Ibrahim Maina, the coordinator for the Borno state emergency management agency, the last handouts were in November last year. Everyone's face is etched with hunger.

The road linking Monguno to the state capital Maiduguri, 137 kilometres (86 miles) away, has been reopened.

Muhammadu Sanni, goes to the shores of Lake Chad once a week to catch catfish to feed his family. But he says he can't catch a lot.

"If (the military) stop me with a lot of fish, they will think I'm smuggling for Boko Haram," he said, as he fixed his nylon net.

"I will go back to screening and it will take a long time."
With East Aleppo gone, Syrian rebels have a weak hand to play, say analysts

Syrian opposition figures will return to Geneva on Thursday for new UN-sponsored talks with President Bashar al-Assad's regime on their country's six-year conflict.

Since the delegations last gathered in Switzerland in April 2016, rebels have lost their bastion in east Aleppo and seen a new partnership form between their main ally Turkey and government backer Russia.

Where does the opposition stand?

The High Negotiations Committee (HNC) delegation will be led by opposition figure Nasr al-Hariri, with lawyer Mohammad Sabra replacing rebel figure Mohammad Alloush as chief negotiator.

Less than a year after the last round of talks in Switzerland, the HNC is returning to Geneva in a much weaker position, said Aron Lund, a fellow at The Century Foundation.

Aleppo's formerly rebel-held al-Shaar neighbourhood

"With East Aleppo gone, Donald Trump in the White House, jihadis in charge of much of rebel-held Syria, and Turkey in talks with Russia, the Syrian opposition is now stuck with a really bad hand to play," Lund told AFP.

Karim Bitar at the French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs said rebel factions "have pretty much lost all leverage" heading into the talks.

How are rebels doing on the ground?

The fall of Aleppo in December was the single biggest blow -- militarily and in terms of morale -- to the rebel movement since the conflict erupted in 2011.

Rebels now hold just 13 percent of Syria, according to Fabrice Balanche, a geographer at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

That is down from 20 percent in 2015.

By comparison, regime forces and allied militia now hold approximately 34 percent of Syrian territory, where more than 10 million people live, Balanche estimates.

The Islamic State jihadist group comes at a close second with 33 percent of Syria, and Kurdish groups hold about 20 percent.

Will rebel infighting affect the talks?

While the rebel movement has long been fractured, new fissures erupted last month in northwest Syria that have forced opposition factions to choose between jihadists and other Islamist hardliners.

The infighting "diminishes the credibility of the opposition delegation", Lund said, and is a distracting backdrop to the talks.

"Opposition negotiators will constantly have to watch their back to see how the (hardliner) Salafi groups in Syria react to their actions in Geneva. That isn't very helpful," he added.

Can the opposition score any gains?

The Syrian government starts to clean up areas formerly held by opposition forces in Aleppo's Shaar district

Given the Syrian army's gains and the growing momentum of parallel talks sponsored by Russia and Turkey in Astana, the opposition is unlikely to score any major wins at Geneva.

"Theoretically, the UN-led Geneva diplomatic process has much more legitimacy than the Astana talks, which risked turning Syria into a Turkish-Russian condominium," Bitar told AFP.

"But in both negotiation tracks, the principal stumbling block is the same: Assad feels emboldened by recent events and is unlikely to make any significant concessions."

Opposition figures have continued to demand greater humanitarian access, an end to bombardment and sieges and Assad's departure at the beginning of any transition period.

But Lund cast doubts on the possibility of a meaningful transition process in Geneva.

"In my view, talks about a root-and-branch transition away from the current regime were always destined to fail," he told AFP.

Where does IS fit in?

The Islamic State jihadist group -- designated by the United Nations as a "terrorist" entity -- has been excluded from all peace talks and ceasefire deals.

A Syrian pro-government fighter walks amidst the rubble in old Aleppo's Jdeideh neighbourhood

Notorious for its brutal tactics, IS is currently facing simultaneous offensives by Syrian rebels, regime forces and Kurdish militia.

Syria's representative to both the Geneva and Astana talks, Bashar al-Jaafari, has suggested that rebel groups engaging in negotiations should commit to "fighting terrorism" alongside the regime's army.

"Given the current balance of power, the rebel contribution to the fight against IS is likely to be symbolic at best, even if some parties in Geneva end up paying lip service to the idea of a joint effort," Bitar said.
France's far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen rejects a headscarf ahead of her meeting with Lebanon's Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdullatif Deryan in Beirut on February 21, 2017

France's far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen capped her visit to Lebanon with controversy on Tuesday when she refused to wear a headscarf to meet the country's top Sunni Muslim cleric.

On her last day in the Mediterranean country, Le Pen arrived at Sheikh Abdellatif Deryan's office in Beirut and was offered a white shawl to cover her blonde hair.

The National Front candidate promptly refused and made a brief statement to journalists before leaving.

"The highest Sunni authority in the world had not had this requirement, so I have no reason to," Le Pen said, referring to her 2015 visit to Al-Azhar, the prestigious Egyptian institution of Sunni Islamic learning.

She said she had told Deryan's office on Monday that she would not don a headscarf: "They did not cancel the meeting, so I thought they would accept that I will not wear the scarf."

"They wanted to impose this on me, to present me with a fait accompli. Well, no one presents me with a fait accompli," the candidate said.

France's far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen (left) meets with Lebanon's Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros al-Rai in Bekerke, on February 21, 2017

Deryan heads Dar al-Fatwa, the highest Sunni authority in Lebanon.

In a statement on Tuesday, the body said "its press office had informed the presidential candidate, through one of her assistants, of the need to cover her head when she meets his eminence, according to the protocol assumed by Dar al-Fatwa".

"Dar al-Fatwa officials were surprised by her refusal to conform to this well-known rule," it said.

Fewer than a dozen protesters gathered near Lebanon's Zaytuna Bay on Tuesday afternoon to protest against Le Pen's visit.

- 'Fascists flock together' -

"From Beirut to Damascus to Paris to Washington, fascists flock together," one placard read.

One banner read "Fascists out!", and demonstrators carried pictures of Le Pen and US President Donald Trump.

At a news conference to cap her trip, Le Pen insisted she "has never confused the religion of Islam with fundamentalist Islam".

A Lebanese woman holds a "you are not welcome" placard as she demonstrates against a visit by France's far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen to Beirut, on February 21, 2017

"I oppose Islam as a political project. I am fighting a war against fundamentalist Islamists," she told gathered reporters.

Shunned by European leaders over her party's stance on immigration and its anti-EU message, Le Pen aimed to boost her international credibility with her first visit to a foreign head of state, President Michel Aoun.

The FN leader, whose party takes an anti-immigrant stance, also met Prime Minister Saad Hariri, a Sunni Muslim, and Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil.

Islamic dress is a hot-button issue in France, where the full-face veil is banned in public places.

- 'Lesser evil' -

Le Pen's deputy Florian Philippot swiftly lauded her controversial move.

"A magnificent message of liberty and emancipation sent to the women of France and of the world," Philippot wrote on Twitter.

France had mandate power over both Lebanon and Syria during the first half of the 20th century.

Le Pen has met few top foreign officials since taking control of the FN in 2011. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has refused to meet with her.

After leaving Deryan's office, Le Pen headed to Bkerkeh, north of Beirut, to meet Maronite Catholic Patriarch Beshara Rai.

There, she saluted Lebanon's "moderate" culture, "created by Christians and Muslims".

The candidate also met Samir Geagea, who heads the Lebanese Forces party and is a fierce opponent of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Geagea, in a statement released by his party, said he had "clarified" to Le Pen that Assad remains "one of the biggest terrorists in Syria and in this region".

In an interview with Lebanon's L'Orient-Le Jour, Le Pen had called Assad "the lesser evil" compared with the Islamic State jihadist group in Syria.

But she insisted at her news conference Tuesday that she had never met Assad and does not support him.

"What I am saying is that in the interest of France, which is my sole perspective, and in the current state of the situation in Syria, there is no alternative to the regime," Le Pen said.

She has criticised the EU's calls for Assad to stand down after nearly six years of war that have left more than 310,000 people dead.

"Marine Le Pen's statements in Lebanon are an insult to the Lebanese people and the Syrian people," wrote Lebanese Druze chief Walid Jumblatt on Twitter.
Flames surge following a reported car bomb explosion at a Syrian pro-government position in Daraa on February 20, 2017

Since the start of Syria's war in 2011, several diplomatic initiatives have stumbled over the future of President Bashar al-Assad. Here is a recap:

- End of Arab solutions -

In January 2012, two months after an initial bid to end the violence, leading Arab diplomats adopt a fresh plan that would transfer power from Assad to a coalition cabinet. The Damascus government rejects the proposal and vows to crush rebel movements.

- Geneva I, ambiguous formula -

On June 30, 2012 in Geneva, global powers draw up a plan that would install a transition government, but which does not spell out what would happen to Assad.

Several diplomatic initiatives have stumbled over the future of President Bashar al-Assad

Among those drafting the proposal are the five permanent members of the UN Security Council -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- along with representatives from the Arab League, Turkey and the European Union.

Members of the so-called Action Group for Syria differ over what the plan really means however, with the US saying that it paves the way to a "post-Assad" period. China and Russia, which are allies of Assad, insist it is up to Syrians to decide their future.

- Geneva II, no agreement -

In January 2014, the first talks between Syrian opposition groups and the government are held in Geneva under the auspices of Russia and the US.

On February 15, UN mediator Lakhdar Brahimi calls an end to the talks after a second fruitless session, and resigns.

- Russian offensive/Vienna process -

Syrian government forces have escalated their bombing campaign around Damascus

On October 30, 2015, a month after Russian forces launch an intervention to support Assad, several countries meet in Vienna to explore the chance of a political solution.

They include France, Russia and the US, and also, for the first time, Iran.

In November, a transition outline is drawn up but the question of Assad's future is still not resolved.

On February 27, 2016, a ceasefire is imposed by Russia and the United States.

But on April 22 the truce is shattered by the fierce bombardment of Aleppo by regime forces.

In March and April, three rounds of indirect talks take place in Geneva between Syrian rebels and the government under UN auspices. They are stymied by questions regarding a political transition, and ceasefire violations.

- Moscow, Ankara, Tehran take over -

On August 9, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan meets with Russia's Vladimir Putin to cement closer ties between the two countries. Turkey backs some Syrian rebel groups and had shot down a Russian jet in late 2015.

Two weeks later, Turkey launches an operation in the northern Aleppo province to battle Islamic State jihadists and Kurdish militia.

On December 22, Syrian forces regain control of Aleppo with backing from Russia, after an operation in which tens of thousands of civilians and rebels are evacuated under an accord sponsored by Moscow, Iran and Turkey.

The three players effectively take over the Syrian dossier, imposing on December 30 a ceasefire between the government and rebels.

They organise on January 23-24, 2017, and then on February 16 peace talks in Astana, Kazakhstan, bringing together representatives of the regime and a small rebel delegation.

However, the meetings, organised for the first time without US involvement, end without major progress.

- Fourth round in Geneva -

Representatives from the opposition and of the regime are due to gather in Switzerland from Thursday for another attempt under UN auspices to end the war.

However, government forces have over the past days escalated their bombing campaign around Damascus, in what the opposition calls a "bloody message" aimed at sabotaging the peace talks.
Australian Sara Connor and her British boyfriend David Taylor are on trial for allegedly killing policeman Wayan Sudarsa whose body was found on a Bali beach in August

An Australian woman and her British boyfriend accused of beating to death a policeman on Indonesia's resort island of Bali are facing a jail term of eight years each in line with prosecutor requests on Tuesday.

Sara Connor, 46, and David Taylor, 34, are on trial for allegedly killing officer Wayan Sudarsa whose battered body was found on a popular beach in August.

The pair were charged with murder over the policeman's death, which carries a maximum jail term of 15 years, but at Tuesday's hearing prosecutors said the accused did not intend to kill Sudarsa.

Prosecutor Agung Jayalantara told the court in the Balinese capital Denpasar they should be convicted of a lesser charge they are also facing -- group assault causing death -- and jailed for eight years each.

Jayalantara said that Taylor had shown remorse although he criticised Connor for being uncooperative. The pair appeared at separate hearings Tuesday.

Judges can impose a greater or lesser sentence than that requested by prosecutors but they often follow the recommendation.

Connor's lawyer Erwin Siregar labelled the sentence request "incredible".

"It does not make sense, if you see what kind of role David played," he said.

Taylor's lawyer Haposan Sihombing added that "eight years is too much".

Taylor has admitted hitting the policeman with a pair of binoculars and a beer bottle during a late-night fight on the beach but insists he was acting in self defence as Sudarsa tried to choke him.

The fight started after the Briton accused Sudarsa of stealing Connor's handbag.

Connor has insisted she is innocent and had simply tried to pull the men apart as they fought.

They fled the scene, but were later tracked down after witnesses reported the incident to police.

Bali, a pocket of Hinduism in Muslim-majority Indonesia, is a popular tourist destination known for its tropical climate and palm-fringed beaches.

Minor crime is common but murders are rare.
Chinese paramilitary police have been out in force across the restive Xinjiang region after a series of violent attacks

A prefecture in China's restive Xinjiang region has ordered all vehicles to be equipped with GPS-like tracking software, police and media reports said Tuesday, as authorities step up an "anti-terrorism" campaign.

All drivers in the Bayingol Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture must install a China-developed satellite navigation system called Beidou "to prevent theft, but also primarily to maintain stability", an officer at the prefectural police headquarters told AFP by phone.

China's Global Times newspaper quoted a police official as saying the policy was needed so that drivers "can be tracked wherever they go" and residents had until June 30 to comply.

Xinjiang is the homeland of the Uighurs -- a Turkic, traditionally Muslim, ethnic minority, many of whom complain of Chinese cultural and religious repression and discrimination.

The region has been racked for years by a series of violent attacks which Beijing blames on exiled Uighur separatist groups whom it says are aligned with foreign terrorist networks.

"Cars are the major means of transportation for terrorists, and also a frequently chosen tool for terrorist attacks, so it's necessary to use the Beidou system and electronic vehicle identification to enhance the management of vehicles," a statement posted to the official social media account of the Bayingol traffic police said earlier this month.

Drivers must pay an annual 90 yuan ($13) fee for the system, the statement said.

Thirty-five percent of Bayingol's more than 1.2 million people are Uighur, according to official 2015 figures.

There were no indications yet that the new policy would be adopted more widely across Xinjiang, a vast resource-rich region near Central Asia.

Tensions are simmering after anti-terrorism military rallies were held last week in three cities, including the regional capital Urumqi.

Under the ralling cry of "Display power to intimidate", 10,000 security personnel paraded through Urumqi, accompanied by hundreds of police and military vehicles, the regional government's official Tianshan website said.

It quoted the Xinjiang Communist Party committee deputy secretary Zhu Hailun as saying such displays were necessary to "build a wall as strong as iron" and that the forces of separatism, extremism and terrorism would be destroyed "with crushing blows".

Last week eight people were killed in a knife attack on a crowd near the city of Hotan, including three attackers who were gunned down by police.

Police last month killed three "rioters" in the same county following a hunt for suspected members of a "violent terror group" linked to a 2015 attack there, according to the regional government's official website.

Uighurs in Urumqi staged bloody anti-Chinese riots in July 2009 that left nearly 200 people dead, according to official estimates, and prompted a massive region-wide security clampdown.
US senator John McCain speaks on the first day of the 53rd Munich Security Conference (MSC) at the Bayerischer Hof hotel in Munich, southern Germany, on February 17, 2017

Influential American Senator John McCain, a critic of President Donald Trump, held talks with Saudi Arabia's King Salman on Tuesday, official media said.

McCain, who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, arrived in Riyadh after talks on Syria with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The Saudi Press Agency gave no details of McCain's meeting at Salman's office, except to say that the friendly ties between their two countries were discussed.

McCain's visit comes two days before Syria's government and the opposition gather in Geneva on Thursday for a new round of United Nations-brokered talks aimed at ending six years of fighting.

Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar have provided military and financial aid to rebels fighting Syria's President Bashar al-Assad.

All are also members of a US-led coalition battling the Islamic State jihadists there.

After his talks in Syria, the Republican senator from Arizona said on his website that Erdogan "described a proposal to establish safe zones in Syria and retake Raqa that should receive serious consideration by the United States".

He was referring to the IS base in Raqa, Syria.

Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir has expressed optimism that the Trump presidency will be more engaged in the region, particularly in containing Iran which backs the Assad regime and rebels in Yemen.

Assad's other main ally is Russia, against which McCain takes a hard line.

Trump, in contrast, has faced allegations of improper Russian influence on his administration, something he denies.

The New York Times on Sunday called McCain "critic in chief" of the Trump presidency, partly for his defence of traditional Republican foreign policy positions that contrast with those of the president.
Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe speaks during a private ceremony in Harare, on February 21, 2017

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, the world's oldest national ruler, turned 93 on Tuesday, using a long and occasionally rambling interview to vow to remain in power despite growing signs of frailty.

He celebrated the day at a private event in Harare with a cake and presents from staff as supporters and ruling ZANU-PF party officials filled state media with gushing messages of goodwill and congratulations.

During an hour-long, pre-recorded television interview broadcast late Monday, Mugabe appeared to grow increasingly tired, pausing at length between sentences and speaking with his eyes barely open.

"The call to step down must come from my party... In such circumstances I will step down," he said.

"They want me to stand for elections... If I feel that I can't do it any more, I will say so to my party so that they relieve me. But for now, I think I can't say so.

- Lavish weekend party -

"The majority of the people feel that there is no replacement -- a successor who to them is acceptable."

Mugabe, who has ridiculed regular reports that he is close to death, spoke about creating jobs in Zimbabwe's wrecked economy, the country's extreme cash shortage and his much-criticised wife.

Sitting in State House, his official residence in Harare, he appeared lucid at some points while at other times he drawled and lost track of his thoughts.

The Zimbabwean opposition used the birthday to say Mugabe was an outdated leader, incapable of solving the country's problems.

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe's birthday cake featured various rural images as well as a portrait of the world's oldest ruler

The president's main birthday celebrations will be held on Saturday at Matobo National Park outside Bulawayo, where thousands of officials and ZANU-PF faithful are expected to gather.

Large game animals are often slaughtered for the occasion. In previous years Mugabe has reportedly been offered elephants, buffalo and impala for the feast.

The veteran leader, who came to power when Zimbabwe won independence in 1980, is accused of holding onto office through ruthless repression of dissent and election rigging, while overseeing an economic collapse.

The state-owned Herald newspaper published a 24-page supplement of congratulatory messages from government departments and regime loyalists, while state television and radio broadcast tributes and songs of praise.

"As we celebrate his 93rd birthday today, we do so in the knowledge and comfort that our country is in very good and capable hands," the Herald said in its editorial.

The defence ministry message read: "Your wise visionary leadership continues to provide us with clear direction and greater resolve to defend our country."

- Successors jostle -

Several incidents in recent years have highlighted Mugabe's advanced age -- including a public fall in 2015 at Harare airport.

In September of the same year he read a speech to parliament apparently unaware that he had delivered the same address a month earlier.

His party has endorsed Mugabe as its candidate for general elections next year, and he remains widely respected as a liberation hero by other African leaders.

On Friday, his wife, Grace, 51, claimed that Mugabe would be the voters' choice even after he dies.

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe walks past a cake bearing the number '93' during a private birthday ceremony in Harare, on February 21, 2017

Grace, who has a reputation for extravagance and fierce verbal attacks on rivals, has also said she would use a wheelchair to transport him to election rallies if needed.

She was appointed head of the ZANU-PF women's wing in a surprise move that could make her a possible successor to Mugabe.

"She is very acceptable. Very much accepted by the people," Mugabe said in the interview, without giving further details.

Another leading candidate is Mugabe's vice president, Emmerson Mnangagwa.

A spokesman for the Movement for Democratic Change opposition party wrote a stinging opinion piece in the privately-owned NewsDay paper.

"Today's problems need today's people. Yet you do not even belong to yesterdays generation. At 93, you certainly belong to yesterday but one," wrote Luke Tamborinyoka.

Last year, security forces quelled a series of street protests in Harare that were a rare public expression of opposition to Mugabe's regime.

According to Bloomberg News, Zimbabwe's economic output has halved since 2000 when many white-owned farms were seized, leaving the key agricultural sector in ruins.
1 McCraken Ian Wilkes GhostzapperIvory Empress, by by Seeking the Gold By having three preps, even if he does regress slightly somewhere down the road, dont expect Wilkes to fret over it. He wont allow what happened in last years Tampa Bay Derby to Destin, who peaked too soon, to happen to McCraken. Remember his two Derby wins with Carl Nazger. Unbridled jumped up and won the Florida Derby by 4 lengths and then regressed in the Blue Grass Stakes, finishing third, beaten nearly 4 lengths. Street Sense scored a gut-wrenching victory in the Tampa Bay Derby in his 3-year-old debut and then was upset by 8-1 shot Dominican in the Blue Grass Stakes in a four-horse photo. You can be sure Wilkes has learned from his mentor Nafzger and through his day-to-day training of Street Sense how to have McCraken peaking on Derby Day, not in the prep races, where a loss is not as catastrophic as many trainers believe. Do you think Wilkes panicked when Fort Larned finished a well-beaten third in the Jockey Club Gold Cup as the 5-2 favorite before winning the Breeders Cup Classic at 9-1? Last week I mentioned how McCrakens tail-female family goes back to mare by Nodouble, one of the toughest, most durable, and underrated horses Ive ever seen. Nicknamed the Arkansas Traveler, Nodouble won or placed at nine different distances from 6 furlongs to 2 miles, competing at 12 different tracks, from New York, Maryland, and New Jersey in the North to Florida and Arkansas in the South to Illinois and Michigan in the Midwest and to Santa Anita and Hollywood Park in California. Not only was he tough as nails who could win on the lead or off the pace, he had enough brilliance to win the Met Mile in 1:34 3/5, the 1 1/16-mile San Pasqual in 1:40 2/5, the Hawthorne Gold Cup in 1:59 1/5 and 1:59 4/5 and the Brooklyn Handicap in 2:00 2/5, while defeating Hall of Famers Damascus and Gamely and also Reviewer and Verbatim, while chasing Hall of Famer Arts and Letters all through 1969.

2 Irish War Cry Graham Motion CurlinIrish Sovereign, by Polish Numbers With such a narrow margin between him and McCraken for the top spot, every little addition to their resume helps, and he added to his credentials when O Dionysus, the horse he narrowly defeated in the Marylander Stakes, beat a top-quality field convincingly in the Miracle Wood Stakes, coming home his final quarter in a scintillating :23 1/5. Believe me, I was very tempted to find that sufficient enough to move him up to No. 1, because as Ive stated, I still believe he is the most gifted 3-year-old Ive seen this year and firmly believe he could be something special. It is even more tempting now that Classic Empire is out of the Fountain of Youth and the highly touted Battalion Runner hasnt been seen on the worktab since his last race on Feb. 3. So, who is going to beat this horse? Perhaps Im hung up too much on his back-to-back front-running victories in a year with so many fast, classy pace horses, but I feel there will be several fast horses stretching out that will enable him to sit off the pace. The fact he relaxed so well in the Holy Bull makes one conclude that he was on the lead only because he was that much the best. And if he does take back and wins impressively againbang! zoom! I also keep coming back to all those European classic-winning horses and sires  Saint Crespin, Aureole, and Tambourine -- in his female family. In addition, I mentioned my strong feelings for Nodouble in McCrakens female family, and he also appears in Irish War Cry's pedigree on his sire's side.

3 Mo Town Tony Dutrow Uncle MoGrazi Mille, by Bernardini He continues to work sharply at Payson Park, breezing 5 furlongs in 1:01 2/5 for his return in the February 25 Risen Star Stakes, where hell have to face 12 opponents. Dutrow said hes happy and ready to run. He certainly does not have to win the Risen Star. He just needs to be closing in the stretch, and John Velazquez has to keep him off the rail turning for home, as the inside has proven it can often be disaster at Fair Grounds for some inexplicable reason. But year after year, good horses who try to come through on the inside get in all kinds of trouble. With his running style, better to lose ground, which is not really a detriment with that long stretch, and many Derby prep winners at Fair Grounds win with stretch rallies on the far outside. As weve seen, he has not been highly regarded in the polls, especially after the Remsen runner-up, No Dozing, threw in a clunker in the Sam F. Davis. As Ive mentioned several times, I would have loved to seen him come back in a sprint after going 1 1/8 miles already, but having only two preps I understand points are a necessity and the sprint stakes are left hung out to dry. Anyway, well know where he stands soon enough.

4 Mastery Bob Baffert Candy RideSteady Course, by Old Trieste With everyone playing the waiting game to see where he shows up and how he performs, we can only go by how hes training, and his 7-furlong work in 1:25 2/5 was as good a work as Ive seen all year, especially with him starting off about 5 lengths behind his workmate. Once he got rolling it was a beautiful thing to watch, the way he closed in around the turn and began easing clear at the end without any urging, while showing great extension to his stride. He has fluid action with a good deal of power behind it, and was very strong past the wire, going in about :12 3/5 to the seven-eighths pole and then continuing out another eighth in about :13. There shouldnt be any questions about fitness, as there never is with Baffert, and now its just a question of how good he really is. He sure has some big shoes to fill, following American Pharoah and Arrogate. I like the long works and having him break so far behind his workmate, because I still have images of his broodmare sire, Old Trieste, working 6 furlongs in 1:09 flat the week before the Kentucky Derby and totally falling apart in the big race after setting a dizzying pace of :22 3/5 and :45 3/5. One of the great Derby Week quotes was from his trainer Mike Puype seconds after watching that work: I dont know whether to laugh or throw up.

5 Gunnevera Antonio Sano Dialed InUnbridled Rage, by Unbridled Breezed 5 furlongs in 1:01 at Gulfstream Park West. Sano said he went very easily and is a happy horse. He caught him galloping out 6 furlongs in 1:14. With the Fountain of Youth losing a couple of its headliners, he looks to be the main threat to Irish War Cry at this point, as he attempts to make up the 3 3/4-length deficit from the Holy Bull. Of his six grandsires and great-grandsires, five are either classic winners or sires of classic winners and the sixth was a Horse of the Year. Not a bad pedigree for a $16,000 yearling purchase. If you love Irish War Cry you have to give him a legitimate shot in the Fountain of Youth, as he is expected to improve off the Holy Bull after being compromised by the slow pace. But he stayed within reasonable distance of Irish War Cry through the final furlong without losing ground and was striding out beautifully to the wire. Hes no plodder, as evidenced by his victory in the 6 1/2-furlong Saratoga Special, rallying from 6 lengths back off a :45 flat half. So he has shown the speed to run a :46 1/5 half in a sprint and close off it. We saw a demonstration of his turn of foot in the Delta Jackpot, in which he inhaled his field on the turn and drew off with relative ease to win by 5 3/4 widening lengths.

6 Practical Joke Chad Brown Into MischiefHalo Humor, by Distorted Humor Hes getting sharper with every work, breezing 5 furlongs in a bullet 1:00 2/5 in company with Shagaf. The Gotham could take on major proportions if he winds up squaring off against El Areeb, whose plans are uncertain at this time, and California invader So Conflated. With Classic Empire out of the Fountain of Youth, will he now remain in Florida? With only two starts, he needs a good test first time out. Many knock his stretch run when a distant third in the Breeders Cup Juvenile, and use that as a basis for why hes not a two-turn horse; that and his sires penchant for getting horses who were best at a mile to 1 1/8 miles. But I still feel his stretch run was compromised some by the loss of momentum at a crucial point and having to swing out when Not This Time came in and took his path away, on top of coming off that drag out slugfest in the Champagne Stakes, in which he had to run a sub :23 third quarter around the turn just to get into contention and then battle Syndergaard in a gut-wrenching final furlong to eke out a nose victory in 1:34 3/5, which was two-fifths off Devils Bags stakes record, and in which they finished 6 1/4 lengths ahead of the third horse. That race had to have knocked out both horses to some degree. To look for another positive angle I am going to compare his two-for-two record in photo finishes to his great-grandsire Forty Niner, who was involved in an amazing nine photo finishes in a 19-race career, winning five of them, all stakes, and four by a nose, including the Travers and Haskell over Seeking the Gold. Of the four photos he lost, three were to champions Alysheba in the Woodward Stakes run in 1:59 2/5, Winning Colors in the Kentucky Derby, and Risen Star in the Lexington Stakes. So, just maybe it is Forty Niner, a stakes winner from 6 furlongs to 1 1/4 miles, who he will take after. Forty Niner sired Practical Jokes broodmare sire Distorted Humor, who had the exact same reputation as Into Mischief until he sired Kentucky Derby winner Funny Cide.

7 Classic Empire Mark Casse Pioneerof the NileSambuca Classica, by Cat Thief One thing you have to say about his journey so far on the Derby trail, it hasnt been dull. Weve already had a troubled van ride, sweating in the post parade, getting agitated at the gate, a lingering foot abscess, a canceled work, not running at Gulfstream, running at Gulfstream, not running at Gulfstream. Now with the Fountain of Youth off the agenda, there is a possibility of pointing for the Tampa Bay Derby. If he doesnt run in that race on March 11 or the Rebel Stakes on March 18 it means he likely would have only one more prep before the Kentucky Derby, and that doesnt seem feasible considering he didnt get much out of the Holy Bull. You would think theyll have to find two races for him. The bottom line is you just dont want to see a horse miss an important race, especially for physical reasons and when hes coming off a disappointing effort. It just leaves too many questions up in the air. Look, he could win the Tampa Bay Derby or Rebel like the champ hes proven himself to be and all will once again be right with the world. What this all means is that I have no clue what to make of him right now. Because of all that has transpired, people might have a tendency to forget just how good he was last year, especially how professional he was in his last two races. But that was last year. His ride on the Derby Dozen has had more ups and downs in a short period of time than the parachute jump at Coney Island.

8 Gormley John Shirreffs Malibu MoonRace to Urga, by Bernstein Shirreffs wife, Dottie, who is the racing manager for the Mosses, described Gormley as a live wire kind of guy. He is very good looking, well-balanced, with a fabulous body and a never give up, competitive nature. He remains sharp with a half-mile breeze in :47 4/5 in company with Victor Epsinoza aboard. Shirreffs is in the same position with Gormley and Royal Mo as Bob Baffert is with his two Derby horses. He has yet to decide which one will run in the San Felipe and which one will run in the Rebel Stakes. Gormley is a colt who was visually impressive in his career debut victory going 6 1/2 furlongs, but still managed to jump a whopping 29 Beyer points to a impressive 93 when thrown into the grade 1 FrontRunner Stakes stretching out to two turns against seasoned stakes horses. After battling on the lead in :45 4/5 in his maiden score, he was allowed to establish a clear lead in :47 in the FrontRunner and no one was able to even threaten him at any point in the race. It was a huge disappointment to see him tire so badly in the Breeders Cup Juvenile when he was unable to get anywhere close to the lead, but he certainly bounced back in the Sham Stakes, showing the ability to sit off a horse and then withstand a hard-fought stretch battle, while running a career-best 94 Beyer. What makes him even more formidable are the number of true stamina influences in his tail-female family.

9 El Areeb Cathal Lynch Exchange RateFeathered Diamond, by A.P. Indy Lynch has thrown the Florida Derby into the mix for his next start, meaning hed have only one more prep. I cant see him waiting that long after his super half-mile breeze in :47 3/5, showing great extension to his stride, ears up, and rider motionless. One would think he needs to run sooner than later. The Florida Derby certainly would test him for class, but weve seen so many inner track horses go from cold weather all winter to the heat of Florida, and horses generally dont handle that as well as they do hot to cold. The Gotham still seems like his best bet on a surface he loves and where he should face better competition. Either way, its time to map out a plan and train the horse accordingly. Unless youre Bob Baffert, it normally is best to have a plan mapped out and not consider every major prep a possibility, but with so many horses nowadays having only one or two starts before the Derby, trainers are more inclined to keep all options open. Lynch at least has two races under his belt already, so he has the luxury of basing his next start on how the horse is doing, how the competition stacks up, and what looks like the best way of getting to the Derby. But until he steps up against better competition we can only speculate where he fits in the Derby picture. So far hes answered all the questions asked of him and has shown he has a powerful engine. And that last work makes me more bullish about him.

10 One Liner Todd Pletcher Into MischiefCayala, by Cherokee Run As the Pletcher machine begins to infiltrate the Top 12, many of the feel-good Cinderella stories begin to depart. You certainly had to be impressed with this colt, who overcame an outside post and never having been farther than 6 furlongs, but still managed to make the local horses look mediocre in the Southwest Stakes, bounding away in the stretch with big sweeping strides to win by 3 1/2 lengths, despite some drifting in and out. But he leveled off beautifully and was getting stronger as he approached the wire. His stride suggests a great deal of agility. What was most impressive was the way he blew right on by Petrov, who made what appeared to be a winning move, charging to the lead and then finishing 8 1/4 lengths ahead of the third horse, Lookin At Lee. With a lofty 102 Beyer and racing wide, and a fast time of 1:41 4/5, will his Ragozin and Thoro-Graph figures be through the roof? A monster jump now, like we saw with the Pletcher-trained Destin last year, could be too much too soon. But the big question with him is distance. Did he pretty much outsprint an ordinary bunch of horses or will he be able to stretch out to classic distances, even though his pedigree doesnt indicate that? He is a complete outcross through five generations and his second dam is a half-sister to Breeders Cup Dirt Mile winner Albertus Maximus and Champagne winner Daredevil, both of whom were basically milers, as was his broodmare sire Cherokee Run. His maternal great-grandsire is Belmont Stakes winner Touch Gold, but his best horses were most effective from sprints to 1 1/8 miles. His only top distance horse was in Canada on the grass. Visually, this was an extremely impressive performance, but right now we dont know what he beat and well see if he can duplicate it as he keeps stretching out. He didnt run like distance will be a problem, so all we can do is consider him a legitimate contender until he, or his pedigree, proves otherwise.

11 American Anthem Bob Baffert BodemeisterIndys Windy, by A.P. Indy Baffert pointed out that maybe he can win his second Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) with a horse sired by a Derby runner-up that he trained, specifically Bodemeister, sire of American Anthem, and Pioneerof the Nile, sire of American Pharoah. A great deal is expected of this horse following his gutsy effort in the Sham Stakes (G3), but again it must be pointed out hes had only two career starts, so we really dont much about him at all. To dig in the way he did against a grade I winner in Gormley and fight it out with him all the way to the wire indicates this is a very talented, courageous colt. But despite the head margin at the wire, American Anthems Thoro-Graph number was 2 1/4 points slower than Gormleys. His Beyer figure of 94, however, puts him right there with the leading contenders; not bad for having only two starts. Everyone now sits back and awaits Bafferts decision regarding the plans for him and Mastery. Like with Shirreffs pair, one will stay home for the San Felipe and the other will head to Oaklawn for the Rebel Stakes. All four have tons of speed and appear to want to be on or near the lead, so it will be interesting to see if they can or will even try to take back off the pace in their next race. It might be wise to in the San Felipe with the presence of Iliad.

12 Tapwrit Todd Pletcher TapitAppealing Zophie, by Successful Appeal After a horrendous debut he has improved dramatically with the addition of blinkers, and although his two victories were nothing to rave about and earned him at best mediocre Beyer speed figures, it was impressive to see the runner-up on both occasions finish more than 12 lengths ahead of the third horse, which is something I always like to see. As a $1.2 million yearling purchase at Saratoga, he comes with great expectations and obviously flawless conformation. Yes, he is by Tapit, out of a grade I Spinaway winner, but his overall pedigree is nothing more than solid. Many were impressed with the way he was closing in the final furlong of the Sam F. Davis after being steered to the outside, but it should not be forgotten that he was in receipt of 6 pounds from McCraken, who was not fully cranked, and had a ground-saving trip the entire way. When Jose Ortiz asked him nearing the top of the stretch, there wasnt much of a response and he appeared to be going one-paced as he turned for home. Thats why it was surprising to see him close the way he did after being shifted to the outside. Did he suddenly turn it on once outside of horses or were McCraken and State of Honor beginning to get a bit tired? Whatever the reason, he obviously has to be taken seriously in the Tampa Bay Derby, as he continues to improve.

KNOCKING ON THE DOOR

As mentioned earlier, the Southwest Stakes proved to be a disappointment for the local horses, as One Liner, a horse with only a 5 1/2-furlong and 6-furlong race under him, made them look ordinary. He pretty much dominated the race, putting more than a dozen lengths between himself and the third-place finisher, LOOKIN AT LEE, who had a bit of a rough start, but never threatened. Lookin At Lee joins several of last years top 2-year-olds, Classic Empire, NO DOZING, and WILD SHOT as non factors in their 3-year-old debuts. The big disappointment in the Southwest was the even-money favorite, UNCONTESTED, who never seemed as comfortable on the lead as he did in the Smarty Jones Stakes. Perhaps he just relished the slop last time out. This time he seemed to have a lot of head movement as he set a brisk pace of :22 4/5, :46 2/5, and 1:10 4/5 and never put up a fight when Petrov moved up to challenge at the head of the stretch. He faded to sixth, beaten nearly 13 lengths. Well just have to wait now to see who Baffert and Shirreffs send over for the Rebel and if One Liner returns for that race or heads elsewhere. With only three lifetime starts and two sprints, he is another who looks like hed be much better off for the Kentucky Derby if he had two more races. With only four starts youre bucking the history books, and the feeling here is that this colt needs the mileage under him.

As for runner-up PETROV, I havent given up on him, as he was kept closer to the pace because of a presumed speed-favoring track and then made an early move to quickly dispose of Uncontested, the horse they figured they had to beat. If Pletcher stays home he wins by 8 1/4 lengths and everyone is raving about him. He needs to take farther back and not worry about one horse on the lead. He also needs to save his run for later. This is a very nice horse who always runs hard and gives his all and is going to win his share of stakes.

I went back and forth trying to decide whether to put ILIAD in the Top 12, even with GUEST SUITE and ROYAL MO pounding on the door trying to get in. But Ill wait a week for the Risen Star regarding Guest Suite. As for Iliad, as fast as he is, it must be noted that his half-brother, Melmich, won stakes in Canada at 1 3/4 miles and 1 1/4 miles and placed at 1 5/8 miles, and he does have a couple of Santa Anita distance horses on the turf fairly close up. Having more time to watch the San Vicente again, I love the way he cruised to the lead with Flavien Prats hands perfectly still. Prat needed to go to a right and left-handed whip and Iliad on two occasions gave a swish of his tail indicating he wanted no part of that. I also liked the way he quickly galloped out well clear of the field immediately after the wire. But the reason Im holding off on him for now is that his fractions in the San Vicente were :21 4/5, :22, :24 3/5, and :13 (which would equate to about a :26 quarter). When looking for a Derby horse you want to see that pattern go more the opposite way, rather than have a horse run that fast early and get progressively and noticeably slower. Normally you dont find Derby horses running an opening half in :44 flat in mid-February. So, despite his obvious ability and a pedigree that suggests he should run farther, I need to see him relax more early and come home faster, especially considering this is getting late for a Derby horse not to have run farther than 7 furlongs. He could win the San Felipe like a champion and it wouldnt shock anyone, but lets see him do it first and do it the right way.

It looks as if Japan has found its Kentucky Derby representative for this year when EPICHARIS remained undefeated with a gutsy rail-skimming victory in the Hyacinth Stakes, in which he had to struggle to get by a stubborn Adirato, who had set the early pace. It wasnt until the final yards that Epicharis began to inch away to score by three-quarters of a length. Epicharis, a son of Japans champion dirt horse of 2002, Gold Allure, who captured the Japan Dirt Derby, looks a great deal like his paternal grandsire Sunday Silence, with his near-black coat and similar white blaze. His broodmare sire, Carnegie, won the Arc de Triomphe, as did Carnegies dam Detroit. Epicharis also is inbred to Nijinsky II and has the Rasmussen Factor (RF) being inbred to the great broodmare Special through her son Nureyev and daughter Fairy Bridge, dam of Sadlers Wells. With 50 points, Epicharis has a spot in the Kentucky Derby if his connections choose to follow in the footsteps of Lani. That would again mean a ton more handle revenue for the Derby.

As mentioned earlier, O DIONYSUS put himself in the Derby and/or Preakness picture with a stunning victory over a good field, including Frank Whiteley Stakes winner HIGH ROLLER and New York invader EVERYBODYLUVSRUDY in the one-mile Miracle Wood Stakes at Laurel. The son of Bodemeister made a big wide move on the turn, storming past High Roller and Poseidons Prize to open a clear lead at the eighth pole and then having no trouble holding off Everybodyluvsrudy, who just got up for second over 25-1 shot NO MORE TALK. With his final two fractions in :11 1/5 and :12 flat, O Dionysus came home his final quarter in a swift :23 1/5, completing the mile in 1:37 flat and was actually increasing his lead at the wire. You may recall his trainer Gary Capuano made a major splash back in 1997 when he won the Florida Derby and Wood Memorial with Captain Bodgit, who then was beaten in photos by Silver Charm in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness before an injury prior to the Belmont Stakes ended his career. Well see what path they decide to take. O Dionysus is inbred to A.P. Indy, but it must also be noted that his maternal granddam, Safe at the Plate, is a half-sister to champion sprinter Safely Kept.

SO CONFLATED, a horse weve been touting as a sleeper, thinking he might be able to pick up all the speed in the upcoming Santa Anita races, wound up instead in the Feb. 25 Risen Star Stakes. But when he drew post 14 it was decided to change plans and re-route him to New York for the Gotham Stakes. As I said regarding Mo Town, he doesnt have to win his next race. He just needs to move forward and be competitive with potential rivals El Areeb and Practical Joke. The reason he ran on the Tapeta surface in the California Derby is because he refused to run through the kickback when he finished a head behind Dabster (moved up to first on a disqualification) in a maiden race. He has since worked behind a horse a couple of times and handled the kickback fine. Owner Paul Reddam admitted they had chosen the Risen Star figuring there were no standouts and believing Mo Town was heading for the Gotham, as originally stated. Now that Mo Town is in the Risen Star it makes sense to fill his vacated spot in the Gotham. IRAP, who has finished second in the grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity to Mastery and second to Royal Mo in the Robert Lewis Stakes as a maiden, will switch from the Gotham and now contest the Mine That Bird Derby at Sunland Park.

The Reddam-ONeill team also sent their Cal Cup Derby winner ANN ARBOR EDDIE up to Golden Gate for the El Camino Real Derby, but was upset at even-money by 48-1 shot ZAKAROFF, who may have been the biggest overlay of the year, having finished only four length behind So Conflated in the California Derby. Ann Arbor Eddie was disqualified from second to fourth for lugging out in the stretch, moving MORE POWER TO HIM up to second. This race likely will not have any impact on the Derby.



If GUEST SUITE runs to his works, hes going be tough to beat in the Risen Star next Saturday. In his last work, the son of Quality Road breezed 5 furlongs in a razor-sharp :59 2/5, fastest of the eight works at the distance. Also working for the Risen Star were Guests Suites beaten foes in the LeComte, TAKEOFF, who breezed a half in :49 3/5, UNTRAPPED, who breezed in :50, and SHAREHOLDER VALUE, who went his half in :48 3/5.

What else is new, Todd Pletcher won another maiden race, this time with first-time starter PATCH, who looked like a beaten horse on the turn and was under an early whip, but like many of Pletchers horses, somehow found a way to win, thanks to a :26 final quarter by front-running 53-1 shot MEANTIME, who he beat by 1 3/4 lengths in 1:37 4/5. Thank goodness for Pletcher he has so many maidens that he can find easier pickins over at Tampa Bay to break up his assembly line of 3-year-olds he has for his all-star cast of owners. First he sent ALWAYS DREAMING to Tampa, where he romped by 11 1/2 lengths at 1-5, and more recently he sent his $1.3 million 2-year-old purchase MONACO there, where he won by a mere 12 lengths at 2-5. Are we looking at a three-horse entry in the Tampa Bay Derby, along with Tapwrit?

It looks as if Pletcher will run one of three horses in the Fountain of Youth Stakes  MADE YOU LOOK, a dual stakes winner on grass and beaten 1-2 favorite in the Kittens Joy Stakes who has never run on dirt; SONIC MULE, third in the Swale Stakes and stretching back out in distance after a good sharpener, or THIRD DAY, undefeated in two starts and winner of the Just One More Stakes. All of them would be fairly decent prices against Irish War Cry and Gunnevera, but certainly look more appealing with Classic Empire out of the race. It is important to note that Made You Looks dam is by Unbridleds Song out of the great filly Serenas Song, so dirt certainly looks like a viable option. Conspicuous by his absence from the Fountain of Youth probables is the aforementioned BATTALION RUNNER, who hasnt been seen on the worktab since his last race on February 3. Even if he was going to wait for the Florida Derby, it's a long time without working.



The Bob Baffert arsenal of 3-year-olds continued to grow when he ran 1,2 in a one-mile maiden race, but perhaps not as he expected. Baffert has been high on first timer WEST COAST, but the son of Flatter, out of the top-class filly Caressing, had to settle for second behind stablemate BRONZE AGE, who had tired badly in his first two starts, but managed to wire his field, holding off the late run of West Coast to win by a length in a sprightly 1:35 1/5. Baffert said West Coast is one to watch down the road.

ROYAL MO turned in a sharp half-mile breeze in :48 1/5 in his first work since winning the Robert Lewis Stakes. He is such a big, long-striding colt, it was a surprise, especially to jockey Mike Smith, to see him on the lead in the Lewis. When he breezed him last June he felt it would take him time before he got it because he was so big. As I mentioned a few weeks ago, he has one of the most attractive, finely chiseled heads Ive seen in a long time. Lets see how Shirreffs decides to split them up.

THREE RULES, the king of Florida last year, breezed 5 furlongs in 1:01 3/5 in his first work since finishing second in the 7-furlong Swale Stakes. He is being considered for the Fountain of Youth, as is South American invader HURACAN AMERICO, who worked a mile in 1:41 at Gulfstream.

The Mark Casse-trained first-time starter SOUPER TAPIT obviously is too far behind to be considered a legitimate Kentucky Derby hopeful, but the way he exploded by horses in a mile and 70-yard maiden race at Fair Grounds without the slightest urging, going from last to fast on the far turn, then digging in tenaciously to hold off the fast-closing MULTIPLIER suggests this a colt to watch down the road. What made the race even more impressive was the 7 1/4-length gap to the third horse. The son of Tapit has been known to be a bit of troublemaker and looks for reasons to be bad, but hes finally got that first race in him and justified the high praise for him from the Casse barn. Later in the card, TOTAL TAP captured a mile and 70-yard allowance race in nearly identical time.

Despite his third-place finish in a state-bred stakes at Delta Downs, SAINTS FAN is still considered a possibility for the Louisiana Derby, according to owner-trainer Dallas Stewart, who said he needed the race and could train up to the race. The alternative would be the Crescent City Derby for Louisiana-breds the same day
Mainly Sunni Muslim Turkey and Shiite Iran have been on opposite sides of the conflict in Syria

Diplomatic tensions escalated between Turkey and Iran on Tuesday as the regional powers traded accusations over their roles in the Syria conflict and the Middle East.

The pair have been rivals for centuries but have sought to forge a pragmatic relationship in recent years, with the Islamic Republic strongly supporting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after last year's failed coup.

But mainly Sunni Muslim Turkey and Shiite Iran have been on opposite sides of the conflict in Syria, with Ankara seeking the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad and Tehran, along with Russia, his key backer.

The tensions come with UN-backed peace talks for Syria due to restart on Thursday and Turkey engaged in fierce fighting inside Syria to capture the town of Al-Bab from jihadists.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu lashed out at Iran in a speech to the Munich Security Conference at the weekend, saying some of its actions had undermined security in the region and urging Tehran to promote stability.

"Iran wants to make Syria and Iraq Shiite," he was quoted as saying by Turkish state media.

Erdogan has also in recent weeks accused Iran of promoting a "Persian nationalism" that had damaged the Middle East.

The Iranian foreign ministry on Monday summoned the Turkish envoy to issue a protest after Cavusoglu's comments while spokesman Bahram Ghassemi warned that Tehran's patience "has limits".

"We hope that such statements are not made again. If our Turkish friends continue with this attitude we will not remain silent," he added.

Turkey's foreign ministry spokesman Huseyin Muftuoglu hit back by saying it was "incomprehensible" to receive such accusations from Tehran who he charged with "not hesitating to push into war zones refugees sheltering from regional crises."

"Instead of accusing countries that have criticised Iran, it should take constructive steps and review its own regional policies."

- 'Recognise interests' -

The angry exchanges have come just after Erdogan returned from a week-long tour to the Arabian peninsula, including talks with the leadership of Iran's arch regional foe and Ankara's Sunni ally Saudi Arabia.

Ali Vaez, senior Iran analyst with the International Crisis Group, said Iran and Turkey feared the other was seeking to capture regional hegemony via proxies on the ground.

"With each failure to find an accommodation, the context of Turkey's and Iran's rivalry has become more complex and disagreements more intractable," he told AFP.

While Turkey has backed rebels in Syria throughout the conflict, Tehran has played a crucial role in aiding Assad. Iran has provided few details over its involvement but has confirmed the deaths of some 1,000 volunteer fighters in Syria.

Ankara has meanwhile warned Iran and its allies in the Baghdad government against using Shiite militia in the assault to recapture the jihadist-held Iraqi city of Mosul.

"It's very dangerous to send Shiite militia into a 99 percent Sunni Arab city," Cavusoglu said on Tuesday.

Harmony between Turkey and Iran is crucial in ensuring the preservation of a fragile ceasefire in Syria -- also backed by Russia -- that came into force at the end of last year as a basis for peace talks.

Although Ankara says Assad should go, the government has occasionally softened its stance, indicating the president could have some role in determining the country's future.

But Vaez said the Syria talks process was reaching an impasse, while the spheres of influence of Iran and Turkey were colliding in Syria.

"Ultimately Turkey and Iran, as neighbours, will have to live with the outcome of the conflicts now burning around them," he said

"Any sustainable solution will require a regional power balance tolerable for both," he said calling on both sides to recognise the other's interests.
The heads of an adoption centre are suspected of selling at least 17 children to foreign couples

Indian police said Tuesday they have arrested the heads of an adoption centre suspected of selling at least 17 children to foreign couples, the latest trafficking scandal to hit the country.

Investigators said children aged between six months and 14 years were sold to couples from Europe, America and Asia for between $12,000 and $23,000 and taken out of the country.

Police in the eastern state of West Bengal arrested Chandana Chakraborty, head of the Bimala Sishu Griha centre, and her deputy Sonali Mondal at the weekend after a tip-off from the federal adoption agency.

"In the last two to three years, they have sold at least 17 children," a police officer told AFP on condition of anonymity.

"We will try to contact the couples and are expecting more arrests in coming days."

One French couple paid 1.5 million rupees ($23,000) for a child in 2015, he said.

The women were also involved in running two other homes in the area.

"Two people were arrested after raids in three charitable homes on Saturday night," Sashi Panja, state women and child development minister, told AFP.

It is unclear how the alleged sales escaped official notice.

Investigators said they had been monitoring the charity since June when child welfare authorities found discrepancies in their records and relocated all the children from one of the homes.

One said the accused ran health camps to identify poor and unmarried pregnant women and convinced them to give away their babies for adoption after paying them.

"They used fake fitness certificates and police stamps to process the adoption applications," the officer said.

India has an estimated 30 million orphans, but the rules governing international adoptions are strict and domestic adoptions remain relatively rare.

Only 3,011 children were legally adopted by local couples in India between April 2015 and March 2016, down from 3,988 in the previous period, according to the Central Adoption Resource Authority.

Experts say desperate couples wanting to adopt in India are often frustrated by lengthy bureaucratic delays and complex rules, pushing them towards the thriving illegal adoption market.

In recent years the federal government has pledged to relax the adoption rules for local couples.

For foreigners and couples of Indian origin living abroad, the number of adoptions has risen by almost half but they remain subject to intense scrutiny, and the adoption process can take years.

The latest scandal comes four months after police arrested 18 people over the sale of newborn babies in the same state.

The gang stole babies from nursing homes, smuggling them out in biscuit boxes and keeping them at adoption centres before selling them.

The scale of the operation is still being uncovered, and the remains of five newborn girls were recovered from one of the homes in November.
China is suspending all imports of coal from North Korea for the remainder of 2017

A North Korean state economic official sought Tuesday to play down the impact of China's shock announcement that it was suspending coal imports from the country for the rest of the year.

The move, which came shortly after another missile launch by Pyongyang and the assassination of its leader's half-brother in Kuala Lumpur, would go much further than the latest UN sanctions imposed on the country over its nuclear and missile programmes.

China is the North's sole major ally and by far its biggest trading partner, with coal the biggest component of its purchases -- according to figures from Chinese Customs it imported more than 22 million tonnes last year, worth nearly $1.2 billion.

It is a crucial foreign currency-earner for the isolated North.

"Of course if we can no longer export things that we used to export, it can have some impact on the companies that are directly involved in exports," Ri Sun-Chol, chief of the economic research institute of the North's Academy of Social Sciences, told AFP in an interview.

But he added: "Direct exports of natural resources have been under great restrictions. So I can't say that it would have substantial impact on the economy."
Ten men, most of them soldiers, are on trial for kidnapping and killing four leading foreign businessmen from the Novotel hotel during fighting in Abidjan in April 2011

The trial opened Tuesday in Ivory Coast of 10 men, mainly soldiers, accused of kidnapping and killing four men from the Novotel hotel in Abidjan in April 2011.

"All the defendants are present," the presiding judge Mourlaye Cissoko announced. "They all have a lawyer."

The case is expected to shed light on the abduction and murder of the hotel's manager, along with the head of Ivory Coast's largest agro-industrial group and two other businessmen in an unexplained crime, while bloodshed raged in Abidjan between rival political factions.

The defendants include General Brunot Dogbo Ble, who was commander of the Republican Guard in the service of Laurent Gbagbo, a former president who refused to step down after losing a November 2010 election to Alassane Ouattara and who clung to power by force.

Gbagbo is himself on trial before the International Criminal Court in The Hague, charged with crimes against humanity during more than four months of conflict in Abidjan that claimed about 3,000 lives.

At night on April 4, 2011, armed men burst into the Novotel hotel in a part of the economic capital under the control of Gbagbo's forces and snatched the French manager, Stephane Frantz di Rippel.

They also kidnapped Yves Lambelin, the French chairman of Ivory Coast's largest private firm, Sifca, his Beninese assistant Raoul Adeossi and a Malaysian, Chelliah Pandian, who ran a Sifca subsidiary, Sania.

According to the new Ouattara regime, which was installed once Gbagbo was arrested on April 11, the hit squad took their victims to the presidential palace, where they were tortured and eventually killed.

Two corpses were found at the end of May in Abidjan's lagoon, but the only body that could be formally identified was Lambelin's.

Five of the men facing trial, including Dogbo Ble, are charged with abduction and murder, while the others are accused of kidnapping and/or making the bodies disappear, supposedly in black plastic bags used to cover bananas.

The trial was meant to start last November, but put off at the last moment until January 31, when it was again postponed because half of the accused were not in court.

The delay aroused anger from defence lawyers and civil parties in the case, who want to find out why the victims died and how far up the chain of command the order was issued.
Faces of fallen journalists are seen on the Newseum's Journalists Memorial in Washington, DC

Journalists in conflict zones are facing unprecedented threats amid a rise in violent non-state actors, a decline in rule of law and increased reliance on freelancers, a media watchdog said Tuesday.

The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists said in a 28-page report that more needs to be done to ensure the safety of reporters deployed to global hot spots.

"The collapse of old political structures, the rise of militias, the failure of Western governments to rein in repressive regimes, and the disruption of the news industry by technology have churned up the threat landscape for journalists globally since the 1990s," the CPJ report said.

The report noted that journalists have become increasingly targets since the early 2000s, citing the 2002 kidnapping and videotaped beheading of Wall Street Journal correspondent Daniel Pearl in Pakistan.

"His death signaled a new era in which violent non-state actors use journalists as pawns in asymmetrical warfare with foreign powers," the report said.

The killings by the Islamic State organization of American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff, which were broadcast on social media, raised public awareness, but dangers persist, according to CPJ.

"The risks include kidnapping for ransom or political gain, and murder by insurgents who see journalists as surrogates of an enemy too powerful to attack directly," said the report.

"Journalists are caught in crossfire or targeted by drug cartels as a warning to other unwelcome reporters. While technological changes enable more people to engage in acts of journalism, those same changes bring new risks, such as surveillance and tracking."

Some major big news organizations have taken steps to increase safety, but freelancers and local journalists often lack resources and training, according to the report.

In the wake of kidnappings, a number of international news organizations agreed to a set of principles which call for treating freelancers as they would staff, the report noted. But because the guidelines are voluntary, not all organizations follow them.

Some positive signs have emerged, including a greater awareness of the threats and better cooperation among members of the media, it added.

"I think the networks are stronger now than they were 10 years ago, and even stronger than five years ago," Judith Matloff, a journalist and media safety instructor at the Columbia University School of Journalism, said in the report.

"People are working together more and I think that's absolutely critical."
Several third-generation nuclear reactors are under construction, but none has started operating yet

Two nuclear reactors being built in the southern Chinese city of Taishan will come onstream months later than planned, said China General Nuclear Power (CGN), which runs the project together with France's EDF.

"Taishan Nuclear recently organised a comprehensive evaluation on subsequent engineering construction plan and relevant risks, and after due consideration, it is decided to adjust the construction plan of Taishan project," CGN said in a statement filed late Monday to the Hong Kong stock exchange.

The reactors are of the so-called third-generation European Pressurized Reactor (EPR) type which has yet to go onstream anywhere in the world, and their start had been delayed once before, in 2016.

Britain in September gave the green light, with conditions, to EDF and CGN to build such a reactor an Hinkley Point, after a heated debate which included worries about China's involvement.

Following EPR delays in Finland and in France, the two Chinese reactors are set to become the first of their type to go into service anywhere.

"The expected commercial operation of Taishan Unit 1 and Taishan Unit 2 are adjusted from the original first half of 2017 and the second half of 2017 to the second half of 2017 and the first half of 2018, respectively," it said.

Construction of the Taishan plant started in 2009.
Dmytro Firtash faces extradition to the US

Austria detained Ukrainian oligarch Dmytro Firtash on Tuesday over alleged links to organised crime in Spain, shortly after a Vienna court approved his extradition to the US on separate corruption charges.

Police took the gas magnate into custody as he left the packed courtroom surrounded by his lawyers and bodyguards.

The dramatic arrest of one of Ukraine's richest men took place just after the appeals court in Vienna unexpectedly ruled that he should be handed over US authorities.

The shock decision overturned a 2015 verdict by a lower court, which had rejected the US request on the grounds that it was politically motivated.

Although the latest ruling cannot be appealed, the final extradition decision lies with the justice minister.

The prosecutor's office refused to comment on the Spanish case or how Firtash's arrest would affect the extradition ruling.

Authorities in Barcelona had issued a European arrest warrant in November 2016, with media reports saying Firtash was accused of belonging to a criminal organisation which had laundered 10 million euros ($10.5 million) in Spain.

But when the warrant was issued, the tycoon was already under house arrest in Austria over the US allegations.

- 'I want justice' -

Firtash, 51 -- a one-time ally of Ukraine's ousted president Viktor Yanukovych -- is wanted in the US over charges that he and five others paid $18.5 million in bribes to officials in India to secure titanium mining licences in 2006.

The United States argues that its laws applied because the conspiracy involved using US financial institutions, travel to and from the US, and use of US-based communications -- computers, telephones, and the internet.

Firtash was arrested in Vienna in March 2014, but released on a record Austrian bail of 125 million euros ($130 million).

He has denied all charges and maintained he was the victim of a smear campaign.

His legal team argued that he was caught up in a larger battle over the future of Ukraine, where the government has been engaged in bloody fighting with Russian-backed separatists in the east since 2014.

A lower court in Vienna sided with the gas magnate in April 2015 and rejected the US request.

But the appeals court said Tuesday the US had provided "sufficient" proof that Firtash "may have committed the crimes he is accused of".

"(The ruling) means simply that it's up to another country to decide whether he's guilty or not," judge Leo Levnaic-Iwanski said.

The move dealt a blow to Firtash who had said he would "return home immediately" after the verdict, in comments made shortly before the decision.

"I want justice," he told reporters in Vienna.

- Russia ties -

Firtash owns Group DF, a business empire involved in energy, chemicals, media, banking and property in Ukraine and other countries including Germany, Italy and Austria.

He made his fortune importing gas to Ukraine from Russia and Central Asia via his group Rosukrenergo, since disbanded, in collaboration with Russian gas giant Gazprom.

Having backed the 2010 election campaign of Yanukovych, Firtash was able to expand his business interests, acquiring chemicals and fertiliser factories as well as TV channel Inter.

The Russian-backed Yanukovych was ousted in protests in February 2014, and Firtash's arrest in Austria came soon afterwards, although officials deny any link.

Observers say US authorities want to detain Firtash because he holds information on close allies of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"The case against Firtash in the United States will not be limited only to the bribery allegations in India," said Ukrainian MP Sergiy Leshchenko, a former journalist who used to investigate Firtash's case.

"He is very valuable not only as a defendant but as witness too."
Palestinian journalists hold placards during a demonstration on April 24, 2016, outside the Red Cross offices in the West Bank city of Ramallah, in support of their colleague, Omar Nazzal, who was detained the previous day by Israeli forces

A senior Palestinian journalist has been released after 10 months in an Israeli jail without charge, he told AFP on Tuesday.

Omar Nazzal, 55, was released on Monday after nearly a year in prison and following 13 hearings in an Israeli military court, he said.

Despite that, he added, he never received specific allegations, only a "general accusation" that he was threatening "regional security".

"When my lawyer asked for details, he got only rejections from judges and military prosecutors," Nazzal, a member of the general secretariat of the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, told AFP.

He was arrested on April 23 at the border between the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Jordan, from where he had been due to fly to a European Federation of Journalists gathering in Bosnia.

Nazzal, a former employee at the Palestine Today newspaper, was detained under Israel's controversial administrative detention laws, which allow suspects to be interned for indefinite periods without charge on evidence often not given to their lawyers.

The Palestinians have labelled his arrest an attack on press freedom and several international organisations have called for his release.

Israel insists that Nazzal was detained for "his involvement in terror group activities", not "because of his activity as a journalist".

He is accused of being in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a leftist party banned by Israel.

The United Nations frequently calls on Israel to either charge or release those held under administrative detention, who number 530, according to the Palestinian Prisoners Club.

According to the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, around 20 journalists or journalism students are held by Israel, one of them for more than 20 years.

Mohammed al-Qiq, a journalist with Saudi television channel Al-Majd, has been on hunger strike for 16 days, his supporters said.
Philippine Commission on Human Rights chief Jose Gascon is investigating allegations that Philippine President Duterte (pictured) orchestrated murders while mayor of the southern city of Davao

A probe into whether Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte ran a death squad is making progress following crucial whistleblower testimony this week, the head of the country's rights watchdog said Tuesday.

Philippine Commission on Human Rights chief Jose Gascon, who is investigating allegations that Duterte orchestrated murders while mayor of the southern city of Davao, said new evidence from a retired policeman had removed "murkiness" about events in the president's past.

Arthur Lascanas, an ex-officer in Davao, went public this week with claims that Duterte commanded a death squad that killed many people including a pregnant woman, and paid for the assassination of a journalist.

Lascanas said he himself took part in the death squads and even killed his two brothers.

Presidential spokesman Martin Anadanar on Monday rejected all the claims by what he called "a self-confessed hitman".

"We feel that this is an important piece in clearing up what the role of then-mayor, now President, Duterte had with respect to the Davao death squads", Gascon told AFP in Geneva on the sidelines of a human rights conference.

The rights commission had previously investigated claims that while mayor Duterte commanded hitmen in Davao who killed more than a thousand petty criminals.

When that probe ended in 2012, Gascon said his office recommended that charges be brought but prosecutors did not act.

The commission does not have the power to bring cases itself but Gascon voiced hope that the criminal justice system would act if the inquiry uncovered evidence to justify charges.

Arthur Lascanas (pictured), a former police officer in Davao, went public this week with claims that Duterte commanded a death squad that killed many people including a pregnant woman

The commission reopened its investigation late last year after Duterte, who was elected president in May, boasted that he had killed criminals years ago.

He has over the years variously denied and confirmed the existence of a Davao death squad.

But Duterte's political rise has made the investigation and witness protection increasingly difficult, Gascon said.

"We are of course extremely concerned about possible reprisals upon (whistleblowers) because the mayor is now president of the country," Gascon said, while encouraging more people to come forward.

The Philippines' main witness protection scheme is run by the justice department, which falls under the president's authority.

With Duterte in charge the rights commission has "encountered more and more witnesses and victims who are unwilling to approach the whistleblower programme," Gascon said.

The commission has tried to organise alternative safeguards despite limited resources but "our small witness protection programme is currently overbooked," he added.

- Democracy under threat? -

Duterte, 71, won elections last year after promising to eradicate drugs in society by killing tens of thousands of people.

He launched the drug war immediately after taking office in June, and more than 6,500 people have died in the crackdown.

The government has also charged a prominent Duterte critic, Senator Leila de Lima, with drug trafficking, accusations that Gascon called "trumped-up ... political harassment".

The rights chief accused Duterte of apparent disregard for the law and use of state institutions to attack political opponents. He said this may destroy the democratic gains made after Ferdinand Marcos's dictatorship fell in 1986.

"If he continues in the trajectory that he is pursuing, ... ultimately what we might see is a trajectory towards an illiberal democracy where a popularly elected president over time will undermine the democratic institutions."

"We had hoped for better in this country", Gascon added.
White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Tuesday there is no mass deportation underway, even as the Homeland Security Department issued tough new orders to begin a crackdown on illegal immigrants.

'The number one priority is making sure that people who pose a threat to this country are immediately dealt with,' Spicer told reporters at the White House, hours after DHS released two new immigration orders Tuesday.

'The message from this White House and from the Department of Homeland Security is that those people who are in this country and pose a threat to our public safety or committed a crime will be the first to go,' he said.

He said attention would focus on 1 million cases that have already been adjudicated, saying, 'All this does is lay out the exact procedures.'

New moves on enforcement: Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers have been told that there is now no protection for virtually every category of illegal immigrants

The Department of Homeland Security issued tough new orders Tuesday to begin a sweeping crackdown on illegal immigrants, putting nearly all of the country's 11 million undocumented foreigners in their cross-hairs.

Under the policy, the Trump administration would hire thousands more agents to police the border and go after illegal immigrants, and end the policy of releasing people who get apprehended at the border while they await government hearings.

But amid increasing concern among immigrants fearing a roundup, the administration warned there would not be mass deportations involving 'throwing folks on buses.'

'We do not need a sense of panic in the communities, a homeland official said in a press briefing to discuss the orders.

'We do not have the personnel, time or resources to go into communities and round up people and do all kinds of mass throwing folks on buses,' the official said, the Washington Post reported.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer said the new policy would 'repatriate illegal immigrants safely, consistently, and humanely'

'Thats entirely a figment of folks imagination,' said the official. 'This is not intended to produce mass roundups, mass deportations.'

White House press secretary Sean Spicer described the new policy directives in dry language. He said the purpose was to 'repatriate illegal immigrants safely, consistently, and humanely.'

He said the guidance was issued 'in order to strengthen the efficient and faithful ex of this countrys immigration laws,' and mentioned the hiring of new immigration officers and legal staff. He also called the creation of a new office for victims of immigrant crime the fulfillment of 'another major campaign promise.'

Two memos issued by DHS Secretary John Kelly order border patrol and immigration officers to deport as quickly as possible any illegal immigrants they find, with only a few exceptions, principally children.

'The surge of illegal immigration at the southern border has overwhelmed federal agencies and resources and has created a significant national security vulnerability to the United States,' Kelly said in a statement announcing the crackdown.

The priority for deportation will remain undocumented immigrants convicted of crimes, but will also include anyone who has been charged or potentially faces criminal charges.

Memo issued: Department of Homeland Security secretary John Kelly also ordered immediate action to begin planning and building a wall along the US southern border with Mexico

However, categories of illegal immigrants deemed as low priority by the previous Barack Obama administration - generally anyone not tied to a crime - are no longer protected.

'With extremely limited exceptions, DHS will not exempt classes or categories of removal aliens from potential enforcement,' the department said.

As for any costs associated with the crackdown, Spicer said the enforcement agencies are 'looking at what this is going to cost and how much and putting a request together.' He mentioned both the use of existing funds and a funding request

One objective of the orders is to stem the flow of illegal immigrant children into the U.S.  a flow that spiked during the Obama administration and drew national attention.

'Regardless of the desires for family reunification, or conditions in other countries, the smuggling or trafficking of alien children is intolerable,' Kelly said. His memos call for steps to 'ensure the proper enforcement of our immigration laws against those who directly or indirectly facilitate the smuggling or trafficking of alien children into the United States.'

'All of those in violation of the immigration laws may be subject to enforcement proceedings, up to and including removal from the United States.'

Kelly ordered immediate action to begin planning and building a wall along the US southern border with Mexico.

He also ordered the hiring of another 5,000 officers for the Customs and Border Protection agency and 10,000 for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.

The orders effectively launch into action President Donald Trump's promise to begin deporting millions of immigrants, mainly from Mexico and Central America, who had been tolerated during the Obama administration as law-abiding, longtime residents.

Kelly cited a record backlog of 534,000 waiting to be heard by immigration judges.

He said the number of monthly apprehensions spiked by 10,000 between the fall of 2015 and 2016.

The crackdown strategy notably leaves in place the Obama administration's policy for 'dreamers' brought here illegally when they were children.

Despite running on the promise of an immigration crackdown, Trump said at a press conference last week that 'We are gonna deal with DACA with heart.'

He said following his first meeting with President Obama that Obama had asked him to consider keeping the policy in place.

Omar Jadwat, director of the ACLUs Immigrants Rights Project, blasted the new policy.

'These memos confirm that the Trump administration is willing to trample on due process, human decency, the well-being of our communities, and even protections for vulnerable children, in pursuit of a hyper-aggressive mass deportation policy,' Jadwat said.

'However, President Trump does not have the last word here  the courts and the public will not allow this un-American dream to become reality,' he added in a statement.

The first order notes that the president has determined that 'the lawful detention of aliens arriving in the United States and deemed inadmissible' is 'the most efficient means by which to enforce the immigration laws at our borders.'

'Detention also prevents such aliens from committing crimes while at large in the United States, ensures that aliens will appear for their removal proceedings, and substantially increases the likelihood that aliens lawfully ordered removed will be removed.'
Jordan's King Abdullah II (L) and and President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi meet in Cairo on February 21, 2017

Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and King Abdullah II of Jordan agreed Tuesday there could be no concessions on establishing a Palestinian state, the presidency said after talks in Cairo.

The meeting between the leaders of the two Arab countries that have signed peace treaties with Israel came after US President Donald Trump's administration suggested it would not insist on a Palestinian state for a Middle East peace agreement.

"The two sides discussed ways to push the stagnant Middle East peace process, especially in light of US President Donald Trump's administration coming to power," a presidency statement said.

A two-state solution "with a Palestinian state... with east Jerusalem as its capital is a nationalist principle that cannot be conceded".

After meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington earlier this month, Trump said he would entertain a "two-state and a one-state" solution.

But his ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, later tempered this stance, saying Washington "absolutely" supports a two-state solution but wants new ideas on how to move forward.

The two-state solution -- a Palestinian one alongside Israel -- has long been the cornerstone of US and international policy, and the seeming American shift was greeted with hostility from other world powers.
Larry Coryell (R), pictured performing with US drummer Jimmy Cobb (C) performs with Joey DeFrancesco in 2012, was best known for his 1970 album "Spaces"

Fusion pioneer Larry Coryell, one of the first guitarists to win an audience bringing a rock edge to the jazz guitar, has died. He was 73.

The guitarist, who kept a busy recording and touring schedule and had concerts planned well into 2017, died of natural causes at a New York hotel Sunday after playing two nights at the city's Iridium club, his publicist said.

Coryell was best known for his 1970 album "Spaces" in which he stayed true to jazz but brought a new rock power and psychedelic ambience to the music, on which he teamed up with pianist Chick Corea and fellow guitarist John McLaughlin.

Coryell came to be known in some jazz circles as the "Godfather of Fusion" although jazz legend Miles Davis defined fusion with his rockier, improvisational album "Bitches Brew," also released in 1970.

Born in Texas and raised in Seattle, Coryell arrived in New York in the 1960s and immersed himself in the jazz scene but also studied classical guitar and sitar.

In his autobiography, "Improvising: My Life in Music," Coryell said he had wanted with fellow artists to make a "creative statement" that goes in a "modern/progressive direction."

"We wanted to head towards combining the integrity of jazz with some of the glitz and excitement of rock and funk. We felt it was a combination of styles whose time had come," he wrote.

Coryell later left New York for Florida and pursued much of his live career in Europe and Japan, where he said he found audiences more receptive to jazz fusion.

Coryell, a Buddhist, often embraced social issues in his music, if abstractly.

His album "Montgomery" explored the US civil rights struggle, while "Blues for Yoshihiro Hattori" reflected on the infamous 1992 incident in Louisiana where a Japanese exchange student was shot dead while wearing a Halloween costume.
South Sudan President Salva Kiir said government "will ensure that all humanitarian and development organisations have unimpeded access to needy populations across the country"

South Sudan's President Salva Kiir vowed Tuesday the government would ensure aid could reach areas hit by famine after three years of war that has restricted access for humanitarian workers.

The world's youngest nation on Monday declared famine in parts of the northern Greater Unity state, where 100,000 people were facing starvation and another one million were on the brink of famine. A total of nearly five million are going hungry.

Aid groups have slammed a "man-made" famine caused by ongoing fighting in the country where civil war has forced people to flee, disrupted agriculture, sent prices soaring, and seen aid agencies blocked from accessing some of the worst-hit areas.

"It underscores the complete failure by government, opposition forces, and international actors to end the cycle of abuse," Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a statement Tuesday.

In an address to parliament, Kiir said the government "will ensure that all humanitarian and development organisations have unimpeded access to needy populations across the country".

A UN aid official working in the region, speaking on condition of anonymity, welcomed the commitment -- which has been made in the past -- while saying it was "more important that access be granted on the ground".

Map of South Sudan locating regions hit by famine and food shortages

Kiir's commitment could give leverage in negotiations on the ground, she said, as gaining access to hungry communities often meant tricky talks with an array of actors in the crisis.

Some regions are only accessible through air drops of humanitarian aid -- which the UN official said costs seven times more than sending aid by road or barge.

And access is not as simple as permission: aid agencies have to be sure if they give out food aid to a community they won't be attacked by an armed group and have their rations stolen right afterwards.

"There are many types of impediments," said the official.

- 'Abandoned' -

South Sudan was engulfed by civil war in 2013 after President Salva Kiir accused his rival and former deputy Riek Machar of plotting a coup against him.

A mother breastfeeds her child who suffers acute malnutrition, at the clinic run by Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in Aweil, northern Bahr al-Ghazal, South Sudan

The HRW statement launched a withering attack on the leaders of South Sudan as well as the international community, saying both sides in the conflict "have shrugged off international pressure, and spared themselves from any meaningful consequences".

This despite documented cases of large-scale killings, recruitment of child soldiers, rape and torture.

"The people of South Sudan were abandoned by their leaders a long time ago. The UN Security Council and regional organisations have failed civilians. Today's famine is the price of inaction," read the statement.

The European Commission on Tuesday announced an emergency aid package worth EUR82 million ($86 million) for "the most urgent needs in the country" and to help neighbouring countries cope with a massive influx of refugees.

The US State Department expressed serious concern and stressed the crisis was man-made.

"We call on President Kiir to expeditiously make good on his promise that humanitarian and developmental organizations will have unimpeded access to populations in need across the country," acting spokesman Mark Toner said.

"An estimated 5.5 million people-nearly half of South Sudans population-will face life-threatening hunger this year," he said.

"All parties to the conflict must stop impeding relief efforts and allow food and other essential assistance to reach those who need it the most."
Pro-government fighters give food to Yemeni children on the road leading to the southwestern port city of Mokha

Seven million Yemenis are closer than ever to starvation, the UN humanitarian coordinator in the country warned Tuesday, almost two years since a conflict escalated between the government and rebels.

"Seven million Yemenis do not know where their next meal will come from and are ever closer to starvation" in a country of 27 million people, Jamie McGoldrick said.

"Over 17 million people are currently unable to adequately feed themselves and are frequently forced to skip meals -- women and girls eat the least and last," he said in a statement.

Yemen's war pits the internationally recognised government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi against Huthi rebels allied with forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh.

The fighting has intensified since a Saudi-led coalition intervened in support of the government in March 2015 after the Huthis seized the capital the previous September.

Since early January, pro-government forces have pressed a major offensive aimed at recapturing Yemen's Red Sea coastline, and retook the southwestern port of Mokha earlier this month.

"I am deeply concerned with the escalation of conflict and militarisation of Yemen's western coast. It is coming at a great cost to civilians," McGoldrick said.

Unexploded rockets have landed inside the rebel-held port of Hodeida, he said, "reducing even further the number of ships and imports" vital for Yemen's food supplies.

"Given that the country is 80-90 percent dependent on imported food staples, I am compelled to raise the alarm," the UN official said.

"If left unabated, these factors combined could accelerate the onset of famine."

Also on Tuesday, the UN children's agency warned that 462,000 children were suffering from acute malnutrition.

The UN aid chief warned last month that the impoverished Arabian Peninsula country was sliding deeper into humanitarian crisis and could face famine this year.

Stephen O'Brien said that without "immediate action", famine was "a possible scenario for 2017".

More than 7,400 people have been killed since the intervention began nearly two years ago, including around 1,400 children, according to the United Nations.
A computer-generated image released by the Serpentine Gallery on February 21, 2017 shows the exterior design for the Serpentine Pavilion 2017 by Burkinabe architect Diebedo Francis Kere

Burkina Faso's Diebedo Francis Kere will be the first African architect to design a temporary pavilion in London's Hyde Park, a prestigious assignment given to a world-famous architect every year.

Kere's design is inspired by a tree in his hometown of Gando that serves as "a central meeting point for life", the Serpentine Galleries said in a statement.

"An expansive roof, supported by a central steel framework, mimics a tree's canopy, allowing air to circulate freely while offering shelter against London rain and summer heat," it read.

Kere said he was interested in the contrast between the carefully landscaped park and "natural landscape as a harsh reality" in Burkina Faso.

He said it was conceived as "a community structure... that fuses cultural references of my home country... with experimental construction techniques".

The Serpentine Pavilion 2017 by the Berlin-based practice Kere Architecture will be unveiled on June 23 and will be open until October 8.

Previous architects of the Serpentine Pavilion include Zaha Hadid, Jean Nouvel and Frank Gehry, as well as Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei.

Kere has previously won plaudits for his project for a primary school in Burkina Faso and has held solo museum shows in Munich and Philadelphia.

He was also one of the architects behind Geneva's International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum.
Marrakesh, nicknamed the Ochre City for the walls surrounding its old medina district, clinched the top ranking in the top 10 African cities for quality of life

Four Moroccan cities, led by Marrakesh, ranked among the top 10 African cities for quality of life in a new survey published Tuesday.

Marrakesh, nicknamed the Ochre City for the walls surrounding its old medina district, clinched the top ranking, with three other Moroccan cities -- Casablanca, Rabat and Fez -- in the top 10.

"They are cities that are not huge, where real work has been done to improve infrastructure, people's quality of life (and) housing in a stable political context," said Swiss urban sociologist Jerome Chenal, who directed the survey.

The study of 100 cities, which included all of the continent's capitals and its largest urban centres, was based on criteria including social and living conditions, infrastructure, governance and environment.

Johannesburg and Cape Town scored second and ninth, respectively, while Egypt also had two cities in the top 10, Alexandria and Cairo, in the first survey focusing on life in African cities for ordinary people.

The best and the worst African cities

"Until now, rankings for Africa were done for investors and expatriates," Chenal told Afrique Mediterranee Business, the Paris-based magazine that commissioned the study.

"We never asked how people lived, whether young or old, rich or poor," he told AFP.

The Mauritius capital Port Louis came fourth, while Tunis was sixth in the study by Swiss research body Communaute d'Etudes pour l'Amenagement du Territoire at the Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL).

Nairobi and Abidjan, which are magnets for expatriates, scored only 27th and 39th, respectively.

EPFL says it will conduct the study each year in the hope of standardising data on African cities.
The main suspect in Kim Kardashian's robbery last year at a luxury Paris hotel has refused to divulge the whereabouts of a stolen 4-million dollar ring

A diamond that "everyone was scared to sell": More than a month after French police arrested the suspected robbers of TV star Kim Kardashian, investigators are piecing together what happened -- they just haven't found the jewels yet.

Ten suspects were charged last month in connection with the hold-up of the reality star, who was robbed at gunpoint in October of jewellery worth nine million euros ($9.5 million) while she was staying at a luxury residence for Paris fashion week.

Those arrested in Paris and the south of France include Aomar Ait Khedache, known as "Old Omar", thought to be the ringleader of the gang.

In questioning, the 60-year-old said the prize of the haul -- a ring with an 18.88-carat, nearly flawless diamond, was too "identifiable" to sell.

He told investigators he gave the four-million-euro ring to someone whose identity he refuses to divulge, according to statements from his questioning seen by AFP.

Police officers stand guard on October 3, 2016, in front of the Paris hotel residence where US reality television star Kim Kardashian was robbed of millions of dollars worth of jewelry

Five men, some wearing jackets with police insignia, held Kardashian at gunpoint on the night of October 2, making off with several pieces of gold and diamond jewellery as well as the ring.

One of the robbers, Yunis Abbas, fleeing the scene on a bicycle, dropped a diamond-encrusted cross worth 30,000 euros, which was found by a passer-by a few hours later.

It remains the only piece to be recovered from the heist.

- Melted gold -

The villa where a 72-year-old man suspected of taking part in the break-in at Kim Kardashian's luxury Paris apartment is pictured, in the village of Plascassier on January 11, 2017

Khedache told investigators that the other jewellery was dismantled, with the gold melted down into bars.

"There must have been 800 or so grams, worth 25,000 or 28,000 euros," he said, in testimony revealed by Le Monde newspaper last month.

As for the remaining diamonds, a source close to the inquiry told AFP they had probably been sold.

After the robbery the police quickly turned their focus to Antwerp in Belgium, where another suspect, 64-year-old Marceau Baum-Gartner -- known as "Shredded Nose" -- went on eight occasions between October 7 and December 23.

Khedache accompanied him on two of those visits to Antwerp, a jewellery-trading hub.

"It seems that Marceau was having trouble getting rid of the loot during his first trips, and the situation with 'Omar' got tense," the source said.

Unaware that their phones were tapped, Khedache was heard telling Baum-Gartner in November that the ring's sale "was supposed to be done within eight days... it's been a month."

On December 5, Khedache gave three of his accomplices an advance on the sale. Three days later, he went once again to Antwerp with Baum-Gartner.

Investigators think most of the pieces were sold during the trip, because several of the suspects started spending freely.

Some bought cars, while Baum-Gartner asked a property agent about buying land on a 100,000 euro budget.

But most of the gang never saw the colour of the money. On January 9 the police arrested 17 people, most of them with ties to organised crime, and the raids turned up a total of 250,000 euros.

Ten suspects have been charged, but only Khedache and Abbas have admitted taking part in the robbery. The eight others deny any involvement.
The secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, John Kelly, said a crackdown on illegal immigrants was needed to tackle a problem that has "overwhelmed" government resources

The Trump administration issued tough new orders for a sweeping crackdown on illegal immigrants, putting nearly all of the country's 11 million undocumented foreigners in its crosshairs.

The orders sent shivers through US immigrant communities, where millions of people who have spent years building families and livelihoods in the country, most of them from Mexico and Central America, were seriously threatened with deportation for the first time in decades.

Rights groups labeled the move a "witch hunt," warning that mass deportations would damage families with deep roots in the United States and hurt the economy.

But John Kelly, the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) who issued the new orders in two memos, said they were necessary to address a problem that has "overwhelmed" government resources.

"The surge of illegal immigration at the southern border has overwhelmed federal agencies and resources and has created a significant national security vulnerability to the United States," he said in one of the memos.

Memos issued by Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly order border and immigration officials to deport as quickly as possible any illegal immigrants they find

Senator Ben Cardin, the top Democrat of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, warned the new guidelines will "harm national security and public safety."

New York Mayor Bill De Blasio said he refused to turn the city's police officers into immigration agents or its jails into "holding pens for deportation policy that will only undermine the inclusiveness that has helped make New York city the safest big city in the nation."

- Expedited deportations -

The new rules make it easier for border patrol and immigration officers to quickly deport any illegal immigrants they find, with only a few exceptions, principally children.

The priority will remain undocumented immigrants convicted of crimes, as well as anyone who has been charged or potentially faces criminal charges.

However, people deemed as low priority for deportation by the previous administration of Barack Obama -- generally anyone not tied to a crime -- are no longer protected.

"With extremely limited exceptions, DHS will not exempt classes or categories of removal aliens from potential enforcement," the memos said.

"All of those in violation of the immigration laws may be subject to enforcement proceedings, up to and including removal from the United States."

The memos followed up on President Donald Trump's order, issued just after his January 20 inauguration, for authorities to crack down on illegal immigration by tightening enforcement and building a wall along the nearly 2,000-mile (3,145-kilometer) US-Mexico frontier.

Donald Trump ordered the construction of a wall along the nearly 2,000-mile-long US-Mexico border shortly after he was inaugurated as the 45th President of the United States

In the memos, Kelly ordered immediate action to begin planning the wall. He also ordered the hiring of 15,000 more officers for the Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agencies.

The move comes ahead of meetings this week between Kelly and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto in Mexico, in which illegal immigration and border security will be key topics.

- Sharp policy shift -

The turn in policy follows years in which the Obama and George W. Bush administrations, sought to find a way with Congress to allow most of the long-term illegal immigrants to stay in the country.

"Sanctuary" cities such as Los Angeles have come under fire from Trump's administration for vowing not to cooperate with US Federal authorities in the deportation of illegal immigrants

But Trump campaigned for the White House on a promise to crack down on what he characterized as a source of widespread crime and a drag on the economy.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer said Trump "wanted to take the shackles off" officials enforcing the laws.

DHS said there are more than 534,000 pending immigration cases in the courts nationwide, and that agents have apprehended more than 93,000 people trying to sneak into the country in October and November alone.

That work "has significantly strained DHS resources," it said.

While Spicer said the policy could evolve beyond the DHS memos, there was no indication of what form those changes could take.

- 'Mass deportation policy' -

Pro-immigrant groups, already nervous after hundreds were arrested in a series of ICE raids on immigrant "sanctuary cities" two weeks ago, expressed shock and outrage.

At the Statue of Liberty in New York a banner reading "refugees welcome" was unfurled.

"Secretary Kelly has unleashed an unprecedented witch hunt on millions of immigrant families," said Angelica Salas, executive director for the Los Angeles-based Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights.

"These guidelines represent an unlawful, expedited process, a dragnet, to remove undocumented immigrants living and working in the US. This is a dastardly approach to a very human issue."

Omar Jadwat, director of the Immigrants' Rights Project at the American Civil Liberties Union, predicted strong legal challenges to the new policy.

"These memos confirm that the Trump administration is willing to trample on due process, human decency, the wellbeing of our communities and even protections for vulnerable children, in pursuit of a hyper-aggressive mass deportation policy," he said.
Israeli soldier Elor Azaria is embraced by his mother at the start of his sentencing hearing in a military court in Tel Aviv, on February 21, 2017

An Israeli military court on Tuesday sentenced a soldier to 18 months in prison for shooting dead a wounded Palestinian assailant who lay on the ground, sparking criticism from rights groups.

Defence lawyers announced an appeal and right-wing Israeli ministers immediately called for a pardon, while the Palestinian government and the victim's family condemned the sentence as too lenient.

Judge Maya Heller handed down the sentence a month after Elor Azaria, 21, was found guilty of manslaughter for killing Abdul Fatah al-Sharif in the southern occupied West Bank in March last year.

He also received 18 months in suspended sentences and was demoted from sergeant to private.

Heller said the panel of three judges had taken into account mitigating factors including the "harm suffered by his family" and the fact Azaria was in "hostile territory" when the shooting occurred.

She added, however, that he had not expressed remorse for his actions.

Azaria will begin his sentence on March 5, the court announced.

Israeli soldier Elor Azaria will begin his sentence on March 5, after his manslaughter trial in Tel Aviv, on February 21, 2017

He has already spent more than 10 months confined to an Israeli military base but this is not included as time served, the court ruling said.

Azaria and his family didn't react in court as the sentence was passed down.

The March 2016 shooting in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron was caught on video by a rights group and spread widely online.

It showed Sharif, 21, lying wounded on the ground, shot along with another Palestinian after stabbing and wounding a soldier, according to the army.

Azaria then shoots him in the head without any apparent provocation.

- Calls for pardon -

Azaria says he feared Sharif was wearing an explosive belt and could blow himself up, taking nearby soldiers and onlookers with him, a claim judges rejected.

The case, which came against the backdrop of a wave of Palestinian knife, gun and car-ramming attacks that erupted in October 2015, has stirred controversy.

Some on the right have defended the soldier, a French-Israeli national, but military officials said the trial was important to maintain the institution's reputation.

The Palestinian parents of Abdul Fatah al-Sharif -- who was shot dead as he lay on the ground by Israeli soldier Elor Azaria in March 2016 -- watch the soldier's televised trial, at their family home in Hebron, on February 21, 2017

Azaria entered the packed courtroom to applause from friends.

Dressed in military uniform and smiling broadly, he hugged family members and his girlfriend.

Outside the court, around 100 right-wing demonstrators protested against the trial.

As the verdict was read out the family sat still but afterwards they sang the Israeli national anthem together.

Defence attorney Ilan Katz told reporters outside the courtroom they would appeal the manslaughter conviction as it was "more severe than the punishment he got".

Right-wing Education Minister Naftali Bennett and Culture Minister Miri Regev led calls for a pardon.

"Israel's security demands he be pardoned," Bennett wrote on Twitter.

Supporters of Elor Azaria demonstrated outside the Israeli defence ministry in Tel Aviv, on February 21, 2017

"Elor was sent to protect Israelis at the height of a wave of Palestinian terror attacks. He cannot go to jail or we will all pay the price."

Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman called on people to respect the ruling.

But he said: "You have, on the one hand, an exemplary soldier, and on the other, a terrorist who tried to kill Jews".

There was no immediate reaction from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has previously said he too favours a pardon.

- Verdict a 'farce' -

A source close to President Reuven Rivlin, who could hand down the pardon, said no such request had been made as yet.

The reaction from Palestinians and rights groups, however, was anger and disappointment.

A spokesman for the Palestinian government told AFP the sentence was a "green light to the occupation army to continue its crimes".

Sharif's father Yusri told journalists at the family home near Hebron in the southern West Bank the sentence was a "farce".

"What does a year and a half mean? Was he an animal to be killed like this, in this barbaric way?"

Magdalena Mughrabi from Amnesty International said Azaria's initial conviction had "offered a glimmer of hope for accountability for unlawful killings by Israeli forces".

"(But) the 18-month sentence for Elor Azaria does not reflect the gravity of the offence."

Sari Bashi, Israel and Palestine advocacy director at Human Rights Watch, called the conviction an "important message about reining in excessive use of force".

She warned, however, that pardoning him would "encourage impunity".

The trial opened last May at a military courtroom in Tel Aviv's Jaffa district but later moved inside to a tightly guarded military complex.
The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) made a major incursion into the oil-rich province of Deir Ezzor as part of their push for Raqa

An alliance of Arab and Kurdish fighters seized more than a dozen villages in eastern Syria on Tuesday in their drive to encircle the Islamic State group bastion of Raqa.

The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) made a major incursion into the oil-rich province of Deir Ezzor as part of their push for Raqa, field commander Dejwar Khabat said.

"Our aim is to cut the road to Raqa and besiege IS... We have liberated 15 villages," Khabat said Tuesday in the town of Makmaneh, which lies on a major highway approximately 100 kilometres (60 miles) east of Raqa city.

He said the IS was dispatching suicide bombers but had not been able to slow the offensive.

SDF fighters on Tuesday set up their base on a hilltop in Makmaneh, digging trenches around it to prevent suicide bombers or car bombs from reaching them.

Backed by air strikes from the US-led coalition, the SDF has seized swathes of territory in northern Syria from the jihadists.

It launched its offensive for Raqa -- the de facto Syrian capital of IS's so-called caliphate -- in early November.

Deir Ezzor province lies just east of Raqa, and is almost completely held by IS. The jihadists also hold most of the provincial capital by the same name, and have been battling regime forces to overrun the city.

The SDF alliance is dominated by the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), but it also boasts several units of Arab fighters.

"We have entered the first villages of Deir Ezzor province," said Abu Khawlah, who heads the 1,700-strong Deir Ezzor Military Council, an Arab component of the SDF.

"Our entry into Deir Ezzor was a big surprise (for IS), and thre will be more surprises coming," he said.

The SDF, which has been lobbying for weapons to help them carry out the offensive, has recently received armoured SUVs from the United States.

A US-led coalition has been carrying out air strikes on IS in Syria and neighbouring Iraq since 2014.

Zones of control in Syria and Iraq

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Tuesday's advance was the SDF's "biggest incursion" yet into Deir Ezzor province.

It also reported 11 people killed on Tuesday in unidentified air strikes on a gas station and parking garage in an IS-held village in the province.

"The death toll could rise because there are at least 35 people wounded, some of them in critical condition," monitor head Rami Abdel Rahman said.

He could not specify which airplanes had carried out the bombing raids.

The province has been targeted in the past by both the US-led coalition and regime ally Russia, who has been waging an air war in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad since September 2015.

More than 310,000 people have been killed since Syria's conflict erupted in March 2011 with protests calling for Assad's ouster.
The National Zoo's giant panda Bao Bao will stay in quarantine for about a month, before entering Chengdu's special breeding program

One of Washington's most popular residents left town on Tuesday: Bao Bao, the National Zoo's uber-popular young female panda, headed to her new home in China.

Bao Bao left Dulles International Airport outside the US capital on a specially outfitted cargo plane for a 16-hour nonstop flight to the Chinese city of Chengdu, home to a special research base for giant panda breeding.

Two zoo personnel will travel with the panda -- along with about 30 kilos (65 pounds) of food -- mainly bamboo, but also apples, cooked sweet potatoes and special biscuits.

Once in China, the 3.5-year-old Bao Bao -- born in August 2013 at the National Zoo -- will stay in quarantine for about a month, before entering the breeding program.

About 60,000 panda lovers visited the zoo over the weekend to say farewell to Bao Bao, some of them traveling long distances. Her departure was shown on Facebook Live on Monday.

Most giant pandas around the world are on loan from China. Any panda cubs born abroad, like Bao Bao, are sent back to China before they turn four.

The National Zoo has played host to pandas since the early 1970s.

An estimated 1,800 pandas live in the wild, mainly in China's Sichuan province.
Dual Olympic champion Grant Hackett of Australia smiles after finishing third in the 400-metre freestyle final in his comeback swim after seven years out of the pool, at Australia's world championship trials in Sydney in 2015

Australian Olympic swimming great Grant Hackett says he will seek treatment overseas for mental health problems after what he called "the toughest week of my life".

The 36-year-old, who went into hiding after his brief arrest last week following a family bust-up, released a statement thanking "mum and dad for helping me through the toughest week of my life".

"I know I have some mental health issues and I am seeking help here in Australia and I will be also going overseas," he said in the statement released late Tuesday.

In 2014, he checked into a US rehabilitation clinic to treat an addiction to sleeping pills.

Hackett's father Neville had reported the former 1500m world record-holder missing, sparking fears for his safety.

The retired swimmer posted a picture on social media showing himself with a black eye, and accused his brother Craig of beating him up.

But Hackett said in the statement he had resolved those differences.

"My brother and I have reconnected and love each other very much - our family has always been our priority," he said.

Police released the double Olympic gold medallist last Wednesday without charge just hours after his family had him arrested following a bout of heavy drinking which led to "uncontrollable rage".

Hackett came out of six years of troubled retirement in 2014 in a bid to make the Rio Games.

But he narrowly missed out on a berth and after the Olympic trials in Adelaide last April, hit the headlines again with a public meltdown on a plane.

Hackett was accused of drunkenly squeezing the nipple of a fellow business-class passenger in an embarrassing incident which prompted him to vow to quit drinking.

He retired after the 2008 Beijing Olympics, having won the 1500m freestyle at both the 2000 Sydney and 2004 Athens Games. He also claimed four world titles in the 30-length event.

But Hackett quickly ran into problems with a messy divorce and allegations he smashed up his Melbourne home in 2011.
LAMBERTVILLE, N.J. (AP) - A United Airlines lobbyist and longtime state official accused of conspiracy in a shakedown benefiting the former chairman of the agency that controls New York City-area airports has died.

Jamie Fox, who held numerous governmental posts during his career, died Monday at age 62, the Van Horn-McDonough Funeral Home said. The cause of his death was unavailable.

Fox was serving as a lobbyist for Chicago-based United Airlines when, federal prosecutors say, he helped then-Port Authority of New York and New Jersey chairman David Samson re-establish a regular flight to South Carolina, where Samson had a vacation home.

FILE - In this Sept. 18, 2014, file photo, Jamie Fox listens in Trenton, N.J., after New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie announced that he has chosen Fox to be New Jersey's new transportation commissioner. Fox, a longtime New Jersey official accused of conspiracy in a shakedown involving the former chairman of the agency that controls New York City-area airports, died Monday, Feb. 20, 2017. He was 62. (AP Photo/Mel Evans, File)

Samson pleaded guilty to bribery, admitting he pressured United to restart the money-losing flight from Newark to South Carolina so he could travel to his weekend home. He said he schemed with Fox to delay approvals on a project sought by United at Newark Liberty International Airport as a way of getting the airline to re-launch the flight, which insiders jokingly referred to as the Chairman's Flight.

Fox was charged with conspiracy to commit bribery, punishable by a maximum prison sentence of five years upon conviction. He had vowed to fight the allegations against him.

His attorney Michael Critchley had said he would never have jeopardized his reputation by engaging in illegal behavior.

Fox, a Democrat, served as transportation commissioner in the administrations of Democratic Gov. Jim McGreevey and Republican Gov. Chris Christie, who called him "one of the most outstanding public servants I have had the honor to know."

"Regardless of party politics, he stepped forward time and again in service to our state," Christie said in a statement Monday.

Samson, a mentor to Christie, faces up to two years in prison. His sentencing had been scheduled for January but was pushed back until March.

United, the dominant carrier at the Newark airport, discontinued the flight days after Samson resigned from the Port Authority in March 2014. United's CEO and two other high-ranking officials were forced out over their dealings with Samson, and the company agreed to pay more than $2 million in civil penalties.

Christie last year praised Samson and Fox, calling Fox "a very worthwhile and worthy public servant" who "has been convicted of absolutely nothing." He said he was saddened by Samson's guilty plea but called him "an extraordinary person" who "obviously had a lapse in judgment."
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - Five people were believed killed when a light plane crashed in flames into a shopping mall on Tuesday in the Australian city of Melbourne, officials said.

The five were on a twin-engine Beechcraft Super King Air that crashed about 45 minutes before the Direct Factory Outlet mall in suburban Essendon was to open, Police Minister Lisa Neville said.

The U.S. Embassy in Canberra would not comment on a report that the passengers were U.S. citizens, but said it was working with local authorities.

This image made from video shows the site of a plane crash at Essendon Airport in Melbourne, Australia Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. An official says a light plane has crashed into a shopping mall in the city of Melbourne. (Channel 9 via AP)

"We extend our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of all those who died in today's tragic crash," an embassy statement said.

"We are unable to confirm any details about the nationality or identity of any of the victims. The U.S. Embassy in Canberra and the consulate in Melbourne are working closely with local authorities to assist in any way possible," it said.

Police Assistant Commissioner Stephen Leane also declined to say whether the four passengers were Americans.

The plane had taken off from Melbourne's second-biggest airport at Essendon on a chartered flight to King Island, 255 kilometers (160 miles) to the south, officials said.

The mall adjoins the airport.

Leane said it appeared that no one aboard the plane had survived. No one on the ground was injured.

"Looking at the fireball, it is incredibly lucky that no one was at the back of those stores or in the car park of the stores, that no one was even hurt," Leane said.

A pilot reported a "catastrophic engine failure" moments before the plane crashed into a storage area at the rear of the mall, police said.

Police and paramedics rushed to the crash site, where firefighters doused the flames.

A witness who gave his name as Jason told Australian Broadcasting Corp. he was passing the mall in a taxi when the plane crashed.

"I saw this plane coming in really low and fast. I couldn't see the impact but when it hit the building there was a massive fireball," he said.

"I could feel the heat through the window of the taxi, and then a wheel - it looked like a plane wheel - bounced on the road and hit the front of the taxi as we were driving along," he said.

In this image made from video, smoke billows from the site of a plane crash at Essendon Airport in Melbourne, Australia Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. An official says a light plane has crashed into a shopping mall in the city of Melbourne. The mall adjoins the airport. (Channel 9 via AP)
NEW YORK (AP) - Brenda Buttner, host of Fox News Channel's "Bulls and Bears" has died after a battle with cancer. She was 55.

Buttner served as CNBC's Washington correspondent and hosted the network's "The Money Club" before joining Fox News in 2000.

Buttner graduated from Harvard University and was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University.

Fox News host Neil Cavuto paid tribute to Buttner on his show "Your World with Neil Cavuto." He praised her intelligence and sense of humor, saying "business journalism is never going to be the same."

Fox News announced her death on Monday.
BEIJING (AP) - The investigation into the death of the exiled half-brother of North Korea's ruler is being conducted in an impartial manner, Malaysia's ambassador to Pyongyang said Tuesday, rejecting accusations from the North that the probe was politically tinged.

Mohamad Nizan Mohamad spoke in China's capital, Beijing, while in transit to Malaysia to where he had been recalled following the death last week in the Southeast Asian nation of Kim Jong Nam.

Kim appeared to have been poisoned at Kuala Lumpur's international airport and police have so far arrested four people carrying identity documents from North Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam. Those arrested include two women who were allegedly seen approaching Kim on Feb. 13 as he stood at a ticketing kiosk at the budget terminal of the Kuala Lumpur airport.

Malaysian Ambassador to North Korea Mohamad Nizan Mohamad speaks to journalists as he arrives at the Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, China, from Pyongyang after being recalled by Malaysian government, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. Mohamad says at the airport while in transit to Malaysia the investigation into the death of the exiled half-brother of North Korea's ruler at Kuala Lumpur's international airport in Malaysia is being conducted in an impartial manner. Kim appeared to have been poisoned at Kuala Lumpur's airport last week. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

North Korea's ambassador to Malaysia on Monday denounced the country's investigation into Kim's death, calling it politically motivated and demanding a joint probe. Malaysia's foreign ministry responded that the ambassador's comments were "culled from delusions, lies and half-truths."

Malaysian Ambassador Mohamad said the country's investigators were proceeding in a professional manner and would "be very objective and fair to everybody."

"I think the investigation is still ongoing, so just wait and see for that. And we can assure you of the impartiality of the investigation itself because there is no reason for us to be sided with anybody," Mohamad said.

The attack took on added political dimensions when Malaysia refused demands by North Korean diplomats to turn over Kim's body and proceeded with at least one autopsy over the diplomats' objections.

North Korean ambassador to Malaysia Kang Chol told reporters Monday that Malaysia was working in collusion with South Korea as Seoul tries to deflect attention from its own months-long political crisis.

Police "pinned the suspicion on us, and targeted the investigation against us," Kang said. Kang referred to the dead man as "Kim Chol," the name on the passport found with Kim Jong Nam.

Malaysian Ambassador to North Korea Mohamad Nizan Mohamad, center, speaks to journalists as he arrives at the Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, China, from Pyongyang after being recalled by Malaysian government, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. Mohamad says at the airport while in transit to Malaysia the investigation into the death of the exiled half-brother of North Korea's ruler at Kuala Lumpur's international airport in Malaysia is being conducted in an impartial manner. Kim appeared to have been poisoned at Kuala Lumpur's airport last week. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Malaysian Ambassador to North Korea Mohamad Nizan Mohamad, center, walks past journalists as he arrives at the Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, China, from Pyongyang after being recalled by Malaysian government, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. Mohamad says at the airport while in transit to Malaysia the investigation into the death of the exiled half-brother of North Korea's ruler at Kuala Lumpur's international airport in Malaysia is being conducted in an impartial manner. Kim appeared to have been poisoned at Kuala Lumpur's airport last week. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Malaysian Ambassador to North Korea Mohamad Nizan Mohamad, center, walks past journalists as he arrives at the Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, China, from Pyongyang after being recalled by Malaysian government, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. Mohamad says at the airport while in transit to Malaysia the investigation into the death of the exiled half-brother of North Korea's ruler at Kuala Lumpur's international airport in Malaysia is being conducted in an impartial manner. Kim appeared to have been poisoned at Kuala Lumpur's airport last week. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Malaysian Ambassador to North Korea Mohamad Nizan Mohamad speaks to journalists as he arrives at the Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, China, from Pyongyang after being recalled by Malaysian government, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. Mohamad says at the airport while in transit to Malaysia the investigation into the death of the exiled half-brother of North Korea's ruler at Kuala Lumpur's international airport in Malaysia is being conducted in an impartial manner. Kim appeared to have been poisoned at Kuala Lumpur's airport last week. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
BEIJING (AP) - A prefecture in China's far western Xinjiang region is requiring all vehicles to install satellite tracking systems as part of stepped-up measures against violent attacks.

Traffic police in Bayingolin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture announced the regulation on Sunday, shortly after thousands of heavily armed police paraded in the Xinjiang capital and ruling Communist Party officials vowed to ramp up their campaign against separatists and Islamic militants.

The vehicle-tracking program in Bayingolin will utilize China's homegrown Beidou satellite system, launched in recent years to reduce China's reliance on U.S.-based GPS providers for sensitive applications. Authorities said they will also track cars using RFID technology embedded in license plates.

In this Monday, Feb. 20, 2017 photo released by Xinhua News Agency, vehicles run on the snow-covered road in Urumqi, capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. A prefecture in China's Xinjiang region is requiring all vehicles to install satellite tracking systems as part of stepped-up measures against violent attacks. Traffic police in Bayingolin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture announced the regulation on Sunday, shortly after thousands of heavily armed police paraded in Urumqi and Communist Party officials vowed to ramp up their campaign against separatists and Islamic militants. (Wang Fei/Xinhua via AP)

"In recent years, the terrorist situation around the world has become severe, and cars are the main means of transport for terrorists," said prefectural authorities in an online statement. Authorities aimed to register and track up to 20,000 vehicles, the statement said.

Gas stations will only serve cars equipped with the tracking system, according to a separate local news report. Police officials in the prefecture confirmed the tracking program to the AP on Tuesday but declined to answer questions.

Xinjiang officials have sharply increased surveillance, street searches and police patrols in recent years amid bombings, vehicle and knife attacks blamed on separatist militants from the native ethnic Uighur minority. Uighur activists say economic marginalization and a repressive government presence - including restrictions on Muslim religious and cultural practices - have fueled resentment and feed a vicious cycle of radicalization and violence.

Xinjiang shares a border with Afghanistan, Pakistan and several unstable Central Asian states.

The Chinese government denies religious discrimination and says its policies are needed to maintain stability in a region targeted by militant Islamic radicals.

Despite the constant state of police lockdown, three knife-wielding attackers killed five and injured five others in Xinjiang's far western Pishan county last week, while several clashes between police forces and militants have been reported in recent months in the region's southern towns.

At a Saturday rally in the regional capital of Urumqi, Xinjiang party official Zhu Hailun exhorted rows of rifle-toting soldiers and police in tactical anti-riot uniforms to use their "hot blood and loyalty" to defend the people and deal a "crushing, obliterating blow" against separatist and radical Islamic forces from Central Asia.
Trump taps military strategist as national security adviser

PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) - President Donald Trump has tapped Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, a prominent military strategist known as a creative thinker, as his new national security adviser, replacing the ousted Michael Flynn.

Trump announced the pick Monday at his Palm Beach, Florida, club and said McMaster is "a man of tremendous talent and tremendous experience."

Sitting next to Trump for the announcement, McMaster said he was honored to take on the role and added that he looks forward to "doing everything that I can to advance and protect the interests of the American people."

The president's choice further elevates the influence of military officers in the new administration. Trump, who has no military or foreign policy experience, has shown a strong preference for putting generals in top roles. In this case, he tapped an active-duty officer for a post that's sometimes used as a counterweight to the Pentagon. McMaster, who wore his uniform for the announcement, joins Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, both retired generals, in Trump's inner circle of national security advisers.

The White House said Monday McMaster plans to remain on active military duty.

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Trump tries to move past controversies, toward legislating

WASHINGTON (AP) - As President Donald Trump begins his second month in office, his team is trying to move past the crush of controversies that overtook his first month and make progress on health care and tax overhauls long sought by Republicans.

Both issues thrust Trump, a real estate executive who has never held elected office, into the unfamiliar world of legislating. The president has thus far relied exclusively on executive powers to muscle through policy priorities and has offered few details about what he'll require in any final legislative packages, like how the proposals should be paid for. The White House also sent conflicting signals about whether the president will send Congress his own legislative blueprints or let lawmakers drive the process.

White House chief of staff Reince Priebus told The Associated Press that he expects a health care plan to emerge in "the first few days of March." Pressed on whether the plan would be coming from the White House, Priebus said, "We don't work in a vacuum."

On Sunday, White House advisers held a three-hour meeting on health care at Trump's South Florida club, their third lengthy discussion on the topic in four days. Gary Cohn, the former Goldman Sachs banker now serving as Trump's top economic adviser, and newly sworn in Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin have been leading talks with Republican lawmakers and business leaders on taxes. Neither man has prior government experience.

Republicans long blamed Democrats for blocking efforts to overhaul the nation's complicated tax code and make changes to the sweeping 2010 health care law signed by President Barack Obama. But with the GOP now in control of both the White House and Congress, making good on those promises rests almost entirely with the president and his party.

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10 Things to Know for Tuesday

Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about Tuesday:

1. TRUMP NAMES NEW NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER

Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, who holds a Ph.D. in military history, replaces the ousted Michael Flynn.

2. WHAT WHITE HOUSE WANTS TO HOME IN ON

As Trump begins his second month in office, his team seeks to make progress on health care and tax overhauls long sought by Republicans.

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Conservative group cancels speech by Yiannopoulos

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos has been disinvited to this year's Conservative Political Action Conference after his attempt to clarify past comments on relationships between boys and older men fell flat with organizers.

Hours later, his publisher cancelled his book "Dangerous," which had been scheduled to come out in June.

The American Conservative Union founded and hosts CPAC, which is being held Wednesday through Saturday outside Washington. In a tweet on Monday, ACU chairman Matt Schlapp said that "due to the revelation of an offensive video in the past 24 hours condoning pedophilia, the American Conservative Union has decided to rescind the invitation of Milo Yiannopoulos to speak."

After the polarizing Breitbart News editor was invited, his invitation sparked a backlash. The conservative Reagan Battalion blog tweeted video clips Sunday in which Yiannopoulos discussed Jews, sexual consent, statutory rape, child abuse and homosexuality.

In one clip, Yiannopoulos defends sexual relationships between men and boys as young as 13 years old. He also speaks approvingly of his own sexual relationship with a 29-year-old priest when he was 17.

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Thousands of demonstrators across US say 'Not My President'

Thousands of demonstrators turned out Monday across the U.S. to challenge Donald Trump in a Presidents Day protest dubbed Not My President's Day.

The protests on the federal holiday didn't draw nearly as many people as the million-plus who thronged the streets following the Republican president's inauguration a month earlier, but the message was similar.

Thousands of flag-waving protesters lined up outside Central Park in Manhattan. Many in the crowd chanted "No ban, no wall. The Trump regime has got to fall." They held aloft signs saying "Uphold the Constitution Now" and "Impeach the Liar."

Nova Calise, one of the New York City organizers, said Presidents Day was "a perfect time to protest the person that's currently holding the title of President of the United States," adding Trump didn't share the values of those demonstrating Monday.

A rally in downtown Los Angeles also drew thousands. Demonstrators there called attention to Trump's crackdown on immigration and his party's response to climate change and the environment. Organizers said they chose to rally on the holiday as a way to honor past presidents by exercising their constitutional right to assemble and peacefully protest. They chanted: "Love not hate makes America great."

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Rio Carnival revelers hunt for bargains amid economic crisis

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) - Instead of costly and elaborate costumes with glittering sequins, expect more cheap getups featuring fake mustaches, hats and tiaras at this year's Carnival.

Revelers are bargain-hunting ahead of Rio de Janeiro's world famous party, which is about to kick off amid a prolonged economic crisis that is hurting pocketbooks and the myriad businesses that depend on the bash for a large part of their annual incomes.

Many parade tickets have not been sold, sponsors have declined to pony up for street parties and hotels are expected to be emptier than last year's also disappointing blast, when worries about the Zika virus kept some foreign tourists away and the recession depressed local spending.

"Last year was not great, but we still had the 2016 Olympics as a peg to Carnival. Now we can feel there is a reduction," said Cristina Fritsch, head of Rio's travel agents association. "Security is also making people worry at a time when public servants, including the police, are threatening to go on strike."

Rio's tourism agency is hoping to attract 1 million tourists who spend about 3 billion Brazilian reals ($950 million) in the city during the Feb. 24-28 festivities. If that pans out, it would be roughly the same amount of revenue as last year.

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Russia's ambassador to United Nations falls ill, dies at 64

NEW YORK (AP) - Russia's ambassador to the United Nations, a veteran diplomat known as a potent, savvy yet personable voice for his country's interests who could both spar and get along with his Western counterparts, died suddenly Monday after falling ill in his office at Russia's U.N. mission.

Vitaly Churkin was taken to a hospital, where he died a day before his 65th birthday, said Russia's deputy U.N. ambassador, Vladimir Safronkov. The cause of his death was unknown.

As Russia's envoy at the United Nations since 2006 and a diplomat for decades, Churkin was considered Moscow's great champion at the U.N., where he was the longest-serving ambassador on the powerful Security Council.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called Churkin "an outstanding diplomat."

"Ambassador Churkin served the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation with distinction through some of the most challenging and momentous periods of recent history," Guterres said in a statement.

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Iraqi troops advance on western Mosul as Mattis holds talks

SOUTH OF MOSUL, Iraq (AP) - Iraqi forces advanced Monday into the southern outskirts of Mosul on the second day of a push to drive Islamic State militants from the city's western half, as the visiting U.S. defense secretary met with officials to discuss the fight against the extremists.

With aerial support from the U.S.-led coalition, Iraqi police and army troops launched the offensive Sunday, part of a 100-day-old campaign that has already driven the militants from the eastern half of the city.

Iraqi helicopters fired rockets at the village of Abu Saif early Monday, targeting a hill that overlooks the city's airport. By noon, the forces entered the village and gained control over much of the strategic hill as fighting was still raging.

Separately, militarized police in armored vehicles were moving toward the sprawling Ghazlani military base on the southwestern outskirts of the city.

A U.S.-led coalition has been providing close air support throughout the campaign to retake Iraq's second-largest city. U.S. special operations forces are embedded with some Iraqi units and thousands of U.S. troops are in Iraq providing logistical and other support.

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Teen suicide attempts fell as same-sex marriage became legal

CHICAGO (AP) - Teen suicide attempts in the U.S. declined after same-sex marriage became legal and the biggest impact was among gay, lesbian and bisexual kids, a study found.

The research found declines in states that passed laws allowing gays to marry before the Supreme Court made it legal nationwide. The results don't prove there's a connection, but researchers said policymakers should be aware of the measures' potential benefits for youth mental health.

Suicide is the second-leading cause of death for all U.S. teens. Suicidal behavior is much more common among gay, lesbian and bisexual kids and adults; about 29 percent of these teens in the study reported attempting suicide, compared with just 6 percent of straight teens.

Laws that have the greatest impact on gay adults may make gay kids feel "more hopeful for the future," said lead author Julia Raifman, a researcher at Johns Hopkins' Bloomberg School of Public Health.

The measures also could create more tolerance and less bullying, making these teens feel less stigmatized. Those effects could also benefit straight teens but more research is needed to determine how the laws might influence teen behavior, Raifman said.

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AP, other media ask judge to order release of iPhone records

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Associated Press and two other news organizations asked a judge Monday to force the federal government to reveal how much it paid for a tool to unlock an iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino, California, shooters.

The news organizations said in a court filing there was "no adequate justification" for the FBI to continue to withhold information on the cost of the tool or the identity of the vendor that sold it. They said their requests were narrowly tailored and, contrary to the arguments of the FBI and Justice Department, did not seek information that would jeopardize national security or be exploited by America's enemies.

"While it is undisputed that the vendor developed the iPhone access tool, the government has identified no rational reason why knowing the vendor's identity is linked in any way to the substance of the tool, much less how such knowledge would reveal any information about the tool's application," lawyers for the news organizations wrote in the filing to the U.S. District Court in Washington.

The AP, Vice Media LLC and Gannett, the parent company of USA Today, sued the FBI in September. The news organizations sought to learn more about the mysterious transaction that cut short a legal dispute in which the government won a court order to force Apple Inc. to unlock the work phone of Syed Rizwan Farook, who along with his wife killed 14 people in the December 2015 San Bernardino attack.

The FBI had maintained for weeks that only Apple could access the information on its phone, which was protected by encryption, but announced in March that it had ultimately broken or bypassed the company's digital locks with the help of an unidentified third party. The government has refused to say how it acquired the tool or how much it paid, though FBI Director James Comey dropped a hint in April when he said the cost was more than he would make for the duration of his job- roughly seven years.
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) - Instead of costly and elaborate costumes with glittering sequins, expect more cheap getups featuring fake mustaches, hats and tiaras at this year's Carnival.

Revelers are bargain-hunting ahead of Rio de Janeiro's world famous party, which is about to kick off amid a prolonged economic crisis that is hurting pocketbooks and the myriad businesses that depend on the bash for a large part of their annual incomes.

Many parade tickets have not been sold, sponsors have declined to pony up for street parties and hotels are expected to be emptier than last year's also disappointing blast, when worries about the Zika virus kept some foreign tourists away and the recession depressed local spending.

In this Feb. 8, 2017 photo, a man prepares costumes for the upcoming Carnival at the Imperatriz Leopoldinense samba school, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Rio's world famous party is about to kick off amid a prolonged economic crisis that is impacting locals, tourists and a myriad of businesses that depend on the bash for a large part of their annual incomes. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

"Last year was not great, but we still had the 2016 Olympics as a peg to Carnival. Now we can feel there is a reduction," said Cristina Fritsch, head of Rio's travel agents association. "Security is also making people worry at a time when public servants, including the police, are threatening to go on strike."

Rio's tourism agency is hoping to attract 1 million tourists who spend about 3 billion Brazilian reals ($950 million) in the city during the Feb. 24-28 festivities. If that pans out, it would be roughly the same amount of revenue as last year.

Hotels estimate they will see only a 72 percent occupancy rate, about 14 points less than last year.

With festivities starting Friday, there are still 800 stand tickets for the parade, which typically sell out right after New Year's Day. Many of the box seats for the float parade, which feature local and global celebrities, have been distributed among the samba schools that put on the spectacle. Organizers say they want to make sure television cameras don't capture any empty spaces.

The backdrop is the worst recession that Latin America's largest nation has suffered in decades. Brazil's central bank estimates the country's economy shrank more than 4 percent in 2016 and unemployment is around 12 percent.

Rio's state government has felt that impact like few others, with public servants having their pay delayed for months. Violent protests have become frequent as the state legislature considers several austerity measures.

In the neighboring state of Espirito Santo earlier this month, military police went on a weeklong work stoppage that coincided with an upsurge in murders and other crimes. The fear that Rio police would stage a similar strike was so strong that resident Michel Temer has activated 9,000 soldiers to patrol in the state of Rio.

In Rio's popular commerce areas this week, stores were filled with products but light on customers. Full Carnival costumes, with prices varying between 30 reals (about $10) and 3,000 reals (about $1,000), were not selling. Instead of glittery pieces for revelers to dress as harlequins, policemen, nurses and Wonder Women, party-goers are most concerned about finding a deal.

Claudio Muniz, who manages a Carnival store in downtown Rio, said sales in January were nonexistent and only in recent days have people started looking - for bargains.

"Last year was already bad. People only bought kits," said Muniz. "We didn't raise any prices, but people still think it is expensive."

Homemaker Marina Hill is one of the locals spending less. Last year, she bought two costumes, but this year will buy only one that she plans to wear every day.

"I am not spending more than 150 reais ($55)," she said. "It's not easy, but not celebrating would be even worse."

Even some good Carnival news nationwide reflects bad news for Carnival in Rio. Stores in Sao Paulo, the nation's largest city, project a rise of 6 percent in sales for party-goers. But that is because many people who usually travel to Rio are staying home.

For the vast majority of Cariocas, as Rio residents are known, Carnival celebrations have always been about street parties, called "blocos da rua."

Even the 451 "blocos" this year may suffer.

"Sponsors are gone, city hall doesn't help and no one wants to put their personal items like their cars on sale to celebrate Carnival," said Rita Fernandes, one of the organizers of a "bloco" association. "If there is no help, many of us, including blocos that have been around for 30 years, might be gone soon."

This Feb. 8, 2017 photo shows a workshop where Carnival costumes are made at the Imperatriz Leopoldinense samba school, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Rio's world famous Carnival bash comes amid an economic crisis. Instead of costly and elaborate costumes with glittering sequins, expect more cheap getups featuring fake mustaches, hats and tiaras at this year's Carnival. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

In this Feb. 8, 2017 photo, women work on costumes for the upcoming Carnival at the Imperatriz Leopoldinense samba school, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Brazilians are bargain-hunting ahead of Rio's world famous party, which is about to kick off amid a prolonged economic crisis that is impacting pocketbooks and the myriad of businesses that depend on the bash for a large part of their annual incomes. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
NEW YORK (AP) - Medical examiners who performed an autopsy on Russia's ambassador to the United Nations said Tuesday that more tests are needed to determine how and why he fell ill in his office and later died.

Vitaly Churkin, who died Monday at a hospital at age 64, had been Russia's envoy at the U.N. since 2006. He was the longest-serving ambassador on the Security Council, the U.N.'s most powerful body.

City medical examiners concluded Churkin's death needed further study, which usually includes toxicology and other screenings. Those can take weeks.

A picture of Vitaly Churkin, Russia's ambassador to the United Nations, is displayed while people sign condolences books at the Russian Mission to the U.N. in New York, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. The city medical examiner was expected to perform an autopsy Tuesday on Russia's ambassador to the U.N., who died a day earlier after falling ill at his office at Russia's U.N. mission. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

The medical examiner is responsible for investigating deaths that occur by criminal violence, by accident, by suicide, suddenly or when the person seemed healthy or in any unusual or suspicious manner. Most of the deaths investigated by the office are not suspicious.

Churkin's case was referred to the medical examiner's office by the hospital.

Moscow has not given a date for Churkin's funeral.

Churkin's death brought condolences from diplomats and leaders around the world, with Republican U.S. President Donald Trump calling him "an accomplished diplomat."

"While American officials sometimes disagreed with their Russian counterparts, Ambassador Churkin played a crucial role in working with the United States on a number of key issues to advance global security," Trump said in a statement.

Churkin's counterparts mourned him as a master in their field, saying he was deeply knowledgeable about diplomacy and dedicated to his country while also being a personable and witty colleague.

The U.N. Security Council held a moment of silence Tuesday in Churkin's memory. The honor was announced by the ambassador from the country holding the Security Council's rotating presidency, Ukraine, where Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and has backed separatist rebels fighting government forces.

Ukrainian Ambassador Volodymyr Yelchenko didn't add his own statement to the tributes to Churkin, though Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin gave condolences when reporters asked afterward.

FILE - In this Sunday, Aug. 6, 2006, file photo, Vitaly Churkin, Russian Ambassador to the U.N, speaks to reporters as he leaves the building of the French Mission to the United Nations for a private meeting on the U.N. Security Council regarding the Israel-Lebanon conflict. Russian officials said Churkin died suddenly in New York City on Monday, Feb. 20, 2017. (AP Photo/David Karp, File)

A picture of Vitaly Churkin, Russia's ambassador to the United Nations, is displayed while people sign condolences books at the Russian Mission to the U.N. in New York, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. The city medical examiner was expected to perform an autopsy Tuesday on Russia's ambassador to the U.N., who died a day earlier after falling ill at his office at Russia's U.N. mission. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Russia's Deputy Permanent Representative Petr Iliichev, center, joins other diplomats in a moment of silence in the U..N. Security Council, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. Vitaly Churkin, Russia's ambassador to the United Nations since 2006, died suddenly after falling ill at his office at Russia's U.N. mission Monday.He was the longest-serving ambassador on the Security Council, the U.N.'s most powerful body. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

A United Nations security officer raises the Russian flag outside U.N. headquarters, Tuesday morning, Feb. 21, 2017. Vitaly Churkin, Russia's ambassador to the United Nations since 2006, died suddenly after falling ill at his office at Russia's U.N. mission Monday. He was the longest-serving ambassador on the Security Council, the U.N.'s most powerful body. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

FILE - In this Thursday, March 27, 2014, file photo, Russian ambassador to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin returns to his seat after speaking at United Nations headquarters. Russian officials said Churkin died suddenly in New York City on Monday, Feb. 20, 2017. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)

A man pauses after signing a condolences book for Vitaly Churkin, Russia's ambassador to the United Nations, at the Russian Mission to the U.N. in New York, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. The city medical examiner was expected to perform an autopsy Tuesday on Russia's ambassador to the U.N., who died a day earlier after falling ill at his office at Russia's U.N. mission. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

The United Nations Security Council observes a moment of silence for Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. Churkin, Russia's ambassador to the United Nations since 2006, died suddenly after falling ill at his office at Russia's U.N. mission Monday.He was the longest-serving ambassador on the Security Council, the U.N.'s most powerful body. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Russia's Deputy Permanent Representative Petr Iliichev, left center, receives condolences from France's Ambassador Francois Delattre, right. center, in the U.N. Security Council, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. Vitaly Churkin, Russia's ambassador to the United Nations since 2006, died suddenly after falling ill at his office at Russia's U.N. mission Monday. He was the longest-serving ambassador on the Security Council, the U.N.'s most powerful body. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Flowers are placed by a portrait of the late Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin, outside the Foreign Ministry headquarters in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. Churkin died suddenly Monday after falling ill at his office at Russia's U.N. mission is being remembered by his diplomatic colleagues as a powerful and passionate voice for his nation. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov lays flowers by a portrait of late Russian Ambassador to UN Vitaly Churkin, as Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom looks on, prior to their meeting in the Foreign Ministry guest house in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. Churkin, who died suddenly Monday after falling ill at his office at Russia's U.N. mission, is being remembered by his diplomatic colleagues as a powerful and passionate voice for his nation. (Sergei Chirikov/Pool photo via AP)

A woman pays her last respect as she offers flowers in front of the portrait of the Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin outside the Foreign Ministry headquarters in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. Churkin who died suddenly Monday after falling ill at his office at Russia's U.N. mission is being remembered by his diplomatic colleagues as a powerful and passionate voice for his nation. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)
WASHINGTON (AP) - Federal authorities are stepping up investigations at Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers due to a sharp increase in opioid theft, missing prescriptions or unauthorized drug use by VA employees since 2009, according to government data obtained by The Associated Press.

Doctors, nurses or pharmacy staff at federal hospitals - the vast majority within the VA system - siphoned away controlled substances for their own use or street sales, or drugs intended for patients simply disappeared.

Aggravating the problem is that some VA hospitals have been lax in tracking drug supplies. Congressional auditors said spot checks found four VA hospitals skipped monthly inspections of drug stocks or missed other requirements. Investigators said that signals problems for VA's entire network of more than 160 medical centers and 1,000 clinics, coming after auditor warnings about lax oversight dating back to at least 2009.

FILE - In this Feb. 14, 2017 file photo, Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin speaks in Washington. Federal authorities are stepping up investigations at Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers due to a sharp increase in opioid theft, missing prescriptions or unauthorized drug use by VA employees since 2009, according to government data obtained by The Associated Press. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)

"Drug theft is an area of concern," Jeffrey Hughes, the VA's acting assistant inspector general for investigations, told AP. He said the monthly inspections could help the VA uncover potential discrepancies and root out crime.

Both the inspector general's office and the Drug Enforcement Administration said they have increased scrutiny of drug thefts from the VA, with the DEA reporting more criminal investigations.

It's not clear if the problem is worse at the VA than at private facilities, where medical experts and law enforcement officials say drug theft is also increasingly common in a time of widespread opioid abuse in the U.S. But the VA gets special scrutiny from lawmakers and the public, given Americans' esteem for ex-servicemembers served by the agency and because of past problems at the VA, especially a 2014 wait-time scandal in which some patients died.

"Those VA employees who are entrusted with serving our nation's wounded, ill and injured veterans must be held to a higher standard," said Joe Davis, spokesman for Veterans of Foreign Wars.

The drug thefts will be among the challenges facing newly confirmed VA Secretary David Shulkin, who served as the department's undersecretary of health while the drug problem was growing. At his confirmation hearing this month, Shulkin said he was proud that the VA identified the opioid addiction problem before others did and "recognized it as a crisis and began to take action."

Still, the VA acknowledges it has had problems keeping up with monthly inspections and said it was taking steps to improve training. It also said it was requiring hospitals to comply with inspection procedures and develop plans for improvement.

It did not respond to AP requests made three weeks ago to provide a list of VA facilities where drugs had been reported missing or disciplinary action was taken, saying it was still compiling the information.

Reported incidents of drug losses or theft at federal hospitals jumped from 272 in 2009 to 2,926 in 2015, before dipping to 2,457 last year, according to DEA data obtained by AP. "Federal hospitals" include the VA's more than 1,100 facilities as well as seven correctional hospitals and roughly 20 hospitals serving Indian tribes.

The inspector general's office estimates there are nearly 100 open criminal probes involving theft or loss of VA controlled substances.

Three VA employees were charged this month with conspiring to steal prescription medications including opioids at the Little Rock, Arkansas, VA hospital. The inspector general's office says a pharmacy technician used his VA access to a medical supplier's web portal to order and divert 4,000 oxycodone pills, 3,300 hydrocodone pills and other drugs at a cost to the VA of $77,700 and a street value of $160,000.

Christopher Thyer, the U.S. attorney overseeing the case, said the employees were abusing their position to steal from taxpayers and "poison the communities we live in with dangerous drugs."

The drug thefts from VA also raise the possibility that patients will be denied medication they need or that they will be treated by drug-impaired staff.

In one case, a former VA employee in Baltimore pleaded guilty on charges that he injected himself with fentanyl intended for patients heading into surgery, then refilled the syringes with saline solution. Patients received solution tainted with the Hepatitis C virus carried by the employee.

Dr. Dale Klein, a VA pain management specialist, said some of his patients suspected they weren't getting the drugs they needed, including one patient with an amputated leg who had to do without morphine because a VA pharmacy said it did not have enough in supply.

Klein, who is part of a whistleblowers network called VA Truth Tellers, ran a VA pain clinic from 2015 to 2016 and has filed a retaliation claim against VA, saying the VA restricted his work after he voiced complaints. The VA has said it was looking into the claims.

Klein described several of VA's inventory lists as inconsistent or a "slapdash rush job." That concern was underscored by the findings from the Government Accountability Office, released last week, that drug stockpiles were not always being regularly inspected. Klein's attorney, Natalie Khawam, says she's heard similar complaints from other clients at their VA hospitals.

The GAO review, covering January 2015 to February 2016, found the most missed inspections at VA's hospital in the District of Columbia, according to a government official familiar with confidential parts of the audit. Monthly checks were missed there more than 40 percent of the time, mostly in critical patient care areas, such as the operating room and intensive care units. That adds to the risk of veterans not receiving their full medications.

The Washington hospital also missed inspections of the facility's pharmacy for three straight months, violating VA policy, according to the official, who insisted on anonymity to reveal findings that weren't public. In the last year, the hospital had at least five incidents of controlled substances that were "lost" or otherwise unaccounted for, according to the DEA.

Other problems were found in VA hospitals in Seattle, Milwaukee and Memphis, Tennessee. Milwaukee had the fewest, which the GAO attributed to a special coordinator put in place to ensure inspection compliance.

Responding to the findings, the House Veterans Affairs Committee planned a hearing on the inspection issue. Its chairman, Rep. Phil Roe, a physician, said failing to follow protocol is serious and "should not be tolerated within VA."

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Follow Hope Yen on Twitter at https://twitter.com/hopeyen1
PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) - A group of suicide bombers with grenades and assault rifles struck outside a courthouse in northwestern Pakistan on Tuesday, killing six people in an attack claimed by a Taliban splinter group.

The attack was the latest in a wave of militant assaults across the troubled country that has killed over 100 people since last week. The brazen suicide bombings have been claimed by mutiple Islamic militant groups.

In Tuesday's attack, three attackers hit the courthouse in the town of Tangi in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, bordering Afghanistan. The victims included a lawyer, a child and four police officers, according to Ijaz Khan, a senior police officer.

A Pakistani volunteer carries an injured child to a hospital in Peshawar, Pakistan, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. Police say three suicide bombers have attacked a courthouse in northwestern Pakistan. Charsadda police chief says one of the bombers detonated his suicide vest at the court's main gate while police shot and killed the two other assailants. (AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad)

He said police were on maximum alert after receiving intelligence that terrorists could target the courts in Charsadda. One of the bombers threw grenades and detonated his suicide vest at the court's main gate while police shot and killed the two other assailants, according to the district police chief, Sohail Khalid.

The other two also wore suicide vests but did not manage to set them off before being gunned down.

Khalid said 15 people were wounded in the attack and taken to hospital.

Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a breakaway faction of the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility in a text message sent to an Associated Press reporter.

In one of the attacks last week, dozens of worshippers gathered at a famed Sufi shrine were killed Thursday when an Islamic State suicide bomber detonated his device inside the shrine's main hall in the southern province of Sindh. The death toll from that attack has reached 90.

The shrine bombing prompted a countrywide crackdown by security forces targeting militants and their hideouts.

Pakistan's army chief, Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa praised police for foiling the attack and "saving many lives," according to the military statement.

Mian Saqib Nisar, the chief justice of Pakistan, strongly condemned the attack in a statement and expressed his condolences for families of those who lost loved ones.

In a latest development, Zafar Iqbal Jhagra, governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, told reporters that fresh talks with the militants cannot be ruled out. "Talks can be held with everyone, including the Taliban," he said.

But he maintained that, "We will not bow before the terrorists."

Pakistan has been at war with Islamic militants for more than a decade. In recent years, it severed peace talks and launched an ongoing offensive against militant strongholds in the tribal regions along the Afghan border, but insurgents have continued to carry out attacks around the country.

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Associated Press writers Ishtiaq Mahsud in Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan, and Munir Ahmed and Asif Shahzad in Islamabad contributed to this report.

Pakistani volunteers rush an injured person to an emergency ward at a hospital in Peshawar, Pakistan, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. Police say three suicide bombers have attacked a courthouse in northwestern Pakistan. Charsadda police chief says one of the bombers detonated his suicide vest at the court's main gate while police shot and killed the two other assailants. (AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad)
NGHIA BINH, Vietnam (AP) - The family of a Vietnamese woman identified as a suspect in the death of the half brother of North Korea's ruler confirmed Tuesday that she is their relative, but said they believe she didn't knowingly participate in the killing.

Doan Thi Huong is thought to be one of two women seen approaching Kim Jong Nam on Feb. 13 at a Malaysian airport. Kim died later after telling airport personnel that he had been sprayed in the face with a liquid.

Huong and a female suspect from Indonesia have been arrested by Malaysian authorities, along with two men carrying identity documents from North Korea and Malaysia.

Doan Van Thanh, the father of a Vietnamese woman arrested in the death of Kim Jong Nam in Malaysia, looks at an image of his daughter, during an interview at his home in Nghia Binh village in northern province of Nam Dinh, Vietnam, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. The family of Doan Thi Huong arrested in the death of the half brother of North Korea's ruler, confirmed she is their relative, but believes she didn't knowingly participate in the killing. Thanh said he is the father of Huong, but cannot believe she would do such an "Earth-shaking" thing. (AP Photo/Duong Minh Hoang)

Speaking at their simply furnished house in a farming village in Nam Dinh province, Doan Van Thanh, 63, confirmed that Huong is his daughter but said he couldn't believe she would commit such a crime.

"How could she have dared to do such an earth-shaking thing?" Thanh said. "She was scared of rats and toads, she would not have dared to do it."

Huong's niece, 18-year-old Dinh Thi Quyen, said she believes Huong was fooled into taking part.

"My aunt is a very nice and kind person, but she easily trusted other people," Quyen said. "I believe that my aunt was duped into doing it."

Indonesia's police chief has also said that the other female suspect, Indonesian Siti Aisyah, had been fooled into thinking she was part of a comedy show prank that involved spraying men in the face with water.

Thanh, a Vietnam War veteran who lost his right foot in a land mine explosion, said police visited him after Huong was arrested to check her identity and offered to help protect her rights.

Thanh said his daughter left the village about 10 years ago to study at a pharmacy school in Hanoi, about 130 kilometers (80 miles) away, and only occasionally returned home, where she had few friends.

The last time the family saw her was during the Lunar New Year holiday in late January, when she spent five days at home.

Her niece, Quyen, said Huong called her on Feb. 14, one day after Kim's death, and asked her to buy a prepaid cellphone card so Huong could transfer the card's cash value to a shop in Hanoi to pay for a deposit on a dress she liked. Quyen said she purchased the card and sent its identifying number to Huong, but it wasn't clear whether it was then sent to the shop.

Quyen said after the family heard that Huong was arrested in Malaysia, they tried to call her, but could not get through.

Vietnam's state media have reported extensively on Kim's death, but didn't mention the arrest of a Vietnamese citizen until Monday.

The government has said it is still working with Malaysian officials to confirm Huong's identity.

Dinh Thi Quyen, 18-year-old nice of Vietnamese suspect in the death of Kim Jong Nam in Malaysia, checks an image of Doan Thi Huong in Nghia Binh village in northern province of Nam Dinh, Vietnam, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. The family of Huong arrested in the death of the half brother of North Korea's ruler, confirmed she is their relative, but believes she didn't knowingly participate in the killing. Quyen said she believes Huong was duped into taking part. (AP Photo/Duong Minh Hoang)

Doan Van Thanh, the father of a Vietnamese woman arrested in the death of Kim Jong Nam in Malaysia, speaks during an interview at his home in Nghia Binh village in northern province of Nam Dinh, Vietnam, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. The family of Doan Thi Huong arrested in the death of the half brother of North Korea's ruler, confirmed she is their relative, but believes she didn't knowingly participate in the killing. Thanh said he is the father of Huong, but cannot believe she would do such an "Earth-shaking" thing. (AP Photo/Duong Minh Hoang)
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran's supreme leader on Tuesday used the podium of a pro-Palestinian gathering in Tehran to lash out at Israel, calling the Jewish state a "fake" nation in a "dirty chapter" of history.

The remarks by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei were some of his most vitriolic against Israel, Iran's archenemy. Every four years since the early 1990s, Tehran has hosted a similar conference in support of the Palestinian cause, assembling foreign guests and those who oppose Israel.

Speaking to the gathering, Khamenei said Israel was created by bringing Jews from other parts of the world to the Mideast region to settle in the land of the Palestinians to replace its "true entity."

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei arrives to a conference titled "International Conference in Support of Palestinian Intifada," in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. Iran's supreme leader has used the podium of the pro-Palestinian gathering in Tehran to call Israel a "fake" nation and a "dirty chapter" of history. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

The creation of Israel is "one of the dirty chapters of history that will be closed, with the grace of God," he added. Khamenei's speech lasted 33 minutes.

The supreme leader, who has final say on all state matters in Iran, also urged all Muslims to support the Palestinians and "resistance" movements - a reference to anti-Israeli militant groups such as Palestinian Hamas and Lebanon's Shite Hezbollah militants. Iran has always been their staunch ally.

The "resistance movements should have all necessary instruments," Khamenei added and praised those who are part of it in allegedly succeeding in "preventing the domination of the Zionist regime in the entire region."

But he did not appear to endorse an all-our war on Israel, saying instead that it's a "cancerous tumor" that requires a "step by step" treatment. In 2015, Khamenei predicted that Israel would not exist after 25 years.

Some 80 delegations, mainly from Islamic countries as well as pro-Palestinian activists, attended the two-day meeting. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and several government officials also attended the conference.

The venue was decorated with a large map of Israel and the Palestinian territories covered in the colors of the Palestinian flag.

Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, which ousted the pro-western Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and brought the Islamists to power, Iran has not recognized Israel and has supported anti-Israeli groups.

Israel, which seas a nuclear-armed Iran as an existential threat, has opposed the 2015 landmark deal between Iran and world powers that capped Iran's nuclear activities in return for lifting sanctions.
JERUSALEM (AP) - An Israeli soldier was sentenced Tuesday to 18 months in prison for killing a badly wounded Palestinian assailant as he lay on the ground, in a landmark decision that deepened fissures in Israeli society and drew Palestinian criticism for being too lenient.

Leading nationalist Israeli politicians called any jail time unfair and urged an immediate pardon, while Palestinians dismissed Israel's justice system as a "joke."

The sentencing of Sgt. Elor Azaria culminated a nearly yearlong saga that has bitterly divided the country. While Israel's top generals pushed for the prosecution of a soldier they say violated the military's code of ethics, large segments of the public, including politicians on Israel's nationalist right, sided with Azaria. Even Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave only lukewarm support to his military.

Israeli soldier Elor Azaria is embraced by his mother at the start of his sentencing hearing in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. The court sentenced Azaria to 18 months in prison for the fatal shooting of a wounded Palestinian assailant. The Palestinian, Abdel Fattah al-Sharif, was lying on the ground badly wounded and already unarmed when Azaria shot him in the head. Prosecutors had asked that Sgt. Elor Azaria be sentenced to 3-5 years in prison. (Jim Hollander, Pool, via AP)

Although the sentence was lighter than expected, those divisions showed no signs of easing following Tuesday's sentencing at a Tel Aviv military court. Dozens of people demonstrated outside in support of Azaria, one of them holding a poster that said "Trump would do the same," and hard-line politicians called for his release.

"Even if he erred, Elor should not sit in prison. We will all pay the price," said Education Minister Naftali Bennett, leader of the nationalist Jewish Home Party.

Azaria, an army medic, was recorded on a cellphone video last March as he fatally shot a badly wounded Palestinian who had stabbed a soldier in the West Bank city of Hebron. The Palestinian, Abdel Fattah al-Sharif, was lying on the ground unarmed when Azaria shot him in the head.

Azaria was convicted of manslaughter last month in a rare case of a military court ruling against a combat soldier for lethal action taken in the field.

The verdict marked a victory for commanders who said Azaria had violated army procedures.

But the soldier enjoyed wide public support. In Israel, military service is compulsory for most Jewish men, and soldiers enjoy widespread sympathy.

A Channel 2 TV poll taken after the conviction found that 67 percent of respondents supported clemency. The poll questioned 666 people and had a margin of error of 4.4 percentage points.

Asa Kasher, a philosopher who wrote the Israeli army's code of ethics, said the case has unleashed dangerous trends in the country.

"One shot by one soldier took on the shape of a war between right and left," he told Channel 2.

He said "extremists" initially took up Azaria's cause, and hard-line politicians followed suit. "Anyone with right-wing sentiments enlisted, and everyone in the end rallied behind a soldier who harmed the values of the Israeli army," he said.

Politicians' support for the soldier fueled the resignation last year of then-Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon, a former military chief of staff.

He was replaced by Avigdor Lieberman, a hard-line politician who had earlier visited Azaria in court during the trial. Lieberman has since toned down his language, and on Tuesday, he urged the public to respect the court's decision.

Netanyahu, who initially defended the military, later softened his position and called Azaria's parents to console them. After last month's verdict, he called for Azaria to be pardoned. Netanyahu was on a trip to Singapore and Australia this week and did not immediately react to the sentencing.

Kasher said a pardon would be devastating for the military.

"It means you can throw commanders' inquiries out the window. You can throw the military court and its decisions out the other window and the racist atmosphere that says you may kill terrorists even if they are neutralized will rule," he said.

President Reuven Rivlin is not expected to consider a pardon until the appeals process is complete.

The shooting took place at the height of an ongoing wave of violence. Since September 2015, Palestinian attackers have carried out numerous stabbing, shooting and car ramming attacks that have killed 41 Israelis and two visiting Americans. During the same time, Israeli forces have killed 235 Palestinians, most of them said to be attackers.

Palestinians and human rights groups have accused Israeli forces of using excessive force and even harming innocent people mistaken for attackers. But before the video of the shooting, taken by a Palestinian human rights activist, it was difficult to prove these claims.

Human rights groups praised the conviction but dismissed Tuesday's sentence as far too lenient. Prosecutors had sought a sentence of three to five years in prison.

"Azaria's light sentence of 18 months is an expression of disregard for the value of Palestinian life and likewise fails to serve as a deterrent," said Hassan Jabareen, general director of Adalah, an Arab rights advocacy group in Israel.

Issa Karaka, the Palestinian government minister in charge of prisoner affairs, called the sentence a "joke."

"It shows how much discrimination Israeli courts practice against Palestinians," he said.

Prosecution of Israeli soldiers on serious crimes like manslaughter is rare.

According to the Israeli rights group Yesh Din, the military has launched 262 investigations into fatalities on the Palestinian side since 2000, but issued indictments in just 17. Only one of those ended with a manslaughter conviction - in the case of a pro-Palestinian British peace activist who was shot by an army sniper in the Gaza Strip in 2003.

The group says the indictment rate involving Jewish settler violence against Palestinian civilians in the West Bank is just 7.3 percent.

In contrast, Palestinians tried in Israeli military courts are convicted nearly 100 percent of the time, said Qadora Fares, head of the Palestinian prisoners' association, which represents the more than 5,000 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons. He said Palestinians convicted in the deaths of Israelis receive life sentences, while crimes like throwing stones carry a minimum six-month sentence and throwing firebombs carry a minimum one year, even if no one is hurt.

The Azaria case bore a resemblance to the murder conviction in Britain of Alexander Blackman, a Royal Marine who was sentenced to a minimum 10 years by a military court for killing a wounded Taliban fighter in Afghanistan in 2011. Such a conviction for a serving soldier is extremely rare in Britain, and supporters, including tabloid newspapers, said Blackman was under extreme stress after heavy fighting and losing close comrades.

Azaria, who has been confined to a base since last year, is to begin his sentence on March 5. He will not receive credit for time served, but will be eligible to seek an early "conditional release" based on factors like good behavior, the army said. His sentence also includes one year probation and a demotion in rank.

The 20-year-old Azaria entered the court smiling and was greeted by applause from friends and relatives. He then had a long embrace with his mother and other family members.

Last month's verdict was accompanied by angry outbursts in the courtroom and protesters outside who briefly blocked streets and scuffled with police. Reactions were more muted Tuesday as Azaria's father, Charlie, took a more calming approach, asking supporters not to disrupt the proceedings. After the sentencing, the family sang Israel's national anthem.

The relatively light sentence still triggered disappointment from supporters.

"The prosecution was thirsty for Elor's blood and the sentencing proves that," said defense lawyer Yoram Sheftel, vowing an appeal.

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Associated Press writers Ami Bentov in Tel Aviv, Daniel Estrin in Jerusalem, Mohammed Daraghmeh in Ramallah, West Bank, and Jill Lawless in London contributed to this report.

Israeli soldier Elor Azaria, left, is embraced by family and friends after entering court for his sentencing hearing in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. The court sentenced Azaria to 18 months in prison for the fatal shooting of a wounded Palestinian assailant. The Palestinian, Abdel Fattah al-Sharif, was lying on the ground badly wounded and already unarmed when Azaria shot him in the head. Prosecutors had asked that Sgt. Elor Azaria be sentenced to 3-5 years in prison. (Jim Hollander, Pool, via AP)

Nationalist supporters of Sgt. Elor Azaria react outside the Israeli military court during his sentencing in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. Azaria was sentenced to 18 months in prison for his deadly shooting of an incapacitated Palestinian attacker in the West Bank city of Hebron, capping a nearly yearlong saga that has deeply divided the country. The sentence, which included one year probation and a demotion in rank, was lighter than expected. Prosecutors had asked for a prison term of three to five years. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)

A man holds a photo of Sgt. Elor Azaria and wears the mask of the US President Donald Trump outside the Israeli military court during Azaria's sentencing in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. Azaria was sentenced to 18 months in prison for his deadly shooting of an incapacitated Palestinian attacker in the West Bank city of Hebron, capping a nearly yearlong saga that has deeply divided the country. The sentence, which included one year probation and a demotion in rank, was lighter than expected. Prosecutors had asked for a prison term of three to five years. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)

Nationalist supporter of Sgt. Elor Azaria reacts outside the Israeli military court during his sentencing in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. Azaria was sentenced to 18 months in prison for his deadly shooting of an incapacitated Palestinian attacker in the West Bank city of Hebron, capping a nearly yearlong saga that has deeply divided the country. The sentence, which included one year probation and a demotion in rank, was lighter than expected. Prosecutors had asked for a prison term of three to five years. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
LISBON, Portugal (AP) - A former CIA agent will be handed over to Italy in the coming days to serve a four-year prison sentence after being convicted of involvement in a U.S. program that kidnapped suspects for interrogation, a lawyer said Tuesday.

Sabrina de Sousa spent the night in a women's prison near Lisbon after a Portuguese court ordered police to extradite her, her Portuguese lawyer, Manuel Magalhaes e Silva, told the Associated Press in an interview.

He said she was detained Monday after a two-year fight against extradition and would be put on a plane once formalities between Portuguese and Italian police were concluded.

FILE -- In this file photo taken on April 11, 2007, Egyptian cleric Osama Hassan Mustafa Nasr, known as Abu Omar, who was allegedly kidnapped by CIA agents off the streets of an Italian city and taken to Egypt where he said he was tortured, talks on his mobile as he walks at a Cairo street after attending Amnesty International press conference in Cairo, Egypt. A Portuguese court ordered police to extradite a former CIA agent Sabrina de Sousa to Italy, where she is due to serve a four-year prison sentence after being convicted of involvement in a U.S. program that kidnapped suspects for interrogation, her lawyer said Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2017. De Sousa was among 26 Americans convicted for kidnapping suspect Mustafa Nasr. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil, File)

De Sousa, 61, was among 26 Americans convicted of kidnapping suspect Osama Moustafa Hassan Nas, also known as Abu Omar, from a Milan street on Feb. 17, 2003. She denied involvement in the abduction.

The U.S. rendition program, under which terror suspects were kidnapped and transferred to centers where they were interrogated and tortured, was part of the anti-terrorism strategy of the Bush administration following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Former President Barack Obama ended the program years later.

The U.S. government expressed concern with De Sousa's treatment.

"We are deeply disappointed in her conviction and sentence," acting State Department spokesman Mark Toner said in a statement. "This is a matter that U.S. officials have been following closely. We have asked our European counterparts what their next steps may be, but we are not in a position to detail those discussions."

De Sousa lost several appeals against extradition since her arrest at Lisbon Airport in October 2015 on a European warrant. She had argued she was never officially informed of the Italian court conviction and couldn't use confidential U.S. government information to defend herself.

Once in Italy, De Sousa is expected to be taken to a women's prison in Milan, but her Italian lawyer Dario Bolognesi said he would immediately appeal to the Milan court to defer her imprisonment pending a decision on her years-long request for clemency. Other Americans convicted in the case have received clemency from the Italian president.

Bolognesi met Tuesday with Justice Ministry officials who are reviewing the clemency request and emerged optimistic. Regardless, he said he would also request that De Sousa be granted semi-freedom and serve any sentence doing social work.

He disputed the written ruling by the Lisbon judges that said that the verdict in Italy that provided the grounds for the European arrest warrant was "not final." He said the Italian case went all the way to the highest court and is final.

Magalhaes e Silva, de Sousa's Lisbon lawyer and a human rights expert who said he took her case pro bono, said the European arrest warrant guaranteed de Sousa the possibility of a new trial or an appeal. Those assurances persuaded the Lisbon court to send her to Italy, he said. But last June the Italian authorities retracted that promise in a letter to the court, he said.

"It will be interesting to see what the Italian courts do when there's an extradition based on a European arrest warrant in which Italy guaranteed to Portugal that it would respect certain rights, then like a pariah state it turns around and says no," he said.

De Sousa, who was born in India and holds both U.S. and Portuguese passports, has said she had been living in Portugal and intended to settle there. She was on her way to visit her elderly mother in India with a roundtrip ticket when she was detained.

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Associated Press writer Nicole Winfield in Rome contributed to this story.
CONAKRY, Guinea (AP) - Guinea's government has signed an agreement with the country's two largest teachers' unions, it said, ending strikes that closed schools since the beginning of the month.

At least five people were killed Monday when police reacted to student protests supporting the teachers and demanding an agreement so they could return to classes. The violence wounded 30 others, and police arrested 12, the government said.

The government said teachers would have to wait until September for the salary increases, but other details of the agreement, signed late Monday, were not available. The strikes began in early February for pay raises and better training for contracted teachers.

Souleymane Sy Savane, secretary-general for Guinea's Free Trade Union of Teachers and Researchers, said schools will re-open Wednesday as negotiations continue.

But others said they do not agree with the settlement and want the pay increase as early as February.

"This agreement is binding only for the trade union officials who signed it, and we are basically challenging it until the reevaluation (pay raise) is effective," Kalidou Diallo, the administrative secretary of the union told private radio station Lynx FM early Tuesday.

The unions said Monday that the strike would continue until a pay raise of between 7.5 to 10.3 percent is granted.

Police responded with force to Monday's demonstrations by hundreds of students. The dead were shot at close range by riot police and gendarmerie, according to a hospital worker. The staffer spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not permitted to speak to the media.
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) - Swedish police on Tuesday were investigating a riot that broke out overnight in a predominantly immigrant suburb in Stockholm after officers arrested a suspect on drug charges.

The clashes started late Monday when a police car arrested a suspect and people started throwing stones at them in Rinkeby, north of Stockholm. Unidentified people, including some wearing masks, also set cars on fire and looted shops.

One officer was slightly injured when a rock hit his arm and one person was arrested for throwing rocks, police spokesman Lars Bystrom said Tuesday. Some civilians who tried to stop the looters were also assaulted, he added.

In this picture taken on Monday, Feb. 20, 2017,a policeman investigates a burned out car in the suburb of Rinkeby outside Stockholm. Police in Sweden said Tuesday they were investigating riots that broke out overnight in a predominantly immigrant Stockholm suburb after officers arrested a suspect on drug charges. Spokesman Lars Bystrom said unidentified people, including some wearing masks, threw rocks at police, set cars on fire and looted shops in Rinkeby, north of Stockholm. (Christine Olsson/TT News Agency via AP)

Another officer fired his gun, not as a warning shot but because he was "in a situation that demanded he used his firearm," Bystrom said, adding "no one was hit."

He declined to give further details, saying the episode would be investigated.

Police were investigating three cases of violent rioting, assaulting a police officer, two assaults, vandalism and aggravated thefts, he said.

"This kind of situation doesn't happen that often but it is always regrettable when it happens," Bystrom said.
NEW YORK (AP) - "Today" show host Hoda Kotb says she has adopted a baby girl.

The co-anchor of the fourth hour of the NBC morning program said in an emotional phone interview Tuesday that she adopted a newborn and named her Haley Joy. The 52-year-old Kotb says the baby was born on Valentine's Day. Kotb says the girl is "the love of my life."

A picture of Kotb holding the baby was shown on-air.

FILE - In this May 19, 2015, file photo, Hoda Kotb accepts the award for outstanding host, news/non-fiction for the "Today" show at the 40th Anniversary Gracies Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. Kotb announced on Feb. 21, 2017, that she adopted a baby girl. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File)

"Today" show anchor Matt Lauer says the girl is the "luckiest" on the planet and Kotb will be "one of the most fantastic moms" he can ever imagine.

Kotb's on-air partner, Kathie Lee Gifford, told Kotb that she was "made to be a mom."
A lot of attention has recently been focused on recognizing fake news.

When a story is made up whole cloth, it is usually easier to identify than a story that has some element of truth, but might still be called fake news. The fact is, there is a buffet of fake news that runs the gamut from fake to half-truth to misleading to deceiving to simply inaccurate.

Such was the case last week when the Associated Press broke a story with a headline that said President Donald Trump was considering mobilization of 100,000 National Guardsmen to round up illegal aliens. That information went out as a breaking news alert to subscribers of news alerts on our App and to our website.

The story piqued my interest so I began digging into the details and determined that we should pull the breaking news listing from our site and from Facebook, which we did within about an hour of it first appearing.

Here is why:

The headline and the story did not match and in my mind, that is misleading. The headline said Trump is considering." But if you opened and read the story it said an early version of a Department of Homeland Security memo." What I discovered is that there was, in fact, a memo that suggested this idea but that memo was never approved by the Secretary of DHS and therefore could not have been considered by the president. Yes, the White House was aware of the early draft, but it was not adopted and according to the White House press office, was never considered.

Some readers called it fake news." I disagree because there was an element of truth in the developing story ... a memo calling for such action did exist. Had the headline and story been that a low or mid-level DHS employee proposed this idea it would have been a true and accurate story. But the reality is, it may not have been NEWS. By framing it as having been considered by the president, it became a news story.

The Sentinel stands behind every story we generate locally as being accurate. Because we rely on a news service like the AP for regional and national news we rely on their judgment for content they submit, especially as stories develop. But rest assured that just as we did in this case, we will make every effort to be sure everything we publish is accurate and passes the fake news smell test and when it doesnt, we won't run it or we will yank it as soon as possible if it slips through.
BEIJING (AP) - Ata Inc. on Monday reported fiscal third-quarter earnings of $10.9 million.

The Beijing-based company said it had net income of 48 cents per share.

The computer-based testing company posted revenue of $39.4 million in the period.

For the current quarter ending in March, Ata Inc. said it expects revenue in the range of $3.8 million to $4.5 million.

The company expects full-year revenue in the range of $66.6 million to $69.5 million.

The company's shares closed at $3.71. A year ago, they were trading at $5.03.

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This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on ATAI at https://www.zacks.com/ap/ATAI

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Keywords: Ata Inc., Earnings Report
MOSCOW (AP) - Ukraine's president called Tuesday for new sanctions against Russia over its decision to recognize passports issued by separatist authorities in eastern Ukraine, while the Kremlin accused Ukraine of denying vital documents to people in the rebel regions.

The Kremlin said its decision is a "humanitarian" move to help residents of rebel-held areas in eastern Ukraine who are suffering from a blockade by Ukrainian nationalists, and says that doesn't amount to recognizing the rebel regions.

The United States rejected the move, calling the passports "illegitimate." In Washington, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said Russia's action "undermines efforts to bring peace to eastern Ukraine."

United States Vice President Mike Pence, left, and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko meet for bilateral talks during the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017. America's commitment to NATO is "unwavering," Pence said Saturday, reassuring allies about the direction the Trump administration might take but leaving open questions about where Washington saw its relationship with the European Union and other international organizations. (Mykola Lazarenko/Presidential Press Service Pool Photo via AP)

Ukrainian forces have been fighting Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine since April 2014, a conflict that has killed more than 9,800 people. A 2015 agreement on resolving the conflict has been widely flouted by both sides.

As the war continues, a peace plan crafted by two associates of U.S. President Donald Trump and a Ukrainian parliament member caused a stir. The plan, which its proponents reportedly tried to peddle to the Trump administration, calls for measures including leasing Crimea to Russia.

Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 soon after Ukraine's Russia-friendly president fled the country in the wake of massive street protests.

Prosecutor-General Yuriy Lutsenko said Tuesday that an investigation would be opened against the parliament member, Andrei Artemenko, on possible treason charges.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on Tuesday denounced Moscow's documents recognition as contradicting the 2015 peace agreement. Speaking at a meeting with an EU aid commissioner, Poroshenko called for "resolute action, up to strengthening sanctions."

The United States and the European Union have both placed sanctions on Russia for its annexation of Crimea and its support for pro-Russian insurgents in eastern Ukraine.

The February 2015 peace agreement brokered by France and Germany has helped reduce fighting in eastern Ukraine, but clashes have continued and prospects for a political settlement have stalled.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov argued Tuesday that the decision to recognize passports and other documents issued by separatist authorities in the east was aimed to protect the rights of residents.

"The Ukrainian authorities are doing all they can to make life as difficult as possible for the residents of those territories and make it as hard as possible for them to enjoy the most basic rights and freedoms," Lavrov said. "It's hard and often impossible to exercise those rights without documents."

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Jim Heintz in Moscow and Josh Lederman in Washington contributed to this story.

People take part in a rally outside the Ukrainian parliament in Kiev, Ukraine, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. Protesters were demanding a stop to trade relations with Russia-occupied Ukrainian territories. (AP Photo/Sergei Chuzavkov)

People take part in a rally outside the Ukrainian parliament in Kiev, Ukraine, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. Protesters were demanding a stop to trade relations with Russia-occupied Ukrainian territories. (AP Photo/Sergei Chuzavkov)
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Supreme Court has rejected an appeal from a Virginia death row inmate who killed two people during an escape in 2006.

William Morva argued that he should have been allowed to present evidence that he wouldn't pose a risk of future violence if he was spared the death penalty.

But the justices on Tuesday left in place an appeals court ruling that rejected those claims.

Morva was in jail awaiting trial on attempted robbery charges in 2006 when he overpowered a deputy sheriff during a trip to the hospital. He used the deputy's pistol to fatally shoot an unarmed security guard and fatally shot another deputy during a manhunt the next day.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Supreme Court has declined to disturb the conviction of former New York City councilman Daniel Halloran on bribery and fraud charges.

The justices on Tuesday rejected Halloran's appeal of his 2014 conviction for trying to help another politician buy a spot on the 2013 mayoral ballot.

Halloran argued that there was not enough evidence to convict him. A federal appeals court rejected those arguments last year and upheld his 10-year prison sentence.

The Queens Republican was found guilty based on evidence that he helped Democratic state Sen. Malcolm Smith bribe GOP leaders for their approval to let Smith run for mayor as a Republican.
PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) - A senior NATO commander has assured Kosovo that the military alliance will maintain troops in the Balkan country "for as long as it's necessary."

NATO's Supreme Allied Commander for Europe, Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti, met with local officials and Western ambassadors during a visit Tuesday to Kosovo.

Some 4,500 troops from 31 countries have been deployed in Kosovo since June 1999, after NATO's 78-day air campaign to stop a bloody Serbian crackdown against ethnic Albanian separatists. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, but Serbia has not recognized it as a country.

NATO's Supreme Allied Commander for Europe (SACEUR) U.S General Curtis Scaparrotti, speaks during a press conference at the KFOR military headquarters in Pristina in Kosovo capital Pristina on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017 during his visit to Kosovo. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu)

"We will keep in place a flexible, determined presence and will make changes only when the security situation allows. KFOR remain a robust and credible force, capable of carrying out its mission for as long as it's necessary," Scaparrotti said.

He also expressed concern about Russia's attempted influence in the region "particularly in the media with disinformation, political influence, etc."

Earlier this month, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also visited Kosovo to urge it and Serbia to normalize their ties. Tensions between Kosovo and Serbia have been building again after a series of inflammatory incidents.

Serbia, backed by Russia, has also sought to maintain influence in Kosovo's north, where most of the country's Serb minority lives.

NATO's Supreme Allied Commander for Europe (SACEUR) U.S General Curtis Scaparrotti, 2nd front left, visits NATO troops at the KFOR military headquarters in Kosovo capital Pristina on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu)
BEIRUT (AP) - A new report by a Syria conflict monitoring group accuses the government of depopulating Sunni-majority areas in Syria's third largest city as it fights to consolidate its power.

The report released Tuesday by the Washington-based Syria Institute raises ethical questions about what role, if any, the U.N. and other international institutions should play in rebuilding Syria while President Bashar Assad remains in power.

The report says the government's six-year-long crackdown on revolt has disproportionately affected Sunni-majority neighborhoods in the city of Homs while sparing its Alawite residents. Assad is an Alawite.

It says supporting government-managed reconstruction efforts in Homs amounts to rewarding the government for what it says is a "sectarian" strategy of depopulation, and incentivizes further "war crimes."

It says international institutions should hold Assad to account instead.
A family of four, among them a 5-year-old boy, were discovered shot to death at a home in eastern Mississippi Tuesday morning.

Lauderdale County Chief Sheriff's Deputy Ward Calhoun says investigators are pursuing 'numerous leads' after the child and the bodies of three women were found in the community of Toomsuba, near the Alabama state line.

Authorities have not released a motive. They say they do not think the shootings were part of a murder-suicide.

Quadruple homicide: Three women and a 5-year-old boy, all members of the same family, were found shot to death at a home in Toomsuba, Mississippi, Tuesday morning

A 3-year-old girl was found unharmed at the home and taken to a hospital.

A family member of the victims, Demetrus Durr, told The Meridian Star the deceased were his mother, Edna Durr, two sisters, Kierra Durr and Tomecca Pickett, and young nephew, Owen Pickett.

Mr Durr told the station WAPT his surviving toddler niece, Bailey Ruffin, is a special needs child with medical problems.

'Whoever did this, they don't deserve to live,' Durr said. 'Justice is going to have to be served.'

Durr suggested that the person or people responsible for this slaughter were known to his family.

Lauredralde County Coroner Clayton Cobler said neighbors contacted the authorities Tuesday asking to perform a welfare check at a home on Butts Road because they saw no sign of the family on Monday, reported the station WTOK.

Video courtesy of The Meridian Star

Neighbors contacted the authorities Tuesday asking to perform a welfare check at a home on Butts Road because they saw no sign of the family on Monday

A sheriff's deputy who responded to the address at around 7.45am found a shattered screen door with a bullet hole and forced his way inside, finding the bodies.

As of Tuesday afternoon, no arrests have been made in the quadruple homicide, but Chief Deputy Ward Calhoun noted there was no danger to the schools in the area.
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - A New Hampshire prep school graduate convicted of using a computer to lure a girl for sex is in court for a hearing on whether he deserves a new trial.

Owen Labrie (lah-BREE'), of Tunbridge, Vermont, was acquitted in 2015 of raping a 15-year-old classmate as part of a game of sexual conquest at St. Paul's School in Concord. He was convicted of misdemeanor sexual assault and child endangerment, as well as a felony computer charge that requires him to register as a sex offender for life.

Labrie claims his trial lawyers failed to challenge the felony charge. Attorney Jaye Rancourt served as local counsel and on Tuesday described being virtually ignored by Labrie's out-of-state team.

Owen Labrie listens to testimony at the Merrimack County Superior Court during the first day of a hearing on whether he deserves a new trial, on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017 in Concord, N.H. Labrie claims his trial lawyers failed to challenge the felony charge. He was acquitted in 2015 of raping a 15-year-old classmate as part of a game of sexual conquest at St. Paul's School but was convicted of a felony computer charge requiring him to register as a sex offender. (Geoff Forester /The Concord Monitor via AP, Pool)

She highlighted evidence she said could have impeached the credibility of key witnesses.

Attorney Jaye Rancourt is sworn in during the first day of a hearing for Owen Labrie on whether he deserves a new trial, on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017 in Concord, N.H. Labrie claims his trial lawyers failed to challenge the felony charge. He was acquitted in 2015 of raping a 15-year-old classmate as part of a game of sexual conquest at St. Paul's School but was convicted of a felony computer charge requiring him to register as a sex offender. (Geoff Forester /The Concord Monitor via AP, Pool)

Owen Labrie speaks with his attorney Robin Melone during the first day of a hearing on whether he deserves a new trial, on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017 in Concord, N.H. Labrie claims his trial lawyers failed to challenge the felony charge. He was acquitted in 2015 of raping a 15-year-old classmate as part of a game of sexual conquest at St. Paul's School but was convicted of a felony computer charge requiring him to register as a sex offender. (Geoff Forester /The Concord Monitor via AP, Pool)
"The Refugees" (Grove Press), by Viet Thanh Nguyen

Viet Thanh Nguyen's new book, "The Refugees," is both timely, given the current debate about refugees in America, and timeless in its exploration of universal human struggles.

This gorgeous collection of short stories recalls Jhumpa Lahiri's "Interpreter of Maladies," but with Vietnam as the loose center around which the richly drawn characters orbit. There's Liem, a newly arrived refugee whose "habit of forgetting was too deeply ingrained, as if he passed his life perpetually walking backward through a desert, sweeping away his footprints." There are longtime residents Mr. and Mrs. Khahn, distant from their American-raised children, as well as those who stayed behind, like Phuong, wistful for a different future. And there's Claire, an American transplant with no familial ties to the southeast Asian nation who explains to her incredulous father that she has a "Vietnamese soul."

This cover image released by Grove Press shows "The Refugees," by Viet Thanh Nguyen. (Grove Press via AP)

Nguyen convincingly takes on the voices and lives of these myriad characters, whose stories highlight not only the unique horrors that drive people to become refugees, but also the universal experiences that affirm their humanity - from the transformation of a 13-year-old "brave enough to say what I had suspected for a while, that my mother wasn't always right" to the heartbreak and turmoil of a woman losing her husband to the fog of dementia.

Nguyen won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction for his 2015 novel "The Sympathizer." The writing in "The Refugees" is resonant and evocative, abounding with delightful descriptions: "tears of rust streaking the walls," ''a countertop with black veins in the grouting," ''a white Toyota Land Cruiser speckled with measles of rust."

Above all, the mark of a good short story is a reader's investment in the characters within pages of meeting them - and sadness at having to let them go shortly thereafter. This reader felt that over and over in "The Refugees." It is a must-read.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Pennsylvania's Senate Education Committee chairman is being criticized for saying minority students from "inner city" public schools would do better in vocational careers than in college.

Republican Sen. John Eichelberger (EYE'-kuhl-bur-gur) said during a town hall last week that minority students are being pushed toward college and are dropping out. He says they'd succeed in a less-intensive track.

His comments were reported by the Carlisle Sentinel.

Eichelberger, who's white, tells The Philadelphia Inquirer that he blames failing urban school systems, not skin color, for minority students dropping out of college.

Democratic Sen. Vincent Hughes of Philadelphia says Eichelberger should be removed from the committee chairmanship. Hughes says many minority students are victims of Pennsylvania's unfair school-funding system and some drop out of college because they can't afford it.
During his recent 2017-18 state budget address, Gov. Tom Wolf proudly trumpeted the creation of 82,000 new jobs since he took the oath of office two years ago.

Despite the rosy picture the governor paints, Pennsylvanias unemployment rate has actually increased under the Wolf administration.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Pennsylvania unemployment ballooned to 5.6 percent in December last year, nearly a full point higher than the national average and higher than all of our neighboring states aside from West Virginia.

The day Wolf took office, Pennsylvanias jobless rate ranked 20th among states. Today, the commonwealth finds itself tied with Mississippi, ranked 43rd.

Its no secret that Pennsylvanias recovery from the Great Recession has been glacial. Despite a surging housing market and a bullish Wall Street, the current administrations platform has prolonged economic recovery and frustrated growth. Mounting unemployment is an illustrative case-in-point.

With a mix of small businesses, major corporations, and emerging industries, Pennsylvania is already home to one of the regions most dynamic economies.

Combined with our established manufacturing base, abundant natural resources, world-class institutions of higher education, and our proximity to nearly one-half of the nations population, the possibilities for Pennsylvania could be limitless. Before its potential can be fully realized, Pennsylvania must take meaningful steps to retain current businesses and attract new job creators. It starts with the premise that government itself does not create jobs, but rather cultivates an environment in which jobs can be fostered and grow.

Small businesses are an integral part of our states economy and critical to its success. Small business owners embrace the American entrepreneurial spirit, creating employment opportunities and strengthening the fabric of our communities. Consider that 99 percent of Pennsylvania employers are small firms, employing roughly half of the private sector labor force.

For small corporations, partnerships, and limited liability corporations, the personal income tax is a de facto business tax. Two years ago, Gov. Wolf proposed a staggering 20 percent increase. Last year, he sought to bolster government spending with an 11 percent hike.

Thanks to Republican majorities in the state House and Senate, both efforts to increase the PIT were defeated. Thankfully, the governor seems to have abandoned his pursuit of increased income taxes.

Nevertheless, prolonged unpredictability in our tax climate has created a chilling effect on small business growth and has only served to dissuade young, working-class families from calling Pennsylvania home. Instead, businesses and young working families are flocking en masse to states where constructive government attitudes toward job creation have translated to tangible economic prosperity.

The governor has consistently voiced his disapproval of Right-to-Work laws, which affirm the right of American workers to be free from compulsory unionism. The policy, which Wolf ominously warns strikes at the heart of democratic fairness, is law in 28 other states and is supported by 75 percent of voters.

Unless youre watching the March Madness Tournament, you dont often hear Utah, Texas, and South Carolina, mentioned in the same breath. Utah, the nations fastest-growing state, enjoys an unemployment rate of only 3.1 percent. Texas, the nations second-fastest-growing state, runs a state budget surplus with no personal income tax. In South Carolina, companies like BMW and Boeing have invested billions and employed thousands.

Their commonality? Each is a Right-to-Work jurisdiction.

Surely, even the governor would agree that Pennsylvanias fiscal house could benefit from similar hikes in population and employment, billion-dollar business investments, and voluminous tax contributions. I certainly know what they would mean for the short and long-term economic trajectory of York and Cumberland counties.

Potential union entanglements notwithstanding, Pennsylvanias uncompetitive corporate tax is still the second-highest in the nation. The 9.99 percent rate, which even Wolf calls incredibly obscene, puts Pennsylvania at a competitive disadvantage and sends the wrong message to large-scale employers, which often serve as anchors for small business growth.

Unfortunately, we will need every penny (and more) to accommodate the governors $32.34 billion-dollar spending proposal for next year. His proposed growth in government spending, combined with false revenue projections and a sluggish economy, have resulted in a yet another annual funding crisis.

In desperate search of new money, he suggests bolstering his spending plan with borrowing, divestiture of valuable state assets like the Farm Show Complex, and a billion dollars in new taxes and fees, including an expansion of the regressive sales tax and a job-killing natural gas severance tax.

To grow business, state government must begin operating like a business.

Before adopting these crucial reforms, the governor must work with the legislature to streamline government operations, eliminate fraudulent and wasteful spending, and contain budgetary cost drivers like public pensions and spiraling welfare costs.

Unless and until we establish an environment conducive to growth, tax collections will continue to be anemic and the cost of future budgets will be shouldered by hardworking Pennsylvania families.

State Sen. Mike Regan (R-31) represents parts of Cumberland and York counties.
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - The Army Corps of Engineers said it won't extend a Wednesday deadline for Dakota Access oil pipeline opponents to vacate their encampment on federal land in North Dakota.

The camp has existed since August and at times has housed thousands of people who supported the concerns of Sioux nations that the $3.8 billion pipeline to carry North Dakota oil through the Dakotas and Iowa to a shipping point in Illinois threatens the environment and sacred sites. Dallas-based developer Energy Transfer Partners disputes those claims.

With flooding expected this spring, the Corps on Feb. 3 told the few hundred people remaining in camp that they must take their possessions and leave by 2 p.m. Wednesday.

In this Thursday, Feb. 16, 2017, photo, debris is piled on the ground awaiting pickup by cleanup crews at the Dakota Access oil pipeline protest camp in southern North Dakota near Cannon Ball. The camp is on federal land, and authorities have told occupants to leave by Wednesday, Feb. 22 in advance of spring flooding. (AP Photo/Blake Nicholson)

Camp leader Phyllis Young said rain Monday hampered that effort, and that Native Americans also took time out for traditional ceremonies related to the weather. Frozen ground also is making it difficult for people to remove tent stakes, she said.

Corps Capt. Ryan Hignight confirmed that people in camp sought an extension on the deadline to move. But he said the Corps is focused on people's safety and on the environment.

Gov. Doug Burgum also listed Wednesday as the deadline in an evacuation order he issued last week. Spokesman Mike Nowatzki said Tuesday that the deadline hasn't changed. He said arrests are possible if people refuse to leave.

A schedule for emptying the camp, released late Wednesday, calls for the first bus to arrive at 9 a.m. to take those willing to leave to a "transition center" in Bismarck to get a change of clothes, medical screening and hotel and bus vouchers.

The schedule's entry for 2 p.m. says: "Certain individuals in the camps would like to experience a ceremonial arrest which will occur at this time."

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Follow Blake Nicholson on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/NicholsonBlake

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This story has been corrected to show the governor's first name is Doug.

In this Thursday, Feb. 16, 2017, photo, debris is piled on the ground awaiting pickup by cleanup crews at the Dakota Access oil pipeline protest camp in southern North Dakota near Cannon Ball. The camp is on federal land, and authorities have told occupants to leave by Wednesday, Feb. 22 in advance of spring flooding. (AP Photo/Blake Nicholson)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Dr. Jill Biden, educator and wife of former Vice President Joe Biden, has been named board chair of Save the Children.

Biden, who still teaches English to college students, said she was honored to be asked to chair the international aid organization's board and thought its emphasis on education was a perfect fit for her.

"I've been an educator for 31 years," Biden said in a phone interview with the Associated Press. "I'm still teaching full time at Northern Virginia Community college, and I think (Save the Children's) emphasis on education fits with my life's work." Biden has traveled around the world to see education programs, including those that help refugee children.

In this Feb. 15, 2017 photo provided by Save the Children, Dr. Jill Biden speaks with students Gus Mathis, right, and Cole Swindle, during Biden's visit with Save the Children at Linden Elementary School in Linden, Tenn. Biden, educator and wife of former Vice President Joe Biden, was named board chair of Save the Children, which focuses on the health, education and safety of kids, announced Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. (Shawn Millsaps/Save the Children via AP)

Save the Children works in more than 120 countries, including the United States, and focuses on the health, education and safety of kids. U.S. operations are headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut.

Biden traveled to rural Linden, Tennessee, last week to see firsthand how Save the Children literacy programs help kids in the town of 900 that's about 90 miles southwest of Nashville. She said many of her own students have gaps in their education, and that's why the organization's early-childhood education programs are so important.

Save the Children officials believe Biden will be able to help call attention to the organization's mission both here and abroad.

"The work that we do for kids is more needed than ever," Carolyn Miles, president and CEO of Save the Children, said. "We have issues like what's happening in Syria - the horrible things there that are affecting children. We have issues right here in our own country in terms of kids growing up in poverty, and the really huge challenges they're facing." It's time that people get involved to help these kids, and it doesn't matter what political side of the aisle they sit on, she said.

"If they care about kids," Miles said, "we want them to be involved and engaged in what we do with Save the Children."
NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) - Turkey's right to intervene militarily in Cyprus is still necessary given recent actions that have fanned insecurity among Turkish Cypriots, the country's foreign minister said Tuesday.

Mevlut Cavusoglu cited unspecified "attacks" against Turkish Cypriots as an example of why Turkey needs to keep military intervention rights on the ethnically divided island.

Cyprus' 1960 Constitution gives Turkey, Greece and Britain the right to "take action" to restore constitutional order.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu speaks to the media during a press conference with Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci in Nicosia, Cyprus, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. Cavusoglu says recent Greek Cypriot actions that have fanned insecurity among Turkish Cypriots show that rights for Turkey to militarily intervene on the ethnically divided island are still necessary. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

Turkey invoked that right when it invaded in 1974 following a coup by supporters of union with Greece. The island has since then been split into breakaway Turkish-speaking north and an internationally recognized Greek-speaking south.

A Turkish Cypriot declaration of independence is recognized only by Turkey which keeps more than 35,000 troops in the north.

"Turkish Cypriots want guarantees and when we see these things, I think they're right," Cavusoglu said after talks with Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci.

Fearing Turkish might, Greek Cypriots strongly oppose Turkish troops and intervention rights staying in place as part of a peace deal and propose an international police force instead.

Cavusoglu also mentioned controversial legislation that would make commemorating a 1950 vote to unite Cyprus with Greece mandatory in Greek Cypriot schools.

The legislation, which passed earlier this month, rankled with Turkish Cypriots and caused ongoing reunification talks to break off, with Akinci and Greek Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades trading accusations about who walked out on whom.

Akinci again urged Anastasiades to get the legislation rescinded so peace talks can move forward.

"This mistake has to be fixed," said Akinci. He said Turkish Cypriots were united in their condemnation of the legislation because they see the pre-indendence drive by the majority Greek Cypriots for union with Greece - for which they waged a four-year guerrilla campaign against British colonial rule - as the root of Cyprus' current woes.

The two leaders are scheduled to meet on Thursday as part of peace talks, but it's unclear if that meeting will happen.

"If he means what he says about wishing for a Cyprus settlement, then he should drop the pretexts," Anastasiades said, referring to Akinci. He added that it's the first time that talks have been halted because of a "minor, insignificant issue."

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu speaks to the media during a press conference with Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci in Nicosia, Cyprus, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. Cavusoglu says recent Greek Cypriot actions that have fanned insecurity among Turkish Cypriots show that rights for Turkey to militarily intervene on the ethnically divided island are still necessary. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, left, shakes hands with Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci after their meeting and press conference in Nicosia, Cyprus, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. Cavusoglu is in the Turkish Cypriot breakaway northern part of Cyprus for two-day working visit to discuss state of the negotiations of the island. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

A security officer stands guard by the Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu as he speaks to the media during a press conference with Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci in Nicosia, Cyprus, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. Cavusoglu says recent Greek Cypriot actions that have fanned insecurity among Turkish Cypriots show that rights for Turkey to militarily intervene on the ethnically divided island are still necessary. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, left, and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci speak to the media during a press conference after their meeting in the Turkish Cypriot breakaway northern part of the eastern divided Mediterranean island of Cyprus, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. Cavusoglu is in the Turkish Cypriot breakaway northern part of Cyprus for a two-day working visit to discuss the state of negotiations of the island. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu smiles during a meeting with the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci in the Turkish Cypriot breakaway northern part of Cyprus, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. Cavusoglu is in the Turkish Cypriot breakaway northern part of Cyprus for two-day working visit to discuss state of the negotiations of the island. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)
HAVANA (AP) - Mexican ex-President Felipe Calderon says Cuba won't allow him to enter the country to attend a ceremony organized by a prominent dissident.

Rosa Maria Paya has invited the secretary-general of the Organization of American States to receive a prize from her group in Havana on Wednesday. Calderon wrote on Twitter that he had been invited, but Cuba had denied him a visa. Former Chilean Education Minister Maria Aylwin posted a similar message. OAS chief Luis Almagro has not commented.

Cuban authorities have not responded to requests for comment. Paya is the daughter of Oswaldo Paya, who died in a 2012 car accident. His daughter has accused the Cuban government of causing the wreck, a charge the government denies.
"The Inkblots: Hermann Rorschach, His Iconic Test, and the Power of Seeing" (Crown), by Damion Searls

A bear. A bat. A butterfly.

Images seen in Rorschach inkblots reveal the viewer's unconscious mind, including any serious mental disorders. Or do they? Is the Rorschach test a brilliant diagnostic tool, or a glorified parlor trick?

This cover image released by Crown shows "The Inkblots: Hermann Rorschach, His Iconic Test, and the Power of Seeing," by Damion Searls. (Crown via AP)

"The Inkblots: Hermann Rorschach, His Iconic Test, and the Power of Seeing" raises these questions and lands in the middle. Author Damion Searls concludes, after much throat-clearing, that patients, in partnership with gifted psychologists, may uncover fascinating areas to explore through the Rorschach. But using the results in parental custody lawsuits or other high-stakes arenas, he writes, is fraught with problems.

For instance, what precisely are we testing when we ask people what they see in inkblots? Surprisingly, we don't know. The test's theoretical underpinnings have never been worked out. That hasn't stopped its runaway success.

The 10 cards, printed with symmetrical forms, remain the same as when Swiss psychiatrist Hermann Rorschach first published them in 1921 to accompany his book "Psychodiagnostics." Rorschach's influences included a children's game called klexography, psychoanalysis trailblazers Freud and Jung, and observations of his asylum patients' interpretations of the set of images.

"Rorschach did not conceive of the blots as a 'test' at all: he called it an experiment, a nonjudgmental and open-ended investigation into people's ways of seeing," Searls writes.

Rorschach resisted initial pressure to use his inkblots in schools as an aptitude test. He wrote that the thought of an aspiring student barred from university study because of his work made him feel "a bit like I can't breathe." A systematic collection of test results in a large sample would be required, he wrote, and a solid theoretical basis would need to be established.

Rorschach died tragically at age 37 of peritonitis from a burst appendix a year after publishing "Psychodiagnostics." The inkblots, freed from their creator's control, billowed in popularity as others adapted them to various uses over the decades.

In 1945, a psychiatrist administered the test to Nazi prisoners awaiting judgment in the Nuremberg Trials. In the Sixties, the test peaked at a million uses a year in the United States.

As new data technology emerged in the late 1980s, a new computer program made interpretations based on patient responses to the inkblots. In 2008, Japanese researchers used an MRI to track real-time brain activity of subjects viewing inkblots, finding original and standard answers arise in different parts of the brain.

Pop culture has found the test images irresistible. Andy Warhol made his own series of giant inkblots and titled each of the paintings "Rorschach." Jay Z put one of Warhol's works on the cover of his book "Decoded." Advertisers have used inkblots to sell perfume, investment advice and mobile phones.

Searls, a literary translator of French and German, wades out of his depth when he tries to assess these popularized inkblots as cultural metaphors. The chapter "The Rorschach Test Is Not a Rorschach Test" fails to build a convincing case. But it includes a fun passage where Searls reveals a psychologist tested him with the inkblots and told him he was a little obsessive.

So, there you go: the Rorschach works.

In the end, Searls' obsession with details - gleaned in part from an unpublished archive of source material - grows a bit tiresome. Some readers will find more than they want to know about Rorschach's short life and the subsequent professional feuds over his work's clinical validity and competing scoring systems.

"The Inkblots" is an exhaustive - sometimes exhausting - inspection of a misunderstood psychological test and its inventor. It is impressive to have on the shelf and not always a bear to read. Or is that a butterfly?
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - The Latest on a plane crash in Australia that killed the Australian pilot and four American tourists (all times local):

12:30 p.m.

An energy consulting firm in Austin, Texas, says its former CEO and co-founder was one of the men killed when a small plane crashed into a shopping mall in Australia.

This image made from video shows the site of a plane crash at Essendon Airport in Melbourne, Australia Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. An official says a light plane has crashed into a shopping mall in the city of Melbourne. (Channel 9 via AP)

Glenn Garland was one of the founders in 2003 of CLEAResult and served as chief executive before retiring in 2015.

Garland was among four passengers killed along with the pilot Tuesday morning when the twin-engine Beechcraft Super King Air went down shortly after takeoff in suburban Melbourne.

In a statement Tuesday, CLEAResult co-founder Jim Stimmel describes Garland as a "visionary" when it came to finding efficiencies in producing and providing energy.

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9:45 a.m.

A Texas law firm has confirmed that one of five men killed in a plane crash in Australia was a founding partner who litigated some of the most prominent bankruptcy cases in the U.S.

Munsch Hardt said in a statement that Russell Munsch had retired but was "one of the best of all time."

Munsch died Tuesday when a light plane in which he was a passenger crashed into a shopping mall shortly after takeoff in the city of Melbourne.

The firm said Tuesday that Munsch was involved in the 2001 bankruptcy proceedings for Houston-based Enron Corp., one of the largest energy companies in the world before its collapse.

He also counseled Nelson Bunker Hunt, the oil tycoon whose financial dealings led to what's considered the largest personal bankruptcy proceeding in history.

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A light plane carrying five people crashed into a shopping mall on Tuesday in the city of Melbourne, officials said.

There were no immediate reports of causalities, but the twin-engine Beechcraft Super King Air crashed about 45 minutes before the Direct Factory Outlet mall in suburban Essendon was to open, Police Minister Lisa Neville said.

The plane had taken off from Melbourne's second-biggest airport at Essendon on a chartered flight to King Island, 255 kilometers (160 miles) to the south, Neville said.

The mall adjoins the airport.

Police Superintendent Mick Fruen said a pilot reported a "catastrophic engine failure" moments before the plane crashed into a storage area at the rear of the mall.

Police and paramedics rushed to the crash site, where firefighters doused the flames.

In this image made from video, smoke billows from the site of a plane crash at Essendon Airport in Melbourne, Australia Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. An official says a light plane has crashed into a shopping mall in the city of Melbourne. The mall adjoins the airport. (Channel 9 via AP)
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Federal prosecutors have accused a North Carolina man of posting threats against non-Muslims online.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District said 27-year-old Garrett Grimsley, of Cary, appeared before a magistrate on Tuesday.

An affidavit said Grimsley posted a message online last Sunday telling readers "don't go to Cary tomorrow." In a private message, a witness says Grimsley said "For too long the (non-Muslims) have spit in our faces and trampled our rights. This cannot continue. I cannot speak of anything. Say your (prayers), sleep, and watch the news tomorrow. It will only be the beginning . . ."

A search of Grimsley's home turned up an AK-47, four 30-round magazines and approximately 340 rounds of ammunition.

If convicted, Grimsley faces a maximum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - Maryland's ban on 45 kinds of assault weapons and its 10-round limit on gun magazines were upheld Tuesday by a federal appeals court in a decision that met with a strongly worded dissent.

In a 10-4 ruling, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia, said the guns banned under Maryland's law aren't protected by the Second Amendment.

"Put simply, we have no power to extend Second Amendment protections to weapons of war," Judge Robert King wrote for the court, adding that the Supreme Court's decision in District of Columbia v. Heller explicitly excluded such coverage.

Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh, who led the push for the law in 2013 as a state senator, said it's "unthinkable that these weapons of war, weapons that caused the carnage in Newtown and in other communities across the country, would be protected by the Second Amendment."

"It's a very strong opinion, and it has national significance, both because it's en-banc and for the strength of its decision," Frosh said, noting that all of the court's judges participated.

Judge William Traxler issued a dissent. By concluding the Second Amendment doesn't even apply, Traxler wrote, the majority "has gone to greater lengths than any other court to eviscerate the constitutionally guaranteed right to keep and bear arms." He also wrote that the court did not apply a strict enough review on the constitutionality of the law.

"For a law-abiding citizen who, for whatever reason, chooses to protect his home with a semi-automatic rifle instead of a semi-automatic handgun, Maryland's law clearly imposes a significant burden on the exercise of the right to arm oneself at home, and it should at least be subject to strict scrutiny review before it is allowed to stand," Traxler wrote.

National Rifle Association spokeswoman Jennifer Baker said, "It is absurd to hold that the most popular rifle in America is not a protected 'arm' under the Second Amendment." She added that the majority opinion "clearly ignores the Supreme Court's guidance from District of Columbia v. Heller that the Second Amendment protects arms that are 'in common use at the time for lawful purposes like self-defense.'"

The NRA estimates there are 5 million to 10 million AR-15s - one of the weapons banned under Maryland's law - in circulation in the United States for lawful purposes. Asked about an appeal, Baker said the NRA is exploring all options.

But Elizabeth Banach, executive director of Marylanders to Prevent Gun Violence, said the decision is "overwhelming proof that reasonable measures to prevent gun violence are constitutional."

"Maryland's law needs to become a national model of evidence-based policies that will reduce gun violence," Banach wrote in a statement.

U.S. District Judge Catherine Blake upheld the ban in 2015, but a divided three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled last year that she didn't apply the proper legal standard. The panel sent the case back to Blake and ordered her to apply "strict scrutiny," a more rigorous test of a law's constitutionality. The state appealed to the full appeals court.

Maryland passed the sweeping gun-control measure after the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre that killed 20 children and six educators in Connecticut. King mentioned the massacre at the start of the ruling.

"Both before and after Newtown, similar military-style rifles and detachable magazines have been used to perpetrate mass shootings in places whose names have become synonymous with the slaughters that occurred there," King wrote. He listed the 2012 shootings at a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado; the December 2015 shootings in San Bernardino, California; and the shootings last year at an Orlando, Florida, nightclub, where 49 people were killed and 53 injured.

King also noted that enacting the law is "precisely the type of judgment that legislatures are allowed to make without second-guessing by a court."

"Simply put, the State has shown all that is required: a reasonable, if not perfect, fit between the (Firearms Safety Act) and Maryland's interest in protecting public safety," King wrote.
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump denounced "bigotry, intolerance and hatred in all of its very ugly forms" during his first visit to the new Smithsonian black history museum on Tuesday.

Trump, in remarks after his tour, called the museum "truly great" and said he would be back to see more of the 3,000 objects illustrating African-American history.

"I'm deeply proud that we now have a museum that honors the millions of African-American men and women who built our national heritage, especially when it comes to faith, culture and the unbreakable American spirit," said the president, flanked by museum officials and African-American politicians.

President Donald Trump hugs Alveda King, the niece of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., while speaking after touring the National Museum of African American History and Culture, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

This was Trump's first visit to the new museum, which opened September 24 to great fanfare, including a dedication by then-President Barack Obama and attendance by former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture has become one of the most popular attractions in Washington, with museum officials saying Monday that the building has already had its millionth visitor.

First Lady Melania Trump visited the museum last week with Sara Netanyahu, wife of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"It has truly become a place of healing, reconciliation and celebration where people can embrace not only African-American history and culture, but how that layered history has shaped America's identity," Lonnie Bunch, the museum's director, said Monday.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer said one of Trump's favorite exhibits was a shawl given to abolitionist Harriet Tubman by Queen Victoria. "And the president was particularly pleased by the Muhammad Ali exhibit with the quote 'I shook up the world' prominently displayed," Spicer said.

Trump toured the museum Tuesday with a group that included South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and Ben Carson, his rival-turned-secretary of Housing and Urban Development. The museum includes an exhibit dedicated to Carson's rise from poverty to prominent pediatric neurosurgeon, which the group stopped to admire and pose for photos in front of.

"This tour was a meaningful reminder of why we have to fight bigotry, intolerance and hatred in all of its very ugly forms," Trump said.

Trump also used his visit to denounce recent threats against Jewish community centers, calling them horrible. He said the threats "are a painful and a very sad reminder of the work that still must be done to root out hate and prejudice and evil."

Trump, who received only 8 percent of votes from African-Americans during his campaign, vowed to help heal the United States while in the White House.

"We're going to bring this country together. Maybe bring some of the world together, but we're going to bring this country together," he said. "We have a divided country. It's been divided for many, many years, but we're going to bring it together."

President Donald Trump walks with Housing and Urban Development Secretary-designate Dr. Ben Carson, as they pass a exhibit honoring Carson during a tour of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Former longtime Minnesota Orchestra music director Stanislaw Skrowaczewski, who conducted major orchestras in England, Japan and other countries, died Tuesday after suffering a second stroke earlier this month, the orchestra said. He was 93.

Minnesota Orchestra president Kevin Smith was told by Skrowaczewski's family that he died at Park Nicollet-Methodist Hospital in the Minneapolis suburb of St. Louis Park, orchestra spokeswoman Gwen Pappas told The Associated Press. An earlier stroke last fall ended Skrowaczewski's decades of conducting.

"It is hard to express all that Maestro Skrowaczewski has meant to the Minnesota Orchestra," the orchestra said in a post on its Facebook page. "Although he traveled the world conducting major orchestras until just last year, he continued to make Minnesota his home across the decades."

Skrowaczewski's last concerts were with the Minnesota Orchestra in October 2016, conducting works by Anton Bruckner, his specialty.

Skrowaczewski (pronounced skroh-vah-CHEHF'-skee) led the Minnesota Orchestra for 19 years, starting in 1960, when it was still known as the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra. During his tenure as music director, Skrowaczewski also was instrumental in the creation of Orchestra Hall, the orchestra's home in downtown Minneapolis that opened in 1974.

He continued as the orchestra's conductor laureate, serving on the orchestra's artistic staff for 56 years. His tenure as music director equaled that of the orchestra's founding music director Emil Oberhoffer for the longest tenure in that position.

Besides his work to create Orchestra Hall, Skrowaczewski also was a champion of new music, a celebrated composer and an advocate for the Minnesota Orchestra's union musicians during a 16-month lockout, the orchestra said.

In a statement, Skowaczewski's management company, Intermusica of London, said he "commanded a rare position on the musical scene worldwide as both a renowned conductor and highly regarded composer."

"Skrowaczewski conducted the world's major orchestras and collaborated with some of the musical giants of the 20th century, including Shostakovich, Lutoslawski, Penderecki and Andrzej Panufnik," Intermusica said.

The native of Poland began studying the piano and violin at age 4. He composed his first symphonic work at 7 and gave his first public recital at 11. He won the International Competition for Conductors in Rome in 1956.

Other posts include with the Halle Orchestra in Manchester, England, from 1984 to 1991, and the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony in Tokyo from 2007 to 2010.

He also suffered a stroke in November 2016, which forced him to cancel upcoming appearances with the Dallas Symphony and other orchestras.

A memorial service to celebrate Skrowaczewski's legacy is scheduled for March 28 at Orchestra Hall.

___

Follow Jeff Baenen on Twitter at https://twitter.com/jeffbaenen. His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/author/jeff-baenen .
Kudos for the opinions

Dear Editor:

Thank you Gary Adkisson for your article Understanding Privilege which was in the Sentinel opinion page Saturday, Feb. 11. I read it three times, each time giving it a thumbs up. Reading it made me feel good.

Also, thank you Charles Allen for your excellent article, Of presidents and citizens that also appeared Saturday, Feb. 11. I wish I had the opportunity to have Mr. Allen as one of my educators when I attended school many years ago ... I am 88 years young.

Then I read Another View, (on the same opinion page) Spend more time in session. Uh oh, time to take a blood pressure pill! The article states the state Senate and House are scheduled to be in session for 43 and 42 days, respectively, in the first six months of the year. Thats simply not enough session days to deal with all the problems facing Pennsylvania.

When I read their salary is $85,339 a year I asked myself, Is this what my tax dollars are going for?

I saved this opinion page. I do not always agree with The Sentinel opinions, this page deserves an A-plus.

Virginia Such

Carlisle
PHOENIX (AP) - Authorities say a Scottsdale man has been sentenced to one year of unsupervised probation and 160 hours of community restitution for false voter registration.

The Maricopa County Attorney's Office says 38-year-old Alan Faygenblat electronically filed a fraudulent voter registration application with the county Recorder's Office last September.

Faygenblat says he wanted to prove a point and show that the county's voter registration process is flawed.

Prosecutors say Faygenblat falsely claimed he was currently a citizen of the United States and was born in New York.

By providing false information, prosecutors say Faygenblat was able to obtain a voter registration card and posted the details of his actions on social media.

They say an investigation confirmed Faygenblat was not a United States citizen, but rather a legal resident from Israel.
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday praised Australia for being "courageously willing to puncture U.N. hypocrisy" on anti-Israel resolutions.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull marked the first visit to Australia by a serving Israeli leader by writing an opinion piece in Wednesday's The Australian newspaper that backed Netanyahu's criticism in 2015 that the United Nations General Assembly had adopted 20 resolutions critical of Israel in the preceding year and only one in response to the Syrian war.

"My government will not support one-sided resolutions criticizing Israel of the kind recently adopted by the U.N. Security Council and we deplore the boycott campaigns designed to delegitimize the Jewish state," Turnbull wrote, referring to the Dec. 23 resolution condemning Israeli settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem as a "flagrant violation" of international law.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, points as he and and his wife, Sara, move toward media after arriving in Sydney, Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2017. Netanyahu is on a 4-day visit to Australia. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

The United States abstained from that vote and Australia, while not a member of the security council, was one of the few countries to publicly support Israel's position.

Netanyahu said he was delighted to read the article at the start of his four-day Australian visit.

"Australia has been courageously willing to puncture U.N. hypocrisy more than once, including this absurd resolution that said the Western wall, the most sacred site for the Jewish people for thousands of years - thousands of years even before the rise of Islam - that this is occupied Palestinian territory," Netanyahu told reporters.

"So the U.N. is capable of many absurdities and I think it's important that you have straightforward and clear-eyed countries like Australia that often bring it back to Earth," he said.

Turnbull reiterated his support for a two-state solution to resolve the Palestinian conflict and described Australia as a committed and consistent friend of Israel.

"I agree with you in that the circumstances of the times ... do appear to create the opportunity where perhaps the moons aligning such that this could be a good time ... for the parties to come back to the table and reach an agreement, but, of course, as with any agreement, it needs two to tango," Turnbull told Netanyahu.

Netanyahu dismissed calls from critics of Israeli West bank settlements, including former Australian Prime Ministers Kevin Rudd and Bob Hawke, for Australia to formally recognize Palestine as a state.

"I ask both former prime ministers to ask a simple question: What kind of state will it be that they are advocating? A state that calls for Israel's destruction? A state whose territory will be used immediately for radical Islam?" Netanyahu said.

Netanyahu and Turnbull signed agreements on technology and air services as well as discussed expanding co-operation in areas, including cyber-security, innovation and science.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, and his wife, Sara, second right, are greeted on their arrival in Sydney, Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2017. Netanyahu is on a 4-day visit to Australia. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, second left, speaks to the media after he and his wife, Sara, left, arrive in Sydney, Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2017. Netanyahu is on a 4-day visit to Australia. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
WASHINGTON (AP) - Assertions from the White House that immigration-enforcement agents had their hands tied in the last administration are difficult to square with the massive deportations of Barack Obama's presidency.

President Donald Trump's press secretary made a claim about two agencies, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Customs and Border Protection:

SEAN SPICER: "For so long, the people at ICE and CBP had their hands cuffed behind them." The Obama administration had so many exceptions for who could be adjudicated "that it made it very difficult for the customs and enforcement people to do their job and enforce the laws of this country."

White House press secretary Sean Spicer speaks during the daily press briefing at the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

THE FACTS: Whatever constraints agents might have faced, they deported more than 2 million immigrants during the eight years Obama was in office, more than in previous administrations. They sent back 409,000 in 2012 alone, a record.

Republican lawmakers and some ICE officials did complain that they were directed to ignore some immigrants found living in the country illegally if they didn't have serious criminal histories or otherwise pose a threat to national security or public safety.

Spicer outlined a similar priority, saying enforcement would focus "first and foremost" on those who have a criminal record or post a risk to the public. Still there's little question that enforcement will be broadened.

Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly has signed a pair of memos that eliminate the Obama-era enforcement rules and made clear that nearly any immigrant caught living in the country illegally - not just those with a criminal record - will now be a target for deportation.

___

Find all AP Fact Checks here: http://apne.ws/2kbx8bd
HONOLULU (AP) - The Latest on a federal case of defrauding Japanese English-language students of more than $200,000 (all times local):

12:50 p.m.

A man who taught English at a well-known chain of foreign language schools in Japan is pleading guilty to defrauding his students out of more than $200,000.

Rick Mikaele pleaded guilty Tuesday to mail fraud and impersonating a federal officer or employee.

Prosecutors say the Nova teacher told two students he could get them a high rate of return by putting their money into First Hawaiian Bank certificates of deposit.

He sent the students fake bank statements and fake letters to make it look like the U.S. Internal Revenue Service was demanding $7,000 in taxes.

He's scheduled to be sentenced in June, but defense attorney Steve Cedillos says his client needs time to raise the $236,000 restitution. Cedillos says Mikaele travels between Hawaii and Japan, where he and his wife run a concert promotion business.

___

10:20 a.m.

A Hawaii man who taught English at a well-known chain of foreign language schools in Japan is expected to plead guilty to defrauding his students out of more than $200,000.

Rick Mikaele pleaded not guilty to wire fraud in July and is scheduled to change his plea Tuesday.

According to an indictment, the Nova teacher told two students he could get them a high rate of return by putting their money into a First Hawaiian Bank certificate of deposit.

Prosecutors say he sent the students fake bank statements and sent a fake letter to make it look like the U.S. Internal Revenue Service was demanding $7,000 in taxes for profit earned on the money.

Mikaele's defense attorney declined to comment before Tuesday's hearing in federal court in Honolulu.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The federal prosecutors who failed to convict Ammon Bundy returned to court Tuesday to try four lesser-known men who followed Bundy's call to take a hard stand against the government and occupy a national wildlife refuge in Oregon.

Like the defendants in the first trial, the primary charge facing the men is conspiracy to impede Interior Department employees from doing their jobs at the refuge through the use of force, threats or intimidation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Barrow spent a good portion of his opening statement telling jurors that a conspiracy does not have to include people gathering around a conference table and drafting a written agreement.

FILE--This Jan. 27, 2016 file photo provided by the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office shows Duane Ehmer, one of the members of an armed group that occupied the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in central Oregon. Opening statements began Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017, in the second trial stemming from last year's armed takeover of a national wildlife refuge in Oregon. (Multnomah County Sheriff's Office via AP, file)

Barrow acknowledged there was no written agreement, but said circumstantial evidence will show there was a "meeting of the minds" to prevent federal employees from going to work.

The four defendants are Duane Ehmer of Irrigon, Oregon; Jason Patrick of Bonaire, Georgia; Darryl Thorn of Marysville, Washington; and Jake Ryan of Plains, Montana. The men, all free on their own recognizance, waived their right to a speedy trial last fall, preferring to have more time to prepare.

Three of them are also charged with possessing a firearm in a federal facility. Two are charged with depredation of government property.

They were among the more than two dozen men and women who answered Bundy's call to occupy the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge to protest federal control of Western lands and the imprisonment of two ranchers convicted of setting fires on public rangeland.

"The defendants are not being tried for their political beliefs, no matter how baseless, radical and ridiculous they may be," Barrow told jurors.

Andrew Kohlmetz, an attorney representing Patrick, countered that the beliefs of the men are at the heart of the case, because they are what drove them to the refuge. He told the Portland jury of seven women and five men that impeding workers was not one of those beliefs and there was no conspiracy.

"The evidence will fail to show that a single person went there with the conscious desire or goal to interfere with anyone who worked there," Kohlmetz said.

The protesters gained control of the refuge on Jan. 2, 2016. The Bundys were arrested in a Jan. 26 traffic stop away from the refuge that ended with police fatally shooting Robert "LaVoy" Finicum, an occupation spokesman. Most occupiers left the refuge after Finicum's death, but a few holdouts remained until Feb. 11, 2016.

There was no dispute the group seized the refuge and established armed patrols, but jurors last fall bought defense arguments that the takeover was an act of civil disobedience and the government failed to prove a conspiracy against employees.

Barrow and the other prosecutors who lost what initially seemed an open-and-shut case declined interview requests after the bitter defeat, and haven't elaborated on what they think went wrong.

Unlike the first trial, they hired an outside consultant to help them with last week's jury selection process, a sign they believe the seeds of defeat were planted before the first witness was called.

They also hedged their bets by adding misdemeanors such as trespassing to the mix of charges against the four men. The misdemeanor charges will be heard in a non-jury trial after the felony trial ends.

Bundy, the star of the first trial, is expected to appear in the sequel as a defense witness. Though cleared in Oregon, he's in a Nevada jail awaiting trial on charges stemming from a 2014 standoff with federal authorities at his father's ranch near Bunkerville.

The defense plans to put him on the stand for two days, letting him explain the occupation and what it hoped to accomplish.

FILE--This undated photo, provided by the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office, shows Darryl Thorn, one of the members of an armed group that occupied the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in central Oregon. Opening statements began Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017, in the second trial stemming from last year's armed takeover of a national wildlife refuge in Oregon. (Multnomah County Sheriff's Office via AP, file)

FILE--This Jan. 27, 2016 file photo provided by the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office shows Jason Patrick, one of the members of an armed group that occupied the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in central Oregon. Opening statements began Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017, in the second trial stemming from last year's armed takeover of a national wildlife refuge in Oregon. (Multnomah County Sheriff's Office via AP, file)
Malaysian officials trying to determine whether poison killed the half brother of North Koreas leader in a busy airport have said post-mortem tests are so far inconclusive.

More than a week has passed since Kim Jong Nam was approached by two women at a budget airline terminal in Kuala Lumpur and apparently sprayed in the face with an unknown substance.

He did not suffer a heart attack and had no puncture wounds, such as those a needle would have left, according to Noor Hisham Abdullah, director general of health, but he did not dismiss poison as a potential cause.

Noor Hisham Abdullah, left, director general of Health Malaysia (Daniel Chan/AP)

He added that medical specimens have been sent to experts for analysis.

The case has perplexed leading forensic toxicologists who study murder by poison. They say the airport attack is one of the most bizarre cases in the books, and question how the two women could walk away unscathed after deploying an agent potent enough to kill Mr Kim before he could make it to hospital.

Some type of nerve gas or ricin, a deadly substance found in castor beans, have been suggested as possible toxins used.

A strong opioid compound could also have been liquidised, although that would probably have incapacitated the victim immediately. Surveillance footage shows Mr Kim walking calmly downstairs to the airports clinic.

The older half brother of North Koreas reclusive ruler Kim Jong Un had spent most of the past 15 years living in China and south-east Asia. He is believed to have had at least three children with two women, but no family members have come forward to claim the body.

The attack spiralled into diplomatic fury when Malaysia refused to hand over the body to North Korean diplomats and proceeded with a post-mortem over the ambassadors objections.

The two nations have made a series of increasingly angry statements since then, with Malaysia insisting it is simply following legal protocols, and North Korea accusing Malaysia of working in collusion with its enemy South Korea.

Seouls spy agency believes North Korea was behind the killing, but has produced no evidence.
Birmingham Childrens Hospital has become the first of its kind in the country to be rated outstanding by the health watchdog, eight years after it faced damning criticism for substandard care.

Most areas within the specialist hospital (BCH) were given either the top rating, or classed as good, following an inspection by the Care Quality Commission, carried out last year.

Inspectors highlighted a number of examples of outstanding practice, including the hospitals safety routines within the paediatric intensive care unit, and approach to care of terminally ill children.

Birmingham Children's Hospital (Joe Giddens/PA)

Its a special day for us after @CareQualityComm announced we are Outstanding! @BWCHBoss explains more... https://t.co/rszJcGAGKF  Bham Children's Hosp  (@Bham_Childrens) February 21, 2017

The findings, published on Tuesday, also commended the trusts implementation of a rare diseases strategy, describing it as innovative in allowing children to have one appointment with all clinicians rather than multiple visits to different doctors.

Staff at the hospital were found to work together well in a supportive environment where they referred to Team BCH, and were said by parents and children to treat patients and their families with dignity and respect.

Cancer patient referrals were found to meet the treatment targets and all children were seen within six weeks of being referred, inspectors said.

Meanwhile the trusts neonatal services were deemed to require improvement, with the watchdog demanding action to ensure that learning from serious incidents involving neonates ward are shared consistently across the trust.

Were proud to be #ByYourSide with our Outstanding CQC rating. Find out more in this short film with @BWCHBoss https://t.co/R5fYIgtjfP  Bham Children's Hosp  (@Bham_Childrens) February 21, 2017

So proud of all our staff for helping us to achieve our @CareQualityComm Outstanding rating #Thankyou #ByYourSide  Bham Children's Hosp  (@Bham_Childrens) February 21, 2017

The trust was also urged to ensure there were appropriate staffing levels within its child and adolescent mental health services to allow effective care.

A report in 2009 found patients at Birmingham Childrens Hospital (BCH) experienced delays in treatment, substandard care and youngsters being redirected to other services.

I've just received a lovely personal email from the Chairman of the CQC.Little things mean a lot #CQCoutstanding  Sarah-Jane Marsh (@BWCHBoss) February 21, 2017

BCH was also criticised in the report, ordered by then health secretary Alan Johnson after concerns raised by consultants appeared in a national newspaper, for its shortage of beds, equipment and access to operating theatres, and an ineffective partnership with the University Hospital Birmingham.

The trust was rated as compliant in its previous inspection in 2013.
An Israeli military court has sentenced a soldier to 18 months in prison for his fatal shooting of a Palestinian attacker who lay wounded on the ground.

After an 11-month saga that has deeply divided the country, the sentence against Sergeant Elor Azaria, which included a years probation and a demotion in rank, was lighter than expected. Prosecutors had asked for three to five years.

It still triggered disappointment among protesters who had gathered outside the Tel Aviv court and had hoped to see the soldier walk free. Politicians immediately called for Azaria to be pardoned.

Israeli soldier Elor Azaria is embraced by his mother at the start of his sentencing hearing in the Israel military court (Jim Hollander/AP)

He was convicted of manslaughter last month in a rare case of a military court ruling against a combat soldier for lethal action taken in the field.

The verdict marked a victory for commanders who said Azaria had violated the armys code of ethics, but Azaria generated great support among the public, many of whom see him as a scapegoat for a misguided elite punishing a soldier they say responded to an armed attacker trying to kill other soldiers.

Azaria, an army medic, was caught on a mobile phone video in March shooting the wounded Palestinian, just after the man stabbed a soldier in the West Bank city of Hebron.

The Palestinian, Abdel Fattah al-Sharif, was lying on the ground unarmed when Azaria shot him in the head.

The shooting occurred at the height of a wave of Israeli-Palestinian violence.

Azarias defenders said he shot the assailant in self-defence, and hardline politicians have said he should be either cleared or released with a light penalty, but his detractors, including senior military commanders, said his actions violated military procedures.
Aljaz Bedene fought back from a set down to defeat Paul-Henri Mathieu in the opening round of the Open 13 in Marseille.

The British number four, who is ranked one place below Mathieu at 102 in the world, turned things around at the start of the second set and served 20 aces in a 3-6 6-1 6-4 victory.

He will face another Frenchman, fourth seed Lucas Pouille, in round two.
A police dog will not be allowed to retire with her handler despite a petition gathering more than 35,000 signatures.

Sgt David Evans requested to keep four-year-old Ivy as he left West Mercia Police after 34 years service last week. But the appeal was rejected by the force who said that Ivy was very young and has many years service ahead of her.

The officer said he was heartbroken at the idea of not being allowed to keep the Malinois cross German Shepherd, and his daughter Jennie started an online petition which amassed 4,000 signatures in the first 24 hours.

Sgt David Evans and Ivy (Family handout/PA)

Speaking earlier this month, she said: He is trying to put on a brave front and have meetings with West Mercia to try and come to some conclusion, but he is absolutely devastated at the thought of losing Ivy.

He is willing to offer anything he can to try and get West Mercia to change their minds. And he is overwhelmed at the support that the public have shown him.

Chief Constable Anthony Bangham said a number of options had been considered, but that it was in the best interests of the dog and the force that Ivy carries on working.

Chief Constable's decision on Police Dog Ivy: https://t.co/X2JAllrl5V  West Mercia Police (@WMerciaPolice) February 21, 2017

He said: We appreciate that all our handlers form close relationships with the dogs they work with and, understandably, many want to continue that relationship when they retire.

Sometimes at the end of the dogs working life we are able to facilitate this, but we always have to consider the needs of the dog and the force at the time and to meet our obligation to spend public funds wisely and ensure best value from all our resources.

Although the dogs live with their handlers and have close relationships with them, they are not family pets. They belong to the force and are highly valued resources.
India, Rwanda sign MoUs in innovation, aviation and visa requirements

Published: February 21, 2017

India and Rwanda have inked three agreements in the fields of innovation, aviation and visa requirements to boost bilateral relations.

These agreements were signed in Kigali in the presence of Vice President Mohammed Hamid Ansari and Rwandan Prime Minister Anastase Murekezi during a business forum meet. Vice President is the first Indian leader to officially visit Rwanda. He launched India-Rwanda innovation growth programme.

Three important agreements signed are

Bilateral air service agreement between two countries.

Agreement for exemption of visa requirements for diplomatic and service passports.

Agreement for establishment of an Entrepreneurship Development Centre in Rwanda duly financed by India,

Background

Vice President Hamid Ansari visited Rwanda on the first leg of his 2-nation visit to East Africa. Later he will travel to Uganda, the second leg of his tour to another East African country. Both Rwanda and Uganda are important from Indias viewpoint of trade, especially in the pharmaceuticals, automobiles, mechanical appliances and machinery sectors. Since 2012, Indias trade with Rwanda has doubled and it is one of Ugandas largest trading partners and largest investors.

India-Africa Relations

India is key partner of African nations in the 1950s and 1960s. However in the past decade, India lost influence in Africa to China and other Asian nations.

In recent years, India is seeking to broaden its general outreach to resource-rich Africa and establish its footprint in sub-Saharan Africa.

India has positioned itself as a partner of choice to African countries in areas such as education, healthcare, investment and trade.

In 2014-15, India-Africa trade was almost $70 billion and Indian investments in Africa in the past decade was amounted to $30-35 billion.

The figures, however, are low in comparison with the Africas trade and investment ties with China which is around $200 billion. China has built large infrastructure projects like roads, railways, airports and government buildings in Africa.

Together, President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Vice President Ansari have visited 12 African nations in 2016.

This was in keeping with PM Modis promise to maintain the tempo of interaction with Africa, made to leaders to 54 African nations during the 3rd India-Africa summit in New Delhi in October 2015.

Month: Current Affairs - February, 2017

Topics: Aviation  Hamid Ansari  India-Africa  India-Rwanda  innovation  National  Visa

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Police in Barcelona fired shots to stop a man who stole a butane gas truck and drove it at high speed against the flow of traffic on a major city road, ramming several cars along the way.

Authorities ruled out terrorism as a motive. Interior minister Juan Ignacio Zoido said the man, a Swedish citizen, has a history of psychiatric conditions and it has not been any terrorist act.

The 32-year-old suspect was arrested after police fired at the trucks wheels to stop it, regional police chief Joan Carles Molinero told reporters.

A police officer guards the truck (Manu Fernandez/AP)

The suspect is being questioned at a regional hospital where he was sent for a medical check-up.

A Brazilian woman suffered a leg injury when she was hit by one of several butane gas tanks that fell off the truck as the man tried to escape by speeding down a road near the harbour.

Mr Molinero said police started chasing the truck after the driver failed to obey orders to stop from officers who had seen it driving at high speed and dropping part of its load.

A police officer guards the truck (Manu Fernandez/AP)

During the chase, the driver took a turn near the harbour and drove against traffic and into a highway exit where several cars were hit. It finally stopped when it crashed against one of the roads walls. Local and regional police officers arrested the driver, who carried no weapons and appeared unharmed.

At the moment we have no indication whatsoever that he was planning a terrorist attack, Mr Molinero said. We are working on the possibility that it could be a person with psychological imbalances or who has consumed substances.

Spain has kept its national security alert one step below maximum since July 2015, following violent attacks across Europe.
The front-runner in the French presidential campaign has said he wants to attract talented workers such as bankers and academics from the UK to his country after Brexit.

Emmanuel Macron was speaking after talks with Prime Minister Theresa May at 10 Downing Street during a campaign visit to London.

He said he assured Mrs May of his willingness to seek a fair execution of Brexit which protects and defends French and European interests.

.@EmmanuelMacron wants to "improve" UK-France Le Touquet migrant deal - last year he said #Brexit wd mean "migrants are no longer in Calais" pic.twitter.com/J3sdf4LO5b  Andrew Woodcock (@AndyWoodcock) February 21, 2017

Mr Macron said he is concerned about ensuring the rights of French residents to stay and work in the UK after Brexit, but added he hopes to attract his fellow countrymen  many of whom work in Londons financial sector  to return home.

In my programmes I will have a series of initiatives to get talented people in research and lots of fields working here to come to France, he said.

I was very happy to see that some academics and researchers in the UK because of Brexit are considering coming to France to work.

Emmanuel Macron (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

It will be part of my programme to be attractive for these kinds of people.

I think that France and the European Union are a very attractive space now so in my programme I will do everything I can to make it attractive and successful.

Mrs May has repeatedly said she wants an early agreement on the status of EU nationals currently living in the UK but has declined to guarantee they retain their rights to live and work in the country after Brexit.

Theresa May and Bernard Cazeneuve at Number 10 last week (Victoria Jones/PA)

Mr Macron accused his main rival Marine Le Pen of the National Front of trying to push France into the 19th century and said her plan to take the country out of the EU would kill the economy and harm middle-class interests.

Speaking in English, Mr Macron added: Here we are in the sixth French city Because we have 200,000 people. I want to win this election in France, so I want to speak to the 200,000 voters we have here in London.

I want to convince them that France is changing, I want to promote my country and make it succeed in the 21st century and (tell them) that now, in the coming years, they will have a lot of opportunities to come back to France and succeed in France.

Marine Le Pen (Hussein Malla/AP)

Downing Street said the Number 10 meeting was requested by Mr Macron, a former socialist, who last year established the En Marche movement to fight the presidential election as an independent.

As conservative Francois Fillons campaign was derailed by corruption allegations, the Blairite Mr Macron has come from behind to lead the polls for the two-round contest to replace Francois Hollande at the Elysee Palace, which takes place in April and May.
Gordon Reid has urged Scotland to stand up to Wales front row this Saturday or face being bullied.

The Dark Blues will hope to get their RBS 6 Nations campaign back on track when Rob Howleys side visit Murrayfield.

Glasgow prop Reid knows they cannot afford to let the visitors get the upper hand at the set-piece after allowing Ireland and France to boss them during their opening two clashes.

The Scots pack came under pressure against the Irish but had their free-running backs to thank as they snatched a narrow victory.

There was no such let-off against France last weekend when Les Bleus dished out a lesson in scrummaging, powering their way to a 22-16 triumph.

 | The @Scotlandteam returned to training @Oriamscotland 5 days out from our third @SixNationsRugby test v Wales at BT Murrayfield #AsOne pic.twitter.com/qMGpPmEPjN  Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) February 20, 2017

Reid reckons Wales will try to do the same this weekend - but insists Vern Cotters forwards have been putting in extra homework to ensure they do not have their faces rubbed in the mud once again.

He said: Theres still a load for us to work on. Teams will be targeting our scrums and line-out. They werent performing that well against Ireland and France. But I think were getting there. Weve done a lot of work on it in the past couple of weeks so hopefully well be hitting form by the weekend.

What have we done to fix it? A sh*tload of scrums. Weve been working on technique because we know what Wales are going to bring. Weve scrummaged against these guys before. Most of the guys have come up against Scarlets, who Samson Lee and Rob Evans play for.

We need to front up. Wales are going to come out and try to bully us up front - mentally bully us. We just need to stand up for ourselves and stand up for Scotland.

Reid celebrates following Scotland's win over Ireland (Owen Humphreys/PA)

It has long been said that Scotlands failure to master the dark arts of scrummaging has left them at a disadvantage when going up against rugbys top Test sides. But Reid claims there is still a place for playing hard and fair at the highest level of the sport.

Asked how he would describe the Welsh scrummaging style, he replied: Erm, interesting. Yeah, interesting. We always look to be legal and do everything by the book. Its just the Scottish way. We dont look to take shortcuts - we grit our teeth and do things the hard way.

Is that the wrong thing to do when you compare it to some of the methods used by other sides? Not really. We just need to work a bit harder. If there is a problem, well get there.
By Anthony Boadle

BRASILIA, Feb 20 (Reuters) - Brazilian Finance Minister Henrique Meirelles said cash-strapped states that sign up for a debt relief program would get three years to repay loans owed to the federal government and private banks as long as they commit to drastic spending curbs.

Meirelles told Globo TV's cable news network on Monday a new bill with the deal's terms would be sent to Congress on Tuesday.

The bill is vital for Rio de Janeiro state to overcome its fiscal crisis and will require states to freeze wage hikes for employees and stop new hiring, while getting them to privatize their banks, electrical utilities and sanitation companies.

States will not be able to give tax breaks or subsidies to companies struggling with a two-year recession and will have to reduce current tax breaks by 20 percent, he said.

In return, they can put off debt payments for three years.

"Any state that joins the recovery plan and carries out the adjustment measures will have a series of prerogatives," Meirelles said in the television interview.

"Debts with the government will be postponed, the payments will be suspended, and also with the private sector. All debts with the financial sector and banks will be extended on the same terms as debts with the federal government," he said.

The program will help shore up the finances of Brazilian states that are experiencing crippling budget crises because of ballooning deficits and falling tax revenues. Rio de Janeiro has not paid salaries for police and doctors since last year.

The speaker of the lower house of Congress, Rodrigo Maia, said he aimed to put the debt bill to a floor vote in the first half of March. Maia told reporters after meeting with Meirelles that its passage would require persuading lawmakers from states with financial troubles they need to tighten their belts.

President Michel Temer vetoed a debt relief bill last year after lawmakers stripped it of austerity requirements.

The state assembly in Rio, which is in the most critical financial shape, refused to vote on spending cuts required to join the debt relief plan. Rio's government even sought a Supreme Court decision to free it from spending and debt limits.

In a surprise vote on Monday, the assembly voted to allow the privatization of the state water and sewer company, CEDAE, a key condition to land a loan from a consortium of private banks

Meirelles said it was a positive first step toward balancing Rio's books.

"Above all, it shows politicians are realizing how serious Rio's situation is and tough measures must be taken to start paying salaries, pensions and suppliers' bills again," he said. (Reporting by Anthony Boadle; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Peter Cooney)
BOGOTA, Feb 20 (Reuters) - Colombia's Marxist FARC rebels can begin surrendering their weapons to the United Nations now that almost 7,000 of them have reached designated demobilization zones around the country, President Juan Manuel Santos said on Monday.

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) signed a peace agreement with the government late last year to put an end Latin America's longest-running armed conflict, which killed more than 220,000 people.

The rebels will have turned in all their arms by June, Santos said.

"This weekend the process of mobilization toward the zones was completed and the protocols of the bilateral and definitive ceasefire and the abandonment of arms has begun," Santos said in southern Putumayo province.

Over the past weeks, FARC rebels crisscrossed Colombia on foot and by boat from their jungle and mountain camps to 26 zones monitored by U.N. personnel.

Under the terms of the peace accord, the FARC, which began as a peasant uprising 52 years ago, is to form a political movement in the South American nation.

The accord has been heavily criticized by many, and was initially rejected in a referendum, as being too lenient on the rebels who will be spared jail time. (Reporting by Helen Murphy; Editing by Tom Brown)
By Jessica Jaganathan and Henning Gloystein

SINGAPORE, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Singapore's proposed plan to tax greenhouse gas emissions would probably hit oil refiners hard, ramping up costs in an industry that has been central to the city-state's rapid development over the last half-century.

Monday's announcement that a carbon tax on direct emitters is to be introduced from 2019 shows that Singapore, Asia's main oil trading hub, could be moving towards a longer-term future dominated by cleaner technology and resources.

"It is the first time in the history of Singapore that a budget has placed such a high emphasis on green initiatives linked to tax revenues," said Isabella Loh, chairman of the Singapore Environment Council, an independent non-profit body.

"The announcement clearly underpins the priority of a future-ready and greener economy."

Countries around the world have been under increasing pressure to crack down on carbon emissions, with Singapore part of the historic Paris climate accord that went into force late last year.

In parts of Europe and countries such as Australia, the introduction of carbon taxes or carbon trading schemes has often driven a decline in established refining industries and a parallel surge in investment in clean energy technology.

"The proposed carbon tax on emitters would prove a significant drag on industry profit-margins," said Peter Lee, oil and gas analyst at BMI Research in Singapore.

The government said the carbon tax would probably cover 30 to 40 "large direct emitters" including power stations, petrochemical facilities and semiconductor makers.

But it is Singapore's three refineries, run by ExxonMobil , Royal Dutch Shell and Singapore Refining Company, that would probably need to brace for the hardest blow.

The tax proposal comes as those refineries, with a combined fuel generation capacity of around 1.38 million barrels per day (bpd), grapple with rising competition from China, India and the Middle East <DUB-SIN-REF>.

Shell said in a statement it supported a strong and stable government-led carbon price, but that any policy "must ensure companies can compete effectively with others in the region who are not subject to the same levels of carbon dioxide costs".

Exxon said "effective policies are those that promote global participation (and) let market prices drive the selection of solutions".

Singapore Refining Company could not be reached for comment.

Looking at a carbon tax rate of S$10 to $20 ($7 to $14) per tonne, the government estimated that would add around $3.50 to $7 to the cost of processing a barrel of crude into fuels like diesel or gasoline.

Benchmark crude prices stood around $56 per barrel on Tuesday, translating to a daily surplus cost of $4.8 million to $9.7 million for the three Singapore refineries.

On the flip side, the tax would help fire growth in Singapore's nascent renewable energy industries.

"Existing green projects, such as solar, will enjoy the much needed premium (as they are not taxed)," said Andrew Koscharsky, energy director at RCMA Group, which trades wholesale power and retail electricity in Singapore.

It would be important to adopt the law swiftly to encourage immediate investment in renewables, he added.

Singapore's government will next month invite feedback on its proposals from industry and the public. ($1=1.4 Singapore dollars) (Reporting by Jessica Jaganathan and Henning Gloystein; Editing by Joseph Radford and Clarence Fernandez)
Here are news stories, press reports and events to watch which may affect Romanian financial markets on Tuesday.

GRAFT DECREE * The lower house of parliament holds vote to scrap a graft decree that would have effectively shielded dozens of officials from prosecution. * The upper house of parliament, the Senate, last Tuesday unanimously endorsed a government order to scrap a graft decree that triggered mass street protests, international criticism and finally an embarrassing U-turn by the month-old cabinet.

DEBT TENDER

Romania sold a planned 1.0 billion lei ($235.26 million) worth of one-year treasury bills on Monday at an average accepted yield of 0.95 percent, central bank data showed.

Debt managers last auctioned one-year paper in January at an average yield of 0.98 percent.

CEE MARKETS

Prague led a cautious rise in Central European equities on Monday, mainly driven by the gains of Moneta Money Bank , while Central European assets were mostly moving sideways.

For the long-term Romanian diary, click on

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For other related news, double click on: --------------------------------------------------------------- Romanian equities RO-E E.Europe equities .CEE Romanian money RO-M Romanian debt RO-D Eastern Europe EEU All emerging markets EMRG Hot stocks HOT Stock markets STX Market debt news DBT Forex news FRX For real-time index quotes, double click on: Bucharest BETI Warsaw WIG20 Budapest BUX Prague PX ----------------------------------------------------------- ($1 = 4.2620 lei)
MOSCOW, Feb 21 (Reuters) - The following are some stories in Russia's newspapers on Tuesday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

VEDOMOSTI

www.vedomosti.ru

- The Ministry of Economic development and the Finance Ministry are considering restrictions on the circulation of cash in the country, including cash payments for cars, apartments and luxuries, the daily says.

KOMMERSANT

www.kommersant.ru

- Russia's anti-monopoly watchdog, FAS, has ordered Apple's subsidiary in Russia, the Apple Rus, to open an integrated official service centre in Russia by May 1.

- Rostec is planning to launch the construction of a thermal power station in Crimea and hopes to buy turbines in Iran as other exporters have fallen under Western sanctions.

IZVESTIA

www.izvestia.ru

- Russia could make it easier for people living ilegally in the country to obtain Russian citizenship if they want to live there permanently.

- More than 70 enterprises will be opened in the Far East by the end of the year under federal projects tailored to support the region, said Yury Trutnev, the deputy prime minister in charge of the development of the Far East.

ROSSIISKAYA GAZETA

www.rg.ru

- Russia is drafting a bill to protect citizens who voluntary report cases of taking or extorting bribes by their bosses, the daily says.

- Russia will raise the number of places where people could fulfil their forced labor penalties which have become a popular replacement for jail terms in overcrowded prisons, Justice Minister Alexander Konovalov said on Monday.

MOSKOVSKY KOMSOMOLETS

www.mk.ru

- Russia's 2018 presidential election could be held as a vote of confidence in country's leader Vladimir Putin instead of traditional elections, the daily says, commenting on the beginning of Kremlin's preparations for the vote.

KOMSOMOLSKAY PRAVDA

www.kp.ru

- Foreign intelligence agencies are behind on-line "groups of death" which are using social networks to coerce Russia's teenagers to commit suicides.

(Reporting By Tatiana Ustinova; Editing by Aleksandar Vasovic)
BRATISLAVA, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press reports and events to watch which may affect Slovak financial markets on Tuesday. ALL TIMES GMT (Slovak Republic: GMT + 1 hour) =========================ECONOMIC DATA======================== Real-time economic data releases.................. Summary of economic data and forecasts......... Recently released economic data................ Previous stories on Slovak data.......... **For a schedule of corporate and economic events: http://emea1.apps.cp.thomsonreuters.com/Apps/CountryWeb/#/1C/events-overview ============================NEWS================================ BOND AUCTION: Slovakia sold 238.8 million euros ($253.58 million) worth of 3.625 percent state bonds due in January 2029 in the competitive and non-competitive rounds of an auction on Monday, the finance ministry's Debt and Liquidity Management Agency (ARDAL) said. Story: Related stories: BOND AUCTION: Slovakia sold 167.3 million euros ($177.67 million) worth of 0.625 percent state bonds due in May 2026 in the competitive and non-competitive rounds of an auction on Monday, the finance ministry's Debt and Liquidity Management Agency (ARDAL) said. Story: Related stories: GREECE: Slovakia would welcome the International Monetary Fund's involvement in the Greek bailout but is not willing to pay any price for it, including accepting any debt relief, which Athens does not need, Slovak Finance Minister Peter Kazimir said. Story: Related stories: EIB: The European Investment Bank (EIB) will fund projects in Slovakia worth 500 million euros ($531.25 million) this year, Vice-President Vazil Hudak said on Monday. Story: Related stories: UNEMPLOYMENT: Slovakia's jobless rate dropped to 8.6 percent in January from 8.8 percent in the previous month, the country's labour office said on Monday. Story: Related stories: For real-time stock market index quotes click in brackets: Warsaw WIG20 Budapest BUX Prague PX Main currency report TOP NEWS -- Emerging markets News editor of the day: Jan Lopatka on +420 224 190 474 E-mail: prague.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com (Reporting by Prague Newsroom)
By Wendell Roelf

CAPE TOWN, Feb 21 (Reuters) - South Africa's Competition Commission has granted Barclays Africa conditional immunity from prosecution in return for its continuing cooperation in the rand currency trading probe, the head of the Commission said on Tuesday.

The Commission said last week it had found more than a dozen local and foreign banks colluded to coordinate trading in the rand and the U.S dollar using an instant chat room called "ZAR Domination".

It recommended fines amounting to 10 percent of the banks' South African revenues in a scandal that has piled political pressure on the country's big four banks and raised questions about their dominance in Africa's most industrialised economy.

The local lenders have around a 90 percent market share of the South African banking market.

"We did, through the investigation, receive a leniency application from Barclays/ABSA which cooperated and gave us more information," The head of the Commission Tembinkosi Bonakele told a parliamentary committee on Tuesday.

"We have a conditional agreement with them on immunity but this is subject to confirmation depending on the extent of their cooperation."

Barclays Africa, whose branches a branded ABSA ans is a regional subsidiary of Barclays Plc, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

On Monday the Commission said that the local arm of Citigroup had agreed to pay a reduced $5 million penalty in settlement for its role in the alleged currency trading cartel after it "undertook to cooperate".

"I would say that the settlement was low, but as a prosecutor you sometimes have to make these calls because we have a bigger case to run," Bonakele said on Tuesday, referring to Citi.

The scandal has rattled the share prices of the South African-listed banks, with the sector index having dropped by nearly 4 percent over the last four sessions.

Anglo-South African investment bank and asset manager Investec has said again following a statement made earlier this week that it would seek further information from the regulator in order to continue to cooperate, according to an internal memo seen by Reuters.

"The Competition Commission's case against Investec Limited is confined to the alleged conduct of a single trader who is employed by the bank. This particular trader dealt with interbank clients," Investec said in the memo.

Revenue from Investec's foreign exchange division averaged below 1 percent of its South African bank's total revenue over the last 10 years, according to the memo. Investec's local banking unit reported 10.4 billion rand in total operating income in the year ended March, 2015.

GLOBAL SCANDAL

The Commission began its investigation in April 2015, joining an international probe into the manipulation of foreign exhange rates that has led to big banks paying more that $10 billion in settlements.

Former Citigroup foreign exchange dealer Christopher Cummins and Jason Katz, who worked at Barclays and later BNP Paribas SA, pleaded guilty in the United States to conspiring to fix currency prices last month.

Both, along with several others, are named in the South African regulator's report on its investigation that has been referred to the Competition Tribunal, which holds hearings on antitrust matters before giving a ruling.

Bonakele said the Commission was seeking a maximum penalty against other banks whose traders are alleged to have been involved in the scandal but the "door was not closed" for those seeking to apply for leniency in exchange for information that would help lead to a successful prosecution.

President Jacob Zuma said last week that the government would clamp down hard on financial market abuse.

Other banks and brokerages named in the case were Nomura , Standard Bank, Investec, JP Morgan , BNP Paribas, Credit Suisse Group, Commerzbank AG, Standard New York Securities Inc, Macquarie Bank, Bank of America Merrill Lynch (BAML) , ANZ Banking Group Ltd and Standard Chartered Plc

Officials at Standard Bank, BAML, Commerzbank, BNP Paribas, Nomura, Credit Suisse, ANZ, Macquarie and Standard Chartered have so far declined to comment. The other banks have not responded to requests for comment. ($1 = 13.1161 rand) (Additional reporting by Tiisetso Motsoeneng; Editing by James Macharia, Greg Mahlich)
-        :       ,       
ACCRA, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Ghana's President Nana Akufo-Addo said in his first state of the nation address that the country's economy was in a "bad way" and the fiscal deficit for 2016 was 9 percent of GDP on a cash basis.

Akufo-Addo, who took power on Jan. 7, told parliament that a three-year International Monetary Fund programme that began in April 2015 with the aim of stabilizing national finances had failed to meet its objectives. (Reporting by Matthew Mpoke Bigg; Editing by Joe Bavier)
BANGKOK, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Thailand will stop subsidising sugar production and drop domestic control of consumer prices for sugar by the end of the year, a Ministry of Agriculture official said on Tuesday.

Brazil challenged Thailand at the World Trade Organization (WTO) in March last year, arguing that Thailand's subsidies for sugar producers have dragged down global prices.

"Our new policy will be to let the price of sugar match that of the global markets whereas before it was under the control of the Ministry of Agriculture," Buntin Kotesiri, Administrative Director at the Sugar and Cane Producing Board, told Reuters.

"We expect these changes to come into effect at the end of the year during harvesting season."

Butin said the move was in response to Brazil's challenge.

Thailand is the world's second largest sugar producer after Brazil. Brazil said in November that it had seen the proposal for changes in Thai policies and said that it was an acceptable solution. (Reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat; Editing by Alexander Smith)
ZAGREB, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Croatia sold more bills than it had targeted at a treasury bill auction on Tuesday, with yield falling, finance ministry data showed. In the first auction for three weeks, the ministry sold 1.496 billion kuna ($211.63 million) of one-year bills compared with a target of 1.3 billion kuna. Demand amounted to 1.93 million kuna. The yield fell to 0.5 percent from 0.59 percent. Some 66 percent of the issue was taken up by non-bank investors. A little less than 1.3 billion kuna worth of bills mature later this week. The auction increased Croatia's total short-term debt in the national currency to 17.5 billion kuna from 17.3 billion. The next T-bill auction is planned for Feb. 28, when the ministry tentatively plans to raise 1.5 billion kuna. Below are auction details: Auction date Previous auction 21/02/17 31/01/17 1-year maturity Yield 0.50 0.59 Assigned price 99.504 99.419 Offered 1.3 bln HRK 600 mln Total bids 1.93 bln 980 mln Assigned 1.496 bln 800 mln ($1 = 7.0690 kuna) (Reporting by Igor Ilic, editing by Larry King)
By Elias Biryabarema

KAMPALA, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Uganda's first gold refinery, which opened on Monday, will use raw gold from conflict-ridden South Sudan and Eastern Congo, its owner Africa Gold Refinery said, dismissing activists' concerns that such a move could fuel violence in the region.

The refinery, which is in Entebbe, south of the capital Kampala, will process raw gold from the region as Uganda has only small mines and no commercial mine.

Rights activists, however, are concerned about the use of gold from conflict areas such as the volatile mineral-rich east of the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan, mired in civil war.

"Gold which is used to finance conflict might be finding its way into supply chains," said George Boden, an activist at London-based rights group Global Witness.

A U.S. law passed in 2010, the Dodd-Frank Act, requires companies to disclose whether their products contain minerals from conflict-ridden parts of Africa. The law aims to hinder armed groups from using minerals to finance conflicts.

"It's a very high compliance refinery. We do due diligence for every customer who comes in," Alain Goetz, the chief executive officer of Africa Gold Refinery (AGR), told Reuters.

Goetz is AGR's majority shareholder and he also owns a stake in Belgian gold refiner Tony Goetz NV.

He said AGR would carefully select its customers, comply with the law and label its gold accordingly.

"Of course we want to sell to American companies, we will sell to American companies. With the compliance and the third party auditing, we'll comply with all the regulations ... including labelling," Goetz said.

Uganda has been keen to attract investors to its mining sector after government surveys established the existence of minerals including gold, base metals, uranium, rare earths, iron, titanium, vermiculite, diamond in various locations.

The factory has an initial output capacity of 300 kilogrammes of pure gold per week, and the ability to increase that to 500 kilograms eventually. Goetz said the gold will be used for coins and jewellery.

Between mid-2009 and mid-2015, Uganda's annual gold exports fluctuated between near zero to just under $40 million, according to central bank data.

Exports rocketed to $204 million in the last financial year, ended in July 2016. Boden said the sudden jump could be due in part to gold smuggled from neighbouring countries and being exported from Uganda. (Editing by Katharine Houreld and Susan Fenton)
PRETORIA, Feb 21 (Reuters) - At least 20 shops possibly belonging to immigrants were looted in South Africa's capital overnight, police said on Tuesday, but they could not confirm if the attacks had deliberately targeted foreigners.

Anti-immigrant violence has flared sporadically in South Africa against a background of near-record unemployment, with foreigners being accused of taking jobs from locals and getting involved in crime.

Responding to similar incidents in Pretoria at the weekend, Nigeria's foreign ministry said it would summon South Africa's envoy to raise its concerns over "xenophobic attacks" on Nigerians, other Africans and Pakistanis.

South African police said they did not yet know the motive for the latest attacks, and no deaths had been reported.

"There are allegations that these shops belong to foreign nationals," police spokeswoman Brigadier Mathapelo Peters said.

"It is alleged that the community members are saying that these shops were used for drug dealing but that is unconfirmed. We will only be able to start a formal investigation once the shop owners come forward."

The Atteridgeville neighbourhood, where the looting took place, was calm on Tuesday as police cars drove through the streets.

"We are sick and tired of foreigners who are coming to sell drugs and kill our people, we can't let the community go down like this," said an unemployed man in his mid-twenties, who declined to be named.

South Africa, with a population of about 50 million, is home to an estimated 5 million immigrants.

In April 2015, Nigeria recalled its top diplomat in South Africa to discuss anti-immigrant attacks that killed at least seven people and sent hundreds of foreigners fleeing to safety camps, as authorities sent in soldiers to quell unrest in Johannesburg and Durban.

In 2008, at least 67 people were killed in anti-immigrant violence, with thousands of people fleeing to refugee camps. (Reporting by Dinky Mkhize in Pretoria, Tanisha Heiberg in Johannesburg and Ulf Laessing in Lagos; Writing by James Macharia; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)
BERLIN, Feb 21 (Reuters) - A top official at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Tuesday there had been progress on Greece and the Fund would like to get to a situation where it could help Greece.

"Some progress has been made," David Lipton, first deputy managing director of the IMF, told reporters in Berlin. "we would like to be in a position to help Greece," he added. (Reporting by Gernot Heller; Writing by Madeline Chambers; Editing by Paul Carrel)
CAIRO, Feb 21 (Reuters) - The leaders of Egypt and Jordan reaffirmed their continued support on Tuesday for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict after U.S. President Donald Trump suggested abandoning it.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Jordan's King Abdullah discussed the issue and coordination of their positions on the Middle East peace process at a meeting in Cairo, a statement from Sisi's office said.

Trump suggested at a White House meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week that he was open to new ways to achieve peace that did not necessarily entail the creation of a Palestinian state, a benchmark of U.S. policy for decades.

Most Arab countries call for a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders before Israel seized the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza. Netanyahu has described the 1967 lines as indefensible and has said Israel would never return to them.

"The two sides discussed future movements to break gridlock within the Middle East peace process, especially with U.S. President Donald Trump's administration taking power," Sisi's office said in a statement after the Sisi-Abdullah meeting.

"They also discussed mutual coordination to reach a two-state solution and establish a Palestinian state based on the June 4, 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as a capital, which is a national constant that cannot be given up."

The meeting took place two days after media reports that the two men secretly met with Netanyahu last year in a failed attempt by the Obama administration to convene a wider regional summit on Israeli-Palestinian peace.

A Netanyahu spokesman declined to comment on the report in Israel's Haaretz daily. Sisi's office issued a statement referring to it as having "incorrect information" but did not deny that a meeting took place. No immediate comment was available from Jordan. (Reporting by Ahmed Aboulenein; Editing by Tom Heneghan)
By Estelle Shirbon

LONDON, Feb 21 (Reuters) - French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron told British Prime Minister Theresa May on Tuesday that her country should not receive preferential treatment from the European Union after quitting the bloc.

Macron briefed reporters on their meeting after talks with May at her office, a coup for the young frontrunner who has been seeking to boost his credibility on the world stage.

"Brexit cannot lead to a kind of optimisation of Britain's relationship with the rest of Europe. An exit is an exit," he said outside 10 Downing Street.

"In particular there cannot be access to the single market without budgetary contributions (to the EU) ... I am very determined that there will be no undue advantages."

Macron, 39, a former economy minister in Socialist President Francois Hollande's government, is running as an independent. He had previously vowed to be "pretty tough" with Britain over the terms of Brexit.

The latest polls suggest he and right-wing rival Francois Fillon are tied behind far-right leader Marine Le Pen ahead of the first round of the election on April 23. Polls suggest either man would easily beat Le Pen in the May 7 run-off.

After leaving May's office, Macron was due to meet Britain's finance minister Philip Hammond.

During a slow walk through London's government district, which is home to major tourist attractions like Big Ben and Westminster Abbey, Macron was surrounded by TV crews and by French visitors wanting selfies with him.

He was due to hold a campaign rally later in London, which is home to an estimated 200,000 French nationals. After that, he was due to meet donors for dinner.

Le Pen was also campaigning outside France on Tuesday, using a two-day visit to Lebanon to bolster her own foreign policy credentials.

A spokesman for May told reporters it was long-standing British government policy not to engage with Le Pen's anti-immigration National Front party.

Macron, who is due to unveil his full electoral programme next week, said that he and May had also discussed issues ranging from the fate of French expatriates in Britain after Brexit to defense cooperation and the fight against terrorism.

He mentioned the Le Touquet agreement, which allows France and Britain to have border controls on each other's territory and frames the two countries' cooperation on immigration, suggesting he wanted to partially renegotiate it.

"On certain subjects, Britain's contribution should be revised up, in particular ... on Calais and Grande Synthe," he said, referring to locations in northern France that have drawn large numbers of migrants and refugees trying to reach Britain.

Asked if he wanted banks to move to France after Brexit, Macron responded that he wanted not only banks but also academics, researchers and talented people in general to return to France, adding that his programme would contain a series of initiatives to attract such people.

A spokesman for May said London was a leading global financial centre and would remain so after Brexit. (Additional reporting by Emmanuel Jarry and Michel Rose in Paris, William James and Elizabeth Piper in London; Editing by Tom Heneghan)
By Fergus Jensen

JAKARTA, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's King Salman will visit Jakarta and Bali on the Indonesian leg of his Asian tour next month, bringing 1,500 people in his entourage including 10 ministers, Indonesian officials said.

"This is a very historic visit for us," Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung told reporters on Tuesday, adding that the king would be in Indonesia from March 1 to 9. He would spend the last six days of his trip "relaxing" in Bali.

Anung said Indonesian President Joko Widodo hoped the visit would bring Saudi investments of up to $25 billion.

There was no immediate comment from Saudi Arabia.

The last visit by a Saudi king to Indonesia was 46 years ago, when King Faisal came to the archipelago.

Indonesia hopes the visit will help further cement relations between its state-owned energy company Pertamina and Saudi Aramco, which are working together to upgrade the Cilacap refinery, Indonesia's largest refinery complex, while eyeing other developments.

"We are targeting investments," Indonesia Investment Coordinating Board chief Thomas Lembong told reporters.

Indonesia, home to the world's largest Muslim population, hopes Saudi Arabia will help to promote moderate Islam through religious teaching and exchange programmes for scholars, Anung added.

Indonesia expects to sign agreements with Saudi Arabia on increasing the frequency of flights from the Middle East to Indonesia and increasing visitor numbers.

The longest leg of King Salman's trip to Asia this year will be in Indonesia, said Deputy Foreign Minister Abdurrahman M. Fachir.

"This also is a promotion in itself, and hopefully this will increase the numbers of tourist arrivals from the Middle East."

Indonesia wants to use the visit to increase its annual quota of haj pilgrims, and win commitments to improve the health and safety of pilgrims and other Indonesians in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia is a major destination for Indonesian domestic workers, but Indonesia imposed a ban on new workers travelling to the Middle East in 2015 after two domestic workers were executed in Saudi Arabia. (Reporting by Jakarta Bureau; Writing by Fergus Jensen; Editing by Mike Collett-White)
The Special Presidential Commission (SPC) appointed to inquire into the Central Bank (CB) bond scam will commence its public hearings today, the Ministry of Justice said yesterday.

The proceedings will take place at No. 94 of the court complex on Court Avenue, Colombo 12.

The commission was appointed by the president in late January with a mandate to look into the bond scam, investigate it and then report on it. It was to commence on February 1 and end on March 31.

The Commission met for the first time on February 6, to map out its procedure.

Supreme Court judges K. T. Chithrasiri and P. S. Jayawardena, and retired deputy auditor general K. Velupillai comprise the Commission.
Visiting Indian Foreign Secretary (FS) S. Jaishankar assured the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) that he would raise delay in the constitution-making process with President Maitripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, the TNA said yesterday.

It said in a statement that it met Mr. Jaishankar and updated him about the constitution-making process which appeared to have stalled.

The foreign secretary assured the TNA that he would raise these matters when he meets the President and the Premier, the statement said.

The TNA delegation which met Mr. Jaishankar at the Indian High Commission in Colombo apprised the foreign secretary of some pressing issues faced by the Tamil people including the lack of progress in relation to the release of lands occupied by the military in the North and East, the disappearances and about the Tamil political prisoners.

The TNA delegation, led by party Leader R. Sampanthan, who is also Opposition Leader, was made up of Mavai Senathirajah, M.A. Sumanthiran, Selvam Adaikkalanaathan, Dharmalingham Siddaarththan and Suresh Premachandran. The Foreign Secretary was accompanied by Indian High Commissioner Taranjit Singh Sandhu, the Joint Secretary and other officials.
Niroshan Dickwella has been suspended for two limited-over matches after his accumulated demerit points reached five within a 24-month period following his latest breach of the ICC Code of Conduct for which he received a 30 per cent fine and two demerit points.

During the second Twenty20 International against Australia in Geelong on Sunday, Dickwella was found guilty of breaching article 2.1.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Player and Player Support Personnel, which relates to showing dissent at an umpires decision during an international match.



As Dickwella had received a 50 per cent fine and three demerit points in the fourth One-Day International against South Africa in Cape Town on 8 February 2017, with the addition of these two demerit points, he has reached the minimum threshold of four demerit points, which, pursuant to article 7.6 of the Code, have now been converted into two suspension points. Two suspension points equate to a ban from one Test or two ODIs or two T20Is, whatever comes first for the player. As such, Dickwella has been suspended from his sides third Twenty20 International against Australia to be played in Adelaide on 22 February as well as the next limited overs match he is likely to play, which is currently scheduled to be the first One-Day International against Bangladesh on 25 March.



The five demerit points will remain on Dickwellas disciplinary record for a period of twenty-four months from their imposition and if he reaches eight or more demerit points within a 24-month period, then they will be converted into four suspension points. Four suspension points equate to a ban from two Tests or four ODIs or four T20Is, whatever comes first for the player.

The incident in Geelong happened when Dickwella, after being given out caught behind, paused to view the replay, kicked the turf and looked at his shoulder for a prolonged period of time. In a related incident, Australia wicketkeeper, Tim Paine, has been fined 15 per cent of his match fee and received one demerit point for breaching Article 2.1.7 of the Code, which relates to using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batsman upon his/her dismissal during an International Match.

The incident happened when Paine used inappropriate words after Dickwella had been given caught behind. The charges were leveled by on-field umpires Simon Fry and Sam Nogajski, third umpire Joel Wilson and fourth official Michael Graham-Smith. For all first offences, Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, a maximum penalty of 50 per cent of a players match fee, and one or two demerit points.
Two powerful upcountry politicos at provincial level had distributed most hospital labourer appointments in the province to their political supporters.



Having done away with the proper recruitment procedure, these two political heavyweights had distributed 75 appointments each among their political supporters. Meanwhile, they had conceded a quota of two appointments each to the council members in a bid to prevent them from raising a hue and cry in protest.



A leading upcountry politician who condemned the manner in which the hospital labourer vacancies were filled said: This is a typical instance where those wielding the ladle generously serving themselves as the popular Sinhala proverb goes.


Minor parties supporting the government had told Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe that the local government elections should be held according to the Proportional Representation (PR) system.

The leaders of these parties, including the Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA), the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), the All Ceylon Muslim Congress (ACMC), the Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP), the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and the United Socialist Party (USP) had said so when they met the prime minister at Temple Trees last evening.

One of the party leaders told Daily Mirror that they said they were not in favour of the proposed new system, under which 30 percent of the local government members would be elected according to the PR system and 70 percent according to the ward system. They had said the minor parties would not gain anything if the elections were held according to the new system and they would not contest if the elections were held according to the new system.

This party leader said they had also told him they would contest separately even under the PR system.

Mr Wickremeisnghe had then told the party leaders that he would have to discuss the matter with the President before agreeing to anything.

Ministers Mano Ganesan and Rauff Hakeem, MPs Douglas Devananda and M A Sumanthiran, and United Socialist Party leader Siritunga Jayasuriya had participated in the meeting. The leaders of the other minority parties had been in contact with those at the meeting though they were not present.

The party leaders had also met the Indian Foreign Secretary S Jayasankar and discussed several issues concerning the minorities, including education, health and housing and how India could assist Sri Lanka in these sectors. (Yohan Perera)
The implications incorporating socio-economic rights to Sri Lankas proposed constitution will be the focus of a seminar by Dr. Pratap Bhanu Mehta, a political scientist with extensive international and South Asian experience.

The public seminar is organised by the Advocata Institute, an independent, free market think tank and Echelon business magazine.

It will be held today at Excel World Auditorium from 5:30 p.m. onwards.

Dr. Mehta has taught at Harvard University, Jawaharlal Nehru University and New York University School of Law.

His areas of research include political theory, constitutional law, society and politics in India, governance and political economy and international affairs.

He has served National Security Advisory Board, Prime Minister of Indias National Knowledge Commission and a Supreme Court-appointed committee on elections in Indian universities.

He is also on the editorial boards of American Political Science Review, Journal of Democracy and India and Global Affairs.

Dr. Mehta holds a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from Oxford and a doctorate in politics from Princeton University.
The Sri Lankan government has not met its pledge to curtail police abuses prior to the March 2017 session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, the Human Rights Watch (HRW) said yesterday.

Issuing a statement, the HRW said security sector reform was one of 25 undertakings by Sri Lanka in the Human Rights Council resolution adopted by consensus in October 2015.

It said the Sri Lankan government has failed to repeal the abusive Prevention of Terrorism Act or take serious measures to reduce torture in custody.

Its crucial that the Human Rights Council consider closely whether Sri Lanka made progress in the security sector as well as its other commitments such as transitional justice. Nearly 18 months after making important promises to the council, Sri Lankas leaders appear to be backtracking on key human rights issues, including reforming the police, said HRW Asia director Brad Adams.

Reform of the security sector has lagged behind action on the council resolutions four pillars of transitional justice: accountability, the disappeared, truth-seeking, and reconciliation.

A recent report from the UN Special Rapporteur on torture, Juan Mendez, highlighted the ongoing culture of torture in Sri Lanka.

A 2015 report by HRW also found that Sri Lankans routinely face torture and other ill-treatment by the police. In the vast majority of cases, the victims were unable to obtain any meaningful redress, the statement said.

The government has yet to repeal the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), which has been used to arbitrarily detain terrorism suspects and others without charge for years. During the countrys 26-year-long civil war, the government asserted that the PTA was a necessary tool in its battle against the LTTE. Yet, nearly eight years after the wars end in May 2009, the PTA not only remains on the books but continues to be used to arrest and detain people, it said.

The upcoming Human Rights Council session provides an important opportunity for UN member countries to closely examine the Special Rapporteur on tortures report and the problem of torture and other police abuse in Sri Lanka. They should press the government to address these concerns as part of the overall reform efforts underway under the Human Rights Council resolution.

The Mendez report on torture maps out a detailed reform proposal that the Sri Lankan government should embrace and implement, Adams said. The Human Rights Council can rev up this process by addressing torture and police reform in its review of Sri Lankas compliance with the councils resolution, the statement said.
A bi-partisan group of Representatives of the United States Congress visiting Sri Lanka paid a courtesy call on President Maithripala Sirisena today at the Presidential Secretariat.

The group included Congressman Peter Roskam (Chair  Republican), Congressman David Price (Democrat), Congressman Gerald E. Connolly (Democrat) and

Congressman Adrian Smith (Republican).

Their aim was to promote on-going partnership between House Democracy Partnership (HDP) and Sri Lanka Parliament while strengthening democratic institutions and deepening bilateral relations.

President Sirisena, expressing his satisfaction over the strength of the bilateral relations between the two countries, said that that the Government of Sri Lanka is totally committed to further strengthen relations, especially in economic and investment spheres.

During the call, leader of the HDP Group Congressman Peter Roskam expressed his admiration on behalf of US House of Representatives for the transformative process that President has led after his election two years ago.

He said that measures taken for reconciliation, development of the country, good governance and citizens right are laudable.

He said that USA will stand by Sri Lanka in its challenging journey towards economic development.

The delegation was accompanied by Atul Keshap Ambassador for USA, and Prasad Kariyawasam Sri Lanka Ambassador in USA.
India will not be pressing Sri Lanka to merge the Northern and Eastern Provinces to form a single Tamil-majority, as envisaged by the India-Sri Lanka Accord of 1987, the visiting Indian Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar has told the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) on Monday.

According to the Indian Express, the Foreign Secretary was reacting to a demand made by the leader of the Eelam Peoples Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF) Suresh Premachandran, that India should honor its promise to keep the North and East united.

It had even said that it would not allow a referendum to be held on the issue.

Jaishankar has told Premachandran that much water has flown down the bridge since 1987 and as the situation has changed it will be better for all concerned to make use of the various windows of opportunity which have opened up recently with the change of regime and secure the rights of the Tamils.

He argued that it would not be wise to hold every other matter hostage to one issue - the merger of the North and East.

However, he added that India would not mind if the Tamils kept the issue alive and kept it on the table for talks with the Sri Lankan government.

Premachandran had highlighted the issue of the merger of the North and East partly because it had been the main theme of the Ezhuga Tamil rally held recently in the Eastern town of Batticaloa.

He pointed out that India has a moral responsibility to ask the Sri Lankan government to re-merge the North and East as it is part of the India-Sri Lanka Accord of 1987. If the Accord is still valid, every part of it should be deemed to be equally valid and implemented, he argued.

He recalled that former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had solemnly promised that the merger would remain and that the proposed referendum would not be held.

He also recalled that the EPRLF had fully cooperated with India on the implementation of the Accord, and like the Indian Peace Keeping Force, had lost many men in the fight against the LTTE which opposed the Accord.

India has a moral responsibility to keep its promise and persuade the Sri Lankan government to re-merge the North and East, Premachandran has said.
BY R. Jinith de Silva,

Senior Researcher of Xining Institute of City Diplomacy, China.



It is believed that Buddhism reached China through the Silk Route around first century A D, and subsequently all forms of art and craft arrived there from countries like India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. A tacit example for this would be the paintings found in grottoes built along the Silk Route in China. Mogao, Longmen and Yungang are the three most important places in China where Buddhist grottoes are found. The most famous and beautiful among them are the grottoes found in Yungang, built in fifth century AD. I had the privilege of witnessing these historical masterpieces last August.

Yungang is situated in the old Kingdom of Datong. In the slopes of Yungang mountains is a beehive of grottoes, about 1km long. There are 45 main grottoes and more than 100 Buddha Statues.

Buddhist prelate Tan Yao who lived here was instrumental in the construction of grottoes. He had received the patronage of 54 merchants who engaged in trade along the Silk Route -- this was confirmed by an inscription found at the location (it was the oldest and most elaborated record about the building of Yungang grottoes). Moreover, the characters are top rated calligraphic works.

According to history, monk Tan Yao was in-charge of cutting five caves in the Western suburbs of State Wu. While they are referred to as the five caves of Tan Yao, they were built during the Northern Wei dynasty (460-471 AD). As a mark of respect to the prelate, a statue was erected at the entrance of the historical site. Other major caves had been mostly completed in the 18th year of the Northern Wei dynasty (494 AD). Kings like Emperor Xianowen who then ruled the dynasty had greatly supported this cause.



It is believed that more than a staggering 40,000 craftsmen toiled to put up the grottoes and statues -- most of the statues were built according to the Gandarwa tradition of India. I was indeed surprised when my coordinator Chen Luying of Foreign and Overseas Affairs in the Shanxi Province told me some of these statues were from Sri Lanka. In the history books of China, Sri Lanka is referred to as the Kingdom of Lions. The arts and crafts that flowed to China through the Silk Route mixed with the natives that existed in China and obtained its present form. That could be found in Yungang grottoes today.

"The Buddha Statue found in cave number 12 is Thirteen metres in height and is valued for being a true representative of Yungang grotto arts. It reminds me of the Samadhi statue at Mahamevuna Uyana in Anuradhapura"



The terrain divides the grottoes on the hill into three natural but neat clusters; the East, Central and West. Caves in the East are mostly house pagodas called Papoda caves, while the caves in the central area have front and rear chambers with main Buddha figures sitting in the middle and relives carved on the ceiling and walls. Whereas the caves in the West are smaller.

This place is in fact a treasure house of Buddhist artwork, sculptures, statues and murals of Gods and Goddesses, birds and animals, beautiful flowers and exotic plants as well as images of those who sponsored the building of grottoes.

Extremely beautiful Buddha statues could be found in some of these grottoes, and the tallest of them is about 16 metres. They express love and compassion.

The Buddha Statue found in cave number 12 is Thirteen metres in height and is valued for being a true representative of Yungang grotto arts. It reminds me of the Samadhi statue at Mahamevuna Uyana in Anuradhapura.



It is however recorded that in the 5th century, the then emperors and their immediate families have had private temples. Some of the statues in these temples portrayed different stages of Buddhas life -- some portrayed the Buddha preaching and ladies spraying flowers from heaven.

In cave number 20, dancers and musicians portray Buddhas ascendance to Buddhahood. These statues are beautifully sculptured and the dresses in them resemble what the people wore during that time.

Further, Yungang grottoes become a turning point of the development of Buddhist art in China. The statues of Dunhuang Mogao and Longmen were both influenced by Yungang grottoes that have the largest collection of grotto artworks in China. The site was inscribed on the UNESCO list of world natural heritage in 2001.
Facing the double-whammy of state budget cuts for institutions of higher learning along with a decline in student enrollment, Mineral Area College is preparing to tighten its belt to better help the school weather its current financial storm.

Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens' announced last month that he was cutting $146.4 million from the state budget due to lower-than-expected revenues and a poor state economy  with more than half the cuts coming from the Department of Higher Education which oversees the state's public colleges and universities. At that time MAC received notice that, of a total withhold of $11.9 million from two-year colleges in the state, the Park Hills-based school would see a cut of more than $400,000.

In presenting her monthly financial report to the community college's board of trustees on Thursday, MAC Chief Financial Officer Shirley Hofstetter said, "The one item to note is the withholding of $440,000 by the state of Missouri. It is being spread out over the remaining months of the fiscal year, so our state aid payment is currently being reduced by about $88,000 each month. We won't see one hit, it will be a ratable hit of the remaining months between now and June."

MAC President Dr. Steve Kurtz noted that next year's state appropriations will most likely be reduced by 10 percent due to continued budget constraints in Jefferson City.

In her spring enrollment report, Dean of Students Jean Merrill-Doss reported that the lower number of students signed up for classes means the school suffered another financial hit.

"We're down 166 students, so that's about 5.4 percent and we're down about 1,300 credit hours, so that's 4.1 percent," she said. "We've already started recruiting for our second eight-week classes that start in the middle of March, so we're hoping to pick up a few more students for our second eight-week sessions.

"On a positive note, we are up 50 more graduation applications this year than we were last year. Now, that's great, but the bad news is that's 50 going on that won't be back in the fall  well, actually the whole 400 that will be graduating."

Later in the meeting, the trustees approved mid-year budget adjustments, as is their practice at this time each year. Dr. Kurtz reported that the school is cutting back on all unnecessary spending until the financial situation improves.

Music Department Chair Dr. Kevin White and Director of Jazz Michael Goldsmith updated the trustees on the upcoming Carol Moore Jazz Festival.

"We're getting ready for our 31st annual jazz festival on Saturday, March 11," Goldsmith said. "I think we're still trying to recover from the 30th annual one when Doc Severinsen was in, but we're pleased to welcome one of the most in-demand drummers in the world right now  Jeff Hamilton and he's bringing his entire trio.

"He's played with Woody Herman and Count Basie. He currently plays with the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra and his own trio. We were able to secure not just one guest star, but really three to come in. They'll be giving clinics during the day on March 11, and as of today, we have 26 bands coming in, so that's a great amount.

"We have almost sold out their concert. As you guys know, we do two concerts  one is at 6 and one at 8:30  and our students that are participating during the day go to the 6 o'clock festival concert and it's almost all sold out. But for our 8:30, we'll have tickets on sale on Monday in the bookstore."

Next, Dr. Kurtz announced that Missouri Department of Higher Education Commissioner Zora Mulligan will be this year's commencement speaker on May 13.

In other action, the board heard an update on construction and homecoming festivities. It also approved recommendation lists, the AAT Program review and a shooting range resolution.

Next month's MAC trustees meeting will take place at 2 p.m. March 9 in the Park Hills campus boardroom.
The massacre of over a hundred devotees at Sufi shrine of Jhule Lal Shahbaz Qalandar at Sehwan in Sindh, Pakistan, is neither the first such incident nor is it going to be the last. There are condemnations galore from Muslims of all hues including Salafi-Wahhabis. The general secretary of Indian Jamiat Ahl-e-Hadith, Maulana Asghar Ali Imam Mehdi Salafi, for instance, has condemned the incident in the strongest terms.

Problem

However, the problem is that contrary to all evidence Salafi-Wahhabis refuse to accept that it is their own theology that has created an environment in which such regular massacres have become possible. Indeed, the entire establishment and expansion of Wahhabism as a force to reckon with has been based on mass murders and destruction of shrines from early 19th century onwards.

Wahhabi vandalism started in 1802 when an army of 12,000 Najdi Salafi warriors called Ikhwan attacked Shia holy sites in the city of Karbala, slaying 4,000 of that citys inhabitants. In 1803 they attacked Makkah but the Makkaans, having known the fate of Karbala, surrendered to Saudi Wahhabi rule. The Wahhabi Ikhwan then smashed Sufi shrines and the graves of even the closest companions of the Prophet. In Madina, they not only destroyed common grave-sites, but even attacked the tomb of Prophet Mohammed (pbuh).

Photo: Geo News

Since then the history of Islam has been a history of massacres of non-Wahhabi Muslims and destruction of holy sites. Currently, the banner of forcible Wahhabi expansion is taken up by Al-Qaeda, ISIS, Taliban, Lashkar-e-Tayyeba, Lashkar-e-Jhangawi, Al-Shabab, Boko Haram, etc.

Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab (17031792), the founder of Saudi Arabias Wahhabi-Salafi creed, declared all rationalist and mystic Muslims as mushrik or polytheists and thus wajibul qatl (deserving death). In a long discourse in Kashaful Shubhat, he explained why all Muslims despite their claim to believe in one God are polytheists whose lives and property are halal (permitted) for Wahhabi Muslims. He concluded his discourse: You now understand that these peoples (non-Wahhabi Muslims) accepting tauheed (oneness of God) does not make them Muslim; the fact that they expect intercession from others than God (Sufi saints) makes them liable to be killed and their property to be looted.

Conflict

Another Abdul Wahhab quote necessary to understand the current conflict is the following: Even if the Muslims abstain from shirk (polytheism) and are muwahhid (believer in oneness of God), their faith cannot be perfect unless they have enmity and hatred in their action and speech against non-Muslims (which for him includes all non-Wahhabi Muslims).

The problem with Indian Salafi ulema like Maulana Imam Mehdi Salafi is that while they condemn specific terrorist incidents, they do not denounce the Wahhabi-Salafi ideology that they actually follow. This is a self-contradictory stance. You denounce terrorism and follow the ideology from which it emanates. From the time of the Mohammad bin Abdul Wahhab-Muhammad bin Saud pact in 1744, Salafi-Wahhabis have been following this murderous ideology which calls all non-Wahhabi Muslims mushrik (polytheist) and Wajibul Qatl (deserving death).

Terrorism

If Ahl-e-Hadith and other Salafi Muslims are sincere in condemning sectarian terrorism they need to also denounce and renounce the Wahhabi-Salafi ideology that calls for murder, destruction and looting of property. They only need to do what Abdul Wahhabs father and brother did. In fact, his brother Shaykh Sulayman ibn Abd al-Wahhab wrote a book refuting his arguments. Abdul Wahhab was able to propagate his ideas freely only when his father, a qazi of the region, passed away.

Although Sufi-oriented Muslims, rationalists, Shias, etc, have been a victim of Salafi- Wahhabi terrorism, it would be wrong to conclude that extremism is limited to Wahhabis. The recent murder of Pakistani Punjabs Governor Salman Taseer and the deification of his Brailvi murderer by millions of Muslims show that extremism is widespread across all sects of Islam. All Muslims who denounce terrorism need to introspect and brainstorm together how to weed out ideologies within Islam that lead to such massacres of Muslims and non-Muslims alike.

We also need to expose the hypocrites within Islam. There are people who denounce terrorism in public and teach in their madrasas that early peaceful and pluralistic verses of the Quran have been abrogated by the later war-time verses asking us to kill the kafir and mushrik. Of course, war-time verses had come in a certain context which no longer exists and so these instructions can no longer apply to us.

The first task before us is to come out of denial, accept that our theology and jurisprudence have been corrupted and then start thinking of changing our mindset, so that we can live as peaceful citizens of this inter-connected 21st century world.
"Khokhli bateein hai aur galiyan hai. Kitna gir gaya hai UP ka star (hollow slogans and abuse, how low has UP's standard dropped)," says an old man sadly in Lucknow.

His anguish at the state of his state and politicians whizzing around in filmstar-type vans and helicopters sums up the state of play at the half-way mark in the country's most critical state Assembly election.

All parties in the fray lack a narrative they can tell the impatient UP voter, who wants to catch up with the rest of the country and feels let down.

The voters laugh at CM Akhilesh Yadav's "kaam bolta hai", asking mockingly for the "kaam" which is missing in action. Rahul Gandhi, his alliance partner, barely even evokes a yawn. Priyanka Gandhi has sensibly stayed out of the fray as she seems to have zero traction among the huge number of young voters.

Despite the surging crowds mostly mobilised via Amit Shah's formidable and hugely financed election machine, PM Narendra Modi and his speeches evoke the maximum derision. Every time he stoops to conquer with yet another unsavoury jibe or a dog whistle, the UP voter is upset.

After the infamous "Diwali-Ramzan" jibe, a professor from Lucknow University changed his mind about voting for the BJP, saying "Modi has lowered the stature of the PM. Kahan Atalji aur kahan yeh janaab (look at Atalji's stature and look at Modi)".

Says a BJP leader: "We don't need Adityanath anymore, Modi is doing the same job."

Modi's dog whistle is perhaps driven by desperation. Lacking any issue in a seemingly issueless election, all parties have gone back to the basics. BJP first tried with the surgical strikes in Uri with posters of the Army and Modi plastered all over. That was met with resounding indifference. Then came the "surgical strike against black money", as demonetisation was presented by Shah.

Says a BJP leader: "We don't need Adityanath anymore, Modi is doing the same job." (Photo: Reuters)

Angry voters suffering in queues made the BJP quickly change the story. Cashless and digital India finds little resonance in a state which barely gets two hours of electricity and has around 80 per cent of the population unbanked.

Angry Jats have vowed to teach the BJP a lesson, blaming the party for the flop of the rabi-sowing season and the lack of promised reservation. Says one khap leader Samay Singh: "BJP ka hookah paani band karvaegein. Is bar vote bhi cashless dengey, (we have broken ties with the BJP. This time our vote for them will also be cashless)."

Though the BJP is projecting confidence and saying it has done well in the phases held so far, Modi's return to dog whistle basics sans any talk of vikas (development) indicates growing nervousness. Shah still has 15 more mega rallies planned for Modi but, in an almost Bihar redux, the crowd response is missing.

Unlike Bihar, the alliance "Bahari" slogan is a flop. UP is not a parochial state and the "apney ladke" makes people chortle. The average age of the UP voter is under 30. To see over 40 men like Yadav and Gandhi described as "ladke" has takers only in the adoring cadres.

Mayawati is the only leader trying to tell her story of law and order and with her 100-plus Muslims in the fray, she is hoping to replace Mulayam Singh Yadav as the new Muslim messiah. To further this, she has taken two public vows repeatedly at every meeting. That she will never construct a single statue dedicated to herself again. And that she will never ally with the BJP again.

Mayawati has vowed she will never construct a single statue of herself and that she will never ally with the BJP again.

Mayawati is at least trying to campaign on her record, patchy though it is. This time around, in a first for UP, women leaders have come into their own. Dimple Yadav is the new star on the "pracharak" horizon.

She is giving Akhilesh a run for his money and is a huge hit with the crowds, with most SP and Congress candidates asking for "Bhabi" to come and campaign for them. Each time she refers to Modi and says "mere angney main tumahara kya kaam hai," the crowds roar.

The other woman leader who has made a quiet comeback despite Shah's evident opposition is Smriti Irani, who is back in favour and taking potshots at the Gandhi family.
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New U.K. Treasury chief Jeremy Hunt has reversed most of an economic package announced by the government just weeks ago, including a planned cut in income taxes. Hunt said Monday he was scrapping almost all the tax cuts announced last month by the Conservative government of Prime Minister Liz Truss, and also signaled that public spending cuts are on the way. It was a bid to soothe turbulent financial markets spooked by fears of excessive government borrowing. The move raises questions about how long the beleaguered prime minister can stay in office, though Truss insisted she has no plans to quit. She vowed to lead the Conservatives into the next general election, but many in the party want her gone.
Updated at 8:34 p.m.

A Charlottesville native and highly decorated U.S Marine Corps general who fought in the battle of Iwo Jima and later led reconciliation reunions to the Pacific island died Saturday, one day before the 72nd anniversary of the famous fight.

Lt. Gen. Lawrence F. Snowden, 95, died at a hospice center in Florida.

Snowden was assistant commandant of the Marine Corps before his retirement in 1979 and was instrumental in the Reunion of Honor missions in which U.S. servicemen met with Japanese veterans on Iwo Jima.

Snowden was born in Charlottesville on April 14, 1921, as Lawrence F. Snoddy Jr., and legally changed his last name to Snowden in 1972. His son, John S. Snowden, also served in the Marine Corps during Vietnam.

The elder Snowden joined the Marine Corps in February 1942, two months after Pearl Harbor, and entered the service after his May graduation from the University of Virginia, where he earned a bachelors degree in commerce.

As a 23-year-old captain, he led a company of 230 Marines ashore in the second-wave assault on Iwo Jima, a 36-day battle in which half of his company was killed and he was wounded. He was evacuated but rejoined his unit by hitching a ride with three other officers on a plane taking mail and blood to the island as the battle raged.

Snowden maintained a home in Charlottesville into the 1970s, with his family often moving to wherever the Marine Corps stationed him as he continued to serve in the Korean War and Vietnam.

He was awarded a host of decorations during his service, including two Navy Distinguished Service Medals, five Legion of Merit awards (including two for combat) and two Purple Hearts.

In 1950 Snowden helped to create the Marine Corps Development Center in Quantico, which examined changes the Corps would face in the future.

He served as a major and battalion executive in the Korean War, and in Vietnam he commanded the 7th Marine Regiment, which engaged in a number of search-and-destroy anti-Viet Cong missions.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday in Tallahassee, Florida, where Snowden was a longtime resident.
An already uneasy relationship between Crescent Halls residents and property management staff experienced another setback when a faulty elevator that was out of service Monday morning made an emergency situation even more difficult.

Standing next to her mother Monday afternoon in the University of Virginia Medical Center emergency room, hours after what she described as a traumatizing experience, Georgene Spears explained why the fire department was called to help get her ailing mother out of the more than 40-year-old public housing building.

Spears, who doesnt live at the public housing site, said she knows residents have been frustrated and tangling with the Charlottesville Redevelopment & Housing Authority and city officials.

On Monday, however, it became personal for Spears and her mother, Flora Dickerson.

When it touches home, you have to say something, Spears said, speaking on her mothers behalf. They need to look out a bit more for these people, she added, noting that Crescent Halls in designated for low-income elderly and disabled people.

At around 8 a.m. Monday, Spears said she came to see her mother. Realizing that her mother was in poor condition, Spears decided her mother needed to go to the hospital.

Shortly after, an ambulance came, but emergency responders were unable to take a gurney upstairs to transport her mother because the largest elevator in the building was out of service, Spears and other tenants said.

Firefighters were then called to assist in getting her out of the building, according to tenants.

However, Grant Duffield, director of the housing authority, said a second, although smaller, elevator was still working at the time. He said emergency responders reported there was no delay in care as a result of the problem with the elevator.

Duffield said a maintenance technician reported that the larger elevator was inoperable at the time due to an interruption in electrical service.

At no time was the building without elevator service, he said in an email.

Both elevators are handicap accessible, he said. The reason we have one larger elevator is so that freight objects (appliances; beds; large furniture) can be lifted, as well as passengers.

However, Crescent Halls residents, who said the larger elevator has been malfunctioning periodically through the last few weeks, said its unacceptable to have the larger elevator out of service so often.

Were being insulted, talked dirty to, harassed and threatened by some of the CRHA staff. And nobody is doing anything about it, said Deborah Booker, president of the Crescent Halls Tenant Association.

Alleging that tenant advocacy groups such as the Public Housing Association of Residents and Legal Aid justice Center have failed to support the residents in recent months, Booker said residents feel they have been left to fend for themselves against what they think is an abusive and disrespectful property management staff.

Its just the residents complaining and theyre looking at us like were crazy, like were not human, she said. We are tired of going through this.

Both Booker and Sam Taylor, a former president of the tenant association, said others got stuck in the elevator last week. Consequently, they asked staff to fix the elevator. But it continues to break down, they said.

I told them it was an emergency, Taylor said, explaining how it was difficult for emergency personnel to keep Dickerson in her wheelchair as they tried to transport her from the building to the ambulance.

If youre in pain and in a wheelchair, youre going to be bent over, he said. Thats not fair to the elderly people in here. Theyre sick. They dont want to be bent over a wheelchair  theyd prefer to be on a gurney.

Duffield said Monday evening that the housing authority is working on a way to resolve the recurring issue.

As a precautionary measure, CRHAs elevator contractor has been dispatched to Crescent Halls to evaluate the system, he said. CRHA staff will continue to monitor the elevators in Crescent Halls to ensure that they are operating properly.

Spears said Mondays incident should not have happened.

We shouldnt have had to call the fire department  or the extra help, she said. The rescue squad should have been able to simply get her out of there and bring her over here.
FREDERICKSBURG  James Monroe, sometimes called the last Founding Father, has hit the big time.

Google is training its spotlight on the nations fifth president. Specifically, Google Arts & Culture has mounted a virtual exhibit featuring two Monroe sites in Virginia: the James Monroe Museum, site of his law office and a globally significant artifact collection, and James Monroes Highland, his plantation in Albemarle County.

It happened just in time for Presidents Day, as part of Googles American Democracy venture  g.co/americandemocracy  which celebrates the U.S. presidencys history and helps people discover defining moments in American democracy. The site covers presidents from George Washington to the present day.

The Monroe Museums digital exhibit introduces the man who held more public-service jobs before becoming president than any other holder of Americas highest office.

A native of Westmoreland County in Virginias Northern Neck, Monroe fought in the Revolutionary War and was wounded attacking the British garrison in Trenton, New Jersey, during Washingtons surprise raid of Christmas Day 1776.

Monroe went on to hold state and federal legislative offices; serve four terms as governor; represent his country as a diplomat posted to Great Britain, Spain and France; and serve (at the same time) as U.S. secretary of state and secretary of war. In France, he helped to negotiate the Louisiana Purchase, which vastly enlarged the United States and opened the west to American settlement.

While the nations fifth president, from 1817 to 1825, Monroe signed the Missouri Compromise of 1820, a milestone in the sectional controversy over slavery; granted diplomatic recognition to emerging Latin American republics; bought Florida from Spain; and committed the United States to preventing European intervention in the affairs of the Western Hemisphere. His declaration, later named the Monroe Doctrine, was a cornerstone of American foreign policy well into the 20th century.

Via the partnership between the Google Cultural Institute and the museum, people all over the globe can peruse more than significant 70 artifacts from Monroes life and times  and that of his wife, Elizabeth  from the museums collection. Visitors will discover interactive stories curated by its experts.

The museums Bowley Scholar interns, Jackie Downes and Kelly Haynes, uploaded images of the artifacts and created exhibit labels, with technical support from Google staff. Its curator, Jarod Kearney, and director, Scott Harris, proofed the material before it was submitted to Google.

This was another great learning opportunity for our interns, another cool thing to put on their resumes, Harris said in an interview.

Plus, the museums content is now on a worldwide platform that has great branding  the Google name, he added. That aint bad.

Using Google Street View feature, people can move around the James Monroe Museum virtually, picking works that interest them, clicking to discover more, or zooming into high-resolution images.

A Street View trolley features 360-degree images of particular galleries that were stitched together to let people navigate within the museum. Theyll see galleries depicting Monroes Revolutionary War service, diplomatic missions, and presidency.

Museum staff said some of the online exhibitions most important items are:

 Valley Forge Furlough: Issued by Maj. James Monroe to Lt. John Wallace of the 6th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment in February 1778 while the Continental Army was encamped at Valley Forge, it bears the earliest known signature of Monroe on an official document.

 Court Suit: Monroes elegant diplomatic attire represents his career in public affairs, including his presence, with Elizabeth, at the coronation of Napoleon Bonaparte as French emperor on Dec. 2, 1804.

 Monroes Return to Washington, 1817: This oil painting by Pietro Bonanni depicts Monroe returning to Washington from the first of three regional tours he made between 1817 and 1819. By bringing the presidency to the people, Monroe made the office more accessible and tangible for a big part of the population. Peoples hugely positive response inspired the phrase most associated with his administration: the Era of Good Feelings.

 White House china: The dessert service Monroe ordered from the Paris firm of Pierre Louis Dagoty and Edouard D. Honore was the first official china service made for an American president. It symbolizes the grand style of White House furnishings that Monroe acquired to reflect the power and dignity of the presidents house. Later first families have sought to emulate that standard.

 Monroe Doctrine desk: Monroe family tradition holds that this mahogany Louis XVI-style desk, part of a suite of furniture bought in France in the 1790s, was used by the president to write his annual message to Congress of 1823, which included the Monroe Doctrine.

The museum in Fredericksburgs historic district holds the countrys largest collection of artifacts and documents related to Monroe. It was opened in 1927 by Monroe descendants as a place to house their personal collections, which had been handed down through generations of the family.

We are grateful to Google Arts & Culture for the opportunity to bring the distinguished legacy of James Monroe to a worldwide audience, and for their generous technical and marketing support, Harris said.

The other online exhibit, Discovering the Home of President James Monroe, focuses on the research in archaeology and architectural history at Highland and includes more than 50 images from James Monroes home there.

We are proud to be able to share our most exciting discoveries with the online community, Highland Executive Director Sara BonHarper said. The inclusion of James Monroes Highland in the Presidents Day Collection is even more relevant this year as we celebrate the bicentennial of James Monroes inauguration as the fifth president of the United States.

Launched in 2011, the Google Culture Institute makes important cultural material accessible to everyone, aiming to digitally preserve it and educate and inspire future generations. It includes photos, videos and documents from hundreds of partner institutions in dozens of countries, and features many world heritage sites in its World Wonders Project.

Harris said the Google exposure is also timely for other reasons.

Nationally, commemoration of the 200th anniversary of Monroes presidency is getting underway in various communities, museums and historic sites. Elected in November 1816, Monroe took the oath of office for his first term on March 4, 1817.
Since Donald Trump was elected president in November, Rep. Dave Brat has had a new challenge on his hands: outraged constituents who want to bend his ear.

Maureen Hains, a professional living in Chesterfield County, has replaced Pride and Prejudice binge-watching with nights maintaining a Facebook page with nearly 1,600 followers. Alsuin Preis, a stay-at-home mom in Richmond, now jokes that her car trunk of signs and markers is like a protest-to-go kit. Chrystal Doyle, a school nurse and mother, mines Brats voting record in her free time.

They have cast votes for both Democratic and Republican candidates in state and federal elections, but that was generally the extent of their prior political participation. Hains said she even voted for Brat in the 2014 primary where he upset then-House Majority Leader Eric Cantor and in the general election where he claimed his seat in Congress.

But now, they all proudly say they are the women up in Brats grill, a phrase they borrowed from the congressman himself.

Since Obamacare and these issues have come up, the women are in my grill no matter where I go, Brat said Jan. 28 at a meeting of conservative groups at Hanover Tavern. They come up  When is your next town hall? And believe me, its not to give positive input, Brat continued. He also urged the GOP-friendly audience to write newspaper articles because were getting hammered.

His remark was recorded and later posted on a Facebook page launched by Hains that blares one question across its top: When is the next town hall meeting?

After saying he would not have a town hall in his district until after Trumps first 100 days, Brat announced last week that he would hold one Tuesday in Nottoway County, the southernmost point of his district.

***

Hains and her male and female Facebook followers on the 7th District Town Hall Meeting page are part of a wave of progressive grass-roots movements sweeping across the country in the wake of Trumps election, intent on demanding that politicians hear them out to the point where many GOP town halls have turned into masses of crowds and a litany of pointed questions.

The specific issues they want Brat to hear vary. Some do not appreciate his expressed support for new Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. Others want to talk to him about the Affordable Care Act, or protecting the national park system, or their opposition to Trumps Cabinet appointments.

They arent alone.

Other members of Virginias congressional delegation face the same pressure as Brat.

Constituents of Rep. Barbara Comstock, R-10th, announced that they would hold a town hall with or without her after requesting for weeks to hold one, The Washington Post reported.

Indivisible Richmond and Together We Will, two groups with which Hains and her Facebook followers work, did the same thing and organized a 7th District constituent town hall for Thursday, weeks before Brat made his announcement to hold a town hall.

Thursday, Brat said, is the same day he will be in Arizona to pop in on Rep. Paul Gosars town hall and to visit with some policy people out there.

Members of the progressive group Roanoke Indivisible invited Rep. Robert W. Goodlatte, R-6th, to a town hall meeting, but he declined, The Roanoke Times reported. Goodlatte holds conference calls with constituents that his office calls telephone town hall meetings. His staff on Thursday posted a Twitter photo of him speaking toward his phone.

Freshman Rep. Tom Garrett, R-5th, recently held Facebook Live chats with constituents, as Brat has done. But Garrett also has faced criticism for not holding a town hall-style meeting in his district. Garrett said, however, that during a Facebook Live, he was able to answer more than half of the questions submitted by the group Indivisible Charlottesville, and he will hold in-person events in the future.

Freshman Rep. Scott Taylor, R-2nd, plans actual town hall meetings. On Jan. 31, his office announced three across his district, the first coming this evening in Virginia Beach.

Some have likened the demonstrations across the country to a liberal tea party movement. The core group of women weighing the next moves of Hains Facebook page are using some resources from more broad-based movements like Indivisible.

After the election, a group of former Democratic staffers put together the Indivisible guide for how to approach lawmakers, which openly describes successful strategies used by the tea party movement.

In a recent interview with the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Brat decried liberal groups coordinating political protests, citing the demonstration that blocked DeVos from entering a middle school in Washington, D.C., and another in which U.S. Rep. Jason Chaffetz, a Utah Republican, was booed by the audience. He called that activity orchestrated attacks that are taking place nationwide.

What Im worried about is that the mainstream press cant Google Indivisible and the Soros-funded movement that is pushing all of this, Brat told the D.C. publication The Hill on Feb. 11.

That response from Brat and the chorus of Hill Republicans accusing protesters of being paid by progressive billionaires like George Soros only further fueled the discontent of Hains and her scores of followers. Hains said she had to Google Soros because she had no idea who he was.

***

Two weeks after Brats grill remark, Hains and the core group of women handling the Facebook page stood by a grill to roast Brat-worst near Brats Glen Allen office. From the sidewalk, they shouted We are not paid and demanded Brat produce proof for his accusation.

They were there as part of a protest hosted by Planned Parenthood Action Fund. Hains said she shared Planned Parenthoods event on her Facebook page after someone from the organizations advocate group reached out to the Facebook group.

We thought it was clever. It was not organized by us; we wanted to take advantage of another group of people annoyed with Brat, and Brat has been vocal about wanting to defund Planned Parenthood, Hains said. I believe as much as our country invests in protecting our nation through the military  we need to invest in the health and well-being of our citizens.

At the protest, many chanted David Brat, where you at and draped a pink cloth over a seat next to the grill that read, Reserved for Dave Brat. Many children colored signs along with their mothers and fathers during the protest.

Several days later, Brat softened his tone in a Facebook Live event, acknowledging that the majority of people who are contacting him are sincere folks with policy questions.

Brat, who prides himself on his accessibility to constituents, rebuts the notion that hes not. In an interview Feb. 10, he asked The Times-Dispatch to ask the people at the Planned Parenthood protest for names and contact information of constituents in his district and said he would try to meet with them.

Since Trumps election, there are hundreds and hundreds of constituents who are trying to reach me on all sides of the aisle, he said.

***

Many of the women helping coordinate the Facebook page have never talked to Brat. They start their days by calling up his offices, mainly asking his staffers, with whom they are on a first-name basis, when he will hold his next town hall.

Hains said she started the Facebook page calling for a town hall after failing to reach Brat multiple times. She felt helpless and angry, so she started the page almost as a gag to see if she could reach anyone beyond her circle of close friends.

The independent voter from a family who mostly voted for Trump had previously swung toward conservative candidates, including Brat. But she said she could never cast a vote for Trump, who boasted of sexually assaulting women, then dismissed it as locker room talk.

We showed up at the major elections. We thought we knew what was going to happen, Preis said. But after Trump won, we felt like we couldnt trust that the good guys were going to win in the end.

After her Facebook pages post of Brats video began spreading online, Hains gathered with other women in a living room to vent their anxiety over the publicity, then forge ahead. Each woman described their skills and how they could use them to contribute to the cause.

Im basically over people telling me to be quiet. Im over sitting on the sidelines, Hains said.

Now they divide and conquer. Some with writing backgrounds type up talking points of the day for those who are more shy about talking over the phone. Others with marketing skills push the material out.

The time spent on their activism has swelled into a full-time job.

The house is falling apart. I told my husband that Im going to be eaten by my laundry pile, Preis said.

In some ways, the pressure seems to be working.

Brats newly announced town hall will be held Tuesday at a restaurant in the Nottoway County town of Blackstone, the southernmost point of Brats 7th District that stretches over 10 counties as far north as the Culpeper area.

Brat said it was a way to reach his constituents in Nottoway, one of three counties added to Brats district last year after a court found that the General Assembly had packed too many African-Americans into the 3rd Congressional District and diluted their voting power. The citizen-organized town hall on Feb. 23 was already in the works before Brat made that announcement.

Well, its about time ... but to respond to the request by thousands of people to have a town hall by having it in a tiny venue an hour and a half outside the metropolitan capital of his district tells me that hes not tuned in to whos been demanding a town hall, Preis said.

But the women still plan to go.

He can hold his town hall on the moon, Preis said, but us girls all got minivans that hold seven people and we all love a good road trip.
A petition is circulating online that aims to rename Charlottesvilles federal courthouse after someone who stood up for the rights of the Vinegar Hill community.

Frank Dukes, the former director of and a current fellow at the University of Virginias Institute for Environmental Negotiation, said Monday that a number of people were involved in the creation of the petition, which seeks to name the building after someone who adheres to the citys latest efforts to bring wider recognition of Charlottesvilles racial history.

The petition comes less than a week after Rep. Tom Garrett, R-5th, introduced a bill that would rename the courthouse after Antonin Scalia, the Supreme Court justice who served for nearly 30 years before his death in February 2016. Early in his career, the conservative stalwart taught law at UVa.

The petition notes that the courthouse lies within the boundaries of Vinegar Hill, one of the citys first neighborhoods, located in the downtown area.

Once a majority African-American community, the neighborhood was razed in 1964 as part of an urban renewal project that was voted upon by city residents, but few actual residents of the neighborhood, who were inhibited by the citys poll tax. With many of the majority-black residents becoming displaced as a result, the redevelopment was a major point of contention for race relations in Charlottesville.

Available federal funds, black disenfranchisement and officials from outside the community, whose hubris led them to believe they knew what was best for the community, led to the destruction of a neighborhood that was the core of black Charlottesville, the petition states.

Referencing the City Councils recent approval of a funding request for Vinegar Hill Park, set to be erected directly adjacent to the courthouse, the petition asserts that now is an appropriate time to name the building, the most prominent public structure in Vinegar Hill, after someone who stood up for the rights of that community.

Doing so would play a small part in addressing the harm done to this African-American community and helping ensure that anyone entering this building knows that its work is dedicated to providing justice for all, the petition reads. We therefore urge our elected officials to consult the remaining living members of Vinegar Hill who once called this place their home as well as neighborhood associations to select an appropriate name to honor.

The petition suggests three potential candidates for the honor: Eugene Williams, a civil rights leader who fought to desegregate Charlottesville public schools; Teresa Jackson Walker-Price, a community leader and catalyst for saving the historic Jefferson School; and Thurgood Marshall, the Supreme Court justice and civil rights champion whose work helped to end legal segregation in Charlottesville.

In an email, Dukes said the petition came in response to the announcement of Garretts bill. Dukes said he believes Garrett may not have been aware of Vinegar Hills controversial history or the plans for Vinegar Hill Park. Dukes said he has since contacted Garretts office and asked him to reconsider the bill.

We want him to consult the local community that has been working hard to tell this history  not come up with his own name, Dukes said.

In his announcement of the bill, Garrett said Scalia left a legacy that will continue to inspire jurists in America and throughout the world.

Charlottesville Mayor Mike Signer has criticized the bill, calling it political theater.

By Monday evening, eight hours after being put online, the petition had garnered more than 340 signatures.

A spokesman for Garrett had not responded to requests for comment on the petition by press time.

A link to the petition can be found here.
Piedmont Virginia Community College will host a community discussion on tolerance, coexistence and religious diversity on Saturday, according to a news release from the college.

Emre Celik, president of the Rumi Forum for Interfaith Dialogue and Intercultural Understanding, is one of the scheduled speakers at the event, which will be hosted by the colleges Student Government Association.

Other speakers include the Rev. Marion Kanour, rector of Grace Episcopal Church in Nelson County; Colum Leckey, a professor of history at PVCC; and Liana Kowalzik, a local pagan and naturalist, according to the release.

The event, which is free and open to the public, will begin at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Main Stage Theatre of the V. Earl Dickinson Building on PVCCs main campus in Albemarle County. Anyone seeking more information can contact the SGA by calling (434) 961-5359 or sending an email to sga@pvcc.edu.
Love your neighbor as yourself. Its one of the greatest commandments, albeit in short supply in todays fast-moving world preoccupied with digital communication. Most people dont even know their neighbors anymore. Its something I have increasingly realized as important, drawing on a childhood in which neighbors were family.

Everyone in the neighborhood knew everyone else when I was growing up. It was not uncommon to have a few extra neighborhood kids in our house at any given time, sharing meals, doing homework, playing and attending one of the many summer time Bible school classes my mom hosted. It always felt natural to know our neighbors and we were welcome in their homes as well  not all eight of us kids at one time, but we all had our spots of respite.

Me, I was lucky to have a best friend around the corner who had built-in pool. I spent many long summer days at her place, sleeping over, listening to the Dirty Dancing tape over and over, sharing secrets, getting my first kiss from a boy. She was a generous friend who allowed my brothers and sisters over to swim on hot days, some of our most cherished times.

As a younger child when the family wasnt as big, we lived in an apartment next door to a Peruvian family. I remember the smells of delicious food, the lively Spanish music and my young mom and their young mom becoming close friends, comrades, mothers-in-arms. They had two boys who we went to school with and played with around the neighborhood, which we felt like we owned.

In an urban environment, we discovered and relished a small swatch of woods next to a river at the end of our street, down a dusty hill adjacent to a city parks and recreation department ball field. It was a secret spot known to all the neighborhood kids where plans were concocted and play dates planned.

I was in fourth grade when my parents bought their first home across town, a modest duplex next to a duplex where another Peruvian family lived. It was familiar territory and my mom and their mom connected quickly. I was older than their two daughters and would babysit them as a teen. The mom was a great cook like our old neighbor, exposing me to new flavors and elaborate food preparation as a family adhesive.

When I wasnt watching my own siblings, I got other babysitting jobs around the neighborhood, earning five or 10 dollars toward those pair of Reeboks at the mall I wanted. One particular family was rich in my mind, their refrigerator always stocked with the latest snacks and their living room immaculate. I felt out of place, but lucky to be there though I probably ate too many snacks.

The fact that my siblings and I delivered newspapers around the neighborhood exposed us even more to the many families living nearby. One friend was an only child, adopted, who lived in a big fancy house around the corner. Going there made me feel privileged, if a bit suppressed. Another friends mom owned the dance studio where I got to go when I was a toddler. My mom and I cleaned their house for pay when our services were needed.

Other neighbors were elderly including a couple who had cute little dogs I walked as yet another childhood job. They were some of our best newspaper customers, too, giving us full-size candy bars and extra tips when the bi-weekly $2.60 was due.

The close relationships with the neighbors of my childhood set the standard for my life as an adult living in the country, where neighbors also need each other. My mother, as a grandmother, retains her open house policy, providing a lasting example with her own brand of hospitality.

Though its not like it was when I was growing up, my neighbors of today are known to me and my family. We help each other out in times of need and its comforting to know there is an open door if I need it. One of our neighbors is a former teacher whos always bringing over stickers or books for our daughter and another one recently unexpectedly became a father figure of sorts for my husband whose father died when he was a toddler. It only involved a few words, but they were impactful  and delivered in person.

In early January, I asked the universe to provide ways for me to become a better neighbor, and the opportunities have certainly come my way. This morning, as I was rushing out the door for work, half dressed, the young mother a few doors down knocked lightly to see if I could give her car a jump so she could take her two young boys to school, the same school my daughter attends.

Of course I helped her, and together we got her car going without any help from our husbands. We gave each a high five. Being neighborly often involves the mundane, the necessary and the boring. But it builds security and community and its what the world needs now.
Culpeper farmers market vendor applications due this week

The Culpeper Downtown Farmers Markert is now accepting applications for 2017 market season beginning Saturday, April 29 and continuing every Saturday through November 18 from 7:30 am until noon in the East Davis Street parking lot. Vendor applications are due by noon Feb. 24 to the Culpeper Renaissance Inc. office at 127 W. Davis St. Email Culpeper Renaissance, Inc. at crievents@culpeperdowntown.com or call 540/825-4416 for an application.

Gospel concert upcoming at Antioch Baptist

Antioch Baptist Church of Culpeper presents the Mighty Spiritual Lights of Alexandria for a free gospel concert starting at 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 4. The night of music will also include performances by The Divine Life Mens Chorus of Culpeper, The Old Gospel Dynamics of Reston and The Sensational Voices of Bristow. Doors open at 4 p.m. Antioch church is located at 202 S. West St. in downtown Culpeper. For information, call 703/459-0821.

Wild and Scenic Film Fest coming to the Daniel Tech Center

The Friends of the Rappahannock will host the Wild and Scenic Film Festival from 1 to 5 p.m. on March 18 at the Germanna Community College Daniel Technology Center in Culpeper.

The festival showcases environmental action and adventure in beautiful but threatened places around the world, according to a news release.

Enjoy the Dream Day of friends who start high in the Sieras and hike, ski, and bike to the coast for a sunset surf. See how Alaskans save a free flowing, wild salmon river from a new hydro-electric dam. Learn how a Texas rancher and a Carolina farmer restore their farms to harmony and balance with nature. The Festivals 12 short movies aim to inspire viewers to protect and enjoy the wild and the local places we love, the release said.

Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. School students are free of charge, college students free with ID. Tickets can be purchased online at www.riverfriends.org.For more information, call (540) 373-3448 or e-mail nick.cadwallender@riverfriends.org

The Friends of the Rappahannock is a nonprofit advocacy group in its 32nd year of protecting the river.

The film festival will also be held 1 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 25 in the Dodd Auditorium at University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg.

Lenten services in Brandy Station

Christ Episcopal Church will be hosting a trio of Lenten observances starting with an Ash Wednesday Service at 5:30 p.m. on March 1. An evening prayer service will be held at 5:30 p.m. on March 8 followed by dinner and the same on March 22. April 9 is Palm Sunday and April 16 Easter Sunday. Christ Episcopal Church is located at 14586 Alanthus Rd. in Brandy Station and is under the leadership of the Rev. Peter Way For information, call 540/321-4301.

Bingo at Autumn Care

Autumn Care is hosting a bingo event 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Feb. 28 at its facility in Madison. Seniors 65 and older are invited to the free gathering at which will be provided refreshments and prizes. For information and to RSVP contact Michelle Pitts at 540/948-3054.

Autumn Care of Madison provides short term rehabilitation; long term skilled nursing care; and respite care.

Mens Fellowship Night

The Mens Ministry of Mount Pisgah Baptist Church in Tanners, Madison County, will host its Second Annual Mens Fellowship Night at the church on Friday, March 17. The event begins with a meet and greet at 6:30pm. All men are welcome to attend this opportunity to fellowship and to discuss topics aimed at encouraging and building up men of God. Men are encouraged to bring their sons. The topic for the evening comes from Ephesians 6, putting on the full armor of God, with guest lecturer Rev. Fred Sales of Macedonia Baptist Church, Colonial Beach. Dinner served. The church is located at 217 Mt. Pisgah Church Dr. in Tanners. For information, call 540/672-9065.

Youth art contest for Wildflower Weekend in the Shenandoah

Childrens creativity will be highlighted during Shenandoah National Parks 31st Annual Wildflower Weekend May 6 and 7. The Youth in the Park wildflower art contest is part of the special weekend and artwork is now being accepted.

The contest is open to students in grades K-12 in the counties of Albemarle, Augusta, Greene, Madison, Page, Nelson, Rappahannock, Rockingham, Shenandoah and Warren. Entries are due April 14.

Contest rules, an entry form and weekend schedule can be found at nps.gov/shen.

Submissions must be 8x10-inch flat art depicting one or more native wildflowers. There is wildflower list and reference photo gallery on the parks web site. Ribbons and other prizes will be awarded to top entries in each age category as well as an overall best in show. Winners will be recognized at a ceremony in the park May 6 and the artwork displayed in the visitors centers. For information, contact mara_meisel@nps.gov or 540/999-3500 ext. 3282.

Easter egg hunt

New Salem Baptist Church will hold an Easter egg hunt for ages 2 to fifth grade at 10 a.m. on April 15. The church is located at 8233 Sperryville Pike in Culpeper.

Miss Culpeper Scholarship Pageant entry forms due

Culpeper County Public Schools Fine Arts will present the annual Miss Culpeper Scholarship Pageant at 7 p.m. April 22 in the auditorium of Culpeper County High School featuring 10 contestants from both CCHS and Eastern View High School. Finalists will compete in group dance, question and answer, poise, scholarship, talent, community service, and formal dress. Grade point average will also figured into the scoring system.

Entry forms are now available at each high school and online at the school websites. The deadline for entry forms, including a teacher recommendation, is Feb. 21. Talent auditions will take place Feb. 22, after school at CCHS.

Contact Jeff Walke at 540-825/0621 or at jwalker@culpeperschools.org for information.

Ham & oyster dinner in Fauquier

The Bealeton Remington Ruritan Club is hosting its annual all-you-eat Ham & Oyster Dinner 4 to 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 1 at Cedar-Lee Middle School, 11138 Marsh Rd. in Bealeton. This is the Ruritan Clubs largest fund-raiser of the years with all proceeds benefiting local charities. The event will include music by the Shenandoah Travelers, a silent auction and 50/50 drawing. Get advance tickets for $25 at CK True Value Bealeton, Rosson & Troilo Remington or the Corner Deli Remington. Tickets are $30 at the door. Children aged 6 to 12 are $12 and children 5 and younger eat free. For information, call 540/439-3883.

CCHS class of 1982 students sought for reunion

The Culpeper County High School Class of 1982 is holding its 35th reunion Oct. 7 and is looking for certain classmates so they can send them invitations. The students are: Sheila Brown, Tina Brown Richburg, Debbie Butler, Randolph Davis, Sandra Garnett, Wanda Green, Ernie Guzman, Audrey Hart, Marshall Leon Hicks, Tammy May, Ronnie Moore, Sherry Myers, Laura Phillips, Craig Pryor, Ronnie Smith, Teresa Thompson, George White and Michael Williams.

To provide contact information for these students from the CCHS class of 1982, contact Tammy Hitt Terwlliger at 540/347-3952.

Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper and Mardi Gras festivities

Everyone is welcome to join a Pancake Supper hosted by the St. Stephens Church in Culpeper from 5 to 7 p.m. on Feb. 28. The cost is $5 per person or $20 for a family of 5 or more. Pay at the door. All proceeds go to the youth group. No RSVP needed: just you, your family and an appetite.

The Feb. 28 event will also include a celebration of Mardi Gras in the youth area of the church with games beginning at 6:00 p.m. during the Pancake Supper. Games, prizes and treats will be enjoyed by all. Try to win a cake at the annual cake walk too. Cost is $1 for 10 tickets or $5 for 60 tickets.

The life and times of the author of The Star-Spangled Banner

All are invited to The Warrenton Antiquarian Societys annual Open Meeting at 2 p.m. on March 7 at the Warrenton-Fauquier Visitors Center, 33 N. Calhoun St. for a free talk by historian and journalist Marc Leepson, author of, What So Proudly We Hailed: Francis Scott Key, A Life. It is the first biography of the author of the Star-Spangled Banner in 75 years, according to a news release.

Francis Scott Key (1779-1843) was born in what is now Carroll County, Maryland, graduated from St. Johns College in Annapolis, read the law under his uncle, and was a leading attorney in a number of noted cases and trials including the prosecution of Richard Lawrence, whose unsuccessful attempt to assassinate President Andrew Jackson on the steps of the Capitol, was the first attempt to kill an American chief executive.

A former staff writer for Congressional Quarterly, Leepson has been a freelance writer since 1986 and has written for Preservation, Smithsonian, Military History, Civil War Times, Americans Civil War, the Washington Post and the New York Times.

The Warrenton Antiquarian Society is a nonprofit group with a mission of promoting historic education and preserving Weston, a 19th and 20th century farmstead located in the village of Casanova in Fauquier County. A reception will follow the upcoming event.

March in March for disability awareness

The Culpeper County Disability Services Advisory Committee is hosting the March in March 10 a.m. to noon on March 17 at Culpeper Baptist Church. There were be disability service vendors on site and the event will include a 30-minute walk to Main Street to raise awareness about disabilities. In case of rain, the vendors will be moved inside to the ground level worship center of the church on West Street.

Interested vendors can contact Abbey Newton at abbey.dsac.marchinmarch@gmail.com.

How to grow Christmas trees

Virginia Cooperative Extension is hosting a class on how to grow Christmas trees from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on March 31 at the Warrenton-Fauquier Visitor Center, 33 Calhoun St. in Warrenton. The cost to attend is $15 and includes lunch and materials. Participants may register by contacting the Virginia Cooperative Extension Culpeper Office by phone at 540/727-3435 or email: ashawn6@vt.edu.Attendees will get an overview of Christmas tree production techniques; identification and control methods for common Christmas tree pests and diseases; financing and market analysis; labor and liability issues; and grower experiences in Christmas tree production. Demonstrations and presentations will be given by industry professionals and Extension faculty.

Bluemont Concert Series

Bluemont Concert Series in partnership with the Meade M. Palmer Memorial Fund will present a special program, West African Dance, Drums, and Games, on March 2 at Farmington Elementary School.This program is made possible by support from the Meade M. Palmer Memorial Fund which is managed by the Northern Piedmont Community Foundation and focuses on improving the quality of life for residents of Culpeper, Fauquier, Madison and Rappahannock counties, according to a news release.

Anansegrommas West African Dance, Drums, and Games program presents an exhilarating and memorable introduction to West African culture. Sharing their rich traditions through call and response songs, games, mime, dance, and drum rhythms, Kofi and Kwame invite active participation from their audience. Their energetic program includes demonstrations of authentic musical instruments, and an explanation of kente cloth symbolism.

The Bluemont Concert Series is a non-profit arts organization that has helped build the cultural spirit of more than 50 Virginia communities by inspiring and educating people of all ages. Throughout the year, Bluemonts Artists-In-Education program provides the highest quality cultural and educational programs in schools across Virginia. For information, see bluemont.org, email Melissa@bluemont.org or call 540/955-8186
New Delhi: Infosys chief Vishal Sikka today said "false and malicious" stories are being spread about the USD 200-million Panaya buyout to target him even as the tech major asserted that no one from the management team benefited from the deal.

In a letter to employees, Infosys chief executive Vishal Sikka lashed out at detractors for spreading "false and malicious" stories about the company and said they were "designed" to target him to the "point of harassment".

In a strongly worded email to Infosys employees, Sikka said the reports questioning the company's acquisition of Panaya are "orchestrated by people who are hell-bent on harming the reputation of the company and its employees".

In a late evening statement, Infosys said, "We categorically state that no member of the Infosys management team was involved in any prior investments in Panaya, and insinuations that anyone from the management team at Infosys benefitted from this acquisition are misleading and slanderous."

The IT giant added that it will investigate the charges made and "will respond to all queries received either directly or from the regulatory authorities" as per its process.

In February 2015, Infosys had announced buying the Israeli automation technology company for USD 200 million or Rs 1,250 crore in cash.

A section of media reported about a whistleblower's letter to market regulator SEBI, alleging irregularities in the acquisition of Panaya. Referring to the charges, Sikka said "they create a false alternate-reality out of events and dates, with embellishments that are calculated to mislead and sensationalise".

He added that while these "distractions are expensive, draining and time-consuming", it is Infosys' burden to ensure that the company's business continues "unflinchingly". "We cannot let these stand unchallenged, and we will take every step and pursue every avenue to strongly defend the company in the face of these unfair and unwarranted attacks," the Infosys CEO said.

Sikka is pitted against a clutch of co-founders led by N R Narayana Murthy voicing concerns over a spike in his remuneration and hefty severance packages for two former executives.

Stating that the company has "far bigger battles ahead", Sikka urged employees to "rise above the distractions, focus on what really matters, and deliver". "I am, as always, counting on your faith and unwavering attention to what really matters. Change is never easy, and change at the scale that we are undertaking may be unprecedented, and perhaps it is this change that has so inflamed some into trying to drag us all into the mud," he said.

Infosys said it has a strong, established internal process to evaluate acquisition targets and make investments.
New Delhi: India's millennial population is a massive disruptive force and driven by this supportive demographics along with government's policy action, Indian economy is likely to reach USD 5 trillion by 2025, says a report.

India's USD 2.2 trillion economy makes it the seventh largest in the world in terms of nominal GDP (and the third largest in PPP terms), but the country's per capita income is less significant.

With a per capita income of USD 1,700, India ranks well behind some of the key emerging markets, like China, Russia, Brazil, Indonesia, the Philippines, Mexico, and Turkey.

"We expect a confluence of supportive factors, led by demographics, government policy action, and globalisation, to lead to a sustained period of productive growth in the medium term," Morgan Stanley said in a research note adding "in our base case, we expect the Indian economy to reach USD 5 trillion by FY2025.

By financial year 2024-25, Morgan Stanley expects per capita income to rise 125 per cent to USD 3,650. The report said India's millennial population of 400 million is the largest in the world and is armed with around USD 180 billion in spending power and with high smartphone adoption and widespread availability of mobile broadband infrastructure, it will become a disruptive force faster than most businesses expect.

The population dynamics will therefore be a key force in shaping India's overall growth trajectory and also in shaping how product markets will develop as the preferences of the population evolve, Morgan Stanley said.

The report, however, noted that the demographics factor alone is not sufficient for an acceleration in GDP growth. It is important that the working age population is adequately skilled to participate in a globalised competitive environment.

"The next leg of harnessing this young and better skilled population would require creation of adequate employment opportunities, which is an opportunity and a challenge for India," it said.
New Delhi: India has conveyed to WTO the reason for imposition of minimum import price (MIP) on steel products and is ready to discuss the issue further if required, Steel Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh has said.

Japan has dragged India to the World Trade Organization against certain measures taken by New Delhi on imports of iron and steel products. "The rationale for imposition of MIP had also been communicated to WTO through our Indian Ambassador. So, if there is any further clarification required, Ministry is ready to discuss the same," Singh told PTI.

India has moved from MIP to the regime of anti-dumping and safeguards, he said, adding that the MIP mechanism was an exigency measure that was taken to curb the unabated surge in imports at predatory pricing.

He said MIP was notified as an emergency measure as other trade remedial measures such as anti-dumping rules and safeguard rules are process oriented and time consuming in terms of implementation and impact.

"However, MIP was gradually phased out as and when suitable trade remedial measures were put in place," he added. The Government of India, he said, has provided extensive support to the domestic steel industry by way of various trade remedial measures in recent times, such as MIP, anti-dumping and safeguard measures and quality control.

"The current scenario in the steel sector is well known, and hence the government will take all necessary measures as and when required to support the industry," Singh said.

As on date, 124 out of 173 tariff lines initially notified as MIP, are covered under anti-dumping duties in addition to the safeguard duties on Hot Rolled Coils and Plates.

MIP has also been withdrawn on February 4, he added. "On December 20, Japan notified the WTO Secretariat that it had requested dispute consultations with India in the dispute 'India-Certain Measures on Imports of Iron and Steel Products," the WTO had said.
Union Minister for Electronics & Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad with CEO Microsoft, Satya Narayana Nadella during a meeting in New Delhi (Photo:PTI)

New Delhi: Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella today met IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and discussed the company's rural digital initiatives and leveraging LinkedIn for creating employment opportunities.

"Microsoft is doing good work in India. In particular, we have appreciated their initiative for digital inclusion in village, the Harisal pilot project in Maharashtra where they brought in technology and connectivity for digital health and digital education...," Prasad said after the 30-minute meeting.

"This is something I am considering for replication in our larger vision for Digi Gaon initiative," he added. Prasad said that other issues discussed included "LinkedIn involvement in skilling professionals to be exposed to good job opportunities".

The issue of H-1B visas did not figure at the meeting with the India-born CEO of Microsoft, he said.

The Minister said Nadella represented a powerful statement of "extraordinary contribution of India's talent" and accomplishments.
Mumbai: Kangana Ranaut says that her much publicised battle with Hrithik Roshan over their alleged love affair, is a thing of the past now and that the chapter is done and dusted for her.

The two stars tussle started when Kangana hinted at Hrithik being her silly ex during an interview last year. Their feud turned nasty after they slapped legal notices on each other. Hrithik even asked her to tender a public apology and refuted her claim of the two having had a relationship.

During this war of the words between the duo, there were people from the film industry who suggested the national award-winning actress to desist from making anything public. I was called at big peoples houses. I was told if I open my mouth, I will be finished (referring to her career). But it doesnt make any sense because that chapter is over for me. It is so done and dusted and it doesnt hold any relevance in todays time, Kangana told PTI when asked if she was told to sort out the issue behind close doors.

I had that (low) phase also but it did not frighten or threaten me because I knew I was not doing anything wrong, she said.

The two reportedly started dating on sets of Krrish 3.
Mumbai: A city-based man today approached a court here seeking its direction to Railway Police to file a case against actor Shah Rukh Khan in connection with the death of a person during promotion of the film Raees.

Farid Khan Pathan had died of cardiac arrest as crowd went berserk after Shah Rukh arrived by August Kranti Rajdhani Express at the Vadodara railway station on January 23 night.

Solanki approached the court of Judicial Magistrate First Class here seeking its direction to Railway Police at Vadodara to register a case against actor Shah Rukh Khan.

Talking to PTI today, Solanki's lawyer Juned L Saiyed said his client has demanded registration of cases against actor and others under IPC 304 (a) (causing death by negligence), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees), 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 147 (punishment for rioting).

SRK had boarded the train from Mumbai Central for Delhi as part of his promotional campaign 'Raees by Rail'.
Talking about organ donation at an elderly age, Dr Mahesh Goppasetty of Apollo Hospital said, It is considered sensitive in our country and has not been widely accepted. We are bound to believe in rituals and religious sentiments before donating bodies."

Bengaluru: Seventy-year-old Venkataswamy, a farmer who was shifted from Blossom Hospital to Apollo Hospital in a critical state, was announced brain dead. His family members decided to donate his liver, kidneys and eyes.

Talking about organ donation at an elderly age, Dr Mahesh Goppasetty of Apollo Hospital said, It is considered sensitive in our country and has not been widely accepted. We are bound to believe in rituals and religious sentiments before donating bodies. This has to change with proper awareness and guidance at the base level. Venkataswamys wife said, It was a very tough decision for our family. But when doctors told us that our decision can help save someone elses life, we as a family decided to take a step ahead and donate my husbands organs.
Chennai: 23-year-old Lavanya S. hated the monthly routine of purchasing sanitary napkins as they were expensive and a task to dispose off. When she heard about the menstrual cup for the first time last year, she did her share of research before making the purchase. There has been no turning back to napkins since.

A menstruating woman uses, on an average, about 144 pads a year. There are around 355 million menstruating women in the country, and only 12 percent use sanitary napkins, due to which over 432 million tonnes of waste is generated. Sanitary pads are environmentally unsustainable, says Bharti Kannan, co-founder of Boondh, a group that manufactures and sells the cups; these are compliant with the standards prescribed by the Food and Drug Administration in the US.

Anything with fluids from the body should be treated as medical waste, but pads are treated as household waste. However, the cups can be recycled and used for five to ten years, she added.

Boondh, as part of its awareness campaign on the benefits of using the cup in schools, colleges, companies and villages, visited the Indian Institute of Madras (IITM) around two weeks ago to educate women students and faculty about the product. Many students showed interest and purchased cups, stated Bharti Kannan.

Many like Lavanya, who have experienced the comfort of using the cup, have a similar story to tell. It is distressing that not many women are aware of this product which is healthy, economical, and environment friendly, as opposed to napkins. The issue of having to constantly change the pads is forgotten when using the cup, said Aradhana Pramod, a resident of Ashoka Nagar.

Though a profit organization, Boondh is working towards a social cause - to remove the stigma that surrounds menstruation and promote better means of managing it, mainly through using the menstrual cup. However much a woman tries to cover up the fact that she has her periods, the smell of blood is evident to those around her. This causes people, especially men, to stay away from menstruating women, said gynaecologist Dr Ganga.

Apart from absorbing blood from our bodies, sanitary napkins are said to also absorb moisture and bacteria. They are treated with chlorine bleach, and chlorine produces furans and dioxins - compounds which are known to be carcinogenic.

(With inputs from Nirupa Sampath and Deepika Balu)
Experts opine that the lack of awareness is one of the major reasons for the stigma.

Chennai: It was only when she took up psychology in plus-2 that Sanaya suspected that her younger sister Susan suffered from a mental health disorder. Alarmed, she informed her parents, who booked an appointment with a psychiatrist. It was found that she was deficient in serotonin  a hormone that helps regulate ones mood.

With the stigma of mental health continuing to exist in the country, not many people discuss mental health issues without terming it a mental problem.

Experts opine that the lack of awareness is one of the major reasons for the stigma. Because of the lack of education on the same, many are unable to differentiate between a psychiatrist and a psychologist. Even for a minute problem, people approach a psychiatrist demanding medication, said Elayaraja, a Counsellor with the 104 Helpline.

Susan knew there was something wrong. She would spend hours reading, only to find out later that her mind had not absorbed any of it. However, she decided not to discuss it with anyone, for the fear of being termed mental, said psychiatrist Dr Mini Mathew, adding that awareness against the stigma must be increased.

Despite Tamil Nadu is well ahead of other states in terms of health care, it is said that the state still has a long way to go in mental health care. There is a major shortage in the number of psychiatrists and counsellors in the state. The public in the state still find it difficult to step out of their cocoons when it comes to mental health, Elayaraj said, adding, Many prefer to become diabetologists or cardiologists or fertility doctors as there is much more scope in those fields. Districts like Tiruvallur lack psychiatrists in the private sector.

According to a recent report by the ministry of health and family welfare, seven per cent of the population suffers from mental disorders. Over 90 per cent remain untreated as there is less than one psychiatrist available for every four lakh population.

Experts say that it is not just the problem of diagnosis and the stigma attached to mental health disorders, but the severe shortage of mental health professionals and facilities in India.

Psychiatry courses are also not considered lucrative enough by state governments, said an official from the ministry of health and family welfare. States need to increase the number of seats in colleges, she urged.
Urban spaces are developing everyday and it is difficult to retain the trees in the area because of new bridges being built. Residents in Bengaluru recently faced an issue and a Hyderabadi man came to their rescue with a unique method, hardly explored in the attempt to save trees. The method helped urbanisation and also saved the trees from getting destroyed in the process.

According to a media report, Ramchandra Appari decided to take up translocation after he felt sad about the loss of trees in Hyderabad in 2009 when the Hyderabad-Vijaywada highway was being built. He was introduced to the ancient technique of translocation by a friend in Australia. The man has since started Green Morning Horticulture Services Private Limited and has done various projects that will help the unnecessary cutting of trees to stop.

Appari along with his company upon taking the project identify the trees and dig about 4 feet deep around the tree and treated with chemicals before they are transported safely later. The tree is transported with its roots wrapped into a ball and packed in a large jute bag. Ramchandra has translocated over 5,000 trees with a success rate of 80 percent, which is quite impressive. The Hyderabadi man will now be helping the Bengaluru residents in Jayamahal retain 112 trees so that it doesnt hamper the oxygen levels and urbanisation at the same time.
The parents rushed to the school and complained to the principal. (Representational image)

BENGALURU: A three-year-old girl was allegedly sexually harassed by a supervisor of a nursery school in Marathahalli police limits. The police have arrested the accused and questioned the school principal about the incident.

The accused, Manjunath, is around 40 years old. The alleged incident took place on Friday on the school premises. The incident came to light when the girl returned home crying on Friday. When her parents asked her, she reportedly complained of pain in her private parts and explained what happened at the school.

The parents rushed to the school and complained to the principal. Though, the girl identified the accused in their presence and also identified him in the photo, the school authorities were not ready to file a complaint.

The next day, the parents approached the Marathahalli police and lodged a complaint, following which the police arrested Manjunath.

He was reportedly handling the CCTV cameras installed at the school and the parents fear that he might have deleted the footage.

Meanwhile, the parents also complained to the police against the school principal for not taking any action against Manjunath even after hearing from the girl about the incident.

On Monday, the police summoned the school principal and enquired her about the incident.

We questioned her whether the school was adhering to the guidelines set to be followed in schools. She claimed the school is following them, but we have to verify it. The accused has been booked under the Pocso Act, the police said.

Meanwhile, the school put up a notice at the school, saying they will be shut till further notice.
According to the police, the woman along with her female friend had gone to a restaurant in HRBR Layout on February 12 night for dinner, after which they were walking to their home close by. (Representational image)

BENGALURU: A 20-year-old woman, who was returning home after dinner at a restaurant, was allegedly molested by two bike-borne miscreants, who also allegedly tore her top before escaping. The incident was reported in HRBR Layout in Banasawadi police station limits on the night of February 12. The police, however, suspect it to be a case of chain snatching attempt.

The complainant, who works at the Kempegowda International Airport for a private airline company, was reportedly not willing to file the complaint and approached the police two days after the incident.

According to the police, the woman along with her female friend had gone to a restaurant in HRBR Layout on February 12 night for dinner, after which they were walking to their home close by. Around 10 pm, two men on a bike came from behind, held her top and it tore. As the two girls screamed and public started gathering, the miscreants sped away.

The police were alerted about the incident and a patrolling vehicle was rushed to the spot. Though the police staff asked the girl to file a complaint, she said she did not want to file one. Two days later, on February 14, she turned up and registered a formal complaint, the police said.

A senior police officer said that prima facie, it appears like a case of chain-snatching attempt. The way the incident has occurred suggests that its a case of attempt for snatching her chain. As the miscreant tried to pull her chain and held her top, it was torn. However, we have registered an FIR under Section 354 of the IPC for outraging the modesty of a woman and are investigating further, the official said.
Patna: A case of sex abuse has been registered against a senior congress leader by a minor girl who is also the daughter of a former state minister hailing from the same party.

The girl claimed that she was harassed sexually by several men including high profile car dealer Nikhil Priyadarshi and Brajesh Pandey, who is the Congress Vice President for Bihar.

A case under POSCO (Protection of children from sexual offences) act has been registered against Pandey by the state police and a manhunt has been launched to nab him.

Police sources said, While his residential premises were raided, it seems that he has gone into hiding after his name surfaced in the incident.

Priyadarshi and other co-accused are missing after a lower court here had recently rejected his anticipatory bail application.

Speaking on the issue Inspector General of Police  Weaker Section, Anil Yadav told media here that a case under POCSO act against Brajesh Pandey has been registered on the basis of CID womens cells report.

Speaking to reporters in Patna, the victim said that she had met Brajesh Pandey through Nikhil Priyadarshi, who she claimed was her fiance. She said, We became friends on social media and later on the pretext of marriage, I was exploited several times by Nikhil.

She further claimed that Priyadharshi had films of their intimate relationship which he used to blackmail her.

I was once taken to an apartment where Brajesh Pandey touched me inappropriately. When I resisted he threatened to kill me and also offered me money which I refused instantly, the girl said.

The victim also said that she belonged to a political family as her grandfather and father have been associated with the congress party. She also threatened to commit suicide if action against the senior leader is not taken by the police.

Her statement has kicked up a political storm in Bihar with leaders from opposition party demanding immediate action against Brajesh Pandey. BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said, Action must be initiated against Pandey if he is found involved in the heinous act.
The medical examination of the child was conducted and her condition is stated to be stable. (Photo: Representational Image)

New Delhi: A 50-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a four-year-old girl in Begumpur area of Rohini, police said today.

The incident happened last night but was reported to the police this afternoon and the accused, named Firen, was arrested, said a senior police officer.

The accused, who is a neighbour of the victim, had come to her house around 9 PM.

"Since the accused was known to the family, they didn't bother when he offered to put the child to sleep. He allegedly sexually assaulted her and left the home after threatening her," said a senior police officer.

The girl didn't reveal about the incident to her mother but later she broke down and narrated her ordeal.

The medical examination of the child was conducted and her condition is stated to be stable.

Firen is married and lives in the same colony.

A case under IPC section 376 (rape) and relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act has been registered at Begumpur police station and further probe is underway, police said.
Chennai: Amid growing furore over the abduction and harassment of a leading south Indian actress, a noted Tamil actress on Monday claimed that a TV channel executive had spoken to her in an "improper" manner.

Kollywood actress Varalakshmi Sarathkumar said women's safety has become a joke as she rallied behind the fellow actress who faced the harassment in Kochi.

Recalling a meeting with the programming head of a "leading" TV Channel, Sarathkumar claimed that towards the end he had asked her if they can "meet outside".

"When questioned if it was regarding some other work 'his answer (said with a smug like it was the norm) no no! Not work.. For other things," she tweeted.

"I hide my shock and anger and tell him Sorry! Please leave. His last words on the topic was So.. That's all? and he smiled and walked away," she posted on Twitter without specifying when the incident occurred.

"I am an actress. It does not mean that just because I lead a glamourous life on screen that I deserve to be spoken with disrespect. It's my life, my body and my wish," she said.

She said incidents of rape, molestation, manhandling and disrespect to women were rising "at alarming rates". Varalakshmi, daughter of actor-turned politician Sarathkumar, has acted in several Tamil films.
Based on information through social media that the child was in a house, police rushed to the spot and rescued the baby. (Photo: Representational Image)

Udhagamandalam (Tamil Nadu): A nine-month old girl, who was kidnapped two days ago from her house at Kandal near Ooty, was on Monday rescued and a woman arrested in this connection.

Special teams were formed to nab the woman who kidnapped the girl around 8 pm on February 17, police said.

Based on information through social media that the child was in a house, police rushed to the spot and rescued the baby. They also arrested the woman, police said.

Preliminary inquiry revealed that the girl was kidnapped, as the woman, having two sons, wanted a girl to look after, they said.

Police managed to diffuse tension in the area, as a group of people sought to give a communal angle to the incident.

The child was restored to the parents and the woman remanded to judicial custody.
Hyderabad:A majority of ATMs in the city are running without cash due to non-supply of notes from the nodal branches of banks and alleged negligence of ATM distribution agencies in filling the machines with cash from time-to-time. The city has as many as 1,500 ATM booths.

Nearly 90 per cent of the offsite and 40 per cent onsite ATMs were not filled with cash on Saturday. Sunday was holiday for both the banks and the ATM agencies, and this led to the ATMs going dry by Saturday evening. K. Raghuram from Neredmet said there was no cash with the ATMs located at the Neredmet Chowrasta and Malkajgiri on Sunday. I visited nearly 25 ATMs on the way from Neredmet to Secunderabad. I got only `2,000 at the ATM of a corporate bank on S.D. Road. Almost all the ATMs related to public sector banks remained dry till Monday afternoon, he said.

An employee from Sisco cash distribution agency said a majority of the banks could not provide the normal supply of cash on Saturday. This led to the crisis across the GHMC limits. Secretary of the bank employees federation, M.S. Kumar, said ATM agencies kept blaming bankers to cover up their flaws. After Christmas, all the nodal branches of banks are supplying sufficient cash to agencies for filling the ATMs. There is no cash shortage with city banks, he said. Kumar sai-d the agencies must work hard for the coming three days to avoid a similar crisis by the end of the week.Friday is a bank holiday in connection with Shivratri followed by fourth Saturday and Sunday. We are requesting the RBI to have sufficient currency supply in view of the coming holidays and are directing distribution agencies to make necessary arrangements to avoid inconvenience to bank customers, he said.

Following complaints from customers, a few banks took the initiative for filling up a few ATMs with cash by Monday evening. The ATMs are expected to be refilled by Tuesday morning.
New Delhi: Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday said a thorough probe should be conducted into allegations against former CBI chief Amar Pratap Singh which claim he favoured controversial meat exporter Moin Qureshi.

"These allegations have to be thoroughly enquired into. It is a real shame for all of us that director of a premier investigative agency has now been charged," Naidu told reporters on sidelines of an event.

The CBI had named Singh along with Qureshi and others in an FIR registered last week for allegedly favouring the meat exporter, after receiving a complaint from the Enforcement Directorate.

The agency carried out searches at the residence of Singh on Monday.

Naidu said this shows the "level of corruption" that has crept into the system.

"It should be taken to its logical conclusion and all links should be thoroughly investigated," he added.

Qureshi has been accused of accepting money from several people for securing favours from public servants.

Meanwhile, asked about BJP's strategy for Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls, he said, "Let the results come. Then we will decide what to do and how to go about it. Why should we make hasty statements now?"

However, he said BJP is confident of winning the BMC polls.
Justice N Kirubakaran set aside an election notification issued by the SEC on September 26, 2016 citing non compliance with the Tamil Nadu Panchayat (Election) Rules, 1995. (Photo: PTI/Representational Image)

Chennai: The Madras High Court on Tuesday directed the State Election Commission (SEC) to hold local body elections before May 14.

A Bench of Justices Nooty Ramamohana Rao and S.M. Subramaniam directed the state poll panel to conduct civic polls.

The state civic poll was scheduled to be conducted in two phases - October 17 and October 19.

However Justice N Kirubakaran set aside an election notification issued by the SEC on September 26, 2016 citing non compliance with the Tamil Nadu Panchayat (Election) Rules, 1995 with regard to delimitation of constituencies and reservation of seats for women.

Justice Kirubakaran had later directed the poll panel to issue fresh notifications and complete the election process by December 31, 2016.
Earlier this month, a 20-metre tunnel dug from Pakistan to help terrorists infiltrate into India was found by the BSF near the International Border. (Photo: Representational Image)

Srinagar: The Border Security Force (BSF) on Tuesday morning gunned down a terrorist in an attempt to foil an infiltration bid in Rajouri, Jammu and Kashmir.

The BSF 163 Battalion gunned down the terrorist in Keri Sector of Rajouri in the gunbattle that ensued between both sides.

However, two terrorists managed to flee the spot amid the hail of gunfire.

Earlier this month, a 20-metre tunnel dug from Pakistan to help terrorists infiltrate into India was found by the BSF near the International Border.

The tunnel was discovered during searches at the Ramgarh sector in Sambha.
Mumbai: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) may introduce a new series of Rs 1,000 notes, to replace the earlier notes of similar denomination that were demonetised on November 8.

According to a report in the Indian Express, RBI has already started production of new Rs 1,000 notes.

Quoting an official, the report says that the note was supposed to be introduced in January, but it has been delayed due to the pressing need to supply Rs 500 notes.

However, it is not clear when the new Rs 1,000 note will be introduced, added the report.

The logic behind introducing the new Rs 1,000 note is that it will make transactions in Rs 2,000 notes easier, said the report.

As on January 27, notes in circulation, comprising all denominations including Rs 2,000 and Rs 500, were Rs 9.92 lakh crore, RBI Deputy Governor R Gandhi said on February 8. But the RBI has not released data on the total value of Rs 500 and Rs 2000 notes in circulation.

RBI Governor Urjit Patel however has said that specific data on the value of new notes released into the economy will be disclosed soon.

A number of steps have been taken to ease the cash crunch following demonetisation. February 20 onward, the limit on cash withdrawals from savings bank accounts are being raised to Rs 50,000 per week from the earlier limit of Rs 24,000 per week. From March 13, all limits on cash withdrawal from savings bank accounts will be removed.

The Indian Express report adds that an email sent to the RBI and finance ministry for comments on the re-introduction of Rs 1,000 notes did not elicit any response.
AIADMK General secretary VK Sasikala arrives to surrender at the special court after she convicted in DA case in Bengaluru last week. (Photo: PTI)

Bengaluru: AIADMK leader Sasikala, serving a jail term after her conviction in a disproportionate assets case, will have to serve 13 more months in prison if she fails to pay a fine of Rs 10 crore imposed by the Supreme Court.

"Sasikala Natarajan will have to pay Rs 10 crore and if she fails to pay the punitive amount imposed by the Supreme Court, she will have to serve 13 more months in the jail," Prisons Superintendent Krishna Kumar said in a statement.

The AIADMK General Secretary is currently serving her sentence at the Parapanna Agrahara prison here.

The Supreme Court had on February 14 restored Sasikala's conviction in the disproportionate assets case, awarding four years jail term to her and her relatives, besides imposing a fine of Rs 10 crore each.

Sasikala will be in jail for three years and 11 months, out of the four years sentence awarded by the trial court. She had earlier spent 21 days in Parappana Agrahara jail after conviction by the trial court in September 2014.

"The convicts--Sasikala, Illavarasi and Sudhakaranare getting (the same) treatment in the jail as others are getting and they have not been given any special treatment," Kumar said.

For security reasons, Sasikala and Illavarasi have been lodged in the women's block and they are living in a small cell, Kumar said.

Sudhakaran is lodged in the men's block, he said.

Food prepared in jail was being served to them and prison doctors were regularly conducting medical checkups and administering medicines to them, Kumar said.

They are allowed to watch television at a common place, Kumar said.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday questioned the source of money in the bank accounts of social activist Teesta Setalvad and others which were frozen by Ahmedabad police in 2015 after allegations of misappropriation.

"Whose money is this? From where did the money in these bank accounts come," a bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra asked the counsel for Setalvad.

"There are multiple donors who have donated the money for various purposes. Our personal bank accounts and the bank accounts of NGOs have been frozen by them, which also include fixed deposits. At least the court should direct them that personal bank accounts should be de-freezed as a lot of time has passed," advocate Aparna Bhat appearing for Setalvad said.

She said they have submitted the details of source of money to the Gujarat government but no action has been taken on de-freezing the accounts till now.

Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for Gujarat, told the bench, which also comprised Justices A M Khanwilkar and M M Shantanagoudar, that some time was needed to file a detailed reply on the issue.

The bench then posted the matter for further hearing on April 18.

On November 9 last year, the apex court had fixed the pleas of Setalvad, her husband Javed Anand and her two controversial NGOs challenging the freezing of their accounts for final hearing.

Setalvad had objected to the repeated adjournments taken by Gujarat government after the apex court issued a notice, saying their accounts have remained frozen for nearly three years.

Teesta, her husband and two NGOs -- Sabrang Trust and Citizens for Justice and Peace -- had approached the apex court challenging the October 7, 2015 verdict of the Gujarat High Court which rejected their pleas for de-freezing their personal bank accounts.

One of the residents of Gulberg Society, Firoz Khan Pathan, had filed a complaint against Setalvad and others alleging that money was raised to make a museum at Gulberg Society in the memory of 69 people killed in the 2002 Gujarat riots, but it had not been utilised for the purpose.

The accounts of the accused were frozen by Ahmedabad Police soon after its Crime Branch had started probing a case in which Setalvad and others were accused of embezzling Rs 1.51 crore collected to convert Gulberg Society into a museum.

The high court had upheld the verdict of a lower court in this regard observing that the probe was at a serious point in the case of Gulberg society fund embezzlement.

In their plea before the apex court, the petitioners had alleged that their accounts were "illegally" frozen without following the due process of law.

"The accounts of the petitioner have been frozen by the respondents without any prior notice and this act of freezing her personal accounts is not pursuant to the discovery of any offence, but is in terms of a fishing expedition as an attempt to find out if any offence has been committed," the plea has said.

The petitioners had claimed there was no nexus between the alleged offence and their accounts which were frozen.

"The freezing of the accounts of the petitioner has led to personal hardship and humiliation. It is also a violation of the fundamental rights of life, association and assembly, it said.

"The aim of the respondents was and is to humiliate and defame the Petitioner in every way possible as also to financially cripple the Trusts and even block her personal finances so that legitimate activities come to a standstill," it alleged.

In the embezzlement case lodged by the Gujarat Police, the couple had challenged the cancellation of bail in the apex court, while in the alleged FCRA violation case, CBI has challenged the anticipatory bail granted to them by the Bombay High Court. Both matters are pending before the apex court.

Gujarat Police has filed an affidavit in the apex court alleging that the funds collected by them for setting up of a museum in memory of the riots victims of Gulberg Society were spent on personal use.
Chennai: Tamil Nadu Opposition party DMK on Tuesday served a no-confidence notice against Speaker P Dhanapal.

According to reports, DMK wrote to the Tamil Nadu Assembly Secretary for a no-confidence motion against Dhanapal.

Dhanapal had held a trust vote via open ballot on Saturday after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palanisamy sought to prove that his faction in the AIADMK had a majority in the House. Palanisamy won the vote of confidence 122-11, after the Opposition walked out.

Stalins counsel Shanmugasundaram on Tuesday alleged in the Madras High Court that the Speaker and Assembly Secretary are attempting to tamper with the records of the Saturdays proceedings in the House.

Shanmugasundaram urged the First Bench of Acting Chief Justice Huluvadi G. Ramesh and Justice R Mahadevan to urgently hear Stalin's petition. The DMK working president's petition prayed to the court to declare the decision of the Speaker accepting the vote of confidence as illegal, null and void.

Two days after alleging that he was beaten up while he and his MLAs were removed from the Assembly, Stalin on Monday had accused the Speaker of deliberately harping on his community to malign the DMK. Dhanapal had accused that DMK MLAs mistreated him because he belonged to Scheduled Caste.

When we see that the Speaker is deliberately harping on his community to malign us, it is very regrettable. It is a matter of shame, according to us, for Tamil Nadu. Therefore we will move a no confidence motion (against Dhanapal). Signatures of 34 MLAs are enough for that and the (Assembly) rules mandate that it (motion) should be taken up within 15 days. On that basis, we will be soon giving it, Stalin said.

Defending his demand for a secret voting to determine the number of MLAs supporting Edappadi K Palanisamy, Stalin said the Chief Minister would have lost the trust vote. He also asked the people to join the protest being organised by the DMK on Wednesday to protest violence against party MLAs inside the Assembly.

This is people's problem and they have to come out and protest. Students, government employees, trade union members and others should come and protest against the unfortunate incidents. What happened on Saturday was murder of democracy, Mr Stalin said.

During the course of his televised address, the Opposition leader also commented on AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikala slamming on late Jayalalithaa's memorial saying the act was due to frustration that she could not become Chief Minister even for a single day despite all her efforts.
Kigali: India today called for concerted international efforts to deal with terrorism, asserting that it is a major hurdle in the quest for peace and cannot be justified on any grounds, in a veiled attack on Pakistan.

"The threat of terrorism has emerged as a major impediment in our quest for peace and prosperity for our people. The spreading tide of terrorism and extremism is a threat that all civilised societies face today. In India we face the threat from across our borders," Vice President Hamid Ansari said.

"Terrorist action and violence cannot be justified on any grounds. We condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and call for strong and concerted international efforts to deal with this menace in a comprehensive manner," he said, addressing a gathering at the University of Rwanda here on the last day of his visit to the country.

Ansari said that India also remains committed to ensuring stability and peace in Africa under a genuine multilateral effort led by United Nations.

"In pursuance of this commitment, India has over 6,000 personnel committed to UN peacekeeping duties in Africa. In addition, we have worked bilaterally with our African partners to enhance defence training and capacity building in security domains," he said.

Ansari, who arrived here on February 19, invoked Mahatma Gandhi to emphasise the ties between India and Africa.

"We share similar views and positions on a variety of global concerns, ranging from combating terrorism and piracy to coordinating our positions in global forums over issues such as reforms at the United Nations, world trade and climate change.

He said the reform of political, security and economic institutions of global governance has been a key area of such cooperation, with both Africa and India underlining the urgency of undertaking such reforms, including a meaningful expansion of the United Nations Security Council.

"In a time when the global political and economic situation is marked by uncertainty and upheavals threaten the stability of the global order, the need for developing economies, which seek stability, peace and prosperity for their people, to cooperate and consult each other in a new spirit of solidarity assumes renewed significance," he said.
The Indian side is expected to highlight and share information on direct jobs being created by Indian IT firms in the US, and their contribution in making the American economy competitive. (Photo: File)

New Delhi: An eight-member high-powered delegation led by US Congressman Bob Goodlatte will meet IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad today to discuss issues like movement of skilled manpower and IP rights.

The meeting comes at a time when the new administration in the US, under President Donald Trump, is proposing an overhaul of the popular H-1B visa regime, raising concerns among Indian IT firms.

Industry association Nasscom met the delegation this afternoon.

"We have shared our views with them that Indian IT industry is a large contributor to job creation in the US and we bring skills in areas where there is a huge skill deficit," Nasscom President, R Chandrashekhar told PTI.

Indian IT companies are heavily dependent on the US market that accounts for over 60 per cent of the sector's exports, and any clampdown in the visa regime may result in higher operational costs and shortage of skilled workers for the USD 110 billion Indian outsourcing industry.

Goodlatte as Chairman of House Judiciary Committee, along with other members, play an important role in crafting policies around high-skilled immigration and intellectual property in the US Congress.

The Indian side is expected to highlight and share information on direct jobs being created by Indian IT firms in the US, and their contribution in making the American economy competitive.

The meeting is also of significant given that growth in the Indian IT sector has been slowing down amid multiple headwinds like changing technology landscape (automation and digitisation) and global events like Brexit, apart from proposed tightening of H-1B visa regime by the Trump administration in the US.

Industry body Nasscom, along with top industry leaders, are scheduled to meet lawmakers in the US later this week on concerns around clampdown on visas and flow of skilled manpower between the two nations.

Apart from the delegation, Microsoft's India-born chief Satya Nadella is also scheduled to meet Prasad separately today.
Its unfortunate that a booming metropolis like like Bengaluru needs immediate help with its transport, garbage collection, pollution and overflowing storm water drains. The government has responded in its characteristic way: setting up a committee. And true to form, the Bengaluru Blue Print Action Group (BBPAG) Or Bengaluru Vision Group was constituted with industrial bigwigs like N.R. Narayana Murthy and Kiran Mazumdar Shaw in May 2016 to resurrect the IT Citys crumbling infrastructure. It has, however, made little headway. Nine months have passed since the group was established and its promised vision remains a mirage. Chandrashekar G. and Aknisree Karthik ask group members and city activists the question Bengaluru wants answered: Why the delay?

How can a blueprint be made without inputs from citizens?: D S Rajashekar, president, Citizens Action Forum

The very formation of the Bengaluru Vision Group is contradictory to the 74th amendment of the Constitution, which seeks to empower local bodies in planning. While we do not have anything personal against the members of the group, who are all veterans in their respective fields, the question is how are they empowered to plan for a city without inputs from the peoples or elected representatives? A common man will be keen to register his opinion on how his hard earned tax money should be spent and what he wants for the city he lives in. But there is no mechanism to record the opinions of citizens or elected representatives.

All such groups, be it the BATF or the others that were formed earlier, did not serve the city any better. Since its inception in 2016, the latest group has hardly met to strategise for the city's development. Setting it up is no different from letting the BDA assume the responsibility of preparing a master plan for the city when this should be the job of the local planning authority. Ideally, the job of planning a vision document or preparing a blueprint for the city should be that of the Metropolitan Planning Committees (MPCs), a Constitutionally formed body, which is supposed to integrate the plans of the local bodies.

Vision group was dead on arrival: V. Ravichandar, civic evangelist and BVG member

The Bangalore Vision Group (BVG) was set up at the discretion of the state government to advise it on various issues. And it is upto the government to decide how to best use its resources. We have had just one meeting in May 2016, so by any reckoning the vision group has not been a successful initiative. There has also been public criticism about the composition of the group.

It may have been more useful to create a set of sub-groups that could have worked with the government on specific sectoral issues like infrastructure, mobility, garbage, water, environment, governance, economic growth, welfare, and so on instead . Unfortunately, this did not happen. Also, people perceived the vision group as a smokescreen for approval of government projects. Although this was not true, the lack of public communication on the purpose of the group did not help matters any.

In fact, the Bengaluru Vision Group was effectively dead on arrival. It is not necessary for every initiative to work and in this case it would be best to formally wind up the group. There is merit in civil society-government collaboration, but it needs to be thought through and implemented in a transparent manner.

Will CM, BDA commissioner come out of this schizophrenic multi-identity existence?: Kathyayini Chamaraj, Executive Trustee, CIVIC Bengaluru

How many visions for a beautiful Bengaluru do we need? When a Revised Master Plan 2031 for Bengaluru is being currently prepared by consultants for the BDA, we also have the Bengaluru Blueprint Vision Group (BBPVG) drawing up a blueprint for the city. Additionally, the Metropolitan Planning Committee (MPC) is supposed to prepare a Draft Development Plan for it , but is in limbo.

How are the Chief Minister and the BDA Commissioner, who are the chief players in all three bodies, supposed to come out of this schizophrenic multi-identity existence and which of these three plans are they finally going to sign on? The BBPVG is a new avatar of its predecessors, the BATF and ABIDe. The avatars change with every new government, but the participants remain almost the same. All of them have hand-picked individuals perpetuating their hold and imposing their visions on the city, bypassing and curbing the autonomy and independence of the MPC and the local bodies under it, which are supposed to head local self-governments. This is a blatant violation of the 74th Constitutional Amendment and the Nagarapalika Act.

Bengaluru vision group needs clarity on charter, expected outcome: R K Misra, urban expert

The Bengaluru Vision Group, formed by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in May 2016 to breathe fresh air into an ailing Bengaluru, has met only twice since its inception. Various civic agencies have presented their plans during these meetings and members have shared their views about infrastructure challenges facing the city. But there is no formal mechanism to engage with the vision group members on an ongoing basis. Also neither the group as a whole, nor its members have been assigned any specific task.

As a member of the Bengaluru Vision Group and also by virtue of being a member of the BLR Infrastructure Coordination Committee headed by the Chief Secretary of Karnataka, I attend infrastructure coordination meetings where heads of all civic agencies like the BBMP, BDA, BWSSB, BESCOM, PWD, and traffic police are present. These coordination meetings have detailed project- specific agenda and are outcome driven. So we have been able to take major decisions and have made significant progress in various infrastructure projects for the city .

Among the projects discussed were extension of Metro services to the Outer Ring Road, expediting Metro Phase-2, the 12 High Density Corridors and 50 TenderSURE Roads, that are slated for significant decongestion through road design improvement, traffic streamlining and white topping, five signal-free corridors, rehabilitation of the Outer Ring Road from Agara till KR Puram, and introduction of new alternative roads to the Kempegowda International Airport Ltd (KIAL). An automated multi- agency road cutting and restoration protocol is another significant initiative underway. You could also see mechanised road cleaning and pothole- filling in future in high density corridors and the Central Business District.

We have not made progress in projects like Elevated Corridors, where the detailed project reports are ready but no substantial progress has been made. The Peripheral Ring Road is another important project , which hasn't made much headway due to farmers' compensation issues. The Bellandur and Varthur lakes rejuvenation is hanging fire and the airport Metro connectivity is still waiting to happen.

Biocon MD, Kiran Mazumdar Shaw and I are the only Vision Group members on the Bengaluru Infrastructure Coordination Committee, making sure we attend its meetings, usually convened on alternate Saturdays. The form and format of these meetings is outcome driven and significant progress has been made as a result. As for the Bengaluru Vision Group, theres need for more clarity on its charter and expected outcome.
Imphal: Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh said on Tuesday that he was ready for tripartite talks with the United Naga Council (UNC) to end the crippling three-month-long economic blockade.

He also accused the BJP of having a "tacit understanding with the UNC" and said the saffron party's "gameplan" will fail in the March elections.

The land-locked state is witnessing an indefinite economic blockade by UNC since November 1, 2016 against the state government's decision to create seven new districts by bifurcating the existing ones and upgradation of Sadar Hills to a full-fledged district.

Asked whether the state government is ready for tripartite talks with the UNC to resolve the ongoing crisis, Singh told PTI, "Yes, we are ready."

Asked as to why the matter was not discussed with the UNC before bifurcating the districts, Singh said, "We tried to discuss, but they were not listening. We had to sit together but they did not respond when we invited them (for talks)".

The chief minister refuted Home Minister Rajnath Singh's charge that the blockade was a result of a "political conspiracy" hatched by the Congress government to divert attention from its "failures".

On the Home Minister's statement that Congress government did not use central forces, Ibobi Singh said, "If you go there you will see that womenfolk threatened by the NSCN (IM) are sitting on the highway. We cannot fire left and right to lift the blockade. The Centre needs to take steps," he said.

The Centre wanted to create such a situation, he charged and added that, "If something goes wrong and if someone dies, they (Centre and BJP) will blame us and say that law and order has broken down in the state. They would take advantage of that situation".

Supply of essential commodities including fuel in Manipur has been severely hit leading to exorbitant price hike of essential commodities after UNC declared indefinite economic blockade on NH2 (via Dimapur) and NH 37 (via Jiribam) - the two lifelines of the state.

The Centre and the BJP have a "tacit understanding" with the UNC, the chief minister charged.

"Recently Union minister Prakash Javedekar had said that if the chief minister resigns and President's Rule is imposed, the economic blockade will be lifted in two days. This shows that UNC and BJP are hand in gloves with each other," he said.

Exuding confidence that the Congress will return to power with a thumping majority in the coming polls, the chief minister said BJP's "game plan" will fail in the elections.

On whether BJP was trying to topple the Manipur government by poaching on Congress MLAs, Singh said, "They will not succeed. You have seen what has happened in

Uttarakhand, they did not succeed".

Meanwhile, Manipur State Congress President T N Haokip alleged that BJP had tried to poach 20 Congress MLAs but managed only five-six of them.

Polling for the 60-member Manipur Assembly will take place in two phases on March 4 and March 8.

In the last Assembly polls, the Congress had won 42 seats and Okram Ibobi Singh was re-elected the chief minister of the state.
Hyderabad: Male chicks are being burned, drowned and crushed by major hatcheries and farms across Telangana and AP, animal rights organisation PETA has revealed in an investigative video shot by an Israel-based organisation, Anonymous of Animal Rights.

The investigation was carried out between February and April last year. The investigator visited several hatcheries as well as farmhouses in Telangana and AP  among them Suguna Foods, Venkateshwara Hatcheries Pvt Ltd, SR group, Skylark, SH group, and Diamond group.

Over 180 million unwanted male chicks are killed in India every year because they are considered useless to the egg and meat industries. The methods of killing documented by the probe include sexing of the chicks, debeaking, grinding, drowning, crushing and suffocation and even burning.

People for Ethical Treatment for Animals, India, has called on the egg and meat industries in the states to stop such cruel practices. Nikunj Sharma, the government affairs liaison for PETA said: We demand that the government push these poultry farms and hatcheries to consider new ovo-sexing technology in which the chicks gender is determined before they hatch, as this will prevent large-scale deaths of male chicks, and to establish a written standard for painless euthanasia for unhealthy chicks.

Mr Sharma added that these industries are causing suffering to the chicks, and that means they are violating the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of 1960. According to the Indian Penal Code, violators can be jailed for five years and fined up to Rs 25,000. Meanwhile, universities in Australia, Canada and the US are studying ovo-sexing technology which is currently not available anywhere in the world. But PETA insists even India too should work on such technology.

PETA sent letters against all the industries to the Chief Ministers of both the Telugu states on Tuesday. From packing mutilated hens into tiny cages to drowning and burning live chicks, the egg and meat industries are rife with cruelty, PETA India CEO Poorva Joshipura, said.

Cruel methods

Incubation: Problems with incubators causes deformities, such as protruding organs in chicks. A single incubator can hold 90,000 eggs

Sexing: Workers press down on chicks genitals in order to determine gender. At Venkateshwara hatcheries, workers spread out anal vents to determine sex.

Debeaking: A high number of chicks beaks were cut off with a searing-hot blade. The Diamond Group hatchery uses a machine to cut off their beaks.

Drowning: Unwanted chicks are also drowned in drums  chicks struggle for at least 30 minutes. The Diamond Group uses this method to kill male chicks.

Burning: Workers at hatchery units belonging to the SH Group and Diamond Group kill chicks by tossing them into a fire.

Crushing and Suffocation: Suguna Foods and Sky Larks workers were caught dumping waste chick into large drums.

Fish food: Workers also transported chicks to fish farms and tossed them into the ponds to be eaten alive by the fish.

Grinding: Suguna Foods dump live chicks, including injured ones and those suffering from prolapsed organs and partially hatched ones into grinders.

Grading: Venkateshwara workers check for unhealthy chicks in a procedure called grading. Suguna Foods also rejects 5 to 10% of newly-hatched chicks.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the US to have a balanced and farsighted perspective on admitting skilled Indian workers, in comments that pushed back against President Donald Trumps America First rhetoric on jobs. Mr Modi met a 26-member bipartisan US Congressional delegation in Delhi on Tuesday.

PM Modis comments reflected concern that Indias $150 billion IT services industry would suffer if the US curbs H-1B visas it relies on to send software experts to the US on project work.

Welcoming the Congressional representatives to India, he said their visit augurs a good start to bilateral exchanges following the change in the US administration and the Congress.

Mr Modi recalled his positive conversation with President Trump and the shared commitment to further strengthen ties. The PM recognised the Congress strong bipartisan support for the India-US partnership, a PMO statement said.

He shared his perspective on areas where both countries can work even more closely, including in facilitating greater people-to-people linkages.

The PM referred to the role of skilled Indian talent in enriching the American economy and society, and urged developing a reflective, balanced and farsighted perspective on movement of skilled professionals, the statement said.

Soon after taking over last month, Mr Trump decided to overhaul the work visa programmes like the H-1B and L1, a move that will adversely hit the lifeline of Indian tech firms and professionals in the US.

At present, 65,000 H1-B visas are issued by the US every year, and Indians account for a major chunk in it.

The proposed H-1B overhaul will result in higher operational costs and shortage of skilled workers for the $110-billion Indian outsourcing industry. Indian IT sector, which contributes 9.3 per cent to the country's GDP, is one of the largest private sector employers of 3.7 million people.

The US accounts for nearly 62 per cent of the exports, while EU is the second largest market for the Indian IT services exporters with around 28 per cent contribution. Recently, a US legislation was introduced to double the minimum wages of H-1B visa holders, a protectionist stance that could spell trouble for IT firms.
Chennai: After having declared Tamil Nadu as drought-hit due to deficient North East Monsoon and other factors, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palanisami on Tuesday announced a Rs 2,247 crore package that would provide relief to more than 32 lakh farmers who have suffered huge losses due to crop failure.

Noting that more than 87 per cent of farmland has been affected due to drought that has hit the state since last December, Mr Palanisami said the relief assistance would be directly credited into bank accounts of the farmers who have been affected. He said the state is facing the worst ever drought in the last 140 years since the state recorded just 168.03 mm of rainfall in 2016.

In a detailed statement, the Chief Minister said several groups of senior bureaucrats and ministers had visited all districts of the state in January this year and submitted a comprehensive report on the damages suffered by the farmers due to failure of monsoon.

While paddy farmers who have cultivated other irrigation crops would be given a relief of Rs 5,465 per acre, those with long-term crops would get an assistance of Rs 7,287 per acre, rain fed crops (Rs 3,000) and between Rs 2,428 and Rs 3,000 per acre for silkworm rearing.

The Tamil Nadu Government, then headed by O Panneerselvam, had in January declared the state as drought-hit and announced that it would come out with a comprehensive relief package for affected farmers. Listing the steps taken by the district administration to mitigate the sufferings of farmers, Mr Palanisami said land tax have been completely waived off and certificates are being issued to farmers for converting their crop loans into mid-term loans.
Hyderabad: TJAC chairman Prof. M. Kodandaram on Tuesday flayed the state government and police for doing all they could to suppress unemployment rally seeking jobs for the unemployed youth.

Taking exception to governments arguments in court that terrorists and anti-social elements will join the protest and create unrest, Prof. Kodandaram said: Its unfortunate that Telangana protagonists are being referred to as terrorists. We wanted to hold a rally in a democratic way. However, the government seems to have forgotten who it is targeting. This is reminiscent of Telangana statehood struggle in the undivided state.

The TJAC chairman was highly critical of the government for doubting their activities. In a way the Telangana statehood struggle has been insulted. They are pointing to cases against me filed during the movement and questioning my intentions, he said.

Despite the police not giving permission, Prof. Kodandaram said that they will go on with their programme. Earlier in the day, there was talk that JAC would shift its programme to other venues like Osmania University, but later it decided to stick to its original plan.

Being threatened by cops, say TJAC leaders

TJAC leaders of the old Adilabad district on Tuesday said that they have received threatening calls from local police saying that they would not be allowed to reach Hyderabad to participate in the unemployment rally.

The JAC leaders alleged that the police was trying to stop the unemployed youths and JAC leaders from reaching Hyderabad. Police took unemployed youth and JAC leaders on their way to Hyderabad into custody at Bellampalli.

Meanwhile, Adilabad SP M. Srinivas said that they would take action against anyone going to Hyderabad to participate in the rally as there was no police permission for the rally.
You are trying to deflect, this thread is about terrorist activities in America. But using you stats all the attacks but three happened in the Middle East where these same people have been killing each other for a thousand years so it doesn't have any relevancy. The only two attacks in first world countries were in France and America, neither of them were by Muslim refugees, in fact, the attacker in Denver was kicked out of a Muslim mosque.



The attack NEAR the Louvre in Paris was by a 29 year old Egyptian living in the UAE, he didn't charge any guest, he attacked a soldier when the soldier refused to allow him entry to the shopping center with two back packs. Story below.



"Prosecutor Francois Molins says the male attacker is believed to be a 29-year-old Egyptian who was living in the United Arab Emirates, but his identity has not been formally confirmed yet. Molins added that the attacker is in a life-threatening condition in a hospital, the AP reported."





The killing in Denver on 1/31/17 was done by an American Citizen and Army Vet who was self radicalized, he was kicked out of Mosque in Texas because of his radical views. The security guard who was shot was NOT shot at a Transit Office, he was shot at a bus stop. Story below.



"Cummings, according to sources with knowledge of the investigation, had Islamic writings in his possession when he was arrested, and was kicked out of a mosque in Texas, 9Wants to Know has learned.

In social media postings, Cummings identified himself as a jiu-jitsu instructor. He was active on Twitter in 2016.

I seek refuge in the one God from the evils of Satan, and I begin in the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the  he wrote in June 25, 2016.

Wake up people. America is a failed state. Its about to get so real.  he posted on June 26, 2016.

And in a July 2, 2016, tweet, he called for a former cop in Arizona to be put to death for treason

Each of the posts had a link to a Facebook page that has been taken down, so it is not clear what the tweets referred to.

Suspect in downtown shooting was kicked out of Texas mosque"



Again, this thread is about WHITE RIGHT WING terrorist who were stopped before they had a chance to carry out any terrorists actions. Two of the three were white American racists, the third was a white American scheming to use terrorism as a way to make money. No matter how loud the right wants to cry this is a fake story and try to defend these punks, the headline is correct and the story isn't fake.
Hyderabad: On Tuesday, the Telangana Joint Action Committee withdrew its demand before the Hyderabad High Court for permission to be given for its proposed rally to press for employment for the unemployed.

The judge asked B. Rachana Reddy, counsel for the petitioner, to submit the representation to the police and come back to court by 3.30 pm so that the court can grant appropriate orders.

When the judge resumed hearing at 3.30 pm, H. Venugopal, counsel for the home department, submitted a rejection order passed by the deputy commissioner of police concerned, and informed the court that the High Court in the year 2016 had granted a stay on holding any sort of meetings within the Osmania University campus.

He said that neither the police nor the government was against democratic dissent and the police had refused permission based on inputs received by them apprehending a law and order problem.

When the judge asked Mr Venugopal about permitting the meeting at the Metro Rail ground at Nagole, he replied that the police are prepared to permit the meeting and would extend necessary security arrangements.

On the basis of this, the judge started dictating the order directing the TJAC to hold the public meeting at Metro Rail ground at Nagole. It was at this point that counsel for the TJAC requested the judge to permit her clients to withdraw their petition, stating that the relief that the court was extending was not what the petitioner had sought.
A seven-member gang had conspired a month ago to blackmail and extort money from the actress. (Photo: File)

Kochi: The National Womens Commission on Monday asked Director General of Police Loknath Behra to personally appear before it and explain in detail the measures taken by the Kerala police in the case of abduction and sexual assault of an actress.

Commission Chairperson Lalitha Kumaranmangalam also asked the state police chief to submit a report on the case progress while directing him to speed up further investigation process.

The direction comes even as main accused Pulsur Suni and three of his aides are yet to be caught three days after the incident.

The Chairperson also contacted actor and director Lal before collecting all details with regard to the case. This comes even as the state womens commission has taken a suo moto cognisance of the incident and expressed concern over the law and order situation.

The DGP was asked to submit a report on the case progress. The commission has deputed members to personally visit the state and collect all details, a statement said.

In a related development, three persons, including the suspected mastermind, moved the Kerala High Court seeking anticipatory bail.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday spoke to the noted actress and assured stern action against the perpetrators.

Vijayan called up the actress and promised her all support amid widespread condemnation of the incident and growing calls for immediate action against the culprits, including from the apex south Indian actors' body.

He promised stern action against those responsible for the February 17 incident in which the actress was allegedly harassed inside her car for two hours by her tormentors, who had forced their way into the vehicle, before vanishing in a busy area in Kochi.
New Delhi: A P Singh, the first former CBI chief booked by the agency, on Tuesday, claimed that the phone messages exchanged with controversial meat exporter Moin Qureshi that have come under scanner are "mostly personal" and "innocuous" in nature.

The CBI had named Singh along with Qureshi and others in an FIR registered last week for allegedly showing favour to the meat exporter after receiving a complaint from the Enforcement Directorate.

The 1974-batch IPS officer, who retired as CBI Director on November 30, 2012, said that he would comment exhaustively on the agency's action after consulting his lawyer but added that the messages had been in public domain "for over three years".

"Income Tax and Enforcement Director have not added anything further. None of the purported messages sent through BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) pertain to the CBI investigations. They are mostly personal and innocuous in nature as between friends," he said.

Enforcement Directorate chief Karnal Singh had alleged that in the course of investigation in a Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) case against AMQ Group of companies owned by Qureshi, it transpired that the businessman was acting as a middleman for some public servants.

In his letter, the ED chief attached records of Blackberry chat messages exchanged between A P Singh and Qureshi to allege that cognizable offences were committed by the two in collusion with each other.

A P Singh, during whose tenure a number of charge sheets were filed in high-profile cases including the alleged fake encounters in Gujarat of Sohrabuddin Sheikh, Sadiq Jamal and Tulsi Prajapati, said majority of the messages were exchanged after he had retired from the CBI on November 30, 2012.

In Sheikh and Prajapti case, BJP leader Amit Shah was charge sheeted by the CBI. Shah was also arrested by the CBI but was later given bail.

Shah was discharged in the Sheikh encounter case by the Special Court in December, 2014, six months after BJP-led government came to power and the CBI did not appeal against the discharge order.

Out of the messages exchanged between him and Qureshi, only three belong to the period when A P Singh was the Director in which the meat exporter had sought "help" for a family friend.

However, A P Singh had informed Qureshi that the case had been charge sheeted and that his friend should approach the courts for relief, according to the messages cited by ED.

All the remaining messages were exchanged after he had retired from the CBI and there is no overt attempt to seek help for anyone, Singh, whose house was searched yesterday by the CBI, claimed.

The ED, surprisingly, had not named Singh in its Enforcement Case Information Report ED Assistant Director Arun Kumar, whose complaint was also attached with Karnal Singh's letter.

He alleged that Qureshi took "huge money" from different persons for obtaining undue favours from public servants and politicians holding high offices.

The ED has appended 22 BBM messages which were exchanged between A P Singh and Moin Qureshi even after the retirement of the IPS officer.

A perusal of the complaint shows that neither Karnal Singh nor Arun Kumar have given any details about specific transactions which, they believe, might have taken place between A P Singh and Qureshi.

The ED has also not specified in its complaint which specific favours were given by A P Singh and how he was benefited from Qureshi.

The complaint takes the name of Qureshi but only talks about senior officials and politicians in generic terms.
Bhopal: An 18-year-old woman in Govindpura village of Datia district in Madhya Pradesh died on Monday after being hit by a train while trying to escape a rape attempt by two men.

According to a report in Hindustan Times, the incident took place around 5:30 am when she had gone near the railway tracks in the village to relieve herself. The victims father said that when the two men attempted to rape her, she ran but was run over by a train.

The father filed a police complaint after cremating his daughter and is said to have given a different version of the incident before alleging rape attempt. He had earlier told the police that the two men had pushed his daughter in front of the train.

Police said they are investigating the incident to ascertain the reason behind her death.

At present, we cant comment over the reason behind the girls death. Police have registered a case and are investigating, Datia superintendent of police Irshad Wali said.

Open defecation in many parts of the nation is considered one of the reasons behind crime against women. As of October last year, 52 per cent of the 11.2 million households in Madhya Pradesh did not have a toilet.
Prime suspect Mohamed Iqbal (32) was planning to take the Schengen route to join the fight in Syria in support of ISIS and was making arrangements. (Photo: File)

Chennai: The custodial interrogation of an ISIS sympathiser from the city had revealed the role of at least 14 others being involved in the Chennai module; of them four could be college students. The suspect Mohamed Iqbal (32) was planning to take the Schengen route to join the fight in Syria in support of ISIS and was making arrangements.

Iqbal, presently in the custody of the Anti-Terror-Squad (ATS) Jaipur, is also being quizzed by other central agencies and the internal security agency from the State.

Mohamed Iqbal had collected money to be sent to Syria from here on instructions from ISIS handler Abu Saad Al-Sudani that were received through KiK Messenger. Iqbals messenger ids  TravelHaq and Travel2Haq  were deleted just before he was arrested with smuggled gold bars.

Iqbal had routed his money to China through his agent with trade links to that country and from there it was moved to Bosnia before it landed in the coffers of ISIS. He made similar Hawala transactions to Dubai from where the money was routed to Syria through Jameel Ahmed who works as accounts manager with a private firm in Dubai besides doubling up as the ISIS handler. Iqbal had named the two persons who helped him complete the Hawala transactions.

Earlier, in 2015, Iqbal had made a payment to process his Iran visa, an investigation officer privy to the quizzing told Deccan Chronicle.

The cops suspect that his visa for Iran might have been used as a front to mislead the investigating agencies about his allegiance.

He had made telegraphic transfer of Rs 8,098 (the then equivalent to 90 euros) to the account of www.key2persia.com, a private travels agency, on September 23, 2015 to process the visa application. He, however, did not appear before the Iran embassy in Hyderabad in the scheduled time.

He was also in touch with another ISIS handler Abu Osama Al-Somali. Jameel Ahmed acted as a channel between Iqbal  his links down the chain and ISIS handlers.

Ahmeds arrest by the ATS Jaipur in November revealed his links with Iqbal.

On February 4, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) arrested Iqbal, resident of Bazar Lane, Mylapore, in Arambakkam near Gummidipoondi along with 3 others, with 20-foreign-marked-gold bars, worth nearly Rs 1 crore, and was lodged in Puzhal prison.
Bhubaneswar: The police on Tuesday arrested nine persons including a BJP leader from Chhattisgarh for allegedly distributing money to voters in Kalahandi district.

Police identified the arrested BJP leader as Lokesh Kawadia, who is the cell secretary of BJPs Chhattisgarh NGO. Eight others associates of Kawadia were also detained by police on Monday and booked on Tuesday.

Police said they have seized Rs 2.11 lakh in cash and four vehicles from Kawadia and his associate. The nine BJP activists from Chhattisgarh were campaigning for their party leaders at Thuamul Rampur block of Kalahandi district for the ongoing three-tier panchayat election. The last phase of the panchayat election is being held on Tuesday.

The BJP's Odisha unit president Basant Panda, however, denied the allegation that the party leader from Chhattisgarh was attempting to distribute money to the voters.

"There is no bar on campaigning by leaders from other states. We do not believe in cash for vote," Panda said.

Similar allegations were also made against the ruling BJD when the police rescued BJD leader Sarada Prasad Nayak and his associates from captivity in Sundergarh district on Monday.

The villagers of Jharipani gram panchayat detained Nayak and his men alleging that he was distributing various items, including umbrellas with BJD's poll symbol, to woo voters in the last phase of panchayat polls. The police also seized cash of Rs 8,000 from them.

"The police rescued Nayak and his five supporters," a police officer said.

This is the second time in less than a week that Nayak has been in news on charge of wooing voters through illegal means.

On February 15, a complaint was lodged against him at Jharipani police station in Sundergarh district for allegedly distributing money to the voters of Panchayat election.

Meanwhile, the BJP workers from Cuttack on Tuesday gheraoed the State Police Headquarters, protesting the alleged police "failure" to curb violence by BJD during the panchayat polls.

A minor scuffle ensued during the protest led by former minister and senior BJP leader Samir Dey, sources said adding that several BJP leaders and activists were arrested in connection with his incident.
Bengaluru: The shift in power equations in neighbouring Tamil Nadu became more than evident Monday afternoon when newly appointed AIADMK deputy general secretary, T.T.V. Dinakaran arrived at the Parappana Agrahara Central Prison in Bengaluru to meet his aunt and jailed AIADMK general secretary, Sasikala.

Reports have been doing the rounds that it is the former aide of late TM CM Jayalalithaa who is pulling the strings from behind the prison walls after she was convicted in the disproportionate assets case. One of her last decisions before she left for Bengaluru to undergo the jail sentence was to appoint her nephew, Dinakaran as party deputy general secretary, virtually handing him the baton of the AIADMK till she comes out of jail. Though there is no official word on what transpired between Sasikala and Dinakaran, unconfirmed sources said that Sasi, who missed the CM's post by a whisker, asked Dinakaran to press for her transfer to a prison in Tamil Nadu. It is learnt that her advocates may move a petition before the SC in a few days, seeking her transfer to a prison in Tamil Nadu.

There were reports on Monday that Sasikala's advocates had already moved the SC seeking her transfer to a TN jail from where it would be easier for her to oversee the administration in her state. When DC contacted her advocate, Mr Ashokan, he claimed that no such application had been filed in court. Even jail officials denied receiving any petition from Sasikala on the matter. Another relative who had come to meet Sasikala, was not allowed to do so by authorities as there are restrictions on the number of people who can meet a convict per day.

Sources said Sasikala and her relative Ilavarasi keep to themselves in the prison cell. The former watches Tamil news on television and is updated by visiting relatives, an official said.

Palanisami likely to meet Sasikala

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palanisami is likely to meet Sasikala on Tuesday. Sources said there was a communication from the Tamil Nadu police that the new CM would arrive in the city to meet the jailed AIADMK leader.
Lucknow: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav on Tuesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of trying to divide the nation on the basis of caste, creed and race, with the sole intention to remain in power.

"From the time the Uttar Pradesh Assembly Election was announced, the Prime Minister is trying to divide the society on the basis of their race, caste, creed and colour." Lalu said.

Earlier on Sunday, while addressing a rally in Uttar Pradesh's Fatehpur, Prime Minister Modi said, "In a village, if a cemetery can be constructed, so should a cremation ground. If electricity is supplied during Ramzan, so electricity should also be supplied during Diwali as well. There should not be any discrimination on the basis of religion and caste."

The Prime Minister also said the 'exile of development' must end in Uttar Pradesh, while appealing the people to cast their vote for a government which ensures safety in the state.

"Vikas ka vanvaas' in Uttar Pradesh must end now. The country is moving ahead at fast pace and so must Uttar Pradesh," he said.
Bengaluru: In a no-holds-barred attack against state BJP chief B. S. Yeddyurappa, working president of Pradesh Congress Committee, Dinesh Gundurao, on Tuesday likened him to the late Ugandan president Idi Amin, and accused the former chief minister of making baseless allegations of bribery against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

Mr Rao told the media I have been hearing these type of allegations ever since the steel flyover project was proposed and dared Mr Yeddyurappa to exert pressure on the Union government to register a case against Mr Siddaramaiah or any other minister whom he had been targeting in political rallies.

Why should Mr Yeddyurappa wait for more than 15 months to arrest any Congress leader when the Union Government is in complete control of agencies like Income Tax, Enforcement Directorate, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). If the Union government has even a piece of evidence with it regarding corruption not only against Mr Siddaramaiah but against any ministers, then an inquiry by any of these agencies is possible. If any of us are found guilty, we can be arrested and sent to jail straight away. Instead, Mr Yeddyurappa is merely trying to gain political mileage by making false allegations, he charged.

Mr Rao said the BJP leader often refers to entries in the diary of Congress MLC, K. Govindraju, but how could the leader access details of entries in the diary.

Only two things are possible. Either the central agencies are selectively leaking information to Mr Yeddyurappa which means to say that Central agencies are compromised under Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, or these allegations are only fit to be termed as wild and baseless allegations against the Chief Minister," he added.

Mr Rao said the party would organize rallies titled Satyameva Jayate - Truth Always Triumphs to counter rallies held by BJP to protest against alleged bribery charges levelled by Mr Yeddyurappa against Mr Siddaramaiah. We want to expose the lies of BJP and its leaders. Therefore, we are organising massive Satyameva Jayate - Truth Always Triumphs - on Thursday.

Idi Amin remark angers BJP

Hours after KPCC working president Dinesh Gundurao compared BJP state president B.S. Yeddyurappa with former Uganda dictator Idi Amin, the BJP hit out at Mr Rao saying the Congress was desperately trying to divert focus from the corrupt practices of the Congress government.

You should give respect to Mr Yeddyurappas age and seniority. It does not suit the stature of a young politician like you, BJP general secretary Aravind Limbavali advised Mr Rao. While criticising Mr Rao, he maintained that the BJP remained firm on its charges of corruption made against the government.
Bengaluru: A day after AIADMK Deputy General Secretary T. T. V. Dinakaran met jailed AIADMK leader Sasikala at the Parappana Agrahara central prison, three ministers tried to meet Sasikala on Tuesday. However, the prison authorities refused to allow them to meet her.

Sources said that ministers K. A. Sengottaiyan, K. Raju and one more minister had come to the city around 2.30 pm. They checked into a hotel on Hosur Road while their assistants approached the prison officials seeking permission for the ministers to meet Sasikala, a prison official said.



However, as there are certain conditions on the number of people to be allowed to meet a convict, we denied them the permission. As they were not allowed to meet their leader, they left the city around 5 pm, the official added. It is also learnt that Sasikala did not want to meet the ministers either. She has informed jail officials to not let anyone, except her family members and advocates, to meet her. This was also considered while denying them the permission, the official added.''
justoneman said: The Lefties are a bunch of cry babies. If they do not get their way they throw a tantrum. How childish. Click to expand...

Really?Trump is the biggest baby of them all. He won the election and yet four months after the election he STILL cannot stop whining about how many votes Hillary got. He lies almost every time he opens his mouth (so much so that a new phrase has entered our language, "alternative facts") but he still whines about "fake news". He whines about how he inherited a mess. He whines that the NSA director (that HE fired) was treated unfairly. He can't stay off of twitter whining about anyone who makes a negative comment about him.Yes babies whine. BTW I think it's your turn to change Trumpies diaper.
To build a bulwark against unwelcome change seems to be role assigned to the BJP in West Bengal. It is seen as the white knight, specially its leader Narendra Modi, and as the only political ideology that can prevent the equation of power between the majority and the predominantly Muslim minority, to resist the rumoured demographic changes that will tilt the balance of forces against the Hindu majority in the next decade and protect women against seduction, abduction and conversion. The fast-moving spread of the BJPs appeal in what is regarded as progressive-liberal, communally calm-secular, and Liberal-Left West Bengal has stumped the usual political rivals  the Trinamul Congress, the Congress, the CPI(M) and its Left Front partners. Apart from blaming each other, the parties are groping for an answer on why the right-wing, conservative Hindutva party has become so attractive to voters in West Bengal. The BJP now has three legislators in the West Bengal Assembly, with over 10 per cent of voteshare, and two MPs in the Lok Sabha. While the BJP hasnt yet emerged as the clear alternative, its hardworking media cell has certainly delivered targeted alternative facts on the social situation in West Bengal that is causing uneasiness among one level of voters, alarm at another level and outrage at yet another level.

So much so that far ahead of the next election, due in 2019 for the Lok Sabha and 2021 for the Assembly, there is an articulation of choice that is beginning to be heard louder and clearer than ever before. Out of the many moments when much of this wavering towards the BJP began crystallising as a choice the events in Dhulagarh stand out, partly because of its geographical location at an important crossing point for travellers by road, up and down and across West Bengal, and partly due to the later handling of the situation by the Trinamul Congress and the Opposition. In Dhulagarh, trouble started on December 11 and escalated with both sides turning to violence, hurling bombs and torching homes. There were attacks followed by retaliation by Hindus and Muslims. The West Bengal government used its maximum power to prevent the situation from turning into a full-scale communal riot. The effect was alienation of Hindus all around. Subsequently, the blacking out of all information on what happened has fed the alternative media network with enough material to confirm the deep misgivings of Hindu voters.

Political necessity prompted the Trinamul Congress, in the run-up to the transformational 2011 elections when it decisively defeated the CPI(M) and its Left allies to create a strategy that sucked Muslim voters towards it. In many constituencies, the balance of communities is such that Muslim voters can tilt outcomes. Its policies while in power deepened the connection to Muslim voters and clergy, which worked as a powerful advocacy group for Trinamul candidates in all elections  municipal, panchayat, Lok Sabha as well as the 2016 Assembly polls. Policies such as stipends for imams, however fitfully delivered, the rapid construction of Haj houses across the state, its promise to convert madrasas into government-aided schools, contributed to the growing perception that the active support to the backward and deprived Muslims is not an intervention or a necessary course correction, but active politics of appeasement.

The Trinamul Congress has therefore produced the unintended consequence of pushing the dissatisfied and disgruntled into choosing the BJP. Grievances against the Trinamul Congress have metamorphosed into anger over its Muslim appeasement politics. The CPI(M) is not the alternative here  its ideology and its past record of being overly protective of Muslims too, by allegedly enrolling them as voters after issuing ration cards and identity papers, converting illegal immigrants into Indian citizens, goes against it in the present situation. The Congress reputation is also compromised as it too has been associated in the public perception as soft on Muslims, regularising Bangladeshi Muslims as Indians and above all for its part in the history of Partition.

In 1977, it was transfer of Muslim support to the CPI(M) that pushed it over the winning line in an election that was truly historic. It was the same transfer of Muslim backing that pushed the Trinamul in alliance with the Congress over the winning line in 2011. Therefore, all three political parties are eliminated, by one measure, as offering any kind of alternative to the emerging narrative that has blossomed and spread of late  that Muslims have prospered and become locally assertive at the cost of the local Hindu community. The narrative has gained force as anxieties were stoked by the BJP, which took advantage by highly coloured portrayals of the Trinamul Congress as gifting political protection for assertion, bullying, intimidation, corruption, criminal activities, in return for votes. In contrast, the BJP and Mr Modi are seen as a purifying alternative. The message of fighting corruption and rooting out black money has begun to resonate in West Bengal. If a few powerful people were booked in the Saradha, Narada or Rose Valley scams, if economic growth translated into better work opportunities, greater stability of jobs on contract or otherwise, the buildup of frustration and disappointment with Trinamul Congress, that had promised paribartan (change) would have been far less.

Instead, unfulfilled aspirations, which the promise of change offered, seem to be channelising themselves to the BJP as the alternative, that can deliver money, jobs, growth, prosperity and protection against the Muslim as the Other, prospering through patronage. Seduction is being delivered through the social media via mobiles, with lurid true stories of women abducted and converted, the transformation of the majority Hindus in a decade into a numerical minority. The unfolding story is that it is only the BJP that can build a bastion to protect the Hindu majority and exclude Muslims. This is fuelling volatility and building the BJPs base in places that have been known as the Trinamul Congress turf. The Trinamul Congress is now in a trap. It cant afford to risk alienating its minority voter base; but also cant aggressively woo the anxious Hindu majority. Its appeal to women has waned and the narrative now spreading is difficult to counter as the gap between credibility and distrust has widened since 2011.
Throughout history, chairs, seats and thrones are not just furniture, but symbols of special roles, power and authority. Deities are often depicted upon thrones. In the Bible, God is seated on high upon a heavenly throne and the risen Christ is seated on the throne of his glory and at the right hand of God. According to the Ramayana, when Kaikeyi wanted her son, Bharat, to sit on the throne instead of the exiled Ram, Bharat was aghast and tried his best to coerce Ram into returning to Ayodhya as king. Upon Rams refusal, Bharat begged of Ram to give him his padukas (sandals), which he placed at the foot of the throne to announce that it was Ram, not he, who was actually ruling. In Jesus time, seats were assigned according to socio-religious hierarchies.

Today, Catholics celebrate the feast of St. Peters Chair signifying acceptance of papal primacy and authority. With Jesus declaration to Apostle Peter: You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth, its believed that Jesus desired that the successors of Peter  the popes  would exercise servant-authority over the Church. Being a chairperson or elected to occupy a political seat is, indeed, an honour. Simultaneously, it also brings great responsibility. Its okay to aspire for some chair or to aim to occupy some seat. However, as one moves higher up in hierarchies, its good to remind oneself that one must also bend down to serve others. With servant-leaders, Einsteins words will ring true: Those seated at tables and upon chairs will live fruitful lives  sweet as the symphony of a hundred violins.
The Nokia 8 smartphone is listed for pre-order on Jingdong at a price tag of CNY 3,188 which is approximately Rs 31,033.

HMD Global may be planning to announce four new smartphones at the MWC 2017, scheduled to be held from Feb 25 in Barcelona, which includes the Nokia 3, Nokia 5, and the Nokia 6 (which was only launched in China), and a new version of the much acclaimed Nokia 3310 feature phone.

According to reports, the Nokia 8 which has been the rumoured flagship for the Finnish company, has been spotted on a Chinese online re-seller Jingdong and Hong Kong based re-seller named smartd boutir, which hints towards the possible launch of the said smartphone soon and there are strong possibilities that HMD Global might spill some beans on the Nokia 8 as well, along with other handsets during MWC 2017.

The Nokia 8 smartphone is listed for pre-order on Jingdong at a price tag of CNY 3,188 which is approximately Rs 31,033. This listing is however from a third party seller, named GIT communication digital flagship store. On the other hand, the Hong Kong based re-seller has already started accepting the booking at a hefty price of HKD 5999, which is approximately Rs 51,744.

However, in a new update, the listing of Nokia 8 might be fake and has asked website users not to fall for this trap. But there is no official confirmation so we suggest to take this report with a grain of salt.

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According to the company, the program supports the development of inventing ideas from all areas of business.

Samsung Electronics announced that it will showcase four innovative Creative Lab (C-Lab) projects, delivering a broad spectrum of experiences via Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) at this years MWC in Barcelona. The projects will be exhibited at 4 Years From Now (4YFM), a platform for startup businesses, with potential to exhibit at MWC four years from now, to present as well as connect and network with investors.

Created in December 2012, C-Lab is an internal venture incubation program that encourages a creative corporate culture and nurtures innovative ideas from Samsung employees. According to the company, the program supports the development of inventing ideas from all areas of business.

The products on display will include a smart aid for visually impaired people, monitorless PC viewing glasses, a VR home furnishing solution and a 360-degree travel experience platform.

Following given are the proposed VR projects:

Relumino

Relumino is a visual aid application that works incorporated with Gear VR for near blind and visually impaired people which enable them to read books and watch TV with new levels of clarity. It works as a mobile app that when inserted into the Samsung Gear VR can enhance visuals and text so that they can be enjoyed in better quality. The technology even has the ability to remap blind spots by displacing images and uses an Amlser grid chart to correct distorted images caused by metamorphopsia. Relumino enables visually challenged people to watch TV without using the expensive visual aids currently available in the market.

Monitorless

Monitorless is a remote-control VR/AR solution that enables consumers to use devices such as smartphones and PCs without a monitor. The solution consists of a special pair of glasses that resemble regular sunglasses. They are used to view content from other devices such as smartphones and PCs and can be used for both Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality functionality thanks to the electro chromic glass featured on the glasses.

VuildUs

VuildUs is a home interior and furnishing solution enables users to see what a new furniture purchase would look like and whether it would fit in the room before they buy it. It consists of a 360-degree depth camera and a mobile app for VR compatible devices. First, users connect both devices and scan their home using the camera. That data is used to build a VR version of the users home which the user can then enter when wearing a VR headset. They can view items of furniture in 3D, and buy it on the spot if they like how it looks in the room. The solution removes the need for measuring space before buying furniture because it enables them to see whether it would fit in real time.

traVRer

traVRer is a 360-degree video platform that enables users to experience realistic virtual travel before and after a real-life trip. Those using the platform are able to visit landmarks and famous places around the world but with the mood, noises and events captured. Users can switch seamlessly between different videos to go in different directions or see the place at a specific time of day  all without the need to navigate menus for alternative video options.

We continue to support new ideas and creativity, especially when these traits could lead to new experiences for consumers, said Lee Jae Il, Vice President of Samsung Electronics Creativity & Innovation Center. These latest examples of C-Lab projects are a reminder that we have some talented entrepreneurial people who are unafraid to break new ground. Were looking forward to further exploring novel applications for VR and 360-degree video because there are endless possibilities in this area.

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Apple was expected to release a red colour variant of iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus some time last year. Clearly, that did not happen. However, a Japanese blog Macotakara now suggests that a red iPhone 7 could be unveiled at the end of March along with the new iPad devices.

At the moment, the iPhone 7 is available in multiple colours including Jet Black, Black, Silver, Gold and Rose Gold variants. The same report even suggests that Apple might also announce a new variant of iPhone SE with 128GB of internal storage.

Apple is expected to hold a launch event towards the end of March wherein the company is rumoured to announce four new variants of iPads.

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While the CES 2017 did not pay much attention to smartphones, all eyes are now focussed towards the announcements at the years major mobile event that will take place in Barcelona, Spain between February 27 and March 2.

The World Mobile Congress (MWC) 2017 will commence next week and the four days will see major announcements from top technology brands from around the world. However, the tech world is eagerly waiting for smartphone giants to showcase their products and future plans, especially with smartphone enthusiasts waiting to see their next flagship smartphone powerhouses. Top brands including Samsung, LG, Nokia, Sony, and a few others are expected to show off their power in the smartphone race.

Smartphone giants dont seem to show any slowdown, but are constantly trying to up their benchmarks with features, performance and designs. Lets look at what we should expect from the smartphone giants at the MWC this year.

Samsung: While Samsung does not have plans for announcing their flagship Galaxy S8 at the Barcelona event, the Korean giant will be showing off their next Galaxy tablet, the Tab S3. Invitations were out a few weeks ago and the company will announce its 9.6-inch 2K display tablet, powered by the Snapdragon 820. However, the rumour mill still expects Samsung to talk about the Galaxy S8  probably a glimpse of the new flagship, and also possible plans and display of the foldable phones expected ahead this year.

Samsung Galaxy S8

LG: While most of the information is already out there, there does not seem to be any more secrets lying low. LG will be showcasing their next flagship G6 at the MWC and all are eagerly waiting to see if the rumour mills have been revealing till date are finally true. The G6 is expected to eliminate the modular design and LG is said to be focussing on an edge-to-edge display this time. Read more.

LG G6

Nokia: The comeback by the old and faithful handset seems to be the major highlight too. The Finnish company HMD, who has brought back Nokia, is expecting to unveil two new devices  the Nokia 5 and Nokia 3, after the unveiling of the Nokia 6 at the CES last month. Also expected is the comeback of the old, faithful Nokia 3310, in a revamped version and a flagship Nokia 8 with a 2K display and a massive 24MP camera. Read more.

Nokia 3310

HTC: Earlier, HTC did confirm to the media that we should not be expecting any Snapdragon 835-based handset at the MWC. However, a new entrant into the HTC U-series is on the plates this week, HTC will probably announce the HTC One X at the MWC and probably also announce some more details in the Vive VR department. Read more.

HTC U smartphones

Lenovo/Motorola: Lenovo is expected to put on a big show again at the MWC this year. On the horizon, we are possibly going to spot the Moto G5 and G5 plus, which aims towards a budget price with high-end specifications. However, there does not seem to be any flagship from Motorola this year, but probably we could be in for a huge surprise. Read more.

Lenovo Phab 2 Plus

Sony: The big brand in the smartphone name that is slowly being phased out, Sony seems to be cooking something different this time. While online leaks have pointed out the Xperia X2 showcasing, we are also hearing of a possible IoT device this time being shown off. Read more.

Sony Xperia X Lime Gold variant

BlackBerry: TCL is scheduled to announce their next BlackBerry smartphone, dubbed Mercury, at the MWC next week the new device is said to be its first in-house device. Read more.

BlackBerry

Huawei: The Chinese tech giant has already informed about the P10 at the MWC. However, there isnt much information about the device, but we could expect the newcomer to have the companys own processor up against the SoC giants this time. Read more.

Huawei Mate 9 Porsche Edition

OPPO: While the brand is not as famous internationally, the Chinese smartphone manufacturer is definitely turning heads in its home town. OPPO seems to be playing big this time and their recent teaser points out to a new smartphone with an advanced camera technology  the 5x project. OPPO has been concentrating more on their phones camera performance lately  their recent release was a smartphone with a massive 16MP selfie camera! Read more.

ZTE: After failing to keep Hawkeye (the crowd-sourced project) up high, ZTE seems to heading on a different route. The company has planned to launch the next-gen Gigabit Phone at the event. The new device will focus on a 5G-ready network and is also rumoured to show some big features  360-degree VR along with 4K video capabilities. An earlier online leak also pointed out that ZTE will be announcing a new Android Wear 2.0-based Quartz smartwatch. Read more.

ZTE Nubia Z9 Mini

Others: This time, Xiaomi has backed out from the MWC. Last year, they announced their flagship Mi 5 at the MWC, but this time, after losing their global face to the social giant, Xiaomi seems to be quiet. We did expect them to announce their new in-house developed Pinecone chipset at the MWC, or even the Mi Mix successor; however, online rumours state that they will announce it separately in another event back home. OnePlus and LeEco havent made any official announcements of their presence at the MWC, but we could see some surprises, nevertheless. While Apple was definitely being part of the MWC with leaks about their exhibitor position in the news; however, shortly after that, Apple seems to have pulled out from the event completely. It seems like there could be a surprise, or Apple will take its announcements for the WWDC later this year. Google and Apple are expected announce their flagships only in Q3 2017. Read more.

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Senador Pompeu: Even as northeastern Brazil suffers a devastating drought, few remember a grim chapter of a past drought when the government forced mass imprisonment of peasants trying to flee dying farms.

The first was in 1915 and the last time was between 1932 and 1933 when the authorities set up what they called concentration camps -- a fairly common term in several countries at the time and yet to be associated with the horrors of Nazi Germany.

The people they forced in were not an enemy, or prisoners of war, or even a targeted ethnic group but rather rural inhabitants desperate for help.

Fearing the peasants would descend in huge numbers from their parched lands into the city of Fortaleza, the government ordered thousands of families incarcerated in camps with little food, unhealthy living conditions and under guard.

Seven such concentration camps were established along the rail line that the farming population was trying to use to reach Fortaleza, capital of the state of Ceara, which today is again suffering severe lack of rain.

The authorities promised food and medical help but the unwilling population of the camps dubbed these centers "government corrals," because they felt they were being treated just like the animals they'd left behind.

The government's worry was that there'd be a repeat of a flood of 100,000 peasants in 1877 into Fortaleza, which by the 1930s was enjoying an era of modernization and wealth.

"The concentration camps functioned as a prison," wrote historian Kenia Sousa Rios in the book "Isolation and power: Fortaleza and the concentration camps in the drought of 1932."

"Those who were put in could not get out. They were only given permission to leave in order to work on construction of streets or reservoirs or urban projects for Fortaleza, or to be transferred to another camp," he wrote.

Only a few clues remain to testify to the episode. In Senador Pompeu, a small town about 186 miles (300 km) from the state capital, there are still the abandoned buildings where guards worked and where food was kept.
Washington: President Donald Trump named US Army Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster as his new national security advisor on Monday, taking over the post left vacant after Michael Flynn's resignation.

Trump called McMaster, a career Army officer and prominent expert on counterinsurgency warfare, a "man of tremendous talent and tremendous experience."

"He is highly respected by everyone in the military and we're very honored to have him," Trump told reporters at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida.

He spoke sitting alongside McMaster, who was dressed in uniform. Trump said McMaster would work alongside acting national security advisor Keith Kellogg, a retired three-star general, in a "very, very special" collaboration.

McMaster, who heads the Army Capabilities and Integration Center and is deputy commanding general of the Futures Center at US Army Training and Doctrine Command at Fort Eustis, previously directed a transparency task force in Afghanistan.

He also held key roles in the Iraq War and Gulf War, and is known for his criticism of the US military's involvement in the Vietnam War. One of the books he authored is pointedly titled "Dereliction of Duty: Lyndon Johnson, Robert McNamara, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Lies That Led to Vietnam" (1997).

Trump, McMaster and Kellogg ignored questions from reporters after the announcement, including over whether the new national security advisor would be allowed to hire his own staff.

Robert Harward, a retired vice admiral and former Navy SEAL, reportedly turned down Trump's offer of the job last week over concerns he would not be able to bring in his own team to staff the National Security Council. Other reports said he was put off by apparent chaos in the White House.

Trump had interviewed a handful of candidates for the post in recent days, including John Bolton, who served as Washington's United Nations ambassador under Republican president George W. Bush.

The president hinted at a future role in his administration for Bolton. "We'll be asking him to work with us in a somewhat different capacity," Trump said, without any further details.

Flynn was forced to resign last week after misleading Vice President Mike Pence about discussions he had held with the Russian ambassador to the United States concerning US sanctions on Moscow.
Kuala Lumpur: The cause of death has not yet been determined for Kim Jong Nam, exiled member of North Korea's ruling family who died last week after apparently being poisoned in a Kuala Lumpur airport, officials said on Monday.

The autopsy showed no evidence of a heart attack in Kim Jong Nam's death, or sign of puncture wounds on his body, Noor Hisham Abdullah, the director general of health, told reporters.

Asked if there was any indication that he had been poisoned, Noor Hisham said medical specimens had been forwarded to experts who can determine the cause of death.

"We have to confirm with the lab report before we can make any conclusive remark," he said.

No family members have come forward to claim the body, he said. The older half-brother of North Korea's ruler, Kim Jong-un had spent most of the past 15 years living in China and Southeast Asia.

The attack spiralled into diplomatic fury when Malaysia refused to hand over the deceased's corpse to North Korean diplomats and proceeded with at least one autopsy despite their objections.

The two nations have made a series of increasingly angry statements since then, with Malaysia saying it was following its legal protocols, and North Korea insisting Malaysia is working in collusion with its enemy South Korea.

Police have so far arrested four people carrying identity documents from North Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam.

Those arrested include two women who were allegedly seen approaching Kim on February 13 as he stood at a ticketing kiosk at the budget terminal of the Kuala Lumpur airport.

Surveillance video, obtained by Japan's Fuji TV and often grainy and blurred, seems to show the two women approaching Kim Jong Nam from different directions that morning.

One comes up behind him and appears to hold something over his mouth for a few seconds. Then the women turn and calmly walk off in different directions.

More videos show Kim Jong Nam, walking up to airport workers and security officials, gesturing at his eyes and seemingly asking for help. He then walks alongside as they lead him to the airport clinic.

Fuji TV has not revealed how it acquired the video, which was taken by a series of security cameras as Kim Jong Nam arrived for a flight to Macau, where he had a home.

The victim, who was in his mid-40s, died shortly after the attack, en route to a hospital after suffering a seizure, Malaysian officials say.
Beijing: The investigation into the death of the exiled half-brother of North Korea's ruler is being conducted in an impartial manner, Malaysia's ambassador to Pyongyang said Tuesday, rejecting accusations from the North that the probe was politically tinged.

Mohamad Nizan Mohamad spoke in China's capital, Beijing, while in transit to Malaysia to where he had been recalled following the death last week in the Southeast Asian nation of Kim Jong Nam.

Kim appeared to have been poisoned at Kuala Lumpur's international airport and police have so far arrested four people carrying identity documents from North Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam. Those arrested include two women who were allegedly seen approaching Kim on Feb. 13 as he stood at a ticketing kiosk at the budget terminal of the Kuala Lumpur airport.

North Korea's ambassador to Malaysia on Monday denounced the country's investigation into Kim's death, calling it politically motivated and demanding a joint probe. Malaysia's foreign ministry responded that the ambassador's comments were "culled from delusions, lies and half-truths."

Malaysian Ambassador Mohamad said the country's investigators were proceeding in a professional manner and would "be very objective and fair to everybody."

"I think the investigation is still ongoing, so just wait and see for that. And we can assure you of the impartiality of the investigation itself because there is no reason for us to be sided with anybody," Mohamad said.

The attack took on added political dimensions when Malaysia refused demands by North Korean diplomats to turn over Kim's body and proceeded with at least one autopsy over the diplomats' objections.

North Korean ambassador to Malaysia Kang Chol told reporters Monday that Malaysia was working in collusion with South Korea as Seoul tries to deflect attention from its own months-long political crisis.

Police "pinned the suspicion on us, and targeted the investigation against us," Kang said. Kang referred to the dead man as "Kim Chol," the name on the passport found with Kim Jong Nam.
Bangkok: Rights groups on Tuesday urged the Thai army to drop defamation charges against three activists over a landmark report on torture in the conflict-hit south, decrying the prosecution as an effort to silence critics.

A state prosecutor is considering whether to press on with the controversial case against Pornpen Khongkachonkiet -- the chair of Amnesty International Thailand -- Anchana Heemmina and Somchai Homlaor.

The trio could face up to seven years in jail for defamation and a separate charge filed for publishing the report online.

The case is being closely watched in junta-run Thailand where authorities routinely use defamation laws to shut down reporting of allegations of abuse or corruption.

The 2016 report, based on interviews with 54 former detainees, catalogued a host of torture tactics allegedly used by soldiers and police across the kingdom's Muslim-majority southernmost provinces.

More than 6,700 people -- mostly civilians -- have been killed in a near-13 year insurgency by Malay Muslim locals against the Thai state, which rules the region with emergency laws.

Beatings, threats at gunpoint, sensory deprivation and partial suffocation were all routine during detention of suspects by authorities, the report alleged.

The Thai army denied the allegations and launched proceedings against the writers of the report, a rare investigation of a region blanketed by security forces.

"This is a glaring example of the Thai military misusing the criminal justice system to intimidate and retaliate against activists for reporting grave abuses," said Sunai Phasuk, a Human Rights Watch representative for Thailand.

No member of the Thai security forces has ever been jailed for extrajudicial killings or torture in the restive "Deep South".

That is despite frequent allegations of abuses as well as inquest rulings that have found security forces to have gunned down unarmed Muslim men.

The case is an attempt to silence the activists and "the right to complain by victims of torture", said Surapong Kongchantuk of the Cross Cultural Foundation.

The group -- of which Pornpen is a member -- works closely with the conflict-hit communities in the south.

Rebels want autonomy for the culturally distinct area, which was colonised by Thailand more than a century ago.

They have employed brutal tactics including shootings, beheadings and bombings.

Thai officials deny human rights abuses are systemic and say they do everything in their power to avoid harming civilians.
Islamic State seeks to portray itself as a countervailing force for for political integrity and reliable public service delivery, the report said. (Representational Image)

London: Western governments need to step up their efforts to combat corruption if they are to defeat jihadists such as the Islamic State group and Boko Haram, Transparency International warned Tuesday.

Corrupt practices in states such as Nigeria, Libya and Iraq are providing fertile ground for extremists, the organisation's British branch said in a report.

"Corruption is the most powerful weapon in the armoury of violent extremism," it said in a 44-page report entitled "The Big Spin".

The report said extremist groups drew on public anger at the abuse of power as a means to radicalise and recruit. They also use corrupt officials and their links to organised crime to facilitate financial and arms flows.

Corruption also hollows out state institutions that should keep extremist forces in check, the report said.

Air strikes against the likes of the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria are "woefully insufficient" in building long-term stability, which requires accountable governments, the monitor said.

"Radical movements like ISIS thrive when people lose all faith in those in power -- when officials profit from the misery of the many, when the police exploit rather than protect, and when economic opportunity is skewed in favour of the connected few."

Islamic State seeks to portray itself as a countervailing force for for political integrity and reliable public service delivery, the report said.

"Too many Western governments focus on seeking to influence or moderate the behaviour of corrupt autocrats because they see them as an alternative to instability," it said.

"But in the end, corrupt governments are the architects of future security crises."
Abu Dhabi: Russia will start initial deliveries of military helicopters to India in 2019, with assembly and manufacturing to follow in Asia's fastest growing economy, the chief executive of state-owned manufacturer Russian Helicopters said on Monday.

India and Russia signed an agreement in October to jointly manufacture 200 of the KA-226T helicopters for the Indian Armed Forces.

Both countries have agreed to cooperate in energy and defense as India seeks to modernize its armed forces and build a nuclear industry and sanctions-hit Russia looks for investment and new markets.

"The joint venture is in process and the first delivery will start in 2019. After-sales service will also be provided in India," said Andrey Boginsky, who took over as CEO in January.

Some 60 helicopters will be delivered to India and the remaining 140 will be assembled or manufactured in India, he said at the International Defence Exhibition in Abu Dhabi.

The company has started production of the advanced medium multirole Mi-171A2 helicopter, with four deliveries set for Russia this year, he said.

China has shown an interest in the Mi-171A2, he added, without elaborating.

Overall sales in 2017 are expected to grow at least 15 percent as demand for civil helicopters increases.

"We expect to sell 220 helicopters this year," he said compared to 190 sold in 2016. Military helicopters account for two thirds of sales.

"There is demand for civil helicopters and we plan to increase volumes," he said, adding that a key market is Iran, where there is demand from the oil and gas sector.
Hack, from Beaumont Leys, Leicester, admitted murder but Lowe, from Crown Hills, Leicester, originally denied murder and tried to conceal evidence. (Representational Image)

Leicester: The Leicester Crown Court in England, UK, on Tuesday handed a life sentence to two men, accused of hanging a 23-year-old man from a tree before thrashing him brutally and throwing him into a pond. The victim, with learning disabilities succumbed to his injuries in the hospital.

Joshua Hack, 21, and Keith Lowe, 22, faced charges of abuse and physical assault of 23-year-old Brendan Mason.

According to Metro, Hack and Lowe lured Mason to a nearby park last July under the pretext of spending some time with him.

They then hung him from a tree, taking turns to hit him. He was then stripped naked and thrown into a pond in the park.

The victim, unconscious and bleeding, was found by the groundsmen and was airlifted to the hospital. He was found to have 99 separate injuries to his head and body, including brain damage, five broken ribs and a collapsed lung, and he died later that day.

Though Hack admitted to the murder, Lowe denied the charges and tried to conceal evidence. But when prosecutors played a video of Lowe repeatedly punching and laughing at Mason, he changed his plea half way through his trial at the court.

The duo were later caught on CCTV walking into McDonalds restaurant after the attack in the middle of the night.

Prosecutor Miranda Moore was quoted as saying that the attackers accused Brendan of being a paedophile and 'nothing could be further from the truth'.

The court heard that the attack had been planned the night before after Hack and Lowe misinterpreted Mason's behaviour towards a girl at a party.

She added that police recovered a trophy picture of Lowe standing behind the naked and beaten Brendan, who was sitting cross-legged on the floor.

Meanwhile, Hack's lawyer claimed that his client had autism and was pathetically immature.

The judge noted that Hack had lied to the police and even went with friends to lay flowers at the scene where Masons body was found. He also took cognisance of the fact that Lowe had bleached his bloodstained trousers, washed his hooded top and hidden his blood-spattered shoes in a bid to cover his tracks.

Handing the sentence, he said, I find that each of you were equally involved and responsible for what was a joint attack. Im satisfied you made the recording for your own gratification and took a number of trophy photographs.
A settlement was approved last week as a hearing was set to begin at Birmingham County Court yesterday. (Representational Image/ AP)

London: A gurdwara in the UK which had put screens to separate disabled people and other worshippers have agreed to remove the partition, in a first of its kind case that could impact practices at gurdwaras across the country.

Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Wolverhampton had been accused of discrimination as disabled worshippers were segregated from the main prayer congregation as they could not observe the custom of sitting cross-legged on the floor.

A settlement was approved last week as a hearing was set to begin at Birmingham County Court yesterday.

"The screening was like you were in a prison. On one side you've done something wrong; people (will) catch what you've got. That's how we felt," Bhupinder Kaur Chohan, one of the claimants in the case.

The case is believed to be the first of its kind internationally and could impact practices at gurdwaras across the UK.

Rajinder Singh Basi, chair of Sikh Forum Wolverhampton, described the result as a "victory".

"Disabled people are not second class citizens and deserve enjoyment of the same right to worship and attend gurdwaras as everyone else. Now the gurdwara must make changes and we look forward to them doing so," he said.

The five claimants had alleged that members of the congregation who are unable to sit on the floor were being forced to sit behind screens in the prayer hall and dining room.

The agreement requires gurdwara chiefs to remove all of the screens from both rooms as well as signs which prohibited the use of chairs and wheelchairs.

In addition, a lift will be installed providing access to the first-floor prayer hall and "all necessary auxiliary aids" as set out by the local Wolverhampton Council will be permitted, including chairs with arm rests, according to the local Express & Star newspaper.

The gurdwara ruling committee must also pay the claimants' legal costs as part of the deal.

"In reaching this amicable settlement, the gurdwara would want to send the message that all are welcome with open hands and that the gurdwara would continue to address the needs of the aged, frail and the disabled in accordance with the guidance provided by Sikh Council UK," a statement on behalf of the gurdwara said.
Staffan de Mistura, UN Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria. (Photo: AP)

Paris: UN-brokered Syria peace talks restart in Geneva after a 10-month pause that has seen the opposition weakened and political turmoil in the foreign powers shaping the conflict.

Since April 2016, when rival delegations were last in the Swiss city, government forces have recaptured territory including the former rebel bastion of eastern Aleppo.

Main opposition ally Turkey has forged a partnership with government-backer Russia while the United States, the most powerful voice demanding Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's departure, is under new and uncertain leadership.

Hopes for a breakthrough remain dim with the sides still deadlocked over Assad's fate and violence on the ground persisting.

United Nations envoy Staffan de Mistura has moderated three failed previous rounds of talks and said he was not deluded about the prospects for a deal this time.

But he told a weekend security conference in Munich, it is time to try again.

De Mistura has said the agenda remains consistent with the last round, meaning rivals will discuss governance, drafting a new constitution and organising UN-monitored elections, in keeping the framework laid out by the Security Council in 2015.

But unlike 10 months ago, the rebels have pretty much lost all leverage, said Karim Bitar at the French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs.

Turkey, Russia and fellow regime-backer Iran have organised separate negotiations in Kazakhstan's capital Astana, viewed as prelude to the UN talks.

After a ferocious falling out in 2015, Moscow and Ankara have mended ties and begun cooperation over Syria, including a joint campaign against the Islamic State group (IS).

In Munich, de Mistura said the fact that Russia and Turkey were now talking businesses on Syria was a game-changer.

Moscow's military support for Assad has been decisive, notably in the regime's Aleppo victory.

However, observers said Russia's renewed diplomatic push could help the Geneva meet. "The Russians have an interest in leaving this situation of endless conflict," a European diplomatic source who requested anonymity told AFP, drawing a contrast with Iran's "blind support" for Assad.

While the UN envoy may see bright spots in the new Ankara-Moscow partnership, the situation in Washington is another matter.
Le Pen, who is on a three-day visit to Lebanon this week and has met senior officials, was scheduled to meet Grand Sunni Muslim Mufti Sheikh Abdel-Latif Derian on Tuesday morning. (Photo: AP)

Beirut: France's far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen refused to go into a meeting with Lebanon's grand mufti on Tuesday after his aides asked her to wear a headscarf.

Le Pen, who is on a three-day visit to Lebanon this week and has met senior officials, was scheduled to meet Grand Sunni Muslim Mufti Sheikh Abdel-Latif Derian on Tuesday morning.

Shortly after she arrived at his office, one of his aides tried to give her a white headscarf to put on.

She refused. Le Pen said she had met in the past with the grand mufti of Egypt's Al-Azhar, one of the world's top Sunni clerics, without wearing a veil. Le Pen met the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmed al-Tayeb, in 2015 and photos of the meeting show her with the cleric without wearing a veil.

Once she was told that customs are different in Lebanon, Le Pen walked toward her car and left.

Later, the mufti's office issued a statement saying that Le Pen was told in advance through one of her aides that she will have to put a headscarf during the meeting with the mufti.

"This is the protocol," at the mufti's office, the statement said.

The statement detailed how the mufti's aides tried to give her the headscarf and that Le Pen refused to take it.

"The mufti's office regrets this inappropriate behavior in such meetings," the statement said.
Tehran, Iran: Iran's supreme leader on Tuesday used the podium of a pro-Palestinian gathering in Tehran to lash out at Israel, calling the Jewish state a "fake" nation in a "dirty chapter" of history.

The remarks by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei were some of his most vitriolic against Israel, Iran's archenemy. Every four years since the early 1990s, Tehran has hosted a similar conference in support of the Palestinian cause, assembling foreign guests and those who oppose Israel.

Speaking to the gathering, Khamenei said Israel was created by bringing Jews from other parts of the world to the Mideast region to settle in the land of the Palestinians to replace its "true entity."

The creation of Israel is "one of the dirty chapters of history that will be closed, with the grace of God," he added. Khamenei's speech lasted 33 minutes.

The supreme leader, who has final say on all state matters in Iran, also urged all Muslims to support the Palestinians and "resistance" movements - a reference to anti-Israeli militant groups such as Palestinian Hamas and Lebanon's Shite Hezbollah militants. Iran has always been their staunch ally.

The "resistance movements should have all necessary instruments," Khamenei added and praised those who are part of it in allegedly succeeding in "preventing the domination of the Zionist regime in the entire region."

But he did not appear to endorse an all-our war on Israel, saying instead that it's a "cancerous tumor" that requires a "step by step" treatment. In 2015, Khamenei predicted that Israel would not exist after 25 years.

Some 80 delegations, mainly from Islamic countries as well as pro-Palestinian activists, attended the two-day meeting. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and several government officials also attended the conference.

The venue was decorated with a large map of Israel and the Palestinian territories covered in the colors of the Palestinian flag.

Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, which ousted the pro-western Shah Reza Pahlavi and brought Islamists to power, Iran has not recognized Israel and has supported anti-Israeli groups.

Israel, which seas a nuclear-armed Iran as an existential threat, has opposed the 2015 landmark deal between Iran and world powers that capped Iran's nuclear activities in return for lifting sanctions.
Iraqi police forces fire from a humvee at Islamic State positions from a hillside outside the town of Abu Saif, Monday. (Photo: AP)

South of Mosul: Iraqi forces advanced Monday into the southern outskirts of Mosul on the second day of a push to drive Islamic State militants from the city's western half, as the visiting US defense secretary met with officials to discuss the fight against the extremists.

With aerial support from the US-led coalition, Iraqi police and army troops launched the offensive on Sunday, part of a 100-day-old campaign that has already driven the militants from the eastern half of the city.

Iraqi helicopters fired rockets at the village of Abu Saif early Monday, targeting a hill that overlooks the city's airport. By noon, the forces entered the village and gained control over much of the strategic hill as fighting was still raging.

Separately, militarized police in armored vehicles were moving toward the sprawling Ghazlani military base on the southwestern outskirts of the city.

A U.S.-led coalition has been providing close air support throughout the campaign to retake Iraq's second-largest city. U.S. special operations forces are embedded with some Iraqi units and thousands of U.S. troops are in Iraq providing logistical and other support.

Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis was holding discussions with U.S. and Iraqi officials, a week before he is expected to present a new strategy to President Donald Trump for defeating the Islamic State group.

"We're going to make certain that we've got good situational awareness of what we face as we work together and fight alongside each other," Mattis told reporters traveling with him.

Trump has repeatedly vowed to eliminate the extremist group but has provided few details about how his approach might differ from that of the Obama administration, which had partnered with Syrian and Iraqi forces to drive IS out of several towns and cities.

The battle for western Mosul, the extremist group's last major urban bastion in Iraq, is expected to be the most daunting yet.

The streets are older and narrower in that sector of the city, which stretches west from the Tigris River, forcing Iraqi soldiers to leave the relative safety of their armored vehicles. The presence of up to 750,000 civilians also poses a challenge.

Two suicide car bombers struck army and paramilitary forces west of Mosul on Monday, killing and wounding a number of troops, two army officers said, without specifying the number of casualties. A third suicide car bomber was blown up before reaching the troops, they said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media.

IS claimed responsibility for two attacks in an online statement, saying the attackers were British and Iraqi.
Security forces killed three suicide attackers outside the court in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Charsadda district, police said. (Representational Image)

Peshawar: At least seven persons were killed and 14 injured in a suicide blast and firing by terrorists outside a court in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Tuesday.

Security forces killed three suicide attackers outside the court in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Charsadda district, police said.

The three attackers attempted to enter the court premises in Tangi town through the main gate. They opened fire and threw grenades, prompting retaliatory fire by security forces deployed there.

One bomber was killed in the firing at the gate and the second was killed as he entered the court. The third bomber died when he detonated his explosives, officials said.

Deputy Commissioner of Charsadda said judges and lawyers were safe. He said due to tight security the bombers could not enter the court, but had they been successful in entering the premises it "would have been a catastrophe".

A search and rescue operation was underway, he added.

Ambulances have been rushed to Charsadda from Peshawar, approximately 30 kilometres away, where the Lady Reading Hospital has been put on high alert.

The latest attack came as security has been tightened across Pakistan after a recent wave of terrorist strikes killed more than 100 people.

On Thursday, a suicide bomber killed 88 people at a famed Sufi shrine in Sindh province. Following the attack, the army launched an offesive against militants and claimed to have killed more than 130 terrorists across the country.

A suicide bomber had struck a local court in Charsadda's Shabqadar area last year in March, killing 17 people.
Pledging to protect Oregons health care system from Republicans bent on repealing the Affordable Care Act, U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden met for a little over an hour in Corvallis on Monday with about a dozen doctors, nurses and health system executives from Linn, Benton and Lane counties.

The private meeting at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center, following a public town hall in an auditorium at Oregon State University, is part of a series of get-togethers with medical providers that Wyden is calling his rural health care tour.

Under Medicaid waivers approved by the Obama administration, Oregon created a network of regional coordinated care organizations to deliver health care to low-income residents through the Oregon Health Plan, the states version of Medicaid. Some providers worry that many of the gains in population health achieved under the Affordable Care Act could be lost if the Trump administration follows through on its pledge to replace the Obama-era law, especially in largely rural counties outside the Portland metro area.

We have built a system and a model that, by most metrics, is going really well, said Larry Mullins, president and CEO of Corvallis-based Samaritan Health Services, which operates hospitals, medical clinics and insurance plans in the region. We would just ask for continued funding and support.

Thanks to the ACAs expansion of Medicaid coverage, Good Sam nurse Lynn Schonbrod said, previously uninsured people who had delayed treatment for serious conditions were finally getting much-needed care.

Weve had a big increase in patients who did not have health care before who were taking care of now, Schonbrod said. Its been a major impact on their lives and an improvement in their lives.

Wyden assured her he would fight to maintain coverage for low-income Oregonians.

Im the ranking Democrat on the committee that pays for health care in the Senate, he said, and I am not going to support changes that go back to the dark days when health care was only for the healthy and wealthy.

Others around the table talked about Medicaid funding for preventive services, soaring pharmaceutical costs, the need for more physician assistants and nurse practitioners, the importance of preserving access to mental health services, the effectiveness of Oregons medical home model of care delivery and other health care issues confronting rural counties.

Wyden said he would take their concerns with him when he goes back to Washington.

This is enormously important to a big chunk of our state, he said.

After the meeting, Wyden said hes optimistic he can build a bipartisan coalition to preserve key elements of the Affordable Care Act.

He noted that, during the election campaign, Donald Trump had promised to repeal the ACA and replace it with something that was better and cheaper while maintaining coverage for everybody. But now that Trump is president, congressional Republicans are going to have to find a way to make good on that promise  and many of them, Wyden believes, have been hearing from constituents who have come to rely on the laws benefits.

Suffice it to say theyre not exactly coming out of the blocks with clear plans of how theyre going to do what the president pledged to do, he said.
Beijing: China is building a third aircraft carrier based on American models as it seeks to fortify its claims in the disputed South China Sea and dominate the larger Indian Ocean region to realise its blue water aspirations.

Chinese experts said China is on course to build 5-6 aircraft carriers.

While the first aircraft carrier, Liaoning, is a refitted Soviet-era ship, the second is being built on the same model with more advanced facilities and is likely to enter service in 2020.

The latest carrier, under construction at Shanghai, is based on US models, state-run Global Times reported today.

Based on information released by Chinese defence ministry, the second Type 001A carrier being built at the northeast Dalian port uses the ski-jump technology for aircraft to take off, like the first carrier Liaoning rather than a more advanced catapult technology used by American carriers.

The second aircraft carrier is expected to have a displacement of 50,000 tonnes.

China is looking into catapult technology for the third Type 002 carrier being built in Shanghai, the daily quoted Li Jie, a naval military expert, as saying.

"In other words, 002 is entirely different from Liaoning (001) and 001A, and it will look like a US aircraft carrier rather than a Russian one," Li added.



Official Chinese media have earlier reported about the possibility of a third carrier but it is the first time they have announced that it was being built.

Most advanced carriers use the Electromagnetic Catapult System, or Electromagnetic launcher (EML), to launch fighter jets, but China is also testing steam catapults, Li said.

"In order to protect China's territories and overseas interests, China needs two carrier strike groups in the West Pacific Ocean and two in the Indian Ocean. So we need at least five to six aircraft carriers," Yin Zhuo, a senior researcher at the PLA Navy Equipment Research Centre, said.

Chinese media has often highlighted the construction of aircraft carriers as the US deployed aircraft carriers in the disputed South China Sea challenging Beijing's claims.

The US Navy on Sunday announced that an aircraft carrier strike group has begun "routine operations" in the South China Sea. The announcement came despite a warning from China not to interfere with Chinese sovereignty in the region.

China has a long history of maritime disputes with its South China Sea neighbours. It claims almost all of the South China Sea, despite objections from the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Vietnam.

China has also created artificial islands in the area, outfitting some of them with military features.
Chinese navy's increasing presence in the Indian Ocean comes following the release of a White Paper published by the PLA in 2015 outlining a new military strategy enhancing its navy's duties for the first time to "open seas protection" far from its shores. (Representational Image/ AP)

Beijing: China's warships have carried out a high-seas training in the Indian Ocean, the state media reported on Tuesday.

"Chinese #navy flotilla carries out high-seas training in east #IndianOcean," Xinhua news agency tweeted along with four images of the training exercises.

The official news agency did not provide any details of the exercise held in the Indian Ocean, considered India's backyard where the People's Liberation Army Navy has been increasingly active.

Chinese navy's increasing presence in the Indian Ocean comes following the release of a White Paper published by the PLA in 2015 outlining a new military strategy enhancing its navy's duties for the first time to "open seas protection" far from its shores.

The presence of Chinese submarines at Colombo port and most recently in Karachi has sparked concerns in India.
Lahore: Pakistan has said Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed, who has been listed under an anti-terrorism law, can pose a "serious threat" to the nation, and was thus placed under house arrest in the country's "larger interest".

The acknowledgement of the danger the Mumbai attacks mastermind poses came from Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif during an international security conference in Munich, Germany.

"Saeed can pose a serious threat to the society," Asif told the audience at the Munich Security Conference on Sunday, The Nation reported.

Saeed was "arrested in the larger interest of the country", he added, according to the report. Saeed was placed under house arrest under the fourth schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) on January 30 in Lahore, provoking an uproar from his party and allies. Saeed's inclusion in the list shows he is linked with militancy in some way.

Saeed was earlier this month put on the Exit Control List, barring him from leaving the country. During a panel discussion on countering extremism and terrorism, Asif said: "Terrorism is not synonymous to any religion. Terrorists aren't Christians or Muslims or Buddhists or Hindus. They are terrorists, they are criminals."

The action against Saeed was taken after Pakistan was hit by at least eight terror attacks this month in which more than 100 people died, the latest being a suicide bombing on a famed Sufi shrine in Sindh province that claimed 88 lives.

Saeed was also put under house arrest after the Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008 in which 166 people died, but he was freed by a court in 2009. He carries a reward of USD 10 million announced by the US for his role in terror activities.

In a statement critical of the American policies, Asif said Pakistan is determined to fight terrorism: "Let me assure the world community that Pakistan is a frontline state in this war and it will continue to fulfil its obligations to its own people and the international community but if the West's policies are going to be isolationist it won't help the fight against terrorism, only fuel it."
Beijing: Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar on Monday held talks with China's top diplomat Yang Jiechi ahead of a key strategic dialogue on Tuesday to improve bilateral ties hit by Chinese reluctance to support India's NSG bid and back a United Nations ban on JeM leader Masood Azhar.

Jaishankar, who arrived in China from Sri Lanka, met Yang, who besides being the State Councillor is Beijing's Special Representative for border talks between India and China.

In Chinese official hierarchy, State Councillor of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) is regarded as the top diplomat functioning directly under the country's leadership.

Jaishankar is expected to meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, besides attending an upgraded strategic dialogue with China's executive vice-foreign minister Zhang Yesui on Wednesday.

Underlining the significance of the strategic dialogue, which was upgraded during Wang's visit to New Delhi last year, China has deputed Zhang Yesui, also the head of the influential CPC committee of the Chinese Foreign Ministry for the parleys.

Ahead of the talks, China has appeared unrelenting in its opposition to impose the UN ban on Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Azhar and ambivalent on India's membership to the 48-member Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).

Putting the onus on India to prove Azhar's involvement in the Pathankot terrorist attack, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters on February 17 that China will back the move to list him only if there was solid evidence.

Last year, China twice put a technical hold on India's application to 1267 sanctions committee of the UNSC and again blocked a resolution moved by the US - and backed by France and the UK - in January.

"Whether last year's application by India or this year's by relevant country our position is consistent. Our criterion is only one, we need solid evidence. If there is solid evidence the application can be approved. If there is no solid evidence there is hardly consensus," Geng said.

On India's admission into the NSG, again blocked by China, he reiterated China's stand, "We stick to two-step approach namely, first NSG members need to arrive at a set of principles for the entry of NSG by non-NPT state parties, and then move forward discussions of specific cases," he said.

Also, bilateral ties have strained over the USD 46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), over which India has protested as it goes through the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

China defends the ambitious project, saying it is development project and made no difference to its stand that

Kashmir issue should be resolved by India and Pakistan. Officials say the strategic dialogue will cover the whole gamut of bilateral ties.

Two sides have been stressing that both sides are holding talks at various levels to iron out differences stressing that dialogue is the best way forward.

Commenting "friction points" including Azhar and NSG, Geng said, "differences between China and India are inevitable, but through various forms of in-depth exchanges, including the upcoming Strategic Dialogue, differences can be minimised and new agreement can be reached on further cooperation".

Officials say Jaishankar's talks here in the next two days were expected to set the tone for bilateral ties this year.
Sharif will co-chair the 5th Session of the Pakistan-Turkey High Level Strategic Cooperation Council with Turkish counterpart Binali Yildirim in Ankara on February 23, the Foreign office said today.

Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will travel to Turkey tomorrow on a three-day visit to old wide-ranging consultations with the Turkish leadership on bilateral, regional and international issues.

Sharif will co-chair the 5th Session of the Pakistan-Turkey High Level Strategic Cooperation Council with Turkish counterpart Binali Yildirim in Ankara on February 23, the Foreign office said today.

The council was established in 2009 as a framework for consultations at the highest political level between the two sides.

At the conclusion of the session, a Joint Declaration will be issued. The two sides are also expected to sign a number of agreements/MoUs on the occasion.

During his visit from February 22 to February 24, Sharif will also meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other senior officials.

He will hold wide-ranging consultations with the Turkish leadership on bilateral, regional and international issues.

The Prime Minister will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, consisting of ministers and senior officials. Sharif will also visit the Turkish Parliament to reaffirm

Pakistan's unequivocal support and solidarity against the failed coup attempt in Turkey on July 15, 2016. The parliament was bombed on that night by rebels.

He will also pay homage to all those who laid down their lives in defence of the Turkish democracy.

The relationship between Pakistan and Turkey is unique in inter-state relations -- marked by exceptional warmth, cordiality and mutual trust, the Foreign Office said.

"These fraternal ties are nurtured by common faith, shared history, and cultural and linguistic affinities. The two nations have an abiding tradition of standing by each other and mutually supporting their respective national causes -- including Kashmir and Cyprus," it said.

Bilateral ties between Pakistan and Turkey have witnessed remarkable growth and dynamism in recent years, ranging from enhanced economic ties to deepening defence collaboration to growing educational and cultural links, it said.

Both sides are working to give powerful thrust to bilateral trade, investments, and commercial cooperation as part of the efforts to build a robust economic partnership.

The leadership of both the countries is committed to transforming this historic relationship into a strong strategic partnership in line with the realities of the 21st century.

This year also marks the 70th year of Pakistan-Turkey diplomatic relations. The two countries envisage special commemorative events throughout the year to celebrate this milestone in a befitting manner.
Prachanda has said he would amend the new constitution to address the grievances of the minority Madhesis living in the southern plains to make the elections possible. (Photo: AFP)

Kathmandu: Nepal will hold its first local elections in 20 years in May, a minister said on Monday, an important milestone in its long and difficult transition to democracy that the government hopes will culminate in a general election.

The Himalayan nation has been unable to complete the journey to a republic because some regional groups rejected a constitution approved by bigger political parties in 2015, saying it concentrated power further among the hill elite that has long dominated politics.

Forest Minister Shankar Bhandari told Reuters that the vote to more than 700 village and municipal assemblies would be held on May 14, paving the way for national and state elections to be conducted later this year.

"Elections are necessary to take the peace process to a logical conclusion and end an important chapter of the political transition," Prime Minister Prachanda, a former Maoist rebel leader, said over the weekend.

The Maoists waged an insurgency against the monarchy from 1996 to 2006 in which more than 17,000 people were killed. The 239-year-old monarchy was abolished by a constituent assembly dominated by the former guerrillas in 2008.

Prachanda has said he would amend the new constitution to address the grievances of the minority Madhesis living in the southern plains to make the elections possible.

But the Madhesis say their grievances must be addressed before the election dates are finalised. They have vowed to boycott and disrupt any election in their region, home to more than half of Nepal's 28.6 million people, without that.

A joint front of several Madhesi parties was expected to meet later on Monday to decide what measures to take after the polls were announced without meeting their demands, community leader Mahanta Thakur said.

Elections to the national parliament must be held by Jan. 22, 2018, and usher in the third government under the new constitution.

"If the government is able to hold local elections in the summer and state as well as parliamentary elections before the year end, it would accomplish a major constitutional responsibility," said Bipin Adhikary, a constitutional expert.

"That would end the political transition, which began after the end of the Maoist conflict followed by the abolition of monarchy."

If those elections are not held by then Nepal risks sliding into a constitutional crisis that could undermine the fragile stability of the young republic wedged between China and India.
Rising for the fourth straight session, the Sensex and Nifty closed near five-month highs today on widespread buying even as telecom stocks tumbled after Reliance Jio announced new tariff plans.



Shares of consumer durables, banking, finance, oil and gas, industrial and capital goods sectors posted a robust show, while telecom, teck and IT ended in the red.



Brokers said long positions built up by participants, including foreign funds, and covering-up of short positions ahead of February month's derivatives expiry on Thursday added to the momentum.



The 30-share Sensex resumed higher at 28,716.70 and hovered between 28,801.00 and 28,597.33 before ending at a five-month closing high of 28,761.59, showing a gain of 100.01 points or 0.35 per cent. The gauge had last ended at 28,773.13 on September 22, 2016.



The index had gained 506.02 points in the previous three sessions.



The NSE 50-share Nifty also rose by 28.65 points or 0.32 per cent to close above the 8,900-level after five months at 8,907.85. The Nifty had last closed at 8,952.50 on September 8, 2016.



"Markets opened on a positive note but slipped into the negative territory, only to recoup losses in the latter half of the trading session," said Karthikraj Lakshmanan, Senior Fund Manager  Equities, BNP Paribas Mutual Fund.



Bharti Airtel was the worst performer in the 30-share Sensex pack, while the S&P BSE Telecom index fell the most among BSE sectoral indices after RIL Chairman Mukesh Ambani unveiled Reliance Jio's new voice and data offers, including 20 per cent more data than any rival from April 1.



Reliance Jio will continue to offer free voice calls and national roaming post April 1, when its promotional free voice and data offer ends, he added.



Axis Bank surged 4.99 per cent on reports of merger with another private lender, which the bank has denied.



Select steel stocks rose after the government yesterday extended anti-dumping duty on import of certain steel products from China for five years with an aim to protect domestic players from cheap shipments.



Major gainers were Jindal Saw, Jindal Steel and Power and Maharashtra Seamless, rising up to 9.59 per cent.



Meanwhile, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth a net Rs 433.38 crore yesterday, as per provisional data.



Globally, other Asian stock markets were mixed as investors awaited minutes from the US Federal Reserve's latest meeting and Wall Street prepared to reopen after a three-day weekend.



Japan's Nikkei ended 0.68 per cent higher, Shanghai's Composite Index rose 0.41 per cent while Hong Kong's Hang Seng closed 0.76 per cent lower.



European markets were trading mixed in early deals with Frankfurt up 0.40 per cent and Paris rising 0.07 per cent. London's FTSE fell 0.29 per cent.



Back home, mid-cap and small-cap indices ended higher by 0.52 per cent and 0.46 per cent, respectively.



Of the 30-share Sensex pack, 19 scrips ended higher.



Major gainers were Axis Bank (4.99 per cent), Asian Paints (1.61 per cent), Reliance (1.36 per cent), Adani Ports (1.18 per cent), HUL (1.17 per cent), HDFC (1.06 per cent), ICICI Bank (0.96 per cent), Hero MotoCorp (0.82 per cent), ONGC (0.80 per cent) and Tata Steel (0.80 per cent).



Bharti Airtel fell by 3.38 per cent, followed by TCS (1.68 per cent), Sun Pharma (0.93 per cent), Maruti (0.48 per cent) and Power Grid (0.29 per cent).



Among BSE sectoral and industry indices, consumer durables rose 2.44 per cent, bankex 0.97 per cent, finance 0.86 per cent, oil and gas 0.82 per cent, industrials 0.60 per cent, capital goods 0.34 per cent, metal 0.32 per cent and auto 0.27 per cent.



Telecom fell 2.35 per cent, teck 0.51 per cent and IT 0.17 per cent.



Market breadth remained positive as 1,551 shares advanced, 1,269 lost while 187 ruled steady.



The total turnover on BSE amounted to Rs 3,017.92 crore, higher than Rs 2,910.44 crore registered during the previous trading session.


The cause of death has not yet been determined for the exiled member of North Korea's ruling family who died last week after apparently being poisoned in a Kuala Lumpur airport, officials said today.





The autopsy showed no evidence of a heart attack in Kim Jong Nam's death, or sign of puncture wounds on his body, Noor Hisham Abdullah, the director general of health, told reporters.



Asked if there was any indication that he had been poisoned, Noor Hisham said medical specimens had been forwarded to experts who can determine the cause of death. "We have to confirm with the lab report before we can make any conclusive remark," he said.



No family members have come forward to claim the body, he said. The older half brother of North Korea's ruler, Kim had spent most of the past 15 years living in China and Southeast Asia.



The attack spiraled into diplomatic fury when Malaysia refused to hand over Kim's corpse to North Korean diplomats and proceeded with at least one autopsy over the diplomats' objections.



The two nations have made a series of increasingly angry statements since then, with Malaysia saying it was following its legal protocols, and North Korea insisting Malaysia is working in collusion with its enemy South Korea.



Police have so far arrested four people carrying identity documents from North Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam.



Those arrested include two women who were allegedly seen approaching Kim on February 13 as he stood at a ticketing kiosk at the budget terminal of the Kuala Lumpur airport.



Surveillance video, obtained by Japan's Fuji TV and often grainy and blurred, seems to show the two women approaching Kim Jong Nam from different directions that morning. One comes up behind him and appears to hold something over his mouth for a few seconds.



Then the women turn and calmly walk off in different directions. More video shows Kim, a long-estranged half brother of North Korea's ruler, walking up to airport workers and security officials, gesturing at his eyes and seemingly asking for help. He then walks alongside as they lead him to the airport clinic.



Fuji TV has not revealed how it acquired the video, which was taken by a series of security cameras as Kim arrived for a flight to Macau, where he had a home.



Kim, who was in his mid-40s, died shortly after the attack, en route to a hospital after suffering a seizure, Malaysian officials say.


Britain today said there is no cap on visa for Indian students and they are free to access world-class education in top notch UK universities.





British High Commissioner to India Dominic Asquith said that the UK had announced 600 scholarships for Indian students aspiring to study in the UK.



"UK has no cap on visas for students from India or anywhere else. All are treated same. Whoever comes will join almost half a million international students who come in the UK to access word-class education in the world-class universities," he said here.



Asquith was speaking at the India launch of the report of the UN Secretary General's High Level Panel on Women's Economic Empowerment.



India has time and again asked Britain to relax student visa rules for greater mobility of students.



UK's visa policy requires students to return home after their courses end -- a move that has led to fall of Indian students enrolling in British universities by 50 per cent.



As per estimates, the number of study visas issued to Indian nationals have fallen drastically.

Asquith also said that the UK is participating in several initiatives of the Indian government to promote skilling.



He said the UK is already investing and supporting about 75 start-up businesses and they provided access to financial services to women in India.



British companies, on an average, are spending 7 per cent of their revenues on training and skilling employees in India and are also creating more opportunities for women, Asquith said.
June 4, 1942  Feb. 15, 2017

Harold Dean Doc Bauman died Feb. 15 from complications after his first chemo treatment for prostate cancer.

Dean was born June 4, 1942, in Harper, Kansas, to Harold and Josephine Bauman. He married Mary Ellen Drake on his 19th birthday in 1961. Together they had two children, Erin and Karl.

In 1967 he received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Kansas State University after which he entered the US Army, proudly serving in Vietnam.

He enjoyed meeting people and always found ways to serve his community, particularly being a mentor. His passions were flying his airplane, a good game of cribbage, the OOTA, cowboy poetry and, especially, spending time with his family. He loved being a grandfather.

He was a man who loved life, learning and his work as a veterinarian. He practiced, among other places, 20 years in Corvallis and 23 years in Newport. He traveled to Iceland with Keiko (of Free Willy fame) and was proud to have served for eight years on veterinary teams on the Iditarod dog sled race.

He is survived by Mary, his wife of 55 years; Erin, Mark, Brian and Chris Rumbaugh; Karl, Catherine, Nikolas, Annelise and Norah Bauman; and siblings Jerry Bauman, Ralph Bauman and Virginia Goodness and their families.

Burial will take place in Kansas in March with a celebration of life in Newport later this spring.

If you would like to do something, you may donate to the Church of the Nazarene in Newport or to any good cause, and put a smile on someones face today like Dean always did. (www.mchenryfuneralhome.com)
The city is home to several biking groups. There is also a sizable number of women bikers, who are just as enthusiastic as their male counterparts, to pack their bags and head out into unknown territories. It is their thirst for adventure and an eagerness to explore new spaces that has inspired them to take to biking in a big way.





This year looks promising for most of the women bikers in the city, who have chalked out elaborate plans and started working towards them. Deepti J, better known as DJ, is planning to head to the Rann of Kutch for the festival by December this year. I rode to Leh last year. It was a 2,300 km ride through three of the worlds highest passes. It was a 21-day trip that needed extensive preparation that began three months prior to the departure date, says Deepti.



Deepti is going for the trip with a few of her friends and the preparation for the 15-day trip to the Rann of Kutch has already begun. We plan to ride out from Bengaluru. The first thing is to build fitness levels to ensure that the stamina is high and work towards strengthening the core. So some of us have started yoga, walking and are also spending a few extra hours at the gym, says Deepti, who has just returned from a trip to Hampi, Masinagudi and Wayanad.



While group rides are a common feature, there are a couple of women like Carolyn Rodricks, a motorcyclist since the last three years, who enjoys going on solo rides. She has covered several places across the country but yearns for more adventure. The highlight of my travel is a trip to Leh and Ladakh. Ive never been so excited before and have started getting the motorcycle ready. Right from choosing the correct gear, prepping the motorcycle for carrying luggage and tools to making provision to fit the video and camera equipment, I am making sure nothing is amiss when I go on my trip, says Carolyn, who says that riding is not only a passion but also like an anti-depressant.



Riding is something that I cant get out of my system. I always make time for rides and spend more time and money on my motorcycle than on myself, explains Carolyn. A few others like Sameera Dahiya, a native of Haryana, was bold enough to break away from the existing social norm in her village and chase her passion for riding. Women from my town were not allowed to go beyond a certain social norm. I came to Bengaluru five years ago and joined an IT firm. After working for five years, I decided to buy myself a Royal Enfield Classic 350 and havent looked back since, says Sameera.



Her first ever bike trip was to Coorg and Sameera says that the trip changed her perspective towards life and riding. During my earlier trips, Ive covered 28,000 km in 15 months, which included places like Bengaluru, Kanyakumari, Leh, Sipiti, Ladakh, Rajasthan and the southern part of the country, she says.



Sameera wishes to try different dimensions of biking this year. Biking for me is all about exploring the skills in riding. Riding to new places offers a wonderful learning experience. I am keen on riding to the North Eastern part of the country. A trip to Nepal and Bhutan is also on the cards, says Sameera.




The government may reduce merchant discount rates (MDR) for debit card payments significantly as it is examining RBI suggestions for lesser rates to maintain the momentum of digital transactions post note ban, Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant said on Tuesday.





MDR is a charge that merchants pay to banks, which issue Point of Sale machines.

The Reserve Bank of India had last week brought out a discussion paper on MDR transactions, wherein it had proposed to drastically cut MDR charges on debit card payments from April 1, specially for small merchants.



Still there are challenges in digital payments. One of the challenges is to see that MDR rate comes down, Kant told reporters here.



The RBI had proposed MDR charge at 0.40% of the transaction value for merchants with annual turnover of Rs 20 lakh and special category merchants, like utilities, insurance, mutual funds, educational institutions and government hospitals.



It had proposed an even less 0.3% MDR if the transaction is done through digital Point of Sale machines.



The existing MDR is capped at 0.75% for transactions up to Rs 2,000, and 1% for transactions over Rs 2,000.



Kant said banks are making largescale procurement of PoS machines, and in the past two-and-a-half months, the number of PoS machines has gone up to 28 lakh from the earlier 8-9 lakh. Incidentally, a week ahead of the Budget, a committee headed by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu had suggested abolishing MDR for digital payments made to government entities.



Meanwhile, initiative to make digital payments a mass movement through the two schemes  Digi Grahak Yojana and Digi Dhan Vyapar Yojana  has made headway. According to the latest figures released by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), which has been executing the schemes, nearly 10 lakh consumers and merchants have been disbursed over Rs 153.5 crore as reward money till February 20.
Indian-born Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella on Tuesday met Union Minister for Information Technology and Electronics Ravi Shankar Prasad, and discussed ways that the Indian government can work with the technology giant for better opportunities in areas such as rural health and leveraging LinkedIn for creating jobs.





Nadella and Prasad had a closed door meeting here for over half-an-hour, which was attended by senior ministry officials including the IT Secretary Aruna Sundararajan, Additional Secretary Ajay Kumar, and UIDAI CEO A B Pandey.



Though Nadella did not make any comments to media, Prasad said the meeting was productive.



Microsoft is doing good work in India. In particular, we have appreciated their initiative for digital inclusion in villages, the Harisal pilot project in Maharashtra where they brought in technology and connectivity for digital health and digital education..., Prasad said after the meeting, adding that this is something I am considering for replication in our larger vision for Digi Gaon initiative.



Finance Minister Aurn Jaitley in the Union Budget for the 2017-18 fiscal had announced that a Digi Gaon initiative will be launched for the provision of telemedicine, education and skills with the help of digital technology.



The minister said that Nadella also discussed cloud and LinkedIn, and creating job opportunities in India. We already have a cloud-first policy, and we have empaneled Microsoft too. But LinkedIns involvement in skilling professionals, to be exposed to good job opportunities also were talked about detail, Prasad said.



However, the minister said there was no discussion on H-1B visa issue. Aruna said that there were discussions around Aadhaar, India Stack, cloud first, mobility first and startups.


A Mumbai-based womans online petition against abnormally high rate of C-section deliveries in India has caught the attention of Women and Child Development (WCD) Minister Maneka Gandhi.



The minister will meet petitioner Subarna Ghosh on Wednesday to discuss the issue . Subarna had posted her petition at the Change.org against growing business of C-section in India after her long, painful, depressing recovery from a caesarean delivery. Her petition has received support from more than 1.27 lakh netizens.



Sharing her ordeal, Subarna said doctors performed a surgery on her to delivery a baby though no serious complications was detected. I wanted to have a natural birth but had to undergo a C-section as it was presented to be more scientific, modern and risk-free. I was misled, manipulated, confused and my choice was overridden, she added.



Subarna demanded regulations to bring more transparency in functioning of hospitals, especially private hospitals, saying the right to informed-refusal or consent during childbirth is hardly an option for women in India either due to lack of awareness or the high-handed attitude of doctors.



Her petition went viral and was brought to the notice of the WCD minister. The minister will meet her on Wednesday to look into the matter in more detail, Durga Nandini, a spokesperson of the public petition website, said in a statement. The World Health Organisation suggested that C-section rate should be between 10% and 15% of the total deliveries in a country. However, a latest National Family Health Survey indicated that the overall C-section rate in some states in India was as high as 58% (Telangana) and 34.1% (Tamil Nadu).



The fact that private hospitals have a much higher rate of C-sections than public hospitals has a direct correlation to the fact that surgical deliveries cost so much more than normal ones in these facilities, Ghosh said in her petition. She demanded the Medical Council of India to make it mandatory for all doctors and hospitals to declare the percentage of caesarean deliveries.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has decided to adopt a more scientific approach for collecting data on accidents, which will include road engineering defects, road surface conditions, over-loading and condition of vehicles.



The ministry has circulated the new format, prepared by an expert panel, and asked them to submit data in the coming days. The new format will help analyse the cause of accidents, identifying black spots and taking corrective steps to eliminate the flaws, said Kirti Saxena, senior advisor with the Transport Research Wing of the ministry. Instead of blaming drivers negligence for accidents, the government wanted to know what are the other reasons that cause accidents, including weather conditions, culverts, gradients and potholes, she said.



The new format also lays emphasis on use of GPS coordinates to obtain accurate location of accident spots. However, at places where the police station does not have GPS facility, the format has the provision of giving landmarks.



Every year, the ministry collects data from the state governments and analyses it. India is a signatory to the Brasilia Declaration where the country has committed to reduce road fatalities by 50% by 2020.



In 2015, nearly 5 lakh road accidents were reported in India where 1.46 lakh people died.The expert panel, formed in November 2016, comprises officials from MoRTH, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, state transport and police departments and experts from IIT-Delhi and IIT-Kharagpur to recommend a new format for data collection.



Terming the existing data collection method as highly flawed, Geetam Tiwari, a professor at IIT-Delhi, said, The current data shows only 10% of casualties are pedestrians. However, our study revealed that 50% of victims in Delhi are pedestrians, while the figure goes to 65% in Mumbai.



Emphasis has been given on accident identification details, road related details, vehicles involved in accidents, driver details and persons other than drivers involved in the accident, said Sudhanshu Mitra, a professor at IIT-Kharagpur, who is the part of the committee.


A woman was charred to death and four other passengers sustained burns when a KSRTC bus caught fire near Arishinakunte in Nelamangala, 30 km north of Bengaluru, shortly after Monday midnight. The exact cause of the fire is not yet known.



There were 21 passengers in the bus plying from Sringeri to Bengaluru. It had departed from Hassan at 8.30 pm and was scheduled to reach Bengaluru by 12.30 am. As the bus reached Arishinakunte around 12. 20 am, the conductor, Renuka Prasanna, noticed smoke billowing from the middle of the vehicle. She alerted the driver, Dinesh, who responded quickly and pulled into the roadside. The crew asked the passengers to get down immediately. Just as the panic-stricken passengers got to their feet, flames engulfed the bus. The saris of two female passengers  Bhagyamma (55) and Mamatha (35)  caught fire. Bhagyamma, with heavy build, could not move fast and was caught in the flames. But Mamatha was pulled out by other passengers, Amit Singh, Superintendent of Police, Bengaluru Rural, told DH.



Firefighters rushed to the spot after receiving information and doused the flames in about 15 minutes. Transport officials have inspected the bus and ordered forensic examination to determine the cause of the fire. Dry coconuts kept in plastic bags were found in the bus but the exact cause of the fire is unclear, a senior police officer said. Police are trying to pinpoint the area where the fire originated.



Doctors at Victoria Hospital said Mamatha had suffered more than 75 % burns and was unlikely to survive. Her son Yashus (5) and other passengers Dinesh Gowda (45), a resident of Peenya, and Padmanabha Shastry (55), a resident of Dasarahalli, sustained minor burns and were treated as outpatients at the government hospital in Nelamangala.



Bhagyamma hailed from Arsikere, Hassan district, and was a resident Dasarahalli. She and a relative, Chandramma, had gone to Chamarajanagar to attend a funeral. Another relative dropped them off at Bellur Cross where Bhagyamma boarded the bus. She called up her son a few minutes before the accident, asking him to pick her up at 8th Mile bus stop in Peenya, said another senior police officer.



Mamatha, too, boarded the bus at Bellur Cross on her way back from Veerapura, her hometown in Hassan district. Doctors attending to her said she had been estranged from her husband for some months. She is now keen to meet him, the officer said.


The forest cell of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Monday raided a farmhouse in Kaggalipura, off Kanakapura Road and rescued a jackal pup and other species protected under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972.



Other animals rescued include two star tortoises, a flapshell turtle and two parakeets. Officials also seized 50 kg sandalwood from the premises.



A 45-year-old caretaker of the farmhouse identified as Swamy has been arrested and the animals have been shifted to the Bannerghatta Rescue Centre. They will be released into the wild later.



According to sources from the forest cell, the farmhouse belonged to a prominent criminal lawyer in the city. Forest cell sleuths received information about a jackal cub and several other wild animals kept in captivity at the farmhouse named Drona. When a group of volunteers had gone to rescue a wild animal recently, an alert villager shared information about the captive wild animals at the farmhouse, the official said.



Even today, outside Dodda Ganesha temple in Basavangudi, photo frames of jackals are sold on footpaths and at several mens hair-cutting salons, one finds pictures of jackals hung with slogans saying Look at me and you will prosper. This belief is prevalent even among the educated who keep jackals in captivity in their houses for good omen, he said.



Kaggalipura police, who have registered a case under Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, Karnataka Forest Act and IPC, have arrested caretaker Swamy, but have let the owner off the hook fearing legal implications, pointed out sources from forest cell. During the raid, Swamy also told us that even judges and senior police officials frequented the lawyer's farmhouse, the sleuth added. Preliminary investigations reveal that Swamy has been keeping the wildlife in captivity without the knowledge of the owner, said a senior police officer.


Congress working president Dinesh Gundu Rao said BJP leader B S Yeddyurappa seems to have lost mental balance as he is making wild allegations against Congress leaders. He needs to be treated for his problem, he said.





Addressing the media in Bengaluru on Tuesday, Rao said Yeddyurappa on Monday threatened to send Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to prison within a year of him coming to power.



This has come from a person who is the epitome of corruption, Rao said.

Is Yeddyurappa a judge? Or is he a dictator like those in Uganda? Why should he wait to become chief minister and use Central offices to send Siddaramaiah to jail? If he has evidence against the chief minister and ministers, let him file cases right now. Let the CBI hold an enquiry. But we do not want to send anyone to jail. That should be left to the enquiry officers. Anyway, Yeddyurappa has the experience of being in jail, Rao said.



Further hitting out at the BJP, the Congress leader said the Income Tax department refuses to part with information sought by the chief minister. But details of I-T raids are given to the BJP.



The Congress would stage a protest against the BJP on Thursday at Freedom Park in Bengaluru. The party would give a fitting reply to the BJP on that day, he added.



BJP hits back



Later in the day, BJP state general secretary and former minister Aravind Limbavali took exception to comments by Dinesh Gundu Rao against Yeddyurappa.



Yeddyurappa is a senior and respected leader. Calling him mentally challenged reflects the state of mental health of the person who made the comment, Limbavali said, referring to Rao.



He dared the Congress leaders for an open debate on BJPs charge that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had paid Rs 1,000 crore bribe to the party high command to retain his seat.

MLC K Govindaraj has not denied that he was the conduit to pass on the ill-gotten money from Siddaramaiah to the Congress high command, Limbavali added.




Warning of winds that could gust up to 50 mph, the National Weather Service in Portland has issued a wind advisory for the mid-valley.

The advisory is in effect from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday. Forecasters expect south winds from 20 to 30 mph, with gusts ranging from 40 to 50 mph.

Forecasters said the winds could cause tree damage, which could lead to travel problems and power outages.

A wind advisory is issued when sustained winds are forecast to be 31 to 39 mph or when gusts will range between 45 and 57 mph. Winds of this magnitude can cause minor property damage if extra precautions are not taken. Motorists in high-profile vehicles should use caution until the winds subside.

Here are your updated local forecasts:

Albany

Presidents Day: Rain before 10 a.m., then showers. High near 54. Breezy, with a light and variable wind becoming southwest 23 to 28 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 41 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. Monday night: Showers likely before 10 p.m., then rain. Low around 42. South southeast wind around 6 mph becoming light and variable. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. Tuesday: Rain. High near 49. West wind around 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Corvallis

Presidents Day: Rain before 11 a.m., then showers. High near 54. Breezy, with a light and variable wind becoming southwest 21 to 26 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 40 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. New precipitation amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible. Monday night: Showers likely before 11 p.m., then rain. Low around 42. South southeast wind around 6 mph becoming light and variable. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible. Tuesday: Rain. High near 50. North northwest wind around 7 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. New precipitation amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Lebanon

Presidents Day: Rain before 10 a.m., then showers. High near 54. Windy, with a light south southeast wind becoming south southwest 28 to 33 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 50 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. Monday night: Showers likely before 10 p.m., then rain. Low around 42. Southeast wind around 6 mph becoming light and variable in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. Tuesday: Rain. High near 50. West wind 5 to 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Thimma, a murder accused who was part of the notorious Dandupalya gang, has approached the Karnataka High Court seeking his release.



He was sentenced to life imprisonment and has already spent 18 years in prison. He, however, challenged his arrest before the Karnataka High Court claiming that he was a minor when he committed the crime in April 1998. He was arrested in October 1999. Thimma was convicted for theft and murder of one Ranganath. He was tried as a major in the lower court and was sentenced to life imprisonment.



His petition in the high court was sent to the lower court for confirmation of his age where, in two instances, the lower court had confirmed that Thimma was a minor at the time of his arrest. However, the prosecution argued that the documents produced by Thimma, including the school register, were doctored.



Thimma contended that he should have been tried as a juvenile under the Juvenile Justice Board. He has sought directions for his release from prison under provisions of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000. A division bench comprising Justice B S Patil and Justice N K Sudhindra Rao adjourned the hearing.


Three former ministers of the Tamil Nadu government were denied permission to meet AIADMK general secretary Sasikala Natarajan at the Central Prison, Parappana Agrahara, on Tuesday.





Prison authorities denied permission citing rules that restrict visits to a convict to twice a week. Visitors can meet Sasikala twice a week as per the rules. A little discretion is given to the chief superintendent of the prison regarding the duration of the meeting. Visitors can meet her for about 15 minutes, DGP (Prisons) H N Sathyanarayana Rao told DH. There is no request from Sasikala for transfering her to a prison in Tamil Nadu, he said.



Cyanide Mallika shifted



K D Kempamma (52), better known as Cyanide Mallika, Indias first serial killer, who was lodged in a cell next to Sasikalas, has been moved back to the Belagavi Central Jail, Hindalga.



Mallika, who was arrested on January 8, 2008, for poisoning six women to death with cyanide, was moved from Belagavi to Bengaluru around three months ago for treatment. Prison authorities decided to shift her back to Hindalga as she has recovered.


Over one crore children have been vaccinated in Karnataka under the Measles and Rubella eradication initiative, according to figures provided by the Health and Family Welfare department.





With a total target of 1.65 crore children to be vaccinated over a 21-day period, the state has vaccinated 1,04,78,619 children after 10 days of vaccination drive covering 63.14% of the total target.



Children above nine months and below 15 years are being covered in the state-wide campaign starting February 7. The campaign will end on February 28. On February 17, Karnataka also received special appreciation from the India Expert Advisory Group on Measles and Rubella Immunisation for running the campaign successfully.



The Union government has written to the commissioners of Kendriya Vidyalaya Sanghatan and Navodaya Vidyalaya Samithi asking them to participate in the campaign. This comes a few days after these schools refused to permit vaccination following their concerns over safety. The highest cumulative coverage in percentage to date are Udupi (77.7), Hassan (76.52) and Bengaluru Rural (75.68). The areas that have reported the least coverage are BBMP 43.23%, Kalaburagi 51.66% and Yadgir 52.03%.


Media should go beyond reporting accidents and must create awareness among the public about road safety, said cartoonists who won prizes at a state-level competition organised by the Transport Department.



Yama, the Lord of Death, was present in many of the over 120 cartoons, which will be exhibited at Chitrakala Parishath till Thursday. He was seen closely following a youth doing a wheelie and lurking beside another trying to take a selfie while riding.



From drunk-driving to jumping signals and not wearing helmets, almost all traffic violations were covered by cartoonists. Most of the offenders depicted were youth.



The Transport department organised the exhibition after conducting a state-level cartoon contest as part of the road safety awareness programme.



Chandra Gangolli, a cartoonist with a daily, said a picture speaks a thousand words and a cartoon is the same, except that it is far more effective and powerful as a medium.



Solutions for problems



Raghupati Sringeri said that as an artist with 20 years of experience, he always felt that art should engage actively with society to find solutions to problems. We know that incidents like signal jumping, wheelies, not wearing a helmet will have major consequences. But we tend to ignore them.



Cartoons will add fun to an issue and bring an ironic touch to an otherwise regular depiction of an event, he said. Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy said without citizens participation, the department cannot meet the goal of reducing the number of accidents by half in the next three years.


The police arrested the director, managing director and coordinator of the nursery school in connection with the sexual assault on a three-year-old girl by the schools supervisor.



They are Dr Veena Ashok, the director, Kingston, the MD and Praveen N, the coordinator. The police booked them under IPC 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and produced before the court. However, the trio obtained bail in the court itself.



V S Ugrappa, chairman of the Legislative Committee on Women and Child Safety, visited the school with committee members on Tuesday evening.



We discussed the issue with parents who want stern action against the guilty staff and management. Some of them told me that their children too underwent a similar ordeal, Ugrappa told DH.



Medical examination



The committee strictly directed the jurisdictional police to immediately register cases involving sexual assaults on children. The victims father took her to Sakra World Hospital for medical examination as he did not want the examination to be conducted at a government hospital.



The report indicates that there was sexual assault on the child. However, I have directed the police to take the victim to the government hospital for a medical examination. Instructions were given to the police to compulsorily take victims to government hospitals for the medical examinations in such cases, he said.


The father of the sexual assault victim said several parents had gathered near the school on Tuesday to discuss the issue.





He added, Several of them expressed support to our family. We want action against the principal and management for trying to sweep the matter under the rug, he added.



He said that when the mother had approached director Dr Veena Ashok, she refused to acknowledge the incident and asked the mother to take any action she wished. The very next day, she came to the police station and lodged a complaint against the suspect. Why was she silent when the incident was reported first? questioned the father. In a complaint to the police, a copy of which is with DH, the parents have sought action against the principal, administrative staff and housekeeping staff who are responsible for taking care of the child.



Dr Veena, under her jurisdiction, has allowed all of this in her school. She is more responsible for letting such an horrendous incident take place in a reputed organisation with a chain of franchisees across India, the parents have said in the complaint.



They have sought closure of the school, demanded counsellors or psychologists for children at the schools cost and refund of school fees and treatment of children.



Kripa Alva, chairperson, Karnataka State Committee for Protection of Child Rights said she would visit the school and seek action against the management if required. In the wake of the frequent incidents of sexual abuse in play schools, the Karnataka State Committee for Protection of Child Rights will ask the Integrated Child Development Services under the department of women and child development to list the playschools in the state and give an update on the licence renewal and facilities.
Politicians in Punjab, who sweated it out during the chilly winter months, are now unwinding as D-day approaches.





While some opted for naturopathy and detox sessions, others are on a tour of the US, Bangkok, Dubai and Hong Kong.



From film shoots and book launches to big fat Punjabi weddings, the netas are making good use of their time before March 11  when the election results will be announced.



Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh is busy giving the final touches to his biography  The Peoples Maharaja  which was launched on Tuesday. Amarinder is also coming up with another book on the Battle of Saragarhi.



Octogenarian Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and two close aides, took a flight to the US for a health check up. Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal and his wife and Union minister, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, are also away in the US.



A video clip showing Harsimrat regretting not spending time with the family has gone viral. The Aam Aadmi Partys (AAP) star campaigner and MP Bhagwant Mann, who contested the Assembly elections against Sukhbir, took detox sessions at a naturopathy centre in Bengaluru.



Mann also spent time with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal who attended the sessions with him. Comedian and AAP candidate Gurpreet Singh Guggu is busy shooting for his upcoming flick with comedian Kapil Sharma.
Warrants arrest  3:14 p.m. Sunday, Linn County Jail. Angelique Zaragoza, 36, of Albany, was arrested on warrants with charges of identity theft and second-degree theft from Columbia County. She also was cited on a charge of resisting arrest. A no-bail hold was placed on her at the jail.

Domestic violence arrest  8:08 p.m. Sunday, 1300 block Park Terrace Drive S.W. Police received a report that a girl was pushed down and hit in the face. Rachel Yvonne Miller, 46, of Albany, was arrested on charges of felony fourth-degree assault (domestic violence) and first-degree criminal mistreatment. Her initial bail was set at $56,000, and she was scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday sent out a clear message to American President Donald Trump to shun protectionism and not restrict the entry of skilled Indian professionals into the United States.



Modi told a delegation of 26 members of the American Congress that Indian professionals had contributed to enriching the US society and economy.



He said the US should develop a balanced and far-sighted perspective on movement of skilled professionals, according to a press release from the Prime Minister's Office.



His comment came amid speculation that Trump's America First policy on protecting jobs and his moves to curb immigration might hit Indias $150-billion Information Technology services industry.Modi shared with the US Congressmen his perspective on areas where both countries could work even more closely, including in facilitating greater people-to-people linkages.



These, the PMO statement said, had over the years helped contribute to each others prosperity.

The prime minister welcomed the American Congressmens visit and said it augured a good start to bilateral exchanges following the new US administration.



The Trump administrations early move to bring in tough anti-immigrant measures triggered uproar within America. India, however, is particularly concerned about the fate of its IT professionals currently working in the US on H-1B visas. New Delhi is closely monitoring not only the executive orders issued by the Trump Administration to restrict entry of immigrants into the US, but also the legislative moves in the American Congress to bring in protectionist measures.



A Bill sponsored by California Republican Representative Darrell Issa is now under review of the American House of Representatives. The Bill, known as Protect and Grow American Jobs Act, will require US companies to pay high-skilled foreign workers hired under the exempt category of the H-1B visa programme at least $100,000 a year, which is 40% more than the current minimum of $60,000. This will make it difficult for Indian IT companies to send professionals to the US on H-1B visas.


The Water Resources Department may soon be forced to regulate supply to BWSSB at the main source - Cauvery river basin reservoirs, due to depleted storage.



Such a move may have a cascading effect on water availability to consumers in Bengaluru.Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) chairman Tushar Girinath, when contacted by DH, said there was no cause for panic at the moment. However, if the situation turns really bad, consumers may have to face some shortfall in supply.



Speaking to reporters here, Water Resources Minister M B Patil on Tuesday indicated his department may be left with no option but to resort to rationing of water to BWSSB, in the wake of depleting water levels at Cauvery reservoirs, especially KRS and Kabini.



Bengaluru requires 1.5 tmc water a month and most of it is met from Cauvery reservoirs. Patil said if water supply to Bengaluru from KRS reservoir had to be maintained till May end, then rationing of water by the department (regulating supply at the source) may have to be imposed. The live storage in KRS on Tuesday was only 5.69 tmc ft compared to 13.82 tmc ft on the corresponding day last year. The scene at Kabini is even worse. The live storage is only 1.53 tmc ft compared to 5.27 tmc ft last year.



There will be only meagre inflow into the reservoirs till the onset of monsoon (June). He said BWSSB Chairman and Water Resources Department Principal Secretary Rakesh Singh are monitoring the situation on a day-to-day basis. The minister said the government could order taking over of private borewells in urban areas coming under the Cauvery basin if the need arises.



When private borewells in rural areas can be taken over, why not in urban areas ? he asked. The Water Resources Department is against pumping water from dead storage in KRS, he added. The cost of extracting water from dead storage could touch Rs 40 crore, he said.


U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden tackled a number of a topics in a wide-ranging Corvallis town hall on Monday, but he kept coming back to one recurring theme: Hes not happy with the new administration in Washington.

Close to 1,000 people poured into the large auditorium at Oregon State Universitys LaSells-Stewart Center for the meeting, a sign of the charged political atmosphere gripping the country since last falls highly divisive presidential election.

For 90 minutes, the Oregon Democrat took questions from the audience on issues ranging from climate change to health care, from election reform to immigration reform, and from protecting scientific integrity to protecting the rights of racial and religious minorities. He also took a number of jabs at Donald Trump, calling on the president to back off on some of his policy initiatives, release his taxes and disclose his business dealings with Russia.

Wyden said he supports renewable energy sources such as wave and geothermal power and would consider a proposal for carbon pricing as ways to address global warming.

On Republican plans to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, he vowed to protect some of the ACAs key provisions, such as guaranteeing coverage for people with pre-existing medical conditions.

The Affordable Care Act is far from perfect, he said. (But) were always going to keep trying to build on what we have and not turn back the clock.

Wyden asserted there was not a shred of evidence to support Trumps claims that 3 million people voted illegally in the November presidential election but said that changes are needed to shore up the electoral process.

He called the Citizens United decision on corporate personhood an abomination for equating campaign spending with free speech, saying that what it really means is that a rich persons checkbook and a poor persons soapbox are the same thing, and that is a preposterous theory.

Wyden proposed expanding Oregons vote-by-mail system to the rest of the country to address concerns about hacking and voter fraud, and he said reforms are needed to bring the Electoral College back to its purpose of ensuring that a handful of states cant skew national elections.

The Electoral College was originally set up to protect states like ours, small states, he said. I think its time to make sure every persons vote counts, and I will support Electoral College reform.

On the issue of immigration, Wyden said he supports reforms that would include a path to citizenship for people who are already living in this country.

Lets understand that America is a nation of immigrants. We are better and stronger because we are a nation of immigrants, he said. We have to have rules  but lets fix the system.

And he lambasted the Trump administrations efforts to keep people from Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S.

Religious tests run contrary to everything this country is about, he said. Republicans from Oregon have opposed them, and so will I.

In response to a question about the administrations efforts to muzzle dissenting government scientists and promote alternative facts, Wyden said he would work to protect whistleblowers and make sure the public gets the truth.

It really feels like a war on science and a war on the free press as well, he said. In America, the truth always comes out.

Wyden stressed the importance of reaching across the aisle to work with his Republican colleagues in Congress, but he also said the new president was fueling the countrys deep political divide.

Ive never seen anything like this in Washington, D.C., he said. Im going to keep creating opportunities for people to work together, but were going to have to see a willingness (from the administration) to reach out.

The senator accused Trump of being soft on Russia and suggested the billionaire businessman may have been concealing his financial connections with that country when he broke with precedent by refusing to release his tax returns during the election campaign.

Wyden said he has introduced legislation to require presidential candidates to make their tax returns public and pledged to use his seat on the Senate Intelligence Committee to demand an explanation from former national security adviser Mike Flynn, who was forced to resign after it was revealed he had misled the vice president about conversations with the Russian ambassador prior to Trumps inauguration.

Were going to insist that people like Mike Flynn come into an open Intelligence Committee meeting and raise their right hand and tell us what happened, Wyden said. This Russian matter is too important. It is not going to be swept under the rug.

He criticized Trumps appointment of chief strategist Steve Bannon, the controversial former chairman of a website that supports the white nationalist movement and other alt-right causes, to the National Security Council.

The last thing we need to do is politicize the National Security Council, Wyden said.

Wyden ended his remarks by talking about race, saying that the Black Lives Matter movement has ignited an incredibly important debate.

He said there are a number of issues that need to be addressed, from racial profiling to disproportionate incarceration rates and the lack of economic and educational opportunities for African-Americans. Every American deserves equal respect, he added, and black parents shouldnt have to worry about their childrens safety just because of the color of their skin.

Thats just unacceptable. We are too good and too strong to have parents have that fear, Wyden said.

Its an Oregon message that we respect everyone, and were never going to allow elected officials to leave that respect behind.
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This Is How Large Short Films Became A Game Changer For The Film Industry
Amazons Samsung Carnival will be held from February 21 till February 23 and is offering discounts on certain Samsung devices like smartphones and TVs

Amazon is hosting the Samsung Carnival on its platform. As the name would suggest, the retailer will offer certain smartphones as well as TVs from Samsung at discounted rates during the sale. This includes Samsungs Galaxy ON series of Android-powered smartphones as well as two of the companys HD ready TVs. The Carnival will start on February 21, and will go on till February 23.

The Samsung Galaxy On8 smartphone, which is currently available for Rs. 14,990, will be available at Rs. 13,990 for the duration of the sale. This is applicable on the Gold, White and Black colour variants of the smartphone. Similarly, the Galaxy On7 Pro and the On5 Pro will have a discount of Rs. 500 and will be available at Rs. 9,490 and Rs. 7,490 respectively. This is applicable on the Black and Gold colour variants of the two phones.

Amazon is also offering Samsungs 32-inch FH4003 HD Ready LED TV at Rs. 18,490 with Rs. 500 in their Amazon Pay account. The TV has an MRP of Rs. 23,900. Similarly, the Samsung UA24K4100ARLXL 24-inch HD Ready LED TV will be available at Rs. 11,490, down from its MRP of Rs. 16,500.

Besides these, buyers also get deals on various other Samsung products. You can check out the Samsung Carnival by clicking here.
Samsung's brand reputation fell from number 7 to number 49 in Harris Polls' survey, conducted with 30,000 adults from the US.

It seems the Galaxy Note 7 debacle may have been detrimental for Samsung after all. The company recently reported its highest gains in three years, and a Reuters poll near the end of 2016 said that the companys reputation hadnt suffered. Now, a new poll by Harris Poll, conducted between late November and mid-December, 2016, says Samsungs Reputation Quotient Ratings has indeed fallen.

According to the new poll, called the 2017 Reputation Quotient Ratings, the South Korean smartphone maker dropped by 42 places compared to 2015. Samsung went from number 7 in 2015 to number 49 in 2016, falling just in front of the US Postal Service, Macy's and PepsiCo. Amazon, Apple and Google took the first, fifth and eighth position, respectively.

Further, Harris Poll surveyed as many as 30,000 US adults, asking them about brands and their vision/leadership, social responsibility, financial performance, products and services and workplace environment, and even their emotional appeal.

The Galaxy Note 7, launched last year, had to be recalled after major battery issues led to the phone spontaneously catching fire. Interestingly, Samsung has confirmed that it is not killing off the Note brand and there will be a Note 8 smartphone this year as well. The company is currently preparing for the launch of its Samsung Galaxy S8 flagship.
The industry has been calling for a design revamp from HTC for a while now, and the Taiwanese OEM is finally listening. HTC pulled kind of a fast one last year, with heavy chamfers on its flagships, but largely the same old design. Thats not the case with the new U series though. Not only is HTC dropping the One monicker, its refreshing its entire design language. The U Ultra and U Play do not look like any HTC phone weve seen before, but whether they look good is a highly subjective question.

The U Ultra and U Play have glass backs, somewhat similar to Samsungs Galaxy S7, but even more glossy and reflective. The phones are made to change colours based on the light and angle theyre being held. This works primarily on the U Ultra, the higher end of the two phones. On the U Play the effect is less emphatic, especially on the white version of the device.

Theyre also distinctly iPhone-like in some ways. The U Ultra is almost as tall, while the U Play feels distinctly like the smaller iPhone, thanks to its rounded metal frames. To be clear, were not saying this is a negative for the two devices. If anything, the HTC U Play feels as ergonomic as the Google Pixel, which is saying something.

But therein lies the issue. HTC wants to to pay at least Rs. 59,990 and Rs. 39,990 for the U Ultra and U Play, respectively, For the life of me, I do not know why that is so. This is the MOP for the devices, meaning the final MRP may be still higher. Its especially counterproductive for the U Play, which runs on a Helio P10. The U Ultra runs on the Snapdragon 821, meaning it belongs in the flagship range, at least as far as specifications are concerned.

On first impressions, the HTC U Ultra is a distinct anomaly in the smartphone market. It looks absolutely unlike anything you can buy today. In dim lights its hard to tell where the back ends and the front begins, and it moves from a dark-ish blue to a kind of, sparkling neon blue from certain angles. I spent the most time today with the blue unit, but the same happens with the other colours as well.

On the other hand, its as expensive as the Pixel or iPhone and hence one expects the same level of performance and camera features. Speaking of which, HTC is using the Sony IMX378 sensor on this device, which is the sensor on Googles excellent Pixel cameras this year. This is combined with OIS and Laser AF, and HTCs ultrapixel tech. On first impressions, the Ultras 12MP ultrapixel camera shoots much brighter photos than the 16MP sensor on the U Play, but its too early to comment on camera quality.

What I can tell, though, is that the cameras are quite fast, zipping through the app launch to the image being processed. It all happens in just about a second. Its definitely amongst the fastest cameras Ive seen and on the few photos I clicked at the launch event, I saw no blurs caused from lack of focusing.

Between the two phones, the U Ultra is easier to justify, but I daresay HTC has problems on hand with the U Play. MediaTeks Helio P10 hasnt proven to be very fast in other phones, even when combined with 4GB of RAM. The U Play also has 32GB of storage, against a plethora of phones that have at least 64GB ROM and cost less than Rs. 40,000. Adding to the woes, even Samsung has a 64GB device on the market, thats cheaper than the U Play.

To be clear, the HTC U Play felt really smooth on first impressions, and though I wouldnt bet on the camera being better than the Moto Z and OnePlus 3, it doesnt lie far behind either. Its quite compact too, as Ive already mentioned. The only nagging issue is that there are many phones that do all this and sell at half the price. HTC fans may still plan to spend on both of these smartphones, but Im not sure theyre the ones thatll bring the ailing Taiwanese giant back in play.
Nokia 8 was launched in August 2017 & runs on Android 7.1.1 OS. The Smartphone is available in more than three color options i.e.Polished Blue, Tempered Blue, Steel, Polished Copper & has a built in fingerprint sensor as the primary security feature, along with the host of connectivity options in terms of 3G, 4G, GPS, Wifi, NFC Bluetooth capabilities. Priced at Rs. 29999 the phone is available with 64 GB of internal storage.

The Smartphone is powered by 2.5 GHz Octa
Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.

Morality cannot be legislated, but behavior can be regulated. Judicial decrees may not change the heart, but they can restrain the heartless.

A right delayed is a right denied.Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. Hate destroys a man's sense of values and his objectivity. It causes him to describe the beautiful as ugly and the ugly as beautiful, and to confuse the true with the false and the false with the true.

Martin Luther King Jr.

No one is born hating another person People must learn to hate and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.

Nelson Mandela

We can disagree and still love each other, unless your disagreement is rooted in my oppression and denial of my humanity and right to exist

James Baldwin

There is a fine line between free speech and hate speech. Free speech encourages debate whereas hate speech incites violence.

Newton Lee

The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything.

Albert Einstein
South Korean electronics company Samsung is reportedly ready to sell refurbished Galaxy Note 7 smartphones to emerging markets, in order to recoup some of its losses.

Samsung was rocked by a variety of reports from users in 2016 about their Note 7 devices catching fire and exploding, leading to a global recall and subsequent cessation of production.

The Note 7 debacle was a costly one for Samsung, with the company reporting that it has taken a $5bn hit already due to the recall of its flagship phone.

Markets such as India and Vietnam will see the resurgence of the smartphone, as well as other developing regions, as Samsung also attempts to avoid a fine for environmental damage.

Samsung, which has also been in the news for the arrest of its de-facto head Lee Jae Yong in relation to South Korean corruption, the batteries of the Note 7 were affected by a defective negative electrode in the battery.

The reports from the local Hankyung news agency suggest that over 200,000 of the devices were used during an investigation into the issue, leaving around 2.5 million handsets for Samsung to refurbish and sell on.

The company said at the beginning of 2017 that profits had been hit by the scandal, and expected growth to be stunted throughout the year.

"After the expensive lesson learned last year, let us make all necessary reforms. First, we will maintain the basics of product competitiveness. Quality has been the cornerstone of our success that we must not compromise. We will restore top quality standards through improved processes and strengthened testing," said current CEO Kwon Oh-hyun.
The UK will have to pick up a hefty bill at the conclusion of Brexit negotiations, according to European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker .

Speaking in the Belgian parliament, Juncker ruled out any negotiations which might finish with a "cut-price" Brexit and insisted that Britain will face the consequences of leaving the bloc.

Last June's referendum led to a victory for the Leave campaign, and British Prime Minister Theresa May is expected to invoke Article 50 to begin the exit process in March.

"We need to settle our affairs not with our hearts full of a feeling of hostility, but with the knowledge that the continent owes a lot to the UK," Juncker said. "Without [Winston] Churchill, we would not be here  we mustn't forget that, but we mustn't be naive."

"Our British friends need to know  and they know it already  that it will not be cut-price or zero cost."

Many of the EU's high profile names have struck a hard line since Britain's decision to leave the bloc, including Juncker and chief negotiator Guy Verhofstadt.

Juncker used the French slang word literally translating as "salty" to describe the hefty price tag that will come with Brexit.

"Therefore the bill will be  to use a rather vulgar term  very salty. It will be necessary for the British to respect commitments which they freely entered into."

May admitted for the first time in January that Britain will be subject to a so-called "Hard Brexit", losing access to the single market.
Asian markets were mixed on Tuesday, with many investors seemingly counting on the Trump administration across the Pacific to provide some positive momentum as they struggled to find direction locally.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 was up 0.68% as a weaker yen continued to underpin some of the benchmarks major export stocks.

The yen was last 0.53% weaker against the greenback at JPY 113.7 per $1.

Of the major exporters, Honda added 0.62%, Sony was up 0.37% and Toyota was 0.72% firmer.

Ailing technology conglomerate Toshiba was down 1.4%, as reports emerged locally that the firm wanted to raise at least JPY 1trn in cash by selling a majority stake in its attractive memory chip division.

Toshiba had been looking to raise significant cash as it faced a liquidity crisis, after writing down $6.3bn from its acquired Westinghouse nuclear development business in the US.

On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite was up 0.41% at 3,253.24, while the Shenzhen Composite was 0.94% higher at 1,981.14.

South Koreas Kospi added 0.89% to finish at 2,102.93, with fresh customs data - which showed a jump in exports and imports in the first 20 days of February - giving the benchmark a boost.

The data showed exports were 26.2% higher year-on-year in dollar-denominated terms during the period, while imports were up 26%.

Korea posted a trade surplus of $2.19bn in the data.

Samsung Electronics continued its forward momentum, advancing 0.72%, even as Samsung chief Jay Lee remained under arrest for his alleged involvement in the cash-for-influence scandal surrounding impeached President Park Geun-hye.

Lee was quizzed by Korean authorities on Saturday, and local media reports on Tuesday suggested he could be formally charged next week.

At the time of Lees arrest, a number of ratings agencies - including Fitch, Moodys and S&P - all said his arrest was unlikely to affect their credit ratings of Samsung Electronics.

Also on the Korean technology front, Kakao shares were up 4.25% after the Alibaba-related Ant Financial announced it was investing $200m into the messaging app creators fledgling mobile payments system.

In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index was down 0.76% at 23,963.63.

Banking giant HSBC confirmed its pre-tax profit was down 62% during the session, blaming slow growth in its main markets of Hong Kong and the UK, while also posting one-time charges at a number of its businesses.

Hong Kong-listed shares in HSBC were down 5%, while close rival in the region Standard Chartered was off 1.83%.

The mixed day in Asia came as traders took a breather from the relentless barrage of information from the US, with markets and politics taking the day off for the Presidents Day holiday.

With US markets closed for Presidents' Day, it was perhaps apt that President Trump gave markets some reprieve from the combined - but confused - effects of 'Trumpflation' and 'Donald Doubt', read a note from analysts at Mizuho Bank.

Oil prices were mixed throughout Asian hours, though they were firmly in the green in early European trading, with Brent crude last up 1.28% at $56.91 per barrel and West Texas Intermediate adding 0.94% to $54.53.

In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 managed to lose 0.07% to close at 5,791.02, while across the Tasman Sea, New Zealands S&P/NZX 50 added 0.2% to 7,115.69.

The down under dollars were both weaker, with the Aussie last retreating 0.35% to AUD 1.3051 against the greenback, and the Kiwi losing 0.68% to NZD 1.4006 per $1.
Efforts to float a stake of Saudi Arabian state oil firm Saudi Aramco have been stunted, with the date of potentially world's largest ever IPO being pushed back as far as 2019.

According to a report from The Times, the board of Aramco will meet this week in order to discuss how to bring the deal forward, after initially planning to present the project to Saudi king Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud.

The deal has hit a stumbling block due to the complexities associated with the company's relationship with the state, after officials had claimed that the IPO could place a valuation of $2trn on Aramco.

The listing would offer up less than 5% of Saudi Aramco, with the company hoping to gather $100bn in cash from investors for the shares. Its expected valuation has come unstuck however due to the high level of tax and royalty rates it pays to the House of Saud. Aramco pays as much as 85% tax in the country.

Saudi Arabia is said to favour a flotation on the New York Stock Exchange, while also considering London and Toronto for the IPO.

Other stock exchanges such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Shanghai had been shortlisted as well, but Aramco is understood to have ruled out those options.

The IPO is part of a wider government operation to modernise the Saudi economy and make it less dependent on oil reserves to flourish. Vision 2030 aims to diversify the country's assets, which currently includes pumping 1 in every 9 barrels of oil globally.
UK public sector net borrowing was in surplus by 9.4bn in January  a key month for income tax receipts  up a touch from 9.1bn in the same month a year ago.

This was the highest January surplus since 2000, and although it came in worse than consensus estimates for a 14bn surplus, it leaves Chancellor Philip Hammond on track to meet his 2016/2017 fiscal targets.

For the current financial year to date, public sector net borrowing fell by 13.6bn to 49.3bn compared with the same period in the previous financial year, which is the lowest YTD borrowing since the financial year ending January 2008.

Meanwhile, the governments total debt pile rose to 1.7trn at the end of January, which is a 91.7bn increase since the end of January 2016.

Self-assessed income tax and capital gains tax receipts increased by 2bn to 19.8bn in January 2017 compared to the same month a year ago, which is the highest January on record.

Samuel Tombs, chief UK economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, said: Borrowing remains on track to undershoot the OBRs Autumn Statement forecast, despite Januarys smaller-than-expected surplus.

The ONS has decided this month to shift to recording corporation tax receipts when the economic activity that generated them occurred, rather than when they were received by the Exchequer. Partly as a result, borrowing in the first nine months of the fiscal year was revised down by nearly 4bn.

Howard Archer, chief UK and European economist at IHS Global Insight, said: Very pleasing news for Chancellor Philip Hammond ahead of the 8 March budget as the public finances saw an improved surplus in January compared to a year earlier and looks poised to substantially undershoot the revised 2016/17 fiscal target contained in Novembers Autumn Statement.
Philip Hammond has signalled that the government is looking at alleviating the impact of changes to business rates, which have triggered a fierce backlash among some Conservative MPs. The chancellor told his partys influential 1922 committee that he was in listening mode over the policy, which will see rates rise by 13% in his own Runnymede and Weybridge constituency. - Guardian

Saudi Arabias plans to float off a stake in the nations state oil producer have been delayed until next year at the earliest because of the complexity of the transaction. Saudi Aramco was due to present a plan for its initial public offering this week to Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, the king of Saudi Arabia. - The Times

The European Commission wants Britain to be paying into EU projects for four years after it has signed a Brexit deal, with final payments continuing up until the end of 2023. The plan is part of a European Union demand that Britain settles a 60bn Brexit bill before being granted a deal that will govern future trade relations. - Telegraph

Greeces bailout inspectors are returning to Athens to seek changes to the countrys tax, pensions and labour market laws in a sign that the Greek prime minister, Alexis Tsipras, will give way to European pressure for deeper reforms. His government agreed at a meeting of eurozone finance ministers on Monday to talks on big economic reforms in exchange for progress on releasing the next instalment of bailout funds. - Guardian

Political pressure over the London Stock Exchanges 21bn merger with German rival Deutsche Boerse is mounting ahead of a parliamentary debate on the controversial tie-up, amid concerns a major City institution will become locked in the EU following Brexit. Sir Bill Cash, the veteran eurosceptic Conservative MP, has secured a debate which will lead to fierce scrutiny of the deal and some MPs are expected to urge the Government to put a stop to the merger. - Telegraph

Online retail sales rose sharply again last month, but with an ironic sting in the tail for sellers of all those devices that shoppers are using to search and spend. The latest e-Retail sales index found that online sales rose 12 per cent year-on-year last month and that the average basket value was 85, up from 79 a year earlier and the highest since January 2010. - The Times

Royal Dutch Shell has brushed off concern that the burgeoning market for liquefied natural gas is already oversupplied, after paying 36.5bn to buy market leader BG Group. Shells first outlook report for LNG since the tie-up has predicted a market boom as demand from countries including China and India which will outpace the string of new project start-ups. - Telegraph

The business secretary has promised the governments unbounded commitment to protecting jobs at Vauxhall amid concerns over the carmakers future. Fears are growing about plants in Ellesmere Port and Luton as the French owner of Peugeot and Citroen, PSA Group, presses ahead with talks to buy General Motors European business, which includes Opel in Germany and Vauxhall in the UK. - Guardian

It is not the biggest copper resource in the world, nor the best known, but a halt in production at the El Soldado mine in Chile yesterday dealt an untimely blow to Anglo American and lit a fire under the price of the red metal. Copper climbed back above $6,000 a tonne as Anglo, which reports its annual results this morning, stopped producing at El Soldado. - The Times

The controversial buyer of the Governments Green Investment Bank will make hundreds of millions of pounds from the deal, it has been claimed, with a decision due within days. Australian bank Macquarie  dubbed the vampire kangaroo for its ruthless tactics when buying firms  is set for a huge windfall at taxpayers expense, ministers have been warned. - Mail

Thousands of highly paid workers are setting themselves up as self-employed to dodge tax in a move that threatens to leave the Treasury 6 billion out of pocket, analysis has shown. According to the Resolution Foundation think tank, surging self-employment is being driven by workers in industries such as banking and advertising rather than the gig economy of Uber and Deliveroo. - The Times

MPs have reacted with incredulity after the boss of Volkswagen told them the company in Europe had done nothing wrong and misled nobody, despite having agreed a multibillion-dollar settlement in the US over the emissions-rigging scandal. Paul Willis, giving evidence to the transport select committee on Monday, insisted there was no legal basis for compensation claims because there was no degradation to the vehicles. - The Guardian

Catering giant Compass has secured a ten-year contract with Tottenham Hotspur at the clubs new 61,000-capacity stadium. The deal, for an undisclosed sum, will create 50 full-time jobs and 1,400 match-day roles. - Daily Mail

Justine Greening, the women and equalities minister, will be questioned by MPs after rejecting most of their recommendations for addressing the structural reasons why women are paid 18 per cent less than men. MPs on the women and equalities select committee said that they were deeply disappointed by the response to proposals for improving womens promotion and return-to-work prospects and to narrow the gender pay gap. - The Times
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Panasonic 55AX900 HDMIs are built to the latest 2.0 standard, to support native 4K feeds at 60Hz rather than the mere 30Hz you get with the HDMI 1.4.

The 55AX900 supports H.265 streaming via its network ports. This matters because it's the system Netflix uses to deliver its 4K/UHD streams - streams which are, at the time of writing, by far the most high-profile 4K source in a world where 4K sources are painfully few and far between, according to Forbes. Other notable connections on the 55AX900 are USB and SD card slots for playback of multimedia files or recording from the integrated HD tuners, plus integrated Wi-Fi to support Panasonic's online services and DLNA streaming.
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There is bipartisan support for Amsterdam-style pot clubs for a simple reason: Everyone is tired of seeing pot smokers on public sidewalks.



By KRISTEN WYATT

Associated Press

DENVER  At risk of raising the ire of the White House, Colorado is on the brink of becoming the first state with licensed pot clubs. But the details of how these clubs will operate are as hazy as the underground clubs operating already.

Denver officials are working on regulations to open a one-year pilot of bring-your-own marijuana clubs, while state lawmakers are expected to consider measures to allow either marijuana tasting rooms run by marijuana dispensaries, or smoke-friendly clubs akin to cigar bars.





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Jesus. Trump's lawyer, a mobster and a Manafort-minted Ukrainian pol are trying to blackmail Poroshenko. https://t.co/loTQd8cuWH
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The New York consulting firm has proposed several designs to make downtown spaces safer and more appealing.



EUGENE, Ore. (AP)  A consultant hired to help improve downtown Eugene has told city leaders that the area is in crisis and is widely considered unsafe.

The Oregon city hired New York-based Project for Public Spaces to recommend ways to make the downtown public spaces safer, welcoming and more active, reported The Register-Guard.





. . .
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SALEM, Ore. (AP)  More than half the land in Oregon is owned by the federal government, but Republican lawmakers there have raised the possibility of transferring it to state control.

The Statesman Journal reports that a bill sponsored by Grants Pass Republican Carl Wilson and three other lawmakers would create a task force to analyze the costs and benefits of such a move.





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The Donegal Democrat has been informed of the following deaths:

- Hugh McGeady, Glasserchoo, Gweedore

-Bridget Dooher, Ard Na Glass, Castlefin

- Barney Bradley, Carrigart

- Rose Devenney, Stranorlar

- Vincent Gallagher, The Glen, Mountcharles

- Maisie (Mary) Mcdermott, Ballybofey and Dublin

- Eamon Dugan, St. Johnston

- Teresa Mullally, Letterkenny, Waterford and Dublin

- Iris Russell, Killygordon and Cavan Uppr

- Sarah Ann Mc Laughlin, Carnagarvie, Moville

- Molly Shile Boyle, Ranafast

Hugh McGeady, Glasserchoo, Gweedore

The death has taken place of Hugh McGeady, Glasserchoo, Gweedore. Reposing at his late residence. Funeral from there on Wednesday, February 22nd, for 3pm Mass in Christ the King Church, Gortahork, with burial afterwards in the adjacent cemetery. Rosary both nights at 9pm. House private after Rosary until 10am. Family flowers only, donations, if desired, to Donegal Hospice care of any family member or Gallagher Funeral Directors, Gortahork.

Bridget Dooher, Ard Na Glass, Castlefin

The death has taken place of Bridget Dooher, Ard Na Glass, Castlefin. Reposing at her late residence. Removal at 10.15am on Wednesday, February 22nd, to St Patricks Church, Murlog for 11am Requiem Mass. Burial afterwards in St Marys Church Graveyard, Castlefin.

Barney Bradley, Carrigart

The death has taken place of Barney Bradley, late of Mulroy Park, Carrigart. His remains are reposing at the residence of his niece Mary-Ann Bridget Bradley, at Main street Downings. Funeral on Tuesday, February 21st to the Church of St John the Baptist, Carrigart for requiem mass at 11am followed by interment afterwards in the Old Cemetery, Umlagh. Family flowers only please donations if desired to Mevagh day centre care of any family member. Family time from 11pm to 11am.

Rose Devenney, Stranorlar

The death has occurred of Rose Devenney, late of 38 Ard Mc Cool, Stranorlar. Her remains will repose at her home. Funeral on Wednesday February 22nd at 10.30am for Requiem Mass at 11am in the Church of Mary Immaculate, Stranorlar, with interment afterwards in Drumboe cemetery.

No Flowers please. Donations if desired, to St. Josephs Hospital or Brindley Manor Nursing Home, patients comfort fund, C/O any family member. Family time from 11pm until 10 am, and on the morning of the funeral.

Vincent Gallagher, The Glen, Mountcharles

The death has taken place of Vincent Gallagher, Mountcharles. Reposing at his late residence. Removal on Wednesday morning to St. Marys Church, Killymard for 11am Funeral Mass followed by burial in Mountcharles churchyard. House private from 10pm to 12 noon and on the morning of the funeral please.

Maisie (Mary) McDermott, Ballybofey/Dublin

The death has occurred of Maisie (Mary) McDermott, late of Ballybofey and Dublin. Removal to the Church of Mary Immaculate, Stranorlar on Tuesday February 21st for 7pm. Funeral Mass at 1pm on Wednesday followed by burial in Stranorlar Cemetery.

Eamon Dugan, St Johnston

The death has occurred of Eamon Dugan, late of Magheracloy, St Johnston. His remains are reposing at his late residence. Funeral leaving there on Wednesday, February 22nd, at 10.30am going to St Baithins Church, St Johnston for Requiem Mass at 11am followed by burial afterwards in St Columbas Church cemetery, Drumoghill. Family flowers only please, donations in lieu if desired to, Alzheimers Society, Donegal Branch, c/o Sean Kelly & Son Funeral Directors, Oakfield, Raphoe. Family time on the morning of the funeral.

Teresa Mullally, Letterkenny, Waterford and Dublin

The death has occurred of Teresa Mullally late of Ballinakill Downs, Dunmore Road, Waterford City, Dublin and Letterkenny. Reposing at her brother-in-law James Mackey's residence Mangan, The Rower, County Kilkenny on Tuesday, February 21st, from 4pm until 8pm with Rosary at 8pm. Removal from James's residence on Wednesday, 22nd February, at 2.45pm to The Church of The Assumptioin, The Rower, arriving for 3pm Funeral Mass. Burial afterwards in The Rower Cemetery.

Iris Russell, Killygordon and Cavan Upper

The death has taken place of Iris Russell, nee Lindsay, late of Cavan Upper and Killygordon. Funeral leaving her late residence on Wednesday at 2.30pm for Service in Stranorlar Presbyterian Church at 3pm, with burial afterwards in Donaghamore Lower Churchyard. Donations in lieu of flowers, if so desired, to Finn View Ward, Stranorlar, c/o any family member.

The House is Strictly Private, at the request of the deceased.

Sarah Ann Mc Laughlin, Carnagarvie, Moville

The death has taken place of Sarah Ann Mc Laughlin late of Carnagarvie, Moville. Removal from Collins Funeral Premises No 1 Dunailainn, Culdaff on Tuesday, February 21st at 11am, going to her late residence. Funeral from there on Wednesday February 22nd at 10.30 for 11 o clock requiem mass in St Marys Church, Ballybrack followed by burial in the adjoining cemetery.



Molly Shile Boyle, Ranafast

The death has taken place at her late residence of Molly Shile Boyle, Ranafast, mother of an tAthair Donnchadh O'Baoill. Funeral from there on Wednesday, February 22 at 11.30am for 12noon Requiem Mass at St. Marys Star of the Sea Church, Annagry, with burial afterwards in the adjoining graveyard. Rosary tonight at 9pm. Donations in lieu of flowers to Night Nursing for You, The Irish Cancer Society, C/O any family member or Stephen ODonnell & Sons Funeral Directors.

* If you wish to have a death notice included, please e-mail: editorial@donegaldemocrat.com and include a contact telephone number for verification.






There has been a "phenomenal response" to the news that Glenties with host the very first national St. Patrick's parade this year, according to the chairperson of the local committee.

The annual parade will take place in Glenties in 2017 at 12.01am - making it the very first parade that will take place in the country this year.

The Chairperson of the Glenties Development Committee, Brian Carr, said that the news has spurred huge reaction on social media and that people from "all over" are contacting him in relation to the event which promises to be spectacular.

In 2012, the committee attracted people from across the country to Glenties as they tried to set a world record for the most leprechauns on St. Patrick's day.

Brian Carr said: "We saw that events like the world record leprechaun attempt brought crowds to the town but events like this couldn't be run every year."

This year, during the parade Glenties will turn green. The committee hope to have the garda station in the town and grottos radiating green. The committee hope to illuminate the whole parade.

If you would like to take part in what promises to be one of the most unusual parades in the country this year, you are asked the committee via their Facebook page.
A Dubliner has gone on trial for a serious assault on the son of a former Donegal nightclub owner who was wrongfully convicted for allowing the sale of drugs at his premises.

Kenneth Broe (43) of 15 Alderwood Green, Springfield, Tallaght, denies assault causing serious harm and assault causing harm to Kristian Shortt at a flat at Upper Main Street, Letterkenny on October 9th, 2008.

Mr Shortt, who is from Redcastle in Inishowen but now lives in England, is the son of Frank Shortt.

Frank Shortt was wrongly convicted in 1995 of allowing the sale of drugs at the Point Inn premises in Quigley's Point.

In October 2005 the High Court awarded Mr Shortt 1.93m in damages, but this was increased on appeal to the Supreme Court to more than 4.5m in 2007.

Mr Broe is accused of assaulting Mr Shortt after a night out together in Letterkenny.

The trial, which is expected to last up to a week, got underway today before Judge Brian OCallaghan and a jury of five women and seven men.

Outlining the case, prosecuting counsel Patricia McLaughlin (BL) said Mr Shortt was stabbed in the early hours of the morning.

Gardai received a call at around 6.55am to go to the flat of Damien OConnor, which was above a shop on Upper Main Street.

When gardai arrived, they met a bloody scene and Mr Shortt was covered in blood.

Mr OConnor was very agitated and told gardai Mr Broe had stabbed Mr Shortt.

Mr Shortt required two operations and was transported to St. Vincents Hospital in Dublin. He spent two weeks in intensive care.

Mr Broe was subsequently arrested after a taxi taking him to Dublin was stopped by gardai in Co. Monaghan.

Mr Shortt told the court that on the night in question he was out with two female friends for dinner.

They shared a bottle of wine and afterwards he rang Kenneth Broe, who was a friend. He visited Mr Broe's flat and the two went to McGinleys Bar and then the Voodoo Nightclub.

Afterwards he and Mr Broe went to Damien OConnors flat.

He said he did not recall drinking while in the flat.

Mr Shortt said he and Mr Broe got into an argument.

They ended up toe to toe and Mr Shortt took off his jacket and said bring it on then. Mr Broe left before a fight started.

I considered us friends, but I did not think it would get that far, Mr Shortt said.

He said he then saw movement behind him and felt a knife sticking in the chest.

I got stabbed 17 times in a matter of seconds, he said. He was using all his power to take me out - using force and using a weapon.

Mr Shortt said he was stabbed in the chest, neck, head and back.

I was thinking Jesus what's happening and I was trying to hold the guy off. He kept coming. I could barely breathe and my mouth was filling up with blood.

He said he received blows to the head as he went down and suffered a fractured jaw and swollen eye sockets.

Mr Shortt said he died in two operations after the attack and was resuscitated on both occasions.

The trial continues.
The Donegal Democrat has been informed of the following deaths:

- Hugh McGeady, Glasserchoo, Gweedore

- Bridget Dooher, Ard Na Glass, Castlefin

- Rose Devenney, Stranorlar

- Vincent Gallagher, The Glen, Mountcharles

- Maisie (Mary) Mcdermott, Ballybofey and Dublin

- Eamon Dugan, St. Johnston

- Teresa Mullally, Letterkenny, Waterford and Dublin

- Iris Russell, Killygordon and Cavan Uppr

- Molly Shile Boyle, Ranafast

- John McLaughlin, The Links, Greencastle

- Alfie Cassidy, Fanaghan, inver

- Decky Wells, Dooballagh, Letterkenny

Hugh McGeady, Glasserchoo, Gweedore

The death has taken place of Hugh McGeady, Glasserchoo, Gweedore. Reposing at his late residence. Funeral from there on Wednesday, February 22nd, for 3pm Mass in Christ the King Church, Gortahork, with burial afterwards in the adjacent cemetery. Rosary both nights at 9pm. House private after Rosary until 10am. Family flowers only, donations, if desired, to Donegal Hospice care of any family member or Gallagher Funeral Directors, Gortahork.

Bridget Dooher, Ard Na Glass, Castlefin

The death has taken place of Bridget Dooher, Ard Na Glass, Castlefin. Reposing at her late residence. Removal at 10.15am on Wednesday, February 22nd, to St Patricks Church, Murlog for 11am Requiem Mass. Burial afterwards in St Marys Church Graveyard, Castlefin.

Rose Devenney, Stranorlar

The death has occurred of Rose Devenney, late of 38 Ard Mc Cool, Stranorlar. Her remains will repose at her home. Funeral on Wednesday February 22nd at 10.30am for Requiem Mass at 11am in the Church of Mary Immaculate, Stranorlar, with interment afterwards in Drumboe cemetery.

No Flowers please. Donations if desired, to St. Josephs Hospital or Brindley Manor Nursing Home, patients comfort fund, C/O any family member. Family time from 11pm until 10 am, and on the morning of the funeral.

Vincent Gallagher, The Glen, Mountcharles

The death has taken place of Vincent Gallagher, Mountcharles. Reposing at his late residence. Removal on Wednesday morning to St. Marys Church, Killymard for 11am Funeral Mass followed by burial in Mountcharles churchyard. House private from 10pm to 12 noon and on the morning of the funeral please.

Maisie (Mary) McDermott, Ballybofey/Dublin

The death has occurred of Maisie (Mary) McDermott, late of Ballybofey and Dublin. Removal to the Church of Mary Immaculate, Stranorlar on Tuesday February 21st for 7pm. Funeral Mass at 1pm on Wednesday followed by burial in Stranorlar Cemetery.

Eamon Dugan, St Johnston

The death has occurred of Eamon Dugan, late of Magheracloy, St Johnston. His remains are reposing at his late residence. Funeral leaving there on Wednesday, February 22nd, at 10.30am going to St Baithins Church, St Johnston for Requiem Mass at 11am followed by burial afterwards in St Columbas Church cemetery, Drumoghill. Family flowers only please, donations in lieu if desired to, Alzheimers Society, Donegal Branch, c/o Sean Kelly & Son Funeral Directors, Oakfield, Raphoe. Family time on the morning of the funeral.

Teresa Mullally, Letterkenny, Waterford and Dublin

The death has occurred of Teresa Mullally late of Ballinakill Downs, Dunmore Road, Waterford City, Dublin and Letterkenny. Reposing at her brother-in-law James Mackey's residence Mangan, The Rower, County Kilkenny on Tuesday, February 21st, from 4pm until 8pm with Rosary at 8pm. Removal from James's residence on Wednesday, 22nd February, at 2.45pm to The Church of The Assumptioin, The Rower, arriving for 3pm Funeral Mass. Burial afterwards in The Rower Cemetery.

Iris Russell, Killygordon and Cavan Upper

The death has taken place of Iris Russell, nee Lindsay, late of Cavan Upper and Killygordon. Funeral leaving her late residence on Wednesday at 2.30pm for Service in Stranorlar Presbyterian Church at 3pm, with burial afterwards in Donaghamore Lower Churchyard. Donations in lieu of flowers, if so desired, to Finn View Ward, Stranorlar, c/o any family member.

The House is Strictly Private, at the request of the deceased.

Molly Shile Boyle, Ranafast

The death has taken place at her late residence of Molly Shile Boyle, Ranafast, mother of an tAthair Donnchadh O'Baoill. Funeral from there on Wednesday, February 22 at 11.30am for 12noon Requiem Mass at St. Marys Star of the Sea Church, Annagry, with burial afterwards in the adjoining graveyard. Rosary tonight at 9pm. Donations in lieu of flowers to Night Nursing for You, The Irish Cancer Society, C/O any family member or Stephen ODonnell & Sons Funeral Directors.

John McLaughlin, The Links, Greencastle



The death has taken place of John McLaughlin, The Links, Greencastle. Reposing at his late home. Removal from his home on Thursday, February 23rd, at 10.15am for 11am Requiem Mass in St. Marys Church, Ballybrack followed by burial in the adjoining cemetery. Family time please from 11pm until 11am and on the morning of the funeral.

Alfie Cassidy, Fanaghan, inver

The death has occurred of Alfie Cassidy, Fanaghan, Inver. Reposing at his daughter Anns residence in Fanaghan, Inver. Removal on Thursday morning to St. Naul's Church, Ardaghey for 11am Funeral Mass followed by burial in the local cemetery.

Decky Wells, Dooballagh, Letterkenny

The death has occurred of Decky Wells, Dooballagh, Letterkenny. Reposing at his sister Tina Kellys, residence, Dooballagh, Letterkenny from 3pm today, Tuesday, February 21st. Removal on Thursday morning, February 23rd, at 10.30am for 11am Funeral Mass in St. Patricks Church, Drumkeen. Burial afterwards in the adjoining cemetery. Family flowers only. Donations in lieu, if desired, to the Irish Lung Foundation. Family from 11pm until 11am.

* If you wish to have a death notice included, please e-mail: editorial@donegaldemocrat.com and include a contact telephone number for verification.
The Falcarragh community this month will remember a local man who made friendships around the world, and beyond.

Manus Joe McClafferty was well known throughout his home parish for his unflagging community spirit, his generosity and his enthusiastic volunteerism.

This weekend, the first annual Manus McClafferty Community Award will be presented in his memory, and this week the winners of an art competition at the local national school he attended are to be announced.

The first annual Manus McClafferty Community Award will be presented on Saturday in an evening that will also include music performed by musician friends of his, refreshments donated by local businesses and reminiscences from friends of Manus, who passed away at age 62 after a very brief illness on February 19th last year.

Theres a lot to be learned from Manuss life, said Rosemary Grain, administrator and information worker at Pobail le Cheile, the community development project in Falcarragh where Manus was a vital presence for 14 years. He was a man with a big heart who gave so much back to people.

While Manus lived all his life in Falcarragh, the ham radio enthusiast made national headlines in 1991 when he made contact with Russian cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev, who was on board the Soviet Space Station Mir at the time. During the turbulent collapse of the Soviet Union that year, Manus was said to have kept the cosmonaut briefed on news from his home country.

Later, the friendship between the cosmonaut and the Falcarragh man  with embellishments, as Manus described it  formed the basis of the Irish film, Mir Friends.

The evening for Manus will be held at 8pm, on February 25th at Pobail le Cheile in Falcarragh, and will include a screening of the film Mir Friends.

Manus was a member of Pobail le Cheiles committee and volunteered several days a week at the Siopa Pobail as well as at other events. He was a regular member of the Cumann Cairdeas active age group.

People still come into the shop and they still miss him and they still talk about him, Rosemary said. To this day he is spoken about quite a lot. Local artist Maria Gasol painted a portrait of Manus that hangs in the shop.

After Manuss death, Pobail le Cheile received messages of condolences from people around the world who had met Manus and remembered him fondly.

A man from Melbourne, Australia, wrote this: Every time we met, no matter how busy I thought I was, an involuntary smile would cross my face. I think I am not unique in that regard. I suspect he had that effect on everyone he encountered.

Rosemary is to present awards to winners of the art contest at Murroe National School, the primary school Manus attended. The theme of the competition was The sky at night, reflecting Manuss countless ham radio communications.

She said she believed Manuss legacy could inspire young people.

He was kind to people, Rosemary said. That was the biggest message I would take from Manus.
The Dream Share Project, a documentary film by filmmakers Chip Hiden and Alexis Irvin, will be screening at Wallace Community College-Sparks Campus on Thursday, March 2, at 6 p.mm. in the Bevill Center. Hiden and Irvin will also present an inspirational workshop to help attendees identify their dream careers. The screening and workshop is open to the community and admission is free.

The presentation, sponsored by Wallace Community College, will encourage career choices for students and the community. We hope The Dream Share Project will motivate anyone considering making a big decision in the next few years, said Amber Dunlap, career resource coordinator at WCCD. Whether you are a high school and college student, or you are already in the workforce, we want this project to inspire you to pursue your dreams regardless of the barriers.

The Dream Share Project film follows two recent college graduates (Hiden and Irvin) as they ditch their dead-end office jobs and embark on a road trip across the U.S. to interview successful dream-chasers. Along the way, they learn about discovering one's passion, committing to a dream, dealing with setbacks, and redefining success for the millennial generation.

The film features eye-opening advice from people in a wide range of professions. During their journey, Hiden and Irvin interviewed an Olympic skier, one of the original Latin Kings of Comedy, the CEO of a sustainable flip flop company, a renowned slam poet, a Project Runway fashion designer, the producer of the PBS show Austin City Limits, a NASA astronaut, as well as experts in career development and psychology.

View the film trailer at www.TheDreamShareProject.com.

Hiden and Irvin also co-wrote the career guidebook Build Your Dreams: How to Make a Living Doing What You Love, published by Running Press in 2013. They are based in Los Angeles.
Home Off beat Top 10 Cities With The Worst Traffic Jams During Rush Hour In 2017 oi-Rajkamal

Traffic jams are trouble around the world, and TomTom has done a survey to reveal the top 10 cities in the world which have the worst traffic during rush hour. The list detailed below is for the year 2017.

The data was gathered by TomTom after scouting 390 cities in 48 countries. Some of these cities listed below experience traffic congestion during a particular time of the day, while some have the problem all day long.

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Leaked photos of Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 tablet has surfaced the internet after it reportedly passed federal certification in Taiwan. It was leaked days before its official launch at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this Sunday.

The photos of Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 were obtained by GSMArena after it passed the federal certification recently. It shows that it looks very similar to its predecessor, the Galaxy Tab S2.

According to the Mobile Indian, the certification listing shows that the South Korean technology conglomerate is about to launch only the Wi-Fi variant of the tablet in Taiwan. The certification of the tab shows that Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 comes with model number SM-T820.

Also in the leaked live images, the tab will feature a glass and metal build as reported by SamMobile. The leaked photos also show an unannounced tablet, which is believed to be the Samsung Galaxy Book.

Rumors about the Samsung Galaxy Book surfaced the internet not only because of the leaked photos but also of a new app that was seen in the Windows Store. In the app, it is said that it comes with a stylus support alongside AMOLED screen.

The previous leakage of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 shows that the highly-anticipated tablet comes with a support S pen equipped with stylus-based functionalities. It is also rumored that it will come with a 9.7-inch model.

Samsung has already launched two Galaxy Tab S2 tablets featuring 8-inch and 9.7-inch displays last 2015. There are also rumors that the Galaxy Tab S3 will also include 32 GB inbuilt storage.

Not only that, it is rumored to come with 4G with support for Cat. 6 LTE download speeds. The tablet is also said to be equipped with Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor and it comes with 4GB of RAM.

It also looks like it is going have a screen resolution of 2048x1536 pixels. Users are expecting the tablets to have a 12-megapixel rear camera and come with a 5-megapixel front camera.

The official launch of the tab is said to be on Sunday, 7 PM CET, according to Samsung's official invite. It would be livestreamed at www.samsung.com/galaxy.
A critically acclaimed film about Irelands only boarding school for primary school children will be screened for one evening only at the Dundalk Omniplex on 7 March.

Just home from a whirlwind success at the Sundance Film Festival,

In Loco Parentis, goes behind the scenes of Headfort School in Kells, Co Meath, where tradition and modernity are embraced in a magical Hogwarts like 18th century estate.

Following a year in the life of the school, this often times hilarious, fly-on-the-wall crowd-pleaser, focuses on a tireless married couple who have dedicated their lives to the betterment of their students.

For nearly half a century, John and Amanda Leyden have shaped thousands of minds with their unorthodox teaching styles. For aging rocker John, rock music is just another subject alongside Maths, Scripture and Latin. For the delightful Amanda, the key to connecting with children is through reading and drama.

The film also offers an intriguing insight into the intimacy and familial aspect of boarding schools in general.

The lesson we learned from two years of filming here is that education is as much about play and discovery and fun. When a child is happy, all sorts of magic will happen. explains director, Neasa Ni Chianain.

In Loco Parentis has been wowing audiences and critics since its world premiere at IDFA (International Documentary Film Festival, Amsterdam) last November. It was one of just 12 documentaries from around the world to be selected for the International Documentary competition at the prestigious Sundance festival and will have its Irish premiere at the Audi Dublin International Film Festival this month.

Engaging, uplifting, delightful, compelling, magical, utterly charming are just some of the words being touted by critics.

Director, Neasa Ni Chianain and producer and co-director David Rane will attend the special 6.30pm screening at Omniplex Dundalk -and will take part in a Q&A with audiences afterwards.

In Loco Parentis was funded by The Irish Film Board, the BAI, RTE, Sec 481 Tax Incentives, RTVE (Spain), Culture Ireland and supported by the Arts office of Meath County Council.
Self-employed living in La La Land when it comes to pension saving

A global study looking into the saving habits of the self-employed revealed that in the UK, many are not taking adequate steps to prepare for their future retirement. The research, carried out by Aegon in 15 countries across the Americas, Europe, Asia and Australia, offers an interesting perspective on the self-employeds views of retirement.

Making sufficient pension provision is a looming issue for the UKs 4.6 million self-employed. When it comes to planning, the UK is lagging behind with 75% of the self-employed not regularly saving for retirement, placing them second bottom out of 15 countries surveyed. With low levels of saving, understandably, only 15% of people are very optimistic about having money to live on in retirement.

However, the self-employed enjoy greater freedom than workers with regard to their future retirement. So when it comes to the choice of when to give up work, half of those surveyed were optimistic about the timing of their retirement. Although 53% said theyd still be working after age 65, they cited positive reasons for doing so, like keeping their brain active or because they enjoyed their career. Only one in ten (9%) expected they would never retire.

The introduction of auto-enrolment was designed to get the nation saving. However, the pension reforms not only neglect the self-employed, they come with a further sting in the tail. As well as missing out on valuable employer and Government contributions, those self-employed business owners who employ staff have to pay for their employees pension contributions.

Kate Smith, head of pensions at Aegon, comments: Against a backdrop of rapidly increasing numbers of self-employed in the UK, theres a growing concern that this group are increasingly likely to struggle with inadequate retirement income when they eventually give up working.

The self-employed face unique challenges when it comes to saving for retirement. As well as missing out on a lifetime of employer contributions, a variable income means many dont have certainty of how much theyll earn from one month to the next, making saving difficult.

Preparing for retirement requires a long-term do-it-yourself approach which is currently being overlooked by too many of the self-employed.

The research, carried out by Aegon in 15 countries across the Americas, Europe, Asia and Australia, offers an interesting perspective on the self-employeds views of retirement.

Making sufficient pension provision is a looming issue for the UKs 4.6 million self-employed. When it comes to planning, the UK is lagging behind with 75% of the self-employed not regularly saving for retirement, placing them second bottom out of 15 countries surveyed. With low levels of saving, understandably, only 15% of people are very optimistic about having money to live on in retirement.

However, the self-employed enjoy greater freedom than workers with regard to their future retirement. So when it comes to the choice of when to give up work, half of those surveyed were optimistic about the timing of their retirement. Although 53% said theyd still be working after age 65, they cited positive reasons for doing so, like keeping their brain active or because they enjoyed their career. Only one in ten (9%) expected they would never retire.

The introduction of auto-enrolment was designed to get the nation saving. However, the pension reforms not only neglect the self-employed, they come with a further sting in the tail. As well as missing out on valuable employer and Government contributions, those self-employed business owners who employ staff have to pay for their employees pension contributions.

Kate Smith, head of pensions at Aegon, comments: Against a backdrop of rapidly increasing numbers of self-employed in the UK, theres a growing concern that this group are increasingly likely to struggle with inadequate retirement income when they eventually give up working.

The self-employed face unique challenges when it comes to saving for retirement. As well as missing out on a lifetime of employer contributions, a variable income means many dont have certainty of how much theyll earn from one month to the next, making saving difficult.

Preparing for retirement requires a long-term do-it-yourself approach which is currently being overlooked by too many of the self-employed.
Entrepreneur Nation - Just over 4 million British workers will become self-employed

Great Britain is a nation of aspiring entrepreneurs, according to a new report from Aldermore, the specialist lender and savings bank. Just over one in seven, the equivalent of four million British workers want to become self-employed at some point in the future, and more than one fifth (22%) saying it has always been an ambition.

One in 10 workers (12%) are looking to make the transition in the next six months. For many (25%) though, the goal is further away and could take over five years to reach. A further quarter (25%), say they would only consider becoming self-employed if they were made redundant from their current job, whilst for 20%, being unhappy in their current place of work would push them to take the plunge.

Reasons for becoming self-employed

Employees who have not yet taken the step, one of the most cited drivers is the opportunity to earn more money (37%). This is particularly prevalent among those aged 2534, of whom almost half (48%) cited this as a motivation. Being able to improve work-life balance (35%) is also a top reason. The reality however is quite different. When asked, half (50%) of those who are already self-employed say they have not been able to earn more money since becoming self-employed.

Perception vs reality of being self employed

Self-employment is no easy feat, and although for the vast majority (93%) of those currently self-employed enjoy being their own boss, and feel in control of their own destiny (82%), makes their role enjoyable, there are downsides, many of which are more prevalent than aspiring entrepreneurs would believe.

In addition, there is also the fear of failure, with a quarter (25%) of Britains aspiring entrepreneurs stating they were worried about their business failing.

Following a review of its self-employed mortgage criteria, Aldermore has taken the decision to reduce the number of years accounts a self-employed borrower must provide when applying for a residential mortgage  from two years to one  taking into consideration profit retained within the business when assessing affordability. These changes will provide applicants with additional flexibility and support, assisting them to purchase a new home or remortgage their existing one.

Charles Haresnape, Aldermores Group Managing Director, Mortgages, says:Taking the step to become self-employed is a brave and bold decision and we love the fact that in the UK more and more people are doing so. However, we know that whilst it can open the door to many amazing opportunities, it can be a risk, with uncertainty and financial instability from start up.

We want to make things easier for aspiring entrepreneurs by trying to ensure some security when it comes to home-buying. Almost a third (30%) of self-employed home owners believe the mortgage application process was biased against them, while almost two thirds (63%) of those who have experienced difficulty securing a mortgage said it was because it was difficult to find a provider who understands individual business owners.

All too often self-employed borrowers do not fit the norm for many lenders and it can be a real challenge for self-employed to receive the financial support they need to buy a home. This is why we are working to simplify the process of applying for a mortgage. Aldermore has a human approach to lending, and out specialist advisers consider each case on an individual basis.

Theres a growing demand for a tailored approach for self-employed applicants and their needs

New Requirements:

Applications should be accompanied by, one year of accounts prepared by a suitably qualified accountant; accountants certificate, or SA302 and accompanying tax overview documents obtained from HMRC.

Unlike other lenders Aldermore will usually use the latest years figures rather than an average of the last two years when making the assessment, if net profit is level or rising.
New episode of the EBRD podcast available for download

The latest episode of the Pocket Economics podcast looks at what it means to be gay or lesbian in the modern workplace, asking how sexuality affects salary levels.

Sexual minorities are one of the most discriminated at the workplace today, with gay workers earning at least 5 per cent less than their straight counterparts, argues Cevat Giray Aksoy, Principal Economist at the EBRD, Researcher at the London School of Economics (LSE) and an expert on inequalities in the labour market.

The main reasons for this pay gap are labour market discrimination and household specialisation, he tells Jonathan Charles, EBRD Managing Director, Communications.

Heterosexual and homosexual couples tend to share household responsibilities in a different way, Mr Aksoy explains. The average partnered heterosexual man is likely to be more focussed on full-time employment than the average partnered gay man.

However, the average partnered heterosexual woman is likely to be less focused on such employment than a lesbian partnered woman.

He also outlines the cost of such discrimination, saying: about 50 per cent of LGBT students are regularly harassed at school and most of them skip school to escape harassment. And this indicates waste of human capital in a very large scale.

According to our latest Life in Transition report, more than 50 per cent of people across the EBRD countries surveyed would prefer not to have gay or lesbian neighbours.
At the Inaugural Meeting, held in London from 15 to 17 April 1991, the Board of Governors elected the President and Directors of the Bank and adopted Resolution No 8 authorizing the Bank to commence operations on 15 April 1991. The Board of Governors also adopted, effective as of 15 April 1991, the By-Laws of the Bank and the Rules of Procedure of the Board of Governors.

The Headquarters Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom and the Bank was signed on 15 April 1991 and, in accordance with Article 24 thereof, entered into force upon signature.

The Basic Documents contain:

- Agreement Establishing the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

- Chairmans Report on the Agreement Establishing the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

- By-Laws of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

- Rules of Procedure of the Board of Governors

- Rules of Procedure of the Board of Directors

- Headquarters Agreement
Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, has long been tied to environmental risks such as spills. The frequency of spills, however, has long been murky since states do not release standardized data.

Estimates from the U.S. Environment Protection Agency (EPA) vary wildly.

The number of spills nationally could range from approximately 100 to 3,700 spills annually, assuming 25,000 to 30,000 new wells are fractured per year, the agency said in a June 2015 report. Also, the EPA reported only 457 spills related to fracking in 11 states between 2006 and 2012.

But now, a new study suggests that fracking-related spills occur at a much higher rate.

The analysis, published Feb. 21 in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, revealed 6,648 spills in four states aloneColorado, New Mexico, North Dakota and Pennsylvaniain 10 years.

The researchers determined that up to 16 percent of fracked oil and gas wells spill hydrocarbons, chemically laden water, fracking fluids and other substances.

For the study, the researchers examined state-level spill data to characterize spills associated with unconventional oil and gas development at 31,481 fracked wells in the four states between 2005 and 2014.

On average, thats equivalent to 55 spills per 1,000 wells in any given year, lead author Lauren Patterson, a policy associate at Duke Universitys Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions, told ResearchGate.

North Dakota reported the highest spill rate, with 4,453 incidents. Pennsylvania reported 1,293, Colorado reported 476 and New Mexico reported 426. The researchers created an interactive map of spill sites in the four states.

Although North Dakota is rich in oil, the states higher spill rate can be explained by varying state reporting requirements. North Dakota is required to report any spill larger than 42 gallons whereas requirement in Colorado and New Mexico is 210 gallons.

Patterson points out that the different reporting requirements are a problem.

Our study concludes that making state spill data more uniform and accessible could provide stakeholders with important information on where to target efforts for locating and preventing future spills, she told ResearchGate. States would benefit from setting reporting requirements that generate actionable informationthat is, information regulators and industry can use to identify and respond to risk hot spots. It would also be beneficial to standardize how spills are reported. This would improve accuracy and make the data usable to understand spill risks.

The reason why the researchers numbers vastly exceeded the 457 spills estimated by the EPA is because the agency only accounted for spills during the hydraulic fracturing stage itself, rather than the entire process of unconventional oil and gas production.

Understanding spills at all stages of well development is important because preparing for hydraulic fracturing requires the transport of more materials to and from well sites and storage of these materials on site, Patterson explained. Investigating all stages helps to shed further light on the spills that can occur at all types of wellsnot just unconventional ones.

For instance, the researchers found that 50 percent of spills were related to storage and moving fluids via pipelines.

The causes are quite varied, Patterson told BBC. Equipment failure was the greatest factor, the loading and unloading of trucks with material had a lot more human error than other places.

For the four states studied, most spills occurred in the the first three years of a wells life, when drilling and hydraulic fracturing occurred and production volumes were highest.

Additionally, a significant portion of spills (26 percent in Colorado, 53 percent in North Dakota) occurred at wells with more than one spill, suggesting that wells where spills have already occurred merit closer attention.

Analyses like this one are so important, to define and mitigate risk to water supplies and human health, said Kate Konschnik, director of the Harvard Law Schools Environmental Policy Initiative in a statement. Writing state reporting rules with these factors in mind is critical, to ensure that the right data are availableand in an accessible formatfor industry, states and the research community.
By Andy Rowell

Earlier this month when Donald Trump cancelled legislation that required oil and gas companies to disclose taxes and other payments to foreign governments, the president said he was bringing back jobs big-league.

Once again though, the truth is somewhat different. Big Oils jobs may never be back in the numbers that Trump dreams of.

Since the oil price collapsed, some 440,000 oil industry jobs worldwide have been lost. Of those, the oil industry consultants, Graves, estimates that 40 percent have been in the U.S.; 28 percent in the UK and 10 percent in Canada. Some 100,000 oil jobs were lost in the capital of the oil industry itself, Texas.

According to Bloomberg, somewhere between one-third to one-half of those jobs may never come back. No matter how many alternative facts Trump tries to spin.

For example, some of the worlds largest oil services companiesSchlumberger, Haliburton and Baker Hughesspent more than $3 billion laying workers off in just two years. As OilPrice.com noted now with prices and business on the mend, none of the services firms seem eager to repeat their mistakes by taking on too many people.

Furthermore, costs have plummeted as the industry has found ways to produce more oil for less. The downturn has forced the industry to look at ways of cutting costs and chief amongst those are labor costs as computerization, automatic and even artificial intelligence takes over manual work. Oilprice.com quotes UBS which estimates that the U.S. oil industry will only need about half as many workers to suck the same amount of oil out of the ground post-2017 versus pre-2015.

In the Permian Basin, three years ago the industry needed $60 a barrel to break even, now it is $35, well below the current price of about $53. Pioneer Natural Resources, operating in West Texas has added 240 new wells, without one taking on one single new worker.

Even Oilprice.com, which labels itself as the number one website for oil and energy news, admits the forgotten truth that lies at the heart of the natural resources cursewhile oil, natural gas and other resources offer enormous opportunities for wealth and a lot of output for an economy, they actually create relatively few jobs.

Solar Accounted for 1 in 50 New U.S. Jobs in 2016 https://t.co/j3tvxVMZ4Z @GreenpeaceUK @foeeurope  EcoWatch (@EcoWatch) February 8, 2017

A very few of the Big Oil barons may get rich, but the industry itself does not generate many jobs, contrary to anything Trump wants you to believe.

And now the New York Times has explored the theme of evaporating oil and gas jobs in the increasing age of automation:

As in other industries, automation is creating a new demand for high-tech workerssometimes hundreds of miles away in a control centerbut their numbers dont offset the ranks of field hands no longer required to sling chains and lift iron.

The paper interviews one such worker Eustasio Velazquez who has worked in the industry for more than 10 years, but has recently been laid off again. I dont see a future. Pretty soon every rig will have one worker and a robot, he said.

Michael Dynan, vice president for portfolio and strategic development at Schramm, a Pennsylvania manufacturer of drilling rigs, told the New York Times: People have left the industry and they are not coming back. If its a repetitive task, it can be automated and I dont need someone to do that. I can get a computer to do that.

https://facebook.com/EcoWatch/videos/1446200265392906/
Hundreds of scientists gathered in Bostons Copley Square on Sunday to stand up for science, marking the latest protest in a wave of outspoken political engagement from scientists in reaction to the Trump administration.

https://twitter.com/EcoWatch/status/831525814239899648 expand=1]

The rally, timed to coincide with the annual American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting in Boston, brought together concerned scientists and activists from across the country.

While the events organizers did not explicitly call out Trump, the signs protesters toted highlighted a larger concern for sciences future. As Chris Mooney wrote in the Washington Post, The challenges for scientists during the Trump administration could not only be bigger, but also potentially more diverse, than those seen during George W. Bushs administration.

Geoffrey Supran, a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who studies renewable energy solutions to climate change, told the AP, scientists are responding to the Trump administrations anti-science rhetoric.

Were really trying to send a message today to Mr. Trump that America runs on science, science is the backbone of our prosperity and progress, Supran said.

[facebook https://www.facebook.com/EcoWatch/videos/1423998830953117/

For a deeper dive:

News: AP, Washington Post, The Hill, Boston Globe, Christian Science Monitor

Commentary: Washington Post, Chris Mooney analysis

For more climate change and clean energy news, you can follow Climate Nexus on Twitter and Facebook, and sign up for daily Hot News.
(Photo: REUTERS / Bobby Yip)Cardinal Joseph Zen (C), an outspoken critic of Beijing, along with other protesters takes part in a demonstration to demand religious freedom in China outside the China Liaison Office in Hong Kong July 11, 2012. The Vatican on Tuesday condemned the appointment of a Chinese Catholic bishop without its approval, hours after a source said one of Rome's own newly-ordained bishops had been detained in a seminary in China. The Chinese characters on his placard reads "protest against restriction."

Cardinal Joseph Zen, the retired Bishop of Hong Kong, a long-time critic of authoritarian rule in China, has criticised the Vatican saying it is betraying Catholics living their faith out clandestinely there.

In an interview with LifeSiteNews Feb. 21, Zen said he has been urged to speak out by Catholics in China who lack the freedom to speak for themselves.

Priests and bishops in the underground church have faced imprisonment for adhering to the Holy See, rather than submitting to the patriotic church approved by the Communist government.

In an earlier interview with Catholic News Agency, Zen expressed serious concerns about a possible agreement between the Vatican and China on the appointing of bishops.

The agreement would essentially allow the government to pick candidates for bishops and put pressure on the Pope to veto them.

"Because how can you allow the initiative of selection of bishops in the hands of an atheistic government and totalitarian government? I want it to start from the Holy See," Cardinal Joseph Zen said in the CNA interview.

Cardinal Zen is Hong Kong and China's highest-ranking prelate and has pleaded with the Vatican not to "sell out" China's Catholics by striking a deal with the Communist government there.

The deal by allowing the Chinese government to nominate bishops for the Pope to accept or reject would essentially mean Vatican acceptance of the government-controlled Church in China.

The Chinese government wants "total surrender" from the Church, Zen told LifeSiteNews, even though such a deal may appear to give the pope some power.

"We are very much worried because it seems that the Vatican is going to make a very bad agreement with China," Zen told LifeSiteNews.

"And I can understand that the Pope is really naive...He doesn't know the Chinese communists. But unfortunately the people around him are not good at all. They have very wrong ideas. And I'm afraid that they may sell out our underground Church. That would be very sad."

Much of the Catholic Church in China operates underground.

The government runs the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association, which LifeSiteNews described as "a fake church of communist-approved and monitored clerics."

It said bishops of the underground church, which is loyal to the pope and not the communist government, face imprisonment and persecution.

Zen said that a Vatican deal with the Chinese government would damage the Church's credibility. After all, if the Chinese government can appoint bishops, other governments could expect to do so as well.

The current Hong Kong archbishop, Cardinal John Tong Hon, has defended the new proposal, and says the Chinese government must now recognize the Pope as the supreme head of the church. He insists that the final authority on appointing bishops rests with the Pope, said CNA.

"I would prefer the other way around," Cardinal Zen insisted. The government has not shown promise that it would accommodate the Vatican's past concerns, but rather has proven that it wants control over the church in China.
(Photo:  Peter Kenny / Ecumenical News)Bishop Munib Younan of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land at the Church of the Holy Redeemer in Jerusalem on Feb. 10. 2016

Palestinian Bishop Munib A. Younan, the president of the 74-million strong Lutheran World Federation is to receive the prestigious 2017 Niwano Peace Prize for his work in encouraging interreligious dialogue in the Middle East.

He has "has shown perseverance and compassion in his work to encourage dialogue between interreligious groups in the Holy Land," the Tokyo-based Niwano Peace Foundation, a Buddhist group, announced Feb. 20

"In a world characterized by leaders who seek to emphasize difference and hatred, Bishop Younan has consistently strived for the opposite," said the Niwano Foundation.

The award is often seen as akin to a Nobel Peace Prize for members of the faith community.

It is awarded by the Niwano Peace Foundation and come with a prize of 20 million yen (US$177,000).

"I come to the table of dialogue with different religious leaders from the three faiths," Bishop Younan said, after the prize was announced.

"I come with the suffering of my people under my skin. I come to speak on the future of the people who are living in this land.

"Religious leaders have a responsibility. Peace and dignity will come with how we educate and how we dialogue and we can reflect this to the politicians."

The prize is a "strong affirmation to continue upholding peace as necessary and possible, and an encouragement not to be derailed from peace-building in a conflicted and suffering world," LWF general secretary Martin Junge said.

The foundation noted that Younan was born to Palestinian refugees into a world where nation, religion, and place are intimately connected with identity.

"The ongoing conflict between Israelis and Palestinians has been a prime example of the break down in communication between people whose differences appear to outweigh their similarities," said the Niwano Foundation.

"The conflict between people of the three dominant religious identities has consistently been forcing Muslims, Jews, and Christians further apart, to a point where violence appears to be the only mode of retaliation.

"Despite these complex challenges, Bishop Younan has worked with dedication to foster conversation between Jews, Christians, and Muslims in Jerusalem and beyond.

Younan has Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land since 1998 and became LWF president in 2010.

The Niwano Peace Foundation says it established the Niwano Peace Prize to honor and encourage individuals and organizations that have contributed significantly to interreligious cooperation.

It aims thereby to further the cause of world peace, and to make their achievements known as widely as possible.

The presentation ceremony will take place in Tokyo, Japan, on July 27.
There are times that help me recognize the importance of my job as a history teacher. Nowan era where facts themselves are frequently up for debateis one of those times.

I teach a semester-long course about global history at a large public high school in Cambridge, Mass. During the past decade, I have increasingly devoted more time in my curriculum to the Middle East. While we also study other regions of the world, students routinely state their interest in learning more about recent conflicts in the Middle East as a reason for taking the class.

One of my aims is to push students to grapple with the intent and impact of U.S. foreign policy decisions in the region. I push them to explore the historical roots of modern conflicts so they can better understand whats happening today in the proper context. I also aspire to turn them into critical consumers of news media, so they will question what they read, cross-check information, and not take anything at face value.

When the course is over, students walk away with a more complete understanding of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the recent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the United States historic relationship with Iran, and the causes and effects of the current war in Syria.

But despite the fact that many of my students seemed to be more globally informed, something had been nagging me in recent years. In light of what seems like almost constant misinformation about Muslims in our contemporary media and political environment, I knew I hadnt done enough work to build my students understanding of the diverse conceptions of Islam.

A New Curriculum

This past fall, I decided to shake things up. After taking a professional development course that challenged teachers to go beyond war and conflict when teaching about the Middle East, I decided to lay some cultural and religious groundwork before teaching my students about history and foreign policy. We started our unit with lessons about religious literacy, with a particular focus on deconstructing myths and clarifying truths about Islam.

First, my students learned a basic religious literacy framework outlined by Diane L. Moore, the director of the Religious Literacy Project at Harvard Divinity School. The framework is made up of three main ideas:

1. Religions are internally diverse;

2. Religions are dynamic and change over time; and

3. Religions are embedded in culture.

We grappled with what it means to be religiously literate and looked at case studies where students had to put their own beliefs aside in order to develop a fuller understanding of who is included in a religious tradition. For example, we discussed: Can a group that supports what many might regard as intolerant and hateful rhetoric still be considered part of a religious faitheven if it doesnt square with ones own understandings of what it means to practice that faith tradition?

Then we applied these lessons to our study of Islam. Many of the countries we study in the Middle East are majority-Muslim nations. Yet, much of what students have heard about Islam and the Middle East over the course of their lifetimes has largely been through the lenses of terrorism, war, and fear. Exploring Islam within its historical, cultural, and social contexts before diving into our study of contemporary conflict in this region has become even more critical in this sociopolitical environmenta time when American fears about terrorism, often linked to Muslim extremism , are widespread.

In an effort to deconstruct myths and clarify truths about Islam, students worked in focus groups to become more knowledgeable about different sects of Islam, traditions within the faith as understood scripturally and historically, and Islamic law.

A Culture of Understanding

After our week of exploring religious literacy and its applications to Islam, I asked students to share their takeaways with me. Their answers confirmed the importance of beginning a history unit in this way. I feel more certain that my students have walked away with an understanding that the Middle East and its inhabitants should not be understood only through the scope of war and terrorism.

I used to think that violence and war in the Middle East were caused by Muslims and what is written in the Quran, said one student. Now I think thats not true; I believe Islam promotes peace, but individuals interpret the word of God in different ways.

Another student said: I used to think religion played a more concrete role in informing peoples ideologies. Now I think about perspectives from a more sociopolitical and religious standpoint. You cannot see religion out of its political and cultural context.

Now, perhaps more than ever, it is important for teachers to be intentional about confronting narratives that disparage and target groups based on religion, nationality, or any other marker of identity. We are seeing the consequences of religious and historical illiteracy at work in both drafted and actualized policies, exhibited most recently in President Donald Trumps order last month to ban residents of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States. That order was later struck down by a federal judge, whose decision was upheld by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit. This kind of sweeping judgement illustrates that all of usincluding studentsneed to understand that groups who carry out acts of violence in the name of religion do not represent the beliefs of everyone who identifies with the same religion.

In our current political climate, where many of our world leaders rely on easy explanations for complex issues around faith and politics, our roles as history teachers are even more important. We are called upon to step up and resist fear. We are called to continue the work that has always been critical to historians: to put what has happened in the past and what is happening now in the proper and complicated historical context. This is necessary if we are to educate the next generation of truly informed and engaged citizens.
Transcription

1 Impact of HIV and AIDS on Agriculture and Food Security in the SADC Region: The Regional Database by Tendayi Kureya

2 Outline purpose of the regional database process and methods building regional consensus on the database platform the country and regional databases preliminary analysis of the regional data family health characteristics household demographics impact of HIV & AIDS on agricultural productivity marketing of agricultural produce impact of HIV & AIDS on productive assets

3 purpose of the regional database The database was designed to manage information collected on the impact of HIV and AIDS on households from the seven countries participating in the study: Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. National databases were first compiled.

4 Process and methods 1. Each participating country started with the same draft questionnaire for collecting raw data, 2. Each country then adapted it to suit their local settings, 3. Data was then collected from households using methods agreed at country level

5 Process and methods (ctd) 4. Data was entered into a national level database, 5. A structure was proposed for the regional database, noting hypotheses that the database sought to test 6. A regional workshop was called to make input into the proposed structure and hypotheses. 7. A participatory database population initiative was then launched.

6 Developing the database Its structure was based on the original questionnaire, comparing with those actually used per country, picking on common and relevant variables. there were differences among the various questionnaires used, but common ground was possible

7 Selecting software platforms SPSS was chosen as the software for basic and advanced analysis. Microsoft Excel was included because of its wide usage, and to serve as a platform for moving between applications. Microsoft Access was used as the main storage application. A data entry platform was developed in Epi Info. Epi Info was also a used for basic analysis. Epi makes its output as web files.

8 Building regional consensus on the database platform A regional workshop was called in Botswana between May 2005 to design indicators and hypotheses that would be tracked. This meant that the variables to be included had to, as far as possible, ensure that each of the hypotheses would be testable Hypotheses based on the five livelihood assets of: Human, Financial Physical, Social and Natural

9 Building regional consensus (ctd) The 9 agreed key hypotheses: HIV and AIDS. have led to a decline in agric productivity Reduce participation in the market Reduce number and quality of livestock Increase mobility of HH members Increase degradation of environment reduce household food consumption erode household productive asset base erode extension and research services Increase dependency ratios

10 Building regional consensus on the database platform (ctd) For example. Impact Area: Hypothesis: Key Variables tracked: Production Assets HIV and AIDS have led to the erosion of Household productive asset base HH resource allocation HH sources of Income HH expenditure patterns

11 the country databases Table 3: Summary of Country Level Databases Item Bots Les Nam RSA Swa Zam Zim Database Platform SPSS SPSS SPSS Excel SPSS SPSS SPSS Sample size Number of Variables tracked Variables In regional database** ** The regional database has a total of 158 Variables

12 the regional database Developed using Epi Info 2000, that uses Microsoft Access Database Developed from the national level SPSS databases, mostly manually. Has 167 variables and 1930 records from 7 countries. Variables have household data on demographics, health, income, expenditure and impacts of HIV and AIDS. Integrated framework within Epi Info allows for analysis and reporting.

13 Example of variables collected: demographics Variable description Variable name Whether Countries collected data Country Country NA M BOT ZIM SWA LES RSA ZAM District or Region District yes yes yes yes yes yes yes Age Of Household Head AgeOfHeadofHH yes yes yes yes yes yes yes Sex of Household Head SexofHeadofHH yes yes yes yes yes yes yes Family name FamilyName no no yes yes no yes no Who is/are the head(s) of this family? FamilyHead yes yes yes yes no yes no How long has the family been in agriculture (Years)? YearsFarming no no no yes yes yes no Total household size TotalHouseholdSiz e yes yes yes yes yes no yes Dependancy Ratio Dependency yes no yes yes yes yes yes

14 preliminary analysis Country Number Percent of samples Botswana % Lesotho % Namibia % South Africa % Swaziland % Zambia % Zimbabwe % Total %

15 preliminary analysis In Zambia about 72% of the households interviewed indicated they have been affected by HIV & AIDS related illnesses. The corresponding figures for the other countries were: Zimbabwe 24% Lesotho 2% Botswana 34% and South Africa 45%

16 preliminary analysis Table 4. Average number of HIV & AIDS related deaths Number of households responding Mean HIV & AIDS deaths Std. Deviation Zimbabwe Zambia Lesotho South Africa

17 preliminary analysis Table 5. Percent of households indicating types of Illnesses Prevalent Tuberculo Cancer Asthma Swollen Diarrhoea Malaria sis Limps Zimbabwe Zambia Botswana 2.5 Swaziland South Africa database average

18 Household Characteristics Average dependency ratio Average dependency ratio Lesotho Namibia Swaziland Zambia Zimbabwe

19 Household Demographics Gender of Household Head Female Male % Zimbabwe Zambia Lesotho Namibia Botswana Swaziland South africa Total

20 Household Demographics Table 5 Average Household sizes N Mean Household size Std Deviation S.E Mean Zimbabwe Zambia Lesotho Namibia Botswana Swaziland

21 Field sizes Table 7. Mean Total Field Size (ha) Country N Mean Std. Deviation Std. Error Mean Zimbabwe Zambia Lesotho Botswana Swaziland South Africa

22 Area cultivated Area cultivated in season 120 % area cultivated Zimbabwe Lesotho Botswana Swaziland South africa

23 Agricultural production Table 8. Arable land ownership and cultivation among different households in the study sample. Gender of N Average for Std. Deviation Std. Error Mean Family head study sample Field size Female Male % land Female cultivated Male

24 Crops grown Table 9. Crops grown in different countries in production season millet Rapoko groundnut sweet maize cotton beans vegetables Country potato Zimbabwe 2% 10% 19% 6% 96% 10% 1% Zambia 10% 27% 19% 90% 14% Lesotho 18% 42% 19% 25% Namibia 58% 37% 2% Swaziland 0% 4% 7% 69% 1% 5% 11% South Africa 10% 94% 79% 25% Total 1% 8% 8% 6% 65% 2% 8% 8%

25 Agric Inputs remove zambia Table 10. Input application rates in a few identified countries Mean per ha Input Country N (kgs) Std. Deviation Std. Error Mean Zimbabwe Maize seed Zambia South Africa 0 Basal Zimbabwe fertilizer Zambia 0... Zimbabwe Top Dressing Zambia 0... fertilizer South Africa

26 Crop sales zambia??? Table 11. Value of sold crops and livestock Value of sold crops (US$) Value of sold livestock (US$) Zimbabwe Zambia 0.02 Lesotho Namibia Botswana Swaziland South Africa ** Local currency converted to US dollar equivalence Exchange rate used are as follows Zimbabwe Z$5200-US$ (parallel market rate early 2004), N$7-US$, SAR 7-US$, K4300-US$, SwL6.8-US$, Lm 5.8 US$

27 Livestock Table 12. Livestock ownership in the study sample Country Cattle Donkeys Pigs Goats Sheep Poultry Zimbabwe Lesotho Namibia Swaziland

28 Reported impacts Table 14. Reported losses due to HIV and AIDS Financial resources diverted Farming implement sold % of Households reporting loss of Livestock sold Farming time lost Zimbabwe Zambia Lesotho Botswana Swaziland South Africa Sample average

29 Some conclusions Based on the hypotheses being tracked

30 1. There is quantifiable evidence of changes in household characteristics The mean household size was 6.1 with the following general observations: About 5% of all households where headed by children under 18years (The figures were 6.4% for Botswana, 3.9% for Lesotho, 1% for Namibia, 1% for South Africa, 2.5% for Swaziland, 6% for Zambia and 3.8% for Zimbabwe) 30 % of households had 3 or more dependents. Of these, Zambian, South African and Namibian households had the largest numbers. 65% of Households reported field sizes of under 2 ha. There was no correlation between field size and amount of fertilizer used % of Households reported that HIV and AIDS illnesses and funerals deprived them of farming time. 75% of households have a dependency ratio greater than 1. ie have more dependents than economically active members.

31 Reduces number and quality of livestock 65.2 % of households own less than four head of cattle as follows: Lesotho 87.5 Namibia 21.8 South Africa 97.9 Swaziland 1.5 Zimbabwe 92.2 ***The data for Botswana and Zambia was not yet available at the time of analysis

32 Reduces participation in the market: 57.2% of households own at least one head of cattle, 11% ever sold a beast in the last year. (excl. Botswana) 9% of households that ever sold a head of cattle now have none. 65.4% of households grew maize, and 44% sold the crop. Median Revenues were in the order of less that 100 Pula for Botswana, less than 100 Maluti for Lesotho, less that N$100 for Namibia, and less than Z$60,000 for Zimbabwe. Generally <US$20

33 Increases morbidity of HH members: 70% of 571 households reported at least one serious illness in the last three years. 51.3% indicated an illness associated with HIV/AIDS.

34 Constraints The regional database used country level databases that were not speaking to each other well. The survey questionnaires carried too much detail Some data from the country level was dirty. The construction of the database was slow because of input from a number of stakeholders. The sample sizes used at the country level differed. Not all the countries submitted their data in time. Not all the countries attended the workshops set up by FARNPAN to harmonise the data. Analysis was subject to errors in the data provided, and any other errors that may have resulted during data manipulation.

35 And finally... Thank you!
Beaver County preparing for robust Election Day turnout

As the Nov. 8 midterm election approaches, nearly 114,000 people are registered to vote in Beaver County.
This week, Blue America endorsed Geoff Petzel to represent Illinois' 6th congressional district in Congress, a seat currently held by conservative Republican Peter Roskam. The Chicagoland suburban district, which was Romney territory in 2012, voted for Clinton over Trump, 50.2% to 43.2%. The DCCC has given Roskam a free ride year after year but has finally vowed to prioritize IL-06 for the 2018 cycle. Blue America would like to make sure the Democratic candidate is a progressive, not another right-of-center corporate shill. Geoff fits the bill and we asked him to write a guest post on the issue he has been most associated with: environmental protection. After reading it, please consider contributing to his campaign by tapping on the ActBlue thermometer at the bottom of the page (or by clicking here .)





Clean Water And Air As Essential American Campaign Issues

-by Geoffrey Petzel





The appointment of Scott Pruitt to be the EPA Administrator is a troubling sign of things ahead. Clean air, clean water, endangered species, public lands and climate change solutions are all at risk under the Trump Administration and Republican Congress.





As someone who has been deeply entrenched in environmental policy for the last 20 years as an advocate, activist and professional, the implications of the Trump Administration appointments and statements on the environment are beyond disconcerning. I am the founder of an organization called Public Guardian. We have no website, no advertising and dont care about media coverage. What we care about is fighting private interests and the government when they fail to protect the public trust. We believe that clean air, clean water and public lands belong equally to all Americans and that government decision makers are responsible to us-- the people-- in protecting those resources. So when the government or private industry tries to take away those public trust resources, we must fight back. In the courts and in our communities.





I started Pubic Guardian after I ran an unsuccessful campaign for Congress in 2012. I ran because I wanted to have a positive impact on society. I wanted to have a voice. I also said I would never run for office again.





Its amazing how quickly things change. As I begin the campaign to replace my incumbent Congressman in 2018 it makes me wonder how we have gotten to this point-- putting an anti-science climate change denier in charge of the EPA. It makes me wonder how the American people can ignore the needs of clean air, clean water and protecting our public lands.





Take my Congressman, Peter Roskam, as an example. He has voted dozens of times to gut the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, to de-fund Endangered Species protections and exploit oil, gas and mineral resources on public lands. He has one of the worst environmental voting records in Congress. How is this possible? Dont voters in our District care about the environment? What about Republicans nationally? How can they support Scott Pruitt to be the EPA Administrator?





When I try to make sense of that question, I think back to my race in 2012 where I had a confrontation with a Tea Party member who lived in my neighborhood. He told me he thought my priorities were wrong and that government regulations were killing American jobs and that the EPA should be eliminated. He was my neighbor and I didnt want to get into a yelling match, but I couldnt let that one go without a response. I reminded him that he got his drinking water from a well and without the EPA I would be free to dump toxic chemicals in my backyard. His well would be poisoned. I asked him if he would be better off in that situation. I then pointed to his mini-van and asked how he would feel if the gas tank exploded while he was driving his children to school. He was silent. I reminded him that the federal government put in safety standards to make sure his car was safe. And I reminded him that the EPA and clean water laws have ensured that our rivers arent so full of chemical waste that they start on fire like the Cuyahoga River did in 1969 (spurring the passage of the Clean Water Act in 1972). He ultimately agreed me and tried to duck and cover from any further discussion. He later put my campaign sign in his yard.





I think we have lost sight of whats important. The mainstream media and politicians dont talk about Clean Water and Clean Air or the regulation of toxic chemicals. We take for granted the immense progress we have made in environmental protection since the 1960s. Thats how my Congressman has been allowed to stay in office with an abysmal record that violates the essence of what almost every American values-- environmental protection. We need to remind each other that if we are not careful, history will repeat itself. Im sure if we eliminate enforceable laws and eliminate consumer protections large companies will be happy to dump their waste in the air, land and waters of this nation. Our health and the health of future generations will be at stake if we allow private corporations to set the priorities. General Electric poisoned the Hudson River, DuPont has destroyed the rivers and streams of West Virginia with the production of Teflon and today Monsanto poisons our land and waters with dangerous pesticides.

In my Congressional District we are facing significant water challenges. The Fox River runs through the western edge of the District. The Fox River originates in Wisconsin and flows south before it enters Illinois. In the summer, in its southern reaches, 1/3 of the flow of the river is treated wastewater from the dozens of sewage treatment plants that discharge the treated water into the river. Over 350,000 people also get their drinking water from the same river. The enforcement of clean water standards is critical to ensure the preservation of the river environment, but also critical to the 350,000 people, manufacturers and businesses that depend on clean water. Imagine the implications if the Clean Water Act were repealed or if EPA stopped enforcing laws. Imagine if Wisconsin decided to increase pollution to spur economic development? These types of issues are why a strong and active EPA is critical to the people in my district.

Already the Trump Administration has overturned a provision of the Clean Water Act that will allow mining companies to dump mining waste into streams and valleys. Rumors are that the Administration has also ordered the EPA to stop enforcement actions. While the US EPA is responsible for over-seeing the Clean Water Act, the enforcement and implementation of the Clean Water Act is traditionally designated to the states. This delegation to the states will provide some protection from the full scale destruction of our nations waters in the short term as states have their own set of water quality standards on the books to mirror the Clean Water Act, but the long term implications can be devastating.

I believe in increased funding and stronger enforcement of our existing Clean Air and Clean Water laws. In Illinois for example, last month over 300 companies or government owned wastewater treatment plants violated clean water laws. The State of Illinois lacks funding to increase enforcement. If EPA wont step in and enforce the laws we will see an increase in fish kills, contaminated drinking water and health problems.





I also believe in science and am very fearful of the climate change impacts that will happen because of a Trump Administration. The Paris Agreement on Climate Change will allow the United States to be a leader in global greenhouse gas reductions. Our policy is aligned with science and it must stay that way for the sake of our future. This is the most important policy fight we should have as a country because its more than just domestic policy at stake. A failure to follow the Paris Accord will unravel the global commitment 197 countries have made to fighting climate change.





I decided to run for Congress again because unlike during the 2012 Campaign when no one seemed to be paying attention, the country has awaken to what is at stake in our elections. And now is the time for bold candidates to make bold decisions based on values and not polls.





Through my not-for-profit I am fighting a copper mining project in Arizona that will destroy thousands of acres of National Forest land and sacred Apache cultural sites. The land for the proposed copper mine was transferred to the mining company in a land transfer agreement approval by Congress- kind of. John McCain attached a rider to the defense authorization bill at the last minute that included the land transfer. Congress approved the defense authorization bill with the rider. Im sure some members knew the rider was attached but didnt want to explain to their constituents why they voted against a defense spending bill. This is the wrong approach. If I had the opportunity I would have voted against the bill. I would be happy to go back to my congressional district and explain why I voted to protect public lands in Arizona.





My district is well educated and moderate on most issues. They value environmental protection. No one has been paying attention, but now that people are engaged, politicians like my opponent will have a lot of explaining to do. People in my district need a Representative in Congress who shares their values and will stand up for them. And sometimes they need to be reminded of what you, and they really do value.




The rebellion against Trump-led capitalism is just getting started. Could the Obama presidency have brought out this many people to oppose the bipartisan predatory consensus? (source; click to enlarge)

SB 562  Single payer healthcare for California

The Basics

California state Senators Ricardo Lara and Toni Atkins have introduced a bill, SB 562, which aims to establish a single-payer healthcare system covering all California residents. Full text of the bill is here. Its sponsored by the California Nurses Association, and the bill as written is not yet complete. Lara and Atkins intend to make changes in the coming months, and I imagine input from constituents and other legislators will be a big part of that. Who to call

Your state legislators. Normally, I would specify your senators specifically, as thats the house to which this bill has been introduced, but this is such a far-reaching effort, it seems appropriate to call your assemblymembers as well and offer your thoughts. The bill should head next to the Senates health and appropriations committees. News coverage

San Francisco Chronicle

LA Times

The Mercury News

KPBS

KQED

Sacramento Bee In-depth



Its rare that I get an email press release that feels like actual news. Usually, its legislators and lobbyists trying to draw my attention to a photo op or their opinion on something newsworthy, but its seldom that the content of the release is in and of itself newsworthy. When I opened this one, I cant say I was entirely surprised, but it is a doozy: Senators Ricardo Lara and Toni Atkins have introduced legislation to create a single-payer healthcare system in California. [...]

Its not just the political muscle that progressives are flexing but also the timing that makes this bill newsworthy. With Republicans in control of Congress and the White House, the country is bracing itself for the gutting or likely repeal of the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare. State legislators in California have promised to shield the state from such a rollback, as its effect would be most significant in the unions most populous state where lawmakers have leaned into the ACA, engaging in policies like the optional Medicaid expansion and creating a robust healthcare market known as Covered California.



Last year, MediCal, the states Medicaid program, celebrated its 50th anniversary, and I attended a panel on it in Sacramento. The general feeling among most of the folks I interviewed was that California is a leader in areas like healthcare. California isnt the first state to try this, but most efforts have failed due to a lack of public support. Vermont was the only state that ever got to implementation of such a program but discontinued it in 2014.



It will be interesting to see how this one plays out. In the past, the political cost of such a system has been too steep for American politicians to pursue (consider the political capital President Obama spent to pass the modest reforms of the ACA), but Californian progressives seem ready for a fight. The state voted overwhelmingly against Trump and has largely been seen as a bastion of resistance to his policies, having hired former Attorney General Eric Holder in anticipation of legal fights with the administration.

One of the few blessings of the dawn of the Age of Trump (not being sarcastic; "Age of Trump" will turn out to be a turning point in U.S. political history)  one of those few blessings will prove to be the rebellion of the states (or the "Rebellion of the States" if things really get going). Again, not being sarcastic.In addition to the " rolling civil war " among the people the Trump-led Republicans will enflame and enable, we should see a breakaway from the national government and its toxic rule ( literally ) by those states with the guts or muscle to do it.(Side note: As I write this, three hundred marchers just walked past my window, some carrying union signs  the Musicians' Union was represented  chanting "Power to the people. Down with Trump" in a #NotMyPresidentsDay march. "Down with Trump" has a Nixonian directness to it, and we're just a month in. The GOP plan to destroy the last remnant of the social contract in the U.S. will be relentlessly pursued, in my opinion, with predictable and disastrous consequences for everyone. Batten down.)The rebellion will be joined on many fronts  some, like the courts, more orderly than others, like whatever will happen after Beauregard Sessions-issued testosterone shots are administered to police at the next BLM rally. One of those fronts will be the reaction of state governments, which are even now starting to break away from national, federal policy.Enter California and SB 562.If the federal government is now going to even stop pretending to protect us from the bipartisan predatory regime  for example, how else would you describe the health care system in the U.S.?  the states, some of them anyway, will increasingly step in. California has stepped in with the introduction of SB 562, a bill that aims to enact state-wide single-payer health care. Where Vermont failed (I think for lack of size of population), California may well succeed.Some of the particulars, from a useful California civic website called Call Your Government My suspicion is that the presence of Trump in the White House and Paul Ryan's wolves at the door of everyone without the money to finance a political campaign will make this bill quite attractive  even against the inevitable onslaught of "don't you dare" advertising by the drug and insurance industries.As the writer notes, the country is indeed "bracing itself"  in my view for a great many unpleasant things. Could the Ryan-Trump Plan, whatever it turns out to be, turn out to be the spur that turns the ACA into single-payer, state by state? The writer continues (my emphasis below):The writer notes, correctly in my view, that a Ryan-Trump assault on the health care system, coupled with the Trumpian assault on every other thread in this loosely stitched-together society, will stiffen many spines among progressives. Note the reference to Obama in the final paragraph above.Note also the reference to Holder in the final paragraph above. Let's hope Mr. Holder doesn't make this act of resistance less bold than it's otherwise likely to be. After all, if something like this isn't successfully done, people are going to die . This is not academic.Stay tuned. These are indeed world-historical times, and things are just starting to heat up. We have four years of this ahead of us. We may be looking into a raging fire, but a gale-force popular wind is building behind us. Exactly where you want a fire-facing wind to be.GP

Labels: California, Gaius Publius, health care, Obamacare, Paul Ryan, predatory capitalism, Resistance, Trump
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Manx Gas confirms propane cylinders are safe

Manx Gas say cylinders that were thought to pose a safety risk are safe.

The supplier has been in touch with the manufacturer and distributor of the propane cylinders and confirmed there is no fault with the cylinders sold to Isle of Man customers.

Manx Gas had warned last week that the cylinders' control valves could be faulty, urging those with such items not to use them.

The root cause of the fault and the cylinders affected have been identified, with no risk posed to those on Island.
Police warn of Facebook stranger danger

Police are warning the Manx public of the dangers of accepting Facebook friend requests from strangers claiming to be local.

The Isle of Man Constabulary says fake profiles often appear genuine and claim to be from the Island.

However, officers warn some profiles will offer to swap naked pictures, only to then attempt to blackmail their new friend.

The police say such profiles can be operated by people 1000s of miles away who look nothing like their profile picture.

Officers urge anyone who receives a friend request from someone they don't know to think carefully before accepting.
Chief Minister saddened by death of CinemaNX founder



Chief Minister Howard Quayle MHK

The Chief Minister has paid tribute to one of the key figures in the Island's film industry following his death.

Steve Christian, who founded CinemaNX and was a director of Pinewood Pictures, passed away suddenly at the weekend aged 53.

Howard Quayle says he is very saddened by the news, describing his death as a huge loss to the Isle of Man community.

Mr Quayle also describes Mr Christian as an outstanding Manxman and champion of the Island's creative sector.
Cannan to deliver first budget speech



Alfred Cannan has been the Island's Treasury Minister since October.

The Island's budget for the next 12 months will be outlined in Tynwald this morning.

Treasury Minister Alfred Cannan will deliver his first budget speech since taking up the post last October.

Mr Cannan's budget comes a month after the Council of Ministers set out its Programme for Government, identifying the Island's priorities for the next five years.

The document highlighted the need to be sustainable and responsible with cost reduction targets to be set in this budget.

The sitting of Tynwald gets underway at 10.30am.
Vladimir Kara-Murza, a known critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has left Russia along with his wife Evgenia Kara-Murza and his doctor to seek medical treatment. Kara-Murza has suffered from repeated poisoning in the past and his wife has blamed the Kremlin for this. Vadim Prokhorov, Kara-Murza's lawyer, confirmed this in a Facebook statement.

Kara-Murza, who went into a coma two years ago, was hospitalized early this month in Moscow for suspected poisoning, but was recently discharged. Prokhorov did not reveal where Kara-Murza is headed, but said his client vowed to pursue the restoration of Russian democracy through civil rights reforms and free press.

Kara-Murza is part of an anti-Putin organization known as Open Russia. It was founded by former oil tycoon and now activist Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who got a 10-year jail term after openly criticizing Putin.

Kara-Murza's illness was diagnosed by his doctors as something related to toxic substances, according to CNN. He became ill four months after the assassination of his friend Boris Nemtsov near the Kremlin in February 2015. Kara-Murza lives in Virginia with his family, but was in Russia to promote a documentary on Nemtsov' assassination.

"Vladimir Putin does not deserve any benefit of the doubt here, given how commonplace political assassinations and poisonings have become under his regime," United States Senator Marco Rubio said. "I am praying that Kara-Murza's condition improves," he added.

Kara-Murza's health has been deteriorating in the past two years since his first reported poisoning, according to MSN. His laboratory results show his blood had high levels of heavy metals. His request for an investigation on the poisoning incident was, however, denied by the Russian Investigative Committee.

Kara-Murza is not only an anti-Putin activist, but is also among those actively pushing for the Magnitsky Act expansion in the United States, also known as the Global Magnitsky Human rghts Accountability Act. The bill authorizes the US president to ban entry and impose property sanctions against foreign persons who have committed extrajudicial killins or other gross human rights violations.
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Donald Trumps interview of 13 January reaffirmed many Europeans in their belief that the comments the new American President was making regarding Europe on his campaign trail were not just meant for internal consumption. President Trump proved that he did not hold conventional Republican views on the European Union, did not find NATO useful and thought that the EU was just a vehicle for German power. Moreover, he suggested that the old continent would be a target of protectionist measures to reduce the US trade deficit and added that the nuclear deal with Iran was one of the dumbest deals ever made. Mr. Trump also suggested that German Chancellor Merkel was about as trustworthy as Russian President Vladimir Putin and that he was interested in deals with Russia through trading off sanctions.

Although not all of Donald Trumps beliefs will become US foreign policy due to well-established system of checks and balances, his opinions are set to bring about the biggest changes in the trans-Atlantic order since WWII. Mr. Trumps disregard for fundamental rules of international conduct could easily stop the United States from being the anchor of the liberal world order  a principle that has safeguarded Europes security for decades. Moreover, with President Trump, the traditional trans-Atlantic alliance seems to be jeopardized as well. However, instead of falling into despair, European ought to see the new US administration as a wake-up call that should prod them to get their act together. French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault was right when he said that the best response to Donald Trumps worldview was European unity.

It is obvious that Europe will not be very high on the White Houses agenda and if so, then President Trump will likely prefer dealing with individual countries, such as Germany or France. However, the biggest risk regarding Mr. Trumps European policy lies in Russia. There is a risk that his moves on Ukraine could divide Eastern Europe into two zones of influence  that of Europe and that of Russia  since Mr. Trumps comments on the obsoleteness of NATO may encourage Russia to be more assertive in pushing its geopolitical agenda and thus complicate the EUs engagement in the Caucasus, North Africa and the Western Balkans, especially if the US simultaneously disengages from these regions.

Europes Ultimate Wake-Up Call  op-ed by Stefan Lehne and Heather Grabbe Carnegie Europe.

(The study can be downloaded here)


Santiago Pena, Paraguays minister of finance



Paraguays minister of finance, Santiago Pena, says that he expects the recent shift to the right in the politics of Mercosurs two largest member countries to lead the organization to refocus on its economic mission at the expense of broader political negotiations.

Speaking to Euromoney ahead of the annual Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Meeting in Asuncion at the end of March, Pena says that he is confident the countrys model of opening to free trade will be increasingly adopted by other countries in the region.

Pena says: Mercosur  just like the EU and Nafta  was originally an economic treaty, but over the past decade we have seen all of these become politicized and they have deviated from their original intention.

When I took this position [in January 2015] I developed very close relationships with my peers in the region, with Danilo Astori in Uruguay and [Alfonso] Prat-Gay in Argentina, and less so [with his counterpart] in Brazil because they have their issues. I said that if we didnt take leadership of the Mercosur agenda it would be hijacked by political debate.

Since Horacio Cartes became Paraguays president in 2013 he has been pushing a free trade agenda, with low business taxes and incentives for investors to establish export-driven operations in the country. The low income and corporate tax rates and business-friendly regulatory environment have been part of an attempt to diversify the economy away from its staples of agriculture and food production.

However, even within these traditional industries the government has sponsored the development of technology and innovation and the country has expanded within these sectors to export different categories of produce.

There is absolutely no conflict in our ambition to become a full member of the Pacific Alliance with our membership of Mercosur - Santiago Pena

Paraguay now exports to more than 80 global markets and is growing trade particularly quickly in Asia and the Middle East. Mercosur no longer accounts for the majority of Paraguays exports.

In the last three years, Paraguay has decoupled its economy from its neighbours, says Pena. Between 2003 and 2012 the country averaged annual GDP growth of about 5%  the same as the regional average. However, since 2013 the regions economic growth rate has collapsed, largely thanks to substantial negative growth in Brazil and static rates in Argentina, while Paraguay has averaged 4.2%.

For the first time in the history of Paraguay we havent been dragged along by Brazil and Argentina, says Pena. The growth differential with Brazil and Argentina used to be zero  now were plus six percentage points above Brazil and seven above Argentina.

The country has also been expanding its free trade network  it currently has free trade deals with Chile, Colombia and Peru and hopes to conclude a deal with the remaining Pacific Alliance member in order to apply for full membership of the trade bloc.

Maybe Mr Trump is giving us a hand to speed up that process, says Pena of the timetable to secure a free trade agreement with Mexico.

However, despite the diminishing importance of the Mercosur economies for Paraguays economic growth, Pena says Paraguay remains committed to the association, which was founded in the Paraguayan capital of Asuncion in 1991.

There is absolutely no conflict in our ambition to become a full member of the Pacific Alliance with our membership of Mercosur, says Pena. Paraguay is already the most open economy in the region and while we remain close to Brazil and Argentina  and will trade with these countries  there is only opportunity to continue to expand its international trade.

Pena says that some of these opportunities can be explored through Mercosur and that he has been hearing that Brazilian companies have recently begun to exert pressure on politicians to restart free trade talks with the European Union.

'Treat with caution'

However, Neil Shearing of Capital Economics says positive noises from Brasilia should be treated with caution. While Brazils government is talking a good game on trade, the reality remains that the economy is among the most closed in the world, he says, pointing to structural problems such as poor infrastructure that make a shift to open trade policies problematic. For example, China has 10 ports that are capable of handing 100 million tonnes of cargo a year, while Brazil has none. Road networks are also of low quality. Other issues, such as a legacy of protectionism, create substantial barriers  both tariff and non-tariff based.

Given that the current government is likely to have to expend most of its political capital on pushing through fiscal reforms, hopes for a major progress on trade are likely to be disappointed, says Shearing.

Pena remains upbeat. The Brazilians have said there is a huge demand from their companies, he says. Ultimately it wont be the government [that leads the push for more open trade] but the companies. I think there is a change in the mindset of the region. Brazil is a very large country  it produces close to two million cars  but how many do they sell outside of Brazil? Thats because they are not competitive. It needs to compete and to open to other markets. I think that will be very positive, and its the same with the Pacific Alliance.




Pierre, SD  This year, South Dakota has an opportunity to encourage more scientific inquiry in the classroom. The states legislature is considering an academic freedom bill, SB 55, introduced by Senator Jeff Monroe. As noted here last week, the bill seeks to thwart censorship, yet ironically is opposed by the National Coalition Against Censorship. The group has misrepresented its contents, comparing mainstream exploration of weaknesses in Darwinian theory with Holocaust denial.

The text of SB 55 says just this:

No teacher may be prohibited from helping students understand, analyze, critique, or review in an objective scientific manner the strengths and weaknesses of scientific information presented in courses being taught which are aligned with the content standards established pursuant to  13-3-48.

A prominent South Dakota scientist we heard from gets it, applauding the bill as a means to foster critical thinking. SB 55, under consideration by the South Dakota legislature, is a promising step forward for South Dakota science education, said William S. Harris, PhD. Dr. Harris is the President of OmegaQuant Analytics, LLC (Sioux Falls, SD), and an NIH-funded biomedical researcher with over 300 scientific publications.

Under this legislation, students would have the opportunity learn more about scientific topics, practice critical thinking, and engage with scientific questions facing researchers today. One of those questions pertains to the origin of biodiversity.

Harris commented:

Scientific controversy over the ability of Darwins version of evolution (i.e., natural selection acting blindly on random mutations) to explain the expanse of life on this planet continues to grow with each new revelation of the exceeding complexity of even the simplest life forms, not to mention humans. In my view, it is very important for todays students to understand the evidence for and against important scientific theories like Darwinism and to honestly consider challenges even to such long-held dogmas.

South Dakota students can only benefit from such an approach  and hopefully, legislators will seize this occasion to promote scientific inquiry, added Harris. If the bill is enacted, South Dakota would join Louisiana, Tennessee, and at least five other states with science standards or laws recognizing the role of teaching scientific strengths and weaknesses in the classroom.

The law has been a target for activists and journalists spreading misinformation about what SB 55 would permit. We have addressed false claims from Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the Washington Post, which merit being described as fake news, here and here.

Photo: William S. Harris.
Thursday morning finds the pound to euro exchange rate hovering around the day's opening levels, just +0.05 higher at 1.18083, after the pair fell from two-month highs following weak UK business investment data.

The GBP/EUR had tested highs of 1.19012, representing the best conversion investors had seen in 2017.

A lot of the anticipated weaker economic data in the UK appears to be in the price of GBP, said Morgan Stanley in Mondays FX market commentary, and the bank are now predicting a rise in the GBP EUR this spring according to a recent brief to FX clients.

The bank has described Brexit news flow as now less of a driver of financial markets  something that BNP Paribas forecast one month ago.

Further reasons for a GBP/EUR rally are cited as loose global liquidity conditions, increased political uncertainty in the eurozone and a general undervaluing of sterling. The bank also believes that global FX reserve managers could soon start to reallocate into the pound or sterling-denominated assets, which will drive GBP higher.

Regarding UK economic data, analysts at Morgan Stanley say the following:

Friday's miss on retail sales (0.2%M) showed consumers may have brought forward spending ahead of anticipated price hikes, causing GBP to weaken as markets priced out some probability of a hike by the BoE this year (currently around 3bp). The impact of UK data on GBP goes as far as that.

A Trade Deal with Europe Must Wait

According to the Financial Times, EU negotiators will take a divorce-first approach to Brexit and expect to spend until the end of the year solely discussing the UK's EUR 60 bn exit bill and the rights of expatriate citizens, with trade talks to come afterwards.

Any divorce-first approach will be a significant hindrance to Theresa May's plans for a fast-track EU trade deal by the end of 2018.

Other Brexit developments include a warning by European negotiators to their British counterparts that any attempts to blackmail and divide EU countries in the run-up to the Brexit negotiations will lead to a disastrous crash-landing for the UK, according to yesterdays Guardian.

GBP EUR Data Releases

[Day, Time in GMT, Currency, Data, Forecast]

TUE 09:00 EUR Flash Manufacturing PMI 55

TUE 09:00 EUR Flash Services PMI 53.6

TUE 09:30 GBP Public Sector Net Borrowing 14.4bn

WED 09:00 EUR German IFO Business Climate 109.6

WED 09:30 GBP Second Estimate GDP q/q 0.6%

WED 10:30 EUR Long-Term Refinancing Operation

WED 19:30 USD FOMC Meeting Minutes
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Exeter restaurant The Rusty Bike will be closed and turned into a four-bed family home for its owner.

Father-of-two Hamish Lothian said closing the Howell Road restaurant will ensure that the rest of the group, which includes The Fat Pig, Tabac, The Pig & Pickle and a spirits distillery, can "survive and thrive."

Replacing the derelict Eagle Tavern in 2009, it was the second venue for the Fat Pig business and prided itself on a locally sourced menu. It will close for good on East Sunday.

The closure will see all its kitchen staff, including head chef Darren Jory who trained with Marco Pierre White, lose their jobs. The majority of bar staff will move into the other pubs.

However, Mr Lothian believes it is a "sensible decision" in the face of a tough market.

"By closing it and turning it into my house I can get a domestic mortgage on it which I can afford to pay.

"The decision to close Rusty Bike is because you need to turn over so much money to make it pay, and when we opened we just one of a dozen restaurants doing that thing in the city. Now in the past year 20 plus have opened.

"After Rusty, Cote Brasserie came, Bill's came, Samuel Jones at the quay came, and then this whole Queen Street development and it just goes on and on and on and on. It nibbles the edges off until there's nothing left.

"The thing about the Rusty is it's not a cheap operation. We take entire animals and turn them into food, we cannot benefit from any of those economies of scale the larger operators can.

"It is a hard and brave decision to close a restaurant before it bankrupts you. You can't let it take the rest of the business down with it because it's having the margins shaved away everywhere.

"The sensible thing to do is give it in now rather than continue to trade and make a loss."

The increasing business rates have had a major role to play in his decision. His other units are small, and run with a crew of two or three staff members.

He added: "The thing about big unit like the Rusty Bike with a brigade of chefs  it's an expensive toy."

But even then, the small floor space of The Fat Pig on Smythen Street has a whopping rateable value of 27,000 a year - around 540 per square metre.

The announcement will come as a blow to many in the city's foodie community.

Its highly skilled kitchen staff have earned themselves a place in the Michelin guide and the Trencherman's guide.

The closure has highlighted again the city's current tug-of-war between national companies and independent businesses - which are having to shout loudly to survive.

The announcement that Urban Burger on Queen Street is for sale shocked many when it was revealed two week's ago.

Mr Lothian added: "Look at the profile of the city, every boozer on the peripheral has changed hands or is on the market.

"The guys on the outskirts are under a lot of pressure from the new openings in the city centre."

Urban Burger owners Owners Garth and Melissa Pearse said say are frustrated about the lack of diversity in the city's bustling food scene, and independent chains paying extortionate rates in comparison to national chains.

They criticised Exeter City Council for their planning decisions and aid they offer independent businesses.

Melissa added: "The council should have taken care when approving these restaurants, rather than allow them all to arrive in one big hit.

"Out of the big chains, very few including The Stable use local produce, the rest obtain their ingredients from central distribution.

"This has a massive knock-on effect on local businesses, and all serves to turn Exeter into another faceless city in the UK.

Rob Weeks, Circa 1924, is all for backing his fellow independent restaurants.

"It's a shame to see the owners of Urban Burger move on after Ruby's down the road did the same.

"It was interesting to see the increase in business rates they are facing, as it is something that all of us are seeing,

"We put ourselves at the higher end of the market, so at the moment we are definitely seeing a lot of positives about having a livelier city centre  which doesn't turn to blowing tumbleweed after 5pm.

"From that perspective our trade is doing well, but in terms of the offer  a lot are opening set at the same price point and the same types of food.

"They have all become amazingly efficient at getting their product across, as they have massive marketing budgets at their disposal.

"So customers are buying into that, but when they are sitting down to eat they are going to feel conned by the inferior quality of food.

"Exeter is at the heart of Devon which is one of the best places in the UK for sourcing food.

"National chains are getting their produce at low cost from massive dealers in Birmingham. Hopefully more good indies see a gap in the market and open up.

"I don't want to be overly critical to the city council but they could do more to offset rates and council tax for smaller businesses, and offer a hand with marketing."

The city council responded by saying they work hard to ensure that Exeter maintains a good offering of restaurants and eateries.

"Part of Exeter's appeal as a vibrant city is its mix of restaurants, from fantastic independents to recognised High Street names, and we welcome the increasing diversity of food on offer," said Cllr Rosie Denham, Lead Councillor for Economy.

"We have no powers to dictate which businesses come to the city, but we work hard to make sure Exeter is an attractive place for businesses to invest and create jobs."

On business rates, Cllr Denham added, "The City Council has no say in setting business rates, which are set nationally by the Government, however there are a number of rates relief schemes available for small businesses."

Craig Bulley, chief executive of Exeter BID, said: "Exeter BID is proud to support the diverse offer of independent businesses and national brands that the city has to offer to residents and visitors, reflecting Exeter's status as the retail destination of the South West."
Hello,



I have submitted my application for a visa to France, but it was denied. I did not meet the criteria they said. I was applying for a "professional and independent" visa.



All my flights and accommodation and insurance etc is booked, yes I can cancel it. I was planned to leave on the 15th March.



But I wish to apply for a "visitors" visa now, but the next available appointments are not until April, well after I had planned to leave. The online booking system is 2 months in advance. Is it possible to go to the consulate without and appointment to submit a new application?



Surely they can accept walk ins??



thanks
Ikea is in Saint Priest, a SE suburb of Lyon/Villeurbanne, but a new Ikea is being added (to open in 2019) in Venissieux.



For inexpensive furniture (meaning particle board and veneers), the usual places are Conforama, Ikea, But, and so on.



You can find much nicer, more durable, and more expensive furniture at smaller shops, depending on your budget and taste. We've had pretty good luck with Interiors (solid wood construction in general), which has stores in Saint Priest and in Lyon along the Saone, but --then again -- we prefer traditional furniture styles so Interiors is fine for us. If you prefer Scandinavian style furniture, BoConcept might be worth a visit.



For non-upholstered furniture, you can get some good deals on good-quality older furniture by watching leboncoin, checking out les Puces du Canal, or visiting brocante shops. I'm fine with used furniture, but draw the line at upholstered furniture. Your preferences may differ.



If you have a car, you can find several furniture stores, along with the usual lower-cost places, in Saint Priest.
Those thinking on this might check out 'Patriot America'. Don't know if its only available to Americans or if they will cover people from other Countries.



I am listed as dependent on my Asawa's PhilHealth and we are both Seniors so I don't think this will affect us with our coverage even though I do now have an ACR Card.



To those who feel PhilHealth is worthless - consider that even though it will not help much with bills on an out-patient level, if you are in-patient at a hospital(admitted to a room or ward for treatment), it will lower your total bill approximately half. She has been admitted twice since we moved here for High Blood Pressure spikes and it has cut the bill by about 60% for her with her Senior Card & PhilHealth. I was admitted last summer for Dehydration and since I have no Senior Card, PhilHealth alone took off about 40% of my bill.



Fred
hogrider said: I believe that in UK child seats are not required and indeed are not suitable for under 2yr olds. Mothers lap in the back sounds about right. Click to expand...

That is what my wife thinks. Slowly but surely I am getting through to my wife about child safety and adult safety in cars. Filipinos don't want to think anything bad can happen. I showed my 12 year old some red light running videos to prove a point. You never know when something bad might happen, to good people. Especially with distractions like cell phones and texting.Reminds me of an old Jeff Bridges movie, Fearless. He and Rosy Rodriguez have survived a plane crash, and Rosy's baby died. She was holding the baby in her arms and thought she should have been able to protect it. Finally, to prove a point, Jeff put her in a car and has her hold a small tool box like a baby. He then tells her to hold on tight to save her baby, while he drives straight into a wall at a good speed. The tool box launches right through the windshield. There was no way she could hold it.I had a good teacher, a police officer, at a driving class I took. He had a great example of seat belt safety. This was in the late 70's, I think. He said many people think they can stop themselves from hitting the dash, by putting their arms out. So, a 20 mph front end crash should be easy to do that in, right. How fast can you run? Maybe 10 mph or more? So, run as fast as you can into a brick wall, and stop yourself with your "wet noodles". That is what arms become in a crash! (that was before air bags!)
Despite chilly U.S.-Mexico relations, the San Antonio-based North American Development Bank is forging ahead with requests for hundreds of millions of dollars in new loan capital to expand the border-zone development banks lending capacity in new types of projects.

A bill has been filed by U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, to keep the ball rolling on government funding for the bank overseen by the treasury departments of both countries.

The bill also would streamline the banks project approval process while requiring additional reports to ensure NADBank-financed projects provide value to the border region and taxpayers.

The North American Development Bank Improvement and General Capital Increase Authorization Act of 2017 is co-sponsored by U.S. Reps. Will Hurd, R-San Antonio; Lloyd Doggett, D-San Antonio; Al Green, D-Houston; Gene Green, D-Houston; Vicente Gonzalez, D-McAllen; Beto ORourke, D-El Paso; and Filemon Vela, D-Brownsville.

NADBank is seeking to continue the process for $450 million in new loan capital, or $225 million from each nation, in allocations stretching over five to seven years. This would double the governmental paid-in capital. The governments of the two nations allocated $450 million after the bank was founded in 1994, the same time the North American Free Trade Agreement was enacted. The bank began the process for the funding request in 2015.

With the new loan funds, the development bank will continue financing water, sewage, landfill, road and solar energy projects while expanding to areas that include ports of entry and cross-border energy distribution, such as power plants and natural gas pipelines for the Eagle Ford Shale area.

Mexico already has committed more than $22 million toward its share of the request. The United States has committed $10 million so far.

The funding push comes as NADBank awaits the appointment of a new managing director. The outgoing managing director, Geronimo Gutierrez Fernandez, has been nominated to become Mexicos ambassador to the United States. His confirmation by the Mexican Senate is possible this week. Gutierrez would become the top Mexican official in Washington to negotiate with the Donald Trump administration, including on the proposed border wall and any changes to NAFTA.

The funding request also comes as NADBank continues the merger process with the Border Environment Cooperation Commission, based in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, which has certified projects for NADBank financing.

Gutierrezs successor must be named by the NADBank-BECC board of directors comprised of officials from both countries, but no timetable has been set for the decision, NADBank spokesman Jesse Hereford said.

Traditionally, the NADBank and BECC directors rotate between U.S. and Mexican citizens every five years. But in 2015, Gutierrez and BECC General Manager Maria Elena Giner were each given two-year extensions to complete the merger.

Gutierrezs term was to have expired in October this year. The contract for the NADBank deputy managing director, former San Antonio Water System executive Alex Hinojosa, will expire in December.

Hereford said the board likely will name an acting managing director and a deputy managing director soon. The next board meeting is scheduled for May 11; the location has not been decided.

Voter Guide: What to know for the midterm election Your guide to the Texas and San Antonio races and candidates on the Nov. 8 ballot.

Laredo-based IBC Bank and other sponsors held a farewell reception for Gutierrez on Friday night at the banks downtown office plaza.

We are at a critical juncture. A major setback (in U.S.-Mexico relations) is a possibility, but also possible is the start of a new era, Gutierrez told hundreds of people attending the reception.

There is a vast majority of Mexicans who want a better relationship with the United States, and there is a vast majority of Americans who want the same thing. We must open ourselves to the new possibilities, Gutierrez said. San Antonio should continue to be a voice of reason and friendship.

Mayor Ivy Taylor also spoke at the reception, telling Gutierrez, You are ideally positioned to tell the story of our two countries.

Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff added, NAFTA is an extremely important agreement that must be maintained and continued. We know there may be changes. We want to support you.

dhendricks@express-news.net
When a military jury begins hearing his case today, Tech. Sgt. Anthony Lizana will face a long list of sex charges stemming from his work at an Air Force medical logistics squadron here and a daunting potential sentence  87 years in prison.

Prosecutors say he had improper sexual contact with eight women, all of them lower-ranking Air Force personnel, sometimes against their will.

Taken together, the seven charges and 17 specifications of misconduct rival some of the worst of the instructor misconduct scandal at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland that began in 2011. The scandal triggered congressional hearings and led to a makeover of Air Force basic and technical training.

Lizana, however, worked for the bases 59th Medical Logistics and Readiness Squadron, not the wing that oversees the instruction of recruits and airmen.

Besides the prison time, he could get a dishonorable discharge, fines, forfeitures of pay and reduction in rank.

His trial, set for Monday, got off to a rocky start. A juror fell ill and was hospitalized, prompting the judge, Lt. Col. Andrew Kalavanos, to call a recess. New potential jurors will be brought in to replace the sickened airman today.

Lizana is charged with failing to maintain professional relationships and being derelict in performing his duties with three women  identified as Airman 1, Senior Airman 2 and Senior Airman 3  between Sept. 1, 2014, and Dec. 1, 2015. He is accused of maltreating a woman identified as Airman 1st Class 4 by repeatedly rubbing her back and shoulders with his hand.

Two women in this case were subject to Lizanas orders. He is accused of providing alcohol to two airmen who were under 21.

Lizana also is charged with unlawfully kissing a woman on the forehead, identified as Airman 1st Class 7, around April 1, 2014, and Aug. 1, 2015. Hes charged with touching another woman, Airman 1st Class 1, on her stomach and waist with his hand without her consent around June 26, 2015.

That, prosecutors suggest in their charge sheet, was a pattern. Lizana is accused of having sexual contact without the consent of Senior Airman 5 by kissing her neck and touching her crotch around Feb. 28, 2015. While in Alaska between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31, 2013, he is accused of touching the crotch of a woman identified as Staff Sergeant 6, also without her consent.

Though married, prosecutors say, he had consensual sex with two airmen, identified on the charging document as Senior Airman 3 on or about Sept. 1, 2014, and around Dec. 1, 2015, and Senior Airman 2 around Sept. 1, 2014, and about a month later. Adultery is illegal in the armed forces.

The Lackland scandal saw 35 basic training instructors investigated on allegations of misconduct involving 69 recruits and technical training students since 2011, but the bulk of those cases were settled. Just one resulted in an acquittal.

Such misconduct trials have been rare in the two years since the last of those defendants, Master Sgt. Michael Silva, a former training instructor, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for raping a recruit in 1995 and his then-wife in 2007.

The Air Force has overhauled basic training to include a week of character development to raise awareness about sexual misconduct and help recruits cope with the stresses of life as fledgling airmen.

The number of accusers could complicate Lizanas defense, said Jeff Addicott, a St. Marys University School of Law professor.

If it was one or two, it would be a case of perhaps he said, she said, but when youve got eight different individuals its going to be difficult for him to explain away that type of misconduct, he said.

Its hard to get five or six people together to agree that misconduct has occurred, added Addicott, a retired Army lieutenant colonel. This spells a very difficult time for the defendant. In addition, in todays Air Force, this type of misconduct has zero tolerance attached to it and if hes convicted, he can expect zero mercy.

sigc@express-news.net
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Right before the beginning of their run Friday, a mostly military crowd followed Travis Mills, the races guest of honor, at Lady Bird Johnson Park.

Mills, 29, who lost all four of his limbs in 2012 after a bomb blast in Afghanistan, was chosen to start the runners off during his visit to San Antonio.

I didnt bring my running legs, the veteran, a quadruple amputee, said.

A sly grin cut across his face as he scanned the crowd, just in case there were any shocked reactions. On the back of his shoes, the veteran had the words Never Give Up and Never Quit.

Go! Mills said, as the runners surged onto the running path. Have fun out there!

Mills is only the fourth of five quadruple amputees to survive his injuries, but he has fought to ensure people see him as the same man he was before.

The Michigan resident is a military-grade cut-up. When he sees someone staring at his prosthetics, he tries to engage them, often making jokes at his own expense.

I try to disarm the situation, Mills said. After people get over the initial shock, people look at me like Im a normal guy.

His normalcy is something Mills asserts frequently.

In a documentary on his life, Mills said, People call me a hero, but Im not sure what part of it makes me a hero. I just had a normal day at work that turned ugly.

After he returned to the U.S., Mills, a staff sergeant in the 82nd Airborne Infantry Division, endured months of recovery at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. There were sad days as he recovered, days when he had to tell himself to never give up, never quit.

Today, he enjoys the small acts of daily life with his wife Kelsey and his 5-year-old daughter Chloe, like attending the school dance with his daughter and driving her to a diner for daddy-daughter dinner.

Why should I be upset about the life I got to live? Mills said. He at least got 25 good years of having four arms and legs. He at least got to come home, unlike some of his friends.

Im simple. I still have the ability to live in a great nation, he said.

Mills now goes across the country giving speeches about his recovery. When he first appears on stage, he said people treat him delicately. His first job when meeting a new crowd is to get them to see him as a real person.

I pretty much start with jokes, Mills said. I try to just set a tone: Were going to have fun with this.

Some of the jokes are too ribald for print, he said.

Today, he said he lives life as if the bomb blast had never happened. He said he doesnt ever want to be seen as a sob story.

No, Id never go back and do it again, Mills said. I didnt enjoy getting blown up. But it is what it is, and Ill make the best of it.

jlawrence@express-news.net
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Bullet holes mark the vests dark blue fabric, still caked with red earth and sand. Blood has eaten through the nylon, leaving a spot of Kevlar visible through a small hole ringed by a maroon stain.

Almost 24 years after the standoff at the Branch Davidian compound near Waco, Eric Evers doesnt know what to do with the armor he once wore. His wife cant bear to see it. The government doesnt want it. For now, he keeps it at the office, wrapped in gray plastic.

He might give it to a museum someday.

What do you do with it? said Evers, a special agent in Houston with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Its not like Im going to frame it and hang it on the wall.

For Evers, the vest stirs memories both sacred and taboo: of four colleagues who died doing their jobs, of his own survival and of a fateful encounter that began with the best intentions.

Agent Gary Orchowski keeps his helmet  visibly damaged by a hail of bullets  on a small coffee table in his office, next to the mangled radio that once broadcast his death.

The agents rarely talk about the raid that kicked off a seven-week siege at the cults compound, ending in a blaze that killed more than 70 people. Theyve kept quiet about the worst loss of life in ATF history and the challenges that followed.

But the governments decision to return their gear last year brought it all back. Now, more than two decades later, the agents say theyre ready to share the experiences that have largely gone untold amid a slew of documentaries, books and news coverage.

Ive decided Im never going to forget, and I owe it to the guys who were killed to tell their story, Orchowski said. We owe it to the people who made the ultimate sacrifice to be honest with each other  I want everybody at the end of day to go home alive, to go home to their families.

It was Feb. 28, 1993, a cold and drizzly Sunday morning just outside of Waco.

Evers lay bleeding in a ditch as bullets whizzed by.

Hed already been shot five times, but his armored vest had stopped three rounds. A rifle round smashed through the webbing, however, boring deep into his shoulder; another bullet struck his forearm.

This isnt a game, the special agent thought. Theyre putting real bullets down. Theyre going to drop one in your head.

Just yards away, Orchowski lay sprawled in cold, muddy water, with his radio crackling from its perch on his back. He heard reports of his own death, but before he could respond, another round zipped past his ear and hit the radio head-on.

The gunfire bombarded the agents so heavily that branches on nearby trees began to fall.

Ive learned the meaning of sheer terror, said Evers, now 52.

Evers, Orchowski and more than 130 other ATF special agents and support staff had traveled from Houston, Dallas and New Orleans to execute search warrants on the Branch Davidians for illegal stockpiles of automatic weapons and explosives.

They had also been ordered to arrest the groups leader, David Koresh, a 33-year-old from Houston who stood accused of having sex with his followers children, some as young as 11 years old.

The agents had heard stories that the youngest of Koreshs followers had never been allowed to leave the compound.

We were more or less looking at it like a humanitarian mission, said Orchowski, 55, a former police officer in Georgia who is now the assistant special agent in charge of the ATFs Houston field office. That meant they had never had a candy bar. A bunch of us had gone to Wal-Mart.  In our vests, there were candy bars we planned on giving to the kids.

The plan had been to drive up to the compound in two cattle trailers, to surprise the Branch Davidians, fan out, search for illegal firearms and arrest Koresh.

But that plan went stale before the agents ever drove up to the compound; Koresh and his followers had been tipped off they were coming.

Even after learning theyd lost the element of surprise, however, the agents superiors pressed forward.

They approached the compound expecting to find workers outdoors; instead, they saw only curtains fluttering at the windows.

Then the air filled with bullets, as cult members opened fire with automatic weapons from dozens of posts.

It was Fallujah before Fallujah, said Robert Elder, 56, a now-retired ATF agent who also participated in the raid, comparing it to Iraq.

Elder looked up and saw a man atop a water tower, training an AR-15 at him.

I remember looking up and thinking, Hes got me, Elder said. The next thing I recall, I see the rifle fall and I see him fall back into the water tower because one of our snipers took him out.

For hours, the agents and the Branch Davidians traded fire, broken up by cease-fires.

Orchowski remembers the surreal sounds of chirping birds when the gunfire halted.

I almost wanted to start shooting at the birds, he said. Like, Shut up, this is not funny. It was like they were almost laughing at you.

During the third and final cease-fire, ATF agent David Opperman moved in to pull Evers from the ditch, just feet from the man whod shot him.

Dave never stopped, Evers said, choking up slightly. He kept coming on: Im just coming to get my guy, Im just coming to get my guy, Im just going to get him. Its a cease-fire.  I thought for sure hed smoke us in the back, but he didnt.

Four ATF agents did not survive: Steven D. Willis, from the Houston field office, and three New Orleans-based agents: Conway C. LeBleu, Todd W. McKeehan, and Robert J. Williams. Six Branch Davidians also died in the firefight.

Knowing what we were up against, there was no way we were going to succeed, Orchowski said. As long as someone makes up their mind theyre going to go down in a blaze of glory, theres not much you can do about it.

The ensuing standoff and fiery conclusion to the siege on April 19, 1993, became a lightning rod for controversy over religious liberty, personal freedom and federal overreach.

It followed the Ruby Ridge shooting in 1992 that galvanized paramilitary activists, and stirred Timothy McVeigh as he planned the bombing that came two years later at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City.

But as the public watched lawmakers hold hearings and prosecutors win convictions of some Branch Davidians on manslaughter and weapons charges, Orchowski, Evers, and their colleagues quietly recuperated and went back to work.

ATF agent Roland Ballesteros, 54, who was shot in the thumb that day by Koresh as he confronted the cult leader at the compounds front door, defends the agencys preparation for the raid.

Im associated with something that is being called a debacle, Ballesteros said. There was no flaw in the plan. My only thing is, when we were compromised ... maybe we shouldnt (have gone through with it).  But there was a momentum going on this thing, and I dont know if it was easy to push back at that point in time. It just created a life of its own.

The incident and internal scrutiny that followed the incident prompted the ATF to retool its intelligence gathering, beef up training and reassess how it conducts its operations. Ballesteros said decisions might be different today.

Nowadays, I see things, and we do things, and its more like: OK, lets just check ourselves.  Everybody goes home tonight, he said.

Some of the details still remain fuzzy for many of the agents.

Every time we hear somebody speak, we learn something new, Orchowski said. Because so many moving parts were involved.

Today, a shrine to the fallen agents marks the entryway of the ATFs Houston field office. A large, 3-D model of the compound shows where the men died that day, and their portraits line the wall.

Every year, current and retired agents travel from across the region for a special memorial service to remember them and their deaths.

Its the biggest personal tragedy our agency has ever suffered, said Special Agent Nicole Strong, spokeswoman for the Houston field office.

For the agents, the return of their gear  which was almost destroyed by the federal government before being handed back  has provided a different kind of insight.

They didnt want to make this part of our history, Elder said. It is part of our history, but there are people who want it to go away, and they think if you dont talk about it, its going to go away.
WASHINGTON  The day he was shot dead by a U.S. Border Patrol agent, Sergio Hernandez was either horsing around with friends or trying to sneak through a border fence between El Paso and Ciudad Juarez.

Accounts vary about the circumstances surrounding the death of the unarmed Mexican teenager, which happened in broad daylight on June 7, 2010, as a gathering crowd looked on from south of the border.

One thing, however, is not in dispute: The spot where the 15-year-old crumpled and died was at the foot of a railroad trestle on the Mexican side of the Rio Grande.

His familys long and tortuous lawsuit against agent Jesus Mesa Jr. will go before the U.S. Supreme Court Tuesday to decide one of the same questions that has come up in the court challenges to President Donald Trumps stymied immigration order: How to apply the U.S. Constitution to foreigners outside the nations borders, even if just by a few yards?

Hernandezs death, one of a half-dozen fatal cross-border shootings in recent years, also comes at time of growing tensions between the U.S. and Mexico over Trumps plan to wall off an increasingly militarized border. Politically, the effects already have been felt on both sides.

The Mexican government, which supports the familys lawsuit, argues that throwing out the case could harm relations between the neighboring nations. The U.S. government, then under former President Barack Obama, filed briefs saying the familys case could insert the courts in sensitive matters of international diplomacy, including national security.

Hernandezs parents, Jesus Hernandez and Maria Guadalupe Guereca Bentacour, originally filed suit in U.S. District Court, claiming that Mesa had violated his Fourth Amendment protection against unjustified lethal force and his Fifth Amendment right to due process of law.

Their case was dismissed after a judge ruled that those rights do not reach across the unmarked border that runs down the middle of the dry river culvert where Hernandez died. As a Mexican citizen on his home soil, Hernandezs death would have to be adjudicated in Mexico.

Mexican authorities did, in fact, indict Mesa for murder, but the United States has refused to extradite him.

That has sent Hernandezs family back across the border to seek justice. A three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans initially ruled that Mesa could be sued. That decision, however, was overturned by the full court, which called the incident tragic but upheld the original district judge.

That has left Hernandezs parents wondering if, as their lawyers argue, their son died in a unique no-mans land  a law-free zone in which U.S. agents can kill innocent civilians with impunity.

Government reports show that cross-border use-of-force incidents like the one involving Hernandezs are hardly a rare occurrence. A Police Executive Research Forum study documented 67 cases between 2010 and 2012, many of them failing to meet the test of objective reasonableness with regard to the use of deadly force. The report also found a number of concerns in cases involving rock throwers and shots fired at vehicles.

The Hernandez shooting is an echo of that scenario, which is common in urban areas along the border. Mesa contended that he fired after several youths surrounded him and threw rocks as he sought to detain a suspected illegal border crosser. A video clip taken by a Mexican bystander shows the agent holding someone who appears to be kneeling. He then fires three shots at Hernandez, who appears to be running toward the Mexican side of the concrete culvert.

The agents third shot, fired from about 60 feet away, struck Hernandez in the head, killing him instantly.

A Justice Department investigation concluded that the shooting took place while alien smugglers, including Hernandez, unsuccessfully attempted an illegal border crossing and began to hurl rocks from close range at Agent Mesa while he was attempting to detain a suspect.

Mesa faced no charges in the United States. Authorities also noted that Hernandez had been arrested twice before for smuggling border crossers. As a juvenile, he had been allowed to voluntarily return to Mexico. His family questions that allegation, saying he could have been the victim of mistaken identity.

The familys version of events is more innocent. In their account, Hernandez was one of a group of boys playing a game in which they dared each other to run up the culverts northern embankment, touch the 18-foot barbed-wire fence at the top, and then scamper back down to the Mexican side.

The family also maintained that the investigation did not specifically accuse Hernandez of throwing rocks, and that, in fact, he appeared on video to be running for his life.

The Supreme Court will not be called on to decide which version of events is correct. Rather, the justices must decide whether any or all of the U.S. Constitutions guarantees apply to Hernandez. Past Supreme Court cases have come down in different ways in different circumstances.

Theres no bright line, said Robert Hilliard, a Corpus Christi lawyer who will argue the case for Hernandezs family. He cited an Arizona case that was decided on the basis of a ruling by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals  the same one that ruled against Trumps immigration order  that found that the border of the United States is not a clear line that separates aliens who may bring constitutional challenges from those who may not.

One of the strictest interpretations comes from a 1990 case in which the Supreme Court held that the Fourth Amendment did not apply to the search and seizure of a Mexican citizens property in Mexico while he was in U.S. custody.

Hernandezs family is leaning on a 2008 ruling on behalf of Guantanamo Bay detainees that found that the Constitution applies wherever the government has effective control, such as a U.S. prison overseas. Hernandezs family argues that would include a border culvert that regularly is patrolled by U.S. agents.

Mesas lawyers countered that the United States and Mexico have a fixed border delineating the jurisdiction of each countrys laws. To hold otherwise, they wrote, would create extraterritorial jurisdictional jurisprudence based on subjective determinations on where to draw the line.

Another touchstone of the case is that Mesa was in the United States when he fired the fatal shot, making his actions subject to U.S. courts. That, too, could have implications for the disputed travel ban, because Trumps critics argue that the case is as much about constitutional constraints on government officials as it is about the rights of foreigners abroad.

In seeking to restrict refugees from certain Muslim-majority countries, the government has argued that any person seeking entry into the U.S. for the first time requests a privilege and has no constitutional rights.

Hilliard calls that a fallacy.

It is not about who is being affected by it. Its about the conduct that we are constitutionally required to review, he said. In Mesas case, he said, the Constitution is the only law thats available to constrain his actions.

Whichever side prevails, a brief supporting Hernandez from a group of former U.S. Customs and Border Patrol officials suggests that similar incidents increasingly are likely given the growing dangers on the border. Citing the alarming power of criminal organizations, along with a too-rapid build-up of the Border Patrol since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the ex-officials paint a dire picture of the future.

Combined with inadequate field training on appropriate uses of force, their brief alleges, these factors have led to an environment in which Border Patrol agents have unnecessarily employed lethal force on the U.S.-Mexico border.

kevin.diaz@chron.com

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AUSTIN - An ambitious effort to restore the Alamo and redevelop the surrounding area is running into the reality of a tight Texas budget, as some lawmakers ask if there might be an alternative to using state general revenue for the project.

Every dollar we take in GR (general revenue) to go to this is a dollar that we dont have for something else. So if there are mechanisms that work as well for you all, then I think we should take a hard look at them, Rep. Ron Simmons, R-Carrollton, told Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush at a Tuesday budget hearing.

The questions are significant coming from budget-writers in the House, whose starting-point spending plan would give Bush all the millions hes seeking in state general revenue to re-imagine the Alamo. Senators started at a much lower funding level, although some have indicated they are receptive to the idea of adding dollars.

Some leading House members suggested that the proposed Alamo spending is just as vulnerable to potential cutbacks as any other budget item in their initial plan, given state revenues that have ridden the oil-and-gas industry roller coaster at the same time as significant money has been funneled directly to transportation instead of being available for general spending.

We have a very long process, and I think everythings on the table to be looked at  added to, subtracted from, moved around. The Alamo is no different. This is just one line item in many line items that were going to be considering, said Rep. Larry Gonzales, R-Round Rock.

Gonzales heads a subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee that heard Tuesday from Bush, whose agency oversees the Alamo. Simmons is a subcommittee member.

Bush is seeking more state money to continue the restoration of the shrine known as the cradle of Texas liberty and development of the surrounding area, a project overseen by his agency, the General Land Office.

He consistently emphasizes that the city of San Antonio, home to the Alamo, has a big stake in the project, and that theres a strong private fundraising component as officials look at paying for the $300 million project.

The starting-point House budget would allocate $83.5 million from the state to the Alamo project, including $75 million requested by Bush in state general-revenue money for the next two years. House Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, has cited the projects importance, and he did so again Tuesday through spokesman Jason Embry.

Because of its importance to Texas, the Alamo remains a priority for Speaker Straus, Embry said.

The initial Senate proposal is $9.1 million in state funds for the operation, preservation and maintenance of the Alamo complex.

The House and Senate must agree on an overall spending plan in order to send it to to Gov. Greg Abbott for his consideration.

On Tuesday, Bush told House lawmakers that an economic feasibility study will show that you will recoup your investment within five years.

Simmons asked whether it might be possible to use a tax reinvestment zone model in which some of the increased sales or property tax revenue expected to be generated as a result of the project might be used to help pay for it, perhaps by issuing bonds at first.

Bush said there has been discussion of the idea of a bonding authority and creative financing options.

House Appropriations Committee Chairman John Zerwas, R-Richmond, said in an interview that the Alamo funding was included in the House leaders budget plan because we thought it was an important thing, obviously.

But the House budget overall would spend $4 billion more in state general revenue than is projected to be available for the next two years. There is no appetite for raising tax revenue, and tapping the states rainy day fund would be a tough sell. Without additional money, lawmakers will have to look at the entire budget proposal to see if there are places that can be cut back, Zerwas said.

Short of additional funds, we need to rein that budget in, Zerwas said. If there are areas that we can create some savings,then lets look at those.

Asked if that means Alamo spending will be ratcheted back, Zerwas said, I dont know. Its a cherished institution of the state of Texas. I want to see the Alamo thrive ... Well vet it through the process.

Bush and others working on the Alamo project will continue to state our case that the funding is critical and that we must act today. Because the level of deterioration of the church is so severe and accelerating, we must address the problem now, said Bush spokeswoman Brittany Eck.

While continuing to advocate for the full $75 million, Eck said, We are pursuing any and every funding opportunity that results in the full preservation of the church and that supports the implementation of the new Alamo master plan.

Rep. Justin Rodriguez, a San Antonio Democrat who serves on the House panel, noted that people come from around the country and around the world to see the Alamo, elevating the importance of the project.

I think folks that come there often say its somewhat of an underwhelming experience. You expect more, Rodriguez said. I think thats what the plan is here, to really make it the shrine that it is.

pfikac@express-news.net

Twitter: @pfikac
Immigration agents can ramp up deportations from the interior of the country while discouraging asylum seekers at U.S. borders under policies laid out Tuesday by Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly.

Experts said the policies  which implement President Donald Trumps executive orders last month on immigration and border security  give officials broad authority to deport people who normally would have to go before an immigration judge before being removed from the country. They also seem intended to deter the large numbers of Central American families and unaccompanied children who in recent years have requested asylum in South Texas from fleeing to the U.S.

Kelly also directed DHS to conduct a comprehensive border security study to identify and quantify aid to Mexico, and focus resources on the border to to plan and implement enhanced counternetwork operations directed at disrupting transnational criminal organizations, focused on those involved in human smuggling.

Kelly didnt address the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program that under former President Barack Obama granted temporary work permits to 750,000 undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children. Trump pledged in the campaign to get rid of DACA, but he has indicated he wouldnt deport the so-called Dreamers.

The policy that could have the most wide-reaching and immediate impact is Kellys suggestion that hell implement a never-before-used part of U.S. immigration law that allows deportation officers to immediately kick out of the country immigrants who cant prove theyve been in the U.S. for the last two years.

Federal officials have been allowed to issue what are called expedited removal orders in the past for immigrants apprehended within 100 miles of the border. But the DHS secretary has never authorized its use in the interior of the country, said Erica Schommer, a law professor who teaches the human rights clinic at St. Marys University.

It is basically licensing immigration agents to round up people en masse and it puts burden on the individual, Schommer said. If they cant show when an immigration officer stops them theyve been living in the U.S. for the last two years, they can be deported without going before an immigration judge.

Here in South Texas, if immigration picks someone up this morning, if theyre a Mexican national, they can be out of the country by this evening, she added. That persons family might not know theyve been picked up by immigration.

Many of the provisions outlined by Kelly would likely be subject to congressional approval. Those measures include the expansion of the border wall, adding new detention beds and hiring thousands of new immigration officers. DHS is also hamstrung by a federal judges ruling that found Obama administration detention policies violated a court settlement governing how immigrant children are treated, although the Trump administration on Friday asked an appellate court to stay that ruling.

Administration officials Tuesday afternoon sought to allay concerns that Kellys directives, which were hailed by restrictionist groups who have long complained that Obama administration policies encouraged illegal immigration, were not the blueprint for mass deportation that some activists described.

Trump pledged in his campaign to increase removals with a deportation force that would include thousands of new immigration agents.

Rosemary Jenks, governmental relations director for the group NumbersUSA, which advocates for restricting all immigration to the U.S, said Kellys memos order DHS to enforce existing immigration law, but acknowledged they will have a dramatic impact. Even the administration of George W. Bush didnt use provisions of of U.S. immigration law that Trump is implementing, Jenks said.

This is all about sending a message that you cant just come to the United States anymore, Jenks said. Were not just going to allow you stay. I think the memos make it pretty clear that if have an asylum claim that falls within the scope of asylum laws, youre still going to be able to receive asylum.

There are an estimated 12 million immigrants in the U.S. without permission, but the number coming here illegally is a small fraction of what it was a decade ago. Deportation cases are still backlogged  in his memo Kelly said there are currently 534,000 cases pending in U.S. immigration courts  in part because of a lack of immigration judges.

While the total number of immigrants is down compared to a decade ago, the number of families and children seeking asylum from countries other than Mexico has increased. Instead of apprehending more than 1 million people a year from Mexico who would be quickly deported, officials each year now process several hundred thousand immigrants, many of whom are granted asylum hearings before immigration judges.

Last year, Border Patrol agents apprehended 88,720 immigrants traveling as unaccompanied children or in families in the Rio Grande Valley, tens of thousands more than any other region of the border. In response to the large numbers of families, most from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, seeking asylum in South Texas, the Obama administration in 2014 opened two controversial immigration detention centers near San Antonio. When detention space isnt available, families are released at the border with notices to appear in immigration court.

U.S. immigration courts have created special dockets for the families, adding to the backlog. San Antonio deportation cases for immigrants who arent in detention and arent part of the special expedited docket are today being set for Nov. 29, 2019.

Kelly wrote that the decision to expand expedited removal will circumvent the overloaded courts, but immigration experts said he also seemed to address complaints by ICE and Border Patrol unions that DHS resources are wasted processing asylum seekers.

Some of Kellys instructions are viewed by experts as efforts to discourage asylum seekers, including his order to deport immigrants pending a formal removal proceeding to Mexico or Canada, regardless of their home countries. He also is directing U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the agency that oversees legal immigration, to increase its fraud protections for asylum applicants, and said parents who hire smugglers to bring their children into the country can be prosecuted or deported.

The 1996 Immigration and Naturalization Act allows the government to deport immigrants to the country from which they arrived, unless theyre seeking asylum.

This is one of the parts of the implementing memo that is just completely mind boggling, Marielena Hincapie, executive director of National Immigration Law Center, said during a conference call with reporters. Normally when people are deported, theyre deported back to their country of nationality, and their country of nationality needs to provide travel documents, etc. Its essentially deporting people before theyre even officially by a judge ordered deported, and that theyre being deported not even to their home country raises a whole host of constitutional violations.

Sending immigrants fleeing their home countries back to Mexican border cities puts them back in harms way, said Michelle Mendez, senior attorney for training and legal support for the Catholic Legal Immigration Network Inc. She noted that the same transnational gangs Kelly warned about in his memo hold sway in northern Mexico and in the Central American countries that send the largest numbers of immigrants to the U.S.

If were sending them back to Mexico, that in itself is going to put them in a dangerous situation, Mendez said. I find it interesting that they belabor this point of transnational criminal organizations in the memo, but at the same time dont seem to realize these asylum seekers are fleeing those same transnational criminal organizations.

The border security memo also instructs DHS officials to either deport immigrants living in the U.S. who hire smugglers to bring their children here or refer them to the Department of Justice for prosecution, a policy thats floated by the union representing ICE agents and also a Brownsville federal judge who in 2013 complained that ICE agents were arresting smugglers, then turning the children they apprehended over to their parents.

Prosecutors could bring charges against parents if they can prove they hired smugglers, but there are some defenses, said Mike McCrum, a San Antonio defense attorney and former federal prosecutor.

The only way that youre going to roll them into a conspiracy is youve got to prove that they know a crime is taking place and that theyre participating in it, McCrum said. And if theyre paying someone to smuggle their kid across, thats going to be pretty easy to prosecute them. If they didnt pay anyone but know about it and take the kid into their house, now theyre harboring. Are they bringing them across for safety reasons? Theres a defense in the law of necessity, Im going to do my act to prevent harm to another person.

The memos notably didnt overturn Obamas deferred action program that gives two-year work permits to some young undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children, something Jenks, the restrictionist, called one glaring contradiction in two otherwise great memos.

That did little to assuage the fears of Dreamers, the term often used for young immigrants who benefited from deferred action and would have benefited from a failed Senate bill that would have codified the program. Greisa Martinez Rosas, advocacy director fore the advocacy group United We Dream, noted that several recipients of deferred action, also known as DACA, have been detained in recent weeks, including one in San Antonio who was subsequently released.

If (Trumps) really serious that DACA recipients are safe, then he should say publicly that DACA is going to stand for the remainder of his administration, she said. Right now, there is no safety to be found.
From the World Heritage San Antonio Missions to the Texas Hill Country and the Rio Grande Valley, San Antonio Express-News photographers offer the best visual journalism of the region.
AUSTIN  State lawmakers may consider shuttering another prison and paroling some older, infirm inmates to nursing homes in a bid to shift more than $400 million in funding toward rising health care costs and much-needed repairs and upgrades to Texas aging corrections facilities.

The state already is poised to spend more than $6.7 billion over the next two years for prisons and corrections programs. But with the legislature looking at the tightest state budget in years, lawmakers quietly are looking for ways to save $421 million in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice operations to cover surging costs associated with overseeing the states 147,000 convicts.

Topping the list is $247 million to pay the costs of convicts health care during the next two years, including facilities, doctors, equipment and medicines. Much of that increased cost for care is needed to provide health care to an aging prison population, said Bryan Collier, executive director of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

Forty-six percent of the states convicts are over age 55, a group that accounts for 40 percent of expensive hospital visits, officials said.

To help cover those growing costs, Collier said officials are looking to increase the co-pay amount charged to convicts for health care from $100 to $200 a year. Thousands of those convicts, however, are indigent and cannot afford to pay for their care.

Officials said Monday that another state prison could be shuttered to save cash, the fifth in six years in a state that once went more than a century without closing one.

Just as Texas became a national model 10 years ago for funding new treatment programs to cut recidivism rather than build new prisons, legislative leaders predict the current budget crisis could give birth to new innovation and savings in the largest state prison system in the United States.

In one respect, its good to have a tight budget session like this one, because when I look at the little bitty kids who are facing cuts in their therapy, it makes me realize that we need to tighten up every way, look for every efficiency in our criminal justice programs that we can find, said House Corrections Committee Chairman James White, a Hillister Republican whose East Texas district east of Huntsville is dotted with prisons. Thats exactly what were going to do.

Senate Criminal Justice Committee Chairman John Whitmire, a Houston Democrat who has overseen prison operations for more than two decades, agreed. He and Senate leaders are pushing for changes in prison operations to make the states corrections agency  one of the largest state agencies, with more than 35,000 employees  operate more efficiently.

I want to move them from a 1950s operations model to a 2017 model, he said. We have thousands of empty beds at 109 state prisons. You shut some prisons, mothball some and consolidate the inmates. Then reinvest some of the money you save in treatment programs that save even more. The savings could be very significant.

Collier said agency officials are open to discussing opportunities for saving money. For example, he said that in addition to shuttering a downtown Houston parole lockup last December to save $13 million, officials are considering whether to combine two side-by-side prison units in Colorado City, in West Texas, to save millions more.

While the Senate and House draft budgets to fund current prison operations, Collier said they came up $421 million short to pay for items that are fundamentally important to the operations of the agency.

In addition to the rising costs of prison care, another $55.6 million is needed  but not included in either chambers initial budget  for renovations and repairs to Texas prisons, some of which are more than 100 years old and are in dire need of new roofs, fire alarm systems, leaky water systems, security fencing and lighting upgrades.

On the list is the main prison hospital in Galveston, which officials say needs $22 million in repairs.

The department says it also needs another $19 million to upgrade its 40-year-old mainframe computer system, $15.4 million for 1,000 additional substance-abuse treatment beds, and $10 million for a video surveillance system in three maximum-security prisons.

To cover those costs, Senate budget writers say they are looking at whether prisons can be closed or consolidated in places where two units are located adjacent to each other. Whitmire said many of the oldest prisons are the most expensive to operate, such as the Jester 1 and Vance units in Richmond and the Gatesville, Hilltop and Mountain View units in Gatesville.

Lawmakers in both the Senate and House confirmed they also are looking at whether elderly and infirm convicts now housed in prisons at sole expense to the state, and who pose no threat to the public, could be paroled to nursing homes or outside living centers so their health care costs can be covered by federal programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid.

Obviously, our primary focus still has to be public safety. If you commit a serious crime, we have a bed for you, Whitmire said. But I think we are at a time where, when we have such a tight budget, (that) we have an opportunity to look at how we operate our criminal justice system and take the next step to a more efficient and better system.

Senate Finance Committee Chair Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, echoed the sentiment. Her orders to Whitmire and Sen. Charles Schwertner, a Georgetown Republican who heads a work group looking to pare down correctional health care costs: Look at everything.

In the House, members of the budget-writing Appropriations Committee appear to be on the same page. At a Monday hearing where Collier discussed the agencys budget needs for the next two years, White and other lawmakers said they are intent on finding new efficiencies for the nations largest state prison system.

By tightening up our current operations, we may be able to fund some programs that will lower our lockup costs even more, White said. The goal here is not to just save money, but to end with a better system.

mike.ward@chron.com
Last month in Austin, Councilman Joe Krier slipped Texas House Speaker Joe Straus a document that strengthened the resistance to the so-called bathroom bill: a memo by Police Chief William McManus confirming that San Antonio has had no complaints of sexual assaults in public restrooms.

When I asked the councilmans office to confirm the meeting, his director of communications texted back: Declined to comment from Joe.

Kriers refusal to acknowledge the exchange was understandable; the issue of whether to restrict bathroom use by transgender people is extremely divisive in his North Side district. His quiet effort to undermine the bill also was unsurprising; Krier is entrenched in the local business community, and the legislation is widely seen as damaging to the economy.

More importantly, the episode is a reminder of whats at stake in the packed council races.

The current council is united in its opposition to the pointlessly harmful legislation. That was clear in October, when council unanimously approved the citys legislative agenda.

The position from the entire City Council was very clear, that we are opposed to any legislation that would harm our ability to compete economically, city spokesman Jeff Coyle said. And clearly, Senate Bill 6 does that.

In District 9, Krier has opted not to run for re-election. Ten candidates are running to replace him, and at least two are outspoken in their support of Senate Bill 6.

On Friday, one of them, Patty Gibbons, issued a press release titled The Bathroom Bill is Fair and Equal.

Bathrooms are designed for the sexes: male and female for the purpose of their biological makeup when bodily functions come to call, Gibbons wrote.

The press release cited a wikipedia entry on gender studies and attacked Mayor Ivy Taylor for defending a slippery slope of where gender distinctions are a matter of individual interpretation, with no anchor in physical reality. (Gibbons was quoting from a book called Sex Scandal: The Drive to Abolish Male and Female.)

Its going to be an issue in the city of San Antonio, whether we designate our bathrooms open to everybody, Gibbons told me. If you look at those gender studies that are happening in our colleges today, however you feel, if you want to recognize yourself in any gender you want  you can say, Im half-this and half-that. They can walk into any bathroom.

Another District 9 candidate, Patrick Von Dohlen, also supports the legislation: The Texas Privacy Act would be a great way for us to protect women and children, he said.

By advocating for the bill, Gibbons and Von Dohlen are also saying theyre OK with lawmakers in Austin hijacking local control, as it would supersede the citys nondiscrimination ordinance protecting transgender residents from discrimination.

The real slippery slope is exactly this erosion of local control.

Gibbons and Von Dohlen have also managed to position themselves to the right of the mayor on LGBTQ issues, a formidable achievement.

In 2013, Taylor voted against adding protections for sexual orientation and gender identity to the citys NDO. Two years later, she dismissed the laws passage as a waste of time. (She later apologized for the comment.)

The bathroom bill is a different beast, one that every council member, including the mayor, recognizes as harmful to the citys economy.

San Antonio is a vibrant city thats open to everyone, Taylor said on Monday. The NCAA, which will hold its Final Four tournament here next year, knows this. This event and others could go elsewhere if SB 6 becomes state law.

Gibbons doesnt buy it.

I dont think there has to be an economic impact if (the mayor) defends (the legislation) better, she said. To me, this is a public safety issue.

Krier, if youre listening: Slip Gibbons a copy of that memo.

bchasnoff@express-news.net
Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller returned from his biannual trek to the Border Bishop Conference last week sounding somber.

While in the Rio Grande Valley, he visited a detention center and said it was a horrible experience, a place devoid of humanity.

Garcia-Siller heard reports from fellow bishops and laity that laid bare the suffering of families, as stepped up enforcement divides wives from husbands and parents from children.

Bishops discussed the impact on communities that are living in fear and anguish, he said. The people who come to us are suffering  For us people of faith, the cry of the migrants, the voice of our brothers, is the voice of Christ himself.

Last Tuesday, in a press conference at the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle, bishops from both sides of the border pledged spiritual, legal and material aid to people who endeavor to migrate when theyre in peril and their countries are in turmoil.

The archbishop noted most migrants bring with them the Virgin of Guadalupe. The presence of Our Lady of Guadalupe is very significant for migrants and has accompanied them since 1531, referring to the year of the Marian apparitions to St. Juan Diego. Garcia-Siller also recited her words to the indigenous convert to Catholicism. Am I not here, I, who am your Mother? he said.

Archbishop Christophe Pierre of France, the Vaticans apostolic nuncio, or ambassador, to the United States, attended the gathering, sitting in for a few discussions and delivering the homily during Tuesdays Mass at San Juan, Garcia-Siller said.

He said the Mexican church and its religious orders are responding with aid to migrants, many of them from Central America. In San Antonio, he noted the work of the archdioceses charitable arm, Catholic Charities.

We need to continue inviting people of good will to help immigrants, to help mothers and children, Garcia-Siller said. The archbishop said he saw a woman last Tuesday with a baby less than seven days old in a place that houses people in what amounts to cages.

Garcia-Siller said government policies are failing to address immigration as a global phenomenon.

Young people in the United States who have lived most of their lives here and had hopes of staying are suddenly not being considered, he said, referring to the questionable future of the Obama administrations Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program.

The archbishop said its understandable to deport those with criminal records, and that national security is a legitimate concern. But he admonished the irrational actions toward immigrants that cause them to be arrested without (due) process and without having done any criminal actions.

The archbishop said migrants are called many names including refugees and undocumented. But they are also residents, he said, and many of them are contributing to the well-being of our society.

Of the work of border bishops, he said, Were still walking with them. Well accompany them and walk with them, side by side.

eayala@express-news.net

Twitter: @ElaineAyala
By Andy Hoffman, Mario Parker and Jen Skerritt  Bloomberg

Three years after former Prime Minister Stephen Harper tightened restrictions on foreign workers to force employers to hire more Canadians, processors from British Columbia to Nova Scotia say the move compounded a labor shortage from which they have not recovered. The Canadian Meat Council estimates the industry has 1,650 vacancies at 19 rural abattoirs, or 9 percent of total employment at those facilities.

Carving up carcasses and packaging meat is messy, physically demanding work. And while workers get health and other benefits, the starting pay is below the national average. Thats why the $24.1 billion ($18.4 billion) Canadian industry  like its neighbor in the U.S.  has grown increasingly dependent on foreign labor. Maple Leaf Foods said last year it was seeking to hire Syrian refugees to fill job shortages.

Well take anybody that is willing to work, said Ron Davidson, director of government and media relations at the Ottawa-based meat council, which represents about 50 companies including Maple Leaf, Olymel SEC and the Canadian units of Cargill and JBS. Were being suffocated. If you cant get workers at the front end of the system, everybody pays the price.

More severe measures proposed by Trump to limit foreign workers might be just as disruptive. U.S. plants, including pork and poultry facilities, already face labor shortages. Immigrant workers account for 35 percent of the 441,000 animal slaughtering and processing jobs, according to 2015 data from the U.S. Census Bureau.



Canadas meat industry says its labor shortage will get even worse if its competitors in the U.S. are hit with more restrictive rules on using foreign workers

Trump has pledged to protect manufacturing jobs by ditching what he considers unfair trade deals, pressuring companies not to make products outside the U.S., and building a wall on the Mexican border to keep out undocumented workers. Citing a terror risk, he banned visitors from Syria, Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Somalia, Libya and Yemen. The restriction was overturned by an appellate court panel last week, but the president vowed to impose a new ban and make good on his promises to limit foreign workers.

Such moves arent likely to create more jobs for Americans in U.S. meat plants, according to David Swenson, an economist at Iowa State University in Ames. He estimates three-quarters of the workers at processing plants in Iowa, the largest pork-producing state, are immigrants, mostly from Mexico. Domestic workers probably wont take those jobs, he said.

Its damn hard work, Swenson said. Historically, they have depended on those folks.

That was the experience in Canada, which is also a major meat exporter and employs about 66,000 people. Processing plants offer full health and dental benefits, but hourly wages start at C$13-C$19 ($9.90-$14.50), below the national average for natural-resource and agricultural workers of about C$25.75, government data show. Thats made it difficult to use only Canadian workers.

We are really concerned going forward how were going to be able to fill our positions, said Claude Vielfaure, president of HyLife Ltd., a Manitoba-based pork processor that exports C$650 million of meat annually to countries including the U.S., China and Mexico. If we dont have the people, were just not going to grow, and were going to fall behind.

Under a Canadian government program, employers can hire foreign nationals to fill jobs not being taken by citizens or immigrants.

HyLife obtained a permit to bring workers to its processing plant in Neepawa, Manitoba, before the government overhauled its temporary foreign workers program and has worked aggressively to recruit and retain staff, Vielfaure said. The company still may face limits on growth because it cant produce specialty or higher-value cuts without enough employees, he said.

The new Liberal government in Canada, led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, says it may drop some of the restrictions and create a path to permanent residency, which should ease the shortages for the meat industry. A new federal budget is due in coming weeks.

We know that the previous governments approach to the program wasnt working, and weve already begun rolling out a plan to make this program work for workers, for businesses, and for the Canadian economy, Jean-Bruno Villeneuve, the press secretary for the Office of the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, said in an email.

For now, Canadas meat industry says its labor shortage will get even worse if its competitors in the U.S. are hit with more restrictive rules on using foreign workers, as Trump has proposed. American companies that cant hire Somalis or Mexicans may try to move some processing capacity to Canada.

They will be forced to go where they can find workers, the meat councils Davidson said, adding that animal welfare could be at risk if Canadian plants cant handle the overflow.

Source: Meatbusiness
"As we said in our submission to Euan Ferguson's inquiry, to leave the control and funding of a rural fire service at FESA's discretion would be just an insult (to volunteer bush fire brigades members) and a waste of time and effort,'' he said.
Mr York has previously said each shipment had to be treated as a new export with milk samples sent from Harvey Fresh to the China Certification and Inspection Corporation Australia for testing and the quarantine and entry approvals forwarded to the milk's intended destination before each pallet load was allowed into China.
"We think the Seizing the Opportunity initiative is a good commitment for WA agriculture, and their platform has touched on many issues that we are concerned about as an organisation, whether they are included in our own policy platform or not.
"As alliance partners in government for the past eight years The Nationals WA have always acted in the best interests of our constituents, even if this meant taking a different position to the Liberal Party," Mr Grylls said.
"We're passionate about transparency and wanted to take an active role in our products' journey from farm to plate, tracking progress, monitoring standards and controlling quality every step of the way," he said.
Two headers on offer, a John Deere 9650 and a Case IH 1666, went for $47,000 and $9500 respectively with the Deere going to Yornaning Grazing, Cuballing and the Case going just down the road to Neil McAllister, Ravensthorpe.
The top price of the sale came with the next line offered which consisted of 541 October shorn ewes with the same joining but a year older (3.5yo) and with a bit more pelt. With a start of $145 they were quickly sold at $152 to Elders Narrogin representative Paul Keppel.
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Fayetteville woman says anti-abortion laws hurt her mom, then herself

Judy Pittard said her and her mother's pregnancy complications that required abortions were made worse by the decisions of "old men in big buildings."
Recent media reports suggesting Rolls-Royces bribery settlement drove the engineering giant to a record 4.6 billion ($5.7 billion) loss are not factually accurate, and contribute to a misleading narrative that big companies are too fragile to be punished robustly for corruption.

This weeks newspapers were awash with alarming headlines about the financial results of Rolls-Royce, which on February 14 reported the largest loss in its 130-year-odd history. Many media organizations were quick to blame Roll-Royces poor financial results on the companys 671 million ($834 million) corruption settlement in January, which resolved wide-ranging bribery charges brought by authorities in the UK, U.S. and Brazil.

To give but a few examples, the BBCs Ben Thompson said the corruption fine tipped Rolls-Royce to a 4.6 billion loss, while the Guardian, the Wall Street Journal and Reuters said the settlement was one of the driving forces behind the companys poor results.

A closer analysis paints a different picture. The vast majority of Rolls-Royces losses, some 4.4 billion ($5.5 billion), were due to a post-Brexit slump in the value of the UK pound. Rolls-Royce, which incurs most of its costs in sterling but gains much of its revenue in U.S. dollars, invests in currency hedges to ensure that it can secure a fixed exchange rate between the two currencies.

Rolls-Royce had to write down the value of these derivatives to reflect the falling value of sterling  but, this was done to comply with accounting rules, the value of money flowing in and out of the business remains unaffected. As the companys CEO Warren East told reporters: This has no impact on what is really going on in the business and cash, it is just an accounting measure.

Regardless of what the true state of Rolls-Royces financial health is, the central point remains: the vast majority of the companys losses were due to the 4.4 billion writedown in the value of its derivatives, not the 671 million bribery fine.

Media reports that suggest Rolls-Royce suffered billions of pounds in losses from the bribery settlement are not only misleading, they create a false narrative that companies are too weak and delicate to survive robust punishment for corruption. This argument can be seen in its most startling form in a Daily Mail article by Peter Oborne in which he declares that the fallout from the Rolls-Royce corruption scandal may mean that tens of thousands of British men and women, with families to support, risk losing their jobs.

The idea that companies are too fragile to suffer robust punishment is not only popular in the media, it is also common among judges. Sir Brian Leveson, who presided over the UKs second-ever deferred prosecution agreement (DPA), was lenient on the misbehaving company in question, which cannot be named for legal reasons, as he feared that a large financial penalty would push it into insolvency. After ordering the company to give up some of the profits it gained from bribery, Leveson decided to impose only a paltry 350,000 ($436,000) financial penalty.

Leveson also erred on the side of leniency when deciding on the appropriate punishments for Rolls-Royce, which stood accused of a bribery scheme that spanned over two decades and 12 countries. Leveson decided that the companys corruption should be dealt with using a deferred prosecution agreement, a type of court-sanctioned settlement tool, rather than criminal conviction. Again ungrounded fears of massive financial hardship were behind Levesons decision to allow Rolls-Royce to escape conviction.

Leveson said, citing information presented to him, that a conviction would put around 30 percent of the companys business at risk from debarment. Private Eye has since contacted the SFO to find out where the 30 percent figure came from, but the prosecutor did not provide an answer. As Corruption Watch has previously noted, EU regulations now allow convicted companies to show that they have reformed to avoid mandatory debarment, making the prospect of exclusion from government contracts in Europe very unlikely for Rolls-Royce.

The origins of the myth that companies are too weak to withstand robust punishment for economic crimes, can be traced back some 15 years to the infamous Enron scandal. The U.S. energy company Enron went bankrupt in 2001 after revealing that it had stashed massive debts off balance sheet. The scandal wiped $70 billion off the companys shareholder value. It also ensnared one of the worlds largest accountancy firms, Arthur Andersen, which audited Enron.

Andersen was convicted in June 2002 of obstructing justice by destroying reams of potentially incriminating documents about Enrons financial activities. In the run up to June, Andersens clients had already begun deserting the company, but the conviction proved the final nail in the coffin as the auditor was forced to surrender its U.S. accounting licences.

The example of Arthur Andersen is routinely cited by government officials on both sides of the Atlantic as a reason why large companies, which employ thousands of people, should not be prosecuted. It has profoundly shaped U.S. Department of Justice policy, as evidenced by the fact that companies are never prosecuted at trial for foreign bribery in the United States.

It is concerning that the case of Andersen figures so prominently in the thinking of prosecutors and politicians, especially as it is something of a one-off. A research paper by Gabriel Markoff for the University of Pennsylvania Journal of Business Law found that of the 54 convictions of publicly traded businesses in the United States between 2001 and 2010, not a single one resulted in a company going out of business.

The legacy of Andersen casts a long shadow to this day, not least in the idea that Rolls-Royce is too weak to suffer a large fine, let alone a guilty plea or even a full-blown prosecution. There is a real of danger of large companies coming to be seen as above the law; too delicate to face prosecution. This is why it is imperative to challenge the untruths, myths and misleading narratives about the fragility of corrupt companies, otherwise they will continue to get off lightly for egregious and damaging behaviour.

____

Rahul Rose is a senior researcher for Corruption Watch, a London-based NGO that undertakes cross-border investigations into grand corruption and pushes for effective enforcement of UK anti-corruption legislation. He can be contacted here.
Koreas newly enacted anti-graft statute called the Kim Youngran law cant be applied retroactively against allegations of grand corruption involving President Park and her confidante and the chaebols (family run conglomerates, such as Samsung and Hyundai). Instead the Special Prosecutors office will have to use the Criminal Act, and that will be a daunting task.

Unlike the Kim Youngran law, the Criminal Act requires a reciprocal favor to the bribe payer and doesnt provide for the vicarious liability of employers. Thus, when the chaebol leaders come up with a simple excuse or fabrication  I didnt know anyone from our group was paying bribes to a public official  imputing liability to them will be difficult, even with the chaebols centralized management and ownership structure.

As I discussed in my prior post, even the Kim Youngran law isnt likely to deter grand corruption due to its low standard of due diligence defense (lack of negligence) and weak penalties (no imprisonment/low amount of financial penalty). So the question is, how should Korea further reform its anti-corruption laws?

One answer is to embrace the Responsible Corporate Officer (RCO) Doctrine, at least against grand corruption. Thats because grand corruption causes serious harm to society and requires a higher level of accountability of employers.

The RCO Doctrine in the United States can be traced to the U.S. Supreme Court decision in United States v. Dotterweich, 320 U.S. 277 (1943), together with its progeny, United States v. Park, 421 U.S. 658 (1975) and United States v. Brittain, 931 F.2d 1413 (10th Cir. 1991). The cases recognize the vicarious liability of responsible corporate officers for their failure to prevent illegal activities of subordinates, regardless of the officers criminal intent.

In the context of the Responsible Corporate Officer Doctrine, the due diligence defense is effective only when the corporate officer was powerless to prevent or correct the illegal conduct.

Importantly, the penalties for vicarious liability under the RCO Doctrine can include imprisonment. But penalties under the RCO Doctrine can also include fines and disqualification. The Doctrine can also be diluted somewhat by the application of the willful blindness (or deliberate ignorance) standard, which is close to actual criminal intent.

Adopting the Responsible Corporate Officer Doctrine in Korea would make it difficult for the chaebol leaders to insulate themselves from prosecution merely by pleading ignorance of wrongdoing by subordinates. It would also serve the public interest by creating strong incentives for the chaebol leaders to strengthen their corporate oversight and supervisory roles.

Finally, imposing criminal liability on responsible corporate officers rather than on the corporations themselves would prevent shareholders from becoming innocent victims.

_____

Sungyong Kang is an Inspector for the Korea National Police where he investigates high-profile white collar crimes. He is currently researching anti-corruption and anti-money laundering as an SJD fellow at Fordham Law after receiving his LLM at NYU Law.
The president of Iceland wants to see pineapple banned from pizzas.

Pineapple pizza ban?

President Guni Th. Johannesson answered random questions from students in a Q&A video, and when asked about his thoughts on having the fruit on the Italian treat, he claimed he was ''fundamentally opposed'' to the tangy topping, which is usually used on a Hawaiian pizza with ham.

According to the Metro newspaper, he then elaborated on his point and said he would pass a ban on pineapple as a pizza topping if he had the power to pass laws on his own, according to Iceland magazine.
Between 1989 -1994 I took my annual holidays by travelling around Brazil in public buses. Ostensibly I was investigating Cordels, street ballads composed and performed by folk artists. But I had other objectives. As an epidemiologist I was scouting for possible projects that ought to interest medical charities. I wanted to reach the tributary of the Amazon that Theodore Roosevelt discovered with General Rondon. He called it The River of Doubt because even when it was put on the map he wasnt sure that it was the river he was looking for. It has been since named Rio Roosevelt. But above all I wanted spend time with Brazilian friends and colleagues that I knew only by letter.

Margaret

After my fifth and last visit I published a book on the Literature of the Cordel (Lampion and his Bandits, Menard Press, 1994). My medical quest came to nothing after several misadventures that taught me more about the country than perhaps I wanted to know. I got to the vicinity of Rio Roosevelt but was never sure if I actually saw it. Immersing yourself in the fifth largest country in the world, a veritable continent, for five months, is to lose your bearings, and you find what you find.

I thought I knew Brazil until I went there. I expected to be overwhelmed by the natural beauty, and I was. Colour was almost a physical presence and vegetation a spiritual one. The brutality of the cities had a perverse beauty too. The coast and interior of the North East engaged me most. Recife and Salvador where the three dominant cultures of Brazil come together, Indian, Portuguese and African. In the interior I was particularly drawn to the semi-desert of the sertao which nurtured an astonishingly rich history of revolts, and literary and musical culture.

But there was a worm in my bottle of Brazilian tequila. The more I came to know and love Brazil the less I understood its cynical politics, and how it trickled down to my friends in the middle classes. Public corruption and private idealism went hand and hand. At the time I felt Brazil's moral universe was worlds apart from Europe. It was only in retrospect that I began to reconcile them, at least for my friends.

On my return to London I edited my diaries into a book that I entitled The River of Doubt. It included descriptions of places and people I mixed with on extended journeys. But my moral doubts born of an European education kept intruding and the final chapters were a self-righteous rant. My fellow traveller and partner, Margaret, laughed when she read it. Is that what you were thinking when you were enjoying yourself. As a good Scot she appreciated the canny in the survival mechanisms in a country too large and vital to abide by a common law. Meanwhile, the present would have to look after itself as best it could. Indeed, In our time there Brazil was moving from a military dictatorship to a rather tentative democracy. The just society was on the way, but it had long way to go.

I put my manuscript aside, and only returned to it by accident. In 2012 Margaret died and, after forty-two years together, I needed to reorder my life. Searching her laptop for tax information that I had mislaid., I found a file named Brazil. I copied it with her tax file. Two weeks later the laptop was stolen, and I was moved to open Brazil. It contained my River of Doubt heavily edited to exclude herself.

The deletions were made seamlessly. And my moral rants (unanswered by her mollifications) stood out as laughable.

Excluding herself was wise. I could never write about Margaret convincingly. We were too close, and that closeness in the writing came between me and Brazil. I remembered how happy she was there. The dry-heat of the sertao suited her, and she learned to ride a motorbike in the jungle. I knew I would be obliged to work again on my abandoned manuscript. I would bring pleasure back into it. Nevertheless, I couldnt efface the reality of my experience. My European imperatives, and interior darkness, were part of it. I resolved to write about Brazil, worms, wonders and all. However, I restored Margaret to the narrative with the photos she took with a box-camera.
I love conversation. There is a real pleasure in chatting to someone and seeing a spark of interest in their eyes when a topic of mutual interest materialises. For example, one of my friends has one line of a poem scrawled in chalk across her kitchen wall: The words we speak become the house we live in! It is part of a poem by Hafez, from Persia. My landlord is from Persia so when he came to fix a leak today I mentioned it. He was so surprised; he said that Hafez was a very famous poet along with another, Saadi, also from Persia, whom I had not heard of. He told me many stories, which were of great interest to me, and the leak is now fixed.

Fiona Mordaunt

Music is another great love for me and the best place to listen is in the car. Its pretty much the only time I get alone and the car has a great stereo. Love funky big beats; listening to P-Funk right now. There was usually a soundtrack playing in my mind when I wrote The Frog Theory  when two of the characters run from the police it was Chemical Brothers Hey boy Hey girl. Paradoxically, I play classical music on the violin. I rediscovered that pleasure when my friend Tom invited me to play duets  a huge compliment because he is so much better than me. Sometimes he would say No, no, NO NO!, put his violin in its case, slam the lid shut and say, You got it wrong again, were going to the pub! Really made me laugh.

When we got to Botswana I remembered I had always wanted to learn the piano; now was my chance. And there was a piano teacher just around the corner, Lynn. Shes excellent  concert pianist standard  older, wiser, serious. Her phone rang during one of my lessons: Baaaad to the bone! Na-nah-na-n-nah! With a ringtone like that there had to be an undiscovered dimension to this woman. Four years later we are great friends and play in a little string group  she plays violin too. We are okay but, after a couple of glasses of wine, we are GREAT!

I have a fascination with technology. Take this computer; it is still such a marvel to me that it connects to the whole world the way it does when I struggle to work out the remote controls for the TV effectively. I bought Word on the American Microsoft site and it would not work, so I went onto their chat forum to ask for help. Minutes later a man from Serbia was calling me, in Botswana, to solve the problem. I always ask where people are! I said, Isnt this magic? He said, No, it is the telephone. I guess one persons ordinary is another persons magic.

I am blown away by an origami robot I recently read about, too. It is small enough to sit on the end of a finger, and can be fitted into an ingestible capsule. Once in the gut it can unfold itself and perform small operations before being passed out and dissolving back to nothing. That is a miracle to me, and I looked up the woman who presented it on YouTube. Her name is Daniela Rus and she is a Romanian computer scientist  what an incredible person. Soon, the robot will be able to perform more complicated operations, negating the need for surgery in many cases, and will be particularly useful for children who have swallowed small batteries or the like.

I love to feel optimistic. Pessimism is what preserves the status quo and optimism is what brings us forward. So says Boyan Slat, a young Dutch entrepreneur who has worked out a way to clean plastic waste from the oceans. I happen to agree with him. I think it is much more effective to introduce light to a situation than to rally against dark  anyone who has ever attempted to black out a sunny room will probably attest to that! I think we hear so many negative things that many of us feel guilty and shut off completely with a sense of not being able to help at all. I spent many years replaying family arguments and worrying that I was not doing enough to play my part in the world. Then I had a lightbulb moment when I realised it takes energy to think like that  energy that could be used more constructively.

Learning new things is the greatest pleasure. I have long hated being ignorant about geography and one day, having told everyone that we were moving close to the Ottalengi Delta, rather than the Okka Vango Delta, (vegetarian food writer versus large swampy inlet full of wild animals), I wondered whether there was a learning app. I downloaded where is that? and it not only taught me a lot of geography but was a brilliant queue buster. I was quite addicted, then amazed everyone  but most of all myself  when I was the only one with the answer to a geography question in a local quiz  COSTA RICA! You would have thought Id won an Oscar. A couple of weeks ago my husband and I were out to dinner and someone shouted and waved over the restaurant with a massive smile: COSTA RICA!

I love Africa. I will never stop feeling lucky that we got to come and live here. I grew up in London and I also love it there, but I have never experienced wild animals and birds like this; it is life-changing. I have joined WWF (Word Wildlife Fund, not Wild Wifes Fund) and have become a David Attenborough fan. I also have a wildlife blog.

I love playing pool and used to be quite good at it, happy to have a game any time.

I can do a proper full-on whistle! I was not allowed to get a dog until I learnt. The dog never came back, ever  not for the whistle, anyway, but it has been an endlessly useful skill over the years when needing to get someones attention, say, or at a rock concert.

Last of all, I value time with family and friends, old and new, above all else. Long may it last!

About the author: After attending school for model-making, Mordaunt started Image Casting in 1998, specialising in customised body castings. Over the course of 13 years, she worked on such films as Atonement and Wildest Dreams, as well as for personal clients like Lionel Richie. In 2012, she relocated to Botswana with her husband and two daughters where she currently resides. The Frog Theory by Fiona Mordaunt (published Clink Street Publishing 14th February 2017 RRP 6.99 on paperback and 1.99 for the ebook) is available to purchase from online retailers including amazon.co.uk and to order from all good bookstores.
Angelina Jolie's new movie 'First They Killed My Father' helped her understand her son Maddox's birth country of Cambodia much "deeper".

Angelina Jolie

The actress-turned-director formed a strong connection with the Southeast Asian nation after shooting the movie about the genocide that took place under the communist Khmer Rouge regime from 1975 to 1979 in which around 1.7 million Cambodians died from starvation, disease and execution.

Maddox's biological parents were from the country and the entire shooting process for the Netflix film helped her understand her son's background more fully.

Asked what inspired the film during an appearance on 'Good Morning America' on Tuesday (21.02.17), she said: "This country means a great deal to me, this country has been through so much. This war affected every single individual here, and I wanted to understand myself. I don't know much of Maddox's birth parents, but I believe they would have gone through this war.

"I wanted to understand this country in a deeper way, and bring this story of Luong Ung who's a dear friend of mine."

The 41-year-old screen beauty - who also has Pax,11, Zahara, 12, Shiloh, 10, and eight-year-old twins Vivienne and Knox with Hollywood star Brad Pitt - had the honour of screening the movie in front of the Cambodian royal family, which she said was nerve-wracking.

She said: "I was very, very nervous. It's an honour to be allowed to come into a country which is not your own country, and to tell its history."

Maddox, 15, was heavily involved in the production side of the movie, which is based on a book by Loung Ung, and his mother says he was all too keen to be a part of it.

She added: "I talked to Maddox about this film, and about doing it.

"And it was him, in the final hour who said he was ready.

"He wanted to understand more, and he wanted to make it."

Maddox was a "big brother" to the young actors on set, according to Loung.

He previously said: "I have watched the young people grow into really kind, empathetic, curious human beings.

"Pax is a talented photographer and Mad is so kind and generous. The cast kids, they all looked up to him as a big brother."
Daisy Ridley won't spill any secrets about 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi'.

Daisy Ridley on Josh Gad's Instagram

The 24-year-old actress reprises her role as Rey in the upcoming seventh installment of the 'Star Wars' franchise, and despite her 'Murder on the Orient Express' co-star Josh Gad's best attempts to squeeze information out of her, the brunette beauty is keeping her lips sealed when it comes to spoilers.

Taking to his Instagram on Monday (02.20.17), Gad, 35, filmed a video in which he apologized to the star for hounding her about the movie, before turning the camera on a host of celebrities who all had their own questions to ask.

Gad says in the video: "Daisy I just wanted to apologize for everything that has happened."

To which Ridley replies: "Please don't tell me you're setting me up this time."

Gad then says: "I'm not, I'm not. Come on in, I have no more questions. I have no more questions, but they do."

The camera then pans to stars such as Leslie Odom Jr., Colin Trevorrow, Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Penelope Cruz, Lucy Boynton, Tom Bateman, and 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' director J.J. Abrams, who all begin to bombard her with questions.

Odom asks: "How many musical numbers are there?"

Howard says: "Do the heels of your boots ever get stuck in the grates of the Millennium Falcon?"

Cruz then asks her question in Spanish, before Boynton translates and says: "I have a question also. What is the actual size of Supreme Leader Snoke, leader of the First Order?"

Bateman asks: "Are we going to find out any more about the identities of the storm troopers?"

And to close the video, Abrams joking pleads with Daisy when he asks: "Does Luke [Skywalker] finally get to say any lines in Episode VIII? Please tell me Daisy."

Ridley barely manages to keep a straight face at the end of the video, but refrains from spilling any secrets about the movie.
A fire broke out at Ryan Seacrest's mansion on Sunday night (19.02.17).

Ryan Seacrest

The 42-year-old television personality took to Instagram on Monday (20.02.17) to reveal the aftermath of the blaze but insisted everyone involved was OK.

He wrote on the photo sharing site: "fire last night at the house- thank god everyone is ok. Thanks again @beverlyhillsfirefighters (sic)"

It is thought the fire started from something electrical on the driveway, which blazed even more when it came into to contact with rubbish bins nearby, TMZ reports.

And Ryan recently revealed he feels his life has changed so much since 'American Idol' began.

He confessed: "I can't even begin to compare my life then and now. I mean, when this all started, I was living in a one-bedroom apartment and splitting the rent with another dude."

Ryan has admitted it took some time before he felt truly comfortable in front of the camera.

He added: "I was just going out there and trying my best.

"It took a few seasons before I embraced the fact that it was a big live show and things were not always going to be perfect. I got more comfortable every year."

Meanwhile, Ryan isn't shy about sharing his woes on his social media profiles as he recently uploaded a series of pictures and videos of himself when he got stuck in a lift as he made his way to an interview with 'Good Morning America'.

Ryan had to be rescued by firefighters when he got trapped in the elevator and he clearly found the whole thing very amusing as he documented it all online.
Mia Goth found shooting for 'A Cure for Wellness' was "very, very intense".

Mia Goth

The 23-year-old actress - who plays Hannah, a patient who goes missing, in the psychological thriller - spent a lot of time in Germany's "most haunted place", where conditions were very cold and wet.

He said: "We shot in a place called Beelitz, which used to be a hospital in World War I and World War II, and the Soviets used to send their dissidents there and it's known as the most haunted place in Germany and we would shoot there for nights at a time and there was a lot of water work of being just wet and cold and intense, very very intense."

Director Gore Verbinski insisted on taking his time to make the movie because he didn't want it to look "fast and cheap" like so many modern horrors do.

Mia told Collider: "We shot this film for five months, and it wasn't because of the visual effects, it was because he wanted to make a good quality scary movie, not many movies are made like that any more.

"A lot of films are made fast and cheap, but we really took our time to make a good quality film and I really think you see that.

"Gore has the whole film story boarded before we even get to set so he knows exactly what he wants and won't compromise on that, you feel very safe around him."

Mia was drawn to the movie - which also stars Celia Imrie and Dane DeHaan - because she liked the idea it would ask the audience some "uncomfortable questions" about their lives.

She explained: "He said it's meant to be a thought provoking film, from the title on, everything is supposed to be making a conversation, where he's trying to have a conversation in the cinema and hasn't really had one.It's asking you some really uncomfortable questions at times, like blunt questions, 'Are you happy?' 'Are you content with your life?' And he just wanted to make a really freaky film and I think he succeeded."
Chelsee Healey is pregnant.

Chelsee Healey

The 'Hollyoaks' star has confirmed she and her boyfriend Jack Malloy, whom she's been dating for three years, are expecting their first child together.

Speaking to OK! magazine, she said: "When I saw the test was positive I started crying, but they were happy tears. It wasn't something we'd planned but now we are having a baby we couldn't be happier."

Jack added: "It was definitely a shock but I was over the moon when she told me. I think it's still sinking in, I can't wait to be a dad."

Although the couple are thrilled with their news, things haven't exactly been plain sailing as they split in 2015 when Jack was jailed for 12 months for dangerous driving, using a vehicle without insurance and driving while disqualified.

The 28-year-old actress said: "It can be a bit upsetting because he's really not [a bad boy]. Jack has been tarnished because of the mistakes he made in the past, but everyone makes mistakes. It's a shame that people jump to conclusions about him because he's a great guy, we're very happy together. Jack is the only man who has ever felt like my best friend as well as my boyfriend."

Jack received early release in March last year for good behaviour but, although they gave it their best shot, him and Chelsee broke up again a few months later.

Although she's only just joined 'Hollyoaks' as Goldie McQueen, her pregnancy and impending arrival won't affect her future on the Channel 4 soap.

A source told The Sun newspaper: "This does not mean she will be leaving 'Hollyoaks'. In fact, it signals a much more mature Chelsee, in a stable acting job in a long-running soap.

"Exec producer Bryan Kirkwood knew about her pregnancy very early on and plans are in place in terms of storylines and writing her in and out."

Chelsee first sparked rumours she was with child in January when she was spotted sporting a baby bump at the National Television Awards in London.
Mary Berry refused to have a meeting with Channel 4 about her future on 'The Great British Bake Off'.

Mary Berry

The 81-year-old baking legend stepped down as a judge on the popular cooking show after Channel 4 snatched the rights to the series from the BBC in a mega-money deal last year and, although bosses were determined to keep her and her co-judge Paul Hollywood during the shift, she "avoided" having a meeting with the broadcaster because she'd already decided she wanted to bow out.

Asked if she was tempted to move with the show, Mary told The Radio Times magazine: "Well, I avoided being asked. It was suggested what would happen if I did go to Channel 4; what I would get, the advantages. But I didn't ever have a meeting with them. I'd made up my mind. To me it's an honour to be on the BBC. I was brought up on it."

Although she walked away out of "loyalty" to the BBC, 50-year-old silver fox Paul came under fire when he decided to accept an eye-watering sum to move across to Channel 4 with the show.

She explained: "I would always stand by him. Paul and I had our differences about what was important to us but he is a brilliant bread-maker and I admired him a lot."

Bosses are now on a frantic hunt to find a replacement for Mary - who had been on the programme since it first hit screens on the BBC in 2010 - and have their eye on restaurateur Prue Leith.

The 76-year-old food critic has been having discussions with bosses but believes there is one other person that could stop her from landing the judging job when the new series airs later this year.

Prue said: "I'm certainly one of the runners. I can wish. I can dream. I've had two auditions with them and lots of meetings. So I mean I think I'm close but I know there are two people in the running. One other person. Of course I'd love to do it. Who wouldn't want to do it? I've known Mary for years and she loved it."
Stephanie Davis and Jeremy McConnell are in talks to have their own reality show together.

Jeremy McConnell and Stephanie Davis

The former 'Hollyoaks' star gave birth to her first child, Caben-Albi, with the 26-year-old Irish hunk last month and the pair are reportedly the "hottest property in the reality TV world" for producers to work with and they are reportedly set to receive a whopping "50,000" if plans for them to have their own programme go ahead.

Speaking to The Sun newspaper about the potential of a tell-all show featuring the two - who met on 'Celebrity Big Brother' last year - and their tiny tot, a source said: "Steph and Jeremy are the hottest property in the reality TV world at the moment and producers are keen to get them their own show.

"It would be a ratings winner and the pair could walk away with over 50,000."

Meanwhile, Jeremy is taking the time to get to know his former partner and the mother of his child again after being at loggerheads with the 23-year-old actress since she announced she was pregnant with his baby, although Jeremy had denied being the biological parent until the little one was born.

And it is rumoured a reunion could be on the cards as they've been spending time together since he flew to the UK to meet his five-week-old child last week.

Speaking previously, a source said: "Jeremy is still in Liverpool with Stephanie at the moment. They're using this time to get to know each other again away from the cameras and things are going well. It's been an emotional couple of days for them both but they're beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel. Jeremy was keen not to miss any more time with Caben and Stephanie agrees it's important for him to be there."
Lux Group is considering the merger of two unlisted firms - Ebell Fashions and J M Hosiery and Company- with the Group's publicly listed company Lux Industries Limited. A final decision will be made in the next few quarters. J M Hosiery owns the GenX brand, while the Lyra brand belongs to Ebell Fashions. Both brands collectively amount to Rs 350 crore.

The Group is evaluating the merger of the two unlisted firms with Lux Industries, said media reports quoting Udit Todi, senior VP at Lux Industries.

Listed Lux Industries currently owns 16 brands including Rs 650-crore brand, Lux Cozi. Cotswool and ONN collectively generate about Rs 300 crore, said Saket Todi, Group director, Lux Industries.

Lux Group is considering the merger of two unlisted firms - Ebell Fashions and J M Hosiery and Company- with the Group's publicly listed company Lux Industries Limited. A final decision will be made in the next few quarters. J M Hosiery owns the GenX brand, while the Lyra brand belongs to Ebell Fashions. Both brands collectively amount to Rs 350 crore.#

He added that out of Rs 1,300 crore generated by the Lux Group, Lux Industries generates Rs 950 crore. The company aims to have a turnover of Rs 2,000 crore by 2020.

Intimate wear will also be introduced under the women's brand Lyra for the mid-mass segment, said Todi.

He also spoke about the new Dankuni plant of the company and said that it is providing cost-effective benefits that ensured higher PAT for Lux Industries in spite of a drop in sales in the third quarter of this financial year owing to demonetisation. (KD)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
Textile mills in Bangladesh fear losing their competitiveness following the governments move to use Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) in the manufacturing sector. This was observed by Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) president Tapan Chowdhury, while addressing a press conference in connection with the upcoming DTG-2017 trade show.The Bangladesh government is planning to set up a LNG terminal, which will supply imported gas to the industry. Chowdhury feared that this move to use LNG will increase the production costs of textile mills.

Textile mills in Bangladesh fear losing their competitiveness following the government's move to use Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) in the manufacturing sector. This was observed by Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) president Tapan Chowdhury, while addressing a press conference in connection with the upcoming DTG-2017 trade show. #

He observed that the industry is yet to get a clarification on the pricing, but which, according to sources was TK 14 per unit, which could hit hard the spinning industry.DTG 2017 kicks off from February 23 in Dhaka with a total of 1,000 machinery manufacturers from 33 countries, taking part in the trade show. (AR)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
AkzoNobel, leading paints and coatings company and a major producer of specialty chemicals, has announced the opening of a new facility in Felling, UK. More than 100 of the coatings industrys leading scientists are being brought together in a new 12.6 million research and innovation hub, which could revolutionise the companys portfolio.The facility will be home to teams of scientists and technical experts who will work on developing protective coatings for the energy, mining, infrastructure and oil and gas industries. The main focus will be on delivering cutting edge innovations and efficiencies for protecting steel and concrete structures from damage caused by corrosion, abrasion and fire.

AkzoNobel, leading paints and coatings company and a major producer of specialty chemicals, has announced the opening of a new facility in Felling, UK. More than 100 of the coatings industry's leading scientists are being brought together in a new 12.6 million research and innovation hub, which could revolutionise the company's portfolio.#

The new innovation hub will also offer a world class testing and simulation facility, enabling tests to be carried out in conditions experienced in the worlds most extreme environments.The facility is expected to be operational at the end of 2018.Conrad Keijzer, AkzoNobels executive committee member responsible for Performance Coatings said, Our work at the state-of-the-art lab will have an important impact on our most critical industries. More than 100 top scientists and technical experts will be working on future solutions that will offer essential protection to a wide variety of products for our customers. (GK)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
When Kangana Revealed The Details About SRK's Film

"Sanjay sir just spoke to me about the film, saying that he wants to make it with me and Shah Rukh sir. But it's at a very premature stage. It's not that I am working with Shah Rukh sir tomorrow or something like that... So, yeah, like I said, it's at a very premature stage." Kangana had told IANS.

Shahrukh Rejects Kangana

''SRK has rejected to work with Kangana for Sanjay Leela Bhansalis next. Shahrukh Khan is not doing the film which was also offered to Kangana. Instead, he is more interested in another script which SLB has offered him.''

She Lost This Film Because Of Her Controversial Statements About The Khans

During the rapid fire segment, Karan Johar asked Kangana which Khan - Shahrukh, Salman or Aamir - she wants to work with? To which Kangana Ranaut had replied, "None!"

Why Kangana Ranaut Said No...

The actress reasoned, "I don't want to work with anyone with whom I don't have an equal role."

Sanjay Leela Bhansali Is Also Upset With Kangana's Blunt Comments

According to a source, Sanjay Leela Bhansali has decided not to cast Kangana Ranaut in his film, after her controversial statements.

SLB Hunting For A New Leading Lady For SRK's Film

As per reports, Sanjay Leela Bhansali is also finalising the script with Shahrukh Khan and the hunt for the leading lady will begin soon after.

Shahrukh Khan To Play Sahir Ludhianvi In SLB's Movie?

"It was in Red Chilles (before), then Bhansali took it over. Jasneet is the writer. I really liked the story but we have not confirmed it. Sanjay is supposed to meet me now. I think I'll meet him after Raees, if he is free from Padmavati. He has a couple of stories and one of them is Sahir Ludhianvi. I heard it two years ago when it wasn't with Sanjay," SRK told Hindustan Times.

I Am Not Committing To Anyone

"I don't want to commit to someone and then postpone it, or start another film. I thought Fan will get over then I had to start Imtiaz's film. So, I want to wait for Aanand's film and then go. I am not committing to anyone. Having said that, yes I've heard Sahir Ludhianvi, it's a very nice film."
Akshay Kumar has just wrapped up the shoot of his upcoming film Toilet Ek Prem Katha and the actor shared a still from the shoot which will leave you amazed. The picture shows a newly-wed Akshay and Bhumi and the most unique thing about the picture is the garland of 10 rupee notes around Akshay's neck.

Check out the picture of Akshay Kumar and Bhumi Pednekar from Toilet Ek Prem Katha below!

With the wrap of @ToiletTheFilm treating you guys to a still from the film...Keshav and Jaya's unique love story coming to you on June 2 :) pic.twitter.com/pBkLgAUH4d  Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) February 21, 2017

Akshay Kumar captioned the picture as, "With the wrap of @ToiletTheFilm treating you guys to a still from the film...Keshav and Jaya's unique love story coming to you on June 2 :)"

The film is a satirical take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's project 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan'. It is reported that Sana Khan would play the role of Akshay Kumar's girlfriend in the film. A source close to the film was quoted as saying, "It's a cameo extremely crucial to the plot. Sana shot her portions recently during a schedule. She will be seen in a completely desi avatar in the film."

Amy Jackson Talks About Her Experience Working With Superstar Rajinikanth & Akshay Kumar
There Are Three Stellar Actors In The Film

"In Vishal Bhardwaj's films, the negative character is very striking most of the times. But there are three stellar actors in the film, Shahid, Kangana and Saif,'' Kareena told a daily.

I Like The Competition Between Them

Kareena Kapoor further added, ''I like the competition, there should be competition between all three only then they'll give their best."

I Expect Nothing Less From Them

''I Expect nothing less from them. They are the best performers in the industry today, all three.''

Saif's Character In The Film Is Going To Be Very Striking

"His (Saif's) character in the film is going to be very striking because for the first time he will be seen in a role like this. We are very excited."

Saif Was Surprised Too

''This film is special because it is by Sajid Nadiadwala. Karishma did Judwaa with him and I did 'Kambakht Ishq'. I normally don't go for trailers and Saif was surprised too. But I had to go because of Vishal, Sajid and Saif."
With the BMC Elections 2017, Mumbai city people were busy today casting their votes. When all of the city was heading to the voting boots, names of some voters mysteriously vanished leaving the voters in the lurch. The same has happened to Varun Dhawan as his name is missing from the electoral rolls and thus he could not cast his vote.

BMC Elections 2017! Anushka Sharma, Ranveer Singh, Shraddha Kapoor & Many Others Cast Their Vote

Funny part is that the actor cast his vote last year and this year his name has vanished all of a sudden. A disappointed Varun was quoted as saying, "It is upsetting that I couldn't find my name on the voter list. This year my name has not shown up on the list, unfortunately. It is bizarre because I voted last year. Will find out from EC where is my name."



The sad part is, Varun Dhawan had flown from Jaipur just to vote in the BMC elections only to find out that his name was missing from the electoral rolls. It is reported that even actor Paresh Rawal's name was missing from the electoral list and only his wife Swaroop Sampat could cast the vote as her name was in the list.

It's pretty absurd how names mysteriously vanish from the election list and this has been happening all over the country since many years. Sadly, no action has been taken against this practice and we only hope this would stop one day and enable all citizens to cast their vote.

KRK Ticks Off Swara Bhaskar On Twitter! Calls Her Movie A Super Duper Disaster
Finally, Varun Admits His Relationship

He further added, "What can one say about spending time with loved ones? I'm not denying anything at all, just that I don't like to discuss it."

Varun Praises Natasha Dalal

"I see it reaching a good place. (Smiles) She's quite a handful so full credit to her for sticking by me. She's one of the best people I've come across in my life," inserted Varun.

Why Varun Didn't Want To Talk About Natasha..

Last year, while talking to the same magazine, when Varun was asked, why he always avoids the topic of his love life, Varun had said, "I talk about my parents, my brother Rohit (Dhawan, director) my dog... (Laughs) The rest I don't speak about because I have realised that a certain section of the media will continue writing what they want to write."

Ahem Ahem!

"So there's no point clarifying anything. Phhir ussiko TV pe baar baar chalate rahenge. That's annoying. So just let that part be. Let them speculate. I'm cool with that. It doesn't bother me at all because I don't give an answer. (Laughs)You will never read my quote on it," had further added Varun.
Celebrated Hollywood Actress Lea Seydoux, has stated that she has told her mother about her acting career very recently, prior to which her mother Valerie did not know Lea works as an actress.

The 31-year-old Hollywood star had already acted in plethora of hit Hollywood movies like Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol, Inglourious Basterds, Spectre and many more. However, the actress never let her mother know that she is an actress.

"My mother is in this iconic film, but she never wanted to be an actress. Acting is not in our family ... And my father, maybe because his father is in cinema, it is not his thing." Said Lea Seydoux in a statement.

"He is more into technology. He makes headphones. He is like a geek with his glasses and his passion for computers," Seydoux added further.

"My mother, I don't think she realised I was doing this job until recently. My mum called me and said, 'Oh, what are you doing now?' I said I was packing to go to Canada to shoot 'Mission: Impossible'." Said Seydoux.

"She paused for a moment and said, 'Oh, OK, and when do you come back?' My mother is definitely in her own world. She has a special personality. She is uncommon. Like me, she is a dreamer." Stated the actress.
Veteran Hollywood actor Liam Neeson, who is famous for movies like Taken, Schindler's List and many others, says that he is worried about the new generation for their habit of "replacing older items" than "repairing them."

"Overall, I feel today's generation prefers to replace older items rather than repair them. I'm pretty old-fashioned in that sense. They just don't fix things anymore. It gives me cause for worry," Said Liam Neeson in a statement.

Talking about his role in his movie Silence, Liam Neeson said he felt a similarity between him and the character in the movie.

"I was interested in 'Silence' because of where I was at in my own life with questions and thoughts about god, faith, science and everything else. I had to do a lot of internal convincing first." Said Neeson.

"I don't believe you can really have deep faith without deep doubt. It goes hand in glove. I'm convinced of that now," Neeson added.

Liam Neeson also stated that there has been a great shift of paradigm in Hollywood. He said that the new wave of cinema is more inclined towards projecting the world issues and giving major political insights to the audiences.

"Hollywood has had a lengthy history of producing films for the masses and the big shift in the last decade is now they're making films for global markets. If you can't cater to a global audience, your career span is shortened generally." The actor stated further.
AR Rahman, the man who has weaved magic with each work of his is undoubtedly the top rated musician of the country. It would be a dream come true for any film-maker to get him on board for a project.

The Malayalam film industry have been waiting for long to see him make a comeback to Mollywood. In fact, his second work as a composer was the film Yodha, which had Mohanlal in the lead role.

Now, here is a happy news for the fans of AR Rahman in Mollywood. In a recent media interaction in Dubai, which was held in connection with Mathrubhumi-AR Rahman Night to be held on March 17, 2017, the music director stated that he will soon compose a work in Malayalam.

Nothing much has been revealed about the comeback of AR Rahman in Mollywood. The film Yodha, was released in the year 1992 and it has been a long wait for his fans in Mollywood.

Earlier, there were reports doing the rounds that AR Rahman has been roped in as the composer for the upcoming magnum opus Randamoozham, which would feature Mohanlal in the lead role.

Let us wait and see whether AR Rahman will make a comeback to Mollywood, with Randamoozham film or not. Meanwhile, AR Rahaman's latest work for Mani Ratnam's Kaatru Veliyidai has been fetching him some great reviews from Kerala.
Prithviraj as Karthik

Prithviraj himself can essay the role of Karthik if Mozhi is ever remade in Malayalam. No other actor can do justice to the role of the dedicated musician, who falls head over heels in love with a deaf-mute girl. It is undoubtedly one of the best characters in Prithvi's career.

Nithya Menen as Archana

In a recent chat show, Jyothika, who essayed the role of Archana in Mozhi, had suggested that Nithya will be the perfect choice for the role if the movie is remade now. Well, even we feel that the character of the deaf-mute girl who leads an independent life is tailor-made for Nithya.

Biju Menon as Vijaya Kumar aka Viji

There is no better choice for the role of Vijayakumar aka Viji, the happy-go-lucky friend of Karthik, other than Biju Menon. The actor can surely play the role to near perfection.

Mia George as Sheela

The character of Sheela, Archana's best friend who helps Karthik to win her love, will be safe in the hands of Mia George. The actress can definitely play the role to near perfectly.

Mukesh as Secretary Ananthakrishnan

Secretary Ananthakrishnan is a role which provides a lot of scope for humour. Mukesh is the only actor from the current slot who can do complete justice to the character.

Nedumudi Venu as Professor

The character of Professor is one of the most appreciated roles in Mozhi. The role demands an actor who can handle both the emotional and humorous sequences with the same ease. We feel that Nedumudi Venu is the best choice for the role, if the movie is remade in Malayalam.
HONG KONG, CHINA -- (Marketwired) -- 02/20/17 --



Average millennial expects to accumulate only one-third of what is typically required for retirement

3 in 10 millennials expect to run out of money in retirement, and nearly 4 in 10 expect to carry mortgage debt into their retirement years

A new survey of Asian investors reveals that millennials in the region are at substantial risk of a cash crunch during their later years, with many expecting to carry mortgage debt into retirement or even run out of money altogether. Yet there's optimism too.

Millennial investors, surveyed as part of the Manulife Investor Sentiment Index (MISI), revealed very mixed expectations about the quality of their financial futures. Despite widespread optimism about their retirement -- with nine-out-of-ten (89%) saying they expect to be able to maintain or improve their standard of living in retirement -- nearly one-third (30%) of millennial investors also expect to run out of money later on in life.

Roy Gori, President and CEO of Manulife Asia, said: "Asia's millennials are naturally optimistic about their retirement as many will have grown up in an era of unprecedented economic development. With that prosperity comes a longer and better quality of life -- and with that, higher expectations of the future.

"But the economic model that underpins our current understanding of retirement is quickly changing. Young people today will need to start saving, and investing, sooner rather than later. Otherwise they face a retirement of anxiety, not adventure."

While no two investors will have the same retirement requirements, a common rule of thumb is to accumulate around 25 times the amount one expects to spend in the first year of retirement. Yet the survey showed that, on average, millennial investors expect to accumulate just 8.2 times their annual income by the time they retire. While this figure was higher than the regional average of 7.5 times, millennial investors are still well short of the "25 times" benchmark.

Commenting on the findings, Michael Dommermuth, Head of Wealth and Asset Management, Asia, for Manulife, said: "Millennials may have been led to feel a sense of optimism for an improved post-retirement living standard, which is potentially misplaced. Younger generations should plan strategically to begin accumulating wealth at early life stage."

Family and health burdens likely to strain millennials' retirement savings

Millennials acknowledge the challenges which threaten their financial security later in life. Nearly four-in-ten (38%) expect to financially support both their parents and children at the same time -- significantly constraining their ability to invest and prepare for life after work. In comparison, only 29% of older investors expect to support their family in the same way.

Younger investors are slightly more concerned than generations past about the impact of health on their finances. Many millennials (39%) expect healthcare to become too expensive during retirement, and more still (43%) expect that their health will deteriorate to the point where they can no longer work. Despite these challenges, 71% of millennials expect to work in retirement compared to only 66% of older investors.

"It's sobering to see how many investors, especially young people, recognise that there are risks to their retirement. Longer lifespans and later retirement will place increasing demands on investment funds, for which every investor should start planning ahead early for future protection," Mr. Dommermuth added.

Traditional investment model no longer reflects reality of real estate

Many investors, including millennials, continue to seek financial security through real estate. Nearly half (45%) of millennials who intend to purchase local property across Asia seek to generate rental income from it. However, their expectations of a return may not reflect the diverging fortunes of the real estate market within the region.

Mr. Dommermuth said: "Younger investors looking to address their retirement shortfall should reconsider their investments in the context of rapidly maturing -- or already mature -- real estate markets. While previous generations relied heavily on real estate for their retirement fund, economics and demographics mean that today's millennials need to take a different approach.

"Millennials whom invest in emerging Asia will likely fare better than those who buy a home in maturing Asia, where slowing growth and ageing populations can dampen real estate markets. They owe it to themselves to consider every option available to them in order to plan more effectively for their future."

About Manulife Investor Sentiment Index in Asia

Manulife's Investor Sentiment Index in Asia is a yearly proprietary survey measuring and tracking investors' views across eight markets in the region on their attitudes towards key asset classes and issues related to personal financial planning. The Index is calculated as a net score (% of "Very good time" and "Good time" minus % of "Bad time" and "Very bad time") for each asset class. The overall index is calculated as an average of the index figures of asset classes. A positive number means a positive sentiment, zero means a neutral sentiment, and a negative number means negative sentiment.

The Manulife ISI is based on 500 online interviews each in Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines, and 500 face-to-face interviews in Indonesia. Respondents are middle class to affluent investors, aged 25 years and above who are the primary decision maker of financial matters in the household and currently have investment products.

The Manulife ISI is a long-established research series in North America. The Manulife ISI has been measuring investor sentiment in Canada for the past 18 years, and extended this to its John Hancock operation in the U.S. in 2011 and Asia in 2013. Asset classes taken into Manulife ISI Asia calculations are stocks/equities, real estate (primary residence and other investment properties), mutual funds/unit trusts, fixed income investment and cash.

The latest survey was conducted between September 2016 and October 2016 by TNS, a leading global research firm.

This material, intended for the exclusive use by the recipients who are allowable to receive this document under the applicable laws and regulations of the relevant jurisdictions, was produced by and the opinions expressed are those of Manulife or any of its affiliates as of December 2016 and are subject to change based on market and other conditions. The information and/or analysis contained in this material have been compiled or arrived at from sources believed to be reliable but Manulife or any of its affiliates does not make any representation as to their accuracy, correctness, usefulness or completeness and does not accept liability for any loss arising from the use hereof or the information and/or analysis contained herein. The information in this document, including statements concerning financial market trends, is based on current market conditions, which will fluctuate and may be superseded by subsequent market events or for other reasons. Manulife or any of its affiliates disclaims any responsibility to update such information. Neither Manulife or its affiliates, nor any of their directors, officers or employees shall assume any liability or responsibility for any direct or indirect loss or damage or any other consequence of any person acting or not acting in reliance on the information contained herein. All overviews and commentary are intended to be general in nature and for current interest. While helpful, these overviews are no substitute for professional tax, investment or legal advice. Clients should seek professional advice for their particular situation. Neither Manulife nor any of its affiliates or representatives is providing tax, investment or legal advice. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This material was prepared solely for informational purposes, does not constitute an offer or an invitation by or on behalf of Manulife or any of its affiliates to any person to buy or sell any security and is no indication of trading intent in any fund or account managed by Manulife. No investment strategy or risk management technique can guarantee returns or eliminate risk in any market environment. Unless otherwise specified, all data is sourced from Manulife.

About Manulife Financial Corporation

Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services group that helps people achieve their dreams and aspirations by putting customers' needs first and providing the right advice and solutions. We operate as John Hancock in the United States and Manulife elsewhere. We provide financial advice, insurance, as well as wealth and asset management solutions for individuals, groups and institutions. At the end of 2016, we had approximately 35,000 employees, 70,000 agents, and thousands of distribution partners, serving more than 22 million customers. At the end of 2016, we had $977 billion (US$728 billion) in assets under management and administration, and in the previous 12 months we made almost $26 billion in payments to our customers. Our principal operations are in Asia, Canada and the United States where we have served customers for more than 100 years. With our global headquarters in Toronto, Canada, we trade as 'MFC' on the Toronto, New York, and the Philippine stock exchanges and under '945' in Hong Kong.

About Manulife Asset Management

Manulife Asset Management is the global asset management arm of Manulife, providing comprehensive asset management solutions for investors. This investment expertise extends across a broad range of public and private asset classes, as well as asset allocation solutions. As at December 31, 2016, assets under management for Manulife Asset Management were approximately C$461 billion (US$343 billion).

Manulife Asset Management's public markets units have investment expertise across a broad range of asset classes including public equity and fixed income, and asset allocation strategies. Offices with full investment capabilities are located in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and the Philippines. In addition, Manulife Asset Management has a joint venture asset management business in China, Manulife TEDA. The public markets units of Manulife Asset Management also provide investment management services to affiliates' retail clients through product offerings of Manulife and John Hancock. John Hancock Asset Management is a division of Manulife Asset Management.

Additional information about Manulife Asset Management may be found at ManulifeAM.com.

For more information, please contact:

Chris Davis

Regional Communications, Asia

Manulife

Tel (852) 2919 3297

Email Contact



Carl Wong

Head of Media Relations and Social, Marketing Asia

Manulife Asset Management

Tel (852) 2510 3180

Email Contact




SINGAPORE, DUBAI, UAE and JOHANNESBURG, February 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

HDFC Bank has chosen Engage, Vizury's Data and Marketing Platform to help execute its personalized multi-channel engagements beginning with its website. HDFC Bank is the first private bank in India to acknowledge and embrace the role of technology in marketing to create a consistent and personalized experience for its customers across all digital touch points.

(Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/469798/Vizury_Logo.jpg )



"Today's digital customer connects with our brand at several touch points. And a consistent personalized feel across these interactions is important to amplify our brand recall, drive digital engagement and enhance customer experience. Logically, the starting point for such an experience was the bank's website,"saidAshish Morone, Head Marketing & Communications at HDFC Bank.

He further added, "Engage has the unique ability to combine online and offline data at a user level and use them in highly flexible personalization frameworks. This was key in executing our digital strategy and helped us increase digital conversions on our website."

Engage uses a combination of behavioral attributes and CRM data to personalize banners for customers visiting the bank's website. This has resulted in the overall improvement in the bank's website user engagement leading to a 4X increase in website lead conversions and 30% reduction in cost-of-acquisition.

"HDFC Bank identified three types of visitors to its website - existing customers, returning prospects and new users. Their objective was to treat each user within a given segment uniquely by creating a relevant and personalized site experience centered on HDFC Bank's product lines. As a result, we load tens of thousands of variations of the website that drives much better clicks and conversions,"saidSubra Krishnan, SVP Products at Vizury.

Engage, Vizury's Growth Marketing Platform is custom built for the BFSI vertical and includes niche use cases that are very specific to BFSI. It is an atomic technology stack that tightly integrates online and offline user data and multiple marketing channels. With machine learning capabilities, the platform powers user-level predictions and 1:1 messaging.

About HDFC Bank

Promoted in 1995 by Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC), India's leading housing finance company, HDFC Bank is one of India's premier banks providing a wide range of financial products and services to its 37 million customers. As of December 31, 2016, the Bank had a distribution network with 4,555 branches and 12,087 ATMs in 2,597 cities/towns.

About Vizury

Vizury is a Growth Marketing technology company that drives user retention and incremental conversions for finance, travel and e-commerce brands. Vizury Engage, the Growth Marketing Platform leverages machine learning capabilities to generate user-level predictions and 1:1 messaging. An atomic technology stack that tightly integrates user data with advanced industry expertise helps our platform execute omni-channel marketing strategies. Unique vertical-specific features enable Vizury's clients to personalize customer engagement across different channels.

Vizury supports various brands, including Citibank, eBay, Prudential, Jet Airways and Etihad Airways, in more than 40 countries. Founded in 2008, Vizury has offices in San Franciscoand Dallas, US; Tokyo, Japan; Dubai, U.A.E.; Bangalore, India and Singapore.

For more information, please visithttp://www.vizury.com

For regular news and information about Vizury and digital marketing, like and follow the company:

Twitter:@VizuryOneToOne

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/vizury1to1

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/vizury-interactive

Media Contact:

Naren Madan

+91-7349084806

Naren.madean@vizury.com


SV Series Indoor Unit



Joseph Hood, PR Manager Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. Email: mhi-pr@mhi.co.jp Tel: +81-(0)3-6716-2168 Fax: +81-(0)3-6716-5860

TOKYO, Feb 21, 2017 - (JCN Newswire) - Starting in late March Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Thermal Systems, Ltd., a Group company of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI), will progressively launch three new series of air-conditioners for residential use, 17 models in all, into the Japanese market. The top-of-the-line SV Series will consist of 6 models featuring an outstanding annual performance factor (APF), which translates to superlative energy efficiency; the functionally advanced RV Series will include 5 models all equipped with automatic filter cleaning; and the standard TV Series will incorporate 6 models.http://www.acnnewswire.com/topimg/Low_MHISVSeries.jpgSV Series Indoor UnitAll models in all three series will come with MHI Thermal Systems' "JET" and "WARP" operating modes. JET delivers a powerful, especially large airflow, while WARP enables rapid cooling or heating. An "Automatic Airflow" function is also provided that automatically controls airflow volume and direction to achieve a uniform temperature throughout a room.The SV Series models are equipped with a motion sensor function that detects the level of ambient human movement and automatically controls the room temperature accordingly. When the sensor detects that no one is present, the unit reduces output to prevent unnecessary cooling or heating. When the room remains empty for a long period, operation stops automatically; then when someone reenters the room, the unit resumes operation. In these various ways the SV Series models help to save energy.The SV Series air-conditioners can also be used in tandem with the 3 models in the SHK Series of hybrid evaporative warm-mist humidifiers marketed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Air-Conditioning & Thermal Systems Corporation, another MHI Group company. The humidifier starts or stops operating automatically in accordance with signals it receives from the air-conditioner, based on information detected by the air-conditioner's humidity sensor.All eleven models in the RV and TV Series feature an outdoor unit of compact dimensions (H540xW645xD275 mm) and light weight. Together these features greatly facilitate installation work and also result in significant energy savings.With its lineup of 17 models in three new series, MHI Thermal Systems will be ideally positioned to respond to a wide range of users' air-conditioning needs.About Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI), headquartered in Tokyo, is one of the world's leading industrial firms with 80,000 group employees and annual consolidated revenues of around 38 billion U.S. dollars. For more than 130 years, the company has channeled big thinking into innovative and integrated solutions that move the world forward. MHI owns a unique business portfolio covering land, sea, sky and even space. MHI delivers innovative and integrated solutions across a wide range of industries from commercial aviation and transportation to power plants and gas turbines, and from machinery and infrastructure to integrated defense and space systems.For more information, please visit the MHI Group website: http://www.mhi-global.com.For Technology, Trends and Tangents, visit MHI's new online media SPECTRA: http://spectra.mhi.com.Source: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.Contact:Copyright 2017 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
WISeKey International Holding Ltd (WIHN.SW) ("WISeKey"), a leading Cybersecurity and IoT company, today announced the aggregation of over 35 new patents to its Patent Portfolio https://www.wisekey.com/patents/ required to integrate the OISTE/WISeKey Root of Trust into IoT embedded devices with problem-solving Artificial Intelligence ("AI") solutions. For WISeKey adding to its patent portfolio and intellectual property is key to ensuring that the company will be a major player in the "DeepTech" for years to come. This allows to distinguish WISeKey from other companies that use technology that is commonly available as WISeKey technology focus on integrating unique technology that is differentiated, protected and hard to reproduce based on tangible scientific discoveries or engineering innovations. By integrating these technologies WISEkey is trying to solve big issues that really affect the world.

The new patents cover a range of technologies for IoT and Semiconductors, particularly those that help make enterprise-level computing services more trusted, reliable and secure. The most notable patent acquisition by WISeKey on IoT and semiconductors happened in 2016 when the company purchased 17 new IoT patents from Inside Secure, which at the time allowed the company to create the first ever comprehensive trusted end-to-end cybersecurity platform for people and objects (IoT). Following this acquisition, WISeKey's cybersecurity offerings includes now certified hardware software, system certification, provisioning and up to management of cybersecurity services.

While IoT remains wildly insecure, thanks to the integrated solution operated by the WISeKey Vertical Platform, IoT devices would be able to organize themselves into trusted networks based on mutual authentication, identity and integrity. This trusted cybersecurity platform will only enable IoT devices which can provide a recognized identity and a valid integrity report to communicate with peer devices that are part of the trusted community.

WISeKey is also adding AI at the chip level together with the WISeKey RoT it will allow IoT to provide authenticated sensor data. Current IoT data do not provide value for their manufacturers unless it can be converted into actionable, contextualized information generated by IoT sensors fully identifiable. The majority of IoT devices are not built with embedded secured systems thus are very vulnerable. By integrating AI into the WISekey RoT and Vertical Platform, objects can develop their own cybersecurity behavior, thus making smarter and safer decisions. IoT objects with this technology will learn from attacks, defend them and transfer this intelligence via the WISekey Vertical Platform to other IoT objects peer to peer using a blockchain.

WISekey will include AI solution at the integrated circuits allowing AI to be hosted on a hardware vault with the highest level of certification able to encrypt communications and authenticate the devices. This will also allow AI to leverage the massive big data generated by the deployment of WISeKey's RoT now embedded in more than 2.5 billion devices worldwide benefitting from the strong cryptographic capabilities deployed in all sorts of IoT products.

The ability to authenticate and remotely manage millions of networked, automated devices and equipment is becoming pervasive from factory floors, to hospital operating rooms, to residential homes including billions of objects and devices from refrigerators, watches, wearables to wine bottles everything that can connect and communicate via the Internet.

The IoT security market is expected to grow from $6.89 billion in 2015 to nearly $29 billion by 2020 according to a report published by Markets and Markets, thus growing at an annual rate of 35%. These massively deployed connected objects are facing regular attacks hence generating a large need for trusted end-to-end cybersecurity solutions. This problem is affecting billions of people and IoT devices worldwide, and manufactures of these devices could be forced or incentivized to spend money to make their devices secure, as regulators might impose liabilities on them.

About WISeKey

WISeKey (SIX Swiss Exchange:WIHN) is a leading cybersecurity company currently deploying large scale Internet of Things ("IoT") digital identity ecosystems and has become a pioneer of the "4th Industrial Revolution". WISeKey's Swiss based cryptographic Root of Trust ("RoT") integrates wearable technology with secure authentication and identification, in both physical and virtual environments, and empowers IoT and wearable devices to become secure transactional devices. The RoT serves as a common trust anchor, which is recognized by the operating system and applications, to ensure the authenticity, confidentiality and integrity of on-line transactions. With the cryptographic RoT embedded on the device, the IoT product manufacturers can use code-signing certificates and a cloud-based signature as a service to secure interactions among objects and between objects and people. WISeKey has patented this process in the USA as it is currently used by many IoT providers.

Disclaimer:

This communication expressly or implicitly contains certain forward-looking statements concerning WISeKey International Holding Ltd. Such statements involve certain known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of the Companies to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Companies are providing this communication as of this date and does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities, and it does not constitute an offering prospectus within the meaning of article 652a or article 1156 of the Swiss Code of Obligations or a listing prospectus within the meaning of the listing rules of the SIX Swiss Exchange. Investors must rely on their own evaluation of the Companies and their securities, including the merits and risks involved. Nothing contained herein is, or shall be relied on as, a promise or representation as to the future performance of the WISeKey.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170220005722/en/

Contacts:

WISeKey

Youmna Abisaleh

Marketing Communications

or

Carlos Moreira,+41-22-594-3000

Founder CEO

info@wisekey.com

or

Investor Relations (United States)

The Equity Group, Inc.

Lena Cati, 212-836-9611

lcati@equityny.com
KKR, a leading global investment firm, today announces that it has agreed to acquire a stake of up to 40 per cent in Telxius, a leading critical telecom infrastructure owner service provider in Europe and Americas. The deal implies an enterprise value of 3.678bn and is subject to the customary closing conditions.

Telxius owns and operates a large portfolio of nearly 16,000 telecommunications towers in five countries. It also manages an international network with approximately 65,000 kilometers of submarine fibre optic cables, of which around 31,000 kilometers are owned by Telxius. Both business units benefit from attractive growth in their core markets, as the use of mobile data and the demand for reliable internet connectivity continue to grow rapidly, particularly in Spain and Latin America.

KKR will partner with Telefonica to continue to grow and develop Telxius' leading portfolio, both by optimizing existing assets and investing for growth, including the development of its cable network in Europe and across the Americas through two new submarine cables, one connecting the US and Brazil; the second connecting the US to Europe. KKR's global expertise and strong track record of working with corporate partners will support Telefonica in delivering long-term value for its shareholders. Following the deal, Telefonica will remain the anchor client for Telxius' tower and cable businesses.

Jesus Olmos, Member Global Co-Head of Infrastructure and Head of Spain at KKR, said: "The combination of Telefonica's industrial expertise and KKR's financial and operational support will help Telxius as it continues to scale and grow. We are confident that the exploding demand for mobile data, driven by the rise in 4k and virtual reality content, together with the need for reliable internet infrastructure will help drive strong growth in the business."

Guillermo Ansaldo, chairman of Telxius, said: "Our vision for Telxius is to capitalize on the exponential increase in data traffic forecast for the coming years by offering a first-class network in Europe and the Americas. We are delighted to have KKR on board as a long-term investment partner. We believe their solid track-record on the infrastructure business will help us achieving our common goals".

The investment will be funded primarily from KKR's $3.1bn second global infrastructure fund.

About KKR

KKR is a leading global investment firm that manages investments across multiple asset classes including private equity, energy, infrastructure, real estate, credit and hedge funds. KKR aims to generate attractive investment returns by following a patient and disciplined investment approach, employing world-class people, and driving growth and value creation at the asset level. KKR invests its own capital alongside its partners' capital and brings opportunities to others through its capital markets business. References to KKR's investments may include the activities of its sponsored funds. For additional information about KKR & Co. L.P. (NYSE:KKR), please visit KKR's website at www.kkr.com and on Twitter @KKR_Co.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170220005743/en/

Contacts:

UK

Victor Mallet, +44(0)20 7251 3801

Finsbury

victor.mallet@finsbury.com

or

Spain

Estudio de Comunicacion

Juan Antonio Frances, +(34) 915 765 250

jafrances@estudiodecomunicacion.com
iconectiv:

What:

John Haraburda, Principal Solutions Engineer Director at iconectiv, an authoritative partner of the global communications industry connecting more than two billion people every day, is speaking on a panel discussion focused around challenges facing the traditional SMS market and the role of the cloud at the 10th annual Europe 2017 GCCM event in London. The event is organized by the Carrier Community, a global telecom club and industry-networking platform for wholesale telecom service providers.

Who:

John Haraburda, Principal Solutions Engineer Director at iconectiv, is responsible for managing critical business operations and spearheading business development to help customers solve real world problems. Haraburda supports the iconectiv Fraud Solution, which addresses critical needs in the areas of SIM box detection; grey route detection and prevention; SS7 security solutions; spam filtering and global numbering and routing solutions. Haraburda also supports iconectiv's enterprise solutions, which is focused on consumer engagement solutions. As the authoritative partner of the communications industry for more than 30 years, iconectiv's market-leading solutions enable the interconnection of networks, devices, and applications for more than two billion people every day. A US-based company, Telcordia Technologies, Inc., doing business as iconectiv, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ericsson.

Haraburda has extensive experience in bringing revenue assurance and fraud solutions to the global market. Prior to iconectiv, Haraburda served as the Product Line Management and Solutions Engineer at Transaction Network Services (TNS).

When:

11:00-12:30 p.m.

Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Where:

InterContinental Park Lane Hotel

Park Ln, Mayfair, London W1J 7QY, UK

About Carrier Community

Carrier Community is an exclusive global telecom club and industry-networking platform for wholesale telecom service providers. Community founders believe that the voluntary exchange of contacts and information via annual networking events are core to the creation of new business opportunities in order to help the world become more connected. Carrier Community offers the industry a meeting place where members can share ideas, contacts and business information for the mutual benefit of all members. It hosts annual members networking events throughout the year globally such as Global Carrier Community Meetings (GCCM) in London, Singapore, Cape Town, Rio de Janeiro, Dubai and Berlin. https://www.carriercommunity.com/

About iconectiv

At iconectiv, we envision a world without boundaries, where the ability to access and exchange information is simple, secure and seamless. As the authoritative partner of the communications industry for more than 30 years, our market-leading solutions enable the interconnection of networks, devices, and applications for more than two billion people every day. http://www.iconectiv.com/

[Suggested Tweet] .@iconectiv is in London for the Europe GCCM 2017 event to discuss SMS messaging for wholesale and the cloud @CarrierClub

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170221005536/en/

Contacts:

Global Results Communications

Gabe Uribe Lora Wilson

+1-949-608-0276

iconectiv@globalresultspr.com
Panasonic Business will introduce its connected airport concept at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, showcasing a suite of intelligent technology solutions for the first time in Europe.

BRACKNELL, England, Feb. 21,2017 /PRNewswire/ --The 120m2 booth features technology for retail, car rental, communications, security, logistics and ground handling and brings together the automotive, business technology, industrial and eco solutions divisions within Panasonic.

One of the key technologies on show will be LinkRay, a one-to-one customer engagement tool for public spaces. It means dozens of people can simultaneously get native language information from display panels and LED lighting to their smartphone, so that display panels in an airport could contain links to transport information in multiple languages.

Also on show will be HD Beacon technology, which can assist localised mapping and wayfinding within the terminal buildings at an airport. So, for instance, airport staff or people with limited mobility could use their mobile device to find the nearest electric cart to get them quickly to their gate.

For airport retail, Panasonic will showcase its transparent screen, which uses projection to create spectacular window displays to pull in shoppers.

In the car rental area of the booth, Ficosa, who have had a business alliance with Panasonic since 2015, will introduce the latest technologies in connected cars. These solutions will transform the in-vehicle experience, providing innovative vehicle services, enabling more autonomous driving with higher levels of safety and efficiency.

Within the airport logistics hub area, Panasonic's Parcel Picking Director uses barcode technology to project key parcel information onto parcels themselves, making it viewable by workers at a distance.

Panasonic Media Track allows organisations to track and optimise the deployment of mobile assets such as baggage containers, trolleys and wagons, perfect for ground handling operations. While Intelligent Warehouse Software (iWS) use CCTV cameras and software to find lost parcels or luggage in minutes rather than hours spent manually searching through security footage.

"We know that our connected, intelligent technology solutions are well matched for the transportation market," said Tony O'Brien, Managing Director of Panasonic System Solutions in Europe. "Our research tells us that improving the passenger journey through better connectivity and information sharing is an important driver in this space and Mobile World Congress gives us the opportunity to showcase what Panasonic can do to innovate within transportation."



For more information on Panasonic's business products, please visit the Panasonic stand at Mobile World Congress, Hall 6 Booth H31.

Panasonic System Solutions Europe

Panasonic System Solutions Europe (PSSEU), a division of Panasonic Marketing Europe, was founded in April 2016 and develops world class solutions for larger customers offering a single point of contact and accountability.

These solutions involve Panasonic hardware, software, connectivity capability and third party products, delivered with world class engineering and project management and services. Industries in focus are energy, transportation and logistics.

PSSEU has a number of subsidiaries, including Cameramanager and Panasonic Business Software Europe, which provide specialist software or systems integration capabilities.

Panasonic Europe

Panasonic Corporation, is a worldwide leader in the development and engineering of electronic technologies and solutions for customers in residential, non-residential, mobility and personal applications. Since its founding in 1918, Panasonic Corporation has expanded globally and now operates over 474 subsidiaries and 94 associated companies worldwide, recording consolidated net sales of 7.553 trillion yen (56.794 billion Euros) for the year ending March 31, 2016. Committed to pursuing new value through innovation across divisional lines, the company uses its technology to create a better life and a better world for its customers.
GENEVA, February 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

With 'changing the face of skincare' merely a part of its bold mission statement, Oud Essentials stepped on to the global stage in Geneva, with the soft launch of its range of skincare products and accessories.

(Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/464278/Oud_Essentials_Logo.jpg )



More pictures here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/vt5yyf5f7unhg87/AABU7ZZu0wpHFrQMTLkNNit9a?dl=0

Assembled at the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues in Geneva on Friday night, for the Dukascopy Bank monthly gathering, were many movers and shakers in the Swiss business world, as well as those curious to witness the debut of a new company boasting innovative products and big ambitions.

With items on display, and samples available, considerable interest was expressed in a skincare product range that features Oud for the very first time in an ultra-competitive industry.

Oud Essentials includes the resinous heartwood of the Aquilaria tree - distilled to perfection to produce a 100% pure essential oil - in all its products. This is a 'world first', and gives each expression, from the luxurious Regenerating Serum through to the potentially miraculous Dual-Phase Oil, a cutting edge in a highly lucrative market.

All the Oud used in Oud Essentials' products is sustainably sourced and of known provenance - emanating from dedicated plantations in Southeast Asia over which the company has complete control. The vertically integrated business model that Oud Essentials has put in place is both timely and effective, respecting the communities that work so hard to produce the constituent ingredients as well as the environment itself.

"There's always tension and apprehension when a new company unveils itself," said Jean-Marc Dufat, CEO, Oud Essentials, "but if the response on Friday evening is anything to go by, we're definitely on to something. This is a story that has been in the making for thousands of years, as well as a fascinating journey for me personally. Oud came to my attention a few years ago, and I have been drawn to it ever since. The question became; how to involve it in the world of skincare? I think we've found the answer."

Oud has been used for millennia in the treatment of a variety of ailments, but is also part of the fabric of society in many cultures (and religions) around the world. Revered for its physical and psychoactive properties - particularly in Asia and the Middle East - Oud is now coming to the attention of the rest of the world, while its inclusion in the world of skincare is groundbreaking.

"Everyone knows about Oud in the Middle East," continued Dufat, "and it's been used for generations. Over the last few years it has become a very important ingredient in the international fragrance market, which has brought it rather more to the attention of the western world, but there is still a lot of mystery. At Oud Essentials, after a great deal of research and development, we felt that it was a logical step to try to bring it to an even wider audience. Oud is so remarkable in terms of its properties - something that the 'Ancients' knew about and that we are now finally beginning to understand - that its efficacy in skincare was something that we had to look in to. We've been delighted with the results, and our launch is particularly gratifying after so many years of hard work."

With plans already in place for a launch in Asia in a few weeks' time, Oud Essentials looks well set to 'change the face of skincare' across the globe with its exciting, original and highly effective range of products and accessories.

"This is just the beginning," concluded Dufat, "in our efforts to impact the skincare industry and promote a healthy, socially and environmentally conscious lifestyle. We couldn't have hoped, however, for a better start."

Oud Essentials

A new brand, a new face, and a new name in the global skincare industry, Oud Essentials enhances the remarkable properties and qualities of agarwood and Oud in a range of products that are designed to be part of a skincare regimen and an approach to a healthy lifestyle that embraces a story thousands of years in the making.

With real products for real people in the real world, the Oud Essentials' skincare range, along with its beautifully designed jewellery and natural infusions formulated to promote spiritual and physical wellbeing, embodies the pioneering spirit of innovation and creativity, with respect paid to the environment, communities, and the concept of sustainability that has become essential to all of us.
Deployment at three European operators to launch new digital offerings

MATRIXX Software (http://www.matrixx.com/) today announced that Three Group, the telecommunications arm of CK Hutchison Holdings, a multinational conglomerate, has selected MATRIXX Software's real-time Digital Commerce platform to support Three's mobile service providers in the UK, Denmark and Sweden.

The Three Group companies will deploy MATRIXX Digital Commerce as part of their digital business transformation from providing voice and data access to offering a full suite of digital services. Three is investing to better serve customers with services around content, transport and lifestyle applications, providing consumers more choice, control and value.

Susan Buttsworth, CEO at 3 Solutions, said, "We selected MATRIXX Software because we have a shared vision and MATRIXX has the capability to rapidly drive it forward. Three's operations in Europe will be transformed into digital service leaders, reinventing the customer experience while benefiting from the market-changing economics of digital."

Susan Buttsworth and Dave Labuda, Founder, CEO and CTO, MATRIXX Software, will be presenting at Mobile World Congress 2017, on Monday 27th February, 4pm 5.30pm at the 'Building Positive Engagements with the Connected Consumer' session.

Using MATRIXX, Three's operating companies across Europe will foster greater customer engagement, and drive more tailored and targeted service offerings to individuals. Three will also create new digital sales channels to derive greater operational economies of scale.

Customers will benefit from:

New digital content for a richer service experience

Management and granular control over their own service mix and payments

Transparent and instant spend and purchase options, direct from the device

Intuitive self-care capabilities, offering convenience and a consistent, immersive experience

Dave Labuda, Founder, CEO and CTO, MATRIXX Software, said, "Once mobile operators make the decision to become digital service providers, they need a partner to get them there rapidly so they can start profiting in this dynamic new market from day one. This is the future of the mobile industry, and we're very proud to champion Three's vision and objectives."

MATRIXX Digital Commerce provides a new type of platform for CSPs engaging in the transformation from telephony providers to digital service providers. The platform processes all transactions in real-time, integrates with other applications via open application programming interfaces (APIs), and can be delivered over cloud or hybrid-cloud environments. It allows consumers to define and continuously modify services themselves, and supports constant and rapid business change for the CSP.

MATRIXX Software will be exhibiting at Mobile World Congress 2017, Hall 7 Stand 7C86.

To learn more about MATRIXX Software, please visit www.matrixx.com. A press kit can be accessed here.

About Three Group

A division of CK Hutchison, a leading international corporation committed to innovation and technology, the Three Group together with Hutchison Telecom, is a pioneer of high-speed mobile telecommunications and mobile broadband technologies, with businesses in 11 markets around the world.

Three Group and its affiliated companies operate in Australia, Austria, Denmark, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Italy, Ireland, Macau, Sri Lanka, Sweden, UK and Vietnam. CK Hutchison announced more than 102 million active customers in August 2016.

For more information about Three, please visit www.three.com

About MATRIXX Software

MATRIXX Software delivers an innovative digital commerce solution that enables always-on customer engagement. Our patented approach makes it possible for Digital Service Providers to simultaneously serve millions of customers, and process billions of customer interactions precisely and instantly. MATRIXX enables DSPs to build long-term strategic value through high-touch, digital customer relationships.

Follow MATRIXX Software online:

Website: www.matrixx.com

Vimeo: www.vimeo.com/user17468378

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/586602

Twitter: www.twitter.com/matrixx_sw

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170221005352/en/

Contacts:

Mercury Global Partners for MATRIXX

Mindy M. Hull, +1 415-889-9977

CEO and Managing Director

matrixx@mercuryglobalpartners.com

or

MATRIXX Software

Simon Marshall, +1 307-439-9000

Senior Manager, Marketing and PR

simon.marshall@matrixx.com

or

Three UK Press Office

+ 44 (07) 454 959 715

three@mww.com
FT. LAUDERDALE, FL -- (Marketwired) -- 02/21/17 -- MediXall Group Inc. (OTCQB: MDXL) is a technology and innovation-driven organization structured to bring effective change to the U.S. healthcare industry.

MediXall today has signed a Strategic Agreement with Renaissance Health System of Florida, Inc. (RHSFL) that would provide MediXall with access to more than 2,000 healthcare providers in the State of Florida. Together, these more than 2,000 healthcare providers comprise one of the largest credentialed provider networks within geographic areas that include more than 70% of the nearly 21 million residents in the State.

The agreement calls for MediXall, in collaboration with RHSFL, to contact this provider network and offer them the opportunity to be "early adopters" on the MediXaid e-commerce platform presently in development. RHSFL had identified and credentialed some of the best healthcare practices in wide range of fields throughout the 37 counties in Florida; practices that range from diagnostic centers, primary care, specialty care, as well as ancillary care physician practices.

Carl L. Larsen, MediXall Chief Operating Officer, noted that over a five-year period RHSFL developed and maintained one of the most enviable networks of healthcare providers in the State of Florida. "We will use the access to these providers to bring them onboard in what we believe will be a revolutionary new healthcare marketplace providing consumers the free market competition to achieve the best cost, high transparency and a convenient and uncomplicated internet accessible platform that meets the requirements of today's discriminating consumer. Our marketing campaign is being finalized and will begin shortly in anticipation of the launch of our MediXaid platform by the summer of 2017."

About MediXall Group, Inc.

MediXall Group is a technology and innovation-driven organization purposefully designed and structured to bring effective change to the U.S. healthcare industry that is actively trading on the OTCQB under the symbol "MDXL." The Company believes its revolutionary approach will help drive much needed change that it envisions is needed in the current healthcare system. The mission of the MediXall Group is to revolutionize the medical industry by improving communication; providing better technology and support services; and enabling more efficient, cost-effective healthcare for the consumer. By approaching the healthcare ecosystem as a whole, MediXall creates, invests and incubates companies that embody its mission statement. MediXall's first acquisition was MediXaid, a developing cloud-based software platform that promises to revolutionize the way people purchase healthcare goods and services.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements are based on current plans and expectations of management and are subject to a number of uncertainties and risks that could significantly affect the Company's current plans and expectations, as well as future results of operations and financial condition. Specifically, the Company's ability to raise additional capital, execute its business plan and strategy, sustain or increase gross margins, achieve profitability and build shareholder value are forward looking statements. A more extensive listing of risks and factors that may affect the Company's business prospects and cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in the reports and other documents filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Contact

Steve Bryant

Vice President, Investor Relations

MediXall Group of FL

954.908.3481

sbryant@medixall.com




TORONTO, ON--(Marketwired - February 21, 2017) - ECN Capital Corp. (TSX: ECN) ("ECN Capital" or "the Company"), one of North America's leading commercial finance companies, today announced that it has entered into an agreement with PNC Financial Services Group (PNC) to sell the Company's US Commercial and Vendor (C&V) Finance business for cash proceeds of approximately US$ 1.253 billion. PNC will purchase ECN Capital's US C&V Finance business which includes approximately US$1.075 billion of total assets.

As part of the transaction, PNC has agreed to offer employment to all of ECN Capital's US C&V Finance employees and to retain the lease on the existing office in Horsham, Pennsylvania. The transaction is subject to customary approvals and is expected to close by early April 2017.

"Over the last five years, ECN Capital has built market-leading platforms in Canada and the United States in both rail finance and in commercial and vendor finance," said Steven Hudson, ECN Capital's Chief Executive Officer. "The process of selling our US C&V Finance operations, which was led by ECN Capital's Chief Operating Officer Jim Nikopoulos, began last year and has culminated in a transaction that will enable this business to continue producing quality growth and strong returns under the ownership of one of the leading banks in the U.S.," added Mr. Hudson.

"This all-cash transaction, which has the support of ECN Capital's lending syndicate, requires minimal third-party approvals and is expected to strengthen our balance sheet, reduce leverage, substantially increase our tangible book value, and maintain our investment grade ratings," said Jim Nikopoulos, ECN Capital's Chief Operating Officer.

"As stewards of capital, we have acted in the best interests of our stakeholders with respect to this transaction," commented Mr. Hudson.

Macquarie Capital acted as lead financial advisor on the transaction for ECN Capital, together with assistance from Morgan Stanley and BMO Capital Markets. Dechert LLP provided the Company with legal advice in connection with the transaction.

Analyst Briefing

ECN Capital will host an analyst conference call to discuss the transaction at 8:30 a.m. (Eastern Time) on Tuesday, February 21, 2017. Investors may access the conference call and presentation slides as outlined below:

North America toll-free 1-800-319-8560 passcode 18895

International dial-in numbers http://services.choruscall.ca/public/accessnumbers.html passcode 18895

Presentation slides http://www.ecncapitalcorp.com/investors/presentations

A replay of the conference call will be available until March 21, 2017 by dialing 1-855-669-9658 in North America or +1-604-674-8052 for international calls and entering the passcode 1203.

About ECN Capital Corp.

With total owned and managed assets of $7.5 billion, ECN Capital Corp. (TSX: ECN) is one of North America's leading commercial finance companies. ECN Capital operates across North America in three verticals of the equipment finance market (Commercial & Vendor Finance, Rail Finance, and Commercial Aviation Finance).

About PNC

The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. is one of the largest diversified financial services institutions in the United States, organized around its customers and communities for strong relationships and local delivery of retail and business banking; residential mortgage banking; specialized services for corporations and government entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance and asset-based lending; wealth management and asset management. For information about PNC, visit www.pnc.com.

Forward-looking Statements

This release includes forward-looking statements regarding ECN Capital and its business. Such statements are based on the current expectations and views of future events of ECN Capital's management. In some cases the forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as "may", "will", "expect", "plan", "anticipate", "intend", "potential", "estimate", "believe" or the negative of these terms, or other similar expressions intended to identify forward-looking statements, including the closing of the transaction, ECN Capital's intended use of the proceeds from the transaction, the ability of ECN Capital to redeploy capital in the speciality finance market and the strategic advantages, business plans and future opportunities of ECN Capital. The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release may not occur and could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting ECN Capital, including risks regarding the equipment finance industry, economic factors, and many other factors beyond the control of ECN Capital. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Forward-looking statements and information by their nature are based on assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statement or information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements or information. A discussion of the material risks and assumptions associated with this outlook can be found in ECN Capital's amended third quarter 2016 management discussion and analysis which has been filed on SEDAR and can be accessed at www.sedar.com. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements or information. Except as required by applicable securities laws, forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and ECN Capital does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Contact:

John Sadler

Senior Vice-President

(416) 646-5689

Jsadler@ecncapitalcorp.com
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO -- (Marketwired) -- 02/21/17 -- Gold Resource Corporation (NYSE MKT: GORO) (the "Company") today announced as of December 31, 2016, it increased proven and probable gold reserves by 31% and silver reserves by 17% at its Oaxaca Mining Unit, compared to December 31, 2015. Gold Resource Corporation is a gold and silver producer, developer and explorer with operations in Oaxaca, Mexico and Nevada, USA. The Company has returned $109 million to shareholders in monthly dividends since commercial production commenced July 1, 2010, and offers shareholders the option to convert their cash dividends into physical gold and silver and take delivery.

Proven and probable reserves at the Oaxaca Mining Unit totaled 1,891,500 tonnes grading 2.75 grams per tonne (g/t) gold and 165 g/t silver, equating to 167,300 gold ounces and 10,009,300 silver ounces. Proven and probable reserve tonnes included in the December 31, 2016 reserve report increased year-over-year by 15%, gold ounces increased by 31% and silver ounces increased by 17%. The reserve report also includes significant base metals from the Arista mine consisting of 5,543 tonnes (12.2 million pounds) of copper grading 0.3%, 24,020 tonnes (53.0 million pounds) of lead grading 1.3% and 66,517 tonnes (146.6 million pounds) of zinc grading 3.6%.

The Company maintained 1.64 million proven and probable tonnes at the Arista Mine's Arista vein system, and added 203,500 tonnes at the Arista Mine's Switchback vein system. Arista Mine proven and probable reserves now total 1.85 million tonnes, a nearly 13% increase over the prior year reserve report. The Company also reported for the first time proven and probable reserves from the Alta Gracia Project's recently commissioned Mirador Mine totaling 43,800 tonnes grading 1.06 g/t gold and 342 g/t silver, equating to 1,500 gold ounces and 481,400 silver ounces.

In addition to, and separate from the Oaxaca Mining Unit's proven and probable reserves, 2,087,700 tonnes of measured and indicated mineralized material was reported from four separate mineralized zones. The Arista vein system reported mineralized material of 773,900 tonnes grading 1.45 g/t gold, 153 g/t silver, 0.2% copper, 1.4% lead and 3.6% zinc. Reported Switchback vein system mineralized material increased significantly from the prior year and now stands at 959,000 tonnes grading 1.61 g/t gold, 97 g/t silver, 0.4% copper, 1.8% lead and 5.7% zinc. Reported mineralized material at the Alta Gracia Project nearly doubled from the prior year with 296,900 tonnes grading 0.36 g/t gold and 232 g/t silver. The Margaritas property reported initial mineralized material of 57,900 tonnes grading 0.72 g/t gold and 276 g/t silver.

"We are very pleased to release the 2016 Proven and Probable Reserve report, showing significant increases to reserve tonnes, gold ounces and silver ounces, along with substantial increases to our mineralized material at our Oaxaca Mining unit," stated Mr. Barry Devlin, Vice President of Exploration for Gold Resource Corporation. "Working from a modest exploration budget, our team did an excellent job targeting mineralized extensions at our Arista and Mirador mines, and successfully converted previous mineralized material into proven and probable reserves during the 2016 exploration year. Goals for the 2017 exploration year again include replacing tonnes mined at our Arista Mine's Arista and Switchback vein systems, as well as expanding the mineralization at the Mirador mine."

"This is the strongest reserve report our Company has recorded to date, significantly increasing the value of our Oaxaca Mining Unit," stated Mr. Jason Reid, President and CEO of Gold Resource Corporation. "Not only did we replace all the tonnes we mined during 2016, Proven and Probable Reserves increased on all fronts including a 14% increase to the gold grade, a 31% increase to our gold ounces and a 17% increase to our silver ounces. We are also encouraged by the large increase in mineralized material and look forward to categorizing a significant portion of this material into Proven and Probable reserves. Furthermore, with the recent dramatic high-grade step-out drill results from the Switchback vein system, we are optimistic Switchback will become as large as, or larger than, the Arista vein system providing further longevity of operations."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------- OAXACA MINING UNIT PROVEN AND PROBABLE RESERVES COMPARISON --------------------------------------------------------------------------- December 31, 2016 vs December 31, 2015 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tonnes Au Ag Au Ag ------------------------------------------------------------ g/t g/t oz oz --------------------------------------------------------------------------- December 31, 2016 Reserve --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1,891,500 2.75 165 167,300 10,009,300 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- December 31, 2015 Reserve --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1,644,500 2.41 162 127,700 8,569,700 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2016 Reserve Increase --------------------------------------------------------------------------- +15% +14% +2% +31% +17% --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- OAXACA MINING UNIT PROVEN AND PROBABLE RESERVES ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- As of December 31, 2016 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Description Tonnes Au Ag AuEq* Au Ag AuEq* Cu Pb Zn ----------------------------------------------------- g/t g/t g/t oz oz oz % % % ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ARISTA MINE ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Arista Veins ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Proven 1,333,800 2.79 172 5.22 119,700 7,365,900 223,700 0.3 1.3 3.6 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Probable 310,400 3.23 156 5.43 32,300 1,554,500 54,200 0.3 1.1 3.0 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total 1,644,200 2.88 169 5.26 152,000 8,920,400 277,900 0.3 1.3 3.5 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Switchback Veins ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Proven 161,500 2.16 95 3.51 11,300 494,600 18,200 0.5 1.8 4.1 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Probable 42,000 1.87 84 3.06 2,500 112,900 4,100 0.4 1.7 5.5 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total 203,500 2.10 93 3.42 13,800 607,500 22,300 0.5 1.7 4.4 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ARISTA MINE TOTAL 1,847,700 2.79 160 5.05 165,800 9,527,900 300,200 0.3 1.3 3.6 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MIRADOR MINE ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Proven 32,600 1.12 358 6.18 1,200 374,800 6,500 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Probable 11,200 0.86 295 5.03 300 106,600 1,800 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MIRADOR MINE TOTAL 43,800 1.06 342 5.88 1,500 481,400 8,300 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- OAXACA MINING UNIT ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TOTAL 1,891,500 2.75 165 5.07 167,300 10,009,300 308,500 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Notes to the above Proven and Probable ("P & P") reserves: 1. Metal prices used for P & P reserves were $1,225 per ounce of gold, $17.29 per ounce of silver, $2.60 per pound of copper, $0.87 per pound of lead and $0.94 per pound of zinc. These prices reflect the three-year trailing average prices for gold, silver, copper, lead and zinc. 2. Precious metal gold equivalent is 70.85:1 using gold and silver only to calculate gold equivalencies. 3. A breakeven Net Smelter Return (NSR) cutoff grade of $80 per tonne was used for estimations of P & P reserves. The term "cutoff grade" means the lowest NSR value considered economic to process. 4. Mining, processing, energy, administrative and smelting/refining costs were based on 2016 actual costs for the Oaxaca Mining Unit. 5. Metallurgical recovery assumptions used were 89% for gold, 92% for silver, 78% for copper, 74% for lead and 84% for zinc. These recoveries reflect 2016 actual average recoveries for the Oaxaca Mining Unit. 6. P & P reserves are diluted and factored for expected mining recovery. 7. Minimum mining width for P & P reserves is 1.5 meters. 8. Figures in tables are rounded to reflect estimate precision and small differences generated by rounding are not material to estimates. *AuEq = Precious Metal Gold Equivalent, only gold and silver used in calculation (no base metals). ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- OAXACA MINING UNIT MEASURED AND INDICATED MINERALIZED MATERIAL ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- As of December 31, 2016 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Description Tonnes Au Ag Cu Pb Zn ---------------------------------------- g/t g/t % % % ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ARISTA MINE ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Arista Veins ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Measured 285,700 2.11 173 0.2 1.4 3.9 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Indicated 488,200 1.06 141 0.2 1.4 3.4 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Arista Veins Total 773,900 1.45 153 0.2 1.4 3.6 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Switchback Veins ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Measured 492,100 1.85 100 0.5 1.8 5.7 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Indicated 466,900 1.36 93 0.4 1.9 5.8 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Switchback Veins Total 959,000 1.61 97 0.4 1.8 5.7 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ARISTA MINE TOTAL 1,732,900 1.54 122 0.3 1.7 4.8 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ALTA GRACIA PROJECT ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Measured 145,000 0.36 242 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Indicated 151,900 0.36 222 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ALTA GRACIA TOTAL 296,900 0.36 232 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MARGARITAS PROJECT ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Measured 19,800 0.70 280 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Indicated 38,100 0.73 274 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MARGARITAS TOTAL 57,900 0.72 276 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- OAXACA MINING UNIT M&I ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TOTAL 2,087,700 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Notes to the above Measured and Indicated ("M & I") mineralized material: 1. Metal prices used for M & I mineralized material were $1,225 per ounce of gold, $17.29 per ounce of silver, $2.60 per pound of copper, $0.87 per pound of lead and $0.94 per pound of zinc. These prices reflect the three-year trailing average prices for gold, silver, copper, lead and zinc. 2. A breakeven Net Smelter Return (NSR) cutoff grade of $80 per tonne was used for estimations of M & I mineralized material. The term "cutoff grade" means the lowest NSR value considered economic to process. 3. Metallurgical recovery assumptions used were 89% for gold, 92% for silver, 78% for copper, 74% for lead and 84% for zinc. These recoveries reflect 2016 actual average recoveries for the Oaxaca Mining Unit. 4. M & I mineralized material is diluted and factored for expected mining recovery. 5. Minimum mining width for M & I mineralized material is 1.5 meters. 6. Figures in tables are rounded to reflect estimate precision and small differences generated by rounding are not material to estimates. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The full reserve report will be available in the near future from the Company's website using the following link: http://goldresourcecorp.com/reserve-reports.php

About GRC:

Gold Resource Corporation is a mining company focused on production and pursuing development of gold and silver projects that feature low operating costs and produce high returns on capital. Gold Resource Corporation is a gold and silver producer, developer and explorer with operations in Oaxaca, Mexico and Nevada, USA. The Company has 56,839,823 shares outstanding, zero warrants, zero debt and has returned over $109 million back to shareholders since commercial production commenced July 1, 2010. Gold Resource Corporation offers shareholders the option to convert their cash dividends into physical gold and silver and take delivery. For more information, please visit GRC's website, located at www.Goldresourcecorp.com and read the Company's 10-K for an understanding of the risk factors involved.

Cautionary Statements:

This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. The statements contained in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. When used in this press release, the words "plan", "target", "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "intend" and "expect" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the statements regarding Gold Resource Corporation's strategy, future plans for production, future expenses and costs, future liquidity and capital resources, and estimates of mineralized material. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon information available to Gold Resource Corporation on the date of this press release, and the company assumes no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties, and there can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those discussed in this press release. In particular, there can be no assurance that production will continue at any specific rate. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, those discussed in the Company's 10-K filed with the SEC.

Contacts:

Corporate Development

Greg Patterson

303-320-7708

www.Goldresourcecorp.com




BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MI -- (Marketwired) -- 02/21/17 -- ProGreen US, Inc. (ProGreen), (OTCQB: PGUS), www.ProGreenUS.com, @ProGreenUS, a U.S. company engaged primarily with investments in agricultural and real estate projects in Baja California, Mexico, both through its joint venture partnership with Inmobiliaria Contel S.R.L.C.V. (Contel) and through its majority-owned Mexican subsidiary Procon Baja JV (Procon). Today, the company is pleased to announce that it has been invited to the first ever conference call hosted by Investors Hangout LLC (Hangout). The call will be held on Thursday, February 23 at 4:15 PM (EST), and will be facilitated by David Minnick and Joseph Mahan of Hangout. ProGreen's President and CEO, Jan Telander, will present a summary of the company and its present activities in Baja, before taking questions.

The conference call will be moderated in the AMA (ask me anything) format. The public is invited to listen in, at http://investorshangout.com/live. Sign-in is not required; however, to post a question to the CEO, registration will be necessary, but is free and done on the same page.

"Investors Hangout is one of the most active stock forums in the World. So when it comes to transparency, having a CEO do an 'Ask Me Anything' truly says a lot about a company's willingness to communicate with the public," says Joe Mahan.

"We are pleased that Investors Hangout has chosen ProGreen to host their first Live Stream Online Conference Call. This gives us a great opportunity to explain to the public, how the company has now turned the corner with our first major produce contract for the agriculture operations, as well as with our acquisition of the oceanfront land and taking the first steps in creating a strategic team to manage our development, Cielo Mar," says Jan Telander, CEO & President.

Website: www.ProGreenUS.com

Follow us on social media:

https://twitter.com/ProGreenUS

https://progreenus.wordpress.com/

About Investors Hangout

Investors Hangout is now beginning to hold LIVE AMA Conference Calls with CEO's of publicly traded companies. They are doing this to allow investors or potential investors an opportunity to ask questions regarding the company on their unique Live Streaming platform, hosted by founders, David Minnick and Joe Mahan. Investors Hangout receives no financial or other compensation, and they are not paid to promote or talk about any company during their Live Streams.

About ProGreen US, Inc.

PROGREEN US, INC., www.ProGreenUS.com, based in Bloomfield, Michigan, is engaged primarily with investments in agricultural and real estate projects in Baja California, Mexico, both through its joint venture partnership with Inmobiliaria Contel S.R.L.C.V. (Contel) as well as through its majority-owned subsidiary Procon Baja JV (Procon). Contel is now active in the high margin produce industry, growing crops for exporters to the U.S. market, with an abundance of land available for expansion under our JV partnership. Procon has recently acquired 5,100 acres of land with 4.7 miles of oceanfront on the Bay of El Rosario, for which a master plan is being drawn for the development of a very large, totally green, international vacation and retirement community called "Cielo Mar".

Independent Stock Message Forum:

http://investorshangout.com/ProGreen-US-PGUS-65470/

This press release might contain information, which may constitute 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. 'Forward-looking statements' are based upon expectations, estimates and projections at the time the statements are made that involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated.

Contact:

Jan Telander

President and CEO

jan@progreenus.com




TORONTO, ON -- (Marketwired) -- 02/21/17 -- Easton Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (OTC PINK: EAPH) and partner, BMV Medica SA, announce successful product launch of "Gynofit" and further announce final stage agreement with multi-national Gedeon Richter for the distribution of Easton / BMV's AL-Sense (AmnioSense) product.

Easton and BMV representatives attended a product sales conference launch, held last week by partner Gedeon Richter and their Mexican / Latin American subsidiary, Gedeon Richter Mexico S.A.P.I. de C.V., at the Hilton Puerto Vallarta. This product sales launch was for the recently signed distribution agreement of Easton / BMV's Gynofit product for Mexico, which Gedeon is commencing. The product sales launch conference was attended by approximately 65 fulltime sales reps as Gedeon Richter allocated considerable resources towards a very detailed and professional sales presentation, which included product packaging, videos, literature and educational material describing BV (Bacterial Vaginosis) and how "Gynofit" can not only treat the condition, but prevent and provide a healthy Vaginal Flora. BV (Bacterial Vaginosis) is projected to affect almost all woman at least once in their lifetime, with many being treated for BV (Bacterial Vaginosis) several times as more awareness and education is gathered on the condition. An estimated 65 full time sales reps are being deployed to sell "Gynofit" throughout Mexico with other Latin American countries expected to soon be introduced. Easton / BMV has now delivered the first PO shipment of "Gynofit" to Gedeon for their product launch.

In the week prior to the "Gynofit" sales launch conference, Easton / BMV met with representatives of multi-national pharmaceutical company, Gedeon Richter, Mexico President in New York City, as part of negotiations to sign an additional exclusive distribution agreement, whereby Gedeon Richter, Mexico, would distribute Easton / BMV's AL-Sense (AmnioSense) product which Easton / BMV hold licensing rights for in Mexico and many other parts of central and South America. These negotiations continued in Puerto Vallarta this past week with an agreement expected to be finalized in the coming days. Gedeon Richter Plc and their Mexican / Latin American subsidiary Gedeon Richter Mexico S.A.P.I. de C.V. have provided a proposal to Easton / BMV for distribution of AmnioSense for Mexico. Pricing, packaging, logistics and an estimated launch date of AL-Sense were discussed and agreed to, which would result in an expected launch of AL-Sense for June / July of this year with an anticipated PO to be provided to Easton / BMV in March or April following the signing of the distribution agreement.

AL-Sense (AmnioSense) is an Amniotic Fluid Diagnostic Leak Test which is a patented women's diagnostic product that is currently being sold in the United Kingdom, and has European Approval. It serves a huge market, and the birth rate in Latin America is three times the birth rate in North America and most of Europe. The target market for Easton / BMV has a population exceeding 200 million people. Sales in Latin America for pharmaceutical and diagnostic products are expected to grow at a rate five times that of North America and Europe as a result of a much higher birthrate in the region as well as other factors.

For More Detailed Information on Gedeon Richter Plc Visit:

http://www.richter.hu/en-US/Pages/default.aspx

About Easton Pharmaceuticals

Easton Pharmaceuticals is a diversified specialty pharmaceutical company involved in various pharmaceutical sectors and other growing industries. The Company previously developed and owned an FDA-approved wound-healing drug and currently owns topically delivered drugs to treat cancer and other therapeutic products to treat various conditions that are all in various stages of development and approval. Easton together with BMV Medica SA de C.V., own the exclusive distribution rights in Mexico and Latin America for patented women's diagnostic and preventative care products from CommonSense Of Israel, along with two generic cancer drugs, Paclitaxel and Docetaxel from BioLyse Pharma of St. Catherine's Ontario, Canada. Easton is also involved in the lucrative Medical Marijuana industry, as well as attempting to acquire several other highly profitable revenue generating complimentary businesses.

For More Information On Easton and Affiliated Company's Visit:

http://www.eastonpharmaceuticalsinc.com

http://www.bmvmedica.net

http://ecigmarkets.com

http://finance.yahoo.com/q's=eaph

https://twitter.com/eastonpharma

Safe Harbor

This news release may contain forward-looking statements or expressions within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (The "Act"). In particular, when certain words or phrases such as "hope", "positive", "anticipate," "pleased," "plan," "confident that," "believe," "expect," "possible" or "intent to" and similar conditional expressions are expressed, they are intended to identify forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Act and are subject to the safe harbor created by the Act. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and actual results could differ materially from those expressed in any of the forward-looking statements. Any investment made into Easton Pharmaceuticals would be classified as speculative and may contain risks. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, market conditions, general acceptance of the company's products and technologies, competitive factors, the ability to successfully complete additional or adequate financing, government approvals or changes to proposed laws and other risks and uncertainties further stated in the company's financial reports and filings.

Contact:



Evan Karras

Tel: +1(416) 619-0291

Tel: +1(347) 284-0192

Email: info@eastonpharmaceuticalsinc.com




CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 02/21/17 -- Veresen Inc. ("Veresen") (TSX: VSN) is pleased to announce it has entered into a suite of separate agreements to sell its power generation business for $1.18 billion.

"The sale of our power business is an important milestone in the delivery of our long-term business strategy, and we are very pleased with the outcome," commented Don Althoff, President and CEO of Veresen. "The $1.4 billion of contracted capital projects in our core natural gas and NGL infrastructure business is now fully funded with no need to access the capital markets, ensuring that top line growth translates into per share metrics. Additionally, the divestiture strengthens our balance sheet, further underpinning our dividend and providing greater flexibility to fund the incremental growth projects we expect to secure over the next 12 to 18 months."

Veresen has maximized the value of its power business by selling the assets in three separate packages. The following table includes certain key metrics and aggregate implied transaction multiples for Veresen's power generation business:

Transaction Value $1.18 billion Estimated Project Level Financing (December 31, 2016) $402 million Estimated Full Year 2016 EBITDA $92 million Implied EBITDA Multiple 12.8 x

Each of the agreements is subject to closing adjustments and conditions customary in transactions of this nature. Closing is expected to occur during the second quarter of 2017 subject to the receipt of all necessary approvals. Veresen anticipates the minimal amount of cash taxes arising from the sale of the power business will be recovered in the following year. The company expects to update its 2017 guidance for the divestiture of the power business upon the closing of the sale process. TD Securities Inc. acted as the company's sole financial advisor on this divestiture.

About Veresen Inc.

Veresen is a publicly-traded dividend paying corporation based in Calgary, Alberta that owns and operates energy infrastructure assets across North America. Veresen is engaged in three principal businesses: a pipeline transportation business comprised of interests in the Alliance Pipeline, the Ruby Pipeline and the Alberta Ethane Gathering System; a midstream business which includes a partnership interest in Veresen Midstream Limited Partnership, which owns assets in western Canada, and an ownership interest in Aux Sable, which owns a world-class natural gas liquids (NGL) extraction facility near Chicago, and other natural gas and NGL processing energy infrastructure; and a power business comprised of a portfolio of assets in Canada. Veresen is also developing Jordan Cove LNG, a six million tonne per annum natural gas liquefaction facility proposed to be constructed in Coos Bay, Oregon, and the associated Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline. In the normal course of business, Veresen regularly evaluates and pursues acquisition and development opportunities.

Veresen's Common Shares, Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares, Series A, Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares, Series C, and Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares, Series E trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbols "VSN", "VSN.PR.A", "VSN.PR.C" and "VSN.PR.E", respectively. For further information, please visit www.vereseninc.com.

Forward-looking Information

Certain information contained herein relating to, but not limited to, Veresen and its businesses and the offering of the notes, constitutes forward-looking information under applicable securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, which address activities, events or developments that Veresen expects or anticipates may or will occur in the future, are forward-looking information. Forward-looking information typically contains statements with words such as "may", "estimate", "anticipate", "believe", "expect", "plan", "intend", "target", "project", "forecast" or similar words suggesting future outcomes or outlook. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to: the ability of Veresen to fund its existing and any incremental capital projects; the ability of Veresen to add incremental growth projects; the impact of the transactions on Veresen's financial results and ability to fund its dividends; the amount of EBITDA generated by Veresen's power business in 2016; the amount of project financing on Veresen's power business at December 31, 2016; the timing of closing of the announced transactions; the tax impacts arising from the sale of the power business and the timing of the release of updated 2017 guidance. Readers are also cautioned that such additional information is not exhaustive. The impact of any one risk, uncertainty or factor on a particular forward-looking statement is not determinable with certainty as these factors are independent and management's future course of action would depend on its assessment of all information at that time. Although Veresen believes that the expectations conveyed by the forward-looking information are reasonable based on information available on the date of preparation, no assurances can be given as to future results, levels of activity and achievements. Undue reliance should not be placed on the information contained herein, as actual results achieved will vary from the information provided herein and the variations may be material. Veresen makes no representation that actual results achieved will be the same in whole or in part as those set out in the forward-looking information. Furthermore, the forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date hereof, and Veresen does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable laws. Any forward-looking information contained herein is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

Contacts:

Mark Chyc-Cies

Director, Corporate Planning & Investor Relations

(403) 213-3633

investor-relations@vereseninc.com




VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 02/21/17 -- Scorpio Gold Corporation ("Scorpio Gold" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: SGN)(FRANKFURT: Z3S) is pleased to announce the signing of a letter of intent (the "LOI") with Lode-Star Mining Inc. ("Lode-Star") for a custom milling agreement (the "Agreement") to provide custom milling of mineralized material at the Company's Goldwedge processing facility, located 75 miles north of Goldfield in Manhattan, Nevada.

The Goldwedge mill is a 400 ton per day facility with an associated gravity recovery circuit. Testing of Lode-Star's mineralized material is expected to commence in Q1 2017 and is pending receipt of approval from the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection ("NDEP"). This testing will provide the baselines for metallurgical recoveries and mill throughput data to support Lode Star's mine permitting with the NDEP. The coarse gold component of Lode-Star's material will be recovered by the gravity circuit. Further testing will be conducted on the tailings to determine the potential economics of shipping tailings to Scorpio Gold's 70% owned Mineral Ridge heap leach operation for final recovery of cyanide-leachable precious metals. Assaying services can be provided to Lode Star at Mineral Ridge.

The companies are moving forward with permitting requirements associated with the Agreement. The Agreement requires completion of a cost analysis and other operational details which are expected to be concluded upon completion of the testing. The parties believe this arrangement can be mutually economical and operationally beneficial for their respective operations.

Lode-Star President, Mark Walmesley, comments, "Lode-Star has been working steadily with Scorpio Gold on this milling solution for well over a year. The results of our metallurgy work through Kappes Cassiday indicate positive compatibility with Scorpio Gold's existing processes. Utilization of the Mineral Ridge assaying lab is a key benefit that speeds up our overall production and milling timeline. We look forward to working with the Scorpio Gold team and believe this is a great pairing between our operations."

Chris Zerga, President of Scorpio Gold Corporation, comments, "We hope to develop a long-term relationship with the Lode-Star team and we continue to look for other synergistic opportunities within our surrounding area."

About Lode-Star Mining Inc.

Lode-Star Mining Inc. (OTCQB: LSMG) is a U.S. based junior-tier mining company focused on the exploration, development, and production of North American mineral assets.

Lode-Star is the operator of the Goldfield Bonanza property, acquired under an option for development on December 11, 2014 from Lode-Star Gold, Inc., a private Nevada corporation. The property is located in the historic gold producing district of Goldfield, NV, which at one time was Nevada's largest gold producing district. Historic production totaled better than 4 million ounces of gold.

About Scorpio Gold

Scorpio Gold holds a 70% interest in the producing Mineral Ridge gold mining operation located in Esmeralda County, Nevada with joint venture partner Elevon, LLC (30%). Mineral Ridge is a conventional open pit mining and heap leach operation. The Mineral Ridge property is host to multiple gold-bearing structures, veins and lenses at exploration, development and production stages. Scorpio Gold also holds a 100% interest in the advanced exploration-stage Goldwedge property in Manhattan, Nevada with a fully permitted underground mine and 400 ton per day mill facility. The Goldwedge mill facility has been placed on a care and maintenance basis and can be restarted upon short notice.

Scorpio Gold's Chairman, Peter J. Hawley, PGeo, is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the content of this news release.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

SCORPIO GOLD CORPORATION

Chris Zerga, President

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

The Company relies on litigation protection for "forward-looking" statements. This news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on the Company's current expectations and estimates. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "suggest", "indicate" and other similar words or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from estimated or anticipated events or results implied or expressed in such forward-looking statements, including receiving required permits to undertake the testing of Lode Star's mineralized material; the results from the testing of Lode Star mineralized material may prove to be not economically viable, potential toll milling contracts and shipping tailings to the Mineral Ridge heap leach operation and those risk factors outlined in the Company's Management Discussion and Analysis as filed on SEDAR. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty thereof.

Contacts:

Scorpio Gold Corporation

Chris Zerga

President

(819) 825-7618

czerga@scorpiogold.com

www.scorpiogold.com



JNS Capital Corp.

Jag Sandhu

Investor Relations

778-218-9638

jagjns@outlook.com




FusionLayer Inc. has today announced the new 2.4 series of Infinity, the world's first and only software-defined IP Address Management (IPAM) solution designed for unified management of physical and tenant networks. A highlight in this release is the native support for VMware NSX, allowing the Infinity solution to automatically retrieve and display all tenant network data across multiple VMware software-defined data centers. The new functionality is a must-have feature for Communication Service Providers (CSP) ramping up Network Function Virtualization (NFV) architectures.

In October 2016, the Open Source MANO (OSM) community introduced Release ONE designed to streamline NFV orchestration and management in telco cloud environments that span across multiple data centers. Other key innovations in Release ONE of the framework included support for adding networks to Virtual Infrastructure Managers (VIMs) and support for VMware's NFVi and VIMs.

"Some of our customers in the CSP vertical have already implemented Release ONE in their telco cloud environments for NFV," said Juha Holkkola, Chief Executive of FusionLayer. "While many telco clouds in the early days were geared towards open source technologies like OpenStack and OpenVIM, we are now seeing increasing traction for VMware as the NFV infrastructure vendor of choice."

Production NFV architectures planned by large CSPs typically involve multiple cloud data centers with local NFV Infrastructures (NFVI) and VIMs. Although Open Source MANO now allows tenant networks to be deployed in the VIMs via graphical user-interface or by service orchestrators, neither OSM nor the supported VIMs contain any functionality for managing network assignments or centralized visibility into the networks as a whole. This introduces both operational and security issues, because there is no authoritative network management system that could enforce the appropriate security policies.

Juha Holkkola continued: "FusionLayer Infinity provides the authoritative management system for all network-related data. By gathering the entire network information into a unified system, service providers are able to introduce access control and audit trails for security compliance; provision free networks to integrated VIMs either manually or automatically via Service Orchestrators; and to gain real-time visibility into all networks both physical and virtual across the entire NFV architecture.

"Network Function Virtualization adoption and rollout is expanding rapidly across communications service providers around the globe, introducing the need to support more sophisticated scenarios in distributed virtual architectures," said Gabriele Di Piazza, Vice President, Products and Solutions, Telco NFV Group, VMware. "We are glad to see FusionLayer deepening interoperability with the VMware stack, in order to help customers in the telecom and NFV industries."

FusionLayer will be at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain during February 27 2017 March 2 2017 to showcase its latest innovation. To reserve a meeting with FusionLayer team, please send a contact request to FusionLayer's Cloud and Data Center team at cloud@fusionalyer.com.

About FusionLayer

FusionLayer specializes in Software-Defined IP Address Management (SD-IPAM) solutions designed to simplify your networked world. Based on patented technologies that provide x25 performance advantage over competing solutions, FusionLayer furnishes CSPs with unified network visibility and API-based provisioning capability for all network-related resources. Through industry partnerships, 9 out of the world's 10 largest service providers leverage FusionLayer. To learn more, visit www.fusionlayer.com/.

VMware and VMware NSX are registered trademarks or trademarks of VMware, Inc. in the United States and other jurisdictions. All other marks and names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective companies.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170221005230/en/

Contacts:

FusionLayer

Jeremy Stacy

Marketing Executive

info@fusionlayer.com

+358 75 325 2992
Unique new capability provides consistent view of device traffic across web, apps and mobile operator environments

Afilias Technologies, makers of market-leading device intelligence platform DeviceAtlas, today announced that DeviceAtlas is extending its scope to include the native apps environment. This makes DeviceAtlas the only platform that can provide holistic views of device usage across web, apps and mobile network layers. The capability will dramatically improve the ability of app publishers and advertising platforms to more effectively monetize native apps.

DeviceAtlas' relentless focus on up-to-minute device intelligence has established it as the de facto standard in the advertising and analytics industries. DeviceAtlas' patented technology provides a common device identifier that enables full understanding of device traffic across all connected environments. The move to include native apps coverage means that customers can now get a unified view of device data across all channels and media. For the first time, business intelligence users can directly compare results by device across environments, enabling them to provide richer reporting to their internal customers. Device monetization performance can now be understood more completely, making the characteristics affecting performance more easily identified.

According to Martin Clancy, Head of Marketing for DeviceAtlas, "It is critical for our clients to understand customer engagement at the device level in every environment to ensure that all their systems (marketing, operations, customer support, and content) are addressing customers optimally. Adding app level visibility enables only DeviceAtlas to offer detailed data on devices in all connected environments, giving companies an advantage that helps them outperform their competitors."

DeviceAtlas will be at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona from Feb 27-Mar 2 at Apps Planet, stand D11, HALL 8.1. We will also be exhibiting for media at Showstoppers on February 26. http://www.showstoppers.com/mwc2017-2/

About Afilias Technologies

Afilias Technologies Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Afilias plc, is an expert provider of mobile and web technologies that help companies to reach their customers, regardless of device, content, or context. Products include the DeviceAtlas device intelligence solution, the goMobi website publishing solution and Developer tools such as mobiReady.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170221005034/en/

Contacts:

Afilias

Alan Wallace, +1 215-706-5716

press@afilias.info
AXIS Capital Holdings Limited ("AXIS Capital") (NYSE:AXS) today announced that Julian Brown has joined AXIS Insurance as Vice President and Underwriter, responsible for leading growth initiatives and product development for the Company's London market Managing General Agency (MGA) unit. Mr. Brown will work alongside Paul Cullum, Senior Vice President, London MGA, and his team of underwriters, who currently operate in the property and liability market in London.

"Julian's appointment immediately helps AXIS Insurance to further enhance the service offerings we provide to our brokers and coverholders," said Mr. Cullum. "Given our team's momentum in building our London MGA portfolio, and our recent expansion into liability, this is a natural progression that will help AXIS maintain and grow a profitable and diversified book of business."

"AXIS Insurance has expanded and enhanced its London MGA and coverholder business in recent years, focused principally on property and liability classes," said Dax Gulmohamed, Executive Vice President and Head of International Professional Lines and London MGA at AXIS. "Julian brings with him a wealth of experience and knowledge in professional lines, and will provide AXIS the opportunity to offer new products and solutions in the market. Working with our existing highly experienced team, Julian's appointment will allow us to further accelerate the growth of a high-quality portfolio of business."

Mr. Brown has more than 20 years' experience in the insurance industry. He joins AXIS Insurance from specialist insurer Beazley, where he was International Focus Group Leader, with responsibility for teams in London, France and Singapore. Prior to that, Mr. Brown worked for broker SBJ International, where he specialized in international professional lines business.

About AXIS Capital

AXIS Capital is a Bermuda-based global provider of specialty lines insurance and treaty reinsurance with shareholders' equity at December 31, 2016 of $6.3 billion and locations in Bermuda, the United States, Europe, Singapore, Middle East, Canada and Latin America. Its operating subsidiaries have been assigned a rating of "A+" ("Strong") by Standard & Poor's and "A+" ("Superior") by A.M. Best. For more information about AXIS Capital, visit our website at www.axiscapital.com. Please be sure to follow AXIS Capital on LinkedIn.

About AXIS Insurance

AXIS Insurance a business segment of AXIS Capital Holdings Limited (NYSE:AXS) -provides Property Casualty, Professional Lines, Terrorism, Marine, Energy, Aviation, Credit Political Risk, Environmental, Accident Health coverages and other customized insurance solutions. Our products are offered through our distribution partners, which include wholesale brokers, retail brokers and designated managing general agents/underwriters ("MGAs"/"MGUs") in the U.S. and abroad. Coverages are backed by the financial strength and security of the AXIS Insurance Companies, rated "A+" (Strong) by Standard Poor's and "A+" (Superior) XV by A.M. Best. For more information, visit our website at http://www.axiscapital.com/en-us/insurance.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170221005886/en/

Contacts:

Investors

AXIS Capital Holdings Limited

Linda Ventresca, 441-405-2727

info@axiscapital.com

or

Media

AXIS Capital Holdings Limited

Joe Cohen, 212-715-3524

joseph.cohen@axiscapital.com
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - US President Donald Trump has appointed Lieutenant General Herbert Raymond McMaster as the new National Security Advisor a week after the controversial resignation of Lt. General Michael Flynn from the post. Gen. Flynn quit last Monday amid reports that he misled Vice President Mike Pence about a phone call with the Russian ambassador to US Sergey Kislyak. The conversations reportedly involved sanctions imposed on Russia by the Obama administration, although Flynn has denied that sanctions were discussed. Trump announced the name of his new NSA pick at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach Monday in the presence of McMaster and Acting National Security Advisor Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg. Gen Kellog will now serve as the National Security Council chief of staff. A veteran of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, McMaster is known as a respected military strategist. Selecting him as one of 100 most influential people in the world in 2014, Time magazine said McMaster might be the 21st century Army's pre-eminent warrior-thinker. In his 1997 book, Dereliction of Duty, McMaster had boldly blasted the Joint Chiefs for their poor leadership during Vietnam. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
DENVER, CO -- (Marketwired) -- 02/21/17 -- American Cannabis Company, Inc. (OTCQB: AMMJ) (the "Company"), a full-service business-to-business consulting solutions provider, and seller of ancillary products to the cannabis industry, today announced it has secured its second client in the state of Florida. This new client expects to open a cultivation operation and multiple dispensary locations in effort to create a cannabis business chain. Furthermore, the Company will be working with this new client to deploy and remotely oversee retail dispensing, cultivation and infused product manufacturing operations. With the addition of this new client, the Company has now secured its second consulting contract featuring the Company's acquisition of an equity stake in the Client's current and future business operations.

Additionally, the Company will provide end-to-end solutions for this new client, including operational planning activities, conceptual design work, deployment of operations, and ongoing remote management. The Company expects to leverage this contract to secure additional revenues through long-term consulting agreements and potential sales of ancillary products.

Terry Buffalo, CEO of American Cannabis Company, commented: "We are excited to be working with this particular Florida client, as well as having negotiated to acquire an equity position in their business. We are happy to now have completed two client agreements containing an equity component in favor of the Company. We are continuing to see the tide change in the direction of this type of equity stake model, and we are actively exploring the development of hybrid relationships like these, that generate both consulting revenues and the opportunity for recurring profits from our equity interest. We feel that this new strategy will provide a beneficial long-term value to both our clients and our shareholders."

About American Cannabis Company, Inc.

American Cannabis Company, Inc. offers end-to-end solutions to existing and aspiring participants in the cannabis industry. We utilize our industry expertise to provide business planning and market assessment services, assist state licensing procurement, create business infrastructure and operational best practices. American Cannabis Company also developed and owns a portfolio of branded products including: The Satchel, SoHum Living Soils, The Cultivation Cube and The High Density Cultivation System. We also design and provide other industry specific custom product solutions. The building and development of our brands and product suite is based on our Geoponics Philosophy, "the art and science of agriculture in soil."

For more information, please visit:

www.americancannabisconsulting.com

www.americancannabiscompanyinc.com

www.sohumsoils.com

www.dabwerks.com

Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" which are not purely historical and may include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such forward-looking statements include, among other things, the development, costs and results of new business opportunities and words such as "anticipate", "seek", intend", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "project", "plan", or similar phrases may be deemed "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others, the inherent uncertainties associated with new projects, the future U.S. and global economies, the impact of competition, and the Company's reliance on existing regulations regarding the use and development of cannabis-based drugs. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and we assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Although we believe that any beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that any such beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions will prove to be accurate. Investors should consult all of the information set forth herein and should also refer to the risk factors disclosure outlined in our annual report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year, our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and other periodic reports filed from time-to-time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. For more information, please visit www.sec.gov.

Contact:

Steven Lico

Marketing Manager

IR@americancannabisconsulting.com

303-974-4770




TAASTRUP, Denmark, February 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Norican Global A/S ("Norican") the world's leading metallic parts enhancement company (by virtue of its ownership of both DISA and Wheelabrator Group) is pleased to announce that the company has entered into a binding agreement with Auctus Fund III GmbH & Co. KG, and its fellow investors (collectively referred to as "Auctus") to purchase 100% of their shares in Light Metal Casting Solutions Group ("LMCS").

(Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/470142/Norican_Group_Logo.jpg )



"Two years ago we formed a strategic partnership with Altor, a leading Scandinavian private equity firm, to explore ways in which to better serve our customers," says Robert E. Joyce Jr., President and CEO. "Today we are very proud to announce the first public step in this journey. Through the acquisition of LMCS, and their world class product portfolio of aluminium parts formation products represented by StrikoWestofen, ItalPresse and Gauss, we are dramatically broadening the value we can deliver to our global customers. We welcome the professional and seasoned LMCS executives to the Norican team, and look forward to working with them in bringing our combined value to the market."

"Our original investment in Norican was largely driven by the quality of the team and the leading technology offering of Norican. Similarly, the superior technology of LMCS and the quality of the whole LMCS team makes them an ideal fit for Norican. We look forward to supporting the combined entity on its future journey," commented Soeren Johansen, Partner at Altor Equity Partners.

Mr. Joyce concluded: "Our message to our customers remains the same: We continue to invest in your ongoing success by bringing to you the world's best, most innovative technical solutions. The addition of StrikoWestofen, ItalPresse and Gauss to the existing portfolio of DISA and Wheelabrator further improves our capability to serve you with whatever parts formation challenges you may have, wherever you may have them."

About Norican Group: http://www.noricangroup.com

Norican Group is the world's leading provider of parts formation (horizontal, matchplate & vertical moulding) and surface preparation technologies (airblast, wheelblast and mass finishing). Its core branded technology platforms are DISA and Wheelabrator.

About LMCS Group

The Light Metal Casting Solutions Group (LMCS) is a group of leading capital equipment manufacturers and service providers for the light metal casting industry, processing Aluminum, Magnesium and Zinc alloys. Its core branded global technology platforms are StrikoWestofen, ItalPresse, and Gauss.

About Altor

Since inception, the family of Altor funds have raised some EUR 5.8 billion in total commitments. The funds have invested in excess of EUR 3.1 billion in more than 40 companies. The investments have been made in medium sized Nordic companies with the aim to create value through growth initiatives and operational improvements.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 02/21/17 -- Pacific Ridge Exploration Ltd. (TSX VENTURE: PEX) ("Pacific Ridge" or the "Company") announces that it has reached an agreement to acquire an option to earn a 100% interest in the OGI Zinc prospect, located just off the Dempster Highway, 50 km east of Dawson City, Yukon. The property contains a strong Zn-Ag soil geochemical anomaly, underlain by Road River Formation sedimentary rocks. Terms of the agreement involve making payments totaling $225,000, issuing 1,000,000 shares and completing $2.5 million in exploration over 5 years, with an initial payment of $10,000 and issuance of 100,000 shares. The Company must also issue 500,000 shares upon commencement of commercial production. The vendors retain a 2% NSR, half of which can be purchased for $2 million. The agreement is subject to regulatory approval.

About the OGI Zinc Property

The target at OGI is SEDEX style, stratabound Zn-Pb-Ag mineralization, similar to Howards Pass and many other zinc-rich base and precious metal occurrences within Yukon's Selwyn Basin. The soil anomaly, with values ranging from 500 to 5,780 parts per million Zn, is 1,000 m long and over 250 m wide and open in two directions. Other elements enriched in the soil anomaly include Ag, Pb, Ba, Mo, Ni, V, As and P. The bedrock source of the anomaly is unexplained, as there is no outcrop in the immediate area. A single piece of oxidized float assayed 3% Zn.

The Company plans a program of prospecting, expansion of the soil geochemical grid and trenching, to be carried out early in the 2017 field season.

About Pacific Ridge

Pacific Ridge is a mineral exploration company with a successful history of over 30 years. The Company is fully funded for its planned 2017 exploration programs.

The Company's Fyre Lake Cu-Au-Co massive sulphide deposit is under option to BMC Minerals (No. 1) Ltd. ("BMC"). BMC has been granted two options effective as of the Closing (January 16, 2017); the first, a one year option whereby, in order to maintain and exercise the option, in addition to the $375,000 in payments already made, it must pay the Company $2,200,000 one year after Closing, or the second, a two year option whereby, in order to maintain and exercise the option, it must pay the Company $300,000 one year after Closing and $2,420,000 two years after Closing. In addition, BMC has agreed to make a bonus payment of $1,000,000 if and when BMC's Kudz Ze Kayah property has reached commercial production for one year.

The Company's TL Zinc project is a 6,420 hectare, road accessible zinc-lead-silver property located 80 km northeast of Vernon, British Columbia, ideally situated with nearby highways, electrical power grid and rail. The target at TL is a large Broken Hill type or SEDEX (Sedimentary Exhalative) Zn-Pb-Ag massive sulfide deposit. Drilling is planned for May-June 2017.

The Company's Poker Brown gold-silver project is located 190 km from Reno, Nevada. The target is a large, bulk tonnage, heap leachable gold deposit. Numerous gold mines and advanced projects are located within an 80 km radius of the property. Drilling is planned for March 2017.

The Company holds a well-located project portfolio in Yukon's White Gold District, including Mariposa, Eureka Dome and Gold Cap, in the same geological environment as Goldcorp's Coffee Gold Project (acquired from Kaminak Gold in 2016) and Kinross Gold's White Gold deposit.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Gerald G. Carlson, President & CEO

Pacific Ridge Exploration Ltd.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

The technical information contained within this News Release has been reviewed and approved by Gerald G. Carlson, Ph.D., P.Eng., President and CEO of Pacific Ridge and Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 policy.

Forward-Looking Information: This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address exploration drilling and other activities and events or developments that Pacific Ridge Exploration Ltd. ("Pacific Ridge") expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements regarding the exercise of options and future exploration plans and expenditures. Although Pacific Ridge believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward looking statements include market prices, exploration successes, and continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. These statements are based on a number of assumptions including, among other things, assumptions regarding general business and economic conditions, that one of the options will be exercised, the ability of Pacific Ridge and other parties to satisfy stock exchange and other regulatory requirements in a timely manner, the availability of financing for Pacific Ridge's proposed programs on reasonable terms, and the ability of third party service providers to deliver services in a timely manner. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Pacific Ridge does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

Contacts:

Pacific Ridge Exploration Ltd.

Gerald G. Carlson

President & CEO

(604) 687-4951

www.pacificridgeexploration.com




Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc / Index: AIM / Epic: EOG / Sector: Oil & Gas

21 February 2017

Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc ('Europa' or 'the Company')

Extension of Agreement to Sell Interest in Wressle Oil Discovery

Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc, the UK and Ireland focussed exploration, development and production company, is pleased to announce an extension to the Sale and Purchase Agreement ('SPA') signed between its wholly owned subsidiary and Upland Resources (UK Onshore) Limited ('Upland') in relation to a 10% interest in Europa's PEDL180 and PEDL182 ('the Licences') in North Lincolnshire.

Europa currently has a 30% working interest in the Licences, which include the Wressle discovery and the Broughton North prospect, alongside Egdon Resources (operator, 25%), Celtique Energie Petroleum Ltd (33.33%), and Union Jack Oil (11.67%), (together "the Joint Venture partners"). Completion of the SPA would result in Europa retaining a 20% interest in the Licences.

As set out in the Company's announcement of 24 November 2016, completion of the SPA is conditional upon, inter alia, approval from the Oil & Gas Authority and approval of the Wressle Field Development Plan. On 7 February 2017, the Company announced the decision by the Joint Venture partners to appeal against the refusal by North Lincolnshire Council to grant planning consent for the development of Wressle and to file a new planning application which will include more detailed information covering the specific concerns outlined by the Council's planning committee. To allow sufficient time for the appeal and application processes to be completed, Upland has agreed to an extension of the 'long stop' date by which the conditions of the SPA are to be satisfied to 30 September 2017. The previous 'long stop' date had been fixed at 31 March 2017.

On satisfaction of the conditions, the sale to Upland of a 10% interest in the Licences is to be effected by way of an assignment from Europa. As part of the consideration due to Europa on completion of the SPA, the Company is to be issued with 23,076,923 new ordinary shares in Upland ('the Initial Consideration Shares'). The remainder of the initial consideration is to be settled in cash. Following the extension of the 'long stop' date to 1 September 2017, Europa has agreed not to dispose of any of the Initial Consideration Shares before 1 September 2018. This is subject to certain limited exceptions.

* * ENDS * *

For further information please visit www.europaoil.com or contact:

Hugh Mackay Europa + 44 (0) 20 7224 3770 Phil Greenhalgh Europa + 44 (0) 20 7224 3770 Matt Goode finnCap Ltd + 44 (0) 20 7220 0500 Simon Hicks finnCap Ltd + 44 (0) 20 7220 0500 Frank Buhagiar St Brides Partners Ltd + 44 (0) 20 7236 1177 Susie Geliher St Brides Partners Ltd + 44 (0) 20 7236 1177

Notes

Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) plc has a diversified portfolio of multi-stage hydrocarbon assets that includes production, exploration and development interests, in countries that are politically stable, have transparent licensing processes, and offer attractive terms. In 2016 Europa produced 123 boepd. Its highly prospective exploration projects include the Wressle development in the UK and seven licences offshore Ireland with the potential to host gross mean un-risked prospective and indicative resources of more than 4 billion barrels oil equivalent and 1.5 tcf gas across all seven licences.

Qualified Person Review

This release has been reviewed by Hugh Mackay, Chief Executive of Europa, who is a petroleum geologist with 30 years' experience in petroleum exploration and a member of the Petroleum Exploration Society of Great Britain, American Association of Petroleum Geologists and Fellow of the Geological Society. Mr Mackay has consented to the inclusion of the technical information in this release in the form and context in which it appears.
BEIJING, CHINA -- (Marketwired) -- 02/21/17 -- Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) launched the Chinese edition of "Fixing the Future: How Canada's Usually Fractious Governments Worked Together to Rescue the Canada Pension Plan." Written by Bruce Little, Fixing the Future describes how Canada addressed the looming demographic crunch and its impact on the Canadian pension system in the mid-1990s. Today, the CPP Fund totals $300 billion and is projected to be sustainable for the next 75 years. CPPIB, the manager of the Fund, is a leading global institutional investor and invests in more than 45 countries through eight offices around the world.

In the mid-1990s, the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) was underfunded and faced an uncertain future. Experts predicted that the CPP Fund would be exhausted by today, and a major overhaul was urgently needed to ensure the sustainability of the CPP for future generations of Canadian retirees. Canada's federal and provincial finance ministers made some difficult decisions and introduced a set of reforms to the CPP, including the creation of CPPIB, which effectively ended the funding crisis.

"We are honoured to share Fixing the Future, the story of Canada's pension reform, with China," said Mark Machin, President & Chief Executive Officer, CPPIB. "Many of the issues that Canada faced in reforming their pension system are shared between our two countries. With China's pension reform now well under way, we hope that some of the lessons learned in Canada are of value to policymakers in China as they work to secure the pension system for many generations to come."

On September 22, 2016, during the visit of Premier Li Keqiang to Canada, CPPIB's CEO, Mark Machin, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Xu Shaoshi, Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission. Through this memorandum, CPPIB has agreed to assist Chinese policymakers in addressing the challenges of China's ageing population. The translation of Fixing the Future into Chinese is just one way CPPIB is delivering on this agreement.

"Fixing the Future is inspiring to policymakers and academia in thinking about establishing a coordinated policy-making mechanism for the pension reform currently taking place in China. Demographics and pension management is an important subject for China's future, and we believe CPPIB's successful model will set a precedent for the academia and policymakers in China as they are striving to build a sustainable social security system," said Professor Zheng Bingwen, the translator of the book and Director of Center for International Social Security Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS).

The new edition of Fixing the Future includes a foreword by the Right Honourable Paul Martin, former Prime Minister of Canada and federal Finance Minister, who was intimately involved in the reforms, and an afterword by renowned pension expert Keith Ambachtsheer. The Chinese edition also includes a foreword from Mr. Lou Jiwei, former Finance Minister of China and now Chairman of National Council for Social Security Fund, highlighting the relevance of the book to Chinese readers.

The translated version of the book was launched at an event in Beijing, co-hosted by CPPIB, the Embassy of Canada to China, CASS Center for International Social Security Studies, China Human Resources and Social Security Publishing Group and China Council for the Promotion of International Trade.

About Canada Pension Plan Investment Board

Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) is a professional investment management organization that invests the funds not needed by the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) to pay current benefits on behalf of 19 million contributors and beneficiaries. In order to build a diversified portfolio of CPP assets, CPPIB invests in public equities, private equities, real estate, infrastructure and fixed income instruments. Headquartered in Toronto, with offices in Hong Kong, London, Luxembourg, Mumbai, New York City, Sao Paulo and Sydney, CPPIB is governed and managed independently of the Canada Pension Plan and at arm's length from governments. At December 31, 2016, the CPP Fund totalled $298.1 billion. For more information about CPPIB, please visit www.cppib.com or follow us on LinkedIn or Twitter.

Contacts:

Dan Madge

Senior Manager, Media Relations

+1 416 868 8629

dmadge@cppib.com



Mei Mavin

Director, Corporate Communications

+1 646 564 4920

mmavin@cppib.com




DUBLIN, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Research Report on Service Robot Industry in China, 2017-2021" report to their offering.

The global aging population results in a lot of problems and the demand of residents grows for social security, household services and nursing so service robots possess large development space as a favorable solution.

The upgrading of intelligent robots speeds up with more functions while the costs decline for the development of computers and microchips, which promotes the progress of the service robot industry.

The total sales volume of service robots exceeded 40,000 and that of personal together with household ones exceeded 5 million in the globe in 2015. Currently, there are hundreds of enterprises involved in the service robot field in the world. Among them, iRobot focuses on household service robots, Intuitive Surgical focuses on medical robots, Aldebaran SAS provides professional personal robots while Boston Dynamics mainly develops military robots. In recent years, giants such as Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Ali, Foxconn and Softbank started the layout in the service robot field for strategic advantages.

The information technology will deeply integrate with the service robot manufacturing industry. Meanwhile, service robots are expected to become a new generation of intelligent terminals as emerging consumption hotspots after computers and mobile phones.

Chinese government issued a series of supporting policies for the development of the service robot industry. In January 2015, China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology released the Promotion Plan for Deep Integration of Informationization and Industrialization in Raw Material Industry (2015-2018) to support the development of the robot industry. In May 2015, the State Council issued specific plan of Made in China 2025, in which service robots play a significant role.

According to the history of the service robot industry, unmanned planes, iRobots and education robots will take the lead in development. The domestic robot industry develops rapidly in China presently and a number of local enterprises emerge such as Ecovacs, Xrobot and BONA. Education robot brands such as UBTECH and UNISROBO spring up with the accelerating industrialization as well.

In general, the service robot market is expected to maintain high-speed development in the next few years. Meanwhile, investment opportunities exist for investors in various related industries to the service robot industry chain.

Through this report, readers can acquire the following information or even more:

- Supporting Polices of Chinese Government on Service Robots



- Supply and Demand Status of Service Robots in China



- Competition in Service Robot Market



- Major Manufacturers of Service Robots in China



- Major Driving Forces and Market Opportunities in China Service Robot Industry



- Prospect of Service Robot Industry

The following enterprises and people are recommended to purchase this report:

- Manufacturers of Service Robots



- Users of Service Robot



- Investors or Research Institutes Concerned About Service Robot Industry

Key Topics Covered:

1 Basic Concept of Robots



1.1 Definition



1.2 Classification



1.2.1 Industrial Robot



1.2.2 Service Robot



1.3 Chain of Service Robot Industry



1.3.1 Core Components



1.3.2 AI Module



1.3.3 Operating System



1.3.4 Industrial Application

2 Overview of Global Service Robot Industry



2.1 Supply



2.1.1 Overview of Supply



2.1.2 KUKA



2.1.3 ABB



2.1.4 Fanuc



2.1.5 YASKAWA ELECTRIC COPPORATION



2.2 Demand



2.2.1 Major Demand Fields



2.2.2 Major Demand Countries

3 Overview of Service Robot Industry in China, 2012-2016



3.1 Development Environment



3.1.1 Economy Environment



3.1.2 Policy Environment



3.2 Production Status of Service Robots in China, 2012-2016



3.2.1 Major Manufacturers



3.2.2 Analysis on Production Volume



3.3 Demand Status of Service Robots in China, 2012-2016



3.3.1 Market Size



3.3.2 Major Demand Fields

4 Demand in Segment Markets for Service Robots in China, 2012-2016



4.1 Overview



4.2 Personal and Household Robots



4.2.1 Household Service Robots



4.2.2 Entertainment and Leisure Robots



4.2.3 Disabled Auxiliary Robots



4.2.4 Residence Security and Surveillance Robots



4.3 Professional Service Robots



4.3.1 Medical Robots



4.3.2 Inspection and Maintenance Robots



4.3.3 Logistics Robots



4.3.4 Architecture Robots



4.3.5 Underwater Robots



4.3.6 Military Robots



4.3.7 Other Robots

5 Market Competition of Service Robots in China and the Globe, 2012-2016



5.1 Overview of Competition



5.1.1 Barriers to Entry



5.1.2 Competition Between Foreign-funded Enterprises and Domestic Enterprises



5.2 Competition Structure



5.2.1 Upstream Suppliers



5.2.2 Downstream Customers



5.2.3 Enterprise Competition Inner the Industry



5.2.4 Potential Entrants



5.2.5 Substitutes



5.3 Trend of Market Competition

6 Import and Export of Service Robots in China, 2012-2016



6.1 Import



6.1.1 Import Overview



6.1.2 Structure of Imported Products



6.1.3 Major Import Sources



6.2 Export



6.2.1 Export Overview



6.2.2 Export Destinations

7 Major Manufacturers of Service Robots in China and the Globe, 2012-2016



7.1 Manufacturers of Personal and Household Service Robots



7.1.1 iRobot



7.1.2 Neato



7.1.3 Mint



7.1.4 Karcher



7.1.5 Shink



7.1.6 Panasonic



7.1.7 Sony



7.1.8 Samsung



7.1.9 Ekctdux



7.1.10 Aldebaran Robotics SAS



7.1.11 Ecovacs



7.1.12 Xrobot



7.2 Professional Service Robots



7.2.1 Lockheed Martin



7.2.2 rtb-group robotic technology business group GmbH



7.2.3 KUKA Roboter Gmbh



7.2.4 Shink



7.2.5 Panasonic



7.2.6 Rewalk



7.2.7 Technipharm



7.2.8 Intuitive Surgical



7.2.9 Others

8 Prospect of Service Robot Industry in China, 2017-2021



8.1 Factors Influencing Development



8.1.1 Driving Forces and Market Opportunities of the Industry



8.1.2 Unfavorable Factors



8.2 Forecast on Production of Service Robots in China, 2017-2021



8.2.1 Personal and Household Service Robots



8.2.2 Professional Service Robots



8.3 Forecast on Demand for Service Robots in China, 2017-2021



8.3.1 Prediction on Market Size



8.3.2 Forecast on Market Demand for Personal and Household Service Robots



8.3.3 Forecast on Market Demand for Professional Service Robots



8.4 Recommendations on Development and Investment

For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/mkh8b6/research_report

Media Contact:

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716
DUBLIN, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Report on China's Hog Production and Pork Market 2017-2021" report to their offering.

For many years, the live stock volume of hogs in China is the highest in the world. The livestock data shows that the live stock volume of hogs kept growing before 2012 but it began to fall from 2013 for rising costs and declined by 2.1% in 2014 compared to the highest level in 2012. At the end of 2015, the live stock volume of hogs reached 384 million decreasing by 9% compared to 2014. The fattened volume was 708.25 million down by 3.7% YOY in 2015. The output volume of pork presented a rising trend in its totality from 2000 to 2014, which broke the level of 50 million tons in 2010 and then hit a new high of 56.71 million tons in 2014, with a proportion of 65.1% of the total. However, from 2015, with the decline of live stock and fattened volume, the output volume of pork began to decrease in China. In recent years, with the promotion of standardized scale breeding, the number of standardized scale farms increases sharply and the proportion keeps rising.

Pork is still the major meat product consumed by Chinese residents. With the economic development and ongoing urbanization in China, the consumption volume of pork presents an overall upward trend. In terms of consumer groups, the household pork consumption volume of urban residents is higher than that of rural residents. From 2009, the household meat consumption volume of urban and rural residents becomes quite stable. Urban residents consumed over 20 kg of pork per capita while the rural residents consumed 15 kg of pork per capita.

In terms of the global market, the output volume of pork reached 112 million tons in 2015 and the CAGR of pork output volume was about 3.3% in the past 40 years, higher than the 3% of CAGR of the total volume. The producing areas of hogs and pork are mainly located in Asia, North America and Europe. The major pork producers are China, EU, the U.S.A., Brazil and Canada. In addition, the consumption is mainly concentrated in China, Europe, North America, Japan, Russia, etc.

As the output volume of pork fails to meet the domestic demand in China, the import volume continues to rise. The import volume of pork in China was 778,000 tons in 2015, up by 37.8% compared to 2014, and it becomes over 1.5 million tons in 2016. According to the report, China mainly imports pork from EU, the U.S.A. and Canada in recent years.

With the sustained economic development, the rising incomes per capita and the ongoing urbanization, the pork demand will keep on rise. However, affected by negative factors of rising costs, more strict environmental policies, the fattened volume of hogs and output volume of pork are estimated to drop steadily from 2017 to 2021. It is predicted that the profits of pig breeding will keep growing in China recently, so will the import volume of pork.

Key Topics Covered:

1 Overview of Pig Breeding Industry in China, 2011-2016



1.1 Boar Breeding and Import



1.1.1 Boar Stock



1.1.2 Boar Import



1.2 Status of Hog Breeding



1.2.1 Stock Volume of Hogs



1.2.2 Fattened Volume of Hogs and Production Volume of Pork



1.2.3 Scale Breeding of Hogs

1.2.4 Epidemic Situation of Hogs

2 Analysis on the Costs and Profits of Hogs Breeding in China



2.1 Costs of Hog Breeding



2.2 Purchase Price of Hogs



2.3 Net Profit of Hog Breeding

3 Overview of Hog Slaughter Industry in China, 2011-2016



3.1 Structure of Hog Slaughter Enterprises



3.2 Hog Slaughter Capacity



3.3 Hog Slaughter Volume



3.4 Profit

4 Consumption of Pork in China, 2011-2016



4.1 The Consumption of Pork



4.2 Rural and Urban Consumption Structure



4.3 Different Channels



4.4 Different Pork Product Forms



4.5 Price Level of Pork

5 Import and Export of Pork in China, 2011-2016



5.1 Export of Pork



5.2 Import of Pork



6 Major Pig Breeding and Slaughter Enterprises in China, 2011-2016



6.1 New Hope Liuhe Co., Ltd.



6.2 Guangdong Wens Food Group Co., Ltd.



6.3 China Yurun Food Group Limited



6.4 Henan Shuanghui I&D Co., Ltd.



6.5 Jiangxi Zhengbang Technology Co., Ltd.



6.6 Tangrenshen Group Co., Ltd.



6.7 COFCO Meat Holdings Limited



6.8 Hunan Dakang International Food & Agriculture Co., Ltd.



6.9 Muyuan Foods Co., Ltd.



6.10 Chuying Agro-Pastoral Group Co., Ltd.



7 Prospect of Pig Breeding Industry in China, 2017-2021



7.1 Factors Influencing the Development of China Pig Breeding Industry, 2017-2021



7.1.1 Favorable Factors



7.1.2 Unfavorable Factors



7.2 Forecast on Fattened Volume of Hogs



7.3 Forecast on Output Volume of Pork



7.4 Forecast on Consumption Volume of Pork in China, 2016-2020



7.5 Trade of Pork



7.6 Forecast on Hog Prices



7.7 Forecast on Benefit of Hog Breeding

For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/dvgp2p/report_on_chinas

Media Contact:

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716
YOKNEAM, Israel, 2017-02-21 15:25 CET (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lumenis Ltd., the world's largest energy-based medical device company for surgical, aesthetic, and ophthalmic applications, announced that it will be supporting the first International Scar Treatment Conference in Israel, which will be held in Tel Aviv, on February 22, 2017.



A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a7b1e63a-acaf-43db-88e3-63bce 783ade2



The primary focus of the conference is an interdisciplinary approach for successful management of scars, and it will feature many key scar experts from around the world, including Dr. Peter Shumaker (US), Dr. Jill Waibel (US), Dr. Matteo Tretti Clementoni (Italy), Dr. Gerd Gauglitz (Germany), Dr. Ofir Artzi (Israel) and more.



"The management and treatment of cutaneous scars is a major burden in healthcare," said Dr. Ofir Artzi, MD, Head of the Center for Aesthetic Dermatology at Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center and one of the conference organizers. "It is estimated that approximately 100 million people develop scars after trauma and elective surgery every year -- 15% of them will require certain intervention for their scars due to aesthetic considerations or functional impairment. I am very proud to be the chairman of this first international scar treatment conference."



Many of the panelists and attending physicians who regularly use the Lumenis UltraPulse in their practice for the treatment of scars, will be featuring the technology for scar revision during the conference. Quickly becoming the standard of care for scar patients around the world, the Lumenis UltraPulse has multiple options for maximum versatility, speed, and efficacy. The Lumenis UltraPulse SCAAR FX has the deepest impact per pulse for treating thick, complex lesions, helping to change the quality of care and life of these severe scar patients.



"I've been using the Lumenis UltraPulse SCAAR FX on my scar patients, including well-known patients such as Tanya St-Arnaud, an acid attack survivor, and Kim Phuc, a survivor of the Vietnam War bombing who is recognized as 'The Girl in the Picture,'" said Dr. Jill Waibel. "It has truly changed their lives. Helping these patients heal and improve their quality of life is the most rewarding gift."



International Scar Treatment Conference attendees are invited to attend sessions and workshops featuring a variety of Lumenis systems for skin and scar treatments including UltraPulse, the most powerful CO2 laser in aesthetic medicine, AcuPulse, a MultiMode SuperPulse CO2 Laser and M22, a modular multi-application system for the treatment of over 30 skin conditions. The full agenda can be found here.



"Our treatment, utilizing the unique UltraPulse technology, yields truly remarkable results for burn scars," said Tzipi Ozer-Armon, CEO of Lumenis. "As a company, we are honored to lead and advance medical solutions of this nature to benefit veterans around the world and the population at large. Lumenis is proud to support the first International Scar Treatment Conference in Israel, and looks forward to continuing to support these incredible doctors and their efforts."



For more information about the Lumenis family of fractional ablative laser resurfacing products and its portfolio of innovative scar treatment solutions, please visit Lumenis booth # 6-7 at the conference, presented in cooperation with Alphamedix, the Lumenis distributor in Israel.



About Lumenis Lumenis is a global leader in the field of minimally-invasive clinical solutions for the Surgical, Ophthalmology, and Aesthetic markets, and is a world-renowned expert in developing and commercializing innovative energy-based technologies, including Laser, Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) and Radio-Frequency (RF). For 50 years, Lumenis' ground-breaking products have redefined medical treatments and have set numerous technological and clinical gold-standards. Lumenis has successfully created solutions for previously untreatable conditions, as well as designed advanced technologies that have revolutionized existing treatment methods. For more information visit: www.lumenis.com



Forward-Looking Statements Information provided in this press release may contain statements relating to current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about future events that are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements may include but are not limited to the Company's plans, objectives and expectations for future operations, including its projected results of operations. Forward-looking statements are often characterized by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may," "will," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "continue," "believe," "should," "intend," "plan," "project" or other similar words, but are not the only way these statements are identified. These forward-looking statements are based upon our management's current estimates and projections of future results or trends. Actual results may differ materially from those projected as a result of certain risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are made only as of the date hereof, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements, whether a result of new information, future events or otherwise.



For further information, contact: Taylor Palkovich 5W Public Relations Tel: +1-212-548-4349 Email: Lumenis@5wpr.com

Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de
MONTREAL, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 02/21/17 -- The Board of Directors of the Laurentian Bank of Canada (TSX: LB) declared today the following dividends:

-- a dividend of $0.25 on the preferred shares Series 11, payable on March 15, 2017 to shareholders of record at the close of business on March 7, 2017. -- a dividend of $0.26875 on the preferred shares Series 13, payable on March 15, 2017 to shareholders of record at the close of business on March 7, 2017. -- a dividend of $0.365625 on the preferred shares Series 15, payable on March 15, 2017 to shareholders of record at the close of business on March 7, 2017.

The above-mentioned dividends are designated as eligible dividends for the purposes of the Income Tax Act (Canada) and any similar provincial and territorial legislation.

The preferred shares are Eligible Shares under the Bank's Shareholder Dividend Reinvestment and Share Purchase Plan. Consequently, the holders of such shares may elect to reinvest their dividends in newly issued Common Shares of the Bank. Such purchases will be made at the applicable Investment Price, less a discount of 2%, and no brokerage commissions or service charges of any kind will apply.

In addition, holders of such shares are entitled to make monthly optional cash payments to purchase additional Common Shares in accordance with the terms of the Plan.

For more information, please contact Computershare Trust Company of Canada at 1-800-564-6253. Beneficial or non-registered owners of common and preferred shares must contact their financial institution or broker for instructions on how to participate in the Plan.

About Laurentian Bank

Laurentian Bank of Canada is a financial institution whose activities extend across Canada. Founded in 1846, its mission is to help customers improve their financial health and is guided by values of proximity, simplicity and honesty.

The Bank serves one and a half million clients throughout the country and employs more than 3,600 individuals, which makes it a major player in numerous market segments. The Bank caters to the needs of retail clients via its branch network based in Quebec. The Bank also stands out for its know-how among small and medium-sized enterprises and real estate developers owing to its specialized teams across Canada. Its subsidiary B2B Bank is, for its part, one of the major Canadian leader in providing banking products and services and investment accounts through independent advisors and brokers. Laurentian Bank Securities offers integrated brokerage services to a clientele of institutional and retail investors.

The Bank has more than $43 billion in balance sheet assets and more than $43 billion in assets under administration.

Contacts:

Helene Soulard

Assistant Vice President, Communications

514 284-4500, extension 8232

helene.soulard@laurentianbank.ca




VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 02/21/17 -- Angel Gold Corp. (TSX VENTURE: ANG) ("Angel" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the Company has commenced geophysical surveying on its El Porvenir project where surface trenching and sampling has identified high-grade gold and silver values. The project is located at less than 2 km from Gran Colombia project, in the Segovia Belt, the most productive gold district in Colombia.

The geophysical program will consist of pole-dipole Induced Polarization, and ground magnetics, covering a total of 23.15 line kilometers at its Iguanacito, Guayabales and Abejero prospects.

The surveys will be carried out by KTTM geophysics and their Canadian partner Geophysics GPR. KTTM is based in Medellin Colombia, and has been operating in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Nicaragua for the last 10 years in mining exploration, providing services and supplies for many of the large successful exploration programs in the Colombia.

Stella Frias, Angel Gold's President & CEO, commented, "We are excited by the potential to generate target at depth in an area with abundant gold and silver anomalies identified at the surface. This geophysical survey will be conducted in an area that also contains broad alteration-hosted and intrusive-related styles of mineralization indicated by our work to date have not been previously reported by others within the Segovia district."

Iguanacito Prospect

Surveying will commence at the Iguanacito Prospect associated with the Nus Fault which separates the extensively gold-mineralized intrusives of the Segovia Batholith from a unit of black sediments with interbedded volcanic rocks that has been intruded by younger igneous bodies. The initial discovery of gold-silver mineralization was as two discrete zones of intensely sericite-silica altered brecciation zones containing high-grade sulfide-silica breccias, some 50m apart, that coalesce southwards along the contact into a continuous zone of intense sericitization of over 100m in width and exhibiting stockworks and sheeted veinlets of sulfide and quartz.

Angel has previously reported its discoveries of wide zones of intense sericite alteration within the adjacent black sediments/volcanics unit and a small exposure of intensely sericitized porphyry with multiple episodes of stockwork mineralization, as well as stream float of bonanza-grade silver in pyrite-silica breccia (1050 g/t Ag or 30.63oz/short ton). It is suspected the prospect is underlain and flanked by largely-buried mineralised intrusive bodies of younger ages than previously recognized in the district.

This is a newly discovered prospect and has had no previous modern exploration work undertaken over it. (See: http://www.angelgoldcorp.com/news/)

Guayabales Prospect

The Guayabales Prospect is hosted within an intensely-weathered, poorly-outcropping multi-phase intrusive body within the black sediment unit. Historic shallow drilling (17 holes for 1308.4m) identified a zone in the southernmost 5 drill holes at least 100m wide of intense sericitization with intense silicification at its core where diamond drill hole RBGDDH049 intersected 9m @ 0.76g/t gold and 89.9 g/t silver from 27.15 to 36.15m downhole (true width unknown), associated with sulfide-quartz breccia infillings.

A nearby surface rock chip by Angel returned 1.57g/t gold and 170 g/t. Soil sampling by Angel suggest that this alteration zone continues southwards for at least 700m and continues beyond the southern-most soil line, and suggests that the alteration zone could be at least 400m wide with a more geochemically anomalous core of around 100m width.

Details of the soil sampling results have been included previously in a press release dated August 25, 2015

Abejero Prospect

The Abejero Prospect is a shear structure within Proterozoic metamorphic rocks immediately adjacent to the major, deep, crustal scale, Bagre Fault. Historic shallow drilling (36 holes for 2398.25m) identified two high-grade to bonanza-grade gold-bearing steeply plunging sulfide-bearing quartz shoots within the shear structure. Drill holes also intersected an intrusive diorite at the ends of 3 of these shallow holes. A single IP line along this intermediate dipping structure will test the down dip continuation of these sulfide-quartz shoots.

See results of the historic drilling on press release dated February 17, 2015.

About Angel Gold Corp.:

Angel is a Canada-based gold and silver exploration company focused on responsible development of mineral resources in Colombia, host to some of the world's largest gold deposits. Angel's flagship project the El Porvenir is located at less than 2 km from Gran Colombia project, the El Pino West Project is adjacent to Gramalote project, B2Gold and Anglo Gold Ashanti JV, 2.5M oz. discovery and its Heliconia project is located north of the Titiribi district along the Cauca fault system.

Angel has been focused on acquiring and validating strategic mineral exploration opportunities in Colombia's best mining districts with the highest potential for new discoveries.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors of Angel Gold Corp.

Blanca Stella Frias, Director

President and Chief Executive Officer

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed the content of this News Release and therefore does not accept responsibility or liability for the adequacy or accuracy of the contents of this News Release. This news release contains certain "forward- looking statements" within the meaning of Section 21E of the United States Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Except for statements of historical fact relating to the Company, certain information contained herein constitutes forward- looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based upon opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made, and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward looking statements. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The transaction described in this News Release is subject to a variety of conditions and risks which include but are not limited to: regulatory approval, shareholder approval, market conditions, legal due diligence for claim validity, financing, political risk, security risks at the property locations and other risks. As such, the reader is cautioned that there can be no guarantee that this transaction will complete as described in this News Release. We seek safe harbour.

Contacts:

Investor Relations:

Angel Gold Corp.

Stella Frias

+57 321 427 6977

+1 (360) 650 1440



Angel Gold Corp.

#545 - 999 Canada Place

Vancouver, BC, V6C 3E1

604-684-6264

604-684-6242 (FAX)




WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The US Department of Defense announced Tuesday the death of a US soldier who was supporting Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq. Pfc. Brian. P. Odiorne, 21, of Ware, Massachusetts died Monday in Al Anbar Province from a non-combat related incident, the U.S. Department of Defense said. The incident is under investigation. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Rajiv Jain, Portfolio Manager of GQG Partners LLC, Possesses 20+ Years of Experience

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- GQG Partners LLC announces the launch of the GQG Partners Emerging Markets Equity Fund (GGQEMAU:ID), a sub-fund of GQG Global UCITS ICAV. Rajiv Jain, Chairman and Chief Investment Officer of GQG Partners, brings more than 20 years of in-depth global and emerging market investing experience to his role as the Fund's Portfolio Manager.

The GQG Partners Emerging Markets Equity Fund seeks to deliver attractive, benchmark-agnostic returns over the course of a full market cycle by investing in high-quality, large-cap companies in emerging markets. More information about the Fund is available at: http://gqgpartners.com/products/ucits-funds/.

"Our differentiated approach to investment selection seeks a long-term informational edge," said Mr. Jain. "At a time of intense geopolitical uncertainty, we are glad to offer European investors access to a seasoned strategy."

Mr. Jain and his team of seasoned analysts utilize a proprietary, bottom-up research process to create a portfolio of companies that they believe have long-term growth prospects that aren't strongly correlated to macroeconomic conditions. Mr. Jain and his team members attempt to determine the true value of the companies they consider by analyzing earnings growth, financial strength, management quality, and other factors over a five-year minimum time horizon. They also look to mitigate company risk and overall portfolio risk by researching a company's long-term capability to serve its end consumers.

Mr. Jain and his associates bring diverse perspectives to the investment selection process, having accumulated many years of combined experience in investment management as well as non-traditional fields such as investigative journalism and forensic accounting.

"We rely on an investment approach rooted in adaptability and independent thought to enable investors to navigate inflection points over the long term," said Mr. Jain. "As a client-aligned institution, we have a vested interest in challenging short-term projections and conventional thinking."

An Experienced Portfolio Manager at the Helm

Mr. Jain joined GQG Partners in June 2016 after having worked for Vontobel Asset Management since November 1994. Under Mr. Jain's leadership, Vontobel Asset Management grew from less than $400 million in assets under management in 2002 to nearly $50 billion in assets under management in 2016.

He served as Co-Chief Executive Officer of Vontobel beginning in July 2014, and Chief Investment Officer and Head of Equities since February 2002. Mr. Jain was the sole Portfolio Manager of Vontobel's International Equities and Emerging Markets Equities products since 2002 and 1997, respectively, and served as lead Co-Portfolio Manager of the Global Equities product beginning in 2002 until his departure in March 2016.

About GQG Partners

GQG Partners LLC is an employee-owned boutique investment management firm focused on global and emerging markets equities. We rely on a team of traditional and non-traditional analysts-who possess backgrounds in fields such as investigative journalism and forensic accounting-to challenge the short-term projections and backward-looking dogma that often dominate market discourse.

Headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, we strive for excellence at all levels of our organization through a commitment to in-depth knowledge of the markets as well as independent thinking, continual growth, and giving back to investors and our community. For more information, please visit www.gqgpartners.com.

Media Contact: Andrew Jennings

JConnelly

+1 (973) 224-7152

ajennings@jconnelly.com

Important information

Information provided does not constitute investment advice and no investment decision should be made based on any information provided. Information provided reflects the views of GQG Partners LLC (GQG) as of a particular time. The Information has been gathered from sources that GQG believes to be reliable and in good faith. Such views are subject to change without notice. Information regarding holdings, allocations, and other characteristics are for illustrative purposes only and may not be representative of current or future investments or allocations. This information is not a recommendation to purchase or sell a security or follow any strategy or allocation. Any forward-looking statements or forecasts are based on assumptions and actual results may vary from any statements or forecasts. While GQG has used reasonable efforts to obtain information from reliable sources, no representations or warranties are made as to the accuracy, reliability or completeness of third-party information presented in this material. This material is published for the assistance of recipients, but is not to be relied upon as authoritative and is not to be substituted for the exercise of one's own judgment.

There may be additional risks associated with international investing involving foreign, economic, political, monetary, and/or legal factors. International investing may not be for everyone. It is possible to lose money by investing in securities. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

GQG is providing this material is for informational purposes only. It should not be construed as an offer or solicitation to sell or buy any securities or for the acquisition or the subscription of shares in any investment product or for the establishment of any separately managed account. Before making any investment decision, the reader should seek expert, professional advice and obtain information regarding the legal, fiscal, regulatory and foreign currency requirements for any investment according to the law of the reader's home country, place of residence or current abode.

Any account or fund advised by GQG involves significant risks and is suitable only for those persons who can bear the economic risk of the complete loss of their investment. There can be no assurance that any account or investment product will achieve its investment objectives.
ORLANDO, FL--(Marketwired - February 21, 2017) - Triloma EIG Energy Income Fund and Triloma EIG Energy Income Fund - Term I (the "Funds") announced today that they are participating, alongside certain other EIG-managed private funds and accounts, in a $425 million senior secured first lien note issuance by New Age African Global Energy Ltd. (New Age). The note was originated, negotiated and structured by EIG Global Energy Partners on behalf of its managed investment vehicles.

New Age is a privately held oil and gas company with a portfolio of assets in seven countries, most in sub-Saharan Africa. Their strategy focuses on assets in emerging regions they believe are undervalued. The note matures in four years and is secured by a first lien security interest in New Age's existing development assets.

"The Funds continue to benefit from EIG's global sourcing and origination platform to identify international investment opportunities as we further diversify and grow the Funds' portfolios," said Deryck Harmer, president and CEO of the Funds.

The Funds offer individuals an opportunity to invest in U.S. and non-U.S. energy company and project debt, in many instances alongside institutional investors. The New Age investment is the first time the Funds have participated in an international investment transaction alongside EIG's private funds.

About Triloma EIG Energy Income Fund and Triloma EIG Energy Income Fund - Term I

Triloma EIG Energy Income Fund and Triloma EIG Energy Income Fund - Term I are unlisted registered investment companies that invest primarily in global portfolios of privately originated energy company and project debt. Their investment objectives are to provide shareholders with current income, capital preservation and, to a lesser extent, long-term capital appreciation. The Funds are managed by Triloma Energy Advisors and EIG Credit Management Company, wholly owned subsidiaries of Triloma Financial Group and EIG Global Energy Partners, respectively. Triloma Energy Advisors and EIG are not affiliated. For additional information, please visit trilomaenergy.com.

About Triloma

Triloma Financial Group (Triloma) is a private investment management firm providing individuals with a unique approach to alternative investment opportunities. Triloma manages and sponsors a group of private and publicly offered investment programs focused on private equity, real estate and energy investments. Triloma specializes in thorough research, individual access, powerful partnerships and excellent service. Triloma is headquartered in Winter Park, Florida. For additional information, please visit triloma.com.

Securities offered through Triloma Securities, member FINRA/SIPC. Triloma Securities is a wholly owned subsidiary of Triloma Financial Group.

About EIG Global Energy Partners

EIG Global Energy Partners ("EIG") is a leading institutional investor to the global energy sector with $14.4 billion under management as of Dec. 31, 2016. EIG specializes in private investments in energy and energy-related infrastructure on a global basis. During its 35-year history, EIG has invested over $23.1 billion in the sector in more than 310 projects or companies in 36 countries on six continents. EIG's clients include many of the leading pension plans, insurance companies, endowments, foundations and sovereign wealth funds in the U.S., Asia and Europe. EIG is headquartered in Washington, D.C. with offices in Houston, London, Sydney, Rio de Janeiro, Hong Kong and Seoul. For more information, visit eigpartners.com.

This is not an offer. The respective offerings of the Funds' common stock can be made solely by means of a written prospectus forming part of the effective registration statement. The prospectuses and their supplements, which contain important information about the Funds, can be obtained upon request and without charge by writing to the Funds at 201 N. New York Ave., Suite 250, Winter Park, FL 32789, or by calling the Funds collect at 407-636-7115. Prospective investors should read the prospectuses and their supplements carefully before investing. Investors are advised to consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of the Fund carefully before investing. The prospectuses contain this and other information about the Funds. There can be no assurance that the Funds will achieve their investment objectives.

The Funds' investments in various types of debt securities and instruments may be secured, unsecured, rated and unrated, are subject to non-payment risk, and may be speculative in nature. Investments in senior secured debt present additional risks, including that there is a higher risk of default than with investment-grade bonds. Generally, investments in debt securities with longer-term maturities are subject to greater volatility than investments in shorter-term obligations. The Funds' investments in energy companies expose the Funds to risks associated with adverse economic, environmental or regulatory occurrences affecting the energy sector, a higher volatility of the market and a downturn in the energy sector could have a larger impact on the Funds than on funds that are broadly diversified across many sectors and industries.

This press release may contain forward-looking statements identified by the use of words such as "outlook," "indicator," "believes," "expects," "potential," "continues," "may," "will," "should," "seeks," "approximately," "predicts," "intends," "plans," "estimates," "anticipates" or the negative version of these words or other comparable words. Such forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, there are or will be important factors that could cause actual outcomes or results to differ materially from those indicated in these statements. Triloma, EIG and the Funds believe these factors include, but are not limited to, those described under the section entitled "Risk Factors" in the Fund's registration statement, as such factors may be updated from time to time in its periodic filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which are accessible on the SEC's website at sec.gov. These factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with the other cautionary statements that are included in this release and in the Fund's filings. Triloma, EIG and the Funds assume no obligation to update or supplement forward-looking statements that become untrue because of subsequent events for circumstances.



Triloma Media Contact

Lauren Bowes

Findsome & Winmore

lbowes@findsomewinmore.com

407-722-7843
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 02/21/17 -- EchoPixel today announced True 3D print support, a breakthrough set of software tools designed to assist physicians using models they create using their 3D printers Built on EchoPixel's True 3D Viewer software, the workflows allow medical professionals to visualize and interact with patient specific anatomy that can be directly converted into 3D printed models. This allows professionals to create their models with greater quality and accuracy, and to "print right, the first time".

EchoPixel's existing True 3D Viewer software enables physicians to see and interact with medical images the way they would with real, physical objects. The system converts existing DICOM datasets into life-size virtual reality objects, allowing physicians to move, turn, dissect, and cut open virtual patient anatomy. The new software tools facilitate seamless transition to printing of 3D models, once a professional has determined the desired anatomy and orientation to print.

"We believe there's a revolution happening in 3D medical modeling, and it's just getting started," said Ron Schilling, CEO of EchoPixel. "3D printing is a game changing technology, but it's not yet accepted as a widely effective clinical tool, primarily due to the cost and time restrictions. EchoPixel's Interactive Virtual Reality is a complementary technology that can enable truly effective 3D modeling for the first time. It has the potential to dramatically reduce time and cost investments."

When supported by EchoPixel's software tools, 3D modeling has numerous potential benefits across a range of medical applications. These may include:

Improved communication and collaboration among different members of the surgical team, including surgeons and other OR staff

Enhanced pre-operative planning and better interactive understanding of unique anatomy that can be used as a reference during surgery

Mirror-image modeling used for reconstruction templates

Practice on models for surgical residents resident work hours

Increased patient education





"We're excited to establish 3D virtual viewing as part of our 3D program," said Steve Muyskens, M.D., cardiologist at Cook Children's Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas. "Having this technology, in addition to 3D printing capabilities, allows Cook Children's cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons to improve the planning of complex procedures and surgeries. We believe this approach will eventually lead to less time in the operating room and fewer complications."

EchoPixel will be demonstrating its True 3D Viewer and its Print Support functionality in HP's booth #1979 at HIMSS 2017.

About EchoPixel

EchoPixel is building a new world of patient care with its groundbreaking medical visualization software. The company's FDA-cleared True 3D Viewer uses existing medical image datasets to create virtual reality environments of patient-specific anatomy, allowing physicians to view and dissect images just as they would real, physical objects. The technology aims to make reading medical images more intuitive, help physicians reach diagnosis, and assist in surgical planning. Leading institutions, including the University of California, San Francisco, the Cleveland Clinic, the Lahey Clinic, and more are using True 3D in clinical and research applications. EchoPixel is a privately held, venture backed company located in Mountain View, CA.

Contact Information

Sam Wallace

Email Contact

415-625-8555




MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 02/21/17 -- EchoPixel today announced it has received CE Mark approval for the sale of its True 3D interactive virtual reality imaging technology. The certification marks a key development in the company's expansion as it continues to provide healthcare professionals with an intuitive, interactive tool for interpreting patient-specific anatomy and planning for complex surgeries.

"There are incredible medical innovations taking place in the European market," noted Ron Schilling, PhD., CEO of EchoPixel, Inc. "This verification is a tremendous step for EchoPixel's growth as we expand our network of hospitals, research institutes, and clinics leveraging the system for diagnostics and surgical planning. This is the next step in bringing the 3D imaging revolution to healthcare systems around the world."

The True 3D Viewer creates lifelike, dynamic scenes out of DICOM images including MRIs and CT scans. Using the technology, doctors can view, dissect, and interact with the scenes as if they were real physical objects.

The system is currently in use at luminary sites across the United States. Dr. Judy Yee, MD, Vice Chair of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging at UCSF has been performing a clinical evaluation of the device's use for CT Colonography, describing the technology as a "game-changer" in clinical detection of flat lesions that can cause colon cancer. Physicians at Stanford University have been using True 3D to plan and perform complex pediatric heart surgeries, including a recent groundbreaking operation to successfully separate conjoined twins. Interventional cardiologists at Deborah Heart and Lung are mapping patient hearts to help physicians insert stents, and at the Lahey Clinic in Boston, interventional neuroradiologists are using the True 3D's precise measurements to size pipeline devices when treating brain aneurysms.

In July, 2016, EchoPixel began a partnership with HP to supply the HP Zvr and workstation for clinical use with the True 3D Viewer software. The HP workstation provides a powerful tool for diagnostic imaging and surgical planning across the United States.

About EchoPixel

EchoPixel is building a new world of patient care with its groundbreaking medical visualization software. The company's FDA-cleared True 3D Viewer uses existing medical image datasets to create virtual reality environments of patient-specific anatomy, allowing physicians to view and dissect images just as they would real, physical objects. The technology aims to make reading medical images more intuitive, help physicians reach diagnosis, and assist in surgical planning. Leading institutions, including Stanford University, the University of California, San Francisco, the Cleveland Clinic, the Lahey Clinic, and more are using True 3D in clinical and research applications. EchoPixel is a privately held, venture backed company located in Mountain View, CA.

Contact Information

Sam Wallace

Email Contact

415-625-8555




PHOENIX, AZ--(Marketwired - February 21, 2017) - International Technical Coatings (ITC), the premier manufacturer of wire mesh products, today announced that it has added two key management appointments that will help the company expand its presence across both the material handling and industrial fence industries. These positions, which include a new CFO and a new director of manufacturing, will allow ITC to meet the increasing demand for its existing offerings as well as expand into new markets with new fencing and related products.

Kathy Hanrahan, a former TASER executive, has been appointed CFO of ITC, where she oversees all accounting functions as well adds proven leadership skills to the executive staff. With more than 30 years of experience in leading accounting and operations teams, for both public and private organizations, Hanrahan has developed skills that support lean manufacturing and scalable growth.

Rudi DeKlerk, ITC's new director of manufacturing based in Ohio is also a veteran of the industry with more than 20 years' experience in wire manufacturing. He has installed and commissioned machines in 32 countries, and has expert experience in run production and maintenance. Both hires will help support ITC and its momentum for growth beyond 2017.

"We are pleased to announce the first of several steps forward in the growth of ITC for 2017," said founder, John Caldwell. "With the expansion of our management team as well as product innovation planned to launch later this year, we believe ITC will continue to be an industry leader. There are many pivotal things happening in our industry, and we are pleased to be an American manufacturer that will continue to help shape business in the future."

ITC has averaged double-digit growth over the last decade by investing in a new technology and its state of the art facility in Columbus, Ohio, where the company has hired more than 100 employees to support manufacturing demands in the Midwest. By further investing in automation and the talent within its executive staff, the company has streamlined the manufacturing process and improved its efficiency. ITC now operates as the most automated wire mesh welding plant in the United States and is the forerunner in applying technology-enhanced equipment for these industries, and has reach to serve all of North America.

This news comes on the heels of the Company's successful emergence from Chapter 11 in January. ITC is a privately held company capitalized by private funding. During the proceedings, ITC maintained its strong customer base by providing exceptional quality and reliability, but more importantly, transparency. The Company also generated strong operating income and positive cash flows throughout the process.

Caldwell continued, "We are excited about our future, and wish to thank all of our valued partners, both customers and suppliers, for their ongoing support and encouragement throughout this process. We have endured a challenging period, but are stronger, leaner and focused on remaining the premier provider of innovative storage solutions across the United States."

ABOUT INTERNATIONAL TECHNICAL COATINGS ("ITC")

Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, International Technical Coatings (www.itcmfg.com) is the premier manufacturer of wire mesh products for the material handling and storage products industries. As one of the largest wire and steel fabricators in the United States, ITC manufactures a wide range of wire product including heavy and light duty wire mesh decking, dividers and flue spacers, gridwall/slatwall, POP displays, industrial and specialty drawn wire, custom wire and steel products, mine mesh, re-enforcing mesh, security fencing and roll formed products. In addition, ITC offers value-added services such as product design and engineering to meet the needs of distributors, mass merchants, retailers, archive storage providers, OEM's and third-party logistics providers.

Media Contacts:



Ashton Maxfield

ashton@masterplanpr.com

(949) 289-6493



or



Kirsten Woodard

Kirsten@masterplanpr.com

(714) 366-6003
LAS VEGAS, NV -- (Marketwired) -- 02/21/17 -- At their well-equipped medical spa, Dr. W. Tracy Hankins and Dr. Samuel M. Sohn offer an expansive selection of non-surgical treatments designed to achieve a wide array of aesthetic enhancements. One of the most popular techniques, the Las Vegas plastic surgeons explain, is Clear + Brilliant laser therapy. They say that the minimally invasive technology can address a broad range of common cosmetic issues while requiring little downtime. As a result, they say patients of all ages can often benefit from the relatively gentle procedure.

According to Drs. Hankins and Sohn, Clear + Brilliant uses a non-ablative laser to resurface the skin, making it appear smoother, softer, and younger-looking over time. Non-ablative lasers are designed to cause less damage to the treated area than ablative lasers, which vaporize the outer layers of the skin to reveal the newer skin beneath.

Manufactured by Solta Medical, Clear + Brilliant is intended to help prevent and treat early signs of aging such as fine lines, loss of luminosity, and uneven tone and texture. Additionally, the non-surgical laser therapy can help to reduce pore size and can be combined with topical skin care products for more comprehensive enhancement.

Dr. Hankins says Clear + Brilliant can be an excellent treatment for individuals who want to prevent visible signs of aging before they have started to appear and to help maintain the healthiest and more aesthetically appealing skin possible. Dr. Sohn adds that men and women with mild to moderate sun damage, wrinkles, and other concerns can also benefit, as Clear + Brilliant can also refresh and renew dull, dry, and creased skin. Having treated patients between the ages of 18 and 50 with noticeable improvement in the targeted area, they say Clear + Brilliant is a highly versatile technology.

In addition to the list of cosmetic benefits, Drs. Hankins and Sohn note that Clear + Brilliant also offers a brief recovery time. Patients typically experience minimal side effects such as mild redness, swelling, and tenderness in the treated area, and the Las Vegas plastic surgeons say most individuals return to normal activity immediately following the procedure.

About W. Tracy Hankins, MD

The former Chief of Plastic Surgery at Sunrise Hospital, Dr. W. Tracy Hankins is the co-founder of Hankins & Sohn Plastic Surgery Associates, located in Las Vegas and Henderson, Nevada. A board certified plastic surgeon, he earned his medical degree at Indiana University and completed additional medical training at the prestigious Grand Rapids program. A member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Dr. Hankins has been a featured expert on several local news broadcasts as well as "The Doctors," a television show on CBS. He is available for interview upon request.

About Samuel M. Sohn, MD

A fellowship-trained plastic surgeon, Dr. Samuel Sohn is the co-medical director of Hankins & Sohn Plastic Surgery Associates. Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, he is a graduate of Stanford University and the Medical College of Virginia. Dr. Sohn completed additional training at GRMERC/Michigan State University, an esteemed general and plastic surgery training program, as well as The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary. He is an active member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Dr. Sohn is available for interview upon request.

For more information about Dr. Hankins, Dr. Sohn, and their practice, please visit hankinsplasticsurgery.com and facebook.com/PlasticSurgeryLasVegas

To view the original source of this press release, click here:

https://www.hankinsplasticsurgery.com/news-room/las-vegas-plastic-surgeons-reveal-benefits-of-clear-brilliant-laser-therapy

Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=3111340



Hankins & Sohn Plastic Surgery Associates

Las Vegas Office:

2150 S. Rainbow Blvd.

Las Vegas, NV 89146

(702) 897-1330



Henderson Office:

60 North Pecos Rd.

Henderson, NV 89074

(702) 897-1330



Rosemont Media

(858) 200-0044

www.rosemontmedia.com




Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
PUNE, India, February 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

According to a new market research report "Identity and Access Management Market by Component (Provisioning, Directory Services, Password Management, S SO, and Audit, Compliance, and Governance), Organization Size, Deployment Type, Vertical (BFSI, Telecom & IT), and Region - Global Forecast to 2021", published by MarketsandMarkets, the Identity and Access Management Market is estimated to grow from USD 8.09 Billion in 2016 to USD 14.82 Billion by 2021, at a CAGR of 12.9% between 2016 and 2021.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 )



Browse 73 market data Tables and 47 Figures spread through 145 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Identity & Access Management Market"

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Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report.

The market is primarily driven by the increase in security concerns among organizations and the demand for mobility solutions. Moreover, rise in awareness about compliance management across various industries has driven the adoption of identity & access management solutions for security purposes.

Based on component, the audit, compliance, & governance segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period

Based on component, the Identity and Access Management Market has been segmented into provisioning, single sign-on, advanced authentication, audit, compliance, and governance, directory services, and password management. The audit, compliance, and governance segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR between 2016 and 2021. It continuously provides tremendous opportunities in public sector and utilities, and retail and CPG where compliance management and securing of data is crucial. This factor is driving the growth of the audit, compliance, and governance segment of the identity & access management market.

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Based on vertical, the BFSI segment accounted for the largest share of the Identity and Access Management Market in 2016

Based on vertical, the Identity and Access Management Market has been segmented into BFSI, telecom and IT, healthcare and life sciences, retail and CPG, public sector and utilities, energy, manufacturing, education, and others. The BFSI segment accounted for the largest share of the Identity and Access Management Market in 2016. Rise in deployment of identity & access management solutions has enabled line-of-business managers to make quick decisions. Verticals such as retail and CPG, and healthcare and life sciences have achieved easier accountability and greater transparency with the deployment of identity & access management solutions.

Based on organization size, the SMEs segment is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period

Based on organization size, the Identity and Access Management Market has been segmented into large enterprises and SMEs. The SMEs segment of the Identity and Access Management Market is estimated to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period due to industrial growth in the Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East & Africa regions.

Asia-Pacific Identity and Access Management Market estimated to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period

The Identity and Access Management Market has been studied for North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East & Africa, and Latin America. The highest growth rate of the Asia-Pacific region can be attributed to the increasing adoption of identity & access management solutions in the significantly growing industrial sector in the region. Rise in demand for cloud-based solutions from manufacturing and other verticals is driving the Identity and Access Management Market in this region.

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Major players in this market include IBM Corporation (U.S.), Oracle Corporation (U.S.), CA Technologies (U.S.), Microsoft Corporation (U.S.), Dell EMC (U.S.), NetIQ Corporation (U.S.), Okta, Inc. (U.S.), Hitachi ID Systems, Inc. (U.S.), and SailPoint Technologies (U.S.), among others.

Browse Related Report

Cyber Security Market by Solutions (IAM, Encryption, DLP, UTM, Antivirus/Antimalware, Firewall, IDS/IPS, Disaster Recovery), Services, Security Type, Deployment Mode, Organization Size, Vertical & Region - Global Forecast to 2021

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/cyber-security-market-505.html

Personal Identity Management Market by Application (Access Control and Content Management), Service (Professional Services and Managed Services), Deployment Type (On-Premises and Cloud), Vertical, and Region - Global Forecast to 2021

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/personal-identity-management-market-244499986.html

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WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Monday, 11 Jewish community centers in the United States received bomb threats over telephone, all of which were turned out to be hoax, a Jewish organization in the country said. David Posner, director of strategic performance at JCC Association of North America, said in a statement that all JCCs have now received the all-clear from local law enforcement and resumed regular operations, with a heightened level of security. This comes in the aftermath of three waves of bomb threats in January. In all, 54 JCCs in 27 states and one Canadian province have received 69 bomb threats. All bomb threats in both January and today have proven to be hoaxes, and all JCCs impacted have returned to regular operations, JCC Association of North America said. Posner said the Jewish community in the US is concerned about the anti-Semitism behind these threats, which the FBI is investigating. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 02/21/17 -- Anfield Gold Corp. ("Anfield" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: ANF) is pleased to report on progress at its 100% owned Coringa Gold Project (the "Project") in Para State, Brazil.

The Company has made significant progress towards the goal of advancing the Project into production. The disassembly and relocation of the Andorinhas Plant purchased from Troy Resources has been completed. The majority of the plant and mining equipment has been moved to the Project. Major plant components such as crushers, compressors, ball mills and mining equipment have been refurbished and are ready for installation. A detailed CIL plant design for construction is well advanced, and the tailings storage facility final design is near completion. Procurement of long lead time and critical components of the plant has been initiated.

In support of this work and towards completion of the Project feasibility study, site characterization, metallurgical, geotechnical, hydrogeologic and condemnation drilling has been completed. In addition, site infrastructure and ancillary facility construction is well advanced including: construction of project camp, office and maintenance facilities, upgrading and improvement of Project access roads including construction of storm water control structures.

The 20,000 metre infill drilling program has been expanded to approximately 26,500 metres and, to date, the Company has completed 23,417m of this drilling. The infill drilling program is expected to be completed in March and results will be used to finalize the feasibility study resource model, mine design and schedule. The company has also completed other types of drilling at the project in support of the feasibility study and these are summarized in Table 1.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Diamond Reverse- Number of Drill Holes Circulation Drilling Purpose drill holes (m) Holes (m) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Infill Resource Drilling 154 15,207 8,210 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Geotechnical Drilling 24 1,491 - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Condemnation Drilling 4 743 - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Water Well Drilling 14 - 617 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Metallurgical sampling drilling 4 285 - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TOTAL 186 18,343 - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Table 1. Breakdown of Anfield's drilling at the Project by purpose.

The Company expects to complete the Project feasibility study in the second quarter of 2017. Geology, engineering, environmental and social studies supporting the study are ongoing. Reassembly of the plant and mine development at the Project will begin once detailed engineering is complete and the required permits are obtained.

The Company has applied for trial mining licenses to allow for initial construction and installation of the plant at the Project, underground mine development, pilot scale mining and the sale of gold, and expects to receive the licenses shortly. In addition, permitting efforts are ongoing to obtain the mining concession license and related operating licenses for the Project. These will allow for the planned full scale production rate of 750 tonnes of mineral reserve per day.

Anfield Gold Corp.

Marshall Koval, Chairman & CEO

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

The foregoing information contains forward-looking statements regarding Anfield's future plans. In making the forward-looking statements in this release, Anfield has applied certain factors and assumptions that are based on information currently available to Anfield as well as Anfield's current beliefs and assumptions. Although Anfield considers these beliefs and assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect, and the forward-looking statements in this release are subject to numerous risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause future results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. Such risk factors include, among others, risks associated with the business of Anfield, risks related to reliance on technical information provided by Magellan Minerals Ltd. as related to the Coringa project; risks relating to exploration and potential development of Magellan Minerals Ltd.'s projects; risks related to obtaining the permits and approvals necessary to develop and commission the Coringa project on terms that are acceptable to Anfield; risks related to Anfield identifying suitable acquisition targets; business and economic conditions in the mining industry generally; the supply and demand for labour and other project inputs; prices for commodities to be produced and changes in commodity prices; changes in interest and currency exchange rates; risks relating to inaccurate geological and engineering assumptions (including with respect to the tonnage, grade and recoverability of reserves and resources); risks relating to unanticipated operational difficulties (including failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate in accordance with specifications or expectations, cost escalation, unavailability of materials and equipment, government action or delays in the receipt of government approvals, industrial disturbances or other job action, and unanticipated events related to health, safety and environmental matters); risks relating to adverse weather conditions; political risk and social unrest; changes in general economic conditions or conditions in the financial markets; and changes to business and economic conditions in the mining industry generally. Although Anfield has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Anfield does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

Contacts:

Anfield Gold Corp.

Martin Rip

+ 604 646-1884

+ 604 687-7041 (FAX)




Milrem, the Estonian defence solutions provider, has joined forces with Raytheon UK, Advanced Electronics Company and IGG Aselsan Systems to deploy their fully modular hybrid unmanned ground vehicle THeMIS in the MENA region.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170221006208/en/

The joint product of IGG Aselsan and Milrem features the THeMIS unmanned ground vehicle with Aselsan's SARP remote weapon station. (Photo: Business Wire)

Together with these strong partners Milrem is exhibiting three different solutions of the world's first fully modular hybrid unmanned ground vehicle the THeMIS.

Milrem will be represented at the IGG stand with the first weaponized unmanned ground vehicle intended specifically for the UAE market. The vehicle features Milrem's THeMIS and Aselsans SARP remote weapon station. The goal of the two companies is to deploy this vehicle with the UAE GHQ.

Together with the Advanced Electronics Company Milrem is exhibiting the THeMIS as a transport solution intended to carry a squad's gear. The vehicle is able to carry up to 750 kg of weight and run up to 10 hours.

The third Milrem vehicle can be found at the Estonian Pavilion with other Estonian defence companies. The vehicle there is equipped with the GroundEye, an IED detection devices developed by Raytheon UK.

"The success of Milrem's solutions in the Middle East, Asia as well as USA is a great proof that research and developement in a small country like Estonia is very much possible and in a very high level," said Margus Tsahkna, the Defence Minister of Estonia.

"Being represented at three stands with three different companies shows exactly how customizable the first fully modular hybrid unmanned ground vehicle THeMIS is," said Kuldar Vaarsi, Chief Executive Officer of Milrem. "One platform can be equipped with specific payloads needed by the region's armies," he added.

In addition to using the THeMIS as an equipment transport, weapon station and IED detection vehicle, the THeMIS can also be used as a medevac, UAV landing and powering platform, a sensor array etc. The vehicle uses one base platform for different applications, lowering maintenance and training costs.

To view the product video, please visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVAqaIyqOhA

For photos from the exhibition, please visit https://www.dropbox.com/sh/rdjot96tvg3bfot/AAAechXMu5YyMRSkX83wntTEa?dl=0

About Milrem

Milrem is an Estonian technology solutions provider. The company's two main lines of business include the research and development of unmanned vehicles and life cycle management for heavy-duty military vehicles.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170221006208/en/

Contacts:

Milrem

Gert Hankewitz

Director of Sales and Marketing

gert.hankewitz@milrem.ee

+372 56644416
CINCINNATI, OH--(Marketwired - February 21, 2017) - Global software provider Cincom is pleased to announce that Greg Mills has been promoted to the position of Corporate President. Mills assumes the new role after serving as Vice President, International Sales/Services and Corporate Operations for the company since August of 2015.

Cincom founder, Tom Nies, the longest serving CEO in the software industry, announced the decision internally last week. Nies, who had been serving as President, will maintain his position as CEO and Chairman of the company and will continue his close work with the company's Executive Team.

"It was my pleasure to preside over this great organization for so many years," Nies says. "But it is our duty and responsibility to ensure Cincom is best equipped for the future. Greg has proven his ability as a truly global leader, and I know he is the right person to best carry our vision of Cincom forward."

Mills will continue to oversee international sales in addition to his new responsibilities. In working more closely with the various parts of the organization, Mills sees great potential for the company.

"It's an honor to follow in the footsteps of Mr. Nies, who took this company to such great heights in this position," Mills says. "I'll be working with our teams across the globe to build on recent successes as well as to create new opportunities for the organization. It's an exciting time to be at Cincom, and I am both humbled and happy to lead the charge forward."

Mills joined Cincom in 1999, developing a track record for success serving in roles as Chief Operating Officer for Australian operations and as Global Development Manager for Cincom Document Solutions, as well as other prior roles. Prior to joining Cincom, he worked with Amtico Australia and Courtaulds Coatings. He also serves as secretary for the Australia Timor-Leste Advancement Society, which works to provide assistance to developing countries, with an emphasis on East Timor.

About Cincom

Cincom is a global software company with a legacy of innovation dating back to its founding in 1968. Cincom solutions help organizations improve the way they do business, from multi-channel configure-price-quote solutions for complex products and services to software improving customer communications management capabilities. In other words, Cincom builds solutions to help clients improve their most critical business processes and to improve operating results. Visit www.cincom.com for more information.

Media Contact:

Tyler Munn

tmunn@cincom.com

513-612-2244
TORONTO, CANADA -- (Marketwired) -- 02/21/17 -- BacTech Environmental Corporation ("BacTech" or the "Company"), (CSE: BAC) (OTC PINK: BCCEF) today announced the results of the first 47 samples (35 routines and 12 control samples) from 3 holes drilled on a 60-hole drill program (approximately 600 m in total) at the Company's joint venture Silver- Copper-Tin tailings remediation project at Telamayu, Bolivia. The purpose of the program is to verify earlier work carried out by BacTech's partner, Mining Corporation of Bolivia ("COMIBOL"), the Bolivian state mining company, and to provide material for upcoming metallurgical work. Additional results will be released in batches over the next few weeks.

Telamayu is an historic mill town situated next to Atocha, Bolivia. Over the past 80 years, the mill has treated material from 2 local mines (Tasna and Animas). The tailings from the mill make up the Antigua tailings, the subject of these assays, and the much larger Nuevo tailings. Previously, COMIBOL engaged individuals to dig test holes on the tailings (five wells of 1.5mx 1.5mx10m) with bulk samples taken every meter as well as channel samples. The test holes showed a tin grade of 0.97% and a silver content of 408 g/t.

Upon completion of the execution of the contract with COMIBOL for the remediation and exploitation of the old tailings of Telamayu, which was subsequently approved by the Bolivian Congress and endorsed by an express law, BacTech had access to documents that COMIBOL's Environment Department had prepared in 2004-2005. These documents present a proposal for the exploitation of the "old tailings dam of Telamayu". Specifically, the documents deal with work to be carried out for the evaluation of the dam's potential, the technical options for metal extraction, the proposed type of plant to be employed and an estimate of the project's profitability. The historical data and grades presented above are relevant to the further exploration of the project, which the Company is currently undertaking with a drill program.

BacTech is conducting a tailing evaluation program with approximately 60 holes to be drilled with the Vibracore system with systematic core sampling meter by meter. At present, 65% of the drilling program has been completed and approximately 600 core samples were sent in for chemical analysis.

The results from the 3 first holes are as follows (weighted average, uncut):

------------------------------------------------------ Hole ID X Y Z From To Width, m ------------------------------------------------------ G5X 788 769 7 681 660 3 671 0,00 12,20 12,20 ------------------------------------------------------ H5 788 774 7 681 687 3 671 0,50 12,10 11,60 ------------------------------------------------------ F6 788 775 7 681 642 3 671 0,50 11,90 11,40 ------------------------------------------------------ --------------------------------------------------- Gold, Silver, Tin, Copper Copper Hole ID g/t g/t % Soluble, % Total, % --------------------------------------------------- G5X 0,12 396,10 1,55 0,97 1,69 --------------------------------------------------- H5 0,26 504,87 1,56 0,87 1,75 --------------------------------------------------- F6 0,28 260,11 2,55 0,16 0,29 ---------------------------------------------------

Admittedly, only 8% of the material has been assayed to date, but these values have exceeded our expectations.

Samples consist of half NQ-size diamond core that are split on site, prepared at the Spectrolab laboratory, an ISO accredited laboratory at the Technical University of Oruro, Bolivia and assayed for gold, silver, tin and copper by fire assay for silver and by Atomic absorption or total fusion for the base metals.

The QA-QC program of the Company includes insertion of certified standards every 20 samples, blanks at least every 20 samples and core duplicates every 20 samples. The remaining half core is retained onsite for verification and reference purposes.

The sampling results from this drill program will be the underpinning of a resource estimation following the guidelines established by Canadian National Instrument 43-101 reporting. Once the drilling program has been completed, the Company will immediately begin metallurgical test work to determine the appropriate method for metal recovery. A complete NI 43-101 Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") will then be completed.

"It was a bit tricky in the beginning of the drill program as we discovered a cement-like layer up to 1 meter thick that the Vibracore had a hard time getting through. Alterations were made to the program and, at the time of writing, we are in the final stages of the program," said Ross Orr, President and CEO of BacTech.

Kamil Khobzi, an engineer and Qualified Person under NI 43-101, who has visited the property, has read and approved this release.

Finally, the Company also announced that it has closed a CAD$30,000 tranche of the current financing. The financing is a 5-cent unit consisting of 1 common share of the Company and 1/2 (one half) of a common share purchase warrant. One full warrant plus 10 cents buys an additional common share for 2 years from the closing of this tranche.

Company Profile

BacTech Environmental Corporation holds the perpetual, exclusive, royalty-free rights to use the patented BACOX bioleaching technology for the reclamation of tailings and mining waste materials. The Company's principal focus is a high-grade silver/copper/tin tailings project called Telamayu, located in Atocha, Bolivia, in association with COMIBOL, the state mining group. Investigation has begun to identify opportunities in Ecuador. The Company continues to field enquiries globally with respect to additional opportunities for remediation, including licensing transactions for the technology.

Follow us on:

Facebook http://www.facebook.com/BacTechGreen

Twitter http://twitter.com/BacTechGreen

LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/company/1613873

Vimeo http://vimeo.com/bactechgreen

YouTube http://www.youtube.com/user/bactechgreen

Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking information", which may include, but is not limited to, statements with respect to future tailings sites, sampling or other investigations of tailing sites, the Company's ability to make use of infrastructure around tailings sites or operating performance of the Company and its projects. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this news release and the Company disclaims, other than as required by law, any obligation to update any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, results, future events, circumstances, or if management's estimates or opinions should change, or otherwise. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

Shares outstanding 58,882,930

The Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or the accuracy of the contents of this release.

Contacts:

BacTech Environmental Corporation

Ross Orr

President & CEO

416-813-0303 ext 222

borr@bactechgreen.com



Bill Mitoulas

Investor Relations

416-479-9547

billm@venturenorthcapital.com




GATINEAU, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 02/21/17 -- The Honourable Melanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage, today announced the publication of the report What We Heard Across Canada: Canadian Culture in a Digital World by Ipsos Public Affairs. The report is based on the input received from tens of thousands of Canadians during the recent consultations on Canadian Content in a Digital World.

The consultations were the starting point for discussions on how to support the export and discovery of Canadian content in today's digital world. Across Canada, there was broad support for the three principles that guided the discussions: focusing on citizens and creators; reflecting Canadian diversity and promoting sound democracy; and generating social and economic innovation. It is clear that Canada's diversity of perspectives, Indigenous voices and linguistic duality create truly original stories and high-quality content. Our creative industries are engines of economic growth, and the Government of Canada must continue to invest in them.

Minister Joly and the Department of Canadian Heritage will continue to work together with the goal of launching Canada's new policy toolkit for creative industries in 2017. This will mark Canada's new direction as the country kicks off its next 150 years.

Quote

"The timing for these consultations was right. Canadians joined the conversation and shared their different perspectives, contributing to a stimulating discussion on how to promote our culture and achieve both social and economic objectives. By presenting this report to Canadians, we are taking another step toward open government and engaging Canadians in the development of modern cultural policies and frameworks-a toolkit that is better suited to today's realities."

- The Honourable Melanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage

Quick Facts

-- Minister Joly launched the consultations on Canadian Content in a Digital World in September 2016. -- Tens of thousands of Canadians demonstrated an interest in the DigiCanCon consultation through various channels, including six in- person events held across the country, the Web portal and social media. -- The report will guide the development of a modernized cultural toolkit in 2017.

Related Products

What We Heard Across Canada: Canadian Culture in a Digital World report

Canadian Content in a Digital World

Canadian Content Consultations Portal

Pre-consultations

Pre-consultations Results

Expert Advisory Group

Consultation Paper

Consultation Paper (summary)

Stay Connected

Follow us on Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Flickr.

Contacts:

Pierre-Olivier Herbert

Press Secretary

Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage

819-997-7788



Media Relations

Canadian Heritage

819-994-9101

1-866-569-6155

pch.media-media.pch@canada.ca




CHESTER, PA--(Marketwired - February 21, 2017) -

TO: City Editors, Education Editors, Photo Editors, Assignment Editors, News Directors, Broadcast Editors, Education Bloggers, Arts and Culture Editors, Online Content Managers and Managing Editors

WHAT: Chester Community Charter School (CCCS), the largest K-8 charter school in Pennsylvania, invites members of the media to attend "Night of Dreams," a Black History Month program, to be held Wednesday, February 22, on the school's East Campus, wherein more than 60 students, will showcase their talents, to an estimated 265 CCCS parents, faculty staff, and community members, and pay homage to prominent African-Americans. This event is held in conjunction with the Martin Luther King Memorial Committee of the City of Chester, a nonprofit organization, which aims to honor and continue Dr. Martin Luther King's legacy of service, peace and equality.

This year, the "Night of Dreams" program will have a "Motown" theme, wherein students will salute black achievers by performing songs from artists such as the Supremes, The Jackson 5 and Marvin Gaye. The program will also serve as an opportunity for scholars, from each of CCCS's three campuses, to collaborate and display their talents in one comprehensive production.

Arts and music, as well as literacy, have been ongoing initiatives of CCCS since the school was re-awarded a 21 st Century Community Learning Centers grant, in 2012. These subjects have been included in CCCS's academic curriculum, extracurricular activities and special events.

WHO:

Dr. David Clark, CEO, Chester Community Charter School

More than 60 Chester Community Charter School students

An estimated 260 parents, guardians and community members

Chester Community Charter School administrators, faculty and staff

WHEN:

Wednesday, February 22, 2017

6:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

(Performances to begin at 6:15pm)

WHERE:

Chester Community Charter School

East Campus - Gymnasium

214 E. 5 th Street

Chester, PA 19103

Contact:

Meaghan F. Washington

Tel: 215-751-0140

Email: mwashington@m3mpr.com

Twitter: @M3M_PR



Dr. David Clark

Tel: 610-447-0400

Email: dclark@chestercommunitycharter.org
Washington D.C.--(Newsfile Corp. - February 21, 2017) - The Securities and Exchange Commission will host a crowdfunding symposium Feb. 28, covering research, challenges, opportunities, and the effects of securities-based crowdfunding on various market participants.

The Commission's Division of Economic and Risk Analysis is partnering with NYU's Salomon Center for the Study of Financial Institutions to bring together regulators, practitioners, and academics for the half-day event. Presentations and discussions will focus on protecting investors while facilitating capital formation.

"We are excited to collaborate with NYU in this event focused on new sources of capital formation, and designed to bring together academics, industry participants, and the SEC," notes Acting Chairman Michael Piwowar.

Regulation Crowdfunding, a key JOBS Act rulemaking that went into effect on May 16, 2016, allows for a large number of retail investors to be solicited on the web and through social media to purchase unregistered securities of small private companies. Additionally, the rule establishes a new type of intermediary - the funding portal - that brings buyers and sellers together online.

To date, 21 funding portals have emerged to facilitate these transactions, with 163 deals initiated, of which 33 have completed their fundraising. Approximately $10 million of new capital has been raised in total since Regulation Crowdfunding became effective.

The event is free and open to the public, and will kick off with welcoming remarks by SEC Acting Chairman Michael Piwowar at 9:15 am at the SEC's headquarters building at 100 F Street, NE. A webcast will be available at sec.gov. For individuals wishing to attend, please register in advance and provide photo ID to the security personnel at the front desk.
TORONTO and NEW YORK, February 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Industry leaders from 32 countries and six continents to attend one of the largest metals and mining investor conferences in the world

Company presentations accessible via Webcast

Research analysts available for comment

BMO Capital Markets will host its 26thannual Global Metals & Mining Conference from February 26 to March 1, 2017, in Hollywood, Florida. The conference will bring together metals and mining industry leaders and institutional investors from around the world.

BMO Capital Markets will be welcoming more than 1,000 industry professionals representing nearly 500 companies from 32 countries and six continents to the conference, one of the industry's most important global gatherings.

"We are honoured once again to host the industry at our Global Metals & Mining Conference, an annual event celebrating our commitment to the sector across commodities cycles," said Pat Cronin, Group Head, BMO Capital Markets.

The conference brings together the global investors and executives who continuously map the future of the diverse and dynamic mining industry. It is considered an early barometer of industry sentiment for the year to come, featuring presentations from some of the world's largest mining companies.

BMO Capital Markets has been advising companies on the mining industry for more than a century. For seven consecutive years,Global FinanceMagazinehas recognised BMO Capital Markets as the best investment bank for metals and mining in the world.

Some of the companies scheduled to present at the conference include:

Agnico-Eagle Mines (AEM)

Agrium Inc. (AGU)

Alcoa (AA)

Anglo American (AAL)

(AAL) Antofagasta (ANTO)

(ANTO) Barrick Gold (ABX)

(ABX) BHP Billiton (BLT)

Cameco (CCO)

First Quantum Minerals (FM)

Franco- Nevada (FNV)

(FNV) Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold (FCX)

Gemfields (GEM)

Glencore (GLEN)

Goldcorp (GG)

HudBay Minerals (HBM)

Ivanhoe (IVN)

Lundin Mining (LUN)

Mosaic (MOS)

Newmont Mining (NEM)

Nucor (NUE)

Petra Diamonds (PDL)

PotashCorp (POT)

Randgold Resources (RRS)

Rio Tinto (RIO)

Silver Wheaton (SLW)

Steel Dynamics (STLD)

Teck Resources (TECK)

The three-day event is hosted by the BMO Capital Markets' Metals & Mining Equity Research team. With dedicated metals and mining analysts in Toronto, London, and New York, BMO covers more than 135 publicly-listed companies, making it one of the largest mining and fertilizer research groups in the world.

"In the last 12 months, metals and mining has undergone an amazing transformation and rightsizing. This year's conference will be a totally different environment from last year's," said David Gagliano, co-head of metals and mining research for BMO Capital Markets.

"How companies grow, how they will differentiate themselves and how management deploys their cash are the challenges facing metals and mining these days," said Andrew Kaip, co-head of metals and mining research for BMO Capital Markets.

Members of the BMO Metals & Mining Equity Research Group include:

Andrew Breichmanas , Research Analyst, Precious Metals

, Research Analyst, David Gagliano , Research Analyst, US Metals & Mining

, Research Analyst, US Metals & Mining Joel Jackson , Research Analyst, Fertilizers & Chemicals

, Research Analyst, Fertilizers & Chemicals Andrew Kaip , Research Analyst, Precious Metals

, Research Analyst, Andrew Mikitchook , Research Analyst, Precious Metals , Minerals, Gold

, Research Analyst, , Minerals, Gold Alexander Pearce , Research Analyst, Base Metals, Bulks & Uranium

, Research Analyst, Base Metals, Bulks & Uranium Brian Quast , Research Analyst, Precious Metals

, Research Analyst, Edward Sterck , Research Analyst, Diversifieds, Uranium, Diamonds

, Research Analyst, Diversifieds, Uranium, Diamonds Alex Terentiew , Research Analyst, Base Metals

For media who would like a copy of the agenda, access to Webcast presentations, or to request a telephone interview, please contact Pav Jordan or Mallory Micetich at BMO Media Relations.

Members of the Research team will be available at the close of the conference to discuss the conference and market sentiment.

About BMO Capital Markets

BMO Capital Markets is a leading, full-service North American-based financial services provider, with approximately 2,400 professionals in 30 locations around the world, including 16 offices in North America, offering corporate, institutional and government clients access to a complete range of investment and corporate banking products and services. BMO Capital Markets is a member of BMO Financial Group (NYSE, TSX: BMO), one of the largest diversified financial services providers in North America with US$513 billion total assets and over 45,000 employees as at October 31, 2016.

Media Contacts: Pav Jordan, Toronto, +1-416-867-3996, Pav.jordan@bmo.com; Mallory Micetich, New York, +1-212-885-4158, Mallory.micetich@bmo.com; Paul Rea, Toronto, +1-416-867-5384, Paul.rea@bmo.com; Internet: http://www.bmo.com , Twitter: @BMOMedia
TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 02/21/17 -- "After over 20 years of inaction by governments of different stripes, we welcome today's announcement that the Ministry of Labour will hold stakeholder consultations on the province's outdated Fair Wage policy," announced Patrick Dillon, Business Manager of the Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council.

Dillon added that "this consultation will be an excellent opportunity for us to build a strong case for updating and expanding the Fair Wage as it relates to the construction industry because doing so will ultimately strengthen the middle class in this province."

Ontario's Fair Wage policy has effectively been frozen since 1995. If updated, it would require contractors bidding on government-procured work to pay their workers a wage based on identifiable, best-documented prevailing rates specific to each discipline of the construction sector, across various regional areas of the province. The Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario has been an advocate for changes in the Fair Wage policy for a number of years. At the Council's 2014 Convention, a Resolution was unanimously passed to call on the government to update and expand its Fair Wage policy.

"If sufficiently updated, the Fair Wage policy has the potential to shrink the underground economy in construction by legally requiring contractors bidding on government work to pay their employees a fair wage. This would level the playing field for legitimate contractors, which would in-turn shrink the underground economy, boost skills training and productivity, as well as improve health and safety," explained Dillon.

"The people who build this province each and every day, deserve to share in the prosperity of our economy by earning a fair wage and our Council is hopeful that the results of this review are fruitful in that regard," concluded Dillon.

The Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario represents 150,000 trades workers throughout the province.

Contacts:

Patrick Dillon

Cell: (416) 347-8245

E-mail: patrick@ontariobuildingtrades.com




Q4 Improvement in Unit Margins

Regulatory News:

CLASQUIN (Paris:ALCLA):

2016 2015 2016 2015 at current scope 2016 2015 like for like change** Q4 2016/Q4 2015 at current scope CONSOLIDATED (unaudited) Number of shipments 221,990 207,931 +6.8% +2.6% +3.3% Sales (m) 235.0 234.2 +0.3% -1.4% +8.2% Gross profit (m) 57.5 55.6 +3.4% +0.7% +2.7%

*Note: Sales is not a relevant indicator for assessing activity in our business, because it is greatly impacted by changing sea and air freight rates, fuel surcharges, exchange rates (especially versus the $), etc. Variations in the number of shipments, the volumes shipped and-in terms of the Group's finances-gross profit are relevant indicators.

** The change in consolidation scope is due to the acquisition of LCI on 01/04/15.

2016 saw sustained growth in number of shipments (+6.8%) and volumes shipped (number of containers shipped by sea up 17.3%; air freight tonnage up 5.6%).

The recovery in air freight unit margins steepened in Q4. Following a sluggish performance in Q2 and Q3, sea freight unit margins regained their 2015 level in Q4.

On a like-for-like basis, Gross Profit increased by 2.0% in Q4 (up 2.7% at current exchange rates) after posting 0.3% growth over the first 9 months of the year.

DETAILS ON ACTIVITY BY BUSINESS LINE

NUMBER OF SHIPMENTS GROSS PROFIT (m) At current exchange rate 2016 2015 2016 2015 Q4 2016 Q4 2015 2016 2015 2016 2015 Q4 2016 Q4 2015 Sea freight 100,765 98,908 +1.9% +0.8% 27.7 27.8 -0.5% +0.9% Air freight 72,820 70,554 +3.2% +4.5% 18.4 19.1 -3.5% +6.8% RO/RO* 33,913 23,270 +45.7% +10.9% 6.7 4.7 +43.4% +16.2% Others 14,492 15,199 -4.7% -2.6% 3.6 2.9 +21.4% -12.7 TOTAL OVERSEAS ACTIVITY 221,990 207,931 +6.8% +3.3% 56.4 54.6 +3.4% +3.9% Log System 2.5 2.5 +0.0% +0.0% Consolidation entries -1.4 -1.5 NS NS TOTAL CONSOLIDATED 57.5 55.6 +3.4% +2.7%

*The strong growth in the "RO/RO" business line was driven by the acquisition of LCI on 01/04/15. One quarter of additional business was recorded in 2016. Q1 2016 LCI Clasquin: 8,605 shipments and GP of 1.7m.

VOLUME GROWTH 2016 2015 2016 2015 Q4 2016 Q4 2015 Sea freight 144,147 TEUs* 122,884 TEUs* +17.3% +14.3% Air freight 53,402 T** 50,586 T** +5.6% +1.6%

*Twenty Feet Equivalent Units

**Tons

Q4 2016 HIGHLIGHTS

"CLASQUIN PORTUGAL" opening in October 2016 with offices in Lisbon and Porto.

"CLASQUIN CHILE" opening in November 2016 with an office in Santiago.

OTHER 2016 HIGHLIGHTS

New governance with a strengthened team.

Strengthening of the IT architecture and organisation.

Agreement signed on 28 July with software publisher Wisetech (global leader in the sector) to replace our current Transport Management System. Roll-out as from April 2017.

New developments:

Acquisition in February 2016 of a small New York-based customs brokerage activity (GP: 0.4m).

activity (GP: 0.4m). ART SHIPPING acquisition in May 2016, a Paris-based company specialised in the transportation of artwork (GP: 0.7m).

2017 OUTLOOK

Market:

Estimated growth of around 1%

Clasquin:

Growth higher than market growth

UPCOMING EVENTS(publication issued after market closure)

Wednesday 15 March 2017 2016 Annual results (SFAF meetings Lyon 15/03, Paris 16/03) Thursday 27 April 2017 Business report as at 31 March 2017 Thursday 31 August 2017 Business report as at 30 June 2017 Wednesday 20 September 2017 2017 Half year results Thursday 26 October 2017 Business report as at 30 September 2017

Clasquin is an air and sea freight forwarding and overseas logistics specialist.

The Group designs and manages the entire overseas transport and logistics chain, organising and coordinating the flow of client shipments between France and the rest of the world, and more specifically to and from Asia-Pacific and the United States.

Its shares are listed on Alternext Paris, ISIN FR0004152882, Reuters ALCLA.PA, Bloomberg ALCLA FP.

For more information, see www.clasquinfinance.com

CLASQUIN confirms its eligibility for the new share savings plan for MSCs (medium-sized companies) in accordance with Article D221-113-5 of the French Monetary and Financial Code established by decree number 2014-283 of 4 March 2014 and with Article L221-32-2 of the French Monetary and Financial Code which set the conditions for eligibility (less than 5,000 employees and annual sales of less than 1,500 million euros or total balance sheet of less than 2,000 million euros).

Clasquin is part of EnternextPEA-PME 150 index

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170221006365/en/

Contacts:

CLASQUIN

Yves REVOL Chairman and CEO

Hugues MORIN - Group Executive Vice President

Philippe LONS Deputy Managing Director and CFO

Stephanie CHALANDON Financial Communication Coordinator

Phone: 04 72 83 17 00 Fax: 04 72 83 17 33
Technavio has announced the top five leading vendors in their recentglobal naval combat systems market 2017-2021report. This market research report also lists five other prominent vendors that are expected to impact the market during the forecast period.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170221006011/en/

Technavio has published a new report on the global naval combat systems market from 2017-2021. (Graphic: Business Wire)

Competitive vendor landscape

According to the market research analysis, the global naval combat systems market has few multinational and regional suppliers offering heterogeneous products and services. As the market, has crossed its growth phase, the vendors are obliged to compete based on the upgrading of existing technology, cost, quality, and reliability. Suppliers in the Americas and EMEA have been in the market for many decades, and hence they dominate the market with their advanced technical skill which has been developed over the years.

"Vendors should respond to the changing military spending and buying pattern. Offering naval combat systems with accurate range capabilities and the ability to perform both offensive and defensive strikes at the same time can be a significant strategy create, acquire, and sustain business opportunities," says Moutushi Saha, a lead analyst at Technavio for defenseresearch.

Request a sample report: http://www.technavio.com/request-a-sample?report=56626

Technavio's sample reports are free of charge and contain multiple sections of the report including the market size and forecast, drivers, challenges, trends, and more.

Technavioaerospace and defensemarket research analysts identify the following key vendors:

BAE Systems

BAE Systems is a global aerospace, security, and defense company. BAE is engaged in the design, development, and integration of modern naval combat systems for submarines and surface ships in the Royal Navy's fleet and is in operation with more than 20 navies across the globe.

Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin engages in the production, supply, and R&D of advanced technology systems, products, and services to global defense and aerospace industries. The company conducts research, design, development, manufacture, integration, and sustainment of various military platforms including aircraft, missiles, and military electronic capabilities. In global naval combat systems market, Lockheed Martin manufactures the ACS, which is an integrated naval weapons system that uses a powerful computer and radar technology to track and guide weapons to eradicate enemy targets.

Raytheon

Raytheon is a technology and innovation company that provides its solutions for the defense and other government markets across the world. The company provides electronics, mission systems integration, and other capabilities in the areas of sensing, effects and command, control, communications, and intelligence systems, along with a broad range of mission support services. Raytheon is involved in manufacturing one of the world's largest and most capable submarine Combat System Integrator.

Saab

The focus behind the inception of the company was to secure Sweden's supply of military aircraft to maintain the country's security and sovereignty. Saab now produces products and services that cater to the global military defense and civil security with its most important markets in the present day being Europe, South Africa, the US, and Australia. Saab's Naval Combat System is customized to ensure that the correct and necessary support services are being provided during the development and modification of the combat system.

Thales Group

Thales Group provides solutions primarily to the aerospace and defense industries globally. Thales TACTICOS combat management system was conceived in the early 1990s as an integrated and highly automated multi-warfare combat management system (CMS). With over two decades of experience, TACTICOS has found application in small, medium, and large naval vessels to manage command and weapon control functions on these naval combatants. Thales TACTICOS has extended to across 20 navies and close to 200 platforms ranging from coastal patrol craft to guided missile destroyers.

Browse Related Reports:

Global Naval Radar Systems Market 2016-2020

Global Military Electro-Optical and Infrared Systems Market 2016-2020

Global C4ISR Market 2016-2020

Become a Technavio Insights member and access all three of these reports for a fraction of their original cost. As a Technavio Insights member, you will have immediate access to new reports as they're published in addition to all 6,000+ existing reports covering segments like defense technologygeneral aviation, and homeland security. This subscription nets you thousands in savings, while staying connected to Technavio's constant transforming research library, helping you make informed business decisions more efficiently.

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. The company develops over 2000 pieces of research every year, covering more than 500 technologies across 80 countries. Technavio has about 300 analysts globally who specialize in customized consulting and business research assignments across the latest leading edge technologies.

Technavio analysts employ primary as well as secondary research techniques to ascertain the size and vendor landscape in a range of markets. Analysts obtain information using a combination of bottom-up and top-down approaches, besides using in-house market modeling tools and proprietary databases. They corroborate this data with the data obtained from various market participants and stakeholders across the value chain, including vendors, service providers, distributors, re-sellers, and end-users.

If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at media@technavio.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170221006011/en/

Contacts:

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media Marketing Executive

US: +1 630 333 9501

UK: +44 208 123 1770

www.technavio.com
One recent Sunday morning, I woke up to a text message from a coworker saying shed been up all night with her mother in the emergency room.

Her mom had fallen, broken her hip, and was getting admitted to the hospital for surgery. As you can imagine, my colleague was exhausted, worried, and facing some important decisions. Even as her mom was being prepped for surgery, the hospitals care coordinator was asking which rehabilitation facility she should be sent to afterwards.

As a fellow official of the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), my associate has a better-than-average understanding of the healthcare system. But shed never had to find a rehabilitation facility for a loved one. So she turned to an online tool CMS developed to help people find a suitable nursing home when they need one.

The tool is called Nursing Home Compare and you can find it on our www.Medicare.gov website. Just click on the button that says Find nursing homes. Enter your zip code or city and you can begin your search.

Nursing Home Compare assigns from one to five stars to every nursing facility that participates in Medicare or Medicaid, with five stars being the highest rating. These star ratings give you and your family an easy-to-understand summary of three important dimensions of nursing home quality: health inspection results, staffing information, and quality-of-care.

The goal of our Five-Star Quality Rating System is to help people distinguish between higher- and lower-performing nursing homes. CMS also wants to help nursing homes identify problem areas and to improve their quality.

Nursing facilities receive an overall star rating based on three types of performance indicators, each of which has its own star rating:

Health inspections: Nursing homes that participate in Medicare or Medicaid undergo unannounced, comprehensive inspections about once a year. CMS bases health inspection ratings on the number, scope, and severity of deficiencies found during the three most recent inspections, as well as on results of complaint investigations during the most recent 36 months.

Staffing levels: CMS bases staffing ratings on two components: 1) Registered nurse hours per resident day; and 2) total staffing hours (registered nurse plus licensed practical nurse plus nurse aide hours) per resident day. The staffing measures are adjusted for different levels of resident care needs.

Quality measures: These ratings are based on how a nursing home performs on 16 of the 24 quality-of-care measures currently posted on Nursing Home Compare. The measures reflect whether residents got flu shots, are in pain, or are losing weight. We also look at how well the facility controls pressure ulcers (bed sores), whether it overuses antipsychotic medications, and other indicators of how residents are treated.

A facilitys overall star rating is a composite of the ratings on the measures above. The core of the overall rating is the health inspection rating, which is adjusted up if the facility receives high staffing or quality-of-care ratings, or down if those ratings are low.

You can compare multiple facilities on Nursing Home Compare, as my colleague did when looking for the best spot for her mother. But keep in mind that star ratings are intended to be combined with other sources of information (such as a doctors recommendation) and shouldnt substitute for visiting the nursing home in person. Indeed, after my coworker identified two possible facilities, she visited the one that had an available room and was pleased to learn it had high ratings for food service, something very important to her mother.

At www.Medicare.gov, youll also find compare websites for hospitals, home health services, dialysis facilities, medical equipment suppliers, and Medicare-approved health and prescription drug plans.

Choosing a nursing home for yourself or a loved one is a complex, personal, and often emotionally draining decision. With that in mind, we developed a detailed brochure, Your Guide to Choosing a Nursing Home or Other Long-Term Care, which you can find online at https://www.medicare.gov/Pubs/pdf/02174.pdf.

Among other things, the brochure provides a checklist of questions to ask nursing home managers, alternatives to nursing home care, and the legal rights and protections of nursing home residents.

Im glad to report my colleagues mother is on the mend!
BOSTON, MA and MORRISTOWN, NJ--(Marketwired - February 21, 2017) - BioAegis Therapeutics Inc., a privately held biotechnology company exploiting plasma gelsolin's (pGSN) role in immune function announced that it has expanded its clinical advisory board to include John Kellum, M.D. -- noted critical care physician and acute kidney injury expert at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

John Kellum, M.D. is a clinician scientist whose research interests span various aspects of Critical Care Medicine, but center in critical care nephrology (including acid-base, and renal replacement therapy), sepsis and multi-organ failure (including blood purification), and clinical epidemiology. His research has received continuous funding from the National Institutes of Health since 2001, and he has active funding from multiple different NIH Institutes. Dr. Kellum has authored more than 300 publications and has also edited several major textbooks including Critical Care Nephrology and Stewart's Textbook of Acid-Base.

Additional members of BioAegis's Clinical Advisory Board are:

Steven Opal, M.D. Professor of Medicine, Brown University School of Medicine; Chief, Infectious Disease Division, Memorial Hospital of RI

B. Taylor Thompson, M.D. Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Director, Medical Intensive Care Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital

Atul Malhotra, M.D. Division Chief, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Kenneth M. Moser Professor, Department of Medicine University of California-San Diego. Vice President, American Thoracic Society (2015-16 President)

Jean-Louis Vincent, M.D. Professor of Intensive Care, Universite Libre de Bruxelles, Head, Department of Intensive Care, Erasme University Hospital

Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) is known to be a common occurrence in Severe Community-Acquired Pneumonia patients (SCAP). Data from a recent study of 1,800 community-acquired pneumonia patients (GenIMS Study) indicated that approximately one-third of SCAP patients were diagnosed with AKI. Patients with AKI exhibited longer stay in the hospital and had approximately ten times the risk of death at discharge (11% versus 1.3%).

Plasma Gelsolin

Plasma gelsolin (pGSN) becomes depleted in a wide range of inflammatory conditions, and critically low levels associate with significant morbidity and mortality in animals and humans. Data from many independent laboratories documenting that plasma gelsolin administration produces striking recoveries from lethal infections in experimental animals -- in the absence of antibiotic therapy -- strongly supports the rationale for pGSN repletion therapy. Also in support of this approach is the fact that no adverse effects have emerged from extensive preclinical toxicity studies with plasma gelsolin nor from the administration of recombinant gelsolin by different routes to healthy and diseased humans in three separate clinical studies.

Based on recent breakthrough findings by Dr. Lester Kobzik at the TH Chan Harvard School of Public Health, plasma gelsolin replacement therapy markedly decreased mortality of murine pneumonia due to its stimulation of macrophages' ability to ingest and kill bacteria. Based on prior studies demonstrating rhu-pGSN's protective effect in models of infection and organ failure, it is expected that this therapeutic will reduce the incidence of acute kidney injury and its longterm consequences.

The company is planning to conduct studies to treat severe community-acquired pneumonia, a leading cause of death in the US and around the world despite antibiotics and improved levels of care.

Susan Levinson, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of BioAegis stated, "We are delighted to add John Kellum to our prestigious clinical advisory board as we advance our development efforts towards our next clinical study."

John Kellum commented, "The incidence of AKI in severe pneumonia is well-known, but the long-term adverse effects are often underappreciated. A therapeutic agent such as plasma gelsolin may have the potential to reduce acute kidney injury in these patients."

About BioAegis Therapeutics

Founded by a group of highly experienced pharmaceutical and business executives, BioAegis' mission is to harness the body's innate immune system to address adverse outcomes in diseases driven by inflammation and infection.

This press release contains express or implied forward-looking statements, which are based on current expectations of management. These statements relate to, among other things, our expectations regarding management's plans, objectives, and strategies. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, and which could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in these forward- looking statements. BioAegis assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements appearing in this press release in the event of changing circumstances or otherwise, and such statements are current only as of the date they are made.

Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2017/2/21/11G130819/Images/Kellum-7b172312af54b2bbaf806fb1170e815f.jpg

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For further information:

Steven Cordovano

203-952-6373

Email: scordovano@bioaegistherapeutics.com

www.bioaegistherapeutics.com
TUSTIN, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 02/21/17 -- Logomark -- the industry-leading promotional products supplier, announced today the winners of its 2017 Resolution Revolution campaign, a 10-week period in the winter of 2016-17 that encouraged more than 300 people to submit their New Year's resolutions. The complete list of inspirational entries can be found at http://www.logomark.com/resrev. Four winning entries were selected at random.

The three winners of FitBit Fitness Trackers were:

Shannon O'Reilly (Robertson Marketing)

Ronnie Dana (Promo Image)

Michelle Taylor (Brown & Bigelow)

The grand prize winner of a health club package valued at $500 was Karen Kravitz (HALO Branded Solutions). Logomark promoted the Resolution Revolution campaign on its website and social media channels with weekly product launches, using the hashtag ResolutionRevolution.

"New Year's resolutions are a great opportunity to think positively and find ways for self-improvement," says Logomark CEO Trevor Gnesin. "This campaign helped people to discuss their resolutions and also showcases our capabilities in providing branded products and solutions that help people turn their resolutions into reality."

Logomark's 2017 product catalog features hundreds of new items, further improving the company's massive line of promotional products. Many products such as the Odin Series stainless steel bottles can be an integral part of reaching fitness resolutions in 2017. Another available product line, integrated coaster/bottle openers, is perfect for customers that resolved to "be more social."

ABOUT LOGOMARK: Founded in 1993, Logomark is a premier supplier of personalized gift and promotional products for the North American and global advertising specialty market. The company is a certified member of the Quality Certification Alliance, ensuring standards that deliver the highest levels of product safety. Providing more than 3,000 top-quality products in diverse categories, Logomark persistently reinvents the promotional products industry exceptional product selections, innovative solutions and unequaled customer support. Logomark offers a complete line of products, an easy-to- use mobile app, an award-winning website and is ranked 8th in product searches on the industry's leading search platform. For more information on the company's broad line of quality promotional products, please call 800-789- 4438 or visit www.logomark.com.
HRS Bookings via Global Distribution Systems Up 34 Percent in 2016

HRS, the world's leading provider of end-to-end solutions for corporate hotel programs, announced that its 2016 hotel booking volume via travel management companies (TMCs) more than tripled from the prior year. Even during a year that saw pockets of soft corporate lodging demand in select cities, HRS bookings through the world's GDSs increased 34 percent.

This result underscores the solid sales performance of HRS-affiliated hotels booked via the TMC channel used by many corporations. HRS' GDS-originating bookings grew by double digits in multiple countries last year, including:

China Poland France Spain India Turkey Italy United Kingdom Japan United States

HRS, which has integrated its hotel content into the GDSs since 2013, offers TMCs multiple avenues to access HRS properties. Beyond simple GDS connectivity, TMCs also have the option of setting up a direct-connect link to HRS. Either option enables access to HRS' 350,000 hotels and competitive corporate rates.

At this week's Business Travel Show in London, HRS will showcase its portfolio, including 180,000+ boutique properties, and the company's broad range of services (sourcing, meetings management, rate auditing, etc.) that can support virtually any element of a managed hotel program. HRS and its representatives will be at stand number B755.

Travelport Connectivity Propels GDS Bookings in Europe and the United Kingdom

In 2016, HRS optimized its hotel content in Travelport's travel commerce platform, adding more than 50,000 non-chain properties to the booking system and further building on Travelport's GDS leadership in hotel distribution to travel agents and TMCs around the world. In China, HRS enhanced its distribution agreement with TravelSky, the country's leading GDS, which brought wide access to more than 60,000 unique business-grade hotels. HRS continues to add hotels globally, and to work closely with new properties to secure lower corporate rates.

"The TMC channel, particularly in the mid-market, has an acute need for an end-to-end hotel solutions provider that seamlessly serves smaller companies beyond their border," said Andy Besent, managing director of HRS in Ireland and the U.K. "As 2017 gets underway, we're speaking with both travel buyers and TMCs about our unique approach to serving corporate clients. Working in concert with their TMC, HRS will engage with a travel manager on any element of their program, leveraging our array of tools and services to deliver hotel savings and superior everyday program performance."

HRS Global Hotel Solutions

HRS makes business travel easy. Companies and corporate travelers around the world look to us to find optimal hotel accommodation and to simplify the travel process. From booking the best rates to payment and annual sourcing activities, HRS provides end-to-end automation and consultative services to more than 40,000 companies. HRS is also the world's largest hotel content provider, offering five million rooms in 350,000+ hotels in 190 countries, all seamlessly available to business travelers and travel agents through global distribution systems and online booking tools. HRS balances corporate hotel programs with unmatched access to independent hotels which make up 70+ percent of the world's hotel supply. With headquarters in Cologne, Germany, HRS today has 1,600 employees in 28 offices worldwide.

Further information at corporate.hrs.com

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170221006441/en/

Contacts:

McCann PR for HRS London

Sylvie Pender, +44 (0)117 921 8131

sylvie.pender@mccann.com

or

HRS Global Public Relations

Michael Brophy, +1 214-356-4326

michael.brophy@hrs.com
Several textile and apparel industries among African nations are on the rise, attracting more attention from the global market. These sectors are mainly boosted by increased exports, investments and government support. Details about these industrial facilitators in Lesotho, Ethiopia and Nigeria are some of this week's featured stories on BizVibe. BizVibe is the world's smartest B2B marketplace and allows users to connect with over seven million companies around the globe.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170221006505/en/

Several textile and apparel markets in Africa are on the rise. (Graphic: Business Wire)

Increasing exports to the US boosting Lesotho's textile industry

Lesotho is now one of Africa's biggest textile and apparel manufacturers and the largest sub-Saharan African exporter of apparel products to the US. Its annual textile and apparel exports to the US increased from about USD 129 million in 2001 to USD 330 million in 2015. The significant development of Lesotho's textile and apparel industry has been mainly driven by a preferential trade deal with the US The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).

Now, over 80% of Lesotho-made textile and apparel production exports to the US every year, and many US brands, such as Gap, Levi Strauss, Foot Locker, Timberland and Wal-Mart, are sourcing or manufacturing in Lesotho.

Connect with nearly 35,000 textiles companies listed on BizVibe

Ethiopia's textile sector attracts new investments

Several large Chinese companies have decided to invest in Ethiopia's textile and apparel industry this year, among them is Jiangsu Sunshine Group who plan to invest nearly USD 1 billion in Ethiopia. Ethiopia is becoming an attractive destination, especially considering that its new initiatives are so favourable to textile companies. Indian investors have also shown a strong interest in the African nation.

The Ethiopian Investment Commission (EIC) has increased its efforts to attract foreign direct investment, and hopes to secure total USD 3.5 billion investment by the end of this fiscal year.

Connect with over 24,000 textile machinery companies listed on BizVibe

Government shows strong support to Nigeria's textile and apparel industry

The Government of Nigeria has recently announced that it will allocate 51 billion Nigerian Naira (USD 161 million) in this year's federal budget to the development and resuscitation of the Nigeria's struggling textile and apparel industry

The government hopes this allocation will create more textile jobs, promote the production and purchases of locally-made textiles and clothing, improve infrastructure, increase domestic cotton production and develop technologies in the Nigeria's textile and apparel industry.

Connect with textiles companies in Nigeria listed on BizVibe

BizVibe is home to 50,000+ apparel and textile companies across 200+ countries, covering all sectors. The BizVibe platform allows you to discover the highest quality leads and make meaningful connections in real time. Claim your company profile for free and let the business come to you.

About BizVibe

BizVibe is home to over seven million company profiles across 700+ industries. The single minded focus of BizVibe's platform is to make networking easier. Over the years, we've searched far and wide to figure out how businesses connect and enable trade. That first interaction is usually fraught with the uncertainty of finding a potential partner vs. a potential nightmare. With this in mind, we've designed a robust set of tools to help companies generate leads, shortlist prospects, network with businesses from around the world and trade seamlessly.

BizVibe is headquartered in Toronto, and has offices in London, Bangalore and Beijing. For more information on the BizVibe network, please contact us.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170221006505/en/

Contacts:

Jesse Maida

BizVibe Media Marketing Executive

media@bizvibe.com

www.bizvibe.com
SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 02/21/17 -- Michael "Mick" Moran, who has helped rescue thousands of child abuse material victims since he started working in the field in 1997, challenged the internet industry to do more to protect innocent children as he received the 2017 M3AAWG Mary Litynski Award today. Moran, assistant director of INTERPOL's Vulnerable Communities Unit, was honored at the 39th general meeting of the Messaging, Malware and Mobile Anti-Abuse Working Group for his personal commitment to this challenging work and for fostering international cooperation to fight online exploitation.

The M3AAWG Mary Litynski Award recognizes the life-time achievements of a person whose work has significantly contributed to the safety of the online community. In his acceptance presentation and in a video for the M3AAWG YouTube channel, Moran outlined some of the changing strategies in battling child abuse materials and offered suggestions on how the industry can better safeguard its networks.

Until a few years ago, dealing in child abuse materials (CAM) was basically a commercial enterprise and its photos or movies were widely circulated online. But industry efforts, such as controlling the flow of spam used to circulate links to these materials, has largely driven it off the open Web and into private emails, cloud storage and live streaming events, Moran explained.

"Up to 95 percent of abuse materials today are exchanged like-for-like, without any money changing hands, with the real currency being the pain of the children. But every picture, every movie, involves a real child and we have become very victim-centric at INTERPOL. We are moving away from the whack-a-mole work of catching someone for possessing or distribution and are now thinking about what we can do as law enforcement to identify that child and thereby stop the abuse," he said.

Growing out of this child-centric strategy, the International Child Sexual Exploitation database is used to identify and locate victims. INTERPOL maintains ICSE, which connects fifty countries and provides them with current information on vulnerable children. The ICSE data helps identify an average of six victims a day around the world, ranging in age from infants to pre-teens, according to Moran.

Industry Needs to Step Up

Addressing how the industry can better protect this vulnerable population, Moran said, "In my opinion, anyone who has a network has the responsibility to ensure that it is not being used by bad actors. I would argue that you're being negligent if you, as a system administrator, are allowing child abusers to use your system.

"Why would you scan your systems for malware and not scan for child abuse materials? Why would you ensure you aren't leaving any relays open on your mail servers but not make sure those servers aren't being used to transmit or store child abuse material? While there are some large companies that are managing this issue in a mature manner, for every one that is, there are ten, fifteen or twenty that are not," he said.

Moran also urged the industry to build safety into new platforms and apps from the initial design phase. "We should acknowledge that bad people will abuse new services as these go online. If some thought is given to this at the coding stage, then it is possible to actually stop the exploitation early on," he said.

From Chat Rooms to the Cloud

Moran started his law enforcement career and is affiliated with the Garda Siochana, the police force of Ireland. He has been seconded to INTERPOL for 10 years and is stationed in Lyon, France, where its Vulnerable Communities Unit is headquartered. Moran began working against CAM in the early IRC chat rooms then followed as abusers moved to the Web and other technologies to distribute materials. Over the years, he has provided support and expertise to private organizations in the field and other law enforcement agencies globally, forging an international community that cooperates in rescuing exploited children, and he often speaks on the subject to both professional and public audiences.

In announcing the award, M3AAWG Chairman Michael Adkins said, "We're recognizing Michael's tireless efforts over the last twenty years to protect these victims while working in a very demanding field, his commitment to protecting their dignity and his drive to protect as many children as possible. But this award is also a wake-up call for the industry. We all need to follow Mick's lead and take responsibility for this social issue. We all need to do more to keep it off our systems and networks."

The 2017 award was presented during the M3AAWG 39th General Meeting that opened February 20 in San Francisco. Over 500 security experts, ISPs, researchers, public policy representatives and vendors are participating in the four-day meeting that features more than 50 cybersecurity and information sharing sessions. M3AAWG holds three meetings each year, including one in Europe, to develop best practices and other work that will protect online users. The next M3AAWG meeting will be June 12-15 in Lisbon, Portugal.

About the Messaging, Malware and Mobile Anti-Abuse Working Group (M3AAWG)

The Messaging, Malware and Mobile Anti-Abuse Working Group (M3AAWG) is where the industry comes together to work against bots, malware, spam, viruses, denial-of-service attacks and other online exploitation. M3AAWG (www.m3aawg.org) members represent more than one billion mailboxes from some of the largest network operators worldwide. It leverages the depth and experience of its global membership to tackle abuse on existing networks and new emerging services through technology, collaboration and public policy. It also works to educate global policy makers on the technical and operational issues related to online abuse and messaging. Headquartered in San Francisco, Calif., M3AAWG is driven by market needs and supported by major network operators and messaging providers.

M3AAWG Board of Directors: AT&T; CenturyLink; Cloudmark, Inc.; Comcast; Endurance International Group; Facebook; Google; LinkedIn; Mailchimp; Microsoft Corp.; Orange; Return Path; SendGrid, Inc.; Charter Communications; Vade Secure; and Yahoo! Inc.

M3AAWG Full Members: 1&1 Internet AG; Adobe Systems Inc.; Agora, Inc.; AOL; Campaign Monitor Pty.; Cisco Systems, Inc.; CloudFlare; Dyn; Exact Target, Inc.; IBM, iContact; Internet Initiative Japan; Liberty Global; Listrak; Litmus; MAPP Digital; Sparkpost; Mimecast; Nominum, Inc.; Oracle Marketing Cloud; OVH; PayPal; Proofpoint; Rackspace; Spamhaus; Sprint; Symantec; and USAA.

A complete member list is available at https://www.m3aawg.org/about/roster.

Media Contact:

Linda Marcus, APR

+1-714-974-6356

(U.S. Pacific)

LMarcus@astra.cc

Astra Communications




AUSTIN, TX -- (Marketwired) -- 02/21/17 -- nFusion, the agency partner for modern technology marketers, today announced the finalists for the fourth annual Cojones Awards, which honors marketers who have exhibited courage and boldness to disrupt the status quo. Finalists were selected by an independent panel of all-star judges. Winners will be selected for outstanding performance in one of five categories. The Finalists by category are below:

1. Inspire - to build authentic brands with a sense of purpose:

Jonathan Mildenhall, CMO, Airbnb (@Mildenhall)

Dave Minifie, Chief Experience Officer, Centene

Norman de Greve, CMO, CVS Health (@ndegreve)

2. Be Bold - to disrupt the status quo and break out of the sea of sameness:

John Dillon, CMO, Denny's (@DillonJohnW)

Jennifer Saenz, CMO, Frito-Lay

Elizabeth Windram, Director, Brand and Advertising, JetBlue (@ESWindram)

Alan Bethke, VP, Marketing, Subaru of America

3. Connect - to deliver meaningful customer experiences seamlessly across channels:

Anne-Marie Kline, CMO, Living Proof (@amkline)

Sarah Marsh, VP, Customer Experience & Engagement, Uniqlo

Richard Marnell, SVP, Marketing, Viking River Cruises (@rmarnell)

Stephanie McMahon, Chief Brand Officer, WWE, Inc. (@StephMcMahon)

4. Innovate - to implement new ways of engaging customer living a digital lifestyle:

Brad Brooks, Chief Marketing, Product & Engineering Officer, Docusign (@BradLBrooks)

Judy Hackett, CMO Emerging Business, Dun & Bradstreet (@Judyblueeyes)

Kenny Mitchell, Head of Consumer Engagement, Gatorade (@kmitch)

Ashish Gupta, CMO, Infoblox (@gupta)

5. Transform - to build organizational capabilities to become modern marketers:

Lauren Flaherty, CMO, CA Technologies(@l_flaherty)

Morgan Flatley, CMO, Pepsico Global Nutrition (@MorgsF)

Connie Weaver, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, TIAA

Clay Stobaugh, CMO, Wiley

Winners will be chosen by the independent panel of judges. The judges for the 2017 Cojones Awards are:

Jennifer Rooney, Editor, Forbes CMO Network

Rob Malcolm, Immediate Past Chair, American Marketing Association

Sheryl Pattek, VP, CMO Executive Partner, Forrester

Peter Krainik, Founder, The CMO Club

Tom Seclow, Partner and Marketing Officer Practice Lead, Spencer Stuart

Denise Karkos, CMO, TD Ameritrade and 2016 Cojones Award Winner

Brian Davidson, SVP, Association of National Advertisers

Finalists will be honored in an awards ceremony on Saturday, March 11 in Austin, Texas at the CMO Club Clubhouse during SXSW. The awards ceremony will be presented by nFusion and supported by Datorama. To request an invitation to the event, visit: http://info.nfusion.com/cojones/rsvp.html

About nFusion

nFusion is a demand generation agency that partners with bold technology marketers to accelerate growth. By developing customer insights, executing performance media and creating compelling content, the Austin-based firm has helped companies like Google, Samsung, Sandisk, Sitecore and Q2ebanking achieve break-through results. nFusion is proud to have been recognized by Ad Age as a Small Agency of the Year in 2014 and winner of a Gold Effie in 2015. Follow nFusion on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook or the agency website.

Press Contact:

John Ellett

CEO, nFusion

512.716.7100

Email Contact




New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - February 21, 2017) - Last year, Hallak Cleaners celebrated its fiftieth anniversary as a couture dry cleaner. If you live in Manhattan, you know that there are dry cleaners on every block. However, Hallak is couture cleaner which provides a different level of expertise in garment care. Hallak is one of eleven couture cleaners who are affiliates of Leading Cleaners Internationale (LCI). LCI affiliates are considered the best in the dry cleaning industry. To be admitted, a cleaner must pass a pre-certification evaluation and undergo a thorough and rigorous certification process. All affiliates are dedicated to offering the highest level quality of service. In order to ensure this, it is mandatory to attend the annual conference. At the conference, the business owners discuss a host of areas within the industry. With one shared goal in mind, they work together to find new ways to improve not only their personal business.but the industry as a whole. Over the years, the 'dry cleaning industry' has had its share of reputation issues. Today's cleaners have new technology and processes that are so much more environmentally friendly (and also better for the garments themselves). Last October's conference allowed each affiliate to share both their latest triumphs and also their weakest areas. Together, the cleaners brainstormed ideas on topics such as delivery improvements, customer service, new training protocols, advances in fabric care and analysis of company financials. For additional information on Hallak Cleaners, please call (212) 832-0750 or visit www.hallak.com. About Hallak Cleaners : Hallak Cleaners is a family-owned couture dry cleaner. Hallak Cleaners is well known in the Metropolitan area for their specialized services including couture, suede & leather, custom interior furnishings and wedding gown services. Hallak Cleaners offers complimentary pickup and delivery in Manhattan, Bergen County, Westchester and Greenwich.

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
CHICAGO, IL -- (Marketwired) -- 02/21/17 -- iManage, the leading provider of Work Product Management solutions, today announced that seasoned IT professional Gianni Giust has assumed the role of iManage Managing Director for Australia and New Zealand. In his new position, based in Brisbane, Australia, Giust will be responsible for working closely with the existing iManage partner community that supports a well-established and rapidly growing regional customer base.

"The Australian and New Zealand market has always been an important market for us -- we count the largest law firms and financial institutions in the region as customers, and we have a strong partner community that has served us and our customers well," said Neil Araujo, iManage CEO. "Having local representation with Giust further solidifies our commitment to this market, provides increased support for our partners, and ensures we have a compelling local presence for our customers. Gianni has the industry experience and customer orientation needed to ensure that our customers in the region receive the most value from their iManage investments."

Giust has a strong pedigree with iManage, having spent a number of years working for a key iManage partner organisation in Australia, focused on growing the adoption of the iManage solutions across the professional services market in New South Wales. Additionally, Giust brings broad experience in the enterprise content management space, including time as Associate Director -- Enterprise Content Management at Optus, and National Manager of Customer Success at Objective Corporation.

"This is an exciting time of change in the professional services industry as our customers strive to leverage modern and smart technologies to manage information in order to improve business agility, lower costs and improve information security," said Giust. "There's so much excitement in the marketplace around the strides iManage has made as an organisation since becoming an independent business, and the innovation it has demonstrated with game-changing new products like iManage Work 10. I had the opportunity to join the global partner community at our recent Partner University event in New York, and to see the partners' excitement and enthusiasm around our company's direction was fantastic."

About iManage

iManage is the leading provider of work product management solutions for legal, accounting and financial services firms and the corporate departments they serve worldwide. Every day iManage helps professionals streamline the creation, sharing, governance and security of their work product. Over one million professionals at over 3,000 organisations around the world -- including more than 2,000 law firms and 500 corporate legal departments -- rely on iManage to help them deliver great client work. Headquartered in Chicago, iManage is a management-owned company. For more information, visit us at https://imanage.com, on twitter @imanageinc or on LinkedIn.

Press Contact Information:

Bonnie Harris

iManage

Phone: (415) 332-5816

Email Contact






WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Susan Fowler, a former engineer at ride-hailing service Uber, in a blog post has claimed that she and several other female employees were sexually harassed at the company.



Fowler also claimed that the company's human resources department refused to take strict actions against the superior officer and only issued a warning.



Uber Chief Executive Travis Kalanick has ordered an urgent investigation into the sexual harassment claim. Kalanick in a statement said that what Fowler described 'is abhorrent and against everything Uber stands for and believes in.'



'We seek to make Uber a just workplace and there can be absolutely no place for this kind of behavior at Uber -- and anyone who behaves this way or thinks this is OK will be fired,' Kalanick said.



'On my first official day rotating on the team, my new manager sent me a string of messages over company chat. He was in an open relationship, he said, and his girlfriend was having an easy time finding new partners but he wasn't. He was trying to stay out of trouble at work, he said, but he couldn't help getting in trouble, because he was looking for women to have sex with. It was clear that he was trying to get me to have sex with him, and it was so clearly out of line that I immediately took screenshots of these chat messages and reported him to HR,' Fowler wrote on her blog.



'When I reported the situation, I was told by both HR and upper management that even though this was clearly sexual harassment and he was propositioning me, it was this man's first offense, and that they wouldn't feel comfortable giving him anything other than a warning and a stern talking-to,' she said.



Uber asked Fowler to find another team at Uber to work with or that she could continue to work with the person she had accused.



Fowler later met several other women employees at Uber who had face similar harassment from the same person. They went to HR again, but the company denied the existence of other complaints.



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HOLLYWOOD, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 02/21/17 -- bBooth, Inc. (OTCQB: BBTH), the Hollywood-based digital technology company, is pleased to announce today that it has entered into an agreement for the issuance and sale of up to 1,050,000 shares of its Series A Preferred Stock under terms and conditions set forth in a purchase agreement. Pursuant to the purchase agreement, the purchase of shares may occur in several tranches; the first of which, in the amount of $300,000, closed simultaneously with the execution of the purchase agreement on February 14, 2017. The closing of additional tranches is subject to certain conditions set forth in the purchase agreement. The proceeds of the offering will be used to support bBooth's continued growth, and for other corporate purposes. The stock to be issued will not be registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the securities laws of any state, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration requirements.

About bBooth:

bBooth, Inc. (OTCQB: BBTH) is a Hollywood-based digital tech company offering truly interactive video for Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Sales Lead Generation, Marketing Campaigns, and Social Engagement. Our bNotifi cloud-based, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform gives our clients the power to produce and distribute interactive videos that can be experienced on all mobile and desktop devices, and no download or proprietary player is required. bNotifi interactive videos can be displayed on a website, embedded in online ads, or shared via email, text, or Twitter and other social media. bNotifi can be white-labeled for sales-based organizations, consumer brands, and artists seeking greater levels of customer, consumer, and fan engagement.

Our CRM product, built around our proprietary 'Video-First' bNotifi technology, places interactive video front and center in all customer and prospect communications. bNotifi can accommodate a single direct sales representative, yet is enterprise-class scalable to meet the needs of today's global organizations. With bNotifi, we've re-invented what a CRM, Lead-Gen tool should be in today's video-centric social environment.

For more information on bBooth, visit www.bBooth.com.

Forward-looking & Safe Harbor Statement: Certain statements in this release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of Rule 175 under the Securities Act of 1933 and Rule 3b-6 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and those statements are subject to the safe harbor created by those rules. All statements, other than statements of fact, included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding potential future plans and objectives of the Company, are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. The Company cautions that these forward-looking statements are further qualified by other factors. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any statements in this release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Please address media inquiries to:



bBooth

info@bBooth.com

855 250-2300 ext. 2

www.bBooth.com




CASPER, Wyo. -- More than a year ago, environmentalists, oil and gas operators and landowners across the West waited to hear whether the greater sage grouse would be listed as an endangered species.

The answer, released in a social media video with then-Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell, confirmed the hope of many and the fear of some: The odd bird with the strange mating ritual would not be listed.

However, the department that oversees the Bureau of Land Management sidelined one piece of the sagebrush conservation pie for further study and public review: the potential removal of certain sage grouse habitats across six states, including Wyoming, from future hard rock mining.

To many the idea is federal overkill, an unnecessary restriction that sets a bad precedent for industry in the West. Others see the need to conserve the grouse as ongoing and precarious. The no-mining approach should at least be considered, they say.

Including Wyomings portion, the total restricted area would be about 10 million acres in the West, and it would be off-limits for new development for the next 20 years. Current or existing mineral operations would not be affected.

That is the most extreme scenario offered by the federal regulators. Another option is to take no further action. Yet another choice would be to remove partial tracts.

The BLM also made a rare decision not to suggest a preferred course until further public input had been gathered.

For that purpose, the federal regulators held a public meeting Wednesday in Rock Springs, a central BLM office for the Wyoming tracts that may or may not allow mining in the future.

One of the reasons we are holding these meetings is we know we have a number of different alternatives that we want peoples comments on, said Michelle Barret, senior public affairs specialist for the federal agency. This is not a one-size-fits-all sort of thing. What works for one state, we know, doesnt necessarily work for another.

Efforts to save the grouse, and preclude the bird from an endangered species listing, were concentrated in Wyoming, where about 40 percent of the species now lives. The states approach included a sage grouse management implementation team, which guided the development of protected areas across Wyoming. From seasonal habitats to key breeding grounds, Wyoming attempted to protect the leks breeding areas  where the most birds had been counted year over year.

For those who developed the state plans, under two different governors, the BLMs continued interest in mining is redundant.

Its not necessary. We have a very credible conservation strategy for sage grouse, said Bob Budd, who leads the sage grouse implementation team in Wyoming. Its been working for a decade now. To go in and take a regressive attack and say we cant even touch this is unwarranted.

Mining proponents in Wyoming are ill at ease watching the BLMs progression.

The area set aside in Wyoming is by and large not used in mining, but the land does sit over uranium deposits, said Travis Deti, president of the Wyoming Mining Association.

I think what concerns us is that you take land off the table for mining now and it leads to more in the future, he said. It becomes a slippery slope.

While mining proponents fear a bad precedent, some people in bird conservation see the mining consideration in a different context.

We did a phenomenal job with oil and gas, wind and a bunch of other surface disturbances, but hard rock is a different deal, said Brian Rutledge, vice president of the Audubon Society in the Rockies. The idea of limiting the ability to file new [mining] claims in these important landscapes is not a frivolous idea.

Wyoming has reduced conventional drilling by about 60 percent in sage grouse core areas, but mining is guided by federal rules, so the state system couldnt incorporate the same level of progressive action when it came to mining claims and development, he said.

The BLMs consideration may be vital for the bird in other states, and even in Wyoming is an important discussion to have, Rutledge said.

In short, the dilemma for sage grouse is not over.

Sage grouse populations are significantly down from historic numbers. However, the numbers rise and fall in about 10-year increments. In recent years the natural population cycle of the grouse has caused some confusion. The birds population is quite robust, and people make a false correlation between that and a perfect conservation system, Rutledge said.

In reality, the numbers are rising and will fall again. It is the overall trajectory that needs to flip from a steep decline to an increase.

But it is not just a numbers game. The grouse population is hurt because the habitat has been decimated in many areas.

We do not have a shortage of grouse, he said. We have a shortage of habitat.

What place the BLMs latest plans have in the ongoing story of grouse conservation is unclear. The chance for public input closes March 30.

Perhaps more important, the move to consider precluding mining was the previous presidential administrations idea. New President Donald Trump has promised an unleashing of industry on public lands and begun the approval of congressional movements to redact restrictions laid by the former presidents departments.

For now, the BLM is simply carrying on with its original instructions.

Of course the new administration is still getting its feet underneath them, said Barret, the Washington spokeswoman. We are waiting for the newly nominated secretary (Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Montana). I assume we will be hearing more about what the priorities will be.

Local BLM officers were not privy to the developing process and directed all questions to Washington, D.C.

That top-down approach frustrates some.

There is not a week goes by we arent talking about something sage grouse, said Budd, the SGIT chairman. Thats a good thing. We dont need a draconian restriction that says, You cant even look.

The BLM office in Rock Springs is nearly finished with a comprehensive land management plan that includes many restrictions for development near or on sage grouse habitats in accordance with the state led approach to conservation.

The BLM will hold meetings in Nevada, Oregon and Idaho before making a final recommendation on whats next for the mining plan. At the least, the federal regulators will take no further action. At the most, mining will be on hold for the next two decades in certain areas.
QUEBEC CITY, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 02/21/17 -- Copper One Inc. (TSX VENTURE: CUO) ("Copper One" or the "Company") has filed an appeal with the Court of Quebec against the decision of the Ministere de l'Energie et des Ressources naturelles ("MERN"), issued on February 8, 2017, to suspend all of Copper One's mining claims related to its Riviere Dore Project. Copper One strongly disagrees with MERN's decision to suspend its claims and will continue to exercise its legal rights.

About Copper One

Copper One is focused on developing the Riviere Dore property located near Val d'Or, Quebec covering the base of the Bouchette anorthositic complex which spans over 80 km.

Forward-looking information

This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, without limitation, statements regarding the suspension of the Riviere Dore project claims, the Company's appeal of the suspension of the Riviere Dore project claims and future plans or prospects of the Company. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward- looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Copper One, as the case may be, to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Although Copper One has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Copper One does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

Contacts:

Copper One Inc.

G. Scott Moore

Chairman, President and CEO

smoore@copperone.com




CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 02/21/17 -- ATCO and RANMAN Energy (RE) have unveiled an innovative distributed power generation solution in the rapidly developing World Trade Centre Industrial Park in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. The project, developed through a joint venture, will deliver reliable onsite electricity to some of the 700-hectare park's growing roster of industrial tenants and provide flexible, customized contracts to meet each customer's operating needs.

"Our expertise developing integrated electricity infrastructure, paired with RANMAN Energy's intimate knowledge of the Mexican market, allows us to deliver reliable and affordable power when and where our customers need it," said Wayne Stensby, Managing Director, Electricity, ATCO. "This project demonstrates how, by combining our innovative solutions with globally competitive costs, we can deliver sustainable and efficient energy solutions anywhere in the world."

The project, which includes a high-voltage substation, five modular natural gas-fired electricity generating units and an associated distribution network, will be completed in two phases. With 4 megawatts (MW) of capacity currently available, the joint venture partners plan to expand this facility to up to 20 MW by December 2017. The project is also highly-scalable, and further capacity can be added as new tenants establish operations within the industrial park.

This innovative project is the latest in a series of international ventures by ATCO, as the company expands the delivery of its integrated products and services to new markets. In addition to two existing projects in Mexico, in April 2016 the company announced that it had re-entered the South American market with a partnership in Chile. Over the course of its 70-year history, ATCO has provided customer-focused business solutions in more than 100 countries around the world.

RANMAN Energy is a Mexican enterprise that specializes in developing energy infrastructure projects in Mexico. RANMAN Energy provides efficient quality solutions that improve the energy security of the customers that engage our services.

With approximately 7,000 employees and assets of $20 billion, ATCO is a diversified global corporation delivering service excellence and innovative business solutions in Structures & Logistics (workforce housing, innovative modular facilities, construction, site support services, and logistics and operations management); Electricity (electricity generation, transmission, and distribution); Pipelines & Liquids (natural gas transmission, distribution and infrastructure development, energy storage, and industrial water solutions); and Retail Energy (electricity and natural gas retail sales). More information can be found at www.ATCO.com.

Contacts:

Media Inquiries:

Spencer Forgo

Manager, External Communications

(403) 662-8467




SINGAPORE (dpa-AFX) - Flex (FLEX) announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire AGM Automotive, a global supplier of automotive interior components and systems, including overhead console systems, interior lighting, electronic components and textile flooring solutions. AGM is a trusted design partner of major OEMs around the globe. AGM is headquartered in Troy, Michigan, with additional facilities in the US, Mexico, Costa Rica, Austria and China. The acquisition is expected to close in the second quarter of calendar year 2017. The transaction will be immediately accretive to EPS and generate positive free cash flow. Flex intends to fund the acquisition from currently available resources, and remains committed to its target of returning over 50% of annual free cash flow to shareholders. Chris Obey, president of Automotive at Flex, said: 'This strategic acquisition will complement and expand our automotive offerings, particularly in lighting, and will further strengthen certain key strategic customer relationships. The addition of AGM will enhance our ability to provide customers with more complete solutions for innovative interior lighting systems, from plastics through electronics, and drive greater growth of our dollar content per vehicle.' Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
BEIJING (dpa-AFX) - China Distance Education Holdings Ltd. (DL) released a profit for its first quarter that rose from last year. The company said its bottom line climbed to $9.05 million, or $0.069 per share. This was higher than $4.62 million, or $0.033 per share, in last year's first quarter. The company said revenue for the quarter rose 31.2% to $31.98 million. This was up from $24.37 million last year. China Distance Education Holdings Ltd. earnings at a glance: -Earnings (Q1): $9.05 Mln. vs. $4.62 Mln. last year. -Earnings Growth (Y-o-Y): 95.9% -EPS (Q1): $0.069 vs. $0.033 last year. -EPS Growth (Y-o-Y): 109.1% -Revenue (Q1): $31.98 Mln vs. $24.37 Mln last year. -Revenue Change (Y-o-Y): 31.2% -Guidance : Next quarter revenue guidance: $21.7 - $22.9 Mln Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA -- (Marketwired) -- 02/21/17 -- NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

Perseus Mining Limited (ASX: PRU)(TSX: PRU) is pleased to announce details of its updated Life of Mine Plan ("LOMP") for its Edikan Gold Mine in Ghana, West Africa ("Edikan").

HIGHLIGHTS

-- Perseus has updated its LOMP for Edikan commencing July 1, 2017, following a re-estimation of Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves. Independently estimated Proved and Probable Ore Reserves for Edikan total 56.5 million tonnes of ore, grading 1.14 g/t gold and containing 2,078 kozs ounces of gold as at December 31, 2016; -- Comparisons of the updated Edikan Mineral Resource models against ore delineated by grade control during the last three months of 2016 and in January 2017 indicate that the updated Resource estimates on which the Ore Reserves are based are likely to be more reliable predictors of ore tonnes and grades than the Resource models used previously, resulting in a closer correlation between forecasts and actual gold production and improved reliability of the LOMP; -- Consistent with the revised Ore Reserve that contains 15% more tonnes, 8% lower grade and 5% more contained gold than previously estimated, the life of mine production profile is slightly flatter but extends for longer than the previous LOMP published in April 2016; -- Estimated remaining life of mine gold production of 1,388 kozs is 96.6% of the amount estimated for the corresponding period in the previous LOMP. Gold production averages 214,000 ounces/annum over Edikan's remaining 6.5 year mine life (from July 1, 2017) including production of approximately 240,000 ounces/annum for the next 5 years; -- Forecast weighted average all-in site costs including all direct production costs, royalties, waste stripping costs and sustaining capital expenditure ("AISC") of US$875 per ounce in the 5 year period from July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2022 and US$864 per ounce over the full remaining life of mine; -- Forecast sustaining capital costs (including the cost of site rehabilitation) which are included in the estimate of the AISC, total US$34.5 million; -- The Edikan LOMP forecasts strong positive after tax cash flow totalling approximately US$403 million (or A$0.52per share at an A$:US$ exchange rate of 0.75), assuming a flat spot gold price of US$1,200 per ounce for the remaining mine life from January 1, 2017; and -- The LOMP should be considered in conjunction with previously provided production and cost guidance for the June 2017 Half Year. With 25% of the June 2017 Half Year elapsed, Perseus is on track to achieve in the middle of the production guidance range of 90 kozs to 100 kozs of gold and is currently positioned towards the middle of the cost guidance range of US$1,000 to US$1,220 per ounce.

UPDATED LIFE OF MINE PLAN FOR EDIKAN GOLD MINE

1. Overview

The updated LOMP for Edikan involves mining and processing of ore from six open pits (Refer to Figure 1 below) based on optimisation, design and scheduling using a gold price of US$1,200 per ounce and input parameters based on Perseus's operating experience including costs from recently contracted supply contracts.

To view Figure 1: Edikan Gold Mine layout, visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/Perseus-figure1.pdf.

Based on the LOMP, the key forecast operating statistics for Edikan are summarised below in Tables 1 below.

Table 1: Overview Key Parameters of the updated LOMP ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Parameter Units Average per year Total ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ex-Pit Mining FY18-22(1) Life of Mine ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total ore + waste mined Mt 34.7 156.1 Waste mined Mt 25.4 114.5 Ore mined Mt 9.2 41.6(2) Head grade g/t gold 1.13 1.13 Strip ratio t:t 2.8 2.8 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Note: 1. Perseus has a financial year that ends on June 30. 2. The LOMP excludes the Esuajah South Ore Reserve, but all other Ore Reserves are included consistent with Table 5 in Section 3 of this document. Table 1: Overview Key Parameters of the updated LOMP (Continued) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Parameter Units Average per year Total ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Processing FY18-22(1) Life of Mine ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Quantity ore processed Mt 7.3 47.6(2) Head grade processed g/t gold 1.19 1.06 Contained gold '000 ounces 281 1,624 Gold recovery rate % 88.3 88.1 Mine Call Factor(3) % 3.0 3.0 Gold production '000 ounces 240 1,388 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Operating and Capital Costs ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Average mining costs US$/tonne mined 3.24 3.29 Average processing US$/tonne costs processed 9.14 9.21 Average general & administration ("G&A") US$/tonne costs processed 2.37 2.16 Production costs US$/ounce 769 758 Royalty US$/ounce 81 81 Sustaining capital US$/ounce 25 25 All-in site costs US$/ounce 875 864 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Note: 1. Perseus has a financial year that ends on June 30. 2. Includes Ore mined ex-pit plus Ore drawn from ROM stockpile and Heap Leach pads. 3. The Mine Call Factor is an allowance to cover any residual mine to mill reconciliation issues that may exist after the full implementation of improvement measures that among other things, have included the new Mineral Resource estimates. 2. Comparison of Key Parameters relative to the April 2016 EDIKAN LOMP

The current LOMP differs relative to the prior version of the LOMP released in April 2016, as shown below in Table 2.

Table 2: Overview Key Parameters of the updated LOMP ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2016 2017 Parameter Units LOMP(1) LOMP(2) % Change ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mining ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total ore + waste mined Mt 149.5 156.1 +4 Waste mined Mt 109.3 114.5 +5 Ore mined Mt 40.2 41.6 +4 Head grade g/t gold 1.15 1.13 -2 Strip ratio t:t 2.7 2.8 +4 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Processing ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Average quantity ore processed Mt/year 7.2 7.3 +1 Head grade processed g/t gold 1.08 1.06 -2 Contained gold '000 ounces 1,624 1,624 0 Gold recovery rate % 88.5 88.1 -1 Mine Call Factor % - 3.0 NA Gold production '000 ounces 1,437 1,388 -3 Average gold production '000 ounces/ year 221 214 -3 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Operating and Capital Costs ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Average mining costs US$/tonne mined 3.47 3.29 -5 Average processing costs US$/tonne processed 8.73 9.21 +5 Average Site G&A costs US$/tonne processed 2.19 2.16 -1 Production costs US$/ounce 714 758 +6 Royalty US$/ounce 81 81 0 Sustaining capital US$/ounce 16 25 +56 All-in site costs US$/ounce 811 864 +7 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Notes: 1. FY2017 omitted from 2016 LOMP for comparison purposes 2. LOMP commences July 1, 2017 and ends December 31, 2023 3. Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves

The updated global Measured and Indicated Mineral Resource for Edikan is now estimated as 155.8 Mt grading at 1.0g/t gold, containing 5,011 kozs of gold as shown in Table 3. The Mineral Resource includes the Esuajah South Underground Resource, which is not included in the current LOMP.

Table 3: Edikan's Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources - December 2016 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Deposit Deposit Type Measured Resources Indicated Resources ------------------------------------------ Quantity Grade Gold Quantity Grade Gold g/t g/t Mt gold koz Mt gold koz ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- AF Gap(1, 2) Open Pit 11.0 0.97 342 35.6 0.84 963 Fobinso(1, 2) Open Pit 2.7 1.08 93 11.8 0.94 357 Esuajah North(1, 2) Open Pit 11.4 0.96 352 19.5 0.89 557 Fetish(1, 2,5) Open Pit 9.6 1.00 309 23.9 0.90 692 Chirawewa North(1, 2) Open Pit 1.4 0.85 38 5.7 0.82 150 Chirawewa South(1, 2) Open Pit 0.2 1.16 6 0.6 1.02 19 Bokitsi South(1, 2) Open Pit 0.9 2.57 71 1.1 1.90 66 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sub-Total Open Pit 37.2 1.01 1,211 98.2 0.89 2,804 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Esuajah South(3) U/ground 8.5 1.9 533 6.3 1.7 353 Heap Leach(4) Stockpile 4.3 0.6 89 ROM Stockpiles Stockpile 1.4 0.61 28 - - - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total 47.1 1.17 1,772 108.8 0.93 3,246 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Table 3: Edikan's Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources - December 2016 ---------------------------------------------------------- Deposit Measured + Indicated Deposit Type Resources ------------------------ Quantity Grade Gold g/t Mt gold koz ---------------------------------------------------------- AF Gap(1, 2) Open Pit 46.6 0.87 1,305 Fobinso(1, 2) Open Pit 14.5 0.97 450 Esuajah North(1, 2) Open Pit 30.9 0.92 909 Fetish(1, 2,5) Open Pit 33.5 0.93 1,001 Chirawewa North(1, 2) Open Pit 7.1 0.83 188 Chirawewa South(1, 2) Open Pit 0.8 1.05 25 Bokitsi South(1, 2) Open Pit 1.9 2.20 137 ---------------------------------------------------------- Sub-Total Open Pit 135.3 0.92 4,015 ---------------------------------------------------------- Esuajah South(3) U/ground 14.8 1.8 879 Heap Leach(4) Stockpile 4.3 0.6 89 ROM Stockpiles Stockpile 1.4 0.61 28 ---------------------------------------------------------- Total 155.8 1.00 5,011 ----------------------------------------------------------

A further 30.0 Mt of material grading at 0.9 g/t gold and containing a further 899 kozs of gold are classified as Inferred Resources. Details of these estimates are shown below in Table 4.

Table 4: Edikan's Inferred Mineral Resources - December 2016 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Deposit Deposit Type Inferred Resources --------------------------------- Quantity Grade Gold Mt g/t gold koz ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- AF Gap(1, 2) Open Pit 9.4 0.8 250 Fobinso(1, 2) Open Pit 3.5 0.9 95 Esuajah North(1, 2) Open Pit 2.9 0.9 88 Fetish(1, 2,5) Open Pit 6.3 1.0 191 Chirawewa North(1, 2) Open Pit 1.5 0.8 39 Chirawewa South(1, 2) Open Pit 0.04 1.1 1 Bokitsi South(1, 2) Open Pit 1.3 1.1 43 Esuajah South(3) Underground 4.7 1.3 192 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total 30 0.9 899 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Notes on Tables 3 and 4:

1. Allows for mining depletion to December 31, 2016. 2. 0.4g/t gold cut-off applied 3. 0.7g/t gold cut-off grade applied 4. At zero cut-off grade 5. Includes Bokitsi North lode 6. Mineral Resources are inclusive of any Ore Reserves 7. Numbers are rounded and may not add up correctly in the table 8. Note that the Dadieso and Mampong deposits have been removed from the Mineral Resource on economic grounds

Edikan's updated Ore Reserve which is summarised below in Table 5 is estimated at 56.5 million tonnes of ore, grading 1.14 g/t gold and containing 2,078kozs of gold and is based on the re-estimated Edikan Mineral Resources as at 31 December 2016 and updated pit optimisation, design and scheduling of the Open Pit resources and a new Esuajah South Ore Reserve based on underground mining methods. Table 5 reports the Ore Reserves by category, deposit and type, above variable cut-off grades. The classification categories of Proved and Probable under the JORC Code are equivalent to the CIM categories of the same name (CIM, 2010).

Table 5: Edikan's Proved and Probable Ore Reserves as at December 31, 2016 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Deposit Deposit Type Proved Probable ---------------------------------------------- Quantity Grade Gold Quantity Grade Gold g/t g/t Mt gold koz Mt gold koz ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- AF Gap Open Pit 5.5 1.09 191 6.0 1.07 208 Fobinso Open Pit 1.1 1.19 44 3.3 1.11 119 Esuajah North Open Pit 6.5 1.10 229 7.8 1.04 262 Fetish Open Pit 4.6 1.21 179 7.9 1.11 281 Chirawewa North Open Pit 0.5 1.05 17 2.0 0.99 63 Bokitsi Open Pit 0.5 2.94 44 0.1 2.75 10 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sub-total Open Pit 18.7 1.17 704 27.1 1.08 943 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Esuajah South U/ground 4.9 2.0 314 Heap Leach Stockpile 4.3 0.6 89 ROM Stockpiles Stockpile 1.4 0.61 28 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total 20.1 1.13 733 36.3 1.13 1,346 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Table 5: Edikan's Proved and Probable Ore Reserves as at December 31, 2016 ----------------------------------------------------- Deposit Deposit Type Proved + Probable ----------------------- Quantity Grade Gold g/t Mt gold koz ----------------------------------------------------- AF Gap Open Pit 11.5 1.08 399 Fobinso Open Pit 4.5 1.13 163 Esuajah North Open Pit 14.3 1.07 491 Fetish Open Pit 12.5 1.15 459 Chirawewa North Open Pit 2.5 1.01 80 Bokitsi Open Pit 0.6 2.91 55 ----------------------------------------------------- Sub-total Open Pit 45.8 1.12 1,647 ----------------------------------------------------- Esuajah South U/ground 4.9 2 314 Heap Leach Stockpile 4.3 0.6 89 ROM Stockpiles Stockpile 1.4 0.61 28 ----------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------- Total 56.5 1.14 2,078 -----------------------------------------------------

Notes:

1. Numbers are rounded and may not add up correctly in the table 2. All the estimates are on a dry tonne basis 3. Based on December 2016 Mineral Resource estimation 4. Variable gold cut-off grade based on material type and mining method 5. Inferred Mineral Resource is treated as mineralised waste 6. Allows for mining depletion up to and including December 31, 2016 7. ROM denotes Run of Mine 8. Heap Leach refers to decommissioned heap leach pads established by prior owners of Edikan

Proven and Probable Ore Reserves are found within the economic limits of six discrete open pits, an underground project (not currently included in the LOMP) and stockpiles that have been designed based on Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources that incorporated all available Resource drilling results, a gold price of US$1,200 per ounce and mining, processing and general and administration costs derived from recent operating experience.

4. Gold production profile

With the aim of maximising the return on funds employed at Edikan, the mining sequence of the pits along with mill feed profile has been optimised and scheduled. The result of this scheduling is that the gold production profile and resulting cash flows from Edikan remain strong for the remainder of the mine life. (Refer to Figures 2, 3 and 4 below.)

To view Figure 2: Edikan Gold Mine - scheduled monthly material movement ex-pit (tonnes), visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/Perseus-figure2.pdf.

To view Figure 3: Edikan Gold Mine - Monthly tonnes and grade to Mill, visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/Perseus-figure3.pdf.

To view Figure 4: Edikan Gold Mine - Gold Production by Pit, visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/Perseus-figure4.pdf.

While the development of the Esuajah South deposit is not currently included in Edikan's production profile, the risk/return equation relating to the development of this deposit using underground mining techniques would change in a higher gold price environment and therefore development of this deposit may be included in future versions of the LOMP.

5. Improved operating efficiencies

During calendar year 2016, Perseus invested heavily in upgrading key elements of the process plant and also establishing standby power generating capacity to ensure continuity of operations irrespective of the availability of power from the national electricity grid. These works were largely completed in the December 2016 quarter and were intended to enhance the Company's ability to deliver the updated LOMP.

Plant performance in latter part of the December 2016 Quarter, and in calendar 2017 to date confirm that forecast run time, throughput rates and gold recovery rate are readily achievable.

Average annual processing throughput rate of ore is nominally 7.3Mtpa, with throughput rates variable by material type and deposit. The processing circuit involves single stage crushing, semi-autogenous grinding, gravity recovery, flotation, regrind and CIL. Assumed run time which is the product of availability and utilisation is forecast to average 90% for the remaining life of mine

The process metallurgical recovery for gold is fixed by material type in each deposit. Gold recovery rates range from 59.5-69% for oxide ore and 86-94% for primary ore. The variable recoveries are a function of differing metallurgical properties of ores from different deposits. Recoveries by pit are as shown in Table 6.

Table 6: Metallurgical recoveries by material type and pit ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Recovery by Ore Type (%) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Deposit Oxide Transition Fresh ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- AF Gap 61.0 73.4 88.0 Fobinso 61.0 73.4 88.0 Chirawewa 59.5 72.0 86.0 Bokitsi 69.0 78.0 87.0(1) Fetish 61.0 73.4 90.0 Esuajah North 61.0 73.4 93.0 Heap Leach 67.0 - - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (1) Average value, the recovery for Bokitsi is variable based on the input grade 6. Substantial decrease in sustaining capital

In the two years to December 2016, Perseus has invested heavily in a programme of capital works at Edikan that included upgrading the processing plant, installing electricity generating capacity, construction of relocation housing to house people impacted by mining operations and pre-stripping three open pits.

With the completion of this work, the amount of capital expenditure required to sustain the Edikan operation for the remaining mine life has reduced materially. Total remaining life of mine capital expenditure of US$34.5 million is forecast, including approximately US$8 million of capital to complete rehabilitation of the mine site when operations cease.

7. Future cash flows and sensitivity analysis

Based on the LOM gold production and cost parameters, the net after tax cash flows forecast to be generated by Edikan from January 1, 2017, at US$1,200 per ounce gold price, are estimated to total US$403 million or A$0.52 per share (assuming an A$:US$ exchange rate of 0.75).

The sensitivity analysis shown below in Table 7 summarises the sensitivity of Edikan's net after tax cash flows to movements in the gold price. Within an expected short term trading range of US$1,100 per ounce to US$1,300 per ounce, the projected cash flows of the mine remain robust and capable of materially contributing to the development funding of Perseus's two growth projects, namely the Sissingue Gold Mine and the Yaoure Gold Mine, both located in Cote d'Ivoire.

Table 7: Sensitivity Edikan's After Tax Cashflow to gold price movements ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gold Price ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- US$1,100/ounce US$1,200/ounce US$1,300/ounce ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- US$319 million US$403 million US$487 million A$0.41/share A$0.52/share A$0.63 / share ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Caution Regarding Forward Looking Information:

This report contains forward-looking information which is based on the assumptions, estimates, analysis and opinions of management made in light of its experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that management of the Company believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date that such statements are made, but which may prove to be incorrect. Assumptions have been made by the Company regarding, among other things: the price of gold, continuing commercial production at the Edikan Gold Mine without any major disruption, development of a mine at Tengrela, the receipt of required governmental approvals, the accuracy of capital and operating cost estimates, the ability of the Company to operate in a safe, efficient and effective manner and the ability of the Company to obtain financing as and when required and on reasonable terms. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive of all factors and assumptions which may have been used by the Company. Although management believes that the assumptions made by the Company and the expectations represented by such information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking information will prove to be accurate. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any anticipated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such factors include, among others, the actual market price of gold, the actual results of current exploration, the actual results of future exploration, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be evaluated, as well as those factors disclosed in the Company's publicly filed documents. The Company believes that the assumptions and expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things, the Company's ability to carry on its exploration and development activities, the timely receipt of required approvals, the price of gold, the ability of the Company to operate in a safe, efficient and effective manner and the ability of the Company to obtain financing as and when required and on reasonable terms. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Perseus does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

Competent Person Statement

All production targets for Edikan referred to in this report are underpinned by estimated Ore Reserves which have been prepared by competent persons in accordance with the requirements of the JORC Code. The information in this report in relation to Edikan Mineral Resource and Ore Reserve estimates was previously published in a market release dated February 21, 2017. The Company confirms that all material assumptions underpinning those estimates and the production targets, or the forecast financial information derived therefrom, in that market release continue to apply and have not materially changed. The Company further confirms that material assumptions underpinning the estimates of Ore Reserves described in "Technical Report - Central Ashanti Gold Project, Ghana" dated May 30, 2011 continue to apply. Gary Brabham and Paul Thompson, each of whom is a Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101 and an employee of the Company, have approved the inclusion of technical and scientific information in this report.

Contacts:

To discuss any aspect of this announcement, please contact:

Managing Director:

Jeff Quartermaine

+61 8 6144 1700

jeff.quartermaine@perseusmining.com



Investor Relations:

Cathy Moises (Perth/Melbourne)

+ 61 412196350

cathy.moises@perseusmining.com



Media Relations:

Nathan Ryan (Melbourne)

+61 4 20 582 887

nathan.ryan@nwrcommunications.com.au




Snap Capital LLC, a Charleston, South Carolina-based source of alternative funding to small business, secured a revolving-to-term credit facility with Old Hill Partners.

The amount of the deal was not disclosed.

The company will use the proceeds to expand its current borrower base and reinvest in the core businesses.

Led by Hunter Stunzi, President and Co-Founder, SnapCap is a web-based company that offers loans to small companies by focusing on performance-based financing, which evaluates the health of a business in few hours.

FinSMEs

21/02/2017

THE PRESS RELEASE

SnapCap Announces New Credit Facility

CHARLESTON, S.C., Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/  Snap Capital LLC, a leading source of alternative funding to small business, announced today that it has secured a significant revolving-to-term credit facility with Old Hill Partners. The proceeds will be used by Snap Capital to increase its ability to service small businesses who need short-term financing. Rosenblatt Securities served as advisor in the transaction.

Hunter Stunzi, President and Co-Founder of SnapCap, commented, We are delighted to partner with Old Hill. This facility will help us expand our current borrower base and reinvest in our core businesses, which distinguishes us from others in the industry. Old Hills depth of experience will be of great benefit to us as we target significant business growth in 2017 and beyond.

Peter Faigl, Portfolio Manager at Old Hill Partners, said, We are pleased to support the growth of SnapCap. Based on our more than 10-year experience in lending to this sector, we view SnapCaps operating model as one of the most efficient ones in the industry and, as such, believe they are well positioned for future success.

About SnapCap

Based in Charleston, South Carolina, SnapCap is a web-based company that is helping lead a revolution in small business finance by reducing the complexities found in the traditional lending process. Committed to investing in small business, SnapCap offers a better way to borrow by focusing on performance-based financing, which evaluates the health of a business. Personal service combined with real-time evaluation technology makes it easier to provide financing solutions with greater speed and accuracy. Please visit www.snapcap.com.

About Old Hill Partners Inc.

Based in Darien, Connecticut, Old Hill is an SEC-registered investment adviser with significant experience in all facets of asset-backed lending and alternative investment management. Our primary investment strategy is asset-backed lending. We offer customized lending products and services to small and middle-market clients and work closely with our borrowers and partners to provide creative funding structures to support their growth initiatives. For more information, please visit www.oldhill.com.
TactoTek, an Oulu, Finland-based provider of injection molded structural electronics (IMSE) solutions, received an investment from Faurecia Ventures.

Faurecia joined Conor Venture Partners, VTT Ventures, Leaguer VC, and private angels in a transaction bringing total funding raised to date by the company to over USD20m. The company is also funded by TEKES, and European Unions Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme.

Founded in 2011 and led by Jussi Harvela, CEO, TactoTek provides solutions for Injection Molded Structural Electronics (IMSE) that integrate printed circuitry and electronic components into 3D injection molded plastics.

The company adapts customer designs to IMSE technology, develops mass production ready prototypes, and mass produces or licenses the technology for 3rd party mass production.

Use cases include in-vehicle applications, home/industrial appliances, and wearable technology.

FinSMEs

21/02/2017
With US president Donald Trump tightening the screws on the Indian IT outsourcing industry which accounts for nearly 62 percent of Indias exports, other countries are taking the opportunity to welcome the country's IT talent with their open door policy. Not just USs next door nation Mexico, but Japan, Africa, Canada, Europe and some other Asian countries too want Indian IT workforce to work in their country.

The excitement is palpable with a second delegation from Nasscom having left for Japan on Friday to talk to their counterparts in the IT and ITeS-enabled sector.

The Indian IT body had taken a 10-member delegation of startups to Japan earlier in November 2015. They were IoT (internet of things) specialists. The Japanese government was proactive in extending the invitation and also took care of travel and setting up meetings for the delegation.

"The first delegation from India to Japan consisted of leaders from the startup industry. However, the quantum of business finalized in that meet is not known. It is too early to say what kind of deals were brokered in that meeting, said Sangeeta Gupta, Senior VP, Nasscom.

Indias capability of advanced technology is much in demand in Japan because the (information and communication technology) ICT-related industry in Japan lacks talent and capacity as well. Consequently, India and Japan will complement each other. "Our ICT-related industry does not have the talent and capacity of India, Shigeki Maeda, executive vice president of the Tokyo-bsed Japan External Trade Organisation (Jetro) told reporters ahead of Invest Japan Symposium organised by Jetro, Japans Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Indian industry body Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in New Delhi. It has an office in New Delhi as well, according to Mint.

The software services export revenue is expected to grow by 10-12 percent in FY17, touching revenue of $119-121 billion, Nasscom said in a statement. The IT-BPO industry added 2 lakh employees during the current fiscal, touching a total employee base of 3.7 million, according to Mint.

Realising that Indias IT industry was heavily dependent on the US, Nasscom had decided even before the present crisis in the US to explore other markets looking at the Far East initially through discussion, research papers and market development activities. Later, it set up the Nasscom-Japan Council in April 2014 with an aim to focus on the interests of Japanese global in-house centres (GIC) that were based in India and more importantly address the challenges they face.

The NASSCOM-Japan Council will help us to identify growth enablers and address various challenges for GICs in the country. With this initiative, we also aim to undertake activities which will make India a favorable destination for more GICs in Japan willing to expand globally and recommend on policies which will enable a seamless ecosystem of operations to address immigration, taxation and partnering with the government," said R Chandrashekhar, president, Nasscom.

Though Japan has welcomed Indian IT officials and it is expected that more Indo-Japan ventures and close contact tie-ups will emerge, there are two challenges that the industry faces. The lack of a common language like English and Japanese being the first language brings with it its own challenges for India. The language is a barrier to Indians working in China and Japan as well, said Kris Laxmikanth, founder CEO & MD, The Head Hunters India, Bangalore. Another concern is the high cost of living. These are major deterrents to the IT industry, he said.

Japan can contribute around 5 percent of total exports from India in the next five years, said Gupta. People from the IT sector going to Japan will not be compensated and the growth will be marginally higher year on year, said Laxmikanth.

Though other markets are proactive towards India, the loss on account of business in the US cannot be compensated by all the other markets across the globe put together. That is a challenge the Indian IT industry will have to meet up with not just looking at other countries but also looking at creating and fulfilling domestic demand.

"It is a time to look forward to the change," said N Chandrasekharan, chairman, Tata Sons at the annual Nasscom summit in Mumbai last week. "Every time there is a regulatory change or some kind of a perceived challenge, in our industry, everybody says 'there is a problem' ... and it is hyped up whether it is H-1B, whether it is increase in re-staffing." In fact, he said these are exciting times for the IT industry given the exponential demand for technology as every business reorients itself. "Fundamentally, every business is going to be powered by technology. So, the opportunity and the demand that we are going to see is just exponential," he said.

"Change is something you have to live with. You cannot get overly paranoid, I don't think there is a cause for concern, I really feel the opportunity is immense," Chandrasekaran added.

The focus will be on India and though growth may be impacted in the short-term, the impact will not be as large as it is feared, point out analysts. Changes have been brought in with some of Indias leading IT firms using local resources onsite. Not just that, automation has also reduced the dependency on people/labour by 20-30 percent. This could go up to 40 percent in the future, says DD Mishra, Research Director, Gartner - IT research and advisory firm. The future is not bleak as it was feared with Donald Trump and his America-first policy, after all.
Feb. 17

Carl A. Bajer Jr., 30, of Melcort, ND, was arrested on Interstate 80 at mile marker 262 for possessing, receiving or transferring a stolen vehicle worth less than $3,500. Bail: $20,000

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Camron G. Benware, 36, of Elko was arrested at Fifth and Ash streets on a warrant for two counts of battery and two counts of disturbing the peace. Bail: $2,990

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Jesus Castillo, 36, of Elko was arrested at 959 Lyon Ave. for being a fugitive felon from another state. No bail listed.

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Nathaniel D. DeLeon, 24, of Elko was arrested at 1660 Mountain City Highway on a warrant for three counts of failure to appear after bail on a misdemeanor crime. Bail: $1,710

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Ramon M. Dorado, 44, of Winnemucca was arrested at 1660 Mountain City Highway for violation of probation or condition of suspended sentence and two sexual assault charges. No bail listed.

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Amy W. Haslam, 37, of Tooele, Utah, was arrested on Fairview Drive for carrying a concealed explosive, gun or dangerous weapon without a permit and possession of a controlled substance. Bail: $7,500

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Matthew S. Mire, 30, of Olivehurst, California was arrested on Interstate 80 at mile marker 262 for possessing, receiving, or transferring a stolen vehicle worth less than $3,500, owning or possessing a gun by a prohibited person, and on two counts of NCJIS detainer. Bail: $22,298

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David J. Nelson, 50, of Elko was arrested on Highway 93 at mile marker 157 for trespassing not amounting to burglary. Bail: $192

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Rory B. White, 24, of Elko was arrested at the Elko County Jail for a hit and run on an unoccupied vehicle and failure to give immediate notice of the account. No bail listed.

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Loren V. Woods, 25, of Elko was arrested at the Elko Skate Park on a warrant for failure to appear after bail on a misdemeanor crime. Bail: $500
Infosys CEO Vishal Sikka said the allegations made by the whistleblower in his letter to stock market regulator Sebi on the company's acquisition of Israel-based Pinaya in 2015 is a complete false.

Denying the charges, Sikka said no member of Infosys management team had any prior investments in Pinaya. Sebi last week said it will examine the letter that created ripples in the country's second-largest IT company and prompted the founders to raise corporate governance issues with the board.

The letter sent to several media houses stated that Infosys first asked investors in Panaya to make the company free of cash, and later gave Israel firm short-term loans to show it as a viable deal.

However, the company denied the allegations. The valuation was done by Deutsche Bank, the financial and tax due diligence was done by one of the Big Four firms and legal diligence was done by a leading law firm  Kirkland & Ellis," The Economic Times report said citing Infosys statement.

Infosys had acquired Pinaya for $200 million, which chief Vishal Sikka on Monday said "false and malicious" stories are being spread about the US $200-million Panaya buyout to target him even as the tech major asserted that no one from the management team benefitted from the deal.

In a letter to employees, Infosys chief executive Vishal Sikka lashed out at detractors for spreading "false and malicious" stories about the company and said they were "designed" to target him to the "point of harassment".

In a strongly worded email to Infosys employees, Sikka said the reports questioning the company's acquisition of Panaya are "orchestrated by people who are hell-bent on harming the reputation of the company and its employees".

In a late evening statement, Infosys said, "We categorically state that no member of the Infosys management team was involved in any prior investments in Panaya, and insinuations that anyone from the management team at Infosys benefitted from this acquisition are misleading and slanderous."

The IT giant added that it will investigate the charges made and "will respond to all queries received either directly or from the regulatory authorities" as per its process.

In February 2015, Infosys had announced buying the Israeli automation technology company for US $200 million or Rs 1,250 crore in cash.

A section of media reported about a whistleblower's letter to market regulator Sebi, alleging irregularities in the acquisition of Panaya.

Referring to the charges, Sikka said "they create a false alternate-reality out of events and dates, with embellishments that are calculated to mislead and sensationalise". He added that while these "distractions are expensive, draining and time-consuming", it is Infosys burden to ensure that the company's business continues "unflinchingly".

"We cannot let these stand unchallenged, and we will take every step and pursue every avenue to strongly defend the company in the face of these unfair and unwarranted attacks," the Infosys CEO said.

Sikka is pitted against a clutch of co-founders led by N R Narayana Murthy voicing concerns over a spike in his remuneration and hefty severance packages for two former executives.

Stating that the company has "far bigger battles ahead", Sikka urged employees to "rise above the distractions, focus on what really matters, and deliver".

"I am, as always, counting on your faith and unwavering attention to what really matters. Change is never easy, and change at the scale that we are undertaking may be unprecedented, and perhaps it is this change that has so inflamed some into trying to drag us all into the mud," he said.

Infosys said it has a strong, established internal process to evaluate acquisition targets and make investments.

"In the case of Panaya, all the requisite steps in this process were followed. The valuation was done by Deutsche Bank, the financial and tax due diligence was done by one of the Big four firms and legal diligence was done by a leading law firm Kirkland & Ellis," it said.

"The management presented the rationale behind the acquisition - including synergies and business potential to the Board, along with necessary reports and findings." The board deliberated the acquisition, and unanimously approved the investment, which was well within the valuation range determined by the evaluator, it added.

Infosys emphasised that Panaya was looked at as an acquisition candidate based on its "strategic fit". Over the last few weeks, Infosys has come under fire from some of the co-founders who have alleged corporate governance lapses.

Some former employees also called for re-constitution of the board and demanded that Chairman R Seshasayee step down taking moral responsibility over issues like steep compensation hike of Sikka and hefty severance packages to ex-CFO Rajiv Bansal and David Kennedy, its former General Counsel.

Infosys board and management have, however, stood their ground denying these charges. On an investor call, Sikka had recently stated that the company's large clients have come out in its support.

With PTI inputs
New Delhi: Reliance Jio Infocomm has been a disrupter in Indias telecom market since its arrival last September, promising free voice calls for life and offering data services for free for months. Today, as Chairman Mukesh Ambani announced plans of RJios commercial launch from 1 April, a cheer went out in the telecom industry. The biggest industry fear  that RJio will further extend its freebies and thus worsen the already precarious financial condition of incumbent telcos  was put to rest. Remember, RJIos tariffs have caused incumbent telecom operators to lose revenue as well as profitability as they have been forced to compete on data pricing while also being compelled to connect increasing number of calls emanating from the RJio network.

In fact, it is the arrival of RJio and its disruptive techniques that has pushed Indias telecom industry, for the first time in its history, towards a revenue loss position. Analysts say the industry could see between 3-5 percent revenue loss this fiscal as heightened competition and falling ARPUs (Average Revenue Per User) will hurt players badly. To a large extent, this is a consequence of the arrival of a new entrant in an already crowded market.

Two analysts of brokerage Motilal Oswal, Aliasgar Shakir and Jay Gandhi, said in a note to clients earlier this month that revenue and financial KPIs (key performance indicators) of Indias telecom market have sharply declined, thanks to the arrival of a new operator and the wireless industry is expected to see a decline of 3-5 percent in the current fiscal. "This will be for the first time and the market condition will only improve once the new operator starts charging subscribers.....new operator has severely impacted the market," they said.

No wonder then that firm plans to begin charging for its services by RJio Chairman today brought cheer to the industry. Ambani said in his address this afternoon RJios extremely popular Happy New Year Offer is approaching its end on 31 March of this year. Starting 1 April, RJio will start offering its tariff plans. On all of RJios tariff plans, all domestic voice calls to any network will always remain free. Across India, to any network, always. And no roaming charges, no blackout days and no hidden charges. He said RJIo acquired 100 million customers within 170 days.

And also that this existing 100 million customer base besides those who come on board by 31 March can use RJio services for another year at a nominal charge of Rs 303 per month. This has pleased analysts, who point out that this price is higher than the average industry ARPU and therefore wont be dilutive of earnings of other telcos.

Sachin Salgaonkar of Merrill Lynch said in a quick note to clients, minutes after the announcement was over, that this is positive for the industry. If RJio starts charging Rs 303 per month then we consider it to be positive for the industry as the offers may not be dilutive for Bharti/Idea as their average ARPU (average revenue per user) is below Rs 200. This may lead to some traffic moving back from RJio to top telcos. We are not overly worried on RJio's ability to offer 20 percent discount on existing tariffs as top telcos may have many offers which they do not even publicize and may offer customer-made packages to many.

Salgaonkar also said that the top 3 telcos  which means Bharti, Vodafone and Idea - will continue to invest in building capacity to compete with RJio.

The arrival of RJio has already made the going tough for the big three. Vodafone and Idea are already in merger talks to form an entity which will overtake current market leader Bharti. If the merger does fructify, the new entity may have close to 42 percent revenue market share and a 36 percent subscriber market share. This means close to half the industry revenues and a third of its subscribers. Then, news reports suggest the entity formed after RComm and MTS get regulatory approval to merge, may expand further and include Tata Tele to form yet another big telco. RJios arrival has spurred the fragmented telecom industry to go in for mega consolidation and so its commercial launch is good news any way one looks at it. For the future prospects of this industry, which is the worlds second largest behind China.

Look at the market dynamics pre-RJio. In September last year, Bharti had only a third of the share of revenues while in terms of subscribers, its market share was lower at less than a fourth. And this was the number one operator in the market. Put simply, this means the largest player in the Indian wireless telecom market did not have three in four subscribers and earned only a third of the industry revenues. Now let us look at the number two and three players. Vodafone had less than a fourth of the revenue pie and just about 19 percent of a fifth of the total subscribers. Idea fared worse, obviously, with 18.7 percent revenue share and 16.7 percent share of subscribers. This clearly goes on to show how fragmented the market already was when RJio entered. And its generous plans further fragmented the market, thus hurting incumbents.

A look at the financial situation of incumbent telcos. Vodafone Plc, the British parent, has had to write down close to five-and-a-half billion dollars for the India operations recently. It has been talking of a listing on Indian bourses with little success and has never been profitable here. In the December quarter of FY17, market leader Bharti suffered due to increased competitive intensity. Third quarter net profit slumped 55 per cent from a year earlier as its voice and data businesses felt the full impact of RJios free services. Revenue fell 3 per cent as data and voice rates fell and more subscribers left the operator. Idea also reported a significant dent in its earnings thanks to RJIos arrival, reporting its first quarterly loss since getting listed. Its net loss was Rs 384 crore versus net profit of Rs 660 crore in the year-ago period. Revenue declined 3.7% to Rs 8,661 crore.

Perhaps with pricing back in the market in the new fiscal, every telecom company will find the going a little less traumatic.

(Disclosure: Reliance Jio is owned by Reliance Industries, who also own Network18, the publisher of Firstpost)
Reserve Bank deputy governor SS Mundra on Monday warned that unless traditional banks quickly convert themselves in to a new-age digital banks, they face the risk of becoming history. "The age of fintechs is here and for the incumbent banks there is no time to lose. Banks that do not quickly convert in to a new-age digital banks run the risk of becoming history," Mundra said in Mumbai while addressing the NAMCABS. The seminar on MSME financing organised by the central bank-run College of Agricultural Banking.

Asking the brick and mortar banks not to treat fintech companies as 'threats' but as an 'opportunity', he said "traditional banks would need to tap the requisite talent and create an environment where such talent can innovate and be agile. Banks must view the success of fintech ecosystem as an opportunity and not as a threat."

Noting that fintech companies are disrupting every facet of the traditional financial services business and have emerged as a challenge to the banking system, he quoting a recent PwC global report said "up to 28 percent of the banking and payments business are at risk by 2020."

Mundra said the imminent competition to banks' business comes from the new breed of fintechs having capacities to address specific pain-points of financial customers such as remittance, credit, savings etc.

The 2016 PwC report predicted that the MSME banking is likely to be the fourth largest sector to be disrupted by fintech in the next five years after consumer banking, payments, and investment/wealth management.

Quoting another study done by Citi, he said the fintech revolution will wipe out nearly a third of all the employees at traditional banks in the next decade. This prediction is essentially about the lack of growth and loss of business over time, though it may be difficult at this juncture to accurately gauge the possibility of any particular benefit or risk materialising in the fintech universe, Mundra said.

"In view of the above challenges that fintechs may present, it seems to make business sense for traditional banks to collaborate with them as they are more efficient and agile. Banks would need to assess the likely impact of disruption and re-orient their business models.

"As incumbents, they may need to leverage their comparative advantage to improve their customer relationships, change their internal processes, mindsets, and internal structures," the commercial-banker-turned-central-banker warned.

Though some traditional banks have already adopted the ways of fintechs by employing technology for making credit-decisions in a limited way with many using credit scoring models for retail and SME borrowers, he warned that "what still eludes them is the nimble-footedness of fintech players, which alienates the potential borrowers."

Mundra, however, noted that banks have still have an opportunity to capitalise on these fintechs as once they grow in size they will need more capital support, which their present VC-funded does not support.

"A large majority of fintechs are venture capital supported entities, which can't exactly substitute a wide capital base. This is where banks can capitalise on the fintech ecosystem. The banks can also leverage big data, data analytics, SME friendly applications etc in effectively lending to MSMEs while remaining compliant with extant KYC norms and appraisal and monitoring principles and reduce their intermediation and compliance costs," the deputy governor said. However, he warned that fintech players that it won't be cake walk.

"Despite many inherent advantages that the fintech players enjoy, it is not a one way street for finctech companies as they do not have a big client base of their own and without the expertise to navigate the regulations and licensing discipline of the finance industry which will prevent from going very far on their own. So the way forward for them is collaboration with banks", he said, and pointed out that "since banks and fintech firms have different comparative advantages and a strategic collaborative partnership between the two will liberate them to focus on their respective core competencies and contribute to the innovation process," he said.

Speaking on the MSME financing, Mundra underlines the desperate need for focusing separately on micro customers from amongst the MSME segment. Noting and almost 93 percent micro MSMEs are outside the formal credit system in the country, he said, "this segment, including small enterprises, can benefit immensely from the collaboration between banks and the fintech players whereby their other payment records can form a basis for working their credit worthiness."

Globally, he said the MSME sector accounts for over half of the world GDP and employs almost two-thirds of the global workforce, and is this virtually the backbone of the global economy. Back home, Mundra said around 51.1 million MSME units contribute around 8 percent of GDP, 40 percent of total exports and around 45 percent of the manufacturing output and provide employment to around 120 million. These numbers are excluding the contribution of MSMEs in the services sector.

On the need to increase the funding to this sector, he said, as per an International Financial Corporation report, there is a funding gap of USD2.1-2.6 trillion for all formal and informal MSMEs in emerging markets alone, which is equivalent to 30-36 percent of outstanding MSME credit.

"SME lending being a hugely under-served market is a major opportunity for fintechs to build scale in a sustainable manner by offering services such as credit underwriting, marketplace lending, etc," Mundra concluded.
Reliance Industries Limited is holding a press conference at 1:30 PM today. The company Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani will be addressing the audience to deliver a statement. The nature of the statement or any announcement related to any launch is not known at the time of writing.

The press conference will be live-streamed on YouTube and Facebook along with the live tweets on Twitter. You can check the embedded live stream down below or by following Flame of Truth and Jio Digital Life channels on YouTube.

In addition to YouTube, you can also watch the live stream on Facebook pages of Reliance Industries Limited and Jio. In addition to Facebook pages, you can follow Flame of Truth and Reliance Jio handles on Twitter. You can also watch it on the page here.

Disclaimer: Reliance Jio is owned by Reliance Industries, who also own Network18, the publisher of Firstpost
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However, the shares, barring RCom, have fared well in the days after that. While Idea shares have risen 30 percent, Bharti Airtel is up 21 percent during 1 September-20 February.

On the day of the commercial launch of Jio's operations, on 1 September, investors pummelled the shares of the rival telecom companies. While Idea Cellular witnessed the biggest fall of 10.5 percent on the day, RCom declined 8.81 percent and Bharti Airtel 6.37 percent.

Also watch out for the stock movement of Airtel, Idea, RCom

Today is a historical day, he says. Jio launched its serives on September 5th. Jio has crossed the 100 mn customer mark. "This milestone belongs to everyone who believed in it," he said.

Jio provided sustainable employment for 50 lakh people. Last month, Jio users consumed more than 100 GB of data. India is no 1 country for mobile data usage, says Mukesh Ambani.

"Jio is trained to be a customer obsessed organisation. We are obsessed to deliver world class quality," he says.

With Aadhaar-based processes, mobile portability has becom easier. "I hope more jio based users will opt for MNP and make it permanent," Ambani says.

According to him, superior network and customer experience is making Jio the operator of choice.

By the end of 2018, Jio network will be present in all the cities, villages and cover 99 percent of the country's population, promises Ambani.

By 2018-end, co will cover 99% of India's population, says Mukesh Ambani

The membership programme for Jio Prime is for current users and those who will join on or before March 31 this year. Customers can join at Rs 99 for one year.

In order to show the gratitude to the cusomters, the company launches new product, Jio Prime.

According to reports, Ambani is also likely to announce the company crossing 100 million subscriber mark in just about six months.

As Reliance Industries chairman and managing director Mukesh Ambani is about to make major announcement on its telecom arm Reliance Jio, speculation is rife that he will chart out the future growth strategy for the company.

However, the shares, barring RCom, have fared well in the days after that. While Idea shares have risen 30 percent, Bharti Airtel is up 21 percent during 1 September-20 February.

On the day of the commercial launch of Jio's operations, on 1 September, investors pummelled the shares of the rival telecom companies. While Idea Cellular witnessed the biggest fall of 10.5 percent on the day, RCom declined 8.81 percent and Bharti Airtel 6.37 percent.

Also watch out for the stock movement of Airtel, Idea, RCom

Today is a historical day, he says. Jio launched its serives on September 5th. Jio has crossed the 100 mn customer mark. "This milestone belongs to everyone who believed in it," he said.

Jio provided sustainable employment for 50 lakh people. Last month, Jio users consumed more than 100 GB of data. India is no 1 country for mobile data usage, says Mukesh Ambani.

"Jio is trained to be a customer obsessed organisation. We are obsessed to deliver world class quality," he says.

With Aadhaar-based processes, mobile portability has becom easier. "I hope more jio based users will opt for MNP and make it permanent," Ambani says.

According to him, superior network and customer experience is making Jio the operator of choice.

By the end of 2018, Jio network will be present in all the cities, villages and cover 99 percent of the country's population, promises Ambani.

By 2018-end, co will cover 99% of India's population, says Mukesh Ambani

The membership programme for Jio Prime is for current users and those who will join on or before March 31 this year. Customers can join at Rs 99 for one year.

In order to show the gratitude to the cusomters, the company launches new product, Jio Prime.

Details of other value plans for Jio Prime Members are through myjio app and the website.

Only the Jio Prime members can get this package at Rs 303 per month, or Rs 10 a day, for another full year.

Jio Prime members will continue to get the unlimited benefits they have got in the Jio New Year offer for one more a year until 31 March 2018.

Reliance Industries Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani is on Tuesday expected to make a major announcement on the future plans of Reliance Jio, the telecom arm that has shaken the sector over the past six months.

Ambani at a recent interactive session at the Nasscom India Leadership Forum 2017 said the company has crossed 100 million subscriber mark in a very short span of time.

"When we started Jio we set a target of 100 million customers in shortest time. Even we didn't imagine we will do it in months. Aadhaar enabled us to acquire a million customers a day, which is unheard of in the industry," Ambani said.

The quick rise of the company is forcing the debt-ridden sector to transform and even move towards consolidation. While Vodafone India is in talks with Idea for a possible merger, there are reports that Tata Teleservices and MTS may be looking to merge with Reliance Communication-Aircel combine.

If these deals indeed happen, it will change the pecking order in the sector, with Airtel leading the pack and Vodafone-Idea and RCom-Aircel-Tata-MTS following.

However, the merger of Tata-MTS with RCom Aircel seems a tall order given the financial position and the litigations the companies are involved.

Whatever its impact on the sector, one thing is for sure: the company has indeed disrupted the market.

"Jio was conceived at a time when the world was fast digitising. What the Jio platform offers is partner with the next generation to solve problems for India to make sure our industries are more productive," Ambani said at the Nasscom event.

"To my mind, data is the new natural resource. In that sense, India is blessed with 1.3 billion people, for it to have real value it has to be processed into intelligence. Data is the new oil and its benefit is immense to society. India with its young population will have a competitive advantage," he added.

An IANS report recently said the balance-sheet of Bharti Airtel, Idea Cellular and Reliance Communications were under major pressure in the third quarter (October-December) as Jio's entry continued to impact their businesses and strategies.

"Margin pressure on telcos will continue as long the free data offer from Reliance Jio continues. As and when Reliance Jio decides to withdraw its offer and start charging for its data services, then it will be a different matter," Arpita Pal Agrawal, partner and leader, Telecom Industry Practice, PricewaterhouseCoopers India, told IANS.

"Customers will then compare telco offerings on parameters such as price points, throughput speed, tariff bundles, service experience to decide about their preferred operator option," she added.

As announced earlier, Reliance Jio plans to offer free data to its customers till March 2017.

Bharti Airtel's net profit for the third quarter of 2016-17 dropped by 55 percent while Idea Cellular reported a loss of Rs 478.9 crore for the same quarter. Reliance Communications too posted a net loss of Rs 531 crore in the quarter. Vodafone India, the other big telecom operator, is not yet listed on any Indian bourse.

Mahesh Uppal, director, Com First, a telecom consultancy firm, also said there is no doubt that the revenue drop in the third quarter was a direct consequence of Reliance Jio's aggressive free data offers.

"Incumbent companies, like Airtel and Idea, are being forced to match the prices to remain competitive. The cut-throat pricing is likely to continue since Reliance Jio would want to use it to acquire a decent market share," Uppal told IANS.

"India is a very price sensitive market; any such offering tends to be disruptive. Incumbent operators need to implement strategies to retain their high-value customers," Rishi Tejpal, Principal Research Analyst for Telecom Business Strategy at Gartner, told IANS.

"Operators need to implement data-oriented pricing strategies. Jio's free voice service with free national roaming is a compelling offering and incumbents need to match their offerings to remain competitive," he added.
Mumbai: Rising for the fourth straight session, the Sensex and Nifty closed near five-month highs today on widespread buying even as telecom stocks tumbled after Reliance Jio announced new tariff plans.

Shares of consumer durables, banking, finance, oil and gas, industrial and capital goods sectors posted a robust show, while telecom, teck and IT ended in the red.

Brokers said long positions built up by participants, including foreign funds, and covering-up of short positions ahead of February month's derivatives expiry on Thursday added to the momentum.

The 30-share Sensex resumed higher at 28,716.70 and hovered between 28,801.00 and 28,597.33 before ending at a five-month closing high of 28,761.59, showing a gain of 100.01 points or 0.35 percent. The gauge had last ended at 28,773.13 on September 22, 2016.

The index had gained 506.02 points in the previous three sessions.

The NSE 50-share Nifty also rose by 28.65 points or 0.32 percent to close above the 8,900-level after five months at 8,907.85. The Nifty had last closed at 8,952.50 on September 8, 2016.

"Markets opened on a positive note but slipped into the negative territory, only to recoup losses in the latter half of the trading session," said Karthikraj Lakshmanan, Senior Fund Manager  Equities, BNP Paribas Mutual Fund.

Bharti Airtel was the worst performer in the 30-share Sensex pack, while the S&P BSE Telecom index fell the most among BSE sectoral indices after RIL Chairman Mukesh Ambani unveiled Reliance Jio's new voice and data offers, including 20 percent more data than any rival from April 1.

Reliance Jio will continue to offer free voice calls and national roaming post April 1, when its promotional free voice and data offer ends, he added.

Axis Bank surged 4.99 percent on reports of merger with another private lender, which the bank has denied.

Select steel stocks rose after the government yesterday extended anti-dumping duty on import of certain steel products from China for five years with an aim to protect domestic players from cheap shipments.

Major gainers were Jindal Saw, Jindal Steel and Power and Maharashtra Seamless, rising up to 9.59 percent.

Meanwhile, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth a net Rs 433.38 crore yesterday, as per provisional data.

Globally, other Asian stock markets were mixed as investors awaited minutes from the US Federal Reserve's latest meeting and Wall Street prepared to reopen after a three-day weekend.

Japan's Nikkei ended 0.68 percent higher, Shanghai's Composite Index rose 0.41 percent while Hong Kong's Hang Seng closed 0.76 percent lower.

European markets were trading mixed in early deals with Frankfurt up 0.40 percent and Paris rising 0.07 percent. London's FTSE fell 0.29 percent.
One inevitable point of intense curiosity surrounding Disney's live-action Beauty and the Beast is, of course, the musical numbers.

Disney has now released a clip from opening number 'Belle', which appears to stay reassuringly faithful to the original as Emma Watson's Belle wanders idly through her the little town (it's a quiet village) she calls home.

The original Beauty and the Beast, about a young woman who falls in love with a reclusive, monstrous prince, scored six Oscar nominations in 1992, winning for best original song ('Beauty and the Beast') and Alan Menkens original score.

But one interesting thing missing is the book in Belle's hand in the original, which was her favourite accessory in the 1991 animated classic. Here's the 1991 animated classic:

The film, directed by Bill Condon (The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn), takes clear advantage of the original fairytale's French Rococo setting in order to deliver sumptuous, romantic production design worthy of one of Disney's most beloved princesses.

The film also stars Luke Evans as Gaston, Ian McKellen as Cogsworth, Ewan McGregor as Lumiere, Emma Thompson as Mrs. Potts, Josh Gad as LeFou, Stanley Tucci as Cadenza, Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Babette, Kevin Kline as Maurice and Audra McDonald as Wardrobe.

Here's Emma Watson's version, which remains very faithful to the original (sans the book), right down to the white and blue dress that Belle wears.
Vishal Bhardwaj's upcoming war drama Rangoon has got its first early review, from Kareena Kapoor Khan. The actor, who rarely attends film screenings, chose to make Rangoon an exception since it stars her husband Saif Ali Khan.

The Times of India reports that Kareena dubbed Rangoon as the 'film of the year'. She particularly lauded Saif's dark character, adding that Bhardwaj's negative characters are immensely fascinating. She referred to Bhardwaj's 2006 crime drama Omkara in which Saif's negative character of Langda Tyagi was appreciated across all quarters.

Omkara also showcased a nuanced performance by Kareena though she was cast opposite Ajay Devgn. She also reminisced about her collaboration with the producer of Rangoon, Sanjay Nadiadwala, with whom she did the 2009 romantic comedy Kambakkht Ishq. Her elder sister Karisma Kapoor also collaborated with Nadiadwala in the 1997 comedy Judwaa and will also do a cameo in its upcoming sequel.

Times Now reports that Kareena also pointed how there is healthy competition between the three lead actors of Rangoon - Saif, Kangana Ranaut and her former boyfriend Shahid Kapoor. She added that this air of competition complements the film since the three actors are the best of the Hindi film industry currently.

Kareena's brother-in-law and Soha Ali Khan's husband Kunal Khemu accompanied her to the special screening. The two actors have also shared the screen space in Rohit Shetty's Golmaal 3.

Last week, Shahid's father and veteran actor Pankaj Kapur had also attended a special screening and had praised his son's performance in a rare moment since Shahid has often claimed that his father is quite frugal with his words of appreciation. Since Kareena praised Saif's performance, it will not be wrong to say that the fans are not getting an impartial feedback from members of the film fraternity.

Rangoon is slated to release this Friday on 24 February.
It's among the most anticipated releases this month, but Vishal Bhardwaj's Rangoon has found itself in a legal wrangle just days ahead of its Friday, 24 February tryst with the theatres.

The Kangana Ranaut-Saif Ali Khan-Shahid Kapoor starrer is in the dock for copyright infringement, and could potentially face a stay on its release.

Wadia Movietone, the makers of Hunterwali, starring Fearless Nadia (real name Mary Stuart Evans), have filed a case against the Rangoon team for lifting 19 scenes and a few other signature elements from their 1935 action thriller.

As reported by The Indian Express, the counsel for Wadia Movietone have said that among these elements are the catchphrase 'Bloody Hell' used by Kangana Ranaut's character in Rangoon, that was a trademark of Nadia's; her styling as 'Jaanbaaz Julia', which has again been copied from Fearless Nadia; the film's poster; and certain scenes as depicted in the trailer.

Mid-Day further stated that while presenting their case in court, the counsels for Wadia Movietone, presented as evidence, several emails exchanged between the company, Vishal Bhardwaj, and former UTV heads Ronnie Screwvala and Siddharth Roy Kapur. They said that Roy Wadia, the CEO of Wadia Movietone, had been wanting to make a film on Nadia and had approached Bhardwaj and UTV with a script. However, UTV and Bhardwaj had returned the script to Wadia after a little over a year, on the grounds that they were not considering the project.

The court is expected to rule on staying Rangoon's release on Wednesday, 22 February.

Meanwhile, Kangana Ranaut has denied that her character in the film is based on a real-life person.

Kangana told IANS: "I think there is some legal hassle around that. First of all, we cannot comment on a matter when it's already in the court, but we can assure you that it's not based on any living or dead person."

The 29-year-old actress added that Rangoon is "completely a fictional story" and the "characters are fictional as well".
Ever since news of a Malayalam actor being abducted and sexually assaulted on Friday (17 February 2017) broke, there have been a flurry of news reports, each trying to outdo the other with information on the case. So far, we know the basic details of the case  that the actor was on her way home at night in Kochi after a shoot when the men got into her car and sexually assaulted her, and that they took photos of her as way of blackmail. Reportedly, one of the accused used to work as her driver (and has a criminal record). He then got her present driver, who is also accused in the case, the job. This was followed by reports stating that of the seven accused, three have been arrested, and now, the three men have sought anticipatory bail in the Kerala High Court.

Over the last four days, things have become more complicated (there have even been reports doing the rounds that people who are a part of the Kerala film industry might just have a role to play). But in a hurry to report what has become sensational news about an actor, the media seems to have forgotten the basic rules involved in reporting cases of sexual assault. There are two aspects to the media frenzy over this case  apart from gross sensationalising of the news, first few reports only reported abduction, which is why the actor was named in these reports. Soon after, other reports began to note that the FIR has been lodged under various sections of the IPC, including 376 (rape), 366 (kidnapping) and 506 (criminal intimidation). The rules here are honestly not so hard to forget: No name, no photos, and no clues to identify the victim.

Is it because the case involves an actor that these rules have been broken time and again? Or because its the sense that their story is just one among a whole bunch of similar stories being published online? But four days after the incident, the rules are still being broken  if the report doesnt have her name, this missing piece of information is balanced out by adding her photo to it. Others didnt name the actor or carry her photos, but named every movie she acted in, and if they changed their headlines, the actors name remained in their URL.

If Scroll.in ran a note below one of their pieces stating that a previous version had carried the survivors name and that it had been removed because it later turned out to be sexual assault, others like The Times of India decided that this was unimportant, and took it a step further. Unsurprisingly, they used the survivors name in their headline, and referred to the case as the abduction of a pretty girl, because apparently that little piece of information is necessary. But, of course, this wasnt enough for them. They even decided to have a slideshow of images of the actor in pain, obviously taken from her various movies. Why were they so intent on trying to convey her pain by putting on a show as though the news of sexual assault wasnt already horrific? Theyve taken down the slideshow ever since, but the abduction of a pretty girl remains, and now their headline, Popular Malayalam actress kidnapped and harassed! has a needless exclamation mark.

Its not just misery that loves company, but absurdity too. Kairali TV came under flak for airing details about the case and insinuating that there was a relationship between the actor and the driver (who reportedly organised the attack). Since then, Kairali TV has been called a channel of TRP mongering reporters dying to twist the facts of cases of sexual assault into sensational story. Actors like Rima Kallingal from within the Malayalam film industry have lashed out furiously against the channel as they should. But in the middle of this, one cant help but wonder  what if this had happened to another woman, who did perhaps have a relationship with her driver? Did this piece of information make the crime any less serious than it is?

In June 2016, when Swathi S was murdered at Nungambakkam railway station in Chennai by a man who stalked her, multiple articles strangely, and almost as an aside, had quotes from Swathis family talking about her character. She wasnt involved in any love affair, people said, she didnt mingle much with men. But what did this matter? Would the facts of a case involving stalking and murder, or sexual assault for that matter, really change because of the survivors relationship with men? In Swathis case, the desire to defend her character came from the fear that she would be blamed for what happened to her.

Responses to the sexual assault have ranged from anger and disbelief to side-notes wondering that if something like this could happen to an actor, just imagine the plight of women walking the streets every day. But is an actor really safer than other women? What about the countless cases of abuse that we know happen within film industries, that go unreported and are never talked about? Soon after this case, actor Varalaxmi Sarathkumar tweeted about a programming head of a TV channel whod asked her to meet him outside for other things. A common reaction from people, both in the industry and outside when they hear things like this is to say, Film industry is like this. You knew so when you joined. Why complain now or act surprised? she writes.

Even support that has come from the industry has been unsettling. While it is reassuring to see support, why is there still a standard template of responses that we follow for sexual assault? Malayalam actor Dulquer Salmaan referred to the actor as somebodys daughter, somebodys sister, somebodys family This is true, but its almost as though the rights of women as individuals who have agency and can make decisions for themselves, gets pushed to the background. The argument cant be that women are everything to everyone else, so dont rape because she is someones sister, mother, or daughter.

Other actors like Prithviraj Sukumaran also referred to her as one of the more beautiful girls he knows. Apart from the inclusion of this unimportant detail, he also said in his note of solidarity, I know how brave she is. Since she decided to drop out of her next film, Sukumaran also went on to say, If its affected her enough to make her stay away from what she loves the most I can only imagine how harrowing it must have been. Sukumarans note, even though of support, has the unsettling air of hierarchising sexual harassment  he repeatedly calls her brave (Im not saying that she isnt), but what does it mean to say if it has affected her enough?

This horrific incident has been reported terribly by the media. As Dhanya Rajendran, managing editor of The News Minute points out, how hard was it for journalists to ask the police which section the case had been filed under, and whether the actors name could be used? Why did the police give away the actors name and not the sections? After so many years and so many similar incidents, the media has still not learnt to report women's issues responsibly. Perhaps, there is a need to slow down and relook the questions we ask and discuss. As Rajendran writes, Lets not be a vulture for details.

The Ladies Finger (TLF) is a leading online womens magazine
ELKO  Northeastern Nevada once again is under a flood warning.

The National Weather Service in Elko has issued a flood warning for Elko County, Humboldt County, and northern Eureka and Lander counties through 3 p.m. Tuesday.

Moderate rains on saturated ground and swollen streams will cause lowland flooding, flooding of dry washes, and will cause some streams to flood again through Tuesday afternoon, the agency stated Monday afternoon as rain fell in Elko.

The Humboldt River is not expected to flood again but will certainly rise, stated the warning. If the Humboldt River appears that it will flood, we will issue further warnings.

Rain is expected to turn to snow on Tuesday, with a 60 percent chance of precipitation.

The chance of snow will continue but diminish through the end of the week.

The high Tuesday is forecast to reach 48 degrees, while the high on Thursday is projected to stay below freezing at 31 degrees.
Days after a noted Malayalam actress' abduction hit the headlines, a Tamil actress has spoken out about being propositioned by an executive at a TV channel.

Malayalam actress molestation case: Film fraternity unites, main accused still at large

Varalaxmi Sarathkumar posted an extensive message on her social media account on Monday, 20 February, in which she described the incident. She captioned her post, "Needs to be said."

She said that she had been in a meeting with the executive, at the end of which he made a pass at her.

"I was in a meeting with the programming head of a TV channel for half an hour, at the end of which he said, 'So...when can we meet outside?' I asked him, 'Regarding some other work?' He replied (with a smug smile, as is the norm) 'No, for other things.' I hid my shock and anger and told him, 'Please leave'. He said, 'So  that's all?' and smiled and walked away."

Varalaxmi said that this was not an isolated incident but indicative of a mindset that assumed actresses were sexually available. She wrote that a reaction she had often come across was, 'You knew the film industry was like this when you joined. Why complain now?' "But I didn't join the industry to be treated like a piece of meat or follow the same practices of exploitation (that other women had been subjected to)," Varalaxmi wrote. "I love acting. I work hard and it's my profession of choice... my options should not be to 'either put up with it or quit'."

The actress also said that this kind of harassment was faced by women across the board  no matter which industry they worked in, or which socioeconomic strata they belonged to.

She said, "Instead of telling women how to dress...or behave, how about we asked men to stop thinking with their genitals, and treat women like free, capable, equal human beings?"

"Our education is failing us...We need to act now, or safety for women will be just a dream," she added.

Read the full text of Varalaxmi's post:

Just a day before she put up this post, Varalaxmi had shared a message of support for the Malayali actress who was abducted and assaulted, asking for strong action against the culprits.

The Malayalam film industry has universally condemned the attack on the actress, who was attacked by a gang of men while she was travelling in her car with a driver. The men drove the actress' car around for a couple of hours while they took photos and videos of the actress, allegedly with the intent to blackmail her. They left her vehicle at a busy junction, after which the actress drove herself to a producer's home and asked for help. The police believe a driver employed by the actress may have been in connivance with the attackers.

There was also some conjecture that the actress' strained relations with a leading Malayalam actor may have been the motive for the attack.

Malayalam actress abduction case: How the Kerala film industry may have a role to play

As support for the Malayan actress poured in over the weekend, Varalaxmi too was lauded for being courageous and speaking out against harassment.

Actor-turned product designer Lekha Washington was among those who tweeted out messages of support for Varalaxmi. "Thank you Varalaxmi," Washington wrote. "1000 percent agree with you (sic)."
The first look of Jessica Biel as a killer without a cause in the upcoming crime thriller series The Sinner just dropped. Starring alongside the Texas Chainsaw Massacre star is Bill Pullman (Independence Day, While You Were Sleeping) as an investigator who gets caught up in her story.

Written by Derek Simonds, the first installment of the close-ended series, based on Petra Hammesfahrs book, follows a young mother (Biel) who, when overcome by an inexplicable fit of rage, commits a startling act of violence and, to her horror, has no idea why.

The event launches an inverted and utterly surprising crime thriller whose driving force is not the 'who' or the 'what'  but the 'why'  as an investigator (Pullman) finds himself obsessed with uncovering the womans buried motive. Together they travel a harrowing journey into the depths of her psyche and the violent secrets hidden in her past.

Biel also executive-produced the series with her producing partner Michelle Purple through their company Iron Ocean, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The Sinner marks Biel's first regular TV role in nearly 15 years; she started with the long-running family drama 7th Heaven but departed the series after six seasons.

With the exception of a one-episode stint on New Girl and voice roles on animated comedies BoJack Horseman and Family Guy, Biel has largely stuck to films in recent years with credits such as Valentine's Day, The A-Team and The Illusionist.

Watch the trailer for The Sinner here:
Amid the Trump Administration's move to curb H-1B visas that will impact India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday pressed the US to have a 'balanced and farsighted perspective' on the movement of skilled professionals. He made the comment while receiving a 26-member bi-partisan US Congressional delegation in New Delhi. Modi's comments reflected concern that India's $150 billion IT services industry would suffer if the United States curbs the visas, known as H-1B, it relies on to send its software experts to the United States on project work.

Welcoming the Congressional Representatives to India, he said their visit augurs a good start to bilateral exchanges following the change in the US Administration and Congress. He recalled his positive conversation with President Donald Trump and the shared commitment to further strengthen ties that have grown deeper in the last two and a half years. In this regard, he recognized Congress strong bipartisan support for the India-US partnership, a PMO statement said.

Modi shared his perspective on areas where both countries can work even more closely, including in facilitating greater people-to-people linkages that have over the years helped contribute to each other's prosperity.

"In this context, the Prime Minister referred to the role of skilled Indian talent in enriching the American economy and society" and "urged developing a reflective, balanced and farsighted perspective on movement of skilled professionals," the statement said.

Soon after taking over last month, Trump had decided to overhaul the work visa programmes like the H-1B and L1, a move that will adversely hit the lifeline of Indian tech firms and professionals in the US. At present, 65,000 H-1B visas are issued by the US every year and Indians account for a major chunk in it.

The actual number of Indian nationals working in the United States under the H-1B programme is significantly higher, however, because many visas are rolled over. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, who was born in India, also met Modi on Tuesday. He told the Economic Times earlier that his own career had been made possible by "an enlightened immigration policy".

Initial confidence that Asia's third-largest economy would benefit from Trump's election victory has given way to concern that his isolationist rhetoric and hostility to free trade would hurt India's hi-tech and outsourcing industry.

The sector, led by Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys Ltd and Wipro Ltd, employs 3.5 million people and is lobbying against proposed US visa curbs - including increases on salaries that H-1B visa holders must earn. Part of the delegation led by Congressman Bob Goodlatte, a Republican from Virginia who chairs the House Judiciary Committee, met Ravi Shankar Prasad, minister in charge of electronics and IT.

Goodlatte, speaking at the meeting with Prasad, declined to answer a question on visa restrictions, saying it was up to the president to reassess his policies on immigration. A senior Indian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said India hoped to resolve the visa issue with the United States but declined to be drawn on the details.

The government supported a move by Nasscom, India's high-tech industry association, to lobby US lawmakers and companies to urge the administration not to crack down on allowing its skilled workers into the United States, the source said.

(With inputs from agencies)
New Delhi: Nobel laureate and renowned economist Amartya Sen said on Tuesday that if the government wants to set up world-class universities it should not try to "execute autocratic power on the universities as freedom and autonomy of institutions is vital for the country".

The 83-year-old economist said any threat to the autonomy of the universities is detrimental to the future of the country.

"The state dispenses the money to universities, it does not own the money. The government should not try to execute autocratic power on the universities because freedom and autonomy of institutions is vital for the country," he said.

"The government promises to make world-class universities but this is not the way to do it," said Sen, who was in the national capital to launch an expanded edition of his 1970 book Collective Choice and Social Welfare.

Sen also seemed affirmative of a growing climate of intolerance in the country as he said that some sections of "people live in constant fear of being labeled anti-nationals".

"Our quality of public debate has shrunken. The tendency to threaten and ban is enormously greater today than in the past," he contended.

The economist, however, maintained that these are not the problems that only India is facing and cited the examples of Donald Trump's victory in the US and the Brexit to build the larger narrative.

He also said that the space for liberty and fraternity in most parts of the world has diminished today and is even lower than it was in 1960s.

"But India is definitely in it," he said.

Amartya Sen has, since 1972, taught and worked in the United Kingdom and the United States. Sen has made contributions to welfare economics, social choice theory, economic and social justice, economic theories of famines, and indexes of the measure of well-being of citizens of developing countries.

He stressed that democracy demands the greatest and the longest loyalty of people, adding "there are few things as important as this today".

Sen, who was miffed that the National Democratic Alliance government was in no mood to extend his tenure, quit as Chancellor of Nalanda University (NU), in 2015.

He has been critical of the Modi government's handling of the educational institutions.

"Teachers are being targeted and even the organisations that are inviting them are being targeted. These can not be seen as the cultivation of fraternity but are dangers posed to liberty and fraternity of India," he quipped.

The book Collective Choice and Social Welfare is concerned with the study of collective preference, in particular with the relationship between the objectives of social action and the preferences and aspirations of society's members.

The original 1970 book has been republished with a chunky new section.

The additional chapters extend the original and present in a more rigorous manner some of the material in Sen's The Idea of Justice.

There's a timely chapter on democracy, which mentions: "Given the mixed bag of results that we can actually get from majoritarian democracy, its defence, important as it is, needs to be seriously supplemented by probing scrutiny of its limits and conditionality."

Amartya Sen was awarded the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 1998 and Bharat Ratna in 1999 for his work in welfare economics.
This is a tale of two 'intolerances'. The first incident took place on 27 January. A Bollywood filmmaker who was working on a period biopic was roughed up by the activists of a fringe group for "distorting history".

Protestors stormed the Jaigarh Fort in Jaipur where Padmavati, the movie, was under production. They vandalised the sets, clashed with crew members, fought with private security guards and manhandled director Sanjay Leela Bhansali. They reportedly slapped him and pulled him by his hair. Police arrived in due course. Though Bhansali did not press any charges, five protesters were taken into custody.

Times of India quoted a key functionary of Rajput Karni Sena, the fringe group, as saying: "The movie depicts love scenes between Rani Padmini of Chittor and invader Alauddin Khilji. This is an outrageous distortion of Rajasthan's history as Rani Ji self-immolated herself along with other women of the fort when they heard that Khilji is marching ahead to take over the fort."

Actor Deepika Padukone, who plays the title role in Padmavati, contested this. She posted on Twitter:

As Padmavati I can assure you that there is absolutely no distortion of history.#Padmavati  Deepika Padukone (@deepikapadukone) January 28, 2017

The second incident took place on Sunday. Author and pro-Balochistan activist Tarek Fatah was roughed up by a mob at a literary event in Delhi. The Pakistan-born Canadian, a reformist who has been repeatedly targeted in the past for his stance against Islamism and radicalisation of religion, was attending Jashn-e-Rekhta, an Urdu poetry festival at the Indira Gandhi National Centre of Arts.

Fatah, who needs a pair of crutches to walk, was heckled, abused and manhandled. According to news agency IANS, the 67-year-old had gone to the venue as a visitor where he was reportedly gheraoed by a 100-strong crowd who started sloganeering and asked him to leave. At his refusal, things turned nasty.

In Fatah's own words to Times Now, "a few people at the Urdu festival came to me for autographs and pictures. This upset some people there. Very soon, (an) orchestrated group of around 100 people surrounded me. They were kicking me and beating me up from all sides. I was all alone in this. The organisers instead of intervening stayed away. And, the police instead of stopping those who were attacking me, tried to throw me out of the festival."

Hindustan Times, quoted Parvez Alam, one of the protestors against Fatah, as saying: "Tarek Fatah, a Pakistani, who keeps spewing venom against Indian Muslims, is a threat to the social fabric and communal harmony of our country. He is an outsider. Why should his anti-India and anti-Muslim views be given so much footage?". According to the report, Alam, a resident of Zakir Nagar, was briefly detained by the police. The event organizers have washed their hands off the entire matter. They said Fatah wasn't even an invitee.

Now let us take a look at the reactions to these two incidents. There is no doubt that the attack on Bhansali, a noted filmmaker, was wrong. Whether or not he was staying true to history wasn't the point here. As an artist, he is allowed creative freedom. As an individual, he is entitled to freedom of expression. Bhansali was well within rights to narrate an event  factual or fictional  in a manner of his choosing. The protesters, who are equally entitled to their freedom of expression, could have restricted themselves to peaceful dissent. There are many legal ways of doing so. By assaulting Bhansali the protesters crossed the line.

The attack rightfully triggered a tsunami of outrage. From lead actors Deepika and Ranveer Singh to members of the fraternity, everyone were united in their condemnation for the attackers and support for Bhansali. Aamir Khan said it was "very unfortunate". Fellow filmmaker Karan Johar said he was feeling "helpless and angry".

Thoughts of what has transpired with Sanjay Bhansali today are just not leaving me!! Feeling helpless and angry!! This cannot be our future!  Karan Johar (@karanjohar) January 27, 2017

Anurag Kashyap, another noted filmmaker, said this was an example of "Hindu terrorism".

Hindu extremists have stepped out of twitter into the real world now.. and Hindu terrorism is not a myth anymore  Anurag Kashyap (@anuragkashyap72) January 27, 2017

It quickly made front page news across India and news channels kept it on a 24x7 loop with unending studio debates. Digital media followed suit with petabytes of data. Zillions of op-eds condemned the incident and feared for the tearing up of our social fabric and destruction of 'idea of India'. There appeared to be no dearth of voices in criticising an illiberal and violent act. The volume of coverage was overwhelming. Directors, authors, artists, civil rights activists, academia and media drove home the message that this "policy of silence" should end. We must raise our voice.

We have hit a curve in history where the film industry has to abandon its politics of silence. Silence now will tantamount to betrayal.  Mahesh Bhatt (@MaheshNBhatt) January 28, 2017

Now let's come to the reaction triggered by the attack on Fatah. The incident took place on Sunday. Till now, the media seems to have adopted a strange "policy of silence". The manhandling of a noted author, columnist and activist didn't make front page news. In fact, many newspapers did not carry it at all. Except one or two news channels, most did not telecast the incident, perhaps not considering it newsworthy. Though a few websites did carry the details, the volume is not even 0.1 percent of what we saw during the assault on Bhansali.

Fatah is a fierce critic of Pakistan. He is at the forefront of Baloch nationalist movement and has raised his voice in different forums across the world against the state-sponsored atrocities in Balochistan province. The Canadian is also a friend of India. He has severally and vociferously came out in support of our stand in Kashmir  that it is an integral part of India and Pakistan must withdraw all its claims over the Valley.

Why did an attack on such a figure cause not even a ripple of outrage? The answer isn't hard to find. Fatah is an outlier. He attacks liberals and exposes their double standards when it comes to upholding values that define liberalism. He is also one of the very rare reformist voices in Islam. For his pains, Fatah has been at the receiving end of a fatwa. An Indian Muslim organization  All India Faizan-e-Madina Council  has announced a bounty of Rs 10,786 on the head of the Islamic scholar for being "anti-Muslim".

Recently, a talk show event on Kashmir was cancelled at the prestigious Calcutta Club because the organizers gave in to police pressure. The cops in Kolkata, according to a report in India Today, forced the organizers to drop the event when it became known that Fatah is one of the speakers. The reason? The cops were apparently apprehensive that his "anti-Pakistan rhetoric" may led to law and order issue in Kolkata.

Predictably, these incidents raised not even a ripple, leave alone a tsunami of outrage. And yet by any metric, these are patently illiberal acts where a prominent voice was being gagged from expressing his opinion. No liberals, authors, directors, members of civil society, academia or media came out in support of Fatah. What does this signify?

It points to the differing set of standards that defines the liberal movement in India. It also signifies a tribal mindset. When someone whom the movement considers its own, is attacked, it retaliates with all the might it can command. But when someone who does not subscribe to its group-think is equally targeted, it reacts with a conspiracy of silence. Liberal vision cannot be blinkered. It must go where the principle takes it. Alas, the differing standards of judgement to the same acts of intolerance shows it suffers from a hypocrisy and moral Bolshevism.
The stage is set for the second phase of elections to civic bodies in Maharashtra on Tuesday in what has been dubbed a 'mini assembly' poll and a referendum on Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Ten major civic bodies, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and of Thane, Pune and Nashik, plus 11 Zilla Parishads and 118 Panchayat Samitis shall vote on Tuesday.

At total of 3.77 crore voters shall decide the fate of 17,331 candidates for 5,512 seats up for grabs, including 1,268 in 10 municipal corporations, 2,956 in 11 Zilla Parishads and 1,288 seats in 118 Panchayat Samitis.

A total of 43,160 polling booths have been set up across the state which will be manned by around 2.76 lakh officials.

To find out your name on the voter list, you can follow one of the following two options:

1) You can visit the ceo.maharashtra.gov.in (Chief Electoral Officer of Maharashtra); click on Electoral Search Engine on the left side of the page.

Follow the steps to check the list by your name.

2) You can also visit the official BMC website: www.mcgm.gov.in; click on the 'Election Department' tab on the left side of the webpage.

After that, you need to click on 'Voter List 2017' tab, from where you will be directed to the 'Final Voter list 2017' tab.

Select your electoral ward number and search for your voter ID number.

With inputs from agencies.
Indias richest city is battling major challenges in public health. It faces issues such as sanitation, shortage of health personnel, uneven distribution of public health facilities and overall lags in the public healthcare delivery.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has set aside Rs 3,693 crore to improve healthcare services out of a total budget for Rs 37,052 crore for the year 2016-17, which accounts for 9.96 percent of the total budget outlay of the corporation. Yet, there are too many health issues in Mumbai and the provisions to address those are far from enough. Overall life expectancy in Mumbai was a mere 56.8 years in 2007. More than 20,000 persons have died due to hypertension and more than 12,000 due to diabetes in the last five years. Registration of dengue cases has increased by eight times in the last five years from 2011 to 2016, while reporting of death cases has increased over two times since 2011-12 to 2015-16. Clearly, the health trends in Mumbai have been degrading.

One of the causes for the current state of public health in Mumbai can be credited to the poor infrastructure BMC offers. Public dispensaries/hospitals face a substantial shortage of staff in both paramedical (33 percent) and medical (27 percent) department, while the overall shortage of staff in state hospitals was 28 percent in 2015. The number of beds in public hospitals were estimated to have a ratio of one bed for 3,000 people in 2009, which is less than 1/5th the ideal number as recommended by World Health Organisation at one bed for every 550 people.

A large chunk of Mumbaikars are slum-dwellers and they lack access to toilets. A report by the All India Institute of Local Self-Government revealed that on an average there are about 81 persons per toilet seat in Mumbai. Dr Kamaxi Bhate, an associate professor at the Department of Preventive and Social medicine, KEM Hospital said that 93 percent of toilets that were found to be out of use at suburban stations were meant for women. Lack of access to clean toilets and urinals at railway stations is one of the main reasons for high levels of urinary tract infections (UTI) among female commuters.

Whats more? 40 percent of your untreated sewage enters the Arabian Sea. Sewage water is also a breeding ground for various diseases like cholera, typhoid, diarrhoea, malaria, dengue and other infections. The situation just becomes worse during monsoon when the city experiences floods.

There have been several discrepancies in reporting from the BMC regarding health. In 2015, only 16 people died because of malaria in 12 months, but at the same time, Public Health Department issued death certificates in 92 cases with the mentioned cause of death as malaria. Tuberculosis deaths reported by Tuberculosis Control unit from 2015 are 1,459 while deaths reported by MCGM Public Health Department from the same year are 5,680. Despite the callous health conditions, according to a Praja Report, not a single corporator has asked a single question on health, of which four were health committee members. Clearly, public health is not an issue for city government officials.

At a roundtable organised by Free A Billion on health in Mumbai on the vision and solutions for making the city healthy for living, which was attended by Dr Sanjay Oak, Dr Avinash Supe, Dr Tatyarao Lahane and others from the health sector in the city, there was an outpour of recommendations and ideas to better the state of health care in Mumbai. The recommendations put forth at the roundtable were  the need to promote community ownership of health-related projects, boost the number of hospitals for mental illness and geriatric care, adoption and assessment for improving the state of healthcare among the newly born.

Removing entry barriers for nursing homes and easing regulations for the same or trying out the idea of vouchers for healthcare to the needy so that they have the choice of private and government hospitals can ensure Mumbaikars have maximum access to healthcare. The Delhi model of mohalla clinics dispensing primary health care alongside increasing the usage of vending machines has been a great venture and could be implemented in Mumbai. To top it off, a considerable part of budget outlay on health care remains unutilized, thus highlighting that funds are not an issue. In the light of insufficient infrastructure, the least that authorities can ensure is a complete utilisation of the already existing resources available to them.

Its time that the issue of public health becomes part of the public policy discourse in the city.

The author works with Free A Billion in Mumbai.
Jammu: The BSF foiled an infiltration bid along the LoC in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir early on Tuesday, gunning down a militant even as a huge amount of ammunition was seized.

Officials said the incident occurred around midnight when the Border Security Force (BSF) troops deployed along the Line of Control fence in Keri sector of Rajouri detected some suspicious movement.

A heavy exchange of fire, including lobbing of grenades by the militants ensued for about 30 minutes and the guns then went silent from the other side, the BSF said. A search was conducted early morning during which the BSF party recovered the body of the militant along with an AK-56 rifle, 16 loaded magazines, 267 live rounds, 89 other rounds of AK-series and a monocular night vision device from the Pakistan side.

Three wire-cutters, used to breach the wire fence, a radio set, 2 improvised explosive devices, knife, 48 pencil cells, four walking sticks (used to pull the fence), five pairs of hand gloves, liquid for triggering fire, jackets, bed sheet, dry fruits and juice was also recovered, they said adding the seized items indicate that the terrorists were ready for a long haul had they succeeded in breaching the fence.

A picture of the spot showed the slain militant wearing dark green camouflage uniform like that used by Indian Army personnel. "The remaining terrorists took advantage of the undulating hilly ground and jungle and retreated to their side. The possible infiltration bid was foiled by alert troops," they added. The BSF said it has foiled 26 such bids, with 11 on the International Border, since 29 November last year in Jammu and Kashmir.
Pakistan army claims to have killed some 135 terrorists and rounded up some 350 civilians post the suicide bombing of the Lal Shahbaz Qalandar shrine in Sehwan, Sindh that killed some 83 Sufi Muslims. Of the first 100 killed, the army claims it was done within 24 hours of the terrorist attack. Khwaja Asif says that Hafiz Saeed is a threat to the country, which is laughable considering the red carpet he has been provided past decades, akin to other radical mullah-terrorists like Masood Azhar. But even if the American pressure mounts, whether the army will permit Hafiz Saeed to be sacrificed like Jalaluddin Haqqani appears impossible given his relevance to the ISI in perpetuating proxy war both in India and Afghanistan including directing Islamic State attacks in Afghanistan; Afghanistan has officially told Pakistan Hafiz Saeed, former LeT chief is directing ISIS operations in Afghanistan as reported by Voice of America. On the other hand, Hafiz Saeeds disappearance may be even faked by Pakistan to appease the US.

Masood Azhar naturally is being treated as national treasure with his outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) linked with the Taliban and the Islamic State. But if Hafiz Saeed has been directing Islamic State attacks in Afghanistan, why would the Pakistan army not use him to direct terror attacks in Sindh and Balochistan for reasons not very difficult to guess? But coming to the 135 terrorists killed by the Pakistan army and the continuing drive that would increase the count, how many of them are actually terrorists is anybodys guess. However, surely the idiom zebra cant change its stripes is well known and remains relevant to the Pakistan army. Given the past record of Pakistani army and its policy since Zia-ul-Haq of ruthlessly promulgating hardcore radicalism, they would not only could have organised and abetted the above terror attack but would use the opportunity to target and kill those civilians/terrorists who are of no use to the army and/or are opposed to Pakistans deep state?

Naturally, there is not a murmur of dissent against above doings of the Pakistani army. The journos learned it the hard way by opening their mouth of the armys genocide in Balochistan and the truth of the aerial and artillery bombardments in north Waziristan as part of Operation Zarb-e-Azb; they were simply wiped out or vanished. Even Nadia Rahman, Pakistani supporter of Amnesty International cautiously said, The authorities have a responsibility to protect peoples lives but must do so while adhering to international law", which too may have cost her dearly. But the most significant part is not a single squeak from the self-styled human rights activists in India; not one politician, not one journo, not one self-styled activist. Contrast this with the furore over a simple statement by General Bipin Rawat, Indian Army Chief that stone pelters hindering operations of security forces will be treated as anti-national and will be dealt with accordingly. Adverse comments by J&K politicians are natural because those speaking do not want the situation to normalise with the money they are raking in or are in league with the separatists and/or their cross-border benefactors. But then you have a bunch of others headed by the Congress brigade who are beating their chests on the statement by General Rawat. It is not surprising when during a TV debate in early 2014, the Congress spokesperson stated that Nationalism is NOT Relevant to India. So, you have politicians without any conscience who want to rule the country.

From time to time, you find politicians stating that soldiers joining the army are meant to die anyway or that soldiers join army only for money. Obviously, the terms nam, nishan aur izzat are alien to this species. A weekly magazine cover shows photographs of an army officer with the caption Officer And A Rogue. Is the aim to deride the army and portray this is what army officers are? But then even politicians holding ministerial births have had a go at deriding the army.

The limit was crossed recently by Prashant Paricharak, MLA from Solapur (Maharashtra) who insulted our army soldiers by saying jawans are on borders for years yet how their wives give birth to babies. It is doubtful if the Supreme Court would take suo moto cognizance of such going ons but we definitely need a law to make such fellows do compulsory military service under the army in insurgency areas or on the border. Similar should be the treatment to those sympathising with stone-pelters obstructing army operations. India needs to be cleansed of these critters as part of Swachh Bharat. Coming winter is going to be much harsher in J&K with stone-pelters using Molotov cocktails instead of stones, as reported in British media. It is the next stage of ISIs intifada in J&K. It should be made very clear that those who insult the army, insult the nation and those who speak for terrorist supporters or terrorists are clearly anti-national.
New Delhi: A Private Member's Bill, which seeks to declare Pakistan a country sponsoring terrorism, will be opposed by the government in Parliament.

'The Declaration of Countries as Sponsor of Terrorism Bill, 2016', moved by Independent member Rajeev Chandrasekhar in Rajya Sabha, "seeks to call out states like Pakistan that continue to associate, promote, patronise and sponsor terrorism against our nation" and provides for snapping all economic and trade relations with that country.

"India can't declare any country a 'Terror State' as it has to maintain diplomatic relations with all countries. Besides, in principle it is very rare that government supports any Private Member's Bill," a Home Ministry official said.

The Home Ministry has conveyed to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat about its opposition to the Bill, saying such a move may "jeopardise" international relations.

While moving the Bill on 3 February, Chandrasekhar had stated that for decades, India and other countries in the region have been victims of terror attacks from organisations and individuals based in and with the support of elements in Pakistan.

"Yet for decades we have remained engaged with Pakistan in an attempt to draw it into the mainstream. This Bill is to finally put into motion the process of calling terror sponsors to account," Chandrasekhar said.

He also quoted data to say that from 1998 to 29 January 2017 14,741 civilians have been killed in terror attacks in this country, 6,274 security force personnel lost their lives and we have 23,146 terrorists.

He also referred to the terror attack on Parliament, the Indian 'temple of democracy', on 13 December, 2001, to press his point.

Stating that "Pakistan's history and track record of fostering terrorism and terrorists is long and indeed distinguishable and incontrovertible," he added, "It is time that we stop running to other countries to declare Pakistan a terror state and stood up and did this job ourselves."

Asserting that the world is getting tired and has lost patience with "rogue nations", he said as the global opinion consolidates around the conduct of some countries like Pakistan, the focus will naturally come on what India and the Indian Parliament's approach to that threat is.

Chandrasekhar said the Bill can apply in the future also to other countries that directly or indirectly aid terror attacks against India.
The owner of the only mining operation in the United States producing lithium carbonate wants alterations to Nevadas proposed bill on lithium exploration.

Albemarle Corp., owner of the Silver Peak Mine in Esmeralda County, reported it was working with the Nevada Division of Minerals and state engineer to develop alternative language to AB 52 that protects the alkaline playa, encourages lithium exploration and protects Albemarles current site and operations.

Nevada Division of Minerals Administrator Richard Perry confirmed the division is working with Albemarle on the bill, which is proposed for action in the current legislative session.

The operation owned by Albemarle pulls lithium brine from saltwater aquifers using extraction wells. According to the company, the Nevada Division of Water Resources has permitted Albemarle to extract 20,000 acre-feet a year from Clayton Valley Basin.

Our evaporation process works in perfect confluence with our senior water rights because it maintains a balance between our extraction rate and the rate of the basin discharge, the company said.

The minerals division proposed the bill to make it easier for companies to explore for lithium, which is seeing an increased demand, especially for rechargeable batteries for electric cars and cellphones.

The reason we did this, we received numerous calls last year from lithium exploration companies on how to explore in Nevada, and they had an interest in streamlining the process, Perry explained earlier.

Albemarle recognizes that Nevadas goal of increasing exploration and production of lithium carbonate would mean reaching beyond what Silver Peak could produce.

However, as Albemarles site in Silver Peak is the only operating lithium mine in the country, we believe the state should be thoughtful in developing any changes to current law that may adversely impact the states only lithium producer, the companys statement on AB 52 says.

Fundamentally, we believe current water law manages both exploration and operating aspects of lithium extraction. We have complied with those rules and have successfully operated under the currently regulatory regime for over 50 years.

As such we oppose efforts that would diminish or otherwise damage our resources in the Clayton Valley. As the holder of virtually all the senior water rights in the Clayton Valley, we oppose AB 52 as currently drafted because it does not recognize the importance of state water law for extracting lithium that is dissolved in groundwater, which is very different from hard rock mining.

It does not protect Albemarles senior water rights, as required by Nevada law. It also does not recognize that fully allocated basins such as the Clayton Valley cannot accommodate anyone wanting to access the aquifer without water permits.

The bill would create an exemption to state water law to allow exploration entities to sample brine from boreholes and sample and pump-test from an exploration well.

If passed, it could lead to degradation of the delicate playa from over-drilling into the aquifer and extracting brine by too many parties, Albemarle wrote.
Islamabad: Hafiz Saeed's house arrest was in Pakistan's "larger interest" as he can pose a "serious threat" to the country, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said in the first public admission of the JuD chief's terrorism links.

Asif's remarks about the danger posed by the mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai attacks - in which 166 people died - came at an international security conference in Munich, Germany.

"Saeed can pose a serious threat to the society," Asif told the audience at the Munich Security Conference on Sunday, The Nation reported.

Saeed was "arrested in the larger interest of the country", he added.

Saeed was placed under house arrest under the fourth schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) on 30 January in Lahore, provoking an uproar from his party and allies. Saeed's inclusion in the list shows he is linked with militancy in some way. Saeed was earlier this month put on the Exit Control List, barring him from leaving the country.

Saeed was also put under house arrest after the Mumbai attacks in November 2008, but he was freed by a court in 2009.

He carries a reward of $10 million announced by the US for his role in terror activities.

During a panel discussion on countering extremism and terrorism, Asif said: "Terrorism is not synonymous to any religion. Terrorists aren't Christians or Muslims or Buddhists or Hindus. They are terrorists, they are criminals."

Pakistan was hit by at least eight terror attacks this month in which more than 100 people died, the latest being a suicide bombing on a famed Sufi shrine in Sindh province that claimed 88 lives.

In a statement critical of the American policies, Asif said Pakistan is determined to fight terrorism: "Let me assure the world community that Pakistan is a frontline state in this war and it will continue to fulfil its obligations to its own people and the international community but if the West's policies are going to be isolationist it won't help the fight against terrorism, only fuel it.
India is probably the only country in the world where people clamour to be classified as backward. They clamour with pride, 'Make us backward or else...'

The most recent call for this inclusion is the revival of the agitation in Haryana with the Jat womenfolk taking the lead for reservations quotas.

Shades of 2016 and the mayhem that followed threaten to repeat themselves and one can only hope that timely action is taken to contain the violent fallout of a demand that now aims to up the ante and defrost the 10 percent grant given earlier in the wake of bloody rioting last year but put on hold by the Punjab and Haryana High court.

Even though the court declared Jats were not backward they wanted to be so and the past ten months have passed uneasily.

It is very difficult to explain to people anywhere in the world about the keenness to be called backward, a label that would be seen as largely insulting in any other context.

Fact is that there are not enough jobs to go round and the exponentially increasing list of OBCs, as they are called, to the already overloaded circuits of the scheduled castes and tribes has made the initial pull them up by their socks sentiment of the reservation policy a travesty today.

Since the state governments are unable to generate jobs the promises to offer further extensions to the backward classes lists simply has no basis and is an empty promise now reaching the farcical.

The reason for this is smack, right dab in our faces. In 1975 Justice Krishna Iyer stated in the case of State of Kerala vs NM Thomas that the creamy layer of the backward categories was making the most of it leaving their weakest brethren even weaker, not even leaving crumbs as they scoffed the whole cake.

The reservation into perpetuity has now become a menace and the layer is far more than creamyit is pate and cheese and a cherry on top. These backward 'brahmins' are now earning in lakhs as multiple members of their families use the loopholes and the technically legal bookings in jobs to rake it in. They are richer than all their tribeand ours.

And there is no end to it, like okay you are now on the sunny side of the street so the umbrella is being taken back.

This issue has not been frontally addressed for far too many years and the pussyfooting around these potential vote banks by making them false promises benefits only those of their ilk who are licking their chops and are now filthy rich and successful.

Even their grand-kids now jump the queue despite their wealth and earning power. When does this apologist stuff stop?

Whether we like it or not that little wriggly thing in the dirt with a broken spine is merit and it has been crushed as this creamy layer makes merry.

People earning in lakhs continue to enjoy the pleasure of the backward bondage in such an exploitative fashion it even makes the American affirmative action programme come across as anemic in comparison.

The one family one reservation option has never really been exercised even though it is bandied about and everyone pretends it is an active parameter.

As long as there is no time limit stringently put on it and reservations re-introduced to sanity other states, especially Maharashtra, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh might (will) face similar problems. The Patels, synonymous globally with business acumen have a similar peeve in Gujarat. This is almost impossible to comprehend.

When we move into third generation reservation and cannot get off this tiger, the writing on the wall is a sign of very troubled times.

Certainly not moving forward.

Perhaps the only ones truly losing out are those who are not eligible.
New Delhi: The Congress on Tuesday demanded that a sitting judge under the supervision of the High Court must investigate the Naliya gangrape case, allegedly involving BJP leaders from Kutch, and also questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence on the issue.

"The BJP, which came into power with the weapon of 'Nirbhaya case', is in the dock about the safety of women. The Modi government has completed half its term but women's security situation in Gujarat has become so unfortunate that women there need to be saved from the BJP leaders themselves," said Shobha Oza, chairperson, All India Mahila Congress.

"While talking about zero tolerance, the Prime Minister has awarded a ministerial berth to a rape accused, Nihal Chand," she said.

A 24-year-old woman from Kutch had filed an FIR in Naliya town last month, alleging she had been raped repeatedly by nine persons, including four local BJP office-bearers, since last year.

The Gujarat assembly budget session on Monday saw pandemonium by opposition members over the alleged gangrape, forcing Governor O.P. Kohli to cut short his customary opening address.

"Why has the Prime Minister maintained a stoic silence on the issue of 'Naliya BJP sex scandal' of Kutch? The slogan of 'Beti Bachao' is simply a hollow one and BJP and RSS leaders have become exploiters of women in the country," said Oza.

"The sex scandal of Naliya has unmasked the real 'chaal, charitra and chehra' (character) of BJP," she added.

Oza said the Naliya incident of "women molestation was not only limited to BJP and RSS workers but also linked to other top leaders, which include leaders of Gujarat and also other BJP-ruled states".

"They are trying their best to threaten, blackmail and even lure the victim's family. They are also trying to malign the victim's character," she said.

"The past record of Gujarat government has proved that SIT investigation is a mere lip-service to save the real culprits. In this context, we want to ask why this shameful incident is not being investigated by a sitting judge under the supervision of High Court?" Oza added.
New Delhi: Two planes were involved in a near-miss over Kolkata airspace last December, it has emerged, prompting the government to launch a probe. The IndiGo plane from Kolkata to Hyderabad (VT-IEM) and the Kolkata-bound SilkAir aircraft from Singapore (9VMGH) were involved in the incident that occured on 11 December.

Together, there were more than 200 people in the two planes. Both the airlines did not provide the number of passengers who were on board their respective flights when the incident happened.

Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has started a formal inquiry into the "serious incident", according to a recent notification issued by the Civil Aviation Ministry.

Citing preliminary data from Indian authorities, French aviation watchdog BEA said vertical separation between the two aircraft "was zero feet" while the least horizontal separation between the two planes was reduced to just 0.6 NM.

About the incident, an IndiGo spokesperson said there was a reduction in horizontal separation between the two aircraft but "no error has been found on part of the IndiGo flight crew".

The airline also said the situation could have been avoided had the Air Traffic Controller (ATC) not cleared its plane for take-off and made SilkAir discontinue the approach. When contacted, a SilkAir spokesperson said the airline has provided AAIB with all the information and reports for the flight to aid them in their investigation.

In a statement, the spokesperson said as the SilkAir aircraft was on approach and preparing to land, it was alerted about the Indigo plane taking off from the same runway. As the pilots could not clearly identify the location of the IndiGo aircraft on the runway, they decided to discontinue the approach and circle the airport for another approach to land, the statement said. The SilkAir plane landed safely, it added.

IndiGo was flying Airbus 320 plane while SilkAir was operating Boeing 737 aircraft. The seating capacity is around 180 seats and 162 seats

for the IndiGo and SilkAir planes, respectively. A senior official at aviation regulator DGCA said it has received information about the incident and AAIB probe is on.

BEA said "IndiGo flight IGO6619 sector Kolkata-Hyderabad departed runway 19L at 1525 UTC while the SilkAir flight MI488 commenced go around at the same time." "The least horizontal separation between MI488 and IGO6619 was 0.6 NM during the entire event and the least

vertical separation was zero feet," as per information available on BEA website. BEA has also mentioned that it is "preliminary data based on the notification from the authorities of India".

An official, who earlier served at aviation regulator DGCA, said considering the facts available the incident is like a near collision since the vertical and horizontal separation of the two aircraft were well below the stipulated requirements.
The Jammu and Kashmir government has banned the big fat weddings to curb the wastage of food in these social events. The numbers of guests and meal courses risen phenomenally in recent years and Kashmiris often spent their entire life savings either on a house or a wedding.

The restructuring, announced by the state government on Tuesday, is aimed at the number of guests invited for weddings, engagement parties to avoid wastage of food during these functions.

Chowdhary Zulfikar Ali, minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CAPD), said that weddings in recent years have become a nuisance', which are at the heart of creating social tensions, between different sections of the society, apart from being a major source of wasted food, throughout the state.

Now you can only invite 500 guests for a daughter's wedding and 400 for a son's wedding. For the ring ceremonies people can invite 100 guests, Chowdhary, said.

He said if the implementing agencies found anyone violating the government orders they will have to face the law, We will soon introduce a legislation which would make it possible for us to punish people who violate the orders. It doesnt matter who that is: whether it is bureaucrat or a politician.

Kashmiri weddings are prolonged and lavish celebrations where tonnes of meat and rice is consumed which allegedly causes sharp rises in local food prices during the fall. The big fat weddings are considered to be an important measure of ones social status. However, when the militancy erupted in the valley, lavish weddings were largely avoided, but as the militancy started ebbing in the valley, the trend of the big fat wedding has started picking up.

The menus in these weddings routinely run to 20 to 35 courses and the burden is usually on the brides family. Families can often spend years trying to pay off debts incurred in providing wedding they deem worthy of their daughters.

The famous Wazwan has now become a huge burden on the pockets of parents. One customer (a businessmen) asked me prepare 37 dishes for the guests on his daughter wedding. It was good business for me but what about those who cant afford it, Abdul Rashid Baba, a famous chef from old town of Srinagar, said.

This is a good step and we are not against it. Traditionally the platter is served with seven dishes and then the subsequent dishes are added top the plate, he added.

Baba says that although because of the unrest last year the Waza community in Kashmir has to face a loss of more than a hundred crore but people like him, would support the government move.

The state government has asked the deputy commissioners of the state to implement the decision and ensure its full implication. The government has also restricted number of dishes served during the wedding: seven non-veg and seven vegetarian dishes can be made available in marriages besides two items of sweets or ice cream.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday said a constitution bench would in May hear the question whether the children of illegal migrants born here can avail the benefit of citizenship under the existing law. A bench headed by Chief Justice J S Khehar said that four constitution benches would sit during the summer vacations, scheduled from 11 May to 1 July, to hear contentious issues, including triple talaq, constitutional validity of Aadhaar and status of children of illegal Bangladeshi migrants to Assam.

Besides, the larger bench would also deal with the issue of constitutional validity of section 6A of the Citizenship Act with regard to the cut-off date for awarding citizenship to the Bangladeshi migrants. "We will have four constitution bench (during summer vacations). This matter will be one of them," the bench, also comprising Justices D Y Chandrachud and S K Kaul, said. At the outset, the bench told the petitioners, "You do not seem to be serious. You are taking it very casually".

The parties in the case contended before the bench that they were ready to argue the matter during the vacation. "Counsel for the parties agrees that this matter be posted for hearing in the vacations. Let it be fixed for 11 May," the bench said. In July 2015, another bench of the apex court had referred the question for adjudication by a constitutional bench. "We are referring to the Constitution bench the question as to the whether the children of illegal migrants would get the benefit of Section 3 of the Citizenship Act, as amended," the bench headed by Justice Ranjan Gogoi had said.

The bench, which was hearing various pleas arising out of its verdict on PILs on influx of illegal Bangladeshi migrants to Assam, had decided to keep monitoring the implementation of its directions. It had earlier passed a slew of directions, including an order to the Centre to complete the fencing work along the India-Bangladesh border within three months to check cross-border influx of illegal Bangladesh nationals into Assam and streamline the process to deport them back. The apex court had also laid down a time-table for updating of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam so that the entire updated register is published by the end of January, 2016.

It had earlier appointed a panel of three former High Court judges, headed by Justice Aftab H Saikia, to monitor the NRC updation. The apex court had also asked NRC to consider the request

for registration by persons in Assam who were not residents of the state till 24 March, 1971, if they provide proof of their citizenship of other Indian states. In December 2014, the apex court had referred to a larger bench the issue of constitutional validity of section 6A of the Citizenship Act with regard to the cut-off date for awarding citizenship to the migrants.

It had asked the Centre to detect and deport all illegal migrants who have come to Assam after 25 March, 1971 and hold discussions with the Bangladesh government to ensure that illegal migrants are sent back. It had ruled that the foreigners, who came to India between 1 January, 1966 to 24 March, 1971, be awarded citizenship as per law.

The apex court's verdict had come on the pleas of Assam Sanmilita Mahasangha, Assam Public Works and All Assam Ahom Association filed in the aftermath of large-scale riots in 2012 and 2014 resulting in the death of a large number of persons. In their writ petition, the petitioners have said the sovereignty and integrity of India is itself at stake as a massive influx of illegal migrants from a neighbouring country has affected the core constitutional value.
Mumbai: Controversial televangelist Zakir Naik has responded to the ED summons in connection with a money laundering case and said he is willing to give statement via any electronic media facility.

"My client is willing and ready to give any statement before you via Skype or any other mode of electronic media to assist you in your investigation," read a letter sent by Naik, the founder of NGO Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), through his lawyer Mahesh Mule.

Naik also said that he is an NRI and has not received any summons. He, however, added that his brother was served the summons on 2 February, asking Naik to appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on 9 February, and maintained that it could not be construed as proper service (of summons).

Naik has also requested the ED to wait for the order of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) tribunal before asking him any questions about his now-banned NGO IRF as the ban is being contested.

IRF was banned for five years by the government last year under the UAPA for its alleged terror activities.

Naik also claimed that he faces an extremely hostile atmosphere in India and under these circumstances, conducting a fair probe against him would be impossible.

He also sought a few months' time to appear before the ED in person.

Last week, the ED had arrested Aamir Gazdar, a close aide of Naik, in connection with the money laundering case.

The central probe agency had registered a criminal case against Naik and others in December, 2016 after taking cognisance of an NIA complaint under the UAPA.

The ED is looking into the charges of illegal funds laundered by the accused and the subsequent proceeds of crime thus generated.

Naik (51) is said to be staying in Saudi Arabia to evade arrest after some perpetrators of the Dhaka terror strike last year claimed that they were inspired by him.

He, along with unnamed IRF officials, has been booked under section 153A, IPC (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony), besides various UAPA sections.
Bengaluru: AIADMK Deputy General Secretary TTV Dinakaran on Monday met his aunt and party chief VK Sasikala at the central prison in Bengaluru, where she is serving her term in the disproportionate assets case.

"Yes, Dinakaran came around 4.50 pm and met Sasikala for about half-an-hour in the prison," Superintendent of Prisons Krishnaiah told PTI in Bengaluru.

Dinakaran met Sasikala for the first time after her loyalist Edappadi K Palaniswami won the vote of confidence in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on 18 February.

Palaniswami got 122 votes in favour and 11 against after the eviction of principal opposition DMK and protest walkout by its allies, who together have 98 legislators in the 234-member House.

Sasikala and co-accused Ellavarasi and her another nephew VN Sudhakaran were lodged in the prison on 15 February, after she surrendered in the trial court here following their conviction by the supreme court in the disproportionate assets case.

They have been sentenced to four years imprisonment.

Dinakaran along with S Venkatesan, another relative of Sasikala, were allowed to re-join AIADMK on 15 February, six years after their expulsion by her predecessor Jayalalithaa.

Before proceeding here to surrender in the trial court, Sasikala had appointed Dinakaran as Deputy General Secretary of AIADMK.
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A key point to note here is how the Shiv Sena's grip on the city has been slipping over the years

In Mumbai, the least voting is recorded for the municipal body elections, while the voting percentage goes up in the case of State Assembly and Lok Sabha elections, quite paradoxical given that the citizens interface with the government is highest in the case of local government. Read full article here

These elections are primarily important because they elect a government that is closest to its people, one that determines the fate of civic life in the city for the next five years. But data on voter turnout suggests that Mumbai houses a big chunk of sleeping, dormant, apathetic populace that forgets to fulfil the most basic obligation of casting their vote.

Unfortunately, data from previous elections show a poor voter turnout in Mumbai with the percentage of voting marginally below in the last two elections. In fact, in the 2007 municipal elections, only 42 percent voters exercised their right whereas in 2012 the voter turnout was marginally higher at 44 percent.

With civic issues continuing to affect the life of average Mumbaikars despite the fact that the BMC is the richest municipal body in the country, it would be interesting whether or not Mumbai will exercise its right on Tuesday or sit at home and enjoy the polling day as a holiday.

And so, some offices want their employees to come to office as usual and leave office at around 3 pm.

Remember, not all offices are observing today's public holiday. In fact, some offices have only given a concession to their employees to leave early from office. Also, voting doesn't stop at 5 pm, it's just that you are not allowed to join the line after 5 pm.

Still confused about how to make your voice heard? We've got just the guide for you.

There are two ways to find out whether or not your name is on the voters list.

Few civic polls in Mumbai have had so much riding on them as the 2017 edition. Some are calling it a 'mini referendum', while others are calling it a shakeup. It would be a crying shame if you weren't among those exercising your right to vote for your representative. And it all starts with the voters list.

At Ward No 16, political parties are paying Rs 700 to polling agents. This has gone down sharply from last time, when it used to be Rs 1,200 per agent. Activists say this is on account of demonetisation.

The police has done nothing about it. In fact, the cops didn't allow other politicians to park their vehicles, but Tara Singh's car is still here.

Tara Singh apparently wasn't there to vote. His ward is in Mulund (West) and the polling station at which he arrived is in Mulund (East), in Ward 105. He literally sat around for five minutes folding his hands and greeting people.

Naturally, the dilemma that most voters face in the current election is whether to vote for the best amongst the worst or to go for a vacation. May people who did not vote in the previous election cite the lack of good candidates or empty promises as a major reason to boycott the process altogether.

A recent report published by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and the Maharashtra Election Watch (MEW) found that 216 candidates contesting the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections have criminal cases registered against them.

Voters will need to choose between educated, seemingly sensible contestants who are out of touch with the ground reality and populist goons, trying to push their own agenda and special interests.

Second, politicians with muscle and money enjoy the benefits of reservation by fielding, what can be called, the 'great Indian family'. Read the full article here

Electoral politics in India has a big fat blemish: Reservations. Constituencies are categorised as Open, SC, ST, women etc. While this was done to ensure diverse participation, it also has major negative side-effects on governance. First, politicians are majorly concerned with re-elections to prolong their careers, and in the absence of this stimulus, they do not work to impress the electorate. One must also observe the dramatic rise in assets of one-term corporators.

Unaffordable housing in Mumbai is something polls wont change Mumbai accounts for 40 percent of Indias income tax collections and 40 percent of its foreign trade. It is home to not only the headquarters of major national financial institutions but also to some of the largest and most successful international corporations. The biggest irony of this moneyed city is that a large chunk of the population cant afford a flat here. With an estimated average of about 4.5 square metres per person in 2009, the consumption of residential floor space in Mumbai is one of the lowest in the world. Shanghai is at 34 square metres per person. Read the full article here

With the BJP's thumping win in the Maharashtra Assembly Election 2014, Shiv Sena have been complaining of being pushed to the sidelines. Though leaders of both the parties have indicated that breakup in the alliance in the civic body polls will not have an impact on the state politics, challenging the ruling BJP is a huge political gamble for Uddhav. Mumbai has always been a Sena bastion, taking control of the BMC without the BJP could open up new possibilities for Uddhav and his party, but a defeat on the home turf would mean that the Sena chief has managed to alienate their core vote base who have shifted their allegiance to the BJP.

For a city with the richest civic body in the country, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) sure doesn't have much power over the lives of average Mumbaikars. Which is why the fact that 55 percent of the city turning up to vote on Tuesday is a big deal, unlike argued in a previous piece. A few more reality checks are required...

Which brings up the question: which party would best the other. Traditionally, about half of Mumbai votes with its feet. The other half thinks it is a superfluous task since, with the civic body, it is the cash that counts, the cash forked out to the machinery, including the corporators they elect every five years. So, whats the point?

One would like to imagine that Mumbai voters  with the other nine municipal corporations  made their choices on Tuesday in what is mini-general elections, on civic and specific development issues plaguing their respective cities. But the campaigns mounted by the two principal actors, Shiv Senas Uddhav Thackeray and BJPs Devendra Fadnavis were anything but that. It was a bid at political assertion.

So one thing is for sure, if the surmise that its a two-way election is correct, then both the Shiv Sena and the BJP will see a huge surge in their voter base. In 2012, Shiv Sena won with 21.84 percent of total votes polled. The Congress was snapping at its heels with 21.23 percent and the MNS with 20.66 percent. BJP got only 8.64 percent.

If it is a straight contest this year, this election then is about the redistribution of this big chunk of votes. (There is still the possibility that it is not a straight contest and we have assumed the most voluble contestant as the only contestants.) Even if the three parties hang on to 50 percent of their vote base, there are still about 11 lakh floating votes. Add to that the additional five lakh new voters who turned up in this election.

According to CNN-News18, the Shiv Sena is off to an early lead in four seats, with BJP ahead in one seat

The Sena is ahead in six seats, with the BJP leading in three. The Congress has the lead in two seats at this point.

Shiv Sena is ahead in 12 seats, with the BJP catching up (leading in 10 seats). The Congress is ahead in three seats, while the NCP is ahead in the solitary ward.

Barely 75 minutes into counting, the Shiv Sena is already claiming the civic election. Meanwhile, the BJP is believed to be expecting to win more than 125 (of the total 227) seats.

As counting takes place in 111 seats, Shiv Sena has a comfortable lead in 56 seats, as against BJP's 32. Congress has finally moved into double figures with 10, while NCP and MNS follow with six and five respectively.

Shiv Sena has the lead in 30 seats of Thane in addition to the massive lead it has opened up in Mumbai, but BJP can take solace from the good showing it has put up in Nagpur and Pune. BJP has been winning the Nagpur municipal corporation for the last two terms and looks good to do so again. In Pimpri Chinchwad, Ajit Pawar is on track to leading NCP to a win.

Shiv Sena leads in 85 seats, while BJP crosses the 50-seat mark. Congress now leading in 18 seats, while MNS and NCP follow with 10 and seven respectively.

Ideally as the results pour in, by Thursday evening, most Mumbaikars should know who their new councillor is. This is going to be very important, as for the next five years, our local ward councillor is probably going to be the only politician in the city who's going to give the average Mumbaikar the time of day. Details of your new councillors will be on the MCGM's website , ideally a few days after they are elected, along with their e-mail addresses. So the next time you see a pothole, take a photo and e-mail it to your councillor with a request for it to be fixed.

BJP is trailing Shiv Sena in Mumbai, Thane and Ulhasnagar, but is leading in Pune, Nagpur, Solapur, Nashik, Akola and Amravati. Clearly, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis may have failed to ignite the state capital, but the party has exceeded expectations in six other cities.

Ward 126: Archana Bhalerao (MNS)  This was a slightly better situation as the supporters were saying 'vahini jinkli' (our sister-in-law has won). But most of the slogans were for her husband, Sanjay Bhalerao.

Ward 123: Snehal More (Independent)  All the supporters to whom I spoke only mentioned, "More Saheb". All the chants were for Sudhir More. A quick chat with other party supporters made me realise that it wasn't Sudhir More who won, but it was his sister-in-law Snehal More who won.

Ward 124: Jyoti Khan (NCP)  People only knew that Harun Khan's wife had won. They had to check their phones to tell me the candidate's name.

Ward 125: Rupali Awale (Shiv Sena)  When I asked supporters who won, they said, "Awale Saheb". When I asked them the name of the candidate, they said that candidate was Awale Saheb's wife. It took them a few seconds to recollect her name.

Constituencies and wards are reserved for women to empower them. But it's not implausible that male politicians from those wards make their female family members contest elections and be the face, while the real power lies in their hands.

Four women won seats among those being counted in this centre, but strangely, the supporters were cheering for their husbands and not for the candidate herself. In one or two cases, the supporters couldn't even recollect the name of the woman who won, but could easily name her husband, her brother-in-law.

Shailesh Phanse, who was touted to be the next mayor, lost in Andheri (West). Former MLA and mayor Milind Vaidya who won from Dadar and Mangesh Satamkar from Sion Koliwada are two potential candidates for the post of mayor.

The BJP had strategically started planning for the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) elections, even before the 2014 Lok Sabha election took place. Even while campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections was taking place, the party's long-term target appeared to be the civic elections. They systematically activated the RSS cadre and old timers in the city. The first signs of victory came with BJP candidate Anil Shirole winning becoming MP from Pune. The BJP wave then swept the NCP and Congress away, winning all eight seats during the legislative Assembly polls held later that year. And it culminated in Thursday's win which gives them control of the city at the Centre, state and civic levels.

In Ward No 220 in South Mumbai, Shiv Sena's Surendra Bhagalkar and BJP's Atul Shah had the exact same number of votes. Counting took place on three separate occasions, but threw up the same figure each time. The final winner will be picked by BMC commissioner Ajoy Mehta through a lottery system.

The possibilities are immense for both, the Sena and the BJP, are likely to stake claim for power: The Sena, as the single largest party, assuming office with the help of non-BJP parties; the BJP assuming office with the help of non-Sena parties; and the Sena and BJP forming a post-poll alliance in return for a political deal in the state and central governments. But whatever the outcome, the saffron partners have belittled the Congress and the NCP.

The BJP and Shiv Sena are neck and neck in the number of seats won in the BMC election. Even though the BJP picked up a lot more seats than ever before, it fell short of its goal  taking control of civic affairs. The news isn't good since either party would need support to take control of the BMC, making an alliance hard to forge and sustain.

The minister also said that BJP has now become a pan-India party is fast spreading its wings across the country as compared to the Congress, which has been squeezed out to third or fourth place in most local body elections.

The BJP leader added that the BJP has done exceedingly well in Maharashtra, Haryana and Assam where it traditionally played a second fiddle to regional parties. Jaitley also mentioned the party's performance in the local government elections in Odisha saying that "BJP is capable of winning major states on its own".

Finance minister Arjun Jaitley is impressed with the performance of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the local government elections in Odisha, Maharashtra and other states. Speaking to ANI, Jaitley said, "Since May 2014 India has seen many state and local elections. BJP has increased its vote in each of these elections."

The results of civic body polls may not mean much from the perspective of wider politics. The trend of the outcome may be different in elections at higher levels. But they reflect strength of parties on the ground. They indicate their cadre power and capacity to find their feet after an electoral blow or two. It also is way of getting a measure of rivals. The tally in the 10 civic body polls reveals that the Congress is losing ground fast. Even the strongholds are not so anymore. Being in the same bracket as the NCP and the MNS is certainly not a happy situation.

The results of civic body polls may not mean much from the perspective of wider politics. The trend of the outcome may be different in elections at higher levels. But they reflect strength of parties on the ground. They indicate their cadre power and capacity to find their feet after an electoral blow or two. It also is way of getting a measure of rivals. The tally in the 10 civic body polls reveals that the Congress is losing ground fast. Even the strongholds are not so anymore. Being in the same bracket as the NCP and the MNS is certainly not a happy situation.

"Even the seats that we lost were often lost by extremely narrow margins. This could have been very comfortable for us had those results gone in our favour," rues Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray.

In Odisha,Congress got squeezed out of contest. In Maharashtra,it got pushed to 3rd or 4th place in most cities: FM Arun Jaitley (File Pic) pic.twitter.com/RqkpWW6LOV

Since May,2014 India has seen many State & local elections.BJP has increased its vote in each of these elections: FM Arun Jaitley (File Pic) pic.twitter.com/KKNnHBewvB

The minister also said that BJP has now become a pan-India party is fast spreading its wings across the country as compared to the Congress, which has been squeezed out to third or fourth place in most local body elections.

The BJP leader added that the BJP has done exceedingly well in Maharashtra, Haryana and Assam where it traditionally played a second fiddle to regional parties. Jaitley also mentioned the party's performance in the local government elections in Odisha saying that "BJP is capable of winning major states on its own".

Finance minister Arjun Jaitley is impressed with the performance of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the local government elections in Odisha, Maharashtra and other states. Speaking to ANI, Jaitley said, "Since May 2014 India has seen many state and local elections. BJP has increased its vote in each of these elections."

Even though BJP didn't receive a clear majority in the BMC election, its performance in the 10 municipal bodies whose results were declared on Thursday seems to have made one thing clear: it's a step closer to achieving its objective of making a Congress-mukta Bharat.

Editor's note: Firstpost couldn't verify the names of 45 winners in the BMC election, hence their names have not been included in the list.

The results of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) election has surprised everyone including the Shiv Sena, which hoped to gain a clear majority. In the initial phase of the polls, BJP was leading but by the end of the counting, both the parties were neck to neck. The Shiv Sena on Thursday emerged as the single largest party in the cash-rich BMC winning 84 seats, closely followed by BJP which bagged 82 seats, as results for the 227 seats poured in. While the Shiv Sena did well in the Zilla Parishads, it suffered setbacks in the municipal corporations. Click here to access the list of all the winners so far.

The results of civic body polls may not mean much from the perspective of wider politics. The trend of the outcome may be different in elections at higher levels. But they reflect strength of parties on the ground. They indicate their cadre power and capacity to find their feet after an electoral blow or two. It also is way of getting a measure of rivals. The tally in the 10 civic body polls reveals that the Congress is losing ground fast. Even the strongholds are not so anymore. Being in the same bracket as the NCP and the MNS is certainly not a happy situation.

The results of civic body polls may not mean much from the perspective of wider politics. The trend of the outcome may be different in elections at higher levels. But they reflect strength of parties on the ground. They indicate their cadre power and capacity to find their feet after an electoral blow or two. It also is way of getting a measure of rivals. The tally in the 10 civic body polls reveals that the Congress is losing ground fast. Even the strongholds are not so anymore. Being in the same bracket as the NCP and the MNS is certainly not a happy situation.

Mumbai: Elections to the cash-rich Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and nine other civic bodies in Maharashtra, which have virtually turned into a battle of prestige for Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, heading the state's first BJP-led government, and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, will be held on Tuesday. Apart from the ten civic bodies, the second phase of polling for 11 Zilla Parishads (ZPs) and 118 panchayat samitis will also be conducted on Tuesday.

Dubbed as a "mini Assembly election", over 1.95 crore voters across the state are entitled to exercise their franchise to choose representatives for ten city corporations, while over 1.80 crore people can cast their votes in the ZP and panchayat samiti polls. "Collectively, 3.77 crore voters are eligible to decide the fate of 17,331 candidates in rural and urban areas, including Mumbai," State Election Commissioner J S Saharia told reporters here, adding that the election machinery is fully geared up to ensure free and fair voting.

Stakes are high for Fadnavis and Thackeray, who have led their respective parties from the front and were involved in a high decibel and no holds barred campaign. Bitter acrimony between BJP and Shiv Sena that are fighting the civic polls separately for the first time in over two decades, marked the electioneering. Congress, NCP and MNS are also in the fray.

Saharia said for the 1,268 seats across the ten municipal corporations, 9,208 candidates are in the fray, whereas for 11 ZPs, total 2,956 candidates will try their luck for 654 seats. For the 1,288 seats across 118 panchayat samitis, total 5,167 candidates are in the fray. "As many as 43,160 polling booths have been set up. There will be 2.76 lakh election staff and equal number of police personnel on the duty," Saharia said.

In Mumbai, the country's financial capital, total 2,275 candidates are in fray for the 227 seats. 92 lakh people are eligible to cast the vote in the megapolis, he said, adding that there will be 7,304 polling stations. In municipal corporations excluding Mumbai, there are multimember wards, where a voter will have to cast his vote for each of the category in the panel. Each panel has more than two wards.

The big poll focus is on BMC, retaining control of which is vital for Shiv Sena as the city has remained its prime political space ever since the party's formation in 1966. Shiv Sena has been

in power in BMC for over two decades. BJP, which had been a junior partner of Sena before it gained the upper hand through the 2014 Lok Sabha and Assembly polls, declined to accept the number of seats offered by the Sena. It has set its eyes on gaining power in BMC, one of the world's largest city bodies, boasting of an annual budget of over Rs 37,000 crore.

Besides Mumbai, the other municipal corporations going to polls on Tuesday include Thane, Ulhasnagar, Pune, Nashik, Nagpur, Akola, Pimpri-Chinchwad and Solapur. Giving a break-up of candidates in the nine civic bodies, Saharia said 805 candidates are contesting polls for the 131-member Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC), 479 for the 78-member Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation (UMC), 774 for the 128 seats in Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) and 623 are in the fray for the 102-member Solapur Municipal Corporation (SMP).

Similarly, for the 122-member Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC), there are 821 candidates in the fray, whereas for the 80-member Akola Municipal Corporation (AMC), 579 candidates

are fighting the election. For the 151-member Nagpur civic corporation, there are 1,135 candidates in fray, while for the 162 seats of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), a total 1,090 candidates are

contesting the election, Saharia said.

Giving details of the implementation of the code of conduct, Saharia said over 200 illegal weapons were seized in different parts of the state in which 188 weapons were seized from areas under municipal corporations. Police seized three lakh litres of liquor, he said, adding that the Excise Department seized alcohol worth over Rs four crore, Saharia said. According to him, 338 cases of poll code violations were registered, he said, adding that as many as 371 persons were externed. "Action of preventive detention was taken against 33,000 people, including 3,000 in Mumbai. Cash worth Rs 61 lakh was seized," he said.

According to Saharia, for 11 ZPs, there are 22,000 polling stations and 1.5 lakh election staff will be on duty "for the ten municipal corporations, there are 21,000 polling stations and 1.3 lakh election staff will be on duty," he said.

With inputs fromn PTI
Panaji: The Congress in Goa on Tuesday alleged that election officials leaked serial numbers of postal ballots to the BJP, a charge rubbished by the state's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO). Congress Secretary Girish Chodankar alleged that this was done "to help the BJP by pressurise the government servants to vote for the party." However, CEO Kunal refuted the charge saying secrecy of the entire election process has been maintained.

"Postal ballots are issued under provisions of law and the process to receive them has been defined under Representation of People's Act-1951 and Conduct of Election Rules 1961," Kunal said.

There were total 15,590 postal ballots, of which the CEO has received 8,470 ballots till 18 February, while the remaining 7,000-odd are yet to be returned. The last date for casting postal ballot is the morning of 11 March, the counting day.

The Congress contested on 37 of the 40 seats in the recently held Assembly polls. "Free and fair election process is at stake. The party will urge the Election Commission of India (ECI) demanding inquiry into the faulty process adopted by the Chief Electoral Office. The government servants should be asked to vote through Electronic Voting Machine, scrapping the ballot papers," Chodankar said.

The Election Commission officials, however, said they don't maintain an individual record of the persons who have been issued the ballot papers. "Report from district election officers on the total number of postal ballots issued and received is compiled in the CEO office and is shared with ECI. The same was also shared with representatives of political parties in the meeting held last week," Kunal said.
It was two years ago this month when Beshir Kamel went on television and thanked Islamic State terrorists for not editing out the last words of his brother and the other Egyptian men filmed being slaughtered along a beach in Libya. Lord, Jesus Christ, were the last words of the Coptic Christians murdered because of their faith.

The courage and integrity of their witness strengthened Kamels faith. This only makes us stronger in our faith, because the Bible told us to love our enemies and bless those who curse us, Kamel said to a Christian television channel shortly after the murders. He further explained that his mother is prepared to welcome any of the men involved in her sons beheading into her house. Kamel himself prayed for his brothers murderers on television.

What hope and what gratitude.

There are more persecuted Christians today than in the early days of Christianity, sources as varied as the Pew Foundation and Pope Francis will tell you.

Philadelphia Archbishop Charles J. Chaput makes two points in his new book, Strangers in a Strange Land: First, the religious liberty that Americans take for granted is actually quite rare in the world. And he cautions that even here, our freedom to preach, teach, and witness our Catholic faith is only as strong as our willingness to live the faith vigorously in our own lives, and to work and fight for it in the public square.

Secondly, he writes, particularly as a reminder to Christians: (W)e can never forget that we fight for the God of Love. We need to engage with that spirit, even those who hate us. The Coptic martyrs and their families  like the early Christians  call us to claim the more excellent way. They remind us that we should bless our persecutors and pray for their conversion, that we should even be thankful for the opportunity to suffer for the sake of Christ. Only that kind of radical love can, in the end, bring victory not on the worlds terms, but the victory of genuine peace in Christ.

Why does this matter to the world? Because if we care about peace in the Middle East, for starters, having some Christians in the mix is just and right  Christianity has been there since its earliest days. And because they refuse hatred even at machetes edge. Christian faith can turn ordinary men and women into heroes, Chaput explains. Christians in the Middle East offer us a powerful lesson in how to live as Jesus lived.

Chaput also quotes from Archbishop Amel Nona, formerly head of the Chaldean Catholic Church in Mosul, Iraq, appointed after his predecessor was murdered. (T)he Christian faith is not an abstract, rational theory ... but a means of discovering its deepest meaning, its highest expression as revealed by the Incarnation. When the individual discovers this possibility, he or she will be willing to endure absolutely anything and will do everything to safeguard this discovery, even if this means having to die in its cause.

As Chaput puts it: In China, India, North Korea and many Muslim nations, harassment and bloody persecution of Christians are now common. As free members of the body of Christ, we need to live our faith all the more zealously for those who cannot. The witness of the early martyrs reminds us that as much as a passionately Christian life is difficult, its also a life of joy.

Its also the kind of selflessness  based on the Beatitudes  that our selfie-obsessed world needs. Its the road to the kind of happiness that otherwise can seem not only elusive but downright impossible. The martyrs show the way; they are icons of hope and joy, tilling fields for a culture of forgiveness and love.
Ahmedabad: Akhilesh Yadav's 'donkey' remark targeting the Prime Minister triggered a sharp reaction from the Gujarat BJP, which accused the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister of "insulting" the people of the western state. The BJP leaders in the home state of Narendra Modi also took a swipe at Akhilesh over his tussle for power with his father Mulayam Singh Yadav, saying that unlike him, donkeys are loyal and he should learn from the animal.

"Akhilesh Yadav, by appealing to Amitabh Bachchan that he should not 'campaign for the donkeys' of the state, has insulted Gujarat," state BJP chief Jitu Vaghani said. Akhilesh on Monday targeted Modi and BJP president Amit Shah as he "appealed" to Bachchan not to "campaign for the donkeys of Gujarat". Bachchan is the brand ambassador of Gujarat Tourism. "The UP Chief Minister is facing defeat in his state but that does not give him a licence to insult people of Gujarat," Vaghani said.

BJP leaders also taunted Akhilesh saying he does not know the difference between wild asses, which are found in Gujarat, and donkeys. "Bachchan (who belongs to Uttar Pradesh and whose wife is a Samajwadi Party MP) is a superstar and is well-known all over the world. By becoming brand ambassador of Gujarat Tourism, he has helped in growth of tourism. This only shows Akhilesh's jealousy on the progress Gujarat has made," he added.

Vaghani also asked the Congress, which has tied up with the Samajwadi Party in UP, if that party endorses Akhilesh's remark. BJP spokesperson Harshad Patel said, "Donkeys are loyal to their owners. Akhilesh should learn from donkeys to stay loyal to his father. He has nothing to say about development work done by his government so he is trying to rake up non-existent issues." BJP youth leader Amit Thakkar, also director of Gujarat Tourism Corporation, said that Akhilesh does not know the difference between donkeys and wild asses.

"Wild asses, called 'Ghudkhar' in local parlance, are a different species from donkeys, and are uniquely found in Gujarat only. Gujarat has a dedicated sanctuary for them. However, I don't expect a UP leader to understand the difference," Thakkar said. The Congress, meanwhile, took a dig at the state government, saying the BJP has given a chance to those outside to make fun of Gujarat by promoting wild-asses, instead of focusing on the state's heritage and rare animal species.

"The BJP has given a chance to those outside the state to criticise Gujarat by advertising about wild-asses. They should have advertised about other rare species of animals and birds found in the state and our cultural heritage," Congress leader and party's national spokesperson Shaktisinh Gohil.
Firstpost has done well in quoting various news platforms how the opposition parties have condemned and how the Congress party decided to lodge an official complaint against Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his alleged communal remark at the Fatehpur rally in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday.

But what did Modi exactly say? Here, sources such as India Today, Times of India and New Indian Express have quoted selectively form Modis speech. Apparently, while asserting that "the public should not be divided on caste and religious lines" and that sabka sath, sabka vikas(with everybody and for everybody) is his governments mantra, the prime minister had said that "if land is donated for cemetery in a village, it should be given for a cremation ground as well, and if electricity is being supplied to certain areas during Ramzan, then it should be supplied during Diwali too."

The critics say that Modis speech was a clear violation of the electoral code and that it was blatantly communal, intended as it was to polarise the voters on the religious lines. I saw many friends in the social media agreeing with the critics logic, with some saying how in the instances that Modi gave, he first brought the Muslims and their actions, indicating thereby that similar facilities are not available for the Hindus (first talk of cemetery and then indicate the absence of a cremation ground  Gaon me kabristan banta hai to shamshaan bhi banna chahiye (When there are burial grounds in villages, there should be crematoriums as well); first talk of electricity for Ramzan, implying thus that there is no electricity during Diwali).

But then this is biased or motivated journalism at its best. Only Indian Express, for me, quoted the complete section of the speech, in which the Prime Minister had also brought the Hindu factor first where he had said If there is electricity during Holi, there should be electricity during Eid too. In fact, the sequence was like this  Gaon mein agar kabristan banta hai, to gaon mein shamshaan bhi banana chahiye. Agar Ramzan mein bijli milti hai, to Diwali mein bhi milni chahiye. Agar Holi mein bijli milti hai, to Eid par bhi bijli milni chahiye. Bhedbhav nahin hona chahiye (If a village gets a graveyard, it should get a cremation ground too. If there is electricity during Ramzan, there should be electricity during Diwali too. If there is electricity during Holi, there should be electricity during Eid too. There should not be any discrimination).

Where then is the case for branding Modis speech as communal? In fact, by emphasising the principle of equality for all, Modi was respecting the recent observation of none other than the Supreme Court of India that  secularism means equal treatment to every religion ,  a definition that has eluded the political and intellectual consensus in this country so far. Our so-called secular politicians and analysts find nothing wrong if the minorities constitute a monolithic vote bank to defeat the BJP (see the way our media reports on Uttar Pradesh elections find virtues in Muslims joining hands to defeat the communal BJP, but all hell breaks loose if Hindus indicate to vote against the secular parties and for the BJP; in this instance it becomes a case of polarisation of the voters on religious lines.

In fact, most of our secularists have not learnt anything from the way the country was partitioned in 1947. In the name of secularism, Gandhiji and the Congress encouraged Muslim separatism in the country. If Muslims in India were being misguided by some of their leaders in Mumbai few years ago over what was happening to Bangladeshi Muslims in Myanmar, it was in line with what happened during the Khilafat movement (1918-21). That time, Gandhiji supported the pan-Islamic campaign launched by Indian Muslim leaders to influence the British government and to protect the Ottoman Empire whereas in Turkey itself Mustafa Kemal Pasha, the legendary Turkish leader, was planning how to secularise and modernise Turkey as a Republic. In fact, the more Gandhi and the Congress appeased the then Muslim leadership, the more stubborn they became in their separatist outlook.

The sad result was the partition of the country. But what was more unfortunate was that the appeased Muslim leaders, who got Pakistan, never represented the Muslims of undivided India as a whole in the true sense of the term. That explained why majority of the Muslims preferred to remain Indians rather than becoming Pakistanis in 1947.

As was the case before 1947, overwhelming majority of Indian Muslims even now is peaceful and patriotic. They believe in peaceful coexistence with other Indians. Unfortunately, some of their leaders are provoking them to develop separatist outlooks and in this these leaders are being supported by our secular leaders in the mainstream political parties. In fact, I would like to add that some of the newly created institutions like the National Minority Commission (NMC) are aggravating the crisis by adding fuel to the fire lit by the secular leaders. See their blatantly partisan reports on riots in the country, something many reputed human rights organisations have dubbed as rubbish. I often wonder whether in a secular country like India, which has a National Human Rights Commission and a separate ministry called Minority affairs, there should be a NMC at all. The NMC has not played any meaningful role other than promoting and legitimising separatist outlooks among our citizens, such as demanding reservations and minority-specific laws that weaken the very spirit of our democratic constitution. Had it not been so, one would not have come across the recent statement of Azam Khan, the senior minister in the cabinet of Akhilesh Yadav in Uttar Pradesh that time has come to give Indian Muslims reservations in jobs and legislatures in proportion to their actual number, which is about 15 percent of Indias total population.

The secular factor is also hampering our efforts to fight terrorism, notwithstanding the fact that India is one of the worst victims of terror. In order to protect our so-called secularism, we cannot frame special laws, something which most countries the world-over have done, to fight terror. Why? Simply, because any such law will be branded as anti-Muslim! Worse, even the conventional law-enforcement mechanisms are being questioned under political pressure if the members of the Muslim community are suspect.

It may be noted that most of the radical leaders among the Muslims believe in Wahabism that talks of the absolute supremacy of Islam over all other religions. They fight to strengthen their ultimate goal of establishing the Islamic domination all over the world. Wahabism is totally opposed to Sufism, the main guiding force of Muslims in the Indian subcontinent for ages that talked of peaceful and harmonious co-existence with other religions. But the vote-bank politics in recent years has become so pervasive that our politicians and intelligentsia are totally defensive and often apologetic to the champions of the xenophobic Wahabism that is dividing the Indians.

Unfortunately, our secularists today are promoting the identity factor to such a perverse extent that gradually more and more Indians are tending to find virtues in communal ways. See the way our politicians and intelligentsia have reduced secularism just to a slogan. They find in it a panacea to explain and justify all their deeds (or misdeeds). For years, you may be in the ranks of the communal BJP, Shiv Sena and Akalis, but if you change sides then the best way of explaining this is your discovering virtues of secularism. You or your party may have been in the alliance with the communal parties in the past, but if you or your party is now in the other side, it is because of your concerns for minorities and convictions to secular politics!

Interestingly, secularism has been never defined by its champions in India. Though the 42nd Amendment in 1975 by Indira Gandhis Congress Government did incorporate the word secularism in our Constitution, it did not define what secularism was. Ironically, her Congress party, which dominated the then Rajya Sabha in 1978, foiled an attempt to actually define secularism as equal respect to all religions by defeating an amendment-Bill that had already been cleared in the Lok Sabha during the Janata regime of Morarji Desai.

It is under secularism of Congress variety that the Government appoints trustees to manages Hindu temples (and maths) of Viswanath, Tirupati, Puri, Nathdwara and Guruvayur. But the same Government considers it communal to do likewise in the case of masjids, churches and Gurudwaras. Secularism of this variety says that it is progressive to denounce a Hindu Swami for trying to influence his or her followers, but it is communal to raise finger at those who issue fatwas and hukamnamas. In fact, the Congress manifesto in January 1989 for the Mizoram election promised to promote Christian socialism. It stated As Christians, it is our bounden duty to proclaim the gospel. To fulfill this irreversible responsibility we need secularism in letter and spirit It is but reasonable that the Christian should lend support to the Congress.

Lest I may be accused of being communal, I should clarify that until I came to Delhi to pursue my higher studies I had never felt that as a Hindu I was different from a Muslim. In fact, once we had a landlady in my home state Odisha who was a Muslim and she often went to my orthodox village and lived with my family for days together. She was a proud Muslim and my parents were proud Hindus, but that did not matter in their staying together in the same house for days. Being orthodox does not mean being communal. It meant that you practice your rituals and respect and facilitate others to practice theirs. My definition of communalism is denying somebody his or her due because of his religion (or caste or ethnicity). Likewise, promoting somebody not because of his or her talents but because of his or her ethnicity is communalism. In a truly secular country, everybody should be equal in every sense of the term and anybody denying this equality must be given the harshest possible punishment.
Nagaland returned to normalcy on Tuesday ending 18 days of political crisis, after the Naga Tribes Action Committee called off the indefinite statewide bandh on Monday, but the debate over reservation of seats for women is hardly over. Dr Temsula Ao, a Naga intellectual and a Sahitya Akademi award winning writer said to Firstpost, Life has become normal now and government offices and institutions which were closed have now opened up.

Soon after the lift of the bandh, the authorities have finally decided to restore internet and SMS services which were snapped for the last 20 days, reported The Nagaland Post. Internet and SMS services were disconnected temporarily as these facilities were being used in spreading rumours which fueled the unrest. Vichutuolie Mere, President of Chakhroma Public Organisatioin, told Firstpost, Whatsapp and message did not work during the period of agitation. Still intermittently we used to get one or two whatsapp messages.

Quoting Deputy Commissioner of Kohima, R Soudararanjan of The Nagaland Post also reported that prohibitory orders in the Kohima were going to be lifted. The Section 144 CrPC that was imposed in the three colonies of Kohima-- PR Hill area, Raj Bhavan area and Jail colony would be lifted soon, the report said. Naga Tribes Action Committee said in its press release issued on Monday, NTAC, Kohima has taken the decision to cease the ongoing bandh all over Nagaland ending today on Monday, 20 February , 2017 and focus on pursuing to achieve the desire of the people and re-establish a harmonious life.

Despite the sense of relief, the bone of contention over 33% reservation for women still exists as the Naga bodies are likely to continue to oppose reservation for women in the Urban Local Bodies election. Reiterating its firm stand against reservation of women Ao Senden Joint Co-ordination Committee, another tribal body told The Nagaland Post that the state governments blind decision to conduct ULB election across the state could have curtailed the constitutional rights accorded to the Nagas through Article 371 (A).

In contrast to the Naga bodies firm stand against reservation for women in ULB election, feminist activists in Nagaland are hopeful that the state government will hold the election with 33% reservation for women. Rosemary Dzuvichu, advisor of the Naga Mothers Association, a civil society organisation said to Firstpost, Whichever government comes to power in Nagaland has to hold election with 33% reservation for women. For this provision is a part of the states law now.

She also expects that the new chief minister will strike out a compromise deal between the groups those who stand for and against the provision. The reservation debate is likely to thrive given the positioning of various groups in Nagaland and peace in the state will depend on the incumbent Chief Minister Dr Shurhozelie Liezietsus skill in striking a deal between the two groups as well as adhering to the Constitutional mandate.

Nagaland saw violent protests on its streets from 31st January after the state government decided to hold ULLB election with 33% reservation for women which led to death of three persons in police firing. The deaths resulted in statewide bandh in demand of the Chief Minister TR Zelaings resignation. The state saw total breakdown of the state machinery in Nagaland as protesters made it impossible for the government to function.

The protest gained such vehemence that the State Secretariat remained closed for long 18 days. On 7th of February the Nagaland Tribes Action Committee gave three days ultimatum to the chief minister to resign. Chief Minister TR Zeliang should step down on moral ground within the period of 3 (three days) with effect from 8th February, 2017, a statement issued by NTAC said.

Though he did not resign within three days, on 19th of February the chief minister had to resign and the ruling Naga Peoples Front MLAs elected Dr Shurhozelie Liezietsu as the new leader of the legislative party the very next day.
Editor's Note: One of the most fascinating segments of voters who will be going to the polls over the seven phases of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election is the millenial voter. Parth MN, who is travelling through Uttar Pradesh, will file a series of ground reports on millennial voters in the state, with a special focus on the concerns of young voters. This, the second part of the series, will focus on young voters from Udwa village.

Rajiv Kumar, 21, has come home to vote. He has met his parents after June last year. But after going to the ballot on February 23, he will immediately head back within a few days. I have spent my childhood here, he says. But after the amount of time I have spent away from home, it makes it a bit difficult to adjust.

Rajiv lives in Delhi, where he is preparing for the IAS exams. Prior to that, he spent four years in Assam pursuing B Tech. He hails from the remote village of Udwa in Uttar Pradeshs Raebareli district, which would be going to polls on 23 February. More importantly, Udwa is the village adopted by Sonia Gandhi in 2014 under the Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

More than two years down the line, millennial voters in Udwa remain without the basic amenities one takes for granted. The struggle begins with sunrise. Only 19 households have a toilet out of the 608 families living here. Others have to toddle through farm fields to relieve themselves. Women have to go even before the sun makes his journey up the sky.

More than 40 kilometers from the city of Raebareli, Udwa welcomes the visitors with lush green farmlands on both sides of a bumpy road. One hardly comes across a concrete house while meandering through the village. Most of them are brick-walled constructions, which look dilapidated with widening gaps between the bricks. Others are even fragile where a tin-roof is supported by bamboos with brittle constructions covering the sides. One has to bend to be able to enter the house, which is dark even at noon, for the lack of ventilation. Clothes are hung out to dry on a rope tied to a tree in front of the house with livestock walking through the cow dung in the vicinity.

The dire state of the village cannot only be blamed upon Sonia Gandhi. The state governments that ruled UP over the years are also culpable of negligence. But having adopted the village, the electorate here believes Sonia Gandhi should have taken more interest in it. Villagers say she has hardly visited, neither has any Congress leader inquired about their requirements.

Rajiv says the village has not changed since he moved to Assam. When I heard Sonia Gandhi has adopted our village, I was filled with hope, he says, as he walks through Udwa, with a sense of relief that he would be out of here in a few days. But apart from the electricity situation, the place is sadly the same.

Rajiv, who is now well versed with the technology, says he would have loved to remain in his native village. Who would not want their parents to be around? he asked. But it is not possible to prepare for the IAS exam without any facilities.

Rajiv is a son of the Pradhan of the village, who could afford to send his son away. Others, however, are less fortunate. Lavlesh Kumar, 20, travels 24 kilometers to get to his college, where he is pursuing his final year in BA. He cannot wait to migrate. I spend four hours in traveling every day, he says. I want to do MA after this. I have no option but to migrate. Those who have remained here are languishing without jobs or working as daily laborers. There are hardly any avenues of employment.

Sick of waiting for the transformation of Udwa, the youngsters here in the village adopted by Sonia Gandhi are set to vote for Narendra Modi. Almost every youngster said Modi is the one who can now be trusted. Udwa has around 25 percent of SC and ST population and a sizeable Mauryas, who fall under the OBC category. The BJP candidate here is also a Maurya and the large chunk of SC, ST votes is likely to be split between BJP and BSP. The Congress-SP alliance is struggling here simply because there is no alliance. Udwa is one of the villages in Unchahar constituency, where Congress and SP have both fielded candidates. But as far as Udwa is concerned, the youth here is smitten by Modi.

Rajiv says it is important to have BJP in the state, which would ensure coordination between state and centre, making it easy for the lawmakers to develop UP. I feel they should have declared CM candidate, but it will be Modis man at the end of the day, he says. Look at the way he has transformed Gujarat. Even since he assumed prime ministership, he has focused on job creation and investments.

Rajiv has never been to Gujarat, but he says, he has followed the development through social media, which is his major source of news. He is a frequent internet user, who reads articles popping up on Facebook. I am also a fan of Sushma Swaraj and Suresh Prabhu, he adds. The way they solve problems on Twitter is amazing.

Lavlesh, on the other hand, became a fan of Modi after demonetisation and surgical strikes. However, he praised Akhilesh for the developmental work and said even the sitting MLA is a decent man. But SP cadres indulge in gundagardi (hooliganism), he says. I will vote for BJP because Modi is an audacious prime minister. We need someone who is decisive and takes quick steps. How long do we wait for our village to see some sort of development?

Listening intently to their forceful arguments is 19-year old Neelam Agrahari, who is helping her brother prepare samosas at their stall. She has studied till 12th standard. But she had to shelve her education in spite of the keenness to continue. The college is 24 kilometers from here, she says. We do not have a bike or a vehicle. It is difficult for a girl to travel that much every day. Most of the girls of my batch have quit studies. Just a few meters from there, sits a primary school of the village where a slogan on one of the walls reads, Padhi likhi jab hogi nari, ghar ayengi khushiya sari. (When a woman is educated, there will be happiness in the household)

Also read the other reports in this series:

I. How Lucknow's first-time voters are gearing up for the polls

III. In VIP constituency of Raebareli, millennial voters vexed with Congress, inclined to vote for Akhilesh

IV. In Amethi, millennial voters are looking beyond Rahul Gandhi
The political irony in Raebareli Sadar  heart of Sonia Gandhis parliamentary constituency  is quite stark. Akhilesh Singh, father of Congress candidate from Raebareli Sadar  Aditi Singh, is a big fan of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah.

Narendra Modi is a very strong person. The country needed a strong prime minister like him. I was deeply impressed by his surgical strike action against Pakistan. The Indian Army is under the right civilian command. The borders of India have to be protected by a strong army and strong leadership. Look at the changed situation today, Chinese troops have stopped intruding in India as used to be the case, Singh tells Firstpost.

Singh is also supportive of Modis demonetisation move. This was a very good move. I am in support of demonetisation. Its a brave bold move to eliminate corruption, he says.

Despite his candour, he is aware that his daughter is a Congress candidate. He says, I am against Modis position on Triple Talaq. He should not interfere with the long held personal laws of a community. Why should I get into it? He then turns to his group of supporters and adds, "I weigh in on the merits. If I praised Modi on some issues, then I also criticised him on some other."

How does he reconcile to the fact that his daughter is a Congress candidate and he is a Modi supporter? My daughter is in Congress, not me. I am managing her campaign, but I am also managing my nephew Manish Singh's campaign, who is a BSP candidate of the neighbouring Harchandpur.

Interestingly, Akhilesh is a five-time sitting MLA from Raebareli Sadar. He has been one of the most bitter critic of the Gandhi family and doesn't lose an opportunity to launch an attack on the members of the Congress first family. He has won all the elections he fought from Raebareli as an Independent candidate and has been an eyesore to the Congress leaders and sympathisers in Raebareli.

People in Raebareli claim that Singhs daughter, who was educated in private schools and then went abroad for higher studies, was wooed for years by Priyanka Gandhis aides.

Raebareli Sadar is a blot on the Gandhi family reputation. With vidhayak ji (Akhilesh Singh) around, Congress knew they could never win the election from the heart of Sonia Gandhis constituency. So their best bet was his daughter. Eventually, they succeeded in luring her to the Congress, says 40-year-old Someshwar Mishra, a small-time businessman.

Another person standing by his side adds, In fact, we hear that Modi was very angry when he came to know that vidhayak ji's daughter has joined Congress. He asked the leaders why did she not join BJP.

With Singh by his dauther's side, Congress has a chance of winning this seat. In fact, the only seat which the Congress is certain to win out of the 10 seats in Raebareli-Amethi, is Raebareli Sadar. But it wouldnt be Congress victory, it would be Singh's victory.

Singh, who is undergoing treatment for cancer, is keen to establish his daughter's political career while he is active and in relatively better health. He is happy that Aditi gets along with Priyanka.

Local Congress leaders and workers are taking their time figuring out with this new equation. Akhilesh does not need them to make his daughter win. Ye toh vidhayak ji ki seat hai, pucca unki beti hi jitegi (This is the MLA's seat, his daughter will surely win), is the common refrain.

His influence in the area is such that ahead of Rahul and Priyanka's rally in Raebareli, a local leader went on stage and talked at length about the virtues of Singh. Singh, who was sitting at the other side, was listening to what was being. Dekhiye issi ko sudh chamchagiri kahte hain (see this is called unadulterated sychophancy), were his words.
Lucknow: "Gujarat ke gadhe" (donkeys of Gujarat), "Loktantra ke aatankwaadi" (terrorists of democracy), "Behenji Sampatti Party", "Negative Dalit Man"... Political discourse amid ongoing assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh has touched a new low.

With three phases to elect 403 MLAs over and four rounds still to go, the lung power of the politicians, cutting across party lines, appears to have overcome propriety.

Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav's jibe on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan for an advertisement campaign on the wild ass from Gujarat has set the tone for an all-out battle of words.

The BJP, which is desperate to take power in the country's most populous state, was outraged.

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has asked the Congress, the Samajwadi Party's ally, to apologise for the Akhilesh Yadav statement.

The chief minister's aide, Udayveer Singh, defended the statement, saying "It was only to suggest that in Gujarat even donkeys are glorified."

On the same day, the chief minister went on the offensive, his close aide and Samajwadi Party spokesman Rajendra Chowdhary called BJP President Amit Shah and Modi as "terrorists of democracy".

This predictably angered the saffron brigade.

BJP General Secretary Vijay Bahadur Pathak alleged that the Samajwadi Party leadership was skirting major issues and indulging in verbal slang.

Stung by the continuous barbs of the prime minister on its supremo Mayawati, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has begun to respond.

To Modi's jibe in Orai when he called the BSP a 'Behenji Sampatti Party', alluding to allegations of ill-gotten money by the four-time chief minister, the BSP hit back.

Mayawati coined a new acronym for Narendra Damodardas Modi  Negative Dalit Man.

Modi earlier told campaign rallies that the four letters in the word 'Scam' stood for Samajwadi Party (S), Congress (C), Akhilesh (A) and Mayawati (M).

Congress leaders and senior Uttar Pradesh ministers like Mohd Azam Khan have in the past called the prime minister a demon, a beggar, a terrorist and what not.

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi recently told an election rally in Fatehpur that Modi was a 'Gabbar'  the infamous villain of Bollywood hit Sholay.

It looks the atmosphere will only get more murkier.
By Robin Emmott

| BRUSSELS

BRUSSELS U.S. President Donald Trump sent top U.S. officials to Europe with a familiar warning from Washington that allies must spend more on defence, this time with the ultimatum "or else".But Europeans have tried to deflect the threats with the argument that a commitment to security is not just about spending targets, which diplomats said that U.S. officials did not challenge, suggesting that the stand-off will continue."Things look very different if we add up our defence budgets, our development aid budgets and our humanitarian efforts all around the world," European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker told the Munich Security Conference last week.By current standards, Washington funds about 70 percent of NATO spending. Standing beside U.S. Vice President Mike Pence on Monday at the Commission, Juncker called for another measure of what counts. "We want ... a broader understanding that the word 'stability' in the world means defence expenditure, human aid and development aid," said Juncker the EU's chief executive, adding he was against Europeans being "pushed into" the targets.Allies who do not meet NATO targets to spend 2 percent of GDP on military budgets set out to show Pence and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis how Europeans are dealing with crises they trace back, in part, to the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003. "France has a readiness to deploy that is hard to match. Spain was leading NATO's new spearhead force last year. Italy is in Afghanistan," said one senior European NATO diplomat. "That isn't already reflected by spending targets." While Germany says Trump has a point about Europe's drop in defence spending since the fall of the Soviet Union, Berlin and the European Commission also say Washington should take note that the EU is the world's biggest aid donor, spending some 56 billion euros ($58.99 billion) a year.The United States spends about 1 percent of its federal budget on foreign aid, or about $50 billion, but that also includes running diplomatic missions and giving academic grants, according to the U.S. State Department. The European Union says most of its aid goes to the world's poorest countries.Germany deserves recognition for the 30 to 40 billion euros ($32 to $42 billion) it is spending to integrate over a million refugees, many of whom were displaced as a result of failed Western policy, Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said.

96 BLN EURO GOAL?

At a NATO summit in Wales in 2014, months after Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimean peninsula, allies agreed to end years of defence cuts that left Europeans without vital capabilities, such as refuelling airborne fighter bombers.They agreed all allies should reach the target of spending 2 percent of economic output on defence every year by 2024, although the goal is not legally binding. It aims to reverse a trend that saw defence research spending in the European Union fall by a third, or more than 20 billion euros, since 2006.Only the United States, Britain, Poland, Estonia and Greece met the target in 2016, although the cuts have stopped and Latvia, Lithuania and Romania are close, NATO officials say.

NATO's 22 European allies and Canada will spend almost 4 percent more, or some 10 billion euros, on defence this year and Germany's increases account for some 20 percent of that.There is no European push to change the NATO target and NATO officials say the 2 percent target will remain politically useful, if not economically viable. Reaching the 2 percent target could cost NATO's European members $96 billion per year, according to think tank Bruegel.U.S. governments have been pressing Europeans to increase spending on their armed forces for decades, but Trump signalled a much tougher approach, suggesting on the campaign trail to make U.S. support conditional on meeting NATO commitments. He has since given his full support to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, but complained this month that Europeans have "been very unfair to us", for not spending more on defence.

Pence maintained the pressure at NATO on Monday, telling allies they had until the end of this year to show "real progress" on spending. Pence cited his spending message as one of the successes of his debut Europe trip, diplomats said.Europeans say the biggest issue is how money is spent. Spurred on by Britain's decision to leave the European Union, Germany and France are leading plans to build a so-called European Defence Union that would allow countries to develop and share military assets together, as well as deploying troops.Collectively the European Union is the world's second-biggest military spender. But fears in Britain of an EU army held back collaboration. Governments spent in isolation and missed out on savings worth 25 billion euros a year, according to EU data.Trump's ultimatum is also still "hypothetical", Pence said. Asked what if Europeans did not spend more, he said: "I don't know what the answer is to: 'or else'. But I know that the patience of the American people will not endure forever." ($1 = 0.9493 euros) (Additional reporting by Roberta Rampton; Editing by Alison Williams)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
By Manuel Mogato

| BORACAY, Philippines

BORACAY, Philippines Southeast Asian countries see China's installation of weapons systems in the South China Sea as "very unsettling" and have urged dialogue to stop an escalation of "recent developments", the Philippines said on Tuesday.The region's foreign ministers were unanimous in their concern over China's militarisation of its artificial islands, but were confident a framework for a code of maritime conduct could be agreed with Beijing by June, Philippine Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay said.Yasay did not say what developments provoked the concern, but said the 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) hoped China and the United States would ensure peace and stability.He said demilitarisation would be a key component of any ASEAN-China code of conduct, but it was too soon to say whether Beijing's dismantling of its weapons installations would be a prerequisite."The ASEAN members have been unanimous in their expression of concern about what they see as a militarisation of the region," Yasay told reporters after a ministers' retreat on the Philippine island of Boracay.Referring to China's manmade islands in the Spratly archipelago, Yasay said ASEAN countries had "noticed, very unsettlingly, that China has installed weapons systems in these facilities that they have established, and they have expressed strong concern about this."With the Philippines chairing the bloc this year, Yasay's comments signal a rare, firm position by a grouping that often struggles to achieve consensus, due to its contrasting opinions on how to respond to China's assertiveness.

ASEAN's statements of concern often avoid mentioning China by name. Much is at stake from upsetting China, as ASEAN members, to varying extents, are under its influence and need its trade, investment and tourists.TRUMP UNCERTAINTY

Regional geopolitics has become more uncertain since the election of U.S. President Donald Trump, particularly over his administration's role in a region strongly courted by Washington during the "pivot" of predecessor Barack Obama.Friction between the United States and China over trade and territory under Trump has fuelled worry that the South China Sea could become a flashpoint.China claims most of the waters, through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims.China on Friday completed war games with an aircraft carrier that unnerved neighbours. A day later the U.S. navy said its aircraft carrier strike group had started routine patrols in the South China Sea, a step China had warned against.

Yasay said ASEAN nations recognised policies under Trump were still evolving, but hoped they could be unveiled within a few months to provide a "more concrete and clearer picture", especially regarding China."We do not know the complete picture of what this foreign policy might be, insofar as its relationship with China is concerned. We're, however, hopeful that the policy that would come out will be positive."Asked if China was committed to a set of rules on the South China Sea, he said Beijing had shown it was keen.But all parties should ensure that the code, which has made little progress since the idea was agreed in 2002, needed to be legally "binding and enforceable", Yasay added. (Additional reporting by Enrico Dela Cruz and Manolo Serapio Jr; Writing by Martin Petty; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Donald Trump's presidency reached a new low on Saturday after he referred to a "terror attack" in Sweden, which actually never happened. Speaking to a gathering in Florida, Trump refered to the "attack" in Sweden to justify his policy on curbing immigration to the United States.

According to a report in The Guardian, Trump might have confused himself with another attack which took place in Pakistan's Sehwan on Thursday, which killed over 80 people. His confusion could have potentially created diplomatic tensions between US and another friendly nation. However, The White House, sensing the blunder, went into an overdrive to clarify that Trump's statement referred to the "rising crimes" by immigrants in Sweden.

Weve got to keep our country safe. You look at whats happening in Germany, you look at whats happening last night in Sweden.Sweden, who would believe this? Sweden. They took in large numbers. Theyre having problems like they never thought possible," Trump had told his supporters.

However, Trump's gaffe did not go well with Swedes. Swedish prime minister Stefan Lofven said that he was "surprised" by US President Trump's remarks linking the arrival of a wave of migrants with a supposed rise in violence in the Scandinavian country. "I was, like many others I believe, surprised by the comments made about Sweden this weekend."

An official Twitter handle of Sweden, currently being run by a user named Max, took it on himself to slam Trump.

No. Nothing has happened here in Sweden. There has not ben any terrorist attacks here. At all. The main news right now is about Melfest. ->  @sweden / Max (@sweden) February 19, 2017

Let's be clear: a lot happened #lastnightinsweden. Things happen all of the time. Just not the things @realdonaldtrump are spreading.  @sweden / Max (@sweden) February 20, 2017

Goodnight! Have a face-palm from me. Going to bed now. Rest assured that ALL IS FINE HERE! *falls headfirst in bed* pic.twitter.com/bIzUKmtmVa  @sweden / Max (@sweden) February 19, 2017

Former Swedish prime minister Carl Bildt was baffled by the response to his tweet questioning trump's statement.

Substantial. 25.000 RT's and 34.000 likes on my yesterday tweet questioning what President Trump is talking about concerning Sweden.  Carl Bildt (@carlbildt) February 20, 2017

He also had some nasty advise for Trump.

Just a piece of friendly advice: when you are in a hole, stop digging.  Carl Bildt (@carlbildt) February 20, 2017

The Swedish Embassy in the United States looks eager to teach Trump administration a thing or two about the country's immigration policy.

We look forward to informing the US administration about Swedish immigration and integration policies. https://t.co/x5G3euOWRh  Embassy of Sweden US (@SwedeninUSA) February 19, 2017

Some on Twitter have made light of the latest trump gaffe.

My prayers and thoughts go to the people of Bling Gron #JeSuisIkea #lastnightinsweden pic.twitter.com/Gy5whjzI4n  Postfaktisch (@piarism) February 19, 2017

My prayers and thoughts go to the people of Bling Gron #JeSuisIkea #lastnightinsweden pic.twitter.com/Gy5whjzI4n  Postfaktisch (@piarism) February 19, 2017

However, despite receiving flak for his comment, "The Donald" has stuck to his guns, blaming the "fake media" for not reporting the "crisis" in Sweden correctly.

Give the public a break - The FAKE NEWS media is trying to say that large scale immigration in Sweden is working out just beautifully. NOT!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 20, 2017

Unlike many administrators, who would like to base their comments on official intelligence briefings, Trump being Trump chose to make a comment based on what he watched on his favourite news channel Fox News.

My statement as to what's happening in Sweden was in reference to a story that was broadcast on @FoxNews concerning immigrants & Sweden.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 19, 2017

However such "alternative facts" are not the forte of just Trump. His counsellor, Kellyanne Conway, too referred to a non-existent terror attack in the US to justify the administration's move to ban immigrants. Speaking to MSNBC, Conway blamed two Iraqi immigrants for the attack on the 'Bowling Green Massacre". However, later she tweeted that she meant "terrorists" and not a "massacre."

This is not the first time that Trump is on the line of fire. Earlier too, the TV celebrity-turned politician took to Twitter to create a flutter in the international community with his ill-conceived messages. On 2 February, Trump took to Twitter to condemn an Australian refugee deal after his telephonic chat with the Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. His tweet calling the deal "dumb" caused a storm in the diplomatic circles and could potentially fracture the budding anti-China alliance building in the Pacific.

Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 2, 2017

The first major controversy that Trump courted was in December 2016, when he spoke to Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen over phone.

The President of Taiwan CALLED ME today to wish me congratulations on winning the Presidency. Thank you!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2016

However, Trump quickly came up with a justification for his phone call.

Interesting how the U.S. sells Taiwan billions of dollars of military equipment but I should not accept a congratulatory call.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 3, 2016

It is worth remembering that US has no official ties with Taiwan since the mid-1970s, when Washington recognised Beijing as the sole representative of China.

Trump administration's habit of first creating a storm and then issuing a Twitter justification/clarification it seems would be a constant for the next four years.

With inputs from PTI
President Donald Trump has tapped Army Lt Gen HR McMaster, a prominent military strategist known as a creative thinker, as his new national security advisor, replacing the ousted Michael Flynn.

Trump said McMaster is "a man of tremendous talent and tremendous experience."

The president's choice further elevates the influence of military officers in the new administration. Trump, who has no military or foreign policy experience, has shown a strong preference for putting generals in top roles, as per AP. In this case, he tapped an active-duty officer for a post that's sometimes used as a counterweight to the Pentagon. McMaster joins Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, both retired generals, in Trump's inner circle of national security advisors.

The White House also said that McMaster plans to remain on active military duty. He is viewed as soldier-scholar and creative thinker. Outside of the army, he may be best known for his 1997 book, Dereliction of Duty, a searing indictment of the US government's mishandling of the Vietnam War and an analysis of what he called the "lies that led to Vietnam." The book earned him a reputation for being willing to speak truth to power.

McMaster commanded troops in both American wars in Iraq  in 1991, when he fought in a storied tank battle known as the Battle for 73 Easting, and again in 2005-2006 in one of the most violent periods of the insurgency that developed after the US-led invasion in 2003. He is credited with using innovative approaches to countering the insurgency in the northern Iraqi city of Tal Afar when he commanded the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment. He later served as a special advisor to the top US commander in Iraq.

It was not clear how closely McMaster's and Trump's views align. On Russia, McMaster appears to hold a much dimmer view than Trump of Moscow's military and political objectives in Europe.

According to Vox, his political views are opposite of retired Gen. Michael Flynn's. The report adds that according to Andrew Exum, a former official of the Barack Obama administration, described McMaster as "great officer and thinker". The report argues that though McMaster is suited for the role, it is not clear how much influence he will have on Trump.

Wow. Poor guy is going to lose his mind there. But he is one of the most talented men I know. A great officer and thinker. Huge upgrade. https://t.co/brZAdF2il1  Andrew Exum (@ExumAM) February 20, 2017

A CBS report stated that Trump's first choice for the post of national security advisor was Vice Admiral Robert Harward who turned down the president's offer. Staffing issues and Harward's refusal to retain KT McFarland as the deputy National Security Advisor were some of the reasons cited in the report for Harward's refusal.

According to Reuters, McMaster is known for speaking his mind and challenging his superiors. One subject on which Trump and McMaster could soon differ is Russia. McMaster shares the consensus view among the US national security establishment that Russia is a threat and an antagonist to the United States, while the man whom McMaster is replacing, retired Lieutenant General Michael Flynn, appeared to view it more as a potential geopolitical partner.

Michael McFaul, a former US ambassador to Russia under Obama, praised Trump for his pick and had tweeted: HR (McNaster) will not be afraid to question his boss.

HR will not be afraid to question his boss. https://t.co/3P2B8T9nIS  Michael McFaul (@McFaul) February 20, 2017

Paul Szoldra writes for Business Insider: "McMaster is the kind of guy who says what's on his mind and call out a wrongheaded approach when he sees one... Put simply: McMaster isn't a political guy, unlike other officers who are trying to jockey for position and move up in their careers."

Though McMaster's appointment has been lauded by many, given Trump's style of functioning it remains to be seen if the president will see eye to eye with his new national security advisor. As John Baldoni write for Forbes: "He must find ways to connect his orthodoxy with Trumps unorthodoxy in ways are understandable to the commander in chief."

(With inputs from agencies)
Law enforcement officials, our government, and most Americans assume that the mosque plays the same role in the community as a church. This is not the case! Captured Muslim Brotherhood documents detail their activities as a kind of grand jihad in eliminating and destroying Western civilization from within and sabotaging its miserable house by their hands and the hands of the believers so that it is eliminated and Allahs religion is made victorious over all other religions.

In 2000 there were 1,209 mosques in the U.S; in 2015, 3,186. The five biggest are: California, 525; New York, 507; Texas, 302; Florida,186; Illinois, 200. Nevada has 10.

In February 2016, the Islamic State boasted it would soon flood Europe with as many as 500,000 refugees and so it has; 80 percent of migrants claiming to be fleeing the war in Syria were not from Syria at all. An Islamic State operative boasted that 4,000 Islamic State jihadis had already entered Europe and their purpose was that there should be a caliphate not only in Syria but in all the world, and they would have it soon. In April 2016, Obamas State Department set a target of initially settling 10,000 refugees in our country by September. Republicans argue it puts the U.S. at risk from terrorism.

ISIS wants to and has planned to infiltrate refugee populations and Paul Ryan reported after his trip there that neither Homeland Security nor the FBI can tell us they can adequately screen people. President Trump has tried to do his best with a temporary ban, but liberal judges have nixed that, wrongly.

A 2011 issue of the Middle East Quarterly stated 51 percent of mosques had texts that advocated the use of violence in pursuit of Sharia-based political order or advocated violent jihad as a duty. Only 19 percent had no violent texts at all.

Extremist ideology took over more than 80 percent of the mosques established in the U.S. and have been radicalized by Saudi money and influence. They are teaching sedition.

To stop this assault on our freedom, our government should

1. Make the foreign funding of mosques in non-Muslim countries illegal.

2. Call for an investigation into foreign funding.

3. Make regular inspections of mosques to look for pro-violence materials

4. Close any mosque that advocates jihad or Sharia law that conflicts with our Constitutional freedoms.

The Muslim American Society is the principal name under which the Muslim Brotherhood operates in the U.S. These people need to be exposed: Islamic groups teamed up with the ACLU to sue the FBI for allegedly violating Muslims civil rights in L.A. The Columbus Ohio Noor Center, was at one time the base of operation for the largest Al-Qaeda cell in the U.S. since 9/11 and has been directly linked to Somali Muslims. The Dar Al-Hisrah Islamic Center, Fairfax, VA was started through the No. American Islamic Trust, a Muslim Brotherhood group, the land purchased with Saudi backing. Mazim Abdul-Adhim, pro-Sharia speaker at an Islamic conference in Canada is head of Hizb-ut-Tahir, a global organization promoting the unification of all Muslim countries as one caliphate. He describes Sharia as the best system that exists on earth.

Obamas Rev. Wright was a Black Muslim before he decided on the Christian pulpit; Obamas slip of the tongue(?) said he would campaign in all 57 states (the number of Islamic States in the OIC at the United Nations), rather than all 50 states, and in an interview with George Stephanopoulos, he said, My Muslim Faith. His mission appeared to be the destruction of Israel, the promotion of Shias over the Sunnis, the subordination of the West for the spreading of Islam and politically supporting a socialistic system.

As Muslims are imported theyre thrust upon cities and towns across this country; mayors work with an organization called the Partnership for a New American Economy, a misnomer if ever there was one. The Obama/U.N. surge has been rebranded as Safe Alternative Pathways. Safe, for whom?

There is no money for American poor, disabled veterans, jobless Americans, displaced Americans, but there is endless funds for refugee programs. Before Obama, did you notice any visible presence of Islam in our country? Now its taught in schools and allowance made for their rugs and prayer-time. Key positions in Obamas government were filled by Muslims.

Our nation has been infiltrated by people who hate us and want to destroy us. Their religion prevents assimilation; they will never become Americans.
London: A British Muslim teacher travelling to New York last week as a member of a school party from South Wales was denied entry to the US, a media report said.

Juhel Miah and a group of children and other teachers from Llangatwg Comprehensive in Aberdulais, Neath Port Talbot, South Wales, were about to take off from Iceland on 16 February on their way to the US when he was removed from the plane at Reykjavik, the Guardian reported.

The previous week, on February 10, a US appeals court had upheld a decision to suspend US President Donald Trump's executive order that temporarily banned entry to the country from seven Muslim-majority countries.

Miah, 25, from Swansea, said he was made to feel like a criminal and was so worried by what happened to him that he did not eat or sleep for two days.

He told Wales Online on Monday that shortly before the flight was due to leave he was approached by an official who told him he could not board the plane.

"Everyone was looking at me," Miah said. "As I was getting my luggage the teachers and kids were confused. I couldn't believe this was happening. I was being escorted out. It made me feel like a criminal. I couldn't speak, I was lost for words."

"We got to the airport, and as soon as we got to check in, the lady behind the desk read my passport and then straight away said 'you've been selected for a random security check'."

Miah added: "She took me to the room, made me stand on a stool, take my shoes off, jacket off, checked under my foot, got a swab to brush over my hand and bag, my clothing and school hoodie (sweatshirt). They gave me the all clear and then I went."

The school booked him on to a flight back to the UK, the Guardian said.

The teacher's employer, Neath Port Talbot council, has written to the US embassy in London demanding an explanation and the issue is being taken up by Welsh politicians.

A council spokesman said Miah was left feeling belittled at what it described as "an unjustified act of discrimination".
By Noah Barkin

| BERLIN

BERLIN In the week before U.S. Vice President Mike Pence visited Brussels and pledged America's "steadfast and enduring" commitment to the European Union, White House chief strategist Steve Bannon met with a German diplomat and delivered a different message, according to people familiar with the talks.Bannon, these people said, signalled to Germany's ambassador to Washington that he viewed the EU as a flawed construct and favoured conducting relations with Europe on a bilateral basis.Three people who were briefed on the meeting spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter. The German government and the ambassador, Peter Wittig, declined to comment, citing the confidentiality of the talks.A White House official who checked with Bannon in response to a Reuters query confirmed the meeting had taken place but said the account provided to Reuters was inaccurate. "They only spoke for about three minutes and it was just a quick hello," the official said.The sources described a longer meeting in which Bannon took the time to spell out his world view. They said his message was similar to the one he delivered to a Vatican conference back in 2014 when he was running the right-wing website Breitbart News.In those remarks, delivered via Skype, Bannon spoke favourably about European populist movements and described a yearning for nationalism by people who "don't believe in this kind of pan-European Union."Western Europe, he said at the time, was built on a foundation of "strong nationalist movements", adding: "I think it's what can see us forward".The encounter unsettled people in the German government, in part because some officials had been holding out hope that Bannon might temper his views once in government and offer a more nuanced message on Europe in private.

One source briefed on the meeting said it had confirmed the view that Germany and its European partners must prepare for a policy of "hostility towards the EU". A second source expressed concern, based on his contacts with the administration, that there was no appreciation for the EU's role in ensuring peace and prosperity in post-war Europe."There appears to be no understanding in the White House that an unravelling of the EU would have grave consequences," the source said.The White House said there was no transcript of the conversation. The sources who had been briefed on it described it as polite and stressed there was no evidence Trump was prepared to go beyond his rhetorical attacks on the EU - he has repeatedly praised Britain's decision to leave - and take concrete steps to destabilise the bloc.

But anxiety over the White House stance led French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault and Wolfgang Ischinger, chairman of the Munich Security Conference, to issue unusual calls last week for Pence to affirm during his visit to Europe that the U.S. was not aiming to break up the EU.Pence obliged on Monday in Brussels, pledging strong ties between the United States and the EU, and making clear his message was shared by the president."President Trump and I look forward to working together with you and the European Union to deepen our political and economic partnership," he said.But the message did not end the concerns in European capitals.

"We are worried and we should be worried," Thomas Matussek, senior adviser at Flint Global and a former German ambassador to the Britain and the United Nations, told Reuters."No one knows anything at the moment about what sort of decisions will be coming out of Washington. But it is clear that the man on top and the people closest to him feel that it's the nation state that creates identity and not what they see as an amorphous group of countries like the EU."With elections looming in the Netherlands, France and Germany this year, European officials said they hoped Pence, Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson could convince Trump to work constructively with the EU.The worst-case scenario from Europe's point of view was described by Ischinger in an article published last week, entitled "How Europe should deal with Trump".He said that if the U.S. administration actively supported right-wing populists in the looming election campaigns it would trigger a "major transatlantic crisis". (Additional reporting by Roberta Rampton and Alastair Macdonald in Brussels, Jeff Mason in Washington; editing by Mark John)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
By Tom Allard and Liz Lee

| KUALA LUMPUR

KUALA LUMPUR Ri Jong Chol, a North Korean arrested in the probe into last week's murder of the half-brother of the isolated state's leader, lived in Malaysia for more than three years without working at the company registered on his employment permit or receiving a salary.Ri, 47, had a Malaysian work visa that showed he was an employee of Tombo Enterprise. But the owner of the company said he never worked a day there or drew a salary from the small herbal medicine firm.Chong Ah Kow said he facilitated Ri's working visa by stating in supporting documents that he was a product development manager in the company's IT department earning 5,500 ringgit ($1,230) per month. The visa was renewed once, he said, in June 2016."It was just a formality, just documents, I never paid him," Chong, a Malaysian, said in an interview. "I don't know how he survives here. I dont know how he gets money."Chong, a frequent traveller to North Korea, said he was just trying to "help out" Ri. He has been interviewed by police and told Reuters he was ready to face any consequences from submitting false information to the government.Chong, who has remained friends with Ri, said the North Korean lived with his wife and two children in Kuala Lumpur.Reuters could not ascertain if Ri had any other employment or source of income. Police could not be reached for comment to explain how Ri supported his family in Malaysia.HELP UNIVERSITY

Ri has been arrested as a key suspect in the murder of Kim Jong Nam, the half-brother of North Koreas leader Kim Jong Un. Police have not specified what role he may have played in last week's brazen killing at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.Reuters was unable to find out whether Ri has a lawyer or to contact his wife or his daughter. Efforts to contact the North Korean embassy in Kuala Lumpur were also unsuccessful.Chong said Ri rented an apartment in Kuchai Lama, a middle-class Kuala Lumpur suburb. Three-bedroom apartments in the neighbourhood typically rent for about 1,500-2,000 ringgit ($337-449) per month, according to property websites.

Ri's daughter studies at HELP University, a fee-paying private college in a western Kuala Lumpur suburb that bestowed a honorary doctorate in economics on Kim Jong Un in 2013 for his "untiring efforts for the education of the country and the well-being of the people".The university has confirmed she is a student there.Chong said he and Ri met in 2013 when the North Korean came to him in Kuala Lumpur, and said he was related to the inventor of a mushroom extract with anti-cancer effects. Chong said he has visited North Korea about 10 times and admires the country for its culture."They have great shows," Chong said. "(Ri was a) soft-spoken, courteous, humble man - just like other North Koreans."EASY ENTRY

Ri met Chong infrequently, driving with his daughter to Chong's office in Kuala Lumpur. The men discussed business opportunities, such as palm oil importation, with Ri's daughter translating from Korean into English and vice versa. Nothing, however, came from the talks, Chong said.The duo last met in January. Malaysia is about the only foreign country that a North Korean can easily enter, thanks to a visa-free policy for visitors that is largely reciprocated by Pyongyang. Since the 1980s, North Korea has used the Southeast Asian nation as a hub to promote its strategic and business interests, legitimate and otherwise, some analysts say.However ties are under strain following the killing of Kim Jong Nam.Kim died last week after being assaulted at the airport with what police believe was a fast-acting poison. The two women who assaulted him, one who is Indonesian and another who carried a Vietnamese passport, are both in custody.Police have said they are also seeking four other North Koreans who fled the country on the day Kim was murdered.

South Korean and U.S. officials believe Kim was killed by agents from the North, possibly on orders from his half-brother because he had spoken out publicly about his family's dynastic control of the nuclear-armed nation.Malaysia has not gone that far, but it has been annoyed by Pyongyang's suggestions that its police are acting at the behest of South Korea. COSY TIES

North Korea and Malaysia have had a cosy relationship since former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad embraced the isolated state, in part to rebuff the United States.However, two-way trade between the two nations was worth only 23 million ringgit ($5 million) in 2015.Even so, Malaysia's Proton cars have been sold to North Korea and used as taxis in Pyongyang. North Korean miners work in Malaysia's Sarawak province while Malaysian palm oil and rubber is exported to the communist state.Last year, the chief executive of the Malaysia External Trade Development Corp, Dzulkifli Mahmud, spoke of North Korea "using Malaysia as a gateway to Southeast Asian markets as it finds the country business-friendly with pro-business policies." James Chin, the director of the Asia Institute at Australias University of Tasmania, said the trade figures do not include substantial illicit economic activity, much of it directed through the North Korean embassy and front companies."Malaysia is the source of a lot of smuggling operations by North Korea to raise money for the motherland," he said. "They also buy a lot of high-end consumer goods in Malaysia for the elite in Pyongyang." (Reporting by Liz Lee and Tom Allard; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan and Bill Tarrant)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Beirut: Far-right French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen cancelled a meeting with Lebanon's Grand Mufti on Tuesday after refusing to wear a headscarf.

"You can pass on my respects to the Grand Mufti, but I will not cover myself up," Le Pen told reporters.

"I have met before with Grand Imam Sheikh al-Azhar in Egypt without wearing a veil," the 48-year-old leader of the National Front (FN) party.

Le Pen was told by Lebanese officials that she would have to wear a veil for her audience with Grand Sunni Muslim Mufti, Sheikh Abdel-Latif Derian, The Independent reported.

Video footage showed Le Pen at the entrance to his office shaking her head.

Le Pen said she had met in the past with the grand mufti of Egypt's Al-Azhar, one of the world's top Sunni clerics, without wearing a veil.

"He did not have this demand," said Le Pen. "But it's not a problem, you can pass on to the Grand Mufti my considerations, but I am not putting the veil on."

Once told that customs were different in Lebanon, Le Pen walked out of the building and left in her car, according to the report.

Her aides had reportedly been informed before her visit that she would be required to wear a headscarf.

Praising the "political gesture", Florian Philippot, one Le Pen's closest aides, said it was "a beautiful message of emancipation and freedom sent to the women of France and the world", reported the Daily Mail.

The anti-immigration politician made a three-day visit to Lebanon this week to meet officials in an effort to bolster her presidential credentials two months before the first round of voting in the French presidential election.

Polls suggest that Le Pen is expected to win the first round of voting in presidential elections in April.

The latest poll on Monday, according to reports, showed support for the far-right candidate had risen by one per cent to 27 percent.
PARIS/LONDON French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron will be meeting with British Prime Minister Theresa May on Tuesday during his visit to London, a coup for the young frontrunner who has been seeking to boost his credibility on the world stage.Macron, who is seeking to bolster his stature as a statesman, will be received by May at 10 Downing Street this afternoon for an hour to talk about Brexit and European defence policy, a spokesman told Reuters.He is seen by opinion polls as defeating far-right leader Marine Le Pen in the second round of the French presidential election on May 7.Having never been elected for office, the 39-year old came under a storm of criticism last week during his last trip abroad in Algeria after he called France's colonial past a "crime against humanity".Le Pen was also campaigning outside France on Tuesday, using a two-day visit to Lebanon to bolster her foreign policy credentials.

Macron will be on more familiar territory in London, where the former economy minister will also meet Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond at 15:30 GMT, the spokesman said. He will be holding a campaign rally in London later on Tuesday, where between 2,000-3,000 French expatriates are expected to turn up.

Macron has struck a firm tone on Brexit before.In January, he said Britain was turning into a "vassal state" to Donald Trump's United States.

He also told Channel 4 News on Feb. 13 that he would be "pretty tough" with Britain.May's spokesman said Macron had asked for a meeting and "we were able to accommodate." Asked whether it was the first time a British Prime Minister had met a French presidential candidate, the spokesman said Tony Blair had met Nicolas Sarkozy in 2007. (Reporting by Emmanuel Jarry, Michel Rose and Elizabeth Piper in London; editing by John Irish)

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By Stephanie Nebehay

| GENEVA

GENEVA The trial of a son of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi fell short of international standards and the appeals court should review the sentence of death passed in absentia or order a re-trial, the United Nations said on Tuesday."This trial was a missed opportunity for justice," U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said in a statement. The U.N. said in a report that Saif al-Islam Gaddafi should also face separate charges of crimes against humanity, including murder and persecution, at the International Criminal Court (ICC) that is seeking his surrender. Since his father's toppling in 2011, Saif has been held in Zintan, a mountainous western region, by one of the factions that began contending for power after Gaddafi was killed.He was sentenced to death in July 2015 by a Tripoli court for war crimes, including killing protesters during the revolution. Zintani forces refused to hand him over, saying they did not trust Tripoli to guarantee he does not escape.The U.N. report on the trial of 37 defendants including Saif cited serious violations of due process, such as prolonged incommunicado detention without access to families or lawyers, and allegations of torture that were not properly investigated.

FIRING SQUAD

The proceedings "fell short of international norms and standards for fair trial and also breached Libyan law in some respects", it said. No prosecution witnesses were called to testify, undermining the defendants' ability to challenge evidence.Appeals are pending at Libya's Court of Cassation.

"We are calling on the Court of Cassation in particular to take into full account the due process violations that we have identified and to take remedial action," Claudio Cordone, the U.N. human rights representative in Libya, told a news briefing by telephone."The court can either change the verdict themselves or can send back the case for retrial by the same court of first instance or by another one," he said.Saif, former intelligence chief Abdullah al-Senussi and former Prime Minister Al-Baghdadi a-Mahmoudi were among nine defendants sentenced to death by firing squad.

"The Libyan Government has been unable to secure the arrest and surrender of (Gaddafi), who remains in Zintan and is considered to be outside the control of the internationally-recognised Libyan authorities," the U.N. report said. It called on Libyan authorities to ensure the surrender of Saif to the Hague-based ICC, "in compliance with Libyas international obligations". The ICC does not allow the death penalty."We believe that Libya should comply with Security Council resolutions and they should hand him over," Cordone said. "To the extent that he remains in Libya, obviously he should be tried fairly." (Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay; Editing by Ralph Boulton)

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By Tom Korkemeier and Gabriela Baczynska

| BRUSSELS

BRUSSELS German officials have proposed that the European Union relax some human rights safeguards so that more asylum seekers can be deported while awaiting the outcome of their cases, according to a working paper seen by Reuters.The paper is among many under discussion in Brussels as the EU, which has taken in more than 1.3 million migrants and refugees since the start of 2015, makes it tougher for them to get in and be allowed to stay.The paper said the proposal would only kick in at times of a "mass influx" of people to the bloc. "This is another element in efforts to energise readmission of people to wherever they came from," said one Brussels-based diplomat.The EU currently has an agreement allowing the return of asylum seekers only with Turkey. If approved, the proposal could enable such transfers to other places as well, including south of the Mediterranean, diplomats said. The EU is already talking to Libya, Tunisia and Egypt about curbing immigration to Europe. While the EU says it has the right to send away all economic migrants if it chooses, its existing laws on human rights say asylum seekers awaiting a ruling on their cases can only be deported to countries that meet certain conditions.The working paper lists them as including: safety from threat and persecution; humane reception conditions; and at least partial access to medical care, education and the labour market. Some parts of this "clearly exceed" the basic safeguards stipulated by the Geneva convention on refugees and the European Charter of Fundamental Rights, it said.

It did not specify which of them might be dropped, but made clear that mass expulsions would still be prohibited and receiving countries would still have to guarantee decent living conditions for deported asylum seekers.They would also have to go on obeying the so-called non-refoulement principle, which means ensuring that people deported by the EU are not pushed further towards places where their lives might be at risk. SAFE ZONES

Specifically, the proposal also includes an option to recognise certain regions - rather than whole states as is the case now - as fit for people, including asylum seekers, to be sent back to.EU officials acknowledge they are considering this "safe zones" concept, which could mean sending people back to certain areas of countries otherwise deemed too dangerous."These plans are overturning the international law on refugees... This is an utter betrayal, inhumane," Ska Keller, a Green member of the European Parliament, said of the document.

The European Union's executive had no comment on the proposal paper.The document said: "This is not about building a 'Fortress Europe'. It is about combating illegal immigration, which has already cost the lives of thousands, and about replacing it by a regulated system of legal admissions, combined with humane living conditions, assured by the EU in third countries."Last year's EU migration deal with Turkey - which includes provisions on sending back asylum seekers who came to Europe via that country - has sharply cut the numbers arriving, and the paper said it should serve as a blueprint for the future.The Turkey agreement has, however, been criticised by rights groups as cutting corners on human rights and for bumpy implementation they say has put people's lives at risk.The paper said extending the options for deportation of asylum seekers would discourage people-smuggling. The EU would also provide funds to improve conditions for refugees and migrants sent back to third countries. (Editing by Mark Trevelyan)

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By Jean-Baptiste Vey and Geert De Clercq

| PARIS

PARIS A senior Socialist minister said on Tuesday he might back centrist Emmanuel Macron in France's presidential election, a new blow to the left's hopes that could help Macron as he battles to maintain his campaign's momentum.The pronouncement by agriculture minister and government spokesman Stephane Le Foll came as opinion polls pictured a wide multi-candidate race, in which far-right leader Marine Le Pen was holding onto recent gains, keeping debt and foreign exchange markets on edge.Two polls showed ex-banker Macron neck-and-neck with conservative rival Francois Fillon as favourite.A third, from Elabe, had Macron in retreat, and made former prime minister Fillon of The Republicans favourite for the first time since a scandal over alleged fake work rocked his campaign four weeks ago. All recent polls show Le Pen ahead in the April 23 first round, but losing a May 7 run-off to whichever of Macron or Fillon topped round one.They also show, however, that her losing margin has shrunk in to as little as 6 percentage points from more than 10.Le Foll's potential defection is the latest in a slew of bad news for France's divided political left."I support the man who has been chosen (by the Socialists), but the moment comes for political responsibility with regard to what is at play, with regard to Marine Le Pen and with regard also to the programme of Francois Fillon," he said on BFM TV.Asked whether this meant he would back whoever was best placed to prevent a Le Pen-Fillon runoff, he said: "Exactly!"Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault has also said he might back Macron - rather than the ruling Socialists' chosen candidate Benoit Hamon, who is a distant fourth in the polls.

Despite the prospect of heavyweight Socialist backing, the polls show Macron's campaign losing momentum.Elabe pollsters reckon he has made a series of mis-steps that explain how they now see Fillon ahead. "He has had 10 difficult days," they said.LEFT DIVIDED

Macron angered opponents on the right during a visit to Algeria last week by calling France's colonial past a crime against humanity. He has upset pro-gay marriage supporters by saying their opponents had been humiliated by the government when it pushed through the gay marriage bill in 2013.

On Tuesday, Macron took his centrist and pro-European campaign to London, home to a large expatriate French community who get to vote in the elections. The anti-immigration, anti-European Union Le Pen, meanwhile, caused controversy on a trip to Lebanon where her plans to meet a senior Muslim figure were cancelled after her refusal to wear a headscarf. Le Pen's surge has worried investors concerned that her policies will further destabilise fragile European unity, blow apart the euro zone and hurt the value of French debt.The cost of insuring French government debt against default has risen to its highest level in more than three years and sterling rose almost 1 percent against the euro to its highest in two months.Fillon, meanwhile, was tweaking the healthcare policies that caused a campaign wobble earlier this year, having apparently put allegations his wife Penelope was paid hundreds of thousands of euros for work she may not have done behind him.

Fillon has said the work was genuine. An official inquiry is under way.Besides the three-way fight, discussions to unite candidates on the left looked to be going nowhere.Hamon is pushing a hard-left programme that divides his party and competes for votes with another leftist, Communist-backed Jean-Luc Melenchon.Melenchon is in fifth place, but a combined Hamon-Melenchon vote could theoretically put them into first or second and therefore into the run-off, instead of Fillon or Macron, against Le Pen.Talks between Melenchon, a veteran campaigner, and Hamon, an ex-education minister, were tentative from the start and both have acknowledged wide policy differences.Hamon gave the latest indication on Tuesday that they were unlikely to be joining forces."There is a desire on Melenchon's part to go on right to the end," Hamon said on Europe 1 radio. "I respect that...In any case, I will work on right to the end."Political analysts are also eying an imminent decision from veteran centrist Francois Bayrou on whether to stand. If he stands, that could hurt Macron, but backing from Bayrou could be a further boost. (Writing by Andrew Callus; Editing by Richard Balmforth and Alison Williams)

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At least six persons were killed and 15 injured in three explosions carried out by terrorists outside a court in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Tuesday.

Security forces killed three suicide attackers outside the court in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Charsadda district, police said.

The three attackers attempted to enter the court premises in Tangi town through the main gate. They opened fire and threw grenades, prompting retaliatory fire by security forces deployed there.

One of the bombers detonated his suicide vest at the court's main gate while police shot and killed the two other assailants, according to the district police chief, Sohail Khalid. The other two also wore suicide vests but had not managed to set them off before being gunned down.

Khalid said 15 people were wounded in the attack and taken to hospital.

Some reports said a lawyer was among the dead and that up to 17 persons were injured. Meanwhile, Urdu TV channel Abb Takk said the injured included five policemen, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Pakistani Taliban breakaway Jamaat-ul-Ahrar claimed responsibility for Tuesday's attack in a text message sent to an Associated Press reporter.

The terrorists resorted to indiscriminate firing after the blasts in Tangi town of Charsadda district, police said. Gunfire was heard after one of the blasts near the gate of a sessions court located at Tangi Bazaar, Pakistani media reported.

Deputy Commissioner of Charsadda said judges and lawyers were safe. He said due to tight security the bombers could not enter the court, but had they been successful in entering the premises it "would have been a catastrophe". A search and rescue operation was underway, he added.

Up to 10 ambulances were rushed to Charsadda from Peshawar, approximately 30 kilometres away, where the Lady Reading Hospital was put on high alert. Security forces and police personnel have cordoned off the area. Deputy Commissioner of Charsadda said security has been put on high alert.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf member Shaukat Yousufzai said the militants came from Mohmand Agency.

The Dawn quoted witnesses as saying that the remains of the bombers were lying along with their explosives and ammunition.

The latest attack came as security has been tightened across Pakistan after a recent wave of terrorist strikes killed more than 100 people and wounding hundreds. The brazen suicide bombings have been claimed by various Islamic militant groups, including the breakaway Taliban faction.

In one of the attacks last week, dozens of worshippers gathered at a famed Sufi shrine were killed when an Islamic State suicide bomber walked into the shrine's main hall in the southern Sindh province and detonated his explosives on Thursday. The death toll from that attack has since risen to 90.

The shrine bombing prompted a countrywide crackdown by security forces targeting militants and their hideouts.

A suicide bomber had struck a local court in Charsadda's Shabqadar area last year in March, killing 17 people.

Pakistan has been at war with Islamic militants for more than a decade. In recent years it has launched major offensives against militant strongholds in the tribal regions along the border with Afghanistan, but insurgents have continued to carry out attacks elsewhere in the country.

With inputs from agencies.
Manila: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is a "serial killer" who should be forced out of office, one of his chief critics said on Tuesday, as she faced arrest on drug charges she insisted were meant to silence her.

Senator Leila de Lima invoked a famous "People Power" revolution that toppled dictator Ferdinand Marcos three decades ago, in her strongest comments yet against Duterte and his drug war that has claimed thousands of lives.

"There is no more doubt that our president is a murderer and sociopathic serial killer," De Lima told reporters, as she called on cabinet to declare him unfit to lead, and asked ordinary Filipinos to voice their opposition to his rule.

De Lima said the constitution allowed for a majority in his cabinet to force him to step down by ruling that he was mentally incapacitated, and urged it to do so. If the cabinet members did not, De Lima referred to the mass uprising that ended the "iron fist" of Marcos's dictatorship in 1986.

"Now the time has come again for us to be brave and stand up to another criminal dictator and his evil regime," De Lima said.

The government last week charged De Lima, a former national human rights commissioner, with orchestrating a drug trafficking ring when she was justice secretary in the previous administration.

De Lima, 57, her supporters and rights groups have said the charges against her are manufactured to silence her as well as intimidate other people who may want to speak out against him.

She could be detained anytime, although the courts hearing the cases must issue an arrest warrant. When asked about De Lima's comments, presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella simply described them as "colourful language" and pointed out that Duterte would allow public demonstrations against him.

Duterte, 71, won presidential elections last year after promising during the campaign to eradicate drugs in society by killing tens of thousands of people. He immediately launched the crackdown after taking office in June and police have reported killing 2,555 drug suspects since then, with about 4,000 other people murdered in unexplained circumstances.

Amnesty International has warned police actions in the drug war may amount to crimes against humanity. The powerful Roman Catholic Church, which helped lead the People Power revolution, has in recent months begun speaking out against the drug war and on Saturday held a rally against the killings, attracting thousands of people.
By Kevin Dougherty

| QUEBEC CITY

QUEBEC CITY A Quebec City mosque attacked in January by a gunman who killed six worshippers, is hiring its own lawyers to observe the trial of the accused shooter, a member of the congregation said on Tuesday. The lawyers will attend the trial of accused mosque shooter Alexandre Bissonnette to ensure the "rights of the victims" are respected, mosque vice president Mohamed Labidi told reporters at a Quebec courthouse, while stressing his confidence in the Canadian justice system.The lawyers will take on an oversight role on behalf of the mosque's congregation and are separate from the prosecutor.Earlier in the day, Bissonnette, 27, who is accused of six counts of premeditated murder and five charges of attempted murder, appeared briefly in court wearing a red T-shirt that said, "Physiotherapy integration" in French on the front and "Volunteer" on the back.Quebec Court Judge Jean-Louis Lemay agreed to the defence's request to a publication ban which would make the evidence against Bissonnette not immediately publishable.

Evidence at the trial would be public. The January shooting at the Quebec mosque, condemned by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as a terrorist attack, is considered by police to be a lone wolf attack. Incidents of Islamophobia in Quebec have made headlines in recent years, with multiple mosques being vandalised, including one in Montreal that had its glass door broken early Tuesday morning, police said.

Labidi urged authorities, following the mosque shooting, to take such incidents "very seriously" and enforce laws against hate crimes. The shooting remains out of character for Quebec City, a city of just over 500,000 that reported just two murders in all of 2015. Mass shootings are rare in Canada, where gun control laws are stricter than in the United States.

Among the six men killed in the shooting were a butcher, a university professor, a pharmacist and an accountant, according to police and Canadian media.Labidi said he felt "pity" for the accused shooter and the six men killed in the assault. The alleged shooter, Labidi said, was "blinded by hate. He did not think of his future. He is very young. This destroys his life." (Reporting by Kevin Dougherty in Quebec City; Writing by Allison Lampert in Montreal; Editing by Dan Grebler and Andrew Hay)

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Beirut, Lebanon: Syrian opposition figures will return to Geneva on Thursday for new UN-sponsored talks with President Bashar al-Assad's regime on their country's six-year conflict.

Since the delegations last gathered in Switzerland in April 2016, rebels have lost their bastion in east Aleppo and seen a new partnership form between their main ally Turkey and government backer Russia.

Where does the opposition stand?

The High Negotiations Committee (HNC) delegation will be led by opposition figure Nasr al-Hariri, with lawyer Mohammad Sabra replacing rebel figure Mohammad Alloush as chief negotiator.

Less than a year after the last round of talks in Switzerland, the HNC is returning to Geneva in a much weaker position, said Aron Lund, a fellow at The Century Foundation.

"With East Aleppo gone, Donald Trump in the White House, jihadis in charge of much of rebel-held Syria, and Turkey in talks with Russia, the Syrian opposition is now stuck with a really bad hand to play," Lund told AFP.

Karim Bitar at the French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs said rebel factions "have pretty much lost all leverage" heading into the talks.

How are rebels doing on the ground?

The fall of Aleppo in December was the single biggest blow  militarily and in terms of morale  to the rebel movement since the conflict erupted in 2011.

Rebels now hold just 13 percent of Syria, according to Fabrice Balanche, a geographer at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

That is down from 20 percent in 2015.

By comparison, regime forces and allied militia now hold approximately 34 percent of Syrian territory, where more than 10 million people live, Balanche estimates.

The Islamic State jihadist group comes at a close second with 33 percent of Syria, and Kurdish groups hold about 20 percent.

Will rebel infighting affect the talks?

While the rebel movement has long been fractured, new fissures erupted last month in northwest Syria that have forced opposition factions to choose between jihadists and other Islamist hardliners.

The infighting "diminishes the credibility of the opposition delegation", Lund said, and is a distracting backdrop to the talks.

"Opposition negotiators will constantly have to watch their back to see how the (hardliner) Salafi groups in Syria react to their actions in Geneva. That isn't very helpful," he added.

Can the opposition score any gains?

Given the Syrian army's gains and the growing momentum of parallel talks sponsored by Russia and Turkey in Astana, the opposition is unlikely to score any major wins at Geneva.

"Theoretically, the UN-led Geneva diplomatic process has much more legitimacy than the Astana talks, which risked turning Syria into a Turkish-Russian condominium," Bitar told AFP.

"But in both negotiation tracks, the principal stumbling block is the same: Assad feels emboldened by recent events and is unlikely to make any significant concessions."

Opposition figures have continued to demand greater humanitarian access, an end to bombardment and sieges and Assad's departure at the beginning of any transition period.

But Lund cast doubts on the possibility of a meaningful transition process in Geneva.

"In my view, talks about a root-and-branch transition away from the current regime were always destined to fail," he told AFP.

Where does IS fit in?

The Islamic State jihadist group -- designated by the United Nations as a "terrorist" entity  has been excluded from all peace talks and ceasefire deals.

Notorious for its brutal tactics, IS is currently facing simultaneous offensives by Syrian rebels, regime forces and Kurdish militia.

Syria's representative to both the Geneva and Astana talks, Bashar al-Jaafari, has suggested that rebel groups engaging in negotiations should commit to "fighting terrorism" alongside the regime's army.

"Given the current balance of power, the rebel contribution to the fight against IS is likely to be symbolic at best, even if some parties in Geneva end up paying lip service to the idea of a joint effort," Bitar said.
The British government on Monday defended its decision to offer US President Donald Trump a lavish state visit and an audience with the queen this year, defying protests outside parliament and dissent from lawmakers.

Prime Minister Theresa May's government wants to reaffirm the "special relationship" with the United States and secure a trade deal as Britain prepares to leave the European Union.

"In the light of America's absolutely pivotal role we believe it entirely right that we should use all the tools at our disposal to build common ground with President Trump," junior foreign minister Alan Duncan told parliament.

He described state visits as Britain's "most important diplomatic tool", saying Trump's trip would go ahead as planned.

The visit has spurred 1.8 million people in Britain to sign a petition saying he should not be given a state visit because it could embarrass Queen Elizabeth.

As parliament debated that petition on Monday - a symbolic discussion which has no power to force the government to withdraw its invitation - around 7,000 protesters gathered outside with placards bearing slogans such as "Dump Trump, Fight Bigotry".

"It's about the rise of hate and extremism, which is personified by Trump. It's not just about him, but he represents what's happening in the world at the moment," protester Alison Dale, 61, said.

"The invitation was kneejerk, and made us look desperate. Now we're leaving the European Union, it's clear we're just desperate for trade deals, and we look weak."

Since taking office in January, Trump has sparked global protests over plans to ban migrants from seven Muslim-majority countries, and from women activists who call him misogynistic.

Trump says his immigration orders are aimed at protecting the United States and that his opponents have misrepresented his intentions.

Prime Minister May has said she will not consider cancelling the visit. Managing the backlash adds to her diplomatic "to-do" list as she sets about reuniting a country divided over Brexit and negotiating a divorce with European trading partners.

Rallying point

The debate, hosted in a packed side room of parliament rather than the main debating chamber, gave lawmakers a platform to air a wide range of views on Trump.

"It's difficult to know whether to be appalled at the morality of this invitation, or just astonished at the stupidity of the invitation," said Scottish National Party lawmaker Alex Salmond. Previously Trump has clashed with Salmond over his investments in Scotland.

Critics focused on accusations of sexism and referred to his immigration policies, while other lawmakers argued Trump should come to Britain, but should not be given the high honour of a state visit, which would involve lavish displays of royal pageantry and a banquet hosted by the queen.

Crispin Blunt, head of parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, said a head-of-government visit by Trump would be appropriate this year but a full state visit should wait until 2020, the 400th anniversary of the Pilgrim Fathers' settlement in New England.

"If we don't take the hype out of this debate, with all the people who signed this petition, there is every possibility that of course this visit is then going to become a rallying point for everybody who is unhappy both with the direction of American policy, or British policy or anything else," he said.
Wunder, the carpooling service platform is now live in New Delhi. Founded in 2013, the German based ride-sharing platform started carpooling service in Philippines last year and has now expanded to India with New Delhi. Available on Android and iOS, the app connects car owners and commuters.

Wunder Carpool connects people who are traveling in the same direction. It reminds everyone of upcoming carpools and notifies passengers of approaching drivers. Passengers schedule when they want to leave for work and the app automatically calculates carpool matches for the next several days and confirms a fixed price. Drivers are presented with carpool requests and they have the option to accept or skip. The service currently accepts payment only in cash. Wunder claims there is no surge pricing for the service. There is also a public profile that includes a members trip history, ratings as well as comments from fellow carpoolers.

Sam Baker, COO of Wunder said in a statement,

Wunder learned in our research that while 92% of car owners would be comfortable sharing seats on the way to work only 32% knew someone who travelled in the same direction, at the same time as them. A perfect opportunity to use technology to connect people. Wunder is looking forward to working with residents of New Delhi to take cars off the road. Building a community-organized solution to traffic takes time. We ask for patience and persistence among Wunder pioneers while we build a critical mass of commuters in the city.

Wunder Carpool: Android, iOS
Qualcomm today announced Snapdragon X20 LTE chipset, its seventh-generation LTE multimode modem and second generation Gigabit LTE solution built on 10nm FinFET process. It is the worlds first chipset to come with LTE Category 18 download speeds of up to 1.2 Gbps, a 20% improvement compared to Snapdragon X16 LTE.

Highlights of Qualcom Snapdragon X20 LTE modem

10nm FinFET process

Cat 18 DL up to 1.2 Gbps and Cat 13 UL up to 150 Mbps

Support for up to 520 MHz downlink Carrier Aggregation (CA) across licensed and unlicensed FDD and TDD radio frequencies

44 MIMO on up to three aggregated LTE carriers.

Supports integrated Dual SIM Dual VoLTE (DSDV) capability

Supported by the first commercially announced single-chip RF transceiver capable of simultaneously receiving up to 12 spatial streams of LTE data as few as three 20 MHz carriers

Support for 256-QAM boosts the peak throughput to ~100Mbps. Uplink, 2x20MHz carrier aggregation plus 64-QAM allows for speeds up to 150Mbps.|

Supports advanced dual SIM functionality and DSDV with the benefits of Ultra HD Voice and other IMS-based services on both SIMs inserted into the device.

Supports Snapdragon All Mode, including all major cellular technologies (LTE FDD, LTE TDD, WCDMA, TD-SCDMA, EV-DO, CDMA 1x, and GSM/EDGE), over 40 cellular frequency bands (including U.S. public safety Band 14 and 600 MHz band support), over 1000 carrier aggregation band combinations, LTE Broadcast, Voice over LTE (VoLTE) with support for Ultra HD Voice quality with the EVS codec, and single radio voice call continuity to 3G and 2G.

Supports Licensed Assisted Access (LAA), the global standard for LTE in unlicensed spectrum. Support for both 5xCA and LAA

Supports 3.5GHz shared spectrum in the U.S. called Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS)

Qualcomm also announced a suite of comprehensive RF front-end (RFFE) solutions adding to the Qualcomm RF360 family of RFFE products that include its first gallium arsenide (GaAs) power amplifier modules (QPA5460, QPA5461, QPA4360 and QPA4361) and the next-generation Qualcomm TruSignal antenna performance enhancement solution (QAT35xx) to drive superior RF performance by utilizing modem intelligence and system-level design and optimization.

QPA546x and QPA436x multimode, multiband power amplifier (MMPA) modules are optimized for envelope-tracking and average power tracking, respectively, and combine high, mid and low band power amplifiers with high performance switches to provide highly integrated modules for regional and global designs with superior power efficiency.

QPA5461 is designed to work with the QET4100 envelope tracker and is the first MMPA optimized for High Power User Equipment (HPUE) operation, providing high power-efficiency solutions for devices in LTE TDD networks.

Comprising the QAT3550 impedance tuner, the QAT3514 aperture tuner, QAT3522 antenna diversity switch and advanced modem software, the latest generation of Qualcomm Technologies TruSignal provides a comprehensive antenna performance enhancement technology suite that is the mobile industrys first commercial adaptive antenna tuning solution supporting carrier aggregation.

The Qualcomm Snapdragon X20 LTE modem is now available for sampling to OEMs with first commercial devices expected in the first half of 2018. The QAT35xx antenna tuning and diversity switch products are supported for use with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor. The QPA546x, QPA436x, D5328 and D5285 products are available for sampling today and the QAT35xx solutions are currently in production and are expected to be in commercially available devices soon.
On January 20, we witnessed yet another apocalyptic moment in world history: the inauguration of President Donald Trump. Many of us watched with intense uncertainty and sheer saltiness as President 45 accepted the keys to the Oval Office and the nuclear codes, following one of the most fear-based elections in the United States's history. I watched the tragedy with deep awe and sadness as former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama greeted the new First Family.While its customary for the new FLOTUS to bring a gift for the outgoing FLOTUS, this particular exchange is abhorrent when situated within broader histories of white supremacy and anti-black(woman)ness. I cringed at the sight of Melanias blue Tiffanys box. Melanias gift-giving reminds me of the next-door neighbor who really wants to greet you with contempt, yet insists on making you apple pie as a wanna-be polite gesture. The pie, an American symbol of comfort and familiarity, is burnt to the core and its less-than-stellar crust is hardly edible, yet your acceptance seals the stamp of benevolence and belonging on the part of the giver.This form of gift-giving falls in line with an American traditiona tradition that includes the simultaneous hypervisibility and invisibility of Black women as they are subjected to processes of devaluation.Considering President Donald Trumps platform of misogyny, racism, and xenophobia, this performance of intimacy is visceral. When coupled with Melanias plagiarism at the Republican National Convention and ongoing cooptation of black peoples narratives, this poor performance of graceful parting is laced with the anti-black(woman)ness that subjects Black womens labor and experiences to erasure as it places middle- and upper-class white men, women, and children within the apex of privilege and people of color in its lethal periphery.Michelles inauguration face registered the moral meaning of public contempt. It renders visible the compromised space Black woman navigate as they are forced to adhere to the logics of U.S. patriotism and its blatant disregard and subjugation of people of color generally, and Black people in particular. We saw this in the use of black female grief and trauma as a political strategy at the Democratic National Convention to solidify Hillary Clintons connection to Black communities. We see this in historically racist and sexist economic practices that cement our financial insecurity. We also see this in the functioning of the child welfare and criminal justice systems that work to deny Black women the right to parent as they blame us for the destruction of Black communities.It was in Michelles sullen face and watery eyes that I, yet again, felt the weight of what it means to live while Black and women in this country. We are low priority on the national agenda. We are hyper visibile in a toxic moral landscape historically invested in our violent denigration. We are in a state of being perpetually disposable as we are told that we should be defenseless, unpitiable, and, thus, undeserving. We juggle national and communal expectations as we manage the imposition of values, beliefs, and behaviors that are against our very existence. It requires a process that almost never encourages us to just be, forbidding us to invest in any form of full selfhood unless it services the interests and needs of anything and anyone but uswhite men, white women, and Black men.As I watched the torch passing of this new age of American empire, I thought about the ongoing exchanges and sacrifices Black women are often forced to participate inresistance for patriotism and racial solidarity for gender equality, to name a couple. I imagined the stress of our dehumanization displayed by our devaluation in public policy, media, institutions and even our own communities. I pondered the psychic toll that arises from the quotidian terrors we face while trying to do our own things on our own terms in spaces that tell us we are not deserving of life, honor, and pleasure.The ongoing juxtaposition of a classy Melania and a primitive Michelle highlights a reality: even if Black women display the most committed forms of patriotism, we are still expected to accept the justification of our violation even as we become the symbol for the Pandora's Box of American trauma.And amidst it all, I remember the words, when they go low, we go high. I remember the political possibilities beyond the base dehumanization. I imagine the spaces of resistance and restoration that can allow us to dismantle systems of violence as they encourage us to transform our homeplaces and communities. I recollect the relationships that inform our strategic visions as they cultivate our minds, hearts, and souls. I think about the people that help create a present worth living and a future worth dreaming.Needless to say, I am here for Michelles side eyes.
Last November a Facebook user in Spain posted a video of a police officer who failed to catch a suspect he was chasing. The scene was filmed from inside a car in the northwestern city of Santiago de Compostela, in Galicia. In the video, which has now been removed, a voice can be heard seemingly mocking the police officer for being out of shape.

Spains gag law restricts filming of the authorities. Reuters

The Facebook post received more than 300 shares and 17,000 views, according to regional daily La Voz de Galicia. But now the police have presented a proposal to fine the author of the post, using Spains Law on Public Safety  also known as the gag law. The fine could be as high as 30,000.

Some reports, including the article in La Voz de Galicia, suggested that the police also wanted to fine everyone who liked the video on Facebook. However a spokesperson from the National Police in Santiago told Verne that those reports were definitely false.

Spains 2015 gag law has been criticized by the EU

The official who wrote the proposal for the sanction only did so against the person who published the video, not for those who pressed the like button or shared it or whatever else, said the spokesperson.

The spokesperson explained that the proposal for the sanctions is based on two legal articles. The first has to do with the mockery, taunts and disrespect toward the officer, who represents an institution  the National Police force. Article 37.4 of the law says disrespect and a lack of consideration toward police forces or public security forces carrying out their work, is a minor infringement of the law. Those accused of violating it can face fines ranging from 100 to 600.

In the video, according to La Voz de Galicia, those making the film were questioning if the physical condition of the police officer influenced his performance. The police explained that the man the officer was chasing was a psychiatric patient from a nearby hospital. He tried to catch him, but sometimes you can do more harm than good, for example, if the chase ends in a traffic accident, explained the spokesperson, justifying the officer's failure to detain the patient.

The police are also basing the proposal for the fine on article 36.22, which prohibits: the unauthorized use of images or personal or professional data of the authorities or members of the police forces or public security forces that could put the personal safety of the officer or their family members in danger. This is considered a serious offense and can result in a fine of between 601 and 30,000. The application of the sanction is not the responsibility of the police, said the same source.

The police spokesperson insisted that as yet no sanction is in place, but rather a proposal for one, which will be decided upon by the central government's sub-delegation in A Coruna, the regional capital of Galicia. When asked by Verne, the sub-delegation said it had not received a copy of the police proposal. When we receive it we will study it to see whether or not it should be pursued or archived, said a spokesperson.

Juan Moreno, a lawyer who specializes in freedom of expression, warned that these types of sanctions are brought by government officials. You have to take them with a lot of caution, because [the government] tends to back the laws they propose, he said.

Until now the only politician to comment on the matter has been the deputy premier of the regional government of Galicia, Alfonso Rueda, who said: What they are doing is applying a law."

Moreno added that the person under investigation can present arguments in defense of posting the video, present evidence and, in the case of being fined, could appeal to a court of contested administrative procedure. Those are the courts that will evaluate the case and their decisions could be brought forward to the Constitutional Court, he said.

English version by Alyssa McMurtry.
Fox News and FOX Business Network host/correspondent Brenda Buttner passed away Monday after a fearless battle with cancer.

Longtime friend and colleague Neil Cavuto, managing editor and anchor for both Fox News Channel (FNC) and FOX Business Network, delivered a heartfelt tribute to Buttner, describing her as incredibly brave.

Cavuto said She took stock of life much more than any stock in life. Its whats separated her from everyone else in this business, not just dollars, you see Brenda had depth. It seems fitting that Brenda was among the very first to put a kind female face to this once staid old male bastion of business.

He also recounted her love of animals and how Buttner checked in on him as he recuperated from heart surgery last summer.

Buttner has been a valued member of the Fox News community since 2000. She most recently served as a senior business correspondent for the network and as a host of FNCs Bulls and Bears. Before Fox, Buttner worked as CNBCs Washington correspondent and as host of The Money Club.

Buttner, who graduated with honors from Harvard University and was also a Rhodes Scholar, received multiple awards throughout her career, including the Cable Ace Award for Best Business Programming (1996) and the National Clarion Award for Best News Story (1990).

On Monday, tributes to Buttner flooded social media from Fox colleagues and fans alike.

Buttner was 55 years old and is survived by her two daughters.
Liberals who have long considered Milo Yiannopoulos the embodiment of the true racist nature of modern conservatism are having a schadenfreude moment over his latest controversy (this time on the subject of underage sex) that has now led to his ouster from Breitbart News, a publication that long supported and endorsed his provocative and sometimes tasteless brand of commentary.

Letas be clear: There is no ateachable momenta about modern conservativism that can be gleaned from Miloas shocking discourse, or his current implosion. He never really embodied any political movement other than one that sought his own self-aggrandizement as a way to undress some of the absurd pieties of political correctness. Indeed, his shtick was shunned by much of the conservative movement even if he spent plenty time attacking Liberal pieties involving race, immigration and gender.

No, the lesson that can be gleaned here is one about the left, which through its fundamentalist orthodoxy, known as political correctness, created a vacuum of Conservative thought in our cultural establishments including much of the mainstream media, and of course in academia.

Milo in all his outrageousness became the voice of opposition, or at least the one that sucked the most air out of the room.

Conservatives have long complained about being denied access to university lectures (or when they were invited to speak, being shouted down by left-wing agitators), the creepy Stalinist nature of speech codes in various cultural institutions (ie academia but also the media, and the arts) not to mention the obviously left-wing slanted coverage of news.

In his dystopian classic a1984,a George Orwell may not have totally predicted the insanity and totalitarianism sweeping our cultural institutions, but he came pretty close. After years of excoriating conservatives as bigots and troglodytes for believing in such "hot button" issues as low taxes and of course the teaching of Western civilization, the left has nullified the true meaning of racism and many other "isms" to include anything that deviates from their stated orthodoxy.

A swastika painted on a building is clearly a police matter and should never be tolerated. But at the University of Missouri (my alma mater) such an incident led to weeks of protests, hunger strikes and the resignation of the universityas president for a reason that no one can fully articulate. After the election of President Donald Trump, a Yale professor allowed students to skip an exam so they could grieve.

All of which gave Milo his opening. He may or may not believe the crazy stuff he often says (Iam not going to catalogue the litany, which is easy to look up) in his columns at Breitbart News, or his many speaking engagements. But he knew how to get under the skin of the totalitarian left and as his adversaries went low, Milo went lower on those taboo issues such as race, immigration and a lot more.

The left ridiculed religious conservatives, who believed that marriage is between a man and a woman, as bigots. Milo, as a gay man, once wrote on his Facebook page that aGay marriage is not a acivil rightsa struggle. Stop comparing gays and blacks. When gay men are slaves itas because we begged to be.a

And with that he developed a following, not just among the so-called alt-right fringe variety but also among many college kids who actually saw his outrageousness as the lesser-of-two evils. Here was a gay man, unafraid to speak his mind and make outrageous comments on issues the left and their cowered university administrators deemed too taboo to dissent on.

Again, Milo didnat debate the corrosive effect of political correctness as I would, or for that fact most right-of-center commentators would, with his truly shocking and at times sickening comments. But in this climate, with leftist gatekeepers oppressing language and culture, and creating an atmosphere where words and actions on certain issues have lost all meaning, he found an audience, and a degree of fame, which was probably his goal all along.

Full disclosure: I know Milo pretty well, and I like him. I certainly donat condone his statements about underage sex, which he says have been taken out of context. In private meetings, heas less bombastic and far less offensive than the performance art that appears on the pages of Breitbart or in interviews, like the one that has now threatened to totally unravel his career (as reported CPAC has rescinded his speaking invite scheduled for this weekend, Simon & Shuster has ditched his book deal, and as FOX Business was first to report, he was forced to resign from Breitbart News).

But make no mistake, there would be no Milo without the Orwellian left that controls much of popular culture, making it impossible to have a civilized discussion about certain issues. Milo is a product of run-away leftism that has perverted discourse to the point where words have lost much of their meaning, and has allowed a reckless provocateur to step into the void.

George Orwell is looking down saying aI told you soa with a tear in his eye.
Oil prices ended about 1 percent higher after touching three-week highs on Tuesday on OPEC's optimism for greater compliance with its deal with other producers including Russia to curb output in an effort to clear a glut that has weighed on the market.

OPEC Secretary General Mohammad Barkindo told an industry conference in London that January data showed conformity from participating OPEC nations with output curbs had been above 90 percent and oil inventories would decline further this year.

"All countries involved remain resolute in the determination to achieve a higher level of conformity," Barkindo said.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and other producers outside the group agreed in November to cut output by about 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) in an effort to drain a glut that has depressed prices for over two years.

Barkindo said it was too early to say if the supply cut, which lasts for six months from Jan. 1, would need to be extended or deepened at the next OPEC meeting in May.

"While Barkindo's statement puts a confident spin on market fundamentals, we'd say questions do remain, given that Iran seems to be signaling increased production rather than improved compliance," Tim Evans, an energy futures specialist at Citi Futures said in a note.

Under the deal, Iran was allowed to boost output from its October level and Tehran expects its oil production to reach 4 million barrels per day by mid-April.

Iranian Oil Minister Zanganeh told state TV that OPEC and non-OPEC oil producers are committed to the production cut.

Brent crude ended the session at $56.66 a barrel, up 48 cents or 0.9 percent, after hitting its highest since Feb. 2 at $57.31.

The U.S. March crude contract expired 66 cents, or 1.2 percent, higher at $54.06, after peaking at $54.68, its highest since Jan. 3.

The more active U.S. crude for April delivery closed the session up 1 percent at $54.33.

U.S. gasoline futures were the biggest drag on the energy complex, ending 1.5 percent lower at $1.4940 a gallon. That pushed gasoline crack spreads , an indicator of refining margins, to a fresh one-year low.

From a technical perspective, the tight consolidation above last year's key broken resistance levels suggests oil prices have been coiling to break higher, said Fawad Razaqzada, technical analyst for Forex.com.

"I am anticipating both oil contracts to break out of their recent ranges and head higher."

Since the OPEC deal in November, crude prices have moved in a tight $5-band.

The OPEC cuts, however, have spurred a speculative move into crude oil that has pushed prices towards the top of their recent ranges that might prompt a correction.

Money managers hold the highest number of net long Brent and U.S. crude futures and options on record, data showed on Monday and Friday, betting on higher prices to come as OPEC and other key exporters reduce production.

"Should there come a time when these speculative positions decide to unwind, oil prices will be in for a significant correction," said Jonathan Chan, an investment analyst at Phillip Futures.

Still, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) in U.S. crude futures remained at about 58 on Tuesday, well below the overbought level of 70, Reuters data showed.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch cut its forecast for Brent crude prices to an average of $50-70 through 2022, from $55-$75 amid a recovery in U.S. shale production.
Angelina Jolie spoke out for the first time since her shocking split from Brad Pitt last year.

The actress said it has been a "difficult" time for her family in an interview with the BBC released Sunday.

"I don't want to say very much about that, except to say it was a very difficult time," Jolie shared. "We are a family and we will always be a family, and we will get through this time and hopefully be a stronger family for it."

Jolie said she is coping by focusing on her six children: Maddox, 15, Pax, 13, Zahara, 11, Shiloh, 10, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 8.

PITT: JOLIE EXPOSED OUR KIDS

"Many, many people find themselves in this situation," she said while in Cambodia to promote her new film "First They Killed My Father," which she directed.

She continued, "My whole, my family weve all being through a difficult time. My focus is my children, our children and my focus is finding this way through. We are and forever will be a family. I am coping with finding a way through to make sure that this somehow makes us stronger and closer."

When asked where the 41-year-old sees herself in five years, she said she hopes to be "just standing."

JOLIE: PITT TERRIFIED PUBLIC WILL LEARN TRUTH

Aside from traveling around the world with her children, Jolie said she hopes in five years her children will be happy and "doing really interesting things."

"I hope...I represent the right things to my children, and give them the right sense of what theyre capable of," Jolie said. "Not through the prism of Hollywood or through a certain kind of life, but really take them into the world, where they have a really good sense and become rounded people."

Jolie and Pitt announced their separation in September 2016. They married in 2014 after first getting together in 2005 while Pitt was married to actress Jennifer Aniston.
Angelina Jolie seemed visibly shaken and at times uncomfortable when she appeared on "Good Morning America" and was asked about her impending divorce from actor Brad Pitt.



We are focusing on the health of our family, said the 41-year-old actress after a long pause when ABC News George Stephanopoulos asked her for an update on Tuesday morning.

So we will be stronger when we come out of this because thats what were determined to do as a family, said Jolie, who later seemed to hold back tears. We will always be a family. Always.

ANGELINA JOLIE DISCUSSES DIVORCE FOR THE FIRST TIME

Jolie, who was in Cambodia to discuss her new film, First They Killed My Father, has remained mostly out of public view since her recent split from the 53-year-old actor. The two were together for more than a decade and married for two years before Jolie filed for divorce last September.

Stephanopoulos pointed out that Jolie has, in the past, described Pitt as "a wonderful father." "Do you still believe that?" he asked.

Jolie paused before replying, "Of course, of course."

This wasnt the first time for Jolie to open up about her breakup. In an interview with the BBC released on Sunday, she said it has been a difficult time for her family.

I dont want to say very much about that, except to say it was a very difficult time, said Jolie. We are a family and we will always be a family, and we will get through this time and hopefully be a stronger family for it.

CHELSEA HANDLER SLAMS ANGELINA JOLIE AGAIN

My focus is my children, our children and my focus is finding this way through, she added. We are and forever will be a family. I am coping with finding a way through to make sure that this is somehow makes us stronger and closer.

Jolie has six children: Maddox, 15, Pax, 13, Zahara, 11, Shiloh, 10, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 8.

In a joint statement released last month, Jolie and Pitt announced they will handle the divorce privately, a decision they said was made in the best interest of their family.
Lindsay Lohan claims she was "racially profiled" while wearing a headscarf at London's Heathrow Airport.

The actress said in a new interview that she was stopped while traveling to New York.

The "Mean Girls" star said an airport worker "opened my passport and saw 'Lindsay Lohan' and started immediately apologizing, but then said: 'Please take off your headscarf.'"

She said on "Good Morning Britain" Tuesday that the incident made her wonder "how would another woman who doesn't feel comfortable taking off her headscarf feel?"

Lohan was returning from Turkey, where she recently met President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

She said she wore a headscarf in Turkey out of "personal respect."

Lohan, who has been photographed carrying a Quran, says she finds "solace" studying the Muslim holy book and other religious texts.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A finalist in the Miss Kentucky USA pageant was charged with one count of arson after allegedly setting her roommate's bed on fire.

Wave3.com reports firefighters were called to an off-campus student housing community near the University of Louisville's Belknap Campus in Kentucky on Feb. 18. According to Louisville Metro Arson Bureau, Christen Marie McAllister set fire to her roommate's bed during an argument.

13 BIGGEST BEAUTY PAGEANT SCANDALS

No injuries were reported.

According to arrest records, McAllister confessed to setting the fire.

The 22-year-old finished in fifth place in the Miss Kentucky USA pageant last month.

FLORIDA BEAUTY PAGEANT WINNER ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY BEATING MAN WITH ALUMINUM BASEBALL BAT

According to McAllister's Facebook page, she is studying marketing at the University of Louisville.
Are you a restaurant-going risk taker?

Do you jump at the chance to be the first in your crowd to try a meal prepared by unknown chef? Or would you be more comfortable at a celebrity chefs eatery where you know exactly what you're getting...because you've seen it on TV?

Celebrity chefs aren't just people-- they're majorly successful global brands, thanks in large part to the tried-and-true popularity of the Food Network where many have their own programs, says Alex Susskind, a restaurant expert and professor at Cornell University School of Hotel Administration.

Having a name chef can make a big difference, especially in a competitive restaurant environment agrees Avery Fletcher, a restaurant insider who teaches at the NYU School of Professional Studies. Celebrity chefs tend to come with media buzz, she explains. The more people talking about the restaurant, positively, the more people will want to try itAttention tends to beget more attentionand business.

Having a reputation and a clientele thats developed over time really helps. Its a big advantage, says restauranteur Charlie Palmer, famous for Aureole in New York City and now at Mandalay Bay in Vegas, among other restaurants. He has taken his brand into the hotel industry with upscale boutique properties in San Francisco and north into Wine Country.

People want an experience that is proven," Palmer explains. "They come because they like the brand.

But these days, in the restaurant world theres more at play than popularity. Celebrity chefs, Fletcher explains, have impacted what we watch, how we interact on social media and what we eat.

But now, there is a certain cache with discovering a new chef. I think what we are seeing in some markets is a shift in focus from big name to unknown."

A brands fame is not the deciding factor as to whether guests visit, says Anderson Pugash, whose San Francisco restaurants The Dorian and Palm House cater to millennials like himself who demand authenticity in their brands, like knowing exactly where their food comes from and providing one-of-a-kind experiences. This is something which many of the older and more famous brands have had a hard time in providing, as formulas that have worked in the past no longer work today, he suggests.

Palmer agreed that chefs must be attuned to diners increasingly educated palates and their interests in what they are eating and how it was sourced. Years ago, he said, fine dining restaurants might serve frozen fish without anyone noticing or caring. Today, that's pretty much unheard of in many fine dining eateries. It is cool for the 25 to 35-year-olds to be in the know about great wine and great food, he said.

Still, celebrity chefs continue to thrive, particularly in tourist meccas like Las Vegas where there are more than 40 celebrity chef restaurants. Same with Orlando, New York and on cruise ships where diners may want the bragging rights of visiting their favorite chefs signature or newest eatery and the comfort of a familiar brand.

They arent necessarily fine dining experiences either. Consider the popularity of Danny Meyers Shake Shack burger places, Buddy Velastros Carlos Bakeries and Guy Fieris Guys Burger Joints aboard Carnival ships.

In other foodie quarters, diners seek bragging rights for exactly the opposite experience-- the chance to discover something brand new in the food world, whether it be an unknown protein or a specialty food truck. People will flock to (a restaurant) and keep going if the quality is there, says Pugash. If not, they wont.

In the current landscape, there's room for both big name restaurants and newcomers to thrive as Americans continue to eat out in droves-- often several times a week, making the restaurant business a $780 billion industry, per the National Restaurant Association. Seven in 10 consumers say their favorite restaurant foods provide flavors they cant easily duplicate at home. Travelers also rank dining out high on their vacation to-do list, per the MMGY 2016 Portrait of American Travelers.

Whether you have a big name or not, however, Susskind notes the restaurant industry is still pretty tough for everyone. Roughly 30 percent of restaurants fail in the first year, he says, with the number one reason being that those running the eatery dont have enough money behind them during the months it takes to build the clientele.

Those with a big name, a track record and a team, presumably wont have those financial start up issues, but they may not succeed if the consistency of service and the quality of the food arent what customers expect, said Susskind.

Even one of the world's most successful restaurateurs agrees.

Says Charlie Palmer, There is nothing easy about opening a restaurant, It is one of the most complicated business to be inand turn a profit."
A Dallas jury sentenced a neurosurgeon dubbed Dr. Death by local media to life in prison on Monday, over his role in a botched back surgery that left his elderly patient crippled and in constant pain. Christopher Duntsch, 46, was arrested in July 2015 on five aggravated-assault charges after four of his patients were left crippled and two others died between July 2012 and June 2013, Dallas News reported.

His trial focused on only one charge of injury to an elderly individual, with victim Mary Efurd testifying that she had trusted Duntsch to perform the 2012 procedure. Efurd, who was then 74, lost a third of her blood and the full use of her legs, Dallas News reported.

I trusted that he would do what was right, Efurd said, according to the report.

The 13-day trial included testimony from a doctor who treated Efurd after Duntschs procedure and said he found implants placed on muscle instead of bone, and a screw drilled into her spinal cavity.

Its as egregious as you can imagine, Dr. Robert Henderson said, according to Dallas News.

Jurors heard from other patients, including one who woke from surgery paralyzed from the neck down, another who passes out from chronic pain and a third who talks in a permanent whisper after she was left with a puncture wound in her throat.

Prosecutors presented the court with a 2011 email Duntsch wrote detailing his plans to become a cold blooded killer, Dallas News reported. His lawyers maintained that Duntsch had been distracted by a chaotic operating room and was doing the best he could on his own.

He chose not to get help, prosecutor Michelle Shugart said, according to the report. He chose to continue maiming and killing patients.

The daughter of one of Duntschs patients who died after undergoing back surgery in 2012 said she was pleased with the jurys decision.

It wont obviously bring my mom back and it wont heal the 34 people that have been affected, but it will bring some sense of justice and particularly some sense of closure, Caitlin Martin-Linduff, Kellie Martins daughter, told Dallas News.
Inked eyebrows, eyelids and lips  you thought youd seen it all.

You were wrong.

The latest trend involves tattooing freckles (yes, freckles!) on your face to achieve a natural look.

9 FOODS THAT CAN HELP BOOST YOUR LIBIDO NATURALLY

For the new craze, tattoo artists follow the natural line of each customers freckle trail on her face, AOL reported. Darkness and swelling typically decrease within a few months to blend in with the customers skin tone.

Allure reported that although cosmetic tattooing has been done for years, methods like microblading, for permanent brows (of which Bella Thorne is a fan) and lash tattoos, for eyelash enhancement, have taken the trend to new heights.

Tattoo artist Gabrielle Rainbow, who is based in Montreal, told Newbeauty.com that she began tattooing freckles on her clients after she noticed a friend tire of drawing her own on with makeup.

THIS IS YOUR BRAIN ON PORNOGRAPHY

Before tattooing her, I experimented on myself  I really don't recommend tattooing your own face  but once I saw that it worked out, and I liked the effect, I decided to do hers, Rainbow told the website.

Newbeauty.com reported that Rainbow completes the cosmetic tattooing within one hour, and the price starts around $250, which doesnt include potential follow-up appointments. Results last for up to three years, she said.

Beauty experts like Allure reported that the trend appears to signal a break from women striving to achieve a flawless complexion.

But, as Dr. Ava Shamban, a Beverly Hills, California-based dermatologist, told Newbeauty.com, natural freckles and moles can be a sign of too much sun exposure. In fact, a 2015 study published in the British Journal of Dermatology suggests having 11 or more moles on one arm may mean a higher risk of the deadly skin cancer melanoma.

In December 2016, reality TV star Khloe Kardashian took note of that risk and documented the removal of all her moles and freckles on Snapchat.

7 FOODS ALREADY IN YOUR KITCHEN THAT CAN HELP FIGHT WRINKLES

To boost attractiveness, Shamban suggested the trend may only be beneficial for youths.

When you're young, freckles can look adorable even though they're a sign of sun damage, Shamban told Newbeauty.com. But when you're over the age of 30, they are distracting to the eye and reduce attention to beautiful features in the face such as the eyes.

What do you think of the buzzy beauty trend? Would you get fake freckles tattooed on your face?
The crew of Sailing Yacht A, the largest vessel of its kind in the world, received an unpleasant surprise when they stopped off in Gibraltar last week. What should have been a short stay to refuel has turned into an unwelcome stopover after authorities there impounded the vessel over a multi-million-euro dispute.

'Sailing Yatch A' in Danish waters. EFE

German Naval Yards, which built the futuristic-looking, 143-meter-long vessel in Kiel out of steel, composite and carbon fiber, is claiming 15.29 million from its Bermuda-based owner, Valla Yachts Ltd.

The owner of the company, Russian multi-billionaire Andrey Melnichenko, was due to attend a hearing in the British Overseas Territory on Tuesday regarding the alleged outstanding debt. The vessel cost 400 million to build.

The towering Sailing Yacht A cost 400 million to build

Aware that Sailing Yacht A, with its distinctive three masts each taller than Big Ben, would be stopping in Gibraltar, the shipyard contacted a law firm there, Triay Stagnetto Neish, which filed a claim in court against the owner, charter company, and operator of the vessel for breach of contract.

Sources familiar with the case have told EL PAIS that an official at Gibraltars Supreme Court upheld the complaint and ordered the Philippe Starck-designed vessel to be impounded.

Local newspaper the Gibraltar Chronicle has published a breakdown of the debt, which includes 9.8 million worth of work that should have been paid on January 27.

A spokesman for Sailing Yacht A told the Gibraltar Chronicle that it is not unusual for pending amounts to be paid after the construction of a vessel of this size and cost. He said he was surprised at the claim brought by German Naval Yards and pointed out that the owner paid the pending amount into an escrow account pending resolution of the dispute.

Launched in October, Sailing Yacht A had previously docked at the Norwegian port of Kristiansand and was headed to the Spanish port of Cartagena to undergo further work. The shipyard and the owner had already sought arbitration in a London court.

English version by Nick Lyne.
This weekend, ISIS released a video calling for the full elimination of Christianity in Egypt. The star of the video was the alleged perpetrator of Decembers terrorist bombing within the complex of Egypts most important Coptic church, for Christian persecution in Egypt continues to escalate. In the province of Minya alone there have been more than 75 attacks in the past five years.

ISIS warned us three years ago, [we will] break your crosses, and enslave your women . . . If we do not reach that time, then our children and grandchildren will reach it, and they will sell your sons as slaves at the slave market.

Now, the Christian population in Syria stands at less than 500,000, significantly less than the 2 million it was just five years ago. Iraqs ancient churches and monasteries are in rubble across the Nineveh Plain, and countless people have been displaced and lives have been lost. In Egypt, terrorists must feel especially emboldened: The parliament even passed a law governing the building or renovation of churches in the country.

While politicians, pundits and judges spar over whether religious minorities ought to still be prioritized in the latest iteration of President Trumps executive order on refugees, Islamic extremists continue to follow through on genocidal threats against Christians.

It is a settled fact that Christians from Syria to Nigeria continue to face an existential threat from varying kinds of Islamic extremists, and this is why both houses of Congress voted unanimously in 2016 to support a genocide resolution against ISIS for the atrocities the terrorist organization has committed against Christians, Yazidis and other religious minorities in the Middle East.

Similar resolutions were passed by the Council of Europe, the European Parliament, the UK House of Commons, the Australian Parliament, the Canadian Parliament, and the French National Assembly. Even Secretary of State John Kerry broke with President Barack Obama to make his own official declaration of genocide against ISIS, noting that Christians had been subject to atrocities for their faith alone.

Yet, despite this widespread acknowledgement of the genocidal threat faced by Christians, only 77 Syrian Christians were admitted into the United States between January and November 2016, compared to 13,210 Muslims.

Of course, no one is suggesting that the Islamic community is not deserving of assistance as well. In fact, more Muslims have been killed or displaced by terrorists than any other ethno-religious community in the Middle East. Its just that the Christian, Yazidi and other minority communities have faced the threat of genocide in the Middle East -- of total eradication.

The other consideration, as Rabbis Abraham Cooper and Yitzchok Adlerstein noted presciently in The Wall Street Journal in 2015, remains that unlike some others, Middle East Christians have nowhere else to go . . . present policy does not take into account the uniquely precarious situation of displaced Christians . . . Christians are profoundly disadvantaged.

In a less apoplectic time, the prioritization of threatened, religious minorities in President Trumps executive order would have been applauded by Republicans and Democrats alike.

It still should be.

After all, federal law, as well as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, advises that religious persecution ought to be taken into account when it comes to questions of asylum.

It is ethical and legal for the United States government to provide special assistance to those religious minorities who have been displaced, whose children have been sold into slavery, whose places of worship have been destroyed, and whose countless family members have been thrown into mass graves.

In an attempt to engage in a political fight with the president, some of our leaders threaten their own moral authority. While trying not to discriminate, they would inadvertently choose to discriminate against some of the most vulnerable people in the world, those who have faced the threat of genocide.

It all reminds me of the words of a dear nun I visited in Iraq just after Mosul fell to ISIS in 2014.

She told told me, I lived in America. You are wonderful people. You care for your pets so well. Can you please care for your Christian brothers and sisters who are suffering? Why are you so silent in the face of our genocide?

As our leaders debate, I hear her words in my head, Please help us. Raise your voice for us. Our children are dying.
Editor's note: The following column originally appeared in The Hill newspaper and on TheHill.com.

At what point do Republicans in Congress start looking out for their political future and go after President Trumps ties to Russia?

Even before the presidents national security adviser Michael Flynn was forced out, Gallup had President Trump with the worst ratings of his presidency so far  55 percent disapproval to 40 percent approval.

At that point, the top Republican in the Senate, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.), began talking like a man concerned about keeping his majority.

He complained to the conservative Weekly Standard that the presidents approval numbers would be 10 to 15 points higher if he allowed himself to stay on message.

What [Trumps] saying makes everything harder, McConnell said  and that was before Trumps epic Thursday press conference in which the president claimed stories about Russian involvement in the election amounted to fake news.

Flynn was forced to resign, apparently for misleading Vice President Mike Pence about a phone call he held with the Russian ambassador during which U.S. sanctions were discussed. That was followed by a New York Times report of regular contact between Trump campaign officials and Russian intelligence agents in the year leading up to last Novembers election.

McConnells tone took on a sharp edge as he began separating himself from Trump.

You know, everybody looks at last years election, he said on MSNBC, and says it was a change election. Well, it was in the presidential race, but in the Senate races, it was not a change election.

If a White House scandal begins to damage the GOP brand, the political dynamic will shift. The 2018 midterm elections defined by Trump scandals will threaten Republican control of the Senate  not the Trump White House.

If Republicans in Congress look to be covering up a national scandal, they open the door to a change election that pushes them out of power.

The Senate Intelligence Committee has already pledged to investigate the Russian controversy. But that is not enough for Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., who argues that the GOP majority on that panel could lead to a cover-up.

Republicans need to look in the mirror and do a gut check, she told The New York Times. She wants an open, public investigation in the form of a select committee.

Top Senate Republicans are resisting a select committee so far.

But the counter-threat for Republicans is the prospect of a catastrophic 2018 election.

Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., the Senate Minority Leader, is not ramping up the calls for a select committee. He only asked that McConnell and Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., the head of the Intelligence Committee, promise to making their findings as public as possible, including open testimony from Trump campaign and transition officials.

Burr pledged there would be no political limits on the probe, promising his committee will go anywhere the intelligence leads.

Already, Senate Republicans are open to writing a law requiring Congress to sign off on any changes in the current sanctions against Russia imposed by the Obama administration.

It is a different story in the House, where fear of blowback from Trump supporters has the leadership playing defense for the president.

The House Intelligence Committee is chaired by Rep. Devin Nunes, a California Republican who served with Gen. Flynn on Trumps presidential transition team at a time when some of the illicit communication between Trumps team and Russia apparently was going on.

Does this mean that Nunes is investigating himself, along with his House colleagues who also served on the transition team?

In addition, House Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, said last week his committee would not be investigating the Flynn scandal.

"I think that situation has taken care of itself, Chaffetz said. I know that the Intel committee is looking into the hacking issue.

Chaffetz had no problem asserting his committees broad jurisdiction over matters of national security when they were looking into Benghazi.

Chaffetz did call for an investigation by the Department of Justice on the Russian issue  but not into Flynn, only into who leaked the transcripts to reporters.

That is consistent with Trumps complaint that the real story is media bias against him, as well as leaks from the intelligence agencies intended to do political damage.

Senate Republicans have fully accepted that there needs to be some form of investigation.

I dont think we need to go through setting up a special committee, McConnell said. But we are going to look at Russian involvement in the U.S. elections. Its a significant issue.

The contrast between how Speaker Paul Ryans, R-Wis., House Republicans and McConnells Senate Republicans handle Flynn is instructive.

Just as Ryan mishandled Trumps candidacy during the campaign, he is mishandling Trumps presidency. Ryan did chide Trump over the Muslim ban and his slander of Judge Gonzalo Curiels integrity on the basis of his ethnicity. But Ryan still backed him on the basis of party unity.

McConnell, on the other hand, kept his mouth shut and never took the bait when asked to respond to a Trump tweet or rude remark, instead focusing on preserving his Senate majority.

As last week showed, McConnell is a much shrewder political operator than his party colleagues in the House.

He is putting daylight between Trump and the fate of the Senate GOP majority.
A central tenet of President Trumps campaign was restoring law and order to our country. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has pledged to do the same. Last week, the president spoke to law enforcement and signed three executive orders to reduce crime.

We are grateful the president has expressed strong support for our work. As he considers how to put his public safety agenda into action, we urge him to listen to the people who know this work best: law enforcement leaders. Together, my co-chair former Dallas police chief David Brown and I have 67 years of on-the-job police experience. Now, we lead an organization of 200 police chiefs and district attorneys from all 50 states with vast knowledge of how to eradicate violence from our streets.

Here are five ideas informed by our experience as law enforcement we hope the new administration will incorporate into its anti-crime agenda.

1) Prioritize fighting violent crime. Crime rates are half what they were in 1991. Yet serious problems persist in some major cities  particularly Chicago. The federal government can help. Each year, billions of dollars go to support overwhelmed police departments. These funds help us investigate and prosecute crime. But law and order is best achieved through smart policing. Now, some resources are wasted on antiquated tools that focus on lower-level drug and nonviolent offenders. Its time to reprioritize.

President Trumps executive order establishing a Justice Department Task Force on Crime Reduction and Public Safety is a start. He has also promised a Restoring Community Safety Act during his first 100 days, which encourages law enforcement to focus on crime generally. Any broad brush approach to this task force would be a mistake. We urge the president and Congress to target federal efforts and dollars directly toward violent crime prevention  the biggest threat to our safety.

2) Pass federal sentencing reform. Police officers take seriously our responsibility to uphold the law. The threat of arrest, prosecution and prison is an important tool in that endeavor. But current sentencing laws can be unnecessarily harsh and lengthy, actually increasing crime. Upon release from prison, nonviolent, first-time offenders struggle to find housing and employment. Facing few legitimate opportunities, they often return to crime and jail.

State-level progress shows it doesnt have to be this way. Over the last 10 years, 27 states have reduced both crime and incarceration simultaneously. President Trump has an opportunity to bring needed change and rationality to Washington by supporting a bipartisan effort to recalibrate sentencing laws. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, have pledged to reintroduce and pass the Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act, modeled on these state successes.

The law enforcement community  including the Major Cities Chiefs Association, Major County Sheriffs Association, National District Attorneys Association, International Chiefs of Police, and Law Enforcement Leaders  strongly supports this measure, which would save $722 million over the next 10 years. Putting fewer people behind bars will free funding and time for our officers to focus on targeting and preventing violence and murders, making our streets safer.

3) Increase mental health and drug treatment. Today, 1.3 million inmates have mental health disorders and 1.5 million suffer from drug addiction. Only 27 percent of offenders with a mental illness and 11 percent of addicts receive treatment. The president has rightfully recognized that our prisons are being used to warehouse the mentally ill.

Focusing on treatment saves money, and keeps people out of prison. For example, outpatient substance abuse programs can save up to 12 times their cost and reduce criminal activity by up to 80 percent. Thats why Republican governors like Rick Perry of Texas and Mary Fallin of Oklahoma made treatment programs an important part of their public safety efforts.

Nationally, President Trump and Jeff Sessions can make a difference by directing the Justice Department to prioritize grants for cities that divert non-violent offenders away from prison and into treatment.

4) Bolster community policing. There is tension between many police departments and the communities we serve. Without cooperation between us, enhancing public safety is impossible. And a mistrustful community puts police officers lives at risk.

Community policing reduces crime while strengthening the bond between police and communities. With a stronger relationship, citizens are more likely to report crime and cooperate with investigations, leading to more offenders brought to justice. To be effective, these programs need adequate funding. But the budget for the Justice Departments Office of Community Policing Services has declined dramatically since 2002. Several news outlets have reported the administration desires to defund it entirely. We strongly urge President Trump to preserve and expand this essential resource.

5) Expand recidivism-reduction programs. About half of released prisoners end up back behind bars within three years. This revolving door is a public safety risk. In-prison programs that provide job training and vocational services are proven to help prisoners find jobs and lead law-abiding lives upon release.

We urge the president and the Justice Department to support programs to help ease re-entry, and transitional housing that eases inmates back into society. Both would reduce taxpayer dollars spent on repeat incarceration and reduce crime.

Maintaining law and order is a principal goal for our country. But it need not be a synonym for unnecessary arrests, prosecutions and imprisonment. We know that doesnt make us safer. We urge the president to start his partnership with law enforcement by committing to these proposals to help us keep America safe.
President Trump is once again showing he is no longer going to put up with the out-of-control left-wing media bias. And this weekend in Florida, the president once again took direct aim at these corrupt news organizations.

The dishonest media, which has published one false story after another with no sources, even though they pretend they have them, they make them up in many cases, Trump said over the weekend. And they've been calling us wrong now for two years. They don't get it, but they're starting to get it, I can tell you that. They've become a big part of the problem. They are part of the corrupt system.

Trumps broadside continued as he labeled the press an enemy of the people and rallied his supporters directly  instead of allowing his words to be filtered through the abusively biased media.

We are not going to let the fake news tell us what to do, how to live or what to believe, he said to thunderous applause. We are free and independent people, and we will make our own choices.

The alt-left propaganda media responded in a pathetically predictable fashion.

Trump's attacks on the American press as enemies of the American people are more treacherous than Richard Nixon's attacks on the press, journalist and author Carl Bernstein told CNN. Nixon's attacks on the press were largely in private. There's a history of what enemy of the people  means as used by dictators and authoritarians, including Stalin, including Hitler. And I'm not about to say anything about comparing Hitler and Trump, but it's a demagogue's statement.

See what he did there? And CNNs Chris Cuomo had an ominous warning about the possible consequences of Trump calling out the media.

Somebody's going to get hurt, Cuomo said. It's just a question of time, because just like in every other dynamic in life, if you take somebody's who's got a legitimate reason to be upset in the first place, and you pump them up and it starts to become a call to action ... somebody's going to get hurt.

Finally, ABCs White House correspondent Jonathan Karl tried to wrap the abusively biased alt-left propaganda media in the Constitution.

As long as American democracy remains healthy, there will be reporters willing to pursue the truth, even if that means incurring the wrath of the most powerful person in the world, Karl said. A free press isn't the enemy of America, it's a big part of what makes America great.

Were all for a free press, but how about an honest one that covers President Trump fairly? Remember how WikiLeaks exposed the rampant, rampant collusion between the press and the Clinton campaign? Allowing Democratic Party officials to edit their stories and giving Hillary Clinton debate questions in advance? They had a literal stake in the election.

These left-wing news outlets thought they'd be able to stop Donald Trump from becoming president but now, instead of admitting they were wrong, they have now doubled down on their attacks against President Trump.

On election night, as the realization crept in that Donald Trump would be the next president, it was like a funeral at every one of these networks. ABCs Martha Raddatz, who hosted a debate, actually cried.

According to MSNBCs Lawrence ODonnell, it wasnt just Raddatz who was reduced to tears by the results of a free and fair election.

America is crying tonight, he said. I'm not sure how much of America, but a very, very significant portion. And I mean literally crying. I've gotten texts from a college campus about a dorm that's just in tears.

Fast-forward to today and the abusively biased media has not changed and has not learned anything. They have not apologized for their collusion or for their dishonest reporting. Even worse, they are ignoring President Trump's accomplishments in just 30 days. They are never going to tell the American people the truth.

So far, President Trump has ordered federal agencies to ease the burden of ObamaCare, withdrawn the U.S. from the flawed Trans Pacific Partnership trade deal, implemented a government hiring freeze and banned aid that helped foreign countries provide abortions. He has issued five executive actions advancing the Keystone and the Dakota Access pipelines, which will create jobs and lead to energy independence. He has announced construction of a border wall, ordered federal funding stripped from sanctuary cities, issued executive actions on extreme vetting and ordered rebuilding of our military.

Trump has ordered up a plan to defeat ISIS, instituted a five-year lobbying ban for administration officials and nominated an originalist to the Supreme Court in Judge Neil Gorsuch. He signed a House joint resolution to help the coal industry get back into business, sanctioned Iran over its ballistic missile program, negotiated lower prices on F-35 fighter jets and Air Force One and met with top CEOs to incentivize them to create jobs here.

President Trump signed executive orders to protect police officers and target drug cartels. He launched a council for the advancement of women entrepreneurs. He has called or met with more than 30 foreign leaders so far and put together a first-class cabinet.

The news media are at war with the president because their little egos are bruised, and they have been exposed. And they're waging this battle by focusing in on superfluous issues, citing unnamed sources. They are basically throwing around allegations in the hope something may stick one day, and they go out there and report breathlessly about whatever the tweet is of the day.

The mainstream media's audience is not you, the American people. They are not the forgotten men and women in poverty, on food stamps, out of the labor force, who can't buy a house and struggle to put food on the table and send their children to good schools. Out-of-touch liberals know nothing about you, nothing about your problems, don't seem to care about the millions more in poverty, on food stamps and out of work, the people that are struggling.

That's why they didn't think that Donald Trump could win. It's why they can't for the life of them understand why he is connecting with the American people. And it is why President Trump calls them for what they are: Purveyors of fake news.

Adapted from Sean Hannity's monologue on "Hannity," Feb. 20, 2017
Sometimes, its not whats in your head, but on it -- or rather not on it  that gets you remembered. Frances populist candidate for President, Marine Le Pen, just had such a moment. Shes feeling good about it.

Le Pen, who is running for her countrys top job on the right-wing National Front ticket, was in Lebanon this week to meet that countrys president. She also had a session scheduled with the countrys top Sunni Muslim cleric.

Her talk with President Michel Aoun, who is Christian, went well enough, according to most press reports. But when it came time to meet with Sheikh Abdel-Latif Derian, the French candidate was told that women were required to don headscarves before entering the presence of the religious leader.

Le Pen refused, and after a few awkward moments between her staff and the sheikhs, abruptly called off the audience and left. I consider the headscarf a symbol of a womans submission, she said afterward. I will not put on the veil.

Whether Le Pen was truly surprised by the dust-up, or playing to her audience at home is an open question. She insists that her team informed the muftis staff the night before that she would show up bare-headed. Derians camp says she had agreed to don the veil.

Le Pen, who is leading in presidential polls before Aprils first round of national elections, has long called for limits on immigrants coming to France  many of whom are Muslims from the Middle East and North Africa. Her dramatic, attention-getting play in Beirut may not convince centrist French voters who are wary of her hardline positions, but it is certain to galvanize her core supporters.

Le Pens timing could not have been better. On the same day that she snubbed the Muslim mufti, police arrested three suspects in southern France for plotting what they called an imminent terror attack. That headline, juxtaposed with Le Pens face-down of a Muslim grandee, will reinforce her warning that France already has too many immigrants.

The Lebanon incident was covered quite differently by various news organizations. The Associated Press included this quote from Le Pen, referring to herself in the third person: I note that when Marine Le Pen refuses to don the headscarf, it is criticized, but when Michelle Obama refused to do it in Saudi Arabia, it was considered admirable.

Al Jazeera, which is funded by the ruling family of Qatar, was less generous. This was a trap and a set-up because she wanted to send a message to her own voters and supporters that she somehow refused to respect the local customs in a Muslim-majority country, its online report noted.

Note to Al Jazeera: you got it right, but for the wrong reason.

Le Pen has the same ability to sense the voters mood in her country as a long-shot candidate in the United States named Trump demonstrated last year on his way to the White House. That she is being criticized for taking a strong stand is only further evidence of the medias double-standard toward conservative politicians.

Indeed, Americas former first lady, Michelle Obama, was credited with making a bold political statement when she declined the veil during her husbands visit to the kingdom in 2015. Another former first lady, Laura Bush, also appeared with then-King Abdullah without head covering in 2006.

The Catholic Church used to request that women shroud their heads when they met with the Pope, but that custom has nearly faded from Vatican protocol. Hillary Clinton, when she was first lady, met Saint Pope John Paul II, her hair free to blow in the wind.

Bellwether thinks Le Pen smelled an opportunity to demonstrate strength and embrace Western values, and took it. She might not be popular in part of Lebanon, but her actions there shouted: Vive La France!
Who is the actual leader of the free world?

This was the primary discussion and debate at the Munich Security Conference earlier this month. As if they shared talking points, in prepared remarks the Iranian and Russian foreign ministers referred to the "post-Western world order.

These traditional enemies feel emboldened to criticize and even mock our great nation. It's clear that the last eight years under President Obama, our allies begrudgingly learned they could no longer depend on the U.S., and when our enemies tested our resolve, they learned they could get away with much more than they ever contemplated.

It was clear at the conference that there are worries among our European allies that an "America First" agenda actually means a continuation of Obama's foreign policy on steroids -- seeing the U.S. disentangle from its leadership role as opposed to forcefully asserting itself once again, and allowing a rising China and Russia to go unchecked.

However, Vice President Pence gave a commanding and reassuring speech that this is not the case. The vice president noted that America will continue to defend the world order-- to stand with our NATO allies, to counter illicit behavior from Iran and other rogue states, and to defend and protect the state of Israel.

Not surprisingly, the American and European press remained skeptical of the administration's commitment to the Alliance. However, one only needs to look not only at the strong words coming from Vice President Pence, but of the actions of the new administration. Within the first month of new administration, President Trump has dispatched his vice president, secretary of state, secretary of defense and secretary of homeland security to Europe's shores. This is unprecedented and underreported.

The world that felt a vacuum of leadership under President Barack Obama now worries that the vacuum is turning into a black hole. For those countries who share our ideals, I cannot blame them for their skepticism after the past eight years. NATO has been an unshakable bloc for decades, and the erosion of the confidence in this institution did not stem from President Trump's demands that our European allies pay their fair share, but rather the realization that America would let Crimea fall, that America would shrug off red lines, that America would not counter inappropriate behavior in the South China Sea.

The question lingering from the Munich Security Conference remains: Who will actually lead the free world? And are we indeed entering a post WWII/Western order? The world feels chaotic because it is.

As we enter a technological revolution that is bringing many revolutionary advancements, it will also end many jobs that currently exist. It's no surprise that in this uneasy time of major adjustment, people around the world feel insecure and want to retreat. For young people who are now in college, we have been at war for most of their adult lives, and our country is weary of continued threats, and perhaps weary of leading.

America's arms are heavy, our hearts are uncertain and our faith at times shaken in our political system. We can lead the fight -- but our allies need to hold up our arms by committing to NATO with the intensity in which we have committed.

The vice president (and the president's senior Cabinet members) made this point clear, despite the snark from many in the American media. The world is in a pivotal transition, one that President Obama saw as an opportunity for America to step back instead of stepping up.

In Munich, Vice President Pence has made clear that America will lead again, but we will do so with our allies fully committed.
A teenage Syrian refugee accused of plotting to commit "a serious act of violence threatening state security" on behalf of the Islamic State found himself on trial Monday in Cologne, Germany.

The 16-year-old refugee was arrested in September after members from a local mosque and those connected with the asylum shelter in which he had been living reported him to the authorities. The police deemed the teen to be a "serious threat" after they discovered he had been in touch with jihadists via his cell phone and had shown a willingness to act violently on their behalf, according to a report from Agence France-Presse (AFP).

The refugee's messages revealed that the radicals had given the teenager "concrete instructions" for how to build and operate a bomb, the prosecutors found.

The refugee's messages revealed that the radicals had given the teenager "concrete instructions" for how to build and operate a bomb, the prosecutors found. In addition, officials recovered a battery pack, butane gas cartridges, 70 sewing needles and other items used in manufacturing bombs where the refugee lived inside the shelter, DPA national news agency reported.

The teen's trial, which began Monday, is expected to last until March 20 "behind closed doors," due to his status as a minor. Should he be convicted, the teen would face a five-year-maximum detention, also due to his status as a minor.

The accused Syrian refugee arrived in Germany with his family in 2015. Nearly 900,000 other migrants took advantage of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's "open door" asylum policy that year. The influx of unassimilated Muslim migrants has caused a significant uptick in German sexual assaults and incidents of terrorism.

The deadliest attack Germany suffered following the massive influx of refugees occurred in December when a radicalized truck driver rampaged through a Berlin Christmas market and killed 12 people while wounding 48 others.

Nevertheless, Merkel has obstinately stuck with her "open door" refugee policy and ignored President Donald Trump's warnings of importing terror threats through improperly vetted refugees and immigrants.

"We have a responsibility. The European Union has a responsibility to bear, accepting those refugees," Merkel said during a speech at the Munich Security Conference Saturday. "Just think, Cyprus, after all, is a neighboring state to Syria, so you see the external borders of the Union are the borders that separate us from those areas where people amass in great numbers ... [W]e cannot simply say it's got nothing to do with us; we have to deal with this issue."
The Star-Spangled Banner looked more starry than usual during one of U.S. Vice President Mike Pence's appearances in Brussels.

A background picture of the American flag that went up alongside the European Union flag as Pence and EU leader Donald Tusk spoke on Monday had 51 stars instead of the usual 50, one for each state.

The Brussels version of the flag had three rows of nine stars and three rows with eight stars each. American flags typically feature a total of nine alternating rows of five or six stars

The EU flag featuring 12 stars in a circle against a blue background was configured correctly. And the American flag had the right number of stripes  13.

The EU Council did not immediately respond when asked about the error with the misplaced star-state.
Filmmaker Ami Horowitz defended his investigation of refugees in Sweden Monday night amid a blacklash after President Donald Trump cited his work during a campaign speech over the weekend.

"Between 2012 and 2016 the murder rate [in Sweden] is up almost 70 percent," Horowitz told "Tucker Carlson Tonight," citing the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention. "Rape between 2007 and 2015 is up a similar number, almost 70 percent. These are their statistics, not my statistics."

TRUMP MAY HAVE BEEN UNCLEAR, BUT SWEDEN EXPERIENCING A MIGRANT CRIME WAVE

At the Florida event Saturday, Trump said Sweden "took in large numbers" of refugees and was "having problems like they never thought possible." Trump later specified on Twitter that he was referring to Carlson's original segment with Horowitz, which aired Friday night.

Trump's remarks, which implied that a terror attack had hit Sweden Friday night, was roundly criticized by Swedish officials and mainstream media outlets. A pair of policemen Horowitz interviewed for his film also took issue, with one referring to him as a "madman."

"Can you imagine the amount of pressure that must be on them from their bosses because of this maelstrom that theyve kind of found themselves in?" Horowitz asked. "Theyre the ones who discussed [how] they didnt want to be considered racist. Theyre the ones who used the words no-go zones in describing these Islamic enclaves [in Swedish cities], not me."

Horowitz also denied he had deceived the policemen with a general discussion of crime in Sweden rather than crimes committed by refugees and migrants.

"Ive never had a subject claim, and certainly not prove, that I ever misled them or ever doctored the footage," Horowitz said. "Its never happened before. So, my record stands for itself, and what you saw on that video clear as day stands for itself."
Mexicos arms imports grew by 184% from 2012 to 2016 compared to the previous five-year period, according to a new report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). This makes Mexico the second-largest importer of weapons in Latin America after Venezuela, and ahead of Brazil, Colombia and Chile, which have all reduced their military spending.

A combat vehicle at a 2015 military parade in Mexico. Yuri Cortez (AFP/Getty Images)

More information Mexico triplica sus compras de armamento en cinco anos

The United States supplied 56% of all military material imported by Mexico during the period cited by the SIPRI, which used production costs rather than real sale prices to establish its figures.

This significant spike in arms imports by Mexico reflects the militarized response to the drug cartels, says Aude Fleurant, a SIPRI analyst who specializes in Latin American affairs.

After more than a decade at war with the cartels, the value of acquired and donated military equipment reached annual peaks in the last two years.

Until now, Mexico has received vast amounts of military aid from the United States, but nobody knows what will happen with those donations from now on, notes Fleurant, alluding to the new US administration and its markedly hostile rhetoric toward Mexico.

In 2015, Mexico bought defense material from Spain worth more than $148.5 million

The Bank of Mexico has already reduced the countrys growth forecast for 2017 to somewhere between 1.5% and 2.5% following the election of Donald Trump. Fleurant says that the next Mexican government will have to choose between stimulating its economy or accepting the high costs of security.

Mexico purchased more helicopters, all-terrain vehicles and armored combat vehicles, which Fleurant describes as the type of equipment that is imported to carry out counterinsurgency measures.

In 2015, Mexico bought defense material from Spain worth more than $148.5 million.

However, this increase in imports did not match an equivalent growth in overall military spending. According to SIPRI, in 2015 Mexico spent 0.7% of GDP on defense, a 0.2% rise from 2010.

Meanwhile, total arms imports by other countries in the Americas decreased by 18% between 2012 and 2016. Venezuela, Brazil and Colombia reduced their own expenditures due to the fall in oil prices and financial problems, says Fleurant.

Bolivia and Peru were the only South American nations to increase their imports. Venezuela still tops the import charts despite a recent slowdown of 17%, due to its economy collapsing. Russia was Venezuelas main arms supplier.

Colombia reduced its arms imports by 19%, partly due to the peace process with FARC, says Fleurant, adding that the biggest drops in military imports were in Chile (80%) and Uruguay (82%).

English version by Susana Urra.
The new head of the EPA set a decidedly more pro-business tone for the agency Tuesday during his first remarks to rank-and-file employees, promoting a balance between protecting the environment and the economy -- and warning officials to "avoid" regulatory "abuses."

We as an agency and we as a nation can be both pro-energy and jobs and we can be pro-environment, and we dont have to choose between the two, newly confirmed Administrator Scott Pruitt told a group of Environmental Protection Agency employees.

Pruitts address follows a heated confirmation process where more than 800 former and current staff members actively campaigned against him. Pruitt, as Oklahoma's attorney general, fought the EPA in court and accused the agency of routinely over-regulating businesses. He vowed that as the agency's new leader, he would work to scale back its authority.

Regulations ought to make things regular. Regulators exist to give certainty to those that they regulate. Those that we regulate ought to know whats expected of them, so that they can plan and allocate resources to comply, he told the crowd.

Tensions with staff, however, could remain high as Pruitt takes over.

In addition to the letter signed by hundreds of employees asking senators to pull their support of Pruitt, more than two-dozen current EPA staff joined a protest set up by the Sierra Club in Chicago against him. The strong internal opposition could mean a standoff down the line between career EPA employees and the man leading them.

Pruitt was narrowly confirmed to head up the agency last week after a lengthy floor debate in the Senate. Democrats blasted him for vowing to roll back Obama-era environmental regulations as well as his past statements challenging the science behind climate change. Republicans countered that Pruitt was the right man to scale back the size and reach of the EPA.

In an exclusive interview with Fox News, Pruitt pushed back on claims that the Trump administrations EPA agenda is anti-environment. Instead, he noted the agency has strayed from its mission to administer environmental law passed by Congress into an unaccountable federal bureaucracy.

Often times in rule making regulators have just changed rules midstream, Pruitt told Fox. Small businesses and otherwise, they will tell you the greatest impediment they had is regulatory uncertainty.

Slapping restraints on the EPA could come sooner rather than later.

On Tuesday, The Washington Post reported that President Trump could head to EPA headquarters this week to sign a pair of executive orders.

One order would instruct the Department of the Interior to lift a ban on new coal mining leases on federal land and instruct the EPA to rewrite a 2015 regulation that limits greenhouse-gas emissions from existing electric utilities.

The second order reportedly would instruct the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers to make significant changes to the Waters of the United States rule which gives the federal government authority over rivers, streams and wetlands. The regulation, issued under the 1972 Clean Water Act, applies to 60 percent of the water bodies in the United States.

As Oklahomas attorney general, Pruitt was party to lawsuits for both the Clean Power Plan and the Waters of the United States rule. In all, Pruitt sued the EPA 14 times before becoming its administrator.

Pruitt faced additional questions during the confirmation process that extended beyond his history fighting the agency.

On the eve of his confirmation vote, Pruitt was ordered by an Oklahoma judge to hand over thousands of emails between his office and fossil fuel companies like Koch Industries and the National Coal Council to the Center for Media and Democracy, which requested the collection of emails in 2014.

Pruitt and the Oklahoma attorney generals office are accused of ignoring multiple open records requests. Oklahoma County District Judge Aletia Haynes Timmons said there was an abject failure to provide prompt and reasonable access to documents requested.

So far, only 411 of the more than 3,000 emails CMD requested have been handed over. The 411 were turned over last week. The open records request was made two years ago.

Despite being ordered to turn over the emails, Pruitt and his former office can withhold those they deem exempt under the states records law.

Fox News' Doug McKelway contributed to this report.
A group of nearly 100 prominent Iranian dissidents is demanding that Congress launch investigations into clandestine efforts by the Islamic Republic to influence U.S. policy using a network of lobbyists and propaganda pieces placed in Voice of America's Persian service, according to a letter sent to leading lawmakers and obtained by the Washington Free Beacon.

The group of dissidents, composed of prominent Iranian voices that oppose the hardline regime in Tehran, says that Congress is not doing enough to expose the Iranian regime's lobbying efforts in D.C. and propaganda network, which is said to include some at VOA Persia.

Iranian-American groups claiming to represent American interests are said to be carrying water for the Islamic regime inside the White House and on Capitol Hill, according to these dissident voices.

The letter cites VOA's Persian service as a source of pro-Iran corruption. The Free Beacon has reported multiple times on claims that VOA has been infiltrated by Iran regime loyalists who seek to spin coverage in a favorable way for Tehran. In one instance, an Iranian dissident was barred from appearing on VOA Persia for voicing critical opinions about the regime.

Click for more from The Washington Free Beacon.
Ivanka Trump took to Twitter to call for religious tolerance following the latest wave of bomb threats that were made against 11 Jewish community centers Monday.

America is a nation built on the principle of religious tolerance. We must protect our house of worship & religious centers. #JCC, Trump tweeted.

America is a nation built on the principle of religious tolerance. We must protect our houses of worship & religious centers. #JCC  Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) February 20, 2017

Trump converted to Judaism before marrying her husband Jared Kushner, who is Orthodox, according to the New York Times.

White House deputy press secretary Lindsay Walters further explained Trumps message.

Hatred and hate-motivated violence of any kind have no place in a country founded on the promise of individual freedom, Walters said in a statement. The president has made it abundantly clear that these actions are unacceptable.

The FBI was investigating the threats placed against centers in New Mexico, Alabama, New York, Illinois, Ohio, Texas, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Minnesota, Florida and Oklahoma. The threats were deemed hoaxes, but the centers were evacuated as a precaution, the Times reported.

While we are relieved that all such threats have proven to be hoaxes and that not a single person was harmed, we are concerned about the anti-Semitism behind these threats, and the repetition of threats intended to interfere with day-to-day life, David Posner, director of strategic performance at JCC Association of North America, said in a statement.

President Trump had yet to comment on the threats as of early Tuesday. He received some criticism last week after calling a Jewish magazine reporters question about anti-Semitism insulting and responding that he was the least anti-Semitic person in the world.

Meanwhile, in Missouri, dozens of headstones were damaged at a Jewish cemetery near St. Louis.

University City police did not say whether the vandalism at Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery is a hate crime, but its believed that some organization was behind the crime and it was not a one individual.

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John McCain is back in his customary role, the maverick adored by the media.

Mr. McCain has emerged as an outspoken defender of longstanding Republican verities on foreign policy and as one of his partys most biting critics of the new commander in chief, says the New York Times.

A Washington Post piece is headlined John McCain Just Systematically Dismantled Donald Trumps Entire Worldview.

And there is little doubt that the Arizona senator views himself as standing up for Republican principles against a president he opposed. But make no mistake, this is personal.

McCain walked it back a bit yesterday after having told Meet the Press that without a free and adversarial press, I am afraid that we would lose so much of our individual liberties over time. That's how dictators get started."

The statement from his office said: "Let's be clear: Senator McCain was not comparing anyone to a dictator. He was stating a fact that throughout history, a free press has been essential to holding governments accountable to the people.

True, McCain only implied that Trump might be headed down the road toward dictatorship.

McCains hawkish views on foreign policy, and staunch backing for the Iraq war, set him apart from Trump, who is critical of that war and believes the U.S. has been too quick to resort to military intervention around the world.

Their relationship got off to a bad start during the primaries, when Trump took a shot at McCains years in a North Vietnam prison camp: I like people that werent captured. The media went wild over Trumps comment, made in reaction to McCain saying that his immigration stance was attracting crazies.

At a conference in Germany late last week, McCain said Europeans would be alarmed by the hardening resentment we see towards immigrants and refugees and minority groups, especially Muslims. He also noted a growing unwillingness to separate truth from lies and that more and more of our fellow citizens seem to be flirting with authoritarianism.

The president, for his part, hit back at McCain on Twitter, saying, Hes been losing so long he doesnt know how to win anymore.

McCain skipped the Republican convention, avoided talking about Trump and withdrew even his nominal support after the Access Hollywood tape surfaced.

I first got to know McCain during the 2000 primaries, spending endless hours on his Straight Talk Express bus. Since he had no money, the senator would talk to reporters all day long and wound up winning New Hampshire before losing to George W. Bush.

McCain continued to get good press during the Bush administration because he was a maverick taking on his own party. And he got sympathetic coverage during the 2008 primariesthat is, after the pundits wrote him off when his campaign nearly collapsed the previous year.

But when McCain was taking on Barack Obama, the coverage turned far more negative, since he wasn't viewed as a maverick against the countrys first potential black president. McCain limited press access, just like a conventional candidate. And his opposition to Obamas foreign policy didnt yield warm reviews from a press corps he had once jokingly called his base.

Could the recent surge of media interest in McCain have something to do with the journalistic opposition to Trump? Well, hes on the cover of New York magazine, the same publication that in its preelection issue branded Trump a LOSER.

I dont see a rapprochement any time soon. Trump has made clear he wont be dissuaded by critics in his own party. McCain is 80, newly reelected and has nothing to lose. And their clashes could help shape the direction of the next four years.
A federal judge ruled Tuesday that Texas can't cut off Medicaid dollars to Planned Parenthood over secretly recorded videos taken by anti-abortion activists in 2015 that launched Republican efforts across the U.S. to defund the nation's largest abortion provider.



An injunction issued by U.S. District Sam Sparks of Austin comes after he delayed making decision in January and essentially bought Planned Parenthood an extra month in the state's Medicaid program.



Texas is now at least the sixth state where federal courts have kept Planned Parenthood eligible for Medicaid reimbursements for non-abortion services, although a bigger question remains over whether President Donald Trump will federally defund the organization.



Sparks' decision preserves what Planned Parenthood says are cancer screenings, birth control access and other health services for nearly 11,000 low-income women. Texas originally intended to boot Planned Parenthood in January but Sparks told the state to wait pending his ruling.



Arkansas, Alabama, Kansas, Mississippi and Louisiana have also had similar efforts blocked.



Like in those states, Texas health officials accused Planned Parenthood officials of making misrepresentation to investigators following the release of secretly recorded and heavily edited videos by an anti-abortion group last year. Investigations by 13 states into those videos have concluded without criminal charges, and Planned Parenthood officials have denied any wrongdoing.



A Houston grand jury indicted two activists behind the videos over how they covertly gained access inside a Planned Parenthood clinic, but a judge later dismissed the charges.



Planned Parenthood serves only a fraction of the 4.3 million people enrolled in Medicaid in Texas.



Anti-abortion activists emboldened by a new Trump administration are looking for the federal government to cut off all federal funding to Planned Parenthood. That would cut nearly $400 million in Medicaid money to the group and result in roughly 400,000 women losing access to care, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.



In one of his first acts as president, Trump last month banned U.S. funding to international groups that perform abortions or even provide information about abortions. Vice President Mike Pence strongly opposes abortion, citing his Catholic beliefs, and the newly confirmed health secretary, Tom Price, has supported cutting off taxpayer money to Planned Parenthood.
From the Air Force to the Army, America's military service branches are busy preparing ambitious proposals to expand, as President Trump renews his pledge to rebuild a fighting force he says has become "depleted."

"Our country will never have had a military like the military we're about to build and rebuild, Trump said at last weeks press conference. It won't be depleted for long."

The president made rebuilding the military a centerpiece of his campaign, and sent a fresh signal of his intentions with his choice for national security adviser, Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster  who for months has sounded the alarm about the declining state of the U.S. Army.

"We are outranged and outgunned by many potential adversaries ... [and] our army in the future risks being too small to secure the nation," McMaster told a Senate Armed Services subcommittee last April. Trumps decision to tap McMaster brings a vocal advocate for boosting the Armed Forces into his inner circle.

Seeing an opening to address longstanding readiness concerns, the service branches all have proposed plans to expand. For some, they seek a gradual increase. For others, the proposed ramp-up would be steep.

The Air Force wants to expand its forces by 30,000 airmen over the next five-to-six years.

The Army wants to expand by roughly that amount by October, according to a defense official who shared the plan with Fox News but was not authorized to do so.

At the time of McMasters testimony last year, the Army was at its smallest level since before World War II. Earlier this month, the U.S. Armys second highest-ranking officer said just 5 percent of his force could fight tonight. Gen. Daniel Allyn, vice chief of staff of the Army, said while a third of his 58 brigade combat teams could be ready soon, only three could deploy immediately in the event of sudden conflict.

As part of a proposed expansion, the Navy also wants 82 more ships and submarines, a 30 percent increase in the size of the fleet.

Last month, Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Robert Neller said he wants to increase his force by 3,000 Marines.

But increasing the ranks is only part of the plan.

Currently, half of the U.S. Navy F-18 Hornets can't fly, and up to 75 percent of Marine Corps jets are grounded.

Roughly half of Air Force B-1 bombers are grounded awaiting spare parts. For many U.S. military jets flown well past their expected life, the shortage of spare parts comes from manufacturers that long stopped making them, forcing the services to scramble.

Fox News has documented the dire problems facing U.S. military aviation since April, reporting that some Marine Corps and Air Force mechanics have been forced to go to aircraft museums and scrapyards to strip old aircraft for parts.

Earlier this month, the head of U.S. Marine Corps aviation said if he doesnt get more money soon, all of his aircraft will be grounded.

If I dont get more money, Ill stop flying in July or August, said Lt. Gen. Jon Davis, deputy commandant for aviation, according to the Marine Corps Times.

According to the Republican chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Trump's plans could face obstacles at the Pentagon. Late last week, Chairman Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, tweeted: @RealDonaldTrump promise is facing Obama holdovers @DOD who have been fighting against rebuilding & are still undermining agenda.

Many took Thornberrys comment as a shot across the bow directed at the deputy defense secretary, Robert Work, an Obama administration holdover who occupied the same position.

Acting Pentagon Press Secretary Capt. Jeff Davis said Secretary Jim Mattis has the full trust and confidence in Work.

The budget submissions that DOD makes to the president will come from Secretary Mattis, he said. They will reflect his thinking, and his priorities, which are to rebuild combat readiness of America's military, while being faithful stewards of every taxpayer dollar we spend on defense.
Civil rights leaders and groups that have fought for more lenient immigration policies say the Trump administrations new enforcement plans will devastate families and communities and hurt economies across the United States.

On the other hand, those who favor stricter enforcement are lauding President Donald Trump for keeping his campaign promise to crack down on illegal immigration. And some added that they wanted him to go even further in the new guides on border security and interior actions.

Proponents of policies that would give undocumented immigrants a path to legalization of their status said they are not surprised, but disturbed nonetheless, by the sweeping changes expanding the categories of people who will be targeted for deportation and expedited enforcement, among other things. They vowed to fight the changes in court.

These memos confirm that the Trump administration is willing to trample on due process, human decency, the well-being of our communities and even protections for vulnerable children, said Omar Jadwat, director of the American Civil Liberties Union Immigrants Rights Project, in pursuit of a hyper-aggressive mass deportation policy. However, President Trump does not have the last word here  the courts and the public will not allow this un-American dream to become reality.

Advocates are planning rallies and visits to the offices of members of Congress in coming weeks to protest the new immigration orders.

Wendy Feliz, the communications director for the American Immigration Council, said the tougher policies will sow more fear in ethnic communities, already on edge because of Trumps hardline rhetoric about undocumented people. Feliz said his tone and policies alienate even immigrants who are here legally, making them feel unwelcome.

Its punitive, its impractical, its mean-spirited, its inhumane, Feliz told Fox News. Its indiscriminate. It does not distinguish between the jaywalker and the bank robber. Its going to be disruptive, its going to rip parents away from their children and strike fear in many families  many families are mixed-status, undocumented immigrants are married to legal permanent residents and to U.S. citizens.

Rep. Steve King, an Iowa Republican who has been one of Congress most vocal proponents for tough immigration measures, lauded Trump for keeping his promise to address border security and take aim at people who are here illegally.

It's indiscriminate. It does not distinguish between the jaywalker and the bank robber. It's going to be disruptive, it's going to rip parents away from their children, and strike fear in many families.  Wendy Feliz, American Immigration Council

This says that all immigration law breakers are now subject to enforcement of the law, King told Fox News. Weve had decreasing enforcement of immigration law for more than 30 years, since Reagans amnesty.

King said he was surprised and disappointed to see that Trump left intact President Barack Obamas 2012 executive order waiving deportation for immigrants brought to the United States as minors.

King is among a faction of immigration hardliners that wants that protection lifted. Advocates of the order say young undocumented immigrants should be given a break, because they did not have a say in their parents decision to come illegally. Some Republicans also want them to be treated with leniency.

But King said that Trump, who criticized the order as unconstitutional, should not make an exception for them.

Well never be able to pick this ball up again and run with it, he said, If we dont enforce the rule of law now, theres no foreseeable way to restore it.

In Colorado, Larimer County Sheriff Justin Smith said Trumps new policies would allow fair and reasonable enforcement of our immigration laws, not just sparing enforcement.

Until a few years ago, we had consistent enforcement, Smith told Fox News. We knew if we came across immigration law violators, wed contact [immigration authorities]. But over the last several years, it was almost given up on. It had to do with the directives that restricted enforcement priorities.

Smith said some police departments that signed up for federal programs that authorized them to enforce immigration laws stopped participating because they got to be too burdensome.

David Aguilar, who was acting commissioner of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection under the George W. Bush administration, said the guidelines tighten parts of immigration enforcement policies that were not enforced consistently or in a focused fashion.

Aguilar expressed approval of the latitude given to young undocumented immigrants, many of whom have no memory of their parents homeland.

This gave direction about a group that pulls at the heartstrings of many Americans, Aguilar told Fox news. It keeps [Obamas 2012 directive] in place.

The reality is we have black and white laws, Aguilar said. This guidance provides color.
The Supreme Court expressed sympathy Tuesday for the family of a Mexican teenager fatally shot from across the U.S.-Mexico line by a Border Patrol agent, but struggled to reach consensus on whether foreign nationals  like the teens relatives  can sue in American courts.

The divisions were on display during oral arguments for what has become a closely watched case, amid an escalating political debate in Washington over border security. The arguments were held the same day the Department of Homeland Security released new directives on immigration enforcement, and after a lower federal court blocked a separate executive action from President Trump on immigration and refugee restrictions.

Apart from renewed interest in the courts consideration of immigration disputes, the case heard Tuesday also could have implications for other U.S. government actions taken overseas -- including military drone strikes against suspected terrorists, and electronic surveillance over the Internet.

In the current dispute, 15-year-old Sergio Hernandez was just steps from the border on Mexican soil when he was killed in 2010 by Jesus Mesa Jr., an agent standing on the American side in El Paso, Texas.

The federal agent was not prosecuted, and the U.S. refused to extradite him to Mexico. The victim's family says a civil action is now their only recourse for justice.

The issues for the court are whether the officer enjoys immunity from such claims of excessive force, and whether the victim enjoyed limited constitutional protections, even though he was not a U.S. citizen.

During a spirited, 70-minute public session at the high court, the eight justices appeared divided over just what kind of violations by the U.S. government against foreigners merit legal action, and whether courts should even get involved.

"This is one of the most sensitive areas of foreign affairs where the political branches should discuss with Mexico what the solution ought to be," said Justice Anthony Kennedy. "This an urgent matter of separation of powers for us to respect the duty that the principle rule the executive and the legislative have with respect to foreign affairs."

But Justice Sonia Sotomayor wondered, "Why should there not be a civil remedy to ensure that border police are complying with the Constitution?  Wouldn't shooting potshots at Mexican citizens be shocking to the conscience?"

Both sides in the shooting incident offer differing accounts of what happened in June 2010, when Hernandez and three of his friends were spotted hanging around a concrete culvert along the Rio Grande waterway separating the two countries.

Video shot on a phone by a civilian shows the agent shooting Hernandez as the unarmed boy peeked out from behind a railroad trestle, 60 feet away.

Mesa's lawyers and supporters say unreleased surveillance video shows the agent was under threat from rocks being thrown at him, and that he acted appropriately.

While Mesa was never prosecuted, other border agents have been in separate incidents, including Lonnie Swartz for second-degree murder in the 2012 death of a 16-year-old Mexican boy. The agent has pleaded not guilty and his trial is pending.

An outside report commissioned by U.S. Customs and Border Protection faulted the agency for not fully investigating 67 shootings incidents from 2010-2012.

Immigration rights activists in particular have criticized incidents along the often-unmarked border, which Justice Elena Kagan called a "no-man's land"-- where determining what happened and where can prove challenging.

Both sides agree had Hernandez been on U.S. soil at the time of the shooting -- even illegally -- the agent could be sued in civil court.

But Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said the real issue here concerns the actions of the agent himself.

"It's the United States law operating on the United States official who's acting inside the United States," she said. "This case has, as far as the conduct is concerned, United States written all over it. There's nothing about Mexico. The Border Patrol guard doesn't take his orders from Mexico."

But Chief Justice John Roberts repeatedly urged lawyers for Hernandez's family to offer a standard on just when such claims can be pressed, offering a contemporary hypothetical.

"How do you analyze the case of a drone strike in Iraq where the plane is piloted from Nevada?" he asked.

Given the competing arguments at Tuesday's public sessions, the court may find it difficult to articulate a clear standard even for similar cases occurring within shooting distance of the border. A 4-4 tie would not create any precedent, but would stop the Hernandez lawsuit from proceeding.

The family's lawyer said after the arguments that the Trump administration's controversial immigration policies make it imperative the courts step in.

"It intensifies the danger if there is no Constitution when the border agents interact with the folks they are trying to deport," said Robert Hilliard. "There is going to be more of a need to have the executive's conduct reviewed by the judiciary. Right now there is no checks on the executive. There's no separation of powers."

But the attorney for the border agent told Fox News that, if his side loses, public safety could be compromised if agents feared being subjected to lawsuits. "I think it would create a chilling effect for all those protecting our borders and our national security in times of critical incidents on when to act and when to protect themselves in times of peril," Randolph Ortega said.

The case is Hernandez v. Mesa (15-118). A ruling is expected by June.

Trumps nominee to fill the vacancy on the court, Neil Gorsuch, is still awaiting his confirmation hearing in the Senate.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday heard oral arguments in the first case to come before the justices since President Trump took office and one that could prove to be a bellwether for how the nations highest court will rule under the new administration.

The case  Hernandez v. Mesa  centers on the 2010 cross-border shooting of a Mexican teenager by a U.S. Border Patrol agent and the legal battle by the teens parents to sue the border agent in an American court for allegedly violating their son's right.

Besides what was argued in the courtroom on Tuesday, legal scholars say that this case could also be precedent-setting and a preview of how the Supreme Court will approach politically-charged issues like Trumps ban on foreign travelers from seven Muslim-majority nations and his other executive orders on immigration.

This case may prove to be very significant for the administrations immigration policies, Jonathan Turley, a professor of public interest law at The George Washington University Law School, told Fox News.

On a June evening in 2010, Border Patrol Agent Jesus Mesa Jr. shot and killed 15-year-old Sergio Adrian Hernandez Guereca, who was playing with friends in a cement culvert that separates El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.

Hernandezs family argues that their son and his friends were simply playing a game in which they ran down the culvert from the Mexican side and up the American side to touch an 18-foot fence. Mesa and the Justice Department, however, argue that the agent was trying to stop "smugglers attempting an illegal border crossing" and fired his gun after he came under a barrage of rocks.

What actually happened during the incident, however, is not what the Supreme Court will be looking at as U.S. officials chose not to prosecute Mesa, and the Obama administration refused a request to extradite him so he could face criminal charges in Mexico.

Instead the justices must decide whether to uphold the ruling of two lower federal courts that Hernandez was killed by Mesa without any possible legal recourse for his parents or that the border agent can be sued for damages for violating the boy's constitutional rights.

During a spirited 70-minute public session at the high court Tuesday, the eight justices appeared divided over just what kind of violations committed by the U.S. government against foreigners deserve legal action and whether courts should even get involved.

"This is one of the most sensitive areas of foreign affairs where the political branches should discuss with Mexico what the solution ought to be," Justice Anthony Kennedy said. "This an urgent matter of separation of powers for us to respect the duty that the principle rule the executive and the legislative have with respect to foreign affairs."

Whether or not constitutional protections under the Fourth Amendment apply to the Mexican teen is a variation on one of the central issues in the legal battle over Trumps travel ban. A Feb. 9 ruling by a federal appeals court in California held that the ban violates the constitutional rights of people who arent in the country but have a connection to the U.S., such as a visa or a relationship with a U.S. resident.

A key precedent in both cases was set in 2008 when the Supreme Court held that inmates at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, have constitutional rights and can seek release in a federal court. Justice Kennedy wrote the 5-4 majority opinion in the case of Boumediene v. Bush that the global reach of the U.S. Constitution was governed by functional considerations and not formal questions about sovereign borders.

Legal experts say that Hernandez v. Mesa could clear up a number of issues left vague under the 2008 ruling and, in turn, give more clarity to how the Supreme Court will handle Trumps travel ban.

The Kennedy decision in 2008 left a lot of questions, Turley said. The question now is will the court expand on the decision and where will it draw the line?

Besides setting up a legal precedent that could foreshadow how the court will handle the presidents more controversial orders, the case will also be the first indication of how the justices plan to proceed during the Trump administration.

While Trump has been openly critical of federal courts  especially following the appeals court ruling in February  most observers say that the Supreme Court will use Hernandez v. Mesa to show continuity, rather than change, from one administration to the next and to assert its independence from the other branches of government.

The Supreme Court could begin to view itself as a counterweight to the political situation, Stephen Griffin, a professor of constitutional law at Tulane University, told Fox News. Theyll want to show that they arent a product of politics.

Adding to the intrigue of the case is the empty seat left following the death Justice Antonin Scalia and Trumps decision to nominate federal appellate judge Neil Gorsuch to fill the position and how he would rule in cases related to immigration.

The Gorsuch hearings are a moment for everyone to slow down and decide what the role of the court is, Griffin said. Trumps immigration ban has raised new issues that didnt exist when Scalia was alive.

A ruling in Hernandez v. Mesa is expected by June. Gorsuch is not participating in this petition.
White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer held his daily press briefing Tuesday, and covered the new immigration crackdown by the administration and rising anti-Semitism in the United States.



Follow FoxNews.com's live blog for details as it played out.
For a 10-minute period on Tuesday, Barcelona saw the worst police chase that the authorities can remember. It started when a 32-year-old man took advantage of a momentary lapse by a delivery driver, stealing his truck loaded with butane gas canisters and driving it erratically for three kilometers through the heart of the city, in one of the Catalan capitals busiest tourist areas.

The driver of the truck on the right was arrested after giving chase. Carles Ribas

Police officers were eventually forced to fire their weapons at the man in a bid to make him stop, and finally managed to do so when he was headed the wrong way up the access ramp onto the Ronda Litoral freeway. As for the motive, there is no reasonable evidence that the theft was an attempted terrorist attack, according to a regional police chief in Barcelona, Joan Carles Molinero.

The man, who is Swedish, gave no explanation to officers for his actions.

But on Wednesday it emerged that the man had spent 20,000 on alcohol, drugs and prostitutes the night before the incident, according to police sources. The binge was in the company of other Swedes who he had met in the city. The man had arrived in Barcelona on February 20, and had his hotel room pre-paid. But he never ended up sleeping there, given that he was out on the town on Monday night, and then on Tuesday morning ended up in police custody after stealing the vehicle.

At no time did the police get the sensation that the truck was aiming for anyone Police chief Joan Carles Molinero

The suspect, whose initials are J. R. B., had smashed the truck into a number of other vehicles during the chase, but was able to exit the truck unharmed. Three officers were needed to bring the man under control. He actively resisted arrest, Molinero explained.

The authorities are currently trying to find out if there is any information about the suspect outside of Spain.

J. R. B. is currently being held in the psychiatric ward as the Hospital del Mar, and police have been unable to interview him on doctors orders. When arrested, the man was "in an altered state, which makes us think this is an unstable person," the regional interior chief, Jordi Jane, explained in a press conference on Wednesday morning.

Shots were fired on seven occasions in a bid to make the man stop. The bullets ended up in the vehicles gas tank, tires and windscreen. The man, who was not armed, escaped injury, but was later taken to hospital for a physical and psychological examination.

We should point out just how dangerous this was for the city of Barcelona, explained Molinero, with a speeding truck loaded with flammable material.

One woman was slightly injured after being struck by one of the tanks

The chase began at 10.30am, when the police saw the vehicle traveling at high speed through the Parallel avenue, shedding its load of butane gas canisters along the way. Two officers attempted to intercept the truck at that point.

One of the policemen, who was traveling on a motorbike, managed to overtake him, and, wielding his service weapon, ordered him to stop. But the driver continued, passing by the Puerto de Barcelona, in Moll de la Fusta, a popular area for tourists.

The police then shot at the vehicles tires, but were still unable to stop it. As the truck collided with traffic-calming measures along the route, yet more canisters fell from the truck. One woman was slightly injured after being struck by one of the tanks.

When the vehicle got to Pau Vila square, a group of six regional police officers tried to intercept, but also failed. A number of people were on a pedestrian crossing at that point, and had to jump out of the way to avoid being run over. At no time did the police get the sensation that the truck was aiming for anyone, Molinero explained.

The truck then headed the wrong direction up Doctor Aiguader avenue, with other drivers having to dodge out of the way to avoid a collision. The vehicle did, however, end up crashing into several cars. Along the route, around half of the 90 gas canisters ended up on the street. The police managed to recover them all.

In total, three people were left with light injuries: a police officer and two passers-by.

The area where the truck finally came to rest, on the freeway access ramp, soon attracted plenty of curious onlookers, who were keen to catch a glimpse of the bullet holes in the trucks windscreen.

English version by Simon Hunter.
The top of a limestone column discovered in the Western Galilee may pinpoint the location of the ancient village of Peqiin, where the Galilean sages hid in a cave from the Romans 1,800 years ago, Israeli antiquities experts say.

The stone, found upside-down during a renovation and conservation project, is engraved with two Hebrew inscriptions that experts believe were written to honor donors to the ancient synagogue that once stood there.

The Talmudic and Midrashic sources tell of the Galilean sages that lived in Peqiin, including Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, who hid from the Romans in a cave, said Yoav Lerer of the Israel Antiquities Authority, in a press release.

3,000-YEAR-OLD ROYAL TOMB DISCOVERED IN EGYPT

However, there are those who disagree with the identification of the location of Peqiin.

I believe that these inscriptions will add an important tier to our knowledge about the Jewish settlement in the village of Peqiin during the Roman and Byzantine periods.

The column was discovered amid the rehabilitation and conservation of the ancient synagogue and a visitor center at Peqiin and nearby Beit Zinati. The visitor center will tell the 2-millennia-long history of the Jews in the area, as well as the story of the villages oldest Jewish family, the Zinatis, one of whose descendants, Margalit Zinati, still lives in the house next door to the synagogue.

"Peqiin is one of the most significant sites in the Galilee, and is a place where there has always been a Jewish presence, said Zeev Elkin, minister of Jerusalem Affairs and Heritage, in the statement. It is a great honor for me that during my tenure in office such an important discovery has been made that tells this 2,000-year-old story of the Land of Israel.

12th DEAD SEA SCROLLS CAVE DISCOVERED IN ISRAEL

This is a historical discovery of unparalleled importance, said Uriel Rosenboym, director of Beit Zinati.

No one can argue with the written artifact. There was an ancient synagogue here, and the synagogue was built in its current form in recent centuries.
A half-eaten shark that washed up on a Florida beach Saturday raised questions about a bigger fish possibly lurking in the water.

A Volusia County Beach Safety Ocean Rescue lifeguard snapped a photo of the shark on New Smyrna Beach. Beach Safety spokeswoman Tammy Morris told News 4 Jax that the shark was definitely eaten by a bigger fish. She added that the shark was either a blacktip or spinner shark.

A 14-foot great white shark named Katherine was spotted off the Florida coast in January. Another great white shark was spotted in the waters on Feb. 1, Florida wildlife officials said.

Morris said half-eaten sharks do not wash up on the beach often, but she has seen it before.

Officials said the shark might have been about 5-feet long, according to Fox 13 News.
Icy, harsh and uninhabitable  looking at Enceladus, a moon of Saturn, this may be your initial expectation from the cosmic satellite. But take a closer look at this view from NASA's Cassini spacecraft and you might be surprised.

"Over the course of the Cassini mission, observations have shown that Enceladus (313 miles across) not only has watery jets sending icy grains into space; under its icy crust it also has a global ocean, and may have hydrothermal activity as well," NASA officals wrote in an image description. "Since scientists believe liquid water is a key ingredient for life, the implications for future missions searching for life elsewhere in our solar system could be significant."

The Cassini spacecraft used its narrow-angle camera and a green filter to snap this image of the Saturn-facing hemisphere of Enceladus on Nov. 27, 2016 (NASA released the image on Feb. 6 of this year). The spacecraft was more than 80,000 miles from Enceladus at the time,a according to the NASA description.

Cassini's mission began in 1997 and will come to a triumphant and beneficial end in 2017 after 20 years of collecting data from around the Milky Way.

Cassini is managed by JPL-Caltech and is a cooperative venture of NASA, ESA (the European Space Agency) and the Italian Space Agency.

Originally posted on Space.com.
Lemurs are in trouble. In 2012, the International Union for Conservation of Nature listed the Madagascar natives as the most endangered mammals on the planet. But a team of researchers have developed a system called LemurFaceID, which uses facial-recognition software to spot lemurs in their natural habitat.

"The original inspiration for developing LemurFaceID was a desire to develop a noninvasive tool that would help us ID and track lemurs," Stacey Tecot, University of Arizona assistant professor and senior researcher of the project, told Digital Trends.

To minimize invasiveness, Tecot and her colleague, George Washington University's Rachel Jacobs, decided not to capture or tag their subjects, but soon found that such a hands-off approach made collecting sufficient datasets difficult. "I'd explored using dye via a gentle water gun, but didn't get very far with that," Tecot said. "Another researcher had used photographs but I didn't have the resources for a good camera, and my photos weren't useful."

Jacobs, on the other hand, managed some success using photographs to double-check her team's visual assessments. "Because of that success, automating lemur identification seemed possible, and we began to explore the different biometric tools out there. We kept coming back to facial recognition. Connected with Anil Jain and his students gave us the confidence that this could work."

Along with his students, Jain, who teaches biometrics at Michigan State University, used hundreds of lemur photos that were captured by Tecot, Jacob, and their team, feeding the images into facial-recognition software until the system was able to identify the 80 individual red-bellied lemurs depicted in the images.

"We hope the system will help inform the study and conservation of lemurs in several ways," Tecot said.

First, the system may be used to train researchers, assistants, and technicians who are new to studying lemurs. "It's not a replacement for learning IDs for long-term research," Tecot said, "but it can be a good check that a lemur is actually who we think it is during data collection."

Second, LemurFaceID can help keep track of populations, much like a census, by spotting individuals new to the group or identify lemurs that have been trafficked for sale elsewhere. "Part of conservation is determining population viability and status," she added. "We plan to test this system in the future alongside traditional census methods, and reassess the conservation status of the species."

Finally, the system may even be used to engage the public in conservation efforts by making the lemurs that much more relatable. "Tourist guides and visitors to the park  could have a more personal connection with the lemurs, and the park and wildlife more generally, by either contributing to the database and helping us keep track of the population, or snapping a photo and learning more about the individuals," Tecot said.

The researchers have published a paper detailing their work in the journal BioMed Central Zoology.
Uber hired former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to lead its review of a sexual harassment claim made by a female former engineer at the company who claims her career prospects suffered after she complained about advances from a manager.

Holder will investigate claims made by the woman and look at questions surrounding diversity and inclusion at the company, CEO Travis Kalanick told his employees in a memo on Monday, Reuters reported.

Holder will be joined by Tammy Albarran, a fellow partner at the Los-Angeles-based Covington & Burling law firm.

Holder worked for Airbnb last year to help create an anti-discrimination policy. The company had received complaints of discrimination based on race, gender and sexual orientation, Reuters reported.

Kalanick said in the memo that a few of the company's female staff will assist in the review, including boardmember Arianna Huffington.

The harassment claims came to light Sunday when Susan Fowler Rigetti published a blog post titled Reflecting on one very, very, strange year at Uber.

She said in the post that she joined Uber as a site reliability engineer in November 2015 in San Francisco. On her first official day with the ride-sharing app, Rigetti says her boss propositioned her in a string of messages on the company chat. As it was clearly out of line, she took screen shots of the remarks and contacted the firms human resources department.

When I reported the situation, I was told by both HR and upper management that even though this was clearly sexual harassment and he was propositioning me, it was this man's first offense, and that they wouldn't feel comfortable giving him anything other than a warning and a stern talking-to, she wrote. Upper management told me that he was a high performer (i.e. had stellar performance reviews from his superiors) and they wouldn't feel comfortable punishing him for what was probably just an innocent mistake on his part.

The manager is not named in the blog post.

Rigetti said that she left the team. But she said as she tried to progress in Uber, she found her way blocked. She alleged that sexism was rampant in the company, and that when she pointed that out at a company meeting, she was rebuffed.

Kalanick responded quickly to the claims. What's described here is abhorrent & against everything we believe in, he tweeted Sunday. Anyone who behaves this way or thinks this is OK will be fired.

Rigetti left Uber in December, according to her blog post.

The engineers blog post also describes a bizarre alleged incident involving leather jackets. She said the director of engineering ordered leather jackets for the site's reliability engineers, but later decided it would only give the jackets to male engineers because there were too few women in the company to qualify for a bulk purchase discount.

"The director replied back, saying that if we women really wanted equality, then we should realize we were getting equality by not getting the leather jackets," she wrote. "He said that because there were so many men in the org, they had gotten a significant discount on the men's jackets but not on the women's jackets, and it wouldn't be equal or fair, he argued, to give the women leather jackets that cost a little more."

Fowlers post sparked backlash against Uber with the social movement #DeleteUber, which called for users to delete the app off of their mobile devices.

Uber faced backlash last month after Uber allegedly turned on its surge pricing feature during the chaos at John F. Kennedy Airport involving President Trumps travel ban.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Click for more from Reuters.

Ryan Gaydos is a news editor for Fox News. Follow Ryan on Twitter @Gaydosland.
A Walmart cashiers act of kindness when she paid half the grocery bill for a family of five has gone viral on Facebook.

According to a People magazine article, Ashley Jordan, a 27-year-old South Carolina mother of 3, usually visits the big box retailer every two weeks to shop for her young family. On her most recent and otherwise unmemorable visit to a Columbia, S.C. store, everything changed when she went to cash out at cashier Sharnique Dasants checkout lane.

BEYONCE'S INSTAGRAM PREGNANCY PHOTO SETS RECORD WITH MILLIONS OF 'LIKES'

Jordan had her husband and youngest child in tow at the time. She wrote on Facebook that after Dasant told them the total and Jordan was searching through her wallet, She gave me a smile and said you guys look like you need a blessing tonight, wrote Jordan. This sweet woman whom I never met in my life paid for half of my groceries!

After Dasant used her own credit card to pay $100 toward the familys bill, a delighted Jordan asked if she could take a photo together and post it to Facebook. Jordan's photo and the accompanying story currently have more than 29,000 likes and 7,000 shares.

INCREDIBLE PHOTO SHOWS SHARK LURKING BENEATH YOUNG SURFER

In an interview with local station WLTX19, Dasant said God prompted her to help the family out. "I just had like a little man on my shoulder that was like, Give her a $100 dollars, give her $100 dollars," she said. "And I was like, give her $100 dollars? Like, Im talking to myself like, Give her 100 dollars,'" according to People magazine.

When reached via email, Walmarts director of national media relations Ragan Dickens, told Fox News, Our associates are the true backbone of our company. This random act of kindness is but one example of the good people that make up the Walmart family.
Six teenagers were hospitalized Monday after falling through ice into an off-limits pond in New York's Central Park.

The New York Post reported that the incident happened just before 6 p.m. at the southern end of the park near Fifth Avenue and 59th Street. A nearby sign said, "Danger Thin Ice Keep Off."

Witness Maia Ramirez told the Post that the teens were trying to take a group selfie when the ice gave way, plunging them into the freezing water.

Some were like, No its dangerous and [others] were like, No, lets [walk on the ice],'" Ramirez, who's visiting from Paraguay, told the paper. "So after that they all got on together and said, Lets take a selfie. But when they all went together, it broke and they all went down."

Police and fire rescue units, including divers, responded and pulled the teenagers out of the water. Two good Samaritans also helped pull the teens out of the freezing water.

"I think after tonight we can reinforce to the people that playing on ice is not a good idea, FDNY Deputy Chief John Scof told reporters. [The teens] are all okay. They are suffering from some mild hypothermia."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Click for more from The New York Post.
Rescuers chest-deep in water steered boats full of people, some with babies and pets, on Tuesday from a San Jose neighborhood inundated by water from an overflowing creek.

At least 225 residents were taken to dry land and rinsed with soap and water to prevent them from being sickened by floodwaters that had traveled through engine fuel, garbage, debris and over sewer lines, San Jose Fire Capt. Mitch Matlow said.

Residents went door-to-door searching for people who needed to leave the neighborhood and only residents who could prove they had been cleaned of the floodwaters were allowed to board buses to shelters.

"This is like once-in-a-lifetime," said Bobby Lee, 15, of the water around him.

He was rescued with his brother and parents, who took clothes, electronics and some photos from their home in a neighborhood that ended up littered with submerged cars.

Earlier Tuesday, firefighters rescued five people stranded by flooding at a homeless camp along the same creek in San Jose.

Firefighters went door-to-door to tell residents to get out of their homes because the city does not have sirens or another emergency warning system, San Jose spokesman David Vossbrink said.

The rains were the latest produced by a series of storms generated by so-called atmospheric rivers that dump massive quantities of Pacific Ocean water on California after carrying it aloft from as far away as Hawaii.

The latest downpours swelled waterways to flood levels and left about half the state under flood, wind and snow advisories.

In another area of San Jose, the fire department was called to Coyote Creek amid reports of as many as 40 people being stranded at a homeless encampment.

That number turned out to be inaccurate and five people were located and rescued, fire Capt. Mitch Matlow said.

Their condition was not immediately available.

In the Sierra Nevada mountain range, part of Highway 50, one of the main routes to Lake Tahoe, was in danger of collapsing after a roadway shoulder gave way following heavy storms, leaving a gaping hole about 40 feet long and 17 feet wide, Caltrans engineer Jarrett Woodruff said.

Crews opened one lane open Tuesday as Caltrans workers tried to fix the road failure after numerous mudslides blocked it for days at a time in recent weeks.

Heavy storms over the last two weeks caused parts of the shoulder and part of one lane on the four-lane highway give way.

In the San Joaquin Valley in California's agricultural heartland, farmers used their tractors and other heavy equipment to help shore up an endangered levee along the San Joaquin River.

Some farmers took their tractors and other equipment to the levee to help shore it up, arriving to fill a big breach within half an hour of noticing the break, said alfalfa farmer Tony Coit.

"The farmers ran it like a boss," he said, using soil from the levee itself to fill in the 30-foot-wide break until they could truck in large rocks for more substantial repairs.

The water level rose at Lake Oroville for the first time since authorities ordered an emergency evacuation of 188,000 people more than a week ago after a damaged spillway caused major flooding concerns.

The rains have saturated the once-drought stricken region and wreaked havoc for residents hit hard by the storms. At least four people have died in the storms throughout the state in the last week.

A motorist in Northern California was swept into a creek Saturday during another in the series of storms and drowned inside her car, the Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday.

Witnesses had seen the woman driving around signs blocking the road near Orland, Undersheriff Todd James of the Glenn County Sheriff's Office told the newspaper.

The current storm system began to weaken Tuesday after dumping more than a half-inch of rain in the San Joaquin Valley, over an inch in San Francisco, and more than 5 inches in the mountains above Big Sur over the previous 24 hours, the National Weather Service reported.

Dry weather was expected to return to the region on Wednesday.
California police Tuesday were mourning a cop hailed as one of the best of the best following his death in a shootout involving a 26-year-old gang member with a history of serious offenses.

"All of us have been grieving," Whittier Police Chief Jeff Piper told reporters after Mondays incident that killed Officer Keith Lane Boyer. "And I didn't think I had any tears left."

Piper, who described Boyer as his friend of more than 25 years, said the officer had played the drums in an off-duty band with him at charity events. A divorced father of two, Boyer joined the police department as a dispatcher and jailer in 1989 and became a full-time officer in 1990. Boyer recently talked to Piper about retiring in a year or two.

POLICE: PAROLED GANG MEMBER FATALLY SHOOTS OFFICER AFTER CAR CRASH

"This is a senseless tragedy that did not need to happen," Piper said.

At the candlelight vigil, he promised to write a song in Boyer's honor.

The Whittier Police Dept. has about 125 sworn officers who patrol Whittier and Santa Fe Springs. It has had two other officers killed in the line of duty  a detective in 1979 and a corporal in 1977.

POLICE: MAN SHOT BY OFFICER AFTER OPENING FIRE NEAR CALIFORNIA ZOO DIES

Gov. Jerry Brown issued a statement of condolence Monday and capitol flags were ordered to be flown at half-staff in Boyer's honor.

Boyer and Officer Patrick Hazell didn't know Monday when they were responding to the scene of a car crash that the driver allegedly had killed his cousin hours earlier in neighboring East Los Angeles and stolen his car. Police didn't immediately name the suspect.

"They walked up on the vehicle believing the motorist was in need of medical help and then they ended up in a gunfight for their lives," Los Angeles County Sheriff Jim McDonnell said.

Monday's shootout left Hazell and the suspected gunman hospitalized.

"It looks like he's gonna live," Los Angeles County Lt. John Corina said about the suspected gunman, Fox 11 reported. Hazell is also expected to survive, authorities said.

The two officers answered the report of a car accident at about 8:30 a.m. and a driver pointed them to the vehicle which had rear-ended his car, police said.

That driver had gotten out and asked those he had hit to help push his stolen car from the intersection, investigators said.

The officers approached the motorist, a 26-year-old gang member with a history of serious offenses who had been granted early release from jail about a week ago, Corina said.

"When they get him out of the car, they go to pat him down for weapons, they can see he's got tattoos all over his face and all over his neck," Corina said.

The man then pulled a semi-automatic handgun from his waistband and opened fire at the officers, who were wearing bulletproof vests and shot back, Corina said.

Corina didn't immediately know why the gang member had been jailed or why he had been released early.

But Piper and McDonnell criticized laws designed to reduce the state's overcrowded prison population by moving some inmates to county jails and effectively reducing some sentences or providing early release.

Click for more from Fox 11.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Will they stay or will they go?

Several hundred activists protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline are under a court order to leave by Wednesday the construction site they've occupied since last year.

Protesters at the North Dakota camp, which is near the Missouri River, seemed unfazed by threats of arrest.

Faced with the prospect of spring flooding, some protesters are considering a move to higher ground, though not necessarily off the federal land. Some may move to the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation. The leader of the tribe has urged protesters to leave.

The holdouts seem as undeterred by the threat of the Missouri River flooding their campsite this spring as they are of being arrested Wednesday.

"If we don't stand now, when will we?" asked Tiffanie Pieper, of San Diego, who has been in the camp most of the winter.

Activists began their protest last August in a bid to halt the $3.8 billion pipeline that will carry oil from North Dakota through South Dakota and Iowa to Illinois. Dallas-based Energy Transfer Partners (ETP) began work on the last major section of the pipeline this month following Army Corps of Engineers permission to lay pipe under a reservoir near the Missouri River.

The protests have been led by Native American tribes, particularly the Standing Rock Sioux and Cheyenne River Sioux, whose reservations are downstream from the construction site. They say the pipeline threatens drinking water and cultural sites, an accusation ETP disputes.

The camp has been the site of numerous -- and sometimes violent -- clashes between police and protesters who call themselves "water protectors." There have been more than 700 arrests. The camp's population has dwindled as the pipeline battle has moved into the courts.

Protesters who remain say they're prepared to be arrested, but will remain peaceful.

"We'll make it difficult for them to handcuff us, but there will be no forceful opposition," said protester Bryce Peppard from Oregon.

The area has become strewn with garbage, and local police fear that the debris and snow may be covering the bodies of protesters who succumbed to the harsh conditions. Over the last several days authorities have searched the camp for human remains.

More than 200 truckloads of debris have been hauled out of the campsite since Monday, according to the office of North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum. The cleanup will occur after 2 p.m., local time, Wednesday, when the remaining protesters will be moved from the camp.

Burgum has said he would rather there would be no arrests.

"The ideal situation is zero arrests are made because everybody figures out that it's not a place where you want to be when the flood starts to happen," Burgum said.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Text in which the author defends ideas and reaches conclusions based on his / her interpretation of facts and data

The spirit of Russia is the spirit of cynicism.

Joseph Conrad, writer, in 1911

Two cows are chatting in a field.

Have you heard about Mad Cow Disease?

Yes, of course.

Im very worried about it.

Not me.

Why not?

Im a rabbit.

This joke appeared in an English newspaper about 15 years ago, amidst widespread fear that the bovine disease would wipe out half of humanity. The headlines in the UK, where the first cases were reported, screamed out that millions were going to die. The British government ordered the extermination of five million head of cattle, European meat consumption plummeted and cattle farmers found themselves living a nightmare: more of them died from suicide than from the dreaded brain disease in Britain.

After the hysteria subsided, I spoke with John Adams, a professor at University College London and a risk specialist. He told me that the panic that had been created did not stem from science, and that it had been absurdly unnecessary. It ends up being a matter not of objective truth, but of what one believes.

Conrad talked about the almost sublime contempt for truth displayed by Russia

Conrad talked about the almost sublime contempt for truth displayed by Russia

However, Britain was the first Western country where the plague  also known as the Brexit campaign  first took hold in mid-2016. From there it leaped over to the United States, pushing 63 million Americans into the madness of electing Donald Trump for president; and now, there is a real risk that the French population will be the next victim with a potential victory by Marine LePen at the presidential elections in May.

The Russians did not patent deceit as a tool of power. But for many centuries, since well before the Bolshevik revolution, they have been using it to oil the state machinery. In 1787, Empress Catherine the Great conspired in the famous lie about the Potemkin villages, fake facades placed by one of her subjects to conceal the poverty in the newly conquered Crimea. In a book written in 1911, Joseph Conrad, the Polish novelist who wrote in English, talked about the almost sublime contempt for truth displayed by the Russian state. We will not even discuss Stalin, and as for that current autocrat, Vladimir Putin, lying is a habit with him, and one of the many examples that come to mind was the denial of Russias flagrant military participation in the imperial recovery of (once again) Crimea in 2014.

Americas political world has been russified

Peter Pomerantsev, a British national who was born to Russian emigres, published a book in 2015 about Putins Russia titled Nothing is True and Everything is Possible. His work, based on 10 years of working as a television producer in Moscow, details how the Kremlin fabricates reality. Fake opposition parties legitimize a fake democracy with a fake judiciary and a media machine that churns out fake news, all with the goal of perpetuating the power of a de facto police state in which the real dissidents are threatened, jailed, or in extreme cases, assassinated.

None of this has stopped Donald Trump, Marine Le Pen and Nigel Farage, the man behind the Brexit victory at the referendum in June of last year, from becoming fans of Putin, a Stalin lite. They admire his cynicism. During the US presidential campaign, Trump went so far as to encourage the Russian regime to leak negative information about his rival, Hillary Clinton, and the cyber-warriors at Putins service followed his advice, as every intelligence service in the US has now established.

Following the flood of allegations of collusion between the Russians and the Trump campaign to influence the outcome of the November vote, and which the FBI is now investigating, there are those who claim that the new US president is a puppet placed in the White House by Moscow. That is science fiction. What has come to pass in the real world represents an unforeseen triumph for Putin against the old enemy.

Donald Trump, Marine LePen and Nigel Farage have all expressed admiration for Vladimir Putin. AFP

Americas political world has been russified. Half of the population now feels it is irrelevant whether the statements coming out of the executive are a lie or not. They have abandoned reason to embrace faith, and like cattle on their way to the slaughterhouse, they are happy to let themselves be fooled by the president and his buddies. Masha Gessen, a journalist who was born in Russia, wrote in The New York Review of Books: Lying is the message. Its not just that both Putin and Trump lie, it is that they lie in the same way and for the same purpose: blatantly, to assert power over truth itself.

Combat line

What to do? Unlike Russia, the US fortunately does have institutional antibodies, among which are Congress, judges and the press, which is already smelling a new Watergate. France and Germany have similar defense mechanisms, and they have taken pre-electoral care to set up systems to neutralize Russias already visible misinformation cyber campaign.

But Trump has already won in the US; half the country has been infected by the virus of alternative facts, to use the curiously candid definition provided by the counselor and ex-campaign manager for Trump, Kellyanne Conway. The time has come to fight, to prevent the disease that has already corroded so many brains from migrating to the marrow of the political system.

Americas so-called traditional press is on the front line of the battle. That is why, in one of his infamous tweets, the nations commander, troller-in-chief and serial liar identified The New York Times, NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN and others as the enemies of the American people. The battle is on. Whats at stake is the democracy of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, both of whom were real presidents. Donald Trump is not. Hes not even a rabbit. Hes a mad cow.

English version by Susana Urra.
Ex-cop and convicted wife-killer Drew Peterson was transferred from the Illinois Department of Corrections to federal custody on Tuesday, according to IDOC officials.

IDOC officials said Peterson was transferred into federal custody Tuesday evening after it was initially being reported he was out of state custody for several hours.

"For safety and security purposes, the IDOC does not discuss details concerning the placement of offenders who are transferred under the terms of the Interstate Compact Agreement," an IDOC spokesman said via email.

Peterson was serving out a lifetime sentence at Menard Correctional Center in Randolph County, Ill.

A former Bolingbrook police officer, Peterson was sentenced to 38 years in prison in 2013 for killing his third wife, Kathleen Savio. Peterson was sentenced to 40 more years in prison in July 2016 for trying to arrange the murder of a Will County state's attorney.

Read more at FOX32Chicago.com.
A hospital in Houston was locked down for nearly two hours Tuesday after getting reports of shots fired, but no evidence of an actual shooting or gunman was found inside, officials said.

Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo told reporters all six floors of the Ben Taub Hospital, including the basement, were searched by SWAT teams before they were cleared. Police dogs trained to detect gunfire found no evidence, according to Acevedo.

"I can't say there was no shooting," Acevedo said. "I am confident if there was a threat, that threat is not present here now. We have thoroughly searched this facility on more than one occasion. There is no reason to fear."

Acevedo said a SWAT will remain on every floor of the hospital as a precaution.

The police chief said authorities received "multiple reports" of a white male of an unknown age described as the suspect around 1:58 p.m. local time.

Acevedo said "multiple people" reported hearing a man say "Drop the gun! Drop the gun!"

Witnesses also reported hearing "two large bangs," the chief said.

"It's a hospital," he said. "Who knows what the bangs were?"

Authorities are checking security cameras, in addition to interviewing those that called 911, to figure out what exactly sparked the commotion.

Acevedo praised the response time of the law enforcement to the scene and quickly securing the area.

"It's clear when you have active shooters, they wreak a lot of havoc and injure a lot of folks," he told reporters.

Television images from helicopters showed dozens of employees leaving the hospital, some of them attending to patients who were evacuated on gurneys or in wheelchairs.

Ben Taub Hospital is one of the hospitals that's part of the Houston's Texas Medical Center and one of the major trauma centers in Houston.

Houston police and the Harris County Sheriff's Office dealt with a previous shooting inside Ben Taub Hospital on the fifth floor on Oct. 5, 2016, when a deputy was forced to shoot a suspect, according to Fox 26.

The suspect in the previous shooting was in HCSO custody for a probation revocation hearing, and was brought to the hospital after complaining about seizures.

Read more at FOX26Houston.com.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
An interracial couple in Connecticut said they will not remove the racial slur from the garage door of their home, despite being issued a blight citation that carries a $100 daily fine.

Heather Lindsay and her husband Lexene Charles found the n-word spray-painted on their home. The incident occured on the weekend leading up to Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Lindsay told the Stamford Advocate on Monday that the slur will not be removed until authorities do their job and not just cover it up and sweep it under the table as they have done in the past.

Lindsay said their home has been vandalized multiple times and at least three of her neighbors have yelled racial slurs at her husband.

The local and state chapters of the NAACP condemned the incident and denounced city officials over their response.

For them to be called n----, it must be so hurtful that they can easily just erase the board and suffer within, quietly by themselves, and act like nothing happened, said Darnell Crosland, legal counsel for the state chapter of the NAACP. And in fact, thats what the Stamford police asked them to do. They were requested to take the sign down... and to just act normal, like nothing happened.

Crosland called on Stamford police to conduct a full investigation.

Authorities said they were investigating the case, but were having a difficult time finding witnesses.

Stamford director of public safety Ted Jankowski said the police department repeatedly offered to remove the slur from the house at no cost, but the couple refused.

The neighbors were very upset when the incident occurred and truly felt for the couple, Jankowski said in a statement. However, the residents who have condemned the racial incident are upset and are complaining about continuing to see the racial slur and how it is disturbing the peace in the quiet neighborhood.

Lindsay has a foreclosure trial on her house set for March 7. She and her husband have lived in the house since 1999, The Stamford Advocate reported.

Supporters of the couple want authorities to question three specific neighbors who Lindsay claims have discriminated against the couple in the past.

We want those people investigated, the familys attorney Andre Cayo said. We want those doors knocked on. We want their basements to be searched for spray cans.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Click for more from the Stamford Advocate.
Authorities said a Louisiana woman made a big difference Sunday when she jumped on a suspects back to save a police officer from a brutal beatdown.

Vickie Williams-Tillman, 56, was being hailed as a hero, The Advocate reported. Williams-Tillman was driving to a store, listening to gospel music on her radio, when she spotted the Baton Rouge officer and the suspect.

Baton Rouge police spokesman Sgt. LJean McKneely said the suspect grabbed the officers baton and repeatedly bashed him on the head with it, and also tried to grab the officers gun.

"I could see in his eyes he needed help," Williams-Tillman told The Advocate. "You don't have time to think about it  I did what God needed me to do."

Police said the officer found 28-year-old Thomas Bennett asleep inside his vehicle with drug paraphernalia out in the open at around 8 a.m. Bennett became aggressive after he exited his vehicle and thats when the squabble started.

Soon at Williams-Tillman jumped on the mans back, police backup arrived and the suspect was apprehended after being shot with a stun gun. The 44-year-old officer was not identified.

Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sharon Weston-Broome called the woman a courageous hero.

"Vickie Williams-Tillman epitomizes the true Good Samaritan," Weston-Broome said. "She reached out and offered a courageous and unconditional response to the officer. Ms. Williams-Tillman is a hero and demonstrates the true meaning of loving God and loving your neighbor."

Williams-Tillman said she didnt think twice about helping the officer. "It was something that went through my soul," she said. "You don't think about the risk."

Bennett was arrested on aggravated batters, disarming a police officer, battery on a police offer, resisting an officer with violence, possession of cocaine and possession drug paraphernalia charges.

The police officer suffered a few wounds to his head. Williams-Tillman injured her wrist.

The officer and Williams-Tillman embraced in a hug after they were both treated at the hospital.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Click for more from The Advocate.
A man on the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's most-wanted list was arrested by the Criminal Investigations Agency (AIC), the Mexican Attorney General's Office said.

Hector Arenas Saucedo is wanted on criminal conspiracy and drug charges in the United States, the AG's office said.

AIC agents arrested Arenas Saucedo in Mexico City's San Rafael neighborhood on a warrant issued by a Mexico City judge in 2014.

DEA AGENTS TRACKING HEROIN OVERDOSES LINKED TO POTENTIAL

BAD BATCH

Arenas Saucedo, who was armed at the time of his arrest, is suspected of being a Juarez cartel member, the AG's office said.

The suspected Juarez cartel member "was responsible for coordinating and monitoring shipments of cocaine, which was temporarily warehoused in the El Paso, Texas, urban area, delivering the merchandise to Atlanta, Georgia, and Charlotte, North Carolina, for distribution," the AG's office said.

AUDIT FINDS WASTE, LAW-BREAKING, LITTLE OVERSIGHT IN DEA INFORMANT PROGRAM

Arenas Saucedo is the subject of arrest warrants issued on July 28, 2011, against him and several co-defendants by a federal court in Texas on drug charges.

The suspected Juarez cartel member's extradition has been requested by U.S. authorities.
An Army veteran has been charged with plotting what he believed would be a terrorist attack in Kansas City, federal authorities said Tuesday.

Robert Lorenzo Hester Jr., 25, was arrested Friday and is charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. The criminal complaint was released after Hester made his initial court appearance.

Prosecutors said Hester, of Columbia, Mo., reached out to undercover FBI agents posing as Islamic State (ISIS) operatives and said he was willing to assist in a jihadist attack. According to the affadavit, Hester was told the attack would target "buses, trains and a train station in Kansas City" on Monday, coinciding with the Presidents Day holiday.

According to the affidavit, Hester "expressed approval" of the attack plan and told the undercover agent that it would be "good to strike back a the true terrorist."

The Kansas City Star reported that Hester, a U.S. citizen, joined the Army in 2012 and completed basic training, but received a general discharge the following year after violating a number of Army regulations.

According to the affidavit, Hester cited his brief Army service to claim "proficieny with 'assault weapons' and said that his favorite firearm was the AK-47 rifle."

According to the Star, a judge ordered Hester remain in federal custody pending a detention hearing Friday.

Hester is the first person this year to be charged by the Justice Department with attempting to provide material support to ISIS. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison.

Fox News' Matt Dean contributed to this report.

Click for more from Fox4KC.com.
Two commuter trains crashed head-on at a rail yard Tuesday in Upper Darby, Pa., and one of them tipped onto a third car, according to police.

Septa train crash update.4hurt,now say two passengers 2 with head injuries 2 w/ leg injuries. 6 of 18 Septa rail cars derailed @FOX29philly pic.twitter.com/tPJvjPsELJ  Steve Keeley (@KeeleyFox29) February 21, 2017

The rail yard was being shut down, which was expected to cause major traffic jams, and authorities were asking people to avoid the area.

HEAVY RAIN FORCES CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS TO EVACUATE

SKYFOX was over the scene where the crash happened just before 8:30am. There were no passengers on either of the Market-Frankford Line trains.

Upper Darby Police Supt. Michael Chitwood told FOX 29 News two trains on the same track crashed head on, but there were no passengers on either train.

It happened in the circle of the rail yard, so neither train was traveling fast.

Then, one of those trains tipped over onto a third car that was parked and not moving.

There are at least three trains off the tracks and a few minor injuries. The people hurt are believed to be SEPTA workers, but Chitwood said none of the injuries were serious.

Click for more from Fox 29.
The raging bull that ran wild through the streets of Queens after escaping a slaughterhouse Tuesday has died, cops said.

The bull was shot with at least five tranquilizer darts by police before it likely died of stress, police and witnesses said.

I'm on my way to work and see a cow walk right by me in Jamaica, Queens. Unbelievable... pic.twitter.com/buM9dn3LmD  Vladimir Vilsaint (@Soon2betheKing) February 21, 2017

The animal will be transported to a crematorium, where it will be disposed of, according to police.

The cow can not be stopped by conventional methods! #MadCow2017 pic.twitter.com/lvm4i72Jlf  Josh Jordan (@NumbersMuncher) February 21, 2017

The bull bolted through a housing project before it was cornered in a neighbors back yard, police sources said.

Police shot the raging bull with a tranquilizer to calm him and also injected the animal with a syringe of xylazine, a drug used for sedation, which knocked the bull out for at least an hour, sources said.

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European observers assess results of Karabakh constitutional referendum

Joint statement of the group of Friends of Artsakh in the European Parliament On the 20th February, the people of Artsakh voted on the draft Constitution that the authorities of the Republic submitted to their consideration. The turnout of over 76% is resounding proof of the intention of Artsakh voters to take an active part in the shaping on their democracy. The vote took place after a campaign during which both camps expressed their ideas and convictions freely. Promoters and opponents of the draft Constitution confronted their positions in the parliamentary and public debate. The people of Artsakh said yes to their new constitution, which heralds significant changes in the institutional functioning of the country. It also clearly spells out that the Republic of Artsakh upholds and protects the rule of law and the rights and the freedoms of the people. This message, relayed by the population of Artsakh through their decisive approval of the draft constitution is particularly significant in the South Caucasus. A people, a population, a nation who believe in their state and refine their republican institutions should not be ignored by the international community. These people, these voting citizens exist. Their existence is not affected by the absence of international recognition of their country. The people of Artsakh, a nation under constant threat of military attack by an aggressive neighbor, continue to oppose democratic vitality and maturity to the international denial of their state. Members of the European Parliament Frank Engel, Eleni Theocharous, Jaromir Stetina
Earlier this month, bombs rained down, rocket systems cracked the air and heavy shelling ripped through eastern Ukraine -- marking the heaviest level of violence the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) had experienced since a peace agreement was signed in 2015.

For those who live there, it feels like a war the world isn't concerned about.

"We hear the sounds of explosions every day. We all suffer from constant nerves and fear," a local doctor who requested anonymity for fear of retaliation, told Fox News. "I have given up hope that life will get better anytime soon. I don't know whether to stay here, or set off looking for possibilities of a better life."

A tentative ceasefire brokered between the pro-Russian rebels and Ukraine's army began on Monday, but civilians are not very optimistic that it will hold. The ceasefire is already showing signs of fragility after a battle on Monday killed one soldier and wounded another.

While the two sides battle over territorial control, civilians say they feel caught in the crossfires of a bloody battle with no end in sight.

The area has seen an uptick in violence the past two weeks, and Russia allegedly brought in heavy-duty armaments -- such as the Buk missile system, which is so strong it brought down airliner MH17. Officials speculate that the surge in violence could be Russian President Vladimir Putins provocative way of testing President Trump to determine whether the new commander in chief will turn a blind eye to the escalation -- or whether he will take action.

One explanation of the flare-up is that Kiev is drumming up a wider array of international support, fearing the possibility of Trump fostering close ties with Putin.

"The government, with its army here, is killing its own people and its own economy. Donetsk should belong to Donetsk," a 57-year-old local insisted, calling it "straightforward genocide." "People are trying to go on living their lives like normal, but there is always a constant reminder -- a flying bullet or the water cut off -- to remind you. America can help stop this."



In 2014, conflict erupted between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian separatists in the industrial enclave, with widely assumed Kremlin-backed militias showing force against Kiev's pro-Western government. The battles began soon after the ousting of Russian-supported Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych.

The region is a self-proclaimed state in Ukrainian territory that receives humanitarian and military assistance from Moscow, but since fighting began has been deemed a terrorist organization by the Kiev given that many there are at war with their official government. Subsequently, the territorial control is split -- the official Armed Forces of Ukraine control some areas while pro-Russian forces, routinely referred to as "little green men," occupy others. In 2015, rebels captured the now decimated Donetsk Airport.

Both sides of the conflict have been widely accused of inflating or even lying about casualties, and they blame each other for launching attacks. Every time a side takes action, it claims its merely responding to over-aggression by the other side.

And civilians say they are caught in the middle of a war that has made life for them miserable.

Bombings have knocked out power, leaving many freezing in sub-zero winter temperatures. Sometimes they dont have water to drink or bathe. On the streets, the shells of bombed out cars are scattered about, next to scorched buildings and demolished homes. Because they are cut off from the outside world, locals line up for hours, even braving snowstorms, to claim a humanitarian aid box: sugar, flour, rice and oil.

"Things had been quiet there for a long time, but on February 2 I was on Skype with my granny when I heard the boom," DPR native Ana, 24, one of the last people to receive a Ukrainian college diploma in 2014 before the region broke away, told Fox News from Moscow. "Both sides are to blame, people are disappointed in both and don't want to be controlled by Russia or the Ukraine."

The war has already claimed the lives of almost 10,000 people, both soldiers and civilians, and many locals fear that despite truce talks, the darkest days are yet to come. And they dont trust either side.

"People are really terrified. Everyone pretends to be the help  the DPR, Ukraine, Russia  but they all make it worse," a 23-year-old professional in the region said. "The Ukraine can't provide us with good conditions, the DPR makes businesses suffer a lot and unemployment is insufferably high."

According to the source, the DPR "robs businesses and private properties so much it has become normal," and Russia seemingly supports them with its weapons cache.

"We need to be a separate country, but not DPR," the source said. "DPR takes the worse from Russia and the Ukraine. Even if the fighting stops, our lives will not be better under this."

The U.S position under Trump so far remains unclear.

According to one high-ranking U.S official with close ties to the region, de-escalation and "getting the heavy weapons out of there" must be a top priority for the Trump team's regional foreign policy, and a revising of the Minsk agreement is a solid roadmap for Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to utilize. The agreement, brokered two years ago, did not involve the Obama administration. Rather, Russian, French, Ukrainian and German heads of state signed the dotted line, with the removal of heavy weapons a crucial component.

While the war is often framed in terms of political alliances, some on the ground proclaim it is becoming more and more about survival.

According to Moscow-based foreign policy expert Roman Kiselyov-Augustus, the Ukrainian military salary was said to be grimly minimal, about $250 a month, while the rebels reportedly earn twice that amount, thus money to get by is enough to make some switch sides. However, Ukrainian officials last year announced that they had approved drastic increases in base pay.

"The economy there is destroyed, people are losing relatives in the fighting," Kiselyov-Augustus said. "So there is this growing narrative that it is better to join the rebels and die fighting than to die poor, starving and in misery."
A retired Philippine police officer said Monday that President Rodrigo Duterte, when he was a mayor, ordered and paid him and other members of a so-called liquidation squad to kill criminals and opponents, including a kidnapping suspect, his family and a critical radio commentator.

Human rights lawyers who presented Arthur Lascanas at a news conference said the allegations could be grounds for impeaching Duterte, adding that his alleged role in the killings may not be covered by his presidential immunity.

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, who helped the lawyers from the private Free Legal Assistance Group present Lascanas in a news conference at the Senate, said he would ask his colleagues to immediately investigate the explosive allegations.

Duterte's communications secretary, Martin Andanar, dismissed the claims as a "demolition job" by unspecified people affected by Duterte's reforms and aimed at forcing Duterte from power. He did not respond to Lascanas's detailed claims.

"The press conference of self-confessed hitman SPO3 Arthur Lascanas is part of a protracted political drama aimed to destroy the president and to topple his administration," Andanar said, without elaborating or offering any evidence.

Duterte has denied his administration backs unlawful killings of suspects in his crackdown on illegal drugs that is feared to have killed more than 7,000 mostly poor drug users and petty drug pushers since he took office last June.

The killings under the crackdown, an expansion of his anti-drug campaign when he was the longtime mayor of southern Davao city, have alarmed the United States, other Western governments and U.N. human rights officials.

In many public speeches, Duterte has ordered policemen to defend themselves if drug suspects fight back and has openly threatened drug lords and dealers with death.

Lascanas's comments came after he denied to a Senate hearing last year that he had been involved in any extrajudicial killings in Davao, Duterte's hometown. He testified at the inquiry last October after he was implicated by another witness, Edgar Matobato, a former militiaman who said Duterte ordered him and others to kill criminals in gangland-style assaults that left hundreds of people dead.

Breaking into tears at one point, Lascanas said Monday he was speaking up now because he was bothered by his conscience, including his role in the deaths of his two brothers, whom he ordered killed because they were drug users.

"I had my own two brothers killed. Even if I end up dead, I'm content because I've fulfilled my promise to the Lord to make a public confession," he said.

Lascanas described several killings and attacks that he said Duterte had ordered, permitted or financed as mayor of Davao, including the 1993 bombing of mosques as retaliation after Muslim rebels were blamed for bombing a Roman Catholic cathedral.

One of their first victims, a suspected drug lord, was gunned down and left with a message that warned others: "Don't emulate." Lascanas said he and other killers identified their group in the message as "Davao Death Squad," which spread and sparked fear in the sprawling city.

Lascanas said he and his group shot dead a kidnapping suspect along with the man's pregnant wife, young son, father-in-law and two others in another attack with Duterte's approval.

After his group informed Duterte about the capture of the suspected mastermind of a kidnapping in Davao, Lascanas quoted the mayor as saying, "All right, make it clean."

Another target was radio commentator Jun Pala, who had angered Duterte with critical commentaries. He was killed in 2003 by gunmen, who Lascanas said included him. They twice failed to kill him but succeeded in the third attempt, Lascanas said, adding that he personally received a financial reward from the then mayor.

"I'm one of those who killed Jun Pala," Lascanas said.

Another criminal suspect, an ex-soldier, was captured and presented to the mayor, who ordered his men to "kill him," Lascanas said.

Killing the suspect was problematic, he said, because policemen from another town knew he was alive when he was arrested. Lascanas said he and his companions convinced a police official to sign a logbook stating that the suspect was arrested but later escaped.

Lascanas said he and his companions later killed the suspect and dumped his body in a nearby province.
Iraqi forcesbacked by the U.S.were closing in on the Mosul airport Monday after pushing back ISIS fighters at a nearby hill, Reuters reported, citing the Iraqi military.

The troops were working on regaining the west side of the city and overtaking the airport would be a major blow to militants. Mosul fell to ISIS in the summer of 2014, along with large swaths of northern and western Iraq.

Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend, a top U.S. commander in Iraq, said the Iraqi forces are an "increasingly capable, formidable and professional force."

"Mosul would be a tough fight for any army in the world, and the Iraqi forces have risen to the challenge," he said in a statement.

Ground units pushed into a belt of villages outside the country's second-largest city Sunday and plumes of smoke rose into the sky early in the morning as U.S.-led coalition jets struck militant positions southwest of Mosul and militarized Iraqi police fired artillery.

"This is zero hour and we are going to end this war, God willing," said Mahmoud Mansour, a police officer, as he prepared to move out.

The United Nations warned that hundreds of thousands of civilians trapped inside their homes in Mosul "are at extreme risk," with dwindling fuel, food and water and scarce electricity.

Iraq declared eastern Mosul "fully liberated" last month after three months of fierce fighting, but the militants have continued to stage attacks there, including two suicide bombings against government forces on Sunday.

The battle for western Mosul promises to be even more daunting, as the half of the city west of the Tigris River has older, narrower streets and is still heavily populated.

Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the start of the latest operation on state TV. He said government forces were moving to "liberate the people of Mosul from [ISIS] oppression and terrorism forever."

Police units quickly entered the village of Athba, about 3 miles southwest of Mosul's international airport, encountering only light resistance. Separately, the Iraqi Army's 9th Division moved into the village of Bakhira, also southwest of the city, the Ministry of Defense said.

Citing witnesses in western Mosul, the United Nations said nearly half of all food shops were closed and bakeries had shut down for lack of fuel and an inability to purchase costly flour. Prices of kerosene and cooking gas have skyrocketed, and many of the most destitute families are burning wood, furniture, plastic or garbage for cooking and heating.

"The situation is distressing. People, right now, are in trouble," Lise Grande, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Iraq, said in a statement. "We are hearing reports of parents struggling to feed their children and to heat their homes."

Peter Hawkins, of the U.N. agency for children, said: "Three out of five people now depend on untreated water from wells for cooking and drinking as water systems and treatment plants have been damaged by fighting or run out of chlorine."

The humanitarian agencies were gearing up to aid 250,000 to 400,000 civilians who may flee because of the fighting, the statement said. The U.N. estimates 750,000 civilians may be left in western Mosul.

Iraqi special operations forces, regular army and federal police units are taking part in the offensive along with government-approved paramilitary forces, mainly consisting of Shiite militias, which are operating on the city's outskirts.

The Associated Press contributed to this report
Police in Barcelona fired gunshots Tuesday to stop a man who stole a butane gas truck and drove it at high speed against traffic on a city highway, ramming several cars along the way, a police spokeswoman said. Authorities ruled out terrorism as a motive.

RIOTING ERUPTS IN IMMIGRANT-DOMINATED SWEDISH SUBURB

Spain's interior minister, Juan Ignacio Zoido, said in a tweet that the man, a Swedish citizen, has a history of psychiatric conditions and added that "it has not been any terrorist act."

The 32-year-old suspect was arrested after police agents fired at the truck's wheels to stop it, regional police chief Joan Carles Molinero told reporters. The suspect is being questioned at a regional hospital where he was sent for a medical checkup, Molinero said.

FRENCH PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE LE PEN REFUSES HEADSCARF TO MEET LEBANON RELIGIOUS LEADER

A Brazilian woman suffered a leg injury when she was hit by one of several butane gas tanks that fell off the truck as the man tried to escape by speeding down a highway near the northeastern Spanish city's famed harbor. The incident took place around 11 a.m. Tuesday.

Molinero said police started chasing the truck after the driver failed to obey orders to stop from agents who had seen it driving at high speed and dropping part of its load. During the chase that ensued, the driver took a turn near the city's harbor and drove against traffic and into a highway exit where several cars were hit. It finally stopped when it crashed against one of the highway's walls.

Local and regional police agents arrested the driver, who carried no weapons and appeared unharmed.

"At the moment we have no indication whatsoever that he was planning a terrorist attack," Molinero said, but added that police were investigating the man and searching the place where he lived. "We are working on the possibility that it could be a person with psychological imbalances or who has consumed substances," he said.

Spain has kept its national security alert at one step below maximum since July 2015, following violent attacks in France and elsewhere.

READ MORE FROM THE SUN.
At least 74 bodies of African migrants have washed ashore in western Libya, the Libyan Red Crescent said Tuesday, the latest tragedy at sea along a perilous but increasingly popular trafficking route to Europe.

The bodies were found near the western Libyan city of Zawiya on Monday, Red Crescent spokesman Mohammed al-Misrati told The Associated Press, adding that he feared more might surface. He said a torn rubber boat, the kind that usually carry up to 120 people, was found nearby.

The Red Crescent's branch in Zawiya said there are bodies still floating out at sea but it has no means to retrieve them.

The International Organization of Migration said the traffickers took the engine and left the boat to drift. Another 12 migrants remain missing and are "presumed drowned," and a sole survivor was transferred to a hospital in a coma, the U.N. migration agency said on Twitter.

FRENCH FARMER CONVICTED FOR HELPING MIGRANTS

The Red Crescent posted photographs of dozens of bodies in white and black bags, lined up along the shore. Al-Misrati said the bodies would be taken to a cemetery for unidentified people in the capital, Tripoli. The Red Crescent appealed for help on Facebook, saying there are no vehicles to transport the bodies.

Al-Misrati had initially said the bodies were found overnight Tuesday, but later clarified that they were recovered Monday afternoon and evening.

Libyan coast guard spokesman Ayoub Gassim said over 500 migrants were rescued at sea on Friday and Saturday off the coast of Sebratha, a city to the west of Zawiya. The migrants' boats were about 5-7 miles (8-11 kilometers) from the coast.

Gassim said the smugglers pack larger rubber boats with up to 180 people, dramatically increasing the risk of capsizing.

"We are seeing the new boats, which are not equipped with anything, but they carry more people," he said. "This is going to be even more disastrous for the migrants."

AMI HOROWITZ DEFENDS SWEDEN REFUGEE CLAIMS FROM BACKLASH OVER TRUMP REMARKS

The Libya to Italy smuggling route across the Mediterranean has seen record numbers of migrant drownings in 2016, Fabrice Leggeri, director of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, said last week. Some 4,579 migrant deaths were documented in 2016, up from 2,869 deaths the previous year and 3,161 in 2014. The real number of deaths is believed to be much higher.

Leggeri blamed the small dinghies and poor vessels used by the smugglers for the high death rate. The smugglers also appear more willing to brave the choppy winter sea. January alone saw 228 recorded deaths, by far the biggest monthly toll in recent years. IOM says the latest tragedy brings the total death toll this year to 365.

More than 180,000 people made the crossing last year, an increase of 17 percent from 2015.

Libya was plunged into turmoil by the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi, and has since emerged as a popular, if extremely dangerous, route to Europe for those fleeing poverty and civil war elsewhere in Africa.

Libya is largely governed by local militias, many of which profit from the trafficking. Rights groups say migrants traversing Libya have been tortured, raped and subjected to forced labor.

SPAIN RESCUES 112 MIGRANTS OFF LIBYAN COAST, 36 MORE AT SEA

The European Union has plans to halt the tide by training the Libyan coast guard and stepping up cooperation with neighboring Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt. But rights groups fear that such measures could leave tens of thousands of migrants stranded in the restive country.

The plan would also require a much stronger Libyan government capable of controlling the country's waters. At present, Libya is split between two competing governments which convene in different parts of the country.

The head of Doctors Without Borders, Arjan Hehenkamp, says the EU plan shows that it is "delusional about just how dangerous the situation in Libya really is."

His organization, also known by its French acronym MSF, has aided in the sea rescues. He said survivors have recounted starving in Libyan detention centers and other abuses.

Earlier this month, Italy reached a deal with the U.N.-brokered government in Tripoli, which is not recognized by rival authorities in the east, to train and equip the Libyan coast guard and improve conditions in detention centers.

Mohamed Siala, the foreign minister of the U.N.-backed government, told the AP that 70 coast guards have received training and a second group will follow. He denied allegations by critics that the deal would pave the way for the resettlement of migrants inside Libya.

He expressed fear, however, that the flow of migrants would increase this spring, saying rescue operations have encouraged more migrants to risk the journey.
France's far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen refused Tuesday to go into a meeting with Lebanon's grand mufti on Tuesday after his aides asked her to wear a headscarf.

Le Pen, who is on a three-day visit to Lebanon this week and has met senior officials, was scheduled to meet with Sheikh Abdel-Latif Derian, Lebanon's top Sunni Muslim religious authority.

Shortly after she arrived at his office Tuesday morning, one of his aides handed her out a white headscarf to put on. Following a discussion that lasted a few minutes, she refused and walked toward her car and left.

Le Pen has tried to raise her international profile and press her pro-Christian stance with her visit to Lebanon, a former French protectorate.

On Monday, she met with President Michel Aoun and Prime Minister Saad Hariri, declaring that Syrian President Bashar Assad was "the most reassuring solution for France." She also said the best way to protect minority Christians is to "eradicate" the Islamic State group preying on them  not turn them into refugees.

On Tuesday, after walking away from the meeting with Derian, she said that before it, she had told the cleric's office that she was not planning to don a veil during the encounter and was not told not to come.

"They didn't cancel the meeting so I thought they would accept the fact that I wouldn't wear one," she said. "They tried to impose it upon me, make it a matter of fact. You can't put me before a matter of fact."

She later met with the Maronite patriarch, Bechara Boutros Rai, and Christian rightwing leader Samir Geagea.

The office of Lebanon's mufti issued a statement saying that Le Pen was told in advance through one of her aides that she will have to put a headscarf during the meeting with the mufti.

"This is the protocol" at the mufti's office, the statement said. It detailed how the mufti's aides tried to give her the headscarf and that Le Pen refused to take it.

"The mufti's office regrets this inappropriate behavior in such meetings," the statement said.

Le Pen said she had met in the past with Egypt's Grand Sheik of Al-Azhar, the head of the Sunni world's most prestigious learning institute, without wearing a veil. Photos of Le Pen with Ahmed al-Tayeb in 2015 in Cairo show her with the cleric without a veil.

Le Pen's refusal on Tuesday to don a headscarf would be in line with her strong support for French secularism, and a proposal in her presidential platform. French law bans headscarves in the public service and for high school pupils.

Le Pen's proposal aims to extend a 2004 law banning headscarves and other "ostentatious" religious symbols in classrooms to all public spaces. While the 2004 law covers all religions, it is aimed at Muslims.

Later, a group of Lebanese held a small protest in Beirut against Le Pen's visit. One protester raised a drawing of Le Pen's between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump, with "Neo-fascists" emblazoned underneath.


An Israeli soldier was sentenced Tuesday to 18 months in military prison for shooting and killing a Palestinian attacker who had been wounded and motionless on the ground last year.

UNITED NATIONS CHIEF SAYS DECISION TO BLOCK LIBYA ENVOY WAS 'SERIOUS MISTAKE'

The three-judge panel in a Tel Aviv military court also sentenced Sgt. Elor Azaria to a years probation and a demotion of rank to private. One of the judges held a dissenting opinion asking for a longer prison sentence reflecting the severity of the soldiers actions.

Azaria, then a 19-year-old Israeli army medic, shot the Palestinian man nearly 15 minutes after the attacker tried to stab a soldier in Hebron, in March 2016. A Palestinian human rights activist captured the shooting and the tense moments leading up to it on video, and the footage drew international attention.

NETANYAHU: USA, ISRAEL HAVE 'GRAND MISSION' TO CONFRONT IRAN THREAT

While the military prosecution asked to impose a sentence of three to five years, Azarias lawyers asked the court to impose only a punishment of open detention, and Azaria himself pleaded for the court to be merciful in judging me.

Dozens of his supporters and right-wing activists were gathering outside the courthouse, holding signs and chanting. There was a heavy police presence nearby.

When Azaria entered the courtroom, his family and friends cheered for him. The room was packed with Israeli and international reporters.

Azaria will start serving his imprisonment on March 5, according to the court. Azarias defense team already declared that it would appeal the sentence.

At the conclusion of the verdict, The Azaria family started singing Israels national anthem HaTikva, and told him, youre a hero!

Ministers from the ruling Likud party, and other right wing politicians, called for an immediate pardon for Azaria.

"Israel's security demands he be pardoned. Elor was sent to protest Israelis at the height of a wave of Palestinian terror attacks. He cannot go to jail or we will all pay the price, Education Minister Naftali Bennett said.

PLO Executive Committee Member Hanan Ashrawi said the calls for a pardon reflect the true nature of this government that acts outside the most basic norms of justice, morality and judicial integrity.

Palestinian Israeli lawmaker Yousef Jabareen added, The sentence does not reflect the severity of the act and it sends the harsh message that Palestinian blood is worthless.

In the face of strong condemnation of Azarias actions by top military brass including Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot and then-defense minister Moshe Yaalon, far-right supporters and some politicians have accused the defense establishment of abandoning one of its own, making Azaria a scapegoat.
A number of privately-run migrant rescue vessels ferrying refugees and migrants between Libya and Sicily has caught the attention of Italian authorities who suspect that some of the fleets funding may come from smugglers.

Carmelo Zuccaro, chief prosecutor of Catania, a city on the eastern coast of Sicily, formed a task force to determine whether some of the independent rescue operations may be working with regional smugglers. Catanias port is where a majority of Libyan migrants and refugees are brought after being rescued from the Mediterranean Sea.

"Last summer we saw something we'd never seen before: At times there were 13 boats operated by NGOs working at once," Zuccaro recently said to Reuters.

Zuccaro added that the concerns of the court are based on how well funded the rescue operations are as well as migrant testimony.

The prosecutor also said in an interview with Agence France-Presse that it is not a criminal investigation and that NGO rescue boat operators are not automatically suspected of illegal activity. Rather, it is the elaborate operations of smaller operators that has drawn authorities attention.

"There is an abnormal proliferation of NGOs operating. I'm not talking about the big, prestigious organizations, but all the small ones that seem to have sophisticated hardware, such as drones," Zuccaro said to the news agency.

"That's expensive, and we're just looking into who is financing them and why."

The first private rescue vessel was launched in the summer of 2014, and by last summer there were close to 10 NGOs taking part in rescue operations off the coast of Libya, many funded through private donations.

A recent EU report said that its possible that traffickers are putting migrants out to sea and colluding with private rescue vessels that recover them.

Officials for Doctors without Borders, which sponsors one of the vessels, said that the NGOs were "not the cause but a response" to a humanitarian crisis. The group also said it had been forced to act because Frontex, the EUs border and coast guard agency, was failing to decrease the number of people crossing the Mediterranean. Most of last years deaths occurred on one specific route, from Libya to Italy.

The Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS,) which launched the first private rescue vessel along the route, believes that the rise in deaths may be due to smugglers capitalizing on the crisis.

[Our] research and analysis suggests that this change in approach might be both an attempt to maximize opportunity and meet demand on the part of the smugglers, reads a statement from MOAS officials in December 2016.

The smuggling networks appear to be industrializing, with increased competition representing a new challenge for them in procuring enough rubber boats, engines and fuel containers to meet the demand.

The rescue organization charged that smugglers are cutting corners by packing unprecedented numbers of migrants and refugees, often in the hundreds, onto unseaworthy boats and dinghies.

"The combination of heavier loads and inferior quality is a recipe for disaster," MOAS Director of Operations Ian Ruggier said in the statement. Rescue assets have had to deal with increased challenges. There is no doubt that the vessels are built to last a few miles to see people beyond Libyan territorial waters.
The Pentagon said Tuesday that it could not confirm a report that a former Guantanamo Bay detainee carried out a suicide attack on behalf of ISIS in Mosul, Iraq this week.

The BBC reported that ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack and praised Abu Zakariya al-Britani, a British suicide bomber, for exploding a vehicle full of explosives near Mosul, where Iraqi forces are battling ISIS fighters for control of the city.

Pentagon spokesman Maj. Ben Sakrisson told Fox News in an email that a person known as Jamal Malik al-Harith was held at Guantanamo Bay between February 2002 and March 2004, when he was released to the United Kingdom.

The BBC report stated that al-Britani, born Ronald Fiddler, also went by the similar-sounding Jamul-Uddin al-Harith.

"We cannot confirm his death, as the occurrence of the same name does not necessarily equate to this being the same individual," Sakrisson told Fox in the email.

Similarly, a U.S. defense official told Fox News that whether al-Britani spent time at Guantanamo Bay was "very much in doubt."

The BBC reported that al-Britani crossed into Syria from Turkey in April 2014 to join ISIS. His wife told the Daily Mirror newspaper that she and her five children unsuccessfully went to Syria to persuade him to return to Britain.

The British government estimates that 850 people described as "national security concerns" have traveled to become fighters in the Middle East. Just under half that number are believed to have returned to the U.K.

Fox News' Lucas Tomlinson contributed to this report.
Riots erupted in a heavily immigrant Stockholm suburb Monday night, as masked looters set cars ablaze and threw rocks at cops, injuring one police officer, Swedish officials said.

TRUMP MAY HAVE BEEN UNCLEAR, BUT SWEDEN IS EXPERIENCING A MIGRANT CRIME WAVE

The violence in Rinkeby began around 8 p.m., when officers arrested a suspect at an underground station on drug charges, The Local reported. A group soon gathered, hurling rocks and other objects at officers and prompting one cop to fire his gun in a situation that demanded he use his firearm, police spokesman Lars Bystrom said.

But nobody has been found injured at the scene and we have checked the hospitals and there hasnt been anyone with what could be gunshot wounds, Bystrom added.

AMI HOROWITZ DEFENDS SWEDEN REFUGEE CLAIMS FROM BACKLASH OVER TRUMP REMARK

It came just days after President Trump was mocked during a Saturday campaign rally for mentioning Sweden alongside a list of European targets of terror. Trump later said his You look at whats happening last night in Sweden remark was in response to a Fox News report on the countrys refugee crime crisis that aired on Friday evening.

Sweden. They took in large numbers [of refugees], Trump added at the Florida rally. Theyre having problems like they never thought possible.

Swedens official Twitter account  which is operated by a different user each week  tweeted at Trump on Monday morning: Hey Don, this is @Sweden speaking! Its nice of you to care, really, but dont fall for the hype. Facts: Were OK!

Hours later, the Rinkeby riots began, with a second wave starting around 10:30 p.m. Seven or eight cars were set on fire and many stores saw looting, The Local reported. A photographer from media outlet Dagens Nyheter said a group of 15 people beat him as he tried to document the chaos.

I was hit with a lot of punches and kicks both to my body and my head. I have spent the night in hospital, said the photographer, who was not named.

The rioting ended just after midnight.

No arrests were made; however, reports were filed on three violent acts, violence against a police officer, two assaults, vandalism and aggravated thefts, authorities said.

Rinkeby is the same area where an Australian "60 Minutes" crew was attacked by a group of men in April 2016. The film crew was attempting to enter a so-called no go zone, which authorities deny they use as a label. Rinkeby, however, has been officially classified as one of 15 particularly vulnerable areas across Sweden.

The country's prime minister, Stefan Lofven, said Monday, "Yes, we have challenges like all other countries. There's no doubt. We have a situation in the world where 65 million people had to flee their countries last year, the year before that. 65 million. So that's a war for us together." He also said Sweden was investing more in housing, technology and its welfare system.

Reports of rapes in Sweden jumped 13 percent in 2016 compared to the previous year, and reports of sexual assaults were up 20 percent, according to preliminary data from the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention.

Recent migration to Sweden hit its peak in 2015 with more than 160,000 asylum applications. It dropped to almost 30,000 in 2016.

Fox News' Maria Karlsson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Ameriabank: At the Vanguard of Armenia's Banking Sector

STATEMENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARTSAKH

SUBSCRIBERS OF UCOMS ALL TIME BEST OFFER TO ENJOY ADDITIONAL BENEFITS

Armenia-Azerbaijan: EU sets up monitoring capacity along the international borders

PACE co-rapporteurs on Armenia concerned by reports of alleged war crimes or inhuman treatment perpetrated by Azerbaijans armed forces

There is still 35% gender pay gap: Sona Ghazaryan

Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia

Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans provided 136 million AMD support for the overhaul of the Myasnikyan statue, which was in unsafe state of disrepair

Believe me, as a representative of a country which uses the Schengen system very often, it is quite important. Vardanyan

I really look forward to having answers from the Azerbaijani side for these alleged gross human rights violations: Secretary General

I call on Armenian and Azerbaijani parliamentarians to use this Assembly as an agora of opportunities President Tiny Kox

UCOMS SPECIAL OFFER OF THE UNLIMITED INTERNET IS NOW TERMLESS

There is no place for the death penalty in a State that respects human rights: PACE General Rapporteur

EU and CoE call on two Member States that have not yet acceded to this Protocol  Armenia and Azerbaijan  to do so without delay

An urgent debate requested on "The military hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan".

UCOM AND PES-PES CONTINUE COOPERATION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF EDUCATIONAL PROJECT

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The statement of the meeting between Prime Minister Pashinyan, President Aliyev, President Macron and President Michel of October 6, 2022

Largest Corporate Bond Program at the Securities Market of Armenia Completed Successfully

The statement of the Defender on the video of the execution of Armenian PoWs by the Azerbaijani armed forces

LEVEL UP ONLY FOR STUDENTS: UCOM OFFERS X2 AND X3 MORE INTERNET

STATEMENT BY SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN

This criminal act is another proof that the Armenophobia policy. Tatoyan

Nikol Pashinyan, Nancy Pelosi discuss a number of issues related to the Armenian-American agenda and regional developments

Delegation by Nancy Pelosi Accompanied by Alen Simonyan Visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex

Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi Arrives in Yerevan

Armenian Revytech, global technology leader SAP and financial services software specialist SAP Fioneer sign a cooperation agreement

With 120 million drams donated by Mikael Vardanyan, the defenders of the homeland will be treated in a new building

OSCE Chairman-in-Office and OSCE Secretary General call for immediate cessation of hostilities along Armenia-Azerbaijan border

Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh
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Overnight riots in Stockholm suburb

Swedish police were investigating a riot that broke out overnight in a predominantly immigrant suburb in Stockholm after officers arrested a suspect on drug charges.
'I Am Ashamed' vs. 'Get Over It': British Lawmakers Debate Trump Visit

But a Conservative legislator, Nigel Evans, said Mr. Trump was the president of a great ally of Britain and that the critics should "get over it." Mr. Trump was fairly elected, he said, adding, "I do respect that he stood on a platform on which he is now delivering."

http://nyti.ms/2lokwuo
Uganda opens new gold refinery, but where does the gold come from? by RFI

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has officially opened a new gold refinery in Entebbe. Museveni attended the inauguration of the African Gold Refinery on Monday. Gold exports from Uganda have risen in recent years, however not much is mined locally. Local media have reported that Museveni also promised to abolish royalty taxes on gold to help boost the sector.

https://m.soundcloud.com/radiofranceinternationale/uganda-gold-refinery
AAMCO Franchise Expands In Arkansas With The Opening Of First Jacksonville Service Center

World's Largest Franchise of Transmission Specialists Now Providing Total Car Care Services to Local Community

HORSHAM, Penn. - Feb. 21, 2017 // PRNewswire // - AAMCO Transmissions, Inc. ("AAMCO"), franchisor of the world's largest branded chain of transmission specialists and an industry leader in total car care services, announced today it has expanded in Arkansas with the opening of its first location in Jacksonville. The new auto repair shop is located at 1106 West Main Street and features transmission, auto repair and fleet services. AAMCO Jacksonville marks the brand's fifth location in Arkansas and is owned and operated by Cabot resident and first-time franchisee Martin Schneider.

Prior to joining AAMCO, Schneider spent 20 years in the automotive industry, working for General Motors. He also has two decades of telecommunications experience. The franchisee plans to develop additional locations in the market over the next several years.

"I retired after 40 years in business, but quickly realized I was not ready for retirement life," said Schneider. "When I saw an opportunity to bring AAMCO's full service car care center to Jacksonville, I knew it was the right move. Everyone needs a trusted car care expert in their life, and my goal is to provide quality work and customer service to the community for many years to come."

For more than 50 years, AAMCO's network of locally owned and independently operated automotive service centers has employed the latest technology. Expert technicians diagnose a repair, fix it right the first time and back it with a nationwide warranty. Known as the world's leading transmission expert, the company has evolved into a total car care brand that provides a variety of services including brake repair, tune-ups, shocks and struts, routine maintenance and more. AAMCO was named to Entrepreneur's 2017 Franchise 500, ranking at the top of the transmission repair category for the third consecutive year. Based on network size, growth rate and financial strength, last year, the brand also earned a spot on Entrepreneur's "Best of the Best" list. Additionally, AAMCO has been consecutively ranked on Franchise Times' Top 200+ for the last two years.

AAMCO Jacksonville serves customers Monday  Friday from 7 a.m.  6 p.m. and is closed Saturday and Sunday. For more information, please visit www.aamcojacksonvillear.com or call 501-983-4480.

About AAMCO

AAMCO is the world's largest branded chain of transmission specialists and a leader in total car care services. AAMCO has nearly 650 franchised automotive centers throughout the United States and Canada. Established in 1962, AAMCO-branded centers are proud to have served more than 45 million drivers. For more information, visit: aamcouniversity.com, aamco.com or aamcoblog.com.

Contact:

Nicole Hunnicutt

Fish Consulting

404-558-4108

nhunnicutt@fish-consulting.com

SOURCE AAMCO Transmissions, Inc.

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Culver's Launches Third Annual FFA Essay Contest

Restaurant celebrates FFA Week with contest that sends FFA chapters to national convention

PRAIRIE DU SAC, Wis. - Feb. 20, 2017 // PRNewswire // - There are already 649,355 reasons to celebrate National FFA Week, but Culver's is adding one more. Today, Culver's kicked off its third annual FFA Essay Contest to award three winners the funds to send their FFA chapters to the National FFA Convention & Expo in Indianapolis, Oct. 25-28, 2017.

The essay contest asks FFA members to submit an essay in response to the following questions: As a future ag leader, what do you want people to know about the agricultural industry? How will you help to educate them on this subject? Culver's will award prizes for the top three essays, providing winners with $7,500, $5,000 and $2,500 respectively. To submit their essays, FFA members should visit Culvers.com/essaycontest. The contest ends March 31, 2017, at 5 p.m. CST.

"We're excited to continue to hear firsthand from such passionate and knowledgeable students about the topics that are important to them," said Jessie Corning, senior marketing manager for Culver's. "With the FFA Essay Contest, more FFA members have a chance to attend the convention and immerse themselves in the agricultural community."

Annually, more than 60,000 FFA members attend the conference, which provides opportunities for members nationwide to unite and celebrate their collective accomplishments while learning about some of the 235 unique careers that exist in the industry of agriculture. One of last year's winners, Hannah S., shared her chapter's experience at the convention here.

National FFA Week runs from Feb. 18-25, 2017, and is an opportunity for FFA members and friends to advocate for agricultural education and share the positive impact that FFA has on its 649,355 members in 7,757 local chapters across the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Culver's essay contest is part of the restaurant's Thank You Farmers program, which recognizes the hard work of the nation's farmers and helps ensure the future of the next generation of agricultural leaders. To date, the Thank You Farmers initiative has raised over one million dollars in support of the National FFA Organization and Foundation, local FFA chapters and a variety of local agricultural organizations.

About Culver's

For over 30 years, Culver's guests have been treated to cooked-to-order food made with farm-fresh ingredients and served with a smile. The ever-expanding franchise system now numbers over 600 family-owned and operated restaurants in 24 states. The restaurants' nationally recognized customer service is based on small-town, Midwestern values, genuine friendliness and an unwavering commitment to quality. Signature items include the award-winning ButterBurger, made from fresh, never frozen, beef, and Fresh Frozen Custard, including the famous Flavor of the Day program. For more information, visit www.culvers.com, www.culvers.com/facebook, www.twitter.com/culvers, www.gplus.to/culvers or www.instagram.com/culvers.

About the National FFA Organization

The National FFA Organization is a national youth organization of 649,355 student members as part of 7,859 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The organization is supported by 225,891 alumni members in 1,934 local FFA Alumni chapters throughout the U.S. The FFA mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. The National FFA Organization operates under a federal charter granted by the 81st United States Congress and it is an integral part of public instruction in agriculture. The U.S. Department of Education provides leadership and helps set direction for FFA as a service to state and local agricultural education programs. For more, visit the National FFA Organization online at FFA.org and on Facebook, Twitter and the official National FFA Organization blog.

Contact:

Becca Vollmer

608.256.6357

bvollmer@hiebing.com

SOURCE Culver's

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Palm Beach Tan Acquires Memphis Area Tan-N-Go Locations

February 21, 2017 // Franchising.com // DALLAS, Texas - Palm Beach Tan, the nations largest indoor tanning provider, announced it has acquired Memphis, Tenn. based Tan-N-Go Inc. Existing customer accounts with Tan-N-Go will be transferred to Palm Beach Tan and all memberships, sessions and packages will be honored. Over the next several months, the company plans to renovate these newly acquired locations to reflect the Palm Beach Tan brand as well as update equipment and offerings.

Were thrilled to nearly double our footprint in the growing Memphis market and welcome all Tan-N-Go customers to the Palm Beach Tan family, said Diane Lucas, President and CEO of Palm Beach Tan.

After nearly 30 years in business, the partners at Tan-N-Go partners teamed up with Palm Beach Tan to ensure their customers and team members would be well taken care of as they transitioned out of the tanning industry.

As the largest and most respected tanning provider in the industry, we knew Palm Beach Tan would be our best acquisition partner, said Linda Coleman. The entire Palm Beach Tan team has been great to work with and has agreed to not only assure a smooth transition for our customers, but is also offering jobs to all eligible Tan-N-Go store level employees.

Because of proximity to existing Palm Beach Tan stores, Tan-N-Go will close the following locations. Existing memberships, sessions and packages purchased at these stores will be honored at all Palm Beach Tan locations.

Park  5035 Park Ave.

Highland  3477 Poplar Ave.

Cordova  1605 Germantown Parkway

Germantown  2095 Exeter Rd.

Southaven  3075 Goodman Rd.

Collierville  875 West Poplar Ave.

Church Rd  1046 Church Rd., Southaven

Palm Beach Tan will rebrand the following Tan-N-Go salons which will bring the total number of Palm Beach Tan salons in the Memphis and North Mississippi area to 11.

Midtown  1610 Union Ave

Bartlett East  6600 Stage Rd.

Lakeland  9160 Highway 64, Arlington

Olive Branch  7501 Goodman Rd.

Millington  8510 Wilkinsville Rd.

About Palm Beach Tan, Inc.

Founded in 1990, Palm Beach Tan, Inc. is the leader in the indoor tanning industry, operating more than 460 locations, both corporate and franchised owned under the brands Palm Beach Tan, Palm Beach Tan Sunless, and Planet Tan. The company has revolutionized the industry through innovative technology, a continued focus on the education of its team members and a strict focus on tanning in moderation. Palm Beach Tan offers convenience and a full range of services: multiple levels of tanning beds, sunless Mystic Tanning and Versa Spa tanning and skin care, as well as premium skin care products. For more information about Palm Beach Tan, Inc., please visit www.palmbeachtan.com or www.facebook.com/PBTOfficial.

Media Contact:

Lauren Whisenant Waites

PR Specialist

Archer Malmo, Memphis

832-723-2236

LWaites@archermalmo.com

SOURCE Palm Beach Tan, Inc.

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Galust Sahakyan: Our ancestors wisdom and contribution are codified in our language

Congratulatory Message by the RA NA President Galust Sahakyan on Mother Language Day Dear compatriots, I congratulate you on the occasion of Mother Language Day. Through centuries and ordeals we have passed the light of the Mother Language, a light that could not extinguish not only the wars but until now the violence of those not having their own language and writing and instead using the one stolen from the others. The targeted encroachments, which have been carried out towards our language, in case of any other language will be fatal and destructive, but our language walked forward, as a leader and guideline getting a whole nation to our days with its powerfulness. In our language with open text our ancestors wisdom and contribution are codified how to treat the future. The language is not a transient pride, and today also decorating and raising us, obliges to be caring to it at national and state, political and civil level, because it means caring and responsible attitude towards our past and future. The people, who respect their own language, are able to treat with respect other languages. The free communication of different national minorities living in the Republic of Armenia in their mother tongue is its best evidence. Let Mother Language Day become not only assessing and exalting our precious wealth, loving and respecting the nation and the statehood, but a holiday of solidarity and consent. I wish you peace, welfare and all the best.
Cabin fever was never an issue when snow piled up around the Grimes familys house in Spotsylvania County. Snow days were play days for brother Jimmy, sister Lorie and mother Gale.The three, sometimes joined by neighbor pals, would bundle up and head out to the yard to turn the snow into whatever struck their fancy.When readers were invited to share their snowman photos for a wintry Flashback column (and it is still winter, despite what it feels like outside), Grimes sent snapshots of several of her familys long-ago creationsnot a single snowman among them.

They built snow cats, in honor of their family felines, TC and Frisky; a bikini-clad snow girl with eyes and a belly button made of rocks; various bears, including a ferocious 8-foot-tall polar bear, its bared teeth, claws and tongue made of plastic.

Mom is behind the shutter for most of the photos documenting the creations.

I am such a picture nut, she said in a recent conversation. I have taken pictures of everything, hundreds and hundreds of photos. She selected only a few of cherished snow memories to share. Other creations included a snow alligator, a bride and even some plain old snowmen, as she put it.

I loved the snow, Grimes said.

Even when the kids were tiny and couldnt go outside, she would bring pans of snow indoors to make snow creations on the kitchen table, then put them in the freezer.

Larger outdoor models became neighborhood attractions, especially the giant polar bear in the front yard.

Passersby would note progress as they built.

Cars would go by and slow down and when we finished, people would say they liked it, Grimes recalled.

In due course, the temperature would rise, the melt would set in, and creations were unbuilt.

Grimes recalled that the polar bear took forever to melt and after a while it looked like a giant icicle.

When he wasnt working on his job as mail carrier, dad Richard joined the family fun which often took the family on snowy adventures around the neighborhood near their Ashby Drive home in the Chancellor area.

Asked recently if the neighborhood had changed much, Grimes said, Oh, honey, its developed so much.

Surrounding woods are thinner now, with construction of homes and roads leading to a large development, Summers Landing.

In her minds eye, she still sees an old barn and field. The family would sleigh ride nearby and play along Ni Creek, sometimes sliding along water-turned-to-ice. The creek has since been swallowed up by the Ni Reservoir.

Richard Grimes would drive his four-wheeler, sometimes pulling the kids along in cardboard boxes. Theyd have snowball fights.

We just had a good time. They were simpler days, she said.

The children are now in their early 40s. Both graduated from Chancellor High School; both live in Spotsylvania County. Jimmy is meat manager at the Hilltop Plaza Giant Food; Lorie works at Mary Washington Hospital as executive assistant to the vice president of revenue cycle. Richard retired from the post office and drives a bus for FRED Regional Transit.

Gale, 67, is a grandmother. She still loves the snow, and she still loves to take pictures.

I like to get out and take pictures of how beautiful everything looks after the fresh snow, she said. I take pictures on my cellphone now.

Her son carries on the snow creation tradition.

His latest masterpiece was a snow deer, complete with antlers, that he and his stepdaughter, Savannah Ochs, made in front of their house in Walnut Hills. His wife, Becca, was behind the lens.
Cheryl Nikituk conducted a quick poll at the Resist Trump Tuesday rally in front of Republican Congressman Rob Wittmans Stafford County office.

How many people are here with their top concern being health care? asked Nikituk, 66, a Prince William County resident who organized the event held early Tuesday afternoon.

Most of the approximately 30 protesters raised their hands.

How about  our dealings with Russia? she asked.

Most hands shot up again.

How about having Rep. Wittman have a face-to-face town hall?

We shouldnt have to ask for it! a woman replied as the protesters held up their hands.

Locally and nationwide, Wittman, U.S. Rep. Dave Brat, R7th District, and other GOP congressmen are hearing from many constituents concerned about Republican President Donald Trumps agenda. The headline of a recent Fox News article attempted to sum up the movement, stating: Reverse Tea Party? Republican officials facing more protests across country.

Brat, facing pressure from constituents, held a town hall meeting Tuesday night in Nottoway County, the southernmost point of the 7th District. His district includes most of Spotsylvania County.

Wittman, whose 1st District includes much of the Fredericksburg region, has not scheduled a town hall, spokesman Gregory Lemon said in an email. Our office takes literally thousands of comments/thoughts/opinions from constituents every week, all of which are logged and passed along to Congressman Wittmanjust as those concerns expressed [Tuesday] will be, Lemon said.

Wittman outreach coordinator Karen Klotz invited the protesters to a conference room at the Stafford office, where she jotted down their concerns on behalf of the congressman. She had already talked with some of them on the phone.

Stafford resident Cheryl Hinterleitner, 26, who has several chronic illnesses, emphasized her support for the Affordable Care Act, which Wittman and other Republicans hope to repeal and replace.

She told Klotz she pays $60 a month for six prescriptions under her ACA plan. Without that coverage, she said, her prescriptions alone would cost $1,100 a month.

Especially important to Hinterleitner is the Affordable Care Act provision that prohibits insurers from denying health care to patients like her with pre-existing conditions. That is so important to me and to me staying alive, she said.

Wittman has said he wants any new law to protect patients with pre-existing conditions.

Other constituents, many of whom live in Stafford, politely aired concerns about health care, the environment and Trumps stance on immigration. Some of them criticized Wittman for what they view as a loyalty to the Republican Party over constituents.

The protesters did hear from Wittman in the form of three lettersall dated Feb. 21explaining his stances on health care, the environment, and Trumps executive order imposing a 90-day ban on immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries.

The letters had been placed on a desk in the Stafford office off Garrisonville Road.

In one of the letters, Wittman wrote that he is co-sponsoring legislation to repeal the Affordable Care Act and replace it with health care reforms that ensure everyone has access to quality, affordable health insurance. He is referring to legislation that proposes a standard tax deduction of $20,500 for families and $7,500 for individuals to buy health insurance.

In another letter, Wittman described Trumps controversial executive orderwhich federal courts have blockedas a temporary pause on refugee resettlement. He said he supports compassionate polices that allow refugees escaping life-threatening conditions, but that he needs to make sure bad actors are not exploiting refugee resettlement programs.

My view on the order is simple: If it prevents one potential terrorist from entering our country, if it saves the life of one innocent American, then it was worth it, Wittman wrote.

The letters did not appear to sway the protesters at the congressmans Stafford office.

I don think anybodys going away this time, Stafford resident John OKeefe, 68, told a Wittman staffer. The inauguration got me off the couch.
Long before he would become one of Virginias most powerful politicians, Bill Howell quietly made a name for himself in Fredericksburg.

Or, as former Republican state Sen. John Chichester put it, he distinguished himself as a Fredericksburg citizen in roles that included National Bank of Fredericksburg employee, Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce president, and community volunteer. The affable Howell had a good head on his shoulders, too, he said.

So in 1987, after Republican Del. Tom Moncure decided not to seek re-election, Chichester encouraged Howell to run for the 28th District House of Delegates seat. He was the logical choice as far as I was concerned, so I called him, said Chichester, a state senator representing the 28th District from 1978 to 2007.

Howell told him he had always wanted to serve in the General Assemblybut needed to check with someone first. Of course, he wanted to talk with Cessie, Chichester said, referring to Howells wife.

With his wifes blessing, Howell ran for office in 1987 and has served ever since. Notably, the Stafford County Republican has been the House speaker since January 2003. A Free LanceStar headline at the time stated: Quiet Bill Howell becomes Mr. Speaker.

That 30-year political career is now coming to a close. In an emotional speech Monday on the House floor, Howell said he will not seek re-election this year to the seat that represents parts of Fredericksburg and Stafford County.

When I accepted the speakers gavel, I reminded myself and others that what kind of people we are, and how we treat one another, is as important as the bills we pass and the laws we make, Howell, 73, said in written remarks posted on his website. May we never lose sight of this worthy aspiration.

Politics have become more and more contentious over the years, but, as House speaker, Howell always kept the ship steady and the sails full of wind, Chichester said in a telephone interview from his condo in Vero Beach, Fla.

Herding 60 members with different agendas, who all have egos that are bigger than all outdoors, that gets a little burdensome, he said. But he handled it with amazing grace and elegance.

Chichester said he and Howell did not always see eye to eye, though they did agree on many issues.

In 2004, Howell opposed a tax increase backed by Chichester and Democratic Gov. Mark Warner. But the tax hike passed after Howell quietly told a few Republicans to skip a committee vote so that the bill would go to the House floor, according to a 2013 article in The Washington Post.

He voted against it, but he saw to it that it passed, which I give him credit for, Chichester said.

Another example of Howells pragmatic streak was his decision in 2013 to kill a new state Senate map that benefited the GOP.

Howell said during his retirement announcement that the House speaker should rise above partisan politics, calling it a position that transcends the fractured moments that often drive our politics. Filling that role for the past 15 years has been the greatest professional honor of my life, he said.

Del. Mark Cole, RSpotsylvania County, who is among the Houses more conservative members, said he thought that, overall, Howell did a good job as speaker.

Hell be remembered as a true Virginia gentleman, Cole said when asked about Howells legacy. He led the House through some turbulent times, and I think he did it with grace and dignityeven when I may have disagreed with him on issues.

Stafford Supervisor Paul Milde, the board chairman, released a statement lauding Howells accomplishments, which he said include preserving parkland and keeping the state on sound financial footing. He added that Howells best contribution is his love of the people and the history of the area.

Bill and Cessie Howell never failed to greet their constituents and neighbors with warm smiles of welcome, stated Milde, a Republican.

Milde is a rumored candidate to succeed Howell, but he declined to comment on that possibility when reached Monday. I just want this to be about Bill today, he said.

In his retirement announcement, Howell said he is blessed to have two good sons and seven energetic grandchildren. He and his wife hope to travel, spend time with family and just relax, he said.

The many friendships that I have made here over almost 30 years are worth more than any bill I have ever championed or passed, Howell said.
James Monroe, sometimes called the last Founding Father, has hit the big time.

Google is training its spotlight on the nations fifth president, who once called Fredericksburg home.

Specifically, Google Arts & Culture has mounted a virtual exhibit featuring two Monroe sites in Virginia: the James Monroe Museum, site of his law office and a globally significant artifact collection, and James Monroes Highland, his plantation near Charlottesville.

It happened just in time for Presidents Day, as part of Googles American Democracy ventureg.co/americandemocracywhich celebrates the U.S. presidencys history and helps people discover defining moments in American democracy. The site covers presidents from George Washington to the present day.

The Monroe Museums digital exhibit introduces the man who held more public-service jobs before becoming president than any other holder of Americas highest office.

A native of Westmoreland County in Virginias Northern Neck, Monroe fought in the Revolutionary War and was wounded attacking the British garrison in Trenton, N.J., during George Washingtons surprise raid of Christmas Day 1776.

Monroe went on to hold state and federal legislative offices; serve four terms as governor; represent his country as a diplomat posted to Great Britain, Spain and France; and serve (at the same time) as U.S. secretary of state and secretary of war. In France, he helped negotiate the Louisiana Purchase, which vastly enlarged the United States and opened the West to American settlement.

While the nations fifth president, from 1817 to 1825, Monroe signed the Missouri Compromise of 1820, a milestone in the sectional controversy over slavery; granted diplomatic recognition to emerging Latin American republics; bought Florida from Spain; and committed the United States to preventing European intervention in the affairs of the Western Hemisphere. His declaration, later named the Monroe Doctrine, was a cornerstone of American foreign policy well into the 20th century.

Via the partnership between the Google Cultural Institute and the museum, people all over the globe can peruse more than significant 70 artifacts from Monroes life and timesand that of his wife, Elizabethfrom the museums collection. Visitors will discover interactive stories curated by its experts.

The museums Bowley Scholar interns, Jackie Downes and Kelly Haynes, uploaded images of the artifacts and created exhibit labels, with technical support from Google staff. Its curator, Jarod Kearney, and director, Scott Harris, proofed the material before it was submitted to Google.

This was another great learning opportunity for our interns, another cool thing to put on their resumes, Harris said in an interview.

Plus, the museums content is now on a worldwide platform that has great brandingthe Google name, he added. That aint bad.

Using Google Street View feature, people can move around the James Monroe Museum virtually, picking works that interest them, clicking to discover more, or zooming into high-resolution images.

A Street View trolley features 360-degree images of particular galleries that were stitched together to let people navigate within the museum. Theyll see galleries depicting Monroes Revolutionary War service, diplomatic missions and presidency.

Museum staff said some of the online exhibitions most important items are:

Valley Forge Furlough: Issued by Maj. James Monroe to Lt. John Wallace of the 6th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment in February 1778 while the Continental Army was encamped at Valley Forge, it bears the earliest known signature of Monroe on an official document.

Court Suit: Monroes elegant diplomatic attire represents his career in public affairs, including his presence, with Elizabeth, at the coronation of Napoleon Bonaparte as French emperor on Dec. 2, 1804.

Monroes Return to Washington, 1817: This oil painting by Pietro Bonanni depicts Monroe returning to Washington, D.C., from the first of three regional tours he made between 1817 and 1819. By bringing the presidency to the people, Monroe made the office more accessible and tangible for a big part of the population. Peoples hugely positive response inspired the phrase most associated with his administration: the Era of Good Feelings.

White House china: The dessert service Monroe ordered from the Paris firm of Pierre Louis Dagoty and Edouard D. Honore was the first official china service made for an American president. It symbolizes the grand style of White House furnishings that Monroe acquired to reflect the power and dignity of the Presidents House. Later first families have sought to emulate that standard.

Monroe Doctrine desk: Monroe family tradition holds that this mahogany Louis XVI-style desk, part of a suite of furniture bought in France in the 1790s, was used by the president to write his annual message to Congress of 1823, which included the Monroe Doctrine.

The museum in Fredericksburgs historic district holds the countrys largest collection of artifacts and documents related to the fifth president. It was opened in 1927 by Monroe descendants as a place to house their personal collections, which had been handed down through generations of the family.

We are grateful to Google Arts & Culture for the opportunity bring the distinguished legacy of James Monroe to a worldwide audience, and for their generous technical and marketing support, Harris said.

The other online exhibit, Discovering the Home of President James Monroe, focuses on the research in archaeology and architectural history at the Albemarle County site and includes more than 50 images from James Monroes home there.

We are proud to be able to share our most exciting discoveries with the online community, Highland Executive Director Sara BonHarper said. The inclusion of James Monroes Highland in the Presidents Day Collection is even more relevant this year as we celebrate the bicentennial of James Monroes inauguration as the fifth president of the United States.

Launched in 2011, the Google Culture Institute makes important cultural material accessible to everyone, aiming to digitally preserve it and educate and inspire future generations. It includes photos, videos and documents from hundreds of partner institutions in dozens of countries, and features many world heritage sites in its World Wonders Project.

Harris said the Google exposure is also timely for other reasons.

Nationally, commemoration of the 200th anniversary of Monroes presidency is getting underway in various communities, museums and historic sites. Elected in November 1816, Monroe took the oath of office for his first term on March 4, 1817.

Locally, Harris has found some parallels between the fifth U.S. president and the 10th president of the museums parent, the University of Mary Washington.

At this point in the careers, both Monroe and UMW President Troy Paino were on the cusp of their presidencies, looking forward to the path of leadership before them, he said.

Both men saw a strong link between education, citizenship and democracy.

Nothing is more interesting to my own mind, & nothing can be more important to our common country, than the cultivation of science & liberal literature, Monroe wrote John Kirkland on July 12, 1817. The principal support of a free government is to be derived from the sound morals & intelligence of the people; and the more extensive the means of education, the more confidently may we rely upon the preservation of our public liberties.

Paino, speaking to a UMW assembly on Jan. 19, said: Our liberal arts education has to be relevant, because we are here to serve, and our fundamental purpose is the preservation and advancement of our representative democracy. And were at a time in our history when they need us more than ever.
Ameriabank: At the Vanguard of Armenia's Banking Sector

STATEMENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARTSAKH

SUBSCRIBERS OF UCOMS ALL TIME BEST OFFER TO ENJOY ADDITIONAL BENEFITS

Armenia-Azerbaijan: EU sets up monitoring capacity along the international borders

Google Ad

PACE co-rapporteurs on Armenia concerned by reports of alleged war crimes or inhuman treatment perpetrated by Azerbaijans armed forces

There is still 35% gender pay gap: Sona Ghazaryan

Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia

Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans provided 136 million AMD support for the overhaul of the Myasnikyan statue, which was in unsafe state of disrepair

Believe me, as a representative of a country which uses the Schengen system very often, it is quite important. Vardanyan

I really look forward to having answers from the Azerbaijani side for these alleged gross human rights violations: Secretary General

I call on Armenian and Azerbaijani parliamentarians to use this Assembly as an agora of opportunities President Tiny Kox

UCOMS SPECIAL OFFER OF THE UNLIMITED INTERNET IS NOW TERMLESS

There is no place for the death penalty in a State that respects human rights: PACE General Rapporteur

EU and CoE call on two Member States that have not yet acceded to this Protocol  Armenia and Azerbaijan  to do so without delay

An urgent debate requested on "The military hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan".

UCOM AND PES-PES CONTINUE COOPERATION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF EDUCATIONAL PROJECT

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The statement of the meeting between Prime Minister Pashinyan, President Aliyev, President Macron and President Michel of October 6, 2022

Largest Corporate Bond Program at the Securities Market of Armenia Completed Successfully

The statement of the Defender on the video of the execution of Armenian PoWs by the Azerbaijani armed forces

LEVEL UP ONLY FOR STUDENTS: UCOM OFFERS X2 AND X3 MORE INTERNET

STATEMENT BY SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN

This criminal act is another proof that the Armenophobia policy. Tatoyan

Nikol Pashinyan, Nancy Pelosi discuss a number of issues related to the Armenian-American agenda and regional developments

Delegation by Nancy Pelosi Accompanied by Alen Simonyan Visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex

Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi Arrives in Yerevan

Armenian Revytech, global technology leader SAP and financial services software specialist SAP Fioneer sign a cooperation agreement

With 120 million drams donated by Mikael Vardanyan, the defenders of the homeland will be treated in a new building

OSCE Chairman-in-Office and OSCE Secretary General call for immediate cessation of hostilities along Armenia-Azerbaijan border

Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh
RICHMONDGov. Terry McAuliffe vetoed two bills Monday relating to concealed weaponsone involving handgun permits and the other pertaining to switchblade knives.

The first bill, HB 1582, would have allowed members of the military over the age of 18 to apply for concealed handgun permits if they are on active duty or had an honorable discharge and had received basic training.

The current law prohibits anyone under the age of 21 to purchase a handgun from a licensed dealer.

The governor said in his veto message that the bill reflects an incomplete understanding of weapons qualification practices within our military and is an unwarranted expansion in the number of people allowed to carry handguns in the Commonwealth.

It would do nothing to protect the safety of our citizens, McAuliffe said.HB 1582 ended up on the governors desk after a 7819 vote in the House of Delegates and a 2415 vote in the Virginia Senate.

The governor defended the veto by saying that under the bill, An individual who has completed basic training but who subsequently was disqualified (for medical or other reasons) from having access to weapons could nevertheless apply for a concealed handgun permit.McAuliffe said the decision to veto the bill was made after consulting military leadership and isnt a reflection of his respect and support for the members of the armed forces.

The second bill the governor vetoed, HB 1432, would have legalized the carrying of a concealed switchblade knife when it is carried for the purpose of engaging in a lawful profession or lawful recreational activity the performance of which is aided by the knife.

According to the governors veto message, lawful profession and recreational activity are not defined by Virginia law. As a result, McAuliffe said, enforcing the law would be a challenge.

The bill would have also removed switchblades from the list of weapons that are illegal to sell or trade in the commonwealth.

Legalizing the concealed carry of switchblade knives would needlessly endanger the lives of Virginians, McAuliffe said.

The bill had passed the House in a 57-39 vote and the Senate with a 23-16 vote.
UNDER current law, Virginias elected officials can use campaign donations for pretty much anything they want: college tuition, expensive jewelry, even a down payment on a yacht.

Most officeholders dont go to such extremes. But they still bill their campaigns for all sorts of dubious reasons, including thousands of dollars in cellphone bills, fancy dinners and expensive hotel staysdespite the fact that state legislators, for instance, receive per diem allowances to cover travel costs and personal expenses when theyre on government time, in addition to a $15,000 office allowance.

Legislators arent alone in the practice, either. Former first lady Maureen McDonnell spent nearly $10,000 of her husband Bobs campaign and political action committee funds on clothing.

The wide-open use of campaign funds for personal reasons is not only legal, its also not even checked. The state Board of Elections does not audit campaign expenditures. If this does not make the commonwealth unique in the nation, it certainly makes the state unusual. And unwise.

During the current General Assembly session, a couple of lawmakers introduced bills to put guardrails on the use of campaign funds. The measures have gone nowhere.

The reason is obvious. And amusing. Del. Mark Cole of Spotsylvania County, one of the sponsors of the bills to rein in potential abuse, said the issue is really complicated. As The Daily Press reported, Cole said several lawmakers shared private concerns that a proposed ban would make harmless behavior illegal. He said one lawmaker, who Cole declined to name, brought up a scenario in which the lawmaker bought a box of doughnuts for a campaign rally and then shared some of the doughnuts with family members after the event.

Please.

The leftover-doughnut excuse is the equivalent of arguing that a private corporation cannot have a rule against stealing from the company because some employees take calls from their spouses at their desks. Its a ridiculous reductio ad absurdum.

A reasonable case can be made that state legislators should get a raise, and in fact a state ethics commission recommended a substantial raise a couple of years ago. Lawmakers havent had a pay hike in nearly three decades, and the current levels$17,640 for members of the House of Delegates and $18,000 for state senatorsfall far short of reasonable compensation for the amount of work legislators do. In fact, the low pay scales create an obstacle to average citizens who might otherwise consider seeking elected office.

Raising pay instead of leaving campaign funds available for personal use might seem almost like an accounting changeinsignificant in the grand scheme of things, and unlikely to affect the lives of ordinary Virginians in any tangible way. But there is one big difference to the approachthe difference between honesty and dishonesty. In a state where The Virginia Way has become a punchline, that should be more than reason enough.

Richmond TimesDispacth
Will Rep. Wittman support probe of administration?

First District Rep. Rob Wittman is a staunch defender of President Trump, even in the face of Kremlingate. It appears members of Trumps staff were in contact with Russians while our election campaigns were being hacked.

Trumps National Security Adviser Michael Flynn was forced to resign because he lied about his contact with the Russian ambassador before his appointment. Is there treason in the White House?

What is Wittmans stance on an independent investigation into this matter?

Perhaps Wittman is not old enough to remember the Cold War. If not, he may want to review U.S.Russian relations over the last 75 years. Russia under Putin is certainly not our friend.

Given Wittmans reaction so far regarding Kremlingate, he should be worried that he will face a primary challenge by a more rational and representative Republican. Failing that, he will be an easy target for the Democrat who runs against him.

Shelley Pineo-Jensen

Fredericksburg
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Story Highlights Gallup's U.S. Economic Confidence Index at +7 last week

Index has been positive for 14 weeks straight

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Americans remain slightly more optimistic than pessimistic about the state of the economy. Gallup's U.S. Economic Confidence Index averaged +7 for the week ending Feb. 19, unchanged from the prior week. This is the 14th week in a row that the index has been positive.

Americans' views of the economy have improved significantly since the U.S. presidential election. In nearly nine years -- from when Gallup began tracking economic confidence daily in January 2008 to the November 2016 presidential election -- Gallup's U.S. Economic Confidence Index was positive in only nine weeks, all of which occurred in late 2014 or early 2015.

While the index generally improved between Donald Trump's election and his first full week in office, it has receded since. It dropped from a nine-year high of +14 for the week ending Jan. 29 to +8 the following week and has yet to bounce back.

Gallup's U.S. Economic Confidence Index is the average of two components: how Americans rate current economic conditions and whether they feel the economy is improving or getting worse. The index has a theoretical maximum of +100 if all Americans were to say the economy is doing well and improving, and a theoretical minimum of -100 if all Americans were to say the economy is doing poorly and getting worse.

Last week, the current conditions component of the index stood at +13, based on 33% of Americans rating the current economic conditions of the country as "excellent" or "good," and 20% rating conditions as "poor." This is similar to the week before, when 32% said conditions were excellent or good and 19% said they were poor.

Meanwhile, the economic outlook score for last week was +1, unchanged from the prior week. But relative to Trump's first full week in office, fewer Americans believe the economy is "getting better." While slightly less than half believed this last week (47%), a clear majority believed this (53%) three weeks ago. A previous Gallup analysis has shown that the drop in the percentage of Americans who believe the economy is getting better is primarily attributable to worsening attitudes among Democrats.

Bottom Line

For 14 straight weeks, more Americans have been optimistic than pessimistic about the economy -- no mean achievement, given that for much of the last nine years, economic pessimism has been the more common perspective. It is difficult not to attribute this burst in economic positivity at least in part to the election of Trump -- in particular, the percentage of Americans who believed economic conditions are "getting better" climbed notably from his electoral victory to his inauguration.

But four weeks into Trump's presidency, there is some evidence that economic confidence has stalled -- the metric fell six points for the week ending Feb. 5 and has remained at that level since. Whether the index will regain its upward momentum or fall further down could be determined by many factors, including Trump's and the Republican Congress' ambitious but, so far, stalled economic agenda.

These data are available in Gallup Analytics.
Story Highlights 22% of Americans hold a favorable opinion of Putin; 72% unfavorable

Republicans' favorable views of Putin up sharply from 2015

28% of Americans have favorable view of Russia

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Americans see Russian President Vladimir Putin in a better light than two years ago. Twenty-two percent now say they have a favorable opinion of Putin, up from 13% in 2015 and the highest percentage with a favorable view of the Russian leader since 2003. His unfavorable rating is unchanged at 72%, while fewer Americans say they have no opinion of him.

These data are from Gallup's Feb. 1-5 World Affairs survey. In the two years since Gallup last measured the Russian leader's popularity in the U.S., Putin authorized Russian military support for the Syrian government in that country's civil war and has been implicated in allegations of Russian interference in the U.S. presidential election.

Gallup's last measurement of his U.S. popularity in February 2015 was around a year after Russia's involvement in Crimea and controversy surrounding the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.

Americans' negative opinion of Putin is a relatively recent phenomenon. When Gallup first asked about Putin in 2002 during his first term as president, 41% of Americans had a favorable view of him, 18% had an unfavorable view, and 41% had never heard of him or had no opinion. In 2013 when Gallup resumed asking this question during Putin's third term, far more Americans viewed him negatively than positively.

Republicans Fuel Rise in Putin's Favorable Ratings

A major reason for the overall rise in Putin's favorable rating this year is Republicans' more positive views of the Russian leader, from 12% in 2015 to 32% today. This comes at a time when President Donald Trump wants to improve relations with Russia, after somewhat frosty relations between the two countries during Barack Obama's presidency. Independents' opinions of Putin also have grown more positive in the last two years, but to a lesser extent than Republicans'. Democrats' views have become slightly less positive, with just 10% viewing Putin favorably today.

Americans' Favorable Ratings of Putin, by Party 2015 2017 Change % % pct. pts. Republicans 12 32 +20 Independents 12 23 +11 Democrats 15 10 -5 Gallup

Americans' Impressions of Russia Also Up From 2015

Americans' views of Russia are similar to their opinion of Putin: 28% view the country favorably, while 70% view it unfavorably.

The percentage viewing Russia favorably is similar to last year's 30% but is up slightly from 24% in 2015 -- the all-time low favorable score for the country in Gallup's trend.

Americans' views of Russia have fluctuated over the past two decades, rising and falling depending on the relationship between that country and the U.S. Following the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991, Americans had a largely positive view of Russia, with the country's favorable ratings consistently outnumbering its unfavorable ratings by several points. However, these ratings turned negatively in 1999 and 2003, following the country's military actions in Chechnya and elsewhere, as well as Russian opposition to U.S. military operations, first in Kosovo and then Iraq.

Similar to the wide partisan divide in views of Putin, Republicans are much more positive than Democrats about Russia, 35% vs. 16%, respectively. Democrats' views are sharply more negative than a year ago when they were essentially the same as Republicans'. This is perhaps due to the allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, including leaked emails of close Hillary Clinton associates.

Bottom Line

Putin's favorable ratings may have edged up in the U.S., but 72% of the public still views him negatively. Putin has been central to a series of controversial events, including allegations of tampering with the presidential election and the resignation of former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn after three weeks in office. Flynn admitted in his resignation letter that he had provided incomplete information to then President-elect Trump and others regarding an alleged conversation with Russian government officials prior to taking office.

Trump's friendlier approach toward Putin appears to have garnered more positive feelings from members of the president's party toward the Russian leader. Democrats' views of the Russian leader, on the other hand, are still quite low. This year could be pivotal in determining how much the U.S. finds agreement with Russia -- and whether the modest increase in goodwill toward Putin is a short-lived phenomenon or an indication of more positive views to come.

Historical data are available in Gallup Analytics.
Sweden in world spotlight following US President Donald Trumps weekend comments

Swedish poker pros have been held at gunpoint

Swedes accused in poker bot ring

PokerListings founders murder in Sweden still unsolved

In light of what US President Donald Trump said during a Florida rally over the weekend, everybody is talking about Sweden.yes, Sweden.

While discussing issues with refugees in other nations, Trump made reference to Sweden and seemed to imply that a specific incident had occurred in that Scandinavian nation that has embraced refugees over the years.

You look at whats happening, Trump said. Weve got to keep our country safe. You look at whats happening in Germany, you look at whats happening last night in Sweden, the president said. They took in large numbers, theyre having problems like they never thought possible, he said.

The US President would later say he was referencing a story that appeared on Fox News the night before.

Since that comment was made, news outlets have attempted to paint Sweden as a nation void of crime.

But dont tell that to poker players!

While there are no implications that the refugee population has had any involvement in said crimes, Gambling911.com has highlighted incidents over the years.

Lets take a look.

Swedish Poker Pros Held at Gunpoint in Casino Cosmopol: Others Extorted, Murdered

A 23-year-old poker player was taken into custody after allegedly holding up another player at the Casino Cosmopol in Gothenburg in 2012. He was facing charges of robbery and several cases of extortion. The victim was forced to surrender 224,000 crowns.

As for the extortion, Gambling911.com previously reported on how one gambler with ties to a Swedish motorcycle gang, the Bandidos, allegedly tried hacking into other poker players accounts.

Seven Swedes were later prosecuted for allegedly using poker bots to cheat at games .

The Swedish Government, for its part, has acknowledged that cybercrimes are becoming a major issue in the country.

More Poker Players in Sweden Become Targets of Violence

Four armed bandits held up 15 players at a private game in Stromstad in 2014. The victims in this case happened to all be Norwegian.

Unsolved Mysteries of Gambling Part 4: Who Killed PokerListings Boss Andreas Oscarsson?

It was one of the most shocking crimes in the world of gambling industry media. PokerListings.com founder Andreas Oscarsson was murdered in his home in Sweden. It is still unsolved.

To be fair, figures from the Swedish Crime Survey (SCS) show that exposure to crime has decreased since 2005.

The number of cases of lethal violence in Sweden has remained at a relatively constant level over the last 30 years  around 100 cases per year.

There were 97 robberies recorded by police per 100,000 population in 2012, which was 5 per cent less than the previous year.

- Jagajeet Chiba, Gambling911.com
It was darkly amusing over the weekend when The Associated Press reported that it had uncovered some evidence of voter fraud: It turns out that some voters in Texas, the state with the nation's toughest voter ID law, were able to bypass the law and improperly cast ballots in the November election by signing a sworn statement instead of showing a photo ID.

President Donald Trump repeatedly has insisted that he would have won the popular vote in November if it were not for 3 to 5 million immigrants in the country illegally who voted for his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton. Even though this report comes from a news organization that is, therefore, by Trump's definition, an enemy of the American people, expect administration officials to seize on it to bolster their case that massive voter fraud has occurred in the United States.

We suspect the endgame for the administration is to push for tighter voter ID laws across the nation, because those measures tend to discourage poor, minority and student voters, all of whom tend to vote Democratic. The administration will argue that these measures are necessary to combat voter fraud and increase public confidence in elections. But research has shown that in-person fraud at the polls is extremely rare.

It's interesting that these latest reports of voter fraud occurred in Texas. The strict voter ID law there requires voters to show one of seven approved forms of identification to cast ballots. The law was softened in August to allow people without a driver's license or other photo ID to sign an affidavit declaring that they have an impediment to obtaining required identification. Even after the affidavits were introduced, however, voters who possess an acceptable photo ID were still required to show it at the polls. But the AP analyzed roughly 13,500 of the affidavits and found at least 500 instances in which voters signed an affidavit and never showed a photo ID, despite indicating that they possessed one.

(The stakes for voter fraud can be high in Texas: A Mexican national in that state was sentenced this month to eight years in prison for illegal voting. Rosa Maria Ortega was convicted earlier this month on two felony counts of illegal voting, Her attorney has said Ortega was a permanent U.S. resident who mistakenly thought she was eligible to vote.)

You can expect the administration to argue that these Texas results demonstrate the need for even tougher restrictions on voting.

We're not buying it. For starters, we suspect that many of the people who signed the affidavits were, in fact, legal voters: The affidavit process was adopted after a court ruled that the voter ID law discriminated against minorities, and there was confusion among poll workers. And no one thinks that this made any difference in the election results in Texas, a state where Trump beat Clinton by more than 800,000 votes.

But that's almost beside the point now. Trump has called for a widespread investigation into these reports of voting fraud, not just in Texas, but across the nation. Let's do that. We're confident that any competent, honest probe will find no basis for the president's claims. We're less confident that Trump will accept such a conclusion.

In the meantime, here's another plug for Oregon's vote-by-mail program, which never has been afflicted by reports of significant fraud, appears to offer a significant challenge to anyone interested in hacking the system and leaves behind a paper trail. It would appear to be a shining example for the rest of the nation to follow.

Or it would be, except for this: It makes it easy to vote. That will never do. (mm)
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clarajancita at 21-02-2017 11:14 AM (5 years ago) (f)

According to Reporters, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora has called on the African Union and the South African government to take decisive and definitive measures to protect Nigerian citizens and other Africans within South African borders.

According to Reporters, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora has called on the African Union and the South African government to take decisive and definitive measures to protect Nigerian citizens and other Africans within South African borders. Also, the Senate Committee on Diaspora monday condemned the attacks on Nigerians living in South Africa and advised the federal government to take harder stance against the country. The condemnation came on the heels of the reported killing of a 34-year-old Nigerian businessman, Tochukwu Nnadi, by South African police on December 29, 2016 as well as weekend attacks on Nigerians and their businesses in the country.



The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, made the call in a statement she issued yesterday following reports of renewed violence against Nigerians and other Africans in South Africa. The Nigerian community in South Africa led by Ikechukwu Anyene had confirmed the attacks and looting of Nigerian-owned businesses in Pretoria West day.



Anyene said the Nigerian association had reported the incident to the Nigerian mission and South African police. Anyene had said: Also, the Senate Committee on Diaspora monday condemned the attacks on Nigerians living in South Africa and advised the federal government to take harder stance against the country. The condemnation came on the heels of the reported killing of a 34-year-old Nigerian businessman, Tochukwu Nnadi, by South African police on December 29, 2016 as well as weekend attacks on Nigerians and their businesses in the country.The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, made the call in a statement she issued yesterday following reports of renewed violence against Nigerians and other Africans in South Africa. The Nigerian community in South Africa led by Ikechukwu Anyene had confirmed the attacks and looting of Nigerian-owned businesses in Pretoria West day.Anyene said the Nigerian association had reported the incident to the Nigerian mission and South African police. Anyene had said: Quote As we speak, five buildings with Nigerian businesses, including a church have been looted and burned by South Africans.

One of the buildings is a mechanic garage with 28 cars under repairs, with other vital documents, were burned during the attack. Also, the pastor of the church was wounded and is in the hospital receiving treatment.

He also said the union had informed Nigerians in South Africa to be vigilant in the face of renewed xenophobic attacks.



According to him, the union received information that there would be xenophobic attacks against foreigners on February 22 and February 23. While describing the attacks as an unnecessary setback, Dabiri-Erewa advised Nigerians to be extra cautious.

She noted that it appeared the South African government had no control over the attacks.

The SSA, however, urged restraint on the part of Nigerians and warned that further attacks without any reprimand might have dire consequences.

Dabiri-Erewa said the attention of the AU was being called because of reports of planned attacks against foreigners on February 22 and 23.

These attacks should not be allowed to continue because it is a big setback, she said.

Dabiri-Erewa had two weeks ago met with the South African High Commissioner in Nigeria, Lulu Aaron-Mnguni, on the killing of Nigerians in South Africa.



Aaron-Mnguni promised that the South African government was investigating the matter.

We have lost about 116 Nigerians in the last two years. And in 2016 alone, about 20 were killed, this is unacceptable to the people and Government of Nigeria, Dabiri-Erewa said.

Meanwhile, the Senate Committee Chairman, Senator Rose Oko, who expressed displeasure over the continuous killings of Nigerians in South Africa, said the committee had sent a letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, asking it to furnish it with details of what resulted in the attacks.



She said: He also said the union had informed Nigerians in South Africa to be vigilant in the face of renewed xenophobic attacks.According to him, the union received information that there would be xenophobic attacks against foreigners on February 22 and February 23. While describing the attacks as an unnecessary setback, Dabiri-Erewa advised Nigerians to be extra cautious.She noted that it appeared the South African government had no control over the attacks.The SSA, however, urged restraint on the part of Nigerians and warned that further attacks without any reprimand might have dire consequences.Dabiri-Erewa said the attention of the AU was being called because of reports of planned attacks against foreigners on February 22 and 23.she said.Dabiri-Erewa had two weeks ago met with the South African High Commissioner in Nigeria, Lulu Aaron-Mnguni, on the killing of Nigerians in South Africa.Aaron-Mnguni promised that the South African government was investigating the matter.this is unacceptable to the people and Government of Nigeria, Dabiri-Erewa said.Meanwhile, the Senate Committee Chairman, Senator Rose Oko, who expressed displeasure over the continuous killings of Nigerians in South Africa, said the committee had sent a letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, asking it to furnish it with details of what resulted in the attacks.She said: Quote We have written to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to avail us with happened in South Africa between the police and the man. We condemned in very strong terms these attacks on Nigerians. Several times, there are extra-judicial killings in South Africa and there is xenophobic Attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.

You aware that in 2016 alone, about 20 Nigerians were killed in extra-judicial manners. Before this time, several of them had been killed in extra-judicial manner. There are several incidences of xenophobic attacks on Nigeria in South Africa.

You are also aware that Nigeria and South Africa have excellent diplomatic ties. In 2013, when there was xenophobic attacks, former President Goodluck Jonathan signed a Memorandum of Understanding to re-enforce diplomatic ties, she recalled. she recalled.

Post Reply I am a metro reporter on Gistmania, I have been publishing news materials for over 5 years Posted: at 21-02-2017 11:14 AM (5 years ago) | Hero
IT Minister urges Microsoft CEO Nadella to help boost DigiGaon initiative News oi -GizBot Bureau Apart from AI, and AR, Satya Nadella and Indian IT Minister also spoke about about boosting DigiGaon initiative.

Union IT and Electronics Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad today met Indian-born CEO of Microsoft Satya Nadella and urged him to consider the use of Microsoft's innovative technology in the upcoming DigiGaon (Digital Village) initiative.

"Had a good & productive meeting with Satya Nadella. He deeply appreciated the success of ongoing DigitalIndia program, which is transformative," the minister tweeted after talks with Nadella here.

"Requested Satya Nadella to consider the use of their innovative technology in the proposed Digigaon (Digital Village) initiative," Prasad added.

In the Union Budget for the 2017-18 Fiscal, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced that a DigiGaon initiative will be launched for the provision of telemedicine, education and skills with the help of digital technology.

"It was fantastic to spend time with Minister Prasad, talking about the great progress India is making with IndiaStack and Digital India," Nadella said.

IndiaStack is a set of application programming interface (APIs) that allows governments, businesses, startups and developers to utilize a unique digital infrastructure to solve India's problems towards "presence-less, paperless, and cashless service delivery".

SEE ALSO: Google, Microsoft to curb internet piracy; code brokered by Britian's IPO

"For us at Microsoft, our mission is to empower every Indian and every Indian organization to be able to achieve more and with the policies of the Government of India. We are excited to contribute to help take advantage of Digital India," Nadella said in a video posted by Prasad on his Twitter account.

On Wednesday, Nadella will address "Future Decoded" -- Microsoft's two-day flagship technology and business conference that started off in Mumbai on Tuesday.

The conference is a platform that brings together 1,500 business and government decision-makers to engage in conversations on how technology will transform all aspects of our work and life.

Earlier on Monday, leading e-commerce major Flipkart tied up with the global software major Microsoft to use its Azure Cloud platform for boosting its e-tail sales.

SEE ALSO: Microsoft's new chat-based workspace will keep employees engaged

The strategic partnership was announced by Satya Nadella on his maiden visit to Bengaluru after he took over the reins of the world's largest software product firm in February 2014.

"At Microsoft, we aim to empower every Indian and every Indian organisation with technology through strategic partnerships with innovative firms like Flipkart," said Nadella on the occasion.

As a public cloud computing platform, Azure provides a range of services, including analytics, storage and networking on network of computers (cloud).

"By combining our public cloud platform and AI (Artificial Intelligence) capabilities with Flipkart's services and data assets, we will enable the e-tailor to accelerate its digital transformation and deliver new customer experiences," said Nadella.

IANS

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LG Display will now supply LCD panels to Samsung News oi -Samden Sherpa LG Display will now supply LCD panels to Samsung from July this year.

Apparently, the deal between Samsung and its display supplier Sharp ended when Foxconn took over the company last year. While this has been the case with Samsung, the company was searching for another supplier of LCD panels. And now it looks like Samsung has turned to LG Display.

In fact, recent reports are suggesting that the two companies LG and Samsung are coming together and that the two companies have already worked on a deal for the panels.

According to Korean newspaper The Investor, LG Display CEO Han Sang-beom has suggested that the firm would be supplying liquid crystal displays to Samsung Electronics from as early as July this year. While the confirmation has been given, it seems that LG will take some time to supply the materials as they have to now adjust to different manufacturing technologies.

LG X400 launched with Android 7.0 Nougat and fingerprint sensor

On the other hand, this will be the first time Samsung will be using displays manufactured by others. While most of the time the Samsung uses its own manufactured panels this time the company has been forced to turn to other suppliers and fill the gap left by Sharp.

Besides, this time, Samsung and LG might just be setting aside their differences and are coming together on a new deal. Although this might be quite surprising for everyone as the two companies have been cross-town rivals for a long time, the deal will benefit both the companies in some way.

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Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 real images leaked News oi -Samden Sherpa Samsung is ready to unveil some awesome devices at MWC which is happening later this week.

Due to a rough year in 2016 after the Note 7 debacle, Samsung has decided to postpone the launch of its new flagship the Galaxy S8. While this has been a disappointing news for the fans, Samsung is ready to unveil some awesome devices at MWC which is happening later this week.

According to various reports, Samsung will be using the event to announce the Galaxy Tab S3. The company has also been hinting the same with its teasers. Moreover, the device has already been all over the news after having been spotted on several websites such as the FCC, Bluetooth SIG, and Wi-Fi Alliance.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 leaked user manual confirms support for various accessories

However, even though it was spotted on these sites real images of the device have been hard to get. While we have been scavenging the internet for the images, thanks to Taiwan's National Communications Commission we now have two images for the device. These images might not be the best pictures available but the are the closest real photos of the device.

After examining the images, it looks like the Galaxy Tab S3 will have a glass design. Moreso, a glass sandwich design where the front and the back of the tablet will be covered with glass and in-between with a metal frame. The image shows that the tablet is black in color and the is a physical home button with capacitive buttons on either side. The cameras are present and it has been rumored that the tablet will feature a 12 MP rear camera and a 5 MP front-facing camera. The Samsung logo is placed below the rear camera and at the side of the front camera.

Samsung Gear S3 Classic review: the best Smartwatch till date

And that's about it. On the contrary, the images with the model number SM-T820 appearing on the Taiwanese NCC means that the device has received a new certification. It could also mean that the device will go on sale soon after it has been announced later this week at MWC.

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India willing to provide long-tern finacing to ASEAN countries News oi -Priyanka Prime Minister Narendra Modi had committed a Line of Credit of 1 billion US dollars to promote projects that support physical and digital connectivity between India and ASEAN

With an aim to tap telecom market in ASEAN countries, India is willing to provide long-term financing for buying Indian telecom products and services and also renew its pledge to share "know how" and "know Why".

While addressing the ASEAN delegates, Minister of Communications Manoj Sinha said that "Indian telecom companies are willing to share technologies and enter into joint production ventures to develop entire telecom eco-system in any host country."

The Minister also urged the participating countries to ensure that Indian telecom products and services should become their number one choice as they accelerate the digital connectivity initiatives.

Sinha informed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had committed a Line of Credit of 1 billion US dollars to promote projects that support physical and digital connectivity between India and ASEAN.

SEE ALSO: Paytm to invest Rs 600 crore in QR

Sinha said that Indian communications industry has made great progress over the last decade and with an overall tele-density of 88 and rural tele-density of 53.

"India has already overtaken the United States to become the world's 2nd largest Internet market, with more than 220 million Broadband subscribers and more than 450 million users, only behind China," Sinha added.

India has already committed to provide financial as well as technological support for projects that could include-high-speed fibre optic networks, digital villages, rural broadband, national knowledge network, secured communication networks and telecom training and skill development.

Secretary Telecom, JS Deepak said that, "the potential of partnership between India and ASEAN is indeed huge and specific areas like GSM, broadband, e-education, tele-medicine, disaster management and capacity building can be explored in a win-win fashion." Adding that Indian telecom products and designs are more affordable, durable and competitive and Indian companies can also provide services in the most difficult areas.

TEPC (Telecom Equipment and Services Export Promotion Council) has organised the two-day event with telecom ministers, senior government officials and industry leaders from Myanmar, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Brunei Philippines and Laos and representatives from Bangladesh and Bhutan.

Best Mobiles in India

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Overall, dont let the bhoot mislead you, nothing bhootiya about this story. Had the makers tried to push the envelope, the idea could have been outstanding for a bhootiya comedy.
Counter-ISIS Strikes Continue in Syria, Iraq

From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release

SOUTHWEST ASIA, Feb. 20, 2017  U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

Officials reported details of yesterday's strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Strikes in Syria

Coalition military forces conducted 16 strikes consisting of 29 engagements against ISIS targets in Syria:

-- Near Bab, a strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit.

-- Near Shadaddi, three strikes engaged three ISIS tactical units and destroyed two fighting positions and a vehicle.

-- Near Raqqa, eight strikes engaged five ISIS tactical units and destroyed two ISIS headquarters, a vehicle, a command and control node, a vehicle bomb, a vehicle bomb facility, an artillery system, and a tunnel.

-- Near Dayr Az Zawr, three strikes destroyed seven oil wellheads.

-- Near Palmyra, a strike destroyed an anti-air artillery system.

Strikes in Iraq

Coalition military forces conducted 13 strikes consisting of 63 engagements in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of the Iraqi government:

-- Near Haditha, a strike destroyed five connexes.

-- Near Huwayjah, a strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed a vehicle.

-- Near Mosul, six strikes engaged four ISIS tactical units and two ISIS staging areas; damaged 15 supply routes; suppressed nine mortar teams and an artillery team; and destroyed five mortar systems, four vehicles, three supply caches, three artillery systems, two command and control nodes, an ISIS headquarters, a bomb-making facility, a heavy machine gun, a logistics node and a fighting position.

-- Near Rawah, two strikes destroyed two vehicle bomb facilities and an ISIS-held building.

-- Near Taji, a strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit.

-- Near Tal Afar, two strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed an ISIS-held building and an excavator.

Task force officials define a strike as one or more kinetic events that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single, sometimes cumulative, effect. Therefore, officials explained, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIS vehicle is a strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against buildings, vehicles and weapon systems in a compound, for example, having the cumulative effect of making those targets harder or impossible for ISIS to use.

Accordingly, officials said, they do not report the number or type of aircraft employed in a strike, the number of munitions dropped in each strike, or the number of individual munition impact points against a target. Ground-based artillery fired in counterfire or in fire support to maneuver roles is not classified as a strike.

Part of Operation Inherent Resolve

The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIS terrorist group and the threat it poses to Iraq, Syria, the region and the wider international community. The destruction of targets in Syria and Iraq further limits ISIS' ability to project terror and conduct operations, officials said.

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Mattis: Assessment on Afghanistan Coming Soon

By Lisa Ferdinando DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Feb. 20, 2017  Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said he will soon have an assessment to give President Donald J. Trump about the way ahead in Afghanistan.

Mattis spoke to reporters in Abu Dhabi yesterday, as part of his first Middle Eastern tour as secretary of defense.

He said he talked at length with both Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and U.S. Army Gen. John Nicholson, the commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan and NATO's Resolute Support mission, to "gain their political and military appreciation to the situation."

Mattis said his plans to travel to Afghanistan during the current overseas trip were scrapped due to weather, but he was able to speak with Ghani while the two were in Munich last week for the Munich Security Conference.

"I had a very in-depth discussion about the way ahead in Afghanistan," he said.

In addition, he said he talked via video conference for several hours with Nicholson.

"This is all part of my getting my feet on the deck in terms of getting current on the situations that the coalition faces in Afghanistan, both political and strategically, and identifying the way ahead," he said.

Trump is waiting for the assessment from the Pentagon and from the intelligence community on Afghanistan, Mattis said.

Integrating Several Issues

The talks are part of the process in gathering information to formulate the assessment and find out what the other countries in the region are doing in Afghanistan "to help or hinder us in our efforts there," Mattis said.

"Shortly I'll have my thoughts collected," he said. "It shouldn't take too long, but I've got to integrate a fair number of issues in order to give a good recommendation for the way ahead."

He pointed out that last year was "pretty disastrous" for the Taliban, saying they lost their leader, took no provincial capitals and were unsuccessful in gaining their tactical objectives.

"The Afghan Security Forces paid a very heavy price to keep the Taliban on their back foot, but they paid it, they've held, and the Taliban is in a worse position today, even though I do not equate that to success on our side," he said.

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U.S. Department of Defense

Press Operations

News Release

No. NR-072-17 February 20, 2017

Readout of Secretary Mattis' Meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates

Readout provided by Pentagon Spokesperson Cmdr. Sarah Higgins:

Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis and Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates met Saturday in Abu Dhabi to discuss the strong and sustained U.S.-United Arab Emirates defense partnership. Their meeting follows the secretary's participation at the NATO Defense Ministerial and at the Munich Security Conference.

Secretary Mattis and the crown prince discussed a range of shared security threats, including the ongoing instability in Yemen and the way forward in the counter-ISIS campaign in Iraq and Syria. The secretary commended the UAE's troops for their effectiveness, and affirmed his commitment to working with the UAE to counter terrorism and defend freedom of navigation around the Arabian Peninsula.

Both leaders agreed on the importance of the U.S.-UAE strategic partnership and look forward to deepening bilateral cooperation.

http://www.defense.gov/News/News-Releases/News-Release-View/Article/1088436/

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U.S. Department of Defense

Press Operations

News Release

No. NR-073-17 February 20, 2017

Readout of Secretary Mattis' Meeting with Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani

Readout provided by Pentagon Spokesperson Cmdr. Sarah Higgins:

Secretary Jim Mattis met with Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani Friday in Munich, Germany. Secretary Mattis and President Ghani discussed the two countries' commitment to the safety and security of Afghanistan. President Ghani thanked Secretary Mattis for the sacrifices that U.S. military personnel have made -- and continue to make -- in Afghanistan. They also discussed the status of reforms in the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces, and they both noted there is still work to be done, including anti-corruption efforts. Secretary Mattis thanked President Ghani for his leadership and for his enduring partnership with the United States.

http://www.defense.gov/News/News-Releases/News-Release-View/Article/1088438/

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U.S. Department of Defense

Press Operations

News Release

No. NR-074-17 February 20, 2017

Readout of Secretary of Defense Mattis' Meetings with Prime Minister Abadi and Minister of Defense Hayali

Readout provided by Pentagon Spokesperson Cmdr. Sarah Higgins:

Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis visited Baghdad, Iraq today to meet with coalition commanders and political leaders. The purpose of the visit was to assess progress in the counter-ISIS campaign and discuss the strong U.S.-Iraq defense partnership. The secretary met with Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and Minister of Defense Arfan al-Hayali, and he noted the respect Iraq's military has earned for its fighting ability. Secretary Mattis praised the Iraqis' hard-won gains against ISIS, and the leaders discussed operations to liberate Mosul. Secretary Mattis, Prime Minister Abadi, and Minister Hayali affirmed their commitment to continued U.S.-Iraq cooperation and a strong partnership that will enable the Iraqis to deal ISIS a lasting defeat.

Secretary Mattis ended his visit by meeting U.S. and coalition troops. He thanked them for their commitment and their service.

http://www.defense.gov/News/News-Releases/News-Release-View/Article/1088440/

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U.S. Department of Defense

Press Operations

News Transcript

Presenter: Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis; Lieutenant General Stephen Townsend, commander, Combined Joint Task February 20, 2017

Media Availability with Secretary Mattis and General Townsend in Baghdad, Iraq

SECRETARY OF DEFENSE JIM MATTIS: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.

General Townsend and I have been spending some time together here and -- and getting current on the political military situation as the Iraqi army continues to surge against the enemy on the west side of Mosul. Despite the casualties they've taken, this is an army that's learned to fight in the middle of a real tough battle against our common enemy and the coalition commander, General Townsend, has briefed me up on the situation -- the current situation there today.

I would just tell you that by, with and through our allies is the way this coalition is going against Daesh. We're going to continue to go after them until we destroy them and any kind of belief in the inevitability of their message. Their message is going to be proven to be false on the battlefield as well as how we deal with their mythology of somehow they are the brave new way.

They're going to be shown to be at fault, they're going to be shown to be exactly what they are, which is a bunch of murderous relics, to put it bluntly. So the Iraqi army is in the fight with the coalition supporting them with full support, and as we go through this fight, Daesh will not be over with. We all know that. There'll be more fights ahead, we'll stick together. And as we look at the future, we're going to continue to stand by the Iraqi army, the Iraqi people, who are fighting this enemy.

So at that point, I would just throw it open to your questions. We learned a lot here and aligned ourselves politically and militarily for the current fight and the future. So what's on your mind? Go ahead.

Q: (Off mic)

LIEUTENANT GENERAL STEPHEN TOWNSEND: It is true that we're operating closer and -- and deeper into the Iraqi formation, so we adjusted our posture during the east Mosul fight and we embedded advisers a bit further down into the formation. That is true. I do not need -- I have all the authorities that I need to prosecute our fight and I'm confident if I need -- if I were to need more, that my leadership would provide those.

Q: For both of you also, as you look ahead to -- (inaudible) -- fight and the upcoming difficult fight in Raqqa, what do you see as the key (inaudible) and -- and -- (inaudible) -- to be able to -- (inaudible)?

SEC. MATTIS: We are going to prosecute this fight against Daesh, against ISIS, in the areas you mentioned and more areas than that, actually. We'll accommodate any request from the field commanders. Right now, our allies are carrying, as you can tell from the casualty list, the overwhelming burden of this fight in their own territory and we'll work by, with and through allies from the coalition. And that coalition, as you know, has got more than 60 nations at varying levels.

So we owe some degree of confidentiality on exactly how we're going to do that and the sequencing of that fight so that we don't expose to the enemy what it is we have in mind in terms of the -- the timing of the operations. But you -- you summed up some of the issues that we'll be dealing with as we go forward and we'll be addressing each one of them, from intelligence, to tactics, to logistics as we sustain the fight going into this.

Q: You said -- you mentioned a number of things that you're looking at, but you have seven days left to provide your thirty-day review to the president. Did you learn anything here that you could share with us -- (inaudible) -- what you're gonna -- (inaudible)?

SEC. MATTIS: I would -- what I specifically learned here is the resilience of this army. Recognize it took casualties, it has reconstituted itself both equipment and personnel wise, and as you know, has already crossed the line of departure going against the enemy and west Mosul. This is not something that was a forgone conclusion for an army that only a year ago, many people were questioning.

And you can see the level of capability they've constituted in the middle of a war with the kind of operation that you're right now witnessing today underway.

Q: If I could ask General Townsend. What happens after Mosul? (off mic)

GEN. TOWNSEND: Jennifer -- it's good to see you again, by the way. We rode together in Baghdad a couple times a few years ago.

I don't anticipate that we'll be asked to leave by the government of Iraq immediately after Mosul. I think that the government of Iraq realizes this is a very complex fight and they're gonna need the assistance of the coalition even beyond Mosul.

Q: (Off mic)

GEN. TOWNSEND: I wouldn't want to put a timeline on it.

Q: (Off mic)

SEC. MATTIS: Yeah, this is a partnership, Jennifer. Your question is very appropriate because there's been a lot of rocky times out here. But there is no doubt, from my discussions today, the Iraqi people, the Iraqi military and the Iraqi political leadership recognizes what they're up against and the value of the coalition and the partnership in particular with the United States which has been, as you know, developing very well in terms of this military's capability.

So I imagine we'll be in this fight for a while and we'll stand by each other.

Q: (Off mic)

SEC. MATTIS: That's a political issue, an internal political issue right now what we've seen. But there is only one country in the near proximity where the security forces actually protect the people when they're out protesting the government policies.

And I say -- think that says a great deal about how this country has matured in a pretty difficult neighborhood, that their military is actually seen as a protector of people who protest at times against government policies. That's what militaries are supposed to do under civilian control in a democracy.

Q: I have a version of the same question. In your meetings today, did you hear anything that made you confident that while the military's successes-- (inaudible)and for you General Townsend, do you see (inaudible)?

SEC. MATTIS: Yeah, your -- both your questions are related because without political progress, you can't set the conditions institutionally, organizationally in a government that earns the people's respect, holds their aspirations close and actually allows a country to be resilient and resistant to this sort of threat.

So, what we've seen here is actually I think a new =found understanding among the Iraqi people about what it means to be an Iraqi country against this kind of threat, how they have worked together. You've seen the Peshmerga and the Iraqi security forces working together. You've seen some of the militias working alongside them. So there's -- there's something coming together here in terms of political and military maturation, I think, that shows exactly what you're talking about so we're not back here five years with that sort of a situation.

At the same time, this is not a threat that's going to go away overnight, so it's going -- we all recognize that it's going to be a long-fought battle.

You have anything to add to that?

GEN. TOWNSEND: Nothing to add, Mr. Secretary.

SEC. MATTIS: All right. We'll take one last one, there you go.

Q: Thank you. Thank you, sir -- (inaudible).

I wanted to ask you about the advance of Raqqa, in particular -- (inaudible) -- question about whether or not -- (inaudible)?

SEC. MATTIS: Yeah, we're still sorting it out. The allies are working together. They're sharing planning and that's ongoing right now, but the planning is still underway so there's not -- it's not been all decided on who's going to do what and where. We're working together to sort it out.

Q: (Off mic)Can I ask you a personal question, Mr. Secretary? This is your first arrival as secretary of defense and you spent many years here as a combat commander. How do you feel returning here (inaudible)?

SEC. MATTIS: Yeah. Well, coming back here after the years that we've fought alongside each other through good times and bad times, it's just a privilege to come back and look out the helicopter door and see what's going on down below, to see an Iraqi military that can fight as truly valiantly as this one has considering the situation they faced as -- as ISIS rose to occupy much of their country and to see that in spite of the casualties, it's not only held together, it's come back stronger and is now winning.

It's now freeing up and I'll have the general say how much they've freed up in terms of area, but he's got better awareness of that. But look at what the map looked like eight months ago where ISIS was, where they are today and the attack that's underway here. It's very heartening to come back at this point in my new capacity.

Steve, if you want to just talk about some of the progress that this army's made during this time which gives more than just my words, it gives objective data for why I would be heartened by it. Steve?

GEN. TOWNSEND: I think the secretary alluded to it a couple of questions ago when he talked about where this army has come over the last year.

If you look back just a little over two years ago, this army was broken and defeated and barely able to hold their capital when they asked the coalition, the world for assistance. That army has done this remarkable turnaround in just two years and now they're running a multi-divisional operation involving 40,000 or 50,000 Iraqi security forces up around Mosul 400 kilometers from their capital and their logistics base.

It is an incredible turnaround. They've liberated approaching half of their lost territory and they're -- they're about to liberate their second-largest city, the largest population city center held by ISIS anywhere in the world.

The Iraqi security forces are going to take that city back, no doubt about it. I think that's a remarkable achievement and it just -- some examples of what the secretary is talking about what the Iraqi security forces have done.

SEC. MATTIS: Well done, Steve. Thanks very much.

Thanks, everybody.

http://www.defense.gov/News/News-Transcripts/Transcript-View/Article/1088434/

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U.S. Department of Defense

Press Operations

News Transcript

Presenter: Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis February 20, 2017

Press Conference by Secretary Mattis in Abu Dhabi

SECRETARY OF DEFENSE JIM MATTIS: Good evening, ladies and gentleman, and thanks again for coming out on the trip.

We anticipated that we might not be able to get into Afghanistan due to weather. We got the weather report yesterday. I was fortunate, yesterday before we left Munich to speak with President Ghani at length. We were both there, and we took advantage of that opportunity, knowing I might not be able to see him today as we initially planned. I had a very in-depth discussion about the way ahead in Afghanistan.

And then I spoke today by picture video teleconference with our NATO commander in the field, General Nicholson, and that went on for several hours, and this is all part of my -- getting my feet on the deck in terms of getting current on the situations that the coalition faces in Afghanistan, both political and strategically, and identifying the way ahead.

Here in United Arab Emirates I met with his royal highness the crown prince. This is a country that's been a long-time partner in the region, very long time, going back decades, and we again had very good discussion  I'm in listening mode -- out here, that we've got our hands around the stability aspects, and what's going well and what's not going so well here in the region. And soon enough we'll move on to our next stop.

So let me go to questions and answers now this -- with those few words, see what's on your mind.

Q: Sir, with the West Mosul Operation kicking off today I'd just like to get your general assessment of how things are going and -- my colleague, who's there, who's embedded with the Iraqis, he saw some American special forces alongside, very close to the front line, so I'd just like to know whether or not there have been any changes to the ROE [rules of engagement], on where they can and can't go since President Trump has taken over?

SEC. MATTIS: The West Mosul Operation, as you know, has been under way in terms of isolating the area for some time now. The attack into the city is something I don't want to go into details about, because I owe confidentiality to the troops who are actually making the attack. But at the same time we are very close to it, if not already engaged in that fight. The U.S. forces continue in the same role that they were in, in east Mosul. And the coalition forces are in support of this operation, and we will continue as you know with the accelerated effort to destroy ISIS.

Q: You mentioned you spoke to General Nicholson today. I'd be interested in hearing your assessment on Afghanistan, a conflict that President Trump has been noticeably reticent on. Did you get any better understanding of the extent to which Russia is helping the Taliban? And are you in favor of broader authorities for extra U.S. troops being sent back to the country?

SEC. MATTIS: Yeah, on the situation in Afghanistan right now, again, my point in talking to President Ghani and talking to our field commander, the NATO field commander, is to gain their political and military appreciation to the situation. We're putting our thoughts together now.

The president has been rightly reticent on it, because he's waiting for my assessment, and the assessment from the intelligence community. And he's open to my advice on it. But first of all I've got to formulate where I stand, and so this is the normal collection of the information, and to assess what the other countries in the region are doing in Afghanistan to help or hinder us in our efforts there.

So we're still sorting that out, and here shortly I'll have my thoughts collected.

Q: Just as a follow-up, do you know how long that will take?

SEC. MATTIS: No, no, but that -- it shouldn't take too long, but I've got to integrate a fair number of issues in order to give a good recommendation for the way ahead.

Q: I mean, what's your -- what's your -- last year was another disastrous year for the ANDSF with their casualty rates. . Do you think that this is a sustainable conflict as it's currently going on?

SEC. MATTIS: I'd suggest that last year was pretty disastrous for the Taliban. They lost their leader. They took no provincial capitals. And you can say, well, that's a pretty low bar. Actually, considering that this is an organization that knows they cannot win at the ballot box, and they're using bombs and guns on purpose, they were unsuccessful in gaining their tactical objectives. So I think it was a lot more damaging to the Taliban, and the Afghan Security Forces paid a very heavy price to keep the Taliban on their back foot, but they paid it, they've held, and the Taliban is in a worst position today, even though I do not equate that to success on our side.

Q: Do you know the amount of territory being held by the government has shrunk to just 57.2 percent over the -- in the most recent assessment?

SEC. MATTIS: Yes, the amount of land is probably less important in wars among the people than the amount of -- the percentage of people who are protected by the government.

I would not in any way contest it hasn't been a hard fight all the way through. I think that's a very accurate point. I would question who came out on the shorter end of the stick. Right now I'd rather be on NATO's -- be in NATO's position right now than I would want to be in the Taliban's position.

Q: Sir, President Trump has said that, this week, that the press is the enemy of the American people. Do you agree?

SEC. MATTIS: I've had some rather contentious times with the press, but no, the press, as far as I'm concerned, are a constituency that we deal with, and the -- I don't have any issues with the press myself.

Q: And just to follow-up, General Tony Thomas had said that the disarray at the White House was causing some consternation, particularly among those fighting your wars. Do you agree, and what effect is it having?

SEC. MATTIS: You know, I've been talking to a fair number of military commanders around the world. I think General Thomas was probably taken a bit out of context, because we all want to see everything moving smoothly. Welcome to democracy. It's at times wildly contentious. It's at times quite sporting.

But the bottom line is, this is the best form of government that we can come up with. So the military's job is to hold the line, and to hold the line and to hold the line, while our government sorts out the way ahead and our people speak.

So we don't have any disarray inside the military, and that's where my responsibility lies.

Q: So, could you please lay out your priorities for the trip (inaudible) to Iraq. And let us know a bit about whether you expect -- and what message will you deliver to the Iraqis who were concerned about the president's comments about (inaudible).

And also (inaudible) Iraq (inaudible) United States. Do you plan to reassure then? Do you plan to raise the issue of (inaudible)?

SEC. MATTIS: Well, we're going into Iraq because I need to get current on the situation there, political situation, the enemy situation, and the friendly situation, and put all that together in my mind, and the only way you can do that is by talking to the people responsible over there on the ground. That would be Iraqi political leadership, our partner in this fight, and we're going to make certain that we've got good shared situational awareness of what we face as we work together, fight alongside each other to destroy ISIS. That's the point about going in there.

I have not seen the new executive order but I, right now, am assured that we will take steps to allow those who have fought alongside us, for example, to be allowed into the United States. They will have been vetted obviously by their performance on the battlefield it (inaudible), and by the normal procedures, and I'm sure we'll work our way through this quickly.

Q: My question was about seizing Iraqi oil (inaudible). Was that something...

SEC. MATTIS: Yes, I think all of us here in this room, all of us in America, generally paid for our gas and oil all along, and I'm sure that we will continue to do so in the future. We're not in Iraq to seize anybody's oil.

http://www.defense.gov/News/News-Transcripts/Transcript-View/Article/1088389/

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Secretary General welcomes US Vice President to NATO headquarters

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

20 Feb. 2017

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed US Vice President Mike Pence to NATO Headquarters on Monday (20 February 2017), and thanked him for America's unwavering commitment to the transatlantic bond.

Addressing reporters after the meeting, Mr. Stoltenberg stressed the partnership between Europe and North America, embodied in the NATO Alliance, remains vital today. He underlined the deployment of American troops to Europe as a key US contribution to Europe's security. Allies face the biggest security challenges in a generation and "we are stronger when we stand together," said the Secretary General.

The only time NATO has invoked its collective defence clause was in support of the United States after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. During their talks, The Secretary General and the Vice President discussed the progress made in the fight against terrorism. Mr. Stoltenberg recalled that NATO is training security forces in Afghanistan and Iraq, and supports the US-led Coalition against ISIL with AWACS surveillance planes. Mr. Stoltenberg and Vice President Pence agreed NATO can do even more in the fight against terrorism.

The Secretary General and the Vice President agreed on the importance of higher defence spending and fairer burden-sharing in NATO. Mr. Stoltenberg underlined that this has been his top priority since he took office and it is essential Allies continue to increase their efforts to spend 2 percent of GDP on defence. "Europeans cannot ask the United States to commit to Europe's defence if they are not willing to commit more themselves. And they are committing more," he said. The Secretary General said he looked forward to welcoming President Trump to Brussels in May for the NATO Summit

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Police arrest more than 50 supporters of ex-president Jammeh in Gambia

Iran Press TV

Mon Feb 20, 2017 5:32PM

Gambian police have detained more than 50 supporters of ex-president Yahya Jammeh for harassing followers of new leader Adama Barrow, police officials say.

Police spokesman Foday Conta said on Monday that at least 51 people had been arrested on Sunday in the western town of Kafenda, a Jammeh stronghold.

The spokesman stated that 26 of those arrested were juveniles who were released on bail.

The remaining 25 were being detained pending an investigation, he added.

The arrests come after Jammeh's supporters reportedly insulted and threw stones at people returning from Barrow's inauguration celebration at the national stadium on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Seedy Njie, a spokesman for Jammeh's party, the Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC), has accused Barrow's supporters of provoking violence.

"They were provoked by the supporters of the coalition (Barrow's party) who ... were calling Jammeh all sorts of names and saying he was a killer. Then a quarrel ensued," media outlets quoted Njie as saying.

The developments come as tensions are lingering in the Gambia following Jammeh's flight into exile. Jammeh narrowly lost the December 1 presidential election to Barrow.

On January 21, some two days after the expiration of his mandate, Jammeh finally announced a decision "to relinquish the mantle of leadership."

With Jammeh's exit from the Gambia, the way was paved for Barrow to return home from the Senegalese capital, Dakar, where he was inaugurated on January 19.

Jammeh, who had been in power since a coup in 1994, flew into exile in Equatorial Guinea following a UN decision with a set of assurances from the international community to guarantee his departure.

Human rights groups blame Jammeh for torturing and killing opponents during his time in power. Barrow has pledged to reverse many of Jammeh's policies.

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Trump wants 'real progress' on NATO spending: Pence

Iran Press TV

Mon Feb 20, 2017 3:42PM

US Vice President Mike Pence has told European chiefs that President Donald Trump wants "real progress" among NATO allies to increase their defense spending towards the minimum criteria of two percent of their economic output by the end of the year.

"America will do our part but European defense requires European commitment as much as ours... The president expects real progress by the end of 2017," Pence said after talks with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Monday.

Pence's remarks came about a month after Trump called NATO "obsolete" in an interview with the German newspaper Bild, saying he had warned long ago that it had problems.

"One; that it was obsolete because it was designed many many years ago, and number two; that the countries weren't paying what they're supposed to pay," Trump noted.

Trump has said NATO members should either pay for US military support or rely on their own military might at the time of war.

European nations have said they are "astonished" by Trump's comments about NATO, which has been a cornerstone of Europe's defense policy since the end of World War II.

At the end of his European trip aimed at reassuring allies who are concerned that Trump might abandon them, Pence earlier on Monday reassured European allies that Trump is committed to continued partnership with the European Union.

"It is my privilege on behalf of President Trump to express the strong commitment of the United States to continued cooperation and partnership with the European Union," Pence said after holding talks with EU head Donald Tusk.

Pence claimed that US commitment to European ties remained "steadfast and enduring" after several decades of collaboration on security and economic issues.

"Too much has happened over the past month in your country and in the EU ... for us to pretend that everything is as it used to be," the former Polish premier added.

Meanwhile, a large number of people held a demonstration to protest the Trump administration's attitude toward women, and climate change.

"We are here to protest against the visit of Pence because we are revolted by the decision of the US administration to undermine women's rights worldwide," a protester said.

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Hundreds of Afghans flee Pakistani cross-border shelling: Aid group

Iran Press TV

Mon Feb 20, 2017 3:13PM

Hundreds of Afghan families have been displaced due to cross-border shelling by Pakistani troops over the past few days, an international aid group says.

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) said on Monday that as many as 200 families were displaced from their homes after Pakistani border troops fired rockets and artillery rounds.

Kate O'Rourke, NRC's country director in Afghanistan, said civilians have been caught up in the cross-border firing.

"Whether indiscriminate or specifically targeted, such attacks forcibly displace civilians, violating international humanitarian law, and must stop," the statement read.

Meanwhile, Attahullah Khogyani, a spokesman for Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar Province said a number of special forces had been deployed to the border to counter any Pakistani cross-border raids.

"If they continue their attacks we will respond in kind," Khogyani said.

In Asadabad, the capital of Afghanistan's Kunar Province, also on the border, hundreds of Afghans gathered to protest against Pakistan.

Pakistani armed forces carried out a blistering artillery assault on suspected terrorist camps in Afghanistan on Friday and Saturday.

This comes days after a huge explosion killed scores of people in Pakistan's southern province of Sindh.

On Thursday evening, a massive explosion ripped through Lal Shahbaz Qalandar shrine as a large number of people had gathered for a special Sufi ritual. The blast killed at least 90 people and wounded over 350 others in the city of Sehwan.

The Daesh Takfiri terrorist group claimed responsibility for the attack.

Pakistani authorities say terrorists infiltrate from Afghanistan into Pakistan through the border crossings. A few hours after the attack, Islamabad shut down key border crossings between the two countries.

On Friday, Pakistan's army said it had called in Afghan diplomats and gave them a list of 76 suspected "terrorists" who were hiding in Afghanistan, requesting swift action by Kabul.

Afghanistan and Pakistan blame each other for the Taliban violence plaguing both countries.

The two neighbors have accused each other of allowing militants to shelter in the border regions and launch bloody attacks that threaten regional stability.

Pakistan airstrikes kill 'dozens' of militants

Meanwhile, according to Pakistan army, a series of airstrikes killed "dozens" of militants on Monday in a tribal region along the Afghan border.

The Pakistani army said in a statement that the warplanes targeted militant hideouts in the Wucha Bibi area of North Waziristan.

Shortly after the tragic incident at the shrine, Pakistan launched nationwide security raids against "terrorists," saying over 100 of them had been killed until Saturday.

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Global arms trade 'at highest level in decades'

Iran Press TV

Mon Feb 20, 2017 11:29AM

Global arms sales have reached their highest level in decades, with Middle Eastern Arab countries being among the top buyers, a new report says.

More weapons were sold across the globe between 2012 and 2016 than any other five-year period since 1990, according to an annual report on arms sales released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri) on Monday.

Among the arms purchasers, Saudi Arabia, which is involved in military aggression against its impoverished neighbor Yemen, is ranked the world's second-largest importer after India.

India bought most of its arms from Russia, while the Saudis purchased their major weapons systems from the US and the UK.

'No arms control regime in place'

"Over the past five years, most states in the Middle East have turned primarily to the USA and Europe in their accelerated pursuit of advanced military capabilities," said Pieter Wezeman, a senior researcher at Sipri.

The US's main three customers were Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Turkey. Saudi Arabia was also particularly a lucrative market for the UK, which sold almost half of its total manufactured weapons to Riyadh.

"With no regional arms control instruments in place, states in Asia continue to expand their arsenals," said Siemon Wezeman, a senior researcher at Sipri's arms and military expenditure program.

"The USA supplies major arms to at least 100 countries around the world  significantly more than any other supplier state," said Aude Fleurant, director of the Sipri's arms and military expenditure program.

"Both advanced strike aircraft with cruise missiles and other precision-guided munitions and the latest generation air and missile defense systems account for a significant share of US arms exports," Fleurant said.

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Famine declared in parts of South Sudan

Iran Press TV

Mon Feb 20, 2017 10:11AM

Authorities in conflict-stricken South Sudan have declared famine in two areas of the African country, which is the world's youngest.

"In greater Unity [State], some counties are classified [as being] in famine or... risk of famine," said Isaiah Chol Aruai, the chairman of South Sudan's National Bureau of Statistic, on Monday.

Aruai also announced that between February and April, 4.9 million people in the country would become "food insecure," and that the number would rise by 600,000 by July.

He cited war, high food prices, other economic problems, and low agricultural production as the reasons for the state of food insecurity in South Sudan.

Meanwhile, United Nation (UN) agencies have also warned of growing famine in the country.

According to an announcement by the South Sudan government and three UN agencies, South Sudan's civil war coupled with an entrenched economic crisis has led to a humanitarian disaster in the war-torn East African state.

Apart from 100,000-plus people in two counties of Unity State, an additional one million South Sudanese are on the brink of starvation, said the announcement.

"Our worst fears have been realized," said Serge Tissot, the head of the Food and Agriculture Organization in South Sudan.

If food aid does not reach children urgently, "many of them will die," said Jeremy Hopkins, a UN official in South Sudan. Over 250,000 children are severely malnourished in the African country, he said.

Separately, the head of the World Food Program in South Sudan blamed its politicians for the humanitarian crisis.

"This famine is man-made," said Joyce Luma. "There is only so much that humanitarian assistance can achieve in the absence of meaningful peace and security."

Civil war broke out in South Sudan in 2013, when disagreements between President Salva Kiir and then-vice president Riek Machar turned into an armed conflict between their loyalists. While fighting generally subsided early last year, clashes once again intensified in July 2016.

Tens of thousands of people have died in the civil war, and more than three million people have been uprooted.

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Ecuador presidential race likely headed for runoff

Iran Press TV

Mon Feb 20, 2017 5:52AM

Ecuador's presidential election may be heading toward a runoff as neither of the two leading candidates has garnered enough votes for an outright win so far.

Results from almost 80 percent of the votes counted indicated on Monday that neither the radical leftist candidate Lenin Moreno nor the ex-banker Guillermo Lasso from the Conservative right had enough votes in the first round to become the South American country's president.

The electoral council said Moreno had received 38.83 percent of the votes, versus the 28.63 percent for Lasso.

Moreno needs 40 percent of the votes and a 10-percentage-point difference with Lasso to avoid a runoff vote, already scheduled for April 2.

But Moreno has said he has faith he will reach the 40-percent threshold.

Moreno, 63, who is the favorite candidate of President Rafael Correa, is a disabled, former vice president. He has promised benefits for the disabled, single mothers, and the elderly.

His critics say he lacks the power to overhaul an economy ailing under low oil prices, steep debts, and high taxes on the middle class.

Lasso, 61, has campaigned on a platform of reviving the economy  which is dependent on exports of oil, flowers and shrimp  by slashing taxes, attracting foreign investment, and creating a million jobs in four years.

Lasso has also vowed to remove Wikileaks founder Julian Assange from the Ecuadorean embassy in London.

"We will cordially ask Senor Assange to leave within 30 days of assuming a mandate," he told British media last week.

The Wikileaks founder, wanted by Sweden, has taken refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy in the British capital. He has been there for almost five years.

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Pence Says Trump Expects 'Real Progress' On NATO Spending By End Of year

RFE/RL February 20, 2017

U.S. President Donald Trump expects NATO allies to make real progress by the end of this year towards the increased defense spending target agreed by the alliance, Vice President Mike Pence said February 20 in Brussels.

"The president of the United States and the American people expect our allies to keep their word and to do more in our common defense...the president expects real progress by the end of 2017," Pence said after talks with NATO head Jens Stoltenberg.

Trump has been critical of NATO, which he described as "obsolete," and of members who did not meet the target of spending 2 percent of their gross domestic product on defense.

Earlier on February 20, Pence reassured EU and NATO leaders about the U.S. commitment to its European allies. "Clearly we must stand strong in defense of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of nations in Europe," Pence said.

Pence arrived in Brussels late on February 19 after attending the Munich Security Conference, where he sought to reassure European leaders about Trump's support for NATO.

At the same time, Pence forcefully repeated in Munich Trump's calls for European allies to shoulder their share of the financial burden, saying that only five NATO members have reached a target set in 2014 of spending 2 percent of gross domestic product on defense within a decade, and that several have no clear path to that goal.

Meanwhile, European Council President Donald Tusk said after talks with Pence in Brussels on February 20 that the European Union is counting on getting "wholehearted and unequivocal" support from Trump's administration. Tusk said the EU is "counting, as always in the past," on Washington's "support for the idea of a united Europe."

Pence pledged continued U.S. support in response to what he described as Russian efforts 'to redraw international borders by force."

Regarding Ukraine, Pence said "the United States will continue to hold Russia accountable and demand that Russia honors the Minsk agreement by de-escalating the violence in eastern Ukraine."

Pence also held meetings in Brussels on February 20 with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.

With additional reporting by RFE/RL's Brussels correspondent Rikard Jozwiak, Reuters, AFP, and BBC

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/pence-reassures-eu -nato-u-s-commitments/28320407.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Lavrov Rejects Claim Moscow Was Behind Montenegro Coup Plot

February 20, 2017

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has denounced allegations that Moscow was behind a failed plot to assassinate Montenegro's prime minister and overthrow his pro-Western government -- saying the claims are "unsubstantiated."

Lavrov on February 20 also dismissed a British media report claiming U.K. intelligence agents have concluded Moscow had given its "support and blessing" to a plot in October to assassinate then-Montenegrin Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic in order to undermine Podgorica's bid for NATO membership.

Lavrov said the reports were "far-fetched."

He said the British media had "more than once hyped scenarios out of thin air, such as the [Aleksandr] Litvinenko issue," referring to the former KGB officer and critic of President Vladimir Putin who was assassinated with radioactive poison in London in 2006.

Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov on February 20 called the reports "irresponsible" and said they were not supported by "concrete facts."

But Montenegrin special prosecutor Milivoje Katric told Montenegrin television on February 20 that "Russian state bodies were involved at a certain level."

Katric said one of the men arrested in the plot, Russian citizen Eduard Shishmakov, was a Russian secret service operative who once served as deputy military attache to Poland.

The Russian Embassy in Podgorica said it had received no official inquiries regarding the accusations.

London's Sunday Telegraph on February 19 quoted British government sources who said "the planned coup was one of the most blatant recent examples of an increasingly aggressive campaign of interference in Western affairs."

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson also reportedly discussed the issue on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bonn, Germany, on February 15.

About 20 people -- including Shishmakov, another Russian citizen, and many pro-Russia citizens of Serbia -- were arrested by Montenegrin police in October in connection with the alleged plot.

Montenegrin authorities have also blamed Moscow.

On February 15, Montenegro's parliament stripped two leaders of the pro-Russia opposition Democratic Front party of their parliamentary immunity over suspicions that they were involved.

But Montenegro's State Prosecutor Ivica Stankovic issued a special order later on February 15 that overruled an arrest warrant issued for the two pro-Russia opposition leaders -- Andrija Mandic and Milan Knezevic.

In an order widely seen as an attempt to ease tensions in the deeply divided country, Stankovic said Mandic and Knezevic do not need to be jailed as suspects.

Earlier, special prosecutor Milivoje Katnic had issued the arrest warrant against Mandic and Knezevic for alleged "acts against the constitutional order and security of Montenegro."

With reporting by The Sunday Telegraph, Interfax, AP, and AFP

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/montenegro-moscow-dismisses -coup-claims-lavrov-peskov/28320201.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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White House Says Trump Was Speaking 'In General' About Troubles In Sweden

February 20, 2017

The White House has responded to complaints from Sweden after President Donald Trump made a comment that seemed to indicate a terror attack had occurred in the Scandinavian country.

Spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders on February 19 said Trump was speaking "in general," not about a specific incident when he referred to "what's happening last night in Sweden" during his campaign-style event on February 18.

She said the specific reference was to a Fox News report he had seen, but he was talking about "rising crime and recent incidents, in general."

Trump himself tweeted on February 19 that his remark was "in reference to a story that was broadcast on Fox News concerning immigrants & Sweden."

Fox ran a report on February 17 about alleged migrant-related crime problems in Sweden, which has accepted proportionately large numbers of immigrants.

"You look at what's happening last night in Sweden," Trump told the crowd in Florida as he alluded to past terror attacks in Europe.

"Sweden. Who would believe this? Sweden. They took in large numbers. They're having problems like they never thought possible," he said.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Catarina Axelsson said the Swedish government wasn't aware of any "terror-linked major incidents."

She added the ministry has contacted the U.S. State Department for clarification.

Former Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt tweeted: "Sweden? Terror attack? What has he been smoking? Questions abound."

The Aftonbladet newspaper wrote: "This happened in Sweden Friday night, Mr. President," and reported in English about a man being treated for severe burns, an avalanche warning, and police chasing a drunken driver.

Based on reporting by AP, Reuters, and dpa

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/trump-sweden -terror-attack/28319850.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Army Lt. Gen. McMaster Becomes US National Security Adviser

Sputnik News

23:11 20.02.2017(updated 00:01 21.02.2017)

Herbert Raymond McMaster has been picked as national security adviser by US President Donald Trump.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Army Lt. Gen. Herbert Raymond McMaster has been named the national security adviser by US President Donald Trump after he met generals at Mar-a-Lago in Florida on Monday.

"I've just wanted to announce  we've been working all weekend, very diligent and very hard  that Gen. H.R. McMaster will become the national security adviser," Trump told reporters in Florida.

"As a man of tremendous talent and tremendous experience  he is highly respected by everybody in the military and we're very honored to have him," the president said.

Lt. Gen. McMaster will take over as the director of the National Security Council, while Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg will remain the council's chief of staff.

Announcing that Kellogg will hold on to his job, Trump said that, "I think that combination is something very, very special."

McMaster thanked the president, saying it was "a privilege to continue serving our nation."

"I am grateful to you for that opportunity and I'm looking forward to joining the National Security team and doing everything I can to advance and protect the interest of the American people," he said.

The appointment comes a week after Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn resigned over media reports that he inadvertently briefed Vice President Michael Pence and other White House officials with incomplete information about his phone conversations with the Russian ambassador to the United States before Donald Trump's inauguration.

 Sputnik

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Former Policeman Says Philippines President Ordered Killings While Davao Mayor

Sputnik News

23:05 20.02.2017(updated 23:52 20.02.2017)

A veteran policeman from Davao city who worked under then-Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said that the man who is now president of the Philippines both ordered and paid for extrajudicial executions while he ran the town, contradicting his testimony from last year.

Arturo Lascanas, who last year claimed that the alleged Davao Death Squad (DDS) was nothing but "media hype," said at a press conference in the Philippines' Senate that he had "made a promise to God to make a public confession" and come clean about his role and the now-president's in the killings, multiple local media sources report.

His remarks at the event, organized by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, contradicted what he said in Senate testimony in October, when he said the group did not exist and that confessed hit-man Edgar Matobato was lying about DDS murders.

Now, he says, he is telling the truth and Matobato can corroborate his story.

Duterte, as mayor, generally paid between roughly $400 to $2,000 for killings, of which there were many, the former senior police officer 3 said.

He fingered Duterte as the driving force behind the murder of radio broadcaster and Duterte critic Jun Pala, a task Lascanas said he agreed to take on. The reward for killing the journalist was close to $60,000, which Lascanas said he split between himself and others who helped organize the assassination.

The mayor gave him another $19,874 later, Lascanas said.

Pala survived two attacks before being gunned down in September, 2003.

Lascanas also discussed the murder of religious leader Jun Barsabal in 1993, an act Matobato testified in October was planned between five mayors, Duterte among them. Lascanas confirmed the claim.

His "excessive loyalty" to Duterte even led him to kill his two brothers, Cecilio and Fernando, Lascanas said.

Lascanas was described by Matobato as "the most powerful cop in Davao city," in his October testimony, the International Business Times reports. He said the DDS was indeed real and led by police officers, not civil vigilantes, and that it is still functioning.

"Our job was to kill criminals such as drug traffickers, rapist, snatcher," Matobato reportedly said.

Lascanas was presented by the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG), an organization of human rights lawyers in the Philippines. He has written an affidavit about his claims which will be submitted to the relevant government agencies, they said. Attorney Arno Sanidad of FLAG said the confession was voluntary and that he hopes Lascanas will next be speaking under oath before before a Senate investigation, Rappler.com reports.

Duterte dismissed the claims through his communications secretary, Martin Andanar, who called the event a "demolition job" intended to derail the president's reforms.

"The press conference of self-confessed hitman SPO3 Arthur Lascanas is part of a protracted political drama aimed to destroy the president and to topple his administration," Andanar said, CBS reported. He did not address any specific accusations made by Lascanas.

Duterte has indeed claimed to be part of the DDS, as recently as 2015, but later said he was joking and that the organization was made up to try to thwart his presidential campaign.

Since Duterte took office eight months ago, some 7,000 people have been killed in his bloody war on drugs in the country. Rights groups say he has emboldened and even directed police to shoot alleged offenders and ask questions later.

 Sputnik

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Two Million African Refugees Affected by Food Assistance Cuts

Sputnik News

21:47 20.02.2017

Ten refugee operations in Africa have experienced cuts affecting the quantity and quality of food assistance for approximately 2 million refugees, according to the statement of the World Food Programme (WFP).

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Around two million refugees in 10 African countries are facing the consequences of cuts in food assistance, leading to public health crisis, the World Food Programme (WFP) said in a statement Monday.

"Ten refugee operations in Africa have experienced cuts affecting the quantity and quality of food assistance for approximately 2 million refugees," the statement read.

The number of refugees in Africa increased from 2.6 million in 2011 to five million in 2016, the WFP said. Although funding was increased, food assistance was cut and does not meet the rising needs of refugees, according to the organization.

Food rations were cut by almost 50 percent in countries, including Cameroon, Chad, Kenya, Mauritania, South Sudan and Uganda. More than 75 percent of refugee children coming from Somali were severely malnourished, the WFP said.

In Burkina Faso, Djibouti, Burundi and Ethiopia, vitaminized blended products were reduced.

"Millions of refugees depend on WFP food and our work to treat and prevent malnutrition to stay alive," Executive Director of the WFP Ertharin Cousin said.

As a result of cuts, leading to acute malnutrition, refugees are said to have to deal with consequences by selling family assets, taking children from school to work or stay at home.

 Sputnik

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Montenegro Hopes 'Russian Coup Plot' Claims Will Speed NATO Accession

Sputnik News

18:05 20.02.2017(updated 18:28 20.02.2017)

On Sunday, The Telegraph published a piece accusing Russia of plotting to overthrow Montenegro's government to sabotage the Balkan country's plans to join NATO. Speaking to Sputnik, Montenegrin and Serbian journalists and political scientists explained exactly why the accusations are being leveled against Moscow at this precise moment.

Appearing on Montenegrin television on Sunday, national special affairs prosecutor Milivoje Katnich accused 'Russian state agencies' of involvement in a coup plot against the government. The alleged plot, 'uncovered' last October during Montenegro's parliamentary elections, was said to have been broken up after over a dozen Serbian and Montenegrin citizens were arrested and accused of planning street violence and the assassination of then-Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic, an ardent supporter of the tiny Balkan country's entry into the North Atlantic Alliance.

Katnich claimed that the testimony of the defendants, along with information regarding their communications, led him to reach his conclusions. However, Montenegrin prosecutors have yet to publish any evidence actually connecting Russian citizens to any alleged coup plot.

The prosecutor's claims follow allegations published Saturday in The Telegraph which, citing unnamed senior sources in the UK's government, accused Russian intelligence of plotting a coup and Djukanovic's murder.

As expected, Moscow dismissed the claims as "absurd." Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that The Telegraph story was "on a par with other baseless accusations against our country, from hacker attacks against the entire West, to meddling in the election campaigns of the majority of Western countries, to the Trump administration's ties with the Russian security services, and much more."

Presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov, meanwhile, commented that "day after day, we hear absurd accusations against Russia; day after day, we refute them." Peskov emphasized that Russia did not and does not have any plans to intervene in the internal affairs of other countries, "especially ones like Montenegro, with which we undoubtedly have very good relations."

Stressing that Moscow "regrets" seeing such accusations being made by high level officials, the presidential spokesman noted that these kinds of statements are "too serious" to be made "without providing any reliable information to support them. This is, at a minimum, irresponsible."

Political observers from Russia, Serbia and Montenegro itself have been left dumbfounded by Montenegrin officials' accusations. Many, in particular, have pointed out that it is quite peculiar to claim the existence of a Russian plot in the tiny country, even though a dozen other, strategically much more significant countries in Eastern European have freely joined the alliance over the last two decades.

Speaking to RIA Novosti, Duma lawmaker and former FSB head Nikolai Kovalev called the claims utter "nonsense."

"Like we have nothing better to do than carry out coups in Montenegro. Let's speak in the language of facts, instead of discussing some fake news stories," the politician said, echoing Russian diplomats.

For his part, Montenegrin political journalist Matija Nikolic told Sputnik that there were other, more significant reasons for Podgorica to level such accusations against Moscow. Specifically, he noted, the possible freeze in Montenegro's NATO accession effort by the Trump administration has made Prime Minister Dusko Markovic nervous, hence the allegations against Russia.

In fact, the journalist noted, this new wave of anti-Russian allegations really started last week, when Time magazine published an interview with Markovic. In that interview, the politician accused Russian officials of everything under the sun, including 'public threats' against Podgorica, interference in October's elections, contacts with opposition figures, the Serbian Orthodox Church, NGOS and some media, etc. Moscow, Markovic added, had also "prepar[ed] an alternative scenario," aimed at public provocations, a possible armed conflict, and the violent takeover of power.

Nikolic pointed out that the prime minister began speaking about the 'hand of Moscow' at the precise moment when it became clear that Montenegrin officials' expectations of being speedily inducted into NATO wasn't turning out as expected.

Furthermore, the journalist added that the prospects of a NATO membership referendum are frightening for Podgorica. "Based on how carefully authorities are avoiding any mention of a referendum, even they seem to clearly understand the public's attitudes on this issue i.e. that the public does not want to share in what former Prime Minister Djukanovic called the values of the Euro-Atlantic family."

Recent polling by the US-based polling and research firm Gallup has shown that only 21% of Montenegrins see NATO as an alliance providing 'protection', with 29% seeing it as a 'threat', and 35% saying that it was 'neither'. Officials have been hesitant to hold a referendum, presumably due to fears that the pro-NATO side will lose. NATO formally invited Montenegro to join the alliance in late 2015. Its membership has yet to be ratified by Canada, the Netherlands, Spain, and the United States.

In his interview for Time, Markovic said that NATO intelligence had confirmed the existence of a coup plot involving Russia. Speaking to Sputnik, Serbian historian and political scientist Alexander Rakovic suggested that the prime minister made this particular statement to get some brownie points from alliance officials.

"Meanwhile," Rakovic added, "the [real] problem is that in the same interview, Time quoted a high-ranking US National Security Council official, who said that the White House has no intention of accepting Montenegro into NATO at the moment. It's obvious that Montenegro's NATO project has failed, whatever the country's leaders say."

Ultimately, Matija Nikolic suggested that Podgorica's behavior "could be seen as a kind of pressure on the Trump administration, aimed at convincing the US to 'protect' the small country running into NATO's arms from a 'vast and terrible Russia looking for bloodshed.' That's how the Montenegrin Prime Minister depicts Russia, anyway. And 'protection' of course, depends on the US ratifying Montenegro's accession into the alliance," the political scientist concluded.

 Sputnik

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Russia to Supply T-90MS Tanks to a Middle East Country

Sputnik News

16:23 20.02.2017(updated 16:49 20.02.2017)

Russia will supply T-90MS battle tanks to a country in the Middle East.

ABU DHABI (Sputnik)  Russia signed a major contract for the supply of T-90MS tanks to a country in the Middle East, Russian Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov said Monday.

"Over these two years, as expected, a number of tests have been carried out in several Middle East countries. In December, a major contract was signed with one of Middle East countries. There are plans to sign another contract soon," Manturov said at the IDEX 2017 exhibition.

The T-90MS, also referred as Tagil, was first unveiled in 2011. It was proposed for the Russian Army and possible export markets, including India.

T-90MS tank is the modernized version of a T-90S main battle tank. The tank is operated by a crew of three. Its main armament includes a 125-mm cannon and a 7.62-mm antiaircraft machine gun.

In November 2016, the Indian authorities approved a deal with Russia on the purchase of 464 T-90MS tanks. India is also manufacturing T-90S tanks under license, which has been extended by Moscow earlier in the month.

 Sputnik

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Russia, Egypt to Sign Military Equipment Deal If Cairo Solves Money Troubles

Sputnik News

14:19 20.02.2017

CEO of the Rostec State Corporation said that Russia is ready to sign the deal on military technology deliveries to Egypt as soon as Cairo solves its financial problems.

ABU DHABI, February 20 (Sputnik)  Russia is ready to sign the deal on military technology deliveries to Egypt as soon as Cairo solves its financial problems, the CEO of the Rostec State Corporation said Monday.

"Egypt has financial troubles. As far as I know, they are trying to solve them through loans, including here, with the Middle East countries. If the problems are solved, we are ready to sign the deal [on military equipment cooperation] and begin deliveries," Sergey Chemezov said during the IDEX-2017 military expo.

Egypt is considering Russia's offer to deliver Ka-52 Alligator helicopters for its Mistral helicopter carriers.

The Ka-52 Alligator is a highly maneuverable reconnaissance and combat helicopter, equipped with powerful offensive weapons, suitable for take off and landing in hot climates and mountainous terrains and easy to service.

 Sputnik

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Russia to Complete BTR-80 Delivery Contract to Bangladesh in 2017

Sputnik News

09:47 20.02.2017

Russia will complete the delivery of BTR-80 amphibious armored personnel carriers (APCs) to peacekeepers in Bangladesh this year, the vehicles' developer told Sputnik on Monday.

ABU DHABI (Sputnik)  The 2014 contract reportedly entails the delivery of some 330 Russian-made BTR-80s to Bangladesh.

"Bangladesh is our regular client. The white-colored BTR-80 will go the local UN peacekeepers working there since the 1980s. We will complete this delivery this year," Alexander Krasovitsky, director general of the Military Industrial Company (VPK), said.

The United States and Russia maintain their leading positions in exports of major weapons during the period of 2012-2016 jointly amounting to 56 percent of global arms exports, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said Monday.

Russia maintains its second place in the ranking, and its share in global arms exports stands at about one-fourth (23 percent). India, Vietnam, China and Algeria are the main buyers of the Russian weapons, as 70 percent of Russian arms exports went to these four states during the outlined period.

 Sputnik

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Famine declared in region of South Sudan - UN

20 February 2017  Famine has been formally declared in parts of South Sudan, the United Nations said today, warning that war and a collapsing economy have left some 100,000 people facing starvation there and a further 1 million people are classified as being on the brink of famine.

"Famine has become a tragic reality in parts of South Sudan and our worst fears have been realised," said Serge Tissot, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Representative in South Sudan, in a news release issued jointly with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Programme (WFP).

"Many families have exhausted every means they have to survive," he stated, explaining that these people are predominantly farmers who have lost their livestock, even their farming tools.

Famine is currently affecting parts of Unity State in the northern-central part of the country. A formal famine declaration means people have already started dying of hunger.

The situation is the worst hunger catastrophe since fighting erupted more than three years ago between rival forces  the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) loyal to President Salva Kiir and the SPLA in Opposition backing First Vice-President Riek Machar.

The three UN agencies warned that urgent action is needed to prevent more people from dying of hunger.

According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) update released today by the government, the three agencies and other humanitarian partners, 4.9 million people - more than 40 percent of South Sudan's population - are in need of urgent food, agriculture and nutrition assistance.

The total number of food insecure people is expected to rise to 5.5 million at the height of the lean season in July if nothing is done to curb the severity and spread of the food crisis.

"More than one million children are currently estimated to be acutely malnourished across South Sudan; over a quarter of a million children are already severely malnourished. If we do not reach these children with urgent aid many of them will die," said Jeremy Hopkins, UNICEF Representative a.i in South Sudan.

"We have also warned that there is only so much that humanitarian assistance can achieve in the absence of meaningful peace and security, both for relief workers and the crisis-affected people they serve," said WFP Country Director Joyce Luma.

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'Historic' day as last FARC-EP members gather to turn in arms  UN mission in Colombia

20 February 2017  About 300 members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People's Army (FARC-EP) today arrived in central Colombia's Agua Bonita zone, bringing the number to close to 6,900, to lay down their arms under United Nations verification, and to begin a transition to social, economic and political life, the UN Mission in the country said today.

"In the past 19 days they rode cars, buses, boats or walked some 8,700 kilometres [] across the country, accompanied by over 860 [members] of the tripartite Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (MVM)," read a news release from the UN Mission in Colombia.

The Mission's Chief Observer and MVM coordinator, Major General Javier Perez Aquino, called the day "historic."

"The UN Mission in Colombia and the MVM consider that the FARC-EP's decision to move into the zones  in spite of the limited logistics in the majority of them  very positive," he said.

"This decision considerably reduces the possibility of armed contact [] and we also hope that their presence will accelerate the construction works in these camps, creating the appropriate conditions to continue with the process that will lead to their reinsertion into the social, economic and political life," he added.

The Chief Observer also noted that despite limited logistics, the deadline for the completion of the laying down of arms  180 days after the Final Agreement, which came into force on 1 December  stands.

Working hand-in-hand so that 'our children and grandchildren live in a conflict-free country'

In Colombia's capital, Bogota, as well as at eight regional and 26 local sites, FARC-EP and Government members, along with 350 UN observers, are working together to verify the parties' commitments towards the ceasefire and cessation of hostilities.

"We work together to implement the Final Agreement and I feel hopeful that this process will lead to a country with more social justice," said 45-year-old Esperanza Fajardo, who jointed FARC-EP in the 1990's, now working with Government and UN Mission counterparts.

Mayor Alejandro Cruz, from the Government, echoed: "I feel very committed to this process because I want our children and grandchildren to live in a conflict-free country."

Mr. Cruz was twice injured in combat with the FARC-EP and bears a large scar on his chest while Ms. Fajardo joined the rebel group to escape the killings of left-wing Union Patriotica political affiliates.

In early October 2016, Colombian voters narrowly rejected the historic peace accord between the Government and the FARC-EP. That deal led to a cessation of hostilities and agreements on key issues such as political participation, land rights, illicit drugs and victims' rights and transitional justice. The two sides signed a new agreement in late November.

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Trump Names Army Strategist as National Security Adviser

By Ken Bredemeier February 20, 2017

U.S. President Donald Trump named a new national security adviser Monday, picking Army Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster, a military strategist who has spent his entire career in the U.S. armed forces.

Trump called the 54-year-old McMaster "a man of tremendous talent and tremendous experience."

The president, making the announcement from his Florida retreat Mar-a-Lago along the Atlantic Ocean, said that retired Army Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg, who had been his acting adviser, will now serve as chief of staff of the National Security Council.

McMaster is currently director of the Army's Capabilities Integration Center, an Army agency tasked with integrating "war-fighting capabilities into the force" and with other government agencies. Trump selected him over at least three other contenders, including Kellogg.

A much-decorated soldier

McMaster will replace Michael Flynn, the retired Army general Trump fired a week ago after just 24 days on the job at the start of Trump's assumption of power in Washington. The new president said last week it was unacceptable to him that Flynn lied to Vice President Mike Pence about contacts he had with the Russian ambassador to Washington in the weeks before Trump was inaugurated a month ago.

McMaster is a much-decorated soldier, winning a Silver Star early in his Army career leading U.S. troops in their destruction of 80 Iraqi Republican Guard tanks without U.S. losses in a battle against Saddam Hussein's forces during their 1991 invasion of Kuwait. McMaster has held numerous key Army postings over the last 25 years.

Three years ago, Time magazine put him on its list of the 100 most influential people in the world, calling him "the architect of the future U.S. Army."

The immediate reaction from members of Congress was positive.

Sen. John McCain, who has occasionally voiced concerns about Trump's administration, especially over foreign policy and security issues, said McMaster is "an outstanding choice for national security adviser," and called him "a man of genuine intellect, character and ability."

Fellow Republicans Sen. Tom Cotton and Rep. Adam Kinzinger also heaped praise on McMaster, with Cotton tweeting the general is "one of the finest combat leaders of our generation."

Rep. Adam Schiff, a frequent Trump critic, tweeted that McMaster is a "solid choice, bright & strategic. Wrote the book on importance of standing up to POTUS [president of the U.S.]. May need to show same independence here."

Pence 'disappointed' by Flynn

Pence said Monday he was "disappointed" to learn that Flynn had misled him about his contacts with the Russian ambassador, stressing that he supported Trump's decision to fire him.

Pence, during a news conference at NATO headquarters in Brussels, said, "It was the proper decision, it was handled properly and in a timely way."

Trump's chief of staff said Sunday that the person selected to be the next national security adviser  McMaster, as it turns out  will have full authority over staffing decisions for the National Security Council.

That issue over control was reportedly one reason former Navy admiral Robert Harward turned down the job last week.

"The president has said very clearly that the new director will have total and complete say over the makeup of the NSC and all of the components of the NSC," White House chief of staff Reince Priebus said on Fox News Sunday. Harward was Trump's first choice to replace Flynn.

Panetta voices his concerns

Former U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta told NBC's Meet the Press on Sunday the turmoil surrounding the key position has made U.S. national security operations "dysfunctional."

"What happens if there's a major crisis that faces this country?" Panetta said. "If Russia engages in a provocation, if Iran does something stupid, if North Korea does something stupid and we have to respond, where is the structure to be able to evaluate that threat, consider it, and provide options to the president?

"Right now, that's dysfunctional, and that's what worries me a great deal," said Panetta, who also once served as director of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency.

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UN, Government Declare Famine in Parts of South Sudan

By Jill Craig February 20, 2017

Famine can be added to the list of South Sudan's problems, according to the government and the U.N. International Children's Fund, Food and Agriculture Organization, and World Food Program.

They say conflict, a collapsing economy, high food prices, and low agricultural production are to blame for food insecurity across the country, and for famine in two counties in southern Unity State, affecting more than 100,000 people, with the threat of spreading further.

"That means that the conditions have deteriorated to pretty much the worst on the scale that we use to measure food security," said Challiss McDonough, spokeswoman for the U.N. World Food Program in East Africa, explaining the joint technical committee's conclusion.

"You have got nutrition rates that are astronomical, you have got people with very limited access to food, the mortality rate is above the level that's required, so they have announced that although you have got a bad food security situation throughout the country, that in those two specific counties, things are about as bad as they can get."

Intense conflict

While many people are struggling with food insecurity, McDonough says there is a reason famine has struck these two areas in particular.

"It is because the conflict has been intense there, or there have been a lot of different armed groups," said McDonough. "It has been very difficult to negotiate safe access, both for the aid workers and for the people who have been trying to assist, so that you can be sure that if you go in and give food and other types of assistance to people, that they are not going to be attacked because of the food.

One million people are classified as being on the brink of famine. According to numbers released by the government and the United Nations, an estimated five million South Sudanese are severely food insecure, a number projected to increase to 5.5 million people, or roughly half of South Sudan's population, by July.

Isaiah Chol Aruai, chairman of South Sudan's National Bureau of Statistics, released a statement acknowledging the concerns of this projection and urging "all actors to scale up their efforts in the coming months in order to prevent further deterioration of food insecurity and malnutrition in the country."

Agricultural development

The agricultural sector in South Sudan is undeveloped under usual conditions, according to McDonough, but the current situation prevents people from improving it.

"If we had peace and could work on agricultural development, then yes, in the long run, there is enormous potential for South Sudanese agriculture; but, you cannot farm when you are fighting, or you cannot farm when it is not safe to go into your fields because somebody else is fighting," she said.

Since the start of the war in December 2013, tens of thousands of people have died. The U.N. refugee agency says that neighboring Uganda has more than tripled its population of South Sudanese refugees in less than six months, bringing the total number to almost 700,000, as people continue to flee.

The United Nations is also expressing concern that "critical shortages in food assistance are affecting some two million refugees in 10 countries across Africa."

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US Demands Independent Probe of Alleged Civilian Massacre in DRC

By Ken Schwartz February 20, 2017

The Democratic Republic of Congo is brushing off demands for an independent investigation into the alleged executions of unarmed civilians by DRC troops in the Kasai region.

Video emerged on social media over the last several days appearing to show soldiers shooting men and women as they lay on the ground.

One of the videos apparently shows children being shot.

DRC officials call the videos fake and a montage, saying a "malicious opposition group" edited the pictures in such a way to make DRC forces look bad.

U.S., allies call for probe

The government says it is already carrying out its own investigation and that several arrests have been made.

But the United States and several allies are demanding a more thorough probe.

State Department spokesman Mark Toner said Monday it should be carried out "in collaboration with international organizations responsible for monitoring human rights to identify those who perpetrated such heinous abuses and to hold accountable any individual proven to have been involved."

U.N. demands answers

United Nations human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein is also demanding answers.

The Kasai region of the DRC has been plagued by violence since August when a tribal leader who was rebelling against the Kinshasa government was killed.

The U.N. says the fighting has killed more than 200 people.

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7 million people face starvation in conflict-ridden Yemen: UN

Iran Press TV

Tue Feb 21, 2017 6:43PM

The United Nations humanitarian coordinator in Yemen has warned of a deepening food crisis in the country, which is reeling from a Saudi military aggression, saying almost a quarter of the country's 27 million population are facing starvation.

"Seven million Yemenis do not know where their next meal will come from and are ever closer to starvation," Jamie McGoldrick said in a statement released on Tuesday.

He also estimated that more than 17 million Yemenis are not able to adequately feed themselves and thus forced to skip meals while "women and girls eat the least and last."

The UN official further voiced concern about rising food prices, food shortages, disruptions to agricultural production, and lowering purchasing power.

"Given that the country is 80-90 percent dependent on imported food staples; I am compelled to raise the alarm. If left unabated, these factors combined could accelerate the onset of famine," he said.

Elsewhere in his statement, McGoldrick expressed deep worries over the escalation of conflict in the western coast of Yemen, saying the fighting is restricting the flow of life-saving commodities into Hudaydah Port.

The airstrikes conducted by Saudi fighter jets have destroyed critical roads and bridges across Hudaydah Province.

On Monday, the UN International Children's Fund (UNICEF) warned that 462,000 children were suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen.

Earlier this month, the UN appealed for $2.1 billion to provide food and other life-saving aid for some 12 million Yemenis expected to need assistance this year.

Three UN agencies further said in a joint statement that the number of food insecure people in Yemen had risen by three million during the past seven months, reaching an estimated 17.1 million people.

Saudi Arabia has been incessantly pounding Yemen since March 2015 in a bid to reinstall the country's former government and crush the Houthi Ansarullah movement.

The Houthis and the Yemeni army have been defending Yemen against the Saudi offensive.

The Saudi military aggression has claimed the lives of over 11,400 Yemenis, including women and children, according to the latest tally by a Yemeni monitoring group.

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Russia Says Military Neutrality Of Sweden, Finland Is Crucial For Security

February 21, 2017

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said the military neutrality of Sweden and Finland is fundamental to the security of the Baltic region.

Lavrov made the comments on February 21 at a joint press conference with Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom.

"We have reiterated our high opinion on the policy of Sweden and, also, Finland that adhere to the nonaligned course in military affairs," Lavrov said. "We see it as an important token of regional stability in the Baltic region and Europe in general."

Wallstrom, for her part, said that "Sweden's policy of nonalignment with military blocs is solid."

Public support for Finland and Sweden to boost ties with NATO or even join the bloc has been rising amid growing tensions between Russia and Europe, particularly since Russia's 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region and Moscow's active political and military support for separatists in eastern Ukraine.

In January, Lithuanian Defense Minister Jonas Vytautas Zukas announced that Sweden and Finland were considering sending troops to train jointly with NATO forces deployed in the three Baltic countries of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia last year.

Based on reporting by TASS and The Baltic Times

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/russia-praises-neutrality -sweden-finland-lavrov/28322798.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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UN Presses ASEAN to Boost Cooperation as Islamic State Builds Regional Links

By Ron Corben February 20, 2017

The United Nations says Southeast Asia needs to put in place a comprehensive regional plan to combat a rising threat of violent extremism as Asian fighters return home from Iraq and Syria.

The call by the UN's Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is set amid fears of growing cooperation between Islamist extremist groups, al-Qaida and the so-called Islamic State (IS) members in the region.

Jeremy Douglas, the UNODC Asia regional representative, said while Southeast Asian countries have improved collaboration and intelligence sharing, measures are ad hoc and inconsistent, especially in dealing with fighters returning from the Middle East.

Unified policy against terror

"The region itself doesn't have a strategy to deal with [foreign fighters]. There's some strategies at a national level to an extent but they are very inconsistent across the region, and the region itself doesn't have a strategy to deal with this phenomenon," Douglas told VOA.

He said it was important for ASEAN to develop a regional prevention of violent extremism plan that is subsequently tailored for each country.

The UNODC's call comes as the Commander of the U.S. Pacific Command, Admiral Harry Harris, added his concerns that the Asia Pacific faced a growing risk of attacks by IS group fighters returning to their home countries.

Warning from US admiral

"It's not a theory. It's real," Harris told a recent conference in New Delhi. "In the past year alone ISIL [IS] had made its murderous intentions clear in places like Bangladesh, Indonesia, the Philippines, and the United States," he said.

Analysts say estimates of Asian fighters in the Middle East are around 1,000.

Authorities have succeeded in preventing others from traveling, bound for Syria and Iraq. But often fighters will journey to several countries before traveling to Turkey to avoid detection.

Terror arrests on the increase

In the past year the UNODC says Indonesian arrests and deaths of terrorist suspects "more than doubled" to 170.

But signs of the threat are still there. In January 2016, an attack in Jakarta was said to be the first IS assault with a suicide bombing that led to the deaths of four attackers and four civilians.

In July, an attack on a restaurant in Bangladesh by IS left more than 20 people dead.

Also in July a grenade attack at a nightspot in Kuala Lumpur's Puchong district left eight people injured amid warnings of further attacks.

While some reports blamed the attacks on local gangsters, Malaysian authorities arrested 15 people, including two policemen accused of providing support to IS elements.

Authorities claimed the attack was carried out on orders of Muhammad Wanndy Mohamed Jedi, a Malaysian Islamic State fighter in Syria.

Support for terror groups is significant

The Jakarta-based Institute for Policy Analysis noted in a 2016 report, support for ISIS had deepened cooperation among extremist in maritime Southeast Asia, "making it more important than ever for law enforcement agencies to have expertise on groups outside their own borders."

The report said specific attention is needed to focus on the Philippine region of Mindanao, especially among pro-IS groups with links elsewhere in the region.

These groups included the Basilan-based faction of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG); Ansarul Khilafa Philippines (AKP); the Maute group in Lanar del Sur and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).

There may be an increase in militants coming to the region

Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political scientist at Chulalongkorn University in Thailand, said military defeats in Syria and Iraq will lead IS fighters from Southeast Asia to return to the region.

"They will start to conduct their operations elsewhere. This will be home grown self-help, lone wolf,  you'll see more of that. At the same time the organized fighters will return to their countries, including Southeast Asia," Thitinan told VOA.

"This means that South East Asia will have to be ready and brace themselves for potential terrorist violence looking forward," he said.

Past experience with terror

But Thitinan said Southeast Asia needs to draw on past experience in dealing with the threat posed by the Islamist terror group Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) over a decade ago.

"Overall, ASEAN has dealt with this before  with the Jemaah Isalmiyah and it was largely successful. Indonesia in particular. But overall the handling of the terrorist violence has been more individual country based  each country for itself rather than ASEAN wide efforts," he said.

Southeast Asian nations were galvanized after JI's deadly attacks, including 2002 bomb attacks on Indonesia's Bali island, which killed more than 200.

These were followed by JI linked bombings in 2003 at the JW Marriott Hotel in Jakarta and the 2004 Australian Embassy bombing, also in the Indonesian capital.

"[But] this round will be interesting because ASEAN is more divided now," said Thitinan, with countries faced with new leaderships and differing interests.

Human rights lawyer and author Banjamin Zawacki agrees that cross regional cooperation may be a challenge.

"It is going to be difficult for Southeast Asian countries to come up with a collective policy to which all 10 countries [of ASEAN] are going to agree, because ISIS (IS) is so new," Zawacki said.

"Everyone still sees the region  as does the U.S.  sees the region and sees the various insurgents in the region as independent entities into which they hope ISIS [IS] doesn't make any inroads," he told VOA. "But there's no real incentive at the moment for combating or preempting ISIS [IS] in the region, where so far at least, its evidence is really minimal."

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Why Isn't Afghan Taliban on US List of Foreign Terror Groups?

By Masood Farivar February 20, 2017

They both call themselves the Taliban. They regularly carry out deadly suicide bombings, kill civilians with impunity and, in many respects, behave like brutish terrorist groups. So why is one  the Tehrik-I Taliban of Pakistan  on the State Department's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations, while the other  Afghanistan's Taliban  is not?

To the U.S., the Afghan Taliban is largely an insurgency with control over vast swaths of territory and aspirations to govern the country, while its Pakistani offspring is considered nothing but a terrorist organization. But the real reason the Afghan Taliban is not on the list has more to do with political considerations than whether or not it meets the statutory criteria for a terrorist designation.

To be declared a foreign terrorist organization by the State Department, a foreign group must engage in terrorism and threaten the security of U.S. nationals or the national security of the United States. The Afghan Taliban meet both criteria.

Yet political expedience has obligated keeping the group off the list of 61 organizations ranging from the Afghanistan branch of the Islamic State group to the Palestinian group Hamas. In the case of the Taliban, the deterring factor has long been a concern that applying the terror label to the group would restrict U.S. and Afghan government diplomatic contacts with the Taliban, making peace talks more difficult.

"There is no doubt that the Taliban occasionally attacks civilians intentionally, not accidentally, and that's the definition of terrorism," said James Dobbins, a former U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan. "And, thus, the designation would be accurate enough. The question is whether or not it would serve the U.S. and Afghan government purposes for that step to be taken."

'Call the enemy by its name'

With the Trump administration scaling up its war on Islamic terrorist groups with a vow to "call the enemy by its name," the question has entered into discussions over a new Afghan war strategy.

Gen. John Nicholson, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, told VOA's Afghan service earlier this month that the question of whether the Taliban should be designated as a terrorist organization "is an important one for the [new] administration to consider and it will be part of our conversation with them as the weeks unfold."

Nicholson did not say whether he favored a terrorist designation, but he left little doubt how he viewed the Taliban, calling the group "an enabler of terrorists" with links to many terrorist organizations, including al-Qaida and the Haqqani network.

Nicholson told the U.S. Senate's Armed Services Committee earlier that 20 of the 98 U.S.-designated terrorist groups in the world operate in Afghanistan and Pakistan and that the U.S. was seeking to set up an "enduring counterterrorism platform" in Afghanistan.

Asked whether the administration is considering designating the Taliban as a terror group, a State Department spokesperson referred to a 2002 executive order labeling the Taliban a "Specially Designated Global Terrorist Entity" and a 2008 Congressional law mandating that the Taliban be considered a terrorist organization for immigration purposes.

While the Global Terrorist Entity sanctions are focused on financial transactions, a foreign terrorist organization designation prohibits "material support," such as training, and carries greater weight, according to Oliver Krischik, a trade law attorney specializing in U.S. economic sanctions.

"Just the act of designating an organization on the Foreign Terrorist Organization list itself is a powerful move just in name, and that is something which can have a severe impact on the way other people around the world will or will not engage in business with you," Krischik said.

Long eager to reach a political settlement with the Taliban, successive Afghan governments have stopped short of calling for the group to be designated as a terrorist organization, said Dobbins, who led the 2001 Bonn negotiations that created the first post-Taliban government in Afghanistan.

"If the U.S. was seriously proposing to do it, my guess is it would lead some Afghan officials to counsel against it precisely because they'd still hope eventually to be able to launch some process of reconciliation," Dobbins said. "If [the Trump administration] really wants to create an obstacle to communications with the Taliban, then this probably could have that effect."

A spokesman for Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said he was unaware of any proposal to designate the Taliban as a terrorist organization.

Advantages of the label

With the U.S. military enjoying broad authority to target the Taliban, a terrorist designation would have little impact on the battlefield. But declaring the Taliban a terror group could have one advantage, according to Michael Ryan, a senior fellow at the Jamestown Foundation in Washington: It would make it politically easier for the Trump administration to pressure foreign governments backing the Taliban. The U.S. has long accused Pakistan of sheltering the Taliban, a charge denied by Islamabad.

In labeling the Taliban a terror group, the administration could also argue that "we're just tidying up the list," Ryan said, noting that the Taliban-allied Haqqani network and IS branch of Afghanistan and Pakistan are on the list. "Or they could say, as some Republicans said in the last administration, President [Barack] Obama was too weak on this issue and they're going to strengthen it up."

Gianni Koskinas, a former military officer now with the New America think tank in Washington, argued that merely excluding the Taliban from the terror list is unlikely to encourage the group to enter into peace talks.

"Ultimately, if the Afghan government chooses to reconcile with the Taliban, that is irrelevant as far as I'm concerned to the designation of terrorist or not," Koskinas said. "The notion that you can tie and bind reconciliation with something that is a very black-and-white fact that they're a terrorist organization, that they're behaving as one, is illogical to me."

Designating the Taliban as a terrorist organization would bring clarity to the U.S. position in Afghanistan, Koskinas said. "The message should be clear: If you behave like this, then you're a terrorist organization. Period," he said.

VOA State Department correspondent Nike Ching and VOA's Afghanistan Service contributed to this report.

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China Focus: One year on, Xi's speech injects vitality into media

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 15:13, February 20, 2017

China's major media outlets have carried articles profiling the changes to news reporting since President Xi Jinping gave a speech on the Communist Party of China's (CPC) media and publicity work.

On Feb. 19 last year, Xi, who is also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, visited the People's Daily, Xinhua News Agency and China Central Television (CCTV), the nation's three leading news providers. Later that day he presided over a symposium on the Party's media work.

During the symposium, Xi ordered all news media run by the CPC and the Chinese government to strictly follow the Party's leadership and focus on "positive reporting."

According to Xi, the Party's media work should unite and guide the general public, serve the country's overall interests, tell right from wrong and connect China to the world.

Calling for innovative concepts, content and methods, Xi told media groups to make use of new media's edge in publicity, amplify their voices on the international stage, tell stories about China well and build flagship media groups with strong global influence.

The People's Daily ran an article Sunday that said the past year had seen great changes across all media outlets thanks to the "fresh vitality" following Xi's speech.

The credibility of mainstream media had markedly improved, it said, adding that they had become more influential and their output was more appealing and persuasive.

The article praised the "reasoned voice" of media outlets when covering issues of public concern, such as employment, health services, education and food safety. It also lauded the "creativity and innovation" of Internet and new media products.

A Xinhua commentary Friday said the media work in the past year had generated a positive energy that motivated the people to work toward realizing the Chinese dream of great national renewal.

Other articles also highlighted changes that aimed to better tell China stories.

One of the most high-profile moves to this end was the rebranding of CCTV news as China Global Television Network (CGTN) at the end of 2016.

Statistics showed that the CGTN's content was accessed by about 400 million users from countries and regions across the world, a clear indication of its global reach.

Observers said the world is looking to China like never before. However, there remains a gap between the real China and how the country is perceived by the world.

The Xinhua commentary said Chinese media's international communication skills should be honed so that China stories are told well.

In the same vein, observers said, China must amplify its voice so that the nation's message is heard overseas.

As an example of achievements made in this regard, in 2016 more than 700 People's Daily stories were translated into over 20 languages and published by mainstream media outlets of international influence.

Also in the past year, Xinhua increased the average number of its daily stories for overseas service to 4,500, with more than 100 commentaries on international issues carried by mainstream Western media.

Developments were also made in promoting overseas social networking platforms operated by leading Chinese media.

Accounts run by the People's Daily attracted about 35 million followers, while the figures for Xinhua and CCTV stood at about 23 million and 50 million respectively, statistics showed.

While visiting CCTV's multimedia division on Sunday, Liu Qibao, head of the publicity department of the CPC Central Committee, encouraged all mainstream news providers to refine their craft and push for multimedia integration, which would help them improve their competitiveness and expand their reach.

"Mainstream media outlets are proactively [..] responding to Western media outlets' blurred or distorted opinions of China," said Shi Anbin, a professor of journalism and communication with Tsinghua University.

Shi went on to say that due to the efforts of the last year, the standard of China's news and public opinion work is more commensurate with the nation's improving strength and international status.

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DPRK ambassador denies identifying deceased DPRK man as Kim Jong Nam

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 19:08, February 20, 2017

The ambassador of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to Malaysia on Monday denied telling Malaysian authorities that a DPRK diplomatic passport holder, who died at Kuala Lumpur last week, was Kim Jong Nam, the elder half-brother of DPRK top leader Kim Jong Un.

At a news conference in the front of the DPRK embassy, Kang Chol, the ambassador, said an official document has been submitted to the Malaysian side, pointing out that "we did not know any other name except Kim Chol as written in the passport" of the deceased.

The DPRK embassy called the press conference after Kang was summoned in the morning by the Malaysian Foreign Ministry. The Malaysian Foreign Ministry defended its investigation on the deceased man, saying in a statement that the investigation has been conducted in a manner prescribed by Malaysian law.

Malaysia has also recalled its ambassador in Pyongyang for consultation.

Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said on Thursday that the deceased DPRK man was Kim Jong Nam. At a press conference, when asked if the man was confirmed to be Kim Jong Nam, Zahid relied, "yes, certainly yes."

He said he was briefed by the police that the DPRK embassy had confirmed Kim's identity.

Malaysian police had earlier also identified the deceased man as Kim Chol, according to his passport.

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Resuming DPRK talks depends on efforts from all parties: FM

People's Daily Online

(Global Times) 14:38, February 20, 2017

China cannot go it alone in trying to get Pyongyang back to the negotiating table over the nuclear issue, and while it can mediate, both Washington and Pyongyang should think about accommodating each other's positions, experts said.

Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi said at the 53rd Munich Security Conference in Germany on Friday, in reference to the Korean Peninsula nuclear crisis, "there is still a chance of resuming negotiations; the hope for peace still exists."

Wang said that China will uphold the UN Security Council-led sanctions, but also stressed that all parties should not give up the fight to resume negotiations.

Since the Six-Party Talks were halted in 2009, the situation has been in a vicious circle with repeated "nuclear tests and sanctions," Wang said.

The Chinese foreign ministry said that Wang reiterated this message when he met with South Korean counterpart Yun Byung-se on the sidelines of the Munich conference on Saturday.

The Six-Party Talks, involving China, DPRK, the U.S., South Korea, Russia and Japan, were a multilateral mechanism aimed at solving the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue. The talks began in 2003 and stalled in December 2008, with Pyongyang quitting the process in 2009.

Jin Canrong, associate dean of the School of International Studies at the Renmin University of China, told the Global Times that "Wang's statement shows China has the will and determination to solve the problem peacefully," adding that it is "also a response to the U.S."

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Friday urged China to "use all available tools" to moderate DPRK's behavior which will further destabilize regional peace after the latest missile test by Pyongyang, when he met Wang in Munich, Tillerson's spokesman Mark Toner said.

Since the U.S. urges China to use all available tools, China believes there is no tool better than multilateral negotiations, Jin said.

"Unlike the U.S., China doesn't have multiple choices for a solution. Apart from negotiations, the U.S. finds regime change, internal collapse and military strikes all acceptable, but China will not risk other measures which might bring military conflict, especially so close to our borders," Jin noted.

Need for compromise

"Subjectively, we can see there is the possibility of resuming the Six-Party Talks. New U.S. President Donald Trump wants to change his predecessor's policy [of strategic patience] and has the will to solve the problem, rather than simply ignore DPRK's desire," said Lu Chao, a research fellow at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences.

There will be a power shift in South Korea in mid-year, with hard-liners not so popular as before, Lu said.

"Pragmatic, dovish political groups and politicians are increasingly popular, such as Moon Jae-in, the Democratic United Party's candidate for president," he said.

Jin said he feels that the sanctions will be effective in making Pyongyang think twice about its behavior, especially the coal sanctions, which normally form about 20 percent of the country's exports to China.

From Sunday, China banned all imports of coal from DPRK.

As for Russia and Japan, their basic claims on the issue have not changed, and they will support a resumption in talks if other parties do, Lu said.

Any international response to the recent missile launch should be made jointly within the UN framework or the Six-Party Talks, and "unilateral actions" will only ratchet up the already high tensions, Konstantin Kosachev, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Russian upper house of parliament, was quoted by the RIA Novosti agency as saying on Sunday.

"Objectively, the resumption of Six-Party Talks is not very likely now. It needs cooperation and compromise from both the U.S. and DPRK," said Wang Junsheng, a research fellow on Korean studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. "DPRK wants everyone to acknowledge it as a nuclear state, but the U.S. needs DPRK to abandon its nuclear program and won't guarantee not to use military options to solve the problem," he noted.

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Malaysia summons DPRK ambassador over police probe into Kim's death

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 11:49, February 20, 2017

Malaysia's Foreign Ministry on Monday summoned Ambassador of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kang Chol to seek an explanation over a statement he had made on the police investigation of a deceased DPRK man.

The deceased man was reportedly to be Kim Jong Nam, the elder half-brother of DPRK top leader Kim Jong Un.

In a strongly worded statement on Friday, Kang accused the Malaysian government of having "something to conceal" in its investigation, purposely delaying the release of the body and conducting the autopsy unilaterally.

The Malaysian government viewed the criticism as baseless, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement after the summon meeting, which was called upon by the ministry's Deputy Secretary General for Bilateral Affairs Nushirwan Zainal Abidin.

Kim's death occurred on Malaysian soil under mysterious circumstances and it is the responsibility of the Malaysian government to conduct an investigation to identify the cause of death, the statement said, adding the probe has been conducted in the manner prescribed by Malaysian law.

The Malaysian government has been transparent, said the statement, noting that it takes very seriously any unfounded attempt to tarnish its reputation.

The statement said the Malaysian ambassador in Pyongyang has also been recalled to Kuala Lumpur for consultations.

At a press conference on Sunday, Malaysia's deputy national police chief Noor Rashid Ibrahim said the police were following the Malaysian law and legal requirements.

"Every death in a suspicious manner must be investigated, in which we have to put a report, submit a report to the court. In this case we are investigating a sudden and suspicious death," he said.

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CCTV footage of North Korean's killing released

Iran Press TV

Mon Feb 20, 2017 7:39AM

Video footage has been released showing the assassination of a North Korean believed to be the half-brother of North Korea's leader in the Malaysian capital.

The CCTV footage, released by Japanese broadcaster Fuji TV on Monday, purportedly shows a person believed to be Kim Jong-nam being assaulted at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport by two women.

One woman can be seen holding the victim from behind while the other wipes a fast-acting poison on his face. The grainy CCTV images also show the victim, wearing a light-colored jacket, entering the airport departure hall, checking a departure board, and heading to a check-in counter before he is approached by the women who carried out the swift assault.

Footage later shows him seeking help from police and being escorted to a clinic at the airport.

The incident happened last Monday.

A murder by poisoning spills diplomatic blood

Meanwhile, a diplomatic row has erupted between Malaysia and North Korea over the killing and an ongoing probe by Malaysian authorities.

Malaysia's determination to carry out an autopsy and its refusal to hand over the body directly to North Korea prompted the North Korean ambassador to question the motives of Malaysian authorities.

In rare comments to the media on Friday, Kang Chol, North Korea's ambassador to Malaysia, claimed that Malaysian authorities were "colluding and playing into the gallery of external forces."

In reaction, Malaysia recalled its envoy from Pyongyang and summoned Chol to explain his accusations.

Later on Monday, Ambassador Chol said Pyongyang could not trust Malaysian authorities with the investigation into the killing.

At the same time, Malaysian police are hunting for four North Koreans who fled the country on the day of the attack. Authorities have already detained one North Korean man, a Vietnamese woman, an Indonesian woman, and a Malaysian man in connection with the incident.

In a related development, an immigration office official in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, told media that three of the wanted North Koreans took a flight to Dubai from Jakarta late on the same day that the assassination took place.

Kim had been living in exile in the Chinese city of Macau. He was reportedly a critic of his younger half-brother, North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un.

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4 North Koreans fled Malaysia after Kim's death

Iran Press TV

Mon Feb 20, 2017 1:22AM

Four North Koreans suspected to be behind the killing of Kim Jong-un's half-brother fled Malaysia on the day he was assassinated, the police say.

Kim Jong-nam was attacked and killed by two female assailants as he was walking through the departure hall at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Monday.

So far, a North Korean man, a Vietnamese woman, and an Indonesian woman have been detained in connection with the hit.

South Korean police claim he was killed by North Korean agents, who are also blocking an autopsy on the 46-year-old's body.

According to South Korean sources, the North Korean leader ordered the assassination of his elder brother in 2012 after he spoke out against his family's manner of ruling the country.

"We believe the North Korean regime is behind this incident, considering five suspects are North Koreans," said the spokesman at South Korea's Unification Ministry, Jeong Joon-hee, on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Malaysia's Deputy Inspector-General Noor Rashid Ibrahim announced that his country was coordinating with Interpol to locate and arrest the four fugitive North Koreans.

"The four suspects are holding normal passports, not diplomatic passportsNext plan is to get them. We of course have international cooperation especially with Interpol, bilateral involvement with the country involved, we will go through those avenues to get the people involved," he said.

He went on to identify the suspects as Ri Ji-hyon, 33, Hong Song-hac, 34, O Jong-gil, 55, and Ri Jae-nam, 57, adding that they arrived in Malaysia a few days before the attack.

Kim Jong-nam was the eldest son of former North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il and had spent most of life outside the country. He died while on the way to hospital after complaining to the airport's customer service that two women had somehow poisoned him as he was dizzy.

"We are trying very hard to get the next of kin to come and assist us in the investigation," added Noor Rashid.

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China coal ban not to seriously affect North Korea: Official

Iran Press TV

Tue Feb 21, 2017 4:19PM

China's recent imposition of a ban on coal imports from North Korea has yet to be fully felt in Pyongyang, says an official in North Korea, playing down the impact of the measure that Beijing adopted in line with international sanctions on the country.

Ri Sun-chol, the chief of the economic research institute of North Korea's Academy of Social Sciences, said on Tuesday that economic sanctions, including China's suspension of coal imports from North Korea for the rest of the year, would not seriously impact the country's economy.

"Of course if we can no longer export things that we used to export, it can have some impact on the companies that are directly involved in exports," Ri said, adding, "Direct exports of natural resources have been under great restrictions. So I can't say that it would have substantial impact on the economy."

The official said Pyongyang had taken steps to "minimize the effect of sanctions" and added that North Korea was "building an independent national economy."

China imposed the cap on coal exports from North Korea at the weekend after Pyongyang launched another long-range missile in defiance of international bans. The Chinese measure was also influenced by the assassination of North Korea leader's half brother in Malaysia last week, which many say was carried out at Pyongyang's orders.

North Korea has suffered six rounds of United Nations Security Council sanctions over atomic tests and missile launches since 2006. However, the ban on coal export, a crucial foreign currency-earner for Pyongyang, seems to go much further.

Many had criticized China, the North's sole major ally and by far its largest trading partner, for not doing enough to contain the unpredictable country. Beijing has for long denied that it has huge influence on Pyongyang while it fears that instability in its next door could cause huge chaos and lead to increased influence for the United States.

Beijing imported more than 22 million tons of coal worth nearly $1.2 billion from North Korea. Many also suspect the way China is going to implement the ban as a previous three-week suspension in December saw Beijing buy more than two million tons of coal worth $168 million that month.

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Malaysia: No Cause of Death Yet in North Korean's Killing

By VOA News February 21, 2017

Malaysian health officials said Tuesday they have not yet determined a cause of death in the apparent assassination of the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Noor Hisham Abdullah, director of general health at the Malaysian health ministry, told reporters that samples taken from an autopsy on Kim Jong Nam have been sent to a lab for analysis to both determine what killed him and to identify his next of kin.

That analysis will include examining the samples for evidence of any poisons, and it is unclear when it will be completed.

Noor Hisham said that from the autopsy there was "no evidence of heart attack" and "nothing obvious for us to suggest any puncture marks or wounds."

As far as positively identifying the man as Kim Jong Nam, Noor Hisham said examiners have samples of DNA, fingerprints and dental information from the body, but not yet any corresponding records from family that can be matched up.

"At the moment we do not have anyone who claims to be the next of kin."

On Monday, North Korea's envoy to Kuala Lumpur, Kang Chol, called for a joint probe into the death, telling reporters that North Korean "cannot trust the investigation by the Malaysian police."

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak responded by saying his country had no reason "to paint the North Koreans in a bad light," and expressed "absolute confidence" in the objectivity of the investigation.

The 45-year-old Kim Jong Nam was accosted and believed to be poisoned by two women at Kuala Lumpur International Airport while waiting to board a flight bound for the Chinese territory of Macau. Japanese broadcaster Fuji TV aired grainy footage Monday taken by the airport's security cameras that shows one of the women grabbing Kim from behind and forcibly holding something over his face.

After the attack, Kim is shown seeking help from airport workers while gesturing towards his eyes. He died en route to a hospital.

Four people have been detained in connection with the crime, including the two suspected assailants and a North Korean national, who was arrested Friday. Investigators are also seeking four North Korean men who flew out of Malaysia on the day of Kim's death.

Kim Jong Nam was once considered the heir apparent to lead North Korea, but he fell out of favor with his father Kim Jong Il after a failed 2001 attempt to enter Japan on a forged passport to visit Disneyland, and was basically exiled to the Chinese controlled territory of Macau.

South Korea's spy agency says Kim Jong Un issued a "standing order" for his half-brother's assassination after taking power, and there was a failed attempt in 2012. During a National Security Council meeting Monday, South Korean Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn said the deadly attack revealed Pyongyang's "reckless and brutal nature."

Kim Jong Nam was reportedly considered a threat to his half-brother's rule because of his outspoken criticism of the authoritarian regime.

There has been speculation that China is getting tired of North Korea's repeated nuclear and missile tests in defiance on international sanctions and that the apparent assassination of Kim John Nam may have led to the Chinese decision Saturday to suspend all coal imports from the North. Coal exports are a vital source of revenue for the Pyongyang government.

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Indian Navy to Procure Special Operation Boats Similar to US Navy SEALs

Sputnik News

19:12 20.02.2017

Indian Navy is focusing on strengthening the amphibious warfare capability. Apart from inducting amphibious warships, Indian Navy is augmenting the capability to conduct special operations in Indian Ocean Region.

New Delhi (Sputnik)- In a bid to augment the capability to conduct special operation in harbor and at sea, Indian Navy has started the process to procure Special Operation Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (SORs) from global manufacturers. This is part of India's long desired capability to build an independent amphibious group modelled on US Marines. In a 10 pages request for information, Indian Navy has asked global manufacturers to send details of Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats that are capable to perform independent operations of long range without the need of a surface/ sub-surface or air platform. Navy requires 10 such boats capable of carrying 12 personnel including mission and craft crew or minimum payload of up to 2200 kilogram excluding fuel. Boat should have endurance of 400 Nautical at 50 knot top speed.

"Craft should be fitted with Very High Frequency/High Frequency/SATCOM suites, High Definition Warning Set radar, ECDIS, Echo sounder and other essential navigation and communication equipment. Forward and aft mounts for the fitment of 12.7 mm caliber weapons and suitable firing positions for short tripod launched heavy weapons and such as self-homing projectiles up to 50 kg, auto Grenade Launchers, etc.," says Indian Navy document. To assist in reducing the shock during heavy sea, Indian Navy prefers carbon fiber layered Hull with a foam core and should have an outer layer of Kevlar for additional support.

Indian Navy had conducted exercise with US Navy special operation forces in such boats during Malabar exercise in last two years and has been closely tracking and following exercises conducted by Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats. High-speed, high-buoyancy, extreme-weather Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat is used by US Navy's SEAL for insertion/extraction and marine interdiction operations.

To enhance the amphibious capability, Indian Navy will also soon open commercial bids for procuring new Landing Platform Docks (LPD) amphibious warships. The four ships costs will cost approximately $ 3.7 billion and should be delivered to Indian Navy in the next 10 years.

Currently, India's amphibious warfare capability consists of nine older tank landing ships of various sizes and capabilities. The Shardul class ships are latest ones which are hybrids of LST and LSD design. They are an evolution of the Magar class amphibious landing ships. Shardul and Magar class can carry 10 armored vehicles, 11 armored personnel carriers and more than 500 troops.

 Sputnik

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Foreign Ministry dismisses Iran's new ballistic missile test

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, Feb 20, IRNA -- Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi denied on Monday that Iran wants to conduct a ballistic missile test.

"Iran does not intend to testfire a ballistic missile today," Qasemi said, answering a question on whether Iran wants to conduct such a test.

"Whoever says this is a liar," he said.

Iran says its missile program is aimed at deterrence and for defensive purposes.

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Zarif: Iranians not to tolerate threat

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, Feb 20, IRNA -- Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Monday that through their resistance, the Iranian people have shown they will not tolerate threat.

Zarif, who is currently on a visit to Germany to attend 2017 Munich Security Conference, made the remarks during a meeting with a number of Iranian academicians living in Germany.

Referring to the plan pursued by the new US government to impose a visa ban on Iranian nationals, the foreign minister said that the US behavior is a sign of hostility with the Iranian people despite their false claims (of friendship).

9341**2050

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Threats do not work against Iran: Zarif

Iran Press TV

Mon Feb 20, 2017 6:21PM

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says sanctions and threats will never work against the Islamic Republic, urging the United States to adopt the language of respect on Iran.

"Threats do not work against Iran. It would work much better if they decided to use the language of respect, the language of mutual interest," Zarif said in an interview with NBC News on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference amid the recent escalation of hostile rhetoric used by US President Donald Trump's administration against the Islamic Republic.

Zarif warned that Iran does not "respond well" to such threatening language and dismissed sanctions as ineffective.

The White House recently said it was putting Iran "on notice" over its test of a ballistic missile and then imposed fresh sanctions on several companies and individuals mainly over Iran's defensive missile program.

The US Treasury Department said on February 1 that Washington had imposed sanctions on 13 individuals and 12 entities as part of bids to ratchet up pressure on Iran.

Washington claims that a recent missile test by Iran violated UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which endorsed the 2015 nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), between the Islamic Republic and the P5+1 group of countries, including the US.

Resolution 2231 calls on Iran "not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology."

Iran has repeatedly announced that missile tests are the nation's inalienable right to self-defense and its missiles are not designed to carry nuclear weapons. The Islamic Republic has also vowed a crushing response to any military attack against it.

Little appetite for opening "Pandora's box"

Zarif also ruled out the possibility of renegotiating the JCPOA, saying any such an attempt would be tantamount to opening the "Pandora's box."

"I believe the nuclear deal is going to last," the top Iranian diplomat firmly declared.

Trump has on numerous occasions criticized the JCPOA, referring to it as "the worst deal ever negotiated." During his election campaign, he also vowed that he would "tear up" the JCPOA or try to renegotiate its terms.

In his remarks, Zarif criticized the US implementation of the JCPOA as "lackluster" and "slow."

"It's a multilateral deal and multilateral deals cannot be reopened for negotiations because it would open a Pandora's box," the Iranian minister pointed out.

He said "Iran has many options" on the table if the US opted to unilaterally scrap the nuclear agreement.

The JCPOA places certain limits on the Iranian nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of nuclear-related sanctions.

Possibility of Zarif-Tillerson meeting

The Iranian foreign minister did not dismiss the possibility of a meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson if there is a need for discussions about the JCPOA.

"The possibility has not arisen, no request has been made," he said.

"If a need arises to deal with the nuclear issue we have, we have mechanisms within the nuclear agreement for meetings of the ministers," he added.

Trump travel ban order 'absurd'

Elsewhere in his remarks, Zarif weighed in on Trump's proposed, but currently stalled, travel ban on seven mainly Muslim countries, including Iran.

"It shows the hostility is towards all Iranians, even Iranian members of Parliament in Europe, because there are ministers, members of parliament in Europe who were born in Iran and they cannot enter the United States. This is absurd," the minister said.

"What is the message that the United States government is trying to send?" he asked.

In response to a question about a potential escalation of hostilities between the US under the Trump administration and the Islamic Republic, he said, "Iran is not interested in conflict."

"I believe at the end of the day reason and rationality will prevail... There is no cause to be served and great cost to be paid," he added.

In a move which sparked widespread censure, the US president signed a sweeping executive order on January 27 to bar the entry of citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen for 90 days and imposed a 120-day halt on all refugee resettlement programs.

Strongly criticizing the move, Iran summoned Swiss Ambassador to Tehran Giulio Haas on January 29 to protest against the US president's discriminatory decision to restrict entry into the country.

US District Judge James Robart in Seattle, Washington, suspended the order nationwide on February 4 after his state challenged its legality. A three-judge panel in the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Robart's ruling.

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Iranian missiles serve self-defense purposes: FM Zarif

Iran Press TV

Mon Feb 20, 2017 10:32AM

Amid ongoing US and Israeli attempts to portray Iran as an "aggressive" party, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif reaffirms that the Islamic Republic's missiles are a mere means of defending the nation against enemy threats.

"Missiles are our defensive means," he told the BBC's chief international correspondent Lyse Doucet in an interview aired on Monday, adding, "We're a sovereign state. [The projectiles are] for our defense and for being ready to defend ourselves."

Late last month, Washington's UN envoy Nikki Haley slammed a missile test by Iran as "absolutely unacceptable." US President Donald Trump's former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn also said following the January 29 test that Washington was "officially putting Iran on notice," claiming that the launch was "in defiance of UN Security Council Resolution 2231."

The Islamic Republic has, on numerous occasions, asserted that its missiles are not designed to be capable of carrying nuclear warheads, and that it is not involved in such missile work, which is prohibited by the Resolution.

The US, however, also imposed new sanctions against Iran in early February as part of bids to ratchet up pressure on the country, chiefly over Tehran's missile program.

Further supporting Iran's defensive work, Zarif recalled the foreign-backed war imposed on Iran by the former Iraqi regime in 1980s, "when everybody in the international system, including the United States" was backing the Arab country under former dictator Saddam Hussein against the Islamic Republic.

"Our people do not forget the fact that they were being bombarded. Everybody was providing assistance to the aggressor and no one, absolutely no one, gave us even the rudimentary means of defense," he added.

'Iran not an easy target'

The Iranian top diplomat was then asked for comments on the US, Israel, and Saudi Arabia's threats of military action against the Islamic Republic.

"First of all, we're not talking about the law of the jungle. We're talking about the international law, and according to international law, those options are a violation of international law, and I advise them not only to respect the international law, but to be prudent enough not to get themselves in serious trouble," he stated.

"I certainly hope that prudence will prevail because Iran is not an easy target. We're not going to provoke anybody. We're not going to instigate any hostility. We've never started hostility, and we're not planning to do it," said Zarif.

He added, however, that "we will defend ourselves. I do not believe that people looking at our history, people looking at our capabilities will ever make the decision to engage in that misadventure."

Iran deal 'Washington's last resort'

Elsewhere, Zarif addressed the issue of Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with six world countries, including the US, saying Washington opted to sign the accord "because it didn't have any choice."

The US, he said, had already exhausted the means of applying pressure on the Islamic Republic, including sanctions.

"Those sanctions produced the exact opposite political outcome. They put economic pressure on Iran, but the Iranian people resisted. The Iranian people stood up against those pressures," said the top Iranian diplomat.

He described the deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, as a "reasonable agreement," saying it "is not everything that they wanted, nor was it everything we wanted. But it's a reasonable middle ground, and I believe if the previous administration had other options, it would have exercised them."

Trump has adopted a harsh language towards Iran, threatening to "tear up" the nuclear deal, calling Iran "terrorist state number one," and imposing new sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

'US never been friendly'

He also dismissed the idea that the new US administration's attitude towards Tehran was a major departure from its predecessors, saying Washington's hostile approach towards the Islamic Republic has remained unchanged over the

"So, it's not as if we're moving from very friendly relations into hostile relations. The United States policy towards Iran has never been friendly for the past 38 years. It has always been hostile, and our people have shown that hostility doesn't receive a positive response from the Iranian people."

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Iran Successfully Test-Fires Advanced Rockets During Military Drills

Sputnik News

19:26 20.02.2017(updated 19:32 20.02.2017)

Iranian elite ground forces tested smart rockets with pinpoint accuracy during the ongoing military drills, according to official statement.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Iranian elite ground forces on Monday successfully launched precision-guided rockets, the troops' commander Brig. Gen. Mohammad Pakpour said amid ongoing military drills, aimed at demonstrating Iran's military capability.

"Today, various classes of smart rockets with pinpoint accuracy were successfully test-fired, which showed the power of the Islamic Republic of Iran," Pakpour, the head of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Ground Force said, as quoted by the local Tasnim news agency.

Three-day military exercises, codenamed "The Great Prophet," kicked off earlier today in central Iran. The motto of the war games is "Presentation of Power and Sustainable Security." They include artillery, aid defense, infantry and air force.

On January 29, Tehran conducted a ballistic missile test, which the United States claimed to be a violation of UN resolutions and the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Shortly thereafter, the United States called on Iran to refrain from nuclear-capable missile activity. Iran has refuted the allegations that any resolution was violated.

 Sputnik

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Mattis Praises Resilient Iraqi Army During Baghdad Visit

By Lisa Ferdinando DoD News, Defense Media Ac WASHINGTON, Feb. 20, 2017  In his first trip to Baghdad as defense secretary, Jim Mattis today praised the Iraqi army for its resilience and noted the forces are now focused on liberating west Mosul.

The Iraqi army has the full support of the more than 60 members in the coalition fighting the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, Mattis told reporters in the Iraqi capital.

"There will be more fights ahead. We'll stick together," the retired Marine Corps general said. "As we look at the future, we're going to continue to stand by the Iraqi army and the Iraqi people who are fighting this enemy."

He commended the accomplishments of the Iraqi army, saying the force has taken casualties, but has reconstituted itself both with equipment and personnel. After a months-long battle, east Mosul was cleared of ISIS. Now, the coalition-backed Iraqi forces have set their sights on freeing western Mosul.

Mattis Assessing

The secretary, during a stop Sunday in Abu Dhabi, told reporters the Iraq visit would allow him to "get current on the situation there," including on the political situation and the situation with ISIS.

"The only way you can do that is by talking to the people responsible over there on the ground," he said.

In Baghdad, Army Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend, the commanding general of Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve, told reporters the Iraqi government realizes the fight is "very complex."

He said he believes the Iraqis will continue to need the assistance of the coalition even after the liberation of Mosul.

Townsend praised the Iraqi army as well, saying it has made a "remarkable turnaround" in two years.

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Iran, Iraq seal deal to export Kirkuk oil

Iran Press TV

Mon Feb 20, 2017 6:54PM

Iran and Iraq have signed a basic agreement that envisages exporting Iraqi oil through the Iranian territory  a scheme that would remove Baghdad's reliance on the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to export its oil through a pipeline to Turkey.

The agreement was signed during a meeting between Iraq's Oil Minister Jabar al-Luaibi and his visiting Iranian counterpart Bijan Zanganeh.

Both sides also agreed to commission an international consulting company to conduct a feasibility study over the project, Iran's Shana news agency reported.

This came against the backdrop of a long-standing dispute between Baghdad and the KRG over a scheme to pipe Iraq's oil from Kirkuk to the Turkish Mediterranean port of Ceyhan.

The flow of the pipeline was interrupted for several months last year as the Iraqi government disagreed with the Kurds on their share in the national oil revenue and budget, Reuters wrote in a report on Iran-Iraq agreement.

Last August, a top Iraqi official was quoted by media as saying that Baghdad was considering shipping its crude oil through Iran.

This was raised after indications grew that Iraq and the KRG were unable to resolve disputes over a demand by the Kurds for a bigger share of the oil proceeds.

"If the negotiations [between Iraq and the KRG] come to a close without an agreement, we will start to find a way in order to sell our oil because we need money, either to Iran or other countries," Reuters quoted Iraq's Deputy Oil Minister Fayadh al-Nema as saying in a report last August.

Under the scenario, the Iraqi government would be shipping about 150,000 barrels per day of oil through Iran from fields in Kirkuk, the report added.



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Iraqi forces clear Daesh terrorists from 8 villages west of Mosul

Iran Press TV

Mon Feb 20, 2017 3:12PM

Iraqi government forces, supported by fighters from Popular Mobilization Units, have managed to liberate several villages from the grip of Daesh Takfiri terrorists as they are engaged in a new push to fully recapture Mosul and drive the extremists out of their last urban stronghold in the Arab country.

The media bureau of Popular Mobilization Units, better known by the Arabic name Hashd al-Sha'abi, announced in a statement on Monday that volunteer fighters from the 26th Brigade of the force had wrested control over al-Sahaji village west of Mosul, Arabic-language al-Sumaria television network reported.

The statement added that eight Daesh Takfiris had been killed and three explosive-laden vehicles destroyed during the operation.

Iraqi government forces retook the eastern side of Mosul last month.

Meanwhile, Iraqi forces, backed by jets and helicopters, have pushed northwards towards Mosul airport. The airport lies on the southern approach to Mosul, which is located some 400 kilometers north of the capital Baghdad, and on the east bank of the Tigris River.

Iraq's Joint Operations Command (JOC) also stated that Iraqi F-16 fighter jets had carried out ten airstrikes on the Wadi Akab neighborhood of western Mosul, killing 20 Daesh terrorists in the process. There were several bomb experts among the slain extremists.

The JOC said eight militant positions, six workshops used for rigging vehicles with explosives, two explosive-producing labs, a large cache of munitions, two car bombs and two cars loaded with weapons were destroyed in the aerial assaults.

Additionally, the Sulaymaniyah-based Counter-Terrorism Group (CTG) in Iraq's northern and semi-autonomous Kurdistan region announced that the self-proclaimed Daesh health minister, identified as Dr. Salah Hassan Saqlawi, and several of his close aides had been killed in a joint operation carried out by Kurdish Peshmerga forces and the US-led military coalition in Mosul.

The developments came only a day after Commander of Nineveh Liberation Operation Lieutenant General Abdul Amir Yarallah said soldiers from the 9th Armored Division of the Iraqi Army had liberated al-Dibajah village west of Mosul.

Federal police forces also regained control over the villages of al-Zakroutiyeh, Ebrahimiyah, Tal Kisum, Hussainiyah, Sheikh Younis and Haraqiyat on the western outskirts of Mosul.

'2,000 Daesh terrorists fighting in west Mosul'

Separately, a senior US intelligence official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said on Monday that there were an estimated 2,000 Daesh terrorists in western Mosul fighting against advancing Iraqi security forces.

The official made the remark during a trip to Baghdad by new US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis.

'Over 217,000 Iraqis displaced since Mosul operation'

Furthermore, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says more than two hundred thousand civilians have fled their homes ever since Baghdad launched an operation last October to retake Mosul from Daesh terrorists.

"To date, some 160,000 of the almost 217,000 people who have fled hostilities since October 17 are living in displacement, while over 57,000 have returned to their homes in newly-retaken areas," the OCHA said in a report published on Sunday.

The report added that serious concerns remained for the protection of an estimated 750,000-800,000 civilians in the densely-populated west of the city, where food, water and fuel were already running low.

The OCHA pointed out that between 250,000 and 400,000 people could flee the fighting in western Mosul.

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We're not in Iraq to seize oil: US Defense Secretary James Mattis

Iran Press TV

Mon Feb 20, 2017 11:34AM

Before arriving on an unannounced visit to Baghdad, US Defense Secretary James Mattis has said Americans are "not in Iraq to seize" its oil.

His comments, made on Monday while traveling towards Iraq, appeared to be an attempt to distance him from the recent remarks by President Donald Trump regarding Iraq and its oil.

In a speech to CIA staff on January 21, Trump said about Iraq, "We should have kept the oil. But okay. Maybe you'll have another chance."

A few days later in an interview with ABC's David Muir, the president repeated the comments, "We should have taken the oil. You wouldn't have ISIS (Daesh) if we took the oil."

According to experts, stealing oil from civilians is a war crime, and a violation of international law.

Mattis, on his first trip to Iraq the new US defense secretary, appeared to be ruling out any American plans to capture Iraqi oil.

"All of us in America have generally paid for our gas and oil all along and I'm sure that we will continue to do so in the future. We're not in Iraq to seize anyone's oil," Mattis, a retired four-star general, told reporters traveling with him.

The Pentagon chief said that he was heading to Iraq "because I need to get current on the situation there, the political situation, the enemy situation and the friendly situation."

In early 2003, the United States, backed by the UK, invaded Iraq under the pretext that the regime of Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction. No such weapons, however, were ever found in Iraq.

More than one million Iraqis were killed as a result of the invasion, and subsequent occupation of the country, according to the California-based investigative organization Project Censored.

During his election campaign, Trump called the 2003 Iraq invasion "a big fat mistake," and blamed the rise of Daesh (ISIL) terrorists in the Middle East on the policies of former US President George W. Bush and his successor, Barack Obama.

"George Bush made a mistake," said during a CBS Republican primary debate in Greenville, South Carolina on February 13, 2016. "We all make mistakes. But that one was a beauty... They lied! They said there were weapons of mass destruction. And there were none."

But in his more recent statements, Trump changed the tone regarding Iraq, arguing that the United States should have seized Iraqi oil in order to prevent Daesh from making money from oil sales.

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Pentagon Chief In Baghdad; Iraqi Forces Close In On Western Mosul

RFE/RL February 20, 2017

U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis has arrived in Baghdad for a previously unannounced visit focusing on the effort to defeat Islamic State (IS) militants.

Mattis's arrival on February 20 comes a day after Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi announced a new phase in the operation to rout IS militants from their stronghold in northern Iraq -- the western side of the city of Mosul.

Mattis's first comments in Baghdad were aimed at reassuring Iraqi leaders rattled by U.S. President Donald Trump's campaign proposals to "take the oil in Iraq" as reimbursement for the cost of U.S. military support.

Upon his arrival, Mattis said the United States was "not in Iraq to seize anybody's oil."

The visit comes as the Iraqi government's latest push to capture the western part of Mosul entered its second day.

Iraqi forces, supported by U.S.-led air strikes, have been waging a four-month urban battle to recapture Mosul from IS militants.

They've secured the neighborhoods on the east side of the Tigris River, but IS militants still hold the western part of the city.

Iraqi forces reported on February 20 that they were pushing north toward southern Mosul and the Mosul airport, but that progress had been hampered by improvised explosive devices planted by IS militants.

On February 19, Iraqi forces secured a series of villages west of Mosul, while forces to the south advanced to the village of Athbah.

A BBC correspondent embedded with the Iraqi troops to the south of Mosul said their advance on February 19 was nearing high ground positions where government forces would be able to see Mosul Airport and have a direct line of fire on IS militants there.

Reuters reported later on February 19 that Iraqi troops had rushed through several villages, reaching Zakrutiya, about 5 kilometers south of the airport by the end of the day.

Officers reported capturing a power station and killing several militants, including snipers.

Analysts said it was clear that taking western Mosul would be much more difficult than capturing the eastern portion of the city.

Iraqi forces say they have retaken 15 villages approaching western Mosul from IS fighters, as fighting has intensified in the U.S.-backed forces' campaign to fully liberate the crucial city.

"We are coming, Nineveh, to liberate the western side of Mosul," Prime Minister Abadi said in a televised address on February 19, referring to the province in which Mosul is located.

Backed by U.S. air strikes and bolstered by Shi'ite militias and Kurdish Peshmerga fighters, Iraqi forces in October launched their initial assault on the city where IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi had declared a caliphate straddling Iraq and Syria in 2014.

Reuters reported Iraqi troops rushed through several villages, reaching Zakrutiya, about 5 kilometers south of the airport by the end of February 19.

Officers reported capturing a power station and killing several militants, including snipers.

Analysts said it was clear that taking western Mosul would be much more difficult than capturing the eastern portion.

"West Mosul had the potential certainly of being more difficult, with house-to-house fighting on a larger and more-bloody scale," said Patrick Skinner of the Soufan Group intelligence consultancy.

U.S. Central Command said U.S.-led coalition forces have been carrying out air strikes near Mosul in support of the latest phase of the operation.

Central Command said U.S. special forces have been embedded with some Iraqi units, which suggests they were providing ground target coordinates for laser-guided air strikes.

U.S. special operations forces have been embedded with some Iraqi units, and thousands of U.S. soldiers are in Iraq to provide logistical and other support.

Mattis said on February 19 that U.S. forces "continue in the same role they were in, in east Mosul, and the coalition forces are in support of this operation."

With reporting by Reuters, AP, BBC, and AFP

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/iraq-mattis-west -mosul-/28319947.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Mattis: US 'Not in Iraq to Seize Anybody's Oil'

By VOA News February 20, 2017

U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis said Monday the United States does not intend to seize oil from Iraq, something President Donald Trump has in the past advocated as "spoils" for U.S military activity there and to prevent the Islamic State group from selling it.

Mattis spoke to reporters traveling with him to Iraq for an unannounced visit, which came on the second day of a military offensive to push Islamic State from the western part of the city of Mosul.

"I think all of us here in this room, all of us in America, have generally paid for our gas and oil all along, and I'm sure that we will continue to do that in the future," Mattis said. "We're not in Iraq to seize anybody's oil."

Mattis also vowed to support Iraq through the fight against the Islamic State group.

"I assure you we are going to stand by you through this fight. We will stand by you and your army in the future so that your sovereignty is protected by the Iraqi forces and no one else," he said.

When asked if the United States would stay in Iraq after the battle for Mosul had ended, he said, "I imagine we'll be in this fight for a while and we'll stand by each other."

Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend, who commands the U.S.-led coalition working to defeat Islamic State, was more explicit. "I don't anticipate that we'll be asked to leave by the government of Iraq immediately after Mosul. I think the government of Iraq realizes this is a very complex fight and they're going to need the assistance of the coalition even beyond Mosul."

On Monday, Iraqi forces advanced into the southern outskirts of Mosul on the second day of a push to drive Islamic State militants from the city's western part. Forces targeted a hill that overlooks the city's airport, entering the village of Abu Saif.

Mattis' stop in Iraq includes meetings with Townsend, as well as with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and other Iraqi officials. Mattis is working on his own plan to accelerate the fight against Islamic State, which Trump ordered on January 28 be delivered to him within 30 days.

As the Mosul offensive began Sunday, Mattis said the U.S. role, which has been to conduct airstrikes and serve as advisers to Iraqi troops, will remain the same.

"The attack into the city is something I don't want to go into details about because I owe confidentiality to the troops who are actually making the attack. At the same time, we are very close to it if not already engaged in that, in that fight," he said. "The U.S. forces continue in the same role that they were in East Mosul and the coalition forces are in support of this operation, and we will continue as you know with the accelerated effort to destroy ISIS."

Iraqi troops pushed Islamic State out of the eastern part of Mosul last month after a campaign that lasted more than 100 days. U.S. military officials have warned the fight for the western part of the city will likely be much tougher.

Iraqi special operations forces, regular army and federal police units are taking part in the offensive along with government-approved paramilitary forces.

The United Nations warned Sunday that hundreds of thousands of civilians are at risk in Mosul.

"The situation is distressing. People, right now, are in trouble,'' Lise Grande, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Iraq, said in a statement. "We are hearing reports of parents struggling to feed their children and to heat their homes."

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Libyan Prime Minister Survives Shelling of Convoy in Tripoli

Sputnik News

17:30 20.02.2017

Motorcade of Libyan Prime Minister Fayez Serraj was shelled in Tripoli by "armed groups based in the (Rixos) Palaces", according to local media.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Libyan Prime Minister Fayez Serraj survived a Monday shelling of his motorcade in Tripoli, local media reported, citing governmental sources.

The motorcade with Serraj, head of the State Council Abdulrahman Sewehli and head of the Presidential Guard Najmi Nakoa came under fire as it drove through the country's capital this morning, the Libya Herald newspaper, citing the State Council's press service.

The shelling was reportedly carried out by "armed groups based in the (Rixos) Palaces."

An emergency meeting was convened in Tripoli, according to the newspaper.

 Sputnik

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Pakistan Moves Heavy Artillery to Afghan Border in Anti-Terrorism Operation

Sputnik News

17:42 20.02.2017

Pakistan moved its heavy artillery to the border with Afghanistan and increased patrols in the area to beef up border security against terrorist attacks.

NEW DELH (Sputnik)  The move of the artillery to the border in Chaman and Torkham districts, increase in patrols and the shutdown of the crossing for an indefinite period of time are meant to curb illegal movement from one country to the other and preserve the security in the area, Express Tribune newspaper reported on Monday, citing security sources.

According to the newspaper, militants from a terrorist group that might be behind recent attacks in Pakistan, fled to Afghanistan after the Pakistani military destroyed their camps on the Torkham international border.

Earlier on Monday, Maj. Gen. Asif Ghafoor said that a high level security meeting chaired by Chief of Army Staff Gen. Qamar Javed Bajva was held at the general headquarters of the Pakistan Army. According to Ghafoor, Bajva "welcomed recent proposals from Afghan authorities to take forward the mutual coordination" on joint fight against terrorism.

On February 16, an attack on a shrine in the Pakistani southern city of Sehwan resulted in at least 70 deaths and left about 150 people wounded.

According to media reports, the Daesh terrorist organization, outlawed in Russia and many other countries, claimed responsibility for the attack.

 Sputnik

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Four Russian military killed in Syria bomb attack last week: Moscow

Iran Press TV

Mon Feb 20, 2017 6:45PM

Russia's Defense Ministry says four Russian military personnel were killed and two others sustained injuries in a bombing attack in central Syria last week.

Russia's Defense Ministry said in a statement on Monday that the casualties had occurred when an army vehicle carrying Russian military advisers as part of a Syrian military convoy was targeted with an improvised explosive device (IED) en route from Tiyas airfield area to the central city of Homs.

"Four Russian servicemen died when their car exploded on a radio-controlled IED on February 16, 2017, in Syria," the statement said. "Two more were injured. Russian military medics are trying to save their lives."

The ministry said the bomb had been detonated remotely.

No group or individual has so far claimed responsibility for the attack, but blame is likely to fall on the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group holding the ancient city of Palmyra nearby.

The recent deaths have raised the total number of Russian combat casualties in Syria to 27.

Since March 2011, Syria has been gripped by a militancy it blames on some Western states and their regional allies.

In addition to carrying out airstrikes on terrorists' positions in Syria, Russia has deployed technicians, military advisers, and police forces in the Arab country to clear and secure territory as well.

Moscow launched its military campaign against Daesh and other terror outfits in Syria at the Damascus government's request in September 2015.

Over the past few months, Syrian government troops have made sweeping gains against Takfiri terrorists, who have lately increased their acts of violence across the country following a series of defeats in Aleppo and elsewhere.

The UN special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, estimated in August last year that more than 400,000 people had been killed in the crisis until then. The UN stopped its official casualty count in the war-torn country, citing its inability to verify the figures it receives from various sources.

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Vitaly Churkin, Russia's Combative 'Diplomatic Maestro' At UN, Dead At 64

Carl Schreck February 20, 2017

Vitaly Churkin, a veteran Soviet and Russian diplomat who served as Moscow's envoy to the United Nations as its ties with the West plunged to levels unseen since the Cold War, has died at the age of 64.

Churkin's death was announced by the Russian Foreign Ministry, which said he died at work in New York one day shy of his 65th birthday.

The ministry offered condolences to his family but did not immediately provide details on the circumstances of his death.

A cagey and often combative official who was respected even by critics of his government's policies, Churkin was a career diplomat who was deployed to defend the Kremlin's line on a range of geopolitical standoffs over three decades, including the Soviet Union's handling of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear accident and Moscow's two wars in Chechnya.

But his most prominent public role was at the United Nations, where he served as Russia's ambassador from 2006 until his death.

His tenure in New York coincided with Russian President Vladimir Putin's increasingly assertive foreign policy as Moscow sought to shore up -- including with the use of military force -- its influence in the former Soviet Union and beyond.

Less than a year after Churkin assumed his post, Putin delivered a now-famous speech in Munich that accused Washington of being a destabilizing force throughout the world and suggesting a change was needed to the "architecture of global security."

It fell on Churkin to deflect waves of criticism and denunciations of Russia from the United States and Europe in the ensuing years, most notably over Moscow's seizure and annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014, its backing of armed separatists in eastern Ukraine, and its military operation in Syria.

In the final years of his life, Churkin had several contentious exchanges with Samantha Power, who served as U.S. President Barack Obama's envoy to the UN as relations between the two sides deteriorated over the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria.

Responding to Churkin's defense of Moscow's seizure of Crimea, Power noted Russia's rich literary tradition before saying that her Russian counterpart "showed more imagination than Tolstoy or Chekhov."

Churkin, for his part, delivered a memorable rejoinder to Power's accusation last year that Russia, Iran, and Syria were responsible for the atrocities occurring in the Syrian conflict.

"The weirdest speech to me was the one by the U.S. representative, who built her statement as if she is Mother Teresa herself. Please, remember which country you represent. Please, remember the track record of your country," he said.

Power said on Twitter on February 20 that that she was "devastated" by Churkin's death, describing him as a "diplomatic maestro" and a "deeply caring man" who sought to bring the two countries closer together.

From Child Actor To UN Diplomat

Vitaly Ivanovich Churkin was born in Moscow on February 21, 1952, the son of an aviation engineer and a housewife, and as a child he appeared in three Soviet movies, two of which were about Bolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin, the Russian government daily Rossiiskaya Gazeta reported.

He graduated from a Moscow high school that placed an emphasis on English-language curriculum and went on to graduate from the Moscow State Institute for International Affairs (MGIMO), which to this day remains the premier training ground for future Russian diplomats, in 1974.

After entering the Soviet Foreign Ministry, he was sent to Washington in 1982 to work in the Soviet Embassy as the second -- and later the first -- secretary.

It was during his tenure in the U.S. capital that he gained wide publicity for his defense of the Kremlin's response to the 1986 explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine, the fallout from which contaminated large areas of northern Ukraine and southeastern Belarus.

In an unusual move, Churkin appeared before lawmakers from the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee following the explosion in the wake of worldwide criticism over the Kremlin's public reticence about the accident.

"It is my understanding that no harm was done -- real harm -- in those countries which are adjacent to the Soviet Union," he told committee members in the May 1986 appearance. "There was a desire to see what was really happening and what the consequences of that could be before...any public announcements."

He added that Moscow was "well aware of our responsibilities as a member of the international community" and that "at times we hope that the United States would be similarly aware of its responsibilities."

Churkin was widely seen as having close ties to Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev's foreign minister, Eduard Shevardnadze, who went on to become independent Georgia's second president after the fall of the Soviet Union.

Churkin served as the ministry's spokesman in the final years of the Soviet Union and after the nation was formally succeeded by the modern Russian state under its first president, Boris Yeltsin.

In March 1992, as Churkin was handing over his spokesman duties to a successor, UPI journalist Michael Collins noted that after the fall of Soviet Union, the diplomat "moved from being chief spokesman for the Soviet Foreign Ministry to speaking for the Russian government as smoothly as he often deflected hard questions he did not want to answer directly."

Churkin would go on to serve in a range of senior diplomatic posts under Yeltsin -- including as the Kremlin's envoy to Belgium and Canada.

During these years he was a forceful advocate for Moscow's line in the two brutal wars in Russia's southern Chechnya region, the second of which was launched amid Putin's political rise in 1999.

Addressing a gathering of foreign-policy experts in Canada in December 1999, Churkin accused Western governments of "hypocrisy" for their accusations of Russian brutality in the second conflict given NATO's bombing of Serbia in the Kosovo war earlier that year.

He also warned that Russia did not want to see "political tourists" in Chechnya given that foreign aid workers had been killed.

"This is not Disneyland," he said. "People are dying."

Putin appointed Churkin as Russia's ambassador to the UN in April 2006, and he would continue to accuse the West of hypocrisy and meddling in Russia's perceived sphere of influence throughout his tenure.

Following the outbreak of Russia's brief 2008 war with Georgia over the breakaway Georgian region of South Ossetia, he suggested in an interview with the PBS News Hour that Washington had helped foment the five-day war with its support of then-President Mikheil Saakashvili -- a claim the U.S. government has firmly rejected.

He added that "the United States need to rethink their relationship with the current Georgian leadership," to which the late late PBS anchor Gwen Ifill responded: "Putin had harsher words. He said the U.S. is getting in the way."

"Well, you see, I'm a mild person," Churkin replied.

With reporting by Reuters, AP, Knight News Service, UPI, and The Globe and Mail

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/churkin-obit/28321148.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Russian Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin Dies

Sputnik News

20:11 20.02.2017(updated 23:31 20.02.2017)

Russian Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin died at the age of 64, just a day before his 65th birthday, in New York on Monday.

"A prominent Russian diplomat has passed away while at work. We'd like to express our sincere condolences to Vitaly Churkin's family," Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement available on its official website.

Russia's Deputy Permanent Representative Petr Iliichev said about Churkin that he kept working "till the very end."

"The loss that Russia has suffered is irreplaceable. Ambassador Churkin kept working till the very last moment. He dedicated all his life to protecting Russia's interests abroad. He was [always] at the front line, taking the most challenging appointments," Iliichev said.

The representative of the UN Secretary-General Farhan Haq said that the UN was shocked by the news, extending their condolences to Moscow: "We mourn ambassador Churkin, he's been such a regular presence here that I'm actually quite stunned and our thoughts go to his family and his government."

Maria Zakharova, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, took to Facebook to express her grief: "A great diplomat. An extraordinary personality. A brilliant man. We've lost a person very dear to us."

Putin expressed his condolences to the family of late diplomat, as well as to his colleagues in the Foreign Ministry.

"It is with deep sorrow that Russian President Vladimir Putin learned about the death of Vitaly Churkin," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday. He added that Putin held Churkin's professionalism and diplomatic talent in high regard.

Following the news of the ambassador's death, the UN began its scheduled meeting with a moment of silence to honor Churkin's memory.

The late ambassador's colleagues took to Twitter to express their condolences as well.

No further details concerning the circumstances of Churkin's death are available at the moment.

Vitaly Ivanovich Churkin was born in Moscow in 1952. He graduated from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations in 1974, beginning his decades-long career at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shortly.

Ambassador Churkin served as Russia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations since 2006. Prior to this appointment, he was Ambassador at Large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation (2003-2006), Ambassador to Canada (1998-2003), Ambassador to Belgium and Liaison Ambassador to NATO and WEU (1994-1998), Deputy Foreign Minister and Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation to the talks on Former Yugoslavia (1992-1994), Director of the Information Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the USSR/Russian Federation (1990-1992).

Vitaly Churkin was awarded the Order For Merit to the Fatherland of IV degree in 2012.

He is survived by his wife and two children.

 Sputnik

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Russia's Long-time UN Ambassador Dies Suddenly

By Margaret Besheer February 20, 2017

Russia's long-time U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin died suddenly Monday in New York, a day before he would have turned 65 years old.

The Russian foreign ministry announced his death in a statement, giving no details on the circumstances. The president of the U.N. General Assembly, Peter Thomson, told VOA that he was informed Churkin had "some sort of cardiac arrest" at the Russian Mission and was taken to the hospital, where he died.

Fellow U.N. diplomats immediately took to social media to express their shock and sadness at his sudden passing.

"Absolutely devastated to hear that my friend & colleague Vitaly Churkin has died," tweeted Britain's U.N. envoy Matthew Rycroft. "A diplomatic giant & wonderful character. RIP" he added.

"Shocked to learn of the passing of our dear colleague Vitaly Churkin," Sweden's U.N. Ambassador Olof Skoog wrote. "He will be deeply missed. Deepest condolences to his family."

The new U.S. ambassador to the U.N., Nikki Haley, paid tribute to a "gracious colleague."

"We did not always see things the same way, but he unquestionably advocated his country's positions with great skill. We send our prayers and heartfelt condolences to lift up his family and to the Russian people," she said in a statement.

General Assembly President Thomson called for a minute of silence during an afternoon meeting at U.N. headquarters. In emotional remarks, he said "not only has Russia lost one of its truest sons here at the United Nations, we have lost one of our truest."

"His name shall live on in the annals of this organization's history," Thomson said.

Kenya's ambassador, Macharia Kamau, described Churkin as "a very calm and purposeful diplomat" and praised him for understanding the problems of smaller countries, not just big ones.

"He was a deeply experienced and able diplomat, a defender of his country, a believer in the multilateral system and the work of the United Nations, and someone who we all respected and cherished very much," UAE Ambassador Lana Nusseibeh said.

Road to diplomacy

Vitaly Ivanovich Churkin was born in Moscow on Feb. 21, 1952. As a young boy he appeared in at least three films  two were about Vladimir Lenin.

He later was a graduate of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations and went on to earn a Ph.D. in history from the USSR Diplomatic Academy.

Churkin had a distinguished career as a Russian diplomat, joining the foreign ministry in 1974. He was his government's Special Representative to the talks on Former Yugoslavia in the early 1990s and later served as ambassador to Belgium (1994-1998) and Canada (1998-2003).

U.N. posting

In 2006, he presented his credentials to then-Secretary-General Kofi Annan and took up his post as U.N. ambassador, which he held until his death. In the more than a decade Churkin was envoy to the world body, he was widely respected by colleagues, even those whose governments had adversarial relationships with Moscow.

In the past six years, his job grew more difficult as Moscow became more isolated due to its annexation of the Crimea and its support for the regime of Syria's Bashar al-Assad.

He often clashed in the Security Council chamber with former U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power. At a heated council meeting in December on the situation in the besieged Syrian city of Aleppo, Power called out Moscow for denying and obfuscating facts and aiding and abetting attacks on civilians. Churkin retorted that she sounded like "Mother Theresa" for scolding Moscow and urged her to "remember the track record of your country."

Churkin was known as a tough negotiator and a top-notch diplomat. Many expected he would be appointed foreign minister if Sergei Lavrov retired.

Vitaly Churkin is survived by his wife, Irina, and two adult children.

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CIA Freezes Aid To Free Syrian Army

Sputnik News

21:29 21.02.2017(updated 22:33 21.02.2017)

As Syrian President Bashar al Assad's hold on western parts of Syria solidifies, the CIA is lessening its support of the Free Syrian Army (FSA).

No military assistance will be delivered to the FSA by the CIA "until matters are organized," a source on the ground in Syria told Reuters. Specifically, FSA commanders said that the agency could be worried that, with growing jihadist assaults across the region, including the mass execution of up to 200 last week, the CIA is wary of putting cash and weapons into the hands of combatants that could then be given to regional terrorists.

Officials familiar with the CIA-led program said the decision to freeze aid has nothing to do with US President Donald Trump replacing President Barack Obama, even though Trump has indicated skepticism about the nature of US support of rebels in the region, saying that the US should focus efforts on Daesh, not Assad.

The FSA will continue to receive aid, however, from nations that receive weapons from the US and who oppose the Assad administration. While US aid to the FSA has been severed, at least temporarily, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and NATO-member Turkey continue to pour weapons and money into groups aligned with the FSA. In 2015, Qatar, a nation of two million, spent more money on US weapons than any other country, while Saudi Arabia ranked third, behind Egypt, according to the US Congressional Research Service.

Turkish officials have remained quiet on the development, citing an unwillingness to divulge "operational details." One FSA commander said that the group does not expect its supporters to abandon the FSA altogether, but that donors expect to send aid to a single fighting force, which has proved difficult to achieve in Syria. But the growing Sunni jihadist presence, as well as Iran's increasing role in Syria, could mean that the FSA is the best opportunity to block the Sunni expansion, the source said. There are currently some 15,00 fighters loyal to the FSA, according to estimates.

The Saudi Arabian, Qatari and Turkish embassies in Washington did not respond to requests for comment.

 Sputnik

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Turkey fires over 200 judges, prosecutors over alleged links to Gulen

Iran Press TV

Mon Feb 20, 2017 7:3PM

The Turkish government has dismissed 227 more judges and prosecutors over alleged links to an outlawed movement, as Ankara continues with its crackdown following last July's failed putsch against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Mehmet Yilmaz, the deputy chairman of the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK), made the announcement on Monday, adding that to date 3,886 judges and prosecutors have been relieved of their duty since the mid-July coup attempt.

Turkish officials say over 240 people were killed and more than 2,100 others injured in the failed coup, which was swiftly put down as tens of thousands of people flooded streets across Turkey to support the government.

Yilmaz further said that 200 judges and prosecutors, who were previously sacked from office, would be returned to their jobs, adding that there were a large number of others who remain under investigation.

Ankara has since accused Fethullah Gulen, a US-based Turkish cleric and opposition figure, of orchestrating and masterminding the coup. He is also accused of being behind a long-running campaign to topple the government via infiltrating country's institutions, particularly the army, police and the judiciary. Turkey has also outlawed the Gulen movement, his large organization, in the country and has branded it as "Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO)."

Ankara has so far arrested over 35,000 people and sacked more than 100,000 others, including military personnel, judges, and teachers, over suspected links to Gulen, as part of the post-coup crackdown. Many rights groups have denounced Ankara's heavy clampdown.

Gulen has censured the coup attempt and strongly denied any involvement in the violence. Turkey remains in a state of emergency since the coup.

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Ankara detains nearly 1,600 for alleged links to militants

Iran Press TV

Mon Feb 20, 2017 4:51PM

Nearly 1,600 people have been detained in Turkey over the last week for suspected links to militant groups launching terror attacks in the country.

In a statement on Monday, the Turkish Interior Ministry said that 1,589 people had been apprehended for questioning over alleged links to the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group and the militants with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

Among the detainees, a total of 1,067 people were suspected of links to the PKK, 501 had alleged ties to the US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Ankara blames for orchestrating an attempted coup last July, and another 21 people over connection with Daesh.

The ministry said that 125 of those detained were taken into custody, adding that 57 of them were charged with links to the PKK, 63 to Gulen and five to Daesh.

Turkey has declared the PKK a terrorist organization and has banned it. The militant group has been seeking an autonomous Kurdish region since 1984.

A shaky ceasefire between the PKK and the Turkish government collapsed in July 2015. Attacks on Turkish security forces have soared ever since.

Over the past few months, Turkish ground and air forces have been carrying out operations against the PKK positions in the country's troubled southeastern border region as well as in northern Iraq and neighboring Syria.

Ankara is also grappling with the consequences of a coup attempt back in July 15, 2016, when a faction of Turkish armed forces attacked government buildings using tanks and helicopters, in an attempt to seize power from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Ankara has so far dismissed or suspended tens of thousands of people from the civil service, judiciary, police and courts over their suspected links to Gulen. The cleric has condemned the coup attempt and denied any involvement in it.

Turkish army kills 34 PKK militants in northern Iraq

In another development on Monday, Turkish warplanes carried out airstrikes against the PKK in northern Iraq, killing 34 militants in two separate bombardments.

Turkey's military said in a statement that the strikes had targeted PKK positions in the Zap region of Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region shortly after midnight and before noon.

Turkey has declared the PKK a terrorist organization and has banned it. The militant group has been seeking an autonomous Kurdish region since 1984.

A shaky ceasefire between the PKK and the Turkish government collapsed in July 2015. Attacks on Turkish security forces have soared ever since.

Over the past few months, Turkish ground and air forces have been carrying out operations against the PKK positions in the country's troubled southeastern border region as well as in northern Iraq and neighboring Syria.

Ankara is also grappling with the consequences of a coup attempt back in July 15, 2016, when a faction of Turkish armed forces attacked government buildings using tanks and helicopters, in an attempt to seize power from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Ankara has so far dismissed or suspended tens of thousands of people from the civil service, judiciary, police and courts over their suspected links to Gulen. The cleric has condemned the coup attempt and denied any involvement in it.

Turkish army kills 34 PKK militants in northern Iraq

In another development on Monday, Turkish warplanes carried out airstrikes against the PKK in northern Iraq, killing 34 militants in two separate bombardments.

Turkey's military said in a statement that the strikes had targeted PKK positions in the Zap region of Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region shortly after midnight and before noon.

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Turkey to Use Strategy Implemented in Al-Bab Against Terrorists in Raqqa

Sputnik News

14:20 20.02.2017

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said that the situation in Al Bab is now under control, however the operation to clear the city from terrorists is still continuing.

ANKARA (Sputnik)  The Turkish Armed Forces will implement the same strategy while liberating the Syrian city of Raqqa from the Islamic State (ISIL or Daesh) terror group, outlawed in Russia, as the one used during the Al Bab operation, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Monday.

"The units of the Turkish Armed Forces are in Northern Syria, supporting the approaching troops of the [opposition] Free Syrian Army. The same tactics can be implemented against the Islamic State terror group in Raqqa," Yildirim said, as cited by Anadolu news agency.

He noted that the situation in Al Bab is now under control, however the operation to clear the city from terrorists is still continuing.

"The terrorists' supply routes have been completely eliminated," the Turkish prime minister stressed.

According to Yildirim, Turkey is ready to continue the Operation Euphrates Shield in Syria after the clearing of Al Bab is complete.

"The main condition for this is the [United States'] stopping cooperation with some terror structures against others," Yildirim said.

The prime minister also noted that the United States had promised Turkey to liberate the city of Manbij from the People's Protection Units (YPG), however the promise had not been kept. According to Yildirim, Turkey aims at liberating Manbij even if the United States continues to support YPG in fighting against the Daesh terror group.

The Turkish Armed Forces started the Operation Euphrates Shield against Daesh terror group on August 24, 2016. Together with the Syrian opposition Turkey took over the city of Jarabulus in the north of Syria and is currently operating the Al Bab town located 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) south of the Turkish border. According to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the country aims at clearing the territory of 5,000 square kilometers (1930,5 square miles) as part of the operation and creating a safe zone for placing refugees there.

Ankara considers YPG, the armed wing of the Democratic Union Party (PYD), to be affiliated with the Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK), which is listed as a terror group in Turkey. The United States has been supporting the YPG fighters in eliminating Daesh from the northern Syrian areas Hasakah and Kobani and is now cooperating with YPG in Raqqa as part of Euphrates Wrath Operation led by the United States.

 Sputnik

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Turkey Says it Will Attack Syrian Kurdish Forces at Manbij

By Dorian Jones February 20, 2017

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has declared his nation's forces will liberate the Syrian town of Manbij from the Kurdish YPG and hand it back to local Arabs.

Ankara accuses the YPG of being affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, which is fighting the Turkish state and is designated a terrorist organization by the United States and much of the international community.

Any move, however, against Manbij threatens to put Ankara and Washington on a collision course. "It would put Turkey against American-supported forces who are fighting with America against ISIS," says political columnist Semih Idiz, of Al Monitor website. "ISIS is a major target for America at the moment and that would really be a disaster, as far as Turkish-American relations are concerned."

Analysts concerned

The Syrian Kurdish militia is a key part of the U.S.-backed SDF coalition marching on the so-called Islamic State's self-declared capital of Raqqa.

Analysts warn any attack on Manbij could compromise that operation, given that elements of the YPG would likely withdraw to defend Manbij.

Erdogan accuses Washington of reneging on its promise to ensure the YPG would withdraw after it liberated Manbij from Islamic State. The YPG insists it did withdraw and only local people are defending the town.

Some experts are expressing alarm at the prospect of such a confrontation. "It does not make any sense at all, militarily, politically, ideologically, logically, does not make sense. I mean It is a built up area; why should the Turkish army move into this built up area and risking huge casualty rates; why?" says former Turkish Brigadier General Haldun Solmazturk, who now heads the Ankara-based research group the 21st Century Turkey Institute.

A political move?

The Turkish army has been hit with a series of purges within it ranks, since a failed coup in July, that are being cited as a factor into why the military remains bogged down after weeks of fighting to oust Islamic State from the town of al-Bab, which is much smaller than Manbij.

The failings of the Free Syrian Army, which Ankara originally planned to lead the fight against IS, is also cited as a factor behind the ongoing struggle in al-Bab. "The Free Syrian army itself did not prove capable of doing anything unless Turkish armed forces take the lead," said analyst Aydin Selcen, a former senior Turkish diplomat who served widely in the region.

Turkish domestic politics could be behind an operation against Manbij.

"They (Erdogan and his government) have made foreign policy so much a part of their domestic political calculations," observes International relations expert Soli Ozel of Istanbul's Kadir Has University. Erdogan is aware cracking down on the YPG plays well with Turkish nationalists whose votes he is courting in an April referendum to extend his presidential powers.

Ozel voiced concerns about overreach. "I am not really sure they are aware, that circumstances have changed, that Turkey doesn't really look as strong as it used to be and its hand is not as strong."

The threat to move on Manbij could be a high stakes gamble in forcing Washington's arm. "I personally don't think the Turkish side can move in that direction anyway," suggests columnist Idiz. "I think they are looking for a negotiated deal with the American side, but whether this is possible is not clear."

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Trump aides pushing back-door peace plan for Ukraine: NY Times

Iran Press TV

Mon Feb 20, 2017 7:54AM

US President Donald Trump's aides have opened a back-door diplomacy channel aimed at reaching out a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine, according to a report.

The New York Times made the revelation on Sunday, days after the paper reported senior Trump aides were in regular contact with Russian intelligence during the 2016 US presidential campaign.

The US president's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, Trump's former campaign manager Paul Manafort and Felix Sater, a business associate who helped Trump strike deals in Russia, have presented a plan to the Trump administration to lift sanctions against Russia and establish peace in Ukraine.

Cohen, who has been with the Trump Organization as special counsel since 2007, hand-delivered the peace proposal to Michael Flynn a week before he resigned as national security adviser.

According to the report, Ukrainian politician Andrii Artemenko is also involved in the effort to establish peace in Ukraine.

Artemenko is leading a political opposition movement against Petro Poroshenko who became the president of Ukraine following the ouster of democratically-elected President Viktor Yanukovych in a 2014 US-backed uprising.

Artemenko claims to have evidence  "names of companies, wire transfers"  showing corruption by Poroshenko that could help oust him, the report said.

In addition, Ukrainian lawmaker Artemenko said Russian President Vladimir Putin's top aides have expressed Moscow's support for his plans, the report said.

"A lot of people will call me a Russian agent, a U.S. agent, a C.I.A. agent," Artemenko said. "But how can you find a good solution between our countries if we do not talk?" he asked.

The report said Artemenko sees "in Mr Trump an opportunity to advocate a plan for peace in Ukraine," but the Poroshenko government is against any such effort.

Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States Valeriy Chaly rejected the plan, saying, "It is a gross violation of the Constitution."

"Such ideas can be pitched or pushed through only by those openly or covertly representing Russian interests," he said.

The Trump administration has suggested that it could lift economic sanctions against Russia which were imposed against the country over accusations that Moscow has been involved in a deadly crisis in Ukraine.

The administration of former President Barack Obama was in favor of keeping sanctions against Russia in place until Moscow followed the terms of the Minsk peace deal.

Ukraine's warring sides reached a deal, dubbed Minsk II, at a summit attended by the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany in the Belarusian capital Minsk in February 2015.

The agreement introduced measures such as a ceasefire, a pullout of heavy weapons and constitutional reforms in Ukraine by the end of that year. Russia says the government in Kiev and its Western allies have twisted the peace deal.

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Obscure Ukraine Lawmaker Behind 'Peace Plan' Delivered To Trump's White House

Christopher Miller February 20, 2017

KYIV -- A little-known Ukrainian lawmaker is in the spotlight after a report said a peace-for-sanctions-relief proposal that he says he co-authored ended up on the desk of U.S. President Donald Trump's short-lived national security adviser.

Radical Party deputy Andriy Artemenko claims to have gotten his detailed plan for peace in eastern Ukraine approved by top aides of Russian Vladimir Putin -- but the Kremlin on February 20 quickly denied any such tacit approval.

The New York Times, which broke the story, said the plan eventually made its way through a chain of Trump associates "pushing it" into the hands of Michael Flynn, who resigned his senior White House security post last week after allegedly misleading statements about conversations with the Russian ambassador in Washington in December.

Artemenko, who is described by the newspaper as regarding himself as a "Trump-style leader of a future Ukraine," also claimed to have evidence of corruption by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. He said the evidence, including "names of companies, wire transfers," would help oust the confectionery-and-media mogul who assumed the presidency months after Russia seized Crimea from Ukraine and with Russia-backed separatists making gains in other parts of southern and eastern Ukraine.

The efforts of Artemenko, who spent more than two years in jail in Kyiv in the early 2000s on embezzlement charges that were later dropped -- he claims they were politically motivated -- have enraged Ukrainian officials.

A Poroshenko spokesperson told RFE/RL his administration would not comment on the allegations of corruption until they see proof.

But Ukraine's ambassador to the United States, Valeriy Chaly, told The New York Times that Artemenko "is not entitled to present any alternative peace plans on behalf of Ukraine to any foreign government, including the U.S. administration."

Kyiv has sought to mend fences with the Trump camp since the billionaire New York developer's presidential victory in November. Ukrainian officials had been publicly critical of Trump, who made frequent campaign references to repairing U.S. relations with Russia, which occupied Crimea in 2014 and continues its alleged backing for separatists elsewhere in eastern Ukraine.

Many people in Kyiv were reluctant to comment on Artemenko's plan or the vague allegations against Poroshenko, since the lawmaker is a relative unknown and they had not seen the evidence he claims to have.

Artemenko has been quoted by Ukrainian media as saying his plan could pave the way to a lifting of Western sanctions against Russia once other elements are completed. It reportedly envisages Kyiv leasing Crimea long-term to Russia and offering amnesty to many on the separatist-held side of the conflict in the east in exchange for Moscow's help returning control of Ukraine's eastern border to Kyiv.

News of Artemenko's plan coincides with a new cease-fire that went into force early on February 20 and is meant to stem a surge in violence that has left more than 30 people dead since late January. Previous cease-fires and a shaky truce known as the Minsk agreements have so far failed to stop the fighting, which has killed upward of 9,750 people since April 2014, according to United Nations estimates. At the same time, Russia has not budged on the issue of Crimea, which the United Nations recognizes as part of Ukraine despite its annexation by Russia.

Kyiv's ambassador to the United Kingdom suggested to BBC that Artemenko's move amounted to "trading our territories," adding in a reference to a region of Ukraine outside of central government control, "We are not going to say, 'Let us abandon Crimea and in return let us see peace in Donbas.'"

Artemenko's Radical Party colleagues moved swiftly to distance themselves from his initiative, expelling him from the parliamentary club late on February 20. Radical leader Oleh Lyashko urged that Artemenko's parliamentary mandate be stripped, and he asserted that "Russia is the aggressor, Russia is the occupant, and Russia should get out of Ukraine.... What Artemenko proposes is his own position," according to Interfax-Ukraine.

Some in Kyiv suggested that Artemenko, who has made seemingly little impression publicly since being elected in 2014, was merely a front man for someone else's plan. Lawmaker and anticorruption campaigner Serhiy Leshchenko said via Facebook that Artemenko might unwittingly be getting used by onetime allies of ousted Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych with the Kremlin ultimately behind it.

Speaking with RFE/RL via Facebook Messenger on February 20, Oleksandr Onyshchenko, a self-exiled legislator and onetime member of the pro-Russian Party of Regions faction loyal to Yanukovych, told RFE/RL that he knows Artemenko "well" and that he is an "independent" man.

Still others laughed off the ambitious Artemenko, noting that whether he was colluding with someone or operating solo, his plan was unlikely to move forward.

"If the Trump administration is working with Artemenko, they're complete idiots," Kristina Berdynskykh, a prominent Ukrainian investigative journalist who has interviewed Artemenko, told RFE/RL.

There has been no official acknowledgement from the U.S. side that Artemenko's initiative was received or is being seriously considered within the White House.

But Trump's personal lawyer, Michael D. Cohen, and a purported former business associate of Trump's, Soviet-born Felix H. Sater, were said by The New York Times to have been instrumental in the proposal's delivery to Flynn.

The paper reported that Cohen, Sater, and Artemenko "converged on the Loews Regency," a luxury Manhattan hotel, in late January in connection with the plan. It also quoted Cohen and Sater as saying they had never spoken to Trump about it.

RFE/RL communicated via Facebook with Artemenko, who confirmed he passed the plan to Trump associates, but pointed this journalist to an interview with Ukrainian news site Strana.ua for details of it. Artemenko told the site he was not alone in devising his plan but that "a few tens" of lawmakers from various political factions helped. He declined to name them without their consent. Asked if he had run the plan by Putin aides, as The New York Times reported, Artemenko said, "That is inaccurate information."

Artemenko said the issue of Russian sanctions and the conflict in eastern Ukraine should be solved through "compromise."

In point one of the plan, on the fate of Crimea, Artemenko suggested holding a national referendum on leasing Crimea to Russia for a period of 30 to 50 years.

"At the expiration of this period, in Crimea, a referendum will then be held and monitored by international bodies, on which finally the question of the peninsula may be solved," Artemenko told Strana.

On the topic of territories in eastern Ukraine currently controlled by Russia-backed separatists, Artemenko said his plan calls for their return to Ukraine and an amnesty to all involved on the separatist side "except those who have committed the most serious crimes."

He said control of the Ukrainian side of the border with Russia must be returned to Kyiv, but not before a 72-hour safe corridor is provided for those who would prefer to live in Russia.

After that, Artemenko said, the plan calls for a nationwide referendum on whether to grant the eastern regions special autonomous status. If approved, the next step would be to begin reviving the regions with funds from Russia paid to lease Crimea.

Once all of that is done, he said, then Russia sanctions may be lifted.

Such a plan falls far short of what Poroshenko and other Ukrainian officials want, or even of the terms of the Minsk agreements, the current and official peace plan to end the crisis. Kyiv has repeatedly said any compromise on Crimea would be unacceptable.

The U.S. envoy to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, countered fears of a softening of Washington's position under the new administration by declaring on February 2 that "Crimea is part of Ukraine," adding, "Our Crimea-related sanctions will remain in place until Russia returns control of the peninsula to Ukraine.

As for Artemenko's claim of compromising information on Poroshenko, the lawmaker said it was obtained in collaboration with Valentyn Nalyvaychenko, who headed the Ukrainian Security Service until his dismissal by parliament n June 2015.

"He is fully aware of my actions. And we are actively cooperating with him both in Ukraine and in the U.S.," Artemenko said. Nalyvaychenko could not immediately be reached for comment.

In claiming to be in possession of such evidence, Artemenko joins a growing number of lawmakers attacking the president. They include Onyshchenko, who on December 1 said he had handed FBI agents audio recordings he made of Poroshenko and members of his inner circle discussing schemes to steal money from state and private companies and buy votes in parliament. The president has denied the charges.

Onyshchenko declined to say whether he has communicated with Artemenko regarding his alleged evidence against Poroshenko or his peace plan for Ukraine, saying, "I can't say this for the press."

But Onyshchenko also appeared to hint at some link to Artemenko, saying that "yes, it is true" that the latter has proof of corruption by Poroshenko.

Pressed for details, Onyshchenko, who has been stripped of his parliamentary immunity and is sought by Ukrainian authorities for alleged embezzlement involving a state-owned gas company, said it was "confidant (sic) information."

Onyshchenko added that he supports the peace plan outlined by Artemenko.

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/obscure-ukraine- lawmaker-behind-peace-plane- trump-white-house/28321127.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Trump Associates Reportedly Facilitated Back-Channel Ukraine Peace Plan

RFE/RL February 20, 2017

An exclusive report in The New York Times says a lawyer for U.S. President Donald Trump has helped a pro-Russia opposition Ukrainian lawmaker submit to Trump's administration a proposed alternative peace plan for the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists on February 20 that the report was "absurd" and that Moscow had no knowledge of the purported peace plan.

According to the February 19 Times report, Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen submitted the plan to former national security adviser Michael Flynn about one week before Flynn resigned over allegations that he misinformed the administration about the nature of his contacts with Russia's ambassador to the United States.

Cohen -- who has no foreign-policy experience -- is himself under investigation by the FBI for possible connections with Russian intelligence. He denies the allegations.

The plan was created by Ukrainian opposition lawmaker Andriy Artemenko, who claims to have documents proving corruption by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.

It called for Russia to withdraw its forces from eastern Ukraine and for Ukraine to hold a referendum on leasing the region of Crimea to Russia for a period of 50 or 100 years. Moscow seized and illegally Ukraine's Crimea region in 2014.

According to The New York Times report, Artemenko's plan outlines "a way for President Trump to lift sanctions against Russia."

Artemenko told The New York Times that the primary goal of his plan was to end the war in eastern Ukraine.

He said the secondary goal was to improve relations between the United States and Russia.

"If I could achieve both in one stroke, it would be a home run," Artemenko told the newspaper.

Artemenko also said that his plan has been encouraged by senior Russian officials.

Dmitry Peskov denied that Russia had any knowledge of the plan. He repeated the Kremlin's assertions that Russia has no military forces in eastern Ukraine, despite strong evidence to the contrary.

Peskov also said Russia will not, under any circumstances, discuss the status of Crimea.

"There's nothing to talk about," Peskov said. "How can Russia lease its own region to itself?"

Artemenko said he was put into contact with Cohen by Felix Sater, a Russian-American business associate of Trump's who pleaded guilty in a mafia-connected racketeering case in 1998.

Cohen told The New York Times that he personally left Artemenko's proposal in Flynn's office while Flynn was still serving as Trump's national security adviser.

Ukraine's ambassador to the United States, Valeriy Chaly, criticized Artemenko's initiative -- saying the opposition lawmaker was "not entitled to present any alternative peace plans on behalf of Ukraine."

More than 9,750 people have been killed in fighting in eastern Ukraine between government forces and Russia-backed separatists since April 2014.

With reporting by The New York Times

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-trump-cohen- plan-russia-sanctions/28320083.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Russia Defends Recognizing Ukrainian Separatist Documents As Outcry Mounts

RFE/RL February 20, 2017

Russia defended its decision to recognize documents issued by separatists it backs in eastern Ukraine amid mounting criticism from Western governments that the move undermines prospects for peace in the region.

Both the Kremlin and the Russian Foreign Ministry on February 20 portrayed President Vladimir Putin's order to recognize documents issued by the separatists as a humanitarian gesture.

The decree "fully complies with international law, which does not prohibit the recognition of documents needed to implement the rights and freedoms granted by the authorities which are not internationally recognized," the ministry said in a statement.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in a February 20 call that the decree was a "humanitarian" move that did not confer any official recognition of separatists who control areas of Ukraine's eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

Both Peskov and the ministry said blockades organized in Ukraine have prevented citizens in separatist-controlled areas from renewing passports and obtaining other official documents.

Putin's order, signed February 18, has triggered sharp criticism from Washington and in Europe and came amid escalating violence in eastern Ukraine in recent weeks.

The French Foreign Ministry said in a February 20 statement that it "regrets" Russia's move and that Paris wants Russia to use its influence over the separatists to guarantee the terms of the peace deal signed to bring an end to the conflict, which has killed more than 9,750 since April 2014.

"It is the only way of ensuring a lasting solution to the crisis in east Ukraine," it said.

Meanwhile Steffen Seibert, a spokesman for German Chancellor Angela Merkel, said on February 20 that Russia's recognition of the documents "undermines the unity of Ukraine."

Merkel and French President Francois Hollande brokered the February 2015 peace accord alongside Putin and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in Minsk, the capital of Belarus.

The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv on February 19 called Putin's order "alarming and incompatible with the agreed-on goals of the Minsk peace process."

Kyiv, the United States, the EU, and NATO accuse Russia of backing the separatists with weapons, training, and personnel in the conflict, a charge Moscow rejects despite substantial evidence of such support.

With reporting by AP, Reuters, dpa, and AFP

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/francy-germany -decry-russian-recognition-of-ukrainian -separatist-docs/28320887.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Putin Recognizes Docs of Donetsk, Lugansk Republics 'for Humanitarian Reasons'

Sputnik News

13:56 20.02.2017(updated 13:57 20.02.2017)

Russian President Vladimir Putin's decree on the recognition of the passports of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's republics (DPR and LPR) does not run counter to the Minsk agreements, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  On Saturday, Putin signed a decree to recognize in Russia documents issued to Ukrainian citizens and persons without citizenship living in certain areas of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions of Ukraine, until the situation in these areas is politically settled.

"The decree does not in any way run counter to international law and does not lead to breaches of international law. You know that this is actually a de jure leveling of the situation and of the de facto recognition. It is necessary to do that for humanitarian reasons," Peskov told reporters.

The Donbass conflict erupted in April 2014 as a local counter-reaction to the West-sponsored Maidan coup in Kiev that had toppled legitimate President Viktor Yanukovych in February. Residents of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions held independence referendums and proclaimed the People's Republics of Donetsk and Lugansk. Kiev has since been conducting a military operation, encountering stiff local resistance.

In February 2015, Kiev forces and Donbass independence supporters signed a peace agreement in the Belarusian capital of Minsk. The deal stipulates a full ceasefire, weapons withdrawal from the line of contact in Donbass, as well as constitutional reforms that would give a special status to the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics. Despite the agreement, the ceasefire regime is regularly violated, with both sides accusing each other of multiple breaches, undermining the terms of the accord.

After the eruption of the crisis, over a million of Donbass residents applied for a refugee status and temporary shelter in Russia. According to Russia's Federal Migration Service, more than 1 million people fled to Russia following the outbreak of the civil war in Ukraine, of whom approximately 600,000 decided to settle there permanently.

 Sputnik

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Ukraine Cease-fire in Effect But Doubts Persist as to Sustainability

By Jamie Dettmer February 20, 2017

A cease-fire in eastern Ukraine aimed at halting fighting between Ukrainian government forces and Moscow-backed separatists went into effect Monday. Ukrainian officials, however, warn it is at risk of falling apart.

Under the cease-fire announced in Munich by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, both sides are supposed to abide by the two-year-old Minsk agreement and withdraw heavy weaponry from the front lines.

Yet, just hours before the foreign ministers of Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany announced this latest truce, a separatist leader was issuing military threats.

Alexander Hug, chief of a monitoring mission for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, says there has been a significant reduction in armed incidents, noting that only small-arms fire was heard in the Donetsk region after the truce took effect at midnight, local time.

But Hug warned Monday that conditions for a flare-up were present as "heavy weapons remain on both sides of the contact area where they shouldn't be."

Unlikely to hold

Analysts say the cease-fire is unlikely to hold, given that the underlying causes for the conflict remain unaddressed. Ukrainian officials are also skeptical, saying this truce will likely follow the pattern of the previous four cease-fires -- an immediate, but short-lived, reduction in violence, followed by an increase in clashes.

The previous cease-fires in a conflict that has left nearly 10,000 dead lasted for little more than a day.

Late Sunday, before the cease-fire went into effect, the warring sides traded mortar fire around the government-held town of Avdiyivka on the outskirts of Donetsk.

On Friday, Oleksandr Zakharchenko, leader of the Moscow-backed separatists in Donetsk Oblast, announced he was not bound by any deal involving the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the front. He also claimed the Ukrainian military will try to seize settlements in the buffer zone under the guise of the truce.

A key condition in the 2014 and 2015 Minsk agreements, which were mediated by Moscow and European governments, is that neither side should retain heavy weapons in the "contact area." As reaffirmed in the cease-fire deal, both sides are to withdraw artillery systems with calibers of 100mm or more 50 kilometers from the contact line. Grad multiple rocket launchers may be no closer than 70 kilometers, while larger missile systems have to be at least 140 kilometers from the front.

Russian maneuvers

Overshadowing the cease-fire are growing concerns in Ukraine that Moscow is maneuvering to pressure or persuade the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump to accept a trade-off for peace in east Ukraine. The New York Times reported Sunday that Trump's personal lawyer and a former business associate met with a pro-Moscow Ukrainian lawmaker last month in New York to discuss a peace plan that involves the de facto recognition of Russia's annexation of Crimea.

Kremlin officials maintain they had no knowledge of the meeting and called the peace plan absurd. "There's nothing to talk about," President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

But Ukrainian officials told VOA they fear Moscow's maneuvers and worry some Trump advisers are eager to use Ukraine as a bargaining chip in a bigger strategic play to reset U.S.-Russian relations.

Asked about the meeting, Ukraine's ambassador to Britain, Natalia Galibarenko, told the BBC: "We are not trading our territories. We are not going to say, 'Let us abandon Crimea and in return, let us see peace in Donbas'."

"Donbas" refers to the part of southeastern Ukraine that encompasses the country's Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts.

US support

Over the weekend, before the New York Times story was published, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko attended a security conference in Munich, where he met with U.S. Vice President Mike Pence. Poroshenko was upbeat, emphasizing that he was reassured by firm pledges of support from Pence.

"We have once again received a powerful signal that the U.S.A. stands with Ukraine, that Ukraine is among the top priorities for the new U.S. administration," Poroshenko said. "The issue of Crimea and decisive struggle for the liberation of Crimea also remain among priorities."

The White House also stressed solidarity with Ukraine.

"The Vice President underscored U.S. support for Ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and self-determination and underlined that the United States does not recognize Russia's occupation and attempted annexation of the Crimean peninsula," according to a White House statement.

Dozens have died in the Donbas region in recent weeks amid an escalation in fighting there between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian separatists, especially around Avdiyivka.

Travel documents

Meanwhile, Putin signed an order recognizing travel documents issued by the de facto separatist authorities in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, further raising Ukrainian doubts about the sustainability of the truce. The Ukrainians claim the order effectively means Moscow has broken the Minsk agreement.

But the Kremlin argues the order only temporarily recognizes the separatist-issued documents and is in response to humanitarian need. The OSCE has warned the decision could reduce the chances that the cease-fire will hold.

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Kremlin Dismisses Back-Channel Ukrainian Peace Plan As 'Absurd'

February 21, 2017

The Kremlin has dismissed a Ukrainian peace plan created by a pro-Russian Ukrainian lawmaker and given to the White House, calling its provision on Crimea "absurd."

The plan by Ukrainian opposition lawmaker Andriy Artemenko, first reported by The New York Times, calls for Russia to withdraw its forces from eastern Ukraine and for Ukraine to hold a referendum on leasing Crimea, which Moscow illegally annexed in 2014, to Russia for a period of 50 or 100 years.

"How can Russia lease its own region? The very wording is rather absurd," Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on February 20.

"There is a general understanding that there is no alternative to the Minsk agreements," he said, referring to a 2015 plan that has so far has failed to bring peace.

"If a political-diplomatic solution can be found for the Ukraine issue, it is only possible on the basis of the Minsk agreements," he said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov echoed Peskov's comments, telling RIA Novosti, "It is not possible to lease something from oneself."

The Times said President Donald Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen hand-delivered the proposal to the office of former White House national security adviser Michael Flynn, who was ousted last week.

Based on reporting by AP, AFP, Reuters, and Interfax

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/kremlin-dismisses- absurd-back-chanel-ukrainian-peace-plan-artemenk -flynn-cohen/28321744.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Kremlin on Donbass Republics: DPR, LPR 'in Severe Blockade on Part of Ukraine'

Sputnik News

13:14 21.02.2017(updated 16:33 21.02.2017)

The Kremlin spokesman commented on the possibility of Russia recognizing Donbass republics following President Vladimir Putin's decree giving a legal status to the documents of the republics' citizens.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  On Saturday, Putin signed a decree to recognize in Russia documents issued to Ukrainian citizens and persons without citizenship living in certain areas of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions of Ukraine, until the situation in these areas is politically settled.

"The question is incorrect, because in this situation, any eventual reasoning is completely irrelevant and inapplicable. The de facto situation is that the two unrecognized republics of the DPR and LPR are territories really not recognized by the Russian Federation, not recognized by Ukraine, but they are in a severe blockade on the part of Ukraine," Peskov said.

Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the recognition of the documents does not contradict the Minsk agreements on the settlement of the situation in Donbass.

Russia's move "corresponds not only to the spirit and purposes, but also to the letter of the Minsk agreements, which directly indicate the need to solve all humanitarian problems of this part of Donbass," Lavrov said during a press conference after talks with Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom.

On Monday, Peskov said Putin made the decision considering the dire humanitarian situation in Donbass.

The Donbass conflict erupted in April 2014 as a local counter-reaction to the West-sponsored Maidan coup in Kiev that had toppled legitimate President Viktor Yanukovych in February. Residents of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions held independence referendums and proclaimed the People's Republics of Donetsk and Lugansk. Kiev has since been conducting a military operation, encountering stiff local resistance.

In February 2015, Kiev forces and Donbass independence supporters signed a peace agreement in the Belarusian capital of Minsk. The deal stipulates a full ceasefire, weapons withdrawal from the line of contact in Donbass, as well as constitutional reforms that would give a special status to the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics. Despite the agreement, the ceasefire regime is regularly violated, with both sides accusing each other of multiple breaches, undermining the terms of the accord.

After the eruption of the crisis, over a million of Donbass residents applied for a refugee status and temporary shelter in Russia. According to Russia's Federal Migration Service, more than 1 million people fled to Russia following the outbreak of the civil war in Ukraine, of whom approximately 600,000 decided to settle there permanently.

 Sputnik

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The city has begun interior demolition of a former residence on Holbrook Street to turn it into a home for the Danville branch of the NAACP and a second site for the Virginia Legal Aid Society.

The two-story structure at 407 Holbrook St.  to be named the Williams Community Resource Center  would also feature an exhibit hall displaying items significant to the Williams family and the civil rights movement in Danville.

Jackie Wells, housing and development planning specialist for the city, said demolition of the building began last week.

Interior demolition includes removal, stripping, refinishing and reinstallation of the original molding, as well as gutting of the interior, Wells said Monday. The latter process has not yet started, but should take about a week, she said.

The city was recently awarded a $413,269 African-American Civil Rights grant from the National Park Service to rehabilitate the former home of the Williams family who was prominent in the local civil rights movement in the 1960s. No local match is required for the grant.

The grant will pay for rehabilitation and construction at the building, which is currently an abandoned single-family dwelling.

The city hopes to put the project up for bids next month, Wells said.

Danville applied for the grant in October. Danville City Council will discuss whether to amend the citys budget to receive the grant during its work session Tuesday night, Feb. 21. Council would vote on the item at a later date.

The building is 2,428 square feet, and rehab work also will include making the first floor rear entrance and restroom compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Wells said.

There will be an opening in the wall on the second floor that will get pocket doors  those that slide in and out of the wall  to make two bedrooms into an efficiency-style apartment, Wells said.

The location in the Holbrook-Ross Historic District would be a mixed-use structure with two dwelling units on the upper level and a conference room, two offices and an exhibit hall on the lower level.

The exhibit hall would display the civil rights items through a partnership with the Danville Historical Society. Danvilles Community Development Department is overseeing the project.

It has been at least a decade since the local NAACP had its own space. The group currently reserves space and meets at churches.

The NAACP has made a commitment to maintain office space, a conference room and the exhibit hall. The local branch has about 70-90 members.

NAACP and Legal Aid would occupy the lower-level offices.

The Williams Community Resource Center  is a project designed to protect and enhance the integrity of a historically significant structure as well as create a location open to the public where the past, present and future of African-American civil rights can be displayed, discussed and advanced, Senior Planner Renee Burton said of the project.

The Danville Redevelopment and Housing Authority purchased the home for $4,500 during an auction in May 2011.

Because it was the Williams familys former home  Jerry Williams Sr. was an attorney for the local NAACP during the civil rights movement  we wanted to do everything we could to try to preserve it, Deputy City Manager Earl Reynolds said in January.

The porch had to be rebuilt and a new roof was installed a few years ago. Interior damage from a roof leak needed to be repaired.

Robert Allen, an African-American brick mason, craftsman and elder at Holbrook Presbyterian Church, built the home in 1910. Williams, his wife Ida Allen and their four children were all active in the civil rights movement in Danville.

Ida Allen was a schoolteacher and an officer with the NAACP. Sons Robert and Jerry Williams Jr. also were active in the group and helped plan the 1960s student protests in Danville.

Jerry Williams Jr. is a partner at Williams, Luck & Williams law firm in Danville. He and his father attended the March on Washington in August 1963, and he saw Martin Luther King Jr. speak in front of the Lincoln Memorial where he gave his famous I Have a Dream Speech.
BLACKSBURG  When former WDBJ (Channel 7) reporter Chris Hurst kicked off his political campaign Saturday he included a fundraising update  his campaign has raised more than $30,000 in the past week since he announced his run for Virginias House of Delegates.

Hurst celebrated the start of his political career by announcing he has raised more than half of the $48,000 in campaign cash his Republican opponent has left over from previous elections.

The former reporter and anchor at WDBJ quit his job last week to run for the Democratic nomination for the 12th House District seat currently held by Del. Joseph Yost, R-Pearisburg.

In the past week, Hursts campaign has received national media attention that likely contributed to the influx of campaign contributions. Hurst, 28, has not filed any campaign finance reports yet.

Yost, 30, who will seek a fourth term, will not begin campaigning until after the General Assembly session wraps up this week. Andrew Schultz, another Democrat with no previous political experience, has filed paperwork to oppose Hurst for the party nomination.

My dream isnt for me to become elected so I can have the title, my dream isnt so that I can try to turn tragedy into triumph, my dream is so that I can help all of you make sure that you can achieve your dreams, Hurst said to the more than 50 people in attendance.

Hursts girlfriend and coworker, reporter Alison Parker, was killed during an on-air shooting in 2015. During his five-minute remarks at Blacksburg bar 622 North, Hurst did not mention his late girlfriend, though her father, Andy Parker, watched from the back of the room.

Hurst moved from Roanoke to Blacksburg, a Democratic stronghold within the 12th District, earlier this month. The House district is evenly split between Republican and Democratic voters with urbanized Blacksburg and Radford leaning more liberal and rural areas of Giles and Pulaski counties leaning more conservative.

His move already is drawing criticism from district Republicans who have called him a carpetbagger who was going to take away residents guns, remarks he called foolish Saturday. Otherwise, Hurst did not mention his opponents or Republican opposition in his speech.

There were plans to move to different parts of the country, to different parts of Virginia, he said. I had lots of people reach out to me, offering me a different life, a different change of pace, and I wanted to make sure I didnt leave the people here who gave me so much strength and support.

Hurst said he started considering running for office in the fall as he struggled emotionally to report on stories involving guns, like the October shooting at FreightCar America in Roanoke.

The Democratic Congressional Committee previously asked him to run for Congress  a move that didnt feel right at the time, he said.

Hurst was born and raised near Philadelphia, but has lived in Southwest Virginia since 2010.
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PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA--(Marketwired - Feb. 20, 2017) -

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

Perseus Mining Ltd. (ASX:PRU)(TSX:PRU) recently completed a re-estimation of Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves at its Edikan Gold Mine in Ghana ("Edikan"). Details are as follows:

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Mineral Resources

Edikan's updated global Measured and Indicated Mineral Resource estimate, as at 31 December 2016, is 155.8 million tonnes grading at 1.0g/t gold, containing 5,011 kozs of gold. A further 30.0 million tonnes of material grading at 0.9 g/t gold and containing a further 899kozs of gold are classified as Inferred Resources.

Whereas all previous Mineral Resources estimates at Edikan have been prepared using the ordinary kriging ("OK") estimation method, the updated Open Pit Mineral Resource estimate (including the AFG, Fobinso, Fetish, Chirawewa, Bokitsi and Esuajah North deposits) is based on multiple indicator kriging ("MIK") estimating techniques. Estimates of the Esuajah South deposit and the Heap Leach material use the OK estimation method which is more appropriate for estimating underground mining projects and stockpiles.

Comparisons of the updated Edikan Mineral Resource models against ore delineated by grade control during the last three months of calendar 2016 and in January 2017 indicate that the updated Resource estimates are likely to be more reliable predictors of ore tonnes and grades than were the previous Resource models and this should result in a closer correlation between forecasts and actual gold production going forward.

When compared to a global Open Pit Mineral Resource estimate calculated based on the same data using the OK method, the revised MIK based Mineral Resource estimate includes: 15% more tonnes 8% lower grade 199 kozs or 5% more contained gold 35% less material in the Measured classification and 60% more material in the Indicated classification as a result of the adoption of more rigorous criteria for classification of Mineral Resources.



Ore Reserves

Edikan's updated Proved and Probable Ore Reserve estimate is based on the Edikan Mineral Resources as at 31 December 2016 and updated pit optimisation, design and scheduling of the Open Pit resources and a new Esuajah South Ore Reserve based on underground mining methods. The total Ore Reserve is estimated at 56.5 million tonnes of ore, grading 1.14 g/t gold and containing 2,078kozs of gold.

Allowing for ore depletion from mining since 30 June 2016 and for the addition of Ore Reserves contained in decommissioned heap leach stockpiles not previously included in Reserves, the updated Ore Reserve estimate contains 99kozs or approximately 5% less gold than Edikan's previous Ore Reserve estimated as at 30 June 2016 as shown below.

To view Graph 1: Change in Edikan's Ore Reserves - June 2016 to December 2016, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/Graph1_Change-in-Edikan.pdf

Based on Edikan's updated Ore Reserves, Perseus is preparing a revised Life of Mine Plan for Edikan which it intends to publish prior to the end of February 2017.

Perseus's Managing Director and CEO, Jeff Quartermaine, commented: "The updated Mineral Resource and Ore Reserve estimates at Edikan have numerically changed very little from the previously published estimates notwithstanding the fact that a different estimating technique that is considered to be more suited to the style of mineralisation that we have been mining recently in the open pit has been adopted. Tonnes are slightly higher, grade is slightly lower and contained metal is slightly higher. Since applying multiple indicator kriging techniques to estimate Mineral Resources in favour of ordinary kriging techniques that have been traditionally used at Edikan, we have witnessed a material improvement in the reconciliation between our Resource block model estimates and grade control data. It is therefore expected that our production forecasts, and in particular our revised Life-of-Mine Plan for Edikan that is due to be published by the end of this month, will more closely reflect actual operating experience than has been the case during the last twelve months."

MINERAL RESOURCE ESTIMATE

The global Mineral Resource estimate is prepared in accordance with the 2012 Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves (the JORC Code). Refer to Appendices 1, 2 and 3 to the full press release available on www.perseusmining.com and www.sedar.com for the JORC Table 1 criteria for open pit, underground and heap leach resources, respectively. The Mineral Resource estimate is summarised in the following table that reports the Mineral Resources by category, deposit and deposit type. The classification categories of Measured, Indicated and Inferred under the JORC Code are equivalent to the CIM categories of the same name (CIM, 2010).

In summary, the updated global Measured and Indicated Mineral Resource for Edikan is now estimated as 155.8 Mt grading at 1.0g/t gold, containing 5,011 kozs of gold as shown in Table 1. A further 30.0 Mt of material grading at 0.9 g/t gold and containing a further 899 kozs of gold are classified as Inferred Resources. Details of these estimates are shown below in Table 2.

Table 1: Edikan's Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources - December 20166,7

Deposit Deposit Type Measured Resources Indicated Resources Measured + Indicated

Resources Quantity Grade Gold Quantity Grade Gold Quantity Grade Gold Mt g/t gold '000 oz Mt g/t

gold '000 oz Mt g/t

gold '000 oz AF Gap 1, 2 Open Pit 11.0 0.97 342 35.6 0.84 963 46.6 0.87 1,305 Fobinso 1, 2 Open Pit 2.7 1.08 93 11.8 0.94 357 14.5 0.97 450 Esuajah North 1, 2 Open Pit 11.4 0.96 352 19.5 0.89 557 30.9 0.92 909 Fetish 1, 2, 5 Open Pit 9.6 1.00 309 23.9 0.90 692 33.5 0.93 1,001 Chirawewa North 1, 2 Open Pit 1.4 0.85 38 5.7 0.82 150 7.1 0.83 188 Chirawewa South 1, 2 Open Pit 0.2 1.16 6 0.6 1.02 19 0.8 1.05 25 Bokitsi South 1, 2 Open Pit 0.9 2.57 71 1.1 1.90 66 1.9 2.20 137 Sub-Total Open Pit 37.2 1.01 1,211 98.2 0.89 2,804 135.3 0.92 4,015 Esuajah South 3 U/ground 8.5 1.9 533 6.3 1.7 353 14.8 1.8 879 Heap Leach 4 Stockpile 4.3 0.6 89 4.3 0.6 89 ROM Stockpiles Stockpile 1.4 0.61 28 - - - 1.4 0.61 28 Total 47.1 1.17 1,772 108.8 0.93 3,246 155.8 1.00 5,011

Notes: 1 Allows for mining depletion to 31 December 2016. 2 0.4g/t gold cut-off applied 3 0.7g/t gold cut-off grade applied 4 At zero cut-off grade 5 Includes Bokitsi North lode 6 Mineral Resources are inclusive of any Ore Reserves 7 Numbers are rounded and may not add up correctly in the table 8 Note that the Dadieso and Mampong deposits have been removed from the Mineral Resource on economic grounds

Whereas all previous estimates of Mineral Resources at Edikan have been prepared using the OK estimation method, the updated Mineral Resource estimate is based on MIK estimating techniques for all deposits other than the Esuajah South deposit and Heap Leach where the OK estimation method has continued to be used.

Table 2: Edikan's Inferred Mineral Resources - December 2016

Deposit Deposit Type Inferred Resources Quantity Grade Gold Mt g/t gold '000 oz AF Gap 1, 2 Open Pit 9.4 0.8 250 Fobinso 1, 2 Open Pit 3.5 0.9 95 Esuajah North 1, 2 Open Pit 2.9 0.9 88 Fetish 1, 2, 4 Open Pit 6.3 1.0 191 Chirawewa North 1, 2 Open Pit 1.5 0.8 39 Chirawewa South 1, 2 Open Pit 0.04 1.1 1 Bokitsi South 1, 2 Open Pit 1.3 1.1 43 Esuajah South 3 Underground 4.7 1.3 192 Total 30.0 0.9 899

Notes: 1 Allows for mining depletion to 31 December 2016. 2 0.4g/t gold cut-off applied. 3 0.7g/t gold cut-off grade applied 4 Includes Bokitsi North lode 5 Numbers are rounded and may not add up correctly in the table

Comparisons of the updated Edikan Mineral Resource models against ore delineated by grade control during the last three months of calendar 2016 and in January 2017 indicate that the updated Resource estimates are likely to be more reliable predictors of ore tonnes and grades than were the previous Resource models and this should result in a closer correlation between forecasts and actual gold production going forward.

When compared to an Open Pit Mineral Resource estimate calculated at the same date, using the OK method (which has been traditionally used at Edikan), the revised MIK based Mineral Resource estimate includes:

15% more tonnes

8% lower grade

5% more contained gold

35% less material in the Measured classification and 60% more material in the Indicated classification as a result of the adoption of a more rigorous set of criteria for classification of Mineral Resources.

A direct comparison of Mineral Resource estimates using the two alternative techniques is shown in Table 3 below.

Table 3: Edikan's Open Pit Mineral Resource Estimates using MIK and OK estimation techniques

Estimated using MIK Techniques Estimated Using OK Techniques Mineral Resource Category Quantity

(Mt) Grade

(g/t gold) Gold

(koz) Quantity

(Mt) Grade

(g/t gold) Gold

(koz) Measured 37.2 1.01 1,211 56.8 1.01 1,860 Indicated 98.2 0.89 2,804 61.2 0.99 1,956 Measured + Indicated 135.3 0.92 4,015 118.0 1.00 3,816 Inferred 24.8 0.89 707 48.6 0.94 1,473

Edikan's Mineral Resources comprise four components:

remaining in situ mineralisation in the Abnabna-AF Gap, Fobinso, Esuajah North, Fetish, Chirawewa North, Chirawewa South and Bokitsi South deposits each of which is exploitable by open pit mining methods;

in situ mineralisation in the Esuajah South deposit, potentially exploitable by underground mining methods;

heap leach material remaining from the treatment of oxide mineralisation by previous mine operators; and

material on mine stockpiles at 31 December 2016.

Geology

The Edikan gold deposits occur near the western flank of the Ashanti Greenstone Belt in south-western Ghana. Mineralisation is hosted by Palaeoproterozoic aged rocks of the Birimian Supergroup. Structurally controlled gold mineralisation occurs in two principal modes: disseminated pyrite-arsenopyrite mineralisation associated with quartz veining and sericite alteration hosted by granitoids and shear-zone hosted mineralisation associated with pyrite-arsenpoyrite mineralisation in and adjacent to quartz veins in deformed, fine-grained metasedimentary rocks. The strike lengths of the individual deposits range from approximately 300 metres (Esuajah South) to more than 2 kilometres (Abnabna-AF Gap-Fobinso). Granite-hosted mineralisation is developed over widths of up to 150 metres; shear hosted mineralisation in metasedimentary rocks is typically 10-30 metres wide. Resource definition drilling has defined mineralisation to depths ranging from approximately 130 metres (Chirawewa South) to more than 550 metres (AF Gap, Esuajah South).

Drilling Techniques

Edikan Mineral Resources are delineated by Reverse Circulation ("RC") and diamond core drill holes undertaken by previous operators Cluff Mining Plc and Ashanti Goldfields Corporation, and by Perseus. Estimates of those portions of the in situ resources remaining at 31 December 2016 are informed almost entirely by Perseus drilling and the majority of data informing the estimates derive from samples of half NQ diameter diamond core.

Drill hole collar locations have been surveyed by qualified surveyors. Perseus diamond core holes were down-hole surveyed at nominal 30 metre intervals.

Orientation of drill holes at each of the deposits is approximately perpendicular to the strike of mineralisation. With the exception of Esuajah South, the interpreted geometries and continuities of mineralisation underpinning the resource estimates have been confirmed by grade control drilling and mine exposures.

Sampling

RC drill samples were collected at drill sites at 1 metre intervals and split using multi-stage riffle splitters. For the majority of Perseus's drilling, each two consecutive samples were composited into one sample for assaying. Sample weights were nominally 2.5 kilograms and 5 kilograms for 1 metre and 2 metre samples respectively.

Diamond core was sawn in half using a diamond blade saw, with the right-hand half sent for assaying and the left-hand half stored in core trays for reference. Samples were normally taken at 1 metre intervals.

Core recoveries from Perseus diamond drilling were measured and averaged in excess of 90% with no significant issues noted. RC samples were logged visually for recovery, moisture and contamination. RC sample recoveries were not quantitatively measured. Considering that the bulk of estimated remaining resources at Edikan are informed by diamond core samples, sample recovery is not considered to be a significant risk to the reliability of the estimates.

Sample Analytical Methods

All sample preparation and assaying was carried out by commercial laboratories; no sample preparation was undertaken by Perseus.

Samples collected by Perseus were variously assayed by Transworld Laboratories, Tarkwa, Intertek Laboratories (Gh) Ltd (formerly TWL), Tarkwa, and ALS, Kumasi. Approximately 5% of samples were assayed by 24 hour cyanide bottle roll with atomic absorption spectroscopy ("AAS") finish. All other RC samples and diamond half core samples were analysed by 50 gram Fire Assay and AAS finish. Sample preparation typically comprised drying, crushing to -2millimetres and pulverising of a 200 gram subsample. Internal laboratory checks required at least 90% of the pulp passing -75 microns.

Perseus's quality assurance and quality control "QAQC" procedures included submission of field duplicates (RC only) inserted at 1 in 25, certified blanks inserted at 1 in 20, certified standards at 1 in 20, internal laboratory standards, duplicates and repeats.

Open Pit Mineral Resources

Estimation Methodology

Geological logging of lithology and weathering were considered in conjunction with gold grades of 2 metre composited sample intervals to delineate mineralised domains at each of the deposits within which the tenor and spatial trends of mineralisation are similar. Grade control sampling and exposures of and host rocks within the open pits currently being mined confirm the geometry of the mineralisation.

MIK with block support adjustment was used to estimate gold resources into blocks with dimensions of 20 metres (east) by 20 metres (north) by 5 metres (elevation), is considered appropriate given the spacing of data available to inform the estimates and the mining bench height presently used at Edikan. MIK of gold grades used indicator variography based on the 2 metre resource composite sample grades. Gold grade continuity was characterised by indicator variograms at 14 indicator thresholds spanning the global range of grades in each of the mineralised domains.

The effect of extreme gold grades on the conditional statistics of data informing each of the estimation domains was considered. The effect of extreme grades on estimates was modified by composites being ignored domain during the generation of the indicator statistics, and by selection of the median instead of the mean for the highest indicator threshold.

Block support adjustments were derived from the variogram of gold grades in each of the mineralised domains. The selective mining unit was assumed to be in the general range 6mE by 10mN by 2.5mRL, reflecting the scale of mining presently employed at Edikan. Additional adjustments for the "Information Effect" have been applied, based on high quality grade control sampling at 8mE x 8mN x 1m consistent with current practices at Edikan, to arrive at the final Mineral Resource estimates.

The Mineral Resource estimates can be reasonably expected to provide appropriately reliable estimates of potential mining outcomes at the assumed selectivity without application of additional mining dilution or mining recovery factors.

Compositing and wire-framing were performed using Micromine software. Exploratory data analysis, variogram calculation and modelling, and resource estimation were performed using FSSI Consultants (Australia) Pty Ltd (FSSI) GS3M software.

The Mineral Resource estimates for Abnabna - AFGap - Fobinso, Fetish, Chirawewa and Esuajah North were compared to recent mine site grade control outcomes. The grade control modelling undertaken for validation was performed using the MP3 grade control software. The mined tonnes and grade of ore for the four months to January 2017 compared favourably.

Criteria for Resource Classification

Confidence categories have been applied to the estimates of Mineral Resource on a block-by-block basis based on the number and location of data used to estimate proportions and gold grade of each block. This is based on the principle that larger numbers of samples, which are more evenly distributed within the search neighbourhood, will provide a more reliable estimate. Generally, Measured resources are informed by drilling at approximately 20 metre x 20 metre spacing or closer, Indicated resources are informed by drilling spaced at up to 40 metre x 40 metre and Inferred resources are on the peripheries of drilling to a maximum distance of approximately 40 metres.

The Mineral Resource classification also considered the quality of the data collected (geology, survey and assaying data), the density of data, the confidence in the geological models and mineralisation model, and the grade estimation quality.

Cut-Off Grade

The cut-off grade of 0.4g/t gold for the stated open pit Mineral Resource estimates reflects economic parameters deriving from current and anticipated mining practices at Edikan.

Esuajah South Mineral Resource

Estimation Methodology

Wireframes were constructed using cross sectional interpretations based on geological contacts and a nominal 0.2g/t gold cut-off grade. Samples within the wireframes were composited to even 1 metre intervals. A 40g/t gold top cut was applied to composite values in the granite mineralisation. Top cuts of between 15g/t gold to 30g/t gold were applied to selected sediment lodes. Top cuts were based on statistical analysis of composite data.

A Surpac block model was used for the estimate with a parent block size of 10 metre (North) by 10 metre (East) by 10 metre vertical with sub-cells of 2.5 metre by 2.5 metre by 2.5 metre. OK grade interpolation was used for the granite mineralisation with an oriented search ellipse based on interpreted controls on mineralisation. A first pass radius of 30 metres was used with a second pass radius of 60 metres and a third pass radius of 240 metres. Greater than 86% of the blocks were filled in the first two passes. An 'ellipsoid' search method was used.

Inverse distance squared grade interpolation was used for the sediment-hosted mineralisation with an oriented search ellipse based on individual lode geometry. A first pass radius of 30 metres was used with a second pass radius of 60 metres and a third pass radius of 180 metres. Greater than 92% of the blocks were filled in the first pass. An 'ellipsoid' search method was used.

Criteria for Resource Classification

The deposit was classified as Measured, Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resource based on data quality, drill hole spacing, and continuity of mineralisation. The portion of the granite where the drill spacing was 20 metres by 20 metres or less and demonstrating good lode and grade continuity supported by high kriging efficiencies was classified as Measured Mineral Resource. The portion of the deposit where the drill spacing was generally greater than 20 metres by 20 metres but still demonstrated good lode and grade continuity was classified as Indicated Mineral Resource. The portion of the deposit classified as Inferred Mineral Resource includes areas where the drill spacing was greater than 40 metres by 40 metres and the zones of mineralisation within the adjacent sediments that are defined by limited drilling.

Cut-Off Grade

The Mineral Resource estimate has been constrained by the wire-framed mineralisation envelopes, is undiluted by external waste and reported above a 0.7g/t gold cut-off grade. The cut-off grade reflects economic parameters deriving from anticipated underground mining practices, costs and recoveries from the Feasibility Study.

Heap Leach Mineral Resource

Geology

The heap leach mineral resource quoted herein comprises only material contained in the "Africa Heap". The Africa Heap comprises approximately 55% of the total volume of heap leach material remaining after processing of oxide ores by previous operators Cluff Mining Plc and Ashanti Goldfields Corporation between 1994 and 2001 and is defined by geographic limits.

Drilling Techniques

The Africa Heap has been sampled by 338 vertical RC and air core ("AC") drill holes at a nominal spacing of 20 metres x 20 metres. Hole depths varied from 18 metres to 45 metres. Drill hole collar locations were accurately surveyed by Perseus qualified mine surveyors.

Sampling

RC and AC samples were subsampled at the drill sites using a multi-tier riffle splitter. The Mineral Resource estimate is informed by 7,584 samples collected over 1 metre intervals and 1,632 samples assayed as 5 metre composite samples.

Sample Analytical Methods

Samples from the first 27 RC and first 27 AC holes were analysed for gold only by 24 hour bottle roll cyanide leach with AAS finish at Intertek Minerals Ltd in Tarkwa, Ghana. For all subsequent RC and AC holes, gold was assayed by Fire Assay with AAS finish at either Intertek Minerals Ltd or at ALS Minerals in Kumasi, Ghana.

Certified reference materials and blanks were submitted at a rate of one standard or blank for every 15 samples. Field duplicate splits were taken at a nominal rate of one duplicate per drill hole.

Estimation Methodology

Average gold grade of the Africa Heap was estimated by a number of methods including Inverse Distance Squared weighting, OK, Simple Kriging and Sequential Gaussian Simulation. All methods resulted in essentially identical estimates of average grade.

The volume of the Africa Heap has been estimated by generating two triangulated surfaces: a topographic surface based on approximately 2,300 surveyed spot heights and drill hole collar locations and a bottom surface based on depths at which drill holes penetrated the plastic liner at the base of the heap. The volume was adjusted for depletion by illegal mining carried out between the date of the topographic survey and November 2015, the affected volume being estimated from aerial photography.

A dry in-situ density estimate of 1.32 t/m3 was assigned to the heap leach pad material. Density values and moisture content were determined by independent consultants in August 2015 from 30 test pits, and a mean value was applied to the Mineral Resource.

Criteria for Resource Classification

The Mineral Resource is classified as Indicated, based on drill and sample density, accurate and detailed surface survey of the heaps and the close match of average grades derived from the various estimation methods.

Cut-Off Grade

There has been no cut-off grade applied to derive the Heap Leach Mineral Resource. It is assumed that it is not feasible to selectively mine higher grade portions of the material.

Stockpiles

Mineral Resources contained in stockpiles are based on volume estimates based on ground survey data, loose bulk densities derived over time by reconciliation of volumes mined (at in situ densities) to stockpile movements and volumes, and estimates of stockpile grades based on predicted grades of mined material transferred onto stockpiles and material depleted by processing.

Closing stockpiles at 31 December 2016 were estimated to be:

Material Quantity

(Tonnes) Grade

(g/t gold) Gold

(Ounces) High grade oxide 12,939 1.04 433 Low grade oxide 540,128 0.55 9,567 Low grade fresh 789,044 0.59 14,865 High grade fresh 13,544 1.15 501 High grade transition 90,631 1.04 3,042 TOTAL 1,446,286 0.61 28,408

Stockpile tonnes and grade estimates are considered sufficiently accurate to support classification as Measured Mineral Resources.

ORE RESERVE ESTIMATE

The updated Ore Reserve is summarised below in Table 4 and is based on the Edikan Mineral Resources as at 31 December 2016 and updated pit optimisation, design and scheduling of the Open Pit resources and a new Esuajah South Ore Reserve based on underground mining methods. All Ore Reserves are reported in accordance with the JORC Code. Refer to Appendices 1 and 2 to the full press release available on www.perseusmining.com and www.sedar.com for the JORC Table 1 assessment criteria. The Ore Reserve estimate is summarised in the following table that reports the Ore Reserves by category, deposit and type, above variable cut-off grades. The classification categories of Proved and Probable under the JORC Code are equivalent to the CIM categories of the same name (CIM, 2010).

Table 4: Edikan's Proved and Probable Ore Reserves as at 31 December 2016

Deposit Deposit Type Proved Probable Proved + Probable Quantity Grade Gold Quantity Grade Gold Quantity Grade Gold Mt g/t gold koz Mt g/t gold koz Mt g/t gold koz AF Gap Open Pit 5.5 1.09 191 6.0 1.07 208 11.5 1.08 399 Fobinso Open Pit 1.1 1.19 44 3.3 1.11 119 4.5 1.13 163 Esuajah North Open Pit 6.5 1.10 229 7.8 1.04 262 14.3 1.07 491 Fetish Open Pit 4.6 1.21 179 7.9 1.11 281 12.5 1.15 459 Chirawewa North Open Pit 0.5 1.05 17 2.0 0.99 63 2.5 1.01 80 Bokitsi Open Pit 0.5 2.94 44 0.1 2.75 10 0.6 2.91 55 Sub-total Open Pit 18.7 1.17 704 27.1 1.08 943 45.8 1.12 1,647 Esuajah South U/ground 4.9 2.0 314 4.9 2.0 314 Heap Leach Stockpile 4.3 0.6 89 4.3 0.6 89 ROM Stockpiles Stockpile 1.4 0.61 28 1.4 0.61 28 Total 20.1 1.13 733 36.3 1.13 1,346 56.5 1.14 2,078

Notes: 1 Numbers are rounded and may not add up correctly in the table 2 All the estimates are on a dry tonne basis 3 Based on December 2016 Mineral Resource estimation 4 Variable gold cut-off grade based on material type and mining method 5 Inferred Mineral Resource is treated as mineralised waste 6 Allows for mining depletion up to and including 31 December 2016 7 ROM denotes Run of Mine 8 Heap Leach refers to decommissioned heap leach pads established by prior owners of Edikan

Proven and Probable Ore Reserves are found within the economic limits of six discrete open pits, an underground project and stockpiles that have been designed based on Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources that incorporated all available Resource in-fill drilling results, a gold price of US$1,200/oz and mining, processing and general and administration costs derived from recent operating experience.

When compared to Edikan's most recently published Ore Reserve estimate as at 30 June 2016, and after taking into account ore depletion plus the addition of Ore Reserves contained in the decommissioned heap leach stockpiles created by prior owners of the mine and not previously accounted for by Perseus, the gold contained in the updated Ore Reserve estimate has changed by less than 5% or 99kozs of gold. As shown below in Table 5 and in the waterfall graph below, the following changes have occurred:

All open pit Ore Reserves are based on Mineral Resources estimated using MIK techniques;

A new underground Ore Reserve has been calculated for the Esuajah South deposit that contains 77 kozs less gold than previously estimated for the Esuajah South open pit;

Ore Reserves contained in decommissioned heap leach pads created by prior owners of the Edikan Mining Leases have been included in the revised Ore Reserve estimate. ;

Small increases in the Ore Reserves of AF Gap, Fobinso and Esuajah North have been estimated while small decreases in Ore Reserves have been estimated at Chirawewa and Bokitsi; and

The reclassification of significant quantities of Ore from the Proved classification to the Probable classification is a function of the application of more stringent classification criteria in the Mineral Resource estimates related to drill hole and data density.

Table 5: Comparison of Proved and Probable Ore Reserves as at 31 December & 30 June 2016

P&P Reserves (December 2016) P&P Reserves (June 2016) Deposit Quantity

(Mt) Grade

(g/t gold) Gold

(koz) Quantity

(Mt) Grade

(g/t gold) Gold

(koz) AF Gap - Fobinso 16.0 1.1 562 14.9 1.2 558 Fetish 12.5 1.1 459 12.7 1.2 497 Esuajah North 14.3 1.1 491 15.3 1.0 475 Esuajah South 4.9 2.0 314 6.7 1.8 391 Chirawewa 2.5 1.0 80 3.8 1.2 146 Bokitsi 0.6 2.9 55 0.8 3.2 79 ROM7 Stockpile 1.4 0.6 28 1.6 0.6 32 HL8 Stockpile 4.3 0.6 89 - - - 56.5 1.1 2,078 55.8 1.2 2,177

Economic Assumptions

Gold metal price US$1,200/oz.

Un-escalated average costs used in optimising pit designs are as shown in Table 6 below.

A discount rate of 10% (real) has been assumed to calculate net present values of forecast cash flows.

Table 6: Assumed Open Pit operating costs

Mining Processing G&A Selling Royalties US$3.24t/mined US$9.25t/milled US$2.20t/milled US$1.02t/oz sold 6.75%

Open Pit Mining Parameters

The chosen method for the Open Pit Reserves is conventional open pit mining utilising hydraulic excavators and trucks, mining bench heights of 5 metres with 2.5 metre flitches to minimise ore loss and waste rock dilution.

The economic pit shell was defined using Whittle 4X pit optimisation software ("Whittle 4X") with inputs such as geotechnical parameters, ore loss and dilution, metallurgical recovery and mining costs.

The pit optimisation was run with revenue generated only by Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources. No value was allocated to Inferred Mineral Resources.

Whittle 4X input parameters were generally based on Perseus's operating site experience and supporting technical studies.

The pit slope design assumptions are based on a geotechnical study by George, Orr and Associates (Australia) Pty Ltd. Overall pit slopes are 30 to 50 degrees inclusive of berms spaced at between 5 and 20 metres vertically and berm widths of 5 to 12 metres.

Pit ramps have been designed for a 777 truck fleet and are set at a net 16 metres (single lane) to 26 metres (dual lane).

Vertical mining advance has been capped based on Perseus's operating experience.

The geological block models used in planning employed MIK estimation to assign block grades that also represented the ore mining loss and dilution.

Minimum mining width of 40 metres was generally applied to the pit designs.

There are no physical constraints to mining within the lease area. No property, infrastructure or environmental issues are known to exist which may limit the extent of mining within the mining lease.

Ore cut-off grades are based on the gold price, cost and mining parameters are as shown in Table 7 as follows:

Table 7: Cut-off Grades

Cut-Off Grade by Ore Type (g/t gold) Deposit Oxide Transition Fresh AF Gap 0.35 0.5 0.45 Fobinso 0.35 0.5 0.45 Esuajah North 0.4 0.6 0.5 Fetish 0.5 0.65 0.55 Chirawewa North 0.4 0.5 0.45 Bokitsi 0.35 0.5 0.45

Underground Mining Parameters

The chosen method for the Underground Reserves is Sub-level mining under rock fill ("SURF"). SURF is a bulk, semi-selective, underground mining method similar to sublevel caving ("SLC") in layout, but with waste being introduced from surface instead of the hangingwall caving.

The ore is broken through drilling and blasting of regularly spaced, fan shaped up-hole rings along each ore drive. As ore is extracted from the underground mine, waste fill will be introduced from surface to fill the resulting void. The orebody is accessed through regularly spaced draw points on multiple levels. Draw points are offset between levels to provide a regular, honeycomb layout to ensure maximum recovery of blasted ore.

Parallel rings are designed along the length of each ore drive. The rings are typically blasted and loaded one at a time, in "choke blast" conditions (i.e. blasting is against the previously mined ring instead of into a free void).

In total, 79% of the designed ring tonnes are extracted the remaining 21% is either left behind, or is replaced by the external dilution being mined. About 14% on average is mined from waste introduced into the pit as part of the SURF method. Only swell is drawn in sub-economic rings and this improves the remaining grade that is drawn and also the dilution grade for future rings. In total, the mined grade is 91% of the insitu grade.

Geotechnical assessment has been undertaken to assess Requirements for development ground support; Sublevel intervals; Ore drive spacing; Stand-off distances for infrastructure; and Mine portal access.





The Esuajah South underground development and stoping within fresh rocks will be carried out in generally "fair" to "good" quality rock mass conditions.

Power, air, water and other consumables were estimated based on the calculated mine schedule

The operating and capital costs assume a contractor operated mine with most capital equipment being supplied by the mining contractor.

The underground project greatly benefits from sharing the process plant and general and administration ("G&A") overheads with the larger Edikan Gold Project. This reduces plant processing operating cost and G&A. It does however make the ESS underground project reliant on being completed in conjunction with the current larger Edikan Gold Project open pit schedules.

Processing Parameters

The process metallurgical recovery for gold is fixed by material type in each deposit. Gold recovery rates range from 59.5-69% for oxide ore and 86-94% for primary ore. Recovery variation is a function of differing metallurgical properties of ores from different deposits and recoveries by pit are as shown in Table 8.

No deleterious material has been identified.

Average annual processing throughput rate of ore is nominally 7.0Mtpa, with throughput rates variable by material type and deposit. The processing circuit involves single stage crushing, semi-autogenous grinding, gravity recovery, flotation, regrind and CIL.

Table 8: Metallurgical Recoveries By Material Type and Pit

Recovery by Ore Type (%) Deposit Oxide Transition Fresh AF Gap 61.0 73.4 88.0 Fobinso 61.0 73.4 88.0 Chirawewa 59.5 72.0 86.0 Bokitsi 69.0 78.0 87.01 Fetish 61.0 73.4 90.0 Esuajah North 61.0 73.4 93.0 Esuajah South - - 94.0 Heap Leach 67.0 - -

1 Average value, the recovery for Bokitsi is variable based on the input grade

Stockpile and Heap Leach Parameters

It is assumed all the Heap Leach material is mined and fed to the processing plant during the mine life and all the material is rehandle on the ROM stockpile. The ROM stockpiles that existed at 31 December 2016 are all fed to the processing plant over the mine life and associated rehandle costs for all material is allowed for.

Criteria for Ore Reserve Classification

Ore Reserves have been classified based on the underlying Mineral Resources classifications and the level of detail in the mine planning. The Mineral Resources were classified as Measured, Indicated and Inferred. The Ore Reserves, based only on the Measured and Indicated Resources, have been classified as Proven and Probable Ore Reserves, respectively.

The Ore Reserve is classified as Proved and Probable in accordance with the JORC Code, corresponding to the Mineral Resource classifications of Measured and Indicated and taking into account other factors where relevant. The deposit's geological model is well constrained. The Ore Reserve classification is considered appropriate given the nature of the deposit, the moderate grade variability, drilling density, structural complexity and mining history. Therefore it was deemed appropriate to use Measured Mineral Resources as a basis for Proven Reserves and Indicated Mineral Resources as a basis for Probable Reserves.

No Inferred Mineral Resources were included in the Ore Reserve estimate.

Jeffrey Quartermaine

Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director

21 February 2017

Competent Person Statement:

Mr Gary Brabham, FAusIMM, MAIG, has compiled and reviewed the consolidated information on the Mineral Resources in this report and compiled the information in the attachment in Appendix 1, Sections 1 and 2 of JORC Table 1 relating to the results of exploration and resource definition drilling for the Open Pit Mineral Resources of the Edikan Gold Mine. The Open Pit Mineral Resources have previously been reported by Perseus in NI43-101 technical reports filed with Canadian authorities and available on SEDAR. Mr Gary Brabham is the Group Geologist for Perseus Mining Ltd. and has sufficient experience which is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity undertaken to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the JORC Code 2012 and a Qualified Person as defined in NI43-101. Mr Brabham consents to the inclusion in this report of the matters based on this information in the form and context in which it appears and has approved the inclusion of technical and scientific information in this report.

Mr Nicolas Johnson, MAIG, who is an employee of MPR Geological Consultants Pty Ltd, has compiled the information in the attachment in Appendix 1, Section 3 of JORC Table 1 which relate to the Open Pit Mineral Resources of the Edikan Gold Mine. Mr Johnson has sufficient experience, which is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity which he has undertaken to qualify as a Competent Person, as defined in the JORC Code. Mr Johnson has no economic, financial or pecuniary interest in the company and consents to the inclusion in this report of the matters based on this information in the form and context in which it appears and has approved the inclusion of technical and scientific information in this report.

Mr Joe McDiarmid, who is a Chartered Professional Member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, and is an employee of RungePincockMinarco Limited has compiled the information in the attachment in Appendix 1, Section 4 of JORC Table 1 which relate to the Open Pit Ore Reserves of the Edikan Gold Mine. Mr Joe McDiarmid has sufficient experience, which is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity which he has undertaken to qualify as a Competent Person, as defined in the JORC Code 2012. Mr McDiarmid has no economic, financial or pecuniary interest in the company and consents to the inclusion in this report of the matters based on this information in the form and context in which it appears and has approved the inclusion of technical and scientific information in this report.

Mr Shaun Searle, who is a Member of the Australasian Institute of Geoscientists and is an employee of RungePincockMinarco Limited has compiled the information in the attachment in Appendix 2, Section 1, 2 and 3 of JORC Table 1 which relate to the Esuajah South Mineral Resource of the Edikan Gold Mine. Mr Searle has sufficient experience, which is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity which he has undertaken to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the JORC Code. Mr Searle has no economic, financial or pecuniary interest in the company and consents to the inclusion in this report of the matters based on this information in the form and context in which it appears and has approved the inclusion of technical and scientific information in this report.

Mr Allan Earl, who is a Member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and is an employee of Snowden Mining Industry Consultants Pty Ltd., has compiled the information in the attachment in Appendix 3, Section 4 of JORC Table 1 which relate to the Esuajah South Ore Reserve of the Edikan Gold Mine. Mr Earl has sufficient experience, which is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity which he has undertaken to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the JORC Code 2012. Mr Earle has no economic, financial or pecuniary interest in the company and consents to the inclusion in this report of the matters based on this information in the form and context in which it appears and has approved the inclusion of technical and scientific information in this report.

Mr Steffen Brammer, who is a Member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and is an employee of Perseus Mining Ltd. has compiled the information in the attachment in Appendix 2, Sections 1 and 2 and Appendix 3, Section 1, 2 and 3 of JORC Table 1 which relate to the Esuajah South and Heap Leach Mineral Resource of the Edikan Gold Mine, respectively. Mr Brammer has sufficient experience, which is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity which he has undertaken to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the JORC Code 2012 and consents to the inclusion in this report of the matters based on this information in the form and context in which it appears and has approved the inclusion of technical and scientific information in this report.

Mr Paul Thompson, who is a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and is an employee of Perseus Mining Ltd. has compiled and reviewed the consolidated information on the Ore Reserves in this report. Mr Thompson has sufficient experience, which is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity which he has undertaken to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the JORC Code 2012 and a Qualified Person as defined in NI43-101 and consents to the inclusion in this report of the matters based on this information in the form and context in which it appears and has approved the inclusion of technical and scientific information in this report.

Caution Regarding Forward Looking Information:

This report contains forward-looking information which is based on the assumptions, estimates, analysis and opinions of management made in light of its experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that management of the Company believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date that such statements are made, but which may prove to be incorrect. Assumptions have been made by the Company regarding, among other things: the price of gold, continuing commercial production at the Edikan Gold Mine without any major disruption, development of a mine at Sissingue and/or Yaoure, the receipt of required governmental approvals, the accuracy of capital and operating cost estimates, the ability of the Company to operate in a safe, efficient and effective manner and the ability of the Company to obtain financing as and when required and on reasonable terms. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive of all factors and assumptions which may have been used by the Company. Although management believes that the assumptions made by the Company and the expectations represented by such information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking information will prove to be accurate. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any anticipated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such factors include, among others, the actual market price of gold, the actual results of current exploration, the actual results of future exploration, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be evaluated, as well as those factors disclosed in the Company's publicly filed documents. The Company believes that the assumptions and expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things, the Company's ability to carry on its exploration and development activities, the timely receipt of required approvals, the price of gold, the ability of the Company to operate in a safe, efficient and effective manner and the ability of the Company to obtain financing as and when required and on reasonable terms. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Perseus does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
White Rock, British Columbia (FSCwire) - Asiamet Resources Ltd. (ARS or the "Company") is pleased to announce a further strengthening of its Board and management team as it advances the BKM feasibility study through to completion in 2017 and ramps up project financing and mine development related activities. Simultaneously the Company is continuing to progress its other high potential Indonesian copper and gold projects, delisting from the TSX-V and consolidating its listing on the London AIM.

Effective February 20, 2017, Tony Manini the current Chief Executive Officer and Vice Chairman will assume the position of Executive Chairman of the Board and Mr Peter John Bird, a highly experienced mining company executive will join Asiamet in the full time role of Chief Executive Officer. Mr Bird, 53, will also join the Asiamet Board as Vice Chairman. Peter Pollard the current Chairman of the Board will continue as a non-executive director.

Further changes to the Board will be announced in due course as the focus of Company activities transitions from exploration and feasibility studies to project financing, mine construction and operations.

Peter Bird is an experienced, well known and highly respected mining industry executive. His extensive experience covers technical, management, investment and human resource positions with major companies such as Western Mining Corporation, Merrill Lynch Equities and Newmont Mining. He has held senior executive roles at Newcrest Mining and Normandy Mining, two of Australias largest gold producers with substantial operations in Indonesia. Peter was most recently the Managing Director of Heemskirk Consolidated Ltd., an Australian listed producer of industrial minerals in Canada and previously operator of the Pajingo gold mine in Australia and the Los Santos tungsten mine in Spain. Over the past three years he has led the feasibility, financing and development of an industrial minerals project in Canada. Mr. Bird has a Bachelor of Applied Science in Geology from LaTrobe University and is a member of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

On February 13, 2017, Mr. Bird was granted 8 million stock options of the Company on the following terms, assuming continued employment: 2 million options will vest February 20, 2018 at an exercise price of 6p per share, 2 million options will vest February 20, 2018 at an exercise price of 8 p per share, 2 million options will vest February 20, 2019 at an exercise price of 10 p per share and 2 million options will vest February 20, 2019 at an exercise price of 12 p per share.

Tony Manini, Asiamets Chief Executive Officer commented:

Asiamet is rapidly advancing towards a major milestone in its life as a Company. While this represents a very exciting time for all our stakeholders, the complexity and intensity of activities required to transition from exploration and feasibility studies through project financing to mine construction and operations in a developing country is very significant. As such we are very pleased to have attracted an executive of Peter Birds calibre to join our operational team and I am looking forward to working closely with him to lead the Company through this next exciting phase. As Executive Chairman my commitment to the success of Asiamet remains unwavering and acutely focussed on business critical strategic matters. The addition of Peters experience across all facets of the mining business in both major and junior company environments including recent project financing and development experience is highly relevant to Asiamets current status. As a top rated mining analyst, investor relations manager and Managing Director his extensive capital markets experience will prove highly beneficial as we look to further expand our investor base. It speaks volumes for the quality of our project portfolio and team that Peter has elected to join Asiamet at this time and we warmly welcome him to the Company.

Companies and partnerships of which Mr Bird has been a director or partner in the last five years:

Current:

Australian Resources Evaluation & Development Pty Ltd

Resource Executive Services Pty Ltd

Tambo Trading Pty Ltd

Past:

Excelsior Gold Limited

GPM Resources Pty Ltd

Heemskirk Canada Limited

Heemskirk Canada Holdings Limited

Heemskirk Technical Services Pty Ltd

HSK Trading Pty Ltd

HCA Mountain Minerals (Moberly) Limited

HCA Mountain Minerals (Lethbridge) Limited

HCA Mountain Minerals (Nevada) Limited

Other than as provided in this announcement, no other disclosures in relation to Mr Bird are required under Rule 17 and Schedule 2 of the AIM Rules for Companies.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Tony Manini, Deputy Chairman and CEO

-Ends-

For further information, please contact:



Tony Manini



Deputy Chairman and CEO, Asiamet Resources Ltd.

Telephone: +61 3 8644 1300

Email: tony.manini@asiametresources.com

FlowComms Limited

Sasha Sethi

Telephone: +44 (0) 7891 677 441

Email: Sasha@flowcomms.com



Asiamet Resources Nominated Adviser



RFC Ambrian Limited

Andrew Thomson / Oliver Morse

Telephone: +61 8 9480 2500

Email: Andrew.Thomson@rfcambrian.com / Oliver.Morse@rfcambrian.com

VSA Capital Limited



Andrew Raca / Justin McKeegan

Telephone: +44 20 3005 5004 / +44 20 3005 5009

Email: araca@vsacapital.com

Optiva Securities Limited



Christian Dennis

Telephone: +44 20 3137 1903

Email: Christian.Dennis@optivasecurities.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view this press release as a PDF file, click onto the following link:public://news_release_pdf/Asiamet02212017.pdfSource: Asiamet Resources Ltd. (TSX Venture:ARS, AIM:ARS)

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The 2014 PEA used prices of: Au US$1,300 US$/oz., Ag US$20/oz. and Cu US$3/lb. * Gold equivalent oz (AuEq) value is based on Au, Ag and Cu revenues (prices and recoveries involved). AuEq oz [troy oz] = [Au g/t * Rec Au * tonnes]/31.1 + [Ag g/t * Rec Ag * tonnes]/31.1* silver price troy oz/ gold price troy oz + [[Cu% * Rec Cu * tonnes]*2204] * copper price lbs/gold price troy oz. Recoveries are adjusted based on metallurgical characteristic of the resource. 1 http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/05eb44ac-f687-4990-a603-3fa1a7f15973

PAu and PCu are the Au and Cu prices (US$1,150/oz and US$2.50/lb, respectively), and RAu and RCu are the Au and Cu projected metallurgical recoveries, 65% and 85%, respectively for sulphide material and 78% for Au oxide material. 2 AuEq (M oz) = resource tonnes * AuEq1 3 http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/05eb44ac-f687-4990-a603-3fa1a7f15973

PAu, PAg and PCu are the gold, silver and copper prices (1,250 US$/oz, 15US$/oz. and 2.75 US$/lb, respectively). RAu and RCu are the Au and Cu projected metallurgical recoveries based on a number of S % thresholds.

VANCOUVER, Feb. 21, 2017 - Exeter Resource Corp. (NYSE-MKT:XRA) (TSX:XRC) (Frankfurt:EXB) (Exeter or the Company) is pleased to announce that it has commenced a 6,000 metre drill program on its 100% owned Caspiche gold-copper project in Chile.The program, contracted to Synergy Drilling, is designed to improve the definition of the known oxide gold zone and other potentially leachable gold zones currently not included in the oxide gold heap leach mine plan.While the gold oxide zone is well defined by previous drilling, the current program will bring confidence levels to feasibility standards, a necessary component of our plan to move Caspiche oxides to a production decision.Importantly, material within a transition zone below the oxides is known, but not well defined. Drilling and metallurgical testwork on this material opens the potential to add to the resources amenable to heap leaching.Upon completion of the drilling program, Exeter expects to initiate advanced studies on the project using updated capital and operating cost estimates. Alternative infrastructure requirements associated with a recently optioned desalinated water will also be assessed (refer to the Companys press release dated January 17, 2017 - Exeter secures second water source).Caspiche is one of the largest gold discoveries made in Chile in recent years. Unique characteristics of the deposit include its sizeable heap leachable zone and a lower, discrete higher grade gold-copper core, within a low grade envelope. This combination offers mining opportunities that range from modest scale heap leach gold production, to larger scale open pit/underground mining of the gold-copper zone.Development options were assessed for Caspiche in the Preliminary Economic Assessment (2014 PEA)released in 2014. This report reviewed three potential development alternatives, all of which require significantly less capital than earlier studies.In the 2014 PEA, the heap leach oxide gold project produced a projected average of 122,000 oz AuEq* annually over a planned 10 year mine life, including 148,000 oz AuEq* annually in the first five years. The proposed project has a very low strip ratio (0.27:1) and favorable gold recoveries.Over the course of the last 18 months, the Company optimized Caspiche oxide development requirements, including detailed metallurgical studies. Importantly, the Company advanced infrastructure alternatives, including securing a second water source.Wendell Zerb, Exeter's President & CEO and a qualified person ("QP") within the definition of that term in National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, has reviewed and approved the technical information in this corporate update.Exeter is a Canadian mineral exploration company focused on the exploration and development of the Caspiche project in Chile. The property is situated in the Maricunga gold district, between the Maricunga mine ( Kinross Gold Corp. ) and the Cerro Casale gold deposit ( Barrick Gold Corp. and Kinross Gold Corp. ). The discovery represents one of the largest mineral discoveries made in recent years.On December 19, 2014, Exeter announced the filing of an Amended NI 43-101 Technical Report on the Caspiche Project (2014 PEA). Refer to the Exeter web site or Sedar for details regarding the 2014 PEA.The Company currently has cash reserves of C$16 million and no debt.EXETER RESOURCE CORPORATIONWendell Zerb, P. GeolPresident and CEOA. Disclaimer: The economic analysis contained in the 2014 PEA is considered preliminary in nature. There is no certainty that the economic forecast outlined in the 2014 PEA will be realized. No inferred mineral resources were used in the PEA. See Exeters website or Sedar for the news release dated December 19, 2014: Amended NI 43-101 Technical Report on the Caspiche Project; Effective date: April 30, 2014.If you have any questions regarding Exeter, or would like a complete corporate presentation forwarded to you, please contact Mr. Rob Grey, VP Corporate Communications at: rgrey@exeterresource.com or Toll-free 1.888.688.9592.This news release contains forward-looking information and forward-looking statements (together, the forward-looking statements) within the meaning of applicable securities laws and the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including in relation to the Companys belief as to the potential significance of water discovered and the potential to utilize the desalinated water secured under option, the timing and completion of advanced studies or a new preliminary economic assessment for the advancement of Caspiche, a potential production decision on the oxide project, the potential to establish new opportunities for the advancement of Caspiche, results from the 2014 PEA including estimated annual production rates, capital and production costs or expected changes to such costs, water and power requirements and metallurgical recoveries, expected taxation rates, potential for securing water rights and adequate water and potential approval of water extraction, potential for reduced power costs, potential to acquire new projects and expected cash reserves. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurance that the future circumstances, outcomes or results anticipated in or implied by such forward-looking statements will occur or that plans, intentions or expectations upon which the forward-looking statements are based will occur. While the Company has based these forward-looking statements on its expectations about future events as at the date that such statements were prepared, the statements are not a guarantee that such future events will occur and are subject to risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors which could cause events or outcomes to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors and assumptions include, among others, the effects of general economic conditions, the price of gold, silver and copper, changing foreign exchange rates and actions by government authorities, uncertainties associated with negotiations and misjudgments in the course of preparing forward-looking information. In addition, there are known and unknown risk factors which could cause the Companys actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Known risk factors include risks associated with project development; including risks associated with the failure to satisfy the requirements of the Companys agreement with Anglo American on its Caspiche project which could result in loss of title; the need for additional financing; operational risks associated with mining and mineral processing; risks associated with metallurgical recoveries, risks associated with operating in areas subject to drought conditions and scarcity of available water sources, power availability and changes in legislation affecting the use of those resources; fluctuations in metal prices; title matters; uncertainty and risks associated with the legal challenge to the easement secured from the Chilean government; uncertainties and risks related to carrying on business in foreign countries; environmental liability claims and insurance; reliance on key personnel; the potential for conflicts of interest among certain officers, directors or promoters of the Company with certain other projects; the absence of dividends; currency fluctuations; competition; dilution; the volatility of the Companys common share price and volume; tax consequences to U.S. investors; and other risks and uncertainties, including those described herein and in the Companys Annual Information Form for the financial year ended December 31, 2015 dated March 22, 2016 filed with the Canadian Securities Administrators and available at www.sedar.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company is under no obligation to update or alter any forward-looking statements except as required under applicable securities laws.Cautionary Note to United States Investors - The information contained herein and incorporated by reference herein has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of Canadian securities laws, which differ from the requirements of United States securities laws. In particular, the term resource does not equate to the term reserve. The Securities Exchange Commissions (the SEC) disclosure standards normally do not permit the inclusion of information concerning measured mineral resources, indicated mineral resources or inferred mineral resources or other descriptions of the amount of mineralization in mineral deposits that do not constitute reserves by U.S. standards, unless such information is required to be disclosed by the law of the Companys jurisdiction of incorporation or of a jurisdiction in which its securities are traded. U.S. investors should also understand that inferred mineral resources have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence and great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. Disclosure of contained ounces is permitted disclosure under Canadian regulations; however, the SEC normally only permits issuers to report mineralization that does not constitute reserves by SEC standards as in place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measures.NEITHER THE TSX NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS NEWS RELEASEWendell Zerb, CEO orRob Grey, VP Corporate CommunicationsTel: 604.688.9592Fax: 604.688.9532Toll-free: 1.888.688.9592Suite 1660, 999 West Hastings St.Vancouver, BC Canada V6C 2W2exeter@exeterresource.com
Vancouver - Ashburton Ventures Inc. (Ashburton or the Company) (ABR-TSX-V) announces that, further to its news releases dated January 30, 2017, February 2, 2017 and February 9, 2017, the Company has completed its non-brokered private placement of 12,000,000 units (the "Units") at a price of $0.10 per Unit for an aggregate gross proceeds of $1,200,000 (the "Offering").

Each Unit is comprised of one common share (a "Share") and one Share purchase warrant (a "Warrant") of the Company. Each Warrant will entitle the holder to purchase one Share (a Warrant Share) at a price of $0.15 per Warrant Share until February 20, 2019. The warrants are subject to an acceleration clause, which states that the issuer will have the right to accelerate the expiry date of the warrants if, at any time, the average closing price of the shares is equal to or greater than 30 cents for 10 consecutive trading days. In the event of acceleration, the expiry date will be accelerated to a date that is 30 days after the issuer issues a new release, announcing that it has elected to exercise this acceleration right.

Finders fees payable on the placement are $53,600 cash and 536,000 finders warrants. Finders warrants are exercisable at $0.10 for a period of 12 months from the closing date.

All securities issued pursuant to the closing of the Offering are subject to a hold period expiring on June 21, 2017.

Ashburton Ventures Inc. is a Canadian-based junior exploration with mineral projects in Canada and Nevada, USA. If you would like to be added the news release distribution please get in touch with us at info@ashburtonventures.com.





ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD



Michael England

Michael England, CEO and Director







FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:



Telephone: 1-604-683-3995

Toll Free: 1-888-945-4770







Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.


Vancouver, February 21, 2016 - Nortec Minerals Corp. (the "Company" or "Nortec") (TSXV: NVT) is pleased to provide an update from the Company's Joint Venture earn-in partner Avalon Minerals ("Avalon") of Milton, QLD, Australia. Avalon provided a summary of exploration activities and an expenditure report on the Tammela Project, Southern Finland. The Tammela Project hosts the Satulinmaki and Riukka gold prospects and the Kietyonmaki lithium prospect, (Figure 1). The results from Avalon's drilling, together with the historical drilling results of the Geological Survey of Finland ("GTK"), exhibit a large gold system and a significant lithium prospect (Re: Nortec's press releases dated 15 Sept., 23 Sept. and 17 Oct. 2016).

Highlights:

-Avalon completes Stage 1 exploration program to earn 51% interest -Completed core drilling of 1,172 metres ("m") at Kietyonmaki Lithium prospect

-24.2m at 1.4% Li2O, including 9m at 2.0% Li2O in hole KMDD001



-Drilling at gold prospects; 1,402m on Satulinmaki and 547m on Riukka.

-147.0m at 0.8 g/t gold from 73m in SMDD007, including 23.5m at 3.3g/t from 143m, including 9.0m at 7.3 g/t from 147m.



-An induced polarization survey is on-going at the Satulinmaki prospect with a proposed drill program of at least 2,000m as part of the Stage 2 work program

Avalon's press releases and the detailed exploration and expenditure report on the Tammela project can be referred to on:

http://www.asx.com.au/asx/share-price-research/company/AVI, http://avalonminerals.com.au/

Tammela Minerals Oy, the wholly-owned subsidiary of Nortec, controls 100% interest in the Somero 1 to 12 and Tammela 1 to 3 claims comprising the Tammela Project. The property hosts the Kietyonmaki lithium prospect and the Riukka and Satulinmaki gold zones. Avalon also staked Rehumaki exploration reservation over an area of 117 km2 around the Somero and Tammela claims. This reservation forms part of the Joint Venture with Avalon.

Avalon and Nortec signed an Earn-in Definitive Agreement on February 8, 2017 pursuant to the Heads of Agreement signed on May 18, 2016. Details with regards to the formation of the Joint Venture Agreement between Nortec and Avalon can be referred to in the Company's press release dated May 19, 2016.

A 3,120 metre diamond core drilling program was completed on the Tammela project with 1,171.9 metres at Kietyonmaki prospect, 1,401.6 metres on Satulinmaki prospect and 546.6 metres on Riukka prospect.

Satulinmaki and Riukka Gold Prospect Summary

Recent drill results:

-7.0m at 1.2g/t gold from 9m in SMDD001 -10.0m at 1.1 g/t gold from 33m in SMDD001 -1.0m at 15.2g/t gold from 57m in SMDD001 -42.0m at 0.9 g/t gold from 112m in SMDD002 -2.0m at 2.1 g/t gold from 237m in SMDD003 -13.4m at 2.0 g/t gold from 15.6m in SMDD004 -2.0m at 10.5 g/t gold from 7m in SMDD005

-147.0m at 0.8 g/t gold from 73m in SMDD007, including 23.5m at 3.3g/t from 143m, including 9.0m at 7.3 g/t from 147m.

The results from Avalon's drilling together with the historical drilling results of the GTK define a large gold system of broad mineral zones and sub-parallel narrow veins. Within the main system, gold mineralization has been identified as narrow high grade zones within quartz veins and breccias, and as wide low grade intervals within veined and altered rock. The system is open in all directions and has a length of at least 400m, a vertical extent of at least 150m and ranges up to approximately 50m thick (Figure 2).

A detailed Induced Polarization ("IP") program commenced in January. Data is being collected on 50m spaced lines with 50m spaced stations on each line. The survey is covering the immediate Satulinmaki area and the surrounding cultivated areas that have not been previously explored. The IP survey is expected to take approximately 6 weeks to complete.

At Riukka, located 4km to the south-east, Avalon has completed 3 diamond drill holes. The holes intersected quartz veins at depth below quartz vein hosted gold mineralized intervals drilled by the GTK containing up to 2m at 16.6 g/t gold. GTK drilled 41 diamond drill holes for 3,404 meters during the period 2001-2005 in the broader Riukka area.

Assay results from Avalon's drilling at Riukka returned only weakly mineralized intervals. The drilling assumed a sub-vertical plunge to the gold mineralization. Further work at Riukka will be

dependent upon detailed structural studies.

Planned Program:

-Completion of an IP survey at Satulinmaki over an area of approximately 1,000m x 600m on 50m spaced lines. -Ongoing geological mapping at Satulinmaki. -reparation for a Stage 2 drilling program at Satulinmaki of at least 2,000m.

Kietyonmaki Lithium Prospect Summary

-Diamond drilling returned 24.2m at 1.4% Li2O, including 9m at 2.0% Li2O in hole

KMDD001, and 5.00m at 1.0% Li2O in hole KMDD006;

-Channel sampling returned 16.25m at 1.72% Li2O

Six diamond drill holes totaling 1,171.9 m have been drilled by Avalon confirming a high grade spodumene-bearing pegmatite dyke swarm (Figure 3). Channel sampling has also been completed on 7 traverses - 3 over the main dyke and 4 over smaller dykes and has returned up to 16.25m at 1.72% Li2O. The results suggest continuation of a thickened pegmatite dyke to the southeast and this trend is expected to be tested with future drilling. There are several dykes with known lithium values that have not been explored to date and these will be targeted in future drilling programs.

Planned Program:

-Compilation of data at Kietyonmaki and planning Stage 2 work program.

Expenditures to date:

Total expenditure to date on the earn-in JV area by Avalon and its Finnish subsidiaries is EUR931,394.37. This fulfilled the Stage I work commitments of the 80:20 Earn-in Joint Venture.

Avalon paid Nortec EUR20,000 and issued 1,000,000 Avalon shares upon the signing of the Heads of Agreement. Avalon, through its subsidiary Scandian Metals, will fund exploration on the Tammela Project in two stages to earn an 80% interest. Stage 1 comprises of an expenditure of EUR500,000 over a 24 month time period to earn a 51% Interest. If Scandian elects to undertake Stage 2, then it will pay Nortec EUR200,000 in either cash, shares or a combination of two, will commit to an additional expenditure of EUR 1,000,000 over two years to earn another 29% for a total 80%.

About Nortec Minerals Corp.

Nortec is a mineral exploration and development company based in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Nortec recently entered into a Letter of Intent to acquire an 80% interest in the Tomboko Gold Property located in Guinea, West Africa held by TGR. Nortec will also earn an 80% interest in TGR's minority financial interests in other exploration licenses located in Guinea.

TGR's properties consist of a 100% interest in the Tomboko permit, a 100% interest in the Diguifara Permit and minority interests in the Badamako and the Kouroussa permits. These land holdings cover prospective ground on three separate mineralised trends. Details on the Tomboko, Badamako and Kouroussa permits are in the Company's January 11, 2017 news release. Nortec will update on the exploration work program to be commenced on the Tomboko permit.

The Company moved its offices to Suite 915, 700 West Pender Street, Vancouver BC, V6G 1G8.

Mohan R. Vulimiri, M.Sc., P.Geo, CEO, Nortec Minerals, is a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. Mr. Vulimiri has approved the corporate and technical content contained in this press release

On behalf of the Board of Directors, Nortec Minerals Corp. "Mohan R. Vulimiri" Mohan R. Vulimiri, CEO and Chairman

The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept the responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

This press release contains certain forward looking statements which involve known and unknown risks, delays and uncertainties not under the Company's control which may cause actual results, performances or achievements of the Company to be materially different from the results, performances or expectations implied by these forward looking statements. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States.



Click Image To View Full Size

Figure 1 - Location Map



Click Image To View Full Size

Figure 2: Plan map of assay results from Avalon and GTK drilling at 15m to 55m below surface



Click Image To View Full Size

Figure 3: Kietyonmaki drilling and channel sampling locations and results

Copyright (c) 2017 TheNewswire - All rights reserved.


Highlights:

Permits received for the construction of the initial ponding facility

The initial ponding facility is part of a joint venture with Salta Exploraciones S.A., a local consortium of companies with extensive expertise in the construction of ponding facilities

The initial ponding facility is designed for an output of approximately 2,500 annual tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent in 5% lithium concentrate

VANCOUVER, Feb. 21, 2017 /CNW/ - ("Lithium X", or the "Company") (TSX-V: LIX)(OTCQX: LIXXF) is pleased to announce that the Company has received permits for the construction of the initial ponding facility (the "Facility") to be constructed as part of the Salta Exploraciones S.A. ("SESA") Joint Venture (the "JV").

The initial ponding facility is designed for an output of approximately 2,500 tonnes per annum of lithium carbonate equivalent ("LCE"). The permits allow for the construction of brine collection, pumping, piping and ponding facilities consisting of 62.6 hectares of lined ponds, designed to produce a high-purity 5% lithium concentrate, at the Company's flagship Sal de los Angeles project ("SDLA" or the "Project") in Argentina. The JV ponding facility will cover a maximum of 100 hectares (approximately 1%) of the 8,156 hectares that comprise the Sal de los Angeles property. Construction activities will begin immediately. The Project has not been the subject of a feasibility study and there is no guarantee the Facility will successfully produce a commercial product on a profitable basis or at all.

"We would like to thank the Province of Salta and respective regulatory authorities for their assistance and cooperation in the granting of this permit," commented Paul Matysek, Executive Chairman. "This is a key milestone for our Company and will certainly strengthen and differentiate our status in a very crowded lithium sector. We look forward to working closely with the local authorities and workforce in developing sustainable environmental, work and social programs to ensure we develop the Facility in harmony with the Puna region."

"The receipt of construction permits for our Facility is a major landmark for Lithium X and our joint venture with SESA," commented Brian Paes-Braga, Chief Executive Officer "We are on the cusp of obtaining our first 5% lithium concentrate from our pilot pools on site. This is a high purity brine concentrate that could serve as feed to existing or new battery grade lithium carbonate and/or lithium hydroxide plants. We have already been approached by several end users of the expected concentrate and look forward to initiate testing with downstream partners."

Under the terms of the JV Agreement, to earn a 50% stake in the JV Company, SESA must contribute an estimated US$6 million or the required amount for the construction and operation of an initial 2,500tpa LCE ponding facility by incurring all construction costs, including one full year of post-construction operation. Potasio y Litio de Argentina S.A. ("PLASA"), of which Lithium X has the right to earn 80% and is 100% owner of SDLA, shall contribute US$3.3 million for a 30% contributing participation in the JV and the right to commercialize the lithium products. In addition, PLASA is also fully carried for the remaining 20% for contributing brine from existing wells on the Project, including a free-flowing artesian well that is expected to supply the operation initially.

The Company cautions that the Project has not been the subject of a feasibility study and there is no guarantee the pilot ponding facility will successfully produce a commercial product on a profitable basis or at all. There is a significant risk that production from the pilot ponding facility will not be profitable, and the risks are even greater given that no feasibility study has been prepared. The Company has not established the economic viability of the proposed operation or any mineral reserves that would support the same. It also does not disclose the higher risk of failure of this production decision in the circumstances. The purpose of the pilot program is not to commence commercial production but to utilize the expertise and experience of its new joint venture partner, Salta Exploraciones SA ("SESA") using brine from an existing free flowing artesian well which will contribute initial brine to the pilot ponding facility. SESA is a consortium of Argentina based engineering and construction firms with extensive experience in the design, construction and operation of lithium brine facilities in Argentina's Puna region, where the Project is located.

The scientific and technical content and interpretations contained in this news release have been reviewed and approved by VP of Project Development William Randall, a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

ABOUT LITHIUM X ENERGY CORP.

Lithium X Energy Corp. is a lithium exploration and development company with a goal of becoming a low-cost supplier for the burgeoning lithium battery industry. Lithium X owns 50%, and has the option to acquire up to 80%, of the Sal de los Angeles lithium brine project in the prolific "Lithium Triangle" in mining friendly Salta province, Argentina. Lithium X's Arizaro project consists of 33,846 hectares located in one of the district's largest salars known to contain elevated lithium brine values. Lithium X is also exploring a large land package in Nevada's Clayton Valley, contiguous to the only producing lithium operation in North America  Silver Peak, owned and operated by Albemarle, the world's largest lithium producer. Lithium X is listed on the TSXV under the trading symbol LIX.

For additional information about Lithium X Energy Corp., please visit the Company's website at www.lithium-x.com or review the Company's documents filed on www.sedar.com. Join the Company's email list at http://lithium-x.com/subscribe.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

"Paul Matysek"

Paul Matysek

Executive Chairman

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

References to "production" or "pilot production" herein should not be construed to imply that the Company's Sal del Los Angeles Project is in commercial production or that it contains mineral reserves. Further technical studies will be required to assess the project's viability. There is no certainty that a potential mine will be realized or that a production decision will be made.

This news release contains certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities legislation (collectively "forward-looking statements"). Certain information contained herein constitutes "forward-looking information" under Canadian securities legislation. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "expects", "believes", "aims to", "plans to" or "intends to" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made and they are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, including the business of the Company and the commencement of trading in the Company's shares. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward looking information. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that are incorporated by reference herein, except as required by applicable securities laws.

SOURCE Lithium X Energy Corp.
Sudbury - Frontier Lithium Inc. (TSX.V: FL) Frontier (the Company), announces the appointment of Frontiers President Trevor Walker, as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company following the resignation of Mr. Henry Kloepper.

Frontier would like to thank Henry and wish him success in all of his future endeavors, stated Reginald (Rick) Walker, Chairman of the Board.

The Board is delighted with their appointment of Trevor Walker and his added role of Chief Executive Officer. Walker joined Frontier in 2010, and since then he has played a key strategic role in focusing the company on its PAK Lithium deposit in Northwestern Ontario. Under his leadership he has increased the company's overall readiness to develop its world-class lithium deposit, advanced global-minded marketing activities, and bridged partnerships to bring Canada's newest lithium mine project on line.

Prior to joining the company, Walker was Vice President of the Consbec Group of Companies where he accumulated 10 years of experience in mining and construction industry. During his tenure at Consbec, he worked closely with companies such as GoldCorp, Rio Tinto, Westdome, Barrick, Noranda, Agrium and Unimin as well as other major companies. Walker holds an honours BA from the University of Western Ontario, and an MBA from Webster University Geneva, Switzerland.

Company Contact Information

Trevor R. Walker, President

2736 Belisle Drive Val Caron, ON. P3N 1B3 CANADA

T. +001 705.897.7622

F. +001 705.897.7618

Media Requests

Joseph Mansourian

Manager, Communications & Branding

2736 Belisle Drive Val Caron, ON. P3N 1B3 CANADA

T. +001 705.618.0070

F. +001 705.897.761

About Frontier Lithium Inc.

Frontiers goal is to become a low-cost, fully integrated lithium and tantalum producer through development of the PAK lithium deposit in Ontario, Canada. Frontier maintains a tight share structure with management ownership exceeding 30% of the Company. CAD $4 million of exploration work has been conducted from

2013 to 2016 on the deposit which boasts its lithium in a rare, high-purity, low-iron spodumene. The Company has adopted a staged growth approach to exploration and development in order to avoid unnecessary share dilution  a strategic imperative for the Company. The initial target market is the glass-ceramic industry which consumes roughly one-third of global lithium supply and is currently faced with monopolistic conditions, coupled with major lithium producers increasingly directing output toward supporting battery manufacture.

Ceramic/glass customers prefer to source technical-grade (low-iron) spodumene concentrate in excess of 7% lithium oxide (Li2O), if available, to avoid inferior lower grade petalite concentrates, or paying much higher prices for battery grade lithium compounds that require chemical plants costing hundreds of millions of dollars.

The PAK lithium deposit remains open in all directions and Company Management believes the resource can be developed into a world-class operation. The Company is currently conduction pre-feasibility to produce lithium concentrates. If production of lithium concentrates can be established from Frontier, the possible second stage of investment and longer term prospect is to further process some of PAKs output to produce the higher purity lithium compounds required for lithium battery technologies used in the electrification of transportation and electric grid storage applications.

For additional information, please visit the company website at www.frontierlithium.com

About the PAK Lithium Project

The PAK Lithium Project lies close to the boundary between two geological sub-provinces of the western Superior geologic province in northwestern Ontario and hosts a rare metals pegmatite deposit. The deposit is an LCT (lithium- cesium- tantalum) type pegmatite. These types of pegmatites have been the principal source of hard rock lithium, tantalum, rubidium and cesium ores mined in the world but there are comparatively few commercially-viable deposits.

Frontier is actively exploring its 100% owned project which contains the Pakeagama Lake pegmatite. The PAK deposit is one of the highest grade lithium mineral resources in North America which has a current Measured and Indicated Resource of 7.89 million tonnes of 1.73% Li2O equivalent (eq.) and Inferred Resource of 295,600 tonnes of 1.35% Li2O eq. which has a technical/ceramic grade spodumene with low inherent iron (below 0.1% Fe2O3). The deposit has adjacent zones that are enriched in tantalum and rubidium. Frontier is

also evaluating the phased co-production of tantalum and mica-product concentrates once lithium mineral production has been commercialized.

The deposit now has a known 500m strike length with an estimated true width varying from 10m to 125m with a sub-vertical orientation. The resource remains open to depth and along strike to the northwest and southeast.



-End-


UTSA will return to the diamond on Wednesday with a 3 p.m. doubleheader at former Southland Conference foe Sam Houston State.The Roadrunners (2-5) are coming off last weekend's Getterman Classic in Waco in which they won just one of four games, but two of their three losses came by just one run. UTSA dropped a 4-3 decision in extra innings against Grand Canyon on Saturday before No. 23 Baylor slipped past the Roadrunners, 7-6, in Sunday's tournament finale.was named to the Getterman Classic All-Tournament Team after she hit .429 with a double, a home run and four RBIs. The freshman closed the event by going 2-for-3 with a homer, two RBIs and a pair of runs scored against the Bears.continues to lead Conference USA with her .538 batting average. Her 14 hits are tops on the squad and she also leads the Roadrunners with a .615 slugging percentage, .556 on-base percentage and three stolen bases. Stewart has at least one hit in six of the team's seven games.Fellow freshmenand Rodriguez are tied for the team lead with five RBIs, while Rodriguez andeach have slugged a pair of home runs to pace the squad.Meanwhile, the Bearkats (2-4) are coming off a 2-0 setback at No. 17 Texas A&M on Feb. 15 in College Station. Tori Koerselman's .421 batting average leads Sam Houston State, which is hitting .273 as a team, while Megan Crosby's four RBIs are tops on the team. In the circle, Tayler Atkinson has thrown a team-high 15.2 innings and her nine strikeouts are tied with Lindsey McLeod for most among the pitching staff. In all, five players have seen time in the circle through the first six games for the Bearkats.UTSA leads the all-time series against Sam Houston State, 40-37, but the Bearkats have a slight 19-17 edge in Huntsville. The teams met 73 times between 1992-2013 as members of the Southland.
As part of a cost-cutting budget designed to avoid broad new taxes but protect service levels, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf recently proposed combining four state departments -- Human Services, Health, Drug and Alcohol, and Aging -- into one consolidated agency. In effect, the proposal would rewind reorganizations spanning decades that provided separate cabinet-level leadership to constituencies arguing that separation would best represent their specialized needs.As a longtime public administrator, including a stint as Pennsylvania's secretary of public welfare in the 1990s, I've had my hand in a number of these reorganizations that critics often label as exercises in "moving the boxes." I've been involved in some that worked reasonably well and some that didn't. I've learned a few things, and I've heard all the arguments.The consolidationists point out that at the local level, program recipients and local administrators need juggling skills to manage numerous program streams. "As far as I can tell right now," one service provider commented on Wolf's proposal, "consolidation is good. Having silos at that level of government isn't necessarily a good thing. If it results in efficiency and better services for people, then I think it would be a good thing."The separatists maintain that the Pennsylvania behemoth from which they escaped was too bureaucratic, too occupied with major program issues to give nuanced attention to their needs, and too identified with less-popular programs, such as public assistance, to gain public support for their more sympathetic causes.Some years ago, I visited an agency that had been formed by the merger of departments of community affairs and economic development. Thinking the consolidation might have yielded some synergy that boosted urban centers' economic-development efforts, I asked around. "Nothing's changed," said one staff person, happily. "Nothing's changed," observed a small-town mayor, with frustration.Whether a reorganization accomplishes anything requires determined managers with vision and persistence. But that's not all. Here are a few observations about how to optimize the chances that something good comes out of the other side: Be clear about distinctions among advocacy, program administration, oversight and licensing. All have roles, but the intersections can be landmines. Don't skip the basics because they seem, well, obvious: Map program streams down to the recipient level, and identify and understand separate and overlapping constituencies. Free-standing drug and alcohol programs, for example, generally reach people without underlying mental-health issues. But not exclusively. A majority of mental-health patients have self-medicated with drugs, alcohol or both. Respect and accommodate voices presenting special concerns. Long-term care, for instance, spans aging as well as working-age adults. Their differences can become acute around institutional-care options as well as policies governing guardianship and self-determination. Never underestimate the extent to which stakeholders believe their situations are unique. Toward the end of my term as Pennsylvania's public-welfare secretary, we invited disability advocates in to suggest that they work together on an agenda of priorities for the new gubernatorial administration. The participants represented clients with many different physical and cognitive disabilities, each their own interest group and often with their own programs and budget lines. It took three meetings for them to begin to forge a strong platform that set budget and policy goals transcending their individual areas of interest. As a group they eventually spoke with a strong and unignorable voice in key issues. Keep the receiving end of the pipeline in clear view. It can be eye-opening. Box-moving may completely miss the obligation of top-line administrators to rationalize regulations and program requirements to ease the administrative burden of front-line program officials. If that isn't attended to, local administrators will have to struggle with the tangle of conflicting and competing rules. With that point in mind, turn to program innovators at the local level as guides to what might work. Twenty years ago in Pennsylvania's Allegheny County, for example, Mark Cherna integrated many of the programs that are now proposed to be combined. "We were able to make tremendous inroads in terms of helping people," he says, "because many of the people we serve are in more than one system."Finally, remember that culture eats structure for lunch. Seeing, confronting and managing cultural differences may in the end be the biggest single skill for successful box-moving.
West Virginia Secretary of State Mac Warner on Monday defended his decision to fire 16 longtime employees upon taking office in January, an action that has resulted in wrongful-termination lawsuits being filed against him."It's just what we needed to do to move the office forward," Warner told the Senate Finance Committee."You know what it looks like on the surface," Sen. Doug Facemire, D-Braxton, told Warner, who fired about one-third of the office's staff -- including many non-management employees who had anywhere from eight to 50 years of service.Warner subsequently replaced them with 22 new hires, including new positions of regional field service representatives for seven regions around the state.Because of the pending litigation, Warner said he could not discuss specifics of the firings, but commented, "Some of these people were leaving anyway."As for the necessity of creating field service representatives in the midst of a $500 million state budget crisis, Warner said, "It's an outreach to first mend the relationships with many of the county clerks."Warner did not elaborate. During the campaign, he raised issues about county clerks who refused to accept online voter registrations through the Secretary of State's Office, as well as county clerks who complained when the office sent postcards to individuals identified by a national database as being eligible to vote but unregistered.Warner said the regional representatives also are to assist with the business registration and licensing functions of the office."It's basically mobile secretary of state field offices, if you will," he told the committee.Warner has created seven field service regions but, to date, has hired just six representatives, with the position for the eight-county Eastern Panhandle region still unfilled.He said the field service representatives will work out of their homes, with the exception of Terry Waxman, who also is manager of Warner's Fairmont office.Warner told senators Monday that the additional hires did not increase the overall personnel budget for the office."We're working within the existing budget," he said.Also Monday, Supreme Court Chief Justice Allen Loughry told the House Finance Committee that the court's current caseload does not warrant the $10 million to $15 million cost of creating an intermediate court of appeals.Loughry said operating costs for the court, promoted by certain business interests, cannot be funded out of the court's $141.76 million budget, and would require additional appropriations."If the intermediate court is passed, it simply can't be absorbed," he said. "We're talking about tens of millions of dollars."Loughry said Supreme Court caseload peaked at 1,346 written opinions in 2013, three years after the court enacted absolute right of appeal rules, requiring the court to issue written opinions on every appeal filed.In recent years, he said, the court has had a very manageable caseload of about 900 cases a year."We're setting cases for arguments within a month, a month-and-a-half," Loughry said, saying that is an unusual level of efficiency for a state Supreme Court.He noted that, when Nevada created an intermediate appeals court, it had a backlog of more than 3,000 cases.Loughry said nearly 90 percent of the Supreme Court's budget -- which also covers costs of operating circuit courts, family courts and magistrate courts statewide -- is mandated by law, leaving little discretionary spending."We're in a position where there isn't going to be anything left to cut," he said, noting that the court cut its current budget by $2 million and has no funding increases in its 2017-18 budget request. "We can't shut down the courts."
A federal judge has ordered sanctions against the state of Texas for blowing past deadlines and ignoring a court order to hand over thousands of pages of documents in a lawsuit challenging its voter registration practices.Texas Attorney General Ken Paxtons offices months-long delay in producing the documents has been disruptive, time consuming, cost consuming and has burdened plaintiffs in the lawsuit, U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia of San Antonio wrote in an order signed Thursday. Garcia ordered the state to pay some of the plaintiffs legal fees, including those tied to the sanctions request.The Texas Civil Rights Project last March sued on behalf of four Texans who allege the Department of Public Safety denied them the opportunity to cast a ballot  and violated federal law  by failing to update their voter registration records online.The group, hoping for quick action during the 2018 election cycle, argued in a motion for sanctions last month that foot-dragging from Paxtons office was hampering its case. State lawyers turned over less than 2 percent of the 55,000 requested pages by Jan. 17  a court-ordered deadline set after Texas asked for several extensions.Texas argued that the Secretary of States office was busy dealing with the 2016 general election and that its legal team  with only one attorney assigned to the case  lacked the manpower to respond to the information request.Garcia rejected those and other arguments. He wrote that Texas had never asked for a deadline extension because of the election, and he suggested that Paxtons office had plenty of resources.It is critical that these issues be resolved well before the 2018 election, Beth Stevens, voting rights director with the Texas Civil Rights Project, said in a statement Friday. Todays order is a strong sign the Court also recognizes the important issues at stake.In its lawsuit, the group claims the DPS website's voter registration features are convoluted, misleading and in violation of federal law.Texas argues its practices comply with the law in question, sometimes known as the Motor Voter Act.The 1993 law requires states to give folks the opportunity to register to vote at the same time that they apply for or renew their drivers licenses.No one disputes that the Department of Public Safety follows the law when Texans handle that business in person, but its a different story for folks who update their license information online, the lawsuit argues.The website eventually directs Texans who check yes to the statement I want to register to vote to the Secretary of States website. There, they can find a registration form that they must print out and send to their county registrar.Though the website specifies that checking yes does not register you to vote, the process has spurred widespread confusion among Texans who erroneously thought the state had automatically updated their registrations, the lawsuit alleges.Over a 20-month stretch ending in May 2015, the state fielded more than 1,800 complaints from Texans who erroneously thought their voter registration records were up to date after they dealt with their drivers licenses online, according to court filings.The lawsuit argues the Motor Voter law applies to all voters  regardless of how they deal with their drivers licenses  and that the state violates the Constitutions Equal Protection Clause by treating them differently.Our litigation is about making sure every voter can cast a ballot that counts, Stevens statement said.
Bingham County, Idaho, is still recovering from a large-scale ransomware attack that took servers down on Wednesday, Feb. 15, with issues remaining through Friday.The unidentified hackers deployed malware that encrypted the citys data, making it inaccessible. Following the attack, ransom demands were made for over $25,000.Bingham County Commissioner Whitney Manwaring told EastIdahoNews.com that every department in the county is affected in some way, and that some departments have even resorted to handwriting documents.They have asked  to be paid through BitCoin or Western Union, said Manwaring. Either of those transactions would be difficult, if not impossible, to track.The county did not pay the ransom and began switching over to backup servers. The attack damaged the county website, emergency 911 calls and the county dispatch center. Dispatchers had to use their cellphones and physical maps to help direct officers to emergencies.Problems continued on Friday morning when at least one backup severer became infected by the virus and the whole county was forced to go offline.City officials worked through the weekend to rebuild their computer infrastructure to prevent future attacks  attacks that are becoming more prevalent in government. According to a report released in October 2016, approximately 10 percent of all ransomware attacks target public-sector organizations.
Red Bull is clinging to its "reserve driver" Carlos Sainz, according to the energy drink marque's Dr Helmut Marko.

Some are raising their eyebrows after Renault, who earlier made a bid to sign Spaniard Sainz for 2017, unveiled a new F1 sponsorship deal with Spanish company Mapfre.

"Historical affinities between Renault, F1 and Spain are once more alive thanks to this partnership," said team boss Cyril Abiteboul.

Sainz, 22, impressed particularly in 2016, but despite Renault's interest Red Bull is insisting upon its contract with the Spaniard and keeping him at the junior team Toro Rosso.

The Spanish daily AS quotes Red Bull driver manager Marko as saying: "We have a long term contract with Carlos and the situation at Mercedes shows how important it is to have reserve drivers.

"Sainz is clearly our reserve driver in case anything happens at Red Bull Racing," he added.

After a season with year-old Ferrari engines, Toro Rosso is moving to up-to-date Renault power for 2017, and technically closer to Red Bull in other areas as well.

Marko explained: "Toro Rosso has to achieve better results so we have the target of fifth place for them in 2017.

"With a good designer like James Key they have the potential, and we see it as positive that both drivers (Sainz and Daniil Kvyat) are staying because that provides stability.

"They are a good mid-table team and what Carlos was offered (by Renault) was no better than that, or worse," Marko added.

(GMM)
At the upcoming Geneva International Motor Show (7-19 March), Toyota will host the world premiere of the i-TRIL Concept. Developed by Toyota Motor Europe (TME) in collaboration with the companys ED design studio in Nice, this electric concept showcases numerous aspects of Toyotas research into ever better and more engaging environmentally-friendly mobility solutions.

Featuring a one-plus-two seating layout, Active Lean technology and capable of operating autonomously, the i-TRIL Concept represents a viable alternative to A and B segment cars, other EV products, and motorcycles for those who still wish to have fun while driving even at slow speeds in the urban environment.

At the show, Toyota will also introduce the new 2017 Yaris alongside its sporty derivative, the Yaris GRMNpowered by a supercharged 1.8-liter engine that will produce more than 210 DIN hp.
Members of the Supreme Courts conservative majority are questioning the continued use of affirmative action in higher education. In lengthy arguments Monday, the justices wrestled with persistent, difficult questions of race. The justices heard from six different lawyers in challenges to policies at the University of North Carolina and Harvard. Those policies consider race among many factors in evaluating applications for admission. One conservative justice likened affirmative action to giving some college applicants a head start in a footrace. But a liberal justice said universities are the pipelines to leadership in our society and suggested that without affirmative action minority enrollment will drop.
It's good to see North Carolina's governor and attorney general working in harmony:

Today, Gov. Roy Cooper and AG Josh Stein withdrew the state's request to the U.S. Supreme Court for review of a federal appeals court's ruling that struck down voting restrictions enacted in 2013, the governor's office said in a news release.

Cooper made no mention of this during his appearance in High Point for an economic development announcement this morning, but the news release was sent out a couple of hours later.

"This morning, the Governors General Counsel and Chief Deputy Attorney General jointly sent a letter discharging outside counsel in the case on behalf of the State," the release said.

This "outside counsel" was hired by the legislature and former governor to defend their law. As attorney general before his election as governor in November, Cooper did defend it  until the adverse ruling by the 4th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. He saw no reason to seek a review by the Supreme Court.

That law "sought to 'target African Americans with almost surgical precision' in order to limit access to the ballot box," the release from Cooper's office said, quoting the 4th Circuit ruling.

The law, signed by former Gov. Pat McCrory, required use of photo ID, shortened the early voting period and barred same-day registration, preregistration by 16- and 17-year-olds and out-of-precinct provisional voting.

It also ended straight-party voting, but that provision was not challenged.

McCrory and Cooper were often at odds over legal matters, creating some awkward conflicts since the state was sued so often over Republican laws. Cooper also declined to defend HB 2 and the bill that attempted to make over Greensboro's city elections.

Now Cooper is governor and his political ally, fellow Democrat Stein, is attorney general. They should work together well.

It's a good start to try to drop further challenges to the appellate ruling against voting restrictions.

We need to make it easier for people to exercise their right to vote, not harder, and I will not continue to waste time and money appealing this unconstitutional law, Cooper said in the news release. Its time for North Carolina to stop fighting for this unfair, unconstitutional law and work instead to improve equal access for voters.

The right to vote is our most fundamental right, Stein added. Voting is how people hold their government accountable. I support efforts to guarantee fair and honest elections, but those efforts should not be used as an excuse to make it harder for people to vote.

Those are the positions that our governor and attorney general should take. The Supreme Court should let the appellate court ruling stand.
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Greensboro recently presented its 2016 volunteer awards during its annual volunteer-appreciation breakfast.

Arnold Jeffries won the 2016 Joe White Volunteer of the Year Award. Jeffries has been a Habitat volunteer since 2003. He began volunteering with Habitat on Saturdays with a group from St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church but later moved to Habitat Greensboros weekday crew. Since 2007, Jeffries has volunteered nearly every Wednesday and Thursday and has become an integral part of the Habitat Greensboro construction crew. The Joe White Volunteer of the Year award is named for the late Joe White, who helped build Habitat Greensboros first house in 1987 and volunteered on more than 400 Habitat Greensboro houses.

Geneva Metzger and Joseph Stiefel were co-winners of the 2016 Gerard Davidson Lifetime Achievement Award. Metzger has been active with Habitat Greensboro since the chapter started in the late 1980s. She has served as a Habitat board member, weekday crew member, family-selection chair and as a member of numerous committees. In addition, she provides meals for Habitats AmeriCorps members and collegiate-challenge students and faithfully contributes her resources to Habitat. Metzger is a retired pastor.

Stiefel began volunteering for Habitat Greensboro in 2002 when he was drafted by another member of the weekday crew, Palmer Shelburne. Since then, he has been a consistent member of the weekday crew working with the construction staff most weeks during the year. Stiefel is a retired neurologist who moved to Greensboro with his wife, Nancy, in 1962. The Gerard Davidson Lifetime Achievement Award is named for Davidson, who has played an active role in almost every facet of Habitat Greensboro and led 18 mission trips to Honduras.
Activities

The Euterpe Music Clubs Young Artist Recital was held Feb. 12 at the First Moravian Church in Greensboro.

Performers included Praise Adejumo, Victor Adejumo, Rickie Benedetto, Tesla Chapman, Gabrielle Costa, Arianna Cunningham (violin), Roma Desai, James Esterline, Lyn Gentry, Abigail Hinson, Josiah Ijaola, Patrick King, Christian Lin, Ashlyn Meier (flute), Kay Millikan (flute), Hannah Osborne, Emmaruth Siler and Marina Williams.

The Euterpe Teacher Studios represented included Jacqueline Canter, Lyn Gentry, Ginny Hotchkiss, Pat King, George Kiorpes, Tim Lindeman, Nancy Thurston and Nancy Walker.

Walker and Susan Young were the accompanists for the recital.

Announcements

The Greensboro Rose Society will hold its next meeting at 7 p.m. today in the Fellowship Hall of Deep River Friends Meeting, 5300 W. Wendover Ave. in High Point.

Experienced and new rose growers are welcome to attend.

For information, call (336) 382-5936.

***

The Chair City Toastmasters will celebrate its first Thursday dinner meeting of the year at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23, at the Sunrise Diner, 1026 Randolph St. in Thomasville.

The free meeting will offer information about the organization. Participants may buy supper as well.

The organization meets at noon Tuesdays at the Thomasville Public Library when the library is open. Meetings last for one hour.

For information, call (336) 508-4420 or email etl704@yahoo.com.

***

The Triad chapter of the N.C. Native Plant Society will meet at 7 p.m. March 1 at the Kathleen Clay Edwards Family Library, 1420 Price Park Drive in Greensboro.

Derick Poindexter will present the program Difficult and Diverse: An Exploration of Grasses, Sedges and Rushes.

Poindexter worked with Ralph L. Thompson as an undergraduate at Berea College in Kentucky on floral inventories. In graduate school at Appalachian State, he cataloged the plant life of Mount Jefferson State Natural Area in Ashe County. He received his doctorate under Alan S. Weakley at UNC-Chapel Hill, focusing on molecular systematics.

Poindexter has published regularly, including naming new species to science, floral studies and treatments for the Flora of North America Project.

For information, call (336) 493-3070 or visit www.ncwildflower.org.

***

The Greensboro Alumnae chapter of Delta Delta Delta will host its annual Pansy Brunch at 11 a.m. March 11 at Sedgefield Country Club, 3201 Forsyth Drive in Greensboro.

The chapters Golden Circle members will be honored and participants will dine with Elon Tri Deltas.

Money for Kids Path Hospice will be raised.

All Triad alumna are welcome to attend.

For information, call Cathy Hicks at (336) 887-5387.

***

The Greensboro Alumnae chapter of Delta Sigma Theta sorority will celebrate the chapters 75th anniversary with a gala from 7 to 11 p.m. April 1 in the N.C. A&Ts Alumni Foundations event center, 200 N. Benbow Road in Greensboro.

The attire is formal, and the cost is $75 per person.

The galas theme is 75 Years  Honoring the Past, Sharing the Present and Igniting the Future.

Betty Kelly is the chapter president, and the galas co-chairwomen are Patrice Hinnant and Linda R. Wilson.

For tickets, contact Bettye Jenkins at (336) 549-2767 or visit dstgreensboroalumnae.org.

Awards

The Furnitureland Rotary Club has named its Fairview Elementary School Students of the Month: Emily Ventura for January and Naiobe Patterson for February.

Each month, the teachers at Fairview nominates a fifth-grader who has demonstrated good citizenship and academic growth during the year. These students are recognized at a meeting of the Rotary Club of Furnitureland, where the teachers letter of nomination is read.

Students who receive the Student of the Month Award are eligible to participate in a drawing to receive a Shirlee Carda Scholarship at the end of the school year.
Activities

Two Kisco Senior Living Communities have raised more than $5,000 for the Creative Aging Network-NC, a state-wide organization based in Greensboro that is designed to enhance the well-being of seniors through creative arts programming, education and training.

Nearly 250 community members and guests from Abbotswood at Irving Park and Heritage Greens, along with their premier sponsor Onsite Care, came together on Feb. 4 for a Roaring 20s themed Winter Wonderland event at the Starmount Forest Country Club in Greensboro.

Developed by Executive Director Lia Miller, the gala raised funds to help continue CAN-NCs signature program, Art Mail for Alzheimers, which pairs senior residents with dementia with a counterpart at another senior community to work together to create artwork and is geared towards connecting these residents with others outside of their specific community.

***

Carolina Farm Credit, its employees, and board members donated $1,000 to the Christians United Outreach Center in Asheboro.
BURLINGTON  Police are looking for three men who robbed a convenience store at gunpoint early Tuesday.

Officers responded at 12:34 a.m. to Rick's Mini-Mart, 1122 E. Morehead St., for a reported robbery, police said in a news release.

The two employees told officers that three men came into the store with handguns.

Surveillance video showed three men wearing black-hooded sweatshirts, black pants and bandanas approaching the store from the rear and entering the store.

Once inside, all three produced black handguns. The robbers took various items from the store and an undisclosed amount of money.

A K-9 officer with the Alamance County Sheriff's Office was unable to track the robbers.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Burlington Police Department at (336) 229-3503 or Alamance County-Wide Crimestoppers at (336) 229-7100.
Gov. Roy Cooper and state Republican leaders circled each other warily Monday after the governor unveiled the outlines of his plan to boost average teacher pay to $55,000 in two years.

The Democratic governor described his proposal as a multi-year investment in North Carolina teachers that would raise their salaries to the highest in the Southeast in three years and to at least the national average in five.

These arent just investments in our teachers, they are investments in our childrens future, Cooper said.

Leaders in the Republican-controlled General Assembly depicted Cooper as having opposed their previous efforts to enact recent pay hikes.

After he opposed recent Republican budgets that increased average teacher pay by 15.5 percent, we are pleased Roy Cooper has finally joined legislative efforts to undo the damage of years of Democratic teacher furloughs and teacher pay freezes, state Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger (R-Eden) said in a news release.

Cooper said that his proposal would not raise taxes while investing a total of $813 million in teacher salaries in two years. The plan also would allot $150 per teacher each year to offset what they spend out of pocket on classroom supplies.

The overall proposal would take average teacher salaries to just over $62,200 in the 2021-22 state budget, he said.

In the shorter term, it would lock in average pay raises of 5 percent during each of the next two budget years.

Coopers proposal is a significant step toward restoring respect back to the profession, said Mark Jewell, president of the North Carolina Association of Educators.

Republican House Speaker Tim Moore (R-Cleveland) countered that under GOP stewardship bold and historic commitments have resulted in steady gains in teacher pay since 2014.

Republicans raised teacher pay while cutting taxes and providing relief to hardworking North Carolinians, so we hope the details of Gov. Coopers proposal will mirror our successful approach, Moore said.

The state Democratic Party disputed Berger and Moores assessment, asserting in a Monday afternoon news release that GOP leaders suppressed teacher salaries to one of the lowest average levels in the nation in 2013 before beginning the rebound they now tout.
Four Democratic legislators filed a bill this past week in the N.C. House that would prohibit law enforcement officers from racially profiling people and would require law enforcement agencies to collect homicide statistics, including data about people killed by their officers.

The bill, House Bill 99, known as the Anti-Discrimination Act of 2017, also would require officers to receive annual training concerning discriminatory profiling.

State Rep. Ed Hanes, D-Forsyth, said the legislation has important provisions.

The training components and homicide reporting components present a great opportunity for law enforcement and the community to continue growing their relationship toward more and more positive interactions, Hanes said in an email. If we can work together on the data side that can guide our training, conversation and continued growth.

The bills primary sponsors are state Reps. Cecil Brockman of High Point and Amos Quick of Greensboro, who represents sections of Guilford County, and state Reps. Rodney Moore and Kelly Alexander Jr., both of Charlotte who represent portions of Mecklenburg County.

State Rep. Donny Lambeth and state Sen. Joyce Krawiec, both Forsyth County Republicans, declined comment on the bill.

The bill was filed nearly five months after the Charlotte polices fatal shooting of Keith Lamont Scott, a 43-year-old black man on Sept. 20 and the protests that followed. Scott was shot by Charlotte police officer Brentley Vinson, who is also black.

Rumors swirled immediately after the shooting that Scott was unarmed, didnt own a gun and was holding a book. Mecklenburg District Attorney Andrew Murray did not press charges against Vinson, saying the use of deadly force was lawful.

Scott had bought a handgun 18 days before the confrontation for $100. Murray said that one bullet was found in the chamber of a cocked gun, the safety was off and Scotts DNA was found on the grip and slide.

Chief Barry Rountree of the Winston-Salem Police Department said Friday that many provisions in the bill are being carried out by his agency.

Rountree pointed to the departments policy on bias-free policing that prohibits officers from profiling people based on their race, ethnicity, origin, gender, gender identity and other characteristics.

Based on the way the current version of this proposed bill is written, I dont see any issues for the police department, Rountree said.

The fate of House Bill 99 is unclear in a Republican-dominated General Assembly. Moore filed a similar bill in 2015, HB 193, known as the Prohibition of Discriminatory Practices. That bill, which never emerged from a committee, would have prohibited or reaffirmed existing prohibitions on discriminatory profiling by officers or agencies.

Alexander and Brockman said the current bill is the right approach.

Right now, we are seeing too much violence in our communities, Brockman said. But it is hard to fix these problems if there is distrust between the community and law enforcement, especially if people feel like they are being profiled or discriminated against.

We need to work together to eliminate the biases that divide us so we can bring about safer situations for our next generation, he said.

State Rep. Evelyn Terry, D-Forsyth, said the bill is necessary because some constituents tell her that police racially profile them.

It spells everything out in clear terms, Terry said about the proposed legislation.

Alexander and Brockman said they believe their bill could eventually get a floor vote in the House.

Any time I file a bill, I believe there is a chance it can pass, Brockman said. I hope that in the interest of public safety and respect for our citizens that we can attract bipartisan support for a bill like this.

Alexander said the bill isnt dead on arrival in the House.

A lot will depend on the reaction to it of the various law enforcement associations, he said.

The American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina supports the bill as an effort to end racial profiling, said Sarah Gillooly, the organizations policy director.

Racial profiling is a well-documented and deeply troubling problem that erodes trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve, particularly communities of color, Gillooly said.

Consistent evidence has shown that racial bias, both explicit and implicit, has fueled widespread disparities in which black and Latino residents are subjected to street stops, vehicle searches and even the use of deadly force by police at an alarmingly disproportionate rate, she said. Addressing and ending this injustice should be a policy goal shared by all lawmakers, regardless of their political affiliation.
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A longtime Greenwich resident has started a private equity fund committed solely to investing in renewable energy projects.

Impact investing is the way of the future in finance, according to Thomas Yee, who recently started GCT Anchor Fund. The venture, which has its offices in Stamford, began building up capital last fall, but Yee already has big expectations for its success.

Yees team plans to invest in new renewable energy projects overseas, foster their growth and ultimately sell them off. We take the raw project and grow it, Yee said. It requires technical expertise in these particular areas.

Yee expects the results will net a big profit, he said.

The market for investing in renewable energy projects in America is saturated, he said, so the fund will focus on working with ones abroad, such as in Portugal and Argentina.

Overseas theres more risk but opportunity for higher returns, Yee said, whose background includes working as a trader at Moore Capital Management and in the renewable energy sector.

His expertise in renewable energy, particularly in solar energy, together with a carefully-curated team equips GCT Anchor Fund with the tools to turn a profit for its investors while making a positive impact on the environment with its projects, Yee said.

We view social and environmental sustainability as a strategic imperative and as a select investment opportunity with a disciplined focus for acquiring investments from a pipeline of clean tech projects that offer high and steady returns with minimal market risk, the fund says on its website.

Opportunities are limited for investors to make money since the birth of large regulatory measures, such as the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act, combined with highly volatile markets, Yee outlines in an industry paper titled How to Obtain Alpha in Todays Volatile and Unpredictable Markets.

His new funds emphasis on impact investing derives from Yees belief in its ability to make clients money, but it also has a lot of positive socio-economic ramifications, Yee said. It provides a social ethic, creates jobs and the economy increases. Theres a need for society to develop the most efficient energy.

In addition to his new fund, Yee is working on another project he hopes will do even more to revolutionize the world of finance. As outlined in his paper, market volatility plays a big role in frustrating investors portfolios.

Right now, theres no existing model that can quantify a sudden change in the market, Yee said. Computers dont provide for the financial effect of human emotions.

Its no small undertaking, but Yee hopes to one day produce a model that can react to any market swing, including the black swans. It would take into account the human effect on market volatility and anticipate a trade beneficial to investors. The answer to creating such a model comes from Yees academic studies in ontology, which he describes as a comprehensive set of meanings which describe human behavior.

Creating an algorithm which can translate expected human behavior into trades with a high rate of return is my real interest, Yee said.

MBennett@greenwichtime.com, 203-625-4411; Twitter @Macaela_
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GREENWICH  James Stevenson, a cartoonist who skewered the self-important and deflated the grandiose with a deft touch in almost 2,000 cartoons for the New Yorker magazine, died Friday at his home in Cos Cob from complications of pneumonia. He was 87.

Aside from being one of the most prolific cartoonists in the field, Stevenson worked in a variety of formats, contributing written pieces to the magazine, along with covers and illustrations, in the tradition of James Thurber and Peter Arno.

A master of all trades, said a fellow cartoonist, Michael Maslin. An abundance of wonderful, wonderful work. As a younger person, when I started at the New Yorker, he was one of the gods.

Stevensons work was often topical, playing off recent events, but the images had enduring appeal.

It would make you laugh, as the best cartoons do, about something thats kind of absurd, about our language, or politics or culture.... So many of them could be published now. And it was almost effortless  though I know he worked hard. It seemed like it came right out of him, said Maslin, who produces Inkspill, a website that covers the field of cartooning.

The look of his work, its so inviting. It brings you right in. Then he gives you the payoff, he said. And his covers are so distinct, quite beautiful. Wonderful moments, so alive.

Stevenson was born in New York City on July 11, 1929, to Harvey and Winifred Worcester Stevenson. Harvey Stevenson, an architect, was the principal designer of the F.D.R. Drive in Manhattan. He graduated from The Hackley School in Tarrytown, N.Y., and Yale University.

Stevenson served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1951 to 1953, attaining the rank of second lieutenant. He was a reporter for Life Magazine from 1954 to 1956, and he later joined the New Yorker, where he produced nearly 2,000 images.

In the early 1990s, Stevenson cast a loving eye on the streets and history of New York City. For the New York Times and its editorial page, he created Lost and Found New York, animated essays on the city and its surroundings. It was later published as a book of the same name.

Everything in the city seemed to matter once Stevenson took the trouble to observe it and make you see it, too. He once wrote about and sketched the cast-iron mini-manholes in a sidewalk  each one as humble, as absurdly individualistic as folded napkins, wrote a New Yorker colleague, Kennedy Fraser, in the foreword.

A longtime resident of Cos Cob, Stevenson raised a large family, and his children provided fodder and inspiration for his endeavors as a childrens book author.

I was always looking for something to make into a book, and with children around its a very congenial activity, Stevenson once recalled.

Stevenson also worked on a musical. In 1995, with Richard Roberts doing the music, he wrote the book and lyrics to Rolling in Dough.

He is survived by his wife, Josie Merck, of Cos Cob, whom he married on Sept. 21, 1993.

Passionate artist, never stopped, she recalled Monday.

Stevenson also kept a summer home on Block Island, R.I., and wrote an illustrated work about the island and its marine life, real and imaginary.

In addition, he is survived by nine children: Chuck Stevenson of New York City; Sucie Stevenson of Brewster, Mass.; Jim W. Stevenson of Los Angeles, Calif.; Walker Stevenson of New York City; Harvey Stevenson of Paris, France; Peter Stevenson of Guilford, Conn.; Jane Stevenson of Santa Fe, N.M.; Edwina Stevenson of Branford, Conn.; and Emily Stevenson of Branford. He also has a stepdaughter from his second marriage, Oona Coy of Northampton, Mass.; and a stepson, Morgan Coy of Rhinebeck, N.Y. He also leaves behind six grandchildren and four step-grandchildren

He was previously married to Jane Walker. A brother, Eric Stevenson, predeceased him.

A private service is being planned for the spring.

A showing of Stevensons work is running through March 16 at the Century Club, 7 West 43rd St., in Manhattan.
Gwyneth Paltrows performance in 1998s Shakespeare in Love was certainly memorable, but it is likely more people remember the dress she wore to accept the Academy Award for Best Actress the next year.

The pink taffeta gown by Ralph Lauren has gone down as one of the most famous Oscar looks. The simple yet elegant dress had its admirers (one of whom at the time said Paltrow made the color pink cool) and critics then, and continues to have them now, but it had what any great fashion statement has  staying power.

There are others, of course. Its hard not to forget Chers various get-ups by Bob Mackie in the 1980s. Her 1986 headdress could have had its own show. Old glamour, new glamour, crazy glamour, its all there when the stars stroll down the red carpet and into the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.

For the past nine years, Louisa Greene, of Greenwich, has had something of a front-row seat to the Oscars promenade of celebrity fashions. On awards night, you will find her at the Avon Theatre in Stamford for its Oscar Night Party, where the broadcast is aired live and comes with its own red carpet for guests to stroll. She is director of development and marketing at the Avon and volunteer organizer of the Oscar party. This awards season, she has seen a return to old Hollywood glamour.

Im sure it had to do with La La Land,  she says of one of the Best Picture nominees. Greene was impressed by Emma Stones Alexander McQueen gown she wore to pick up Best Actress for La La Land, at the Jan. 29 Screen Actors Guild awards show. But Greene is not the only one at the Avon fete keeping an eye on fashion.

Berdie Brady, a longtime volunteer for the Avon and Oscar Night Party regular, delights in the outfits of her favorite fashion stars. I think Nicole Kidman always looks amazing, and Cate Blanchett always looks stunning.

The beauty of the Avon party, however, is that fashion is happening off-screen, too. Brady never fails to break out her best looks, nor does Greene. Over the years, others have been inspired to glam it up, too.

We do invite people to come in Hollywood red-carpet glamour, and many do arrive in tuxedos and long gowns, Greene says. For others, its a time to raid closets and thrift shops for vintage dresses, or create costumes inspired by the movies up for Best Picture. There is usually a theme; this year its the 50th anniversary of the Summer of Love.

Greene may not have the stylists of a Hollywood star, but she wants her look to be evocative of the theme of the night, and certainly eye-popping. Long black dresses, a formal Indian gown, a vintage Pucci dress (for this years event)  shes worn them all, but she is even more excited to see what everyone else has on.

When we did the films of 1939, a woman showed up dressed as Scarlett OHara (from Gone with the Wind), says Greene, of the famous green velvet curtain dress made out of drapes. The look, however, was more Carol Burnett than Vivien Leigh, having been inspired by the formers 1976 comedy sketch, Went with the Wind. Greene was complimentary of Greenwichs Jenny Clark, a longtime volunteer, who outdoes herself each year. One year she and her husband, Chris, dressed up in homage to Argo, and another year she sewed a copy of the swan dress made famous in 2001 by Bjork at the 73rd Academy Awards.

Greenwich resident Deborah Royce, a former film and television actor, has a unique perspective on walking the red carpet, having once attended a Hollywood award show. Royce and her husband, Charles, launched an extensive renovation project in 2004 to get the Avon Theatre up and running as a nonprofit independent theater.

I will definitely dress up, Royce says, because it is a special night and I want to honor that. There really is this sensation of being at the Oscars. The energy in the room is different from watching it at home.
A Bahama Breeze in Pennsylvania where six employees were reportedly fired. Photo: Google

On Thursday, workers across the country went on strike as part of a grassroots movement called A Day Without Immigrants. Many restaurants and food businesses, both immigrant-owned and those sympathetic to the cause, shuttered for the day, or allowed workers to take the day off, in solidarity with their employees and in opposition to President Donald Trumps immigration policies. Unfortunately, not all employers were supportive, and reports of workers losing their jobs have subsequently come out. While these firings are being called a backlash to the strike, the few restaurants owners who are known to have let workers go have instead faced an immediate backlash of their own.

The restaurant facing the most ire has been the I Dont Care Bar and Grill, in Catoosa, Oklahoma, which fired 12 Latino employees after they failed to show up for their shift or inform their employee about their absence. That restaurant has received the most attention  its Yelp page is now a battlefield of armchair activism  thanks to its owners tactic of firing employees via text message. Local news station KTUL obtained a message sent to an employee by owner Bill McNally, who wrote, I hope you enjoyed your day off love you. McNally wrote in a statement that the restaurant has a zero tolerance policy for no-shows no matter the reason, while telling CNN, Im on their side, but we have rules at I Dont Care Bar and Grill.

In King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, six employees at a Bahama Breeze location were reportedly fired after participating in the strike. According to immigration activist Carmen Guerrero, the workers were told on Friday that they could not enter the building. When the news was posted to the Coalicion Fortaleza Latinas Facebook page, some 100 people called the restaurant demanding that the workers be rehired. And it appears that Bahama Breeze backtracked after word got out. A spokesperson tells the Philadelphia Inquirer that no one was ever fired, while Guerrero says the workers were rehired to make it look like nothing happened.

There has also been at least one apparent case of misreported firings. After the strike, Telemundo 47 reported that 25 employees of Bens Kosher Delicatessen Restaurant & Caterers in Greenvale, Long Island, were fired for not showing up to work on Thursday. But owner Ronnie Dragoon says this isnt the case. In a statement, the restaurant explained that it put up a formal note last Wednesday expressing support for the protest, while also asking employees to work their scheduled shifts. Those who did elect to walk out were, and still are, invited to return to their positions, the statement read. Speaking with CNN, Dragoon, who described himself as the grandchild of immigrants and a progressive my entire life, says just one employee was fired  and only after pressuring others to walk out and even physically threatening them.
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Published on 2017/02/21 | Source

Added episodes 51 and 52 captures for the Korean drama "The Gentlemen of Wolgyesu Tailor Shop" (2016)

Advertisement

Directed by Hwang In-hyeok

Written by Koo Hyeon-sook

Network : KBS

With Lee Dong-gun, Jo Yoon-hee, Cha In-pyo, Oh Hyun-kyung, Ra Mi-ran, Choi Won-young,...

54 episodes - Sat, Sun 19:55

Synopsis

"Suited Gentlemen In Yanggye-dong" is based on a traditional tailor's with history. The drama depicts the tears, friendship, success and romance of four men.

Broadcast starting date in Korea : 2016/08/27

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The remarks were allegedly made in front of a number staff and reported to Taeuber by friends.

Taeuber lodged a formal complaint, but weeks later an internal investigation by HR cleared the colleague.

A few days later, the network accused Taeuber of bringing Seven into disrepute by blogging about My Kitchen Rules on her sister Kates reality TV website.

Taeuber alleged the network used staff to dig up dirt on her which included looking up her social media accounts, following her allegations against Lohse.

Seven requested that the website be taken down. The sisters agreed but then management accessed her work emails and made further allegations of online misconduct.
Kay Clancy shares her tips on how HR professionals can better help return-to-work mothers transition back into the workplace and prepare for a bright financial future



As children started heading back to their classroom for the new school term, some stay-at-home mothers might see it as an opportunity to consider returning to work after months  or even years  of hiatus. For those who have been out of employment for some time, the idea of stepping back into the workforce might seem daunting. As a mother of two children, I can understand this feeling.



More and more, Im seeing HR professionals helping to alleviate some of these concerns of return-to-work-mothers by implementing HR policies that provide options like flexible well-balanced working arrangements.



A well-considered HR policy can play an impactful role in an employees financial future well beyond the tenure of their employment, and for return-to-work mums, this can be especially advantageous. 2016s Senate Economics References Committee report on the economic security for women in retirement showed that a staggering 90% of women in Australia will have inadequate savings to fund a comfortable lifestyle in their retirement. On average, women accumulate $92,000 less in superannuation savings than men at the point of retirement. The discrepancy in super savings between males and females is largely due to the gender pay gap  men earn more, on average, than women. Another contributing factor is that women are often the primary caregivers for children and other family members. We tend to take time out of paid employment and work fewer hours due to these caring responsibilities. Our incomes are less again, meaning we receive lower levels of employer super contributions than men. Whilst the conversation has started around these broader societal issues, there are a number of things that women can do today that will have an impact on their financial futures.



So, how can HR professionals expand on their HR policies for return-to-work mothers to positively impact their financial futures? Ask if they have moved house or changed their name during the course of their working life. If they have, chances are they could have lost or unclaimed super waiting to be claimed. This is not uncommon  according to the Australian Taxation Office Australians had nearly $15 billion in lost super as at 30 June 2016. Lost super can be tracked down via the website of the employees chosen fund - most funds today have tools that enables a search to take place, often at no additional cost.



If you know they have had multiple jobs, chances are they could also have multiple super accounts, particularly if they did not advise each employer that they already had a chosen super fund. Generally, the average person only needs one super account. With multiple super accounts, often comes multiple fees and insurance premiums, which can put the balance of the account at greater risk of being diminished. By combining super savings in to one account there is greater chance their money will be working harder for them. It also means theyll only be paying one set of fees and insurance premiums. We recommend employees seek financial advice before making any decisions around combining their super accounts.



Lastly, suggest they check their account as it gives them visibility over other aspects of their membership with the fund so they can make changes that better suit their needs. They can see how their super is invested, their insurance policy, contact details and beneficiary information. Staying connected to their super by taking their chosen fund with them to every job, along with ensuring contact details remain up to date means working mothers have a greater chance at forging a bright financial future.





Kay Clancy is Executive of Corporate Services at Kinetic Super. For more information and tips on how HR professionals can facilitate the transition for returning to work mothers, visit kineticsuper.com.au/returning-to-work.
(Reuters)  Chinas 2015 market crash sparked a surge in Asian trading for futures exchange giant CME Group as Chinese funds hedged their risk offshore and growth prospects remain strong, the bourses head of Asia said on Tuesday.

Christopher Fix, managing director for Asia for Chicago-based CME, said the bourse expects to see volumes lifted as Chinas state-owned enterprises, driven by Beijings reform agenda, move to better manage their commodity and currency exposures.We are attracting a whole new different client base. There is a whole new hedge fund complex thats developing in China around asset managers, Fix, whos based in Singapore.

To read this article:
These new taxi services have sidestepped long-standing municipal regulations that had restricted the number of cabs and kept prices high. In many ways, this innovation has been friendly to transit, as taxis and transit complement each other for city dwellers who choose not to own a car.

Some argue that the main distinctive features of UberX and Lyft are smartphone-based ride hailing and the controversial relationship between the companies and drivers. I argue that the biggest change has been regulatory.

During the past five years, a revolution has occurred that has upended the taxi industry in cities around the world. Is a similar revolution about to occur for urban buses?

Now, these companies and other entrants have moved into the transit business. The first step was breaking the long-standing prohibition on riders sharing a traditional taxi. The second step was deploying larger, minibus-style vehicles. Providing a service that is part way between a shared taxi and a bus, these new services typically require riders to walk to main roads to board. I suspect that transit companies will not be so welcoming to these newcomers.

Proving the adage that what is old is new again, these services would be familiar to our ancestors 100 years ago. In many developed counties, private companies operating small vehicles competed with streetcars and public buses in the early 1920s. While minibus services live on in many parts of the world and have varying reputations for quality, pressure by bus and streetcar companies soon outlawed them from the streets of many Western cities. As bus services later passed into public ownership and became highly subsidized, local regulators had even more reason to restrict entrants from siphoning away traffic. Even the privatization of bus services in Europe and Australia and New Zealand in the 1980s was not accompanied, with a few notable exceptions, by unrestricted entry and unfettered competition.

In the same way that UberX and Lyft upended entry controls for taxis, are their corporate cousins Uber Pool and Lyft Line about to do the same to bus services?

It is possible that this innovation may be unambiguously good in some markets. In suburban areas and small towns where demand is thin and traditional buses struggle to survive, a shared-use small vehicle might be the best solution  a solution that transit agencies should embrace and co-opt.

But what about the thought of minibuses competing with city buses on busy city routes? For many people, their experience of minibuses is of airport shuttle vans that offer a premium service at a higher price than a local bus. But Uber Pool, Lyft Line and their competitors are charging fares that are similar to those of the subsidized city buses. The reason is the bloated costing that transit has suffered from since the 1970s.

So what will happen?

It is reasonable to expect that these new services will predominantly appear on busier routes and during limited times of the day. Off-peak riders will be out of luck. The transit companies will doubtlessly try to block it by claiming that this skimming of the cream will reduce their ability to offer services in the evening, on weekends and on less busy routes. While this is true, whether this is a bad thing is a matter of some debate. Most economists have been skeptical about the desirability of earning profits from riders on some routes and at certain times to support other riders.

Perhaps of more practical concern is the possibility of congestion at the curb. Cities will face questions of where these services will pick up and set down passengers. Will they be able to do so at existing bus stops? Will they cause a traffic hazard by stopping unpredictably or too close to intersections? Will they clog the streets? All these questions deserve some consideration by municipalities.

Will municipalities fight back more aggressively than they did when decades-old taxi restrictions were challenged? It is possible. Political support for traditional taxicab companies was lukewarm due to poor service, high fares and a lack of innovation. While bus services would hardly win popularity contests either, city governments have a financial stake in the issue. Declining revenues would cause fiscal shortfalls and the possibility of putting municipal bus drivers out of work.

Great disrupters such as Lyft and Uber have already transformed one industry. Mass transit might yet be the next casualty of our sharing revolution.

Ian Savage has been a faculty member of the Department of Economics and the Transportation Center at Northwestern University since 1986. His research is concentrated in two areas: urban public transportation and transportation safety. He is widely published on the economics of transit finances and operations. He has conducted research into safety performance, and the effectiveness of safety regulations, in most modes of transportation - with particular emphasis on the trucking and railroad industries.
The Finnish Metalworkers Union (Metalliliitto) on Friday announced that it will not begin negotiations for new collective bargaining agreements until all of the agreements within its purview have been complemented with the provisions of the central-level agreements terminated by EK.

The Confederation of Finnish Industries (EK) has drawn the ire of a number of trade unions by announcing its decision to no longer pursue central-level bargaining agreements.

Metalliliitto firmly condemns EKs decision to terminate central-level agreements. The decision will have an extremely negative impact on the labour market climate, it says in a press release.

Central-level agreements, it argues, have been of particular symbolic and principled significance and have exemplified the strengths of the bargaining culture in Finland. EK has now launched an attack against this principle, slams Metalliliitto.

Metalliliitto also cast doubts over the ongoing preparations for a so-called export-driven labour market mechanism, a mechanism that would make wage hikes contingent on the performance of export-oriented industries. The Finnish Forest Industries announced last week that it will unilaterally withdraw from the preparations.

Metalliliittos conditions for continuing preparing any kind of export-driven mechanism are no longer in place, states Metalliliitto.

The Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK), the Confederation of Unions for Professional and Managerial Staff (Akava) and the Confederation of Salaried Employees (STTK) proposed on Friday that all sectors begin negotiations over the agreements terminated by EK as soon as this spring. Employee and employer organisations would thus be able to agree that the stipulations laid out in the current central-level agreements remain unchanged also after the agreements have expired, they viewed.

Central-level agreements contain provisions not included in many of the sector-specific collective agreements, such as provisions on employee training and the rights and obligations of shop stewards.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT

Photo: Jussi Nukari  Lehtikuva

Source: Uusi Suomi
A van driver has brought an action to set aside a court judgement, which found him liable for 13,000 in unpaid M50 toll charges.

Simon Parsons, of New Haven Bay, Balbriggan, Co Dublin, had been the subject of a Dublin District Court ruling in October, following an action by the National Roads Authority (NRA).

He was not present to defend the case in October, leading to a judgement in default amounting to 13,208, plus 1,004 in legal costs.

However, Mr Parsons claims he does not owe that much.

On December 6 last year, his Opel Corsa was seized by the Dublin County Sheriff and was sold in January for 1,100 to recoup some of the money sought by the NRA.

Dublin District Court yesterday heard Mr Parsons needed his car to bring his partner, who suffers from cerebral palsy, to medical appointments.

Discriminated

He was not able to use a computer and he argued that the eflow system discriminated against people with limited ability.

He also claimed he paid the tolls at a Topaz garage and he had all his receipts for every time he used the M50, which incurs a 3.10 charge.

Thomas Rice, for the NRA, asked the judge to note that Mr Parsons had been served with a civil claim notice in July.

He said Mr Parsons paid for 207 journeys on the M50, but had not paid for 210 trips.

The judge adjourned the case until May. He said that Mr Parsons had "sat on his hands" until his car was seized.
Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald (pictured) and Health Minister Simon Harris have not ruled themselves out of a leadership race

Health Minister Simon Harris and Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald are the latest Cabinet members who have failed to rule themselves out of the race to succeed Taoiseach Enda Kenny.

Meanwhile, as Fine Gael members await Mr Kenny's expected statement on his future to the parliamentary party tomorrow, fears have gripped TDs that he will not name a specific date for his departure at all.

Several sources told the Herald they suspect Mr Kenny will try to "dig in" or "avoid giving a clear outline of his intentions".

Mr Kenny again refused to comment on his leadership last night.

"I'll be speaking to the parliamentary party on Wednesday, as I said. Thank you very much," he told RTE.

Social Protection Minister Leo Varadkar and Housing Minister Simon Coveney have long been viewed as best placed to succeed the Taoiseach, but a compromise candidate remains a distinct possibility when Mr Kenny does step aside.

In the absence of clarity from Mr Kenny on his intentions, more Cabinet members have refused to rule themselves out of contention. Mr Harris twice yesterday declined to say his name wouldn't be going forward as a possible leader.

During a visit to University Hospital Galway last night, Mr Harris (30), indicated that youth should not be barrier to consideration for the job.

Vacancy

"Age to me is immaterial, I look to be judged on my job and the job that I am doing, and I am working as hard as I possibly can at that job," Mr Harris said.

"I try to provide leadership in whatever role I am given", he added, listing his time as a county councillor, TD and previous role as junior minister.

"There is no vacancy in the Fine Gael party. If and when one does arise I will consult with colleagues at that point".

Earlier, the Wicklow TD insisted he was dedicated to his job as Health Minister.

He was responding to a WhatsApp message Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan posted in a Fine Gael chat on Sunday saying: "He hasn't announced yet but Frances is encouraging him. He wants out of Health."

Mr Harris said: "My colleague Charlie Flanagan has many, many fine attributes. He's a great colleague of mine, but I think funny jokes on a Sunday afternoon is clearly not one of them.

"I'm absolutely honoured to hold this position," he added.

The message was dismissed as "jovial Sunday afternoon banter" by Mr Flanagan, who also said: "I regret that it's been taken so seriously."

Ms Fitzgerald has also left the prospect of a bid for the leadership.

"It's very important that we wait and hear what the Taoiseach has to say [on Wednesday]. And when he's made that clear I'll be considering my own position," Ms Fitzgerald said.

Meanwhile, Education Minister Mr Bruton - who launched an unsuccessful heave against Mr Kenny in 2010 - again failed to rule out a bid to replace him, having previously declined to do so last Friday.

"There is no vacancy. I'm not commenting on any of the contenders, I'm not commenting on this matter," he said.

"This is a time of challenge and we, as a mature party, need to sit down together, discuss the issues and make the right decisions for the future and that's my primary interest."

Speaking in Cork yesterday, Mr Coveney appealed for calm within the Fine Gael ranks and signalled he would not back a no confidence motion if one is tabled within the party after Mr Kenny's statement.

"What we have is a lot of impatience from some people. But what I have said very clearly over the weekend is that I trust the Taoiseach's judgment to manage a process of transition within the party but also a process of transition for the country," he said.

Mr Coveney said Mr Kenny "deserves the time and space" to step down of his own volition.

"I am not going to start laying down timetables or conditions and I am certainly not going to support anybody who suggests that we should be forcing the issue," he added.
New social housing in inner-city Dublin will be named after the first child killed during the 1916 rising.

Thirty houses on North King Street will be called Sean Foster, who was two years old when he was shot in the head on the street.

He was being wheeled in his pram when he was killed in the crossfire between rebels and British soldiers.

Dublin City councillors agreed on the name after it was recommended by a local history group last Tuesday.

Local historian Terry Crosby (55) lives in the area and helped choose the name.

He said it was "brilliant" that Sean would be remembered.

"Sean was the first child to be killed and there was no plaque or memorial to him anywhere in the area," he said.

"Bar his own family he was more or less put to the back pages of history.

"I couldn't think of a more fitting salute to him."

He added that nine people were killed on the site where the houses will be built.

An account of events is detailed in Joe Duffy's book Children Of The Rising.

Fighting

Mr Duffy asked the relatives of Sean for permission to name the development after him, which they accepted.

North Inner City Cllr Nial Ring put forward the motion and said the family was "delighted" when asked about the tribute.

"It shows there's still a huge appetite out there for recognising what happened in those seminal years of Irish history," he said.

North King Street was the centre of heavy fighting during the rebellion, which led to the deaths of 16 civilians.
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NEWTON  The City of Newton and Catawba County held a special-called joint meeting Monday morning to unveil a new economic development opportunity. The project known as Project Longleaf announced a $67 million investment and creation of 210 new jobs by Corning Incorporated.

The new manufacturing facility will create optical cable and will be located in the former General Dynamics building in Newton.

Scott Millar, president and CEO of the Catawba County Economic Development Corporation, made the announcement during a presentation to both the Newton City Council and Catawba County Board of Commissioners.

Corning contacted the EDC in November requesting facility options to place new equipment in by June, Millar said.

The company looked at several other sites around the county and eventually settled upon the 187,200-square-foot building in Newton, Millar said.

Corning is a 160-year-old company with manufacturing worldwide, and a Fortune 500 ranking of 313. In 2016, Corning had more than $10 billion worth of sales.

Corning has five operations in North Carolina and promise this new facility will be one of the largest of its kind, Millar said.

The 210 net jobs Corning has agreed to open have an average salary of $56,963 and will be in place by December.

Both the county and city offered the company incentives to proceed with the new facility.

Corning agreed to several stipulations in order to receive the incentive grants. Corning will enter into an electrical service grant with the City of Newton and is expected to be one of the largest power consumers in the city, Millar said.

The incentive agreement from both city and county is a six-year plan, in which the company will receive 90 percent of taxes returned to them in year one, 80 percent in year two, 70 percent for year three and 67 percent for the remaining years.

The City of Newton also agreed to a $67,725 grant for other building needs, Millar said.

The incentives are contingent on the company fulfilling its promises of financial investment, as well as providing support for the K-64 initiative, Education Matters, the electrical service agreement, Committee of 100, and both the City of Newton and Catawba Countys Economic Development Agreement.

After the presentation, both Mayor Ann Stedman and Chairman Randy Isenhower opened the public hearing portion of the meeting; no residents in attendance spoke.

Both the Newton City Council and Catawba County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the agreement.

We are excited about this phenomenal regional and state high-tech industry leader bringing new opportunities to the city of Newton, Stedman said in a press release. Cornings significant investment in our community will make life better for our current residents and encourage people to move here to take advantage of the wonderful amenities and employers we have in Newton.

I would like to thank the team of professionals at the Catawba County Economic Development Corporation for advocating for Newton throughout this process. With their help, weve been able to advance strategic economic development efforts that are yielding significant investment. The future looks bright for our city.

Cornings Reuben Cannon addressed the public and officials at the end of the presentation, expressing gratitude for the county as well as the City of Newton.

What sets Corning apart is our employees, and your neighbors make up our employees. This is a tremendous opportunity for us to grow together as we move forward into the future, Cannon said.
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The SAARC is sinking into irrelevance. Again. It was a recognition that the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation has entered yet another trough that led many at the recent regional speakers summit in Indore to call for an end to the members veto and other radical reforms.

However, whatever SAARCs fate, subcontinental togetherness matters a lot more today for India than it did in the past. The reason: the efforts by China to serve as the new glue for South Asia. SAARC may be in coma, but other Indian-driven efforts at South Asian unity are being revived. Hence New Delhis renewed interest in a number of regional acronyms like the ungainly named BIMSTEC, BBIN and even SASEC.

Read: Stalled Saarc process shows signs of resumption

SAARC is now over 30 years old and has remarkably little to show for its efforts. The most obvious reason is that India and Pakistan have for years used it as a duelling ground against each other. After years of fast economic growth, India is now so dominant that Pakistan has given up its earlier attempts to assemble a SAARC bloc of its own. Today, Islamabad merely bats defensively. SAARC has become a test match being played to a draw.

As Indias foreign secretary, S. Jaishankar, complained, If you say that I will be a regional member but I will not allow regional trade, I will not allow regional connectivity, will not allow regional motorways, I will not allow regional railways, then what is it about?

Pakistan has been unusually obstreperous, even by its relatively low standards, in SAARC. The conspiratorial might argue that there is a purpose in its bloody-mindedness. South Asian regional cooperation has today become a Great Game of Connectivity ever since China began rolling out its Belt-Road Initiative. If SAARC moves in freeing up motor vehicle movement are blocked, that leaves regional transport all the more dependent on what China does.

Right now, Beijing is just pouring concrete and laying tarmac. There is of course the economic corridor that would tie-up Afghanistan and Pakistan. There are plans for a web connecting Bangladesh to Southeast Asia. Beijing has also been dangling the idea of railheads into Nepal and widened highways into Bhutan. If all of this were to come to fruition, most of the SAARC countries would be better connected to China than to each other. Chinas leader, Xi Jinping, began readying the commercial paperwork that would have to overlay the physical infrastructure when he visited Bangladesh recently and signed 26 agreements with Dhaka, including one on furthering the Belt-Road Initiative.

Read: Saarc is dead. Press on with connectivity

India faces a quandary. With Pakistan having put SAARC to the sword and given Indias own protectionist trade policies and poor infrastructure record, India could eventually find itself partly isolated from the other countries in the subcontinent. This sounds slightly impossible in regards to, say, Nepal. But Bangladesh officially already trades almost as much with China as it does with India. At the very least, India needs to make sure it is an alternative logistics hub to whatever Beijing is putting together.

SAARC is and should be allowed to drift into the doldrums. Some Indian scholars have argued it should be disbanded. That would severely dent Indias regional image. Among other things, it would raise Big Brother bogeys in Colombo and Sri Lanka. These two governments founded SAARC to allow them to engage India in a forum where they would have equal voting power. SAARC also makes economic sense. The Asian Development Bank has shown that intra-regional trade in South Asia is barely a third of its actual potential.

In addition, at a time when global multilateralism is under threat from America First, European Union Last and China Uber Alles, regional powers like India are being forced to seek stability in their immediate region. It is a key reason Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been touring the Indian Ocean, making forays in the troubled waters of the Persian Gulf and wooing littoral Africa. SAARC remains the only all-South Asian organisation so keeping it in cold storage until an Indo-Pakistani thaw makes sense. The stars are crossed for regional bodies these days anyway. China has reduced the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to rubble and the obituaries are being written for the mighty EU.

Read: India cant afford to wait for an obstinate Pak and a moribund Saarc

The real test for India, however, is whether it can make something of the moribund BIMSTEC or BBIN. This will not be easy for a New Delhi which has a commerce ministry that largely believes in economic non-cooperation and which has practised border development with the idea of blocking foreign trucks and buses. This will have to change as concrete moves in regional cooperation are a geopolitical necessity.
The three-month long economic blockade in Manipur is unlikely to cast its shadow on the upcoming polls in the state, Election Commission (EC) officials said on Monday.

The poll panel, headed by chief election commissioner Nasim Zaidi, was in the northeastern state on Tuesday to assess the preparations for the polls to elect a new state assembly on March 4 and 8.

Senior officials of the poll panel said that since there has been no call for boycotting the electoral process from any group, they do not anticipate voters being stopped from participating in the democratic exercise.

We are prepared for the election, from raising more resources to putting additional security forces on the ground. As part of our contingency plan, we have 50% reserve staff and 250 companies of central forces, Vivek Kumar Dewangan, chief election officer of the state, told HT.

In the state with 60 assembly constituencies, the poll panel has identified 837 critical and 529 vulnerable areas. The commission, however, expects the number of vulnerable areas to go up.

The state has been on the boil after the United Naga Council announced an economic blockade in November 2016, against the bifurcation of districts to create seven new ones. The blockade, which has resulted in prices of essential such as fuel and food to soar, has become a point of contention between the Centre and the state government.

Poll panel officials will also review the security arrangements at all polling centres.

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Chief minister and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi took on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a joint road show in the city on Tuesday -- the last day of campaigning for the February 23 polls in Allahabad and 11 other districts.

It has been almost three years now and people are still wondering what Modijis Mann ki Baat is. Now, its time for him to do Kaam Ki Baat, said while addressing a massive gathering of supporters and youth at the end of the road show.

The stage in Gol Park where Akhilesh and Rahul were originally scheduled to address the crowd, collapsed after dozens of party workers climbed on it. However, only two persons suffered minor injuries.

A view of the damaged stage where Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav were scheduled to speak in Allahabad on Tuesday. (PTI)

Rahul, too, flayed the PM. Modiji is jittery over my friendship with Akhilesh and is resorting to his old ways of spreading hatred, he said.

Read | Gujarat BJP fumes at Akhileshs insult, says unlike him, donkeys are loyal

SP and Congress supporters -- college and university students and even women -- stood for hours on a hot and dusty day to display party flags and cheer the two leaders. Some had even decorated their terraces with balloons.

Enthusiastic youngsters even climbed on trees and terrace tops to shake hands with Akhilesh and Rahul as they passed standing atop a Mercedes bus. Some supporters had even decorated their terraces with balloons.

Amidst the playing of the song UP ko yeh saath pasand hai, some students displayed banners hailing Akhilesh even as security personnel struggled to control the crowd. Slogans like Jai Jai Akhilesh, Rahul Gandhi ke Jai ho rent the air.

The road show began an hour late from Balson Crossing. In line with the poll code of conduct, the road show stopped near Allahabad Junction station, instead of Gol Park, at 5pm. It was here that the two leaders addressed the huge gathering of supporters.

Read | Whats SCAM, BSP, VIKAS? A battle of acronyms rages ahead of UP elections
In the heat of the crucial Uttar Pradesh elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been coining amusing acronyms and redefinitions that have caught the attention of the public and triggered a battle of wits by rivals.

Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) was one his key targets, when, at a rally in UPs Jalaun, Modi referred to it as Behenji Sampatti (wealth) Party, in a jibe at its chief, who is known as behenji (sister) and has been accused of selling party tickets.

Modi was only doing what he is best at. A master creator of abbreviations and acronyms, he loves redefining words, or creating new ones, to suit his audience and to get maximum mileage for his party.

Mayawati, on her part, didnt take too much time to respond and, at a rally in Sultanpur hours later, accused Modi of being an expert in jumlebaazi (empty rhetoric), and added that once he gets a tit-for-tat reply, he will forget all about it. I have been compelled to do the same for him, she said, spelling out PMs name: Narendra means negative, Damodardas means Dalit, Modi means man. It means our PM is Mr Negative Dalit Man.

The ongoing assembly elections have seen the parties coming up with unusual acronyms and definitions. The list, of course, is led by the PM.

It all started with Modis reinvention of SCAM. Not the one where money, real or imaginary, is appropriated, but where the word, with all its negative connotations, stood for Samajwadi (Party), Congress, Akhilesh (Yadav) and Mayawati  never mind the emphasis on the ruling party and its CM. Or maybe do.

This one acronym coined by the PM during his first poll rally in UP led to attacks and counter attacks creating what could at best be described as an alphabet soup.

PMs definition of SCAM was countered by UPs CM Akhilesh Yadavs re-interpretation at a rally in Auraiya: Save the Country from Amit (Shah) and Modi.

Congress too was not far behind, with party spokesperson Tom Vadakkan giving it a Hindi twist. SCAM means satta bhogi, captee dhongi Amit Shah Modi, he told reporters.

Its a different matter altogether that his definition could at best be abbreviated as SBCDAM, that is, if we discount Shah as silent. But, when it comes to political mudslinging, some liberties are taken for granted.

Read | From Modi, Mayawati to Akhilesh, its a no holds barred slogan war during UP elections

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi tried to see some positive in SCAM and told a rally in Kanpur that it actually stands for service, courage, ability and modesty.

Seeking to trump the PM, the Congress also came up with six full-forms of his party, the BJP. Vadakkan defined it as Bhagoda Jugadu Party, Bhai Bhateejawad Party, Bhaichara Jalao Party, Bhrashtachar Jagao Party and Bhramjaal Jagao Party.

Just a day after redefining SCAM, PM announced in Aligarh that only his party can bring VIKAS. The Hindi word translates into development, but for PM its an acronym for Vidyut (electricity), Kanoon (law) and Sadak (roads), three aspects that BJP has been using to woo voters.

With the seven-phase elections in the state reaching only the half-way stage, it would be interesting to watch what else the PM and other political parties come up with.
Sagar: Mining mafia attacked a joint team of forest officials and police on Monday night in Tikamgarh district , 274 kms north-east of Bhopal.

The joint team had gone to take action against the illegal mining of sand and murram (stone) in the Mohangarh area of the district. The accused attacked the team and forcibly took the seized tractor trolley loaded with illegally mined sand and stone. Two forest personnel were injured in the attack.

Tikamgarh forest Range officer Mukesh Ken said along with the flying squad team of forest department , they reached Mohangarh police station to take possession of the tractor trolley loaded with illegally mined sand and murram from the forest area. He said the tractor trolley was caught by Mohangarh police on Sunday night while patrolling.

The forest team which included around eight person and Police Dial 100 team with around three person left Mohangarh police station for Tikamgarh with the seized tractor trolley .On the way, we were stopped by Mohangarh village Sarpanch husband Daru Khatik along with 35 to 50 people who were armed with wooden batons, sharp edged weapons, katta (country made pistol) and so on. They abused and beat us up and forcibly took away tractor trolley from our possession, said Mukesh.

Mukesh said after the attack, they reached Mohangarh police station and informed senior officials, following which a report was lodged. Two forest personnel received internal injuries and they have been admitted at Digora Government Health Centre, he said.

Mohangarh town inspector Mansaram Baghen said a case was lodged against Daru Khatik and thirteen others under section 353 of IPC (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty,). The accused are absconding and police parties are searching for them.

It is not the first attack by mining mafia in Bundelkhand area. On February 8, mining mafia forcibly took away tractor trolley loaded with illegally mined sand from a home guard constable on gun point in Chhatarpur. Local SDM Sonia Mena had caught the tractor trolley and ordered her security personnel home guard constable to take tractor to Bamitha police station.

Recent attacks by mining mafia in MP

February 21,2017: Mining mafia attacked a joint team of forest officials and police on Monday night in Tikamgarh district , 274 kms north-east of Bhopal.

December 11, 2016: A 50-year-old farmer is allegedly killed by illegal miners while he was protesting their mining boulders and rubble from his agricultural land in Chhatarpur district.

October 16: Exchange of fire in a sand mining area of Bhind district, in which a labourer is injured.

October 16: Sand mafia gives death threat to a police officer after he seizes tractor used in illegal sand mining in Singrauli district.

June 1:Sub-divisional magistrate of Raisen district DK Singh is gheroed by the mining mafia in Begumganj area when he tries to stop illegal mining of murram soil.

April 2: Mining mafia attacks a forest guard in the forests of Shivpuri district, as vengeance for taking action against them two years ago for illegal transportation of mined stone.

March 16, 2016: SDM Burhanpur KR Badole who tried to stop illegal sand mining in Tapti river, is attacked by sand mafia who according to him also tried to drown his boat.

March 6: A forest guard is crushed to death in Gwalior while chasing illegal sand miners when a tractor-trolley loaded with the loot falls on him.

March 6: In Morena district, a 14 year boy is killed in a gun fire exchange between two warring groups over control of illegal sand mining business through Jaur-Khurd area after excavation from Chambal.

March 20: Sand mafia tries to mow down two forest officials in Tikamgarh, when they try to stop trolley carrying illegally mined sand.
Many Bollywood celebrities came out on Tuesday to cast their vote in elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the civic body responsible for the upkeep for Mumbai. Actor Rekha and filmmaker Zoya Akhtar were among the first Mumbai residents to do so.

Varun Dhawan, Ranveer Singh, Anushka Sharma, John Abraham, Shraddha Kapoor and Bhagyashree visited polling stations in their area and voted. Among the older generation, Hema Malini, Neena Gupta and Salim Khan went to cast their vote. Among the non Bollywood celebs was cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar and his wife Anjali.

Hema Malini arrives to cast her vote at St Josephs High School, Juhu in Mumbai on Tuesday. (Prodip Guha/HT Photo)

Scriptwriter Salim Khan with son Arbaaz Khan were seen at Mount Mary Convent High School, Bandra on February 21, 2017. (Pratik Chorge/HT Photo)

Actor Neena Gupta poses for the camera after casting her vote at St Josephs High School, Juhu in Mumbai on February 21, 2017. (Prodip Guha/HT Photo)

Sachin Tendulkar and his wife Anjali cast their vote at Mount Mary Convent High School, Bandra on Tuesday. (Pramod Thakur/HT Photo)

Shraddha Kapoor is seen leaving after she cast her vote at ISKCON Temple, Juhu, Mumbai on Tuesday. (Prodip Guha/HT Photo)

Bhagyashree and her husband after they cast their vote at Jamnabai Narsee School in Mumbai. (Prodip Guha/HT Photo)

Actor Paresh Rawal and his wife, former model and actor Swaroop Sampat, returning from the polling booth. Pareshs name was not in the list at Jamnabai Narsee School centre in Mumbai. (Prodip Guha/HT Photo)

Actor Milind Gunaji with wife Rani Gunaji arrive to cast their vote at Bandra on Tuesday. (Kunal Patil/HT Photo)

Many stars tweeted and encouraged others to go and vote.



V O T E  pic.twitter.com/TRfhsN8zNq  Ranveer Singh (@RanveerOfficial) February 21, 2017

Started my morning by casting my https://t.co/Z817hxXwb7 is our duty towards our country & its progress.Pls go out&vote #VoteKarMaharashtra pic.twitter.com/fgXGxjkEcV  Anushka Sharma (@AnushkaSharma) February 21, 2017

Done voting. Please exercise your right & go vote! pic.twitter.com/W8RYHcuviM  Shraddha (@ShraddhaKapoor) February 21, 2017

Authorities have been struggling to convince people to participate in the election for Asias biggest civic body. Over the years, the voter turnout has been declining steadily.

The presence of movie stars  Mumbai is the heart of Hindi and to a large extent Indian film industry  encourages people to vote. Hashtag #VoteKarMaharashtra was trending in the morning.

In the run-up to the polls, NGOs, the civic body and the state election commission urged people to come out and vote for the 227-ward BMC, the richest civic body in country.

Actor Rekha and filmmaker Zoya Akhtar show their inked finger outside a polling booth in Mumbai on Tuesday. (Pramod Thakur/HT Photo)

Candidates, too, requested people to shun their indifference. Shiv Sena candidate Durga Shinde from Walkeshwar kicked off #WhatNowVoteNow campaign. Vote for the candidate of your choice, but do vote, is her pitch.

BJP candidate Jitendra Ghadigaonkar from ward 115 (Bhandup) also undertook a similar campaign.

While more than 60% of Mumbais population is registered as voters, the turnout in BMC elections is dismal. In the 2012, the turnout was only 44%.

With the BJP and the Shiv Sena locked in a furious contest, every vote will count. Unlike the past, all four major parties have chosen to go solo this time.

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Actor-filmmaker Kamal Rashid Khan is at it again. Just that this time, hes taken on actor Swara Bhaskars Anaarkali of Aarah, and things arent really going his way. After KRK called Swaras film a disaster on Monday, the actor took to Twitter and silenced the controversial director in the most epic way.

Swara Bhaskar with the director of Anarkali of Arrah, Avinash Das.

The actor-filmmaker-turned-self-proclaimed critic took to Twitter on Monday to slam Karan Johar and the film and pronounced that Anaarkali of Aarah will be a disaster. Sir @karanjohar it will not be a flop or washout, but it will be super duper disaster of the year coz KRK says so, KRK wrote.

Not one to take such things lying down, Swara took on KRK in her own style: Kuch logon ki gaali, compliment hoti hai! :) Thanks @kamaalrkhan the unasked filth u spew is a character certificate for us! Appreciated.

Sir @karanjohar it will not be a flop or washout, but it will be super duper disaster of the year coz KRK says so. https://t.co/Ugu3GPfFxT  KRK (@kamaalrkhan) February 20, 2017

Swara is all set for her upcoming release, Anaarkali of Aarah. Filmmaker Karan Johar shared the first poster of the film on Monday and Bollywood celebs are going gaga over Swaras different, colourful look in the poster. Kamal Rashid Khan, however, has a different opinion.

Kuch logon ki gaali, compliment hoti hai! :) Thanks @kamaalrkhan the unasked filth u spew is a character certificate for us!  Appreciated. https://t.co/4rDCWQShio  Swara Bhaskar (@ReallySwara) February 20, 2017

KRK replied clarifying on his part: Madam @ReallySwara I dont give Gaali to anybody, neither given you Gaali. I am just talking about a crap film as a critic so just chill.

Madam @ReallySwara I don't give Gaali to anybody, neither given you Gaali. I am just talking about a crap film as a critic so just chill.  KRK (@kamaalrkhan) February 20, 2017

Clearly one who lives in his own bubble, KRK further tweeted, Actually you @ReallySwara should be happy that #TheBrandKRK, the no.1 critic in the world is talking about ur film whatever its good or bad.

Actually you @ReallySwara should be happy that #TheBrandKRK, the no.1 critic in the world is talking about ur film whatever it's good or bad  KRK (@kamaalrkhan) February 20, 2017

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For most top executives, the job that Natarajan Chandrasekaran landed with would be a dream one. But being the chairman of Tata Sons, the group that controls the 103-year old salt-to-software conglomerate, has its own challenges.

And for Chandra, as the former Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) CEO is fondly called, the time of his entry cannot be more critical.

Tata Groups credibility has depleted after the boardroom battle, following the ouster of Cyrus Mistry, the former chairman of Tata Sons. In the months after the ouster, Mistry alleged that Ratan Tata continued to interfere, and called him the chairman who never retired.

According to Institutional Investor Advisory Services (IiAS), Chandra should first reinstate the old trust that the Tata Group enjoyed, and ensure that governance structures, practices, and disclosures are put in place so that the recent events are not repeated.

Alongside, Chandra will have to grow the businesses of the Tata Group, tend the ailing ones, and cut out the diseased ones.

Mistry had alleged that the Tata Group companies will face $17 billion in write-downs in five of its unprofitable businesses in the years to come, justifying his stand for the changes he had undertaken as the chairman of the company.

That makes Chandras position even more critical.

Chandra joined the TCS in 1987, and understands the Tata Group values. But his biggest challenges will be to understand some of the core sector businesses such as insurance and finance, manufacturing, and automobilesareas that he has never looked at in his entire career.

For now, the top three companies, TCS, Tata Steel and Tata Motors, account for about 75% of the conglomerates revenue. Most of that comes from TCS, which contributes 60% to the Groups revenue. Now, Chandra will have to grow the other businesses.

Mistry wanted to undo what Ratan Tata had builta large global steel empire, through acquisitions. (Tata Steel had acquired steel major Corus Group for a whooping $12 billion.) But the UK steel market, which Tata was betting on, collapsed. Add to that, falling commodity prices and cheap Chinese imports. Among the top three businesses, Tata Steels has been the worst performance.

With Chandra at the top, it will be crucial to see what he does with the UK assets, which is a drag on the companys balance sheets. Mistry wanted to sell these assets. However, brokerages such as CLSA have raised questions about continuation of the ousted chairmans strategy.

Chandra is also said to have initiated talks with Reliance Communication, Anil Ambani-owned telecom business for a possible merger with Tata Teleservices. Tatas had earlier formed a joint venture with Japans NTT Docomo, which wants to exit India, and has deemed the venture as its worst overseas investment, and has sought $1.17 billion in compensation.

One of Ratan Tatas most loved businesses is automobiles. However, its local business continues to face tough times. Its market share is down from 13% in 2013 to around 5% in 2016.

The NanoTatas dream projecthas flopped. Chandra might have to take some tough calls: on whether to continue or shut down Nano.

To make matters worse, in the December-ending quarter, Tata Motors profits plunged 97% as margins from JLR, which drives its revenue and profitability for the auto business, squeezed and cost surged.

Tatas hospitality company Indian Hotels, owners of the Taj chain of luxury hotels, has been in the red for the past four years. Chandra will have to turn it around.

While all this at hand, Chandra cannot afford to lose sight of TCS, the bellwether of the Tata Group. Under the new management, Chandra will have to ensure stability. After all it makes for 70% of the Groups market capitalisation.

Going by Chandras track record at TCS, I think his biggest focus will be to grow the group, said Juergen Maier, a Vienna-based fund manager at Raiffeisen Capital Management who oversees about $1 billion in assets including Tata Motors and Tata Consultancy shares, according to Bloomberg.

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The Indian software services companies will breathe a sigh of relief as the Indian ministries, authorities and industry lobby had a dialogue with a visiting eight-member US delegation headed by Congressman Bob GoodLatte, on the ongoing concerns of H1-B visa holders.

After the meeting with IT minister, Ravi Shankar Prasad, GoodLatte, the chairman of house judiciary committee that plays an important role in drawing policies around immigration and intellectual property, said, that it was up to President Donald Trump to reassess the situation on the immigration policy.

To put things in perspective, the Trump government has started a clampdown on H1-B visa holders, who he believes take away American jobs. The Indian IT industry has thrived over the offshore business model.

America accounts for 65% of $155 billion Indian IT revenue.

However, according to a senior government official who had knowledge of the meeting said that things looked positive. US-India has a good relationship historically. India and US compliments and supplements each other in several areas especially with Indian talent adding value to US firms and the biggest examples are Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Google CEO Sundar Pichai, he said.

The source, who is highly placed in the government, added that nearly 75% of all Fortune-500 companies are serviced by Indian IT firms, and that some of the top IT firms doing business in India, are of American origin, such as Cisco, Google and Amazon.

Meanwhile, Nirmala Sitharaman, minister of commerce and industry said that the issue had been discussed in details with the US Congressmen. Business always flourishes in an environment of certainty and transparency. So even this visa related issue is an issue on which we would want to have an air of certainty and also transparency, she told reporters on Tuesday.

Sitharaman added that the US Congress is waiting for the new administration to settle down, and once that happens, the Congressmen will play an important role in the coming out with the rules.

Indian IT sector, contributes 9.3% to the countrys GDP, and employs of 3.7 million people. The uncertainty has led to drop in value, and fall in employment.

The US has introduced the Lofgren Bill, which proposes the minimum wages being doubled to $130,000. The current H1-B minimum wage of $60,000 was fixed in 1989.

However, most H1-B visa holders get an average of $1,00,000, according to consultancy firm, Greyhound Research.

The government source added, The Indian government has asked the visiting US lawmakers to keep the Indian IT firms contribution in mind while the new government is reassessing its policy on immigration.

To hold further discussions in the matter, a Nasscom delegation from India, will visit the US for a week-long trip.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella called on Union information technology minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Tuesday to discuss the IT majors projects with the government and the issues regarding the United States immigration policy.

Prasad said that Nadella shares the concerns of the Indian IT sector when it comes to the US immigration policy.

The IT ministry is working with the MEA to sort things out. The Microsoft CEO also endorses the contribution of the Indian IT firms and professionals in the US, the IT minister said.

Read | Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella pressed Trump on H-1B visas at tech summit

A delegation of eighth US lawmakers are expected to meet Prasad later in the day.

Digigaon project

Global IT firms are making a beeline to India after Prime Minister Narendra Modi unleashed the multi-billion dollar Digital India initiative.

Microsoft is involved in one of the Digigaon project, which was announced in the Union Budget, Prasad said after the meeting.

In the Budget for 2017-18, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said a DigiGaon initiative will be launched to provide tele-medicine, education and skills through digital technology.

Read | Nadella echoes Gates concern about AI, says reskilling needed to prevent job loss

The government plans to step up the allocation for BharatNet Project to Rs 10,000 crores in 2017-18.

By the end of 2017-18, high speed broadband connectivity on optical fibre will be available in more than 1,50,000 gram panchayats, with wifi hot spots and access to digital services at low tariffs.

Microsoft has already helped in the spread of Aadhaar project.

The company founded by Bill Gates is also running a pilot on TV White Space technology which will enable it to offer internet facilities at very low frequency in rural areas.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the United States on Tuesday to keep an open mind on admitting skilled Indian workers, in comments that pushed back against Republican President Donald Trumps America First rhetoric on jobs.

Modis comments reflected concern that Indias $150 billion IT services industry would suffer if the United States curbs the visas, known as H-1B, it relies on to send its software experts to the United States on project work.

The Prime Minister referred to the role of skilled Indian talent in enriching the American economy and society, Modis office said in a statement after he met a bipartisan delegation of 26 members of the U.S. Congress.

Read | Over 100 start-up companies urge US President Trump against H-1B executive order

He urged developing a reflective, balanced and far-sighted perspective on movement of skilled professionals.

Indian nationals are by far the largest group of recipients of the 65,000 H-1B visas issued each year to new applicants under a cap mandated by Congress. Exemptions on the H-1B cap are available to up to 20,000 further applicants who have obtained a U.S. masters degree.

The actual number of Indian nationals working in the United States under the H-1B programme is significantly higher, however, because many visas are rolled over.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, who was born in India, also met Modi on Tuesday. He told the Economic Times earlier that his own career had been made possible by an enlightened immigration policy.

Initial confidence that Asias third-largest economy would benefit from Trumps election victory has given way to concern that his isolationist rhetoric and hostility to free trade would hurt Indias hi-tech and outsourcing industry.

Read | Immigrants to H-1B visas: Can Trumps America be great again without them?

The sector, led by Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys Ltd and Wipro Ltd, employs 3.5 million people and is lobbying against proposed U.S. visa curbs - including increases on salaries that H-1B visa holders must earn.

Part of the delegation led by Congressman Bob Goodlatte, a Republican from Virginia who chairs the House Judiciary Committee, met Ravi Shankar Prasad, Indias minister in charge of electronics and IT.

Goodlatte, speaking at the meeting with Prasad, declined to answer a question on visa restrictions, saying it was up to the president to reassess his policies on immigration.

A senior Indian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said India hoped to resolve the visa issue with the United States but declined to be drawn on the details.

The government supported a move by NASSCOM, Indias high-tech industry association, to lobby U.S. lawmakers and companies to urge the administration not to crack down on allowing its skilled workers into the United States, the source said.

Read | H-1B visas: Create an ecosystem where entrepreneurs need not look to the West
Police recovered the chopped-up body of a missing air force employee from the residential quarters of a sergeant in the Bhisiana air force station on Tuesday.

The pieces of the body of Vipin Shukla, a corporal in the Air Force Wives Welfare Association Canteen, were found stuffed in 16 polythene bags and hidden in different parts of the accuseds quarters.

The accused, Sulesh Kumar, and his wife Anuradha have been arrested, while Kumars brother-in-law Shashi Bhushan, who worked in the Merchant Navy, is absconding. A case under section 302 (murder) has been registered against the accused.

The mutilated body of Vipin Shukla kept at the mortuary of Bathinda civil hospital. (Sanjeev Kumar/HT)

Twenty-seven-year-old Shukla, a resident of Gonda in Uttar Pradesh, joined the air force in 2009 and was posted at the Bhisiana air force station in May 2014. He reportedly went missing on February 8.

Following a complaint by his wife Kumkum, a case of kidnapping was registered against unknown persons at Bathindas Nathana police station on February 15.

In a press conference, superintendent of police (traffic), Gurmeet Singh, said that a team of Punjab police and air force station officials detected a foul smell from Sulesh Kumars residential quarters on Tuesday, after which they discovered the victims cut-up body.

Kumar, the accused, confessed to his crimes on interrogation, and claimed that the victim had illicit sexual relations with his wife Anuradha.

The SP said, (After discovering she was pregnant,) Anuradha asked Vipin to marry her but he refused. He had also been spreading details of their relationship among other employees. Thus, Anuradha, with her husband and brother hatched a conspiracy to murder Vipin for revenge.

On the evening of February 8, Sulesh called Vipin to help him pack as he was to change his quarters, then attacked him with an axe, killing him. He then packed Vipins body in a box and took it to his new quarters, he added.

On February 19, Sulesh cut the body into pieces with a meat knife and packed it in 16 polythene bags. He put some in the wardrobe and the others in the refrigerator, he said.

The police are yet to ascertain how the accused planned to dispose of the body.

Vipin Shukla (centre) with his wife, children and other relatives. (Family album)

Also read | Update | Make the killers feel the same pain
PCC chief Amarinder Singh has demanded deployment of the armed forces to prevent any untoward incident on Thursday, when INLD plans to force its way into Punjab to dig the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal.

Expressing concern over reports of digging of holes by suspected INLD workers in Ambala, from where the party plans to move into Punjab, Amarinder alleged the Haryana government was not serious about nipping the threat in the bud.

Only the deployment of armed forces, with preventive action against the INLDs leadership, could foil any attempt to violate Punjabs borders, he added.

Earlier, the Punjab government has deployed forces at Kapoori and Shambu border in Patiala district, about 30 km from Chandigarh, in the wake of INLDs move.

The Punjab government had also sought 20 companies of Paramilitary Forces from the Centre.

Notably, Haryanas main opposition Indian National Lok Dals senior leader Abhay Chautala had announced that party activists will assemble at Ambala (Haryana) on February 23 and march towards Punjab for the purpose of digging the SYL canal after the recent Apex court verdict favouring Haryana in terms of sharing of river waters.

Amarinder also demanded preventive arrest of INLD leader Abhay and cancellation of party supremo Om Prakash Chautalas parole to control the situation, which have escalated to dangerous proportions.

Read: Fearing face-off over SYL, Punjabs border with Haryana to be sealed

Abhays adamant stand on the issue, and his defiant threat to go ahead with the SYL incursion even if the Army is called in, is ground enough for his preventive detention, the former Punjab Chief Minister said in a statement here.

He said the central government should immediately step in to order large-scale deployment of the armed forces ahead of the threatened move by the INLD.

Abhay Chautalas defiant and provocative statements on the issue could have a long-term, explosive impact on Punjabs peace, Amarinder warned.

Being a sensitive border state, Punjab could not be left to its own devices to handle the current volatile situation, particularly in the light of the fact that the state was in post-poll limbo, still awaiting the outcome of the assembly elections with no government worth the name at the helm to protect its interests, said the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president.
With politicians, who contested the February 15 assembly poll, getting busy in calculating their poll expenditure for submitting before the election commission, experts on Tuesday warned that the candidates might not reveal the actual amount spent.

The Election Commission of India has made it mandatory for every candidate to submit a true account of his election expenses with the district election officer within 30 days from the date of declaration of the poll result.

Sources said many candidates were eyeing to show nominal expenses, including those on public meetings, campaigning materials, advertisements, campaign workers, vehicles among others. This time, the limit of expenditure for candidates in Uttarakhand was 28 lakh as against 11 lakh in the 2012 polls.

The idea (behind under-reporting expenses) is to present their expenses at an ideal level even though many candidates have spent well above the prescribed ceiling, a lawyer, consulted by some politicians, told HT on condition of anonymity.

According to an analysis by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch (NEW), the extent of expenses by newly elected MLAs of Uttarakhand after the 2012 polls was just 59% -- way below the overall expense limit of 11 lakh. The average election expenses in Uttarakhand (as declared by the 43 MLAs analysed) was just 6.49 lakh per MLA.

With 67%, the Congress had then led the party-wise average election expenses by MLAs, followed by the BJP (50%), Independents (55%) and Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (46%). At least 8 MLAs had declared zero election expenses on campaigning done through electronic or print media.

Experts feared that election expenditure details submitted by the candidates may never be the actual amount.

Those candidates who have overspent will never report their expenses correctly. I think there are serious violations (in reporting poll expenses by candidates) that will never come to light. The election machinery is certainly making efforts, but the problem is too complex and too deeply buried to be taken at face value, said Ravi Chopra, an activist and former Uttarakhand coordinator of ADR-NEW.

Also, the extent of black money pumped into the election may never be traced and accounted for, further leaving a scope of under-reporting in overall poll expenses, he said.

More than 1 lakh litres of liquor and over 3 crore cash -- considered probable enticements for voters -- were seized in Uttarakhand by authorities in the run up to the February 15 polls.

Radha Raturi, the chief electoral officer of Uttarakhand, said the election authorities kept a close eye on poll expenses of candidates by capturing and analyzing video footage of their campaigning activities minutely and tabulating estimate of expenses by them as per the rates fixed by the election commission.

Candidates expenses will be matched with the registers maintained by the officials, she said.

Congress state unit chief Kishore Upadhyay, who contested from Sahaspur constituency, said: We (Congress candidates) will follow the norms laid down by the EC in documenting our election expensesif some candidates are doing it (under reporting expenses), then (the trend) should not be generalised for all.

Echoing similar sentiments, BJP state unit chief Ajay Bhatt, who contested from Ranikhet, said, We are committed to abide by the EC guidelines and will submit actual poll expenses.

Uttarakhand witnessed 65.64% polling across 69 assembly constituencies. Voting in Karnaprayag was postponed to March 9 following the death of a candidate. Votes will be counted on March 11.

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Dehradun: An analysis of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has projected 40 seats for the party in the 70-member Uttarakhand assembly, but the central leadership and elected MLAs will unanimously decide who will be the chief minister, said Shyam Jaju, the partys state in-charge.

Unlike the Congress that ran its election campaign with incumbent Harish Rawat as the chief ministerial face, the BJP did not project a local leader for the top job. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the lynchpin of the saffron partys campaign in Uttarakhand that went to polls on February 15.

Our national president Amit Shah during a rally in the state has already announced that the CM candidate will be jointly decided by the parliamentary committee and winning MLAs, Jaju, BJP national vice president, told Hindustan Times on Tuesday.

The BJP leaders eying the top job include Satpal Maharaj, who contested for Chaubattakhal, Trivendra Singh Rawat (Doiwala), Ajay Bhatt (Ranikhet), MPs Ajay Tamta (Almora) and Rameh Pokhriyal Nishank (Haridwar), and former CM Vijay Bahuguna.

The party will not announce a name unless it sweeps the polls on March 11, the counting day. Certainly, we have done some home work in this regard, Jaju cleared the air.

Satisfied with the partys four-month-long campaign spearheaded by the central leadership and executed by state leaders, Jaju pointed out chinks in the Congress approach.

Central leadership of Congress did not support Harish Rawat. Thats the reason why he was the only one campaigning for his candidates in all constituencies, he said.

Congress cabinet minister Yashpal Arya joined the BJP because of this reason, he added. Yashpal Arya was next to CM in the party. What led him to be a turncoat is the hollowness of Congress party that did not back its CM or candidates in Uttarakhand.

The BJP supported the Congress turncoats, but it failed to pacify its rebels who threatened to dent its poll prospects in some pockets. Rebel candidates who contested as independents could give a big blow to party on seats, such as Narendra Nagar, Rishikesh and even Ranikhet.

Dissidents are bound to surface whenever candidates are declared. Parliamentary committee after thorough discussion and analysis chose candidates. The party has taken action against rebels and I dont see any threat from them, Jaju said.

Union health minister JP Nadda and petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan were the election in-charges for the state. Jaju was made the state in-charge after Kailash Vijayvargiya, national general secretary, failed to ensure BJPs win during the floor test in 2016.

Starting from Parivartan Yatra to pushing national leaders for campaigning, I think we have executed the plan very well. We will win in Uttarakhand with a big majority, Jaju said.

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Delhi Universitys Ramjas College was forced to call off a seminar on Tuesday after heated protests against an invite to Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students Shehla Rashid and Umar Khalid, who was accused of shouting anti-India slogans last year.

Members of the college student union and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), which owes allegiance to the RSS, disrupted the event even before Khalid reached the campus.

Khalid was invited by the colleges Literary Society to speak in the afternoon on a subject related to his PhD, which he is doing from JNU. His topic at the seminar was The War in Adivasi Areas.

But before he could reach the college, members of the Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) and ABVP arrived and protested. They met principal Rajendra Prasad and objected to Khalids participation at the event, titled Cultures of Protest.

Prasad told Hindustan Times that the two students lecture has been cancelled because of protests as well as advice from police that the situation could go out of hand.

Read | JNU row a year later: Kanhaiya to Khalid, how lives of 5 students changed

The protesters allegedly threw stones despite police deployment.

A large group of students had gathered near the venue and were shouting slogans of Vande Mataram and Bharat Mata Ki Jai, said Vinita Chandra, an English teacher of the college.

Students stranded inside the auditorium at Ramjas college after ABVP activists hurled stones at them for inviting Umar Khalid to campus, on February 21, 2017. (Dhrubo Jyoti/Hindustan Times)

She said some of the students unhappy with the slogans went out of the conference hall and held a peaceful counter-protest, and walked back in a while later.

But before the second session was about to begin, electricity to the hall was switched off and stones came flying in. Window panes of the hall were broken. I wonder why police could not stop the protesters from throwing stones.

The English department and the Literary Society had permission from the principal for the two-day conference. Teacher Chandra said the president of the college student union had also given the go-ahead.

Ramjas principal Prasad tried to reason with the protesting students that they should confront ideas, not people, and engage the other party in a dialogue.

But we had to cancel their participation in view of the situation. Also, several colleges had denied permission to let Khalid speak at their campus events, Prasad said.

As the protests turned bigger, Khalid had to be turned back.

I was told ABVP is protesting against my talk. They are behaving like goons and doing whatever they want to, he said.

Khalid, a former member of the ultra-radical Democratic Students Union (DSU), was arrested last year on charges of sedition for his role in organising a rally at JNU to commemorate the anniversary of the execution of 2001 Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.

Anti-national slogans were allegedly shouted at the event. Following his arrest, Rashid, then the vice president of the JNU union, emerged as the face of a stir, demanding the release of Khalid and fellow students jailed for the controversial event.

DUSU president Amit Tanwar justified the protest.

These people shouted anti-national slogans on the JNU campus. They called for destruction of India. How can we let them speak in DU? he said.

Read | Unusual silence on JNU campus but students say wont be silenced

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Connaught Place traders are planning to submit a memorandum to the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) asking for more time to complete the formality of getting a structural safety certificate for their respective shops.

The NDMC gave us 15 days to complete the process. We will ask for more time for submitting these structural safety certificates, New Delhi Traders Association president Atul Bhargava told HT.

The move came after two incidents of roof collapse in CPs C and L blocks on February 2 and 10. On February 14, NDMC asked traders to submit documents, including self declaration by the owners and attestation by the structural engineer that the particular shop space doesnt deviate from the sanctioned building plan and items on rooftop are there with necessary permission.

Built in 1933, there is no structural drawing plan of the buildings in Connaught Place. We have consulted structural engineers who have said that the whole process will take 40-45 days. So we need more time, Bhargava said.

According to him, one of the major problems is that the property owners are not allowed to maintain their shops.

They have to go through multiple processes. Under the Delhi bylaws 6.4.1, every shopowner can maintain his premises, conduct repairs if required. The NDMC has put a stop to it. They say get clearance from the Heritage Conservation Committee. The committee says matters related to the outside structures only should be referred to them. This process needs to be simplified, Bhargava said.

The NDMC had earlier banned use of rooftops in Connaught Place due to safety concerns after a part of the roof in C block near the popular Jain Book Depot collapsed on February 2.

Rooftop sections of My Bar Headquarters, Warehouse Cafe in D-block, The Vault Cafe in F-block, Kinbuck-2 and Kitchen Bar in C-block, Lord of the Drinks, Open House Cafe, Unplugged Courtyard, Jungle Jamboree, Boombox Cafe, Farzi Cafe, House of Commons, Hotel Palace Heights, Office Canteen Bar, Luggage Room, Cafe OMG, Barbeque Nation, TC Bar & Restaurant, Teddy Boy Restaurant and The Niche Restaurant and Cafe Public Connection were sealed on February 3.

Incidentally, the roof of one of these sealed establishments, Unplugged Courtyard, a restaurant in L-Block, caved in on February 11.

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A less than five-month-old unborn baby boy was found in the womens toilet near the gynaecology OPD of a Delhi government hospital in South Delhis Malviya Nagar on Monday afternoon.

The foetus, abandoned in the toilet after the mother underwent what appears to be an abortion, was found by hospital staff when they went in to clean the toilet at around 3pm.

The woman may have had drugs to induce an abortion and left the hospital without informing anyone after the abortion occurred. What was surprising is that the woman disappear so quickly after the abortion because the process would have physically and mentally exhausted her, said Dr R Chugh, medical superintendent of the hospital.

Unsafe abortions kill 10 women each day in India, where an estimated 6.8 million women choose methods each year to terminate pregnancies that threaten their health and life.

The police was informed and a case filed. We are also looking at the CCTV footage to identify the mother, said Dr Chugh.

If the mother is found, action is unlikely to be taken against her. The foetus was that of a boy and it was less than 20 weeks, which is whin the permissible limit till when abortions are legal in India. So she hasnt broken the law, Dr Chugh said.

Indias Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act legalises abortions up to 20 weeks if there is threat to the mothers life or her physical or mental health, or if the unborn baby has abnormalities, but many women end up using unsafe abortions methods because they dont know where or who to go because there are not enough legal providers. Many dont even know its legal to abort up to 20 weeks.

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The Delhi government wants students writing the compulsory Class 10 board examinations evaluated on only half the syllabus for two years, arguing city pupils arent ready to face the tough test.

The demand comes after the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)  the countrys largest education board  made Class 10 examinations compulsory from the next academic session (2017-18) after widespread criticism of the earlier system of optional tests and automatic promotion.

In a letter to the CBSE in January, the Delhi education department said students of Class 9 and 8  who will face the first and second editions of the compulsory examination in 2018 and 2019, respectively  should be given a breather for two years.

Read | Want to study a foreign language at CBSE school? You may have to take 3 more

The letter said these students were used to the semester system  under which pupils are examined every six months  and so, they should be assessed only for one semester in their Class 10 exams for two years.

This effectively meant a halving of the syllabus as the board examinations assess a candidate on the entire years learning.

The CBSE hasnt taken a call on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) governments request but sources told HT it might be difficult for the board to change the rule for a union territory or a state because the decision was applicable to affiliated schools.

Read | Punjab school board changes books of 17 subjects to match up to NCERT, CBSE

Board officials also said a semester-based assessment couldnt be called a board examination, which had to be based on an annual syllabus.

Officials in the city department of education said they didnt ask for an exemption.

We want the semester system to continue for Class 9 and 10 students for an interim of two years as they had to go through various experiments of no-detention policy, CCE (continuous and comprehensive evaluation) among others, and will find it (board exams) difficult to adjust, said a senior DoE official.

We fully support board exams but currently the students are used to the semester system so they should be assessed using that. The board exam for these students can be based on a semester rather than judging them on the full syllabus, that too for a period of two years, added the official. The government also said this could be replicated throughout the country so that sudden decisions dont adversely affect the children.

Read | CBSE admit card for board exams 2017 released, download them here

Last December, CBSE made Class 10 exam compulsory in its schools, doing away with a policy formed five years ago that offered a choice to students to opt for the board-conducted finals or let the institution assess their performance. The previous policy was roundly criticised for lower performance levels among children and blamed for falling test scores.

The decision was taken by the governing body of the CBSE, which runs more than 18,000 schools in the country including government schools, Kendriya Vidyalayas and private ones.

A CBSE notification earlier this month said students appearing for the Class 10 exam will have to study the complete years syllabus and score 33% in both theory and internal assessment to pass.

To roll out compulsory Class 10 board examination in 2018, schools will have to start internal assessment from this year itself. Delhi government wrote to us recently pointing out that the graded system which was in practice so far should continue for Delhi government schools. However, at this juncture, we cant give them exemption as this is the decision of the governing body, said a CBSE official.

Read | CBSE scraps open text book based assessment for classes 9 and 11

Unlike other states, Delhi does not have its own education board and is affiliated to the CBSE. In 2015, education minister Manish Sisodia had said the government would work on creating a board of its own on the lines of the CBSE with its own syllabus, keeping the demand of Delhi in mind. However, no timeline was given for the rollout of the proposal.

Private schools in the capital had performed better than government-run and aided schools in the CBSE Class 10 exam last year. According to CBSE officials, the pass percentage of private schools was 11% higher than that of government schools. Government schools in Delhi had a pass percentage of 89.13%, which is more than the national average of 86.61%.

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Photo: VGP

During the meeting, the two sides agreed to deepen the traditional friendship and strategic partnership relations by exchanging high-ranking visits in 2017, including the Indonesian Presidents visit to Vietnam and the Vietnamese State Presidents visit to Indonesia.

The two sides also agreed to promote cooperation mechanisms, especially the Committee for Bilateral Cooperation at the Foreign Minister level, which will be held in Vietnam in the third quarter of 2017, and the Joint Committee on Economics, Science and Technology.

They reached a consensus on increasing cooperation in security and defence, pledging to be willing to share information, and strictly coordinate with each other to prevent terrorism, contributing to maintaining a peaceful and stable environment for development. The two Foreign Ministers stressed to need to promptly carry out the demarcation of exclusive economic zone at the continental shelf of the two countries.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh appreciated the coordination of the Indonesian Foreign Ministry in addressing the issue of recently arrested Vietnamese fishermen, and expressed his hope that Indonesia would continue to tackle the issue with a humanitarian spirit, suiting the Vietnam  Indonesia strategic partnership relations.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi agreed to strictly work with Vietnam in the 2017 APEC Year and promote ASEAN to develop on the 3 pillars of politics  security, economics and culture, and expand cooperation with the outside.

They were together on increasing cooperation, coordination and support for the Philippines to realise the 2017 Presidency, so that ASEAN policies and guidelines on regional issues would continue to be effectively carried out.

Talking about East Sea issues, the two sides stressed the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security, maritime and aviation safety; being consistent in addressing disputes with peaceful measures in accordance with international laws, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), as well as other diplomatic and legal progresses; and working with other ASEAN countries in efficiently realizing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and promptly reaching the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC)./.
A Delhi court has sentenced a man to life imprisonment for raping and killing an 81-year-old woman at her residence in south Delhis Greater Kailash II.

Neeraj Saifi was awarded life imprisonment under section 302 of IPC for murder, 10 years of imprisonment under section 376 of IPC for rape and 3 years under section 201 of IPC for causing disappearance of evidence of offence. He will have to serve the maximum punishment meted out to him, which is life imprisonment.

The woman, widow of a senior journalist, was found dead in her house on July 8, 2014. She had been living alone after her husband died in 2005.

Additional sessions judge Sanjiv Jain pronounced the verdict after the prosecution cited circumstantial evidence, testimonies of witnesses, postmortem report and other medical reports to prove that Saifi was the culprit. The court hearing also held the domestic help Neeraj guilty of destruction of evidence.

The woman was beaten up, raped and strangled with a dupatta before being set on fire by her domestic help Saifi. Her body was found on the second floor of the four-storey apartment in Greater Kailash II.

Neeraj had been employed for seven months. He was arrested soon after the incident.

The witnesses included the womans family members, neighbours, servants and security guards. During the trial, police said that Saifi had admitted to committing the crime during interrogation.

Delhi Police filed the chargesheet in September 2014 against Saifi. The trial began on November 8 but due to delay in forensic reports it stopped for a while.

During the trial it was found that Saifis plan was to prove that the woman had died in a fire.

During the investigation, police had first thought that the fire in the house started due to an air-condition malfunction. But it was later found that the outdoor unit of the split AC was intact and there couldnt have been a blast. This helped police reach the conclusion that the fire was deliberate to kill the woman.

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Parents who have applied for nursery admission of their wards in Delhis 1,700 private school can check whether their applications have been accepted by the schools on Tuesday. February 21 is the deadline given by the Delhi government to schools to upload the names of all the applications accepted.

Parents can log on to the website of the schools where they have applied and check out the details. Schools such as The Mothers International at Aurobindo Marg, Delhi Public Schools at Vasant Kunj, New Green Field at Saket and others have taken a lead and have already published the details.

Though the government had given time till February 28, to upload the marks allotted to each applicant, some schools have also put out the marksheet.

The admission to nursery in Delhi is done on the basis of points alloted for criteria like neighbourhood, alumni, sibling, girl child and others. In situations where candidates secure same points, the schools will conduct a draw of lots.

In most schools the draw of lots is scheduled for March 3. And on March 7, the first list of selected candidates will be displayed.

The schools were this year asked to upload the details to ensure transparency. A senior official said, If any school fails to comply with the directive action will be taken.

This is, however, only for the general seats. For the Economically Weaker Section (EWS/DG) category the final list will be out on March 7 and will be released by the government.

Around 1,50,000 aspirants vie for 1,25,000 seats every year, but the process gets caught in last-minute litigations as either parents or schools go to court almost every year.

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A 26-year-old imposter was arrested on Monday for allegedly cheating more than 100 people in Delhi and adjacent states to the tune of over Rs50 lakh by promising them jobs in Indian Railways, Delhi Metro and leading media organisations.

The conman, who often impersonated as a Supreme Court lawyer or a journalist, also duped people of their money by offering help in securing their childs admission to nursery at reputed schools across the national capital region, police said.

The arrested impersonator, Sanjay Kumar Aarya, belonged to a lower middle class family. A native of Hathras in Uttar Pradesh and a class 12 dropout, Aarya desired to lead a lavish lifestyle but had no money to fulfil it. To earn quick and easy money, he started cheating people, police said.

Romil Baaniya, deputy commissioner of police (southeast), said that Aarya was arrested following investigation into a cheating case filed at the Sangam Vihar police station. The complainant, Rauf Alam, told the police that he was cheated of Rs1.5 lakh by a fake advocate who had assured his sons admission to Kendriya Vidyalaya in Badarpur.

A team under the supervision of SHO Upender Singh was formed to nab the conman. Alam told us that he became suspicious when a woman called her on his phone and demanded Rs20,000 more for school books and dress material. Alam went to the school and during enquiry he was told that no such woman works there. Also, his child did not get admission in the school, said Baaniya.

The team collected information about the suspect and established his identity. On Saturday, investigators were tipped off about Aaryas presence at his Meethapur home. A raid was conducted and Aarya was caught.

Aarya was in the process of collecting money from three unemployed youths whom he had promised jobs in Indian Railways. He already had collected cheques of Rs7,100 each from the three, an investigator said.

During the interrogation, Aarya disclosed that he used to influence his potential victims by impersonating himself as an influential advocate, a reputed journalist and sometimes a deputy commissioner in Delhi Police.

Aarya used to dress up like an advocate and meet his potential clients either outside the Supreme Court or the Saket court. His girlfriend used to make calls to the clients and demand money by confirming that their job was done. Aarya had given her a script which she had to read during the telephonic conversations, the officer added.

Aarya was found involved in a similar case registered at the Jaitpur police station. Over two dozen complaints were received by the Sangam Vihar police till Tuesday evening. The complainants were from Delhi, Azamgarh, Gorakhpur, Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh and Palwal from Haryana. Police are hoping to receive more complaints against Aarya in the coming days.
Doctors at New Delhis Safdarjung Hospital may soon be operating and treating patients in the dark with the National Green Tribunal (NGT) threatening to cut off its water and power supply if it does not comply with biomedical waste disposal norms within 15 days.

Its impossible to meet the deadline, such a project will take at least six months to a year, said Dr AK Rai, medical superintendant of the hospital.

Safdarjung is one of the busiest government hospitals in Delhi, with a daily footfall of 7,000-8,000 patients. It has the biggest burns ward and the highest number of deliveries in north India, delivering between 70 and 80 babies each day.

The NGT notice reached the Safdarjung hospital three days ago after an inspection revealed the hospital did not have a sewage treatment plant. The NGT letter has given the hospital a 15-day period to fix the problem.

The two new blocks for emergency and surgery have sewage treatment plants (STPs), which will start working when the buildings start work. But there are no STPs in the old blocks and constructing new ones is a time-consuming project, said Dr Rai.

Constructing the plant will involve putting in new sewer and connecting all sewers to the plant. Such a project will take at least six months to a year. We had asked the CPWD (Central Public Works Department) to take up the project, but it does not have the expertise. We have now asked the Hospital Services Consultancy Corporation Limited, said Dr Rai.

The hospital said it will ask the NGT for more time.

The order came following an NGT judgment in the 20-year-old Almitra Patel case in December 2016, when the NGT ordered all state governments, union territories and civic bodies across the country to implement the Solid Waste Management Rules 2016 in all respect.

Following the order, inspections were conducted in hospitals in February. An inspection was carried out around a week back. The hospital completely complies with the rules and the visit was very positive, an official from AIIMS said.

During the visit, the NGT pointed out some deficiencies and we will work towards making the changes. However, we received no warning, said an administration official from Lady Harding Medical College (LHMC), who did not wish to be named.

In another case in 2013, AIIMS, Safdarjung and LHMC were among nine government hospitals in Delhi for not having sewage treatment plants.
The police arrested a suspect from a South Delhi locality nearly two days after a woman was raped inside the Deer Park near Hauz Khas Village.

The accused, in his 20s, has been identified as Raja alias Jhandel and he works at a small restaurant located near the village, Ishwar Singh, DCP (South), told HT. Police had said on Monday they had identified the main accused in the case.

After intense investigation, the accused has been positively identified. Various teams are raiding his probable hideouts and results are expected soon, the police had said.

Police have recovered the iPhone that he had snatched from the victim while fleeing after the crime. He had also snatched her wallet, but dropped it while escaping.

The wallet had been found from the crime spot soon after the rape was reported to the police around 2.45 am on Sunday.

The DCP expressed confidence that they had enough evidence to link him to the crime. Police suspect the blood from his head injury could be found on the victims clothes.

We will file the charge sheet against him within a month, the DCP said.

Raja, a resident of nearby Arjun Vihar, used to frequently visit the Hauz Khas area at night, police said.

While no previous criminal case against him has emerged so far, police are questioning him to ascertain if he was involved in similar crimes earlier.

Raja was identified through a sketch based on the description provided by the victim.

Around 25 teams consisting of three-four members each were tasked with identifying and arresting the accused.

Police said the they were on the lookout of the suspect with a head injury as the victim had told them that she had hit the rapist with a stone during the assault.

The victim, who lives in a South Delhi locality, has a part time job and is pursuing a course in spoken English. She was looking for a cab in Hauz Khas with her cousin sister on Saturday night when two men approached them and offered to drop them home.

While walking towards the car, one of the men asked the victim to accompany him to Deer Park, saying there was a dry lake he wanted to show her, RP Upadhyay, Joint CP (South-Eastern Range) had said after the incident was reported. They scaled the wall of the park and walked to the lake where the accused allegedly raped her twice.

After the man escaped with her wallet and phone, the woman walked and found some cops manning a picket and narrated her ordeal.

The woman was sent for a medical examination and her statement was recorded.

Read more:

Lets talk about rape

Do not take the blame on yourself, dont break: Uber rape survivors letter

Delhi serial rapist was amused, encouraged by girls cries for mercy

Indias rape capital: 140 rapes, over 200 molestation cases in Delhi in January

(With ANI inputs)
The environment minister today attacked peoples reliance on foreign studies and media to talk about the problem of air pollution in India, saying foreign reports must not be treated a certificates.

We tend to believe reports on the impact of air pollution by foreign agencies and media and we do not rely on our own institutions, said Environment Minister Anil Madhav Dave , speaking to reporters on Tuesday. We should rely on Indian institutions, we trust our institutions and we will act based on them. We trust them as much as we trust the Indian army.

When questioned minister, however, could not list a single study done in India that had generated data about how many deaths in India can at least partially be attributed to air pollution.

A study in The Lancet qouted WHO data to day Patna and Delhi have the worst levels of pollution. The annual PM 2.5 levels in the two cities were found to be more than 10 times the permissible limits laid down by WHO. The study showed that more than one million Indians die annually because of air pollution, which is an average of two air pollution deaths each daily.

The 2015 Global Burden of Disease report estimated that PM2.5 contribute to 4.2 million deaths globally, more than half of which occur in India and China.

READ: India and China have half of pollution related deaths http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/india-s-air-rivals-china-s-as-deadliest-in-the-world-study/story-IDuIqz6laBbIfe1RqKNHjN.html

There is no conclusive data available in the country to establish a direct co-relationship of death exclusively with air pollution, Dave had told Parliament earlier this month. He again reiterated that there are no studies that prove that air pollution is solely responsible for deaths while acknowledging that it impacts peoples health.

Greenpeace released a study this year that said that it wasnt just the big cities where air pollution is a problem, but also smaller cities. Of the 94 cities ranked by the Central Pollution Control Board based on data from 2011-15, Gwalior had the worst pollution problem.

CPCB Chairman, S.P. Singh, explained that these studies were based on data from a few monitoring stations and data from satellite imagery that may not be validated on the ground.

The environment minister also expressed helplessness in the face of a federal structure and noted that local bodies are responsible for implementation. It is not a priority for local authorities, he said. We want to make it a priority.

The government may not know how many people are dying primarily because of air pollution in India but there is some sense of how much GDP loss India was suffering because of the problem. In December, Anupriya Patel, the state minister for health and family welfare, in her reply to parliament quoted from the World Bank Disaster Management and Climate Change Unit Report, which said that the health costs from particulate matter pollution was estimated to be 3% of the countrys GDP. The damage to the environment was pegged at R. 3.75 trillion which is about 5.7% of Indias GDP.

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Disheartened by UKs Brexit and US President Donald Trumps anti-immigration policies, students planning to study abroad can definitely look at France as a welcoming destination as the country plans to increase its Indian student target to 10,000 by 2020. Last year, 4,000 Indian students joined France to pursue higher education.

India is a major strategic partner for France and we consider that student mobility is an essential leverage for greater exchanges between our two countries. We are committed to keeping our doors wide open to Indian students and providing them with the best educational opportunities,, French Ambassador Alexandre Ziegler has said.

To connect better with Indian students, Campus France India, a service provided by the French government to promote education and Institut Francais India are bringing well-known French institutes to Delhi, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Indore. For the first time, a PhD Tour will also bring together representatives of French universities with prospective PhD students.

Dates, venues of the French admission tour. (Handout)

Representatives of more than 30 French institutions, including B-schools, engineering and specialised schools such as law, design and hotel management will be visiting Delhi on February 25; Kolkata on February 27, Bengaluru on March 2 and Indore on March 4.

Prominent B-schools expected to participate include Rennes School of Business, ESCP Europe and ESSEC Business School. Engineering schools include ENAC (National School for Civil Aviation) and Ecole Central (Lille and Nantes).

France boasts of a number of top academic institutes. When it comes to the quality of life, Paris was voted as the best international student city by the QS team from 2012 to 2016. Five French cities appear among the top 100 cities listed in the 2017 QS Ranking.

Education is also not as expensive as in the UK and US as students get tuition fee waivers. France ranks third among the most innovative countries.
The face-off between the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) administration and the agitating students continued on Tuesday, with the university expressing shock at the misinformation being spread by the students community.

The university has implored the students, who are protesting its notification on an upper cap on the number of MPhil and PhD students a faculty member can guide, to end their siege of the administrative block.

...The universitys website and media reports have plenty of appeals and requests made by the administration to these students to refrain from unlawful and harmful methods... and come forward for peaceful discussion and dialogue, the premier university of the country said in a statement.

It also accused the students of misleading the public by showing their illogical demands as genuine concerns.

It is the 12th day since a hundred-odd students started their occupation of the building, blocking all entries to it and throwing, as the administration alleged, the entire bureaucratic apparatus out of gear.

The agitators do not care at all when thousand plus contractual labourers suffer because of their agitation, and yet shed crocodile tears by invoking social justice arguments, the statement said.

Do they worry at all when the university has lost huge sums of money, that are actually the countrys taxpayers money, due to their occupation and blockade of the administrative building?

Do they respect academics, when official papers of faculty and students related to their academic engagements in India and abroad are not processed due to their illegal siege of the office building? the university said.

It also reprimanded the JNU Teachers Association (JNUTA) for supporting the students and taking the matter out of campus instead of approaching the administration.

The JNUTA has not even once given a call for ending the siege of the administration building..., it said.

Some students have resorted to confining top JNU officials for above 20 hours, breaking open the doors and disrupting meetings, putting locks in various School Buildings to prevent classes,... All these incidents ironically are not considered law and order problems by JNUTA! said the administration.

The students decided to occupy the administrative block on February 9, following the adoption of a 2016 University Grants Commission (UGC) notification which recommended an upper cap on the number of MPhil and PhD students a faculty member can guide.

They alleged that the cap would mean a massive seat-cut in the admissions, although the university said it will not happen.
Burglars decamped with cash and goods worth thousands of rupees from three shops in Badshahpur village early on Tuesday. The theft was a repeat of an incident early on Monday when burglars had made off with cash, clothes and groceries worth lakhs from nine shops in Badshahpur market. Police suspect the same gang is behind both incidents.

Tej Ram whose retail shop on Sohna Road was also targeted in the heist said the incident happened around 2:40am on Tuesday. The CCTV camera footage shows that the thieves came in a black car with a Delhi number and took away cash and other goods. I lost around 12,000 cash and cigarette packets worth 6,000, he said.

However, the loss was manifold for owners of two hardware shops from which bathroom accessories were stolen.

Police claimed they chased six suspects around 3:30 am on Tuesday after they saw them moving in a suspicious manner. We chased the men who were going towards Sohna. Three of them were in a car and three others were on a motorcycle. They left the bike behind and managed to escape in the car. They are being identified and will be nabbed soon, Rajender Yadav, SHO, Badshahpur police station, said.

On Monday, the burglary in the main market had led to protests by shopkeepers who blocked Sohna Road. The blockade was lifted only after police assured the that the culprits would be nabbed soon.

The thefts came to light when one of the employees of a tent house near the market was on his way to the police station around 4:15am on Monday to report the death of a florist when he noticed locks of several shops in the market broken.

The thieves targeted two cement shops, ready-made clothes shop, two grocery stores and a chemist shop. Badshahpur police said the shopkeepers complained of missing cash. All other items in the shops were untouched except the cash counters, Rajender Yadav, SHO, Badshahpur said.

We are investigating the matter and the culprits will be caught soon. A team of forensic and finger print experts have collected evidences, Yadav said.

The SHO had also held a meeting with shopkeepers and assured them that CCTV cameras would be installed at all shops and main roads on Tikli road, Kadarpur road, main market and Sohna road.

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A female foetus was found wrapped in a newspaper inside a dustbin of an upscale residential complex in Gurgaon, police said on Tuesday.

The incident was reported on Monday evening from the 18th floor of A-2 tower of World Spa-East in Sector 41.

Rajinder Singh Rana, who provides security in the condominium, lodged a complaint with the police after his staff informed him about the foetus that was found by a cleaning staff.

I informed the matter to the police, who reached the spot and took the foetus in possession. We will cooperate with the investigation and provide CCTV footage to the police, said Rana.

The police have filed a case and have asked the security agency to provide relevant CCTV camera footage of the floor and the building.

A post mortem on the foetus was carried on Tuesday and the medical team confirmed that the foetus was not aborted clinically. Dr Deepak Mathur, who conducted the post-mortem, said the foetus is of about a four-month-old baby girl.

It is not possible to conclude whether it was aborted through medicines or naturally. For that forensic tests are required, Dr Mathur said.

Sudhir Kumar, station house officer at Sector 40 police station, said the police have sought details of the CCTV footage and it might take a day as the security agency has to follow certain official procedures.

In another incident, a less than five-month-old unborn baby boy was found in the womens toilet near the gynaecology OPD of a Delhi government hospital in South Delhis Malviya Nagar on Monday afternoon.

At least 10 women die every day after undergoing unsafe abortions in India, where an estimated 6.8 million of them choose methods to terminate pregnancies that threaten their health and life.

Indias Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act legalises abortions up to 20 weeks if there is a threat to the mothers life or her physical or mental health, or if the unborn baby has abnormalities.

However, many women end up using unsafe methods because they dont know where or who to go. Many dont even know its legal to abort up to 20 weeks.

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A salesman of Bharat Gas Agency was shot dead by assailants at a godown near Daulatabad railway crossing, police said.

Police identified the deceased as Raju, who was a salesman at the godown. He used to collect the daily sale of around Rs 60,000 to 70,000 before leaving the premises.

Raju was about to leave the godown when some miscreants came to the godown and tried to snatch the cash. Raju, however, resisted and consequently he was shot.

Excessive loss of blood led to his death, police said.

The station house officer of Rajendera Park police post said the incident happened around 6 pm. Police have registered a case and the investigation is on, he said.

The miscreants escaped with the days collection slated to be around Rs 65,000, police said.

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Police are yet to file a case in the alleged suicide bid by a 27-year old doctor from Patna at a Delhi Metro station in Gurgaon. The doctor had jumped in front of a metro train at Guru Dronacharya station on Monday

morning.

The woman, Farhat Nishat, is admitted to a hospital and has suffered severe injuries in her jaw, preventing her from recording a statement, police said.

A video grab from a CCTV camera showed that Nishat, who works in a private insurance firm, jumped in front of a train around 7:15 am. The train, which was slowing down, hit the woman and the impact threw her off the track. She suffered fractures in the hand and feet and is undergoing treatment at a private hospital in the city.

The woman lived in DLF phase 3 with her parents, brother and sister-in-law, police said.

Inspector Devi Charan, station house officer of the Metro police station, said a case could not be registered because Nishats statement could not be recorded. The victim has not been able to record her statement as she is severely injured. The doctors have not allowed us to talk to the patient as she is not fit, Devi Charan said.

On Monday too, police had maintained that she was unconscious throughout the day, and they were not able to speak to her. No eyewitnesses have come forward to record a statement either as most people were boarding the train and left the station immediately.

The family members of the victim are also perplexed by the suicide attempt and told police that she was possibly stressed by the daily commute between Gurgaon and Delhi. An MBBS degree holder, Nishat also has an MBA degree and worked as a consultant with a private insurance company on Mathura road in Delhi.

A Delhi Metro Rail Corporation spokesperson said the registration of a case is the domain of the police department, and the role of metro authorities is to provide information, and to help the victim reach a hospital at the earliest.

The incident brought to focus the inadequacies in security arrangements on metro station platforms. Data procured from the CISF showed that 88 people tried to commit suicide and 350 people were booked for jaywalking the tracks at metro stations across NCR in 2016.

The figures suggest that the deployment of CISF personnel to monitor the stations may not be enough and a new impetus to security arrangements is required urgently. The Delhi Metros project of installing platform screen doors at crowded metro stations might be one of the possible solutions.

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Huma Qureshis debut Hollywood film Viceroys House, directed by Gurinder Chadha has been making news since quite some time. Before the film releases in the UK in the first week of March, Huma has been extended a special invite by Facebook headquarters in London, UK. The actor, who is currently in London for her films premiere, will be at the Facebook office today (February 22) to talk about her film.

A source says, Fresh off the success of Jolly LLB 2, Humas currently having a great time in London. The posters from her first Hollywood release are splashed across the city, including popular tourist spots such as Piccadilly Circus and Oxford Street along with major tube stations. She also recently attended the London Fashion Week and was on the front row of the Teatum Jones show after receiving a special invitation from the designer duo. On her arrival at the office, Huma will be given an office tour first by the team and then there will be a live chat.

Huma Qureshi at the London premiere of Viceroys House. (HT Photo)

An excited Huma says, I am glad that I will be the first Indian actor to visit the Facebook headquarters in London. To be invited there is an honour and I feel privileged. So many fans are sending Gurinder and me different posters of the film from all over the city. I feel so blessed and loved to be able to get so much love from people.

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An 18-year-old woman was run over by a train while escaping a group of men trying to rape her in Madhya Pradesh, her father has said.

The woman had gone to relieve herself close to the railway tracks in Govindpura village of Datia district at around 5.30am on Monday when two men from the village tried to rape her, the father said. His daughter ran but was hit by a train, he said.

Sources, however, said the man informed police after the woman was cremated.

At present, we cant comment over the reason behind the girls death. Police have registered a case and are investigating, Datia superintendent of police Irshad Wali said.

Police sources said the father gave a different version of events earlier. He told police the two men, who lived in their locality, had pushed the girl in front of the train, sources said.

But Yadav said the womans aunt was an eyewitness to the incident and she was the one who informed the family.

Most villagers didnt have toilets and harassment of girls was common, Yadav said.

To stop open defecation, the Madhya Pradesh government has launched various schemes to encourage people to build toilets under the ambitious Swachh Bharat, or Clean India, initiative of the Modi government.

Of the states 11.2 million households, 52% didnt have a toilet,

Hymavathi Varman, state coordinator for Swachh Bharat Mission, had told HT in October. The state had built more than two million toilets in the last two years and set a target of 5.5 million for the next two years, she said.
A special investigation team probing the abduction and molestation of a popular Malayalam actor has made another arrest in the case that has again raised questions about the safety of women in the country.

Manikandan was arrested from his hideout in Palakkad in a pre-dawn swoop, police said, taking the number of arrests to six in the case that has shaken the people and the film industry alike.

The main accused in the sexual assault, suspected to be carried out by contract criminals, continues to be on the run.

Adding to polices embarrassment, Sunil Kumar alias Pulsar Suni, and his accomplice, Vijesh, who are still on the run, approached the Kerala high court for a pre-arrest bail. The plea will be heard later on Tuesday.

The SIT said it had information about the two and the case would be cracked soon.

The 30-year-old actor, who has worked in more than 75 movies, was allegedly taken hostage on the way from Thrissur to Kochi on Friday and molested by a seven-member gang.

The criminals took pictures and videos to blackmail her before letting her go.

Police suspect the gangsters belong to the quotation mafia, the Kerala equivalent of supari gangs  criminals for hire. It is unclear who hired the gang but accusations are that the motive was to derail the actors career.

In her complaint, the actor said Sunil Kumar told her to co-operate as they were doing a quotation work. He also threatened to inject her with drugs and take her to a secret hideout, she said.

Film fraternity holds a protest in Kochi on Monday condemning the assault on actor. (HT Photos )

Kumar worked with many artistes including actor Mukesh, who confirmed he was with him for six months but said he wasnt aware of his criminal past.

Police suspect Kumar may have blackmailed others in a similar way.

Two of the arrested men told police they were not in the car when the actor was attacked, sources said. They also said they were promised Rs 30 lakh for the abduction while Kumar reportedly demanded Rs 60 lakh from the actor.

After Malayalam film industry, Bollywood, too, has came out in support of the actor. Anybody going to do anything about the safety of women in the country? Heart broken, wrote Shraddha Kapoor in a Facebook post.

How do we make our women safe? Does anyone in the government have an answer? tweeted Arjun Kapoor.

Union minister for women and child development Maneka Gandhi has demanded dismissal of the Pinarayi government. There is no governance in Kerala. Women and children are at receiving end. The state is a fit case for Presidents rule, she told a Malayalam channel in New Delhi.

The National Commission for Women has summoned the state police chief Loknath Behera.

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Students of an elite school in Assams Sonitpur district have undertaken an initiative to build a road, which is washed away every year during monsoons, as well as toilets for girls by raising money from their allowance.

Last week, 850 students of Assam Valley School (AVS) at Balipara, about 200 km northeast of Guwahati, contributed Rs 3.5 lakh to pave a 90-metre road to Khelmati weekly market near Balipara and build toilets for girls from underprivileged families.

A good monsoon in Assam means six months of rain, sometimes more, making rural roads slushy and almost unusable.

The schools Social Service League comprising 60 students of middle-level and senior classes, allocated Rs 2 lakh for the road-paving project involving the laying of cement blocks. They engaged masons but decided to do the bulk of the work themselves.

Members of the league and other students completed laying a 42-metre stretch of the road by Saturday. The students will resume work from Monday to complete the rest of the road, Debjani Sarma Bora, a teacher in charge of the league, told Hindustan Times on phone.

She said the students plan to construct all the other roads leading to the market in phases so that it becomes convenient for the local people to visit it even during the rainy season.

Assam Valley School students at work. (HT Photo)

The school administration said four higher secondary students averaging 16 years  Sukanya Hazarika, Rohit Agarwal, Ayushi Jain and Shreyansh Agarwal  had pushed for the road-paving project.

Our school believes in preparing children for life, where skill development is more important than knowledge acquisition and teaching the child is more important than teaching the subject, Sonya Ghandy Mehta, principal of AVS, said.

Established in 1995 by the Williamson Magor Education Trust, AVS is spread across 95 acres amid tea estates and is the only coeducational boarding school in the northeast.

Social service is a key component of the schools curriculum. It requires each student to teach at least one illiterate person, visit orphanages and patients in local hospitals. They are also required to teach in schools run by surrounding tea estates for children of plantation workers.

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A senior IAS officer in the Chhattisgarh government was on Tuesday arrested by the CBI for allegedly trying to buy favours in cases against him probed by the agency.

BL Agrawal, now a principal secretary in the state, was arrested by the CBI along with his brother-in-law Anand Agrawal from Raipur and an alleged middleman Bhagwan Singh from New Delhi, CBI sources said.

They said that during the searches, the CBI recovered two kilograms of gold and Rs 39 lakh in cash from the alleged middleman.

It is alleged that Agrawal, an IAS officer of 1988 batch, wanted to settle CBI probes against him which were registered in 2010 when he was the Health Secretary in the state government.

He has been chargesheeted in one while probe is going on in the other case.

Agrawal allegedly approached Bhagwan Singh, a resident of Noida, who took him to Syed Burhanuddin.

Burhanuddin, who has many aliases, claimed that he was working in Prime Ministers Office and would help him settle the case in his favour.

Burhanuddin aka OP Singh aka OP Sharma demanded Rs 1.5 crore as illegal gratification for his services, the CBI FIR has alleged.

A meeting was held by the trio on February 11, 2017 where Agrawal agreed to pay the amount to get relief in the cases against him, they said.

It is alleged that Agrawal sent Rs 60 lakh in four instalments to Bhagwan Singh using hawala channel.

He expressed his inability to arrange cash for the remaining payment after which Burhanuddin and Singh agreed to accept two kilograms of gold as illegal gratification, the FIR alleged.

Agrawal asked his brother-in-law Anand Agrawal to deliver two kilograms of gold to Singh, the chargesheet stated.

The agency registered a case of criminal conspiracy and under Prevention of Corruption Act against Agrawal, Singh and Burhanuddin.

After registering the case, CBI carried out searches at the premises of accused persons and Hawala operators at Raipur, Hyderabad and New Delhi and Greater Noida. An amount of Rs 39 lakh(approx.) earlier delivered to private person (r/o Greater Noida) at New Delhi, has also been recovered during searches, CBI spokesperson RK Gaur said.

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A special CBI court at Muzaffarpur in Bihar, 70km from state capital Patna, has taken cognizance of charges against Sonu Kumar Soni, one of the accused in the murder case of Hindustan journalist Rajdeo Ranjan.

Designated CBI judge Anupama Kumari took cognizance against Sonu Kumar Soni on Monday and committed the case to the sessions court.

Sonis lawyer Sharad Sinha said the sessions court would now frame charges before commencing the trial.

He said 51 persons had been made witness in the 60-page chargesheet filed in the court by the CBI, which is investigating the case.

READ:Bihar journalist murder accused Kaif gets bail as CBI fails to file chargesheet

Soni has been made accused in the case along with prime suspect Azharuddin Beg alias Laddan Mian, Javed Mian alias Javed Bhatti and Mohammad Kaif.

Ranjan was gunned down by motorbike-borne criminals near the busy Station Road at Siwan in north Bihar on May 13, last year.

The Bihar government had on, May 16, 2016, within three days of the murder, had handed over the probe to the CBI. The central probe agency began probe into the case on the intervention of the Supreme Court after slain journalists wife Asha Ranjan filed a petition before it on September 23 last year. Asha Ranjan claimed before the Supreme Court that the CBI had not even initiated probe into the case due to political influence and fear of (former Siwan MP and strongman) Mohammad Shahabuddin.

The top court had directed the CBI to proceed with its probe into the murder and asked the Bihar police to provide protection to Ranjans family, which claimed receiving threats from Shahabuddin.

Of the five accused, Javed Mian and Mohammad Kaif have been granted bail by the CBI court after the probe agency failed to file the chargesheet within the stipulated 90 days.
Of the 670 candidates that made it to the Odisha civil services examinations merit list last week, eight personified not just a triumph of mind, but also of grit and determination.

Sannyas Behera, who was turned down every time he applied for a government job, topped the list of visually-challenged candidates. Visually-impaired Sukanti Dash, who despite being a post graduate in history could not land a government job, too made it to the merit list.

So did Sasmita Kumari Jena, the daughter of a driver from Koratpur, who overcame her impairment.



The UPSC started allowing visually-impaired candidates to write the civil services examination in 2006. The Odisha Public Service Commission, however, did not care for them till 2015, when the Odisha HC, responding to a PIL, asked the examination panel to allow them.

This year, eight visually-impaired candidates managed to make it to the final list, passing through the rigours of the examination, making them eligible to join the government service as Class-I officials.The feeling is nothing less than that of scaling the Mt Everest, said Behera.

Dash, who took the help of audio books and a talking software to prepare for the exam, said, I did not have the luxury of revising a chapter. So, I had to remember everything that I had listened from the audio book.

It was also the maiden attempt for Jena, a 23-year-old post graduate student in Indira Gandhi National Open University.

Though I have about 30% visibility, I could not look at books for more than a few hours. I had to depend on audio books. I had to work extra hard, said Jena.
GAYA:When she visited school for her farewell function on Monday, little did this minor girl realise that her last day in school would turn into a nightmare.

On her way back home from her school at Manpur here, the Class 10 girl was allegedly raped by a physically challenged man, who is also the brother of her friend.

The accused has since been arrested and is being interrogated, while the victim has been admitted in Anugrah Narain Magadh Medical College and Hospital here for treatment.

In her statement to the police, the victim said she had gone to her friends house after the school function. When she was leaving for her house, her friends brother offered to accompany her.

He took me to a secluded place and forced me to drink a beverage laced with intoxicant, she said.

Police said an autorickshaw driver informed them of the incident after he spotted the unconscious girl lying in a bush by the roadside. The accused, identified as Mantu Yadav, had apparently dumped the girl in the bush after raping her and fled, the police added.

The accused is also an autorickshaw driver, the police said.

The father of the victim, who runs a dairy in Vishnupad police station area here, said he was initially reluctant to allow his daughter, who would be appearing for Class 10 CBSE examination next month, to go for the farewell party.

We allowed her to go to school following persistent request by her friend, the sister of the rape accused, who had come to our house on Monday afternoon. We got worried when she did not return by 4pm as promised. In the evening, an unknown caller informed us that our daughter had met with an accident. When we reached the hospital, the police and the doctors told us about the actual incident, he said.

Gaya senior superintendent of police (SSP) Garima Malik said she immediately set up a special investigating team (SIT), headed by ASP Baliram Chaudhary to probe the case and ensure the arrest of the alleged culprit. Confirming the arrest, the SSP said the police had been directed to make out a strong case against the accused and submit the chargesheet at the earliest.

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Senior members of Indias top IT industry lobby will on February 24 begin a week-long visit to the US, which is planning a clampdown on H-1B visas that are crucial to Indian software majors overseas business.

The National Association of Software and Services Companies (Nasscom) delegation would meet members of the Trump administration to ensure free flow of skilled manpower between the two nations.

We are going to highlight value contribution of the Indian information technology sector to the US economy in terms of Indian industry being the net creator and protector of jobs in US, Shivendra Singh, vice-president and head of global trade development, Nasscom, said on Tuesday.

Read: Its difficult to replace Americans with Indian I-T workers

President Donald Trumps America first policy has rattled the IT industry. Trump is pushing for American jobs for Americans and has vowed a crackdown on companies shipping jobs abroad or bringing in cheaper hires from abroad.

H-1B is a temporary visa program used to bring foreign workers to the United States to fill high-skilled jobs. These visas are largely used by tech firms and India gets the lions share of them.

The reports of the visit come as US Congressman Bob Goodlatte led an eight-member team to India. The team is meeting IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Tuesday.

Read: H-1B visa: Trump administrations proposed changes and how they can affect Indians

Goodlatte is the chairman of the House judiciary committee that plays an important role in drawing policies around immigration and intellectual property.

We have shared our views with them that Indian IT industry is a large contributor to job creation in the US and we bring skills in areas where there is a huge skill deficit, R Chandrashekhar, president of Nasscom, told agencies.

Nasscom chairman CP Gurnani, MD and CEO, Tech Mahindra, and Chandrashekhar will be part of the Nasscom delegation.

The two visits are expected to ease pressure on Indian IT companies, which earn 65% of their $155 billion revenue from the US.

In a first, Nasscom recently delayed its initial growth forecast for fiscal 2017-18, citing market uncertainty.

Shivendra Singh said Indian firms supported 411,00 jobs in the US. They made corporate America more competitive as they were working with almost 75 % of the Fortune 500 companies and also helped them create jobs, he said.

The US delegations visit , Singh said, reinforced the fact that the Indian economy was important to USs strategic interests.

India is the fasted growing economy in the world and there exists huge amount of indo-US bilateral trade. Both the countries are working towards growing bilateral trade from $100 billion to $500billion and both the side need to make efforts in that direction, Singh said.
India on Tuesday pitched for certainty in the US visa regime arguing that businesses flourish only in a stable environment.

Commerce and industry minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the issue has been discussed in detail with a group of US Congressmen.

We have discussed in detail as to what the uncertainties are all about...business always flourishes in an environment of certainty and transparency. So even this visa related issue is an issue on which we would want to have an air of certainty and also transparency, she told reporters.

She said the bipartisan Congressmen stated at a meeting in Delhi on Monday that they are waiting for the new administration to fully settle down.

I hope as important Congressmen, they will play their role, she said.

The minister was speaking on the sidelines of launch of a report by the United Nations.

The US delegation was led by Bob Goodlatte, chairman, Judiciary committee, House of Representatives.

The proposed overhaul of popular H-1B visa regime by US President Donald Trump has raised concerns among Indian IT firms, as any changes in the visa regime may result in higher operational costs and shortage of skilled workers for the $110-billion Indian outsourcing industry.

Indian IT sector, which contributes 9.3% to the countrys GDP, is one of the largest private sector employers of 3.7 million people.

The US accounts for nearly 62% of the exports, while EU is the second largest market for the Indian IT services exporters with around 28% contribution.

Recently, a US legislation (Lofgren Bill) has been introduced that proposes doubling of the minimum wages of H-1B visa holders to $130,000. The current H-1B minimum wage of $60,000 was fixed in 1989 and has since remained unchanged.

Such protectionist stance by the US could also spell more trouble for IT firms that are already facing strong headwinds from currency fluctuation and cautious client spending.

When asked about her meeting with a EU delegation on Monday, Sitharaman said the proposed free trade agreement and the Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) came up for the discussion.

They did ask me about our position on FTA and BIT...We stated our position. Clearly two years ago, the discussions have started on the BIT...last one year we repeatedly being saying that from April 1. So we voiced all this back again to the EU delegation, she added.

On the FTA, she said no timeline was fixed for the next round of negotiations but I did say that the sooner we start.

We are open minded and we need to have the dialogue moving forward and we are waiting for the dates. We reminded that talks are necessary. Now the talks have to be resumed. There is no point in meet just to take stalk of where we are, the minister added.

Launched in June 2007, BTIA negotiations have seen many hurdles with both sides having major differences on crucial issues like intellectual property rights, duty cuts in automobile as well as spirits and a liberal visa regime.
The Delhi High Court on Tuesday stayed three separate CIC orders imposing Rs 25,000 penalty on Delhi Universitys public information officer for rejecting RTI applications seeking facts about the graduation degrees of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Smriti Irani.

Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva observed that the RTI applicants wasted judicial time by filing frivolous pleas before the Central Information Commission (CIC) for rejection of their applications on technical grounds, instead of addressing the deficiencies pointed out by the central public information officer (CPIO) of Delhi University (DU).

CPIO had rejected the three RTI queries on the ground that the Rs 10 Postal Order (PO) meant for fees for providing the information, was blank in one and in the other two cases, they were made out in favour of the CPIO.

The official had informed the applicants that they had to make the POs in favour of the Registrar of DU and against the rejection on this ground, the applicants had moved CIC.

Only for a matter of Rs 10, see how much judicial time has been wasted. Especially when the IPO was blank, CPIO could not have filled it up as it would amount to tampering with the record, the court said while staying the three orders of CIC.

It also issued notice to the RTI applicants in all three matters and listed them for hearing on April 27.

According to DUs pleas, in the matter pertaining to Irani, applicant R K Jain had left the PO blank, leaving it to the CPIO to fill it up in whose favour it had to be made.

In the other two matters, the POs were made out in favour of the CPIO, who had returned the applications within a few days asking the applicants -- Mohd Irsad and Sanjay Singh -- to make the POs favouring DU Registrar, the varsity said in its pleas.

The court noted that in these two matters, the CPIO had acted with promptitude by pointing out the problem in the applications and it was the applicants who had acted in haste by moving CIC.

CIC had imposed Rs 25,000 penalty against the CPIO in each of the three cases for denial of information to the applicants.

The court stayed the orders of December 22, 23 and 27 last year.
The special task force (STF) of Bihar police seized India made foreign liquor (IMFL), worth Rs 1.25 crore, from a truck carrying poultry feed and some other items in Bazar Samiti area under Ahiapur police station at Muzaffarpur, 72km from Patna, late on Monday evening.

Three persons have been arrested in this connection.

The consignment, containing 350 cases of liquor, totalling 3,100 litres, was being taken from Haryana to rural areas of the district. Cops claimed that liquor was being smuggled into Bihar, a dry state, ahead of Holi (March 12, 13) festival. The SIT claimed that it was one of the biggest seizures in the district post liquor ban on April 5, 2016, and the second in three days, worth over Rs 1 crore.

Confirming the recovery, senior superintendent of police (SSP), Muzaffarpur, Vivek Kumar, said the arrested persons had been identified as Farookh (driver), Talim (cleaner) and Sanjan Kumar.

Sources said liquor mafia, having strong political contact, was behind it. They claimed that some police officers were also extending patronage to such traders.

The SSP had in January this year suspended two constables after a video, showing them dancing, holding liquor bottles, alongside an alleged liquor mafia of the town, went viral on social media.
Foreign secretary S Jaishankar will be in Beijing on February 22 for the first India-China strategic dialogue, a new mechanism set in place last year for greater engagement between the two sides.

The visit comes within weeks of China again blocking efforts to get Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar banned by the UN. Indias NSG bid, which Beijing has opposed, is another sticking point.

Five things to know about the foreign secretarys visit:

1) The India-China strategic dialogue is the latest effort to address the differences that hamper ties between the two Asian giants. China is Indias biggest neighbour. Frequent bilateral exchanges and high-level meetings are expected to offer a better understanding between the two sides on issues varying from border incursions to trade imbalance.

Read: Beijing says no solid evidence against Azhar

2) India is upset with China for again putting a technical hold on a proposal to get Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar on a UN list of designated terrorists. India blames Azhar for masterminding last years attacks on the Pathankot airbase and an Indian Army camp in Uri that left 19 soldiers dead.

Pakistans all-weather ally China says it needs more proof against Azhar, whose inclusion on the list would cripple his ability to organise militant strikes. China says it shares Indias concerns over terrorism but it has chosen to go with Pakistan when acting against militant groups is concerned.

Read: China nears military parity with West; India watchful

3) Over the last year, the nuclear suppliers group has emerged as another point of discord between the two countries. China has blocked Indias efforts to join the 48-member club that controls global trade in nuclear technology. China is calling for a criteria-based approach for the inclusion of countries such as India which have not signed the non-proliferation treaty. Pakistan, too, has applied for an NSG membership. Like India, Pakistan is not part of the NPT regime and China is trying to yoke New Delhis entry with that of Islamabad.

4) China is Indias biggest trading partner outside the European Union. The bilateral trade is worth more than $70 billion, heavily tilted in favour of China. Chinese investment in India grew by 7.5 % in 2016 to $1.06 billion but political differences are holding back a big economic push. Trade and economy will top Jaishankars discussions with Chinese officials.

5) China is hosting BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) summit this year. Regional and international issues will come up during Jaishankars talks with Chinese side.

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India and the UK on Tuesday held discussions on various issues pertaining to pending cases relating to deportation and extradition, which include a request to extradite embattled liquor baron Vijay Mallya.

According to officials, joint secretary in-charge of the UK in the external affairs ministry held consular dialogue with his British counterpart, assisted by officials including those from the crown prosecution.

No official details were available yet about the meeting which comes just weeks after India made an extradition request for Mallya, who is under investigated for money laundering charges in a case of alleged default of bank loan worth around Rs 900 crore.

The two sides discussed several pending deportation cases involving Indians from the UK.

In November, India had asked Britain to extradite nearly 60 people wanted by it, including Mallya, for bringing them back to face justice here.

The Indian list of wanted people was handed over to Britain during the bilateral talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his counterpart Theresa May in November 2016.

Britain also had handed over to India a list of 17 people whose custody it seeks under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty or against whom Letters Rogatory had been issued.
The Jaipur police on Tuesday obtained a huge cache of explosives from a villager on the outskirts of the city and arrested him for possession of contraband.

The cache of explosives seized from the man included 300kg of ammonium nitrate, 400 gelatin rods and 3,200 meters of fuse wire, police said.

The city police arrested Nandram Raigar of Deeppur village on a tip off that he has been keeping the explosive material illegally.

The accused had kept the explosives in six gunny sacks weighing 50 kg each, police said. Raigar had kept the explosives under a temporary shelter near to a hillock few meters away from his residence.

We had received a tip-off following which we arrested him, SHO, Harmada police station, Lakhan Singh told PTI. Police booked the accused under various sections of the Explosives Act 1884.
The Border Security Force (BSF) foiled an infiltration bid and shot a terrorist on the Line of Control (LoC) in Keri sector of Rajouri district, on Monday night. Rajouri is about 150km northwest of Jammu.

Briefing the media here on Tuesday, BSF Jammu frontier IG Ram Awtar, said, In another display of vigil, troops of the 163 BSF battalion, deployed in Rajouri sector, foiled an infiltration attempt by heavily armed Pakistani terrorists on the LoC.

In the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday, BSF troops deployed on forward duty points, along the fence in Keri sector, observed suspicious movement of 3-4 terrorists moving towards the fence. The sentries immediately alerted the nearby duty points and simultaneously observed the movement. As the terrorists approached the fence, one of them tried to negotiate it, said Awtar.

However, BSF troops brought down effective fire on them and the terrorists responded with fire using automatic weapons. They also fired UBGL grenades on the troops. BSF troops retaliated with targeted fire in which one of the terrorists was killed at the fence itself, the IG added.

He said due to effective firing, the other three terrorists were unable to move further and retreated back towards PoK, taking advantage of darkness and the undulating terrain. As they were escaping, it could be seen that one of slain or injured militant was being dragged along, he informed.

Following this, the area was kept under intense surveillance throughout the night. On Tuesday morning, BSF searched the area and the dead body of a slain terrorist was retrieved from the fence, said Awtar.

The arms and ammunition recovered from the site includes one AK-56 rifle, 16 AK magazines, 267 live rounds of AK ammunition, one radio set, one binocular, five grenades, three wire cutters, four back pack bags, two IEDs, one AK magazine fitted with IED, one knife, two chargers, sheets and dry fruits and juices.

Since the killing of three militants in an encounter on November 29 last year near Chamliyal in Ramgarh sector of Samba district, the BSF has successfully foiled 11 infiltration bids on the International Border and 15 bids on the along the LoC in Jammu region, the IG said.
Police have registered a case of sedition against a man for allegedly calling to behead Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a protest by Jats seeking reservation in education and government jobs in Rohtak.

Sombir, a resident of Jassia village in Rohtak district, was booked under sections 124 A (sedition) and 153 A (promoting enmity between groups) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) late Monday night.

Agar aap kaho to hum Modi ka sar kaat denge lekin aapka sar nai jhukne denge (If you say, we will behead Modi but wont let you down), Sombir reportedly said while addressing a large gathering in response to an announcement made by Jat leader Yashpal Malik.

He had made the statement on Sunday when the Jat community was observing Balidaan Divas in presence of a well-attended gathering.

However, All India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti (AIJASS) president Malik immediately tried to control the situation and said that their intentions were to lead a peaceful protest.

In his defence, Sombir said he was a protester so it was natural for him to make announcements against the government. He has been an active member of the teams organising the protests this year. He was active during the protests organised in July last year as well.

Rohtak superintendent of police Pankaj Nain said Sombir was booked after police took cognisance of his videos that went viral on WhatsApp and was reported by some newspapers.

Jats at Jassia village also gave a call to boycott a Hindi daily, which is allegedly owned by a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) minister, for reporting the beheading remark.

Nain had earlier said protesters were given permission to hold sit-in protests along NH-71 A on the condition that they will refrain from making any inciting or derogatory remarks.

The second round of talks between protesting jats and government panel on Monday failed to break the ice, but the government agreed to form a four-member panel to look into the demand of withdrawal of pending cases against Jats for violence during last years stir.

AIJASS, which is spearheading the quota stir this year, demanded the withdrawal of all cases against Jats, the release of 60 people arrested during last years violence and regular government jobs to at least one family member of 31 people killed in the violence, and increase in compensation to the victim families.

The AIJASS has decided to continue with the protests, which entered Day 24 on Tuesday. They have already given a call to take the fight to Delhi.

Malik has announced to hold a national level rally in Delhi on March 2 and they have decided to gherao Parliament after Holi. Besides, they will also observe February 26 as black day.
Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Tuesday received a heros welcome at the temple town of Tirupati in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh, where once massive agitations were held in protest against his movement for a separate Telangana state.

KCR, as the chief minister is better known, will visit the famed shrine of Lord Venkateshwara in Tirupati on Wednesday to present gold ornaments worth nearly Rs 5.5 crore to fulfil a vow taken during the agitation for a separate state.

Accompanied by his family members, some of his cabinet colleagues and officials, the CM was given a rousing reception by Andhra minister Bojjala Gopalakrishna Reddy and several Telugu Desam Party leaders from the district, besides YSR Congress party legislator Ch Bhaskar Reddy and top police officials.

At the peak of the Telangana movement, the people of Tirupati regarded KCR as something of a villain.

It was surprising to see the turnout of crowds at the airport to see KCR. The people have realised that the bifurcation of the combined state has only brought more prosperity to Andhra, Telangana endowments minister A Indrakaran Reddy said.

All along the route from Tirupati to Tirumala, huge hoardings and banners were put up welcoming the chief minister. Nirupedala needa (saviour of the poorest of the poor), Avineeti Raabandula Simha Swapnam (nightmare for the corrupt eagles of the state), and Jana Netha (Peoples leader) were some of the slogans raised.

KCR will receive darshan at the temple early on Wednesday, when he will also present a Saligrama Haram (lotus model golden necklace), weighing about 14.900 kg and a five-row Kante (carcanet) weighing 4.650 kg. The total estimated value of the ornaments is said to be around Rs 5.50 crore.

Read | KCRs Rs 5.5 crore donation to Tirupati should come from his personal wealth, not public funds

Before heading back to the capital Hyderabad, Rao will also go to Tiruchanoor near Tirupati to offer prayers to the presiding deity of Padmavati Ammavaru. Over here, he is expected to present a nose stud to the goddess.

During the agitation for a separate Telangana state, KCR -- who is known for his staunch religious faiths -- sought to appease deities across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh by presenting them with golden ornaments bought using his own wealth. He vowed to present a golden crown to Goddess Bhadrakali of Warangal, a golden moustache to Lord Veerabhadra Swamy at Kuravi in Warangal, a nose stud to goddess Kanaka Durga in Vijayawada and another nose stud to the goddess Padmavathi in Tiruchanur.

However, according to official sources, the funds for making the gold ornaments were drawn from the states Common Good Fund of the Endowments Department, which is meant for renovation of dilapidated temples.

Read | Black money in scrapped currency could be heading to religious places

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A worried CPI(M) brass instructed Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan to launch damage control measures to contain the fallout of the molestation of a top Malayalam actor, sources told HT.

According to insiders, the CPI(M) is desperate to avoid a blot on its government over womens safety in Kerala which has the highest literacy rate.

The party which is vociferous in attacking the Trinamool Congress over atrocities on women in West Bengal, also risks losing the high ground in the state where it is grappling to retain footprint.

Sources said that CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury spoke to Vijayan on Monday and discussed ways to handle the situation.

Soon after, Vijayan announced that no one found guilty would be spared and also spoke about a womens helpline, among other steps.

We had a detailed discussion on the issue, Yechury told HT.

The party was also quick to react as the RSS, a strong adversary of the Left in Kerala, tried to project the incident as a collapse of the law and order in the state. We take note of such incidents, said politburo member Hannan Mollah, The RSS tries to make anything and everything in Kerala as a national issue.

For Vijayan, who became chief minister for the first time last year, the molestation of the top heroine has become an acid test. His government is under intense pressure to arrest all the accused in the molestation case and ensure their prosecution.

The police have arrested six people so far in the case that has shaken the people and the film industry alike.

The popular actor was allegedly taken hostage on the way from Thrissur to Kochi on Friday and molested for by a seven-member gang. The criminals took pictures and videos to blackmail her before letting her go.

In West Bengal the CPI(M) has been an active critic of the atrocities against women under Mamata Banerjees rule. Be it the gang rape in Kolkatas famous Park Street and the rape and murder of a young woman in Kamduni, the party has been at the forefront of protests.

Even as chief minister Mamata Banerjee insists her state remained the safest place for women, the Marxists claim otherwise. And now, the high-profile molestation case could also be cited by Trinamool to counter the Lefts criticism.

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The twisty 2km trek from the paved road to a quaint mountainside village in Uttarakhands Pauri district is hard to detect. It is overrun by thickets, bears lurk behind the bushes; and leopards too.

Besides the wild calls of the jungle, an eerie silence surrounds the trail to Baluni, 50km from Pauri town, which looks like any of the quintessential ghost villages dotting this side of the Himalayan landscape.

Hark, who goes there? a deep baritone warns as one approaches the spattering of homesteads at the end of the slog. Thats a resounding warning shot, strong enough to freeze hungry cats and intrepid reporters.

From the vantage point of the village temple, that still stands tall amid the ruins of razed stone-and-wood houses, the voice emerges.

The lone sentinel is Shyam Prasad, a 67-year-old retired soldier, but for whom Baluni would have been any of the more than 340 abandoned villages in the district.

In his youth, Prasad protected the countrys borders. Now he guards his birthplace in Pauri Garhwal  alone for the past four years.

Vimla Devi (sitting on the first ladder) and Pusha Devi are the only occupants left in Bondul village in Pauri Garhwal district of Uttarakhand. (Arvind Moudgil /HT Photo)

About two decades ago, this village thrived with life with 15 families. But with the passage of time, all of them, save the Prasads, migrated to cities and towns for employment and better life.

Read | Decoded: Why people fled Jaisalmers ghost villages 200 years ago

He stayed put at Baluni with his family after retirement in 1985. When his wife died and his five daughters were married off, he was left alone in the village.

His son, who is also in the army, visits him occasionally. The other visitors are people of nearby areas who come to pray at the temple, once in a while.

Had the government addressed the problem of drinking water, some families would have stayed back, Prasad said.

Read | Delhi, Gurgaon, Gautam Buddh Nagar favourite with migrants: Economic Survey

The village depends solely on natural water sources that dry up in summer. Prasad has requested the state government, the Prime Minister, and the President for help. No one cares.

The government could not lay a 1km water supply pipeline but, ironically plans to build a 2km pathway to connect the village with the state road at Banekh.

Ratan Aswal, a member of Palayan ek Chintan, a think tank that studies the migration pattern, blamed absurd government policies and promises for the exodus from the hills.

It ignored the demand for a road of more than 3,000 people in eight villages of Sarbadiyar valley in Uttarkashi. But want to give a road to Baluni, whose primary requirement is water supply, he said.

Baluni has its fair share of quirks, frequented more by wild animals than humans. A black bear tore down the wall of a neighbour recently to steal honey from a beehive, Prasad said.

About 40km north of Prasads village lies Bondul, another unhappy hamlet. It has two inhabitants, both women  Vimla Devi and Pushpa Devi.

Read | A combination of aspiration and desperation is fuelling migration in India

Baluni and Bondul are reflections of the situation in Uttarakhand, facing an exodus of its rural population to an increasingly urbanized landscape. Demography experts call it a haemorrhage of rural regions that has left formerly vibrant villages blighted.

Pauri has the highest number of ghost villages in a state abound with more than 1,000 abandoned rural habitations.
Amid mounting shock and anger over the abduction and assault of popular south Indian actor, the Kerala government has made it clear all accused in the crime will be smoked out of their hideouts, even as the police have intensified search to nab the main accused in the case.

State culture minister AK Balan on Tuesday said, The probe will not be confined to goons aloneSeveral criminal elements have crept into the film industry and will be thrown out with the help of organisations working in the area.

Read | Malayalam actor molestation: Rivals may have hired criminals to ruin career

The 30-year-old actor was allegedly taken hostage on the way from Thrissur to Kochi on Friday night and assaulted by a seven-member gang for more than two hours in the moving car. So far police have arrested six people in the case, but the main accused in the case, Sunil alias Pulsar Suni, and his accomplice Vijesh are still at large.

It is suspected that the actor was targeted by the quotation mafia  a gang contracted for criminal assignments. It remains unclear as to who hired the gang, but allegations are flying that the motive was to harm the actors career. The actor has worked in more than 75 films in several languages including Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu. She made her acting debut when she was 16 years old.

Read | Malayalam actor molested: 3 similar incidents before, says director quoting cops

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A police personnel was injured on Tuesday when unidentified militants attacked the security team put in place for the visit of Manipurs deputy chief minister Gaikhangam in Khoupum area under Noney district.

Militants attacked two different places along the hilly Tongjei Maril route connecting Bishnupur and Noney districts when Gaikhangam was on his way to attend a flag-hoisting function related to the election campaign at his constituency of Khoupum, about 85 km west of Imphal, sources said.

The first incident occurred when a police team from the Nungba side was trying to clear the route near Thingkhongjang village around 8.30 am. State police from Bishnupur side was fired upon near Nungkaolong area around 12 noon in a second incident, according to reports. The injured policeman has been identified as Yumnam Jenish who was reportedly hit by a bullet on his thigh in the second incident.

Gaikhangam and his team of autonomous district council members and his security men were stranded for about 30 minutes near Nungkaolong but later proceeded to Khoupum under heavy security cover to formally launch the election campaign by holding the flag hoisting function.

No group had claimed responsibility for the days attack. The deputy chief minister has come back safely to Imphal, police said.

(With inputs from PTI)
A self-styled sub-zonal commander of CPI (Maoist) was killed in an encounter with security forces in Left wing extremist (LWE)-affected Banka district of Bihar, 254km from state capital Patna, on Tuesday.

Banka superintendent of police (SP) Rajeev Ranjan said Mantu Khaira was gunned down by a joint team of the special task force (STF) of Bihar police and the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) in Dahibara forests in Anandpur police outpost area of the district.

The SP, who led the anti-Maoist operation, said Khaira was carrying a reward of Rs 50,000 on his head.

Two SLRs and one AK-47 assault rifle and some grenades were recovered from the encounter site, he added.

Ranjan said the encounter took place when the STF-SSB joint team, acting on a specific input, reached the forest.

Many Maoists were believed to have been injured in the exchange of fire, the SP said, adding that no securityman was wounded.

In Patna, inspector general (operations) Kundan Krishnan told HT that the place of encounter was about 45km from the CRPF camp at Belhar in Banka distict.

The STF-SSB team came under heavy fire from Maosits when it reached the forest at about 3am, leading to a gunbattle between both the sides, said the IG.

During the search following the encounter, the body of Khaira, who was clad in police uniform, three sophisticated firearms and some other items were recovered from the spot, Krishnan said.

Khaira was heading the Maoist group active in forests of Charkapathar in Jamui and Kauwakol in Nawada district of Bihar as well as Garhi in Giridih district of Jharkhand, the IG said.

Khaira, who loved to wear jeans, had weakness for alcohol and woman, said a police officer on condition of anonymity.

Believed to be a close associate of Arvind Yadav, a self-styled CPI (Maoist) commander of Jamui-Banka zone, Khaira was involved in many incidents of violence, the officer said.

Khaira was directly involved in torching five vehicles, including two JCB earth excavators of a private company engaged in bridge construction near Dudhiatari village of Banka on July 20, 2015, he added.

He was also suspected to be involved in an attack on a police team during raids in the forests at Hardiya-Parariya forest area of Banka last year, the police officer said.
Four of seven phases may still be left, but the UP election has crossed the midway mark.

Voters in 209 of the 403 seats have got an opportunity to express their preferences - and this is a good time to look at how each party is internally evaluating its performance.

No party admits defeat in the middle of elections. And in fact their success in future phases rests on how confidently they can project success till now. So it is no surprise that all three formations - the SP-Congress alliance, the BJP, and the BSP - are confident.

But what is their confidence based on? What are the calculations at play?

HT spoke to top strategists of the alliance and the BJP - and important activists of the BSP to piece together their narratives.

Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance

A top alliance strategist told HT that while the contest is tough, the coalition will make it past the majority mark.

This confidence was based on a simple calculation - the Yadavs and Muslims had consolidated. The votes that candidates belonging to other communities - upper castes, OBCs, Dalits - would bring in their respective seats would be an addition. And there is an Akhilesh vote. One or two people in every second family will vote for him, added another SP leader.

The sense in the alliance camp is that in the first phase of elections, where the SP was said to be weakest, they put up a credible performance. Out of 73 seats, they expect to win around 25 seats. According to the assessment, the BJP has suffered in this phase because of Jat desertion and would get stuck to 18-20 seats. One SP leader put the BSP figure at 18; another admitted they may have a slight edge and could go up to 25. The RLD would get five to seven seats.

In the second phase spread across 67 seats, alliance strategists claim that there was direct polarisation both on political lines between the BJP and the alliance and on religious lines in pockets - and the SP-Congress could get over 35 seats.

We are absolutely confident that in this pocket, over 80% Muslims have voted for alliance. When polarisation happens in areas with high Muslim concentration, thats fine with us. It will be a cause for worry if this polarisation extends to the east. In this phase, the calculation is BSP has done badly.

In the third phase held on Sunday, there is acknowledgment that the SPs peak performance of 2012 cannot be repeated. SP had won 55 of the 69 seats that went to polls. A combination of factors is sure to damage SP here - local anti incumbency against sitting MLAs, poor ticket distribution and Muslim votes shifting to BSP in pockets.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, red cap, and Congress party vice president Rahul Gandhi, drinking water, cheer the crowd from a moving a vehicle during their joint election campaign in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh. (AP Photo)

But SP leaders say they can absorb this loss. Even if we lose 20 seats in this phase, we think we can compensate for it. And even if we dont compensate for it, it is fine. The argument is that even if SP comes down 40 seats or so from its 2012 tally of 225, it will still remain the single largest party and with the Congress, form the government.

So as it gets ready for Phase 4, here is the SP-Congress mood - one of cautious optimism but also a degree of concern and recognition that there is a close battle underway, a sense that the alliance has fulfilled its goal of consolidating the Muslims, that SP will score less than its 2012 tally yet cross the finish line.

BJP

The BJP was palpably low at the end of the first phase, but at the moment, is distinctly upbeat.

A top national office bearer of the party reiterated the strategy. Count the Muslims, Yadavs, Jatavs out; we are focusing on the remaining 60% of the population in general, and upper castes, non-Yadav OBCs and Dalits in particular. And it is paying off.

But this strategy has existed on paper for a while. Politics is not that straightforward, is it? Are these consolidated voting blocks? How did they see the first three phases play out?

In the first phase, BJP publicly said it won 51 seats. But its internal best case report was 35 seats; other activists admitted that their tally was probably even lower, maybe even less than 20. The assessment was that BSP had done well.

In the second phase, BJP is confident that the polarisation has helped the party, especially in districts like Bareilly, Moradabad, Bijnor and Amroha.

And in the third phase, BJP feels that the SPs dip has directly benefited them. This is because the Muslims, the party feels, have split right down the middle. We are comfortable now because Muslims are thoroughly confused. That is why we are playing mind games with the community on who we are competing with. In some places, we say BSP and in others we are saying SP.

A top leader of the party and a major campaign face told HT that they are focusing on the seats where Congress is competing. We are really in a position to win 70-80 of the 105 seats Congress is contesting. They do not have popular candidates and SP votes will not get transferred to them easily. Yadavs have been politically socialised in an anti-Congress tradition.

Supporters wave as Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives in an Indian Air Force helicopter to address an election rally in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh. (AP Photo)

So here is what the BJP believes - it has improved on its disappointing performance of the first phase; its worker motivation is high; the Modi magic is working; the SP momentum is dissipating, its caste combination is fine; and that polarisation is happening in the east - where the PMs controversial statement is helping; and Muslims are divided.

BSP

While HT was not able to speak to any top leader of the famously inscrutable BSP, two activists revealed the partys assessment.

The party thinks it has done exceptionally well in the first phase - with Muslims consolidating in many seats where it put up Muslim candidates. This, in addition to the substantial Jatav votes, is enough to see them through.

It believes the second phase was not as weak as SP is projecting.

But its real surprise success, the activists claimed, has been in the third phase of central UP.

What is driving this perception of success?

Total Dalit consolidation, and Muslims gravitating towards us in many seats because of local factors, says an intellectual associated with the party. He adds that no one but Mayawati has a full picture of the electoral situation - but that excellent ticket distribution keeping in mind caste and local roots of the candidate, ground level campaigning, and the old formula of adding Dalit votes to the votes of the community of the candidate is working well.

Mark it, media is underestimating us. We could be largest.

So here is the BSP sense - a quiet confidence that it is doing well even in traditionally weak areas, continued focus on local equations and campaigning, and confidence it will do reasonably well in the fourth phase of the elections, especially the Bundelkhand areas.

This is a difficult election to call. And only one out of three assessments outlined above can be true. Only March 11 will tell who was right, and who was merely providing us spin.

Read | From Modi, Mayawati to Akhilesh, its a no holds barred slogan war during UP elections

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With its MLAs not unitedly behind the Panthic Sewa Dal (PSD) that it had propped up, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) appears to have pulled itself out of the contest in the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) elections scheduled for February 26.

Party MLA Avtar Singh Kalkaji, who formed the PSD 18 months ago apparently at the behest of the AAP to contest the gurdwara polls, on Tuesday said he is not getting the expected support from the party.

According to him, two Sikh MLAs of the party  Jarnail Singh (junior) and Jagdeep Singh  and top leader Jarnail Singh, who resigned as Rajouri MLA in Delhi and contested the Punjab assembly polls recently, are not supporting him. All three are supporting contestants of parties other than the PSD, Avtar complained.

Also read | Badals in backdrop, GK is SAD face for Delhi gurdwara polls

As per reports, all three are supporting candidates fielded by Paramjit Singh Sarnas Shiromani Akali Dal (Delhi) in a fight to unseat the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal). The PSD is contesting on 40 seats of the 46 for which voting is to take place.

With an annual budget of Rs 100 crore, the DSGMC manages nine gurdwaras, six colleges and 18 schools among other institutions in Delhi. It is also the representative body of over 8 lakh Sikhs in Delhi. Of the 8 lakh Sikhs in the national capital, 3.75 lakh are eligible to vote on account of having unshorn hair and following the religious code of conduct.

An annoyed Avtar said, They should have supported me as the initiative was taken by me to form a dal (party) to contest the gurdwara polls. I am from the same party, preparing for the polls for the past 18 months, and I have equal stakes in the party. It is not fair that they are supporting candidates of other parties.

Also read | Whats at stake in DSGMC? Religious clout, a moneyed organisation, and much more

Ex-MLA Jarnail, when contacted, denied having given support to any candidate of the SAD (Delhi), but, when pressed, he said he had attended kirtan darbars (prayers) organised by some of his friends. No one can stop me from doing that, he said. Asked why he is not supporting the PSD, he said, It was Avtar Singhs personal initiative.

The AAP, it is learnt, is wary that the results of the gurdwara elections would have a bearing on the municipal corporation polls scheduled in near future.

Despite its denials now, the AAPs seriousness to contest the polls could be judged from the fact that it backed the PSD and even held meetings with Singh Sabhas in Delhi to select candidates.

The PSD has opted for tractor, the poll symbol on which the SAD (Badal) has been contesting for the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) headquartered in Amritsar. The SAD (Badal) contests the DSGMC polls on the bucket symbol, while weighing scales remain its symbol otherwise.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi is making a desperate bid to resurrect his stature but the absence of credibility is haunting him, chief co-ordinator of Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee Ashok Gehlot said.

Indira Gandhis aura was different, while the aura of Modi is diminishing. Gandhi was ousted in a poll primarily due to the anger of voters but she was again accepted by them, he said refusing to draw any comparison between Modi and the late prime minister.

Modi had got a chance but he lost it. Senior party leaders like Murli Manohar Joshi and LK Advani have been marginalised. BJP workers are feeling suffocated, the former Rajasthan chief minister said here.

He also said the Congress never bothered for power. The BJP was going to meet the same fate in Uttar Pradesh as in the assembly elections of Delhi and Bihar.

He said BIMARU states was only a new jumla (rhetoric) coined by Modi.

What is the definition of BIMARU, can you tell me? In fact, Modi is an expert in telling lies, Gehlot said, adding that Modi was busy creating a rift between the rich and the poor.

Claiming that dictatorship had raised its ugly head in the BJP, Gehlot said Modis current image resembled that of US President Donald Trump.

After 30 years, a particular party got a clear mandate. When Modi came to power, the writing on the wall was that this government would last for 10 years and this view emanated across different political parties, Gehlot said, adding that in two-and-half years, Modis image has taken a beating.
An 18-year-old girl  Manisha  of Nahan in Sirmaur district claims she has survived 34 snakebites even as doctors differ. Doctors found no traces of snake venom in the blood samples of the girl, who was admitted to Dr YS Parmar Medical College, Nahan, after she was bitten by a snake for the 34th time in three years. Father, Sumer Verma, said after every snakebite, she loses conscious for some time. However, nobody, except for the girl, has ever seen a snake she had been bitten by.

None has seen a snake but one can see the impressions of the fangs on her body, Sumer told HT. Parents also took the girl to astrologers. We took her to panditji, who said she had a link with snakes from her previous birth, he said. The parents feel it was due to the blessings of their deity that she has been surviving the deadly bites.

I lose conscious whenever I see a snake, Manisha said. However, doctors are not convinced that she has been bitten as many times. It can be an imagination, Dr KK Prashar, medical superintendent, Nahan medical college, said. Medical college has suggested psychological counselling for the girl.

It could be a coincident that the girl was bitten by non-poisonous snakes, but 34 times is quite unbelievable, Dr Prashar said, adding, We believe in test reports and so far none of the tests confirmed presence of any type of snake venom in her blood. There are no marks of snake bites either.

Psychiatry department head at the Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla, Dr Ravi Chand Sharma, said, I dont think it is true. It can be an attention-catching tactic. This is common among children to say unusual things to catch attention.

However, Sandeep Sood, a Shimla-based veterinarian, doesnt trash the claims entirely. There is possibility that girl is bitten by snakes and the blood may have developed a mechanism to undo the effect of the venom, he said.

Experts at the department of pharmacology at All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi, who are studying snake venom for years now, also feel that Manisha probably was bitten by non-poisonous snakes.

There have been reports where human body has developed antibodies against snake venom but the quantity usually is not enough to provide long-term protection. Some people are known to have survived successive snakebites, but whether its due to sufficient concentration of antibodies hasnt been established, said Dr YK Gupta, head of department.
Britain on Tuesday said there is no cap on visa for Indian students and they are free to access world-class education in top notch UK universities.

British High Commissioner to India Dominic Asquith said that the UK had announced 600 scholarships for Indian students aspiring to study in the UK.

UK has no cap on visas for students from India or anywhere else. All are treated same. Whoever comes will join almost half a million international students who come in the UK to access word-class education in the world-class universities, he said here.

Asquith was speaking at the India launch of the report of the UN Secretary Generals High Level Panel on Womens Economic Empowerment.

India has time and again asked Britain to relax student visa rules for greater mobility of students.

UKs visa policy requires students to return home after their courses end -- a move that has led to fall of Indian students enrolling in British universities by 50 per cent.

As per estimates, the number of study visas issued to Indian nationals have fallen drastically.

Asquith also said that the UK is participating in several initiatives of the Indian government to promote skilling.

He said the UK is already investing and supporting about 75 start-up businesses and they provided access to financial services to women in India.

British companies, on an average, are spending 7 per cent of their revenues on training and skilling employees in India and are also creating more opportunities for women, Asquith said.
The Uttar Pradesh elections are halfway through and for most part of the campaigning rising violence against women in the state has been a dominant theme in the BJPs poll rhetoric. It is almost every day that the BJP has been targeting the ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) over this issue.

At a rally in Ghaziabad on February 8, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: Goons have been sheltered that is why women feel unsafe in the state. The PM added that women dont venture out after sunset or go to school because they are afraid of molesters and eve teasers. This is because the criminals are sheltered by your leaders, Modi said, targeting chief minister Akhilesh Yadav. BJP president Amit Shah had also raised the issue earlier, promising to raise anti-Romeo battalions in every district if the party is voted to power.

The BJPs attack forced the Samajwadi Party to go on the offensive. The lie-filled, inappropriate statements of these leaders are aimed at maligning the image of Akhilesh Yadav and his government, SP spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary said, adding that it is the BJP-ruled states that fared worse than UP.

Read: Mr Amit Shah, UP needs better policing, not an anti-Romeo squad

It is not without reason that womens safety has become a big issue in this election. Women form nearly 46% (6.33 crore) of the total electorate of an estimated 13.8 crore voters. In 2012, the percentage of women who exercised their voting rights was 23%, and in 2017, it is expected to increase. All major parties have promises on womens security and empowerment. The SP is turning to its Women Power Line 1090 project to woo women voters.

Data Speak

Indias record of gender violence has been bad. To understand the reasons and also why some states have improved in recent years, two economists --- Raghav Gaiha, honorary professorial fellow, University of Manchester, and Geetika Dang, independent researcher, and sociologist Vani S Kulkarni, lecturer in Sociology, University of Pennsylvania, analysed data from 2001 to 2015, culled from Census, National Sample Survey, National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Indian Human Development Survey and Planning Commission.

We studied four kinds of serious crimes against women: Rapes, dowry deaths, cruelty by husband and relatives, kidnapping and abduction. We are using so many sources because the NCRB will give the absolute number of cases registered (FIRs). Their data dont explain why there has been an upward/downward trend across states, explained Dang.

Read: UP election: Smriti Irani slams Congress, SP over womens safety issue

Speaking to HT on what fuels brutality against women, Kulkarni said gender violence is not necessarily a part of masculinity, but the two are often closely linked, mediated by class, caste and region. In UP, caste hierarchy matters. Upper-caste men rape women of low castes in north Indian villages. But when lower-caste men rape a woman of an upper caste, it becomes a crime to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, as it violates social norms.

Key findings

1. In 2001, out of every 100 rapes, 12.27 were registered in UP. But by 2015, the state reduced its share to 8.73 rapes per 100 cases.

2. Conviction of rape rose by about 29% between 2001-15 in UP. The higher/lower the conviction of rape, the lower/higher the incidence of rape.

3. The good news is that sex ratio in UP has increased from 898 women per 1,000 men to 912 women per 1,000 men. Higher sex ratio reduces the incidence of rape.

4. Even when it comes to all crimes against women, UPs total share of all India crimes against women fell from about 17% to 14% between 2001 -15.

5. Incidence of crimes against women fell from about 18/lakh to 15.5/lakh between 2001 and 2015. But at the all-India level, incidence of crime against women has gone up by 17.5/lakh to about 19/lakh.

Cases rise in MP in 15 years

1. Incidence of crimes against women went up from 23.14/lakh in 2001 to 26.73/lakh in 2015.

2. Incidence of rape went up from 9.86/lakh women in 2001 to 12/lakh in 2015 (the state is among the worst five performers in 2015 and the worst performer in 2001).

Rape cases up in Rajasthan

1. Incidence of crimes against women went down from 33.67/lakh in 2001 to 25.34/lakh in 2015.

2. Incidence of rape went up from 3.87/lakh to 10.60/lakh between 2001 and 2015.

Read: Aparna Yadav: the new bahu on the block

Akhileshs regime

If we come to Akhilesh Yadavs rule in UP -- here the team used NCRB data -- the absolute number of serious crimes against women decreased by 16% in Uttar Pradesh. In MP, it increased by 8%.

While our data analysis shows that there has been some improvement on womens safety in UP, there is a caveat. In India, rapes go unreported. On many instances, police dont register cases due to caste undertones etc, said Dang.

This view is corroborated by Khalid Chaudhury who works with the Lucknow office of ActionAid India. There is serious under reporting as it is very difficult to file FIR and there is political pressure on the police for under reporting. Suchitra Mehrotra, a third-year law student in Allahabad University, told HT the situation has improved in the main cities but not in rural UP.

Though UP has improved, there remains a huge variation in incidence of serious crimes against women across India. Explaining the reasons for such variation, Prof Gaiha said: As Amartya Sen has emphasised, rape and other serious crimes against women are closely intertwined with inefficient policing and judicial systems, and callousness of society. So the quality of governance in states is key to understanding the huge variation in incidence of serious crimes against women. It is only on March 11, when votes are counted, one will know if people agree with Akhilesh Yadavs view that his government has done a lot for womens security. And whether his claim is strong enough to ensure another term in a patriarchal state.

METHODOLOGY:

In order to compare the status of women safety across states, the authors of the study (Are women more vulnerable to crimes, 2017) looked at the National Crime Records Bureau data in a common unit of crimes against women per lakh women, that is, the numerator is serious crimes against women and the denominator is the number of females (in lakhs) in the state. This is the only way crimes against women could be compared between large and small states.

kumkum.dasgupta@hindustantimes.com

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The Pakistani espionage racket busted by the Madhya Pradesh Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) on February 9 continued to unravel with the arrest of a 15th suspect - a 27-year-old man in Bihar who is alleged to have been a fund manager.

Manoj Mondal, a resident of Daulatpur village of Bihars Maoist affected Jamui district was arrested from his native place on Monday and produced before a court in Bhopal on Tuesday.

The court sent Mondal to police remand till February 23. He will now be grilled by the ATS team across the table with two other suspected operatives of Pakistans spy agency ISI - 62-year-old Abdul Jabbar from Delhi and 23-year-old Sanyog Singh of Chhatarpur in MP - who too are in ATS custody till Thursday.

According to ATS sources, the probe has revealed that Mondal is another fund manager (like Balram and Rajjan Tiwari Satna of Satna, MP) who were allegedly routing funds of Pakistani handlers to spies including Satwindar and Dadu in Jammu and Kashmir. The two spies were arrested in Jammu in November 2016.

The ATS questioning of men arrested for running illegal phone exchanges in Madhya Pradesh has revealed that the ISI may have used phone lottery frauds and hawala operators to fund its spying network in India.

In the last few weeks the Madhya Pradesh Police have busted at least 20 parallel telephone exchanges run by alleged ISI operatives that masked international calls as local and routed them into local GSM networks using Chinese equipment.

These calls, say police, were used by the Pakistani espionage agency ISI for spying and staying in touch with its operatives in India.

According to sources in the Madhya Pradesh ATS which is probing the international call aided spying ring, the questioning of three of the 15 men arrested in the case so far has revealed the ISIs funding plan for the alleged spy network.

The three -- Satna residents Balram Singh and Rajjan Tiwari and Sanyog Singh, a cousin of Balram who lived in Delhi -- had helped their Pakistani handlers park about Rs 10 crore in various bank accounts in the last two years, a senior state police official said.

The money-making enterprise was well oiled, the probe by the ATS team headed by inspector general Sanjeev Shami has revealed.

The ISIs communication desk or managers used five VoIP gateways (mostly operating from Dubai and even China) to help the men in MP and other parts of India operate exchanges.

These exchanges converted overseas calls to local GSM network calls and were charged at rates lower than those of local service providers.

These exchanges offered cheap international calls to locals as well and earned anywhere between Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1.5 for the men operating these phone centres under the garb of IT consultancy services.

These men, which includes BJP leader Dhruv Saxena, were being paid a monthly commission by VoIP gateways and Pakistani handlers through hawala operators for the money earned through the clandestinely run exchanges, sources said.

The money came from fraudulent lottery calls made through these exchanges by ISI agents in Pakistan to Indian citizens. The callers would tell people they had won a lottery through a draw of phone numbers but would have to pay a small amount to get the money.

They would give them account numbers where the money could be sent. Several people fell for the trick.

Police unearthed more than 250 accounts in 25 bank branches in Satna and Rewa districts where the money was parked. These accounts were managed by commission agents (acting as fund-clearing houses).

As soon as the money used to come into the accounts, their Pakistan handlers would ask Balram and Rajjan to withdraw it. Balram and Rajjan would then transfer the money to accounts of Pakistani spies directly or via hawala operators.

A portion of the lottery fraud money was also transferred into bank accounts managed by Sanyog Singh in Old Delhi. Sanyog would take out the money and hand it over to Jama Masjid resident Abdul Jabbar, arrested in Delhi on Saturday night.

Jabbar, a garment exporter would invest in garment exports business in Delhi. Many of the importers who worked with Jabbar are believed to be Pakistani handlers of the spy network, sources said, adding that the Delhi businessman fudged bills to route the money into export-import business.

Jabbars family has denied the charges and insist that he has been framed.

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In a defiant stand, the Punjab government has expressed its inability to recover the land meant for the construction of Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal that was returned to landowners subsequent to a law passed by the state assembly last year.

In an affidavit filed before the top court, the Punjab government has blamed the Centre for not resolving its water-sharing dispute with Haryana. The Centre, it said, did not take a proactive stand and abdicated its constitutional duty.

The Punjab assembly had on November 16 passed a resolution to return the land acquired for the SYL canal to the farmers. The move followed the SC verdict that held Punjab could not have unilaterally cancelled the agreement to share Ravi-Beas river waters with other states.

Haryana had rushed to the apex court challenging the November 16 resolution, which the SC had stayed.

...the land in question having been already transferred to the landowners in obedience to the resolution of the legislative assembly dated November 16, 2016, the recovery of said land from the land owners is not possible, read the affidavit filed by the Parkash Singh Badal government.

It advised the Centre to immediately explore the transfer of Sarda river water to Yamuna under the feasibility report prepared by the National Water Development Agency, a premier agency of the Union ministry of water resources.

A bench headed by justice PC Ghosh will take up the affidavit on Wednesday. The court had on February 16 turned down the Punjab governments request to hear the SYL Canal dispute after the announcement of results of assembly polls on March 11.

In its latest submission, Punjab has also asked the Centre to speed up the process of interlinking the rivers. If this plan is executed, there is no need for either the SYL Canal or sharing the Ravi-Beas water to Haryana, Punjab contended.

Sticking to its earlier stance not to share Ravi-Beas waters, Punjab said there was no legal or economic compulsion that Yamuna in Haryana should be augmented only by rivers flowing in Punjab.

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A new inquiry that recently declared Hyderabad scholar Rohith Vemula an OBC and not a Dalit, as certified by a previous probe, went by the testimonials of only two people, rejecting the views of five others interviewed, an HT investigation has revealed.

This report has been prepared under pressure from the Chandrababu Naidu-led Andhra Pradesh government, which is a close ally of the BJP and PM Narendra Modi, said Rohiths brother Raja Vemula.

Vemulas suicide, citing alleged caste discrimination last year at University of Hyderabad, plunged educational campuses across the country into turmoil with Dalit students demanding stern action against those accused of abetting his death, including Union minister Bandaru Dattatreya and university vice-chancellor (V-C) P Appa Rao.

Read: Rohith Vemula: An unfinished portrait

Once Rohith is certified a non-Dalit, those in the dock for allegedly abetting his suicide will not be tried under the more stringent SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. It is a simple game to protect the accused, said Jai Bhimrao, the advocate fighting the case.

According to official records, the new inquiry headed by the joint collector of Guntur district interrogated seven people, five of whom said Rohith was a Dalit from the Mala caste. Only two said he was a Vaddera or OBC. The commission went with the minority view.Rohith was raised by his mother Radhika, who belongs to the SC Mala caste.

But Radhika was adopted by one Anjani Devi, who belongs to the Vaddera OBC community and was the headmaster of a government school in Guntur.Those who said Rohith was a Dalit included his grandfather Venkateshwarulu.

Radhika and her two surviving children also backed the claim, besides Anjani Devi.

Though she belonged to the Vaddera caste, Anjani Devi told the commission that she had adopted Rohiths mother from a Mala construction labourer. Radhikas lawyers also cited a Supreme Court ruling which clarified that adoption does not change a persons caste.

Radhika was married to Mani Kumar, a Vaddera, at a young age. She raised Rohith and her other two children alone after separating from her husband.

Read: Rohith Vemula not a Dalit, belonged to other backward class: Andhra govt

The new commission, however, went by what Rohiths estranged father and paternal grandmother said. Though the duo claimed Rohith belonged to them and was, therefore, from their Vaddera caste.

They did not contradict that Radhika was a Dalit. An inquiry conducted by Kantilal Dande, the deputy collector of Guntur, in the first week of June had found Rohith to be a Dalit. The state government set aside the findings of Dande and ordered a fresh inquiry without citing reasons for reopening the probe into Rohiths caste.

The fresh probe prompted new accusations from Rohiths family and friends who alleged that the authorities were attempting to rewrite facts for being simply unhappy with Dandes report.

A common legal principle requires that a fresh investigation can be ordered when there is a change in circumstances or when a gamechanging fact emerges. There was no such reason this time, alleged advocate Bhimrao.

Following the new report, Dande has changed his stand.

Also read: A year on, Rohith Vemulas death still caught in caste web

He claimed his inquiry was conducted by a subordinate officer and that the media has no authority to question a government officer or order. He said the primary school, where Radhika studied briefly before dropping out had recorded Anjani Devi as Radhikas mother. That is enough proof, Dande added.
A nation watched in horror as lawmakers uprooted mikes, threw chairs, stormed the speakers podium and tore his shirt in the Tamil Nadu assembly during the new chief ministers trust vote last weekend.

Similar ugly scenes engulfed the Andhra Pradesh assembly in September 2016, as opposition legislators jostled with marshals near the speakers podium and ripped up the mike. For the record, pandemonium has become part and parcel of state assemblies and even Parliament.

Read | Lawmakers must be held accountable if they disrupt Parliament or assemblies

The cue wasnt lost on the architects and interior designers of the new Andhra Pradesh assembly at Velagapudi in Amaravati, the bifurcated states modern capital.

The august House is bedlam-proof  to a large extent.

Built by construction major Shapoorji and Pallonji, the assembly hall is kitted out with an ultramodern audio system from Germany. Unlike conventional microphones with a handle and a speaker, the rectangular mikes are fitted firmly on the members benches.

Watch | TMC MLA runs away with Tripura speakers mace, stalls House

That makes these devices sound; impossible to uproot or even break.

The microphones can catch the voice of a member even when he is standing. He does not need the hold the mike near his mouth, an engineer told Hindustan Times last week.

Another feature to ride out a political storm is the height of the speakers podium  placed at least seven feet from the well of the House.

It prevent the members from storming the podium, throw papers on the speaker and ransack the place, leave alone assaulting him. Even if the members climb the desks of the assembly secretary and staff below the podium, they cannot reach the speakers chair, the engineer said.

Stairs leading to the chair are barricaded to prevent members from reaching the speaker.

Read | Parliament adjourned as impasse over notes ban continues

All hell breaks loose in the well of the House during an opposition protest. The architects of the new assembly have taken care of that, making the well smaller. Not many members can fit in when they dash to the coveted area in front of the speakers podium to shout slogans.

These highlights might get tested when the assembly sits for the for the budget session from March 3  the first in Amaravati.

We have held six assembly sessions in Hyderabad and we are now moving to Amaravati. We have built the new assembly in a record time of one year, speaker Kodela Sivaprasada Rao said.

Read | Advani lashes out at Centre, Oppn over Parliament logjam

The assembly complex, that cost more than Rs 1,000 crore after price escalation, has the lawmakers hall on the ground floor with 225 seats. A futuristic thought as an anticipated delimitation of constituencies by 2019 would take the strength of the House to that many members from the current 175.

The Opposition described the building a waste of taxpayers money. A group of YSR Congress lawmakers complained that there was no peshi for the leader of Opposition, YS Jaganmohan Reddy, and that the chamber allotted to him was too small. A peshi comprises a chamber as well as anterooms for staff.

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The UK has given no assurance regarding the extradition of Vijay Mallya, the embattled businessman wanted in India for charges of money laundering and defaulting on bank loans, sources said on Tuesday.

Dismissing reports about such an assurance, a source said, We dont have any assurance from the UK yet on the extradition request, which is a judicial process.

The reports emerged after Indian and British officials held discussions in New Delhi on issues related to pending cases for deportation and extradition. The meeting was held weeks after India made an extradition request for liquor baron Mallya.

London-based sources told Hindustan Times that Britain is now very positive on Indias extradition requests, including that for Mallya. However, the sources cautioned that the actual extradition of Mallya and others is a long way off.

There has been only one extradition from Britain to India since a treaty was signed in September 1992 between then home minister SB Chavan and his counterpart Ken Clarke. For nearly 25 years, Indian agencies have been frustrated at not being able to secure the extradition of wanted individuals based in Britain.

The only extradition happened in October 2016, of Samirbhai Vinubhai Patel, 40, who was wanted in a 2002 Gujarat riots-related case. His extradition was expedited because he consented to it, unlike others who oppose extradition.

Mallya is being investigated for money laundering in a case of alleged default of bank loans worth around Rs 900 crore.

At Tuesdays meeting, the two sides discussed several pending deportation cases involving Indians based in the UK. In November, India asked Britain to extradite nearly 60 people, including Mallya, so that they could face justice.

Britain also handed over to India a list of 17 people whose custody it is seeking under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty or against whom Letters Rogatory have been issued.

Tiger Hanif, wanted in India in connection with the 1993 blasts in Surat, has consistently opposed extradition from the UK. He was arrested in Bolton, Greater Manchester, in March 2010 but lost all legal avenues to avoid it.

One of his pleas to prevent extradition  that he would be tortured in Indian jails  was overruled by the judge in the Westminster Magistrates Court in May 2012.

The court sent a team to Gujarat to examine jail conditions there and to assess the validity of Hanifs plea, but the judge dismissed it and called him a classic fugitive.

Hanif, an aide of mob boss Dawood Ibrahim whose full name is Mohammed Umarji Patel, made a final appeal to then home secretary Theresa May, soon after the courts judgement in May 2012. Current home secretary Amber Rudd has not yet acted on the final appeal.

Also read | CBI arrests former IDBI chairman in Vijay Mallya loan default case
What started as opposition to 33% reservation for women in urban local body (ULB) polls in Nagaland ended with chief minister TR Zeliang quitting his post to be replaced by Nagaland Peoples Front (NPF) president Shurhozelie Liezietsu on Monday.

Amid political drama and the statewide strike by traditional tribal organizations demanding Zeliangs ouster, the issue of ULB polls with reservation for women got sidelined.

It is unfortunate the issue got politicized. Hopefully the new chief minister will continue consultations and hold the election with reservation for women, said Abeiu Meru, president of Nagaland Mothers Association (NMA).

Women groups-led by NMA had filed a special leave petition in Supreme Court seeking holding of elections with women reservation. They decided to withdraw the petition last month, after the state government decided to hold the ULB polls.

Opposition from tribal bodies against holding elections with 33% seats for women and the deaths and destruction in the ensuing violence had forced Zeliangs Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) government to declare the ULB polls as null and void.

In a bid to diffuse the crisis and save his chair, Zeliangs cabinet also decided earlier this month to request the Centre to keep the state outside the purview of the Part IX-A of the Constitution, which provides for not less than one-third of the total seats for women in municipalities.

What was supposed to be a social movement took strange directions when politically-vested interests started to steer it, Zeliang said in his farewell speech to NPF legislators in Kohima on Monday.

As reported earlier, tribal bodies in Nagaland feel reservation for women in municipal bodies would violate Article 371A of the Constitution, which provide special status to Nagaland regarding preservation of customary laws.

I cant do magic even if I take over but I have a strong feeling together we can achieve our goal, Shurhozelie said on Monday in a statement issued by the CMs media cell.

But there was no mention what stand his government will take on the contentious issue of reservation for women in municipal bodies.

We dont know what the new CM would do. But we will continue our campaign to ensure women get reservation in ULBs, Meru said.

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Two youths from Rajasthan will soon leave the heat of the desert for the snow-laden Antarctica. They will be sharing their experiences with 78 others from around the world and learn more about climate change and its impact.

Akanksha, a climate crusader who has worked with various corporate houses on their corporate social responsibility programmes, and Rohan Sharma, a mechanical engineer from the Pink City, are among the 12 who have been selected for the International Antarctic Expedition 2017 from India.

Organised by polar explorer and environmentalist Robert Swan  the first man ever to walk unsupported to both the North and South Poles  the expedition aims at engaging and inspiring the next generation of leaders to return and create a change not just on a personal level but also on corporate and community level.

The treaty to ban drilling and commercial mining in Antarctica was signed in 1991 and the year 2041 will mark its 50th anniversary. This expedition, being organised by Swans 2041 foundation, aims at spreading awareness among the youth about climate change and its adverse effects, said 27-year-old Sharma.

Rohan Sharma is a mechanical engineer from the Pink City. (HT Photo )

Selected from among 3,000 applicants from India, both Aanksha and Rohan are needless to say ecstatic about this trip. Travelling is my passion. I have worked with organisations like UNICEF and my background in CSR has helped me learn about the threats that climate change poses. I am a zero-waste traveller as I travel with eco-friendly equipment, said 30-year-old Akanksha.

The selection process for the expedition includes several rounds of interviews and physical and mental screening of applicants, following which the final list is announced.

I am excited to be a part of this expedition. The fact that we will get a firsthand experience about the adverse effects of climate change will help us generate awareness when we come back, said Sharma.

Akanksha is a climate crusader who loves to travel. (HT Photo )

After leaving India on February 24, the duo will travel to Buenos Aires in Argentina before leaving for Antarctica. The team is expected to return by March 15.

Once I return, I plan to start an initiative for government school children living in hilly areas where they will learn about climate change so that we can groom and nurture new batches of climate crusaders, said Akanksha.

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A panther, suspected to have been involved in attacks on villagers, has been caught in Sariska forest area in Alwar district, bringing to an end a massive hunt which was launched to track down the killer big cat.

Forest officials said the panther was caught on Tuesday in Jaitpura village. So far four people, including three women, have been killed in the peripheral villages of Sariska Tiger Reserve (STR).

His body size, pugmark, area of movement and absence of a lower canine indicate that it is the same panther which attacked the villagers recently, Sariska field director RS Shekhawat said. Adding, We will wait for forensic reports for a confirmation. The panther has been sent to the Jaipur zoo for a medical examination.

STR deputy field director Balaji Kari said after a female panther was caught in Gopalpura village on Saturday, forest teams noticed that a panther was moving between Jaitpur, Govindpur, Silibaodi and Ramji Ka Gwada villages. Four people were killed by a panther in these villages between February 5 and 12.

The department put five cages to trap the animal. The panther dodged the trap on three nights and ventured into these villages and attacked cattle and dogs. On Monday morning, it fell into the trap, said Kari.

The official said, on Sunday night, the panther returned from the forest area and entered Jaitpura village where it attacked a calf but people woke up and chased away the big cat. The 10-year-old male panther then went towards Sant Ka Khola forest area where it was caught.

The panther caught on Monday is the fourth feline to be caught from Sariska.
Bengal BJP is set to open a three-tier special cell to screen new comers in the party, the move coming in the wake of a few of its leaders being arrested for involvement in trafficking rackets and cheating cases.

The decision that came after a prod by its central leaders in Delhi, will incorporate a system of screening new comer leaders from other political parties.

The cell will have a three tier system with a state committee at its helm. It will have special teams at the mandal (organisational districts) and block level. The cell will screen the newcomers reputation, antecedents, background before allowing him into active party activities.

With the growth of saffron vote share in Bengal, a section of leaders and workers from the Left and Trinamool have been joining BJP recently.

We want to make sure that the leaders who are joining us from other parties have a clean background. There are former MLAs among those coming from other parties. We want only people with a clean background, said Dilip Ghosh, state BJP president.

The initiative is in accordance with a directive by our central leadership. Thousands are joining us every day from different political parties and different backgrounds. The cell will screen and guide the newcomers. Our party is run by ideology and we want to make sure we get the right persons, said Sayantan Basu BJP state secretary.

Read: BJP woman leader charged in child trafficking case in north Bengal

In December last year Dilip Ghosh, a BJP leader of Salt Lake, was arrested for his involvement in an interstate baby trafficking racket. Later, in February, CID submitted a chargesheet that included his name among others. Ghosh was earlier with CPI(M).

In January, party vice president and spokesperson Jay Prakash Majumder was arrested by Bidhannagar police after a complaint that he received money promising jobs. Majumder joined BJP from Congress.

CID has zeroed in on another BJP Mahila Morcha leader, Juhi Choudhury, when it busted another baby smuggling racket in Jalpaiguri of North Bengal.

Recently the party inducted controversial former CPI(M) leader and former MP Lakshman Seth, who was one of the prominent faces in Nandigram. This was also opposed by a section of partys own leaders.

BJP vote share has been on a steady rise in Bengal from 6% in 2009 Lok sabha polls to 16.8 in Lok Sabha polls in 2014 where it got two seats. Later in 2016 assembly polls it got 10.2 % and secured three MLAs. In the by polls in 2016, BJPs vote share even reached to 28.5% (Coochbehar).

After recent incidents of small scale riots in Bengal, a section of workers from other political parties joined BJP.

Earlier in some areas Left workers joined BJP en masse. But after the riots and apparent Muslim appeasement policy of the chief minister, many Trinamool Congress workers are also joining us. We need to be careful in taking in these new people and giving them responsibilities, said a senior BJP leader.

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Law students from various city colleges, who were mistakenly declared failed by the University of Mumbai (MU), heaved a sigh of relief after the varsity issued fresh results.

A number of three-year LLB students were shocked to find that the results displayed in their colleges showed them as absent for the fourth semester examination (for repeaters) held in December. They took up the matter with the universitys examination department, which rectified its mistake.

We have changed the results of the 25-30 students who were marked absent, said Deepak Wasave, officiating controller of examination.

Student activists, however, estimate that about 300 students were affected by the mistake, of which 10-20% are yet to have their results corrected.

The incident is latest in the long list of exam-related goof-ups in the university. Earlier, students have been handed out wrong question papers, exam centres have been changed at the eleventh hour and there have also been instances of question papers been repeated by the university.

When I found that I was marked absent in a paper that I had taken the test for, I informed the university officials about the mistake. The corrected list has now been displayed on the colleges notice board, said Harshili Chogle, a student from New Law College at Matunga.

Some colleges, however, are yet to inform their students about the correction. I was marked absent in two papers I had taken. When I went to the university, I was told that I had, in fact, cleared both the subjects. The college is yet to display the corrected result, said a student from Government law College, Churchgate.

While the fresh results have given some relief to the students, the incident has made them question the universitys handling of examination and results. Couldnt they have checked the list before issuing it? We had to unnecessarily suffer due to no mistake of ours, said Sachin Pawar, president, Student law Council, a students group.

The officials at the examination department said that the errors were result of the staff crunch and the use of old equipment at the department. There is always a tremendous pressure to declare the results on time but our staff strength is low and only two old printers publish the results, said a top official.

Also read: No hall tickets for 350 law students
On Tuesday afternoon, doctors performed the citys 43rd heart transplant for a 56-year-old woman from Nashik, who was battling a fatal heart condition. The facility had started in August 2015.

The recipient had a condition called dilated cardiomyopathy which was life threatening and was put on a waiting list for a transplant two weeks ago, said a doctor from Fortis Hospital in Mulund where the transplant was carried out.

A team of doctors from the hospital rushed to Aurangabad on Tuesday morning, when Zonal Transplant Coordination Committee officials informed them about the availability of the organ.

The donor was a 30-year-old farmer who was declared brain dead on Tuesday at a government-run hospital. The mans mother decided to donate his organs after she was counselled by experts.

The doctors extracted the heart and brought it to Mumbai in a chartered flight within one hour and thirty minutes. An ambulance waiting outside the city airport ferried it to the hospital.

Our team managed to save a life. It encourages us to work with more determination towards saving more lives, said Dr Anvay Mulay, head of cardiac transplant team at Fortis Hospital. He added, If more people decide to donate organs then we will be able to help more of such last-stage organ failure patients.

Also read: Maharashtra: CMs relief fund helps Nashik man get a heart transplant
The Maharashtra Congress has raised objection to advertisements featuring Aamir Khan and allegedly indirecting promoting the election plank of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in newspapers on polling day. The party will lodge a complaint with the state election commission (SEC) on Wednesday.

The party has claimed the advertisement issued by Mumbai First organisation was close to the chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and it clearly promoted the issue promoted by the BJP during the campaign for the BMC elections.

The SEC has banned any political advertisement after 5.30pm on February 19, the deadline of the campaign for the candidates in civic polls.

The advertisements in English and Marathi newspapers clearly highlight the issues of transparency and change promoted by the BJP. Although it has been issued by an organisation, everybody knows it is closely association to Fadnavis. This is a blatant violation of code of conduct and we have a meeting with the election commissioner to lodge a complaint on Wednesday, said Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant.

State election commissioner JS Saharia said they will take cognisance once the complaint was registered. We have not received the complaint yet. Raising the issues faced by citizens for awareness in the election is the right of any organisation. We will take action if a nexus is proved by the complainant, he said.

A Charni Road-based advocate and Yuva Sena officer-bearer Dharmendra Mishra, too, has lodged a complaint with the SEC objecting to the advertisement.

Read more: Coffee@HT: I am here to stay for five years, says Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis

BMC polls: Criticised demonetisation, not PM Narendra Modi, says Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray calls Modi govt the worst-ever regime

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Mumbais voter turnout for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Council (BMC) elections on Tuesday touched 41.33% till 3.30 pm, inching towards what could be the citys best turnout in civic polls since 2002, with two more hours to go.

Polling started at 7.30am and will continue till 5.30pm. A total of 2,275 candidates are vying for the 227 councillor wards in the BMC, according to the state election commission (SEC). The votes will be counted on Thursday.

There are 91.8 lakh registered voters in Mumbai, who will vote across the 7,297 voting booths in the city. The turnout has, however, consistently been tepid. In 2012, 44.85% of Mumbais registered voters took note of the BMC elections. In 2007, this figure was 46.14% and in 2002, it was an even more abysmal 43.25%.

With the splitting of traditional alliances of the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), the Mumbai civic polls are a multi-cornered contest this time. This is also the first time the SEC has put up flex boards giving details of candidates assets and their educational qualification.

Matangi Balaji, a resident of Mulund East, after checking the flex board displayed outside the polling booth, said, I voted for NOTA (None of the above) as none of the candidates were educated enough.

Similarly, Preeti Mehrotra, a Churchgate resident, said, The flex board displaying assets and education of the candidates has helped in making an informed decision.

With the BMC having redrawn ward boundaries this time, confusion prevailed in several places as voters were unable to locate their name in the polling booths they traditionally went to for years.

Ashish Morya, 21, a voter from Mankhurd-Mandala, was one such voter. Last election, I cast my vote from the same ward, but I am unable to locate my name this time although I it came up in the voter list search online, he said.

In Mumbai, with the Congress battling with internal crises and the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Senas (MNS) influence on the wane, the biggest fight is between allies-turned-rivals BJP and Shiv Sena with the city being the Senas home turf, where the BJP wants to aggressively expand, eyeing the same vote-bank as the Shiv Senas.

Besides Mumbai, polling is also underway for nine other municipal corporations, 11 zilla parishads and 118 panchayat samitis.

Read more: From celebs, politicians to common man: Mumbai makes its vote count in BMC polls

BMC polls LIVE update: Bollywood steps out, Rekha, Zoya Akhtar lead the way

BMC election Live: Sharad Pawar casts vote, BJP confident about win

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Polling started at ten municipal corporations in Maharashtra, including the cash-rich Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), at 7.30am on Tuesday. The voting will continue till 5.30pm.

A total of 9,208 candidates are in the fray for 1,268 seats across the ten municipal corporations. For the BMC, 2,275 candidates are vying for the 227 councillor wards, as per information from the State Election Commission (SEC). The votes will be counted on February 23.

An election officer with the BMC said, Polling commenced at 7:30 am peacefully. A mock poll was done on all machines at 6.30 am. The data was cleared before commencement of polling.

There are 91.8 lakh registered voters in Mumbai who will vote across the 7,297 voting booths in the city. The turnout has, however, been consistently tepid. In 2012, less than 45% of Mumbais registered voters took note of the BMC elections. In 2007, this figure was 46% and in 2002 it was an even more abysmal 42%.

With the splitting of traditional alliances of the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), the Mumbai civic polls have become a multi-cornered contest this time. While the Congress and NCP have joined hands for the elections of a few other civic bodies besides Mumbai, the Sena and BJP are contesting all polls independently.

In Mumbai, the allies-turned-rivals are in direct competition with each other with the city being the Senas home turf where the BJP wants to aggressively expand, eyeing the same vote-bank as the Shiv Senas.

Besides the ten civic bodies, polling also commenced across 11 zilla parishads and 118 panchayat samitis in the second phase. Fifteen zilla parishads and 165 panchayat samitis went to polls in the first phase on February 16.

Read more: BMC polls Live: Mumbai steps out to vote for a better tomorrow

BMC elections: Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis hints at post-poll alliance with Shiv Sena

Mumbai civic polls: Ashok Chavan says that Sena, BJP clash is a strategy to gain power
The election to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is being seen as a do or die battle for the Bharatiya Janata Party, Shiv Sena, Congress and Nationalist Congress Party.

There are 2,275 candidates in 227 municipal wards in the fray and the vote is expected to be a referendum on the BJP-led Devendra Fadnavis government. The mandate from Mumbai and nine other big cities will also provide answers to several questions about politics in Maharashtra.

With all four main parties striking out on their own, each is looking at these elections with an eye on the 2019 assembly polls. The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) is fighting to stay relevant and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) is trying to make its presence felt.

Read | BMC polls highlights: Mumbai records 52.17% voter turnout, highest in last 3 elections

The poll results will give us early trends for 2019. They can also shape political futures, political analyst Prakash Bal said.

The parties with the most at stake are, of course, the Shiv Sena and the BJP who are still in an uneasy alliance in the state. Their battle is for Mumbai as the city is the Senas citadel and the BJP is seeking to storm it.

If the Sena remains the single-largest party, it will turn even more aggressive. If the BJP gets the most seats, the Sena is in trouble. If the BJP does well in the rural areas, it can claim demonetisation has got the publics seal of approval. And the Congress and the NCP will be left with a mountain to climb in 2019.

Its outcome will also have a bearing on the governments in Maharashtra and New Delhi, both headed by the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Read | BMC polls: Noisy campaigns silent on citizens woes

Here are four situations that BMC results can lead to:

1. If the Shiv Sena loses its control over the countrys richest corporation, it will further strain its ties with the BJP. The two parties have been fighting over many issues, such as portfolio allocation, ministerial berths and policy matters. A loss may prompt Sena to snap ties with the BJP.

2. A victory for the BJP means it will further tighten its grip over Maharashtra that it won in the 2014 assembly election. It will also consolidate the position of CM Fadnavis who has managed to clip the wings of his rivals in the Maharashtra BJP.

3. Any revival of the Congress will sound the alarm bells for the BJP and its ambitions of a Congress Mukt Bharat. It will be a big boost to the Congress which is looking for electoral victories to regain a momentum that it had lost in 2014.

4. If the BMC elections throw up a hung verdict, it will lead to new political alignments a situation that Sharad Pawar-led NCP will be very happy with.

Read | BMC polls: What the elections mean for Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray
Will the Maharashtra government last beyond the civic polls this week?

Myriad statements emanating from various political parties make one wonder. But my natural cynicism about politicians leads me to believe only two things might happen after results in Thursday  either chief minister Devendra Fadnaviss chair will be somewhat shaken in case the BJP does not score over the Shiv Sena or else Uddhav Thackeray will finally pipe down and behave like a good boy for the remaining three-odd years of this government.

It is always very difficult to predict poll results with any certainty but in this high-octane campaign by both parties, the stakes are obvious. The BJP had a lot more visibility and resources than either the Shiv Sena or the Congress. But, as ever, it is the Sena cadres who have come through again for their party chief.

It has been noticed by many people, media personalities as well as common voters, that Uddhav Thackeray may have finally overcome the barrier that was built around him by his fathers contemporaries who had earlier hated the thought of bowing to the son and grandson after the Sena tiger. While they may still have reservations about the young Aaditya Thackeray, they have finally accepted -- and perhaps even secretly admire -- Uddhav for achieving what his father never could. Quite on his own with just 15 days to go, he managed to win half the seats the BJP did during the 2014 Assembly polls. Even Bal Thackeray proved troublesome to senior BJP leaders like Atal Behari Vajpayee and LK Advani, but he never managed to get under their skin the manner in which Uddhav has succeeded with the second generation leaders. This has been achieved without resort to any sort of violence though he did call them goondas and asked his Shiv Sainiks to plant the saffron standard on their chests .To old-timers, this was evocative of Chhatrapati Shivajis guerilla tactics. So many of these old-timers were seen getting out of their comfort zones and going door-to-door to campaign in the best tradition of cadres who never fail their leaders in their hour of need.

Which makes one wonder why the BJP cadres have failed Fadnavis. It was startling to see not a single soul occupying the rows upon rows of chairs neatly arranged for his meeting at Sadashivpeth in Pune on Saturday. The area is a bastion of the BJP and the party cadres should not have found it too difficult to persuade nearby residents to crowd the meeting. Fadnavis waited more than 30 minutes for some people to speak to and walked off in a huff when no one came to listen. I am told by BJP supporters that their absence would not make much of a difference to the poll outcome, but it does point to the peoples ennui with the BJP or Fadnavis (or both) and does not portend well for the future.

Of course, the only leader who seems to have got electrifying crowds at his rallies is, strangely, Raj Thackeray who was written off weeks before the polls as a cipher. But the problem of plenty in both the Sena and the BJP  which had to accommodate many defectors from both the Congress and the NCP -- changed his fortunes. Disappointed workers from these parties sought tickets from the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, but Raj is now mostly banking on his partys performance in Nashik, where the MNS was the ruling party, to convince voters that he means business and will not go back on promises for petty political considerations.

However, it is not just the results of Maharashtras civic polls, but that of the UP Assembly, which could determine the fate of the Maharashtra government. For there is a loose cannon in the field  Sharad Pawar. The NCP president has sworn not to prop up the BJP government in case the Sena pulls support  but ultimately his decision will depend upon what he thinks would be more beneficial to his interest.

Pawar may choose to keep his friendship with Narendra Modi going in case of a victory for the BJP. In case of an opposite verdict, he could take his chances at the hustings for there is a general belief that the BJP will not do as well in Maharashtra at the next election, now or in 2019.

And Pawar has been missing his control of Maharashtra. He has also been talking of like-minded parties coming together to defeat the BJP. Pawar is readying the pitch. Can Fadnavis then save his wicket?

Read more: BMC polls: Shiv Senas minority candidates dispel Hindutva image

Will the Shiv Sena be fifth time lucky?

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The hotbed of citizen activism  H West and K West ward  that comprises Bandra, Khar, Santacruz, Juhu, Lokhandwala and Versova saw serious efforts made by residents associations to increase voter turnout on Tuesday. Residents were involved in door-to-door campaigns on the day of the election  Tuesday  to get a large number of citizens to vote. Both the wards had seen voter turnouts of 41.59% and 40.98% during the 2012 civic polls, which drastically increased on Tuesday.

While some resorted to arranging vehicles for residents, other associations distributed freebies to increase voter turnout. Activists also pointed out that they were discouraged by the election commission during the 2014 Assembly polls to take such steps and this time they had gone ahead with the initiatives.

Apart from going door-to-door to make sure people have voted and arranging free rides, a unique awareness campaign was run by the Guzdar Scheme Resident Trust for the voters of ward no.98, which comprises areas of Santacruz and Khar West. The trust was distributing a box of strawberries to encourage voters. Gautam Rao, trustee, said The idea was to increase the voting percentage as it was pathetic last time. We asked voters to send a message to a particular outlet and they would deliver the box at their door step. An activist said, We wanted to carry out various initiatives, but were not permitted by the election commission during the 2014 Assembly polls.

In Lokhandwala, a citizen group, Fight for Right of Yamuna Nagar, that comprises 16 societies, having around 2,000 voters, the citizens hired vehicles, which was used for pick-and-drop from outside their society to the polling booth and then again back to the society. This was used by many in their locality. A resident from this area, Nikhil Kulkarni, said, We had stuck a circular on every notice board of the 16 societies to encourage voters and exercise their fundamental right and make their opinion count. With the goof-up and confusion over the address of the polling booths, the service was used widely.

he resident association at Juhu had about 10 cars of the citizens that were used to help senior citizens, especially owing to the confusion over the addresses of the polling booths. To make sure that the senior citizens were not disheartened with this confusion, the cars ferried many of them to the polling booth. Ashoke Pandit, a citizen activist of this area, said, There has been serious confusion, but we wanted to make sure that the residents voted. A team of citizens helped them with finding out the names wherever possible and ferried the citizens to the polling stations.

(Reported by Chetna Yerunkar)

SoBo turns up to vote, bucks trend

Breaking all past election records, the island city  known for abysmally low voter turnouts from areas like Colaba, Churchgate, Nairman Point and Malabar Hill  showed a jump in numbers during the 2017 polls.

In Ward D, which comprises affluent areas like Malabar Hill, alongside the congested Girgaum and Khetwadi areas, recorded a 48.17% voter turnout, compared to 41.1% during the 2012 civic polls. The voter turnout from this Gujarati dominated ward even crossed the average voter turnout of the past two civic elections  44.75% in 2012 and 46.05% in 2007.

In the 2012 civic polls, the highest voting was recorded in S ward, which comprises Bhandup, Powai and Kanjurmarg at 49.29%.

Of the 24 administrative wards, the A ward (Cuffe Parade, Colaba, Ballard Estate and Fort) saw the lowest voting percentage with just 34.10% voters turning up during the 2012 civic elections. Even here, there was a considerable increase. The neighbouring B ward, which includes Pydhonie, Masjid Bunder, P Dmello road, also saw more voters heading out to vote.

I have never seen such good turnout and such a long queue in Colaba. This is the first election in which I saw voters turning out in good numbers in the island city, said Pervez Cooper, a Colaba resident.

The voters also said information about candidates that was being displayed at polling centres was helpful. The flex board displaying assets was an important and relevant move by the election commission. It helped voters make an informed decision, said Preeti Mehrotra, a Churchgate resident.

The voter turnout is important, as it decides who will rule the countrys richest civic body for the next five years. The elections this time were all the more significant,as for the first time in more than two decades, all of the citys major parties campaigned solo, without alliances.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar, his son-in-law Sadanand Sule and grand-daughter Revati Sule, voted in Peddar Road on Tuesday. Revati, a first-time voter, was excited about voting. But both Pawar and Revati could not vote for his party as there was no NCP candidate contesting from Ward no 214. Pawar said he voted for a secular party.

(Reported by Sanjana Bhalerao)

Focus on Marathi vote pays off

A battle between the Shiv Sena, BJP and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), all vying for the Maharashtrian vote, led to tremendous enthusiasm among voters in Mumbais Marathi heartland.

In the Parel-Lalbaug-Dadar belt, there was brisk voting since morning. This belt saw two former mayors contesting the elections. In Dadars ward 191, MNS Swapna Deshpande was seen criss-crossing the constituency on a two-wheeler urging people to vote. Her opponent, former mayor Vishakha Raut, monitored the whole thing through a network of Shakhas, or Sena offices. Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, with wife Rashmi and son Aaditya was seen visiting all spots to boost workers. Fighting an election that could impact the partys existence in Mumbai, the Sena leadership took a lot of effort to ensure the partys voter base is not dented by BJP. The BJP too made efforts to make inroads in the area. The MNS, which posed a challenge to Sena in this belt, however, seemed to be focusing on its core support areas such as Dadar. The voters too showed lot of enthusiasm. Take the case of 61-year old Ashok Chavan, who could barely walk and had to take the help of his son to reach his polling station in Parel. I have never defaulted on voting as this gives me a chance to elect my representative. Despite confusion of missing names and shift in polling centres, Marathi-speaking voters seemed to be making it a point to participate. Rekha Sakpal, who shifted to Diva after marriage, came back to her parents Lalbaug home just to cast her vote. We share a very strong bond with Sena as it always stands for the Marathi Manoos. The party needs us and hence I came just to vote, said Sakpal.

However, first-time voters were quite fascinated with the BJP. Harsh Wagh, an engineering student,said PM Modi appealed to the youth. See the state of roads and civic amenities. and this clearly indicates the Sena has not worked at all. The Congress has a bad record and I feel we should give BJP a chance, said Wagh.

Mayor Shraddha Jadhav, facing a formidable rebel and as strong Congress candidate said, Our workers brought people to booths. Arun Dalvi, BJPs candidate, said high turnout indicates anger against the Sena.

(Reported by Prajakta Kunal Rane and Naresh Kamath)

Women lead the way in the east

In the slums of Mankhurd-Govandi, the middle-class colonies of Kurla-Tilak Nagar belt and elite societies at Chembur-Deonar, one thing was clear. Women voters were leading by example, waiting in queues at several polling booths from Tuesday morning.

In areas like Tilak Nagar, Sahakar Nagar, Govandi and Shivaji Nagar, the special queues for women voters stretched as the one for men. Around 3pm, the womens queues started growing longer at a few polling booths.

We know all parties and candidates forget their promises after elections, but I am going to exercise my right, said Manisha Rajguru, 32, who came from Nerul in Navi Mumbai to cast her vote in Tilak Nagar. At most polling booths in Kurla-Chembur-Mankhurd, dominated by slums as well as big colonies and upper class societies, the scene was the same.

However, a common problem most voters faced at every booth was missing names. The government says the voting is your right. But, how could we, if our name is missing? said Vanita Harijan, 32, after searching for her name in different lists in Sahakar Nagar.

According to party workers, there was very low turnout at most polling booths, even in slum belts in the morning, but things turned around in the second half of the day.

At some slum pockets in Shivaji Nagar, Baiganwadi and Govandi areas, voter turnout was very high even early in the morning. Several voters spent almost an hour in queue before they could vote. In these wards, voter turnout was around 15-18% till 1.30pm, but later rapidly rose.

At every nook and corner of their wards, party workers, mostly youngsters, set up tables and were helping out. They used voter lists, tabs, laptops and mobiles to finding voters names.

Party workers were also seen taking effort to bring in loyal voters. Experts said because of this, several wards saw crowds after 5pm. An MNS candidate from Govandi said at five wards of nine, the voting process was not dine even after 6 pm.

Several young voters were seen casting votes for the first time. Soleha Sayyad, 23, a resident of Shivaji Nagar, said she could not vote during the Lok Sabha polls but made it a point to vote this time as she expects change. We want cleanliness and water. At most booths, the polling was peaceful.

(Reported by Kailash Korde)

Voters rise for battleground

The north Mumbai area, which according to most observers, is a straight battle between friends-turned-foes Shiv Sena and BJP and could decide the battle for control of the countrys richest civic body.

The area, which has traditionally been a stronghold of the Shiv Sena and the Congress saw a high turnout on Tuesday of 55%.

With areas such as Goregaon, Malad, Kandivali, Borivli and Dahisar in north Mumbai, it is considered a key contest between the Sena and the BJP as the latter has fielded 54 candidates in 58 electoral wards.

The area has a mix of communities such as Maharashtrians, Gujaratis, minorities and north Indians, which the BJP has been targeting to swing votes in their favour.

Since Tuesday morning, the polling centres witnessed long queues as citizens turned out for voting in large numbers. According to the official figures, this time the voter turnout is considerably higher than in 2012 where it was 46%.

The polling stations at Kurar Village in Malad (East), which is a mix of slumdwellers and low-income groups, witnessed serpentine queues. Voters stood awaiting their turn to cast their vote for more than two hours. Police officers posted on election duty were too surprised at the high turnout. I have witnessed various elections in this area, but never saw such a great turnout. It is good that people have come out and are voting, said a sub-inspector.

Voters at Kurar Village complained that their names are missing from the lists. Many voters returned from the polling stations and did not vote because their names did not appear, said Rupali Ajit Raorane, contesting on an NCP ticket from ward 37 (Kurar village).

Malwani, which is one of citys largest slums, was chaotic as voters did not find their names on the updated voter lists.

Prakash Darekar, former MNS corporator, who switched to BJP, said that north Mumbai witnessed huge voting and it would bode well for his party. In my ward (ward 11/Borivali East) we saw a voter turnout of around 62%. The whole north Mumbai belt has seen a huge turnout and it is a positive sign for BJP, he said. Gajanan Kirtikar, Shiv Sena MP, from Mumbai North-west constituency, however, does not feelthe high turnout could go against Sena. He said the western suburbs are a Sena stronghold.

(Reported by Swapnil Rawal and Farhan Shaikh)

We senior citizens know more and have to vote to bring change

They came using walking sticks, in wheelchairs, taking support of their children, patiently looking for their names in the voters list from one polling booth to another. The senior citizens visibly came out more in numbers to vote in the city, especially in the Ghatkopar, Mulund, Bhandup and Powai areas on Tuesday.

An 82-year-old citizen from Hiranandani, Powai, PN Gandhi got an ECG test done in the morning and came to vote with his daughter after the test. His daughter, Radhika Gandhi, who helped him walk to the booth, said Gandhi has never missed a chance to vote in the past 25 years. Another senior citizen, Dilip Modi, 60, a cancer survivor, came to the booth at KJ Somaiya college in Ghatkopar along with his wife. Modi said, It is we (the senior citizens) who know more and have to vote to bring a change. Nobody else is interested.

The Ghatkopar to Mulund belt, which includes Vidyavihar, Vikhroli, Kanjurmarg and Powai, is a mix of communities including Maharashtrians, Gujaratis and South Indians. The three administrative wards (N,S and T) together has 31 electoral wards. The Gujarati heartland  Ghatkopar-Vidyavihar  has traditionally voted for the BJP while the Shiv Sena has a strong presence in Bhandup, Vikhroli and Kanjurmarg. Most areas saw long queues of voters in the morning and also towards the evening.

Ghatkopar will see a big fight between two Gujarati candidates  BJPs Parag Shah, the richest candidate in Mumbai and sitting corporator from Congress Pravin Chheda. Both Chheda and Shah were seen doing a recce in the polling booths of ward no.132 on Tuesday. Sumitra Bhat, a resident of Rajawadi said, I have been living here for 48 years. Pravin Chheda has done good work in the past few years.

Tuesday saw a lot of mismanagement from the administrations part. Names were missing from the voter list and people could not find their booths. Though many senior citizens could not find their names in the polling booth where they have voted for the past three decades, they were determined to vote.

Shankar Alwat, 66, from Ghatkopars Bhim Nagar slums could not find his name in the list at RN Gandhi high school, but was determined to walk another 2 km despite his knee pain. Youngsters think that it (voting day) is a holiday and plan trips. They do not understand that even one vote can bring a huge difference. It is also our right and duty towards our city, Alwat said.

Mulund will see a tough fight between BJP and Sena candidates.

(Reported by Tanushree Venkatraman)

Read:

BMC polls: Mumbai records 52.17% voter turnout, highest in last 3 elections

From celebs, politicians to common man: Mumbai makes its vote count in BMC polls

Voters angry as names go missing from lists in Mumbai

Well done, Mumbai. 55% voters step out, record highest turnout in 25 years
A battle between the Shiv Sena, BJP and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), all vying for the Maharashtrian vote, led to tremendous enthusiasm among voters in Mumbais Marathi heartland.

In the Parel-Lalbaug-Dadar belt, there was brisk voting since morning. This belt saw two former mayors contesting the elections. In Dadars ward 191, MNS Swapna Deshpande was seen criss-crossing the constituency on a two-wheeler urging people to vote. Her opponent, former mayor Vishakha Raut, monitored the whole thing through a network of Shakhas, or Sena offices. Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, with wife Rashmi and son Aaditya was seen visiting all spots to boost workers. Fighting an election that could impact the partys existence in Mumbai, the Sena leadership took a lot of effort to ensure the partys voter base is not dented by BJP. The BJP too made efforts to make inroads in the area. The MNS, which posed a challenge to Sena in this belt, however, seemed to be focusing on its core support areas such as Dadar. The voters too showed lot of enthusiasm. Take the case of 61-year old Ashok Chavan, who could barely walk and had to take the help of his son to reach his polling station in Parel. I have never defaulted on voting as this gives me a chance to elect my representative. Despite confusion of missing names and shift in polling centres, Marathi-speaking voters seemed to be making it a point to participate. Rekha Sakpal, who shifted to Diva after marriage, came back to her parents Lalbaug home just to cast her vote. We share a very strong bond with Sena as it always stands for the Marathi Manoos. The party needs us and hence I came just to vote, said Sakpal.

However, first-time voters were quite fascinated with the BJP. Harsh Wagh, an engineering student,said PM Modi appealed to the youth. See the state of roads and civic amenities. and this clearly indicates the Sena has not worked at all. The Congress has a bad record and I feel we should give BJP a chance, said Wagh.

Mayor Shraddha Jadhav, facing a formidable rebel and as strong Congress candidate said, Our workers brought people to booths. Arun Dalvi, BJPs candidate, said high turnout indicates anger against the Sena.
The police have arrested a man, Prasad Rawat, for stabbing his wife in an autorickshaw in Mumbais Goregaon on Tuesday.

The incident took place around 9.45pm on Monday when the woman, Geeta Dubey, was travelling in an autorickshaw from her Goregaon (East) house to purchase vegetables.

She was travelling alone, the police said.

A man came and attacked her while she was sitting in the auto. He ran off after stabbing her thrice. Some witnesses saw him running, we are trying to identify him, said an officer. She was stabbed in the neck and hand, an eye-witness told HT.

The police said the woman has been married for four years and has two children. The Goregaon police have registered a case of murder, said Vikram Deshmane, deputy commissioner of police, zone XI.

Preliminary investigations had revealed that the man stabbed her soon after the autorickshaw stopped near the junction. The police found her phone and jewellery on her. Investigating officials subsequently ruled out robbery as the motive.

The accused used a kitchen knife to stab her.

Read more: Mumbai police finds body with injuries in Bandra, suspects murder

Mumbai man murders friend for not dancing at a birthday party

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Officials from Anti-extortion Cell (AEC) of the Mumbai crime branch on Monday arrested two more suspects, including the one who supplied the firearm on behalf of gangster Ravi Pujari.

The arrested accused were identified as Ganpal Shettiyar, 48, and Dinanath Jaiswal, both allegedly involved in planning and conducting a reccee of Gajalee restaurant in Vile Parle. While Jaiswal was arrested from Powai, Shettiyar was picked up from Kandivli.

Police said Jaiswal supplied a factory-made pistol, used in the firing, which was recovered from him. We are now trying to find out from where/whom did he purchase it and whether he supplies arms to the Pujari gang, said a crime branch officer.

The AEC had arrested five suspects on February 6, including three from Mumbai. They were identified as Suresh Muthaiyya Pujari alias Suresh Anna, 54, Ramesh Kitta Pujari, 49, and Mrityunjay Narayan Das, 35, while two others, Suresh Pillai and Mohammed Momin, were taken into custody by the Gujarat police. After committing the crime, Pillai and Momin fled to Gujarat where they allegedly shot a former Gujarat corporator Pragnesh Patel. They were allegedly hired by Patels rival, added the officer.

Gajalee firing

The incident took place on October 21, 2016, when Das and Momin visited in the hotel. While Momin waited outside, Das entered the hotel and handed over a chit to one of the hotel staffers. Das threatened the staffer that he would kill him if he failed to follow his instructions, as he belonged to the Ravi Pujari gang.

An AEC official, who is part of the investigation, said that Pujari had called several times on the restaurant landline and asked the manager to tell his employer to call him. But the owner never called and this infuriated Pujari, who later contacted Suresh Pillai and told him to send a strong message to the owner. Pillai then contacted the other suspects and planned to threaten the owner by firing in the air inside his restaurant, said the official.

A case was registered at the Vile Parle police station under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code for attempt to murder, criminal intimidation and common intention, following which The AEC launched a parallel inquiry in the case.

After scrutinising the footage recorded by the CCTV camera installed outside the hotel, we got few leads and alerted our informants in the city. The accused were arrested mostly on the human intelligence, said senior inspector Vinayak Vast of AEC.

Another official said though the restaurant owner tried to hide the fact that Pujari was trying extort money from him when he lodged a complaint, the accused divulged it during interrogation.

Also read: Pujari calls restaurant after his henchman slurs, fails to deliver
Like Mumbai, most of the nine other cities that went to polls on Tuesday, showed an improvement in the voter turnout. Among them, Thane, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Pune and Solapur recorded a hike ranging between 4% and 12%. The eleven district councils that went to polls on Tuesday, however, did see a spike in the voting percentage when compared with the corporations.

Pimpri-Chinchwad registered the highest turnout of 67%. This also happens to be the highest spike after the 2012 poll percentage of 54.84. Solapur and Nashik saw 60% of their voters turn up to exercise their franchise, up by 7.64% and 2.81%, respectively. Thane and Akola registered turnouts of 58% and 56%, respectively, and in Akola, there was no change in the percentage from last time. The higher number of voters has resulted in the improvement in the overall average turnout of the ten corporation  56.30%, up from 51.80 % in the 2012 polls.

Mumbai saw a whopping rise in the turnout this time  55%, from 44.75% in 2012.

The State Election Commission (SEC) has attributed the rise in the percentage to the awareness campaigns that they implemented with the help of the corporations, NGOs, schools and colleges.

The awareness programmes implemented by all the corporations with the help of private establishments, schools and colleges and even the corporate houses is one of the major reasons for the higher turnout. I am glad that the voters came out in big numbers , said state election commissioner JS Saharia.

The voters names that had been duplicated were removed from the rolls this year and this was another reason why the percentage leapt. The city had 1.02 crore voters in 2012 against the 91.80 lakh voters registered for the 2017 polls. One of the major reasons for the lower percentage in earlier elections was the repetition of voters names on the rolls. We undertook a drive to clean the list, resulting in the deletion of more than 10 lakh voters in Mumbai. Similar was the story for other cities such as Thane and Pune, said an official from the commission.

Nitai Mehta, managing trustee of Praja Foundation, said that the reason for the higher percentage was increased awareness. The higher turnout is out of the want for better governance. Also, all major parties were going solo and they drove their workers and cadres to come out and vote for their respective candidates in a do-or-die fight, he said. I dont think duplication of voters names had anything to do with it.

Of the eleven district councils went to polls on Tuesday, Pune, Satara, Sindhudurg and Kolhapur reported the turnout of 70% each. Except Kolhapur and Gadchiroli, all other council have registered a rise in the turnout. Pune and Nashik saw a rise in the turnout by 5% and 4%, respectively, from last time. In Kolhapur, the turnout declined by 5% and in Gadchiroli, by 2%. The average of the turnout in 11 district councils improved to 69.43% from 67.17% in 2012.

BMC polls: Mumbai records 52.17% voter turnout, highest in last 3 elections
Skipping their afternoon siesta, which they consider precious, voters in Pune came to the polling booths in large numbers, recording 53.55% turnout in Pune and 67% in Pune Pimpri-Chinchwad.

In 2012, Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad recorded 50.92% and 52% turnout, respectively.

The higher turnout has triggered talks of change in the two places. However, all political parties claimed that they will benefit from the higher polling percentage.

According to India Today-Axis exit poll, BJP is likely to emerge as winners in Pune with NCP is likely to bag second spot.

After BJP challenged others with its high-decibel campaigns, the polls became even crucial for the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) as it fought to retain its last bastion in urban Maharashtra. Having lost power at the Centre and state in 2014, the NCP had to fight to maintain hold over Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporations, two civic bodies with the total budget of Rs9,200 crore and ruled by the Sharad Pawar-led party at present.

Last week, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had to suffer some embarrassment after his public meeting scheduled in the afternoon barely attracted people, forcing him to cancel it in the last moment. Many said that Puneites preferred to skip the rally in the afternoon, which is traditionally siesta time.

Polling in the two cities was peaceful except for a handful of incidents that includes a scuffle between BJP and NCP workers in Pimpri. Many voters found their names missing from the electoral rolls, but this had also come down from the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, when more than one lakh voters could not vote as their names were missing from the list.

Discounts by restaurants, scratch coupons offering petrol rebates or free movie tickets that the election commission gave away increased the enthusiasm among voters.

In most wards, contests were witnessed between the BJP, NCP, Congress, MNS and Shiv Sena . To campaign for their respective party candidates, senior leaders of all the parties including Fadnavis, Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeay, Ashok Chavan and Raj Thackeray campaigned in the city.

Maharashtra civic polls: MNS candidate in Pune delivers baby during poll campaigning

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A 48-year-old woman from Wadala was caught at the Mumbai international airport on Tuesday for smuggling gold, which was concealed in a pressure cooker.

Based on passenger profiling, officials from Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of the Mumbai Customs intercepted Banu Abdul Hai Shaikh. She claimed that a man in Dubai handed over the gold to her. Shaikh met him in Dubai where she had gone to attend a wedding. She was only acting as a carrier, said a senior AIU officer.

Shaikh was to hand over the gold to Faheem MK from Kerala, who was waiting for her outside the airport. However, even he was arrested by the AIU. After her arrival from Dubai, Shaikh managed to clear the green channel with the gold.

Examination of a pressure cooker, brought in as part of her checked-in-baggage, resulted in recovery of two pieces of spherical gold plates weighing 966 grams.They were concealed in the pressure pan and were painted in chrome to avoid suspicion, the officer said.

Shaikh was also found wearing gold payals weighing 73 grams. The total gold recovered from her was more than a kilogram and was valued at Rs31.52 lakh. The gold was seized under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962.

Also read: Saudi Arabian airline staffer caught smuggling 2-kg gold at Mumbai airport

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htmetro@hindustantimes.com

Mumbaiites made a strong statement on Tuesday, with 55.28% of the citys registered voters stepping out to vote. The maximum citys voter turnout in the high-octane poll battle for the countrys richest civic body, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), was the highest in the past 25 years.

The turnout rose by 10.53 percentage points from the 2012 elections, which witnessed 44.75% of the electorate exercising their franchise. The turnout was 46.05% in 2007; 43.25% in 2002; 44.36% in 1997; and 49.1% in 1992.

The sharp rise in polling percentage this year could largely be a result of a polarised battle between the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Going by traditional analysis, a hike in polling percentage could mean a vote against the incumbent rulers, and one for change. In this case, Shiv Sena, which has been ruling the civic body for the past 25 years, may have a reason to worry and the BJP, which successfully took over the space of the opposition after the allies snapped ties this year, could benefit.

The BJP, however, has a lot of ground to cover, as it had only 31 corporators in the BMC. To emerge as the single-largest party, the BJP will need a three-fold increase in the number of seats it wins this time around.

Read more: BMC polls: Aamir Khan ad promotion of BJP? Maharashtra Congress to approach election commission

Political observers said one of the primary reasons for the high voter turnout is the Sena and BJP having worked overtime to get their committed voter to cast votes. It seems the sharply polarised poll fight between the Sena and BJP has ensured that both worked on mobilising their voters, leading to an overall surge, said Prakash Bal, political analyst. Is it a vote for change, or of community and party polarisation? One cant be sure about that right now.

A preliminary analysis of the voting percentage reveals there has been a spike across the citys 24 administrative wards, with C-ward (Chira Bazaar, Chandanwadi in island city) having the lowest (45.36%) and R-central ward (Borivli) witnessing the highest (61%) turnout. The numbers show that the western suburbs  predominant Gujarati community voter base, which traditionally votes for BJP  have stepped out to vote, and so have people from the Marathi heartland  Worli, Mahim  where both administrative wards (G-south and G-north) witnessed a surge of 6% to 10% over the last election.

Even the tony Malabar Hill  again seen as BJP stronghold  witnessed a rise in turnout from 41.11% in the last polls to 48% this year.

Read more: BMC elections register highest voter turnout in 25 years: What this means for BJP, Sena

The India Today-Axis exit polls, released on Tuesday evening, indicated a close contest, with the Sena predicted to win 86 to 92 seats and the BJP coming a close second with 80 to 88 seats. Congress, the poll revealed, would be a distant third with 30 to 34 seats. The exit poll also predicted that Sena would get a clear majority in Thane, while the BJP would win the Pune and Nagpur civic bodies.

If the battle for BMC gets too close to call, a post-poll alliance between the Sena and the BJP will become inevitable. The unhappy marriage between the saffron allies may then continue and get even bitter.

While a surge for the BJP in Mumbai will be a feather in the cap of chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, the Sena, if it manages to spring a surprise by getting close to 100 seats, would try and wrest control of the BMC with the help of smaller parties and independents. An upper hand for Uddhav Thackerays party would mean a headache for Fadnavis, who will have to deal with a more belligerent ally in the state government.

Although the voter turnout was high, the polling process was marred by several glitches as several citizens complained about their names going missing from the electoral rolls. Officials said there could have been technical errors owing to redrawing of civic boundaries. Parties insisted the polling percentage would have risen further but for the missing names.

Read more: Mumbai civic polls: Ashok Chavan says that Sena, BJP clash is a strategy to gain power

BMC elections: Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis hints at post-poll alliance with Shiv Sena

It was also the first time NOTA (None of the Above) option was made available to the voters in a civic election. And, for the first time, the state election commission (SEC) also took an initiative of detailing candidates basic information, including education, assets and criminal records, at polling stations.

Matangi Balaji, a resident of Mulund East, after checking the flex board displayed outside the polling booth, said, I voted NOTA (None of the Above) as none of the candidates were educated enough.

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After many international stent manufacturers took to withdrawing their stents from hospitals as the government slashed its prices, manufacturers in India have now increased production in the hopes of filling the gap between the demand and supply.

Stents are devices used to prop open blocked ducts, canals, or blood vessels. A Kolkatabased stent manufacturer said that he is expecting his business to grow in the coming days. The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has made it clear that Indian stents are at par with international stents. If doctors dont have the option of using international stents, they will have to use the Indian ones. So, our sales are sure to increase significantly, he said.

Moreover, with the stent prices being slashed, the numbers of angioplasties will increase as the procedure has become more affordable, he added.

Another manufacturer from Hyderabad said, We have been exporting our products to Europe and Malaysia. But it is only Indian doctors who have shown resistance to using Indian stents.

He added, We are hoping that after this move by the government, there will be a spike in the usage of Indian stents, he added.

Doctors are, however, sceptical about using Indian stents.

Dr Samuel Mathew Kalarickal told HT that there is not a single study to show that Indian stents are at par with FDA approved stents. If the government says that there is no difference between FDA approved and Indian stents, and if something goes wrong, they are to be blamed for it, not the doctors, he said.

Also read: Lawyer with a heart: Birender Sangwans fight to cap price of coronary stents
Union minister for Women and Child Development, Maneka Gandhi, has given directions to the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) to investigate the death of seven-year-old Ghazal Yadav, a class 2 student at DPS World School in Noida Extension.

The directions came after Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar wrote to her requesting a proper and swift investigation into the alleged unnatural death of the girl, who died on January 31 after a karate tournament at the school.

Thank you, Sh @rajeev_mp ji for bringing this to my notice. I have directed @NCPCR_ to investigate. I will keep you posted. (sic), Maneka Gandhi tweeted on Tuesday.

Ghazals parents have alleged that the events of the day indicate that it was an unnatural death and that the school management is trying to cover up the real reason for her death.

However, the school administration has repeatedly refuted the claims and maintained that Ghazal had complained of a severe headache and was taken to Kailash Hospital in Greater Noida where she died.

Ghazals parents, who live at Stellar Jeevan society in Noida Extension, have also created a twitter handle called @RipGhazal and have started the campaign - #justiceforghazal. Soon after Gandhis tweet, they said they are now hopeful that action will be taken.

Ghazals father, Lal Chand Yadav, who is a general manager in a private firm, said, Police have only taken statements from people. They did not question them properly, otherwise facts would have come out early. The inaction of the police led me to run from pillar to post. Now, the matter has been reported to the Centre, I am hopeful the guilty will be punished.

Parliamentarian Chandrasekhar had written a letter to Gandhi on February 17, in which he had raised concerns about the safety of children in educational institutions. He had said that the alleged negligence of school authorities should be investigated in a proper, fair and impartial manner and those responsible should be held accountable for the girls death.

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Uttar Pradesh special secretary (administration), NK Singh, has directed all district magistrates (DMs) to encourage farmers to make compost out of agricultural waste instead of burning it, in order to prevent air pollution.

Following directions from the National Green Tribunal (NGT), state chief secretary Rahul Bhatnagar had on February 10, 2017, issued directions that farmers should be encouraged to make compost out of agricultural waste. Subsequently, the special secretary directed all DMs to ensure implementation of the order.

An NGT bench headed by chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar had on December 10, 2015, directed Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan to stop burning of paddy straw and other agriculture residue.

Farmers in northern states are known to burn agriculture residue, particularly after the paddy crop, to make way for sowing of wheat and other crops. The NGT had also ordered a fine of Rs2,500 to Rs15,000 on farmers found burning straw or agricultural waste.

Since we do not have adequate government land in villages that can be used to make compost out of agricultural waste, we can dig pits in agricultural fields for this purpose. Pits can be constructed under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). We should encourage farmers to scientifically dispose of agricultural waste in pits in compliance with the NGT order, said Singh.

Greater-Noida based environmentalist Vikrant Tongad, whose petition in NGT had led to the order banning the burning of agricultural waste, said there is a dire need to educate farmers.

Farmers do not understand that burning of agricultural waste is polluting the air on a large scale. The government order must be enforced strictly because it will also benefit farmers, who will get compost that makes the soil fertile, said Tongad.

In Gautam Budh Nagar, agricultural activities thrive in Jewar and Dadri areas while Noida and Greater Noida do not have much agricultural land.

We were already organising meetings with farmers to make them aware about the perils of straw burning. Now, after receiving this letter, we will again hold meetings in villages to enforce the order. As farmers do not dig pits, we will hire workers under MGNREGA to dig pits in agricultural lands for farmers, said NP Singh, DM, Gautam Budh Nagar.

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The Uttar Pradesh police on Tuesday obtained a four-day remand of Anurag Garg and Sandesh Verma, the directors of Webwork Trade Links Pvt Ltd. The two have been accused of duping people through an online Ponzi scheme along the lines of Ablaze Info Solutions Private Limited whose director Anubhav Mittal too was recently arrested.

Police produced Garg and Verma before chief judicial magistrate Vineet Chaudharys court in Gautam Budh Nagar and obtained a four-day remand starting 10am on Wednesday. They want to question the two to gather more information related to the alleged online scam and their modus operandi.

Read more: Noida: Two directors of online trading firm Webwork arrested

On February 13, the Sector 20 police had registered a case against them based on a complaint lodged by a Ghaziabad-based insurance agent AK Jain. Subsequently, their office in Sector 20 was searched, but Garg and Verma had already left the city by then.

The police had arrested the duo from the office of senior superintendent of police (SSP) Dharmendra Singh in Surajpur on February 17. They had reached his office to plead innocence before the officer.

After hearing their version, Singh ordered them to be arrested. He had said that the duos visit to his office was a gimmick to distract the police from investigating cases against them.

Two cases of cheating were already registered against the two directors. We had thoroughly investigated their frauds and involvement in duping gullible people, Singh had had said on Friday.

Read more: For promotion, Webwork paid Rs1.15cr to film star, say Noida police

Around 2.5 lakh people are estimated to have associated with Webwork, which claims to be an online social trading company.

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After the arrest of the two directors of Webwork Trade Links Pvt Ltd, Ghaziabad-based insurance agent AK Jain, who had filed an FIR against the Ponzi firm, has sought police security saying he fears a threat to his life.

The 55-year-old has written to the director general of police (Uttar Pradesh), Javeed Ahmad, and the Union home ministry saying that he has been receiving threatening calls from various people and needs police security.

On February 12, based on Jains complaint, the Sector 20 police had registered a case against the two directors of the company. Jain had alleged that the company duped him of Rs3.45 lakh and did not provide him profits as promised in its agreement.

Read more: Four held in Gurgaon for running Noida like online ponzi scheme

According to Jain, he had given a 40-page complaint to the police, which included names of suspects involved in the fraud. In the letter claiming a threat to his life, Jain said, I had given the names of suspects to help police bust the fraud. Later, I found (that) the list of names was being circulated on WhatsApp. The documents were confidential and came into public domain with the connivance of police. Those people started calling me and threatening me with dire consequences.

Jain has sought security for himself and his family. He has also addressed the complaint to the governor, chief secretary and director of vigilance of Uttar Pradesh.

He has also alleged in the complaint addressed to senior officials that Noida police failed to take proper action in the case. He said, I went to the police station on February 4 with the complaint and the police registered the FIR on February 12, that too after the media brought the matter to light.

He has demanded that the investigations be assigned to the Special Task Force (STF) of Uttar Pradesh police or the Central Bureau Investigation (CBI). He has also requested the DGP to order formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate how the confidential documents came in the public domain and has demanded action against those who leaked them.

Read more: For promotion, Webwork paid Rs1.15cr to film star, say Noida police

Jain told Hindustan Times that he has been receiving calls every day from different people who threaten him to kill him. He said he has given a complaint to the superintendent of police (city) Noida, Dinesh Yadav, as well.

Webwork had allegedly been involved in cheating people along the lines of Ablaze Info Solutions Private Limited. The company was being headed by its two directors, Anurag Garg, 40, and Sandesh Verma, 30, who have been arrested.

Like Anubhav Mittal of Ablaze Info Solutions Private Limited, who had allegedly duped nearly seven lakh people, the duo was paying their customers Rs 6 per Facebook like. Mittals Ablaze used to pay Rs5 for a like for a certain period before they stopped payments like Webwork.

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Yenakiyeve Steel Plant (Donetsk region) and PJSC Krasnodonvuhillia (Luhansk region), part of Metinvest Group, located in the temporarily uncontrolled territory of Ukraine, have stopped production due to continuing military operations and rail traffic blockade in the ATO zone.

According to a group press release posted on the website of the Irish Stock Exchange, the companies halted operations on February 20.

It is noted since the beginning of hostilities in the region Yenakiyeve Steel Plant has been working in the conditions of irregular supplies of iron ore. After protesters had blocked rail traffic on the Yasynuvata-Skotovata route, imports of raw materials and exports of finished products became impossible.

Yenakiyeve Steel Plant has finished preparatory work for temporary mothball.

The Makiyivka branch of Yenakiyeve Steel Plant will halt work on February 25.

Production was also suspended at all mines of the Krasnodonvuhillia coal association, a producer of coking coal, due to rail traffic blockade.
Farmers have refused to part with their land for the Uttar Pradesh governments 400-acre wholesale food market proposal in Sector 28 along the Yamuna Expressway.

The UP government proposed to set up a wholesale food market on the lines of Marche International de Rungis in Paris, the capital city of France. It is the largest wholesale food market in the world  spread over 573 acres. Over 13,000 people are employed in the market.

Officials said that the project will fuel the local economy, benefit farmers and provide cheap food items, including vegetables and fruits, to Delhi-NCR residents.

A majority of the farmers here have refused to part with their land. The Yamuna Expressway industrial development authority (YEIDA) had started acquiring agricultural land for the project in October 2016, following instructions from the state chief secretary.

As chief minister Akhilesh Yadav was keen on the project, then chief secretary Deepak Singhal on October 27, 2016, had conducted a helicopter survey of the land. Singhal had directed officials to start work on the project by October-end but there has been no headway in the project till date.

A majority of the farmers who own the 400 acres have filed petitions in the Allahabad high court refusing to give their agricultural land for the purpose. A small part of the land (surveyed for the project) is free from litigation. We will shift this project to another area where there is no dispute, Amarnath Upadhyaya, the additional chief executive officer (ACEO) of YEIDA, said.

Farmers said that the government officials acquire their land for a cheap price.The government does not work for the betterment of farmers. It acquires agricultural land at cheap rates and sells it for a higher price. Therefore, we will not give our land to the Yamuna authority, Mukesh Bhati, a farmer from Mirzapur village, said.

Vegetable traders from Meerut had visited the land and expressed an interest in buying land to set up a wholesale food market, but the authority has decided to invite traders afresh.

We are in possession of commercial land along Yamuna Expressway. We hope to identify 400 acres along the expressway soon, Upadhyaya said.

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A rally Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed at Phulpur in Uttar Pradeshs Allahabad district on Monday was fairly large but not large enough for the 22 assembly seats it aimed to address across Allahabad, Kaushambi and Pratapgarh.

The assembly has an eclectic demographic mix that made it significant for the BJP and its opponents. The Kurmi turnout was expectedly overwhelming as Phulpur is a seat contested by Anupriya Patels Apna Dal. Rubbing shoulders with them were the Pals (Gadarias), the Nishads and the tribal Kols, not to mention a fair number of Brahmins.

Read: UP ELECTIONS FULL COVERAGE

It was an encouraging social rainbow for the saffron party banking on the support of non-Yadav OBCs. The crowds have come to see Narendra Modi whos also an OBC, said ABVP activist Sonu Dubey. He had travelled from Jaunpur to hear the PM. Another young boy whos yet to attain voting age, Virendra Gautam claimed his parents and other Kurmi clansmen were rooting for the BJP.

The Kurmis are in good numbers in Kaushambis three and Allahabads 12 assembly segments. Theyre present as well in Pratapgarhs forward caste-dominated seven constituencies where the coming together of the SP and Congress has made local Rajput chieftain Raja Bhaiya and Brahmin leader Pramod Tiwari bury the hatchet --and work in consonance.

The Kurmi factor thats significant in the fourth phase of elections would magnify as poll minstrels move eastward to areas bordering Bihar. That makes one wonder as to why the SP-led front hasnt yet reached out to Nitish Kumar?

Read: The battle for India: What lies ahead for Cong, BJP in 2019 elections

Maybe because Mulayam Singh wont take that kindly, speculated an Allahabad-based Congressman. He agreed the Bihar chief ministers active support could help the alliance gain better traction with the Kurmis and a section of the extremely backward classes.

The Yadavs constitute 9% of the UP electorate. Among the non-Yadav OBCs, the Kurmis are numerically stronger at 3.4% followed by Lodha (2.2), Mallah, Gadaria and Teli (2 % each), Kumhar (1.6), Kahar (1.5), Kachi (1.4) and Nai (1.3).

In the scramble for the vote of the extremely backward OBCs, the BJP somewhat expediently rates the BSP as its main rival. Mayawatis party did not win a single seat in UP in the 2014 polls. But despite being on the losing side, its candidates logged sizeable vote-share, at some places as high as over two lakh.

In addition to Dalits, it is the ati-pichada base Mayawatis dangling to win over the Muslims, said an RSS worker active in eastern UP. As the BSPs gains will be from the SPs account, it suits the BJP to project Mayawati as its prime rival.

Read: JD(U) keen on Priyanka Gandhi as grand alliance face for UP polls

That explains BJP president Amit Shahs change of stance to showcase BSP as his partys main challenger; a position thats a complete U-Turn from his initial claim of the fight being with the SP.

Those were early days when Akhilesh Yadav hadnt yet sewed up an alliance with Rahul Gandhi.

Time will tell whether the saffron party can kill two birds with one stone: Make the BSP look more attractive to Muslims while moping up a chunk of lesser OBCs. It was with the objective of luring non-Yadav Backwards that it retained its alliance with the factionalised Apna Dal and elevated Phulpur MP Keshav Prasad Maurya, whos from the horticulturists class, as president of its state unit.

Such bids at social engineering do pay dividends in caste riven societies. Thats all the more the reason the Akhilesh-Rahul alliance look eastwards to Nitish, who for long has been the patron of ati-pichadas in UPs eastern neighbourhood.

vinodsharma@hindustantimes.com
The minor victim of a sexual harassment case involving a leading automobile dealer Nikhil Priyadarshi, fears that she might be eliminated to close the case, as it had the potential to implicate and damage many bigwigs in the corridors of power.

The first impact of her damaging allegations was seen when Brajesh Pandey, a vice president of the Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee (BPCC), whom the girl had accused as being one of the tormentors resigned from his post on Tuesday. Pandey also quit as the chairperson of the programme implementation committee of the party against demonetisation. He said the entire episode was a political conspiracy to defame him. Police have already issued an arrest order after including him in the supervision note of the case.

BPCC spokesperson Harkhu Jha said Pandeys resignation had been accepted.

The girl, however, is not hopeful of the case making much headway.

I dont see any substantial progress taking place in the case. I found courage only after chief minister Nitish Kumars assurance of quick action, she told HT on Tuesday, adding that she had met him last week at his residence.

The girl, daughter of a senior Congress leader, said she had met many top officials for justice over the last two months, but to no avail, as not a single person had been arrested so far.

If I dont get justice, I will be left with no option but to commit self-immolation, as there is no point living like this. I have pulled myself out of depression and overcome the suicidal tendencies that gripped me. When my family members, several officials and a vast number of friends counselled me to be brave and fight, I gathered courage and filed a case. Now, I am losing hope again. I dont know, if the case can be concluded and the perpetrators be booked ever, she said.

The girl claimed that she was lured by Priyadarshi, who promised marriage, but later realised that he, along with others, was running a sex racket.

The relationship initially was in good faith, as Nikhil introduced me to his family. Later, he also had physical relations with me. But after that he started exploiting and threatening me, saying he had video clips of mine. He introduced Brajesh Pandey, a senior Congress leader, to me as mantriji. Besides, hed call many senior IPS officials and other bureaucrats as bhaiya while talking with them over phone, she said.

The girl said she is not the lone one to have been exploited by Nikhil. There are many others, but they may not be able to come out in public like me and lodge protest. I had requested the police to look into Priyadarshis e-mails, which, I am sure, will help identify many of the bigwigs and his sordid connections. My fight is for all those women and girls who have been tormented by him, she added, recalling how he took her to a flat off Boring Road and on Durga Marine drive on Ashok Rajpath to introduce her to his friends.

The victim said she would have come out earlier with the details had Priyadarshi not threatened to make her video clips public. He was in the business of supplying girls to many powerful people of Patna, she alleged.

She said she was tortured and humiliated on one occasion when she refused to accompany Nikhil to New Delhi. He often said he has high-level contacts and even police wont be able to do anything to him. His clout became evident when I had to do a lot of running around to get even an FIR lodged, she added.

Meanwhile, DSP womens cell, Mamata Kalyani directed the investigating officer in the case to track the culprits and put them under arrest immediately.
Punjab and Haryana high court on Monday admitted appeal of Zulfiqar Khan, director of NGO Theatre Age, against his conviction in three cases of sodomy.

The high court bench of justice Raj Mohan Singh while staying the fine imposed on him has ordered listing of the matter as per its turn. The appeal was filed in one of the three cases, while in two other cases is yet to be filed.

It was on December 22, a Chandigarh trial court sentenced Khan to seven years of rigorous imprisonment for committing unnatural sex and one year rigorous imprisonment for exhibiting and circulating obscene objects to young persons in three cases. Of the five cases of sodomy against him, Zulfiqar was convicted under sections 377 (unnatural sex) and 292 (sale, distribution of obscene objects to young person) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in three cases.

The court had acquitted him of charges of 506 of the IPC (punishment for criminal intimidation). The imprisonment was to run concurrently.

In January, acting upon an application moved by Khan, the trial court had ordered that sentence would run concurrent in only two out of three cases, thus, effectively reducing the imprisonment from 21 years imprisonment to 14 years. Zulfiqar was arrested in July 2015 from his school in Sector 25, where he used to teach the underprivileged children. The arrest was made on the complaint by two boys that Zulfiqar forced them to have unnatural sex.
Punjab Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh has demanded deployment of armed forces ahead of Indian National Lok Dals (INLDs) threat to dig up Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal on February 23.

Demanding preventive arrest of INLD leader Abhay Chautala and cancellation of party supremo Om Prakash Chautalas parole to control the situation, Amarinder said he himself had been repeatedly warning that the SYL issue had the potential to trigger the revival of terrorism in Punjab.

Also read | SYL face-off: Section 144 invoked in Patiala, Ambala districts

The intelligence reports endorsing these apprehensions have necessitated a strong crackdown on INLD leaders before the situation goes out of hand, Amarinder said in a press statement. The former chief minister said Abhays adamant stand on the issue and his threat to go ahead with the SYL incursion even if the army is called in is a ground enough for his preventive detention.

Also read | Fearing face-off over SYL, Punjabs border with Haryana to be sealed

The central government should also immediately step in to order large-scale deployment of armed forces ahead of the INLSD threat. Abhays defiant and provocative statements can have a long-term, explosive impact on Punjabs peace, he added.

The Congress leader said Punjab could not be left to its own devices to handle the current volatile situation, particularly when the state is in post-poll limbo awaiting the outcome of assembly elections.

Militants were first to stop SYL construction: Dal Khalsa

Countering Amarinders statement, the Dal Khalsa said the former CM was exaggerating the SYL Canal issue by raising the bogey of terror revival threat.

The first practical action to effectively stop the construction of the SYL Canal was taken up by Babbar Khalsa militants in the 1990s, Harpal Singh Cheema, Dal Khalsa head said in a press statement on Tuesday.

Had it been left to traditional mainstream politicians, the SYL would have been the reality long back, he said, adding that the digging of canal is next to impossible.

He said its not the SYL issue that has the potential to trigger the revival of armed rebellion but the continued injustice being meted out to Punjab by all the organs of the state.

Cheema said if Amarinder was concerned about the possible revival of militancy, he should work to find out respectable resolution to the lingering Punjab problem.

Abay was creating chaos only to revive his political moorings and that the Badals have left the state in this hour of crisis to help their Haryana friend Chautala to play misadventure, he said.

Given the chance, the people of Punjab can deal with the likes of Chautalas and protect the state water resources from any outside aggression, he added.
Despite assurance of political parties that there will be no property tax in the villages, SAS Nagar municipal corporation targets to earn additional revenue of Rs 2 crore.

The municipal corporation plans to go ahead with the imposition of the property tax in six villages and new sectors even as the voices opposing the same grow stronger.

The state government gave the shocker to the villagers soon after the election in Punjab got over. The government had rejected the MC resolution seeking exemption of property tax in villages and asked the civic body to collect tax from six villages under the MC limit from April 1.

Last year, the MC had sent a proposal to the local bodies department to exempt six villages  SAS Nagar, Shahimajra, Madanpura, Kumbra, Mataur and Sohana  from paying property tax.

More than 1,400 commercial and residential establishments have been asked to pay property tax.

Tax per year from residential properties of six villages is Rs 28 lakh, from commercial properties is Rs 12 lakh while the tax from new sectors residential Rs 90 lakh and commercial properties is Rs 50 lakhs, said Rajesh Dhiman, commissioner, MC SAS Nagar.

The civic body has collected Rs 12.33 crore as property tax from April till December 2016.

The rate of tax for commercial property in sectors is Rs 6 per square feet for the ground floor and Rs 3 per square feet for the other floors while for the village these rates are Rs 3 and Rs 1.5 per square feet.

Panchayat union chief Balwinder Singh Kumbra said, Just to get votes be it MC election or assembly election all political parties had assured no property tax will be imposed in villages.

But as soon as the voting is over the villagers are being burdened by the tax thus cheating the voters. Kumbra said in case the decision is not rolled back they would gherao the MC bhawan.

Congress MLA of SAS Nagar, Balbir Singh Sidhu, said, We will not let the MC impose tax on the villages. We had promised the residents that no additional burden would be imposed on them and will stick to the same. No fee for building plans (naksha Fee) as well as property tax will be imposed.

SAD councillor Parminder Singh Sohana, who represents Kumbra and Sohana villages in the MC House, said, When no facilities are being provided how can they charge property tax. There are no bylaws for villages and we will take up the issue with the government.

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Sensing that the political considerations may not allow the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Haryana government to use much force against opposition party Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) that has given a call to dig Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal, the Punjab government has fortified Shambhu Barrier, the entry point of Punjab from the neighbouring state, to ensure status quo on the issue.

The government has barricaded roads, brick-walled bridges and deployed around 2,000 security personnel in the area. Drone cameras will be used to keep an eye on the movement of INLD workers on the Haryana side on Thursday, the day they are assembling at the Ambala Vegetable Market, 2km from the Shambu Barrier.

Also read | INLD threat to dig up SYL canal: Amarinder urges Centre to deploy armed forces

As Punjab and Haryana police are gearing up to avoid a face-off between the two states, the ministry of home affairs, too, is keeping tabs on the situation. Both state governments have demanded central reserved forces, 20 battalions by Punjab and five by Haryana.

Authorities in Punjab apprehend that Haryana government may not use force against the INLD as the action may have negative political repercussions, considering the sensitivity of the issue. Punjab DGP Suresh Arora is personally monitoring the security arrangements at Shambu Barrier, the entry point of Punjab from Haryana , including aerial surveillance. The status quo order of the Supreme Court on SYL will be maintained at all costs, said Arora.

Also read | SYL can push Punjab back to brink: Captain Amarinder Singh

I dont want to comment on hypothetical questions, but let me make it clear that all possible measures has been taken, forces are ready to tackle any situation, he said, when asked the number of people he was expecting at the site.

The DGP reviewed the arrangements and issued instructions to strengthen the barricading.

More than 5,000 policemen have been asked to reach Patiala and central reserve force will arrive on Thursday. He also held a series of meetings with police officers from Haryana and both sides agreed to work in tandem. Flanked by DGP (law and order) Hardeep Dhillon, Arora briefed the cops at Shambu Sarai, where a temporary control room has been set up.

Dhillon will keep tabs on situation and Patiala IG B Chander Shekhar will lead the force on Thursday.

Also read | SYL face-off: Section 144 invoked in Patiala, Ambala districts

A mock drill will be conducted on Wednesday. SSPs of Patiala, Sangrur, Barnala, Fatehgarh Sahib, Ropar; DIG (Patiala), DIG (Ropar) and several commandants of various police battalions have been called to Patiala. The central security forces will be deputed as the first line of defence, along with the Punjab Police. Sangrur SSP has been ordered to stop the All India Sikh Students Federation march at Sanaur, where they are going to assemble.

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The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday alleged that the SIT, constituted by the Narendra Modi government to probe the 1984 anti-Sikh riots cases, was not serious about ensuring justice to the victims.

This came a day after the Centre told the Supreme Court that only 22 of the 240 cases had been reopened by the SIT for further investigation.

AAP leader Jarnail Singh said, on February 12, 2015, two days before Arvind Kejriwal took oath as the Delhi Chief Minister for the second time, the Centre had ordered the constitution of the special investigation team (SIT).

But, in two years, the SIT could only order reopening of 22 cases. How long will it take to reopen the remaining 218 cases? he said.

Also read | 1984 anti-Sikh riots case: Centre files status report in SC

In a status report filed before the apex court on the probe conducted by the SIT, the Centre said there was a considerable progress and 218 cases were in various stages of scrutiny. It also said a decision has been taken for re-investigation in respect of 22 cases.

The SIT is not serious in ensuring justice to the anti-Sikh riots victims, said AAPs Delhi unit convener Dilip Pandey.

Singh, who has contested the Punjab Assembly Polls from Lambi against chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and Congress chief ministerial candidate Amarinder Singh, said if the party came to power in the state, it will also probe the alleged irregularities in the disbursement of money meant for the riot victims.

Money sent by the Centre for those who fled to Punjab after the anti-Sikh riots was siphoned off. The Punjab government was supposed to disburse the money, but the full amount never reached the victims. We will investigate all these cases if we come to power in Punjab, he said.
A dumper operator of Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) Om Prakash Chauhan poisoned four persons including his wife, two minor sons and sister in-law to death to save his love affair at Barora, 25 km away from district headquarters on Sunday night.

Chauhan, who was absconding after the incident, committed suicide on Monday afternoon. Police recovered his body near Gomoh Railway station.

Earlier, police recovered all four bodies from Barora based quarters of Chauhan at 10.30 pm of Sunday when Binod Nonia, brother in-law of the accused, informed the police, expressing fear that his two sisters and nephews might be in danger.

Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Manoj Ratan Chothe , who reached the spot late night along with rural superintendent of police HP Janardan, said that prima facie it looked like a fallout of an unsuccessful love affair.

It seems all the four were poisoned though the real reason would only surface after medical reports are available, he said.

Doctor of community health centre (CHC) Dr Alok Shyamnandan, who declared all of them brought dead, said Suman Devi was killed two-day ago as her body was in decay, while the other three, could have been murdered 12 hours before they were found.

Binod Nonia, resident of Fusro of Bokaro district informed the police that his younger sister Nitu went to a beautician class on Sunday at 10.30 am. But when she did not return till late afternoon, he informed his brother in-law in Barora who replied that she had come to Barora and would return at 4 pm.

In the evening when Nitu did not return, he visited Barora house of his sister.

Om Prakash fled from the backdoor of his quarters without opening the door as soon as he saw Nonia.

On suspicion Binod raised an alarm. Later, police recovered bodies of Chauhans wife Suman Devi (32) , sister in-law Nitu Kumari (20) in one room besides elder son Piyush (12)and younger Harshit (10) bodies from another.

Neighbours of Om Prakash had seen him roaming on a bike along with his sister in-law in the day.

It is said Om Prakash killed his wife two-days ago and locked the body in a room. Nitu who came to know of it protested, which led to her killing. Later, he killed his sons to hide the crime wit poison laced chocolates.

Police said they found signs of struggle in the room.
Baahubali: The Conclusion, SS Rajamoulis magnum opus which is set to release on April 28, is likely to have a dubbed version in Kannada as well.

The pro-dubbing lobby in Karnataka, Kannada Film Chamber of Commerce (KAFCC) is trying hard to ensure that Baahubali 2 is dubbed in Kannada and released, a report in The Hindu said.

KAFCC is a parallel forum to the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC), which is opposed to dubbing of other language-films into Kannada.

Krishne Gowda, president, KAFCC, said he got in touch with KV Vijayendra Prasad, Baahubalis scriptwriter and Rajamoulis father, with the aim to release the film in Kannada.

Rana Daggubati in a Baahubali 2.

Mr. Prasad has promised to consider the proposal seriously, he said.

Members of another organisation, Kannada Grahakara Okkoota (KGO), have requested people on social media to support their demand of having the dubbed version of the Bahubali sequel. KGO has been fighting a long legal battle to allow dubbing other language films in to Kannada. According to Gowda, over 40 films from other languages are in the process of getting dubbed and released in Karnataka.

It may be interesting to know that since 1962, Karnataka has had an unspoken ban on films being dubbed into Kannada. That rationale is being questioned now.

The long-standing ban on dubbed films ended only in July 2015 when the Competition Commission of India (CCI) stated that they found that the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC), Karnataka Television Association (KTVA), and the Kannada Film Producers Association (KFPA), were responsible for keeping this anti-dubbing agreement in place, thus going against Section 3 of the Competition Act, 2002.

Baahubali 2 stars Prabhas, Tamannah and Anushka Shetty in the lead roles.

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The state-run enterprise Ukrainian Sea Port Authority has determined the opportunities for developing ports of the Danube region.

The press service of the enterprise has reported that Ukrainian Sea Port Authority Head Raivis Veckagans gave the information during his visit to Izmail, Ust-Dunaisk ports and the Reni special economic zone.

"The Sea Port Authority has 13 branches at seaports. I plan a strategy for each of them. We apply a differentiated approach. The increase of effectiveness of operations and competitiveness is the main principle used. We would apply a specific approach to calculation of port dues for the Danube region. We will draw up another tariff policy that would be interesting both to business and the state," he said.

After studying the operations of the Reni economic zone, he said that practice of special economic zones is widely applied all over the world and brings good results in the implementation of investment projects and solving complicated issues related to property, land and other state-owned assets management. Ukraine also has a positive experience of applying this approach.

"We should analyze it in details and study the expediency of its use in other regions," he said.

He said that the problem of absence of ice-class tugs is acute in the Danube region.
Filmmaker Sanal Kumar Sasidharan says as long as the industry celebrates heroism, a truthful stand cannot be expected in support of the popular Malayalam actor who was kidnapped and allegedly assaulted.

On February 17, the actor was kidnapped and allegedly assaulted while on her way from Thrissur to here. Her driver, suspected of involvement in the incident, has already been taken into custody.

On Sunday, actors from Malayalam industry united, staged protests and extended their support to the actor.

99 percent of our movies are celebration of heroism. All our love stories, family dramas and even campus stories uphold the flagship of patriarchy. Most of them carry anti-women ideology in them. It is nonsense to expect a truthful stand in support of the actress from the film Industry, Sanal posted on Facebook page on Sunday night.

Can these heroes stay away from the hero worshiping movies from now onwards, he asked.

A Kerala state award-winning director, Sanal is known for helming path-breaking films such as An Off-Day Game and Sexy Durga.

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She may crack jokes and flirt with the biggest of actors on her shows, but popular comedian Bharti Singh is excited to get seriously committed in real life.

Announcing her wedding to Haarsh Limbhachiyaa, writer of such shows as Comedy Nights Bachao, Singh said that the big day will tentatively be fixed for the end of this year. Shes also excitedly looking forward to all the ceremonies that will take place during the wedding.

I am very excited for the wedding but more so for all the ceremonies, like mehandi and sangeet. I want to do it all because all throughout the year we work hard and dont get to do these things, Bharti said.

The 32-year-old comedian said she wants to enjoy her wedding with all the hustle bustle along with her would-be husband. Haarsh is so simple that he doesnt like all this shor-sharaba but I am opposite, I like all these things. He had to agree with me because I am his would-be wife, she quipped.

While a date has not yet been fixed, the couple will get married by the end of the year. By November-December we will get married. We havent decided a date yet because there are a lot of shows we are working on. When I want to get married, I wouldnt like to do anything for one month before that. I want to just get busy with pre-wedding preparations. Shootings will keep happening but marriage happens only once.

Singh is currently busy shooting for Sony Maxs show Bittu Bak Bak, along with Krushna Abhishek. The show is a comic relief filler, formulated as spoofs on iconic scenes from Bollywood. On the show, Bharti is seen as a mischievous student Bittu, while Krushna features as a teacher.

Bharti Singh greets superstar Salman Khan on the sets of Comedy Nights Bachao.

Bharti says working with Krushna, with whom she has collaborated several times in the past, keeps things absolutely at ease. I get so comfortable when Krushna is around. There are certain things which if I cant do, he will handle. He doesnt have any ego that I am the star so dont give any lines to Bittu where he takes my case.

She realised the reach of the show, she says, when she was approached by a fan in Maldives who called out her name as Bittu. She credits the entire team, including Limbhachiyaa who has written the gags.

We shoot all the gags together and the experience on set is lively. Right from the light dada to actors, we have a ball shooting it. There is a lot of improvisation and comfort zone. I am friends with all the unit and on top of it, Haarsh is writing it. So it is very peaceful.

Follow @htshowbiz for more.
Women have been named to head Saudi Arabias stock exchange and a major bank, the institutions announced, despite the kingdoms social restrictions on females.

Samba Financial Group on Sunday said Rania Mahmoud Nashar had begun work as chief executive officer.

The announcement came three days after the Saudi stock exchange, known as Tadawul, named Sarah al-Suhaimi as chairman of its board.

While other Saudi women have already assumed corporate leadership positions, their rise comes against some of the worlds tightest restrictions on women.

The kingdom is the only country in the world where women cannot drive.

Under the guardianship system a male family member, normally the father, husband or brother, must grant permission for a womans study, travel and other activities.

Although the government no longer requires guardian permission for women to work, activists have said many employers still demand guardian consent in order to hire a woman.

In a notice to the Saudi stock exchange, Samba said Nashar had almost 20 years experience in banking and had followed an executive career programme at Samba.

Samba also said that Nashar was the first Saudi woman certified as an anti-money laundering specialist by a respected American association of experts who combat financial crime.

Her appointment as CEO followed the resignation of general manager Sajjad Razvi for personal reasons.

Tadawuls Sarah al-Suhaimi is the CEO of NCB Capital, the investment banking arm of National Commercial Bank.

She was the first female head of a Saudi investment bank when named to that post in 2014, according to Bloomberg News.

It said she is expected to remain at the bank while leading Tadawul, the Arab worlds largest bourse.

As part of a wide-ranging social and economic reform drive to cope with fallen oil revenues, Saudi Arabia is trying to get more women working.

In the third quarter of last year the unemployment rate for Saudi females was 34.5%, compared with 5.7% for Saudi males, according to figures cited by the firm Jadwa Investment.

By 2020 the Islamic kingdom wants to boost the proportion of women in the job market to 28 percent from 23% last year.
Armed men stood guard Tuesday at the morgue holding the body of the assassinated half-brother of North Koreas leader Kim Jong-Un, with officials denying reports the dead mans son had arrived to claim the remains.

The corpse of Kim Jong-Nam -- who was killed last Monday at Kuala Lumpur airport -- has been at the centre of a diplomatic row between Pyongyang and Malaysia, after the North insisted it be returned and objected to an autopsy being performed.

But Malaysia rejected the request, saying the remains must stay in the morgue until a family member identified them with a DNA sample.

Jong-Nams son Kim Han-Sol had been due to arrive in Kuala Lumpur from Macau on Monday night, local media and intelligence sources said, but AFP was not able to confirm his presence in the city.

In the early hours of Tuesday a convoy of four unmarked vehicles was seen entering the hospital compound where they dropped off dozens of Malaysian special forces.

They were later replaced by private security officers.

A white police van was seen leaving the complex at 4:00 am (2000 GMT on Monday), an AFP journalist said.

No family member had yet come forward to claim the body, said Noor Hisham Abdullah, director general of health, at a press conference which otherwise offered few details about Malaysias investigation.

Were still waiting for next of kin to come to us, he said, adding that an autopsy report was still pending more than a week after the murder.

Pyongyangs envoy to Kuala Lumpur on Monday dismissed Malaysias request for a DNA sample as preposterous and said the embassy had the right to reclaim the body of a diplomatic passport holder.

Ambassador Kang Chol also savaged the police investigation into the killing, saying it was politically motivated and that Malaysia had conspired with South Korea from the beginning to frame the North.

Delusions, lies and half-truths

Malaysias Foreign Minister Anifah Aman said the deeply insulting accusations were based on delusions, lies and half-truths.

Malaysia had earlier recalled its ambassador to Pyongyang and summoned Kang for a dressing down at the foreign ministry over the ongoing spat.

The drama erupted last Monday as Kim Jong-Nam waited at the budget terminal of Kuala Lumpurs main airport for a flight to Macau.

He was approached by two women, one of whom grabbed him from behind and sprayed his face with an apparently poisonous liquid, according to police and leaked CCTV footage.

He had a seizure and died before arriving at hospital, with news emerging the next day of his identity.

Malaysias probe has put five North Koreans in the frame for the killing, four of whom fled Malaysia the day it happened and are believed to have returned to Pyongyang.

Officers have also arrested a 28-year-old Vietnamese woman, as well as a 25-year-old Indonesian and her Malaysian boyfriend.

Seoul has said the attack was orchestrated by Pyongyang, citing a standing order from the leader to kill his elder sibling and a failed assassination bid in 2012 after he criticised the regime.

First born Jong-Nam was once thought to be the natural successor to his father, the then-North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il.

But after Jong-Ils death in 2011 the succession went instead to Kim Jong-Un, a child of his third marriage.

Reports of purges and executions have emerged from the current regime as the young leader tries to strengthen his grip on power in the face of international pressure over his nuclear and missile programmes.
A small plane carrying five people crashed into a shopping centre near an airport outside Melbourne, Australias second-largest city, on Tuesday and officials said an unknown number of people may have been killed.

It appears to be a very, very tragic accident thats occurred out here ... thats potentially caused fatalities, Victoria state police minister Lisa Neville told Sky News.

The network broadcast pictures showing smoke billowing from the shopping mall near Essendon airport, a small airfield close to Melbourne, and firefighters hosing down the burning wreckage.

Emergency services personnel are seen at the scene of a plane crash in Essendon in Melbourne. (Reuters Photo)

Neville said five people were on board the plane, which was a charter flight to King Island in Bass Strait between the Australian mainland and the southern island state of Tasmania.

Police said the plane crashed just before 9am (2300 GMT Monday), about an hour before the Direct Factory Outlet shopping mall was due to open.

At this stage we do not have information regarding possible casualties, Victoria state police said in a statement.

In this image made from video, smoke billows from the site of a plane crash near Essendon Airport in Melbourne. (AP Photo)

Essendon Airport is a small airfield mainly used by light planes. A spokesperson for Airservices Australia said flights in and out of Melbournes main airport were not affected.

This image made from video shows the site of a plane crash near Essendon Airport in Melbourne. (AP Photo)
Chinas warships have carried out a high-seas training in the Indian Ocean, state media reported on Tuesday.

The official news agency did not provide any details of the exercise held in the Indian Ocean, considered Indias backyard, where the Peoples Liberation Army Navy has been increasingly active.

Chinese navys increasing presence in the Indian Ocean comes following the release of a White Paper published by the PLA in 2015 outlining a new military strategy enhancing its navys duties for the first time to open seas protection far from its shores.

The presence of Chinese submarines at Colombo port and most recently in Karachi have sparked concerns in India.

Read | India keeps a close eye on Chinese ships in Indian Ocean: Navy chief
State-run enterprise Ukrspyrt has decided not to increase the price of spirit from March 1, 2017.

The enterprise said on its website on Tuesday that it was decided not to increase the price pursuant to the order of Ukraine's Agricultural Policy and Food Ministry made after a working meeting held on January 27, 2017.

As reported, early 2016 Ukrspyrt reported about the two-stage increase in the prices of spirit in 2017: from January by 10.6% and from March  by 8%, explaining it by the economic situation.

Later Agricultural Policy and Food Minister Taras Kutoviy recommended the enterprise to annul the additional increase of the prices of spirit, as it could affect the liquor and vodka sector.
US president Donald Trump has named Lt General H R McMaster, a widely respected military strategist and author of a searing critique of the military leadership for not standing up to the President during the Vietnam war, as his new National Security Adviser, calling him a a man of tremendous talent and tremendous experience.

McMaster (54) succeeds Michael Flynn, a retired Lt General who was fired by Trump for lying to the vice-president Mike Pence about is dealings with Russia. The President announced his pick from his Miami resort after his first few choices turned down the offer.

He is highly respected by everyone in the military and were very honoured to have him, Trump said presenting McMaster, who, as national security adviser, doesnt have to go through the gruelling Senate confirmation process but will face many other challenges, including aggressive claims on his turf by chief strategist Steven Bannon and the presidents son-in-law Jared Kushner.

McMaster, who probably could not say no to the presidenthis boss and the commander in chiefas an active duty military personnel, is expected to enjoy wide latitude in picking his team, and more importantly, for those rattled by Trumps rocky start and seemingly ill-conceived foreign policy adventurism, stand up to the president if and when needed.

US President Donald Trump shakes hands with his new National Security Adviser Army Lt General HR McMaster. (AFP Photo)

Though it did not figure in Trumps introductory remarks, McMasters 1998 book Dereliction of Duty: Lyndon Johnson, Robert McNamara, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Lies That Led to Vietnam had become a top mention in every news story about him since reminding him, as it were, of the task ahead of him.

In the book, he was very critical of the failure of US militarys chiefs of staffmany of whom might have retired by then, affording him the luxury of unrestrained comment in a ranks-driven institutionto stand up to the president and the White House in regard to the conduct of a disastrous war, from the US perspective, that has had a bearing on every conflict considered or waged by America since, with quagmire writ large in every thought bubble at every Pentagon discussion.

Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval will be looking for an early meeting with his new counterpart to pick up from his highly successful meeting with Flynn last December that went into extra time as the two former intelligence operativesDoval had led the Intelligence Bureau and Flynn the Defense Intelligence Agencybonded.

Unlike Flynn, McMaster is an active duty military personnel, of which there is some precedence in recent decadesBrent Scowcroft for President Gerald Ford and Colin Powell for President Ronald Reagan. Most presidents have preferred civilians for the job, but Trump has continued to lean on the side of generals, with McMaster being his third brass in a senior position after defence secretary James Mattis and homeland defence secretary John Kelly.

Also, unlike Flynn, who had become a lightning rod for criticism from the Left, Democrats welcomed McMaster, with Steve Israel, a Congressman from New York, tweeting, Hes a brilliant, reasoned leader who understands both hard & soft power. Good pick!

US President Donald Trump (C) announces HR McMaster (L) as his national security adviser and Keith Kellogg (R) as McMaster's chief of staff. (AFP Photo)

Republicans were equally, and expectedly, effusive in their praise for the new NSA, with one of them calling him a genuine intellect.

McMaster is also a war hero decorated for military exploits as a young captain during the 1990-91 Persian Gulf War under the then president George HW Bush, and as a colonel in the Second Persian Gulf War (aka Iraq War) a decade later under President George W Bush.
Nearly a dozen Jewish community centres across the United States received bomb threats that led to evacuations on Monday, in the latest wave of such attacks since Donald Trump became president a month ago.

The latest phoned-in threats, at 11 separate sites, bring to 69 the total number of such incidents -- at 54 Jewish community centres in 27 US states and one Canadian province -- according to the JCC Association of North America.

It cautioned, however, that all bomb threats made on Monday, as well as on three others dates -- January 9, 18 and 31 -- turned out to be hoaxes, and all targeted community centres have resumed normal operations.

The FBI and the justice departments civil rights division are said to be investigating the incidents.

Read: Ivanka Trump calls for religious tolerance after Jewish centres receive threats

The local media reported that more than 100 headstones were damaged at a Jewish cemetery in St Louis, Missouri.

Over the past weekend, unknown persons knocked over multiple monument headstones within the cemetery, University City police said in a statement.

Police staff declined to confirm the number of damaged headstones at Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery as they review video surveillance on the property and nearby businesses for the ongoing investigation.

The Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks extremism, said in a recent report that the number of hate groups is rising and now at near-historic highs, linking it to the surge in right-wing populism during a bitterly fought presidential election that electrified the radical right and ultimately elected Trump.

White House condemnation

The Trump administration denounced the latest incidents.

Hatred and hate-motivated violence of any kind have no place in a country founded on the promise of individual freedom, a senior administration official said. The president has made it abundantly clear that these actions are unacceptable.

Trumps daughter Ivanka, a convert to Judaism who has played a prominent role in his young administration along with her husband Jared Kushner, was quick to denounce the bomb threats on the Jewish community centers.

America is a nation built on the principle of religious tolerance. We must protect our houses of worship & religious centers. #JCC  Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) February 20, 2017

The JCC Association of North America, vowed that it will not be cowed by threats intended to disrupt peoples lives or the vital role Jewish community centers play as gathering places, schools, camps and fitness and recreation centers.

While we are relieved that all such threats have proven to be hoaxes and that not a single person was harmed, we are concerned about the anti-Semitism behind these threats, and the repetition of threats intended to interfere with day-to-day life, said the groups director of strategic performance David Posner.
Forecasters issued flash flood warnings Monday throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and elsewhere in Northern California as downpours swelled creeks and rivers in the already soggy region.

The National Weather Service said heavy rain could persist into the evening and was expected to cause flooding on the Carmel River in Monterey County and Coyote Creek in Santa Clara County.

In the San Joaquin Valley, residents were patrolling levees for signs of danger, reviewing evacuation plans and filling hundreds of sand bags as the San Joaquin River kept rising.

Our community is pulling together like real champs, said San Joaquin River Club resident Paula Martin, who is helping coordinate emergency plans for the private neighborhood of 800 homes.

Martin said the neighborhood has sirens in a clubhouse and church that can warn residents of impending flooding.

Read | Oroville dam breach: California gurdwaras open doors for evacuees

The weather service issued snow and wind advisories, including a flash flood warning for the Soberanes burn area in Monterey County. It said winds could reach 60 mph in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Santa Cruz County had seen 2.8 inches of rain in 24 hours and could see up to 8 inches before the storm passes Tuesday. Marin County got 2.3 inches of rain while close to an inch fell in San Francisco.

Forecasters said rainfall in San Francisco has already surpassed the normal annual amount for the wet season that begins in October.

A member of Cal Fire, right, talks to workers on the Oroville Dam project in front of the main spillway in Oroville, Calif. (AP Photo)

The city has logged 24.50 inches of rain since Oct. 1, said forecaster Bob Benjamin. The average rainfall for the year ending Sept. 30 is 23.65 inches.

A pre-evacuation advisory was issued for a community in Madera County after water discharges from Bass Lake were increased and threatened to swell rivers, officials said.

The Fresno Bee reported that the order was issued for several roads near downtown North Fork, about 10 miles from the lake.

The sheriffs office said residents should be ready to leave quickly if conditions worsen.

Read | Thousands still in shelters as crews try to fix California crumbling dam channel

In the mountains, the weather service forecast heavy snow in the Lake Tahoe area with a high avalanche danger until Tuesday in an area of the Sierra Nevada from Yuba Pass to Ebbetts Pass.

Forecasters say the winter storm could drop up to 5 feet of snow in areas above 7,500 feet while lower elevations could see between 8 and 24 inches of snow.

Forecasters advised motorists to avoid travel in the area through Tuesday.

Moderate to heavy rain along with snowmelt below 7,000 feet was expected to swell rivers and streams and increase the chance of flooding.

The San Joaquin River was approaching the top of levees and could remain at that level for four days, said Tim Daly, a spokesman with the San Joaquin County Office of Emergency Services.

When the water gets that high and more water is coming, there is just too much pressure and levees can break, Daly said. They can be topped.

The Don Pedro reservoir, which captures water from the Tuolumne River, a key tributary of the San Joaquin, was at 97 percent capacity.

The weather service also issued flash flood warnings for the North Bay and Monterey areas as well as south-central Alameda County and southeastern Santa Clara County.

In Alameda County, the weather service reported gauges on Alameda Creek were showing that rapidly rising water levels have surpassed local flood stages in Niles Canyon and a watershed above Sunol Regional Wilderness.

Read | California crews rush to relieve dam before new storms hit

For the first time in more than 10 years, water flowed into Lake Berryessas unique spillway.

The Monticello Dam Morning Glory Spillway, also known as the Glory Hole, operates similarly to a bathtub drain for the northern California lake.

The last time it spilled over was in 2006.

Elsewhere, the water level kept falling at Oroville Dam, where a damaged spillway had raised major flood concerns and prompted the evacuation of 188,000 people a week ago.
Jamaat-ud-Dawah chief Hafiz Saeed and four others on Tuesday challenged their house arrest in the Lahore High Court.

LHC Justice Sardar Muhammad Shamim Khan will hear their petition tomorrow.

Hafiz Saeed, Malik Zafar Iqbal, Abdur Rehman Abid, Qazi Kashif Hussain and Abdullah Ubaid challenged their detention through senior advocate A K Dogar.

Read more | Pak cancels weapons licenses issued to Hafiz Saeed and his aides

Earlier, the LHC had dismissed a petition filed by a senior advocate Erum Sajjad Gull on technical ground observing the petitioner had not furnished the impugned notification of Saeeds detention.

The government on January 30 had put Saeed and four other leaders of JuD and Falah-e-Insaniat (FIF) under house arrest in Lahore under the countrys anti-terrorism act.

In their petition, Saeed and four others said the government in light of Interior Ministrys order detained them for a period of 90 days (with effect from January 30) in exercise of powers under section 11-EEE(1) of Anti Terrorism Act 1997. They said Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had claimed that the government was fulfilling its obligations under United Nations Security Councils resolutions.

The government has proved that the Pakistan is a servile and a dependent nation. We have been serving the country like iconic social worker Abdul Sattar Edhi for the last many years, they said.

The petitioners said the US had clearly told Islamabad that in case of not following the advice to take action against JuD it (Pakistan) may face sanctions.

Previously, the petitioners said the government had used the same UNSC resolution for detain Hafiz Saeed and a full bench of LHC had set him free.

Read more | India urges international action against JuD chief Hafiz Saeed

The government has no evidence that we are a risk to security of Pakistan and merely on the basis of the UNSC resolutions our liberty cannot be curtailed, the petitioners said and prayed to the court to declare the government order being mala fides without jurisdiction and void the fundamental right to their life and liberty and ordered for their liberty.

Saeed, who is carrying a USD 10 million bounty on his head, was also put under house arrest after the 2008 Mumbai terror attack but he was freed by Lahore High Court in 2009.
Pakistan has said Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed, who has been listed under an anti-terrorism law, can pose a serious threat to the nation, and was thus placed under house arrest in the countrys larger interest.

The acknowledgement of the danger the Mumbai attacks mastermind poses came from Pakistans defence minister Khawaja Asif during an international security conference in Munich, Germany.

Saeed can pose a serious threat to the society, Asif told the audience at the Munich security conference on Sunday.

Saeed was placed under house arrest under the fourth schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) on January 30 in Lahore, provoking an uproar from his party and allies. Saeeds inclusion in the list shows he is linked with militancy in some way. Saeed was earlier this month put on the Exit Control List, barring him from leaving the country.

During a panel discussion on countering extremism and terrorism, Asif said, Terrorism is not synonymous to any religion. Terrorists are not Christians or Muslims or Buddhists or Hindus. They are terrorists, they are criminals.

The action against Saeed was taken after Pakistan was hit by at least eight terror attacks this month in which more than 100 people died, the latest being a suicide bombing on a famed Sufi shrine in Sindh province that claimed 88 lives.

Saeed was also put under house arrest after the Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008 in which 166 people died, but he was freed by a court in 2009.

He carries a reward of $10 million announced by the US for his role in terror activities.

In a statement critical of the American policies, Asif said Pakistan is determined to fight terrorism.

Let me assure the world community that Pakistan is a frontline state in this war and it will continue to fulfil its obligations to its own people and the international community but if the Wests policies are going to be isolationist it wont help the fight against terrorism, only fuel it, he said.
As Canada celebrates the 150th anniversary of its nationhood this year, one exhibition which forms part of the mosaic of observances through the country focuses on a darker period of that history  the 40 years that Indo-Canadians were disenfranchised.

That exhibition, (Dis) Enfranchisement 1907-1947: The Forty-Year Struggle for The Vote, was launched on Sunday at the premises of the Gur Sikh Temples Sikh Heritage Museum in Abbotsford, British Columbia. Funded by the federal government through the Canada 150 grant, the exhibition is curated by the Centre for Indo-Canadian Studies at the University of the Fraser Valley.

The vote is kind of a lightning moment in the 1900s. There was so much discrimination. This was a good commemorative marker for us, CCIS director Satwinder Bains said.

As four Indo-Canadians are part of Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus Cabinet and over 20 elected to the present House of Commons, she said these achievements may have been impossible without the pioneering effort to win back the vote during those 40 years. She said, A lot of kids here dont even know what their struggles were.

Satwinder Bains (centre), director of the Centre for Indo-Canadian Studies, speaks to visitors at the inauguration of the exhibition, (Dis) Enfranchisement 1907-1947: The Forty-Year Struggle for The Vote. (Diego Slosse)

The exhibition will run for a year. That will give us a good amount of time to speak to this issue, Bains said. Indo-Canadians finally achieved the vote in 1947, a decision connected to India becoming an independent nation.

Visitors to the exhibition, (Dis) Enfranchisement 1907-1947: The Forty-Year Struggle for The Vote. (Diego Slosse)

The exhibition features panels of information, along with pictorial elements, including documents, acts and images. Also on display is the character of Bishan Singh, a composite of a pioneering immigrant through those decades. The exhibition is in English and Punjabi. It also looks at institutions and individuals that played an integral role in the campaign for franchise. Among them is the historic Khalsa Diwan Society of Vancouver, the countrys oldest gurdwara, which also served as a hub for the mobilisation of the community. Theres also DP Pandia, a Vancouver-based lawyer of Tamil origin, who represented the Punjabi community in the effort to get the vote at the federal, provincial and municipal levels.

While announcing the exhibition, Bains said, As Canada commemorates its 150 years of confederation, we mark this anniversary with the development of a history that is very often erased, omitted, or ignored in the Canadian record. The Indian immigrants to the west coast were denied rights that were automatically extended to those of European origin arriving on these shores at the same time, the most important of which was the right to vote.

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The quality of degrees from British universities is being undermined by a large number of online essay mills and India-based contract cheating that enables students to acquire assignments  from essays to PhD dissertations  for a fee, officials and academics say.

Universities minister Jo Johnson on Tuesday called on university and student bodies to do more to deal with the spread of essay mills or websites that provide custom written essays for students to submit as part of their degree

Academics told Hindustan Times that thousands of students at British universities have also been using Indian expertise in IT in a growing phenomenon called contract cheating, whereby course assignments are contracted to freelancers and others online for a fee.

The phenomenon  first reported in academic circles in 2008 by Thomas Lancaster and Robert Clarke at Birmingham City University  has become more sophisticated over the years, making it difficult to detect through usual plagiarism detection software.

Lancaster, now at Staffordshire University, told Hindustan Times: Weve observed a lot of people from India bidding to complete academic work for students. They make offers that are very appealing to students from the UK, theyll do the assignment for what is a low price for a UK student, but a good living wage for the worker in India.

He added, As part of my contract cheating work, Im seeing a lot of advertising for essay mills around university campuses in the UK. Companies are handing out business cards and theyre advertising to students on social media. A lot of this advertising is targeted at international students, including those from India.

Universities have plagiarism detection software, but several websites offer plagiarism-free guarantees, or essays and assignments tested against such detection software, making it difficult for academics to confirm the authenticity of a students work.

Johnson said: This form of cheating is unacceptable and every university should have strong policies and sanctions in place to detect and deal with it. Essay mill websites threaten to undermine the high quality reputation of a UK degree so it is vital that the sector works together to address this in a consistent and robust way.

The spread of essay mill websites was uncovered in a report by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA), an independent body tasked with safeguarding standards and improving the quality of higher education in Britain.

The QAA confirmed the existence of more than 100 such websites, with prices depending on the complexity of assignments and tightness of deadlines. They can range from a couple of hundred pounds for one essay to as high as 6,750 for a PhD dissertation.

Ian Kimber of QAA said: Essay mills are a major challenge for universities and colleges because, unlike other forms of cheating, the practice is notoriously difficult to detect. We look forward to continuing our work with the government and sector colleagues in addressing an issue potentially damaging to students and the reputation of UK higher education.

According to Lancaster, India-based advertising for such services mention possession of degrees from British universities, which suggests they are familiar with the British education system, making them attractive for potential student-customers.

He said: There are a lot of fluent English speakers in India. Students can hire these people and get their assignments produced to a similar standard as if theyd used a more expensive native English speaker.

For instance, in my area of computer science, we see requests for students to have their computer programming assignments completed for them. For a programmer based in India, they can often complete an introductory assignment in a few hours, when this would take a new student a few weeks. It works out as a good deal for both parties.

Johnson has called for new guidance on the issue to include tough new penalties for those who make use of essay mills and the need to educate students about the potentially significant negative impacts on their future career if they are caught cheating.

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Irans supreme leader on Tuesday used the podium of a pro-Palestinian gathering in Tehran to lash out at Israel, calling the Jewish state a fake nation in a dirty chapter of history.

The remarks by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei were some of his most vitriolic against Israel, Irans archenemy. Every four years since the early 1990s, Tehran has hosted a similar conference in support of the Palestinian cause, assembling foreign guests and those who oppose Israel.

Speaking to the gathering, Khamenei said Israel was created by bringing Jews from other parts of the world to the Mideast region to settle in the land of the Palestinians to replace its true entity.

The creation of Israel is one of the dirty chapters of history that will be closed, with the grace of God, he added. Khameneis speech lasted 33 minutes.

The supreme leader, who has final say on all state matters in Iran, also urged all Muslims to support the Palestinians and resistance movements  a reference to anti-Israeli militant groups such as Palestinian Hamas and Lebanons Shite Hezbollah militants. Iran has always been their staunch ally.

The resistance movements should have all necessary instruments, Khamenei added and praised those who are part of it in allegedly succeeding in preventing the domination of the Zionist regime in the entire region.

But he did not appear to endorse an all-our war on Israel, saying instead that its a cancerous tumor that requires a step by step treatment. In 2015, Khamenei predicted that Israel would not exist after 25 years.

Some 80 delegations, mainly from Islamic countries as well as pro-Palestinian activists, attended the two-day meeting. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and several government officials also attended the conference.

The venue was decorated with a large map of Israel and the Palestinian territories covered in the colors of the Palestinian flag.

Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, which ousted the pro-western Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and brought the Islamists to power, Iran has not recognized Israel and has supported anti-Israeli groups.

Israel, which seas a nuclear-armed Iran as an existential threat, has opposed the 2015 landmark deal between Iran and world powers that capped Irans nuclear activities in return for lifting sanctions.
Jordan and Egypt are reasserting support for a Palestinian state, days after US President Donald Trump said that peace in the Middle East does not necessarily depend on a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

In a statement issued Tuesday during a meeting in Cairo with President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, King Abdullah II says that the two sides agreed that any proposals not based on a two-state solution would have serious implications for the region.

They say the peace process must be relaunched with the two-state solution as the only solution for ending the conflict.

Trump said last week he could accept a two-state solution or a single-state arrangement if it is agreed upon by all sides. Administration officials later said the U.S. absolutely supports a two-state solution.
US President Donald Trump has named Lt Gen HR McMaster as his new National Security Adviser, with the decorated combat veteran replacing Michael Flynn, who was fired following a controversy over his contacts with the Russian envoy.

McMaster, 54, currently heads the Army Capabilities Integration Center, an internal think tank that anticipates future threats, and came to notice for his innovative counter-insurgency tactics in Iraq.

Here are six things we know about him:

1) McMaster is the first serving US military officer to become the NSA since Gen Colin Powell held the post towards the end of the Ronald Reagan administration. He is the deputy commanding general responsible for looking at future threats and scenarios at the US Armys Training and Doctrine Command. He has a doctoral degree from the University of North Carolina and has written extensively on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

2) He is seen as a protege of defence secretary James Mattis and McMasters doctoral thesis  which focussed on the military leaderships failure to inform civilian policy-makers that the Vietnam War strategy was not working  became the book Dereliction Of Duty: Johnson, McNamara, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Lies That Led to Vietnam, which is considered required reading for military and national security officials.

3) The graduate from West Point shot to fame during the first Gulf War with Iraq in 1991, when his numerically smaller force defeated a larger formation of the Iraqi Republican Guards at the Battle of 73 Easting. McMaster and his team of 10 tanks destroyed more than 80 Iraqi tanks and vehicles and he was awarded the Silver Star.

4) While deployed in Iraq in 2005, McMaster helped stabilise the restive city of Tal Afar through innovative counter-insurgency tactics. He positioned his troops in outposts to protect the civilians and worked with local leaders to tackle sectarian rivalries. His technique  which became known as clear, hold and build  would later be adopted more widely by the US Army.

5) McMAster also served in Afghanistan in 2010 under Gen David Petraeus, leading the Combined Joint Inter-Agency Task Force Shafafiyat (Transparency) that was responsible for anti-corruption.

6) McMaster was included in Time magazines 2014 list of the 100 most influential people. In the accompanying profile, Lt Gen (retired) David Barno described him as the rarest of soldiers  one who repeatedly bucked the system and survived to join its senior ranks. Barno added, I watched senior Army generals argue over ways to end his career. But he dodged those bullets.
Public joint-stock company Motor Sich (Zaporizhia) denies accusations of supplying AI-222 engines to Russia in 2016 avoiding a ban on defense cooperation with Russia spread by the media.

"Motor Sich has been operating in line with law and has not cooperated with Russia since the moment of adopting the official decision of authorities to ban cooperation. Supplies of AI-222 engines to Russia for Yak-130 subsonic trainer aircraft were halted in June 2014. The company did not supply them in 2015, 2016 and 2017," the company told Interfax-Ukraine on Tuesday.

At the end of 2014, Motor Sich signed a contract to supply AI-222 engines to China.

In 2014, Ukraine stopped exporting to Russia military and dual-purpose goods due to the events in Donbas and the joining of Crimea to Russia.

The Ukrainian government on May 20, 2015 severed the 1993 intergovernmental agreement with Russia in the sphere of military-technical cooperation.
Myanmar police are investigating the murder of four people in northern Rakhine state, the government said on Tuesday, days after ending a military campaign in the area the UN has compared to ethnic cleansing.

The corpses of three women and a man were found buried in a field near Luuphanpyin village in Maungdaw township last Thursday, according to the office of de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

A mans dead body was found with deep wounds in the left armpit and the head cracked open, her office said in a statement.

Two of the three women had deep wounds on their backs and broken spines. The other had no (visible) internal injuries, the statement said without detailing who the victims were.

The bodies were discovered the day after the government announced the end of army clearance operations in the north of the ethnically divided state that were launched to find militants who attacked police posts in October.

The UN has said this was used as a cover for a four-month crackdown in which security forces butchered hundreds of Rohingya Muslims.

Some 73,000 of them have since fled to southern Bangladesh, bringing harrowing accounts of how troops gang-raped women, murdered babies and burnt families alive.

Military crackdown amounted to ethnic cleansing

UN investigators who interviewed escapees say the violence is so severe it very likely amounted to crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing.

For months Myanmar has curtailed access to the strip of land near the Bangladesh border and vehemently rejected similar allegations collected by rights groups and journalists.

But the UNs report has struck a nerve, piling pressure on Suu Kyis young government.

Since it was released this month, state media has carried almost daily updates on the movements of a state-backed commission tasked with probing allegations of abuse in Rakhine.

Critics have rejected the body, which is led by retired general-turned-vice president Myint Swe and includes no Muslims, as toothless.

The UNs top official on preventing genocide, Adama Dieng, has said it is not a credible option and called for an international investigation into the claims.

Myanmars persecution of the more than one million Rohingya who live in Rakhine state has long drawn international criticism.

They are loathed by most people in the Buddhist-majority country, who consider them illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, and forced to live in conditions akin to apartheid.
British MPs heaped scorn over the racist and sexist views of US President Donald Trump, but the Theresa May government said at the end of a largely one-sided debate that his visit will go ahead given the special relationship between the two countries.

The three-hour debate in the Westminster Hall of parliament on Monday was triggered by more than 1.8 million people signing a petition that called for cancelling a state visit by Trump on the ground that it would embarrass Queen Elizabeth. Outside parliament, thousands protested against the visit.

Woman MPs called Trumps views sexist, and he was compared to a child by Paul Flynn (Labour): It is of great concern that the president behaves like a petulant child. How would he behave in a future conflict that might arise?"

Alex Salmond of the Scottish National Party was among the most critical: It is difficult to know whether to be appalled at the morality of the invitation or just astonished by its stupidity(The) Prime Ministers holding-hands-across-the-ocean visit would be difficult to match as an example of fawning subservience, but to do it in the name of shared values was stomach-churning.

Salmond added, What exactly are the shared values that this House and this country would hope to have with President Trump? Exemplifying what shared values are is a process that is fraught with danger, but the Prime Minister tried it when she was home secretary. She said that they were: Things like democracya belief in the rule of law, a belief in tolerance for other people, equality, an acceptance of other peoples faiths and religions.

Which of those values, as outlined by the Prime Minister, has President Trump exemplified in his first 30 days in office, Salmond asked.

Responding to the debate, Foreign Office minister Alan Duncan said: The government place our national interest at the heart of our decision-making, and the special relationship is a central part of that national interest. The special relationship transcends political parties on both sides of the Atlantic, and it is bigger than individual personalities. It is about the security and prosperity of our two nations.

This is a special moment for the special relationship. The visit should happen, the visit will happen, and when it does I trust that the UK will extend a polite and generous welcome to President Donald Trump.

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Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday said all Muslim countries have a responsibility to support Palestinian resistance, which should be a source of unity in the Islamic world.

Khamenei made the remarks at the 6th International Conference in Support of the Palestinian Intifada (Uprising) in Tehran on Tuesday, Press TV reported.

Despite the differences that exist among Islamic countries -- some of these differences are natural, some originate from the enemys plot and the rest are because of negligence -- the issue of Palestine can and should be the pivot of unity for all Islamic countries, he said.

Palestine has been the site of increased tensions since last August, when Israel imposed restrictions on the entry of Palestinians into the al-Aqsa Mosques compound in East Jerusalem al-Quds, according to the report.

Protests against the restrictions have been met with a deadly Israeli crackdown, which has in turn prompted strengthened Palestinian resistance, known as the third Palestinian intifada.

Khamenei pointed to the phased development of the Israeli occupation and said the cure for the disaster should also come in stages. From the beginning, this cancerous tumour has been developing in several phases until it turned into the current disaster. The cure for this tumour should be developed in phases as well, Khamenei said.

He said that as long as the name and memory of Palestine and resistance are preserved, it will be impossible for the Israeli regime to strengthen its foundations.

The creation of Israel has been the plot hatched by extra-regional powers, and this has caused the fake being (Israel) to replace the real being (Palestine) in the region, Khamenei said.

He added that the dangers originating from the presence of the Zionist regime should never be ignored neither should the needs of resistance in the West Bank, because the West Bank shoulders the main burden of intifada.

Supporting the resistance is the responsibility of all of us, Khamenei said, adding, No one has the right to have special expectations of them in return for assistance.

Around 700 foreign guests and representatives of pro-Palestinian organisations participated in the conference in Tehran. Among other participants in the conference were senior Iranian officials, including President Hassan Rouhani, Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani and Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani.
An apology letter by a students ex-girlfriend has gone viral after the student from Stetson University in Florida broke the convention by grading the letter and posted it on the micro-blogging site Twitter.

According to a report in CNET, Nick Lutz received a long apology letter from his ex-girlfriend where she tried to explain herself.

But Lutz began marking the letter with red wherever he noticed mistakes of any kind.

On the first page of the letter, Lutz wrote in red: Too long of an introduction. Lots of repetition.

When his ex wrote that she had never cheated on him, Lutz drew a red question mark and wrote: Strong statement. No supporting details to support your hypothesis.

When your ex writes you an apology letter so you grade it to send it back pic.twitter.com/MczdjcCiil  Nick Lutz (@NickLutz12) February 17, 2017

Lutz, who turned an academic critique for his ex-lover briefly, gave her 61 out of a 100 -- a D grade.

The tweet garnered more than 100,000 retweets and over 300,000 likes.

When your ex writes you an apology letter so you grade it to send it back, Nick Lutz tweeted with a photograph of the letter.
The Department of Homeland Security issued tough new orders Tuesday to begin a sweeping crackdown on illegal immigrants, putting nearly all of the countrys 11 million undocumented foreigners in their cross-hairs.

Two memos issued by DHS Secretary John Kelly order border patrol and immigration officers to deport as quickly as possible any illegal immigrants they find, with only a few exceptions, principally children.

The priority for deportation will remain undocumented immigrants convicted of crimes, but will also include anyone who has been charged or potentially faces criminal charges.

However, categories of illegal immigrants deemed as low priority by the previous Barack Obama administration -- generally anyone not tied to a crime -- are no longer protected.

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers detain a suspect as they conduct a targeted enforcement operation in Los Angeles. (REUTERS)

With extremely limited exceptions, DHS will not exempt classes or categories of removal aliens from potential enforcement, the department said.

All of those in violation of the immigration laws may be subject to enforcement proceedings, up to and including removal from the United States.

Kelly ordered immediate action to begin planning and building a wall along the US southern border with Mexico.

He also ordered the hiring of another 5,000 officers for the Customs and Border Protection agency and 10,000 for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.

The orders effectively launch into action President Donald Trumps promise to begin deporting millions of immigrants, mainly from Mexico and Central America, who had been tolerated during the Obama administration as law-abiding, longtime residents.
Thousands of demonstrators turned out Monday across the United States to challenge President Donald Trump in a Presidents Day protest dubbed Not My Presidents Day.

The events on the federal holiday did not draw nearly as many people as the million-plus who thronged the streets following the Republican presidents inauguration a month earlier, but the message was similar.

Demonstrators protest against US President Donald Trump in Palm Beach, Florida. (AFP Photo)

Thousands of flag-waving protesters lined up outside Central Park in Manhattan. Many in the crowd chanted No ban, no wall. The Trump regime has got to fall.

They held aloft signs saying Uphold the Constitution Now and Impeach the Liar.

Protesters in Los Angeles, California. (AFP Photo)

A rally in downtown Los Angeles also drew thousands. Demonstrators there called attention to Trumps crackdown on immigration and his partys response to climate change and the environment.

Organisers said they chose to rally on the holiday as a way to honour past presidents by exercising their constitutional right to assemble and peacefully protest.

Protesters carry anti-Trump signs during a 'Not My President Day' demonstration outside City Hall in Los Angeles, California. (AFP Photo)

In Chicago, several hundred rallied across the river from the Trump Tower, shouting Hey, hey, ho, ho, Donald Trump has got to go.

A child demonstrator holds a sign outside Trump International Hotel and Tower on the Presidents Day in Chicago. (AFP Photo)

Rebecca Wolfram of Chicago, who is in her 60s, said concerns about climate change and immigrant rights under Trump prompted her to start attending rallies.

I am trying to demonstrate as much as possible until I figure out what else to do, said Wolfram, who held a sign that said Old white ladies are really displeased.

Demonstrators in Chicago, Illinois. Washingtons Birthday, also known as Presidents Day, is a federal holiday held on the third Monday of February. (AFP Photo)

Several hundred demonstrated in Washington, DC also.

Dozens gathered around the fountain in Dupont Circle chanting Dump Trump and Love, not hate: Thats what makes America great.

Protesters in Washington, DC. (AFP Photo)

Dozens marched through midtown Atlanta for a rally named with a Georgia flavour: ImPEACH NOW! (Not My) Presidents Day March.

Hundreds of protesters chanting This is what democracy looks like marched through Salt Lake City.

The Salt Lake Tribune reported that the crowd marched to push back against Trump and his administrations stance on such issues as the environment, immigration, free speech and Russia.

Demonstrators hold a rally in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo)

Some people raised signs that said Not My President, while others held up a large American flag. Protester Reg Brookings warned the crowd that Trump is trying to divide the country by making such groups as immigrants the enemy.

A protestor is detained during a protest in Portland, Oregon. (AP Photo)

A small but unruly group of protesters faced off with police in downtown Portland, Oregon.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reported that the police confronted the crowd in front of the Edith Green-Wendell Wyatt Federal Building. The police took some people into custody.

Protesters clash with the police in Oregon. (AP Photo)

Hundreds of Trump opponents and supporters turned out in Rapid City, South Dakota.

A larger anti-Trump faction stood on a street corner as part of the protest while a group supporting the president lined up on a different corner at the same intersection.

Demonstrators stage a Presidents Day protest near Trump Tower on Monday in Chicago, Illinois. (AFP Photo)
Six people were killed and more than 20 others injured when a group of suicide attackers from a Taliban faction attempted to storm a court complex in northwest Pakistan on Tuesday, the latest in a wave of terror attacks across the country since last week.

Three attackers hit the sessions court in Tangi town of Charsadda district, a short distance from the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa capital of Peshawar, on Tuesday morning.

They lobbed grenades and fired at policemen guarding the complex before one attacker blew himself up near the gate. The other two, who were also wearing suicide vests, were killed in retaliatory firing by security forces.

The banned Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a faction of the Pakistani Taliban, claimed the attack. We claim responsibility for the attack, which is part of our Ghazi operation, the groups spokesman Asad Mansoor said in a phone call to the media.

District mayor Fahad Riaz confirmed the casualties. A lawyer was among the dead, officials said.

An explosion occurred at the entrance of the court complex and another near the bar council room. The bodies and injured were taken to hospitals in Charsadda and Peshawar.

The court complex was crowded in the morning, and deputy inspector general of police Ijaz Khan said police averted a major tragedy by preventing the attackers from entering the courthouse.

A Pakistani volunteer carries an injured child to a hospital in Peshawar on February 21, 2017 after a group of suicide bombers attacked a courthouse in the countrys northwest. Police said one bomber detonated his suicide vest at the court's main gate while police shot and killed the two other assailants. (AP)

The attack was the latest in a wave of terrorist assaults across Pakistan since last week that has claimed more than 100 lives. The brazen suicide bombings have been claimed by several militant groups, including the Jamaat-ul-Ahrar.

In one of the attacks last week, 90 people were killed when an Islamic State suicide bomber targeted worshippers at a famed Sufi shrine in southern Sindh province on Thursday.

The shrine bombing prompted a countrywide crackdown by security forces targeting militants and their hideouts. The military has said that more than 100 militants have been killed and many others detained.

The government has vowed to fight terrorists, including those it says are hiding in Afghanistan. The military closed the border with Afghanistan over the weekend and used artillery to pound what is said were militant camps within Afghan territory.

Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif, the brother of premier Nawaz Sharif, has announced the beginning of a military operation in his province headed by the paramilitary Pakistan Rangers. Sharif said the operation would root out terrorism in Pakistans most populous province.
Afghan security forces blocked roads and took up positions around the house of Vice President Rashid Dostum on Tuesday as a standoff flared up over accusations his men tortured one of his political opponents.

In an address to supporters at his Kabul residence, broadcast live on television, Dostum warned President Ashraf Ghani that any action against him would weaken the government but said he would not order his own militia fighters to take action against government forces.

My message to the president is to maintain our national unity, he said.

Dostum, an ethnic Uzbek warlord who has manoeuvred his way through decades of Afghan conflict, faces accusations that he ordered members of his militia forces to detain Ahmad Ishchi, a former ally, who says he was severely beaten and threatened with sexual violence over several days.

Ahmad Ishchi, who is reported to have been beaten and detained by Afghanistan's vice president Abdul Rashid Dostum last month, displays an injury on his leg during an interview at his home in Kabul, Afghanistan, in this file photo from December 2016. (REUTERS)

Foreign governments, including the United States, have expressed serious concerns over the case and last month, the attorney generals office issued arrest warrants against nine of Dostums bodyguards.

The men have not so far been taken into custody, however, and the standoff has increased widespread perceptions of the fragility of Ghanis national unity government, formed after the disputed election of 2014.

Dostums chief of staff Babur Farhamand said it was not clear why security forces had been stationed around the vice presidents heavily fortified residence but their presence was causing concern.

The security forces who are taken position near the compound of first vice president are not giving us a clear answer about their presence, he told Afghanistans One TV.

They tell us that they are here to ensure the security of the first vice president but this heavy military presence has raised the anger and concern of the vice presidents supporters, he said.

As night fell, police appeared to have withdrawn from the area but the sight of armed forces in the streets heightened the sense of growing tensions within the government.

The Ishchi case has caused severe embarrassment to Ghani, who brought Dostum into the government despite accusations of serious human rights violations by his forces.

Since then, he has been a difficult and unpredictable ally and has repeatedly clashed with Ghani but his standing among the Uzbek minority, estimated to make up around 9 percent of the population, have made it hard to replace him in the government.

Western officials have said they want to see the case tried in court to show that high officials cannot break the law with impunity but the tangled realities of Afghan politics and the fragility of Ghanis government have so far delayed any action.
Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven on Monday said he was surprised by US President Donald Trumps remarks linking the arrival of a wave of migrants with a supposed rise in violence in the Scandinavian country.

I was, like many others I believe, surprised by the comments made about Sweden this weekend, Lofven said during a joint press conference in Stockholm with visiting Canadian governor general David Johnston.

Trump, speaking in Florida on Saturday, said, You look at whats happening in Germany, you look at whats happening last night in Sweden. Sweden, who would believe this? Sweden. They took in large numbers. Theyre having problems like they never thought possible.

The comment baffled Swedes and provoked much mockery on social media as nothing major had happened there on Friday evening.

We have opportunities, we have challenges, we are working (on) them everyday. But I think also we must all take responsibility for using facts correctly, and for verifying any information that we spread, Lofven said.

Former prime minister Carl Bildt was less diplomatic: Sweden? Terror attack? What has he been smoking? Questions abound, he wrote on Twitter on Sunday.

Last year there were app 50% more murders only in Orlando/Orange in Florida, where Trump spoke the other day, than in all of Sweden. Bad, Bildt added on Monday.

Bildt gave no source for his claim. Orlando was the location of an attack in June on a gay club that left 49 people dead.
US secretary of state Rex Tillerson and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly will meet this week in Mexico with President Enrique Pena Nieto, the State Department announced Tuesday, amid tensions over trade and immigration.

In brief statement, the State Department said they will discuss border security, law enforcement cooperation, and trade, among other issues during talks Wednesday and Thursday.

Besides Pena Nieto, the two American secretaries will meet with Mexicos ministers of the interior, foreign affairs, finance, defense and the navy, the State Department said.

Mexico, which announced the visit last week, said it was aimed at building a respectful, close and constructive relationship between the two countries.

Relations between the neighbours have been rocked by President Donald Trumps vow to build a huge border wall, his disparagement of Mexican immigrants during the US presidential campaign and attacks on the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Pena Nieto cancelled a White House meeting with Trump last month after the president tweeted it would be better not to have it if Mexico refused to pay for the border wall.

Trump has also vowed to renegotiate or scrap NAFTA, arguing that it was a bad deal that has led to the loss of manufacturing jobs to Mexico.

The trip to Mexico would be Tillersons second foreign foray since taking office in early February. He traveled last week to Europe to meet with foreign ministers at the G20 gathering in Bonn.
The Individuals Deposit Guarantee Fund has sent a proposal to the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) to annul the banking license of Platinum Bank (Kyiv) from February 24, 2017 and liquidate the bank, the fund has reported on its website.

The fund made the decision on February 20, 2017.

"The Deposit Guarantee Fund on February 17, 2017 declared void the tender to remove insolvent Platinum Bank from the market in the ways foreseen in Article 39 of the law on the individuals deposit guarantee system," the fund said.

As reported, TAScombank and the First Ukrainian International Bank (FUIB, both based in Kyiv) were interested in purchase of assets of insolvent Platinum Bank. The potential buyers first show their interest in the retail portfolio of the bank.

The fund has suspended payments under agreements which expired before interim administration was introduced to the bank. The amendments to the general list of the bank's depositors are to be made.

Payments of the guaranteed sum in the liquidation period will start no later than March 1, 2017.

The Deposit Guarantee Fund extended interim administration at Platinum Bank until March 10, 2017.
US President Donald Trumps remarks over the weekend that Sweden is paying a high price for its generous asylum policy, including mention of a non-existent terror incident, have baffled Swedes.

So what is the real link between immigration, delinquency and terrorism in the Scandinavian country?

What did Donald Trump say?

You look at whats happening in Germany, you look at whats happening last night in Sweden. Sweden, who would believe this? Sweden. They took in large numbers. Theyre having problems like they never thought possible, Trump told a campaign-style rally in Florida on Saturday, as he launched into a list of places that have been targeted by terrorists.

Read | What has he been smoking: Swedes troll Trump after his claims of terror incident

No serious incident occurred on Friday evening in Sweden and Trump later acknowledged he was referring to a Fox News report, which contained several approximations and exaggerations, and presented Sweden as a violent nation.

The Republican President tweeted on Monday: Give the public a break - The FAKE NEWS media is trying to say that large scale immigration in Sweden is working out just beautifully. NOT!

Give the public a break - The FAKE NEWS media is trying to say that large scale immigration in Sweden is working out just beautifully. NOT!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 20, 2017

Has there been a terrorist act in Sweden?

Yes, but before the large migrant influx in 2014-2015, when Sweden took in the highest number of asylum seekers per capita in Europe. Of the 244,000 people who sought asylum during that period, 34% were Syrian and 10% were Iraqis.

On December 11, 2010, a Swedish citizen of Iraqi origin, Taymour Abdel Wahab, blew himself up in a busy shopping street in central Stockholm. Two people were lightly injured in the attack.

Roughly 100 anti-Trump protesters demonstrate peacefully in Market Square, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (AFP Photo)

More recently, a White House list of 78 terror attacks that received little media attention included a Molotov cocktail attack in October against a Muslim (Shia) prayer room in Swedens third city Malmo. A Syrian man was arrested in connection with the attack and no one was injured.

The Swedish intelligence agency Sapo has assessed the national terror threat status as high, the second-highest level on a five-point scale, as around 150 people from Sweden have returned from fighting with the so-called Islamic State (IS) in Iraq and Syria.

Has crime risen since the arrival of many refugees?

Sweden registered a record number of crimes per capita in 2015, according to the government agency Swedish Crime Prevention Council (BRA). The figures are just a bit higher than in 2009.

Crimes and misdemeanours rose by 4.1% from 2014 to 2015.

Property damage (theft, robbery, burglary) jumped by 7.2% between 2014 and 2015.

But violence against persons fell by 0.4% and all sexual crimes plunged by 11% in the same period, according to BRA.

Detailed crime statistics for 2016 will not be published until the end of March.

Preliminary data shows a jump in attacks on persons (+7%), including a sharp rise in rapes (+13%) and a drop in attacks on property (-5%).

Criminologists noted that changes in statistical methods or penal qualifications may explain annual variations. Comparisons are therefore risky.

Demonstrators protest against US President Donald Trump outside Trump Tower on the one-month anniversary of his inauguration in Chicago, Illinois. (AFP Photo)

Sweden has one of the lowest crime rates in the world with a homicide rate of 1.1 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2015, according to BRA. That is 4.5 times lower than in the United States (4.9 according to the FBI).

Is crime higher among foreigners in general?

Yes. The Swedish police do not provide statistics based on ethnicity but people who were born abroad or whose parents were born abroad are twice as likely to appear in crime statistics than those whose parents were born in Sweden, according to a study by BRA.

You look at whats happening in Germany, you look at whats happening last night in Sweden. Sweden, who would believe this? Sweden... Theyre having problems like they never thought possible.

Nevertheless the vast majority of crimes in the country are committed by the native Swedish population.

That study also shows that in similar socio-economic conditions, the risk of getting in trouble with the law is virtually the same.

And asylum seekers are also victims of crimes. Last year, 92 refugee housing centres across Sweden were hit by arson attacks.

In October 2015, a young neo-Nazi stabbed and killed two teachers and a high-school student with immigrant backgrounds in a southwestern Swedish town.
A heterosexual British couple who object to what they call the patriarchal nature of marriage narrowly lost a court bid on Tuesday to be able to enter into a civil partnership after judges upheld a ruling that such unions were only eligible to those of the same sex.

Civil partnerships were introduced in Britain in 2004, giving gay couples similar legal rights to those enjoyed by married heterosexuals.

Since 2014, same-sex marriage has also been legal in England, Wales and Scotland, meaning gay couples could choose to get married or enter into a civil partnership.

Rebecca Steinfeld, 35, and her partner Charles Keidan, 40, who have a child, said that meant the law discriminated against heterosexuals like them who wanted a civil partnership rather than to be married.

The couple say they have deep-rooted and genuine ideological objections to marriage based upon what they consider to be its historically patriarchal nature.

Last January, Londons High Court rejected their claim saying the law specified that civil partnerships were only for people of the same sex, and on Tuesday that ruling was upheld by the Court of Appeal.

The judges accepted there was a potential breach of the couples human rights but said by a two-to-one majority the government should be allowed more time to assess whether civil partnerships should be extended or perhaps even phased out.

We lost so narrowly that theres everything to fight for, Steinfeld told reporters outside the court. All three of the judges agreed that we were being treated differently because of our sexual orientation and that this impacts are family and private life.

Keidan said there were more than three million mixed-sex couples living together with two million dependent children.

These couple lack legal and financial security and I think many would agree that this isnt right, he said. None of us should be denied recognition or protection because marriage isnt right for us.

He said they would challenge the ruling in the Supreme Court, the highest judicial body in Britain, unless the government indicated it would change the existing law.
US Vice President Mike Pence defended President Donald Trumps latest attacks on the media and vowed to continue to call out the media when they play fast and loose with the facts.

At a news conference at the NATO headquarters on Monday, Pence insisted that both he and the President support a free and independent press, CNN reported.

It came as Trump last week called the media the enemy of the American people.

But you can anticipate that the President and all of us will continue to call out the media when they play fast and loose with the facts, CNN quoted Pence as saying.

And the truth is that we have in Trump someone who has a unique ability to speak directly to the American people. And when the media gets it wrong, I promise you, the President will take his case straight to the American people to set the record straight.

Speaking alongside NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, the Vice President said the US was fully committed to the alliances mission, despite Trumps repeated criticism of NATO.

But he also echoed Trumps concerns that many NATO member states were not sharing the full financial burden of the alliance and said the Trump expects real progress from allies on that front by the end of the year.

NATO requires member states to spend 2% of their GDP on defence spending, a target many of the alliances members have not met in recent years.

Pence said he was disappointed that former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn misled him about his conversation with the Russian ambassador to the US.

Even as he worked to assure European leaders that the Trump administration was not looking to scrap longstanding transatlantic ties, Pence was met with outward skepticism from the blocs top leaders.

European Council President Donald Tusk was blunt. Even while expressing an optimistic outlook, he acknowledged the bilateral ties had entered new, uncertain territory.

Too much has happened over the past months in your country and the EU. Too many new and sometimes surprising opinions have been voiced over this time about our relations and our common security, for us to pretend that everything is as it used to be.
ERICH B. ANDERSON is a freelance writer with a B.A. in history and anthropology from Northern Illinois University and a member of the Authors Guild. He has written numerous articles for History Today, Military History Monthly, Ancient Warfare, Medieval Warfare, Minerva, KMT, Strategy & Tactics, Military Heritage, All About History, History of War, Archaeological Diggings, History Magazine, Ancient Egypt, Renaissance and Katsujinken. He lives in Chicago.



1. What is your favorite time period to write about?

While I am a huge fan of anything ancient or medieval, from the Iron Age to 1600 AD, my favorite time period is from the late Republican to the early Imperial era of Roman history (roughly the 1st century BC to the 2nd century AD). For my magazine articles and my book, however, Ive tried to cover subjects that are rarely written about or havent had much recent coverage. This means that I do not often write about my favorite era, since it has been written about extensively by many other historians. That being said, parts of Cataphracts and some of my articles cover the period, such as ones about Julius Caesars North African campaign and his alliance with the mercenary captain Publius Sittius.

2. What kind of research do you do, and how much research do you do before you begin writing?

As a member of both the Pritzker Military Library and the Northern Illinois University Library, I have access to any primary or secondary source I need, especially since I can request books throughout the rest of the country. I also have access to JSTOR for academic journals. I use at least five or six sources to write magazine articles, but for my book that number increased significantly. I read major portions of more than 30 primary sources, and I used more than 40 books and journal articles as well. I gradually researched over a period of three years and then wrote full-time for over five months until the manuscript of Cataphracts was completed.

3. How did you become interested in military history?

My deep fascination with ancient and medieval military history began for the most part during my first two years of high school. What initially sparked my interest was the release of Gladiator in 2000. Its my favorite movie of all time. But it was a world history course in my sophomore year that made me realize how much I loved the subject. A humanities trip to Rome, Pompeii, Florence, and Naples during my junior year of high school increased my fascination with Roman history and led me toward a bachelors degree in both archaeology and history from Northern Illinois University.

4. Did growing up in the Chicago area have an effect on your interests or your writing?

Unfortunately, I grew up and still live thousands of miles away from the regions I am most interested in. Therefore, the areas I have lived in have had little effect on my interest in history. On the other hand, Chicago is home to three amazing museums with ancient and medieval artifactsThe Art Institute, The Field Museum of Natural History, and The Oriental Institute that I love to visit and explore. Plus, since I do not work at an office, I really enjoy finding places to write downtown and throughout the city when I am not working from home.

5. What did you edit out of the book?

Very little was edited out as the book is not very long at 188 pages. My editor and I did make changes during the editing process, but no substantial amount of text was edited out. Cataphracts is my first book, so the changes were mostly to improve its clarity and overall flow.

6. How can readers learn more about you and your work?

The easiest way to learn more about me and keep up to date with my magazine articles and books is to go to my website, or to find me on a few different social media sites. People can follow me on Twitter @ErichBAnderson, and Im also on Facebook and Goodreads. MHQ
The Battle of Iuka sparked animosity between Ulysses S. Grant and William S. Rosecrans.



CADET ULYSSES GRANT stood stiffly at attention on the grounds of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, prepared to spend an 1839 summer evening guarding not an important cannon emplacement or a main gate but a lowly water pump. William Rosecrans was the cadet officer that evening, and during his rounds he came upon Grant at his post. Recognizing that the naive plebe was the victim of a prank, Old Rosy (as Rosecrans was already known) ordered him to stand down and retire to bed. That act of kindness began a friendship between the two. But any vestiges of friendship were long gone by 1863, when Maj. Gens. Ulysses S. Grant and William S. Rosecrans had become, in the words of historian Wiley Sword, the two great rival Union generals in the Western Theater. When presented with the opportunity to get rid of his rival, Grant seized it, ordering Rosecrans relieved from command over the Army of the Cumberland on October 19, 1863. Rosecrans is often dismissed as a disappointment to the Union war effort, the vanquished commander of the rout at Chickamauga who then proved himself inept under the strain of the Confederate siege of Chattanoogaa modern interpretation that has its murky roots in the GrantRosecrans relationship. The William Starke Rosecrans of posterity has been filtered through the words of the generals detractors, in wartime dispatches, newspapers and postwar memoirswritings often authored by Grant or those loyal to him. To understand this rivalry and its influence on the command climate in the Western Theater, it helps to examine the obscure Battle of Iuka, Miss., and a brief period in the fall of 1862 when the two men served side by side.

When the native Ohioans both rejoined the army in 1861 after a period in civilian life, each began the war seeking to serve directly under Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan, though only Rosecrans would get the job. Both helped raise volunteer units, Grant in Illinois, Rosecrans in Ohio. Both reentered army service as staff officers, Grant in the office of the adjutant general of Illinois, Rosecrans as aide de-camp to McClellan. Almost simultaneously, both were promoted to brigadier general of volunteers, with Rosecrans commission dating to May 16 and Grants to May 17, 1861. Both served as subordinates under commanders who claimed the lions share of glory for their accomplishments.

Rosecrans watched with envy as McClellan propelled himself to national renown as commander of the Army of the Potomac on the coattails of their successful July 1861 dual assault on Rich Mountain, in the Alleghenies of western Virginia. Across the mountains, in the Western Theater, Maj. Gen. Henry W. Halleck enjoyed misdirected credit for being the strategic architect of Grants masterful capture of Forts Henry and Donelson in February 1862.

By the spring of 1862, it seemed that Grants professional reputation had unjustly sunk to a new depth despite his triumphs. Rumors of drunkenness had trailed him since his service in the antebellum Army, and in April 1862 they swept through the ranks of his new command as well as the Northern press with renewed fervor. Despite ultimate battlefield success at Shiloh, the true story of a successful Union standoff was trumped by erroneous accusations that Grant was both incompetent and a drunk. To make matters worse, in an effort to protect their own reputations during the post-Shiloh fallout, two of Grants three division commanders, Maj. Gens. Lew Wallace and John McClernand, kept silent and did not refute the criticism directed against him. During this time, Grant had but one guardian in the Army. To his wife he confided, In Gen. [William T.] Sherman the country has an able and gallant defender and your husband a true friend. But another friend was on his way.

On May 23, 1862, Rosecrans stepped off a steamboat at Pittsburg Landing, Tenn., to join Grants gathering Department of the Mississippi and the campaign against the Confederate rail hub at nearby Corinth, Miss. When John Rawlins, Grants adjutant general, saw Rosecrans that day, he was not surprised that the two generals greeted each other so cordially, saying, How are you Grant, how are you Rosy. During this time, Grant spoke of Rosecrans as a warm personal friend [and] one of the ablest and purest of men, both in motive and action. At this point, Grant regarded his old West Point acquaintance as one of a select few officers in whom he could confide. When Maj. Gen. John Pope was selected over Grant that spring to command the Army of Virginia in July 1862, Rawlins heard Grant state that he would willingly serve under only two junior officers in his department William Tecumseh Sherman or William Starke Rosecrans. He would soon command the latter in battle.

On September 13, 1862, a Federal supply outpost at the rail-side village of Iuka, 25 miles southeast of Corinth, fell into the hands of Maj. Gen. Sterling Price and 12,000 Rebels. Grant seized upon a rare opportunity to strike back and surround and capture the isolated Confederate army. The plan called for a daring strategy. Two independent Federal columns would converge on Iuka from opposite directions, cutting all escape routes.

Between the jaws of this pincer movement, Grant surmised, Prices outnumbered command would have no option but to surrender. Maj. Gen. Edward O.C. Ord was delegated to strike first, from the north and west, down the Burnsville Road with about 6,500 troops. With the Confederates drawn north of Iuka to defend against Ord, Rosecrans, with a force of 9,000 men, would strike second, seizing the road network south of town, cutting both the Jacinto and Fulton roads, and thus preventing a Rebel retreat. The successful coordination of such an intricate assault called for a flawlessly executed timetable.

By the morning of September 18, both divergent columns were traveling their separate routes, closing in on the ill-prepared and unsuspecting Confederates at Iuka. Ords three divisions steamed down the Memphis & Charleston Railroad for the Burnsville depot, where they detrained to march the remaining 12 miles to Iuka. To the south, without benefit of a rail line, Rosecrans blue columnstwo divisions, four brigades in allslogged along a winding, muddy, confusing route of some 34 miles across swollen bayous and poor country roads. Grant, meanwhile, made his headquarters at Burnsville, where he maintained an easy contact with Ords column via the Burnsville Road. Rosecrans, however, was separated from Grant by miles of ravines, swamps and tangled forest, described by one courier as being impassable for a man on horseback. The two commanders managed to maintain limited contact, sending messages along a line of cavalry vedettes that extended across the Mississippi backcountry. The twisting and confusing route, however, significantly delayed communications and jeopardized the plans success.

A vacuum of leadership at Grants headquarters also endangered the outcome of the operation and the safety of his army that critical day. A prearranged timetable called for Ord and Rosecrans to assemble at jumping-off points around Iuka that evening and launch their attacks the following morning. To the south, however, Rosecrans had run into trouble. A local guide, either by accident or in an effort to hinder the progress of the Union advance, led Rosecrans lead division off course. By nightfall, that column had made it only as far as Jacinto and was still 14 miles southeast of Iuka.

Going into camp for the night, Rosecrans sent word back to Grant, notifying him of the delay but promising that he would renew his march at 4:30 a.m. and attack Iuka that afternoon, September 19. Sometime after midnight Grant received the news and was very much disappointed. He later admitted that he did not believe [Rosecrans plan] possible because of the distance and the condition of the roads. To adjust for this anticipated failure, Grant changed the overall battle plan. With a dispatch written and signed on his behalf in the handwriting of a staff officer, Colonel Clark Lagow, Grant alerted Ord: You will see that [Rosecrans] is behind where we expected him. Do not be to [sic] rapid with your advance this morning unless it should be found the enemy are evacuating. Grant never notified Rosecrans of this change of plan, and the confusing order resulted in Ords halting his advance entirely. In his Personal Memoirs decades later, Grant defended his move, claiming that he ordered [Ord] to be in readiness to attack the moment he heard the sound of guns to the south or south-east. In an after-action report, he insisted that of this change General Rosecrans was promptly informed by dispatch. To this day, however, no such communique, either to Ord or Rosecrans, has ever been found.

In the predawn darkness of September 19, Rosecrans columns assembled to begin the final push to Iuka. Shortly after noon, the general halted briefly for a meal and final strategy session at Barnetts Crossroads, six miles south of Iuka. As his Federal infantry filed through the road junction to turn north up the Jacinto Road, Rosecrans and his staff stepped into a farmhouse to reexamine their plan of attack. Moments later, at approximately 12:30 p.m., Grants two staff officers, Colonels Theophilus L. Dickey and Clark B. Lagow, arrived from Burnsville and joined the conference. There at an obscure crossroads in the Mississippi hinterland, Rosecrans convened what, in retrospect, must have proved to be one of the most bizarre meetings of his life, one that would alter Union fortunes at Iuka and forever change his relationship with Grant.

In the presence of Dickey and Lagow, the general altered his own attack plan. The original scheme, agreed to by Grant, called for Rosecrans to split his force at Barnetts Crossroads, sending two brigades east to Cartersville to seize the Fulton Road, a certain Confederate escape route. Instead, hed hurl his entire command north up the Jacinto Road toward Iuka. Then, arriving at the eastwest Bay Springs crossroad a mile south of town, Rosecrans could shift half his force to the east, cutting both Mill Road and Fulton Road, thereby closing the Con federate escape routes.

The plan hinged on Ord beginning his attack that after noon. With the Confederate strength drawn north of Iuka to face him, the Bay Springs Road and thus the Fulton Road would be lightly defended, if at all. This new, more cautious plan would prevent Rosecrans from dangerously dividing his force by several miles. If split, each wing would be beyond the others support, separated by dense forest and marshy swampland. He had no reason to think that Ord would delay the attack from the north, and Grants two staff officers gave him none.

At the conference table, Lagow and Dickey held their tongues. Lagow had personally written out and delivered Grants dispatch to Ord, ordering him to halt his advance and attack Iuka only after Rosecrans assaults had begun. The two colonels, now the only men in the entire campaign with full knowledge of both pincer commanders having altered their attack plans, said nothing to enlighten Rosecrans. With an odd mixture of obsequiousness and evasiveness, the colonels entered into a dialogue, asking the general if he actually intended to attack Iuka that afternoon. Yes, of course, Rosecrans replied, that is the understanding of my movement.We ought to hear Grants [and Ords] opening guns [to the north] by this time. To this the colonels offered an astonishing reaction, Maybe [Grant] is waiting for you to begin. Not so, Rosecrans insisted. The main attack should begin on the Railroad [from the north] to attract the enemys attention and enable me to surprise his left flank and get the roads in his rear.

By his own admission, Dickey wrote soon after, Colonel Lagow and I were sent by General Grant to visit General Rosecrans and explain to him the plan of operations. Rather than actually doing so, the two officers left the strategy meeting and rode with [Rosecrans] to the head of his [advancing] column, having explained nothing of Ords revised instructions for Ord to attack only after Rosecrans opened the fighting. As such, Rosecrans rode into battle confident that Ord would have already drawn Confederate strength north of Iuka, leaving the Bay Springs Road intersection unprotected, an easy prize for him, and a means to prevent the Confederates from retreating.

Meeting strong enemy resistance, Rosecrans was bewildered to find the Bay Springs Road junction defended by some 11,000 Confederates and eight cannons. During all this time, he later wrote his wife, not a shot was heard from the forces of Ord. To make matters worse, Dickey and Lagow delayed their return, witnessing the battle for half an hour [before they] set out forGrant[]s Head Quartersto report the state of affairs and have Ords army push on in the morning. They failed to reach Grant in time, however. As the colonels rode for help, they lost their way in the woods, tumbled into a ravine and built a fire to wait for daylight. Meanwhile, Rosecrans absorbed assaults until nightfall, fully aware that the Rebels blocked him from cutting off their escape route, the Fulton Road, which remained open to Prices rear.

The following morning, Rosecrans battered force awoke to find that the Confederates had indeed fled to the south east down the Fulton Road. The generals men entered Iuka uncontested, and still Ord was nowhere to be found. Moreover, Rosecrans had not received a fresh message from Grant for more than 36 hours. Now, faced with the consequences of the failed operation, an infuriated Rosecrans turned to his colleague Brig. Gen. David Stanley and roared, Where, in the name of God is Grant! Back at Grants headquarters in Burnsville, at 8:30 a.m., about the same time the trusted couriers Dickey and Lagow finally stumbled out of the woods, a message sent directly from Rosecrans the previous evening arrived, having traveled up the line of cavalry vedettes. This proved to be Grants first knowledge that a battle had even been fought.

To his credit, Grant immediately sent word to Ord of this notice that Rosecrans had a fight and ordered his divisions to push into Iuka in force. Sometime after 10 a.m., Ords infantry came marshaling into the village, with drums beating and banners flying. At this sight Rosecrans personally rode to the head of the inbound column, where he found Ord. Why did you leave me in the lurch? he growled. Ord, without saying a word, handed Rosecrans the dispatch written in Lagows handwriting ordering that he suspend his advance. One brigade commander, Colonel John Fuller, witnessed the exchange and later remembered that this miscarriage was the beginning of a misunderstanding which grew into positive dislike between Grant and Rosecransa breach that never healed. It was indeed the genesis of endless conflict between the two men.

The failure of the Federal pincer movement at Iuka is commonly associated with a phenomenon referred to as an acoustic shadow, or more scientifically, sound refraction, created by winds and terrain, which seems to have prevented Ords force from hearing the sounds of battle just four miles to the south. At 4 p.m. on September 19, as Rosecrans advanced guard made contact with Prices Rebels, Ord received word from Brig. Gen. Leonard Ross, who from a forward position misinterpreted dense smoke rising from the direction of Iuka as nothing more than the enemy.evacuating and destroying [their supply] stores there.

Yet larger questions remained unanswered. As late as 1880 Arthur Ducat, who had served as a senior officer to Ord, labored to piece together why the general had not attacked. While preparing a lecture on Iuka for the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States that year, Ducat wrote Rosecrans in search of answers. Why did not Ord attack with or before you at Iuka? Why was not Grant [updated] on the actual situation the day of your attack? he inquired. Rosecrans, who had posed the same questions for years, seems never to have received satisfactory answers. Grants actions at Iuka also remain a mystery. Why did he alter the battle plan and fail to send a written dispatch to Rosecrans alerting him to the changes? Why did his staff officers say nothing of the revised time table while spending hours with Rosecrans as he rode toward the waiting Confederates at Iuka? These questions remain as perplexing today as they were in 1862.

Grant took no ownership over the operations failure. To his colleague Maj. Gen. Benjamin Hurlbut, he wrote simply, couriers lost dispatches sent [to] me by General Rosecrans, a statement that has proved untrue. To his sister Mary, he answered, where you ask me the part I played atIukaI had no more to do with troops under Gen. Ord than I had with those under Rosecrans but gave the orders to both. The plan was admirably laid for catching Price and his whole Army but owing to the nature of the ground, direction of the wind and Gen. Rosecrans having been so far behind where he was expected to be on the morning before the attack it failed.

Perhaps no other Union victory created greater internal divisiveness within an army than Iuka. Anti-Grant sentiments were renewed both along the front lines and on the home front. Unsubstantiated speculation arose that the general had sat out Iuka at the bottom of a whiskey bottle. One Missouri captain snarled: General Grant was dead drunk and couldnt bring up his army. I was so mad when I first learned the facts that I could have shot Grant if I would have hung for it the next minute.

The Cincinnati Commercial printed scathing accusations of Grants drunkenness at Iuka. The columns author was William D. Bickham, a former clerk in the Ohio State Senate and closely associated with Lt. Gov. Ben Stanton, a man once described as Grants bitterest enemy. Criticism also originated from the desk of Whitelaw Reid, editor of the Cincinnati Gazette, who had been attacking the generals reputation since Shiloh. Rosecrans, for better or worse, enjoyed friendships with both newspapermen, harkening back to his years living in Cincinnati. Many within the Army suspected Rosecrans of secretly orchestrating a deliberate smear campaign. As a result, the officer corps was further polarized.

Amid this melee of rumor and innuendo, some in the Army appealed directly to Grants staff regarding their suspicions about Rosecrans ties to the Cincinnati newspapers. To John Rawlins, now Grants chief of staff, an impassioned Colonel Mortimer Leggett wrote:

I have been exceedingly vexed and pained of late, to witness the apparently determined effortto revive and strengthen an unjust popular prejudice, against Major General U.S. Grant.[It] was a gross outrage for the minions ofGeneral [Rosecrans, to suggest] irresponsible assertions, and mysterious insinuations, to attempt to awaken and deepen, former prejudices againstGeneral [Grant]. Major General Rosecrans, is undoubtedly an excellent officerand I hope, for his honor, and the honor of his state, that he is not a party in this hellish attempt to ruin General Grant, but the evidence is such, that I cannot rid my mind of the conviction that he must be, at least, privy to the whole devilish scheme.

In closing, Leggett sought to resolve the matter and possibly usher in a lasting peace between the two. It would seem that a friendly note to General Rosecrans from you would bring the subject sufficiently before him, to induce his sense of justice to repair a wrong which at least he has permitted.

Instead, Rawlins brought the matter to, of all people, the generals wife, Julia Dent Grant. The chief of staff pleaded with her that he hoped to reach the Generals ear through you. In justice to General Grantin fact, in justice to ourselvesGeneral Rosecrans ought to be relieved. And though Grant gently and confidentially defended Rosecrans to his wife, he had become increasingly hostile with his rival. Two days after Leggett wrote out his note to Rawlins, Grant personally lashed out against Rosecransand his stunned subordinate directly rebutted the mounting accusations: I am amazed at the tenor of your dispatch. You have had no truer friend no more loyal sub ordinate under your command than myself.I now say to you if you have any suspicions at variance with this declaration, or if my position towards you is to receive a shade of coloring different from this, either from the influences, the suspicions or jealousies of mischief-makers, wine sellers or mousing politicians, or from any other cause, I ask you to tell me so frankly and [at] once, as a favor to myself and the service.

The dispute could not have come at a worse time. Despite defeating Confederate attacks against Corinth on October 3-5, and forcing the Rebels into a crippling retreat, Grant grew livid at Rosecrans initial slow pursuit of the enemy. This was followed by Rosecrans cantankerously calling for a fall counteroffensive deeper into Mississippi. Annoyed by that, Grant then accused him of ignoring higher authority in the way Rosecrans had begun to parole Confederate prisoners, while adding one further accusation. The leaky lecture of some in your staff or in confidential relation to you as evidenced by newspaper correspondents[is] detrimental to the good feeling that should exist between officers and men as well as improper and should not be allowed. The dispute finally came to a head. Frustrated by weeks of accusations, Rosecrans sought to quash the controversy once and for all, and he wrote Grant: [To] that part of your dispatch which refers to newspaper reporters and leaky members of my staffI answer: [that] there are no headquarters in these United States less responsible for what newspaper correspondents and paragraphists say of operations than mine. This I wish to be understood to be distinctly applicable to the affairs of Iuka and Corinth. After this declaration I am forced to say that if you do not meet me frankly with a declaration that you are satisfied I shall consider my power to be useful in this department ended.

To each mans relief, Rosecrans time in Mississippi was nearly at its end. For his performance at Iuka, Rosecrans was promoted to major general of volunteers. For his victory at Corinth two weeks later he was made commander of the XIV Corps, soon to be rechristened the Army of the Cumberland.

On receiving word of this, Grant recalled being delighted. But by that time the rapport between the two was clearly ruined. As a subordinate, Grant later lamented in his Personal Memoirs, I found that I could not make him do as I wished. As a result he could not get rid of Rosy fast enough and stood determined to relieve him from duty that very day. On sharing word of Rosecrans departure with Sherman, Colonel William S. Hillyer of Grants staff noted simply, this is greatly to the relief of [Grant], who was very much disappointed in him. This matter the General will explain to you when he sees you. As would become evident in time, this or other explanations irrevocably soured Shermans own feelings toward Rosecrans. To Rawlins, Sherman wrote, I note the General[]s allusion to Rosecrans and was somewhat surprised, though convinced. Such allusions could only serve to poison future interactions.

En route to his new command, Rosecrans stopped at Grants headquarters at Jackson, Tenn., to say good bye. Years later Rosecrans recalled that while there he defended himself against the accusations proliferated by Mortimer Leggett and others. When parting with you at Jacksonon learning that men for selfish ends, had been leading you to believe that which I knew to be wholly false, he charged, I asked and gave explanations which you declared, as I considered them, perfectly satisfactory. At the time, Rosecrans may have thought the matter was behind him. Yet as he departed Grants company that day, he left behind a rift that failed to heal.

Somewhere along the road to Iuka, singular events altered the relationship between Grant and Rosecrans. The operation forever changed the culture of the Federal high command in the Western Theater, engendering a rivalry and disloyalty between the two generals as well as all those loyal to both men.

Within a year Rosecrans would lose command of his new army. Following a Yankee stampede away from the battle field at Chickamauga, Ga., on September 20, 1863, and the ensuing Confederate siege that closed in around Rosys army at Chattanooga, the Lincoln administration turned to Grant to remedy the disaster. Grant had a decision to makeretain or remove his old West Point acquaintance as commander of the Army of the Cumberland. He chose to do the latter, without any indication of hesitancy. On October 19, General Orders No. 337 reached the besieged Federal army at Chattanooga: Rosecrans was relieved of command. For many close to the situation, Grants decision was largely viewed as personally motivated.

William T. Sherman awaited news of developments at Chattanooga from his headquarters, ironically at Iuka. Writing without knowledge of the removal, he defined the gravity of feeling toward Old Rosy. Grant dont like RosecransHe found great fault with him here at Iuka a year ago, Sherman wrote his brother-in-law. I would rather serve under Grant than RosecransGrant would stand by his friend, but Rosecrans would sacrifice his brother if he stood in the way of his popular renown.

In the last weeks of October, news of Rosecrans cashiering began to spread. Still in Iuka, Sherman seemed stunned at the news. The Change in the Commands is radical, he conceded to his wife. I dont pretend to understand all the secrets of Rosecrans position, but just as before, Sherman pointed to the history of the previous year. I know that [Rosecrans] and Grant had sharp words and feelings over at Corinth and here [at Iuka] a year ago, and that Grant does not like him. Then in mid-November Rosecrans received a telling letter from William Truesdail (his former chief of military police), who cut to the heart of the acrimony against Rosecrans. I have with me here an esteemed friend, Truesdail wrote, who spent two months in New York with Lago[w] of Grants staff and up to but a few days since he offered me some strange things and sayings at Grants Head Quarters touching you and your command and running back to the Battle [of] Iuka. O dear. O dear, he concluded, I am fearful of the future of this country. May God be with us.

Iuka forever haunted Rosecrans. On September 20, 187411 years to the day after his armys rout at ChickamaugaRosecrans, languishing in the Nevada silver fields, reflected instead on the more obscure engagement in Mississippi. Yesterday was the 12th anniversary of the Battle of Iuka, he lamented to his wife. Last evening I vividly recalled all its incidents, and among that of Grants not getting into the fight with his troops and of all his subsequent lying and rascality on the subject, and of the positions we now occupy. He President of the U.S., and I sub-superintendent of an old mine and mill. On the morning of September 20, 1862, Rosecrans stepped into Grants shadow, where he will likely remain.

Evan C. Jones is a former NPS ranger. This article is adapted from Gateway to the Confederacy: New Perspectives on the Chickamauga and Chattanooga Campaigns, 1862-1863, published by Louisiana State University Press, which Evans edited.

Originally published in the October 2014 issue of Civil War Times. To subscribe, click here.
The US Vice-President, Mike Pence, has warned Nato members that they must boost their defence spending targets. Speaking in Brussels, he said that US could lose patience with Nato members if they did not share the burden of defence.

Mike Pence also declared that US remained committed to co-operation and partnership with the European Union (EU). Mike Pence and Donald Trump want Nato countries to increase military spending.

Donald Trump's comments on Brexit and the Nato have unsettled allies. He has described Nato as "obsolete", and criticised countries which fail to meet the target of spending 2 per cent of their economy on defence.

EU leaders are worried because of Trump

Donald Trump is also seen as friendlier to Russia than former US presidents, and some of his former aides are under scrutiny for their alleged links with Russia. Trump has dismissed the European Union as "a vehicle for Germany" and spoken out in favour of Brexit.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has stated that the US needs a strong, united European Union. He added that this is not the moment for Europe to divide itself into former national, provincial categories.

Mike Pence made comments on different issues

The vice-president has been in Brussels, Belgium, for talks with Mr Juncker, Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, and Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council. Mike Pence said Nato countries had to meet the 2% defence spending goal quickly. He added that the patience of the American people will not last forever and wants EU countries to take action.

Pence declared the US would continue to hold Russia accountable over the Ukraine war, but he stated that President Trump believed that relations with Russia could improve. Pence was asked if he opposed further disintegration of the EU, he answered that the US shared a "deep heritage" with EU countries and were committed to co-operation.

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt was one of the biggest celebrity divorces in 2016, the loving couple sadly ended their marriage after two years in an awful manner. Recently Angelina spoke out for the first time since she filed for divorce from Brad Pitt last year.

It appears that both the stars had gone through a tough time and Angelia admitted that it has been difficult, but she also made a statement saying "we are and forever will be family." In an interview Angelina appeared to be upset and it has certainly been tough for the whole family including her children reported BBC.

Her prime focus is her children and she is coping to make sure they get stronger and closer in this difficult time. Angelina and Brad Pitt started their relationship back in 2004, after ten years the pair decided to marry but unfortunately it lasted only for two years.

On the other hand Brad also wants to make sure their children are happy and taking their divorce smoothly. However, Angelina got sole custody for their six children by mentioning irreconcilable differences. This was the first time the actress opened up on her feelings about their divorce and she seemed emotional in her interview.

Angelina shared her experience on directing the film "First They Killed My Father," the film is based on a true life story of the Khmer Rouge genocide through the eyes of a child. The actress hopes that the film she directed will help Cambodians to open up more about the trauma of that period.

She visited Cambodia in 2001 for the filming of "Lara Croft Tomb Raider," it was there that her oldest son Maddox was adopted. Cambodia was an awakening for her and she feels that she will always be grateful to the country for what it has given her.

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Ukraine imports 10.9 bcm of gas for $2.2 bln in 2016

Ukraine in 2016 imported 10.905 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas for $2.191 billion, the State Statistics Service has said.

In 2016, Ukraine imported 3.216 bcm of gas worth $654.806 million from suppliers in Switzerland, 2.548 bcm worth $507.426 million from Germany, 1.992 bcm worth $397.06 million from France, 792.189 mcm worth $166.702 million from Britain, 751.376 mcm worth $147.347 million from Poland, 580.345 mcm worth $117.5 million from Italy, 479.559 mcm worth $91.094 million from Austria, 195.936 mcm worth $42.176 million from Luxembourg, 170.173 mcm worth $31.584 million from Hungary, 151.77 mcm worth $29.089 million from the Czech Republic, 16.397 mcm worth $3.877 million from Slovakia, 7.409 mcm worth $1.489 million from Norway and 3.524 mcm worth $675,000 from Malta.

In December 2016, Ukraine imported 1.654 bcm of gas for $368.424 million. Average price in December was $228.80 per 1,000 cubic meters.

In December, Ukraine imported 570.766 mcm of gas worth $130.589 million from suppliers in Switzerland (average price - $228.20/tcm), 456.46 mcm worth $99.002 million from Germany ($216.90/tcm), 288.824 mcm worth $62.923 million from France ($217.90/tcm), 164.382 mcm worth $36.557 million from Britain ($222.40/tcm), 94.538 mcm worth $21.457 million from Poland ($227/tcm), 28.919 mcm worth $6.734 million from Austria ($232.90/tcm), 15.281 mcm worth $3.244 million from Luxembourg ($212.30/tcm), 13.326 mcm worth $3.14 million from Slovakia ($235.60/tcm), 10.602 mcm worth $2.563 million from Hungary ($241.70/tcm) and 10.587 mcm worth $2.22 million from Italy ($209.70/tcm).

Ukraine did not import gas from Russia in 2016.
Debbi Malik, of Mill Distributors, Inc. who attended a previous Kinseth tradeshow stated "We were busy the

entire tradeshow. There was a lot of interest in what we do and it was great to meet everyone in person and discuss their individual needs, and how we can support their operations in the future." Steven Slecta of Guest Supply shared his thoughts about his Full Event Access Sponsorship from a previous tradeshow, "Social hours / networking opportunites gave vendors an opportunity in an informal and relaxing setting to mingle with GM's and ownership away from the tradeshow setting. We feel that this is what sets this event apart from the others we attend."

The 2017 KHC Leadership Conference and Tradeshow will be

held February 26rd through the 28th in Bellevue, Nebraska hosted at the newly opened Beardmore Event Center of Bellevue and the Courtyard by Marriott Bellevue.

If your company has products and
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Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman has ordered Ukraine's Energy and Coal Industry to create an electronic platform for trading with coal by this autumn.

"The task for today is not to look up to various [foreign] exchanges, but create a Ukrainian one. By the way, today we have platforms where Shebelynka gas refinery sells its fuel. Why cannot we sell coal? I think that this is the task for the ministry and minister  to submit a proposal [take the ProZorro e-procurement system as an example] and create the electronic coal trading platform, for example, in autumn  for coal from South Africa, Ukrainian, Polish coal or coal from other countries. Then it will be clear about the price for Ukrainian citizens," he said at a government meeting on Tuesday.
K$ace was born at one fateful Sweet 16 party in a sleepy suburb of New York four years ago

Kyle Nelson rolled up to the party wearing a Versace suit. A fellow party-goer spotted him and said, Yoooo you K$ace now! From that moment forward, everyone called Nelson K$ace.

Now 20 years old, K$ace has gained minor internet notoriety, first as a streetwear model, then as a rapper, then as the face of YouTube music. Images of him spitting hot flames into a pop filter are plastered on billboards from Soho to Hollywood, as well as smaller advertisements on everything from taxis to bus stops. Its not just what we listen to. Its who we are.

HNHH had the opportunity to ask K$ace a few questions about his upbringing, his foray into music, and how he scored a gig modeling for YouTube.

***

What part of New York are you from?

I grew up in a town in Westchester called Ossining. I didnt mind it there. I just knew I didnt belong there.

What were you like as a kid?

Very energetic and daring.

Whats your relationship like with your parents?

I always rocked with my parents, they support anything I decided to do.

What were your favorite things to do around New York with your friends growing up?

Skateboard and get in trouble.

How long have you been skating?

All my life, basically.

Do you see any overlaps between music and skateboarding, philosophically?

Everything definitely goes hand and hand.

You said in a 2015 interview that my college is whack. Where did you go? What was so whack about it?

I went to SUNY Old Westbury in Long Island. I dropped out after six months, the campus was trash. the kids there were trash except my EOP homies and maybe like two or three regular kids that I rocked with.

How did you get connected with YouTube? Why do you think they chose to put your face on billboards and ads across the country?

I dropped my I Might video on YouTube, they saw it, they loved it, and they reached out to me. And the rest was history.

You wrote in one online profile that you dont consider yourself a model.

Im not signed or anything like that, so I never felt like I was a real model. I just got lucky with the jobs I booked. (Laughs)

Youve only been rapping about a year. Tell us about your first experiences rapping.

One day I hopped in the booth, got a YouTube beat, and started trolling all my friends. (Laughs) I didnt know a joke would have me this lit.

Youre dropping a tape this week. How have you evolved your sound and craft since you released Up From Here in July?

Im taking music a bit more serious now, so this new tape is definitely going to have more bangers, better producers, and some unexpected features.

Is the beginning of I Might your natural voice or is it artificially pitched up?

Its my actual voice. Some people dont believe me but it actually me.

You really like Henny. In your mind, what makes Henny the greatest?

Henny definitely gets me amped before a show. Henny and Red Bull or Henny and cranberry, or just Henny straight gets the job done.
Stormzy, who is nominated for British Breakthrough Act at the upcoming Brits which takes place next week, releases his new album 'Gang Sings & Prayer' on Friday, 24 February.

'Gang Signs & Prayer' marks a hugely exciting return for the multi award-winning grime artist. The album features production from Fraser T. Smith (Kano, Adele, Sam Smith).

This is the moment that I have been waiting for my whole life. I am now ready to certify my position as a credible artist and someone who is here for the long run, says Stormzy, whose Irish show at the Olympia Theatre in March is already sold-out.

At just 23-years-old, nothing could have prepared Stormzy for his meteoric rise. The London-born artist has continuously pushed the boundaries of grime throughout his self-built journey from his WickedSkengMan freestyles to now being nominated for British Breakthrough at this years BRIT Awards.

First emerging on the scene in 2012, the lyricist made chart history in September 2015 when his freestyle 'WickedSkengMan 4' charted at no. 18 in the UK Official Singles Chart, becoming the first-ever freestyle to chart in the UK Top 40!

He then proceeded to break his own record in December when 'Shut Up' debuted at no. 8 in the UK charts. 'Shut Up' is now certified Gold in the UK, having sold over 560,000 copies to date; its also the most-watched UK freestyle on YouTube, ever, with over 46 million views!

Here's the track listing for 'Gang Signs And Prayer':

First Things First

Cold

Bad Boys

Blinded By Your Grace Part 1

Big For Your Boots

Velvet

Mr Skeng

Cigarettes & Cush ft Kehlani

21 Gun Salute ft Wretch 32 Interlude

Blinded By Your Grace Part 2 ft MNEK

Return Of The Rucksack

100 Bags

Dont Cry For Me ft Raleigh Ritchie

Crazy Titch Interlude

Shut Up

Lay Me Bare

Watch the video for lead single 'Big For Your Boots':


President Donald Trump complains regularly about what he calls "fake news." What's got some statisticians worried, though, is the risk of doctored economic data coming from the administration itself.

While there are government directives in place to prevent that from happening, the number crunchers worry that the president's occasionally cavalier comments on the economy and economic statistics, and his apparent disdain for economists in general, could mean trouble ahead.

One month into his presidency, Trump has yet to nominate anyone to the Council of Economic Advisers, established in 1946 to provide presidents with objective economic analysis and advice. Indeed, staffers at the council complain that the White House seems to be giving short shrift to the regular reports they produce on the economy, a person familiar with the matter said on condition of anonymity.

There are rules that "protect the statistics from direct manipulation, but don't address all my concerns about independence," Brent Moulton, who retired in December after 32 years at the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Commerce Department's Bureau of Economic Analysis, wrote in a Jan. 24 blog post.

"For example, a Cabinet secretary could still order the statistical agency to drop certain statistics or to change methodologies in ways that seem politically expedient," he added in the piece, titled "Why I'm Concerned About the Independence of U.S. Statistical Agencies."

In what may be a sign that is happening, the Wall Street Journal on Sunday reported that the Trump administration is considering changes that would make the U.S. trade deficit look bigger than currently reported. Citing unidentified people involved in the discussions, the newspaper said the new calculations could be presented to Congress, but that it wasn't clear if they would be included in official government data on the economy.

Trump has repeatedly accused past administrations of failing to protect U.S. interests on the trade front. Figures showing larger deficits would serve to buttress that argument and support his calls for retaliatory action against China and other U.S. trading partners.

The fears about data manipulation also arise from the nontraditional approach the Trump administration has taken to interpreting economic data. The president himself has repeatedly cast the "real" unemployment rate as far above the official rate, using figures that incorporate all those of working age who aren't employed.

"Don't believe these phony numbers," Trump told supporters of the jobless rate in early 2016. "The number is probably 28, 29, as high as 35 (percent). In fact, I even heard recently 42 percent."

While this captures a broader swath of those without a job than the more well-known 4.8 percent jobless rate, it's misleading because it includes those who choose to be out of work for reasons including school, parenting, care for a family member, or retirement.
Paul Kruse, who led Blue Bell Creameries through enormous growth, navigated it through a food safety crisis in 2015 and led the company through an ambitious return to market, is retiring. His replacement will be the first person from outside the Kruse family to lead the company in nearly a century.

The Brenham-based ice cream giant will close a tumultuous chapter in its storied, 109-year history with the retirement of Kruse, who will remain on the board of directors, according to a statement from Blue Bell.

Blue Bell is promoting Ricky Dickson to president, the first time since the Kruse family took over the company in 1919 that the position will be held by someone outside the family. But Kruse's cousin, Greg Bridges, has been promoted to executive vice president of plant operations, and another cousin, Jim Kruse, currently president of the Bank of Brenham, was named board chairman.

Dickson has worked at Blue Bell for 36 years, most recently as vice president of sales and marketing.

A company representative denied a request to interview Kruse or the new leadership team.

Paul Kruse, a lawyer, three times rejected his father's request to join the company as general counsel, before capitulating in 1986. He'd already spent plenty of time as a boy acquiring packing materials for the Brenham plant and putting wooden sticks in ice cream novelties.

He got the corner office in 2004. From 2002 to 2015, the brand added 26 sales and distribution branches in 10 states - doubling, in 13 years, the reach it had attained in the previous 95. It surged to No. 1 in U.S. sales. Employees said intense production requirements contributed to safety lapses, including rushed equipment cleaning and lack of hot water supply.

In 2015, public health officials traced three deaths and 13 illnesses to Blue Bell ice cream contaminated with listeria, leading to a months-long shutdown, massive layoffs and a criminal investigation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which has not announced any findings.

Under Kruse's leadership, however - and with the help of a $125 million dollar bailout from oil tycoon Sid Bass - Blue Bell worked with private consultants, labs and government regulators to completely retool its equipment and safety procedures. It got so good at detecting contamination that Blue Bell's own programs discovered bacterial contamination in an outside cookie dough supplier. That supplier has since shut down.

The "little creamery in Brenham" has returned to much of its previous territory and expects to re-enter Arizona and Denver markets this spring.

"We are grateful to Paul for his 30 years of dedicated service to the company and for his strong leadership," board member John Barnhill said, according to the statement.
Three Houston men were arrested and $750,000 worth of cocaine was seized in South Louisiana as the result of a long-term investigation by the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff's Office and Houma Police Department.

In total, six suspects have been arrested, including Jose Cervantes-Marro, 47, Adrian Robles, 38, and Francisco Ruiz, 41, of Houston; Jesus Hinojosa, 53, and Jose Hinojosa, Jr., 38, of Brownsville; and Antonio Izaguirre, 42 of Hildalgo.
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Zachary Turpin was propped up in bed with his laptop in May, his wife and newborn son sleeping beside him, when he made a discovery that stands to rock the literary world.

There on his screen, he saw a small ad in an 1852 newspaper. The ad promised "A Rich Revelation:" A six-installment piece of fiction called "Life and Adventures of Jack Engle" was coming soon to the Sunday Dispatch, a three-penny weekly published in Manhattan.

The short novel, like the newspaper that published it, was all but lost to the ages. But the author, Turpin believed, was Walt Whitman, one of America's best-known and most beloved poets.

Now, Turpin, a 33-year-old doctoral candidate in English at the University of Houston, has found the novel itself - a discovery that upends what previously was believed about the 19th-century poet's early career. Published anonymously as a serial in 1852, "Life and Adventures of Jack Engle" reveals much about Whitman's early life and work that the poet later tried to hide.

You might recognize Turpin's name: Last spring, he unearthed a book-length newspaper series on fitness and healthy living that Whitman published under a pseudonym in 1858. That discovery was important, but Turpin's latest "is going to change everything we thought we knew about Whitman's writing career," said Ed Folsom, a University of Iowa English professor and editor of the Walt Whitman Quarterly Review, which is publishing "Jack Engle" on its website today.

The novel also is being published in book form by the University of Iowa Press.

Any discovery of new work by Whitman is a major find, said Stephen Enniss, director of the Harry Ransom Center, a massive arts and humanities archive at the University of Texas at Austin.

"He is, along with Emily Dickinson, our major 19th-century American poet - and arguably, one of our first modern poets," Enniss said.

Clues to 'Leaves of Grass'

Whitman's most famous work, "Leaves of Grass," offers a distinct voice to the American canon - expansive poems that spill freely across the page, overflowing with rich and earthy images and a democratic, inclusive spirit.

But Whitman was in his mid-30s when he published "Leaves of Grass." By then, he'd had a long career in journalism and had published a novel, several short stories and novellas.

For decades, scholars wrote off Whitman's early fiction as mediocre. And until now, Folsom said, scholars assumed that Whitman's last piece of fiction was published in 1848, which meant a seven-year gap between his fiction-writing days and the publication of "Leaves of Grass."

"It's always been easy to kind of assume that Whitman, at some point, just said, 'Well, that's it for fiction; it's just not going anywhere for me,' " Folsom said. That assumption, he said "has allowed us to miss the ways in which the fiction led into the poetry."

More Information Read Whitman's novel online The Walt Whitman Quarterly Review has published "Life and Adventures of Jack Engle" online in its Winter/Spring issue. Find the entire novel at ir.uiowa.edu/wwqr/vol34/iss3. Buy a hard copy The University of Iowa Press has published "Life and Adventures of Jack Engle" in hardback ($22.50)and paperback ($14). It's also available as an ebook ($9.99). Purchase books online: uipress.uiowa.edu. See More Collapse

Thanks to Turpin's find, Folsom said, we now know that Whitman was still writing and publishing fiction even as he worked on the poems that would immortalize him as America's bard.

"What we are beginning to realize with this novel, now, is that the fiction and poetry are mingling in ways we never before knew."

"Jack Engle," the story of an orphan's adventures, can be classified as sentimentalism, Turpin said. The serial appeared "unsigned, practically unheralded and riddled with typographical errors" - and then, he said, "it sank like a stone." The story received little response. It was never reprinted or reviewed. And Whitman never mentioned it again.

Then last year, in one of Whitman's notebooks, Turpin found a detailed plot outline for the story.

Previous scholars had concluded it was probably just an outline that never amounted to anything, but Turpin wanted to see for himself. He started searching digital databases for some of the character names Whitman had listed.

That's when he found a match - the newspaper ad for a story called "Life and Adventures of Jack Engle."

"There's nothing (in the ad) that says Whitman," Turpin said, but the character name matched and the timeline was plausible. Immediately, he started searching for a library that had archived the Sunday Dispatch.

'Quite a good moment'

Online, Turpin discovered that the only remaining copies of those issues are at the Library of Congress. He requested an image of the story's first installment.

Weeks later, the library emailed him the story's first page. Turpin knew that if he saw more of the character names Whitman named in his outline - "Covert," "Wigglesworth," "Smytthe" - he'd have a confirmation.

"I open it up and my eyes are furiously scanning," he recalled. "The first names I see are 'Jack Engle.' 'Martha.' 'Wigglesworth.' It was quite a good moment."

Because of their size and age, it cost about $1,200 to have the newspaper pages scanned and digitized.

Wyman Herendeen, a UH English professor who was chairman of the department at the time, immediately paid the cost from the department's discretionary fund.

"I do a lot of original archival research," Herendeen said. "I know the excitement. I know the thrill of a seeming discovery that oftentimes proves to be misleading." But Turpin is "a very cautious scholar," he said, and "there were enough pieces of the puzzle that certainly made it sound convincing."

Bits and pieces of Whitman's work have emerged over the years, but works like "Jack Engle" are well hidden.

Whitman wrote much of his journalism and fiction anonymously or under pseudonyms, and later, when he'd established himself as a poet, he wrote that his "serious wish" was to have "all those crude and boyish pieces quietly dropp'd in oblivion."

But Turpin believes Whitman would be proud to see his fiction being republished today.

"Whitman deeply desired publicity," he said. "That his work gets so much attention now, and that scholars like myself will snatch after any scrap that he wrote, I think would probably please him."

Turpin is "one of the most talented of a whole new generation of scholars," Folsom said - scholars who will create "a golden age of discovery" as they dig through digital databases and uncover material that hasn't been seen for decades, even centuries.

'An adrenaline sport'

Digitized archives - including the Walt Whitman Archive - are "democratizing" research, Herendeen said, taking materials tucked away in basements and on microfilm and making them accessible to scholars everywhere.

Whitman's archive is widely scattered, Enniss said, and in the past, a researcher like Turpin would have to visit multiple libraries to find these materials and piece the clues together. Digitization makes the job easier, "but one still has to know what one is looking for."

Searching digital archives is "sort of like an adrenaline sport," Turpin said, especially when it turns up material no one's ever seen.

He knows there may be more work to discover, from Whitman and others, and he can't stop searching now.

"It sort of makes me feel like the first 49er, pulling up a (gold) nugget and telegraphing home: 'Come now, come right now.' "
Earlier this month, an enterprising taco aficionado made a case for changing the official dish of Texas from chili to tacos. Speaking on the radio program Texas Standard, Mando Rayo, the co-author of "The Tacos of Texas" (University of Texas Press, 2016), argued that tacos are uniquely Texan and more ubiquitous than chili.

We wish you luck, Rayo, but while you're at it, could you also champion a state beverage? Texas is without an official state drink. And though one could argue that ruby red grapefruit juice or sweet tea or even beer should be our standard bearer, we suggest that love of the margarita runs deep  very deep  in the heart of Texas.

The most popular cocktail in the United States, according to a 2016 industry survey by Nielsen CGA, a joint venture between New York-based Nielsen and CGA Strategy of the United Kingdom, the margarita is wholeheartedly embraced by the Lone Star State. Heck, the frozen-margarita machine was even invented in Texas.

So Wednesday, National Margarita Day, we come to praise that sublime marriage of tequila, triple sec and lime juice. It is our alcoholic elixir of choice  and these are just some of our favorites at Houston bars and restaurants.

Compiled by the Chronicle food team: Alison Cook, Greg Morago, J.C. Reid and Jody Schmal.

CHUY'S

Chuy's Famous Rita

Rocks/frozen: The frozen version is a generous portion of granular ice acting as a base for the tequila, liqueur and lime juice; rocks version often comes with a shaker that you can slowly drain into the accompanying martini glass.

Taste: Sweet liqueur is the dominant flavor here, with a touch of sour lime juice.

Bonus points: Chuy's offers an array of styles and flavors, with every combination of tequila, agave and citrus juice imaginable.

Price: $6.29; upgrade to an 18-ounce "grande" for $8.99.

If you go: 8 Houston area locations; chuys.com

CUCHARA

Cuchara House Margarita

Rocks/frozen: Rocks or straight up; no blenders here as true believers prefer.

Taste: Goes straight to the heart of margarita purists: Espolon blanco tequila, Pierre Ferrand dry Curacao and fresh lime juice. That ruddy hue and rich undertow? That's a simple syrup made with piloncillo. Served in a jarlike vessel rimmed with chunky salt.

Bonus points: Cuchara's chips and selection of stellar salsas are worth every penny.

Price: $9; check out the rotating concoctions billed as the margarita of the day.

If you go: 214 Fairview, 713-942-0000; cuchararestaurant.com

CYCLONE ANAYA'S

El Don Margarita

Rocks/frozen: We had ours on the rocks, although this top shelf 'rita is also available as a frozen slush or up.

Taste: The flavor probably appeals to the majority of marg lovers: sweet with an appropriate citrus tang. The nuances of tequila prefer to hide behind the bold sour mix. Party juice power.

Bonus points: Cyclone's complimentary tomato-bomb salsa.

Price: $11; $14 for jumbo.

If you go: 5 locations in Houston and one in The Woodlands; cycloneanaya.com

EL BIG BAD

Blueberry, Jalapeno and Cilantro Margarita

Rocks/frozen: This on-the-rocks charmer is the house best-seller.

Taste: A knockout of in-your-face flavors at once spicy hot, sweet and fragrant. Made with 2 ounces of Blue Weber tequila, freshly muddled blueberries, heat-seeking jalapenos and cilantro.

Bonus points: There's an almost dizzying array of tequila infusions available for shots, margaritas or your own creative pleasures. Try the cranberry- and churro-infused tequila that stars in a margarita called Champ #3.

Price: $10, $40 for a pitcher.

If you go: 419 Travis, 713-229-8181; elbigbad.com

EL PATIO

Blue Margarita

Rocks/frozen: This infamous frozen wonder is a time capsule that invites memories of happy sloshed nights at a Houston institution. Although you may be institutionalized if you go overboard  that's how deliciously lethal they are.

Taste: The frozen lime marg is a bracing thing on its own, but the sweet twisting cloud of blue Curacao is what makes it special. The blue dream's base is a secret concoction of fresh lime juice mix and tequila (that's tequila, not Everclear, people).

Bonus points: During daily happy hour, the blue margaritas come down a smidge to $6.50, and the apps are a bargain, especially a plate of three superlative pork tamales for $3.

Price: $7.25, $5 on National Margarita Day.

If you go: 6444 Westheimer, 713-780-0410; elpatio.com

EL REAL TEX-MEX CAFE

El Real Rita

Rocks/frozen: Both are an option, but the frozen version is unbeatable on a hot, humid evening sitting on the patio overlooking Westheimer.

Taste: Orange liqueur and agave nectar are the forward flavors here, with fresh lime juice and Jose Cuervo Tradicional Silver Tequila on the back end, with everything suspended in the super-fine, silky-smooth ice.

Bonus points/price: $5.99 for a mug is a steal compared with other high-end margarita purveyors in the city. Pitchers are $29.99.

If you go: 1201 Westheimer, 713-524-1201; elrealtexmex.com

EL TIEMPO CANTINA

Top Shelf Handmade Rita with Don Julio Anejo

Rocks/frozen: Rocks, served in margarita glass with green cactus-shaped stem and garnished with a slice of lime. Frozen is an option for house margaritas, which you can customize with a premium floater shot if you choose.

Taste: A powerful alcoholic sweet tart; our stomach couldn't imagine drinking more than one or two. The house-made sweet and sour mix is intense.

Bonus points: The restaurant's famous (and famously pricey) fajitas pair well with any margarita on the menu.

Price: $14.50. Top Shelf Ritas range from $9.95-$26.50, depending on tequila used (multiple varieties of Patron, Don Julio and Herradura). House frozen or rocks margaritas are $7.95 a pop.

If you go: 8 Houston-area locations; eltiempocantina.com

ESCALANTE'S HIGHLAND VILLAGE

Escalante's No. 4

Rocks/frozen: There's a reason No. 4 is at the top of the on-the-rocks margarita options: It rules. Made with Herradura Double Barrel Reposado, Pura Vida's Naranja liqueur and fresh lime juice, it's both potent and pleasing.

Taste: The tequila's oaky presence isn't masked; sweet without being cloying and tangy without being puckery. A harmonious cocktail.

Bonus points: Escalante's proudly states on its menu that every marg begins with quality tequila and fresh squeeze lime  no powders or mixes.

Price: $12.

If you go: 4053 Westheimer, 713-623-4200; escalantes.net

HABANERA & THE GUERO

Frozen Dragon Fruit Margarita

Rocks/frozen: You can order it either way, but the frozen version is the dreamy, eye-popping one.

Taste: Freshly muddled dragon fruit (or pitaya, the fruit of a cactus) gives this snowy slush of a cocktail a subtle, subtropical undertow. It's as if a pear and a kiwi had produced an exotic baby. It's rare to find a flavored margarita so well constructed. Fresh lime and lemon juices, orange liqueur and pure agave silver tequila do their parts in equal measure, without overshadowing the delicate dragon fruit.

Bonus points: A sparing application of chile-spiked salt sets off the flavors.

Price: $11.95, $8.95 at happy hour.

If you go: Note the new name of what was originally Habanera & the Gringo. 9902 Interstate 45 S., 832-547-1240

HOPDODDY BURGER BAR

Classic Frozen Margarita

Rocks/frozen: Frozen only. If you want rocks or straight up, try the Doble Fina Margarita or the L'il Prick prickly pear "martini."

Taste: One of the best frozen margaritas in town, at a burger chain? Believe it. The lovely, fine-textured slush is distinguished by house-made triple sec liqueur against a low-key lime background. Yes, the silver tequila shines through.

Bonus points: The rim of black lava salt looks like something Darth Vader would drink.

Price: $7.

If you go: 4444 Westheimer at River Oaks District, 713-227-2337; hopdoddy.com

LA GRANGE

Carlos Danger Margarita

Rocks/frozen: When asked whether she'd opt for this spicy margarita over the house classic, our server answered without hesitation: "Any day." She's ain't lying. The Carlos Danger, on the rocks with jalapeno- and pineapple-infused tequila, triple sec, lime and agave, is dangerously good.

Taste: There's a slight kick courtesy of the jalapeno and a smooth richness from the fruity pineapple. Sweet but not cloying, with a refreshing rush from the fresh lime juice. Served in a Collins glass rimmed with rocky salt and garnished with a pineapple leaf.

Bonus points: Customers also can order well-chosen flights of both mezcal and tequila if they want a tasty journey through Mexico.

Price: $10.

If you go: 2517 Ralph, 832-962-4745; lagrangehouston.com

LITTLE PAPPASITO'S CANTINA

Pappasito's Top Shelf Margarita

Rocks/frozen: Made with 1800 Reposado, Grand Marnier and fresh lime and lemon juice, served on the rocks in an oversized martini glass.

Taste: The simple union of tequila, orange liqueur and citrus reaches harmony in this sweet, foamy sparkler that cut straight to the chase.

Bonus points: For only a dollar more, upgrade to Pappasito's Reservera made with barrel-aged Corazon Reposado tequila that was hand selected for Pappasito's.

Price: $9.95

If you go: 2536 Richmond, 713-520-5066; pappasitos.com

PICOS RESTAURANT

The Perfect

Rocks/frozen: All genres available here, but The Perfect is served either on the rocks or  at its best  shaken and straight up.

Taste: This grandaddy and longtime champion of Houston shaker margaritas is a purist's delight, with good-quality Herradura Silver tequila shimmering through a blend of Cointreau and fresh lime juice.

Bonus points: At happy hour, this distinguished cocktail is half price. Want it tarter? Ask for lime and you'll get four wedges perched on a short tumbler like some tropical parasol.

Price: $12.

If you go: 3601 Kirby, 832-831-9940; picos.net

PINKERTON'S BARBECUE

House Margarita

Rocks/frozen: Shaken vigorously and served on the rocks in a gently flared old-fashioned glass with a lime wedge perched on the rim.

Taste: Well-controlled sugar from Cointreau and a tiny bit of simple syrup lets the mellow Espolon Reposado tequila sing, with fresh squeezed lime in the background. Judiciously done to the standards of a craft cocktail bar. In a new-age Houston barbecue joint, no less.

Bonus points: A rim of pit-smoked salt adds interest. And if you crave the bite of lime in your drink, the bartender will omit the simple syrup.

Price: $10

If you go: 1504 Airline, 713-802-2000; pinkertonsbarbecue.com

SALTILLO MEXICAN KITCHEN

House Margarita

Rocks/frozen: Rocks or straight up only.

Taste: An unusual herbal tinge of naturally anise-flavored Mexican honey deepens this shaken-to-order mix of Morales 100 percent agave tequila, fresh lime juice and Mandarine Napoleon, the Belgian tangerine and cognac liqueur. Deeper, rounder and slightly sweeter than the classic profile.

Bonus points: Tell the bartender you want a tart margarita, and watch him sub out the Mandarine for Triple Sec, omit the honey and juggle the lime and tequila proportions to produce an old-fashioned miracle.

Price: $10.

If you go: 5427 Bissonnet, 832-623-6467; saltillomexicankitchen.com

SPANISH VILLAGE

House frozen margarita

Rocks/frozen: Both offered, but the frozen is one-of-a-kind, and the way to go. Frozen juice of batch-squeezed limes comes together with funky tequila and orange liqueur to make a distinctive, gripping texture of a jillion ice splinters.

Taste: Classic tart lime, mellowed a bit by orange liqueur, with a wild edge of tequila elbowing through. Refreshingly old-school, and served in a festive Nick-and-Nora martini glass with a salted rim.

Bonus points: For three bucks extra, they'll do it with pure agave tequila if you ask.

Price: $7.50

If you go: 4720 Almeda, 713-523-2861; spanishvillagerestaurant.com

STATE FARE KITCHEN & BAR

Blood Orange Rita

Rocks/frozen: Made with crushy ice. Walks the line between a rocky road and a frozen frappe.

Taste: Good silver tequila makes nice with moody blood orange juice and lemon with a rim of smoky sea salt. A bracing, elegant burst of citrus sunshine. Wonderful balance, thanks to the dry tingle of Campari.

Bonus points: The full cocktail list is captivating; we could sit here all day sipping and snacking on dips.

Price: $9  a bargain for this level of sophistication.

If you go: 947 Gessner, 832-831-0950; statefaretx.com

THE ORIGINAL NINFA'S ON NAVIGATION

Mango-Habanero Margarita

Rocks/frozen: Rocks. The only margarita on the menu available frozen is the classic Ninfarita, which can be made with different flavors and floaters.

Taste: Made with Exotico Blanco tequila, lime juice and a house-made mix of fresh mango and habanero, this easy sipper's smooth ride starts with sweet fruit and ends with a spicy finish that lingers in the back of your throat. The goblet is rimmed with spicy mole salt.

Bonus points: The restaurant's full list of signature cocktails impresses; other options include pomegranate and hibiscus margaritas, and a Mexican Mule. Tequila flights are available, too.

Price: $12. Ninfaritas are $9, $30 for a pitcher.

If you go: 2704 Navigation, 713-228-1175; ninfas.com

THE PASTRY WAR

Margarita de la Casa

Rocks/frozen: This bar built on a profound admiration for tequila and mezcal should, by all rights, have a knockout marg. And it does. The house blend is a perfect union of flavorful tequila, fresh juice and agave nectar that is best expressed on the rocks or straight up.

Taste: Slightly more tart than sweet, amplified by a rim of citrus salt.

Bonus points: The collection of agave spirits here is staggering. Best brace yourself with an order of sublime "bar snack" tamales.

Price: $8; $5 during weekday happy hour.

If you go: 310 Main, 713-225-3310; thepastrywar.com

XOCHI

Xochi Rita

Rocks/frozen: Rocks or straight-up only.

Taste: Smoky and suave from two kinds of mezcal, Vida Blanco and Wahaka Reposado. Triple sec and a citrus syrup made with orange zest lend a pleasing current of orange mixed with lime. Balance-wise, it leans sweet without falling over backward.

Bonus points: Hauntingly earthy gusano (maguey worm) salt rims the slightly curved coupe-style goblet of the straight-up version.

Price: $10.

If you go: 1777 Walker in the Marriott Marquis Houston, 713-400-3330; xochihouston.com
Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle

Houston ISD kicked off a district-wide voter registration drive at Sam Houston Math, Science and Technology Center on Monday in an effort to teach students about civics and the voting process.

The Voter Registration Week will run through Friday across dozens of Houston ISD's high schools. Teachers will help students register and, according to Texas law, all HISD high school principals will be designated to serve as high school deputy voter registrars.
Jeff Chiu/Associated Press

Houston professors plan to protest the so-called sanctuary cities bill, which passed the state Senate earlier this month, at the University of Houston-Downtown on Wednesday.

The bill would require local law enforcement  including campus police departments  to honor every request from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to keep immigrants here illegally until officials take them into custody or give further instructions.
Indictment in Yanukovych high treason case to be referred to court on March 14

The bill indicting former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych for high treason will be referred to the court on March 14, Ukrainian Chief Military Prosecutor Anatoliy Matios said.

"The bill indicting Yanukovych for high treason will be sent to court on March 14 for hearing merits of this case," Matios said on the 112.ua channel.

Military prosecutors are gathering evidence in regard to 500 incumbent and former officials in this case, he said.

"At least 500 persons staying in Ukraine, both former and current officials, have contributed to the criminal activity of Yanukovych," Matios said.
Streetlights seem like they should be a benign topic. They're unremarkable, familiar fixtures that are part of the backdrop of everyday urban life. But lately, they've been a contentious topic for some Houstonians.

Two years ago, the city began the process of switching all 173,000-plus of its streetlights from sodium bulbs (with their familiar, yellow glow) to LEDs, which emit a whiter and often brighter light.

Today, Houston is roughly halfway through that process. And a cadre of some critics have voiced opposition to the switch, mainly due to dissatisfaction with the brightness of the new bulbs. That's a whole debate that the Kinder Institute won't be weighing in on. But it does raise an interesting point: For some residents, brighter light isn't always seen as a good thing.

In the Kinder Institute's newest study, research fellow Dr. Heather O'Connell analyzes the location of Houston's streetlights to determine which areas have the highest concentration of street lights and which have the lowest. It's an important question because for many, streetlights are a critical amenity. They make residents feel safer and more comfortable. But on the other hand, they can be considered a nuisance, at least by some, or even a tool for surveillance.

O'Connell's study  the full version of which is available online  offers several fascinating findings.

In Houston, each census block group has an average of 15 streetlights per mile of roadway. But there's huge variation within the city. Some areas have 1 streetlight per mile or less. Others have as many as 47. So O'Connell tried to determine which areas had the most streetlights, and which had the least.

She found that predominantly white neighborhoods, on average, have lower concentrations of streetlights than black or Hispanic neighborhoods. The trend, she writes, is "consistent with a surveillance perspective regarding the placement of streetlights."

O'Connell also found two other trends, related to the intersection of streetlights and income, that at first glance may appear to contradict each other.

She found a close relationship between the concentration of streetlights in an area and the median income of an area. In other words, as average incomes of a community rise, so too does the number of streetlights per mile of roadway. But she also found that neighborhoods with higher poverty rates also have more streetlights per mile.

How do those findings align? O'Connell says what's really happening is that streetlights are most common in economically mixed neighborhoods. Streetlights aren't equally prevalent in neighborhoods with the same median income, if they have different poverty levels. Residents can request that the city conduct surveys of an area to determine whether it needs more lighting. O'Connell suggests that maybe more requests for streetlight surveys are made in areas where both median income and poverty levels are high.

But, more broadly, what does it all mean? What should we take away from the fact that there are wide variations in streetlight concentration, and those variations follow a very specific set of patterns?

On one hand, minority and high-poverty neighborhoods have some of the highest level of streetlight density in Houston. They are not being denied important infrastructure, which is a good thing. But we also know that more light isn't always seen as a positive by residents. O'Connell concludes:

"We should consider the possibility that some areas of the city are overly lit in addition to being concerned about the places without enough lights. If it is true that some residents prefer moderate levels of lighting, then this could help explain some of the initially counterintuitive results. The relative influence or power of certain neighborhoods may explain why certain areas have fewer, but not too few, streetlights, especially when considering non-Hispanic white and higher income neighborhoods."

In other words, sometimes streetlights may be seen as amenities; but other times, too many can be perceived as a nuisance. Either way, O'Connell writes, strong communication about the role of streetlights is needed, given the impact they have on urban life.

Ryan Holeywell (@RyanHoleywell) is senior editor at Rice University's Kinder Institute for Urban Research, and a former business reporter for the Houston Chronicle. This article first appeared on the Kinder Institute blog, The Urban Edge.





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America never quite got poetry inside the American public school system.

Poet Tony Hoagland, who teaches at the University of Houston, blames the teachers who spent way too long explaining tricky, hard-to-access poems ("The Emperor of Ice Cream," anyone?). Who chose poems because they were hard to explain.

In his essay "Twenty Poems that Could Save America," Hoagland insists that American classrooms need a new batch of poems to invigorate teachers and students.

"The old chestnuts  'The Road Not Taken,' 'I Heard a Fly Buzz When I Died,' 'Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night,' great, worthy poems all  must be removed and replaced by poems that are not chestnuts," Hoagland proclaims.

One way for contemporary poetry to gain some mainstream relevance is to "interest itself in the stuff of mortgage crisis, insurgency sponsorship, and lithium batteries," Hoagland says.

Poetry must offer a flash of recognition for readers, a whiff of shared experience.

Why do we need poetry, anyway?

"We need its previews of coming attractions: heartbreak, survival, failure, endurance, understanding, more heartbreak," observes the poet, whose new essay collection from Graywolf Press is also titled "Twenty Poems That Could Save America."

Hoagland believes the poems on his list could, among other things, stimulate daring, teach ethics, rehabilitate language, defuse sexual anxiety and encourage curiosity.



1."Twenty-First. Night. Monday," by Anna Akhmatova

2."God's Justice," by Anne Carson

3. "memory," by Lucille Clifton

4."A Man and a Woman," by Alan Feldman

5. "America," by Allen Ginsberg

6."Bamboo and a Bird," by Linda Gregg

7. "The Sick Child," by Randall Jarrell

8."Black People & White People Were Said," by Kerry Johannsen

9. "Topography," by Sharon Olds

10."Wild Geese," by Mary Oliver

11. "Written in Pencil in the Sealed Railway Car," by Dan Pagis

12."Merengue," by Mary Ruefle

13."The Ballad of Orange and Grape," By Muriel Rukeyser

14. "Waiting for Icarus," by Muriel Rukeyser

15."American Classic," by Louis Simpson

16. "Song of Speaks-Fluently," by Speaks-Fluently

17. Traveling through the Dark," by William Stafford

18. "The Geraniums," by Genevieve Taggard

19."When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer," by Walt Whitman

20."Our Dust," by C.D. Wright

Read Gray Matters. It interests itself in the stuff of mortgage crisis, insurgency sponsorship, and lithium batteries.
Millie Yager, a lively and outgoing 65-year-old Houstonian, loved working for the Astros and the Rockets. For 20 years, she worked in guest relations at every home game. Her job was fun and exciting, and being around the fans, players and her co-workers gave her so much energy. On a typical day, she walked 5 miles.

But by the end of the summer in 2015, a CT scan her doctor ordered after worsening fatigue, back and abdominal pain gave her the shocking news of her life. There was widespread metastatic cancer in her abdomen and large tumors on her ovaries. She had advanced-stage ovarian cancer, one of the most lethal cancers in women.

Ever the optimist, Millie knew she could get through it. She was ready to fight. I took her for surgery at MD Anderson in September to attempt to remove all her tumors. The surgery lasted 8 hours, well into the night. Afterward, my fellow and I, exhausted, went to speak to her husband, who had been anxiously waiting. "She is doing great." I told him. "I am so happy we were able to remove all of her tumors."

She recovered well, but this was the first battle of a long road to eradicate her cancer. She still needed 18 weeks of chemotherapy. As part of her regimen, she underwent chemotherapy both through an IV and a port-a-cath device that I had inserted under the skin of her abdomen during surgery. This is called intraperitoneal chemotherapy, as the drugs are poured into her abdomen and pelvis to kill off any residual microscopic cancer cells. Though it can be more toxic than IV, causing severe abdominal pain or nausea and vomiting, studies have shown that it leads to the best outcomes for patients with advanced ovarian cancer after surgery.

Millie battled through the side effects. But she found herself too weak to work, which had given her so much joy and meaning. Even doing her yard work, a hobby, was too exhausting. She could no longer go and work Rockets or Astros games. Now, she felt like she was a prisoner in a body that wouldn't allow her to do a lot the things she loved. She was feeling overwhelmed that this was her new normal, even if she were to live through her cancer.

After her last cycle of chemotherapy, she came into my clinic to review her post-treatment CT scans. Now thinner, hairless and gaunt with a flat affect, this woman was completely different from the energetic one she was before her cancer.

Naively, I tried to cheer her up by telling her the good news. "I looked at your scans, and you are now officially in remission!"

She did not respond. No smile. No eye contact. Looking dejected, she sat there silent in her chair, looking down at the exam room floor. Her husband said that in the past month she had lost interest in all the things she used to do. On a day that is for some a celebration, Millie looked as though the battle she had so valiantly endured had cost her soul.

Concerned about her reaction and behavior, I knew she was suffering from severe depression. I referred her to one of our psychiatrists. She was diagnosed with major depressive disorder and started the treatment that she needed.

I was thankful for that. But what many do not realize was how lucky we were to get her this care and to get it so quickly and easily.

This is because we are facing a mental health crisis in our nation. And it's even worse in Texas. According to the nonprofit group Mental Health America (MHA), Texas ranks 46th in mental health access. They estimate that 60 percent, or close to 2 million, adults with mental illnesses do not receive the treatment they need.

According to MHA, the two biggest groups in Texas that can't access care are disabled adults with a mental illness who can't afford the costs and individuals without insurance.

But even for those who are fortunate to have insurance or can afford the basic costs, there is still no guarantee they will find adequate care.

Texas is second only to Alabama in a lack of mental health workforce availability. According to MHA, the national average is one provider to 529 individuals. Texas has one for every 990. In a 2015 NPR story, Merritt Hawkins, a physician recruiting consulting firm, found that out of the 254 counties in Texas, 185 lack a psychiatrist. According to the firm's analysis, psychiatrists trailed only primary care doctors in demand.

Moreover, a significant number of mental health care providers do not take health insurance plans, because these providers might be inadequately reimbursed from both government and private plans. Patients can be then required to pay 100 percent of the cost, which can be out of reach for many.

Still, the overall problem goes beyond mental health. This is bad news for our physical health, too. The link between the two was recognized centuries ago. Around 2700 B.C., Chinese medicine conceived of health as complementary positive and negative forces. An imbalance of these forces contributed to illness. This concept of harmony and imbalance is known as "yin and yang."

Today, the leading causes of death in the U.S. are heart disease and cancer. In the past few decades, we are learning from a growing body of evidence about the association of psychological distress, such as depression and anxiety, with these two diseases. Therefore, a lack of adequate treatment for these psychological disorders will have substantial consequences on the prognosis of these deadly diseases.

For example, an analysis of 28 studies published in JAMA showed that patients with depression were 55 percent more likely to die as a result of a stroke. Last month, in the British Medical Journal, researchers analyzed data from more than 163,000 individuals from 16 studies and found that that severe psychological distress was associated with an increased risk of death from 16 different types of cancer. These included common cancers like breast, colon, lung, and prostate. Patients with severe psychological distress were more than twice as likely to have increased mortality with ovarian cancer.

We know that people who suffer from psychological distress typically have unhealthier lives. They smoke more; they drink more alcohol. They are more sedentary and eat unhealthier. Also, they might be less compliant with their doctors' recommendations and are even less likely to go see a doctor. Certainly, these behavioral factors can explain this link.

But the biological factors are also fascinating. Studies have shown that depression and chronic distress are associated with immune system dysregulation. Psychological distress can provoke an inflammatory response in your body. In oncology, we know some of the hallmarks of cancer include immune dysregulation and tumor-promoting inflammatory responses. The mechanisms linking psychological distress and physical diseases such as cancer remains elusive. Do the biological factors or behavioral factors explain this, or is it both? Broadly, this is a classic nature-versus-nurture dilemma.

As a nation, we have put such a high value on our physical health; we are willing to pay extraordinary amounts for drugs, surgeries and hospitalizations to help heal our bodies. Meanwhile, our mental health is largely relatively ignored. I would bet that more people are concerned about their last visit at the dentist. It is time that we remove the stigma attached to mental illness and elevate the value of mental health to deal with our overall health.

It has been one year since Millie finished her cancer treatments. Her salt-and-pepper hair has fully grown back, and now at her checkups I am greeted with her warm smile and a hug. I could see the charge in her personality is back, as she expresses the joys of her typical day, including her yard work.

Notably, she remains cancer free. Perhaps just as importantly, she remains depression free.

Dr. Behrouz Zand (@Behrouz_Zand) is Assistant Professor in the Department of Gynecologic Oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center.

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More than a decade after their Peace Corps-like initiative changed the landscape for pediatric AIDS care in Africa, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital are readying to take the fight to cancers afflicting the continent's children.

At a news conference in Botswana on Tuesday, the two Houston institutions unveiled a plan to create a network of pediatric cancer care facilities in southern and east Africa, where the disease is little treated and fatal the vast majority of the time. The initiative represents a $100 million commitment, $50 million of which is being donated by Bristol-Myers Squibb's philanthropic foundation.

"This may be the silver lining to come out of the AIDS pandemic," said Dr. Mark Kline, Texas Children's physician-in-chief and the architect of the Baylor International Pediatric AIDS Initiative.

"We learned a tremendous amount about how to deliver care to people in Africa because of the HIV-AIDS epidemic. The great thing is, it all can be applied for cancer and other life-threatening conditions that up until now have largely been ignored."

Cancer kills as many as 90 percent of the roughly 100,000 sub-Saharan children who develop the disease annually. In the U.S., by contrast, roughly 80 percent of the 15,000 children diagnosed annually are cured.

The difference in death rates is commonly attributed to an inadequate health care infrastructure and a significant lack of expert physicians and support staff trained to treat children with cancer. Most of the African pediatric patients are only diagnosed when the disease is in the late stages, when it is too late.

The initiative's model, BIPAI, is considered one of the great U.S. health outreaches to the developing world. It began as a pilot program in Romania in 1995 and has since become the world's largest university-based program dedicated to pediatric HIV-AIDS care globally, providing care in seven African countries, Colombia and Papua New Guinea.

It has treated 300,000 pediatric AIDS patients in sub-Saharan Africa and trained 52,000 health care professionals and is credited as the leading force behind reducing the number of pediatric AIDS cases in Africa from 650,000 in 2003 to less than 150,000 today.

Overlooked and sick

The new initiative was announced at the site of the program's first planned center by Baylor and Texas Children's doctors, Botswana President Seretse Khama Ian Khama and Bristol-Myers Squibb leaders. The Botswana government and the two Houston institutions last summer said they'd sign an agreement to build the center, located near the BIPAI clinic.

"Now that communicable diseases are being better treated here, it's time to focus on non-communicable diseases," Dr. Alan Anderson, a Baylor/Texas Children's pediatric oncologist, said Monday from Botswana. "These are the overlooked sick children, the ones who are often never diagnosed and typically only are diagnosed when their parents think they have some other disease."

BIPAI's Botswana clinic, launched in Gaborone in 2003, was the initiative's first such facility in Africa. Pediatric oncologists from Baylor and Texas Children's have provided limited cancer care there for about 10 years, the first such program on the continent. Their new lodgings, like all of those planned for the program, will be a stand-alone center.

'We have big ambitions'

The initiative, known as Global HOPE (Hematology-Oncology Pediatric Excellence), will also treat serious non-cancerous blood disorders. Most pediatric cancers are leukemia or lymphoma, liquid tumors in the blood.

"This is absolutely a transformational opportunity for us to dramatically improve pediatric cancer care in Africa and change the landscape," said Dr. David Poplack, director of Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Centers and professor of pediatrics at Baylor. "We have big ambitions."

In all, in the program's first five years, Baylor/Texas Children's doctors hope to train an estimated 4,700 health care providers in Botswana, Malawi, Uganda and other African countries and treat more than 5,000 children. Most of the BIPAI sites currently have no more than a few pediatric oncologists, typically one.

In east Africa, an oncology fellowship program will be developed in Uganda, where all sub-specialists in the continent's region will go to train. It will be the only such program in sub-Saharan Africa outside South Africa. A second fellowship program is planned for Malawi.

Early signs point to success

BIPAI benefited in the early part of the century from Bristol-Myers Squibb and other leading pharmaceutical companies making cutting-edge HIV-AIDS treatment available to African countries at highly discounted prices.

There are such plans for Global HOPE, but Poplack said the drugs that will be used are cheaper chemotherapies that the local governments can get for good prices from Asia and India. He said there may be need for more and better drugs as the initiative grows.

The two Houston institutions are hoping to raise $50 million in the U.S. through BIPAI.

The plan is for Global HOPE to partner as well with the governments of Malawi and Uganda and have centers at all BIPAI sites, which also include Angola, Liberia, Swaziland and Tanzania. Ultimately, the program will expand to other locations, said Poplack.

Poplack acknowledged that it will take time to build the program to desired levels. But he said the first returns, based mostly on some moderate ramping up that Baylor and Texas Children's staffers have undertaken since the summer, are highly encouraging.

"I got a phone call recently relaying that the number of deaths in the hospital's pediatric cancer unit is already less," said Poplack. "Doctors and nurses there are asking, 'What's happening? We're not seeing the number of deaths we usually do.' "
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There is one important reason why Army Lt. Gen. H. R. McMaster could not turn down President Donald Trump's offer to become his Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs - better known as the National Security Advisor - while his first Post-Flynn choice, Vice Admiral Robert Harward, could.

Harward is a retired three star admiral while McMaster is still very much on active duty. For a serving Soldier, a "request" from the Commander-in-Chief is understood to be an order. (Which is not to say, however, that McMaster had to be dragged kicking-and-screaming to the White House. He said he was privileged and honored to get the new assignment.)
Eight Boy Scouts were simultaneously awarded the Eagle Scout rank at a special Feb. 8 Court of Honor at New Kentucky Park. All of the young men are members of Troop 619, which is sponsored by the Lakewood Ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Orion District, Sam Houston Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America.

"I am glad to be a part of this celebration. I've never seen this many Boy Scouts receive the Eagle Scout award at one Court of Honor," said Heard Robinson, the district executive for BSA's Orion District, who attended the event. "It's a wonderful thing to see eight young men honored at the same time."

Honored were Sebastian Arzac, Ben Countiss, Coy Hatch, Sam Kennington, Drew Pulliam, Luke Stecher, Chris Vallance and Nick Vallance.

Robinson explained that only about 4 percent to 5 percent of Boy Scouts achieve the Eagle rank. "A lot start out, but it's not for everybody. These young men stayed the course. Congratulations to you, your leaders and the LDS Church. Now, go forward and make a positive impact on others' lives."

Frank Fults, Troop 619's committee chairman, explained the requirements for achieving the rank of Eagle Scout. "These young men completed six rank advancements. While in each rank they held leadership positions and provided numerous hours of service. They also earned a minimum of 21 merit badges. Finally, each young man organized and led his own service project to benefit his community. On average, each Eagle project took about 100 hours," he said.

Chris Vallance, one of the honored Eagle Scouts, shared how he and his brother Nick got involved in Scouting. "Our neighbors invited us to a Cub Scout Pinewood Derby. At first I didn't think Scouting was my type of thing, but I liked it and stayed with it. I learned leadership skills, life saving, service to others and how to give back to my community. I learned to strive for high standards and values."

Nick Vallance added, "Scouting is fun! I love hanging out with the guys, camping and campfires, playing capture the flag and just being outdoors with my friends. We don't often get a chance to do these things in modern life," he said.

Countiss said that his Scouting experience has helped him in an unexpected way. "When I entered Scouting, I had zero confidence, but now I have the confidence to do things that I would never have done without my Scouting experience," he said.

Arzac learned to be self-motivated. "I had to work very hard for this, and my Scouting experience has helped me to know that I can accomplish anything if I work hard enough. Scouting has taught me the value of determination," he said.

Countiss, Arzac and the Vallances were four of many prospective Eagle Scouts from multiple BSA troops who have recently made many sets of trash enclosures for Spring Creek Park in Tomball. Weldon Currington, park superintendent, has worked with Boy Scouts for 17 years to improve parks.

"The enclosures have made the park look much better by cutting down on litter. These barriers prevent stray dogs from getting into the trash cans, so the park stays much cleaner. All of the Boy Scouts who have built these enclosures have done a really good job, and everyone who comes to the park benefits from their efforts."

Stecher constructed a rock-climbing wall and installed it on the property of 1st CivDiv Warriors Foundation, which is a facility for wounded Veterans. The rock climbing wall is for the men to use for exercise and to challenge their bodies and minds. The design for the wall was drawn up by Cory Melancon, owner of the Stone Moves rock gym. Stecher and other volunteers built most of the wall at Stecher's home and then completed the work after transporting it to 1st CivDiv's Field Retreat, which is about 30 miles west of College Station. This service project gave Stecher the opportunity to share his love of climbing and its benefits with men who have given part of themselves to defend their country.

Kennington built a handcart that was used for a re-enactment of a pioneer trek sponsored by Cypress Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The trek helped the youth of the church experience what life was like for pioneers who settled the American West in the 19th century. Frank McLane, Jr., a trek organizer, said,"Sam's contribution in building one of the trek handcarts was invaluable! He raised his own funds through donations. I was so impressed with his efforts and the results."

Pullium worked with the Bayou Land Conservancy and Cypress Creek Mountain Bike Association to install 13 sign posts on local mountain bike trails in Northwest Houston.

Hatch completed his project in Arizona.

"With my own personal witness of the Boy Scouts of America, I offer my enthusiastic encouragement for the support of this vital program through Friends of Scouting", added Leah Christie of Tomball. "As the mother of two Eagle Scouts and two more working toward the rank of Eagle, I can attest to the immediate as well as the long term invaluable experience that all four of my children benefit from by their participation in the BSA."

The Friends of Scouting campaign is a council's annual giving campaign and may represent the largest source of funds for scouts. The campaign begins in November and goes through March, designating the Sunday that falls before Feb. 8, the Scouting Anniversary Day, as Scout Sunday Observance.

Christie has served for 15 years as a BSA volunteer, including Scout Committee member as Merit Badge Counselor for Citizenship In The Community and Citizenship In The Nation. She observed, "No other organization has done more for boys to give them incredible adventure and unmatched training for life than the Boy Scouts of America, these are boys who progress to become young men prepared to serve others as leaders who do their duty to God and country."
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SAN ANTONIO - Mikela Kinnison, seven months pregnant, was watching TV with her dog Sunday night when the wind outside her home in North Central San Antonio got louder, and an electrical outlet cover popped off the wall.

As the lights flickered, Kinnison said she heard what sounded like a tree fall. It was so loud she wondered if the skylight in her kitchen had broken. When she walked down the hallway to investigate, she saw the roof was gone from her master bedroom and office.

"It was raining inside the house," Kinnison said. "It was insane."

Kinnison and her husband, Baines Kinnison, narrowly escaped with their lives after a major storm spawned tornadoes in the San Antonio area in one of the city's worst outbreaks of twisters in recent years. There was extensive damage but no serious injuries were reported, which many people considered miraculous.

"The most important thing is our lives," said Hazel Carson as she tossed twigs on a pile of broken branches at her home on the Northeast Side. "I've got a smile on my face because I'm still here. By the grace of God, we're still here."

No major injuries were reported from the storms, which officials estimate damaged at least 150 structures, most of them homes in the San Antonio area, late Sunday and early Monday. The National Weather Service has confirmed at least six tornadoes touched down, though not all in populated areas.

A survey team confirmed that a tornado with winds hitting 105 mph struck a residential area about 5 miles north of downtown San Antonio around midnight. Of the 43 homes damaged in the area, three fully collapsed, said San Antonio Fire Department spokesman Woody Woodward.

Threat diminished here

Northeast of Austin near the tiny town of Thrall, a dozen auto-carrier cars of a Union Pacific freight train were blown from their track as at least two tornadoes touched down early Monday, according to Williamson County officials. The county said about 20 homes were damaged, and the local fire chief said several barns and outbuildings also were damaged.

"In the Houston area, the rainstorms that rolled through on Monday were not as severe as had been predicted. Most of the area received between 1 and 3 inches of rain. The threat for flash flooding was quickly canceled, and there was only light to moderate rain in some places throughout the day. The forecast for the rest of the week is expected to be similarly mild with no hazardous weather expected, according to the National Weather Service.

In San Antonio on Monday night, residents and city crews continued cleaning up debris and working to restore power. CPS Energy officials said about 3,600 customers still were without electricity Monday night; at the height of the storm, about 84,000 people lost power at least briefly. At one point, two nursing homes on the Northeast Side were on auxiliary power.

Grateful to be alive

CPS Energy crews were working to restore full power.

"(It's) all hands on deck," CPS Energy spokeswoman Nora Castro said, cautioning residents to stay away from downed power lines and damaged equipment.

Two large-scale transmission towers were destroyed in the storm, Castro said, the first time that has happened in CPS Energy history.

Kinnison said after the roof blew off, she and her husband quickly tried to salvage what clothes and valuables they could before they fled. Like Carson, they were grateful to be alive.

"If we had gone to bed when we usually go to bed, we probably would not be OK," Kinnison said. "The beams from the roof came through the roof and would have impaled us and stabbed us."

When they got outside, they found a tree had fallen in the driveway, blocking their cars and partially crushing one. Mikela Kinnison's boss picked them up, and the couple plans to stay with her for the next few days as they figure out their next move.

"We only have 10 weeks to figure it out," Mikela Kinnison said, referring to her due date.

Mike Glenn and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Texas made a strong showing in a recent ranking of the best public high schools in America, with five Lone Star State campuses landing in the top 25.

Website The Best Schools compiled the ranking, which features campuses from Houston, Dallas and Austin.
WASHINGTON - A fight between leaders at the Justice and Homeland Security departments could delay release of President Donald Trump's revised executive order to limit travel to the United States by citizens of seven majority-Muslim countries, according to a person who was briefed on the dispute.

The department leaders are debating whether to again revoke the visas of 60,000 to 100,000 people from those countries whose permission to come to the United States was reinstated after a federal judge in Seattle suspended Trump's initial executive order.

Homeland Security and White House officials want to revoke the visas, while Justice Department lawyers worry about running afoul of the Seattle judge's order.

"The Department of Justice does not want to be held in contempt," said the individual who said the briefing came from a Justice official involved in the case.

Trump has said that he would issue a new executive order this week "tailored" to a federal appeals court decision that blocked his Jan. 27 order, which temporarily suspended entry into the United States by citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan, Somalia, Syria and Yemen.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment on the dispute.

Homeland Security and Justice officials are haggling over whether the court's ruling would apply to a new executive order or only to the original.

The two sides are debating three possible ways to proceed. One would be to revoke nonimmigrant visas - those issued for tourism or business, for example - for citizens of the seven countries. A second would be to not revoke the visas, but stop issuing new ones. The third option would be to announce plans to revoke the visas, and then wait for the court's approval before carrying out the plan.
AUSTIN - Dozens of state lawmakers are piling on to a bill that would thwart efforts to post court records from across Texas in a centralized online database accessible to the public.

They are not alone. County and district clerks from across the state are opposing efforts by the Texas Supreme Court to make court records available to the public via an online database, arguing the move would take money, control and accountability out of the hands of locally elected officials and their agencies.

"Sometimes haste can make waste," said Rep. Travis Clardy, R-Nacogdoches, who is sponsoring a bill that would slow the implementation of plans to shift court records online to a statewide database.

House Bill 1258 would require any third party company wanting to house electronic court records to win approval from the county commissioners court and enter into a written agreement with the clerk of the court before it acts as a database. In order to carry records for the whole state, that would require approval in 254 counties.

Putting electronic copies of court filings online is the second phase of a two-step process pushed by the Texas Supreme Court to increase transparency of the state's judicial branch.

Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan Hecht said in his State of the Judiciary address this month that it is time Texas had a statewide court records system.

"The Texas electronic filing and access system will be the largest in the country and will be the single most significant modernization of the Texas courts in history," he said.

The high court requires all filings in civil cases in county, district and appellate courts be sent to clerks electronically, which last year included more than 8.5 million court records, Hecht said.

Public records advocates say they look forward to the day those filings are available online so someone in any part of the state can access court records electronically.

"At the base of it, constitutionally and by common law, all these records are public records. Period," said Joe Larsen, a Houston First Amendment lawyer and a board member of the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas.

Federal court records currently are housed in their own database known as PACER, which lists records from across the country, appellate courts and the U.S. Supreme Court.

On average, 30,000 court documents are viewed every day on the Harris County district clerk's website. The county began storing court documents online during a pilot program in 2002. By 2011, the county was posting all civil records online and criminal records by 2013.

Confidentiality vital

Still, Harris County District Clerk Chris Daniel opposes the idea of shifting to a statewide system, in part because it would diminish local control over the records.

He said a statewide system will have a tougher time ensuring confidential records are kept private and correcting problems when information that should be redacted, such as Social Security numbers, is mistakenly posted online.

He said the Supreme Court should have consulted with the more than 500 elected county and district clerks across the state about the best way to post the records without putting sensitive information at risk.

Daniel said he has urged state representatives from Harris County to try something else that encourages as many counties to post their court records online as possible, but not on one statewide website.

"We don't necessarily have to adopt the solution that the Supreme Court is asking for, that instead we can do more of a shared responsibility approach where, when attorneys want to see a record, they end up clicking a link and coming to our website where the records are already available online," he said.

Opponents of a statewide database argue clerks are constitutionally required to be custodians of court documents, and question whether the state's planned online portal flies in the face of that.

A matter of revenue

Clardy, a civil lawyer, said he met with members of the Supreme Court, the Office of Court Administration and the County and District Clerks' Association this month, saying the parties are "making good progress," but did not say whether he saw his bill as a starting point for a compromise.

Beyond control and their constitutional role, Clardy said clerks are concerned the new database would drain money from local governments.

Clerks currently charge a per-page cost for court records.

Individuals may request a few pages, but businesses such as title companies or data-mining organizations request cases in bulk and create a revenue stream.

Clardy did not know how much revenue clerks could lose after a shift to a statewide system, but said officials with the courts have assured him large companies would be charged for records to make up for the loss.

The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas' board has yet to decide whether it will fight Clardy's bill, said Larsen who added he opposed the legislation.

"The idea that they're losing control of their records somehow is not true," Larsen said. "There's just another way for people to look at them.

"The fundamental constitutional right is one of access, not of custodianship."
The U.S. calls on Russia to comply with the Minsk agreements, while seeking common grounds for cooperation, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence has said.

"With regard to Ukraine, as I said before, our alliance will continue to hold Russia accountable and demand that they honor the Minsk Agreements, beginning with de-escalating violence in eastern Ukraine. For the sake of peace and for the sake of innocent human lives, we urge both sides to abide by the ceasefire that began today," the U.S. vice president said at a joint press conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Monday.

Pence also assured, the United States "will continue to hold Russia accountable, even as we search for new common ground, which President Trump firmly believes can be found."
AUSTIN - State lawmakers may consider shuttering another prison and paroling some older, infirm inmates to nursing homes in a bid to shift more than $400 million in funding toward rising health care costs and much-needed repairs and upgrades to Texas' aging corrections facilities.

The state already is poised to spend more than $6.7 billion over the next two years for prisons and corrections programs. But with the Legislature looking at the tightest state budget in years, lawmakers quietly are looking for ways to save $421 million in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice operations to cover surging costs associated with overseeing the state's 147,000 convicts.

Topping the list is $247 million to pay the costs of convicts' health care during the next two years, including facilities, doctors, equipment and medicines. Much of that increased cost for care is needed to provide health care to an aging prison population, said Bryan Collier, executive director of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

Forty-six percent of the state's convicts are over age 55, a group that accounts for 40 percent of expensive hospital visits, officials said.

More Information By the numbers $6.7 billion Budget for running Texas prisons and corrections programs for two years. 147,000 Number of convicts, of which 46 percent are over 55. $247 million Cost of prisoners' health care for two years. $55.6 million Needed for prison repairs and renovations. See More Collapse

To help cover those growing costs, Collier said officials are looking to increase the co-pay amount charged to convicts for health care from $100 to $200 a year. Thousands of those convicts, however, are indigent and cannot afford to pay for their care.

Officials said Monday that another state prison could be shuttered to save cash, the fifth in six years in a state that once went more than a century without closing one.

Just as Texas became a national model 10 years ago for funding new treatment programs to cut recidivism rather than build new prisons, legislative leaders predict the current budget crisis could give birth to new innovation and savings in the largest state prison system in the United States.

"In one respect, it's good to have a tight budget session like this one, because when I look at the little bitty kids who are facing cuts in their therapy, it makes me realize that we need to tighten up every way, look for every efficiency in our criminal justice programs that we can find," said House Corrections Committee Chairman James White, a Hillister Republican whose East Texas district east of Huntsville is dotted with prisons. "That's exactly what we're going to do."

Senate Criminal Justice Committee Chairman John Whitmire, a Houston Democrat who has overseen prison operations for more than two decades, agreed. He and Senate leaders are pushing for changes in prison operations to make the state's corrections agency - one of the largest state agencies, with more than 35,000 employees - operate more efficiently.

"I want to move them from a 1950s operations model to a 2017 model," he said. "We have thousands of empty beds at 109 state prisons. You shut some prisons, mothball some and consolidate the inmates. Then reinvest some of the money you save in treatment programs that save even more. The savings could be very significant."

Dire need

Collier said agency officials are open to discussing opportunities for saving money. For example, he said that in addition to shuttering a downtown Houston parole lockup last December to save $13 million, officials are considering whether to combine two side-by-side prison units in Colorado City, in West Texas, to save millions more.

While the Senate and House draft budgets fund current prison operations, Collier said they come up $421 million short to pay for items that are "fundamentally important to the operations of the agency."

In addition to the rising costs of prison care, another $55.6 million is needed - but not included in either chamber's initial budget - for renovations and repairs to Texas' prisons, some of which are more than 100 years old and are in dire need of new roofs, fire alarm systems, leaky water systems, security fencing and lighting upgrades.

On the list is the main prison hospital in Galveston, which officials say needs $22 million in repairs.

The department says it also needs another $19 million to upgrade its 40-year-old mainframe computer system, $15.4 million for 1,000 additional substance-abuse treatment beds, and $10 million for a video surveillance system in three maximum-security prisons.

To cover those costs, Senate budget writers say they are looking at whether prisons can be closed or consolidated in places where two units are located adjacent to each other. Whitmire said many of the oldest prisons are the most expensive to operate, such as the Jester 1 and Vance units in Richmond and the Gatesville, Hilltop and Mountain View units in Gatesville.

'Look at everything'

Lawmakers in both the Senate and House confirmed they also are looking at whether elderly and infirm convicts now housed in prisons at sole expense to the state, and who pose no threat to the public, could be paroled to nursing homes or outside living centers so their health care costs can be covered by federal programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid.

"Obviously, our primary focus still has to be public safety. If you commit a serious crime, we have a bed for you," Whitmire said. "But I think we are at a time where, when we have such a tight budget, (that) we have an opportunity to look at how we operate our criminal justice system and take the next step to a more efficient and better system."

Senate Finance Committee Chair Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, echoed the sentiment. Her orders to Whitmire and Sen. Charles Schwertner, a Georgetown Republican who heads a work group looking to pare down correctional health care costs: "Look at everything."

In the House, members of the budget-writing Appropriations Committee appear to be on the same page. At a Monday hearing where Collier discussed the agency's budget needs for the next two years, White and other lawmakers said they are intent on finding new efficiencies for the nation's largest state prison system.

"By tightening up our current operations, we may be able to fund some programs that will lower our lockup costs even more," White said. "The goal here is not to just save money, but to end with a better system."
First, President Trump (absurdly) asserts that the media isn't reporting on terrorist attacks worldwide. Then, Kellyanne Conway references the nonexistent "Bowling Green Massacre" on MSNBC. Now, Trump is arguing that Sweden has had terrorist attacks and a rising crime wave due to accepting a large number of refugees from Syria. What next? Feel free to comment. Your guess is as good as mine. Click the gallery below to see many more cartoons by Nick Anderson.
John 11:49 And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, 50 Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.

Sometimes, circumstances occur that appear totally unpredicted or random. Yet, given the perspective of time, we often see how unexpected events are woven into the fabric of life to provide a pattern or design.

Two weeks ago, we began the series of articles on Lazarus death. Initially, Jesus explained to His disciples that Lazarus sickness had not come for the reason of death but to bring glory to God. (John 11:4) How hard it was for Christs followers to fully grasp the implication of His words!

Rather than immediately responding to the familys plea, Jesus waited until Lazarus was already dead. When Christ did decide to go, the disciples were reluctant due to past hostility in Judea. When Jesus plainly stated that Lazarus was dead, Thomas sarcastically answered, Well, lets go and die too! (John 11:16)

Dealing with people is sometimes like herding cats! Every individual has their own perspective, their own opinion, and their own agenda. The more personalities you add to the mix, the more difficult a resolution becomes.

Arriving at Lazarus home, Jesus was confronted by Martha and ridiculed for not coming in time. While He desperately tried to reveal Himself as the embodiment of the Resurrection, the woman just walked away without appreciating the truth He shared. Next, Mary confronted Jesus with the same accusation as her sister, If you had been here, our brother would not have died. (John 11:32)

Added to the womens disdain, the crowd was busy gossiping and speculating. When some of the mourners saw Jesus cry, they said, He must have loved Lazarus! But others quickly criticized Him by saying, If he was such a close friend, why didnt he come and heal him? (John 11:36-37)

Again Jesus heart broke.

So, why didnt Christ do something earlier to avoid this entire public fiasco? If He had come when the family asked, Jesus could have avoided so much heartache for everyone, including Himself. Consider His answer to the disciples, God was going to receive glory! But do you actually know what that glory was?

When Christ commanded the stone to be removed from Lazarus grave, Martha repeatedly objected, After four days, its too late! My brother is stinking! (John 11:39)

Jesus rebuked the woman, Martha, didnt I tell you that if you would believe, you could see Gods glory? (John 11:40) Then facing the open tomb, Jesus commanded Lazarus to rise.

True to Christs word, Lazarus came out of the grave still bound in his burial shroud. So, thats the glory, right?

No, not yet! Just as Jesus said earlier, This has NOTHING to do with Lazarus death. God was going to be glorified in another way.

As quickly as Lazarus was resurrected, some people immediately believed; however, others went and informed the temple authorities in Jerusalem. Instantly, the religious leaders began wringing their hands, debating This man does many miracles! What are we going to do? (John 11:47-48)

But Caiaphas, the High Priest, already knew the answer, You dont understand that it is necessary for one man to die so everyone else can live! (John 11:49-50) In this short statement, we finally realize that Lazarus sickness happened in order for Jesus to die, that God might be glorified by providing salvation through His Son.

By raising His friend from the grave, Jesus forfeited His own life that you and I might live through Him.

Edwin Woolseys family has lived in Shannon, Texas, and Howell counties since 1860. He taught 31 years at Missouri public schools and is currently the pastor of a small country congregation at Pilgrim Rest Community Church. Follow him on Twitter at @edwinwoolsey.
An organization that has worked toward the betterment of the Houston community for more than 40 years is holding its annual membership drive.

The Community Betterment and Arts Council (CBAC) of Houston last year took second place in both a statewide community contest and in the youth category.

It has several projects planned for this year:

Working with youth, city police and Texas County 911 to provide address numbers on houses and businesses.

Assisting with the completion of the Melba Theatre in downtown Houston.

Continuing progress on renovations to the historical Lynch-Tweed House, the oldest structure in Houston that dates to the Civil War.

Showing community progress.

Providing a fine arts concert or drama presentation.

Throughout the year, the CBAC Y.O.U.T.H. group (Youth Organization Understanding Tomorrows Houston) assists in several activities, including the annual Easter egg hunt, Mayors Prayer Breakfast, Share Your Christmas and other projects. Youth members also attend the annual state conference.

Community Betterment also sponsors the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program in the Houston School District and provides a monthly book by mail to children from birth until they begin kindergarten. It also provides two $750 scholarships to Houston High School graduates.

Membership fees are $25 for businesses and $10 for an individual/family. Meetings are at 12:30 p.m. the third Monday monthly at the Houston Senior Center. To join, send the fee and the following information to Kim Bittle, CBAC, P.O. Box 222, Houston, Mo. 65483

Officers are: Elaine Campbell, president and project manager; Wilda McNiell, vice president; Judy Rouse, secretary; and Kim Bittle, treasurer. Others on the board are: Sally Smith, Imagination Library; Amber Lange, youth sponsor; Primrose Casey, Shannon Nunnery and Ted Scroggins, maintenance.
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Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has said that his country is committed to the development of relations with Russia, but there still exist differences on a number of issues between the two countries.

"Before the incident we had very good relations with Russia and no one asked why we had such a good relationship. After the incident, many countries in NATO and the EU advised to normalize relations with Russia, because they don't need an additional factor of tension. We have normalized relations and then they started asking me 'why did you normalize relations with Russia?'," Cavusoglu said during the Munich Security Conference on Sunday.

The minister said Turkey maintains a principled policy. Before the incident when in November 2015 Turkish fighter jet was shot down by a Su-24 Russian bomber, Ankara had problems with the Crimean issue and it has not accepted the annexation of the Crimea, Cavusoglu said.

He said Turkey has a different position on the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad regime, the differences remain.

Cavusoglu said Russia is a trade partner of Turkey, the two countries have a lot of joint projects, but at the same time, there are also differences.
"Some of it can come on the profits that are generated by the labour-saving efficiency there. Some of it can come directly from some type of robot tax, he says.

While the rise of robotic workers may be worrying some, Gates is optimistic about the future and says hes sure there will always be work available for humans  as long as there are funds available to help retrain those who lost their jobs to automation.

What the world wants is to take this opportunity to make all the goods and services we have today and free up labour  let us do a better job of reaching out to the elderly, having smaller class side, helping kids with special needs," says Gates.

"All of those are things where human empathy and understanding are still very unique, and we still deal with an immense shortage of people to help out there."

Gates says that if labour and resources replaced by automation can be redirected towards those types of roles, "you're net ahead.
Angelina Jolie is finally opening up about her split from Brad Pitt.

Speaking to BBC World News on Monday about her new film "First They Killed My Father," which she directed, the 41-year-old actress said the divorce process has been "difficult."

I dont want to say very much about that, except to say it was a very difficult time and we are a family and we will always be a family, and we will get through this time and hopefully be a stronger family for it, she told BBC's Yalda Hakim in Cambodia.

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"Many, many people find themselves in this situation."

Angelina Jolie speaks to media during a press conference at a hotel in Siem Reap on February 18.

For the mom of six, however, Jolie's current focus is her children.

"My focus is my children, our children, and my focus is finding this way through. As I said, we are and forever will be a family. That is how I am coping. I am coping with finding a way through to make sure that this somehow makes us stronger and closer," she continued.

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt attend the premiere of 'By the Sea' at the 2015 AFI Fest at TCL Chinese 6 Theatres.

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The "By the Sea" star filed for divorce from actor Brad Pitt in September 2016.

The two first met on the set of their 2003 film "Mr. & Mrs. Smith," while Pitt was married to Jennifer Aniston, and began dating after Pitt and Aniston split. They got married in a secret ceremony in 2014 in France and had been together for 12 years.

The have six children: Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, Vivienne and Knox.

Brad Pitt, Maddox Jolie-Pitt, Zahara Jolie-Pitt and Angelina Jolie are seen at LAX.

The BBC's Hakim also asked the humanitarian where she sees herself in the next five years.

"At that stage, I hope just standing," she said.

In five years time I would like to be travelling around the world visiting my children, hoping that theyre just happy and doing really interesting things, and I imagine in many different parts of the world, and Ill be supporting them.

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie appear before photographers upon their arrival at Haneda Airport in Tokyo.

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Verkhovna Rada Chairman Andriy Parubiy has officially announced MP Andriy Artemenko has been expelled from the faction of Oleh Liashko's Radical Party in parliament.

"Oleh Liashko's Radical Party at its meeting on February 20 decided to expel MP Andriy Artemenko from the faction," the speaker said at a plenary session on Tuesday.

The New York Times wrote on February 19 that Ukrainian parliamentarian Andriy Artemenko had handed a peace plan over to Donald Trump's Administration.

"Mr. Artemenko said he saw in Mr. Trump an opportunity to advocate a plan for peace in Ukraine  and help advance his own political career. Essentially, his plan would require the withdrawal of all Russian forces from eastern Ukraine. Ukrainian voters would decide in a referendum whether Crimea, the Ukrainian territory seized by Russia in 2014, would be leased to Russia for a term of 50 or 100 years," The New York Times wrote.

Michael Cohen, the U.S. president's personal lawyer, delivered the peace plan to Michael Flynn a week before the latter resigned as U.S. national security adviser. According to the publication, Cohen has a personal connection to Ukraine: He is married to a Ukrainian woman and once worked with relatives there to establish an ethanol business.

Artemenko claimed his plan had been supported by advisers to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

On February 20, Oleh Liashko, leader of the parliamentary faction of the Radical Party, demanded that Andriy Artemenko, a member of this faction, step down.
wundervisuals via Getty Images Woman holding canadian flag against blue sky

That thing you wear on your head during the winter months. What do you call it? How about the colouring tool you used in school? Ask a Canadian and youll get a response our global counterparts wont understand. Thats because Canadians have a special way of speaking and describing things. We say eh and go oot and aboot when we have time. The folks who manage the .CA domain name get this. In partnership with them, we list words and phrases that are uniquely Canadian.

KD, Kraft Dinner

Canadians know that if your mum said she was making KD for dinner, you were in for a tasty night. Ask an American if they like KD, however, and they wont understand what youre saying. Our friends to the south of us call their version of cheese and noodle bliss Kraft Macaroni and Cheese.

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Two-Four

A case of beer? Absolutely not, my friend. We call it a two-four because there are 24 bottles in a case. And while were on that subject, can you get us one?

BeaverTails

A uniquely Canadian dessert: dough hand stretched to resemble a beavers tail, and then deep fried. Its like a doughnut, but way better.

Canadian Tuxedo

Youve got your jeans on, right? Slap a jean jacket on top of whatever shirt youre wearing and ta-da, youre rocking a Canadian tux.

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Double Double

Double the cream, double the sugar. Its the combo that made Tim Hortons famous. The only thing better than a cup of hot coffee is a free chocolate doughnut to go alongside it (thanks Roll Up The Rim To Win!)

Loonies And Toonies

Our one-dollar coin has a loon on it, hence loonie. Our two-dollar coin is worth two dollars, hence toonie. Creative, eh?

Caesar

We see your Bloody Mary and raise you a celery salt rim and Clamato juice concoction. Its the unofficial mixed drink of Canada.

.CA

You can keep your .com, .net, and .org, because a .CA domain stands on guard for thee. We like to think of the .CA as the Canadian flag on your digital backpack. Canadians know when they see a .CA website that it is 100 per cent Canadian and can be trusted.

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Toque

You need one for winter, and one for spring. Okay also another one for fall. While most Canadians know that a toque is the cap that you wear on your head, theres some debate surrounding the spelling of the name. The CBC Style Guide claims that tuque is the right way to spell it. Its a French-Canadian term thats probably derived from the Old Spanish word toca, a type of headdress.

Pencil Crayon

Its not a pencil, its not a crayon, but man, when you have a set of them, colouring gets real.

Mickey

Our version is much more fun than the mouse. Its 375 mL of booze contained in a nice little bottle. Could anything be better?

Giver

While others go for it, do it or have a try, real Canadians giver.

Serviette

It sounds fancy, but really were just using a napkin to wipe our faces clean from the Caesar that we just sipped.
As Canada and the European Union reach the home stretch to an historic free trade deal, a new research report says the agreement was made on the basis of flawed, unrealistically optimistic economic models.

The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), negotiated by the previous Conservative government and now championed by the Liberal government, will reduce employment throughout the trade area, depressing wages in Canada and Europe, the report warns.

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UN economic researcher Pierre Kohler and Delft University economist Servaas Storm predict in the report that CETA will eliminate 227,000 jobs by 2023. Canada stands to lose 23,000 jobs, while the European Union stands to lose 204,000, the report forecasts. This is due to efficiencies created by a larger economic market.

That decline in jobs will depress wage growth, costing the average Canadian earner 1,776 euros (C$2,460 at current exchange rates) in foregone annual earnings. Europeans stand to lose between C$440 and C$1,850 per year, depending on the country.

In the current context of tepid economic growth, competitive pressures induced by [the trade deal] will cause unemployment, inequality, and welfare losses. At a minimum, this shows that official studies do not offer a solid basis for an informed decision on CETA, Kohler and Storm write.

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The study appears in the latest issue of the International Journal of Political Economy. It challenges predictions made by earlier research, such as a 2008 joint study by Canadas federal government and the European Union, which predicted a 20-per-cent jump in trade between Canada and Europe as a result of free trade. That would add $12 billion, or about 0.7 per cent of GDP, to Canadas economy.

"Official studies do not offer a solid basis for an informed decision on CETA."  Kohler and Storm, "CETA Without Blinders," International Journal of Political Economy

But Kohler and Storm argue this projection, and others like it, are based on a flawed economic model. They say the computable general equilibrium (CGE) model, developed in 2005, makes too many rosy assumptions about how economies react to free trade deals.

For one thing, the CGE model assumes full employment  meaning it assumes everyone who wants a job has one, before and after the deal.

In these CGE analyses, the Canadian and EU economies instantaneously and costlessly adjust to the trade reform, the authors write. The model dismisses any potential  costs beforehand and without justification, excluding from the outset any proven risk associated with deeper liberalization.

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However, some other economists argue the model that Kohler and Storm themselves used  the UN Policy Model  ignores some positive impacts of trade liberalization, so using this model will always underplay the positives of free trade.

Then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper and European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso signed the agreement in October, 2013, after more than four years of negotiations.

The deal has been slowly going through the ratification process ever since, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau championing CETA as an antidote to rising xenophobia and protectionism around the western world.

The European Parliament voted in favour of the deal last week, by a vote of 408 for and 254 against. This means 90 per cent of the deal can be implemented provisionally within months.

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However, 10 per cent of the deal  including a controversial dispute settlement tribunal  has to be voted on by all 28 national parliaments of the European Union (27 parliaments not counting Britain, which is negotiating its Brexit from the EU).

Some countries may choose to hold referenda on the agreement.

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Designers, models, editors and other fashion trailblazers joined forces with W magazine and Milk Studios for a video released Friday, declaring "I am an immigrant" to combat U.S. President Donald Trump's recent immigration ban.

And although the executive order has been put on hold for now, xenophobia is still, and has always been, prevalent in the United States.

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Model Jaharrah Ali, a Brooklyn, New York native born to Pakistani and Trinidadian parents, who proudly rocked her hijab in the video, spoke on her experience.

A post shared by Jasmine Burke (@thejasmineburke) on Feb 21, 2017 at 6:45am PST

"Being a Muslim model, you know how xenophobic people can be," she told W. "By me saying, 'My name is Jaharrah Ali, and I am an immigrant,' Im saying that everything in my life, everything Ive done in the last 28 years has been important."

Former DKNY designer Maxwell Osborne was also on-set for the moving shoot. But this isn't the first time he's intersected fashion with politics.

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Last summer, Osborne penned an open letter in W, urging the fashion industry to stand with Black Lives Matter.

"Encourage diversity on your runways and campaigns," he wrote. "Empower your social media fans to raise their voices. Use your designs for the public good. Attend a protest and see change in action.Raise awareness  its not as empty a gesture as it may seem  and others will follow your lead."

 Real Sh*t on @wmag A post shared by @maxwellosborne on Jul 14, 2016 at 11:49am PDT

Perhaps the most beautiful aspect of the stunning video is its inclusivity. Immigrants from a range of countries, who each uniquely represent different religions, genders, skin tones and hair textures all took part. Proving that an immigration ban affects us all.

Watch the full video above.

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Conservative MP Tony Clement wants the CBC to apologize after he felt forced to hang up during an interview about illegal border crossings.

Clement was speaking to Mike Finnerty, host of CBC Radio's "Daybreak" in Montreal, on the growing number of people choosing to illegally walk across the border into Canada to claim refugee status. This includes dozens who have been arrested in the Emerson area of Manitoba in recent weeks.

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Along with fellow Tory MP Michelle Rempel, Clement has asked for the government to uphold the law on illegal crossings and provide more resources to RCMP officers at the border.

He gave that same message in Tuesday's segment. But as Finnerty pressed him on the force's role at the border and what he thinks officers should do to asylum-seekers, the conversation got a bit tense.

Listen to the interview embedded below:

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"I'm just curious to know what happens to those people who are crossing foot when the meet the police?" Finnerty said.

"I'm not the government," replied Clement. "The CBC is not the government. It's up to the government to come up with a plan."

As the host continued to ask Clement  his party's public safety critic  to elaborate on what kind of "plan" he'd like to see from the government, the MP only said that there was a "problem" and that the law should be enforced.

Finnery tried once more. He got a dial tone.

Later, Clement took to Twitter to say the broadcaster took a serious issue like illegal border crossings to "shout" him down on the air.

Way to go CBC. Taking a serious issue (illegal crossings) to shout me down on the air. Your tax dollars at work.  Tony Clement (@TonyclementCPC) February 21, 2017

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In replies to some Twitter users who were criticizing his behaviour, Clement said Finnerty "talked over me constantly." He also felt the CBC should apologize.

@EricVanSickle CBC should apologize  Tony Clement (@TonyclementCPC) February 21, 2017

Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale was asked Tuesday about the RCMP's resources at the border, where he said the situation is under "very careful scrutiny" by the Mounties as well as the Canada Border Services Agency.

"They are enforcing Canadian law," Goodale told reporters. "They have made some rearrangements in the deployment of their resources to make sure that they can deal effectively with the situation."

Goodale said his ministry and the Prime Minister's Office would be "anxious" to hear the agencies' advice should they recommend any changes or additions to the RCMP's current resources.

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With a file from The Canadian Press

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A 2014 photo of Justin Trudeau is resurfacing on social media as Americans compare Canada's prime minister with the U.S. president.

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Before he became prime minister, Trudeau regularly stopped at Montreal's subway stations to campaign and greet people. In April 2014, he was at the Jarry Metro station shaking hands and meeting people as the Liberal party leader and a Montreal MP.

"Unfortunately, the escalator was broken that day and the station isn't equipped with an elevator," recalled Adam Scotti, Trudeau's official photographer who refers to him as "the boss."

"The boss noticed this man was trying to figure out a way down, so he and a few others offered to help him."

This week, people in the U.S. widely shared the image of Trudeau as a contrast to his American counterpart, Donald Trump. During his election campaign, the U.S. president publicly mocked a reporter with disabilities.

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A tale of two world leaders. Justin Trudeau helps man in wheelchair vs Trump mocks disabled man. One of these is supposedly "GOD's chosen" pic.twitter.com/8p4rYUiqFn  Royal Priest (@MLCHZDK) February 21, 2017

#Trump would have mocked the guy (or, at best, ignored him). Trudeau helped him. (((sigh))) https://t.co/sWPRWL7dlI https://t.co/sWPRWL7dlI  Sheryl Canter (@sheryl_canter) February 21, 2017

Scotti pointed out the photo re-appears on social media regularly  and he hopes it creates more awareness about accessibility.

The Montreal Metro, for example, has elevators in only 11 out of 68 stations.

"Accessibility is an issue we all need to think about more on a daily basis and do something about, so if my photo helps serve as a small reminder, that is a good thing," Scotti told The Huffington Post Canada in an email on Tuesday.

With a file from Althia Raj

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PM Trudeau Posing For Selfies See Gallery
"One day, all of the women (there were, I believe, six of us left in the org) received an email saying that no leather jackets were being ordered for the women because there were not enough women in the organisation to justify placing an order. I replied and said that I was sure Uber SRE could find room in their budget to buy leather jackets for the, what, six women if it could afford to buy them for over a hundred and twenty men.

"The director replied back, saying that if we women really wanted equality, then we should realise we were getting equality by not getting the leather jackets. He said that because there were so many men in the org, they had gotten a significant discount on the men's jackets but not on the women's jackets, and it wouldn't be equal or fair, he argued, to give the women leather jackets that cost a little more than the men's jackets."
alex_ugalek via Getty Images Red wine is poured from bottle to glass, wooden background

In this sesquicentennial year of the nation, pausing to reflect is a pastime many of us have undertaken. For Don Triggs, that look back includes a memorable day in 1992 in front of the Toronto Board of Trade. Triggs, recognized as a legend in the Canadian wine-making industry, recalls hearing a member of the association representing the ball-bearing industry speaking to the Board's executives, lobbying for funding and for an appreciation of his struggles.

"He was going on and on about how tough it was to make it in the ball-bearing business in Canada. After he was done, it was my turn to speak. So, I went up there and the first words I said were, 'Ladies and gentlemen, if you think it is hard being in the ball-bearing business, try being in the business of selling Canadian wine to the world.' And the place erupted in laughter."

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No longer a joke, the Canadian wine industry is enjoying unprecedented fruitfulness in every category you might use to chart success. Sales are at a peak, international accolades continue to be collected, investors from outside the country are eager to enter, and sommeliers nod in appreciation. Thanks for those wins go to pioneers such as Triggs, co-founder of Jackson-Triggs Winery. Triggs is now at Culmina Estate, a winery he operates with his family in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia.

Success was a matter of sticktoitiveness as well as a deep understanding of the terroir in Ontario and particularly in B.C., whose wines run the gamut from sweet, gentle whites such as Rieslings to big, robust Bordeaux-style reds. Moreover, the region is attracting wine makers from around the world who recognize opportunity in what is now an established but still growing industry.

Triggs says the difference in how Canadian wines used to be viewed and how they are seen now is "night and day." In Vancouver to participate in the 39th annual Vancouver International Wine Festival, Triggs was present for a dinner at Ancora where his wines were paired with the restaurant's Peruvian-influenced cuisine. While pouring a collection of his wines, he noted that Culmina's premier red label, Hypothesis, is offered in restaurants in Los Angeles and San Francisco. "We are selling whites in the U.K. and in Switzerland. We'll be starting to look at entering the China market this year. So, times have definitely changed."

Selling bottles to restaurants and exporting them to other nations is one sign of success; another is what's happening at Black Hills Estate Winery. President Glenn Fawcett recalls a time in the 1990s when the winery shop might see nine visitors in a month, none of whom would buy a bottle. The growth since then has been phenomenal.

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My latest Vacay.ca article: "@VanWineFest Shows Robust State of Canadian #Wines". A post shared by AdrianBrijbassi (@adrianbrijbassi) on Feb 19, 2017 at 3:12pm PST

In 2008, the winery's tasting room drew 1,400 visitors who purchased $68,000 worth of wine. In 2016, that number catapulted to 14,000 visitors who spent $1.2 million at the winery, Fawcett said.

"Absolutely the biggest change I've seen is in wine tourism," Fawcett declared after a fascinating tasting event at Glowbal Restaurant that featured nine varieties -- from 1999 to 2014 -- of Black Hills' signature Nota Bene Bordeaux-inspired red wine. "People are now planning their holidays to the Okanagan around the wines and the winery tours, and then they're discovering the water activities on the lake and the beaches. It used to be very much the other way around. But the wine culture and the food culture has evolved so much."

Suzanne Clifton, hospital manager of Canadian Mountain Holidays, has witnessed the dramatic changes at her properties in the Rocky Mountains. Roughly 40 per cent of the guests at CMH's 13 resort properties are Americans and they're showing more and more interest in drinking Canadian reds and whites, Clifton points out.

"Five years ago, we put Canadian wines on the menu and they just didn't do well. Now, what a difference. They're what's selling, what people want," she says. "It comes down to the bartenders in a lot of cases. They feel confident in the product, so they will recommend it. That's a big part of it. Also, people recognize the name. They've heard of B.C. wines or the Okanagan Valley, and even I they haven't tried the wines before they at least know there's a reputation for it."

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While the industry is robust in B.C. and Ontario, it's only starting to gain appreciation in the Maritimes. Nova Scotia has its own appellation -- which identifies a distinct style of wine of the region -- and 20 wineries, including the award-winning Benjamin Bridge. The provinces cold climate benefits the Tidal Bay appellation, which features crisp whites and Champagne-style sparkling wines.

With more wineries emerging across the country, Canada's viticulture scene is as exciting as it has ever been. In honour of the nation's 150th birthday, the Vancouver wine fest made sure to gather the largest number of Canadian wineries ever for this year's event. The festival has proven to be an opportunity to weigh the past, present and future of the industry. As Fawcett points out, the next step in the evolution of the Canadian wine industry sits with the citizens of the country.

"It's true we've reached a critical mass, with the quality of the wine and the volume of wine being produced, but when we talk about how we can evolve, it means further convincing Canadians we are that good at producing wine," he says. "That hasn't always been easy to do, but it gets easier each year."
Kyiv's Pechersky district court has given permission to Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) to inspect information on the mobile telephones of Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada deputy Vadym Novynsky (Opposition Bloc faction). The PGO is investigating whether Novynsky falsely imprisoned Metropolitan Oleksandr (Drabynko)  an aide of the late Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan).

The corresponding decision has been included in the unified register of court decisions, meaning the motion filed by PGO has been approved.

"The investigator from the PGO's main investigation bureau and members of the investigation team are given temporary access to information sources of the operator of mobile [communications]  and the right to gather evidence," the court ruling says.

According to the court ruling, access is given to collect information on [Novynsky's] incoming and outgoing calls from June 2013 through 2014.

As reported, the pretrial investigation is underway pursuant to Part 2 of Article 146 (kidnapping) and Part 1 of Article 365 (exceeding authority or grants of authority by a law-enforcement organ) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine based on Ukraine's Criminal Code. It involves Novynsky, former Ukrainian President Yanukovych and former Interior Minister Vitaliy Zakharchenko, former Kyiv Police Chief Valeriy Koriak, as well as other employees of Kyiv's law-enforcement agencies. The men are suspected of holding Metropolitan of Pereyaslav-Khmelnytsky Oleksandr Drabynko, the personal aide of Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan), against his will.

Ukrainian Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko said earlier: "Yanukovych attempted to appoint his allies to high church posts. Without means to legally replace Sabodan, Yanukovych decided to force Sabodan to abdicate and to appoint Metropolitan of Boryspil and Brovary Antoniy (Pakanych) as a replacement  in order for the latter to influence the mood in the society."

The PGO head said Zakharchenko, in turn, ordered Koriak to collect information about people close to Metropolitan Volodymyr. Ukraine's former Interior Minister was supposed to illegally detain Bishop Oleksandr (Drabynko), which would have forced the head of the church to resign from his position.

According to Lutsenko, Zakharchenko forced Drabynko to write a statement requesting security from the court police unit Gryfon. Koriak, in turn, granted the request and "isolated Drabynko."

The security detail turned into a convoy, Lutsenko said.

Koriak then "gave Gryfon the order" to keep Drabynko in the Opera Hotel, that is, kept him against his will there, and later moved Drabynko to another location.

In addition, Zakharchenko demanded Drabynko to urge Volodymyr to resign.

"All these events are backed by up witness testimony," Lutsenko said, adding that on September 5, 2013 there was a meeting between Yanukovych, Novynsky, Metropolitan Volodymyr and Drabynko, during which "Yanukovych tasked Novynsky with keeping Drabynko in confinement. Novynsky agreed to obey the instructions."

According to Lutsenko, from September 2013 through December 2013 Novynsky reported by telephone information about the whereabouts of Drabynko (some 40 calls were made from Novynsky's telephone to Koriak).

In December, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has upheld the motion of Prosecutor General of Ukraine Yuriy Lutsenko for his consent to strip Vadym Novynsky's parliamentary immunity from prosecution.

The parliament partially stripped Novinsky of his parliamentary immunity upholding the prosecutor general's motion and permitting criminal prosecution against him. However, law enforcement agencies will be able neither to apprehend nor use a restrictive measure in the form of arrest against Novinsky, because this requires further permission from the Verkhovna Rada.

On February 15, 2017, Lutsenko said that the Prosecutor General's Office will soon notify Novynsky of suspicion and will send his case to court. "With regard to Novynsky, we received very important data about an attempt to poison Metropolitan Volodymyr," he said.
Last week's anti-Islam protest outside of a downtown Toronto mosque was small, but powerful. With roughly 50 protesters in total, their signs and banners that read "Stop Islam" and "Islam brings death" left no room for misinterpretation or misunderstanding. The demonstration was abhorrent and hateful. It was a horrifying sight many of us wish to never again see on our city's streets.

But it was not surprising.

Since the election of Donald Trump in November, many have accused the U.S. president of inciting hatred and fear in Canada -- and rightfully so. Last month's shooting at a Quebec mosque, which left six people dead and 19 injured, was carried out by a lone Canadian extremist who was also a vocal Trump supporter.

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But Islamophobia has been an issue here in Canada, long before Donald Trump. Although the country is home to more than one million Muslims, more than half of Canadians have an "unfavourable" view of Islam, according to a 2013 Angus Reid Global poll (an increase of nearly 10 per cent since 2009). Among Quebecers, those numbers are even higher, hovering close to 70 per cent in both 2009 and 2013.

The growing animosity has led to a sharp increase in the number of hate crimes against Muslim Canadians. Despite a decrease in the overall number of reported hate crimes across the country, the number of police-reported hate crimes against Muslims has more than doubled over a three-year period.

Canadians' unfavourable perceptions of Islam have also been reflected in our government, most notably the Conservative government led by former prime minister Stephen Harper. In 2015, the Conservatives implemented Bill C-24, the Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act, effectively giving Canada the power to strip dual citizens of their Canadian citizenship. In the same year, the Harper government also passed the Zero Tolerance for Barbaric Cultural Practices Act, which toughened laws on forced marriage, polygamy and "honour killings."

Islamophobia in Canada has also been fuelled by the dangerous rhetoric of Canadian leaders like Kellie Leitch. The MP and Conservative leadership candidate has called for a controversial screening of new immigrants and refugees for "Canadian values," as well as proposed a "barbaric cultural practices" tip line.

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All this has now seemingly come to a political head in Parliament through the form of Motion 103. Put forward by Mississauga MP Iqra Khalid, the motion calls on the House of Commons to "condemn Islamophobia and all forms of systemic racism and religious discrimination." M103 has ignited a heated debate in Ottawa for one sole reason: its inclusion of the word "Islamophobia."

Conservative MPs argue that without a clear definition, the lack of context could infringe on Canadians' rights to free speech, while suppressing legitimate concerns of Sharia law. Last week, the party tabled a new motion, removing any reference to Islamophobia. The Liberals have since rejected the change.

This attempt to condemn religious discrimination without explicit mention of Islamophobia is indicative of a greater trend within Canada, in which intolerance of Muslims is soft-pedaled and downplayed. Worst, it's often times portrayed as a justified response to a perceived intrusion of Islamic ideologies and encroachment on Canadian values.

Islamophobia is here, and we can no longer ignore its growing presence in this country. Just like systemic racism and anti-Semitism, it can no longer be treated as a non-Canadian issue, or a matter we are somehow immune to by result of our geographical location.

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Together, the blinders we've worn for so long and politicians' use of dog-whistle politics have created a dangerous climate of fear and division. As Liberal MP Chandra Arya pointedly noted last week, the Quebec mosque terror attack was the "direct result" of the policies put forward by the federal Conservative party and Quebec's Parti Quebecois.

"Fear is a dangerous thing," he told the House of Commons. "Once it is sanctioned by the state, there's no telling where it might lead. It's always a short path to walk from being suspicious of our fellow citizens, to taking actions to restrict their liberty."

As the political discourse against Islam continues south of the border, Canadians must remain vigilant to ensure that all Canadians, regardless of race or religion, are protected and given safe space. But this diligence can only begin with recognition and acknowledgment of the matter at hand: Islamophobia.

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On Feb 10, 2017, we had a very interesting evening. We were in our basement when we heard a knock at our front door. We thought it was the dinner we ordered but instead Frank opened the door to find five teenage boys who told him they were doing a school project. He thought this was odd as it was almost 7:30 in the evening, but as a high school teacher Frank listened to what they had to say.

They started to sing a silly song, and they became very rowdy. I came upstairs as I became concerned as to what was happening. In the meantime as I ascended the stairs, they asked Frank, "What do you think of the LGBT Community", Frank asked them, "What do you mean?" and they said, "Never mind!" then ran away and wrote the following on our vehicle:

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I immediately called the police, and they responded quickly and efficiently. Things could have been worse, and thankfully, for our sake, it was not. The police apprehended three of the five boys, and brought them back to our house in the back seat of the cruiser to apologize for the incident and for their behaviour. We are thankful to the police for helping us and we hope the boys learned a valuable lesson. We hope this is the first and last time that they decide to do this -- to us, or to anyone.

We are very fortunate that we live in Canada, more so Toronto, where we feel it is a progressive, open, accepting city. It is legal for gay people to live freely, marry whomever they love, and start a family. Other countries in the world still treat the LGBTQ+ community as second class citizens, where they are denied basic human rights, and even killed for just being gay.

As educators, we want to use this experience as a teachable moment. We are a family, just like any family out there. It is not OK to harass anyone based on their sexual orientation or for any other reason. If given the opportunity, this is what I would want to say to them:

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"You apologized for your actions and we appreciate that, but what you did was not OK and made us question our safety and our son's safety. We understand you are young and this may have been a 'prank,' but please know that gay people every day of their lives are ostracized, bullied, and mistreated just because of who they are. This is something that we take seriously. This type of behaviour is not accepted, and will not be tolerated. We are gay and are different from your 'traditional' family, but we are a family nonetheless. We hope that you will never have to feel unsafe in your own home like you made us feel that night. Hopefully you learned from this, and you can learn to accept everyone. We forgive you and one day you can open your hearts and minds and not treat others like this again."

Will this incident deter us from being who we are, or second guess our neighbourhood and community? Absolutely not. Will this incident make us more vocal in the fight against homophobia and support those that need help? Absolutely. At first we tried to figure out how the boys knew that we were gay, and then we realized it didn't matter, because we are not going to change who we are or how we live our lives. We will hang a Pride flag from our porch this summer and make sure we hang it with pride more than ever.

One of the things in life that we are most proud of is our family. In Ontario, the third Monday of every February is a holiday called Family Day. We have a day specifically reserved to spend with the ones we love. As many of you know, we had Milo through surrogacy. Every family has their own story, each family is unique and that is what makes it special.

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Henry and Family (North Carolina),

Michael and family (New York), Josh and son.(Illinois)

In Michelle Blessings article, Meaning Of Family, she states, "Whether made of blood relatives, friends, or pets, or a combination of these, your family can offer you the support you need to thrive." We may not all get along with members of our own family, agree on issues, or even talk to one another. Every family has its challenges. There are many definitions of the word family. We all define what family means to us differently. To me, family means "The people in my life who love me unconditionally, support, and care about my well-being and the well-being of others."

David L. and family(California), David B. and family (California),

Deanna and family (Ontario)

I asked my friends on social media to define what family means to them, and I would like to share some of their responses;

"To me, family represents your sphere of individuals, whether you share DNA or not, with whom share an unrelenting connection with. Family is when you are willing to share your love, hurt, pain, triumphs, happiness and everything in between with other." Octavious SH (North Carolina)

"Family is more than just blood....You find family wherever people love each other." Dot M. (Ontario)

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John and family (Ontario), Joseph and family (California) Lanrick and family (Ontario)

"Family is just about love: my mother is my family; some of the friends of mine (very few ones actually) are my family; I am my family!" Alessio G. (Italy)

"I have found my friends are more my family than actually blood related members. I can count on my family/friends more than my actual family." Louie O. (Ontario)

"Family means to me is not just my flesh and blood. It also means friends also. It doesn't matter if u are related or not I have best friends that are family too." Marcea S. (New York)

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Shawn and family (Illinois), Sheila and family (New Jersey)

"Family are the people who love you unconditionally, will always have your back, and who can always see the good in you. They aren't always related though, because sometimes your family is made up of people who started out as friends, but grew to love you like family." Andrea M. (Ontario)

"Family means people who you can depend on for love, support, and friendship, no questions asked. They don't even have to be members of your immediate family. But they are your family. They have your back, you have theirs." Stephen G. (Ontario)

"...Family is unconditional love, nurturing and teaching good values." Sheila B. (New Jersey)

Patricio and family (Spain). Richard and family (California)

"Your Universe, Your world, Your humanity, Your Kingdom, Your Home, and Your heart and soul. It"s where it all began. Your story!" Katzin K. (Ontario)

"My family are the ones I get to laugh and cry with. The ones I get to cuddle, kiss and pine for day after day. They are the ones I love unconditionally. It's so much more than blood." Lanrick J.B. (Ontario)

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Nadia and family (Ontario), Moses and family (California), Michelle and family (Florida)

"Security,support, and love. Most importantly love." Christopher B. (Connecticut)

"Unwavering support, Unconditional love and Acceptance. Not tied to blood. Family is who's left when everybody else leaves." Mila A. (New York)

"Family is love unconditionally. People don't necessarily have to be related to be family." Rachel S. (Ontario)

"Family is where your flaws are accepted, your uniqueness encouraged, and you always have a place to call home and feel safe." Luis S. (Michigan)

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Luis and family(Michigan), Benny and family (South Carolina)

"Family: means people who brought you up to be who you are, people that love you no matter what and people that support you and hold you tight through thick and thin." Lisa B. (Ontario)

"Family is your history and your future. Family know your stories and love you anyway. I am blessed to have the family I have and that your family is such a big part of it.

"Family is a web of unconditional, reciprocal love that protects and sustains us--that allows us to be honestly and authentically ourselves." David L. (California)

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All families come in different shapes, sizes, colours, religious beliefs. They are all different, but the one thing they all have in common is love to share! When it comes down to it, family is about love! What does family mean to you?

Originally posted on Family Is About Love

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Bobak Ha'Eri

It's that time of year when thousands of Canadians are getting away to a warmer climate for their reading weeks and spring breaks. But instead of the beaches and palm trees I went a different route, I went to the 70th annual Northern Manitoba Trappers' Festival in The Pas, Manitoba.

The Trappers Festival is a unique experience that reminded me of when my parents used to take me to the Renaissance Fairs. The Festival provides a unique atmosphere in which anyone can experience a part of Canada's heritage -- a heritage that is becoming a part of much of Canada's past, except for in communities that keep it alive across the north.

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Witnessing the events that are part of the Festival made me feel closer to my Canadian identity. There are festivals all over Canada -- Pride in Toronto, Canada Day in Ottawa, Just for Laughs in Montreal to name a few. Trappers Festival is rooted in First Nations territory and shaped by Metis tradition and by those that have settled over the years. It is a festival soaked in plaid, in the middle of winter, demonstrating just how rough and tumble Canadians still are.

Above it all, I could not get over how kind, courteous and welcoming everyone was. The only draw back was that it was too warm. Global warming pushed temperatures above zero, in the single digits, thus making much of the dog sled races an impossibility. As if it was within their control, everyone I talked to apologized for the weather and showed genuine remorse that my Trappers Festival would not include the famous dog races.

In a perfectly Canadian way, many were then optimistically glad "that at least the roads were clear so you got into town safely." The people of The Pas, Opaskwayak Cree Nation and the RM of Kelsey welcomed everyone to their region to celebrate this festival and just wanted the weekend to be perfect.

The people of these communities get involved each consecutive year, an ode to the last. Tradition is at stake and the people know that this festival is part of who they are and a reminder of where they came from. As history, has it, "Trager and Ben Dembinsky, convened the first modern-day Northern Manitoba Trapper's Festival in 1947, reasoning that Northern Manitobans needed an activity to brighten up the long, cold winters."

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Since that time the competitions have expanded to include dog-mushing, ice fishing, snowshoe racing, rat skinning, and trap setting. Its iconic nature is evident in the recognition that is given to those who place first, the naming of a King and Queen trapper. The King Trapper must compete in 21 of 22 different events from axe throwing, to log throwing to the last event flour packing where "each contestant tries to carry a load of flour on his back for a set distance."

Talent and good cheer are everywhere. The craft show brings artists together from across the north who sell beaded jewelry, northern art, and fur trimmed winter clothing alongside wild mint tea, canned preservatives, and baked goods. At night there are dinners and socials where fiddle music can be enjoyed and whiskey, beer and Trappers' Tea are imbibed at a rapid rate.

From Lonesome Mary and Bill Bannock, the jolly mascots of the event, to the Fur Queen contestants, the Festival celebrates the heartiness, the courage and resilience of northern people. In such uncertain times this festival represents an opportunity to put the ugliness of the real world in the rear-view mirror. The festival is mainly void of commercialization and it is through that authenticity that you see something extraordinary.

An entire region coming together, indigenous, non-indigenous, young and old, working together to maintain age old traditions and building a bright future together. A truly Canadian experience that I am grateful to have been a part of first hand.
Stuart Westmorland via Getty Images Desert blooms after winter rains, Rancho Carisivu, west side of Cape, near Cabo San Lucas, Baja California, Mexico.

Prickly cacti, intermittent cell phone signals, and one-horse towns may not sound like the makings of an unforgettable road trip, but they are. Nearly every dusty dirt road along Mexico's Baja California peninsula leads to a deserted beach, historic town, or out-of-this-world fish taco stand, and they're all waiting to be explored. Baja is one of the most underrated road trip destinations in North America, and these are five reasons why.

Deserted Beaches Still Exist

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Photo credit: Fulvio Spada

Deserted beaches are things of the past in many parts of North America, but they still exist along the Baja peninsula. From the Bay of Concepcion to the East Cape and the sandy coast lining the Sea of Cortez and Pacific Ocean everywhere in between, you're never far from a beach that hasn't seen footprints in days. We've all heard stories of how California's beaches used to be, and Baja California offers a taste of those glory days every day of the week.

You Can Forget About Traffic

The Baja peninsula is home to just a couple highways, and the Transpeninsular (Highway 1) is the most trafficked. Avid road trippers will be astounded when they see just a handful of cars while cruising several hours on the highway, which stretches from Ensenada in the north to Cabo San Lucas in the south. The roads are narrow, speed bumps (topes) are common, and road signs are few, but once you get used to the ways of the road in rural Mexico, you learn to appreciate every roadside fruit stand, 100-citizen pueblo, and Dr. Seuss-style cactus along the way.

You'll See It All

A road trip through Baja means you'll see everything from secluded cliffs overlooking the deep blue Pacific to small cities that never sleep. Within just two hours of driving, you can travel from the authentic, artsy pueblo of Todos Santos to bustling Cabo San Lucas, and through to historic San Jose del Cabo. It's easy to cram several destinations into a single day of sightseeing to create a vacation that's packed with delicious eats, exciting attractions, and plenty of relaxation time too.

Adventure Awaits

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Photo credit: Zach Dischner

Adventurous travelers instinctively love road trips. The opportunity to see every site, city, and stretch of untouched sand along the Transpeninsular is undeniably exciting, but travelers will be even more amazed by the adventure that awaits along the way. From hiking to the Cascada Sol Del Mayo Waterfall on a day trip from Cabo San Lucas to renting an ATV and dodging cacti in the desert or snorkeling along North America's largest living reef at Cabo Pulmo, you might be disappointed when you can't cram every Baja adventure you want to try into a single visit.

You Will Eat Enough Tacos to Last a Lifetime

One culinary art the street-side cooks in Baja California have mastered that mainland Mexico's haven't quite yet is the creation of the perfect fish taco. Whether you're camped along the Sea of Cortez at the picture-perfect beach of Santispec, cruising "Taco Alley" in downtown Cabo San Lucas or driving through the whale watching mecca of Guerrero Negro, you're guaranteed to feel an urge to pull over and snack on a fish taco or two. Fish taco stands are around every corner and along some of the dustiest, most deserted roads on the peninsula, and they're cooked up fresh at every one.
In the modern era, the abiding belief has always been that war and conflict were vestiges of the past and that peace was the progressive option for moving humanity into a more secure future. That sentiment is now under assault.

It's troubling to think that armed conflict is in a more progressive mode than peace initiatives at the moment. While the great wars have all but disappeared in the new millennium, regional conflicts have emerged with a troubling vengeance. The death casualties in these conflicts have grown so high that many are talking about the potential for these regional conflicts to rival the sheer human cost of the great wars of the past century, especially among civilians.

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Consider the African continent alone, where millions have died in the Congo, both Sudans, Nigeria and Algeria, among others. In 2014, Africa experienced more than half of worldwide conflicts despite having only 16 per cent of the world's population. The revelation that African conflicts are actually on a gradual decline does little to assuage the sense that the casualties of such conflicts are unacceptably high.

When one adds the sheer human cost in lives in Syria, Iraq and other countries in those regions, there is the growing sense that war is overtaking peace as the default method for how countries interact with their neighbours. And the larger-scale saber rattling of the larger players in recent months -- Russia, North Korea, Iran, a more bellicose America -- threatens to resuscitate the Cold War, which we thought had ended three decades ago.

The United States must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 22, 2016

War is quickly becoming more "progressive" than peace due to rapid advances in technology. High-tech intelligence gathering techniques, drones, laser-guided missiles, advanced fighter jets and bombers flown almost exclusively by computers, night-vision weapons for both the ground and the air, or even the lower-grade but steadily advancing improvised explosive devices (IEDs) used by homegrown terrorists -- such weapons of conflict represent serious new threats to the new era of peace that billions had hoped for only two decades ago.

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Against all this the question must be asked: is peace truly able to keep up with these renewed forms of warfare? Certainly, great efforts are made each day by NGOs and the United Nations to develop more sophisticated methods for pursuing peace. Perhaps the primary activity at the moment is the development of women's programs around the world, since statistics are increasingly making the case that the greater the involvement of women in leadership roles in troubled areas, the less likely will armed conflict become the default response to any kind of disagreement.

Environmental efforts to sustain water supplies, the development of more durable crops, increased opportunities for education, and enhanced legal efforts to restrain the spread of used weaponry around the world, are all vital and must be pursued with greater vigor. Yet the sense remains, much of it insidious, that war, in all its facets, is making a resurgence.

Humanity is now facing the two great questions it has historically confronted for thousands of years: is peace worth it, and will we pay the cost to sustain it? It's becoming increasingly clear that the first is unsustainable without the second. We slide back into conflict the moment we fail to fight for peace. Even Shakespeare worried about peace in his time, saying that it was "naked, poor and mangled."

As long as we keep it in such a condition it can never prevail. By always making peace about security instead of the building of a strong civil society, we have left ourselves without the tools and empowered citizens required to put peaceful impulses in the very sinews of society, not just its border regions.

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The temptation for conflict will always remain our steady companion.

Not all that long ago, peace was viewed as the occasional pause between a long lists of conflicts. If we aren't careful, we will soon be in danger of replicating such a timeline. Peace becomes an investment in what we can accomplish; war morphs into everything that we can lose. As long as peace remains under the influence of generals, politicians, even bureaucrats, it will forever be traded off in favour of others pursuits.

The time has come for peace to be democratized -- the place where citizens themselves infuse peace itself with humanity instead of statistics, weapons and endless angling for advantage. "Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding," wrote Albert Einstein. We have yet to truly learn that lesson, and until we do, the temptation for conflict will always remain our steady companion.

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Mike Blake / Reuters A U.S. Customs and Immigration officer works a new border crossing during the opening day of the Cross Border Xpress pedestrian bridge between San Diego and the Tijuana airport on the facility's opening day in Otay Mesa, California December 9, 2015. The privately run facility allows ticketed passengers to skip long border waits and clear U.S. Customs for a fee. REUTERS/Mike Blake

On June 17, 2016, Canada's Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness introduced Preclearance Act, 2016 [Bill C-23] (the "Preclearance Bill"). It purports to implement the Agreement on Land, Rail, Marine and Air Transport Preclearance between the Government of Canada and the Government of the United States of America (the "Preclearance Agreement"), which the United States and Canada signed on March 16, 2015.

However, numerous concerns have been raised regarding the broad powers that will be granted to preclearance officers under the preclearance bill. Critics of the preclearance bill say that it goes too far and that Canada has given up too much of its sovereignty.

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Preclearance Officers Must Comply with Canadian Law

The preclearance bill confirms that a preclearance officer must act in accordance with Canadian law, including the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Canadian Bill of Rights, and the Canadian Human Rights Act. However, no civil proceeding may be brought against a preclearance officer personally. Civil proceedings must instead be brought against the United States directly and only if the United States consents or the proceedings involve: (a) death or personal or bodily injury, or (b) damage or loss to property in Canada.

The preclearance bill gives preclearance officers the broad general power to question a traveller bound for the United States.

Preclearance Officers May Carry Firearms

The Preclearance Bill contains amendments to the Canadian Criminal Code, which will permit preclearance officers to possess a firearm, prohibited weapon (which includes a Taser but also an automatic weapon), or restricted weapon (for example, a handgun) for the purposes of their duties or employment. Although the preclearance agreement purports to limit a preclearance officer's ability to possess the same weapons that CBSA officers are authorized to possess in the same environment, the preclearance bill does not refer to any such limitation.

The United States May Exercise Primary Criminal Jurisdiction for Alleged Crimes Committed by Preclearance Officers

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According to the preclearance bill, if a preclearance officer is charged with a criminal offense, the United States Government may give notice of its intention to exercise primary criminal jurisdiction over the matter, pursuant to the preclearance agreement. If this occurs, any Canadian proceeding against the preclearance officer will be stayed and alleged victims must rely on the U.S. criminal justice system.

Traveller Obligations to Respond to Questions

The preclearance bill gives preclearance officers the broad general power to question a traveller bound for the United States. Therefore, travellers could be asked about their religion or other potentially discriminatory issues. They may also be asked random questions such as whether they have ever smoked marijuana.

Under the preclearance bill, a traveller bound for the United States would be required to answer these questions truthfully. The preclearance bill also makes it a criminal offense to make false or deceptive statements to a preclearance officer. In other words, not answering a preclearance officer's question truthfully may result in criminal prosecution.

The preclearance bill also gives preclearance officers the broad general power to examine, search, and detain goods. United States Customs and Border Protection currently takes the position that its officers may demand passwords for a traveller's smartphone or laptop for further examination, since they constitute goods bound for the United States.

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Although CBSA also takes a similar position in relation to travellers arriving in Canada, the constitutionality of such conduct is still uncertain. Given the uncertainty of the law in this area, it might have been advisable to impose some limits on a traveller's obligation to provide this information to a preclearance officer, who is acting on Canadian soil.

Instead, the preclearance bill imposes criminal liability on any person who resists or willfully obstructs a preclearance officer in the exercise of their powers or the performance of their duties/functions. Therefore, a traveller who refuses to provide a password for his or smartphone or laptop could be found guilty of an indictable offense and could be sentenced to a prison term of up to two years.

At the present time, travellers bound for the United States may withdraw their application for admission and choose to leave the preclearance area. If a traveller bound for the United States is asked an inappropriate question, they may refuse to answer the question and simply withdraw their application for admission. Although the preclearance officers will likely refuse to inspect the traveller the next time they seek admission to the United States, they do not currently have the power to detain a traveller or to compel them to answer questions.

Preclearance officers may detain a traveller for a strip search in certain circumstances.

The preclearance bill still allows travellers to withdraw from preclearance, unless they are lawfully detained in accordance with the preclearance bill. However, it imposes a continuing obligation to truthfully answer any question asked by a preclearance officer for the purpose of identifying the traveller or of determining their reason for withdrawing.

In other words, travellers who decide to withdraw their application for admission are still required to truthfully answer questions regarding why they are withdrawing their application for admission. Refusing to answer such questions may also result in criminal prosecution since it is an offense to resist or willfully obstruct a preclearance officer.

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Powers of Preclearance Officers to Perform Strip Searches

Preclearance officers may detain a traveller for a strip search in certain circumstances. Although they are supposed to immediately request that a CBSA officer perform the search, preclearance officers have the right to perform a strip search themselves if:

A CBSA officer declines to perform the strip search;

CBSA informs them that they are not able to perform the search within a reasonable time; or

CBSA agrees to conduct the strip search within a specific period but no CBSA officer arrives within that period.

Conclusion

Clearly, several provisions contained in the preclearance bill should be a cause of significant concern for Canadians. Fortunately, the preclearance bill is in its Second Reading in the House of Commons so amendments are still possible. Canadians should communicate their concerns to their members of Parliament while there is still time to do so.

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Well, I tried.

Despite being a dirty ex-partisan, according to a common strain of responses to my columns and tweets, I tried.

I tried to be calmly rational and precise about what Liberal MP Iqra Khalid's Motion M-103 does and doesn't say about speech and the law, and to defend it against both ignorant and calculated hysteria.

When Rebel Media sent out emails claiming that "Canada is on the verge of passing a law that would prohibit criticizing Islam" and that "If this motion passes, Canadians can be persecuted for expressing any criticism of Islam, even when warranted," I pointed out that M-103 is a motion, not a law, and that it will not change a single comma of existing speech legislation.

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I noted that M-103 does not include the word "speech" or mention criminalization. Nor does it "single out" one religion for special treatment, as some critics claim. Where it mentions "Islamophobia," it also refers also to all other "forms of systemic racism and religious discrimination." That is the opposite of singling out.

Sure, parts of the motion read like they were drafted by a freshmen sociology student. And, yes, the term "Islamophobia" would benefit from some definition or context, as former Liberal Justice Minister Irwin Cotler recommended. (Though reasonable minds will agree that the Sainte Foy massacre and some of the protests outside Toronto's Masjid mosque fit the description.)

These are all valid objections, but they do not change the fact that M-103 has no legal bite.

If Members are concerned about endorsing the ambiguous reach of a term like Islamophobia, they can clarify how they interpret the term, both on the floor of the House and in letters to their constituents. Then they can support or oppose the motion on the basis of that good faith reading, and move on.

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This is likely what would have happened, had the motion not come up for debate in the home stretch of the Conservative Party leadership race. As if to prove the point, another motion condemning Islamophobia passed unanimously last October without provoking misinformation campaigns and the concomitant need to counter uninformed and cynical opposition.

But after last week, I'm not going to waste any more breath reassuring concerned Canadians. I'm done repeating (accurately) that a motion cannot change the law and that this particular motion doesn't even mention free speech. I'm standing down because, according to the Prime Minister and another Liberal MP, I'm wrong and M-103 really is about limiting speech.

Questioned at a town hall in Yellowknife, Justin Trudeau defended motion M-103 by saying that "You're not allowed to call 'Fire!' in a crowded movie theatre and call that free speech. That endangers our community."

Then, on Friday, Liberal MP Ken Hardie, who had earlier said he was "inclined not to support" the motion, was asked on Twitter why he had changed his mind. He replied that he is now convinced that "We need a way to deal appropriately with broadcasters who appeared to have incited hatred in the Quebec City attack."

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What odd responses, if M-103 is simply a motion condemning Islamophobia and not part of a wider plan to restrict speech.

In the 1990 case of R. v. Keegstra, then-Justice Beverley McLachlin wrote that limiting the guarantee of free expression to speech that is consistent with mainstream values would "strike at the very essence of the value of the freedom." This is because, "[i]f the guarantee of free expression is to be meaningful, it must protect expression which challenges even the very basic conceptions about our society."

Ken Hardie's desire to "deal with" radio broadcasters and the Prime Minister's inapt and inept reference to "shouting fire" suggest that they would welcome further limits on the right to free speech, beyond existing laws against hate speech and incitement. They also make it almost impossible for those who have tried to soothe fevered speculation about the endgame of M-103 to continue doing so.

I tried, but I'm done.

If the prime minister and members of the Liberal caucus believe that M-103 has something to do with policing speech, then they have only themselves to blame if their opponents take them at their word.

Howard Anglin is the Executive Director of the Canadian Constitution Foundation, a non-partisan charity dedicated to defending constitutional rights and freedoms.

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Recently MP Iqra Khalid received death threats for presenting motion M-103. The motion calls for condemning Islamophobia in the wake of the Quebec mosque shooting. The reaction to her motion and the blockage of a Toronto mosque only corroborate the virulent hatred against Muslims that exists among some segments in Canada.

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What instigates this hatred and can this motion quell it?

The motion also evoked strong concerns from Conservative Party MPs. Concerns were expressed that the word "Islamophobia" could be replaced by the word "anti-Muslim bigotry," that it gives Islam preferential treatment over other religions, that a broadly worded motion could be adopted and that it would hinder work on empowering Muslim women.

The Conservative MP arguments are reminiscent of the arguments that have been used before. The concern on semantics, threats to free speech and the argument on the sufficiency of existing protections have all been witnessed in the context of issues related to the LGBTQ community.

The "preferential" treatment of Islam reminds one of the "special" rights afforded the LGBTQ community. The move to broaden the scope to include all religions is reminiscent of downplaying specific concerns through the "All Lives Matter" slogan. Moreover, there exist precedents that have afforded protections highlighting specific religious communities.

Hateful voices ignore the good work that is being done by grass-roots Muslim organizations and Muslim individuals.

Finally, as the Canadian Council of Muslim Women has expressed solidarity with MP Iqra Khalid and motion M-103, the argument that the motion would hinder work on empowering Muslim women is moot.

Two concerns have also been highlighted by conservative bloggers. These include the alleged introduction of sharia laws and the ban on free speech. The concern on introduction of sharia laws is moot, as more than a decade ago the Canadian Council of Muslim Women was at the forefront of the battle against such policies in Ontario.

Those in positions of immense privilege, who do not have to bear the consequences of ill-chosen words, often peddle the concerns of free speech. However, on the vicious murder of Matthew Shepherd, Bishop John Shelby Spong aptly stated that words shape consciousness, and therefore words have consequences.

MP Iqra Khalid has clearly stated that she "would be the first person to oppose anything that infringes on our Charter of Rights and Freedoms." Furthermore, Heritage Minister Melanie Joly defined Islamophobia as "discrimination of Muslim people and people who are of Muslim faith." This means criticism of abstract ideas and religious doctrines remains unfettered.

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This brings us back to the question of what instigates hatred of Muslims amongst some online segments in Canada. Such hatred is directed towards all Muslims. This includes progressive, religiously plural, feminist and LGBTQ-affirming Muslims.

Hateful voices ignore the good work that is being done by grass-roots Muslim organizations and Muslim individuals.

Why are these voices conspicuously absent when it comes to signing petitions to free Muslim human rights activists like Raif Badawi and Waleed Abulkhair?

Why do they not join Muslim individuals when they protest outside Saudi embassies against human rights violations?

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Why do they always obsess with what women wear instead of helping Muslim women rights groups?

Why do they spend their time complaining about the treatment of LGBTQ Muslims instead of helping them establish safe spaces?

Why do they not stand by Muslim activists who challenge Muslim supremacist speakers that peddle sharia laws and Caliphates?

The answer is clear. All of that requires hard work and it is easy to revel in hatred.

We cannot afford to lose more lives to radicalization and supremacism.

This brings us to the next question of whether a simple motion can quell such hatred. Motions cannot quell Islamophobia just as Muslim condemnations do not thwart terrorism. Both, however, allow us to take the first step towards acknowledging the problem we have in our midst.

Beyond motions, we need merciless introspection, critical thinking and honest dialogue on part of both conservative and Muslim Canadians that would draw the two communities together and isolate hateful people.

This dialogue has to rest on listening to the other and on rejecting analysis based on selective parsing of news media that highlights the negative and ignores anything positive.

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Both Muslim and white Canadian youth have to be given venues to vent their concerns in an appropriate manner. We cannot afford to lose more lives to radicalization and supremacism.

This means upholding and nurturing the values of humility, patience and compassion. Any activism must rest on these values; otherwise, by putting others down and humiliating them, we push them towards hate.

In conclusion, love comes to our rescue where even the most stringent of policies meet their limits.

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FatCamera via Getty Images A multi-ethnic group of elementary age children are listening to their teacher read a storybook in class.

It's funny how listening in on last week's live news conference with President Trump acted as a reverse-reminder to one lowly teacher from P.E.I., Canada...that kindness as a principle for living is the only way. Even when what is required might be tough, might be difficult, might not be easy. Might be really tricky to deliver. There is only kindness. Yes, even when what is required is hard, demanding, testing and problematic. When life is complicated.

Kindness is the only way.

Maybe Trump never learned this lesson in school. But let me tell you, he should have.

Because even I know from my years spent in public school classrooms and the schoolyard...that tough love can be done in kindness.

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I learned that consequences can be carried out with kindness. Gentle critique can be conducted with a cushion of kindness. All of this and more. All can be cradled in kindness and compassion and gentleness and love.

This is the only way. There is no other that should be considered.

So in thinking about how we interact with one another and how we carry out relationships and interactions, I can remember those times when kindness was the rule. Can also remember those times when it was not. But the greater influence is certainly the former.

Kindness.

Recently, I was worried about an assignment I had to finish up for my masters work. I emailed the professor and came to find out I had done the whole thing differently than others in the class. This was a PROBLEM because I was over 85 pages into the thing. I had already committed and signed my life over, so to speak. I had worked on it for five weeks already, so there was no turning back. So, when I emailed the prof, I really did not know what to expect. Did not know whether he would tell me to get my act together and start over. Or get my act together and finish it.

What he said instead was really interesting. Actually, it was amazingly kind. He emailed me not once, but twice and it was the second email that truly touched my heart. Here is what he said, after emailing me the first time to say things would work out:

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"I just had to write you again to reassure you that your above-and-beyond work will pay off for you and you definitely will not be penalized in any way. I am proud of you!"

As I am now a student again, I have begun to think of students and teachers and relationships and how these connect with memories students have in terms of what they remember most about teachers. In terms of what lasting recollections students have in their minds, I cannot help but emphasize again that:

It is not about the lesson plan. It's not about the fancy stuff we teachers make -- the crafts we do, the stories we read, the papers we laminate. No, that's not really it. That's not what matters most. Kids won't remember how organized our bulletin boards are. How straight and neat are the desk rows. No, they'll not remember that amazing decor we've designed. But they will remember us.

Teachers, your students will remember you.

So, thank you to one Dr. Nesmith, professor of counseling and himself a certified counselor for many: thank you for your kindness to me these past few weeks. You are truly a wise and empathic counselor and mentor at heart. It is the way you have shown care and compassion to me that will be remembered.

I will not soon forget.

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Students at Dalhousie University in Halifax are a determined lot. Campaigning against the burning of fossil fuels, they have occupied the office of school president Richard Florizone.

Divest Dal is one of at least 34 academic-based campaigns across the country pressuring administrations to divest holdings in fossil fuels on ethical grounds.

However, the Dal effort suffered a setback when the Dal administration announced it would not sell off an estimated $20.5 million in fossil-fuel holdings.

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"We did not accept the Board's no vote..." says Laura Cutmore, a Divest Dal organizer, in an email. "We will continue to campaign towards divestment for as long as it takes."

Divest Dal works with the support of 350.org by far the largest group in the world involved in campaigning, and they have a lot of faith in 350.org's leadership.

350.org, which operates gofossilfree announced with considerable fanfare that the campaign urging institutions, mostly universities, churches, and pension funds to divest their endowment holdings in fossil fuels is working well.

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Canadian 350.org organizer Cam Fenton wrote in an email: "In a matter of years it has grown from a student led campaign on a few campuses to something that is impacting some of the largest political and financial institutions on the planet."

The 350.org website claims that "our movement is strong and the fossil-fuel industry is fighting for its life."

Whoa! Not so fast.

While 350.org runs a number of important campaigns, such as "Resist Trump's Climate Agenda" , there are serious questions about whether divestment campaigning is effective or whether it should be replaced by direct action campaigning.

350.org less than truthful

To begin with, the movement misleads the public about how much divestment has occurred. 350.org's website says that 688 institutions who represent more than $5 trillion dollars of assets have committed to divest! That's correct. But groups -- including Dal and 350.org itself -- erroneously claim that the divestment amount is $5 trillion.

Overall, after four years of campaigning, it's not a good picture.

However, 350.org does not know how much money in fossil fuels institutions have divested. Many institutions are so secretive about their overall holdings, it's impossible to say what their true divestment total might be.

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I was unable to find any attempts by 350.org to correct itself or other groups when the divestment total was grossly inaccurate. It seems to me they prefer people to be bamboozled by the huge "trillions" number.

Campaigning raises awareness

To its credit, the campaign has been successful in raising awareness about the damage fossil fuels do to the climate.

"We have changed the conversation about climate change on campus," writes Cutmore from Divest Dal. "We have raised awareness and made divestment the most popular and long-lasting activism campaign in recent memory."

But the campaign has been much less successful in getting institutions to divest.

In Canada, three schools are at different levels:

Concordia University has divested $5 million to a Sustainable Investment Fund as a pilot project -- an amount highly disappointing to Divest Concordia, which is pressing for further divestment.

While the University of Ottawa has not divested any holdings, it says it will transfer $10 million from its long-term portfolio to provide seed capital for investing in clean technologies, and has adopted a plan that will see the school reduce the carbon footprint of its investment portfolio by 30 per cent by 2030.

In February Universite Laval committed itself to divest itself of fossil-fuel holdings, but provided no details.

Overall, after four years of campaigning, it's not a good picture: Of the more than 8,000 universities, colleges, and pension funds in the three main countries targeted, only 696 institutions have divested.

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Institutions dragging their feet

So why aren't more institutions divesting their fossil-fuel holdings?

Practically every institution is sympathetic to the cause, but some, like the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, prefer to keep their shares and try to convince the companies themselves to change.

Many institutions discover that divestment does not accomplish very much. Christine Wood, a Vassar College, N.Y. trustee has had 30 years of experience in dealing with one divestment after another -- including those related to South Africa and tobacco, and those that create weapons of mass destruction.

"The problem I have found in every instance, without exception, is that trying to use an investment portfolio to accomplish social or political causes comes up short in every way you can imagine," Wood says.

Wood contends that divestment doesn't hurt fossil-fuel companies. "By petulantly selling your shares, you have not hurt the company at all. You've just transferred ownership of shares to some other party who cares much less about the issue than you do," she said.

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Some disagree with Christine Wood. Ben Franta, is a researcher at Stanford University who was involved in the effort to have the school divest its fossil-fuel holdings:

"Public divestments generate bad PR for companies," Franta wrote in an email, "which can contribute to long-term uncertainty, reduce stock valuations, and erode the industry's ability to operate as efficiently. Second, sufficient volume of divestment has the potential to reduce stock valuations through simple supply/demand mechanisms... And third, by considering outstanding stocks only, we entirely ignore the investment of new capital through private equity offerings and new issuances, which is an incorrect description of what divestment entails..."

Even so, I contend that divestment activities are not effective enough, particularly because it is likely to take many years for the campaigns to have meaningful impact -- in the meantime, the climate will be damaged beyond repair.

A different strategy is needed.

First, we need to realize that protesting against governments has only limited success. As we see in Canada, the federal government clearly believes that developing fossil-fuel resources is much more important to them than seriously fighting climate change.

So we need to go to the heart of the problem. We must directly oppose the corporations that contribute to the deaths of some 5.5 million people globally annually.

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Yes, the corporations are big and powerful, but if they are attacked one at a time, their businesses can be disrupted. A campaign could target a vulnerable corporation, probably a coal company.

Unlike divestment campaigns, which require thousands of volunteers and have too little to show for it, a few hundred determined people could carry out a campaign against fossil-fuel corporations.

Follow Nick's Blog: A Different Point of View.

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Russia's recognition of documents issued in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions contradicts the Donbas settlement goals, the OSCE said in a statement posted on its website on Tuesday.

"The OSCE chairmanship expresses strong concern about this measure taken by the Russian Federation," the statement said.

"In our view, this decree is in contradiction to the objectives of the settlement process in eastern Ukraine," it said.

"The OSCE Chairmanship notes that documents issued on the sovereign territory of Ukraine are only valid if done so by the internationally recognized authorities," the statement said.

"While the OSCE Chairmanship supports efforts to normalize the situation of people living in Donbas and to encourage freedom of movement, it cautions that this should be done in full compliance with OSCE principles and commitments as well as the Minsk agreements," the statement said.

"Unilateral actions jeopardize efforts to resolve the crisis in and around Ukraine," it said.

Meanwhile, OSCE Secretary-General Lamberto Zannier said on Monday that the Russian president's decision to recognize documents issued by Donbas areas that the Ukrainian authorities do not control would not help settle the crisis in eastern Ukraine.

Such moves of Moscow are a step back from the already distant goal of ending the war in Donbas, he said, noting it would now be harder to implement the Minsk agreements.

The Kremlin has actually recognized documents issued by the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk republics and their leaders, Zannier said.

On February 18, President Vladimir Putin signed the Executive Order On Recognition in the Russian Federation of Documents and Vehicle Registration Plates Issued to Ukrainian Citizens and Stateless Persons Permanently Residing in Certain Districts of Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk Regions.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said, for his part, that the Russian decision to recognize documents issued by the self-proclaimed Donbas republics violated international law.

"To my mind, this is another proof of Russian occupation and breach of the international law," Poroshenko said after he had met with U.S. Vice-President Michael Pence on Saturday.

"That was cynically done at a time of the Munich Security Conference," he said, adding that he had informed the U.S. vice-president about the move.

In turn, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin said that the decision of Moscow to recognize documents issued by certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions disagreed with the logic of the Minsk agreements.

"This is the logic of intentional escalation, the logic going through Avdiyivka; this is not just the logic of military escalation, this is the logic of humanitarian escalation, as well. This order is at variance with the very logic of the Minsk agreements in an absolutely fundamental way, and we are perfectly aware why this has been done," Klimkin told reporters in Munich on Saturday.
While Canada and the United States share the longest, most open and successful international boundary in the history of the world, each country reserves its sovereign authority to regulate access. We each set and enforce our own rules. But we also each expect all our citizens to be treated fairly and border rules to be administered properly, in both directions.

Over the past two centuries, our two nations have learned the enormous value that flows from a strong border relationship. We both want that boundary line to be safe and secure. We also want it to be efficient and expeditious.

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More than 400,000 people flow back-and-forth between Canada and the United States every single day. Close to $2.5 billion in two-way trade moves between us every day. In both commercial and personal terms, the relationship is enormous. And mutually beneficial.

Preclearance

One tool to help keep our borders secure and efficient is a program called "preclearance." For travellers going from Canada into the U.S. by air, it has existed in one form or another for more than 60 years. It's now available at eight Canadian airports -- Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto Pearson, Ottawa, Montreal and Halifax.

Over 12 million passengers from Canada benefit from air preclearance every year.

This service allows the traveller to "pre-clear" American customs and immigration inspections in Canada before they board their aircraft. Thus, when they land in the United States, they are virtually equivalent to U.S. domestic travellers with no further requirements to meet. No line-ups, no delays.

Travellers also gain the speed and convenience of being able to fly directly into any U.S. airport, not just those designated as international with customs and immigration facilities. For example, being able to pre-clear at Toronto Pearson nearly doubles the number of American destinations that are accessible directly from Toronto. That's a powerful advantage. Over 12 million passengers from Canada benefit from air preclearance every year.

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The Opportunity

There is strong demand for an expansion of preclearance services, both in North America and around the world. So, for several years, Canada and the U.S. have been working on an updated legal and administrative framework. A new agreement was signed and tabled in Parliament in the spring of 2015. It lays the groundwork for an expansion of preclearance operations in both directions and in all modes of transportation (air, rail, marine and land) for both passengers and cargo.

The necessary legislation to bring the agreement into effect was enacted by the United States Congress at the end of last year. The corresponding law in Canada, Bill C-23, was introduced in the House of Commons last June and is now waiting Parliamentary examination.

Once the enabling regulations are in place, Canada and the U.S. have agreed in principle to start our preclearance expansion by adding the service at Billy Bishop airport on Toronto Island and Jean Lesage airport in Quebec City, as well as for train passengers from Montreal to New York and on the Rocky Mountain Railway in British Columbia. Services for the cruise ship business on the west coast will be regularized. And last week, both countries also committed themselves to move as quickly as possible on preclearance for cargo.

Better protecting travellers' rights

From the Canadian perspective, preclearance allows all necessary customs and immigration inspections to be completed before departure, while the traveller is still in Canada, and the powers that U.S. border officers exercise under Canadian law are governed by the Canadian Bill of Rights, the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

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Our updated and expanded approach to preclearance is fully reciprocal.

The alternative is waiting until after you arrive in the United States to clear customs and immigration. You would line up to get permission to enter that country under a process totally under U.S. control. There would be no over-arching international agreement, and no protection under the Canadian Bill of Rights, the Canadian Human Rights Act or the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Our updated and expanded approach to preclearance is fully reciprocal. No right or power is conferred on the border officers of one country and not the other. For Canadians, it's a distinct advantage that preclearance puts entering the U.S. in a Canadian context where Charter standards apply to U.S. preclearance officers' exercise of powers under Canadian law.

Bill C-23 will enable more preclearance services at more locations across Canada and in more modes of transportation, making travel faster for Canadians and bolstering trade, while also better protecting our rights.

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Jessica Rinaldi / Reuters Musician Leonard Cohen tips his hat to the audience as he accepts the 2012 Awards for Song Lyrics of Literary Excellence, which was awarded to both he and Chuck Berry at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, in Boston, Massachusetts February 26, 2012 REUTERS/Jessica Rinaldi (UNITED STATES - Tags: ENTERTAINMENT)

I recently did a bad bad thing.

It happened at McGill University in Montreal. I was delivering a speech to about 200 people in my capacity as Chair of the Canadian Stamp Advisory Committee -- the folks who propose topics and subjects for Canada's postage stamps.

The Committee's deliberations are strictly confidential, something I solemnly announce at the start of each meeting.

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At McGill, however, I broke my own rule. After rattling off the many names of McGill graduates and faculty who have adorned Canada's stamps, I let it slip that one McGill alumnus had actually turned down an opportunity to be on a stamp.

This grabbed the audience's attention.

"Can you guess who it was?" I went on.

There was much murmuring.

After a slight pause I intoned, "It was Leonard Cohen."

This brought a combination of gasps, oh's and ah's, and unintelligible chatter.

"It was almost a decade ago," I went on. "He told us it wasn't time -- he still had things to do."

Which of course he did -- just last week Cohen was nominated for four Juno Awards, including Album of the Year; Artist of the Year; Songwriter of the Year; and Adult Alternative Album of the Year. His final studio recording, "You Want It Darker", was released to wide critical and popular acclaim just three weeks prior to his death on November 7, 2016.

Having breached confidentiality, I now went further.

"I can tell you that the Stamp Committee has again received a proposal to honour Leonard Cohen. And you can help make it happen by sending letters of support to Canada Post,"

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Talk about letting the cat out of the proverbial postal satchel.

My own ties to Leonard Cohen are strong, if somewhat bizarre. It was thanks to Cohen that I decided to run away from a New England boarding school to Montreal at the age of 17. I had read his novel "Beautiful Losers" and had decided I wanted to be the next Leonard Cohen. (After about two weeks I discovered that Montreal was happy with the Leonard Cohen they already had, so I slunk out of town, dragging my typewriter behind me).

But putting personal sentiment aside, I do firmly believe Leonard Cohen deserves to be on a stamp. I wish it had happened before his death -- as I have written previously, placing living Canadians on stamps, beginning 11 years ago, was the right thing to do, honouring groups like Gord Downie and the Tragically Hip and individuals like Stompin' Tom Connors, Joni Mitchell and Anne Murray.

Cohen, I would argue, was a sing-songwriter without equal in Canada and perhaps the world. Yes, I know Bob Dylan recently won the Nobel Prize for Literature. But could even Dylan stand toe-to-toe with Cohen when it comes to evocative phrases and images? And his effect on women was legendary. As one friend once put it, "If you want to get angry, listen to Dylan; if you want to get lucky, put on Cohen".

So here's the deal.

If you think Leonard Cohen deserves to be honoured on a stamp, write to the Stamp Advisory Committee, Canada Post Corporation, Suite N1070, 2701 Riverside Dr., Ottawa, Ont., K1A 0B1.

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And spread the news on Facebook and other social media platforms.

But just remember; you didn't hear it from me.

(Robert Waite is chair of Canada Post's Stamp Advisory Committee, a voluntary, unpaid position. He is also a professor at Seneca College in Toronto.)
Are you, like most Canadians, shocked and horrified by the current political climate of the United States?

Are recent events, such as the Muslim ban, the reinstatement of global gag-rule, and the firing of acting Attorney General Sally Yates, keeping you up at night?

Are you finding cold comfort in the fact that all the madness is happening "there," not "here"?

Well... at least... not yet...

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As you may be aware, the Conservative Party of Canada is currently without a leader. After former Prime Minister Stephen Harper resigned in 2015, the party was left without an official leader, and former Health Minister Rona Ambrose was selected as its interim leader.

But this can't last forever, and due to party rules, Ambrose cannot qualify for a permanent leadership position.

So, on May 27, 2017, the Conservative leadership election will be held. The winner of this election may, one day, become prime minister.

At this point, there are 14 candidates vying for party leadership. Among them are two particularly troublesome options: Kellie Leitch and Kevin O'Leary.

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Perhaps the most startling thing about Leitch is that she seems to idolize Donald Trump. She described his presidential win as an "exciting message and one that we need delivered in Canada as well."

It is unclear whether she remains quite as enthusiastic about his message in the weeks following his inauguration -- but based on her own political meanderings, it would not be a stretch.

Leitch regularly pushes for the arbitrary screening of potential immigrants using something that she has repeatedly described as a "Canadian values" test. During the 2015 federal election, she supported a controversial Conservative plan to create a "barbaric cultural practices" RCMP tip-line, which was nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt at exploiting the public's growing fear of terrorism and Islamophobia in order to reduce individual freedoms and maintain political control.

During her time as minister for the status of women, she failed to launch a much-needed inquiry into the deaths and disappearances of aboriginal women and girls. She also openly opposes a national tax on carbon emissions, as well as the decriminalization of marijuana.

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Like Trump, Leitch has largely mounted her leadership campaign on a platform that appeals to the "common" masses and seeks to oust the "intellectual elite" from government -- and also like Trump, she does this with a great sense of irony.

It is difficult to think of someone who may be more elite than Leitch.

After all, Leitch is a member of the so-called intellectual elite.

She has acted as a member of Parliament since 2011, taking esteemed positions as both the minister of labour and the minister for the status of women in Harper's former cabinet. She is also trained as an orthopaedic paediatric surgeon and works as an associate professor at the University of Toronto. It is difficult to think of someone who may be more elite than Leitch.

Overall, Leitch is a candidate who has a proven political track record of failing the environment, of failing women, and of sensationalizing identity politics in order to curry favour with her electoral base.

She would be a dangerous and divisive leader for our country, if given the opportunity.

The next candidate up for discussion is Kevin O'Leary.

O'Leary has been largely portrayed by the media as Donald Trump, Junior. This comparison is quite apt, based on the fact that the 62-year-old businessman has absolutely no prior political experience and that he has only gained popular notoriety through regular appearances on a relatively mediocre reality television program.

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Like Trump, O'Leary seems to have only a very limited understanding of what is required to lead a country. His intense drive to accumulate wealth and fame does not bode well for a leader who will carry immense moral, ethical, and social responsibilities beyond simply balancing a budget.

O'Leary's narrow view of what it means to be a conservative would likely fracture the Conservative party and isolate supporters altogether.

Moreover, his vague political platform appears to be mainly centered a list of grievances, rather than solutions. This all points to the fact that O'Leary is politically untried and his ideas are underdeveloped. He is simply unsuitable to hold the highest office in Canadian government.

The future of the Conservative Party of Canada is squarely in their hands.

O'Leary would be a short-sighted and dubious choice for the leadership.

Dishonourable mentions for the job also go to Pierre Lemieux, a former MP from Ontario who is vocal in his opposition to abortion and same-sex marriage, and Brad Trost, an MP from Saskatchewan who opposes carbon tax, abortion, physician-assisted suicide, same sex marriage, universal washrooms and the legalization of marijuana.

Conservative Party members who are in good standing will be allowed to vote in the leadership election. The future of the Conservative Party of Canada -- and potentially our country -- is squarely in their hands.

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In order to vote in the election, you must be a Conservative Party member by 5 p.m. eastern time on March 28, 2017. The minimum membership fee is $15.00. This may paid using either a personal cheque or a credit card through the party's website.

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"Bureaucracy, the rule of no one, has become the modern form of despotism."

- Mary McCarthy

Last week, two health care stories in the news that got relatively little attention illustrated exactly what is wrong with the direction health care is taking in Ontario, under the leadership of its hapless Health Minister Eric Hoskins, and beleaguered Premier Kathleen Wynne.

The first news item was a truly sad story of how a specialized dementia unit in Ottawa was being forced to close. This unit provided care to the most difficult kind of patients with dementia, the ones whose dementia caused them to be verbally and physically aggressive. Personal Support Workers (PSW's) and nurses specifically trained to deal with patients like these were instrumental in providing the kind of compassionate, devoted care that these residents deserved.

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Obviously, however, that care came at a cost. When the decision to close the unit was announced, there was no sugar coating of the reason why. It was, purely and simply due to money. The unit was not "financially sustainable." They could not afford the raises that were legitimately due the PSWs and Nurses that staffed the unit.

The Local Health Integration Network (LHIN), which is a sort of regional health authority, issued a statement saying that the services "were important" and information about a new program would be coming "soon." In the meantime, dementia patients with high risk behaviours are being sent back into local nursing homes, with assurances that they will be "well cared for." This is despite the fact that the local nursing homes were not staffed at the higher levels that these patients needed.

The second news item was the report that Hoskins and Wynne will be hiring 84 new vice-presidents, to join the new "sub-LHINs" that will be created in Ontario as part of Bill 41, aka the "Patients First Act." Hoskins states that this is due to a re-allocation of resources and that eventually the number of bureaucrats will go down. Considering this is from the same government that increased the number of senior bureaucrats at the Ministry of Health from 5 to 21, I would suggest you need MUCH more than a grain of salt when reading his statement.

This then, in a nutshell, is what's wrong with Ontario's health care system. Front line service providers are cut due to funding constraints, but money is always available to hire more bureaucrats, who never see, let alone touch, a patient.

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To make matters worse, I can guarantee you that all of these vice-presidents will have a salary that puts them on Ontario's Sunshine List, the list of all employees of the Provincial Government who make over $100,000 a year. Yet PSWs, who actually lay hands on a patient, generally make between $25,000-$40,000 a year. I think it's safe to say that you could hire three PSW's (at least) for every one of these vice-presidents. It is shocking to me that the current government would prefer to hire 84 vice-presidents, instead of 252 PSW's, particularly when it's well known that there is a shortage of PSW's in the province.

The more maddening thing is that there are also a host of other solutions available to help residents of nursing homes, that would be less expensive than a vice-president, and provide better front line care.

I was the Health Links lead physician for the South Georgian Bay Health Links from 2012-2014. Yes, I actually did work co-operatively with the Ministry of Health. Did so for a number of years, in fact. I stopped when it became apparent that Minister Hoskins was no longer interested listening to front line health care workers, and preferred to dictate how care would be provided to the province, from his office in Toronto. I was fortunate enough however, to see through the development of the main project, which was the setting up of an electronic portal that securely linked to the Electronic Medical Record in the offices of the family physician.

This enabled a nursing home to securely communicate electronically, in real time, with the patients physician. As such, a much more timely response from the physician was possible and issues for patients were dealt with much more expeditiously. Illnesses are now caught in their early stage and treated quickly, before the residents condition deteriorates. This is particularly important given the residents of nursing homes often have multiple medical problems, and are prone to deteriorating very quickly.

The result? In the two years the portal has been up and running, there has been an almost 50 per cent reduction in transfers to the local hospital, and an almost 60 per cent reduction in the number of hospitalization days.

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Sounds expensive, no? Actually, the cost for two years was $70,000. That's right, $35,000 per year. When you consider that the cost of a patient in hospital is $1,000 per day, the 60 per cent reduction in admission days very quickly made up the cost of the actual technology.

So, what do you think would help patients with significant behavioural problems due to dementia more? A mix of a secure, real time communications with the physician and more PSWs with specialized dementia training? Or 84 vice-Presidents? Would you mind telling Eric Hoskins and Kathleen Wynne? They just don't seem to get it, and they are not listening to front line health care workers.

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franckreporter via Getty Images difficult releations in the couple

Written by Dr. Nancy Durand, a gynaecologist at Sunnybrook, with a clinical and research interest in minimally invasive surgery, HPV and colposcopy.

"You have an abnormal Pap test." Anxiety-producing words many of my female patients have heard. If you're sexually active in Canada, chances are you may hear them at some point, too.

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Abnormal Pap tests are caused by strains of the Human Papilloma Virus, or HPV. HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the world. Estimates show about 75 per cent of sexually active men and women will have at least one HPV infection in their lifetime. Prevention for women includes regular Pap tests, which take a sample from the cervix or vagina to look for cell changes that show cancer, or conditions that may develop into cancer.

An abnormal Pap test doesn't mean you have cervical cancer. Most HPV infections will actually go away within 24 months. About 20 per cent of infections will not clear and may go on to cause disease.

Unfortunately, men don't have the safety net of a Pap test for detection.

Here's the low-down on HPV

By number

There are over 100 types of HPV. About 40 infect the anus and genitals, or anogenital tract.

Low-risk HPV

Infection with low-risk HPV can cause genital warts. This type of HPV can cause mild precancerous changes, but there's no increased risk of cancer.

High-risk HPV

In both women and men, infection with high-risk HPV may cause cancer. For men, there is a risk of cancer in the anus and penis. In women, there is a risk of abnormal cervical cell changes, as well as anal cancer. There has also been a rise of cancer in the back of the throat, including the tonsils, base of the tongue and soft palate (called oropharyngeal cancer) in both men and women -- these cancers have also been associated with the same HPV types.

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How to protect yourself

Patients often ask me about relationship and lifestyle changes. The reality is that most people have no symptoms and so they aren't aware that they have the virus. Using condoms is good, but it doesn't offer complete protection against HPV. Even if you've only been with one partner, the virus is so common that you may get the infection from that one partner. And there's generally no way of determining from whom, or when, you contracted HPV.

The good news? As Canadians, we have access to safe, effective vaccines to protect against HPV infection. If you're vaccinated it will help prevent future infections and will decrease recurrences if you've already had HPV. The really good news? All provinces and territories have publicly funded school-based HPV vaccination programs for girls 9 to 13 years of age (grades 4 to 7). And now many vaccination programs also include boys.

I recommend receiving Gardasil 9, which protects against two types of low-risk HPV that cause 90 per cent of genital warts, and seven types of high-risk HPV that cause 90 per cent of HPV-related cancers. Receiving the vaccine during the school-age years is best, but I also recommend it to older patients (both male and female) who are sexually active.

HPV and HPV-related cancers are preventable. Whether you're male or female, it's never too late to receive the vaccine. If you're sexually active at any age, please talk to your doctor or health care professional.

Learn more about sexual health from Sunnybrook experts at health.sunnybrook.ca

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U.S. President Donald Trump isn't going to be impeached.

Not anytime soon, anyway. The numbers just aren't there.

Impeachment is about overturning the will of the people. Impeachment shouldn't ever be easy. In the United States, impeachment has been designed to require a supermajority of legislative votes -- and is reserved for what the U.S. Constitution calls "high crimes and misdemeanours."

First, an "Article of Impeachment" needs to pass in the House of Representatives. And then it goes the Senate, where the Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court is called in to preside over an actual prosecution, with witnesses and evidence. A two-thirds vote is then required to remove a president from office -- and that threshold was not reached in the Bill Clinton case in 1999.

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Identifying a Trump "high crime and misdemeanour" is (sadly) pretty easy to do. Some of his misdeeds, while very serious, have been settled -- such as fraud at Trump University, intimidation of tenants, antitrust violations, discriminating against people of colour at Trump properties in New York and so on.

But there are still ongoing legal actions against him by multiple women alleging sexual assault. Other alleged crimes are almost as serious, and haven't yet been settled out of court. There's alleged crimes by the Trump Foundation, still being probed by New York's Attorney General. There's Newsweek's report that Trump violated the Cuba embargo, also a crime. There are allegations of bribes in Florida to prevent a Trump University investigation.

And, of course, he and his inner circle now stand accused of secret dealings with a hostile foreign power -- Russia. That's about as serious as it gets. Some have said that those misdeeds constitute treason against the United States.

All that may be true. But the fact is that Trump's Republican party dominates the legislative and executive branches. And, until they get some of their agenda implemented -- killing Obamacare, abortion, equality statutes and even the most modest gun control measures -- Republicans will be in no hurry to remove Trump.

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Democrats need to defend the likes of the CIA - and motivate the likes of the FBI investigate the new regime.

That doesn't mean Democrats and Trump's many opponents need to wait. Take it from someone who has run Liberal war rooms for years, and who has worked with Democratic war room operatives, too: there are five things that can be done to drive Donald Trump out of the Oval Office.

1. Target senior staff and family:

Trump has a small, inexperienced inner circle, one that includes many members of his family. The burgeoning Russia scandal has already cost him a National Security Advisor and a campaign manager. His opponents therefore need to continue to pick off those around Trump, with relentless waves of congressional inquiries and criminal probes. That will force the senior Trump advisers to "lawyer up," spend untold thousands on legal fees and limit what they can say to each other. In the Watergate scandal, this is how Richard Nixon was taken down -- by tormenting those around the president, before finally going after the president.

2. Get a chief prosecutor and staff:

The Democrats, and those legions who want to remove Trump from power, need to quickly identify someone who will be Trump's Tormentor-in-Chief: someone who is elected, telegenic, smart and aggressive, and who can get up in Trump's face every single day with a new revelation or new allegation. This legislative attack dog needs to be supported by a smart, well-resourced group of writers and researchers -- a war room, in effect -- who would also help investigative efforts by the likes of the New York Times, the Washington Post and CNN. This group would blanket social media -- where, notoriously, Trump is too often focused -- with rumours and innuendo to demoralize and (ultimately) destroy Team Trump.

3. Motivate and mobilize law enforcement:

As everyone knows, Trump makes many, many mistakes. But this writer long ago opined that his biggest mistake was attacking the U.S. intelligence community -- at one point, unbelievably, likening the CIA to the Nazis. Trump is now paying dearly for that blunder: many of the most damaging leaks against him have apparently come from intelligence operatives seeking revenge. Take advantage of that! Democrats need to defend the likes of the CIA -- and motivate the likes of the FBI investigate the new regime whenever and wherever possible. Under the U.S. Code, it is a crime to lie to the FBI or federal officials. Ask Martha Stewart, Rod Blagojevich, Scooter Libby, Bernard Madoff and many others: once Trump and Co. start lying to the feds, they're heading to the slammer.

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Anti-Trump inquisitors need to ensure that everything they do, and everything they say, enjoys popular support.

4. Be the media's best friend:

In a target-rich scandal environment, the temptation of political people is always to run the show. They want to be the ones driving the story, they want to be the ones who get all the credit. In the early days of the Trump-Russia scandal regime, however, the people pushing this extraordinary story forward work for the aforementioned Times, Post and CNN. They are the ones breaking the stories, not the Democrats. Everything the Dems and the anti-Trump alliance do, therefore, should be aimed at supporting the important work of the ink-stained wretches. Among other things, it's giving credit where credit's due -- and it's good for democracy, too.

5. Get people power:

Impeachments, investigations and inquiries notwithstanding: if a majority of Americans don't care about Putingate -- or they are feeling in any way sympathetic about Trump, as they were about Clinton during the Lewinsky schmozzle -- then none of the above-noted war room tactics will matter. There's courts, and there's the peoples' court. Until Trump has been found guilty in the latter, the former won't matter. Ipso facto: the anti-Trump inquisitors need to ensure that everything they do, and everything they say, enjoys popular support. Most of all, however, get at it. Putingate makes Watergate look like a romp in the park.

If the anti-Trump forces do their job right, who knows?

Donald Trump might start welcoming impeachment.

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Liderina via Getty Images Profile of little African girl writing at home.

By Andrew Ofosu-Dankyi, Education Technical Programme Manager, World Vision Ghana

When it comes to helping the world's poorest children climb out of poverty, most people agree that literacy is key. Unfortunately, many children struggle because they're being taught to read in a language that's not their own. World Vision and Save the Children are working together to help change that.

Today is International Mother Language Day, a time to explore the incredible things that can happen when a child opens the right book. That's an opportunity I rarely had, as a child growing up in Ghana. I remember my secondary school days when my friends teased that learning our mother language could eventually only get us a job as magicians!

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In my classroom, there were a few precious books available in my local language. Those stories profoundly touched my heart, and I loved reading time at primary school. Children love stories, you see. Stories are the virtual window to their world of fantasy and reality. Children do not want to read just any story book, but story books that are engaging and connecting to their passionate souls.

Children in Ethiopia enjoy reading books in their mother language. But for decades, such books have been few and far between. All photos: World Vision

A seal on the savanna?

But children cannot learn to read effectively if there aren't enough reading materials to read. It's especially true for children living in poverty, who often miss school for reasons of illness or hardship. Every moment spent in school has to count. Yet although Ghana's government has a policy that supports mother language instruction for young children, very few books are available.

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Imagine if you had learned to read in a completely different language, about concepts and creatures totally unfamiliar to you. Children here in Ghana have been taught to read in languages like English, trying to understand books about snow, dolphins and other irrelevant topics. In addition to learning the alphabet, they've had to imagine what a "seal" is, or a "cold winter night."

Here's how most children in Ghana have been taught to read until now: in English.

World Vision is working hard to change that. Here in Ghana, we have produced 126 different mother language stories, and translated them into four Ghanaian languages. More than 74,000 copies of these books have been distributed, for children to read in Grades 1 through 4. It's wonderful to see how these stories are opening doors for children, helping them unravel the mystery behind alphabetic letters.

Why create mother language books?

There are many reasons that we do this. More and more, research is showing that learning to read in the mother tongue helps reduce school drop-out rates. Children who have mother tongue learning and instruction also perform better in their second language, once they start to learn it.

Here are some examples, from one of our pilot programs here in Ghana:

Reading comprehension in local languages shot up from six per cent to 60 per cent

English reading comprehension increased from seven per cent to 27 per cent

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Learning to read words in your mother tongue, with images that are familiar, can make a big difference.

There are many reasons for the improvement. One of them, is the availability of the mother language books themselves in our pilot program. A second reason is that the stories are actually familiar to the children who are reading. Many of the story lines are reflections of the children's own lives.

Using stories from real life

Here's how we gather those stories. World Vision trains volunteers to conduct Writers' Workshops, gathering stories of everyday life from the children and their families. Workshop facilitators tell a story to get the conversation going, then begin capturing people's responses in writing.

Since the stories are gathered in the mother language, community members can participate in the editing, and also in the creation of illustrations. The books are published at a local press, and copies are sent to the community book banks. Soon, they are in children's eager hands.

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Children in Malawi love borrowing books in their mother language, through World Vision and Save the Children's Literacy Boost program.

Children tell us that they love the stories and pictures that describe their own lives. The stories are about the plants, camels, goats and the West African folklore spider character of Anansi.

Thirteen-year-old Akosua has been behind in school, and is now in Grade 6. Now, however, she is able to read in her mother language, having participated in one of her community's reading camps. She borrows books from local book banks, and whenever she attends a reading camp.

"I love these books," says Akosua. "The pictures are beautiful and the stories are written in my language."

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Children show assignments they've done in their mother language, at a reading camp in Ghana.

A community of writers

Community members tell us that they are excited about helping create reading content for children in their mother language. Aunt Abena is nearly sixty, but she's enjoyed participant in the community writers' workshop. And when writing is approached as a group, Abena seems to have a natural gift.

"I regret that I did not attend school. I would have written many books. Writing a story is not difficult at all. I mean, look how we did it together," Aunt Abena told me. Hearing this makes me feel wonderful.

The story doesn't end here. World Vision is working with Ghana's ministry of education, which usually ensures that the word choice is appropriate, and the stories are sufficiently challenging for children. We are now working with a local literacy institute, to expand the outreach of the development of mother language books.

The importance of parents

There's so much to feel good about with this project. One of the things is seeing parents taking more active roles in their children's learning.

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A mother in India encourages her daughter's reading, as they look through a book in their mother language.

When I was studying in my mother tongue, I remember my illiterate parents taking a more active role in my learning than they were able to do later on, when all of my lessons were in English. This parental engagement is important for children's intellectual and social development. It also helps children stay in school longer, and remember what they have learned.

That is why I believe in the importance of supporting the use of mother languages in learning.
The five things you need to know on Tuesday, February 21

1) BY-ELECTION BLUES

What was most notable about last nights Parliamentary Labour Party meeting was not the criticisms of Jeremy Corbyn from his own MPs. It was the way such criticism, combined with a mood of weary resignation, is now the new normal. The meeting was nowhere near as charged as last summers angry confrontations, and Corbyn himself waited for all the questions before answering them, Zen-like, at the end. (Taking groups of questions, rather than answering them individually, is an old trick a certain T Blair used to practice).

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My full report is HERE. But just look at what Corbyn was asked about and you can see just how normalised the dissent now is. Chris Leslie asked JC to explain the massive 18-point Tory lead in the ICM poll (so big Owen Jones tweeted it cannot be ignored). Corbyn suggested it was partly due to problems we have had in the media, before adding we do a lot better on social media.

A senior source went further, saying the damage caused by last years coup was still to blame (a line Diane Abbott used on Sunday). That source also predicted that the polls would turn as Tory dissent increased over Brexit and living standards start to fall. But what if the polls havent turned within a year? As academic Matthew Goodwin points out, the Tories are regularly on 40% right now. In what would usually be a big story, backbencher Neil Coyle told Corbyn to his face at the PLP that the main reason given on the doorstep for not voting Labour was Jeremy Corbyn. Jezza just brushed it off.

What was also the new normal at the PLP was a Labour leader, at this point in the electoral cycle, saying previously safe Labour seats in its heartlands were on a knife-edge. And this wasnt the usual expectations management, Jezza is too candid to try that. In Copeland, activists are genuinely worried by canvass returns suggesting voters will stay at home. Tories coming back from Cumbria say they have the same feeling they last had when they took Crewe (which, tellingly, has not gone back to Labour since the 2008 by-election). Some Conservatives tell me that Theresa Mays trip to Stoke yesterday was not bravado, it was because they think they can now come a close second. Labours early postal votes appear to be killing UKIP, others say.

But while most Labour MPs are resigned to a year of continuing dire polls, some refuseniks are still fighters, not quitters. Peter Mandelson last night told a Jewish community meeting: I work every single day to bring forward the end of his tenure in office. Every day I try to do something to rescue the Labour Party from his leadership."

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2) HAMMO DUMP

As previewed in yesterdays WaughZone, Philip Hammonds appearance before the Tory backbench 1922 committee was dominated by business rate complaints. The Chancellors most concrete commitment seemed to be the offer of a fundamental review of the way online retailers (aka Amazon and co) have been given an extra advantage over high street small shops thanks to their warehouses being in the right places.

But while he was conciliatory, Hammond also made clear it was too late to radically halt the business rate revaluation. The bills are going out next week, he said. However, some MPs picked up hints that he could use the Budget to announce more transitional relief or even a lowering of the maximum cap on rate rises. Lets see if thats wishful thinking, or if the Treasury comes up with a minor change that satisfies few.

While Hammond was, unusually for a Chancellor, playing good cop, Communities Secretary Sajid Javid is seen as bad cop by Tory MPs. His recent letter to MPs attacked half-truths from commercial rates firms. But the Mail attacks his stats as a dodgy dossier that underestimated rises by up to 7%. The Times has some savage MP quotes accusing Javid of sleight of hand, and another saying he was missing in action by taking a holiday in Dubai last week as the row blew up. Was there further subterfuge last night, with DCLG dropping their local govt finance settlement so late (gone 7pm)?

3) BIG SISTER IS WATCHING YOU

Theresa Mays decision to sit on the steps of the Throne in the Lords yesterday certainly added some bite to the second reading debate on the Brexit bill. It proved perhaps once more that cautious Theresa is actually capable of being bold Theresa (no PM had sat on the steps to listen to a debate before, and John Major only did so to hear a maiden speech in 1990) if it helps maximise her political advantage.

The peers themselves adjourned at just after midnight, following some interesting speeches from William Hague (who warned Tony Blairs rise up speech risked the biggest crisis since Home Rule), Peter Mandelson, former diplomat David Hannay, and others. Arch Remainer Baroness Wheatcroft said ministers were taking a University Challenge-type approach..Ive started so Ill finish. Someone should point out to her master mind that thats the Mastermind catchphrase. Peers will resume later and again go on to midnight.

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The Guardian meanwhile splashes on a new analysis that claims the UK crashing out of the European Union without a trade deal would saddle British exporters with more than 6bn a year of extra costs (in tariffs). Importers with low margins, such as farmers and car manufacturers, are particularly at risk. But the British fashion industry faces an extra customs bill of more than $1bn  and high Leave-voting areas like Stoke-on-Trent and its ceramics industry would also be hit hard.

BECAUSE YOUVE READ THIS FAR

Watch Sutton Uniteds reserve goalie and his extraordinary touchline warm-up.

4) LORDS-A-LEECHING

The House of Lords is made up of many fine Parliamentarians, experts in their field who work hard and treat their duties properly. So it is particularly galling to them - and even more so to those who know little of life on the red benches - to hear stories that some peers literally only turn up to claim their 300 daily attendance allowance and then disappear.

Yet thats precisely what the former Lords Speaker Baroness DSouza revealed in last nights BBC documentary on the upper chamber. She recalls how she saw one peer late at night who jumped out of a taxi just outside the peers entrance, left the engine runningHe ran in, presumably to show that hed attended, and then ran out again while the taxi was still running. No wonder the Mirror splashed that on its front page. Pressure for her to name the peer will surely intensify today?

The programme had lots of great quotes, including Lib Dem Lord Tyler calling the Lords the best day care centre for the elderly in London. Hereditary peer Baron Palmer says he practiced his maiden speech 98 times. Some people now make them terribly quickly, I personally think is a shame, because you want to get the mood of the house. I had a friend who didnt make a maiden speech for 44 years  it was very good when it did eventually come.

5) STP THE WAR

While Tory MPs may or may not manage to get changes to business rates, will the Department of Health listen to Parliamentary worries over radical plans to transform the NHS at local level? Its certainly beginning to dawn on backbenchers of all stripes that the Sustainability and Transformation Plans, known as STPs, are a new front in the battle for the health service.

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Today, the BBC has got an analysis by the Kings Fund health think tank showing that the STP means cuts to hospital services in two-thirds of England. And while many experts think its better to look after old people in the community rather than on a ward, the theory breaks down when local councils simply havent enough beds in care homes to take up the slack.

Critics suggest slashing numbers of hospital beds is a cheap way local trusts are trying to meet their target of 22bn of efficiency savings. And 1.8bn pot set aside this year to ease the STP plan has already been swallowed up by deficits, figures released on Monday showed. Winter pressures have meant a deficit of nearly 900m was racked up by NHS trusts in the first nine months of the 2016-17 - way above the 580m figure suggested earlier in the year.

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On a recent trip to Costa Rica, I travelled from San Jose to Quepos and encountered a huge (and I mean, huge) palm oil plantation. As we drove further into the fronded forest, I noticed a despondency rising within me. So much primary and secondary forest lost to this oil-bearing tree. When I hear the words, 'palm' and 'oil' I immediately think 'bad'. My reaction to the Costa Rican palm forest was based on an overarching belief that ALL palm oil is produced through deforestation with the loss of an incalculable amount of wildlife and bio-diversity. But, was that really what I was seeing? Is all palm oil really that awful? I didn't know.

I decided to research the subject and initially encountered page after page of conflicting arguments which seemingly contradicted everything and everybody. In so many cases, the genuine facts seemed to be lost among bloated reams of misinformation which made an informed opinion almost impossible. Should I or shouldn't I turn my back on palm oil? What's the truth? And how can that truth be distilled in to a handful of helpful paragraphs that make sense?

To answer that, the first place to start is with palm oil itself. Palm oil trees yield considerably more product than their oil bearing cousins which gives them a sizeable economic advantage; more oil on less land. Figures suggest that per hectare, 4 to 10 times the amount of oil can be produced from palms compared to rape, sunflower or groundnuts, for example. And it's a very adaptable vegetable oil offering human health benefits which contribute to the reason why it's found in over 50% of supermarket foods.

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It doesn't take a business genius to know that food manufacturers are going to want to get their hands on this wonderfully adaptable, cost-efficient and healthy oil. The problem, however, is what needs to be done to meet the growing demand. Oil palms love wet and humid conditions such as those found in rain forests so huge swathes of jungle are cut down to make way for palm oil plantations. After all, a bio-diverse and ecologically rich jungle doesn't compare to the profitability of a palm oil farm, right? High demand, money, jobs...it's all there for the taking. And if history tells us anything, rare plant and animal species will always play second fiddle to man-made money making schemes. Just look at the 80,000 acres of rain forest that disappears from the earth every day. And then there's the production process that churns out tonnes of pollution-causing effluent. This infiltrates the air and water supplies having a negative effect on all wildlife including humans.

So, palm oil itself is good but making it is bad. Therefore, shouldn't we just boycott it? Well, no. As consumers, our relationship with palm oil throws up a bit of a paradox. It's a situation where the most effective change isn't set about by a blanket boycott, but by continually squaring up to those manufacturers who abuse its production, while fervently supporting those who DON'T. Because oil palms create such a high yield per hectare, a boycott will force unethical manufacturers to replace it with a 'less emotive' vegetable oil. It will almost certainly be an oil that requires more land to offer the same yield thus and require expanded deforestation while generating additional pollution etc.

The single most effective strategy, therefore, is to reach out to manufacturers and tell them that they're indirectly responsible for creating a product that's contributing to the decimation of ecosystems and let them know that you'll be making a choice to support their competitors who invest in sustainability. Those outwardly focussed businesses who detail exactly where their palm oil comes from. At the very least, they will cite RSPO certification (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil). They will want consumers to know that their money is supporting positive change; initiatives to educate farmers on how to maximise their yields and eradicate the need for more farms. And if a new farm is needed, to locate it on carefully researched baron land that offers no existing biodiversity. Movements to create jobs with fair pay and investment in the community. And the support of new technologies to produce oil with minimal pollution.

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Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg have discussed the situation in Donbas and agreed to intensify the work within targeted NATO trust funds in support of the Ukrainian state.

According to the presidential press service, Poroshenko informed the NATO Secretary General on the complicated security situation in Donbas and the escalation of tension near Avdiyivka.

The president also expressed gratitude to the NATO Secretary General for the clear position on condemning Russia's aggressive policy and its actions in Donbas and noted the importance of maintaining transatlantic unity in response to the ongoing Russian aggression.

The head of state stressed the importance of practical help NATO provides to Ukraine to strengthen its defense and reform the security sector in accordance with NATO standards.

Stoltenberg, in turn, stressed that NATO stopped practical cooperation with Russia and also supports sanctions until the full implementation of the Minsk agreements by Russia.
106 years ago, Parliament enacted the Protection of Animals Act, which banned various forms of cruelty to animals. The Act imposed a maximum sentence of six months imprisonment on those found guilty.

In the time since, a lot has happened: two World Wars, women's suffrage, the creation of television and the internet. The world has moved on a lot. And yet something remains the same: a maximum sentence of six months' imprisonment for animal cruelty offences.

At the League Against Cruel Sports, we see a lot of appalling animal cruelty. We have got to know dogs rescued from fighting, who have found loving homes, but still carry the scars of their past. We know the horrendous cruelty that humans can inflict on animals, and that is why we believe the Government needs to increase the maximum sentence for animal cruelty.

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We are not alone in this belief. Battersea Dogs and Cats Home have released an excellent report, outlining current sentencing and providing some heart-breaking examples of animals they've taken in. The RSPCA has conducted a poll showing seven out of ten people want the Government to increase sentences for animal cruelty. The cross-party Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs Committee in its report on domestic pet welfare stated that the maximum sentence should be increased to five years imprisonment.

And two MPs have also taken up the mantle. Kevin Foster (Conservative MP from Torbay) and Anna Turley (Labour MP for Redcar) have both tabled pieces of legislation to increase sentencing for, in Kevin's bill, animal fighting and, in Anna's bill, animal cruelty. The Lib Dems have also supported calls for increased sentencing. It is truly heartening to see so much support from all sides of the political spectrum.

Internationally, England and Wales have fallen further and further behind. Battersea's report looked at 100 jurisdictions, and found that 54% can impose a prison sentence of 3 years of more, 34% can impose a sentence of 5 years, and 8% allow a sentence of 5 years or more. We don't even need to look too far afield to see how these penalties can be increased. Following a horrific case of animal cruelty in Northern Ireland, where those responsible received suspended sentences, public pressure forced a legislation change. The Northern Ireland Assembly introduced a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment for animal cruelty. In Scotland, the current maximum sentence stands at one year.
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Writing your first novel is simultaneously thrilling and terrifying, and sharing your work with someone can give even the calmest writer awaiting feedback sweaty palms and the odd panic attack in Cafe Nero. So I asked the advice of five authors who have successfully nursed their novel through first drafts and feedback all the way to publication and the bowing shelves of bookshops far and wide.

The First Reader

From husbands, girlfriends, mothers and friends, the first draft needs to be placed in caring hands that won't rip the heart out of an early incarnation. For Last Night in Montreal, Emily St. John Mandel's debut novel, her husband was its first reader. 'The first draft was about a hundred pages longer than the version that was ultimately published.' Mandel explains, 'He thought it would be a better book if it were generally tighter and more streamlined, and he was absolutely right.' Alternatively, Kirsty Logan, author of recent debut The Gracekeepers, read her first draft aloud to her girlfriend. 'It was really valuable, as I could hear where the sentences were clunky or repetitive.'

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The Right Time

The overwhelming consensus is that you should never show your work until you have a full draft. 'That way, you've sat down with the idea and wrestled with it,' says Tashan Mehta, author of forthcoming novel, The Liar's Weave. 'You've placed as much of yourself as possible into the style, the words, the structure and the characters, then beta readers can function as they must: come in and say, hey, this doesn't work.' Mandel agrees: 'It's more useful to me to get feedback on work that's as polished as possible.' She often writes five to six drafts before she shows it to anyone. Robyn Travis, author of Mama Can't Raise No Man, thinks it's impossible to get detailed feedback 'unless the writer gives the whole picture', he explains, 'I always keep this in mind when showing people something at a stage when it is incomplete.'

The Wrong Reader

Writing courses, nosy friends and eager family members who don't quite understand: it is not uncommon for writers to regret sharing their work. 'It is tempting to always hope for praise and approval, and when that's not forthcoming, to regret having shared it,' says Sarah Perry. 'But over the years you learn what can be discarded, and what can be taken on board - and you cannot learn that without sharing your work.'

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Logan was given some destructive feedback by one of her fellow students on her writing masters course. 'It took me years to shake that off.' This is not an uncommon scenario as it is often compulsory on such courses to share work at an early stage. Similarly, Perry advises writers at the beginning of their career to be cautious with whom they share their work. 'Never share work with anyone who will try and turn you, or your work, into something which doesn't have integrity - which is suited to their own tastes, rather than making the work the best it can be.' When writing The Essex Serpent, Perry didn't show early drafts to anyone, 'I need to be left alone for as long as possible to make errors, and amend them, where I can.'

The Useful Stuff

'When someone says you've put in too much detail, and another says, you've put in too little detail, what they're both saying is that the book doesn't have the right details,' says Mehta. 'Once you see that, it becomes easier to follow the path they're laying out.' This type of constructive feedback is exactly what authors long for - someone willing to take the time to give you their honest thoughts. 'There's no better feeling for an author than hearing what people truly think of their work,' Travis explains. 'I'd prefer someone to read my book and give an opinion I don't agree with, than them read it and be left feeling indifferent.' Once the book is published, feedback comes in from all sides; journalists, acquaintances, twitter followers. Mandel doesn't read the reviews of her novels, 'By the time the book's published, it's really too late for any feedback to be useful.'

Their advice is unanimous: live with your novel for as long as possible, don't rush the process, and above all choose those first readers wisely.

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Emily St John Mandel's novels include Last Night in Montreal and Station Eleven

Kirsty Logan is author of The Gracekeepers

Tashan Mehta is author of The Liar's Weave, publishing in 2017
"Sometimes it is said that man cannot be trusted with the government of himself. Can he, then, be trusted with the government of others? Let history answer this question." In his 1st Inaugural address as the third President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson picked up on a paradox of representative democracy that has haunted western liberal nations for the last two hundred years. Democracies need politicians, but they do not necessarily want them. The enduring contest between their public, political and private personas rarely crosses the mind of the cynical citizen or the tabloid journalist, but it may hold answers to why we have come to dislike politicians so much.

At the abstract level, the balance between democracy as a series of checks and balances (government for the people), and democracy as a political system responsive to the will of its citizens (government by the people) is finely tuned and apprehensively maintained. When the pendulum swings too far to the former, a crisis of legitimacy engenders anti-political sentiment as people become more disengaged and disenchanted with politics. When it swings too far to the latter, there is the risk of tyranny by the majority over the minority. There is the additional risk - as we are now witnessing - of a charismatic leader, in the Weberian sense of the word, such as Donald Trump. Trump provides an interesting and under-appreciated lesson about the role of personality in politics that is applicable here in the UK where the broken record about broken promises has become all too familiar in conversations about politics across the country.

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In 2015 the Veracity Index showed that politicians in the UK had retained their primacy as the least trusted profession by the British public, falling behind estate agents, journalists and bankers (Ipsos Mori, 2016). The performance and ideals of the world's most established democracies, the UK included, have been slowly diverging to produce a crisis of legitimacy that is securely fastened to the conduct, and not necessarily content, of modern politics. Already in 1991, commentators such as Todd Gitlin could talk of a 'shrivelled politics of slogans, deceit and mystifying pageantry'. As with other anti-politician rhetoric, these statements are over-simplifications of the truth. But they are not over-simplifications of the sentiment.

People want their politicians to speak plainly and truthfully, to adhere to their principles once voiced, and to follow through on the promises they make. The price of believing that politicians will disappoint is two-fold. On one hand it reinforces the distrust of both politicians and political processes, and in turn compounds a general apathy towards politics (especially among the young). On the other hand it cultures a complacency that enervates people from using the formal channels of politics to oppose those, such as Trump, who do make outlandish claims they dislike or disagree with. Trump is extraordinary in the grand scheme of political actors for following through, so quickly and so bluntly, with his campaign commitments. The question is why he is the exception in this respect, and not the rule.

In psychological studies of human behaviour, Construal Level Theory (CLT) has shown us that the strength of causation and correlation between an individual's personality (their genetic traits and social values) and their actions or decisions is affected by time and specificity. When we mentally construe events or decisions in the distant future, we are likely to evaluate the central features of that event from an abstract perspective and to make evaluations or commitments based on our values and attitudes. However when we construe events in the near future that are rich in detail, our more abstract values and attitudes become subordinate to feasibility criteria. For example, volunteering in a refugee camp in a year's time may be construed as an opportunity to act upon deep-seated convictions about social justice and a desire to help others. However, the unexpected invitation to help at a food bank tomorrow evening is likely to be construed in terms of time or travel requirements, as well as other potential commitments with family or friends.

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Applying CLT to politics helps to demystify the rhetoric of deceit surrounding politicians and to humanise the process of politics as well. In most cases politicians will enter politics with honourable intentions and high expectations of what they can achieve. At the time of their election campaign, politicians are able to construe of their time in office from a distal and abstract perspective, and thus make commitments that are genuinely true to their personal beliefs and values. Once in office, politicians face competing demands on their time, energy and loyalty that are incomparable to most professional occupations. Whether it is a mounting pile of casework from constituents, a ministerial portfolio, scrutiny of a public bill, or the dangling carrot and stick of the party Whip, the feasibility constraints on politicians' daily actions are many and exacting.

What is more, unlike the majority of people politicians are faced with feasibility constraints for their professional choices that transcend themselves to the collective public effect of their actions across a wide range of policy domains. In this context, the margins to align actions with personal values are narrow and fleeting. One may, without acting as an apologist for the Liberal Democrats, look back upon Nick Clegg's 'broken promise' to scrap university tuition fees as a product of CLT. With pressures to balance the books and maintain political leverage as the junior partner in Britain's first Coalition government for 36 years, the Liberal Democrats collectively construed the then imminent decision over Conservative proposals to raise tuitions fees from a feasibility standpoint. When Clegg and his colleagues made the promise to scrap fees in the campaign manifesto months prior, it was not meant to deceive but had been made as a distant and unlikely commitment based entirely on principle. In government the Liberal Democrats could not act on the popular will that had put them there.
When you look back at the global leaders over time, you can get a fairly strong idea about the state of the world in each particular era.

In the 40's you had opportunistic dictators like Hitler and Mussolini waging war on the world. Strength and bravery were required from Churchill and Roosevelt to stand up to them. War and the struggle for power were the significant themes of this decade, and the major leaders at the time were instrumental in creating this climate.

The 50's were a time of recovery and reestablishment. Konrad Adenauer was focused on picking up the pieces for Germany, David Ben Gurion fought hard to build a Jewish State (two years after Israel gained independence), Charles de Gaulle did his best to patch up France's relationship with its neighbours and Queen Elizabeth II tried to hold her country together after her father King George suddenly died. Stability was the major theme during this decade, and all of these leaders played a vital role in creating solidarity.

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The 60's symbolised peace, rebellion, equality and social justice. JFK led the way before he was assassinated, and it was a similar story for civil rights leader Martin Luther King. Golda Meir fought for peace in the Middle East, while Harold Macmillan campaigned for free trade in Europe. As Bob Dylan told us, "the times were changing" and many leaders in that era were trying to introduce initiatives that the world had never seen.

Things unravelled in the 70's and war was once again on the horizon. Despite a strong anti-war movement by some sections of the public - mostly due to the enormous casualty count in Vietnam - President Richard Nixon ignored the protests, fearing a retreat would make the USA look weak. In the UK, Prime Minister Edward Heath was also in favour of war, publicly supporting the US bombings of Hanoi. Closer to home he faced his own issues with Northern Ireland, and survived a bomb explosion that was planted by the IRA. While all of this turmoil was taking place, people across the world were divided. For many, rebellion came in the form of experimentation - Sex, drugs and rock & roll.

The 80's were a strange decade. Differences between the Western World and everywhere else were the biggest they had ever been. The USA, Canada, UK, Australia and Germany all moved away from planned economies towards a model of capitalism. The advancements in technology led by companies like Apple, IBM, Microsoft and Sony ensured that the private sector, rather than the government were leading the way when it came to industry and trade. Ronald Reagan, Brian Mulroney, Margaret Thatcher, Bob Hawke and Helmut Kohl all promoted this climate, and they had incredibly high popularity ratings in their respective countries. The third world was not quite there yet and this was reflected by unrest in the former Soviet Union, Tiananmen Square protests in China and several attempts to overthrow governments in Hungary, Romania and Czechoslovakia.

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The 90's were a time of hope and optimism. 'Multiculturalism' and 'inclusivity' were the buzz words in many countries. The leaders of the day had a lot to do with this. Nelson Mandela became the first Black President in South Africa, Bill Clinton endorsed the end of 'White America' and Yitzchak Rabin (before his assassination) preached co-existence between Israelis and Palestinians. The world became a lot smaller in this decade with the mainstream adoption of the World Wide Web. The emergence of emails and websites helped us communicate more efficiently.

The 2000's or 'Noughties' were chaotic. Large terrorist attacks occurred in New York, London, Madrid, Bali, Mumbai and several other parts of the world. As a result, there were 'wars on terror' in both Afghanistan and Iraq. Nuclear threats emerged out of Iran and North Korea and a global financial crisis hit most of the world at the end of the decade. George W Bush, Tony Blair, John Howard and several other world leaders rallied together to tighten security and increase surveillance in their respective countries. Before 'the noughties' CC TV and heavy airport security were uncommon. The rise in terrorism changed the world climate and our leaders took measures to give governments as much control and access to our personal data as possible. You could argue that the world became over regulated as a result of the horrific terror attacks.

So that brings us to today and the current era we find ourselves living in.

The multiculturalism that was promoted in the 90's has been seen by many as the cause of all the turmoil at the turn of the century. For the record I don't hold this view.

In the last 12 months, the UK has opted to leave the European Union (Brexit) and newly elected Prime Minister, Theresa May has promised to ensure stronger border control.

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The USA have just elected President Donald Trump who has vowed to 'make America great again' with drastic immigration reform. He also intends on reducing America's involvement in foreign affairs, in order to focus on its own issues.

In Australia, the popularity for the major political parties has decreased and smaller right wing parties like One Nation are enjoying the most support that they've ever had.

The world is moving right and for the most part, we have elected leaders that promise to continue steering the ship in that direction.

I can't help but wonder why we haven't learnt from the past. The breakdown of the last few decades that I detailed above, shows us that history has a strange tendency to repeat itself. The world seems to go through alternating periods of war and peace, inclusion and division, as well as damage and repair.

Right now many of the world leaders seem to prefer keeping us apart, rather than bringing us together. With that in mind, it should come as no surprise that racism, antisemitism and homophobia are starting to rear their ugly heads once again.

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The cultural climate that we live in is largely dependent upon the quality of our leaders.
Thousands of refugee children remain at risk of trafficking, exploitation and abuse close to British shores. We, as a country, made a commitment to help these children and we cannot shy away now.

Firstly let's put this into perspective, the numbers of refugees in Europe are just the tip of the iceberg - millions remain in settlements across parts of Africa and the Middle East.

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This week, MPs will debate the UK's support to child refugees residing in Europe, including the Dubs scheme, which a recent government statement has said may grind to a halt as soon as 150 more unaccompanied children are brought to the UK.

Those who argue in favour of scrapping the Dubs scheme say it only encourages more families to make the unthinkable, heart-breaking decision to send their children off to Europe alone, leaving them at risk of exploitation by traffickers. But this argument fails to recognise the reality, which is that a Dubs transfer is a way out of the hands of the criminals. Many of these children are already the victims of modern slavery - an issue the Prime Minister rightly prioritises.

Many of these children have lost their homes, parents, friends and schools. Left where they are, these children will struggle to access the services and long-term support they need in countries with overwhelmed systems. The traffickers and smugglers prey on exactly this kind of vulnerability.

But, by the time the Dubs scheme may come to an end, just 350 children will have been resettled in the UK. This paltry figure does little to match the spirit and energy that galvanised the government to introduce the amendment in the first place.

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The situation for children is particularly worrying in Greece and Italy. Last year alone, these two countries saw the arrival of over 30,000 unaccompanied children from conflict-affected countries such as Syria, Afghanistan and Nigeria. Yet, just eight children have been resettled in the UK from Italy and Greece.

We do not end the control of criminals over children by ending a legal route. Instead, if we really wanted to undermine the ability for smugglers and traffickers to take advantage of children we would look at ensuring that the UK's rules on reuniting refugee families align for those outside Europe with those within it. Under the UK Immigration Rules on refugee family reunion, children can reunite with a parent in the UK. These rules need to be extended. Under the current system, for children to reach a more extended family member - like a grandparent or a sibling - in the UK they must first make a dangerous crossing into Greece or Italy to apply from there.

Local Authorities' capacity to take in more child refugees has been given as the other reason for capping the number of Dubs children. We are told that there is only space for 350 children. But there are 217 local authorities with responsibility for looking after children, which means that less than 2 Dubs scheme children will be supported by each local authority. Simply put, the scale of the response is not matching the scale of the crisis.

At Unicef UK we are calling on the Government to adopt simple and practical measures that will ensure the long-term safety of more vulnerable, unaccompanied child refuges in Europe. The Government should agree to ongoing consultations with Local Authorities to determine and resolve capacity issues, consulting them every financial year. It's also important for Local Authorities to publish up-to-date numbers of children who are supported so that NGOs, local communities and MPs can work together to realistically and practically support and resettle more children.

For those children with family links in the UK, the Government needs to make the law work for children, by finding ways to speed up family reunion processes from key countries such as Greece and Italy. Currently children's cases can take more than a year - an extraordinarily long time to wait in such perilous conditions - so it is no surprise that most children who are eligible do not enter the official family reunion system, or they give up on the system and make their own way, risking their lives with smugglers or traffickers.

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With thousands of unaccompanied children alone, cold and in danger, the Government must also make arrangements to find unaccompanied children with family links in the UK and assist them through the process of being reunited with their families. They should also use their discretion to assist vulnerable children who are not alone, but are in great need of being transferred with an accompanying relative to be with their other family members here.

Children fleeing war and disaster are at some of the highest numbers since World War II. We cannot pull the last hope of safety from under their feet without thinking through the consequences or - at the very least - providing an alternative. At Thursday's debate, the Government must take the opportunity to show that it is not shying away from its commitment to protect children from traffickers and criminal gangs. Many of these children will have lost everything. Many will have experienced traumas that are beyond our comprehension.
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I'm so bored of being told bigots and those that put people's lives at risk should be defeated in open debate. It's not true, and it's not necessary. I'm quite happy to prioritise people's safety over someone spouting ill-informed, hate-filled 'alternative facts'. We seem sold on the whole idea that freedom of speech means we are obliged to amplify hate and give bigots a platform. We don't owe bigots a platform. You are right, they're free to say what they want but giving them a platform to the detriment and regression of others is irresponsible.

There's a common theme in those that argue for the 'protection of free speech'. They tend to be people in a position of privilege. Someone whose unlikely to be the target of the abuse, and certainly unshaken by it. They will have almost certainly told you that they detest, and denounce the said individual. However, you'll find them retweeting said bigots when they happen to say something that they agree with that backs up their point. It's nothing short of selfish to acknowledge that someone's behaviour compromises other people's safety and on the other hand argue that it's somehow of value.

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In the past, the issue has been centred around university campuses and the speakers that have been invited. I would argue that universities have a duty of care to their students, and inviting a speaker who is actively sexist, racist, and homophobic would be negating that duty. "They don't have to attend the event" I hear you yell. So you're saying it's ok for a university or student union to actively seek out a speaker who is likely to not only make them feel uncomfortable but also puts their safety at risk.

Of course, the issue isn't exclusive to universities, but you can apply the same standards to other places of significance. It's the exact reason I'm entirely behind John Bercow's recent rejection of Donald Trump even if you want to argue it's hypocritical because of the previous leaders he has welcomed to the Parliamentary estate. We'll worry about your 'whataboutery' after Donald Trump's state visit. I couple those people who think refusing Donald Trump the honour of addressing Parliament is a bad idea with the same people who will sit down and tell you if Marie Le Pen wins the French elections in May all will be fine because at least she's pro-Brexit.

It's beyond a joke to pretend there isn't a direct link between bigots being given a platform and the negative experiences of people of colour. Extraordinary levels of hate crime have been observed since the EU Referendum. If that isn't a wake-up call I don't know what is. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said the findings suggested some used the Brexit vote "to legitimise inexcusable racism and prejudice". I've argued that many times before but when people like Nigel Farage can openly exaggerate the threat of migrant sex attacks on women it's no wonder people felt the EU Referendum vote legitimised their bigoted views.

We can't go on giving these people a platform when they openly state malicious inaccurate opinions as fact with absolutely no sign of any source. How can we honestly say someone like Jack Buckby, a former member of BNP, who felt it was ok to say "take in a Syrian refugee, I hope you don't get raped" to a young black woman live on Channel 4 News is adding to the debate? I'm quite happy to see discussions of opposing views but let's not make an attempt to normalise irrational thought, particularly when there's not a shred of real evidence to back up their so-called opinions.

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Last week, Paul Nuttall, leader of Ukip, claimed hate crimes reports since the Brexit vote have been fabricated. We already know hate crimes are under-reported, and it shouldn't come as a surprise when some people are so ready to vilify the victim and not the horrible bigots who commit these crimes. There's no evidence to suggest the government, police forces and members of Parliament have "overblown" the spike in hate crime and I think many of the victims would be sickened to find out their experiences have been erased by someone with little understanding of what is happening on the ground.

The latest scandal has seen alt-right professional troll, Milo Yiannopoulos, immersed in criticism for his latest statement on "cross-generational" sexual relationships between boys and older men. For some people, this has been the last straw, but many people are pointing out that the last straw should have been issued a long time ago. Yiannopoulos has a history of well documented bigoted behaviour that many have chosen to ignore.

Or is it because you only care about freedom of speech when it is protecting bigotries you secretly do not find that objectionable?  Nesrine Malik (@NesrineMalik) February 20, 2017

he's like a walking experiment in seeing how far you can go and still be heard widely in the public sphere  fake Matt Pearce (@mattdpearce) February 20, 2017
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Those of us in the Labour party who have been staunchly sceptical of Jeremy Corbyn's leadership from the beginning often stand accused of not taking him or his supporters seriously enough. At Progress, we are keen to rectify this perception, and apply rigorous intellectual scrutiny to the Corbyn project.

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Rather than the normal 'it's all going wrong' type piece that some have come to expect from Progress - regardless of how fair or true that might be - historian Richard Carr of Anglia Ruskin University looks in depth at the Labour leader's world view. What Corbyn really believes, who continues to inspire him - spoiler: Tony Benn - and what gets him out of bed in the morning - another spoiler: Stop the War rallies.

Carr starts on their 'all trade bad, all immigration good' stance:

'The Corbynites and their predecessors see capitalism in transnational terms as having produced economic losers from Berlin to Bangkok. The very concept of national borders has always been innately troubling to the hard-left. Their view is global rather than European. Why, after all, discriminate on matters of cartography when the evil of globalised free markets affects all of mankind?'

This explains Jeremy Corbyn's lackluster approach to the referendum on Britain's membership of the European Union. For him, 'freedom of movement' is a principle for everyone and not just for (predominantly white) Europeans; a view which Seumas Milne apparently confirms privately. John McDonnell has publicly said he believes the nation state is 'irrelevant' and 'inevitably in this century we will have open borders'.

This position of having borders open to people but closed to trade and opportunity, which Carr identities as the Islington North MP's ideology, is a real problem. First, it is not Labour. As Starmer says in the aforementioned interview: 'The Labour party has always operated immigration rules. The idea that we wouldn't have immigration rules is unthinkable.' Secondly, it is not where the public is. Worse, it is 180 degrees away from their instincts. Carr hypothesises, 'if forced to choose, the British public would likely plump for the opposite of the hard-left's core worldview: greater control over the borders and an openness to free trade'.

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Finally, it is just not modern. The world is not binary in this way. The global aspirations of Islamic State and the like mean open borders are intolerable. Even for the most pro-migration voters - and I include myself among them - some checks are required to keep countries safe. Equally, open economies, which benefit hugely from immigration, need the knowledge of who is coming in and going out to ensure the good provision of public services, to defend labour market standards and to facilitate community cohesion. Simultaneously, trade is not a necessary evil but a welcome exchange. It is essential to drive innovation, productivity and growth. While there can be bad trade deals and bad trade terms, trade itself is rarely the problem.

In Brexit Britain, Labour cannot simply rely on Europe to deliver its social democratic settlement. The moderates and modernisers need to get their thinking caps on, and quick. Rather than starting with Benn and the 1980s, Labour should be guided by two principles: first, trade should be 'free and fair'; second, immigration should be managed under the principle of 'fair rules without prejudice'.

But forget the voting public for a minute. Corbyn - and his would-be successor McDonnell - are met, due to this philosophy, by a predicament among their own supporters. The 'open borders' position will surprise few, but how this informs their view of the EU - as an elite white club which excludes the rest of the world - is only just becoming clear. For those inspired by Corbyn in 2015, being a Europhile is part of their liberal Hampstead/Hebden Bridge cultural identity. The disappointment at the Article 50 three-line whip is palpable.

The realisation is materialising among Corbynistas that these hard-left ideologues are outdated and uncompromising. More importantly, not very liberal. Their patron saint, Tony Benn, is remembered as a cuddly icon who would not have hurt a fly and so his status as someone who inspired fear in much of the Labour vote, let alone the Tories, has gone. But the 'siege economics' he propagated lives on in Corbyn and McDonnell and will give those considering voting for Corbyn's Labour similar cause for concern. Greg Rosen, in a piece that accompanies the Carr essay, reminds readers why it was so unpopular at the time.

When you take out the Trotskyists, Maoists, tankies and rag bag Communist party members, the Corbynistas - the young, their parents and lecturers annoyed by tuition fees - do not like the fact that Corbyn is less a latter day Charlie Kennedy and more an affable George Galloway.

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Mixed with his anti-west activism - chronicled by Grace Skelton - there is little for the British working or middle class to actually agree with. I think Labour will win both Copeland and Stoke-on-Trent Central, but the grumbling from the voters in both places towards our leader is not about his competence but because they just do not like his politics.
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The British Government currently leads the world on tax and transparency. We were the first major country to introduce a public register of who owns what companies registered on our shores.

But for the past three years, Ministers have been asking the UK's Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies to adopt the same transparency as the UK. These UK tax havens are places like the British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands and Bermuda. The British Virgin Islands was the most utilized tax haven named in the Panama Papers, with over half of the corporate entities named registered there.

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But now, ahead of a crunch vote in the House of Commons, it looks worryingly like the Government has already given up on getting British tax havens to open up, with ministers now suggesting that the Overseas Territories will now only be expected to adopt public registers when the rest of the world does. With President Trump in the White House that looks increasingly far away.

(IMAGE: Campaigners outside the Foreign Office highlight the secrecy of Overseas Territories)

The Government recently published the Criminal Finances Bill to try and tackle corruption, yet shockingly the bill doesn't even mention the UK's tax havens. MPs this week will be picking up the fight in the context of this climb down. Dame Margaret Hodge MP, as Chair of the cross-party Group on Responsible Tax in Parliament, has tabled an amendment to the Bill to force the UK's Overseas Territories to introduce public registers of beneficial ownership. This would disclose who owns the anonymous companies they host, shining a light on the huge wealth secretly hidden offshore.

When the Panama Papers scandal hit the news in April 2016 the public were rightfully outraged by how large corporations and private individuals could hide their business dealings through a series of shady but entirely legal off-shore processes to avoid paying tax. Polls consistently show support from two-thirds of voters across the political spectrum for tougher action.

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This public mood was not lost on Theresa May. Just two days before she became Prime Minister in July last year, she gave a wide-ranging speech in Birmingham where she set out her vision for the country.

In it she said: "Tax is the price we pay for living in a civilised society. No individual and no business, however rich, has succeeded all on their own...It doesn't matter to me whether you're Amazon, Google or Starbucks, you have a duty to put something back. So as Prime Minister, I will crack down on individual and corporate tax avoidance and evasion."

She went on to say similar things in her first speech as Prime Minister on the steps of Downing Street two days later, and then later in July media reports revealed she had ordered a crackdown on companies' use of offshore tax havens. For those of us who have been working to get transparency in the UK's tax havens for some time, this was music to our ears.

In the secretive financial jurisdictions of the British Overseas Territories, it is easy to set up a company or a bank account, and members of the public will have no idea which company you own. There are 15 companies for every person in the British Virgin Islands, compared to around half a company per person in the UK. And companies in the British Virgin Islands are 11 times more likely to be involved in grand corruption than a US company.

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This is surely not what Theresa May had in mind when she made those speeches. So why the change of tune?

The widely-supported Hodge Amendment is a cross-party attempt to rectify this, with signatories from MPs right across the political spectrum. From the co-leader of the Greens, to the Westminster leader of the DUP, and including all strands of opinion within the Opposition Labour Party. This amendment is a plea to the Government to lead on transparency once again rather than resorting to simply following the stationary herd.

Tax avoidance is a global problem and we one we should all feel outrage about. We know that this murky world costs developing countries hugely too. The UN Conference on Trade and Development said that tax havens cost developing countries at least $100 billion per year, but it is probably much more than this. Despite what you might hear in the press about aid, developing countries lose more to tax avoidance than they gain in aid. Africa is a net creditor to the world.

And since the UK opened a public register of who owns what companies operating in Britain, other nations countries including Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya and Afghanistan are now considering following suit. Surely that is global leadership to be proud of not something to back away from?

Ministers have pledged a post-Brexit 'Global Britain', open for business and continuing to lead the world. Surely this new Britain could and should be a world leader on fighting corruption and increasing transparency?

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It is planned that the Russian side will hand over 12 Ukrainian nationals serving their sentences in Crimean prisons back to Ukraine on March 3, Ukrainian Deputy Justice Minister Serhiy Petukhov said on Facebook on Tuesday.

The Ukrainian side and Russia's FSIN [Federal Penitentiary Service] have arranged the date of handover of 12 Ukrainian citizens who had been serving their sentences in Crimea before being illegally moved to Russia, Petukhov revealed.

He further explained that "these are no political prisoners but Ukrainian citizens convicted by Ukrainian courts and they have the right to return to Ukrainian territory."

"Now the handover is arranged for March 3. We will issue an additional update when our nationals are in our territory," Petukhov said.
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Humberside Police Chief Constable Justine Curran announced her immediate retirement from the top job after being asked to consider her position by Police and Crime Commissioner, Keith Hunter.

Mr Hunter advised Ms Curran to step down from the job ahead of a report by the HM Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) on the force's performance, set to be revealed next month.

Mr Hunter said after speaking to inspectors and gathering information he believes the report will flag up concerns in "potentially serious areas, such as vulnerability and child protection".

He said: "I spoke to her about my understanding of the current state of the force, some of which was based on the feedback of inspections. Having dug around and spoken to inspectors they indicated some improvements were needed.

"They indicated some concerns in potentially serious areas like vulnerability and the protection of children. I thought public confidence could not be maintained without changing leadership. I think the public need to feel that something is changing.

"When I put that to the Chief Constable, she came to the conclusion that she would leave."

Ms Curran, who is stepping down from the role after four years in the job, yesterday said it was "time to let someone else lead" Humberside Police.

Her deputy, Garry Forsyth, will lead the force until a replacement has been recruited.

Mr Hunter said he has already started a drafting a letter that will be sent to everyone qualified for the role in England and Scotland.

He said: "I don't think she has left to avoid dealing with the reports. I think she agreed that it was in the best interest of the force for new leadership, to have a new leader at the helm.

"I want to get the best public services available in the area, and I was not convinced it was the case with the leadership in place.

"I'm just in the process of drafting a letter at the moment, which will be sent to anyone who is qualified for the role, to encourage them to apply.

"It's a challenging role because of issues that the force face, but we are looking forward to someone grasping that challenge."

Ms Curran received severe criticism following an HMIC report in June 2015 which identified severe flaws, but last she upgraded the force from 'inadequate' to 'requires improvement' following a report last year.

Humberside Police Staff Unison welcomed the Chief Constable's decision to step down and the opportunity for new leadership.

Tony Green, Unison branch secretary, said: "While the decision to step down by Justine Curran will no doubt have been a difficult one, it is a decision our members will welcome after a turbulent few years under her leadership.

"The force is left facing many challenges including those identified by recent HMIC reports and by the staff survey conducted by the Police and Crime Commissioner showing a lack of confidence in the leadership of the organisation. Challenges compounded by a severely reduced workforce and increased demand.

"We believe this is a real opportunity to change the mood of the workforce in Humberside Police and engage with staff to provide the best possible service to our communities."
Bill Self, Kurtis Townsend won't be on sidelines for KU's first four games
Prosecutor General of Ukraine Yuriy Lutsenko has announced an investigation to determine the involvement of deputies in separatist activities.

"Today, we have determined only the names of those who paid Moscow's money, and those who received Moscow's money. Further investigation will determine which MPs participated in this," Lutsenko said at a joint briefing with head of the SBU Vasyl Hrytsak in Kyiv on Tuesday.

According to him, if assistants of the people's deputies took part in separatist activities, organized by the Russian side, this does not mean that deputies themselves were involved.

"We can speak of the moral responsibility [of MPs] for choosing their assistants," Lutsenko said.
Congress Preps To Gut Net Neutrality With Bills Pretending To Save It

The Trump administration and its new FCC boss have made clear their intentions to completely trash net neutrality protections, but the threat of backlash and the complications of rolling back such regulations means they'll likely try and and take a lazier, sneakier route towards undoing things.

___________________________

Guest Post by Karl Bode on Techdirt

As we've noted a few times, the Trump administration and new FCC boss Ajit Pai have made it abundantly clear net neutrality protections will be going the way of the dodo under their watch. Given the threat of activist backlash and the logistical complications of rolling back the rules via the FCC, neutrality opponents' (like Pai) first step toward eliminating net neutrality will likely be to simply refuse to enforce them. From there, ISPs have been lobbying Congress to pass new laws that either hamstring regulatory authority, or pretend to protect net neutrality while actually doing the exact opposite.

For example, the House last week quickly passed a trio of new bills that would not only allow Congress to roll back Obama-era regulations (including net neutrality) en masse, but would give Congress effective veto power over future regulations from a number of regulatory agencies (including the FDA, EPA, and FCC). But there's also indications the GOP is cooking up a Communications Act rewrite with an eye toward weakening the FCC's authority over industry giants like Comcast, Verizon and AT&T even further.

Over at Vox, readers were recently informed that "A Republican bill could be our best chance to save net neutrality." According to author Timothy Lee, we need Congress to write a quality set of net neutrality protections to establish permanent protections, avoiding the partisan patty cake that occurs each time FCC oversight shifts:

"Donald Trumps FCC looks poised to repeal the net neutrality regulations Obamas FCC passed in 2015. If a Democrat is elected president in 2020, its a near certainty that the FCC will reinstate a version of Obamas rules. Then if a Republican is elected in 2024 or 2028, the FCC is likely to tear those rules down. Having the rules switch back and forth unpredictably is a disaster for both sides in the net neutrality debate. A legislative compromise can solve this problem. Because passing legislation is a lot harder than changing an FCC rule, a rule passed by Congress with buy-in from both parties would have a much better chance of being permanent."

And while it's true that a Congressional net neutrality law would certainly be the preferred and more permanent solution, some of you might have noticed that Congress is so campaign-cash compromised that achieving this end has proven to be virtually impossible over the last decade. Case in point is the "compromise" net neutrality legislation Senators Thune and Upton tabled last year as a last-ditch effort to deter the FCC from tougher rules. The proposal was so stuffed with loopholes as to be arguably useless, but was lauded by industry as a "sensible compromise" to the endless debate over net neutrality.

The problem is that passing ultra-weak rules just to stop the endless game of partisan fisticuffs isn't much of an actual solution to the problem. Thune and the GOP are preparing to table new legislation that would once again profess to put this issue to bed, but is very likely to fail to address the areas where the net neutrality fight is actually occurring right now, including interconnection, usage caps, and zero rating. Still, Lee tries repeatedly to insist that this sort of flimsy legislation would be better than no legislation at all:

"Still, if the alternative is four or even eight years of no network neutrality protections at all, some net neutrality fans might take a deal. More importantly, big telecommunications companies give generously on both sides of the aisle. So there may be some centrist Democrats who are willing to take a deal despite pressure from liberal activists to reject it."

But it's simply not clear that's really true. It might feel good to pass new net neutrality rules professing to put the issue to bed, but if the rules don't actually address any of the actual issues of the day, it's at best just theater, and  depending on how it's written  could actually act to make many of the more controversial net neutrality violations legal permanently. And if attempts to defund and defang the FCC are embedded in this or other bills in sync, actually enforcing consumer telecom protections (net neutrality, privacy, or otherwise) could prove harder than ever.

Of course there's another utterly crazy solution: for Congress to finally realize that net neutrality has broad, bipartisan support, and that a healthy and open internet is good for everyone. It's certainly a wild idea, but Congress could put the issue to bed and prove it actually cares about startups, innovators and consumers  by leaving the existing rules alone, and moving on to other more pressing issues of the day.

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Eric Church Cancels 25,000 Scalped Tickets, Releases Them Back To Public

Standing behind his vow to put face-value tickets in his fans hands, country star Eric Church has cancelled more than 25,000 secondary market ticket orders on his current tour and released them back to the public.

____________________________

Country artist Eric Church has taken a fan-friendly stand against ticket speculators canceling more than 25,000 tickets for his spring tour.

Throughout the "Holdin My Own Tour", Eric and his team identified, cancelled and released tickets back to the public that were identified as scalper tickets. Already on the tour, Erics management team used a proprietary program to release thousands of tickets back to the public and fans in markets like Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Toronto, Vancouver and Boston.

On Feb. 21 at noon local time, the team will release to the official ticketing website all tickets identified as scalper-purchased for the remaining markets back to the public. In addition, tickets for Canadian dates were released Thursday, Feb. 9, and tickets for the Tacoma, Portland and Cincinnati shows will release Monday, Feb. 27 at noon local time.

While Church has previously canceled tickets held by suspected scalpers in the past, this is by far, the largest swing he's taken at speculators. You come at us, were going to go after you in return. You come after our fans? Well, lets just say we see you, we know how you are, and were coming for you with 10x the vengeance, Church said in a statement announcing the cancellations.

via Celebrity Access

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The 1869 Masonic Lodge on Church Street is for sale. The Historical Commission wants the town to acquire the building to save it.

Cheshire Historical Commission Wants to Save Masonic Lodge

CHESHIRE, Mass.  The Historical Commission is hoping the town can save the Masonic Lodge on Church Street.

"We are kind of the advocates for old in Cheshire and we wanted to be advocates for the Masonic Hall," commission member Diane Hitter told the Selectmen on Tuesday. "It is an absolute treasure in this town  and we wanted to ask if there was some way that this town could save that building."

The building at 116-120 Church St., listed by Steepleview Realty, has been on the market for almost a year and the price has dropped to $49,000.

The listing said the building will be sold as is and has been affiliated with the Masons for over 100 years. The Upton Lodge of Masons was chartered in 1869.

Hitter said the upper floors where the Mason lodge was housed is like a museum.

"Upstairs is an absolute treasure as far as the Masonic history in the United States is concerned it is appointed perfect," she said. "The room itself up there is a museum."

Selectwoman Carol Francesconi said her grandfather used to be the janitor in the building and said that the lodge is far more beautiful than the outside of the building of the three-story structure. The only hint it was a lodge is the Mason's symbol on the exterior.

"It is amazing what is up there because when you look at the outside of the building it looks like a dump and then you go upstairs and you cant believe what is up there," she said. "Its beautiful."

The building has two active businesses, a hair salon and an art studio, on the ground floor. The upper two floors contain the lodge and a kitchen.

Hitter said the Historical Commission would like to use the lodge as its headquarters and perhaps establish a museum to display some of their artifacts to the public. She said it would free up room for Town Hall storage in the upper levels of the police station, where the Historical Commission now meets.

Selectman Robert Ciskowski, who also serves on the Master Plan Committee, said those who participated in the Master Plan survey were focused on having a more lively and developed town center. He said the Masonic Temple could be a part of that.

"The center of the village is a big concern with the people that responded to the master plan," he said. "People want to see the village thrive and that building is centrally located."

He said he would bring up the building to the Master Plan Committee.

Hitter asked if the town could somehow cease the sale of the building because they want to have it listed on the historical registry.

Selectman Paul Astorino said the town does not have the power to do that and if they wanted to buy it outright it would have to go to town meeting, which is four months away.

He said they could get the purchase on the town meeting warrant via citizen's petition but said the building might be sold by town meeting.

Francesconi said the group could start a crowdfunding campaign to try to raise the funds.

Astorino said he would run the concept by Town Administrator Mark Webber to see if he knew of any available grants that could aid in a purchase.

"We can ask him to shake the bushes see if there is anything out there," he said.
Clarksburg School Project Can Keep Original Well



Superintendent Jonathan Lev speaks at Thursday's School Building Committee meeting.

CLARKSBURG, Mass.  The state Department of Environmental Protection says Clarksburg School can continue to use its original well as long as its meet specifications during any renovation.



Officials have been unsure about the continued use of the well since an initial school survey done a decade ago.



Architect Kristian Whitsett of Jones Whitsett Architects told the School Building Committee last week that DEP had informed him that the project could utilize the original well near the administrative wing of the building  as long as any work stays within the footprint of the original building.



"We just have to stay in that footprint, and we can remove and replace to our heart's content so that is great news," he said on Thursday.



The primary wing within the well radius is in bad shape and is a priority in any renovation project of the school.



Whitsett said with this new knowledge, the favored Plan E was modified to include an addition on the primary wing that kicked out to the south, outside of the well zone. Additional space lost would be moved to the other side of the building.



"The addition on the other end just got a little bit larger so they could fit the space that we lost here," he said. "We could squeeze it in on the other side of the building."



Whitsett added that DEP said the well can be used as long as enrollment does not increase and impervious surfaces in the radius are not expanded.



The firm's civil engineers also have mapped out two other possible well locations that would allow for more substantial renovations to the primary wing.



Brian Laroche of Potomac Capital Advisors, the school district's owner's project manager, said it would be optimal to use the current well because the Massachusetts School Building Authority does not reimburse for wells.


The statement made by representatives of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic that Ukraine has violated disengagement along the line of demarcation between Russian hybrid forces and Ukrainian troops is a provocation, according to the press center of the Anti-Terrorism Operation (ATO).

"How can we speak of a violation when there are today illegal armed formations in the Donetsk and Mariupol sectors, who are using heavy 120-mm weapons? We have withdrawn our heavy weapons a long time ago," ATO spokesman Leonid Matiukhin told the Kyiv-based Interfax-Ukraine news agency.

Matiukhin said, "The statement is another provocation."




This Isnt Our Last Love Letter



Dear Don Don,

Way back in 92



I walked into the room and knew



Never felt this way before



I shook your hand while gazing into your eyes



And the feeling grew



As I took a seat I knew



A love that would have my heart



Forever



I knew



Way back in 92





They say love at first sight doesnt always last or isnt true



We were the exception to that rule



Our love had no where to hide



A spark set fire



As if this is how the universe started





I never doubted our love or what we could do



Together we grew



Forming a bond everlasting



That became our glue



My euphoria was YOU



Im eternally grateful for the love and life we shared



For how fortunate we were :



to have and to hold

through sickness and in health

Til death do us part



Until we are together again



This isnt our last love letter



I love you with all my heart and soul



Yours forever,



Deirdre (Mrs. Hank Snow)





Im fortunate to have fallen in love with, marry and make a life with the sharpest, coolest, funniest, most rare, bad ass, tender loving, loyal man on the planet, my husband Don Imus.









A True American Hero

I dont know why it has been so hard for me to write about my dear friend Don Imus.



I certainly know what he meant to me, my family, my charity, my hospital and the millions of fans that listened and loved him for so many years.



I keep reading all the beautiful condolences that people are writing about how much a part of their lives were effected by listening to him over the years.

But what most people dont talk enough about is what he did for all of us.

In every sense of the word, he was an American Hero. His work with children with so many different illnesses and his dedication to their future was unmatched by anyone I have ever known or heard about.



Besides raising over $100,000,000 for so many causes, he took care of young people for over 20 years in a state where he could not breathe. Along with his incredible wife Deirdre, he created a world where children were not defined by their disease. That was a miracle! He was a miracle.

I will miss him ever day for the rest of my life.

I was blessed to be a part of his and Deirdes life.

No one will ever do what he did.

I love you Don Imus - A TRUE AMERICAN HERO





David Jurist

IMUS IN THE MORNING

FIRST DAY BACK!
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In 2010, Emma Thompson and Alan Rickman were reunited for an unprecedented piece of television, an adaptation of a poem.

Short on dialogue and heavy on interior monologue, BBC production The Song of Lunch went slightly under the radar but still plays on my mind seven years later; a stingingly real portrait of ageing, regret and self-loathing.

The story is simple: a man (He, Rickman) leaves his office and wanders through sunny Soho before arriving at an Italian restaurant to meet an ex-girlfriend (She, Thompson) for lunch. She has moved on but at least retains a care for his well-being, while He has grown bitter with heartbreak and deals with this by monopolising the restaurants merlot.

You could be fooled into thinking it was a sequel of sorts to 2003s Love Actually (a colleague of mine actually was, entirely accidentally, upon recommendation of the film by myself), perhaps set a decade after Harry gave Karen that Joni Mitchell CD for Christmas. This does The Song of Lunch a disservice, though, its much, much better, and I say that as someone with as much of a fondness for Love Actually as everyone else.

The language, taken from Christopher Reids poem of the same name, is beautiful, with every sip of wine and sideways glance being given careful attention and description. You can feel Rickmans characters passion burning, completely abortively and misdirected as anger. Rickman is fantastic as the proxy for the viewer, while Thompson plays the foil perfectly, really conveying that accidental condescension that comes with worrying about someone you used to love.

The Song of Lunch in itself, is quite a brief story, executive producer Greg Wise wrote in 2010. However, as with all things great, it is also a huge story.

It is mythical  it is a Greek tragedy, it is Orpheus and Eurydice, it is a man trying to bring back to life his dead wife.

After getting the OK from Reid, who accepted cuts to his piece, Wise faced the challenge of persuading the BBC to make it; an experimental adaptation of an epic poem. He went in with low expectations, but neednt have.

Allegedly, nobody had ever witnessed a quicker commission, Wise remembers, partly as I thought the piece should be broadcast on National Poetry Day (which was fast-approaching) and partly because our two stars, Alan Rickman and Emma Thompson had a tiny window of availability (also fast-approaching).

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Shot over 10 stifling days in London, the film was amazingly effective, and at times you forget its even a poem youre essentially watching  the rich torrents of words flow that naturally.

It is a film full of hope, despair, regret, drunkenness, verbal dexterity, but above all, humour. The humour of life, of the absurd, Wise said.

From the outset, I was adamant that this piece had to stand up in its own right, shouldnt be seen as a rarefied intellectual exercise, that we, as the audience, should forget that this is a poem, until a rhyming couplet suddenly jumps out at us  above all, we should be taken on a wonderful journey, surrounded by words: words seamlessly moving from voiceover narration into dialogue, back into narration.

We should wallow in a sea of words: hear them, taste them, smell them.

If youre yearning for more Rickman/Thompson, Harry/Karen (since there wont be any in the mini-Love Actually sequel), or, like me, enjoy daring to peak into what could be your future in an act of cultural self-flagellation, I urge you to wallow in the words too.

Sadly, the film isnt on iPlayer right now (BBC, if youre reading this, please do something about that) but can be bought on iTunes US.
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Popular German film star Marika Rokk was suspected of being a Soviet spy, newly declassified records have revealed.

The actress became famous during Nazi and post-war era Germany after Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels decided Germany needed a film icon to rival Hollywood stars such as Ginger Rogers and Rita Hayworth.

But according to declassified intelligence reports, Rokk may have been part of a spy ring that worked for the KGB that passed secrets over to Moscow, and was suspected as such for more than 50 years.

She was first identified as a possible KGB agent in 1951 by west Germany's Gehlen Organisation, which was reportedly concerned by her "connections with Soviet authorities".

It is believed she was recruited as an agent by her manager, Heinz Hoffmeister, who was already working for Soviet intelligence, The Telegraph reports.

What her role was - and what information she could have passed onto Moscow - remains unclear.

Marika Rokk (Attribution: Bundesarchiv, Bild 146-2004-0061 / CC-BY-SA 3.0)

Rokk was considered to be one of Adolf Hitler's favourite actors and was rumoured to have had an affair with Goebbels.

The Guardian reports that a postcard dated November 1940 was written by Rokk to Hitler, where she thanked him for a bouquet of flowers he sent her. It is currently on display at Berlin's film museum.
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Ed Sheeran is competing with himself to take the No.1 spot in the UK singles chart this week.

His latest release 'How Would You Feel (Paean)' is currently sitting at No.2 and is set to overtake his current No.1 'Shape of You'.

'How Would You Feel' is the third song Sheeran has shared from his upcoming album  [Divide]. 'Shape of You' and 'Castle on the Hill' were released simultaneously in January.

The new song is "not the next single", Sheeran wrote on Twitter, but is one of his favourites off the album.

The last artist to knock themselves off the No.1 spot was Justin Bieber with 'Love Yourself' (co-written by Sheeran), which replaced 'Sorry' in December 2015.

Meanwhile in the official UK album chart, Rag 'n' Bone Man's debut Human is set to take another week at the No.1 spot, after achieving the fastest-selling debut album by a male solo artist this decade upon its release last week.

Rag 'n' Bone Man scores UK No.1 album with his debut Human (Getty)

The Brighton-born artist, born Rory Graham, shifted 117,000 copies of the record in its first week, outselling debuts by Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith.

On Wednesday night Graham will learn whether he has won the Brit Award for Best British Breakthrough, after being awarded the Brits Critic's Choice Award.

The Brits take place at the O2 Arena in London on 22 February.
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The modern world is radically at odds with the way human senses have evolved, helping to make us short-sighted, obese and depressed, scientists have warned.

Spending large amounts of time indoors under artificial light and staring at computer screens has helped produce a myopia epidemic with as many as 90 per cent of people in some parts of the world needing glasses.

Industrial food production has also turned primates taste for sugar  which evolved to persuade us to gorge on healthy fruit when it was ripe  into one of the main causes of the soaring rates of obesity in the Western world.

And our sense of smell is under attack from air pollution, producing an array of different effects, including depression and anxiety.

Three experts in each of the senses spoke about their work at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Boston.

Professor Amanda Melin, of Calgary University, told a press briefing that the indoor lifestyle of many people in cities and the use of computers posed problems for our eyes.

Were inside, were in fake lighting, were not spending as much time outside in the context in which our vision system evolved, she said.

And our lighting, as well as other things like near work tasks, might be drastically affecting our acuity.

What we need to do is we need to get outside more in order for our eyeball to grow properly and for us to have the right proportions so that the images are really clearly in focus on the retina.

Recommended Too many Londoners have died as a result of air pollution

Im a myope and when I take off my glasses you all become extremely blurry.

And so we need to think about perhaps putting policies in place to get kids and young adults outdoors more.

Paul Breslin, professor of nutritional sciences at Rutgers University, said one reason for the obesity crisis was our taste for sugary food that stems from the ape thats in us.

The love of sugar in humans, I think, can be tied to the fact we are an ape and shared a common ancestor millions of years ago with the other apes on the planet  all of which live in forests and are primarily eating fruit, which is both sweet and sour, he said.

In the forests around the equator, there are no seasons. The fruits just come and go as the trees come into fruit  animals will go up into the trees and gorge on the sugary foods until there are no more to eat and will actually become chubby in the process.

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They then return to the ground and eat food like insects and leaves that are not as sweet.

But, in the modern world, sugary treats are available all year round.

We climb up into this tree that our society has created and we gorge on the fruit but the tree never comes out of fruit and we never come down out of the tree, so we gorge and gorge and gorge on sugary foods and get chubbier and chubbier, Professor Breslin said.

That ape thats in us drives us up into the tree to love these sugary and sour foods. We have to keep in mind that we need to force ourselves down out of that periodically.

And Professor Kara Hoover, of Alaska University, said humans noses appeared to be in a state of mismatch with the modern world.

Our sense of smell evolved in very odour-rich landscapes in which we were interacting regularly with the environment, she said.

Now today were not interacting with the environment and were in very polluted places.

 Paris make public transport free because of air pollution

Pollution tends to disrupt the sense of smell and that puts you at greater risk of things like mental health disorders, such as depression and anxiety, and it also puts you at greater risk for physical health [problems], such as obesity, and greater risk for social health, not being able to pick up on social cues from other human beings.

Having a poor sense of smell is thought to contribute to over-eating because people get less enjoyment from their food. Smell can also be used to detect fear or anxiety in others.

Professor Hoover said cutting pollution from fossil fuels and other sources could help.

The greener the city the better the environment would be for our sense of smell, she said.

And also the greener the city the more we might be encouraged to go our and play in parks, getting exposed to sunlight and getting away from the computer more regularly.

I think its continuing the theme that were talking about quite a lot in modern society today, having a better, healthier atmosphere.

Professor Melin said being able to go outside was also good for our eyesight but that if we are recommending going outside there was a need to make sure its not a polluted environment.
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Donald Trump owns thousands of websites intended on chilling criticism of him and promoting his business interests.

The President's company has at least 3,643 internet addresses, according to recent investigations. And while many of them aren't in use, they appear to have been bought as ways of stifling criticism  with Mr Trump laying claim to websites like TrumpFraud.org, DonaldTrumpSucks.com and NoMoreTrump.org.

Many of those websites were bought years before Mr Trump even announced his presidential run, with his team snapping up VoteAgainstTrump.com and TrumpMustGo.com in 2012. Years later it bought others like MakeAmericaGreatAgain.vote, just months before he launched his bid for the White House, according to an investigation by CNN.

The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters

Many of the sites have been bought to get away from criticism. Mr Trump's company owns 98percentApproval.com, for instance  a reference to his defence against criticism of his ill-fated Trump University, which he claimed was liked by 98 per cent of its students.

Others appear calculated to stop people researching to find critical reviews that might harm Mr Trump's businesses. He owns TrumpMultiLevelMarketing.com, TrumpNetworkFraud.com, TrumpNetworkPyramidScheme.com and TrumpNetworkPonziScheme.com, for instance  all bought just before he launched the "Trump Network", a much criticised and now defunct marketing scheme, in 2009.

Yet more make explicit reference to Mr Trump's activities in opposition to those he has criticised in the past. He bought ImBeingSuedByTheDonald.com in 2009, for instance.

In all, 3,643 domains are registered to the President's private company, according to CNN's analysis. Only 50 of those domains actually link to a unique website, and another 400 redirect to other pages for Mr Trump's businesses.

Some of them link out to external websites, like ChicagoTrumpLimo.com, which points at a page where people can buy T-shirts showing they are "proud to be deplorable". A similar page redirects to a business that rents out a party bus in Washington DC, where Mr Trump now lives.

But Mr Trump's activity in buying up usernames hasn't kept all of them from being protected. His business failed to buy up ImpeachTrump.com, for instance, and that page now acts as a destination for negative news about the President and organising activities for how to protest against him.
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Mysterious radioactive spikes are being found across Europe  and nobody quite knows why.

Iodine-131, a man-made radioactive material, is being found in small amounts across the continent. It was found in northern Norway early in January, according to officials, but has been gradually moving across the rest of Europe ever since.

But despite finding the material in January, authorities didnt announce that it had been found until recent days. That might be because it isn't at all clear where it has come from or how it got to be spread out.

Further information makes the find even more unusual. Iodine-131 is usually found alongside other radioactive materials, but it wasn't. And it has a short half-life  the time required for one half of the atoms of a radioactive substance to disintegrate  but a significant amount of it was found, meaning that it is likely that it was introduced very recently.

It isn't clear where Iodine-131 would ever have been released from. The US has deployed specialised planes to fly over Europe and isolate it  but have mostly failed.

Recommended North Korea conducts biggest nuclear test yet

Conspiracy theorists have pointed to the fact that the spread appeared emanate from northern Norway, where Russia may have run a secret nuclear test. Iodine-131 is perhaps most closely associated with atomic bombs, and was found throughout the world after those were tested, as well as after accidents at the Chernobyl and Fukushima nuclear power plants.

But it is also being used to treat some cancers and other illnesses. The fact that the material was found on its own likely suggests that it had been isolated, and so makes it more likely that the leak came from a pharmaceutical company that hasn't reported it to authorities.

It's not possible to say where exactly those leaks would have come from, either. Changing winds mean that it isn't possible to isolate the source, apart from a suggestion that it is likely it was released somewhere near eastern Europe.

There is no imminent threat from the amount of material that is currently being found in Europe, according to the French IRSN, or nuclear security body. The IRSN said that it had shared the findings with the Ring of Five  a group of similar bodies across Europe  so that they can be further investigated.
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UPS has completed its first ever drone delivery in the US.

The delivery firm used a lorry-mounted octocopter to dispatch a package to a blueberry farm outside Tampa, Florida.

The drone launched itself off the lorrys retractable roof with the package in tow, travelling around a quarter of a mile to drop it off at a house before returning to the vehicle, which in the meantime had been driven to a different location.

Gadget and tech news: In pictures Show all 25 1 /25 Gadget and tech news: In pictures Gadget and tech news: In pictures Gun-toting humanoid robot sent into space Russia has launched a humanoid robot into space on a rocket bound for the International Space Station (ISS). The robot Fedor will spend 10 days aboard the ISS practising skills such as using tools to fix issues onboard. Russia's deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin has previously shared videos of Fedor handling and shooting guns at a firing range with deadly accuracy. Dmitry Rogozin/Twitter Gadget and tech news: In pictures Google turns 21 Google celebrates its 21st birthday on September 27. The The search engine was founded in September 1998 by two PhD students, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, in their dormitories at Californias Stanford University. Page and Brin chose the name google as it recalled the mathematic term 'googol', meaning 10 raised to the power of 100 Google Gadget and tech news: In pictures Hexa drone lifts off Chief engineer of LIFT aircraft Balazs Kerulo demonstrates the company's "Hexa" personal drone craft in Lago Vista, Texas on June 3 2019 Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures Project Scarlett to succeed Xbox One Microsoft announced Project Scarlett, the successor to the Xbox One, at E3 2019. The company said that the new console will be 4 times as powerful as the Xbox One and is slated for a release date of Christmas 2020 Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures First new iPod in four years Apple has announced the new iPod Touch, the first new iPod in four years. The device will have the option of adding more storage, up to 256GB Apple Gadget and tech news: In pictures Folding phone may flop Samsung will cancel orders of its Galaxy Fold phone at the end of May if the phone is not then ready for sale. The $2000 folding phone has been found to break easily with review copies being recalled after backlash PA Gadget and tech news: In pictures Charging mat non-starter Apple has cancelled its AirPower wireless charging mat, which was slated as a way to charge numerous apple products at once AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures "Super league" India shoots down satellite India has claimed status as part of a "super league" of nations after shooting down a live satellite in a test of new missile technology EPA Gadget and tech news: In pictures 5G incoming 5G wireless internet is expected to launch in 2019, with the potential to reach speeds of 50mb/s Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Uber halts driverless testing after death Uber has halted testing of driverless vehicles after a woman was killed by one of their cars in Tempe, Arizona. March 19 2018 Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures The giant human-like robot bears a striking resemblance to the military robots starring in the movie 'Avatar' and is claimed as a world first by its creators from a South Korean robotic company Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi and Kaptain Rock playing one string light saber guitar perform jam session Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures A test line of a new energy suspension railway resembling the giant panda is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A test line of a new energy suspension railway, resembling a giant panda, is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A concept car by Trumpchi from GAC Group is shown at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures A Mirai fuel cell vehicle by Toyota is displayed at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A visitor tries a Nissan VR experience at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A man looks at an exhibit entitled 'Mimus' a giant industrial robot which has been reprogrammed to interact with humans during a photocall at the new Design Museum in South Kensington, London Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A new Israeli Da-Vinci unmanned aerial vehicle manufactured by Elbit Systems is displayed during the 4th International conference on Home Land Security and Cyber in the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv Getty

The drone used in the test wasnt actually developed by UPS, but by a company called Workhorse.

Named HorseFly, the drone carries parcels in a suspended cage, which can be reloaded each time it docks on the lorry.

This is where it also recharges itself, through a connection between its arms and the lorrys electric battery.

It weighs 9.5lb, and is capable of carrying a 10lb package and flying for up to 30 minutes at a time, at a top speed of 45 miles per hour.

For the test, UPS had to follow current FAA rules, ensuring that the drone was within sight of a pilot at all times, but the company hopes to automatically determine routes using its On-Road Integrated Optimization and Navigation system in the future.

Drivers would be able to launch and recall them with the push of a button.

Recommended US couple allegedly spied on neighbours with drone

"It really moves us into understanding how the technology can assist our service providers," Mark Wallace, UPSs senior vice president of global engineering and sustainability, told CNET. "This will not replace our service providers."

Amazon is also working on a drone delivery system, which it has been testing a little closer to home, in Cambridge.

A recently discovered patent application revealed that the firm is considering equipping its autonomous delivery drones with parachutes, in order to help them tackle densely populated urban areas.
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Though it has been used for thousands of years, creating countless trends and spanning numerous civilisations, make-up is still a polarising topic.

At one end of the spectrum, those who can upload perfect selfies to social media are commended for their skills. While at the other, those who do not wear it are equally praised for bravely being their own gorgeous, beautiful, individual, unique self  as no make-up proponent Alicia Keys puts it.

Yet there is another group who, throughout time, have used make-up for more than just beauty reasons: for those living with disfigured and visibly-different faces, cosmetics provide a defensive barrier against intrusive stares and comments as they go about their day-to-day lives.

Such sensitivity to facial appearance is nothing new; we have been concerned about our looks for thousands of years. In the 11th century, Bishop Thietmar of Merseburg in Germany wrote of his ridiculous broken nose and swelling in his cheek. In the 1960s, a writer with muscular dystrophy commented that he thought a simple facial disfigurement is the worst disability of all  the quickly-suppressed flicker of revulsion is, I am certain, quite shattering.

For those with facial differences, make-up can be the difference between living and having a life.

Normal beauty

We are all aware that the idea of beauty, and how it is perceived, constantly changes. During the Renaissance ivory skin and deep red lips were the go-to look, for example, but by the time of the Victorians, women were encouraged to go for a more subtle style.

Culture news in pictures Show all 33 1 /33 Culture news in pictures Culture news in pictures 30 September 2016 An employee hangs works of art with "Grand Teatro" by Marino Marini (R) and bronze sculpture "Sfera N.3" by Arnaldo Pomodoro seen ahead of a Contemporary Art auction on 7 October, at Sotheby's in London REUTERS Culture news in pictures 29 September 2016 Street art by Portuguese artist Odeith is seen in Dresden, during an exhibition "Magic City - art of the streets" AFP/Getty Images Culture news in pictures 28 September 2016 Dancers attend a photocall for the new "THE ONE Grand Show" at Friedrichstadt-Palast in Berlin, Germany REUTERS Culture news in pictures 28 September 2016 With an array of thrift store china, humorous souvenirs and handmade tile adorning its walls and floors, the Mosaic Tile House in Venice stands as a monument to two decades of artistic collaboration between Cheri Pann and husband Gonzalo Duran REUTERS Culture news in pictures 27 September 2016 A gallery assistant poses amongst work by Anthea Hamilton from her nominated show "Lichen! Libido!(London!) Chastity!" at a preview of the Turner Prize in London REUTERS Culture news in pictures 27 September 2016 A technician wearing virtual reality glasses checks his installation in three British public telephone booths, set up outside the Mauritshuis museum in The Hague, Netherlands. The installation allows visitors a 3-D look into the museum which has twenty-two paintings belonging to the British Royal Collection, on loan for an exhibit from 29 September 2016 till 8 January 2017 AP Culture news in pictures 26 September 2016 An Indian artist dressed as Hindu god Shiva performs on a chariot as he participates in a religious procession 'Ravan ki Barat' held to mark the forthcoming Dussehra festival in Allahabad AFP/Getty Images Culture news in pictures 26 September 2016 Jean-Michel Basquiat's 'Air Power', 1984, is displayed at the Bowie/Collector media preview at Sotheby's in New York AFP/Getty Culture news in pictures 25 September 2016 A woman looks at an untitled painting by Albert Oehlen during the opening of an exhibition of works by German artists Georg Baselitz and Albert Oehlen in Reutlingen, Germany. The exhibition runs at the Kunstverein (art society) Reutlingen until 15 January 2017 EPA Culture news in pictures 24 September 2016 Fan BingBing (C) attends the closing ceremony of the 64th San Sebastian Film Festival at Kursaal in San Sebastian, Spain Getty Images Culture news in pictures 23 September 2016 A view of the artwork 'You Are Metamorphosing' (1964) as part of the exhibition 'Retrospektive' of Japanese artist Tetsumi Kudo at Fridericianum in Kassel, Germany. The exhibition runs from 25 September 2016 to 1 January 2017 EPA Culture news in pictures 22 September 2016 Jo Applin from the Courtauld Institute of Art looks at Green Tilework in Live Flesh by Adriana Vareja, which features in a new exhibition, Flesh, at York Art Gallery. The new exhibition features works by Degas, Chardin, Francis Bacon and Sarah Lucas, showing how flesh has been portrayed by artists over the last 600 years PA Culture news in pictures 21 September 2016 Performers Sean Atkins and Sally Miller standing in for the characters played by Asa Butterfield and Ella Purnell during a photocall for Tim Burton's "Miss Peregrines Home For Peculiar Children" at Potters Field Park in London Getty Images Culture news in pictures 20 September 2016 A detail from the blanket 'Alpine Cattle Drive' from 1926 by artist Ernst Ludwig Kirchner is displayed at the 'Hamburger Bahnhof - Museum for Contemporary Arts' in Berlin. The exhibition named 'Ernst Ludwig Kirchner - Hieroglyphen' showing the complete collection of Berlin's Nationalgallerie works of the German artist Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and will run from 23 September 2016 until 26 February 2017 AP Culture news in pictures 20 September 2016 A man looks at portrait photos by US photographer Bruce Gilden in the exhibition 'Masters of Photography' at the photokina in Cologne, Germany. The trade fair on photography, photokina, schowcases some 1,000 exhibitors from 40 countries and runs from 20 to 25 September. The event also features various photo exhibitions EPA Culture news in pictures 20 September 2016 A woman looks at 'Blue Poles', 1952 by Jackson Pollock during a photocall at the Royal Academy of Arts, London PA Culture news in pictures 19 September 2016 Art installation The Refusal of Time, a collaboration with Philip Miller, Catherine Meyburgh and Peter Galison, which features as part of the William Kentridge exhibition Thick Time, showing from 21 September to 15 January at the Whitechapel Gallery in London PA Culture news in pictures 18 September 2016 Artists creating one off designs at the Mm6 Maison Margiela presentation during London Fashion Week Spring/Summer collections 2017 in London Getty Images Culture news in pictures 18 September 2016 Bethenny Frankel attends the special screening of Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" to celebrate the 25th Anniversary Edition release on Blu-Ray and DVD in New York City Getty Images for Walt Disney Stu Culture news in pictures 17 September 2016 Visitors attend the 2016 Oktoberfest beer festival at Theresienwiese in Munich, Germany Getty Images Culture news in pictures 16 September 2016 Visitors looks at British artist Damien Hirst work of art 'The Incomplete Truth', during the 13th Yalta Annual Meeting entitled 'The World, Europe and Ukraine: storms of changes', organised by the Yalta European Strategy (YES) in partnership with the Victor Pinchuk Foundation at the Mystetsky Arsenal Art Center in Kiev AP Culture news in pictures 16 September 2016 Tracey Emin's "My Bed" is exhibited at the Tate Liverpool as part of the exhibition Tracey Emin And William Blake In Focus, which highlights surprising links between the two artists Getty Images Culture news in pictures 15 September 2016 Musician Dave Grohl (L) joins musician Tom Morello of Prophets of Rage onstage at the Forum in Inglewood, California Getty Images Culture news in pictures 14 September 2016 Model feebee poses as part of art installation "Narcissism : Dazzle room" made by artist Shigeki Matsuyama at rooms33 fashion and design exhibition in Tokyo. Matsuyama's installation features a strong contrast of black and white, which he learned from dazzle camouflage used mainly in World War I AP Culture news in pictures 13 September 2016 Visitors look at artworks by Chinese painter Cui Ruzhuo during the exhibition 'Glossiness of Uncarved Jade' held at the exhibition hall 'Manezh' in St. Petersburg, Russia. More than 200 paintings by the Chinese artist are presented until 25 September EPA Culture news in pictures 12 September 2016 A visitor looks at Raphael's painting 'Extase de Sainte Cecile', 1515, from the Uffizi Gallery in Florence during the opening of a Raphael exhibition at the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow, Russia. The first Russian exhibition of the works of the Italian Renaissance artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino includes eight paintings and three drawings which come from Italy. Th exhibit opens to the public from 13 September to 11 December EPA Culture news in pictures 11 September 2016 Steve Cropper and Eddie Floyd perform during Otis Redding 75th Birthday Celebration - Rehearsals at the Macon City Auditorium in Macon, Georgia Getty Images for Otis Redding 75 Culture news in pictures 10 September 2016 Sakari Oramo conducting the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the BBC Symphony Chorus and the BBC Singers at the Last Night of the Proms 2016 at the Royal Albert Hall in London PA Culture news in pictures 9 September 2016 A visitor walks past a piece entitled "Fruitcake" by Joana Vasconcelo, during the Beyond Limits selling exhibition at Chatsworth House near Bakewell REUTERS Culture news in pictures 8 September 2016 A sculpture of a crescent standing on the 2,140 meters high mountain 'Freiheit' (German for 'freedom'), in the Alpstein region of the Appenzell alps, eastern Switzerland. The sculpture is lighted during the nights by means of solar panels. The 38-year-old Swiss artist and atheist Christian Meier set the crescent on the peak to start a debate on the meaning of religious symbols - as summit crosses - on mountains. 'Because so many peaks have crosses on them, it struck me as a great idea to put up an equally absurd contrast'. 'Naturally I wanted to provoke in a fun way. But it goes beyond that. The actions of an artist should be food for thought, both visually and in content' EPA Culture news in pictures Culture news in pictures Culture news in pictures

Early on, make-up was labelled as a tool to serve female vanity. The Christian preacher Tertullian, who lived during the second and third centuries, thundered, they who rub their skin with medicaments, stain their cheeks with rouge, make their eyes prominent with antimony, sin against HIM. To them, I suppose, the plastic skill of God is displeasing!

The problem, according to Tertullian, was why women would want to paint themselves when they had natural beauty to attract men. He bluntly associates such ornament with prostitution. Fast forward a few centuries, and 17th century poets like Arthur Dowton were still making the same association, with painted women likely to end up in a cart to the gallows:

A loam wall and a painted face are one For th beauty of them both is quickly gone When the loam is fallen off then lathes appear So wrinkles in that face from theye to thear. The chastest of your sex condemn these arts, And many that use them, have rid in carts.

This belief, that make-up hides natural beauty, or is a lie, is one that still crops up today. And yet both views ignore the fact that make-up products help both men and women lead normal lives.

Changing lives

The confidence that make-up can give to those who are facially different should not be underestimated. Whether it is a simple slick of eyeliner, or a fuller coverage, make-up historically has been the difference between countless wearers hiding away and feeling that they could face the world.

People living with disfigured and visibly-different faces form a substantial minority, for whom cosmetics might provide a defensive barrier against intrusive stares as they go about their day-to-day lives.

However, make-up is not yet the best tool it could be to help those with differences. James Partridge  founder of charity Changing Faces which offers a skin camouflage service for people living with scarring or skin conditions that affect their appearance and confidence  has made clear that his work is about building confidence, and yet he has also admitted, that to him coverage felt it was like wearing a crusty, odd-looking mask that made my face very conspicuous.

The beauty industry is making moves to celebrate diversity of a kind, but extreme differences  that is to say, those that arent simple blemishes or acne scars  are still something to be hidden under coats of concealer and foundation, rather than shown to the world. Even though people like acid attack victim and popular model Katie Piper have stated that they use make-up as tools to be themselves, not to hide, the beauty business still perpetuates ideals that can only achieved by those without any serious disfigurement.

Will we ever live in a world where all can be comfortable with their appearance, disfigurement or not, make-up user or not? History might not give us the best examples but if we can accept that for some women and men make-up is a necessity, not a tool to deceive, those living with disfigurement may be able to finally feel comfortable in their own skin.

Patricia Skinner, professor of History, Swansea University. This article first appeared on The Conversation (theconversation.com)
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The Conservative MP Tim Loughton tweeted that his night at the Bafta ceremony on 12 February had been ruined by the usual predictable drivel from Ken Loach in his own La La Land during the directors acceptance speech for the Outstanding British Film award for I, Daniel Blake. But two days earlier we had shown the film to audiences that included claimants, relatives and welfare rights advisors. What they told us shows how the system of benefits for people who are sick or disabled is just as broken as Loach depicts in his film.

Like the title character, Daniel Blake, the father of one woman who watched the film with us had worked all his life. His daughter, Frances, told us how her father had been confronted by a sudden and serious health problem after a car accident. He is now blind in one eye with facial injuries, chronic pain and he cant walk without a stick. He was recently assessed for benefits and found the process stressful and humiliating. After watching the film, Frances said: ''Honest people who are unable to work do not deserve to be demonised. Well done to Ken Loach for raising awareness.''

Others found the film hard to watch because their own experiences were so similar. Some, like Alex, were angry: I too have suffered at the hands of these idiots, he said. Another viewer, who preferred to remain anonymous, said: ''It hit the nail on the head. My illness is not visible either and having a film that describes exactly the hardships myself and other, many other, people have experienced just brings to light the utter chaos that can be caused.''

Humiliated

The film powerfully portrays how humiliation is endemic in the benefit system for those living with disabilities. It is also incredibly difficult for some claimants to get access to the support they need at the hardest times of their lives. In the film, Blake is told that the system is digital by default and all applications have to be made online. But this approach excludes many.

The range of and interconnection between different benefits is also extremely confusing, particularly following major changes during the past few years. For most claimants, Disability Living Allowance has been replaced by the new Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), which is initially paid for 13 weeks if the health assessment is passed and is then subject to regular reassessment. Personal Independence Payments may also be awarded, but those who fail their ESA assessments must apply for Jobseekers Allowance (JSA). They can appeal, but this takes time. This was Daniel Blakes situation.

The film shows that, in order to receive JSA, claimants have to prove they are actively seeking work or face sanctions  withdrawal of benefit payments from between four weeks to three years. But this is the case even while individuals are waiting to appeal their ESA health assessment. Constantly moving from one benefit to another and frequent reassessments have become the norm.

Police remove disabled protesters who are demonstrating about Government welfare policy and provision (PA)

Many others whose benefits have been withdrawn or appeals delayed have died while waiting, as campaigning by the group Disabled People Against Cuts has highlighted. But 60 per cent of those who appeal are successful. One benefit claimant, Margie, who won her ESA appeal after six months, said the film was brilliant and praised Ken Loach for his portrayal: Its humiliating going through this system, she said.

Broken assessment system

In the film, Blake challenged the expertise of those assessing his health, querying why they disregarded crucial medical information he had submitted. During our screening, we were told that assessments often ignored significant health conditions. One profoundly deaf woman was informed:

In your application form for ESA you stated that following an illness when you were a child, you are now profoundly deaf. After your assessment I tried to contact you to discuss your assessment. I telephoned you several times, but you did not answer, therefore I left you a voicemail. You still did not respond. I have therefore found you fit for work.

Another woman who can only walk with the assistance of crutches, was told that she was fit for work because: If you had a wheelchair, then you would be able to move freely and therefore get a job.

In light of the extensive and mounting evidence of this costly, complex, confusing and chaotic system it is difficult to understand the decision of several governments to continue to outsource benefits assessments to profit-making companies from overseas. The firm ATOS bought itself out of the 500m contract to run the fitness-for-work testing system in March 2014 following substantial criticism.

Its replacement, the American firm Maximus, was found by the National Audit Office in 2016 to already be performing poorly, despite rising costs. A new system of Universal Credit is scheduled to replace ESA and JSA but roll-out has been delayed because of major and costly software failures.

Running these services by the private sector has proved to be inefficient and uneconomic and has also caused unacceptable distress and hardship. It is hard not to view further systemic changes with dread. Loachs film neither exaggerates nor invents. It reflects the realities of many peoples lives  and unfortunately there seems to be no improvement in sight.

Stephanie Petrie, honorary senior research fellow, School of Law and Social Justice, University of Liverpool. This article first appeared on The Conversation (theconversation.com)
Mobike, China's leading bicycle-sharing service provider.[Photo: mobike.com]

China's leading bicycle-sharing service provider Mobike Technology has secured more than 300 million U.S. dollars in the latest round of funding since January this year, the company's CEO Wang Xiaofeng said Monday.

Mobike received equity investment from Singapore's Temasek and add-on investment from Hillhouse Capital, which led Mobike's last round of funding.

Wang said Mobike will use the money to explore the global market by duplicating its business model elsewhere. He said the company will also spend more on research and development (R&D), manufacturing, and recruitment.

Mobike and its market rival ofo revolutionized China's commuting market after they began app-based bicycle sharing services.

Users download the Mobike app and pay a deposit to start using the service. Bikes are parked on the street and unlocked by scanning the QR code on the frame.

Each orange bike is equipped with a GPS transmitter so they can be located.

The rental cost, around 1 yuan (15 U.S. cents) for half an hour, is deducted from the deposit. All transactions are done on electronic payment platforms.

Wang said Mobike bicycles are now available in 21 cities. A total of 200 million rides have been recorded since the company launched its first service in Shanghai about ten months ago.

The number of Mobike's active users was estimated around 5.85 million, far surpassing its other rivals, according to a survey conducted at the beginning of the year by independent market research firm iResearch.

In January, Mobike entered into a strategic partnership with Foxconn to double its bike manufacturing capacity to over 10 million units a year.
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And you thought the Middle East was where all the monsters lurked!

Yes, President Donald Trump has fired another volley at poor old Sweden.

You might have thought his orange-ness would have taken a break on the Presidents Day holiday. But Twitter sleeps for no man and especially not for Donald Trump when it comes to taking potshots at his latest bugbear.

Give the public a break - The FAKE NEWS media is trying to say that large scale immigration in Sweden is working out just beautifully. NOT! growled the President.

Looking at that, you wonder whether he might possibly have spent the previous evening watching Waynes World. Mr President, the kids don't say NOT anymore.

Its easy enough to read between the lines of this latest volley. Having taken a pasting for referring to a terrorist attack that never happened in a nation that would probably rank alongside Uruguay, or Swaziland, in terms of its value as a target to the average ISIS yahoo, he was simply doubling down in the way that he does.

Sweden, you see, does have a lot of immigrants. And it doesnt do a lot of business with Donald J Trump. So Sweden must have a lot of terrorists. Sweden baaad.

But perhaps he might care to consider a few of the real facts about Sweden as opposed to the alternative ones favoured by Kellyanne Conway.

This country of mass immigration turned in economic growth of more than 4 per cent in 2015. It has slowed down a bit since, but the IMF it is still projecting it to outpace the US in 2016 and in 2017.

It thinks Sweden's economy will have grown by 3.6 per cent when all the data is in for last year, followed by 2.6 per cent this year.

That compares the Americas 2.3 per cent and 2.5 per cent.

Swedens public debt is running at around half the level of Americas and it has a public healthcare system that ensures people dont need to die through lack of care.

Whats that got to do with immigrants, or immigration policy, I hear you ask? Well, immigrants are good for an economy.

They work hard, pay tax, create prosperity and often do jobs natives dont want to do (ask any farmer). The United States' success was built on that fact. It was immigrants seeking a new life in the land of the free that created the most powerful and dynamic economy the world has ever seen.

Of course, it has had a little bit of the shine knocked off it in recent years. If you want an explanation for that you might care to look in the direction of Wall Street, rather than Americas immigrant communities.

But back to Sweden. Lets ask what Forbes, a publication not generally regarded as a hotbed of liberalism, thinks.

Forbes annually ranks countries based on how attractive they are for the purposes of doing business. It grades 139 of them on 11 factors: property rights, innovation, taxes, technology, corruption, freedom (personal, trade and monetary), red tape, investor protection and stock market performance.

Its data comes from published reports written by the Freedom House, Heritage Foundation, Property Rights Alliance, Transparency International, World Bank Group and World Economic Forum. Again, not much sign of liberal bias in that lot.

Business news: In pictures Show all 13 1 /13 Business news: In pictures Business news: In pictures Flybe collapses Airline Flybe has collapsed. All future flights on the Exeter-based airline have been cancelled  leaving more than 2,300 staff facing an uncertain future, and wrecking the travel plans of hundreds of thousands of passengers. The chief executive, Mark Anderson, said: Europes largest independent regional airline has been unable to overcome significant funding challenges to its business. AFP via Getty Business news: In pictures Future product placement will be 'tailored to individual viewers' Marketing executives say that product placement in films and televison shows on streaming services such as Netflix may be tailored to individuals in future. For instance, if data shows that a viewer is a fan of pepsi, a billboard in the background of a shot would host an advert for pepsi, while for a viewer known to have different tastes it could be for Coca-Cola Paramount Business news: In pictures Corbyn wishes Amazon a happy birthday In a card sent to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on the company's 25th birthday, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn writes: "You owe the British people millions in taxes that pay for the public services that we all rely on. Please pay your fair share" Business news: In pictures No deal, no tariffs The government has announced that it would slash almost all tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Notable exceptions include cars and meat, which will see tariffs in place to protect British farmers Getty Business news: In pictures Fingerprint payment NatWest is trialling a new bank card that will allow people to touch their hand to the card when paying rather than typing in a PIN number. The card will work by recognising the user's fingerprint NatWest/PA Wire Business news: In pictures Mahabis bust High-end slipper retailer Mahabis has gone into administration. 2 Jan 2019 Mahabis Business news: In pictures Costa Cola Coca-Cola has paid 3.9bn for Costa Coffee. A cafe chain is a new venture for the global soft drinks giant PA Business news: In pictures RIP Payday Loans A funeral procession for payday loans was held in London on September 2. The future of pay day lenders is in doubt after Wonga, Britain's biggest, went into administration on August 30 PA Business news: In pictures Musk irks investors and directors Elon Musk has concluded that Tesla will remain public. Investors and company directors were angry at Musk for tweeting unexpectedly that he was considering taking Tesla private and share prices had taken a tumble in the following weeks Getty Business news: In pictures Jaguar warning Iconic British car maker Jaguar Land Rover warned on July 5, 2018 that a "bad" Brexit deal could jeopardise planned investment of more than $100 billion, upping corporate pressure as the government heads into crucial talks AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures Spotif-IPO Spotify traded publically for the first time on the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday. However, the company isn't issuing shares, but rather, shares held by Spotify's private investors will be sold AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures French blue passports The deadline to award a contract to make blue British passports after Brexit has been extended by two weeks following a request by bidder De La Rue. The move comes after anger at the announcement British passports would be produced by Franco-Dutch firm Gemalto when De La Rues contract ends in July. The British firm said Gemalto was chosen only because it undercut the competition, but the UK company also admitted that it was not the cheapest choice in the tendering process. Business news: In pictures Beast from the east economic impact The Beast from the East wiped 4m off of Flybes revenues due to flight cancellations, airport closures and delays, according to the budget airlines estimates. Flybe said it cancelled 994 flights in the three months to 31 March, compared to 372 in the same period last year.

Forbes best country for business in 2017, having considered that lot? Drum roll please, yes, that's right it's Sweden, where, it seems, mass immigration is indeed working out beautifully. You want to make your economy great? Follow Sweden's lead and get yourself some more of them!

As for the US, it languishes down in 23rd place. Forbes suggests that it will be several years before America is great again, even if Mr Trump can deliver on his bold promises. It further notes that most economists are somewhat sceptical of his economic plans.

Sadly, I think we know who hes going to blame if they dont come off.
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Mayfair is well-known as one of the glitziest, most luxurious and crucially most expensive areas of London to buy property.

But according to estate agency Wetherell its also currently home to the biggest bargain in Central London.

Wetherell says the flat - a 956-square-foot, two-bedroom abode priced at 500,000 - is the ideal pad for wealthy students from Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

The cheapest house in Mayfair is going for 500,000 Show all 10 1 /10 The cheapest house in Mayfair is going for 500,000 The cheapest house in Mayfair is going for 500,000 Exterior On Davies Street close to Claridges is a 956 sqft two bedroom priced at 500,000; agent Wetherell believe this is the cheapest two bedroom apartment currently for sale in Mayfair and the wider West End Wetherell The cheapest house in Mayfair is going for 500,000 Located over ground, lower ground and basement floors the triplex apartment has a spacious reception room Wetherell The cheapest house in Mayfair is going for 500,000 Adjacent to this is a separate fully fitted kitchen/breakfast room. Wetherell The cheapest house in Mayfair is going for 500,000 The flat is recently built, its spacious, its in a triple AAA ultra prime location and the price is a "mega bargain" in Mayfair terms Wetherell The cheapest house in Mayfair is going for 500,000 The master bedroom has an ensuite bathroom and there is a second bathroom located in the property. Wetherell The cheapest house in Mayfair is going for 500,000 The master bedroom suite occupies the lower ground floor and consists of master bedroom with fitted wardrobes and ensuite bathroom Wetherell The cheapest house in Mayfair is going for 500,000 Wetherell The cheapest house in Mayfair is going for 500,000 The flat will be snapped up by a super-wealthy Qatari or Saudi A-level student as luxury student digs, according to Wetherell Wetherell The cheapest house in Mayfair is going for 500,000 The apartment scheme is complete with smart foyers and a communal garden Wetherell The cheapest house in Mayfair is going for 500,000 Last year, less than 5 per cent of homes sold in Mayfair were priced at less than 7-figures and none were priced below 750,000. Nearly 50 per cent of sales during 2016 were priced between 2m to 10m. Wetherell

The apartment is located on Davies Street, just down the road from the famous five-star hotel Claridges.

"This apartment would be ideal as a university or college student pad for a young student from a wealthy family from the Middle East, Africa or Asia. Many flats like this one get snapped up by overseas families who want a smart and safe base for their student offspring whilst they study in London, James McManus, managing director of Wetherell, said.

The agency said that the current average price of a home in Mayfair is 4.66m, with a typical two-bedroom apartment priced at 2.8m.

Peter Wetherell, chief executive of Wetherell, said sub-1m flats are still rare in Mayfair so the agency expects it to sell extremely quickly.

This flat has forced me to eat my words and to retract a bold claim I made just last year. Last year we forecast the extinction of the sub-1 million flat in Mayfair. Well this flat clearly proves that mega-bargains can still be snapped up in Mayfair, Mr Wetherell said.

Last year, less than 5 per cent of homes sold in Mayfair were priced at less than 7-figures and none were priced below 750,000. Nearly 50 per cent of sales during 2016 were priced between 2m to 10m.

Members of the Qatar Royal family, Qatari investment funds as well as other Qatari nationals have invested so much in London property that a new Qatari quarter has started to develop on the North-West side of Mayfair, bordering Park Lane and Hyde Park, according to research by Rokstone, an Iranian-owned West End estate agent.

According to a report published by Rokstone in January last year, Qatari investors owned 1bn of property in Londons Mayfair.
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Saudi Arabia is leaning towards New York as the destination for listing its oil giant, Saudi Aramco, but London and Toronto are not off the table just yet, according to reports.

Officials in the country are also said to still be in talks with stock exchanges in Asia, but are unlikely to decide on doing the initial public offering (IPO) there, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

Saudi officials expect the IPO to value Saudi Aramco  which is easily the worlds biggest oil company  at a minimum of $2 trillion, according to Reuters, and the deal would be a major part of the kingdoms plan to open itself up to global investment.

Last year, the country unveiled sweeping reform plans to wean itself off what it has called its dangerous addiction to oil.

Business news: In pictures Show all 13 1 /13 Business news: In pictures Business news: In pictures Flybe collapses Airline Flybe has collapsed. All future flights on the Exeter-based airline have been cancelled  leaving more than 2,300 staff facing an uncertain future, and wrecking the travel plans of hundreds of thousands of passengers. The chief executive, Mark Anderson, said: Europes largest independent regional airline has been unable to overcome significant funding challenges to its business. AFP via Getty Business news: In pictures Future product placement will be 'tailored to individual viewers' Marketing executives say that product placement in films and televison shows on streaming services such as Netflix may be tailored to individuals in future. For instance, if data shows that a viewer is a fan of pepsi, a billboard in the background of a shot would host an advert for pepsi, while for a viewer known to have different tastes it could be for Coca-Cola Paramount Business news: In pictures Corbyn wishes Amazon a happy birthday In a card sent to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on the company's 25th birthday, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn writes: "You owe the British people millions in taxes that pay for the public services that we all rely on. Please pay your fair share" Business news: In pictures No deal, no tariffs The government has announced that it would slash almost all tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Notable exceptions include cars and meat, which will see tariffs in place to protect British farmers Getty Business news: In pictures Fingerprint payment NatWest is trialling a new bank card that will allow people to touch their hand to the card when paying rather than typing in a PIN number. The card will work by recognising the user's fingerprint NatWest/PA Wire Business news: In pictures Mahabis bust High-end slipper retailer Mahabis has gone into administration. 2 Jan 2019 Mahabis Business news: In pictures Costa Cola Coca-Cola has paid 3.9bn for Costa Coffee. A cafe chain is a new venture for the global soft drinks giant PA Business news: In pictures RIP Payday Loans A funeral procession for payday loans was held in London on September 2. The future of pay day lenders is in doubt after Wonga, Britain's biggest, went into administration on August 30 PA Business news: In pictures Musk irks investors and directors Elon Musk has concluded that Tesla will remain public. Investors and company directors were angry at Musk for tweeting unexpectedly that he was considering taking Tesla private and share prices had taken a tumble in the following weeks Getty Business news: In pictures Jaguar warning Iconic British car maker Jaguar Land Rover warned on July 5, 2018 that a "bad" Brexit deal could jeopardise planned investment of more than $100 billion, upping corporate pressure as the government heads into crucial talks AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures Spotif-IPO Spotify traded publically for the first time on the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday. However, the company isn't issuing shares, but rather, shares held by Spotify's private investors will be sold AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures French blue passports The deadline to award a contract to make blue British passports after Brexit has been extended by two weeks following a request by bidder De La Rue. The move comes after anger at the announcement British passports would be produced by Franco-Dutch firm Gemalto when De La Rues contract ends in July. The British firm said Gemalto was chosen only because it undercut the competition, but the UK company also admitted that it was not the cheapest choice in the tendering process. Business news: In pictures Beast from the east economic impact The Beast from the East wiped 4m off of Flybes revenues due to flight cancellations, airport closures and delays, according to the budget airlines estimates. Flybe said it cancelled 994 flights in the three months to 31 March, compared to 372 in the same period last year.

We have an addiction to oil. This is dangerous. It has delayed the development of other sectors, Prince Mohammed bin Salman told Al Arabiya news channel last year.

Its expected that some of the proceeds from a stock market flotation of Saudi Aramco would be used to bolster the countrys sovereign wealth fund.
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One of the largest and most advanced superyachts in the world, owned by Russian oligarch Andrey Melnichenko, was temporarily seized over an unsettled bill dispute between the billionaire and the yachts German builder.

Gibraltar authorities confirmed on Monday that the "Sailing Yacht A", reported to have cost at least 400m, was under arrest after Nobiskrug, its German manufacturer, claimed Mr Melnichenko still owed an eye-watering 13 million to the company, which is a disputed cost in arbitration.

In the volatile world of shipping, particularly in the recent economic downturn, disputes and defaults are an unfortunate fact of life, the Gibraltar Port Authority said on its website.

[Ship arrest] isnt an attractive proposition, and clearly its an action of last resort but, when handled efficiently and swiftly, it can at least deliver a safe resolution to a dispute and bring matters to a close.

A spokesperson for Mr Melnichenko told the Independent that the "unfortunate" incident had been resolved on Tuesday.

"The yacht will now be handed over to the owner's project team and will leave Gibraltar shortly," he said.

The yacht was designed by Philippe Starck. According to Nobiskrug, the luxury sea-cruiser is 143m (469ft) long, with a mast of 90 meters (295 feet) in height, it also features an underwater observation pod, hybrid diesel-electric propulsion and "state-of-the-art" navigation systems.

The German shipbuilder's website describes the yacht as "the most advanced sail-assisted superyacht ever built."

Outrageous property deals in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Outrageous property deals in pictures Outrageous property deals in pictures The Park Lane townhouse set to become one of the UK's most expensive student flats at 4,000 a week A town house situated in Park Lane, one of the most affluent places in London, is about to become the capitals most expensive student residence. Most of London students usually live in halls of residence before moving on to house-share. For this reason it is fair to say few will able to afford the 3,540 square foot three-bedroom flat, which is available for 4,000 a week, 16,000 per month or 192,000 per year. Wetherell Outrageous property deals in pictures London's most expensive flat goes on sale at Buckingham Palace near Buckingham Palace priced at 150m A luxury flat in Londons historic Admiralty Arch, which overlooks Buckingham Palace, could sell for up to 150 million. If sold for that price, the 15,000 sq ft apartment will become London's most expensive flat, topping One Hyde Park, a flat which sold for 140 million in 2014.The Grade I listed property boasts 12 bedrooms and 12 bathrooms Outrageous property deals in pictures Little White House inside the US embassy complex in London goes on sale for 2.5m A luxury home inside the US embassy complex has gone on sale for 2.5m. The property is said to be the most protected home in Britain and any visitor is asked to carry an identity card at all times. The complex has patrolling US marines, a 24-hour British police presence, checkpoints, anti-tanks blocks and CCTV.But potential buyers looking for a fortress should not get their hopes up as all the security will disappear once the US embassy moves to a new site in Nine Elms in 2017. The home, located at 4 Blackburnes Mews near Grosvenor Square, dates back to 1732 and owes its nickname to its white facade, grand entrance and sweeping staircase as well as its proximity to the US embassy. It provides nearly 3,000 sq ft of living space and benefits from access to communal gardens. Wetherell Outrageous property deals in pictures First London luxury flats to contain their own private art gallery with prices going from 3.8m up to 7.7m The first private luxury apartment building in London with its own private art gallery has been unveiled in March. The Chilterns at 24 Paddington Street contains 44 luxury residences, the majority of which were sold in 2013. It contains a signature restaurant, a 24 hour-hotel style concierge service, a gymnasium and sauna and a private cinema. The new art gallery, with original pictures of the area by David Bailey, is part of the lobby of the building and is one of the most exciting and unique features of the Chilterns, according to Stephen Conway, CEO of Galliard Homes. With prices going from 3.8 million up to 7.7 million for a three bedroom flat, the residence is located between the local shops of Marylebone High Street and Baker Street. Outrageous property deals in pictures Margaret Thatcher's Belgravia home is up for sale for 30m Margaret Thatchers six-floor townhouse in Belgravia is on the market for a cool 30 million. The Grade II listed building on No. 73 Chester Square, one of Londons most prestigious addresses, now boasts a lift, a newly constructed mews house with a roof terrace and a private garage after a three-year refurbishment by Leconfield, a development and construction company. Some features from Thatchers time at the property remain. The layout and design of the formal dining room and interlinking study on the ground floor has been reinstated exactly as the Iron Lady had it during her 22 years at the property, from 1991 until her death in 2013. Outrageous property deals in pictures Tiny London house that is just 10ft wide goes on market for 800,000 A tiny terraced house that measures no more than 10ft wide has gone on the market in south London for a staggering 800,000. The house, generally labelled "unique" by estate agent Foxtons, looks all the more unusual because it is sandwiched between two regular-sized homes. It doesn't even have a proper back door - images of the interior suggested renovators had sought to maximise the property's space by including a folding aperture to the similarly narrow back garden. Outrageous property deals in pictures The Mayfair penthouse that sold for 30 million A Mayfair penthouse on Albemarle Street, one of Mayfair's oldest roads, sold to a mystery buyer for 30 million in December. The 5,845 sq ft, three-bedroom family home is thought to be one of the most expensive properties sold in the capital this year, and comes with an annual service charge of 61,000. supplied by Estate agent Peter Wetherell Outrageous property deals in pictures The dilapidated pre-fab 'shed' sold for nearly 1 million A pre-fabricated bungalow in south-east London has sold at auction for just under 1 million. The 1950s property in Peckham comes with 0.6 acres of land, is in need of renovation and has no fitted bathroom, but still sold for 950,000. A guide price of 590,000 was initially set, but increased rapidly during the bidding. Google Maps Outrageous property deals in pictures The starter home flats that went for a combined 60 million Some 215 affordable starter homes, specifically designed for first time buyers, sold out in just three hours in November, after dozens of aspiring homeowners camped overnight and queued in bad weather to get their hands on the flats. The starter home flats at Trinity Square by Galliard Homes went for a combined 60 million, or an average of 700 per sq ft. Londoners looking for affordable housing did not hesitate to camp out for up to two days to snag a flat, despite the fact that the project will not be complete for another two years. Galliard Outrageous property deals in pictures The longest lateral flat where H.G wells hosted a book club: yours for 3.65m The 2,200 square foot apartment in Chiltern Court in Marylebone was also home to author Arnold Bennett and political cartoonist David Low. Now on the market for 3.65 million through Rokstone agency, the four-bedroom flat has been refurbished into a luxury apartment, providing an exceptional 40 meter window frontage and depth. It claims to be the longest and most outstanding lateral flat - ones that stretch the full width of a building, or sometimes across two buildings - currently for sale in Londons West End. Rokstone Outrageous property deals in pictures Gatti House: the flats with celebrity links and private "pizza" lift that sold for a collective 16.5 million Celebrity links, a famous history and a private pizza lift has helped set a new record for price per square foot for a block of flats in central London. The four flats have sold for a collective 16.5 million at Gatti House on Londons Strand. Gatti House, a magnificent grade II building built in 1867, was sold as four separate apartments priced from 2.95 million to 5.95 million by CBRE Residential and Beauchamp, which has completed the last remaining sale. CBRE Residential and Beauchamp Outrageous property deals in pictures Londons most expensive office A newly refurbished office in the heart of Mayfair measuring 6,000 sq ft was unveiled by Enstar Capital in October. At 500 per sq ft, it is set to be the most expensive commercial fit out ever undertaken in the West End, according to the developer. The workspace on 54 Brooks Mews features gold-plated executive washrooms inspired by Armani-hotel in Italy, timber flooring imported from a 16th century monastery in Tuscany and an Art Deco entrance restored with a new 54 entrance logo replicating Steve Rubells famous studio 54 nightclub logo from the seventies. While the directors floor include a rooftop terrace dressed with loungers and an outside meeting and dining table. Enstar Capital Outrageous property deals in pictures Former garage in Mayfair become worlds most expensive mews house at 24m in Mayfair In September, the worlds most expensive mews house, in Reevews Mews, sold to a Qatari buyer for an eye-watering 24 million. Outrageous property deals in pictures A penthouse where you canoe from your front door, yours for 16.95 million London luxury dockside complex located on Chelsea creek is due for completion by the end of 2016. But its luxury flats are already on sale including this penthouse yours for 16.95 million. Its future residents will be able to slip down the river for a work out on the water at anytime of the day. Outrageous property deals in pictures The only property in London too expensive for the citys super-rich property buyers A 45 bed-room mansion near Hyde Park, previously owned by a Saudi Prince, received a private bid for 280 million. If accepted this would have made the property he most expensive single home ever to be sold in Britain. It was originally listed with an asking price of 300 million more than double the price of the UKs second most expensive home.

Nobiskrug turned down requests for comment from AP, citing legal arrangements with the client.
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Teacher shortages in England have reached a crisis point, with the Government failing to come up with a coherent plan to tackle a lack of staff in core subjects, MPs have warned.

Ministers need to take urgent action to address the shortage, which is set to worsen with a pupil numbers at secondary schools expected to spike by more than 500,000 to 3.3 million by 2025, an influential cross-party committee of MPs said.

Without sufficient numbers of teachers to ensure a high-quality education for young people, the country will struggle to rise to the challenges of Brexit, according to Neil Carmichael, chair of the Education Select Committee.

Recommended Government to relax immigration restrictions due to teacher shortages

The situation is very, very challenging, and as the population grows, efforts to recruit and retain good-quality teachers become even more critical than before, Mr Carmichael told The Independent.

Key subjects, including technology and sciences, are being neglected. If we are gearing towards high-skill, knowledge-based economy, how are we going to do that without enough teachers in place?

A big question for us to consider is how we can make sure teachers feel trusted and valued, he added. But its also about rising to the added challenges that leaving the EU will create for us. The Government must act or we will find ourselves in a real crisis.

According to official government statistics, the overall number of full-time teachers in secondary schools fell by 10,000 between 2010 and 2015, the latest year for which figures are available.

Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Show all 20 1 /20 Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Singapore Singapore was the top performing country across all three subjects (maths, science and reading) in the 2015 PISA tables. The small Asian country is renowned for its high academic standards and produces excellent results, particularly in mathematics. Pupils here learn maths by what is known as the mastery method, which teaches children how to solve problems as a class and errs away from more traditional recitations of formulae. Singapore selects its teachers from the top 5 per cent of graduates, and teachers are very highly regarded as societal influencers. Getty Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Japan Japanese schools came in 2nd for Science, 5th in the world for maths and 8th for reading skills. Japan has one of the best-education populations, with zero illiteracy recorded and strong emphasis on arithmetic and geography. While children around the world typically learn between 26 and 33 letters of the alphabet, Japanese pupils will know 1,006 kanji characters by the time they leave primary school. Getty Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Estonia Dubbed the new Finland by some, Estonia has risen rapidly towards the top of the Pisa rankings despite being one of the worlds youngest countries. Estonia spends around 4 per cent of GDP on education. Getty Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Taipei Taiwan has been known as a centre for technical excellence for decades and its students perform consistently well in technology, maths and sciences. Education is compulsory from age six, and some 95 per cent of all students continue their education after age 15. Getty Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Finland Children in Finland dont start school under age seven, yet consistently produce some of the best results in the world. The countrys education system has a somewhat alternative approach to that of most OECD countries, placing emphasis on playtime and creative learning. Pupils dont sit tests until they reach 16. Getty Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Macau Most schools in Macau are private or subsidized. There are only a handful of government or state schools, which tend to teach in Portuguese or have a strong emphasis on pupils learning the language. The majority of schools are also selective grammar schools which focus heavily on languages, mathematics and sciences over vocational subjects. Getty Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Hong Kong A former UK colony, Hong Kong education has been closely modelled on the British system in the past,. Education is free and compulsory in primary and junior secondary schools. Independent schools follow the International Baccalaureate, UK or US curricula. The territory participates separately from China (Shanghai, Beijing, Jiangsu, Guangdong) in the Pisa league tables. Rex Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education South Korea South Korea has long been one of the worlds top academic achievers, but at the price of very long school days for students. Many start school by 8am, and carry on until late at night at private study clubs. Getty Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education New Zealand While the New Zealand school curriculum is not dissimilar to the UKs, children here are not required to start school until age six. The country also has eight state-funded universities offering degrees in a range of subjects. Getty Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education China Getty Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Slovenia Slovenia scored highly in this years maths and science results. Basic education for children ages six to 15 is compulsory and free for children in Slovenia. International citizens are taught the Slovenian language at the beginning of school. Rex Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Australia Australian Pisa candidates came in 14th place for Science, 15th place for reading and 23rd place for Maths  slipping down in the ranks on previous years. Australia has the third highest number of international students in the world behind the UK and US, despite having a much lower population overall. The school system is split mainly into government state-funded schools, Catholic faith schools and independent fee-paying schools. Getty Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education United Kingdom The UK jumped to 15th place for science in this years Pisa tables, up from 21st in 2012. According to the report, teachers in the UK are among the youngest across all developed countries. The total amount spent on British education exceeds that of most other participating countries  and critics argue the education system should provide better results because of this. Getty Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Germany Schooling in Germany is governed by individual states, which each have their own education departments and policies. Normally, children begin primary school at age six but secondary school options vary widely. Germany increased its expenditure on educational institutions from primary to post-secondary non-tertiary levels, despite declining enrolments, and teachers have competitive salaries compared to others as a result. Getty Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Netherlands Dutch children were found to be the happiest in the world in a 2013 Unicef study. Schools typically don't give much homework until secondary level and students report little pressure and stress. Rex Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Switzerland Just five per cent of children attend private schools in Switzerland. Lessons are taught in different languages depending on the region of Switzerland, with German, French or Italian the most common languages of instruction. From secondary onwards students are separated by ability. Rex Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Ireland The majority of secondary schools in Ireland are privately owned and managed but state-funded, but there are also state comprehensives and vocational schools. The country performed especially well in Pisa reading tests - coming in fifth place globally. Rex Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Belgium Belgian schools came in 15th place for science in this years Pisa table. Schools here are free, and regulated and financed by three separate communities  Flemish, French and German-speaking. Boys in Belgium perform significantly better than girls in school according the latest OECD reports. Rex Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Vietnam Education in Vietnam is state run system of public and private schools. The country took part in the Pisa tests for the first time in 2012 and scored higher in reading, maths and science than the UK and US. This is believed to be partly a result of high spending levels on education and hardworking culture instilled in children from a young age. Getty Pisa rankings 2015: The best countries in the world for education Canada Education is compulsory up the age of 16 in most Canadian provinces, apart from Manitoba, Ontario and New Brunswick where pupils must stay on until 18 or when high school diploma is achieved. The education system varies between French and English-speaking provinces. Rex

The committees report, published today, raises concerns about a lack of qualified staff teaching core subjects, with around a quarter of physics teachers unqualified in the subject.

It follows growing concern among teachers about their working conditions, with many highlighting unmanageable workloads as a key factor for choosing to quit the profession.

The committees report says the Government lacks a long-term plan to address teacher shortages and consistently fails to meet teacher recruitment targets.

While recruiting sufficient new teachers is, of course, necessary, the Government should place greater emphasis on improving teacher retention, the report says.

Not only is this a more cost-effective way to tackle some of the issues, but more teachers staying in the profession for longer would strengthen the pool of leadership positions.

It calls on the Government and school leaders to consider options such as capping the number of hours teachers work outside of teaching time in a bid to retain staff.

 Stella Creasy shines light into sex education crisis with speech

Last month, the Government was forced to relax immigration restrictions in order to fill school vacancies, particularly in sciences and computing.

The independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) warned maths and physics teachers remained in high demand, adding that computer-science and science teachers should be added to the list of most needed professions from those applying to work in the UK.

Government recruitment targets were missed in the majority of subjects, including physics, by 19 per cent and mathematics by 16 per cent. Design and Technology only reached 41 per cent of its recruitment target this year, raising questions about the Governments strategy, the Committee said.

Teaching unions welcomed the acknowledgement of a deepening crisis but said the situation was unlikely to improve with a Government in denial.

The Public Accounts Committee and now the Education Select Committee have both warned that ministers have no clear plan to address these issues and that the Governments analysis of current and future teacher supply needs is seriously flawed, said Chris Keates, general secretary of the NASUWT.

This report should act as a wake-up call to ministers that falling back on sticking plaster solutions such as the failed National Teaching Service will do nothing to address the systemic causes of the teacher supply crisis.

A National Audit Office report warned school budgets are facing a further real-terms cut of 3bn over the next four years and there will need to be a reduction in spending by an average of 8 per cent per pupil by 2019-20.

Malcolm Trobe, interim general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said while unmanageable workloads were an issue for concern, dramatic cuts seen to school funding also needed to be addressed.

It is important for people to understand that the current education funding crisis is contributing significantly to these workload pressures. Schools are having to cut the number of teaching and support staff, and this inevitably means more work for those who remain.

A Department for Education spokesperson said in a statement: There are more teachers in Englands schools than ever before with secondary postgraduate recruitment at its highest since 2011.

We recognise there are challenges. The Secretary of State has set out her ambition to continue driving up standards through investment in professional development so the best teachers stay in the profession.
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The fashion industry is so readily criticised for being insular, concerned solely with its own importance  the latest IT handbag and whos pitched to be the next bright young thing.

But, this is something one can easily reject by reflecting upon the last four days of London Fashion Week.

Here, the runways have been brooding with political commentary and reacting to a world in crisis.

Interestingly, Brexit has taken a back seat with collections functioning as a call to arms against the new White House administration, and rightly so.

Fashion, you see, is an industry populated by the very people Trumps provocative ideologies target. Were outcasts, minorities, women and gays.

Arming themselves the only way they know how, designers used their platforms to take a stand. Global politics might well be in a state of unrest but this season, London Fashion Week has come out fighting.

Kicking off proceedings, Dame Natalie Massenets speech at Fridays launch event drummed this message home as she challenged designers to be audacious in times of upheaval, inclusivity is at the heart of British fashion, and London Fashion Week is a brilliant example of the diversity of this city, she said.

While many designers wielded the political baton  think Teatum Jones inclusion of an extract from Meryl Streeps speech at the Golden Globes, or Bora Aksus relentless affirmation of the Womens rights movement  there were two in particular that sent out a powerful anti-Trump message.

Worlds apart, both Gareth Pugh and Ashish broached the premise of global disarray at polar ends of the scale. The former with a dystopian showcase that looked and felt like all the apocalyptic films youve ever watched: dark, unsettling, maddening and bleak. While Ashish stuck to their customary glitter-loaded moniker with a collection that empowered and unified those in the firing line.

Gareth Pugh: dark, unsettling, maddening and bleak (Press Association)

For his autumn-winter 2017 collection, British designer Gareth Pugh cast an army of lethal heroines in a cavernous building site ten floors beneath the ground in Islington. From the out, it was clear that Pugh wasnt happy with the state of the world.

The show notes read, This evenings Gareth Pugh show presents an austere vision of a world on the precipice of anarchy.

Where the prevailing instinct is to build walls, reinstate borders and reclaim territory. Where the most powerful person in the world is a billionaire demagogue and self-confessed pussy grabber.

As such, the collection riffed with anarchy and extremism as models sashayed through the concrete apertures to a riling soundtrack that included relentless looping samples of Donald Trump saying "Build that wall" and snippets of Hendrix, Queen and Nirvana.

The clothes themselves mirrored this same, worrying prospect of the future. They were strong and architectural with pieces that resembled police riot gear, dusty combat boots, billowing trash bags, prison key chains and officer hats with netted veils.

It tore at radicalism, disorder and bigotry and left the audience feeling disturbed, but in a good way. This was an exacting reminder of what could be. Here, Pugh struck a damning chord.

On the other hand, those looking for lighter relief should look to Ashish. But, be warned, while there was, naturally, copious amounts of razzle dazzle the worlds political and moral issues werent far off.

A model presents a creation by Ashish during the London Fashion Week (EPA)

While the world has surely plummeted into disarray, this was a show in which the overwhelming message was to fight back. Priming for revolution, rainbow-coloured glitterati garb was brandished with slogans that highlighted the common bonds of humankind.

Nasty woman, More glitter less Twitter, Love sees no colour, and Pussy grabs back spattered dazzling tees, dresses and varsity jackets. The models faces delivered on defiant significance too, decorated with brightly coloured skulls and Mexican wrestling masks that felt a little like something you might see in The Purge.

In the wake of such uncertainty, it's times like this that we need leaders to look up to and that are willing to challenge institutionalised bigotry. If nothing, these collections served as a reminder to those both in and out of the fashion circle that the two need not be mutually exclusive.
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The fourth day of London Fashion week has been and gone with some of the biggest industry names on its line-up: Erdem, Burberry, Roksanda and Christopher Kane. But, while the catwalk shows begin to draw to a close, it felt like designers were just reaching fever pitch. From art to anarchy and glitter to glossy PVC, here are the highlights from the very best of todays shows.

Burberry

For Burberrys Spring 2017 see-now-buy-now collection, creative director Christopher Bailey collaborated with the Henry Moore Foundation ahead of its exhibition, Henry Moore: Inspiration and Process.

Presented to an audience full of celebrities  Anna Wintour, Penelope Cruz, Naomi Campbell and Lily Donaldson among them  models paraded between sculptures by Henry Moore that scattered along the runway.

His influence was robust throughout the entire collection with arty prints like hand-drawn cartoons and reclining humans echoing the artists work. Aside from this, Bailey imbued Moores artful sensibility into more classic Burberry styles too.

Cable knits came asymmetric, shirting was deconstructed and extravagantly sleeved, and there was even some denim thrown in for good measure.

Then, there was the finale. As if the looks werent good enough already, the models reappeared adorned with elaborately crafted capes and headwear  a sculpted metal chest plate, piles of curtain tassel tie backs and a reworked chandelier.

Ashish

We know what to expect from Ashish by now and thats glitter, lots of it, but for autumn-winter the designer used his platform to stick two fingers up at President Donald Trump.

Sticking to its habitual sparkling standing, Ashish paraded models in rainbow-coloured garb that was brandished with empowering slogans.

Ashish (Getty)

From, Why be blue when you can be gay?, to Pussy grabs back, and Love sees no colour, the brand were sending out a message that in adversity, there is always unity to be found.

Soundtracked to Radioheads Creep and John Lennons Imagine, the show left its audience feeling reflective, emotional, saddened yet liberated as a common bond among the fashion crowd moved beyond a penchant for shoes  which were a delight in all their kaleidoscopic glory.

Joseph

Uniform is something that creative director Louise Trotter harks back to every season and this collection was no exception. Impeccable knits, sharp tailoring and androgynous femininity remained at its core but, for autumn-winter, Joseph used the wardrobe as role play.

City man attire and military silhouettes were counteracted with overtly female caricatures of purity. Against regal lines, slipping hems, slinky sateens and French lace, more severe elements like stiff boxy coats, glossy PVC and oversized turn-up trousers came into play.

Joseph (Getty)

The same goes for the colour palette, which extended from rich browns and greens to shocking pink, blue and creamy white. All of which was fortuitously elevated with the addition of beautifully distorted jewellery.

Here, surreal drop earrings and rough gold coin pendants from Alighieri came battered and imperfect though a seemingly impeccable match for Trotters unravelling pilgrimage of gender.

Shrimps

Well known for its girlish garb, at Shrimps heart lies a penchant for rainbow-hued fluffy faux fur but this season it felt pared back as the designer opted for more muted, regal tones.

For autumn-winter 2017, young London-based designer Hannah Weiland looked to the colours, shapes and checks of artist Louise Bourgeois for inspiration noted in the creamy white overcoats, flashes of red and hand-drawn nudes.

Shrimps (Getty)

The checks also signified the beauty of Scotland via the luxurious regal fashion of Mary Queen of Scots  think clusters of pearls on handbags, gathered around the necks of models and paired with lady-like oversized silhouettes.

While Weilands signatures remained solid with classic Shrimps leopard print re-worked in moss green and canary yellow, the footwear added something new. Collaborating for the first time with Danish fashion brand Ganni, the duo created two new shoes including a frilled sneaker in textured faux sheepskin and a backless loafer.
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Felista works in Nairobi as a domestic cleaner, far away from her family who live in rural Kenya. Its a common enough situation; young people have to find work in the cities but their families stay on their farms or in their homes far from the urban centres, and those who have left for work send back money to help them survive. In some cases, like with Felistas brother, its to pay for school fees. But sometimes the money they send can be more urgently needed, as when Felistas mother became seriously ill and her hospital treatment needed paying for.

A decade ago, that would have involved sending physical wads of cash back with a bus driver, something that could have taken days. Felista says: If I was sending the money back by public transport, my mother might not have made it.

Instead, she used M-Pesa. Little-known outside the developing world, M-Pesa is a mobile phone-based money transfer service that celebrates its 10th anniversary this month. In the West were used to banking by smartphone app and buying items through Apple Pay or Google Wallet. But while that is convenient for us, in Africa and beyond its a life-saver. M-Pesa is an initiative launched in 2007 by the mobile phone giant Vodafone and its international partners, initially Safaricom, the Kenya-based company.

 Felista

At first the service was created to facilitate the application for and payment of microfinance loans, using basic SMS message transactions. However, it became apparent that people who were taking on these small loans had discovered they could use the facility to send money to other people, which got Safaricom CEO Michael Joseph thinking about the wider applications of the technology. Lets be clear; this is not hi-tech internet banking were talking about. M-Pesa uses simple text messaging to transfer money and can be used on the most basic mobile handset. Which was important in Kenya; a decade ago only 12 per cent of the population had access to an actual bank, with branches tending to be found only in cities and sometimes totally absent from rural areas. But at the same time, 80 per cent of people had a mobile phone. Michael Joseph is now Vodafone group manager of M-Pesa, and he says its a technology revolution in Africa akin to the building of the railways that opened up the country. He says: Until we tapped into the market there were huge numbers of people who had no access at all to financial services.

MPESA operations (Vodafone)

In the early days, people who received money through the M-Pesa system would go to their nearest registered location and take out the cash. But now it can be used to actually pay for goods and services, just like Apple Pay and similar Apps, and crucially has encouraged more people to use traditional financial services. Naturally, the banks were sceptical about M-Pesa when it was launched. But the people the service was targeting were those who were ignored by the traditional banking system, because they had no access to branches and only small amounts of money. Joseph says: It used to be that in Kenya people kept their savings under the mattress, or buried it in a hole in the ground, or stuck it up a tree. Then we introduced the ability for people to save money sent through M-Pesa and there were 14 million bank accounts opened practically overnight. 

M-Pesa employs agents  more than 287,000 of them worldwide  who put the money on users mobile phones and help them send it to their families or use it to pay for services and items. A decade on, there are now 10 countries using M-Pesa: As well as Kenya, its growing in Albania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Tanzania, India, and Romania. During December last year alone there were a 614 million individual transactions processed through M-Pesa 529 transactions every second. Joseph says: Its a revolution that has empowered tens of millions of people in some of the poorest communities in the world to start and grow businesses and gain greater financial resilience.

It also allows people to be less likely to fall victim to robbery, burglary and corruption in cash-only transactions. A recent study carried out by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and published in the journal Science said that M-Pesa is responsible for lifting many households above the poverty line, particularly those headed by women. According to the study, poverty fell by 22 per cent within a kilometre of where six M-Pesa agents set up shop. Of course, Vodafone doesnt operate the service purely for philanthropic reasons. Around one percent of every transaction is shared between the company and the agents and associated partners who facilitate the service. But catering to the worlds poorest and most disenfranchised is always going to fall more on the corporate responsibility side of the balance sheet than making a quick buck.

MPESA operations (Vodafone)

Indeed, according to Joseph it was a long haul to get M-Pesa first established, something that might have put off other communications companies from entering the market. There are some companies that have dipped a toe into the water, such as Orange, but Joseph says M-Pesa is the most successful in the world. With a whopping six billion transactions during 2016, its hard to argue with that claim. Indeed, is it something that could actually be useful in the UK? It is tempting to launch it in the developed world, says Joseph. It could be useful to, say, migrant labourers or refugees, who might not have immediate access to bank services. But the challenge is that in Africa, for example, its a volume game; its the huge numbers of people who use the service who allow us to keep the rates right down. In the UK, perhaps, there would not be the same numbers to provide that broad pyramid base of users.

The social responsibility side of the service, through the phone companys charitable arm, the Vodafone Foundation, is constantly finding new ways to benefit people. In Tanzania, M-Pesa is used to distribute expenses and hospital transport costs to allow 1,000 mothers a year who suffer from the post-natal condition obstetic fistula to access free surgery. In Lesotho, mobile health clinics use M-Pesa to fund patient transport and to bring primary care to the most outlying rural villages. Andrew Dunnett, director of the Vodafone Foundation, says, M-Pesa is a critical component of many of the Vodafone Foundations core health services. These services dramatically improve quality of life and in many cases save lives, particularly in some of the remote and isolated areas that we serve. 

Which is something Felista knows all too well. M-Pesa saved her life, says Felista of her mother. And more than that, its given Felista a renewed sense of purpose through sending money home for her brothers education. She adds: The last time I was home I had a conversation with my brother that made me say Wow! He is thankful for everything Ive done and wants to return the help. He makes me want to work hard. Before that I felt I was on the floor, I had nothing, and now things are good.

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Desperate people trapped in the besieged Iraqi city of Mosul are so hungry they are having to eat cats, according to aid workers.

Families and children are being killed by Isis fighters while attempting to flee the city as the battle for Mosul intensifies, with the UN warning of severe food shortages.

Save the Children have told of shocking conditions in the city, where there is no medical help available for the injured and people are forced to survive on whatever food they can get their hands on.

Iraqi and Western coalition forces promised a rapid victory when they launched an offensive to retake Iraqs second largest city, where the self-declared Isis caliphate have their last remaining stronghold in the country.

But the battle has raged for four months after Isis fighters offered fierce resistance, with conditions for those trapped inside becoming increasingly desperate.

One man, known as Kareem, a father of five whose three sisters live in the western part of the city, told aid workers of the struggle for survival in the Isis-stronghold as the battle worsens.

My sisters are living in extreme conditions. There is nothing available there, no bread, no water, no food. They all have young children who are a similar age to my children.

I have heard many things from my sisters. They are surviving off food they have kept in their stores but they only have supplies for a maximum of one month and they are afraid they will starve to death after this if the area remains besieged and under Isis control for much longer.

There are people worse off than them, they told me that in another area there are people who are surviving off eating the meat of cats.

He added that no medical supplies had reached the area for the past four months.

If someone gets sick they die. Theres nothing to keep them warm except blankets.

Recommended Victory over Isis in Mosul could mean defeat in Deir Ezzor

Aid agencies are racing against the clock to prepare for an expected mass exodus of civilians as Iraqi forces surround the city in the final stages of the battle for Mosul.

Supplies have been dwindling in the west after the main road to Syria was cut off three months ago.

Half the food shops are shuttered, and the price of fuel has leapt with reports that families have burned furniture to keep warm or cook food during the winter.

Around 60 per cent of Mosul residents lack drinking water, according to the UN, with many forced to drink untreated water from wells.

Save the Childrens Country Director for Iraq, Maurizo Criveallero, said: What we're hearing from inside western Mosul right now is deeply concerning.

Even when there is food available at the markets, people don't have any money left to buy it. Families and their children are on the brink of starvation.

This is a siege by any other name, and a brutal one. If civilians try to flee they risk almost certain death at the hands of Isis fighters. If they stay, then they could be killed by bombs and crossfire.

He added that Iraqi forces and their coalition allies, who include the UK and the US, must ensure they protect children as they advance and secure humanitarian relief for them as soon as possible.

Emergency camps are under construction in nine Iraqi cities and tents are being erected in existing camps to try and absorb displaced people.

Food and other basic supplies are being brought in for up to 400,000 Iraqis who aid workers anticipate will flee in the coming weeks.

Aid agencies on the ground say there are three possible scenarios for how the battle for Mosul will play out  either a protracted siege of the city, the mass displacement of 400,000 people or the best case scenario of an orderly evacuation of Iraqis as the western part is gradually made secure.

Since the offensive was launched against Isis in October last year, more than 217,000 people have been displaced from eastern Mosul, which was retaken by Iraqi forces last month. An estimated 57,000 people have since been able to return to their neighbourhoods.

The battle for the western part of the city has proved more challenging because tanks cannot pass through the narrow streets and alleyways, according to Iraqi commanders.

Recommended Iraqi forces begin bitter battle for Mosul in effort to destroy Isis

Some civilians being smuggled out of western Mosul are said to be paying $2,000 and risking their lives to escape after Isis fighters issued a warning to stay put or be killed. Until recently, if civilians were caught trying to flee, they could pay a fine to Isis soldiers and return home.

But the tactics have hardened and it is feared that as allied troops begin retaking western part of the city, Isis fighters could use remaining citizens as human shields to prolong the stalemate.

Mosul is the Isis heartland and it was here that the groups leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, made his first and only public appearance at the al-Nuri mosque.

It has become clear from the fierce fighting so far that Isis will not retreat as easily as they did from the Iraqi cities of Falluja and Ramadi because losing their prized stronghold could pose an existential crisis for the group.
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A convicted murderer is on the loose in Liverpool after an armed gang reportedly helped him escape from custody during a hospital visit.

Drug dealer Shaun Walmsley, 28, was leaving Aintree University Hospital after an appointment when two men are said to have threatened prison officers with a gun and a knife.

Merseyside Police said an urgent investigation had been launched to find Walmsley, who was serving at least 30 years in prison for murder.

The men, who had their faces covered at the time, are said to have sped away from the scene with Walmsley in a gold Volvo.

Neither of the two prison guards were injured during the incident, which took place just after 3pm.

The public has been warned not to approach Walmsley, who is described as dangerous. He may be with the men who arranged his escape, who are believed to be armed.

Walmsley, described by police as 6ft tall and slim with dark brown hair and blue eyes, was found guilty of killing Anthony Duffy in May 2014 and was sentenced in June the following year.

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October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected 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2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male 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news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 18 September 2022 A man stands among campers on The Mall ahead of the Queens funeral Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2022 Wolverhampton Wanderers Nathan Collins fouls Manchester Citys Jack Grealish leading to a red card. City went on to win the match at Molineux Stadium three goals to nil. Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 16 September 2022 Members of the public stand in the queue near Tower Bridge, and opposite the Tower of London, as they wait in line to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, in London AFP via Getty Images

The court heard Duffy was "repeatedly and brutally stabbed" during the midnight attack and later died from his 28 wounds, reported the Liverpool Echo.

Duffy, a cannabis and cocaine dealer, had tried to steal a cannabis farm worth 60,000 owned by Walmsley and Christopher Kenny, according to the newspaper.

He was angry that the pair were chasing his cousin over a drug debt, but was lured into an ambush by his friend John Hore, 54, who informed Walmsley and Kenny of Duffy's plan.

In court, Judge Goldstone said Walmsley, who was 26 at the time of the attack, regarded himself as "untouchable" and had killed rival drug dealer Duffy to send out a message of "who was boss".

Walmsley was last seen wearing dark trousers and a dark jacket. The first man, believed to be armed with a gun, was wearing white shoes, grey tracksuit bottoms with a stripe down each side, a grey hoodie and a dark coat.

The second man, believed to be in possession of a knife, was wearing a green coat, dark Nike trainers and grey tracksuit bottoms.

Walmsley was reportedly being escorted from the hospital appointment in a minicab, according to The Sun.

Police have advised anyone with any information to call 999 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
File photo taken on Sept. 25, 2016 shows Russian Ambassador to the United NationsVitaly Churkin (Front) addressing United Nations Security Council during an emergency meeting on the situation in Syria, at the UN headquarters in New York. Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin has died in New York, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Feb. 20, 2017. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

The Russian Ambassador to the United Nations(UN) Vitaly Churkin suddenly died on Monday in New York, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"The Russian Foreign Ministry is saddened to announce the death of Vitaly Churkin, Russia's Permanent Representative to the UN, on Monday in New York, a day before his 65th birthday," said the brief statement, without disclosing the cause of his death.

The ministry expressed its condolences and hailed Churkin as an "outstanding diplomat," who has served as Russian envoy to the UN since 2006.

UN Secretary-General Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq said he was shocked by Churkin's sudden death and mourned him, RIA Novosti news agency reported.
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Top lawyers and legal experts have warned that Brexit could trigger a human rights crisis in the UK, with the Prime Minister trading away protections against torture for grubby trade deals.

The UK's departure from the European Union may go hand in hand with the removal of fundamental rights from British law, they said in a letter in the Observer, leaving its citizens with a similar level of protection to people in Europe's last dictatorship, Belarus.

Theresa May has stated in the past that she would like to leave the European Convention on Human Rights  described as the bedrock of peace in Europe since the Second World War  but the EU could intervene, the letter said, making remaining a signatory a condition of any free trade deal.

Signed by more than 50 prominent lawyers and academics, including Helena Kennedy, Sir Geoffrey Bindman, Professor Francesca Klug, Lord Lester and Sir Paul Jenkins, the letter states: Theresa May has repeatedly stated her feelings that Britain would be better served by leaving the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) than it would leaving the EU. As we enter Brexit negotiations, there is now every possibility that both these scenarios could easily come to pass.

It continues: The ECHR has been the bedrock of peace in Europe since the second world war, and was instrumental in the remarkable growth of democracy in Eastern Europe after the fall of the Berlin Wall. It is no coincidence that the one state that is not part of the Convention, Belarus, is known as Europes last dictatorship.

The letter is expected to pressure Ms May to outline how exactly she will protect rights after Brexit.

Signing the ECHR is a condition of joining the EU, as stipulated in the Lisbon Treaty. The convention has been part of British law since it was ratified in 1951, and prohibits torture and slavery, while protecting the right to a fair trial and freedom of expression.

The letters signatories claim: We face the very real threat of a human rights crisis with the UK trading away protections against torture for grubby trade deals with foreign tyrants. We are calling for the EU to make Britains membership of the ECHR a legally binding requirement for any future free trade deal with the UK. The rule of law and human rights are non-negotiable when new countries join the EU, they should be non-negotiable when countries leave and desire a free trade deal."

Supreme Court Brexit Challenge Show all 13 1 /13 Supreme Court Brexit Challenge Supreme Court Brexit Challenge People wait to enter the public gallery outside the Supreme Court ahead of the challenge against a court ruling that Theresa May's government requires parliamentary approval to start the process of leaving the European Union, in Parliament Square, central London Reuters Supreme Court Brexit Challenge Gina Miller, co-founder of investment fund SCM Private arrives at the Supreme court in London on the first day of a four-day hearing Getty Supreme Court Brexit Challenge A man waves the EU flag in front of the Supreme Court Getty Supreme Court Brexit Challenge Satirical artist Kaya Mar poses with two of his paintings in front of the Supreme Court Getty Supreme Court Brexit Challenge Pro-Europe protestors dressed as Supreme Court Justices stand outside the Supreme Court ahead of the first day of a hearing into whether Parliament's consent is required before the Brexit process can begin. The eleven Supreme Court Justices will hear the government's appeal, following the High Court's recent decision that only Parliament can trigger Article 50 Getty Supreme Court Brexit Challenge The eleven Supreme Court Justices will hear the government's appeal, following the High Court's recent decision that only Parliament can trigger Article 50 Getty Supreme Court Brexit Challenge Businesswoman Gina Miller arrives at the Supreme Court ahead of the first day of a hearing into whether Parliament's consent is required before the Brexit process can begin Getty Supreme Court Brexit Challenge Attorney General Jeremy Wright arrives at the Supreme Court in London EPA Supreme Court Brexit Challenge Protesters outside the Supreme Court in London, where the Government is appealing against a ruling that the Prime Minister must seek MPs' approval to trigger the process of taking Britain out of the European Union PA wire Supreme Court Brexit Challenge A protesters wearing a judge's wigs and robes stands outside the Supreme Court ahead of the challenge against a court ruling that Theresa May's government requires parliamentary approval to start the process of leaving the European Union, in Parliament Square, central London Reuters Supreme Court Brexit Challenge A protester holds up a placard outside the Supreme Court ahead of the challenge against a court ruling that Theresa May's government requires parliamentary approval to start the process of leaving the European Union, in Parliament Square, central London Reuters Supreme Court Brexit Challenge Pro-Europe protestors dressed as Supreme Court Justices stand outside the Supreme Court Getty Supreme Court Brexit Challenge A man waiting to enter the public gallery waves a European Union flag outside the Supreme Court ahead of the challenge against a court ruling that Theresa May's government requires parliamentary approval to start the process of leaving the European Union, in Parliament Square, central London Reuters

Because the ECHR is a separate entity to the EU, it is not necessary to leave it on departing the union. But it is likely the Prime Minister will take the opportunity to try and do so.

Many Conservative MPs, including Ms May, are disdainful towards British membership of the convention, which is enforced by the European Court of Human Rights, because they say it prevents dangerous foreign criminals and terrorists being tracked and deported.

Ms May was reportedly already planning on making the case to leave the ECHR a central aspect of her 2020 election campaign.

She would reportedly plan to transfer the rights from the convention into British law, to be applied by the Supreme Court.

But the Good Friday Agreement, a key aspect of the Northern Ireland peace process, also depends on the ECHR leading critics to say withdrawing from the Convention would be playing with fire.

If implemented, Ms May's plan would replace David Camerons plans to abandon the Human Rights Act for a British Bill of Rights. Unlike these previous proposals, where the European Court would have retained a role hearing appeals, Ms May is looking to break off all relations with the court.
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There is clear evidence that Russia interfered directly in UK elections, a Labour former minister has said.

Chris Bryant told Parliament some of the top-level decisions affecting security in Britain had also been compromised by Russian infiltration.

The former Europe ministers comments came after it emerged that political parties in the UK have approached the security agencies for help following a cyber attack during the 2015 British general election.

There is now clear evidence of Russian direct, corrupt involvement in elections in France, in Germany, in the United States of America, and I would argue also in this country, said Mr Bryant.

Many believe that some of the highest level decisions affecting security in the United Kingdom, in Germany, in France and in the United States of America are now compromised by Russian infiltration.

The head of the UKs new National Cyber Security Centre, Ciaran Martin, said that informal talks had been held with the parties and a programme to protect their sensitive online information will be put in place in the near future.

 Bill Maher: Russia and Donald Trump worst political scandal in US history'

Attempted cyber attacks in the run-up to the May 2015 elections, with a rise in clandestine online activity by Russia across the UK at the time, have been reported by security sources.

There had been persistent and rising reports of the Kremlins interference in the Wests political system using cyber attacks, including the hacking of the Democratic Party emails as part of an alleged campaign by Vladimir Putins government to help Donald Trump win the US presidential elections.

There are also fears that coming elections in Holland, France and Germany, with right-wing populist parties which have varying degrees of Russian support, may be vulnerable.

Emmanuel Macron, the favourite to become the next French president, has also accused Russia and its state-owned media of using hacking and fake news to interfere with the French presidential race.

These claims of interference have been rejected by the Kremlin.

Mr Martin said: Across the West we are on the alert and looking at defences in that sort of areas of the electoral process. This is obviously an area of concern.

Labour MP Chris Bryant

Labour former minister Ben Bradshaw has previously claimed it was highly probable Russia interfered in the EU referendum through cyber warfare, a claim the Government says there is no evidence for.

Mr Bryant repeated these concerns as MPs considered new powers to tackle money laundering, which many have seen as a crackdown on corrupt money flowing into the UK from Russia and other countries.

Mr Bryant, who was Labours Minister of State for Europe between 2009 to 2010, went on to criticise both British and US policy towards Russia in recent years.

He said: My personal perception was that both David Cameron and President Obama were very reluctant to show a strong arm to Russia, because they thought by pressing the reset button, that was Obama's view, somehow or other you would manage to get major concessions out of Putin.

Russian ambassador to Turkey shot dead in Ankara Show all 13 1 /13 Russian ambassador to Turkey shot dead in Ankara Russian ambassador to Turkey shot dead in Ankara The unnamed gunman gestures after shooting the Russian Ambassador to Turkey AP Russian ambassador to Turkey shot dead in Ankara The gunman opened fire at a photo gallery in Ankara, Turkey AP Russian ambassador to Turkey shot dead in Ankara Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrei Karlov was delivering a speech when the gunman opened fire AP Russian ambassador to Turkey shot dead in Ankara The gunman addressed the room after shooting the Russian Ambassador AP Russian ambassador to Turkey shot dead in Ankara The gunman spoke in Arabic after opening fire on the Russian ambassador to Turkey AP Russian ambassador to Turkey shot dead in Ankara The gunman stands over the body of Russian Ambassador to Turkey, Andrei Karlov, at a photo gallery in Ankara, Turkey AP Russian ambassador to Turkey shot dead in Ankara People in the art gallery react moments after the Russian ambassador to Turkey, Andrei Karlov, was shot dead AP Russian ambassador to Turkey shot dead in Ankara Turkish police secure the area near the art gallery where Andrei Karlov was shot REUTERS Russian ambassador to Turkey shot dead in Ankara The gunman reportedly shouted "Aleppo" and "revenge" after shooting Mr Karlov dead AFP/Getty Images Russian ambassador to Turkey shot dead in Ankara The gunman stands over the body of the Russian Ambassador to Turkey, Andrei Karlov AP Russian ambassador to Turkey shot dead in Ankara The gunman, a Turkish policeman, can be seen standing behind the Russian ambassador to Turkey, Andrei Karlov, before he opened fire AP Russian ambassador to Turkey shot dead in Ankara An ambulance leaves the area near the art gallery where the Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrei Karlov was shot dead REUTERS Russian ambassador to Turkey shot dead in Ankara Guests leave as the gunman holds his weapon behind them AFP/Getty

I have to say, that has simply not proved to be an effective strategy.

In every single regard, Putin has simply taken those moments as a sign of weakness and preceded to use force in greater degree.

Press Association contributed to this report
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The Government spent almost 750,000 attempting to block a lawsuit by a Libyan rebel leader who alleged senior British intelligence officials were involved in his kidnap and torture.

Abdul-Hakim Belhaj said he and his then-pregnant wife Fatima Boudchar were abducted, abused and forcibly transferred to a Libyan prison in 2004 in an operation involving MI6 and the CIA.

The Government's efforts to stop the civil action  which ultimately failed  have been condemned as a "shocking" and "staggering" waste of public money, since the couple said they would settle for a 1 token payment if they received an apology.

Recommended Libyan dissident can sue over claims of MI6 torture and abduction

The Supreme Court in January granted Mr Belhaj the right to sue then-Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, despite the Governments argument that it would be inappropriate for British courts to rule on a case involving American intelligence agencies.

According to a series of Freedom of Information requests filed by Reprieve, a charity backing the legal challenge, legal efforts to fight the suit have so far cost the Government 744,174.

The requests, seen by The Independent show that the Government spent 109,786 defending ex-senior MI6 officer Sir Mark Allen and further 26,580 on Mr Straw's defence.

Lawyers for Sir Mark and the former Foreign Secretary have previously denied any unlawful conduct and argued they are not able to respond fully to the allegations because of the Official Secrets Act.

Speaking through his lawyers in January, Mr Straw said: "As Foreign Secretary I acted at all times in a manner which was fully consistent with my legal duties, and with national and international law.

I was never in any way complicit in the unlawful rendition or detention of anyone by other states.

Mr Belhaj was imprisoned and tortured for six years, while Ms Bouchar was released after four months  three weeks before giving birth.

Now a senior member of the Islamist Al-Watan political party, Mr Belhaj was the leader of the insurgent Libyan Islamic Fighting Group, designated as a terrorist group by the US and UK.

The UN described the group as an al-Qaeda affiliate, despite some members rejecting a formal merger, and found it was also linked to the Taliban while imposing sanctions in 2001.

Mr Belhaj who fled the Gaddafi regime in 1998  claims Mr Straw and senior members of the security services were co-conspirators in his detention and torture.

He and his wife, were kidnapped in China and taken via Malaysia and Thailand to Libya.

Mr Belhaj claimed he was hooded and shackled to the floor of a plane in a stress position and then transferred to an American secret prison in Bangkok, where said he was hung from the ceiling for prolonged periods in between interrogation sessions.

After being arriving in Libya, the rebel leader was detained for six years and tortured by foreign agents, including some allegedly from the UK.

Mr Belhaj was sentenced to death after a 15-minute trial but was eventually released in 2010 before the Libyan revolution.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 5 November 2022 Demonstrators with placards calling for a General Election march near the Houses of Parliament AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 4 November 2022 A peacock is seen in the early winter sunshine in the Dutch Gardens in Holland Park AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 November 2022 A villager cooks roti bread at the site of the annual Camel Fair in Pushkar, in India's desert state of Rajasthan AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 2 November 2022 A red squirrel gathers nuts in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters UK news in pictures 1 November 2022 Englands Tara-Jane Stanley scores their sides seventh try against Brazil during the Womens Rugby League World Cup group A match at Headingley Stadium, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 31 October 2022 GBs James Hall competes during the mens parallel bars qualification at the World Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 18 September 2022 A man stands among campers on The Mall ahead of the Queens funeral Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2022 Wolverhampton Wanderers Nathan Collins fouls Manchester Citys Jack Grealish leading to a red card. 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Cori Crider, a lawyer for rendition and torture victims at international human rights charity Reprieve said in a statement: The government has wasted a staggering sum of public money in this case  it seems no expense is too great to spare the blushes of the security services.

This is ironic, given that the case could have been over years ago for essentially no money and a simple apology to Mr Belhaj and his wife Fatima.

We very much hope Theresa May will take a second look at the case and realise that there is no sound reason the government cannot just own up and admit that what it did to this family, by getting involved in their kidnap, was wrong.

Amnesty International UK Legal Programme Director Rachel Logan said: Its really shocking that the UK Government has gone to such lengths to try to stop this case.

The government has tried every trick in the book to block this lawsuit, including a failed attempt to use arcane legal arguments to prevent the claim being heard, even though it could have been settled with an apology and 1 payment.

Its right that the case should now go forwards. There are strong indications that British officials are heavily implicated in the detention and torture of Mr Belhaj in Libya.

We still need to see the truth emerge over this murky affair, and we need to see people held accountable for their role in it.

A Foreign and Commonwealth Spokeswoman said in an emailed statement: Whenever the Government is subject to litigation we consider the facts of the case, and fully evaluate how best to respond. This evaluation involves consideration of a range of factors including, but not limited to, potential costs.

In developments in a separate, criminal case, on Sunday it emerged a High Court had decided to hear an application for a judicial review of the Crown Prosecution Services decision not to charge the MI6 director, Sir Mark, over the abductions.
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Hospitals will have to be closed and beds cut as part of a series of money-saving measures across the NHS in England.

A new report from The King's Fund think tank has warned that the number of hospital beds could destabilise services that were already "stretched to their limits" after the Winter.

Community services were also "feeling the strain" and could not currently cope with an increase in workload, it said.

Sustainability and transformation plans (STPs) have been put forward by NHS chiefs in 44 areas in England as part of a national programme to transform the health service and save money.

The included hospital closures and cuts to some specialist services such as accident and emergency and stroke care.

King's Fund Chief Executive, Chris Ham said that the NHS cannot realistically cut the number of beds when this winter had shown that they were needed.

But he added that also said it needs to throw its full weight behind the plans to stand a chance of pulling them off.

The cuts could include a 44 per cent reduction in inpatient bed days in south-west London and a cut in hospitals in north-west London from nine to five. Hospital beds in Dorset could also be from 1,810 to 1,570.

NHS trusts have reported a 886m deficit for the first nine months of the financial year.

 The numbers behind the NHS crisis

Mr Ham said: We think it is necessary to do because if you're not willing to do go through that process and support plans of this kind, essentially you are colluding as politicians in the continuation of unsafe services. So politicians need to step up to the plate and be brave."

Although "there have been examples of consultations in the past which haven't been well-founded" he added that "where the evidence is clear, that's where Government and local politicians need to do their job."

Last November, the King's Fund said STPs had been kept secret from the public and barely involved frontline staff.

NHS England even ordered local health leaders not to reveal plans to the public and refuse Freedom of Information Act requests.

The STPs will see A&E dropped at a Poole and Bournemouth hospital, hospitals reduced from three to two in Leicestershire and Rutland, four community hospitals closed in Devon, and 200 beds taken away at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust.

Derbyshire plans to slash 400 acute hospital beds, Herefordshire and Worcestershire anticipate a significantly lower number, and Cambridgeshire and Peterborough will centrelise orthopaedics, stroke, maternity and paediatric services.

An NHS England spokeswoman said: "The King's Fund report rightly finds that STPs offer the best hope for the NHS to transform care for patients in a sustainable way.

They will allow the NHS to take advantage of new technologies, adopt successful practice more widely, and make practical improvements in areas that we know matter most to patients.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 5 November 2022 Demonstrators with placards calling for a General Election march near the Houses of Parliament AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 4 November 2022 A peacock is seen in the early winter sunshine in the Dutch Gardens in Holland Park AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 November 2022 A villager cooks roti bread at the site of the annual Camel Fair in Pushkar, in India's desert state of Rajasthan AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 2 November 2022 A red squirrel gathers nuts in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters UK news in pictures 1 November 2022 Englands Tara-Jane Stanley scores their sides seventh try against Brazil during the Womens Rugby League World Cup group A match at Headingley Stadium, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 31 October 2022 GBs James Hall competes during the mens parallel bars qualification at the World Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 18 September 2022 A man stands among campers on The Mall ahead of the Queens funeral Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2022 Wolverhampton Wanderers Nathan Collins fouls Manchester Citys Jack Grealish leading to a red card. City went on to win the match at Molineux Stadium three goals to nil. Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 16 September 2022 Members of the public stand in the queue near Tower Bridge, and opposite the Tower of London, as they wait in line to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, in London AFP via Getty Images

These proposals are all about putting collaboration at the heart of our care system, with health and local government working more closely together than at any time since the NHS was created. Everyone in the NHS wants help to ensure we can all get excellent care whenever we need it.

Dr Mark Holland, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: In acute medicine we need to be convinced that moving resources away from hospitals will see a corresponding reduction in our volume of work. The ball is the court of STPs to convince us of ability to deliver on their promises.

Dr Mark Porter, chairman of council at the British Medical Association, said the plans were becoming unworkable.

He said: From the beginning, this process was rushed and carried out largely behind closed doors, by health and social care leaders trying to develop impossible plans for the future while struggling to keep the NHS from the brink of collapse.

A Department of Health spokesman said: These NHS plans - developed by local doctors, hospitals and councils working together with the communities they serve - will help patients get better care by delivering the NHS's five year forward view, transforming mental health provision, improving cancer care, and delivering better access to GPs.
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The author of Article 50 has ridiculed the Governments claim that the treaty clause cannot be stopped after it is triggered.

Lord Kerr urged the House of Lords to amend the Brexit Bill, launching a fierce attack on the Bullingdon Boys who have left others to suffer the pain of EU withdrawal.

He warned that Britains economy would be hit by leaving the EU, telling the House of Lords: There will be a price to be paid.

Its a sad fact that it wont be those who got us into this fix who will suffer  the Bullingdon boys will be just fine, the country may not be, the Crossbencher peer said.

At the weekend, Justice Secretary Elizabeth Truss sparked criticism by suggesting Article 50 cannot be revoked while Downing Street has insisted the argument is irrelevant.

But Lord Kerr said: If, having looked into abyss, we changed our minds about withdrawal, we certainly could - and no-one in Brussels could stop us.

The peer is one of a number of people who has claimed authorship of the clause. He was Ambassador and UK Permanent Representative to the European Communities and European Union in the 1990s.

Theresa May has been criticised for offering a take-it-or-leave-it choice, insisting she will crash Britain out of the EU if Parliament rejects the deal she has struck.

But Lord Kerr urged the Lords to reject this Hobsons Choice, calling for the Bill to be amended to ensure the Prime Minister could be told to go back and try harder.

He said: The Government has given us no undertaking that they will come back to Parliament if the negotiations threaten to break down. I rate the chances of breakdown at well over 30 per cent.

And he added: No deal is much the worse deal.a disaster for business and citizens alike

If the bravado of the white paper proves hollow, the Government must come back to Parliament before the clock runs out.

On the two-year timetable, once Article 50 is triggered, Lord Kerr said: The European union is a union of democracies. If this Parliament asked  and our Government conveyed our request  for an extension, in my judgement it would certainly be given.

Peers debated Article 50 late into the night (House of Lords)

The country should be braced for a more difficult economic relationship with the rest of the world after Brexit, because Britain would be less advantageous to those countries

Why should they be so keen to open their markets to us if we are no longer their entry point to a market of 500m. Its a fact that trade halves as distance doubles.

The Government knows all these facts, but has decided to put sovereignty ahead of economic wellbeing, the peer said.

Brexit Concerns Show all 26 1 /26 Brexit Concerns Brexit Concerns Brexit will put British patients at 'back of the queue' for new drugs Brexit will put British patients at the back of the queue for vital new drugs, the Government has been warned  forcing them to wait up to two years longer A medicines regulator has raised the alarm over a likely decision to pull out of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), as well as the EU itself. ealth Secretary Jeremy Hunt dropped the bombshell , when he said he expected the UK would quit the EMA  because it is subject to rulings by the European Court of Justice. Getty Images Brexit Concerns London to lose status as 'gateway to Europe' for banks One of Germanys top banking regulators has warned that London could lose its status as gateway to Europe for the banking sector after Britain quits the European trading bloc. Andreas Dombret, who is an executive board member for the BundesbankGermanys central banktold a private meeting of German businesses and banks earlier this week in Frankfurt that even if banking rules were equivalent between the UK and the rest of the EU, that was still miles away from [Britain having] access to the single market, the BBC reports. Jason Hawkes Brexit Concerns Exodus The number of financial sector professionals in Britain and continental Europe looking for jobs in Ireland rocketed in the months after the UK voted to leave the European Union Shutterstock Brexit Concerns Brexit is making FTSE 100 executives richer Pay packages of many FTSE 100 chief executive officers are partly tied to how well share prices are doing rather than the CEOs performance -- and some stocks are soaring. ritish equities got a boost since the June vote because the likes of Rio Tinto, Smiths Group and WPP generate most sales abroad and earn a fortune when they convert these revenues back into the weakened pound. Sterlings fall also made UK stocks more affordable for overseas investors. Rex Brexit Concerns Theresa May: UK to leave single market Theresa May has said the UK "cannot possibly" remain within the European single market, as staying in it would mean "not leaving the EU at all". Getty Brexit Concerns Lead campaigner Gina Miller and her team outside the High Court Getty Brexit Concerns Raymond McCord holds up his newly issued Irish passport alongside his British passport outside the High Court in Belfast following a judges dismissal of the UK's first legal challenges to Brexit PA wire Brexit Concerns SDLP leader Colum Eastwood leaving the High Court in Belfast following a judges dismissal of the UK's first legal challenges to Brexit PA wire Brexit Concerns Migrants with luggage walk past a graffiti on a wall as they leave the 'Jungle' migrant camp, as part of a major three-day operation planned to clear the camp in Calais Getty Brexit Concerns Migrants leave messages on their tents in the Jungle migrant camp Getty Brexit Concerns The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (Adra) which distributes approximately 700 meals daily in the northern Paris camp states that it is noticing a spike in new migrant arrivals this week, potentially linked the the Calais 'jungle' camp closure - with around 1000 meals distributed today EPA Brexit Concerns Migrant workers pick apples at Stocks Farm in Suckley, Britain Reuters Brexit Concerns Many farmers across the country are voicing concerns that Brexit could be a dangerous step into the unknown for the farming industry Getty Brexit Concerns Bank of England governor Mark Carney who said the long-term outlook for the UK economy is positive, but growth was slowing in the wake of the Brexit vote PA Brexit Concerns The Dow Jones industrial average closed down over 600 points on the news with markets around the globe pluninging Getty Brexit Concerns Immigration officers deal with each member of the public seeking entry into the United Kingdom but on average, 10 a day are refused entry at this London airport and between 2008 and 2009, 33,100 people were detained at the airport for mainly passport irregularities Getty Brexit Concerns A number of global investment giants have threatened to move their European operations out of London if Brexit proves to have a negative impact on their businesses Getty Brexit Concerns Following the possibility of a Brexit the UK would be released from its renewable energy targets under the EU Renewable Energy Directive and from EU state aid restrictions, potentially giving the government more freedom both in the design and phasing out of renewable energy support regimes Getty Brexit Concerns A woman looking at a chart showing the drop in the pound (Sterling) against the US Dollar in London after Britain voted to leave the EU Getty Brexit Concerns Young protesters outside the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, to protest against the United Kingdom's decision to leave the EU following the referendum Getty Brexit Concerns Applications from Northern Ireland citizens for Irish Passports has soared to a record high after the UK Voted in favour of Leaving the EU Getty Brexit Concerns NFU Vice President Minette Batters with Secretary of State, Andrea Leadsome at the National Farmers Union (NFU) took machinery, produce, farmers and staff to Westminster to encourage Members of Parliament to back British farming, post Brexit Getty Brexit Concerns The latest reports released by the UK Cabinet Office warn that expats would lose a range of specific rights to live, to work and to access pensions, healthcare and public services. The same reports added that UK citizens abroad would not be able to assume that these rights will be guaranteed in the future Getty Brexit Concerns A British resident living in Spain asks questions during an informative Brexit talk by the "Brexpats in Spain" group, about Spanish legal issues to become Spanish citizens, at the town hall in Benalmadena, Spain Reuters Brexit Concerns The collapse of Great Britain appears to have been greatly exaggerated given the late summer crowds visiting city museums, hotels, and other important tourist attractions Getty Brexit Concerns The U.K. should maintain European Union regulations covering everything from working hours to chemicals until after the government sets out its plans for Brexit, said British manufacturers anxious to avoid a policy vacuum and safeguard access to their biggest export market Getty

And, in a reference to the notorious Leave campaign, Lord Kerr said: The country does not know where it is going.

We are on this bus heading for Heathrow  mendacious slogans on the side  and we have no idea what the destination is.

He made the comments in the second day of the House of Lords debate on the Brexit Bill.
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The former head of the Civil Service has thrown his weight behind attempts to let Parliament amend any Brexit deal  and potentially stop Britain crashing out of the EU with no deal at all.

Lord ODonnell intervened in the House of Lords debate on the Article 50 Bill to protest that MPs and peers were being denied a meaningful vote on the outcome of the negotiations.

The controversy will be one of the main flashpoints as the Bill progresses, with some peers confident the Government can be defeated.

Parliament has been promised a vote before the European Parliament starts its consideration of any Brexit deal, probably in late 2018.

But Theresa May has insisted it will be a take-it-or-leave-it choice, insisting she will not go back into talks with EU leaders to seek a better deal if hers is rejected at Westminster.

The UK would then be forced onto World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules, imposing annul tariffs of around 6bn on exporters, research today suggested.

Lord ODonnell, the Cabinet Secretary to three prime ministers until 2011, said: The concession of a vote which has, as the alternative, departure on WTO rules is no choice at all.

To be honest, I am very surprised that anyone would think that it was any concession.

Signalling his intent to vote against the Government, he said: The UK Parliament should have a serious role in what the deal should cover.

That is what we in this House should aim for with judicious amendments that help us to achieve a better deal for all in this country.

Lord ODonnell also dismissed the Prime Ministers warnings that her negotiations would be undermined, arguing all EU parliaments will go through a similar process.

So we would not be putting our negotiators at a disadvantage; we would simply be levelling the playing field, he told peers.

This negotiation will be much harder than anything I had to deal with. Believe me, Coalitions and so on are completely straightforward compared with this.

A second former Whitehall mandarin, Nicholas Macpherson, the former permanent secretary to the Treasury also indicated he will push for changes to bolster Parliamentary oversight.

I am not an enthusiast for a neverendum, but I worry that leaving all further scrutiny to the Great Reform Bill will be to leave it too late, he said.

A further 110 peers have put themselves forward to speak in the Article 50 Bill today, in a second sitting expected to last until midnight.

However, there are not likely to be any votes on controversies such as the meaningful vote and the rights of EU citizens until next week at the earliest.

Even defeat for the Government is only likely to delay the triggering of Article 50 for about one week  until the middle of March  because peers will, in the end, bow to the will of the Commons.
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The UK will be handed a very hefty bill for leaving the European Union, Jean-Claude Juncker has warned.

The President of the European Commission said the EU would seek payment from Theresa May's Government to cover future spending Britain had committed to but would not fulfil as a member.

The British should know this, they know this already, that it will not be at a discount or at zero cost. The British must respect commitments they were involved in making, he told the Belgian parliament.

So the bill will be, to put it a bit crudely, very hefty.

 Theresa May sits in House of Lords to hear Brexit debate

Mr Juncker said Britain would need years to negotiate any future trade deals with the EU after quitting the bloc.

To agree on the future architecture of relations between the United Kingdom and the European Union, we will need years, he added.

Discussions are under way in Brussels on the size of the bill to be presented to the Prime Minister when she launches withdrawal talks, with unconfirmed reports suggesting the demand may be as high as 60bn (51bn) over the next six years.

The sum would cover the UK's share of the cost of projects and programmes that it signed up to as part of the 28-nation bloc, as well as pensions for EU officials who served during its 45-year membership

Brusselss position is that withdrawal arrangements  including the exit bill  must be agreed before moving on to potentially lengthy negotiations over future trade relations.

Brexit Concerns Show all 26 1 /26 Brexit Concerns Brexit Concerns Brexit will put British patients at 'back of the queue' for new drugs Brexit will put British patients at the back of the queue for vital new drugs, the Government has been warned  forcing them to wait up to two years longer A medicines regulator has raised the alarm over a likely decision to pull out of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), as well as the EU itself. ealth Secretary Jeremy Hunt dropped the bombshell , when he said he expected the UK would quit the EMA  because it is subject to rulings by the European Court of Justice. Getty Images Brexit Concerns London to lose status as 'gateway to Europe' for banks One of Germanys top banking regulators has warned that London could lose its status as gateway to Europe for the banking sector after Britain quits the European trading bloc. Andreas Dombret, who is an executive board member for the BundesbankGermanys central banktold a private meeting of German businesses and banks earlier this week in Frankfurt that even if banking rules were equivalent between the UK and the rest of the EU, that was still miles away from [Britain having] access to the single market, the BBC reports. Jason Hawkes Brexit Concerns Exodus The number of financial sector professionals in Britain and continental Europe looking for jobs in Ireland rocketed in the months after the UK voted to leave the European Union Shutterstock Brexit Concerns Brexit is making FTSE 100 executives richer Pay packages of many FTSE 100 chief executive officers are partly tied to how well share prices are doing rather than the CEOs performance -- and some stocks are soaring. ritish equities got a boost since the June vote because the likes of Rio Tinto, Smiths Group and WPP generate most sales abroad and earn a fortune when they convert these revenues back into the weakened pound. Sterlings fall also made UK stocks more affordable for overseas investors. Rex Brexit Concerns Theresa May: UK to leave single market Theresa May has said the UK "cannot possibly" remain within the European single market, as staying in it would mean "not leaving the EU at all". Getty Brexit Concerns Lead campaigner Gina Miller and her team outside the High Court Getty Brexit Concerns Raymond McCord holds up his newly issued Irish passport alongside his British passport outside the High Court in Belfast following a judges dismissal of the UK's first legal challenges to Brexit PA wire Brexit Concerns SDLP leader Colum Eastwood leaving the High Court in Belfast following a judges dismissal of the UK's first legal challenges to Brexit PA wire Brexit Concerns Migrants with luggage walk past a graffiti on a wall as they leave the 'Jungle' migrant camp, as part of a major three-day operation planned to clear the camp in Calais Getty Brexit Concerns Migrants leave messages on their tents in the Jungle migrant camp Getty Brexit Concerns The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (Adra) which distributes approximately 700 meals daily in the northern Paris camp states that it is noticing a spike in new migrant arrivals this week, potentially linked the the Calais 'jungle' camp closure - with around 1000 meals distributed today EPA Brexit Concerns Migrant workers pick apples at Stocks Farm in Suckley, Britain Reuters Brexit Concerns Many farmers across the country are voicing concerns that Brexit could be a dangerous step into the unknown for the farming industry Getty Brexit Concerns Bank of England governor Mark Carney who said the long-term outlook for the UK economy is positive, but growth was slowing in the wake of the Brexit vote PA Brexit Concerns The Dow Jones industrial average closed down over 600 points on the news with markets around the globe pluninging Getty Brexit Concerns Immigration officers deal with each member of the public seeking entry into the United Kingdom but on average, 10 a day are refused entry at this London airport and between 2008 and 2009, 33,100 people were detained at the airport for mainly passport irregularities Getty Brexit Concerns A number of global investment giants have threatened to move their European operations out of London if Brexit proves to have a negative impact on their businesses Getty Brexit Concerns Following the possibility of a Brexit the UK would be released from its renewable energy targets under the EU Renewable Energy Directive and from EU state aid restrictions, potentially giving the government more freedom both in the design and phasing out of renewable energy support regimes Getty Brexit Concerns A woman looking at a chart showing the drop in the pound (Sterling) against the US Dollar in London after Britain voted to leave the EU Getty Brexit Concerns Young protesters outside the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, to protest against the United Kingdom's decision to leave the EU following the referendum Getty Brexit Concerns Applications from Northern Ireland citizens for Irish Passports has soared to a record high after the UK Voted in favour of Leaving the EU Getty Brexit Concerns NFU Vice President Minette Batters with Secretary of State, Andrea Leadsome at the National Farmers Union (NFU) took machinery, produce, farmers and staff to Westminster to encourage Members of Parliament to back British farming, post Brexit Getty Brexit Concerns The latest reports released by the UK Cabinet Office warn that expats would lose a range of specific rights to live, to work and to access pensions, healthcare and public services. The same reports added that UK citizens abroad would not be able to assume that these rights will be guaranteed in the future Getty Brexit Concerns A British resident living in Spain asks questions during an informative Brexit talk by the "Brexpats in Spain" group, about Spanish legal issues to become Spanish citizens, at the town hall in Benalmadena, Spain Reuters Brexit Concerns The collapse of Great Britain appears to have been greatly exaggerated given the late summer crowds visiting city museums, hotels, and other important tourist attractions Getty Brexit Concerns The U.K. should maintain European Union regulations covering everything from working hours to chemicals until after the government sets out its plans for Brexit, said British manufacturers anxious to avoid a policy vacuum and safeguard access to their biggest export market Getty

But the Government insists the talks can run in parallel after Ms May kicks off negotiations under Article 50 of the EU treaties, which she has promised to do by the end of March.

The European Commission has told the UK there can be no membership of the European single market without freedom of movement for workers  a key issue for many people who voted for Brexit.

Those who want to benefit from the advantages of the single market must respect the four fundamental freedoms, including the one which relates to the movement of workers, Mr Juncker said, calling Brexit a crisis which concerns us all.

We need to settle our affairs not with our hearts full of a feeling of hostility, but with the knowledge that the continent owes a lot to the UK, he added.

Without Churchill, we would not be here  we mustnt forget that, but we mustn't be naive.

Our British friends will need to understand that we want to continue to develop European integration.

His comments came during the second day of the House of Lords debate on the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill.

The legislation, which would allow the Prime Minister to trigger the formal two-year Brexit process, has already cleared the Commons unamended with big majorities.

But the Government does not have a majority in the Lords and opposition peers are attempting to amend or block the legislation.

Additional reporting by agencies
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There is "no set of circumstances" in which Scotland could stay in the European Union as the rest of the UK completes Brexit, the Scottish Secretary will say.

David Mundell will tell Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) that there should be no "easy assumptions" about how long it would take an independent Scotland to re-join the bloc

I think it is important to be clear, that Scotland will not be in the EU at the end of this process," he will tell Holyrood's Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Relations Committee, in his opening statement.

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"There is no set of circumstances in which Scotland could remain a member of the EU after the rest of the UK has left."

His comments appear to contradict the European Commission's UK representative, Jacqueline Minor, who said that there was "no reason" the country would not be accepted in to the EU.

"I think, obviously, there are some things that would facilitate that process, namely that Scotland would at a previous point have been aligned with the European acquis," Ms Minor said earlier this month.

How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Show all 8 1 /8 How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Weetabix Chief executive of Weetabix Giles Turrell has warned that the price of one of the nations favourite breakfast are likely to go up this year by low-single digits in percentage terms. Reuters How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Nescafe The cost of a 100g jar of Nescafe Original at Sainsburys has gone up 40p from 2.75 to 3.15  a 14 per cent risesince the Brexit vote. PA How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Freddo When contacted by The Independent this month, a Mondelez spokesperson declined to discuss specific brands but confirmed that there would be "selective" price increases across its range despite the American multi-national confectionery giant reporting profits of $548m (450m) in its last three-month financial period. Mondelez, which bought Cadbury in 2010, said rising commodity costs combined with the slump in the value of the pound had made its products more expensive to make. Cadbury How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Mr Kipling cakes Premier Foods, the maker of Mr Kipling and Bisto gravy, said that it was considering price rises on a case-by-case basis Reuters How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Walkers Crisps Walkers, owned by US giant PepsiCo, said "the weakened value of the pound" is affecting the import cost of some of its materials. A Walkers spokesman told the Press Association that a 32g standard bag was set to increase from 50p to 55p, and the larger grab bag from 75p to 80p. Getty How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Marmite Tesco removed Marmite and other Unilever household brand from its website last October, after the manufacturer tried to raise its prices by about 10 per cent owing to sterlings slump. Tesco and Unilever resolved their argument, but the price of Marmite has increased in UK supermarkets with the grocer reporting a 250g jar of Marmite will now cost Morrisons customers 2.64 - an increase of 12.5 per cent. Rex How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Toblerone Toblerone came under fire in November after it increased the space between the distinctive triangles of its bars. Mondelez International, the company which makes the product, said the change was made due to price rises in recent months. Pixabay How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Maltesers Maltesers, billed as the lighter way to enjoy chocolate, have also shrunk in size. Mars, which owns the brand, has reduced its pouch weight by 15 per cent. Mars said rising costs mean it had to make the unenviable decision between increasing its prices or reducing the weight of its Malteser packs. iStockphoto

Last week, the European Parliament's chief Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstad also told The National that Europe "cannot afford to lose" Scotland.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said a "soft" Brexit would take Scottish independence off the table for the foreseeable future.

She has previously said that being forced out of the single market would be one red line that might cause her to trigger a second independence referendum.

Scottish Secretary David Mundell (PA Wire/PA Images)

But Mr Mundell will insist: "If Scotland's constitutional position were ever to change, it would have to apply to be a member of the EU afresh, and we should not make easy assumptions about the length of time this would take, the process Scotland would have to follow or the terms of membership that may be on offer."
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Theresa May is having a meeting with the French presidential hopeful Emmanuel Macron, as the charismatic independent candidate comes to London to speak to expat voters.

Downing Street confirmed the unusual meeting was taking place following a request from Mr Macron, now seen as a favourite to win the presidency amid disarray in the mainstream French parties.

Number 10 said the pair would discuss a broad range of issues, but Ms May is unlikely to pass up the chance to press her case on Brexit with the man who could well be heading Frances approach to Article 50 negotiations in a few months time.

It also comes as Downing Street became caught in a war of words with sitting President Francois Hollande over the UKs obligations to refugees in Calais.

Ahead of the meeting with Mr Macron, a Number 10 spokesman said: Emmanuel Macron is already in London to meet French ex-pat voters. Having been in London he requested the meeting.

Such a meeting is not unprecedented, with Tony Blair having met Nicolas Sarkozy before he won the presidency in 2007. But it is unusual, particularly given that Mr Macron is not standing for any of the major parties.

Downing Street confirmed that no such meeting would take place with another leading contender, Marine Le Pen of the Front National, with whom there is long standing non-engagement approach.

Mr Macron was to address more than 3,000 French citizens in London hoping to persuade those registered to vote abroad to back his bid for the power.

The meeting in Downing Street allows the former investment banker and French economy minister to be seen with a key foreign leader, while allowing Ms May the opportunity to make her case for a beneficial Brexit deal with the pro-EU French candidate.

An opinion poll on Monday put the far-right candidate Marine Le Pen seven points clear of Mr Macron and his conservative rival Francois Fillon, who are tied on 20 per cent, in the first round.

But Ms Le Pen would lose to Mr Macron and Mr Fillon in the May 7 run-off, the poll predicted, by margins of 16 and 12 points respectively.
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Hundreds of thousands of elderly British people living in EU countries could find themselves in a very difficult situation if they fall ill after Brexit.

The lack of reciprocal healthcare agreements between the UK and EU countries such as Spain, which is home to more than 100,000 British pensioners, risks leaving patients who cannot afford private treatment in limbo, heard the Health Select Committee.

UK citizens who have lived abroad for many years are not eligible for NHS care, so they would not be able to return temporarily to Britain for treatment, said Jean McHale, professor of health law at the University of Birmingham.

They could indeed find themselves in a very, very difficult situation, she said. It will need to be sorted out, otherwise there will be practical problems.

Many pensioners living abroad may have no choice but to return permanently to Britain after the country leaves the EU, campaigners have warned.

Martin McKee, Professor of European Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said it was absolutely essential a system is put in place after Brexit for UK pensioners living in other EU states.

A lot of these people are there on very low incomes, they are aged, and so theyre likely to have health problems in the future, he said.

 Theresa May sits in House of Lords to hear Brexit debate

[If] there is no appropriate system in place for Brexit day plus one and beyond, those people will come back to the UK and be a further burden on housing resources and a further burden on healthcare and social services resources of this country, said Professor McKee.

I cant see that the Government or anybody in Parliament is going to want that.

Were talking possibly of a figure between 100,000 and 300,000 people being forced to return in a state of poverty to this country.

People who receive a British pension can access free or reduced cost medical treatment in EU countries with the cost reimbursed by the UK government.

They can currently access NHS treatment on a temporary visit to the UK using a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)  but both of these schemes are unlikely to continue after the UK leaves the European single market.

Out of 310,000 UK nationals in Spain, 106,610 were claiming a UK state pension, according to the Department for Work and Pensions. There are also 133,250 UK pensioners living in Ireland.

Theresa May has said she wants to guarantee the status of EU nationals living in Britain, if reciprocal arrangements can be made to protect the rights of the some 1.2 million UK nationals believed to live in the EU.

How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Show all 8 1 /8 How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Weetabix Chief executive of Weetabix Giles Turrell has warned that the price of one of the nations favourite breakfast are likely to go up this year by low-single digits in percentage terms. Reuters How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Nescafe The cost of a 100g jar of Nescafe Original at Sainsburys has gone up 40p from 2.75 to 3.15  a 14 per cent risesince the Brexit vote. PA How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Freddo When contacted by The Independent this month, a Mondelez spokesperson declined to discuss specific brands but confirmed that there would be "selective" price increases across its range despite the American multi-national confectionery giant reporting profits of $548m (450m) in its last three-month financial period. Mondelez, which bought Cadbury in 2010, said rising commodity costs combined with the slump in the value of the pound had made its products more expensive to make. Cadbury How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Mr Kipling cakes Premier Foods, the maker of Mr Kipling and Bisto gravy, said that it was considering price rises on a case-by-case basis Reuters How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Walkers Crisps Walkers, owned by US giant PepsiCo, said "the weakened value of the pound" is affecting the import cost of some of its materials. A Walkers spokesman told the Press Association that a 32g standard bag was set to increase from 50p to 55p, and the larger grab bag from 75p to 80p. Getty How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Marmite Tesco removed Marmite and other Unilever household brand from its website last October, after the manufacturer tried to raise its prices by about 10 per cent owing to sterlings slump. Tesco and Unilever resolved their argument, but the price of Marmite has increased in UK supermarkets with the grocer reporting a 250g jar of Marmite will now cost Morrisons customers 2.64 - an increase of 12.5 per cent. Rex How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Toblerone Toblerone came under fire in November after it increased the space between the distinctive triangles of its bars. Mondelez International, the company which makes the product, said the change was made due to price rises in recent months. Pixabay How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Maltesers Maltesers, billed as the lighter way to enjoy chocolate, have also shrunk in size. Mars, which owns the brand, has reduced its pouch weight by 15 per cent. Mars said rising costs mean it had to make the unenviable decision between increasing its prices or reducing the weight of its Malteser packs. iStockphoto

Christopher Chantery, chair of a group who represents British nationals living in France, told the Committee the UK was turning its back on its citizens who had chosen to make lives abroad.

They could find that the UK no longer pays for the cover that youve contributed to all your working life in the UK; the host country wont do it, because you havent contributed to that system. Thats why the Europe-wide system exists in the way it does, he said.

They cant get anything from the host country; the home country, the UK, turns its back on you and says no, were doing Brexit, so were going to cut you off with nothing.
General Assembly President Peter Thomson (C) makes a statement on the sudden passing of Russian Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin at the United Nationsheadquarters in New York, on Feb. 20, 2017. The UN General Assembly on Monday mourned the sudden passing of Russian Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin hours after his death was made public. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

The UN General Assembly on Monday mourned the sudden passing of Russian Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin hours after his death was made public.

Ahead of a General Assembly meeting held here, diplomats rose and stood in a moment of silence to pay a tribute to Churkin.

Churkin, who has been the Russian permanent representative to the United Nations since 2006, died of an apparent heart attack in New York on Monday morning at the age of 64, just a day before his 65th birthday, local media said.

General Assembly President Peter Thomson said that the assembly is shocked and deeply saddened by the passing of Churkin, while expressing the heartfelt condolences to Churkin's family as well as staff at the Russian mission to the UN.

Thomson spoke highly of Churkin's "great intellect," sense of humor and his considerations for others.

"We've all experienced and respected the pride that he took in serving his country and the passion at times of very stern resolution that he brought to his job," said Thomson.

"Not only has Russia lost one of its truest sons, here at the United Nations, we've lost one of our truest," he added.

The General Assembly will hold a formal meeting to pay a tribute in memory of the late Russian Ambassador Churkin at an appropriate time, according to Thomson.

Born on Feb. 21, 1952 in Moscow, Churkin was ambassador-at-large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation from 2003 to 2006. He was his country's ambassador to Canada from 1998 to 2003, and to Belgium from 1994 to 1998 before he represented Russia at the United Nations since 2006.

"The Russian Foreign Ministry is saddened to announce the death of Vitaly Churkin, Russia's Permanent Representative to the UN, on Monday in New York, a day before his 65th birthday," said a brief statement, without disclosing the cause of his death.

The ministry expressed its condolences and hailed Churkin as an "outstanding diplomat," who has served as Russian envoy to the UN since 2006.
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Downing Street is locked in a war of words with Francois Hollande after the French President demanded the UK accept its responsibility to take in stranded young migrants.

Theresa Mays official spokesman said he did not accept the suggestion that Britain was not doing enough, following Mr Hollandes comments.

French authorities cleared the Calais Jungle camp after it was filled with thousands of migrants hoping to reach Britain, but the fate of unaccompanied and vulnerable minors has been a cause of dispute between the two governments.

Ms Mays spokesman said: We have done a huge amount of work in accepting asylum seekers and vulnerable children from France and that work continues, as it does in Europe and other parts of the world.

In the past year alone weve taken 8,000 children. So I dont accept the suggestion we are not doing enough work.

However, limits applied to the Dubs amendment scheme  under which the UK accepted unaccompanied minors from Calais  have sparked criticism from MPs and led to anger in France.

Speaking to a conference on children caught in conflict, Mr Hollande said: France is playing its part in the European effort. We expect that our partners do the same, particularly when we are talking about minors on their own.

I call on the United Kingdom to accept its responsibility for adolescents in France at the moment who have family on the other side of the Channel.

The Home Office unexpectedly announced the Dubs scheme would end after 350 children were offered sanctuary in the UK  far lower than the 3,000 originally promised.

The spat comes as Ms May prepared to meet French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron, one of the front-runners to succeed Mr Hollande.
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The Government has bowed to pressure to act on evidence that London has become a haven for the blood money of the worlds nastiest despots.

New powers will be given to the authorities to seize the assets of foreign human rights abusers who buy homes in Britain to funnel their ill-gotten wealth.

However, the Home Office denied the move amounted to a US-style Magnitsky Act  introduced after a corruption whistleblower who died in a Russian prison in suspicious circumstances.

A group of 50 MPs from eight political parties had demanded an amendment to the Criminal Finances Bill inspired by what one called the murder of Sergei Magnitsky by the Kremlin.

The US passed a law to seize assets after the lawyer was detained, tortured and died after identifying the perpetrators of a $230m (184m) fraud against an investment firm called Hermitage Capital Management.

Furthermore, the Home Office has refused to allow third parties to demand action against human rights abusers, fearing vexatious claims based on gimmick politics.

And action would taken using civil recovery powers, using the Assets Recovery Agency, rather than the High Court imposing wide-ranging financial sanctions, as the MPs demanded.

Nevertheless, the Home Offices security minister Ben Wallace urged MPs to recognise the Government was acting after the atrocious murder carried out in Russia against Mr Magnitsky.

It was a clear statement that the UK will not stand by and allow those who have committed gross abuse or violations around the world to launder their money here, he told the Commons.

Allowing campaigners and other third parties to bring actions would open up a whole can of worms for countries around the world.

Ministers agreed to act after the cross-party amendment was tabled by prominent Conservative MP Dominic Raab, with Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green support.

Mr Raab said he retained an underlying concern about the extent the new powers will be enforced in practice, because the authorities will not have a specific duty to act.

But he hailed a significant step forward and agreed to withdraw his amendment, in response to the Home Office tabling its own.

Mr Raab said: We have the opportunity to nurture the flame of freedom on behalf of those brave souls like Sergei Magnitsky, who suffered the very worst crimes standing up for the very highest of principles.

The MP had previously warned against Britain becoming a haven for the blood money of the worlds nastiest despots and their henchmen.

He said Hermitage had submitted detailed evidence to the UK authorities of $30m that was smuggled into Britain between 2008 and 2012, some of it by firms run or owned by the Russian mafia.

However, no UK investigation was launched, which meant the Magnitsky case shines a light on weaknesses in our own justice system.

Other sickening butchers exploiting weaknesses in British law included a former Kazakh chief of secret police and former members of the Gadaffi regime.

An estimated 100bn is laundered through the UKs banks each year, yet only 0.2 per cent of that sum was currently frozen, Mr Raab wrote last month.

Campaigners have also pointed to the need for better protection for whistleblowers and journalists who expose corruption and other wrongdoing.
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Lord Mandelson has reignited Labours internal wars by saying he is working every single day to bring down Jeremy Corbyn.

In a stinging attack, the former cabinet minister accused the Labour leader of living in a parallel universe  arguing the party is on life support and must be rescued.

The intervention came as a new ICM/Guardian opinion poll underlined Labours woes by giving the Tories an 18-point lead over Labour.

Recommended Mandelson says public will change its mind about Brexit

Speaking to The Jewish Chronicle, Lord Mandelson said: I work every single day to bring forward the end of [Mr Corbyn's] tenure in office.

Every day I try to do something to rescue the Labour Party from his leadership.

The peer, one of the architects of New Labour and Tony Blairs key ally, added: The problem with Jeremy is not that hes a nasty man. Its as if he's in a parallel universe.

Hell gravitate to whatever revolt, insurrection, every protest movement in sight.

Hes been like this for 35 years. He was not a frequent supporter of the last Labour government  he voted against it 500 times!

But Lord Mandelson ruled out leaving Labour as a lost cause, insisting: Why do you want to walk away and pass it to Jeremy Corbyn? I resent it.

Asked about Labour support among the Jewish community falling to 8 per cent, he joked: That high!

The comments, made at a Jewish Chronicle event in London on Monday evening, drew a furious response from a Labour source, who told HuffPost UK: The idea of Jeremy Corbyn being Prime Minister and implementing policies that actually benefit the people terrifies the establishment.

So it is no surprise Peter Mandelson has found time in his busy schedule of spending time on oligarchs yachts to attempt to undermine him.

The jibe was a reference to an incident in 2008, when Lord Mandelson joined George Osborne on a yacht belonging to Russian tycoon Oleg Deripaska, as a guest of financier Nathaniel Rothschild.

As the peer was speaking, Mr Corbyn was facing fresh questions about his leadership at the weekly meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party in the Commons.

The leader admitted that the Copeland and Stoke-on-Trent Central by-elections this Thursday are on a knife-edge  although they are both Labour-held seats.

One Labour backbencher told him that the main problem on the doorstep ... is Jeremy Corbyn, it was reported.

But, asked to explain the dire poll ratings, Mr Corbyn was said to have referred to problems we have had in the media, adding: We do a lot better on social media.

It was Lord Mandelsons second big intervention in just three days, after he told The Independent that the British public must be given the right to pass judgement on Theresa Mays Brexit deal.

In an article, he raised the prospect of a second referendum or even a general election to make that decision, saying the Prime Minister must be sent back to the negotiating table if her terms are rejected.
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Nigel Farage has followed Donald Trump in suggesting Sweden is the rape capital of Europe because of its liberal immigration policies  despite the claim already having been widely debunked.

The former Ukip leader defended Trumps remarks about Sweden by saying: Malmo in Sweden is the rape capital of Europe due to EU migrant policies. Anyone who says there isnt a problem is lying to you.

His remarks came after his political ally Donald Trump, speaking to supporters at a rally in Florida, listed a series of known European terror attacks before adding: Look at whats happening last night in Sweden.

 President Trump cites terrorist incident in Sweden that never happened

This baffled the world, because no-one else was aware of any terrorist attack happening anywhere in Sweden on Friday night  although one Swedish tabloid helpfully listed some things that really had happened in the country that night, like an avalanche warning and police chasing a drunken driver.

Mr Trump eventually said he had been referring to a story broadcast on Fox News on Friday night, which included a clip from a new film by Ami Horowitz  who has said his aim was to  investigate why Sweden has become the rape capital of Europe after admitting over 350,000 Syrian refugees.

And Mr Farage has now backed Mr Trump and Mr Horowitz by tweeting his views about Malmo and telling listeners to his LBC radio show: Pro-rata Sweden has taken more young male migrants than any other country in the Europe.

And there has been a dramatic rise in sexual crime in Sweden  so much so that Malmo is now the rape capital of Europe, and some argue, perhaps the rape capital of the world.

And there is a Swedish media that frankly just doesnt report it.

It is, however, possible that the Swedish media doesnt report it because it isnt happening.

Two days ago, at about the same time that Mr Trump was tweeting explanations of his remarks, some people had already put together compelling evidence to debunk the Sweden rape capital of Europe/the world because of immigrants claim.

Philip N Cohen, a sociologist at the University of Maryland produced a graph showing rapes recorded by police per 100,000 population in Sweden compared to the countrys refugee population.

This showed the rape figures started increasing dramatically after 2004, seven years before the refugee population started increasing in 2011.

And as Professor Cohen also mentioned, the sharp increase in rapes reported to police between 2004 and 2005 may have had something to do with the fact that in 2005 Sweden changed the law to introduce a far more wide-ranging definition of rape.

Recommended Florida region where Trump spoke has more murders than whole of Sweden

For example, the law change meant cases where the victim was asleep or intoxicated were from 2005 included in the rape figures where previously they had been counted in a different sexual abuse crime category.

The wide-ranging nature of the Swedish definition of rape also came to global attention seven years ago, in 2010 when Wikileaks founder Julian Assange was accused of sex offences in the country. Some of Mr Assanges supporters claimed that he was facing criminal prosecution for actions that would have been legal - and would therefore never have appeared in police figures  in many other countries.

Prof Cohen also seemed to be drawing his statistics from the Swedish police, as does the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), whose country by country statistics have been used by right-wing commentators to compare Sweden unfavourably to just about every other nation on earth.

A frequently produced graph shows that according to UNODC data, Sweden had by far the highest rape rate, with 66.5 offences reported to police per 100,000 in 2012. This dwarfed the next highest figure of 34.1 rapes per 100,000 recorded in Jamaica.

Source of data: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (Wnavarre85 - Own workData)

But even UNODC itself has cautioned against such country against country comparisons, issuing its statistics with the health warning': Please note that when using the figures, any cross-national comparisons should be conducted with caution because of the differences that exist between the legal definitions of offences in countries, or the different methods of offence counting and recording.

And experts have been pointing out  for years  that in Sweden such a health warning is particularly applicable, and not just because of the 2005 law change that set it apart from many other countries.

More than four years ago, in September 2012 Klara Selin, a sociologist at the National Council for Crime Prevention in Stockholm, was also pointing out to the BBC that In Sweden, there has been this ambition explicitly to record every case of sexual violence separately, to make it visible in the statistics.

So, for instance, when a woman comes to the police and she says my husband or my fiance raped me almost every day during the last year, the police have to record each of these events, which might be more than 300 events. In many other countries it would just be one record  one victim, one type of crime, one record.

The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters

Right-wing commentators have also enjoyed pointing out the supposed irony of feminist Sweden having such a high rape rate.

But the high numbers of rapes reported to police may also owe a lot to feminist Sweden being keen to ensure that women are not ashamed to tell the authorities they have been raped. It is possible that in other countries there is a far stronger stigma around reporting rape than in Sweden.

It appears that in some countries, rape victims may be less likely to report the crime and their allegation may be less likely to be recorded by police.

In 2012, as Sweden was recording 66.5 reports of rape to police per 100,000 inhabitants, Indonesia was recording 0.7 rape allegations per 100,000.

But in 2013 a UN survey found that 26.2 per cent of men in urban Indonesia admitted to having committed a rape.

The survey, which asked men in six countries if they had ever forced a woman to have sex or forced sex on someone who too drunk or drugged to consent, found that in rural Indonesia 19.5 per cent of men  nearly one in five  admitted to actions amounting to rape.

When it comes to the claim of Sweden supposedly being an international rape capital, it may also be significant that some countries have not been included in UNODC statistics for country by country comparison.

In 2009 South Africas rape rate was not included in the UNODC statistics but a 2009 survey by South Africas Medical Research Council found that one in four men admitted to having raped someone and one in 20 said they had raped a woman or girl in the last year.

If, however, Mr Trump and Mr Farage want to check out the real situation in Malmo for themselves, there may be a cheap and easy way.

Paul Joseph Watson, editor-at-large of alt-right website Infowars is offering to pay travel and accommodation costs for journalists willing to visit.

Messrs Trump and Farage may have to hurry, though, because Mr Watsons offer of an expenses-paid trip to what he insists are the crime-ridden suburbs of Malmo is proving surprisingly popular.
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Norway would like to be included in any arrangements between Britain and the European Union during the Brexit negotiation process, a government minister has said.

The Nordic country is not a member of the EU but pays for access to the European common market via the European Economic Area (EEA) agreement.

"We would like to have the possibility to be included in EU-UK arrangements concerning the internal market, permanent as well as transitional," the Norwegian EEA and EU minister, Frank Bakke-Jensen, said in a speech to EU ambassadors in Oslo.

 Tony Blair says the people must 'rise up' against Brexit

"I am pleased with the willingness to consult closely with us on coming negotiations about the internal market," he said, adding that Norway was also conducting a bilateral political dialogue with London.

"We... are ready to discuss our future co-operation in specific terms as soon as the situation permits."

Norway said in August that it may take a long time for a new trade agreement to be established between Oslo and London and that it may not be in place the moment Britain leaves the EU.

The Independent has contacted the Department for Exiting the European Union for comment.

Brexit Concerns Show all 26 1 /26 Brexit Concerns Brexit Concerns Brexit will put British patients at 'back of the queue' for new drugs Brexit will put British patients at the back of the queue for vital new drugs, the Government has been warned  forcing them to wait up to two years longer A medicines regulator has raised the alarm over a likely decision to pull out of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), as well as the EU itself. ealth Secretary Jeremy Hunt dropped the bombshell , when he said he expected the UK would quit the EMA  because it is subject to rulings by the European Court of Justice. Getty Images Brexit Concerns London to lose status as 'gateway to Europe' for banks One of Germanys top banking regulators has warned that London could lose its status as gateway to Europe for the banking sector after Britain quits the European trading bloc. Andreas Dombret, who is an executive board member for the BundesbankGermanys central banktold a private meeting of German businesses and banks earlier this week in Frankfurt that even if banking rules were equivalent between the UK and the rest of the EU, that was still miles away from [Britain having] access to the single market, the BBC reports. Jason Hawkes Brexit Concerns Exodus The number of financial sector professionals in Britain and continental Europe looking for jobs in Ireland rocketed in the months after the UK voted to leave the European Union Shutterstock Brexit Concerns Brexit is making FTSE 100 executives richer Pay packages of many FTSE 100 chief executive officers are partly tied to how well share prices are doing rather than the CEOs performance -- and some stocks are soaring. ritish equities got a boost since the June vote because the likes of Rio Tinto, Smiths Group and WPP generate most sales abroad and earn a fortune when they convert these revenues back into the weakened pound. Sterlings fall also made UK stocks more affordable for overseas investors. Rex Brexit Concerns Theresa May: UK to leave single market Theresa May has said the UK "cannot possibly" remain within the European single market, as staying in it would mean "not leaving the EU at all". Getty Brexit Concerns Lead campaigner Gina Miller and her team outside the High Court Getty Brexit Concerns Raymond McCord holds up his newly issued Irish passport alongside his British passport outside the High Court in Belfast following a judges dismissal of the UK's first legal challenges to Brexit PA wire Brexit Concerns SDLP leader Colum Eastwood leaving the High Court in Belfast following a judges dismissal of the UK's first legal challenges to Brexit PA wire Brexit Concerns Migrants with luggage walk past a graffiti on a wall as they leave the 'Jungle' migrant camp, as part of a major three-day operation planned to clear the camp in Calais Getty Brexit Concerns Migrants leave messages on their tents in the Jungle migrant camp Getty Brexit Concerns The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (Adra) which distributes approximately 700 meals daily in the northern Paris camp states that it is noticing a spike in new migrant arrivals this week, potentially linked the the Calais 'jungle' camp closure - with around 1000 meals distributed today EPA Brexit Concerns Migrant workers pick apples at Stocks Farm in Suckley, Britain Reuters Brexit Concerns Many farmers across the country are voicing concerns that Brexit could be a dangerous step into the unknown for the farming industry Getty Brexit Concerns Bank of England governor Mark Carney who said the long-term outlook for the UK economy is positive, but growth was slowing in the wake of the Brexit vote PA Brexit Concerns The Dow Jones industrial average closed down over 600 points on the news with markets around the globe pluninging Getty Brexit Concerns Immigration officers deal with each member of the public seeking entry into the United Kingdom but on average, 10 a day are refused entry at this London airport and between 2008 and 2009, 33,100 people were detained at the airport for mainly passport irregularities Getty Brexit Concerns A number of global investment giants have threatened to move their European operations out of London if Brexit proves to have a negative impact on their businesses Getty Brexit Concerns Following the possibility of a Brexit the UK would be released from its renewable energy targets under the EU Renewable Energy Directive and from EU state aid restrictions, potentially giving the government more freedom both in the design and phasing out of renewable energy support regimes Getty Brexit Concerns A woman looking at a chart showing the drop in the pound (Sterling) against the US Dollar in London after Britain voted to leave the EU Getty Brexit Concerns Young protesters outside the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, to protest against the United Kingdom's decision to leave the EU following the referendum Getty Brexit Concerns Applications from Northern Ireland citizens for Irish Passports has soared to a record high after the UK Voted in favour of Leaving the EU Getty Brexit Concerns NFU Vice President Minette Batters with Secretary of State, Andrea Leadsome at the National Farmers Union (NFU) took machinery, produce, farmers and staff to Westminster to encourage Members of Parliament to back British farming, post Brexit Getty Brexit Concerns The latest reports released by the UK Cabinet Office warn that expats would lose a range of specific rights to live, to work and to access pensions, healthcare and public services. The same reports added that UK citizens abroad would not be able to assume that these rights will be guaranteed in the future Getty Brexit Concerns A British resident living in Spain asks questions during an informative Brexit talk by the "Brexpats in Spain" group, about Spanish legal issues to become Spanish citizens, at the town hall in Benalmadena, Spain Reuters Brexit Concerns The collapse of Great Britain appears to have been greatly exaggerated given the late summer crowds visiting city museums, hotels, and other important tourist attractions Getty Brexit Concerns The U.K. should maintain European Union regulations covering everything from working hours to chemicals until after the government sets out its plans for Brexit, said British manufacturers anxious to avoid a policy vacuum and safeguard access to their biggest export market Getty

Mr Bakke-Jensen previously said Theresa May's decision to fully leave the EU single market is "wise".

Britain alone would have a difficult task to get as good a deal as Norway has today, he told Politico.
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A series of Conservatives have jumped to the defence of Donald Trump during a debate in Parliament over his proposed state visit.

MPs from across the political spectrum held the debate after two online petitions gathered more than one million signatures.

Labour Party MP Paula Sheriff said he should not be afforded a visit to our Queen because of his notorius grab em by the pussy remarks, while colleague Naz Shah talked of a slippery slope.

His travel ban was widely condemned as in principle, but some appeared to praise the 70-year-old Republican for leadership since the November election.

Tory MP for Gravesham Chris Holloway said: There is something quite refreshing about a politician actually doing what they said they would do before they were elected.

"While this ban is quite ridiculous, it is actually a reaction to the chaos caused in the Middle East by previous generations of politicians which in my view is far worse than Trump has done."

Welsh Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans said: "When we stand up in this country and then condemn him for being racist, and I have seen no evidence of that, I have seen no evidence of him being racist, we are actually attacking the American people.

Veteran fellow Conservative MP Edward Leigh said: The fact is that I dont think there is any proof that this travel ban is racist.

"Indonesia is the largest Muslim country in the world, there is no question of a travel ban on Indonesia.

These countries are riddled by civil war. This travel ban builds on work done by Obama.

Recommended Tory MP says he has seen no evidence of Donald Trump being racist

"So to accuse the new President of the US of racism, misogyny, and all the rest, is overstated."

Chelmsford MP Simon Burns, who campaigned in the US for Hillary Clinton during the election and branded the travel ban "shameful", said he should make a state visit but should not address Westminster Hall.

Labour MP Rushanara Ali accused Conservative MPs of being apologists for Mr Trump.

She said: "It is deeply saddening and shameful that colleagues who are defending the state visit, do not recognise the serious concerns expressed particularly by Muslims, but also by many other communities, about the dangers of the rhetoric of Donald Trump.

It is time that those colleagues spoke out against that kind of hostility, which is deeply divisive.

It is time for them to address the issue, instead of making excuses and being apologists for his hatred.

The debate came as thousands of demonstrators gathered in Parliament Square outside, in an event organised by the Stop Trump Coalition and migrants rights group One Day Without Us.

Organiser and journalist Owen Jones said outside: We are going to defeat them all over again. We will throw them on to the scrapheap of history. History will damn them. It will damn them.

We will sink you [Theresa May] if you ally with that despicable man [Donald Trump].

The Green Partys only MP, Caroline Lucas, also told protesters: We do not consent to a state visit so I am proud to be standing with you here.

Donald Trump wants to put America first, Theresa May wants to put Britain first. Well, we are proud citizens of the world, and we want to put humanity first.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. 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In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. 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The debate lasted for nearly three hours.

It followed more than 1.86m people signing an e-petition saying Mr Trump should not make a state visit to the UK, and more than 313,870 people signing an e-petition saying he should make the visit.

While the majority of MPs yesterday shouted aye in support of blocking the state visit, at the end of the discussion, nothing about the debate is actually legally binding.

The Foreign Office had already said it would extend "the full courtesy of a state visit" to the former The Apprentice personality and property magnate.
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Somalia is at tipping point and a famine could be declared in a matter of weeks, Save the Children has warned.

An intensifying food crisis in the Horn of Africa is on track to become far worse than the 2011 famine that claimed 260,000 lives, with 12 million people in the area likely to be affected and 50,000 children in Somalia alone facing death.

But the region is in danger of being forgotten as donors are pulled in too many different directions, a spokeswoman for the charity told The Independent.

The warning comes after the UN declared an official famine in parts of South Sudan on Monday, and follows a report earlier this month suggesting that four African countries  South Sudan, Nigeria, Yemen and Somalia  could be heading towards severe food insecurity later this year.

But Save the Children has suggested the situation in the Horn of Africa is even worse than earlier reports indicated, and fear crises elsewhere mean the developing catastrophe could be overlooked until it is too late.

What were seeing on the ground suggests were at a tipping point  a significant worsening of malnutrition cases tells us a famine isn't far off, said Hassan Saadi Noor, Save the Childrens country director in Somalia.

Aid organisations have a tiny window in which to intervene "to divert a really disastrous humanitarian crisis, Tom Arup, a member of staff deployed to the country told The Independent.

A spokeswoman for Save the Children said the Horn of Africa region is one of only two places worldwide currently identified as a category one emergency by the organisation  the other being war-torn Syria  due to the sheer number of lives in danger there.

Workers at Save the Children-supported health clinics and hospitals in Puntland  one of the areas hardest hit by drought in Somalia  have reported a significant increase in severe malnutrition cases among children coming through their doors.

An estimated 363,000 children are already suffering from malnutrition in Somalia, 71,000 of them severe cases. The Somalia Nutrition Cluster is predicting this number could rise to 944,000 cases in 2017, 185,000 of them severe, unless urgent aid is provided to the severely drought-stricken country. The United Nations has warned that more than 50,000 children are now facing death.

The country is currently in the midst of its worst drought since 1950, with parts of the Somalia not having seen rain for two years. Four successive crops have failed, making the scale of the looming crisis almost unprecedented.

This drought is exceptional in that it is affecting all parts of the country, Mr Arup said. In 2011 in Somalia you had a drought that led to a famine that ended up killing over a quarter of a million people. It hit a couple of areas of the country really badly, but this time the entire country is in drought conditions. People in all parts of the country are facing some level of food insecurity.

He added that some places are worse affected than others, but theres no respite, there are no parts of Somalia you can move to that arent affected.

If this year's rains do not arrive in a couple of months, he said, it will be truly catastrophic for the majority of the population, who rely on the land to survive.

In the Puntland region, people are feeding their livestock cardboard in a bid to keep them alive (Save the Children)

He added that as the internal capacity of the Somali government is very, very limited, it is up to humanitarian organisations to step in before it is too late.

Theres a very dangerous situation here at the moment. We really are at a tipping point, in many regions in Somalia the situation is deteriorating really quickly. All the indicators that point towards a famine are intensifying very quickly, he said.

Reports from the hardest-hit areas of the country suggest some people are now going days without food and are resorting to feeding livestock with cardboard in a desperate attempt to keep their remaining animals alive.

In the Puntland village of Yaka, Iftin Yusuf Mohamed, a nurse working at the local maternal and child health clinic, told Save the Children the situation was getting worse every day.

She added that a massive influx of people into the region looking for greener pasture had led to high levels of malnutrition and hunger, and the assistance available was not enough to keep up with the need.

There is a real shortage of food, medication and of water supplies, and if we dont get it now then it could be a human tragedy with high mortality rates, she said.

Mohameds child Abdifatax is being treated for severe malnutrition at a specialist clinic (Save the Children)

In the regional capital of Garowe, Save the Children interviewed Mohamed, a man who had taken his child, Abdifatax, to a specialist clinic at the local hospital where he was treated for severe malnutrition. His condition was so severe that he is now being treated through a feeding tube.

My son was sick for 20 days. This illness worried me a lot. After about two weeks of being ill, my son looked severely malnourished, he was vomiting and had diarrhoea, said Mohamed.

But he has received a lot of nourishing treatment these past three days, thank God.

Mohamed and his relatives travel between the countryside and Garowe to tend to livestock, but he said most of the animals have now died.

In normal times, people use livestock to nourish themselves but now the opposite is happening, where cardboard and beans are sent from the city to feed the animals in the countryside.

Surviving Somalia: Photographer Ed Ou visits a food project as famine strikes in the East African nation Show all 11 1 /11 Surviving Somalia: Photographer Ed Ou visits a food project as famine strikes in the East African nation Surviving Somalia: Photographer Ed Ou visits a food project as famine strikes in the East African nation 632483.bin Ed Ou Surviving Somalia: Photographer Ed Ou visits a food project as famine strikes in the East African nation 632484.bin Ed Ou Surviving Somalia: Photographer Ed Ou visits a food project as famine strikes in the East African nation 632485.bin Ed Ou Surviving Somalia: Photographer Ed Ou visits a food project as famine strikes in the East African nation 632486.bin Ed Ou Surviving Somalia: Photographer Ed Ou visits a food project as famine strikes in the East African nation 632487.bin Ed Ou Surviving Somalia: Photographer Ed Ou visits a food project as famine strikes in the East African nation 632488.bin Ed Ou Surviving Somalia: Photographer Ed Ou visits a food project as famine strikes in the East African nation 632489.bin Ed Ou Surviving Somalia: Photographer Ed Ou visits a food project as famine strikes in the East African nation 632490.bin Ed Ou Surviving Somalia: Photographer Ed Ou visits a food project as famine strikes in the East African nation 632491.bin Ed Ou Surviving Somalia: Photographer Ed Ou visits a food project as famine strikes in the East African nation 632492.bin Ed Ou Surviving Somalia: Photographer Ed Ou visits a food project as famine strikes in the East African nation 632493.bin Ed Ou

The UNs Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is calling on the international community to provide 692.5m in emergency funds to help Somalia.

Currently, Mr Arup said, Save the Children is short of funding and is unable to assist everyone in the country.

You ask if were meeting the need, the short answer is no, Mr Arup said. The money is coming in far too slowly for us to meet the need at this point.

Gareth Owen, Save the Childrens Humanitarian Director, said: Aid agencies resources are hugely stretched currently as we respond to food crises around the world.

To avert an even bigger crisis, we need investment from donors to ensure that we have the food stocks and malnutrition support in place to stop a famine in the Horn of Africa.
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The leader of the group Blacks for Trump, which held a prime spot immediately behind the US President during his Florida rally, is a former member of a murderous cult.

Frenetically waving signs with the message Blacks for Trump 2020 Com, pictures of this weekend's Florida rally are similar to a previous event held last October on Donald Trumps campaign trail.

During that rally the same man can be seen behind the US President holding a "Blacks for Trump" placard.

A fringe political figure in Florida, he is known as Michael the Black Man, an anti-gay and anti-liberal preacher, previously known as Maurice Woodside, according to the Miami New Times.

He is former member of the murderous Yahweh ben Yahweh cult, which means The Lord Son of the Lords in Hebrew and was led by the preacher Hulon Mitchell Jr.

In 1990, Michael, along with 15 other Yahweh ben Yahweh followers, was accused of conspiring in two murders. His brother also told the court Michael had stabbed a man in the eye with a sharp stick but the jury found him innocent.

He has since been charged with four other felonies but has never been sentenced and he started his own religious enterprise, the Miami newspaper reported.

In the 1990s, Mr Mitchell, leader of the black separatist sect, who adopted the name of Yahweh and declared himself the Messiah, was accused of three counts of federal racketeering and extortion charges, including 14 killings, two attempted killings, extortion and arson.

Members of the group, who disagreed with its leader, were said to be killed, including on one occasion beheaded, the New York Times reported.

Two years later, Yahweh was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder and was sentenced to 18 years in prison.

The preacher died in Miami in 2007 at the age of 71-years-old.

Michael has also made a name for himself for his vehement criticism of Barack Obama, who he referred to as The Beast, an apocalyptic figure in the Bible.

People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Show all 16 1 /16 People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Demonstrators march during the "Day Without Immigrants" protest in Chicago, Illinois, February 16, 2017. Theopolis Waters/Reuters People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Demonstrators march during the "Day Without Immigrants" protest in Washington, DC, U.S., February 16, 2017. Aaron P. Bernstein/Reuters People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Protesters march in the streets outside the Texas State Capital on 'A Day Without Immigrants' February 16, 2017 in Austin, Texas. The crowd, which grew to well over a thousand participants, marched from the Austin City Hall to the Texas State Capital. Across the country hundreds of restaurants and eateries are closing for the day to protest President Trump's immigration policies and to highlight the contributions of immigrants to U.S. business and life. Drew Anthony Smith/Getty People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Protesters march in the streets outside the Texas State Capital on 'A Day Without Immigrants' February 16, 2017 in Austin, Texas. Drew Anthony Smith/Getty People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants AUSTIN, TX - FEBRUARY 16: Protesters march in the streets outside the Texas State Capital on 'A Day Without Immigrants' February 16, 2017 in Austin, Texas. Drew Anthony Smith/Getty People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Demonstrators march during the "Day Without Immigrants" protest in Chicago, Illinois, February 16, 2017. Theopolis Waters/Reuters People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Demonstrators march during the "Day Without Immigrants" protest in Chicago, Illinois, February 16, 2017. Aaron P. Bernstein/Reuters People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Protesters march in the streets outside the Texas State Capital on 'A Day Without Immigrants' February 16, 2017 in Austin, Texas. The crowd, which grew to well over a thousand participants, marched from the Austin City Hall to the Texas State Capital. Across the country hundreds of restaurants and eateries are closing for the day to protest President Trump's immigration policies and to highlight the contributions of immigrants to U.S. business and life. Drew Anthony Smith/Getty People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Protesters march in the streets outside the Texas State Capital on 'A Day Without Immigrants' February 16, 2017 in Austin, Texas. Drew Anthony Smith/Getty People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Protesters march in the streets outside the Texas State Capital on 'A Day Without Immigrants' February 16, 2017 in Austin, Texas. Drew Anthony Smith/Getty People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Protesters march in the streets outside the Texas State Capital on 'A Day Without Immigrants' February 16, 2017 in Austin, Texas. Drew Anthony Smith/Getty People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Protesters march in the streets outside the Texas State Capital on 'A Day Without Immigrants' February 16, 2017 in Austin, Texas. Drew Anthony Smith/Getty People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Protesters march in the streets outside the Texas State Capital on 'A Day Without Immigrants' February 16, 2017 in Austin, Texas. Drew Anthony Smith/Getty People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Protesters march in the streets outside the Texas State Capital on 'A Day Without Immigrants' February 16, 2017 in Austin, Texas. The crowd, which grew to well over a thousand participants marched from the Austin City Hall to the Texas State Capital. Across the country hundreds of restaurants and eateries are closing for the day to protest President Trump's immigration policies and to highlight the contributions of immigrants to U.S. business and life. Drew Anthony Smith/Getty People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants High school student Kathia Suarez holds up a sign as she protests with others outside the Grayson County courthouse in downtown Sherman, Texas, Thursday, Feb. 16, 2017. LM Otero/AP People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants High school senior Vicky Sosa holds a sign outside the Grayson County courthouse in downtown Sherman, Texas, Thursday, Feb. 16, 2017. In an action called "A Day Without Immigrants," immigrants across the country are expected to stay home from school, work and close businesses to show how critical they are to the U.S. economy and way of life. LM Otero/AP

Michael was 21-years-old when he first met the Yahweh preacher.

"He got me by just walking up and saying, 'All white people are the Devil. I was a real militant race warrior right then, so I said, 'Whoa! Yeah, that's right!, he previously told the Miami New Times.

Blacks for Trump run a couple of websites, including GODS2.COM on which it promotes Mr Trump's reelection in 2020.

It is unclear to what extent Mr Trump knows about the nature of the group and its leader.
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Donald Trump has spoken against anti-Semitism days after another wave of bomb threats targeted Jewish centres around the country.

Anti-semitism is horrible, and its going to stop, he told MSNBC.

He continued that anti-Semitism was age-old, and theres something going on that doesnt fully allow it to heal. Sometimes it gets better and then it busts apart.

But we want to have it get very much better, get unified and stay together.

The President was speaking at the National Museum of African American History, which he said was doing tremendous numbers of visitors and getting that divide and bringing it much closer together.

His first remarks on the subject follow another wave of bomb threats on Jewish community centres around the US, following similar threats in January.

The attacks prompted his daughter Ivanka, who converted to Judaism for her husband, Jared Kushner, tweeted a plea to American people for tolerance.

The President gave a speech after visiting the museum, mentioning the bomb threats and vowed to fight bigotry, intolerance and hatred in all its forms.

[The bomb threats] are a painful and very sad reminder of the work that must be done to root out hate, prejudice and evil, he said.

Last week at his first solo press conference since his Inauguration, he told a Jewish reporter, who had asked him about anti-Semitic attacks, to sit down.

On International Holocaust Remembrance Day, he released a statement which did not mention the Jewish people.

Vice President Mike Pence sent a remembrance tweet a few hours later which rectified this mistake.

On the same day, he signed en executive order to temporarily ban travellers from seven Muslim-majority countries. The order was blocked by a federal court eight days later.

The JCC Association of North America reported that there have been 69 incidents at more than 50 Jewish community centres around the US in 2017.

On 9, 18 and 31 January, Jewish centres reported waves of phoned-in threats, prompting large-scale evacuations. None of the threats resulted in a bomb or injuries.
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President Donald Trumps sweeping immigration enforcement directives will allow for far more deportations than those in place during the Obama administration, according to new documents released by the US Department of Homeland Security.

Memos released by DHS secretary John Kelly prioritise the removal of undocumented immigrants who have been convicted of any criminal offence, including those who have abused any programme related to receipt of public benefits.

Last month, the President signed two executive orders relating to the southern border with Mexico. The first directed the construction of a wall in the region, despite the existence of some 700 miles of barrier already in place. The second boosted the number of border patrol agents and immigration enforcement officers who carry out raids and deportations. Mr Kellys memo essentially makes the latter into agency policy, and provides a framework to its implementation.

New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban Show all 27 1 /27 New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban Ethnic Yemenis and supporters protest against President Donald Trump's executive order temporarily banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen on February 2, 2017 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. At least 1,000 Yemeni-owned bodegas and grocery-stores across the city shut down from noon to 8 p.m. today to protest the order. Spencer Platt/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban People rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York. Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban Men pray during a protest by ethnic Yemenis and supporters over President Donald Trump's executive order temporarily banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen on February 2, 2017 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. At least 1,000 Yemeni-owned bodegas and grocery-stores across the city shut down from noon to 8 p.m. today to protest the order. Spencer Platt/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban Ethnic Yemenis and supporters protest against President Donald Trump's executive order temporarily banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen on February 2, 2017 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. At least 1,000 Yemeni-owned bodegas and grocery-stores across the city shut down from noon to 8 p.m. today to protest the order. Spencer Platt/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban Men pray during a protest by ethnic Yemenis and supporters over President Donald Trump's executive order temporarily banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen on February 2, 2017 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. At least 1,000 Yemeni-owned bodegas and grocery-stores across the city shut down from noon to 8 p.m. today to protest the order. Spencer Platt/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban People rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York. Spencer Platt/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban People rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York. Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban People rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York. Spencer Platt/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban People rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York. Spencer Platt/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban People gather for evening prayer at a rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York. Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban People rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York. Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban People rally with flags at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York. Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban People rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York. Spencer Platt/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban People rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York. Spencer Platt/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban People rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York. Spencer Platt/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban People rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York. Spencer Platt/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban People rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York. Spencer Platt/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban People rally with flags at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York. Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban People rally with flags at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York. Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban People rally with flags at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York. Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban People rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York. Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban People rally with flags at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest US President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York. Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban People rally at Brooklyn Borough Hall as Yemeni bodega and grocery-stores shut down to protest President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, on February 2, 2017 in New York. Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban A Yemeni business owner places a sign on the gate of his store February 2, 2017 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Across the city, Yemeni owned bodega and grocery-stores will shut down from noon to 8 p.m. to protest President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen. It is expected that over 1000 stores will be closed in protest with workers and owners participating in an afternoon rally in Brooklyn. Spencer Platt/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban A Yemeni business owner places a sign on the gate of his store February 2, 2017 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Across the city, Yemeni owned bodega and grocery-stores will shut down from noon to 8 p.m. to protest President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen. It is expected that over 1000 stores will be closed in protest with workers and owners participating in an afternoon rally in Brooklyn. Spencer Platt/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 02: Yemeni business owner Musa closes the gate to his store February 2, 2017 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Across the city, Yemeni owned bodega and grocery-stores will shut down from noon to 8 p.m. to protest President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen. It is expected that over 1000 stores will be closed in protest with workers and owners participating in an afternoon rally in Brooklyn. Spencer Platt/Getty New York City bodegas strike to protest Trump's travel ban A Yemeni business owner closes the gate to his store February 2, 2017 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Across the city, Yemeni owned bodega and grocery-stores will shut down from noon to 8 p.m. to protest President Donald Trump's Executive Order banning immigrants and refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen. It is expected that over 1000 stores will be closed in protest with workers and owners participating in an afternoon rally in Brooklyn. Spencer Platt/Getty

Criminal aliens have demonstrated their disregard for the rule of law and pose a threat to persons residing in the United States. As such, criminal aliens are a priority for removal, Mr Kelly says in the memo, adding that he directed US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to hire 10,000 more agents expeditiously.

The language of the memo opens the door for more wide scale deportation operations. The Obama administration carried out the largest number of deportations, tallying nearly three million. However, it prioritised undocumented immigrants who were convicted of serious crimes. The new DHS guidelines would allow ICE officers to remove a larger category of people, including those who have committed petty crimes.

In addition to the hiring of new agents, the DHS is looking to expand the number of detention facilities and establish a new Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement Office. It would also revive a programme, known as 287(g), that would give local police the authority to act as immigration enforcement officers.

The directive will also expand expedited removals of undocumented immigrants. Previously, US border patrol and ICE agents only had the authority to immediately remove people within 100 miles of the border who had been in the country for 14 days. The new policy allows for the quick removal of people who have been in the US for up to two years and anywhere in the country.

Immigrants rights advocates quickly condemned the memo as un-American and insisted that the Trump administration will yet again have to face the US court system.

These memos confirm that the Trump administration is willing to trample on due process, human decency, the wellbeing of our communities, and even protections for vulnerable children, in pursuit of a hyper-aggressive mass deportation policy, said Omar Jadwat, a director at the American Civil Liberties Union. However, President Trump does not have the last word here  the courts and the public will not allow this un-American dream to become reality.

Mr Trump relied on the narrative that undocumented immigrants are carrying out violent attacks on American families during his presidential campaign, asserting the incorrect statistic that thousands of people had been killed.

Thousands of Americans have been killed by illegal immigrants, he said at an October rally in Springfield, Ohio. The remark mirrored countless others where Mr Trump proclaimed that  often white  Americans fell victim to illegal immigrants whom he said had been deported multiple times.

But these assertions of violent crime waves stemming from undocumented immigrants left out significant context and data.

In fact, according to the Pew Research Centre, immigrants are less likely to commit crimes in the US.

Secretary Kellys guidelines come after the leak of a draft memo that suggested the Trump administration was considering mobilising 100,000 National Guard troops to serve as immigration enforcement officers. The DHS denied the information included in the document, saying that the agency was not considering federalising the National Guard to carryout immigration enforcement duties.

Nonetheless, Texas Congressman Joaquin Castro said that, regardless of the leaked memo, a meeting with ICE officials clearly indicated that they were readying the agency to enact Mr Trumps mass deportations.

They seemed determined to go after as many people as possible because of the language of the executive order, he said. And the ICE director was very clear that they were going to follow that message.
Starting this spring, the stated duration of the anti-Japanese war has been extended to 14 years in all Chinese textbooks, a revision that aims to fully reflect the crimes committed by Japanese troops during the conflict.

The war, which has been known for generations in China as the eight-year Chinese Peoples War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, is now renamed the 14-year Chinese Peoples War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression." The starting time of the war has been changed from 1937 to 1931, when Japanese troops began their invasion of northeastern China.

Several textbook publishers, including Peoples Education Press and Beijing Normal University Publishing Group, confirmed that all elementary and secondary school textbooks using the old phrase have been revised, affecting subjects including history and political science, Beijing Youth Daily reported.

The revision of higher education textbooks is not yet completed. New textbooks are expected to be introduced to universities this fall, according to the report.

The decision, which was made by the Ministry of Education in January, is believed to be a firm response to President Xi Jinpings speech at the 70th anniversary of victory in the Chinese Peoples War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the end of WWII in 2015, when Xi urged researchers to study events starting from 1931 as well as those after 1937.

We should refute with solid facts those arguments that try to distort, deny or whitewash the history of invasion, Xi said.

Xu Yong, a history professor at Peking University, told Beijing Youth Daily that the new description of the war offers a more accurate account of the conflict, though the former phrase has been widely used for years across the Straits.

According to the Xinhua News Agency, China was the first nation to fight against fascist forces. The struggle started as early as Sept. 18, 1931, when Japanese troops began their invasion of China. It intensified with Japans full-scale invasion, which began after a crucial access point to Beijing, Lugou Bridge, was attacked by Japanese troops on July 7, 1937.

More than 35 million Chinese soldiers and civilians were killed or wounded during the anti-Japanese war.
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There were 50 per cent more murders last year in the part of Florida where Donald Trump spoke at a rally over the weekend, than in all of Sweden, according to former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt.

The politician weighed in on the debate, after Mr Trump told crowds in Melbourne, near Orlando, that Sweden's policy of accepting large numbers of migrants was not working and suggested it had led to a spike in violent crime in the country.

Around 100 people are murdered in Sweden each year, and the level has remained relatively stable over the last three decades despite a population increase. Meanwhile, Orange County, Florida, had 167 murders in 2016.

 Trump admits 'Sweden attack' comment based on debunked Fox report

Mr Bildt tweeted: "Last year there were app 50 per cent more murders only in Orlando/Orange in Florida, where Trump spoke the other day, than in all of Sweden. Bad."

Mr Trump sparked confusion and outrage with comments that alluded to sinister things that had allegedly happened last night in Sweden. The US President later admitted he was talking about a widely debunked Fox News report he had seen on television the night before.

But he refused to retract his point, tweeting on Monday: Give the public a break  The FAKE NEWS media is trying to say that large scale immigration in Sweden is working out just beautifully. NOT!

Mr Trump said his speech had been informed by a segment on a Fox News broadcast on Friday night by Tucker Carlson. Mr Carlson interviewed Ami Horowitz, producer of a film that claimed to document alleged violence committed by refugees in Sweden.

News of Mr Horowitzs documentary made headlines last year when he told conservative outlets such as Breitbart News that there were Muslim no-go zones in Europe.

Over the last two years, theyve taken in over 350,000 Syrian refugees, he said. The reason why I went there was to investigate why Sweden has become the rape capital of Europe. Rape was not unknown, but relatively minor. There were few incidents of rape, lets say about 10 years ago. And rape has absolutely skyrocketed in Europe.

The New York Times reported that Swedish officials said their statistics did not justify the kind of assertions made by Mr Horowitz, and that the country had a high number of sexual assault reports, relative to other European countries, because more victims come forward, not because there was more violence.

In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting Show all 30 1 /30 In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting Friends and family grieve after a list of hospitalised victims was released, implying the death of those who weren't on the list and hadn't been heard from, outside a Hampton Inn & Suites hotel near the Orlando Regional Medical Center AP In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting People mourning for victims of the mass shooting near the Pulse gay nightclub in Orlando AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting Mina Justice speaks to a reporter discussing texting with her son Eddie who was in a bathroom at Club Pulse in Orlando. It has now been confirmed that Eddie Justice was among the 50 people killed in the massacre AP In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting FBI agents investigate near the damaged rear wall of the Pulse Nightclub Getty Images In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting Terry DeCarlo, executive director of the LGBT Center of Central Florida (C) is comforted by Orlando City Commissioner Patty Sheehan (R) after a shooting involving multiple fatalities at a nightclub in Orlando AP In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting FBI agents investigate the damaged rear wall of the Pulse Nightclub Getty Images In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting Police officials investigate the back of the Pulse nightclub after a shooting involving multiple fatalities at the nightclub in Orlando AP In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting A member of the Medical Examiners office wheels a body to a vehicle from the mass shooting at Pulse Nightclub Getty Images In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting A photograph posted by the Orlando Police Department on Twitter with the words, "Pulse shooting: In hail of gunfire in which suspect was killed, OPD officer was hit. Kevlar helmet saved his life", in reference to the operation against a gun man inside Pulse night club in Orlando REUTERS In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting FBI, Orlando Police Department and the Orange County Sheriff's Office personnel investigate the attack at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando AP In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting Annette Stubbs, a pastor at a local church, prays for victims a few blocks from a crime scene at the nightclub where a mass shooting took place AP In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting Aimee McCarthy from Jacksonville, gives blood at the oneblood facility, to help the victims from a mass shooting at a nightclub in Orlando AP In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting Police forensics investigators work at the crime scene of a mass shooting at the Pulse gay night club in Orlando REUTERS In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting An injured person is escorted out of the Pulse nightclub after a shooting rampage AP In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting An injured man is escorted out of the Pulse nightclub after a shooting rampage AP In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting An injured man is escorted out of the Pulse nightclub after a shooting rampage AP In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting Law enforcement officials work at the Pulse nightclub following a fatal shooting AP In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting Orlando Police officers direct family members away from the nightclub AP In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting The scene outside the Orlando gay club where multiple people have been shot AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting The injured are treated in the street outside Pulse in Orlando following the shooting EPA/Univision In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting Two witnesses, Jermain Towns (left) and Brandon Shuford, wait down the street for news following shooting and hostage stand-off at the Pulse nightclub. Mr Towns said his brother was in the club at the time AP In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting Emergency services at the scene. Ambulance crews and firefighters were outside the club alongside police. EPA In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting People treating the wounded on the street EPA In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting Friends and family members embrace outside the Orlando Police Headquarters during the investigation of a shooting at the Pulse night club Reuters In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting Law enforcement agencies and local city representatives give a news conference in the wake of a mass-casualty shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando Rex In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting Orlando police officers seen outside of Pulse nightclub after a fatal shooting and hostage situation in Orlando, Florida Getty In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting Friends and family console one another outside the Orlando Police Headquarters In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting U.S. President Barack Obama speaks about the worst mass shooting in U.S. history that took place in Orlando REUTERS In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting Imam Syed Shafeeq Rahman, the Imam of the mosqe that mass shooter Omar Mateen attended, speaks to the media in Fort Pierce. The imam said that the suspect never gave any indication he was capable of such violence.Omar Mateen attended evening prayers three or four times a week at the Islamic Center of Fort Pierce, bringing his son who is about four or five years old AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Orlando nightclub shooting Omar Mateen has killed 50 people at a gay nightclub after pledging allegiance to Isis in the deadliest mass shooting in US history Myspace

Henrik Selin, political scientist and deputy director of the Swedish Institute, a state agency dedicated to promoting Sweden globally, told the newspaper he had completed a study focusing on negative news reports about Swedens intake of refugees.

He said there were many exaggerations and distortions, including reports falsely claiming that Sharia law was predominant in parts of the country.

Some people on social media pointed out that 2016 was an exceptionally bad year for the Orange County death rate, with the mass murder of 49 people in Pulse nightclub boosting numbers above normal.

In 2015  a more typical year for the county  Sweden had slightly more murders than Orange County, at 112 to Orange County's 102. However, Sweden has a population of nearly 9.6 million, to Orange's 1.2 million, meaning the murder rate is still far lower.
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Ivanka Trump has called for religious tolerance after a new wave of bomb threats against the Jewish community.

There were 11 bomb scares in Jewish community centres around the US on Monday, spanning from Buffalo to Chicago, Houston, Nashville, Birmingham, and more.

These are the latest in a series of threats against the Jewish community. A recent study by CNN found 48 Jewish centres in 27 US states and one Canadian province received nearly 60 bomb threats during January of this year alone.

The first daughter, who is President Donald Trumps oldest child and a convert to Judaism, has addressed the issue. She said the US is founded on the principle of tolerance towards different religions and called for the protection of religious centres.

America is a nation built on the principle of religious tolerance. We must protect our houses of worship & religious centres. #JCC, Ms Trump, who is a former executive of The Trump Organisation, wrote on Twitter on Monday.

Ms Trump converted to Orthodox Judaism before marrying Jared Kushner, a property developer who is Mr Trumps senior advisor and his son-in-law. The couple are in the difficult position of existing in a community which is wary of elements of the Trump presidency. They have already been put in the awkward situation of having the synagogue where their three-year-old attends preschool publicly condemn Mr Trumps hard-line immigration ban.

The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters

David Posner, director of strategic performance at Jewish Community Centre (JCC) Association of North America, condemned the attacks. He said all of the threats on Monday were determined to be hoaxes and the centres had resumed normal operations but with a heightened level of security.

We will not be cowed by threats intended to disrupt peoples lives or the vital role Jewish community centers play as gathering places, schools, camps, and fitness and recreation centers, he said in a statement.

While we are relieved that all such threats have proven to be hoaxes and that not a single person was harmed, we are concerned about the anti-Semitism behind these threats, and the repetition of threats intended to interfere with day-to-day life.

Posner said the association was in regular communication with the FBI which is looking into the threats. He also he had seen a massive increase in threats, with just one community centre reporting a threat in 2016.

On Monday, in University City near St Louis in Missouri, more than 100 headstones were toppled at a Jewish cemetery, but police have yet to say whether the incident was motivated by anti-Semitism.

Mr Trump was asked about the rising wave of anti-Semitism by a Jewish reporter at a White House news conference last week. Incensed by the question, he accused the journalist of lying, ordered him to sit down and suggested it was a very insulting question. The President also insisted he was the least anti-Semitic person that you've ever seen in your entire life and suggested anti-Semitism came from his political opponents in order to incite anger.

Some of the signs you'll see are not put up by the people that love or live Donald Trump, he told reporters. They're put up by the other side, and you think it's like playing it straight? No. But you have some of those signs, and some of that anger is caused by the other side. They'll do signs and they'll do drawings that are inappropriate. It won't be my people.

Lindsay Walters, the White House deputy press secretary released a statement about anti-Semitism on Monday, saying: Hatred and hate-motivated violence of any kind have no place in a country founded on the promise of individual freedom. The President has made it abundantly clear that these actions are unacceptable.

The Anti-Defamation League has called on the Trump administration to act in the wake of the latest bomb threats this week.

"The Anti-Defamation League is deeply disturbed by additional bomb threats directed against JCCs in multiple states across the United States today - the fourth series of such threats since the start of the year," the group said in a statement.

"We are still waiting to hear what administration will do to address ongoing threats to Jewish communities #answerthequestion," the organisation wrote on Twitter on Monday.

Mr Trump has been condemned for being slow to condemn rising anti-Semitism and the Jewish community has voiced their concerns about the Trump presidency and the issue of anti-Semitism among some of his supporters. Just 24 per cent of Jews voted for Mr Trump.

His candidacy was welcomed by white nationalists and white supremacists in the build-up to his win last year.
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Authorities are investigating the apparent vandalism of more than 100 headstones at a historically Jewish cemetery in a Missouri suburb, amid a wave of reported anti-Semitic threats sweeps the US.

University City Police are looking through Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery surveillance footage for suspects, but have yet to comment on whether they are investigating the incident as a hate crime.

The report of the vandalism at the 123-year-old cemetery came at the same time some 11 Jewish Community Centres received bomb threats across the US. All bomb threats were determined to be hoaxes.

It also coincides with criticism of US President Donald Trump for his failure to condemn the rise of reported anti-Semitism crimes and harassment in the months following his election win.

Of the University City cemetery, just outside of St Louis, a regional director of the Anti-Defamation League said she reacted emotionally when she saw the damaged headstones.

To see their lives desecrated this way is horrific, Karen Aroesty told the St Louis Post-Dispatch. She did not speculate about whether the damage was caused by a hate-fuelled attack, but she did have suspicions as to the motivations behind the destruction of the headstones.

Activists Protest Racism And Hate In Brooklyn Show all 15 1 /15 Activists Protest Racism And Hate In Brooklyn Activists Protest Racism And Hate In Brooklyn NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 20: People participate in an anti-hate rally at a Brooklyn park named in memory of Beastie Boys band member Adam Yauch after it was defaced with swastikas on November 20, 2016 in New York City. On Friday, the park and playground was spray painted with swastikas and the message "Go Trump". Hundreds of people, many with their children, listened to community leaders and Beastie Boys member Adam Horovitz condemn racism and intolerance. Following the election of Donald Trump as president, there has been a surge of incidents of racist activities reported. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Getty Images Activists Protest Racism And Hate In Brooklyn NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 20: People participate in an anti-hate rally at a Brooklyn park named in memory of Beastie Boys band member Adam Yauch after it was defaced with swastikas on November 20, 2016 in New York City. On Friday, the park and playground was spray painted with swastikas and the message "Go Trump". Hundreds of people, many with their children, listened to community leaders and Beastie Boys member Adam Horovitz condemn racism and intolerance. Following the election of Donald Trump as president, there has been a surge of incidents of racist activities reported. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Getty Images Activists Protest Racism And Hate In Brooklyn NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 20: People participate in an anti-hate rally at a Brooklyn park named in memory of Beastie Boys band member Adam Yauch after it was defaced with swastikas on November 20, 2016 in New York City. On Friday, the park and playground was spray painted with swastikas and the message "Go Trump". Hundreds of people, many with their children, listened to community leaders and Beastie Boys member Adam Horovitz condemn racism and intolerance. Following the election of Donald Trump as president, there has been a surge of incidents of racist activities reported. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Getty Images Activists Protest Racism And Hate In Brooklyn NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 20: People participate in an anti-hate rally at a Brooklyn park named in memory of Beastie Boys band member Adam Yauch after it was defaced with swastikas on November 20, 2016 in New York City. On Friday, the park and playground was spray painted with swastikas and the message "Go Trump". Hundreds of people, many with their children, listened to community leaders and Beastie Boys member Adam Horovitz condemn racism and intolerance. Following the election of Donald Trump as president, there has been a surge of incidents of racist activities reported. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Getty Images Activists Protest Racism And Hate In Brooklyn NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 20: Children play on playground equipment that was defaced with swastikas during an anti-hate rally at a Brooklyn park named in memory of Beastie Boys band member Adam Yauch on November 20, 2016 in New York City. On Friday, the park and playground was spray painted with swastikas and the message AGo Trump.A Hundreds of people, many with their children, listened to community leaders and Beastie Boys member Adam Horovitz condemn racism and intolerance. Following the election of Donald Trump as president, there has been a surge of incidents of racist activities reported. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Getty Images Activists Protest Racism And Hate In Brooklyn NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 20: Beastie Boys member Adam Horovitz speaks at a anti-hate rally at a Brooklyn park named in memory of Beastie Boys band member Adam Yauch after it was defaced with swastikas on November 20, 2016 in New York City. On Friday, the park and playground was spray painted with swastikas and the message AGo Trump.A Hundreds of people, many with their children, listened to community leaders and condemn racism and intolerance. Following the election of Donald Trump as president, there has been a surge of incidents of racist activities reported. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Getty Images Activists Protest Racism And Hate In Brooklyn NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 20: A piece of playground equipment that was defaced with swastikas stands during an anti-hate rally at a Brooklyn park named in memory of Beastie Boys band member Adam Yauch on November 20, 2016 in New York City. On Friday, the park and playground was spray painted with swastikas and the message AGo Trump.A Hundreds of people, many with their children, listened to community leaders and Beastie Boys member Adam Horovitz condemn racism and intolerance. Following the election of Donald Trump as president, there has been a surge of incidents of racist activities reported. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Getty Images Activists Protest Racism And Hate In Brooklyn A woamn takes a photo of messages and flowers left at a playground before a protest against racism and hate after swastikas were found in Adam Yauch Park in Brooklyn, New York on November 20, 2016. / AFP / ANGELA WEISS (Photo credit should read ANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Activists Protest Racism And Hate In Brooklyn Activists protest racism and hate after swastikas were found in Adam Yauch Park in Brooklyn, New York on November 20, 2016. / AFP / ANGELA WEISS (Photo credit should read ANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Activists Protest Racism And Hate In Brooklyn Activists protest racism and hate after swastikas were found in Adam Yauch Park in Brooklyn, New York on November 20, 2016. / AFP / ANGELA WEISS (Photo credit should read ANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Activists Protest Racism And Hate In Brooklyn Activists protest racism and hate after swastikas were found in Adam Yauch Park in Brooklyn, New York on November 20, 2016. / AFP / ANGELA WEISS (Photo credit should read ANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Activists Protest Racism And Hate In Brooklyn New York State Senator Daniel Squadron speaks as activists protest racism and hate after swastikas found in Adam Yauch Park in Brooklyn, New York on November 20, 2016. The two remaining members of the Beastie Boys called for an anti-hate rally at the park in memory of band member Adam Yauch after it was defaced with swastikas. / AFP / ANGELA WEISS (Photo credit should read ANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Activists Protest Racism And Hate In Brooklyn Flowers left by activists at the entrance to Adam Yauch Park in Brooklyn, New York on November 20, 2016 after swastikas were found in the park. The two remaining members of the Beastie Boys called for an anti-hate rally at the park in memory of band member Adam Yauch after it was defaced with swastikas. / AFP / ANGELA WEISS (Photo credit should read ANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Activists Protest Racism And Hate In Brooklyn Messages and flowers left by activists at a playground protesting racism and hate after swastikas were found in Adam Yauch Park in Brooklyn, New York on November 20, 2016. The two remaining members of the Beastie Boys called for an anti-hate rally at the park in memory of band member Adam Yauch after it was defaced with swastikas. / AFP / ANGELA WEISS (Photo credit should read ANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Activists Protest Racism And Hate In Brooklyn Activists protest Racism and Hate after swastikas found in Adam Yauch Park in Brooklyn, New York on November 20, 2016. The two remaining members of the Beastie Boys called for an anti-hate rally at the park in memory of band member Adam Yauch after it was defaced with swastikas. / AFP / ANGELA WEISS (Photo credit should read ANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images

The ADL tweeted Monday: Have not seen desecration like this in region. Will work with law enforcement and community to support. Thanks for the solidarity and support.

The St Louis Rabbinical Association denounced the destruction as horrifying and disgraceful acts of vandalism in a statement released on Facebook. Planning is underway for a community clean-up effort, they said.

Although the motivations behind the vandalisation of the cemetery are still unclear, it does little to allay the anxieties of Jewish communities in the US.

The JCC spoke to those tensions after the 11 bomb threats were determined not credible.

While we are relieved that all such threats have proven to be hoaxes and that not a single person was harmed, we are concerned about anti-Semitism behind these threats, and the repetition of threats intended to interfere with day-to-day life, said David Posner, JCC director of strategic performance.

First Daughter Ivanka Trump issued a statement on Twitter in response to the JCC threats.

America is a nation built on the principle of religious tolerance, she wrote. We must protect our houses of worship and religious centres.

But President Trump has remained silent on the topic, despite the backlash he received when asked about the rise of anti-Semitism during a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Instead of responding to the reporters question, which he was not allowed to finish, Mr Trump instead took the opportunity to brag about his election win.

We are very honoured by the victory that we had. Three-hundred and six Electoral College votes. We were not supposed to crack 220, he said of his election win almost four months ago. And theres tremendous enthusiasm out there.

As far as people, Jewish people, so many friends, a daughter who happens to be here right now, a son-in-law, and three beautiful grandchildren, he added.  I think that youre going to see a lot different United States of America over the next three, four, or eight years. 

Youre going to see a lot of love.
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Leaked memos suggest President Donald Trump is considering an order that will root out and deport all illegal immigrants, regardless of whether or not they have committed a crime.

Reuters reported it has seen two memos intended for border control agencies which would widen the scope of those at risk of deportation to include all undocumented immigrants.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents will be told to target all those who have been charged with a crime but have not been convicted, in a departure from existing protocol.

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The first memo, which says all illegal aliens are subject to deportation, is specifically concerned with internal immigration control and orders ICE agents to disregard Barack Obamas previous order to concentrate on known criminals and recent undocumented arrivals.

It says the focus should shift to prioritise immigrants who have been charged with a crime, regardless of whether or not they have been convicted.

The memo recommends ICE agents should be granted greater powers to determine who should be deported and states that illegal immigrants are not eligible for rights under US privacy laws.

The second memo is directed at Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and instructs officers to crack down on illegal immigration at the borders by detaining migrants until their case is heard.

The memos are said to have already been approved by Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly and will be reviewed by the White House before the President signs any new executive orders.

Mr Trump has repeatedly indicated his determination to press on with his promised crackdown against illegal immigrants following his controversial travel ban, currently stayed by the courts.

The memos are expected to be released to ICE and CBP next week.

 Donald Trump announces a ban on refugees and all visitors from Muslim-majority countries

If they result in executive orders from the President, they are likely to result in a similar public outcry to the one which followed his travel ban, which temporarily barred citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the US.

The memos are said to specifically protect the 750,000 people brought into the US illegally by their parents  an Obama era policy referred to as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals of DACA.

DACA gives those brought into the country illegally as minors eligibility to apply for a work permit if and when they are of age, and grants them a renewable two-year period of deferred action from deportation.

It is believed hundreds of thousands of college graduates in the US are undocumented as around 65,000 young people are now thought to finish high school each year.

Mr Trump said at a news conference that DACA is a very difficult subject for him, but said that those brought into the country illegally as children  known as dreamers would be treated with heart.

The Department of Homeland Security has not denied the existence of the memos but has not provided further details.

Earlier this month, ICE stepped up its operations against illegal immigrants in a series of raids across several US states, including the traditional safe havens around New York City and Los Angeles where immigration control has historically turned a blind eye to law-abiding undocumented migrants.
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Perhaps you first saw the phrase on Twitter.

Perhaps it was in a Washington Post or an Atlantic headline.

Since the election of President Donald Trump, the phrase "the resistance" has often been employed to reference the various groups that oppose - and hope to in some way disrupt - Trump's presidency. Mostly, it's been used as a social media hashtag, though there is a blog titled "The DJT Resistance" with an accompanying (and more frequently updated) Facebook page.

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Now, documentarian and political commenter Michael Moore has launched a website titled "The Resistance Calendar," which allows anyone to post, as Moore phrased it, about "anti-Trump, pro-democracy" events in the United States.

Moore tweeted: "A few minutes ago, I launched RESISTANCE CALENDAR! A one-stop site for all anti-Trump actions EVERY DAY nationwide: https://t.co/c0W7beDdzF

In a lengthy Facebook post, Moore called the website a "place where you can quickly go and check it daily, ensuring that you don't miss any event in your area to stop the Trump madness."

It boasts a simple design - the main page is simply a list of events. Another page includes a form allowing users to post their own events, and a third includes a contact from. As of now, there are no other pages, though Moore promised upcoming features, such as a "killer map of the U.S. and a big desk-style calendar where you can just click on any day and see what's happening with the movement across America."

With the creation of the website, Moore seems bent on formalising the phrase that's been bubbling up since Trump announced his candidacy: The Resistance. As Moore wrote, it's become a political movement. But it's far from the first movement to use to the phrase as a moniker.

It was popularised as a political term during World War II, via France's La Resistance .

Nazis poured into Paris in June 1940, fulfilling the worst fears of many French residents - a German occupation. In an effort to invigorate the dispirited countrymen, general and leader of "Free France" Charles de Gaulle gave speeches on the BBC, encouraging the French to continue fighting in whatever way they could.

In one, he said, "I ask you to believe me when I say the cause of France is not lost . . . Whatever happens, the flame of French resistance must not and shall not die."

With these words, as noted in the New York Times, de Gaulle began establishing La Resistance, a collection of disparate groups united only by their desire to fight for an unoccupied France. They published underground newspapers, kept safe houses and engaged in guerrilla warfare practices against their occupiers. These acts often had dire consequences.

As Charles Kaiser wrote for CNN: "The French Resistance undertook nearly 1,000 acts of sabotage in the hours after the Normandy invasion began, and the damage they inflicted on railroads and other communications played a crucial role in preventing German reinforcements from arriving quickly in Northern France. And every time a German troop train was sabotaged, a nearby French village was likely to suffer horrendous retaliation - like the town of Tulle, where a hundred men where seized at random and massacred three days after the Normandy invasion, or the village of Oradour-sur-Glane, where 642 citizens, including 205 children, were killed the day after that. The men were shot; the women and children were burned to death in a church."

In May 1943, the groups were united under the National Council of Resistance.

According to Simon Adams' "Occupation and Resistance," "by 1944, the resistance had grown in strength to about 400,000 members."

Other resistance movements throughout Europe began to appear, and the usage of "resistance" to refer to such a group stuck - even today. In a 2014 joint publication, the U.S. Department of Defense defined a "resistance movement" as "An organised effort by some portion of the civil population of a country to resist the legally established government or an occupying power and to disrupt civil order and stability." The Oxford English Dictionary, meanwhile, defines "the resistance" as "The underground movement formed in France during the Second World War to fight the German occupying forces and the Vichy government."

The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters

While the phrase is often used in reference to President Trump without explicit allusion to La Resistance, some have drawn the comparison. Some publications, such as Wired, employ the phrase when discussing anti-Trump movements. Others, though, are more straightforward.

Days after Trump's election, Jennifer Boyer-Switala explained the La Resistance and wrote in the Huffington Post: "In light of our recent election, I look to General de Gaulle's Speech of 18 June 1940 when I ask you to join me in lighting the flame of resistance. Let me be clear; I am not calling for, nor do I condone, violent or armed resistance, as it only serves to harm fellow human beings and validate claims that we are hypocrites. Nor am I calling for a coup d'etat. On the contrary: I am calling for a coup de paix. My appeal is for Americans to engage in peaceful acts of resistance as a means of effecting positive change."

Meanwhile interest in the La Resistance has certainly grown since the election. Google searches for the "French resistance" spiked on Inauguration Day, according to Google's search trends

Moore seems to hope his new website will continue to stoke interest in political resistance.

He wrote he hopes the calendar will become "a 24/7 clearinghouse of the already MASSIVE resistance to Trump, to the Republican Congress, and, yes, to many of the spineless Democratic politicians out there, before concluding, "Our goal is his removal from office - and the defeat of any politician who isn't with us. WE ARE THE MAJORITY."

Washington Post
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Canadas second most populous city has voted to declare itself a sanctuary city for undocumented immigrants, allowing authorities to provide council services such as housing and food banks to people without legal immigration status.

Montreal, the largest city in Quebec, joins three cities in Ontario  Toronto, London and Hamilton  in adopting a sanctuary city status to help protect undocumented immigrants.

Mayor Denis Coderre, a former immigration minister in Canadas government who put forward the motion, said he wants to give undocumented immigrants better access to health care, housing and integration, CTVNews reported.

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Speaking ahead of the motion on Monday, he said: You have a lot of these people who are victims. They have been victims of terrorist acts. They have been kicked out of their country or went out because of their situation, sexual orientation, [and as] political refugees.

I think we should straighten up that situation and find a way to address the undocumented, he said.

At the Quebec boarder, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has converted an unused basement into a refugee claimant processing centre, as authorities attempt to process the growing number of asylum seekers crossing into the country from the United States. The CBSA said the number of people making refugee claims at Quebec border crossing has more than doubled from 2015 to 2016. Last month, 452 people made claims in Quebec compared with 137 in January 2016, the agency said.

Many sanctuary cities in the US protect undocumented immigrants by limiting how much local police and local authorities can work with federal immigration services to allow people to be reported and deported.

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This kind of protection has not been explicitly offered by the city of Montreal, but Mr Coderre has promised the citys public security committee will examine how migrants are dealt with by police and transit officials.

But migration rights groups have argued the new status of Montreal is largely symbolic and does not go far enough to protect undocumented immigrants.

Jaggi Singh, a spokesperson for Solidarity Across Borders, told The Toronto Star that in many ways, having a symbolic motion can be worse than having no motion at all.

What it does is creates a false sense of security and false sense of protection and the moment where the police are deporting people, you destroy any sense of trust, he said.

The same criticism has been made of city of Vancouver, which has not adopted a sanctuary city status but last year passed an Access to City Services without Fear policy, which means undocumented immigrants seeking help and services from the city will not have their immigration status made known to authorities unless it is legally required, the Vancouver Sun reported.

Additional reporting by Reuters
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Toronto police are investigating a series of anti-Semitic notes left on doorsteps and vandalism at an apartment block following a wave of bomb threats against Jewish centres around the US and Canada.

Jewish residents in North York, Toronto, found notes on their doorsteps with pictures of swastikas and phrases like "No Jews".

Resident Helen Chaiton, whose parents died in the Holocaust, told CBC that the mezuzah, a carving with a Hebrew verse on her doorstep, was vandalised along with several others.

Toronto police said they were taking the notes "very seriously".

"Anti-Semitism has no place in Toronto," mayor John Tory said in a statement. "Our Jewish residents should not have to face hatred on their doorsteps."

Jewish people across North America have found themselves victims of a wave of discrimination during the 2016 election campaign and so far in 2017.

More than 50 Jewish community centres received phone-in bomb threats, with four separate days of threats and evacuations recorded so far this year. In January alone, 48 JCCs and one Canadian province received nearly 60 bomb threats. A Jewish cemetery in Missouri was also vandalised, with many headstones toppled over.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was pictured laying a wreath at the Holocaust Memorial in Berlin on 17 February.

In contrast, US President Donald Trump was pressured to speak out on the issue after he omitted mentioning the Jewish people from his statement on International Holocaust Remembrance Day and after he told a Jewish reporter to sit down for asking a question about anti-Semitism.

"Its horrible, and its going to stop," he said in response to a question at the National Museum of African American History.

Ivanka Trump also tweeted a plea for "tolerance". She converted to Judaism to marry her husband, Jared Kushner, who is the President's senior adviser.

Ethnic minorities including Hispanics, Muslims and African Americans have also been targeted with increasing discrimination in recent months.

The FBI found that hate crimes against Muslims in the US rose 67 per cent in 2016. Last month, a student burst into a mosque in Quebec and killed six people.
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It wasnt long into Thursday nights dinner service at a Bloomingdale pub, the Boundary Stone, before Colin McDonough forgot to fire up a customers order of wings. Fire the fry cook, joked Gareth Croke, who was flipping burgers nearby. Croke cant fire McDonough: the two are co-owners of the restaurant, and they stepped in to cook when almost all of their kitchen staff took a paid day of leave to participate in the nationwide A Day Without Immigrants strike.

It was McDonoughs first time working the line. He already knew how valuable his employees are, but their absence drove the point home even harder.

Honestly, without immigrants, the restaurant industry wouldnt exist, he said.

Across town at Bar Pilar, bartenders and friends of the staff were filling in for chef Jesse Millers cooks, all of whom took the day off to protest. Matt Roper works at a trade association by day and hasnt worked in a restaurant since he was a teenager. But after friends at the restaurant told him about the strike, he decided to pitch in and spent the evening frying chicken and calamari.

Its a little bit of a change from Blue Apron, he said, referring to the mail-order meal assembly kits.

A flier on the window of Oyamel in Washington explains the closure (AP) (Washington Post)

Such was the scene at restaurants across Washington and many other cities on Thursday when immigrant workers, with their colleagues support, stayed away from their kitchens and host stands, and instead marched in protest of the Trump administrations hard-line approach to immigration policy. Immigrants decided to hit Washington  a city that loves small plates and happy hours  where it hurts: in the gut.

I think that it will give a message to all of the people that think that we are not helpful in this country, said Saul Canesa, a green-card-holding Salvadoran chef at El Chucho in Columbia Heights.

The strike was intended to hit all businesses, but the restaurant industry  where immigrants make up nearly a quarter of the national workforce, according to the Institute for Immigration Research at George Mason University  seemed to be worst hit. Locally, a flier calling for the strike had been circulating among workers and, according to Univision, no one seems to know who started the whole thing. But things seemed to really take off when Jose Andres, the outspoken Washington-based chef, who became a citizen in 2013 and is currently embroiled in litigation with President Trump, announced that he would close many of his restaurants.

Announcements snowballed after that. On Wednesday, restaurants met with their staff to decide: would they close entirely, open with a partial menu and partial staff, or do business as usual?

Some opted for the latter, because their employees wanted to get paid. Some, including Sweetgreen and DC Empanadas, closed and paid their staff anyway. Others that stayed open, including the Royal and Anxo, vowed to donate proceeds to Ayuda, an immigrant advocacy organisation. Still others were forced to close because of no-shows. A news release from the Pentagon on Thursday noted that its concessions committee learned this morning that employees were participating. Some fast food restaurants in the Pentagon including a Starbucks, Taco Bell and Burger King, also closed.

Donnavon Lalputan, who is originally from Trinidad, wasnt being paid for the day he missed at Hanks Oyster Bar on Capitol Hill, which closed for the strike. But, he said: We were given the opportunity to express ourselves, which is priceless.

Marcos Latin, 34, carries the Guatemalan and US flags on A Day Without Immigrants. Latin, originally from Guatemala and resident in the United States for 12 years, walked with his son, Mauricio Amaya, 11 years old (Washington Post)

In some cases, unnerving incidents motivated participation. Maziar Farivar, the Iranian-born chef-owner of the Peacock Cafe in Georgetown, said that shortly after President Trumps inauguration a young white man walked into the restaurant and raised his hand in a Heil Hitler-like salute. He then asked about the staffs immigration statuses, as if he were an agent of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The fact that people feel permitted to behave that way is a shocking thing to me, Farivar said.

Most of Farivars staff decided to strike, so he closed the restaurant. One of his veteran servers, Kenny Guevara, first heard of plans for the strike about three weeks ago on Univision. She was born in El Salvador but moved at age 10 to America with her parents and became a naturalised citizen. Still, she admitted, shes scared. Fellow immigrants dont talk about a future in America anymore, she said, and if they talk about their future in America, they talk about it as a maybe.

Not every restaurateur was enthusiastic about the strike. Mark Bucher, a partner in Medium Rare and Community, said that he supported the strike and the dozen or so workers at his firm who opted to take a paid day of leave. But he criticised the timing of the action. Its a white-hot political climate in Washington right now, and you never throw fire on something thats white hot, said Bucher. You could get a knee-jerk reaction.

He feared retaliation from immigration officials, and he was worried that the protests would escalate: All it takes is one dummy to fire somebody.

Ruth Gresser, the owner of Pizzeria Paradiso still has her chops to flip pizza dough as she worked the lunch rush (Washington Post)

Customers werent sure how to react to the strike, either. Was going out an act of solidarity with immigrants or counterproductive? Suki Lucier, who works for the government, debated what to do. When we thought about it, ethically, I wanted to be supportive, she explained over drinks at Boundary Stone, which she chose because of the owners commitment to paying absent workers that day.

At Pizzeria Paradiso in Dupont Circle, owner Ruth Gresser was stretching out balls of dough. She rarely works during dinner service, but getting back on the line  where she was later joined by Hanks Oyster Bar chef and owner Jamie Leeds  was like riding a bicycle, she said. She gave all of her immigrant employees a paid day off, and closed all of her restaurants except the P Street location, which she hoped would demonstrate what it would look like for us to be open without immigrants.

What did it look like? Her director of operations, Matt McQuilkin, admitted to accidentally tearing a pizza. Gresser had to remove a pizza cutter from the edge of the oven, where it might have burned someones hand.

The people who do this every day: theyre faster, theyre more proficient, said Gresser. Were not the best crew. But were working through it.

Tim Carman and Becky Krystal contributed to this report.

 Washington Post
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Some commentators expressed hope that Donald Trump would become more "presidential" when he entered office.

They might have also hoped former Oklahoma attorney general and climate change sceptic Scott Pruitt would adopt green gloves when he became the Environmental Protection Agency director.

During his first speech at the helm of the EPA, Mr Pruitt did not mention climate change or any recent negative impact on the environment.

Instead, he talked about the founding fathers who discussed moving the capital city away from New York to the shores of the Potomac despite differing views, and applied this metaphor to how he would address "our environment and natural resources".

Recommended Senate confirms climate change sceptic Scott Pruitt to run EPA

His only reference of the "toxic environment" was related to politics, and how it damaged compromise.

The mission of the EPA is written in statute and it is not to compromise with the oil and gas industry - industries which Mr Pruitt often represented in lawsuits as attorney general and upon which the economy of his home state was heavily reliant.

The EPA's mission is to "protect human health and the environment - air, water and land".

He declared that the EPA can be "pro-energy, pro-jobs and pro-environment".

"We dont have to choose between the two," he said, adding that the EPA can "respect" the jobs created by the energy industry.

Trying to reassure his new colleagues, he promised he would be a "good listener" and "dig down deep" to get to know staff and their issues.

During his senate confirmation hearing, Democrats expressed concern that Mr Pruitt would seek to dismantle the EPA whilst at the helm of the agency.

The anti-abortion lawyer who advocates the distribution of bibles in schools and who has fought against transgender rights was also questioned on his personal views about climate change.

He said the debate on the subject "was far from settled" and joined a coalition of state attorney generals in suing the agencys Clean Power Plan, a key Obama-era policy that tried to reduce US greenhouse gas emissions.

Environmental campaign groups called him a "fossil fuel industry puppet" and "an enthusiastic shill for the fracking industry".

Within hours of Donald Trump being elected, the former White House website's information on climate change was taken down, and the National Park Service, which often tweets about climate change, was subject to a social media blackout.

Mr Trump has already lifted restrictions on coal mining and has ordered construction of the controversial Dakota Access Pipeline, which was forecast to pollute the water supply of millions of people in North Dakota.
Sign up to our free fortnightly newsletter from The Independent's Race Correspondent Nadine White Sign up to our free fortnightly newsletter The Race Report Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

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The White House Press Secretary has attacked the Anne Frank Center for its negative statement about President Donald Trumps disavowal of anti-Semitism.

Asked about the Centers statement, Sean Spicer told reporters that the President "has been very forceful with the denunciation" of people who are racist or sexist.

"The President has made clear since the day he was elected and frankly through the campaign that he seeks to unite the country. He has brought a diverse range of people into this administration," he said.

"It's ironic that no matter how many times he talks about this, it's never good enough."

He added: "I wish that they [the Anne Frank Centre] had praised the President for his leadership in this area. And I think hopefully as time continues to go by, they will recognise his commitment to civil rights, to voting rights, to equality for all Americans."

Mr Trump finally spoke against anti-Semitism after a visit to the National Museum of African American History on Tuesday, saying racism was "horrible" and "must stop".

The President's words came after four separate waves of bomb threats were received by more than 50 Jewish community centers since the New Year and a Jewish cemetery was vandalised in Missouri.

The Anne Frank Center said in a statement that the President's remarks were a "Band-Aid on the cancer of anti-Semitism that has affected his own administration".

The President was criticised for omitting the Jewish people in his statement on International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

At his first press conference since his Inauguration last week he told a Jewish reporter to sit down and accused him of lying after the was asked about the anti-Semitic bomb threats.

 Donald Trump vows to fight bigotry, hate and anti-Semitism during museum visit

His daughter, Ivanka Trump, who converted to Judaism for her husband Jared Kushner, tweeted to ask American people to show "tolerance".

Mr Spicer insisted that the President will focus on uniting the country. He then made what appeared to be a Freudian slip.

"It [anti-Semitism] is something he [Mr Trump] will continue to fight and will make very, very clear that he has no place in this administration," said Mr Spicer.
(Global Times) 13:24, February 21, 2017

Officials in China's arid northwest are thinking outside the box when it comes to suggesting solutions to the region's water problems.

Urban planning authorities in Lanzhou, Northwest China's Gansu Province, have put together a proposal to divert water from the world's oldest and deepest freshwater body in Russia to alleviate local water shortages. The lake holds one-fifth of global surface fresh water.

According to a statement from Lanzhou Urban &Rural Planning and Design Institute, since China has reached an agreement with Russia to construct a highway network and a gas pipeline, the institute is suggesting that it would not be too difficult to build a water pipeline from Lake Baikal.

"This is a preliminary proposal and we are waiting for further approval from the local government," an expert from the institute who asked for anonymity, told the Global Times on Monday. He said that such a project could greatly improve the regional ecological environment.

He said that the pipeline, which would have an estimated length of more than 1,700 kilometers, could transport water from the lake to the Qilian Mountains in west Gansu and then to Lanzhou, the provincial capital. "Technology is not a problem. Diplomatic negotiations will depend on the local government," he said.

Chief designer of China's South to North Water Diversion Project in Beijing, Shi Weixin, cautioned that cost will be an issue, as well as ecological impacts on Lake Baikal.

The South-to-North project has reduced any adverse influence on the ecosystem of the Yangtze River to a minimum by controlling the water yield, Shi said, adding that "the Lanzhou project should also figure out some ways to minimize the influence."

An employee from the South-North project, who asked for anonymity, said that they need to consider who would maintain and be responsible for above-ground sections of the pipeline, and how they can provide a steady electricity supply to the pumping stations under extreme cold weather.

Back in 2005, Bian Hongdeng, president of an international investment corporation, proposed diverting water from the lake to Beijing, triggering public attention. However, soon after that, Gu Hao, an official from China's Ministry of Water Resources, denied to the Xinhua News Agency that there was "any plan to carry out research on a water diversion project from Lake Baikal, and China has never negotiated with any countries regarding the project."

Mongolia is considering building one of the world's largest pipelines to transport water from the Orkhon River, which ultimately flows across the border to Lake Baikal, to supply miners in the Gobi desert 1,000 kilometers away. However, environment groups worry that the project will do immeasurable environmental damage to Lake Baikal, The Conversation reported in 2015.

Calls to the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment for comment went unanswered on Monday.
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A hunting guide and his client accidentally shot each other and then blamed it on undocumented migrants, police in the US have said.

Officers attended the scene at a remote south Texas ranch, near to the Mexico border, in early January, finding the two men bleeding from gunshot wounds. A second guide was involved in the incident, but escaped without injury.

The casualties, guide Walker Daughtery, 26, and client Edwin Roberts, 59, and the other guide, Michael Bryant, told police they suspected the shooters were undocumented immigrants they had seen on the ranch earlier in their trip.

After the alleged attack, a family friend setup a GoFundMe page stating that Mr Daughtery (pictured above with his fiance) and his group were involved in a shoot-out with some illegal immigrants that were trying to steal his RV (Go Fund Me)

Their story was shared thousands of times online after Texas Commissioner of Agriculture and Donald Trump ally Sid Miller wrote about it on Facebook.

But police and a grand jury have now concluded the men were lying about the incident, and actually shot each other.

Investigators believe that Mr Daughtery became paranoid that illegal immigrants were inside a vehicle with Mr Roberts and his wife and attempted to get inside without saying anything, prompting Mr Roberts to shoot at the door.

Mr Daughtery then ran back to his cabin to grab his gun and to get backup from Mr Bryant, and together they opened fire on the truck.

 Donald Trump supporters boo mention of immigrants during speech

Mr Daughtery and Mr Roberts were both struck by bullets, to the chest and to the arm respectively. It is believed that Mr Daughtery shot Mr Roberts, his client, and Mr Bryant shot Mr Daughtery, his colleague.

Police told news channel CBS 7 they are conducting ballistic testing to determine which guns fired which bullets, but they cannot test the bullet that struck Mr Daughtery as it is too close to his heart to be safely removed.

Mr Daughtery and Mr Bryant have both been indicted on third-degree felony charges, punishable by up to five years in prison.

People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Show all 16 1 /16 People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Demonstrators march during the "Day Without Immigrants" protest in Chicago, Illinois, February 16, 2017. Theopolis Waters/Reuters People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Demonstrators march during the "Day Without Immigrants" protest in Washington, DC, U.S., February 16, 2017. Aaron P. Bernstein/Reuters People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Protesters march in the streets outside the Texas State Capital on 'A Day Without Immigrants' February 16, 2017 in Austin, Texas. The crowd, which grew to well over a thousand participants, marched from the Austin City Hall to the Texas State Capital. Across the country hundreds of restaurants and eateries are closing for the day to protest President Trump's immigration policies and to highlight the contributions of immigrants to U.S. business and life. Drew Anthony Smith/Getty People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Protesters march in the streets outside the Texas State Capital on 'A Day Without Immigrants' February 16, 2017 in Austin, Texas. Drew Anthony Smith/Getty People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants AUSTIN, TX - FEBRUARY 16: Protesters march in the streets outside the Texas State Capital on 'A Day Without Immigrants' February 16, 2017 in Austin, Texas. Drew Anthony Smith/Getty People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Demonstrators march during the "Day Without Immigrants" protest in Chicago, Illinois, February 16, 2017. Theopolis Waters/Reuters People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Demonstrators march during the "Day Without Immigrants" protest in Chicago, Illinois, February 16, 2017. Aaron P. Bernstein/Reuters People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Protesters march in the streets outside the Texas State Capital on 'A Day Without Immigrants' February 16, 2017 in Austin, Texas. The crowd, which grew to well over a thousand participants, marched from the Austin City Hall to the Texas State Capital. Across the country hundreds of restaurants and eateries are closing for the day to protest President Trump's immigration policies and to highlight the contributions of immigrants to U.S. business and life. Drew Anthony Smith/Getty People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Protesters march in the streets outside the Texas State Capital on 'A Day Without Immigrants' February 16, 2017 in Austin, Texas. Drew Anthony Smith/Getty People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Protesters march in the streets outside the Texas State Capital on 'A Day Without Immigrants' February 16, 2017 in Austin, Texas. Drew Anthony Smith/Getty People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Protesters march in the streets outside the Texas State Capital on 'A Day Without Immigrants' February 16, 2017 in Austin, Texas. Drew Anthony Smith/Getty People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Protesters march in the streets outside the Texas State Capital on 'A Day Without Immigrants' February 16, 2017 in Austin, Texas. Drew Anthony Smith/Getty People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Protesters march in the streets outside the Texas State Capital on 'A Day Without Immigrants' February 16, 2017 in Austin, Texas. Drew Anthony Smith/Getty People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Protesters march in the streets outside the Texas State Capital on 'A Day Without Immigrants' February 16, 2017 in Austin, Texas. The crowd, which grew to well over a thousand participants marched from the Austin City Hall to the Texas State Capital. Across the country hundreds of restaurants and eateries are closing for the day to protest President Trump's immigration policies and to highlight the contributions of immigrants to U.S. business and life. Drew Anthony Smith/Getty People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants High school student Kathia Suarez holds up a sign as she protests with others outside the Grayson County courthouse in downtown Sherman, Texas, Thursday, Feb. 16, 2017. LM Otero/AP People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants High school senior Vicky Sosa holds a sign outside the Grayson County courthouse in downtown Sherman, Texas, Thursday, Feb. 16, 2017. In an action called "A Day Without Immigrants," immigrants across the country are expected to stay home from school, work and close businesses to show how critical they are to the U.S. economy and way of life. LM Otero/AP

After the alleged attack, a family friend setup a GoFundMe page stating that Mr Daughtery and his group were involved in a shoot-out with some illegal immigrants that were trying to steal his RV with his clients still inside it.

The appeal, to help pay for Mr Daughtery's medical bills as he is uninsured, raised over $26,000 (more than 20,000) before it was shut down.

Mr Daughtery's fiancee, who was at the ranch on the night of the shooting, told CBS 7 she could not comment on the case until it was completed, but said the couple had had multiple encounters with undocumented immigrants in the past month. She claimed they had had hundreds of dollars'-worth of supplies stolen by them from the ranch.

Although the area is well known for undocumented migrants from Mexico crossing over the border, Presidio County Sheriff Danny Dominguez said he had never seen violence like the alleged incident before. He said he was sceptical of the story from the beginning, and suggested the hunters were paranoid.

He told CBS 7: I mean border patrol are experts in tracking in this area, we trust what they say because thats all they do on a daily basis, and they didnt find no sign, no indication that there was anybody in or out of that area that night.

By the looks of it right now, we believe that during the shooting, with all the commotion and confusion going on, we believe that Michael shot Walker and Walker had shot Edwin, Mr Dominguez added.

Mr Dominguez added that it took emergency services nearly two hours to arrive at the remote ranch, but fortunately one of the mens wives was a nurse and was able to keep both men from bleeding out.

He said he wants ranchers and residents in the area to know they have nothing to fear at this time "regarding any violence from across the border".

Mr Miller, who became infamous in the US during last years election campaign when he called Democrat candidate Hillary Clinton a "c***" in a Tweet, deleted his initial Facebook post about the incident after police said they were suspicious of the hunters story.

Mr Millers initial post included two pictures of Mr Daugherty, one of which showed him in his hospital bed.

The aliens were ambushing the RV that Walker and his wife. He was shot while trying to protect his hunters from the attack. Walker is a man of God and is now a hero, Mr Miller wrote.

This is why we need the wall and to secure our borders, he added, in the post.

In addition to criticising the commissioner for spreading "fake news" people commenting on social media and local news outlets declared it ironic that it was actually paranoia about border security, not a lack of border security, that appears to have landed the two men in hospital.
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Donald Trump has at last got a national security adviser after his first one was forced to resign and two others approached for the job ruled themselves out.

But the President and his cronies would be mistaken if they think that Lt Gen HR McMaster would simply back whatever policy comes out of the White House.

Indeed, General Herbert Raymond McMaster made his considerable reputation as someone who is not afraid to challenge the hierarchy, and indeed had first made his mark by condemning senior officers for not standing up to the flawed policies of US presidents in the Vietnam War.

There are some echoes of those times in current events: the animosity shown towards the media by Mr Trump was also present in the White House during Vietnam -- albeit in nothing like the current poisonous extent  with both Presidents Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon blaming newspapers and television for undermining the war effort.

Gen McMasters firm conclusion was the war in Vietnam was not lost in the front pages of The New York Times or the college campus. It was lost in Washington DC.

The Vietnam indictment came in a book Dereliction of Duty, initially written as a Phd thesis, which got the attention of the best and the brightest of Americas military men.

One of them was Gen David Petraeus, who helped secure Gen McMasters promotion in face of opposition from conservatives in the military establishment.

After the national security adviser appointment, Gen Petraeus wanted to stress: HR McMaster is a brilliant officer, a battlefield hero and a true soldier-scholar who will serve President Trump and his country exceedingly well.

The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters

The new President, a Vietnam draft dodger, had shown a penchant for surrounding himself with military men.

But among them there has been a growing feeling of unease that serving Mr Trump and serving the country they had sworn to protect may not necessarily be the same thing.

Significantly, Gen Petraeus himself turned down the job, saying pointedly that whoever it is that would agree to take that position certainly should do so with some very, very significant assurances that he or she would have authorities over the personnel of the organisation  that there would be a commitment to a disciplined process and procedures.

The Trump team were said to have been deeply annoyed by Gen Petraeuss words.

Recommended Trump announces new Gen HR McMaster as National Security Adviser

But this view had already been taken by the first person approached for the post after Lt Gen Michael Flynn became its shortest holder in American history, following his improper liaison with the Russian ambassador to Washington.

Vice Admiral Robert Harward turned down the job  one he described to friends as a shit sandwich  after being told that he would not be able to bring in his own team.

One person Admiral Harward is said to have wanted to get rid of was KT McFarland, who would have been his second-in-command, a former Fox News security commentator who had been accused of Islamophobia and someone who has shown a firm belief in conspiracy theories.

But the real elephant in the room, say military and intelligence officials, is Steve Bannon, the standard bearer for the hard right who is the White House chief strategist and to whom Mr Trump has given a place in the National Security Council  an unprecedented move for someone in that role.

To add to the wonderment, Mr Bannon, it was decreed, would be a regular attendee while the chairs of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the armed forces and the director of National Intelligence would be allowed to participate only where issues pertaining to their responsibilities and expertise are to be discussed.

Eliot Cohen, who was counsellor to Condoleezza Rice when she was Secretary of State, said he fully understood how Admiral Harward and Gen Petreaus felt. No sane person would take this extremely important and difficult job without (a) control of staffing and (b) eliminating or neutering Bannons shadow NSC staff. Without those things youre doomed not to frustration but failure, he said. The question will be whether Trump can bring himself to accept that, or go looking for a mediocrity  who will, in turn, help facilitate more failure.

 Trump admits to relationship with Putin in resurfaced video

Mr Cohen spoke before Gen McMaster took the job, and he would not call the general a mediocrity.

The question now, however, is whether the general, a man who values integrity and independence, sometimes at a cost to his own career, would last in the administration.

Gen McMaster has said of the military command: We need leaders who have physical and mental courage on the battlefield, but also the courage to speak their minds and offer respectful and candid feedback to their superiors.

Our leaders cant feel compelled to tell their bosses what they want to hear.

The general also spoke about failure of leadership: I think there are usually four causes of breakdowns in moral character: ignorance, uncertainty, fear or combat trauma.

Critics of Mr Trump in the military point out that he, having made sure that he never heard a shot fired in anger, cannot blame the last factor if his presidency unravels.
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Donald Trumps plan to build a "beautiful" wall between the US and Mexico will threaten 111 endangered animal species and cause major environmental damage, experts have warned.

The 1,000-mile barrier promised by the US President will pass through four wildlife reserves on the US side of the border and a number of nature reserves on the Mexican side.

It will have severe ecological consequences and significant environmental costs, according to Dr. Shonil Bhagwat, a senior lecturer in Geography at the UK's, Open University.

As well as destroying natural habits, building a concrete wall would split animal populations in half, making it harder for them to breed and increasing the risk of diseases, he said.

Species at risk include ocelots, bears, Bighorn sheep, the USs last remaining wild jaguars, and the bald eagle  the national bird of America.

Aside from the debates over whether or not the wall will do much to stop drug trafficking or illegal immigration, how much it will cost the US taxpayer, or whether Mexico will pay for it, a 1,000-mile wall has significant environmental costs," Dr Bhagwat wrote in an article for The Ecologist.

For a start, all that concrete will generate millions of tons of carbon dioxide emissions. And then you have the fact the wall will ravage a unique desert habitat that straddles the two countries and will prevent the movement of local animals.

The wall will most likely wipe out the last remaining jaguars in the US, because it will cut them off from jaguars in Mexico with which they breed, he added.

The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters

Mr Trump has consistently promised to build a "impenetrable and beautiful" wall along most of The US's border with Mexico, in an attempt to reduce illegal immigration.

His supporters would often chant Build the wall during his presidential campaign rallies.

During his first week in office, he signed an executive order instructing his administration to take appropriate steps to immediately plan, design and construct a physical wall along the south border.

The Republican leader has also claimed that he will make Mexico to cover the costs of construction. The Mexican government has insisted that it will not.

In addition to fears about the economic and social impact of building the wall, critics are now raising environmental concerns about the pledge.

Experts say the concrete needed to construct the wall would produce huge quantities of greenhouse gases. The barrier would require 275 million cubic feet of concrete, releasing up to 1.9 million metric tons of carbon dioxide  the same as a small city.

 Donald Trump orders construction of Mexico border wall

Building the wall will also place a number of species at risk of extinction if the planet continues to warm.

Climate change means species that live in more temperate zones will gradually need to move further and further aware from the hottest areas around the equator.

The wall will prevent species in Mexico moving northwards towards the cooler parts of the US  therefore placing them at risk of being wiped out.

On evolutionary timescales of millions of years, such an obstacle in the movement of animals and plants will drive extinctions and the emergence of new species, Dr Bhagwat wrote.

A political act of this kind can have far-reaching consequences for the ecological and even evolutionary landscapes."

Wildlife experts have long called for border fences to be made easier for animals to cross  a request being repeated when it comes to plans for the US-Mexico border.

If Trump really wants to show his prowess in construction, and wants to leave a long-term infrastructure legacy, then he should build bridges for wildlife on the US-Mexico border - not walls, Dr Bhagwat said.
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Saudi Arabia's foreign minister has said US President Donald Trump can be "a friend to everybody."

Although Mr Trump signed an executive order banning travel from seven Muslim-majority nations, of which Saudi Arabia was not included, Adel al-Jubeir said he believed the US president could be a friend to the Arab world.

"I believe Donald Trump is a friend to everybody potentially," he told CNBC at the Munich Security Conference last weekend.

The former Saudi ambassador to the US added: "I have no basis to question his motives.

"I believe that he wants to do what is best for America and this is what every leader should do for his country."

The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters

The day after he made his remarks, Mr Jubeir reasserted Saudi Arabia's support for a Palestinian state after Mr Trump said peace in the Middle East does not depend on a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"You have a peace deal which essentially calls for a settlement based on two states living side by side in peace and security," he said.

He added: "[A] Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, and the just settlement of refugees and just sharing water resources. This is the settlement that we believe is a fair and just settlement."

Last week, Mr Trump said he could accept a two-state or one-state solution if it is agreed upon by all sides.

However, administration officials later said the US absolutely supports a two-state solution.
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A child was among at least six people killed in a double suicide bombing targeting a court in Pakistan amid a wave of terror attacks by Isis and the Taliban.

Three militants threw hand grenades and opened fire as they launched the assault in Tangi, near the border with Afghanistan, on Tuesday morning.

Two of the men blew themselves up during the 20-minute gun battle with security forces at the gate, while the third was shot dead by police before he could detonate his explosive vest.

 More than 80 people killed in a Pakistan terror attack

Ijaz Khan, chief of the district police, told Reuters: The terrorists had come and wanted to kill as many people as they could inside the judicial complex.

They were prevented from entering the building but killed five people in the assault  a child, a lawyer and four police officers  and injured dozens more.

Mohammad Shah Baz Khan described scenes of panic during the battle, saying several people scaled the complexs walls in efforts to escape.

"Lawyers and other people in the complex started running to save their lives. There was panic and nobody knew where to go," he said.

Police had been on high alert after receiving intelligence that terror groups could target courts in Charsadda, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, following similar attacks elsewhere in Pakistan.

More than 100 people have been killed in a wave of atrocities that started last week, including an Isis suicide bombing that killed at least 90 people at a Sufi shrine on Friday.

A propaganda statement by Jamaat-ul-Ahrar claiming to show two suicide bombers that attacked a court in Pakistan on 21 February

Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, an affiliate of the Pakistani Taliban, has also launched numerous bombings and attacks after announcing the start of a new campaign of violence against the government, security forces, the judiciary and secular political parties.

The group claimed responsibility for the court attack via Taliban propaganda channels, issuing a statement in Urdu claiming apostates were sent to hell by martyrdom fighters.

Jamaat-ul-Ahrar published a photo of the two militants who detonated their bombs, who appeared to be teenage boys.

There were rumours the group had pledged allegiance to Isis after it split of the Taliban and expressed support for the so-called Islamic State, but the faction has now formally re-joined its parent group.

Pakistan's army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa praised police for "saving many lives" in the groups latest attack, according to the military statement.

Police Academy attack in Quetta, Pakistan Show all 11 1 /11 Police Academy attack in Quetta, Pakistan Police Academy attack in Quetta, Pakistan Pakistani Army Major General Sher Afgun speaks to journalists as Balochistan's provincial interior minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti looks on after an attack by suspected militants at a police training centre in Quetta, Pakistan EPA Police Academy attack in Quetta, Pakistan Pakistani troops deploy outside the Police Training Centre after an attack on the center in Quetta, Pakistan Reuters Police Academy attack in Quetta, Pakistan An ambulance carries injured officers to a hospital outside a police training school attacked by militants in Quetta, Pakistan AP Police Academy attack in Quetta, Pakistan Medical workers treat an injured policeman at hospital after militants attacked the Balochistan Police College in Quetta Getty Police Academy attack in Quetta, Pakistan A police cadet from the Police Training Centre lies in the hospital after being injured after an attack on the center in Quetta, Pakistan Reuters Police Academy attack in Quetta, Pakistan Relatives of police cadets wait for word outside the Police Training Center after an attack on the center in Quetta, Pakistan Reuters Police Academy attack in Quetta, Pakistan Pakistani men take care of injured relatives at a hospital in Quetta Getty Police Academy attack in Quetta, Pakistan The death toll from an overnight attack on a police academy in southwest Pakistan has risen to 58 people with dozens more wounded Getty Police Academy attack in Quetta, Pakistan Pakistani soldiers pass through the entrance to The Police Training College in Quetta Getty Police Academy attack in Quetta, Pakistan Pakistani rescue workers transport an attack victim in Quetta Getty Police Academy attack in Quetta, Pakistan Pakistani security personnel stand guard as an ambulance carrying the coffins of attack victims drives past in Quetta Getty

Zafar Iqbal Jhagra, the governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, told reporters that fresh talks with the militants cannot be ruled out.

"Talks can be held with everyone, including the Taliban," he added. "[But] we will not bow before the terrorists."

Isis shrine bombing, the deadliest terror attack in Pakistan for years, was followed by a nationwide crackdown by the military that resulted in the deaths of more than 100 alleged terrorists in 24 hours.

The operation sparked warnings from humanitarian groups for Pakistani authorities to adhere to international law.

The violence has also worsened relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan, who have accused each other of harbouring terrorists and each sent lists of named militants allegedly residing in the neighbouring country.

A number of Pakistani Taliban commanders have been killed in Afghanistan, while Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour and al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden were killed by US strikes while hiding in Pakistan.


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The estranged, exiled half-brother of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un was "paranoid" before his death, a close friend has claimed.

Kim Jong-nam was "afraid" and "worried", according Anthony Sahakian, who said the 46-year-old had feared he would be seen as leadership threat following the death of their father, Kim Jong Il, in 2011.

Mr Sahakian, who attended a prestigious international school in the Swiss city of Geneva, said that his friend had feared that his brother would order his assassination, or someone would try to kill him in a bid to impress the North Korean leader.

He was afraid," Mr Sahakian told The Guardian. "It wasnt an all-encompassing fear but he was paranoid. He was a politically important person. He was worried. Of course he was worried."

He added that Mr Kim, who he knew as Lee, had wanted reform and to open the country up to outsiders but did not have the character of the will to jostle for the leadership.

His friend died at Kuala Lumpur International Airport last week when he was allegedly poisoned by two female assassins who wiped a liquid on his face.

Malaysian police have arrested a North Korean man, a Vietnamese woman and an Indonesian woman have been arrested already in connection with his death. Four North Korean suspects also fled the country, investigators said.

Inside the daily life in North Korea Show all 19 1 /19 Inside the daily life in North Korea Inside the daily life in North Korea People reading a newspaper at the metro station Inside the daily life in North Korea Thoughts of the leaders on the tram. They have about a dozen of these on every tram, all with different thoughts Inside the daily life in North Korea Young people training for a big upcoming festival Inside the daily life in North Korea People at the Pyongyang's annual marathon Inside the daily life in North Korea Many stars on one of the trolleys in Pyongyang Inside the daily life in North Korea An intimidating poster in a primary school in North Korea. Inside the daily life in North Korea Solar panels installed on a street lamp. Inside the daily life in North Korea A poster on the window next to one of the venues we visited in Pyongyang Inside the daily life in North Korea Kids playing football next to the Arch of Triumph. After a while tourists were allowed to join, so some of us did Inside the daily life in North Korea Class in an educational center in Pyongyang (where people over 17 years old can attend any classes they choose after school, for free) Inside the daily life in North Korea People waving at me during the Pyongyang marathon Inside the daily life in North Korea People having a great time dancing at a public park Inside the daily life in North Korea A metro driver in a metro station in Pyongyang Inside the daily life in North Korea Fireworks to mark the birthday of the Eternal President Kim Il Sung on our last night in Pyongyang Inside the daily life in North Korea My wonderful tour guide at a public park Inside the daily life in North Korea One of the parks in Pyongyang Inside the daily life in North Korea A person rowing some boats for the day at a river in Pyongyang Inside the daily life in North Korea The National War Museum Inside the daily life in North Korea Public park in Pyongyang

One of the female suspect has reportedly told investigators that she had been told she was taking part in a TV prank show and had not been aware the liquid was poison.

Mr Sahakian said his friend would talk about how the regime was run by a gerontocracy of old Stalinist generals who wanted to keep the country under their repressive rule.

He added that Mr Kim had a European sensibility having been educated in the West since he was 12,

He wanted out. He never had any ambitions to rule the country. He didnt accept or appreciate what was going on there. He kept relations with the regime at arms length, he said.

Although Kim Jong Nam would insist he never formally defected from the regime he had been living in exile for more than a decade before his death.

His death came after a string of executions among the top tier of the North Korean elite.

After coming to power, Kim Jong-un has executed or purged several high ranking officials and generals including his own uncle Jang Song Thaek.

Mr Jang was once considered the power behind the throne but was denounced as despicable human scum by his nephew and executed in 2013.
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Russia has drafted new sanctions against North Korea banning the sale of helicopters and ships to the reclusive Communist state.

The crackdown comes after Pyongyang's latest ballistic missile test earlier this month when it launched a Musudan-type projectile into the sea, flouting UN Security Council resolutions again.

China, the North's biggest backer due to its strategic "buffer-zone" location, reacted by banning imports of coal until the end of 2017, dealing a major financial blow to the Kim regime.

A draft presidential decree would see Russia halt the sale of ships and helicopters to North Korea, as well as ban the importation of copper, zinc, nickel and silver.

The buying in of monuments built in the North will also be banned if the order is signed by Vladimir Putin. Russia will also put an end to scientific and technological cooperation with the country, unless it applies to medicine.

The order would implement the resolution the Security Council passed in November after an earlier nuclear test. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon said the council had approved "the toughest and most comprehensive sanctions regime ever imposed".

Russia and China's moves follow the US' own crackdown in December, when it blacklisted seven people and 16 North Korean companies over links to the Kim government or its weapons programmes.

Then-President Barack Obama had signed an executive order targeting the North's mining and other industries in March last year.

President Donald Trump has previously called on China to do more to rein in its neighbour after saying it had "total control over North Korea".

Russia's new move comes after Mr Trump tweeted that the US and the Kremlin "will, perhaps, work together to solve some of the many great and pressing problems and issues of the WORLD!"
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The Star-Spangled banner was afforded an extra star at a Brussels event attended by US Vice President Mike Pence because of human error, a European Union official told The Independent.

Calling it a deeply regrettable mistake, the spokesman said they would "admit our mistake" and they were "putting in place measures to make sure it will never happen again.

 US declares 'unwavering' support for Nato allies

They added: We all make mistakes and someone made a mistake and its deeply regrettable. I dont think he noticed. I dont think anyone noticed until later.

The famous flag was displayed with 51 stars, instead of 50, when Mr Pence attended a 30-minute news conference with EU leader, Donald Tusk.

The Brussels flag correctly showed 13 stripes, but had three rows of nine stars and three rows with eight stars each.

The US flag typically features nine alternating rows of five or six stars.

The EU flag featuring 12 stars in a circle against a blue background was configured correctly.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

Puerto Rico, a US territory, is frequently mistaken as Americas 51st state, and last month, its new representative to Congress pushed a bill that would turn the island into a state by 2025.

Mr Pence, who left the Belgium capital shortly after the conference, appeared to contradict Donald Trump by pledging the USs unwavering commitment to Nato.

Mr Trump has branded the 28-member alliance obsolete.
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Read more Farage echoes Trump with dubious 'Sweden rape capital of Europe' claim has benefited Sweden by giving the economy a boost, according to a former US ambassador to the country.

Mark Brzezinski refuted Donald Trumps claim that the Scandinavian nation has experienced rising crime rates since accepting hundreds of thousands of refugees, and emphasised that an attack the President alluded to had never happened.

I can report to you that the most nefarious thing that happened in Sweden this past weekend was technical difficulties at the Melfest music festival, he told MSNBC news.

Nothing more serious than that.

Mr Brzezinski said in the interview that, far from proving Mr Trumps point that immigrants were dangerous, Sweden proves the opposite: that immigration can be extremely beneficial to a country.

Take a look at the economy, Swedens economy is booming, he said. Skype, Spotify, Minecraft the tech industry is doing extremely well.

Sweden, which has a population of under 10 million, has taken in hundreds of thousands of refugees from Syria, Somalia and Yemen in the last couple of years, Mr Brzezinski said, adding "they see themselves as something of a humanitarian super power".

"Yes its been expensive and difficult at times to help move forward the assimilation, but they are absolutely committed to it and that has benefited the country, he said.

To undermine the "generosity" of the Swede's in helping so many asylum seekers is a bad idea for America, he said.

In certain ways they are providing an international service through their generosity by letting a lot of people come in," he said, pointing out that Sweden was not the first country most refugees reach, it is just one of the most welcoming.

Mr Brzezinski went on to describe Mr Trump's comments at a Florida rally, which alluded to sinister things that had allegedly happened "last night" in Sweden, as "befuddling".

The US President later admitted he was talking about a widely debunked Fox News report he had seen on television the night before.

But he refused to retract his point, tweeting on Monday: Give the public a break  The FAKE NEWS media is trying to say that large scale immigration in Sweden is working out just beautifully. NOT!

Mr Brzezinski, who worked for the National Security Council before becoming an ambassador, said Mr Trumps behaviour in apparently ignoring his advisers and pushing ahead with "improvised" policy was sinister.

It does seem that he is building a narrative on an improvisational basis based on what he sees on cable news and news reports. That is a dangerous thing to do he said.

Secondly it doesnt seem that he is relying on the national security process in the White House. If there had been a terrorist attack in Sweden, one of our closest partners, the president would have been briefed on it by his national security team.

He added: When it comes to things as serious as immigration and terrorism you have to be absolutely factually accurate."

There is a process in place to help the president keep up to date, he said. No one person can do it on their own. There is simply too much happening and too fast to build policy on an improvisational basis.

He added that if his facts had been checked, Mr Trump would have found out that the crime rate in Sweden has actually been relatively constant over the last three years, despite an increasing population, and there has been no major "uptick" in the last decade.

The largest uptick, according to the State Department's crime reports is in computer fraud in a place like Sweden, he said, dismissing Mr Trump's talk of violent crime.

People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Show all 16 1 /16 People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Demonstrators march during the "Day Without Immigrants" protest in Chicago, Illinois, February 16, 2017. Theopolis Waters/Reuters People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Demonstrators march during the "Day Without Immigrants" protest in Washington, DC, U.S., February 16, 2017. Aaron P. Bernstein/Reuters People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Protesters march in the streets outside the Texas State Capital on 'A Day Without Immigrants' February 16, 2017 in Austin, Texas. The crowd, which grew to well over a thousand participants, marched from the Austin City Hall to the Texas State Capital. Across the country hundreds of restaurants and eateries are closing for the day to protest President Trump's immigration policies and to highlight the contributions of immigrants to U.S. business and life. Drew Anthony Smith/Getty People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Protesters march in the streets outside the Texas State Capital on 'A Day Without Immigrants' February 16, 2017 in Austin, Texas. Drew Anthony Smith/Getty People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants AUSTIN, TX - FEBRUARY 16: Protesters march in the streets outside the Texas State Capital on 'A Day Without Immigrants' February 16, 2017 in Austin, Texas. Drew Anthony Smith/Getty People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Demonstrators march during the "Day Without Immigrants" protest in Chicago, Illinois, February 16, 2017. Theopolis Waters/Reuters People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Demonstrators march during the "Day Without Immigrants" protest in Chicago, Illinois, February 16, 2017. Aaron P. Bernstein/Reuters People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Protesters march in the streets outside the Texas State Capital on 'A Day Without Immigrants' February 16, 2017 in Austin, Texas. The crowd, which grew to well over a thousand participants, marched from the Austin City Hall to the Texas State Capital. Across the country hundreds of restaurants and eateries are closing for the day to protest President Trump's immigration policies and to highlight the contributions of immigrants to U.S. business and life. Drew Anthony Smith/Getty People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Protesters march in the streets outside the Texas State Capital on 'A Day Without Immigrants' February 16, 2017 in Austin, Texas. Drew Anthony Smith/Getty People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Protesters march in the streets outside the Texas State Capital on 'A Day Without Immigrants' February 16, 2017 in Austin, Texas. Drew Anthony Smith/Getty People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Protesters march in the streets outside the Texas State Capital on 'A Day Without Immigrants' February 16, 2017 in Austin, Texas. Drew Anthony Smith/Getty People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Protesters march in the streets outside the Texas State Capital on 'A Day Without Immigrants' February 16, 2017 in Austin, Texas. Drew Anthony Smith/Getty People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Protesters march in the streets outside the Texas State Capital on 'A Day Without Immigrants' February 16, 2017 in Austin, Texas. Drew Anthony Smith/Getty People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants Protesters march in the streets outside the Texas State Capital on 'A Day Without Immigrants' February 16, 2017 in Austin, Texas. The crowd, which grew to well over a thousand participants marched from the Austin City Hall to the Texas State Capital. Across the country hundreds of restaurants and eateries are closing for the day to protest President Trump's immigration policies and to highlight the contributions of immigrants to U.S. business and life. Drew Anthony Smith/Getty People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants High school student Kathia Suarez holds up a sign as she protests with others outside the Grayson County courthouse in downtown Sherman, Texas, Thursday, Feb. 16, 2017. LM Otero/AP People strike across America for A Day Without Immigrants High school senior Vicky Sosa holds a sign outside the Grayson County courthouse in downtown Sherman, Texas, Thursday, Feb. 16, 2017. In an action called "A Day Without Immigrants," immigrants across the country are expected to stay home from school, work and close businesses to show how critical they are to the U.S. economy and way of life. LM Otero/AP

Mr Trump said his speech had been informed by a segment on a Fox News broadcast on Friday night by Tucker Carlson. Mr Carlson interviewed Ami Horowitz, producer of a film that claimed to document alleged violence committed by refugees in Sweden.

News of Mr Horowitzs documentary made headlines last year when he told conservative outlets such as Breitbart News that there were Muslim no-go zones in Europe.

The New York Times reported that Swedish officials said their statistics did not justify the kind of assertions made by Mr Horowitz, and that the country had a high number of sexual assault reports, relative to other European countries, because more victims come forward, not because there was more violence.
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Far-right French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen cancelled a meeting with Lebanons Grand Mufti after refusing to wear a headscarf.

You can pass on my respects to the Grand Mufti, but I will not cover myself up, she told reporters.

The front National leader was told by Lebanese officials that she would have to wear a veil for her audience with Grand Sunni Muslim Mufti, Sheikh Abdel-Latif Derian.

Video footage shows Ms Le Pen at the entrance to his office shaking her head.

Ms Le Pen said that in a meeting in Egypt with the Grand Imam of al-Azhar  considered by some Muslims to be the highest authority in Sunni Islamic thought  and she had not been forced to cover her head.

He did not have this demand, said Ms Le Pen. But its not a problem, you can pass on to the Grand Mufti my considerations, but I am not putting the veil on.

Once told that customs were different in Lebanon, Ms Le Pen walked out of the building and left in her car.

Her aides had reportedly been informed before her visit that she would be required to wear a headscarf.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

The anti-immigration politician made a three-day visit to Lebanon this week to meet officials in an effort to bolster her presidential credentials two months before the first round of voting in the French presidential election.

Polls suggest Ms Le Pen is likely to get the highest proportion of votes in the first round of voting in April, but then lose to a more mainstream candidate in the second round in May.

The latest poll by OpinionWay on Monday showed support for the far-right candidate had risen by 1 percentage point to 27 per cent.

Her rivals, the socialist Emmanuel Macron and conservative candidate Francois Fillon, remained at an unchanged at 20 per cent each.
Hong Kong Disneyland has posted negative profits as attendance by mainland Chinese tourists dropped last year, Hong Kong media reported on Feb. 20.

The park lost 171 million Hong Kong dollars ($22 million) in revenue for the 2016 fiscal year, which ended in September. That loss was $2.58 million larger than in the 2015 fiscal year.

An estimated 6.1 million people visited the park last year. That number is down from the previous year, when the park drew 6.8 million visitors and lost $1.9 million. Data showed that 2.19 million visitors from the Chinese mainland came to the park in 2016, down 20 percent from the year before.

Last November, the Walt Disney Company announced an expansion plan for the park, which has been criticized for being too small as early as the park's opening in 2005.
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Norway has pledged millions of dollars to a global fund designed to help women access abortion services after Donald Trump cut support for health clinics across the world.

One of Mr Trump's first actions as President was to reinstate the Mexico City Policy, which strips US funding from health clinics that provide abortion services. It forces NGOs to agree to "neither perform nor actively promote abortion as a method of family planning in other nations" as a prerequisite for receiving US cash, and applies whether or not American money is used to pay for the procedures.

In response, The Netherlands announced it would establish an international fund to finance projects relating to access for birth control, abortion and womens education throughout developing countries.

In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Show all 32 1 /32 In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump London An image of President Donald Trump is seen on a placard during the Women's March in London, England Getty In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Sydney A view of the skywriting word reading 'Trump' as thousands rally in support of equal rights in Sydney, New South Wales EPA In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Rome People shout and hold signs during a rally against US newly sworn-in President Donald Trump in Rome Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump London A protester holds a placard during the Women's March in London, England Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Marseille A placard ready 'Pussy grabs back' is attached to the handle bar of a bike during a 'Women's March' organized by Feminist and human rights groups in solidarity with women marching in Washington and around the world for their rights and against the reactionary politics of the newly sworn-in US President Donald Trump, at the Old Port (Vieux Port) of Marseille, southern France Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Bangkok A young Thai girl holds a "women's rights are human rights" sign at Roadhouse BBQ restaurant where many of the Bangkok Womens March participants gathered in Bangkok, Thailand Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Bangkok A Thai woman takes a photo of a "hate is not great" sign at the women's solidarity gathering in Bangkok, Thailand Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Bangkok American expats and travellers gather with the international community in Bangkok at the Roadhouse BBQ restaurant to stand in solidarity in Bangkok, Thailand Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump London Protetesters gather outside The US Embassy in Grosvenor Square ahead of the Women's March in London, England Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Marseille Women's March at the Old Port (Vieux Port) of Marseille, southern France Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Marseille Protestors hold placards reading 'My body my choice, my vote my voice' during a 'Women's March' organized by Feminist and human rights groups in solidarity with women marching in Washington and around the world for their rights and against the reactionary politics of the newly sworn-in US President Donald Trump, at the Old Port (Vieux Port) of Marseille, southern France Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Rome A person holds a sign during a rally against US newly sworn-in President Donald Trump in Rome Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Kolkata Activist Sarah Annay Williamson holds a placard and shouts slogan during the Women's March rally in Kolkata, India AP In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Kolkata Activists participate in the Women's March rally in Kolkata, India AP In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump London A Women's March placards are rested on a bench outside the US Embassy in Grosvenor Square ahead of the Women's March in London, England Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump London A women carries her placard ahead of the Women's March in London, England Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Manila Women protesters shout slogans while displaying placards during a rally in solidarity against the inauguration of President Donald Trump, in suburban Quezon city, northeast of Manila, Philippines AP In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Berlin Protesters attend a 'Berlin Women's March on Washington' demonstration in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany AP In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Berlin Protesters attend a 'Berlin Women's March on Washington' demonstration in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany AP In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Berlin Protesters attend a 'Berlin Women's March on Washington' demonstration in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany AP In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Melbourne Protesters take part in the Melbourne rally to protest against the Trump Inauguration in Melbourne, Australia Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Macau Protesters take part in the Women's March rally in Macau Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Melbourne Womens march on Melbourne protestors marching during a rally where rights groups marched in solidarity with Americans to speak out against misogyny, bigotry and hatred Rex In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Macau Protesters hold placards as they take part at the Women's March rally in Macau Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Macau Protesters hold placards as they take part at the Women's March rally in Macau, Macau. The Women's March originated in Washington DC but soon spread to be a global march calling on all concerned citizens to stand up for equality, diversity and inclusion and for women's rights to be recognised around the world as human rights Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Manila A mother carries her son as they join a rally in solidarity against the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States in suburban Quezon city northeast of Manila, Philippines AP In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Sydney An infant is held up at a demonstration against new U.S. President Donald Trump in Sydney, Australia Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Sydney A woman attends a demonstration against new U.S. President Donald Trump in Sydney, Australia Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Sydney A woman expresses her Anti-Trump views in Sydney, Australia Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Sydeney Protesters demonstrate against new U.S. President Donald Trump in Sydney, Australia. The marches in Australia were organised to show solidarity with those marching on Washington DC and around the world in defense of women's rights and human rights Getty In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump London Protesters march from The US Embassy in Grosvenor Square towards Trafalgar Square during the Women's March in London, England Getty In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump London Protesters carrying banners take part in the Women's March on London, as they stand in Trafalgar Square, in central London Reuters

Norway has pledged $10m (8.05m) to the initiative, which aims to plug a $600m ($483m) funding gap over four years, Reuters reported. Belgium, Luxembourg, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Canada and Cape Verde also back the scheme.

"At a time when this agenda has come under pressure, a joint effort is particularly important," Prime Minister Erna Solberg said.

Mr Trump's administration has taken a pro-life stance.

In January Vice President Mike Pence attended the anti-abortion March For Life, for which Mr Trump also tweeted his " support".

Mr Pence told marchers: "This administration will work with Congress to end taxpayer funding of abortion and abortion providers." He added: "Life is winning again in America."

And The Handmaid's Tale author Margaret Atwood said she believed the rise of the right wing had boosted sales of her classic dystopian novel.

The 1985 book describes an America ruled by a totalitarian theocracy that employs a secret police force to maintain its grip. Abortion is banned and women are categorised into legitimate and illegitimate groups.

"Handmaids"  re-educated women who have broken a law  are forced to bear the children of "Commanders of the Faithful" the highest-ranking men. "Unwomen", who may be sterile, feminists, or politically incompatible with the regime, are made to work in agricultural colonies.

Her claim followed a series of moves by conservative politicians to restrict access to abortions, and the leak of a draft executive order that would have enshrined conservative Christian beliefs on the subject, as well as on marriage and gender, in policy. It reportedly went unsigned by Mr Trump only after the intervention of his daughter, Ivanka, and her husband Jared Kushner.
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The Russian government has dismissed an absurd peace plan for Ukraine put forward by two of Donald Trumps associates as a new ceasefire holds in the country.

Vladimir Putins spokesperson said he had not heard of the proposal, backed by a Ukrainian opposition politician, until he saw media reports.

The plan would entail Russian forces withdrawing from eastern Ukraine and Ukrainian voters deciding in a referendum whether Crimea would be leased to Russia for a term of 50 or 100 years.

But the Kremlin has repeated that it will not return the Black Sea peninsula, which it annexed in 2014, to Ukraine and insisted its status is not up for discussion.

Dmitry Peskov, the Russian Presidents spokesman, called the suggestion absurd and said: There's nothing to talk about. How can Russia rent its own region from itself?

The proposals were drawn up by opposition Ukrainian politician Andrii Artemenko and sent to Mr Trumps personal lawyer Michael D Cohen and Felix Sater, a Russian-born real estate developer who formerly advised the US Presidents corporation.

Mr Artemenkos pro-Russian opposition movement is being aided by Mr Trumps former campaign manager Paul Manafort, the New York Times reported.

His proposals, which would lead to the lifting of sanctions, were delivered to Michael Flynns office in the White House before he was forced to resign from his post as national security advisor, Mr Cohen said.

 Donald Trump is questioned over whether he ordered General Flynn to discuss sanctions with Russia

The proposals were revealed as a new ceasefire came into effect in Ukraine, where almost 10,000 people have been killed in the ongoing war between government forces and separatist rebels.

The conflict started in 2014 following Kievs Maidan protests, which ousted Russia-friendly President Viktor Yanukovych, but sparked counter-demonstrations that escalated in eastern Ukraine.

A peace plan drawn up in 2015 in Minsk, Belarus, has been repeatedly violated by both sides, with escalating fighting prompting a new ceasefire attempt that came into effect on Monday.

Russia has denied allegations by the West and Nato of sending troops and weapons over the border, including the missile launcher that downed a Malaysia Airlines passenger plane, but an executive order by Mr Putin has made its political support for the rebels clear.

He declared that all birth certificates and other documents issued by militant authorities in the self-declared Peoples Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk would be formally recognised by the Russian government, while offering all Ukrainian residents of the territories visa-free travel.

Ukraines ministry of foreign affairs condemned the move, saying it constituted recognition of the Russia-controlled illegal authorities on the occupied Ukrainian territories of Donbas.

The Russian side has yet again violated Ukraine's state sovereignty and territorial integrity, Russia's international commitments, as well as the core idea and principles of the Minsk agreements, a spokesperson added.

Russian military activity in Crimea Show all 11 1 /11 Russian military activity in Crimea Russian military activity in Crimea Ukraine-russian13-ap_1.jpg AP Russian military activity in Crimea Ukraine-russian9-ap.jpg AP Russian military activity in Crimea Ukraine-russian12-ap.jpg AP Russian military activity in Crimea Ukraine-russian11-rtp.jpg Reuters Russian military activity in Crimea Ukraine-russian10-afpgt.jpg AFP/Getty Images Russian military activity in Crimea Ukraine-russian7-rt.jpg Reuters Russian military activity in Crimea Ukraine-russian6-afpgt.jpg AFP/Getty Images Russian military activity in Crimea Ukraine-russian8-rt_1.jpg Reuters Russian military activity in Crimea Ukraine-russian-navy1-rt.jpg Reuters Russian military activity in Crimea Ukraine-russian4-ap_1.jpg AP Russian military activity in Crimea Ukraine-russian3-ap.jpg AP

A German government spokesman said the move was a stark contradiction to all that was agreed in Minsk and totally unacceptable and France also voiced its opposition.

But the Russian government claimed the executive order was taken for humanitarian reasons, to facilitate the movement of refugees from separatist-controlled Ukraine into Russia, and complied with international law.

Mr Putins order was released hours after the American Vice President told an international conference the US would hold Russia accountable for its actions.

Mr Trump made a series of warm statements towards the Russian President during his campaign and has dismissed allegations of Kremlin interference in the election, but has adopted a more combative tone in recent days following international pressure over Ukraine.

The Washington-based Institute for the Study of War issued a report warning that recent Russia manoeuvring in Ukraine posed a growing risk to American interests.

Russia may have assessed that it does not require a full-fledged separatist insurgency in eastern Ukraine anymore, as it sees a political opportunity to force Kiev into accepting and legitimising the occupied territories of Donbas on Russia's terms, researchers said.

Putin continues setting conditions to advance his political objective of creating a pliable, pro-Russian, anti-Western Ukraine, and to shape how the West should respond to Russian aggression in Eastern Europe.
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Unrest broke out in a Stockholm suburb on Monday night after a suspect was arrested on drug charges.

Police clashed with stone-throwing rioters who torched cars and looted shops in Rinkeby, an area with a predominantly immigrant population.

No one was seriously injured during the incident, which local police said was uncommon but not unheard of.

But it was nonetheless held up by supporters of Donald Trump as further evidence of a supposed increase in crime in the Scandinavian country.

Police spokesman Lars Bystrom said one officer was slightly injured when a rock hit his arm and one person was arrested for throwing rocks. Some civilians who tried to stop the looters were also assaulted, he added.

Another officer fired his gun  a rare event in Sweden  not as a warning shot but because he was in a situation that demanded he used his firearm, said Mr Bystrom, adding no one was hit.

The US President had to clarify his vague comments made at a rally on Saturday expressing fear and concern about whats happening last night in Sweden after they were met with confusion and ridicule by Swedes who confirmed no terror attack of any description had taken place.

My statement as to whats happening in Sweden was in reference to a story that was broadcast on Fox News concerning immigrants and Sweden, tweeted Mr Trump the following day.

Supporters of Mr Trump tweeted "Stockholm in flames" in reaction to news of the disturbances. "Trump was right again!" wrote one user.

 Trump admits 'Sweden attack' comment based on debunked Fox report

It's true that Sweden, which prides itself on welcoming newcomers, is seeing a new kind of urban unrest.

The combination of the country's open-door policy and comparatively heterogeneous culture has led to frictions, especially in areas where many long-time immigrants feel disempowered.

Yet its problems with crime, poverty and violence are no greater  and potentially much less  than in the United States and other countries with home-grown gangs as well as waves of new arrivals  and Trump's focus on Swedish issues has left many people there puzzled.

Police were investigating three cases of violent rioting, assaulting a police officer, two assaults, vandalism and aggravated thefts after Mondays unrest, said Mr Bystrom.

This kind of situation doesn't happen that often but it is always regrettable when it happens, he said.

Sweden, whose population stands at around 9.5 million, has taken in 200,000 refugees and migrants in recent years, according to the BBC.

The country has generally low crime rates and there have been now terror attacks in Sweden since it began its open-door policy on migration in 2013.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

People in neighbouring countries have been quick to poke fun at Mr Trumps comments about Sweden, which he said is having problems like they never thought possible due to the relatively high number of migrants living there.

Nearly 3,000 people have expressed interest in attending a pray for Sweden vigil in Copenhagen to pay tribute to the victims of the attack which appeared to be made up by the US President.

After the terrible attack on Sweden, to which attention was correctly drawn by President Trump, the Nordic countries now stand together, the events organiser wrote on Facebook, according to The Local.

We invite all citizens to walk past the Swedish Embassy on Friday 17.00, in honour of our Swedish brothers and sisters.

Attendees have been encouraged to bring fake flowers.

Associated Press contributed to this report
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The US is preparing to deploy 1,000 troops and vehicles to northeastern Poland by the end of March to reassure Nato's Eastern European allies in the face of rising tension with Russia.

The unit, which will be part of 4,000 US troops deployed in rotation along Nato's eastern flank, will be located at Orzysz, Deutsche Welle reports.

The town sits 85 miles from Russia's Kaliningrad exclave, which is wedged between Poland and Lithuania.

 Poland's leaders hold ceremony to welcome US troops as part of Nato build-up

It comes after Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov described NATO as a "Cold War institution" whose expansion had led to unprecedented tensions in Europe over the past thirty years.

Worried since Russia's 2014 seizure of Ukraine's Crimea that Moscow could invade Poland or the Baltic states, Nato is bolstering its eastern flank with troops, war games and warehoused US equipment ready for a rapid response force of up to 40,000 personnel.

A map showing Nato's military buildup in Eastern Europe (Statista)

The first German troops have arrived in Lithuania, where Berlin is leading a battalion of some 1,000 troops.

From around April, Britain will head the deterrent force in Estonia, while Canada is deploying in Latvia and US troops are arriving in Poland and across the Baltics.

Kremlin officials claim the build-up is the largest since the Second World War and say it threatens the stability of central Europe.

Russia has some 330,000 troops amassed in its Western military district around Moscow, Nato believes.
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Syrian jihadists with links to Isis have captured a large town and several villages on the Syrian border with Israel in a surprise attack on moderate rebel forces.

Khalid Ibn Al Walid Army militants launched an unexpected dawn offensive on a Free Syrian Army (FSA) faction in southwest Syria on Monday, driving the Western-backed rebels from positions in the Golan Heights, where Syria meets its Jordanian and Israeli borders.

While they have since been driven out of the villages of Jileen and Heet, the largely successful attack - which involved dozens of tanks and armoured vehicles - was aided by sleeper cells in the surrounding area, locals said.

 Donald Trump open to working with Moscow to fight Isis in Syria

The jihadi militants are now in control of a strip of land southeast of the Golan comprised of the settlements of Tseel, Sahem al Golan, Adwan and Tel Jamoua. In Tseel - a large town - dozens of civilians were reportedly executed as the Sunni hardliners solidified control.

The Khalid Ibn Al Walid Army is an extremist faction formed last year after the merger of two other militant groups. They are believed to have pledged allegiance to Isis, which holds land in the north of Syria and neighbouring Iraq.

In a surprise attack Isis made an attack on positions held by the Free Syrian Army FSA groups which no one expected to happen so fast, Colonel Ismail Ayoub, a Syrian opposition army defector, told Reuters.

In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Show all 30 1 /30 In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria A Syrian family arrives at a checkpoint, manned by pro-government forces, at the al-Hawoz street roundabout, after leaving Aleppo's eastern neighbourhoods Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria A Syrian woman, fleeing violence in the restive Bustan al-Qasr neighbourhood, reacts as she stands with her children in Aleppo's Fardos neighbourhood, after regime troops retook the area from rebel fighters Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian pro-regime fighters, gesture as they drive past resident fleeing violence in the restive Bustan al-Qasr neighbourhood, in Aleppo's Fardos neighbourhood Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian rebels withdrew from six more neighbourhoods in their one-time bastion of east Aleppo in the face of advancing government troops, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian rebels withdrew from six more neighbourhoods in their one-time bastion of east Aleppo in the face of advancing government troops, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian residents, fleeing violence in the restive Bustan al-Qasr neighbourhood, arrive in Aleppo's Fardos neighbourhood , after regime troops retook the area from rebel fighters Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian pro-regime fighters, gesture as they drive past residents fleeing violence in the restive Bustan al-Qasr neighbourhood, in Aleppo's Fardos neighbourhood Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian residents, fleeing violence in the restive Bustan al-Qasr neighbourhood, arrive in Aleppo's Fardos neighbourhood, after regime troops retook the area from rebel fighters Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian residents, fleeing violence in the restive Bustan al-Qasr neighbourhood, arrive in Aleppo's Fardos neighbourhood Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria A Syrian pro-regime fighter speaks with a child, as residents flee violence in the restive Bustan al-Qasr neighbourhood. Syrian rebels withdrew from six more neighbourhoods in their one-time bastion of east Aleppo in the face of advancing government troops AFP/Getty Images In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Smoke rises as seen from a governement-held area of Aleppo, Syria Reuters In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian soldiers targeting rebels-held areas in the eastern neighborhoods in Aleppo, Syria. According to media reports, the army is now holding on 99 percent of Aleppois eastern neighborhoods EPA In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian pro-government forces patrol Aleppo's eastern al-Salihin neighbourhood after troops retook the area from rebel fighters Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian soldiers rest following the battle at al-Sheik Saeed neighborhood in Aleppo, Syria EPA In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria A Syrian pro-government fighter walking past closed shops in the Bab al-Nasr district of Aleppo's Old City. Once renowned for its bustling souks, grand citadel and historic gates, Aleppo's Old City has been rendered virtually unrecognisable by some of the worst violence of Syria's war Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria The crucial battle for Aleppo entered its 'final phase' after Syrian rebels retreated into a small pocket of their former bastion in the face of new army advances. The retreat leaves opposition fighters confined to just a handful of neighbourhoods in southeast Aleppo, the largest of them Sukkari and Mashhad Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian civilans arrive at a checkpoint, manned by pro-government forces, at the al-Hawoz street roundabout, after leaving Aleppo's eastern neighbourhoods. Syria's government has retaken at least 85 percent of east Aleppo, which fell to rebels in 2012, since beginning its operation Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian civilians flee the Sukkari neighbourhood towards safer rebel-held areas in southeastern Aleppo Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrians celebrate in the government-held Mogambo neighbourhood of the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, after rebel fighters retreated into a small pocket of their former bastion in the face of new army advances Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrians celebrate in the government-held Mogambo neighbourhood of the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, after rebel fighters retreated into a small pocket of their former bastion in the face of new army advances. The fall of Aleppo would be the worst rebel defeat since Syria's conflict began in 2011, and leave the government in control of the country's five major cities Getty In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria A Syrian refugee camp in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, close to the Syrian border PA wire In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian refugee Aliya inside the tent where she lives with her husband and ten children in a camp in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, close to the Syrian border PA wire In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Syrian refugee women and children outside the entrance to their tents in the refugee camp in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, close to the Syrian border PA Wire In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria A Syrian refugee camp in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, close to the Syrian border PA wire In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria A Syrian refugee camp in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, close to the Syrian border PA Wire In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria A Syrian refugee woman outside the entrance to the tent where her family live, in the refugee camp in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, close to the Syrian border PA wire In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria A vehicle drives past a mosque at night in Idlib, Syria. Picture taken with a long exposure Reuters In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Damaged buildings stand in the rebel-controlled town of Binnish in Idlib province, Syria Reuters In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria The night sky is seen through damaged windows in the rebel-controlled town of Binnish in Idlib province, Syria Reuters In Pictures: The crisis unfolding in Syria Damaged buildings stand in the rebel-controlled area of Maaret al-Numan in Idlib province, Syria Reuters

FSA rebel groups in the area are expecting arms reinforcements in the next few weeks, but will face a difficult struggle to remove Khalid Ibn Al Walid fighters from the region.

There have also been intense clashes between rebels and President Bashar al-Assads army in nearby Deraa over the last two weeks. It is believed the Isis-affiliated militants took advantage of the FSAs distraction by the renewed fighting to launch this weeks new attack.

Southwest Syria has seen heavy fighting during the countrys complex civil war, now in its seventh year. Islamist groups were in control of most of the area up until early 2016.

Jordanian army units stationed along the Syrian border are also now on high alert. Several residents in the area said mortar fire could clearly be heard across the border.

Israel has managed largely to stay out of the complicated conflict next door, although the border region is restive and authorities have retaliated to occasional stray rockets with reprisals.
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An Israel Defence Force (IDF) medic who shot a Palestinian assailant in the head when he was immobilised on the ground last year has been sentenced to a year and a half in prison after being found guilty of manslaughter by a Tel Aviv military court last month.

The landmark ruling against the now 20-year-old Sergeant Elor Azaria marked the first time a member of the IDF had been convicted of the charge in 12 years.

The prosecution had sought a sentence of between three and five years, although manslaughter can carry a sentence of up to 20 years under Israeli law.

Azaria, who on Tuesday was given 18 months of jail time and 12 months on probation for the killing of Abdel Fattah al-Sharif, had asked beforehand for the judges to "show mercy" to him and his family. The medic was also demoted to the rank of private.

Israeli soldier Elor Azaria is embraced by his mother at the start of his sentencing hearing in Tel Aviv (Reuters) (REUTERS)

"If [a Palestinian] kills an animal ... he would have gotten more time," Mr Sharif's father Yusri told reporters from the West Bank.

21-year-old al-Sharif was shot and wounded after he and an accomplice stabbed and wounded an Israeli soldier in Hebron in March last year. As the attacker lay on the ground, Azaria, who arrived on the scene 11 minutes later, delivered a fatal wound by shooting him in the head. The killing was captured on video and widely shared by Israeli human rights group B'Tselem.

In a damning January verdict, Justice Maya Heller said that Azaria had been aware that his actions in shooting the wounded Palestinian assailant would result in loss of life, and that the terrorist did not pose a threat.

The IDF recruit did not act in accordance with army protocol, the three-judge panel found, and the claim that he felt threatened because Mr Sharif may have been carrying explosives or still been able to reach for his knife was not justified.

The case  and the military court's verdict  has split Israeli society, where there is widespread sympathy for the IDF, since military service is compulsory.

An August survey by the Israel Democracy Institute found that 65 per cent of the Jewish Israeli public supported Azaria's claim of self-defence.

There have been several fundraisers and protests in support of the soldier, as well as high profile calls for the young recruit to be given a pardon by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Around 100 supporters continuing to protest the guilty ruling and sentencing gathered outside the court on Tuesday, holding banners reading "death to terrorists."

Prominent right-wing Jewish Home politician Naftali Bennett immediately called for a pardon. "[Azaria] cannot go to jail or we will all pay the price," he tweeted.

Mr Sharif's family has previously called for the soldier to receive a life sentence. His defence team has already said they will appeal the conviction.

The soldier's trial come amid a recent spate of Israeli-Palestinian violence which has been dubbed the Jerusalem intifada.

In the past 18 months, 36 Israelis have been killed in mostly stabbing and shooting incidents carried out by Palestinian assailants. At least 244 Palestinians  including unarmed bystanders and demonstrators  have been killed by IDF forces in the same period, Palestinian rights groups claim.

Sending Elor Azaria to prison for his crime sends an important message about reigning in excessive use of force," Sari Bashi, Human Rights Watch's Israeli and Palestinian advocacy director said.

But senior Israeli officials should also repudiate the shoot-to-kill rhetoric that too many of them have promoted, even when there is no imminent threat of death. Pardoning Azaria or reducing his punishment would only encourage impunity for unlawfully taking the life of another person.
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Women under the age of 60 resident in east Libya have been banned from travelling alone by military officials in charge of the area, it has emerged.

The decision made last week by local military ruler Abdel-Razek al-Nadhouri barring younger women from going abroad without a male guardian was made for national security rather than religious reasons, reports said.

Women who frequently travelled abroad for work claiming to represent civil society groups were being used as foreign intelligence services, Mr Nadhouri claimed in a televised interview on Thursday.

 Libya: PM Sarraj open to talks with General Haftar

The decision - which a spokesperson for Mr Nadhouri confirmed - will apply to all passengers travelling over land, air and sea - has been met with widespread mockery.

It is ridiculous that in 2017 we discuss if it is OK for women under 60 years to travel without a guardian male who might be 20, activist Imam Bugaighis tweeted.

A version of Enrique Iglesias song Hero, with the lyrics changed to I can be your mahram [guardian] baby, is being widely circulated on social media.

In pictures: Isis' Libyan stronghold of Sirte Show all 10 1 /10 In pictures: Isis' Libyan stronghold of Sirte In pictures: Isis' Libyan stronghold of Sirte Isis in Sirte Isis fighters parade through in Sirte in 2015 In pictures: Isis' Libyan stronghold of Sirte Isis in Sirte Islamic State (IS) group jihadists on the outskirts of Libya's western city of Sirte AFP/Getty In pictures: Isis' Libyan stronghold of Sirte Isis in Sirte A photo of a billboard in Sirte, Libya, listing seven rules for women's clothing, saying they must be loose-fitting and undecorated HRW/social media In pictures: Isis' Libyan stronghold of Sirte Isis in Sirte Isis militants process down a street in the coastal city of Sirte in Libya this week; the group has heralded Libya as its strategic gateway to attack Europe AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Isis' Libyan stronghold of Sirte Isis in Sirte An Isis lecture on Sharia at the Ouagadougou complex in Sirte, Libya, in 2016. HRW/social media In pictures: Isis' Libyan stronghold of Sirte Isis in Sirte A sign reading "The city of Sirte, under the shadow of Sharia" as smoke rises in the background while forces aligned with Libya's new unity government advance on the eastern and southern outskirts of the Islamic State stronghold of Sirte on 9 June. Reuters In pictures: Isis' Libyan stronghold of Sirte Isis in Sirte Fighters loyal to Libya's GNA prepare to launch attacks against Isis as they continue their resistance on the outskirts of the western city of Sirte Getty In pictures: Isis' Libyan stronghold of Sirte Isis in Sirte Forces loyal to Libya's UN-backed unity government are seen during clashes with jihadists of the Islamic State (IS) on the western outskirts of Sirte on June 2, 2016. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Isis' Libyan stronghold of Sirte Isis in Sirte Forces loyal to Libya's UN-backed unity government fire during clashes with Isis around 14 miles west of Sirte on June 2, 2016. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Isis' Libyan stronghold of Sirte Isis in Libya

Libya has been divided between two ruling authorities since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 - the internationally recognised government in the capital, Tripoli, and an eastern government based in al-Beyda.

The new measure was not voted on by al-Beydas parliament.

Airport authorities told the Associated Press the rule has not yet gone into effect, but local reports say it has been implemented at Labraq airport in the countrys east.

The restriction is widely seen as highlighting tensions between the two separate governments.

Tripolis politicians have sought to undermine the authority of General Khalifa Haftar's al-Beyda government, which has been fighting Isis and other jihadist militia forces since 2014.
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An Australian pilot and four American tourists on a golfing vacation were killed when a light plane crashed in flames into a shopping centre shortly after takeoff in the Australian city of Melbourne.

The five were on a twin-engine Beechcraft Super King Air that crashed about 45 minutes before the Direct Factory Outlet mall in suburban Essendon was to open, Police Minister Lisa Neville said.

A witness who gave his name as Jason told Australian Broadcasting Corporation that the plane came in "really low and fast" before it exploded into "a massive fireball" on impact.

"I could feel the heat through the window of the taxi, and then a wheel  it looked like a plane wheel  bounced on the road and hit the front of the taxi as we were driving along," he said.

The US Embassy in Canberra confirmed that four victims were American citizens.

Texans Greg Reynolds De Haven and Russell Munsch have been identified by their families on social media as two of the victims.

Mr De Haven's sister Denelle Wicht posted on Facebook that her 70-year-old brother had been killed "on a once in a lifetime trip to Australia" with friends.

The pilot was Max Quartermain, owner of the charter company Corporate and Leisure Travel.

Police Assistant Commissioner Stephen Leane said no one outside the plane was injured.

"Looking at the fireball, it is incredibly lucky that no one was at the back of those stores or in the car park of the stores, that no one was even hurt," Mr Leane said. The plane was a charter flight to King Island in Bass Strait between the Australian mainland and the southern island state of Tasmania. It is believed to have come down shortly after take-off.

Several images of the crash appeared on social media, where there was incorrect speculation that the aircraft was an air ambulance.

Essendon Airport is a small airfield used mainly by light planes. A spokeswoman for Airservice Australia said flights in and out of Melbournes main airport were not affected.

The accident is the worst plane crash in the state for the last 30 years, authorities said.
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No one has more insider knowledge about flying than flight attendants.

But by talking to these veteran globetrotters, as well as scouring Reddit and various articles, we were able to unearth 12 lesser-known facts about flying.

Whether you want more attentive service or to avoid getting kicked off your flight, read on for the inside scoop:

You can't physically open a door mid-flight  and trying could get you kicked off the plane

Annette Long, a flight attendant with 13 years of experience, tells Business Insider that, though opening a door mid-flight is impossible to do, trying it will still get you into trouble. As we've seen in previous incidents, passengers who try to make a jump for it while the plane is in the air usually wind up restrained mid-flight and in handcuffs once the plane lands. In some cases, pilots will make an emergency landing to get the passenger off the flight.

"I don't make those decisions," Long says. "I convey the information to the cockpit and the chief flight attendant, and they make the decision about whether or not we're going to land and get someone off the plane.

"Most of the pilots say to us, 'If you've got a problem with them, I've got a problem with them,' and they will back us up 100%," Long says.

Airplanes aren't nearly as clean as they look

As Business Insider previously reported, microbiologists have found tray tables to be the least hygienic surface on an airplane.

As one flight attendant writes on Reddit, people change their babies' diapers on their tray tables all the time. And then, not every tray table gets wiped thoroughly between each flight.

What's more, "remember, they're using a rag to start row one, and when they end up in row 35, that rag has wiped a lot of tables," Long says.

The flight attendant writing on Reddit also says that many unsanitary incidents occur on the plane that passengers rarely see or consider, like accidents in the lavatory or a passenger's seat. "Just so you know, when you go to the bathroom and you're barefoot or you're in your socks, that's not water on the floor," Long says.

"It's just not the cleanest environment," she says.

(Getty Images/iStockphoto)

You can bring your e-cigs, but the plane won't take off with a Samsung Galaxy Note 7 on board

A few exploding items have been banned from airplanes in recent years, though some not in their entirety.

Last March, a Delta Air Lines flight was delayed at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport after an e-cigarette belonging to a passenger ignited on board the flight.

But while the lithium ion batteries in e-cigarettes have shown a propensity to ignite if they are damaged, battery-powered portable electronic smoking devices are permitted on planes as long as they're not checked or being used.

Your exploding Galaxy Note 7, however, is a different story. These smartphone devices are completely banned by the Department of Transportation from air transportation to, from, or in the US.

Flight attendants aren't paid until the plane takes off

Flight attendants tell Business Insider that they only get paid for flight hours, not for boarding or deplaning. "So, for example, your duty day could actually be 12 hours, but you only get paid for six hours of work," one flight attendant says.

This means the job isn't always the most lucrative.

"When I started flying for the second time, 10 years ago, I qualified for food stamps," Madeleine Doyle, a 20-year veteran flight attendant who has served two 10-year stints travelling both international and domestic routes, tells Thrillist.

"Starting pay is abysmal. The new kids that start out today are broke and live 24 people to an apartment," Doyle says.

What's more, flight attendants' unions won't cover them if they get injured trying to lift your bags into the overhead bin. And since being out of work and out of money if no fun for anybody, you shouldn't expect flight attendants to take that risk for you.

(ffuentes/Flickr (ffuentes/Flickr)

You really should avoid the water

In response to the Quora question "What are the weirdest things flight attendants have seen in their line of duty?" former flight attendant Heather Wilde said among the strangest were people who made soup using the airline water. "Guys, the water lines haven't ever been cleaned  ever," she said.

"Flight attendants will not drink hot water on the plane. They will not drink plain coffee, and they will not drink plain tea," another flight attendant told Business Insider.

The EPA found that one in every eight planes failed the agencys standards for water safety and 15% of of tested aircraft water systems contained potentially harmful bacteria, Business Insider reports.

Flight attendants have a reason to ask you to open the shades

"According to my training, the emergency exit shades have to be up because flight attendants are required to assess the conditions outside before they open the door. If there's fire, deep water, or rocks outside that exit, that would make it unsafe for us to go through there, and the flight attendant would have to make that determination fairly quickly," Long says.

You're not allowed to BYOB

"Some people will go to the local liquor store and bring their mini bottles of booze on the plane," Long says. "We always know who you are; we always find it.

"You can't serve yourself," she explains. "We need to know how much you've had to drink so we're not overserving you, because the higher you fly and the longer you go, the more the alcohol affects your brain."

The superjumbo Airbus A380, the world's largest commercial airliner, taking off from the Toulouse-Blagnac airport for its second test flight, in Toulouse, southern of France (Getty Images)

You might have to sit near a dead person on your flight

Long says that no one ever officially 'dies' on a flight  "we don't pronounce them," she explains  that happens once the plane lands. But this doesn't mean no further action is taken once there is nothing medically left to do.

Long says, though thankfully she's never been in the situation, if a passenger were to die mid-flight, she would likely keep them in their seat. "I would probably put a blanket over the person so it would become less of something to look at. You want to maintain dignity and respect for someone who passed away. You don't want anyone staring at them. That would be really sad," she says.

It turns out there is no one-size-fits-all rule about what to do with a deceased passenger. According to Quartz, the International Air Transport Association, which represents most of the world's airlines, advises flight crew to move a deceased passenger to a seat with few fellow travelers nearby. If this isn't possible, flight crew might place the deceased in the galley or move the passenger to first class. Or, in the rare case there is one on the aircraft, crew could place the deceased in a compartment referred to as the "corpse cupboard." If no seats are available, the deceased would likely be left in their seat.

Some flights attendants can use tasers on passengers

Recently, Korean Air "loosened" its usage policy for tasers located on board its aircraft, CNN reported.

"We have decided to improve our conditions and procedure on using Taser guns to cope with violent acts and disturbances on board in a fast and efficient manner," Korean Air wrote in a statement to Reuters.

As Business Insider's transportation reporter Ben Zhang reports, it's unclear how the airline will implement the new procedure or when it will take effect.

However, according to Reuters, prior to this update, the equipment was only allowed to be used in situations where the lives of the passengers and crew were in danger or if the safety of the flight was under threat.

The policy is designed to give cabin crew more leeway in the decision to use tasers, Zhang reports.

The policy shift comes one week after Korean Air drew criticism for its handling of an unruly passenger on a flight from Hanoi, Vietnam to Seoul.

On December 20, 80's pop star Richard Marx stepped in to help the Korean Air cabin crew subdue a physically aggressive passenger. On Twitter, Marx criticized the crew of being "ill equipped to handle the situation." In an Instagram post, Marx's wife, former MTV VJ Daisy Fuentes, who was also on the flight, accused Korean Air flight attendants of not knowing how to use the on-board tasers and ropes.

Interior of a British Airways World Traveller cabin (British Airways)

You could be out tens of thousands of dollars if you deploy the emergency slide

In 2014, a passenger on a China Eastern Airlines plane who said he wanted to "get off the plane quicker" deployed the emergency slide after the aircraft landed at Sanya Phoenix International Airport. The incident caused the aircraft to be delayed for two hours and reportedly cost about $16,000 in damage.

Last April, a United Airlines flight attendant pulled the same stunt, costing the airline between $6,000 and $12,000 just to repack the undamaged slide into its container.

Service is better at the back of the plane

As Annie Kingston, a flight attendant for four years, writes for Oyster:

"While most passengers tend to choose seats that are at the front of the aircraft so that they can disembark first and have a better chance of securing their preferred meal option, flight attendants know that if you're sitting towards the back, you'll receive the most attentive service.

"The reason is simple: We like to avoid responding to call bells from the front of the plane because answering one means potentially flaunting whatever item the passenger has requested to everyone else along the way. This can cause a problem since planes often don't have enough extra vodka, pillows, earplugs, and toothbrushes, or the time on shorter flights to deviate from the service schedule.

"For passengers sitting near the back of the plane, however, it's much easier to slip in that second mini bottle of wine."

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Fu Ying, chairwoman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People's Congress, refuted the idea that Chinas military budget is too high at this year's Munich Security Conference, on Feb. 18 local time.

John Chipman, director-general and chief executive of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), set the scene for the panel, stating that Asias military development and budget have surpassed those of Europe in 2012, and China has the largest military spending in the region.

Fu replied that when people look at Asia, they tend to look at it from a specific perspective. She illustrated her example by noting that all the defense ministers she had met at the conference talked about how to increase NATO members defense budgets to 2 percent of their GDPs. When it comes to China, however, Chipmans keynote address seemed to criticize China for doing too much. Fu pointed out that China has kept its defense budget at 1.5 percent of its GDP for many years.

Fu also mentioned that questions about Chinas defense budget were often raised in press conference, and Western papers tend to prominently emphasize the potential threat of China. To conclude, Fu said that the increasingly globalized world calls for a more unified standard. She hopes that we can look at each other through the same light because we are not enemies.

I also agree that there should be very good analysis of defense development and good explanations about why we are doing so...But as a Chinese, I share the feeling of many Chinese that we are proud we can finally defend ourselves. This country has suffered so much in the past, and it needs to be able to stand on its own feet. China in peace is an important part of the peace and safety of the world, Fu said.

On the topic of peace in the Asia-Pacific region, Fu invoked the example of the peaceful development in Asia after World War II, making it clear that the key to this issue is choosing a more inclusive path--a choice that has always been championed by Chinese President Xi Jinping.
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Men used to get so crazy in the darkness they would play Russian roulette with loaded rifles, says the barmaid, Anne, as she pours me another pint of strong, auburn pale ale  a heady tipple from Spitsbergen islands own brewery. Before the first commercial flights began coming here in the mid-1970s, the sea ice would freeze the boats in the bay, cutting us off from the rest of the world. No way in. No way out. Just an unrelenting night that would go on for more than 100 days.

Little wonder, then, that the only permanently populated island in Svalbard  a far-flung archipelago that sits between Norway and the North Pole  should produce its own beer. By the end of October each year, the sun has cast its last rays upon these Arctic islands, heralding its fifth season  dark winter. For four months, the sun forgets this isolated frontier. By moonlight, the icy fjords and vast glaciers that surround the capital of Longyearbyen  population 2,144  are illuminated by a bluish, ethereal glow. But during periods of snow and rain, the sky falls remorselessly black.

How does this ceaseless darkness affect the locals? Id only been in Longyearbyen a few hours, but the lack of light had already started playing tricks with my body clock. It was just 4pm and I was on my fourth pint. Im not a teetotaller by any stretch of the imagination, but heavy afternoon drinking, in an empty pub, in the Arctic? Anne sought to reassure me. People here drink so much more in winter. The lack of sunlight makes it feel like the end of the day much earlier.

I also found the alcohol had a much-needed warming effect. Temperatures here in winter hover between -25C and -30C, and the Arctic wind can cause frostbite on exposed skin within seconds. It came as no surprise that the majority of Svalbards 2,600 permanent residents spend so much time inside  just removing a glove to fumble with my phone resulted in agonising pain in my fingertips.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the This is Svalbard study conducted each year by Statistics Norway has consistently found that more alcohol is consumed per person on Svalbard than in any other region of the country. And it turns out a culture of heavy drinking goes all the way back to the archipelagos coal mining industry in the early 1900s. The mines were grim and dangerous places where death and serious injury were common, my guide, Jim, told me as we explored the now decommissioned Coal Mine 3, deep below Svalbards Arctic surface. Heavy drinking became part of the Wild West-like culture that once existed here  especially during dark winter.

Coal mine guide Jim at decommissioned Coal Mine 3 (George Godson) (Simon Parker)

Coal Mine 3 is an eerie vestige of Svalbards once thriving coal industry, which has been in steady decline for more than a decade. Its no longer profitable to run several mines spread across the archipelago, so Coal Mine 3 is surplus to requirements. Left almost exactly as it was on its final working day back in 1995, it now resembles a horror film set: a series of deserted mines and offices, spookily devoid of human beings. Helmets, lamps and overalls hang neatly outside the common room while sledgehammers, pickaxes and gloves remain ordered in the cubbyholes of the mines once all-male staff. It was dark above and below ground for months, Jim told me. This place could turn any man to drink.

To this day, there are no taxes levied upon alcohol in Svalbard, because the Spitsbergen Treaty, signed in 1920, said the archipelago should be free of Norwegian duties. Ive nursed 14.50 pints of beer in Oslo, Bergen and Trondheim in the past, but on Svalbard the alcohol remains staggeringly cheap in comparison. Large cans of beer are priced from just 1.45 and harsh blended whiskies can be snapped up for as little as 5.80 per litre.

But in the same way that thirsty miners were restricted by their employers, todays residents remain limited to a monthly quota of either 24 beers or two litres of hard liquor. These days locals need to present a special alcohol card at point of purchase, while tourists need to hand over their boarding pass.

Oddly, wine remains outside of this quota  meaning youre free to buy as much as you wish. In the liquor store, especially, one can buy decent bottles of Argentine shiraz for just 4.30. Were much busier during the dark months, the shopkeeper told me as I smirked at the cost of the booze around me. People slow down and stay home at this time of year, whereas in the summer its 24-hour sunlight and theres much more to do.

Polar bear warning signs in wintertime Svalbard (George Godson) (Simon Parker)

Anyone can live on Svalbard providing they look after themselves  theres no social welfare system here. And while the hospital is good at dealing with broken limbs and frostbite, theres no maternity unit because there are too few people to justify one; pregnant women travel to the mainland two to three weeks before their due date. Dying is an even bigger problem  the permafrost prevents buried bodies from decomposing. Those who happen to die on Svalbard are sent to the mainland where they can be buried, or else cremated and then scattered on the island. A sense of adventure is certainly a prerequisite for people wishing to settle here.

But migrants are tempted by the 8 per cent income tax, in contrast to upwards of 25 per cent on the mainland. While most residents are Norwegian, theres a population of around 40 Filipinos, a handful of Brits, and a 120-strong cohort of Thais  lured in by the higher wages.

How could you live here during dark winter? I asked a (sober) taxi driver from tropical Phuket, on a short ride between two pubs (it was far too cold to face the walk). I quickly got over the darkness, because the money is so good, she replied. I came here for a few years, then Ill leave.

And while island fever is accentuated during the dark months, I didnt encounter anyone who took their dark-wintertime drinking too far. Everyone has to pay their own way on Svalbard  so people may drink more, but rarely to an extent where they cant get up and go to work. It all seemed like a slightly tipsy utopia, where the Danish concept of hygge had taken on a pleasantly sozzled, Arctic flavour.

Signs prohibiting customers from carrying guns at the bank in Longyearbyen (George Godson) (Simon Parker)

Longyearbyen might be the archipelagos largest settlement, but really its just a handful of snowy avenues glowing under 24-hour, tangerine streetlights. One low-rise high street is home to a handful of pubs, cafes and souvenir shops.

Architecturally, it reminded me of northern Norway; wooden cabins with steep triangular rooftops designed for dealing with heavy snowfall. On brisk, sobering jaunts between bars, I could see vitamin D happy lamps glowing from within cosy living rooms, as the hum from snowmobiles echoed through the ice-covered Longyear Valley. (There are said to be 4,000 snowmobiles on Svalbard, as none of the settlements here are connected by road.)

Houses in Longyearbyen, the capital of Svalbard (Shutterstock)

Occasionally, if I looked away from the towns manmade glow, a few wisps of greenish aurora spiralled up from behind the neighbouring Adventfjorden bay like a silent, cosmic volcano. For the locals, the Northern Lights come and go mostly unnoticed, but for tourists they are a big deal. Congregations of gloved photographers can be found on the fringes of town, fiddling endlessly with exposure durations and F-stops. Most visitors to Svalbard come between March and September, however, for 24-hour sunlight and polar bear sightings; despite its remoteness, the archipelago received 130,000 leisure tourists in 2015.

One popular tourist activity is, inevitably, dog sledding. I met Peder, a former Norwegian soldier, as he tended to his 200 yapping huskies, used for excursions. His eyelashes heavy with pearls of ice, a rifle slung across his back in case of an encounter with a hungry polar bear, and his tough hands exposed to the -27C cold, he cut a hardy figure. If I dont keep a strict routine of going to the gym, getting up for work and eating at normal times the darkness can make me sleep for 15 hours, he told me. On an average drive to the supermarket I often end up rescuing a car from a snowdrift.

Former soldier Peder now runs dogsledding tours (George Godson) (Simon Parker)

The idea of migrating to Svalbard appealed to my lust for isolated places  but theres no way I could handle the darkness for longer than a week. I quickly found myself daydreaming of sunny days and bright, natural colours. I said this to Peder, but he was having none of it.

Dark winter is an adventure. Everything becomes more exciting and people party more, he told me.

And what do you do tonight? I asked. Tonight? he replied. Tonight we go to the pub, of course!

Travel Essentials

Getting there

SAS (flysas.com) operates flights from Heathrow to Longyearbyen, via Oslo, from about 550 return.

Staying there

Double rooms at Coal Miners Cabins (visitsvalbard.com) from 115 per night, based on two sharing. Includes breakfast.

More information

visitnorway.com; spitsbergentravel.com
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After retiring at age 34, Brandon travelled around the world for three months, visiting 14 countries on four different continents  and he paid only $947.91 for his flights.

What's his secret to travelling so cheaply?

Frequent flyer miles, scored through free credit card signup bonuses.

Brandon, who goes by his first name only on his blog, Mad Fientist, for privacy reasons, travelled to Central and South America with United, stopping at Mexico City, Mexico, Bogota, Colombia, Cusco, Peru, Quito, Ecuador, and Panama City, Panama, using only 20,000 United miles for each flight between cities (usually 24 hour layovers).

He also utilised the Asia to Middle East redemption with American Airlines, which allowed him to travel from Japan to Amman, Jordan for 30,000 miles (about $77). Among the layover cities he visited were Taipei, Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, Bangkok, Thailand, Muscat, Oman, and Abu Dhabi.

He acknowledges that his own travel hacking plan took hours of research and a lot of knowledge, but writes on his site that level of dedication isn't required to find a travel deal. "If you're just starting out though, you don't have to go crazy like me," he writes. "It's possible to drastically reduce your travel costs with very little work."

Here's the "ridiculously simple" advice he gives to beginners. One thing to keep in mind: If you're in credit card debt, or otherwise unaccustomed to paying off your entire credit card balances every month, this is not the strategy for you. Simply having a lot of credit cards won't hurt your finances, but using them to spend money you don't have will.

Brandon's advice comes down to using two tools:

First: AwardHacker

First, figure out where you want to go, and then plug that into AwardHacker, a search engine which allows you to find the most valuable frequent flyer programs. Let's say you want to travel from New York to Rome. Enter your destination and search for any frequent flyer program, and the results will show you the number of miles you need to fly with a particular airline. If you enter in dates, you can calculate the price per mile.

Second: CardRatings

Brandon, whose day job was in software development, created his own search tool in 2011 geared toward travel hackers to search for the best credit card sign-up offers.

For example, he writes on his site, American Express and Citibank offer flexible points which can be transferred to multiple airline and hotel programs. His 'Card Ratings' search tool allows you to find the best combination of location, miles and cost, allowing you to choose flexible points or cash miles, finding you what he calls a "sweet spot," which optimises credit card signup bonuses.

For instance, if you want to fly Delta and stay at a Hilton you can select those options, search, and find the credit card with the best signup bonus, which in this case turns out to be the Business Platinum Card from American Express. The results include how much you would have to spend on the card to get the signup bonus and any annual fees.

On Mad Fientist, Brandon includes a few more pieces of advice for beginning travellers:

If you don't have a specific destination in mind, accumulate flexible spending points to use when you want without risk of point devaluation.

Sometimes it is cheaper and more advantageous to pay for flights in cash. Brandon recommends using Google Flights to search because it is fast and allows you to search for multiple airports at once.

Travel with carry-on luggage only, to keep things easy and simple.

Use Uber or Lyft instead of taxis to take advantage of free rides and promotions.

Book your accommodations with Airbnb for a homier stay and cheaper rates than hotels.

Brandon is used to putting some serious thought into his money  in fact, he previously shared the spreadsheet he used to document and calculate the savings he'd need to achieve financial independence with Business Insider. While at one point he was saving 70% of his income (which he keeps separate from his wife, who still chooses to work as an optometrist), he cautions others not to get absorbed in saving money to the point where you aren't enjoying your days.

Brandon writes that after returning home, he'll probably stay put for a while. "At the end of it all though, I realised how much travel helps you appreciate home."

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My first reaction to Donald Trumps throw away remarks about the media covering up an incident involving migrants in Sweden was shock. How did he know? Who had told him about those years in the 90s that I thought had all but left peoples memories?

My family moved to Sweden back in 1986, fleeing from Irans war with Iraq. Despite coming from a middle class family with highly educated parents, for years we struggled with the language and the bureaucracy involved in starting a new life. This all took a personal toll, my father found it difficult to settle into his new home, and moved back to Iran, causing my family to be torn into two. Life was hard, and despite the Swedish government taking the time and money to help us integrate, we struggled to get by.

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Finally, after six years of living in low income housing projects on the outskirts of Stockholm, we moved to a bigger apartment, where I had my own room. Later on we bought our first house and car. Thats when it happened: the Swedish incident.

I had my first ever Christmas holiday in the country. My uncle and I went out into the woods and chopped down a tree to decorate our new house with over the festive season. After years of struggle, I felt a little bit Swedish. Yes, they can be a bit strange, (Ive never seen grown adults drink so much milk), but they are good people, and I finally started to feel at home.

Im proud of the life we have built here. Thirty years since we arrived my mother trained to become a hairstylist and opened her own salon age 50; my sister is accountant; and I work on Stockholms public transportation system. Like our fellow 90,000 Iranians we made Sweden our new home. Alongside the 1.5 million immigrants and refugees who live here we will always be a part of it.

The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters

I feel so welcome here, that even after trying to move to America to study I came back. I moved to California as a student, paying for my studies with a loan and working on the side at a school cafeteria and as a driver. I befriended many Americans, but I always felt closer to my fellow immigrants and decided to move back after eight years.

I don't feel like I have to explain myself and my sacrifices as an immigrant to someone like Trump, but he shouldnt be able to say whatever he wants unchecked. I am a human, walking talking fact check and Im here to tell him, that Sweden has the right attitude toward immigrants and refugees. He could learn about taking a few lessons from this country.
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As he arrived in Brussels for a meeting with European defence chiefs, General James Mattis had warm words for Nato, describing it as the fundamental bedrock of the USs relationship with Europe. After months of Nato-bashing by Donald Trump, it will reassure Americas allies to know that the Presidents defence secretary takes a rather more positive view.

Nevertheless, it is unlikely that General Mattis will take a more conciliatory position than his boss when it comes to the question of Natos funding. After all, Americas concern that other members of the alliance do not pay their fair share of Natos costs is not an invention of the new regime. The Obama administration made it clear on several occasions that it was uneasy at the defence cuts being made by its European partners; and anxiety at the prospect of further retrenchment in the UK was particularly troubling. As things stand, Nato says that only the US, the UK, Poland, Estonia and Greece are meeting the target of spending at least 2 per cent of GDP on defence.

Even this is the subject of dispute. A report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies concluded on Tuesday that Britains defence spending had dipped just below the 2 per cent figure. Unsurprisingly the Ministry of Defence said the calculation was flawed. Either way though, the US wants its allies to stump up more. The Prime Minister appeared to win a commitment to Natos future from President Trump when she visited Washington but America wants firm financial assurances in return.

In truth, the Americans are right to press for greater input from their partners. Austerity may still be stunting growth across Europe and the last thing the world needs is a new arms race; but now is not the moment to let Nato wither. General Mattis described it yesterday as the most successful military alliance in history and it is important for European and global security that it remains so.

Earlier this week the New York Times reported claims by unnamed intelligence source that Russia has deployed a new cruise missile in breach of the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. The reports were conveniently timed for the Nato summit, and were immediately met with a firm denial from the Kremlin. Yet at their heart is the indisputable truth that Russian intentions towards the West are more uncertain today than at any time since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Nato is the only effective bulwark against the potential strategic threats posed by Moscow.

Baseline budgets, though, are not the be all and end all. Splashing extra cash on hardware or additional troops is a way to increasing available resource but the most important issue for Nato to determine is what its core objectives are. The organisations difficulties in Afghanistan showed it has limitations as an expeditionary force. By contrast, when the Cold War was at its height Natos focus was based around notions of deterrence and collective defence. With Russia now more military active than for many years, Natos future role may lie in an echo of the past.
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As the 30-day deadline looms for US Defense Secretary James Mattis to design a strategy to defeat Isis, speculations have begun to emerge about the likely components of this strategy. Mattiss trip to Iraq has come to underline the importance of military cooperation between the American and Iraqi governments in the fight against extremist groups. This cooperation is already taking place as American military advisors are reportedly assisting Iraqi forces in the battle to retake Mosul from Isis.

Mattiss strategy is anticipated to increase the scope of this cooperation, though it is not yet clear if this means sending more US troops to Iraq. But while increasing US support for the Iraqi government in its fight against Isis is important and necessary, it is not sufficient. For Mattiss strategy to offer something more effective than what the United States had done during the Obama administration, it needs to go beyond military matters, and be based on long-term thinking.

While the liberation of Iraqi territories from Isis appears to be successful militarily, it has masked some long-term problems in Iraq that need to be addressed in order to prevent Isis or groups like it from re-emerging in the future because of enduring grievances. Some of these problems include the matter of who would hold liberated territories after Isis, particularly as the Sunni community in Iraq faces internal divisions.

 Iraqi forces launch push to retake western Mosul from IS

As such, it is not just sectarian fractures that mar Iraqs social and political landscapealthough the war on Isis has managed to unite many across sects and religionsbut also intra-sectarian political clashes. Any anti-Isis strategy with viable outcomes must address the political dimension of the day after.

A similar situation exists in Syria. Again, it is not yet known if Mattis will favour sending US troops to Syria to liberate areas from Isis, but the question of who would hold Raqqa post-Isis is crucial because regardless of US involvement, it will not be American troops who will perform this role.

Kurdish groups have been fighting Isis in northern Syria and are pitted as loyal military allies by the United States. However, considering that there have already been clashes between some of those groups belonging to the YPG and Arabs, ethnic tension will be a real potential problem were the predominantly Kurdish Syria Defense Forces to be deployed to take over Raqqa from Isis. Some Arab Raqqa residents have reportedly said that they would prefer to stay under Isis rule than have their areas be controlled by Kurds.

Another key issue is foreign fighters. A forthcoming Chatham House report assessing Western policy towards Syria over the past six years highlights the importance of having a strategy regarding the thousands of foreign fighters with Isis and other groups if extremist groups are to be defeated. This requires careful coordination with the 80 plus countries of origin of those foreign fighters on extradition as well as deradicalisation and reintegration programmes.

Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Show all 12 1 /12 Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War A man crosses a street in Aleppo, December 12, 2009 Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War A vendor sits inside an antique shop in al-Jdeideh neighbourhood, in the Old City of Aleppo, December 12, 2009 Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War A view shows part of Aleppo's historic citadel, overlooking Aleppo city, Syria Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War A view shows part of Aleppo's historic citadel, Syria Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Visitors walk inside Aleppo's Umayyad mosque, Syria Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War People walk inside the Khan al-Shounah market, in the Old City of Aleppo, Syria Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War A man walks past shops in al-Jdeideh neighbourhood, in the Old City of Aleppo, Syria Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War People walk along an alley in al-Jdeideh neighbourhood, in the Old City of Aleppo, Syria Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Visitors tour Aleppo's historic citadel, Syria December 11, 2009 Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War A general view shows the Old City of Aleppo as seen from Aleppo's historic citadel, Syria December 11, 2009 Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War People walk near Aleppo's Bab al-Faraj Clock Tower, Syria October 6, 2010 Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War A man stands inside Aleppo's historic citadel, overlooking Aleppo city, Syria December 11, 2009 Reuters

Finally there is the issue of local fighters. As the Chatham House report notes, not all Syrian or Iraqi fighters joined such groups because of their ideology; many joined for political or economic motivations. Addressing those drivers is a key requirement for a comprehensive strategy against Isis, which means that this strategy must address political transition in Syria.

And here comes the matter of potential US cooperation with the Bashar al-Assad regime, which is trying to present itself as an anti-extremist champion. As this regime itself facilitated the creation of jihadist groups in Syria to discredit the 2011 uprising, can it really be trusted to never repeat that tactic in the future?

Dr Lina Khatib is the head of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House
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Chancellor Philip Hammond has good reason to be in listening mode over the vexed issue of business rates.

The Government, of which he is part, is preparing to deal businesses a devastating blow through its lunatic attachment to a hard Brexit.

Add to that a shakeup of business rates that could see the bills faced by firms in his own constituency rising by 13 per cent, and its hardly a surprise to see that an insurrection is brewing among people who would normally be natural Tory supporters.

At the core of the problem is the fact that smaller businesses based in places with high property values  the town centres of picturesque market towns, for example  are getting clobbered.

They already pay disproportionately more than, for example, big online retailers that operate from out-of-town warehouses in low rental areas.

Since the last revaluation exercise, however, the gap has widened still further and firms in the more prosperous parts of the Tory-voting South are going to face the biggest hit at a time when the outlook is less than rosy.

 Theresa May sits in House of Lords to hear Brexit debate

Your local tailor, already struggling with sharply higher import costs thanks to the impact of Brexit on the pound, is facing a double whammy from a higher tax bill. Amazon, by contrast, is sitting pretty. PS: It now has 353 pages devoted to suits and blazers.

Some, including my colleague Sean OGrady, have argued that the system has become so perverse that it ought to be scrapped.

But that would be a mistake and heres why: businesses, small or large, ought to make a contribution to the societies in which they are based and from which they profit.

However, that contribution has been falling. Rates of corporation tax have cut and then cut again by contrast to the levies imposed on individuals either directly (through income or capital gains taxes) or indirectly (via VAT).

The reductions, however, haven't done anything to stop businesses from doing everything in their power to lower their bills.

Again, the advantage is with the likes of Amazon and other multinationals, which use sophisticated accounting wheezes to shift profits to the ultra-low business tax nations that Britain is trying to join, such as Ireland and the Netherlands. Smaller firms that play the same game have to rely on their accountants finding more prosaic ways of reducing their reported profits to cut their bills.

Against this backdrop, the advantage of property-based levies becomes more obvious. You cant use a Double Irish or a Dutch Sandwich to shift your premises. You cant get your accountant to make it look as though youve been losing money for 10 years to avoid paying a levy linked to where you operate.

How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Show all 8 1 /8 How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Weetabix Chief executive of Weetabix Giles Turrell has warned that the price of one of the nations favourite breakfast are likely to go up this year by low-single digits in percentage terms. Reuters How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Nescafe The cost of a 100g jar of Nescafe Original at Sainsburys has gone up 40p from 2.75 to 3.15  a 14 per cent risesince the Brexit vote. PA How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Freddo When contacted by The Independent this month, a Mondelez spokesperson declined to discuss specific brands but confirmed that there would be "selective" price increases across its range despite the American multi-national confectionery giant reporting profits of $548m (450m) in its last three-month financial period. Mondelez, which bought Cadbury in 2010, said rising commodity costs combined with the slump in the value of the pound had made its products more expensive to make. Cadbury How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Mr Kipling cakes Premier Foods, the maker of Mr Kipling and Bisto gravy, said that it was considering price rises on a case-by-case basis Reuters How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Walkers Crisps Walkers, owned by US giant PepsiCo, said "the weakened value of the pound" is affecting the import cost of some of its materials. A Walkers spokesman told the Press Association that a 32g standard bag was set to increase from 50p to 55p, and the larger grab bag from 75p to 80p. Getty How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Marmite Tesco removed Marmite and other Unilever household brand from its website last October, after the manufacturer tried to raise its prices by about 10 per cent owing to sterlings slump. Tesco and Unilever resolved their argument, but the price of Marmite has increased in UK supermarkets with the grocer reporting a 250g jar of Marmite will now cost Morrisons customers 2.64 - an increase of 12.5 per cent. Rex How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Toblerone Toblerone came under fire in November after it increased the space between the distinctive triangles of its bars. Mondelez International, the company which makes the product, said the change was made due to price rises in recent months. Pixabay How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Maltesers Maltesers, billed as the lighter way to enjoy chocolate, have also shrunk in size. Mars, which owns the brand, has reduced its pouch weight by 15 per cent. Mars said rising costs mean it had to make the unenviable decision between increasing its prices or reducing the weight of its Malteser packs. iStockphoto

Of course, your local independent retailer could very well argue that they dont have a letterbox in Ireland. Its also worth noting that some small outfits shun the use of cynical tactics to cut their bills. Theyve enough on their plates without indulging in the sort of dust-ups with HM Revenue & Customs that can follow.

So there is a case for measures to ease some of the pressure imposed by the revaluation of the rental values on which business rates are set.

Moreover, Im not saying the system couldnt be improved. If Philip Hammond is in listening mode, as has been claimed, perhaps he might be willing to entertain ideas.

However, the current furore shouldnt be allowed to obscure the important principle that business needs to make a contribution. Firms will always moan about taxes. That shouldnt absolve them of a requirement to pay them.

Painful though it may be, a tax on premises might be a better way of securing their contribution to society than a tax on profits.
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Justin Trudeau has got it all: the looks, the accent, the charm, the politics. Just take a cursory look at the pictures of his official visit to Angela Merkel in Berlin last week. In some of them, the German chancellor looks somewhere between stupefied and infatuated, besotted even. And Merkel is only the last of a long series of international figures who have failed to keep themselves together while standing before the Canadian Prime Minister.

Trudeau and Merkels candlelit dinner, during which these stolen glances were captured, was to celebrate the CETA trade deal, now firmly pushing ahead. Though several national and regional parliaments will each have a say, the EU Parliament has ratified the agreement.

It's clear by now that we must reassess CETA in the light of the recent global-reach political events. Anti-CETA groups are not against trade per se; they are against behind-closed-doors deals between executives, lawyers and multinationals  also known as the global elite  instead of agreements cut with the input and acknowledgement of workers and consumers.

 In 90 seconds: Trump and Trudeau differ over border control

The term open  as in an open trade deal  can unexpectedly turn negative if the apparent benefits of such openness flow only to some and not to all. Openness can be seen as a tool of exploitation, rather than inclusivity. Thanks to these concerns, CETA was much questioned in the years leading up to ratification. Last year opposition grew significantly.

But then we had the US election of Donald Trump, and now Trudeau and the CETA deal look a whole lot more attractive when compared to the alternative.

The risks of the world becoming much more closed have perhaps caused a push in the alternative direction, with CETA's positive influence now being blown out of proportion instead. The anti-trade mood stoked by Trump and his Cabinet could damage international business and lead to the suppression of millions of jobs but, equally, can we afford the luxury of witnessing a multinational successfully suing one of our governments (this has already happened in Latin America and Asia already)?

Nevertheless, the CETA trade deal has indeed become much less controversial, almost overnight. On his visit to Europe, Trudeau's was barely asked to explain to the European people what was good about CETA in terms of encouraging openness and collaboration between nations; it is being perceived, rightly or wrongly, as a major vehicle against isolationism. Thanks to CETA, Trudeau's task of positioning himself a North American ambassador of freedom was made much easier  the deal did the work for him.

Europe in the era of Trump and Brexit needs friends, partners, solid networks. This is why Trudeau's visit to Germany and France was so important. Merkel wasn't really under the spell of Trudeau's well-practised hypnotic skills, she was just happy that the controversial CETA is less of a political hard sell now Trump is in the White House.

She is right to be relieved. These are not times to be picky as a European citizen. Not all battles are worth fighting.
The suggestion that Britain should pay instalments until 2023 was made at a meeting earlier this month between Michel Barnier, the European Commissions chief Brexit negotiator, and senior officials from the 27 remaining EU member states. Photo: AFP/Getty Images

The European Commission wants Britain to be paying into EU projects for four years after it has signed a Brexit deal, with final payments continuing up until the end of 2023.

The plan is part of a European Union demand that Britain settles a 60bn "Brexit bill" before being granted a deal that will govern future trade relations.

The demand emerged after Theresa May appeared at the House of Lords in person as peers began a two-day debate on the Government's Article 50 Bill.

The suggestion that Britain should pay instalments until 2023 was made at a meeting earlier this month between Michel Barnier, the European Commission's chief Brexit negotiator, and senior officials from the 27 remaining EU member states.

The payments would be to help smooth over the 10bn-a-year black hole left in the EU budgets by Britain's departure from the EU, which could see richer countries like Germany and France paying more, or poorer countries, like Poland and Hungary receiving less.

Demands

"The Commission wants the UK to pay in instalments from the day of departure in 2019 up until 2023, which is when the financial demands of the EU's seven-year budget cycle are at their highest," said an EU diplomatic source with knowledge of the meeting.

Mrs May promised that Britain would stop making "vast contributions" to the annual EU budget after Brexit, but the EU will demand that Britain keeps making payments to honour commitments already made in the 2014-2020 budget round.

The payments will reflect the reality that EU projects Britain agreed to support prior to departure in 2019 will not require funds to be actually disbursed until up to four years later. The prospect of paying into Europe for so long presents a political headache for Mrs May and has raised fears among major EU countries, led by France and Germany, that Britain will not honour its side of the bargain if relations subsequently sour.

The meeting between Mr Barnier and the EU member states also revealed a deep split between France and Germany and the European Commission over how to calculate what Britain owes prior to departure in March 2019. The EC believes Britain should be allowed to offset its share of the EU's 154bn assets against what it owes in annual budget commitments, pension obligations and other longer term liabilities.
More than half of Irish businesses believe that Brexit will have no effect on their business, according to a new report.

Fifty-one per cent of respondents to a survey conducted by accountancy firm HLB Sheehan Quinn believe that Britain's decision to leave the EU will not adversely affect their business.

Under a third (27pc) predicted Brexit would have a negative impact. A surprising 22pc said they expected Brexit to have a positive impact on the year ahead.

However, somewhat conversely, the biggest threat to Irish businesses in 2017 was the possibility of currency fluctuations.

A number of Irish companies encountered serious difficulties last year in the aftermath of the Brexit referendum, when the pound tumbled to its lowest level since 1975.

Further turbulence on currency exchanges remains a distinct possibility in the year ahead, with concerns over a "hard Brexit" and Donald Trump's protectionist policies in the US just two events that could disrupt global markets.

Mark Butler, managing partner of HLB Sheehan Quinn, said the company was seeing opportunities opening up for Irish firms in the wake of Brexit.

"We are starting to see real enquiries from UK-based owner managed business, seeking advice on choosing Ireland as their base for European business post Brexit," Mr Butler said.

Expand Close Further turbulence on currency exchanges remains a distinct possibility in the year ahead. Photo: PA / Facebook

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Whatsapp Further turbulence on currency exchanges remains a distinct possibility in the year ahead. Photo: PA

"We are also starting to see opportunity with other international businesses who no longer consider the UK as an option for a European base. FDI businesses require stability, which Ireland continues to offer," Mr Butler added.

Overall, Irish businesses remain upbeat in their assessment of the year ahead despite external uncertainties.

The report found that 53pc of respondents said their business was performing better than last year, 37pc said things were the same, while only 10pc stated they were doing worse this year. Overall, almost 60pc said they believed their business would perform better over the course of 2017.

"It is refreshing to see most Irish businesses have a positive outlook and are in growth mode," Mr Butler said.

Access to finance is expected to be a problem for 25pc of those surveyed, while 22pc feared reduced demand would be their primary concern. Just 14pc said that being able to secure adequate resources was their main concern. The majority of those surveyed (58pc) said they viewed the Irish market as their main source of business.

European markets will be the main customers for 21pc of Irish companies, while a further 21pc will rely on markets further afield for their main source of income.

Hiring in the economy will continue this year, albeit perhaps at a slower rate than has been seen in the past few years.

A total of 36pc of companies said they would hire additional staff this year. However, the same amount replied that they would did not intend to do so.

A further 28pc said that they were unsure of investment plans for this year.

Nearly two-thirds (62pc) said that increased compliance demands were adding strain to their business, with 35pc saying the level of compliance required remained the same. Just 3pc reported a decrease.

Significantly, around 82pc of owners of family businesses said they said they had no concrete succession plans in place.
Former Northern Ireland secretary Peter Hain has launched a campaign against Brexit, warning the peace process could unravel if a hard border is reintroduced.

The former UK Labour cabinet minister is demanding that changes be made to the EU (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill, including adding clauses allowing the UK to remain part of the single market and Northern Ireland's Border with the Republic to stay open.

Mr Hain attacked British Prime Minister Theresa May for failing to represent the 48pc who voted in favour of Remain.

In a rare move, Ms May attended the Lords' session yesterday afternoon to listen to Mr Hain's comments with a group of ministers and MPs in tow.

Mr Hain warned the peace process could unravel under Brexit and has tabled an amendment, backed by another former holder of the post and fellow Lord, Paul Murphy, calling for the Border to remain open.

"A 'one nation Brexit' would also mean guaranteeing a completely open border between Northern Ireland and the Republic - no security checks, no controls, physical or electronic," he said.

"Otherwise I believe the peace process could unravel, as indeed Bertie Ahern, the former Taoiseach, and so important to the success of that process, has said."

Mr Hain pushed for a vote on keeping Britain in the single market, warning that severing ties with its biggest trade market will have a "devastating" impact on its economy.

Read more: Good Friday deal was a miracle: it must be protected

"Cutting us off from our biggest market, where nearly half our trade is done, will have devastating consequences for the economy, for jobs and for millions of individual citizens' lives," he said.

"We now learn that if we cannot get the EU trade deal we want, the government threatens, in a 'Trump Brexit', to make Britain a low-tax haven with lower labour and environmental regulation, in an attempt to attract foreign firms once we have left the EU.

"That would also mean continued shrinking of the state, even more savage cuts in public services and even greater inequality, hitting hardest the poorest and most vulnerable citizens."

Meanwhile, European Commission First Vice-President Frans Timmermans said in Dublin last night that indifference is an even bigger threat to Europe's future than a hatred of others.

He appealed to young Irish people to become passionate in defending the ideals of a mutually beneficial Europe and not to be indifferent.

Read more: Tony Blair launches campaign to persuade Britain to remain in EU

He told members of University College Dublin's Law Society that the European Union must be defended with heartfelt arguments instead of cold statistics.

In terms of Europe's future, he said: "I'm worried not just because of hatred, the exclusion of minorities.....I'm worried about indifference.

"Indifference is worse...Passionately disagree, but don't be indifferent. If you are indifferent, it's my generation that will continue to break things...

"Stop thinking that everything will be all right just by putting something on Facebook," he said.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 21



Trend:



Upon Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev's order, Mehriban Aliyeva has been appointed the First Vice-President of the Republic of Azerbaijan.



At the meeting of the Azerbaijani Security Council, held under the chairmanship of President Ilham Aliyev, the head of state introduced

Mehriban Aliyeva.



Today Mehriban Aliyeva has been appointed First Vice-President of Azerbaijan by my order. Mehriban Aliyeva, for many years, has been

playing an important and active role in the sociopolitical life of the country, our cultural life, said President Aliyev addressing the meeting.
The 13bn Kerry Group has selected company lifer Edmond Scanlon as its new chief executive.

From Brosna in Co Kerry, Mr Scanlon (43) will succeed Stan McCarthy in the role at the food and ingredients giant. Mr McCarthy has been chief executive since 2008, and is retiring this year as he turns 60.

Mr Scanlon grew up on a dairy farm in Brosna. He studied commerce and accounting at University College, Cork, before joining Kerry Groups graduate programme in 1996.

Kerry chairman Michael Dowling said that the chief executive role is not the easiest job in the world and that Mr Scanlon has big shoes to fill.

It will also put Mr Scanlon in line for a huge pay rise.

Mr McCarthy was paid a total of $4.6m (4.3m) in 2015. That included a basic salary of $1.3m, a performance-related bonus of $768,000, benefits of $109,000; and pension contributions of $273,000. He also received $2.1m worth of share options under the groups long-term incentive plan.

Since joining the group, Mr Scanlon has held a number of roles at the international food and ingredients company, and is currently the chief executive of Kerrys Asia-Pacific operations.

He told investors in London yesterday that he is honoured and a privileged to be appointed chief executive at the group, which employs 23,000 people around the world and yesterday reported revenues of 6.1bn for 2016, and a 750m profit.

Kerry Group has undergone remarkable development under Stans leadership and together with my colleagues I look forward to continuing to build Kerry Group," said Mr Scanlon.

Mr Scanlon, who will formally take up the chief executive role on October 1, is married with three children and will now relocate to Kerrys global headquarters in Tralee.

After joining Kerry more than 20 years ago, he spent three years in financial roles at the companys consumer food business, before transferring into its dairy ingredients division in Listowel, Co Kerry.

He moved to the United States with the group in 2004, and was later appointed vice president of operations for Kerrys supply chain and financial functions there.

He gradually moved up the ranks, leading Kerrys busy mergers and acquisitions function for the US unit, before being appointed president of the groups pharma business.

He relocated to Shanghai in China in 2012 to head Kerrys operations there. In 2014, he took on his current role, opening a regional headquarters for the group in Singapore in 2015.

Kerry chairman Michael Dowling said that a number of strong, potential leaders had been internally identified by the board as part of the long chief executive succession process.

We considered whether we would be better off to look outside (the company) and it was clear in our view that we had sufficient talent within the company that we didnt have to go externally, he said.

Mr Dowling added that Mr Scanlons vision, experience and energy, and a range of other qualities made him the best candidate to drive the company forward.
A National Reserve Scheme for 2017 with a fund of 5m will be launched today by the Minister for Agriculture, Michael Creed.

The scheme is being funded by a linear cut to the value of all Basic Payment Scheme entitlements.

However, the Department of Agriculture said that the 5m reserve scheme budget is equivalent to the amount of unspent funds under the Young Farmers Scheme in 2015 which were added to the Basic Payment Scheme financial ceiling.

Priority for the reserve will be given to 'Young Farmers' and 'New Entrants to Farming'.

Successful applicants receive an allocation of entitlements at the national average value of entitlements for the Basic Payment Scheme, or a top-up to that level where the applicant is below the average. The national average under the Basic Payment Scheme is approximately 185/ha.

Given that the National Reserve is capped at 5m, the scheme should fund full and top-up payments on over 30,000ha. It is anticipated that over 500 farmers will apply for the scheme.

Minister Creed said the 2017 Young Farmers Scheme will also be available to provide an additional payment to any person who qualifies as a 'young farmer'.

Progress

"The 2015 National Reserve proved to be a huge success in facilitating the entry of over 6,000 young, well-educated persons into the farming community," Minister Creed said.

"The National Reserve and the Young Farmers Scheme, together with the value of associated Greening payments, provided for an allocation of Pillar 1 payments in excess of 52m in 2015. The 2017 National Reserve will build on this progress in helping to provide a solid basis for the future of the agriculture industry in Ireland," he added.

The National Reserve online application form, together with full terms and conditions, will be available when the scheme opens for applications in March 2017.

The closing date for receipt of applications under the scheme will be May 15, 2017.

Macra na Feirme leader Sean Finan "warmly welcomed" the reopening of the scheme."This is a positive signal from the Government on the value it places on the development of young farmers and their futures," he said.

"The reopening of the National Reserve is something that Macra na Feirme has actively campaigned on, for an extended period of time," Mr Finan said.
The establishment of an emergency fund for tillage farmers hit by poor weather during harvest 2016 has gained momentum after progressive talks last week.

Speaking after another sitting of the Tillage Stakeholders Forum, Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed admitted "it may be possible" to set up a crisis fund.

Between 200-300 farmers, mostly from western counties, are believed to have suffered devastating crop and financial losses as a result of inclement weather last autumn.

Although Teagasc has stated it does not have concrete data on crop damage, the IFA claim that approximately 245 farmers lost up to 3.032m on grain and 1.073m on straw. Although Minister Creed previously voiced concerns over a lack of concrete data on the crop losses, he now appears more optimistic.

"We had a very useful engagement. On the possibility of a fund, we discussed all of the difficulties that we have in terms of verification and lack of data, and what we have agreed is that we will sit down with those organisations and explore what might be possible and that is going to happen shortly.

"There may be a fund set up, it's up to us now to find out if it's possible to have one based on verifiable losses that, at this remove, are difficult to identify. We are going to sit down again in the coming days," he said.

However, speaking to the Farming Independent at the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers' Association (ICSA) AGM, Minister Creed also stressed that challenges still remain.

"I am obliged as a protector of the public purse to make sure that anything we give out, we can stand over. The secretary general in the Department was at the forum from the public accounts committee, with the controller and auditor general, rightly accounting for every penny. If there is a fund, we have to find a way that it would work," he said.

Sean Finan, national president of Macra na Feirme, called for immediate action on an aid package for young tillage farmers at the forum last Thursday.

"We welcome the indication from Minister Michael Creed that he is willing to discuss the mechanics of how an aid package could be rolled out. We don't have time to delay on this given the financial challenges and difficulties some young tillage farmers face on the ground."

Mr Finan also welcomed the announcement that the Tillage TAMS scheme will soon be announced but stressed that it must contain measures that are "reachable and economically feasible" for young farmers.

"The measures need to suit all-sized operators and those who are starting their tillage farming careers," he said.

Meanwhile, farmers across the south east attended a Teagasc seminar on malting barley against the backdrop of low incomes in the sector. It focused on the technical aspects of producing malting barley for brewing (beer) and distilling (whiskey) markets.
The European Commission made "fundamental errors" and failed to examine all the evidence when it ordered Apple to repay 13bn in back taxes to Ireland, the company said in its appeal.

Apple said the European Commission "violated legal certainty by ordering recovery under an unforeseeable interpretation of state aid law".

It also said it "failed to examine all relevant evidence" and that it "failed to reason the decision adequately," according to details published yesterday.

The EU also "failed to prove selectivity" and "wrongly treated the applicants as if they were Irish resident companies and as if they should be taxed on their worldwide profits".

Earlier this month Finance Minister Michael Noonan accused Brussels of being politically motivated when it found against Ireland's tax system in the landmark case last year.

"Politics" was a factor in the European Commission's ruling that Ireland gave Apple a sweetheart tax deal, he told the Oireachtas Finance Committee.

The decision that the American multinational technology company must pay about 13bn in back taxes is part of an attempt by the Brussels-based body to extend its power and remit, the minister claimed.

He was answering questions on the case, which has set him at loggerheads with EU Competition Commissioner Margarethe Vestager.

She ruled last August that Ireland must collect 13bn plus interest from Apple for taxes that were unpaid over a decade as a result of a tax treatment that amounted to illegal state aid to the company. The Government and Apple have appealed against the decision.

He said he didn't believe the Commission was targeting Ireland in particular over the Apple decision, but that there was political input because the Commission is also a political forum.

He also argued that Ireland's entitlement to the money, in the face of competing claims from some other EU countries, remains uncertain. (Additional reporting Bloomberg)
Traders work at their desks in front of the German share price index, DAX board, at the stock exchange in Frankfurt

European stocks edged higher yesterday, with gains in miners and telecommunications firms tempered by a slide in Unilever.

By the close in Dublin, the ISEQ Overall Index was up 0.14pc or 8.86 points, to end the trading session at 6,549.09.

The leaders on the Dublin market included packaging giant Smurfit Kappa, which increased 0.8pc to 26.39, as well as building materials group CRH, which rose 1pc to 32.51.

On the other side of the board, the laggards included speciality baker Aryzta, which dropped 2.6pc to 30.19, while Kingspan fell 1.9pc to 28.80. Elsewhere, the Stoxx Europe 600 Index added 0.2pc at the close, with commodity producers snapping a two-day drop as metal prices increased. The volume of shares traded in the equity gauge was a third lower than the 30-day average, with US markets closed for a holiday.

Unilever's London-listed shares tumbled the most since 2008 after Kraft Heinz withdrew its $143bn bid for the firm. The Anglo-Dutch consumer company surged on Friday as news of the offer became public. Deutsche Telekom led telecommunications shares higher, rising 2.5pc after a report that Sprint owner Softbank was targeting its T-Mobile US Inc unit in a merger.

Royal Bank of Scotland Group rallied 6.8pc to a one-year high after scrapping plans to sell its Williams & Glyn banking unit, removing one of its biggest obstacles to paying dividends and cutting the UK government's stake. With political risk in Europe in the spotlight, JPMorgan equity strategists recommend a paired trade of Germany's DAX Index versus France's CAC 40 Index as a hedge against the risk of a populist vote in France.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 21

Trend:

Azerbaijans Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov has left the country to pay a working visit to Turkey, a source in the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry told Trend Feb. 21.

During the visit, Mammadyarov is expected to attend an international conference dedicated to the Khojaly genocide. The conference is organized by the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States (Turkic Council) and Akhmet Yassawi University.

The Azerbaijani minister is also expected to have meetings with Turkish officials during his visit.
Both will be 24-hour service stations. Stock Image

Topaz and McDonald's have together created 230 jobs at motorway service stations in Carlow and Cork.

The development on the M9 in Carlow is due to open next month, while the other station in Fermoy, Co Cork, will open in the Autumn.

Both will be 24-hour service stations.

The 14m investment in the service stations will also create an additional 100 jobs during the construction phase.

Managing director of Topaz Niall Anderton said it was delighted to announce the investment which would serve the busy Dublin to Waterford and Dublin to Cork routes.

"The development represents a very significant investment by Topaz, and we are also delighted to be able to bring a large number of jobs to both Cork and Carlow," Mr Anderton said.

The service areas will feature a food court offering, which will include Topaz's healthy 'food on the go' Re.Store, its latest Mexican offering Cantina, a McDonald's restaurant, and there will be customer refreshment facilities.

There will be a large indoor seating area, as well as external picnic and seating areas for the summer months.

Once opened, the service areas will be in operation 24 hours a day with in excess of 140 parking spaces at each station.

This latest investment announcement by Topaz follows a 1.2m investment in a major site redevelopment at Dublin Port in partnership with Dublin Port Company late last year.
The planned tie-ups are expected to be closely watched by banks as larger credit union entities are likely to create 'mini-banks' that will compete with the likes of AIB and Bank of Ireland. (Stock picture)

Larger credit unions being created through mergers are set to challenge the banks, experts predict.

The tie-ups will see them being able to offer a wider range of services instead of just offering savings and loans products, analysts at Investec said.

The comments come after it was revealed that three mega mergers of credit unions are proposed.

Two of the largest credit unions in the Munster region are in talks that could lead to a mega merger. Clonmel and Charleville credit unions serve a large area stretching from north Cork to south Tipperary.

Charleville needs up to 4m in financial support to boost its reserves.

The planned tie-up comes as merger discussions are ongoing between the Civil Service Credit Union and the Irish National Teachers' Organisation's lender Comhar Linn Credit Union.

The credit unions for staff in the ESB and parts of central Dublin, St Patrick's, is in talks to take over the RTE lender, in a move that could create a 420m super credit union.

The planned tie-ups are expected to be closely watched by banks as larger credit union entities are likely to create "mini-banks" that will compete with the likes of AIB and Bank of Ireland.

Analyst with specialist bank Investec, Philip O'Sullivan, told investors he saw this as significant consolidation, something that was likely to continue.

Assets

If the Munster merger goes ahead, the combined Charleville and Clonmel entity would have assets of 218m and a membership of close to 40,000.

A combination of the public service credit unions would create an entity with assets of 355m, and about 40,000 members, that had combined profits of 6.8m last year.

If the talks between broadcaster RTE's credit union and State electricity utility ESB's credit union result in a deal, then the combined operation would have assets of 420m.

Read more: Permanent TSB 'not doing enough' for customers it has overcharged

Mr O'Sullivan said these balance sheets were small compared with the domestic banks, but they were large by credit union standards.

"The achievement of scale through mergers allows credit unions to contemplate expanded product offerings," he said in an investor note.

This is expected to include current accounts, debit cards, insurance and pensions products.

It comes after it was revealed recently that credit unions are seeking to ramp up mortgage lending this year. This would challenge mainstream banks, Mr O'Sullivan said.

They could lend up to 400m this year. This is despite having some 5bn to loan out.

Current rules mean they can only issue 10pc of their individual loan books in long-term lending, such as mortgages.

Regulators in the Central Bank have insisted that credit unions come up with credible business plans and boost their balance sheets before widening their mortgage offering.

However, the Central Bank has also said it was reviewing the rules, in a move that could give a massive competitive boost to the home-loans market.
U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump wave from Air Force One after a "Make America Great Again" rally at Orlando Melbourne International Airport in Melbourne, Florida, U.S. February 18, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

A cross-party group of MPs has called on Theresa May to rescind an invitation for Donald Trump to attend a state visit to the UK later this year.

As thousands of people protested outside Westminster, MPs branded the US President disgusting and immoral as they criticised the Prime Minister for appearing to act in desperation by extending the offer to Mr Trump just seven days after he entered the White House.

The debate was triggered after a petition to block Mr Trumps state visit reached almost two million signatories. A separate petition, defending the state visit, which attracted more than 300,000 signatures, also formed part of the debate.

Calling on the Government to reconsider its offer, Labour's Paul Flynn compared the US President's behaviour to a "petulant child", while fellow Labour MP Daniel Zeichner branded him a disgusting and immoral man who represents the very opposite of the values we hold.

Their views appeared to echo the protesters outside Parliament. Carrying colourful placards and banners, separate groups led rallying cries, including "Hey hey, hey ho; Trump and Brexit's got to go," and "No Trump, no Brexit; no racist EU exit."

Inside the house, Liberal Democrat MP Alistair Carmichael said Ms May was left looking desperate and craven while Labours Dawn Butler said the US had a pretty nasty virus, and its important that virus doesnt spread.

Green MP Caroline Lucas attacked Mr Trumps effrontery to basic climate science and the SNPs Alex Salmond suggested there was desperation for a trade deal driving Ms Mays Government.

They clashed with several Conservative MPs who insisted Ms May was right to prioritise Britains national interest by fostering good relations with its historic ally.

Tory Nigel Evans said he had seen no evidence from the first four weeks of the Trump administration to suggest that the President was racist.

"When we stand up in this country and condemn him for being racist, and I have seen no evidence of that, I have seen no evidence of him being racist, we are actually attacking the American people, he said.

Veteran Conservative MP Edward Leigh also defended Mr Trump, saying his unsuccessful travel ban on seven majority-Muslim countries did not amount to racism.

I dont think there is any proof that this travel ban is racist, he said.

Indonesia is the largest Muslim country in the world, there is no question of a travel ban on Indonesia.

These countries are riddled by civil war, this travel ban builds on work done by [Barack] Obama.

So to accuse the new President of the US of racism, misogyny and all the rest is overstated.

Much of the debate centred on the timing of the offer, coming just a week after Mr Trump was inaugurated and during a hastily-arranged visit to Washington by Ms May.

Barack Obama only received an invitation after 758 days, while his predecessor, George W Bush, waited 978 days before he was offered a state visit.

Tory MP Crispin Blunt said he was not opposed to a state visit but said it should be delayed until 2020  the 400th anniversary of the voyage of the Mayflower.

However, Foreign Office Minister Sir Alan Duncan said Mr Trump's state visit to the UK "should happen and will happen".

He told MPs in the Westminster Hall debate: "This is a special moment for the special relationship. The visit should happen, the visit will happen and when it does I trust the United Kingdom will extend a polite and generous welcome to president Donald Trump."

The debate over the US Presidents impending trip took place against the backdrop of protests across the UK against the state visit.

The faint shouts of demonstrators could be heard inside Westminster Hall while outside in Parliament Square, thousands of protesters had gathered.

Organisers of the rally said they expected more than 20,000 people to take part.

Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott, addressing the crowds, warned about the "dark shadow of racism and anti-immigrant sentiment" that were beginning to emerge.

She said: "We know the values that Trump represents. With Donald Trump, you don't have to look into a crystal ball, you can read the book.

"He was supported in his presidential campaign by white supremacists. And even in the first weeks of his presidency he has had a viscerally anti-immigrant line."

Calls for the state visit to be cancelled have been backed by Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, who criticised the president's "cruel and shameful" policies.

But the Government has remained steadfast in its commitment to honour the invite.

In its official response to the petitions, it stressed ministers believed "the President of the United States should be extended the full courtesy of a state visit".
Private cars are set to be banned from travelling along the quays in Dublin as the council looks set to introduce extra bus lanes.

RTE is reporting that Dublin City Council (DCC) is planning to introduce more bus lanes to prepare for the new Cross City Luas.

In a report to the Transport Committee, council management states the Luas will be halting traffic movement on the Quays every ninety seconds and the changes are being made to limit congestion.

The report also says that Bachelors Walk currently causes the worst delays for Dublin Buses trying to cross two lanes of traffic to turn onto O'Connell Bridge.

More than 12k people commute by bike to Dublin everyday.



Give us actual cycle paths @dublincouncil not the afterthought of bus lanes.  Rosanna Cooney (@RosannaCooney) February 21, 2017

As a result, DCC is planning to ban private cars from travelling from Bachelors Walk onto Eden Quay or turning right onto O'Connell Bridge.

Cars will be allowed to turn left onto O'Connell St to access car parks and allow deliveries.

Extra bus lanes may be introduced along Ormond Quay, Bachelors Walk and Eden Quay.

Eden Quay from O'Connell St to Marlborough St will be used only by public transport, taxis and cyclists.

The south quays will have an extra bus lane along Burgh Quay, Aston Quay and Wellington Quay.

In addition, there will be a new bus lane on Winetavern St at Christchurch for traffic coming onto the quays.

The plan will go out for a six-week public consultation starting on 27 February.

Conor Faughnan, Director of Consumer Affairs for AA Ireland told RTE Radio 1 that the plan is "good news".

"On the whole this is a good news story, the extension of the Luas line is a fantastic move. It probably should have been done years ago. But it will bring some problems - the sharpest of those is at O'Connell Bridge."

Mr Faughnan said the new transport plan will pose a lot of problems for cars in particular.

"Cars will no longer be allowed from Bachelor's Walk to Eden Quay and that is a distinct problem for a lot of cars. If you ask the DCC what are those cars supposed to do instead, they simply don't know. They said there are a number of alternatives being considered.

"Everyone who understands the traffic situation in the capital supports the investment of public transport but you cannot simply abandon those who are using their cars or treat them as though they are something to be fixed. There are a lot of people without an alternative and this is likely to prove to be disruptive."

Mr Faughnan said that under the Road Traffic Act, the DCC can without reference to the councillors impose this new plan.

"Through traffic in the city centre will be hugely inhibited. If you consider the natural island that is formed in the city centre between the Grand Canal and the Royal Canal. That canal cordon has nearly 200,000 people crossing it every morning to get into work. Public transport can still take just less than half of those individuals.

"The DCC is doing nothing to help those people. The language is constructed around these people being the source of the problem rather than an intricate part of the transport needs."
The couple turned to having children through a surrogate after a number of failed attempts at having children through IVF. Stock picture

A couple expressed their delight after the woman finally secured legal rights over two toddler twins that were born through a surrogate in India.

Outside the Family Law Court in Ennis, the woman in her 50s said "today is a very good day" after Judge Patrick Durcan made her a legal guardian of her three-and-a-half-year-old twins.

The woman also called on the Government to act now and introduce laws to regulate surrogacy in Ireland.

"Being appointed a legal guardian is an interim measure until the Government deals with the legislation around surrogacy and that can't be lost in all of this," she said.

"Today is a very good day for us, but the Government still has to deal with the situation so people like us don't have to keep going back into court to ratify our position.

"I am their mother. Today doesn't take away from that, but legally it does give me legal status to act for them if anything did happen to their father or if we were caught in a situation where consent had to be given quite quickly. I can do that now. It does mean a lot to us. It was a worry and a concern."

The woman said of the planned legislation in the area: "There is still no sign of it. They need to bring in legislation and there are many families in the same situation as ourselves."

The twin boy and girl were brought back to Ireland three-and-a-half years ago by the woman and her partner within a few weeks of them being born.

The twins were born through sperm donated by the woman's partner, while the eggs were donated by another Indian woman - not the surrogate - aged in her 20s.

The couple turned to having children through a surrogate after a number of failed attempts at having children through IVF.

There is no genetic connection between the woman and the children but her long-term partner - who is also in his 50s - is the biological father of the children.

In obtaining guardianship, the woman will legally have a duty to maintain and properly care for the children.

She will also have the right to make decisions about the children's religious and secular education, health requirements and general welfare.

"Today has alleviated our immediate concerns and worries," she said. The children's father echoed those concerns, when he said it "was a terrible situation for everyone to be in if either of the children were faced with a life threatening situation and my partner couldn't act for them".

"We are absolutely over the moon and the two are doing great. I was getting emotional inside in the court listening to the judge reading out the court order," he said.

Earlier inside court, solicitor for the two, Shiofra Hassett, said that the two have been in a happy relationship for 10 years and have been co-parenting the twins since they returned to Ireland.

Judge Durcan said that he would make the order appointing the Co Clare woman as guardian. Addressing the couple, he said: "I wish you all the best and I wish your two children all the best and happiness."

A spokeswoman at the Department of Health said: "Officials in the Department of Health are currently drafting the General Scheme of legislative provisions on assisted human reproduction (AHR) and associated research, which will include provisions relating to surrogacy."

"It is envisaged that the General Scheme will be completed by the end of June 2017. Once the General Scheme has been approved for publication by Government it will be submitted to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health for pre-legislative scrutiny."
Marion and Frank Conroy outside court with a photo of their son, Peter. Photo: Collins Courts

The grieving parents of a man stabbed to death during a brawl have branded the justice system a 'joke' after their son's killer was jailed for five years.

Terence 'Terry' Connors (42) was originally charged with the murder of Peter Conroy (25), at Palmerstown Lodge B&B, Kennelsfort Road Lower, Palmerstown, Dublin 20, on June 9, 2015.

His plea of guilty to manslaughter and not guilty to murder was rejected by the State. But last December he was convicted by a jury of manslaughter after a one-week trial.

At the Central Criminal Court, Connors, of Drumcairn Avenue, Tallaght, Dublin 24, was sentenced to seven years' jail, with the last two suspended, for killing Mr Conroy.

Speaking outside court, the dead man's parents, Frank and Marion Conroy, broke down as they criticised the sentence handed down by Mr Justice Paul Butler.

"Peter was a loving son. He was a rock to us. He was a loving father. He didn't deserve to be killed the way he was killed. He got no justice. Seven years, with two suspended for another person's life. Where's the justice in that? He [Connors] stabbed him four times and he got manslaughter," Mr Conroy said.

Wiping away tears, Mrs Conroy said: "How can you put a time on a person? Where is the justice? The justice system is a f***ing joke in this country. In any other country, he'd get more. You get more for robbing than you would for murder. We will never see our son again."

Earlier, Mr Justice Butler was forced to adjourn the hearing when friends and relatives of the dead man reacted angrily when the sentence was delivered. Gardai were forced to remove several people from the courtroom after one women shouted: "He [Connors] is laughing in our faces", and one man rushed at the accused sitting in the dock.

Another woman in the public gallery was heard shouting at Connors: "If he smiles once more, I'll f***ing punch him."

During his trial, the court was told Connors believed his children were in danger as fighting between guests of the B&B and non-residents intensified when he fatally stabbed his victim.

Delivering his sentence, Mr Justice Butler said although the accused had returned to the scene of the brawl with a knife and was "seen to make a downwards motion towards the deceased" on CCTV, "the killing lacked the intention of a murder conviction".

The judge said the accused, whom he described as being from "a Travelling background", had "expressed remorse from the bottom of his heart".

However, he said the fact Connors returned to the scene of the fight with a knife had been an aggravating factor in sentencing.

Connors was also sentenced to two months' jail for assaulting a woman, Elaine Blunt, during the same brawl. The judge suspended this sentence in full.

The manslaughter sentence was backdated to October 1, 2015.
Marian OGorman, founder of The Kilkenny Group, with TV3s Collette Fitzpatrick at the Kilkenny Shops first birthday in Cork. Photo: Don MacMonagle

The Kilkenny Group founded by entrepreneur Marian O'Gorman is poised to dismiss Michael O'Gorman, her husband of 40 years.

Mr O'Gorman is understood to have worked in logistics at the luxury retail business which is at the centre of a bitter court dispute.

The row came before the High Court last week and is tearing apart one of Ireland's leading retail dynasties.

The group employs 300 people across 15 stores and owns a highly valuable online portal, www.kilkennyshop.com, as well as "significant" properties.

Greg O'Gorman, Marian O'Gorman's son and the group's former marketing director, is suing his mother, alleging that he and his family have been left "destitute" after he was "summarily dismissed" from his role last summer.

Greg O'Gorman, who says he received a 50m valuation for Clydaville Investments, trading as Kilkenny Group, has asked the High Court "if necessary" to appoint a receiver and sell the company's assets to secure what he claims is his 25pc equity share - which he says is valued at 12.5m - in the business.

Read more: Inside the Kilkenny Group: how a family succession plan fell apart

Now it has emerged that Marian O'Gorman's husband Michael O'Gorman - whom the High Court heard she recently separated from - is facing dismissal from the Kilkenny Group.

The Irish Independent has learnt that Michael O'Gorman was informed by letter on February 10 that the Kilkenny Group intended to let him go for alleged "gross misconduct".

"You have not made yourself available for work for over four months," wrote Conor Lynch, Finance Director of the Kilkenny Group.

"Last week you broke into the Group's Spanish property and you have remained there since as a trespasser.

"In view of the seriousness of the matter, Kilkenny Group is minded to terminate your employment for gross misconduct.

"We are prepared to afford you the opportunity to make written submissions as to why you should not be dismissed," added Mr Lynch, who gave a deadline of 5pm last Thursday for written submissions.

Although owned by the Kilkenny Group, the Spanish villa has been used by various members of the O'Gorman family for years as a holiday home.

Last month, Mr Lynch wrote to Marian and Michael O'Gorman and their four adult children - Michael, Michelle, Christopher and Greg - to tell them that the board of Clydaville Investments had taken a decision to sell the villa.

Mr Lynch wrote to the family on January 30 and told them that access to the villa had been cut off with immediate effect to facilitate its sale.

"As the company is not in possession of keys or passcodes to the villa, all locks and Pin numbers have been changed," wrote Mr Lynch, adding that any personal items would be packed and returned to the family.

Neither the Kilkenny Group /Marian O'Gorman nor Michael O'Gorman responded to requests for comment.

Mediation

Last week, a High Court judge pleaded for Marian O'Gorman and her son to consider mediation to avoid a public exploration of the family business dispute.

The row between Greg O'Gorman and his mother centres on a 2010 agreement, known as the "Family Constitution" governing the future ownership and management of the group.

Marian O'Gorman is the named shareholder of Clydaville Investments. But Greg O'Gorman says she holds the company on trust for him and his siblings against whom he has made no criticisms but who have been joined to the proceedings as notice parties.

Read more: Family at war as 'destitute' son sues 'domineering' matriarch

Mr O'Gorman says the case needs to be heard quickly as there are "critically-important decisions" to be taken concerning the future strategic direction of the company of "a commercially sensitive nature".

Clydaville refused to be drawn on the prospect of a sale. However, changes to the family constitution were referenced in an August 2, 2015, email sent by Marian O'Gorman to EY, the accountancy firm, noting an agreement by each family member that the company could be sold within five to 10 years if profits were doubled within such a time frame.

According to Greg O'Gorman, his mother declared at the June 22, 2016, meeting that the company would no longer operate as a family business and would no longer be referred to as a family business.

Marian O'Gorman is alleged to have told her family that she would have full control of the business going forward, that there would be no overlap between business and family and that those present at the meeting had "responsibilities but no rights".
Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 21

Trend:

President of the Republic of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a phone call to President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on February 21.

The Turkish president extended his congratulations on Mehriban Aliyevas appointment as first vice president of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

President Ilham Aliyev thanked the Turkish president for his attention and congratulations.

The heads of state expressed their confidence that friendly and fraternal relations between the two countries will continue to develop.

Then the Turkish president spoke with Mehriban Aliyeva and congratulated her on appointment as first vice president of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

He wished her success in high state post.

Mehriban Aliyeva thanked President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for his attention and congratulations.
Fine Gael TD Noel Rock has launched legal proceedings to appeal the severity of a 3,150 fine for breaking litter laws with his keep the recovery going posters.

The 29-year-old Dublin North West TD and Public Accounts Committee member was fined in October at Dublin District Court on nine counts under the 1997 Litter Pollution Act in relation to his posters.

On Tuesday, his barrister successfully applied to Judge John Brennan at the district court for a two-week extension to allow Rock lodge an appeal against the severity of the fine. The appeal will go before the circuit court on a later date.

The charges were brought by Dublin City Council. During the district court hearing on October 4 last, evidence was given by three litter wardens and the court was given photos of the posters including ones with the TD's picture and a slogan saying keep the recovery going and other information about his availability at his clinic on January 14 last year.

The court heard that two posters were unlawfully put up at Prospect Road on February 3 last. Litter wardens spotted four more of the posters on January 28 at: Iona Road, Griffith Avenue and Drumcondra Road. They found another one of his posters at Collins Avenue on January 26 last.

The general election was not called until February 3. Council litter wardens also found one of his election posters that was left up too long after the February 26 vote.

The offence can result in a fine of up to 4,000 per offence. Nine fines each worth 350 were imposed along with an order that Mr Rock would have to pay 221 in legal costs.

Mr Rock, who was elected to the Dail in the 2016 general election, is the youngest Fine Gael Dublin TD, representing the Ballymun Electoral Area, which includes Drumcondra, Glasnevin, Whitehall, Beaumont, Santry, Finglas and Ballymun.

In 2006, the DCU graduate, with an address at Hardiman Road, Drumcondra, Dublin 9, was selected to take part in an intern ship with US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.
Research found that girls are less likely to take up computer science compared to their male counterparts. Stock Image

A massive gender gap in computer science participation at second level is seen as "a challenge" as the Department of Education looks to implement it into the Leaving Cert programme by 2018.

Research found that girls are less likely to take up the subject compared to their male counterparts.

However, when females do study the subject they tend to achieve better grades.

Advise

The report, conducted for the National Council for Curriculum Assessment (NCCA) by a team of researchers at the University of Limerick (UL), aims to advise on the best methods for implementation in Irish education.

Education Minister Richard Bruton said that the subject is becoming imperative for a number of different industries.

"The value of computer science is much greater than the subject itself," Mr Bruton said.

"Taught well, it educates students in problem solving, innovation and creativity.

"It also boosts career opportunities as students with an understanding of computer science are required across a diverse range of industries."

Within the report, there were comparisons made with a number of different countries including England, Israel and New Zealand.

In England, the study found that of the computer science participants during A-Level examinations, 90.2pc of them are males, with just 9.8pc being female.

Though this is a rise of more than 3.5pc since 2013.

However, the participation rate was far higher in Israel, where female students are thriving.

Education and outreach manager at Lero, UL, Clare McInerney, said there is food for thought in the Israel example.

"Our analysis of computer science teaching in other countries threw up major challenges, for example in low participation rates among girls," Ms McInerney said.

"However, an interesting finding from other jurisdictions indicates that when girls participate in computer science courses they tend on average to achieve better grades than their male counterparts."

Recommendation

"In this regard, we can learn a lot from Israel, where female participation is 40pc," she said.

A number of recommendations have been made in the preliminary report, one of which stresses the importance in the continued professional development of teachers in order to ensure that the implementation and sustainability of the course remains up to standard.

The report also suggests that in order for students to grasp the subject in time for the Leaving Cert cycle, computer science should be introduced to them early in secondary school.
Education Minister Richard Bruton has said it's "not fair" that children from outside a school's catchment area get preferential treatment to those within it, based only on religious denomination.

Speaking at a conference on education reform, organised by Equate Ireland, he said he hoped to get a Bill on school admissions through the Dail by September, the start of the new school year.

The Bill would "make the whole process of admissions more transparent", prevent fees, and would oblige the publication of admissions policy by schools.

The minister said the Bill, when passed, would oblige schools, where not oversubscribed, to accept all children.
Forensic officers examine the scene of the shooting on the North Circular Road in Dublin. Photo: Gerry Mooney

GardaI investigating a fatal shooting of a 50-year-old man in Dublin have still not recovered the firearm which was used.

Finglas man Gary O'Brien was found dead in a basement flat of a property in the capital's North Circular Road around 8.30pm on Sunday.

Officers originally suspected that the gunshot wound he suffered to his head had been self-inflicted.

But gardai have so far been unable to locate the gun.

Three people - including a woman who was covered in bloodstained clothing - were helping gardai with their enquiries.

Last night, gardai stressed none of the trio had been arrested. Mr O'Brien was known to gardai for minor offences but was not considered a criminal.

Sources say gardai also found evidence of drug taking in the property where the fatal shooting happened.

The woman who was seen leaving the property on Sunday night had "a lot of blood" on one side of her body and was heard mumbling "he is dead."
A germ-busting coating that can be applied to bed sheets, gowns and even walls may be the next weapon against superbugs.

Irish scientists are part of a network of European experts who are examining the potential of these antimicrobial coatings to prevent the spread of drug-resistant bacteria in hospitals.

A member of the group, Prof Colum Dunne from University of Limerick's Graduate Entry Medical School, said new approaches are needed to protect hospital patients and healthcare staff from superbugs.

"Antimicrobial coatings have great potential," he said.

"These are surfaces that are fortified with active ingredients and are responsible for the reduction and even elimination of micro-organisms that come into contact with them," he added.

Irish hospitals and other healthcare settings are breeding grounds for these bugs which are difficult to treat and can cause deaths among patients.

A number of hospitals including Tallaght, Limerick and Kilkenny hospitals are currently battling outbreaks of the superbug CRE which has led to bed closures.

The Anti-Microbial Coating Innovations (AMiCI) consortium is examining materials, such as copper and silver, which are known to have antimicrobial properties.

The aim is to develop new technologies which can be used in the coatings.

Healthcare associated infections, including multidrug-resistant bacteria, pose a risk to around four million people in the EU every year.

Antibiotic

Prof Dunne said that more than 60 universities, research institutes and companies from 26 European countries are participating in the network, marking the first time this issue is being addressed on such a large scale.

The rise of antibiotic resistance is now a global health crisis.

The more that antibiotics are usedthe easier it is for bacteria to become resistant to drugs.

Handwashing by staff remains a key protection against the spread of infection.
The operation is being coordinated by the Marine Rescue Coordination Centre in Valentia and is being supported by the Naval ship LE Roisin

Two Irish Coast Guard helicopters were called to rescue a crewman after he became injured on a Russian fishing vessel off the southwest coast of Ireland.

The Shannon based Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 115 has evacuated a seriously injured crewman from a large Russian fishing vessel approximately 140 nautical miles West of Kerry Head.

LE Roisin responded to a request to provide medical assistance and recover an injured fisherman approx 200 nautical miles off Loop Head. pic.twitter.com/AFmnT3Vl5G  Irish Defence Forces (@defenceforces) February 21, 2017

The operation is being coordinated by the Marine Rescue Coordination Centre in Valentia and is being supported by the Naval ship LE Roisin. Crew members from the LE Roisin went on board the vessel and assisted with casualty evacuation. Communication support and back up, known as Top Cover, was provided by a second Coast Guard helicopter, the Waterford based R117.

Weather conditions in the area for helicopter operations were difficult, bordering on marginal for such operations with a strong West South West swell and winds gusting in excess of 35mph.

The helicopter is currently routing to University Hospital Limerick, to arrive before 7:30pm, following an essential fuel stopover at Kerry airport.
Dublin Fire Brigade attend the scene on the M50 Southbound

The M50 southbound lane is closed at the Junction 15 Kilternan road as Dublin Fire Brigade battle a car blaze.

According to AA Roadwatch, diversions are in place and motorists are urged to expect delays.

M50 Southbound all lanes closed at J15 as @DubFireBrigade tackle car fire pic.twitter.com/wpsCqZdv6f  Dundrum.info (@Dundrum_info) February 21, 2017

We have 2 pumps in attendance at the car fire on the #M50 Southbound. Please take care in the area. Smoke may affect visibility.  Dublin Fire Brigade (@DubFireBrigade) February 21, 2017

Two Dublin Fire Brigade pumps attended the scene.

The DFB are warning motorists to take care in the area as smoke may affect visibilty.
Leo Varadkar at Electric Picnic in Stradbally, Co Laois in 2015.

Meet Dr Matt Barrett - the rock behind Leo Varadkar as he strives to become leader of Fine Gael.

Although the pair have been an item for the last 18 months, they have so far shunned the spotlight - although that could change should Mr Varadkar become Taoiseach.

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The couple have holidayed together, met each other's families and even shared a joint birthday bash.

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As chaos continues within the Government about Enda Kenny's resignation as Taoiseach, attention has turned to Mr Varadkar as a future leader.

As tensions rise, Mr Vardkar is seen to have a strong partner by his side.

Recently Mr Varadkar celebrated his 38th birthday party at Dublin hipster bar Hacienda with friends, family and his other half. Mr Varadkar represents a more modern politician having previously declared himself a fan of Blur and attends Electric Picnic every year.

Varadkar welcomed a host of guests including senior counsel and trustee of Fine Gael, Frank Callanan, his speech writer girlfriend, Bridget Hourican; FG legal advisor Jennifer Carroll MacNeill with her husband and Irish rugby guru Hugo MacNeill.

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Other guests included comedian Oliver Callan, dance guru Eamon Farrell and artist husband Steve Mannion, politician turned PR Lucinda Creighton, Senator Catherine Noone and her pal, orthodontist Shona Leydon.

Ministers Frances Fitzgerald, Simon Harris and Paschal Donohoe also accepted the invite.

The birthday duo were presented with a cake that had 'Happy Birthday Leo and Matt' written in icing.

The couple share a common interest in keeping fit and go on regular runs and hikes together.

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Should Mr Varadkar become Taoiseach, Ireland would just the fourth country to ever have an openly gay head of government.

Iceland's Johanna Siguroardottir, Belgium's Elio Di Rupo and Luxembourg's Xavier Bettel are the only other openly gay people to lead a government.

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Ireland became the first country in the world to legalise same-sex marriage by a public vote in 2015.

Minister Simon Coveney - seen as the other front runner for the leadership - has been married to wife Ruth since 2008.

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The couple have three daughters together - Beth (6), Jessica (5) and Ruth (2).
Fears that Enda Kenny won't name a specific date for his departure as Taoiseach are gripping Fine Gael ahead of a crunch meeting tomorrow.

Several ministers and TDs have told the Irish Independent they suspect Mr Kenny will try to "dig in", "fudge the issue" and "avoid giving a clear outline of his intentions".

Sources said such a scenario would lead to "panic" and a possible "bloodbath in the party".

A number of backbench TDs have held off tabling a motion of no confidence in Mr Kenny but are likely to reverse that decision as early as Thursday if they are not satisfied with his answers at the parliamentary party meeting.

Pressure will also ramp up on the frontrunners to succeed the Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar and Simon Coveney, to wield the knife if he tries to cling longer than necessary.

"I don't expect clear timelines. He will explain the work he has to do in the US and on Brexit. He's going to look for a couple of months. He won't be saying 'I'll be gone by a certain date'," one minister said.

Another said: "If Kenny lets this develop, it could be a very nasty campaign. He hasn't a notion of going.

"You have Mr Varadkar and Mr Coveney saying 'give him time', but if they keep that up he won't be gone before Christmas. He is trying to divide and conquer."

One backbench TD said: "He'll try to drag this out for his own reasons. The party can't let that happen."

Read more: Coveney warns FG TDs to 'back off' Enda Kenny - while Harris and Bruton refuse to rule themselves out of race

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While Mr Varadkar and Mr Coveney have told party members to "trust" the Taoiseach's judgment, senior party sources last night said they were "clueless" as to the Taoiseach's thinking.

Sources who would be considered close to Mr Kenny said it was likely only his wife Fionnuala was fully aware of his plan.

Cork South West TD Jim Daly has indicated that if the Taoiseach doesn't provide a workable timeframe for his exit he is prepared to challenge at tomorrow's meeting.

A number of other TDs, including party vice-chairman Pat Dearing, are understood to be prepared to table a no confidence motion that threatens to split the party down the middle.

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"If he was wise he'd go now. He wants Paddy's Day, then it's Brexit and before you know there's a budget," a junior minister said.

Speaking in Cork yesterday, Mr Coveney appealed for calm within the Fine Gael ranks and signalled he would not back a no confidence motion.

"What we have is a lot of impatience from some people. But what I have said very clearly over the weekend is that I trust the Taoiseach's judgment to manage a process of transition within the party but also a process of transition for the country," he said.

The Housing Minister said Mr Kenny "deserves the time and space" to step down of his own volition "and I am not going to start laying down timetables or conditions and I am certainly not going to support anybody who suggests that we should be forcing the issue".

He criticised colleagues for "demanding timelines" but repeated his belief that Mr Kenny would set the process in train "quite quickly" after St Patrick's Day in the White House.

Read more: Explained: What happens next in the race to be Fine Gael leader?
Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 21

By Orkhan Quluzade  Trend:

Turkey urges the countrys businessmen to invest in Azerbaijans agriculture, Turkeys Minister of Food, Agriculture and Livestock Faruk Celik said in an exclusive interview with Trend.

We know that Azerbaijan has been actively investing in the development of agricultural production lately. Companies with Turkish capital are also involved in these projects and they provide Azerbaijan with the know-how used in Turkeys agricultural sector, the minister said.

He added that Azerbaijan, thanks to its fertile land, will be able to significantly reduce dependence on imports of agricultural products, if investments are provided and necessary measures are implemented.

Turkey wants Azerbaijan to become a country fully self-sufficient in agricultural production, according to Celik.

For this purpose, we offer Turkish investors and businessmen to invest in Azerbaijans agricultural sector, he said.

Azerbaijans Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev has earlier said that, in general, self-sufficiency of more than 60 percent of main food and non-food products amounted to 100 percent or more due to the work carried out in recent years.

In subsequent years, the dependence on imports will decrease and the level of self-sufficiency and the countrys export potential will increase due to the creation of modern enterprises, agricultural parks, large horticultural and greenhouse facilities in industrial parks and zones, Mustafayev added.
Rebel Fine Gael TD Pat Deering has said he will not put down a motion of no confidence in Taoiseach Enda Kenny if the Fine Gael leader commits to stepping down soon after he returns from his St Patricks Day visit to the US.

Mr Deering heaped huge pressure on Mr Kenny last Thursday by threatening to table a no confidence motion if the Taoiseach did not set out a timeline for his departure this week.

Speaking to Independent.ie today, the Carlow-Kilkenny TD insisted the numbers are there for a motion but said there is no desire to force a vote on the leadership if it is not necessary.

My initial comment on Morning Ireland were he should reassess his position and inform the party this week, which he is going to do, Mr Deering said.

If we are talking about the timeframe announced by (Housing Minister) Simon Coveney on Sunday I think it would be reasonably acceptable, he added.

Speaking to RTEs The Week in Politics, Mr Coveney said he expected the Fine Gael leadership issue to be resolved soon after the Taoiseach returns from his State visit to Washington.

Mr Kenny was asked about his intentions at today's Cabinet meeting by Independent Alliance Minister Finian McGrath.

However the Taoiseach said he would be dealing with the issue tomorrow.

"He gave no indication of what he's thinking," said a source.

Meanwhile, at a meeting of Fine Gael ministers this morning, Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan apologised to Health Minister Simon Harris over his what's app comments.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny did not address this particular meeting on his leadership .
Tributes have been paid to 10-year-old Gavin Coyne who passed away yesterday while awaiting a heart transplant.

Gavin from Co Dublin was diagnosed with a rare heart condition last November.

He was transferred to the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle, England, where he was waiting for an organ donation.

Tragically, the 10-year-old passed away on Tuesday.

Gavin's cousin, Amy Coyne, thanked everyone for donating money to help Gavin's treatment.

"Thank you so much to everyone who has donated money over the last few weeks. Heartbreakingly, Gavin lost his battle yesterday and gained his angel's wings. RIP to such a beautiful brave boy."

The Holy Trinity SNS Parents Association paid tribute to Gavin, who was a fourth class student at their school.

"It is with great sadness and shock that we have to inform the Holy Trinity School community of the passing of Gavin Coyne.

"Gavin was one of our 4th class pupils who has been unwell for the last number of months.

"Gavin faced his illness with great bravery but unfortunately he lost his fight yesterday. For a very young man, Gavin has left an impact on all those who had the pleasure to make his acquaintance.

"We ask you to keep Gavins family, friends and classmates in your thoughts and prayers at this difficult time.

"Rest In Peace Gavin."
Tributes have been paid to a seven-year-old girl from Northern Ireland who died following a short illness.

It's believed Bronagh Kinney (7) died at the Royal Victoria Hospital for Sick Children in Belfast just days after becoming ill with meningitis.

She was a primary four pupil at Glena Primary School in Cushendall.

Bronagh was part of many sporting groups - all of which paid tribute to her.

Parish priest Fr Luke McWilliams said that her family are getting a lot of support from the community.

He said: "Bronagh was a lovely wee girl and she was really looking forward to her First Communion this year.

"She was very popular in her school, and she would be very much missed by the community.

"They are getting a lot of support from the community and they are coping remarkably well considering the tragic nature of the little girl's death."

He added: "It's every parent's nightmare."

Cushendall Camogie Club of which Bronagh was one of their Under 8 players said they were "saddened" to hear of her passing.

It said: "We would like to extend our sympathy to the entire Kinney family at this sad time."

The Glens Youth Club said: "The committee, staff and members of The Glens Youth Club are saddened to learn of the tragic passing of our junior member Bronagh Kinney RIP.

"The thoughts and prayers of everyone at The Glens Youth Club are with Shane, Gina, Michael, Clodagh, Liam, Niall and the entire Kinney family at this sad time."

Ruairi OG CLG camogie club said it was "tragic news" and that the thoughts and prayers of the club were with the Kinney family.

The young girl's funeral will take place on Wednesday at St Mary's Church in Cushendall.
Damien Bowe, whose brother Michael passed away three years after he had a heart transpant, is supporting the Mater Hospital's Heart Appeal to install a new ECHO heart screening machine. Photo: Brian Gavin Press 22

When factory operative Michael Bowe consulted his GP about the flu-like symptoms he just couldn't seem to shake, he was a bit surprised to be sent to hospital.

And utterly shocked, when, within two days, he was informed that he needed a heart transplant.

Michael, then just 24, was told that he had cardiomyopathy, a condition in which the heart becomes enlarged, thick or rigid.

That was in September 2000, and the news sent shock waves across his family.

"It came out of the blue. I don't know if we really took it in that Michael needed a heart transplant. It was not until he was undergoing tests in Dublin that the penny really dropped for us," recalls his brother Damien.

Michael had his much-needed heart transplant in February 2001, but his body rejected his heart, and he died suddenly three years later. It was a terrible shock to a family which had already experienced tragedy in 1998, when Michael's younger sister was killed in a car crash.

Michael's family were later tested for heart problems by the Mater Hospital's Family Heart Screening Clinic.

The clinic checks families of those who have been affected by or who have lost loved ones to cardiac conditions, including Sudden Adult/Arrhythmic Death Syndrome (SADS). Almost 9,000 people have been screened for often hidden and potentially fatal diseases since the clinic opened in 2007 - and this figure includes 60 children as young as eight years of age, who have been screened in the last year at the clinic, which this year celebrates its 10th anniversary.

Breda Bowe, Michael's mother, now aged 64, was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy following screening at the clinic, and had a defibrillator fitted.

Michael's younger brother Fintan, now aged 23, was also found to have the condition and is now on medication for it. Damien and his father Pat, however, were given the all-clear, as were Damien's three young sons, Iarlaith aged two, Ruairi five, and six-year-old Patrick, who were screened at the clinic in recent months.

Breda also underwent genetic testing which revealed that she is the gene carrier of the deficiency that leads to cardiomyopathy.

"For us, the screening at the clinic was critical," recalls Damien, from Timahoe, Co Laois, who points out that Fintan is an enthusiastic hurler.

"Without the screening I believe he could have died suddenly of Sudden Adult Death Syndrome because he was completely unaware that he had the condition until he was screened. He's now on medication and attends the clinic for screening every six months.

"My mother had a defibrillator fitted as a result of the screening.

"I believe the screening saved the lives of my mother and brother," says Damien, who adds that knowing their three children have been screened is a massive reassurance to himself and his wife Anne-Marie, a nurse.

The Bowes are fully supportive of this year's Heart Appeal to raise 95,000 for the purchase of a new ECHO machine for the clinic. This technology will provide much clearer images of the heart and lead to better diagnoses of often hidden cardiac problems into the future. The appeal also funds pioneering research into the causes and treatment of the disease, and with one person under the age of 35 passing away from an inherited cardiac condition every week in Ireland, such state-of-the-art screening technology and ongoing, in-depth research is badly needed.

Dr Catherine McGorrian, a cardiologist at the Mater Hospital who has worked with the Family Heart Screening Clinic since 2008, explains: "We screen for a number of different conditions, such as cardiomyopathy which is heart muscle disease.

"The ECHO machine helps us find previously undiagnosed cardiomyopathy problems," she explains. "Our screening is very much aimed at people who are at increased or high risk of heart problems," she said, adding that the ECHO machine currently in operation at the clinic is getting old:

"It has been there since 2009. The New ECHO machines have new tools to allow us to track heart function better and I'd like to offer these to my patients.

"The clinic has definitely made a difference to families from all over Ireland in terms of helping to protect people by identifying previously undiagnosed but treatable conditions, prescribing medication and sometimes using an implantable defibrillator.

"The key with the Family Heart Screening Clinic is that it is accessible," she says, adding that people are referred to the service by their GP, through their consultant while some will contact the clinic directly.

New investment in equipment is critical to ensure that The Family Heart Screening Clinic remains at the cutting edge of technology and supports pioneering research into the causes of a disease that affects young people in their prime, emphasises Dr Joe Galvin, consultant cardiologist. Dr Galvin, who set up the clinic 10 years ago, has been leading the team ever since.

He says: "The clinic has saved many relatives identified as being at high risk of a life-threatening arrhythmia and these have been protected with lifestyle changes, medications or an implantable cardiac defibrillator.

"It has also played a key role in research into SADS and other inherited cardiac conditions, which is crucial if these conditions are to be mapped and their prevalence fully understood in Ireland."

The clinic receives limited Government funding and is dependent on the Mater Foundation and the generosity of the public to purchase new essential equipment and fund research.

So, as Mary Moorhead, chief executive of the Mater Hospital Foundation explains, the service "requires new equipment to allow us to update the service, to continue to test for potentially life-threatening conditions that families might not otherwise have known about and to support research".

"We are appealing to the general public this February, the month of the heart, to lend us their support and help us to raise funds for an ECHO scanner. This will allow us to continue the important screening service into the future and help us prevent the deaths of our young people from SADS. As we have started testing children as young as eight years of age, now more than ever, this new equipment is vital."

* Donations to the Mater Heart Appeal can be made online at materfoundation.ie, or by calling the office on 01 830 3482. You can also lend your support by selling heart badges in your local area to help reach the fundraising target
With a surge in seats and a fall in ticket prices, this is a stellar time to fly - provided you book smartly.

Could 2017 be the cheapest ever year in which to fly?

Increased competition, falling ticket prices and a surge in capacity has led several experts to talk about a "perfect storm" for airline passengers.

"Travellers today have an overwhelming number of options to more destinations for lower prices than at any point in the recent past," according to a recent report by Expedia and the Airlines Reporting Corporation.

Last year, fares fell an average of 4pc in Europe, it found.

That's nothing compared to the drop in prices at Ryanair, whose average fare plummeted 17pc to 33 in the last quarter. The fall was "exacerbated by the sharp decline in Sterling following the Brexit vote," it says.

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Passenger numbers continue to rise, and its route network is growing, but Ryanair expects fares to fall another 15pc in the coming months.

Recent terror attacks in Turkey and North Africa have fanned the flames of airline competition to popular destinations like Spain and Portugal.

Cheap fuel prices have further enabled the discounting, and long-haul disruptors like WOW air and Norwegian are feeding into the mix too.

When Aer Lingus announced its latest transatlantic route to Miami, for example, lead-in fares were quoted at 299 each way. Around the same time, WOW announced one-stop flights via Reykjavik from 169.99 each way.

"We seem to be in the heart of a perfect storm," as US expert Peter Greenberg, Travel Editor with CBS News, put it recently, adding that "those low prices may be here for a while, especially on international flights."

Ireland is at the eye of the storm. Last week, Dublin Airport was announced as the fastest-growing major airport on the continent in 2016.

One day, Michael O'Leary has said, you could even fly for free.

5 tips for finding lower airfares

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1. Book at least 21 days ahead...

"Generally, the lowest tickets can be found if you purchase tickets on weekends, more than 21 days in advance," Expedia says.

Another study, by global flight search website, Skyscanner.ie, found that seven weeks in advance was the optimum time to bag a low fare.

2. Choose your travel window wisely...

After analysing millions of flights out of Ireland, Skyscanner found November to be the cheapest month in which to fly from this country, with savings of up to 14pc to be made against average price flights.

At the other end of the scale, the summer holiday month of July was by far the most expensive time to fly from Ireland, it found.

3. Never fly on a Friday

Midweek is a cheaper time to fly, as you avoid rush hour periods for both business and leisure travellers (Friday to Sunday). "In most parts of the world, trips with Saturday-night stays generally have the lowest prices," Expedia says.

4. Refine your searches

We've all spent time tearing our hair out in search of cheap fares. There are tools you can bookmark to avoid future hair loss, however.

Ryanair's Fare Finder (found under 'Plan' on Ryanair.com, followed by 'Explore', in the menu bar) allows you to search by budget, for example.

Skyscanner's 'Whole Month', meanwhile, allows you to search for the cheapest fares across an entire month. To use it, click the 'Departure Date' box to call up a calendar view, and switch between 'Specific Date' and 'Whole Month'.

5. Don't forget the bags

Bags, allocated seating and food all add significantly to the base cost of an airfare, so if you are travelling with luggage, it may be worth comparing prices with carriers that include checked bags in the fare, such as SAS or CityJet.

There are no golden rules, of course.

Well, except one - whatever about the best time to buy a flight, the absolute worst thing you can do is wait to the last minute.

Read more:
Top Gear presenters, from left, Chris Harris, Matt LeBlanc and Rory Reid will visit Cuba, Montenegro, Monte Carlo and Germany for the new series (BBC/PA)

Top Gear host Matt LeBlanc has spoken for the first time about reports that he and his presenting co-stars ate horse penis on the new series, insisting "nothing below the belt" was consumed.

LeBlanc, who will return to host the popular BBC Two show alongside Chris Harris and Rory Reid, revealed however that they did eat a sheep's ear while in Kazakhstan.

He told Press Association: "Neither one of us ate a horse penis, just for the record."

The former Friends star, 49, and Harris, 42, who have been promoting the 24th series of the show at the BBC Worldwide Showcase in Liverpool, tucked into the local delicacy, but said fellow presenter Reid "sensibly didn't", because "he didn't want to be violently ill".

Harris explained: "I made a joke around the fact that some of it may well have been (horse penis) as some of it looked like it.

"We hacked away at a sheep's head that had been cooked I think three weeks earlier and had for some reason been covered in pastry. Matt asked a local gentleman what the best bit of it was to eat and he signalled to the ear.

"It was just about on the turn. It wasn't fully off, but you know when it's just starting to tingle a bit, so we had a go at that and then the tribal chief was very impressed about 10 minutes later when he heard me being sick outside."

The trio will also visit Cuba, Montenegro, Monte Carlo and Germany when the series returns in March.

The first trailer was released earlier in February and featured an array of supercars and extraordinary vehicles, from the Aston Martin DB11 to the Ferrari FXX K, to the Russian eight-wheeled Avtoros Shaman.

Car enthusiasts will also get to see the team try a car valued at 2 million, and a 'mode of transport' tested that is valued at 4.5 million, although no details as to what these are have been revealed.

Video of the Day

:: The new series of Top Gear starts on Sunday March 5 at 8pm on BBC Two.
Olivia Colman and David Tennant are returning as Detective Sergeant Ellie Miller and Detective Inspector Alec Hardy in Broadchurch (ITV/PA)

Broadchurch star David Tennant has said he found the secrecy surrounding the hit drama "exhausting".

The show, co-starring Olivia Colman, is returning for its final series on Monday on ITV.

Former Doctor Who actor Tennant, 45, told Radio Times magazine that knowing the crime drama was coming to an end felt "like a loss".

He said of the security surrounding the plot: "Everyone found it rather exhausting. We were all issued with different passwords for different things.

"So new bits of script would come through and you'd forget what your password was and have to phone somebody up and prove it was you.

"That drove me mad, if I'm honest. I'd phone up the office and go, 'I need it on paper, I can't cope!'"

None of the actors were given the final script so the storyline could be kept secret.

"There was a recognisable amount of security. Honestly, it was a nightmare," said Tennant, who returns as DI Alec Hardy.

Colman, 43, who plays DS Ellie Miller, told the magazine she tried not to cry in the new series - having previously confessed that audiences might have seen her weep in character too often.

"I was really trying not to cry too much, but it was quite hard.

Video of the Day

"When the camera was on (co-star) Julie (Hesmondhalgh) and she was doing her scenes, it was so unbearable to watch.

"When the camera was on us for our reaction shots, I had to ask her to do it slightly less well so that I wouldn't cry."

She dismissed any idea that she is a national treasure and said she finds it difficult to deal with people trying to take selfies with her when she is out doing normal things.

"If you're going to a work do and you're all dressed up for an awards ceremony or something, it's fine because it's work," The Night Manager star said.

"But if I'm going out with my husband and kids, I'm not at work. I grew up without the selfie thing and I find it quite alien and odd.

"I said something the other day to someone who asked for one. I said, 'Just because there's not a photo doesn't mean it didn't happen'. I think they thought, 'What a weirdo'."

She said talk of national treasure status was "flattering, but I feel I haven't earned that".

"I don't know what it means ... (Dame) Judi Dench and (Sir) David Attenborough - they're national treasures. I feel slightly embarrassed that, at the moment, I'm not in their sphere."

The third series of Broadchurch features a sexual assault storyline.

The show's creator Chris Chibnall said sexual assault is often "not treated with the time or delicacy it deserves".

"What I did was to deliberately slow the pace down because I wanted to go into detail of how you report an attack," he added.

:: This week's Radio Times is on sale now.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 21

By Orkhan Quluzade  Trend:

Turkey is ready to exempt importers of products manufactured in Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan from paying customs duties, Turkeys Minister of Food, Agriculture and Livestock Faruk Celik said in an exclusive interview with Trend.

He said that in order to meet the needs of Turkeys eastern provinces in food products, certain goods can be imported from neighboring countries as part of border trade.

"At the same time, Turkey must act in accordance with the rules of the World Trade Organization," the minister noted.

In 2016, the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkey adopted a resolution on regulation of border trade, according to which goods will be imported within the set limit from Nakhchivan to Turkeys border provinces, Celik said.

"In connection with this resolution, zero rate of customs duty will be introduced for goods imported from Nakhchivan. Nakhchivan is a nexus between Turkey and Azerbaijan. It has strategic importance because of its location," the Turkish minister said.

Azerbaijani Deputy Economy Minister Sahil Babayev has earlier told Trend that Azerbaijan is negotiating with Turkey for granting customs privileges to exporters of products manufactured in Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.

"As you know, the customs duties for imported products are very high in Turkey, in particular, for the import of agriculture products, which is aimed at protecting the domestic market," said Babayev. "We are holding negotiations to expand the export of Azerbaijani products to Turkey, and in this context, we want to obtain customs privileges for the supply of goods, produced in Nakhchivan, to Turkey."

Turkey was Azerbaijans main trade partner in 2016. Trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Turkey amounted to $2.3 billion in 2016, according to Azerbaijans State Customs Committee.

About $1.13 billion of this accounted for export and $1.18 billion accounted for import.
A gas company worker unloads gas bottles from a delivery truck with bullet holes in its windscreen after police fired shots to stop the driver, whom they say had stolen the truck and was driving against traffic in Barcelona, Spain, February 21, 2017. REUTERS/Albert Gea

An investigator is seen inside a gas cylinder delivery truck with bullet holes in its windscreen after police fired shots to stop the driver, whom they say had stolen the truck and was driving against traffic, in Barcelona, Spain, February 21, 2017. REUTERS/Albert Gea

An investigator is seen inside a gas cylinder delivery truck with bullet holes in its windscreen after police fired shots to stop the driver, whom they say had stolen the truck and was driving against traffic, in Barcelona, Spain, February 21, 2017. REUTERS/Albert Gea

An investigator is seen inside a gas cylinder delivery truck with bullet holes in the windscreen after police fired shots to stop the driver, whom they say had stolen the truck and was driving against traffic, in Barcelona, Spain, February 21, 2017. REUTERS/Albert Gea

Police work at the scene of a gas cylinder delivery truck with bullet holes in its windscreen after police fired shots to stop the driver, whom they say had stolen the truck and was driving against traffic, in Barcelona, Spain, February 21, 2017. REUTERS/Albert Gea TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

Police in Spain say they have detained a man driving a truck with butane gas tanks at high speed against the flow of traffic on a major route in Barcelona.

Local media are reporting that officers stopped the driver with gunshots.

A regional police spokeswoman said the truck was travelling on the Roda del Litoral motorway near the city's harbour at around 11am local time.

National television channel TVE said the truck rammed several cars before police fired several shots to stop it.

The truck was finally stopped just off a slip-road after police shot through the rear windscreen of the vehicle.

Police arrested a man at the scene and have now launched an investigation.

The police spokeswoman would not confirm the gunshots but said the driver was being interrogated.

The stolen truck was loaded with gas cylinders and to have been speeding along the road, according to local media.

Counter-terrorism police are understood to be looking for a potential motive.

One policeman shot the lorry cabs front window and brought the driver to a halt. During the chase some of the gas containers fell off the trailer, with one person reported injured by a falling canister.

Police have said that the driver had stolen the vehicle and sped off, ignoring signals to stop. It was eventually stopped after taking a slipway in the wrong direction.

Pictures posted online by the Catalan police appear to show police surrounding the truck and a man being arrested at the scene.

The arrested man is reported to be a Swedish national. He has been taken to a medical facility for psychological examination.

An eye-witness, who works in the nearby Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute, spoke to the local media.

We heard sirens and then a very loud noise. We looked out and saw how the butane truck braked suddenly in the highway entrance," told La Vanguardia.

"It was going in the wrong direction.

Two motorcycles from the [local police] Guardia Urbana were following him. They dismounted and aimed their handguns at the driver.

"He spread his arms and straightaway three Mossos [Catalonia police force] tackled him. In a question of minutes police appeared from all directions, some with machine guns. In five minutes they led him away in handcuffs.

Spains interior minister, Juan Ignacio Zoido, has moved to reassure people the incident was not terror related.

Aquest es el camio de buta sostret i que ha circulat fugint de la policia i envestint vehicles pic.twitter.com/3BmuyV7DMe  policia.cat (@policiacat) February 21, 2017

Interceptat per @mossos i @barcelona_GUB un camio de buta que circulava envestint vehicles i que ha accedit contradireccio a les rondes. pic.twitter.com/prJcqHJjmK  policia.cat (@policiacat) February 21, 2017

tweeted: The arrested driver of the stolen gas truck in Barcelona has a record of psychiatric problems. It was not a terrorist act
French police raided the headquarters of Marine Le Pen's Front National (FN) party yesterday as part of an investigation into alleged misuse of EU funds to pay parliamentary assistants.

The European Parliament has accused Ms Le Pen, a French presidential candidate and MEP, of paying FN party staff with EU funds which it says should only be spent on European parliamentary assistants.

It has demanded Ms Le Pen pay back nearly 340,000 and, faced with her refusal to repay the money, has said it will start docking her salary in order to recover the funds.

The search at the far-right party's headquarters in Nanterre, west of Paris, was confirmed by FN officials, who said it was the second time the offices had been raided. They accused the French judiciary of conducting a political smear campaign. "It looks on the face of it like a media operation whose goal is to disturb the course of the presidential campaign and to seek to harm Marine Le Pen at a time when her candidacy is making an important surge in voter intentions," the FN said in a statement.

A French probe into "abuse of trust" and concealment, as well as "embezzlement in an organised gang", as well as fraud and concealed work was opened on December 15 following a complaint by the EU Parliament.

It came as a poll yesterday showed Ms Le Pen has gained some ground on her main election rivals, independent Emmanuel Macron and conservative Francois Fillon, but would still lose to either of them in the May 7 run-off for the presidency.

The Opinionway poll of voting intentions had Ms Le Pen easily beating her four main rivals and winning the April 23 first round with a score of 27pc to move through to the two-way run-off against either Mr Macron or Mr Fillon. Against Mr Macron she would go down by 42pc against his 58pc, while against Mr Fillon she would lose with 44pc to his 56pc, the poll showed.

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022]
Montenegro says "Russian state bodies" were involved in a thwarted assassination plot to kill the Balkan nation's prime minister and derail its accession to Nato.

The special prosecutor investigating the election day plot made his first public accusation of state involvement a day after it was reported that the British government believes Russia backed the conspiracy.

The Kremlin immediately dismissed the allegations it conspired to use Serbian nationalists to overthrow the Montenegrin government as "absurd" and unsubstantiated.

Milivoje Katnic, prosecutor, told local television: "So far we have had evidence that Russian nationalist structures were behind [the plot], but now also that Russian state bodies were involved at a certain level.

"The organs of the Russian state must investigate which bodies are involved and open a criminal trial over these acts."

The prosecutor alleged the conspiracy, which would have seen a group disguised as police officers attack parliament on October 16 and kill Milo Djukanovic, had been approved by a member of Russian military intelligence. British and US intelligence agencies have been called in to help the Montenegrin authorities unravel the plot and are understood to have found evidence of Russian involvement. Mr Katnic said one of the local ringleaders, a Serb activist called Aleksandar Sindjelic who has since turned prosecution witness, was invited to Moscow by a man called Eduard Sismakov, a member of "Russian military structures", to be cleared for the mission. He said Mr Sismakov, using the alias Shirokov, "asked him to work first to prevent Montenegro from entering Nato. That is the sole motivation of these structures".

Interpol has already issued a wanted notice for 'Eduard Shirokov' and another Russian called Vladimir Popov. Montenegro alleges they are officers with the GRU military intelligence service and oversaw the plot planning.

Mr Sismakov was deputy Russian military attache in Poland before being expelled for espionage in 2014, Mr Katnic said. In 2014 there were several tit-for-tat expulsions involving Russia and Poland, but the people expelled were never publicly named.

Moscow denied the claims as absurd and irresponsible.

Dmitry Peskov, Vladimir Putin's spokesman, said: "There can't be even talk about any sort of Russian officials' interference into Montenegro's internal affairs. Russia hasn't interfered and isn't going to interfere into domestic affairs of other countries, and in particular Montenegro with which we have very good relations."

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022]
France's far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen has refused to don a headscarf for a meeting with Lebanon's top Sunni Muslim cleric and walked away from the scheduled appointment after a brief squabble at the entrance.

The debacle topped Ms Le Pen's three-day visit to Lebanon, where she held her first campaign meeting with a head of state.

It put a spotlight on her strong support for secularism and a proposal in her presidential platform that promotes banishing headscarves and other obvious religious symbols in all public spaces.

"I consider the headscarf a symbol of a woman's submission," she told reporters at the end of her visit. "I will not put on the veil."

She compared her refusal to wear the headscarf to the decision by Michelle Obama to decline wearing one during her state visit to Saudi Arabia.

"I note that when Marine Le Pen refuses to don the headscarf, it is criticised, but when Michelle Obama refused to do it in Saudi Arabia, it was considered admirable," she said.

Journalists shouted back that the two situations were not comparable because one was a state visit while the other was to a religious body.

French law bans headscarves in all classrooms except universities. She has proposed extending the 2004 law banning headscarves and other "ostentatious" religious symbols in classrooms to all public spaces.

While the law covers all religions, it is widely viewed as aimed at Muslims.

Asked if she fears her proposal may ignite the anger of the Muslim community, she said: "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."

The incident occurred ahead of a scheduled meeting with Lebanon's grand mufti, Sheikh Abdel-Latif Derian.

Shortly after Ms Le Pen arrived at his office, one of his aides handed her a white headscarf to put on. Following a discussion with his aides that lasted a few minutes, she refused and returned to her car.

She said she had informed her host the night before that she would not wear the scarf but they did not cancel the meeting, adding: "They tried to impose it upon me."

She said the Grand Sheik of Al-Azhar, the head of the Sunni world's most prestigious learning institute, did not require her to don a headscarf. Photos of Ms Le Pen with Ahmed al-Tayeb in 2015 in Cairo show her with her hair uncovered.

The officials at the mufti's office "kept the meeting and consequently put me before a fait accompli", she said. "I stuck to my position, because when I take a position it corresponds to a conviction. If (you don't like it) never mind."

The office of Lebanon's mufti issued a statement saying Ms Le Pen was told in advance through one of her aides that she would have to put on a headscarf during the meeting.

"This is the protocol" at the mufti's office, the statement said. It said the aides tried to give her the headscarf and Ms Le Pen refused.

"The mufti's office regrets this inappropriate behavior in such meetings," the statement said.

Ms Le Pen has tried to raise her international profile and press her pro-Christian stance with her visit to Lebanon, a former French protectorate.

On Monday, she met President Michel Aoun, a Christian, and prime minister Saad Hariri, a Sunni Muslim.

She said Syrian President Bashar Assad was "the most reassuring solution for France", adding that the best way to protect minority Christians is to "eradicate" Islamic State.

AP
US President Donald Trump on Monday named Lieutenant General Herbert Raymond McMaster as his new national security adviser, again turning to the US military to play a central role on his foreign policy team.

McMaster is a highly regarded military tactician and strategic thinker, but his selection surprised some observers who wondered how the officer, who is known for questioning authority, would deal with a White House that has not welcomed criticism.

"He is highly respected by everybody in the military and we're very honoured to have him," Trump told reporters in West Palm Beach where he spent the weekend. "He's a man of tremendous talent and tremendous experience."

McMaster replaces a Trump loyalist. Michael Flynn, a retired Army lieutenant general, was fired as national security adviser on February 13 after reports emerged he had misled Vice President Mike Pence about speaking to Russia's ambassador about US sanctions before Trump's inauguration.

The ouster, coming so early in Trump's administration, was another upset for a White House that has been hit by miscues, including the controversial rollout of a travel ban on people from seven Muslim-majority countries, since the Republican president took office on Jan. 20.

Trump also named Keith Kellogg, a retired U.S. Army General who has been serving as the acting national security adviser, as chief of staff to the National Security Council. John Bolton, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, would serve the administration in another capacity, Trump said.

Kellogg and Bolton were among those in contention as Trump spent the Presidents Day long weekend considering his options for replacing Flynn. His first choice, retired Vice Admiral Robert Harward, turned down the job last week.

The national security adviser is an independent aide to the president and does not require confirmation by the U.S. Senate. The role has varied from administration to administration, but the adviser attends National Security Council meetings along with the heads of the State Department, the Department of Defense and key security agencies.

McMaster, 54, is a West Point graduate known as "H.R.," with a PhD in U.S. history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He was listed as one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people in 2014, partly because of his willingness to buck the system.

A combat veteran, he gained renown in the first Gulf War - and was awarded a Silver Star - after he commanded a small troop of the U.S. 2nd Army Cavalry Regiment that destroyed a much larger Iraqi Republican Guard force in 1991 in a place called 73 Easting, for its map coordinates, in what many consider the biggest tank battle since World War Two.

As one fellow officer put it, referring to Trump's inner circle of aides and speaking on condition of anonymity, the Trump White House "has its own Republican Guard, which may be harder for him to deal with than the Iraqis were." The Iraqi Republican Guard was the elite military force of ousted dictator Saddam Hussein.

McMaster's fame grew after his 1997 book "Dereliction of Duty" criticized the country's military and political leadership for poor leadership during the Vietnam War.

Trump's pick was praised by one of the president's strongest backers in the U.S. Congress, Republican Senator Tom Cotton, who called McMaster "one of the finest combat leaders of our generation and also a great strategic mind. He is a true warrior scholar, and I'm confident he will serve both the president and the country well."

'CRITICISM AND FEEDBACK'

In a July 14, 2014, interview with the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer in Columbus, Georgia, where Fort Benning is located, McMaster, then the base commander, said: "Some people have a misunderstanding about the Army.

"Some people think, hey, youre in the military and everything is super-hierarchical and youre in an environment that is intolerable of criticism and people dont want frank assessments.

"I think the opposite is the case ... And the commanders that Ive worked for, they want frank assessments, they want criticism and feedback."

That attitude was not always shared by his superiors, and it led to his being passed over for promotion to brigadier general twice, in 2006 and 2007.

On McMaster's third and last try, General David Petraeus  who took himself off the list last week for Trump's national security adviser  returned from Iraq to head the promotion board that finally gave McMaster his first general's star.

Then a colonel, McMaster was commander of the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment that in the spring of 2005 captured, held and began to stabilize Tal Afar on the Iraqi-Syrian border.

The city was held by Sunni extremists, a crossing point between Syria and Iraq for jihadists who started as al-Qaeda in Mesopotamia under Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and morphed into Islamic State after he was killed.

McMaster's preparation of the regiment is legendary: He trained his soldiers in Iraqi culture, the differences among Sunnis, Shiites and Turkomen, and had them read books on the history of the region and counterinsurgency strategy.

It was a sharp change from the "kill and capture" tactics the United States had used in Iraq since the invasion in March 2003, and to which the Obama administration returned in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria.

The strategy was largely a success, although McMaster's use of it and especially his willingness to acknowledge that Iraqis had some legitimate grievances against one another and the occupying coalition forces, did not endear him to his superiors and helped delay his promotion to brigadier general.

The strategy did not survive the departure of McMaster's troops, with Tal Afar falling into the hands of Sunni militants. Along with the west part of Mosul, it is now a key objective in the battle to rid Iraq of Islamic State.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 21

By Anvar Mammadov  Trend:

Minsk City Executive Committee registered Azerbaijan Trade House CJSC, said Azerbaijans Economy Ministry in a message Feb. 21.

The company has been created in order to manage the trading house of Azerbaijan in Belarus.

The trading house will support the promotion of Azerbaijani goods under the Made in Azerbaijan brand in Belarus, marketing research, participation in exhibitions and other activities related to the promotion of Azerbaijani goods.

Trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Belarus increased by 21.5 percent and amounted to $6.34 million in January 2017, as compared to the same month of 2016, according to Azerbaijans State Customs Committee.
US Vice-President Mike Pence waves next to Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the Alliance headquarters in Brussels Photo: REUTERS/Virginia Mayo/Pool

Mike Pence, the US vice-president, yesterday warned European members of Nato that the Trump presidency wants "real progress" by the end of the year on boosting defence spending.

Mr Pence, on his first overseas trip in office, left Jens Stoltenberg, the Nato secretary general, in no doubt as to White House demands.

Expand Close A demonstrator takes part in a protest against US President Donald Trump outside the Houses of Parliament in London, yesterday Photo: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire / Facebook

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"If you don't yet have a plan - these are my words, not his [Mr Trump's] - get one. It is time for actions, not words," he told a press conference.

Nato leaders agreed in 2014 that members needed to start spending at least 2pc of their gross domestic product on defence by 2024. Only the US, Britain, Poland, Estonia and Greece currently do so.

"The truth is many others, including some of our largest allies, still lack a clear and credible path to meet this minimum goal," Mr Pence said.

Asked what the administration would do if allies failed to meet the spending target, Mr Pence said: "I don't know what the answer is to 'or else', but I know that the patience of the American people will not endure for ever."

Meanwhile, Mr Trump named Herbert Raymond McMaster, a highly respected lieutenant general, as his new national security adviser, calling him a "man of tremendous talent and tremendous experience".

Gen McMaster is known for developing pioneering combat tactics in fighting insurgents following the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and challenging the status quo in US military policy.

European leaders responded with cautious optimism to Mr Pence's first visit to Brussels after the vice-president affirmed America's partnership with the European Union. Europe had been rattled by Mr Trump's repeated criticism of the Nato alliance and his apparent delight with Brexit.

The vice-president said he was acting on behalf of Mr Trump when he expressed the "strong commitment of the United States to continued co-operation and partnership with the European Union".

"Whatever our differences, our two continents share the same heritage, the same values and above all the same purpose: to promote peace and prosperity through freedom, democracy and the rule of law," Mr Pence said.

The comments, which seemed at odds with the direction the Trump administration has taken so far on the EU, were met with a slightly perplexed but cautious optimism.

Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council, quipped: "Reports of the death of the West have been greatly exaggerated.

"I heard words which are promising for the future, words which explain a lot about the new approach in Washington," Mr Tusk said after meeting with Mr Pence.

He warned that European leaders would be watching closely to ensure that both sides "practise what they preach".

"Too many new and sometimes surprising opinions have been voiced over this time about our relations - and our common security - for us to pretend that everything is as it used to be," he said.

Mr Trump has been expansively critical of the EU, and has even appointed an ambassador to the bloc - Ted Malloch - who is openly pro-Brexit.

The president has also built personal connections with Nigel Farage, the former Ukip leader, and his aides have met with Marine Le Pen, and other leaders of right-wing European political parties who would like to see the fragmentation of the union. Last month, Mr Trump stunned EU leaders when he dismissed the bloc as being "basically a vehicle for Germany".

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022]
A dossier on Donald Trump's psychological makeup is being prepared for Russian President Vladimir Putin and its preliminary conclusions have categorised the president was "naive".

According to NBC news that initial conclusions from those working on the report has assessed the former reality star as someone who is naive and a risk-taker.

The president "doesn't understand fully who is Mr. Putin  he is a tough guy," former Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Fedorov told NBC News.

The file is being compiled by retired diplomats and some of Putin's staff, he added.

The file will be used to help Putin plan for his first meeting with America's new leader, the date for which is yet to be decided.

There is "very serious preparatory work is going on in the Kremlin, including a paper  seven pages  describing a psychological portrait of Trump, especially based on this last two to three months, and the last weeks," added Fedorov, who said he has known Trump since 2000.

Expand Close Cups depicting Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump displayed for sale in St Petersburg, Russia (AP) / Facebook

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"Trump is not living in a box  he is living in a crowd. He should listen to the people around him especially in the areas where he is weak," he said.

The dossier has been marked as an unusual move by commentators.

Trump's relationship with Russia is one that has dominated headlines both during his campaign and since his inauguration.

The issue of Russia "is now a kind of banana skin for Trump  that's why we should avoid any kind of step that could damage Trump," said Fedorov.

"Trump cannot come to a meeting with Putin as a loser  he must sort out his domestic problems first."

Fedorov added that Trump's "constant battle with the mass media" was "worrying us."

Expand Close U.S. President Donald Trump smiles a as he holds a "Make America Great Again" rally at Orlando Melbourne International Airport in Melbourne, Florida, U.S. February 18, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque / Facebook

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Whatsapp U.S. President Donald Trump smiles a as he holds a "Make America Great Again" rally at Orlando Melbourne International Airport in Melbourne, Florida, U.S. February 18, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

The president "is dancing on thin ice," he said, adding it's a risky game."
Demonstrators make their views known in Salt Lake City, Utah (AP)

Donald Trump tours the National Museum of African American History and Culture (AP)

Donald Trump has denounced recent threats against Jewish community centres in the US as "horrible" and "painful".

The US president said the threats are a "very sad reminder of the work that still must be done to root out hate and prejudice and evil".

He was speaking after touring the newly opened National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington.

"This tour was a meaningful reminder of why we have to fight bigotry, intolerance and hatred in all of its very ugly forms," Mr Trump said.

His comments about threats at Jewish community centres across the country marked the first time he had directly addressed a wave of anti-Semitism and followed a more general White House denouncement of "hatred and hate-motivated violence".

That statement earlier on Tuesday did not mention the community centre incidents or Jews.

Mr Trump "has made it abundantly clear that these actions are unacceptable", the statement said.

The FBI said it is joining the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division to investigate "possible civil rights violations in connection with threats" to the centres.

On Monday, Mr Trump's daughter Ivanka wrote on Twitter: "We must protect our houses of worship & religious centers," and used the hashtag #JCC.

She converted to Judaism ahead of her 2009 marriage to Jared Kushner.

She joined her father at the African American museum tour.

The White House was criticised by Jewish groups last month after issuing an International Holocaust Remembrance Day statement that did not mention Jews.

On Monday, 11 Jewish community centres across the country received phoned-in bomb threats, according to the JCC Association of North America.

Like three waves of similar calls in January, the threats proved to be hoaxes, the association said in a statement.

All of the affected centres have returned to normal operations.

Mr Trump said: "The anti-Semitic threats targeting our Jewish community and community centres are horrible and are painful and a very sad remainder of the work that still must be done to root out hate and prejudice and evil."

AP
David Taylor listens to an Indonesian interpreter during his trial in Bali (AP)

Indonesian prosecutors have called for eight-year prison sentences for a British man and an Australian woman accused of killing a police officer on the tourist island of Bali.

David Taylor and his girlfriend Sara Connor were arrested in August over the death of traffic officer Wayan Sudarsa, whose bloodied body was found on the beach outside the Pullman Hotel in the popular tourist area of Kuta.

They were charged with committing violence leading to death, which carries a maximum 12-year prison term under Indonesia's criminal code.

The pair had been drinking beer on the beach in the hours before the late-night incident.

Taylor admitted getting into a fight with Mr Sudarsa after Connor realised she had lost her handbag and accused him of being a fake police officer and stealing it.

Taylor admitted hitting the Indonesian repeatedly with a mobile phone, binoculars and a broken beer bottle, leaving him face down and unconscious, but he said he did not think Mr Sudarsa would die.

Connor, a mother of two, seemed upset and angry after the hearing. Her lawyer Erwin Siregar said she could not accept the sentencing demand which she regarded as too heavy.

The hearings are to resume next week.

AP
Robert Mugabe reads a card as he marks his 93rd birthday at his offices in Harare (AP)

Mugabe has repeated his pledge to stand in elections in 2018. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi, File)

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, marking his 93rd birthday, has described his wife Grace as "fireworks" because of her feisty remarks in his defence.

A large celebration is scheduled for Saturday in tribute to Mr Mugabe, who has ruled since independence from white minority rule in 1980.

Ms Mugabe, an increasingly political figure, has defended her husband against critics who say it is time for him to step down, insisting the ruling party should field him "as a corpse" if he dies before elections next year.

In an interview marking his birthday shown on state broadcaster ZBC, Mr Mugabe noted that his wife's remarks were shown on television.

"Fireworks, isn't it?" he said, laughing.

Ms Mugabe's political rise has been a source of consternation for opposition figures as well as some officials in the ruling Zanu-PF party who suspect she is positioning herself for a more powerful role in government.

The president described her as "very much accepted by the people" and said the women's wing of the ruling party had chosen his wife as its head because of her political ambitions.

He described her as "well-seasoned" and "a very strong character".

Mr Mugabe also repeated his pledge to stand in elections in 2018 despite calls from some Zimbabweans for him to quit amid economic turmoil in the once-prosperous country and numerous allegations about human rights and election irregularities.

The president said he is still popular and nobody is qualified to replace him.

"The volume of wishes for the president to stand, the number of people who will be disappointed is galore and I don't want to disappoint them," he said.

During the interview, Mr Mugabe often gestured to emphasise points. He spoke slowly and was slumped in a leather armchair most of the time.

AP
CONCORD  Nancy Litton grew up walking the halls of hospitals, and knows firsthand how important healthcare can be. Before she was born, her sister, Lynn, was diagnosed with Hypoparathyroidism, which causes decreased blood levels of calcium and other issues.

As a result, her sister was constantly in the hospital and Litton was often with her. Watching healthcare professionals constantly working with her sister eventually pushed Litton to be involved in the healthcare industry herself.

Healthcare really is something we should all be able to take for granted, Litton said. We should all be able to have the level of care we need for the health issues that we are facing. The more frequently we can get those identified and dealt with at the early onset or even in a preventive manner is certainly preferred.

Litton grew up in the southwest portion of Virginia, in the heart of coal country, and saw the impact healthcare professionals had on her sister and other patients.

It would eventually push her to go into the healthcare industry, but not as a nurse or doctor. Instead, Litton focused on education, remembering the experiences she had with doctors working with her sister.

I got a little queasy around those needles and I just wasnt real sure I wanted to really do to people what I watched people do to her, Litton said.

But the experiences pushed Litton to want to help people who need healthcare services.

Litton attended East Tennessee State University and graduated in 1983 with a degree in public health education.

She has worked with the American Red Cross and other organizations and was recently hired as the first deputy executive director for the Community Free Clinic, located at 528 Lake Concord Rd NE # A, Concord.

This is the first time in more than 20 years the Community Free Clinic has added another administrative role, with Litton joining Community Free Clinic Executive Director Marie Dockery.

It will add another top level position that will help identify needs as they are emerging, that will help plan and quickly address those needs as we see them, Dockery said.

That need to address issues is important as so many people in the community search for healthcare. The impact of any changes in the Affordable Care Act will have to be determined by Litton and Dockery in order to provide care for patients needing it.

Retired physicians, Dr. George Liles and Dr. David Lockhart, founded the Community Free Clinic in 1994 in an effort to provide the un-insured residents of Cabarrus County access to free healthcare and medications, according to the Community Free Clinic website.

The Clinic began with volunteer physicians seeing patients during a Night Clinic Program two nights a week. Currently, the clinic has full-time and part time-staff, hundreds of volunteers including physicians, nurses, pharmacists, lab technicians, and many more.

Dockery said the clinic has 10 full-time employees who do direct patient care in the pharmacy or the clinic or help with patient enrolment eligibility.

Community Free Clinic has about 800 patients on an annual basis, Dockery said. And Dockery knows the need is even greater in the community, talking about how a family of four might be living on $28,000 a year and trying to pay rent, food, school supplies and car maintenance.

Where do you build healthcare into that except at the Community Free Clinic in Cabarrus County? Dockery said. Community has to build around community and someone has to rise up and accept the challenge to provide that entry to care that some folks need that cant get it any other way.

The care Community Free Clinic provides is offered with a budget of $754,966 for 2017. Dockery and Litton are now in the middle of planning a fundraiser that will help support those funds and provide care in the community.

Saturday, Feb. 25, from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. there will be an event hosted at Ken Schrader Racing with the Fifth Annual Heart to Heart Evening: Racing Hearts.

The Community Free Clinic Heart to Heart Evening: Racing Hearts event will be held at Schrader Racing, 4403 Stough Road, Concord.

This year, Schrader is offering his racing facility to hold the event. There will be a live auction, a silent auction, with a cocktail hour, and mock 

pit stop activities with volunteers dressed in NASCAR suits and the selfie booth will have a pit stop theme.

Everything about the evening will be NASCAR focused, Dockery said.

Tickets for the event are $100 each. The funds raised will go to support Community Free Clinic and every dollar raised leverages about $20 worth of service, because of the value of the services and medication provided. So, a $100 ticket can leverage $2,000 worth of healthcare, according to Dockery and Litton.

The program is coordinated by Dockery and Litton, with Litton being able to assist on the fundraiser, as well as other needs that have been solely on Dockerys shoulders in the past.

I think over the years, if it was grant writing time or if if was special events time, there were parts of the organization that had to wait on the backburner, and I believe with Nancys leadership, all of our programs and all of our efforts will continue to get the exact attention they need.

And Litton knows how important those services are in the community.

I have neighbors, I have co-workers, I have individuals  in this community that I know how precarious their life situation is, Litton said. And a resource like the Community Free Clinic is a value for somebody I know in this town.

Visit https://communityfreeclinic.org/ for more information on the Community Free Clinic.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 21

By Maksim Tsurkov  Trend:

Azerbaijans state oil company SOCAR plans to increase capacities of its underground gas storage facilities in the country, SOCAR said in a message posted on its website Feb. 21.

Rovshan Garayev, the head of the Gas Storages Exploitation Division at Azneft Production Union of SOCAR, said that the underground gas storages are strategic facilities, which play an important role in the regulation of demand for gas in autumn-winter periods, as well as in ensuring uninterrupted operation of main and export gas pipelines.

Garayev made the remarks while addressing a meeting dedicated to the activity of the SOCAR company in 2016.

Reconstruction, proper running of underground gas storage facilities and use of brand-new technologies are the main components of our strategy, he said.

There are two underground gas storage facilities in Azerbaijan  Kalmaz and Garadagh owned by the Azneft Production Union.

Capacity of Azerbaijans underground gas storage facilities allows storing more than 3.5 billion cubic meters of gas.

Last year some 1.99 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas were pumped to the underground gas storage facilities, allowing to make a reserve of some 2.97 bcm, given the residual volumes of gas, Garayev said.

As much as 1.87 bcm of gas were extracted from the underground storage facilities since the start of gas extraction season, Garayev noted. Azneft works on reconstruction and expansion of its gas storage facilities to increase their capacity.

The company plans to drill some 25 new wells in Garadagh and 21 wells in Kalmaz underground gas storage facilities, he added. It is also planned to build a new compressor station with the operating pressure of 250 atmospheres in order to bring the volumes of gas in underground storages up to 6 bcm.

Seven new wells are expected to be drilled at the SOCAR underground gas storage facilities in 2017.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @MaksimTsurkov
Vacationing isn't just about going places; it's about how cool you make your travel pictorial memoir look. Some of our favorite celebrities are avid travelers and their pictures are absolutely envy-inducing. We cannot get enough of the fabulous trail of visuals these actors left. They're sure to get you planning your next trip.

Here's your dose of travel inspiration-

Nakuul Mehta and Jankee documented their travels with some visually stunning photographs. From phone booths, store windows, and cobbled streets, they sure did know how to capture the atmosphere of London. If you're looking for an urban location, London is the way to go!

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The Ishqbaaaz star has a great eye for signs that give off a vibe of the location-

And, details in the backdrop. Aren't these the cutest pair of London Loafers?

Kunal Karan Kapoor has quite the collection to show for. The selection of destinations are great and so are his captions. This one has a quote from Harry potter.

He also took a shot of monks in Bir, Himachal Pradesh, which is a defining shot of the surroundings.

This one is a rustic location that looks like it's been cropped out of a painting.

Karan Tacker took some amazing unfiltered pictures in Thailand. The pristine blue waters and the mountain for a backdrop make for a stunning combination.

He shared a brilliant snap of the architectural grandeur of Paris' Musee de Louvre.

Kanchi Kaul took an amazing trip with her husband Shabbir Ahluwalia to the Maldives. The beach vacation was filled with picturesque blue landscapes and palm tree tops.

She also put this overload of cool blue-

Inspired yet? Which is your favorite travel snippet? Let us know in the comments below.
Kochi, Feb 20 (IBNS): Days after reports of a top south Indian actress's abduction and molestation surfaced, popular southern actor Mohanlal came in support of her, calling it as an atrocious act perpetrated on a lady.

The writer took to social media to vent anger against the perpetrators.

"It is most unfortunate to hear about this atrocity perpetrated on a Lady. Such acts should not only be condemned vehemently by one and all but exemplary punishment should be handed out to these criminals who are worse than animals so that it serves as a lesson to similar minded characters who I will not even term as humans."

Urging for quick justice, he added, "It's time we stop being candle holding and candle lighting sympathisers and ensure that the law of the land be strengthened in such ways that no body even dares contemplating such acts leave alone commit it. My heart goes out to her in this time of distress. May justice be served without delay."

Mohanlal's sentiments were echoed by fellow actor Dulquer Saleem, who said that even though he takes great pride in his society and how it treats wormen, the incident has left a dent in his mind.

"I was hesitant to speak out about this incident yesterday out of respect for the victim of this travesty. It's easy to just post something on social media, but I'm afraid it somehow becomes about yourself. This is so much more than all that. It's something that sickens and frightens my core. I take great pride in our state and how safe our society is. Especially how we treat and respect our women. And yesterday it's like that shattered."

"This is somebody's daughter, somebody's sister somebody's family and someone who has brought to life so many wonderful characters to us film lovers. I wish and pray our superb police force, the Kerala Police catch these spineless cowards hiding behind their masks. Including myself and our industry, I request all our boys and men, young and old to be alert and vigilant. It's equally our responsibility to care about, look out for, and to respect & protect our women,' he added.

The popular actress in South Indian state of Kerala, was abducted and later molested by a gang of men.

Though the Kerala Police have already nabbed the driver of the alleged vehicle in which she was kidnapped, they are yet to trace the main culprits.

With pressure mounting from the film fraternity, the police said that they have intensified the hunt.

"Their plan was to get the money from the actress by blackmailing her [with the video]," a police official was quoted as saying by Manorama News.

According to Indian Express, Police sources said a lookout notice has been issued to nab the key accused Sunil Kumar alias Pulsor Sunil, who had earlier worked with the actresss driver.

The incident has drawn widespread criticism.

While several have slammed the nature of the incident, actor Unni Mukundan praised the actress for her courage to speak up against the incident.

Lauding her decision, the actor was quoted as saying in the media, "Nothing will change except for the fact that everyone will know that you are one brave girl who chose to fight."

However, the incumbent state government has described it as an isolated incident and has urged people to not panic about women safety in Kerala.

"It is an isolated incident and because of this you cannot claim that the law and order situation in the state has worsened," CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan was quoted as saying by Times of India.

In a stark contrast, where others slammed the police for the lack of arrest pertaining to the case, the lawmaker chose to laud the police for quick action.

Speaking about the driver's arrest, Balakrishna said, "This shows that the police acted swiftly and nabbed the culprits. The investigation is going in the right direction."

The accused has been identified as a former driver of actor-turned-politician Mukesh.

When questioned, he said, "I never knew that he had a criminal background when he was my driver. He was my driver for quite some time before he moved out. Later, I learnt that the police had arrested him in some criminal case."
New Delhi, Feb 20 (IBNS): India on Monday lauded Pakistan's effort of putting Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)/Jamaatud Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed's name on its terror list.

Speaking to reporters, Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Vikas Swarup said: "It is a logical first step in bringing them to justice and in ridding our region of the twin menaces of terrorism and violent extremism."

He said that Saeed is responsible for terror activities in Pakistan's neighbourhood.

On Saturday, the provincial government of Punjab included names of Hafiz Muhammad Saeed and one of his close aides, Qazi Kashif, in the fourth schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), Dawn.com reported.

Hafiz Saeeds name has also been put on the exit control list.

Saeed is said to be the mastermind of 2008 Mumbai attack which claimed lives of 166 people.
New York, Feb 21 (Just Earth News): Strongly condemning the latest deadly terrorist attack in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, the United Nations Security Council on Monday reiterated that its determination to support peace, security and development in the long-troubled country would not be swayed by this, or any other such attack.

In a press statement that follows yesterday's terrorist attack at a market in Mogadishu that killed at least 39 people and injured many more, the members of the Council expressed their deep sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims, as well as to the people and Government of Somalia. They also wished a speedy recovery to those injured.

The Council went on to commend the swift response of Somalia's security and first responders.

It also reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security and underlined the need to bring perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice, as well as reaffirmed the need to combat the scourges in accordance with international law.

Further to the statement, the Security Council paid tribute to all Somali and international actors working to bring peace and stability in Somalia. The 15-nation body reiterated its determination to support peace, stability and development in Somalia and underlined that neither this nor any other terrorist attack would weaken that determination.

Photo: AU-UN IST/Stuart Price

Source: www.justearthnews.com
New York, Feb 22 (Just Earth News): Even though over the past 10 years, more than 65,000 children have been released from armed forces and armed groups, tens of thousands of boys and girls under the age of 18 continue to be used in conflicts around the world, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday.



[It] is not only about looking back at what has been accomplished  but looking forward to the work that remains to be done to support the children of war, said UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake as global leaders gather in the French capital on the anniversary of the Paris commitments to end the use of children in conflict.

Adopted 10 years ago, the Paris commitments, together with the Paris principles and guidelines, lay out guidance for protecting children from recruitment and use by armed forces or armed groups, and assisting their release and reintegration, with other vulnerable children affected by armed conflict in their communities.

According to UNICEF, exact data on the number of children used and recruited in armed conflict is difficult to ascertain because of the unlawful nature of child recruitment. But estimates indicate that tens of thousands under the age of 18 are used in conflicts worldwide.

For instance, since 2013 an estimated 17,000 children have been recruited in South Sudan and up to 10,000 have been recruited in the Central African Republic (CAR). Similarly, nearly 2,000 children were recruited by Boko Haram, in Nigeria and neighbouring countries, last year alone, and there have been nearly 1,500 cases of child recruitment in Yemen since the conflict escalated in March 2015.

There has also been progress: since it was adopted, the number of countries endorsing the Paris commitments has nearly doubled from 58 countries in 2007 to 105 at present, signalling an increasing global commitment to end the use of children in conflict.

Globally, more than 65,000 children have been released from armed forces and armed groups, including 20,000 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo); nearly 9,000 in the Central African Republic; and over 1,600 children in Chad.

But more needs to be done.

Seeking to build on the current momentum, the Paris International Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Children in Armed Conflicts is urging for unconditional release of all children  without exception  and putting an end to child recruitment.

It is also calling increased resources to help reintegrate and educate children who have been released, and urgent action to protect internally displaced children, child refugees and migrants.

As long as children are still affected by the fighting, we cannot give up the fight for the children, Lake added.

Photo: UNICEF/Ohanesian

Source: www.justearthnews.com
Kabul, Feb 21 (IBNS): At least 15 Taliban militants were killed in two separate airstrikes conducted by the Afghanistan government in the country's Helmand province, local Khaama Press reported.

The first airstrike, which took place in Nawa district, accounted for seven militants.

A second strike in Sangin district took down eight insurgents.

The Taliban is yet to comment on the loss.




Islamabad, Feb 21 (IBNS): At least four people were killed and 12 others injured in three consecutive blasts which rocked Pakistan's Charsadda on Tuesday, local reports said.

Earlier, law enforcers restricted three suicide bombers from entering the court, two of whom were shot down by law enforcers while the third blew himself up, Geo News reported.

The area has been cordoned off.

The blast took place at a local court in Tangi Bazar in Charsadda district.

More details awaited.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb.21

By Leman Zeynalova  Trend:

South Stream Transport B.V., 100-percent subsidiary of Russias Gazprom company, has signed a contract with Swiss Allseas Group on constructing the second line of the Turkish Stream gas pipelines offshore segment, Gazprom said on its website.

The contract was signed within the framework of exercising the option envisaged by the contract for laying the first line of the gas pipeline.

On Dec.8, 2016, South Stream Transport B.V. company signed an agreement with Allseas Group S.A. on construction of the first line of Turkish Stream pipelines offshore section.

Under the contract, Allseas should lay over 900 kilometers of pipes along the seabed.



Russia and Turkey signed an intergovernmental agreement October 10 on the implementation of the Turkish Stream project.



The agreement envisages construction of two branches of the main gas pipeline under the Black Sea, the capacity of each branch being 15.75 billion cubic meters of gas.



One branch is meant to supply gas directly to the Turkish market and the other for the supply of gas by transit through Turkey to Europe. The intergovernmental agreement also stipulates that these two offshore branches should be built by December 2019.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn
Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb.21



By Leman Zeynalova  Trend:



OPEC countries are aiming to boost compliance with agreed oil output curbs further from January's high levels, said the cartels secretary general Mohammed Sanusi Barkindo.



He made the remarks Feb.21 during the International Petroleum Week in London, the events host Energy Institute said on Twitter.



Barkindo noted that OPEC liquids production expected to recover in the medium term after sharp drop in 2016.



Industry needs regular, timely investment to ensure security of supply, he added.



The oil industry cannot afford to see investment levels fall for a third year in a row, said Barkindo, adding that stability is essential.



During a meeting in Vienna, Austria, on Nov. 30, 2016, OPEC members decided to implement a new production target of 32.5 million barrels per day. Later, non-OPEC countries agreed to cut the output by 558,000 barrels per day during the meeting held Dec. 10, 2016.



Eleven non-OPEC countries  Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Brunei, Equatorial Guinea, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Oman, Russia, Sudan, and South Sudan  agreed to reduce the oil output.



OPEC and non-OPEC countries pledged to start implementing the deal from Jan. 1, 2017 for six months, extendable for another six months.



It was also decided to establish a High-level Monitoring Committee, consisting of oil ministers, and assisted by the OPEC Secretariat, to monitor the implementation of the agreement.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Feb. 21

By Huseyn Hasanov  Trend:

Ashgabat hosted a meeting with Palestines Deputy Foreign Minister Mazen Shamiyah, the Turkmen Foreign Ministry said in a message.

During the talks, the sides exchanged views on cooperation in trade, economy, as well as in the political and cultural spheres. They also noted that it is important to continue the established dialogue for further diversification of the bilateral cooperation.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas paid an official visit to Turkmenistan on November 13-15, 2016. Turkmenistan and Palestine signed an agreement on economic cooperation and memorandums of understanding on cooperation in higher education and tourism.
and a member of the Companys Board of Directors. He has over 28 years of experience in initiating and establishing startups and building an efficient management team under his guidance. In his formative years, he worked extensively in the US, Europe, Middle East and India. He holds an Engineering degree from BITS, Pilani.

Infinite Computer Solutions

provides technology-based business process solutions, next-gen mobility solutions and product engineering services, specializing in the Healthcare, Banking & Finance, Telecommunications, Technology, Media & Publishing industries, for Fortune 1000 companies. Established in 1999, Infinite Computer Solutions today is a publicly listed entity headquartered in Bangalore with an expanse across three continents, a diverse employee base and over 50 premier clients, including several leading Fortune 1000 companies.

In an interaction with IIFLs

Upinder Zutshi, MD and CEO, Infinite Computer Solutions

said, "We want to be seen as an organization that owns intellectual properties and has the ability to provide solutions to a customer keeping in mind changing business needs and technology."

Brief us about the financials of the company.

The company recorded a PAT (Profit after tax) of Rs 89.8 crore in FY14, Rs 112.9 in FY15 and Rs 121.9 crore in FY16. The PAT for H1 FY17 was Rs 61.52 crore. The revenue of the company grew consistently from Rs 1,732.7 crore in FY14 to Rs 1,737.4 crore in FY15 and Rs 2,108.3 crore in FY16. The revenue for H1 FY17 was Rs 1,092.7 crore. The earnings per share (EPS) registered a gradual increase; it was Rs 21.7 in FY14, Rs 28.1 in FY15 and Rs 30.8 in FY16. For H1 FY17, it was Rs 15.6.

You are have a range of business interests. Which segments are the most profitable for the company? How has the business landscape changed or evolved over the past few years?

We started off as a telecom focused company - wide line telecom wireless. So thats a big segment for us. The largest, most attractive and growing segment for us now is healthcare. These are the two big verticals. A majority of the revenue comes from these two verticals.

There has been a dramatic change in the telecom vertical. Today, any telecom company cannot stop at merely providing voice communications, and so theres data, content and wireless. There has been a huge shift in the nature of telecom companies as well. For us, there has been a huge opportunity in the market because of the dramatic business changes. Companies needed us as they had to change the underlining IT system for products and platforms. Companies had to make investments in new products, new switches, and new routers. So, that's why we have been growing in that segment.

Most of your business is in the US. What are you bringing to India in the near future?

What we are bringing to India or everywhere else are the next generation platforms or the RCS, which is a rich communication next generation SMS product, a personal messaging cloud, where you send messages using different devices stored on the cloud. For example, if you are an iPhone user today, apple service allows you to send an SMS from your US phone and see it on your Indian phone as well. We have another product which is called EMS - a secure messaging system. Western Union is a big client of ours on that. It is a two-way secure system. It is a product called Net Sphere, something similar to WhatsApp. The product is for a secure communication which is used for Corporates, Enterprises.

Are there any immediate expansion plans or plans to acquire new entities?

We are not looking at acquiring companies as such, but we are looking at adopting a similar deal when we acquired products for Motorola. We are in conversation with some companies to see that such kind of deals can be worked out which can give us a headstart into this space.

What are the challenges of technological innovations in the healthcare industry that you have experienced? How can these be addressed?

In the healthcare sector, we provide basic IT services and are into building platforms for products, specifically for the healthcare industry in the US for payees. Our products are useful to the insurance companies as well as hospitals and patients.

In this sector too, we have a similar story to telecom. We started off in the basic services and now, we are gradually moving towards IT and product-based solutions. On the challenges of this segment, one needs to realise that when you come from a services company, the mindset is very different and a complete change is required. Building software or building a product is very different from building a project. So, you have to re-train or re-hire people accordingly. A different set of marketing and sales skills are required in selling products and platforms in the marketplace.

Tell us about your client additions in the past few years.

Nearly 90% of our business comes from the top end clients. The biggest clients that we work with are companies such as IBM, Xerox Corporation, Nokia, Siemens, Alcatel Lucent and Western Union.

In all, we have more than 250 clients and we have added about 45 contracts last year.

Has the Indian governments move towards pushing the digital economy helped you?

In India, we are implementing a large power management plan for the Uttarakhand government. In addition to this, we are doing work for the Uttar Pradesh State Electricity Board where we are creating customer portal payment gateway. It is building management systems to collect payments, automated meter reading. So, the governments move to push for digitalisation is an exciting space.

How many people do you employ?

Overall, we employ some 5,000 people, out of which 3,000 are in India and 1,700 are in the US.

What is your vision for the company for the next five years?

We want to be seen as an organization that owns intellectual properties and has the ability to provide solutions to a customer keeping in mind changing business needs and technology. A major part of our revenue comes from product platforms and intellectual property rather than the headcount. So, theres scope there. We also have a financial goal for the next five years but unfortunately being a public company I'm not comfortable giving that number.

He has nurtured the growth of Infinite Computer Solutions with a very hands-on approach and defined the strategic direction of the Company, making Infinite Computer Solutions revenue grow above industry average. Under his leadership, Infinite Computer Solutions grew to be in the NASSCOM Top 20 IT providers in India list with a revenue of $ 255 million in FY13. Infinite Computer Solutions has 5000+ employees worldwide and was named among the Top 5 employers in India by Dataquest - IDC, Forbes Asia 200 Best Under a Billion Companies in 2012, besides others.
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Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Feb. 21

By Huseyn Hasanov  Trend:

Turkmenistan will further consider the prospects of joining the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Neutral Turkmenistan newspaper quoted President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov as saying Feb. 21.

President Berdimuhamedov made the remarks at a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers.

According to the newspaper, the president addressed the meeting and outlined the priorities of Turkmenistan's foreign policy for the next seven years.

At present, cooperation with international financial and economic organizations is of great importance for Turkmenistan, the president said.

In this aspect, we will continue to maintain fruitful cooperation with the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Asian Development Bank, the Islamic Development Bank and other major financial organizations, added Berdimuhamedov.
Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Feb. 21

By Demir Azizov  Trend:

Alisher Shadmanov has been appointed Uzbekistans new health minister, said the press service of Uzbekistans Health Ministry.

Prior to this appointment, Shadmanov has served as chairman of the Uzbek parliaments committee on issues of science, education, culture and sports.

As it was reported earlier, Uzbekistans Deputy Prime Minister Adkham Ikramov has simultaneously served as the countrys health minister since December 2016. After Shadmanovs appointment, Ikramov continues his activity as Uzbekistans deputy prime minister.
Popular reality show contestant Sofia Hayat who was once upon a time known for sleaze and steamy scenes, has now got two swastika symbols on her feet.

Instagram

And no, this does not mean her ankle or toes, it actually means Miss Sofia, the nun, has got the tattoos on the sole of her feet.

Sofia, who has her ways of being in the news, got herself inked with the auspicious symbols, which is seen as a power symbol and is also the emblem of Ganesha.

This has evoked severe criticism on social media for hurting the Hindu and Buddhist sentiments.

Why there is no law to save spiritual values of Hindu's. Insulting hindu gods is going to b fashion trend. #SofiaHayat @KoyelRika  Gaurav Dose (@GAURAVDOSE) February 20, 2017

To this, Sofia took to Instagram to explain her stand,

Ok..so my last photo was me having tatoos on my feetthe sacred swastika..found on the feet of BUDDHA.. the sacred .. eternal..self existence..the star of David..the Islamic moon..universal manifestation..the Sun..hindu swastika..ancient christian cross..buddhist..tibetan..it encompasses the all..the power of the universe at my feet so to at yours..wake up..we are one! A symbol is just a symbol and it is the intent that makes the difference. A scalpel in the hands of a surgeon is a tool in his profession can save a life; while in the hands of a perpetrator is unlawful possession of a weapon, in the eyes of the law, to commit a crime. In the Dahmmapada, Yamaka Vagga (The Twin Verses), Verses 1 and 2 straighten our minds and views on good and evil intentions. Mano pubbangama mano, settha manomaya Manasa ce padutthena, bhasati va katoti va Tato nam dukkhamanverti, cakkamva vahato padam. (Mind is the forerunner of (all evil) states. Mind is chief; mind-made are they. If one speaks or acts with wicked mind, because of that suffering follows one, even as the wheel follows the hoofs of the draught-ox). Mano pubbangama, mano settha manomaya Manasa ce pasannena, bhasti va karoti va Tato nam sukkamanveti, chayava anapayni. (Mind is the forerunner of (all good) states. Mind is chief, mind-made are they. If one speaks or acts with pure mind, because of that, happiness follows one, even as ones shadow that never leaves).

That's not all, she even got the Allah symbol tattooed.

Mother Gaia, has anyone told you to calm down?
A few days back, an incident about the rape of a Malayalam actress (name withheld) had shocked the nation. The news was floating around that the actress was raped by her former driver and his friends while she was heading for Kochi from her home in Thrissur. It was said that the abductors also shot videos and took pictures of her while abusing her. Now it turns out that the actress wasnt raped. However, she was abducted and harassed. Director Priyadarshan said that he talked to the actress who herself confirmed it to him that she wasnt raped.

cinemalive.in

First of all, she was NOT raped, he said.

How can something so grave and evil be trivialized by wrong reportage? I spoke to her after the awful incident and she very clearly told me she was NOT raped. Yes, she was abducted apparently by her former driver and his friends, who has already been arrested thanks to the swift intervention and action of the cop in-charge. They forced themselves into her car, stripped her and took pictures apparently with the intention of demeaning and blackmailing her, Bollywood Hungama quoted him as saying.

Furthermore, the filmmaker said that it was shocking that the incident took place in Kochi as it is a tightly knit community and that everyone knows everyone else. So, no one does anything that would bring shame to the person and community.

ytimg.com

The director affirmed that she isnt a helpless victim. He said that she is already engaged and is planning to get married next month.

She is engaged to marry a film producer. Her husband-to-be is standing by B in her hour of trauma like a rock-solid partner. They are getting married next month. This incident, in no way, changes their plans. he added.

More strength to the actress!
Fresh from the success of the record-breaking 104 satellite launch ISRO said the organization has the capability to develop a space station if it wanted. ISRO chairman A S Kiran Kumar said it needed a long-term approach and an ambitious planning.

"We have all the capabilities to set up a space station. The day the country takes the decision, we will 'ok' the project. Just draw a policy and provide us necessary funds and time." Read more

1. Former CBI Chief AP Singh Who Oversaw The Arrests Of A Raja And Suresh Kalmadi Now Booked In Corruption Case

In a significant development, the Central Bureau of Investigation has named its former director AP Singh as an 'accused' along with controversial meat exporter Moin Qureshi in a case registered to probe alleged corruption.

Moin Akhtar Qureshi, who is also under probe by the Income Tax department and the Enforcement Directorate, is accused of operating as a middleman for several public servants including AP Singh. Read more

2. After Price Cap On Stents, Government To Regulate Prices Of Artificial Heart Valves And Syringes

After cardiac stents, around 14 more medical devices that are rampantly sold at inflated rates in hospitals, could see a price regulation in the coming months . The list includes orthopedic implants, intraocular lenses and artificial heart valves to consumables such as syringes, needles and catheters.

The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has begun scrutiny of such devices, even asking makers to log in every detail about their manufacture and cost. Read more

3. Pakistan Defence Minister Has Suddenly Become 'Indian Mouthpiece' For Saying Hafiz Saeed Is A Threat To The Country

Khawaja Muhammad Asif, the Pakistan Defence Minister who has, on more than one occasion, threatened to use the country's nukes against India, has suddenly become an "Indian mouthpiece'.

Asif invited the wrath of hardline groups in Pakistan after he said Hafiz Saeed "was a threat to the country". He made the comment on Monday while speaking at the Munich Security Conference. Read more

4. Plans To Convert INS Viraat Into A Museum Fails, Indias Oldest Warship May Be Sold For Scrap

The country's oldest warhorse with 30 glorious years of service in the Indian Navy is in danger of being junked and sold for scrap.

With March 6 being fixed as the final retirement date for the 58-year-old aircraft carrier INS Viraat, the proposal to convert it into a museum is yet to take any concrete shape. Read more

5. Falsely Framed As 'Traitor', Former ISRO Scientist Has Been Fighting For Justice For Over Two Decades

For the last 23 years, former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientist S Nambi Narayanan, has been waiting for the day when just punishment would be meted out to three Kerala police officers, who in October 1994, cooked up a sex scandal involving two Maldivian women to sully his reputation.

Narayanan was discharged in 1996 on the basis of a CBI report, which recommended action against the officers for framing the scientist. Read more
Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 20

By Farhad Daneshvar  Trend:

Iran has imported $1.135 billion worth of arms over the past 10 years, data by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) suggests.

According to SIPRI, Russia and China were the top exporters of arms to Iran between 2007 and 2016.

While the value of Irans weapon imports from Russia stood at $804 million, China exported $316 million worth of weaponry to the Islamic Republic in the mentioned period.

Belarus in 2011 exported $15 million worth of weaponry to the Islamic Republic.

Russia accounted for a 23 percent share of global exports in 2012-2016. Seventy percent of Russias arms exports went to four countries: India, Vietnam, China and Algeria.

Chinas share of global arms exports rose from 3.8 percent to 6.2 percent in 2007-2011 and 2012-2016. China is now firmly a top-tier supplier, like France and Germany, which accounted for 6 percent and 5.6 percent, respectively.

According to new data on arms transfers published by SIPRI, the volume of international transfers of major weapons has grown continuously since 2004 and increased by 8.4 percent in 2007-2011 and 2012-2016.

SIPRI suggests that India accounted for 13 percent of global arms imports, followed by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, China and Algeria between 2012 and 2016.

This is while Saudi Arabias imports of arms surged by 212 percent compared with the previous five years, accounting for 8.2 percent of global arms imports.

"Over the past five years, most states in the Middle East have turned primarily to the USA and Europe in their accelerated pursuit of advanced military capabilities," said Pieter Wezeman, a senior researcher with the SIPRI Arms and Military Expenditure Programme.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 21



By Khalid Kazimov  Trend:



Protesting against a recent decision by Iranian iron producers to increase the prices of their products, the customers have responded by refraining from purchasing iron.



The head of Tehran Iron and Steel Union, Mohammad Azad, has said that the prices of the home-made iron products have recently jumped by at least $0.02 (500 rials), Tasnim news agency reported.



Therefore, buyers have stopped purchasing iron in a bid to reduce the prices back to what it used to be, he added.



The producers have blamed the recent price hike on the surging prices of raw materials.



Irans major state-run iron ore companies have produced about 21.743 million tons of iron ore concentrate during the first 10 months of current Iranian fiscal year (ending March 21).
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Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 21

By Khalid Kazimov  Trend:

Energy Minister of Russia Alexander Novak, who is visiting Iran, and Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh are expected to discuss cooperation between the two countries in energy sphere at a meeting this evening.

The sides are likely to discuss a deal on Russias purchase of Irans oil as well as swapping Russian gas through the Islamic Republic, Tasnim news agency reported.

Tehran and Moscow earlier discussed a deal on exporting 100,000 barrels of Irans oil to Russia on a daily basis. The talks however have so far yielded no results.

Trade turnover between Iran and Russia witnessed a surge by 60 percent over the last year climbing to about $2 billon.

However, observers believe that the surge in trade between the two countries, which came after removing nuclear related sanctions on the Islamic Republic last January, has not satisfied the expectations.
Red Hysteria Engulfs Washington

By Eric Margolis

February 20, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - President Dwight Eisenhowers warning about the dangers of the military-industrial complex made half a century ago ring as loud and clear today. The soft coup being mounted against the Trump government by Americas deep state reached a new intensity this week as special interests battled for control of Washington.

The newly named national security advisor, Lt Gen Michael Flynn, was ousted by Trump over his chats with Russias ambassador and what he may or may not have told Vice President Pence. The defenestration of Flynn appeared engineered by our national intelligence agencies in collaboration with the mainstream media and certain Democrats.

Flynns crime? Talking to the wicked Russians before and after the election. Big, big deal. Thats what security advisors are supposed to do: keep an open back channel to other major powers and allies. This is also the job of our intelligence agencies.

There is no good or bad in international affairs. The childish concept of good guys and bad guys comes from the Bush era when simple-minded voters had to be convinced that America was somehow in grave danger from a bunch of angry Mideast goat herds.

The only nations that could threaten Americas very existence are nuclear powers Russia, China, India, France, Britain and Israel (and maybe Pakistan) in that order.

Russia has thousands of nuclear warheads targeted on the US mainland. Any real war with Russia would invite doom for both nations. Two near misses are more than enough. Remember the 1962 Cuban missile confrontation and the terrifying 1983 Able Archer scare  near thermonuclear war caused by Ronald Reagans anti-Russian hysteria and Moscows panicked response.

Margolis #1 rule of international relations: make nice and keep on good terms with nations that have nuclear weapons pointed at you. Avoid squabbles over almost all matters. Intelligence agencies play a key role in maintaining the balance of nuclear terror and preventing misunderstandings that can cause war.

Gen. Flynn was a fanatical anti-Islamic wing nut. He was, to use Trumpese, a bigly terrible choice. Im glad he is gone. But Flynns sin was being loopy, not talking on the phone to the Russian ambassador. The White House and national intelligence should be talking every day to Moscow, even hi Boris, whats new with you guys? Nothing much new here either besides the terrible traffic.

The current hue and cry in the US over Flynns supposed infraction is entirely a fake political ambush to cripple the Trump administration. Trump caved in much too fast. The deep state is after his scalp: he has threatened to cut the $80 billion per annum intelligence budget  which alone, boys and girls, is larger than Russias entire defense budget! Hes talking about rooting waste out of the Pentagons almost trillion-dollar budget, spending less on NATO, and ending some of Americas imperial wars abroad.

Whats to like about Trump if youre a member of the war party and military-industrial-intelligence-Wall Street complex? The complex wants its golden girl Hilary Clinton in charge. She unleashed the current tsunami of anti-Russian hysteria and demonization of Vladimir Putin which shows, sadly, that many Americans have not grown beyond the days of Joe McCarthy.

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As a long-time student of Cold War intelligence, my conclusion is that both sides knew pretty much what the other was up to, though KGB and GRU were more professional and skilled than western special services. It would be so much easier and cheaper just to share information on a demand basis. But that would stop the Great Game.

Its sickening watching the arrant hypocrisy and windbaggery in Washington over alleged Russian espionage and manipulation. The US has been buying and manipulating foreign governments since 1945. We even tapped German Chancellor Angela Merkels cell phone. This week Wikileaks issued an intercept on CIA spying and manipulation of Frances 2012 election. We live in a giant glass house.

The Russians are not our pals. Nor are they the evil empire. We have to normalize our thinking about Russia, grow up and stop using Moscow as a political bogeyman to fight our own internal political battles.
Democratic Ex-Dove Proposes War on Iran



Exclusive: The Democrats rush to rebrand themselves as super-hawks is perhaps best illustrated by the once-dovish Rep. Alcee Hastings proposing stand-by authorization for the President to attack Iran, reports Nicolas J S Davies.



By Nicolas J S Davies

Hastingss bill has come as a shock to constituents and people who have followed his career as a 13-term Democratic Member of Congress from South Florida. Miami Beach resident Michael Gruener called Hastingss bill, extraordinarily dangerous, and asked, Does Hastings even consider to whom he is giving this authorization?

Fritzie Gaccione, the editor of the South Florida Progressive Bulletin noted that Iran is complying with the 2015 JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) and expressed amazement that Hastings has reintroduced this bill at a moment when the stakes are so high and Trumps intentions so unclear.

How can Hastings hand this opportunity to Trump? she asked. Trump shouldnt be trusted with toy soldiers, let alone the American military.

Speculation by people in South Florida as to why Alcee Hastings has sponsored such a dangerous bill reflect two general themes. One is that he is paying undue attention to the pro-Israel groups who raised 10 percent of his coded campaign contributions for the 2016 election. The other is that, at the age of 80, he seems to be carrying water for the pay-to-play Clinton wing of the Democratic Party as part of some kind of retirement plan.

Alcee Hastings is better known to the public as a federal judge who was impeached for bribery and for a series of ethical lapses as a Congressman than for his legislative record. The 2012 Family Affairs report by the Committee for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington found that Hastings paid his partner, Patricia Williams, $622,000 to serve as his deputy district director from 2007 to 2010, the largest amount paid to a family member by any Member of Congress in the report.

But Hastings sits in one of the 25 safest Democratic seats in the House and does not seem to have ever faced a serious challenge from a Democratic primary opponent or a Republican.

Alcee Hastingss voting record on war and peace issues has been about average for a Democrat. He voted against the 2002 Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) on Iraq , and his 79 percent lifetime Peace Action score is the highest among current House members from Florida, although Alan Graysons was higher.

Hastings voted against the bill to approve the JCPOA or nuclear agreement with Iran and first introduced his AUMF bill in 2015. With the approval of the JCPOA and Obamas solid commitment to it, Hastingss bill seemed like a symbolic act that posed little danger  until now.

In the new Republican-led Congress, with the bombastic and unpredictable Donald Trump in the White House, Hastingss bill could actually serve as a blank check for war on Iran, and it is carefully worded to be exactly that. It authorizes the open-ended use of force against Iran with no limits on the scale or duration of the war. The only sense in which the bill meets the requirements of the War Powers Act is that it stipulates that it does so. Otherwise it entirely surrenders Congresss constitutional authority for any decision over war with Iran to the President, requiring only that he report to Congress on the war once every 60 days.

Dangerous Myths

The wording of Hastingss bill perpetuates dangerous myths about the nature of Irans nuclear program that have been thoroughly investigated and debunked after decades of intense scrutiny by experts, from the U.S. intelligence community to the International Atomic Energy Association (IAEA).

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As former IAEA director Mohamed ElBaradei explained in his book, The Age of Deception: Nuclear Diplomacy in Treacherous Times , the IAEA has never found any real evidence of nuclear weapons research or development in Iran, any more than in Iraq in 2003, the last time such myths were abused to launch our country into a devastating and disastrous war.

In Manufactured Crisis: the Untold Story of the Iran Nuclear Scare , investigative journalist Gareth Porter meticulously examined the suspected evidence of nuclear weapons activity in Iran. He explored the reality behind every claim and explained how the deep-seated mistrust in U.S.-Iran relations gave rise to misinterpretations of Irans scientific research and led Iran to shroud legitimate civilian research in secrecy. This climate of hostility and dangerous worst-case assumptions even led to the assassination of four innocent Iranian scientists by alleged Israeli agents.

The discredited myth of an Iranian nuclear weapons program was perpetuated throughout the 2016 election campaign by candidates of both parties, but Hillary Clinton was particularly strident in claiming credit for neutralizing Irans imaginary nuclear weapons program.

President Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry also reinforced a false narrative that the dual-track approach of Obamas first term, escalating sanctions and threats of war at the same time as holding diplomatic negotiations, brought Iran to the table. This was utterly false. Threats and sanctions served only to undermine diplomacy, strengthen hard-liners on both sides and push Iran into building 20,000 centrifuges to supply its civilian nuclear program with enriched uranium, as documented in Trita Parsis book, A Single Roll of the Dice: Obamas Diplomacy With Iran .

A former hostage at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran who rose to be a senior officer on the Iran desk at the State Department told Parsi that the main obstacle to diplomacy with Iran during Obamas first term was the U.S. refusal to take Yes for an answer.

When Brazil and Turkey persuaded Iran to accept the terms of an agreement proposed by the U.S. a few months earlier, the U.S. responded by rejecting its own proposal. By then the main U.S. goal was to ratchet up sanctions at the U.N., which this diplomatic success would have undermined.

Trita Parsi explained that this was only one of many ways in which the two tracks of Obamas dual-track approach were hopelessly at odds with each other. Only once Clinton was replaced by John Kerry at the State Department did serious diplomacy displace brinksmanship and ever-rising tensions.

Next Target for U.S. Aggression?

Statements by President Trump have raised hopes for a new detente with Russia. But there is no firm evidence of a genuine rethink of U.S. war policy, an end to serial U.S. aggression or a new U.S. commitment to peace or the rule of international law.

Trump and his advisers may hope that some kind of deal with Russia could give them the strategic space to continue Americas war policy on other fronts without Russian interference. But this would only grant Russia a temporary reprieve from U.S. aggression as long as U.S. leaders still view regime change or mass destruction as the only acceptable outcomes for countries that challenge U.S. dominance.

Students of history, not least 150 million Russians, will remember that another serial aggressor offered Russia a deal like that in 1939, and that Russias complicity with Germany over Poland only set the stage for the total devastation of Poland, Russia and Germany.

One former U.S. official who has consistently warned of the danger of U.S. aggression against Iran is retired General Wesley Clark. In his 2007 memoir, A Time To Lead , General Clark explained that his fears were rooted in ideas embraced by hawks in Washington since the end of the Cold War. Clark recalls Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Paul Wolfowitzs response in May 1991 when he congratulated him on his role in the Gulf War.

We screwed up and left Saddam Hussein in power. The president believes hell be overthrown by his own people, but I rather doubt it, Wolfowitz complained. But we did learn one thing thats very important. With the end of the Cold War, we can now use our military with impunity. The Soviets wont come in to block us. And weve got five, maybe 10, years to clean up these old Soviet surrogate regimes like Iraq and Syria before the next superpower emerges to challenge us  We could have a little more time, but no one really knows.

The view that the end of the Cold War opened the door for a series of U.S.-led wars in the Middle East was widely held among hawkish officials and advisers in the Bush I administration and military-industrial think tanks. During the propaganda push for war on Iraq in 1990, Michael Mandelbaum, the director of East-West studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, crowed to the New York Times , for the first time in 40 years, we can conduct military operations in the Middle East without worrying about triggering World War III.

Self-Inflicted Nightmare

As we begin the fifth U.S. administration since 1990, U.S. foreign policy remains trapped in the self-inflicted nightmare that those dangerous assumptions produced. Today, war-wise Americans can quite easily fill in the unasked questions that Wolfowitzs backward-looking and simplistic analysis failed to ask, let alone answer, in 1991.

What did he mean by clean up? What if we couldnt clean them all up in the short historical window he described? What if failed efforts to clean up these old Soviet surrogate regimes left only chaos, instability and greater dangers in their place? Which leads to the still largely unasked and unanswered question: how can we actually clean up the violence and chaos that we ourselves have now unleashed on the world?

In 2012, Norwegian General Robert Mood was forced to withdraw a U.N. peacekeeping team from Syria after Hillary Clinton, Nicolas Sarkozy, David Cameron and their Turkish and Arab monarchist allies undermined U.N. envoy Kofi Annans peace plan .

In 2013, as they unveiled their Plan B, for Western military intervention in Syria, General Mood told the BBC , It is fairly easy to use the military tool, because, when you launch the military tool in classical interventions, something will happen and there will be results. The problem is that the results are almost all the time different than the political results you were aiming for when you decided to launch it. So the other position, arguing that it is not the role of the international community, neither coalitions of the willing nor the U.N. Security Council for that matter, to change governments inside a country, is also a position that should be respected.

General Wesley Clark played his own deadly role as the supreme commander of NATOs illegal assault on what was left of the old Soviet surrogate regime of Yugoslavia in 1999. Then, ten days after the horrific crimes of September 11, 2001, newly retired General Clark dropped in at the Pentagon to find that the scheme Wolfowitz described to him in 1991 had become the Bush administrations grand strategy to exploit the war psychosis into which it was plunging the country and the world.

Undersecretary Stephen Cambones notes from a meeting amid the ruins of the Pentagon on September 11th include orders from Secretary Rumsfeld to, Go massive. Sweep it all up. Things related and not.

A former colleague at the Pentagon showed Clark a list of seven countries besides Afghanistan where the U.S. planned to unleash regime change wars in the next five years: Iraq; Syria; Lebanon; Libya; Somalia; Sudan; and Iran. The five- to ten-year window of opportunity Wolfowitz described to Clark in 1991 had already passed. But instead of reevaluating a strategy that was illegal, untested and predictably dangerous to begin with, and now well past its sell-by date, the neocons were hell-bent on launching an ill-conceived blitzkrieg across the Middle East and neighboring regions, with no objective analysis of the geopolitical consequences and no concern for the human cost.

Misery and Chaos

Fifteen years later, despite the catastrophic failure of illegal wars that have killed 2 million people and left only misery and chaos in their wake, the leaders of both major U.S. political parties seem determined to pursue this military madness to the bitter end  whatever that end may be and however long the wars may last.

By framing their wars in terms of vague threats to America and by demonizing foreign leaders, our own morally and legally bankrupt leaders and the subservient U.S. corporate media are still trying to obscure the obvious fact that we are the aggressor that has been threatening and attacking country after country in violation of the U.N. Charter and international law since 1999.

So U.S. strategy has inexorably escalated from an unrealistic but limited goal of overthrowing eight relatively defenseless governments in and around the Middle East to risking nuclear war with Russia and/or China. U.S. post-Cold War triumphalism and hopelessly unrealistic military ambitions have revived the danger of World War III that even Paul Wolfowitz celebrated the passing of in 1991.

The U.S. has followed the well-worn path that has stymied aggressors throughout history, as the exceptionalist logic used to justify aggression in the first place demands that we keep doubling down on wars that we have less and less hope of winning, squandering our national resources to spread violence and chaos far and wide across the world.

Russia has demonstrated that it once again has both the military means and the political will to block U.S. ambitions, as Wolfowitz put it in 1991. Hence Trumps vain hopes of a deal to buy Russia off. U.S. operations around islands in the South China Sea suggest a gradual escalation of threats and displays of force against China rather than an assault on the Chinese mainland in the near future, although this could quickly spin out of control.

So, more or less by default, Iran has moved back to the top of the U.S.s regime change target list, even though this requires basing a political case for an illegal war on the imaginary danger of non-existent weapons for the second time in 15 years. War against Iran would involve, from the outset, a massive bombing campaign against its military defenses, civilian infrastructure and nuclear facilities, killing tens of thousands of people and likely escalating into an even more catastrophic war than those in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria.

Gareth Porter believes that Trump will avoid war on Iran for the same reasons as Bush and Obama, because it would be unwinnable and because Iran has robust defenses that could inflict significant losses on U.S. warships and bases in the Persian Gulf.

On the other hand, Patrick Cockburn, one of the most experienced Western reporters in the Middle East, believes that we will attack Iran in one to two years because, after Trump fails to resolve any of the crises elsewhere in the region, the pressure of his failures will combine with the logic of escalating demonization and threats already under way in Washington to make war on Iran inevitable.

In this light, Rep. Hastingss bill is a critical brick in a wall that bipartisan hawks in Washington are building to close off any exit from the path to war with Iran. They believe that Obama let Iran slip out of their trap, and they are determined not to let that happen again.

Another brick in this wall is the recycled myth of Iran as the greatest state sponsor of terrorism. This is a glaring contradiction with the U.S. focus on ISIS as the worlds main terrorist threat. The states that have sponsored and fueled the rise of ISIS have been, not Iran, but Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the other Arab monarchies and Turkey, with critical training, weapons and logistical and diplomatic support for what has become ISIS from the U.S., U.K. and France.

Iran can only be a greater state sponsor of terrorism than the U.S. and its allies if Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis, the Middle Eastern resistance movements to whom it provides various levels of support, pose more of a terrorist danger to the rest of the world than ISIS. No U.S. official has even tried to make that case, and it is hard to imagine the tortured reasoning it would involve.

Brinksmanship and Military Madness

The U.N. Charter wisely prohibits the threat as well as the use of force in international relations, because the threat of force so predictably leads to its use. And yet, post-Cold War U.S. doctrine quickly embraced the dangerous idea that U.S. diplomacy must be backed up by the threat of force.

Hillary Clinton has been a strong proponent of this idea since the 1990s and has been undeterred by either its illegality or its catastrophic results. As I wrote in an article on Clinton during the election campaign, this is illegal brinksmanship, not legitimate diplomacy.

It takes a lot of sophisticated propaganda to convince even Americans that a war machine that keeps threatening and attacking other countries represents a commitment to global security, as President Obama claimed in his Nobel speech . Convincing the rest of the world is another matter again, and people in other countries are not so easily brainwashed.

Obamas hugely symbolic election victory and global charm offensive provided cover for continued U.S. aggression for eight more years, but Trump risks giving the game away by discarding the velvet glove and exposing the naked iron fist of U.S. militarism. A U.S. war on Iran could be the final straw.

Cassia Laham is the co-founder of POWIR (Peoples Opposition to War, Imperialism and Racism) and part of a coalition organizing demonstrations in South Florida against many of President Trumps policies. Cassia calls Alcee Hastingss AUMF bill, a dangerous and desperate attempt to challenge the shift in power in the Middle East and the world. She noted that, Iran has risen up as a pivotal power player countering U.S. and Saudi influence in the region, and concluded, if the past is any indicator of the future, the end result of a war with Iran will be a large-scale war, high death tolls and the further weakening of U.S. power.

Whatever misconceptions, interests or ambitions have prompted Alcee Hastings to threaten 80 million people in Iran with a blank check for unlimited war, they cannot possibly outweigh the massive loss of life and unimaginable misery for which he will be responsible if Congress should pass H J Res 10 and President Trump should act on it. The bill still has no co-sponsors, so let us hope that it can be quarantined as an isolated case of extreme military madness, before it becomes an epidemic and unleashes yet another catastrophic war.
US Terror-Bombed Syria with Toxic Depleted Uranium(DU) Weapons

By Stephen Lendman



February 20, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - America uses banned depleted uranium (DU) weapons in all its wars, ongoing since first developed during the Vietnam era.

The 1925 Geneva Protocol and succeeding Geneva Weapons Conventions prohibited use of chemical and biological agents in any form as weapons of war.

Although no Geneva Convention or other treaty specifically bans radioactive uranium weapons, including DU ones, theyre illegal de facto and de jure under the 1907 Hague Convention, prohibiting use of any poison or poisoned weapons.

DU munitions are radioactive, chemically toxic and poisonous. America is a signatory to the Hague and Geneva Conventions. Using these weapons in combat is a war crime.

US Code, Title 50, Chapter 40, Section 2302 defines a WMD as any weapon or device that is intended, or has the capability, to cause death or serious bodily injury to a significant number of people through the release, dissemination, or impact of (A) toxic or poisonous chemicals or their precursors, (B) a disease organism, or (C) radiation or radioactivity.

Armor-piercing DU munitions enable their ability to penetrate targets, enhancing their destructive capability. On detonation, depleted uranium aerializes, contaminating land, air and water, acting as a miniature dirty bomb.

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It caused an epidemic of cancer, numerous other diseases and serious birth defects in Iraq  including children born with two heads, one eye, and legs grown together.

Miscarriages are frequent. Hundreds of newborns had cleft pallets, elongated heads, overgrown or short limbs, and other malformed body parts.

Iraq remains a toxic wasteland. So do other US war theaters. The Pentagon admitted using thousands of DU rounds in Syria in 2015, falsely claiming attacks were against ISIS, imperial foot soldiers America created and supports.

Pentagon warplanes began terror-bombing Syria in September 2014, conducting thousands of airstrikes, continuing under Trump against infrastructure and government targets.

Its unknown if DU weapons were used throughout this period, as well as against Iraq since US terror-bombing began in June 2014  on the phony pretext of combating ISIS.

Whatever the Pentagon admitted to is likely a small fraction of what its done. Its high crimes are notoriously whitewashed.

In March 2015, US-led coalition spokesman John Moore lied, saying its warplanes have not been and will not be using depleted uranium munitions in Iraq or Syria

Now we know part of the truth. Most of it remains hidden.
Warning: Canada Is Not What You Think It Is





If you assume Canada is a welcoming haven from the bile and divisiveness in the age of Trump, you may be mistaken.



By Andrew Mitrovica

February 20, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - " Al Jazeera " - Warning: if you believe Canada is a pretty, picture-postcard Islamophobia-free zone, then I recommend you stop reading this column. You're about to be profoundly disappointed, shocked, or both.

Scratch its inviting surface and you will discover quickly that, as in most other Western democracies, Islamophobia is not only alive and rampant in Canada , but it has long been a defining characteristic of at least one of its major political parties and large swaths of the country's corporate media.

The most recent evidence of this unassailable fact has been on unsavoury display in the still raw residue of the massacre of six Muslim Canadians at prayer in a Quebec City mosque earlier this month.

Immediately after the terrorist attack, politicians went about the ritual of decrying the murders, while praying for the victims and their grieving families and urging their countrymen to rally around the Muslim community as a sign of unity and support.

Meanwhile, after a burst of attention to blunt any criticism that it took a terrorist attack on Muslims in Canada by a white, reactionary male as seriously as attacks in Paris, Brussels or London , much of the establishment media promptly went on its way, as the carnage in a mosque receded comfortably into the rearview mirror.

But difficult questions remained unanswered. Chief among them: What to do about the Islamophobia that was stoked into a raging bonfire by some of the very politicians and media that were pleading - with all the faux solemnity they could muster - for harmony and understanding?

Condemning Islamophobia

Wisely sceptical of the flowery rhetoric, the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) - a prominent voice for Canada's Muslim community - has written an open letter to politicians of all persuasions, urging them to take concrete steps to confront Islamophobia and racism and discrimination that exists plainly in their midst.

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Among its sensible recommendations, the NCCM said that more money needed to be spent to report and gather data on hate crimes and train police; that, following the province of Ontario's lead, other provinces should create an anti-racism directorate and establish a mandatory high-school course on systemic racism and its corrosive impact on society.

Finally, the NCCM threw its powerful backing behind a largely symbolic, non-binding motion sponsored by a governing Liberal MP, Iqra Khalid, that calls on the House of Commons to condemn Islamophobia and all religious discrimination in the aftermath of the Quebec city attack.

For context, it's important to note that after a few hours of perfunctory debate, Canadian parliamentarians unanimously adopted another Liberal MP's motion in 2015 condemning the "rise of anti-Semitism around the world".

Not surprisingly, Khalid's motion has faced a much more different, tumultuous and instructive fate.

Rather than be approved swiftly and unanimously, Motion 103 has morphed into a running spectacle that has not only dominated Canada's political agenda but has also exposed the pus of Islamophobia still oozing from Canadian politicians and media that only a few weeks ago were expressing sympathy for men murdered during evening prayers because they were Muslims.

'Phantom horrors'

Leading the hysterical charge in opposing the motion is Canada's Conservative Party and the bevy of candidates who are vying to lead it. All but one of the leadership candidates have signalled their vehement opposition to the motion, claiming that, among other phantom horrors, it would stifle freedom of speech and possibly act as a precursor to the invocation of "Sharia Law".

This is, of course, lunacy. But it is lunacy that has coursed its malevolent way through the core of the Conservative Party for a long time and not, as some have suggested, emerged only lately from the swamp of Islamophobia to take up residence at the party's radical "fringes".

Harper not only stocked his cabinet with ministers who shared his embrace of what amounted to hate politics, but also plucked them from obscurity, gave them a national profile, all the while defending and championing them.

This is a revisionist lie. Former Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper spent much of his tenure fuelling and satisfying the not-so-latent Islamophobia that was politically appealing to his legion of supporters by making the niqab a racist dog-whistle and lauding "old-stock Canadians".

By the way, the NCCM has sued Harper and his former spokesman for suggesting that the respected advocacy group had "documented ties to a terrorist organisation such as Hamas ".

Harper not only stocked his cabinet with ministers who shared his embrace of what amounted to hate politics, but also plucked them from obscurity, gave them a national profile, all the while defending and championing them.

Perhaps Harper's signature legacy in this sorry regard was first encouraging, and then promoting, the political career of Kellie Leitch - who, in turn, repaid her patron's largesse with unrivalled zealotry and loyalty.

During last year's election campaign, Leitch fronted the unveiling of a Harper-approved " tip line " for reporting so-called "barbaric cultural practices" - a thinly disguised, bureaucratic euphemism for Islam.

And, today, as a prominent and popular Conservative leadership candidate, Leitch keeps channelling her former boss's odious modus operandi while attending a "freedom rally" stuffed with avowed Islamophobes who are convinced Motion 103 is an Islam-inspired plot to undermine Canadians' rights and freedoms.

"It's great to be in a room full of severely normal people tonight," Leitch told the adoring crowd. "Canadian values are not fringe, and together, I know, we are going to fight for them."

Leitch is Harper without the filter.

READ MORE: In Quebec, calls for unity amid rising Islamophobia

Cheering her on is an equally hysterical mob of largely right-wing journalists who have pounced on Khalid and her motion, chomping at the bit of Islamophobia while insisting, unconvincingly, that their objections to Motion 103 are motivated solely by their oh-so-sincere concern that it would grant one religion "special status" over all others.

Khalid put an emphatic lie to this transparently spurious reasoning after rising in the House of Commons to read out a sampling of the relentless torrent of hate, death threats and Islamophobia she has endured in the days since proffering her motion.

She has been called a "terrorist" and a "camel humping" "scumbag" who should be shot by a "Canadian patriot" or deported "like a disgusting piece of trash." She has advised her staff not to answer the phone and to lock the office door behind them.

Undeterred, Khalid rightly excoriated the remnants of Harper's Conservative caucus for its "cynical, divisive tactics  to try to start a fake frenzy around the word Islamophobia, instead of tackling the issue at hand."

So, the next time you're inclined to praise or even consider moving to Canada because it's allegedly a welcoming haven from the bile and divisiveness in the age of Donald Trump, it might be best to remember these obscenities before you act on your impulses.
Home Sign up for our FREE Daily Email Newsletter U.S. Pressure To Boost NATO Members Military Expenditure By Finian Cunningham February 20, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - " RT " - With typical bluster of a real estate dealer, US President Trump claimed this week that his administration was a 'finely-tuned machine'. A nervous Europe and a disappointed Russia suggest something more precarious. The business magnate turned president claims that the corporate news media in the US and Europe are determined to disparage his month-old administration as chaotic. He has a valid point too. Trump says relentless allegations of a Russian connection to his political aides are a ruse contrived by the media opposed to his presidency. The resignation of his top National Security Adviser Michael Flynn last week over allegations that he talked with a Russian diplomat before Trumps inauguration on January 20 was, in the presidents view, a case of media-driven crisis. Trump has rebuffed media claims of chaos in his administration as overblown and betrays an agenda to undermine his presidency. He counters by pointing to a stream of executive orders signed during the first weeks of office as evidence that his presidency is achieving more than any other administration towards the stated goal of making America great again. Trump is adamant, with hallmark brusqueness, that hes running a finely-tuned machine. However, unofficial news seeping out of the White House tells a different story. A NPR correspondent this week quoted an insider in the West Wing as saying that the administration was a train wreck. Empty desks, disenchanted staffers, lack of leadership were said to be taking a toll on efficient running of Trumps administration. The resignation of Michael Flynn and the debacle of a successor, Vice Admiral Robert Harward, turning down the National Security post is an outward expression of bedlam at the White House. When Trump hosted Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu this week at the White House it was obvious that the president was not adequately briefed. His non-committal quip of I like whatever solution Bibi and the Palestinians like was a cringing admission that Trump was clueless. And that cluelessness stemmed from not having a National Security Adviser to get him up to speed on the issues. Not For Profit - For Global Justice Get Our Free Daily Newsletter That was just one of several practical examples in the foreign policy realm that raise questions about the Trump White House and whether it will derail sometime soon. Mixed signals is perhaps a charitable way to describe a Trump presidency in turmoil. The number of countries unnerved by Trumps mercurial style range from allies to foes alike, from Mexico, Canada, Japan, South Korea, to China, Venezuela and Iran. Not least unnerved are the Europeans who supposedly share a much-vaunted transatlantic bond with America, manifested in the NATO military alliance. via GIPHY The dominant foreign policy theme last week could be dubbed Americas reassurance tour of European allies. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Defense Secretary James Mattis and Vice President Mike Pence were all in European capitals, each keenly trying to calm anxieties elicited by Donald Trumps earlier critical comments about the European Union and NATO. Mattis and Pence separately addressed the Munich Security Conference and gushingly told delegates that President Trump was fully committed to NATO and the transatlantic bond. European leaders were not entirely convinced, still reeling from the earlier comments by Trump in which he described NATO as obsolete and praised Britain for its referendum decision last year to exit from the EU bloc. In particular, Trumps scathing attack on Germany for using the EU as a vehicle to boost its national economy at the expense of others has caused deep wounds in Berlin. Despite reassurances from the senior US officials, Germanys Chancellor Angela Merkel warned that the Trump presidency must not undermine European cohesion through its seeming predilection for populist, nationalist parties wanting to break up the bloc. Trumps ambiguity partly stems from his personal style of doing business. Trump appears to be running the White House and US government as if he is still commanding a private business. He is surrounded by a coterie of unelected advisers ranging from the populist Steve Bannon as chief strategist, to his son-in-law Jared Kushner as special adviser. Trump also has a tendency to drive competition for attention among his aides. That enigmatic style is how presidential positions on any number of issues can seem to cut across those of his cabinet. For example, Bannon is understood to share political sympathies with anti-EU political parties, such as Marine Le Pens Front National in France. The trouble is that in trying to smooth out Trumps policies into a more traditional form, US officials are at risk of overcompensating, to the point where it has unintended damaging impacts. As if to prove President Trumps commitment to NATO, Pentagon chief James Mattis described the alliance as the bedrock for transatlantic security and called on European members to boost their military spend. Mattis said that the US could no longer shoulder the financial burden of maintaining the pact and that EU members would have to step up to the plate. He gave them one year to lift military spend from an average EU level of 1.4 per cent to 2.0 per cent of GDP. While some European politicians, like British defense secretary Michael Fallon and German counterpart Ursula von der Leyen publicly endorsed this US rallying call, other EU figures were leery. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said the EU must resist American pressure to boost military expenditure. The blocs foreign policy chief Federica Morgherini said that the issue of security should be measured not just in military terms, but in social and economic development for the EU and regions. If European members were to respond to Washingtons galvanizing NATO calls, extra annual spending would be in the order of $100 billion. That will inevitably levy disastrous strains on European economies already struggling with austerity, stoking even more populist revolt. The American officials visiting Europe this week also appeared to overcompensate for Trumps mixed signals by taking an adversarial line on Russia. Trump has repeatedly called for normalizing relations with Moscow and has even spoken about trusting Germanys Angela Merkel equally with Russian President Vladimir Putin. At the Munich conference, Merkel said Washington should not put Russia on the same footing as European allies  in a thinly veiled riposte to Trump. This European lament seemed to result in Mattis and Vice President Pence talking tough on Russia. Mattis provocatively referred to an arc of instability on NATOs periphery, while Pence warned that Moscow would be held accountable for Ukraines conflict. Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov stood out as the only adult in the room, when he told the Munich gathering that the US and Europe needed to move beyond a West-versus-the-Rest view of the world. Lavrov inferred that this Western order was not only anachronistic, but was destabilizing and counterproductive to the reality of a functioning multipolar globe. Trumps ambiguity  or administrative chaos  is hardly going to stop unnerving European allies. Reassurances by his top officials seem rather to only complicate matters further. And there is a real danger that overcompensating for Trump-induced turmoil might, regrettably, undo a much-needed opportunity to normalize relations with Russia. Finian Cunningham (born 1963) has written extensively on international affairs. For over 20 years he worked as an editor and writer in major news media organizations, including The Mirror, Irish Times and Independent. Now a freelance journalist based in East Africa, his columns appear on RT, Sputnik, Strategic Culture Foundation and Press TV. The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. Click for Spanish , German , Dutch , Danish , French , translation- Note- Translation may take a moment to load. What's your response? - Scroll down to add / read comments Note to ICH community. We are testing this new comment section. We appreciate your sharing your experience regarding this new system. Please read our Comment Policy before posting - It is unacceptable to slander, smear or engage in personal attacks on authors of articles posted on ICH. Those engaging in that behavior will be banned from the comment section.
Why Do "Progressives" Like War?





Fleeing to Canada is no longer an option



By Philip Giraldi

February 21, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - " Unz " - - Liberals are supposed to be antiwar, right? I went to college in the 1960s, when students nationwide were rising up in opposition to the Vietnam War. I was a Young Republican back then and supported the war through sheer ignorance and dislike of the sanctimoniousness of the protesters, some of whom were surely making their way to Canada to live in exile on daddys money while I was on a bus going to Fort Leonard Wood for basic combat training. I cant even claim that I had some grudging respect for the antiwar crowd because I didnt, but I did believe that at least some of them who were not being motivated by being personally afraid of getting hurt were actually sincere in their opposition to the awful things that were happening in Southeast Asia.

As I look around now, however, I see something quite different. The lefties I knew in college are now part of the Establishment and generally speaking are retired limousine liberals. And they now call themselves progressives, of course, because it sounds more educated and sends a better message, implying as it does that troglodytic conservatives are anti-progress. But they also have done a flip on the issue of war and peace. In its most recent incarnation some of this might be attributed to a desperate desire to relate to the Hillary Clinton campaign with its bellicosity towards Russia, Syria and Iran, but I suspect that the inclination to identify enemies goes much deeper than that, back as far as the Bill Clinton Administration with its sanctions on Iraq and the Balkan adventure, which resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths and the creation of a terror-narco state in the heart of Europe. And more recently we have seen the Obama meddling in Libya, Yemen and Syria in so called humanitarian interventions which have turned out to be largely fraudulent. Yes, under the Obama Dems it was responsibility to protect time (r2p) and all the world trembled as the drones were let loose.

Last Friday I started to read an op-ed in The Washington Post by David Ignatius that blew me away. It began President Trump confronts complicated problems as the investigation widens into Russias attack on our political system. It then proceeded to lay out the case for an aggressive Russia in the terms that have been repeated ad nauseam in the mainstream media. And it was, of course, lacking in any evidence, as if the opinions of coopted journalists and the highly politicized senior officials in the intelligence community should be regarded as sacrosanct. These are, not coincidentally, the same people who have reportedly recently been working together to undercut the White House by leaking and then reporting highly sensitive transcripts of phone calls with Russian officials.

Ignatius is well plugged into the national security community and inclined to be hawkish but he is also a typical Post politically correct progressive on most issues. So here was your typical liberal asserting something in a dangerous fashion that has not been demonstrated and might be completely untrue. Russia is attacking our political system! And The Post is not alone in accepting that Russia is trying to subvert and ultimately overthrow our republic. Reporting from The New York Times and on television news makes the same assumption whenever they discuss Russia, leading to what some critics have described as mounting American hysteria relating to anything coming out of Moscow.

Rachel Maddow is another favorite of mine when it comes to talking real humanitarian feel good stuff out one side of her mouth while beating the drum for war from the other side. In a bravura performance on January 26th she roundly chastised Russia and its president Vladimir Putin. Rachel, who freaked out completely when Donald Trump was elected, is now keen to demonstrate that Trump has been corrupted by Russia and is now controlled out of the Kremlin. She described Trumps lord and master Putin as an intense little man who murders his opponents before going into the whole Trump stole the election with the aid of Moscow saga, supporting sanctions on Russia and multiple investigations to get to the bottom of Putins attacks on our democracy. Per Maddow, Russia is the heart of darkness and, by way of Trump, has succeeded in exercising control over key elements in the new administration.

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Unfortunately, people in the media like Ignatius and Maddow are not alone. Their willingness to sell a specific political line that carries with it a risk of nuclear war as fact, even when they know it is not, has been part of the fear-mongering engaged in by Democratic Party loyalists and many others on the left. Their intention is to get Trump whatever it takes, which opens the door to some truly dangerous maneuvering that could have awful consequences if the drumbeat and military buildup against Russia continues, leading Putin to decide that his country is being threatened and backed into a corner. Moscow has indicated that it would not hesitate use nuclear weapons if it is being confronted militarily and facing defeat.

The current wave of Russophobia is much more dangerous than the random depiction of foreigners in negative terms that has long bedeviled a certain type of American know-nothing politics. Apart from the progressive antipathy towards Putin personally, there is a virulent strain of anti-Russian sentiment among some self-styled conservatives in congress, best exemplified by Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham. Graham has recently said 2017 is going to be a year of kicking Russia in the ass in Congress.

It is my belief that many in the National Security State have convinced themselves that Russia is indeed a major threat against the United States and not because it is a nuclear armed power that can strike the U.S. That appreciation, should, if anything constitute a good reason to work hard to maintain cordial relations rather than not, but it is seemingly ignored by everyone but Donald Trump.

No, the new brand of Russophobia derives from the belief that Moscow is interfering in places like Syria and Ukraine. Plus, it is a friend of Iran. That perception derives from the consensus view among liberals and conservatives alike that the U.S. sphere of influence encompasses the entire globe as well as the particularly progressive conceit that Washington should serve to protect anyone threatened at any time by anyone else, which provides a convenient pretext for military interventions that are euphemistically described as peace missions.

There might be a certain cynicism in many who hate Russia as having a powerful enemy also keeps the cash flowing from the treasuring into the pockets of the beneficiaries of the military industrial congressional complex, but my real fear is that, having been brainwashed for the past ten years, many government officials are actually sincere in their loathing of Moscow and all its works. Recent opinion polls suggest that that kind of thinking is popular among Americans, but it actually makes no sense. Though involvement by Moscow in the Middle East and Eastern Europe is undeniable, calling it a threat against U.S. vital interests is more than a bit of a stretch as Russias actual ability to make trouble is limited. It has exactly one overseas military facility, in Syria, while the U.S. has more than 800, and its economy and military budget are tiny compared to that of the United States. In fact, it is Washington that is most guilty of intervening globally and destabilizing entire regions, not Moscow, and when Donald Trump said in an interview that when it came to killing the U.S. was not so innocent it was a gross understatement.

Ironically, pursuing a reset with Russia is one of the things that Trump actually gets right but the new left wont give him a break because they reflexively hate him for not embracing the usual progressive bromides that they believe are supposed to go with being antiwar. Other Moscow trashing comes from the John McCain camp which demonizes Russia because warmongers always need an enemy and McCain has never found a war he couldnt support. It would be a tragedy for the United States if both the left and enough of the right were to join forces to limit Trumps options on dealing with Moscow, thereby enabling an escalating conflict that could have tragic consequences for all parties.

Phil Giraldi is a former CIA Case Officer and Army Intelligence Officer who spent twenty years overseas in Europe and the Middle East working terrorism cases. He holds a BA with honors from the University of Chicago and an MA and PhD in Modern History from the University of London.
Israel Interferes In Our Politics All The Time, And Its Never a Scandal

By Philip Weiss

February 21, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - " Mondoweiss " - I completely believe that Donald Trump was in bed with the Russians before the election and the campaign may well have intrigued with Vladimir Putin with respect to Wikileaks and that helped defeat Hillary Clinton. I believe that because thats how the world works; because a lot of very smart people in the liberal establishment believe it; and because the New York Times and Washington Post are documenting some of it, with the fervor of Watergate.

Maybe it will bring the liar in chief down some day and end this short national nightmare. I certainly hope so.

But there are two large exceptions to the Russian conspiracy. The first is that it is good policy for the United States to be talking to Russia. If Clinton were president today, there might be dogfights over Damascus. Her gang was all for regime change in Syria, and for confrontation over the Ukraine. Thats bad policy. Im glad theyre not running the show though they are certainly running this story. Before you get too upset about Russia winking at the sanctions, the scandal that brought down Michael Flynn, please recall that in 2012, President Obama sent secret signals to Iran to ignore congressional sanctions, well be talking to you once Im reelected. Obama got reelected; and his deal with Iran is one of the greatest achievements of a very good presidency. Again, this is how the world works.

Which brings up the second exception. Israel tried to interfere in that 2012 election, as Chris Matthews sensibly reminded his audience recently: Benjamin Netanyahu tried to help Mitt Romney beat Obama. Sheldon Adelson held a fundraiser in Jerusalem for Romney.

Netanyahu didnt stop there. After Romney lost, Netanyahu came to Congress to tell the Congress to reject President Obamas nuclear deal. That was an unprecedented interference of a foreign leader in our policy-making, enabled by the Israel lobby; but there were never any investigations about that. Subsequently Chuck Schumer said he was torn between a Jewish interest and the American interest, before voting against the president, and he paid no political/reputational price for it; while President Obama said that it would be an abrogation of his constitutional duty if he considered Israels interest ahead of the U.S.; for which Obama was called an anti-semite.

Throughout those negotiations, Obama could never address the fact that Israel has nukes. This lie is honored by the press, in a way that it would never honor Trumps lies. And the manner in which Israel got nukes, including thefts from an American company with the complicity of the White House, is only investigated by peripheral figures.

The Israeli interference in our politics is the conspiracy in plain sight that no one in the media talks about because theyre too implicated themselves. The two top executives at the largest media company, Comcast, are pro-Israel; one of them, David Cohen, raised money for the Israeli army. Netanyahus speeches to Congress were written by Gary Ginsberg, an executive at another media company, Time Warner , but hey, thats not an issue. Four New York Times reporters have had children serve in the Israeli army. One of them is columnist David Brooks, who says that he gets gooey-eyed when he visits Israel. He is one of several Zionists with columns at the Times. Tom Friedman justified the Iraq War because suicide bombers were going into Tel Aviv pizza parlors . (Huh?) Yesterday Martin Indyk said on National Public Radio that Jared Kushners strong Jewish background was an asset for his being a Middle East mediator, a job that Aaron David Miller, who also has a strong Jewish background, defined as being Israels lawyer. Indyk, himself a mediator, started a pro-Israel thinktank with Haim Saban, an Israeli-American who was Clintons biggest funder and who lately smeared Keith Ellison at a giant gathering at Brookings, which he also helps fund, as clearly an anti-semite and anti-Israel; and Jake Tapper of CNN moved on to the next question, presumably because smearing a public official in that manner is not news. Saban is also chummy with Jeffrey Goldberg, one of whose qualifications for being the best journalist in his generation, according to the Atlantics publisher, is that he served in the Israeli Defense Forces, because he felt that America was unsafe for Jews. One of Goldbergs first hires as editor at the Atlantic is Julia Ioffe, who hates Russia, and who told a synagogue audience last year after she was attacked as a Jew by Trump supporters: Personally I was kind of glad to see the outpouring of antisemitism because people had forgotten that Jews and Israel are the underdog. At another NY synagogue, believing that he was speaking off the record, Dennis Ross, the longtime White House mediator of the peace process, said that American Jews must be advocates for Israel, not for Palestinians. Again, not a scandal. But when Rashid Khalidi, who wrote a book about the U.S. being imbalanced in the peace process, warned that neoconservatives would infest the Trump administration , he was smeared up and down as an anti-semite.

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I could go on and on. I cant because Netanyahu is in the White House today, and I need to get on the news. Netanyahu who President Obama met with countless times, Netanyahu who John Kerry talked to as secretary of state four times as often as he spoke to Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Which is hardly surprising, because as Kerry complained to Jeffrey Goldberg, we give Israel more military aid than we give the rest of the world combined, and meantime they ignore our warnings. They can ignore us because of the Israel lobby, including AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which doesnt have to register as a foreign agent because of sleight-of-hand they pulled back in the 60s, defying Senator Fulbright. AIPAC never gets called for this because the two countries are viewed to have completely congruent interests when we dont. So Phil Gordon leaves the State Department and goes to a conference in Israel just like Super Bowl winners going to Disneyland; all the Israeli ambassadors grew up in the States; and Benjamin Netanyahu came of age here, a subject that is never considered problematic; because we have a political discourse in which a leading liberal journalist, Eric Alterman, brag s: I was raised dually loyal my whole life.

Alterman told a Jewish audience in New York he was alright with that because the U.S. can take a hit but Israel cant. He then conceded that bin Laden and 9/11 were to some degree inspired by U.S. support of Israel, and so are the pool of potential terrorists who want to attack the United States. Though: Dammit, if thats the price we have to pay, then Im willing to pay it.

Other Americans may make a different calculation of U.S. interests. But lets talk about Russia.
Elor Azaria Verdict: No Justice for Palestinians



Soldier who executed a wounded Palestinian has been sentenced to 18 months in jail and a demotion



By Jonathan Cook

February 21, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - Human rights groups and Palestinian leaders have condemned what they called the extremely lenient punishment of Elor Azaria, the Israeli army medic who was filmed executing a severely wounded Palestinian in Hebron last year.

On Tuesday, a military tribunal sentenced the soldier to 18 months in jail and a demotion, nearly a year after he shot a bullet from close range into the head of 21-year-old Abdel al-Fattah al-Sharif.

There has rarely been a trial in Israel where the judges have been under such relentless  and mostly hostile  scrutiny. That appeared to be reflected in their sentencing, more than a month after they found Azaria guilty of manslaughter.

The sentence was much lower than the three to five years demanded by the prosecution, and far below the maximum tariff of 20 years. One of the three judges dissented, recommending two and a half to five years.

Azaria should have received a life sentence. This will not act as a deterrence to other trigger-happy soldiers, Jamal Zahalka, a Palestinian member of the Israeli parliament, told Al Jazeera. There are thousands of other soldiers who have killed Palestinians, but are not on trial. Israeli pilots dropped bombs on schools and hospitals in Gaza [in the 2014 war]. Why are they not on trial, too?

He called Israel a democracy of guns, adding: The real author of the crimes against Palestinians is the Israeli state. By putting one individual on trial, Israel hopes to confer legitimacy on the whole apparatus of state-sanctioned killing.

Cold-blooded execution

Even before the sentencing, Azarias lawyers had said they would appeal the verdict. If that fails, they have vowed to seek a pardon. Education Minister Naftali Bennett immediately backed a pardon for Azaria.

For Palestinians, the trial was viewed as little more than a farce. The family of Sharif said that Azaria had carried out a cold-blooded execution, not manslaughter. They added: The sentence he received is less than a Palestinian child gets for throwing stones.

Azaria shot Sharif more than 10 minutes after the Palestinian had been severely wounded by other soldiers at a checkpoint and was lying helpless on the ground.

Samir Zaqout, a spokesman for the al-Mezan Centre for Human Rights, based in Gaza, said the lenient sentence came as no surprise.

Palestinians dont expect any kind of justice from the Israeli legal system, he told Al Jazeera. The lives of Palestinians are judged as worthless.

Addameer, a group defending Palestinian prisoners rights, also condemned the sentence, noting that it was less than many Palestinians received for belonging to an organisation proscribed by Israel.

The message this sends to other soldiers and police officers who extrajudicially execute Palestinians is that their actions will not be seriously accounted for and that impunity will persist, it said in a statement sent to Al Jazeera.

Extreme anti-Arab views

Despite the clear-cut evidence, military prosecutors last year rejected a murder charge and settled on the lesser manslaughter indictment, amid a wave of support for Azaria from Israeli politicians and the public alike.

Polls showed most Israeli Jews agreed with Azarias refusal to show remorse: they believed he acted appropriately and had been unfairly singled out for prosecution.

During the trial, it emerged that Azaria, 20, held extreme anti-Arab views, which he expressed regularly on social media. In one Facebook post during the 2014 war on Gaza, he called for the massacre of every Palestinian in the small coastal enclave.

He also admitted to spending a great deal of time in Hebron with the followers of the late Meir Kahane, a rabbi whose virulently anti-Arab Kach party was outlawed in 1994 after a supporter, Baruch Goldstein, shot 29 Palestinians in Hebrons Ibrahimi mosque.

None of that damaged Azarias popularity with a large swath of the Israeli Jewish public. The Israeli media designated him as everyones son.

Worries about morale

Despite prosecuting Azaria, the army was reported to be worried about the damage the case was doing to morale.

Local media revealed that, after Azarias conviction last month, a senior commander approached his father to persuade the family not to appeal, reportedly offering them an 18-month jail term in return. In the end, that was what the judges imposed, even without a deal.

The army is reportedly concerned about research showing a recent sharp drop in the proportion of combat soldiers who believe their service is more important than non-combat roles. There is a similar fall among those who believe their commander will back them if they get into trouble.

Riots erupted outside the courtroom early last month when Azaria was found guilty. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was among the senior politicians who called for a pardon for Azaria even before the conviction, implying that the trial itself was a miscarriage of justice.

Sari Bashi, the Israel-Palestine director of Human Rights Watch, said that her organisations research showed that too often, soldiers adopted a shoot-to-kill policy towards Palestinians, including when their lives were not in danger or when less force could be used.

It is important that Israels political and security leaders repudiate the shoot-to-kill rhetoric, she told Al Jazeera.

Secret offer to family

Delivering the verdict last month, the court dismissed Azarias claim that he acted in self-defence. They concluded that he sought revenge on Sharif for a knife attack on a checkpoint in the occupied Palestinian city a short time before.

The three judges, who received a flood of death threats afterwards, had to be issued with bodyguards. But while sentencing was expected a few days later, the panel seemed in no hurry to conclude the case.

It emerged that the extra time had been exploited by the army to try to reach a settlement with Azaria behind the scenes.

Azarias battalion commander, Guy Hazot, secretly approached his father, Charlie Azaria, to offer lenient treatment if his son expressed regret for his actions and promised not to appeal the conviction. Charlie Azaria recorded the conversation.

According to the Jerusalem Post newspaper, the move by Hazot was designed to end the public relations headaches and social divisions the case has created in the army and throughout the country.

Hazots actions raised serious questions about the military courts independence, said Nadeem Shehadeh, a lawyer with Adalah, a legal rights group in Israel. I have never heard of a case where army commanders went over the courts head to offer a sentencing deal, he told Al Jazeera. It is highly irregular.

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Appeal or pardon?

Azaria now has various options to avert or minimise prison time. He could request the head of the armys central command reduce his sentence. But more likely, he will launch an appeal. His lawyers have said they will argue that the guilty verdict was influenced by statements last year from former Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon and army commanders that there was clear evidence Azaria shot Sharif.

If that fails, Azaria can ask for a pardon from the army chief of staff, Gadi Eisenkot. And if he refuses, Azarias final option is to submit a request for a presidential pardon.

According to polls, some 70 percent of Israeli Jews support a full and immediate pardon.

There will be nothing exceptional if Azaria is reprieved. He will simply be the latest in a long line of security officials who demonstrably killed Palestinians, but were exonerated by a system that treats such murders with impunity, noted Zahalka.

In perhaps the most notorious such case, known as the Bus 300 affair, several security officials were pardoned after they were convicted of killing two Palestinians in 1984. The officers smashed the pairs skulls with rocks after they had been arrested for hijacking a bus.

Following their pardons, one, Ehud Yatom, went on to serve in the Israeli parliament. In 2001, the then-prime minister, Ariel Sharon, appointed him as his anti-terror adviser, until the courts overruled the decision.

Rare prosecution

More often, however, soldiers face no trials at all, even where there is overwhelming evidence that they committed crimes, said Shehadeh. We see lots of cases like Azarias, where soldiers injure or kill Palestinians at checkpoints, but usually nothing happens. In Azarias case, it was filmed and there was no choice but to prosecute him.

In fact, Azaria is the first soldier to be tried for manslaughter since 2004, when Taysir Hayb, a Bedouin sniper, killed British solidarity activist Tom Hurndall in Gaza. Hayb was sentenced to eight years and served six and a half.

Usually, when the army is forced to prosecute, human rights groups have noted, the proceedings are dragged out and plea deals arranged to spare soldiers trials for more serious crimes.

Last month, Ben Dery, a border police commander, had his original charge of manslaughter reduced to negligent use of a firearm in a deal with prosecutors. Dery was filmed shooting dead 17-year-old Nadim Nuwara during a protest at a West Bank checkpoint in May 2014, even though the youth posed no danger. Three other Palestinians were hit with live rounds, one of whom also died from his wounds.

The prosecution accepted Derys claim that he had mistakenly loaded a live round into his rifle when he intended to shoot a rubber bullet. Nuwaras family called the deal a trick and shame on the Israeli justice system.

Zahalka said: There will never be real justice for Palestinians from the Israeli courts. The proper address is the International Criminal Court, where Israelis must be put on trial for war crimes.
Former (?) Mossad Officer Predicts

that Trump Will be Impeached on

Grounds of Treason

By The Saker

February 21, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - Thanks to MS who drew my attention to this amazing video. This is an except from an RT program entitled Watching the Hawks (see full video here ). In this excerpt, a (supposedly) former Mossad officer, Juval Aviv, predicts that Donald Trump will be impeached for treason in the next few months. See for yourself:

Nevermind the telling way Aviv constantly uses us when speaking of the USA and nevermind the nonsense he spews about the Middle-East returning to peace. What is most interesting is that what we see is one of two things happening:

Option 1: Aviv is echoing something that he has heard from well-informed sources

Option 2: Aviv is part of a campaign to gradually prepare the narrative about Trump being impeached for treason.

A combination of option 1 and 2 is also possible, of course. Either way, this is most interesting.

Also notice the way Aviv fully accepts and endorses the notion that the Russians have some means of pressure on Trump. This is not innocent either, especially not when aired on RT (and provides, if needed, yet another proof that RT is very far, alas, from being a government controlled media outlet) and especially not coming from a person which has the external hallmarks of credibility (thanks to the AngloZionist propaganda we all know that Mossad officers are all geniuses with unbelievable IQs and superhuman capabilities).

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My experience and gut feeling tells me that this is far from innocent. What I see happening is a preparation for a Trump impeachment on grounds of treason, here I fully agree with Aviv.

Whether Trump realizes it or not, he is now fighting for his life, politically and, probably, literally. And he has only days, maybe weeks, to take very strong action. If he continues to take hit after hit after hit and think that good speeches are going to save him, he is absolutely wrong.

Alas, with Flynn Trump *really* blew it. Flynn, for all his idiosyncrasies and failings, was the kind of man who could have stood by Trump and directed a desperately needed crackdown against the Neocons and their part of the deep state. Now he left with the very non-political McMaster. Pompeo and Mattis are, at best, useless too. And I am really not impressed by Jeff Sessions who does not strike me as the kind of man would could support, nevermind lead, a counter-coup.

As for the notion that Trump is now leaning on Netanyahu for support  I see that as a death sentence for Trump. Netanyahu is an arrogant and incompetent man who has an amazing record of failures and miscalculations. And the US Neocons dont give a damn about Bibi anyway.

Friends, I am afraid that the Trump Presidency is on life support.
Home Sign up for our FREE Daily Email Newsletter "Blind Sheik" And The CIA - Media Again Bury U.S. Support For Radical Islamism



By Moon Of Alabama February 21, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - " Moon Of Alabama " - Two days ago the Takfiri Islamist leader Omar Abdul-Rahman , the so called "Blind Sheik", died in a U.S. prison. He had been found guilty of involvement in the 1993 attempt to bring down the World Trade Center in New York and of other crimes. The obituaries of Omar Abdul-Rahman in U.S. media are an example of white washing of the U.S. exploitation of radical Islamism for its imperial purposes. While extensively documented in earlier media and official reports the CIA's facilitation and involvement with Abdul-Rahman is seemingly stricken from history. Since the 1970s Omar Abdul-Rahman was involved in the growth of radical Sunni Islamism: Founded in 1976, Faisal Islamic Bank of Egypt (FIBE) is part of the banking empire built by Saudi Prince Mohammed al-Faisal. Several of the founding members are leading members of the Muslim Brotherhood, including the Blind Sheikh, Sheikh Omar Abdul-Rahman. Financed by Saudi sources Abdul-Rahman created various groups of radicals in Egypt and gets deeply involved with Al-Qaeda, recruiting fighters for Afghanistan in cooperation with the CIA and the Pakistani secret services. He was the ideological leader of Al-Gamaa al-Islamiyya, an Islamic radical organization in Egypt responsible for several terrorist attacks. He traveled to the U.S. several timed between 1986 and 1990 to further his violent ideology. His visas were issued by CIA agents despite his appearance on a State Department terrorism watch list. In 1990 he moves to the U.S. where he preached his violent Islam and continued to recruit fighters for radical causes. In December 1990 the New York Times reported : The 52-year-old religious leader, Sheik Omar Abdel-Rahman, entered the country more than five months ago despite being on a State Department list of people with ties to terrorist groups, the authorities said. He illegally obtained a tourist visa from a consul in the United States Embassy in Khartoum, the Sudan, in May, according to records of the Federal Immigration and Naturalization Service and State Department officials. In July 1993 the NYT reported that "illegally obtained tourist visa" was not illegal at all: Central Intelligence Agency officers reviewed all seven applications made by Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman to enter the United States between 1986 and 1990 and only once turned him down because of his connections to terrorism, Government officials said today.

...

Mr. Abdel Rahman helped to recruit Arab Muslims to fight in the American-backed war in Afghanistan, and his lawyer and Egyptian officials have said he was helped by the C.I.A. to enter the United States.

...

American officials had acknowledged last week that the diplomat at the United States Embassy in Khartoum who signed the May 1990 visa request that allowed Mr. Abdel Rahman to enter the United States was in fact a C.I.A. officer. The Peoples Press - Powered By People - For People Get Our Free Daily Newsletter Several attempts to remove Abdel-Rahman from the U.S. mysteriously failed. In 1991 he was inexplicably granted a Green Card despite still being blacklisted. His involvement in the 1993 WTC bombing was a typical "blowback" from the CIA's chronic support of radical takfiri Islamism, supported by Saudi Arabia, whenever it helps its "regime change" plans here or there. Over the last years such CIA support led to the growth of Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. After the recent death of Omar Abdul-Rahman several obituaries appeared in U.S. media. But none of them mention or dig into his deep and long CIA connections and the continuing CIA support for radical Islamism. There is zero mentioning of the CIA and the visa shenanigans in his NYT obit, despite its earlier reporting. Neither the Associated Press nor AFP mention any connection to the CIA. The British service Reuters buries the visa story in one sentence in the 12th paragraph. That the deep involvement over the years of the CIA (and FBI) in the crimes Omar Abdul-Rahman is now swept under the carpet and forgotten is not just coincidentally. It is a distinct feature of U.S. political culture. The British poet Harold Pinter referred to this in his 2005 Nobel lecture : It never happened. Nothing ever happened. Even while it was happening it wasn't happening. It didn't matter. It was of no interest. I have called this chronic forgetfulness the concept of immaculate conception of U.S. (foreign) policy. There never is an acknowledged history of U.S. misdeeds that may have led to this or that current blowback. When there is one it immediately gets buried, pushed out of sight, never to be talked about. The same applies to partisan policies within the U.S. Currently the fake "resistance" against a Trump presidency blasts his policy of seeking better relations with Russia, his temporary travel ban reference to seven specific countries and his words against media leaks. But it was the Secretary of State Clinton who initiated a "reset" with Russia, it was the Obama administration that set a ban on those seven countries and it was the Obama justice department that used the espionage act against journalists for publishing leaked material. That all is now forgotten and not to be talked about. Likewise the deep CIA connection with Omar Abdul-Rahman is now scrubbed from any of the semi-official media reporting. This at the same time the CIA continues its involvement with radical Islamists in Syria and elsewhere. Pinter continued his lecture: The crimes of the United States have been systematic, constant, vicious, remorseless, but very few people have actually talked about them. You have to hand it to America. It has exercised a quite clinical manipulation of power worldwide while masquerading as a force for universal good. It's a brilliant, even witty, highly successful act of hypnosis.

... To not be taken in by the "immaculate conception" mechanism I recommend to reread or watch Pinter's lecture every once a while. The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. Click for Spanish , German , Dutch , Danish , French , translation- Note- Translation may take a moment to load. What's your response? - Scroll down to add / read comments Note to ICH community. We are testing this new comment section. We appreciate your sharing your experience regarding this new system. Please read our Comment Policy before posting - It is unacceptable to slander, smear or engage in personal attacks on authors of articles posted on ICH. Those engaging in that behavior will be banned from the comment section.
Tehran, Iran, Feb. 21

By Mehdi Sepahvand  Trend:

Iran has finalized a draft of its second 10-year space program and expects it to be passed soon, Minister of ICT Mahmoud Vaezi said.

The minister also announced near-future space plans of the country, including the launch of two satellites, IRIB news agency reported February 21.

The Dousti and Nahid-1 satellites are ready to be launched, he said, adding a to-be satellite under the name Pars-1 will be built via a joint venture.

He did not mention the name of the other country to work on the project.

We also hope to launch our first sensing satellite in five years and our first telecommunication satellite in 10 years, Vaezi said.
Trumps Watergate All About Drowning Out Russia

By Finian Cunningham

February 21, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - " SCF " - The adage about One Mans Terrorist is Another Mans Freedom Fighter is aptly paraphrased for the running battle in Washington between President Trump and his intelligence agencies. Only instead of terrorist substitute the word leaker.

Prominent sections of the US media are willingly acting as conduits for intelligence agencies leaking classified government information to damage the Trump White House. The media and Trumps political enemies are thus acting as accomplices in criminal disclosure of supposedly secret government information, which at another time the same media and politicians would condemn as treasonous. Think Edward Snowden or Chelsea Manning for instance.

Trump has hit back after his National Security Advisor Michael Flynn was forced to resign over disclosed phone contacts he had with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak earlier this year. With barely contained anger, Trump described the leaks as criminal and un-American and has scorned media outlets for conspiring to destabilize his presidency  only less than one month after taking office.

In turn, media outlets like the New York Times, Washington Post and CNN have disparaged Trump for trying to deflect the issue away from alleged contacts with Russian state officials to the issue of intelligence services leaking classified information. Such disclosure is a criminal offense, punishable by jail for breach of government secrecy rules.

Trump does have a point though. The practice of leaking confidential information by security services is a grave breach.

But there is something of a contradiction here on both sides of the fight.

When Donald Trump was campaigning as presidential candidate he openly reveled in the leaking of classified information by the Wikileaks whistleblower website because much of the disclosure was highly damaging to his Democrat rival Hillary Clinton, originating partly during her tenure as Secretary of State.

Now the shoe is on the other foot. President Trump is screaming about classified information being leaked and given out like candy to media outlets. Because now the leaks are damaging his administration with allegations that some his aides were in close contact with Russian government officials. The alleged contacts go beyond just former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn. The New York Times this week reported anonymous US officials claiming that several of Trumps aides also shared contact with Russians.

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Ironically, some of these major US media outlets appear indifferent to the criminal offense of leaking classified information by intelligence agencies. They want to focus on the alleged content of the leaks, namely that Trump and his team are supposedly compromised by clandestine Russian connections. Yet, during the election campaign these same outlets showed little interest in publishing the damaging content of information leaked by Wikileaks against Hillary Clinton. Part of that indifference was feigned to be a concern over publishing leaked classified information.

Again, now the shoe is on the other foot. US media outlets that were previously shunning leaked information about their favored candidate, Clinton, are now all too willing to run with leaks damaging President Trump, whom they were decidedly opposed to becoming the White House occupant.

However, to be fair to Trump when he was a beneficiary of leaks against Clinton during the election campaign he was then a private citizen. There is no evidence that he colluded with the source of the leaks, either Wikileaks or, as is alleged, Russian hackers. Also, much of the damaging information against Clinton  her paid connections to Wall Street banks for instance  was obtained from private emails between her as a Democrat candidate and the Democratic National Committee, not when she was in office as the Secretary of State during the Obama administration. That information was not classified government correspondence, so therefore was fair game for publishing.

Whereas the current leaks against President Trump by intelligence agencies or government officials are a clear breach of secrecy laws on classified information. Those leaks are clearly intended at undermining a sitting president by insinuating that his alleged contacts with Russian officials are potentially treasonous.

The media clamor over Trumps alleged Russian connections are fueling a growing chorus in Congress for further investigations. Media pundits and lawmakers are boldly using the word treason to describe Trumps alleged contacts with Russia. Some are even referring to the infamous Watergate scandal that led to President Nixons ouster in 1974.

The Washington Post which famously helped uncover the Watergate scandal published an editorial this week declaring: The nation needs answers, not deflections, on Russia and Trump.

The Post editors write: The news [sic] that members of President Trumps circle had repeated contacts with Russian intelligence officials in the year before the election, reported by the New York Times on Tuesday, might have been less concerning if the president had responded by explaining or condemning the contacts and accepting the need for an impartial investigation. Instead, on Wednesday morning, he dashed off a half-dozen tweets in which he curiously both denied the news [sic] and attacked the leakers who disclosed it. In so doing, he gave more cause for Republicans and Democrats to demand answers about his opaque and increasingly troubling ties with Moscow.

What the Washington Post innocuously calls news is actually leaked claims from anonymous US intelligence officials, which are illegal. It is also hardly news since the information is unverifiable claims made by anonymous sources.

Nevertheless, the Post castigates Trump for drawing attention to the illegality of the leaks. And it goes on emphatically to demand answers about his opaque and increasingly troubling ties with Moscow.

The dubious priority here is not to question the ethics of leaking classified information, but rather to push the vapid, unverifiable hearsay that impugns the president for allegedly having private communications with the Russians. Trump has flatly denied that any such contacts were ever made during his campaign.

Ironically, the connection to Watergate is more than it might appear to be. That scandal is commonly thought of as a high point of American journalism, in which intrepid reporters from the Washington Post dared to help bring down a Republican president for involvement in dirty tricks against Democrats hatched in 1972. A more nuanced account is given by author Russ Baker, in his book Family of Secrets about the Bush dynasty and the CIA. Baker provides evidence that the Washington Post was actually led by intelligence agencies to stitch up Richard Nixon whom they had come to oppose over his shady self-serving politics. Watergate and the demise of Nixon was thus less a triumph of democracy and media righteousness and more a coup by the Deep State against Nixon in which the Washington Post served as the conduit.

The nature of todays shenanigans with Trump may be different in the precise details. But the modus operandi appears to be the same. A sitting president is out of favor with the Deep State and the latter is orchestrating a media campaign of leaks to dislodge him. Appropriately, the Washington Post is again at the forefront of the Deep State operation to thwart the president, this time Trump, as with Nixon before.

The story of Trump being a potentially treasonous pawn being manipulated by Russia is impossibly far-fetched to be credible. Trump denies it, and Moscow denies it. Trumps former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn appears indeed to have had contact with the Russian ambassador during Trumps transition to the White House. But the content of the conversation has been blown out of all proportion by US intelligence and media to contrive the narrative that Trump is in cahoots with Moscow.

The upshot is that Trumps avowed policy of restoring friendlier relations with Russia is being hampered at every turn. The president is being goaded into having to deny he is a Russian stooge and to prove that he is not soft on Moscow  by, for example, stating this week through his White House spokesman Sean Spicer that Russian must hand back Crimea to Ukraine.

Evidently, the big purpose here is to direct Trump to adopt a harder line on Russia and to abandon any notion of developing cordial relations. Either he must tow the line, or he will be hounded by leaks, media speculation and Congressional probes until he is impeached. This is because the Deep State  primarily the military-industrial complex that is the permanent government of the US  is predicated on a strategic policy of adversity towards Russia and any other designated geopolitical rival.

Meanwhile, amid the raging war between the Trump White House and the US intelligence network, which includes sections of the media, Russia said this week that relations between the two countries were suffering.

Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for President Vladimir Putin, lamented that the turmoil in Washington was turning into a lost opportunity for the US and Russia to normalize relations and get on with bigger, far more urgent tasks of cooperation in world affairs.

And that impasse between the US and Russia, it would seem, is the whole object lesson from Trumps war with powerful elements within his own state.

Trump may have been elected president. But other darker forces in Americas power structure are intent on over-ruling him when it comes to policy on Russia. Trumps Watergate is all about drowning out a genuine reset with Russia.
The Misuse of American Military Power and The Middle East in Chaos

By Danny Sjursen

February 21, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - " Tom Dispatch " - The United States has already lost -- its war for the Middle East, that is. Having taken my own crack at combat soldiering in both Iraq and Afghanistan, that couldnt be clearer to me. Unfortunately, its evidently still not clear in Washington. Bushs neo-imperial triumphalism failed. Obamas quiet shift to drones, Special Forces, and clandestine executive actions didnt turn the tide either. For all President Trumps bluster, boasting, and threats, rest assured that, at best, hell barely move the needle and, at worst but why even go there?

At this point, its at least reasonable to look back and ask yet again: Why the failure? Explanations abound, of course. Perhaps Americans were simply never tough enough and still need to take off the kid gloves. Maybe there just werent ever enough troops. (Bring back the draft!) Maybe all those hundreds of thousands of bombs and missiles just came up short. (So how about lots more of them, maybe even a nuke ?)

Lead from the front. Lead from behind. Surge yet again The list goes on -- and on and on.

And by now all of it, including Donald Trumps recent tough talk, represents such a familiar set of tunes. But what if the problem is far deeper and more fundamental than any of that?

Here our nation stands, 15-plus years after 9/11, engaged militarily in half a dozen countries across the Greater Middle East, with no end in sight. Perhaps a more critical, factual reading of our recent past would illuminate the futility of Americas tragic, ongoing project to somehow destroy terrorism in the Muslim world.

The standard triumphalist version of the last 100 or so years of our history might go something like this: in the twentieth century, the United States repeatedly intervened, just in the nick of time, to save the feeble Old World from militarism, fascism, and then, in the Cold War, communism. It did indeed save the day in three global wars and might have lived happily ever after as the worlds  sole superpower  if not for the sudden emergence of a new menace. Seemingly out of nowhere,  Islamo-fascists  shattered American complacence with a sneak attack reminiscent of Pearl Harbor. Collectively the people asked: Why do they hate us? Of course, there was no time to really reflect, so the government simply got to work, taking the fight to our new  medieval  enemies on their own turf. Its admittedly been a long, hard slog, but what choice did our leaders have? Better, after all, to fight them in Baghdad than Brooklyn.

What if, however, this foundational narrative is not just flawed but little short of delusional? Alternative accounts lead to wholly divergent conclusions and are more likely to inform prudent policy in the Middle East.

Lets reconsider just two key years for the United States in that region: 1979 and 2003. Americas leadership learned all the wrong lessons from those pivotal moments and has intervened there ever since on the basis of some perverse version of them with results that have been little short of disastrous. A more honest narrative of those moments would lead to a far more modest, minimalist approach to a messy and tragic region. The problem is that there seems to be something inherently un-American about entertaining such thoughts.

1979 Revisited

Through the first half of the Cold War, the Middle East remained a sideshow. In 1979, however, all that changed radically. First, rising protests against the brutal police state of the American-backed Shah of Iran led to regime collapse, the return of dissident ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, and the declaration of an Islamic Republic. Then Iranian students stormed the U.S. embassy in Tehran, holding 52 hostages for more than 400 days. Of course, by then few Americans remembered the CIA-instigated coup of 1953 that had toppled a democratically elected Iranian prime minister, preserved Western oil interests in that country, and started both lands on this path (though Iranians clearly hadnt forgotten). The shock and duration of the hostage crisis undoubtedly ensured that Jimmy Carter would be a one-term president and -- to make matters worse -- Soviet troops intervened in Afghanistan to shore up a communist government there. It was quite a year.

The alarmist conventional narrative of these events went like this: the radical mullahs running Iran were irrational zealots with an inexplicable loathing for the American way of life. As if in a preview of 9/11, hearing those chants against the Great Satan, Americans promptly began asking with true puzzlement: Why do they hate us? The hostage crisis challenged world peace. Carter had to do something. Worse yet, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan represented blatant conquest and spotlighted the possibility of Red Army hordes pushing through to Iran en route to the Persian Gulfs vast oil reserves. It might prove the opening act of the long awaited Soviet scheme for world domination or a possible path to World War III.

Misinformed by such a tale that they repeatedly told themselves, Washington officials then made terrible choices in the Middle East. Lets start with Iran. They mistook a nationalist revolution and subsequent civil war within Islam for a singular attack on the U.S.A. With little consideration of genuine Iranian gripes about the brutal U.S.-backed dynasty of the Shah or the slightest appreciation for the complexity of that countrys internal dynamics, they created a simple-minded but convenient narrative in which the Iranians posed an existential threat to this country. Little has changed in almost four decades.

Then, though few Americans could locate Afghanistan on a map, most accepted that it was indeed a country of vital strategic interest. Of course, with the opening of their archives, its clear enough now that the Soviets never sought the worldwide empire we imagined for them, especially not by 1979. The Soviet leadership was, in fact, divided over the Afghan affair and intervened in Kabul in a spirit more defensive than aggressive. Their desire or even ability to drive towards the Persian Gulf was, at best, a fanciful American notion.

Nonetheless, the Iranian revolution and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan were combined into a tale of horror that would lead to the permanent militarization of U.S. policy in the Middle East. Remembered today as a dove-in-chief, in his 1980 State of the Union address President Carter announced a decidedly hawkish new doctrine that would come to bear his name. From then on, he said, the U.S. would consider any threat to Persian Gulf oil supplies a direct threat to this country and American troops would, if necessary, unilaterally intervene to secure the region.

The results will seem painfully familiar today: almost immediately, Washington policymakers began to seek military solutions to virtually every problem in the Middle East. Within a year, the administration of President Ronald Reagan would, for instance, support Iraqi autocrat Saddam Husseins ruthless invasion of Iran, ignoring his more vicious antics and his proclivity for gassing his own people.

Soon after, in 1983, the military created the United States Central Command (headquarters: Tampa, Florida) with specific responsibility for the Greater Middle East. Its early war plans demonstrated just how wildly out of touch with reality American planners already were by then. Operational blueprints , for instance, focused on defeating Soviet armies in Iran before they could reach the Persian Gulf. Planners imagined U.S. Army divisions crossing Iran, itself in the midst of a major war with Iraq, to face off against a Soviet armored juggernaut (just like the one that was always expected to burst through Europes Fulda Gap). That such an assault was never coming, or that the fiercely proud Iranians might object to the militaries of either superpower crossing their territories, figured little in such early plans that were monuments to American arrogance and naivete.

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From there, it was but a few short steps to the permanent defensive basing of the Navys Fifth Fleet in Bahrain or later the stationing of U.S. troops near the holy cities of Mecca and Medina to protect Saudi Arabia from Iraqi attack. Few asked how such forces in the heart of the Middle East would play on the Arab street or corroborate Islamist narratives of crusader imperialism.

Worse yet, in those same years the CIA armed and financed a grab bag of Afghan insurgent groups, most of them extreme Islamists. Eager to turn Afghanistan into a Soviet Vietnam, no one in Washington bothered to ask whether such guerrilla outfits conformed to our purported principles or what the rebels would do if they won. Of course, the victorious guerrillas contained foreign fighters and various Arab supporters, including one Osama bin Laden. Eventually, the excesses of the well-armed but morally bankrupt insurgents and warlords in Afghanistan triggered the formation and ascension of the Taliban there, and from one of those guerrilla outfits came a new organization that called itself al-Qaeda. The rest, as they say, is history, and thanks to Chalmers Johnsons appropriation of a classic CIA term of spy craft, we now know it as blowback .

That was a major turning point for the U.S. military. Before 1979, few of its troops had served in the region. In the ensuing decades, America bombed, invaded, raided, sent its drones to kill in, or attacked Iran, Lebanon, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Somalia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Iraq again (and again), Somalia (again and again), Libya again, Iraq once more, and now Syria as well. Before 1979, few -- if any -- American military personnel died in the Greater Middle East. Few have died anywhere else since.

2003 and After: Fantasies and Reality

Who wouldnt agree that the 2003 invasion of Iraq signified a major turning point both in the history of the Greater Middle East and in our own? Nonetheless, its legacy remains highly contested. The standard narrative goes like this: as the sole remaining superpower on the planet after the implosion of the Soviet Union in 1991, our invincible military organized a swift and convincing defeat of Saddam Husseins Iraq in the first Gulf War. After 9/11, that same military launched an inventive, swift, and triumphant campaign in Afghanistan. Osama bin Laden escaped, of course, but his al-Qaeda network was shattered and the Taliban all but destroyed .

Naturally, the threat of Islamic terror was never limited to the Hindu Kush, so Washington "had" to take its fight against terror global. Admittedly, the subsequent conquest of Iraq didnt exactly turn out as planned and perhaps the Arabs werent quite ready for American-style democracy anyway. Still, the U.S. was committed, had shed blood, and had to stay the course, rather than cede momentum to the terrorists. Anything less would have dishonored the venerated dead. Luckily, President George W. Bush found an enlightened new commander, General David Petraeus, who, with his famed surge, snatched victory , or at least stability, from the jaws of defeat in Iraq. He had the insurgency all but whipped. Then, just a few years later,  spineless  Barack Obama prematurely pulled American forces out of that country, an act of weakness that led directly to the rise of ISIS and the current nightmare in the region. Only a strong, assertive successor to Obama could right such gross errors.

Its a riveting tale, of course, even if it is misguided in nearly every way imaginable. At each turn, Washington learned the wrong lessons and drew perilous conclusions. At least the first Gulf War -- to George H.W. Bushs credit -- involved a large multinational coalition and checked actual Iraqi aggression. Instead of cheering Bush the Elders limited, prudent strategy, however, surging neoconservatives demanded to know why he had stopped short of taking the Iraqi capital, Baghdad. In these years (and for this we can certainly thank Bush, among others), Americans -- Republicans and Democrats alike -- became enamored with military force and came to believe that it could solve just about any problem in that region, if not the world.

This would prove a grotesque misunderstanding of what had happened. The Gulf War had been an anomaly. Triumphalist conclusions about it rested on the shakiest of foundations. Only if an enemy fought exactly as the U.S. military preferred it to do, as indeed Saddams forces did in 1991 -- conventionally, in open desert, with outdated Soviet equipment -- could the U.S. expect such success. Americans drew another conclusion entirely: that their military was unstoppable .

The same faulty assumptions flowed from Afghanistan in 2001. Information technology, Special Forces, CIA dollars (to Afghan warlords), and smart bombs triggered victory with few conventional foot soldiers needed. It seemed a forever formula and influenced both the hasty decision to invade Iraq, and the irresponsibly undersized force structure deployed (not to speak of the complete lack of serious preparation for actually occupying that country). So powerful was the optimism and jingoism of invasion proponents that skeptics were painted as unpatriotic turncoats.

Then things turned ugly fast. This time around, Saddams army simply melted away, state institutions broke down, looting was rampant, and the three major communities of Iraq -- Sunni, Shia, and Kurd -- began to battle for power. The invaders never received the jubilant welcome predicted for them by Bush administration officials and supportive neocons. What began as a Sunni-based insurgency to regain power morphed into a nationalist rebellion and then into an Islamist struggle against Westerners.

Nearly a century earlier, Britain had formed Iraq from three separate Ottoman imperial provinces -- Baghdad, Basra, and Mosul. The 2003 invasion blew up that synthetic state, held together first by British overlords and then by Saddams brutal dictatorship. American policymakers seemed genuinely surprised by all this.

Those in Washington never adequately understood the essential conundrum of forced regime change in Iraq. Democracy there would inevitably result in Shia majority dominance of an artificial state. Empowering the Shia drove the Sunni minority -- long accustomed to power -- into the embrace of armed, motivated Islamists. When societies fracture as Iraqs did, often enough the worst among us rise to the occasion. As the poet William Butler Yeats so famously put it, Things fall apart; the center cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, the blood-dimmed tide is loosed The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity.

Furthermore, the invasion played directly into Osama bin Ladens hands, fueling his narrative of an American war on Islam. In the process, the U.S. also destabilized Iraqs neighbors and the region, spreading extremists to Syria and elsewhere.

That David Petraeuss surge worked is perhaps the greatest myth of all. It was true that the steps he took resulted in a decrease in violence after 2007, largely because he paid off the Sunni tribes, not because of the modest U.S. troop increase ordered from Washington. By then, the Shia had already won the sectarian civil war for Baghdad, intensifying Sunni-Shia residential segregation there and so temporarily lessening the capacity for carnage.

That post-surge calm was, however, no more than a tactical pause in an ongoing regional sectarian war. No fundamental problems had been resolved in post-Saddam Iraq, including the nearly impossible task of integrating Sunni and Kurdish minorities into a coherent national whole. Instead, Washington had left a highly sectarian Shia strongman, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, in control of the government and internal security forces, while al-Qaeda in Iraq, or AQI (nonexistent prior to the invasion), never would be eradicated. Its leadership, further radicalized in U.S. Army prisons, bided its time, waiting for an opportunity to win back Sunni fealty.

Luckily for AQI, as soon as the U.S. military was pulled out of the country, Maliki promptly cracked down hard on peaceful Sunni protests. He even had his Sunni vice president sentenced to death in absentia under the most questionable of circumstances. Malikis ineptitude would prove an AQI godsend.

Islamists, including AQI, also took advantage of events in Syria. Autocrat Bashar al-Assads brutal repression of his own protesting Sunni majority gave them just the opening they needed. Of course, the revolt there might never have occurred had not the invasion of Iraq destabilized the entire region. In 2014, the former AQI leaders, having absorbed some of Saddams cashiered officers into their new forces, triumphantly took a series of Iraqi cities, including Mosul, sending the Iraqi army fleeing. They then declared a caliphate in Iraq and Syria. Many Iraqi Sunnis naturally turned to the newly established Islamic State (ISIS) for protection.

Mission (Un)Accomplished!

Its hardly controversial these days to point out that the 2003 invasion (aka Operation Iraqi Freedom), far from bringing freedom to that country, sowed chaos. Toppling Saddams brutal regime tore down the edifice of a regional system that had stood for nearly a century. However inadvertently, the U.S. military lit the fire that burned down the old order.

As it turned out, no matter the efforts of the globes greatest military, no easy foreign solution existed when it came to Iraq. It rarely does. Unfortunately, few in Washington were willing to accept such realities. Think of that as the twenty-first-century American Achilles' heel: unwarranted optimism about the efficacy of U.S. power. Policy in these years might best be summarized as: we have to do something, and military force is the best -- perhaps the only -- feasible option.

Has it worked? Is anybody, including Americans, safer? Few in power even bother to ask such questions. But the data is there. The Department of State counted just 348 terrorist attacks worldwide in 2001 compared with 11,774 attacks in 2015. Thats right: at best, Americas 15-year war on terror failed to significantly reduce international terrorism; at worst, its actions helped make matters 30 times worse.

Recall the Hippocratic oath: First do no harm. And remember Osama bin Ladens stated goal on 9/11: to draw conventional American forces into attritional campaigns in the heart of the Middle East. Mission accomplished !

In todays world of  alternative facts , its proven remarkably easy to ignore such empirical data and so avoid thorny questions. Recent events and contemporary political discourse even suggest that the countrys political elites now inhabit a post-factual environment; in terms of the Greater Middle East, this has been true for years.

It couldnt be more obvious that Washingtons officialdom regularly and repeatedly drew erroneous lessons from the recent past and ignored a hard truth staring them in the face: U.S. military action in the Middle East has solved nothing. At all. Only the government cannot seem to accept this. Meanwhile, an American fixation on one unsuitable term --  isolationism  -- masks a more apt description of American dogma in this period: hyper-interventionism.

As for military leaders, they struggle to admit failure when they -- and their troops -- have sacrificed so much sweat and blood in the region. Senior officers display the soldiers tendency to confuse performance with effectiveness, staying busy with being successful. Prudent strategy requires differentiating between doing a lot and doing the right things. As Einstein reputedly opined, Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.

A realistic look at Americas recent past in the Greater Middle East and a humbler perspective on its global role suggest two unsatisfying but vital conclusions. First, false lessons and misbegotten collective assumptions contributed to and created much of todays regional mess. As a result, its long past time to reassess recent history and challenge long-held suppositions. Second, policymakers badly overestimated the efficacy of American power, especially via the military, to shape foreign peoples and cultures to their desires. In all of this, the agency of locals and the inherent contingency of events were conveniently swept aside.

So what now? It should be obvious (but probably isnt in Washington) that its well past time for the U.S. to bring its incessant urge to respond militarily to the crisis of the moment under some kind of control. Policymakers should accept realistic limitations on their ability to shape the world to Americas desired image of it.

Consider the last few decades in Iraq and Syria. In the 1990s, Washington employed economic sanctions against Saddam Hussein and his regime. The result: tragedy to the tune of half a million dead children . Then it tried invasion and democracy promotion. The result: tragedy -- including 4,500-plus dead American soldiers, a few trillion dollars down the drain, more than 200,000 dead Iraqis, and millions more displaced in their own country or in flight as refugees.

In response, in Syria the U.S. tried only limited intervention. Result: tragedy -- upwards of 300,000 dead and close to seven million more turned into refugees.

So will tough talk and escalated military action finally work this time around as the Trump administration faces off against ISIS? Consider what happens even if the U.S achieves a significant rollback of ISIS. Even if, in conjunction with allied Kurdish or Syrian rebel forces, ISIS's capital, Raqqa, is taken and the so-called caliphate destroyed, the ideology isnt going away. Many of its fighters are likely to transition back to an insurgency and there will be no end to international terror in ISISs name. In the meantime, none of this will have solved the underlying problems of artificial states now at the edge of collapse or beyond, divided ethno-religious groups, and anti-Western nationalist and religious sentiments. All of it begs the question: What if Americans are incapable of helping (at least in a military sense)?

A real course correction is undoubtedly impossible without at least a willingness to reconsider and reframe our recent historical experiences. If the 2016 election is any indication, however, a Trump administration with the present line-up of national security chiefs (who fought in these very wars) wont meaningfully alter either the outlook or the policies that led us to this moment. Candidate Trump offered a hollow promise -- to Make America Great Again -- conjuring up a mythical era that never was. Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton offered only remarkably dated and stale rhetoric about America as the  indispensable nation .

In the new Trump era, neither major party seems capable of escaping a shared commitment to the legends rather than the facts of Americas recent past in the Greater Middle East. Both sides remain eerily confident that the answers to contemporary foreign policy woes lie in a mythical version of that past, whether Trumps imaginary 1950s paradise or Clintons fleeting mid-1990s unipolar moment.

Both ages are long gone, if they ever really existed at all. Needed is some fresh thinking about our militarized version of foreign policy and just maybe an urge, after all these years, to do so much less. Patriotic fables certainly feel good, but they achieve little. My advice: dare to be discomfited.

Major Danny Sjursen is a U.S. Army strategist and former history instructor at West Point. He served tours with reconnaissance units in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has written a memoir and critical analysis of the Iraq War, Ghostriders of Baghdad: Soldiers, Civilians, and the Myth of the Surge . He lives with his wife and four sons near Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

[Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author in an unofficial capacity and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Command and General Staff College, Department of the Army, Department of Defense, or the U.S. government.]

Follow TomDispatch on Twitter and join us on Facebook . Check out the newest Dispatch Book, John Feffer's dystopian novel Splinterlands , as well as Nick Turses Next Time Theyll Come to Count the Dead , and Tom Engelhardt's latest book, Shadow Government: Surveillance, Secret Wars, and a Global Security State in a Single-Superpower World .
Donald Trump's Alarming Views on Torture



By Dr. Cesar Chelala

February 21, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - President Donald Trump repeatedly stated belief in the usefulness of torture and waterboarding raise concern among human rights advocates. When asked if the U.S. should use waterboarding to extract confessions from prisoners, Trump said, "I like it a lot. I don't think it's tough enough." It was a worrisome statement by the U.S. new president.

Waterboarding is a form of torture in which water is poured over a cloth covering the face and breathing passages of a person, causing the individual to experience the sensation of drowning. It causes not only extreme pain, but also damages the lungs and the brain due to oxygen deprivation. In addition, it may cause lasting psychological damage and death. It is among the cruelest forms of torture.

In May of 2008, the British-American journalist Christopher Hitchens decided to undergo waterboarding by veterans of the Special Forces, to test on himself if it could be considered torture. He was pinioned by his wrists and he was cut off from the sunlight by a black hood. Afterwards he was turned around several times to disorient him and placed onto a sloping board and positioned with his head lower than his heart.

You may have read by now the official lie about this treatment, which is that it simulates the feeling of drowning. This is not the case. You feel that you are drowning

-or, rather, being drowned, albeit slowly and under controlled conditions and at the mercy of those who are applying the pressure. The board is the instrument, not the method. You are not being boarded. You are being watered

In this pregnant darkness, head downward, I waited for a while until I abruptly felt a slow cascade of water going up my nose. Determined to resist if only for the honor of my navy ancestors who had so often been in peril on the sea, I held my breath for a while and then had to exhale and as you might expect- inhale in turn. The inhalation brought the damp cloths tight against my nostrils, as if a huge, wet paw had been suddenly and annihilatingly clamped over my face

Unable to determine whether I was breathing in or out, and flooded more with sheer panic than with mere water, I triggered the pre-arranged signal and felt the unbelievable relief of being pulled upright and having the soaking and stifling layers pulled off me. I find I dont want to tell you how little time I lasted, wrote Hitchens. He had the procedure repeated on himself, with equally terrifying results and concluded, Well, then, if waterboarding does not constitute torture, then there is no such thing as torture.

In a two-year study, the Constitution Project, a U.S. independent group, concluded that it was indisputable that U.S. forces had employed torture as well as cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment in many interrogations; that the nations most senior officials bear ultimate responsibility for allowing and contributing to the spread of these techniques; and that there is substantial evidence that information obtained by these methods was neither useful nor reliable.

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The U.S. Supreme Court has held since the 1890s that punishments that involve torture are prohibited under the Eighth Amendment, which says, Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

In addition, the U.S is a party to the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, which originated in the United Nations General Assembly on December 10, 1984, and that was signed by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 and ratified by the Senate on Oct. 27, 1990.

The U.S. is also a party to the following conventions that prohibit torture: the American Convention on Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights signed in 1977 and ratified in 1992.

President Donald Trumps stand on the use of torture disrespects the U.S. Constitution, the countrys laws and its proclaimed stand on human rights. He should have the courage -as Christopher Hitchens did- of undergoing waterboarding before giving his careless opinion on this most serious issue.
Trumps Anti-Iran Coalition

By Abdel Bari Atwan

February 21, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - " Raialyoum" - Donald Trumps new US administration has adopted the idea of forming a new Arab-Israeli axis to fight Iran. The objective is not actually to declare war on the Islamic Republic, but to exploit the notion of a growing Iranian threat to get the Sunni Arabs to fully normalize with the Israeli occupation, and to milk the Gulf states depleting coffers to fund American infrastructure projects as promised during Trumps election campaign.

The Obama administration also exploited the Iranian threat for the same purpose, selling $130 billion worth of sophisticated aircraft and weaponry to the Gulf states, even while planning to contain Iran by political means and engage it in secret negotiations.

The right-wing Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that the Trump administration is in talks with Arab allies about having them form a military alliance that would share intelligence with Israel to help counter Iran. It would be based in Egypt, and would include that country along with Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Jordan. Neither the formation of such a coalition nor the inclusion of Israel as a security/intelligence partner comes as any surprise. Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has said openly and on-the-record that his countrys ties with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states do not need developing as they are already developed.

This alliance will be bankrolled by the Gulf states, and its victims will be Arabs  and especially Yemenis. Given its relative military weakness, Yemen is likely to be the alliances first testing-ground given its military weakness, under the pretext of countering Irans influence and its armed proxies  meaning the Houthi-Saleh alliance  in the country.

The payback to these Arab states, especially Saudi Arabia, for joining an unprecedented alliance with Israel is likely to be two-fold: amendment of the JASTA law which would allow victims of the 9/11 attacks, whose perpetrators were mostly Saudis, to sue for compensation; and US designation of the Muslim Brotherhood movement as a terrorist organization.

Agreeing to this alliance would be an act of political and financial suicide by its four proposed Arab members. It is trap into which a US administration that is despised both at home and internationally is trying to drag them in order to drain their resources. Regrettably, they seem to be walking into it with their eyes wide open.

The US is using the Iranian bogeyman to extort the Arab states and bog them down in sectarian wars. Sadly, they have been submitting to this extortion and raising white flags of surrender. They refuse to learn from previous experiences which affirm that while Iran is becoming stronger and more influential, they  as moderate Arab friends of the US  have become increasingly weak, ineffective and bankrupt in every sense.

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It is telling that Trump should be setting out to form this alliance at the same time as pronouncing the two-state solution in Palestine dead and buried and giving his ally Netanyahu the green light to hasten settlement expansion and swallow up whatever remains of the West Banks land.
Thirty-two years after the Akingbaiye family and 23 others took the Lagos State Government to court, the Supreme Court has affirmed the 1958 Lagos State acquisition of land along Ilasamaja/Oshodi Expressway now Isolo Industrial Estate and Matori Estate.

The government of Western Region had in 1958 acquired a vast area of land measuring 5000 acres for public purposes within Badagry, Ikeja and Lagos.After the creation of Lagos State, the area of land, which fell within the state, was 929.6 acres.

However, in 1979, 34 persons who were affected by the acquisition approached the Lagos State Lands Tribunal for the purpose of determining the compensation payable to them for the acquisition of their land.

The tribunal, in its judgment, had awarded the sum of N1, 141, 631. 20 as compensation for the 929.6 acres.Dissatisfied with the decision of the tribunal and failure of Lagos to immediately pay the compensation, the Akingbaiye family and 23 others (appellants) on December 27, 1985 filed an originating summons at the Lagos High Court against the then Military Governor of Lagos State and the Attorney General of the state claiming payment of interest on the judgment sum.

The court entered judgment for the appellants but they were dissatisfied on the issue of interest and consequently filed an appeal, which in 2002 was dismissed while the appellants approached the Supreme Court.

The appellants represented by L.A.O Nylander filed their brief on May 31, 2016, while the States brief was filed on June 28, 2016. Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem, contended that the High Court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter in view of the provisions of Section 16 of the Public Lands Acquisition (Miscellaneous Provision) Act of 1976 which confers exclusive jurisdiction on the Lands Tribunal to decide issues in respect of compensation payable on lands acquired by the government.

After considering submissions, the Supreme Court held that the decisions of the High Court of Lagos and the Court of Appeal were null and void in view of the fact that the two courts lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter, adding that something placed on nothing is bound to fall.

By the judgment, the Lagos State acquisition of the land in question is further affirmed and the appellants claim for interest since 1979 in respect of the compensation was dismissed.The state is also not liable to pay interest on the amount already paid to the appellants as compensation.

Source: Guardian
English Premiership club Chelsea have reached an agreement with Antonio Conte to keep their manager at Stamford Bridge at least until June 2020, Italian source Tutto Mercato Web reports.

Conte had initially signed a three-year contract last summer, but Roman Abramovich has already seen fit to give him an extension. The Russian owner is obviously very impressed by what he has seen from the Italian so far.

Chelsea are currently top of the Premier League table, with an 8-point lead over second-placed Manchester City with 13 games left to play and Conte could win the league in his first season in charge. Both Jose Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti managed that feat at Stamford Bridge, but neither was able to really stay at the club for the long haul.

If Conte is able to stay until the summer of 2020. he will be the longest-serving manager under the Abramovich era which began in 2003. Since then, Mourinhos first stint from 2004-2007 is the longest Chelsea have stuck with a manager.
The Chief Justice of Ekiti State, Justice Ayodeji Daramola has pleaded with the Ekiti State Police Command to beef up security in the various courts in the state.

This is just as the Ekiti State Police Commissioner, Mr Wilson Inalegwu said that with the activities of the dreaded Boko Haram insurgents, the attacks on courts and other security threat, there was a need for all the stakeholders in the security sector and the judicial officers to brainstorm and fashion out security model that could protect courts.

Justice Daramola stated this when the police Commissioner paid him a working visit in his office.

According to the CJ, there was need for synergy between the Prison authority and the police force to beef up security when hardened criminals were being brought to court.

He said that the Prison officers lacked capacity to effectively secure the Prison without the assistance of the police, noting that cases of jail break were rampant because of the lack of the synergy.

I was mandated by my colleagues to visit you (Commissioner) because of the recent experiences in Imo and Kogi States, to solicit for your cooperation by improving the police protection of courts.

We really need Police protection. Please help us in this regard. It is not only the police that criminals look at with disdain. They also look at us with disdain as well.

Things have not been the same between the police and the Prison authority since they started carrying arms. The Prison people must allow the police to assist them, he said.

Responding, Mr Inalegwu said that the importance of cordial relationship between the police and the judiciary cannot be overemphasis in the administration of justice.

If the police arrest, they cannot keep suspect for too long. They need the judiciary to prosecute the suspects. So, Judiciary is not only the hope of the common man, but the hope of the police.

When I arrived Ekiti State, I was briefed about the number of conviction that the police has secured. I was very impressed about it your Lordship.

We usually asked the Prison people to alert us when they are talking hardened criminals to the court, but we dont get to know about it. We have written to the Comptroller of Prison about this.

We are going to look at the operations of our Judges Protection Unit and do something about it if we discovered that there are. My OC legal and DCP Admin are here, they will take a look at it.

With the activities of the Boko Haram, the attacks on courts, there is need for all the stakeholders in the security sector to brainstorm with judicial officers and fashion an enduring security model that could protect the courts.

Source: Dailypost
The Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty Ooni Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II has said that the ancient city of Ile-Ife has devised cultural tourism revolution as veritable tool in battling recession reducing its effects to a minimal lever for his people and Nigerians.

He said this during the celebration of AJE festival (festival of wealth) in Ile-Ife on Monday attended by residents, guests and worshippers from different parts of the world who were seen praying for wealth and abundance.

Ooni said trade by barter remained one of the best trading systems in the world regretting that Nigeria and other African countries began to have economic challenges when they relegated traditional trading methods.

To revive Nigeria and Africa economy, the Spiritual leader of Yoruba race advised that the nature should be upheld in addition to massive involvement in agriculture.

When asked if non-celebration of a festival contributed to the economic hardship in Nigeria, the Ooni said in affirmative that It is because we are not paying obeisance to what we should be paying it to. Before colonisation started, our forefathers did all these and they survived in abundance.

He said, We are paying obeisance to the creation of God. Aje is something that everybody craves for. If we do what we are supposed to be doing, we will be a leading country in the world as it used to be at some point and things will turn around.

The well loved monarch added that It is even turning around for us already in Ile-Ife. We dont have anything that we do than worship the Almighty God and paying high obeisance to nature as mysteries created by God in which nobody can do without, that is why everything is booming for us despite the recession. We are focusing on agriculture and youths empowerment too. This is one thing other race and nation can emulate.

The foremost African monarch concluded his speech with a brief history of AJE and Ejigbomekun MARKET explaining that Aje(deity of wealth) is a mother and goddess created at the dawn of time sent to the earth alongside Olokun(goddess of oceans) just like God also sent the duo of Obatala as Olofin owuro kutukutu and Oranfe Onile ina.

While Aje and Olokun served and have since become the supernatural benefactors of earthly wealth for mankind, Obatala Olofin owuro kutukutu and Oranfe(Sango) Osangangan were and still remain the custodians of morning and afternoon respectively who combined efforts to build EJIGBOMEKUN market(EJI in Yoruba means TWO) with courses used as means of exchange after trade by barter.

All race of the world spent the first currency in the world created by nature from beneath the sea. It was first spent and discovered at Ejigbomekun market in Ile-Ife under the administration of AJE. Ooni Ogunwusi explained.

Iyaloja General of Nigeria, Folashade Tinubu-Ojo who led hundreds of leaders of markets from across Nigeria urged leaders in the country to use the opportunity of Aje festival to intensify efforts in ending recession in the country.

Today is about our tradition, culture. Aje is a very important festival to boost our economy. I hope government will provide the enabling environment to keep this up. All countries have their tradition and ways of getting things resolved. Our leaders should work tirelessly to ensure that recession is not allowed to stay. Iyaloja General said.

Popular Musician, Wasiu Ayinde (Kwam 1), saluted the determination of the Ooni Ogunwusi for ensuring that culture of the yoruba race does not perish.

I am here to celebrate Aje which symbolises wealth. I congratulate Ooni for being the custodian of tradition. It furthers shows the richness of yoruba culture and this should continue, he added.

Owa eredunmi of Ife, Oba Olaoluwa Omiwenu said by celebrating Aje always, the deity would make the economy flourish.

Obalara of Ile-Ife, Chief oluwagbemiga Adebayo, said the festival was used to appeal to God for the provision of wealth for Nigerians.

When we discovered that everywhere is tight and poverty was much. We we talk to the Almighty Olodumare through Ifa Oracle and we were told to celebrate AJE . This has solution to economic recession. The shortage of fund wont make traders sell well and every gets to suffer. Obalara said.

Lowa Ate of Ife, High Chief Adebowale Olafare speaking on behalf of the Kingmakers described Ooni Ogunwusi as the messiah sent by God to free Yoruba from economic hardship through culture and tourism. He said the Ooni has undoubtedly within a year recorded colossal success in his revolution of culture and tourism.

Baba is God sent, he is the messiah of our time, he has come to liberate the black race the neglect of culture and tradition which is responsible for economic. suffering. His passion to make life abundantly enjoyable for us in Ife Kingdom and Yorubaland is unrivaled. High Chief Lowa Ate stated.

As a key promoter of AJE festival, Chief Mrs Toyin Kolade, the Iyalaje of Apapa, in Lagos and very close ally of Ooni Ogunwusi expressed satisfaction at the success of 2017 AJE festival which she said is a catalyst for the economic and commercial greater thing to happen in Nigeria. The erudite international biz woman added that To live long, good health, you need to pay for something. The importance of Aje is beyond a mere celebration, it is a collection of all form of trading to build the economy of the nation. It is a uniting factor to wealth and an element that no one dislikes. Toyin Kolade added.

AJE fondly called Oguguluso Onisooboji formed Oja Ejigbomekun as the first market in the world with the joint efforts of Oranfe Onile ina and Obatala owuro kutukutu.

OJA IFE(Ejigbomekun) became the birthplace for profit, wealth, business, trade, advancement and economic development. Eledumare(God) gave AJE, mother of 2 children ERE(profit) and ESU ERE(anxiety of profit) some cowries from Olokuns pot as the first currency to trade at the market.

The immigrants later to these cowries as symbol of AJE to invoke her spirit and establish her model of trade and commerce in various markets around the world.

The descendants of Oranfe Onile ina still till today gather at the spot of AJEs shop within Ejigbomekun market where she served as Iyaloja.

AJE is a deity associated with festivities like Olojo festival. Mankind still works for to earn a living and we toil lifetime for her in OJA IFE in Ile-Ife and globally as her spirit still answers the call of those who seek her sincerely.

Source: Leadership
Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi on Tuesday said that following the technical defeat of the Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East, its fleeing members had found a haven in his state.

Bello made the disclosure in Abuja while speaking at the seventh edition of the National Security Seminar entitled: Consolidating on the Gains of Counter Terrorism Operations in Nigeria.

He, however, warned that the insurgents had chosen a wrong place because he was ready to collaborate with the military to rout them out of the state.

Kogi is now a haven for Boko Haram, because many of them have relocated to my state.

Just last night, four high profile Boko Haram members were arrested in Kogi by the military.

I want to assure them that they have chosen a wrong place to relocate, because we will never allow them.

We will work together with the armed forces to consolidate on the victory and gains recorded in the North-East, he said.

The governor commended the military for their efforts at technically defeating the insurgents in the North-East, and underscored the need to consolidate on the victory to avoid a relapse.

Bello said the government had actually done a lot in safeguarding lives and property and in reclaiming the territorial integrity of the country.

The Sultan of Sokoto, Saad Abubakar III, said that for the nation to consolidate on the gains of counter terrorism operations, national security agencies must work in synergy.

Abubakar also appealed to the government to look into and implement several suggestions made by experts at previous security seminars held in the country.

He said it was high time the government developed the political will to implement suggestions proffered by experts to prevent making security seminars mere talk shows.

Meanwhile, Brig.-Gen. Jonathan Temlong, the President, Alumni Association of National Defence College, described terrorism as a global threat that had affected over 65 million people globally.

He commended the armed forces for the victory recorded against the Boko Haram, but emphasised the need to brace up and consolidate on the exploit in order to put a final end to the threat.

The seminar is jointly organised by the National Defence College of Nigeria, the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Alumni Association of National Defence College.
Gunmen on Monday killed 14 persons and injured many others, in an attack on Ashim village in the Takad chiefdom of Kaura Local Government Area of southern Kaduna State.

Mr Alexander Iya, Chairman of the local governments interim management committee, who briefed newsmen on the incident, said that the gunmen stormed the village around 6 a.m. and launched a massive attack.

He said that most of the victims were women and children, whose corpses had been deposited at the Kafanchan General Hospital.

Those injured are being treated at the Kaura General Hospital, he said.

He said that the attackers also burnt many houses and destroyed crops.

Iya, however, disclosed that one of the invaders was killed by security personnel deployed to contain the situation.

The chairman appealed to the people to remain calm and avoid the temptation to take the law into their hands.

He assured them that government had deployed enough personnel to secure the communities.

Efforts to reach the Divisional Police Officer of the area were not successful, but a military personnel deployed to contain the situation, described the attack as very serious.


Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 21



By Fatih Karimov  Trend:



A high-ranking trade and banking delegation from Slovakia is scheduled to visit Iran in March 7, 2017, Irans IRNA news agency reported.



Slovakias deputy prime minister for Investments, Peter Pellegrini will head the 40-member delegation of 35 Slovak companies, which are active in the fields of mining industry, transport, oil and petrochemicals, engineering and technical services, construction, electronics and IT as well as finance and banking sectors.



The European countrys Finance Minister Peter Kazimir and Economy Minister Peter Ziga will also accompany the delegation.



The Slovak officials would sign a memorandum of understanding with Irans Economy and Finance ministry.



Earlier in November 2016, a 30-member Iranian delegation comprised of Iranian businessmen, headed by the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines, and Agriculture Chairman Gholam Hossein Shafeie visited the eastern European country to explore avenues of expanding trade ties with their Slovak counterparts.
The owner of a restaurant in Italy discounted a familys bill due to their childrens polite behavior.

Antonio Ferrari shared a photo of the familys bill which included a five percent discount for bimbi educati, or polite children.

Its just so unusual! Ferrari said.

Ferrari said the behaviour of the table of 11, which included five children, warranted the discount and told The Guardian he believes 30 percent of parents dining at his restaurant for lunch that Sunday did not know how to control their children.

I imagine how difficult parenting is today, Ferrari, who does not have children, said.

Ferrari told Today he picked up the idea to reward parents for their well-behaved children when he received a similar discount while dining at a restaurant in Miami.

While some praised Ferrari for rewarding parents for a job well done, others argued that his restaurant is a public place where parents and their children are permitted to behave as they see fit.

Im responsible for what happens in it, Ferrari said in reference to his policy on childrens behavior in his restaurant.

Despite that responsibility, Ferrari asserted that his restaurant remains open to families and patrons of all ages.

Kids are more than welcome, he said.
A bus conductor hustling on the busy streets of the commercial capital of Nigeria, Lagos is lucky not to have lost his life after a near-death experience in the line of duty.

An unnamed bus conductor sustained a severe head injury at the Anthony area of Ikeja as he hung to a speeding commercial vehicle known as Danfo.

His head was severely bleeding coupled with some minor injuries on his face and hands.

The dark-skinned young man writhed in pains as eye-witnesses comforted him. Bus conductors in Lagos State are known to daringly hang unto the opened doors of speeding vehicles during which they call passengers.
The National Examinations Council, NECO, on Tuesday, said it has released the results of the November/December 2016 Senior School Certificate Examinations, SSCE.

Registrar and Chief Executive of NECO, Prof. Charles Uwakwe, made this known while speaking with newsmen in Minna, Niger State.

He said candidates can access their results by login onto the councils website using their scratch card and registration numbers.

While commenting on the statistics, Uwakwe said a total of 47,941 candidates registered, out of which 47,118 sat for the exams and the number of candidates with five credits, including Mathematics and English Language are put at 28,530 (60.55%).
Nigerian newspaper headlines February 20, 2017.

Punch

A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has adjourned till April 24, 2017, the hearing of the suit brought before it by the wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience, against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on the enforcement of her fundamental human rights.

Guardian

Organised labour under the aegis of Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) has condemned alleged plan by the Federal Government to sack 3,500 public workers under the guise that their appointments were irregular and unauthorised.

Vanguard

With Non-Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC, poised to grow again, OPEC will need to increase oil output by just 2.2 million barrels per day (b/d) to meet global incremental oil demand of about 5.5 million b/d over the 2017 and 2022 period.

The Nation

Former President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday endorsed Senator Ali Modu Sheriff as the National Chairman of the troubled Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The Sun

The Police, in Kano State, have arrested a syndicate that specialises in the kidnapping of young people in the state.

Thisday

At least eight commercial banks were on Monday sealed by the Enugu state government for alleged failure to remit about N1 billion in taxes to the coffers of the state government.

Leadership

The management of Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has seized a vessel MT JAZI loaded with 1. 5 million of contaminated petroleum product.

Premium Times

The lecturers at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, LAUTECH, are set to call off their eight months old strike today, an official told PREMIUM TIMES.
In continuation of discussions with the various stakeholders and organs of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Former President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday met with members of the partys ministers forum.

It was gathered that, the meeting which was held at his Maitama residence in Abuja was well attended.

The former president while reacting to media reports during the meeting said the party is not fictionalised, adding that he did not endorse the Senator Ali Modu Sheriff group.

He said, We are solving our problems. There are bound to be differences in politics. It is the way we resolve these differences that makes us human beings and that is what makes us leaders.

We are not factionalised. We are one. I have met with Sheriff. And I have met with others. I will meet with others, so that we will be able to do what is expected of us as a political party.

Confirming the meeting took place, a former minister in the party said, We just concluded. GEJ in his continuous discussion with PDP stakeholders for a lasting resolution of PDP crisis, met with Sherrif yesterday and later with Makarfi. Today with PDP ministers forum.

Source: Leadership
Kano State Police Command has upon tip off raided a kidnapping gang and arrested two of the suspects.

According to the Kano State Commissioner of Police, CP Rabiu Yusuf due to persistent reports of child kidnapping in and around the state a special team of detectives was constituted and strategically deployed to arrest the culprits.

During a press conference held at the Police Command, Bompai, Kano, CP Yusuf disclosed that places in the metropolitan Kano such as Hotoro, Kawo, Tishama, Wala Lambe areas and surrounding environment were notorious for kidnapping activity.

Eventually, on 30/01/2017 at about 2100hrs a resident of

Yandodo Hotoro quarters, Kano, one Ibrahim Sani reported to the detectives team that on the same date at about 1900hrs, a female known as HafsatAuwal, ages 18, of TsamiyarBoka/Hotoro area went to his house on a pretence of purchasing clothing material from his wife but ended up coning his wife to surrender her two male children to identify her home.

While they went out, the suspect discharged one child and kidnapped the other, named Sadiq Mustapha of about eight years old, said the statement.

Source: Leadership
Owing to monumental graft cases involving civil servants, the Senate has charged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to beam its searchlight on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), ministries, agencies and departments of the Federal Government.

The Upper Legislative Chamber gave the charge to the commission when its acting Chairman, Ibrahim Magu and other EFCC officials appeared before the Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption to defend its budget.

The committee said unbridled stealing of public funds by government officials was partly responsible for the recession the country is experiencing.

A member of the committee, Senator Isa Misau wondered how one person: a former Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr. Andrew Yakubu could beat the system to amass and stockpile foreign currencies to the tune of $9.7 million, 74, 000 and naira.

Misau said the indiscriminate stealing of government funds has reached an alarming level in the country such that the amount of US dollars in circulation in Nigeria is much more than what the United States Federal Reserve Bank could boast off.

The lawmaker lamented: In Nigeria of today, the US dollars and other foreign currencies being stashed in secret places were not being used for trading and business transactions to promote the economy.

Those who are in possession of these foreign currencies exploit the loopholes in the CBN and channel them through the parallel market to make quick gains, thus destabilising the naira, Misau said.

He alleged that government officials, past and present, with their ill-gotten wealth are the landlords of choice properties, in exclusive areas of Abuja, Lagos and other major Nigerians cities.

Misau told the EFCC to seek avenues for reviewing its law to ensure that ill-gotten money and properties are not only confiscated, but their owners made to spend long years in jail.

According to the senator, It is painful that EFCC would just arrest some of these people and after a week in custody release them on bail and at the end, nothing is heard about their cases. This is not what we want in Nigeria.

The committee chairman, Senator Chukwuka Utazi praised EFCCs efforts in the fight against corruption. He charged the officials to always do the needful in the fight to save Nigeria from the clutches of corruption.

Utazi assured the agency of support of the Senate in every area necessary to make it discharge its duties in accordance with the law.

Source: Guardian
A trigger-happy operative of the Nigerian Police Force, has allegedly shot a commercial driver for reasons bordering on traffic offense. Quite shocking!

A Twitter user, Fone Repair Guy (@Anagazo), has taken to the social networking site to narrated a shocking incident which happened recently in the commercial city of Lagos.

According to the poster, an official of the Nigerian Police Lagos state command, reportedly shot a commercial bus driver for not obeying traffic light.

Below is how he narrated the story on social media;
U.S. ECONOMY IS IN TROUBLE Alpine Trading - Sat Nov 5, 4:35PM CDT Never Mind the nonsense, here is the RISK-OFF trade of the YEAR!

Power blackouts hit Ukraine amid heavy Russian shelling AP - Sat Nov 5, 3:57PM CDT Ukraines state electricity operator has announced regular scheduled blackouts in Kyiv and seven other regions of the country in the aftermath of Russias devastating strikes on energy infrastructure... $SPX : 3,770.55 (+1.36%) $DOWI : 32,403.22 (+1.26%) $IUXX : 10,857.03 (+1.56%)

November Rain Sidwell Strategies - Sat Nov 5, 2:31PM CDT US elections Tuesday; USDA reports Wednesday

Climate activists block private jets at Amsterdam airport AP - Sat Nov 5, 7:48AM CDT Hundreds of climate protesters have blocked private jets from leaving Amsterdams Schiphol Airport in a demonstration on the eve of the COP27 United Nations climate meeting in Egypt $SPX : 3,770.55 (+1.36%) $DOWI : 32,403.22 (+1.26%) $IUXX : 10,857.03 (+1.56%)
Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 21



By Fatih Karimov  Trend:



Despite differences among Islamic countries, Palestine issue can and should be a pivot of unity for all Islamic countries, Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said.



Khamenei made the remarks while addressing the 6th International Conference in Support of the Palestinian uprising, opened in Tehran Feb. 21, the state-run IRINN TV reported.



Around 700 foreign guests and representatives of pro-Palestinian organizations took part in the event.



Khamenei said that the various crises in several Islamic countries in the region has led to less support of Palestine.



Khamenei further claimed that those who established Israel are behind the destabilizing of the region. He also said that the global atmosphere is moving toward countering actions by Israeli government.



Khamenei further said that Iran supports every group in Palestine that is steadfast against the "enemy."



"The depth of our relationship with groups involved in the Islamic Resistance is only dependent on the level of their commitment to the principle of the resistance," Khamenei added.
The second annual Latin America Self Storage Trade Show, an event designed for facility developers, investors and operators interested in the Central and South America markets, will be held May 3-5 at the Omni Cancun Hotel and Villas in Cancun, Mexico. The conference will feature seminars and vendor exhibits representing all aspects of the storage business, including development, real estate, software and security, according to a press release.

Henry Goodfriend, an international real estate consultant, will deliver a keynote address on Global Population Outlook: How Its Impact Is Redistributing Global Economic Expansion. Additional speakers include David Blum, president of Better Management Systems LLC; Thomas Brooks, vice president of sales for PTI Security Systems; Pete Frayser, business development manager for Latin America at Janus International Group LLC; and Markus Hecker, chief operating officer at SiteLink.

This years event will feature a combined exhibit and meeting area that will provide attendees with continuous access to vendors, the release stated. A cocktail reception is also on the agenda.

Blum, the event producer, is a U.S.-based consultant who has assisted self-storage developers in several countries, with a focus in Latin America, for the last 13 years. He helped produce the Latin America self-storage tradeshow events in Brazil and Panama in 2015 and 2016, respectively.

Show details can be found at www.lanamexpo.com.
The 80-year-old manager of the U Hold The Key Self Storage in Newcastle, England, is retiring and handing over the reins to his 64-year-old successor. Peter Robson has been employed by the facility, which is owned by the Parsons Containers Ltd., since it opened in 2002. Hes been grooming Arthur Jennings to take his place since his last birthday, according to the source.

During Robsons employment, the U Hold facility has doubled in size. The property in the Benfield Business Park now contains more than 300 container-storage units. It has been a pleasure to play a part in that growth. I have had the privilege to meet some [of the] most interesting customers and staff, and have made friendships [that] I am sure will last. My time at U Hold The Key has been a happy and enjoyable experience, Robson said.

Robson approved of the companys decision to hire Jennings. Arthur is the new man at the helm, and I am sure he will do a good job as he is keen and enthusiastic about the business, Robson said. His vast experience in management in the oil and gas industry around the world stands him in good stead to deal with customers and manage the site. I wish him well.

A native of Northeast England, Jennings will oversee day-to-day operation of the property. After many years working offshore and onshore overseas, I wanted a new challenge. I heard about the site manager role at the Newcastle U Hold The Key site, which I used myself when I was moving house, and took the opportunity to apply, Jennings said. Peter has made everything seem so easy. I am looking forward to the task ahead and feeling well-prepared.

Jennings joins U Hold at a time of significant expansion, the source reported. The company has opened three new facilities in the area in the last six months due to an increase in demand for storage. The new facilities in Darlington, Southwick and Sunderland, England, have added 500 container-storage units to the companys existing 1,000. U Hold operates eight total facilities in the country.

We are very sad to see Peter leave us for his well-earned retirement. After a career in the rail industry, he brought his excellent organizational skills to our storage business, and I think everyone who knows him will agree he has kept a well-run operation, said Ean Parsons, managing director for Parsons. His young successor, Arthur, also brings a wealth of operational and commercial experience to the role, and I am sure he will do a great job. We arent letting Peter escape completely, as hes going to mentor a member of our head office team in Sedgefield for a while.

Parsons Containers is an independent supplier of shipping containers in Northeast England.
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Inflation remains the primary concern for the worlds central banks, which have engaged in the broadest and fastest tightening regime in history, according to Alejandra Grindal, chief economist at Ned Davis Research.
An education provider to insurance professionals will be holding an Australia-first insurtech conference that will explore disruptive technology and collaborative innovation for the insurance industry.The Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance ( ANZIIF ) will hold its first insurtech conference on March 28 at Dolton House in Sydneys Hyde Park.The one-day conference will see the burgeoning insurtech sector join forces with the insurance industry to discuss the future of insurance.The program has been specifically designed to ensure relevance to both insurers and tech startups, said ANZIIF CEO Prue Willsford . To truly understand what digital disruption means to the industry we need everyone in the room.Unlike other conferences, this event will allow real conversations to happen around the topic of insurtech and what it means for traditional insurance at every point of the value chain, Willsford said.The conference will explore topics such as Australian insurtech in a global context, how insurtech can improve and influence traditional insurance, and how and why insurers should partner with and learn from insurtech start-ups.The conference will feature well-known industry professional Daniel Fogarty as emcee, as well as a global array of insurtech thought leaders, such as George Kesselman, CEO and founder of Insurtech Asia; Alex Scandurra of Stone & Chalk; and Martin Blake of KPMG Insurtech start-ups will also participate in the event, including Trov and Friendsurance , as well as Sureify, Prince Insure, Cover Genius, and Flamingo. Insurance industry leaders investing in innovative technology from Suncorp Aon Risk Solutions, and IAG will also grace the event together with APRA and ASIC in discussing what insurtech means in the Australian landscape.Dr Amy Gibbs , ANZIIFs digital insights manager, commented: The world is watching Australia when it comes to insurtech. With our technological expertise and strong insurance market, were positioned to be leaders in the area. But so far, the industry has been unwilling to have public conversations about what the rise of insurtech means.Insurtech presents an exciting and challenging future for the insurance industry, from distribution to the backoffice, and only by being part of its development can we ensure the best outcomes for all involved.To register to the conference, visit www.anziif.com/insurtech.
The insurance industry has been warned about the impacts climate change could have on the financial system.Speaking at the Insurance Council of Australia annual forum in Sydney last week, Geoff Summerhayes, executive board member of the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority ( APRA ), said that the regulator will be more active in monitoring climate risks.While climate risks have been broadly recognised, they have often been seen as a future problem or a non-financial problem, Summerhayes said.Some climate risks are distinctly financial in nature. Many of these risks are foreseeable, material and actionable now. Climate risks also have potential system-wide implications that APRA and other regulators here and abroad are paying much closer attention to.Summerhayes said that APRA will put a greater emphasis on stress-testing the systemic resilience of organisations in the face of adverse shocks related to climate risk.Summerhayes noted that changes over the past several years have brought climate risk into more focus for the insurance sector and other industries.With a recent legal opinion stating that company directors have legal obligations to consider the impact of climate risk expected to drive more risk awareness, mitigation and transfer, climate risk is expected to be a growing insurance sector. Sharanjit Paddam , the convenor of the Climate Change Working Group at the Actuaries Institute, welcomed Summerhayes speech and noted that the organisation is pleased to see APRA pro-actively approach climate risk.We would encourage financial services firms and other Australian companies to apply an effective risk management approach to climate change risk, Paddam said.
Insurance Business magazines fifth annual search for Australias best all-round brokers will conclude this Friday. The Elite Brokers report will assess brokers using a unique methodology  ranking applicants on a number of performance metrics such as number of policies written, new business and client retention to ensure all brokers are compared on a level playing field.The Insurance Business Elite Broker list has provided a much needed vehicle for industry recognition and healthy competitiveness. I do not consider it easy to rank and am proud of having achieved so  as such I would encourage all brokers to nominate and continue striving for excellence. - David Clarke, Head of Special Risks, Elliot InsuranceEntries can be made online via this simple form until close of business thisAll financial information will be kept strictly confidential and will not be published or shared.The Elite Brokers report will be published in the March issue of Insurance Business magazine.
Tehran, Iran, February 21



By Mehdi Sepahvand - Trend:



The Iranian government has allocated financial aid to help fight the air pollution and dust in the Khuzestan province, after people in the province took it to the streets in protest, following weeks of heavy dust in the air.



First Vice Minister Eshaq Jahangiri authorized the allocation of $9.26 million to anti-dust plans to be carried out, Fars news agency reported February 21.



People in the province protested against having water and power shortages that had been caused by dust, which technical sources said was on occasions six times denser than the healthy threshold.



Jahangiri has ordered the Ministry of Agriculture to preside the implementation of the anti-dust measures which are going to be carried out in cooperation with four other ministries in an area of 30,000 hectares in Khuzestan.



Eleven cities in Khuzestan, which has a population largely composed of ethnic Arabs and Lurs, lost power last weekend after an intense dust storm, leading to water shortages when water and wastewater treatment plants were knocked offline.



Due to its arid climate, Khuzestan has, for many years, been suffering from dust pollutions that made it very difficult for its citizens to breathe. The dust storms that frequently hit Khuzestan are said to originate mainly in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Syria, making it hard for the Iranian government to handle them singlehandedly.



On February 18, President Hassan Rouhani attended an emergency session of the Crisis Management Center in Tehran, where he ordered Jahangiri, Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani-Fazli, and Khuzestan Governor Gholamreza Shariati to find a solution to the provinces problems as soon as possible.
New National Insurance Brokers Association ( NIBA ) president Tim Wedlock, has revealed his top priorities for his time in the role.Wedlock, who is also managing director of Austbrokers AEI Group, was named president last week, replacing Graham Stevens, of Edgewise Insurance Brokers, in the role.Speaking to Insurance Business, Wedlock said that he will focus on three interrelated areas during his two-year stint as president: NIBAs purpose, education and advocacy in higher education.Wedlock said that having the purpose of NIBA appreciated and respected by the wider broking community around Australia is a priority. Referencing the work of the industry body in lobbying on behalf of brokers, Wedlock noted that by comparison to other strands of the insurance industry, NIBA has been able to carve out a place for brokers.Without us, when it comes to lobbying, it can impact everybody, Wedlock said, stressing that some Government suggestions could have had huge costs for brokers.Given what the financial services industry has been going through, to be able to stand tall in Government and show them that insurance broking has been well regulated, that we do have a professional pathway, that we do have a structured education standard as a minimum, that we do have our code of conduct, has allowed us to be quarantined, if you like, therefore we can keep doing what we are doing professionally without further distraction  that is huge.Wedlock hopes that NIBA will be able to continue to pick out education opportunities and, in turn, further its partnership with ANZIIF to continue to work in schools and universities to promote the value of a career in insurance.For brokers not directly involved in NIBA, Wedlock said that working with the body offers a great way to give back to the industry and help further develop the broking fraternity.NIBA has only got a small staff and a lot of the demands are very hard to satisfy. The best way to get things done is by working as an insurance community, Wedlock continued.
A group of specialist underwriting agencies has expanded its national reach with the addition of a new Adelaide office.In a statement, SURA said that with its launch of the new Adelaide office, insurance brokers can be assured of genuine local underwriting authority for faster quotes and decisions on local client risks.The office, which is located in South Australias McLaren Vale, will focus initially on underwriting engineering, construction, and machinery breakdown risk.It will be headed by Michael Holbrook, a specialist underwriter with 19 years of experience in the engineering niche and who has previous regional management experience in South Australia. He will be joined by underwriter Debra Genovese, with over 20 years of insurance experience, including in underwriting, claims handling, and loss adjustment.Jim Wiechman, SURA construction underwriting manager, said the new office will provide local brokers, seeking engineering, construction, and machinery breakdown insurance cover for their clients, with a dedicated underwriting presence able to service them right in their own backyard.In addition to SURA Construction, the new office will also support SURA Plant & Equipment, headed by Stephen Borg, and SURA Engineering, headed by Peter Curtis, all three agencies targeting local growth.Angie Zissis, SURA managing director, commented: We didnt just want to open an office, we wanted to staff it with well-known local professionals with the specialist expertise were known for. What we now have is an office led by a South Australian, in South Australia writing South Australian business.Our new office in Adelaide underlines the clear message weve been sending brokers all along - we are serious about underwriting specialist industry risks, and we are here for the long term.
One of Australias largest intermediated general insurance companies has strengthened its underwriting capabilities in Queensland with a new appointment.Vero Insurance, part of the Suncorp Group, has appointed Bryce Hatton as executive manager, Queensland commercial & consumer underwriting.Vero has a clear strategy to provide more focused underwriting support to our commercial broking partners in each state, and Bryces appointment will further develop this, said Brad Dalton, head of small business & consumer underwriting at Vero.Bryce has more than 25 years industry experience across underwriting, claims, sales, and broking. He also has very strong relationships in the Brisbane commercial broker market, Dalton said.
It what many insurance brokers may see as a blow to business, another major insurer has signed up to offer its products through a comparison website.Zurich Australian Insurance Limited has joined iSelects general insurance broker panel, in a partnership that will see the insurer offer its general insurance products through the online comparison website, starting with commercial motor policies.Through iSelect we will bring a compelling insurance proposition, initially in commercial motor, to the small business market, said Rajbir Nanra , CEO, general insurance, Zurich Australia/New Zealand.We are looking forward to working with iSelect to explore other areas we can work with iSelect in the commercial insurance space.Scott Wilson, iSelect managing director and CEO, said the company was pleased to connect Zurichs products to its more than nine million online visitors.Zurich is a long-standing, strategic partner of iSelect, having been on our life insurance panel for many years. We are thrilled to expand this partnership beyond life insurance into general insurance.The initiative is part of Zurichs Partnerships & Programs stream, with Zurichs Z.stream platform used by iSelect to generate quotes and bind covers for consumers.
A recent study suggests that Canadas glaciers are not just melting in response to a warming Arctic, but are also major contributors to the rise in sea levels.University of California Irvine researchers studied data collected from 1991 to 2015 on glaciers found in the Queen Elizabeth Islands in the Arctic and published their findings in a study. The researchers discovered that from 2005-2015, surface melt off of these glaciers surged by 900%  a phenomenon the experts attributed to warming air temperatures in the area.Glaciers lose ice in one of two ways: either surface melt or through the discharge of icebergs, referred to as calving.Prior to 2005, the mass lost from glaciers in the Queen Elizabeth Islands was split between 48% lost through surface melt, and 52% through calving. After 2005, however, surface melt now accounts for 90% of total losses in the region.The report warns that the glaciers have gone from shedding three gigatons of water annually to 30 gigatons.Canada is home to roughly 20% of the worlds glaciers and is the third-largest contributor to sea level change.The study forwards that should the planet continue to warm as a result of even more carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere, glacial surface melt could get worse.In the 20-plus years or so that Ive been working up there, weve had radical change in the climate regime and very dramatic changes in what the glaciers look like in terms of how they behave and the extent to how theyre delivering water into the ocean, University of Alberta glaciologist Martin Sharp told CBC News.Sharp said that the sea level is expected to rise by as much as half a meter within the next 50 years, which could possibly displace populations along coasts due to the increased threat of storm surges and hurricanes.
It's critical to help clients make the most of the plans they have
The Hanover Insurance Group recently announced the appointment of John Fowle to the chief executive officer post at its member firm Chaucer Syndicates. Fowle succeeds Johan Slabbert who is pursuing opportunities outside the company.The new chief executive joined Chaucer in 2002 and has held various leadership roles in the company, most recently as chief underwriting officer, where he facilitated the development and execution of the companys underwriting strategy.We are thrilled to have John, with his extensive underwriting experience and expertise, move into the lead role at Chaucer, Joseph M. Zubretsky, president and chief executive of The Hanover, said in a Yahoo Finance report.Further, He has played a key role on Chaucers leadership team, helping us develop an outstanding underwriting discipline and culture. We look forward to continuing to build on the strong performance of the organization under his directionFowles promotion is still subject to Lloyds and regulatory approval.
The number of road wrecks is increasing thanks to drivers who use their phones to text, access the internet and make calls. And the spike in accidents is translating to more expensive car insurance.Distracted driving has become an epidemic issue for this country, State Farm Auto chief executive Michael La Rocco told The Wall Street Journal recently.Further, the publication quoted a State Farm survey that revealed that in 2015, 36% of its survey respondents admitted to texting while driving, while 29% said they accessed the internet, compared with 31% and 13% respectively in 2009.The survey also revealed that 88% of respondents owned a mobile phone in 2015 compared with 52% in 2011.Distracted driving was always there, but it just intensified as more applications for smartphones became available, Bill Caldwell, Horace Mann executive vice president of property and casualty said in the report.As a result, premiums are skyrocketing. Quoting the Insurance Information Institute, the publication said the average US car insurance premium cost 16% more in 2016 compared with five years ago.
The National Weather Service confirmed that an EF3 tornado on the enhanced Fujita scale, with winds between 136 mph and 165 mph, touched down in East New Orleans on Feb. 7. The twister was reported to have caused widespread damage and forced around 100 people from their homes.

The City of New Orleans reported on its website, NOLA.gov, that the tornado path was two to two and one half miles long and that at least 300 properties were affected. That number was later updated to 940 properties damaged or destroyed, but assessments were still ongoing.

The half-mile wide tornado in New Orleans was one of a swarm that touched down as a severe storm system moved through southeastern Louisiana bringing high winds and hail.

The Governors Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness said 28 injuries had been reported in the New Orleans region as a result of the storms. Another nine were reported in the Baton Rouge region and two injuries were reported in the area north of Lake Pontchartrain.

Gov. John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency due to the destruction caused by the storm system, which moved through Ascension, Livingston, Orleans, St. James, St. Tammany and Tangipahoa Parishes.

The first tornado was reported to have touched down near Killian, Louisiana, in southern Livingston Parish.

The NWS estimated that a tornado that touched down east of Donaldsville in St. James Parish was an EF1, and confirmed that an EF0 tornado touched down near Harahan.

The area hit by the EF3 tornado, the 9th Ward in East New Orleans, was devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

No deaths were immediately reported. In a statement, GOHSEP Director James Waskom said, The numerous alerts provided by the media, the National Weather Service, local agencies and state agencies likely saved lives considering the widespread damage across the region. We may continue to see more severe weather systems like todays storms due to our unusually warm winter.

Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Louisiana Windstorm
Insurance agencies that stress soft benefits have the upper hand in recruiting workers in todays competitive job market.

Employees are increasingly seeking out soft benefits in addition to traditional hard benefits from their employers. While employees still greatly value salaries, commissions, bonuses and even stock options, they also like time off, telecommuting and training.

Experts agree that soft benefits tend to be an area of compensation that can make a huge impact on employee satisfaction when tailored to meet the desires of the agency workforce. Yet too many agencies either dont extend soft benefits or, if they do, they undersell them when recruiting.

Satisfaction comes with the total compensation package, not just salary, according to Sharon Emek, president and CEO of Work at Home Vintage Experts (WAHVE), a national staffing firm that places vintage insurance professionals in agencies and brokerages who work from home on a full-time or part-time basis.

The best compensation packages are based on a variety of elements, Emek said. Salary is crucial and employees obviously should be paid for the job they do. But I also think its about the benefits that you supply.

Those benefits can be hard benefits such as a solid 401(k) with a good company match. Or they can be soft benefits such as workplace flexibility. Remote working, or telecommuting, has become so important in recent years that people will give up a hard benefit for the flexibility in work-life balance, according to the WAHVE executive.

If they can work from home two days a week and be with their family and children that is totally worth (not getting) an increase in their salary if they can improve the quality of their life, Emek said.

The value of soft benefits might even surpass the value of those provided by more traditional hard benefits to some employees.

Insurance Journals 2017 Agency Salary Survey confirms that soft benefits and other employee incentives do make a difference in employee satisfaction.

Satisfaction scores (see Employee Benefits Satisfaction Index chart) are higher in every category when agencies offer benefits, whether they are hard benefits like profit sharing, group health or 401(k) plans, or softer benefits such as educational courses, club memberships or trips.

Employees will always value salary but they also want to be rewarded for their hard work, if not financially then in other creative ways, Newgard said.

Soft benefits can be anything that may not cost an employer much financially but can make a huge difference for the employee. The soft benefits offered are often unique to each organization but they range from unlimited vacation days to flex time, remote working to four-day work weeks, cellphone reimbursement to exercise facilities on site, or redesigning workspaces for an open and healthy feeling. They can even include opportunities for charitable work. Free food or coffee in the breakroom works as well.

Soft benefits are about creating a working environment that is pleasant and comfortable for employees, said John H. Clark, Jr., senior vice president, benefits practice leader for Assurex Global. The value of providing such benefits in todays independent agency cannot be overlooked, he said.

Its huge and especially important with the millennial generation, Clark said.

Clark said Assurex Global partners, which include some of the largest privately-held independent commercial insurance, risk management and employee benefits brokerages, have been investing to better the environment for their most valued asset  their human capital.

He said one Assurex Global firm has even rebranded the organization to market its total rewards policy for its employees. Another partner, IMA Financial Group, offers free Starbucks in its Denver office.

That soft benefit makes working at IMA more comfortable and appealing, Clark said.

Soft benefits dont always mean hard dollar expenses, said Mary Newgard, senior search consultant at Capstone Search Group, a national insurance industry search firm.

Its all of those things that get employees excited but it doesnt necessarily mean cost, Newgard said. Ive even seen benefits like pet bereavement. It sounds crazy but the amount of cost and impact of a pet bereavement (policy) is so minimal that the employer will hardly ever see it. But if you are a pet lover who has a loss and you dont have to use a PTO [personal time off] day for that loss, thats a huge, tangible benefit (to the employee) that didnt cost the employer.

The consultants stress that soft benefits alone are not enough and caution that workers may become discouraged if soft benefits are offered to make up for what they perceive as inferior hard benefits or overall compensation.

Its about the (complete) benefits package and the ability to have a flexible working environment, Emek said.

Soft benefits are part of a complete package, not a substitute for hard benefits.

With the way that the market is right now in insurance, an experienced professional is very sought after, and if you cant give them raises to a substantial degree you are going to run the risk of having a revolving door (of employees), said Capstone Search Groups Newgard.

Recruitment Tools

While many agencies offer soft benefits, or other perks, some of them may not be sufficiently advertising those benefits to potential hires. Thats a mistake, Newgard said, because the right compensation plan  with a good mix of hard and soft benefits  is important to competing in todays environment. Its the most difficult time to hire in the insurance industry space, at any level of experience, she said.

Newgard advises agency owners to be transparent with compensation plans and be sure to highlight the soft benefits offered to employees.

People want the transparent employer, she said. Employment candidates want to know about corporate charitable endeavors and philanthropy. They want to know about organizational structure and career pathing. Experienced and inexperienced professionals want a culture of transparency in any organization, she said.

Young agency employees, in particular, are looking for employers that will allow them to maintain a positive work-life balance, according to Madelyn H. Flannagan, vice president, agent development, education and research, at the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America,

They want opportunities to grow, both professionally and financially, Flanagan said. But they also want the latest technology and telework options. They want professional development and retirement plans.

Noelle Codispoti, executive director of Gamma Iota Sigma (GIS), an international fraternity for students of insurance, risk management and actuarial science, agrees.

What we see with our students coming into entry level positions is less of an emphasis on that cash component and more of an emphasis on the culture of the company, Codispoti said. How those discussions evolve with the potential employer could depend on whether the graduate accepts the job.

A companys willingness to discuss what the compensation will look like, what their career with the company would look like, what kind of help they will give to the individual, whether its professional designations or going to get an MBA, the support the company provides for community outreach, even the companys mission on giving back to the community, she said.

Angela Pilotti, managing director/content development, at The Institutes, the educational organization behind the CPCU designation, added that research conducted by her organization has consistently shown other issues outside of salary, including flexibility and soft benefits, are especially valued by younger generation workers as they advance.

We are seeing when you are new to the industry, salary is very important, but over time that becomes less important, she said. As workers advance in their careers, other benefits like a flexible schedule, the ability to do community service, the ability to receive training or education, or equity positions in their employer grow in value.

When it comes to soft benefits, its important for agencies to display their culture by displaying what they offer their employees, Newgard said. Agencies are behind on that more so than larger insurance companies when it comes to branding what they already do, she said.

You dont have to keep raising salary every year to give people things that they assign value to, she said. When you give people flexibility to go to doctors appointments or to be able to work from home  these are the kinds of things that make people happy with compensation really, really fast.

What prevents agencies from going crazy with soft benefits, Newgard said, is knowing when its too much. But thats where transparency comes in. If you just talk to your employees about what kinds of things they would find value in, they might surprise you.

Topics Agencies Talent Training Development
Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 21



By Khalid Kazimov  Trend:



Ahead of Iranian President Hassan Rouhanis impending visit to Moscow, Tehran has called for finalizing preparations for inking an agreement between the Islamic Republic and the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) on the creation of a free-trade zone.



Speaking at a meeting with Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov, Iranian First Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri expressed his countrys interest in expansion of economic cooperation with the member states of the EEU, Tasnim news agency reported.



Saying that the ties between Tehran and Moscow are expanding, the Iranian official further urged for finalizing the deal on the creation of the free-trade zone with the EEU.



The official did not provide further information on the President Rouhanis plan to visit Moscow.



Iranian sources earlier in January reported that plans were afoot to arrange President Hassan Rouhanis visit to Moscow.



Trade turnover between Iran and Russia witnessed a surge by 60 percent over the last year climbing to about $2 billon.



However, the observers believe that the surge in trade between the two countries which came after the nuclear sanctions on Iran were removed, has not satisfied the expectations.
Does money truly buy happiness?

Money does not equate to a happier life, according to economists.

However, a number of organizations continue to remain focused on compensation as their sole engagement tool. While salary is certainly an important determining factor for candidates making a career decision, there are additional aspects of the benefits package that must not be overlooked. Remaining laser focused on salary and ignoring other engagement needs can be the difference between a workforce that is both satisfied and productive, and one that is not.

What are these other factors organizations should look at when attempting to engage and retain employees? How can insurance companies ensure they are offering the best benefits package to their employees and potential candidates?

It is important to note that work-life balance is not one-size-fits-all. Life harmony means different things to different people.

Inside Todays Benefits Package

According to a recent study by the Harvard Business Review, the top predictor of workplace satisfaction  across all income levels  is no longer pay. When reviewing organizations and opportunities, modern professionals are now looking at the hidden paycheck of culture, leadership and opportunities.

In fact, Glassdoors Employment Confidence Survey reported that 89 percent of Millennials prefer benefits and perks to pay raises from their employers. They seek organizations that will provide them with career development opportunities, have an attractive company culture and, most importantly, allow for work-life balance.

In todays fast-paced and connected work environment, finding that perfect harmony between the office and home life is important. More and more individuals are looking for a way to bring balance into their lives. They want to work differently and have more flexibility. Organizations need to look at ways to incorporate this flexibility into their compensation and benefit offerings.

Building Work-Life Balance

Recognizing the importance of providing work-life balance for their employees, many insurance organizations are implementing flexible work programs. They are looking at strategies that will allow them to meet their employees needs while increasing engagement and advancing organizational success. Fortunately, flexible scheduling and other work-life balance initiatives have been proven to reduce turnover and to have a positive impact on an organizations bottom line.

One of the key ingredients in many work-life plans is flexible scheduling. Whether it is the ability to set ones own schedule or the option for compressed workweeks, flexible scheduling is becoming increasingly popular. The strategy is to shift the focus toward achieving specific benchmarks and goals and away from the outdated notion of chaining employees to a desk to produce outcomes.

This flexible environment has proven to foster productivity and creativity amongst professionals. No longer are employees stressing about balancing their personal life with work responsibilities. Now, these individuals are able to plan their work around their needs. Whether its adjusting start and end times to meet daycare and schooling needs or working four 10-hour days to enjoy an extra day off, this flexibility is invaluable to todays professionals.

Another popular offering is the ability to telecommute. The work-at-home movement has taken off, with an estimated 30 million professionals in the United States working from home at least once a week  a number that is expected to increase by 63 percent in the next five years. One of the key drivers of this movement is the increased engagement of employees.

While salary is certainly an important determining factor for candidates making a career decision, there are additional aspects of the benefits package that must not be overlooked.

Employees who are given the option to work from home are 73 percent happier with their employers. They enjoy the cost-cutting benefits and flexibility provided by a telecommuting program. Whether it is offsetting costs of daycare and pet sitters or saving time otherwise spent commuting, work-at-home is invaluable to providing personal and professional balance.

It is important to note that work-life balance is not one-size-fits-all. Life harmony means different things to different people. As a result, not all employees are looking for the same options.

Some companies are offering their employees time during the workday to study for exams that will help them attain degrees and credentials. Other organizations are providing the option of work-share for parents looking to spend more time with their children. Regardless of the offering, insurance organizations should consider implementing an a la carte-style program that allows employees to select the benefits that work best for them and their lifestyle needs.

In todays candidate-driven market  with nearly 60 percent of job seekers having their pick of two or more positions  providing a competitive and all-encompassing compensation package may be the key to attracting top talent. With more individuals looking to bring balance to their personal and professional lives, flexibility is a key differentiator.

Todays forward-thinking insurance organizations must develop and implement their own work-life balance strategies lest they fall behind in the growing war for talent.
A mutual insurer created more than 100 years ago to reinsure farm mutual insurance companies in Iowa has grown faster in the past five years than it did during the previous 10 decades, its president and CEO says.

Organized in Greenfield, Iowa, in 1909, Iowa Farmers Mutual Reinsurance Association eventually moved to Grinnell, Iowa, and over the years grew into the entity that is now known as Grinnell Mutual and describes itself as the largest primary reinsurer of farm mutual companies in North America.

Were a 107-year-old company, said Larry Jansen, president and CEO. It took us 102 years to grow to about $300 million of surplus. In the last five years, weve almost doubled that. At the end of this year, were going to be close to if not exceeding $600 million of surplus.

Jansen, who took over the leadership roles at Grinnell Mutual five years ago, has been with the company for 38 years. He attributes the recent rapid growth to the hard work of our employees in the building, our membership, the mutuals we reinsure and the agents that produce our business.

We spend a lot of time every year going out and having area meetings with our agents to let them tell us what they like, what they don't like.

Grinnell now has more than 250 mutual affiliates and works with more than 1,600 local independent agencies in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Virginia.

The company didnt come upon this growth trajectory by accident. It was a goal Jansen set when he took over as president and CEO, and one he sought to inspire his employees, members, affiliates and agents to embrace.

One of my concerns was that we had become a typical 100-year-old company. We were very complacent, we were very lethargic, we were very accepting of the status quo, he said.

He wanted to add some vitality, energize the company and get employees more involved, as well as to give people a reason to come to work every day. So, he set sights on becoming a $1 billion company within 10 years.

Recognizing there were problems within the farm mutual reinsurance business, thats where the company chose to begin working on achieving that goal.

We had seven or eight years prior to that timeframe where wed seen significant underwriting losses. We had recoveries from our reinsurers that were unbelievably large, Jansen said.

He began attending regional meetings with farm mutual customers, giving them some pretty bad news. I said, Ive looked at the experience over the last seven or eight years, and the problem were having is were totally underpricing our product. Over the next three to four years, were going to have to double the rates.'

The company followed through with that plan and dramatically turned around its underwriting experience in the farm mutual reinsurance book, which represents about a third of the companys business.

Helped by rising rates and by several years of favorable weather patterns, Grinnell has gone from losing $50 million every year on that book to making $50 to $60 million the last three or four years, Jansen said.

Farm mutuals are limited in most states as to what kinds of business they can write and where they can write it; most are limited to home or farm-related insurance. Grinnell Mutual is able to offer a wide spectrum of commercial and personal lines and makes that business available to the independent agents who also write for the farm mutuals Grinnell reinsures.

Thats how we grow our direct side is through those agents that write for those farm mutuals, Jansen said.

The direct business makes up two-thirds of Grinnells business, and is a strong, stable book of business that has experienced underwriting profits for 13 of the past 15 years, Jansen said.

On the direct side, the company views agents as being its primary customer.

We spend a lot of time every year going out and having area meetings with our agents to let them tell us what they like, what they dont like, he said.

One thing agents have said is that, technologically speaking, Grinnell Mutual has been difficult for them to work with because of its antiquated legacy system. The company listened and is now in the process of overhauling its technology from top to bottom.

Jansen said the company chose the Guidewire system and expects the transition to be a multiyear project to get it all up and going. Were actually bringing in the whole shebang. Were not buying just billing or just the client, were buying the policy side, the billing side, the claim side, the whole shebang. Its a major undertaking.

Its all about doing the right thing for the employees, agents and policyholders, he said.

Our company, 107 years ago, was formed by those companies that we reinsure. Our board of directors is made up of 12 farm mutual managers, Jansen said. And that board wants to make sure they do the right thing for both the company and for the member mutuals they represent.

Grinnell Mutual at a Glance Established 1909 President/CEO Larry Jansen A rating from A.M. Best since 1991 Direct written premium: three years ago versus today Dec. 31, 2013  $515,326,885; Dec. 31, 2016  $611,969,301 (18.75 percent increase) Policyholder surplus: three years ago versus today Dec. 31, 2013  $399,940,041; Dec. 31, 2016  $589,902,304 (47.5 percent increase) How many states the insurer wrote in three years ago versus how many it writes in today 2013  13 states; 2016  15 states Mergers, affiliations or partnerships entered into in the past three years Partnerships include Mutual Boiler Re, Beazley, Risk Control Technologies, Guidewire, Cynosure and Palomar Specialty Insurance Co. Cyber Liability and Data Breach Response coverage

Topics Agencies Reinsurance Agribusiness Iowa
A bill that seeks to protect Virginians from losing their income tax refunds to identity thieves won final approval Wednesday in the General Assembly.

The bills sponsor, Del. Mark Keam, D-Vienna, said thieves can steal information from the payroll system of an employer or payroll service and use it to claim a state income tax refund before the real taxpayer files a legitimate return.

Incidents of cyber hacking and data breach are becoming way too common, and criminals are using every opportunity to prey on innocent Virginians, Keam said.

His legislation, HB 2113, passed unanimously in the state Senate on Wednesday. The bill, which was approved by the House on Feb. 2, now goes to Gov. Terry McAuliffe for his signature.

The measure would require employers to notify the attorney generals office if they discover that sensitive information about their employee payroll has been compromised. The attorney generals office then would work with the Virginia Department of Taxation to make sure employees dont lose their tax refunds to identity thieves.

To give the government a fighting chance against these criminals, its critical that employers notify the attorney generals office as soon as they discover a breach of their employees payroll data so that the Tax Department can prevent fraudulent income tax refunds from being processed, Keam said.

According to the Department of Taxation, more than 160 fraudulent refunds were issued during the first six months of 2016 as a result of 18 payroll breaches. Once a fraudulent tax refund is issued, it often is impossible to recover, state officials said. They said that annually, the state loses about $800,000 due to such cases of fraud involving tax refunds.

Paige Tucker, communications specialist with the Virginia Department of Taxation, said that identity theft has been a serious problem but that her agency is working to stop it.

We are committed to doing our part to prevent refund fraud, Tucker said. With the increased sophistication of our fraud models and increased resources devoted to our refund fraud prevention program, were seeing positive results.

To prevent refund fraud, Tucker said, taxpayers should refrain from sending personal information, such as their Social Security number, to unknown people through email or text.

Source: Capital News Service

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Fraud Virginia
RMS, the the Newark, Calif.-based catastrophe risk management firm, has received approval from the Colombian insurance regulator, Superintendencia Financiera de Colombia (SFC), to offer catastrophe modeling services to national and global insurance companies writing earthquake risk in Colombia.

Insurers writing earthquake risk in Colombia may only use SFC-approved catastrophe models to determine their probable maximum loss, average annual loss and to manage their capital reserves, RMS explained.

(RMS approval comes on the heels of Colombian regulatory approval for AIR Worldwides earthquake model).

Colombia has one of the highest seismic hazards in South America, with significant exposure concentrations on active faults, including three of its most populous cities  Bogota, Medellin, and Cali. And yet, despite the countrys steadily increasing economic growth, insurance penetration is still low, said Victor Roldan, regional head for Latin America at RMS.

Now, insurers can access the latest scientific understanding of the regional earthquake hazard and modeling capabilities from RMS to improve their risk selection and pricing, Roldan said. This will enable the re/insurers to develop coverages to help strengthen the countrys resilience to earthquake risk while also improving their portfolios and capital reserves to grow their business.

The RMS Colombia Earthquake Model is one of eight models in the companys suite of South America Earthquake Models. The model suite also includes Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, and Venezuela.

To develop the models, RMS said it collaborated with South American seismology and engineering experts, including Colombia-based Universidad de Los Andes and the Instituto Colombiano de Geologia y Mineria.

Based on a single region-wide catalog of crustal and subduction zone seismic sources and including more than 134,000 stochastic events across South America, the models also capture the influence of local soil conditions on earthquake shaking and incorporate local design and construction practices into assessments of building vulnerability, said RMS.

Source: RMS

Related:

Colombias Insurance Regulator Approves Use of AIRs Earthquake Model

Topics Carriers Catastrophe Natural Disasters Earthquake
Swiss Re Corporate Solutions has appointed Loredana Mazzoleni Neglen as head of Sales, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA).

In her new role, Mazzoleni Neglen will be responsible for developing and executing the companys distribution and sales strategy in the region. She will be based in Zurich and report to Tony Buckle, CEO EMEA, Swiss Re Corporate Solutions.

Mazzoleni Neglen succeeds Antonio Simone who has been appointed country head Switzerland.

Were excited to have Loredana take on this role as we continue to extend our distribution efforts in EMEA, said Buckle. Were growing our regional footprint and commercial insurance product portfolio, and maximizing the value we bring to clients and brokers locally. Loredanas industry knowledge and strong broker distribution experience will support this strategy and our next phase of growth.

An Italian and Swiss national, Mazzoleni Neglen has more than 17 years of experience in the insurance industry. Since joining Swiss Re in 2000, she has held several senior positions in sales and underwriting in EMEA and Asia Pacific. Most recently, she was head Specialties Asia Pacific, based in Singapore, where she was responsible for establishing several specialty lines of business and their underwriting centers.

Im thrilled to lead our sales efforts and collaborate closely with brokers and clients as we continue our growth journey and expand our insurance product offerings locally, said Mazzoleni Neglen.

Swiss Re Corporate Solutions said it serves clients and brokers throughout the EMEA region from offices in Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Dubai, Frankfurt, Genoa, Johannesburg, London, Madrid, Milan, Munich, Paris and Zurich.

Source: Swiss Re Corporate Solutions

Topics Swiss Re
The Hanover Insurance Group Inc. announced that John Fowle has been promoted to chief executive officer of Chaucer Syndicates Ltd.

Fowle is replacing Johan Slabbert, who is leaving the company to pursue other opportunities.

Fowle has held key leadership roles at Chaucer since joining the company in 2002, most recently serving as chief underwriting officer, responsible for the development and execution of the companys underwriting strategy. Previously, he was the active underwriter of Chaucers main syndicate, 1084. Prior to joining Chaucer, Fowle held various underwriting positions in the London and Lloyds markets.

We are thrilled to have John, with his extensive underwriting experience and expertise, move into the lead role at Chaucer, said Joseph M. Zubretsky, president and chief executive officer of The Hanover. He has played a key role on Chaucers leadership team, helping us develop an outstanding underwriting discipline and culture. We look forward to continuing to build on the strong performance of the organization under his direction, providing responsive insurance solutions for our brokers, coverholders and clients.

At the same time, we thank Johan for his many contributions to Chaucer and The Hanover, Zubretsky said. Johan provided strong leadership in the face of challenging market conditions, as Chaucer further enhanced its competitive position as a Lloyds specialist insurer of choice. We wish him the best in his future endeavors.

Fowles appointment is subject to Lloyds and regulatory approval.

Source: Hanover Insurance Group

Topics Underwriting
A controversial North Dakota bill that sought to shield motorists from liability if they unintentionally hit a protester on a roadway, injuring or killing them failed to garner enough support from lawmakers.

House Bill 1203, introduced in January by Republicans, has been voted down 40-51 by House lawmakers. A transportation committee had previously voted against the bill in part because of a negative perception, that passing it could create, Republican state Representative Gary Paur told lawmakers.

The proposed legislation was one in a string of bills that lawmakers in several central U.S. states are pushing, which would crack down on demonstrations. The bills have drawn criticism from free speech campaigners and underline the polarization over protests in the era of U.S. President Donald Trump.

North Dakota has been the site of months of protests over the Dakota Access pipeline, which at times has drawn thousands of demonstrators to the state. Republican state Representative Keith Kempenich told local media that he sponsored the bill after his mother-in-law was caught in a protest while driving.

Kempenich defended the bill before a vote, saying current laws had failed to protect citizens, and that the much publicized bill was mischaracterized by the media. Id like to see this bill passed forward. I think that it shows that we are willing to stand up for the citizens of this state, he said.

Reporting by Timothy Mclaughlin in Chicago; Editing by David Gregorio

Topics Legislation Personal Auto
A U.S. appeals court said on Thursday it will reconsider an October ruling that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureaus structure is unconstitutional, virtually guaranteeing the battle over an agency borne of the financial crisis will reach the Supreme Court.

A full panel of 10 judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit will decide the case after hearing oral arguments on May 24.

The courts order indicated that its chief judge, Merrick Garland, will not participate; leaving six judges appointed by Democratic presidents and four appointed by Republicans to decide the case.

A three-judge panel ruled in October that the CFPB vests too much power in its sole director. It also said the president should be able to fire the director at will, but stayed the decision pending appeal.

Republicans have criticized the agency for overreaching, and have pressed President Donald Trump to fire the current director, Richard Cordray.

The October decision has now been wiped off the books. Banks worry that the full-court review will prolong confusion about the CFPBs powers, while consumer advocacy groups say it could shore up the bureaus independence.

The courts decision only creates further uncertainty regarding the constitutionality of the CFPB, said Richard Hunt, head of the Consumer Bankers Association. Congress and the administration must move immediately to address this concern.

The losing side  either the agency created in the 2010 Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform law or the mortgage lender PHH Corp. that sued it  is expected to appeal to the Supreme Court after the court issues its ruling. The CFPB declined to comment on the pending litigation.

Given the many Republican attempts to limit or kill the agency since its inception, Democratic leaders had asked the appeals court that they be allowed to argue the case on behalf of CFPB. The court refused.

The agency can represent itself in this review, but the Justice Department, led by Republican Attorney General Jeff Sessions, will represent the CFPB if the case goes to the Supreme Court. It is not clear that the Trump administration will take the case further if the CFPB loses the next round.

Republicans say the CFPB pushes unnecessary regulation on small banks and uses large fines to direct lenders behavior without going through proper rule-making processes.

Democrats say that having a sole director allows the CFPB to avoid political fights and fairly guard consumers against fraud in mortgages, student loans and other financial products.

The review throws a wrench in the plans of those clamoring for a weakened consumer agency, said Rohit Chopra, senior fellow at the Consumer Federation of America and formerly assistant director of the CFPB.

Hensarlings Bill

The Republican chairman of the House of Representatives Financial Services Committee, Jeb Hensarling, is floating the possibility of using legislation to give the president freedom to fire the CFPBs director for any reason.

He and many other Republicans say Trump can already fire Cordray, because Dodd-Frank allows presidents to remove directors for cause. They say Cordray has provided cause through how he has both written and enforced rules. Democrats say the power to fire the director is intended to be used only in extreme situations.

The courts review has no bearing on the presidents ample authority to remove CFPB Director Cordray, Hensarling said in a statement.

Alan Kaplinsky, head of the Consumer Financial Services Group at law firm Ballard Spahr, though, said the review limits Trumps options and makes it harder to fire Cordray for cause.

Republican lawmakers are also working on bills to wipe out the agency or change its governance to a commission.

(Reporting by Lawrence Hurley and Lisa Lambert; Editing by Linda Stern and Jonathan Oatis)

Topics Legislation
Despite a half million hail claims resulting in a record $4 billion in insured losses last year, homeowner complaints to the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) were the lowest number ever recorded, the Insurance Council of Texas (ICT) reports.

Record low numbers of complaints, however, has not meant a similar decrease in the number of lawsuits being filed after severe storms. In fact, just the opposite has happened with lawsuits over homeowner claims increasing dramatically in many counties across the state, according to ICT.

One wonders what is going on when you have no complaints at TDI for an entire year, but a thousand lawsuits are filed, said Mark Hanna, a spokesperson for the Insurance Council of Texas. This was the case in Laredo and Webb County last year and this lawsuit abuse has been spreading like a virus throughout Texas. For the past three years, homeowners in Laredo and Webb County have filed more than 4,000 lawsuits from hail claims but reported only 3 complaints to TDI.

We have been in business in Texas for well over 100 years and have handled hail claims essentially the same way all this time with few complaints or disputes, said Greg Farnik, litigation counsel for the Republic Group affiliates in Texas. Even more surprising is that with the majority of our policyholders who filed litigation, we were never notified of a dispute before the lawsuit was filed. That is certainly an indication to us that attorneys rather than homeowners are driving the large increase in hail claim litigation across the state. A number of homeowners who we insure have told our adjusters they were solicited at their home to sign documents to have someone assist them with an insurance claim.

Other south Texas counties like Cameron and Hidalgo were also deluged with lawsuits, yet hardly any complaints. Cameron County which includes Brownsville, Raymondville and Harlingen, recorded more than 1,000 hail-related lawsuits over the past three years, but only five complaints. Hidalgo, which has been the epicenter of the hail litigation explosion starting with its 2012 hailstorm, has had the largest number of lawsuits filed.

Between 2014 and 2016, Hidalgo County recorded more than 10,000 hail-related lawsuits with a total of just 10 complaints to TDI. Many of the lawsuits filed during this period came from previous hailstorms.

Members of the Texas Legislature will be considering legislation this session designed to bring the activity of these lawyers and this lawsuit abuse to a halt. The massive increase in lawsuits has already had an effect on consumers in some areas of the state because of changes in available coverages and some companies no longer writing in the areas hardest hit by the litigation explosion.

This legislation does not restrict a consumers right to sue their company if the company has improperly handled their claim, but will help put a stop to opportunistic lawsuits filed by lawyers who are taking advantage of consumers and delaying resolution of claims, Hanna said.

The Texas Department of Insurance encourages all homeowners and automobile owners to contact their Consumer Protection division if they have a complaint with their insurance company over a claim. Every year, TDI returns millions of dollars back to consumers through their complaint process.

Source: Insurance Council of Texas

Topics Lawsuits Trends Texas Homeowners
Houston-based Insgroup Inc. (Insgroup) has acquired The Fawcett Group (Fawcett), a firm specializing in employee benefit plan brokerage and consulting to emerging and mid-market businesses, as well as not-for-profits.

Jan Fawcett-Heilman, owner of The Fawcett Group, joined Insgroup as a vice president in its Employee Benefits Practice, with responsibility for consulting with existing clients and for new business development. David Czarny, who has worked with Fawcett for more than 15 years, also joined Insgroup as an account executive and will continue to work alongside Fawcett-Heilman, servicing her current clients.

Fawcett-Heilman has more than 25 years of experience and is an innovative leader when it comes to delivering true value and consistent quality service to her Employee Benefits clients. She is a Chartered Benefit Consultant designee who likes to collaborate, design, and revitalize employers benefit plans.

Insgroup, based in Houston, Texas, was founded in 1978 and has been recognized by Insurance Journal as one of the Top 100 largest independent property/casualty insurance agencies in the United States.

Source: Insgroup

Topics Mergers & Acquisitions
At least nine people have been killed in a series of the Daesh terrorist group (banned in Russia) drone attacks in Iraqi Mosul on Tuesday, Sputnik reported.

An Daesh-controlled drone fired a rocket in the Karaj Shamal area, killing two children, Daily Sabah newspaper reported citing Army Brig. Gen. Abdul-Mahdi Ameri. In another instance, a drone dropped a bomb in the eastern part of the city killing three more people.

Another four people were killed in Mosul's eastern Al-Nur and East Nineveh districts.

On Sunday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi announced the beginning of operations to liberate the western part of Mosul from the Islamic State. Iraqi troops backed by the coalition freed the eastern part of the city in January after a four-month operation.
The Florida Division of Workers Compensation has formed an online insurance company database to assist Florida business owners with obtaining workers compensation coverage that protects employees from the impacts of on-the-job injuries. According to a statement from the Florida Department of Financial Services, the new online database, called the Coverage Assistance Program (CAP), allows employers to search for insurance companies that are actively offering workers compensation policies for their industry type.

Ensuring that Florida businesses have proper workers compensation coverage is crucial to the success of the entire workers compensation system, said Tanner Holloman, director of the Division of Workers Compensation. Employers can use the information provided in the CAP to inform conversations with their insurance agents and to help facilitate a smoother, faster policy purchasing process.

The Division of Workers Compensation works to ensure that injured workers have access to medical care, that claims are adjusted and reimbursed efficiently, and that health care providers are compensated fairly for electing to participate as a workers compensation care provider. The Division also aims to provide the resources necessary to help all participants in the process remain in compliance with Florida workers compensation laws.

Source: Florida Department of Financial Services

Topics Carriers Florida Workers' Compensation Commercial Lines Business Insurance New Markets
Licensed gun owners could carry concealed handguns on public college campuses under legislation advancing in the Georgia House.

A panel approved the bill on Thursday after about an hour of testimony, sending it to the Houses full Public Safety Committee. The measure would allow anyone age 21 and up to carry a concealed handgun on campus with a state-issued permit.

Georgias Republican Gov. Nathan Deal last year vetoed similar legislation. The University System of Georgia also has opposed past efforts.

This years bill from Republican Rep. Mandi Ballinger of Canton adds an exemption for on-campus preschools, one of Deals concerns. She says people on campuses have a right to protect themselves.

Opponents fear the change would endanger students and staff.

Georgia is among 17 states banning concealed weapons on campus.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Georgia Gun Liability
An explosion and fire at an oil refinery in Torrance, Calif. over the weekend forced the partial shutdown of the plant, leading oil traders to expect a spike this week in West Coast gasoline prices.

Police and the plant owner said no one was hurt in the fire, which was extinguished by local firefighters.

Two years ago, a fire at the same plant led to its closure for several months and a sustained increase in West Coast gasoline prices for more than a year. After the fire on Saturday, a group of local residents worried about pollution and accidents protested at the refinery. The event had been planned to mark the anniversary of the Feb. 18, 2015 incident.

Catherine Leys, one of the protesters, lives 1.4 miles from the plant and said industrial ash drifted down on the playground near her home after the 2015 blast.

The plant supplies 10 percent of Californias gasoline. Traders said they expected local gasoline prices to jump this week.

I expect prices will be firming on Tuesday, maybe 5 cents or 15 cents a gallon, a West Coast refined products trader said. He was talking about wholesale gasoline prices in the Los Angeles market. In California, pump prices normally follow wholesale price movements within hours.

PBF Energy owns and operates the refinery in the city of Torrance, just outside Los Angeles. PBF purchased it from Exxon Mobil Corp in 2016.

PBF shuttered the plants crude distillation unit after the pre-dawn blaze, energy industry intelligence service Genscape reported.

The unit refines 155,000 barrels of oil per day, turning it into gasoline and diesel among other products.

PBF told state regulators it was forced to use its safety flare system on an emergency basis after the incident.

The crude distillation unit, which produces motor fuel, is the workhorse of the refinery. Within 24 hours of the Feb. 18, 2015 explosion, wholesale gasoline prices initially jumped 10 cents a gallon.

A RAND study found drivers ultimately paid an extra $2.4 billion for gasoline because of the 2015 Torrance refinery outage.

The Torrance refinery had at least two outages in 2016 after a power outage at a local utility knocked the facility offline. In October, PBF received a violation notice from the Californias air regulator for excessive flaring following one of the outages.

California gasoline prices are frequently among the highest in the United States. Only Hawaii residents pay more.

California requires cleaner-burning fuel than most other U.S. states do. The state is geographically isolated with no pipeline connections to major refining centers on the Gulf Coast and Midwest, leaving the market tightly balanced between what West Coast refineries can produce and what can be shipped in.

(Reporting by Frank McGurty in New York and Patrick Rucker in Washington; Editing by Meredith Mazzilli and David Gregorio)

Topics California Trends Pricing Trends
Infogain has named James Patterson as Guidewire head.

Patterson is based in San Diego, Calif. and reports to Girish Kannalli, vice president and general manager of the insurance and healthcare business unit.

Patterson is responsible for strengthening Infogains solutions and services around the Guidewire platform.

He has more than 25 years of experience as a product and development strategist. He was previously part of the Guidewire implementation team at Ernst and Young. Prior to E&Y, he spent four years with Guidewire, initially as solution architect implementing Guidewires suite of products, later moving to Guidewires product management team.

Infogain provides Digital Transformation solutions in property/casualty for auto claims, workers compensation claims and specialty P/C programs.

Topics California
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The London police arrested five teenagers on suspicion of joining a terrorist group and plotting a terrorist attack, the Metropolitan Police said in a statement on Tuesday, Sputnik reported.

"Officers from the MPS [Metropolitan Police Service] Counter Terrorism Command arrested five males under 20-years-old on suspicion of Preparation of Terrorist Acts, Contrary to Section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006," the statement said.

According to the police, two teenagers of 17 and 16 years were arrested on Monday in the south of London, while the two others were arrested at a residential address in west London. A 15-year-old boy was arrested later in the day in east London.

The investigation is currently under way.

Europe has seen in increasingly tense security situation over the past two years, as it was hit by a string of terror attacks and has been plagued by EU-born Islamist radicals traveling to and from the Middle East.
Tianjin-Beijing Railway (Photo : Getty Images)

China's top economic planner is set to implement plans for the integrated development of Beijing, Hebei and Tianjin provinces, as part of a national strategy to create the next growth engine through a global city cluster, which is expected to push growth in the capital region and in the whole Bohai Bay area in the next decades.



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"The significance of the Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei synergetic development and integration strategy lies in the fact that it is not only enhancing the growth efficiency and effectiveness of related cities, but also driving the capital region into becoming a world-class city cluster and further boosting the entire Bohai Bay area of North China," Xu Shaoshi, head of the National Development and Reform Commission, said in an interview with China Daily on Sunday, Feb. 19.



Xu said that compared with major cities in the Yangtze River Delta, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area is more densely populated and its growth is dependent on the balanced use of its limited space, economic growth and cooperation and integrated development.



The national strategy, which was initiated by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2014, calls for the integrated development of the area.



According to Xu, significant development has been made in the area after three years and more innovation-driven projects and industry upgrades are being readied.



The report said that several integrated projects will be made this year outside Beijing, which includes the relocation of the Beijing municipal government into the administrative subcenter outside of the city.



The projects also include the new Beijing Daxing International Airport, the second phase of the Shougang Jingtang steel complex at Caofeidian, and several projects for environmental protection and traffic management.



Xu said that cross-border investment and financing, equity transactions and entrepreneurship within the region will be encouraged through unified rules and regulations as the Tianjin Pilot Free Trade Zone and Beijing Zhongguancun Science Park will play a more proactive role.



Shen Lei, an official with Tianjin Dongjiang Free Trade Port Zone, said that Tianjin will help enterprises from Beijing and Hebei to export goods through the free trade zone and port facilities.



Investment from Beijing



Beijing, on the other hand, will help Tianjin and Hebei to upgrade their manufacturing ability and improve on their innovation efforts.



"Thanks to abundant talent and research and development advantages, Beijing will fuel joint development of the whole region. We encourage companies to invest in Hebei and Tianjin, generating jobs and benefiting local residents," Beijing Mayor Cai Qi was quoted as saying.



Last year, Beijing's investment in Hebei and Tianjin rose up rapidly, with investments from Beijing enterprises reaching about 114 yuan ($16.6 billion) in Hebei and 90 billion yuan in Tianjin, up by 100 percent and 26 percent, respectively, year-on-year. Beijing's investment in the high-tech sector in Hebei and Tianjin also reached 15.4 billion yuan last year, up 38.7 percent year-on-year.



The largest integrated industrial project in the region is the Cangzhou Hyundai plant in Hebei Province, which has a total investment of 7.4 billion yuan. It opened in October and produced more than 3,000 jobs. The plant is seen to create a large auto industrial chain in Hebei that is worth 100 billion yuan.



Wang Haichen, an official with the Beijing Development and Reform Commission, said that Beijing is modifying its economic structure in preparation for its shift from manufacturing to high-end industries.



Wang added that the integration strategy has improved the business environment in the region, which is expected to attract more foreign direct investment.



Recent statistics show that more than 10 percent of the country's GDP in 2016 was contributed by the total GDP of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei that reached 7.46 trillion yuan.



Regional development in the country is led by the Yangtze River Delta, with Shanghai as the leading engine. Last year, its GDP reached 17.9 trillion yuan, nearly 24 percent of the country's total GDP.


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To be a Top Company in Irish Construction Industry Magazines Top Companies listing means far more than just a rank and position in an ordered catalogue of names. To us, it means that your efforts to be the best you can be and to excel in your industry and sector have been effective and have paid dividends. To us, it means that your determination and commitment to develop and instil a positive work culture and environment have brought your business due success plus satisfaction. We see it as you being a supportive and inclusive place in which to work that strives to bring the best out of everyone across every level of the organisation.

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Chinas New Railway Projects to Be Launched, Transit System to Be Expanded

The China Railway Corporation will be implementing new railway projects this year. (Photo : Getty Images)

China's railway projects will be underway as 35 of them will be starting this year. The projects are all railway expansion initiatives, according to the Economic Information Daily.



There will be 800 yuan allocated for the new 2,100-kilometer new railway line, 2,500 km of double-track lines and 4,000 km of electrified railways this year. The main contractor is the China Railway Corporation.



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The budget allocation is the same as what was released last year.



Yang Yudong, the vice-minister of the Ministry of Transport, said that the country intends to spend 3.5 trillion yuan for the construction of the railway in the 13th Five-Year Plan.



The railway will focus on bridging the eastern and western portions of China. The ministry's target is to implement more railway projects to complete 124,000 kilometers of the railway by 2020.



The world's largest railway network has a total of 22,000 kilometers.



Outside China, the country is also boosting railway projects under the One Belt, One Road Initiative, a plan that intends to connect China with Europe, Africa, and South Asia.



China's railway projects are the main component of the One Road Initiative because China wants to form ease of trade with their trading partners.



However, the European Union wants to investigate the ongoing construction of a 350-kilometer railway connecting Budapest and Belgrade.



The EU wants to investigate the project's profitability and if they are adhering to EU laws.



A spokesperson for the European Commission said, "The commission services are assessing the compliance of the project with EU law. The dialogue with the national authorities is ongoing."



There is news circulating that the awarding of the contracts for construction may not have complied with regulations of the union, specifically from the Hungarian side.



A senior official said, "If push comes to shove and if it turns out that the Hungarians have awarded a public works contract of a particular dimension without tender they will, of course, have infringed EU legislation."


Police in Spain say they have detained a man driving a truck with butane gas tanks at high speed against the flow of traffic on a major route in Barcelona.

Local media are reporting that officers stopped the driver with gunshots.
The timing of any shares sales, which could happen as early as May or June, may be influenced by the timing of the leadership contest for Fine Gael and a possible ensuing early election.

The Ireland Strategic Investment Fund holds the stakes Government owns in the banks that were rescued during the financial crisis.

It said it had valued the 99.9% ownership of AIB to 11.3bn, down from 12.2bn.

Late last year, analysts told the Irish Examiner that the valuation of AIB could be cut by billions of euro to reflect the torrid times for European banking stocks in 2016.

Said stocks have since recovered somewhat on the pledge of President Donald Trump to boost US growth.

Darren McKinley, a senior analyst at Merrion Capital, said yesterday the new valuation appears to be another step that brings the sale of AIB shares closer.

In an analysis published last week, Investec Ireland said that AIB resuming paying out dividends  which would revert to its Government owner  should boost public perception of the returns the State is deriving from AIB.

The ISIF also cut the valuation of the 13.9% stake the Government owns in Bank of Ireland to 1.1bn from 1.5bn, a devaluation of over 26%, to reflect the market fall in the lenders shares since an earlier valuation.

Separately, the Department of Finance has invited public submissions on the corporate tax regime.

It follows the commissioning of economist Seamus Coffey as an independent expert to review the tax code last year.

The consultation runs to April 3.
Owned by Canadian company Couche-Tard since early 2016, Topaz remains ahead of rivals such as publicly-owned Applegreen, which has around 15% of the fuel market share, and Maxol, which declined to reveal its market share.

Topaz, which has an estimated 35% fuel market share in the Republic, will open the new station at junction 14 on the M8 near Fermoy in Cork.

It will open another at junction 5 on the M9 near Rathcrogue in Carlow. Both will be serviced with McDonalds restaurants.

The Fermoy development is due to open in autumn 2017 and will be just off the junction near Teagasc at Moorepark West. Between the Fermoy and Carlow developments, the company will invest 14m, while McDonalds will invest 2m.

Between the Fermoy and Carlow developments, the company will invest 14m, while McDonalds will invest 2m.

Topaz said it would create 230 jobs in conjunction with McDonalds across the two motorway service areas.

There have long been calls from commuters for a service station along the busy Fermoy junction because of the lack of options for motorists until they get to Leinster.

There has been a frenzy of activity by the various companies in the past year as they attempt to increase their market share, with Topaz, Applegreen, Maxol and others opening new fore and food courts.

Food and drink offerings are now seen as vital to stay in touch with direct competition and global names such as McDonalds, Burger King, Subway and Costa Coffee, as well as Irish outlets Supermacs, OBriens Sandwich cafe and Abrekebabra, have partnered with the fuel operators to offer more choice to consumers.

There has also been speculation Canadian fuel giant Irving Oil, which owns Irelands only oil refinery at Whitegate in Co Cork, could enter the Irish fuel forecourt business.

Irving owns around 800 fuel forecourts in Canada and upon its takeover of Whitegate last August, the company did not rule out entering the Irish market.

Topaz has 438 stations across Ireland, including its recently acquired Esso station network, with 160 owned by Topaz and 278 by dealers.

Applegreen, which has 330 sites, reached a deal in January to pay 15.7m for a 50% stake in the Joint Fuels Terminal in Dublin Port, which it says will allow it to import fuel directly from refineries.

Maxol, Irish owned since 1919, has over 230 stations.
In an unusual joint statement, the two companies referred to their high regard for each other.

This isnt how bitterly contested takeover situations normally end.

Why would Unilever help Kraft Heinz save face, given it manifestly doesnt want to be acquired, let alone by the US ketchup maker?

However, it looks like it may need something from Kraft Heinz one day, and is showing the world the pair could do business.

One possibility: CEO Paul Polman has a sale of its food assets in mind, and needs to keep potential buyers sweet.

Kraft Heinz is all food. Almost 60% of Unilevers revenue comes from personal products and homecare, things like soap and washing powder.

A sale of the food business would let Polman preserve the companys independence, while meeting Kraft Heinzs need for a deal offering plenty of margin expansion potential.

So why not do such a deal now?

Perhaps Kraft Heinz wasnt keen, or it really wanted Unilevers faster-growing household products and personal care assets.

Or, its possible Polman wasnt ready. Conceivably, Unilever wants to bulk up its household and personal care operation before selling the food business. How could it achieve that?

A purchase of New York-based Colgate-Palmolive would fit the bill. With a market value of $64bn, its about half Unilevers size, and would be a strategic match.

Buying a big US name might seem tricky in the current climate, but a generous offer may assuage Colgates managers, making the politics easier.

There is a messier way of getting to the same result  a deal with Swiss peer Nestle. The worlds largest food group has a market value of 228bn Swiss francs (214bn).

At the very least, it might make sense for the two companies to merge most of their food operations into a joint venture and spin that off, or sell it.

There are surprisingly few overlaps: The Swiss have mostly exited ice-cream outside north America, while Unilever still makes choc-ices, for instance.

An all-food combination would have combined sales of 32bn. It could be worth 63bn, based on the average sales multiple for the industry.

Ulf Mark Schneider, Nestles newish CEO, has indicated he is not in the market for big deals, so no one should hold their breath.

However, a full merger of the pair, with a spinoff of the food unit, would create a global group focused on the faster-growing businesses of personal care, pet care and food supplements.

- Bloomberg
Talks between unions and the company adjourned last night after Bus Eireann put forward proposals around shutting three loss-making routes.

However, unions accused the company of striking more uncertainty and fear into employees and the suggestion of cutting routes was dubbed disgraceful.

The company also revealed its financial situation is even worse than was first thought, with losses for 2016 spiralling to around 9.4m.

It has warned savings of 30m must be found to keep the company afloat and has put forward a number of emergency measures.

However, as talks at the Workplace Relations Committee adjourned last night, the National Bus and Rail Union warned of major difficulty in reaching agreement.

Its general secretary, Dermot OLeary, said: Bus Eireann management have made the task of achieving a resolution to the Expressway crisis even more difficult as a result of the so-called discussion document it issued today; quite a significant number of the items outlined in company agenda are frankly out of bounds and repulsive to our members, inclusive of reductions in core rates, zero hours contracts, job losses and the casualisation of permanent jobs within the semi-state sector.

In the talks, Bus Eireann claimed there is significant scope for savings in overtime, rotas, spare driver arrangements, hiring buses, sick pay, bonuses, expenses, and flexibility.

Management said they would save over 1m if they cut three services  the 833 Dublin to Derry, the X7 Dublin to Clonmel, and the 021 Athlone to Westport. Other routes could be kept but the frequency of services stripped back.

Mr OLeary said the disgraceful suggestion that Bus Eireann services into areas such as Clonmel, Callan, Kilkenny, Athlone, to Westport and the connection between Derry and Dublin would cease to operate, suggests that the NTA and the Department of Transport have given the green light to replace such services with a reduced frequency, less comfortable mini-bus service, similar to that which currently operates between Portlaoise and Cashel.

Siptu sector organised Willie Noone said the document only serves to create more uncertainty and fear among the workforce and those communities who rely on the vital transport services our members provide.

He added that there was uncertainly around how many staff could be let go.

Siptu representatives remain resolute in our mission to protect public transport services in rural communities and will resist attempts by management to reduce our members pay and conditions of employment.

A rolling strike which was due to begin yesterday was suspended pending the outcome of the talks.
No formal application has yet been submitted to the Central Bank in respect of a merger between Charleville CU in north Cork and Clonmel CU in south Tipperary, but talks between the management teams are advancing.

It is strongly believed that Charleville, with 12,100 members, will be subsumed into the Clonmel business.

Annette Kiely, chief executive of Charleville CU said: We are currently in talks about merging with another credit union. This is an ongoing process.

These talks may not come to fruition and any change would be subject to approval by the relevant parties.

If a merger or transfer of engagements should take place, we will notify members directly.

A transfer of engagement is a voluntary process whereby all assets, liabilities, and undertakings of one or more credit unions are transferred to another.

Meanwhile, Paul Davey, manager of Clonmel CU, told the Irish Examiner no application for such a transfer of engagement had been made to the Central Bank.

We have not applied to the Central Bank for anything at this point in time, said Mr Davey.

Our position is that we will not comment on or confirm or refute the story.

Clonmel CU has already completed two transfers of engagement in recent years, one with Fethard CU and one with Mullinahone CU.

A transfer does not necessarily mean the CU that is taken over ceases operating. CU offices in Fethard and Mullinahone remain open, along with branches of Clonmel CU.

Mr Davey said that, in previous preliminary discussions where transfers of engagement ended up taking place, they were always carried out under the protection of a non-disclosure agreement.

In all conversations that we have conducted with any other party we always sign an agreement that prevents disclosure  that is to protect each credit union as such matters are commercially sensitive, said Mr Davey.

A board meeting will be held in Clonmel CU this evening but Mr Davey said there is no item on the agenda relating to any merger.

Meanwhile, Ms Kiely said that it was business as usual in Charleville.

Members can continue to do business in the usual way with Charleville Credit Union, she said.

Our number one priority at all times is our members and this will be reflected in all decisions taken by Charleville Credit Union.

The standard process for a transfer includes due diligence where all parties look at the financial, legal, and technological state of their union.

A detailed business case is then submitted to the Central Bank.

If the bank gives the go-ahead for a transfer of engagement, the board of the CU must resolve it or else the members are balloted.

The entire process can take as little as 10-16 weeks.
It emerged yesterday that government business has effectively been placed on hold with a key meeting of ministerial advisers only lasting 30 minutes, compared to the normal two hours, because of the leadership crisis.

Mr Kennys pending address to the parliamentary party is now seen as make or break, but sources close to both leadership candidates, Simon Coveney and Leo Varadkar, have said Mr Kenny must be defintive in terms of his intentions or face a motion of no confidence.

Cork South West TD Jim Daly said the leadership contest must commence immediately and uncertainty engulfing the party needs to end, and end quickly.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner, Mr Daly said: If this is not brought to a head, this will tear the party apart. Even if Enda stays as Taoiseach I dont care, but this needs to begin so it can end before we tear ourselves apart.

Signficantly, his comments were being backed up by ministers and TDs, who also feel anything less than a clear timeline for his departure will be unacceptable.

No vague statements will do now. He has to be definitive and neither can he kick to touch, said one senior minister last night.

While the prospect of a motion of no confidence at this weeks meeting, as threatened by party vice-chair Pat Deering, has receded since the weekend, Mr Kenny has been put on notice that his time is all but up.

No one wants to humiliate him, but he has to state when he is going. He cant play games anymore, said Mr Daly.

For his part, Housing Minister Simon Coveney sharply warned Fine Gael TDs and senators to back off Mr Kenny and allow him space to declare his intentions.

Mr Coveney said the party had had a very difficult week last week, and he does not want frenzied speculation over the leadership to cause difficult weeks and months ahead.

Mr Coveney said it was crucial that Fine Gael people trusted the Taoiseach to know what was best for the party and country. I think that people do need to back off, he said.

He also said that imposing time tables on Mr Kenny to depart office was not helpful.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Simon Harris has refused to rule out contesting the leadership of Fine Gael.

He dismissed any suggestion he is too young to become leader. Speaking at University Hospital Galway (UHG), he said he had displayed a leadership role throughout his political life.

Age, to me, is immaterial, said Mr Harris. I look to be judged on my job and the job that I am doing, and I am working as hard as I possibly can at that job.

I try to provide leadership in whatever role I am given, whether I was minister for the OPW, minster for state for the Department of Finance. I am a TD for six years, county councillor before that, and now a member of government as minister for health for the last 10 months.

Mr Kenny is to address a Fine Gael parliamentary party meeting on Wednesday on the matter.

Tanaiste and Minister for Justice Francis Fitzgerald said she will wait until a contest has been announced to consider her position regarding the leadership.

Meanwhile, Education Minister Richard Bruton has said he wanted to discuss with colleagues where the party and the country was going at a time of remarkable change. Mr Bruton was pressed by the media as to whether he would declare his intentions about the upcoming vaccany at a meeting of his local organisation.

I havent commented on the leadership. I want to discuss with colleagues where this country is going. We need to sit down as a party, we know change is coming, he told reporters at an event in Dublin.
The four-year project is probing the potential of coatings that might not just repel but also eliminate micro- organisms that come into contact with everyday hospital textiles such as bedsheets and gowns. These anti-microbial coatings could also be used on solid surfaces such as walls, floors, beds, and tables.

The spread of superbugs such as MRSA, e.coli, and clostridium difficile are a big problem in the healthcare sector. Each year, some 4m people in the EU are affected by healthcare-associated infections, including multi-drug-resistant bacteria.

Not all are potentially fatal, but they can disrupt delivery of services and complicate and lengthen treatment of hospital patients.

Colum Dunne, of University of Limericks graduate entry medical school, is a member of the management group of an EU consortium set up late last year to carry out studies of the potential of anti-microbial coatings.

New approaches are needed to protect hospital patients and healthcare staff, said Prof Dunne. These are surfaces fortified with active ingredients that are responsible for the reduction and even elimination of micro-organisms that come into contact with them.

As well as universities and other research institutions, industry partners are involved in the Anti-Microbial Coating Innovations network across 26 countries. Other Irish representatives include Dublin Institute of Technology and Colourtrend General Paints.

Prof Dunne said that the application of coatings to existing hospital infrastructure, as well as their use in the manufacture of disposable items like bedsheets and other textiles, are possible.

Different groups within the consortium are carrying out research in five areas: Design and manufacture of antimicrobial materials; testing their performance; risk assessment; management; and cleaning.

While some materials, such as copper and silver, have recognised antimicrobial properties, there are promising new technologies for use in coatings, said Prof Dunne. We will evaluate the impact of introducing these in healthcare facilities, their potential for impact on the spread of infection, practical aspects of their regulation and use, and possible development of resistance.

His past research includes reports on the emergence of multi-drug-resistant bacteria in Irish hospitals, and on the management of outbreaks by infection prevention and control teams.
Several protestors, including TD Paul Murphy, will stand trial on April 24 and are accused of false imprisonment of Labour TD Joan Burton at an anti-water protest in Jobstown, Dublin, two years ago.

Sports pundit Eamon Dunphy yesterday joined others opposing the jury trial going ahead and noted his concerns about a court last year finding guilty one youngster who was at the protest.

Its the criminalising of political protest, said Mt Dunphy as a public awareness campaign was launched by activists. Thats particularly bad in the case of a boy, a kid, 15 years old at the time. It looks like political policing and its alien to democracy anywhere.

Mr Murphy and six others will stand trial for their actions at the 2014 protest, at which Ms Burton and her then-assistant Karen OConnell claim they were falsely imprisoned in a car for over two hours.

Members of the Rossport Five, who were previously jailed for 94 days for blocking gas pipeline works in Mayo, attended the launch yesterday, as did former MEP Patricia McKenna. The campaign is being supported by Paddy Hill of the Birmingham Six, by musicians and artists such as Don Baker and Robert Ballagh and international figures such as US intellectual Noam Chomsky.

Former Socialist TD Joe Higgins said previous political figures had been subjected to protest such as Charles Haughey, whose car had been blocked from leaving an event in the 1980s.

Ms McKenna said those before the court were facing a serious criminal charge. The trial could affect future protests, she claimed.

This is a clear message to people: Stay at home or you are going to be levelled with a serious charge,  she said.

Mr Murphy said that if he was sentenced to six months in jail or more, he would be barred from being a TD.

People will find their right to protest extremely reduced... we are the victims of political policing, said the Dublin South West TD. He said his defence, and that of others, would rely on an EU convention guaranteeing right to freedom of assembly.
Security Adviser to the Prime Minister Mark Lyall Grant attends high-level security dialogue with China. (Photo : Getty Images)

A high-level dialogue transpired to discuss further details of the China-Britain security agreement. The dialogue was co-chaired by Wang Yongqing, secretary-general of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.



The recently held talks were part of the implementation of the China-U.K. Joint Declaration on Building a Global Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for the 21st Century issued in Oct. 2015.



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Representing the British parliament was Mark Lyall Grant, national security advisor to the British prime minister. Both countries discussed new approaches to stop terrorism, extremism, organized crime and the protection of cybersecurity.



The dialogue was deemed successful and both sides came up with agreements on how to cooperate in counter-terrorism methods, fighting cyber terrorism, human trafficking, telecommunication fraud, and dealing with financial crimes.



They also reached a consensus on how to deal with escapees or suspected criminals who are residing in Britain to escape investigation and punishment.



In 2015, President Xi Jinping and former Prime Minister David Cameron reached an agreement to end cyberterrorism. China pledged that it will help to eliminate cyber attacks on British companies and to uphold human rights.



The former British PM said, "Coming to the human rights issue, China attaches create importance to human rights. We have found a path suited to China's conditions."



"There is always room for improvement in the world. China is ready to increase cooperation with the U.K. and other countries over human rights," he said.



President Xi was willing to reconcile with Britain and to forward a China-Britain security agreement.



He said, "I'm clear that the U.K. is China's best partner in the west."



It was also during this visit that the Chinese leader made known that China was reducing the production of steel to address the issue of dumping in European ports.



"We have cut 700m tons of production capacity. You can imagine the task of finding jobs for those workers," said Xi.


Jacqueline OConnor, who lives at Huyton, Merseyside, Liverpool, pleaded guilty to sample counts on an 85-charge indictment at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

Detective Garda Michael Brosnan gave evidence in the case against OConnor. He said it came to the attention of AIB in Bandon in July 2012; an internal investigation was commenced and gardai were notified.

In summary, he said there had been a large number of fraudulent transactions carried out on three different accounts.

In respect of one of those accounts, OConnor made 20 separate withdrawals between August 2011 and July 2012, taking amounts of between 300 and 1,850 to a total of over 17,000.

The fraudulent transactions in relation to two other accounts had commenced in 2007 and 2008 and took the form of student loan accounts that were set up in the name of her two adult children but without their knowledge.

Using these accounts, she managed to take over 18,000 through one of them and over 8,000 in respect of another.

Det Garda Brosnan said the fraud carried out in respect of these student loans was more crafted than the withdrawals from the account totalling over 17,000. OConnor used her knowledge of the workings of the bank to carry out the offences, he said.

When OConnor ran into difficulties with the bogus loan accounts, she resorted to stealing from the other account in an effort to keep up with a situation that was spiralling out of control.

Det Garda Brosnan said OConnor had left Bandon and was now living in the UK, where she worked as a carer. He said there was nothing to indicate anything of an extravagant nature in her lifestyle. The crimes occurred at a time when her marriage ended and she had an alcohol problem.

Ray Boland, defending, said OConnor was alone in trying to keep the family finances together at that time and that these problems were compounded by a serious alcohol addiction.

She is very ashamed and this is one of the reasons she moved to England, he said. She described it as voluntary exile due to shame. She has genuine remorse.

He said that, unlike other cases of this kind, there was no extravagance in terms of using money for shopping or gambling or such matters.

Judge Sean O Donnabhain said OConnor did not have the means to make any repayment to the bank and there were signs of genuine remorse. In all the circumstances, the judge said a sentence of three years was appropriate, all of which was suspended.
Stephen McAuley, aged 39, claimed in the Circuit Civil Court that on December 20, 2012, he was a front-seat passenger in a car when it was struck by another vehicle driven by Jason Whelan at a roundabout in Hollystown, Dublin.

Mr McAuley, of Chapelwood Avenue, Hollystown, alleged he suffered soft- tissue injuries to his neck. He had been off work for several weeks following the accident and needed physiotherapy. He told Shane English, counsel for Mr Whelans insurer, Allianz Insurance, that the car had to be written off after the collision.

Mr English told the court liability was not an issue in the case which had become an assessment of damages only. He said credibility, however, is very much an issue.

Mr English told the court Mr Whelan, of Gleann Bhreandains Road, Lisdoonvarna, Co Clare, had insured his vehicle two weeks before the accident and cancelled his policy two weeks after it. Then we never heard of him again, he said.

Counsel told Mr McAuley during cross examination that he had failed to disclose several previous accidents in court documents.

You have not told us about a myriad of accidents and youre still lying, which is probably worse, because you are now are under oath. You are lying through your teeth, he said.

Mr English said Mr McAuley had disclosed two previous road traffic accidents but Allianz Insurance had discovered many more, including some that had happened in similar circumstances and some for which he had been awarded damages.

Judge James ODonohoe told Mr McAuleys legal team the plot was thickening and there could be serious consequences for their client.

After adjournment, the court was told Mr McAuley was withdrawing his claim. Judge ODonohoe awarded legal costs against him.
When Cork actor Aidan OHare tunes into the Oscars this weekend, hell find himself torn between his former theatre co-star Ruth Negga and his more recent work colleague Natalie Portman.

Hell be rooting for both of them for best actress of course, but the predicament is indicative not only of OHares growing range of work, but of one of the most fascinating filming experiences of his career.

The Glounthaune actor landed his biggest role opposite Portman in Jackie, where he shared key scenes with the well-known actress.

In the film, he plays Kenny ODonnell, one of JFKs so-called Irish Mafia and a consultant, advisor and friend to both Jack and his brother Bobby. The story focuses on the days around the presidents assassination, as Jackie struggles to cope with a nations expectations and her own bereavement.

Aidan OHare with Peter Sarsgaard and Natalie Portman.

JFK came up through the ranks with these guys that he had around him, that he went to Harvard with, said OHare of his character.

When he started getting into becoming a politician he used his friends from Harvard who all had Irish heritage, and he nicknamed them the Irish mafia.

He (ODonnell) would have helped set up the Dallas trip as well, which in later years would have worn on him a lot. He became very depressed over it.

He got the role after impressing director Pablo Larrain when he self-taped his audition  a growing trend for casting in the digital world.

With a lot of auditions you have to jump through the hoops, but with this one it was put myself on self tape, record it myself and send it off. Within two or three weeks I was flying to Paris for a costume fitting, said the actor.

The director was talking to me about where I was from, he wanted to get a sense of me. But Id never sat down and had a face-to-face conversation with the director before being cast. Years back youd walk in, thered be a director, a producer, maybe the screenwriter it can be a pressurised situation.

With this youve got a camera, youre at home, you can take as many shots as you like, send it off when youre happy.

Filming opposite Portman and his co-stars in Paris, OHare worked on set in Luc Bessons vast Cite Du Cinema, where huge recreations brought a sense of history to life.

I walked into the Oval Office, to scale, and theyd built a to-scale interior of Air Force One. It was just incredible. Even things that were out of shot, notepaper, matchboxes, had the American seal on them.

Thats where you want to be as an actor, standing across from Natalie Portman doing a scene. All the nerves dissipated. And I enjoyed it.

It was a different slant, it was about one person and the aftermath, how the First Lady was in a sense dethroned. It was a different take. Im a big fan of Natalie Portmans career anyway and it was something I had to jump at.

She was great. She did a lot of improvisation, was very funny in between takes. Very focused when she needed to be too. Shed spent some time in Cork. She toured Ireland after Black Swan, stayed in various hostels.

Aidan OHare set with John Carroll and Jeff Moore.

But he saw how the intensity of playing a recently bereaved woman took its toll also. She spent a lot of the time on set in hysterics. Shed be taking notes from the director in tears. And I could see, as filming went on, that it was wearing on her.

OHare is enjoying a busy period in what is a vibrant time for the Irish film and TV industry.

Well see him this year in Maze, a drama about the 1980s escape of IRA inmates, which is set in Belfast but was filmed in Cork prison. And hes currently filming the new series of the hit TV show, Vikings. Its a good time. The industry is thriving.
Over the last eight years, as Chinas posturing in Asia became increasingly aggressive, many criticised US president Barack Obama for failing to stand up to the Asian giant.

It was on Mr Obamas watch, after all, that China captured the disputed Scarborough Shoal from the Philippines and built seven artificial islands in the South China Sea, on which it then deployed heavy weapons.

Many expect Mr Obamas tough- talking successor, Donald Trump, to change all of this. He is not off to a good start.

During the campaign, Mr Trump threatened to retaliate against China for raping America on trade, to impose massive tariffs on Chinese imports, and to label China a currency manipulator on day one.

Soon after his victory, Mr Trump took a congratulatory phone call from the president of Taiwan, thereby breaking with nearly 40 years of diplomatic orthodoxy. Mr Trump then took the matter a step further, suggesting that he would use the One China policy as a bargaining chip in negotiations over contentious economic and security issues.

However, Mr Trump backed down. Chinese president Xi Jinping made it clear that he would not so much as talk to Mr Trump on the phone without assurances that the US president would pledge fidelity to the One China policy.

The call happened, and Mr Trump did exactly what Mr Xi wanted, ostensibly without extracting anything in return. If China now perceives Nr Trump to be all bark and no bite, he will find it harder to secure concessions from China on trade and security.

Mr Trump is not the only figure in his administration to stake out a bold position on China, and then retreat meekly. During his Senate confirmation process, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson declared that the US should send China a clear signal by denying it access to its artificial islands in the South China Sea.

Chinas expansionism in the region, Mr Tillerson asserted, was akin to Russias taking Crimea from Ukraine  an implicit criticism of Mr Obama for allowing the two developments.

But Mr Tillerson, like his new boss, soon backed down. The US, he now claims, merely needs to be capable of restricting Chinas access to the South China Sea islands, in the event of a contingency.

And yet Chinas behaviour merits stronger US action now. The country is attempting to upend the status quo not only in the South China Sea, but also in the East China Sea and the Himalayas.

It is working to create a large sphere of influence through its one belt, one road initiative. And it is re-engineering transboundary river flows. All of this is intended to achieve Chinese leaders goal of re-establishing the countrys mythical Middle Kingdom status.

Flawed US policy has opened the way for these efforts, in part by helping to turn China into an export juggernaut. The problem isnt that China has a strong economy, but rather that it abuses free-trade rules to subsidise its exports and impede imports. Today, China sells $4 worth of goods to the US for every $1 in imports.

Just as the US inadvertently saddled the world with the jihadist scourge by training Afghan mujahideen  the anti-Soviet fighting force out of which al-Qaeda evolved  it unintentionally created a rules-violating monster by aiding Chinas economic rise.

It is ironic that China, which has quietly waged a trade war for years, has responded to Mr Trumps threats to impose punitive tariffs by warning  notably at this years World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos  of the risks of protectionism and trade wars. However, not everyone is falling for Chinas story.

A growing number of countries are recognising that reciprocity should guide their relations with China.

Mr Trump himself may yet challenge China. When he agreed to abide by the One China policy, he said that he had done so at Mr Xis request, suggesting that his commitment to the policy should not be taken for granted.

Moreover, even without defying the One China policy, Mr Trump has ample room to apply pressure. He could start by highlighting increasing Chinese repression in Tibet.

He could also expand political, commercial, and military contacts with Taiwan, where the One China policy has had the paradoxical effect of deepening peoples sense of national identity and strengthening their determination to maintain autonomy.

In any case, as China continues to pursue its hegemonic ambitions, Mr Trump will have little choice but to pivot toward Asia  substantively, not just rhetorically, as Mr Obama did.

To constrain China, he will have to work closely with friends. His efforts to establish a connection with Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe  the first foreign leader he hosted at Mar-a-Lago, his Winter White House  and the high priority his administration is assigning to relations with India and South Korea are positive signs.

By failing to provide strategic heft to his Asia pivot, Mr Obama left it unhinged. Mr Trump has the opportunity  and the responsibility  to change this. If he doesnt, China will continue to challenge US allies and interests, with serious consequences for Asia and the world.
The woman at the centre of the Maurice McCabe/Tusla/Garda controversy gave an extraordinary interview yesterday. The article in The Irish Times raised more questions than it answered, particularly in relation to the woman herself.

It also raised questions about the questions that went unasked of the woman in the interview, or at least the apparent inconsistencies in her story.

This is the woman who went for a counselling session in July 2013, out of which emerged the false allegation of serious sexual abuse against Sgt Maurice McCabe. She says she never made any such allegation. Tusla had put the false allegation down to a clerical error. The matter will be investigated by the Charleton Tribunal.

In yesterdays interview, the woman said she did disclose at the counselling session an allegation she had made against Sgt McCabe in 2006. This related to a birthday party in the McCabe home in 1998  when the woman was then aged six  in which she alleged Sgt McCabe had rubbed up against her inappropriately.

Sgt McCabe and her father were colleagues in An Garda Siochana. Some months before the allegation was made, Sgt McCabe had a role in the disciplining of the girls father for a transgression, although she denied this in The Irish Times interview.

The womans 2006 allegation had been investigated by a senior garda who sent a file to the DPP with the recommendation of no prosecution. The DPP had concurred, and added that, even if there had been any evidence to support the allegation, it most likely didnt even constitute a criminal offence.

As of now, it appears that the minor allegation of inappropriate contact got mixed up in Tusla with a totally unconnected allegation of serious sexual assault against another individual in a different case. It was either a major mistake or a conspiracy. The Charleton Tribunal will determine that.

In yesterdays piece, the woman said she only mentioned the 2006 incident at her 2013 counselling session when asked about it.

She said the counsellor began taking down the details, but the woman was uneasy about it. She said the counsellor told her: Ill have to refer this on.

I remember straight away it got my back up, the woman told The Irish Times. I was thinking: Refer what on? This has been reported, this has been investigated and the DPP said insufficient evidence. Thats that, theres nothing going to change, I have accepted that.

"I remember coming out of the counselling session and I was more annoyed than when I went in; I remember thinking: Stirring up shit for what? I knew by her she was going to report it whether I wanted to or not.

She may well have had these thoughts but nowhere in the interview does she say she passed on that information to the counsellor. If she had done so, and made plain that the legal aspect of the matter had been dealt with, there would have been no more about it, and certainly less scope for the apparent mistake that subsequently occurred.

(A statement from the womans solicitor, issued yesterday to the Irish Examiner, claims that she did tell the counsellor that her allegation had been fully investigated.)

Also strange was her contention that she had accepted what had occurred with her case seven years previously and she didnt want to revisit it.

If she really wanted to put all that behind her, what happened in the months that followed was highly unusual.

In early 2014, according to Supt David Taylor, a text was being circulated in Garda HQ to the effect that journalist Paul Williams was in the womans house at that moment interviewing her.

Within a few weeks stories began appearing in the Irish Independent under Williams byline based on an interview with her. In these stories, neither the woman nor Sgt McCabe were identified.

Maurice McCabe, above, and the womans father were colleagues.

One piece published on April 16, 2014, stated that the woman claimed she was sexually assaulted by a serving garda and how the incident sent her into a downward spiral. She stated in the article that she was not pleased with the outcome of the investigation into her allegation.

In a follow-on article in the same paper a few weeks later, she said she was considering legal action against her alleged attacker  Sgt McCabe. No such action was ever pursued.

She also met Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin with her complaint, asking him to try and have it included in the Guerin report, which was set up to look into McCabes complaints. In addition, she went to GSOC to complain of how her original allegation had been dealt with.

All of this from a person who now says that, at the time, she had accepted how her case had been dealt with some seven years earlier and she wanted to move on. We had no choice in this. I dont want any attention, she was quoted as saying in The Irish Times.

In relation to the 2006 allegation, she is quoted as saying she revealed this to her mother in December after she had come home one lunchtime with a friend after a period of deep distress. She does not directly attribute this distress to her allegation of the inappropriate contact seven years previously.

Equally, in 2013, she is quoted yesterday as saying she went to the counselling session because she was struggling with anxiety, depression and other issues. It is not explicitly stated whether she attributes these feeling to the alleged incident, which by then had occurred 15 years earlier.

It may well be the case that she attributes all that emotional distress to what she alleges happened, but we simply dont know. This is a vital point in her account of the impact of what was deemed to be an allegation of an inappropriate act when she was a child.

There are other points in the interview that conflict with various accounts given by Sgt McCabe, but these will be teased out in the tribunal. The woman at the centre of this issue is understandably annoyed at being dragged into the spotlight about these issues that occurred so long ago.

She says she is eager to give her evidence to the tribunal. I would welcome it, she told The Irish Times of the prospect of giving evidence.

Her evidence will be another piece in the jigsaw of whether Sgt McCabe and his family came to be the victims of a monumental mistake or conspiracy in this appalling affair.

The woman herself was unavailable for interview. In response to the points raised in this article, the womans solicitor made the following replies:

In relation to what happened in early 2014 she had observed Maurice McCabe being publicly identified and felt that her original case should be look at again, just as some of the cases he had highlighted were being examined.

While the Irish Times interview didnt state it, I can confirm that she explicitly told the counsellor in 2013 that her allegation had been full investigated and had been completed with a DPP recommendation of no prosecution.

In relation to any emotional issues referred to there were other issues in her life at the time including family loss.
One summer, as I was descending from the Maroon Bells of Colorado, I tripped hard on a rock. The physics equation induced here is one we trail runners know too well: our tripped toe forms a pivot point about which our upper bodynamely, our facerotates toward the ground at a scary-fast velocity. The trail was jagged and rocky, and so a superman here would have meant cuts and bruises all up and down the front of my body. In an instant, I explosively lifted and brought my leading foot out in front of me. It landed on the ground and stopped my fall. Phew!

This explosive leg lift was perhaps made possible by the repeated cross training I had been doing in the preceding six months. Before that moment, I had never been able to pull out of a fall that quickly or strongly, and I chalk it up to my ability to access fast-acting muscle fibers that we endurance athletes rarely exercise. That same season I also found myself running farther up in the pack than ever before. I had a few podium finishes and a couple of wins. I hadnt done much more run training than was typical for me. However, the type of training I did was more varied, designed to practice both the long, easy running as well as fast, explosive movements.

This is the second article in a two-part series containing exercises you can to do build a strong, flexible, and responsive body for trail running. In Part 1 of this series, we discussed building a strong core and a flexible body. Make sure to check out that article, too.

As we round the corner toward spring in the Northern Hemisphere and can taste the racing season in the air, it is a great opportunity to talk about using plyometric and multi-plane exercises to help us build agility and responsiveness into the quiver of tools we can use while trail running. Building explosive strength as well as the ability to move in multiple planes while running will help many aspects of your running including maintaining momentum when moving over obstacles, utilizing new parts of the trail, and accelerating when everyone else is tired and slowing down. This is also a great time to talk about balance. You might not know this, but we spend a great amount of every run stride balancing on one of our feet, and given that our feet are landing on angled and loose surfaces in trail running, balance is a real need in our sport!

In the rest of this article, you will find descriptions and video of several different kinds of exercises. As with all articles in this column, we tailor these for beginner to intermediate trail runners. Use all this as a guide. Consider consulting a physical therapist or a professional trainer who can help you develop modifications or adaptations relevant to your bodys current needs. Have fun!

Plyometric Exercises

Plyometric exercises train your muscles to exert at their near-maximum for a very short period of time. How could this possibly be beneficial to a trail runner? You know when you slide on something and your whole body works in a split second to keep you upright, like my near-face-plant story from the Maroon Bells? That type of motion is a plyometric exercise on steroids. If you can train your body to exert that force, the hope is that youll be able to call upon it in critical moments of need to keep your face off the ground. When you arent falling (which we hope isnt too often!), that same explosive capability will help you move over trail obstacles (think fallen trees or large rocks) and help you navigate technical sections of trail (think uneven or slippery terrain) with agility.

Plyometrics should be practiced with care. The explosive force you generate in performing them is totally different from running. As you get used to doing these exercises, avoid pushing to your maximum effort or range of motion. With time, you can build to this. Also, feel free to get creative, as plyometric exercises can be added to many different types of motions.

Heres a three-minute plyometric workout to get you going. It has six exercises and you perform each for about 30 seconds. Aim for eight to 10 repetitions of each exercise. As you get stronger, increase the range of motion in the exercise and the amount of force you put into them, and then increase the number of reps you complete. Note that the video shows multiple and progressive versions of the same exercise, so that you can adapt the exercise to your current ability.

Alternating Lateral Lunges

Start by standing straight. Bring your hands together in prayer position. Hinge at the hips to send the butt back. Make sure to engage your core muscles to support your back. Side step your right foot wide into a lunge, bending the right knee to 90 degrees while keeping the left knee straight. In one explosive movement, drive weight down through the right heel and push off, jumping up. Your right foot should land on the ground where your left foot was as you simultaneously send the left foot wide, into the lunge with the left side of your body.

Reverse Lunge with Knee-Ups

Begin by standing with your feet hip distance apart. Step your right foot back so that you are almost kneeling on the ground with your right knee, into a low lunge where both legs are bent to nearly 90 degrees. Drive the weight into the left foot and hop up, straightening the left leg while bringing the right knee up to the chest. As your weight falls back to the ground, bring the right leg back behind you to the low lunge. At the same time swing the arms with force in like you would in the running motion. Repeat the motion on each leg eight to 10 times before switching to the other leg.

Burpees

This is the exercise that everyone loves to hate! Begin by standing with your feet hip distance apart. Hinge at the hips and knees and send the butt back into a low squat and place the hands on the ground in front of your feet. Make sure to engage your core muscles to support your back. Hop the feet back to plank position. Hop the feet back to the hands and stand up into a squat before jumping high. As you land, hinge at the hips and knees and send the butt back into a low squat and repeat the motion. For even more challenge, when you are in plank position, add a push-up to the movement. Those with shoulder injuries should drop to their knees before performing the push-up.

Frog Squat Jumps

Begin by standing with your feet wide, wider than shoulder distance. Point the toes slightly outward. Hinge at the hips and knees and send the butt back into a low squat with the weight in the heels until the finger tips touch the ground. In one explosive movement, straighten the legs and send the arms high overhead. Land on the balls of the feet and hinge at the waist sending the butt back and the weight into the heels while squating low to repeat the motion.

Alternating Lunge Jumps

Begin by standing with your feet hip distance apart. Step your right foot back so that you are almost kneeling on the ground with your right knee, into a low lunge where both legs are bent to nearly 90 degrees. Drive the weight into the left foot and hop up, straightening both legs in the air and switching position. As you land on the ball of the right foot, send the left foot behind into the low-lunge position. Repeat the motion, counting a rep each time your right foot lunges behind.

Tuck Jumps

Begin by standing with your feet hip distance apart. Bend the hips and knees slightly, as if you are beginning the motion of a squat. In an explosive movement, jump up and bring the knees to the chest. Land on the toes and hinge at the hips, bending the knees slightly before repeating the movement.

[Click here if you cant see the video above.]

Multi-Planar Exercises

When trail running, your body is moving in many different directions. Your hips are rotating, your legs and arms are swinging with repetitive force, your feet are landing at various angles, and your movement can occur in any of the three dimenions. Or at least it should! Runners are often so used to moving forward that I dont think many of us consider movements beyond that planelike to get around an obstacle or to find the best landing surfaceas a way to help us move efficiently and safely. These exercises are meant to help you develop strength in moving your body through multiple dimensions. And perhaps theres a little brain training here, too, to help you remember that you can move in other dimensions besides forward.

Aim to do eight to 10 repetitions of each of the six exercises in the following workout. The whole workout should take about three minutes, 30 seconds for each exercise. As you improve, increase the range of motion in the exercise and then increase the number of reps you complete.

Box Drills

This is the adult, trail-runner version of hop scotch. Begin by standing with all your weight on the right foot. Hop forward, right, back, left to hit all four corners of an imaginary box. Then hop up and down in the same spot and complete the box in the other direction: up, right, forward, left, back. Then hop to any combination of corners including moving diagonally from the top-right corner to the bottom-left corner, for example. You may find it useful to place quarters on the ground to begin so you can ensure your hops are an equal distance apart from each other. As you get stronger, make the box larger by moving the quarters farther apart.

Squat Lateral Shuffles

Begin by standing with your feet wide, about shoulder distance apart. Point the toes slightly outward. Bring your hands together in prayer position. Hinge at the hips and knees and send the butt back into a low squat with the weight in the heels until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Keeping this position, shuffle three steps to the right by bringing the feet together then back apart three times. Pause and then repeat the motion moving to the left. Try to keep the butt as low as possible while doing the shuffle movement. Make sure to engage your core muscles to support your back. Count one rep every time you change direction.

Up and Overs

Find a sturdy obstacle that can be used to jump over, something six inches to knee height is ideal. This could be a short stool, a rock, or an exercise bench. Begin with your right foot on the top of the obstacle and the left foot to the side of the obstacle. Bend from the hips and send the butt back, bending the knees slightly. Drive all the weight down into the heel of the right foot and straighten the right leg with so much force that you do a little hop. While you are in the air, replace the right foot with the left and step the right foot down to the ground on the side of the obstacle. Repeat the motion, counting one rep every time your left foot touches the ground.

Tap Downs

Using your sturdy obstacle, begin by standing on it. Hinge at the hips and send the butt back as you bend the left knee slightly and tap the right toe down onto the ground beside the obstacle. Straighten the left leg with force and perform a hop as the right foot replaces the left. Hinge at the waist and send the butt back as you bend the right knee slightly and tap down with the left foot. Repeat the motion in rapid fire. Count one rep every time your left foot touches down.

Speed Skaters

Begin with your feet close together. Lift the right leg, hinge at the hips, send the butt back, and bend the left knee slightly. In an explosive movement, straighten the left leg and hop the right leg to the right as far as possible using a speed-skater movement. Repeat the motion in the other direction. You may choose to use quarters to mark how far you jump from one side to the other and aim to maintain that distance during all the reps.

Rotating Squat Jumps

Begin by standing with your feet wide, about shoulder distance apart. Point the toes slightly outward. Bring your hands together in prayer position. Hinge at the hips and knees and send the butt back into a low squat with the weight in the heels until your thighs are parallel to the ground. In an explosive movement, jump up and rotate in the air clockwise, 90 degrees. Complete four reps to face all four directions before reversing direction to rotate counterclockwise.

[Click here if you cant see the video above.]

Exercises to Help Develop Balance

The goal of staying upright while trail running seems so simple. Add in a few rocks and some downhill and we all know that this isnt always so easy. Practice makes perfect, and this workout offers four exercises to help you develop balance. The other two workouts in this article have emphasized speed, but here we want to slow our roll. The longer we stay in a position of balance, the more challenging the exercise will be. This workout should take about four minutes, one minute for each exercise.

Clock Squats

Hold a weight or heavy rock in both hands. Shift your weight to your right leg and lift the left foot off the ground a few inches. Brace the core and hinge at the hips to send the butt back. Bring the weight to the outside of the right foot while bending the right knee to perform a single-leg squat. Stand slowly while maintaining your balance. As you get stronger, you can lift onto the toes at the top of the repetition or even perform a small, plyometric hop. Complete eight to 10 reps on one leg before switching to the other leg.

Single-Leg Dead Lifts

Hold a weight or heavy rock in both hands. Shift your weight to your right leg and lift the left foot off the ground a few inches. Brace the core and, with a micro-bend in the right leg, slowly lower the weight down toward the toes while sending the left leg straight behind you as a counter-balance. Lower until you feel a slight stretch in the hamstrings. Use the muscles of your core to lift yourself back to standing. Complete eight to 10 reps on one leg before switching to the other leg.

Tree Pose

Begin by standing with the feet together and the hands in prayer position. Brace the core. Slowly bring the sole of the left foot to the inside of the right calf. Hold this position for at least 30 seconds before switching sides. To increase the challenge level of this pose, first close the eyes. After that has been mastered, keep the eyes open and move the head side-to-side slowly, tracking the terrain with your eyes as you rotate the head. Once you have mastered both variations, stand on the tip-toe of your right foot to decrease the size of your foundation. You can also lengthen the amount of time you spend in the pose to further increase the level of challenge.

Front Lunge to Reverse Lunges

Begin by standing with the feet together. Brace the core. Put the weight in the left foot and move the right foot forward into a forward lunge position until both legs are at 90 degrees and the left knee is nearly touching the ground. Drive the weight into the right heel and with one sweeping motion, push off the right heel, come through center and continue back with the right foot to a reverse lunge with the weight in the left heel and the right toe. Push off with the right toe and with one motion, come through center and back to the forward lunge. Complete eight to 10 repetitions on one side before moving to the other leg.

[Click here if you cant see the video above.]

Final Thoughts

If you are interested in workouts like these but want more diversity than what this article offers, the Nike+ Training Club app is a great resource. This free app has all types of workouts using varying equipment (including bodyweight only), varying lengths of time (in case you only have 10 minutes to do strength today), and varying abilities (beginners and pros are both welcome). Every exercise is demonstrated with a video so you dont have to wonder what anything means.

Just as in running, when you start to feel confident in your strength, feel empowered to vary the workouts to create new demands on your body. Most importantly, have fun with it! These strength workouts are designed to be a fun enhancement to your normal routine and to vary the challenges you put on your body. If it isnt fun, change it up so that it is! Next season, Ill see you on the front line, competing for that podium finish.

Call for Comments (from Meghan)
Considered as one of Chinas greatest treasures, the terracotta warriors would not have been discovered if not for two farmers who found terracotta pottery in a site outside Xian. (Photo : Getty Images)

Over the years, China has been known to many as the land of counterfeit goods. The tides are turned, however, as the nation fights the onslaught of fake terracotta armies around the globe, The Telegraph reported.



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A warning was thinly veiled in the Museum of the First Qin Emperors official statement against the replicas, saying that it reserves the right to pursue parties guilty of infringing the copyright of the original terracotta army.



According to various Chinese media outlets, the Museum of the First Qin Emperor is preparing to pursue cases against two terracotta warrior attractions-- one in Anhui Province, and the other in Belgium.



Located hundreds of miles from Xian, the home of the original terracotta artifacts, the Anhui theme park is being accused of capitalizing in the allure of the terracotta warriors. There are approximately 1,000 replicas in the theme park, which was completed in 2008.



The Mausoleum Site Museum, which manages the Xian warriors, said in a statement that the theme park is guilty of copyright infringement.



The museum did not permit or give authorization to the displaying of the copycat terracotta warriors in Taihu County of Anhui Province. We reserve the right to take legal action against any violators in accordance with law, the statement read.



Meanwhile, dozens of replica life-size warriors, as well as smaller figurines, are up for display in the Liege Railway Station in Belgium, according to Xinhua news agency.



Some people are torn whether the two exhibits did infringe on copyright laws. For Yang Ming, a law professor at Peking University, it should be determined whether the exhibits were promoted as replicas or as genuine ones.



If they did promote it as a replica, then it is a debatable issue, Yang told CriEnglish.com.



In Anhui Parks case, the official website did promote the exhibit as a replica, with the main aim to let the public feel the culture of the Qin Dynasty.


Angelina Jolie said Saturday that she prays her new film about Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge will help educate the world about the cruelty of the 1970 regimes and shed a light on the dilemma of young people in war zones today.

"First, They Killed My Father" is based on author and human rights avant-garde Loung Ung's account of her survival as a child under the 1975-79 Leninist Khmer Rouge regime, believed to be accountable for the deaths of 1.7 million Cambodians from hunger, illness, and death penalties.

Speaking at a conference before the film's premiere, the actress-turned-director said she hopes the movie will "remind everyone that there are little Loung's all around the world today" in countless war zones and turnings of the world.

Angelina Talks About Her Film And How It Will Touch Many

"Her story is their story and so this is, in many ways, universal, and we hope that this is something that you think about as well," said Jolie, who directed the film and co-wrote the screenplay with Loung.

Jolie has had an empathy for Cambodia since she began charity work for the U.N.'s migrant agency in 2001, and her eldest son, Maddox, 15, was adopted from the country. She also has set a foundation to promote social growth in rural Cambodia. Although, the Hollywood superstar pointed out that Cambodia's history is not just about the war.

Educating Thru A Historical Film May Open An Eye For The Truth

"I hope that the young generations, when they see this film, that yes, they will pick up part of their history, but I hope they also see - I hope all of you see - that this is a country that has gift, an art, love, and beauty," Jolie said. Maddox also contributed some of his time to the production of the movie, which was shot on location in Cambodia in late 2015 and early 2016. Jolie said that Maddox is very proud of his Cambodian legacy and that she and her children see Cambodia as their "second home."

"The children are very close to the families who are in the film and, in fact, many of them are best friends," she said. "So, they're simply happy to be back with their friends. Maddox is happy to be back in his birthplace."

The film, a Netflix original production, will be shown on the mainstream later this year. Jolie's prior directorial projects include the 2015 marriage drama "By the Sea," in which she head the cast alongside then-husband Brad Pitt, and the 2014 survival tale "Unbroken."
Microsoft came under fire for the privacy settings incorporated into Windows 10 during the summer of 2015, shortly after the launch of the operating system. Since then, the company couldn't completely alleviate those concerns, the latest critic of its privacy policies being the European Union (EU).

Windows 10 Privacy Settings And Data Collection

According to Hot Hardware, the European Union is the latest to show skepticism regarding Microsoft privacy policies in Windows 10. The 28 governing bodies that enforce data protection laws in the EU are reunited in a so called the Article 29 Working Party. The group is complaining about the default privacy settings in Windows 10 that are enabled when a user first installs boots into the operating system.

The Working Party group is also concerned about the customer data collection performed by Microsoft and its subsequently storage on company's servers. In order to increase transparency, Microsoft recently announced some changes to the privacy settings of its operating system. Even taking into consideration the proposed changes to Windows 10, the group remains concerned about the lack of protection of users' personal data.

The new privacy settings are expected to be included this spring by Microsoft in the Windows 10 Creators Update. According to tech analysts, the company decided to add them to appease both anxious OS users as well as the regulators. According to Neowin, those new measures were, in fact, announced after an investigation into Microsoft that began in 2014.

The investigation has been initiated by Swiss data protection regulators. It appears that Microsoft worked with Swiss authorities to introduce those new measures revealed last month. However, elsewhere in Europe, data protection watchdogs consider that the new features don't go far enough.

Before its recent announcements, in 2016, Microsoft has received a letter from the Article 29 Working Party group formed of representatives from data and privacy regulators in each of the European Union's member states. The letter expressed concerns over how the company was informing users of its intentions to collect and store collected private data and how it was collecting that information about them.

Windows 10 Privacy Concerns Are An Ongoing Issue

In January, Windows Chief Terry Myerson said that the company remains committed on protecting its customers' privacy. Myerson pointed out that the users of Windows 10 operating system have easy-to-use tools and clear choices that provide them control over the way private information is collected and used. He added that trust is important for the company. This is the reason why Microsoft is working to make Windows 10 the most secure operating system ever.

However, it appears that the regulatory bodies within the EU are having a different opinion. France's National Data Protection Commission (CNIL) expressed back in July its own concerns over Windows 10's tendency for collecting excessive customer data. Microsoft responded at the time that it welcomes feedback, but the concerns are unfounded as the company built strong privacy protections into Windows 10.

Now, European authorities raise fresh concerns. According to Neowin, the Article 29 Working Party stated that Microsoft collects data in Windows 10 for advertising and other multiple purposes. The group added that the customers need to know clearly what kinds of personal data are processed and for what purposes. Consent cannot be informed without such information and therefore it cannot be considered valid.
The GOP tells NASA to stop meddling in climate science and just focus all its energy on space programs. The Republican Party, with the backing of the Trump administration, aims to largely restrict NASA's domain to space missions, and stops the space agency from discussing significant issues affecting Earth. However, despite all this, NASA steadfastly tweets urgent climate change information.

The recent restriction sounds ridiculous since NASA had created Earth Sciences Division to tackle issues such as climate science, including a weather information gathering system.The division, which gets $2 billion out of NASAs $20 billion budget, is in danger of being dropped.

Science-averse Representative Lamar Smith, and Chairman of House Science, Space and Technology Committee, said during a hearing last Thursday, that he wants a rebalancing of NASAs responsibilities. GOP tells NASA that more funds should go into space exploration. Smith explained that the US only has one agency that engages in space exploration, and therefore, every dollar of its budget must be spent on that, The Huffington Post reports.

The Republican representative also suggested that other agencies take over NASA's climate change research. However, its unclear which agencies would be willing to pick up the slack. The GOP has previously expressed disapproval with NASA's research on climate science, leading Congressional Republicans to seek deep cuts to climate research in 2015 and 2016.

Meanwhile, the new head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), climate-change skeptic Scott Pruitt, has mentioned to cut the agency's staff and fund, in line with Trumps campaign to get rid of the agency. The EPA also received orders from Trump's office to refrain from tweeting information about climate change.

According to the Eco Watch, NASA continues to post daily climate change updates on Facebook and other social media platform, providing the public with frequent warnings about rapid global changes. According to experts, defunding NASA's climate science division would be a major mistake. When GOP tells NASA to stop research on climate change, it is clearly Trump's move that resonates with his campaign to label climate change as a hoax.
The hype surrounding the emerging mixed reality technology might not live to expectations. Upcoming mixed reality headsets designed by companies such as Magic Leap and Microsoft might disappoint customers.

Upcoming Mixed Reality Gadgets

ZDNet reports that Microsoft considers skipping its planned HoloLens version 2 augmented-reality glasses and is focusing instead on developing version 3, that will be released in 2019. The company believes that mixed reality is the future of computing, and the future and present of mixed reality is its HoloLens gadget. Microsoft began last summer to shift HoloLens' focus more on mixed reality than augmented reality.

Despite Microsoft's great hopes, it appears that mixed reality is not having a smooth ride. The headset-making world seems to be somehow in trouble. Otherwise, Microsoft won't be canceling the launch of HoloLens V2. In the same challenging situation seems to be Magic Leap that keeps saying that the arrival of its mixed reality gadget is imminent but we are still in need to see some solid proofs.

According to Forbes, when it comes to Microsoft's HoloLens and mixed reality in general, it appears that the technology is still nowhere near ready for conquering the markets and the consumers' hearts. Actually, the technology in itself isn't the real problem, but rather the PR is. The technology will eventually come to mature, but any PR strategy is a choice and it appears that companies involved in developing mixed reality gadgets are making bad choices.

As mentioned before, Microsoft is not alone in setting high expectations in the hype mixed reality PR campaign. Magic Leap recently embarrassed itself with a cheating PR campaign when it was revealed that its promotional videos had been manipulated to look better than the product. And what's worse, the videos were labeled with disclaimers about no manipulation being made.

Mixed Reality Tech Still Need To Convince Customers

These examples show that expectations for mixed reality products fall short of the reality. Currently, mixed reality offers small screens within visors and requires clunky headsets. This frustrates users, especially after the PR campaigns that would like to make us believe that the technology provides a utopia of potential.

While it is enough that its users simply install and fire up an app for the augmented reality to work, mixed reality often makes users work for it. Setting up it's still pretty complicated and the great expectations come to fall when a user tries to use the unit. Of course, hype can often be a necessary part of most emerging technologies, but the veracity of the claims made by mixed reality promotional materials need to be cooled off in order to not disappoint.

This situation is reflecting in the rate of convincing early adopters to come on board. Outside the Developer community, HoloLens is still not available to buy. And now, with the cancellation of V2, no hopes are left that the technology would spread to the larger category of consumers, until at least 2019.

This delay is an opportunity for competitor technologies such as the more well-established augmented reality. The move could prove a costly one for Microsoft in terms of delayed revenue, as well as research and design expenditure. Until users are presented with some solid options, mixed reality gadgets will continue to fall short of the hype.
WikiLeaks leader Julian Assange recently confessed his love or for the fake news phenomenon, since he believes this is something that really benefits the pro-transparency organization, considering the way in which many people have lost their faith in some traditional media, and it gives more credit to WikiLeaks disclosures in the past years.

Classified Material Instead Of Fake News

During a discussion in Sidney, via videolink from the Ecuadorean embassy in London, Julian Assange explained that hes really happy that the fake news narrative ended up defining the rhetoric of U.S. president Donald Trump and his consistent attacks on mainstream media. While WikiLeaks credibility remains out of the question because of the facts that far from making a story, the organization just published classified material.

Also, Julian Assange claimed that while anyone is reading a newspaper article, these people are reading weaponised texts which main purpose is to affect a person, while his organizations disclosures as the John Podestas emails or the Yemen files, doesn't contain any kind of "pre-weaponised knowledge." In fact, he assured that he knew how to determine what was going to happen when he noticed that the fake newss narrative came out and was then taken off effectively by a specific media,

Julian Assange Compares WikiLeaks With The Rebel Library Of Alexandria

Getting to this point, Julian Assange told that the special thing about WikiLeaks is that in addition to not displaying fake news, the organization is not just another story, or another journalist advertising themselves and their respective position on another story. Actually, he expressed that the real beauty of WikiLeaks is that it represents a treasure in a sea of information, the rebel library of Alexandria where everyone can go to and escape a fake news.

As reported in a previous article, Julian Assanges asylum in the Ecuadorean embassy is now in a serious threat, given the fact that Ecuadors presidential candidates are planning to end this political service. Of course, it remains unclear what could happen with him and with his organization.
In an industry that is flooded with hackers, there is always the threat of a security breach for anyone that uses technology. Whether in the form of getting information or personal photos, there are certain ways to work through the system. Google, as one of the industry's leading players, has made it a priority to keep its devices and those using them safe from these harms.

As Forbes has reported, a man by the name of Adrian Ludwig joined Google over six years ago. His job, which is arguably one of the most daunting ones in existence, is to ensure the security of Android devices. Today, the number of Android devices, from smartphones to laptops and media players, has grown to about 1.6 billion, which makes his job even more difficult. And yet the publication has noted that these units are more secure than ever before.

And while this can be said, there is no denying that there is still Android malware within the system, although that number is, in the bigger picture, a small one. Google's 2015 statistics show that only around 0.5 percent of all Android devices have encountered a potential harmful application (PHA). And with one feature alone, this small number drops another significant amount.

Android has a basic security feature, where users can opt to turn on an "unknown sources" setting. What this does is remove all applications and games that cannot be downloaded and installed through Google Play. When this feature is turned, the number of devices hit by PHA drop to just 0.15 percent.

The publication spoke with Ludwig and he was adamant that the numbers will fall this year. "It's not an accident that bad things aren't happening," he told them. One smart move that the company has made is to make its default security settings the best and safest ones it can offer. Three years ago, only 50 percent of Android devices were encrypted. That number has since increased to 80 percent.

So one of the best ways to keep an Android device safe is to keep updating its operating system as soon as Google roll them out. Google has an exceptional relationship with its partners, both from the device production and wireless carrier segments. The company has made it easier for these parties to deploy and maintain apps, thereby making it easier to push out necessary updates.

Greenbot noted that another feature from Google that significantly decreases malware is Verify Apps. However, up until recently, the feature has been a behind the scenes service. However, this has begun to change as the search engine giant has begun to show the hard work that the feature has put in making sure that Android devices are not negatively affected.

Google has tweaked the menu on the devices' settings to display some information about what is happening. Instead of an option in the Security menu, Verify Apps now has its own tab. Tapping on it will show two toggles that will allow the scanning of the device for security threats and the other to improve on any harmful app detections.
In 2013, Facebook offered Snapchat a total of $3 billion to buy the whole messaging app. Despite this big offer, Evan Spiegel, Snapchats founder, turned down the offer. Since then, Facebook and some of its owned apps have been trying to copy the features of the popular photo-sharing and pioneering Snapchat. Facebook-owned applications include WhatsApp, Instagram and FB Messenger.

New Feature Of WhatsApp Is Similar To Snapchat And Instagram

The latest report from The New York Tmes, claims that WhatsApp unveiled a new feature that takes a significant number of hints from Snapchat. Just like in Snapchats Stories feature, the new feature of WhatsApps Status now lets users share images, GIFs as well as videos as a status update. The mobile messaging application with 1.2 billion registered users allow this status to last for 24 hours.

Following this feature is a string of actions by Facebook to compete with Snapchat. In August, Instagram introduced a new feature called My Story that was a near exact copy of what Snapchat has. In December, FB Messenger revamped its look and appear to emphasize sending photos that will last 24 hours, just like Snapchat. Snap, as Snapchats parent company, has placed itself as a camera company, Facebook has proved that they can also make the camera as the first thing people see when opening the app.

Even though that imitation is obviously seen in this feature, WhatsApp executives are still not admitting it. We build things because we really hope people will need to use them even more, said Randall Sarafa, the product manager at WhatsApp. In avoiding any direct mention of Snapchat together with other application, Sarafa said that they dont really think other reasons for building things. This is a format that is being broadly adopted, and were adopting it as well."

WhatsApp Isnt Interested In Showing Ads

According to Recode, both Instagram and Snapchat are making money by placing ads alongside to every user's stories. Sarafa emphasized that WhatsApp isnt interested in presenting any kind of ads to its users. He mentioned in an interview that their team is not considering to append ads to WhatsApp, and they "dont have plans to do that." The new WhatsApp status feature is rolling out to the mobile app users in the Netherlands and France beginning Monday. To the U.K., Spain, Italy, Israel as well as Saudi Arabia people, this feature will be seen later in the week.

Still, many of the WhatsApp executives acknowledge that some of their feature updates are not entirely original and they are giving credit to Snapchat for creating a new kind of format. In a separate interview in August, Kevin Systrom, Instagram's founder and chief executive, did not mention anything about Snapchat but acknowledged that other companies merit all the credit because of popularizing disappearing photos and videos within a limited time.

The Status feature update of WhatsApp was originally jus a text-based message, which is similar to the AOLs Instant Messenger product in the 1990s. This feature made it easy to let users know if you were just around to the text or if you were too busy. The updated feature also replaces that text with richer multimedia such as photos, videos as well as GIFs, which lasts for 24 hours before disappearing. WhatsApp users can as well send their status updates as a message to someone or even multiple friends at once, way more like the Snapchats messaging system and Instagram's My Story.
This year, big name brands like HTC and Nokia are set to unveil their new flagship smartphones, while other big companies show off innovations in areas such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and virtual reality. Michael O'Hara, chief marketing officer at the GSMA, which runs MWC stated "Over the past three decades, mobile has evolved from an emerging communications technology to a phenomenon that is now at the foundation of everything that we do."

HTC One X10

The HTC One X10 is set to be the successor to the One X9, which was launched way back in 2015. The leaked images point towards the device having a premium metal unibody design, powerful specs, massive RAM with a fingerprint sensor below the centrally located rear camera on the back and capacitive buttons for home, recent apps and back on the front.

According to the leaks last month, the budget-friendly smartphone is expected to come with a 5.5-inch full-HD (1080x1920) display. The HTC One X10 has been hinted to be powered by MediaTek Helio P10 processor clocked at 1.9GHz and coupled with 3GB of RAM. Also, expected to come with 32GB of inbuilt storage. The HTC X10 is said to sport a 16-megapixel rear camera with OIS and a 7.9-megapixel camera front snapper. Compared with the Helio P10 processor, which is set to power the HTC One X10, it packs a more capable Helio X10 processor clocked at 2.2GHz. Under the hood is 3300 mAh battery life.

Nokia 6

Nokia has finally announced its first 2017 Android phone, which marks its comeback to the mainstream mobile market. The company draws particular attention to the Nokia 6's multimedia functionality, with dual amplifiers that deliver a 6dB louder sound than a regular amp, giving higher voice, deeper bass and unmatched clarity, and Dolby Atmos that creates strong moving audio that seems to flow all around users.

This very affordable phone comes with a 5.50-inch touchscreen display and a resolution of 1080 pixels by 1920 pixels at a PPI of 403 pixels per inch. The Nokia 6 is powered by 1.1GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 processor. It comes with a massive 4GB of RAM and is packed with 64GB of internal storage that can be expanded up to 128GB via a microSD card. Nokia 6 boasts a 16-megapixel primary camera on the rear and an 8-megapixel front snapper for selfies. The Nokia 6 runs Android 7.0. Under the hood is 3000 mAh battery life.
China Fears THAAD Deployment in South Korea as Threat to Own Security

As North Korea finalizes its weapons deployment, South Korea wants to pursue the THAAD system. (Photo : Getty Images)

Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi commented on South Korea's plans to deploy the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system and said that South Korea must consider Beijing's position on the issue.



Yi also expressed concern over the talks between South Korea and the U.S. after the recent visit of new U.S. secretary of defense, retired Marine Corps Gen. James Mattis, and its effect to the China-south Korea ties.



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The recent talks were to revive the plans and identify the South Korea THAAD location.



However, China repeatedly asked South Korea to reconsider. In a side meeting at the Munich Security Conference, Wang talked to South Korea's foreign minister, Yun Byung-Se.



Wang said that "one country's security should not be founded on the basis of harming another country's security."



"China understands South Korea's need to protect its own security, and at the same time South Korea should respect China's reasonable position," he added.



The South Korean minister, however, said that the THAAD system is really important to their country's line of defense against North Korea. The socialist country is now at the final stages of nuclear weapons development.



"What we need is multiple layers of defense. THAAD is really relevant," he said. "We don't pose any threat to China."



The national defense secretary of the U.S. tried to get the approval of South Korea in the first Asian trip done by a member of the Trump cabinet. Critics said that the effort was unsuccessful.



Mark Fitzpatrick of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said, "Mattis sought to lock in the case, but he has little leverage over the political dynamics in Seoul."



"There's nothing to be gained for China to continue to insist that THAAD not is deployed once a decision has been made. If they think the decision is not final, however, then China probably will continue to press its case," he added.


Chinas Navy has the High Tech Warships and Weapons for World Patrols, says Chinese Expert

The Type 052B destroyers CNS Guangzhou (168) and CNS Wuhan (169), and the Type 052C destroyer CNS Haikou (171) with ships of the China Coast Guard. (Photo : PLAN)

The man who was chief designer of China's only aircraft carrier, the CNS Liaoning (CV-16), claims China is now one of the leading surface warship makers in the world.



Equipment and weapons used by surface warships of the People Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) have also developed rapidly in recent years to meet China's defense needs, according to Zhu Yingfu, a researcher at the China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (CSIC) 701 Institute, and an academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering. Zhu was also the chief designer of the CNS Liaoning.



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Combined, China's capability to build surface warships and provide these warships with advanced weapons and equipment guarantees PLAN can carry out far-sea combat missions, said Zhu.



"China is in a leading position in the world regarding the level and capability of surface vessel development," said Zhu at the first "High-tech Ships and Deep-sea Exploitation Equipment Innovation Forum" held in Shanghai.



Zhu said China has always aimed to become a world leader in surface warship design ideas and concepts. As a result, PLAN warships are becoming heavier, improving the sea keeping required for distant patrols.



The "information perception capability," precision of firepower equipment and stealth technology of PLAN surface warships are notably better, claims Zhu.



In the future, China's new-type warships will overtake surface warships in other navies, alleges Zhu.



Liaoning was the first Admiral Kuznetsov-class aircraft carrier, and was originally named the Riga. Riga was launched in December 1988 and renamed Varyag in 1990.



Varyag never entered service as the Soviet Union ceased to exist in 1991. Varyag, now a disused hulk, was bought by China in 1998 and towed to Dalian shipyard in China where she was completely rebuilt. Zhu was a part of the team responsible for the rebuilding.



Liaoning can embark 36 aircraft: 24 Shenyang J-15 fighters; 6 Changhe Z-18F anti-submarine warfare helicopters; 4 Changhe Z-18J airborne early warning helicopters and 2 Harbin Z-9C rescue helicopters.


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WARSHIPS of the Royal Navy and the South African navy are due to visit the site of the sinking of the troop ship SS Mendi to commemorate the disaster today (Tuesday).

The SS Mendi troop ship sunk on February 21, 1917, 11 miles off St Catherines Point, off the Isle of Wight, while it was on the final leg of its 6,000 mile journey to France during the First World War.

Without warning, the cargo steamship, SS Darro, crashed into the vessel in thick fog, which resulted in the loss of 646 men.

Most of those who perished were predominantly black South African troops, of the South African Native Labour Corps.

Stories of the mens bravery as the ship went down in the icy waters of the English Channel have been well documented.

At the site of the wreck, the South African frigate, SAS Amatola, accompanied by two British navy vessels, were due to lay a wreath to mark the centenary of the disaster.

The Amatola will be carrying relatives of about 30 of the black troops who died.

The sinking is one of approximately 1,100 vessels lost off the south coast of England during the First World War, and many, like the Mendi, were due to collisions caused by bad weather or navigation and sailing practices put in place during the war.

Many of these sites are being researched by the Maritime Archaeology Trust, with the help of hundreds of volunteers through their Heritage Lottery Funded 'Forgotten Wrecks of the First World War.

It is an event organised by Portsmouth City Council and the South African High Commission.


Toyota is a carmaker, but they are also one of the top providers of prefab homes in Japan. They have recently created their first hydrogen car called Mirai, and have now announced plans to build a community of hydrogen powered homes. To do so, they have obtained the rights to H2PIA from the Danish team who first came up with the concept of such a sustainable community.

H2PIA is basically a proposal for a community of homes, businesses, shops, cars, and roads, where everything is powered by hydrogen. Those living in such a space would get to enjoy clean air, as well as be part of a sustainable community. On the outside, everything would be the same as in any other such community, except that the entire infrastructure will actually be completely different and based on H2PIAs hydrogen technology.

The community Toyota plans to build will be made up of both single family houses, as well as apartment complexes. The residents will also be able to choose from units that are Plugged, Unplugged, or Hybrid. The last one will be available with a hybrid hydrogen car that will feed energy back into the community grid when not in use.

Clean energy production aside, the community will also be built with many other healthy living considerations in mind. There will be a public community space, while the homes will be designed in a way that blurs the barriers between indoor and outdoor spaces. There will also be plenty of green areas, and they plan to fill it with enough amenities to reduce the inhabitantsa need to commute.

They have not yet announced when this community will be built, though chances are that the answer is soon.
Logan will serve as the last Wolverine spin-off starring Hugh Jackaman and Patrick Stewart and directed by James Mangold. (Photo : Facebook)

The latest details and spoilers for "Logan" will feature a possible post-credits scene in the third "Wolverine" film and an X-23 spin-off in the works soon.



It seems that "Logan" will have a post-credits scene after all as a report from Collider confirmed it, but did not elaborate what the scene actually is nor will it be shown on the middle of the credits or at the end of it.So far, Fox has kept as tight a lid on "Logan" spoilers as possible, despite footage screenings from the film starting as early as December.



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It was last year that "Deadpool" star Ryan Reynolds had shot a short scene for "Logan" that many fans have theorized to be a possible post-credits scene. But, when "Logan" began rolling out advance screenings ahead of the films official release, no such scene was included. In fact, the cut of the movie shown at these screenings did not include a mid- or post-credits scene at all.



Movie goers and comic fans will be anticipating the post-credits scene from "Logan" as it may link to potential "X-Men" sequels and spin-offs in the franchise's future.



In other news, the film's director James Mangold hints a possible spin-off for Laura Kinney/X-23 (Dafne Keen) in the "X-Men" film franchise.



Mangold told We Got This Covered that if Fox plans to have a film starring X-23, then he would want to be part of the production and even direct it. Mangold aslo commented on Keen's performance as mutant clone of Wolverine and possibly taking his mantle now that Hugh Jackman will be leaving the role after the film.



"Logan" will take place several years after the end of "X-Men: Days of Future Past" were an old and battle-scarred Logan/Wolverine (Jackman) works as a limousine driver to and is on hiding in the border of Mexico with an old and ailing Professor Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart).



The two former X-Men encounter a young girl named Laura and suspected to be a mutant, as their kind was near extinction thanks to Transigen and the Reavers. Laura was experimented on and possibly turned into a weapon, but escaped and seeks help from both Logan and Charles.



It is theorized that Logan could be responsible for the death of the team similar tot the "Old Man Logan" comics , albeit being tricked into killing them. This could explain why Logan does not want to be involved with a new mutant or with Charles Xavier, and why he feels that he would be better off alone.



"Logan" will be in cinemas on March 3.


Wegmans, a retailer that sells groceries, managed to successfully shake off a call to boycott the winery products related to President Donald Trump. Those who are against Trump urged consumers not to buy products connected to him, Fox News Insider reported.

Most of the products can be bought from Wegmans. Those who do not support Trump urged the retailer to stop selling the products. When the retailer did not agree, the group asked consumers not to buy Trump-related products.

The plan was expected to negatively impact Wegman's sales. However, it appears that the boycott call had the opposite effect on Wegmans.

As reported by Democrat & Chronicle, sales of Trump-related products at Wegmans actually increased following the call for a boycott. Nine of stores affiliated with Wegmans at Virginia sold out of Trump-branded wine.

Wegmans is not the only retailer that the Stop Trump Wine group asked in its bid to hurt sales of Trump-related products. The group asked several other grocers, retailers, restaurants and other entities that sell Trump Winery products.

The boycott call was made through a Facebook page. The Stomp Trump Wine group is protesting against the views of Eric Trump, the president of Trump winery and son of the United States presidents.

Eric allegedly has views that are similar to that of his father. The group claims that he champions hatred much as his father allegedly does.

Wegmans did not release any other statements apart from saying that all its Trump winery products have been sold out. The retailer said it needs to restock its supply, but the action could take weeks.

Regarding the call to stop selling Trump-related products, Wegmans said it will only stop selling products if they perform poorly.

Jobs & Hire previously reported that the United States president criticized Nordstrom for discontinuing his daughter Ivanka's fashion collection.
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New Mutation of H7N9 Bird Flu in China Risks Creating Deadlier Virus to Humans

Electron microscope image of the deadly H7N9 virus. (Photo : U.S. CDC)

China is bracing for further mutations of the deadly H7N9 avian flu virus that has killed 88 Chinese since January following the recent alarming discovery of a new mutation of the killer virus in southern China.



The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC) reported the mutated H7N9 bird flu strain in southern China has been proven as more dangerous to poultry. The mutation was found in January in two people who had contracted H7N9 bird flu in Guangdong Province.



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China CDC said it has confirmed the finding and reported the case to the World Health Organization (WHO). On the basis of a joint study with experts from the agricultural sector, China CDC concluded that the mutation "does not make the virus more infectious to human at the moment."



The wording of this statement has raised fears new mutations might be deadlier to humans than the existing strain.



Scientists warn that bird flu can easily mutate. China CDC is concerned a mutation might make H7N9 more infectious to humans, and hence deadlier.



Chinese health and agricultural authorities will continue to study the mutated strain's source and its impact. They will also intensify monitoring to detect H7N9's further mutations, said China CDC.



China has stepped up its campaign to prevent the wider spread of the H7N9 avian flu. Apart from causing 88 deaths since January, H7N9 has infected 271 other persons. China CDC said most infected humans came into contact with poultry or dead birds.



In its latest update, WHO reported that between Jan. 19 and Feb. 14, a total of 304 additional laboratory-confirmed cases of human infection were reported to it from mainland China.



At the time of notification, there were 36 deaths; two cases had mild symptoms and 82 cases were diagnosed as either pneumonia (34) or severe pneumonia (48).


First Bancorp plans to complete on March 3 its $93 million purchase of Carolina Bank Holdings Inc. of Greensboro after receiving Friday the final regulatory approval on the deal.

First Bancorp, based in Southern Pines, has increased its Winston-Salem and Triad presence significantly in the past year.

It is likely to enter the Top 10 for North Carolina deposits with the acquisition of the Greensboro bank. It also will increase its total assets to $4.3 billion and deposits to $3.6 billion.

Following the closing date, Carolina shareholders will be mailed an election form with instructions and a deadline for electing how they wish to be compensated in terms of cash and stock. The accepted offer was worth $19.26 a share, based on 75 percent stock and 25 percent cash.

The bank said it expects to convert the Carolina branches in the summer.

Carolina Bank, the bank subsidiary of Carolina Bank Holdings, will continue to operate as Carolina Bank until it is merged into First Bank, which is expected to occur this summer. First Bank will be in regular communication with customers of Carolina Bank prior to the bank merger to ensure a smooth transition.

Upon completion of the purchase, Forsyth County would be First Bancorps largest branch market at eight when using that measuring stick.

However, it is likely to close one branch between a former First Community branch and a Carolina Bank branch that are less than a mile apart off Stratford Road and Knollwood Street.

First Bancorp will have 19 branches in the Triad and 94 in North Carolina upon closing the purchase.

Chris Marinac, managing principal with FIG Partners of Atlanta, said he viewed First Bancorps growth initiative and its Small Business Administration activities as positive for generating additional fee income, positive operating leverage and earnings per share.

First Bancorp is executing on its new goal of entering higher growth markets and enhance longer-term return on assets, Marinac said.
A major operational restructuring within Lowes Companies, Inc. has produced more workforce churn.

The retailer confirmed Tuesday plans to cut 70 support jobs in Wilkesboro and about 531 corporate office and support positions overall.

However, a WARN Act notice filed Tuesday with the N.C. Commerce Department listed 75 jobs being eliminated in Wilkesboro. The job eliminations are projected to begin April 23.

There will be 431 positions eliminated at its headquarters in Mooresville  about 10 percent of the staffing there  and 25 corporate support in other facilities.

The company said the job cuts are focused on creating a more agile, efficient and customer-focused operating structure for corporate-based positions.

The announcement comes six days after Lowes said it was adding 1,700 customer-support jobs, including 600 in Wilkesboro and 500 each in Albuquerque, N.M., and Indianapolis, all by October.

In January, Lowes said it was eliminating 2,400 positions as part of changing its store-staffing model, as well as cutting jobs in contact and distribution centers. Those job cuts represented less than 1 percent of its overall workforce total of more than 285,000.

In October, the retailer eliminated 95 positions in its information technology department.

This structure will result in Lowes having a leaner organization with fewer managerial layers, so that we can make decisions more quickly, operate efficiently and foster a culture that innovates as fast as customers expect, the company said.

It is always very difficult to make decisions like these that impact our people, and we did so only after careful consideration and with the understanding that our actions today were needed to position Lowes for the future.

Michael Walden, an economics professor at N.C. State University, said that as all forms of shopping shift from in-person to online, these re-allocations of job positions seem a logical response to obvious trends.

The company said it will post more than 100 positions in Mooresville over the next several weeks.

With the staffing changes weve announced this year, our employment presence in North Carolina will remain consistent, the company said.

Affected employees can apply for any open roles across the company, Lowes said. People who lose their jobs will also receive severance and outplacement services.

Job positions for the 600-job Wilkesboro expansion will include service and production coordinators, field project specialists, and supervisors and managers. Hiring will be conducted in monthly phases. The company did not disclose a salary range for the new positions.

Go to careers.lowes.com for more information.

That move would boost the retailers Wilkes workforce by 30 percent, or from about 2,000 to 2,530 when including retail store employees and the planned job cuts.

Lowes said it will spend $100 million on a direct fulfillment center in Nashville, expected to be operational in 2018 with a workforce of about 600 employees.

For the next three years, we expect to add about 4,000 new store-level jobs and spend $3.6 billion on capital investments to continue to execute on our omni-channel growth strategy, the company said.

As we look to the future, we will continue to evaluate where we need to add resources to support our strategic objectives and, as a global organization, how we can best leverage the talent of a diverse, worldwide workforce.

Zagros Madjd Sadjadi, an economics professor at Winston-Salem State University, said the overall employee churn "can more accurately be reflected as realignments in the grand corporate scheme of things, though that is of little comfort to those who will actually lose their positions."

"I suspect that this is also designed to either flatten the management structure and provide more independence to local operations, or we will see increased outsourcing of these operations since the work behind the scenes will still have to be done."
The Winston-Salem office of U.S. Sen. Richard Burr was targeted over the weekend with a message written in chalk trying to prod him to hold a town hall meeting.

The phrase Senator Burr: Time to Town Hall was written in the parking lot on the south side of the building at 2000 W. First St.

The words included a U.S. flag-like banner underneath the words town hall.

Because there have been contentious town halls across the country involving members of Congress and citizens, especially concerning repealing the Affordable Care Act, many N.C. members of Congress have responded by choosing during the current congressional break to conduct telephone town halls, private meetings at their local offices or no events at all.

Burr and U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, both Republicans, and U.S. Rep. David Price, D-N.C., are out of state traveling on congressional business trips during the break, according to their offices. Tillis is conducting a tour of the U.S.-Mexican border in Texas.

Burr officials could not be reached for comment on the graffiti, including whether they have requested an investigation. The voicemail to Burrs local office was full.

Although Winston-Salem police have been to site, Capt. Natoshia Miles said the department has not received a report of vandalism from Burrs office.

The message was just the latest attempt to convince Burr to meet in person with North Carolinians. Burr, re-elected to a third term in November, has said he will not pursue another term.

On Sunday, members of the state chapter of left-leaning advocacy group Together We Will collected funds through a GoFundMe initiative to raise $2,000 to place a quarter-page lost and found ad in The News & Observer in Raleigh.

The ad read LOST  United States Senator. He may respond to the title Senator Richard Burr, though his constituents have been unable to verify whether this is still the case, as they have been unable to contact him in recent weeks.

If found, please return Sen. Burr to his constituents by way of a town hall meeting or other suitable gathering in which the senator demonstrates his accountability to his constituents by listening to and honestly addressing their concerns.

Evalyn Johnson of Apex told the Raleigh newspaper the idea came from frustrations over not being able to connect with the senators offices, a concern she hopes will resonate with moderate Republicans.

I wanted it not to be partisan, so I could get the message to people who arent liberal, she said.

Burrs local office was the site of a Feb. 14 protest in which most attendees expressed their support for the ACA, President Barack Obamas signature health care overhaul, also known as Obamacare. There was a call during that event for Burr to conduct a local town hall.

The ACA has been the target for partial or full repeal by Republican congressional leaders since it debuted in 2010. President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January that allowed for the process to begin defunding certain elements of the law.

However, Republicans have not settled on a repeal strategy amid Trumps preference for keeping some elements of the law, such as health insurers accepting all pre-existing conditions and allowing children to stay on their parents health insurance until they turn 26.

Protests also were held Feb. 14 at the senators offices in Raleigh, Asheville, Wilmington and Charlotte. The chain of protests across the state was organized by Progress North Carolina Action, a nonprofit group that promotes public policies and advocates solutions to improve the health and lives of North Carolinians.
Four community-banking managers of Wells Fargo & Co. have been fired by the bank, the first terminations to be made public as part of the board of directors investigation into the fraudulent customer account scandal.

Wells Fargo agreed Sept. 8 to pay a combined $185 million in fines to resolve regulatory complaints regarding 2.1 million customer accounts.

The employees were fired by unanimous vote of the boards independent members.

The board did not disclose the reasons that led to the firings.

Those affected are: Claudia Russ Anderson, former community bank chief risk officer; Pamela Conboy, lead regional president for Arizona; Shelley Freeman, former Los Angeles regional president and current head of Consumer Credit Solutions; and Matthew Raphaelson, head of Community Bank Strategy and Initiatives.

Bank spokesman Josh Dunn said there is no North Carolina connection to the four fired managers.

We do not have an overall figure regarding team members who have been terminated as a result of the on-going investigation, Dunn said.

The bank said the managers will not receive a 2016 bonus and will forfeit unvested equity awards and vested outstanding options.

The board said its investigation is expected to be completed before its April shareholders meeting. Its findings and any additional actions will be made public by that time, the bank said.

The bank is facing pressure from regulators and Congress to disclose more information about the scandal, with one ripple being the Oct. 12 retirement of John Stumpf, its chairman and chief executive about two weeks after he was grilled by the U.S. Senate Banking committee on Sept. 28.

Stumpf drew criticism for failing to answer many questions. In December, nine Democratic U.S. senators scolded the board for what they consider the banks foot-dragging on disclosing more details.

The issues that the banking committee want to know more about include: officially identifying the independent directors serving on the banks internal investigative committee; why such an investigative committee wasnt in place before the settlement; how it will make its report known to shareholders and the public; what was the boards knowledge of the scandal before Sept. 8; and what other business lines had been affected by the fraudulent employee behavior.

On Feb. 8, The Wall Street Journal reported that the board was considering scrapping 2016 bonuses for some top bank executives, including current chief executive Tim Sloan.

Analysts say the shadow over the bank will not go away until it discloses more information about the depth of the scandal, and what management and the board knew about it and when they were told.

Analysts have questioned whether some board members will be required to step down as part of the rehabilitation process.

In our view, waiting until spring 2017 to provide more documents and information to our questions is not diligence, the senators wrote.

Wells Fargo responded to the senators letter with a statement that said the boards internal investigation is being conducted with the advice of outside counsel that will follow the facts wherever they lead  and that the findings of the investigation will be made public at the conclusion of the process.
A Winston-Salem woman killed during a dispute with a neighbor died from gunshot wounds, according to an autopsy released Monday.

Meghann Rae Stubbs, 33, and her boyfriend, Steven Richard Salsman, 37, were both shot to death on June 17, 2016, during a dispute at a neighbors house at 2427 Stockton St. Zachary Wilson Hobbs, 32, is facing one charge of murder in Stubbs death. He has not been charged in Salsmans death.

Thats because detectives and prosecutors are trying to determine if Hobbs acted in self-defense in shooting Salsman. North Carolinas Castle Doctrine says that people can legally use deadly force against an intruder in their home, motor vehicle or workplace, and they dont have an obligation to flee. Forsyth County District Attorney Jim ONeill said he has not made a decision on whether to charge Hobbs in Salsmans death.

According to the autopsy, Stubbs had at least eight exiting gunshot wounds and she died from multiple gunshot wounds to the neck, chest and arms. The autopsy said Stubbs had at least two gunshot wounds to the neck and several gunshot wounds in the left chest.

The autopsy said that Stubbs had consumed alcohol before she died. Benzoylecgonine, which is a metabolite of cocaine, was also found in her system.

An autopsy of Salsman shows that he was shot at least seven times, including once in the chest and twice in the back. He was also shot twice in the right forearm, with one bullet going through his arm to his abdomen. He was also shot in the upper arm and head.

According to search warrants, Salsman and Stubbs were angry at Hobbs and his girlfriend, Jessica Paterson, because Paterson had locked a gate and not allowed Stubbs children to play with Patersons children. Paterson told Winston-Salem police that on June 16, Stubbs children took chalk from Patersons children. Paterson took the chalk back, and she and Stubbs started arguing.

Hobbs also had worked for Salsman, who owned Steves Handyman Services Inc., and had said Salsman owed him money. But the money had nothing to do with the dispute that led to the fatal shooting, Hobbs and Paterson told police, according to the search warrant.

Things escalated during the day on June 16. Stubbs sent threatening messages to Hobbs, Paterson and Patersons mother, Tracy Paterson, the search warrants said. Stubbs also sent threatening text messages.

Later that day, Stubbs and Salsman went to Hobbs house and continued arguing. Hobbs told Winston-Salem police that Salsman kept trying to fight him and tried to get Hobbs to come off the front porch of his house.

Mr. Hobbs said that Mr. Salsman was holding Ms. Stubbs back, Winston-Salem Police Detective Ken Burns wrote in one of the search warrants. Hobbs said Salsman used profanity and made threats that he was going to beat him up. Mr. Hobbs said that is when he feared for his life and shot Mr. Salsman twelve (12) times.

Jessica Paterson told Winston-Salem police that Salsman pushed past Stubbs and came at Hobbs, using a profanity and saying Im coming for you.

Hobbs later told police that he shot Salsman six times and intentionally shot at Ms. Stubbs the other six (6) times, according to the search warrant. Tracy Paterson was shot in her right shoulder, it says.

Hobbs is scheduled to appear March 9 in Forsyth District Court. He is in the Forsyth County Jail with no bond allowed.
Actress Jennifer Garner and actor-director Ben Affleck arrive at the Oscars at Hollywood & Highland Center on February 24, 2013 in Hollywood, California. (Photo : Getty Images/Jason Merritt)

Jennifer Garner, who has been on legally married to Ben Affleck since 2005, is getting ready to be officially single. The former is reportedly set to file for divorce from the latter nearly two years after they first announced their split.



Garner and Affleck's romance was introduced to the public in October 2014 when they attended the Boston Red Sox's opening World Series games together. They got married in June 2005 and share three children, namely Violet Anne Affleck, Seraphine Rose Elizabeth Affleck and Samuel Affleck.



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After a decade of marriage, Garner and Ben announced their intention to divorce on June 30, 2015. While previous reports claimed that they are making efforts to make things work, a source close to the couple told Us Weekly that the two have ended their relationship for good and is still planning to move forward with the divorce.



"No matter what happens, Ben and Jen are committed to raising their family as one unit and will continue to do so as it has worked for them," the source said, adding that Ben has already moved out of the Pacific Palisades mansion that they bought in 2009 for more than $17 million. "They are both committed to their family."



Despite their split, Garner sure had nice things to say about Ben. In a February 2016 interview with Vanity Fair, she admitted that if she had to do it all over again she would still marry the actor.



"I didn't marry the big fat movie star; I married him, and I would go back and remake that decision," Garner said. "I ran down the beach to him, and I would again."



The "13 Going on 30" star then dismissed rumors that a reconciliation could be on the cards, stating instead that they are just trying to do the best for their three children. For now, check out Affleck as Batman in Zack Synder's "Justice League" trailer below:






CLEMMONS  For all the talk of a Muslim takeover, it was a group of children at the Annoor Islamic Center here who had to go about their Sunday classes under special precautions because of recent threats made during a political meeting in Kernersville.

In this suburb, just outside western Winston-Salem, where car washes, pharmacies and restaurants sit near churches, homes and schools, a Muslim plot to infiltrate and take over can begin. That idea was just one of many targeting Muslims during the discussion last weekend in a Kernersville restaurant.

The moderator, Tom Jones, told the others during one part of the meeting that the Annoor Islamic Center is already operating a madrassa, the Triad City Beat reported.

Theres mosques being built all over the place, Jones said. Weve got to keep our eye on them.

At another point of the discussion, one of the attendees, Frank del Valle, said he was ready to start taking people out and killing the hell out of Muslims.

Mark Baker, the chairman of the Forsyth County Republican Party, stressed two points when asked about the comments.

The people at the meeting are not officers of the county GOP, Baker said Monday, and he does not condone violence. Asked whether Muslims are trying to infiltrate U.S. society to take over, Baker said, speaking as an individual and not as the county GOP chairman, that he did not subscribe to that idea.

Personally, I dont think there is a lot of evidence to prove that, Baker said. Some extremists acts  they exist. But I dont think theyre representative of all Muslims.

The comments at the Kernersville meeting  on audio recording  have been referred to the FBI by the Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR.

Hamdy Radwan, the chairman of the Islamic centers council and a professor of physical therapy at Winston-Salem State University, said the center registered its concerns with local law enforcement after seeing the article.

Safety precautions

Other precautions have been taken: The Islamic centers madrassa  the Arabic word for school  was on something of a lockdown Sunday.

That day, parents usually drop off their children for school, where they learn about the Koran, similar to the way Christian families take their children to Sunday school to learn about the Bible. But on this particular Sunday, teachers brought the children inside the school and kept them there, according to Hanan Mohamed, a member of the Islamic center and a teacher there.

Fearing that they could be targeted, Mohamed would not let them play outside, even during the unusually warm day.

Anybody can tell we are Muslims, said Mohamed, wearing a hijab. It was a hard day for us. It made us very scared.

Mohameds daughter, Dina Shehata, said that she understands the fear.

She knew Deah Shaddy Barakat, his wife, Yusor Mohammad Abu-Salha, and her sister, Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha, the three Muslim students allegedly killed by Craig Hicks at a Chapel Hill condominium complex on Feb. 10, 2015. Hicks turned himself in. A trial has not begun yet. The question of whether they were targeted for their religion or because of a parking dispute is still under federal investigation.

Shehata, 24, went to middle school with them in Raleigh years ago, she said, before getting an undergraduate degree at UNC Chapel Hill and graduate degree at N.C. State University.

Seeing those comments  them bringing up the school  its terrifying, Shehata said, referring to the overriding feeling among families at the Islamic center. Personally, I dont get scared from things like this. I believe Americans are generally good.

The center

The Islamic center sits on about 4 acres in northern Clemmons, near U.S. 421.

Radwan said his group bought it in 2004. Unlike allegations made by Jones, who suggested that the property was bought under the radar, Radwan said that the property, once home to a church, was simply up for sale. In fact, he said, the church sellers let Radwans group try out the place of worship for three months before buying it.

Now, there is a play area, a large outdoor picnic-style hall, two buildings and a parking lot.

About 40 families attend, but the center is also open to the community, even hosting interfaith events sometimes, Radwan said.

What does he think about the threats?

Radwan said he was aware of the comments, including those made by Del Valle about killing the hell out of Muslims. And he imagined the reverse: A group of Muslims sitting at a restaurant in Kernersville talking about committing acts of violence against Christians.

I wonder if one of (us) Muslims says the same words, exactly like Frank. Do you think that he would be free now or would he be arrested for conspiracy and terrorism?
Gov. Roy Cooper and N.C. Attorney General Josh Stein said Tuesday they will no longer appeal a federal court ruling that struck down North Carolinas sweeping and controversial elections law.

Cooper and Stein said in a news release they were taking steps to withdraw a petition to the U.S. Supreme Court. Former Republican Gov. Pat McCrory late last year joined in a petition asking the high court to hear the case. On Tuesday, the governors general counsel and chief deputy attorney general sent a letter ending outside council in the case on behalf of the state, the Governors Office said.

The Republican-led State Board of Elections, its individual members and its executive director will remain part of the case, the Governors Office said. But Patrick Gannon, spokesman for the State Board of Elections, said Tuesday no decision has been made. The board will meet today and will likely take up the issue.

We need to make it easier for people to exercise their right to vote, not harder, and I will not continue to waste time and money appealing this unconstitutional law, Cooper said in a statement. Its time for North Carolina to stop fighting this unfair, unconstitutional law and work instead to improve equal access for voters.

House Speaker Tim Moore and Senate Leader Phil Berger blasted Cooper and Stein in a joint statement.

Roy Coopers and Josh Steins desperate and politically motivated stunt to derail North Carolinas voter ID law is not only illegal, it also raises serious questions about whether theyve allowed their own personal and political prejudices and conflicts of interest to cloud their professional judgment, the Republicans said.

In July, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals struck down the law, known as the Voter Information Verification Act. The laws most well-known provision required voters to have a photo ID when casting a ballot.

The law also reduced the days of early voting, eliminated same-day voter registration and prohibited county elections officials from counting out-of-precinct ballots  all voting practices used disproportionately by black residents.

The court ruled that the voting restrictions target African Americans with almost surgical precision.

The ruling meant that the controversial law was not in effect for last years presidential elections.

Two trials on the states elections law were held in U.S. District Court in Winston-Salem in July 2015 and January 2016. U.S. District Judge Thomas Schroeder upheld the law. Plaintiffs, including the U.S. Department of Justice and the N.C. NAACP, appealed the ruling to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Republican legislators pushed through the law in three days in July 2013, a month after the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision invalidating a key section of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Section 5 required states and communities that had a history of racial discrimination to seek federal approval, known as pre-clearance, before making changes to their election laws. Forty counties in North Carolina were under the requirement.

Republican legislators argued that the law was necessary to ensure the integrity of the elections system and to guard against potential voter fraud. In-person voter fraud, however, is rare, according to elections experts and statistics from the State Board of Elections.

Bob Hall, executive director of Democracy North Carolina, applauded the decision and said that in raw numbers, the law actually hurt more white voters, including those who backed Republican legislators who backed it.

For example, research by Democracy North Carolina shows that only one in three (35 percent) of the voters using same-day registration in 2016 were Democrats, Hall said in a statement. Most were white Republicans and unaffiliated voters, and our research indicates that most of them supported Donald Trump and other Republican candidates.

Stein echoed Coopers sentiments regarding the case.

I support efforts to guarantee fair and honest elections, but those efforts should not be used as an excuse to make it harder for people to vote.
The Winston-Salem City Council has put into motion a plan to double Trans-AID fares from 50 cents to $1 per ride, and eliminate a free ride provision for some trips that Medicaid recipients take.

Meeting Monday at City Hall, the council also heard from advocates of Winston-Salem declaring itself to be a sanctuary city for refugees and unauthorized immigrants, but also heard people voice support for Council Member Dan Besses alternate proposal to have Winston-Salem pass a welcoming city resolution.

The council voted 7-1 to set in motion the process for raising fares for Trans-AID, although the actual increase would not go into effect until the public has had a chance to weigh in and the increase comes back before the city council.

Even so, the proposal was too much for Council Member James Taylor, who cast the only vote against the proposed increase. Taylor said theres too much dissatisfaction over the bus system at present to put in an increase.

Trans-AID is a bus service for the elderly and disabled that is operated by the Winston-Salem Transit Authority, which also runs the citys fixed-route bus system.

Eligible Trans-AID riders can book trips on buses that come to their houses and can take them to their destinations. For years, the fare has been only 50 cents per ride, but in practice many riders ride for free: Eligible Medicaid riders could get free transportation for medical visits that are covered by Medicaid, but they could also get free rides to other destinations by showing their Medicaid cards.

The fare increase is being sought at a time when the city has watched the reserves of the transit authority fund dwindle. Last September, the WSTA board of directors recommended fare increases for both the fixed-route and Trans-AID buses as a way of stopping the decline in the fund.

The regular, fixed-route buses are running under a new route structure thats drawn criticism for not bringing people as close to their homes as the former system did. The new routes were put in place at a higher cost to the city in order to make the bus system speedier and more direct.

The council decided not to raise fixed-route bus fares at present, and to focus instead on the Trans-AID service.

Under the proposal approved by the council, Medicaid riders would sill get free trips for Medicaid-covered purposes, but would have to pay for other trips.

Trans-AID ridership has increased greatly in recent years, from about 130,000 trips per year to about 205,000 trips. The heavily subsidized service costs about $3.7 million per year to operate.

Because of the large number of free rides, fare revenues amount to only $1,500 or so per year. With the increase and elimination of some free Medicaid rides, revenues could rise to $90,000.

Besse, speaking in favor of considering the Trans-AID fare increase, pointed out that Winston-Salems fares for the service are much lower than in other North Carolina cities of comparable size.

If the increase is approved we will still have the lowest Trans-AID fees, Besse said.

Welcoming City

Besse got support for his proposed welcoming city resolution on Monday, as more than a dozen speakers asked the city to express support for unauthorized immigrants and refugees. Some speakers called on the city to take a tougher line and declare sanctuary status, despite a state law that forbids such declarations.

Sanctuary cities, at least under North Carolina law, are ones that forbid law enforcement officers from asking people about their citizenship status or which refuse assistance to federal immigration officers. The Winston-Salem council has so far shown no inclination to cross the line of state law, although some speakers Monday urged them to do so.

This is not a time to do nothing, because if you do nothing youve done something horrible, said Will Cox, one of the organizers of the local sanctuary city effort.

Besses resolution, brought up last week, would have the city explore lawful steps it can take to reinforce our commitment to providing a safe and welcoming environment for immigrants, refugees and other newcomers to the city.

The councils general government committee will talk about Besses resolution and related issues during its March 21 meeting.
Aaron Carter, the singer-rapper who began performing as a child and had hit albums starting in his teen years, was found dead at his home in Southern California. He was 34. Representatives for Carters family confirmed the singers death Saturday. They did not provide any immediate further comment. A sheriff's official says deputies responding to reports of a medical emergency found a person deceased at the home in Lancaster. Aaron Carter, the younger brother of Nick Carter of the Backstreet Boys, performed as an opening act for Britney Spears as well as his brothers boy band, and appeared on the familys reality series, House of Carters.
WASHINGTON  Its a Watergate-era cliche that the cover-up is always worse than the crime. In the Mike Flynn affair, we have the first recorded instance of a cover-up in the absence of a crime.

Being covered up were the Dec. 29 phone calls between Flynn and the Russian ambassador to Washington. The presumed violation was Flynn negotiating with a foreign adversary while the Obama administration was still in office and, even worse, discussing with Sergey Kislyak the sanctions then being imposed upon Russia (for meddling in the 2016 elections).

Whats wrong with that? It is risible to invoke the Logan Act, passed during the John Adams administration, under which not a single American has been prosecuted in the intervening 218 years. It prohibits private citizens from negotiating with foreign powers. Flynn was hardly a private citizen. As Donald Trumps publicly designated incoming national security adviser, it was perfectly reasonable for him to be talking to foreign actors in preparation for assuming office within the month.

Worst case: He was telling Kislyak that the Trump administration might lift sanctions and therefore, comrade, no need for a spiral of retaliations. How different is this from Barack Obama telling Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, on an inadvertently open mic, during his 2012 re-election campaign, This is my last election. After my election, I have more flexibility.

Flynn would have been giving the Russians useful information that might well have contributed to Russias decision not to retaliate. Im no Russophile. But again: Whats wrong with that? Turns out, the Trump administration has not lifted those sanctions. Its all a tempest in an empty teapot.

The accusations of misbehavior by Flynn carry a subliminal echo of a long-standing charge against Richard Nixon that he interfered in the Paris peace talks in October 1968 to prevent his Democratic opponent from claiming a major foreign policy success on the eve of the presidential election.

But that kind of alleged diplomatic freelancing would have prolonged a war in which Americans were dying daily. The Flynn conversation was nothing remotely of the sort. Wheres the harm?

The harm was not the calls but Flynns lying about them. And most especially lying to the vice president who then went out and told the world Flynn had never discussed sanctions. You cant leave your vice president undercut and exposed. Flynn had to go.

Up to this point, the story makes sense. Except for one thing: Why the cover-up if there is no crime? Why lie about talking about sanctions? Its inexplicable. Did Flynn want to head off lines of inquiry about other contacts with Russians that might not have been so innocent? Massive new leaks suggest numerous contacts during the campaign between Trump associates and Russian officials, some of whom were intelligence agents. Up till now, however, reports The New York Times, there is no evidence of any Trump campaign collusion or cooperation with Russian hacking and other interference in the U.S. election.

Thus far. Which is why there will be investigations. Speculation ranges from the wildly malevolent to the rather loopily innocent.

At one end of the spectrum is the scenario wherein these campaign officials  including perhaps Flynn, perhaps even Trump  are compromised because of tainted business or political activities known to the Russians, to whom they are now captive. A fevered conspiracy in my view, but there are non-certifiable people who consider it possible.

At the benign end of the spectrum is that the easily flattered Trump imagines himself the great dealmaker who overnight becomes a great statesman by charming Vladimir Putin into a Nixon-to-China grand bargain  we jointly call off the new Cold War, join forces to destroy the Islamic State and reach a new accommodation for Europe that relieves us of some of the burden of parasitic allies.

To me, the idea is nuts, a narcissistic fantasy grounded in neither strategy nor history. But that doesnt mean Trump might not imagine it  after all, he maintains that if we had only stayed in Iraq to steal its oil, we wouldnt have the Islamic State. And if this has indeed been his thinking about Russia, it would make sense to surround himself with advisers who had extensive dealings there.

I believe neither of these scenarios but Im hard put to come up with alternatives. The puzzle remains. Why did Flynn lie? Until we answer that, the case of the cover-up in search of a crime remains unsolved.
Forsyth County seems on the path to raising pay for deputies and detention center officers in the Forsyth County Sheriffs Office. This is the proper thing to do to recruit new officers and maintain a professional force.

While county staff and commissioners discussed raises ranging from 1 to 4 percent of their current salaries in a meeting last week, most commissioners supported giving current employees a 2-percent raise, the Journals Jordan Howe reported last week. Thats a move in the right direction.

There are currently about 65 openings in the sheriffs office, 43 of which are at the countys detention center, Brad Stanley of the sheriffs office told the Journal.

There is a demand and a limited supply, Stanley said. Forsyth Tech had people planned to take BLET (Basic Law Enforcement Training) but right after the Dallas police shooting, people started withdrawing.

Interest in law enforcement has decreased statewide, Stanley told the Journal. Id attribute (the decrease) to societal feelings toward law enforcement, the number of officers assaulted and killed in the line of duty, and the availability and accessibility of information. Ten or 20 years ago, I wouldnt know about a police shooting right away, but now its breaking news and I can see it on my phone.

Stanley is right. Wed like to discredit the danger, but its real, and 24-hour media brings its reality to us more swiftly and graphically than in times past. The job is also demanding, and tensions between the police and the public can be harsh.

People were asking themselves, is the risk of doing this job worth the reward? Stanley told the Journal. Were working toward the point where the answer is yes.

The county rightly wants to increase its base pay to match the base pay of the Winston-Salem Police Department, $36,250. Members of our police force are worth every cent and more. So are deputies.

Higher salaries will help, but more than that is needed to improve officers morale. We should show our officers the support they deserve. Lets take the opportunity, when it arises, to voice our appreciation.
NANCY FERRIERI, Kernersville

Loving America

On the cover page of the Feb.17 Journal you had a headline, A Day Without Immigrants. This was fine, as it was a national protest. What I find offensive was to have a picture of a car driving by with a Mexican lady hold a large Mexican flag out the window.

I have no problem with any immigrants coming to America and voicing their opinions, we all have immigrant ancestors. My grandfather at the age of 14 came to America by himself in 1899. He received his American citizenship in 1906. He married my grandmother, another German immigrant, they learned English and never spoke German to their four children.

My husbands family immigrated from Italy and they raised their family speaking English. Both of these men proudly served their country during World War I, and their sons during World War II and their grandson in Vietnam. These were proud American families; both families kept traditions of the past but they always put America first.

We all have a right to protest when we believe there is an injustice. The problem is that this womans actions it clearly show she does not love our country. If she did, she would have had an American flag blowing in the wind.

All immigrants no matter what country they come from should embrace our country, learn the English language and enjoy the freedoms America has to offer them. May God continue to bless America.

******

LOIS ROEWADE, Pfafftown

My legislators: MIA

Sens. Richard Burr and Thom Tillis and Rep. Virginia Foxx have been spotted regularly in Washington D.C., so we know they are alive and well. But it appears that none of them will be spotted in the state of North Carolina during the week of congressional break, this week. We know this because many of these legislators constituents weeks ago began requesting town hall meetings. We received either no reply to our multiple requests or sorry, he/she is unavailable. Then we asked for a small group meeting. Same response. Then some of us asked for a one-on-one meeting: same reply. From all of them.

Nobody likes having to face tough questions from whoever is paying their salary  in this case, we, the taxpayers. But we have a right to ask those questions, and those who work for us have an obligation to answer them. The form letters we receive to our written requests are meaningless, empty statements of platitudes. The Congress people need to meet with us face-to-face and respond to our concerns about the many serious issues that are facing our country.

Their unwillingness to meet with constituents to discuss the frightening, destructive and un-American policies and statements coming from this administration is shameful and cowardly. Republicans in North Carolina and across the nation refusing to meet with constituents strongly indicates the power of the growing resistance of the 54 percent of the people who did not vote for this president.

******

JOHN MCHAFFIE, Winston-Salem

No Profile in Courage here

Sen. Richard Burr is refusing to hold town hall meetings during the February recess, a time-honored tradition when our members of Congress have the opportunity to come face-to-face with peoples opinions and concerns.

Is it conceivable that Burr is somehow ignorant of the representational nature of our democracy and his role in it? Or does Burr simply lack the moral strength to engage with those whose views might run counter to his recent actions in the Senate?

While I strongly suspect it is the latter, his refusal clearly demonstrates that he has pitifully little regard for the former. Constituents deserve the opportunity to share their views and personal stories about how the current administrations policies impact their lives through direct contact.

Sen. Burr, may wish to hide, but, frankly, its his job to listen to all of his constituents. So, do your job!

RONNIE MILLER, Winston-Salem

Nothing of substance

I know you like to print different points of view on the editorial page, but the Feb. 14 column by Ed Rogers, Elizabeth Warren is grandstanding, was sub-par at best and wasnt worthy of being printed at all.

The only thing Rogers offered the reader was ad hominem attacks on Sen. Elizabeth Warrens character. He said nothing about the substance of Warrens actions, reading a letter written by Coretta Scott King that criticized Jeff Sessions when he was being considered for a federal judgeship  a position for which he was ultimately found to be unfit. One would think this to be important evidence to mention when Sessions was being considered for the highest justice position in the nation.

Rogers speculates that Warren was performing stunts to help her fundraising  as if that would be different from Rep. Jason Chaffetz or any other Republican legislator  but there was nothing in her words or actions that day that varied from the courage, outspokenness and integrity she typically shows in her job. Rogers clearly has no idea who Warren is  but that didnt stop him from maligning her character.

I know that we all have our opinions, but when we turn to the Journals opinion pages, we hope to see opinions that are based on some kind of evidence or reason. Please try to avoid this kind of sloppy opinionating in the future.

******

DAVID LEE EVANS, Winston-Salem

Help for Bloxham

As a graduate of R.J. Reynolds High School in the mid-60s, it was disappointing to read about the Reynolds students charged with criminal behavior against one of our citizens, Bill Bloxham. What were they thinking? We are young and strong  he is old and weak? Whatever their reasoning, now their educational opportunities will be delayed just when they need them the most.

If they are found guilty, punishment will ensue, determined by our court system. With hope, they each will feel remorse for the actions they chose and the harm done to this man as a result of these choices. And then decide that this is behavior they will never choose again.

I plan to contribute to the GoFundMe fund set up for Bill Bloxham. In doing so, I want to help with medical costs and recovery needs as his wounds (both seen and unseen) have a chance to heal. I urge alumni and current Reynolds students to do likewise. By doing so, we send a message to the community and to all area high schools that Reynolds rejects violence in any shape, fashion or form.

A quote from the 1965 Reynolds Black & Gold annual seems appropriate: All experience is an arch wherethrough gleams that untraveled world  Tennyson.

With hope, these accused students will find a way out of a world of darkness and begin to travel into a world of light. At this point, they may not know such a world exists.

******

DAVID BOTCHIN, Winston-Salem

Take a vote

Gov. Roy Cooper has stated numerous times that there are enough votes to repeal HB2 if put to a vote in the state legislature. Senate Majority Leader Phil Berger Sr. and House Majority Leader Tim Moore have repeatedly stated that there are not enough votes to repeal HB2 and that they would consider a reasonable compromise.

If Berger and Moore are so confident that a vote will not result in a repeal of HB2 then: Why do they even want to consider a compromise?

Why dont they put it to a vote and silence the opposition?

What are Berger and Moore afraid of if they are so sure they will win and so committed to protecting women and children?

Put it to a vote now!

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Zhao Yongjiu is a street cleaner who sends children to school with his small earnings. (Photo : Twitter)

Zhao Yongjiu is a Chinese philanthropist and a street cleaner whose reputation went viral online. He works as a street cleaner in Shenyang.



The street cleaner earns $350 a month from two jobs with the local sanitation office. He uses his earnings to pay for rent and needs for him and his mother.



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For the past 30 years, Zhao donated 170,000 yuan to send 37 children to school. He made his pledge after his father died in 1976.



He said that he wanted to give back for all the help that he received after his father's death.



Much Chinese, rich or poor, have started initiatives to help the poor, especially to assist in their education. The Harvard Kennedy School created an index of 100 generous Chinese donors that help underprivileged children.



Researchers at the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation were able to come up with a list of the 100 largest donors and examined how much was donated to various causes.



The researchers found out that China's most wealthy donate to the academe and the least to environmental problem amid the worsening air quality in the country.



"People are now paying so much attention to the habits of China's richest citizens. Thirty years ago, everybody was equally poor," said Peiran Wei, a researcher at the center.



He added, "In the context of philanthropy--where they donate, who they give it to, things like that--the data becomes a very important tool, not just to ordinary people, but also to the government and to business and to people who want to do good things."



The researcher also said that the influence and financial might that are the most indicative of their ability to donate.



The research is called the "China Philanthropy Project" and aimed to see the patterns of philanthropy in the country. By presenting the data, they hope that the initiatives will improve.



According to Edward Cunningham, director of the China Public Policy and Globalization Program of the Kennedy School, said that Chinese philanthropists want to teach their children that they should be grounded and learn to give back.



He said, "I think part of the motivation is that they're trying to create a road map for their own children and future generations in terms of not just giving back, but trying to ground the younger generation in terms of priorities."



Chinese millionaire street cleaners want to impart the same value and the reason behind their hard work in spite of their accumulated wealth.


China's rural educational system is underdeveloped. (Photo : Getty Images)

The "Touching China" awardee is Zhi Yueying, a 55-year-old teacher who has been teaching in a rural school in Jiangxi Province for the past 40 years.



Upon receiving the award, she describes herself as "just an ordinary person doing ordinary things". She was honored for her contribution to the country and in the field of rural education in China.



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The "Touching China" awards is an annual event hosted by the China Central Television to recognize various members of society and their heroic roles in Chinese society.



She started teaching at age 19 in a rural school located in the mountains of Fengxian county at an altitude of about 1,000 meters. The nearest town is 45 km away.



"Children in the mountains have no idea about the outside world, so knowledge is their only hope of leaving," she said.



Aside from teaching, she also helps in paying tuition fees of poor children, which was hard for her with her low salary. She was dedicated to her profession that contributed to society outside the classroom.



She was married in 1982 but had to move 50 km up the mountains. She had to be separated from her husband.



Later, she was promoted to headmaster. She taught math and arts and drove in her motorcycle to bring in new equipment for the school.



She would later teach herself how to use the computer to bring in "ideas from the outside world" to the school.



In 2012, she was assigned to a poor upland community in Baiyang in Fengxian county. She said that she persisted in fulfilling the post because she couldn't leave the kids without learning.



"Children in the mountains are my children too," she said. "I am the daughter of the mountains and I will not stop teaching, so long as my health allows."



The system for rural education in China has been neglected. According to a study by the Asian Development Bank, "China has an urban-rural gap of close to three years of education."


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By Tharanga Yakupitiyage | (Inter Press Service) |  

NEW YORK (IPS)  New restrictions on immigrants and refugees coming to the United States are also posing challenges for foreign correspondents covering news in the United States. Some have had to indefinitely postpone plans to report on conflicts in the Middle East while others have found an unfriendly reminder of their past treatment as journalists in less free countries.



Confusion over the implementation of the US travel ban has left journalists unable to travel. Credit: Rebecca Murray/IPS.

U.S. President Donald Trumps immigration executive order sent shockwaves throughout the world as citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries and all refugees were barred from entering the country for 90 days and 120 days respectively.

Though the travel ban is temporarily on hold following a court decision to reject its reinstatement, President Trump stood by his policy, calling it common sense and promising to keep the wrong people out of the U.S. Trump announced Thursday that he would sign a new Executive Order next week which will address some of the legal issues raised by the U.S. courts.

Within the millions affected by the travel ban are journalists, many of whom were caught amidst the chaos and confusion as the initial Executive Order was implemented.

In the wake of the order, BBC journalist Ali Hamedani, an Iranian-born British citizen, was detained and questioned upon his arrival at Chicagos OHare airport for over two hours.

I was always dreaming to live here, to write stories here, to be able to travel to places and write whatever I wanted to write about without being persecuted,  Journalist Sama Dizayee.

He said his phone and computer were searched, including his social media accounts.

It wasnt pleasant at all. To be honest with you, I was arrested back home in Iran in 2009 because I was working for the BBC and I felt the same this time, he said.

Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian, a dual American and Iranian citizen, also expressed his fear about the major impact of the new policy on his family, stating: This isnt the America I promised [my wife] when we were finally set free.

Rezaian spent nearly two years in an Iranian prison after being arrested on charges including espionage and propaganda against the government.

CNN editor and award-winning journalist Mohammed Tawfeeq, who is an Iraqi national and legal permanent resident of the U.S., was detained in Atlanta where he was subjected to additional screening. He promptly filed a federal lawsuit challenging the executive order.

We are concerned when policies adopted by countries restrict the access and movement of journalistsWe believe that journalists should be allowed to enter countries, to report on them regardless of where those countries are, Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)s Advocacy Director Courtney Radsch told IPS.

The ban also affects foreign correspondents covering the United Nations. Although there is a specific exception for journalists traveling as part of diplomatic delegations to the United Nations, the original executive order does not directly address any other media visas given to foreign media representatives traveling to or who are already in the country.

The restrictions have also concerned journalist Sama Dizayee, an Iraqi journalist who is a green card holding legal permanent resident in the U.S.

Dizayee told IPS that she had a trip planned to London but was forced to cancel it once the travel ban was implemented.

I wake up and [saw] all of these people that were detained, deported back to their home countriesI was like oh my god Im a legal resident here in America and I came all the way from Iraq here to pursue journalism, a dream that I always wanted and now my freedom is threatened, she told IPS.

The Department of Homeland Security later clarified the policy in relation to green card holders, stating that U.S. permanent residents from one of the seven countries are not automatically barred from entry and will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Despite this, Dizayee, who initially had refugee status before becoming a permanent resident, said she still did not want to take the risk.

Do I really want to become subject to extra screening and hours of being held at the airport? Do I really want to be profiled as a Muslim Iraqi here in the U.S.? This is not an experience I want to remember, she said.

Dizayee told IPS that she has always been subjected to extra screening due to her background, waiting for hours to be released.

That really stays with youand it has now become a law with this travel ban, she said.

Dizayee highlighted that the stakes are particularly high for journalists whose work is now limited due to the inability to travel.

[Journalists] go places to cover storiesthey go to Iraq, to Lebanon, we travel all the time, she said, adding that she had planned to travel to Iraq to cover the Mosul battle.

I cant be there now, I cant write that story, Dizayee continued.

CPJ issued a safety advisory for journalists, recommending that those who are from one of the seven countries with media visas in the U.S. should not leave within the time period covered by the executive order.

Radsch also advised journalists not to travel with mobile or other devices or to make sure confidential or important information is backed up rather than on their devices.

This order is helping to highlight the importance of [digital security] for journalists, she told IPS.

The U.S. order has already emboldened other governments to implement similar policies, including the Iraqi government which approved a reciprocity measure banning Americans from entering the Middle Eastern country, further restricting information flow across borders and journalists ability to report.

Radsch highlighted the need to get clarity on how the order is impacting journalists and what the regulations are.

She also told IPS that journalists have been subject to secondary screening and questioning at the border before this new policy, including Canadian photojournalist Ed Ou who was pulled aside and interrogated for six hours on his way to cover the Dakota Access Pipeline protests. After refusing to surrender the password to his devices, Ed Ou was denied entry into the U.S.

Dizayee expressed uncertainty and apprehension regarding the future of the new travel restrictions.

I was always dreaming to live here, to write stories here, to be able to travel to places and write whatever I wanted to write about without being persecuted, she told IPS.

I am not going anywhere for the next 90 days for sure, Dizayee continued.

The immigration executive order, initially implemented at the end of January, was denounced by several human rights groups and politicians, including the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights who said: Discrimination on nationality alone is forbidden under human rights law. The US ban is also mean spirited, and wastes resources needed for proper counter-terrorism.

Similarly, Irans foreign minister, Javad Sarif, said the Trump Administrations decision would be recorded in history as a great gift to extremists and their supporters while Swedish foreign affairs minister Margot Wallstrom said she was deeply concerned by a decision that creates mistrust between people.

Others expressed support for the move including Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull who stated that it is vital that every nation is able to control who comes across its borders.

Via Inter Press Service
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By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) |  

The interview that emerged on the internet of practicing Catholic Milo Yiannopoulos expressing approval of some instances of priest pedophilia with boys has perhaps ended his career as the most flamboyant voice of the neo-KKK in suits. But those remarks are hardly the most objectionable things Yiannopoulos has said; at least he seems to have been talking in part about his own experience. What is really monstrous is the lies he told, and which he was encouraged by his boss Steve Bannon to tell, about Hillary Clinton being involved in a pedophilia ring.

Steve Bannon, now sitting on our National Security Council (and perhaps in control of which of its recommendations goes to Trump), hired Yiannopoulos as an editor at his alt-NeoNazi rag, Breitbart, and helped unleash him on the United States. Bannons choice of proteges tells us everything we need to know about him and his agenda in the Trump White House. (Yiannopoulos himself has spoken about how Bannon hired and promoted him).

Newsweek reminds us that last fall

Milo Yiannopoulos, who lost his Twitter access earlier this year after one too many online insults against women and minorities, was on the campus of Miami University in Ohio, scheduled to talk about PIZZAGATE: The deep Dish on Liberalism and Pedophilia.

Yiannopoulos pushed the fake news that Hillary Clinton, her campaign manager John Podesta, and others in her circle were involved in two scandals. One was spirit cooking or witchcraft. The other was involvement in a pedophilia ring run out of a Washington, DC, pizzeria (an establishment that has suffered reputational damage and actually was shot up by a Bannon-Trump acolyte). I dont understand why they never sued.

Yiannopoulos said he was not surprised at Secretary Clintons alleged involvement in spirit cooking because he had long been aware that witchcraft and Lesbianism go together.

Bannon cleverly used far rightwing narcissists like Yiannopoulos to spread around the most ridiculous and yet sinister charges against Secretary Clinton, which were apparently actually believed in the far right circles he cultivated.

So it is especially ironic that, having falsely charged the Democratic Establishment with pedophilia, that Yiannopoulos himself should have been revealed to be a proponent of it. Indeed, it is hard not to conclude that his charges against Clinton were form of projection, in which he transferred his real feelings incorrectly to her.

Given that Bannon hired and relentlessly promoted Yiannopoulos to spread hate speech and dark conspiracy theories, and given that his protege has been revealed to be so deeply flawed, is it really appropriate (was it ever really appropriate) to have Bannon in the White House? What kind of judge of character can we depend on Bannon to be?

Shouldnt Bannon have to tell us if he ever discussed pedophilia with his close associate Yiannopoulos?

Bannon should resign. Or he should be fired.

-

Related videos:

1.

2.

Newsy: Milo Yiannopoulos wont speak at CPAC
The Florida Supreme Court [official website] ruled [order, PDF; opinion, PDF] Monday that prosecutors can seek the death penalty during an ongoing case despite constitutional concerns with Floridas death penalty law. Last October the states Supreme Court ruled [JURIST report] that the states new death penalty law was unconstitutional. The US Supreme Court had ruled in January of last year that the states death penalty sentencing gave too much power to judges and therefore was unconstitutional [JURIST report]. Mondays ruling addressed whether the courts previous ruling affected cases that were currently being prosecuted. Attorney General Pam Bondi [official website] stated [press release]: I am pleased with the Florida Supreme Courts decision today to allow ongoing capital punishment cases to proceed with proper jury instruction. This decision provides our courts with the clarification needed to proceed with murder cases in which the death penalty is sought. The court had released [Orlando Sentinel report] an opinion last month stating that the death penalty couldnt be applied in pending cases, but withdrew the opinion almost immediately. Bills are currently pending in the Florida legislature to correct the concern over non-unanimous jury votes handing down death sentences.

The death penalty has been a pressing issue across the country. Earlier this month the Mississippi house approved a bill [JURIST report] allowing firing squad executions. Also this month a judge for the US District Court for the Southern District of Ohio refused to lift [JURIST report] a preliminary injunction that delays executions in Ohio. Last month Judge Michael Merz blocked [JURIST report] Ohios lethal injection protocol by deeming it unconstitutional under the Eighth Amendment. In January the US Supreme Court refused [JURIST report] to consider a challenge to Alabamas death penalty system. In December a report by the Death Penalty Information Center found that the use of capital punishment in the US is at a 20-year low [JURIST report].
BRICS is a group composed of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. (Photo : Getty Images)

During a meeting with South African Foreign Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, Chinese Wang Yi shared that the country vows strengthened coordination with other BRICS members, especially South Africa, in preparation for the upcoming BRICS Leaders Summit, Xinhua News Agency reported.



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BRICS is a group composed of five major emerging national economies namely Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.



The said summit is slated to happen in September in the coastal city of Xiamen in southeast China. According to Wang, the event aims to contribute in developing the members of the alliance.



The Chinese official also noted that the summit will be beneficial in promoting "more inclusive and balanced economic globalization," the article wrote. For China, BRICS Summit is further considered as a way to allow the group's "mechanism to play its role of rebalancing organization."



Meanwhile, Wang remarked that through BRICS, South Africa and China have the opportunity to foster their ties, obtaining "fruitful results" from "profound" mutual political trust.



Citing some major concerns and areas of symbiotic interests, Wang said that the "two countries understand and firmly support each other, incessantly deepening their strategic partnership."



The two BRICS nations are set to hold the first ever China-South Africa High-Level People-to-People Exchange Mechanism.



During the 2015 Johannesburg Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, the partnering countries reached a number of agreements. Wang enthused that the government is ready to work hand in hand with South Africa to make the said plans happen.



Sharing the same sentiment, Nkoana-Mashabane acknowledged China as a strategic partner to South Africa. The BRICS members are also ready to further strengthen ties and deepen its political trust with the economic giant.



Moreover, the South African official noted that they also aim to fortify their partnership with China in terms of implementing different global as well as regional cooperation mechanism such as the BRICS.


[JURIST] Islamic State (IS) [BBC backgrounder] fighters are arbitrarily detaining, ill-treating, torturing and forcibly marrying Sunni Arab women and girls in areas under their control in Iraq, Human Rights Watch (HRW) [advocacy website] reported [press release] on Monday. Although gender-based violence has been common under IS rule, these are the first cases of such violence being perpetrated upon Sunni Arab women. HRW researchers interviewed six women who had escaped from IS control and are now being treated for psychological trauma in Kirkuk. One of the women explained that she was forced to marry her cousin, an IS fighter. Another described being raped daily in front of her children while being held in a large abandoned house. Experts explained the difficulty in assessing the prevalence of gender-based violence among women who have fled IS rule as they generally remain silent to avoid stigmatization. In a statement, HRW Deputy Middle East Director Lama Fakih [official profile] said that she hopes the international community and local authorities will do all they can to give this group of victims the support they need.

Iraqi civilians continue to be victimized by the forces fighting in Iraq. The UN reported last month that 19,266 Iraqi civilian casualties occurred in 2016 alone [JURIST report], with 6,878 killed and 12,388 wounded. Since 2014 IS has reportedly launched [JURIST report] over 19 chemical attacks against Mosul. In November UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad Al Hussein called for immediate action [JURIST report] for IS victims to ensure that their rights are being upheld in Iraq. That month, Amnesty International (AI) accused [JURIST report] Iraqi police forces of torturing and unlawfully killing villagers near Mosul during last years offensive in the city. In October AI accused Iraqi government forces of human rights abuses [JURIST report], citing them as possible revenge killings. In September the UN reported that two-thirds of those injured or killed the prior month were civilians [JURIST report].
[JURIST] A Tel Aviv military court on Tuesday issued an 18-month prison sentence to an Israeli soldier who stirred Middle Eastern tensions after executing a Palestinian last year. Contrary to military guidelines, Sgt. Elor Azaria, an army medic, shot [AP report] the unarmed and wounded Palestinian after the man had stabbed a soldier in the city of Hebron. In January a three-judge panel convicted [JURIST report] Azaria of manslaughter upon finding [verdict] that his intentions were not justifiable. While prosecutors demanded a prison sentence of three to five years, the court settled on the lower sentence along with a years probation and rank demotion. The Israeli public has largely protested that Azaria deserved to be pardoned, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu [official website] has recently echoed such statements. The Palestinian public, in stark contrast, has accused the sentence of being too light, calling the decision a promotion of excessive force and Palestinian discrimination. Nevertheless, Azaria is scheduled to begin the controversial sentence early next month.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been at the forefront of recent international news and reports. On Monday Amnesty International urged [JURIST report] the Israeli Supreme Court to repeal a 2003 law that bans many Palestinians from entering the country, including those who are seeking reunification with their families. Last month Netanyahu said he will be lifting restrictions [JURIST report] on Israelis building settlements in East Jerusalem. Also last month US President Donald Trump was warned [JURIST report] by Palestinian leaders not to move the US embassy to Jerusalem. In December a spokesperson for British Prime Minister Theresa May condemned remarks [JURIST report] made by then-US Secretary of State John Kerry on the current Israeli government. In a speech given in December Kerry criticized the building of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, stating that such actions jeopardize prospects of peace in the Middle East. Netanyahu in December summoned [JURIST report] the ambassadors of the 14 UN Security Council members who supported a resolution condemning Israels settlement in Palestine to rebuke them for the vote. Following the passage of this resolution, Netanyahu also ordered the countrys foreign ministers to reevaluate Israels ties to the UN within the month.
[JURIST] The New Zealand High Court [official website] ruled [judgment] on Monday that Kim Dotcom [website], the founder of content-sharing site Megaupload.com, is eligible for extradition to the US on fraud offenses. Dotcom and his alleged co-conspirators are facing numerous charges after US authorities seized Megaupload.com in 2012 [USA Today report], claiming that the site cost copyright holders at least $500 million in lost revenue. The US has sought extradition [JURIST report] for years, having to disclose an unprecedented amount of evidence for the case as far back as 2012. According to the opinion, the extradition of Dotcom falls within Article II of the New Zealand extradition treaty with the US and the New Zealand Extradition Act [texts], but not because of the sharing of copyright protected works. The ruling states that Dotcom is not eligible for extradition for these charges because online communication of copyright protected works to the public is not a criminal offence in New Zealand. However, the court concluded that Dotcom can be extradited on the fraud charges because they also translate to crimes in New Zealand.

File-sharing sites and the sharing of copyrighted materials continues to be a global issue. In February the Swedish Court of Patent Appeals and the Market Court [official website, in Swedish], an appellate court with exclusive jurisdiction over intellectual property cases, ordered [judgment, PDF, in Swedish] an Internet service provider (ISP) to block access to the file-sharing site The Pirate Bay and the streaming site Swefilmer [corporate websites]. In December the Federal Court of Australia ordered [JURIST report] an ISP to block five named companies and all their related websites. The same issue was decided by Irish and Dutch courts [JURIST reports] in 2013 and 2014, where the courts came to different results. The co-founder of Pirate Bay, Gottfrid Svartholm Warg, has also been involved in several lawsuits over alleged hacking. In 2013 a Swedish court found him guilty [JURIST report] of hacking and fraud and sentenced him to two years in prison, which was later reduced [JURIST report] to one year. In 2014 he was found guilty [JURIST report] by a Danish court of hacking into public records.
[JURIST] A Portuguese court ordered the extradition of former US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) [official website] operative Sabrina de Sousa to Italy Tuesday for a four-year prison sentence. De Sousa had been convicted in absentia along with 26 other Americans for the kidnapping of Soama Moustafa Hassan Nasr from Milan in 2003. The abduction took place as part of the US rendition program implemented by the Bush administration after the September 11, 2001 terror attacks. Under this program, suspected terrorists were kidnapped and transported to secure locations for interrogation and torture. The Portuguese Constitutional Court [official website] previously found that her extradition order was constitutional [JURIST report], and she has been awaiting the official extradition order. With this order, de Sousa was detained [Guardian report] by Portuguese police Monday and is expected to be extradited within days. De Sousa will be the first CIA operative to be jailed because of the rendition program.

Nasr, also known as Abu Omar, was seized on the streets of Milan in 2003 by CIA agents with the help of Italian operatives. He was then allegedly transferred to Egypt and tortured by Egypts State Security Intelligence before being released [JURIST reports] in February 2007. In September 2009 the US Department of Justice [official website] filed a motion to dismiss [JURIST report] a lawsuit brought by De Sousa seeking diplomatic immunity against the Italian charges. De Sousa was one of many operatives whose sentences were increased [JURIST report] from five to seven years in 2010 by an Italian intermediate appellate court and upheld by the Italian Court of Cassation in 2012. In February the European Court of Human Rights condemned [JURIST report] Italy for its role in the rendition program.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights [official website] issued a statement [text] Monday calling for an immediate halt to widespread human rights violations allegedly committed by government officials in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) [official website]. Zeid Raad Al Hussein [official profile], said the violence is part of a military effort to address the root causes of conflict between the government and local militias, but the result has been the unlawful targeting of civilians. In his statement, Zeid said a halt to the escalation in violence is especially necessary now because the conflicts are spilling into provinces that were considered relatively calm. He went on to state:

It is time to stop a blunt military response that does nothing to tackle the root causes of the conflict between the Government and local militias but instead targets civilians on the basis of their presumed links to the militias. In line with its international human rights obligations, the DRC Government must ensure that its security forces, including the police and the army, respect and protect life and only resort to firearms as a last resort when faced with an imminent threat to life or of serious injury.

The escalation of violence is, in part, in response to a graphic video that shows the killing of unarmed men and women with alleged ties to a local militia by DRC military personnel. The events in the video took place on December 21, according to statements [Radio Okapi report, in French] made by DRC Minister of Communication and Media Lambert Mende.

The DRC and surrounding region has seen a high level of conflict in the past decades, and the extension of presidential terms has been a contributing issue in many African nations. Last week the UN human rights office expressed concern [JURIST report] over reports that at least 101 people have been killed by Congolese soldiers. Last October violent protests erupted [JURIST report] in the country after the electoral commission announced that the next presidential election, originally scheduled for November 2016, would be pushed back to 2018. The commission stated that it needed more time to prepare supplies and voter registration lists. In the beginning of 2016 former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon urged African leaders to avoid using loopholes and undemocratic constitutional changes to cling to power [JURIST report]. In 2015 protests and demonstrations [JURIST report] took place across the DRC to oppose the proposed changes in the law that would allow DRC President Joseph Kabila to extend his presidential term past the allotted two-year limit, and the government was accused of using excessive force against these protesters.
The 2014 trial of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi failed to meet international fair trial standards, according to a UN report [text, PDF] published Tuesday. The UN closely monitored [press release] the proceedings and conducted individual investigations with integral parties. The report recognized efforts made by the government to elevate standards, one being the decision to live broadcast the trial. However, the monitors identified several prominent violations of international law occurring throughout the trials of the former regime. Such violations include the failure to afford the defendants adequate due process and access to lawyers. The UN also condemned the prosecution in this case for interfering with the Gaddafis right to defense. Specifically, the report alleges that the proceedings violated aspects of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights [text, PDF] including Article 14(3)(C) which affords individuals the right to be present for their trial. Gaddafi was tried and sentenced to death in absentia, as he was being held by rebels at the time. The report lays out ways to conform to International Standards, by asking for a review of the Penal Code, also urging Libya to hand Gaddafi over to the International Criminal Court (ICC) [official website].

Since the wake of the February 17 revolution in 2011, Libya has been struggling to form a stable government that can control its vast population. To try and combat the rise of violence and crimes in the country, the ICC announced in November 2016 that it would expand investigations [JURIST report] in Libya due to the widespread unlawfulness and violence threatening the lives of many civilians. The unlawfulness in the country was due to a lack of government, with multiple factions fighting for power. In August the UN-backed government in Libya was given a vote of no confidence [JURIST report] by the House of Representatives. In May an ICC official urged that the rule of law, specifically accountability and justice [JURIST report] were key in creating and preserving peace in Libya.
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Three angles of a smartphones are displayed to showcase its features. (Photo : YouTube/ MobySmartCat)

Nokia P1 along with along with Nokia 3310 and other classic Nokia phones could potentially appear at the forthcoming Mobile World Congress 2017. Although lacking of official confirmation, most fans hinge their hope of the said smartphones appearances to recent leaks and speculations online.



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The P1 model of Nokia is considered by many as a flagship phone. Since reports of its possible launching at the MWC 2017, fans have scoured the internet of its specs and features. The said Nokia device likely feature a 5.3in display covered in Gorilla Glass with IP57 dust and waterproof protection, according to Express.



Since it has been dubbed as the most powerful Nokia smartphone to date, it will be equipped with the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, 6GB of RAM and 256GB storage. All the said hardware will all powered by a massive 3,500mAh battery.



While reports of the upcoming Nokia Android smartphone proliferate the web, a comeback of Nokia classic phones has also surfaced the internet. In a separate report, Nokia 3310 has already been mentioned for its potential return in the market. However, aside from the 3310 model, other classic phones has also been mentioned by Android Authority that could make a comeback this year.



Based on the report, Nokia N93i could also make a possible comeback under the leadership of HMD Global. The Finnish company who now have the rights to release Nokia smartphones could potentially include in their lineup other classic hit phones.



Aside from the Nokia N93i, Nokia 8110 could also make a comeback after it was launched back in 1996. In retrospect, the phone had increased its gained popularity after it was used by Keanu Reeves' in his movie "The Matrix."



Lastly, another rumored comeback deals with the return of a prominent Nokia feature. The 41.3MP PureView rear camera could also be returned to circulation after it was first used in 2007 in the Nokia 808, which still holds up to now the record for the smartphone that has the highest resolution sensor.



Watch here below potential look of the P1 model:






Indian biscuit maker Britannia Industries has signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding with Greek cake-to-croissant maker Chipita that could lead to a joint venture between the two companies.

In a filing with the Bombay Stock Exchange today (21 February), Britannia said: The company has signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding with Chipita, a Greek company, for exploring certain business opportunities. The company is in advance stage of discussion with Chipita to finalise definitive agreements inter-alia that include joint venture agreement.

The filing came after a report from Indian newspaper The Economic Times, which carried quotes from Britannia managing director Varun Berry on the possible venture.

We see immense scale through this partnership, since the categories are highly scalable and are bridge products between biscuits, chocolates and fresh bakery, at competitive prices, Berry said, according to The Economic Times.

The report said Britannia would like hold a majority stake in the venture.

Berry added: This partnership gives us a long runway for aggressive growth in a completely new category.

In its stock market filing today, Britannia said: The company will inform the stock exchange once the partnership is established and agreements are signed.

Chipitas operations focus primarily on four product categories: croissants, savoury snacks such as baked rolls, cakes and confectionery. The company operates brands including Fineti, 7 Days and Chipicao. The companys products are sold in 66 countries around the world, including India. Chipita manufactures products in 17 plants located in nine different countries.

Last week, Britannia reported higher nine-month sales and earnings but outlined the impact it saw the Indian governments demonetisation move in November have on its third-quarter results.
Saudi airstrike hits Hodeidah (Photo : RSAF)

Yemeni forces of ousted President Mansour Hadi supported by a coalition of Arab countries led by Saudi Arabia have seized several strategic ports along the Red Sea held by Houthi rebels allied with Iran in a new offensive.



The goal of the offensive is the capture of the port city of Hodeidah or Al-Hudaydah, the largest port city and the fourth largest city in Yemen. Hodeidah is also the site of the Hodeidah International Airport.



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The offensive along Yemen's cost bordering the Red Sea is meant to deny Houthis locations from which they can launch missile and suicide boat attacks against warships of the Saudi-led coalition and the U.S. Navy. On Jan. 30, the Houthis badly damaged the RSN Al Madinah (F702), a guided missile frigate of the Royal Saudi Navy, using a remote controlled suicide boat.



The Houthis apparently launched and controlled this suicide boat from Hodeidah.



Yemeni forces allied with Saudi Arabia recently broadcast video of their fighters cheering after taking the key Red Sea port of al-Mukha, also known as Mocha, to the south of Hodeidah. Yemen's capital of Sana'a in the interior remains under the control of Houthi rebels, however.



Saudi Arabia and its Yemeni allies described the capture of al-Mukha as their biggest military victory over the Houthis in months.



Yemeni government forces under the cover of heavy airstrikes by Saudi-led coalition fighter jets last week attacked al-Mukha in Taiz province, forcing the Houthis to flee to the rugged mountains or retreat to Hodeida province.



Houthi rebels that fled al-Mukha hid in dense farms in the town of Khokha, and planted landmines to obstruct Saudi-Yemeni government forces, said Brig. Gen. Abdo Abdullah Majili, Yemeni army spokesperson.



"The militia that left al-Mukha are hiding in Khokha, Yakhtel and Abo Zuhrah in Hodeida. They deploy their snipers inside the thick palm trees farms and plant landmines." said Gen. Majili.


Dallas, TX, USA, 02/21/2017 /SubmitPressRelease123/

The Trump Administration has announced that it wants to increase security at our borders. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents may therefore become more aggressive in searching people and things that cross the border. So what are the limits on what ICE agents can do, and what can you do if your rights are violated? asks John Helms Dallas criminal defense lawyer.

The main limit on ICEs ability to conduct searches is the 4th Amendment to the United States Constitution. The 4th Amendment guarantees us protection against unreasonable searches and seizures. The Constitution does not define unreasonable, though, so the courts have had to try to sort this out.

Generally, in each case, the courts consider: (1) the government interest at stake; (2) the degree of privacy that is invaded; and (3) how effective the search or seizure would be in promoting the government interest. There is no formula, though, for how to use these criteria to strike the right balance between reasonable and unreasonable.

Normally, the 4th Amendment prevents the police from pulling over a motorist unless the officer has reasonable suspicion that the person is or has just committed a crime. Reasonable suspicion is a low standard, but it requires the police officer to know specific facts that support at least a reasonable person in suspecting that the person is or has committed a crime. These are not legal terms, but I would describe anything less than reasonable suspicion as a hunch or a guess.

On the other hand, for the police to search your house, they generally need probable cause to believe that the house has evidence of, or the fruits of, a specific crime. They also generally have to get a search warrant, which means convincing a judge that there is probable cause. Probable cause is more than reasonable suspicion.

At the border, though, the government has much more leeway under the 4th Amendment. This is because the government has a very strong interest in controlling its borders and preventing illegal things and dangerous people from coming into the country. After all, if something or someone gets past the border, it becomes very hard to prevent harm from occurring. Examples of things the government tries to stop at the border include plants with diseases that could harm crops in the U.S., people or animals that have diseases that could spread in the U.S., animals that are not native to the U.S. that could spread and cause harm because they have no natural predators here, and, of course, illegal drugs.

Also, keep in mind that the border includes areas near the actual border, as well as airports where international flights arrive, even if they are far from the actual border. I had a case recently, for example, in which customs agents searched my clients cell phone after he arrived at the DFW airport on a flight from Mexico. The rules for border searches applied to that case.

Because of the governments need to protect the borders, our courts have consistently held that government agents can conduct routine searches of people and property at the border without even having reasonable suspicion, which is what a police officer would normally need to pull a car over. For example, in a case called United States v. Flores-Montano, the Supreme Court held that the government did not even need reasonable suspicion in order to detain and remove the gas tank of a car that was crossing the border. Agents had noticed that the gas tank did not sound hollow when they inspected the underside of the car, so they removed the gas tank and found drugs hidden inside. The Supreme Court said there was nothing wrong with this even though the rules would have been different away from the border.

The rules for searches of people are somewhat different than the rules for searches of property, like cars or purses. Some very intrusive searches of people, like strip searches or body cavity searches, require at least reasonable suspicion at the border, even though they might require the higher standard of probable cause and a search warrant away from the border.

To learn more about search warrants read Dallas Drug Trafficking Lawyer On How to Get a Search Warrant Thrown Out

A good example of this is a Supreme Court case called United States v. Montoya de Hernandez. In that case, agents believed that a woman was smuggling drugs inside her body based on her travel pattern of going into the United States and returning very soon after, her statements that she did not have any place she planned to stay or anyone she was meeting, and the feel and appearance of her stomach when she was patted down. She was detained and given a rectal exam by medical personnel. A balloon was found filled with cocaine. She was detained for over four days, and 88 balloons filled with cocaine passed out of her system. This would have required a search warrant away from the border, but the Supreme Court said that the agents had reasonable suspicion, and that was enough.

A difficult and unsettled issue involves searches of smart phones and computers. The government has taken the position that these are no different than containers that can be searched like a car, without even reasonable suspicion. But at least one federal appeals court and two federal trial court judges have concluded that these devices are different because they can contain enormous amounts of information that can be extremely private. Many peoples entire personal lives can be easily revealed through the contents of their cell phones or computers.

These three courts have basically said that agents can turn on and manually look through someones cell phone or computer when they cross the border. This is what happened to my client who arrived on a flight from Mexico. According to these courts, though, the government must at least have reasonable suspicion to take the device and do a forensic examination on it. A forensic examination involves using software to search for hidden or deleted files or images or to do other types of sophisticated searches that cannot be done manually. The United States Supreme Court has not ruled on this issue, so it remains undecided.

If the government does a search, even at the border, that violates the 4th Amendment, the evidence they find usually cannot be used in court. This means that the government probably will not be able to get a criminal conviction. A criminal defense lawyer will file a motion to suppress the evidence that the government found illegally, and a judge will rule on it. If the judge grants the motion, the case is probably over.

In extreme cases, a person who is subjected to a highly intrusive search, like a body cavity search, may be able to sue the government for damages.

If you or a loved one has been charged with a crime based on evidence found during a search at the border (or an airport after an international flight), you should consult an experienced and skilled criminal defense lawyer in order to protect your rights. In the case I mentioned, for example, I was able to get the case dismissed within a few days by reviewing the facts thoroughly and talking to the prosecutor. The law in this area is very complicated and unsettled, so it is critical to hire a lawyer who really knows what they are doing in the area of border searches.

If you, a family member or someone you know has been charged with a crime or have been convicted and need help with an appeal in the Dallas area, contact Dallas criminal defense lawyer John Helms at (214) 666-8010 or fill out the online contact form. You can discuss your case, how the law may apply and your best legal options to protect your rights and freedom.

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MP Anwar El-Sadat will be questioned again next Sunday after he denied he forwarded classified information to the IPU

The Egyptian parliaments Legislative and Constitutional Affairs Committee decided after a three-hour meeting on Sunday evening that MP Anwar El-Sadat be questioned again next week over accusations that he leaked copies of a government drafted NGO law to foreign embassies in Cairo.

El-Sadat, head of the Reform and Development Committee and former Chairman of the Human rights Committee, has also been accused of sending classified information to the Inter-Parliamentary Union and forging the signature of 16 MPs.

Ihab El-Tamawy, a member of the Legislative and Constitutional Affairs Committee, said the committee's decision came after Sadat was allowed adequate time to defend himself and to respond to accusations.

"His defence and response to questions took one hour and half, after which the committee decided that Sadat be questioned again next Sunday," said El-Tamawy.

El-Tamawy indicated that head of the committee, Bahaaeddin Abu Shoqa, had decided that the closed-door meeting and the questioning of Sadat be attended by MPs who are members of the committee.

"MPs who accused Sadat of faking their signatures were also allowed to attend," said El-Tamawy.

MPs who showed solidarity with Sadat were not allowed to attend the meeting.

"Only one Sadat-affiliated MP  lawyer Ahmed El-Bardisi  was allowed to attend in defence of Sadat," said El-Tamawy

Abu Shoqa indicated that in its meeting next Sunday the committee would give Sadat adequate time to defend himself.

"We are not a politicised committee and all we want is to uncover the truth about the accusations leveled against Sadat," said Abu Shoqa.

The questioning of El-Sadat on Sunday evening came after parliament's ethics committee recommended last week that El-Sadat be stripped of membership.

The 15-member committee found Sadat guilty of sending classified information to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), leaking a draft NGO law to foreign embassies and forging the signatures of 16 MPs.

Sadat told reporters Sunday evening that he denied that he had forwarded any classified information to any foreign institutions.

"A draft of the government NGO law is available on the internet and anyone can take a copy of it, why should I give it a foreign embassy?" Sadat said.

Sadat, nephew of late president Anwar El-Sadat, also insisted that "what was sent to the IPU was just a complaint and by no means classified information."

Sadat denied that he had faked the signatures of 16 of his colleagues on laws he drafted on criminal procedures and NGOs. "Most of these colleagues gave their signatures but they decided later to withdraw these signatures," said Sadat.

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A conference of the heads of Africas supreme constitutional courts concludes Tuesday in Cairo, attended by judges from more than 23 African nations who met to share experiences and expertise.

The conference  the first of its kind  was inaugurated Monday by Egypt's Prime Minister Sherif Ismail, Al-Ahram Arabic website reported.

Attendees discussed sharing expertise in constitutional judiciary, means to bolster cooperation between supreme courts in Africa and training sessions for judges.

The court representatives are expected to sign a number of cooperation protocols.

In his inaugural speech, Ismail said the conference enforced commitment to the independence of law and respect for rights and freedoms in Africa.

The head of Egypt's Supreme Constitutional Court Abdel-Wahab Abdel-Razek said Monday that the goal of the conference was to share visions and ideas between courts and support specialised research on legal affairs of mutual interest.

Abdel-Razeks deputy Adel Sherif said the conference would discuss challenges facing African courts, including corruption, terrorism and the protection of women and children, as well as how to protect human rights.

The conference is being hosted at the headquarters of the Supreme Constitutional Court in Cairo.

Eight heads of African constitutional courts arrived Sunday in Cairo from Sudan, Ghana, Somalia, Mauritania, Benin, Burkina Faso, Angola and the Comoro Islands, in addition to two deputy heads from Malawi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo who arrived on an official visit to Egypt.

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Phone numbers and an email address have been provided for people to contact the police with any information about the fugitives

Egypts interior ministry has begun publishing photos of criminals and fugitives in the countrys public transportation system, allocating awards to people who can provide information about the wanted individuals.

A banner that reads together for a safe country could be seen inside public buses on Tuesday alongside the photos of convicted criminals. Phone numbers and an email address were also provided for people to inform the police about any useful information about the individuals who the interior ministry says have been convicted with final judicial verdicts.

Photos of the convicted criminals have also been posted in railway stations and any other transport system with a high volume of traffic.

An interior ministry statement said that it began implementing the system in light of peoples keenness and awareness to help impose security and the rule of law.

This is the first time that such a system has been implemented in public transport in Egypt, previously limited to checkpoints and police departments.

There are nearly 50,000 convicted criminals in Egyptian prisons, according to estimates from different human rights' centres and organisations in Egypt.

Since 2011, there have been several incidents of jailbreaks from Egyptian prisons. The most recent incident was in October 2016 when six militants escaped from a provincial prison in Ismailia governorate.

The prison's chief investigations officer died days after he was injured during the jailbreak. Security forces arrested and killed three of the fugitive militants and another three are still on the run.

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The 36-year-old Eman Ahmed Abdel Ati was flown to Mumbai, India to undergo the operation

An Egyptian national deemed to be the world's heaviest woman has lost around needed 40 kilogrammes, from a needed 200 kilogrammes, since her admission to an Indian hospital where she is scheduled for a life saving weight loss surgery, the Indian daily The Asian Age reported on Monday citing hospital sources.

The 36-year-old woman Eman Ahmed Abdel Ati, who weighs around 500 kgs, was flown to India on 11 February to treat her life threatening case, which has attracted public attention and empathy worldwide since the story broke.

The Alexandrian woman, whose trip to India's Mumbai was the first she has made out of her first floor flat in 25 years, has to lose a further 200 kilograms before doctors can operate.

According to doctors at the hospital where Eman was receiving care and treatment, she is now able to move her limbs and hands following the latest one week weight loss, while maintaining a cheerful and positive mood after many difficult years.

According to sources at the hospital, the mandatory weight loss has made Eman optimistic about the future of her case.

"She has shown a drastic improvement after losing around 35-40 kg of weight after her admission here. She is responding well to the treatment. She has started moving her hand and limbs, which are good signs," the hospital's endocrinologist Shehla Shaikh said.

Eman is scheduled for bariatric surgery, which will be scheduled after results of her gene study come out in the next four weeks.

Bariatric surgery, also known as weight loss surgery, includes a variety of surgical procedures, such as the size of her stomach being reduced through a gastric band or through a gastric bypass surgery where the digestive system is resected and re-routed past most of the stomach.

According to the Indian English-speaking a daily, a team of 13 doctors are working on Eman's case.

Suffering from morbid obesity since her childhood, Eman first appealed for help in October 2016 to Egypt's President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, asking him to save her life.

Her sister then shortly got in touch with renowned physician Dr Muffazal Lakdawala, where he then began fund raising to bring Eman to India due to the family's financial condition.

She was first rejected a visa by the Indian Embassy in Cairo, however, after the weight loss surgeon tweeted to India's foreign minister, they quickly rushed to help.

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The two leaders met in Cairo on Tuesday

Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and Jordan's King Abdullah II have reaffirmed the two state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as "an [Arab] national constant".

King Abdullah II arrived in Cairo on Tuesday on an impromptu visit for talks with Egypt's El-Sisi.

A statement by the Egyptian presidency said that the two leaders discussed mutual coordination to reach a two-state solution and establish a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as a capital, which is "a national constant that cannot be given up."

"The two sides also discussed future movements to break the gridlock within the Middle East peace process, especially with US President Donald Trump's administration taking power," the statement added.

At a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington, DC, last week, Trump said that he would back a single-state solution if the two sides agreed to it.





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HOLDREGE  A Holdrege Volunteer Fire Department tanker tipped during fire training at the Holdrege Airport at about 3:07 p.m. Sunday.

Two people from other fire departments training in the vehicle received medical attention but were uninjured, said HVFD Chief Dan Wagner.

Wagner said he was at a training at Holdrege High School when the incident happened at the driver training at the airport, so he did not know how the accident happened. The Nebraska State Patrol, which was leading the training, deferred questions to HVFD.

Wagner said he did not know what the cost of the damage was to the fire tanker, but said that there is insurance on the truck.

Wagner, who has been fire chief for two years, said he hasnt seen something like this happen at training.

It isnt something that you want to see happen at all, he said.

Dallas Fletcher, owner of Direct Tactical Fire Training of Omaha, was leading a ventilation class at the high school, said he hasnt had any accidents or claims for injuries in the four-five years that he has owned the business.

Its part of our job to teach them something safe thats not going to injure them. Every once in a while those things sneak through, Fletcher said.

The mini-fire school is sponsored by the Central Nebraska Firefighters Association.
Each month in Nebraska, on just one website, about 900 people are advertised for commercial sex.

Thats according to a new report by the Human Trafficking Initiative, which shows that the commercial sex industry touches all parts of the state, from Scottsbluff to neighborhoods in west Omaha.

The research, conducted through the Heider College of Business at Creighton University, looked at Backpage, a classified advertising website that features ads for escorts. According to the report, Backpage accounts for 80 percent of online commercial sex advertising. The reports findings come from nearly a year of examining data from Backpage advertisements across the state.

Findings of the Nebraskas Commercial Sex Market report will be presented at a hearing Thursday for Legislative Bill 289, a measure introduced by Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks that would raise penalties for sex trafficking.

Terry Clark, co-director of the Human Trafficking Initiative, said the report is just a start.

Theres a continued need for new, smart policies that are informed by research, he said. Reports like this can start to create a clearer and clearer picture of what this looks like in our state.

Michelle Zych, executive director of the Womens Fund of Omaha, said she hopes the data dispels some misconceptions about the industry and about human trafficking.

I think theres still an idea that this happens but not here, not in our own backyards, she said. Theres kind of a shock factor to shining the light on whats happening in our own state.

Nebraska has Backpage sites for Omaha, Lincoln, Grand Island, North Platte and Scottsbluff, though the ads also reach smaller communities, particularly along Interstate 80.

The site eliminated its escort section in January, but its only a matter of time before the ads move to different sections of Backpage or to different sites, said Crysta Price, a researcher at Creighton University and co-director of the Human Trafficking Initiative.

Shutting it down wont change the demand and therefore wont change the supply, she said.

Ads in Omaha often mentioned that escorts were willing to travel to specific parts of the city, Clark said. The top mention: west Omaha.

Price said the narrative of a chained up and physically abused trafficking victim is also a misleading one.

Theres a lot of gray area here between (free) agency and exploitation, she said. We would all like to think that if we saw a trafficking victim, wed recognize it in two seconds. But its not always obvious.

Using computer programs, the researchers pulled data on Backpage ads and identified indicators of coercion and trafficking, including signs that the individual was underage or a part of a larger group of people.

More than 70 percent of ads showed at least one indicator of human trafficking, the report says. Fifteen percent showed multiple indicators.

More than 1 in 10 commercial sex ads on Nebraska Backpage sites advertised someone under 21 years old, and 1 in 5 ads emphasized that the individual was very young. It appears that the people who are purchasing sex know that these individuals are often underaged, Zych said. Thats definitely a red flag for exploitation.

The Human Trafficking Initiative report also found:

 On average, 675 people are advertised on Backpage per month in Omaha. In Lincoln, the average is 200, with 65 in Grand Island, 15 in North Platte and 10 in Scottsbluff.

 One-fifth of individuals in the commercial sex industry in Nebraska advertise in multiple markets in the state.

 African-Americans represent half of all individuals in the commercial sex industry on Backpage in Nebraska, despite making up only 5 percent of the states population.

The reports recommendations for ongoing anti-human trafficking work include increased collaboration between agencies and across state lines, stronger policies to promote alternative employment opportunities and greater penalties for commercial sex buyers.

Theres certainly a lot more work to be done, but now we have a better sense of what the scope is, Clark said.

The Human Trafficking Initiative is supported by the Womens Fund of Omaha and funded by the Sherwood Foundation.
School choice comes at a cost. The proposed vouchers for private schools, tax credits and the like drain money from the public school system. Thats something to keep in mind as advocates for school choice make a big push this legislative session. Their cause has never found much traction in Nebraska, but things may be changing.

School choice supporters have an ally in the governors mansion and new, supportive senators in the legislative chambers. They also have a new U.S. Education Secretary who has devoted much of her life to the charter school movement.

In Nebraska, lawmakers including Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn, Sen. Tyson Larson of ONeill and Sen. Jim Smith of Papillion, have submitted a host of proposals.

Around the country, the charter school movement found fertile ground in areas where public schools were in dire straits. In Nebraska, however, public schools are doing a great job, with a few, isolated exceptions.

For example, Nebraska has one of the nations highest high school graduation rates at 89 percent. It also ranks among the top 12 states in all categories of the National Assessment of Educational Progress.

Interestingly, Nebraska also has a long tradition of school choice  just not the kind that private school advocates are pushing. In Lincoln, for example, hundreds of students go to public high schools outside of their attendance areas.

In fact, 22,148 Nebraska students use their option enrollment to attend public schools in other districts.

There is absolutely no doubt parents should have the right to send their children to private schools that emphasize religious values.

But should other taxpayers be forced to subsidize that choice? Many Nebraskans send tax dollars to public school districts even though they have no school-age children. Should that money be diverted so some parents can send their children to schools with daily prayer and church services?

Although charter school proponents make it sound like private schools invariably do a better job than public schools, the reality is that around the country some charter schools have failed miserably. In Nebraska, the push to give tax breaks for private schools seems like a solution in search of a problem. State senators should do the same thing they have done every time similar proposals have been offered: Vote them down.

Lincoln Journal Star
This letter is in response to the recent articles covering immigration. My grandfather, Albert Joseph Bialek, came to the United States from Poland in 1910. According to the Ellis Island website, he boarded the ship Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse in Bremen, Germany. He had just completed his service in the Austrian Army.

Poland at that time was divided into three spheres of influence by Austria, Prussia and Russia. Upon being discharged he returned to his fathers farm. Officers from the Austrian Army made an attempt to re-enlist him, but tradition dictated that he could remain at home, so long as he was sorely needed on the farm.

Immediately after the officers departed, Alberts father gave him his brothers travel documents and instructed him to immigrate to the United States. His father knew that war was coming and he didnt want to lose his son to it. It took me longer to locate my grandfather on the passenger list because I had forgotten he was traveling under the name Jan and not Albert. Given the fact that Albert entered the United States under the name Jan Bialek and later burned his immigration papers, it is evident he was by definition an illegal immigrant.

He went on to become a very hard-working brick mason and law-abiding citizen, raising 12 children with the help of his Polish wife, Mary nee Mazan. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Just as Cleveland, Ohio, is a city of neighborhoods, so is the United States a country of immigrants. In fact, all the major cities of America at one time served as incubators for immigrants to become accustomed to the ways of this country and to intermingle with each other, which often was prohibited in their native homelands.

Its a shame that the inner cities were handed over to the absentee landlords following World War ll. Just imagine how much stronger and united our country might have been had this unofficial tradition continued. Gentrification is not the answer. Preventing immigration is not the solution.

Intense vetting is acceptable during these challenging times, but to unfairly deny one person access to the United States makes us all orphans again.

As a popular song goes: Let me in immigration man.

Joe Bialek, Cleveland, Ohio
KEARNEY  As concertmaster of the Kearney High School orchestra, Ryan Jhi sees his role as a way of offering leadership to the other student musicians.

For some of the younger people in the orchestra, if theyre a little confused about something, I help them out, Ryan said. The other seniors help, but ultimately the responsibility falls on me.

Most audiences see the concertmaster as the person who gives the starting pitch when the orchestra tunes.

Sometimes we get the note from the oboe, but a lot of times I play the A note that we tune from, he said.

Ryan, 17, sits in the chair closest to the conductor. As a student leader of the orchestra, the other violins follow his bowing.

We try to be as uniform as possible, he said. If theres a question about bowing, usually I answer it or the director gives us some input. As for how much bow to use, where to start, we try to be as uniform as possible.

Each of the instrument groups has a principal chair.

We all make up the leadership role for the orchestra, Ryan said.

Along with his duties as concertmaster, Ryan also performs with Camerata, Kearney High Schools honor chamber ensemble.

Its a lot of fun, he said. And its a lot of work, with Camerata and orchestra. We learn a lot of music in a short amount of time.

Ryan was born in East Lansing, Mich. Music was in the house because his father, Kyung Jhi, played guitar and his sister Riely also played the violin. Ryan started studying the violin while in the fourth grade. His family moved to Kearney four years ago.

As a senior at Kearney High School, he spends about 30 minutes a day practicing. Ryan studies with Kearney-based instructor and composer Connie Moon.

Playing the violin is something that takes a lot of work, Ryan said. I actually taught violin to a few people, including the vice principal at the high school. I think about when I first started playing violin and how frustrating it was to learn it.

Although Ryan loves music, his career goals include engineering rather than the fine arts.

I think Ill certainly play music in college for fun, but I wont be going into it as a career, he said.
In preparation for German Chancellor Angela Merkel's much-anticipated visit to Egypt on 2 March, a number of high-profile German MPs arrived in Cairo this week.

The Egyptian parliament's press office announced in a statement that Ali Abdel-Aal, the speaker of the House of Representatives, met the German delegation led by the deputy speaker of the German parliament (Bundestag), Johannes Singhammer, on Tuesday.

The pair discussed bilateral relations, said the statement, adding that "they discussed boosting cooperation between Egypt and German in different fields and the possibility of creating new common grounds between Egypt and German on a number of international and regional issues."

The meeting was attended by the German ambassador to Egypt, Julius George Luy, the head of parliament's foreign relations committee, Ahmed Said, and the head of the human rights committee, Alaa Abed.

The statement revealed that more German MPs and politicians are expected to visit Cairo in the next few days to pave the way for Chancellor Merkel's two-day visit on 2-3 March.

"Another delegation of German MPs have also arrived in Cairo to hold talks with Egyptian counterparts who are members of the Egyptian-German Parliamentary Friendship Association," said the statement.

Mohamed El-Orabi, a former foreign minister of Egypt and a former Egypt ambassador in Germany, told reporters Tuesday that members of the association will hold a roundtable discussion on the future of relations between the two countries on Tuesday.

The statement added that a third German delegation will arrive in Cairo on Wednesday.

Alaa Abed, head of the human rights committee, told reporters that the speaker and MPs had seized their meeting with German MPs to thank Germany's support for Egypt, especially in the two areas of energy and armaments.

"We also told the German delegation that Egypt needs more direct German investments and an open tourist traffic from Germany to the Red Sea resorts of Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada," said Abed.

Abed also indicated that the meeting focused on terrorism and irregular migration.

"The parliament speaker talked in detail about new laws which were issued to fight illegal migration, human trafficking and combat terrorism," said Abed, adding that "German MPs showed a big interest in Egypt's successful battle against terrorism."

A statement issued by the speaker's office said the meeting with the German parliamentary delegation also reviewed the situation of human rights in Egypt and the new law on church building.

According to the statement, Singhammer highly lauded Egypt's efforts aimed at reforming religious discourse.

"Singhammer also hailed Egypt's economic reform programme, especially liberalising the exchange rate," said the statement, adding that Singhammer and German MPs will convey a message of economic and political stability about Egypt.

"We are also keen to show Germans that Egypt is a safe tourist destination and that the numbers of German tourists in Egypt should increase," said the statement.

The German parliamentary delegation also met with Prime Minister Sherif Ismail and the newly appointed Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Omar Marawan.

Sources said Ismail gave the German delegation a brief about Egypt's economic and political reforms and the war against militant jihadist groups in the peninsula of Sinai.

Sources added that Ismail spoke about the fact that around five million refugees are now living in Egypt. "Out of this number, as many as 500,000 Syrians also live in Egypt," said Ismail.

A statement by the speaker's office said Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry will hold a meeting with parliament's foreign affairs committee on Thursday to answer questions about foreign policy from both MPs and journalists.

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FILE - In this file photo dated Friday, Dec. 16, 2016, AfD (Alternative for Germany) chairwoman Frauke Petry attends a news conference of the party in Berlin. Germany's most prominent nationalist politician Frauke Petry has held talks with Russian lawmakers, including senior members of President Vladimir Putin's United Russia party, to discuss cooperation between German and Russian regional assemblies, according to a party statement issued Monday Feb. 20, 2017. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber, FILE)
The court ruled that as the former corruption tsar's tenure would have ended in September 2016, there was no longer a reason to continue the case

An Egyptian court has rejected an appeal by the country's former top auditor, Hisham Geneina, against his removal from that position by the president last year.

Geneina was removed from his position by President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi in March 2016 after accusations that he had mislead the public by exaggerating corruption figures.

The court said there was no point in continuing to hear the case because the "legal position" of Geneina, who headed Egypt's Central Auditing Authority, had changed.

It said the former auditor's term would have ended in September 2016 and thus the "legal interest" required for the case to be heard is not fulfilled.

"The court did not look at whether the decision [to remove him] is constitutional or legal in the first place and thus its ruling is flawed," Ali Taha, one of Geneina's lawyers, told Ahram Online.

"The legal interest aspect was there when the case was first brought months ago but the court kept dragging its feet over the case," Taha added.

He said they will appeal the decision before the High Administrative Court to "defend law, the Central Auditing Agency and other monitoring authority that are being abused by the executive authorities."

In March 2016, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi removed Geneina after a fact-finding committee appointed by El-Sisi said that Geneina's 2015 claims about corruption had misled the public by exaggerating the scale of the problem.

Geneina had said at the time that corruption had cost the country EGP 600 billion (approx. $68 billion at the time) over a four-year period.

He was sentenced to a year in prison in July for spreading false news with the goal of harming public interest." The sentence was suspended by a Cairo appeals court in December.

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Forty-four Islamic State militants were killed by Turkey-backed operations around the Syrian town of al-Bab and in U.S.-led coalition air strikes on Monday, the Turkish military said on Tuesday.

One Turkish soldier was killed and two were wounded during work to clear landmines and explosives in the area, the army said, reiterating that it had largely established control in the residential areas of al-Bab.

The Islamic State stronghold, 30 km (20 miles) from the Turkish border, has been a prime target since Turkey launched an incursion with Syrian rebels last August to push the jihadists from its frontier and prevent gains by a Kurdish militia.

Turkey's army said 15 of the militants were killed in clashes, artillery fire and air strikes during operations in al-Bab, while the remaining 29 were killed and four buildings were destroyed in the coalition air strikes.

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Marine Le Pen, presidential candidate for France's far-right National Front party, cancelled a meeting on Tuesday with Lebanon's Grand Mufti after refusing to wear a headscarf for the encounter.

"You can pass on my respects to the Grand Mufti, but I will not cover myself up," Le Pen told reporters.

The press office for the Grand Mufti said that Le Pen's aides had been informed beforehand of their requirement for her to wear head covering for the meeting.

Le Pen has been visiting Lebanon as she seeks to bolster her presidential credentials.

Opinion polls say Le Pen is likely to get the highest score in the first round of voting in April, but then lose to a mainstream candidate in the decisive second round vote in May.

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U.S. Representative Beto O'Rourke is making a stop to the City of Laredo on Tuesday.

The El Paso native congressman is expected to meet with Webb County Democratic Party leaders.

His stop in Laredo is part of a string of visits to other Texas cities, including Corpus Christi and McAllen.

There is no official word at this time on why O'Rourke is visiting the Gateway City. But according to his Facebook, "The event will lead a conversation about keeping Texas moving in the right direction."

The public is welcome to attend this free event on Tuesday at 6:30 pm at the Amerik Suites, located off of Metro Court.
Western governments need to step up their efforts to combat corruption if they are to defeat militants such as the Islamic State group and Boko Haram, Transparency International warned Tuesday.

Corrupt practices in states such as Nigeria, Libya and Iraq are providing fertile ground for extremists, the organisation's British branch said in a report.

"Corruption is the most powerful weapon in the armoury of violent extremism," it said in a 44-page report entitled "The Big Spin".

The report said extremist groups drew on public anger at the abuse of power as a means to radicalise and recruit. They also use corrupt officials and their links to organised crime to facilitate financial and arms flows.

Corruption also hollows out state institutions that should keep extremist forces in check, the report said.

Air strikes against the likes of the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria are "woefully insufficient" in building long-term stability, which requires accountable governments, the monitor said.

"Radical movements like ISIS thrive when people lose all faith in those in power -- when officials profit from the misery of the many, when the police exploit rather than protect, and when economic opportunity is skewed in favour of the connected few."

Islamic State seeks to portray itself as a countervailing force for for political integrity and reliable public service delivery, the report said.

"Too many Western governments focus on seeking to influence or moderate the behaviour of corrupt autocrats because they see them as an alternative to instability," it said.

"But in the end, corrupt governments are the architects of future security crises."

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The sentencing of an Israeli soldier to 18 months for killing a wounded Palestinian is a "green light" for the military's "crimes," a Palestinian government spokesman said Tuesday.

"The Palestinian government views this light ruling against the murderer soldier as a green light to the occupation army to continue its crimes," spokesman Tarek Rishmawi told AFP shortly after an Israeli military court sentenced Elor Azaria for the killing of Abdul Fatah al-Sharif in the occupied West Bank in March 2016.

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S.Korea Feb 1-20 exports jump 26.2 pct y/y -customs agency



SEOUL, Feb 21 (Reuters) - South Korean exports in the first 20 days of this month jumped 26.2 percent from a year earlier in U.S. dollar terms, while imports increased 26 percent, customs data showed on Tuesday. Korea Customs Service, which does not provide detailed numbers, showed South Korea posted a trade surplus of $2.19 billion for the February 1-20 period. In the full month of January exports gained 11.2 percent on a year eariler, while imports jumped 19.7 percent on year. (Reporting by Cynthia Kim; Editing by Richard Pullin)

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in precious metal products, commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication.

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The Dom Post editorial:

Police Commissioner Mike Bush wants to see if there is a case for hate-crimes legislation in New Zealand, and is prompted by a horrible incident in Huntly, fortunately filmed by the Muslim woman who was the primary victim. The sight of a woman threatening and abusing a Muslim woman sitting quietly in her car is shocking and dreadful.

However, it is clear that the incident is already covered by the law. A 27-year-old woman has pleaded guilty to assault, assault using a can of alcohol as a weapon, and behaving in an insulting manner likely to cause violence. It seems obvious that the incident that sparked the concern is not a poster for hate-crime legislation.

Bush wants more research to establish whether there is a need for hate-crimes legislation. He is concerned about a rise in reports of hate crimes around the country, but also concedes that the data is limited. A lot of it is anecdotal.

Given this, the Government is right to resist the idea of special hate-crimes legislation. Justice Minister Amy Adams says there is a very low level of such behaviour and when it does come up the law is able to deal with it.

That certainly seems to be the case. So far, the xenophobia that is sweeping the United States, Britain and many parts of Europe does not seem to have erupted here. Despite a very large wave of immigration and a high percentage of foreign-born people in our population, no serious trouble has occurred.

In some ways there is less apparent tension than 20 years ago, when there was an outbreak of semi-hysteria about the (absurdly misnamed) Asian invasion. That led to a spike in support for New Zealand First. But the populist Winston Peters is failing to make much hay with the subject nowadays.

So it is broadly true, as Police Minister Paula Bennett says, that New Zealanders are in many ways more tolerant of differences than they used to be.

Since that is the case, there seems no obvious reason for hate-crimes legislation. Freedom of speech, after all, is a cornerstone of democracy. This freedom includes the right to be offensive and insulting.
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A guest post by Dave Crampton:

I have lived in the Ohariu electorate since Helen Clark became Prime Minister on 27 November 1999.

I remember that date well. It was my wedding day.

I cast a special vote and voted for Peter Dunne. The National Party did not put up a candidate. Labour had a union boss as a candidate. Dunne went on to support the Labour government.

He doesnt now  but this year I am voting Dunne again despite now being a Green Party voter for many elections and Dunnes apparent support for National. This post explains why.

First, a bit of background.

1n 1999 Peter Dunne had been the areas MP for 15 years, first as a Labour MP, and since 2002, a United Future MP. I spent the weeks before the wedding covering the 1999 election for the media.

In 2002 Dunne continued to support the Labour Government, with his party getting 6.69% of the vote. Most Ohariu residents voting for Dunne, however, split their vote  and continue to do so. I was a first-time Green party voter.

Since 2008 Dunne has supported the National-led government, but an increasing number of people want him out of parliament altogether, despite his very good record as a local MP advocating for local electorate concerns  and the 2017 election seemed the right time to do it, provided Labour put up a decent candidate.

Then Labour and the Greens waded in and spoilt the party. First Labour chose a candidate  former Police Association president Greg OConnor  that many party activists in the electorate simply do not like. Both Nationals Brett Hudson and Peter Dunne are superior on social issues. Green candidate Tane Woodley certainly is.

Some Labojur supporters were all set to vote for Woodley  assuming he was lined up to be the Greens candidate  or, alternatively, not voting for any candidate  while party voting Labour.

Then the Green Party pulled its candidate. Woodley, got more votes in 2014 than sitting MP Gareth Hughes did when he stood. Maybe its because he lives in Johnsonville. The Greens got the highest party vote in the electorate ever in 2014  3000 more than its candidate. Labour only got 3150 more Ohariu party votes.

So who were Labour voters to vote for now?

Many Green voters vote for Peter Dunne  and Dunne is getting my electorate vote this year as I consider he is the best on offer to be my local MP. I dont care what political party he is from in that regard.

He is getting my vote for three reasons. He is the most progressive candidate on offer, he has been a pretty good liberal local MP, and has stuck up for his community on issues such as Transmission Gully and the Petone to Grenada link road.

I cant vote for O`Connor and the Greens should have done their bit to try and keep him out. Hes simply the wrong candidate for the electorate. I cant party vote Labour as it does not appear ready for government and, unlike the Greens, you dont know what you are getting with Labour. I certainly do not want to vote National  I think the last time I did that was 1993.

I might add if it was a First Past the Post election and all we had was Nationals Brett Hudson and Labours Greg OConnor as realistic offerings, I`d vote for Hudson for reasons stated.

While I`m voting for Peter Dunne in 2017, I`d go further and suggest that if National is to do a deal where Hudson suggests voters cast electoral votes for Dunne, perhaps Dunne would like to suggest left-leaning Ohariu voters party vote Green to keep Labours vote down.

He wont, though. Then again, such a strategy will probably be more effective than the Greens strategy of supporting a Labour candidate they dont like in a party they dont want their supporters to cast party votes for  on the basis that it is more likely to change the government.

It is nothing of the sort.
CIA-coordinated military aid for rebels in northwest Syria has been frozen since they came under major Islamist attack last month, rebel sources said, raising doubts about foreign support key to their war against President Bashar al-Assad.

Rebel officials said that no official explanation had been given for the move this month following the Islamist militant assault, though several said they believed the main objective was to prevent arms and cash falling into Islamist militant hands. But they said they expected the aid freeze to be temporary.

The halt in assistance, which has included salaries, training, ammunition and in some cases guided anti-tank missiles, is a response to Islamist militant attacks and has nothing to do with U.S. President Donald Trump replacing Barack Obama in January, two U.S. officials familiar with the CIA-led program said.

The freeze reflects the troubles facing Free Syrian Army (FSA) rebels in the almost six-year-old revolt against Assad, who now appears militarily unassailable in his core western region largely thanks to direct intervention on his side by Russia and Iran.

"The reality is that you have changes in the area, and these changes inevitably have repercussions," said an official with one of the affected FSA rebel groups. He said no military assistance could "enter at present until matters are organized. There is a new arrangement but nothing has crystallized yet".

The support funneled to vetted FSA factions has included contributions from Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia - states that have opposed Assad. It is one of several foreign aid channels to rebels. Others still function.

The CIA declined comment on the reported freeze in support. A Qatari official said his government had nothing to say on the matter. Turkish officials said only they could not discuss "operational details". There was no word from Saudi Arabia.

Reuters confirmed the freeze with officials from five of the FSA groups that have been recipients of financial and military support from the so-called "MOM operations room". It was also confirmed by two other senior FSA figures briefed on the matter.

They spoke on condition of anonymity given the covert nature of the CIA-backed program and the sensitivity of the subject.

Several rebels believed the aid halt was temporary, with new arrangements expected, but there was no clarity yet. Confirming the freeze, two senior FSA sources said donor states were aiming to send the aid to one, unified fighting force - a coherence that has eluded rebels throughout Syria's civil war.

One of the FSA officials said he did not expect the rebels to be abandoned as they represent the best hope for blocking a further expansion of Sunni militant influence in Syria, and to fight back against the growing role of Iran there.

DECLINING REBEL FORTUNES

Idlib and nearby areas of Aleppo, Hama and Latakia provinces are among the last footholds of the anti-Assad insurgency in western Syria - the part of the country where he has shored up his rule by holding onto the main cities and the coast.

Islamists have long been seen as the more formidable insurgent force in the northwestern Idlib area though a dozen or more U.S.-vetted FSA groups have also operated there and nearby.

Last month's militant assault on the FSA groups was launched by a group formerly known as the Nusra Front, al Qaeda's official affiliate in the war until last year when it formally cut ties and renamed itself Jabhat Fateh al-Sham.

The Islamist militant onslaught led several FSA groups to merge with the powerful Islamist faction Ahrar al-Sham, widely believed to be backed by Assad's foreign adversaries in the region.

That will likely give pause to foreign donors: Ahrar al-Sham is set apart from the FSA factions by a strongly Sunni Islamist ideology and it has previously fought alongside the Nusra Front.

Military aid to rebel groups has ebbed and flowed throughout the life of the program, U.S. officials said, as Washington and its allies have kept a close eye on any leakage to more militant factions, something one official called "a constant problem".

TRUMP'S SYRIA POLICY NOT YET CLEAR

Before assuming office, Trump suggested he could end support for FSA groups and give priority to the fight against Islamic State (IS) militants , whose well-armed Islamist militants hold large tracts of eastern and central Syria.

But Trump's administration has yet to declare a firm policy towards Syria and Iraq, despite his repeated vows to eradicate IS, so it has been "business as usual" with covert and overt training and military support programs, one U.S. official said.

Some FSA groups hope Trump's animosity towards Iran could yet result in enhanced U.S. support.

Islamist militant forces attacked while FSA envoys attended Russian-backed Syria peace talks in Kazakhstan, accusing the rebels of conspiring with Moscow and Washington against Jabhat Fateh al-Sham. The United States has carried out a deadly series of air strikes against Fateh al-Sham in Idlib this year.

MOM-backed rebels had suffered a heavy blow in December when Syrian government forces ousted them from eastern Aleppo with decisive help from the Russian air force and Iranian-backed militias. Eastern Aleppo had been seen as an FSA stronghold.

An official with an FSA group that has received MOM aid said none came this month "and there are no signals". Another said a regular meeting of the MOM had been canceled this month.

"I expect a reorganization," he said, adding that there were still around 15,000 combatants with FSA groups in the northwest.

The CIA-backed program has regulated aid to the rebels after a period of unchecked support early in the war - especially from Gulf states - helped give rise to an array of insurgent groups, many of them strongly Islamist in ideology.

A similar program continues to operate in southern Syria with Jordanian backing. Some of the FSA groups backed through the MOM in the north continue to receive Turkish support as they participate in the Turkey-led Euphrates Shield offensive against IS and Kurdish groups to the northeast of Aleppo.

FSA groups have long complained that the aid provided falls far short of what they need to confront the better armed Syrian army. Their demands for anti-aircraft missiles have been consistently rebuffed.

U.S. intelligence and military officials said the leakage, sale and capture of U.S.-supplied and other weapons from units of the FSA to IS, the Nusra Front, and other splinter militant groups have been a concern since the CIA and U.S. military began arming and training a limited number of rebels.

From the start, said one of the officials, some U.S.-backed rebels have migrated from groups that were battered by Syrian government forces to others such as IS that were seizing and holding territory at the time. Aid has slowed or stopped in Idlib and nearby areas, officials said, amid fears the pattern may be continuing after rebels lost ground there.

Another U.S. official said FSA groups continue to mount significant challenges to Assad. "Despite the setbacks and no assistance in fighting back against a brutal Russian onslaught, the fact is they remain a viable fighting force," the official said.

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Diplomatic tensions escalated between Turkey and Iran on Tuesday as the regional powers traded accusations over their roles in the Syria conflict and the Middle East.

The pair have been rivals for centuries but have sought to forge a pragmatic relationship in recent years, with the Islamic Republic strongly supporting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after last year's failed coup.

But mainly Sunni Muslim Turkey and Shiite Iran have been on opposite sides of the conflict in Syria, with Ankara seeking the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad and Tehran, along with Russia, his key backer.

The tensions come with UN-backed peace talks for Syria due to restart on Thursday and Turkey engaged in fierce fighting inside Syria to capture the town of Al-Bab from Islamist militants.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu lashed out at Iran in a speech to the Munich Security Conference at the weekend, saying some of its actions had undermined security in the region and urging Tehran to promote stability.

"Iran wants to make Syria and Iraq Shiite," he was quoted as saying by Turkish state media.

Erdogan has also in recent weeks accused Iran of promoting a "Persian nationalism" that had damaged the Middle East.

The Iranian foreign ministry on Monday summoned the Turkish envoy to issue a protest after Cavusoglu's comments while spokesman Bahram Ghassemi warned that Tehran's patience "has limits".

"We hope that such statements are not made again. If our Turkish friends continue with this attitude we will not remain silent," he added.

Turkey's foreign ministry spokesman Huseyin Muftuoglu hit back by saying it was "incomprehensible" to receive such accusations from Tehran who he charged with "not hesitating to push into war zones refugees sheltering from regional crises."

"Instead of accusing countries that have criticised Iran, it should take constructive steps and review its own regional policies."

The angry exchanges have come just after Erdogan returned from a week-long tour to the Arabian peninsula, including talks with the leadership of Iran's arch regional foe and Ankara's Sunni ally Saudi Arabia.

Ali Vaez, senior Iran analyst with the International Crisis Group, said Iran and Turkey feared the other was seeking to capture regional hegemony via proxies on the ground.

"With each failure to find an accommodation, the context of Turkey's and Iran's rivalry has become more complex and disagreements more intractable," he told AFP.

While Turkey has backed rebels in Syria throughout the conflict, Tehran has played a crucial role in aiding Assad. Iran has provided few details over its involvement but has confirmed the deaths of some 1,000 volunteer fighters in Syria.

Ankara has meanwhile warned Iran and its allies in the Baghdad government against using Shiite militia in the assault to recapture the Islamist militant-held Iraqi city of Mosul.

"It's very dangerous to send Shiite militia into a 99 percent Sunni Arab city," Cavusoglu said on Tuesday.

Harmony between Turkey and Iran is crucial in ensuring the preservation of a fragile ceasefire in Syria -- also backed by Russia -- that came into force at the end of last year as a basis for peace talks.

Although Ankara says Assad should go, the government has occasionally softened its stance, indicating the president could have some role in determining the country's future.

But Vaez said the Syria talks process was reaching an impasse, while the spheres of influence of Iran and Turkey were colliding in Syria.

"Ultimately Turkey and Iran, as neighbours, will have to live with the outcome of the conflicts now burning around them," he said

"Any sustainable solution will require a regional power balance tolerable for both," he said calling on both sides to recognise the other's interests.

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Suicide bombers attacked a court complex in Pakistan on Tuesday, killing at least four people, officials said, in the latest incident in a new surge of Islamist violence.

A spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban's Jamaat-ur-Ahrar faction claimed responsibility for the attack in the northwestern town of Charsadda.

The district administration said at least four people were killed. A witness told Reuters he had seen "many" dead bodies at the scene.

A string of bombings in Pakistan over the past 10 days has killed more than 100 people.

Town resident Mohammad Shah Baz told Reuters he was inside the judicial complex when the suicide bombers stormed it.

"I escaped towards the canteen and climbed the wall to save my life. But there were many people dead and injured," he said.

District police chief Sohail Khalid said at least one of the attackers blew himself up and another opened fire at the main entrance of the court compound before they were shot and killed.

Jamaat-ur-Ahrar spokesman Asad Mansoor claimed responsibility the attack in a message to journalists. He said fighting was still going on at the court.

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By Kwon Mee-yoo

Choi Hyo-jun

The Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA) will take a step closer to the public with its new director Choi Hyo-jun, 65, who took his post on Feb. 9.

"I want the museum to be mindful," Choi said at a press conference Monday. "It is about being more considerate about visitors, balancing public character and popularity."

Choi, who studied economics at Seoul National University, began his career in the art field as a researcher at the Samsung Foundation of Culture in the 1990s. He built his career at SeMA, the Jeonbuk Museum of Art, the Gyeonggi Museum of Modern Art and the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Deoksugung.

"I worked for SeMA when it moved to its current location and it helped familiarize me with the museum better. SeMA is not limited to contemporary or modern art and that makes us organize the best art exhibits regardless of period or genre."

Coming from the economic background, Choi emphasized the importance of marketing for the museum.

"Currently, art museums are centered on supply. What is important is an analysis on demand and the market," Choi said. "We will research and analyze what people want from an art museum and how to make people visit museums."

Though this year's lineup was already created before Choi took the post, Choi said he will do his best to make the exhibitions available to more public.

"SeMA is a public museum funded by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and we have to execute the budget. However, we will make the museum more public-friendly."

The museum's major exhibits planned this year includes Korean typography designer Ahn Sang-soo's "Wing, PaTI" in March, "Otaku Project" in April and "2017 Title Match" contrasting senior artist Kim Tchah-sup and young artist Jun So-jung in July.

It will also strengthen international exchanges by inviting the Foundation Cartier in May and the British Council in September. An exhibition on Latin American art will be held in December.

The "Asia Diva" exhibit will shed light on modern history of woman through popular music and photography, while the architectural exhibit "The Self-Evolving City" will collaborate with the International Union of Architects (UIA) Congress in Seoul in September.

SeMA is one of the most-sought-after venues in Seoul for so-called "blockbuster" exhibits of well-known artists such as Vincent van Gogh, but Choi said the museum will focus on self-produced exhibits instead of renting the galleries for big exhibits.

"To enhance our own planning capability, we have to stage own exhibits," Choi said. "Also I think the demand on modern masters is decreasing as people's interest diversifies. We will come up with new collaboration models, instead of renting out the space."
Land owned by Chinese individuals and companies in South Korea has increased by more than five-fold over the past five years, a report showed on Tuesday.

The amount of land owned by Chinese entities here came to 16.9 million square meters last year, marking a 486-percent hike from 3.7 million square meters tallied in 2011, according to the report compiled by KB Financial Group.

The increase in land ownership by Chinese entities is in sharp contrast with a 49-percent rise in total foreign land ownership here during the cited period.

The Chinese ownership of South Korean land increased 2.62 million square meters last year alone, also the sharpest gain among others, the report showed.

Chinese entities' land ownership accounts for roughly 7 percent of total foreign land ownership in the country, it added.

The report said authorities may need to review any potential impact of a sharp increase in foreign land ownership here.

Last year, Vancouver slapped a 15-percent tax on foreign nationals buying real estate, in order to dampen an inflow of offshore money -- mainly Chinese -- that has been cited as one of the reasons behind Vancouver's booming real estate market.

Chinese people are estimated to have spent $35 billion on overseas foreign properties around the globe in 2016. (Yonhap)
The upcoming festival will run from 5 to 11 March

The Sharm El-Sheikh Arab and European Film Festival -- launching this March in the South Sinai resort city -- has announced it will honor Egyptian writer Nawal El-Saadawy for her prolific advocacy of human rights, and womens rights in particular.

El-Saadawy is a well-known and established feminist novelist, as well as a psychiatrist and a pulmonologist, who practiced medicine at Cairo's Kasr El-Aini hospital.

She was born in Cairo in 1931, and graduated from Cairo University of Medicine in 1954.

El-Saadawys written works often center on women in Islam, and are known for breaking the taboo of discussing subjects like female genital mutilation.

She has written nearly 40 books, which have been translated into over 30 languages. Her best known works include A Doctors Diary -- her first novel -- and Women and Sex, her first work in non-fiction which provoked religious and political authorities, leading to her dismissal from the Ministry of Health, where she served as director of Health Education.

The author's outspoken works and beliefs have often gotten her into trouble with authorities. She was jailed during the tenure of President Anwar El-Sadat, spent time in exile, and faced numerous lawsuits accusing her of blasphemy and wrecking marriages.

El-Saadawy founded the Arab Women's Solidarity Association in 1989, the Health Education Association and the Egyptian Women Writers Association.

Her work has been recognised internationally, receiving the North-South Prize from the Council of Europe in 2004, the Inana International Prize in Belgium in 2005 and the Sean MacBride Peace Prize from the International Peace Bureau In 2012.

For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture

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KEB Hana Bank CEO Ham Young-joo



By Nam Hyun-woo

KEB Hana Bank CEO Ham Young-joo will serve two more years as its chief, the bank said Tuesday.

According to the bank, it held an executive recommendation committee meeting to recommend Ham as the sole candidate for the position of KEB Hana Bank CEO. The decision followed Hana Financial Group's nomination of the 59-year-old as the sole candidate for the post last week. KEB Hana Bank is a 100 percent subsidiary of Hana Financial Group.

The bank will hold a general shareholders' meeting in March to approve Ham, whose one-and-a-half-year current term will expire next month.

"After becoming the first CEO of the KEB Hana Bank in September 2015, Ham has shown outstanding management skills, leading to successful integration of the bank," a committee member said. "In order to stabilize the bank, which meets the third year after its merger, Ham's consecutive term will maximize the synergy of the two banks."

Ham earned his credit by leading the successful merger of former Korea Exchange Bank and Hana Bank as the first chief of the KEB Hana bank. Under his leadership, the bank last year smoothly integrated its data network and labor union.

According to the bank, 2,365 employees were cross-allocated since the data network integration, so that the two banks' workforce can be mixed up.

In the first year as KEB Hana Bank, it posted 1.39 trillion won ($1.21 billion) net profit in 2016, up 31.7 percent from 1.05 trillion won a year earlier. The bank's growth led the group's net profit to stand at 1.35 trillion won, up 47.9 percent from a year earlier. The bank attributed its highest earnings since 2012 to the synergy of the two banks merging.

Its BIS capital ratio, which gauges its capital prudence, improved to 16.61 percent at the end of the last year, from 14.65 percent in 2015. The ratio of loans classified substandard or below also fell from 1.21 percent in 2015 to 0.84 percent in 2016.

During his tenure, the bank's stock price rose 36.1 percent from 26,750 won on Sept. 1, 2015, to 36,400 won as of Feb. 17.
By Park Hyong-ki



Overseas credit card spending by Koreans reached a record last year amid increased traveling.



The Bank of Korea (BOK) said Tuesday that Koreans paid 16.6 trillion won for goods and services with their credit or check cards while abroad.



This was an annual increase of 7.8 percent, or 1.6 trillion won, from 2015. It was also the highest increase.



About 22.4 million Koreans traveled overseas on vacation or for business last year, up about 16 percent from a year earlier, the central bank and Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) said. This was in sharp contrast to spending at home, where private consumption increased just 2.4 percent in 2016.



Foreigners visiting Korea used their credit cards to spend about $10.7 billion, or 12.4 trillion won, up 6.6 percent.



This was well below the $11.6 billion they spent in 2014, even though the number of tourists rebounded by 30 percent to 17 million last year after the 2015 Middle East respiratory syndrome outbreak.



"This was mostly due to decreased per capita spending by tourists, especially Chinese and Japanese, albeit increased inbound visits," a BOK official said.



In December 2016, the number of Koreans traveling abroad surpassed 2 million for the first time, while the number of inbound tourists reached 1.3 million, up 20 percent on-year, thanks to increased visits from China and Japan, despite Korea's diplomatic rows with these countries.



The increase rate of Chinese tourists to Korea slowed to a single digit from October-November last year, after gaining about 23 percent in September, as China restricted traveling to Korea as part of its retaliation against Seoul's decision to deploy the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense anti-missile battery. However, the number of Chinese tourists climbed by 15 percent last December, according to the KTO.










By Kim Jae-heun



Five cultural assets of Korea have been missing for the last 20 years, the Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) revealed.



The organization posted five stolen national treasures on the "Lost Cultural Asset" category on its website, Tuesday.



Korea's Treasure No. 1008, Mankukjeondo, is a Korean geographic map stretching 133 centimeters in width and 71.5 centimeters in height. It is unique in that the ocean and lands on the map are colored differently. The national treasure was painted by Park Yeon-sul in the second year of King Hyeonjong's reign during the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1897) in 1661. It was presumably stolen between 1993 and 1994 in Dongdaemun-gu, eastern Seoul.



Also, "Gohee Portrait and Family Relic," designated together as national treasure No. 739, have also been included in the list of lost treasures along with two documents of "Hwangjin Family's Ancient Documents," national treasure No. 942.



The portraits of Gohee, a man in his 70s painted in green, have been missing since November 2012. The man in the portrait is said to be identified as a military official who escorted King Sunjo (1552-1608) during the Japanese invasion of Korea in 1592.



The stolen ancient document belonged to the descendants of General Hwangjin, which King Sunjo issued in 1615 to the deceased official who died in the war at Jinju Fortress. Another missing ancient document is identified as a service exemption paper issued by Namwon's then-region governor in 1856. The document went missing in 1993.



All the cultural assets are owned by individuals as they have been passed down through generations in the families.



The CHA official said the organization was notified of Mankukjeondo's disappearance in 2009 and the missing Hwangjin family's documents in 2012. The governmental body has not classified the national treasures as lost cultural properties considering they are expected to be returned soon.








Thae Yong-ho, a high-profile North Korean defector, has suspended all public activities over safety concerns following the killing of the half brother of the North's leader, a government source said Tuesday.



South Korea's spy agency has decided to put on hold Thae's public activities, including media interviews, on concerns that he could be a target of North Korean agents, according to the source.



Thae, a former North Korean diplomat in London who escaped to Seoul with his family in late July, has held press conferences and attended a forum as a panelist since late December to reveal North Korea's situation.



Kim Jong-nam, the eldest son of late former leader Kim Jong-il, died last week at an airport in Malaysia after being attacked by two Asian women with what appeared to be a poisonous substance.



Rep. Ha Tae-Keung of the splinter Bareun Party claimed last week that two North Korean spies have entered South Korea to attack defectors, warning that Thae would be the No. 1 target. He did not reveal where he obtained the intelligence.



The incident is likely to put on hold Thae's possible trip to the United States. Thae told Yonhap News Agency in January that he is willing to visit the U.S. to speak about North Korea's nuclear problems to American people and policymakers.



The government has beefed up security for high-profile defectors following the death of Kim Jong-nam.



Malaysian police said that at least five North Korean suspects are involved in the incident. Seoul said that it is highly likely that North Korea is behind the killing, given that Pyongyang has a track record of committing terrorist attacks and inhumane acts.



In 1997, Lee Han-young, nephew of Song Hye-rim, was shot in front of his apartment outside Seoul, 15 years after he defected to the capitalist South. Song is the mother of Kim Jong-nam.



Investigators suspected that Lee was the target of an assassination by North Korea. (Yonhap)




By Kim Rahn





Thae Yong-ho, former North Korean diplomat

Thae Yong-ho, the former North Korean diplomat who fled to South Korea last year, said he would not stop his anti-North Korean activities despite safety concerns following the North's alleged assassination of its leader Kim Jong-un's half-brother Kim Jong-nam.

South Korean lawmakers said last week Thae could be the next target, citing information from the National Intelligence Service (NIS).

The NIS reportedly asked Thae recently to suspend public activities, such as participating in forums or giving media interviews.

However, Thae said he won't stop and will not be afraid of such threats from the North.

"The reports that I will stop all activities because of the fear of assassination are not true," Thae told YTN.












By Yi Whan-woo

North Korean defectors in Europe and the United States had offered Kim Jong-nam to serve as head of a government-in-exile, if one had been established, but he rejected the offer, according to sources, Tuesday.

"He was concerned that accepting such an offer may not help end hereditary succession of power in the repressive regime," a source said.

The source said Kim's paternal half-brother and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un may have ordered his death with suspicions that he may join the government-in-exile aimed at eventually overthrowing the regime.

One of the defectors' groups that made the proposals included International North Korean Association for Human Rights and Democracy in London.

The association's secretary general, Kim Joo-il, said he "regularly contacted" Kim Jong-nam until June after they first met face-to-face in China in December 2014.

Kim Jong-nam, who had been staying outside of North Korea for years, was returning from Pyongyang after attending a ceremony to mark the third anniversary of his late father Kim Jong-il's death.
By Rachel Lee



Russia is eager to expand cooperation in science with South Korea, one of its top 10 trading partners, the Russian Embassy's head trade representative says.



"The current trade situation is not entirely satisfactory and it's limited to a certain number of areas like Russia's exports of crude oil," Mikhail Bondarenko said at the 59th World Federation of Korean Businessmen's February luncheon meeting at the Grand Ambassador Seoul on Feb. 13.



The Trade Representation of the Russian Federation organized the event to bring together South Korean businesses to discuss the importance of bilateral economic cooperation.



Bondarenko said basic science is one of the key areas the two countries could focus on.



"Bilateral cooperation with Korea's excellent technique to commercialise the science industry and Russia's outstanding products of basic science will increase not only trade volume in cutting-edge technology, but also it will bring us opportunities to enter third countries," he said.



Bondarenko also said Moscow's exports to Seoul maintained their volume over the past two years despite an overall decrease in bilateral trade.



"Other products, other than crude oil, saw an increase in volume by 5.2 percent," he said. These included agricultural products, water, beverages and wheat.



According to the embassy, Seoul's investment in Moscow reached $2.4 billion last year.



Bondarenko also expressed regret over the suspended joint logistics project involving the two Koreas and Russia, the Rajin-Khasan project.



South Korea last year pulled out of the project as part independent sanctions, in addition to U.N. Security Council sanctions, against North Korea for its nuclear program and long-range rocket launches.



Other measures included a ban on foreign ships if they had visited North Korea in the past six months.



The three-way logistics project was aimed at securing a sales route for Siberian coal via a railroad between Russia's border town of Khasan and North Korea's ice-free port of Rajin. Ships then carried the coal to South Korea.



"Since the summer of 2014, a total of three million tonnes of coal have been shipped through the Rajin port and about four to five million tonnes were expected to be transferred," Bondarenko said.



As an alternative, Moscow has offered other projects, including the Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky port.




By Rachel Lee



Korea, a growing beauty industry trendsetter, has shared its success stories with Malaysia.



At the Investment and Market Research Mission, launched in Kuala Lumpur on Monday, experts from leading Korean cosmetic companies and organizations are speaking about the industry, branding strategy, packaging development procedures and marketing strategies. About 80 representatives from Malaysian cosmetic companies are attending.



The ASEAN-Korea Centre and the Malaysia Investment Development Authority (MIDA) organized the five-day event to strengthen the capacity of small and medium cosmetics companies so they gain further access to the Korean market.



"Based upon demands and needs of Malaysian counterparts, the centre is organizing its programs for the most important sectors, cosmetics and smart manufacturing," ASEAN-Korea Centre Secretary General Kim Young-sun said.



The program also invited seven Korean companies specialising in industrial robots and automation, including the Korea Institute for Robot Industry Advancement, to expose potential Korean investors to information and opportunities in Malaysia's smart manufacturing sector, the organization said.



"Recognizing the importance of nurturing high technology for long-term development of the country, the Malaysian government recently introduced new incentives for companies adopting robotics and automation in their production lines," Kim said.



"Furthermore, while the country is a fast-growing market for Korean cosmetic brands, Malaysian brands are also expanding their presence in the global market. Through the Product Development Workshop, K-Beauty experts will share their expertise and know-how to enhance the capacity of SMEs in the sector."



The organization last year hosted the ASEAN-Korea Technology Cooperation Workshop in Seoul where 18 representatives from nine ASEAN countries learned about the Korean cosmetics industry  branding strategy and packaging technology, in particular. The ASEAN-Korea Centre and the Korea Cosmetic Association organized the event.



Three Korean beauty experts  Incheon University Professor Hwang Seon-a, WK Marketing Group Director Han Tae-soo and Yonwoo Executive Vice President Kim Hak-chan  spoke on "K-Beauty: Korean Cosmetics Industry," "Cosmetics Branding Strategy" and "Packaging Development Group."



According to the Korea Customs Service, exports surpassed imports in the cosmetics sector in 2014, as Korean beauty products gained popularity around the world.



In 2015, total exports were $2.4 billion, a 53.1 percent increase from the previous year. In Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam, exports reached $88 million, $63 million and $57 million, respectively.



This year marks the "ASEAN-ROK Cultural Exchange Year." According to the organization, plans to mark the occasion include the designation of May as the "Month of ASEAN," and a series of commemorative events such as the "International Conference on the ASEAN-Korea Partnership."



In June, the "ASEAN Culinary Festival" will be held, while the Korea World Travel Fair will feature the ASEAN tourism promotional pavilion. The center also said it will work to raise awareness of the travel campaign during the year.



The ASEAN-Korea Centre is an intergovernmental organization established in 2009 to promote exchanges among Korea and the 10 ASEAN member states.








Students at Busan International Foreign School (BIFS) take part in an international event at its Gijang-nari campus. / Courtesy of BIFS



By John Redmond



Busan International Foreign School (BIFS) will hold a spring open house event at its Gijang-nari campus in Busan, Feb. 17.

Potential students and their parents are invited to visit the beautiful campus and get to know administrators, teachers, current students and parents, to find out more about the competitive advantages of a BIFS education.

Kevin Baker, head of the school, will welcome visitors to the campus, who will then have a chance to explore the grounds and facilities with a campus tour and classroom visits to the world-class facility.

Following the tour, a Q&A session will provide the opportunity to learn more and ask any additional questions about the advantages and challenges of an international education in an increasingly globalized, English language-oriented world.

BIFS is an international baccalaureate (IB) continuum school.

"In addition to a rigorous academic education, Service Learning, connecting the teaching in the classroom with action in the community, is integral to the IB's vision of teaching peace through global citizenship and environmental stewardship. BIFS offers a personalized K-12 education and the IB diploma, coveted for its status as a gateway to prestigious universities around the world," the school said in a press release.

Founded in 1983 (as the International School of Pusan) by a group of Norwegian businessmen, BIFS is a nonprofit international school with over 400 students from 42 countries catering to expatriate children in Busan and South Gyeongsang Province.

In the summer of 2010, BIFS moved to its current state-of-the-art purpose-built facility, built with the support of the city government, which supports our comprehensive approach to education.

The staff at BIFS hail from the U.S., the U.K., Australia, Ireland, Canada, New Zealand, Korea, Spain, Venezuela, Chile, South Africa, Japan, Singapore, India and the Philippines.

The open session will be from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Visit bifskorea.org for more.
By John Redmond

English educators, applied linguists, and scholars are invited to submit presentation proposals for the 25th annual KOTESOL International Conference.

KOTESOL, the Korean branch of Korea Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), will hold its conference in conjunction with the Pan-Asian Consortium of Language Teaching Societies (PAC) at Sookmyung Women's University in Seoul on Oct. 21 to 22.

The KOTESOL international Conference typically attracts over 1,000 attendees from Korea, across Asia and abroad.

The conference is regarded as a great venue for English educators, applied linguists, and scholars to present their expertise, share ideas, discuss experiences, and inspire others.

"It's a broad audience. Come, enjoy yourself and talk about your interests. The conference provides dozens of ways to think about the teaching-learning process, practically and theoretically. It feels good to have your work discussed among your peers," former presenter Stewart Gray said.

This year's conference theme is "Why Are We Here? Analogue Learning in a Digital Era."

"The theme is intended to explore the relevance of face-to-face learning when technological advances have made it possible to create online and distance-learning options," KOTESOL says on its webpage.

"Korea TESOL also welcomes proposals on a wide array of English language teaching (ELT) and English language learning (ELL) topics. One specific series includes the prefix "101" and features sessions intended for participants who are new to the ELT community. While considering topics, presenters also have a variety of formats to choose from: workshops, panels, and research presentations are a few of the options available."

The deadline for presentation proposals is May 31.

Visit koreatesol.org/ic2017 for more information about the conference and the proposal process. PAC's website is found at pac-teach.org.
By Jun Ji-hye



The South Korean military is strengthening its security in preparation for the possibility that North Korea may conduct military provocations to divert attention away from the murder of its leader Kim Jong-un's half-brother, officials said Tuesday.



"We have strengthened our security and surveillance to better counter the North's possible provocations," a Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) official said on condition of anonymity.



He noted that the North Korean military is conducting its regular winter drills and there are no unusual movement as of now. But he added, "We are fully prepared against all contingencies."



Kim Jong-nam, the eldest son of late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, was killed Feb. 13, after two women seemingly attacked him with poison as he waited to board a flight at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.



The apparent assassination has been driving the North into a corner as it has been taking criticism for the Kim regime's brutality based on the suspicion that the repressive state had engineered the murder.



The South Korean government said it seemed "certain" that the North was behind the murder, citing the announcement by Malaysian police, Sunday, that at least eight North Korean nationals have been involved in the case.



Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn called government officials Monday to keenly monitor the possibility of the reclusive state committing terrorist acts on South Korean people, urging officials to make full preparation through cooperation between relevant organizations including the counterterrorism center.



South Korea has also strengthened personal protection of North Korean defectors living here including Thae Young-ho who was a senior diplomat based in London.



Since the murder, which followed the North's launch of a new intermediate-range ballistic missile, calls have been growing in the U.S. Congress for relisting the reclusive state as a state sponsor of terrorism.



"Once upon a time, the United States had North Korea on the State Sponsors of Terrorism list," Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX) said during a floor meeting last week.



"It is time to put little Kim back on that list because he is a world terrorist and a threat to world peace, and he has earned that distinction."




President Park Geun-hye's Seoul mansion in Samseong-dong / Korea Times file



By Ko Dong-hwan

Police have fined a drunk man who threw an egg near a Seoul mansion owned by President Park Geun-hye.

The man, surnamed Shim, and two others approached the mansion in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, at about 3 a.m.

During a clash with police guarding the residence, Shim took an egg from his pocket and threw it at a police post.

Police took Shim and his friends to a substation.

Seoul Gangnam police said Monday that although Shim, 39, said he threw the egg "out of fury" his action appeared premeditated.

Police fined Shim 30,000 won ($26) and let him go.

Shim was apparently angry over President Park's alleged involvement in a corruption scandal alongside her longtime friend and influence-peddler Choi Soon-sil.

Park is waiting for the Constitutional Court to decide whether she should be impeached.
By Park Si-soo



Sungshin Women's University president Shim Hwa-jin was released on bail on Monday, nine days after being jailed for embezzling school funds. She posted 50 million won ($43,600) bail.

Judge Oh Won-chan of the Seoul Northern District Court approved her release on condition that Shim must not visit the school in Seoul or influence its management.












By Jun Ji-hye



The second largest opposition People's Party is in a heated debate over whether to drop its opposition to the planned deployment of the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery on South Korean soil.



The party adopted its official stance against THAAD in July last year soon after Seoul and Washington announced their decision to deploy the system this year to better deter nuclear and missile threats from North Korea. At the time, the party cited the negative impact on Seoul-Beijing relations and strong protest from local residents over concerns about detrimental health and environmental effects.



The move to change such a stance comes as some members, including former co-chair and leading presidential hopeful Ahn Cheol-soo said the situation has changed. They cited the North's latest missile launch, which showed significant progress in its missile technology, as well as the apparent assassination of Kim Jong-nam, the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, in Malaysia last week.



"South Korea and the United States have already concluded an agreement on the deployment," Ahn said.



Those who want to change the party's stance apparently share the need for gaining support from conservative and centrist voters amid the possibility that the presidential election, originally scheduled for December, could take place within the first half of the year once the Constitutional Court rules on President Park Geun-hye's impeachment. Under the Constitution, the nation should elect a new president within 60 days after the incumbent's departure.



But other senior members, such as four-term lawmaker Chung Dong-young and six-term Chun Jung-bae, disagreed with the move to reverse the stance out of concerns that the party could be criticized for flip-flopping.



"If we overturn the stance due to the murder of Kim Jong-nam, we will become a laughing stock to others," Chung said.



Chun also said, "There is no need to change our official stance simply because Kim Jong-nam was killed."



Floor leader Joo Seung-yong gathered the opinions of all lawmakers of the party over the weekend ahead of a party meeting Tuesday, but only found a gap between the two sides.



"There are differing opinions. We need to make a final decision through a comprehensive discussion at the meeting," Joo said. "Presidential candidates see the issue differently as well. So, I kind of feel uncomfortable dealing with the issue as whichever decision the party makes, it would appear to support a certain presidential hopeful."



The THAAD battery is designed to intercept incoming North Korean ballistic missiles during their final phase of flight, but China is strongly protesting this decision based on the belief that the system would escalate regional military tensions and undermine its own security interests.



The governments of South Korea and the United States have maintained a stance to push for the deployment as planned despite China's protest, citing evolving North Korean threats.



In the latest in a series of military provocations, the reclusive state fired a new intermediate-range ballistic missile propelled by a solid-fuel engine using a caterpillar-tracked, self-propelled missile launching vehicle on Feb. 12.




By Kim Hyo-jin





Acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn

The acting President faces growing pressure to extend the period for the independent counsel team to investigate the corruption scandal involving the impeached President Park Geun-hye and her confidant Choi Soon-sil.



The opposition parties renewed their call on acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn to extend the probe by one month, Tuesday, saying that otherwise they will seek to pass a bill for the extension on their own.



The team led by independent counsel Park Young-soo will expire Feb. 28. Whether to extend the mandate of the counsel team is left up to the acting President's discretion.



Hwang has stayed tight-lipped on the matter in what critics view as a bid to protect President Park. If extended, the team is likely to question President Park as a civilian on the assumption that the Constitutional Court upholds the National Assembly's impeachment in March as predicted.



The independent counsel team requested Hwang extend the period of its activity last Thursday. Hwang's office has remained reluctant to clarify his position, implying his decision may not come before the expiry date. "What we can say officially is that we will consider the matter in accordance to the law," an official said Monday.



The independent counsel law only stipulates that the President or acting President can approve an extension of the probe before its mandate is expired. The team launched its 70-day investigation on Dec. 21.



Hwang's silence might have to do with his interests in relation with the ruling Liberty Korea Party (LKP), pundits say. Hwang, the frontrunner among potential presidential candidates from the conservative bloc in opinion polls, has been noted as a possible contender of the LKP.



The LKP claimed the counsel team has carried out the investigation "lopsidedly" unfavorable to Park. It stated its opposition to extending the probe, Monday, in an apparent move to fend off the opposition's offensive against Hwang.



Leaders of opposition parties on Tuesday agreed to make all possible efforts to table a bill to extend the mandate of the independent counsel team in the upcoming plenary session unless Hwang makes the move anytime soon. The next session is slated for Thursday.



The decision was made in a meeting between chairpersons of the four opposition parties  Choo Mi-ae of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), Park Jie-won of the minor opposition People's Party, Choung Byoung-gug of the Bareun Party, and Sim Sang-jung of the minor opposition Justice Party.



They discussed the possibility of asking the Assembly Speaker, who is a former member of the DPK, to push ahead with putting a bill to a vote using his authority, their spokespersons said in a briefing.



Despite the plan, the possibility is low, according to pundits and most of the lawmakers. Now under the current National Assembly Law, the Assembly Speaker can only call a chamber vote on bills in the event of a natural disaster or state emergency, or if rival parties reach an agreement. It is hard to meet any of the conditions, they say.



The bill for the extension of the probe proposed by DPK lawmaker Park Ju-min is now pending in the parliamentary Legislation and Judiciary Committee. It has to secure an agreement between rival parties to be delivered to the plenary session. Rep. Kim Jin-tae, the leading LKP lawmaker on the committee, has remained a strong opponent to the bill.
According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the number of tigers has to 3,890 worldwide. / Korea Times file



By Lee Han-soo

Wild tigers, the majestic animals that once roamed the earth in their tens of thousands, are close to extinction.

According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the number of tigers has to 3,890 worldwide.

Although this is a slight increase from 3,200 in 2010, the tiger population has fallen 97 percent from a century ago.

Even in India, which has the largest wild tiger population (2,226), 76 wild tigers were poached in 2016.

"Large-scale infrastructure development in Asia is threatening the habitat of wild tigers," WWF says on its website. "This is hurting efforts for tiger repopulation."

WWF warns that without any development plan that assures coexistence of tigers and humans, 500 more tigers will probably disappear in South-East Asia within 10 years.

However, all is not yet lost.

In 2010, 13 nations where tigers live, including Russia and China, have a plan called "Tx2."

Its ultimate goal is to double the wild tiger population by 2022.

"Tigers will never get this chance again, and neither will mankind," says the WWF.
Whether to grant an extra month to the independent counsel team is becoming a thorny issue in the run-up to the Constitutional Court's ruling on President Park Geun-hye's impeachment.



The ruling Liberty Korea Party has adopted an official statement opposing the extension at a time when Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn remains lukewarm about the request to extend the investigation period.



The governing party's statement came in response to the opposition's call for Hwang to approve the extension. The four opposition parties, including the conservative Bareun Party that consists of breakaway lawmakers from the ruling party, even threatened to revise the independent counsel law to prolong the investigation.



The probe team, led by special prosecutor Park Young-soo, has until Feb. 28 to wrap up its 70-day investigation into the unprecedented presidential scandal involving Park's shadowy confidant Choi Soon-sil. The team asked for a one-month extension on Feb. 16, saying it was difficult to finish the probe before then.



The acting president may have plausible reasons to be lukewarm about the request. Given that the independent counsel asked for the extension much earlier than the legally set deadline of Feb. 25, Hwang and his aides appear to be displeased with the opposition's pressure tactics relying on public opinion.



But the most important yardstick to judge this dispute must be whether extending the period is indispensable to a successful investigation.



In fact, the independent counsel team is waging a race against time. It is doubtful if it could wrap up the probe by the end of this month, considering that much work remains to be done, including face-to-face questioning of President Park.



Among other things, the team needs to begin investigating other business groups, which have been neglected because the team has so far concentrated on Samsung Group.



To prevent a similar corruption and influence-peddling scandal, it is particularly necessary for the special prosecutor team to have enough time to investigate thoroughly and punish harshly those involved in irregularities.



By all indications, it is proper that the acting president should accept the special prosecutor's request to prolong the investigation period.




Pyongyang must stop linking Seoul with Kim Jong-nam's death



North Korean Ambassador to Malaysia Kang Chol gave a second press conference Monday about the death of the half-brother of the country's ruler Kim Jong-un in Malaysia. His outburst is inexcusable from the perspective of diplomatic customs and practices.



Kang's statement came amid an escalating diplomatic row between North Korea and Malaysia over the release of the body.



Kang's hostile statement, which was full of criticism of Malaysia's investigation into the case and false accusations against the governments of Malaysia and South Korea, strongly indicates that Pyongyang is trying to hide the truth behind Kim Jong-nam's death on Feb. 13.



In a statement that lasted about 13 minutes, Kang did not mention the name Kim Jong-nam at all, describing it as "the other name alleged by the hostile forces of the DPRK." Kang instead stressed that his embassy had identified the name as "Kim Chol," calling him a "DPRK citizen as mentioned in his passport and a diplomatic passport holder."



The most incomprehensible aspect of Kang's press conference was that he made a preposterous accusation that South Korea and Malaysia had colluded out of political motives to fabricate the case. The accusation is not only completely baseless, but it is also a grave affront to the governments of both countries.



Kang pointed the finger mainly at Seoul, saying Korea was "exploiting it (the situation) to defame the image of the DPRK and spreading false propaganda through mass media." The death of a DPRK citizen on Malaysian soil is an issue between North Korea and Malaysia. Therefore, it is absolutely unreasonable for North Korea to bring South Korea into this incident.



Kang claimed that those who benefited from the incident were the "South Korean authorities who face the largest-ever political scandal," which is an obvious reference to the Choi Soon-sil scandal that has resulted in the parliamentary impeachment of President Park Geun-hye. The North Korean envoy also suggested that the U.S. had a role in the incident, saying it was an "attempt to force the deployment of the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) in South Korea."



It is completely against diplomatic custom for the North Korean ambassador to comment on South Korea's domestic politics and national security decisions, which have nothing to do with Kim Jong-nam's death. The international community will not be convinced at all by Pyongyang's attempt to drag South Korea and the U.S. into the death of a DPRK citizen on foreign soil.



The Ministry of Foreign Affairs should protest against Kang's outrageous remarks and warn North Korean authorities from making up more lies about South Korea's involvement.



Rather than blaming other countries, Pyongyang should act in accordance with international law and fully cooperate with the Malaysian authorities for a clear investigation into the case.




By Frank Ching





The telephone conversation between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Feb. 9moved the two countries back from the edge of a precipice.

Trump had announced that he might reject the "one China policy," which all American administrations had accepted since the 1970s, unless Beijing made trade concessions .China made it clear that this basic policy was not up for negotiation. The policy means Washington recognizes Beijing as the sole legal government of China and acknowledges the Chinese position that Taiwan is part of China.

According to a White House statement, during the conversation, "President Trump agreed, at the request of President Xi, to honor our one China' policy."

It is a little odd for the US to say that Trump had agreed to change his position at the request of the Chinese president. It appears to suggest that China's leader now owes him a favor.

Actually, the Chinese have frequently asserted when conducting diplomacy that telephone calls or meetings took place upon the request of the foreign party, as though to underline China's superior status. Maybe the Americans are taking a leaf from the Chinese playbook.

The Chinese account of the conversation does not mention any request by Xi. Instead, it reported: "Donald Trump stressed that he fully understands the importance for the US government to adhere to the one-China policy. The US government firmly upholds the one-China policy."

China's account noticeably gives Xi the upper hand. "Appreciating Donald Trump's emphasis on the US government's adherence to the one-China policy, Xi Jinping pointed out that the one-China policy is the political foundation for China-US relations." It sounded like a teacher lecturing a student.

With the resolution of the "one China policy" dispute, the US-China relationship is back on track  at least on the surface.

But none of the old problems have been solved. Thus, last week [Feb. 18] the US Navy sent a carrier strike group, including the USS Carl Vinson, into the South China Sea for "routine operations" despite an explicit warning from Beijing three days previously "to refrain from challenging China's sovereignty and security" in the area.

Under its "one-China policy," the US doesn't recognize the democratically elected government in Taiwan, but it does maintain an "unofficial" body there that performs the functions of an embassy  the American Institute in Taiwan. The Trump administration is tightening its relationship with Taiwan, with Trump himself taking the unprecedented action of accepting a congratulatory phone call from its president, Tsai Ing-wen, in early December.

In fact, the Trump administration apparently informed Taiwan in advance of Trump's phone call with Xi. This suggests a level of cooperation not evident since diplomatic relations were broken in 1979.

As a mark of its unofficial character, the AIT's premises for the past three and a half decades have not been protected by marine guards, unlike US embassies around the world. However, it was recently announced by former AIT director Stephen Young that when the new compound of the AIT is completed, US Marines will be posted there.

The "one-China policy" recognizes Hong Kong as Chinese territory. But several US Senators, including former presidential candidate Marco Rubio, have reintroduced the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, which is designed to strengthen the territory's autonomy under "one country, two systems."

The bill also requests that the US president identify persons responsible for the surveillance, abduction, detention or forced confessions of certain booksellers and journalists in Hong Kong. It asks the president to freeze their US-based assets and deny them entry into the US. This provision is in response to the abductions of booksellers in 2015.

Four days after the Trump-Xi conversation, China granted Trump a trademark which he had been seeking unsuccessfully in Chinese courts for 10 years  the exclusive rights to use the "Trump" name for "building construction services." According to the Chinese media, there are 49 pending Trump trademark applications and 77 which will be due for renewal during his term, including Trump toilets and a Trump International Hotel.

While the timing may be coincidental, there is speculation that maybe granting the trademark was Xi returning Trump a favor for adhering to the "one China policy". However, favor or not, the trademark itself may well land Trump in another legal squabble in the US, where the president is barred by the constitution from accepting "any present, emolument, office, or title, of any kind whatever, from any king, prince, or foreign state." Arguably, a trademark could be an emolument.





Frank Ching is a Hong Kong-based freelance writer. Contact Frank.ching@gmail.com.
By Lee Seong-hyon





When China makes a certain move on North Korea, by a rule of the thumb, it is not about North Korea. It is about the United States. Grasping and appreciating this psychology is important in engaging China.

China announced that it would suspend coal imports from North Korea. Some immediate reaction interpreted it as China's exasperation about North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's killing of his erstwhile rival brother, Jong-nam, who had been under China's protection. This interpretation gives immediate gratification to the media-sensationalized tragedy, but is likely to be a misplaced one.

A more studious mind interprets it as China's intolerance of the North Korean regime's "adventurism." For instance, in 1975, Kim Il-sung (the current North Korean leader's grandfather) visited Beijing and met with the Chinese leadership, including Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai. Kim had one goal: to get approval from China for his plan to invade South Korea one more time.

My apology. Actually, Kim didn't use the word, "invade" South Korea. Rather, he used the term, "liberate" South Korea.

China at that time was in a detente with the United States, following Nixon's historic visit. Not wanting to raise the tension on the Korean Peninsula, which would trigger the revisit of the U.S. military China had fought against during the earlier Korean War, China frowned upon North Korea's adventurism and rejected Kim's plea. So, based on this historical incident and others, some would interpret the coal ban as China's warning to Kim Jong-un to contain his adventurism of assassinating his brother in a foreign country that hit the international headlines.

Context matters. These two interpretations provide plausible contexts. But not in this specific case.

We should keep in mind that China has been under mounting criticism from the U.S. in terms of implementing sanctions on North Korea. China's import of North Korean coal became a particularly pronounced issue.












Hyundai Oilbank CEO Moon Jong-bak, left, and members of the firm's 1 percent Nanum (sharing and giving) foundation distribute food at a welfare service center in Seoul, Tuesday. The foundation was set up by a 1 percent donation from executives and employees' monthly salaries. / Courtesy of Hyundai Oilbank
By Kang Seung-woo

Microsoft has opened two data centers to beef up its Azure cloud computing services here.

The data centers, called "regions," are in Seoul and Busan and are part of 13 regions in Asia and 34 around the world, which is more than the U.S. giant's competitors.

Tuesday's launch came nine months after Microsoft announced it would open two data centers here by 2017 in a bid to expand in the fast-growing Korean cloud services market.

Cloud computing consists of internet-based computing services that rent data storage and computing power to individual users or corporate customers. It allows users to save and process data using a remote server, instead of using a local server or personal computers.

"The new Azure regions deliver world-class reliability and performance," Microsoft Korea CEO Alfred Koh told a press conference in Seoul.

Microsoft also plans to deliver its industry-leading collaboration and productivity services, or Office 365, in the second quarter of the year.

The company expects the Azure regions in Korea to help organizations bring their services and applications closer to customers around the world.

"The geographic expansion of Azure enables our customers to achieve higher performance and supports their requirements and preferences regarding data location to meet the growing demand for an intelligent, global, enterprise-ready cloud," Yousef Khalidi, Microsoft's corporate vice president for Azure networking, told reporters.

According to the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning, the nation's market for cloud computing totaled 1.19 trillion won last year, up 55.2 percent from a year ago.

Amid the rapid growth, global cloud services providers have launched data centers in Korea.

Amazon Web Services opened its data center in Seoul in January 2016, while IBM also built a cloud data center in partnership with SK C&C, an IT services provider, in August of the same year.
By Kim Yoo-chul



CHICAGO, IL.  The prosecution's arrest of Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong on bribery charges involving the influence-peddling scandal will eventually help the group revamp its ownership structure and boost management transparency, analysts said Tuesday.



"Restructuring is inevitable. A cleaner ownership structure is necessary and will be good for Samsung, the Lee family and for shareholders," Mark C. Newman, managing director at Bernstein Research in Hong Kong, said in an email, Monday.



"The key concern for investors is what this means for restructuring. While this scandal clearly throws a wrench into its restructuring plans for the short-term, we believe the restructuring for Samsung Group and its units will happen regardless," the analyst said.



Samsung is expected to buy back up to 5.9 trillion won ($5.2 billion) and 2.5 trillion won worth of shares throughout this year and 2018, respectively, with the company planning to spend 8.9 trillion won as for buyback for 2019.



The bottom-line is that, although Samsung may not be able to decide or move as swiftly on new business opportunities like bigger mergers and acquisitions (M&A)s or change in market needs, Samsung has seasoned executives running the day-to-day operations.



"In previous cases of owners being incarcerated, groups have continued to function, even consulting with the key decision maker during visitation rights," he said.



In response to growing calls by investors for transparency and stronger shareholder value, Samsung has taken a series of steps to return earnings to its shareholders.



Joe Morrison, vice president at a credit ratings agency of Moody's, said the agency doesn't expect any "disruption" of Samsung's operations as a result of the arrest. "The company is managed not dependent on a single individual," he said.



Samsung has been pressured by bigger overseas institutional investors including U.S.-based hedge fund Elliot Management to adjust its long-time top-down business practices.



Scott Seaman, a senior analyst at EuroAsia Group in New York, said the arrest of the Samsung Electronics vice chairman might bring about that change.



Seaman also expects any power change from an upcoming presidential election to spur acceleration for structural changes about Samsung as the current structure of circular ownership does not sit well with the government and lawmakers.



Credit Suisse Research, a leading research firm, said Samsung Electronics has already on a track for the creation of two separate holding companies  holding company and operating company, the move which won't be distracted by the arrest of the vice chairman Lee.



"As for the Samsung Electronics' demerger, we believe our long-held thesis of an imminent split-up of Samsung into holding company and operating company is now in motion. Demerger should increase share value as the creation of operating company entails removing all non-core assets, treasury shares and 30 trillion won in cash," Credit Suisse said. "Also, the profitability of Samsung's components businesses this year should be stronger than a previous year."



Samsung will be able to overcome the current crisis as it has built an well-functioning system.



"Samsung has shown mixed signals that it has made steady progress with shareholder-friendly policies. The absence of the Samsung vice chairman is offering a good chance for Samsung to prove that it can handle various pending issues that investors and shareholders are interested in on with its strategic thinking. Because Samsung has a system,' it will be able to fix the problems," said Ariel Goldfarb, a professor at Northwestern University, who also runs a brand consultancy called as CurtisAlan.




This is the second in a series highlighting operations of foreign luxury brands in Korea.  ED.

By Park Jae-hyuk





Bulgari Korea CEO Lee Hyun-kyung

Bulgari has been globally known as one of the most socially responsible luxury brands for its various activities like its partnership with Save the Children. The Italian brand, however, seems to act differently in Korea.

The brand specializing in jewelry and fragrances has continued to emphasize its ideal of "sustainable development" for global society as it notes on its official website the definition of corporate social responsibility (CSR).

"CSR is about balancing social, environmental and economic values into the core strategy and operations of a company, in order to improve management of business risks and opportunities while enhancing long-term social and environmental sustainability," it says.

But Bulgari seemingly does not apply these ideals to Korea where the fashion brand has profited handsomely. In particular, Bulgari Korea does not have a donation category on its financial statements, which means it does not donate at all.

Instead, the local affiliate, which is led by CEO Lee Hyun-kyung, distributed 73 percent of its net profits to shareholders in 2014, causing criticisms that its Italian headquarters holding 100 percent share of Bulgari Korea regards the Korean market as an automatic cash machine.
Kim Jong-nam dressed in an army uniform with his maternal grandmother in January 1975.



The fate of Kim Jong-il's first-born son was sealed long before his doomed visit to a Japanese Disney theme park

By Christopher Green





For North Korea's heir apparent Kim Jong-un, October 10, 2010, was a glorious day. It was just two weeks since he had been unveiled before the nation as the successor to then-leader Kim Jong-il, his father, at a big conference of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea. That day, journalists from around the world, even the hated United States, descended upon Pyongyang to bear witness to the unity and might of the Workers' Party on its 65th anniversary. There was a military parade and shutters clicked as Jong-un and his father waved down to the crowd from their dais. It all went according to plan and, to top it off, the Kim regime's most hated critic, former politician and defector Hwang Jang-yop, had been found dead in his Seoul bathroom that very morning. Hwang's death was a fortunate coincidence  assassins were forever chasing him, but it was age that got there first.

The next day, however, didn't go nearly so well. And as is usual for the Kims, it was family who got in the way. An interview that Jong-un's estranged half-brother, Kim Jong-nam, had recorded on October 9 was broadcast on Japan's TV Asahi, in which he made candid comments about losing out on the leadership of North Korea ("I am not disappointed"), the choice of Kim Jong-un as successor ("It was my father's decision") and the speed at which the succession seemed to be proceeding ("I think there are internal reasons for it"). He demurred over his father's health ("I have no comment") but then added for good measure, "Personally speaking, I am opposed to the third-generation succession." By the low standards of defiance in Pyongyang, this was throwing down the gauntlet.

It was neither the first nor the last of Kim Jong-nam's incendiary comments about his family.

Like his father, Jong-nam had been brought up expecting a place at the top. His much older cousin Ri Il-nam, then a teenager, recalled playing with Jong-nam when he was a small child. It wasn't a task Ri much relished.

In a florid memoir released 14 years after his 1982 defection to South Korea, Ri recalled one of his first meetings with Jong-nam, in 1977. Ri was dressed in the uniform of North Korea's hyper-elite Mangyongdae Revolutionary School  but the six-year-old Jong-nam was sporting the attire of a senior military officer.

"My military uniform is better than yours," Jong-nam declared precociously.

"Is that so?" asked Ri. "What is yours?"

"It is the uniform of a marshal," came the reply. "My father had it made for me on my birthday."

Kim Jong-il wasn't yet leader  that would have to wait until his father, original dictator Kim Il-sung, died in 1994  but he was determined to make sure his son got his proper place. On his birthday each year, Jong-nam is said to have put on a military uniform and reviewed an honour guard, and every year he would be promoted one more rank. By the age of seven, he was at the very top. There was no question that Kim Jong-il adored his son.

But there was a problem. Jong-nam's mother, Song Hye-rim, was not married to Jong-il, which made his parentage and upbringing an awkward manoeuvring point for the ruling family. Jong-il, who was struggling to ensure he would be the one to inherit the leadership from Kim Il-sung, dared not let the truth get out. Finally, in 1974, after six years of trying to legitimise the relationship and mired in a deep depression, Song left North Korea for the Soviet Union.





Two women and a boy, who had been detained with a man, believed to be Kim Jong-nam, son of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, board a plane at Narita airport near Tokyo, May 4, 2001.



It is often said that Jong-nam would have inherited the North Korean throne were it not for an embarrassing incident that resulted in his deportation from Japan in 2001, for travelling on a fake passport. But even as a small child in a marshal's uniform, his place in the line of succession was already insecure. By the time Ri Il-nam met Jong-nam, Jong-il's next lover, Ko Young-hee, was on her way to taking Song's place. By the late 1990s, Kim Jong-un was the one being educated about the revolutionary sites of North Korea while a miniature cult of personality was being built around Ko. The stock of Ko's two sons, Jong-un and Jong-chul, grew, mostly at Jong-nam's expense.

In March 2011, Jong-nam acknowledged his obvious political decline. Pointing out that his half-siblings had been born while he was studying in Geneva, Switzerland, back in the 1980s, Jong-nam mused that his father had probably redirected his love toward Jong-chul, Jong-un and their sister, Yo-Jong, starting many years earlier. "I was a totally capitalist kid," he explained. "I guess my father didn't expect anything from me."

In the grand sweep of North Korean history, Jong-nam's deportation from Tokyo is less of an issue than we tend to think. Carrying a fake passport to travel abroad was common back then for the North's elite, eager to enjoy foreign luxuries. Jong-un is alleged to have tried it, using a Brazilian passport to enter Japan. The deportation made headlines around the world but, for Jong-nam, "It didn't change my life one little bit." The die was already cast. Soon, he would leave North Korea once and for all, sent into Asian exile as an unwelcome branch of the dynastic family  and it was in exile that he met his end, poison sprayed into his eyes in a Malaysian airport.

In the years leading up to his death, Jong-nam had begun to cut a rather tragic public figure. He would appear every now and then, often in airports. There, he would invariably be buttonholed on the hoof by media from South Korea and Japan, with a seemingly insatiable appetite for news of the lives of the North Korean ruling family. He didn't give too much away  and besides, for all the ignominy that accompanied a life in Macau exile, he seemed to be enjoying himself. At a minimum, exile was an effective way of staying alive, for a while at least.

With the death of his father, Jong-nam said he wanted to stop talking. Things had become more dangerous. In the final batch of emails he sent to Japanese journalist Yoji Gomi, Jong-nam warned that while Pyongyang may have accepted his outspoken comments previously, during the 100 days of mourning for his late father it was imperative to remain silent and respectful. He told the Japanese journalist to ensure that no new information emerged and said after three years he would return to the idea of publishing a book of their correspondences.

On January 3, 2012, in his very last email, Jong-nam spoke still more critically about the succession of his brother. He questioned the concept of third-generation hereditary rule and wondered aloud whether Jong-un, with a mere two years of succession training under his belt, had the ability to manage North Korea in his father's absence.

Ignoring Jong-nam's warning, Gomi published the book in Japanese a few short weeks later. It came out in Korean on March 21, 2012. Only 95 days had passed since Kim Jong-il's death.





Kim Jong-nam arrives at Beijing airport from Macau on February 11, 2007.



Given the target and the method of Jong-nam's death, which recalls the assassination of dissident Bulgarian Georgi Markov with a poisoned umbrella on London's Waterloo Bridge four decades ago, it is hardly surprising that all eyes are on Pyongyang. The killing has more than a hint of state sponsorship about it. On the other hand, however, Jong-nam lived a troubled existence. His love life was as complicated and varied as Jong-il's had once been, and there is no doubt that he had enemies, and connections, in the shadowy, frequently criminal world of North Koreans overseas. Plenty of people in freewheeling Macau could have wished him dead.

If we can be sure of one thing, it is that the North Korean government doesn't take kindly to people spilling the beans on the inner workings of the Kim dynasty. When Ri Il-nam was shot dead in front of his apartment lift in Seoul in February 1997, at first there was speculation it must have been an act of retribution for the defection of the senior Workers' Party secretary Hwang Jang-yop in China a few days earlier. This was plausible; Kim Jong-il was reportedly livid at the escape. But the shooting of Ri could also have been in response to the book he'd written the previous year, in which he loudly and clearly exposed the Kim family in all its extravagant vulgarity, or to the defection of Ri's mother, Song Hye-rim's sister, who also wrote a colourful book about her experiences. There seems to be no proximate cause to take out Jong-nam now  but some invisible line may long since have been crossed.

At the end of the day, Kim Jong-nam's death is not likely to attract much in the way of sympathy. He was no dissident but, instead, a cast-off aristocrat, and he didn't speak truth to power. He advanced the agenda of North Korean human rights not one iota. He had a documented interest in opening the North Korean economy but didn't make much progress in that area, either. He lived and died in exile, an occasionally outspoken symbol of the abject failure of the North Korean political system to resolve its internal differences without acts of deadly violence.
U.S. President Donald Trump named Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster to be his new national security adviser Monday, a week after sacking Mike Flynn accused of having inappropriate contact with Russia's ambassador.



"Gen. H.R. McMaster will become the national security adviser. He's a man of tremendous talent and tremendous experience. I watched and read a lot over the last two days. He is highly respected by everyone in the military, and we're very honored to have him," Trump said at his Florida resort.



Trump said he met with many people as he looked for a successor to Flynn, including John Bolton, former ambassador to the United Nations.



"We'll be asking him to work with us in a somewhat different capacity," Trump said of Bolton. "We had some really good meetings with him. Knows a lot. He had a good number of ideas that I must tell you I agree very much with. So we'll be talking with John Bolton in a different capacity."



Bolton, known for his hard-line stance on North Korea, has been considered for secretary of state and other jobs so far. He has been talked about as a candidate for deputy secretary of state.



The announcement came a week after Trump's first national security adviser, Flynn, resigned in less than a month after taking office, after revelations surfaced that he discussed sanctions on Russia with Moscow's ambassador to Washington even before he officially took office.



Flynn was also found to have lied to Vice President Mike Pence about his contact with the Russian envoy.



His departure had raised concern about the vacancy of the top national security job at a time when the U.S. grapples with a string of security challenges, including North Korea's test-firing of a new intermediate-range ballistic missile.



Little is known about McMaster's views on Korea.



"I would just like to say what a privilege it is to be able to continue serving our nation," he said. "I'm grateful to you for that opportunity, and I look forward to joining the national security team and doing everything that I can to advance and protect the interests of the American people. Thank you very much." (Yonhap)




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February 21, 2017

In the Book Notes series, authors create and discuss a music playlist that relates in some way to their recently published book.

Previous contributors include Bret Easton Ellis, Kate Christensen, Lauren Groff, T.C. Boyle, Dana Spiotta, Amy Bloom, Aimee Bender, Jesmyn Ward, Heidi Julavits, Hari Kunzru, and many others.

Shannon Leone Fowler's memoir Traveling with Ghosts is a compelling and poignant book about love, grief, and recovery.

Booklist wrote of the book:

"Fowler has turned her devastating, beautiful, honest, and personal story into something universal. Akin to Cheryl Strayeds Wild (2012), her book will appeal to globetrotters and readers of hopeful stories chronicling grief and recovery."



In her own words, here is Shannon Leone Fowler's Book Notes music playlist for her memoir Traveling with Ghosts:







Traveling with Ghosts: A Memoir is about my fiance, Sean. Its about our relationship, his sudden death in 2002, and the solo journey I took through Eastern Europe in the months that followed. So it might seem strange to say, fourteen years later, that I had fun putting together this playlist. Now a single mum of three young kids, it wasnt only that I could put on a great song from my younger days, turn it up, and tell myself I was working. It was more because I hadnt realized what a huge role music had played in my relationship with Sean.

Wed grown up on other sides of the worldIm from California and Sean was from Melbourneso we first connected introducing each other to music. He got me into Powderfinger, and for a while I was known among his friends as the chick who turned him on to Ben Harper. We met backpacking through Western Europe, where Sean traveled with a Discman and tinny, portable travel speakers. We listened to music all the time together, especially in bed. We made each other mix tapes while we were apart, that we sent in the post. And after he died, I found meaning in the lyrics of almost every song.

Ive stuck with the versions of the songs I used to listen to, as thats where the memories are. Traveling with Ghosts bounces around a lot in time and place, which made it difficult to put the songs in any kind of order that would mirror the book. So Ive kept the songs in the chronological order they appeared in my life.

Castles Made of Sand, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Axis: Bold as Love

And so castles made of sand, fall in the sea, eventually.

Theres a scene in the book in Essaouira, Morocco where a local guide takes Sean and me by camel to see Hendrixs inspiration for this songan eighteenth century watchtower now sinking into the sea. It was February 1999; Sean and I had only just met. We were traveling with two other young Australian backpackers, and this was our first excursion just the two of us.

We later found out Hendrix had written the song two years before visiting Morocco. And after Sean died in the oceanstung by a box jellyfish while we were vacationing in Thailand, the lyrics seemed to represent promises crumbling.

Too Young to Die, Jamiroquai, Emergency on Planet Earth

To put this sad world right.

So dont you worry,

Suffer no more,

Cos were too young to die.

This song also features in a scene in Traveling with Ghostsmy twenty-fifth birthday, March 1999, with Sean in Bled, Slovenia. Sean had introduced me to Jamiroquai, and he bought me this CD for my birthday. We listened to the tracks as he cooked chicken satay, and as we drank cheap white wine out on the balcony. I later put the song on a mix tape I sent to him in Ireland. As with so many of the tracks on this list, the lyrics took on a different meaning for me after his death.

My Happiness, Powderfinger, Odyssey Number Five

If youre over there when I need you here.

Powderfinger has always been my favorite of the bands Sean introduced me to. Their CD, Internationalist, was on heavy rotation as we traveled through Europe together in 1999. After that first trip, Sean and I had extended periods of long distance: I was teaching SCUBA in the Caribbean while he worked as a cook in Ireland, I studied Australian sea lions on Kangaroo Island while he worked for Cadbury-Schweppes in Melbourne, I was doing PhD course work in California while he taught marketing in China. This song is about the pain of long distance, and reminds me now of those much simpler times.

New York, New York, Ryan Adams, Gold

Had myself a lover who was finer than gold

But I've been broken up and busted up since.

And love don't play any games with me, anymore

Like she did before.

In late 2001, Sean and I listened to this album all the time. He bought me the CD for Christmas that year, the first and only Christmas I ever spent with his family.

Like many people, this particular track reminds me of 9/11. I was on Kangaroo Island that day, but had already booked a flight to visit Sean in Melbourne for the day after. I remember the stunned airport employees, and sitting with Sean watching the TV as the towers fell over and over and over.

I was supposed to fly out of Melbourne for a quick holiday on my own in Thailand. But theyd closed the airports soon after Id landed and no one was sure when they would open again. My parents were panicking. But Sean was the one to talk me into canceling the trip. If I hadnt, Sean and I would have almost certainly chosen a different country for our vacation a year later. And hed still be alive.

A holiday is not worth making your parents miserable, hed said. Thailand will always be there. Ill go with you.

Bubble Toes, Jack Johnson, Brushfire Fairytales

When you move like a jellyfish,

Rhythm dont mean nothing

In 2001 and 2002, I did many road trips between my field site on Kangaroo Island and Seans flat in Melbourne. My car was so old, it only had a tape deck and Brushfire Fairytales was often in it. During an early scene in the book, Bubble Toes is playing on the stereo when I first arrive on the island and am trying to find my way around in the dark.

After Seans death, more than once, someone tried to pull me up to dance to this song. Coming for me, grinning and waving their arms around like a jellyfish. These lyrics, that new Bridget Jones novel, an old episode of Friendsjellyfish suddenly seemed to be everywhere, inescapable.

Dont Forget Me, Red Hot Chili Peppers, By the Way

Im an ocean in your bedroom.

Sean and I had tickets to see the Red Hot Chili Peppers together in Melbourne on December 1, 2002. I went to visit him in China in July, and we bought By the Way, gearing up for the concert. Wed go to karaoke with his students, and hed almost always pick a Peppers song, "Scar Tissue" or "Breaking the Girl." When Sean died August 9th, these tickets somehow seemed to be yet another piece of evidence that his death was a mistake.

Mr. Jones, Counting Crows, August and Everything After

Help me believe in anything

This song is the last song Sean ever heard, as we danced together barefoot up and down Haad Rin Nok beach on Ko Pha Ngan island. Its haunted me ever since. Decades after its release, Mr. Jones still appears to be a favorite for bar and restaurant playlists all over the world. It actually came on last night, while I was out with a couple of other single mums at the Balham Arms in London, and immediately after theyd asked about my upcoming book.

I never really noticed the album title until I started writing this piece. Since Sean died in August and the book starts there, August and Everything After could have been the title of my memoir.

Walk Away, Ben Harper, Welcome to the Cruel World

Oh no, here comes that sun again

That means another day

Without you my friend.

And it hurts me

To look into the mirror at myself

Sean and I listened to a lot of Ben Harper. Hed always ask me to put on the dancing song before jiggling around to "Homeless Child," as he does at one point in Salamanca, Spain in Traveling with Ghosts.

The day after he died on Ko Pha Ngan, I woke up and "Walk Aways" opening lyrics (above) got stuck in my head and stayed there for days. I was dealing with the police, his insurance, his family, and the Australian consulatetrying to get his body released and off the island, and these words became the sound track only I could hear.

In My Life, The Beatles, Rubber Soul

In my life, I love you more.

Sean always referred to The Beatles as The Boys. Every mix tape he made would have at least one of their songs. His father, a friend, and I chose the music for Seans funeral and there was no question that there would be a couple of Beatles songs played. But of all these friends and lovers / There is no one compares with you / And these memories lose their meaning / When I think of love as something new.

Dont Dream Its Over, Crowded House, Crowded House

But you'll never see the end of the road

While you're traveling with me

Hey now, hey now

Dont dream its over.

Crowded House was formed in Melbourne in 1985, and I dont know that Ive met an Aussie of my generation, certainly not a Melbournian, who didnt have a strong sense of attachment and pride associated with the band. Sean also had some story he and his mates thought was hilarious about how drunk he got at his first ever gig, watching Crowded House play. This song as well was played at his funeral.

Say Hello, Wave Goodbye, David Gray, White Ladder

Take a look at my face

For the last time.

One last track played at his funeral, and another song that has continued to haunt me for years after. Recently, I took an overnight trip to Bournemouth on the UKs south coast to try to write an essay related to Traveling with Ghosts, about how my relationship with the ocean has changed since Seans death. I was having dinner alone at Urban Reefoysters and risotto and wine. It would be Seans fortieth birthday the next day, had been fourteen years since he died. The white lights above me shaped like life-rings, and this song came on to the stereo.

Goodbye, Patty Griffin, Flaming Red

And I wonder where you are

And if the pain ends when you die

And I wonder if there was

Some better way to say goodbye

Today my heart is big and sore

It's tryin' to push right through my skin

I won't see you anymore

I guess that's finally sinkin' in.

After Seans funeral in Melbourne, I returned briefly to California before running away to Eastern Europe. My mum owned this album, and every single time we were in the car together that month in September 2002, I played this song over and over again. The lyrics, and the ache in Griffins voice, spoke to me in a way nothing else was able to at the time.

Summertime, Janis Joplin, Janis Joplins Greatest Hits

No, no, no, no, don't you cry

This is from a scene in the book, not long after I arrived in Eastern Europe. The night before Seans birthday again, but back in 2002, when he should have been turning twenty-six and had been dead only eleven weeks. I was sitting alone in a smoky cafe in Sopron, Hungary, surrounded by couples and shivering in my winter coat because of the icy draught by the door. The band playing Summertime, though it took me a while to recognize it through their thick Hungarian accents. Everything just felt wrong, and I had no idea what I was doing there.

Hejna Mariacki (The Cracow Bugle-call), Marek Skwarczynski

I first heard the Hejna Mariacki, or St Marys Dawn, in Krakow, Poland on November 1, 2002. Its played every hour on the hour by a single trumpeter in the highest tower of Koscio Mariacki, or St. Marys Church.

Local legend tells that early one morning in 1241, a lone guard spied approaching Tatar forces. Playing the Hejna on his trumpet, he woke the residents in time to defend the city. Even as an arrow pierced his throat, and the warning was stopped short.

This songfive simple, direct, drawn-out notes still cut short todaystarted a shift in the way I was traveling through Eastern Europe. I began to pay attention to the histories of the scarred landscapes, and to the stories of the people left behind.

All the Things She Said, t.A.T.u., 200 km/h in the Wrong Lane

I keep asking myself, wondering how

I keep closing my eyes but I can't block you out

This song is all about time and place for me. More than any other track, it brings me back to Eastern Europe that winter of 2002. I traveled alone though Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, Croatia, Bosnia, Romania, Bulgaria. It was the same handful of songs playing everywhere, but this was the only one from the Eastern Bloc. The girls repetition of the chorus, Running through my head / Running through my head / Running through my head matched my own mental state at the time.

The Scientist, Coldplay, A Rush of Blood to the Head

Tell me you love me

Come back and haunt me.

The Scientist was another song on heavy rotation that winter. I heard the track throughout my travelsA Rush of Blood to the Head is playing at The Bar in Sarajevo in the book. But I didnt see the video until I got to Sofia, Bulgaria at the very end of my journey. I remember stopping, frozen, in the hostel lobby and staring at the TV when I saw his dead lover come back through the cars windshield. Since Traveling with Ghosts ends with Sean and me leaving Shanghai, about to fly to Thailand, this feels like the song to end on. Oh, take me back to the start.



Shannon Leone Fowler and Traveling with Ghosts links:

excerpt from the book

Booklist review

Kirkus Reviews review

Publishers Weekly review

USA Today review

Santa Cruz Sentinel profile of the author



also at Largehearted Boy:

Support the Largehearted Boy website

List of Online "Best Books of 2016" Lists

Book Notes (2015 - ) (authors create music playlists for their book)

Book Notes (2012 - 2014) (authors create music playlists for their book)

Book Notes (2005 - 2011) (authors create music playlists for their book)

my 11 favorite Book Notes playlist essays

100 Online Sources for Free and Legal Music Downloads

Antiheroines (interviews with up and coming female comics artists)

Atomic Books Comics Preview (weekly comics highlights)

guest book reviews

Librairie Drawn & Quarterly Books of the Week (recommended new books, magazines, and comics)

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PRESS RELEASE

Financial Times D.C. Chief Calls for Ousting Trump To Save The System

Feb. 20, 2017 (EIRNS)Demonstrating once again that the British are controlling the Obama/Soros color revolution against the U.S. government, the former Financial Times bureau chief in Washington, Edward Luce (who is still in Washington), penned an open call for a violent insurrection against the U.S. government, or, he warned, Trump may bring "the system" down.

"Either the forces that are against the president will bring him down," Luce writes, "or he will destroy the system. My bet is on the first."

He notes that Trump has "declared war on the intelligence agencies and the media," as if this is a horrible thing. "Do not be reassured by Mr Trumps cabinet. Many of them are experienced individuals," he admits, while claiming that they will soon be leaving, because they will be "humiliated" by Trumps leadership.

"I fear it is only a matter of time before this results in violence," he writes. "It is hard to predict how long it would take to resolve the battle between Mr. Trump and the so-called deep state. It is also hard to say how long a Republican Congress could stand the heat.... At some point this will boil down to a choice between Mr. Trump and the U.S. Constitution."

People should note the irony of an Oxford-trained British intelligence agent pretending to defend the U.S. Constitutionrich indeed.
PRESS RELEASE

Trump Takes Moral High Ground: Turns Over CIA Torture Report to Court

Feb. 20, 2017 (EIRNS)Proving once again that he has what former President Barack Obama lacks in the morals department, President Trump has turned a complete copy of the still-classified, 6,778-page Committee Study of the CIAs Detention and Interrogation Program (the "Torture Report") over to the Second Circuit Court. This was in response to filings of briefs by lawyers involved in court proceedings of two Guantanamo Prison inmates.

The report, completed in December 2014, by the Senate Intelligence Committee under leadership of Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), remains classified, with only a 600-page redacted summary having been released. Upon completion, Feinstein saw to it that unredacted copies of the full report were sent to the Pentagon, the Justice Department, the White House, and the CIA (and possibly others). In a now-famous "mishap," the CIAs copy was destroyedan incident not revealed until a year laterin August, 2015. The incoming head (January 2015) of the Intelligence Committee, Richard Burr (R-N.C.), vowed to "repossess" any remaining copies, and destroy them. Obamas Justice Department issued an order to ban even the in-house reading of the document, keeping it beyond reach of even Freedom of Information Act requests.

In the induced paranoia following the election in November 2016, Feinstein issued a public call to Obama to declassify the report in the two months remaining in his term. Well, while the lame duck obviously did not have what it takes to "do the right thing"the courts order to preserve the document was issued on Dec. 29, 2016it seems that he did have the gumption to squirrel away the sole White House copy for his personal library. The copy Trump gave the court on Feb. 10, came from the Justice Department, and is possibly the sole surviving complete copy of the report.
Theres a lot important stuff going down that our leaders need to deal with  immigration, climate change, Russians running amok. So what are Republican lawmakers doing? Theyre busy with legislation aimed at stripping Americans of consumer protections.

About a half-dozen bills take aim at various aspects of the Dodd-Frank financial reform law and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau it created.

Republicans are serving notice that their priority is making businesses happy at the expense of consumers who, if the bills become law, once again will be largely on their own in dealing with questionable or unfair corporate practices.

Advertisement

The very same lawmakers who fought creation of the CFPB are now hoping to take both the bark and bite out of this critical consumer watchdog, said Laura MacCleery, vice president of policy and mobilization for Consumer Reports.

These bills would cripple the CFPBs ability to stand up to the big banks and predatory lenders and leave consumers vulnerable to financial scams and rip-offs, she said.

One bill, introduced last week by Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.), would give Congress control over the protection groups budget. The agencys funding, like that of other federal financial watchdogs, was deliberately designed to be independent of lawmakers so that it couldnt be influenced by financial-industry lobbyists.

Perdues bill follows legislation last month from Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) that would replace the bureaus single independent director with a more politically motivated five-member commission. (The U.S. Appeals Court in Washington said last week it would revisit an earlier ruling declaring the agencys structure unconstitutional.)

Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas), chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, is preparing a bill that would cripple the bureaus authority to bring cases against financial institutions and eliminate databases of consumer complaints.

But my favorite Republican salvo came last week from Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. John Ratcliffe, both of Texas. They introduced companion bills in their respective chambers of Congress that would simply do away with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau  wipe it right off the face of the Earth.

Their bill, sweeping in scope, devastating to consumers, consists of only a single sentence: The Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010 is hereby repealed and the provisions of law amended or repealed by such act are restored or revived as if such act had not been enacted.

Kind of like the ninth season of Dallas, which turned out to be just a bad dream.

Cruzs office didnt respond to my interview requests, but he said in a statement that the protection bureau is a rogue regulator without any accountability to Congress and the people.

He said his and Ratcliffes bills would free consumers and small businesses from the CFPBs regulatory blockades and financial activism.

Lets just say Cruz doesnt know what hes talking about, rather than suggest hes deliberately trying to mislead people.

The fact is that the bureau has succeeded wildly at its mission of safeguarding consumers from illegal or dubious business practices. So far, it has recovered about $12 billion and imposed some much-needed accountability on lenders and other financial firms.

Just this month, the agency ordered MasterCard and Russell Simmons prepaid card company, UniRush, to repay $10 million to thousands of customers who were unable to access funds because of a service disruption last year. The two companies also were fined an additional $3 million.

Ratcliffe said in a statement that, rather than riding to the aid of beleaguered consumers, the bureau has ended up hurting many of the very folks it was intended to help.

I asked his office to elaborate. I received a statement from Ratcliffe citing the groups qualified mortgage rule, which he said has made it harder for young people and retirees on fixed incomes to be able to purchase a home.

He also cited rules on prepaid cards and short-term lending products  i.e., payday loans  and the agencys decision to expand class-action litigation in place of arbitration in consumer finance disputes.

These are completely bogus complaints.

The qualified mortgage rule, also known as the ability-to-repay rule, requires that lenders do their homework to make sure a loan applicant can make regular payments. The idea is to avoid a repeat of the mortgage mess, in which banks handed money to pretty much anyone with a pulse and then passed off the crappy loans to unwary investors.

And the housing market is doing just fine, thanks. Mortgage applications for new homes were up 9.2% last month from a year before, according to the Mortgage Bankers Assn. Last year saw the largest number of existing homes sold  5.45 million  since 2006, according to the National Assn. of Realtors.

The bureaus know before you owe rule for prepaid cards requires that card issuers clearly disclose all fees and refund any fraudulent transactions topping $50. Its proposed rule for payday loans would require lenders to check if borrowers are creditworthy and make it harder for people to be trapped in endless cycles of debt.

The proposed rule for dispute settlement would block financial firms from using mandatory arbitration as a way to avoid class-action lawsuits. Arbitration still could be required for individual disputes, but litigation would be an option for complaints involving numerous consumers.

A 2007 study by Public Citizen found that over a four-year period, arbitrators ruled in favor of banks and credit card companies 94% of the time in disputes with California consumers. A 2015 Consumer Financial Protection Bureau study concluded that class actions provide a more effective means for consumers to challenge problematic practices by these companies.

Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles) said in a statement that Republican lawmakers have declared war on consumer protection.

This is all part of President Trumps Wall Street First agenda, which would clear the way for unscrupulous companies to once again prey on hardworking Americans across the country, she said.

With everything going on in the world, thats a pretty lousy priority.

David Lazarus column runs Tuesdays and Fridays. He also can be seen daily on KTLA-TV Channel 5 and followed on Twitter @Davidlaz. Send your tips or feedback to david.lazarus@latimes.com.

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Uber has hired former U.S. Atty. Gen. Eric H. Holder Jr. to help lead an investigation into claims of sexual harassment and discrimination that a former female employee made public over the weekend in a highly circulated blog post.

Chief Executive Travis Kalanick told employees in a memo Monday that the review will be conducted in short order and that it will involve, among others, the participation of Arianna Huffington, founder of the Huffington Post and an Uber board member, and Liane Hornsey, the companys recently hired human resources chief.

Susan Fowler Rigetti wrote that during her year working as an engineer at Uber, she and other female staffers reported multiple instances of sexual harassment and discrimination to the companys human resources department.

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Rigetti wrote that soon after starting at the company, she received messages from a manager stating he was in an open relationship and that he made advances toward her. When she reported the incident to human resources, Rigetti wrote, she was told it was the managers first offense and she was advised to transfer teams. Rigetti wrote that she later learned other women also had complained about the same manager.

It was such a blatant lie that there was really nothing I could do. There was nothing any of us could do. We all gave up on Uber HR and our managers after that, wrote Rigetti, who now works for online payment firm Stripe, according to her LinkedIn profile.

In a tweet on Sunday, Kalanick called the behavior described in Rigettis blog post abhorrent & against everything we believe in and pledged that anyone who behaves this way or thinks this is OK will be fired.

The allegations come as the San Francisco-based ride-hailing service is still containing fallout over Kalanicks former role as an advisor to President Trump and Ubers response to Trumps executive order banning travel to the U.S. by citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries.

Read more: Uber CEO Travis Kalanick quits Trumps advisory council; Elon Musk will stay on but objects to immigration order 

During last months protests against the travel ban, Uber continued to provide rides to fliers arriving at New Yorks John F. Kennedy Airport even after the citys taxi drivers went on strike to show solidarity with protesters. That sparked a social media campaign calling on users to #DeleteUber, and those calls were renewed this weekend after Rigetti published her blog post.

In another incident, Rigetti alleges, all of the teams male engineers were given leather jackets as a company perk, but the female engineers were not because there were too few of them to qualify for a bulk discount. Rigetti reported the unequal treatment to human resources and subsequently was called into a meeting, she wrote.

The HR rep began the meeting by asking me if I had noticed that *I* was the common theme in all of the reports I had been making, and that if I had ever considered that I might be the problem, Rigetti wrote.

In his memo, Kalanick told employees that the review conducted by Holder will investigate both Rigettis claims and diversity and inclusion at Uber more broadly.

What is driving me through all this is a determination that we take whats happened as an opportunity to heal wounds of the past and set a new standard for justice in the workplace, Kalanick wrote to employees.

Uber is not the first Silicon Valley firm to face allegations of sex-based harassment and discrimination, and tech culture has been criticized in the past for being inhospitable to women and minorities. Many of the regions high-profile tech firms have come under fire for their lack of female and minority employees, particularly in engineering and other technical roles.

Kalanick wrote that 15.1% of Uber employees in scientist, product management and engineering roles are women, and that the company plans to publish a more comprehensive report on Ubers diversity in the coming months.

Uber representatives declined to comment for this story.

Earlier this year, Holder and his firm, Covington & Burling, were hired as independent counsel for the California Legislature in anticipation of legal and policy battles with the Trump administration.

Overly writes for the Washington Post. Times staff writer Melanie Mason contributed to this report.

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If, as expected, La La Land wins the Oscar on Sunday, it would be the first best-picture winner since Clint Eastwoods Million Dollar Baby to feature a woman nominated for lead actress.

Let that rattle around your brain a minute.

Thats 12 years of kings and compromised cops, angst-ridden actors and Afflecks without a best-picture Oscar winner that focused on telling a womans story.

If youre looking for a symbol of where women stand in movies right now, thats a pretty good place to start, particularly after the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission announced last week that its now engaged in settlement talks with studios to settle allegations of systemic discrimination against female directors.

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While academy voters have long been fixated on giving the best-picture Oscar to movies telling the stories of great (or greatly compromised) men, there have been stretches where films spotlighting women have won too. (Look at the 90s run of The English Patient, Titanic and Shakespeare in Love or the five-year stretch that started with Vivien Leighs Scarlett OHara in 1939s Gone With the Wind and ended with Ingrid Bergmans Ilsa in Casablanca.)

Lately though, movies focusing on women  Jackie, Carol, Wild and Gone Girl to name a few  have been overlooked in the best picture category, though their actresses have found favor with the academy.

And none of these films was directed by a woman.

Its the latent sexism thats the biggest problem, says Angie Fielder, a producer on the Oscar-nominated drama Lion. Its there. Its under the skin of everything.

Yet Fielder and the producers of the years other best-picture Oscar nominees express an optimism that change is not just on the horizon but here. And that next year, when San Diego States Center for the Study of Women in Television & Film puts out its annual Celluloid Ceiling study, there will be a jump in representation. OK, maybe not a jump, but perhaps a small step forward from this years findings that women comprised just 17% of all the directors, writers, producers, executive producers, editors and cinematographers working on the 250 top-grossing movies.

Why the hopefulness in the face of numbers that have remained static for so many years? For starters, the commercial success of female-driven movies such as Hidden Figures and Arrival have some believing that studios, financiers and agencies will let go of the fallacy that films starring women dont make money.

Theres also the fact that in the past year, Walt Disney Studios has hired two women  Ava DuVernay for A Wrinkle in Time and Niki Caro for Mulan  to direct tent-pole movies sporting $100 million-plus budgets. And this too: Five of the nine movies nominated for the best picture Oscar this year have female producers.

But mostly, these producers say, the optimism comes from what theyre doing with their own hiring power.

Its a conscious decision to really question each hire that you make and consciously try to bring people in that dont look like you, says Moonlight producer Adele Romanski. Thats how you start to have a ripple effect.

Adds Theodore Melfi, producer, co-writer and director of Hidden Figures: Everyone has to take responsibility for it themselves. You cant just talk about it.

For Hidden Figures, the rousing period drama about the African American women mathematicians who helped the space program in the early 1960s, Melfi hired a crew that was 35% female, including cinematographer Mandy Walker.

Likewise, when putting together the production team for Fences, director (and star) Denzel Washington and the films producers hired cinematographer Charlotte Bruus Christensen as well as women for the key jobs of line producer, art director and set decorator, among others.

You have to look to find them, Washington says. But these women are there. And theyre ready.

Beyond these conscious choices, theres evidence in the Disney hires that the studio mentality that ignores women or limits their choices of projects may be beginning to change, though not as quickly as most would like.

Theres such a thing where were so narrowly focused on women directing female-driven stories, Hell or High Water producer Julie Yorn offered at a recent producers panel that I led at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Why arent they directing the big action movies?

I heard they dont want to, Romanski jokingly replied.

That institutional bias against women directing genre movies  horror, thriller, action and science-fiction  is a long-standing problem, but obviously, given the grim annual employment numbers, far from the only one.

Lower-budget indie films provide a place for new talent to emerge and different stories to be told. But La La Land producer Jordan Horowitz notes thats its often hard to find financing for female-driven movies because international sales are predicated on whats worked before. And if the opportunities havent been there, that sort of precedent hasnt been established.

In the TV space, theyre hungrily looking for stuff thats female-driven or made by creators of color, Horowitz says. And Im starting to sense that in the film space too, but its still a tricky conversation. You have to bang pretty hard at the institutions  agencies, management, studios  to get them to champion people and material thats new.

Horowitz knows this from experience, running a production company, Original Headquarters, with his wife, Julia Hart. They have written two movies together  Miss Stevens, a charming, well-reviewed drama centered on a female high school teacher that premiered last fall, and the upcoming thriller Fast Color, which will begin filming next month. Hart directs both films.

Fast Color stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw as a woman forced to go on the run when her superhuman abilities are discovered. Its a genre movie, an origin story of a woman with supernatural powers thats in conversation with genre films of the past. In that respect, Horowitz says, its like La La Land, a synthesis of old and new. But because its told and directed by a woman, he adds, it feels fresh simply because its coming from a different angle.

DuVernay recently told me much the same thing about her take on A Wrinkle in Time, an adaptation of Madeleine LEngles classic fantasy novel.

Nobody who looks like me has ever made a movie like this, a movie this size before, DuVernay says. And because I am black and because I am a woman, Im going to bring a different perspective  because Im an artist and Im doing what artists do. Im bringing myself.

Dozens of women directors will be doing just that in movies coming out this year  Kathryn Bigelow (still the only woman to win an Oscar for directing), Sofia Coppola, Sally Potter, Broad Citys Lucia Aniello, Patty Jenkins and Caro, who helms an adaptation of Diane Ackermans bestseller The Zookeepers Wife.

The momentums there, says Kimberly Steward, who earned an Oscar nomination this year for Manchester by the Sea, the first movie she has produced. Women are in the conversation everywhere. Id like to think its more than just lip service.

Adds Horowitz: Let me put it this way: I dont think were going to have to wait another 12 years for a best picture winner to focus on a woman.

See the most-read stories this hour 

glenn.whipp@latimes.com

Twitter: @glennwhipp
It seems as if Tom Hanks has been in just about everything  and soon he can be in your library too. The two-time Oscar winner has a book of fiction coming out in October.

Titled Uncommon Type: Some Stories, the book features 17 stories that each involve a different variety of typewriter, Hanks collectible of choice, publisher Alfred A. Knopf announced Tuesday.

In the two years of working on the stories, Hanks said in the statement, I made movies in New York, Berlin, Budapest and Atlanta and wrote in all of them. I wrote in hotels during press tours. I wrote on vacation. I wrote on planes, at home and in the office. When I could actually make a schedule, and keep to it, I wrote in the mornings from 9 to 1.

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Want a taste of whats to come? Check out Hanks 2014 story, Allan Bean Plus Four, in the New Yorker. Its what initially grabbed the attention of Knopf chairman and editor-in-chief Sonny Mehta, who said he was struck by both his remarkable voice and command as a writer. I had hoped there might be more stories in the works.

In addition to sharing his literary voice, Hanks will lend his actual spoken voice to the audio version of the book, which hell narrate.

cdz@latimes.com

@theCDZ

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Theyve built a mini empire on the wings of their best-selling Le Pliage bag, and next up Longchamp is readying to launch what its chief executive officer Jean Cassegrain termed as the missing element from its collections: eyewear.

The family-owned French leather-goods house on Friday revealed it has signed a licensing agreement with eyewear licensee Marchon Eyewear Inc. Designed by Longchamps artistic director Sophie Delafontaine, the new range of womens optical frames and sunglasses will be launched in a new Longchamp flagship due to open on New Yorks Fifth Avenue in late September, before being rolled out in the brands flagships and optician stores internationally.

Marchon, which counts Marni, Calvin Klein Collection, Chloe, Etro and Salvatore Ferragamo in its portfolio of eyewear licenses, will handle the development, production and distribution of the Longchamp Eyewear collections.

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In an interview at the brands headquarters here, Cassegrain said eyewear is a natural complement to the houses existing offer, which spans bags, ready-to-wear, footwear, luggage and accessories. Its an accessory that counts in the womans silhouette. This is not just a take the money and run [affair]. We are a house that is very pragmatic, were not numbers driven, and the primary objective is to complete the offer with [eyewear designs] that truly reflect the Longchamp spirit, he said, adding that the frames, which are in still in development, will feature house codes like the horse logo and hardware signatures from the bags, using a variety of materials including plastic, acetate and metal.

Coming off a challenging year, with a drop in tourism impacting sales on home turf in 2016 following the series of terrorist attacks that have rocked the country, branching out into eyewear will also help open up visibility via a different distribution network, Cassegrain said. Our accessories are sold in around 1,500 points of sale, 300 of which are our own, and the rest a mix of department stores, duty-free and multibrand stores. The eyewear will be distributed to several thousand opticians.

With bags the brands core category, Cassegrain declined to disclose company sales figures, but said that things have been picking up since late last year, having hit a low point last summer. We dont see the drop in tourism being of long-term concern, visitors are starting to return to France, he said. We are also very confident about the brands potential in terms of capturing the Parisian spirit, and the international appeal of that. While a number of great French brands have adopted an international outlook, when we develop our collections, we always have the French woman in mind; this idea of the impertinent elegance of la Parisienne, he added. Market studies have shown that the [locals] see us as the ultimate French bag brand, were the first brand that comes to mind, and foreigners like to come to our stores to experience that.

Sales in Asia remain stable, according to Cassegrain, led by China and Japan, with Hong Kong remaining difficult. Dynamic markets include Southeast Asia, notably, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.

Four major store openings are planned for the year following the reopening of Longchamps Paris flagship  its largest store in the world  in October. Two are located in important emerging markets, and two in mature markets in which we already have a strong presence, and want to enhance visibility, said Cassegrain.

Earlier this month, the brand opened a store in a prime Moscow location, in the GUM department store on Red Square, which will be inaugurated in March. Longchamp has also partially opened a flagship located at the Jing An Kerry Centre on Shanghais Nanjing Road West, with an official opening planned for April. The store boasts a spectacular facade that is currently hidden from view by a hoarding covered in an artwork by German artist Franz Ackermann, as part of the brands Artwork Series initiative, which kicked off with a work by Ryan McGinness covering the Paris flagship while under construction. The brands soon-to-open Fifth Avenue store will be covered in a design by French artist Remede while works are being carried out. The brand already operates two flagships in New York: located in SoHo and in Rockefeller Center, with the new Fifth Avenue store set to replace the latter.

Construction is also underway on a seven-story tower in Tokyo that will serve as the brands first Japanese flagship, housing the entirety of its collections and categories.

Longchamp counts 1,500 points of sale across 80 countries spanning exclusive brand and franchise stores, department store concessions, multibrand leather-goods stores, airport stores and online sales. The brand directly manages more than 300 points of sale through 21 distribution subsidiaries.

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From a closing at Grand Central Market to new tasting menus from an L.A. veteran, heres whats happening in the Los Angeles food-and-drink world.

Farewell: Bar Moruno, Mozza alums Chris Feldmeier and David Rosoffs Spanish-inspired restaurant at Grand Central Market, will close Sunday. The stall was known for Feldmeiers excellent rotisserie chicken and roasted butternut squash with dukkah; and Rosoffs Vermouth (served on tap) and impressive selection of sherry and other wines. The stall opened at the market in June 2016. The two also closed Moruno, at the Original Farmers Market, after a 10-month run last year. No word yet on whats next for the Grand Central Market space, but well keep you posted. 317 S. Broadway, Los Angeles, (213) 232-4650, morunola.com.

Taste this: Sang Yoon, the Culver City chef behind Fathers Office, has introduced a tasting menu at his Southeast Asian restaurant Lukshon. The $85 menu includes five to seven courses, is only served in the dining room and requires a reservation. Highlights from the debut menu include XO crab rice; Liberty Farms duck with daikon cake and shallot chile jam; and Santa Barbara sea urchin toasts. If you opt for the tasting menu, you can also order off the regular menu as well. 3239 Helms Ave., Culver City, (310) 202-6808, lukshon.com.

Time for class: If youre a fan of Michael Cimarusti, the chef-owner of Providence (Jonathan Golds No. 1 restaurant on his annual Gold 101 best restaurants list), Connie and Teds and the fish market Cape Seafood and Provisions, youll probably want to sign up for his cooking class. Cimarusti is teaming up with Cape Seafood and Provisions culinary director Brandon Gray to host two cooking classes at the Fairfax Avenue seafood shop in March. All skill levels are welcome, and the classes (capped at 10) promise lessons in the essentials of fish cookery. Classes are $100 per person and include a dinner tasting with the chefs after the class. The first class is March 2, and the second is March 30. Call (323) 556-2525 to reserve a spot. 801 N. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles, www.cape-seafood.com.

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Get that flatbread: The Flats, a new restaurant that will showcase artisanal flatbread pizzas, is scheduled to open in Beverly Hills later this year. At Flats, executive chef Kyle Schutte (culinary director at Wood and Vine in Hollywood) will be using cheese and charcuterie both made at the restaurant, on the pizzas. Some of the flatbreads include a poutine flatbread with beef gravy, cheese curds and crispy potatoes; and a Southern fried chicken flatbread with watermelon powder. 8400 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, www.theflatsrestaurant.com.

Flying high: Patina Restaurant Group chef and founder Joachim Splichal has teamed up with All Nippon Airways to create an inflight menu. From March through May, passengers in business class on flights departing Japan to the United States and Europe will be able to order from Splichals menu, inspired by his Patina restaurant at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in L.A. Highlights include a miso-braised short rib and smoked scallops with carrot mousse. The collaboration is part of the airlines Connoisseurs program that invites celebrated chefs to create menus for ANA lounges and flights. patinagroup.com.

Not your average panda: Panda Express has opened a new restaurant called Panda + Tea in Hacienda Heights. On the menu are customizable scallion wraps (yes, you can make an Orange Chicken burrito) in addition to the usual Panda Express menu. Theres also a tea bar where you can add boba tapioca pearls to your drinks. This location also has a drive-through. 17184 Colima Rd., Hacienda Heights, (626) 581-1820, www.pandaexpress.com.

Still hungry? Trejos Tacos has started serving breakfast burritos. A location of the Salt & Straw ice cream shops has opened in West Hollywood. Spice Affair in Beverly Hills will start Biryani Thursdays this week with eight biryani dishes every Thursday. Esters Wine Shop & Bar in Santa Monica has a new chef de cuisine, Chris Ono, and new lunch and dinner menus. Top Chef winner Mei Lin will host a congee pop-up Saturday at 6624 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles from 6 p.m. until she sells out.

Jenn.Harris@latimes.com

Twitter: @Jenn_Harris_

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Teresa Johnston saw a lull in the storm Friday afternoon and decided to perform an act of kindness that by then had become a tradition.

The 13-year-old stepped out of her home in Irvine to walk the dogs for her elderly neighbor.

She never made it to her neighbors house.

As the teenager walked across an open area in her Irvine condo complex, yellow umbrella in hand, wind gusts knocked down a 50-foot tree, which struck her.

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She underwent brain surgery on Monday and was still in a deep coma Tuesday, said her father, Roch Johnston.

The people in the neighborhood all call her sunshine, Johnston said. When [the rain] eased up, she wanted to run over and walk these dogs for an elderly lady. She loves her like a grandmother.

At least five people died of drowning, electrocution or injuries from car crashes throughout Southern California as a result of the weekends storm, which meteorologists called the worst that the region had seen in years.

In Irvine, a neighbor heard the tree fall and called police, Johnston said. The neighbor put a pillow under Teresas head, covered her with a blanket and held an umbrella over her until firefighters came, the girls father said.

Firefighters were able to pull Teresa out from under the tree without moving any branches or digging her out, said Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Larry Kurtz.

It definitely had  created a major trauma, Kurtz said.

Meanwhile, Teresas family was inside their home, unaware that she was en route to the hospital. They started to get worried when she wasnt back after an hour.

She is so, just, like clockwork on responsibility, Johnston said. They called the neighbor, who said Teresa had never showed up Friday.

Thats when our radar went up, he said.

Teresa is the fourth of seven children. Their oldest son immediately started praying, Johnston said, while he and another son ran out into the rain to look for her. They came across a police officer who came to their home and confirmed that Teresa was the victim who had been taken to the hospital.

Teresas oldest sister set up a fundraising page to help pay for her medical expenses. The page describes the severe injuries to her head and brain. Teresa is in the intensive care unit, and doctors wont know the likelihood of her surviving or how badly she was affected until she wakes up, her father said.

Teresas 14th birthday is March 1, Johnston said. He expects that the family will try to celebrate it in the hospital.

Just a few days before the crash, Johnston said, Teresa wrote a poem in a Valentines Day card to her mother.

In that poem she says how much she loves her and that shed gladly give her life for her, Johnston said, his voice cracking.

Is that her goodbye note?

Reach Sonali Kohli at Sonali.Kohli@latimes.com or on Twitter @Sonali_Kohli.

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Residents living along the Tuolumne River in Modesto were continuing to prepare for rising floodwaters Tuesday morning.

Dylan Douglas Hamlin, 21, was spending the morning packing his remaining belongings to leave the Driftwood Mobile Home Park in Modesto, which sits along the riverbanks.



For the record: The headline on an earlier version of this post said the Tuolumne River was set to rise 60 feet. Its expected to rise from a monitoring stage of 50.5 feet deep to above its 55-foot-deep flood stage.

We lost all of our stuff, man, Hamlin said. We lost our clothes, our shoes.

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Hamlin hoped to drive the trailer to higher ground by noon, just as emergency officials are expecting the river to continue its swell above flood stage.

The rising water was the result of continued storms in Northern California and the release of water down the spillway of Don Pedro Dam for the first time in nearly two decades.

Emergency officials began releasing water down the spillway Monday to prevent the reservoir from overflowing, and the water is expected to cause the river alongside the mobile home park to rise to 60 feet by mid-afternoon, further overflowing its banks.

Katie Whitley, who manages the mobile home park, said people nearest to the river have been moving their trailers out since the start of the weekend. Residents had fled about 15 of the parks 74 spaces by early Tuesday, she said.

Were just holding our own, Whitley said. Thats what we have to do. You just have to hope for the best. But you can expect it when you live on the river.

Stanislaus County Sheriffs Department deputies were at the park Tuesday morning and have been notifying residents and others living nearby of the flood risk and potential power outages, department spokesman Sgt. Anthony Bejaran said.

At 3 p.m. Monday, water was flowing from Don Pedro Dams spillway at a rate of 18,000 to 30,000 cubic feet per second and is expected to continue for at least four days.

The river has far exceeded its monitoring stage of 50.5 feet, said meteorologist Mike Kochasic of the National Weather Service in Sacramento. The weather service expects it to rise above its 55-foot flood stage Tuesday.

Its usually below 50.5 feet, he said.

Flooding worries are hitting much of Northern California as rain battered the already inundated region much of Monday. Monday night, San Joaquin County officials ordered evacuations of 200 to 300 residents after a levee breach along the San Joaquin River, according to Lantz Rey, a spokesman for the city of Manteca Fire Department.

Flash Flood Warning issued for levee breach on #SanJoaquin River. Follow evacuation orders from local emergency officials! #CAFlood #cawx pic.twitter.com/NY1tegpned  NWS Sacramento (@NWSSacramento) February 21, 2017

Emergency crews were continuing work to repair the levee on Tuesday, and the evacuation order remained in effect.

Increased flows have county officials on high alert, Rey said. Water from the spillway is expected to reach San Joaquin County on Wednesday.

Were monitoring levees throughout the entire county, Rey said.

Rain was falling on and off in Modesto on Tuesday morning. The National Weather Service is predicting more rain in Northern California throughout Tuesday, with another quarter-inch possible in Modesto. The rain is expected to continue but taper off through Wednesday.

Under the 9th Street Bridge in Modesto. Officials expect the Tuolumne River to rise an additional five feet by this afternoon #CAflood pic.twitter.com/F8R9Dwre36  Liam Dillon (@dillonliam) February 21, 2017

liam.dillon@latimes.com

Twitter: @dillonliam

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UPDATES:

11:40 a.m.: This article was updated with residents preparing to evacuate.

8:55 a.m.: This article was updated with comments from the National Weather Services on the Tuolumne Rivers flood stage.

This article was originally published at 6 a.m.
An atmospheric river continued to batter parts of Northern California on Tuesday, causing widespread flooding.

The heavy rains prompted the National Weather Service to warn of a dam failure outside Carson City, Nev., saying that it was not a drill and that residents should move to higher ground now.

But less than 90 minutes after issuing the alert, the agency changed its report to say the retention basin in Dayton, Nev., had not failed. Instead, it was full and overflowing into drainage areas, the weather service said.

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However, Lyon County, Nev., emergency officials warned that the situation could change in the next few hours.

Dayton, Nev., with a population of about 9,000 people, is about a 13-mile drive northeast of Nevadas state capital, Carson City.

The rains continued to pound the region a day after water gushed down from Don Pedro Dam in Stanislaus County for the first time since 1997.

The Don Pedro release came on the heels of the crisis that developed just over a week ago at Oroville Dam. Both of the dams spillways were damaged, and fears of catastrophic flooding prompted the evacuation of more than 100,000 people.

Turlock Irrigation District officials said Monday that the structural integrity of the Don Pedro dam and spillway were not in question, and that the amount of water being released would be far less than in 1997, when major flooding occurred. On Tuesday, the district said that water was being released from the Don Pedro Power Plant and that the spillway was operating as designed.

Runoff from a weekend of powerful storms peaked Tuesday across central and Northern California, pushing water through aged levees and spilling over small local dams.

In San Jose, city officials declared a local emergency after streets became flooded as water levels rose along Coyote Creek. San Jose firefighters waded through flooded streets in rafts, rescuing residents trapped in their homes and in trees in the Rock Springs neighborhood. Those who walked through dirty floodwaters were hosed off and decontaminated, officials said.

Officials issued mandatory evacuations for 300 homes in the neighborhood, where water was waist-high in some streets, said city spokesman David Vossbrink. At least 40 people were evacuated to an overnight shelter.

We havent really had anything quite like this before, he said.

The last time San Jose experienced severe flooding was about 20 years ago, Vossbrink said.

The creek runs for 30 miles through San Jose, he said. Flooding varies from street to street due to the changing topography in each neighborhood, Vossbrink said.

Its really a complex hydrological issue, he said.

However, water levels should start receding by midnight, Vossbrink said. After the water retreats, officials will go door-to-door to assess damage to homes, city buildings and other facilities, he said.

The Anderson Dam in Santa Clara County reached capacity Saturday about 5 a.m., according to the California Department of Water Resources.

But it wasnt until a downpour Sunday night and Monday morning that water began flowing over its wall and into Coyote Creek.

The flow of water into the dam peaked Tuesday afternoon, department spokeswoman Maggie Macias said. Coyote Creek then flooded lanes on the 101 Freeway and triggered evacuations in low-lying areas.

The worst of the runoff also hit Shasta, Folsom and Oroville reservoirs Tuesday, but no problems were reported.

The Tuolumne River also was seeing its biggest surge of water Tuesday, Macias said.

Residents living along the Tuolumne River in Modesto were continuing to prepare for rising floodwaters Tuesday morning.

Dylan Douglas Hamlin, 21, was spending the morning packing his remaining belongings to leave the Driftwood Mobile Home Park in Modesto, which sits along the riverbanks.

We lost all of our stuff, man, Hamlin said. We lost our clothes, our shoes.

Hamlin hoped to drive the trailer to higher ground by noon, just as emergency officials are expecting the river to continue its swell above flood stage.The rising water was the result of continued storms in Northern California and the release of water down the spillway of Don Pedro Dam for the first time in nearly two decades.

Katie Whitley, who manages the mobile home park, said people nearest the river have been moving their trailers out since the start of the weekend. Residents had fled about 15 of the parks 74 spaces by early Tuesday, she said.

Were just holding our own, Whitley said. Thats what we have to do. You just have to hope for the best. But you can expect it when you live on the river.

Stanislaus County sheriffs deputies were at the park Tuesday morning and have been notifying residents and others living nearby of the flood risk and potential power outages, department spokesman Sgt. Anthony Bejaran said.

On Tuesday, dramatic gusts were recorded by sensors in the Lake Tahoe Basin, where Ward Peak had a 199-mph gust, according to the weather service. Sierra Crest recorded 193 mph, and Biggs had 184 mph.

Wind speeds that high are pretty rare  extremely rare, said National Weather Service meteorologist Hannah Chandler.

Chandler cautioned that preliminary wind speed measurements could later change as the weather service assesses the data.

Dillon reported from Modesto, Serna from Sacramento and Sahagun from Oroville.

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UPDATES:

5 p.m.: This article was updated with comment about flooding and evacuations from David Vossbrink, a spokesman for San Jose.

2:40 p.m.: This article was updated with the National Weather Service saying the retention basin in Dayton, Nev., had not failed.

1:55 p.m.: This article was updated with flooding in San Jose and warnings of an imminent retention basin failure in Dayton, Nev.

11 a.m.: This article was updated with scene details near Modesto.

This article was originally posted at 8:50 a.m.
The alleged abduction and rape of a well-known actress in the southern Indian state of Kerala sparked outrage among activists who say the case highlights the dangers faced by all women in India and a lack of justice for victims of sexual violence.

In a statement to the police, the actress said she was abducted by a group of men who drove her around in a car for two hours on Friday night and sexually assaulted and threatened her.

She had been picked up from her home by a car sent by a production house to take her to the studio for dubbing when she was attacked, police said.

"The car she was travelling in was hit by a van from behind in a pre-planned accident," police spokesman P.S. Rajasekharan told the Thomson Reuters Foundation, who declined to name the victim as it is a rape case.

"The men then entered her car and drove away, dropping her off on the outskirts of Kochi after a couple of hours."

The actress said during the assault they took pictures of her and filmed her,threatening her with blackmail, he added.
Keith Boyer spent 27 years patrolling the streets of Whittier and had become something of a legend at the Whittier Police Department.

Whittier Police Chief Jeff Piper broke down in tears recounting Boyer, whom he described as a close friend and beloved member of the department. Boyer was fatally shot Monday.

Piper said Boyer, 53, was a mentor to others in the department and had recently talked about retiring.

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At the police station, he was known for his sunny, friendly disposition and willingness to lend help and offer advice, the chief said.

He was the best of the best, Piper said. This is an unbelievably senseless tragedy.

Piper said he and others members of the department were devastated by Boyers death Monday morning.

I didnt think I had any tears left, the chief said at an afternoon news conference. He is personal friend of mine for over 25 years.

Boyer joined the department in 1989 as a jailer and dispatcher before becoming an officer in 1990.

Boyer also had another life as a drummer. A few times a month for the last two years, hed drive nearly two hours south to Temecula to play with Mrs. Jones Revenge, a classic-rock tribute band that performs at wineries and weddings. Hed split from his fiancee, who lived in Temecula, but he still came down to make music, band leader Jeff McNeal said.

It was probably a nice release for him, with the kind of high-stress work he does, said McNeal, 57, adding that Boyers technical skill as a drummer elevated the band.

One of the reasons I didnt initially ask if he wanted to join was I assumed as a cop, hes probably a Type A personality, hes gonna want to be in control. But I was totally wrong about that, McNeal said. I was afraid wed have arguments, but he was extremely enthusiastic and very supportive. Probably the easiest guy in the whole band. Always willing to play. He loved the music. It was his passion.

Radar Love by Golden Earring was one of Boyers favorite songs to play, McNeal said.

Boyer leaves behind two adult sons, according to the department.

Piper said the suspect in the shooting, whose name has not been made public, was released from custody early. The chief blamed the early release on a series of new laws designed to reduce incarcerations in California.

Neither Piper nor the Sheriffs Department offered specific information about the suspects record or how he was released early. But the chief said Boyers killing showed how these laws have made the streets less safe.

Boyer and two other Whittier Police Department officers were responding to the scene of a traffic collision about 8 a.m. when a 26-year-old recently paroled man driving a stolen car opened fire with a semiautomatic pistol, said Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department Lt. John Corina.

Detectives said the alleged gunman, who is expected to survive, is also a suspect in a homicide that occurred in East Los Angeles. They said they believe he stole a vehicle Sunday morning after killing a man, then drove to Whittier, where he encountered the police.

The shooter, according to police, had been involved in a traffic accident with another vehicle near Colima Road and Mar Vista Street, and approached the driver he had rear-ended to help push his silver car to the side of a road around the corner.

Police officers arrived in three cars and approached the man, who was seated in the silver car, Corina said. He got out and as officers moved to pat him down, he pulled a gun from his waistband and began shooting at close range.

He started firing at the officers and they returned fire, Corina said. We are still looking into that, why he just opened fire.

Officers believed they were responding to a routine traffic call and did not know the vehicle was stolen when they approached.

It seems like a simple traffic accident and next thing they know theyre in a gunfight, Corina said, adding that you never know when you respond to a call, what you are going to run into.

richard.winton@latimes.com

Twitter: @LAcrimes

maya.lau@latimes.com

Twitter: @mayalau

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UPDATES:

9:45 p.m.: This article was updated with details about Boyers survivors.

This article was originally published at 5:20 p.m.
The owner of two San Diego County Postal Annex businesses is accused of partnering with a Mexican drug trafficking organization to package and ship addictive prescription drugs to customers across the country, according to charges filed in federal court in San Diego.

Since his March arrest, Lakhwinder Victor Singh has fought the charges; his former employee, Alejandro Nava, recently pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute oxycodone.

Navas guilty plea and motions filed in the case provide further details of the investigation.

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Singhs attorney declined to discuss the case.

The investigation began in 2013, after federal agents identified a drug courier who was using a shipping facility in National City to move drugs, according to court documents.

The courier was arrested at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry in December 2013 with several packages of prescription drugs and began to work with authorities in exchange for not being prosecuted. The courier told investigators about Singhs operation, which was being run out of a Postal Plus Annex in San Diego and a Postal Annex in Lemon Grove.

Singh bought his first Postal Annex in 2001, according to a motion filed by his attorney, Robert Boyce. Singh also bought a strip mall in 2014 for $1.6 million, paying the $707,000 down payment in cash, prosecutors said.

The source told investigators that the pills came from a drug trafficking group in Mexico run by Bernardo Garcia, who allegedly dealt in drugs such as oxycodone, Xanax, methadone, amphetamine and Ritalin. Authorities have not revealed any further information about Garcia, including his whereabouts or whether he is the target of an investigation.

Customers would place online orders, and the traffickers would prepackage the purchase and hire a courier to smuggle the drugs into the United States, according to court records. Meanwhile, Garcia would email the shipping information to Singh so pre-printed labels could be made.

The courier would deliver the drugs to one of the Postal Annexes, and Singh and Nava would package and ship the orders across the country, prosecutors said.

The source met with Singh and Nava on March 13, 2014, in a meeting that was monitored by authorities. According to prosecutors, Singh said the organization had brought 20 packages of drugs the day before and that shipments usually occurred two or three times a week. He also provided the source advice, such as packing the pills flat and not bulky to better avoid detection by law enforcement, prosecutors said.

In 2015, agents had another courier under watch. On one trip, she was observed crossing into the United States from Mexico and arriving at one of Singhs businesses. Fifteen minutes later, he left with two large mail bins and dropped them off at a post office. Investigators intercepted four flat rate parcel envelopes and found a variety of prescription drugs inside. The sender address was a bogus location.

The courier was arrested in August 2015 after a large number of pills were found on her as she crossed at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. She pleaded guilty to importing drugs and was sentenced to 10 months in prison.

On March 9, 2016, Nava was arrested at the San Ysidro Port of Entry, and Singh was arrested after investigators searched one postal annex and his home. Agents found a baggie of about 120 generic Xanax pills in a drawer under a cash register as well as pre-printed shipping labels, according to court records.

When interviewed by agents, Singh initially denied knowledge of pharmaceuticals but later admitted to knowing that he was shipping medicines, according to court documents.

Besides being charged with conspiracy to distribute drugs, Singh is also accused of structuring $3.9 million in bank deposits from 2011 to 2014 in amounts less than $10,000 to avoid bank reporting requirements.

kristina.davis@sduniontribune.com

Davis writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune
Whittier Police Chief Jeff Piper says the man suspected of shooting an officer to death on Monday is an example of how statewide efforts to reduce incarceration of certain criminals can have tragic consequences.

We need to wake up. Enough is enough, Piper said at an emotional news conference on Monday, the day Officer Keith Boyer was killed. This is a senseless, senseless tragedy that did not need to be.

But authorities have yet to release the name of the suspect, so its unclear how the criminal justice reform measures may have affected his incarceration or release. Authorities say they will release his name on Tuesday.

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What do we know about the suspect?

Not much. He is 26. Police said he was released from custody early, but they did not provide details on his criminal history or why he was released.

Its unclear what crimes placed him in custody to begin with. Police described him as a known gang member.

Hours before his run-in with Whittier police, the man is suspected of fatally shooting his 46-year-old cousin in East Los Angeles and stealing his car. The slain man was identified as Roy Torres.

1 / 21 Los Angeles County firefighters salute as a hearse carrying slain Whittier Police Officer Keith Boyer arrives at Rose Hill Memorial Park in Whittier on Feb. 21, 2017. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 21 Whittier Police Officer Richard Jensen is comforted by other officers at Rose Hill Memorial Park. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 21 Toni Rodriguez offers prayers at a makeshift memorial for Officer Keith Boyer in front of the police station. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 21 People visit a make shift memorial for slain Whittier police officer, Keith Boyer, in front of police station to pay their respects. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 21 Abisai Espinales, with her dog, Mila, stops to pray at the make shift memorial for slain Whittier police officer Keith Boyer in front of police station. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 21 Vietnam veteran Frank Ventura salutes to pay his respects at the makeshift memorial for slain Whittier police officer Keith Boyer. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 21 Whittier Police Chief Jeff Piper, right, and other law enforcement personnel escort the body of a slain Whittier police officer from UC Irvine Medical Center. (Michael Owen Baker / For The Times) 8 / 21 The body of a slain Whittier police officer is escorted from UC Irvine Medical Center to a van to be driven to the coroners. (Michael Owen Baker / For The Times) 9 / 21 Brianna Michaud, left, and her mother Cherylynn Michaud pray at a vigil for slain Whittier police officer Keith Boyer. (Michael Owen Baker / For The Times) 10 / 21 Whittier Chief of Police Jeff Piper tears up and is comforted by Whittier Mayor Joe Vinatieri while speaking at a vigil. (Michael Owen Baker / For The Times) 11 / 21 Kim Williams, center, bows her head during a prayer at a vigil for slain Whittier police officer Keith Boyer. (Michael Owen Baker / For The Times) 12 / 21 Joanne Carrel holds a black and white American flag by a picture of slain Whittier police officer Keith Boyer during a vigil at the Whittier police station. (Michael Owen Baker / For The Times) 13 / 21 Marta Hernandez, who has a son who works at the Whittier Police Department, hugs Corporeal Jessi Pollnow after the press conference. (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 21 Whittier Police Department officers standby during a press conference about the death of Officer Keith Boyer. (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 21 Whittier Police Department Chief Jeff A. Piper pauses while speaking at a press conference about the death of Officer Keith Boyer. (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 21 The Honor Guard stands at the memorial for fallen officers at the Whittier Police Department before a press conference. (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 21 Flowers are left for Officer Keith Boyer at the Whittier Police Department. Boyer was killed and a second injured in a shootout with a gang member. (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 21 Fire personnel salute as the body of a slain Whittier police officer is driven from UC Irvine Medical Center to the coroners. (Michael Owen Baker / For The Times) 19 / 21 Fire personnel salute as the body of a slain Whittier police officer is driven from UC Irvine Medical Center to the coroners. (Michael Owen Baker / For The Times) 20 / 21 Investigators comb the scene on Mar Vista Street in Whittier after one police officer was killed and another injured while responding to a traffic collision. (Michael Owen Baker / For The Times) 21 / 21 Whittier Police investigate the scene of an officer-involved shooting in the area of Mar Vista Street and Colima Road. (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times)

What laws are the chief and other law enforcement officials referring to?

Los Angeles County Sheriff Jim McDonnell pointed to three measures enacted in the last seven years  Propositions 47 and 57 and Assembly Bill 109  that he said have led to the release of too many criminals without creating a proper safety net of mental health, drug rehabilitation and other services.

Were putting people back on the street that arent ready to be back on the street, McDonnell said. He said the county jail system he runs, the largest in the nation, has become a default state prison.

Sheriffs officials have long criticized Proposition 47, which was approved by voters in 2014 and downgraded some drug and property crimes from felonies to misdemeanors.

They say AB 109  which moved state prisoners to local lockups  has pushed lower-level offenders out of custody and onto the streets, offering little deterrent against committing new crimes.

Proposition 57, which passed last year, changed Californias three strikes rule and made sentencing more flexible, allowing some prisoners who wouldnt normally have been eligible for early parole to be considered for release.

 A day after one Whittier police officer was shot and killed and another wounded, Whittier residents come to a growing memorial to grieve Officer Keith W. Boyer.

Havent police blamed Proposition 47 for crime increases?

Yes. LAPD officials and those in other agencies believe the ballot measure is one reason for a rise in crime, but Proposition 47 backers dispute that.

In Los Angeles County, the jail population has decreased, from 18,500 inmates just before Proposition 47 passed to about 16,500 inmates in November. Narcotics arrests have dropped, with busy police officers deciding that the time needed to process a case is not worth it.

The result, some law enforcement officials say, is that more criminals are now on the streets instead of in jail and are not receiving the drug and mental health treatment the measure had promised. Without the threat of a felony prosecution, they say, defendants are less likely to choose treatment as an alternative to serving time.

But supporters of Proposition 47 dispute the theory that crime increases are connected to the measure. Misdemeanors can still result in sentences of up to a year in jail, and it is up to police officers and prosecutors to enforce those penalties, Michael Romano, a lecturer at Stanford Law School told The Times in December.

The idea that Proposition 47 has been responsible for an increase in crime in California over the past year or two is fake news, as far as Im concerned, he said.

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It began as a routine police call to a rear-end collision, the sort of traffic accident that happens every day in Southern California.

It ended in tragedy, with one Whittier police officer dead and another wounded.



For the record: An earlier version of this story said that Prop. 57 changed the states three strikes law. It did not change the law.

The officers didnt know when they approached the accident scene about 8 a.m. Monday that one of the drivers  a 26-year-old man released on parole less than two weeks ago  was in a stolen car and suspected of killing another man hours earlier in East Los Angeles, authorities said.

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As the man got out of the silver car and officers moved to pat him down, he pulled a semiautomatic handgun from his waistband and shot them at close range.

The officers, both wearing bulletproof vests, returned fire. But Keith Boyer, 53, a 27-year department veteran, was killed. Patrick Hazell, a young officer hired three years ago, was wounded and hospitalized in stable condition.

Whittier Police Chief Jeff Piper broke down in tears as he paid tribute to Boyer, who became the first officer from the department to be killed in the line of duty in 37 years. Piper said Boyer was a close friend and beloved officer who was close to retirement.

He was the best of the best, Piper said.

Alongside the outpouring of grief, however, was a display of anger, as Piper and other law enforcement officials blamed the slaying on new laws designed to reduce incarcerations in California.

1 / 21 Los Angeles County firefighters salute as a hearse carrying slain Whittier Police Officer Keith Boyer arrives at Rose Hill Memorial Park in Whittier on Feb. 21, 2017. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 21 Whittier Police Officer Richard Jensen is comforted by other officers at Rose Hill Memorial Park. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 21 Toni Rodriguez offers prayers at a makeshift memorial for Officer Keith Boyer in front of the police station. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 21 People visit a make shift memorial for slain Whittier police officer, Keith Boyer, in front of police station to pay their respects. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 21 Abisai Espinales, with her dog, Mila, stops to pray at the make shift memorial for slain Whittier police officer Keith Boyer in front of police station. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 21 Vietnam veteran Frank Ventura salutes to pay his respects at the makeshift memorial for slain Whittier police officer Keith Boyer. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 21 Whittier Police Chief Jeff Piper, right, and other law enforcement personnel escort the body of a slain Whittier police officer from UC Irvine Medical Center. (Michael Owen Baker / For The Times) 8 / 21 The body of a slain Whittier police officer is escorted from UC Irvine Medical Center to a van to be driven to the coroners. (Michael Owen Baker / For The Times) 9 / 21 Brianna Michaud, left, and her mother Cherylynn Michaud pray at a vigil for slain Whittier police officer Keith Boyer. (Michael Owen Baker / For The Times) 10 / 21 Whittier Chief of Police Jeff Piper tears up and is comforted by Whittier Mayor Joe Vinatieri while speaking at a vigil. (Michael Owen Baker / For The Times) 11 / 21 Kim Williams, center, bows her head during a prayer at a vigil for slain Whittier police officer Keith Boyer. (Michael Owen Baker / For The Times) 12 / 21 Joanne Carrel holds a black and white American flag by a picture of slain Whittier police officer Keith Boyer during a vigil at the Whittier police station. (Michael Owen Baker / For The Times) 13 / 21 Marta Hernandez, who has a son who works at the Whittier Police Department, hugs Corporeal Jessi Pollnow after the press conference. (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 21 Whittier Police Department officers standby during a press conference about the death of Officer Keith Boyer. (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 21 Whittier Police Department Chief Jeff A. Piper pauses while speaking at a press conference about the death of Officer Keith Boyer. (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 21 The Honor Guard stands at the memorial for fallen officers at the Whittier Police Department before a press conference. (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 21 Flowers are left for Officer Keith Boyer at the Whittier Police Department. Boyer was killed and a second injured in a shootout with a gang member. (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 21 Fire personnel salute as the body of a slain Whittier police officer is driven from UC Irvine Medical Center to the coroners. (Michael Owen Baker / For The Times) 19 / 21 Fire personnel salute as the body of a slain Whittier police officer is driven from UC Irvine Medical Center to the coroners. (Michael Owen Baker / For The Times) 20 / 21 Investigators comb the scene on Mar Vista Street in Whittier after one police officer was killed and another injured while responding to a traffic collision. (Michael Owen Baker / For The Times) 21 / 21 Whittier Police investigate the scene of an officer-involved shooting in the area of Mar Vista Street and Colima Road. (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times)

We need to wake up. Enough is enough, Piper said. This is a senseless, senseless tragedy that did not need to be.

Police said the suspect, whose name has not been made public, was released from custody early, but they did not provide details on his criminal history or why he was released.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Jim McDonnell pointed to three measures enacted in the last seven years  Propositions 47 and 57, and Assembly Bill 109  that he said have led to the release of too many criminals without creating a proper safety net of mental health, drug rehabilitation and other services.

Were putting people back on the street that arent ready to be back on the street, McDonnell said. He said the county jail system he runs, the largest in the nation, has become a default state prison.

Sheriffs officials have long criticized Proposition 47, which was approved by voters in 2014 and downgraded some drug and property crimes from felonies to misdemeanors. They say AB 109  which moved state prisoners to local lockups  has pushed lower-level offenders out of custody and onto the streets, giving them little deterrent against committing new crimes. Proposition 57, which passed last year, seeks to reduce the prison population by authorizing parole for more offenders.

Authorities described the suspect in Mondays shooting as a known Los Angeles gang member. Hours before his run-in with Whittier police, he is suspected of fatally shooting his 46-year-old cousin and stealing his car in East Los Angeles. The slain man was identified as Roy Torres, Sheriffs Department spokeswoman Nicole Nishida said.

After the suspect collided with a vehicle near Colima Road and Mar Vista Street, he asked the other driver for help pushing his car off to the side of the road. The suspect then asked for a ride from the people whose vehicle he hit, but they refused, wary of a man with tattoos on his neck and face.

When three officers arrived at the accident scene, they believed they were helping an injured motorist. Instead, McDonnell said, they end up in a gunfight for their lives.

Police did not release many details of the firefight, but a police vehicle was seen with its windows shot out.

Boyer and Hazell were taken to UC Irvine Medical Center, where Boyer was pronounced dead.

The suspect was taken to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center. His condition is unknown, but hes expected to survive.

Piper said he and others were devastated by the death of Boyer, who was known for his friendly disposition and willingness to lend help and advice.

He leaves behind two adult sons, according to the department.

Boyer joined the department in 1989 as a jailer and dispatcher before becoming an officer in 1990.

One of his pastimes was performing as a drummer with Mrs. Jones Revenge, a classic-rock tribute band in Temecula that played at wineries and weddings.

Band leader Jeff McNeal said drumming was probably a nice release for him, with the kind of high-stress work he does.

Boyers skills elevated the band, said McNeal, 57, calling him probably the easiest guy in the whole band. Always willing to play. He loved the music. It was his passion.

Mondays shooting marked the third time a Whittier police officer had been slain in the line of duty in the departments 100-year history. The Police Department has about 128 sworn officers who patrol the cities of Whittier and Santa Fe Springs in southeastern Los Angeles County.

This is a very sad day for our officers, the families involved, the Whittier Police Department and our community, said Mayor Joe Vinatieri. But were pulling together. And were going to take care of these families, and were going to take care of this police department.

A procession of police vehicles traveled from UC Irvine Medical Center, accompanying Boyers body to the Orange County coroners office. Their cars were greeted by law enforcement officers and firefighters who saluted as the vehicles drove by, some wiping away tears.

In the evening, the city held a vigil outside the Whittier Police Department. A crowd of about 1,000 police officers and other mourners overflowed onto the sidewalks of the civic center, standing silently and holding candles while an enormous American flag hung from a firetruck. A framed photo of Boyer was placed in front of the memorial for the two other Whittier officers killed decades ago.

tony.barboza@latimes.com | Twitter: @tonybarboza

richard.winton@latimes.com | Twitter: @LAcrimes

Times staff writers Maya Lau and Ruben Vives contributed to this report.

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UPDATES:

8:25 p.m.: This article was updated to identify the man shot and killed early Monday in East Los Angeles.

This article was first posted at 7:55 p.m.
The gang member accused of killing a Whittier police officer Monday has cycled in and out of jail for repeatedly violating the terms of his release, records show.

L.A. County sheriffs homicide Capt. Steve Katz on Tuesday identified the suspect as Michael C. Mejia, 26, a career criminal with a history of drugs and violence. Mejia has a history of control problems, Katz said.

Mejia is suspected of killing Whittier Police Officer Keith Boyer and wounding another officer in a shootout following a crash involving a stolen vehicle.

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Court records show that Mejia was sentenced in 2010 to four years in state prison for robbery and was convicted in July 2014 of grand theft auto and attempting to steal a vehicle. He was given another two-year sentence.

Mejia, who was shot by officers in the deadly gunfight that claimed Boyers life and left Officer Patrick Hazell wounded, has been arrested and jailed for short stints several times since July. State officials said he was on probation and under the supervision of the L.A. County Probation Department.

Mejia was sent to state prison in December 2010 after being sentenced to two years for the robbery with a special enhancement of an additional two years for being a gang member. That four-year sentence was reduced by up to 15% for good behavior  a standard practice. The judge gave Mejia 302 days for time already served in jail.

Mejia was paroled on Jan. 26, 2014. He returned to prison on July 30, 2014, on new charges of grand theft auto and vehicle theft. He was sentenced to serve two two-year terms concurrently. He was discharged from Pelican Bay State Prison on April 19, 2016.

In July, he violated terms of his release and got 10 days in jail. He was arrested again in September after authorities moved to revoke his community supervision.

He was arrested in January for again violating the terms of his release and sentenced to a combined 40 days in jail. But he was out again after 10 days, records show. Then, Feb. 2 he was arrested by East L.A. sheriffs deputies for violating his release terms and flash incarcerated.

Mejia was sentenced to 10 days and released Feb. 11. On Monday, before his run-in with Whittier police, he allegedly went on a deadly rampage that began at an East L.A. home, where authorities suspect Mejia in the fatal shooting of a man believed to be his 46-year-old cousin, Roy Torres. Mejia then allegedly stole his car.

Mejia has not been formally booked in the murders and is being held on a probation violation.

Nicole Nishida, a sheriffs spokeswoman, said the probation violation is the murder of Boyer and attempted murder of Hazell. Nishida said Mejia can be held 10 days for such a violation without being formally booked.

The move is designed to allow detectives more time to investigate the killing. If he is officially booked with murder and attempted murder, prosecutors would have 48 hours to charge him.

Mejia remains hospitalized and is being treated for a gunshot wound, sheriffs officials said.

Whittier Police Chief Jeff Piper said Mejia is an example of how statewide efforts to reduce incarceration of certain criminals can have tragic consequences.

We need to wake up. Enough is enough, Piper said at an emotional news conference Monday, the day Boyer was killed. This is a senseless, senseless tragedy that did not need to be.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Jim McDonnell pointed to three measures enacted in the last seven years  Propositions 47 and 57 and Assembly Bill 109  that he said have led to the release of too many criminals without creating a proper safety net of mental health, drug rehabilitation and other services.

Were putting people back on the street that arent ready to be back on the street, McDonnell said. He said the county jail system he runs, the largest in the nation, has become a default state prison.

Sheriffs officials have long criticized Proposition 47, which was approved by voters in 2014 and downgraded some drug and property crimes from felonies to misdemeanors.

They say AB 109  which moved state prisoners to local lockups  has pushed lower-level offenders out of custody and onto the streets, offering little deterrent against committing new crimes.

1 / 21 Los Angeles County firefighters salute as a hearse carrying slain Whittier Police Officer Keith Boyer arrives at Rose Hill Memorial Park in Whittier on Feb. 21, 2017. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 21 Whittier Police Officer Richard Jensen is comforted by other officers at Rose Hill Memorial Park. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 21 Toni Rodriguez offers prayers at a makeshift memorial for Officer Keith Boyer in front of the police station. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 21 People visit a make shift memorial for slain Whittier police officer, Keith Boyer, in front of police station to pay their respects. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 21 Abisai Espinales, with her dog, Mila, stops to pray at the make shift memorial for slain Whittier police officer Keith Boyer in front of police station. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 21 Vietnam veteran Frank Ventura salutes to pay his respects at the makeshift memorial for slain Whittier police officer Keith Boyer. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 21 Whittier Police Chief Jeff Piper, right, and other law enforcement personnel escort the body of a slain Whittier police officer from UC Irvine Medical Center. (Michael Owen Baker / For The Times) 8 / 21 The body of a slain Whittier police officer is escorted from UC Irvine Medical Center to a van to be driven to the coroners. (Michael Owen Baker / For The Times) 9 / 21 Brianna Michaud, left, and her mother Cherylynn Michaud pray at a vigil for slain Whittier police officer Keith Boyer. (Michael Owen Baker / For The Times) 10 / 21 Whittier Chief of Police Jeff Piper tears up and is comforted by Whittier Mayor Joe Vinatieri while speaking at a vigil. (Michael Owen Baker / For The Times) 11 / 21 Kim Williams, center, bows her head during a prayer at a vigil for slain Whittier police officer Keith Boyer. (Michael Owen Baker / For The Times) 12 / 21 Joanne Carrel holds a black and white American flag by a picture of slain Whittier police officer Keith Boyer during a vigil at the Whittier police station. (Michael Owen Baker / For The Times) 13 / 21 Marta Hernandez, who has a son who works at the Whittier Police Department, hugs Corporeal Jessi Pollnow after the press conference. (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 21 Whittier Police Department officers standby during a press conference about the death of Officer Keith Boyer. (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 21 Whittier Police Department Chief Jeff A. Piper pauses while speaking at a press conference about the death of Officer Keith Boyer. (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 21 The Honor Guard stands at the memorial for fallen officers at the Whittier Police Department before a press conference. (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 21 Flowers are left for Officer Keith Boyer at the Whittier Police Department. Boyer was killed and a second injured in a shootout with a gang member. (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 21 Fire personnel salute as the body of a slain Whittier police officer is driven from UC Irvine Medical Center to the coroners. (Michael Owen Baker / For The Times) 19 / 21 Fire personnel salute as the body of a slain Whittier police officer is driven from UC Irvine Medical Center to the coroners. (Michael Owen Baker / For The Times) 20 / 21 Investigators comb the scene on Mar Vista Street in Whittier after one police officer was killed and another injured while responding to a traffic collision. (Michael Owen Baker / For The Times) 21 / 21 Whittier Police investigate the scene of an officer-involved shooting in the area of Mar Vista Street and Colima Road. (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times)

Proposition 57, which passed last year, changed Californias three strikes rule and made sentencing more flexible, allowing some prisoners who wouldnt normally have been eligible for early parole to be considered for release.

In Los Angeles County, the jail population has decreased, from 18,500 inmates just before Proposition 47 passed to about 16,500 inmates in November. Narcotics arrests have dropped, with busy police officers deciding that the time needed to process a case is not worth it.

The result, some law enforcement officials say, is that more criminals are now on the streets instead of in jail and are not receiving the drug and mental health treatment the measure had promised. Without the threat of a felony prosecution, they say, defendants are less likely to choose treatment as an alternative to serving time.

But supporters of Proposition 47 dispute the theory that crime increases are connected to the measure. Misdemeanors can still result in sentences of up to a year in jail, and it is up to police officers and prosecutors to enforce those penalties, Michael Romano, a lecturer at Stanford Law School, told the Los Angeles Times in December.

The idea that Proposition 47 has been responsible for an increase in crime in California over the past year or two is fake news, as far as Im concerned, he said.

California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation officials, while extending their condolences, said that Mejia was never released early from state prison.

This individual served his full state prison terms as defined by law, said Jeffrey Callison, assistant secretary at the corrections department. None of the states recent criminal justice reforms  including AB 109, Proposition 47 or Proposition 57  impacted when this individual was released from state prison. Proposition 57, for example, which was passed by voters in November, has not even been implemented yet.

Callison said AB 109 did not impact the time Mejia served, but did affect his post-release supervision in April 2016, which put monitoring in the hands of the Los Angeles County Probation Department.

The countys chief probation officer, Terri McDonald, confirmed that office was supervising Mejia, but declined to provide details.

He was under probation supervision pursuant to AB 109, McDonald said. We are reviewing the conditions of his supervision since being released from state prison in April 2016. However, as this is an active criminal and internal investigation, we cannot discuss any specifics but we will conduct a comprehensive post incident review. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families in this senseless homicide.

richard.winton@latimes.com

Twitter: @LAcrimes

Times staff writer Cindy Chang contributed to this report.

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UPDATES:

5:25 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details from sheriffs officials about the status of Michael C. Mejia, information about his criminal record and and information from corrections and probation officials.

This article was originally published at 1:15 p.m.
On a summer day in 1996, a pair of college students walking along the Columbia River in Kennewick, Wash., stumbled upon part of a human skull, about 10 feet from the shore.

In the month that followed, investigators unearthed 300 pieces of bone that made up one of the oldest and most complete skeletons ever discovered in North America.

The discovery, known as Kennewick Man, launched a lengthy legal dispute between scientists and Native Americans over the origins of the remains and what to do with them.

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The 20-year saga came to an end over the weekend when the 9,000-year-old skeleton was brought home and laid to rest.

On Friday, about 30 members of five tribes traveled to the Burke Museum in Seattle  where the skeleton was housed for nearly two decades  to retrieve dozens of boxes holding the remains. The next morning, more than 200 members of those tribes  the Yakama, Umatilla, Nez Perce, Colville and Wanapum  gathered privately at a secret location in the Columbia Basin to bury the man they call the Ancient One.

The Ancient One  may now finally find peace, and we, his relatives, will equally feel content knowing that this work has been completed on his behalf, JoDe Goudy, chairman of the Yakama Nation Tribal Council, said in a statement.

When the bones were discovered, scientists believed that they were unrelated to Native Americans and wanted to study them for clues about how people arrived in North America. The researchers suggested that Kennewick Man was a descendant of people who migrated from Asia into North America earlier than the populations that gave rise to modern Native Americans.

It was a controversial idea because it challenged the widely held notion that the tribes were descendants of the continents original inhabitants.

The tribes held that Kennewick Man was an ancestor and sought custody of his remains for reburial, arguing that further research would be a violation of their religious and cultural rights.

A prolonged legal battle followed, with scientists eventually persuading the courts that Kennewick Mans skull more closely resembled those found in people from Japan and Polynesia than those of Native Americans.

The tribes lost the legal fight in 2004, when a court ordered that the skeleton was to remain in the museum under the auspices of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Researchers were allowed to study the remains at the museum, while the tribes also visited to hold ceremonies.

Once the technology became available, scientists extracted the Kennewick Mans DNA from a tiny piece of bone and compared it with DNA from people from Europe, Asia and the Americas  including two members of the Colville tribe in Washington state, one of the groups that had claimed the remains.

The results, published in 2015, revealed that Kennewick Man shared the most DNA with Native Americans, confirming what the tribes had maintained all along: He was a long-lost relative.

We always knew the Ancient One to be Indian, said Aaron Ashley, an Umatilla board member. We have oral stories that tell of our history on this land, and we knew, at the moment of his discovery, that he was our relation.

In December, President Obama signed legislation that required that the remains be returned to the tribes of eastern Washington.

The move was the right decision and long overdue, Burke Museum officials said in a statement, citing a federal law that allows tribes to reclaim human remains and cultural artifacts from museums and institutions.

Goudy, the tribal leader, vowed to fight for the return of countless other relatives, artifacts and possessions that lie within various collections, amongst various entities, governed by various laws.

Our work will continue on their behalf because they must be returned to their appropriate resting place, he said. We must fix the governing laws that allow such disrespect to continue to be dictated to our collective peoples.

alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com

Follow me on Twitter @AleneTchek
When Massachusetts voters overwhelmingly approved a ballot measure in November to legalize recreational marijuana, Josh Miller saw this as a sign that his time had finally arrived.

The Rhode Island state senator has a reputation among colleagues as a cannabis crusader  a battle that, so far, hes lost. For the last three years, Miller introduced legislation to legalize recreational pot, and for the last three years, his efforts have died in committee hearing rooms.

But now, in a turnaround, some of Millers colleagues are signaling an interest in legalized weed  and raking in the tax dollars that come with it.

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We now have the wind at our backs, said Miller, who introduced his latest pro-pot bill last week. Seeing our next door neighbor legalize it should help us  a lot.

In the fall, three other states joined Massachusetts in passing recreational pot ballot measures: California, Maine and Nevada. Four other states  Alaska, Colorado, Oregon and Washington  have legalized marijuana through ballot initiatives as well.

But this year lawmakers in 17 states  Connecticut, Minnesota and Hawaii among them  have become emboldened enough to introduce more than two dozen measures to legalize recreational pot for adults and tax its sale. The experiences of Colorado and Washington state  the first two states to legalize the drug still considered illegal under federal law  drive the trend.

This month, Colorado officials released a report showing the state brought in $200 million in tax revenue last year. Washington raked in even more  about $256 million. Most of the money goes toward public school systems.

Our focus is on revenue and bringing in cash to the state as legalization becomes more and more widespread, said Mary Washington, a state delegate from Maryland who introduced a bill recently that would tax marijuana like alcohol. She estimates the state could net $165 million a year. (California estimates that legalized recreational marijuana will bring in about $1 billion a year in state tax revenue.)

Washington, whose district is in Baltimore, has not sponsored pot legislation in the past, but has been a supporter of legalization. Shes viewed the issue from a criminal justice perspective after witnessing young black men in her community continuously arrested for low-level possession.

Now, with individuals able to carry up to an ounce of marijuana legally in some states, along with the cash generated from sales, she felt that its time to join the broader legalization movement. The success of Maryland lawmakers in passing medicinal marijuana legislation in 2014 also makes her optimistic.

These conversations need to be happening now, in state legislatures, Washington said, adding that even with voter- approved ballot measures, lawmakers are often tasked with hashing out laws that regulate sales. Why not get it done now? Were elected to do a job. More and more states are moving in this direction.

The legalization of medical marijuana took a similar path.

Six states passed ballot measures approving medicinal pot from the mid-1990s until 2000. It wasnt until that year when Hawaii became the first to do so through the Legislature. Since 2004, nearly twice as many states have adopted medical laws through legislatures  13  compared to seven passed through ballot initiatives.

Mason Tvert, a spokesman for the Washington, D.C.-based Marijuana Policy Project, a group dedicated to ending cannabis prohibition nationwide, said voters led the way on legalizing cannabis for medicinal use before lawmakers woke up.

Voters saw through the governments reefer madness and led the way on medical marijuana. Those laws inspired citizens in other states to demand action from their elected officials, who could now see that such laws were not just popular, but possible, Tvert said. The same thing is now happening with broader legalization.

For wary lawmakers, polling is helpful as public approval of legal marijuana is increasing, similar to the countrys quick shift in favor of same-sex marriage over the years.

A Pew Research Center survey from October showed that 57% of Americans believe marijuana should be legalized, compared to 37% who believe it should remain illegal. By contrast, a similar Pew poll in 2006 showed almost the opposite  60% believed it should be illegal, compared with 32% who supported legalization.

And a poll released this month by Public Policy Polling showed that 59% of Rhode Islanders support legalization, compared to 35% in opposition. In Rhode Island, where a motorist can drive out of the state in 30 minutes or less, lawmakers fear losing millions of dollars to Massachusetts. So too do lawmakers in Connecticut and New York, where legalization measures are also being debated.

The polling of Rhode Islanders, mixed with the Massachusetts vote, became enough to change the opinion of Rhode Island state Sen. Ryan Pearson.

He staunchly opposed Millers past efforts, because he believed, among other things, that edible marijuana, such as cookies and candies, would be enticing to children.

Then, I saw this shift around the country with other states. Its crept into New England and we see it legal right next door, he said. Now its not a matter of if, but when, for legalization in this state.  We should take the initiative to get this done right.

The issue of edibles is a widespread concern and Gov. John Hickenlooper of Colorado has warned lawmakers in other states, including California recently, to regulate them carefully.

Still, opposition to legalization can often be seen in the corridors of state capitols.

In Rhode Island, law enforcement agencies have expressed concerns about enforcing and prosecuting people driving under the influence. Moreover, Rhode Island Atty. Gen. Peter F. Kilmartin remains staunchly opposed, saying its a complex policy decision that has long-lasting effects and unintended consequences, much of which are still unknown.

This is not a decision that should be made lightly, he said in an email. It must be made with a full understanding of the complications of regulating a new industry, its effect on our youths development, what impact it will have on our future workforce, the public health implications.

For Miller, despite each of his past efforts faltering in committees, hes seen momentum for his cause over the years.

One member of legislative leadership would back it, then another. It was a slow trickle, said Miller, who in recent years has met with representatives from Colorado to talk about the ups and downs of legalization.

Rhode Island state Rep. Scott Slater, Millers House sponsor for the legal pot measure, said pressure is on the state.

We see legalization moving into the New England area and out here its a very regional economy, he said. Why give Massachusetts all the benefit?

kurtis.lee@latimes.com

Twitter: @kurtisalee

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For years, Waddh Mubarez has helped people get home.

Mubarez works at a popular travel agency for New York Citys Arab American community, whose members visit the cramped yellow storefront to book trips for friends and family. The requests range from months-long trips to hometowns in Yemen to once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimages to Mecca in Saudi Arabia.

But the nature of Mubarezs job has changed since the White House in January issued a controversial and hotly contested executive order restricting travel from seven Muslim-majority nations.

A trip home, once a reason for celebration, has become a bureaucratic mess, he said.

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Each day, the soft-spoken 32-year-old Yemeni-born U.S. citizen works the phones, trying to book travel for passengers stranded in Djibouti, on the Horn of Africa, or console clients too afraid to risk leaving the United States.

He tries to keep a healthy perspective. The situation isnt so bad for him, after all, in his small Brooklyn office tucked next to a street-front mosque. Its a lot worse for the clients stuck in transit.

For us, its a problem for the business, he said. But for the passengers, its a matter of life or death.

Yet its personal for him, too: His mother, father, and younger brother are still living in Yemens capital, Sanaa, as the country descends into civil war. They have been waiting for a visa to visit the United States for the past seven months, he said.

It is taking a long time, more than before, he said with a pained smile.

They are safe for now, he said, but we dont know what will happen after that.

Mubarez is among the tens of thousands of Arab Americans across New York who have been swept up in changes some didnt expect or dont fully understand during the ongoing saga of the executive order some have nicknamed the Muslim ban.

In bodegas, Islamic bookstores, attorneys offices, favorite restaurants and neighborhood mosques, many Arab American New Yorkers speak of the confusion and frustration. Rumors at times substitute for facts while community members try to sort out what to expect. Even attorneys have been left puzzled.

The executive order banned travelers from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from entering the United States. It immediately sent airports into chaos, spurred nationwide protests and was challenged in court by multiple civil rights organizations and states attorneys general. A federal judge in Seattle issued a stay on the order, which was upheld by a federal appeals court in San Francisco.

In response to the court decision, Trump said he plans to release a new executive order that will thoroughly vet travelers while addressing safety concerns.

While American green card holders are typically free to reenter the country from travel overseas, many were detained on entry in the early days of the executive order, when border officials still were unsure how to interpret the regulations. To be safe, some attorneys have advised their clients with green cards to stay in the United States.

Everybody who has a green card now, we tell them, nothing is clear, so dont make any travel plans right now, said Houria Hethat, 46, an office manager for a Brooklyn attorney who serves the Arab American community. We just want things to be clear.

For Mubarez, the uncertainty shows up in the form of interminable delays for travelers awaiting visas to enter the United States, as embassies struggle with a backlog of applicants dating to before the travel ban.

Many Yemeni travelers end up in Djibouti, a small country on the Horn of Africa across a strait from Yemen, where they can visit an American embassy for visa processing. The American consulate in Yemen has been shuttered since 2015.

Summer Nasser, 22, a Yemeni American translator and immigration consultant, said it took nine months for her husband, who is Yemeni, to obtain a visa allowing him to join her stateside six months ago.

She helps host workshops so community members can better understand their rights and fields phone calls from visa holders concerned about whether they should travel either to or from the United States.

Ive told them that everything is fine, that the ban is temporarily frozen, she said. But they are concerned because they might wake up tomorrow and there will be another immigration order.

In the meantime, she tells them, Just relax. We have the courts on our side.

Protests against Trumps executive order and the court decisions have helped buoy spirits, Nasser said.

Hundreds of Yemeni-owned bodegas and grocery stores in New York temporarily closed this month to protest the order, and thousands of supporters attended a rally in Brooklyn.

We made history within the community, she said. Usually bodega owners wouldnt close for anything, not even a religious holiday. To actually close, thats serious.

Elyas Mubarez, 20, who works with his brother Waddh at the travel agency, said a lot of people realize the ban is not right. It matters to all kinds of people, including Arab Americans who dont hail from the countries covered in the order.

In their Brooklyn grocery store and butcher shop, Egyptians Hamed Nabawy and Mohamed Naselnas had their share of frustrations with the order. Nabawy said that his sister struggled to get a visa to visit the U.S. and that he had heard of people being forced off flights leaving Cairo for New York.

Nabawy, who has lived in the United States for more than 30 years, said the Trump administration reminded him of the ill-fated presidency of Mohamed Morsi. Morsi was the first Egyptian president to be freely elected after decades of one-party rule, but he was ousted in 2013 after about a year in office.

Like Morsi, Nabawy said, Trump was trying to do too much too soon, and not being careful in the process.

Even if he has good intentions, he doesnt have the experience to make it fact, he said. The way hes started is going to make him fail.

Trump was fighting a losing battle in a country full of immigrants, by swimming against the current, he said.

At the travel agency, Waddh Mubarez sees business boom each week after midday Friday prayers as concerned clients come in, asking for help.

When business dies down, he thinks about his family in Sanas and peoples concerns about traveling.

It is a sad moment, he said quietly.

Hansen is a special correspondent.

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A federal judge ruled Tuesday that Texas cant cut off Medicaid dollars to Planned Parenthood over secretly recorded videos taken by antiabortion activists in 2015 that launched Republican efforts across the U.S. to defund the womens health services provider.

An injunction issued by U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks of Austin comes after he delayed making decision in January and essentially bought Planned Parenthood an extra month in the states Medicaid program.

Texas is now at least the sixth state where federal courts have kept Planned Parenthood, the nations largest abortion provider, eligible for Medicaid reimbursements for nonabortion services. However, a bigger question remains over whether President Trump will federally defund the organization.

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Sparks decision preserves Planned Parenthoods cancer screenings, birth control access and other health services it provides for nearly 11,000 low-income women. Texas originally intended to boot Planned Parenthood in January, but Sparks told the state to wait pending his ruling.

Arkansas, Alabama, Kansas, Mississippi and Louisiana have had similar efforts blocked.

As in those states, Texas health officials accused Planned Parenthood officials of making misrepresentations to investigators after the release of secretly recorded and heavily edited videos by an antiabortion group last year. Investigations by 13 states into those videos have concluded without criminal charges, and Planned Parenthood officials have denied any wrongdoing.

A Houston grand jury indicted two activists behind the videos over how they covertly gained access inside a Planned Parenthood clinic, but a judge later dismissed the charges.

Planned Parenthood serves only a fraction of the 4.3 million people enrolled in Medicaid in Texas.

Antiabortion activists emboldened by a new Trump administration are looking for the federal government to cut off all federal funding to Planned Parenthood. That would cut nearly $400 million in Medicaid money to the group and result in roughly 400,000 women losing access to healtgcare, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

In one of his first acts as president, Trump last month banned U.S. funding to international groups that perform abortions or even provide information about abortions. Vice President Mike Pence strongly opposes abortion, citing his Roman Catholic beliefs, and the newly confirmed health secretary, Tom Price, as a congressman supported cutting off taxpayer money to Planned Parenthood.

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The day he was sworn in to the California Assembly, freshman Bay Area Democrat Ash Kalra filed his first piece of legislation: Assembly Bill 20, which would force the states two largest public employee retirement funds, CalSTRS and CalPERS, to divest from companies involved in building the disputed Dakota Access pipeline.

The bill, if it were to become law (and it shouldnt), wouldnt stop the project from being completed. The Army Corps of Engineers has already given final approval to the remaining section of the pipeline. It would, however, blow a multibillion-dollar hole in the pension funds  and the public pocketbook, because state and local taxpayers would be left to fill that hole.

What was Kalra, a former San Jose City Council member who is no doubt familiar with how pensions are financed, thinking when he made this proposal? Perhaps about starting a discussion on a controversial topic that would establish that he, the first Indian American member of the California Legislature, wasnt going to be a wallflower during his stint in Sacramento. Good for him. Welcome to the fight, theres much work to be done. But heres the first lesson: Ill-considered, attention-getting bills only detract from that mission.

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Even those who opposed the Dakota Access pipeline, such as this editorial board, must recognize that AB 20 is a flawed and dangerous bill. For one thing, it is overly broad, requiring divestment from a company that operates multiple oil and natural gas lines as well as from major national banks that finance not just the pipelines construction, but also many of Californias businesses. California Public Employees Retirement System staff estimate that cutting investment in these companies would cost it at least $4 billion. California State Teachers Retirement System staff is still evaluating what divestment would cost that fund.

The bill did get attention: CalPERS staff recommended that the CalPERS board oppose the bill because of the financial damage it might do to the fund. It also contradicts the funds preferred method of affecting social change  which is to lobby the management of the companies in which it invests. And thats exactly what the board did Friday when it joined other investors in calling on the banks involved to address the concerns of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe.

Divesting the considerable assets of the public pension funds can be a powerful tool to effect social change. Many people credit the global divestment in South Africa for helping to end apartheid. But given the potential cost, lawmakers should wield this power sparingly and in a precisely targeted way  and never when it would just be an empty gesture.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook
The Iranian military has banned the unauthorized use of drones in the capital Tehran, after several security scares caused by unpiloted aircraft that are increasingly popular with hobbyists and filmmakers.

The general staff of the armed forces has issued an edict which means drones may only be used if they have been given permits from one of two government ministries or the state broadcaster, a senior Revolutionary Guard commander said on Monday.

"Flying private and personal quadcopters... is forbidden in Tehran," Seyed Ali Reza Rabiei, operations commander at the Tharallah military base in Tehran, was quoted as saying by the Tasnim news site.


Elections have consequences, as the saying goes, and heres another one arising from conservative Republicans taking complete control of the federal government: The Endangered Species Act, which played a significant role in saving the bald eagle and the California condor from extinction, is now itself endangered. Were Congress and President Trump to accede to the demands of anti-regulatory zealots and gut the nature-protecting act, it would be calamitous for hundreds of plant and animal species, local ecosystems, and the complex interconnections that sustain the natural world.

The usual argument against the act is roughly that it is not used to protect species, but to stifle development. States, counties, wildlife managers, home builders, construction companies, farmers, ranchers, and other stakeholders are all making it clear that the Endangered Species Act is not working today, Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), said at a recent Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing he chaired. How is the act not working? According to its detractors, only 47 of 1,652 species to receive protection since the act was passed in 1973 have recovered enough to get promoted off the endangered species list.

What that argument misses, according to the Center for Biological Diversity, is that the act has helped keep nearly every species added to the list from fading into extinction. Success here should be measured by saves, and by that yardstick, the Endangered Species Act has been a clear success  only 30 species have disappeared after being placed on the list. Some scientists argue that adding species to the list earlier, before they reach a crucial state, would add to that success. So if Barrasso and his colleagues want to modernize the act, as they claim, they would work to make it more robust.

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But no. Their goal isnt to nurture species to recovered status, but to make it easier to develop wilderness areas and encroach on crucial habitats. Barrasso is among the western Republicans who want to turn federal land over to state control under the spurious argument that states know best how to care for it. Theyre really trying to open public land for private exploitation, the environmental costs be damned.

The act does have its shortcomings. The focus is on habitat preservation, which is important, but scientists now believe there need to be more adaptive solutions, such as public-private partnerships to integrate wildlife habitats with development, and more efficient use of the act as the nation adapts to changing habitats. That should be the road map for revising the act, and conservationists from the left and right need to pressure Congress to ensure pro-development forces dont destroy the act under the guise of fixing it.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook
If Donald Trumps campaign colluded with efforts by Russia to help him defeat Hillary Clinton  a nightmare scenario for which no evidence has been produced so far  it would be first and foremost a political and constitutional crisis. But it also likely would involve violations of federal law. And even if such collusion didnt take place, there could be other matters involving Russia and Trump associates that would require decisions by the Department of Justice.

That department is now headed by Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions, who as a senator from Alabama was an early and enthusiastic supporter of Trumps candidacy. And President Trump, as he made clear at his stream-of-consciousness news conference last Thursday, rejects concerns about improper relationships between his campaign and Russia as a ruse and fake news fabricated to try and make up for the loss of the Democrats.

Given these facts, Sessions must recuse himself from any decision pertaining to those relationships  including any legal issues arising from former National Security Advisor Michael Flynns conversations with the Russian ambassador during the final days of the Obama administration.

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At his confirmation hearings, Sessions told the Senate Judiciary Committee that, in light of his partisan activity during the campaign, he would recuse himself from any action involving Hillary Clinton or the Clinton Foundation. But he refused to make a similar commitment with regard to Russia-related investigations.

Thats illogical; it may also be illegal.

In a letter to Sessions last Friday, 25 organizations and individuals, including Common Cause and the Campaign Legal Center, cited a Justice Department regulation saying that no employee shall participate in a criminal investigation or prosecution if he has a personal or political relationship with (1) any person or organization substantially involved in the conduct that is the subject of the investigation or prosecution; or (2) any person or organization which he knows has a specific and substantial interest that would be directly affected by the outcome of the investigation or prosecution. Clearly Trump has an interest in an investigation that could cast doubt on the legitimacy of his election, and Sessions has an obvious personal or political relationship with Trump.

Ideally, the deputy attorney general would step in as acting attorney general when the attorney general has a conflict of interest, but that post is vacant. Although Trump has nominated a respected career prosecutor, Rod J. Rosenstein, to fill it, the Judiciary Committee has yet to schedule a hearing for him. If Rosenstein isnt expeditiously confirmed, there is another option: Sessions could appoint a special counsel who would have the authority of the attorney general in matters related to Russian involvement in the 2016 election.

One way or another, Sessions needs to leave this issue to someone else.
President Trump has cast California as out of control because of proposed legislation that would make the entire state a sanctuary for illegal immigrants, who, he says, breed crime. But in reality, as Californias immigrant population has grown, its crime and violence rates have plummeted.

Lets start with the demographics. In 1980, census figures show, Californias population was 24 million, and two-thirds of it was non-Latino white. Today, the states population of 40 million is 40% Latino, 13% Asian and only 38% white. Over the last two decades, California has seen an influx of 3.5 million immigrants, mostly Latino, and an outmigration of some 2 million residents, most of them white. An estimated 2.4 million undocumented immigrants also currently live in the state.

California, then, is approaching the ostensibly nightmarish scenario that Marco Gutierrez of Latinos for Trump cautioned against  taco trucks on every corner.

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And yet, according to data from the FBI, the California Department of Justice, and the Centers for Disease Control, the state has seen precipitous drops in every major category of crime and violence that can be reliably measured. In Trump terms, you might say that modern California is the opposite of American carnage.

Californians are 30% less likely to die a violent death today than other Americans.

The numbers are striking. Since 1980, Californias rate of reported crime overall has fallen by 62%. The states criminal arrest rates, too, have fallen considerably, by 55% overall, and by 80% among people younger than 18  a population, it is worth noting, that is now 72% nonwhite.

More specifically, the rate of violent crime in California has fallen by an impressive 50% in the same period. This includes drops in robberies (65%), homicide (68%), and rapes and assaults (more than 40%). That last figure is even more remarkable when you consider that the legal definitions of both assault and rape were expanded during these years. (The states rate of violent crime did rise slightly in 2015 and 2016, but overall is still at a roughly 50-year low.)

Also telling is the states reduction of violent deaths, a category that groups homicides with non-criminal fatalities such as accidents and overdoses from illicit drugs. Before the early 1990s, California had one of the countrys highest rates of violent death. It has since fallen by 18%, and did so as the average rate of violent death across the rest of the country rose 16%. Overall, Californians are 30% less likely to die a violent death today than other Americans.

In fact, compared with averages in all other states, California now has 33% fewer gun killings, 10% fewer murders overall, and 30% fewer illicit-drug deaths. When overdoses from illicit drugs rose 160% in the rest of the country, between 1999 and 2015, they rose only 27% in California.

The murder rates in the states largest cities  all of which are sanctuary jurisdictions and therefore, by Trumps logic, the most dangerous  have plummeted by 74%, and are now well below those of large cities elsewhere in the country, new FBI figures show. In Los Angeles and San Francisco, the murder rates are half that of Topeka, Kan. The murder rate in Oakland, another sanctuary city, is lower than in Tulsa, Okla.

In nearly every respect, Californias statistics contradict the image of America painted by Trump in his inaugural address  a place of rampant violence, drugs and crime, all stoked by liberal immigration policies.

Many of Trumps executive orders and policy proposals concerning crime and immigration actually threaten to undo much of the progress California has made. In particular, Trumps executive order regarding sanctuary jurisdictions could make Californias largest cities less safe, given research that shows public safety is enhanced where immigrants can report crimes without fear of deportation.

State leaders should more forcefully assert the facts about Californias astonishing progress on crime and public safety, and move more aggressively to guard it.

Mike Males is senior researcher for the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice in San Francisco.

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I first met Cinderria, an 18-year-old woman of color, in a library in downtown Madison, Wis. She approached the table marked Voter ID Assistance and explained that with the 2016 presidential primary only a few months away, and despite several trips to the DMV, she still didnt have a valid ID as mandated by Wisconsins strict new laws. It turned out she needed a Social Security card but wasnt sure how to obtain one.

Proponents of voter ID laws dont want to acknowledge that Cinderrias case is far from unusual. Experts project that in Wisconsin alone, 300,000 eligible voters lack the ID necessary to cast a ballot. Across the country, 32 states have some form of voter ID law, creating a crisis of disenfranchisement not seen since the civil rights era. These ID laws dont touch all groups equally: Voters of color, like Cinderria, are hit hardest. The elderly, students and low-income voters also are disproportionately affected. (A new study published in the Journal of Politics, for instance, found that strict ID laws lower African American, Latino, Asian American and multiracial American turnout.)

States that have implemented voter ID laws have shown little to no interest in helping their citizens comply. And the advocacy organizations that oppose these laws have few resources for direct voter assistance. Instead, groups like the American Civil Liberties Union have focused on challenging voter ID mandates in court. Thats essential, but its not enough. As court battles proceed, we must acknowledge our collective obligation to voters like Cinderria by investing in on-the-ground, in-person support.

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Despite repeated assurances from voter ID proponents that these laws arent discriminatory and are easy to comply with, lived experience proves the opposite.

Before the 2016 election, a group of us in Madison recognized the problem and got to work, partnering with local organizations like the League of Women Voters and NAACP. As one coalition, we collaborated with social service agencies, churches, food pantries, employers, schools and election administrators. Outreach continued through the November election and is ongoing for spring elections. But theres tons of work left to do in Madison, to say nothing of the state or nation as a whole.

The right to vote is not denied only in large volume. Our democracy deteriorates every single time an older voter cant find transportation to a distant DMV, and every single time a working mother cant afford the fees associated with redundant paperwork to prove her citizenship.

Having worked one-on-one with would-be voters, a nefarious truth about these laws has become clear to me. Not only do the requirements hamper individuals in the short term, they also can send a long-term signal to historically disenfranchised communities that theyre not invited into their countrys democratic process  a feeling all too familiar to those who were born before the abolition of Jim Crow.

We cannot return to the era of literacy tests and poll taxes. Its crucial that all voters are offered help because they must not lose the belief that their vote is precious and their participation essential to our democracy. These voters are our neighbors, our co-workers and, at the most basic level, our fellow citizens. Their rights are as valuable as those of any big-spending campaign donor.

Despite repeated assurances from voter ID proponents that these laws arent discriminatory and are easy to comply with, lived experience proves the opposite.

Cinderria was finally able to obtain an ID, but only weeks after we first met; I traveled with her to the DMV to make sure nothing went wrong. Claudelle, a voter in his 60s whose mother mistakenly spelled his name Clardelle on his birth certificate, was refused an ID with his correct name twice. On a trip to the DMV with a 34-year-old named Zack, we were given inaccurate information on how to receive a free ID to vote. A recording of that interaction prompted a federal judge to order retraining of DMV workers across Wisconsin.

The voters affected by these laws  who, again, are more likely to be low-income, transient and elderly  often are unreachable through social media campaigns or other online communication. That makes in-person outreach indispensable. A young Madison woman named Treasure, for instance, was unable to obtain an ID until neighborhood canvassers knocked on her door and gave her accurate information and assistance.

Such work is not an admission that voter ID laws arent worth fighting; they are. It represents, rather, a commitment to fight suppression at every level. We have no choice but to organize, lace up our shoes and meet would-be voters where they live and work.

Molly J. McGrath is an attorney, voting rights advocate and organizer. She can be found @votermolly or votermolly.com

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President Trump keeps reiterating his pledge to build a border wall between the United States and Mexico. He and his supporters have in mind a barrier that will keep Mexican immigrants out of the country. They should be thinking instead of a wall that will keep them in.

Since 2008, more Mexicans have left the U.S. than have come here  a net loss of 140,000 migrants, according to calculations by the nonpartisan Pew Research Center through 2014. Even without new immigration restrictions and border crackdowns, demographic and economic trends clearly show that America will continue to lose more Mexican immigrants than it gains. To deliver the economic growth Trump has promised, the U.S. will need producers and consumers, and there wont be enough of them without immigration.

People move among countries for all kinds of reasons. Large-scale, or macro, factors include where there is a strong economy and plentiful jobs or laws that prohibit or allow migrants. At the micro level, relocation is personal, for reasons such as family reunification. Changing forces at work on both these levels help explain why more Mexicans are leaving the U.S. than coming, and why that pattern is likely to continue  with or without a border wall.

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Economists theorize that migration is primarily a function of labor supply and demand. People move from low-wage to high-wage countries. And wages, too, are dependent on the supply and demand for workers.

To deliver the economic growth Trump has promised, the U.S. will need producers and consumers, and there wont be enough of them without immigration.

During the past few decades, Mexicos labor supply has been large relative to the U.S., especially for jobs Americans didnt much want to do, such as agricultural field work and some kinds of construction. Labor has been cheaper in Mexico than here, so a border-crosser could earn more money for the same work in the U.S. than at home.

In the 1990s, its estimated that 3 million Mexicans migrated to the U.S,. pushed and pulled mostly by these economic forces. But since the 2008 economic recession, neither the push nor the pull has been nearly as strong as it once was.

In 2007 and in 2015, the Pew Center asked Mexicans who returned home from the U.S. why they made the move. At the micro level, fewer reported having family or friends in the U.S. with whom they kept in regular contact. In the Pew survey, 61% said reuniting with family in Mexico was the primary reason for their return. As for the macro level, the survey found that one-third of the respondents believed that the standard of living was no different in Mexico than in the U.S. In 2015, that figure was up 10% compared with 2007.

Part of the reason for that perception is the fact that the supply of labor in Mexico is dwindling and wages are rising there. We can expect both trends to continue over the next few decades.

Mexican women now are barely having enough babies to replace their countrys population, and their fertility rates are declining. As Mexicos economy has developed, the number of babies born to each woman on average has been dropping rapidly, from 6.5 children per woman in 1975 to 2.2 by 2010  nearly on a par with the U.S.  according to data compiled by the United Nations. Now, labor shortages and, consequently, higher wages are on the horizon.

Heres another way to look at the data: Between 2000 and 2015, Mexico needed to create about 800,000 new jobs a year to employ young people who were part of large cohorts born when fertility was still high. But in 2015, fertility declines started to slow  the number of 15- to 19-year-olds peaked  meaning less need for new jobs and ultimately less reason for Mexicans to migrate for work.

Those trends arent good for the U.S. For decades here, the fertility rate hovered right around replacement level. Now, American mothers have on average fewer than two babies each. That results in an aging population and, without more immigrants, the economy wont have enough replacement producers and consumers. Forecasters calculate that everything from infrastructure to national defense can be strained by an aging population because spending on entitlements crowds out other budget items.

The United States has always attracted immigrants. Welcoming newcomers from around the world has been to our demographic, economic and social benefit. Building a wall on the border with Mexico will cost us dearly, in dollars spent and much more. If the wall succeeds in keeping migrants out, we wont have a labor force big enough and young enough to support our economy, let alone to make America great again.

Jennifer Dabbs Sciubba is associate professor of international studies at Rhodes College in Memphis and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, specializing in the political implications of demographic trends.

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To the editor: I must respond to a letter writer who suggested that the leaks by unelected and unnamed bureaucrats to bring down officials is what happens in a police state. (Constant revelations about the Trump administration and Russia bring back memories of Watergate, Readers React, Feb. 16)

The writer is incorrect. In a police state, corruption, crimes and lies perpetrated by the leaders team are routinely ignored, covered up or condoned. In an open, democratic country, a vigilant press works on behalf of the people to uncover criminal or otherwise questionable behavior engaged in by public officials.

This is what occurred in the Michael Flynn case, and we should be grateful that the former national security advisor was found out and forced to resign before he could engage in further damaging behavior.

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Joyce Emerson, Granada Hills

..

To the editor: The reason unelected intelligence officials leaked information regarding Flynn is precisely because our elected officials in Congress have been so very reluctant to initiate any meaningful investigation.

In the face of Flynns highly inappropriate and dangerous contacts with the Russian ambassador to the United States, leaks are infinitely preferable to silence and the absence of action, even for professional, if unelected, intelligence officials.

Claire Chik, Torrance

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Former President George W. Bush says his recent remarks have been misconstrued as criticism of Trump

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Former President George W. Bush on Wednesday pushed back at the notion that his recent remarks about the media were criticisms of President Trump.

Im asked the question, Do I believe in free press? and the answer is absolutely, I believe in free press  because the press holds people to account, he said. Power is very addictive and its corrosive if it becomes central to your life and therefore there needs to be an independent group of people who hold you to account. And so I answered that question and of course the headlines were, Bush criticizes Trump. And so therefore I needed to say, There should be a free and independent press, but it ought to be accurate.

Bush made the remarks at the Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley during an hourlong question-and-answer session promoting Portraits of Courage, his new book that features his paintings of veterans. While doing media interviews about the book in recent days, he has raised eyebrows by making comments about the media, immigrants and allegations of Russian interference in the November presidential election that were widely viewed as criticisms of the new president.

He said that he decided once he left the office not to second-guess his successor, former President Obama, and that the same holds true for Trump. Doing so would undermine the office, Bush said, adding that he wants all of his successors to succeed because it is good for the nation.

I dont want to make the presidents job worse, no matter what political party it is. Its a hard job, Bush said. Sometimes my remarks can be construed as criticism. Theyre certainly not meant to be, and after I finish this book tour you probably wont hear from me for a while.

But he was willing to offer advice to those who follow him.

Know what you dont know and find people who do know what you dont know and listen to them, he said. My advice is that the job is different once you get in. It looks one way and then you get in the Oval Office and it looks different. Trust me.

Bush also made an implicit criticism of Obamas foreign policy when asked whether the world is more dangerous than it was four years ago.

This may be taken as criticism of one of my successors and I dont really mean it to be. There is a lesson however when the United States decides not to take the lead and withdraw, he said. Vacuums can be created when U.S. presence recedes and that vacuum is generally filed with people who dont share the ideology, the same sense of human rights and human dignity and freedom that we do.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Aside from a handful of serious moments, Bush was jovial and self-effacing as he described how he became an oil painter after leaving the White House. Seeking ways to fill his time, he said he read an essay by Winston Churchill about painting.

I basically said, What the hell, this guy can paint, I can paint, Bush said.

He hired an instructor and started painting a cube and a watermelon before moving on to portraits. Former First Lady Laura Bush was not pleased with his depiction of her, so when he painted his mother, former First Lady Barbara Bush, he decided to depict her from behind.

Barbara Bush and former President George H.W. Bush are doing well despite their recent hospitalizations, the younger Bush said.

Theyre both great given their limitations. Dad cant walk, hes confined to a wheelchair and yet his spirit is joyful, Bush said.  Moms doing fine. Shes shrinking, and as she does, her voice gets louder. But shes a, shes a piece of work is what she is.

Bush has been reclusive since leaving office, but said he wrote the book and is publicizing it to raise money for veterans and to draw attention to the invisible wounds many of them suffer.

I think when you read [their stories] youll be moved by stories of courage, injury, recovery willingness to help others, he said.  Ive got a platform  its not as big as it once was  and I intend to use it to help our veterans for the rest of my life, and this is one way to do so.
Supreme Court justices debated border shootings and drone strikes Tuesday in a case that could preview the legal battle over President Trumps proposed ban on foreign travelers from certain Muslim-majority countries.

But the eight justices sounded evenly split over whether the parents of a Mexican teenager can sue the U.S. border agent who shot and killed him as he stood on the Mexican side of the border.

At issue is whether the Mexican family can invoke the Constitutions protections against excessive force and for due process of law to restrain the conduct of the American agent, or whether U.S. law stops at the border.

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A barrage of rocks and then bullets: When the Border Patrol kills Mexican teens 

In suits contesting President Trumps now-frozen travel ban, lawyers have claimed the executive order violates the due process rights of foreign travelers, some of who are in this country and others who have never been here. Government lawyers say constitutional protections do not extend to foreigners who are not in this country.

Robert Hilliard, attorney for the parents of 15-year-old Sergio Hernandez, said the victim was barely across the border, unthreatening and unarmed when agent Jesus Mesa shot him from across the concrete culvert that separates El Paso, Texas from Juarez, Mexico.

All conduct of the domestic police officer happened inside the United States, he said. And the question at issue is one of the most fundamental rights: the right to life, he added, urging the justices to allow the suit to proceed.

But the courts conservatives, led by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., said they were wary of extending constitutional protections beyond the nations borders. What about a drone strike in Iraq where the plane is piloted from Nevada? he asked. Why wouldnt the same analysis apply in that case?

Because the military is different, Hilliard replied. He described the U.S. Border Patrol as the nations largest civilian police force, and said the lawsuit addresses the ongoing problem along the southwest border that has resulted in at least 10 cross-border shootings and six Mexican national deaths.

But Justice Anthony M. Kennedy said he too is wary of allowing U.S. courts to decide such cases.

This is one of the most sensitive areas of foreign affairs where the political branches should discuss with Mexico what the solution ought to be, Kennedy said. Isnt this an urgent matter of separation of powers for us to respect the duty that the executive and the legislative have with respect to foreign affairs?

Without Kennedys vote, the parents have little chance to win.

Randolph Ortega, a lawyer for Mesa, insisted the suit should be thrown out because the shooting victim was on the Mexican side. The border is very real, he said.

He was supported by Deputy Solicitor Gen. Edwin Kneedler, arguing on behalf of the U.S. government. He also urged the court not to allow legal claims for an injury outside the United States. The two nations have drawn a line at the border, he said, and the protections of U.S. law stop there.

Meanwhile, the courts four liberals, led by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, leaned in favor of allowing the border agent to be sued for wrongful shooting.

Ginsburg argued forcefully that it was a mistake to focus on the Mexican border rather than on the conduct of the border agent. She said the law of the United States governs the case and the conduct of the agent. And the instruction from the United States is very clear: Do not shoot to kill an unarmed, non-dangerous person who is no threat to your safety. Do not shoot to kill, she said. Thats U.S. law. So I dont understand all this about Mexico. Its about the United States law operating on the United States official who is acting inside the United States. .

Justice Sonia Sotomayor was quick to agree. Surely the U.S. government is not condoning people standing at the border and taking potshots at passing Mexicans, she said.

At one point, Kennedy cited Ginsburgs comments and appeared to agree. Its a U.S. officer subject to U.S. supervision. Thats it, he told Mesas lawyer.

The justices will meet later this week to discuss the case and cast their votes in Hernandez vs. Mesa. If they were to follow the approach set out by Ginsburg, they could rule the border agent is subject to suit because he violated the Constitution when he fired the shots that killed the Mexican teenager. If so, such a ruling could prove significant in the years ahead because it could mean the constitutional limits are binding on U.S. immigration agents, even if they were dealing with noncitizens who are at the borders.

However, if the justices were to split 4-4, they could dismiss the case on an evenly divided vote. That would end the parents lawsuit because the lower courts ruling against the family would stand. However, the justices could choose to hold the case until a ninth justice arrives, mostly likely in two months.

To read this article in Spanish, click here.

david.savage@latimes.com

On Twitter: DavidGSavage

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The Supreme Court on Tuesday will take up the case of a Mexican teenager who was shot and killed by a U.S. border agent and try to decide a question that is also at the heart of the legal dispute over President Trumps foreign travel ban: Does the Constitution protect foreign citizens who stand at the nations borders?

Judges have blocked Trumps order temporarily on the grounds it may violate the constitutional rights of foreign travelers from seven Muslim majority nations. Some of those foreigners live legally in this country and had traveled abroad, while others hold U.S. visas but have never been to the United States. However, the law in this area is far from clear, and it will likely remain so until the high court rules on the issue.

The border shooting case touches on a similar question, and the outcome may affect the travel ban litigation.

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In June 2010, Sergio Hernandez, 15, was playing with two friends in the concrete culvert that marks the boundary between El Paso and Juarez, Mexico. Cellphone video shows the boys ran up the culvert on the U.S. side and touched the high fence. They turned to run back to the Mexican side when a U.S. border patrol agent on a bicycle came upon them.

Officer Jesus Mesa Jr. grabbed one of the boys and turned his gun toward the other, Sergio, who had hidden behind a pillar about 60 feet away on the Mexican side. The officer fired three shots and killed the teenager.

Mesa initially claimed he acted in self-defense because the boys were throwing rocks at him. While the video appeared to disprove that, Justice Department investigators later said Mesa was responding to reports of smugglers and he had encountered rocks being thrown.

The killing of the teenager, who was unarmed and posed no apparent threat to the officer, provoked anger on the Mexican side of the border, but U.S. officials refused to extradite Mesa to face charges in Mexico. They also decided against prosecuting him under U.S. law.

Sergios parents then sued Mesa, alleging the shooting was an unjustified violation of the Constitution. They cited the 4th Amendments ban on unreasonable seizures and the use of excessive force as well as the 5th Amendment, which says no person shall be deprived of life or liberty  without due process of law.

A federal judge threw out the suit on the grounds that the Constitutions protections stop at the border. Since the Mexican teenager was killed on the Mexican side, his family could not sue the border patrol agent, the judge said.

A divided panel of the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals briefly revived the suit. The majority cited the Supreme Courts ruling in cases regarding the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in which the justices said the Constitution and the right to habeas corpus extended to the naval base on Cuban soil because U.S. authorities exercised complete control there. Similarly, the judges said, U.S. agents controlled the area on the U.S-Mexico border.

The full 15-member appeals court then took up the case and decided that because the law was not clear, the border agent could not be held liable for violating it.

The family appealed to the Supreme Court, arguing the justices should not permit a law-free zone in which U.S. agents can kill innocent civilians with impunity.

The case of Hernandez vs. Mesa will be the first argued in the Supreme Court by lawyers representing the Trump administration.

In an interview, the familys attorney, Robert Hilliard of Corpus Christi, Texas, said the case has similarities to the legal battle over Trumps travel ban. This is really about the separation of powers and whether the judiciary has a role in reviewing the conduct of the government, he said.

He was referring to the governments contention in the border shooting case that the Supreme Court should throw out the suit and shield U.S. agents from all such claims.

Defending the travel ban, government lawyers made a similar argument, contending judges had no authority to second-guess the presidents decision to exclude certain foreigners from entering the country. Last weekend, White House policy advisor Stephen Miller said in TV interviews that judges had no authority to block Trumps order on foreign travelers. The presidents powers here are beyond question, he said. We dont have judicial supremacy in this country.

As usual, Justice Anthony M. Kennedy appears to hold the key vote. In the past, he has said the reach of the Constitution should turn on practical concerns, including whether U.S. officials are in control. If so, he could join with the courts liberals to say the Constitution constrains U.S. agents operating on a border, thereby clearing the familys lawsuit to proceed. Such a decision would surely be cited by lawyers and judges in the litigation over the travel ban.

But he could also join with the courts conservatives and refuse to open the door for noncitizens outside the country to bring legal claims against U.S. officials. If the court were to split, 4-4, the justices could choose to place a hold on the case and await the confirmation of a ninth justice.

The Senate will begin hearings March 20 on Judge Neil Gorsuch, the presidents nominee to fill the vacancy.

david.savage@latimes.com

On Twitter: DavidGSavage

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Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, hosting a visit by his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu, said Monday his country believes in a "two-state solution" to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Lee explained his stand at a joint news briefing with Netanyahu, who does not endorse the two-nation approach. Lee said he realizes a two-state solution is difficult to achieve, but said it is the only way to achieve peace.

Netanyahu's official visit is the first to Singapore by an Israeli head of government. Last year Lee became the first Singaporean prime minister to visit Israel.

Netanyahu referred to Singapore and Israel at the news conference as being "kindred spirits." Both nations are small, with significant defense and high-tech industries. The two countries established diplomatic relations in 1969, but have ties dating back to 1965, when Israeli military advisers covertly assisted Singapore after its declaration of independence.


For many of the candidates in the crowded race to fill a rare open congressional seat in central Los Angeles, the stories of how they came to be in this country are strikingly similar: They are immigrants, or the children of immigrants.

Wendy Carrillo was 5 when a smuggler drove her, her aunt and her grandmother across the border.

State Assemblyman Jimmy Gomez tells the story of how his father worked as a bracero, or manual laborer, in the 1960s, then married and raised kids in Mexico before moving his family to the U.S.

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Vanessa Aramayo was raised mostly by her mother, a Mexican immigrant who worked for years at factory jobs before saving enough money to open a restaurant with her six sisters.

Of the 23 candidates who will appear on the ballot in the first congressional primary since the election of President Trump, two are immigrants and 11 are the children of immigrants. Whoever wins the seat previously held by state Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra will be serving under a president who has moved to block refugees, vowed to build a massive border wall and threatened to deport millions of immigrants who are in the country illegally.

For them and many in this district, where two-thirds of residents are Latino and nearly half were born in other countries, the election is personal and expectations for the winner are high.

Luis Hernandez, a voter in Highland Park who was 15 when he escaped El Salvador with his family, says he empathizes with the refugees who have been blocked from entering the country.

We were living through war, bombings, killings, Hernandez said on a recent afternoon, as he left the Highland Park Super A grocery store with his son.

Hernandez, 50, says his younger brother doesnt remember what it was like to cross the border. His brother voted for Trump and complains that Los Angeles has gotten too crowded with immigrants here illegally.

I tell him that they all deserve opportunities, not just us, Hernandez said.

If Trump follows through with the mass deportations he campaigned on, the effect could be dramatic in the 34th Congressional District, which stretches from downtown Los Angeles to Boyle Heights and incorporates Highland Park, Eagle Rock and Koreatown. These neighborhoods, which were transformed in the 1960s and 1970s from largely white, middle-class areas to majority-Latino enclaves of largely Mexican and Central American immigrants, have changed again.

In Highland Park and Eagle Rock in particular, professionals and members of the creative class have moved in, bringing with them yoga studios, craft beer stores and gourmet restaurants that coexist next to the accountants offices and printing shops that have been there for decades.

Latinos still make up 65% of residents in the district, but only 38% of them are eligible to vote, one of the lowest rates of any California congressional district. Los Angeles and Orange counties are home to an estimated 1 million immigrants living here illegally.

Becerra, himself the son of immigrants, fought back conservative efforts to curtail bilingual education and block access to services for immigrants in the country illegally.

While many consider Becerras legacy on immigrant rights unassailable, activists in his district were sometimes frustrated by the 12-term congressmans pragmatism. Becerra, who rose to become the highest-ranking Latino in Congress, was at times stymied by his duties as a party leader. He voted, for instance, to pass the Affordable Care Act even though it denies health insurance to workers here illegally.

Becerras successor, who will enter Congress as a freshman member of a minority party, will likely be freer to advocate more forcefully for immigrants. And the electorate may demand it.

An early poll of 34th District voters by Latino Decisions found immigration ranks as an important agenda item with voters, just below healthcare but on par with opposing Trump and standing up for us. In the crowded field, state Assemblyman Gomez has the most name recognition and establishment endorsements, but that same early poll indicated voters did not have an overwhelming favorite.

With the primary election set for April 4, no candidate is likely to get more than 50% of the vote, and a probable runoff between the top two primary finishers is scheduled for June 6.

Voters are going to be looking for not just a safe vote on the issues but someone who is going to have that fire in the belly at a time when they need a warrior, said Jaime Regalado, a professor emeritus of political science at Cal State Los Angeles who has watched the race closely.

When federal immigration officials made more than 160 arrests throughout Southern California this month, several contenders for the seat reacted with fiery tweets in support of those detained, with one candidate calling on the public to demand their release.

Carrillo, now a 36-year-old activist and former journalist, still remembers the Mickey Mouse shirt she wore when she crossed the border after fleeing war-torn El Salvador in 1986 to meet her mother, who worked as a nanny to pay off the smuggler who drove them. She says she heard about the latest arrests while she was driving to file papers to run for the seat. For many of the people in the district shes encountered during the campaign, she said, such arrests are among their worst fears.

[People] are not sure they want to send their kids to school, not sure they want to report crimes when they see them, Carrillo said. Her stepfather, the son of a bracero, eventually won residency for her and her mother, and Carrillo later became a citizen. She says she would start her congressional career by trying to preserve President Obamas Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which allows young people brought to the country illegally as children to live and work in the U.S.

For the vast majority of candidates, the question isnt if they will fight Trumps immigration policies, but how. Thats not surprising: Aside from the lone Republican, a Green Party candidate, a Libertarian and an independent, the remaining hopefuls are running as Democrats in a district where Democrats outnumber Republicans six to one.

At a campaign kickoff, Assemblyman Gomez spoke as his mother sat at a table front and center with other family members. As he talked about the struggles his parents endured, he paused to look at her. No llores, Mama  Dont cry, Mom, he said in Spanish.

For the son of immigrants to run for elected office, not even a generation after my parents got here, thats what makes America a great place, Gomez said. He was born in the U.S. along with his brother, but his parents and four other siblings lived illegally in the shadows for years. All later successfully petitioned for permanent residency. Gomez said his 9-year-old nephew is afraid that his mother, who is still a permanent resident, could get deported under Trump.

The people I know, theyre immigrants who keep their nose to the ground, they work hard, they dont ask the system for anything, said Aramayo, a public relations consultant. Theyre looking for a leader whos going to be bold and brave and fight [Trump].

Steven Mac, an L.A. County prosecutor and an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve, says hed take a more nuanced approach.

If were yelling and screaming at Trump, hes not going to change his mind, Mac said. Our main job is to convince the rest of America  and convince members in the House of Representatives.

Mac says he supports military service as a pathway to citizenship  an idea backed this year by at least one California House Republican  and a federal law similar to DACA to protect people brought to the U.S. illegally as children.

His parents fled Vietnam as refugees in the 1970s and later became U.S. citizens. His father has worked in Chinatown restaurants for most of his life, and his mom still runs the family dry cleaning business. He often thinks about what might have happened to them if a refugee ban had blocked them from moving to the U.S.

Even William Rodriguez Morrison, a perennial candidate for local offices and the lone Republican running, wouldnt support many of the immigration policies Trump campaigned on, including the border wall and large-scale deportation of immigrants. His father was a Jamaican immigrant, and his maternal grandparents came from Mexico.

If theyve lived here, gotten their education here, this is just as much their homeland as it is ours, Morrison said.

christine.maiduc@latimes.com

For more on California politics, follow @cmaiduc.

ALSO:

Orange Countys new homegrown congressman plans to bring an immigrants perspective to Washington

For attorney general nominee Xavier Becerra, immigration is a personal issue

Updates on California politics
As the healthcare vote looms, Trump sees opposition from conservatives, both on Capitol Hill and in the media By Kurtis Lee Its a really important vote in President Trumps fledgling first term. Will House Republicans pass a bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act  a promise from Trump on the campaign trail  or reject it? (House Speaker Paul D. Ryan rushed to the White House on Friday morning for a last-minute meeting with Trump as both attempted to corral enough votes.) Trump spent much of the week trying to win support from members of the Freedom Caucus, among the most conservative lawmakers, some of whom are holdouts because they believe the bill does not go far enough. After seven horrible years of ObamaCare (skyrocketing premiums & deductibles, bad healthcare), this is finally your chance for a great plan! Trump tweeted Friday. But even some in conservative media arent all that thrilled about the bill. Here are some of Fridays headlines: Polls: Ryancare even more unpopular than Obamacare and Hillarycare (Breitbart) So, its been clear in recent weeks that the right-wing website Breitbart does not like the new healthcare proposal. The news site has dubbed the current bill Obamacare-lite or Ryancare  an homage of sorts to Ryan, who helped craft the legislation  and argued it does not go far enough in its overhaul. Most conservatives want to repeal the Affordable Care Act, nicknamed Obamacare, they just differ on what the replacement should look like. For example, some on the far right want to see so-called essential health benefits, such as maternity and newborn care, stripped from the bill.) This piece highlights several of the dismal polls the legislation has received. Among them: A recent Fox News survey that showed 54% oppose the bill, compared with 34% who support it. The article also references an analysis of polling and data by FiveThirtyEight.com, which shows the GOP legislation is more unpopular than Obamacare and President Bill Clintons healthcare reform bill were when they were first introduced. A modest immigration proposal (Weekly Standard) Trumps recent immigration orders have left many immigrants on edge. Through social media and pop-up legal clinics, immigrant rights groups have doled out around-the-clock assistance, as families fear being separated. In this piece, Irwin Stelzer notes that at some point, our border will be secure, resistance to deporting felons will collapse, and we will have accepted the fact that Dreamers will be allowed to stay in this country, probably on a path to citizenship. He lays out his views of immigration reform, citing, among other things, setting an annual immigration limit and adopting a system that has the effect of enriching our citizens by filling that annual quota with immigrants who are likely to increase the well-being of the existing citizenry. Jeff Sessions is Rip Van Winkle on drug policy (American Conservative) Its clear from polls that most Republicans oppose marijuana legalization, while Democrats support it. However, libertarian-leaning Republicans often tend to support legalization. This piece highlights Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions recent comments in opposition to states legalizing pot. The attorney general regurgitates simplistic cliches right out of the 1970s and 1980s about marijuana use. I dont think America is going to be a better place when people of all ages, and particularly young people, are smoking pot, Sessions told reporters on February 26, the author, Ted Galen Carpenter, writes. He adds, Such comments confirm that critics may be right when they label him a drug war dinosaur. He seems either oblivious or scornful about the trend in public opinion regarding marijuana. Facebook

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FCC Chairman Pai wants to halt Internet privacy rules before they begin taking effect this week By Jim Puzzanghera (Nicholas Kamm / AFP/Getty Images) The nations new top telecommunications regulator wants to halt tough Internet privacy rules before they begin taking effect this week, arguing they would unfairly impose tougher requirements on broadband providers than on websites and social networks. Privacy advocates and a key Senate Democrat vowed Monday to fight the move as well as a separate effort in Congress to overturn the regulations, which were approved in October on a party-line vote by the Federal Communications Commission when it was controlled by Democrats under President Obama. Following President Trumps inauguration, control of the commission passed to Republicans and Ajit Pai took over as chairman. All actors in the online space should be subject to the same rules, and the federal government shouldnt favor one set of companies over another, a spokesman for Pai said Friday. Read More Facebook

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Trump says Hollywoods obsession with him led to best picture Oscar gaffe By Michael A. Memoli (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) President Trump is often loath to accept responsibility when things go wrong, but in the case of Sundays Oscars broadcast, he made an exception. As he explained it Monday, it was Hollywoods obsession with attacking him that contributed to the botched best picture announcement, calling the embarrassing episode sad, of course. Accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers has apologized for the mix-up that led Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway to announce La La Land as the winner of the top Academy Award prize, instead of Moonlight. But in Trumps eyes, the blame falls more broadly on an entertainment industry so preoccupied with politics that they didnt get the act together, he told Breitbart News. It took away from the glamour of the Oscars, Trump told a reporter from the website, which was once led by his chief White House strategist, Stephen K. Bannon. It didnt feel like a very glamorous evening. Ive been to the Oscars. There was something very special missing, and then to end that way was sad, he added. The ceremony did contain a number of slights at Trump during its telecast, some more subtle than others. Host Jimmy Kimmel openly at one point begged the president to weigh in by tweeting at him. Trump spent part of Sunday night hosting a black-tie dinner at the White House honoring the nations governors, who were visiting Washington for their annual winter meeting. But it appears from excerpts of the Breitbart interview that he may have spent at least part of the evening watching. Facebook

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Justice Department shifts course in closely watched Texas voter ID case By Del Quentin Wilber The Trump administration has scaled back its assault on a strict Texas voter identification law that federal courts have ruled discriminated against minorities, portending a shift in how the Justice Department plans to pursue allegations of voter suppression. The government revealed its decision in court papers filed in federal court Monday, dealing a blow to civil rights advocates who have relied on federal support to help them knock down the controversial Texas statute. Its a very concerning signal to American voters about the Department of Justices commitment to enforcing the Voting Rights Act, said Danielle Lang, deputy director of the voting rights unit of the Campaign Legal Center, which is suing Texas in the case. The administrations partial retreat in the dispute highlights how Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions, a conservative Republican who has championed voter identification measures, is expected to handle such cases. The Obama administration had joined civil rights groups in aggressively challenging the Texas law and other such measures around the country. At issue in the case was how the Justice Department would proceed in a federal lawsuit that alleged the Texas legislature discriminated against minority voters when it enacted the strict voter identification law in 2011. Known as SB 14, the measure requires voters to present a specific form of government-issued photo identification - such as a drivers license, military ID card, U.S. passport or citizenship certificate - to be permitted to cast a ballot. The Obama administration and civil rights groups argued the state pushed the law, in part, to suppress the power of the states minority voters, who frequently dont drive or have a passport. State officials and lawmakers countered that the law was aimed at preventing voter fraud, though there is scant evidence that the problem exists. The law was challenged in court by civil rights groups and the Justice Department under provisions of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, which was intended to help overcome legal barriers erected at the local and state level to keep African-Americans from the polls. Last July, a federal appeals court ruled that the Texas law had a discriminatory impact on minority voters. It told U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos to craft a temporary remedy in time for the November elections. Ramos subsequently ordered Texas to permit voters to present other forms of documentation to verify their identities. The judges order is expected to remain in force until she imposes a permanent remedy or Texas addresses the judges concerns. According to the court papers filed Monday, the Justice Department will continue to work with civil rights groups to address those issues but will seek to withdraw from another important aspect of the suit. In the same decision that found the Texas law had a discriminatory impact, the appeals court reversed Ramos finding that Texas legislators had intended to harm minority voters. It ordered Ramos to reconsider the evidence of that finding. If the judge determines discriminatory intent in crafting the voter ID requirements, she could throw out the entire law. Civil rights groups will continue to press that claim. In its court filing, the Justice Department asked Ramos to permit it to withdraw its claim that Texas acted with intent, arguing that it is best to give the Texas legislature time to address the matter. With the loss of their key ally in court, civil rights groups will argue on their own in an effort to prove that Texas acted with a discriminatory purpose in passing the law. A hearing is scheduled for Tuesday. Voting advocates complained that the Trump administration was backing away from a key safeguard of voting rights. The Justice Department decision defies rationality and stands diametrically opposed to positions they have taken at every stage of this litigation, Kristen Clarke, president of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, said in a statement. This reversal of position was taken despite years of work and effort that the government has invested in fighting the Texas Voter ID law, one of the most discriminatory voting restriction of its kind. Facebook

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House Intelligence Chair Devin Nunes warns against witch hunt over Trump-Russia ties By Sarah D. Wire House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes (R-Tulare) talks to reporters about his committees Russia investigation. (Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images) House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Devin Nunes said on Monday he has seen no evidence from the intelligence community that there was contact between Russia and the Trump campaign. I want to be very careful, we cant just go on a witch hunt against Americans because they appear in a news story, said Nunes (R-Tulare). We still dont have any evidence of them talking to Russia. He said the committee has been briefed on the highlights of what the intelligence community has found, but is still collecting evidence. The committees ranking Democrat, Adam B. Schiff (D-Burbank), quickly responded, saying the committees investigation is in its infancy and its too soon to reach conclusions about the evidence. We havent obtained any of the evidence yet, so its premature for us to be saying weve reached any conclusion about the issue of collusion, Schiff said. The most that weve had are private conversations, the chair and I with intelligence officials. Thats not a substitute for an investigation. The House and Senate Select Intelligence Committees are conducting separate investigations into Russias reported attempts to influence voters in 2016 in an effort to curtail Hillary Clintons chances and boost Donald Trumps. A leaked U.S. intelligence report on the attempts did not look at whether the effort succeeded. The House committee has expanded a previous ongoing investigation of Russia cyberhacking to include a look at efforts to interfere in the 2016 election, Nunes told reporters Monday. Though it is still in its early stages  the leaders of the committee are still discussing the investigations scope  Nunes said he expects the findings to be made public. Schiff and Nunes spoke separately to reporters Monday. Schiff said the two agreed privately that they would jointly address reporters about the investigation going forward. Nunes, who served as a member of Trumps transition team, said he continues to be concerned about leaks of classified and sensitive information from the White House and intelligence communities. The leaks  one of which resulted in a report about the FBI investigating Trump campaign officials  will be part of the committees investigation. A government cant function with massive leaks at the highest level, Nunes said. Facebook

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Appeals court denies Justice Department request to put appeal of travel ban on hold By Jaweed Kaleem (Evan Vucci / Associated Press) The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has denied the

Justice Departments request to pause proceedings in an appeal of President Trumps travel ban. The court in a filing Monday said its schedule for the governments appeal of a lower courts halt on the travel ban will proceed, with the first brief due to the appeals court on March 10. In early February, the Justice Department appealed a Seattle-based federal district judges order blocking enforcement of Trumps executive action. which established a series of immigration and refugee restrictions aimed at preventing potential terrorists from entering the country. Last week, government lawyers asked the appeals court to stop proceedings in the case because the president planned to issue a new executive order and rescind the original one. A three-judge panel of the court previously denied a request from the government to reverse a nationwide stay on the travel ban. The same panel on Monday ruled that the appeal will proceed. Trump has said he will sign a new executive order tailored to deal with court decisions that have largely gone against him. On Monday, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said he expected the order to be issued mid-week. Spicer has said Trump wants to fight for the current order while also issuing a new one, but the Justice Department has said in multiple court filings that the the current order will be undone after a new one is issued. The states of Washington and Minnesota, which brought the case in Seattle now under review, have pushed for courts to move forward on a review of the constitutional issues. Facebook

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No random ICE stops on streets of America, Homeland Security chief tells governor By Lisa Mascaro Gov holds closing media briefing on Capitol Hill to wrap up @NatlGovsAssoc Winter Meeting. pic.twitter.com/3mZMBA4S0o  Ralph Northam (@GovernorVA) February 27, 2017 President Trump received some unsolicited advice at dinner with the nations governors when Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe told him he needs to do a better job explaining his policies regarding deportations. McAuliffe, a Democrat and chairman of the National Governors Assn., told the president that there has been a chilling effect going on as businesses stay away from his state and as immigrants fear being rounded up. If theyre not going to be deported, we need to hear that from the president, McAuliffe said, recounting his conversation from the governors Sunday night dinner with Trump. What I told the president is these actions are hurting us. McAuliffe, a longtime ally of Hillary Clinton, said Trump agreed in large part. McAuliffe also met privately with Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly, and said the secretary assured him during an hourlong talk that Trumps enforcement actions were only targeting criminals -- despite widespread reports of otherwise law-abiding immigrants being detained for being in the U.S. illegally. He assured me there will be no random ICE stops on the streets of the United States of America, McAuliffe said, referring to the raids being conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. If thats the case, McAuliffe said, Trumps policy does not sound much different than the operations under former President Obama, whose administration deported more immigrants than its predecessors. Obama, however, explicitly put a priority on deportations of criminals, a distinction the Trump administration has done away with as part of the presidents executive action. My advice to him was he needs to let the American public know what theyre doing, McAuliffe said. Facebook

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Trump: I havent called Russia in 10 years By Brian Bennett President Trump rejected calls for an independent investigation of his ties to Russia, telling a group of business leaders Monday that he hasnt called Russia in a decade. At the start of a White House meeting with healthcare executives, a reporter asked Trump whether a special prosecutor should be assigned to investigate allegations of Russian meddling during the election. In response, Trump mouthed the word no to the executives. As reporters were led out of the room, Trump said: I havent called Russia in 10 years. Democratic lawmakers have ramped up their calls for additional investigations into allegations that Trump allies had been in contact with Russian officials during the election and inappropriately discussed U.S. sanctions against the Moscow regime during the transition. White House officials have denied reports that Trump associates were frequently in touch with senior Russian intelligence officials during the election. U.S. intelligence agencies concluded last year that Russian leader Vladimir Putin had authorized an operation to damage Hillary Clintons campaign and tilt the 2016 election in Trumps favor. Facebook

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Trump: Nobody knew that healthcare could be so complicated By Michael A. Memoli View Twitter post President Trump promised the nations governors Monday that his yet-to-be-revealed replacement plan for the Affordable Care Act would give states greater flexibility and thanked some Republicans in the room who advised him on healthcare. Its an unbelievably complex subject, he said. Nobody knew that healthcare could be so complicated. The remark likely surprised state leaders; spending on Medicaid alone was the second-biggest driver of increased state general fund spending, according to the 2016 Fiscal Survey of States conducted by the National Assn. of State Budget Officers. And it was just eight years ago that Washington dove head-first into a raging debate over healthcare reform under President Obama, which simmered long after his signature health law was enacted. But the finer points of healthcare policy are likely new to Trump, who is immersed in discussions with Republican leaders and his senior staff on that and other subjects ahead of his high-profile address Tuesday to a joint session of Congress. Trump offered no hint as to the details. Republicans have vowed to repeal and replace Obamacare, but their effort has stalled as they debate how to do so and await word from the White House on what Trump wants to do. The president seemed keenly aware of the political ramifications of whatever steps he takes. As soon as we touch it, if we do the most minute thing, just a tiny little change, whats going to happen? Theyre going to say its the Republicans problem, Trump said after telling the governors the easiest thing for him to do would be nothing, and, in his view, watch Obamacare collapse. But we have to do whats right because Obamacare is a failed disaster. Facebook

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Trump wants to add $54 billion to defense budget while slashing domestic spending and foreign aid By Brian Bennett President Trump is proposing a massive increase in defense spending of $54 billion while cutting domestic spending and foreign aid by the same amount, the White House said Monday. Trumps spending blueprint previewed a major address that he will give Tuesday night to a joint session of Congress, laying out his vision for what he called a public safety and national security budget with a nearly 10% increase in defense spending. We never win a war. We never win. And we dont fight to win. We dont fight to win, Trump said Monday in remarks to the nations governors. So we either got to win or dont fight it at all. Trump noted that the U.S. has spent nearly $6 trillion on fighting wars since the Sept. 11 attacks but said that cutting military spending was not the answer. Instead, the increase he is proposing would be offset by cuts to unspecified domestic programs and to foreign aid, which would in turn be made up for in part by demanding that other countries pay more for security alliances that have historically been underwritten by the U.S. This budget expects the rest of the world to step up in some of the programs that this country has been so generous in funding in the past, an official from the Office of Management and Budget said, demanding anonymity to discuss the presidents spending plans. Foreign aid makes up about 1% of the budget. This budget speaks for itself, the official said. I dont think this budget has anything to do other than putting Americans first. Trumps call for deep cuts to spending at home is likely to set up major battles on Capitol Hill, where Democrats and even House Republicans will likely be reluctant to pass a spending bill that includes such major reductions in programs for their constituents. Facebook

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Trump says businesses cant borrow because of Dodd-Frank. The numbers tell another story By Jim Puzzanghera President Trump was preparing the first step in a key campaign promise  dismantling the 2010 DoddFrank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act  when he repeated a frequent criticism of the law. We expect to be cutting a lot out of Dodd-Frank because, frankly, I have so many people, friends of mine that had nice businesses, they cant borrow money, Trump told leading corporate chief executives, including Jamie Dimon of JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Larry Fink of money management giant BlackRock Inc., meeting at the White House earlier this month They just cant get any money because the banks just wont let them borrow it because of the rules and regulations in Dodd-Frank, Trump said. Shortly afterward, he ordered a wholesale review of the landmark act, which was passed in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. But a main reason for dismantling Dodd-Frank often cited by Trump and critics of the law  that its slew of tougher financial regulations have significantly restricted bank lending  isnt borne out by the data. Read More Facebook

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Another Trump nominee withdraws nomination to top national security post due to business interests By W.J. Hennigan Philip M. Bilden, President Trumps pick for Navy secretary, withdrew from consideration late Sunday, becoming the second White House nominee to bail on a top Pentagon position due to problems untangling his financial investments. After an extensive review process, I have determined that I will not be able to satisfy the Office of Government Ethics requirements without undue disruption and materially adverse divestment of my familys private financial interests, Bilden said in a statement. He did not detail the issues but he said he fully supported the presidents agenda  to modernize and rebuild our Navy and Marine Corps. Bildens withdrawal comes after billionaire investor Vincent Viola dropped out from becoming Army secretary after he decided his extensive financial holdings would hamper his ability to win Senate confirmation. The White House shot down reports that surfaced two weeks ago that Bilden was considering stepping down. Just spoke with him and he is 100% commited [sic] to being the next SECNAV pending Senate confirm, White House spokesman Sean Spicer tweeted on Feb. 18. Bilden, a venture capitalist and Army veteran, was a surprise selection from Trump but had the backing of Defense Secretary James N. Mattis. This was a personal decision driven by privacy concerns and significant challenges he faced in separating himself from his business interests, Mattis said in a statement. While I am disappointed, I understand and his respect his decision, and know that he will continue to support our nation in other ways. Bilden served ten years in the U.S. Army Reserve as a military intelligence officer from 1986 to 1996. He then co-founded private equity firm HarbourVest Partners LLC and spent 25 years there, mainly in the companys Hong Kong headquarters. He also serves on the board of directors of the United States Naval Academy Foundation and the board of trustees of the Naval War College Foundation. Mattis said he intends on recommending a replacement nominee to Trump in the coming days. The withdrawal marks another setback for Trumps national security team, which has struggled to find its footing since the fledgling administration began. Earlier this month, National Security Advisor Michael Flynn was forced to resign after it became public that he held secret talks with a Russian ambassador and then misled Vice President Mike Pence about it. Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster took the job last week after Trumps first choice to replace Flynn, retired Navy Vice Adm. Robert Harward, passed on the opportunity. Facebook

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New DNC chairman Tom Perez ridicules Trump tweet over rigged vote By Laura King Former Labor Secretary Tom Perez was chosen to lead the Democratic Party over a congressman backed by the progressive wing. (Branden Camp / Associated Press) President Trump claimed Sunday that the race for Democratic National Committee chairman had been rigged -- drawing a quick riposte from Tom Perez, who narrowly won the partys leadership race. Trump insinuated that Perezs DNC victory on the second ballot at a party conference in Atlanta on Saturday was because Hillary Clinton had backed Perez, a former Labor secretary in the Obama administration who was seen as representing the partys establishment forces. Clinton did not make a formal endorsement, but Perezs rival, Rep. Keith Ellison of Minnesota, was backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and the partys more liberal wing. Bernies guy, like Bernie himself, never had a chance, Trump tweeted early Sunday morning. Clinton demanded Perez! Perez, appearing on CNNs State of the Union on Sunday, told host Jake Tapper that he and Ellison got a good kick out of that, adding: Donald Trump, up in the morning tweeting about us. Sanders, appearing on the same show, said Trump doesnt have a point about the DNC vote. Moments after Perez beat Ellison by 35 votes out of 435 cast, he named Ellison as the deputy chairman of the party, leading to widespread applause. Perez is the first Latino to lead the Democratic Party, and he faces the challenge of trying to rebuild a party that suffered devastating losses in the 2016 election. Republicans now control not only the White House and Congress, but 33 governorships and dozens of state legislatures. In his CNN interview, Perez sarcastically suggested that Trump should address questions about Russian interference in the 2016 presidential campaign rather than concerning himself with the DNC leadership battle. Frankly, what we need to be looking at is whether this election was rigged by Donald Trump and his buddy Vladimir Putin, he said. Facebook

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White House again bats away call for special prosecutor on Russia By Laura King A White House spokeswoman said Sunday that it was too soon to say whether a special prosecutor should look into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential campaign, while President Trump again inveighed against coverage of Russia-related queries as FAKE NEWS. Calls have grown louder from Democrats in Congress for U.S. Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions to recuse himself from the issue because of his role as a prominent Trump supporter during the campaign, and to appoint an independent special prosecutor to carry out a Russia probe. A few Republicans have joined in that chorus  some reluctantly. Rep. Darrell Issa of Vista, appearing on HBOs Real Time with Bill Maher, voiced support Friday for naming of a special prosecutor to probe the Russian connection, though he also said congressional intelligence committees should continue their work. He also said he considered Sessions a friend, but pointed to his role as a political appointee who had worked on the Trump campaign. Issa, who narrowly won reelection, was a vociferous critic of the Obama administration during his former tenure as head of the House Oversight Committee. In that post, he spearheaded an array of investigations on topics from Benghazi to bank bailouts. Some Republicans pushed back against the notion of Sessions needing to recuse himself. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said on NBCs Meet the Press that he had seen no credible information about contacts between the Trump campaign and Russians  and no allegations that rose to the level of criminal activity. If we get down that road, thats a decision that Attorney General Sessions can make at the time, said Cotton, who is a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee. U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Russian intelligence agencies hacked Democratic Party computers and used other tactics last year to interfere with the election. The FBI is separately investigating whether anyone on Trumps campaign had improper contacts with Russian authorities during the campaign. On Sunday, White House Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said congressional investigations on Russia and the campaign should be allowed to go forward before a special prosecutor appointment was considered. I dont think were there yet, Sanders said on ABCs This Week. Lets work through this process. Echoing the previously stated White House stance, Sanders said the Trump campaign had not colluded in any Russian meddling. We had no involvement in this, she said. The president is known to keep a close eye on surrogates performances on the talk shows, and Sanders repeated a prime administration talking point: that questions about possible Trump campaign contacts with Russia amounted to Democratic excuses for losing the election. If Democrats want to continue to relive their loss every single day, by doing an investigation or review after review, thats fine by us, she said. We know why we won this race. Its because we had the better candidate with the better message. Trump himself underscored that notion with an afternoon tweet denouncing media coverage of the ongoing Russia investigations as FAKE NEWS put out by the Dems, and played up by the media, in order to mask the big election defeat and the illegal leaks! Facebook

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Whose news is fake? Heres the latest in Trumps war with the press By Kurtis Lee Every president since 1981 has attended the annual White House Correspondents Assn. dinner. That year, President Reagan missed out. The reason? He needed to recover after a would-be assassin fired a bullet into his chest a few weeks earlier. On Saturday, President Trump announced he will not be attending the annual dinner in April, long considered the premier social event of the Washington press corps and typically an evening of good-natured bantering between presidents and the Fourth Estate. Trumps announcement added to the ratcheting tensions between his administration and the media. Almost daily, in speeches or on Twitter, he calls particular news outlets fake, disgusting or dishonest  and news organizations have responded by digging in, standing united and devoting more resources to covering a president who has branded the press the enemy. Read More Facebook

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Crucial group of Americans like Trumps stands, not him, poll finds By David Lauter Trump still gets dismal ratings on temperament but is above water on economy, decision-making, promises of change. pic.twitter.com/Md0H096n9m  Carrie Dann (@CarrieNBCNews) February 26, 2017 With the public deeply split in its views of President Trump, one potentially key group stands out -- those who dislike the man, but approve of the direction in which hes moving. Thats a central finding of a new nationwide survey by NBC News and the Wall St. Journal. The new poll confirms what other major surveys have shown: Trump starts his administration with less support than any president in the seven decades of presidential polling. Asked if they approve or disapprove of the job Trump is doing, 44% approve, 48% disapprove. No previous president has begun his tenure with a net negative job approval. Trump has held onto the support of his ardent backers. At the other end of the spectrum, he gets almost no approval from Democrats. In the middle, the poll found, are many Americans -- just over a third of those polled -- who either voted for Trump with reservations, voted for a third party candidate or did not vote at all in 2016. Just over half of that group gives Trump positive marks, the poll found. Their support is enough, currently, to keep Trumps standing from collapsing, and holding them is likely key to his future. Just under one third of Americans say they like Trump and approve of his policies, the poll found. Another one in six approve of most of his policies even though they dislike him. Well over half, 59%, said they did not like him personally. On a separate question, only 43% of those surveyed have a positive view of Trump -- up from the low points of the campaign, but still far below the standing of most new presidents. By contrast, 86% agreed with one of the central lines of Trumps inaugural speech, that government insiders had reaped the rewards of government, while the people have borne the cost. On other issues, the public is more closely divided. The public splits evenly, for example, on Trumps proposed temporary ban on travel from seven mostly Muslim countries. Just over half of those surveyed, 52%, said that the problems Trump has encountered in his first month were unique to this administration and suggest real problems; 43% said they were growing pains similar to those other administrations have had. And by 51%-41%, the public thinks the press has been too hard on the new administration. The NBC/WSJ poll, run by a bipartisan team of two polling firms, was taken by phone, using cell phones and landlines, Feb. 18-22 among 1,000 American adults. It has a margin of error for the full sample of 3.1 percentage points in either direction. Facebook

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Trump appears to think Perez at head of Democratic National Committee is good news for Republicans By Evan Halper Congratulations to Thomas Perez, who has just been named Chairman of the DNC. I could not be happier for him, or for the Republican Party!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 25, 2017 The Democratic Party put its faith in its old guard Saturday to guide it out of the political wilderness, choosing as its new leader an Obama-era Cabinet secretary over the charismatic congressman backed by the progressive wing of the party. Tom Perez, a former secretary of Labor with strong ties to unions, persuaded the spirited assembly of party delegates in Atlanta that he can best help harness a grass-roots outpouring of anti-Trump protest and anger into a Democratic resurgence at the ballot box. Read More Facebook

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Trump to Washington reporters: Not going to your dinner By Kurtis Lee I will not be attending the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner this year. Please wish everyone well and have a great evening!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 25, 2017 The annual White House Correspondents Assn. dinner will be missing a key guest this year: President Trump. On Saturday, Trump tweeted he will not attend the April 29 dinner, considered the premier social event of the Washington press corps -- and typically an evening of good-natured bantering between presidents and reporters with a mix of celebrities watching. His announcement comes amid growing tensions between his administration and the media. Trump has decried stories he doesnt like as fake news, and described unnamed news groups as an enemy of the people. A day earlier, the White House barred reporters from several major news organizations, including the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, CNN and Politico, from attending an off-camera press briefing. In a sign of the growing rift, several media organizations that traditionally sponsor lavish parties around the black-tie dinner had announced they would not do so this year. At the annual dinner, the president usually delivers self-deprecating jokes and often is roasted by a high-profile comedian. The president also greets students who win journalism scholarships and awards, a major part of the evening. Trump has been a frequent guest of media organizations at the dinner in the past, but he always sat at a table in the crowded ballroom, not up at the front dias. President Obama singled Trump out during the dinner several years ago, mocking Trump for raising doubts about whether Obama was born in the United States. This year, as we do every year, we will celebrate the First Amendment and the role an independent press plays in a healthy republic, the White House Correspondents Assn. said in a statement earlier this month about the upcoming dinner. Facebook

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Former Labor Secretary Tom Perez named Democratic Party leader By Evan Halper Newly elected Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez (Branden Camp/Associated Press) The Democratic Party put its faith in its old guard Saturday to guide it out of the political wilderness, choosing as its new leader an Obama-era Cabinet secretary over the charismatic congressman backed by the progressive wing of the party. Tom Perez, a former secretary of Labor with strong ties to labor unions, persuaded the spirited assembly of party delegates in Atlanta that he can best help harness a grass-roots outpouring of anti-Trump protest and anger into a Democratic resurgence at the ballot box. We are suffering from a crisis of confidence, a crisis of relevance, Perez told delegates before they chose him in a down-to-the-wire contest with Rep. Keith Ellison of Minnesota, whom the Bernie Sanders wing of the party had rallied round. We need a chair who can not only take the fight to Donald Trump.  We also need a chair who can lead a turnaround and change the culture of the Democratic Party, Perez said. The ascendance of an establishment liberal is certain to renew tension between veteran party stalwarts and the unruly progressive movement aligned with Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, both of whom backed Ellison. Some Ellison supporters erupted in protest as the final vote was announced. Perez quickly sought to unite the party by naming Ellison his deputy chair, a move unanimously approved by the 435 assembled delegates, who had supported Perez 235-200. Read More Facebook

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Trump chastises media for not reporting minor dip in national debt By Del Quentin Wilber President Trump took to Twitter on Saturday morning to blast the news media for not highlighting a minor dip in the national debt. The media has not reported that the National Debt in my first month went down by $12 billion vs a $200 billion increase in Obama first mo., he tweeted at 8:19 a.m. The media has not reported that the National Debt in my first month went down by $12 billion vs a $200 billion increase in Obama first mo.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 25, 2017 Trumps tweet came shortly after Herman Cain, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012, made a similar comment on Fox News. While the numbers are accurate, Trumps tweet suggests he deserves credit for something that is largely beyond his control, especially since he hasnt yet given Congress any proposals to change tax laws or the financial industry. Considering that Trump hasnt enacted any fiscal legislation, its a bit of a stretch for him to take credit for any changes in debt levels, Dan Mitchell, a libertarian economist at the Cato Institute, told the fact-checking website Politifact. President Obamas first month in office in 2009 was largely taken up with spending bills aimed at easing the massive recession that he had inherited. Trump inherited an economy with low inflation, low unemployment and a booming stock market. The national debt, which stands at just under $20 trillion, is expected to rise by more than $500 billion in the fiscal year ending in September. Facebook

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Mexico rejects U.S. plan to deport Central Americans to Mexico By Patrick J. McDonnell Mexico has informed the Trump administration that it cannot accept non-Mexican nationals whom U.S. authorities arrest along the border and seek to remove from U.S. territory, the nations internal security chief said Friday. Earlier this week, the Trump administration rolled out a broad immigration crackdown that included a proposal to send non-Mexican detainees apprehended along the U.S.-Mexico border back to Mexico while their immigration cases were pending in the United States. The vast majority of non-Mexican nationals detained along the U.S.-Mexico border are Central Americans. They often travel overland through Mexico to reach the United States. In a fact sheet released Tuesday, the Department of Homeland Security said that releasing detained, third-country nationals to the foreign contiguous territory from which they arrived would save on detention and adjudication resources. The idea would be to keep them out pending their hearings on deportation, the fact sheet said. However, Mexican authorities have reacted coolly from the outset to the notion. Now, they appear to have formally nixed the idea. On Friday, Mexicos interior secretary, Miguel Angel Osorio Chong, told a radio interviewer than Mexican authorities had informed a pair of visiting U.S. Cabinet officers  Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly  that Mexico could not oblige the U.S. request. We told them that our legal framework doesnt allow this, Osorio Chong told Radio Formula, referring to the visit this week of the two Trump Cabinet officials.  We told them it is impossible. There is no way, legally, nor is there capacity. In recent years, non-Mexicans, mostly Central Americans, have become a larger proportion of illegal immigrants apprehended along the Southwest border as the relative number of Mexican nationals has declined. In fiscal year 2016, according to U.S. Border Patrol statistics, agents recorded apprehensions of almost 191,000 undocumented Mexican citizens along the Southwest frontier. In the same fiscal year, the Border Patrol said it registered 218,000 detentions of non-Mexican nationals, most of them Central Americans. Cecilia Sanchez of The Times Mexico City bureau contributed to this report. An earlier version of this blog post misspelled Miguel Angel Osorio Chongs name as Osorio Chung. Facebook

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Trump blasts FBI over Russia leaks after a brief Twitter hiatus By Kurtis Lee (Alex Wong / Getty Images ) After several days of relative silence on Twitter, President Trumps feed came alive Friday with a direct attack on the FBI. Yes, hes done this before. But recent news reports that suggest his administration pressed the FBI to quell claims that members of his campaign had contact with Russians throughout the 2016 election appear to have inspired a response. The FBI is totally unable to stop the national security leakers that have permeated our government for a long time, he tweeted. And conservative news was all over it. Here are some of todays headlines: Trump blasts FBI leakers (Fox News) Trump has assailed everyone from Democrats to intelligence officials for the leaks  which he often refers to as fake news  about his ties to Russia. Reports from several news outlets this week, citing anonymous sources, claim Trumps chief of staff, Reince Priebus, asked FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe to publicly dispute media reports that Trumps campaign advisors frequently were in touch with Russian intelligence agents during the election. While some reports made it appear Priebus had contacted McCabe, this piece disputes that. Fox News has learned that McCabe indeed had initiated the conversation, asking to speak with Priebus for a few minutes at the end of an intelligence meeting last week, their article reports. Ed Schultz at CPAC: Trump promised Americas heartland a deal (Daily Caller) He was once among the top liberal voices in the country. Now, Ed Schultz, the former MSNBC anchor, is speaking glowingly about President Trump. Between covering high-profile speeches at the Conservative Political Action Conference from Trump and his aides, the Daily Caller popped into a panel at which Schultz provided commentary. Shultz, who now works with the Russian government-funded RT television network, blasted the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, asserting that Trumps claim that it would cost U.S. jobs was a game changer in the 2016 election. Trump went into Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin and he took down the progressive firewall, because he talked to the American people about a deal, Schultz said. It was a Wall Street deal, it was not a Main Street deal, he said, referring to the TPP. Trump is about blowing up Washington as it exists (Rush Limbaugh) Remember when Trump talked about draining the swamp? Since he entered the White House, some conservatives have wondered if Trump means business. Many members of his cabinet  including Priebus and Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions  are the ultimate Washington insiders. Still, Rush Limbaugh, one of the firebrand conservatives out there, is certain the president will blow up traditional Washington. Whats Trumps No. 1 obstacle? I have concluded that the media is the No. 1 obstacle because of the success they have, he said on his radio show this week. The people in Washington, media is every bit as big a part of the establishment as anybody else is. He added: The media is creating this narrative, if you will, and this picture  this series of pictures, this overall image  that Trump is stalled, that everybodys opposing him, that his agenda is backlogged. Facebook

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After Trump calls media an enemy of the people, White House bars many news outlets from briefing By Noah Bierman Fridays White House press briefing, normally an on-camera affair open to all reporters with press credentials, was turned into an exclusive event for certain outlets hand-picked by the administration. The action came after President Trump on Friday described the media and what he terms fake news as the enemy of the people."On the list were Trump-friendly outlets such as Breitbart News, the Washington Times and OANN, a conservative television network that employs former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski as a commentator. Off the list were some of Trumps favorite targets, including the New York Times and CNN. The Los Angeles Times was also excluded. The off-camera briefing with Sean Spicer, the press secretary, was not solely for conservative outlets. Several mainstream reporters were also allowed in, including the three major broadcast networks and wire services, such as Bloomberg News. Also allowed in were pool representatives who transmit news events to a far larger group of reporters. The Associated Press and Time magazine were also invited but declined to participate in solidarity with other news organizations that were denied entry. The White House Correspondents Assn. protested, as did editors at several of the organizations that were excluded. In a statement, Times editor Davan Maharaj said that it was unfortunate that the Los Angeles Times has been excluded from a White House press briefing today. The public has a right to know, and that means being informed by a variety of news sources, not just those filtered by the White House press office in hopes of getting friendly coverage, Maharaj said. Regardless of access, The Times will continue to report on the Trump administration without fear or favor, he added. 12:30 p.m.: This post was updated with a statement from Times editor Davan Maharaj. Facebook

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Its a Russian flag! Trickster strikes CPAC before Trumps speech By Matt Pearce Crowd at CPAC waving these little pro-Trump flags that look exactly like the Russian flag. Staffers quickly come around to confiscate them. pic.twitter.com/YhPpkwFCNc  Peter Hamby (@PeterHamby) February 24, 2017 As the crowd waited to hear President Trump speak at the Conservative Political Action Conference, little red-white-and-blue flags appeared without warning, handed down the aisles by a man with a green bag, according to a witness. The flags said Trump. They also happened to be the flag of the Russian Federation. He was dressed like any one of us, said Tyler Dever, 20, a student at the University of South Florida in Tampa, who was wearing a suit. He passed them to me and was like, Pass them down, pass them down.  Dever, caught up in the moment, passed them down, before someone sitting next to him said, Oh, its a Russian flag! CPAC staff quickly recollected the flags. If it was just a red-white-and-blue flag, I would have picked it out, Dever said. He said it was his first time attending an event like CPAC and was surprised to see a provocateur in the audience, especially beyond the cordon set up by the Secret Service. Someone tried to victimize me, Dever said. You have Secret Service out here, and Id expect it to be fully screened. ... Thank God someone noticed. Facebook

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Trump still loves the USC/L.A. Times poll: What it got right and what it got wrong By David Lauter Throughout the fall campaign, then-candidate Donald Trump and his allies loved the USC/L.A. Times Daybreak poll -- the only major survey that consistently showed him winning. A couple polls got it right. I must say Los Angeles Times did a great job, shocking because, you know, they did a great job, Trump declared in his speech this morning at CPAC, the annual gathering of conservative activists. But did the poll get it right? In the simplest terms, no, and after considerble analysis, we know why. Read More Facebook

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A celebration, and wake, for a campaign legend and a Republican Party that is no more By Mark Z. Barabak (Steve Lopez/Los Angeles Times) It was a cool and rainy day when elders of the Republican tribe recently gathered to honor one of their own. The honoree, Stuart K. Spencer, was unmistakable in his white duck pants and a lime-green sport coat so bright it almost hurt to see. A reformed chain-smoker, he snapped merrily away on a wad of chewing gum. The event marked Spencers 90th birthday, but the mood beneath the surface conviviality was unsettled and gray, like the clouds fringing the mountains outside. If the occasion was intended as a personal celebration, it also had the feel of a wake for a time in politics long passed. Along with former Vice President Dick Cheney and former California Gov. Pete Wilson, veterans of the Reagan years turned out in force. It was Spencer, more than anyone, who took a political long shot and washed-up B-movie actor and helped transform him into the Reagan of legend. Read More Facebook

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CPACs reaction to President Trumps speech: Two thumbs up By Matt Pearce Supporters cheer President Trump as he speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor, Md., on Friday. (Alex Brandon / Associated Press) President Trump loves CPAC, and CPAC loves Trump. As hundreds of Conservative Political Action Conference attendees spilled out into the hallways Friday after Trumps speech to the group, they had glowing reviews of the man who has been tormenting Democrats and the media and transforming the Republican Party. It was fantastic, unbelievable, absolute truth, said Shia L. Lome, 84, a retired Air Force colonel from Deerfield Beach, Fla., appraising Trumps remarks. If he carries through [his promises], this will be the greatest country ever. Lome added that there is no question about it, Trump is his own type of Republican. Whether its conservative or whatever you want to call it, Lome said he is happy as long as [Trump] causes the Democrats heartaches. Kayne Robinson, 73, a former chairman of the Iowa Republican Party, said Trump was simply taking the party in the direction that people want it to go. I think the party is every bit as united behind him as it was behind either of the Bushes, Robinson said. Trump led a revolution in the party, very much like Reagan. ... I think Trump is doing just fine. Frank March, a 50-year-old Army retiree from Fairfax County, Va., emerged from the ballroom at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center wearing a red Make America Great Again cap, which carried Trumps jagged signature on the bill. Marchs daughter had gotten the hat signed when she previously met Trump, and he proudly showed off photos of that event. I recognize the signature! a woman exclaimed as she saw the hat. March praised Trumps follow-through and his commitment to workers as incredible. Hes bringing in new people to the party, March said. The hope is, by his follow-through, doing what he said he was going to do, then the non-Republicans who voted for Trump will stick. Helping workers will be one of the ways Trump can make that happen, he said. In politics, youre supposed to help people, March said. Workers are the people. Theyre people who earn money to take care of their families. Republicans should support those people because theyre the ones who make America run. Facebook

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Donald Trump shows up at conservatives most prominent gathering and defines a new GOP By Noah Bierman  President Trump shows up at conservatives most prominent gathering and defines a new GOP. President Trump made one of his strongest pitches Friday to unite the Republican Party and the conservative movement behind a nationalist, anti-globalist ideology that until recently would have been unthinkable for many Republicans. There is no such thing as a global anthem, a global currency or a global flag, Trump said to great applause from thousands of conservatives. Im not representing the globe. Im representing your country. He echoed ideas he has espoused in the past -- denouncing trade deals as the antithesis of economic freedom, warning that the great cities of Europe have been ruined by mass immigration, denouncing intervention in the Middle East by both parties. But while many of the words were familiar, the venue and the passion made Fridays speech remarkable. The comments came at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference, just outside of Washington, D.C., the most prominent gathering of right-leaning groups and activists in the country. Such a speech would have been shocking from a conservative, much less the president, at almost any other time in the conferences history. Trump has been popular at CPAC in the past. He credits a speech there with launching his political career. But he snubbed last years event amid a heated primary in which many conservatives rejected his tone and the direction he was trying to move the GOP. I would have come last year, but I was worried that I would be at that time too controversial, Trump said in his speech, which lasted nearly an hour. Trump, the first president since Ronald Reagan to address the group during his first year in office, made clear that he is moving those once controversial ideas to the movements center. In addition to his usual critiques of the media and frequent references to his electoral success, Trump spoke directly of his ambition for reshaping the Republican Party to attract blue-collar voters, the forgotten men and women who helped propel his electoral victory. Im here today to tell you what this movement means for the future of the Republican Party and for the future of America, Trump said. The core conviction of our movement is that we are a nation that [must] put and will put its own citizens first. Later, he added that the GOP will be from now on also the party of the American worker. While Trump tried to unite conservatives, the speech made little effort to bridge the countrys larger political divide. For example, Trump dismissed people who have shown up at town halls around the country to protest reversal of Obamacare. Theyre not you, he said. Theyre the side that lost. Facebook

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Justice Department rescinds order phasing out use of private prisons By Del Quentin Wilber Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions has jettisoned an Obama administration order to phase out the use of private prisons to hold federal inmates. The new order reverses one issued by former Deputy Atty. Gen. Sally Yates in August that sought to eliminate the departments use of private for-profit prisons, which hold just over 10% of the current prison population. The Obama administration order changed long-standing policy and practice, and impaired the bureaus ability to meet the future needs of the federal correctional system, Sessions wrote Thursday to announce the reversal. Civil rights and prisoner rights groups decried the Sessions decision, saying private prisons are not as cost-effective or as safe as government-run facilities, citing numerous abuses in the past. The Bureau of Prisons houses about 21,000 of its 190,000 inmates in a dozen private prisons, including one near Bakersfield. Atty. Gen. Sessions has shown that he is not taking the mass incarceration crisis seriously, said Wade Henderson, who heads the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. Continuing to rely on private prisons for federal inmates is neither humane nor budget conscious, Henderson added. We need a justice system that can work better for all people. Yates order did not affect facilities used to detain people in the country illegally. The use of private prisons is expected to surge under President Trumps promised crackdown on illegal immigration. Trump has signed an executive order calling for expansion of immigrant detention facilities and authorized the use of private contractors to construct, operate, or control facilities. Stocks in private prison companies have jumped on Wall Street since Trump won the presidential election, and they continued their rise on news of Sessions order. Facebook

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CPAC and conservative media prepare for Trump By Kurtis Lee The future path of the Republican Party is being debated in the halls of the Conservative Political Action Conference in Maryland this week. Will it be the party of Donald Trump, an outsider of the GOP establishment, or House Speaker Paul D. Ryan, the definition of establishment? Or, perhaps, of Richard Spencer, a white nationalist leader of the so-called alt-right movement? (Spencer was kicked out of CPAC on Thursday.) Trump is set to address the conference on Friday, and the conservative media are ready for the much-anticipated address. Tomorrow it will be TPAC when hes here, Kellyanne Conway, a senior advisor to Trump told reporters Thursday. Here are some of todays headlines: Go Big, Go Bold: Walker, at CPAC, pushes GOP to carry out agenda as party controls Congress, White House (Fox News) Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, once a Trump foe, is urging conservatives to use the November election as a mandate. Do what you said you were going to do, Walker said to attendees. In the Fox News piece, which leads its website, it notes that leaders at the conference are hoping to use it to strategize about what they can accomplish and to better articulate their values at a time when the very definition of conservatism has seemed to waver. Sweden Democrats: Trump was right (Fox News) Remember last weekend when everyone  including many Swedish politicians  were really confused about Trumps comments at a recent rally? You look at whats happening last night in Sweden, Trump, at a rally in Florida on Saturday, said about the Scandinavian country that has accepted large numbers of refugees. Sweden. They took in large numbers. Theyre having problems like they never thought possible. Actually, not much happened in Sweden on Friday night. Trump said later that he had been referring to a broadcast on Fox News on that night. Still, recent riots in the country were covered extensively by conservative media. This post notes a recent op-ed penned by Jimmie Akesson and Mattias Karlsson, both leaders of the Sweden Democrats, in the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday supporting Trumps characterization of a Muslim immigrant-led crime crisis in Sweden. In it they write, Trump did not exaggerate Swedens current problems.  If anything, he understated them. Trump Is Letting DREAMers Stay, And Rush Is Fine With That (Daily Caller) Hes an immigration hard liner, and, apparently, hes OK with Trump allowing DREAMERs to remain in the country. This piece highlights comments by Rush Limbaugh this week. A lot of people think that Trumps caving because if you allow the DREAMers to stay, were talking 750,000 DREAMers, kids, who each have two parents who could come in. Look, this is a-no-win, Limbaugh said this week. Nobodys gonna win anything by deporting a bunch of kids that we let in. Facebook

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Trump advisor Steve Bannon rails at corporatist, globalist media By Noah Bierman Steve Bannon to the #CPAC crowd: "If you think they're going to give you your country back without a fight, you're sadly mistaken" pic.twitter.com/ryw7iO0Snr  POLITICO (@politico) February 23, 2017 The two men with the most heavily dissected relationship in President Trumps White House held a rare public appearance together Thursday and agreed on one common enemy: the media. Reince Priebus, the chief of staff who is often described as embattled, said he has grown conditioned to the media counting Trump out: during the presidential campaign, the transition and the first month of the presidency. The biggest misconception is everything that youre reading, Priebus said. Steve Bannon, Trumps chief strategist, framed his complaint as an ideological war. He consistently called the media the opposition party throughout a 20-minute joint interview on stage at the Conservative Political Action Conference just outside of Washington. Its not only not going to get better, it gets worse every day, Bannon said. Theyre corporatist, globalist media that are adamantly opposed to an economic nationalist agenda like Donald Trump has. If you think theyre going to give you your country back without a fight, he added. You are sadly mistaken. Bannon, former executive chairman of the far-right Breitbart News, seldom speaks in public. His nationalist rendering of Republican ideology is often seen in contrast to Priebus, the former chairman of the GOP, who is viewed as the more mainstream conservative advocate within the White House. The two men said the tension between them portrayed in the media is inaccurate. But as they praised each other, the men made clear that Bannon sees his role as dominant in shaping Trumps policy. Bannon praised Priebus for doggedly keeping the trains running -- one of the toughest jobs Ive ever seen in my life. Bannon talked about being in the first inning of shaping a new political order and beginning the deconstruction of the administrative state. Priebus used more prosaic language and spoke of Bannon as the one who pushes Trump to maintain his bold vision. He is very dogged in making sure that every day the promises that President Trump made are the promises were working on, Priebus said of Bannon. Facebook

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In Mexico, Homeland Security chief says there will be no mass deportations of people in U.S. illegally By Patrick J. McDonnell Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly, left, and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in Mexico City on Thursday. (Ronaldo Schemidt / AFP/Getty Images) Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly, on a visit to Mexico, said Thursday that there will be no mass deportations of people living in the U.S. illegally. Kelly also said U.S. military forces would not be used in deportation efforts and that any deportation cases would go through the U.S. legal system. No. Repeat, no use of military force in immigration operations, Kelly said at a news conference at the Foreign Relations Ministry in Mexico City. None. Well approach this operation systematically, in an organized way, in a results-oriented way, in an operation and and in a human dignity way. Kelly and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson are in Mexico City to discuss a wide variety of issues, including immigration and security, with Mexican government officials. Kellys remarks came the same day President Trump called recent raids in the U.S. an unprecedented enforcement effort. You see whats happening at the border. All of a sudden for the first time, were getting gang members out, he said. Were getting really bad dudes out of this country, and at a rate that nobodys ever seen before. Read More Facebook

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Mexico bracing for long battle with Trump administration, foreign minister tells lawmakers By Patrick J. McDonnell Mexico Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray (Brian Smialowski / AFP/Getty Images) Mexico is preparing for a long battle with the administration of President Trump, its foreign minister reportedly told lawmakers in private comments, adding that the country was prepared to retaliate with new tariffs if necessary. We are here preparing for a battle that is going to be long, Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray told federal deputies Wednesday, according to the newspaper La Jornada, which said it had obtained a copy of the comments. This is not going to be resolved in three days. In the reported remarks, Videgaray said Mexico was prepared to retaliate with new tariffs on U.S.-made goods should the Trump administration follow up on its threats to slap an export tax of 20% or more of goods imported from Mexico to the United States. There was no official response from the Mexican Foreign Ministry on Videgarays reported remarks. Videgaray was among the Mexican officials, including President Enrique Pena Nieto, who met this week with a pair of visiting White House Cabinet members, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly. The private remarks were apparently made on Wednesday, when the two Trump envoys were scheduled to arrive in Mexico City. Read More Facebook

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Homeland Security tried to downplay immigration raids as routine. Now Trump says theyre unprecedented By Michael A. Memoli (Evan Vucci / Associated Press) After nationwide immigration raids this month in which more than 680 people were arrested, the Department of Homeland Security issued a nothing-to-see-here statement downplaying the sweeps as strictly ordinary. ICE conducts these kind of targeted enforcement operations regularly and has for many years, the agency said last week, referring to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. But President Trump had a different take Thursday, labeling the raids an unprecedented enforcement effort. You see whats happening at the border. All of a sudden for the first time, were getting gang members out, he said before a roundtable on manufacturing. Were getting really bad dudes out of this country, and at a rate that nobodys ever seen before. Under President Obama, deportations peaked at 400,000 people in 2012, touching off widespread criticism from immigration advocates, which prompted Homeland Security to scale back deportations. Last year, deportations fell to 240,000 as the Obama administration focused on targets similar to what Trump described in the raids conducted under his authority: criminals, repeat immigration violators and recent arrivals. Trump also called the sweeps this month a military operation, even though no military resources were involved and the White House has pushed back aggressively on reports that the administration was considering seeking National Guard forces to assist in deportations. Homeland Security said the raids were conducted by ICE agents, U.S. marshals and state and local law enforcement agencies. What has been allowed to come into our country, when you see gang violence that youve read about like never before, and all of the things  much of that is people that are here illegally, Trump said. Theyre rough and theyre tough, but theyre not tough like our people. So were getting them out. Of the 680 arrests last week, 161 occurred in Los Angeles and surrounding counties. Three-quarters of those detained in the Los Angeles-area sweeps were from Mexico. Trump noted that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly traveled to Mexico this week on a tough trip. We have to be treated fairly by Mexico, Trump said. Facebook

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White nationalist leader Richard Spencer booted from Conservative Political Action Conference By Matt Pearce Reporters surround white supremacist Richard Spencer during the first day of the Conservative Political Action Conference on February 23, 2017. (Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images) One of Americas most prominent white nationalists, Richard Spencer, was kicked out of the Conservative Political Action Conference on Thursday after conference organizers gave him credentials to attend and then wavered on whether to let him stay. Spencer, who coined the term alternative right to describe his far-right views on separating the races, came to CPAC to attend a speech that was critical of the alt-right. CPAC organizer Matt Schlapp took pains to distance CPAC from the fringe Spencer represents. The alt-right does not have a legitimate voice in the conservative movement, said Schlapp, adding that nobody from that movement is speaking at CPAC. Read More Just talked to CPAC organizer Matt Schlapp. Said he didn't endorse Richard Spencer's ideas but won't kick him out of the conference.  Matt Pearce  (@mattdpearce) February 23, 2017 Basically their line on this is, if they actually agreed with his ideas, they'd put him on stage, but they don't, and it's a free country.  Matt Pearce  (@mattdpearce) February 23, 2017 Change of plans. Richard Spencer just got kicked out of CPAC.  Matt Pearce  (@mattdpearce) February 23, 2017 Facebook

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Obamacare 101: Are health insurance marketplaces in a death spiral? By Noam N. Levey (Don Ryan / Associated Press) Its been a rocky few months for the health insurance marketplaces created by the Affordable Care Act. Even if youre not one of the roughly 11 million Americans who rely on these online markets to get your health insurance, youve probably seen the headlines about rising premiums and insurance companies pulling out of the system. Last week, national insurance giant Humana announced it would stop selling plans on the marketplace. Aetnas chief executive claimed the marketplaces are in a death spiral. Republicans say the marketplaces are Exhibit A that Obamacare is collapsing. So whats the real story? Are these things really kaput or can they be fixed? Heres a rundown of where things stand. Read More Facebook

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Trump administration wants tax reform done by August, Mnuchin says By Jim Puzzanghera The Trump administration wants to overhaul the tax code by August, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Thursday, laying out an aggressive timetable in his first significant public comments since taking office last week. Our economic agenda, the No. 1 issue is growth, and the first most important thing that will impact growth is a tax plan, Mnuchin said in an interview with CNBC. So we are committed to pass tax reform, he said. We want to get this done by the August recess. Read More Facebook

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Loud and angry, protesters turn congressional town halls into must-see political TV By Mark Z. Barabak (Bill Pugliano / Getty Images) They came by the hundreds, in big cities and rural hamlets, to heckle, plead, badger and, in some instances, to protest the protests themselves. Congress is in recess this week, and a citizenry suddenly spurred to action used the opportunity to let their returning lawmakers know just how they feel about the tempestuous last month in Washington. Winners make policy and losers go home, a taunting Mitch McConnell, the Republican Senate leader, told an invitation-only gathering in his home state of Kentucky, as about 1,000 protesters gathered outside. Not exactly. The town hall meeting, a throwback to a time of more intimate connection, has become a political organizing tool in the social media age  a piece of performance theater and a worldwide stage. Obamacare, immigration, environmental regulation, Social Security, Russian meddling in the 2016 election and Trump, Trump, Trump  all poured forth this week in the form of questions, loudly and heatedly. Read More Facebook

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Trump administration rescinds guidelines on protections for transgender students By Michael A. Memoli The Trump administration rescinded an Obama-era directive Wednesday aimed at protecting transgender students rights, questioning its legal grounding. Under the guidelines, schools had been required to treat transgender students according to their stated gender identity, and either allow access to restrooms and locker rooms for the gender they identify with or provide private facilities if requested. The Obama administration had said that students gender identities were protected under Title IX requirements, which prohibit federally funded schools from discriminating on the basis of sex. But officials in the Education and Justice departments said that their predecessors failed to make their case, citing significant litigation spurred by the policy. Read More Facebook

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Americans in Mexico protest Trumps inflammatory rhetoric during Tillerson visit By Kate Linthicum A group of Americans living in Mexico is planning a protest Thursday to send a message to visiting U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Their gripe? President Trumps inflammatory rhetoric. Thats according to a draft of a letter that several groups organizing the protest hope to deliver to Tillerson, who is in town along with Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly for talks with top Mexican officials. The letter, which will be cosigned by the Mexican chapter of Democrats Abroad, as well as other groups, complains about Trumps hostile attitude toward Mexico, which it says is engendering nationalistic sentiments in Mexico. Among Trumps hostile acts, the letter says, is Trumps vow to build a border wall and force Mexico to pay for it. The idea of building a wall ... frames Mexico and Mexicans as foreign invaders, the letter says. It also criticizes Trump for pledging to renegotiate NAFTA, saying, The U.S. and Mexico are deeply connected economies and it is in the interest of the United States to strengthen the regional production network to boost manufacturing employment in the U.S. and ensure the long-run competitiveness of manufacturing in the region. There are more than a million U.S. citizens living in Mexico, and many have been vocal since Trumps election. Last month, thousands turned out for a womens march outside the American Embassy that saw crowds chanting anti-Trump slogans. Facebook

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Mexico will never accept unilateral American immigration rules, foreign secretary says By Patrick McDonnell Mexican Foreign Secretary Luis Videgaray said defending the rights of Mexican immigrants is the first point in the agenda for talks with U.S. officials. (Christian Palma / Associated Press) Mexico will reject any unilateral effort from the United States to impose immigration or other policies on the Mexican government, the countrys foreign secretary said Wednesday. I want to make clear, in the most emphatic way, that the government of Mexico and the Mexican people do not have to accept measures that, in a unilateral way, one government wants to impose on another, Foreign Secretary Luis Videgaray said in public comments. That we are not going to accept. He spoke a day after the Trump administration unveiled tough new measures to enforce immigration laws and deport people who are in the country illegally  proposals that were widely portrayed in the Mexican media as a prelude to massive deportations. On Wednesday, two top Trump administration cabinet members  Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly  were arriving in Mexico for talks with that nations officials, including Videgaray. Immigration, trade and law enforcement issues were expected to be discussed at a tense moment in U.S.-Mexican relations. In his reported comments, the Mexican secretary did not single out any specific U.S. proposal as objectionable. Mexican officials have acknowledged there is little they can do to counter U.S. immigration policies. Among other things, the Trump administration has proposed sending non-Mexican citizens detained along the U.S.-Mexico border back to Mexico. Mexican officials would presumably have to sign off on such a plan. Mexico already detains and deports thousands of Central Americans annually who cross Mexican territory with the hope of entering the United States illegally via the U.S.-Mexico border. U.S. authorities have worked with their Mexican counterparts to halt the Central American influx. The Mexican foreign secretary made it clear that immigration would be at the top of the list of items to be discussed during meetings with the U.S. Cabinet secretaries. Defending the rights of Mexican immigrants is the first point in the agenda, said Videgaray. He also said Mexico could take the issue of the rights of Mexican immigrants to the United Nations and other international agencies. Facebook

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Both in power and in turmoil, conservatives head to Conservative Political Action Conference to see whats next By Matt Pearce Josh Platillero (Matt Pearce / Los Angeles Times) The eyes of men in crisp blazers darted toward passing faces and identification badges, looking for a familiar face, a famous name. As Fox News host Sean Hannity prepared to broadcast a live show from a ballroom, a brief chant burst out from the audience: U-S-A! U-S-A! Its that time of year again: Hundreds of Republicans began arriving Wednesday at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in Oxon Hill, Md., just south of Washington, for the annual Conservative Political Action Conference. CPAC, as its best known, is a place for conservative political figures and activists to gather, schmooze, hammer out new ideas and audition for starring roles in the Republican Party. And this year, CPAC attendees have a lot to talk about. Their party is in control of Congress, the White House and dozens of state governments across America, and yet not at all at peace with itself. President Trump is expected to address the conference later in the week after winning on a platform of populist nationalism that some conservatives have accused of not being conservative at all. Breitbart News, the brash rising star of right-wing media, is one of the conferences top promoters, but one of its staffers, Milo Yiannopoulos, lost his speaking slot at CPAC and resigned from the news organization after video circulated showing him appearing to promote pedophilia. Some conservatives had backed Yiannopoulos and cried censorship when the provocateur offended liberals at college speaking events, but now they had become offended themselves. Still, as CPAC began on Wednesday, the mood was upbeat. This was a victorious movement, after all. Many new guests were greeted by the sight of Josh Platillero, 23, wearing a cartoonishly large stovepipe hat and a suit the colors of the American flag. I love networking, said Platillero, who recently lived in Knoxville, Tenn., before moving to the D.C. area to work with a conservative nonprofit, the Leadership Institute. Its his second year attending CPAC, and he was excited about the lineup of speakers, which include some of the White House staff. I think our new president is not perfect, but I think hes doing good things, he said. Ariel Kohane, 45, who came from the Upper West Side in Manhattan, stood in the lobby holding signs that read, Jews for Trump, in both English and Hebrew. I love the fact that I can get together with many of my fellow conservative friends and colleagues and we can all be very proud of ourselves with all our accomplishments and the fact that we get to strategize and plan ways to further expand conservatism across America and across the whole world, Kohane said. Facebook

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Pence condemns Jewish center bomb threats and visits desecrated cemetery in Missouri By Jaweed Kaleem (Michael Conroy / Associated Press) Visiting Fenton, Mo., on Wednesday, Vice President Mike Pence condemned a string of bomb threats against Jewish community centers around the nation and the desecration of a St. Louis-area Jewish cemetery over the weekend. Speaking just yesterday, President Trump called this a horrible and painful act. And so it was. That along with other recent threats to the Jewish community centers around the country, said Pence, who was visiting the headquarters of the Fabick Cat machinery company. He declared it all a sad reminder of the work that still must be done to root out hate and prejudice and evil. We condemn this vile act of vandalism and those who perpetuate it in the strongest possible terms. The vice president said it was inspiring how the people of Missouri have rallied around the Jewish community with compassion and support. Among those showing solidarity with the Jewish community is a group of Muslims who launched an online fundraising campaign to help repair the cemetery. Donors had pledged more than $90,000 by Wednesday afternoon. Pence later visited the Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery in University City, Mo., where nearly 200 tombstones had been toppled over the weekend. Facebook

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Trumps move on transgender bathroom access sparks interest By Kurtis Lee (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) For President Trump, commenting on social issues  such as same-sex marriage and abortion  has never seemed much of a priority. Indeed, throughout the campaign, Trump hardly discussed the topics. When asked about transgender bathroom access at a town hall in April 2016, Trump said people should be able to use whichever bathroom they choose. He then moved on from the question, offering little else. Now it appears his administration is set to wade into the controversy. Its a topic the conservative media loves to explore. Here are some of todays headlines: Return to normalcy: Trump readies reversal of transgender bathroom lunacy in public schools (Daily Caller) What will the Trump administration do about transgender bathroom access? The Caller highlights White House Press Secretary Sean Spicers pronouncement on the issue: This is a states rights issue and not one for the federal government, Spicer told reporters. The lunacy referred to is the federal guidance President Obama issued prior to leaving office directing schools that receive federal funding to allow transgender students to use restrooms and other facilities that match their gender identities. Several states filed suit to overturn the directive, and a federal judge issued a temporary injunction barring its enforcement, which remains in place. Several states, following the lead of North Carolina, are seeking to implement legislation that bans transgender people from using the bathrooms of the gender with which they identify. 66 percent of Trump voters change the channel when awards shows get too political (Daily Caller) When Meryl Streep criticized President Trump last month in her Golden Globes speech, he replied quickly. Meryl Streep, one of the most over-rated actresses in Hollywood, doesnt know me but attacked last night at the Golden Globes, Trump tweeted. Well, Trump can probably expect more barbs as actors (in overwhelmingly liberal Hollywood) take the stage at the Oscars on Sunday. Lots of Trump voters can be expected to change the channel, according to this piece, which highlights a new poll on the subject. The Hollywood Reporter says that 66% of Trump voters said they have stopped watching an awards show because a celebrity started talking about politics while accepting an award. By contrast, only 19% of Hillary Clintons supporters have done so. Trump talks tolerance, decries anti-Semitism, but media remain skeptical (Fox News) Well, Trump finally did say something to condemn the anti-Semitic vandalism and threats that have taken place since his presidential victory. Anti-Semitism is horrible, Trump said in an interview with MSNBC on Tuesday. In the Fox News piece, Howard Kurtz argues the media should give the president more credit for speaking out. I always think its unfair to blame a political leader for violence or vandalism carried out by people who support him, he writes. I felt the same way about critics who blamed Barack Obama for urban riots or shootings of police officers. Facebook

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Among Republicans, Trump is more popular than congressional leaders By David Lauter Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) walk together. (Matt Rourke / Associated Press) Amid strain between the Trump administration and the Republican-controlled Congress, the White House holds the high ground, a new survey indicates. Among Republicans, President Trump has greater popularity than the partys congressional leaders. Asked specifically who they would trust if the two sides disagreed, most Republicans chose Trump over their partys leadership. The findings, from a new survey by the nonpartisan Pew Research Center underscore Trumps continued sway with the Republican congressional majority. Although the president has historically low job approval ratings among the public at large, he remains highly popular among Republican partisans and in Republican districts. As for Democrats, theyre strongly in an oppositional mood. Asked if they were more worried that Democrats in Congress would go too far in opposing Trump or not go far enough, more than 70% of Democrats said they feared their party would not go far enough. Only 20% said they worried the party would go too far. Republicans in Congress have eyed Trump warily on several fronts. His positions on trade and entitlement reform break with years of the partys positions. His reluctance to criticize Russian President Vladimir Putin has generated tension. And the administrations lack of clarity on healthcare and tax policy have Republican leaders guessing which way to turn on major issues. But Republican partisans have fewer reservations than their elected representatives. Eighty-six percent to 13%, those who identify as Republicans or as independents who lean Republican have a favorable view of Trump, the Pew survey found. By comparison, 57% have a favorable view of Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader, with 22% unfavorable and 21% having no opinion. House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin is slightly better known, with 65% of Republicans holding a favorable view, 23% an unfavorable view and 13% having no opinion. Asked who they would trust if the two sides disagreed, 52% of Republicans said they would side with Trump and 34% with the Republicans in Congress. Republicans younger than 40 were the only major exception; 52% to 36%, they said they would side with Congress. At the same time, Republican partisans now have a warmer opinion of their party leadership than they had during most of President Obamas tenure. Republicans' approval of their congressional leaders has more than doubled since 2015 https://t.co/KSo1hRMhJj pic.twitter.com/WHTHxCNEFq  Pew Research Center (@pewresearch) February 22, 2017 During the Obama years, GOP partisans tended to be frustrated that their side could not reverse the presidents initiatives, even with a majority in the House, starting in 2010, and then in the Senate for Obamas last two years. Their view of the GOP leadership has rebounded strongly since the election. Democrats view of their congressional leadership has been more stable. And both sides widely dislike the other partys leaders. Facebook

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Supreme Court rejects use of racial stereotypes in death penalty cases By David Savage The Supreme Court rejected the use of racial stereotypes in death penalty cases Wednesday, reopening the case of a black man in Texas who was sentenced to die after his jury was told African Americans are more likely than whites to commit crimes. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. said this testimony had no place in a sentencing hearing and appealed to the racial stereotype that black men are prone to violence. Our laws punish people for what they do, not for who they are, the chief justice said in the courtroom. The 6-2 decision faults Texas authorities for refusing to give a new sentencing hearing to Duane Buck, a Houston man who was convicted of shooting and killing his ex-girlfriend and seriously injuring her new boyfriend in 1995. Buck was found guilty of murder, but when his jury was debating his fate, his court-appointed defense attorney put on the witness stand an expert who cited statistics showing blacks are more likely to commit future crimes than whites. After hearing this testimony, the jury decided to sentence Buck to death. Years later, Texas state attorneys set aside the death sentences for six other black defendants whose juries heard similar testimony, but they refused to reopen Bucks case. In Buck vs. Davis, the high court said that was a mistake. The jury was deciding the question of life or death, and this is no place for the introduction of a particularly noxious strain of racial prejudice, Roberts said. The court sent the case back to judges in Texas to reconsider the death sentence. Justice Clarence Thomas dissented, along with Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. Thomas said Buck was properly sentenced to die for a brutal murder, and he insisted the court should not have heard the case for procedural reasons. Having settled on a desired outcome, the court bulldozes procedural obstacles and misapplies settled law to justify it, he wrote. Facebook

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At Rep. Tony Cardenas town hall, Democrats worry about what Donald Trump may do By Kurtis Lee (Kurtis Lee/Los Angeles Times ) They arrived with soggy jackets, hats and umbrellas. The topic was supposed to be the Affordable Care Act. But many who attended Democratic Rep. Tony Cardenas town hall meeting Tuesday night in a crammed auditorium at the Cesar E. Chavez Learning Academies came with a question: What can we -- as Democrats -- do to help you? Show up and vote, said Cardenas, who represents a slice of the staunchly liberal San Fernando Valley. (Hillary Clinton defeated Donald Trump in this district by nearly 60-percentage points in the fall election.) Sign people up, get people involved, he said. At times the meeting had the feel of a therapy session for Democrats, wondering aloud how to function under a Trump administration. Where is the anger among Democrats? asked one man. I want to see more anger. Cardenas, standing at a lectern on an elevated stage, offered a stern look and nodded in agreement as rain could be heard splattering on the roof above. The complaints included Republicans efforts to repeal Obamacare and Trumps new immigration mandates. Trust me, Im pissed. Im upset, Cardenas said. But we have to act constructively. We have to be responsible. Last month, Trump signed executive orders directing the Department of Homeland Security to prioritize the removal of people in the U.S. illegally who have criminal convictions. In addition to speeding up the deportation of convicts, Trumps orders also call for quick removal of people in the country illegally who are charged with crimes and waiting for adjudication. And in recent days, a handful of people who have received protection under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) have been arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents nationwide. Cardenas said that for him, the issue is personal. His parents were immigrants from Mexico, who lived in the San Fernando Valley for decades, raising 11 children, he said. Today his district is nearly 70% Latino. Im going to fight for you, he said. Im going to fight for the people who are my immigrant father. When a young man, a DACA recipient, asked him, via Twitter, if hell be safe in the weeks ahead, Cardenas seemed at a loss. I pray that [Trump] doesnt go after you, he said. Facebook

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Killing with kindness, GOPs McClintock faces down hostile questioners as town hall goes into overti
Guess what? It did get better for gay, lesbian and bisexual high schoolers when the states they were growing up in changed their laws to allow same-sex marriage, a new study finds.

More specifically, in a 16-year period during which changes in state marriage laws were sweeping the nation, states that adopted laws allowing same-sex marriage saw an immediate decline in suicide attempts by gay, lesbian and bisexual high school students  a group in which attempted suicide is two to seven times more common than among their heterosexual peers.

In the year following any states adoption of marriage equality, rates of attempted suicide among such high schoolers in that state fell 14% below that groups rate of suicide attempts in states that had not changed their policies on gay marriage.

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In short, the research suggests, the effect of state marriage equality laws passed between 1999 and 2015 extended far beyond gay men and lesbians intent on marrying: For high schoolers coming to terms with their sexual minority status, their states adoption of a marriage equality law appeared to ease a stigma that drives many to consider suicide.

All told, the researchers estimated, from 1999 to 2015, same-sex marriage policies would be associated each year with 134,000 fewer adolescents attempting suicide.

Between 1999 and 2015, when marriage equality became the law of the land, 32 states adopted laws allowing same-sex couples to wed. The new research, published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics, is the first to explore how that rapid social and legal change affected the psychological health of gay, lesbian and bisexual high school students.

To do so, public health researchers from Johns Hopkins University and Harvard University scoured a database of close to 763,000 high school students who regularly participated in a health survey of American young people between 1999 and 2015.

By scouring behavioral trends in a very large and diverse population of youths, their study aimed to detect changes within a very understudied population of a very understudied phenomenon. Rates of attempted suicide among gay, lesbian and bisexual youths are difficult to capture not only because they deal with suicide attempts  behavior that often goes unacknowledged  but because the behavior of interest happens in a group that constitutes a stigmatized minority.

To link those youths patterns of suicidal behavior with a change in state laws was even more complicated. Changes in marriage equality laws hopscotched across states that had widely disparate patterns of suicide, and of factors that are linked to suicide, such as poverty, joblessness and substance abuse. Researchers conducted several statistical tests allowing them to compare, apples to apples, rates of attempted suicide in one state in the year following a change in law with attempted suicide rates in states that had not adopted marriage equality.

In the study, 12.7% of students identified themselves as belonging to a sexual minority: 2.3% identified themselves as gay or lesbian, 6.4% as bisexual and 4% as unsure of their sexual orientation. Among all high school students surveyed, 8.6% reported they had attempted suicide at least once. The rate of past suicide attempts was much higher  28.5%  among those identifying themselves as gay, lesbian, bisexual or unsure of their sexual orientation.

In an editorial published alongside the study, Columbia University public health specialist Mark L. Hatzenbuehler acknowledges that no single factor can fully explain a complex behavior such as suicide. But the new study, he wrote, suggests that structural stigma  in the form of state laws  represents a potentially consequential but thus far largely overlooked factor underlying suicidal behavior in young people who are gay, lesbian or bisexual.

Because suicide prevention programs have done little to reduce suicides in this vulnerable population, the social acceptance conveyed by changes in law appears to be uniquely powerful.

melissa.healy@latimes.com

@LATMelissaHealy

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One late-winter evening three years ago, Lt. Col. Mostafa Hilali switched off the light at his office in the Dutch defense department, drove home to his townhouse near the banks of the North Sea, and flipped on the TV.

On the news was footage of a political rally where the leader of Hollands far-right Freedom Party, Geert Wilders, stepped up to the microphone and asked his supporters: Do you want more or fewer Moroccans in this country?

The mostly white, Christian crowd chanted with fervor: Fewer, fewer, fewer!

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Well Ill arrange for that then, Wilders retorted with a smirk. The crowd cheered.

Hilalis heart sank.

Thats when it hit home for me, Hilali, a Dutchman of Moroccan descent who immigrated to the Netherlands with his parents when he was a toddler, said at his home in The Hague. I mean, a politician, somebody in our House of Representatives, is actually on television saying out loud there need to be less people of your kind. Its pretty brutal to say, and pretty brutal to hear.

Hilali and his native Dutch wife were among more than 5,000 plaintiffs who brought a class-action lawsuit against Wilders for discrimination, for his comments at that March 2014 rally. Last December, they won. A Dutch court found Wilders guilty of inciting discrimination and insulting an ethnic group, but issued no punishment.

Wilders has since surged to the top of the polls ahead of the nations parliamentary elections March 15. He appears unlikely to become prime minister because most rival parties have ruled out joining a government coalition with him as its head, but he could become a kingmaker.

The 53-year-old politician, whose mothers family is originally from Indonesia, the worlds largest Muslim country and a former Dutch colony, promises to restore Holland to its white, Christian roots.

He wants to ban the Koran, which he has likened to Adolf Hitlers Mein Kampf, shut all mosques, and pull the Netherlands out of the European Union. Hes an isolationist. He wants to halt all foreign aid.

Hes been a fixture in the Dutch parliament, with his signature platinum blond streaked hair and far-right views, since first elected to the body in 1998. But Wilders message has resonated in recent years with a growing number of voters in a country where a perceived loss of national identity due to immigration is a much greater concern than unemployment.

Since 2010, Wilders has won politician of the year four times, in a poll conducted by a popular Dutch TV program.

Wilders compares himself to Arab Spring activists whose grass-roots protest movement ousted leaders from power in the Middle East in recent years.

Im a patriot, and I believe theres a Patriotic Spring going on in the world today, in the Western world. Donald Trump did the job in America, and I hope that here in Europe, we will see a patriotic spring in Holland but also in Germany, France  many other countries where parties like mine are getting stronger every day, Wilders said in a recent interview in the halls of the Dutch parliament.

The Netherlands sought workers from places like Morocco and Turkey when it faced a labor shortage in the 1960s and 1970s. The workers and their descendants, along with other immigrants from outside Europe, make up about 10% of the nations 17 million people. They have helped transform and diversify urban centers where they are concentrated, like gritty Rotterdam, home to Europes largest port.

Hilalis wife, Linda van Noorde, said her family has had ties to Rotterdam for generations.

You know, suddenly theres this huge mosque in front of your home. I get that people have a problem with that. Theyre not racist. Theyre coping with what to them is an extreme change, she said. Some Dutch people feel a genuine loss of identity. They yearn for simpler times.

Like the Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage in Britain, and the far-right National Front leader Marine Le Pen in France, Wilders has sought to capitalize on that sentiment.

Wilders, whose wife is from Hungary, blames German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her open-door policy in particular, for allowing millions of migrants and refugees fleeing war and poverty to enter Europe over the last two years. After a truck attack on a Christmas market in Berlin, for which Islamic State extremists claimed responsibility, Wilders tweeted a photoshopped image of Merkel with blood on her hands.

In the asylum stream, there were terrorists among them! Wilders said angrily in an interview. A lot of people from Islamic backgrounds dont have much in common with our freedom and Western values. So, you see, you get these terror attacks.

Wilders differs from other far-right leaders in Europe in that he supports gay marriage and legalized drugs and prostitution. He vows to protect liberal values that have come to be known as quintessentially Dutch, from an enemy that he says is Islam.

In the Netherlands, anti-Muslim sentiment reached a climax years before the current migration crisis prompted it elsewhere in Europe. In November 2004, the Dutch filmmaker Theo Van Gogh, whod made a film critical of Islam, was killed on an Amsterdam street by a Muslim extremist. The attacker, now serving a life sentence, pinned a note to Van Goghs body with a knife, threatening to kill others who dared offend Islam.

Van Goghs killing sent millions of Dutch out into the streets to rally for freedom of speech. At demonstrations nationwide, free speech advocates found themselves marching alongside critics of Islam, and even anti-Muslim politicians like Wilders. An unlikely alliance was formed.

Today, many Dutch who might not agree with Wilders harsh words against immigrants and Muslims nevertheless defend his right to say them.

I think the [discrimination] trial against Wilders was completely wrong. They shouldnt have done it. If anybody has a right to free speech, its him, said Gijs van de Westelaken, a Dutch filmmaker and colleague of the late Van Gogh. On the other hand, well, hes a politician! He exaggerates. And all of Europe is trying to mobilize the populist vote.

In 2008, Wilders made his own controversial film about Islam titled Fitna, an Arabic word for strife or sedition. The 17-minute short shows excerpts of the Koran, interspersed with footage of acts of violence by Muslims. No Dutch broadcaster would air it, and fellow Dutch politicians tried to ban it, before Wilders posted it online.

His anti-Muslim stance has earned him death threats, and Wilders is believed to live in safe houses. Hes surrounded by bodyguards even inside the Dutch parliament, where his office is on a separate, security-restricted floor away from other Dutch lawmakers.

His world obviously is a world of constant threat and fear, surrounded by bodyguards, said Van de Westelaken, who also briefly used a bodyguard after Van Goghs murder. It does strange things to you.

Born into a Catholic family in Venlo, near the German border, Wilders says he is no longer religious. He fell in love with Israel when he first traveled there as a young backpacker, and has returned dozens of times since then, praising the Jewish state and criticizing its Arab neighbors.

In early February, Wilders tweeted a photo of people with signs reading Islam will conquer Europe and supporting sharia, or Islamic law, for the Netherlands. Photoshopped into the image was the face of a rival politician, Alexander Pechtold, who leads the pro-European left-wing D66 party. Wilders tweet included a caption accusing Pechtold of demonstrating with terrorists.

Every day, every tweet is something you cant compare with other politicians or normal points of view, Pechtold said in an interview. Hes high in the polls, but in the coming weeks, I hope we can convince voters in the Netherlands that fear and lies and lack of facts come to a kind of mixture thats very aggressive, and very dangerous.

Frayer is a special correspondent.
Three months before presidential elections in Iran, it appears incumbent Hassan Rouhani will not fulfill a key pledge he made before winning office: to free opposition leaders held under house arrest since a 2009 crackdown.

The supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has rejected calls for national reconciliation, in effect guaranteeing that opposition leaders Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi  leaders of the Green Movement protests that followed the disputed 2009 presidential election  will remain under house arrest.

It was the latest setback to reformists who back the moderate Rouhani, who signed the historic nuclear agreement that improved Irans relations with the West, but is facing criticism from conservatives as the economy has failed to improve even as many international sanctions were lifted.

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Reformists had proposed the idea of reconciliation as a show of national solidarity in the face of the Trump administration, which has threatened to reconsider the nuclear deal and take a tougher line against the Islamic republic. It was floated by former reformist President Mohammad Khatami in a short statement this month before the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution that brought Irans theocracy to power.

But days later, Khamenei, who has the final say in all political matters in Iran, quashed the prospect by dismissing reconciliation as meaningless and arguing that Iranians were united.

Are people not on speaking terms with each other? Khamenei said in a speech televised nationally last week.

He went on to say that people will not reconcile with those who beat up the Basiji on Ashura  a reference to the view among hard-liners that Green Movement supporters sullied the Shiite Muslim holiday of Ashura in 2009 by taking to the streets, where they clashed with members of the state Basij militia.

News reports at the time suggested that it was the demonstrators, of whom several were killed and hundreds arrested, who bore the brunt of the violence.

Since the 2009 unrest, many educated Iranians and civil society leaders have pushed officials to release the protest leaders. Khameneis refusal showed how hard-liners have suppressed the hopes for greater political freedoms that accompanied Rouhanis election.

Ayatollah Khameneis rejection of national reconciliation is no surprise. It is in keeping with the unforgiving nature of Iranian politics and his character, said Ali Vaez, Iran analyst with the International Crisis Group.

Vaez noted that previous Iranian leaders placed under house arrest never reemerged  including Mohammad Mossadegh, ousted as prime minister in a CIA-backed coup in 1953, and Hossein-Ali Montazeri, a leader of the Islamic Revolution who was marginalized after a falling-out with Khamenei. Both died while under house arrest.

Khatami, who ran afoul of the conservative establishment when he backed the Green Movement leaders, has been the subject of a media blackout since 2015, with authorities ordering publications and television not to print his name or photo. His remarks on reconciliation were made in a short speech over the Telegram social messaging network, accessible to Iranians using proxy servers.

Khatami was also a key supporter of Rouhanis 2013 campaign.

As long as Ayatollah Khamenei lives, the door remains shut on Khatami and his close associates, Vaez said. They still have influence, but cannot regain power.

Nader Karimi Juni, a former political prisoner and analyst close to the reformist camp, said conservatives were unwilling to consider the release of Green Movement leaders until after the May 19 election so that Rouhanis supporters will not be able to use it in their campaign.

Rouhani is expected to vie for reelection, although the ultraconservative Guardian Council, which oversees the vote, has not released the list of candidates.

The push for reconciliation gathered urgency with the death last month of former President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, a powerful ally of reformists. One of the few establishment figures to push for greater social freedoms and better relations with the United States, Rafsanjani has left a void in Iranian politics and underscored, for some, the shortcomings of Rouhanis administration with his passing.

At state-sponsored services this month marking 40 days since his death, mourners said it was clearer than ever that Rafsanjanis leadership could not be replaced.

I liked him very much, Hasan Alizadeh, a 40-year-old electrician, said at a security checkpoint at the entrance to the mausoleum. He was a capable politician, but his protege, President Rouhani, is not running the country well. Unemployment is increasing and the peoples purchasing power is plunging.

Special correspondent Mostaghim reported from Tehran and Times staff writer Bengali from Mumbai, India.

shashank.bengali@latimes.com

Follow @SBengali on Twitter for more news from South Asia
Elor Azaria cracked a smile and his family broke out in song Tuesday moments after a military tribunal sentenced the Israeli soldier to 18 months in jail for killing a wounded Palestinian knife assailant last March in a case that has gripped national attention for nearly a year.

The decision comes a month and a half after the military court unanimously convicted Azaria of manslaughter, ruling that he had violated the militarys open-fire regulations when he shot the attacker, Abdel Fattah Sharif, in the head as Sharif was lying wounded on the ground and no longer a threat.

The politically charged case roiled Israels government, drove a rare wedge between Israeli public opinion  which is broadly sympathetic to Azaria  and the Israel Defense Forces top brass, and spurred international criticism of Israel. Outrage over the court-martial prompted death threats against Israels military chief of staff and led to the resignation of the defense minister.

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After the sentencing, Cabinet ministers called for Azaria to be pardoned.

Its true that the soldier made a grave mistake. But when a soldier makes a mistake, he is still our soldier, said Israeli Housing Minister Yoav Galant, who called for a pardon, speaking to Israeli reporters.

This was a traumatic case that divided Israel between left and right over something that hurts the IDF and the state of Israel. Its time to say: The army should come first, the country should come first. Lets let this soldier go home and remove the burden of all of the difficulties of Israeli from his shoulders, Galant said.

Relatives of Sharif denounced the sentence as too short.

My family rejects this. This verdict is wrong  Fathi Sharif, uncle of Abdel Fattah Sharif

My family rejects this. This verdict is wrong, said Fathi Sharif, an uncle. The judge made a mistake when she gave the soldiers only a year and a half in prison. Other people who do the same thing get 20 years in jail.

The sentence was substantially shorter than the prison term of three to five years requested by the military prosecution. The court also demoted Azaria, a sergeant at the time of the shooting, to the rank of private.

On Tuesday, the judges wrote that they took into consideration that the incident occurred in hostile territory  in the West Bank city of Hebron  in deciding on a minimal jail term. A manslaughter conviction carries a maximum 20 years in prison.

In convicting Azaria, the court ruled that the soldier acted because he believed Sharif deserved to die. The court rejected Azarias claim that he believed the assailant was about to carry out an attack.

The sentencing hearing was held in a courtroom inside Israels main military headquarters in Tel Aviv. After the chief judge, Col. Maya Heller, pronounced the sentence, Azarias family and supporters applauded and sang the Israeli national anthem.

Youre a hero! shouted Azarias father, Charlie. He embraced his son as family members and supporters in the courtroom continued to applaud. Azarias lawyers said they planned to appeal.

A senior official from the Palestine Liberation Organization called the sentence a travesty of justice. This sentencing demonstrates the active devaluation of human life, especially the lives of Palestinians who have been oppressed and held captive by an Israeli occupation for far too long, Hanan Ashrawi said in a statement.

In a video of the incident recorded by a Palestinian bystander and published by the Israeli human rights group BTselem, Azaria, a combat medic, was shown cocking an M-16 and walking deliberately in the direction of Sharif before opening fire. The shooting took place a few minutes after Sharif and a second Palestinian had attacked soldiers with knives.

Human rights activists welcomed Azarias court-martial but have complained it was a rare exception  that wider abuses in the occupied West Bank are never prosecuted. They have also accused Israeli right-wing politicians of inciting Azaria by encouraging the killing of Palestinians attackers amid waves of assaults carried out with knives, guns and automobiles in 2014 and 2015.

This case was exceptional in its indictment, Hassan Jabareen, director of the Israeli Arab human rights group Adalah, said in a statement. The case, however, was unexceptional in its minimal sentence.

The case revealed division within the Israeli government as well.

Former Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon and IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot said that Azaria had violated the militarys values. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Azarias family as a show of support.

The hearings of the court-martial received daily coverage in the Israeli media. A survey of Israeli Jews by the Israeli Democracy Institute last year indicated that nearly two-thirds believed Azaria acted properly.

Several hundred supporters outside the military base chanted, Death to terrorists, during the sentencing and called on the army to release Azaria as soon as possible.

Its a disgrace to the country, said Yael David, a 23-year-old social work student. He killed a terrorist. He didnt kill someone who was innocent. [Azaria] should be completely exonerated.

Israeli political commentators noted that the court was sympathetic to Azaria in the sentencing after handing down a harsh verdict.

The fact that there was even a jail sentence is a signal to the right that the state isnt going to wink and let this go by, said Dahlia Scheindlin, an Israeli American public opinion expert. Still, she said, the punishment also shows a court that didnt want to be seen as ruining Azarias life with a long prison term.

They were trying to walk a fine line, Scheindlin said.

Mitnick is a special correspondent.

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UPDATES:

2:50 p.m.: This article was updated with additional context and background.

8:45 a.m.: This article was updated throughout with Times reporting.

4:40 a.m.: This article was updated with additional background.

This story was originally posted at 2:55 a.m.
Frances far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen refused to don a headscarf for a meeting with Lebanons top Sunni Muslim cleric on Tuesday and walked away from the scheduled appointment after a brief squabble at the entrance.

Le Pen, who is on a three-day visit to Lebanon this week and has met senior officials, was to meet with the countrys grand mufti, Sheikh Abdel-Latif Derian.

Shortly after she arrived at his office, one of his aides handed her a white headscarf to put on. Following a discussion with his aides that lasted a few minutes, she refused and returned to her car.

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Le Pen has tried to raise her international profile and press her pro-Christian stance with her visit to Lebanon, a former French protectorate.

On Monday, she met with President Michel Aoun and Prime Minister Saad Hariri. She said Syrian President Bashar Assad was the most reassuring solution for France, adding that the best way to protect minority Christians is to eradicate the Islamic State group preying on them  not turn them into refugees.

Some Lebanese officials including, including Hariri, a Sunni, have taken umbrage at what is widely seen as her stigmatization of Muslims, who her followers claim are changing the Christian face of France. There also was apparent displeasure at her comments about Assad.

Christian right-wing leader Samir Geagea said after meeting with Le Pen on Tuesday that terrorism has no religion. He described Assad as the biggest terrorist in Syria and the region.

Walid Jumblatt, a leftist politician in Lebanon, tweeted on Tuesday that Le Pens statements in Lebanon were an insult toward the Lebanese people and Syrian people.

After walking away from the meeting with the grand mufti, Le Pen said she previously had told the clerics office that she would not wear a headscarf.

They didnt cancel the meeting, so I thought they would accept the fact that I wouldnt wear one, she said. They tried to impose it upon me.

The office of Lebanons mufti issued a statement saying that Le Pen was told in advance through one of her aides that she would have to put on a headscarf during the meeting with the mufti.

This is the protocol at the muftis office, the statement said. It said that the muftis aides tried to give her the headscarf and that Le Pen refused to take it.

The muftis office regrets this inappropriate behavior in such meetings, the statement said.

Le Pen said she had met in the past with Egypts Grand Sheikh of Azhar, the head of the Sunni worlds most prestigious learning institute, without wearing a headscarf. Photos of Le Pen with Ahmed Tayeb in 2015 in Cairo show her with the cleric with her hair uncovered.

Le Pens refusal on Tuesday to don a headscarf would be in line with her strong support for French secularism and a proposal in her presidential platform. French law bans headscarves in the public service and for high school pupils.

Le Pens proposal aims to extend a 2004 law banning headscarves and other ostentatious religious symbols in classrooms to all public spaces. While the 2004 law covers all religions, it is aimed at Muslims.

Later Tuesday, a small group of Lebanese protested in Beirut against Le Pens visit. One protester raised a drawing of Le Pen between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump, with Neo-fascists emblazoned underneath.
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NVIDIA GTX 1080 Ti Specs, Price, Release Date: Very Powerful GPU With 10GB Of GDDR Memory, See Details Here

staff@latinoshealth.com By Marnelle Joyce Feb 19, 2017 11:23 PM EST

The long-awaited GeForce GTX 1080 Ti of NVIDIA graphics card is set for release in March. The very recent report asserts that Taiwanese creators now started manufacturing the product in view of NVIDIA's forthcoming GP102 silicon.

The NVIDIA GTX 1080 Ti will yield the same performance as the company's flagship $1000 TITAN X yet at a cheaper price, Wccftech reported. The upcoming product is estimated to have a rate between $750 and $900 at launch.

Unlike the TITAN X, NVIDIA GTX 1080 Ti will be available not long after release. It is also speculated to arrive at some point between March 20 and March 23.

According to TechRadar, the NVIDIA GTX 1080 Ti is expected to rest between the GTX 1080 and the Titan X in terms of potency. Therefore, the cost will be likely somewhere close to those two cards, which is between $600 and $1,200 (500 and 1,100, AU$800 and AU$1,500)

That is moderately a wide range of price; it's not as economical as the GTX 1080 or as high-priced as the Titan X. Hence, it's really possible that the price almost reaches $850 (700, AU$1,100). Unfortunately NVIDIA GTX 1080 Ti is highly anticipated that it will arrive to be a pricey graphics card.

Reports, likewise, claimed that the NVIDIA GTX 1080 Ti will come more than the GTX 1080's 8GB but lower than the 12GB of Titan X. Furthermore, the card will sport 10GB of GDDR memory, which is considerably a heavy amount.

More than that, the NVIDIA GTX 1080 Ti is seeming to contain a base clock of 1503MHz with a boost to 1623MHz. The card is also said to come with 3,328 CUDA cores. It's a little bit similar to the Titan X's 3,584 cores and slightly farther to the GTX 1080's 2,560.

The graphics card is definitely assured to be an intensely powerful GPU. This is because NVIDIA is looking forward to producing a certainly 4K resolution at 60fps (frames per second) on a single GTX 1080 Ti.

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Disney's upcoming "Beauty and the Beast" is a live action adaptation of the classic cartoon movie. Emma Watson is cast as Belle and the latest trailer showcases her singing the iconic songs in the movie that are well-loved by many.

Before Emma Watson took on Belle for "Beauty and the Beast," she had initial misgivings about the role. E News reports that the "Harry Potter" actress was wary of the character's Stockholm syndrome allegations. Belle fell in love with the Beast after she offered herself in place of her father as the prisoner.

However, Emma Watson explains that Belle does not exhibit the Stockholm-syndrome traits. In the original "Beauty and the Beast" movie, she had her defiance and freedom to do what she wants and treats the Beast exactly how he deserves.

Additionally, Emma Watson also took a direct initiative with regards to the live-action "Beauty and the Beast" movie. She also had a hand in designing her costumes and the kind of career she gets to have in it. Most importantly, she wanted Belle to be a good role model for girls and women who will watch the movie.

Emma Watson explained that "Beauty and the Beast" live-action Belle will be compassionate and curious. She will remain independent without any biases for perceived stereotypes especially when she deals with personalities like the Beast.

True to being a feminist role model and being a responsible fashion icon in the real word, Emma Watson launched a new sustainable fashion Instagram. The account named The Press Tour showcases the many outfits of Emma Watson with pieces that are eco-friendly, according to Vogue.

The newly created Instagram account has now garnered thousands of followers. Just recently, Emma Watson posted a photo of her in an outfit for a press conference for Disney's live-action "Beauty and the Beast."
Former presidential secretary for public relations Ahn Bong-geun on Monday emerged from hiding to answer questions from the independent counsel over his involvement in the Cheong Wa Dae scandal.

Ahn (51), one of a trio of Cheong Wa Dae secretaries who apparently had unlimited access to President Park Geun-hye, was last questioned by prosecutors on Nov. 14 last year and then promptly went to ground.

He failed to testify in Park's impeachment trial three times because no subpoena could be delivered and was eventually struck off the roster of defense witnesses.

The independent counsel questioned Ahn over suspicions that Park was given repeated quack treatments from medical practitioners who skipped proper security checks, and about Park's whereabouts during the "missing seven hours" when she was nowhere to be found in the early stages of the sinking of the ferry Sewol on April 16, 2014.

The presidential office has claimed that Ahn saw Park in the flesh at her residence in the Cheong Wa Dae compound during those hours.

Meanwhile, the independent counsel has made no progress in attempts to question Park face-to-face because Cheong Wa Dae refuses to schedule an appointment.

Park had originally pledged to cooperate with the counsel, but she backed out of an appointment earlier this month and it now looks unlikely that she can be grilled before she is out of office one way or the other.


As Leicester City prepare to face Sevilla in the UEFA Champions League, forward Ahmed Musa underlined the value of playing in Europes platinum competition.

- Ahmed Musa hailed the experience of competing in the UEFA Champions League prior to Wednesdays game

- The Foxes travel to southern Spain to take on Sevilla in their last-16 first leg

- Musa says City will work hard to beat the current holders of the UEFA Europa League title

As Leicester City prepare to face Sevilla in the UEFA Champions League, forward underlined the value of playing in Europes platinum competition.

Having already performed brilliantly in the group stages, the Foxes face their toughest task yet against a highly-respected Sevilla side.

For Musa, competing against some of Europes elite outfits can only be positive for the Foxes, who according to the Nigeria international, head to southern Spain with the aim of beating Jorge Sampaolis men.

We are going there to do our best, Musa said ahead of the fixture. I think with the confidence we have with the boys at training ground, we are going to go there and play very well. If we can win there, I think the confidence will be back.

It is a very good experience. It is one of the tournaments people want to play in. For the group, we are happy to be in next round. We are working very hard to try to go there and win.

We have to focus on the Champions League because we know that is very important for the team.

You can keep up-to-date will all the latest ahead of Wednesdays encounter by checking out our .
A North Korean arrested in connection with the assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's half-brother Kim Jong-nam had been in Malaysia on a dodgy work visa since 2013.

The owner of Tombo Enterprise, a healthcare medication company that sponsored the visa, told reporters that Ri Jong-chol was not actually employed by the company but he "treated him as a businessman."

Sponsorship of work visas is common practice in several Southeast Asian countries to get around red tape.

Chong Ah Kow, the owner, told reporters he met Ri only five times since 2013, and his daughter always interpreted for him since he could not speak English. Chong described Ri as "polite and even-tempered."

One particular deal they discussed was importing North Korean health food and exporting Malaysian palm oil, but it fell through because they could not agree on the prices.

Chong showed reporters a text message Ri had sent earlier this month detailing expenses required to buy Malaysian palm oil. Ri was listed as an IT expert on Tombo's payroll but had no computer skills, Chong said. "I discovered he specialized in chemistry only after this incident."

Kim Jong-nam was killed when suspects sprayed an unknown poisonous liquid into his face at Kuala Lumpur International Airport last week, and there have been reports that Ri is a pharmaceutical chemist.

Tombo mostly imports health supplements from Hong Kong and employs only around a dozen workers. Chong said he helped about 10 other North Koreans get work visas in Malaysia out of "goodwill" and voiced distress at being the target of a police investigation.

Japan's Asahi Shimbun reported that Ri's role in the hit appears to have been to provide accommodation and transportation to the other North Korean operatives.

It added that Ri was not at the airport on the day of the assassination but contacted the other suspects.


The North Korean ambassador to Malaysia on Monday continued his grandstanding over the assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's half-brother Kim Jong-nam and subsequent investigation.

In a press conference in front of the embassy, Kang Chol blustered that his country "will categorically reject the result of the post-mortem" and accused Malaysian authorities of disregarding "elementary international laws and consular laws."

Embassy officials, apparently under massive pressure from their regime, have behaved increasingly erratically since Kim Jong-nam was killed at Kuala Lumpur International Airport last week.

The envoy's latest outburst came after Malaysian police on Sunday revealed the identities and CCTV pictures of five North Korean suspects in the killing, and after he had already been called in by the Malaysian Foreign Ministry for a drubbing over previous comments.

Kang also refused to accept that the victim was Kim Jong-nam. "We cannot trust the investigation by the Malaysian police," hsaid, echoing remarks at a press conference outside the morgue where Kim Jong-nam's body is stored. He said the victim had a passport in the name of Kim Chol and accused the Malaysian police of siding with South Korea to malign the North.

"It only increases the doubt that there could be someone else's hand behind the investigation," he said.

Kang reiterated his claim that Malaysian police initially told him that Kim had died of a heart attack on the way to hospital. Kang claimed Malaysian police are changing their stance as they are unable to find out the exact cause of death while demanding a DNA test with family members before handling the body over.


Samsung's Galaxy S8 smartphone, which will be unveiled next month, is expected to be priced at more than US$1,000 for some models.

SamMobile reported on Sunday that the price of the 5.7-inch Galaxy S8 will start at $950, while the 6.2-inch Galaxy S8 Plus will start at $1,050. The website cited a Ukrainian source for the leak. The devices are over $100 more expensive than their predecessors.

Industry insiders say the price rise reflects the inclusion of cutting-edge features such as an iris scanner and a curved screen.

"We are in talks with mobile carriers about prices, but nothing has been set yet," a Samsung staffer said.


Feb 20, 2017, 5:15pm ET

Audi diesel engineer implicates CEO Rupert Stadler, loses job

A German newspaper claims to have uncovered a PowerPoint presentation from 2007 detailing the emissions cheat strategy.

Audi has reportedly fired four top diesel engineers after one accused current CEO Rupert Stadler of playing a role in the diesel emissions scandal.

The allegations have surfaced in a labor court dispute, where lawyers representing Ulrich Weiss showed evidence that he was simply a 'pawn' in the scheme and Stadler knew of the illegal defeat device in 2012, according to a Handelsblatt report.

Weiss, formerly Audi's head of powertrain development, had been suspended in 2015 after the scandal came to light. He had remained on company payroll for more than a year, however, and was formally fired after the labor court allegations surfaced in German media reports.

A Spiegel report, meanwhile, claims to have uncovered an internal PowerPoint presentation detailing the diesel cheating strategy as far back as 2007. The slides allegedly argue in favor of a two-mode system to manage urea injection, allowing the emissions hardware to eliminate 90 percent of nitrogen oxides on a lab dyno but only remove "30-70 percent" during normal driving conditions.

Without the cheat, internal tests allegedly showed that the Volkswagen Touareg would have required an AdBlue (urea) refill every 1,243 miles -- far below the target duration of a top up during every scheduled service visit.

Weiss was one of four engineers reportedly fired as the scandal continues to evolve, but Audi has not yet signaled any intention to dismiss Stadler.
Feb 21, 2017, 2:51am ET

Chinese brand previews kerosene-electric supercar

Techrules\' first production car will debut at the Geneva Auto Show.

An ambitious Chinese startup named Techrules has announced plans to introduce the nation's very first supercar.

Called GT96, the model was previewed by a wildly futuristic concept that debuted at last year's Geneva Auto Show. The Beijing-based company hired renown Italian designer Giorgetto Giugiaro and his son, Fabrizio, to tweak the coupe's lines as it transitions from a concept to a production model.

Power will be provided by a decidedly science fiction-esque plug-in hybrid drivetrain made up of a micro turbine and six electric motors. In simple terms, the turbine charges the battery pack that zaps the motors -- two up front, four out back -- used to drive the wheels. The setup delivers 1,030 horsepower, enough to send the GT96 from zero to 62 mph in 2.5 seconds and on to a top speed that's electronically limited to 217 mph. The catch is that it burns aviation kerosene, according to British magazine Autocar.

A 2.5-second zero-to-60 sprint is impressive, but the car's other stats are downright jaw-dropping -- at least on paper. The GT96 boasts a driving range of roughly 1,242 miles, and it returns approximately 1,306 miles per gallon. And while it all sounds too good to be true, Beijing-based Techrules stresses that it has already started testing a fully-functional prototype on the Silverstone track in the United Kingdom.

The production version of Techrules' GT96 is scheduled to make its public debut next month at the Geneva Auto Show. It will be built in Turin, Italy, by L.M. Gianetti, and production will be limited to about 25 examples annually. Pricing information hasn't been announced yet.

The GT96 will not be a street-legal model -- at least not yet. It will debut as a track-only car, but a toned-down version of it that's compliant with safety and emissions regulations in most major markets will arrive in a few years' time.
Feb 20, 2017, 5:08pm ET

France's PSA could pay $2B for GM's Opel

The Opel brand might come with a $2 billion price tag.

General Motors and PSA Group have valued GM's Opel car unit at about $2 billion, a new report finds. GM announced last week that it was holding talks with PSA to sell off its Opel division.

Although a $2 billion valuation is being thrown around, that figure could change before an agreement is reached. Both sides are still weighing the value of brand rights, net savings and pension liabilities.

A solid figure could be reached quickly, however, as The Detroit News reports that PSA is eager to get a deal done by next Thursday. That's when the French automaker is set to announce full-year earnings.

The PSA-Opel deal seems to have momentum on its side, but there are still some hurdles to clear. For example, there are real concerns about PSA's ability to maintain production in the UK. Labor representatives are also working behind the scenes to ensure Opel production stays in Germany.

But after losing $9 billion in the European market since 2009, GM appears ready to deal Opel.

"What is pretty clear is that the negotiations with Peugeot are advanced and more concrete proposals are imminent, Len McCluskey, general secretary of Unite union that represents Vauxhall workers, told reporters. "We're not talking about months.
Feb 21, 2017, 9:45am ET

Jeep Wagoneer to be freed from sandy tomb after 40 years

An old Jeep Wagoneer will be removed from a collapsed garage after a 40-year slumber.

Just as Jeep is about to dust off its Wagoneer nameplate, an original Wagoneer is about to be dusted off and removed from a sandy garage where it has been entombed for the last 40 years.

For unknown reasons the Jeep Wagoneer was parked in the beachside garage in Ballston Beach, Massachusetts, sometime around 1977. Over the years shifting dunes encased the structure  which was built sometime before 1895 as a horse barn  eventually causing the roof to collapse, trapping the Jeep inside.

As the story goes, the town of Ballston Beach blocked the family from removing the Jeep over the years due to fears that the removal of sand would alter the landscape. However, the vehicle is now viewed as an environmental concern and has been scheduled for excavation this Friday.

The Jeep Wagoneer is believed to be extremely low mileage example as it was used exclusively to drive on the beach and has obviously been out of service for most of its life. However, after 40 years of exposure to the sea, the Wagoneer's owners aren't expecting too find a pristine Jeep within the rubble.

"It's probably going to fall apart like something out of Indiana Jones," Basil Musnuff, the son of the Jeep's owner, told the Cape Cod Times.

Little is known about the Jeep, but it's likely an early 1970s model that was originally white. Wagoneer values have been on the rise in recent years, but we suspect this example will be too far gone for any kind of restoration effort.
It has been a week since Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, was killed, but the exact cause of his death is still unknown.

Some forensic experts suspect the most old-fashioned of poisons, cyanide, in the crude assassination of Kim Jong-nam at Kuala Lumpur International Airport last week.

An initial post-mortem failed to identify the poison, but some experts cite the fact that Kim did not lose consciousness right after he was attacked and foamed at the mouth.

Kim was accosted by a woman at the airport who sprayed him with an unknown substance, but he was able to walk around for several minutes looking for help and explained the attack to airport staff.


Bethlehem City Councilwoman Olga Negron launched her re-election bid with a group of supporters last week.

Councilwoman Olga Negron is seeking a second term on Bethlehem City Council.

The 50-year-old Democrat is seeking a four-year term after being elected to finish out the unexpired term of former Councilwoman Karen Dolan, who resigned.

Four council seats are up for grabs this year.

Negron campaigned on increasing government transparency, and along with Councilman Michael Colon, recently introduced a city ethics ordinance that which would impose campaign contribution limits and create an independent ethics board.

A council committee meeting on the measure is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday.

The South Bethlehem resident is currently the community liaison for HGSK Law Firm and she serves on the board of the Community Action Committee of the Lehigh Valley.

Negron is the former vice chairwoman of the city planning commission. She's worked as a community organizer, executive director of nonprofits and as a legislative assistant for state Rep. Steve Samuelson.

A mother of three grown daughters, Negron moved to South Bethlehem in 1996 and still resides there, which often factors into her council votes.

She and council Vice President Adam Waldron were the only two council members to vote against backing the debt for the construction of a 626-space parking garage at Third and New streets. Negron urged for a comprehensive parking study of South Bethlehem and argued the deck did not fit in the surrounding neighborhood.

Negron joins Councilman Eric Evans and Bryan Callahan, who have already announced their re-election campaigns. Waldron has not announced his candidacy but he is expected to also run for another term.

The primary election is set for May 16.

Sara K. Satullo may be reached at ssatullo@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @sarasatullo and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
The Easton Area School Board will vote Tuesday to accept the resignation of board member Matt Monahon.

"I am moving due to personal reasons," the College Hill resident said in an email. "Since I will no longer be a resident of Easton, I must vacate my seat on the school board."

Monahon has served on the school board since 2013. In a pre-election story that year he described himself as a product manager of a multi-national company with young children in the school district.

School board President Frank Pintabone thanked Monahon for his service.

"He was a great advocate for the district," Pintabone said. "He was a great advocate for the people of College Hill. We're sorry to see him leave."

Easton Area School District Superintendent John Reinhart thanked Monahon for being an active school board member and "an outspoken advocate for good schools."

"He has responded on issues with a business perspective that has been valuable to all of us," Reinhart said in an email. " I will miss him, his passion for education and his great sense of humor."

Monahon was up for re-election this year. Whoever the school board appoints to replace him in the coming weeks will have to run for election this year to keep the seat.

Monahon is one of five candidates on the nine-member school board who is up for re-election. The Pennsylvania primary election will be May 16.

The candidates up for re-election are:

Region 1 (includes Palmer Township and a small portion of Easton)

Baron Vanderburg, the first block of Starlite Drive, Palmer Township.

Region 2 (includes most of Easton)

Michelle Price, 400 block of West Grant Street, Easton.

Robert Obey, 400 block of West St. Joseph Street, Easton.

Region 3 (includes Forks Township, Martins Creek section of Lower Mount Bethel Township and part of Easton)

Dominick Buscemi, 6700 block of Fairview Avenue, Lower Mount Bethel Township

Matt Monahon, 400 block of Brodhead Street, Easton

Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook.
A 24-year-old Easton man is charged in a scheme to rob a drug stash house in New York City.

A man who court papers identify as Carlos Welch was picked up about 3:30 p.m. last Wednesday at St. John and Milton streets on Easton's South Side.

City police Lt. Matthew Gerould said Easton officers assisted the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in making the arrest.

Welch lived in the 100 block of West Lincoln Street, Gerould said. He's being held as a federal prisoner in Lehigh County Jail awaiting extradition to New York, records show.

Federal authorities say Welch conspired with Antywan Mitchell, Joshua Padmore, Andre Shanks and Qualese Welch in a plan to use a gun to rip off five pounds of narcotics from a garage in Flushing, Queens.

Carlos Welch -- who is referred to in court papers as CC-1 (co-conspirator 1) because he wasn't arrested at the same time as the other four -- was in the drug house the afternoon of Feb. 7, the ATF said. In later court papers requesting an arrest warrant, the ATF said they connected Welch to the group via his phone.

Carlos Welch's phone and text conversations with Padmore were recorded by the ATF, according to court records.

They discussed the kind of drugs and the amount and at one point, Carlos Welch said he would have stolen them himself but a man at the location collects knives, the ATF said.

"He keep a little knife on his waist," Welch said, according to the transcript.

Carlos Welch provided Padmore with the address and said on the alleged recordings that he was going to stall the one or two people there by saying he needed to get money to make a purchase.

"I said I'll be back. Cause I don't got nothing on me. Feel me? I came straight from PA," Carlos Welch allegedly told Padmore.

The suspects spoke in code about "food," which the ATF agent-in-charge said means drugs.

At 8:44 p.m., Padmore and Carols Welch spoke again and Welch said he and another man were going into the house and he was going come out and show the others where the drugs were in the garage, the ATF said.

The house was under law enforcement surveillance, and when a Toyota Rav-4 carrying Padmore and the other three drove twice around the block, authorities pulled it over, the ATF said. Padmore was bent over in the front passenger seat, Mitchell was driving and Shanks and Qualese Welch were sitting in the back, according to the ATF.

Authorities found a loaded Charter Arms .44-caliber Special revolver in a brown leather holster protruding from under the front passenger seat, the ATF said.

All four of the men in the SUV were arrested on charges of robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery and unlawful possession of a firearm, the ATF said. Welch, who faces the same charges, remained free until his arrest in Easton.

Carlos Welch was on parole from a previous weapons possession violation, the ATF said. He was released June 4 from state prison in New York.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York is prosecuting.

Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Harley-Davidson eyes Lehigh Valley location

Motorcycle aficionados are in for a treat, if a Harley-Davidson dealer gets his way. The owner of Keystone Harley-Davidson wants to open a dealership off MacArthur Road in Whitehall Township. In this October 11, 2015, file photo, Harleys are among some of the motorcycles lined up on an Easton street for a breast cancer awareness fundraiser. (lehighvalleylive.com file photo)

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Attention bikers: The Harley-Davidson brand could be roaring back to the Lehigh Valley.

The owner of Keystone Harley-Davidson in Parryville, Carbon County, wants to relocate to a new 32,000-square-foot motorcycle dealership off MacArthur Road in Whitehall Township, with designs on opening in mid-2018.

Lehigh Valley Business first reported on the plans Monday.

Keystone Harley-Davidson owner and President Bob Eggstein told the business weekly he still needs final approvals from the brand's corporate office, but the project received preliminary final approval last week from the Whitehall Township planning commission.

It would be built at MacArthur and Eberhardt roads, next to a planned 37,000-square-foot Lidl grocery store that township commissioners granted final conditional approval last week.

Harley-Davidson hasn't had a presence in the Lehigh Valley since 2011, when Crossroads Harley-Davidson on Route 309 in Upper Saucon Township closed. An Indian motorcycle dealership went in there in 2015.

The nearest Harley dealership to the Easton area now is Pocono Mountain Harley-Davidson off Route 33 in Snydersville, Monroe County.

"It's a huge opportunity for the brand," Eggstein told Lehigh Valley Business. "For the Harley brand to come back to the Valley is big news. Our brand is a very community-oriented brand, as well."

The Harley dealership in Parryville has 27 employees and Eggstein said he could possibly add 15 more jobs once the Whitehall location opens. He hasn't ruled out keeping the Carbon County spot open, too.

He told Lehigh Valley Business that the start of construction in Whitehall is tied to the Lidl project because the German grocery chain is helping with financing for improvements at the MacArthur Road intersection.

Jim Deegan may be reached at jdeegan@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @jim_deegan. Find lehighvalleylive on Facebook.
Mitsubishi wheel thieves nabbed at dealership, police say

A 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander SE is seen during a Feb. 11, 2016, preview of the Greater Lehigh Valley Auto Show in Bethlehem. Emmaus police say they took two adults and one juvenile into custody early Monday, Feb. 20, 2017, in the theft of wheels and rims from three Outlander and two Mitsubishi Lancer models at Kelly Mitsubishi, 437 E. Main St. in the borough. (Lehighvalleylive.com file photo)

Emmaus police say they nabbed two adults and a juvenile in a Penske truck loaded with tires and rims stolen from an automobile dealership.

An officer pulled in about 12:15 a.m. Monday to the rear of the Kelly Mitsubishi lot at 437 E. Main St. in the borough after seeing the rental box truck enter the property, according to court records.

Officer Kevin Schmidt spotted the truck with several figures out on foot in an overflow lot for new Mitsubishi models, police said.

As police approached, the individuals quickly got into the truck and tried to leave, striking a 2017 Mitsubishi Outlander belonging to Kelly Auto Group, records say.

Schmidt took into custody the juvenile driver; Christopher Zeigler, 38, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania; and Daniel Harrison, also 38, from Pottstown, Pennsylvania.

Investigators found three Outlander and two Mitsubishi Lancer models with their tires and rims removed, and the vehicles resting on blocks of 4-by-6-inch lumber, according to police.

In the back of the Penske truck, police said they found five rows of four tires stacked, totaling 20 tires and rims valued at more than $6,000, that had been removed from the vehicles. Police also found tools, including a car jack and lug wrench, and more of the lumber, cut to lengths similar to those placed under the five vehicles, according to court records.

An executive with Kelly Auto Group told investigators no one had permission to be on the lot at that time or to remove the vehicles' tires and rims, police said.

Zeigler and Harrison were both arraigned before District Judge Jacob Hammond on charges of attempted theft, possession of instruments of crime and criminal trespass. Both were sent to Lehigh County Jail in lieu of $20,000 bail each. Harrison was later freed on bond.

The two face preliminary hearings tentatively scheduled Feb. 27 before Hammond.

Court records do not indicate whether charges were filed against the juvenile.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
By Pamela Sroka-Holzmann | For lehighvalleylive.com

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Pennsylvania law enforcement needs your help in catching some of the state's most wanted criminals.

The longest case includes a man wanted on homicide and related charges after the remains of a 13-year-old Brooklyn runaway were found August 1996 in a vault in an Easton Cemetery. The most recent case is a sexual assault in 2014.

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Suspects on the loose

In some cases, the suspects are believed to still be living in close proximity to their hometowns while others are known to congregate elsewhere or possibly left the country.

Crimes run the gamut from alleged homicide to rape and sex assault to armed robbery and burglary.

Those with information are urged to call the Pennsylvania State Police fugitive tip line at 888-292-1919 or TIPS@PA.gov

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Stanley "Wildman" Obas

Last known address: There have been rumors of him in Toronto, New York, Arkansas and even the Lehigh Valley over the years.



Age: 39



Description: Black, 5 feet, 10 inches in height, has black hair and brown eyes, as well as scars on his left thigh and left arm.



When crime occurred: Aug. 10, 1996



What we know about the crime: Obas is wanted in the murder investigation of Richezza Williams, a 13-year-old runaway from Brooklyn, N.Y. Police discovered Williams' remains Aug. 10, 1996 in a vault in Easton Cemetery after she had been tortured and mutilated. Police say he and two other men held the girl in a Bushkill Street basement for days and tortured her with a corkscrew, coat hanger, kitchen chemicals and turkey baster. Obas' two co-defendants are serving life-without-parole sentences for the killing.

Charges: Homicide. But if Obas is found, Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli has said it'll be hard to prosecute him due to a key witness being now deceased.



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Mark Kutnyak

Last known address: Pipersville, Bucks County



Age: 59



Description: White, 5 feet, 9 inches tall; 190 pounds; gray hair and brown eyes; has a surgical scar on his chest and an eagle tattoo on his chest.



When crime occurred: 2013



What we know about the crime: Kutnyak is wanted out of Bucks County for absconding Megan's Law since 2013.

Charges: He was convicted of aggravated indecent assault and wanted for absconding Megan's Law.

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Kevin "Big Kev" Jay Purnell

Last known address: New Castle, Del. and he is known to frequent the Coatesville, Chester County area



Age: 45



Description: Black; 6 feet, 2 inches tall; 270 pounds; black hair and brown eyes.

When crime occurred: 1999



What we know about the crime: A 7-year-old girl allegedly was sexually assaulted by Purnell in Coatesville, Chester County.

Charges:. Rape, indecent assault and corruption of a minor.



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Michael Edward Akerly

Last known address: Erie City, Erie County and seen in Wattsburg, Erie County; Chauauqua, N.Y. (possibly hiding in Amish community), and North Carolina. He is known to frequent music stores and recording studios.



Age: 57



Description: White; 6 feet, 4 inches tall; 190 pounds; brown hair and blue eyes; has a scar on right leg.



When crime occurred: Feb. 4, 1998



What we know about the crime: Pennsylvania State Police said Akerly met a female victim at a tavern in Erie, Erie County. He then asked the victim to return to his home in an old warehouse in Erie. Once inside, police said Akerly became violent with the victim and beat her in the head, face and body. Akerly was arrested and charged, but failed to appear for court.

Charges: Rape and aggravated indecent assault in Erie. He also has a federal arrest warrant for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.

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James "Tooch" Garland Watts

Last known address: Clairton, Allegheny County, known to frequent the Hill District.



Age: 51



Description: Black; 5 feet, 7 inches in height; 160 pounds; black hair and brown eyes.



When crime occurred: March 23, 2008



What we know about the crime: Watts is accused of shooting David Lee, 54, and Shawnta Lee, 40, in their home in Clairton. Police called the crime a home invasion and attempted robbery in a WTAE-4 Pittsburgh report. David Lee reported to police Watts entered the home, claiming he wanted a job in Lee's construction business. He then chased Shawnta Lee into a bathroom where he broke down the door and shot her. Shawnta Lee died in the shooting and her husband was critically injured, according to the report.

Charges: Homicide and attempted homicide

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Gerado Cruz-Hernandez

Last known address: Norristown, Montgomery County; believed to have since fled to Mexico



Age: Has used ages 34 and 30



Description: Hispanic; 5 feet, 11 inches in height; 200 pounds; black hair and brown eyes; tattoo on left arm.



When crime occurred: 2011 to 2014



What we know about the crime: He is wanted for the alleged sex assault of a female victim while she was between the ages of 12 to 15 in Norristown.



Charges: Multiple counts of rape, statutory sex assault, deviate sexual intercourse, unlawful contact with a minor, indecent assault, simple assault and related charges.



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Angel Colon

Last known address: Hazleton, Pa, has ties to Dominican Republic



Age: Unknown



Description: 5 feet, 6 inches in height; 170 pounds; black hair and brown eyes.



When crime occurred: 2001



What we know about the crime: Wanted in the rape of a 10-year-old girl in Hazleton.



Charges: Rape and related charges



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Pedro Adan Blanco

Last known address: Thorndale, Chester County



Age: 29



Description: Hispanic; 5, feet, 4 inches tall, 130 pounds, has a small build, brown eyes and black hair.



When crime occurred: 2014



What we know about the crime: A sex assault took place sometime in 2014 in Caln Township, Chester County.



Charges: Rape and sexual assault



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Richard Owen Brown

Last known address: Willistown Township, Chester County



Age: 27



Description: Black; 5 feet, 10 inches in height, 175 pounds, has a medium build, black hair and brown eyes. He also has tattoos on his left forearm, right bicep and chest.

When crime occurred: 2011



What we know about the crime: Police believe Brown was involved in an armed home invasion in Willistown Township.



Charges: Armed robbery, burglary and making terroristic threats



Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
A New Jersey schools superintendent apologized to parents for a recent high school lunch menu that served fried chicken to celebrate Black History Month.

The Feb. 16 lunch menu at Hopewell Valley Central High School in Mercer County also listed corn bread, sweet potato casserole, sauteed spinach, mac & cheese and peach and apple crisps.

Provided photo.

It's not clear who complained about the menu.

"The decision to include these items without any context or explanation, reinforces racial stereotypes and is not consistent with our district mission and efforts to improve cultural competency among our students and staff," Superintendent Thomas A. Smith wrote in a message to the high school community.

Smith wrote that district's food service vendor, Pomptonian, had apologized to the district and they are meeting with the company "to reinforce our district values."

Smith could not be reached for comment Monday. Schools were closed.

Pomptonian Vice President Cathy Penna said one of their directors - based at the school - worked closely with the high school on creating a menu event to celebrate Black History Month.

"The suggestion was to do something to celebrate soul food," Penna said in an email. The company tries to offer a diverse menu respecting different cultures, she wrote.

"Pomptonian deeply regrets that, out of context, this menu may have been perceived by individuals as insensitive or in poor taste," Penna said. "The director at this location never intended to do anything that would offend anyone and deeply regrets the decision and understands that it could have been taken out of context."

The family-owned company, based in Fairfield and in business over 50 years, says they provide meals to more than 350 schools across the state.

The high school has about 1,200 students, of which 82 percent are white, 10 percent Asian, 3.8 percent black and 3.6 percent Hispanic, records show.

Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@kevintshea. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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A memorial is placed by family members Monday, Feb. 20, 2017 in memory of brothers Leroy Kinsey and Richard Walton. The pair were killed Sunday in a robbery, police said. (Pennlive.com photo)

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Neighbors in a Lancaster community where two disabled men were stabbed to death recalled the brothers as "decent guys," according to reports.

A memorial for Leroy Kinsey, 61, and Richard Walton, 62, was left by relatives following the slayings Sunday, with signs on the door saying, "R.I.P. Uncle Leroy and Uncle Richard" and "We love you," according to pennlive.com.

Juan Cristo-Munoz Jr., 19, and Joshua Proper, 18, both of Lancaster, are accused of breaking into the home in the 600 block of Poplar Street around 1 a.m. and killing the pair. Police believe the suspects entered through a first-floor window, demanded cash and then repeatedly stabbed the victims.

The suspects were found in the basement and were arrested. A caretaker in the apartment escaped and called 911.

Both Walton and Kinsley were covered in blood and had sustained apparent trauma from stab wounds, pennlive.com reported.

Neighbors told ABC-27 News they heard screaming during the invasion. Cristo-Munoz used a sword in the attack, the TV news station reported.

Neighbor Gene Groff told pennlive that Walton was a big-hearted veteran who "deserved better."

Family members told lancasteronline.com about the struggles the brothers had, suffering each from disabilities. Walton had a prosthetic leg and used a wheelchair to get around while Kinsey had a stroke recently and suffered from back pain, the news site reported.

"These are my son in laws' uncles!! They wouldn't of hurt a fly!! One was in a wheelchair and the other one used a walker. Please keep Randy L. Walton and his family in your prayers," Robin Sue Murphy Kahn said in a Facebook post.

Cristo-Munoz and Proper each are charged with two counts of criminal homicide, one count of burglary, one count of criminal conspiracy to commit burglary and two counts of robbery. Both were sent to Lancaster County Prison without bail.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
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Workers attend to natural gas drilling operations in Pennsylvania.

(AP File Photo)

"No fracking" has been the rule for the last seven years in the Delaware River watershed, even though parts of the drainage area run through the natural gas-rich Marcellus Shale formation.

The Delaware River Basin Commission, which oversees the watershed as part of a four-state compact to protect water supplies, issued a moratorium on gas drilling in 2010, saying it needed time to consider regulations governing natural gas development. The area most affected is the northeast corner of Pennsylvania, which -- unlike north central and western parts of the state -- has been off-limits to drilling. New York has a statewide ban on fracking.

The moratorium is being challenged in the courts. The Wayne Land and Mineral Group sued the DRBC to lift the restriction; environmental groups have sought to join the lawsuit in opposition.

Now, however, something might be shaking at the DRBC. Although the agency remains tight-lipped about any change in status, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection officials met with the commission recently to talk about draft regulations for drilling in the watershed. When the Associated Press asked for clarification, a DRBC official referred to the long-standing statement on its website: "There is no time frame for when the draft regulations will again come up for a vote."

Environmentalists, who believe fracking should be banned to protect the river habitat and drinking water for 15 million people, are concerned about a possible authorization of drilling and a lack of transparency about the process. Landowners and energy companies argue that fracking is being done without polluting watersheds in other areas of Pennsylvania.

What do you think? Should the DRBC allow gas drilling in the Delaware River watershed, or keep a tight lid on it? Have a say in our unscientific poll, and feel free to join the conversation in the comments section.
Police say an 83-year-old driver crossed into the opposite travel lane and collided with a pickup truck along Brass Castle Road in Washington Township, Warren County.

Elmer Kollar, of Washington, just before 6:30 p.m. was southbound with his wife in a BMW when for anknown reason he crossed into the northbound lane and struck a GMC pickup truck driven by Robert Fuller, 47, of Oxford. The pickup then rolled onto its side, said police Lt. John Kaufmann.

Kaufmann said the crash remains under investigation and these are preliminary findings of what occurred.

The Kollars were not injured. Fuller and his two children, both under age 10, were taken by ambulance to Hackettstown Medical Center. Injuries were minor, Kaufmann said.

Brass Castle Road was shut between Harmony Brass Castle and Little Philadelphia roads during the crash. No one has been charged yet in the accident.

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Kim Jong-nam was a regular customer at a Korean restaurant in Kuala Lumpur's busy Bukit Bintang district, its owner claims.

Koryowon is run by a South Korean named Alex Hwang, a long-term expatriate who now tells the press he helped South Korean authorities spy on Kim.

"South Korean intelligence asked me in 2014 to collect plates, spoons and cups he'd used, put them in a vinyl bag and hand them over to the South Korean embassy," Hwang told the Chosun Ilbo on Monday.

The aim, he says, was to collect Kim's fingerprints and DNA samples. "A lot of South Koreans here, including myself, live in fear of possible reprisals," Hwang said. Kim, he says, came to eat at his restaurant eight times from 2012 until the middle of 2014. He usually came with his second wife Ri Hye-kyong.

Since 2013, Hwang contacted embassy officials each time he visited. "Embassy officials or intelligence agents came several times and watched him secretly from a distance," Hwang said.

The plot thickens. In 2013, Hwang was asked by intelligence officials to take a photo of him eating, so Hwang checked the CCTV footage after every visit -- only to find no records.

"Perhaps the bodyguards had special equipment that interfered with the CCTV or perhaps somebody erased the footage, I don't know," he said.

Hwang claims he last saw Kim around the middle of 2014. When Kim finished paying for his meal, Hwang said he approached him and asked, "Why don't you consider going to South Korea now that Jang Song-taek has been executed and the atmosphere is quite tense?" Kim stopped as he was leaving the restaurant, turned around and smiled.

"Some media reported that I was close friends with Kim, but that isn't true," Hwang said. "I was quite nervous and tense each time he came."

Experts here say there is no equipment available that can make people invisible to surveillance cameras.


There were violent scenes in Mountmellick yesterday when gardai came under attack from rocks and other weapons as they swooped on what is supected to have been an organised gang operating out of the Laois town.

Gardai swooped on a house in the Silverbrook area of Mountmellick at around 1pm Monday after getting search warrant under the theft and fraud offences act at Portlaoise District Court.

When they arrived, gardai were immediately confronted by up to 10 adults and juveniles. A Garda spokesperson told the Leinster Express that the police were met with 'severe resistance' as they arrived to carry out the search.

Gardai are believed to have come under attack with a hail of rocks and other missiles. As a result reinforcements were called from Portlaoise and Portarlington. These included members of the mobile armed response unit.

Gardai eventually got the situation under control and entered the house. During a search they discovered up to 15,000 worth of electrical tools and other items. Because of the the extent of the haul, Gardai were still cataloging what they seized on Tuesday afternoon. Some of the items have already been traced back to a suspected burglary in Dublin.

One man, aged 20 and a male juvenile, were arrested at the scene. The were brought to Portlaoise Garda Station but were later released without charge.

Garda say a file is bein prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions in relation to the man ahead of possible charges. The juvenile will be processed through the national Juvenile Liason Office.

Garda are still investigating the incident and further arrests are likely.
Patrick Delaney - Borris-in-Ossory

The death took place on Monday, February 20 of Patrick (Paddy) Delaney of Skeirke, Borris-in-Ossory.



Peacefully, at the Midlands Regional Hospital, Portlaoise. Deeply regretted by his brother John, sister Alice, sisters-in-law, niece, nephews, relatives, neighbours and friends.

Reposing at Guilfoyle's Funeral Home, Castletown, Mountrath this Tuesday evening from 7pm with rosary in the Funeral Home at 9pm this Tuesday evening. Removal on Wednesday evening at 6.30pm to St. Canice's Church, Borris in Ossory arriving at 7pm. Funeral Mass on Thursday morning at 11am with burial immediately afterwards in Killasmeestia Cemetery.

Peter Hynes - Portarlington

The death took place on Monday, February 20 of Peter Hynes of 12 Orchard Drive, Portarlington, Laois and formerly of Railway View, Roscrea.

Peacefully at the Regional Hospital Portlaoise. Deeply regretted by his wife Philomena, sons Peter Jnr, Damien and Lorcan, daughter Elizabeth, daughters-in-laws Linda, Hillary and Nam, grandchildren, extended family and friends.

Reposing at his residence on Tuesday from 4pm with Rosary at 9pm. Removal on Wednesday at 11.15am arrivng St Michael's Church, Portarlington for Requiem Mass at 12 noon. Funeral afterwards to St Michael's Cemetery.

Maureen Mahony - Cullohill

The death took place on Monday, February 20 of Maureen Mahony (nee Dunne) of Boston, Cullohill.



At Portlaoise Regional Hospital. Predeceased by her brother Sean and her sister Nancy. Deeply regretted by her husband Jim and her daughter Anne, her sisters Margaret (Cruite), Nuala (Beale) and Kathleen (Barry), nephews, nieces, relatives and friends.

Reposing at O'Sullivan's Funeral Home, Rathdowney on Wednesday evening from 8pm with rosary at 9pm. Funeral Mass in The Church of the Immaculate Conception, Ballacolla on Thursday at 11am, followed by burial in St. Fergal's Cemetery, Ballacolla.

Christopher McRedmond - Mountrath

The death took place on Monday, February 20 of Christopher (Christy) McRedmond of Old Forge Cresent, Mountrath and formerly of Knockanina, Mountrath.

Peacefully, at the Midlands Regional Hospital Portlaoise. Predeceased by his parents Bernie and Sheila and brother Liam. Deeply regretted by his brothers, sisters Mary (Moore), Margaret (Boyhan), Michael, Sheila (Guidera), Kathleen (Mulhall), Bernadette, Frank, Chris and Donal, Aunt Madie, nieces, nephews, relatives, neighbours and friends.

Reposing at Guilfoyle's Funeral Home, Castletown, Mountrath on Wednesday evening from 4pm with rosary in the Funeral Home at 9pm on Wednesday evening. Removal on Thursday morning at 10.30am to St. Edmund's Church, Castletown for Funeral Mass at 11am with burial immediately afterwards in St. Fintan's Cemetery, Mountrath.

John O'Brien - Portlaoise

The death took place on Monday, February 20 of John O'Brien of "Drishane", Meelick, Portlaoise and late of Kenmare.

Ex Gardai Siochana. Peacefully surrounded by his family. Beloved husband of Philomena, and dearly loved father to Michael, Aileen, and Claire. Deeply regretted by his loving family, brother Paddy, sister Maureen, brother-in-law, sisters-in-law, sons-in-law, daughter-in-law, grandchildren, Niamh, Cian, Sean and Joe, nephews, nieces, relatives and friends.

Reposing at Keegans Funeral Home, Portlaoise from 6pm on Wednesday evening with rosary at 8pm. Requiem Mass at 12 noon on Thursday in SS Peter and Pauls Church, Portlaoise followed by interment in SS Peter and Paul's Cemetery, Portlaoise.

John Bland - Ballyroan

The death took place on Sunday, February 19 of John Bland of Blandsfort, Ballyroan.



Beloved husband of Anna and much loved father of David and Peter. Deeply regretted by his loving family, daughters-in-law, grandchildren, brother, nieces, nephews, extended family, relatives and friends.

Funeral arriving at St Patrick's Church, Ballyroan on Thursday at 10.30am for 11am Requiem Mass. Interment afterwards in the family burial ground in Blandsfort.

Maureen Burgess - Ballylinan

The death took place on Sunday, February 19 of Maureen Burgess (nee Roche), originally of Ballylinan.

Wife of the late Bill Burgess. Peacefully. Deeply missed by her sons Niall, Ronan and Colm, daughter-in-law Marie, grand-children Hugh and Amy, nephews, nieces and many friends.

Reposing in the Chapel at Peamount Hospital from 3pm on Tuesday followed by removal to Pius X Church, Templeogue, to arrive for 5pm. Funeral Mass at St. Pius X Church will be celebrated at 10am Wednesday morning. Burial in Ballylinan Cemetery following prayers in St. Anne's Church, Ballylinan at 12.30pm on Wednesday.

Christina Carey - Portarlington

The death has taken place of Christina (Teena) Carey (nee O Callaghan) of Bracklone Street, Portarlington.

Peacefully at her residence. Predeceased by her husband Paddy and son George. Deeply regretted by her sons Tom and Dermot, daughters Mary, Joyce and Jacqueline, daughter-in-law, sons-in-law, grandchildren ,great-grandchildren, extended family, relatives and friends.

Reposing at her residence on Monday from 12 noon with Rosary at 9pm. Removal on Tuesday at 11.20am arriving St Michael's Church Portarlington for Requiem Mass at 12 noon. Funeral afterwards to St Michaels Cemetery Portarlington.

Jackie Gleeson - Portarlington and Emo

The death took place on Sunday, February 19 of Jackie Gleeson of Link Road, Portarlington and formerly Morette, Emo.

Peacefully at her residence. Loving daughter of Margaret and the late Michael. Deeply regretted by her brothers and sisters Audrey, Denis, Michael, Georgina, Stephaine and Thomas, aunts, uncle, nieces ,nephews, relatives and friends.

Reposing at her brother Denis's residence Garrymaddock Vicarstown on Monday from 2pm with Rosary at 9pm.Removal on Tuesday at 10.15am arriving St Paul's Church Emo for Requiem Mass at 11am. Funeral afterwards to the New Cemetery Emo.

Theresa Delaney - Rathdowney

The death took place on Sunday, February 19 of Theresa Delaney of St Mary's Hospital, Baldoyle and late of Coolkerry, Rathdowney.

Peacefully at St. Luke's Hospital, Kilkenny. Deeply regretted by her sister Carmel and her brothers Patrick and Donal, nephews, nieces, grand-nieces, relatives and friends.

Reposing at O'Sullivan's Funeral Home, Rathdowney, on Tuesday evening from 8pm with rosary at 9pm. Funeral Mass on Wednesday at 10am in the Church of the Most Holy Trinity, Rathdowney, followed by burial in Rathdowney local cemetery.

Joe Delaney - Stradbally

The death took place on Saturday, February 18 of Joe Delaney of Park, Stradbally.

Unexpectedly. Beloved husband of Mary and loving father to Mark. Devoted granddad to Noah. Pre-deceased by his brother in law Michael Seale. Deeply regretted by his loving family, sisters Catherine and Mary, Marks fiancee Sinead, brothers-in-law, Edward and Liam, sister-in-law Kathleen, Martina Seale , cousins, nephews, nieces, relatives and friends and colleagues at Stradbally Ladders.

Reposing at his residence from 12 noon on Tuesday with rosary at 9pm. Requiem Mass at the Church of the Sacred Heart, Stradbally on Wednesday at 12 noon, followed by interment in Ratheniska Cemetery.

Paddy Dempsey - Mountmellick

The death took place on Saturday, February 18 of Paddy Dempsey of Emmett Terrace, Mountmellick.

Unexpectedly at The Regional Hospital, Tullamore. Deeply regretted by his brothers Con and Gerry, nieces, nephews, cousins, sisters-in-law, relatives, neighbours and his many friends.

Reposing in Moloney's Funeral Home from 7pm on Monday evening. Recital of the Rosary at 9pm. Prayers in the funeral home on Tuesday morning at 11am. Removal at 11.50am to St. Joseph's Church for 12 noon Requiem Mass. Burial after in St. Joseph's Cemetery.



Edward Harrington - Roscommon and Laois

The death took place on Saturday, February 18 of Edward Harrington of Grangemore, Boyle, Roscommon, Laois and Meath.

Peacefully, in his 98th year, in the loving care of Abbey Haven Nursing Home, Boyle. Beloved husband of the late Bridget Harrington and father to Oliver (Meath), Donal (Laois), Noel, Aidan and Francis (Roscommon); sadly missed by his daughter-in-laws, his 10 grandchildren, 6 great-grandchildren, brother (Terence), nieces, nephews, relatives, neighbours and a wide circle of friends.

Reposing at his residence from 3pm Sunday and Monday from 3pm. Removal to St. Josephs Church, Boyle, arriving at 8.30pm on Monday evening. Funeral Mass at 1pm Tuesday with burial afterwards to Killaraght Old cemetery.

Josephine Sheehan - Dublin and The Heath

The death took place on Friday, February 17 of Josephine (Josie) O'Sheehan (nee Dunne) of

The Park, Cabinteely, Dublin and formerly of The Heath, Portlaoise.

Peacefully, surrounded by her family, at Foxrock Nursing Home, following a short illness. Beloved wife of Ciaran and loving mother of Brian, Brendan, David, Siobhain, Colma and Sean. She will be very sadly missed by her loving husband, children and their spouses and partners, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, sisters, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, extended family and friends.

Reposing at Rom Massey & Sons Funeral Home, Cranford Centre, Stillorgan Road (opposite UCD Flyover) on Monday from 10am, with family attendance from 5pm to 7pm. Funeral Mass on Tuesday at 10am at the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, Foxrock, followed by burial at Kilternan Cemetery Park, Ballycorus Road, Kilternan, Dublin 18.



Ann Kelly - Borris-in-Ossory and Portlaoise

The death took place on Friday February 17 of Ann (Nancy) Kelly (nee Rafter) of Kyledelligh, Borris-in-Ossory, and Beladd Portlaoise.

Nancy, wife of the late Bill, in the care of the staff of Drominin Nursing Home, Stradbally, surrounded by her loving family. Deeply regretted by her loving children, grandchildren, great granchildren, sisters, brother, relatives and friends

Reposing at the nursing home from 3pm on Saturday with prayers at 5.45pm. Removal at 6pm to The Church Of The Most Holy Rosary, Abbeyleix, arriving 6.45pm Requiem Mass on Sunday at 11am. Burial afterwards in the adjoining cemetery.



Joesph Dunne - Mountmellick

The death took place on Thursday, February 16 of Joseph (Joey) Dunne of Emmett Tce., Mountmellick.

Husband of Sandra (nee Lawlor), Tullamore, Deeply regretted by his wife, daughters Lisa and Samantha and their partners Michael and Shane, his grandchildren Corey, T.J. and Michael, brothers, sisters, father in law Charlie Lawlor, Tullamore, brothers-in-law, sister- in-law, neighbours, relatives, his work colleagues in Standex and many friends.

Reposing in his home on Friday from 5pm and again on Saturday from 3pm untill recital of the rosary at 9pm. Funeral arriving for 12 noon Requiem Mass on Sunday in St. Joseph's Church. Burial afterwards in St. Joseph's Cemetery.

Joseph O'Toole - Shanahoe

The death took place on Thursday, February 16 of Joseph (Joe) O'Toole of Shanahoe.

Beloved husband of Anne, dearly loved father of Siobhan, John, Pamela and Grainne. Deeply regretted by his family, sons-in-law Will and Stephen, adored grandchildren Liam, Ciaran, Ryan and Jamie, relatives and friends.

Reposing at his residence from 5pm on Friday with rosary at 8pm. Removal on Saturday at 11.45am to St Brigid's Church, Shanahoe, for 12 noon Requiem Mass. Burial afterwards in St Brigid's Cemetery, Shanahoe.
Workers at Tesco in Naas, will get the chance to have their say on the ongoing strike action at a company at a special ballot this evening.

The employees will decide whether or not to join the industrial action.

Last night, their Newbridge compatriots were one of four Tesco stores, who voted in support of long-term workers, who are fighting to hold onto their current terms and conditions. Six other stores voting against taking part.

Mandate, the union representing the workers, says Tesco Ireland is trying to change the contracts of employment for approximately 250 workers employed before 1996, which would result in some workers experiencing reduced incomes of up to 20%.

Tesco has repeatedly denied this. It says it needs to amend the contracts to reflect an altered retail environment, which now includes late-night and online shopping as well as Sunday openings.

It points out only a very small number of staff will be affected and it has promised they will not lose out financially.

Naas is one of 13 stores to be balloted over the next two days.

The votes now bring the total number of stores involved in the dispute up to 20.
A new Facebook campaign has been started in a bid to get the Great Wall of Dunnes in Newbridge knocked down.

The controversial structure, which was built by Dunnes Stores in Newbridge, divides the Newbridge Shopping Centre from Newbridge Retail Park.

The wall caused a lot of consternation when it was built in September 2015, just days before the neighbouring Supervalu store opened.

Appeals were made for it to be taken down but Dunnes stood firm. The store now has a planning application in to revamp the entire shopping centre and it plans to keep the wall.

The Facebook page titled - Newbridge-People Traffic - are urging people to log on to their page so they can pass their comments on to councillors.

The last date for submissions on the file is February 28.

The group feels the wall goes against the Town Plan to open up access through the town centre.
The massive 65m Curragh racecourse revamp is underway, and is expected to be completed by Christmas 2018 in time for racing in March 2019.

Curragh CEO Derek McGrath told last Wednesday's Kildare Newbridge Municipal District meeting this long awaited project was very significant for the area.

Matthew Lyons gave a presentation detailing the various levels of the grandstand building.

The top floor will contain suites and a panoramic restaurant. Level two will have public suites, members' bar, restaurants and social facilities, while level one will house a museum.

The ground floor plan provides tote hall facilities, kitchen and food preparation facilities, jockey's changing room, weigh room, stewards room, press room and offices. The great hall will have a glass roof to let light into the atrium.

Mr Lyons said the historic Queen's Room, which dates back to the 1850s, will be deconstructed carefully and rebuilt into an area near the main entrance.

He said Purcell Construction and Murphy International are currently working on the enabling works.

We have a traffic management plan in place to try and minimise impacts on the environment around us, said Mr Lyons.

He explained the racecourse would continue to operate from temporary facilities for the next two years. He said they would be keeping to the noise limits and ensuring the roads are kept clean.

Temporary marquees will be set up to service the racecourse as well as the Tote.

A temporary stand will be built, which will accommodate 6,000. The gallops will remain in use during the project.

Mr Lyons said the racecourse was aware there were people living and working in close vicinity such as Dermot Weld, the Turf Club and TRI. He said they would be keeping them informed throughout the build.

Mr McGrath emphasised the museum would be part of a visitor centre, which would operate tours of the facility. Cllr Joanne Pender (Ind) asked about family facilities. She was informed a playground was included, which was overlooked by a nearby bistro. Cllr Mark Stafford (FG) acknowledged the racecourse wanted to encourage new people to go racing, but he urged them not to forget about the badgeholders, who go racing all the time.

All the councillors praised the project and wished it well.

An artist's impression of what the redeveloped Curragh Racecourse will look like
Any attempt to introduce quotas or tariffs to the North American Free Trade Agreement would be disastrous for the three-nation treaty, Mexican Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo on Tuesday told a Toronto conference on the future of North America.

U.S. President Donald Trump -- who says free trade treaties have cost countless thousands of American jobs -- wants NAFTA to be renegotiated with a focus on cutting his country's large trade deficit with Mexico.

One idea floating in Washington is that of a border tariff, which could hit Mexican exports.

"Nothing in the new NAFTA should be a step backward. We will definitely not include any type of trade management measures, like quotas, or open the Pandora's box of tariffs," Guajardo said.

"That will be disastrous in any process moving forward," he said.

New tariffs would result in special interests in all three nations asking for protection, Guajardo predicted.
A former Lidl employee has appeared at Kilcock District Court, sitting in Naas Courthouse, charged with breach of the peace by photographing a customer in a toilet.

Graham Crosby (28), with an address given at Windmill Road, Beauparc, Navan, was charged under the breach of the peace legislation for the alleged offence at Lidls Straffan Road, Maynooth store, on July 14 last.

Garda Inspector Oliver Henry said at the sitting today, February 21, that Mr Crosby was a member of Lidl staff at the time.

A female customer, who was pregnant at the time of the incident, asked to use the customer toilet.

When doing so she heard a noise and discovered a telephone was being used to photograph her in the toilet.

David Powderly, solicitor, said Mr Crosby was very cooperative and Gardai agreed with that. He had admitted the offence. Mr Powderly handed a psychologist's report into the Court.

Judge Desmond Zaidan said he wanted Mr Crosby medically assessed.

Mr Powderly said that Mr Crosby had 3,000 available as a gesture of remorse.

He said his client had lost his job and the prospect of work in the retail sector.

On reading the report, Judge Zaidan said that the injured party told him what she thought of him.

He also noted from the report that Mr Crosbys girlfriend had left him.

The judge said he would ask the Probation Services to assess Mr Crosby to see if there were underlying issues. He adjourned the matter to July.

Judge Zaidan said Mr Crosby was very fortunate he was not charged with a more serious offence.
An Taisce has claimed Bord na Monas plans for a horticultural facility at Blacktrench have not been properly environmentally assessed.

The environmental body has lodged a submission on the planning file, which is currently before Kildare County Council.

In a joint venture with Dutch company, Legro, Bord na Mona plans to make soil casings for mushroom cultivation and export them to the UK and mainland Europe on the 2.7 hectare site adjoining the existing peat loading facility.

In December, Bord na Mona sought permission for a 3,380m2 horticulture facility, 5,000m2 outdoor storage area and administration office at Lattensbog or Blacktrench, Caragh.

The Protect Caragh Group, which is made up of 58 residents living on the Thomastown to Caragh road, has also expressed fears about the increase in HGV traffic.

Adding its voice of concern, the Irish Peatland Conservation Council (IPPC) has called on the council to axe the plans due to peat extraction element of the project.

A decision is due tomorrow, Wednesday February 22.

An Taisce believes the environmental and social impacts of sourcing horticultural peat from the Bord na Mona owned Allen Bog complex have not been assessed adequately.

There are direct parallels between the High Court ruling on Bord na Monas Edenderry Power Plant, in October 2015, regarding An Bord Pleanala's failure to fully assess the environmental impacts of the peat extraction which fuels the plant, it said.

Less than two years later the same issue has arisen regarding the current application. The reports provided by Bord na Mona are failing to adequately address the full direct and indirect impacts of this project.

An Taisce pointed out the development would only create six new full time jobs.

The argument made in the application that the horticultural processing is not the driver behind the peat extraction, rather market demand is the driver has no basis. Contrary to what is indicated in the application, the proposed harvesting and processing of horticultural peat is not sustainable nor is it regarded as a renewable energy source, it said.

In a 186 page technical report, filed by Bord na Mona as part of the planning permission, it said the development was in line with its Sustainability 2030 report.
Macra na Feirme has warmly welcomed today's confirmation that the National Reserve will re-open in 2017.

The announcement has been described as "great news for young farmers who want to progress their farming careers".

Speaking today Sean Finan, Macra na Feirme National President said, The re-opening of the National Reserve in 2017 is something that Macra na Feirme has actively campaigned on, for an extended period of time. We have lobbied at political and farm organisation levels to seek support and ensure there is a National Reserve in 2017. In Macra na Feirme, we are taking full credit for delivering the opening of the 2017 National Reserve for young farmers and new entrants.

The National Reserve in 2017 will accommodate the priority categories of young farmers and new entrants. It will incorporate those who lost out in 2016 due to the lack of a national reserve but also the 2017 young farmers and new entrants. The 2015 national reserve scheme was a very successful scheme with 6,260 successful applicants and as a result all funds were exhausted.

Thanking the Minister for Agriculture and his officials, Mr Finan continued, Its very significant that there is a National Reserve in 2017. We believe if the National Reserve was not opened this year, it's unlikely it would open for the duration of the current CAP programme. 2016 and 2017 new entrants and young farmers will be catered for with the injection of funding this year from the reallocation of unused young farmers top-up funds. It is now hoped, but remains to be seen, if the replenishment mechanisms including clawback on sale of entitlements without land and unused entitlements, will create enough of a budget to accommodate young farmers for years 2018 and subsequent years up to the end of the current CAP programme.

IFA Deputy President, Richard Kennedy, has also welcomed todays announcement adding: It is very important that there are ongoing supports for a National Reserve and Young Farmer Scheme to support restricting in the farming industry.

However the Deputy President also called for the Minister for Agriculture to clarify the situation in relation to clawback on sales of entitlements.

"IFA has expressed the view that the clawback should be reduced from 50% to 20% which would have the potential to create additional funds for the National Reserve in future," he noted.

Reservations have also been expressed by Sinn Fein's Agriculture spokesperson, Martin Kenny TD.

Speaking in Leinster House today he said that the measures introduced by Minister Michael Creed on the National Reserve were welcome, but do not go far enough.

Deputy Kenny said: While I am glad that, at last, the Minister has done something to help young farmers and new entrants to farming for 2017, after leaving them in the lurch last year, these measures do not go far enough to resolve the situation.

However, 5 million is not enough to deal with the backlog of young farmers who have completed or who are now trying to complete green cert training and who will be seeking entitlements soon.
THE jury in the trial of a woman who is accused of murdering her housemate and former partner at their home in Castletroy will resume its deliberations this Tuesday.

Monika Matracka, aged 35, of The Pines, Briarfield, denies murdering Michal Rejmer (38) sometime between 8pm on December 30 and midnight on December 31, 2015.

The jury of six men and six woman began its deliberations this Monday morning following a two-week trial at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin.

At 3.44pm, Mr Justice Paul Butler called the jurors back to court and give them the option of bringing in a majority verdict saying: "It is still highly desirable that you achieve a unanimous verdict however if you can't and at least ten of you agree on a verdict I will accept such a verdict."

The judge previously said there were three verdicts the jury could return, namely; guilty of murder, not guilty of murder or not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter.

In opening the prosecution case to the jury, Mr Paul Carroll SC said Ms Matracka told gardai that she stabbed her housemate and former partner in self-defence.

Mr Rejmer was reported missing on January 6, 2016 after colleagues became concerned when he had not turned up for work at McDonald's in Castletroy for a number of days. He was last seen on December 30, 2015.

His body was discovered by his friend and a local volunteer at the rear of his house under some plastic sheeting on January 8.

State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy gave evidence during the trial and told the jury Mr Rejmer died as a result of bleeding from stab wounds to the arms.

In his closing speech, Mark Nicholas SC told the jurors that the prosecution case was that because Ms Matracka had lied that made her a murderer.

Just because people tell lies doesnt mean they are guilty of the crime with which they are charged. There are many reasons people lie and cover up and that can be down to their personality traits. Im not sure what the prosecutions account is other than Ms Matracka lied, he said.
UNIVERSITY Hospital Limerick again has the unwanted distinction of being the most overcrowded hospital in the country this Tuesday, according to figures.

UHL has 43 patients on trolleys this Tuesday  across the emergency department and on wards  according to figures collated by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation.

The Midland Regional Hospital, Mullingar, is the nearest to Limerick on the INMO trolley and ward watch list, with 41 patients on trolleys this Tuesday.

UHL had 37 patients on trolleys on Monday and the figure had increased to 35 on Friday from the previous days 28 last week.

On Wednesday of last week  February 15  the trolley figures at UHL were also the highest in the country and have been consistenly high in recent weeks and months, with the end result being that the hospital is regularly the most overcrowded in the country.

27 beds that were opened between St Johns Hospital, Ennis and Nenagh hospitals to alleviate overcrowding have now reverted back to their original use.

A state-of-the-art emergency department is expected to open this May, subject to a successful recruitment campaign and HSE funding.

It will be three times the size of the current facility, and is expected to improve the patient and staff experience at the hospital, a spokesperson for the UL Hospitals Group has said.
A GRANDMOTHER who was previously described in court as a professional thief has said she has been forced to spend hours on the bus in Limerick city in a bid to stay warm, as she cant afford central heating in her council home.

Mary Ann Jackson, 44, of Hyde Avenue, Ballinacurra, said she has been waiting six months to receive a single-storey bungalow from Limerick City and County Councils housing department after undergoing a triple heart bypass last year.

Described by Judge Eugene O'Kelly in Limerick District Court in 2013 as someone who could only be described as a professional thief, she has over 100 previous convictions, mainly for theft, but has insisted that she has put her criminal past behind her.

She has also argued that her health and social housing conditions are completely separate issues to her criminal past.

"I just want a fresh start - everyone is entitled to a fresh start. I will never spend time in prison again, or come before the courts, to the attention of the gardai," she told the Limerick Leader.

She also pleaded guilty in 2013 to using a false instrument at the post office on Cecil Street in Limerick city by altering a 186 cheque from the Department of Social Protection to read 1186.

Her attempt to induce the post office clerk to cash the cheque was unsuccessful.

She has served a number of prison sentences, but vowed that she has changed her life for the better.

It is understood that another theft charge is due for finalisation before the courts later this year.

A version of this article, which appeared in the Limerick Chronicle today, a sister newspaper of the Limerick Leader, prompted a man from Cork to enquire if a 'gofundme' page could be set up to send her a donation, having read her "heartbreaking" story.

"Maybe JP McManus will read it; he's a man with a good heart," she added.

Mary Ann says that she is unable to climb the stairs to her own bed due to her heart condition, and has now resorted to sleeping on the couch in front of the fire for warmth.

Her mobility has been severely reduced since the operation last year, she said, and she is now using a wheelchair, a ventilator and is on extensive medication.

She sleeps on the couch in front of the fire every night as she says she cannot afford central heating in the property.

Sometimes I manage to get on the bus using my zimmer frame or my wheelchair, to stay warm and avoid burning fuel, as I have a free travel pass, she said.

With an income of 118 a week, once her weekly rent of 42 to the council is deducted from her disability allowance, Mary Ann said she spends up to 80 a week on bags of coal and blocks of wood to stay warm, and has been seeking assistance from Saint Vincent de Paul.

Living with her daughter Megan, who is six months pregnant, and her grandson, age three, she said she has been informed that she is on the councils priority list to receive an alternative home.

However, she fears that they will have to bring her daughters newborn baby into the property, as Megan is due to give birth in April.

We have nowhere else to go, but the rooms upstairs are black with the damp, and we have no heating only the fire here in the living room. We have no heating because we cant afford it, and no back boiler.

My grandson can see his own breath when he goes up the stairs; hes shivering up there. Its like an iceberg. They have to get double dressed when they go into bed to keep warm its that cold, she said.

Its worse Im getting now. My heart surgeon has told me itll take a good year-and-a-half to two years to recover. I cant even sleep. The stairs is too small for a stairlift. Anywhere would do me where I dont have to go up the stairs, she said.

She has type 2 diabetes, and is also asthmatic.

I didnt ask to be this sick. I used to be an active person. Now I can barely walk to the door and its killing me.

A spokesperson for the local authority said that while it cannot comment on individual cases, there is huge demand for one-bedroom units.

At the end of January last there were 3,477 people on the housing waiting list, and in the most recent available figures for 2015, there were 103 applications for every one-bed unit available to rent through the local authority.

The number on the waiting list peaked in September 2015, at 5,120 approved applicants, falling to 4,295 in March last, and has now been further reduced.
May 3, 2021, 7 PM

A souvenir sheet depicts interior views of St. Georges Chapel, located on the grounds of Windsor Castle.

Great Britains Royal Mail issued 10 stamps Feb. 15 featuring photographs of Windsor Castle. Three of the stamps show exterior views of the Long Walk, the Round Tower, and the Norman Gate.

Three se-tenant stamps from Great Britain reproduce photographs of St. Georges Hall, the Queens Ballroom, and the Waterloo Chamber in Windsor Castle.

By Denise McCarty

A set of 10 stamps issued Feb. 15 by Great Britains Royal Mail takes a look at Windsor Castle from the inside and the outside.

In addition to the stamps, four of which are in a souvenir sheet, the Windsor Castle commemorative set also includes two booklets.

The website of Great Britains royal family said of the castle: A Royal home and fortress for over 900 years, Winsdor Castle, the largest occupied castle in the world, remains a working palace today. The Queen uses the Castle both as a private home, where she usually spends the weekend, and as an official Royal residence at which she undertakes certain formal duties.

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The castle dates back to approximately 1070, when it was founded by William the Conqueror. The original construction took about 16 years.

Since then, it has been inhabited almost continuously and has been rebuilt and refurbished many times, most recently after a devastating fire 25 years ago, on Nov. 2, 1992.

Three se-tenant (side-by-side) nondenominated first-class stamps depict photographs of exterior locations: the castle as seen from the Long Walk, the Round Tower, and the Norman Gate. The current first-class rate is 64 pence.

The Long Walk was laid out by King Charles II in the late 17th century by the planting of a double row of elm trees. Queen Anne had a road constructed along the 2.64-mile path in 1710.

The original Round Tower was made of timber. King Henry III had the tower and other parts of the castle rebuilt by stone in the 1170s.

Today, the tower is open to the public, and those who climb up the 200 steps leading to it can see views of not only the 13 acres that surround the castle, but also five counties and the London skyline.

The Norman Gate was among the many transformations to Windsor Castle made during the 50-year reign of King Edward III (1327-77).

Another was St. Georges Hall, which is pictured on one of the three se-tenant 1.52 stamps featuring photographs of the castles interior. This immense hall was created for the knights of the Order of the Garter, and today is used for state banquets.

The website of the Royal Collection Trust, www.royalcollection.org.uk, said: St Georges Hall makes a spectacular setting for a State Banquet, when a single table, stretching the length of the hall and seating 160 people, is decorated with porcelain, and silver-gilt from the Royal Collection.

The other two 1.52 stamps picture the Queens Ballroom and the Waterloo Chamber, respectively.

The ballrooms glass chandeliers were commissioned by King George III, who reigned from 1760 to 1820. Because of the many paintings of Anthony van Dyck on display, the ballroom also is known as the van Dyck room.

King George IV, who reigned from 1820 to 1830, created the Waterloo Chamber to show paintings that commemorated the defeat of the Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo.

Royal Mail reported that the king also used the room for an annual banquet held on the anniversary of the June 18, 1815, battle. Today, the queen hosts the lunch for the Order of the Garter in the room.

The 1.52 stamps pay the rate for mail to Europe weighing up to 100 grams.

The four stamps in the souvenir sheet feature interior views of St. Georges Chapel, located on the grounds of Windsor Castle.

One of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in the United Kingdom and the spiritual home of the Order of the Garter, the chapel was founded in 1348 by Edward III. Over the centuries, it has hosted many royal weddings, as well as funerals. Several sovereigns also are buried there.

Photographs of the nave are shown on the two first-class stamps in the souvenir sheet. Pictured at upper left is the Sir Reginald Bray roof boss. In architecture, a boss is an ornamental projecting block.

The stamp at upper right depicts the chapels fan-vaulted roof.

The other two stamps in the souvenir sheet are denominated 1.33, paying the rate for international mail weighing up to 20 grams. They show views of the choir, spelled quire on the stamps.

Banners of the Order of the Garter are pictured on the left stamp, and a St. Georges cross roof boss on the right stamp.

The selvage of the souvenir sheet shows a photograph of the West Door entrance to the chapel.

One of the two booklets is a prestige booklet with text and photographs in addition to four panes of stamps. The text, by architectural historian John Martin Robinson, presents the castles history, focusing on the changes made to it by monarchs over the centuries.

Queen Elizabeths historic milestone honored on new stamp: The sapphire jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II was marked Feb. 6 by a royal gun salute and a new postage stamp from Great Britains Royal Mail.



The first pane in the prestige booklet contains four se-tenant stamps from the Windsor Castle set: the first-class Round Tower and Norman Gates and the 1.52 Queens Ballroom and Waterloo Chamber stamps.

The second pane has a se-tenant pair of the first-class Long Walk and 1.52 St. George Hall stamps.

The third pane presents eight Queen Elizabeth II Machin definitives (one 1.05, two 2-penny, two 10p, and three first-class stamps) in a block of nine with a central label picturing a chair.

The four stamps from the Windsor Castle souvenir sheet are in a block of four on the fourth pane.

The other booklet is what Royal Mail calls a retail booklet and includes six first-class stamps: four Machin definitives and the Sir Reginald Bray Roof Boss and the Fan-vaulted Roof stamps from the Windsor Castle souvenir sheet.

The firm Up designed the stamps and souvenir sheet, using photographs from Alamy Stock Photo, the Royal Collection Trust, and the Dean and Canons of Windsor.

The souvenir sheet is 115 millimeters by 89mm, and the stamps in it are square, 35 millimeters by 35mm, and perforated gauge 14.5.

The other six stamps are 60mm by 30mm each, perforated gauge 14.5. International Security Printers printed them by lithography in sheets of 60 (sold in panes of 30 at most postal outlets).

International Security Printers also printed the souvenir sheet and the prestige booklet. Silk Pearce designed the prestige booklet.

Royal Mails other products for the Windsor Castle set include first-day covers, a presentation pack with mint examples of the stamps and text by John Martin Robinson, a press sheet with 16 souvenir sheets, and 11 postcards reproducing the designs of the 10 stamps and the souvenir sheet.

Ordering information is available from Royal Mail, Tallents House, 21 S. Gyle Crescent, Edinburgh, EH12 9PB, Scotland. Shop online here.

Royal Mails two agencies in the United States are Interpost, Box 420, Hewlett, NY 11557; and the British Stamp Service in North America, 1 Unicover Center, Cheyenne, WY 82008.
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Vijayans night frog (<i>Nyctibatrachus pulivijayani</i>) is a miniature frog from the Agasthyamala hills in the Western Ghats, India.

Some of the smallest known frogs were recently discovered following a five-year survey in India. Seven new species of "night frogs," in the Nyctibatrachus genus, include four species that are among the tiniest frogs ever found, capable of comfortably crouching on a thumbnail with room to spare.

Though the frogs were abundant in the survey area, their minuscule size and chirping calls  which resemble the sounds of insects  enabled them to remain undetected until now, scientists wrote in a new study.

Their discovery raises the total number of known night frog species to 35, with seven species recognized as miniaturized  smaller than 0.7 inches (18 millimeters). [So Tiny! Miniature Frog Species Are Among World's Smallest (Photos)]

The smallest of the newly described frogs  Nyctibatrachus manalari, N. pulivijayani, N. robinmoorei and N. sabarimalai  measure between 0.5 and 0.6 inches (12.2 and 15.4 mm).

N. webilla and N. athirappillyensis are slightly larger than their cousins at approximately 0.7 inches and 0.8 inches (20 mm) respectively, while the largest of the new finds, N. radcliffei, measured 1.5 inches (38.3 mm).

Seven new species discovered from the Western Ghats. A. Radcliffes night frog (Nyctibatrachus radcliffei), B. Athirappilly night frog (Nyctibatrachus athirappillyensis), C. Kadalar night frog (Nyctibatrachus webilla), D. Sabarimala night frog (Nyctibatrachus sabarimalaiI), E. Vijayans night frog (Nyctibatrachus pulivijayani), F. Manalar night frog (Nyctibatrachus manalari), G. Robin Moores night frog (Nyctibatrachus robinmoorei). [(D-G. Size of the miniature species in comparison to the Indian 5-rupee coin (24 mm diameter)]. (Image credit: SD Biju)

Night frogs are native to the Western Ghats mountain range, one of the world's richest biodiversity hotspots and a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site. The region runs parallel to India's western coast, covering an area measuring approximately 54,054 square miles (140,000 square kilometers).

It is home to hundreds of species of animals and plants that are recognized as globally threatened, with 145 species listed as endangered and 51 as critically endangered, UNESCO reported in a site description.

Over the past decade, scientists have described 103 new species from the Western Ghats, including the unusual Indian purple frog, which is found nowhere else on Earth and is the only living frog in an evolutionary lineage dating back to the Jurassic.

What the future holds for night frogs  and for many of their fellow amphibians  is uncertain, as more than 32 percent of the Western Ghats frogs are threatened with extinction, according to the study co-author, SD Biju, a biologist and head of the Systematics Lab with the Department of Environmental Studies at the University of Delhi, India.

"Out of the seven new species, five are facing considerable anthropogenic threats and require immediate conservation prioritization," Biju said.

The new findings emphasize that biodiversity in the Western Ghats is dramatically underestimated  even in well-studied groups like night frogs  and highlight the urgency of implementing conservation measures to protect threatened wildlife, and to preserve the habitats of as-yet undiscovered species, the study authors wrote.

The findings were published online today (Feb. 21) in the open access journal PeerJ.

Original article on Live Science.
For years the bar and restaurant at the Sam Houston Hotel felt underutilized and underpopulated -- a sad state of affairs given that the separate spaces had such great potential to entertain, especially the bar that commands the corner of Prairie and San Jacinto.

That's all changed.

The hotel, 1117 Prairie, is now home to the Pearl Restaurant & Bar occupying the former 17 restaurant and Sam Bar. Both rooms now have the look and authority they probably always deserved as essential players in downtown's growing hospitality nexus.

MARGARITA DAY: Where to celebrate in Houston

With a seafood-forward menu from executive chef Chris Loftis and a posh redesign by Candice Schiller of H3D Hospitality Design collaborating with architect Craig Schuster of Schuster Inc., the Pearl is a gem. Hotel owner American Liberty Hospitality has invested handsomely to make the deserving Sam not just a great place to sleep but a fabulous new space to eat and drink.

The 30-year-old Loftis, former chef de cuisine of Killen's Steakhouse in Pearland, has devised a menu that makes the most of our Gulf seafood riches. Starters include Gulf fried oysters with house-cured bacon and pickled jalapeno; mussels simmered in Riesling and garlic butter; pickled shrimp; a composed salad of jumbo lump crab, avocado puree and grapefruit; octopus with grilled potatoes, blood orange and chorizo; and crab and charred corn chowder. Other appetizers: pork belly with sunny side up egg; bone marrow with fried mushrooms; heirloom tomato and burrata salad; roasted beets and honey goat cheese with apple butter; and steak tartare with white anchovy.

The entrees: bouillabaisse; shrimp and grits with malt vinegar jus; snapper with romesco sauce; roasted half chicken with collards and seared mushrooms; seared sea scallop carbonara; grouper with curried corn and lentils; Dr Pepper braised short ribs with Brussels sprouts and spaetzle; and a grill menu of steaks, pork chop or fish.

Those dishes arrive in a dining room that Schiller says was inspired by the hotel's namesake, the first president of the Republic of Texas. "Every project begins with a story and that story determines the content of the design," said Schiller whose design work is evident in Cafe Annie and the Grove (she is also a partner in the Schiller-Del Grande Restaurant Group).

Good thing she had a great story to work with. Motifs inspired by Houston's life and design themes taken from the time the hotel was built in 1924 can be seen throughout the dining room that has been overhauled top to bottom. Support columns have been wrapped in period-looking structural steel; expanses of antique brick suggest the building's oldest foundations; walls of rough-edged panels of knotted cedar offer warm texture; and vintage brass lights and caramel-colored leather Chesterfield sofas are elegant accessories. Banquettes covered in a totemic, tribal-like pattern suggest old Indian arrowheads  a nod to Houston's Cherokee affiliations. A wall of glass (holding a fetching wine closet) now offers the lobby a visual link to the restaurant.

Many of these design elements help bridge the restaurant and bar, across the foyer. The Pearl Bar has been completely rethought: a new bar top; pressed tin bar back; new zinc-topped tables and custom chairs; generous tufted sofas; more brick; and shutters that lend sophistication to the windows looking out on Prairie and San Jacinto. The bar that once seemed like an afterthought is now among the most inviting, sophisticated places downtown to hold court. (And a place to try Loftis' raw bar menu of oysters and crudo, as well as a bar-only menu of bites including pork belly cheese fries; house pickles; grouper or shrimp tacos; and the Pearl Burger.)

And then there's that logo. A lovely script  both deliberately formal and proudly territorial  that is beautifully antiqued and painted on the windows of Sam's new reason to show off. The logo proudly stamps the hotel as a new  well, wonderfully old  place to make your own bit of Houston history.

The Pearl Restaurant & Bar, The Sam Houston Hotel, 1117 Prairie, 832-200-8800.
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Local News, National & World News, Press Releases

By Long Island News & PR Published: February 21 2017

Senate Majority Leader John J. Flanagan called upon to bring the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act, better known as GENDA, to a vote in the Senate during 2017 legislative session.

New York, NY - February 20, 2017 - Hundreds of transgender advocate and ally organizations and prominent New York citizens delivered a critical letter calling on Senate Majority Leader John J. Flanagan to bring the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act, better known as GENDA, to a vote in the Senate during 2017 legislative session.

The letter, which contains signatures from organizations and individuals across the state - including the New York Civil Liberties Union, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the Empire Justice Center, NYSUT, the New York State United Teachers, the Ali Forney Center, PFLAG, Planned Parenthood, the League of Women Voters of New York State and many others, was organized, written, and processed by members of the statewide Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Community.

Juli Grey-Owens, Lead Organizer for the statewide transgender rights coalition, points out that There is an urgent need to pass this anti-discrimination legislation due to the backlash we are seeing on the state and federal level. The few existing federal transgender rights are on the chopping block with the current administration, and states all over the U.S. are preparing and passing unjust and hateful legislation.

In the letter, advocates point out tangible economic costs to New York State when transgender discrimination takes place. These costs, which include public assistance programs and services to replace lost income and insurance coverage, directly affect New York State taxpayers. Additionally, many transgender people who are able to find employment often take jobs with much lower pay than the positions they held prior to their gender transition. The result is that state and federal governments receive lower income tax and other revenues. A 2013 Williams Institute report estimates employment discrimination cost the state over $1 million annually. Forcing transgender people out of housing has cost as much as $5.9 million annually in federal and state housing expenditures related to public assistance, homelessness, or temporary housing.

The letter also scolds Flanagan for his lack of effort in supporting the civil rights of his constituents. The letter states:

You will recall that transgender advocates from Long Island and around the state have pleaded for your support of GENDA for years. You consistently told advocates and constituents that you would support the bill if it was ever brought to the Senate floor for a vote. As Senate Majority Leader, you have the power to move this desperately needed legislation to the Senate floor. The fact that for fourteen years the New York State Senate has failed to bring GENDA to the floor for a vote is an embarrassment to all New Yorkers who value equality.

Members of the transgender community face severe discrimination and violence. In the recently released U.S. Transgender Survey, a national survey which examined the experiences of over 27,000 transgender people in the United States, it was reported that:

29% of the respondents were living in poverty, which is two (2) times the rate of the U.S. population

30% reported being fired, denied a promotion, or mistreated on the job

30% reported being homeless at one time in their life

40% of the respondents had attempted suicide

Transgender activists and allies have been fighting for passage of the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA), which seeks to expand the existing human rights law to include gender identity and expression, since 2003. Governor Cuomo, who has publicly supported the bill, issued regulations in a 2016 executive action that interpreted existing protections against discrimination on the basis of sex and disability to cover gender identity, transgender status and gender dysphoria. However, these regulations did not change the text of the NYS Human Rights Law. There remains no mention of gender identity, gender expression, or transgender/gender non-conforming protections in the text of the law itself. Additionally, these regulations are not permanent and can be overturned by subsequent governors.
Two Women Arrested During Massage Parlor Raid in Huntington

Crime, Press Releases

By Long Island News & PR Published: February 21 2017

Suffolk County Police today arrested two Flushing women for unauthorized practice of a profession and prostitution during a massage parlor raid in Huntington.

Huntington, NY - February 20, 2017 - Suffolk County Police today arrested two Flushing women for unauthorized practice of a profession and prostitution during a massage parlor raid in Huntington.

In response to community complaints, Suffolk County Police Second Precinct Crime Section officers, Suffolk County Police Second Squad detectives, Suffolk County Police Criminal Intelligence detectives, and Town of Huntington Code Enforcement officers conducted an investigation into illegal activities at Foot Spa, located at 718 New York Ave. at approximately 3:20 p.m.

Xiao Hua Wang, 37, and Xiao Qin Wu, 37, were arrested and charged with Unauthorized Practice of a Profession, a Class E Felony under the New York State Education Law and Prostitution. The women will be arraigned on a later date.

An investigation by Town of Huntington Code Enforcement Officers revealed numerous occupancy and town code violations. The investigation is continuing.

A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Local News, National & World News, Press Releases

By Long Island News & PR Published: February 21 2017

Congressman Tom Suozzi spoke on the House floor as part of a bipartisan pledge by the Freshman class to encourage civility in the chamber and in political discourse generally.

Washington, DC - February 20, 2017 - Congressman Tom Suozzi spoke on the House floor as part of a bipartisan pledge by the Freshman class to encourage civility in the chamber and in political discourse generally. His full remarks can be viewed here.

"While our nation may be divided, the good news is I have found that most of my Democratic and Republican colleagues seem genuinely inspired by their faith and have responded positively to the suggestion that we communicate more openly in terms of our different faith traditions. In order to solve our greatest problems, we must first love thy neighbor," said Suozzi.

Congressman Suozzi was elected Co-Chair of the Congressional Quiet Skies Caucus this week. The Caucus is dedicated to finding solutions to the ongoing issue of noise at and around our nation's busiest airports, including JFK and LaGuardia Airports. Congressman Suozzi takes over the Co-Chair position from Rep. Grace Meng, who like Suozzi, represents part of Queens.

"People living on Queens and Long Island have been dealing with bothersome air traffic noise at LaGuardia and JFK for too long now," said Congressman Suozzi. He added, "I said that I would work hard to try to solve this serious issue and I recently cosponsored legislation that would help local stakeholders better understand the health impacts of prolonged exposure to air traffic noise. It's time for all local stakeholders to come together and work to reduce noise pollution. I look forward to continuing the important work I'm doing with my Republican and Democratic colleagues on this critical issues such as these that are facing local residents."

As part of his duties on the House Armed Services Committee, Congressman Suozzi received a classified intelligence briefing on trends in global terrorism. He also took part in an open hearing with fellow members of the House Foreign Relations Committee on matters related to Iran.

"We live in a dangerous world right now and it's important for me to stay on top of continuing developments concerning the threat of terrorism," said Suozzi. He continued, "These briefings are critical for me to do my job so I can help to protect our nation and the people of the third congressional district," said Suozzi.

In a show of support to our veterans, Congressman Suozzi was invited to speak to members of the National Association of State Veterans Homes. The group is dedicated to ensuring veterans receive the long term health care and services that they deserve.

"We can never do enough to help our veterans who have sacrificed so much in the defense of our country. State veterans homes are critical to giving veterans high-quality care while also allowing them to live with dignity and respect," said Congressman Suozzi.

Finally, Congressman Suozzi spoke at the Energy Independence Summit, an annual gathering that is dedicated to promoting clean cars and alternative fuel as a way of making America more energy independent.

"We must transition away from foreign energy sources," said Suozzi. He added, "Battery operated cars and alternative fuels are the key to making that happen and I'm committed to working with people on both sides of the aisle to keep our environment clean."
The Taliban claimed it completely liberated the district center for Shorabak in the southern Afghan province of Kandahar earlier today. Shorabak was the site of a massive al Qaeda training camp that was assaulted and destroyed by US forces in Oct. 2015. The Taliban now claims to control four of Kandahars 18 districts, and that others remain contested.

According to a statement released on Voice of Jihad, the Talibans official propaganda outlet, Taliban forces torched the administration buildings and police headquarters after local police and Afghan soldiers abandoned the Shorabak district center.

The Enemy soldiers and police were forced to flee after setting fire to the said district administration center and police HQ, Mujahideen immediately got control of the region, the Taliban stated.

Additionally, the Taliban claimed to ambush a military convoy that was dispatched from the nearby district of Spin Boldak and destroyed two armored vehicles.

The Talibans claim cannot be independently verified in the Afghan press or FDDs Long War Journal, but the district has been hotly contested and overrun by the Taliban in the past. Additionally, past Taliban claims of overrunning district centers have been proven to be accurate; these claims have later been confirmed in the Afghan press.

Shorabak had previously fallen to the Taliban in Oct. 2016, but Afghan forces later pushed the jihadist troops to the outskirts of the district center. Taliban fighters have laid siege to the district center since that time. As recently as Feb. 4, Moulavi Rahimullah, the Talibans military commander for the souther provinces of Kandahar, Helmand, Uruzgan, and Daikundi, said that his forces had the district center surrounded.

The security situation in Kandahar province has been difficult to assess. FDDs Long War Journal estimates that four of Kandahars 16 districts are under Taliban control (Ghorak, Miyanishin, Registan, Shorabak). Anecdotal press reports indicate that the districts of Arghistan, Khakrez, Maiwand, Maruf, Shah Wali Kot, and Zhari are contested, but this information cannot be independently confirmed.

Taliban resurgent in Afghanistan

The security situation in Afghanistan mirrors that of Kandahar: a significant percentage of the countrys 407 districts are controlled or contested by the Taliban. At the beginning of this month, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) said that the Afghan government has lost territory to the insurgency and district control continues to decline.

According to SIGAR, the Afghan government controls or influences just 52 percent of the nations districts today compared to 72 percent in Nov. 2015. An estimated 15 percent of Afghanistans districts have slipped from the governments control over the past six months. [See Afghan government has lost territory to the insurgency.]

FDDs Long War Journal has has identified 43 Afghan districts under Taliban control, and another 56 that are heavily contested. The number of Taliban controlled and influenced/contested districts has risen from 70 in Oct. 2015 to 99 this month.

A map created by LWJ lists the districts thought to be controlled [black] or influenced/contested [red] by the Taliban. LWJ believes that the Taliban controls and contests more districts displayed on the map above, however the districts listed on the map are ones that can be confirmed via independent sources such as Taliban claims, US and Afghan government reports, and news reports. For instance, the Taliban has traditionally held significant sway in many districts in eastern and northeastern Afghanistan, however the status of these districts cannot be properly assessed based on open source information.

Shorabak an al Qaeda haven

Al Qaeda was operating at least two training camps in Shorabak as recently as Oct. 2015. That month, US special operations forces and Afghan troops raided the two camps, and killed more than 150 al Qaeda operatives. At the end of Oct. 2015, Gen. John F. Campbell, then the commander of US forces and the NATO mission in Afghanistan, described one of the camps, which was nearly 30 square miles in size, as probably the largest training camp-type facility that we have seen in 14 years of war.

Al Qaeda operated the Shorabak camps with the support and approval of the Taliban. This should come as no surprise, as al Qaedas leader has sworn allegiance to each of the Talibans three emirs.

While Shorabak is in a remote corner of southeastern Afghanistan, its location is strategically significant. It is far from the Afghan government and militarys reach. And it sits on the border with Pakistans Baluchistan province, a known safe area for the Afghan Taliban, al Qaeda, and a host of jihadist groups that fight in both countries. The Talibans previous emir, Mullah Mansour, was killed by the US in a drone strike in the town of Nuski in Baluchistan, which is just south of Shorabak.

Al Qaeda maintains a significant presence in Afghanistan despite claims by the Obama administration and US military and intelligence services. For six years, between 2010 and 2016, the Obama administration maintained that al Qaeda had a minimal presence of 50 to 100 leaders and fighters in country.

This changed after the Shorabak raid, when more than 150 al Qaeda operatives were killed at a single location. Two months later, the US military was forced to admit it was wrong issued a revised estimate of al Qaeda in Afghanistan to upwards of 300 fighters.

US intelligence assessments have consistently claimed that al Qaeda is confined to a small geographic region in northeastern Afghanistan, in Kunar and Nuristan provinces. However, in Sept. 2016, General John W. Nicholson Jr., the current commander of US and NATO forces, admitted that al Qaeda is actively being hunted in seven provinces. In Dec. 2016, the US military admitted that 250 al Qaeda operatives and leaders were killed in Afghanistan that year alone.

For more information on al Qaeda in Afghanistan, see the following reports from FDDs Long War Journal:

US military: 250 al Qaeda operatives killed or captured in Afghanistan this year

US military is hunting al Qaeda in at least 7 Afghanistan provinces

Ayman al Zawahiri swears allegiance to the Talibans new leader

US military admits al Qaeda is stronger in Afghanistan than previously estimated

Al Qaeda opens branch in the Indian Subcontinent

Osama Bin Ladens Files: Very strong military activity in Afghanistan

ISAF raids against al Qaeda and allies in Afghanistan 2007-2013

Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal.

Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here.
Culture / Art Republik

With the Singapore Biennale 2016 coming to a close in the next few days, we take a look at what goes on behind the scenes with an individual who is a part of the curatorial team

Feb 21, 2017 | By Vimi Haridasan

A lot of work, time and effort goes into planning an event such as the Singapore Biennale 2016. Thanks to months of planning, the event brings us numerous artists and their creations that highlight the artistic talent in Asia. One such individual, who makes the selection that we have enjoyed, is none other than Louis Ho who is a Curator at the Singapore Art Museum. We seek him out to find out more about his favourite artists who are featured in the Singapore Biennale 2016 and the challenges faced by the team in selecting the various works.

Can you tell us a bit more about your role at the Singapore Biennale 2016?

My areas of focus at the Singapore Art Museum are centred on Malaysia, Brunei and Myanmar. These interests correspond with my part in the nine-member curatorial team of the Singapore Biennale 2016. An artist that I have selected, for instance, is Faizal Hamdan from Brunei. It is the first time in the decade-long history of the Singapore Biennale that we are featuring a participating artist from that country.

How does the team decide what to showcase at the Biennale?

In regards to the 2016 edition, we elected to have a smaller curatorial team as compared to the previous Biennale. This provided more room for engagement through conversations between all involved. The Singapore Art Museum team met up with our team of Associate Curators (from China, India, Malaysia and Singapore) over a series of curatorial workshops held in Singapore, where we worked through ideas, artists, artwork proposals, sites, themes and curatorial narratives.

What are your favourite works at the Biennale and why?

The set of embroidered textiles by the Hmong husband-and-wife duo, Phasao Lao and Tchieu Siong, are particularly interesting objects for me. They might seem to belong better in an anthropological museum, but its perhaps high time for a broader conversation on the possibilities of Southeast Asian visual culture, which would embrace a far wider range of visual objects and producers, rather than just art.

What are some of the challenges the team faced in putting together Singapore Biennale (its a massive event!)

A creative collaboration almost always presents certain hurdles. The scale of the undertaking, of course, was the biggest challenge, but the diversity of the make-up of the curatorial team  we all hailed from different countries and backgrounds, representing a range of artistic and intellectual interests  also made for some lively discussions !

Tell us about your first exhibition for the Singapore Art Museum  After Utopia: Revisiting the Ideal in Asia Contemporary Art and how it shaped your curatorial style.

I suppose I brought a certain personal curatorial sensibility to the exhibition, rather than the other way round. I had been curating exhibitions freelance for a little while before joining SAM, and had developed a particular focus and aesthetic. The City and its Discontents, one of the sub-strands in the exhibition, was something I was deeply interested in, and pushed for  it looks at urban dystopias and its imaginings. Legacies Left, another sub-theme, dealt with the legacy of communism and communalism in South-east Asia, and that was something else that was interesting to me.

What are your top galleries to see art  in Singapore and in the South-east Asian region?

Im biased, unsurprisingly: the Singapore galleries in the Gillman Barracks precinct are doing important work in showing both local and South-east Asian artists; spaces like FOST, Yeo Workshop and Yavuz are crucial to the ecosystem here. Chan + Hori Contemporary, which of course has undergone a rebranding and now enjoys renewed creative vision, remains a contender. Outside of Singapore, the most vibrant art scenes at the moment can be found in Manila and Chiang Mai, and the commercial galleries in those cities have been consistently showing interesting artists  both established and emerging  of late.

Is there a museum/art space that youve not been but would like to in the near future?

Im looking forward to seeing the new MAIIAM museum that recently opened in Chiang Mai. The large, shiny new Asia Culture Center in Gwangju, South Korea, is also on the bucket list for the near future.

Your bio mentions that you focus on the art of Malaysia, Myanmar and Brunei. Do you see a common thread running through South-east Asian art?

There are certain common strands that bind art-making in this region: engagement with the socio-political; reference to traditional crafts and mediums (e.g. Chinese ink, batik, weaving etc.); a rethinking of the colonial past, among others.

What do you hope to see more of in Singapore in terms of art?

A greater focus on minority subjectivities and its social implications would be an important development. Im referring to members of those communities that have traditionally been underrepresented in art, such as sexual and religious minorities, immigrants, sex workers, the disabled, the economically disadvantaged.

Can you highlight a few art trends that will be huge in 2017?

Thats a tough one. Longer-term trajectories, i.e. those that come to assume historical importance, arent visible in the short run, and, as a curator, I dont pay close attention to market trends.

The Singapore Biennale 2016 runs until February 25 2017.
The great Gold Rush Music Festival returns to the township of Waihi, with the first nuggets of gold dropping for the highly anticipated return of the 2023 festival.
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > Tension Mounts with the Killing of a Lawyer in Myanmar

The communal tension in our neighbour Myanmar between its majority Buddhist population and its Muslim minority of Rohingyas has of late worsened. It was exacerbated by the recent assassination of a prominent Muslim lawyer and an advisor to the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD), Mr Ko Ni, while he was waiting for a taxi in broad daylight outside the busy Yangon international airport, on his return from Indonesia. He was returning from Indonesia where he had gone in a delegation to study democracy and conflict resolution and was shot in the head as he was holding in his arms his three-year-old grandson.

He was a prominent defender of religious minorities in a country seething with anti-Muslim sentiment. The climate in Myanmar had worsened since attacks on Burmese border guards last October that had been blamed on the Rohingyas, a persecuted Muslim minority. Since then the Burmese Army had taken a scorched earth approach in northern Rakhine state, home of the Rohingyas. Human rights groups and international monitors have accused the Army of burning villages and raping and murdering many of its residents.

Mr Ko Ni, who was not himself a Rohingya, had been speaking against the law that long ago stripped Rohingyas of citizenship. That made people close to the government see Rohingyas as interlopers from Bangladesh, with no rights to stay in Mynmar.

Mr Ko Ni had received threats from Buddhist extremists. One Muslim activist who preferred to remain anonymous said: People who speak against the nationalists, those who speak the truth about the situation in Rakhine state, are not secure.

Mr Ko Nis killer targeted him because of his religion and being a prominent advocate of tolerance.

Police arrested a 54-year-old named Kyi Lin, as he was fleeing after the shooting. He was chased and caught by taxi-drivers, one of whom got shot dead. Nothing much is known about the gunman. He told the police that he came from Mandalay, the countrys second city, which the police said was not true. He claimed that he was hired by a man who had promised him a car for the killing.

A ruling National League for Democracy Executive Committee member, Mr Nyan Win, said that he feared more assassinations. A constitutional expert had advised the government to reform the countrys charter imposed in 2008 after a referendum that gives vast and unaccountable power to the Army.

After Mr Ko Nis assassination, friends and relatives who gathered at his home in Yangon, said they were very angry. One of them said Mr Ko Ni had done much good to the country.

The author is a veteran journalist who writes on international affairs. He has written extensively on West and Central Asian developments.
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > Russian Envoy with an Indian Heart

TRIBUTE

Russias legendary ambassador to India, Alexander Mikhailovich Kadakin, known as Sasha Kadakin to thousands of his admirers, friends, well-wishers and colleagues across the country, passed away on January 26, Indias Republic Day, in a Delhi hospital. The entire conscious life of Kadakin, a great patriot of his country, champion of Indo-Russian friendship and sincere friend of our country, was deeply associated with India. Born in former Soviet republic Moldavias capital Kishinev, Sasha had his higher education from the Soviet Unions most prestigious Institute of International Relations, popularly known as MGIMO. Kadakin visited his dreamland India for the first time in 1971 while completing his graduation from this university. This was the year when a new country called Bangladesh appeared in the world map, thanks to the enormous Soviet help. This was the time when India was internationally isolated and there emerged a Washington-Beijing-Islamabad axis creating the most critical period for Indias sovereignty and independence. It is the great Soviet Union that came to our rescue at the time neutralising the unprecedented danger to our independence from the US-China-Pakistan axis.

There was an extraordinary and spontaneous outpour of sympathy for the Soviet Union on the Indian streets. Thousands of people spontaneously gathered on Shantipath in front of the Soviet embassy to express solidarity and gratitude to the Soviet people. Kadakin, who had just come to visit Delhi for the first time after his graduation, charmed the crowd with his chaste Hindi speech on Shantipath. Next year he joined the Soviet embassy. His entire life ever since got associated with India, his karmabhumi, as he used to say. He served in the embassy in various capacities from Attache to Minister Counsellor, finally to get the most coveted post of Ambassador in the year 1999 at the age of barely 50. He was not only Russias longest serving Ambassador to India but served in this capacity twice till death snatched him away from us.

Kadakin served as the Russian ambassador with a passion, playing an important role in various periods of our relationship. Kadakin was aghast when there was an attempt in policy-making circles in Moscow to equate India with Pakistan in the aftermath of the Soviet break-up when Russian Foreign Minister Kozyrev and his team wanted to correct the Indian tilt in Moscows policy towards South Asia. Kozyrev ruthlessly fired very senior Russian diplomats who raised their voice against this policy. Kadakin survived and made his contribution to save the relationship from the brink of disaster.

Kadakin should be credited for coining the expression of continuity from Indo-Soviet to Indo-Russian friendship. In the post-Soviet Russia, particularly in the first half of the 1990s, it was fashionable to call oneself democrat by denouncing everything Soviet. Kadakin, brought up in the Soviet school of diplomacy, did not fall prey to the fashion, rightly singing the true virtues of friendship between India and the former Soviet Union. He made a contribution in mentioning the significance of the historic Indo-Soviet Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Cooperation in our official bilateral documents signed since the end of the 1990s.

Kadakin, belonging to the Primakov school of thought, promoted the notion of multi-polarity as the cornerstone of the new emerging world order. He was a very strong votary of an India-Russia-China strategic triangle, a proposal floated by the veteran diplomat and thinker, Evgeny Primakov.

Kadakins ambassadorial assignment to India began when Putin came to power. Perhaps one of the most important feathers in his cap was his contribution to finalising the Delhi Declaration on Strategic Partnership signed in the year 2000 during President Putins first ever state visit to India that heralded a new chapter in Indo-Russian relationship and laid the foundation for the Putin era of time-tested friendship between Delhi and Moscow. This was the period when Indo-Russian relations regained much of its original robustness. This Declaration set the mechanism of Indo-Russian annual summits in motion, making it a rare phenomenon in international diplomacy. Sixteen summits held during this period have imparted a new dynamism to the time-tested relationship between the two countries.

Another significant achievement of Kadakins diplomacy was his contribution to impart special and privileged status to the booming strategic partnership. India has many strategic partners and so has Russia; however, for each other, we are special and privileged strategic partners since 2010.

Kadakin had very stoutly defended Indo-Russian relationship in the wake of the adverse media campaign in India. To those who said that Indo-Russian relationship had lost its past glamour, he used to say Indo-Russian relationship had graduated from the romantic infatuation of the initial period to matured pragmatism of the present. On the nuclear plant issue he would say that there were talks about the construction of nuclear reactors in India by several foreign countries but it was only Russian built reactors that were already generating nuclear energy for mass consumption. He would argue that nobody gave state of the art technology to India except Russia. He was of the opinion that in the first 50 years of Indias independence Russia built more than a hundred industrial enterprises that had laid the foundation for Indias industrial infrastructure. Indeed, that was Indias first Make In India programme. He was sure Russia would play a major role in implementing the current Make In India programme of the country, foundation for which would be laid by the building of the Kamov helicopters, fifth generation aircraft, missiles, tanks and other hardware.

When it came to defending Russias national interest, he was very vocal, even used unconventional ways of going to the press. He was convinced that the tender route for military hardware acquisition was not healthy and fair, and was to the disadvantage of Russia, arguing in favour of the inter-governmental protocol mechanism. He was vociferous in his criticism about the Systema investment controversy and won the battle for his country.

Kadakin closely knew top political leaders of India across party lines. He was particularly close to Indian Prime Ministers like Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Inder Kumar Gujral, Atal Behari Vajpayee. Mrs Gandhi had once taken personal interest in Kadakins treatment when he fell sick. No wonder Manmohan Singh, Narendra Modi have expressed profound sorrow and condolences at his untimely death. Armed with perfect Hindi and Urdu, Kadakin was head and shoulder above most foreign ambassadors in the Indian Capital. His profound knowledge of India, love for Indian culture and history made him one of the most outstanding foreign envoys in India.

All said and done, Kadakin was no doubt sometimes worried about certain zigzags in the bilateral relationship and tried his best to restore the robustness of our cooperation. He raised his voice to defend the special friendship with India in the face of the media bashing of Russia in the wake of his countrys planned military exercise with Pakistan. It was under Ambassador Kadakins suggestion that the site of the joint military exercise was shifted from Pak-occupied Kashmir to another site. Kadakin emphatically declared that Russia will never take any action that would have any implication for Indias security, and this was the bottom-line. He gave a lot of importance to the bringing up of the young generation and was a frequent guest at JNU events. He had given us the idea to have an international young scholars seminar at JNU involving students from Russia, particularly MGIMO, his alma mater. This year also we had a similar academic exercise at JNU on February 3, to which Kadakin had promised to come as the chief guest. But alas, we lost him in the middle of preparations for the seminar.

Kadakin was a regular guest at JNU, which celebrates the Russian spring festival, Maslinitsa, on an annual basis. He along with Sverdolov regions Governor were present during last years Maslinitsa celebrations at the JNU grounds. Kadakin charmed the students and professors in his chaste Hindi speech as always. This year when JNU prepares for Maslenitsa celebrations he would be obviously dearly missed.

I always treasured my personal association with Alexander Mikhailovich. Last year I had the honour of accompanying him to the Kulu valley to participate in a seminar dedicated to the Roerichs, the symbol of Indo-Russian friendship. Kadakin sat under a tree near some idols to perform puja as the Roerichs used to worship the idols. It was 1st May that combined the international labour day as well as Easter according to the Orthodox calender that year. Kadakin threw a huge dinner in the Kulu Kings palace in the evening. All Russian delicacies along with the choicest Russian vodka were served at the dinner. Alexander Mikhailovich, the soul of the company, raised toast after toast; narrated about his close association with Svetoslav Roerich and his wife Devika Rani, the popular actress of the Indian silver screen of yester-year, and their profound love for India.

On January 13 this year, he organised a huge reception at the embassy premises to celebrate the old new year and Orthodox Christian Christmas with a lot of fanfare. Kadakin had introduced this wonderful tradition to promote Russias soft-power image, a unique event no other diplomatic mission can ever boast of. Alas, that turned out to be the last grand reception thrown by Alexander Mikhailovich, a sort of farewell party to thousands of his friends and admirers in the Capital.

He left the mundane world in the early hours of 26th January, Indias Republic Day, breathing his last on Indian soil. It was raining throughout the day in torrents in the Capital, an usual phenomenon for this part of the year, as if nature was grieving over Kadakins unexepected demise. Alexander Mikhailovich Kadakin will always live in the memories of thousands of his friends, admirers and well-wishers in India.

Prof Arun Mohanty is the Chairperson, Centre for Russian and Central Asian Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, and Director of the Delhi-based Eurasian Foundation.
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > Ayodhya and Hindu-Muslim Unity

From N.C.s Writings

In the wake of the bid by the ruling party at the Centre for communal polarisation against the backdrop of the impending UP Assembly elections, the relevance of the following article by N.C. after the demolition of the Babri Masjid at Ayodhya in the State on December 6, 1992 cannot be overestimated.

With December 6 only a month behind, it is too early to assess its long range fall-out. After the instant outburst of violence in different parts of the country, one could however gather reactions from different walks of life.

A dominant feeling among a fairly large section of what may be called the intellectual community that regards itself liberated from the shackles of religious obscurantism, an overwhelming feeling of gloom, of dark despair, is that the basic values that they so long cherished, have all crashed. They view the Babri Masjid demolition as a hideous demonstration of fanaticism, and some go further and regard it as the onset of fascism. Talking to a good cross-section of them, one gets the creeping premonition that what happened on December 6 might turn out to be the beginning of the disintegration of the countryreligious communal fanaticism leading to actual break-up of the countrys territorial unity. If such a well-knit authoritarian system, as the Soviet Union was, could break up and disappear without even a whimper, what guarantee is there about India not going the Yugoslav way when we could demonstrate such gross insensitivity about each others feelings and concerns?

The structure of thinking of this elite among the intelligentsia is dominantly based on modern Western education and culture which admits of no communal urges and outlook. Even if a good number of them acquiesce as they do in caste rituals and taboos, they keep away from communal responses. While they participate in social festivals of the community, they as a rule keep away from, or look down upon, any form of community activity. This is true of the intellectual elite of both the communities, Hindu and Muslim. Under the circumstances, there is hardly any space for community interaction between Hindus and Muslims at the intellectual level, barring of course honourable exceptions.

This trend of community alienation began before independenceperhaps in the late thirties as the present writer can recall from personal experience. And it was certainly reinforced by the partition and its blood-soaked aftermath, which wreaked the most grievous damage on the inter-relations between the two largest communities in this subcontinent, namely, Hindus and Muslims.

In the period immediately following independence, the major concentration of the nations energy and attention was focussed on economic development and the functioning of a constitutional, democratic system. Issues relating to communal diversities, caste barriers as also of the vast sprawling adivasi world were left in a state of laissez faire. The under-standing was that with economic development, communal and caste issues will, on their own, be weakened, if not obliterated; at the same time, the expectation was that the bitter alienation generated by the partition would gradually fade away as yesterdays bad dream.

It is worth recalling that when the Mountbatten plan of partitioning the country was accepted by our national leaders, they genuinely believedat least the top ones among themthat with independence, communal antagonism would progressively weaken and would be finally eliminated with economic development. Hence, there was calculated neglect of the task of fostering inter-communal activity, the means of knowing each other. The intellectual elite, which took such a conspicuously active interest in the freedom struggle, even to the point of actually participating in it by many of its adherents, totally neglected their respective communities, leaving these to the exposure of conservative, obscurantist elements. The fact of the matter is that though they opposed the so-called two-nation theory, they acknow-ledged in practice the principle of partition along communal lines. Since neither history nor geography permitted the wholesale transfer of either of the entire communities, what followed in practice was that the minority community of either of the two countries became largely suspect in the eyes of the majority community in both the countries.

Here was a major failure in nation-building in the decades since independence. The national leadership did not seem to realise the pernicious after-effect of partitioning the country along communal lines. Jinnah felt it in the very morrow of the partition when his mandate before the National Assemblythat in the new state of Pakistan all citzens would be equalwas totally brushed aside and he himself soon faded out of political authority quite sometime before he actually passed away. In the case of India, Gandhi, who had not only demurred with the decision to accept partition but persisted on campaigning for Hindu-Muslim unity, was shot dead less than six months of independence by a young man for whom the idea of Hindu-Muslim unity was anathema in partitioned India. Although police measures were taken at that time against fanatical elements including the RSS, the national leadership undertook no nationwide mass movement to generate the national consciousness that the two communities would have not only to live together but actively work together to build the new India as the proud inheritor of a civilisation enriched by many streams of culture, that there can be no Indian ethos based on the perceptions of one community, however strong in numbers it may be. In the fortyfive years since independence, the issue has been taken up as a ritual and not as an urgent imperative on the national agenda.

This laissez-faire approach could be seen on many issues. When the question of a common civil code was considered as a basic pillar of our democratic structure, the Muslim community was excluded from itnot because the national leadership had sought to look down upon that community, but because it was felt that the orthodox leaders of that community would know best whats good for that community, and since the Muslim orthodox leaders like their Hindu counterparts were opposed to the idea of a civil code, the proposed legislation excluded the entire community from its purview. The national leadership confined its fight for social justice only within the precincts of the majority community to which they themselves largely belonged.

The same mentality of inverted communalism could be seen when Hindu rituals were performed on ceremonial occasions relating to official functions in which Ministers and even the Head of State also participated: there was little understanding of how such ceremonial rituals would have an impact on the minority community. On the one hand, the attitude of dont-touch-the-Muslim community as it must not be made to feel that it was being pressurised by the majority community; and on the other, carry on even in public affairs in a manner that pleases the majority community.

Out of this strange mentality came the compulsions of election politics. In our functioning democracy, we are proud that we have been holding regular elections from Parliament to the panchayats. But the system that has come into operation has encouraged the tendency to appeal to caste and communal loyalties of the voter. As the system itself has got corroded over the years, this tendency has been strengthened; hence the emergence of communal/caste vote-banks. And as the vote-banks flourished, there has emerged a whole tribe of brokers in both the communities. As brokers they have a stake in keeping the community under their keep apart from any endeavour at forging a national approach as distinct from the communal or caste approach.

Since no ideological imperative for Hindu-Muslim unity has been built up after the demise of Gandhi, it is but natural that the communities by and large would come under the spell of religious leaders addressing their respective flocks. But the religious leaders are on their own unconcerned with political activity. And here the political operators flourished in communal garb, claiming themselves as the custodians of communal interests. They have grown as political brokers in the two communits managing their protfolio accounts in the vote-banks. What happened on December 6 at Ayodhya was like the bursting of a scam in the political stock exchange. But it does not follow the brokers are all exposed. The brokers in the minority community are equally active as their counterparts in the majority community.

In the unfolding of this sordid drama, the intellectual elite, without having built a foothold in his own community, finds himself in a state of helplessness. His cry for secularism, for fight against fascism are no doubt well-meaning and they do have some effect, but that could only be a marginal effecta sort of salvation army squad in the face an earthquake disaster. But marginal relief is also welcome.

Whats, however, called for is to bestir those noble souls who have roots in their respective communities. They have to come out of their cloistered eminence and lead their flocks for Hindu-Muslim unitywhich alone can provide the bedrock for Indias regenerated nationalism.

(Mainstream, January 9, 1993)
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > Is Ayodhya Issue Still Alive?

by Nilofar Suhrawardy

Does the Ayodhya issue still have the same relevance that it had around 25 years ago? Undeniably, there still prevail several elements keen to make religious noise over the Ayodhya issue. But does their noise have the force, mass appeal and also the level of acceptance that it seemed to have two-and-a-half decades ago? There is a difference between simply making noise over any issue and the level of fervour that the same can excite. It is no secret that when this appeared to be the most important religious, social as well as political issue for the concerned people, it seemed to be given utmost importance at all levels, including media coverage. Compared to the peak that it had reached then, today it appears to have minimal importance as well as relevance at the same levels. When this relevance is compared with the one this issue appeared to have in the 1990s, one is forced to deliberate on the significance of this apparent change.

It cannot be denied that the recent anniversary of the Babri Masjids demolition (December 6) coincided with the death of Tamil leader Jayalalithaa. Not surprisingly, media headlines etc. were dominated by news regarding her. This does raise the question as to whether the issue may have received greater media coverage had the news about Jayalalithaa not been in the air. The intensity of this point is, however, defeated by stating that the issue has not been receiving much importance on the occasion of several such anniversaries. And this has not been because of some other more important news dominating the media. The simple fact is that it has not been considered important enough to be given much coverage. Now, what does this suggest?

Undeniably, Indians of all religious commu-nities are still as religious as they were around two-and-a-half decades ago. Rather, it would not be wrong to state that the importance of religious beliefs, practises etc. has only increased in recent years. The same is marked by the increasing popularity of television serials having lot of emphasis on religious practises. At the same time, the socio-political reality of the religious and secular consciousness of the people cannot be ignored or sidelined. This implies that they are no longer willing to be blinded by religious dictates of a political nature. This certainly does not suggest that the entire country went through this phase during the pre-demolition and demolition phase of the Babri Masjid. The people, who actually participated in the demolition and the accompanying riots, did not represent even 10 per cent of the countrys population. Besides, every Indian Muslim was not targeted.

But there is no denying that the demolition phase was a dark chapter in the secular history of this country. It marked the degree to which certain individuals, groups and others could be provoked in the name of religion. Religious frenzy to the extent of communal rioting could be aggressively incited among certain sections. And this frenzy was spread across most parts of the country. The demolition phase also helped the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to gain prominence as a major national party. In the subsequent years, however, the same fervour over the same issue was not witnessed again. What does this imply?

The degree and nature of fervour exhibited during the demolition period were certainly reflecting a temporary phase. Had it been of a permanent nature, it would have been witnessed again. The frenzy did not recur because of several key factors that marked the post-demolition phase. These included, as suggested earlier, the peoples refusal to be blinded by the religious dictates of politicians. Secondly, though religion remained important for them, they were not interested in abusing the same along communal lines. These two factors were also propelled by their consciousness of not allowing their religious, social and political ethics to be abused over communal issues.

It may be noted, whenever riots take place, even when Muslims are primarily targeted, tension in the atmosphere contributes to harming the interests of all communities. Willingly or unwillingly, the social and economic life of most is thus adversely affected. Undeniably, the demolition phase opened the eyes of the majority to this dark aspect of communal rioting. Not surprisingly, the post-demolition period has not witnessed riots over a common issue spread all over the country. True, there still remain several elements keen to disturb the secular harmony of the country. However, the impact of their designs has been largely confined to select areas and not beyond. This is further supported by the Gujarat carnage having been confined to just this State. The limitation of the Ayodhya issue is also exposed by not having been used in this State to excite communal frenzy here in 2002.

It would be pertinent to note that during the demolition phase, the media exercised caution over giving immediate coverage to the news linked to communal riots. There prevailed the risk of the news inciting riots in other parts of the country. Despite such caution having been exercised during the demolition phase, communal rioting affected considerable parts of the country. Also, the media, particularly the television coverage, had in 1992 not reached the peak that it achieved around a decade later. In this context, it may be noted that in 2002, despite the Gujarat carnage being given substantial coverage by the media, the same did not incite people in other parts of the country to indulge in communal rioting. The explanation is simple. The people deliberately did not want to go through the phase that they had witnessed a decade earlier. Had they chosen to, the Gujarat carnage may not have been confined to one State. Clearly, in a decades time, people had come a long way from being easily provoked to the stage of communal violence. The reasons given for the Gujarat carnage were not linked to the Ayodhya issue.

Politically speaking, with Assembly elections in UP not too far away, there remains ample reason for interested parties to make noise over the Ayodhya issue. However desirous and keen these parties may be, the common Indians are apparently no longer willing to let their interests suffer and be abused. This point is further supported by the minimal coverage accorded to the noise made over the Ayodhya issue. If the people were still interested in the same, if the issue was still potent enough to arouse their frenzy, the media would probably not have refrained from according greater coverage to the same. Rather, the media would have been compelled to do so, had the issue still remained alive. Certainly, it is yet too early to say that the Ayodhya issue is totally dead. But it can hardly be projected as active enough to arouse communal frenzy among the masses across the country. And this is simply because the masses are no longer willing to be provoked by the communal violence over Ayodhya. There is certainly some merit in the point that the people are no longer keen to participate in street demonstrations etc. or come out of their houses just to form crowds. Yet, when the need arises, they do indulge in such practises. The latter point is supported by the queues visible outside banks following the demonetisation drive and also the crowds that were witnessed in Tamil Nadu after Jayalalithaas death. If the need and desire demand, the people can step out nowadays also. But apparently they are least inclined to do so on the Ayodhya issue at present.

The author is a writer and a journalist. She has come at with two books: Ayodhya Without Communal Stamp: In the Name of Indian Secularism (2006) and Image and Substance: Modis First Year in office (2015).
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > Sreelatha Swaminathan Is No More

Veteran leader of the CPI-ML (Liberation) Sreelatha Swaminathan, 73, passed away in Udaipur (Rajasthan) in the early morning of February 5, 2017. She had suffered a brain stroke on January 28 night and was rushed to a hospital in Udaipur where she eventually breathed her last following a cardiac arrest.

Born in Chennai in April 1944 she joined the National School of Drama in Delhi after finishing college and later went to London to pursue dramatics. She returned to Delhi in 1972 and thereafter joined the CPI-ML while organising farm workers in Mehrauli. During the Emergency she was initially imprisoned for ten months in Tihar Jail and then interned in Chennai where she took up trade union work among port and dock workers. In 1977 she shifted to Rajasthan and worked among adivasis, women and rural bonded labour. In 1999 she joined the CPI-ML (Liberation) and became a Central Committee member. She was also elected President of the All India Progressive Womens Association.

She was close to N.C. and participated in a discussion on Media and Human Development in New Delhi to mark N.C.s 87th birth anniversary on November 3, 2000, a year after N.C.s demise on June 27, 1998.

As the CPI-ML weekly news magazine ML Update has noted, Comrade Sreelatha was a natural bridge between the CPI-ML and various streams of progressive democratic ideas and action.

While mourning her death Mainstream offers sincere homage to her memory and shares the grief of her departure with her husband Mahendra Chaudhary and the CPI-ML (Liberation).
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > Democracy in Decline

by Ashok Celly

Indian politics presents a distressing picture today. Both the ruling party and the Opposition have shown little regard for Parliament, the most important of our democratic institutions. Also, they seem to be totally indifferent to the suffering of the people even though they swear by them day in and day out. The last session of Parliament, which conducted zero business and thus set up a record of sorts, was the most deplorable demonstration of that.

The Opposition parties have behaved most imprudently by disrupting the proceedings of Parliament, and thus missed a great opportunity to put the government in the dock. There cannot be a better forum for the Opposition to expose the misdeeds of the government and to voice the grievances of the people. There cannot be any justification for disrupting the proceedings of Parliament just because the Prime Minister is often absent from the House. Why should the Opposition attach so much importance to the presence of the Prime Minister who does not care for democratic norms? Is the Prime Minister more important than Parliament? Is he more important than the people of India whom the MPs represent? The Opposition needs to overcome its fixation with the Prime Minister. Well, they could have denounced him for neglecting his parliamentary duties and got on with the job. It is a matter of great regret that on the issue of demonetisation, popularly known as notebandi, they havent served the people well. The press seems to have done a better job than the Opposition in highlighting the miseries of the people, that is, people queuing up for the elusive cash (and some of them even dying of stress and/or fatigue), the farmers starved of cash unable to buy seeds, and, above all, the labourers losing their livelihood and going home in utter despair.

During all this period of financial uncertainty and emotional stress, the conduct of the government has been simply bizarre. It is hard to believe that a Prime Minister, who prides in his humble origins and never fails to remind his audience that he worked a a chaiwallah once upon a time, can be so cut off from the ground reality as to declare: The poor are sleeping soundly, while the rich are looking for sleeping pills. Perhaps absolute power alienates absolutely. And his colleagues, high on technology but somewhat low on common sense, keep on singing praises of plastic money advising the people: Dont have cash. Use plastic money. This is one better than the French queen who told her subjects to eat cakes if bread was not available.

Likewise, the Kashmir agitation following the death of a terrorist was handled in an extremely inept, unimaginative and apolitical manner by the government, and the Opposition again failed to rise to the occasion. The use of pellet guns by the Indian Army left scores of Kashmiri young men and women blinded for life. How can a civilised and democratic government permit the use of such brutal methods and that too against ones own people? The BJP leaders shout from every forum that Kashmir is an integral part of India. Sometime back, our Foreign Minister, Ms Sushma Swaraj, declared in the UN General Assembly: Kashmir Bharat ka abhin ang hai. Is this how you treat an integral part of India, Ms Swaraj? Are pellet guns the language of love and reconciliation?

In spite of all this, the people of Kashmir were hoping that the Prime Ministers 15th August address to the nation would provide the much-needed healing touch. But to their utter shock and dismay the PM didnt utter a word about Kashmir even though he talked about Balo-chistan and Pak-occupied Kashmir. Naturally, the people of Kashmir felt let down and seem to have lost all faith in the Indian political establishment. The BJP Government can take credit for the almost total alienation of Kashmiris from India. Now how patriotic was that?

And what about the role of the Opposition? It is true that the Centres response (or the lack of it) to the Kashmir unrest came in for some sharp criticism from the Opposition leaders. Ghulam Nabi Azad, the senior Congress leader from Jammu and Kashmir, voiced his concern over the alarming situation in his home State thus: Kashmir is burning but the government in Delhi seems completely unaware of it. And Sitaram Yechury, the CPM veteran, strongly disapproved of the use of pellet guns, which, according to him, even the Israelis dont use against the Palestinians.

But there are occasions in a nations life when delivering speeches and addressing press conferences are not enough. The Kashmir crisis was one such occasion because the integrity of the nation was in peril. If the Opposition leaders felt strongly about the situation in Kashmir, they needed to go the whole hog. If your house is on fire, you dont stop at shouting about it, you do something concrete to extinguish the fire. Did Ghulam Nabi Azad and his colleagues in the Congress do anything of the sort? Similarly, if Sitaram Yechury was revolted by the use of pellet guns, he could have appealed to his party to launch an agitation or as an individual resorted to satyagraha. The Commu-nists need to overcome their allergy to the Mahatma and Gandhian modes of struggle especially when violence as an instrument of social change is neither possible nor desirable. The Opposition will do well to recall what Dr Lohia used to say: Zinda qaumein paanch saal intezaar nahin karti. (Living nations dont wait for five years.) The harsh truth is that our political parties have lost their militancy and moral passion. All they can think of is a march to the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The erosion of democratic values has been evident for sometime now. Sixteen years back a young woman, known as Irom Chanu Sharmila, went on a fast to protest against the imposition of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in Manipur. Irom Sharmila was protesting against a draconian law in the finest Gandhian tradition. Her protest received a lot of international attention but little support from mainstream political parties in India. And the ruling dispensation of the day killed it in an extremely cynical and clinical manner remini-scent of a colonial regime. The failure of Sharmilas epic protest is in fact the failure of our democratic system to accommodate protest and dissent. In response to Irom Sharmilas fast the mainstream political parties could have at least started a fresh debate on AFSPA. Meanwhile AFSPA has acquired the status of a sacred cow. In the name of patriotism are we going o worship at the altar of AFSPA for ever and for ever?

The author, now a freelancer, retired some years back as a Reader in English from Rajdhani College, University of Delhi.
Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2017 > India - US: Wheel turns Full Circle

POLITICAL NOTEBOOK

Some historic comments never get stale. Marx opened his Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte with these words: Hegel remarks somewhere that all great world-historic facts and personages appear, so to speak, twice. He forgot to add: the first time as tragedy, the second time as farce. This has been quoted umpteen times on umpteen occasions by many people. Indeed, the decision of the Modi Government to allow Anil Ambani groups Reliance Defence and Engineering to enter into a contract with the US Navy to service ships of the US Seventh Fleet is one such occasion.

In 1971, at the penultimate stage of the Bangladesh liberation war, the then US President, Richard Nixon, sent the Seventh Fleet to the Bay of Bengal to crush the dreams of the people of Bangladesh to become independent. It was an irony of history that the leading ship of the Seventh Fleet was named Independence. It was a tragedy for the mighty US. Before Independence could make a beachhead at Chittagong, ninety thousand Pakistani troops surrendered to the Indian forces. Free Bangladesh was born. That was the India of Indira Gandhi in the year 1971.

Now, in 2017, the wheel has turned full circle. History is repeating itselfthis time as a farce for India. The India of Narendra Modi has agreed to host the very same Seventh Fleet through its proxy, the Ambanis, who enjoy excellent rapport with the Prime Minister. In return, the US will throw ten thousand crore bucks over the next five years. The Reliance-US Navy deal is in line with the Logistic Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) signed between India and Washington in August last year. Anyone who has gone through the LEMOA document knows that without formally admitting it, the Agreement binds India into supporting the United States in any future conflict with China by allowing it to use freely Indian seaports and airports for military operations.

Of course, for forms sake, the LEMOA allows India to make similar use of US air- and seaports, but it is only a fig leaf to hide the real truth, because India will never have to use US facilities as it is not going to be involved in any military operations on the other side of the Atlantic. Therefore, for all practical purposes, LEMOA will be entirely to the advantage of the US without any coequal advantage to India. Indeed, LEMOA signifies the formal end of Indias foreign policy of non-alignment and its jumping on to the American bandwagon. It will forfeit Indias claim to be the leader of the Third World countriesa unique status it has enjoyed since independence.

The US-India strategic partnershjp started during the UPA regime when New Delhi decided to broaden and deepen Indias defence relationship with Washington. Now the Modi Government has taken the process several steps ahead. Indeed, as far back as in 2013, India was toying with the idea of a Logistics Support Agreement (LSA) with the US. LEMOA is the final version of the original idea. The present rulers of this country have turned India into a junior partner of the US whose sole concern, especially under Donald Trump, is the containment of China. To be sure, China is no friend of India, but that does not mean that India should gang up with the United States to further antagonise China without any consequential benefit.

Unfortunately, the sinister implications of LEMOA and the deals flowing from it like the one between the Ambanis and the US Navy, have not been brought into focus and analysed by the media, especially the electronic media. What is more intriguing is that the parties of the Opposition, including those of the Left, have preferred to remain silent on this issue for reasons best known to them.

Indias military strength is quite formidable now and is growing quickly. The Agni V with its reported range of six thousand plus kms and the successful testing of the K-4, the nuclear capable Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM), with a range of 3500 kms, are some of the formidable deterrents India already has. No self-respecting nation depends on another country for its defence. India can defend itself on its own, without becoming a junior partner of the US.

February 16 B.D.G.
Malaria Consortium presents at 2017 MalEND Keystone Symposia meeting

21 February 2017



Two Malaria Consortium technical experts will present on two key aspects of the organisations research at the 2017 Malaria: From Innovation to Eradication (MalERA) conference, co-organised by Keystone Symposia and Malaria Eradication Scientific Alliance (MESA).

The meeting, held in Kampala between 19-23 February, offers a platform where evidence and research agendas for fighting malaria can be shared. Leading experts will evaluate the scientific progress being made toward the goals of eliminating and eradicating malaria.

Among the speakers are Malaria Consortiums Dr Julian Jane Atim, Project Manager, and Dr Constance Shumba, Regional Capacity Building Specialist, presenting Malaria Consortiums work in two different continents: Africa and Asia. Julian will examine low net use in local communities of Tororo district, Eastern Uganda, in spite of a high prevalence of nets per household in the region, and how social behaviour change communications have increased net use in these communities. Constance will look at the problems surrounding the Cambodian border, where at-risk mobile and migrant populations regularly cross borders unmonitored. She will address the importance of cross-border malaria surveillance across the region in achieving malaria elimination. The posters can be found below:

February 20th

Poster Presentation

 Julian Jane Atim, Project Manager - MCC Tororo Project, Poster 1009 (Poster Session)

1): Maintaining high net use during IRS implementation: The case of Tororo district, Eastern Uganda

February 21st

Poster Presentation, presented by Constance Shumba

 Sergio Lopes, Cambodia Country Technical Coordinator, Poster 2013 (Poster Session)

2): Cross Border Surveillance initiatives targeting mobile and migrant populations: Lessons learned from Cambodia

The full schedule can be found here.

Country: Uganda | Cambodia
GAO, Mali

Since World War II, U.N. peacekeepers have been dispatched to 69 conflicts  civil wars, border disputes and failed states. But now they are confronting an unsettling new threat: al-Qaeda.

Here in the vast, lawless desert of northwest Africa, their convoys are being torn apart by improvised explosive devices and their compounds blasted by 1,000-pound car bombs. It is a crisis that looks more like the U.S. ground wars in Iraq and Afghanistan than the cease-fires traditionally monitored by U.N. missions.

In the past four years, 118 peacekeepers have been killed  making the U.N. mission in Mali, known as MINUSMA, the world bodys deadliest ongoing peace operation. The bloodshed has raised questions about how an institution developed in the 1940s can serve a world under threat from the Islamic State and al-Qaeda. The issue is especially potent given the expectation that U.N. peacekeepers will eventually go to places such as Syria and Libya.

We are trying to learn these lessons here, rather than in Iraq, Libya or Syria, said Dutch Col. Mike Kerkhove, commander of the U.N. intelligence unit in Mali. This is not the end of this type of mission. Its the beginning.

In 2012, Islamist radicals linked to al-Qaeda hijacked an uprising by ethnic Tuareg people and went on to seize cities across northern Mali, holding on for nearly a year until they were forced out by a French military intervention. When 11,000 U.N. troops arrived in 2013, they were meant to protect a fledgling peace deal and train the Malian army. But Islamist extremists regrouped across the region. It did not take long before the militants started targeting peacekeepers, whom they dubbed Crusader occupation forces.

The United Nations was remarkably unprepared for the threat. Most of its troops from Africa and South Asia brought tanks and vehicles that were easy targets for explosives, unlike U.S. mine-resistant vehicles. The U.N. compounds, dotted with metal storage containers turned into offices and bedrooms, had flimsy perimeter security and were vulnerable to the massive car bombs used by al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), the regional affiliate of the extremist group. For a while, U.N. forces didnt have a single attack helicopter.

We werent ready for these challenges, said Mohamed El-Amine Souef, a native of the Comoros Islands who is the top U.N. official in Gao, a city in northern Mali. Last year, Souefs compound was struck by a suicide bomber, the shrapnel battering his front door.

But the United Nations dilemma goes beyond a lack of preparation or anti-terrorism equipment. At its New York headquarters and around the world, diplomats are debating: Should U.N. forces be engaged in counterterrorism at all?

Its time for us to realize that this kind of front-line role is central to the future of the United Nations, said Peter Yeo, a senior official at the U.N. Foundation, a Washington-based nonprofit organization that supports the goals of the world body.

Yeo and others argue that without a counterterrorism capability, U.N. peacekeepers cant operate productively in many of the worlds war zones.

But critics say that such a role would violate the peacekeepers core principle of impartiality and ultimately make them less effective.

Peacekeepers are only meant to use deadly force to protect civilians or to stop spoilers from threatening a peace process, not to pursue any groups military defeat, said Aditi Gorur, director of the Protecting Civilians in Conflict program at the Stimson Center, a Washington-based research center.

If peacekeepers had a more aggressive counterterrorism mandate, she and others argue, that could hurt the United Nations ability to mediate between warring groups, which sometimes include violent Islamists.

Already in Mali, the International Committee of the Red Cross has described the United Nations as a party to the conflict.

In the slide-show presentation he shows to visitors at his base in Bamako, the capital of Mali, Kerkhove includes an aerial photo taken last year of a compound that appeared to be used by a terrorist group. When he received the photo, Kerkhove debated what to do.

The men inside might be planning an assault on U.N. personnel, he thought, or a strike against civilians. Over the past two years, extremist groups have used Mali as a staging ground for attacks on luxury hotels, beach resorts and restaurants in West Africa. In 2016, al-Qaeda and its allies and affiliates launched at least 257 attacks in the region, according to the Long War Journal. But Kerkhove knew that the nearest battalion of U.N. troops, from Senegal, didnt have the weapons or air support to engage in a fight with transnational terrorists. Ultimately, U.N. forces decided not to approach the compound.

The Mali mission is the only one of the 16 active U.N. peacekeeping operations that authorizes troops to deter and counter asymmetric threats  that is, terrorist groups  that could harm its work or civilians. Last year, the U.N. Security Council said the mission should become more proactive and robust  language that some read as encouraging more offensive operations.

We need to be able to hit the terrorists where they are, before they hit us, said Souef, the U.N. official in Gao. But peacekeepers worry that they dont have the tools to deal with armed extremists.

We are gathering the intelligence, but we lack the forces who can act on that information, said Swedish Lt. Col. Per Wilson. Richard Gowan, an expert on U.N. peacekeeping at New York Universitys Center on International Cooperation, said that U.N. missions lack the resources and doctrine for counterterrorism work. He noted that even well-equipped Western military forces were outmaneuvered by terrorists in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is reasonable to ask why on earth the Security Council thinks that a U.N. force can do any better in Mali, even with European reinforcements, he said. Over the years, the United Nations has increasingly had to confront the scourge of terrorism. Militants blew up its political assistance office in Baghdad in 2003, killing 22 people, including the U.N. envoy, Sergio Vieira de Mello. But the Mali mission marks the first time a significant peacekeeping contingent has been sent to help a state regain control over areas contested by terrorist groups. In a review in 2015, a panel of U.N.-appointed experts said that peacekeeping forces were not the appropriate tool for military counterterrorism operations. But it noted they do deploy in areas threatened by armed extremist groups and must be capable of operating effectively and as safely as possible therein. On their patrols through the sandy side streets of Gao, an ancient city along the Niger River lined with mud-brick houses, U.N. convoys are greeted by throngs of residents. The locals always have the same complaint, said Senegalese Capt. Diagne Meth, standing outside his armored personnel carrier during one patrol: They want us to do more. Specifically, he said, they ask for more offensive operations, targeting radical Islamists as well as criminal groups. But I have to tell them, Thats not what were here to do,  Meth said. Already, the United Nations has tried to adapt in Mali. It has a fleet of surveillance drones. It has the first U.N. intelligence cell, a Bamako-based unit with analysts spread across the country. It has counter-IED specialists. It also has thousands of European troops, including large contingents from Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden, with soldiers experienced in fighting in Afghanistan. Other U.N. missions have evolved in recognition of new threats. In Congo in 2013, for example, the United Nations launched its first brigade designed for offensive operations. But the terrorism threat in Mali sets it apart. Sending out a patrol might work to deter an armed group in the Congo from engaging in violence, but it has the opposite effect in Mali, where terrorists are specifically trying to target peacekeepers, said Gorur, of the Stimson Center. More than a year and a half ago, Malis government signed a peace deal with separatist rebels in the north from the Tuareg and Arab communities. Authorities hoped the radical Islamists who had once aligned themselves with the local rebels  and later fallen out  had been driven away. But today, the terrorists appear stronger than ever. The French military continues to conduct its own counterterrorism mission across northwest Africa, including in Mali. The United Nations shares information with the French if it is deemed useful for protecting the lives of troops. On Jan. 18, Islamist extremists drove a truck laden with explosives into a compound in Gao where the United Nations was protecting Malian forces. Seventy-six men  from national forces and armed groups that had joined the peace process  lost their lives in the blast. (No peacekeepers were killed.) The attack was claimed by al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, which said it involved one of its allies, al-Mourabitoun. The explosion was staggering, but so was the lack of security at an installation ostensibly protected by peacekeepers. Three days before the attack, a visiting Washington Post reporter saw only a few Bangladeshi peacekeepers sitting inside a personnel carrier outside the compound. Terrorist groups had already struck U.N. facilities in the city several times, but the base was protected by only a flimsy metal gate. Souef, the U.N. official, acknowledged that his own compound in the city was vulnerable. We shouldnt be living in a place like this, he said. Story by Kevin Sieff

Photos by Jane Hahn

Published on February 17, 2017 CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article incorrectly said that the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Mali, known as MINUSMA, is the deadliest ever. MINUSMA has the highest death toll for an ongoing operation, but more peacekeepers were killed in the 1991-95 U.N. mission in the former Yugoslavia, or UNPROFOR. The article has been updated. > RETOUR SUR LA PAGE DACCUEIL

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Evia Lifestyle Center, the souths premiere lifestyle shopping and dining mecca, just added a new dimension to its approach to modern mall-going by opening an exciting new hub for inventive breakthroughs and learning  The University of the Philippines @Lab Innovation Hub. , the souths premiere lifestyle shopping and dining mecca, just added a new dimension to its approach to modern mall-going by opening an exciting new hub for inventive breakthroughs and learning  The University of the Philippines @Lab Innovation Hub.

The family of Vista Land Chairman Manny Villar and Senator Cynthia Villar, along with officers from the University of the Philippines (UP) recently launched this new Innovation Zone as the first phase of development for the upcoming UP Alabang Campus in Vista Alabang.

Former Senator Manny Villar talks about his experiences as a UP student and his dream to give back to his alma mater

Evia Lifestyle Center currently houses this groundbreaking Innovation Zone and Incubator Hub that will, in the words of former Senate President Villar, assert UPs role as the most dynamic University and the leader in education in the country. The hub, nicknamed UP @Lab (a play on words that simultaneously mean ablaze <alab>, a futuristic hub <@Lab> and its location <ALABang>) is designed to be the first spark that will initiate the academe and industry partnerships that UP aims to create by putting up a campus in Alabang.

"UP @Lab is a dream brought to life by the Villars for UPs student-locators because it brings us closer to accessing industry funding that makes our inventions and ideas a reality", said Dr. Luis Sison, Project Leader of Diliman-based DOST-UP Enterprise and Innovation Hub.

"This first building block of UP Alabang allows us to solve issues that plague fledging start-ups, such as limited access to industry and business expertise that have hindered the progress of technology innovation and development in the country", said Dr. Aura Matias, former Dean of the UP College of Engineering. "True to its name, UP @Lab shines as a beacon of hope for technology development in our country", she added.

One of UP @Labs meeting rooms. The innovation hub is equipped with four start-up offices, two meeting rooms and an open workspace area for visiting locators.

UP @Lab is located in Level B1 of the Evia Lifestyle Center. It is a fully-equipped innovation hub complete with four start-up offices, two meeting rooms, and an open workspace area for visiting locators. The hub will be run by the same team behind UP Dilimans DOST-UP Enterprise Center as a starting point for eventual operations in UP

The new UP Alabang campus in Vista Alabangs upcoming University Town, will house two new tech-driven centers for innovation for the countrys premier university - the UP School of Technology Entrepreneurship, and the UP Alabang Enterprise Center. The campus complex will be co-developed by UP and Vista Land as part of a donation and development agreement signed last June by university officials and the Villar Family. The Villars donated five hectares of land in the upcoming University Town of Vista Land's communicity development Vista Alabang in Daang Hari. The agreement also includes a donation of PHP 300M worth of buildings and equipment to be used in the creation of the campus.

Vista Cinemas, which boasts of its MX4D and Dolby ATMOS technologies, and its state-of-the-art VIP Theater. Aside from becoming the latest education hub, Evia Lifestyle Center continues to provide an impressive array of choices for shopping at Vista Groups concept stores  AllElectrics and AllToys, global fashion brands like H&M and Uniqlo, local favorite go-to stores like Bench and Bayo and shoe stores such as Res Toe Run and Payless ShoeSource. Various dining options are also available at favorite resto brands located at the Piazza like Mama Lous, Merlion Cuisine, Mesa, and TGI Fridays. Shoppers can also enjoy a unique dining experience at Another Story, a place that transports one to the realm of imagination and make-believe. Evia Lifestyle Center is also home to, which boasts of its MX4D and Dolby ATMOS technologies, and its state-of-the-art VIP Theater.
















Interview with Habib Koya, CEO-MD of Relax Solutions

You are a fairly new addition to the business landscape here in Kuwait. Could you give us an overview of your main activities? What is the ideology behind Relax Solutions?

How did Relax Solutions Company start? We three friends used to spend most of our time meeting in coffee shops, as we are representing a lot of social communities here, mostly non-profit organisations. We used to help a lot of people and spend a lot of time on that and then more people began to come to us asking for help. We thought why shouldnt we charge them? Everywhere we used to see challenges that needed solutions, and for all the problems in the world, there are solutions. We wanted to start giving solutions to the people and to charge them for it. That is how this started, and why our company motto is Solutions are Unlimited.

Our first clients were a small company that wanted to open a restaurant, and a larger one that owned an Indian gold brand that wanted to have a base here in Kuwait. The gold brand were a well-known in Kerala, India, and they wanted to set up here but they didnt have anyone to facilitate that. We found a location for the restaurant and we tried to facilitate and present market studies by using my market information and market knowledge.

Solutions are Unlimited.

My friend, Mr Abdul Rahman, and I started this company together. He is now the Chief Operating Officer. He has broad experience in real estate and property management and has been in Kuwait for the past 25 years. My experience is in retail / food and beverage, so we thought that we should start providing these services related to those sectors.

At the same time, I identified another huge potential in the market which is medical tourism. Whenever I used to travel to Bangalore, India I used to see a lot of Kuwaitis travelling. The reason that they travel for the most part is for medical treatment. The Kuwaiti government pays for treatment abroad to Europe or America. Today as far as India is concerned it has all of the latest technology and some of the best doctors in the world. Globally you can find Indian doctors who are doing really great work. So we also stepped into that sector; we said why dont we start sending people to India for their treatment? There are two kinds of treatment, one is hospital based conventional treatment where you have operations etc. and the other side is pure Indian Ayurveda treatment, which is a traditional medical treatment. From Kuwait, most people like to get that treatment because it is an oil massage, milk massage etc. it is very pleasant and they like it a lot because they feel younger after it.

Every market has fluctuations; there are times when it goes up and times when it goes down and so I thought that rather than having just these specialities that we should build more pillars to balance our business. We took on a dealership for Triton Oil which is lubricant engine oil. It is an oil that has been produced only in the last 6 or 7 years in Dubai. The managing director, Mr Nizar is a family friend of mine, so we are starting Triton Oil up in Kuwait in March. There are also a lot of other areas that are required of us, for example people need help setting up new businesses here. There are many youngsters in Kuwait that want to become entrepreneurs and they have a small amount of money provided by the government for them to develop their business and they are very enthusiastic. The Kuwaiti situation is changing, the youngsters are becoming much more entrepreneurial and they want to enter business. The role we play at Relax Solutions is that we provide solutions for them, they are very smart and have good money but they have a lack of experience because they are just out of university. We have gone through the journey of the business world and we know from experience how to do business transactions so we can help them and stop them from making mistakes.

Solutions are Unlimited.

There is another brand that we have just signed up and it is called Ice Cream Lab. It is a brand from Los Angeles and they use liquid nitrogen to make the ice cream. We have taken it on for management in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Oman. It is a very lovely brand. I was in Saudi Arabia yesterday with the franchisee, and we shall be launching it here in Kuwait very soon. That is something different. We have an investor here in Kuwait who would like to open the business but his background is not in the food business so we compliment his experience. We step in. We do everything from A to Z, the only thing we dont do is we dont manage their finances. We manage the financial reports but not the liquid cash because that is a place where a lot of integrity issues come up. We tell them how to manage their finances and where to utilise the funds etc. but it is done directly by them.

We have a branch in Dubai with the Triton company and in Oman we have another with a very close friend of mine, we also have branches in Bahrain and Qatar; Bahrain is with Mr Anarath Ahmad Hajji, a successful businessman, who left India in 1970 or 1971 to Bahrain on a ship without knowing anyone, and today he is a well-recognised businessman in Bahrain.

I have also opened my own company as a branch Relax Solutions Private Limited Company back in India. In India I have three partners, I have a managing partner and I have a regional manager for the Indian market, the two partners are Mr Karim and Mr Ismail and the Indian regional manager is Mr Mohammed Nabeel. They are managing over there and we send our clients from here to India for a treatment. Our facility is from the airport of Kuwait back to the airport of Kuwait; we are solely responsible for them. We even help them with providing them with the visas for India because we have good connections with the Indian embassy and the Indian embassy promotes medical tourism and general tourism.

Whatever kind of business comes to us, I do not say no to it! If we are able to perform, at the end of the day the most important thing is to exceed the expectations of the customer and to satisfy the customer.

What would you say is your strength? Is it your connection with India?

No. My main market is Kuwait. The Indian side of it is to do with the medical tourism. In India, I have my own garment factory, I produce shirts and garments. Relax Solutions is an independent private solutions company but medical tourism is being promoted there, and there is a branch that takes care of that. What makes us different is that we have capable people in every area, the general manager of our company, Mrs Elaine Hanlon, has almost 30 years of experience in the medical field, in nursing and hospital management. When it comes to food and beverage, I have been brought up in that sector; I started my career in 1992 when I had just left school. I have been in the food industry since then and I have passed through all of the designations required. When it comes to my COO, he has been in this country for a long time and so he knows many people here in Kuwait and he specialises in real estate. He knows that sector very well. Our business development manager, Mr Waleed Al Dawai, is a Kuwaiti with experience in the banking sector and is very good at customer service, he is also an interior designer and so we can also offer personal shopping for customers. He runs his own service independently under the same umbrella. Today, customers dont have the time they used to, they dont have the time to design their homes, and so we tell them that all they have to do is tell us the colour combination they prefer etc. To complete our team, our Operations Manager, Ms Mira Claridad, has a background in Retail and Brand Management.

How do you find your customers?

This man is very well connected to the market so there is lots of word of mouth promotion. Secondly we are getting a better footing day by day in social media. Instagram and Snapchat are the most important tools of marketing over here so we are getting into that. As I said, I have been representing non profitable organisations over here for a long time and I also represent the Indian embassy so we have connections in the market which means people talk about us and we get customers that way.

Has your business been affected by the economic situation in Kuwait recently?

It is affected in certain ways because the real estate market is really slowing down at the moment but there are two faces to that; firstly I benefited in fact because there were a lot of people who wanted to cut down their costs by cutting down on having a marketing manager, an operations manager, and an area manager and decided to pay just my company to take care of it all, because my companys policy is to have minimal fixed management fees and we take a certain percentage from the net profit after the depreciation. It is better for them that I work to develop their bottom line. At the same time, going forward it is becoming a very tight market today in terms of real estate. When we re-rent apartments or give the companies their buildings it is quite difficult to collect the money they owe because the financial situation is really slowing down. It hasnt been that bad and as far as the Kuwait government is concerned they have been balancing their financial situation. Finally, I believe our success comes from blessings and prayers of parents and family.

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Total energy use in the European Union is slightly lower today than it was in 1990, but fossil fuels remain king, and dependency on fuel imports has grown. Climate and geopolitical risks have grown in tandem.

First, a dry statistic: Eurostat, the European Unions central statistics agency, released a report on Monday saying that the EU consumed slightly less energy in 2015 than it did in 1990.

The total amount of energy consumed in the EU in 2015 amounted to 1626 million tonnes of oil equivalent (Mtoe), 2.5 percent below its 1990 level, and down by 11.6 percent compared to its peak of almost 1840 Mtoe in 2006, according to the report.

These figures include energy consumed for all uses, including electricity, heating, and transportation.

Not-so-boring numbers

Why are these numbers interesting? Lets put them into perspective. Over the same period, gross domestic product (GDP) of the 28 countries in the EU more than doubled. EU GDP in 2015 was about 2.15 times the size of the blocs GDP in 1990.

The numbers show that Europes economies have become much more energy-efficient at producing goods and services since 1990. That was to be expected, given the long-term trend toward more efficient cars, trucks, industrial and energy-generation equipment, especially in the post-Warsaw Pact countries of central and eastern Europe.

However, the statistics also underline that Europe is failing to do whats necessary to protect global climate stability. Efforts to decarbonise energy and transport systems have been far too slow and limited in scope. Eurostats numbers also show that Europe remains worryingly dependent on energy imports from outside the region.

Thirty years on

Its been nearly thirty years since June 24, 1988. That was the day leading NASA climate scientist James Hansen rang warning bells heard around the world. He testified at a US Senate hearing that the accumulation of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere resulting from the burning of fossil fuels was changing the global climate  and that extremely disruptive long-term consequences could be expected as a result.

Hansen told senators then that the scientific evidence is compelling: The global climate is changing as the earths atmosphere gets warmer. Now, the Congress must begin to consider how we are going to slow or halt that warming trend and how we are going to cope with the changes that may already be inevitable.

Statistics like those released by Eurostat this week shed light on the question of whether sufficiently serious action has been taken since then on moving toward low-carbon energy sources. The hard and short answer is: No.

EU dependency on imported fossil fuels

Accounting for nearly three-quarters of EU consumption of energy in 2015, fossil fuels have continued to represent by far the main source of energy for Europe. Their proportional weight has decreased over the past three decades, as a result of increased deployment of renewable energy technologies  but only from 83 percent in 1990 to 73 percent in 2015.

In light of Hansens warning, since confirmed and intensified by countless scientific studies, thats very modest progress.

EU dependency on imported energy has gradually increased over the same period, and has continuously stood above 50 percent since 2004, according to Eurostat. It reached 54.1 percent in 2015.

Europes dependence on imported fossils fuels has increased especially markedly. 73 percent of fossil fuels consumed in Europe in 2015 were imported, compared with just over half (53 percent) in 1990.

In other words, while one tonne of fossil fuels was imported for each tonne produced in the EU in 1990, by 2015, three tonnes were imported for each tonne produced in the EU.

Most EU member states saw their dependency on fossil fuel imports increase between 1990 and 2015. This was notably the case for the United Kingdom (from a dependency rate of 2 percent in 1990 to 43 percent in 2015), the Netherlands (from 22 to 56 percent), Poland (from 1 to 32 percent), and the Czech Republic (from 17 to 46 percent).

Looking to Denmark

In 2015, the EU member state by far the least dependent on fossil fuel imports was Denmark (4 percent), followed by Estonia (17), Romania (25) and Poland (32 percent).

Denmarks leaders decided in 1976, in the wake of the OPEC oil embargoes, to take measures to reduce the countrys dependence on imported energy. Since then, Danish engineers took steps to tap the substantial endowment of oil and natural gas under its North Sea coastal waters, and Denmark has become a net exporter of crude oil.

Denmark has also made great strides in achieving housing-sector energy efficiency, and in installing renewable energy capacity  above all by deploying wind turbines, which supplied 42 percent of the countrys electricity by 2015. (Picture at top: Danish offshore wind turbines at Horns Reef, 20 km offshore from the port of Esbjerg.)

It is clear that Europe will have to move much more quickly than it has in the past to deploy domestic low-carbon energy systems, in order to avoid further destabilising the climate. The subcontinents growing dependency on imported fossil fuels provides an additional reason to accelerate the build-out of domestic clean energy systems: Doing so will reduce Europes geopolitical dependency on oil and gas imports from unstable or potentially hostile supplier countries.

The continent can look to Denmark for inspiration on both counts.
Is Trump's ISIS Plan Another US Military Invasion?

Just over a week into the Trump Administration, the President issued an Executive Order giving Defense Secretary James Mattis 30 days to come up with a plan to defeat ISIS. According to the Order, the plan should make recommendations on military actions, diplomatic actions, partners, strategies, and how to pay for the operation.

As we approach the president's deadline it looks like the military is going to present Trump with a plan to do a whole lot more of what we've been doing and somehow expect different results. Proving the old saying that when all you have is a hammer everything looks like a nail, we are hearing increasing reports that the military will recommend sending thousands of US troops into Syria and Iraq.

This would be a significant escalation in both countries, as currently there are about 5,000 US troops still fighting our 13-year war in Iraq, and some 500 special forces soldiers operating in Syria.

The current Syria ceasefire, brokered without US involvement at the end of 2016, is producing positive results and the opposing groups are talking with each other under Russian and Iranian sponsorship. Does anyone think sending thousands of US troops into a situation that is already being resolved without us is a good idea?

In language reminiscent of his plans to build a wall on the Mexican border, the president told a political rally in Florida over the weekend that he was going to set up "safe zones" in Syria and would make the Gulf States pay for them. There are several problems with this plan.

First, any "safe zone" set up inside Syria, especially if protected by US troops, would amount to a massive US invasion of the country unless the Assad government approves them. Does President Trump want to begin his presidency with an illegal invasion of a sovereign country?

Second, there is the little problem of the Russians, who are partners with the Assad government in its efforts to rid the country of ISIS and al-Qaeda. ISIS is already losing territory on a daily basis. Is President Trump willing to risk a military escalation with Russia to protect armed regime-change forces in Syria?

Third, the Gulf States are the major backers of al-Qaeda and ISIS in Syria - as the president's own recently-resigned National Security Advisor, Michael Flynn, revealed in a 2015 interview. Unless these safe zones are being set up to keep al-Qaeda and ISIS safe, it doesn't make any sense to involve the Gulf States.

Many will say we should not be surprised at these latest moves. As a candidate, Trump vowed to defeat ISIS once and for all. However, does anyone really believe that continuing the same strategy we have followed for the past 16 years will produce different results this time? If what you are hammering is not a nail, will hammering it harder get it nailed in?

Washington cannot handle the truth: solving the ISIS problem must involve a whole lot less US activity in the Middle East, not a whole lot more. Until that is understood, we will continue to waste trillions of dollars and untold lives in a losing endeavor.



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Congressman Ron Paul of Texas enjoys a national reputation as the premier advocate for liberty in politics today. Dr. Paul is the leading spokesman in Washington for limited constitutional government, low taxes, free markets, and a return to sound monetary policies based on commodity-backed currency. He is known among both his colleagues in Congress and his constituents for his consistent voting record in the House of Representatives: Dr. Paul never votes for legislation unless the proposed measure is expressly authorized by the Constitution. In the words of former Treasury Secretary William Simon, Dr. Paul is the "one exception to the Gang of 535" on Capitol Hill.

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UK First-time Home Buyer Market is Robust and Ready for Spring

In just a couple of weeks time, Spring will arrive, which is typically the time of year when house hunters start searching for their ideal home as many more houses become listed for sale. Once first-time buyers have built up a big enough deposit to get themselves onto the property ladder, the next port of call is to find the right property and to pick the best mortgage.

The latest research from Moneyfacts.co.uk can reveal that buyers who have only a 5% deposit will have a much healthier number of deals to choose from than in years gone by. Despite the closure of the Help to Buy Mortgage Guarantee scheme, its still a robust market that has the potential to keep growing.

Rachel Springall, Finance Expert at Moneyfacts.co.uk, said:

The first-time buyer mortgage market has gone from strength to strength over the years boosted by Government support. In previous years, there had been a lack of competition for those considered more risky, due to the small amount they could put down as a deposit. Prospective buyers today have so many more cost-effective mortgage options available, potentially making their dream of owning their first home much more achievable.

Five years ago, long before the Help to Buy Mortgage Guarantee Scheme launched, there were only 59 deals available to buyers with a 5% deposit, from just 24 lenders  75% of which were mutuals. Today, the number of deals has rocketed to 276 with 53 different lenders, including most of the largest high street banks.

Its not just the available choice that will benefit first-time buyers, theres also a huge reduction in the cost of a mortgage, with two and five-year fixed rates for those with a 5% deposit falling from 5.93% and 5.89% to 3.92% and 4.43% respectively over the last five years. Based on the average five-year fixed rate, thats a difference of 7,715.40* in terms of repayments during the first five years of the mortgage.

Borrowers hoping to reduce the expense can also take advantage of lucrative incentive packages, such as the Best Buy deal from Hanley Economic Building Society, priced at 3.40% for two years, which has a 500 fee and an incentive package of free valuation and 250 cashback. Not only this, but the biggest banks are also looking to entice first-time buyers  demonstrated by Barclays offer to pay up to 2,500 in cashback to reimburse the stamp duty charge on a 250,000 home.

Obviously, there are advantages for those first-time buyers who waited until now to get the best mortgage deal, yet there are also some significant disadvantages to buying a home today compared to years past. House prices are continuing to rise, so prospective buyers may well be struggling to amass a large enough deposit, particularly if a large portion of their income goes to rent. With this in mind, borrowers would be wise to be stringent with their daily finances, be on the lookout for the best mortgage deals and seek independent financial advice before entering into any arrangement.

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Premier Li Keqiangs most special certificate could be the member identification presented by Chaihuo Makerspace during the Premiers visit to Shenzhen in Guangdong province on Jan 4, 2015.

The makerspace is a place where innovators gather to share resources and knowledge to build things. When invited to be an honorable member of it, the Premier was glad to accept, and said that this move can give a hand to the innovation action, and encourage more people to be makers.

In the same year, the word makers was written into the government work report, along with mass entrepreneurship and innovation.

Premier Li said at that years news conference of the two sessions that mass entrepreneurship and innovation was a reform process, and countrys prosperity comes from peoples creativity and economic vigor also originates from employment, entrepreneurship and the diversity of consumption.

He also said that grassroots entrepreneurs and young group should be well treated, and only when they have hopes and expectations the country has a future.

Edmund Phelps, winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics, spoke highly of Chinas mass entrepreneurship and innovation. He added that the prosperity of all the countries that have been the global growth engines has come from innovation at grassroots levels.

Premier Li likes to interact with young entrepreneurs. At an innovation street in Beijing, he talked about startups and drank coffee with young entrepreneurs. He has visited many innovation centers at different regions.

When I attended the seminar he chaired, I could feel his appreciation and support for grassroots entrepreneurs in his heart, said Qian Yingyi, a professor from Tsinghua University.

Ma Huateng, CEO of Tencent Group, once suggested to the Premier new business model such as the sharing economy. The Premier said, When a new thing emerges, the government should not kill it at once, instead, it should offer a chance.

The government should clear the road and build a platform for entrepreneurs, he added.

In fact, these entrepreneurs are refreshing Chinese economy. In 2016, 45,100 new market entities were registered every day. In addition, China was listed in the top 25 innovative economies for the first time last year.

We think Premier Li himself is like an entrepreneur, a maker, said Pan Hao, founder of Chaihuo makerspace.
Gov. Terry McAuliffe plans to veto a bill that would prevent government agencies from enforcing gun bans at emergency shelters, a spokesman said Tuesday.

He doesnt believe that we should be injecting more firearms into situations that are often fraught and sometimes dangerous, spokesman Brian Coy said.

HB 2077 would have revised the Emergency Services and Disaster Law of 2000 by removing a government entitys authority to limit lawful possession, carrying, transportation, sale or transfer of firearms in any place or facility used by the governmental entity as an emergency shelter.

The bill  which passed the House of Delegates 65-34 and the Senate 21-19  was sponsored by Del. Tony Wilt, R-Rockingham, and Del. Ron Villanueva, R-Virginia Beach.

Wilt said Tuesday that he introduced the legislation to prevent government officials  including McAuliffe  from using a state or local disaster as a pretense to disarm citizens. He said his office consulted with attorneys, who concluded that the bill would not affect schools with policies that prohibit weapons.

Even in the private sector, if they have a prohibition on firearms, those hold, Wilt said.

But the bill prompted concern among some police chiefs, said Dana Schrad, executive director of the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police. Schrad said the change could create confusion among those who need shelter services, and could increase demands on law enforcement officials, who would have to account for the presence of armed people at shelters.

If youre responding to an emergency, a natural disaster, are you then also going to have to respond to a situation where you dont know whos armed? Schrad said.

Wilt said he understands those concerns but said the underlying issue is whether the state should trust residents to defend themselves or whether residents should trust police and fire services.

I would trust [residents] the same whether in their own home, or whether theyre out traveling with a vehicle, to know when they need to protect themselves, Wilt said.

Roanoke and Roanoke County officials said area shelters are generally staffed by the American Red Cross, which prohibits weapons in shelters.

If we dont have the staffing for the shelters, its not out of the possibility that a shelter wouldnt open, Roanoke County Police Chief Howard Hall said.

Hall said the proposed bill concerned him because it would take away local agencies abilities to decide what policies work best for them.

I think its safe to say that Im not a gun control proponent, he said. But currently, local government has the ability to decide what would be allowed in the shelter, which is something that local government should be able to decide.
RICHMOND  Legislation to provide $1.55 million in compensation to a man wrongfully convicted of a 1982 rape and murder in Newport News awaits the governors signature.

Keith Allen Harward, 60, of Greensboro, North Carolina, was exonerated and released from prison last year after DNA cleared him and implicated one of his former U.S. Navy shipmates, a career criminal now deceased.

The Virginia Supreme Court granted Harwards petition for a writ of actual innocence less than a day after Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring joined the Innocence Project in asking it be granted.

The compensation  initially $1.45 million was sought but it was revised upward under a state formula  went through the House and Senate without a single no vote and was sent to the governors office Tuesday.

Gov. Terry McAuliffe has until midnight March 27 to sign it into law.

The legislation calls for a total of $1.55 million in compensation, of which $309,688 is to be paid to Harward within 60 days of his waiving any claims against the state. The remaining $1.24 million will be used to purchase an annuity for Harward no later than Sept. 30.

The killer beat the rape victims husband to death with a crowbar as he lay in his bed and then assaulted the woman as their children were asleep in a nearby bedroom. The crime occurred at their home located near the shipyard.

The woman, who was bitten on the legs by the assailant, could not identify him but she said he wore an enlisted mans Navy uniform. Harward was convicted in large part on the erroneous testimony of two experts that claimed his teeth matched those of the biter.
RICHMOND  Virginia lawmakers are still hesitant to grant restitution to a pardoned Roanoke man who spent 21 years in prison.

For the second year in a row, a Senate committee killed a bill to award Davey Reedy more than $1 million in restitution.

Gov. Terry McAuliffe granted Reedy a rare, absolute pardon two years ago, saying the forensic evidence used to convict him of starting a fire that killed his son and daughter is no longer a reliable method for arson investigations.

But conflicting accounts of Reedys innocence stuck with members of the Senate Finance Committee who unanimously passed by Sen. Scott Surovells bill that would have granted Reedy $1.03 million in restitution  a number calculated by recommendations codified in state law.

The committee members told me they felt like nothing had changed from last year, and absent new information, they werent inclined to revisit it, said Surovell, D-Fairfax.

For decades, including after he was paroled in 2009, Reedy maintained his innocence. McAuliffe pardoned him in December 2015.

But after members of the Senate Finance Committee heard testimony questioning Reedys innocence last year, their reluctance to grant him restitution carried over to this years session. They voted on the bill last month.

Last year, Roanoke Commonwealths Attorney Donald Caldwell told committee member the prosecutions case against Reedy was strong, even without the now-outdated forensic evidence. Granting the restitution would add insult to injury, he said.

At the time, Reedys attorney, Tom Bondurant, argued there wasnt enough evidence to associate Reedy with the fire  making his client innocent.

Surovell said he will meet with Reedy and Bondurant to brainstorm other possible solutions to get the restitution funded.

Its definitely going to take a different approach to get it funded, or a change in control of the chamber, he said.
TODAYS WORD is truculent (truhk-yuh-luh-nt). Example: That truculent bully made the mistake of picking a fight with a kid who takes judo classes.

MONDAYS WORD was durian. It is an oval, spiny tropical fruit containing a creamy pulp, known for its fetid smell. Example: The worst thing about eating the durian was I couldnt tell whether or not it had gone bad.

Budget session

The Henry County School Board and Board of Supervisors will get together Thursday at 5 p.m., to talk about this years budget. The meeting, which is open for anyone to come and watch, will be held in the School Board Meeting Room, on the third floor of the County Administration Building, 3300 Kings Mountain Road in Collinsville.

Weather superstitions

What are some ways we can predict the weather? Well, earlier this month, the Stroller asked you all to send in those tried and tested methods, either one you follow or something you learned from your grandparents. Jason Blackburn said that when hed visit his grandfather Charlie in Axton, hed hear the story about how cobwebs on the grass are a sign of good weather. I dont know if its scientific or not, Jason said, but every time Grandpa Charlie pointed them out, it was sunny the next day. Axton resident Angela Chastain said back when she was growing up in the 50s, her daddy had a tradition when it came to candles in the house. If you blew out the candle and the wick kept on smoldering, then that meant bad weather was coming, Angela said. Now if it just got snuffed out, youd have nothing but sunshine. I say he was right more often than not. Jane Pilson from Ridgeway shared about her grandmothers belief, based off the first 12 days of the year. My grandmother believed that the first 12 days of January foretold the weather for the year, Jane said. If it was raining on Jan. 4, she would say this is April. If Jan. 5 was sunny, shed say that was the weather for May. Got any more weather prediction methods you want to share? Email the Stroller at info@martinsvillebulletin.com.

TODAY IS: National Sticky Bun Day

Sticky buns  originally known as schnecken  are considered a Philadelphia specialty. It is believed that the treats originated in the U.S. in the 18th century when German settlers brought their baking traditions along with them when they settled near Pennsylvania.

Brunswick fundraiser

The Bassett Ruritan Club over on Philpott Dam Road will make their Brunswick Stew on Saturday, with quarts ready for purchase at 11 a.m. The cost is $6 a quart and to pre-order, you can call Joe Varner at 276-629-1411 or Sherry McCoy at 276-340-0269.

Loose Strings

The next performance in the Reynolds Homesteads American Music Series will be on March 12, with The Loose Strings Band. Tickets will be $8 for adults, with kids 15 and under free. To reserve tickets, call 276-694-7181.

TRIVIA QUESTION: Which invention came first: The fax machine, or contact lenses?

MONDAYS TRIVIA ANSWER: What do bullet proof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers and laser printers all have in common? All of these innovations were invented by women.
Responding to Premier Li Keqiangs call, State-owned enterprises (SOE) are joining the tide of entrepreneurship and mass innovation, with new start-ups and small and micro businesses.

The China Aerospace Science & Industry Corp. (CASIC) was a large SOE with a long history dating back to the countrys first Five-Year Plan period (1953-1957). In recent years, it has built a platform with the help of the internet, to better integrate resources and achieve transformation and upgrades through innovation.

Now, the online platform involves more than 2,000 teams in charge of innovative efforts, and has signed contracts with nearly 600,000 enterprises, with a total output of over 40 billion yuan, according to a person in charge at CASIC.

At the National Mass Innovation and Entrepreneurship Week and the Global Entrepreneurial Leaders Forum held in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, last October, Premier Li was impressed by a speech made by Gao Hongwei, chairman of CASIC, who reported on the enterprises innovative efforts.

The platform has brought real benefit to CASIC. Over 30 percent of research costs and 60 percent of research time have been cut for some clients in the traditional industry.

In 2016, CASIC cut overcapacity of nearly 10 billion yuan, while its new business, such as smart robots, new materials and commercial aerospace, saw rapid growth in annual turnover and industrial restructuring.

Mass entrepreneurship and innovation applies to all sectors; it not only saves small and micro companies, but also brings prosperity to big enterprises, said the Premier.

And he made similar comments on several occasions. At the 2015 Summer Davos held in Dalian, Liaoning province, Premier Li said that platforms for mass entrepreneurship and innovation are diversified, such as crowd innovation, crowd support, crowd-sourcing, and crowd-funding, which bring reform to production and management.

In a visit to Luoyang Mining Machinery Group in Henan province, Premier Li interacted with makers in the large State-owned enterprise and hailed their efforts in innovation. The Premier also inspected the R&D headquarters of GE China in Shanghai last year and was informed about the innovative measures by the US-based conglomerate.
Norwegian.jpg

A Norwegian Air aircraft in this publicity photo released through Facebook. The airline reportedly planning to start serving T.F. Green Airport in Rhode Island.

(Photo provided)

WINDSOR LOCKS -- Bradley International Airport might be getting some competition when it comes to flying folks to Ireland.

According to published reports, low-cost airline Norwegian Air Express plans to soon fly from Rhode Island's T.F. Green Airport to Shannon and Dublin airports. Fares would start off at the introductory discount rate of $69 one way, but the cost eventually would stabilize at about $300 round trip.

Norwegain Air serves a number of European cities including those in Norway.

The company won FAA approval last week after a protracted fight of more than two years. U.S. labor unions opposed Norwegian's expansion and the Barack Obama administration listened. The new Donald Trump administration approved the flights.

Norwegian Air has already hosted hiring fairs in Rhode Island and expects to have 200 employees locally, according to GoLocalProv.com.

Aer Lingus started flying nonstop transatlantic flights between Dublin and Connecticut's Bradley international Airport in September. The flights marked the return of nonstop service to Europe from Bradley in more than seven years.

Northwest flew a nonstop flight from Bradley to Amsterdam from June 2007 to September 2008.

The state of Connecticut agreed to revenue guarantees of $9 million over two years to Aer Lingus to get the airline into Bradley. That means the state makes up the difference if Aer Lingus ticket revenue doesn't meet benchmarks.

Aer Lingus sells the Bradley-to-Dublin service not just as a trip to Ireland but as a gateway to Europe. Aer Lingus serves 25 cities across the United Kingdom and continental Europe.

Norwegian Air Shuttle also has plans to fly in and out of Stewart International Airport in Newburgh, New York, about 60 miles north of Manhattan. The airline also considered Portsmouth International in New Hampshire as its first Boston-area airport before choosing Rhode Island.
Shaina Mishkin | smishkin@masslive.com

New to Massachusetts? Here's what every Bay State resident needs to know

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Shaina Mishkin | smishkin@masslive.com

New to Massachusetts? Here's what every Bay State resident needs to know

Hello, new Massachusetts resident. I was once like you. Whether you've been here for school since September or just moved up last week, chances are you've noticed there are some things about the Bay State that are just a little different than anywhere else in the country. Here are 37 things you should know when living in Massachusetts. AP photo.

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Shaina Mishkin | smishkin@masslive.com

SLANG AND PRONUNCIATION

Photo by dbking (_MG_8054) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons.

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Shaina Mishkin | smishkin@masslive.com

"Bang a U-ey"

This sounds more profane than it is. To "bang a U-ey" is to execute a U-Turn.

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Shaina Mishkin | smishkin@masslive.com

"Packie"

Not a place to mail things from. "Packie" is short for "package store," which, in turn, means liquor store.

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Shaina Mishkin | smishkin@masslive.com

"Bubbler"

More of an Eastern Mass. thing, what is a bubbler to some is a drinking fountain or water fountain to others. Photo by Daderot (Own work) [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons.

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Shaina Mishkin | smishkin@masslive.com

"Rotary"

A rotary by any other name would still confuse drivers with no clue what they are doing. Also known as a traffic circle or roundabout in other parts of the country. Photo by Mark M. Murray.

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Shaina Mishkin | smishkin@masslive.com

"Wicked"

Wicked's not a bad thing here. Use it as an adverb in place of "really." For example, "wicked excited" or, yes, "wicked pissah." Photo by Michael S. Gordon.

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Shaina Mishkin | smishkin@masslive.com

"Pisser"

Pronounced "pissah" as often as "pisser," if not more. This means awesome, or, when paired with "wicked," really awesome.

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Scott J. Croteau | scroteau@masslive.com

"Statie"

Slang for a state trooper, this nickname was also the name of the Massachusetts State Police's Elf on the Shelf. AP photo.

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Shaina Mishkin | smishkin@masslive.com

Learn to pronounce our town names

WUSS-ster, GLOSS-ster, LEM-in-ster, LESS-ter, Bill-RICK-ah, HAYVE-rull, Ruh-HO-bith. When in doubt, drop the middle syllable and slur it all together.

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Shaina Mishkin | smishkin@masslive.com

PLACES AND TRANSPORTATION

Photo by Mark M. Murray.

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Shaina Mishkin | smishkin@masslive.com

The T

Short for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, the Boston area's public transportation system. "The T" usually refers specifically to Boston's subways, though there are buses, too. Fun fact: the Charley Card, a name for the MBTA pass, is named after a song about a man called Charlie stuck on the train. Photo by Jim Kinney.

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Shaina Mishkin | smishkin@masslive.com

The Cape

Massachusetts' peninsula known for its beaches and seafood is always The Cape and never Cape Cod. Why waste that extra syllable specifying?

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Shaina Mishkin | smishkin@masslive.com

The Vineyard

The island off the Cape, the "Martha's" part of Martha's Vineyard is just as superfluous. Photo by Alberto Fernandez Fernandez [GFDL, CC-BY-SA-3.0 or CC BY 2.5], via Wikimedia Commons.

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Shaina Mishkin | smishkin@masslive.com

The Pike

The Massachusetts Turnpike, officially known as I-90 and colloquially known as the Mass Pike or just the Pike, takes many forms. The two-lane toll highway that stretches from Boston to the New York border can be a relatively quick way to cut across the state, the commonwealth's biggest parking lot or a fun 30-mile detour when you miss the Westfield exit heading west. Good luck predicting which one you'll encounter next. Photo by Noah Bombard.

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Shaina Mishkin | smishkin@masslive.com

Breakdown lane

Some other states call this the shoulder. There are only two reasons a person notices the breakdown lane on a highway: because their car broke down and they are using it for its intended purpose, or because some jerk just used it to pass them on the right during rush hour traffic.

Photo by John Phelan (Own work) [CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons.

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Shaina Mishkin | smishkin@masslive.com

Fenway vs. The Fenway

If you've been in Massachusetts for over five seconds, you probably know of Fenway Park, but you may not know that the neighborhood the Red Sox play in is also named Fenway. Besides Fenway Park, the Fenway-Kenmore neighborhood also houses the Museum of Fine Arts and Boston Latin School.

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Shaina Mishkin | smishkin@masslive.com

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Grinder

Sorry, Subway. Around here, we call those long sandwiches grinders, not subs or hoagies. Photo by Sarah Platanitis.

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Shaina Mishkin | smishkin@masslive.com

Frappe

In New England, a frappe is generally what other places call a milkshake. It's always pronounced as a one-syllable "frap" and never the double-syllable "frap-pay." Photo by Don Treeger.

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Shaina Mishkin | smishkin@masslive.com

Chowder

Clam chowder, specifically the New England variety. Don't even try to find the red, tomato-y Manhattan version here. Photo by Liz Roman.

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Shaina Mishkin | smishkin@masslive.com

Hoodsie

Even if the name doesn't look familiar, you would know a Hoodsie if you saw it. Hoodsie cups are those little bowls of vanilla and chocolate ice cream, served with a tiny wooden spoon. Photo by Elizabeth Roman.

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Shaina Mishkin | smishkin@masslive.com

Jimmies

How folks in New England refer to ice cream sprinkles. This term has even reached Turkey Hill's website. Photo by Don Treeger.

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Shaina Mishkin | smishkin@masslive.com

Reese's Pieces

Pronounced in a way that rhymes with "feces," for some ungodly reason.

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Shaina Mishkin | smishkin@masslive.com

Fluffernutter

When it comes to marshmallows, Massachusetts innovates. The commonwealth both invented Marshmallow Fluff and found a good excuse to eat it for lunch. A Fluffernutter is our take on PB&J, subbing in the sweet marshmallow creme spread for jelly. AP Photo.

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Shaina Mishkin | smishkin@masslive.com

Anything but pop

That soft drink is either soda or tonic, but it's definitely not pop. AP photo.

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Shaina Mishkin | smishkin@masslive.com

Dunks

America runs on Dunkin'? Maybe. Massachusetts runs on Dunkin'? Definitely. During the winter, we trudge through snowbanks to grab our morning iced coffee from Dunks, not Dunkin' Donuts.

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Shaina Mishkin | smishkin@masslive.com

"Regular" coffee

Want to control your own sugar and cream distribution? You want a black coffee, not a regular one. Ordering a regular coffee means getting a cup pre-loaded with cream and sugar.

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Shaina Mishkin | smishkin@masslive.com

Hamburg

Not the city. In Massachusetts, hamburg is a word for ground beef. Photo by Don Treeger.

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Shaina Mishkin | smishkin@masslive.com

SPORTS

AP photo/Michael Dwyer

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Shaina Mishkin | smishkin@masslive.com

Candlepin bowling

It's like regular bowling but with little tiny balls and weird, skinny pins. People here love it. Photo by Michael S. Gordon.

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Shaina Mishkin | smishkin@masslive.com

The B's

The Boston Bruins. They play hockey. AP photo.

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Shaina Mishkin | smishkin@masslive.com

The C's

The Boston Celtics. They play basketball. AP photo.

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Shaina Mishkin | smishkin@masslive.com

The Pats

The New England Patriots. They play football. AP photo.

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Monster

One of Boston's most iconic structures, the Green Monster is both a 104-year-old left field wall and the mascot of the Boston Red Sox. AP photo.

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Shaina Mishkin | smishkin@masslive.com

Beanpot

A college hockey tournement that takes place at the TD Garden every year. AP photo.

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Shaina Mishkin | smishkin@masslive.com

GENERAL CULTURE

Photo by Infrogmation [GFDL or CC BY 2.5], via Wikimedia Commons.

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Shaina Mishkin | smishkin@masslive.com

"Sweet Caroline"

Written by Neil Diamond and inspired by President John F. Kennedy's daughter Caroline, this song will appear at every single Red Sox game, parade and karaoke bar you'll attend in Massachusetts. You can memorize the words, but the only real important thing to know is the "BUM, BUM, BUM" part in the chorus.

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Shaina Mishkin | smishkin@masslive.com

Evacuation Day

A holiday in Boston and all of Suffolk County, Evacuation Day celebrates the day British troops were evacuated from Boston during the Revolutionary War. It takes place on March 17 each year, the same day as Saint Patrick's Day. Photo by Sswonk (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons.

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Shaina Mishkin | smishkin@masslive.com

Patriots' Day

Unrelated to the previously-mentioned football team, Patriots' Day is a Massachusetts and Maine-specific holiday that celebrates the battle of Lexington and Concord on the third Monday in April. This is also when the Boston Marathon happens. AP Photo.

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Shaina Mishkin | smishkin@masslive.com

No happy hour

Massachusetts has not had happy hour since a regulation banning discounted drinks went into effect in 1984, though a new campaign is underway to bring happy hour back. AP photo.

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Shaina Mishkin | smishkin@masslive.com

Kui '

A nickname for Boston, in theory. No one really calls it this in real life, but the name will pop up occasionally.

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1,^

Now an actual entry in the actual Oxford English Dictionary, you'll know you've encountered a Masshole when that guy with a sticker of Calvin peeing on a Yankees logo cuts you off on the Pike.
Forty years ago this week over 3,000 people lined up for day one of the tag sale clearing out the Northfield Inn. The Inn, which opened in 1888, closed after the company managing it went bankrupt. Day one of the sale brought in over $30,000, and the sale was to continue until all the contents were sold.

Five years ago this week Southampton native Rachel Truehart reflected on her run on the ABC television show "The Bachelor."

These are some of the headlines you'll see from Page 1 of The Republican and its predecessors over the past fifty years for the week of February 19 - February 25. Each week I'll put together a slideshow of Page 1 images from selected years over the course of that week. We're starting with a look back at one, five, thirty, forty and fifty years ago, with Page 1s from each day of the week for those years.

The slideshow for February 19 - February 25 is embedded at the top of this article.

From the February 21, 1967 edition of The Springfield Union

We'll also find some humor printed out on page one over the years. In 1967 'Dennis The Menace' could be found on the bottom of page one six days a week.

And a year ago this week the Cape Breton Island tourism website made a pitch to Americans fearful of Donald Trump being elected President. The website suggested that those looking to move overseas after the election, should come and relocate to Nova Scotia, Canada.

As you'll find with looking through the slideshow, that while many stories come and go, many of the issues and topics that affected lives in the past, continue to have an impact on our lives today.

Copies of these and other stories can be found in the online archives. Links to the archives are at the bottom of the page at www.masslive.com/republican

The historic archive includes stories prior to 1989, and the Newsbank archive covers 1988 through the present day.


SPRINGFIELD -- The Springfield Puerto Rican Parade has a long history in the city and has become an annual tradition celebrated by many families in Western Massachusetts.

Pulling off the event, which features hundreds of marchers and thousands of spectators every year, requires a dedicated group of people willing to volunteer their time to make the parade a success.

The Springfield Puerto Rican Parade Committee is now accepting applications for new members. The Committee is looking for community members with skills including marketing and promotions, grant writing, project planning, community outreach, fundraising, finances and more.

"The committee is focused on creating a sustainable parade model," said Lucila Santana, Chairwoman of the Springfield Puerto Rican Parade Committee. "We are looking forward to identifying members in our community to continue the work so the parade can be enjoyed for generations to come."

The planning committee is currently made up of 10 community leaders and business owners, whose goal is to bring the parade back to the community while being more inclusive of all cultures and the city as a whole, she said.

The current members have worked with the parade founders, past organizers and the Board of Directors of the Puerto Rican Cultural Center, and have been organizing and managing the parade since 2014.

The mission of the Springfield Puerto Rican Parade Planning Committee is "to honor and celebrate the legacy and many contributions of the Puerto Rican community in Springfield."

Those interested should fill out an application by 8 p.m. on Feb. 24 and include a copy of their resume and a cover letter, explaining their interest in serving on the committee and what skills they can offer.

The Committee will review all applications and nominate selected candidates for election. Upon election, the new committee members will be publicly announced.

Applications are available here or through the committee's website springfieldpuertoricanparade.com

For more information, contact Lucila Santana at (413) 351-0557 or springfieldprparade@gmail.com.
After days of searching, investigators say they have found the vehicle believed to have been driven away from the scene of a double homicide in Peabody over the weekend.

FOX25 reports the 1992 Acura was found in Salem.

Michael Hebb, 45, of Peabody, is scheduled to be arraigned in Peabody District Court Tuesday on two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of Mark Greenlaw and Jennifer O'Connor. Another suspect is still at large.

Police arrived at the home late Saturday after a woman contacted Massachusetts State Police to report that a crime had occurred in the home.

When investigators entered 19 Farm Ave. in Peabody over the weekend, the crime scene was so "messy" local and state police were unsure how many people were killed in the grisly attack.
It can be difficult to find a place to live in Boston but a cat has a new home in the city, a condo featuring an open space layout and large deck for outdoor dining.

Boston Police officers set up a cat condo at the Boston police SWAT base in Roxbury this month for the department's adopted mascot, SWAT cat.

The stray Calico began prowling around the BPD Special Weapons and Tactics base four years ago and soon officers became to care for her.

Deciding to make her residency more permanent, Officer Jamie Pietroski built SWAT cat a home.

The cat condo features a sliding glass door, shingled roof and hardwood interior.
The Essex District Attorney's Office has issued a warning for Massachusetts residents to be on the lookout for 39-year-old Wes Doughty. The suspect is believed to be tied to the brutal killings of Mark Greenlaw, 37, and Jennifer O'Connor, 39 in Peabody over the weekend.

Doughty is considered armed and dangerous, according to a statement released by District Attorney spokeswoman Carrie Kimball-Monahan Tuesday afternoon.

The alert comes just hours after the arraignment of murder suspect Michael Hebb, who pleaded not guilty and was ordered to be held without bail by Peabody District Court Judge James Barretto.

Barretto agreed to a request by Prosecutor Kate MacDougall to impound Hebb's arrest warrant and case file, citing the ongoing police investigation for another suspect. The prosecution argued that facts in the arrest warrant could contain information that would compromise the search for a second suspect, who police now identify as Wes Doughty.

Early Tuesday morning, investigators reportedly found the 1992 Acura they were searching for in Salem. Authorities believe the car was taken from the scene of the killings at 19 Farm Avenue in Peabody on Saturday night.

Authorities from state police and Peabody Police are searching for the suspect. Anyone with information is urged to contact 911 or state police at 1-800-KAPTURE (1-800-527-8873).
Democratic state Sen. Cynthia Creem, of Newton, is sponsoring legislation that would increase taxes on firearms by 4.75 percent and place the additional revenue into a trust fund.

The tax would extend to "all ammunition, rifles, shotguns, firearms or parts thereof," the bill's text reads.

Firearms purchases in Massachusetts are already taxed 6.25 percent by the state and 10 to 11.25 percent by the federal government, depending on the type of sale.

Creem wants to create a Firearms Violence Prevention Trust Fund using revenue solely from the new 4.75 surcharge. The trust fund will provide grants for programs aimed at reducing gun violence, such as hiring school resource officers or training for police officers.

In addition to establishing the violence prevention trust, Creem's bill would also ban the sale fo .50-caliber weapons and ammunition, with punishments ranging from a $1,000 to $10,000 fine or possible jail time.

Furthermore, Creem's bill addresses online purchases of guns, requiring that those transactions take place on a web platform developed by the Department of Criminal Justice's information services. Information about the sale of the gun must be provided to the department before the transaction can be made.

Creem told Wicked Local that she hopes the bill will make gun transactions safer.

"Gun violence issues have always been important to me," Creem told Wycked Local. "I've filed gun legislation every session. I want to make it harder and harder to get guns in and get guns into the hands of people who shouldn't have them."

Even if those weapons do get into the hands of people who shouldn't have them, they might not be able to fire them. Creem's bill would expand the use of personalized firearms technology, like installing fingerprint scanners on the weapons to prevent anyone but an authorized user from firing the weapon.

Creem has filed anti-gun legislation every year she has served at Beacon Hill.

"Some of these are just common-sense thoughts," she told Wicked Local. "This is not telling people they cannot have a gun. I have great concerns over private gun sales, where we don't utilize the national instant background check system."
Invited 4 holy priest friends to party We go to murloc FFA area where the spirit healer is (WQ WAS INACTIVE SO NO ONE AROUND, go elsewhere if this one is up) They strip to no gear Disband party I kill them I get mark of prey They don't get debuff They release Wait for spirit healer res Repeat from step 5

Okay so after blizzard ****ed up everything for us late comers, getting talon's vengeance rep to exalted can take a very very long time now. Anyway, I did a bit of testing and here's what I found:A holy priest will not gain the hunted debuff when they die due to spirit of redemptionA player in your party WILL NOT give you Mark of preyA level 110 honorless target WILL give you a Mark of preyA WQ doesn't need to be up in the area to use the Ivory talonI thought to myself, how the **** do they expect us to do this shit with a 15 min CD, I don't know who to blame but **** them tbh.After finding all that out, this is what I did:so basically 100 rep every 30 seconds, which can multiplied depending on how many holy priests you can get to help youYou need 425 marks to go from starting rep to max exalted, however, with darkmoon faire buff it takes 375With one priest You can get 120 marks an hourwith four naked priests you can get all 425 in less than an hour (Hence the title of this post)Some notes:Have all priests strip naked to kill fast, the spirit healer time keeps counting down so kill all four in less than 30 secondsThis works with priests from other realms but needs to be same faction, it works because even if you leave a group after zoning in, you are not phased back to your own realm, to phase out you need to be invited by someone else.This isn't a game breaking bug so it will be low priority fix probably but they will do it eventually like how they fixed AV mine farmI am sure some people thought of this but I haven't seen it brought up recently soo..This is currently one of the worst reps to get, and I got 90 exalted!(91 now lol) I would suggest they make the ivory talon a trinket like argent dawn insignia.. but im sure it will fall on deaf ears...
Looks to Expand Development, Customer Success and Sales

Bozeman, MT  February 20, 2017  CrossTx http://crosstx.com , a premier cloud-based healthcare coordination platform, today announced that it has raised a $735,000 angel round. This new funding round was led by the Frontier Angel Fund 2, a Pacific Northwest-based group of accredited angel investors. This round brings the companys total funding to roughly one million dollars.

"If you look in the unlikely place you will often times find something special," said Liz Marchi, Frontier Fund http://www.frontierfund2.com/ Founder. "CrossTx is just that, a high-growth, innovative tech company based in Bozeman, Montana."

Full Story: http://crosstx.com/crosstx-raises-735k-angel-round-for-its-health-care-coordination-platform/
Montana lawmakers have rejected a $400,000 request to expand a state program to train doctors.

The Joint Appropriations Subcommittee on Education did not approve an expansion request from Montanas Graduate Medical Education program. Doctors said the money would be used to expand training in rural areas and establish a psychiatry residency.

Montana has three residency programs and just 686 practicing primary-care doctors. Seventeen Montana counties have zero primary-care physicians.

Full Story: http://www.nbcmontana.com/news/montana/montana-lawmakers-reject-doctor-residency-expansion/346630416
The Hardin program is more than child care while Hill works. Its a social hub for her grandchild. Its a jump-start on education for many students who, statistically, face long odds for success.

The preschool is one of a handful around Montana that cobble together local district funds and federal grant money to offer free child care and a free education to students. Montana is one of six states that dedicate no state funding to public preschool, and a $12 million ask from Gov. Steve Bullock appears stalled in this years legislature.

By MATT HOFFMAN [email protected]

Full Story: http://billingsgazette.com/news/local/education/for-hardin-parents-and-students-public-preschool-program-is-important/article_02e61265-6963-5298-8d62-fcafb0fb7794.html
If you work at BrewDog and youre the new Ma or Pa(w) of a recently-adopted fur baby, youre in luck: Youve got paid paw-ternity leave coming your way!

The Scottish brewery, whose website says it started in 2007 as two guys and one dog, recognizes that bringing a new dog into the home can be a ruff time.

Randee Dawn

TODAY

Full Story: http://www.today.com/pets/brewdog-brewery-offers-paw-ternity-leave-employees-who-rescue-dogs-t108323?cid=sm_npd_td_fb_ma
Montanas economy and workforce have remained strong over the last two years thanks to highly skilled employees, partnerships with the private and public sectors, and expanded training opportunities in our two-year colleges. Our state has a healthy employment rate that continues to be bolstered by diverse industries. It is a good time to be a member of the labor force under the Big Sky.

But as our states workforce continues to age and retire, the legislature needs to seriously consider opportunities that will strengthen apprenticeship programs and train the next generation of Montanans. The biggest roadblock to businesses growth is often a shortage of skilled, trained workers. The problem will only get worse for Montana, unless we act now.

Rep. Casey Schreiner, D-Great Falls, represents House District 26 in the Montana Legislature.

Full Story: http://missoulian.com/news/opinion/columnists/apprenticeships-good-for-workers-great-for-business/article_7b2a0d3e-eeb9-53b7-857a-1e11bb8c4bcc.html
Last semester an architecture class at Montana State University built model size tiny homes to show the community an affordable way to house the homeless.

Connie Pearson-Campbell, a deacon at the St. James Episcopal Church, explains the need Bozeman has for a homeless shelter. Campbell, HRDC, and architecture students from Montana State University all have partnered together to design safe and sustainable models to help the homeless reintegrate back into the community.

"For me, one thing was seeing and knowing that six homeless people died in Bozeman last year," said Campbell.

By Morgan McKay  MTN News

Full Story: http://www.kbzk.com/story/34543732/tiny-homes-big-dreams-bozeman-group-aims-to-house-homeless
Tourism officials in Oregon and Montana are courting a trade show for outdoor retailers that is leaving Utah after the states stance on public lands sparked some brands to boycott the biannual event.

Outdoor Retailer organizers made the decision after Utah Gov. Gary Herbert refused to rescind his call for the reversal of a new national monument designation, the Statesman Journal reports.

Patagonia CEO Rose Marcario said the industry is all about defending public lands and cannot stand by Utahs decision.

Full Story: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865673804/Oregon-wants-to-host-Outdoor-Retailer-show.html

***

Governor Bullock wants large outdoor show in Montana http://www.matr.net/article-75580.html
If you think you know all the possible ways to broker a better broadband deal for your community, think again. Partnerships dont have to be all or nothing. They can be some of each.

By Craig Settles

Full Story: http://www.dailyyonder.com/government-business-get-together-to-provide-broadband/2017/02/21/17726/
A $7.4 million grant awarded to the University of South Dakota School of Medicine will benefit American Indians in South Dakota and other states, school officials said.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services grant will create the Center for Health Research, a partnership between universities, tribal colleges and tribal health agencies to address health care issues important in Indian country.

USD will serve as the lead institution.

The schools Center for Disabilities will partner with Black Hills State University, the Aberdeen Area Tribal Chairmens Health Board, the Montana-Wyoming Tribal Leaders Council and Sinte Gleska University.

The five-year grant will help fund:

http://www.aberdeennews.com/mld/aberdeennews/news/13092852.htm
Since the 1980s, the main driver of Finnish education policy has been the idea that every child should have exactly the same opportunity to learn, regardless of family background, income, or geographic location. Education has been seen first and foremost not as a way to produce star performers, but as an instrument to even out social inequality.

In the Finnish view, as Sahlberg describes it, this means that schools should be healthy, safe environments for children. This starts with the basics. Finland offers all pupils free school meals, easy access to health care, psychological counseling, and individualized student guidance.

In fact, since academic excellence wasnt a particular priority on the Finnish to-do list, when Finlands students scored so high on the first PISA survey in 2001, many Finns thought the results must be a mistake. But subsequent PISA tests confirmed that Finland  unlike, say, very similar countries such as Norway  was producing academic excellence through its particular policy focus on equity.

ANU PARTANEN

Full Story: https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2011/12/what-americans-keep-ignoring-about-finlands-school-success/250564/?utm_source=quartzfb
Keith Blount is the Commander of NATO's Allied Maritime Command.

He is NATO's principal maritime adviser and has operational Command of NATO's Standing Naval Forces.

He joined the Royal Navy in 1984 as a helicopter pilot. He received his wings in 1986 and was a front line aviator at the age of 20. Through a varied flying career, he qualified as an instructor and flew in the Royal Navy Helicopter Display Team.
by Chase Martin , February 21, 2017

The pursuit to bring the Internet of Things to the sky continues with a new drone-based acquisition from a major network.

Verizon just acquired Oregon-based drone management software company Skyward.

Verizon plans to integrate drone tracking and managing capabilities into its IoT ecosystem, which generated almost $1 billion last year, according to Verizon.

The goal is to create an end-to-end solution for businesses of any size to integrate, manage and wirelessly connect their drone operations, according to Verizon.

"Drones are becoming an essential tool for improving business processes at large companies, but scalability has been a challenge, Jonathan Evans, founder and CEO of Skyward, said in a statement.

Skyward's drone operations management platform combined with Verizon's network, reliability, scale and expertise in delivering enterprise solutions will allow organizations to efficiently and safely scale drones across multiple divisions and hundreds of use cases," Evans said.

The acquisition comes after Verizons successfully completed 4G LTE drone trial last year, as the IoT Daily reported at the time (Verizon, AT&T Driving IoT Into The Sky).

Upon completing the trial, which was designed to test the connectivity between aerial platforms and the 4G LTE network, Verizon determined that part of its network is safe to use for in-flight wireless connectivity.

However, other networks are also involved in similar pursuits.

For example, Nokia recently developed a deployable LTE network and drone system for rescue efforts. The system includes a base station that establishes a local LTE network, which can connect to cameras on drones to stream video and sensor data in real-time, as well as analyze that data and video content, according to Nokia.

Nokia also collaborated with the United Arab Emirates General Civil Aviation Authority to design an ecosystem for managing network-connected drones in Dubai, as the IoT Daily reported (Nokia, UAE Team To Integrate Drones Into Smart Cities).

AT&T and NASA also signed an agreement to research and establish a traffic management solution for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (AT&T, NASA Team To Create Traffic Management For Drones).

That traffic management solution includes flight path monitoring, flight planning, navigation, surveillance and safe tracking, according to AT&T.

Capabilities of Verizons platform include drone mission planning, FAA compliance support, as well as providing information about restricted airspace, pilot credentialing, drone registration and drone connectivity rates for Verizons network, according to Verizon.
by Tobi Elkin , Staff Writer @tobielkin, February 21, 2017



New York City is already a hub for digital media, advertising, and all manner of tech startups. So its not all that surprising that last week, the city announced that a property that formerly housed a consumer electronics and appliance mecca, PC Richards & Sons on 14th Street in Union Square, will become the site of a new tech center. The projected development cost for Civic Hall is $250 million and the funds will come from RAL Development Services, the project's developer. The city is providing land for the project which will break ground in 2018 and open in 2020.

Whats a bit different about this announcement is that it will be anchored by Civic Hall, a collaborative work and event space for startups, and will house a digital training center. It will also create 600 new jobs, according to New York Citys Economic Development Corp. (EDC).

Theres a great lineup of partners in Civic Hall, including the New York City Foundation for Computer Science Education, General Assembly, Per Scholas, FedCap, Code to Work, and Coalition for Queens. Partners in the project have said theyll offer discounted training to remove barriers to tech education.

The announcement about the new tech hub was made at the offices of AppNexus, the ad tech firm that plans to go public. The site is expected to attract a wider audience for programmed events that are supported by a diverse network of technologists, "makers" and social media entrepreneurs.

In his recent State of the City address, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio made a commitment to creating 100,000 good-paying jobs (this is relative, of course, given the cost of living in the NYC metro area) within the next decade--40,000 of those jobs are anticipated within the next four years.

This new hub will be the front-door for tech in New York City. People searching for jobs, training or the resources to start a company will have a place to come to connect and get support. No other city in the nation has anything like it. It represents this Citys commitment to a strong and inclusive tech ecosystem, de Blasio stated.

There was plenty of excitement about the project.

The launch of the new Civic Hall at Union Square is welcomed news for New Yorks technology community, stated Brian OKelley, co-founder and CEO of AppNexus. Investments in education and workforce development will produce more jobs and innovation, and thats good news for everyone who shares a stake in the citys success.

This project will set a new standard for the booming creative economy around Union Square, stated Robert A. Levine, president & CEO of RAL Development Services, the projects developer. We're incorporating traditional and flexible office spaces that will provide tech companies with direct access to a steady pipeline of potential future employees.

New York City Chief Digital Officer Sree Sreenivasan believes the development sends the right message to tech firms: Come build here, grow here, thrive here, he stated. The Union Square tech hub is another clear signal to the tech community across the country and around the world that New York City is committed to the next generation of digital and technology innovation.

Look out Silicon Valley, here comes Silicon Alley, supported by a city government that is providing the funding, space, and data the tech sector needs to thrive, stated New York City Council Member Ben Kallos.

The 258,000 square-foot project, 36,500 square feet of which will house the tech training center, is also expected to create more than 800 construction jobs. The project will be union-built and staffed, and in compliance with HireNYC guidelines, according to the EDC.

Tech companies based in the city have received $4.6 billion in venture capital funding in 2014, up from $2.4 billion in 2011a 91% increase that has contributed to the growth of the citys $125 billion technology economy, according to the EDC. And since launching in 2009, the citys incubator network has provided over 170,000 square feet of affordable real estate to approximately 1,000 startup businesses. Those firms have raised more than $180 million in venture funding.
by Adam Buckman , Featured Columnist, February 21, 2017

I have long hesitated to take up the topic of fake news here in the TV Blog for a couple of reasons.

For one thing, Donald Trumps use of this phrase is not technically a TV-only subject, since the casual manner in which he bandies it about is meant to encompass all of the best-known mainstream news brands -- some TV, some not.

Generally speaking, his targets are The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN, MSNBC, the broadcast networks, even Fox News Channel on occasion, and others.

This subject is discussed widely on TV, of course, and its also true that Trumps use of the phrase gets replayed on TV in the context of these conversations. The speeches in which he levels these fake news accusations are aired widely too.

This whole fake news subject doesnt originate with TV news either. As I understand it, fake news became codified as a thing during the presidential election campaign last year when dubious or downright false stories were disseminated on the Internet -- particularly on social media such as Facebook -- in order to discredit and/or cast doubt upon the candidates.

Cut to the present day and Trump, in his usual shallow and ill-considered way, has decided to take this phrase and apply it more or less universally to all media. He likely feels confident that his followers will buy what hes saying, since thats what they did all during the entirety of his campaign.

There have always been people willing to lap up what the Trumps of the world tell them to believe. Mencken coined a phrase to describe them -- the booboisie. They are apparently alive and well today.

Trump is so confident that his booboisie base will support him no matter what he says or does that he is now evolving from claims of fake news to labeling the entire news media as the enemy of the American people.

It used to be assumed in this country that no matter what its faults, the news apparatus -- protected as it is by the First Amendment -- is a necessary part of our civic life that, in its own unique way and at its best, exercises a check on government.

We have also long been aware that the news media frustrates various presidents and other public figures. Some of them might disdain or downright detest the press, but none that I can think of in my lifetime ever described the news media as some sort of public enemy -- like Capone or Dillinger or Osama Bin Laden.

As is customary for Trump, he has taken this phrase -- fake news -- and is now applying it to situations where it was never meant to be applied.

In my own consideration of fake news, I have long focused on the items that are presented on the Web sites of even the most legitimate news organizations that are often (but not always) labeled as Sponsored Content (or some variation such as Paid Content).

You know these stories. They often show a photo of a celebrity over some teaser copy like You wont believe what [so-and-so] looks like now! Another example was one story that was in wide circulation recently that purported to report on stars who have had so much trouble getting acting jobs that they have had to -- heaven forbid -- take on real jobs.

Exhibit A was the actress Julia Stiles, who supposedly had resorted to waitressing, according to the teaser. Confirmation of this was nowhere to be found, however -- either by clicking on this paid content or searching elsewhere on Google.

To me, this is fake news -- the kind of stuff that we all used to assume without hesitation was fake when we would encounter it in the supermarket checkout line. Elvis is still alive? Funny headline, but there is no way thats true, right?

The thing is, ordinary people -- that is, people who do not work in the news business or otherwise keep up with it in any way -- often dont know fake news from real news.

I remember once when I was the TV editor at a New York newspaper, a woman called one day to ask if WCBS-TV was the CBS station. And I realized then that we newspeople take our readers (and viewers and listeners) knowledge of what we cover too much for granted.

Perhaps a renewed emphasis on teaching civics in our nations schools could help many people in this country to better understand the vital role the news media plays in our democracy.

Trump could probably benefit also from some instruction in this area. Dont hold your breath waiting for that to happen.
by Tobi Elkin @tobielkin, February 21, 2017

Kinetic Worldwide, the WPP unit specializing in out-of-home marketing, said it is launching an automated trading platform that will gather major out-of-home (OOH) media owners under one roof. The company will collaborate with Bitposter, a trading platform for OOH media, on an integrated trading platform catering to such major OOH media owners in the U.K. as JCDecaux, Clear Channel U.K., Primesight, Exterion Media, Outdoor Plus, Ocean Outdoor, and Signature.

Using the Bitposter platform, Kinetic will integrate its planning system with the inventory of media owners to create a private marketplace. Kinetic said its clients will benefit from a more efficient and streamlined service that allows for improved data integration.

This collaborative development will not only make the outmoded process of buying and selling OOH more efficient, but will help allow the growing scale of DOOH to reach its true potential, stated Stuart Taylor, CEO Kinetic U.K. & Western Europe.
by Erik Sass , Staff Writer @eriksass1, February 21, 2017

The Trump administration is proposing a new measure that would ask (but not require) Chinese visa holders to submit their social media profiles for review by customs officials when they visit the United States, according to a new proposed rule revision published in the Federal Register on Tuesday.

The new rule, which would apply to both tourists and business travelers, would invite Chinese visa holders to provide the information when filling out an online questionnaire on the U.S. Electronic Visa Update System.

According to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection service, travelers who decline to provide social media accounts would not lower their chances for gaining entry to the country.

Since Facebook, Twitter and other big social media platforms are banned in China, most screening would take place on the main Chinese-language sites and messaging services dominant in the mainland, including Weibo, Tencent, and Wechat.

As most content on these sites appears in Mandarin-simplified Chinese characters, the CBP would presumably need to hire large numbers of fluent, literate Chinese speakers to help screen profiles, although automated screening would also help lessen the burden somewhat.

CBP officials did not disclose what kind of content or characteristics revealed in social media profiles would be flagged for closer scrutiny.

The U.S. government has previously expressed concern about Chinese espionage targeting American commercial and military technology, and some Chinese organized crime groups are known to be operating in the U.S., but individuals working in either capacity are unlikely to leave clues to that effect on their social media profiles.

Separately, the Department of Homeland Security is considering a new rule that would require individuals from the seven countries affected by the administrations recent travel moratorium to hand over their social-media passwords in order to gain entry to the United States.

The rule would affect travelers from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Libya and Yemen. The travel ban has been temporarily suspended as legal challenges occupy the courts.
by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, February 21, 2017

The online video platform Vimeo is urging the Supreme Court to reject Capitol Records' request to revive a battle over music recorded before 1972, including tracks by acts like The Beatles, Beach Boys and Nat King Cole.

The dispute centers on Web companies' protections from copyright liability when users upload old music. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act contains "safe harbor" provisions that broadly protect Web companies from liability when users uploaded pirated tracks, provided the companies remove the material at the copyright owner's request. But there's a debate over whether those safe harbors apply to music recorded before 1972.

Capitol says the answer is no, arguing that the Copyright Act says the DMCA doesn't annul or limit copyright protections that existed in individual states for music recorded before 1972.

A federal appellate court in New York ruled against Capitol on that point. A three-judge panel of the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals ruled last year that Capitol's interpretation of the law didn't make sense given the overall framework of the DMCA, which enables Web companies to allow users to post content that hasn't been vetted.

The judges suggested in the opinion that Capitol's interpretation of the law would leave companies like Vimeo without any good options. "Service providers would be compelled either to incur heavy costs of monitoring every posting to be sure it did not contain infringing pre-1972 recordings, or incurring potentially crushing liabilities under state copyright laws," the appellate judges wrote.

Capitol recently asked the Supreme Court to hear the case. Vimeo counters that there is no reason for the Supreme Court to review the 2nd Circuit's decision.

"Congress enacted the DMCA to protect copyright holders from online piracy while encouraging the robust expansion of online services," Vimeo argues in papers filed late last week. "As the court of appeals correctly reasoned, it would make no sense for Congress to relieve service providers of the affirmative duty to monitor user uploads for songs by U2, Elvis Costello, Radiohead, Coldplay, Adele, Beyonce and Norah Jones only to impose that same onerous burden sub silentio as to songs by 'The Beatles, The Supremes, Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, Barbra Streisand, and Marvin Gaye.'"
HIV is a virus that only transmits between people in specific ways. There are many myths about HIV transa daymission, and it is important to know the facts. Understanding how HIV spreads and cannot spread helps prevent transmission and reduces the discrimination and stigma relating to HIV. The number of new HIV diagnoses and the impact of the virus in the United States are decreasing thanks to effective preventive measures and treatments. For example, antiretroviral therapy can reduce the amount of virus in the body to undetectable levels. When this happens, the virus cannot harm the body or pass on to another person. This article looks at how HIV transmits, how it cannot, and how to keep it from passing on.

How can HIV transmit? In most cases , people contract HIV through anal or vaginal sex or through sharing drug injection equipment, such as needles or syringes. Share on Pinterest Getty Images HIV can only transmit through certain body fluids : blood

semen

preseminal fluid

rectal fluids

vaginal fluids

breast milk Blood can carry more of the virus than other bodily fluids, so the greatest likelihood of transmission involves exposure to blood containing the virus. However, HIV does not pass on through all contact with fluids carrying the virus. For transmission to occur, the fluid must come into contact with damaged tissue, the bloodstream, or mucous membranes, such as those in the genitals, rectum, or mouth. If blood containing HIV comes into direct contact with another persons bloodstream, such as through an injection with a shared needle, this is very likely to transmit the virus. HIV can transmit to a baby during pregnancy, birth, or breastfeeding. However, this is less common due to modern preventive measures and treatments.

What does not transmit the virus? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , HIV cannot transmit through: insect bites, including those from mosquitoes and ticks

the air

contact with saliva, tears, or sweat

shaking hands, hugging, or closed-mouth kissing

sharing toilets, dishes, or utensils

eating food that someone with HIV has handled or prepared

sexual activities that do not involve fluid exchange, such as touching HIV cannot survive long outside the body, so it does not transmit via surfaces. Additionally, the risks of contracting the virus through other methods of exposure, such as biting, scratching, and thrown bodily fluids, are either very small or nonexistent. There is also little to no risk of contracting HIV via: Oral sex: However, having mouth ulcers, genital sores, or bleeding gums can increase the risk of transmission, as can having existing sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

However, having mouth ulcers, genital sores, or bleeding gums can increase the risk of transmission, as can having existing sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Workplace exchanges: However, a puncture from a needle or another sharp object that contains the virus can lead to transmission.

However, a puncture from a needle or another sharp object that contains the virus can lead to transmission. Blood transfusion or donated organs: Current screening practices in the U.S. are safe and undergo stringent regulation, making this transmission highly unlikely.

Current screening practices in the U.S. are safe and undergo stringent regulation, making this transmission highly unlikely. Deep, open-mouth kissing: Transmission in this way is very rare, but it can occur if both people have oral sores or bleeding gums.

Transmission in this way is very rare, but it can occur if both people have oral sores or bleeding gums. Tattoos and body piercings: There have been no reports of transmission from tattoos or piercings in the U.S., although it is possible if the equipment or ink has been in contact with someone elses blood. For more in-depth information and resources on HIV and AIDS, visit our dedicated hub.

Risk factors Anyone can contract HIV, but several factors increase the risk. These include: sharing equipment for injecting drugs

getting a tattoo with a shared needle or shared ink

having anal or vaginal sex without a condom

having an STI

having frequent exposure to fluids containing the virus, such as in laboratory, medical, or emergency settings

using drugs and alcohol, which can impair judgment

having exposure to the virus during childbirth, pregnancy, or breastfeeding HIV affects certain populations more than others in the U.S., including: Black and Latinx people

cisgender and transgender males who have sex with cisgender males

males who have sex with cisgender males transgender females In 2019, the latest year for which figures are available, males who had sex with other males received 65% of all new HIV diagnoses in the U.S. Anal sex without a condom was the most likely route of transmission because the risk of tissue damage is high. HIV also affects more people who are Black or Latinx due to systemic inequity in healthcare and social and economic marginalization as well as other ingrained barriers. In 2019, Black people received 41% of new HIV diagnoses in the U.S., while Hispanic and Latino individuals received 29% of those diagnoses, and white people received 25%. The prevalence of HIV differs by region of the U.S. In 2019, the South had the largest number of people living with HIV and the highest rate of new cases. The rate is the number of cases per 100,000 people. However, in terms of its population size, the Northeast had the largest rate of individuals living with HIV.

What about breastfeeding? According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a person who has acquired HIV and receives no treatment has a 15 to 45% chance of passing on the virus to their infant during labor, delivery, or breastfeeding. This is due to contact with relevant body fluids. Antiretroviral therapy can reduce the chances of transmission to below 2% during pregnancy. However, breastfeeding while receiving antiretroviral therapy is not advisable in the U.S., say the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Social factors Some social factors that influence a persons risk of HIV transmission include: access to education about HIV transmission and prevention

access to affordable healthcare

discrimination and stigma in healthcare and society at large

reduced negotiating power due to sex, gender, and financial or other status factors Increased awareness of and access to antiretroviral therapy, preventive medication, and support services are effective ways to reduce the impact of HIV.

Reducing the risk A range of effective strategies can now lower the risk of contracting HIV. These include: using preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a preventive drug

never sharing needles with another person

using condoms during sex

getting frequent HIV testing as per CDC recommendations

using gloves and other sterile equipment in medical settings

taking emergency postexposure prophylaxis after possible exposure to the virus When a person takes PrEP daily, it reduces the risk of contracting HIV via sex by about 99% and via needles and syringes by about 74%. The Preventive Services Task Force updated its HIV guidelines in 2019. It now recommends that only people who have recently received negative results from HIV screening be candidates for PrEP. Individuals with a high risk of exposure to the virus should take PrEP once per day. Anyone with HIV who is pregnant or plans to be should discuss ways to mitigate the risk of transmission with their healthcare professional, including the choice of whether to breastfeed. Due to advances in prevention and treatment, the number of new HIV cases in the U.S. has decreased by more than two-thirds since the mid-1980s. Undetectable equals untransmittable Using antiretroviral therapy consistently as a doctor prescribes can reduce the risk of transmission to virtually zero. It slows or stops the activity of HIV in the body. Health experts consider the virus suppressed when someone with HIV has a viral load of 200 copies per milliliter of blood or under. It may be undetectable at this level or under, meaning it cannot transmit to others. However, it is important to keep following a treatment plan and attend regular check-ups to ensure that the viral load remains undetectable.

Who should undergo testing for HIV? Many people with HIV experience no symptoms. A person can only know their HIV status by taking a test. The CDC recommends that everyone aged 1364 years have at least one HIV test. Early testing, diagnosis, and treatment are the most effective ways to stop the progression and transmission of the virus. Frequent testing is an inexpensive and effective way to stop the spread of HIV. It is especially important to test: when planning to become pregnant

after becoming pregnant

before having sex with a new partner People with a high risk of contracting the virus, including gay and bisexual males who are sexually active and sex workers, may wish to undergo testing every 36 months. Individuals whose partners have HIV, those who share drug injection equipment, and those who have had hepatitis, tuberculosis, or an STI should undergo testing once a year or more. What are the odds of contracting HIV? The CDC provides an online risk estimation tool featuring up-to-date evidence in its analysis. It helps a person determine their chances of contracting HIV from various activities.
As men advance in age, their levels of testosterone naturally start to decrease. To avoid some of the adverse health effects that come with the loss of this sex hormone, some men choose to have it replaced artificially. New research investigates the side effects of testosterone replacement therapy. Share on Pinterest Four clinical trials examine the effect of testosterone therapy in men aged 65 and older. JAMA and JAMA Internal Medicine recently published a group of five papers investigating the role of testosterone treatment on various health aspects. Four of the studies document the effects of testosterone treatment on bone density , anemia , cognitive function , and the buildup of coronary plaque . The fifth study is observational and examines the links between testosterone treatment and overall cardiovascular health . Researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, together with 12 medical centers across the United States, have conducted seven clinical trials in partnership with the National Institute on Aging. The Testosterone Trials (TTrials) examined the effect of testosterone treatment on men aged 65 and over who had shown decreased levels of the sex hormone. The results of the first three of the seven trials showed an improvement in all the aspects of sexual function and overall mood, and were published last year. The recently published JAMA studies conclude the research.

Studying the effect of testosterone treatment on several health outcomes The TTrials analyzed a total of 51,085 men and selected 790 participants whose age-related testosterone levels were low enough to qualify for the studies. The participants were then randomly divided into two groups: one group took a daily dose of testosterone in the form of a gel for a year, while the other group took placebo for the same period of time. The testosterone dosage was adjusted to maintain normal levels for young men. Researchers then tested the efficacy of the treatment every 3 months. The trials were double-blinded, meaning neither the experimenters nor the participants knew which group was a placebo and which received the treatment. For the bone density and strength study, researchers used quantitative computed tomography to assess spine and hip bone mineral density at baseline and a year later. To test cognition, researchers administerd a delayed paragraph recall test. They also assessed the visual memory, executive function, and spatial ability of the participants. To determine coronary artery plaque volume, researchers used a coronary computed tomographic angiography. The cardiovascular health study was observational, using Cox proportional hazard models to study associations between testosterone treatment and various cardiovascular health outcomes. These included acute myocardial infarction, angina, stroke, transient ischemic attack, as well as sudden cardiac death.
Infection with Listeria  a harmful microbe that hides in many foods  is a known cause of miscarriage, stillbirth, and premature labor. Now, new research suggests it may pose a bigger threat of miscarriage in early pregnancy than previously thought. Share on Pinterest Pregnant women and their newborns, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems are at highest risk for Listeria infection and its complications. The study  led by Ted Golos, a reproductive physiologist and professor of comparative biosciences and obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison)  is published in the journal mBio. Eating food contaminated with Listeria is the most common cause of an infection called listeriosis, which, in the majority of cases, causes mild symptoms such as fever, vomiting, and diarrhea that go away after a few days. However, in some rare cases, listeriosis can become invasive and lead to serious complications, such as septicemia and meningitis. In these severe cases, the signs can include severe headache, stiff neck, and tremors. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 1,600 people in the United States get listeriosis each year, and about 260 die of it. Listeriosis is most likely to strike pregnant women and their newborns, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems. In the 1990s, outbreaks of Listeria were mostly linked to eating deli meats and hot dogs. Nowadays, they are more likely to be traced to consumption of dairy products, such as soft cheeses and ice cream, and other produce such as celery, seed and bean sprouts, and cantaloupe melon.

Listeria may often go unnoticed in pregnancy Listeria infection may often go unnoticed in pregnancy  the few recognizable symptoms are so similar to the discomfort many women feel in pregnancy it may not occur to them that they have the infection. Fast facts about Listeria Pregnant women are 10 times more likely to become infected with Listeria than other people.

likely to become infected with Listeria than other people. Soft cheeses made from unpasteurized  rather than pasteurized  milk are estimated to be 50-160 times more likely to cause infection.

People at higher risk of infection are also advised not to eat raw melon, raw sprouted seeds and beans, and deli meats. Learn about Listeria However, even when a Listeria infection only gives rise to mild symptoms in the pregnant woman, it can be a different story for the fetus. Prof. Golos explains this is similar to what happens with the Zika virus  the effect on the fetus can be much more profound than the effect on the pregnant woman. For their study, the team obtained a strain of Listeria known to have caused miscarriage, stillbirth, and premature delivery in at least 11 pregnant women in 2000. The researchers fed doses of the Listeria strain to four pregnant rhesus macaques at the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center and monitored in detail the progression and spread of infection and changes in the fetuses. The doses were equivalent to what might be present in contaminated food. None of the monkeys showed signs of infection before their pregnancies abruptly ended. However, samples of tissue from the uterus of each monkey after their fetuses had died showed that Listeria had invaded the placenta, as well as the lining of the uterus.
Women with mild blockage of coronary arteries report poorer health, more anxiety and a more negative outlook than men with the same condition, according to new research in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes .

In general, people with non-obstructive coronary artery disease report more anxiety, depression and a negative outlook, what physicians refer to as psychosocial distress, than the general population. Prior to this study, gender disparity had not been investigated.

In non-obstructive coronary artery disease, the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the heart is partially restricted. This condition is associated with an increased risk of heart attack and other major adverse cardiovascular events, as well as death from any cause.

Because a patient's perceived health status, psychological distress and personality are factors that can affect outcomes in coronary artery disease patients, psychosocial factors serve as proxy risk factors for future cardiovascular events, said Paula M.C. Mommersteeg, Ph.D., senior author of the study and assistant professor of medical and clinical psychology at Tilburg University in The Netherlands.

Researchers explored the association between non-obstructive coronary artery disease and psychosocial distress in 523 non-obstructive coronary artery disease patients (aged 52 to 70) and 1,347 people from the general population matched by age and by sex. All the participants completed questionnaires assessing their physical and mental health, psychological well-being and personality profile (degree of negative or positive outlook and level of social inhibition).

Among patients with non-obstructive coronary artery disease, the study noted:

a significantly higher prevalence of poor health, anxiety, and Type D personality (negative emotions combined with social inhibition) compared to those without the condition;

more physical impairment reported by women than men; and

more psychosocial distress reported by women.

"We were very intrigued by these sex and gender differences - we had not thought they would be so apparent," Mommersteeg said. Statistical analysis revealed that these gaps could be explained by several factors related to sex and gender such as societal and cultural norms, age at diagnosis, education level, partner status (married/divorced/widowed/single), employment history and alcohol use, according to the study.

The survey and analysis took place as part of the TWeeSteden mIld STenosis (TWIST) study, undertaken to investigate classic and novel risk markers for non-obstructive coronary artery disease. It is unclear if the results can be generalized to other populations, researchers said.

Co-authors are Lindy Arts, M.Sc.; Wobbe Zijlstra, Ph.D.; Jos Widdershoven, M.D., Ph.D.; Wilbert Aarnoudse, M.D., Ph.D. and Johan Denollet, Ph.D. There are no author disclosures.

The journal spotlighted several articles on women and heart disease in a current issue for the American Heart Association's Go Red For Women campaign.
AURORA, Colo.

BILLINGS, Mont.

Feb. 21, 2017

Montana's

Colorado

Michelle Pierson

Colorado

Colorado

Colorado

Gil Peri

Colorado

Colorado

Billings

Colorado

Montana

Wyoming

Montana

Colorado

United States

Montana's

Montana

Wyoming

Colorado

Colorado

Colorado

Colorado

Colorado

Colorado

Southern Colorado

Colorado

Colorado

Media Contact:

Arianne Snyder

and/PRNewswire/ -- Billings Clinic,leader in pediatric specialty care, and Children's Hospital Colorado (Children's), one of the nation's top 10 children's hospitals, today announced they have formed a care alliance to provide children and their families with the highest level of coordinated medical care as close to home as possible. This alliance streamlines the coordination of care between the two organizations to ensure the right care at the right time at the right location."We have a long standing partnership with Children's Hospital Colorado given their impeccable reputation for innovation, research, and compassionate sub-specialty pediatric care," said Dr., Chair of Pediatrics at Billings Clinic. "The care alliance gives us the opportunity to strengthen that partnership with one of the leading quaternary hospitals in the country and tap into their expertise at a higher level, giving our pediatricians and pediatric specialists new tools to provide care for children and adolescents with complex conditions right here at home.""Children'sis proud to partner with Billings Clinic in this care alliance. The pediatric expertise of Children'scomplements an already rich balance of pediatric specialists, many of whom trained at Children's," said, Chief Strategy Officer for Children's. "Our collective goal is to support the pediatric care providers at Billings Clinic and streamline the coordination of care when a patient needs care that can't be provided in the local community."As part of the care alliance, designated physician and administrative liaisons from Children'sperinatology, neonatology, and pediatric specialty care visiteach quarter for case reviews, protocol enhancement and training. The care alliance also includes collaboration via telemedicine to allow for sharing of expertise without the need for travel. Children'salso assists Billings Clinic through the care alliance in providing education across the pediatric care team, including physicians, nurses and other health professionals.The care alliance includes Billings Clinic and their regional affiliates inand northern. Billings Clinic has the largest pediatric primary care clinic in; a Level III neonatal intensive care unit; as well as pediatric specialists in cardiology, neurology, pulmonology, endocrinology, oncology/hematology, and urology.Children'shas a long history of partnering with community hospitals to provide pediatric care close to home and believes children across the westernshould be able to benefit from the knowledge and experience of its pediatric experts.Billings Clinic islargest health system servingand the western Dakotas. A not-for-profit organization led by a physician CEO, Billings Clinic is governed by a board of community members, nurses and physicians. At its core, Billings Clinic is a physician-led, integrated multispecialty group practice with a 304-bed hospital and Level II trauma center. Billings Clinic has more than 4,000 employees, including more than 400 physicians and advanced practitioners offering more than 50 specialties. More information can be found at www.billingsclinic.com.Children's Hospital Colorado (Children's) has defined and delivered pediatric health care excellence for more than 100 years. Founded in 1908, Children'sis a leading pediatric network entirely devoted to the health and well-being of children. Continually acknowledged as one of the nation's outstanding pediatric hospitals byand ranked on its Best Children's Hospitals 2016-17 Honor Roll, Children'sis known for both its nationally and internationally recognized medical, research, education and advocacy programs, as well as comprehensive everyday care for kids throughoutand surrounding states. Children'sis the winner of the 2015 American Hospital Association-McKesson Quest for Quality Prize, and is a 2013-2016 Most Wired hospital according tomagazine. Children'salso is recognized for excellence in nursing from the American Nurses Credentialing Centers and has been designated a Magnet hospital since 2005. The hospital's family-centered, collaborative approach combines the nation's top pediatric doctors, nurses and researchers to pioneer new approaches to pediatric medicine. With urgent, emergency and specialty care locations throughout Metro Denver and, including its campus on the Anschutz Medical Campus, Children'sprovides a full spectrum of pediatric specialties. For more information, visit www.childrenscolorado.org and connect with Children'son Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.Children's Hospital Colorado complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex.Billings Clinic Public Relations406-657-4645406-794-1994Natalie Goldstein Children's Hospital Colorado Pager: 303-890-8314Natalie.Goldstein@childrenscolorado.org

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SOURCE Childrens Hospital Colorado




SMITHS FALLS, ON

Feb 21, 2017

Canada

Canada

Canada

Canada

/CNW/ - Canopy Growth Corporation ("Canopy" or the "Company") (TSX: WEED) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a memorandum of understanding ("MOU") with Namaste Technologies Inc. ("Namaste") (CSE: N, FSE: M5BQ), an emerging leader in the vaporizer and accessories space with 26 e-commerce retail stores in 20 countries. This MOU represents an opportunity for the companies to work together to educate customers on the legal, regulated cannabis framework in, encourage the use of vaporizing technology over smoking, and introduce cross-brand exposure among their respective clients. Namaste's database consists of approximately 300,000 customers that generate upwards of 600,000 site visits monthly. Approximately 28,000 of these monthly site visits are generated from customers residing inThe purpose of the MOU is to define the intention of Namaste and Canopy to expand their respective market positions by seeking to form multi-point working arrangements and exploring the development of new delivery devices for the consumption of cannabis. Pursuant to the terms of the MOU, Namaste and Canopy will work together to educate Namaste's-based clients on the legal, regulated framework for medical cannabis. Namaste will also support Canopy on the development of Canopy branded vaporizers and accessories.The commercial aspects of this partnership will be further expanded through a multi-function working group of Namaste and Canopy.Here's to Future Growth.Canopy Growth is a world-leading diversified cannabis company, offering diverse brands and curated cannabis strain varieties in dried and oil extract forms. Through its wholly?owned subsidiaries, Canopy Growth operates numerous state-of-the-art production facilities with over half a million square feet of indoor and greenhouse production capacity. Canopy Growth has established partnerships with leading sector names inand abroad. For more information visit www.canopygrowth.com.This news release contains forward-looking statements. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "estimates", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Canopy Growth Corporation, Tweed Inc., Tweed Farms Inc. or Bedrocan Canada Inc. to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Examples of such statements include future operational and production capacity, the impact of enhanced infrastructure and production capabilities, and forecasted available product selection. The forward-looking statements included in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and Canopy Growth Corp. does not undertake an obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect new information, subsequent events or otherwise unless required by applicable securities legislation.Neither the TSX Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.SOURCE Canopy Growth Corporation
SAN DIEGO

Feb. 21, 2017

the United States

Brazil's

Brazil

Stuart Titus

Brazil

Brazil

May 2015

Brazil

Brazil

Brazil

CONTACT:

Andrew Hard

andrew.hard@cmwmedia.com

/PRNewswire/ -- Medical Marijuana, Inc. (OTC: MJNA), the first publicly traded cannabis company in, subsidiary, HempMedsBrasil today announced that the Brazilian government has authorized a doctor's prescription for the Company's hemp cannabidiol (CBD) oil product Real Scientific Hemp Oil (RSHO) to treat patients in the country suffering from Multiple Sclerosis.This marks the first time thatNational Health Surveillance Agency ANVISA has granted the filling of a prescription for RSHO to specifically help patients combat the effects of Multiple Sclerosis. Per the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation (MSIF), more than 2.5 million people worldwide are affected by MS, a progressive disease of the central nervous system, for which there is currently no cure. In, MS prevalence is estimated to range from 1.36-20 per 100,000 inhabitants."We commend the Brazilian government for recognizing nationwide health problems that exist, including Multiple Sclerosis and a multitude of other chronic medical conditions, and looking for solutions that can help alleviate those problems," said Medical Marijuana, Inc. CEO, Dr.. "has embraced the therapeutic value of medical cannabinoids and is helping its people treat the symptoms of certain conditions with no known cure or limited treatment options.""Research findings suggest that cannabis could slow the neurodegenerative process of MS and help patients manage the symptoms associated with their disease," added Dr. Titus. "For instance, one study showed cannabinoids demonstrated neuroprotective effects during an animal model of MS, reducing the damage to myelin caused from inflammation, while in another study MS patients saw significant improvements in muscle spasticity and reduced sleep disturbances after four weeks of cannabis treatments.""While our pharmaceutical development investment company, AXIM Biotech is researching a novel chewing gum delivery method involving cannabinoids to specifically treat pain and muscular spasticity in MS patients in European markets; a natural botanical CBD product is now available via HempMeds Brazil to potentially address some of the challenges that MS patients inare facing," Dr. Titus further expressed. "Although perhaps not as therapy specific as the pharmaceutically developed version, our natural botanical product may have benefit for improved quality of life for these medically challenged Brazilian patients."In, HempMedsBrasil became the first company to offer legal medicinal cannabis products toafter receiving import approval for those suffering from specific medical conditions. The Brazilian government now waives import taxes for RSHO, subsidizes its cost and covers the product under the Country's health insurance.HempMeds Brasil currently has three cannabis products approved for importation intoas a prescription medication for Epilepsy, Parkinson's and Chronic Pain. The company had the first-ever cannabis product allowed for import intoand its products are currently subsidized by the Brazilian government, under their health care system, for all three medical indications listed above. HempMeds Brasil is working on additional approvals for multiple indications.Our mission is to be the premier cannabis and hemp industry innovators, leveraging our team of professionals to source, evaluate and purchase value-added companies and products, while allowing them to keep their integrity and entrepreneurial spirit. We strive to create awareness within our industry, develop environmentally-friendly, economically sustainable businesses, while increasing shareholder value. For details on Medical Marijuana, Inc.'s portfolio and investment companies, visit www.medicalmarijuanainc.com.To see Medical Marijuana, Inc.'s video statement, click here. Shareholders are also encouraged to visit the Medical Marijuana, Inc. Shop for discounted products.This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements and information, as defined within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and is subject to the Safe Harbor created by those sections. This material contains statements about expected future events and/or financial results that are forward-looking in nature and subject to risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements by definition involve risks, uncertainties. The statements in this press release have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease. The Company does not sell or distribute any products that are in violation of the United States Controlled Substances Act. The Company does sell and distribute hemp-based products.Chief Executive OfficerCMW MediaP. 888-829- 0070www.cmwmedia.com

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/multiple-sclerosis-receives-brazilian-government-permission-to-be-treated-with-hempmeds-brasil-flagship-product-rsho-300410562.html



SOURCE Medical Marijuana, Inc.




TUCSON, Ariz.

Feb. 21, 2017

Tucson, Arizona

Jody Comstock

Tina Pai

Tucson

Tucson, AZ

/PRNewswire/ -- Skin Spectrum, PC, a leading cosmetic dermatology practice in, announces the addition of, a minimally invasive skin lifting procedure that is changing the way people age.is a breakthrough facial rejuvenation procedure that lifts sagging facial skin in the mid-face and cheeks for a more youthful appearance."The aging, genetic and medical portions of how the face changes with age can be difficult and frustrating for patients," shares, MD, President and Founder of Skin Spectrum, PC. "Many of our patients come to our practice because they don't want an invasive, surgical intervention or simply don't have the time for something with a healing period."For the first time in the U.S.,gives both men and women a minimally invasive solution for refreshing their appearance without major surgery, injections, or lasers. The advanced solution helps increase volume while restoring the contours of the mid-face and cheek areas gradually and naturally.addresses the actual cause of sagging: the underlying layers of skin. The treatment takes under one hour and does not require general anesthesia. Recovery time is minimal and patients see the benefits immediately."Dr.and I have enjoyed incorporating Silhouette InstaLift at our Skin Spectrum practice in," continues Dr. Comstock. "Lifting the face to help with jowling, loose skin and defining the jawline and neck are frequent, consistent requests from our patients. Our patients lovefor the ease of the procedure and the immediate results."fills a void for patients who want more than fillers and lasers but are not quite ready for surgery. The technology is made from glycolide/L-lactide (PLGA), a biomedical copolymer that is well tolerated by the body. The sutures are absorbed by the body, and stimulate collagen renewal for natural-looking, long-lasting results. The treatment delivers predictable lifting results with an excellent safety profile.To find out ifis right for youschedule a free consultation by callingor contact the office via email here.6127 North La Cholla Boulevard #10185741 www.skinspectrum.comThermi, an Almirall Company, is a leading global manufacturer of temperature controlled radiofrequency technology. The company's flagship product is ThermiRF, a platform technology that uses temperature as an endpoint for various minimally and non-invasive applications (ThermiTight, ThermiRase, ThermiSmooth Face, ThermiVa). Thermi also offers the Thermi250device as the newest innovative RF for body and is the distributor for Silhouette InstaLift (lifting to redefine mid-facial contours).SINCLAIR is an aesthetic dermatology company renowned for its skin-care expertise: Providing best in class products that enable physicians all around the world to meet their patients need for safe and effective rejuvenation solutions. SINCLAIR is committed to support medical professionals with excellent customer service and high quality training programs. For more information: http://www.instalift.comhttps://www.facebook.com/silhouetteinstalift/?fref=ts

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/silhouette-instalift-delivers-fresh-non-surgical-technique-of-lifting-sagging-skin-300406789.html



SOURCE Thermi






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How Does the Compound Help Relieve Pain

Testing the RgIA Compound

A compound called Rg1A was isolated from the snail's venom. Rg1A acts on a pain pathway distinct from the targeted Opiod Drugs . In the mouse model, the scientists showed that alpha9 and alpha10 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) functions as a pain pathway receptor. RgIA4 is an effective compound to block nAChR receptor.The pathway adds to a small number of non-opioid-based pathways, which could be used to develop a treatment for chronic pain. The scientists found that the duration of the pain relief was long, outlasting the presence of the compound in the mouse model."We found that the compound was still working 72 hours after the injection, still preventing pain," said J. Michael McIntosh, M.D., professor of psychiatry at the University of Utah Health Sciences."What is particularly exciting about these results is the aspect of prevention," said McIntosh. "Once chronic pain has developed, it is difficult to treat. This compound offers a potential new pathway to prevent pain from developing in the first place and offer a new therapy to patients who have run out of options."The scientists hope to continue pre-clinical tests to investigate the safety and effectiveness of a new drug therapy.Previous studies have shown that RgIA was effective in the mouse model. The research team wanted to test whether the compound has a positive effect in people. So the team used synthetic chemistry to engineer 20 analogs of the compound.The scientists started with a key RgIA that fits into a lock, which is the pain pathway receptor -nAChR. RgIA was used as a template to develop new keys called analogs with slightly different configurations.With the newly developed analogs, the scientists found that RgIA4 tightly bound to the human receptor.The research team administered the compound to rodents to test its effect. Initially, the rodents were exposed to a Chemotherapy drug, which causes extreme cold sensitivity and hypersensitivity to touch."Interactions that are not normally painful, like sheets rubbing against the body or pants against the leg, becomes painful," said McIntosh.Rodents that were treated with the compound did not experience pain compared to rodents that were not treated with the compound. The findings suggest that nAChR acts as a pain receptor pathway and RgIA4 prevents the receptor from being activated.Most of the Painkillers that are available today work through a limited number of pathways and are not sufficient to treat pain."RgIA4 works by an entirely new pathway, which opens the door for new opportunities to treat pain," said McIntosh. "We feel that drugs that work by this pathway may reduce the burden of opioid use."The findings are published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.Source: Medindia
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Prof. Christine Van Broeckhoven (VIB-UAntwerp): "This research is based on our team's previous results, which showed that the same C9orf72 mutation leads to both FTD and ALS. As this mutation occurs in a substantial group of ALS and FTD patients, it is important to extract as much knowledge about this mutation and the disease process as possible."In FTD, the frontal lobes and temporal lobes are affected first, causing changes in the patient's behavior and personality, or problems with language. Loss of memory functions occurs only later on in the disease. After Alzheimer's disease, FTD is the most common form of dementia in young patients. A fraction of the FTD patients show symptoms consistent with ALS, a disease in which the nerve cells that control the muscles, in the brain and spinal cord, are affected. This causes ALS patients to progressively lose muscle mass, resulting in loss of strength in the limbs and problems with speaking, swallowing, and breathing. ALS is more common without FTD symptoms.Previous research by Prof. Van Broeckhoven's group demonstrated a genetic link between FTD and ALS, namely a mutation in the same gene C9orf72.Prof. Christine Van Broeckhoven (VIB-UAntwerp): "The C9orf72 mutation is the most frequent mutation in FTD and ALS. In the Belgian population, 37% of patients with ALS and 25% of patients with FTD can be explained by the presence of this C9orf72 mutation. The C9orf72 mutation is present in 88% of patients with FTD plus ALS."These results dating from 2012 were published in The Lancet Neurology (Gijselinck et al.). The mutation in C9orf72 consists of a repetition of a short DNA sequence GGGGCC which can expand in patients up to several thousands of repetitions. It is not yet known why some patients get FTD and others ALS.The age at first presentation of disease symptoms ranges in patients from 29 to 82 years, even in patients from the same family. Until recently, there was no explanation for this high variability. VIB-UAntwerp's researchers demonstrated in 2016 that the age of onset is determined by the number of GGGGCC repeats: the more repetitions, the earlier the age of onset. In C9orf72 families in which the affected parent had a late age of onset and their affected children an earlier age of onset, the researchers provided evidence that the GGGGCC repeat in the C9orf72 gene expanded from a short sequence of repeats (less than 200 repeats) to a long one (more than a thousand) (Gijselinck et al. Molecular Psychiatry 2016).Dr. Sara Van Mossevelde (VIB-UAntwerp): "In a new clinical study in 36 C9orf72 families, we analyzed the age of onset of the patients in two to four generations. We found that there was a significant difference in the ages of onset between successive generations. In most families, the children were affected by the disease at a younger age, but there were no indications that the disease was progressing more quickly. We also found that in families with both FTD and ALS patients, if the parent had FTD the child was more likely to have FTD, and a similar principle applied to ALS."Source: Eurekalert
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The study was carried out by academics from Imperial College London's NIHR Health Protection Research Unit for Healthcare Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance, and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. The team carried out their research by entering the search term 'buy antibiotics online' into Google and Yahoo.The team recognize that the study is a 'snapshot' of the online pharmacy industry, but it does provide insights into how it operates. The 20 pharmacies at the top of the search were analyzed by the team.Dr Sara Boyd, a co-author and NIHR Academic Clinical Fellow in Infectious Diseases and Microbiology at Imperial, said: "These findings are a real concern, and raise several important issues regarding antibiotic resistance and patient safety with online pharmacies."All online medicine vendors selling to UK consumers must by law register with both the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the General Pharmaceutical Council (or the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland). However, the researchers found that 75% of online pharmacies included in the study lacked evidence of the appropriate registration status required by law.In other findings, the researchers discovered that 45% of the online pharmacies analyzed did not require a prescription from the patient.Only 30% of websites in the survey asked consumers to complete a health questionnaire prior to purchase. 70% of the websites provided information on the safe usage of prescription medications, including potential side effects or adverse reactions when combined with other drugs.Professor Alison Holmes, of Imperial's Department of Medicine, added: "Improper use of antibiotics can mean that infections are not being treated appropriately, or that people are being unnecessarily exposed to antibiotics. This allows bacteria to become resistant to drugs that once killed them. As a result, it is essential that antibiotics are prescribed only when they are needed."Although a small study, the authors say that the research offers insight into the increasing use of the internet for a variety of purposes, including buying antibiotics.Dr Boyd said: "The way patients interact with healthcare is constantly evolving, and shifts in consumer behavior mean more people are purchasing their goods online. Our study paves the way for larger, more thorough research into this worrying new trend so that we can ensure patient safety and promote the responsible use of antibiotics in all areas of healthcare provision."Martin Astbury, President of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, said: "Unnecessary antibiotic use can result in serious side effects in individuals and has a major impact on wider public health by increasing antibiotic resistance. We cannot support access to antibiotics through a web form until the standards for prescribing by private providers reflect the standard of face to face consultations in the NHS. Those involved in supplying medicines online should ensure their processes are as robust as possible."All online pharmacies identified as illegally selling antibiotics to patients within the UK were reported to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), who promptly responded. The researchers are working together with numerous stakeholders to improve patient safety and antibiotic stewardship in this area. Anyone with a concern concerns about an online pharmacy should contact the MHRA directly.Source: Eurekalert
I get, that concerts, especially the ones with international caliber, are expensive. And all of the times the management companies need to at least break even with costs when theyre getting international artists down to India. Last year, when Coldplay came to India, the internet went up in a loud roar when the ticket prices were announced to be 25,000INR. That, some would still justify, and a lot of the audiences got the chance of experiencing the band for free; courtesy of the Global Citizen. I stand neutral here because, no comments.

NME(dot)Com

But, what somehow doesnt register is when you put the price of a Justin Bieber concert in India as high as 76,000 rupees. Now, let it be known that the starting price of the concert tickets are 4,000 and some rupees (I dont honestly care enough to mention the exact figure). A lot of us will sit and justify the prices; saying that we dont really need to care about a 76k ticket when all we need is a 4k one. One huge problem with that, my friend, is that you dont consider that a problem.

My problem isnt with the fact that Justin Beiber isnt worth that ticket price (Im not saying he is, either). My problem is with the fact that artist and event management companies think that putting that price to an Indian concert ticket is worth it. Lets look around and see the amount of poverty and pollution that 76,000 rupees could actually help in many ways. Sorry, to put a social-activist spin to it. Lets stick to music. They dont mind shelling out crores of rupees bringing ragers of international talent to India but, they wont do even quarter to promote original talent thats springing up in the country. My problem is that the people in our country will ACTUALLY spend that 76k on that fucking ticket because everyones got to do that thing to prove they have the money to do that thing. My problem is that people wont spend 500 to watch up and coming talents perform at quaint bars and cafes in the country but will pay hefty amounts to see an established young star from Uncle Sams familia come to India strut around just because the memo said hes that famous kid about town.

Billboard

My problem isnt even with Justin. Hes come a long way, honestly and yes, he may not make the most enthralling music; but, he deserves due credit for his own journey. My problem is with the fact that none of these buck-loads-of-cash-wielding crowds would give a rats ass about our own musicians, or even international lesser known musicians but will be right there in the front flashing their junk [sic] to kiss a famous kids ass. Getting my drift?

And thats not all. Its also about the fact that these companies can get away with pricing these tickets at steep figures because they know that people WILL ACTUALLY pay that amount of money to do exactly what I described above. Thats just how screwed up the process is. The money is going to the money. That same 76 thousand can be used in 76 different and more beneficial wayspromote our own Indian musicians, invest in the careers of the youth, develop an industry that is more India-friendly than it is foreign-obsessed. You could fly abroad and watch Justin Beiber perform for a lesser price, seriously. But, we are pseudo people with a false and mistaken sense of value and nothing can change that. Yes, big names do matter when it comes to labels. But, this is more on the lines of cheating. Theyre cheating homegrown talent and how.

This isnt hate. Its just a rant on the unfairness of the system that governs our own countrys talent and you can call it biased, all you want. It doesnt really change the situation. Justin Bieber is great and all; but sucking up to foreigners has always been our thing, anyway. And so, it negates any greatness.
Recently, the Mumbai-London Jet Airways flight lost contact with the Air Traffic Control leaving the crew slightly worried about the safety of the 777-300ER aircraft. But the German Air Force came to the rescue of the Jet Airways flight 9W-118 as they escorted the plane for a brief period while flying over Cologne.

Watch the incredible footage of the German Air Force fighter here:

The video was captured by a British Airways plane and you can see the fighter jets scrambling to help the JA plane in the video. The JA pilots later informed that they communicated with the Eurofighters over the emergency frequencies and later safely reached London.

Jet Airways has duly reported the matter to the concerned authorities including the DGCA. As part of the standard process, the flight crew of 9W 118 has been de-rostered pending investigation, an official statement from Jet Airways said.
Bulgaria supports SOCARs entering its oil products market

Bulgaria supports the entering of Azerbaijans state oil company SOCAR and its oil products onto the Bulgarian market.Speaking in an exclusive interview with Trend, Bulgarias newly-appointed Energy Minister Nikolay Pavlov recalled that a few years ago, SOCAR examined and discussed with the Bulgarian party the opportunities to enter the market of petroleum products in the country."We support the entry of new players in the petroleum product market, because this will increase competition and will have a beneficial impact on fuel prices and services provided," he said.The minister pointed out that Bulgaria greatly values the partnership with Azerbaijan in the area of energy."A concrete expression of this partnership is the contract between Bulgargaz and SOCAR for the supply of 1 billion cubic meters natural gas per year as of 2020 from Shah Deniz 2. For us, this supply is of priority importance, since it will cover around one quarter of Bulgarian gas consumption to 2020," said Pavlov.The minister expressed confidence that national gas companies on both sides will also work to carry out joint gas supplies to potential users in other countries of the Southeast European region through the Bulgarian gas transmission network and the recently-built interconnectors."Another area of our energy cooperation could be SOCAR to enter in the gas distribution in the country and in the market for petroleum products too," said Pavlov.Bulgaria will receive gas from Azerbaijan from 2020, and the Bulgarian government plans to buy 1 billion cubic meters of gas per year with the possibility of increasing the volume in the future.Currently, talks on delivering Azerbaijani gas via the Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria (IGB) continue. The IGB is expected to be connected to the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), which is a part of the Southern Gas Corridor.The Bulgarian government presented a package of projects to Azerbaijan in 2015 for energy cooperation. The Azerbaijani side was proposed to take part in the construction of a gas station, and to invest in the construction of oil and gas storages and refineries.
Yes, you can transfer your domain to any registrar or hosting company once you have purchased it. Since domain transfers are a manual process, it can take up to 5 days to transfer the domain.

Domains purchased with payment plans are not eligible to transfer until all payments have been made. Please remember that our 30-day money back guarantee is void once a domain has been transferred.

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UPPER THUMB  A gap in rural broadband services is costing the Upper Thumb health care access, jobs and educational opportunities, according to some officials.

U.S. Sen. Gary Peters has taken steps to improve rural broadband service, and Huron County Commissioner John A. Nugent agrees that its important.

Peters, D-Michigan, recently told the Tribune that Medicare coverage of home-based telehealth services is his priority, and would benefit seniors in the Upper Thumb.

But first, he said, residents need better broadband access.

Peters joined other senators in writing a letter to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai urging for high-speed broadband access to be a priority.

Reliable high-speed mobile broadband is critical to advancing telehealth services, precision agriculture, economic opportunities, education, public safety, and an ever growing list of new innovations and applications, stated the letter. It is necessary for our constituents, living in some of the most remote and rural areas, to participate in todays digital economy.

According to the FCC, 87 percent of rural Americans lack access to fast mobile broadband services, Peters said in a press release.

Huron County Commissioner John A. Nugent told the Tribune that rural broadband access is important.

Improving Internet in rural areas is important because of the dependency we have on it, he said.

... Access is critical for being able to apply for jobs, work from home, run a small business from home reliably. ... 

Telehealth, Peters said, Allows access to services from the comfort of your own home.

Seniors and home-bound patients who cannot travel to out-of-county doctors appointments would benefit from telehealth, Peters said.

Through technology similar to Skype, patients could connect with doctors over the computer using a webcam.

Peters said Medicare currently reimburses clinics that are connected to hospitals or other health facilities, and his priority is to bring such coverage to medical appointments held from peoples homes.

Also in the release, Peters said that according to Connect Michigan, 44 percent of working-age Michigan adults rely on the Internet to seek or apply for jobs, while 22 percent go online to further their education by taking online classes.

Nugent added that many government programs can be accessed online.
Camp Lejeune Town Halls Aim to Help Those Exposed to Toxic Water. Heres How You Can Go.

Retired Marine Master Sgt. Jerry Ensminger made it his mission to tell the world that if they lived or served on Camp Lejeune...
A federal civilian hiring freeze ordered by President Donald Trump has forced at least two Army bases to indefinitely suspend some child care programs.

Officials at Fort Knox, Kentucky, notified families Feb. 17 of the suspension to the on-base part-day child development center (CDC) programs, its hourly care program and the enrollment of new families into the CDC.

"Effective immediately, no new children will be enrolled in the CDC," states the letter, signed by Fort Knox garrison commander Col. Stephen Aiton. "Also, effective 27 February 2017, the CDC will no longer accommodate childcare for our hourly care and part day families until further notice."

The CDC's part-day programs include its part-day preschools. Many military families, including some CDC workers, rely on hourly care for child care during part-time jobs or school hours, or when the full-time day care program is full. One Army spouse at Fort Knox reported that the wait list for her 1-year-old is estimated through July.

"We are prevented from bringing new caregivers on board but are still having our usual staff turnover and illnesses, which creates challenges to maintaining ratios and providing quality childcare," the Fort Knox letter states.

Officials at U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden, Germany, announced that all part-day programs will be suspended in a letter dated Feb. 22 but circulated Tuesday.

Part-day programs at Wiesbaden will be suspended starting March 1, that letter states. That letter does not address hourly care or other CDC enrollment.

"The closure is a result of staff shortage due to the federal hiring freeze," says the letter, signed by Wiesbaden garrison commander Col. Todd Fish.

At issue is a Jan. 23 White House directive freezing most hiring at all federal agencies.

Although a Feb. 1 Defense Department memo exempts from the freeze 16 categories of civilian workers, including "positions providing child care to the children of military personnel," Army base commanders are still required to get permission from the service secretary before filling positions, according to a Feb. 16 memo from Diane Randon, acting assistant secretary of the Army for manpower and reserve affairs.

As of Jan. 17, the Army's Child and Youth Services program had 12,000 positions systemwide with 2,657 vacancies, according to Army Installation Management Command (IMCOM) officials. The Army child development center program has historically had problems keeping positions filled due to high turnover and a sluggish background check system through which all workers must be vetted.

"Issues include access to medical exams, the background checks and slow administration because of limited HR staffing as the Army gets smaller. Another issue is that many candidates take other jobs before an offer can be tendered," Bill Costlow, an IMCOM spokesman, said in January.

Child care programs account for about half of the Army's $1.1 billion annual budget for family programs, Sgt. Maj. of the Army Daniel Dailey told senators at a hearing this month.

About 5,500 children are on child care wait lists at the 230 CDC locations worldwide, Army officials said in a recent release. The average wait time for a daycare spot is four months, the release said, with at least five bases with wait times of five months or longer. Army bases in Hawaii have the longest wait times at 16 months.

IMCOM officials said they are unaware of any other bases suspending their hourly or part-day programs as a result of the hiring freeze.

Officials with the Navy said although the service requires a similar approval process for hiring exemptions, they are unaware of any CDC programs being shuttered as a result.

Marine Corps and Air Force officials did not respond by deadline to requests for comment.

-- Amy Bushatz can be reached at amy.bushatz@military.com.
The partisan lines were quickly drawn in the House last week on the perennial issue of union business being conducted during regular hours at the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Rep. Phil Roe, chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, spoke of the "frustration that I have" on hearing reports that a doctor making $212,000 at a VA facility in Los Angeles and an emergency room doctor making $242,000 at a VA facility in Chicago were spending 100 percent of their time on union business.

"We certainly understand that there can be a union," said the Tennessee Republican, but "how in the world do you explain that to people?"

Roe said that the VA's budget has risen from $97 billion to $180 billion since 2009, and its workforce has grown from 260,000 to 370,000 during the same period. The VA's problems are "not for lack of personnel, not for lack of money," he said.

Rep. Gerry Connolly, a Virginia Democrat, countered that union employees at the VA doing business during regular hours, referred to as "official time," are vital to the mission of improving care. He cited "the ability of unions to protect the whistleblowers who help prevent waste, fraud and abuse. Sometimes, I think some of my colleagues forget that whistleblowers are federal employees."

The back and forth came at a joint hearing of two House Veterans Affairs Subcommittees on a Government Accountability Office report released last week, stating that the current VA systems cannot accurately track the amount of time employees spend on union activities.

According to the GAO report, the VA uses two timekeeping systems -- a legacy system, called the Enhanced Time and Attendance System (ETA), which remains in effect at some facilities during a changeover to the VA Time and Attendance System (VATAS).

The former does not have codes for employees and supervisors to record the local use of official time for union work but the latter does, the GAO said.

"As of September 2016, approximately 50 percent of VA facilities and about one-third of VA employees (120,000) had transitioned to VATAS, with its official time-recording capabilities. The full VATAS multi-facility rollout is scheduled to be completed by July 2018," the GAO said.

In his prepared statement for the hearing, J. David Cox, National President of the American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO, said the GAO report "found time and again that elected employee representatives who worked with VA managers on workplace and patient issues brought value because of the deep commitment to veterans care that AFGE shares with [the Department of Veterans Affairs.]"

"It must be emphasized that nowhere in the GAO report is there any suggestion or allegation of union wrongdoing with regard to the use of official time in DVA. GAO found no union failure to report information and no instance where information reported was inaccurate. Rather, the GAO found simply that DVA failed to collect the data properly," Cox said.

However, Republicans at the hearing cited a finding in the GAO report that 346 VA employees in 2015 were authorized to spend 100 percent of their work time on union activities.

Some of those employees were nurses or other health care providers, the Republicans said.

"I don't believe the average American would see this as reasonable or as necessary," said Rep. Jodey Arrington, a Texas Republican and chairman of the Subcommittee on Economic opportunity. "I believe the average American would be outraged."

Other Republicans cited a 2012 Office of Personnel Management report, which found that 250,000 VA employees spent about 1.1 million hours on union activities.

"Official time certainly is of benefit, but when it's used in excess, it becomes abusive," said Rep. Mark Meadows, a North Carolina Republican and chairman of the Subcommittee on Government Operations.

Rep. Mark Takano, a California Democrat, agreed that "We need to do a better job of accounting for official time," but noted the relative silence of his Republican colleagues on President Donald Trump's federal hiring freeze that has left the VA with 45,000 vacancies, according to Dr. David Shulkin, the new VA secretary.

Shulkin has said he would approve 37,000 exemptions to the hiring freeze for public safety or health reasons, but that would still leave the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) with 763 positions which would not be exempted, Takano said.

The VBA has a backlog of about 100,000 disability claims cases and another backlog of more than 400,000 disability claims cases on appeal, Takano said. Lifting the hiring freeze at the VBA would "help our veterans get benefits faster. Our veterans are being hurt because those jobs aren't being filled."

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.
When I look back on the years of my military marriage, I see it as a bookshelf lined with memories.

The deployment years are a lot like survival stories. Reintegration seems like a classic drama. There are pages with hurt, volumes of joy, collections of happy and sad memories.

I must admit, when I feel sad, angry or entitled, I reach for "books" on our shelf that remind me of other times when I felt that way. I want to feel validated and maybe even fueled to win the next argument. "Remember this?" "Remember that?" "What about the last time you ..."

 There's no need to finish that sentence. We all know it never ends well. Meanwhile, my spouse is scrambling through the proverbial bookshelf trying to find even a short story to provide alternative evidence.

Some of you just take turns pulling down the hurts and reading them again and again. Arguments and tension tend to deceive us into thinking that our situation is horrible, when really we just need a reminder of who we are.

Military life can mean our bookshelves are often filled with separate memories and significant, defining moments. I call those moments "sacred spaces" because they are set apart.

Instead of coming back together, military reintegration often becomes a time to accumulate stories of hurt, stacking that bookshelf with plenty of ammunition we can return to later.

I want shared positive stories to be what defines my relationship, don't you? More than that, I want stories of how we redeemed our marriage. I call those "shared sacred spaces."

I've learned that if you don't stock your bookshelf with as many positive shared sacred spaces as possible, you will have a hard time finding hope when you need it most.

During one reintegration, I listened as Matt shared his deployment stories. There were so many separate memories. The bookshelf was filling up with them. Reintegration was filled with sharing our most "sacred" or significant, stories while we had been apart. Although we did our best, we talked more than we listened. In our attempts to get on the same "page," reintegration became, instead, a time to accumulate stories of hurt.

But how do you do fix that? How do you start plussing-up your marriage bookshelf? I can tell you it doesn't happen accidentally. It's not as hard as writing an actual book, but it definitely takes mindfulness.

Here are a few things I have learned:

Pursue. There is mystery and a quest to win someone's heart in the dating years but, at some point, love matures and the pursuit must become more intentional -- purposeful even. If you are at a place where you are holding out until your spouse pursues you, you are only collecting stories of failure. Be the first to pursue your spouse. Truly listen to her needs, the kind of date nights she wants. Even better, hold hands and look him in the eye while listening. Using three of your five senses will solidify your memory and help him feel heard.

Plan. Intentionally prioritize time with your spouse. I hear couples all the time talk about scheduling dates every week, but they never do so. Sure, it takes time. But scheduling something fun that engages as many of the five senses as possible will make for an evening your marriage will never forget. Dance lessons trump a dinner and a movie. I know the inconsistency of military life can make this a huge challenge, but if we aren't focused on the time we have together, it will slip away.

Protect. Like a family photograph tainted with memories of bad attitudes and screaming toddlers (not that that ever happened to me), so it is with shared sacred spaces. If we aren't protective, our efforts can easily be sabotaged. Demons of the past, minefields of the present, or simple miscommunication -- something out there wants to see you fail. You must be proactive by setting up limits to what you will talk about or thoughts you choose to entertain. Shared sacred space moments are not a time to hash out what should be reserved for the counseling office or a family meeting.

But what if sabotage happens anyways? Try to reclaim it. Even a reclaimed sabotaged moment can make for a powerful memory of hope and resilience. In the midst of the tension, make every effort to intentionally think the best of your spouse.

Sometimes, Matt or I will reach for the other's hand and just say, "I'm for you, not against you." It is a gentle reminder that although we may be upset at each other in the moment, we believe the best in the other.

Forgiveness and grace go a long way. Our spouses are not perfect and never will be. The sooner we accept it, the easier it will be to forgive. Remind yourself of the many moments you have needed forgiveness yourself. The sooner we forgive, the sooner we will have grace to offer.

Redemption stories are the most powerful shared sacred spaces of all and will no doubt give you a truly great story to revisit from your shelf of memories.

Keep Up with the Ins and Outs of Military Life

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Not Since the Egyptians

The existence of Cat cafes and of a train-station cat mascot already showed the lifetstyle importance of this most favorite of pets in Japan. Now, the 2017 Japanese Pet Fair in Osaka is experimenting with making cat-paw and dog-paw ice-cream flavors available to their human visitors...

Cat and dog owners often comment on their beasties' paw scents - and not just in Japan. But apparently, the fervor is more widely spread there where it is not just commented upon but lived as a habit, a relaxing one - and one which elicits poetic description of the smell, now a taste. Cat worship has probably never been so active since the Egyptians.

Descriptors include sunflowers; caramel crepes; wheat. We checked with our cat pet pronto and its paws do have a nice scent, something in the range of beignets, sesame paste - and sunflowers, absolutely. Cheetos is a recurring and spontaneous descriptor for dog-paw scent in the U.S.

The ice-creams also try to replicate the texture and visuals of the pets' paws with suggestive food ingredients. In the cat-themed ice-cream, marshmallow morsels mimic paw cushions, and nuts, the claws. A light fish smell has been added. In the dog-themed ice-cream, the dominant scent is black sesame with caramelized popcorn to suggest dog claws.

Hard-core fans will be able to add more animalic flavor, i.e., dog and cat powder to the mix, for a more intense and authentic sensation.

This should not be too far fetched a taste in Japan where this culture blogger remembers having feasted on pre-packaged sweet-savory red octopus snacks for kids, right after school.

Grapee mentions a Japanese brand previously released a hand-cream which makes your hands smells like cat paws, Punipuni Nikukyu hand cream.
Govindan alleged that Khan, misusing the powers as Chancellor of these varsities, was impairing the entire education sector in Kerala at the behest of BJP overlords.
Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

By AMY SHERMAN | asherma2@mlive.com

In 2016, our Michigan's Best team of Amy Sherman and John Gonzalez searched for Michigan's Best new brewery. It was an incredible journey, exploring the newest brews, and meeting the amazing people behind the beer.

The beer scene in Michigan continues to grow, and nowhere more so than in "Beer City", Grand Rapids. Experience GR, the areas convention and visitors bureau, has celebrated GR Beer Week for a few years now. It's gotten so big that this year it's expanded into Beer Month GR, which runs from February 15 to March 15, 2017.

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Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

Come try our Top Ten new breweries

Our picks for the Top Ten new breweries can be found all across the state. Not all of these breweries distribute, so to sample their beers, you may have to travel direct to the brewery usually.

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Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

All in one place, at one time

And while that would be an incredible journey to all ten of our picks, we thought that in honor of Beer Month GR, we would bring them all to you right here in Grand Rapids. On February 22, you can try a beer from all ten, at Logan's Alley.

Logan's Alley

916 Michigan St NE

Grand Rapids, MI 49503

(616) 458-1612

Check out this podcast we recorded at Logan's Alley.

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Beers tapped at 7am, free food at 4pm, John, Amy and the brewers will be there too

These are the beers that will be tapped on Wednesday February 22.

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Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

#10-One Well Brewing: Moral Support - Session IPA

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Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

#9-Territorial Brewing - Big Yellow Truck - Northern German Pilsner

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Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

#8-Cognition Brewing - Gnome Wrecker - Belgian Pale Ale

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Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

#7-Tapistry Brewing - Katie Bar the Door - Imperial Rye IPA

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Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

#6-Grand River Brewing - Monkey Mouth IPA

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Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

#5-Cedar Springs Brewing - Kusterer Original Weiss

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Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

#4-Hop Lot Brewing - Trail Ryder - Rye IPA

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Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

#3-Batch Brewing - Batchman's - Black Currant Braggot

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Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com

#2-Transient Brewing - Barrel-Aged Sour Saison

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#1-Stormcloud Brewing - Another Day, Another Apocalypse - Belgian Strong

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Milt Klingensmith/ MLive

Join us!

Join us at Logan's Alley on Wednesday February 22.

Kegs tapped at 7am when Logan's opens

4pm John and Amy, along with many of the brewers will be there

4pm free food for you to enjoy until it runs out

For a listing of all the events happening this month, head to Experience GR.

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United States Representative Debbie Dingell speaks at the University of Michigan Diag during the Citizens' Climate Rally in Ann Arbor on Saturday, February 18, 2017. Hunter Dyke | The Ann Arbor News

(ANN ARBOR NEWS)

ANN ARBOR, MI - U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell will stop in Ann Arbor to join the College Democrats and Progressives at the University of Michigan for a panel discussion on the Affordable Care Act on Tuesday, Feb. 21.

The discussion, which starts at 7 p.m. inside the Annenberg Auditorium of UM's Ford School, 735 S. State St., is focusing on the ACA's impact on students and the community and the future of health care in the United States.

According to a recent study released by UM, the state's decision to expand Medicaid coverage to more than 600,000 low-income residents has yielded big benefits for Michigan's economy, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Michigan.

The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, says the expanded coverage -- funded by federal dollars through the ACA -- has boosted personal income by about $2.3 billion in Michigan.

President Donald Trump attended a strategy session on how to repeal and replace the ACA over the weekend with top aides including Health Secretary Tom Price and Mick Mulvaney, director of the White House budget office, according to The Associated Press.

Dingell is joined on the panel by Laurie Burchett, an insurance specialist liaison with University Health Service; Michael Budros, a UM graduate student with a master's in Public Policy and Public Health; UM senior Claire Fitzgerald; College of Democrats Vice Chair Laura Marsh; and Al Vanderklipp, executive board member of Progressives at University of Michigan.

The event is free and open to the public.
solar_Barclay_Park_062816_RJS_01.jpg

Solar panels installed by Homeland Solar, a local solar installer in the Ann Arbor area, at Barclay Park Condos in Ann Arbor.

(Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News)

ANN ARBOR, MI - The Sierra Club's Huron Valley Group has joined the debate over whether Ann Arbor should be raising people's taxes for going solar, something the city argues it has no choice but to do under state law.

In a statement shared with members of the Ann Arbor Solar Users Network, the club's leaders said they are greatly disappointed it appears the city will continue raising residents' property assessments for adding solar panels to their homes, without any form of local mitigation or offset for the increases.

City Administrator Howard Lazarus said last week the city wants to address the issue, but the city's best option for removing property tax hurdles for going solar appears to be seeking legislative change or clarification at the state level.

The Sierra Club argues taxing solar panels undermines Ann Arbor's Climate Action Plan, which includes ambitious goals for expanding renewable energy and reducing the community's greenhouse gas emissions. The club also argues taxing solar panels undercuts solar small business development, unfairly targets local residents who install solar, and encourages the use of emissions-producing fossil fuels that negatively impact the health and welfare of the community.

The club is calling for action on the issue from the city and City Council members "as an important component of their accountability for carrying out Ann Arbor's Climate Action Plan," reads a statement from Nancy Shiffler, the club's chairwoman, and James D'Amour, the club's vice chairman.

The city still isn't convinced it has leeway under state law to just not raise a residential property's assessed value when solar panels are added, even if other Michigan communities, including nearby Ypsilanti, do not.

"The city does not have an option here," said Mayor Christopher Taylor, who argues the tax increases are a function of state law, not city policy.

"If it were city-imposed, City Council would have the ability to pass a law and withdraw it. And we would."

City Council members have different opinions on the issue.

"As a community, we should be doing everything to reach our climate action goals -- now more than ever before," said Council Member Zachary Ackerman, D-3rd Ward, arguing Ann Arbor is still 70 percent fossil-fuel dependent and having a disincentive for going solar is no way to change that. "I think we should not assess until the state clarifies the law, not the other way around."

As for whether the City Council should offer policy direction on the matter, Council Member Jack Eaton, D-4th Ward, said he doesn't think the council should interfere with the work of the city assessor, who has determined solar panels must be assessed because there is no exemption for them in state law.

"One problem we have in addressing this is that the problem arises from the difference in how our assessor values new solar installations compared to how they are valued in other cities," Eaton said.

"It is important that our assessor be free of interference from council, so it would be improper for us to instruct the assessor on how to value solar installations."

The state treasury department's position is that local assessors must assess residential solar panels because state law stipulates that all property must be assessed unless explicitly exempt.

"Residential solar panels are personal property and assessed as residential personal property," said Ron Leix, a spokesman for the department.

Leix said the Michigan Tax Commission has provided guidance to local assessors about the assessing of solar panels.

Asked if there are any repercussions for communities that do not raise property assessments when residents add solar panels, Leix said only that the Michigan Tax Commission has not received any formal complaints about it.

Property owners in Michigan used to be able to get property tax exemptions for solar, wind and water energy-conversion devices from Dec. 31, 1975, through Dec. 31, 1983, but those exemptions are now long expired.

There also were exemptions for new alternative energy systems for business personal property from Dec. 31, 2002, to Jan. 1, 2013.

Council Member Jason Frenzel, D-1st Ward, said last week he was still looking into options for how the city might potentially address the issue. Frenzel, who was recently appointed to council, serves on the city's Energy Commission.

Frenzel recently challenged his council colleagues to a friendly competition to see which of the city's five wards could meet their solar goals first.

"Given that the Ann Arbor Climate Action Plan only calls for 24 MW of solar by 2025, this means that for Ward 1 to do our part to meet the CAP's solar goals, we need only install 8.33 MW of solar!" Frenzel wrote in an email to constituents.

To put that in perspective, Frenzel said, 8.33 megawatts is roughly the same as eight installations equal to the DTE Energy's large solar array along M-14.

While that seems like a lot, Frenzel said, it's more than doable when one considers all of the residential, commercial, industrial, nonprofit and government building roofs, not even counting ground-mount potential.

The city is trying to encourage residents to go solar and recently announced a group-purchase program, but some residents say they're not sure about adding solar panels to their homes until the tax issues are sorted out.

What you need to know about Ann Arbor's new solar discount program



Lazarus said at last week's Energy Commission meeting he has heard concerns that the added taxes can extend the payback period to where it nearly matches the useful life of the panels and that's a financial barrier for some residents.

The city assessor bases the assessment value on the size of the installation, specifically the rated kilowatts of installed capacity, and it works out to an increase in annual taxes of about $37 per kilowatt, or an extra $111 per year in property taxes paid by a homeowner with a 3-kilowatt rooftop array.

Lazarus said the city has looked at several options to reduce the tax hurdle, most of which include collecting the taxes and redistributing them through some mechanism, but that's cumbersome and the city would lose money.

"So I think the best thing for us to do, and a preferable approach, is to get some relief from the state and make sure there is a consistency in how residential systems are assessed," Lazarus said.

Lazarus said there are examples from other states, including Virginia, where municipalities can individually opt in to provide tax exemptions by adopting an ordinance and then not assessing the improvements.

"I think that's the easiest way to go," he said. "I have spoken to a couple of our representatives. I've also spoken to people from the Michigan Municipal League and our lobbyist. And I think, from what I've heard ... there is potentially bipartisan support in the Legislature to support this approach."
U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell talks Trump, immigation, Affordable Care Act

U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell speaks at a lunch forum with the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Regional Chamber Tuesday, Feb. 21 at Weber's Inn, 3050 Jackson Rd. in Ann Arbor. Topics included President Donald Trump's executive order on immigration and the Affordable Care Act.

(Jessica Haynes | jhaynes1@mlive.com)

ANN ARBOR, MI - U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell touched on a range of subjects during a stop in Ann Arbor, including President Donald Trump's executive order on immigration and issues Michigan currently faces like health care and the economy.

During a lunch forum with the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Regional Chamber Tuesday, Feb. 21, at Weber's Inn, Dingell, D-Dearborn, discussed the future of the Affordable Care Act and executive orders she called "ill-thought out."

"I do believe it's a tactic," Dingell said. "(Trump's) doing so many things, our heads are spinning... he's trying to distract from all the things that are happening."

The executive order on immigration is a wrong and ineffective approach, according to Dingell, an approach she said that is jeopardizing national security and the values of Americans across the United States.

"We got to remember we live in the greatest country in the world, we have a fabulous democracy and a great Constitution," Dingell said. "This democracy that has survived for more than two centuries is going to survive."

She was proud to hear of protests taking place after the executive order was announced, including one at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport that brought in thousands of people bearing signs, and other gatherings in support of women's rights.

"I cried because there was people from all over the state, all generations, all kinds of backgrounds," Dingell said about the Detroit protest. "It was a day we came together as a state in different ways and said this is not okay in the America we know, and young people organized it and had their voices heard."

It is a scary time for the country, she admitted, with reports of Russians hacking the American political system and bipartisan division on matters of national security.

"I believe in being bipartisan. I believe in working with everybody," Dingell said. "National security should never, ever be political. It's about our security and we all have got to work together."

Dingell then moved to more regional subjects, like The American Center for Mobility at Willow Run being designated a national proving ground for autonomous and connected vehicles, and the collaboration now taking place to address the Gelman dioxane plume in Ann Arbor.

"People's voices... have really made a difference. Everyone is working together," Dingell said. "We have to pay attention and be alert. We need to make sure we are a voice for everybody, and we are a voice for environmental issues."

Dingell is scheduled to speak during a panel discussion on the Affordable Care Act with the College Democrats and Progressives at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the University of Michigan's Ford School, 735 S. State St.

She defined the ACA as the first issue to be "up front and center" for legislators, and talked about the results of a recent study by UM that said the state economy has benefited from an expansion of Medicaid coverage, including a boost of personal income by about $2.3 billion in Michigan.

"I believe if you live in this country, you have a right to affordable quality health care," Dingell said. "I've also said the ACA isn't perfect."

The ACA has hurt small business owners and taxpayers who have seen an increase in premium costs associated with the legislation, she added, but has also given coverage opportunities for people with pre-existing conditions.

"All of us have benefited from the Affordable Care Act," Dingell said. "The devil's in the details here. I don't want to be in a pissing contest, excuse my language, with my Republican colleagues. My goal is to make sure you have health insurance."

That includes veterans at Veterans Affairs health care centers, Dingell said, adding she is worried about the one-star rating the John D. Dingell VA Medical Center in Detroit received in late 2016.

"Our veterans deserve the same quality healthcare as the people in this room," Dingell said.

During the forum, Dingell took a few questions on public transit funding, LGBTQ rights and tax reform issues.

"I don't know what's going to happen," Dingell said, mentioning Trump's statements on a possible infrastructure funding bill. "Where public transportation fits into an infrastructure bill is a good question."

With more than 70 events, meetings and forums planned for the next 10 days she is in Washtenaw County, Dingell said it is important she is accessible and available to her constituents and the people of Michigan.

While it is great to see the energy of the American people, she asked those in the audience to consider how that energy could be handled in a beneficial manner to keep government transparent.

"How do we do it constructively, so in the end, we are making sure we are making a difference, protecting our country and not letting hate and fear divide us further?" Dingell asked. "I'm proud to represent you, I'll do anything to help you that I can. It's going to be an interesting two years."
Screen Shot 2017-01-19 at 11.29.25 AM.png

Site plans show a general layout of the new Imagination Station playground in Bigelow Park on Middlegrounds Island.

(Courtesy )

BAY CITY, MI -- With little discussion, the Bay City Commission gave the green light for a new, universal-access playground to be built in Bigelow Park.

At its meeting Monday, Feb. 20, the City Commission unanimously approved a master plan for the new Imagination Station playground and amended the city's park and recreation plan to accommodate the estimated $1 million project.

The commission also approved applying for a Michigan Department of Natural Resources Trust Fund Grant in the amount of $300,000 to assist with the development of the playground, which is to be located near the Boys and Girls Club in Bigelow Park on Middlegrounds Island.

"I think this is going to be a great addition to the city and the 6th Ward," said Commissioner John Davidson, 6th Ward.

Bay City crews razed the community-built Imagination Station playground in Veterans Memorial Park on Tuesday, April 14, 2015.

It was the final governmental approval needed for the project, which a community group started planning about two years ago after the original Imagination Station playground, located near the ball parks in Veterans Memorial Park, was torn down. City officials deemed the playground a liability due to its location and environmental concerns after arsenic from its pressure-treated wood leached into the soil.

While the playground will be owned and maintained by the city, a citizens committee facilitated by the Bay Area Community Foundation continues to fundraise for the project.

To date, the group has raised about $225,000. The DNR Trust Fund grant would bring the group closer to constructing the playground's first phase, which is estimated to cost $727,000. DNR grants are typically rewarded in the fall.

The first phase of the project includes site preparation, installation of utilities, parking, hardscape walkways and some of the playground fixtures. The second phase includes the remaining playground fixtures, new bathrooms and additional lighting.

The estimated $1 million price tag on the playground doesn't account for donated work and in-kind donations.

In addition to $50,000 in Community Development Block Grant dollars approved in 2015, the city has committed about $140,000 in in-kind labor, according to cost estimates obtained by The Bay City Times/MLive. That includes some utility work, electric installation and tree and curb removals.

Playground committee members said if funds can be raised in time, they hope to break ground this year and have the first phase of the new Imagination Station completed by spring 2018. The second phase would be completed once funding is secured.
Three Group Selects MATRIXX Software for Digital Transformation

MATRIXX Software (http://www.matrixx.com/) today announced that Three Group, the telecommunications arm of CK Hutchison Holdings, a multinational conglomerate, has selected MATRIXX Software's real-time Digital Commerce platform to support Three's mobile service providers in the UK, Denmark and Sweden.

The Three Group companies will deploy MATRIXX Digital Commerce as part of their digital business transformation from providing voice and data access to offering a full suite of digital services. Three is investing to better serve customers with services around content, transport and lifestyle applications, providing consumers more choice, control and value.

Susan Buttsworth, CEO at 3 Solutions, said, "We selected MATRIXX Software because we have a shared vision and MATRIXX has the capability to rapidly drive it forward. Three's operations in Europe will be transformed into digital service leaders, reinventing the customer experience while benefiting from the market-changing economics of digital."

Susan Buttsworth and Dave Labuda, Founder, CEO and CTO, MATRIXX Software, will be presenting at Mobile World Congress (News - Alert) 2017, on Monday 27th February, 4pm - 5.30pm at the 'Building Positive Engagements with the Connected Consumer' session.

Using MATRIXX, Three's operating companies across Europe will foster greater customer engagement, and drive more tailored and targeted service offerings to individuals. Three wil also create new digital sales channels to derive greater operational economies of scale.







Customers will benefit from:

New digital content for a richer service experience

Management and granular control over their own service mix and payments

Transparent and instant spend and purchase options, direct from the device

Intuitive self-care capabilities, offering convenience and a consistent, immersive experience

Dave Labuda, Founder, CEO and CTO, MATRIXX Software, said, "Once mobile operators make the decision to become digital service providers, they need a partner to get them there rapidly so they can start profiting in this dynamic new market from day one. This is the future of the mobile industry, and we're very proud to champion Three's vision and objectives."

MATRIXX Digital Commerce provides a new type of platform for CSPs engaging in the transformation from telephony providers to digital service providers. The platform processes all transactions in real-time, integrates with other applications via open application programming interfaces (APIs), and can be delivered over cloud or hybrid-cloud environments. It allows consumers to define and continuously modify services themselves, and supports constant and rapid business change for the CSP.

MATRIXX Software will be exhibiting at Mobile World Congress 2017, Hall 7 Stand 7C86.

To learn more about MATRIXX Software, please visit www.matrixx.com. A press kit can be accessed here.

About Three Group

A division of CK Hutchison, a leading international corporation committed to innovation and technology, the Three Group together with Hutchison Telecom (News - Alert), is a pioneer of high-speed mobile telecommunications and mobile broadband technologies, with businesses in 11 markets around the world.

Three Group and its affiliated companies operate in Australia, Austria, Denmark, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Italy, Ireland, Macau, Sri Lanka, Sweden, UK and Vietnam. CK Hutchison announced more than 102 million active customers in August 2016.

For more information about Three, please visit www.three.com

About MATRIXX Software

MATRIXX Software delivers an innovative digital commerce solution that enables always-on customer engagement. Our patented approach makes it possible for Digital Service Providers to simultaneously serve millions of customers, and process billions of customer interactions precisely and instantly. MATRIXX enables DSPs to build long-term strategic value through high-touch, digital customer relationships.

Follow MATRIXX Software online:

Website: www.matrixx.com

Vimeo (News - Alert): www.vimeo.com/user17468378

LinkedIn (News - Alert): www.linkedin.com/company/586602

Twitter (News - Alert): www.twitter.com/matrixx_sw

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170221005352/en/
business 'Aviation capacity woes to ease with new terminals, airports' While the aviation companies are busy expanding their fleet to meet growing passenger demand, infrastructure woes and lack of space is adding to travelers woes. Routine issues of congestion is compounded by staff constraints with one aircraft pressed in for six to seven flights each day, delays are unavoidable.
you are here:
business Jio Prime offer to hasten telecom sector consolidation: Analyst Mukesh Ambani continues to maintain a large amount of pressure on other telcom players, said Mahesh Uppal of Com First India. He expects further consolidation in market.
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That's a wrap from us. We've got plenty of stories in the pipeline on Reliance Jio's future plans and what it means for consumers and the industry. Stay tuned to our homepage for more. Thank you.Mukesh Ambani reiterated on Tuesday that voice calls would remain free. Many had considered this to be unprecedented, but Ambani himself explained a year ago that it is not:I had met the CEO of Verizon and he had said, Oh in your country you still charge for voice? We stopped doing that long ago." This was 2014. The world-over, it has happened. We have been consistently saying this, but nobody believed us.Apart from 4G services, Reliance Jio has of late also been trying to reach out to customers who have outdated smartphones that only support 2G/3G connectivity. Its Jio-Fi device serves a portable hotspot that allows free 4G calls through the Jio app and 1 GB free data daily.Here is a back-of-the-envelope calculation to show where Reliance is relative to its rivals. Based on the pricing announced by Reliance, it would require the company to have 100 million subscribers to the Jio Prime Membership Programme for its quarterly revenues to match Idea Cellulars standalone quarterly revenue and 170 million to match Bharti Airtels quarterly revenue.To put things in perspective, a Jio Prime member will pay Rs 3636 till March 31, 2018 to avail of unlimited free calls and 1 GB free data daily.A quick look at what Jio's competitors currently charge prepaid customers tells quite a story. While Airtel charges Rs 296 for 1 GB of data, Vodafone has a plan where you get 1 GB for 24 hours at Rs 97. Jio Prime subscribers will pay just Rs 10 per GB.For those of you who want to sign up for Jio Prime membership, you can do so from March 1 through the app or by visiting your nearest Reliance Jio/Reliance Digital outlet.A potential hurdle for Jio's expansion could be that it still does not have sufficient points of interconnect. The country's telecom regulator had earlier recommended a combined penalty of Rs 3,050 crore on Idea, Airtel and Vodafone for denying Reliance Jio adequate points of interconnect in most telecom circles. It contended that the carriers actions appeared to be aimed at stifling competition and were against public interest.Moneycontrol's Shishir Asthana weighs in with a comment piece on what Jio's plans could mean for the industry. Do read:Before Jios launch, incumbent operators were on an average charging Rs 250 per GB of data. With the Jio Prime Offer announced on Tuesday exclusively for its 100 million subscribers, the price of 1 GB of data has effectively been beaten down to Rs 10.RIL Chairman Mukesh Ambani sent out a subtle message to Jio's competitors while announcing the new tariff plans. Here's what he said:"In the last few months, hundreds of offers have been launched by the industry. These plans have created a lot of confusion in the markets and customers are having what I call 'data and value anixety', whether they are getting the best value for the price that they are paying."It's going to be interesting to see how other telecom operators react. Jio has basically thrown down the gauntlet by saying whatever data plans you offer, we will give 20% more data for the same price.Jio users consume nearly as much mobile data as the entire United States of America, and nearly 50 percent more mobile data than all of China.Analysts tracking the telecom sector point out that Jio's announcement of charging customers post April is actually beneficial for incumbents as they can now compete on tariffs and work to retain customers.If you want mega returns, you need panic and that panic which was there in telecom three-four months back is missing now. So, I would say there is no panic in any sector at this point of time, says S Naren, Executive Director at Chief Investment Officer at ICICI Prudential in an interview with CNBC-TV18.Telecom subscriber base grew by 21.02 million to cross 1.12 billion at end-November 2016 on account of large number of additions by Reliance Jio.In a Q3 FY17 result analysis of Idea Cellular, Jeffries identified telecom issues  weak voice, increased capex for data and intensifying competitive intensity due to entry of R Jio. R Jio puts question on Ideas positioning as the third largest operator, partially offset by the merger discussion with Vodafone, said the report.In an interview with CNBC-TV18 GV Giri, Head of Research at IIFL said that there should be a healthy reasonable concentration of market power in the hands of these three-four players compared to what we have seen in the last 7-8 years because that has been very detrimental for their profitability and their ability to invest.Tata Teleservices and Reliance Communications-Aircel-MTS combine are reportedly considering joining forces to counter the tough competition from Reliance Jio Infocomm, reported the Economic Times yesterday. In the light of possible mergers, a few strong players will come to dominate the market.The telecom industry is heading for a consolidation with Vodafone and Idea merger around the corner. If the deal is successful, the combined entity will create India's largest telecom firm with a revenue share of around 40 percent and a subscriber base of over 380 million, according to India Ratings and Research.Read:Other financial dailies -- The Economic Times and Business Standard -- have also reported on Ambani's Jio briefing.Mahesh Uppal of Com First India said that the viability model of the sector is under a cloud, although it is good news for customers.Shares of Idea Cellular fell nearly 2 percent intraday, while Bharti Airtel fell over 3 percent intraday, following the announcements.Telecom stocks fell between two and three percent intraday, possibly following the positive announcements made by Ambani for its Jio customers.Listed companies were waiting for Jio to start charging customers. From hereon, the case for incumbents improves a little bit, says an analyst.Ambani needs to increase market share. He has largest market share in terms of traffic in data. He wants users and eventually a share of revenues. It is good for the consumer. It will take a huge pressure off the incumbents., says an analyst.Airtel is down by 2.3 percent. Idea is down by 0.5 percent.Ambani finishes his speech.A custom-made programme Jio Prime Membership programme will be available for ony current Jio customers and for those who noin us or before mMarch 31. All of these jio customers can enrol for the Jio prime membership for the full year for a nominal one-time fee of Rs 99. Jio prime members to enjoy happy new offer at Rs 303 a month.Jio we will not only match the highest selling tariffs of each of the other leading telcos, but we will also provide 20 percent more data in each of these plans.From April Jio will charge. All domestic voice calls to any nework will be free across india, to any network. There will be no roaming charges no hidden charges and no blackout days.By end of 2017, the Jio network will be present in nearly all cities, towns and villages of India and we will cover 99 percent of our countrys population.We have more than double the number of 4G base stations when compared to all those indian operators put together, says Ambani.Jio customers have created records. Every single day, Jio users make more than 200 crore minutes of voice and video calls. Before Jio, India was 150in worlds broadband penenetration for data. Last month, Jio users consumed more than 100 crore gigabytes of data.Jio has added 7 customers on its network every single second of every single day within those 170 days, says Ambani.Ambani begins speech. Says within 170 days of its launch, Jio has crossed the 100 million customer mark on wireless broadband network. He thanks every of his customers. An achievement of India and Indians, says Ambani.Airtel reached the 50-million milestone in 12 years and 100 million in a further 3 years. Vodafone and Idea took 13 years each.Telecom industry acquired 100 million subscribers in 13 years.Telecom stocks in focus ahead of Ambani's briefing.Jio's Happy New Year offer, which offers free voice and data services, lapses on March 31. The question on everyone's mind is whether Jio will look to extend the offer? The other option, according to CNBC-TV18, could be that Jio may start a commercial launch.Analysts say the company is likely to announce plans for new subscribers.For Bharti and Idea , voice and data revenues fell in excess of 10 percent on a quarter on quarter basis in Q3.

Jio acquired 50 million subscribers in 83 days since commercial launch on September 5 and 100 million in 170 days.

In this period, industrys total connection growth rates have declined.



1:10 PM Last week, in Nasscom Leadership summit, Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani said his telecom venture Jio has crossed a customer base of 100 million. "When we started Jio, we set a target for ourselves that we will acquire 100 million customers in shortest time. Even we didn't imagine that we would do it in months," Ambani said.

Jio crossed 50 million subscribers in just 83 days, adding at an average rate of 6 lakh subscribers per day and surpassing the subscriber addition rates of global giants like Facebook, WhatsApp and Skype.Speaking at the summit, Ambani said data will be the next oil  reinforcing an opinion he had expressed at the launch of the multi-billion dollar Reliance Jio venture  and said it would trigger the fourth revolution.Analysts say that Jio might not go for a commercial launch, given the fact that interconnect issues aren't sorted out yet.According to an article in the Economic Times, it is estimated that about 40 percent of voice calls will be riding on VoLTE (voice over LTE technology with 4G) by 2020. The paper was quoting Aircel's Chief Technology Officer Sameer Dave.
business Bank of Maharashtra shares gain 19% on cost saving strategy CNBC-TV18 had reported, quoting news agency Cogencis, that the bank will merge as many a 450-500 loss making branches as well as cut zonal offices in the next financial year
"I love the poorly educated!"  Donald Trump

"Think! It ain't illegal yet."  Funkadelic

It's time we talked about the most consequential political divide in this country.

That divide is not between liberals and conservatives. Rather, it is between the ignorant and the informed, between those who have information and can extrapolate from it and those who do not and cannot. There is an education gap between left and right, and it poses a grave threat to our national future.

This gap has been empirically proven. A 2015 Pew Research Center study, for instance, found that only 24 percent of Americans with post-graduate degrees and 29 percent of those with college degrees identify as consistently or mostly conservative. The corresponding numbers for liberals were 54 and 44, with the rest not identifying strongly with either ideology.

But empirical proof is superfluous. The truth has been obvious since the knowledge-starved likes of Michele Bachmann, Sarah Palin and Louie Gohmert first became stars of the political right. It has been obvious since Stephen Colbert found it necessary to coin the word "truthiness."

Now, however, that ignorance has reached the highest levels of American governance. Did The Great Trumpkin really sign an executive order without knowing what was in it? Did he really reportedly have to ask what Vladimir Putin was talking about when the Russian president brought up an arms-control treaty in a phone call? Is his Twitter feed really a blizzard of embarrassing misspellings? Was there really a misspelling in his official inauguration poster? Did his Education Department -- repeat: his Education Department  really misspell "W.E.B. Du Bois" and then, misspell its apology? Did he really praise Frederick Douglass, stone cold dead since 1895, as "an example of somebody who's done an amazing job and is getting recognized more and more?"

Sigh. Yes, all of it.

As he has already legitimized coarseness, misogyny and bigotry, the so-called president now legitimizes ignorance.

I'm aware of the potential for coming off like a snob or a bully in appearing to score people for lack of education. For what it's worth, my mother lacked education; she had about seven years of formal schooling  par for the course for a black girl in 1930s Mississippi. The woman had a reverence for knowledge, though. She was never book smart, but she was one of the wisest people I've ever known.

So I'm here not to mock those who lack information, but to lament those who fail to value it. We are asked, implicitly, repeatedly, to believe that failure equals authenticity.

Meantime, a new poll says that a third of us don't know that the Affordable Care Act and "Obamacare" are one and the same. And Jennifer Williams, an editor at Vox.com, recently received a note from a reader who was "dissapointed with your facts," and advised "teaching people the correct history" -- all while talking about how we went to war "with Saudi Arabia" after Sept. 11.

That's not "authentic"  or funny. No, it's frightening. See, those people vote. They make decisions. Indeed, one of their decisions is in the White House.

The need to fix American education could not be more stark or urgent. We must wrench our local school boards free of partisan political hackery and re-double our efforts to teach our children not what, but how to think. The world is not growing less complex or challenging while we dither about, literally pretending ignorance is bliss.

With apologies to The United Negro College Fund: A country is also a terrible thing to waste.

Leonard Pitts is a columnist for The Miami Herald, 1 Herald Plaza, Miami, Fla., 33132. Readers may contact him via e-mail at lpitts@miamiherald.com.
Morningstar's "Perspectives" series features investment insights from third-party contributors. Here, Hermes Fraser Lundie, Co-head of Credit, and Andrey Kuznetsov, Senior Credit Analyst, explore the opportunities provided by reverse Yankees.

Yankee bonds, which are issued in the US by a foreign government or company, have been a mainstay of the US fixed-income market for several decades. But in recent years, an increasing number of American companies have been doing the reverse: issuing debt in Europe. As a result, the so-called reverse Yankee market has already reached 330 billion and is primed for further growth driven by proposed changes to US tax law.

The Trump administration has made clear its aim to change the regulatory landscape for businesses, and if the rumoured end to the tax-deductibility of interest expense on debt becomes reality, it would likely lead to further expansion of the reverse-Yankee market. Why? American firms would be incentivised to issue bonds offshore in much the same way that many currently try to book profits overseas, in order to minimise the tax burden on their onshore profits.

There are also three further growth drivers for the reverse-Yankee market: Globalisation and currency volatility are compelling many US companies to find new ways of better matching their revenue streams with costs, and issuing euro-denominated debt is one way of helping them to do so. The US dollar has risen against the euro by more than 20% in the past three years, making European companies attractive takeover targets for US firms. Funding at least part of such acquisitions in euros has been the preferred route for many companies. The Corporate Sector Purchase Programme, the European Central Banks initiative to buy European corporate bonds in an effort to boost the eurozone economy, combined with Europe being at an earlier stage of the monetary-easing cycle than the US, has in some cases made it cheaper for US companies to issue bonds in Europe than in their home market. This is due to the lower-rate environment and the strong performance of European credit markets, which has driven yields lower. Advantages for Investors What does all this mean for investors? For those with the flexibility to allocate to reverse Yankees, the bonds provide a number of benefits. For example, they have considerably increased the breadth of the European credit universe, particularly for investors unable to allocate to bonds not denominated in euros. More choice means more opportunity to outperform. The reverse-Yankee market also provides access to US companies that, in many cases, demonstrate higher credit quality than their counterparts in Europe. And it provides an excellent source of portfolio diversification as US and European companies are often subject to different performance dynamics. Perhaps the greatest benefit is that the market is home to some excellent mispricing opportunities for global investors to exploit. Relatively poorly known US firms issuing bonds in Europe are, in some cases, compelled to price new issues with an attractive spread in order to attract European investors who are unfamiliar with their businesses. Such issuers may be just as creditworthy as a similar European company whose bonds provide a significantly lower spread. For investors with an in-depth knowledge of US corporate bond issuers, they represent an excellent opportunity to boost risk-adjusted returns. Marching On Reverse Yankees are established in the European credit market and should grow in importance. With Trumps proposed tax changes and Europe at an earlier stage of its monetary-easing cycle than the US, American firms are incentivised to keep issuing bonds in Europe. As the market grows, investors with an astute knowledge of US corporate issuers and the ability to allocate to these bonds should continue to uncover attractive opportunities. Disclaimer

The views contained herein are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of Morningstar. If you are interested in Morningstar featuring your content on our website, please email submissions to UKEditorial@morningstar.com
Maintaining independence and editorial freedom is essential to our mission of empowering investor success. We provide a platform for our authors to report on investments fairly, accurately, and from the investors point of view. We also respect individual opinionsthey represent the unvarnished thinking of our people and exacting analysis of our research processes. Our authors can publish views that we may or may not agree with, but they show their work, distinguish facts from opinions, and make sure their analysis is clear and in no way misleading or deceptive.

To further protect the integrity of our editorial content, we keep a strict separation between our sales teams and authors to remove any pressure or influence on our analyses and research.

Read our editorial policy to learn more about our process.
Amid the continuously rising home prices in Canadas most overheated cities, steady sales numbers reveal a market that remains capable of purchasing residential properties despite the affordability hurdles.



Relatively static incomes in the past few decades preclude the fact that most of the consumer base has become richer over time, which has led to Dominion Lending Centres mortgage broker Scott Nazareth proposing a more insidious alternative explanation: a sharp rise in the popularity of mortgage fraud.



Nazareth noted that the actual incidence of mortgage fraud in Canada today should be higher than what official figures say, up to as much as 20 per cent of Canadians.



Many people may not consider fraud the word to use for a white lie for omissions of information to their broker or bank, Nazareth said, as quoted by Better Dwelling, [but] they may be surprised to note that any wrong information on their mortgage application is considered fraud.



Nazareth added that in the mad rush to purchase homes in a market characterized by ever-dwindling supply, roughly 1 out of 5 Canadians strategically try to withhold information or inflate their income through various means.



Many of those who tend to go for these strategies are non-regular workers, the agent explained.



Mortgages require at least a 2-year tenure in their job, and usually up to 3-4 years industry tenure for a bank/credit union to consider their income as part of a mortgage qualification This hurdle or relative difficulty posed by CMHC/Genworth/Canada Guaranty and Financial Institutions themselves motivate borrowers to try and omit important employment details, Nazareth stated.



In mid-January, Equifax Inc. said that instances of mortgage fraud in Canada have grown along with the runaway prices in the countrys hottest real estate markets.



The credit reporting agency stated that the number of potentially dishonest mortgage applications has increased by 52 per cent since 2013. Many of these flagged applications have originated from Ontario and British Columbia, both of which play host to Canadas most expensive housing markets.



It could be investing in the market as a way to cleanse money. It could be: I really want that home and Im getting into a bidding war and even though I make $60,000, Im going to say that I make $90, 000, Equifax vice-president of customer insight Tara Zecevic wrote in the report.





Related stories:

Vancouver real estate developer committed fraud, securities panel finds

Fourth syndicated mortgage claim filed
Mount Pleasant, SC (29464)

Today

Clouds and some sun this morning with more clouds for this afternoon. High around 80F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Clear to partly cloudy. Low 64F. Winds light and variable.
Editor's note: This is the first of a three-part Q&A with U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz. This installment deals with Cruz's perspectives on the oil and gas industry.

---

Ted Cruz is pro-energy. The U.S. senator made that clear Monday as he visited with several oil industry leaders and field workers alike at sites around Midland. Donning a hard hat and steel-toe cowboy boots emblazoned with the Texas flag, Cruz said he's ready to get to work on fulfilling the promises he and other Republicans made ahead of the 115th Congress.

In a phone interview after his long day traveling around the area, Cruz talked with the Reporter-Telegram about the importance of the energy industry. He also cleared up what he meant when he said during his presidential run back in 2015 that oil and gas industry subsidies should be eliminated

MRT: You had a full day in Midland, with stops at a water pumping facility, an XTO Energy well site and Chito's Mexican restaurant. What did you take away from your tours?

Cruz: It was a terrific opportunity to meet with leaders of the energy industry, to meet with the men and women just working in the energy industry and to listen to their concerns, the challenges they're facing and their hopes for the future.

The consistent message I heard today in Midland is what I'm hearing across the state of Texas, which is a sense of cautious optimism. With a new administration in Washington, the last eight years of hostility to the energy industry has ended. I hope and believe that is going to usher in a new era of prosperity for the state of Texas.

MRT: Is there anything specific that you heard in your conversations with people in the oil industry about laws or regulations they'd like to see changed, eliminated or added?

Cruz: For eight years, the Obama administration had manifested deep hostility to energy and to oil and gas, in particular. Whether it's been the Environmental Protection Agency or the Bureau of Land Management or regulations across the board driving up the costs of developing our resources, the federal government's policies have hurt Texas.

With the Trump administration, we now have leaders in Washington who are not zealots trying to kill jobs, but rather will work to create an environment where were can explore and develop our nation's God-given resources where we can see energy driving millions of new jobs and raising wages across this country.

MRT: During your presidential campaign in Iowa, you talked a bit about "leveling the playing field" by eliminating subsidies for the oil and gas industry. Can you clear up once and for all what you meant?

Cruz: My view on energy is we should pursue an all-of-the-above strategy, that we should use every energy resource America is blessed to have. That includes oil and gas, that includes coal and nuclear, wind and solar and biofuels. But that should be done on a level playing field. It should be done without subsidies and government mandates.

In a level playing field, I am convinced Texas will continue to lead the way in energy because we're a state of energy entrepreneurs and it's what built the Lone Star State and will continue to drive our economy.

MRT: Are you for keeping the oil and gas industry's various tax treatments?

Cruz: Of course. The tax treatment for oil and gas is nothing more than what businesses are allowed to do: deducting operating costs and deducting business expenses. The tax treatment for oil and gas is not a preferential subsidy. Rather, it's treating the oil and gas industry fairly.

It is only left-wing Democrats who suggest penalizing the oil and gas industry and argue that not singling out oil and gas for far worse treatment is somehow a subsidy. That's not what a subsidy is. A subsidy is a special benefit that favors one source or sort of energy.

We should not be in the subsidy business. Instead, we should be reducing the barriers to developing our resources.

In the past decade, America has moved from being a net energy importer and dependent on foreign energy to the world's largest producer of oil and gas. It has been Midland and the Permian Basin that are leading that transformation, which has enormously positive impacts not just for Texas, but for America and the world.

Like Trevor on Facebook and follow him on Twitter at @HowdyHawes.










James Durbin

Total U.S. student debt hit a record $1.31 trillion last year, the 18th consecutive year Americans education debt rose, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Outstanding loans taken out for higher education have doubled since 2009, data show. No other form of household debt has increased by as much since then. In fact, of the six major categories of consumer debt tracked by the New York Fed, only student loans and auto debt have increased since year-end 2008 (total auto loans are up 46 percent). Total household debt has fallen by 1 percent.
South Africa may become the next site for Sul Ross State University's international presence. A recent visit by five administrators and faculty members produced possibilities for cooperative ventures in a number of disciplines.

The Sul Ross group -- Jimmy Case, executive vice president and provost; Hamin Shabaz, dean of College of Education and Professional Studies; Jay Downing, dean of (College of Arts and Sciences; Rob Kinucan, dean of College of Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences; and Esther Rumsey, professor of Communication and director of International Studies -- visited the University of Pretoria at the end of January.

Shabazz had previously established connections for criminal justice studies and exchange programs with several government agencies while heading that program at Clayton and Stevenson universities. When he began his new duties at Sul Ross, he approached Case and Rumsey about arranging an exploratory trip.

This (trip) would introduce them to the connections I established (previously), said Shabazz, who has made 17 trips to South Africa. My position has changed at Sul Ross, so I am looking to hopefully help establish a vibrant study abroad program where this college and the whole university can benefit  not only for criminal justice, but to make opportunities available for every other major.

The Sul Ross group met with Eddie Webb, deputy dean of the University of Pretorias College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Kinucan expressed optimism in establishing student exchanges, as well as classes in range management for livestock. Sul Ross has a sustainable ranch management program in Brazil, and one of Kinucans former students, Raymond Kwerepe, recently retired as director of Forestry and Range Resources with the Botswana Ministry of Agriculture.

Raymonds networking in Botswana offers real possibilities for us for developing classes, and I am hopeful we can pursue a similar relationship with the University of Pretoria, he said.

Rumsey sees potential for a broad spectrum of exchange options.

I think (the trip) opens the door to a number of different opportunities with South Africa, she said.

In terms of our students traveling abroad, South Africa provides opportunities for internships and service learning for a variety of our majors. As a developing nation, South Africa offers a very different type of travel experience for our students from the educational tours to Europe that have made up most of our study abroad opportunities in the past. There is also a very strong possibility that we will get a few international students from the area we visited, Rumsey said.

Shabazz said there is potential for online and in-class courses in the U.S. for members of the Tshwane Metropolitan Police Department, a 4,000-officer force, and the 400,000-member national police force. Shabazz said that a memorandum of understanding was established (but later discontinued) between the law enforcement agencies and Stevenson University to provide course work and instruction depending on departmental needs.

We (Sul Ross) met with them to complete at Sul Ross what was started at Stevenson," Shabazz said. "We want to pick up where we left off and the opportunities are here,

Shabazz is presently working to draft proposals for tuition costs.

I see big potential for educating officers here, he said. I know of no other university in the U.S. where these officers are coming to study.

Downing noted that there is interest for additional courses from the South African contingent of law enforcement, court services and the National Prosecuting Authority.

There is significant interest in training in psychology and professional development, Downing said.

He said that courses in de-escalation techniques, group encounter, emotional intelligence and ethics were prominent possibilities.

Case said Sul Ross also hopes to work closely with the University of Fort Hare, a historically African institution whose graduates include the late South African President Nelson Mandela.

There are similarities in structure to Hispanic-serving universities (of which Sul Ross is one), he said.

The deans are working with Esther (Rumsey) to develop specific programs, Case said. A U.S. college degree carries a lot of clout."

Overall, this trip can lead to many possibilities and has the potential to give Sul Ross a more visible international presence.

The West Texans also had the opportunity to see sights and sounds of the nation. They went on a game drive at the Mdekewe Wildlife Preserve and were serenaded by a choir comprised of Tshwane police officers.

---

Steve Lang is in the news and publication department at Sul Ross State University






National Engineers Week is being celebrated at Michigan Technological University from February 18 through 25 with a variety of activities on campus. Techs Engineers Week events are sponsored by Tau Beta Pi, local chapter of the Engineering Honor Society.

National Engineers Week, also known as Eweek, is a partnership of the American Society of Civil Engineers and DiscoverE. It was created to spotlight how engineers make a difference in the world, to increase public dialogue about the need for engineers and to bring engineering to life for children, parents and educators.

Michigan Tech's celebration began on a sweet note with an ice cream social on Saturday. Things got rolling at noon Monday, February 20, with the pep band in front of the Husky statue, which will be dressed in a lab coat and bow tie all week. The Green Campus Enterprise gave a rocket stove outside Fisher Hall. Michigan Tech Mind Trekkers presented hands-on demonstrations of science and engineering magic, followed by a heart rate circuit board program by the Blue Marble Security Enterprise.

Other Eweek events  all open to the campus and the publicinclude:

Tuesday, February 21:

Railroad Engineering and Activities Club, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Fisher lobby

Advanced Metalworks Enterprise foundry demo, 1 to 3 p.m., Husky statue.

Thursday, Feb 23:

AlChE, Chem E Car stop reaction demo, noon to 3 p.m., Fisher Lobby.

American Society of Engineering Management Company panel, 5 to 6 p.m., Chem Sci 101.

Engineers Without Borders presentation and meeting, 7 to 8 p.m., Fisher 328.

Friday, February 24

Formula SAU Chassis demo, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., lobby of R.L. Smith Building (ME-EM).

Engineering Fundamentals, Eweek cake, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Dillman 112

Green Campus Enterprise, winterization demo, 12:24 p.m. to 3 p.m., Dow Atrium

Film Board presents "Apollo 13," 8:30 to 11 p.m., Dow Atrium.

EWeek ends with Engineering Exploration Day for middle and high school girls. The event is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25, at the Great Lakes Research Center.

Girls can come and find out what engineering is all about by trying hands-on activities led by women engineering students from Michigan Tech. Girls can find out why these young women love engineering. Theyll learn how engineers make a difference and why engineering is a great career choice.

The day includes sessions on the variety of engineering fields and typical college curriculum presented by first year engineering fundamentals instructor, Amy Monte. Adrienne Minerick, associate dean for research and innovation in Techs College of Engineering, will present "The Personal (and Other) Rewards of an Engineering Career.

Michigan Technological University is a public research university founded in 1885 in Houghton, Michigan, and is home to more than 7,000 students from 55 countries around the world. Consistently ranked among the best universities in the country for return on investment, Michigans flagship technological university offers more than 120 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science and technology, engineering, computing, forestry, business and economics, health professions, humanities, mathematics, social sciences, and the arts. The rural campus is situated just miles from Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, offering year-round opportunities for outdoor adventure.
Microphone and US Flag View Photos

Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) delivered this weeks Democratic address, talking about what she called President Trumps broken promises.

Duckworth was Tuesdays KVML Newsmaker of the Day. Here are her words:

The America that I knowthat I spent 23 years serving in uniformis a hopeful nation. It is a strong and proud nation.

We recognize that there are dark periods in our history, times when we could have made better choices or done things differentlybut Americans are rightfully proud of our country and its history. And they should be.

Our country is a beacon of hope and freedom for people around the globe because of the blood, sweat and tears of the brave men and women of all backgrounds who built this nation and fought to protect it.

But today, many Americans are concerned that our new President is not living up to the standards to which we should hold our leaders.

Lets be honest, this is not the Presidency we were promised. Americans deserve a President whose word they can trust, but the number of broken promises are adding up quickly.

Before the election, Mr. Trump promised hed fully remove himself from his business empire and his foreign business interestssomething government ethics experts called for.

He didnt. Its a broken promise that raises serious ethical questions about whether hes putting the American people first or using the trappings of the Presidency to line his own familys pockets.

The President told farmers in the Midwest and middle-class factory workers across the country that hed fight for their jobs.

Thats already proving to be another broken promise. Those farmers he promised to protect are now at risk of losing their livelihoods because of the Presidents reckless threats toward Mexico.

Those farmers in Illinois and across the Midwest will be the ones who lose their jobs, their homes and their farms if Mexico stops purchasing billions of dollars of corn each year from our countryas they threatened this week in response to the Presidents careless rhetoric.

We can and must do better. Senate Democrats believe we need officials at every level of government capable of doing their jobs. Despite the Presidents promise to drain the swamp he has selected senior advisors and cabinet officials who are unqualified, poorly-vetted and ethically challengedmany are his old Wall Street friends.

For Treasury Secretary, he chose foreclosure king Steve Mnuchin, a man who made millions pioneering increasingly deceptive and predatory tactics to rob hardworking Americans of their savings and their homes while contributing to the 2008 financial crisis.

He wanted Andy Puzder to be his Labor Secretary. Thats the same Andrew Puzder whose fast-food businesses required employees to serve and prepare food even when they were sickthough I dont know why he thought people would want to eat food prepared by sick workers.

And for his National Security Advisor, President Trumps choice left himself exposed to blackmail, betrayed our countrys interests andjust 24 days into the joblost the trust of the Commander in Chief and the American people.

Senate Democrats know the American people deserve an independent and transparent investigation into who at the White House knew about General Flynns contacts with the Russians and when they knew it.

We also know we need a National Security Advisor who can be trusted, a Treasury Secretary who wants to keep working families in their homes and a Labor Secretary who actually cares about workers.

This President has certainly made a lot of promises, but so far he has an abysmal record of keeping them.

We can and should expect much more from our leaders, but the bare minimum the American people should accept in a President is truth and accountability.

Senate Democrats are here working to hold the President to his promises, to make Washington accountable to you and to protect middle-class jobs. Were here to fight for you.

The Newsmaker of the Day is heard every weekday morning at 6:45, 7:45 and 8:45 on AM 1450 and FM 102.7 KVML.
Archive Photo - 2017 Rockslide On Marshes Flat Road View Photos

Sonora, CA  Tuolumne County road crews have been exceptionally busy over the past several days, according to the leaders of the Community Resources Agency.

Tuolumne County CRA Director David Gonzalves and Deputy Director of Roads Duke York gave an update to the Board of Supervisors this morning. Gonzalves noted that road crews are attending to several cases of flooding and road failures around the county. Many hard hit areas are being monitored with hopes that conditions do not worsen. Some of the problem areas are Kewin Mill Road, Evergreen Road, Red Hills Road, Sims Road and Wards Ferry Road. Roads that were attended to earlier and fixed include parts of Tuolumne Road and Italian Bar Road. This in addition to the removal of a portion of Bonds Flat Road for the opening of the Don Pedro Dam spillway.

In addition, there was earlier storm damage in January, totaling millions of dollars, to areas like Marshes Flat Road and Italian Bar Road.

Referencing the multiple storms over the past couple of months, York said, An issue is that the failures that we had at the very beginning, with Marshes Flat and Italian Bar, were monitoring those during each of these storm events, and theyre not shrinking. I guarantee you they are getting bigger, and the costs are going up as the rain continues to fall.

There is not a total estimated dollar figure when it comes to damage. Representatives with the California Office of Emergency Services have been in Tuolumne County over recent weeks to view the storm impacts. Tuolumne County will be hoping for state and potentially federal revenue to help cover the majority of the costs for the repairs.
The Trump administration could announce a revised version of the travel ban executive order this week, after the first one was put on hold by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco.

In order to keep this immigration ban in place, the president will need to make some changes that did not mull over well in the federal court system.

They temporarily halted enforcement of the executive order that bars foreign nationals from Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Iraq and Yemen from entering the country for 90 days, all refugees for 120 days and all refugees from Syria indefinitely.

Some key changes will have to be made in order to get approval.

For one, CNN sources say this new executive order will clarify an area that caused some confusion with the first one: It will not impact green-card holders.

A senior administration said that green-card holders and dual citizens of the U.S. and any of those countries are exempt. The new draft also no longer directs authorities to single out  and reject  Syrian refugees when processing new visa applications.



CNN has a list of other things to look out for, such as the phase in period. The last ban caused chaos at U.S. airports with people unable to get through customs.

Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly says the new order would involve a short phase-in period "to make sure that people on the other end don't get on airplanes."

Also, the 9th Circuit court said the last ban "pointed to no evidence that any alien from any of the countries named in the order has perpetrated a terrorist attack in the United States." So the White House will have to show evidence of that.

Refugees International is already releasing a statement on the revised ban.

"Given that the new Executive Order is unlikely to step back from the administrations original refugee ban, Refugees International continues to condemn and reject President Trumps misguided anti-immigrant agenda," it stated.

Asked about the revised order, White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the document circulating was a draft and that a final version should be released soon. The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Thirty years after Plainviews first Black Awareness Celebration was held in 1987, its primary purpose of passing along the communitys heritage to younger generations remains its primary goal.

So many were not aware of our heritage, Clarice Fennell recalled during Sundays Grand Finale. I remember back in the early 80s when Ora Ray led the Negro National Anthem. Only seven people stood up. The rest of us didnt even know we had an anthem.

Although she returned to her hometown of Roxton, Clarice Fennell and her late husband, Romey Fennell Jr., were longtime local educators. Shes a retired elementary teacher and he was school principal, first at Booker T. Washington and then at Lakeside Elementary. They were married in Plainview in 1952 and returned in 1962 when he was named principal. She is credited with originating the Black Awareness Celebration, although she gives most of the credit for the long-enduring celebration to the late Rev. Henry Jackson Sr.

Clarice Fennell offered a look at the past during Sundays Grand Finale, held at the Happy Union Baptist Church. It culminated this years three-day Black Awareness Celebration.

Elder Jackson always said it was important for us to be aware of heritage so we could know how special we are, she recalls.

The idea for the Black Awareness Celebration originated after an Adult Womens Study Club kidnap breakfast on Feb. 19, 1980, when Clarice Fennell suggested to Jackson that a community celebration was needed to encourage the young to learn about the past struggles endured by their parents and grandparents, and to pass along the communitys shared history.

He talked with all the pastors and then said that we were going to have a meeting, even if there was snow and ice, she said. We all had a little part in getting this started, and in keeping it going now for 30 years.

Beginning with that first celebration in 1987, a mass choir of seniors, called The Decades, was formed for the program. This years celebration was no different, with more than a dozen women dressed in red offering several songs of praise during the 2 1/2-hour program.

This years Grand Finale was dedicated to Rubye Faye Hill-Henderson, who died Aug. 16, 2016. She and her husband, Alfred, were longtime local educators. She was Plainview Woman of the Year in 2000, received the AC Shining Star Award in 2013 and active in Plainview Community Concerts, RSVP board, AAU Women, Delta Kappa Gamma, Texas Cancer Council and the Black Awareness Committee along with other organizations.

A longstanding tradition of the Grand Finale is a recitation of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.s I Have a Dream speech from Aug. 28, 1963. It was given this year by Doris Washington.

Pastor Hairston, the keynote speaker, is pastor of the Emmanuel Church of God In Christ. He also serves as jurisdictional secretary of the Texas Northwest Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction and nationally on the National Security Task Force and as the National Auxiliaries in Ministrys exhibitor coordinator.

His message centered on a step-by-step plan for bringing dreams to reality. You have to think big, he said. Set a goal for something so big and great that nobody else can get credit for it  make it obvious that God has had a hand in it.

Admitting that most Christians never get outside their comfort zone, Hairston said all should establish their own personal dream and vision for themselves as well as the church. Dreams and visions go hand-in-hand. Satan often works against those dreams, working to derail our visions of faith, he said.

He offered several points to turn Christian dreams into reality.

--Push past jealousy. Recalling the story of Joseph and his dream that his father and brothers would someday bow down to him, Hairston noted that Josephs dream was not about his own desire, but Gods will. And it became reality, despite the jealousy and evil works of his brothers.

--You must be persistent  quick results dont happen, especially of we give up. He recalled that Thomas Edison failed thousands of times before successfully creating the first electric light bulb.

--Desire more when it comes to the sincere milk of the word. He offered the story of the prophets Elijah and Elisha as examples, where Elishas insistence on wanting more was ultimately fulfilled.

--See a fresh prospective on God. Through God, all things are possible. He is able to bring our visions to reality. Dont let past circumstances rob you of what God wants for you.

--Now stop dreaming and do what it takes to make your dreams become a reality.

Linda Hearn served as emcee with Velma Thompson offering the scripture reading to open the service, Pam Fennel giving the welcome and Pastor Sandra Gardner voicing the occasion. The Emmanuel Church of God in Christ Praise and Worship Team offered several musical selections and Emma Herring performed a solo in tribute to her father.

Happy Union Baptist Church Pastor Richard Miller introduced the keynote speaker and Black Awareness Committee President Yvonne Franklin offered closing comments, including the announcement that the Rev. David Gardner is succeeding her as committee president. During the program a collection was taken up for the Long-Jackson and Romey Fennell Scholarships.
The Connecticut Department of Transportations Monday, Feb. 20 announcement that the State Bond Commission has approved $50 million in additional funding for the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield Rail Program is a very positive step in our ability to deliver a train station to North Haven, said first selectman Mike Freda.



The funding will support the design and environmental permitting for new Hartford Line stations in North Haven and other towns for the railway, which is scheduled to launch in 2018.



Freda said CTDOT has already provided $6 million in funding for the design of the North Haven station. The new funding will be used to continue the design and remediation of the old Humphrey chemical station where the new station will be located, the first selectman said. The final piece is federal funding for construction of the station, and if that doesnt happen, the station will still be funded through another source.



The Humphrey chemical station has been vacant for decades and is currently owned by Cambrex, a New Jersey company. Weve made a connection between CTDOT and the owner, and they will sell it to the state for remediation, Freda said.



John Bernick, a CTDOT rail administrator, said the new funding is for the follow-on phases of the program that will extend the track up to Enfield. Existing stations will be upgraded, which leads to the final vision of the project that will offer 17 daily round trips south of Hartford and 12 north of Hartford starting in 2018.



Bernick is unsure how much of the new funding will go to North Haven, but said, It will allow us to extend the design phase.



Said Freda, The time spent by CTDOT and the town of North Haven is already a significant investment. The new funding is a positive that is designed to get us to the finish line on the project.






Verizon announced Tuesday that it will buy Yahoos Internet properties for $350 million less than the original price, bringing an end  barring more turmoil  to the struggling Internet pioneers rocky quest to find a buyer. The fate of Yahoos embattled CEO, Marissa Mayer, remains unclear.

The $4.48 billion price accounts for Yahoos recent disclosures of two huge data breaches  one affecting at least 500 million accounts in 2014 and another that hit more than 1 billion accounts in 2013. Under the new terms, Yahoo will pay for any expenses related to investigations from the Securities and Exchange Commission and shareholder lawsuits.

In return, Verizon said it will not cite the data breaches as a reason to not go through with the deal. Yahoo and Verizon said they will split any financial liabilities related to non-SEC government investigations and other third-party litigation related to the data breaches after the deal closes.

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The amended terms of the agreement provide a fair and favorable outcome for shareholders, Marni Walden, a Verizon executive vice president, said in a statement released Tuesday. It provides protections for both sides and delivers a clear path to close the transaction in the second quarter.

More for you Yahoo warns users on breach

The remainder of Yahoo will be renamed Altaba after the deal closes and will oversee the companys investments in publicly traded companies Alibaba, a Chinese e-commerce firm, and Yahoo Japan, as well as the companys Excalibur portfolio of patents.

The revised deal  assuming it stays on track  provides some closure for Yahoo, which has struggled to compete with digital advertising giants like Google and Facebook, as people shift from using computers to smartphones to access the Internet. The past year has been filled with drama for Yahoo and its employees about whether the company would be sold and who would buy it.

Shareholders have been pressuring Yahoo to separate its large investment stake in Alibaba, which has propped up the value of the Sunnyvale company. Yahoo had planned to spin out its Alibaba shares and Yahoos small business unit into a separate company tax-free in 2015, but decided against it after shareholders expressed concerns that the spin-off would be taxed after all.

Then, some shareholders pushed to have Yahoo sell its Internet properties, so that the company would only have its investment stakes left. One of the activist shareholders, Starboard Value, threatened to overthrow Yahoos board, only to later settle for board seats. All seemed on track for Yahoo in July when Verizon offered to buy the Internet properties for $4.8 billion. Verizon said that would help expand its reach in the digital advertising world.

But the deal seemed uncertain after Yahoo disclosed its 2014 data breach in September affecting at least 500 million accounts. Verizon and Yahoo were close to reaching a new deal in November, in which the two companies would share liabilities relating to that breach, but that was put on hold again when Yahoo announced that a separate 2013 data breach in December had hit more than 1 billion accounts. Verizon weighed its options on whether to go through with the deal.

In January, Walden said at a conference that the merits of the transaction still made sense because of synergies between Yahoo and AOL, which is owned by Verizon. Yahoos more than 1 billion users would increase the number of people seeing content from Verizon, and give it a bigger share of digital advertising revenue.

The strategic rationale for doing Yahoo was that we needed to scale the audience, Walden said at the conference.

Verizon declined to comment on whether Mayer, the CEO, will join the combined company. A Yahoo spokeswoman pointed to comments by Mayer in July: Its important to me to see Yahoo into its next chapter.

Many analysts believe she wont stay on after the deal closes. Mayer has received mixed reviews regarding her performance as CEO. When she arrived in 2012 after a long career at Google, expectations were high, but questions arose over some of her hiring decisions, particularly of a chief operating officer, and whether Yahoo overpaid for some acquisitions and to create its own original shows.

It was hard to see how any of the things that she did made substantial improvements in the way the company positioned itself and delivered as it pertains to mobile, said Scott Kessler, a CFRA Research analyst.

Mayer has said the investments in mobile helped offset declining revenue from banner ads. But despite Yahoos push to compete with Google and Facebook, it remained a distant fourth in U.S. digital advertising revenue in 2016, according to research firm eMarketer.

Laura Martin, a senior analyst with investment banking and asset management firm Needham & Co. said that the new terms are a fair outcome.

It sounds like a great deal for everybody, Martin said. If Verizon had walked away from the deal, Yahoo would still have had to pay for the liabilities related to the data breaches. Now, it can offset some of those costs. Verizon gets a better price for Yahoos Internet properties.

Everybody wins, she said.

Wendy Lee is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: wlee@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @thewendylee
A group of institutional investors that manages trillions of dollars in assets is warning Texas not to pass its so-called bathroom bill that would restrict access to facilities for the transgendered.

The group includes giants in the financial industry such at T. Rowe Price and BlackRock.
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In the near-future Houstonians will be able to experience the magic of Kerbey Lane's expansive menu without driving a few hundred miles west.

Last week Kerbey Lane CEO Mason Ayer told attendees at an Austin Business Journal forum that the chain will soon enter the Houston market.

CHEESY: Kerbey Lane queso, an Austin late-night favorite, hits Whole Foods shelves

There is no definitive timeline for when the expansion could happen, or where a Bayou City edition of Kerbey Lane would be located.

"The word that comes to mind is 'terrified,'" Ayer told the crowd. "But it's something we feel we have to do. We are getting a little saturated here. Doing that first one in a new market will be the toughest one."

The diner-style food at Kerbey Lane routinely makes Austin best-of lists for the queso, pancakes, and sandwiches.

Kerbey Lane's blog keeps track of all the most important stats from each year of business. According to a year in review post, they served up 265,000 bowls of queso in 2016.

Kerbey Lane's famous pancake mix is sold in Whole Foods and H-E-B locations. They sold 1.48 million pancakes in 2016 alone. They offer featured pancakes each month at each location to boot. March's lineup includes Rocky Road, S'mores, Triple Chocolate Cherry and Elvis-inspired (peanut butter, bacon, and banana) pancakes

NO MORE: Austin-based My Fit Foods announces closure of all stores

The first Kerbey Lane location opened up in the spring of 1980. Over the years it expanded to all points in Austin, so eaters were never too far away from a Kerbey Lane. There is even a location in Round Rock now. Only four of the seven locations are open 24 hours.

Most former University of Texas students will tell you though that the best location is the one near the UT campus, off Guadalupe.
Yellow Dog Productions

An Australian-based litigation funding company is opening an office in Houston to capitalize on the city's robust litigation industry.

Bentham invests in complex commercial cases that law firms either can't or don't want to fund themselves because of the volume of documents, number of clients or other factors that drive up the cost of litigation. As compensation, Bentham takes a portion of the recovery. Consequently, the financing firm is careful to find cases in which it believes have a good chance of prevailing.
Comcast Business announced Tuesday that it's providing high-performance ethernet service to Texas Southern University.

The service will help improve campuswide communications and strengthen network access, mobile device management and security, according to the news release.

"Our mission is to offer innovative programs that help our students develop into lifelong learners, engaged citizens and creative leaders in their local, national and global communities," Austin A. Lane, president of Texas Southern University, said in a news release.

MORE: Super Bowl fans consume supersize amount of wireless data

The service will be provided to nearly 40 buildings across the university's 150-acre campus. Available bandwidth increased to 10 gigabits per second from one gigabit per second.
Houston, a famously cheap place to live, is becoming more aware that its cost advantage is fading as housing demand outstrips supply. But how much demand for more affordable units is actually out there? Can we put a number on it?

The U.S. Census Bureau provides tools to measure that need, and Kyle Shelton at the Kinder Institute at Rice University has crunched the data to come up with a few answers.

On the demand side, more than 435,000 households make less than 80 percent of the median income in the metropolitan area  or less than $55,440  and either spend more than 30 percent of their income on housing, live in substandard conditions (lacking a kitchen or bathroom) or both.

As far as supply goes, Shelton counts approximately 90,000 housing units that are supported by public subsidies, whether through rent vouchers, public housing complexes, buildings financed through low-income housing tax credits, or other means.

That means that Harris County needs between about 124,000 and 400,000 new or existing housing units to be less expensive than they are now. "No matter how we slice it, the gap is huge," Shelton says.

Here's what that looks like for the most severely cost-burdened population  the 214,665 households spending more than half their income on housing, making less than $55,440 per year.

Because of that imbalance, 29,500 people on the waiting list for housing vouchers in Harris County, and 14,400 people on the list for public housing.

Why isn't the private market filling that need? The answer is complicated, but basically, housing developers can make better profits on luxury products than on housing for low-wage workers. That's why we saw a glut of high-end apartments in Houston's toniest neighborhoods toward the end of last year.

Governments and nonprofits, meanwhile, are constrained in their ability to support more affordable housing development both by limited funding and by neighborhood opposition to subsidized projects.

"If you get evicted and say 'I need help today,' there is not an affordable housing unit waiting," said Tory Gunsolley, president and CEO of the Houston Housing Authority, at a symposium last week. "There aren't the federal resources and there aren't the state resources to fill all the gaps."

In other cities, lawmakers can take steps to ameliorate that problem, by doing things like raising the minimum wage to help low-income residents afford rent, or require landlords to accept vouchers as a form of rent payment, which they often don't. The state legislature, however, has prohibited localities from taking those measures and others that would promote greater access to housing. And while a Dallas nonprofit sued the state last week over the anti-voucher law, a couple of bills this legislative session would stymie even more options.

"The state legislature loves to slap us down whenever we try to do something innovative," says Heather Way, a professor the University of Texas Law School who has been active in local housing issues. "As soon as we start talking about things in Austin, they pre-emptively ban them."

Having been denied stronger tools for promoting affordable housing development, some cities have gotten creative, with incentive-based programs designed to coax developers into building for a less lucrative demographic. But if the numbers in Houston are any indication, those efforts haven't been nearly enough.
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An Alabama professional fisherman widely admired for his angling skills and warm personality is being mourned after his death in a bizarre accident.

Kyle Mabrey, 42, who also worked as a children's respiratory therapist, died Sunday night when he drove his SUV off a highway near Bessemer, Ala., according to the Associated Press. The vehicle, with a boat in tow, came to rest by railroad tracks, AP said.

Bill Yates, chief deputy coroner for Jefferson County, Ala., told AP that a Norfolk Southern train hit the boat, causing Mabrey to be thrown out of his vehicle. He was reportedly pronounced dead at the scene.

Mabrey participated in bass fishing tournaments through Fishing League Worldwide, which issued a statement Tuesday: "Mabrey was a passionate angler, known for his work ethic and his natural abilities on the water. While he will never be forgotten for his contributions to the sport of professional bass fishing, Mabrey will also be remembered for his warm personality and commitment to his family and friends."

NEW FISH: Alabama bass being added to Texas fishery

Children's of Alabama, the Birmingham hospital where Mabrey worked, also issued a statement of sadness at the tragic loss. "We express our heartfelt condolences to his wife, Beth, and their children, Evan and Emma. Our entire Children's family grieves with them," the statement said.

According to the fishing league's website, Mabrey, of McCalla, Ala., was returning home from a tournament or fishing trip, northbound on Interstate 459, when his Tahoe left the roadway and came to a stop at some railroad tracks that passed under the highway.

Mabrey is survived by his wife, Beth, and two young children, a son and daughter. According to the fishing league, he fished the Fishing League Worldwide Tour from 2008 to 2012 and in 2016.

A GoFundMe account has been established to help his widow and children.
BRIDGEPORT - A months-long battle over the closure of a new package store in the North End has gotten City Hall to take a look at loosening the local rules governing booze sales.

Bridgeport, when compared to 13 large or adjacent Connecticut municipalities, is the most restrictive in its zoning regulations for liquor control, Lynn Haig, the citys director of planning, wrote the zoning commissioners recently.

Haig has stepped into the middle of Attorney Chuck Willingers ongoing campaign to convince the Zoning Commission to allow politically connected client Michael DeFilippo to re-open his liquor store, Vitros.

A Superior Court Judge in January, 2016 overturned a special zoning variance granted DeFilippo in 2015 allowing him to open within 1,500 feet of houses of worship and a day care - something normally prevented under zoning regulations. Schools and hospitals also fall under the same rule.

Since then Willinger, rather than appealing in court, has been trying to convince the Zoning Commission to change that regulation so Vitros can reopen.

I have issues with what was proposed, Haig said in an interview late last week. So I am going to somewhat try to find a happy median where the applicant gets some of what he wants, but only if it works citywide. And find a way to address a lot of the concerns people have about package stores.

Vitros is located at 1044 Brooklawn Ave., across from Democratic Town Chairman Mario Testas pizzeria. DeFilippo has bartended for Testa.

A lot of prominent Democrats - including the City Council president, other council members, and an ex-mayor - supported DeFilippo in 2015 when he successfully asked the Zoning Board of Appeals for a variance of the 1,500-foot rule.

A nearby liquor store just over the Fairfield border took the zoning variance to court and, in January 2016, Judge Dale Radcliffe shut DeFilippo down.

Radcliffe in his ruling took a shot at the parade of preening politicians endorsing this application which the judge wrote may have the unintended consequences of convincing the already cynical that the fix was in, even if the record does not conclusively establish that finding.

Major rewrite

Willinger has spent the last year trying, so far unsuccessfully, to convince zoning officials that the 1,500 foot rule is archaic and either it, or the variance process, need to be revamped.

He has faced stiff opposition from a coalition of competing liquor purveyors and from some on the City Council who fear the implications for more booze sales.

State law allows 57 package store permits in Bridgeport. Forty-two have been issued.

Most recently Willinger proposed amending city regulations to give the Zoning Commission the ability to grant liquor stores like Vitros a special permit to operate. That would eliminate the need to obtain a variance from the Zoning Board of Appeals that can be more easily overturned in court.

That is when Haig got involved, arguing Willingers and DeFilippos proposal amounts to a major rewrite that falls under her the planning departments purview.

I stepped up and said, Wait a second. This needs to be reviewed from the perspective of city wide impacts, she said. It was not getting that review.

Last month Haig wrote the Zoning Commission with her initial thoughts on Willingers latest gambit. She poked some holes in his proposal. For instance, Haig noted that the Zoning Commission in issuing a special liquor permit would need to ensure there was no negative impact to the health, safety, general welfare and character of the affected neighborhood.

This statement is vague, with no direction as to how these impacts can be measured on a consistent basis amongst petitions, Haig wrote.

Market forces

But, acknowledging Willingers arguments, Haig also recommended reassessing the need to continue the 1,500 foot rule  in light of how other Connecticut municipalities regulate these uses.

She noted some cities and towns do not have such a regulation, while others have shorter distances ranging from 20 feet to 200 feet

Haig also told zoning commissioners that Norwalk in 2008 repealed their liquor control regulations in favor of relying on the state permitting process and market forces to dictate where package stores would be most successful.

Willingers proposed revisions to the zoning regulations were supposed to go before the Zoning Commission last month, but the hearing was rescheduled to March 27.

Haig said she expects it will be delayed further as she drafts her own recommendations to present to zoning officials in April.

Im looking at it from a holistic perspective, talking with the police and members of the community to find out what the issues are (with opening more liquor stores) and how we can best address them, Haig said. I dont think its only a zoning matter. But Im doing the research and talking to people to figure out how to craft the best way to deal with the issue.
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The head of the nations Democratic governors, Connecticuts Dannel P. Malloy, might be reaching for the Tums.

The outspoken critic of Donald Trump will have lunch Friday with Vice President Mike Pence, whom Malloy called a bigot when Pence was Indiana governor, and then dinner Sunday night with the president and first lady at the White House.

Its part of a weekend of activities organized by the National Governors Association for Malloy and his counterparts on both sides of the aisle, who will hold working sessions with Trump and Pence.

If the vice president invites you to lunch, you go to lunch, Malloy told Hearst Connecticut Media Tuesday. If there are discussion items, Ill certainly share my opinion and do so respectfully. Im a guest, right?

From a crackdown on sanctuary cities to plans to repeal of the Affordable Care Act by the White House, Malloy has clashed with Trump and Pence over major policy areas, just as he did during the campaign as a Hillary Clinton surrogate.

The program also sets aside face time between the chiefs of staff of the nations governors and Trumps director of intergovernmental affairs, Justin Clark, the campaign manager of Malloys two-time opponent, Republican Tom Foley.

Clark, who ran Foleys 2010 and 2014 campaigns against Malloy, declined to comment Tuesday. The GOP consultant and lawyer from West Hartford has emerged as a key player in Trumps administration, serving as the main conduit between the president and state, city and tribal governments on funding, infrastructure projects and red tape. He worked on Trumps campaign as a strategist.

Malloy said his chief of staff, Brian Durand, has a collegial rapport with Clark.

I think those guys are lot better at separating the emotions of a campaign than the candidates themselves, said Malloy, who is in his second year as chairman of the Democratic Governors Association.

Malloy attended Trumps inaugural last month after initially saying he would skip the swearing-in.

I want them to be successful, he said Tuesday of Trump and Pence. I want our country to be successful. Its not that I go down there hoping they fail. I hope we can work together on things.

Malloys rivalry with Pence has been festering since the spring of 2015, when Malloy banned state employees from traveling to Indiana and referred to Pence as a bigot on MSNBC over the Hoosier States religious freedom law. At the time, Malloy said it allowed businesses to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation.

His feud with Pence spilled over into the multistate competition for General Electrics global headquarters, with Indiana trying to poach the conglomerate before Massachusetts prevailed. Trump repeatedly mocked Malloy over GEs defection to Boston during multiple campaign visits to the state last year.

How did you lose General Electric? Trump said during a rally last August at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, not far from GEs abandoned headquarters. You have a bad governor.

When a Syrian refugee family was turned away by Indiana in November 2015, Malloy welcomed them to Connecticut. The governor has been a vocal opponent of Trumps travel ban for seven Muslim-majority nations and the presidents executive order threatening to cut off funding for sanctuary cities such as Hartford and New Haven, with Malloy vowing to sue the administration.

Once mentioned as a logical contender for a spot in a Clinton administration, Malloy is no stranger to conflict in the White House setting. Three years ago, he rebuked Louisianas governor, Bobby Jindal, outside the White House after the Republican said the Obama administration had waved the white flag on the economy with its support for raising the minimum wage.

So will breaking bread with Pence and Trump be tough to stomach for Malloy?

You mean for them? the governor joked. Listen the elections over. Weve got a president and a vice president. Ive got a job to do.

nvigdor@hearstmediact.com; 203-625-4436; http://twitter.com/gettinviggy
/ AP Photo / Pat Eaton-Robb)

NEWTOWN - The mother of a student slain in the Sandy Hook massacre has teamed up with educators in New Britain to teach an empathy program, the Associated Press reported.

Nelba Marquez-Greene, who founded the Ana Grace Project after her daughter and 19 first-graders were slain with six educators at Sandy Hook School, told the AP that the massacre could have been avoided more had been done years earlier to address the social isolation and mental health problems of the shooter, Adam Lanza.
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STAMFORD  Chris DeMasi trekked through Mianus River Park with ease on a recent morning, his gear fastened securely to his back.

His backpack was packed for the longest excursion of his life.

It will be nice to be in Georgia where its 70 degrees, he said as he stepped over a pile of snow at the start of the Mianus River trail off Merribrook Lane in Westover.

The 26-year-old Stamford resident, who recently returned from a 20-day hike in Nepal, began on Sunday embarking on the Appalachian Trail at its southern tip in Springer Mountain in Georgia.

He hopes to hike the entire Appalachian Trail, or the AT as its known in hiking circles, in just five months, arriving at Mt. Katahdin in Maine sometime in July.

This is my first long-distance hike, but Ive lived in the backcountry for a few months at a time. I have a lot of other hiking experiences, he said.

The 2,000-mile journey  from bluegrass to maple syrup, as DeMasi writes on his hiking blog  is a culmination of the achievements hes amassed in his sport over the last eight years.

Im going into the trail with a lot of important experience, he said. Whatever sport you do, at some point you want to reach the peak of that sport. I just think now, while Im young and still in good shape, I need to take advantage of that and achieve this while I can.

The common thread

DeMasi is no stranger to the AT. In addition to his long history of recreation on the trail, DeMasi has also built a career there.

He worked in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park while in college, and then for the Appalachian Mountain Club at a hut system last summer in New Hampshire. DeMasi has also hiked portions of the trail in Virginia and New York.

This hike is about filling in those last puzzle pieces of the trail that I havent seen yet, he said.

DeMasi has always loved the outdoors. He spent many summer weekends in the Catskills in upstate New York with his father, camping and hiking, but didnt get serious about the sport until college.

He attended Virginia Tech, where he studied in various environmental fields. When he wasnt in class, DeMasi explored the Appalachian mountain system cradling campus.

Thats when I started seriously hiking, he said. I enjoyed the solitude, but really fell in love with the Appalachian Mountains.

DeMasi has traveled the world in the name of hiking since college. He explored the Rocky Mountains in the Pacific Northwest and California. He also recently traveled to Asia to check the Himalayan Mountains and Mt. Everest base camp off his bucket list.

Hometown pride

DeMasi will have some hometown bragging rights as he makes his way along one of the countrys most famous long-distance hiking trails.

One of the ATs founding fathers, Brenton MacKaye, is a Stamford native.

Whether youre talking about the AT or not, Brenton MacKayes name comes up when youre talking about the sport, DeMasi said. Hes kind of a hiking legend.

MacKayes legacy on the trail is like a piece of home for DeMasi.

Its just a cool connection, he said.

As snow crunched under his slender hiking shoes Friday morning, DeMasis pace quickened as he spoke enthusiastically about the history of the AT.

The Appalachian Mountains are the oldest mountains in the world, he said. Theres so much history there, and Im a little bit of an Appalachian Trail nerd. Ive read a lot of books about the trail, its history. Hiking the whole trail will take my interest from books to real life.

nnaughton@stamfordadvocate.com; @noranaughton
It is not easy making watercolors while traveling in space, says Nicole Stott, a retired NASA astronaut and an artist.

You have to squeeze water out of a tube and then dip your brush into the droplets, which are float around weightless. Then you select a color from your palette and apply it to paper fastened down firmly with Velcro.

It's a bit more complicated than creating art at home, but such works, on display in Space Center Houston's "Space for Art" exhibit, are a good way to show that science and art can go together, Stott said.

The exhibit, which runs through March 19, showcases art by Stott and other astronauts, engineers and scientists.

Space for Art, was conceived by Stott and carried out by Carmina Mortillaro, senior exhibits developer at Space Center Houston.

"A lot of times," said Mortillaro, "I think people who are interested in art don't feel like science is for them - they don't understand that science and art actually marry very nicely together. Then they see this exhibit and see that our scientists and engineers like ballet, like art, they like to draw - just like them. What I love about this exhibit is that it shows through art that STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and space exploration are for everyone."

Art in the exhibit isn't just of items you can display on a wall.

"We have an astronaut that made skateboards. One who played an instrument in space," Mortillaro said. "There's an engineer who draws. We have poetry, quilting - what's been a nice surprise is to see how creative and artistic so many of our co-workers are, and we didn't even know it."

Mortillaro said they found artists such as Clear Lake resident Laura Lucier, a robotics flight controller who has worked in the NASA Mission Control Center, controlling robots used in the space from the ground. Lucier also creates stained glass.

"The type of art that appeals to me is definitely hands-on," Lucier said. "I enjoy stained glass and 3-D printing and sculpture, but I never considered myself an artist. Art was just something that I did for fun - it was a thing I did to stay busy and give away to friends. Nicole found out about my hobby and asked if I would contribute to the exhibit. I was surprised, but incredibly honored."

Lucier said that art is important for people in scientific fields because it helps trigger creativity.

"Art and science go hand in hand nicely. Either way, you're solving a problem creatively. You're having to think outside the box for ways to get a goal accomplished," she said.

For Stott, who flew two spaceflight missions and had a lengthy stay on the International Space Station, now lives in Florida, art has always been a part of her life and was the hobby she chose to do in space to remind her of home.

"You live (in space)," said Stott, who now lives in Florida. "The ground support team understands that and realizes that you're going to want to do certain things in your free time that you do down on earth, and that's nice. It's nice that the ground support team thinks about the crew members as people. So, when they talked to me about what I wanted to do, all I could think about was that I knew that I liked to paint."

Stott was sent up with a small watercolor set, not unlike the sets seen in elementary school.

"It was just something nice to do when we had down time," she said. "Looking back, I wish I had gotten pictures of the whole process. It was fascinating to see how water and paint worked in space and I would have liked to have been able to share that process with people."

Stott thinks that seeing the world from the perspective of space could be unifying.

"I want people to see what we've seen," Stott said. "The mission of my artwork is to communicate. The earth is such a cool place - you know that before you go into space, but the first time you take a glimpse out that window and see the Earth from a distance, everything changes.

"We're all on this perfectly placed planet together, and there is so much beauty here," she said. "I want people to be able to look through my eyes and see what we have, and maybe gain a greater appreciation for the planet that we all live on and the people we share it with."

Space Center Houston is at1601 NASA Parkway, Houston. For more information on the Space for Art exhibit, visit https://spacecenter.org/attractions/space-for-art. Nicole Stott's artwork can be seen at www.theartisticastronaut.com.
Jersey Village only has one contested race on the May 6 ballot: two people want the Place 3 seat on City Council.

Two-year Place 3 incumbent C.J. Harper is opposed in his re-election bid by Bobby Warren.

Flooding tops their list of issues. Jersey Village was among Houston areas hit by flooding that took place April 18, 2016.

"Flood mitigation is the No. 1 challenge that absolutely must be addressed in order to protect the long-term welfare of our citizens and their property," said Harper, director of safety and loss prevention for the Joe Myers dealerships.

"I would like to emphasize that the most important issue facing the city is flooding," said Warren, who works in the procurement department of an international energy company. "As soon as Dannenbaum Engineering Corp., the city's long-term flood response consultant, issues its study identifying potential solutions to mitigate the threat of flooding, the city council must be prepared to act quickly," said Warren.

A public meeting is set for 7 p.m. March 23, on the long-term flood recovery study. According to the Jersey Village Star, the monthly newsletter for residents, "The project is on schedule and moving forward with Phase II. This phase will involve identifying and analyzing alternatives to mitigate flooding issues within Jersey Village. The Consultants (Dannenbaum) will be looking at many options to find the most economical, social and environmentally sound solutions." Residents are advised to check the city website www.jerseyvillage.info for updates.

"While the City of Jersey Village has engaged an engineering firm to examine mitigation strategies, a citizen group comprised of engineers, geologists and other professionals has also provided base data and actual observations of the Tax Day flood," said Harper. "It was by their efforts that locally relevant factors and the unique needs of Jersey Village are in consideration. As a councilmember I've not only supported this citizen flood group but have been their voice on council. Flood mitigation has always been a priority in my service on council. Immediately upon beginning my term in 2015, I proposed the formation of a Citizen Flood Committee out of concern that not enough was being done to protect against another flood event."

Warren said, "Just as the Jersey Village City Council developed a comprehensive plan for development of our city, we must also create a comprehensive flood mitigation plan. Such a plan, however, must be driven by reliable data and evidence. We cannot and must not wait for the next flood to occur before beginning work on flood control  it is a top priority for the city." He also voices support for regional efforts to alleviate flooding.

"However, as important as the flood mitigation issue is," added Harper, "supporting desirable economic development along the areas impacted by the 290 expansion and within the community in general is especially critical at this time."

Warren also lists growth as among his top issues. He said growth "means making the best use of the land currently inside our city limits and continuing to promote our city so our community is attractive to families looking to purchase a home or to companies looking to open a new location in our city."

Other issues identified by both candidates include safety, security, controlling crime, proactively managing traffic, U.S. 290 construction, transparency and communication, and fiscal responsibility.

Terms also expire this spring for two other elected positions in the city. Both incumbents filed to run for another two-year term and have no opponents. They are Mayor Justin Ray, who works in valve sales, and Incumbent Place 2 Councilman Greg Holden, a business owner.
Police are on the hunt for two suspects after a man was shot during an overnight carjacking outside a northern Harris County apartment complex.

Around 1:30 a.m., a man was walking back home to Northland Woods Apartments when a woman approached him outside the complex on Vickery near Sam Houston Tollway, according to Houston police.
A poll worker, who campaigned during the November election against The Woodlands incorporating and township board candidates who support it, recently admitted that he was paid to influence and mislead voters.

Christopher Gilmore took to Facebook Feb. 17 confessing he and others were paid to misrepresent the effects of incorporation on the community, specifically to older residents. Gilmore, a Woodlands resident, stated he was hired to work for The Woodlands Concerned Taxpayers, backed by previously ousted board Chairman Bruce Tough.

"Yes, we were payed [sic] and although most of us didn't know it at the time, but we were deceiving and intentionally misleading voters with scare tactics mostly directed toward the elderly," Gilmore wrote in a post on Facebook. "I was employed at the time by an outfit out of Las Vegas, Nevada called Advanced Micro Targeting. Most of the people employed at the time barely had a high school education, and most certainly did not live in or were from The Woodlands."

Woodlands resident Steve Toth, who is a former state representative, candidate for other offices and a Tea Party member, said he posted a photo of Gilmore on his Facebook page Nov. 4. While the photo did not show Gilmore's face, the poll worker confronted Toth while working the polls in The Woodlands saying he didn't appreciate Toth posting the photo.

"He was respectful and listened and didn't say anything," Toth recalled.

Toth said he along with others with the Resident Advocates, the slate of candidates opposite of Tough's group, continued to visit with the workers, showing them documents regarding incorporation.

"I think that is why they have finally come around and admitted to what they were doing," Toth said.

In his Feb. 17 post, Gilmore outlines how he along with others were required to canvass areas of The Woodlands asking residents about incorporation and whether they would support it if it meant a 70 percent increase.

"We were also instructed to tell voters that we were volunteers. As for accommodations we were put up in The Woodlands Resort, and Embassy Suites at Hughes Landing," Gilmore stated. "When asked by voters who was funding our organization we were instructed to tell voters that it came from donations from local donors. Us working the polls were instructed to be hostile to the opposition and to antagonize them into acting out as clearly demonstrated by two female "volunteers" at the south county polls. I intentionally mislead the voters of The Woodlands for 15 dollars an hour to do the devils work. Most of us at the end knew we were misleading voters but did it out of desperation for income.

"I want to apologize to the people of The Woodlands for misleading them."

Calls to Tough seeking comment were not returned by Monday afternoon.

The Courier and Villager reached out to Gilmore on Facebook. However, he did not respond.

Incorporation Battle at the Ballot Box

The issue of incorporation has been a hot-button topic for the community with it coming to a head during the township election last November.

On one side, The Woodlands Concerned Taxpayers, the nonprofit group started by Tough, put forth an aggressive campaign  including mailers, signs, billboards, online ads, robo calls and even TV ads  warning residents about a 70 percent property tax increase should the township incorporate now. The mailers, with an eye-catching red and orange design, endorsed Tough's slate of candidates. However, all four of them lost, including incumbent Mike Bass.

On the other side, the Resident Advocates, a group that emerged and rode the coattails of incumbent Gordy Bunch as well as the backing of the local Tea Party to victory, included John Anthony Brown, Bruce Rieser, Brian Boniface and Bunch. The Texas Patriots PAC sent out mailers countering the information being circulated by Tough's group.

Moving toward incorporation

The Woodlands Township Board of Directors will meet for a special meeting Wednesday to discuss incorporation and the affect it could have on the community.

Bunch said the meeting will provide information for the newly seated board members as well as the public.

"It's a very complex topic," he said. "There was so much misinformation floating around that we need to be able to correct that and do it in a very public and transparent way."

The meeting will be at 4 p.m. Wednesday at the township's office, located at 2801 Technology Forest Blvd. The board's regular meeting will follow at 6 p.m.

Bunch said the meeting will lay out the challenges and issues with incorporation.

"Right now, we are not planning to incorporate," Bunch said. "This is starting the discussion and the public is invited to attend and participate."

According to the agenda, the board will discuss the responsibilities of an incorporated city government versus how the township operates; types of analysis/studies that should be completed prior to voter consideration of information; what types of firms need to be retained by the township to develop a comprehensive analysis on all aspects of incorporation; the development of a fact sheet to provide public information; and the next steps in the incorporation analysis process.

Bunch said as the township board works through the incorporation process, he is committed to keeping the residents informed.

"My objective is to unite the community around the truth," Bunch said. "That is part of what these series of meetings are about. There is nothing hidden. We are going to be an open door and have the public there alongside of us so there isn't an ability for rouge information."
Kevin W. Reece, who filed to run for seats on both the Beaumont Independent School District board of trustees and the Beaumont City Council, will only run for the school board, he said Tuesday.

The Texas Election Code prohibits candidates from running for more than one office. Reece said he was unaware of that until this morning.

"I'm going to go ahead and stay on the school board ballot," he said, because he filed the application for that election first.

His application for BISD's race is valid, BISD's attorney David Mendez said.

"The decision about him being on two ballots falls to the city," he said. City Clerk Tina Broussard said no decisions had been made on Reece's City Council candidacy yet.

Mendez said Reece told him he mistakenly filed for BISD Trustee District 4, instead of District 3, where he lives.

But under the rules governing the first election for trustees after redistricting, anyone is eligible to run for a seat in any district, as long as all winners live in or move to the district within 90 days of being elected, he said.

If Reece is elected for District 4, he would have 90 days to move there, Mendez said. The deadline for amending applications for places on the ballot was Friday, Feb. 17 at 5 p.m., so Reece cannot change his to run for District 3.

BISD's Board of Managers voted in November to approve a redistricting plan for five single-member districts and two at-large districts, instead of seven single-member districts.

Reece's father, Woodrow Reece, was on the board of trustees ousted during the state takeover in 2014. Kevin said he does not believe it will impact his campaign.

Mendez has also spoken with trustee candidate Daniel Ozane, who filed to run against his wife and two other candidates for the District 2 seat.

"Mr. Ozane has volunteered to us that he was not aware of the provision that prevents him from a being a candidate" due to a felony conviction, Mendez said.

While a convicted felon's right to vote is automatically reinstated after a period of time, the right to be a candidate is not, which Ozane told Mendez he did not initially know.

It can be reinstated "either through a gubernatorial pardon or some other judicial action," Mendez said.

He has until Friday at 5 p.m. to obtain proof of that action or to voluntarily withdraw from the race; after that, "we may need to make a determination as to his status, should he be unable to show proof of a pardon," Mendez said.

The deadline for any candidate to withdraw from the district election is Friday, Feb. 24 at 5 p.m.

LTeitz@BeaumontEnterprise.com Twitter.com/LizTeitz
The Edwardsville Police Department recommended the approval of an ordinance requiring live BASSET (Beverage Alcohol Sellers/Servers Education and Training) training for managers of Class A liquor license holders at Thursdays Administrative and Community Services meeting.

The ordinance also requires that all sales of alcohol be checked by an employee 21 or older. This will apply to on-premise alcohol sales establishments in the city of Edwardsville.

Officer Jason Hunter said the BASSET program has been around for quite some time and will be beneficial for public safety as a whole.

BASSET is a state certification that has been around for decades that an alcohol seller or server takes a four-hour class and that class will talk about physical property of alcohol and alcoholism, prevention and intervention techniques of over-serving or serving someone underage. We would talk about Illinois state law, local ordinances, and specifically DUI laws and proper identification techniques, which weve spent a lot of time developing a class for this, Hunter said.

The EPD addressed their concerns regarding over-serving alcohol and serving it to minors at public establishments, as well as recognizing fake IDs. Hunter said as of last year, 89 DUIs were issued in Edwardsville, 87 of which were alcohol-related. Thirty-seven of the DUIs self-admitted to coming from an establishment in the Edwardsville area.

The ordinance states that the EPD feels live training for managers of grocery stores and convenience stores that sell alcohol is important to educate them on recognizing fake IDs and preventing alcohol sales to minors.

When talking to local college students, these IDs are ridiculous. Everybodys got them and if youve got 50 bucks and youre 20 or 19 or 16, you can get one. If they want alcohol, thats how they do it. So if we have a way of mandating or having the packaged sellers take this class in some form, preferably in person, that we could meet the goal of ASAP (Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention) Chestnut Health Systems and make our community safer by stopping some of these sales of underage kids, Hunter said.

In 2014, ASAP through Chestnut Health Systems received a grant to pay for two EPD officers to offer the class locally, which has been taught at the Wildey Theatre and in the Council chambers. However, Hunter said this ordinance came about because the class wasnt required for liquor license holders.

There was no state law saying anybody had to take this class, we just got it through compliance and wed have the class from 10 to 60. The state passed a law in July of 2016 mandating that if you sell on-premise, that means restaurants and bars, that youre required to be BASSET certified, he said.

Online offerings for the class range from $15 to $20; however, if license holders take it with the EPD, its free.

Aldermen Art Risavy, Barb Stamer, and Tom Butts were in favor of the motion.

The ordinance will be filed for first reading and reviewed at the next ACS meeting before a vote is cast for approval.

For more information about BASSET training, visit www.illinois.gov and navigate to the BASSET training homepage or contact the Edwardsville Police Department at 618-656-2131.
A 16-year-old juvenile male who is one of three accused in the beating of an off-duty Montgomery County Sheriff's deputy in December could be tried as an adult.

The Montgomery County Attorney's Office filed a notice Thursday, essentially asking County Court-at-Law 1 Judge Dennis Watson to allow the case against the juvenile to be transferred to the District Attorney's Office. County Attorney J D Lambright said he's confident in the juvenile's chances of being tried as an adult, meaning the teenager could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted as an adult.

"If this guy wants to run with the adults," Lambright said, "he ought to be treated like an adult."

Two males attacked the deputy, whose name has not been released, as he was packing ice into his truck at the Summer Hills Food Mart in the 24200 block of Sorters Road near Porter Dec. 10.

The two males allegedly approached the deputy and struck him on his head and jaw, according to a previous Courier article. The two males then continued to assault the deputy in what was described as a robbery attempt. The deputy's wife confronted the men before she and the deputy fired their handguns at the males.

The two males got into a truck driven by the third man and took off.

One of the males who attacked the deputy was the juvenile, attorneys believe, who was on probation for an offense in Harris County at the time.

"If everything was exactly the same and the juvenile was say 12 or 13, we probably would take a different approach," Lambright said. "But here, given all the factors, he and his buddies will all be dealt with the same on the adult side, assuming we prevail at the certification hearing."

Lambright said the teen is accused of recently beating a detention officer while in the juvenile detention facility as well.

As for the deputy involved in the December incident, he's racked up more than $160,000 in medical expenses, Lambright said, and still has procedures to complete for a full recovery.

"We always take into account the victim," Lambright said. "Here, his injuries were so severe."

There are three options for prosecuting juveniles in this situation, Lambright said. If adjudicated of the crime as a juvenile, he could spend time in jail until he is 19 or for 20 years old. The third option is for him to be certified into the adult system.

Watson will decide on the motion during a certification hearing in April, Lambright said.

Chris Allen, who defends juveniles accused of crimes in Montgomery County, was unable to be reached by press time.
WESTPORTResidents are looking to quell the rise in coyote sightings by proposing to allow the trapping and removal of coyotes and coyote/wolf hybrids in town.

Signed by 30 electors and petitioned by resident Arthur Buckman, the initiative is in response to growing concerns about pet and child safety in the wake of a recent incident where a coyote killed a 40-lb dog on Charcoal Hill Road. There have been other close encounters, Buckman said. Because of those instances, and we have kids on our streets, it seems to be getting worse and we learned that Westport is the only town in Connecticut that doesnt allow trapping of wild animals, he said.

Although a part of life in Westport for years, Buckman, who lives on North Ridge Road, said the number of coyotes have reached a breaking point for him and his neighbors.

Coyotes have been in our neighborhood (near Coleytown Middle School) in Westport for years and it hasnt been an issue until recently. The number of sightings, the frequency of the sightings have been increasing in the last couple of years, but dramatically increasing in the last eight months, Buckman said.

Buckmans neighbor, Barry Raifaisen, has been living on the street since 1995 and never had an issue with coyotes until last summer when his 35-lb Wheaten Terrier was attacked in his backyard by one. After he let the dog out, Raifaisen heard screams and ran out where he found his dog had suffered 18 puncture wounds and was bleeding. He took the dog to the veterinarian in Norwalk and it survived, but Raifaisen said he is very concerned about the safety of children and pets until trapping is allowed.

The change would permit hunting, but only for a licensed trapper to trap and remove the coyotes.

Its not hunting. I dont not want to see people using guns for hunting. But I would like to have the opportunity for people who are having serious coyote problems to be able to trap, Buckman said.

The Humane Society of the United States maintains that trapping is inhumane, as the most common devices used to trap coyotes are leghold traps, and neck snares, both of which can cause severe pain and injuries. The traps could also capture pets and other unitended targets.

At a Feb. 13 information session on coyotes, Laura Simon, a wildlife ecologist who spent years working for the U.S. Humane Society said that every year, nationwide, there are less than 10 coyote bites of humans, compared to 4.7 million dog bites.

Despite not posing a huge threat to humans, Buckman said that the coyotes and coyote/wolf hybrids in his neighborhood are the size of a German Shepherd dog and are much larger than the average 25-35-pound coyote.

Others believe measures should be taken before allowing the trapping of coyotes. Speaking as a private citizen, Third Selectwoman Helen Garten said, I believe we should keep our ordinance intact. I think were on our way to figuring out how to deal with our coyote problems. Weve learned a lot of information on how to resolve these conflicts at the Feb. 13 information session and I think we think we should try that first.

Hazing, a recommended method to get coyotes out of an area, hasnt worked, Buckman said. According to the Humane Society, hazing uses deterrents to move an animal out of an area or discourages an undesirable behavior or activity. Examples of hazing consist of: yelling and waving ones arms, using noisemakers like whistles or bells, using projectiles like sticks and rocks and other repellents like hoses and water guns. Making oneself loud and large is crucial to deterring a coyote.

Our kids are nervous about the coyotes and even adults walking their dogs are nervous, Buckman said. God forbid something happens to a child. Why wait until that?

The item will be added to a future RTM meeting agenda.

@chrismmarquette; cmarquette@bcnnew.com
Ruben Lechuga had been nervously watching the ever-rising Coyote Creek from his home in San Jose in recent days, well-aware of the possibility for disaster.

So as waist-high water spilled into his house, along with the homes of at least 225 other people in his neighborhood Tuesday, Lechuga said he wasnt sad  he was pissed.

It kept rushing and rushing in, he said between sips of coffee while wrapped in a blanket and looking out over the chaotic scene. I was pissed. I was mad.

The devastating flood that displaced scores of residents from about 60 buildings  mostly multiunit apartments  in San Joses Rockspring neighborhood prompted one of the citys largest water-rescue efforts in decades.

A mandatory evacuation order was sent out Tuesday afternoon for low-lying areas near Coyote Creek, and a voluntary evacuation advisory for others living in the widespread area from Capitol Expressway near Highway 101 to Interstate 880. A total of about 500 households were affected by the evacuation orders, officials said. Late Tuesday, the city ordered evacuation of an area bordered by East William Street, South 19th Street, East Santa Clara Street and South 17th Street.

Around 300 workers at two Santa Clara County social services agencies at Senter Road, near Needles Drive, were also evacuated and moved to other facilities.

The citys emergency notice covered areas running along the creek from Capitol Expressway to Route 237, a distance spanning around 12 miles. By 6:30 p.m., authorities had closed off sections of 18 city roadways because of flooding. While most of the flooding centered on the creek in the southeast region of the city during the day, by evening, water had overrun spots as far north as Berryessa Road.

Though the water covered East San Antonio Street and its sidewalks between 21st and 24th streets houses there were largely spared.

Cervando Gomez, 59, who lives near South 24th Street, said hed never seen anything like it in the three decades hes lived in the South Bay. His wife and daughter were packing to leave, courtesy of a friends lifted truck, as he watched the water rise outside his home in the neighborhood.

He had just bought a mattress for his baby girl, he said, and he hoped itd survive the flood.

Well see what happens, he said.

The disaster developed early Tuesday when runoff from Mondays record-breaking rainstorm combined with water surging out of Anderson Lake near Morgan Hill.

Floodwaters also spilled onto Highway 101, forcing the California Highway Patrol to close all northbound lanes of the roadway in Morgan Hill about 10:45 a.m. The lanes remained closed Tuesday afternoon and a detour was set up around the flooded area. There was no estimate on when the lanes would reopen.

Other areas from the Bay Area to Central California were dealing with their own trouble amid Tuesdays scattered showers. Swelling rivers and landslides had crews busy around the region and beyond the day after the punishing rains from the Presidents Day storm.

Lechuga first noticed the water spilling over the bank of Coyote Creek near Senter Road and Phelan Avenue, when he woke up around 8 a.m. Over the next hour and a half, the water spilled into his house, rising over his feet, then over his knees and up to his waist.

When rescuers showed up in a boat at his front door, he was surrounded by his wood carvings floating in the murky water.

We have a neighborhood here thats basically underwater, Capt. Mitch Matlow, a spokesman for the San Jose Fire Department, said at the scene.

In his decades with the department, he said hes never seen a water rescue effort as large as the one Tuesday.

Crews in boats moved from house to house, pulling families, seniors and others to safety throughout the morning and into the afternoon.

Firefighters washed polluted muck off of rescued residents before loading them on buses en route to a temporary evacuation shelter set up at nearby James Lick High School. Shelters were also set up at Shirakawa and Roosevelt community centers on Santa Clara Avenue. The city set up evacuation centers at Mayfair Community Center and Shirakawa Community Center. It opened overnight shelters at James Lick High School and Evergreen Valley High School.

City officials were working with the displaced people as crews scrambled to mitigate any additional trouble from the flood.

Were doing everything we can to prevent any sewage from getting into the water, San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo said during a news conference. Obviously thats a big public health issue.

He said residents were warned about the possibility of flooding in recent days, but officials didnt anticipate the magnitude of Tuesdays disaster. The water, he said, appeared to have breached Coyote Creek at one place along the bank.

When you see a situation like this, we realize there was a failure, Liccardo said. Unfortunately, the failure falls on our firefighters as well as the residents themselves.

Those residents, meanwhile, were standing in shock as they processed the water damage to their homes.

Richard Chacon, 28, wasnt home when the creek flooded, and he returned Tuesday as his cousin and niece were being taken out of his house by rescue boat.

Its catastrophic, he said while standing stunned at the scene. Theres kind of no words for it  having to evacuate from your home.

Carlos De La Riva was on the way to pick up cigarettes with a friend at a nearby mini-mart when their 1999 Acura was overtaken by the flood.

The water started going up, he said. The next thing you know, its just a wave of water coming in.

He and a passenger had to escape out of the sunroof and abandon the car.

Earlier Tuesday, the creek flooded a homeless camp at Los Lagos Golf Course about 2 miles south of the neighborhood. Several people scampered up trees as the water swelled around them.

More than 30 members of San Joses Urban Search and Rescue Task Force pulled five people stranded at the golf course onto boats before dropping them on the bank of the fast-moving flood area.

Coyote Creek, which meanders from Anderson Lake through San Jose before it empties into the bay, crested about 2 feet over its 10-foot flood stage Tuesday afternoon. While water was receding, it remained unclear when the evacuated people would be allowed to go home, Matlow said.

More than 1 inches of rain had fallen in the Coyote Creek watershed in the 12 hours before the rain stopped Tuesday morning, according to the National Weather Service.

That precipitation and runoff mixed with water thats been gushing over the spillway at Anderson Lake. The reservoir reached capacity for the first time in 11 years over the weekend.

Mondays storm brought record rainfall totals to parts of the Bay Area for that date. The 1.87 inches that fell at San Jose International Airport broke the daily record of 0.89 of an inch set in 1914.

The 2.16 inches that fell in San Francisco more than doubled its record for Feb. 20 set in 1980.

In Alameda County, the wet weather pushed Alameda Creek in Niles Canyon more than 5 feet over its 9-foot flood stage, turning the usually calm stream into a roaring muddy river.

Niles Canyon Road, meanwhile, remained closed between Fremont and Sunol due to flooding from the creek and a mudslide.

City officials in San Jose would not predict when evacuated residents would be able to return home.

San Francisco Chronicle staff writers Filipa A. Ioannou, Michael Bodley and Vivian Ho contributed to this report.

Jenna Lyons and Evan Sernoffsky are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com, jlyons@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JennaJourno, @EvanSernoffsky
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Prior to the start of a new month, The Courier will run a roundup of the happenings at the local Montgomery County Republican Women groups.

Listed are the guest speakers and dates, times and meeting places for several of the local Republican Women groups.

North Shore Republican Women

Date: March 1

Venue: Bentwater Yacht Club, 200 Bentwater Harbor Drive, Montgomery

Time: Sign in at 10:45 a.m., meeting at 11 a.m., lunch at 11:30 a.m. and program at noon

RSVP: Lunch is optional, but reservations must be made by calling 936-597-6219 by noon Monday, Feb. 27

Web: www.nsrepublicanwomen.org

The March speaker is Theresa Kosmoski, president of Texas Federation of Republican Women. Kosmoski is a longtime political activist and former elected official. She has been an officer on the Greater Houston Council of Republican Women, served on various countywide boards, the Harris County Republican party, the Republican Party of Texas and held a seat on the Executive Committee of the National Federation of Republican Women. For more than 20 years, she has been actively involved in many local state and national civic and nonprofit organizations with a particular emphasis on child advocacy and community improvement. She has been married to Mark for 30 years and has two sons, both of whom are Eagle Scouts.

Lake Conroe Area Republican Women

Date: March 2

Venue: April Sound Country Club, 1000 April Sound Blvd, Montgomery

Time: 11:30 a.m.

RSVP: RSVP for lunch ($20) by Feb. 23 at members@lcarw.org.

Web: www.lcarw.org

The program, which starts at noon, will honor the winners of the "My American Hero" Essay contest. Willis ISD third-grade and Montgomery ISD fifth-grade honorees will receive goodie bags, certificates and photos while also enjoying lunch provided by LCARW.

The Woodlands Republican Women

Date: March 8

Venue: Landry's The Woodlands

Time: 11 a.m.

RSVP: Contact Ann Herbek at aherbek814@att.net $22 cash/check, $23.

Web: www.woodlandsrepublicanwomen.com

The program will be on "School Choice: Constitutional Right or Conspiracy?" Rebecca Hucker was born with Turner's Syndrome, a genetic disease that affected her fine motor skills, balance, verbal communication skills, height, peripheral vision, muscles and back. She needed special accommodations in school to help her and she has firsthand knowledge of the difficulties that students with special needs face in school. She will present the case in support of "school choice" for students. Ginger Russell will present the case in opposition to "school choice." She is a self-described political activist, director of Texans for Homeschool Freedom, Republican Precinct Chair #74 in Montgomery County, serves on the Board of Directors of the Montgomery County Tea Party, Texas C-scope whistleblower, and she served on Glenn Beck's education advisory team regarding Common Core.

Liberty Belles Republican Women

Date: March 9

Venue: Panorama Village Country Club, 73 Greenbriar, Conroe

Time: 11 a.m. check in, 11:30 meeting

RSVP: RSVPs required at LBRW@MAIL.com. Lunch cost is $15.

Web: www.libertybellesrw.com

The speaker is Traci Mann, presenting a program on human trafficking.

Montgomery County Republican Women

Date: March 23

Venue: River Plantation Country Club, 550 Country Club Dr, Conroe

Time: 11 a.m. social, 11:30 a.m. meeting/lunch

RSVP: RSVP to Kim Bailey at kim.mcrw@gmail.com

Web: www.mcrepublicanwomen.org

The March 23 speaker is Jace Houston with the San Jacinto River Authority.
Dr. Francis Frank J. Sobkowski, the founding dean of the Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine, passed away on Friday, February 10, 2017 at the age of 83. His invaluable service, vision for success and legacy will live on in the minds of the students, who attend the School he worked so diligently to create, for generations to come.

In the late 1960s, the need for experienced dental professionals in southern Illinois was reaching crisis proportions. Establishment of a new dental school at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville was proposed in February 1968 by a subcommittee for the Illinois State Board of Higher Education. The plan was rigorously endorsed in May 1968 by the Madison and St. Clair County dental societies. The State Board of Higher Education appropriated $1.1 million to establish a new School of Dentistry at Southern Illinois University. The school was to be temporarily housed in the science building Alton Center of SIU until a new facility could be built on the Edwardsville campus, former Chancellor John S. Rendleman said.

Enter Sobkowski. In 1969, he accepted the position as special assistant to the president of health education at SIU. Shortly thereafter, at the age of 35, he was named dean of the new SIU School of Dental Medicine. In the Nov. 14, 1970 edition of the Alton Evening Telegraph, Sobkowski hoped the school acted as a catalyst to draw qualified people to the area.

We want this school to act as a focal point to renew interest in the medical and dental professions in Southern Illinois, Sobkowski was quoted. This will be a place that can teach young dentists and serve the needs of the dental community that is in the area as well as those who, we hope, will come into the area.

Sobkowski was uniquely qualified for the position. Born in August 28, 1933, in Dunkirk, N.Y., he earned a bachelors from Hamilton College in 1950 and headed to the University of Pennsylvania in 1954 where he attained a DDS and masters in physiology. He earned a doctorate in radiation biology from the University of Rochester in 1959 and joined its faculty shortly thereafter. In 1966, Sobkowski joined the faculty at the UCLA, and became chair of the division of oral radiology and assistant dean of the School of Dentistry.

With Sobkowski at the helm of the newly formed SIU SDM, applications began pouring in. On Friday, May 12, 1972, the School was officially accredited by the American Dental Association and began accepting its first class of students. With this milestone, the institution became the first dental school outside of Cook County fully capable of training the next generation of dental professionals.

This is a very important step, said Sobkowski shortly after the news of accreditation broke in the Alton Evening Telegraph. I feel like we accomplished a large part of our dream.

The inaugural class of 24 students arrived in September 1972. The students, primarily from central and southern Illinois, were chosen from a pool of over 600 applications.

Besides offering a premier location for students to receive a quality dental health education under the direction of Dr. Richard Coy, Sobkowski hoped to see the School begin offering patient care for community residents.

Though there is no question that our prime mission is education, the dental school will be more than a schoolwe are planning it as an oral health center, he said in the September 13, 1972, edition of the Alton Evening Telegraph.

Sobkowski stepped down from his position of dean at the School in 1974 and became an orthodontics resident and clinical professor at Saint Louis Universitys (SLU) School of Orthodontics. He opened a private practice shortly thereafter and practiced orthodontics for 20 years.

In 1999, Sobkowski retired from SLU and returned to the institution he worked so diligently to build, serving as a professor of dental radiology. Even after his official retirement from the University, he served as a valuable mentor to Dr. Bruce Rotter, current SIU SDM dean.

On a personal level, I have known Frank since I was a student at the School of Dental Medicine, said Rotter, who received his doctorate from SIU SDM in 1982. He has been my teacher, my colleague and over the years, our roles changed and I became his administrator.

This week, the SDM dedicated the recently renovated clinic on the Edwardsville campus. Initially built in 1997 to add additional program capacity to the School, the clinic is now equipped to expand the scope of care and provide a high level of training to students.

Dr. Sobkowskis mentorship and ability to recall where we once were historically with the school and help us move forward was a valuable asset, Rotter said. He was not only a legacy to the institution, but a friend and mentor to many of us here at the School of Dental Medicine.

He had a heart for the School and dental health in general, Rotter said. Had he been here today, I think this would have made him extremely proud.

The SIU School of Dental Medicine students manage approximately 35,000 patient visits each year at its patient clinics in Alton and East St. Louis. In addition, students offer oral health treatment, screenings and education to more than 10,000 people annually through a wide variety of off-campus community outreach events. These opportunities provide students the training they need to graduate and become highly skilled dentists. The School of Dental Medicine is a vital oral health care provider for residents of southern and central Illinois, and the St. Louis metropolitan region.
HOUSTON  Days after Montgomery County commissioners unanimously approved a resolution in support of a property tax reform bill and also passed a 10 percent homestead exemption for homeowners, Precinct 3 Commissioner James Noack was commended by state officials for the court's efforts during a press conference Monday.

The commissioners' resolution supports legislation filed by state Sens. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, and Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, calling for sweeping tax reform and relief at the local level. In part, teh bill calls for limiting the year-over-year property tax rate increase to 4 percent  unless voters approve otherwise. The current rate is 8 percent, and it calls for a petition in order to have a rollback election. Under the bill, an election would be automatic if the increase is greater than 4 percent.

Bettencourt thanked Noack for his support of the resolution and homestead exemption, a first for Montgomery County homeowners.

"It's important for folks to know that when a major taxing jurisdiction (i.e. Montgomery County) agrees with the fact that people are being taxed out of their homes or businesses, it's a great day for Texas taxpayers," Bettencourt said. "We need property tax relief all across the great state of Texas."

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick also applauded Noack and commissioners for their support, saying it could pave the way for other counties across the state to follow suit on the ad valorem tax reform.

"The action by Montgomery County is one of the biggest breakthroughs in bringing property tax reform to all Texans," Patrick said. "The commissioner had the courage to be the leader on this when his own association has been against him. The action by Montgomery County should send a message to every county and every county judge and every commissioner to think, 'Why are you opposing Senate Bill 2?'"

The Texas Association of Counties came out against the bill, saying the 4 percent cap is bad for local government.

Noack said he believes the Montgomery County resolution and 10 percent homestead exemption could help spur change in Austin with statewide implications.

"If I'm going to be asking our legislators to fight for us in Austin," Noack said, "I need to make sure we're doing everything to bring about meaningful property tax relief at the local level."

Creighton, who coauthored the Senate Bill 2 along with Bettencourt, state Sen. Kelly Hancock, R-Fort Worth, and state Sen. Van Taylor, R-Plano, commended the court as well.

"I'm very pleased Montgomery County has taken the lead in passing a resolution over the past few days to support this effort for property tax relief in the Senate and to listen to the voices of Montgomery County citizens," Creighton said.
NORWALK  A shackled Tyreik Gantt was arraigned in court Tuesday for his alleged role in two January armed robberies of Norwalk food delivery drivers.

Gantt, 19, who has been held on $500,000 bond since his arrest on Friday, remained silent during the proceedings as Norwalk Superior Court Judge Alex Hernandez ordered Gantts bond remain as set and transferred his case to the Part A docket in Stamford, where more serious matters are adjudicated.

Gantt, of Stamford, was arrested at Bridgeport Superior Court on warrants and charged with two counts each of first-degree robbery and conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery. He was also charged with first-degree assault and second-degree larceny.

In the Jan. 9 robbery, a 39-year-old male was making a delivery of Chinese food to a Rolling Lane residence when police say he was approached by two masked men, one of whom was armed with a handgun.

Police say the victim was robbed of cash, his cellphone, and the food that was being delivered. The two suspects then fled the scene in a vehicle. The delivery driver was not injured, police said.

Along with Gantt, a 20-year-old Stamford man, Jaiden Parker, was arrested on Thursday for his alleged role in that robbery.

On Jan. 14, a driver from another Chinese restaurant was robbed at gunpoint, shot in the hand and leg, and his vehicle was taken.

In that case, an order to the restaurant requested delivery to a non-existent address on Kent Road.

After being unable to locate the address, the delivery driver called the number the order was received from, and the person who answered said, We're here in the red car, at the intersection of Kent and Derby roads.

The driver then exited his car, at which point three people, described as males wearing ski masks, exited a red four-door sedan, brandishing handguns, police said. They shot the driver, then one of the men entered his drivers car and drove off, police said. The others took cash and the food from him, then fled.

Gantt currently has two cases pending in Stamford, including a Feb. 1 arrest for second-degree arson, conspiracy to commit arson and second-degree larceny.

Stamford police said their investigation began when a red Subaru Forester was found fully engulfed in flames on Oakwood Place on Jan. 14.

The car had been stolen during an armed carjacking in Bridgeport about a week earlier and used in another carjacking in Norwalk, Stamford police Capt. Richard Conklin said.

The Bridgeport victim, who was working as a pizza deliveryman, told police two men took his Subaru, money, cellphone and pizza on Jan. 8, according to the report.

The same car was seen on Jan. 14 during a violent carjacking in Norwalk, where three masked men stole a black Toyota Camry from a Chinese food deliveryman and shot him in the leg and arm, police said.

In Stamford, the investigation led police and fire marshals to find footage of Gantt and another man just moments before the car was set on fire. Conklin said Assistant Fire Marshal Antonio Forte discovered a video of the men pumping gas into the two stolen cars at a Shell station.

Gantt is also seen pouring gas in the back passenger seat of the Subaru, Conklin said.

He is also accused of dropping a loaded gun during an early September 2016 foot chase with Stamford police that shut down a Waterside neighborhood. He was apprehended Sept. 27 in New York, authorities said.

U.S. Marshals raided an upper Manhattan apartment where Gantt, a suspect in several Stamford shootings, was staying with his aunt, Conklin said.

Gantt is wanted for several shootings on the citys West Side where most of the 31 reported gun-violence incidents have occurred since March, Conklin said. Police have attributed the West Side violence to an ongoing feud between Connecticut Avenue and Spruce Street residents.

This story includes prior reporting by John Nickerson.
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An ordinary work shift for 911 operator Layla Wray quickly turned into a scary emergency for the dispatcher herself Friday in Madison County, just north of Huntsville.

Wray was working overnight when her 14-year-old daughter called about a blaze at their house, KHOU reports.

"Mommy mommy, it's Cassidy. The house is on fire," the girl told her mother.

CHARGED: Houston 911 operator hung up on hundreds of callers, prosecutor says

Wray calmly told her daughter that she would send someone out to her, also asking if everyone was out of the house. The frightened girl said that she was worried about their dogs. The operator's son, pets and husband were also at the house when the fire started.

(Story continues below.)

"Calm down, calm down, I've already got somebody en route, OK. It's OK," Wray said, comforting her daughter through the scary ordeal.

FROM HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: State advises women to call 911 if under pressure to have abortion

Wray has been working as a dispatcher there for a year and a half.

"She did an outstanding job. She did what she was trained to do," Madison County Sheriff Travis Neeley told KHOU. "She never lost it. How many people can sit there and do this job and take one of those calls."

The family is safe, but the house has been deemed a complete loss.
I think we can all agree that this year, the American Black Film Awards really have something to celebrate compared with #oscarssowhite. And the ABFF will celebrate in style today as BET airs the awards show at 8 p.m. Honorees will include Denzel Washington, star and director of Fences, Issa Rae, star of her own breakout hit on HBO, Empires Terrence Howard, Stars Queen Latifah, and director F. Gary Gray.

Also on the awards front, BBC America will air the 2017 Brit Awards at 10 p.m. Dermot OLeary and Emma Willis will host the show from Londons 02 Arena, with musical performances by Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars, Little Mix, the 1975, Emeli Sande, Skepta and Robbie Williams.

Skepta and Little Mix each have three nominations, while David Bowie is posthumously nominated for two awards. The late Leonard Cohen received his first Brit award nomination for international solo artist.

TV Ones Unsung winds up its 10th season at 8 p.m. with a tribute to James Brown.

New episodes of Major Crimes resume on TNT at 9 p.m.

Personally, I try to avoid documentaries about why conveyances fail, because Im generally convinced that any mechanical contraption carrying my person is destined to crash, fall apart, plummet from the sky, sink beneath the waves. But if youd like to know Why Trains Crash, check out the Nova episode on the subject airing at 9 p.m. on KQED.
A full house of local business leaders, employers, and human resources professionals convened at Laredo Community College for the Texas Business Conference on the Employment Law Update, on Friday, Feb. 17 in the De La Garza Building, room 101, at the Fort McIntosh Campus.

Organized through the LCC Economic Development Center in conjunction with the Texas Workforce Commission's Office of the Commissioner Representing Employees, the day-long conference included discussions by leading employment law attorneys and presentations by representatives of the Texas Workforce Commission office.
Starting this week, Luby's fans can buy fried fish in the freezer section of 270 H-E-B stores across Texas, the company announced Monday.

The Houston-based chain, which celebrates its 70th birthday this year, partnered with H-E-B late last year when it began selling frozen macaroni and cheese there. H-E-B, based in San Antonio, prides itself on bringing local products to its shelves.
Some high school students pursuing health care careers already have the opportunity to wear medical scrubs. These students are members of the Youth Health Service Corps, which operates a shadowing program at Midland Memorial Hospital.

Alina Urias, a senior at Midland High School, said observing professionals in the labor and delivery unit strengthened her desire to become an obstetrician/gynecologist.

It really helped me to try to figure out what I wanted to do as a career, Urias said. Its one of the opportunities you need to grasp and hold onto. It changed me and how much respect I give to nurses or doctors. You personally fall in love with your own field.

Urias is one of 25 students participating in YHSC, a program through the Permian Basin Area Health Education Center at Midland College.

Susie Dominguez, health career coordinator for AHEC, said the program aims to attract West Texans to the medical field.

Theres a shortage in health care professionals now, Dominguez said. There are high school students who we need to recruit.

During the school year, students spend 40 hours shadowing employees of various departments at MMH. The program also includes monthly meetings, where MMH professionals address health-related topics, including medical privacy rules and effects of tobacco and alcohol use.

Dominguez said the speakers introduce students to medical careers.

Theyve been a nurse for a long time and work in management or a different field, Dominguez said. It opens their eyes. Students ask questions afterward about timelines, like, Where did you start off? Its making an impact on them having Midland Memorial professionals giving presentations.

Students ages 15 and up who attend Midland County schools are eligible for the program, which will release applications for the next cohort in August.

For the 2016-2017 school year, YHSC increased its capacity from 15 to 25 students. About 80 students applied for the program, nearly double the number of applicants from the previous year, according to Dominguez. She thinks interest grew because health care is a viable field.

They know if theyre going to go into a health career, theyre promised a job and the pay is really good, Dominguez said.

Jonathan Mata, a YHSC participant and junior at MHS, joined the corps to learn about careers in pediatrics and other areas of medicine.

It was because of my mom, Mata said. She has (multiple sclerosis). Being in the hospital most of the time with her influenced me wanting to be a nurse.

Mata hopes to earn credits at MC and finish his degree at a state university. Brandi Mata, Jonathans mother, thinks YHSC will help her son pursue a health care career.

Im very thankful and happy about it, Brandi Mata said. He had only seen what Ive gone through but hadnt seen other patients. The first day in the ER, he was very excited about it.

Since YHSC started in Midland in 2011, about half of the participants have chosen to enter the medical field, according to Dominguez. She said the programs ties with MC allow students to consider local, low-cost degree options.

If money is a barrier, thats a good thing, Dominguez said. Theres the Legacy Scholarship so students who graduate from Midland schools can have college paid for.
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One man is under arrest after an early morning SWAT standoff at a southwest Houston motel.

Three other adults and three children were safely evacuated from a room at America's Inn & Suites after negotiators finally convinced the suspect to surrender before 5 a.m., according to the Houston Police Department.

The chaos began around 1 a.m. Tuesday when a security guard monitoring video cameras at the motel in the 8200 block of Southwest Freeway saw an argument break out in the parking lot. One man allegedly whipped out a gun and pointed it at another group of men, who then fled the scene in an SUV.

The suspect holed up in a motel room and police said he refused to answer the door when officers arrived.

"We knocked on the door, we used the phone inside the office," HPD Lt. Larry Crowson told reporters at the scene. "They would talk to us a minute then hang up."

After discovering the room was rented to a felon who matched the description of the man who wielded a gun in the parking lot, police called the district attorney for a search warrant. But after realizing there were six other people in the room - including children all under age 2 - police called in a SWAT team.

After police set up a loudspeaker to better negotiate, the suspect peacefully surrendered. Officers did not immediately release his name or specify the nature of his previous felony.

Now, he's facing a new charge, accused of being a felon in possession of a weapon.

It's not clear how everyone in the room was related. "Near as we can tell, everybody's cousins," Crowson said.

No one was injured in the motel standoff.
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If you grew up in Texas, chances are you recited the same 17 words each morning at school: "Honor the Texas flag. I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas. One state, under God. One and indivisible."

But it seems Texas may be an anomaly when it comes to the morning routine.

Lindsay McElwee, a freshman at the University of Arkansas, told mySA.com she was bewildered when she learned during a conversation with her friends that most Texans recited a pledge of allegiance to the state flag at the beginning of each school day.

She thought for sure her friends were kidding. But her friend who "is always saying something about how Texas is the best," was the one who told McElwee about the pledge.

RELATED: Weird things that only a Texan would do

"I'm from Kansas City, Missouri and we do not have a pledge," she said. "Or, if we do, they don't teach it to us and we don't recite it."

McElwee tweeted out the shocking revelation, jokingly calling the Lone Star State a cult.

"I'm so shook. Texas literally has a pledge they say every morning," she said. "I thought it was a joke. Texas is a cult."

The pledge was first written in 1933, when the state legislature passed a law establishing rules on how to display the Texas flag, and said "Honor the Texas Flag of 1836" at the beginning, according to the Texas State Library and Archives Commission.

In 1965, lawmakers dropped the "1836" portion of the pledge and in 2007, "one state under God" was added.

RELATED: 10 things every Texan should know about the Texas flag

According to Texas Government Code, if both the U.S. and Texas flag are present, it is proper to recite the country's pledge before the state's. Additionally, those wearing a hat or head covering are required to remove it, place it just under their left shoulder and hold their hand over their heart, the code says.

McElwee didn't anticipate the onslaught of responses she received her tweet has amassed hundreds of comments, and thousands of likes and retweets. She's been called ignorant for not knowing about the tradition, while others were confused  was their state the only one to do a daily pledge?

"I thought every state had a pledge," one Twitter user replied.

McElwee said she's also received messages from fellow Kappa Delta sorority members in Texas who found the tweet funny. She said Arkansas students from Texas are "all VERY spirited and proud about their home state."

True to our braggadocios form, Texans responding to the tweet have boasted about Lone Star State tattoos and waffles. One employed southern hospitality, inviting McElwee to Texas for sweet tea.

"Girl, we're real proud to be Texan, but we'll welcome you to Texas with open arms and sweet tea any day," the Twitter user said.

kbradshaw@express-news.net

Twitter: @kbrad5
A 37-year-old man was arrested Sunday in Wichita Falls after he allegedly broke into a familys home, took a shower then put on a womans pair of Betty Boop pajama bottoms, according to police.

Brad Edward Vaughan faces a second-degree felony charge of burglary of a habitation.

RELATED: NWS confirms multiple tornadoes hit San Antonio area during overnight storms

The incident occurred at about 5 p.m. Sunday at a home on Grant Gill Lane in Wichita Falls, with police responding to a burglary in progress, said police spokesman Sgt. Harold McClure.

The homeowners entered their residence and heard someone taking a shower. Officers responded and found Vaughan allegedly in one of the bedrooms inside the home, wearing only the jazzy pajama bottoms. His clothes were found on the floor and he was found in possession of a pocket knife, McClure said.

The victims did not know the suspect and did not give him permission to be in their home.

RELATED: Real stories show how San Antonians survived 4 tornadoes in one night

The woman told police she did not want the pajama bottoms back after he had donned them, McClure said.

No injuries were report in the incident, McClure said.

The suspect is being held on a $10,000 bond and may face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

RELATED: Readers share photos of toppled trees, storm-damaged homes across San Antonio neighborhoods

Text "Breaking" to 48421 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com

twhite@mysa.com

Twitter: @tylerlwhite
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SAN ANTONIO  Residents and business owners are picking up the pieces after four tornadoes caused serious damages to numerous homes throughout the Bexar County area Sunday, notably the Northeast Side.

Tree branches and household items were seen strewn across several yards in the Northeast Side of San Antonio on Tuesday, with several homes still wearing gaping holes like battle scars.

RELATED: Mayor asks governor to declare San Antonio a disaster area in wake of tornado damage

Employees with CPS Energy and the City of San Antonio are continuing to fix utility lines and cleanup debris found in the roads and yards of homes affected by the storms.

Don OHara lives near the intersection of Bellcrest and Pebble Walk, where a large tree in his front yard sustained significant damage. He told mySA.com that contractors are cutting off branches, but they are going to try and save the tree.

His home sustained significant damage, the ceiling fell in in at least two rooms and there is water damage throughout, he said. His outside patio, which is 20 feet by 70 feet, has all but disappeared.

RELATED: Day 2: San Antonio communities help to restore businesses, homes damaged by tornadoes

Were starting to get things cleaned up, OHara said.

For another resident, Ed Kirk, 69, who has lived in the same home for 37 years in the cul-de-sac at Bellcrest and Oak Climb, his house may have to be demolished as a result of damage from the storm.

An Arizona Ash tree in the backyard fell into the house during Sunday nights storm and they had to cut the tree down following the damage. The homes roof appears to have shifted and Kirk believes the home would need significant structural repair before it could be livable again.

Kirk lives at the home with his daughter, Lauren Kirk, her son Loghan Krudwig and her fiance Michael Rodriguez.

RELATED: Real stories show how San Antonians survived 4 tornadoes in one night

Ed Kirk said he luckily had insurance and the family will be staying at a friends home while they sort out their living arrangements.

Click through the slideshow to see photos of some of the cleanup efforts going on in Northeast San Antonio following the storms.

Text "Breaking" to 48421 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com

twhite@mysa.com

Twitter: @tylerlwhite
1 Drug crackdown: A retired Philippine police officer said Monday that President Rodrigo Duterte, when he was mayor of Davao, ordered and paid him and other members of a squad to kill criminals and opponents. Human rights lawyers who presented Arthur Lascanas at a news conference said the allegations could be grounds for impeaching Duterte, adding that his alleged role in the killings may not be covered by his presidential immunity. Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV said he would ask his colleagues to immediately investigate the explosive allegations. Dutertes communications secretary, Martin Andanar, dismissed the claims. Duterte has denied his administration backs unlawful killings of suspects in his crackdown on illegal drugs.

2 Extradition approved: A New Zealand judge on Monday upheld an earlier court ruling that flamboyant Internet entrepreneur Kim Dotcom and three of his colleagues can be extradited to the U.S. to face criminal charges. The decision comes five years after U.S. authorities shut down Dotcoms file-sharing website Megaupload and filed charges of conspiracy, racketeering and money laundering against the men. Mondays decision wont be the last, with the case likely to be appealed to New Zealands Supreme Court. U.S. prosecutors say Megaupload raked in at least $175 million, mainly from people using it to illegally download songs, television shows and movies. Born in Germany as Kim Schmitz, Dotcom has long enjoyed a flamboyant lifestyle. He was arrested in New Zealand in 2012 after a dramatic police raid on his mansion.
At least 11 Zimbabweans who attempted to cross the crocodile-infested Limpopo River into South Africa are feared dead after a boat carrying eight of them reportedly capsized, while the other three were swept away in different incidents, on Sunday.

Beitbridge Police District Chief Superintendent Tichaona Nyongo told News24 that only one body had been recovered since.

So far a body has been recovered, but yet to be identified, he said.

He added that two more bodies were located in the river, on the South African side.

Two more bodies are in the river, but on the SA side and to retrieve them, theres [the] need [for the] services of a helicopter because the water current is strong, he said.

Zimbabwe polices Aub-Aqua Unit, had been trying to get the bodies since Sunday when they were reported to authorities, but no headway had been made.

Nyongo said they had informed the South African Police Services (SAPS) who were expected to dispatch a helicopter to the area.

News was rife in the Beitbridge town that a boat carrying eight people capsized on Sunday near Gate 7 east of the border post, but Nyongo said: We have not received that report; at times people do not report these incidents and that is cause for concern.

Sources in Beitbridge alleged that the eight believed to have drowned were seen in an inflated boat near Dite Village, 40 kilometres east and downstream from the bridge.

Crossing the river is cheaper, but riskier than going through the border post. Speaking to journalists, Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said they had observed the trend of illegally crossing into South Africa through the border and they had put in place firewalls to curb it.

What we have learnt is that these people come by cars from Zimbabwe. The car stops on the other side of the border and whoever doesnt have documents, then moves out of the car and the driver who is documented will go in and pick [up] the person who crossed illegally on the other side, he said.

Motsoaledi also claimed that corrupt members of Zimbabwes border patrol unit allowed undocumented Zimbabweans to cross into South Africa.

SAPS Limpopo spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo was not available for comment, but police and military personnel from both countries were working together in an operation not to cross border crimes and significant arrests had been made on both sides of the border.

 News24

Breaking News via Email
After making stunning revelations that he was going to meet former president Robert Mugabe at his Blue Roof mansion, MDC leader Nelson Chamisa said Zanu PF has increased security at the former presidents house in a bid to block the meeting.

Addressing the partys provincial structures in Masvingo recently, Chamisa claimed that Mugabe promised to give him damning files on all the Zanu PF top brass hence the reason why they went into panic mode over the proposed meeting.

I wanted to cause panic within Zanu PF and said I wanted to meet Mugabe. Everyone in Zanu PF went into panic mode and they were sweating all over.

I heard Mugabe has damaging files on all Zanu PF chefs and he told me to come get them so they want to prevent me from seeing him. This has become a contentious issue within Zanu PF and we hear they are increasing security at the Blue Roof mansion to make sure that I do not get in. Every day they add soldiers, said Chamisa.

The youthful opposition leader said he is yet to meet Mugabe and is still playing politics but he will eventually visit him.

I havent met Mugabe since he was removed from power to ask him how retirement is going. Mugabe thought that the country would come to a standstill when he is not in power but that is not the case. I am still playing politics but will eventually have a meeting with Mugabe, said Chamisa.

The proposed meeting with Mugabe has since divided opinion with many questioning the logic behind meeting someone who terrorised opposition members and ruined the country.

No comment could be obtained from Zanu PF national spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo as his mobile went straight to voice mail.

 TellZim

Breaking News via Email
By Lambert Strether of Corrente

Readers, I think Im coming down with the flu, which is going around. This may be shorter than it should be. lambert

Politics

Trump Transition

Lt. Gen. Herbert Raymond H.R. McMaster, President Donald Trumps new pick as national security adviser, does not appear to be a friend of Russia [Roll Call]. The 55-year-old McMaster is a combat veteran who won the Silver Star, the militarys third-highest award for bravery, during the first Gulf War. He also was described by the White House as having played key roles in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. He has a reputation as being a top intellect and strategist in the Army. Will McMaster be willing to speak truth to power on Russia? He has been a Russia hard-liner whose eyes are wide open to the threat that Vladimir Putin represents. After Vladimir Putins incursion into Ukraine, McMaster prepared a detailed study about how the U.S. Army must modernize to keep up with Russian innovation [WaPo]. I love the idea of The Blob speaking truth to power. Demographics and GDP [Calculated Risk]. Economists making the argument that restricting immigration will decrease labor force growth, and hence GDP. But talking about GDP without talking about distribution is worse than useless, its obfuscatory. Averages conceal. The attendees said that Homan said ICE has the authority to target all 11 million undocumented immigrants for removal from the country under President Donald Trumps immigration executive order but that the agency does not have the resources to do that [Roll Call]. The initial data Homan provided Thursday was that 683 undocumented immigrants were apprehended across five cities, including Los Angeles, New York and Chicago, the Democrats said. However, there have been additional arrests in cities like Denver that were not included in the data ICE provided, they said. The list of charges for those apprehended includes traffic offenses and trespassing, as well as some serious crimes that no one would disagree about, Rep. Zoe Lofgren of California said. Among the 683 apprehended, 176 were listed as non-criminal, the Democrats said. Riots erupt in Swedens capital just days after Trump comments [WaPo]. I guess a lot of snark on the Twitter is going to have to vanish down the memory hole now. I thought the IKEA jokes were the best; it would be a shame to see them go. From a legal standpoint, if the Washington Posts reporting based on leaks by nine officials is true, we are nearly certain that they violated 18 U.S.C.  798, while we are very far from certain that Flynn violated the Logan Act, since we have not seen a transcript of his conversation with the Russian ambassador. And yet the left obsesses over the latter at the expense of the former [Above the Law]. The writer conflates the left with liberals, but yes, the outrage does seem a little Any stick to beat a dog-ish.

Our Famously Free Press

A Stylometric Inquiry into Hyperpartisan and Fake News (pdf) [Archiv.org]. [W]e approach it from a different angle by investigating the writing style of fake news in relation to hyperpartisan news. In this regard, we analyze for the first time whether hyperpartisan news can be distinguished by its style from mainstream news (it can), whether satire can be distinguished from both (it can, too), and whether fake news can be detected via style alone (it cant). I like hyperpartisan. Conceptually, I think Judy Millers WMD stories are fake news, so any algorithm would have had to select for them, which is unlikely, since they reflected conventional wisdom and policy choices. [O]perating liberal political theories about speech  the theories that, whether we believe them are not, tend to be the ones that predominantly guide peoples actions and responses  are centuries behind the state of knowledge about how language works. It is still assumed that language is basically a neutral conduit, transferring meaning from one to the other, rather than something which is done to you. Meaning itself is treated as something contained in the language, which we may decide to unpack and digest, rather than as a form of intending, something which acts on us, by means of the very materiality of language and what it activates in us. If language does things to us, if we find that disagreeing is somehow just not adequate as a response, if it makes us want to throw a punch, or a brick, it must be because were triggered snowflakes who cant deal with the argument [Leninology (DB)].

2016 Post Mortem

Keith Ellison: The Democratic Party doesnt exist for Democrats' [WaPo]. Democrats have to come to grips with the idea that the Democratic Party doesnt exist for Democrats, it is for the American people. And: And true to his progressive roots, Ellison also believes the Democratic Party should always be the party that stands with the aspiring working people of America.' No. No, no, no, no, no, no. That aspiring is just liberal bushwa, and translates to credential-seeking. Worse, it implicitly sorts the working class into the deserving aspirational (HappyVille), and the non-deserving non-aspirational (Pain City). And we know whos going to be doing the sorting. Rep. John Lewis explains why hes endorsing Ellison for DNC chair [Guardian]. Do I have to be nice to Lewis now, or is he a revolving hero? Neera Tanden enforcing orthodoxy in the Times: Whoever prevails as chairman must resist the pressure to follow an uninformed and ill-fated quest for winning over conservative white working-class voters in the Midwest. The solution for Democrats is not to chase Trump defectors. The path to victory involves reinspiring those whites who drifted to third-party candidates and then focusing on the ample opportunities in the Southwest and the South [Steve Phillips (CAP), NYT]. Weird that the Democrat Establishment feels no need to flip back Obama voters who voted for Trump. Irredeemable? Neera Tanden enforcing orthodoxy at TAP: Why Democrats Need to Forget About Reaching Out' [Paul Waldman, The American Prospect]. Right now, the Democrats constituents are feeling horrified, terrified, and generally pissed off. Which is just what produces the kind of midterm election they need. Thats because midterm elections are all about enthusiasmwhich almost always means anger. So, no need to organize anything: Screaming Putin! and sex scandals will do the job, along with so much gaslighting that real threats cant be distinguished from phantoms. Strategic hate management

Realignment and Legitimacy

Trumps problem isnt the deep state; its the broad state. Hes facing pushback not only from intelligence agencies, but from civilian bureaucracies, too [Doyle McManus, Los Angeles Times]. What has been remarkable about the protests that have engulfed the country over the past month isnt just the scope or even the regularity, but the creativity and novelty of tactics [In These Times]. And so far this new protest movement has been primarily oppositional, responding to attacks posed by the new government. Any program to win power must also set out a bold vision of a different kind of society, one focused on the needs of working people that serves as a true alternative to the type of racist and corporate-dominated agenda currently being carried out. Creative tactics are always a sign of health. And its good that the writer is for transforming Resistance into small-r revolution (a la Sanders, et al.) rather than Restoration (a la the Neera Tandens of this world). I dont think much of corporate-dominated agenda, though, because that formulation conveniently erases the role that the 10% plays in carrying that agenda out. UPDATE Is the Democratic party with the resistance? This weekend might tell [Bill McKibben, Guardian]. [T]he single most remarkable statistics of the 2016 election season were the four- and five- and six-to-one margins by which Sanders won young voters. That he was able to overcome that inherent distrust means he may be able to do the party a great service, and deliver it a generation of voters who are not otherwise inclined to affiliate with institutions of any sort. Ellison is the bridge to that world, and it would be political malpractice to draw it up. But hes also the bridge to the world of movements, which supply the passion and spirit and creativity that the DNC requires at least as badly as it needs credibility. Its a question of whether the Democrat Party will decapitate the resistance (watch those definite articles!). Id really like to see Neera Tanden remove #TheResistance logo from her Twitter profile and trash it/them. That would be a very, very positive sign. [I]t isnt clear that Trump possesses the political temperament to deal effectively with the kind of politics that inevitably emerge when the country struggles to move from an established era to a new and often frightening new day. The country is split down the middlebetween those clinging to the era of globalism and those who despise it; between those who want to control immigration and those who think such efforts are tantamount to racism; between those who believe that radical Islamist fundamentalism emanates out of Islam itself and those who think such thinking is bigotry or Islamophobia; between those who view Trumps election as necessary and those who consider it a threat to the common weal [The American Conservatives]. Tens of thousands of deaths from despair in deindustrialized America and conservatives cant bring themselves to talk about it either any more than liberals can. Odd Lots: Why Its Really Hard to Create a New Currency in a Revolution [Bloomberg]. Podcast interviewing Rebecca Spang, The author of Stuff and Money in the Time of the French Revolution], about the monetary history of the French Revolution. Her book examines the disastrous attempt to create a new land-backed currency, the Assignat, in the late 1700s. The discussion sheds light on some fundamental issues that are still relevant today.  Five special elections for the House of Representatives are expected to take place over the next few months: Californias 34th congressional district, Georgia 6, Kansas 4, Montana At-large and South Carolina 5. These elections are special in the sense that they occur outside the normal two-year November House election cycle  to fill a vacant seat. But other than that, theres nothing all that special about special elections, making them a decent thermometer reading on the countrys political mood and how voters are responding to President Trump [FiveThirtyEight]. [Ruth Benn, coordinator of the National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee], said enthusiasm for tax resistance appeared to be growing in the Trump era, though cautiously. Visits to the committees rudimentary website have doubled in recent weeks to about 1,500 a day. The committee estimates that about 8,000 people a year refuse to pay US federal income tax as an act of civil disobedience, and that number is expected to rise. Among famous faces, Mia Farrow has tweeted about tax resistance. Gloria Steinem is also planning to take part in the movement [Guardian].

Stats Watch

Purchasing Managers Manufacturing Index Flash, February 2017: The U.S. samples of Markit Economics are reporting slowing conditions this month though at still respectable rates of growth. The PMI manufacturing index flash fell back modestly to 54.3 in February representing only a slightly slower pace in order growth and production. Respondents are reporting strength in domestic orders but weaker growth for exports, and upbeat comments are cited for the energy sector [Econoday]. Costs, driven by raw materials, are at a 2-1/2 year high while selling prices are flat in what points to a margin squeeze.

Commodities: After digging into a deep financial hole in recent years, some of the worlds biggest mining companies are climbing out with copper. The industrial metal has surged more than 30% in the past year with demand outpacing production while giving mining giants including Rio Tinto PLC, Anglo American PLC, BHP Billiton Ltd. and Glencore PLC relief after the recent commodities downturn sent them to the edge of financial disaster. The metals resurgence partly has been driven by a government stimulus program in China, where over 40% of the worlds copper is consumed [Wall Street Journal]. But the turnaround is also driven partly by restrained production, which explains why businesses like bulk shipping companies arent reaping the benefits. Demand for copper is expected to outpace production in 2017 for the first time in six years, and it could remain in deficit for the next three or four years.

Commodities: Iron ore futures in China surged more than 5 percent to a record high on Tuesday, pushed by a sustained rally in steel prices as investors bet on strong demand and tighter supply as Beijing tackles excess production capacity [Reuters].

Shipping: Cass Freight Index Report indicates the freight recession appears to be over [Logistics Management]. Stuff is moving! Many freight transportation and logistics executives and analysts consider the Cass Freight Index to be the most accurate barometer of freight volumes and market conditions, with many analysts noting that the Cass Freight Index sometimes leads the American Trucking Associations (ATA) tonnage index at turning points, which lends to the value of the Cass Freight Index.

Shipping: The Home Depot knows do-it-yourself projects. When the third-largest US importer of containerized goods decided it had to cut carbon emissions from its supply chain, it used the tools it had at hand, including a dedicated truck fleet and a network of specialized distribution centers, to design and build more efficient and greener ways of getting goods to customers [Journal of Commerce]. Weve found that a 2 to 5 percent reduction in carbon emissions, while increasing revenue, can be meaningful and impactful, [Michelle Livingstone, vice president of transportation for The Home Depot] said. Thats what were trying to achieve this year.'

Shipping: The clock is ticking before the launch of two new mega-alliances on 1 April, but a long pause in announcing details has caused planning headaches to ports and shippers, according to container shipping analyst Drewry [Lloyds Loading].

Shipping:  Mitch McConnells Freighted Ties to a Shadowy Shipping Company [Lee Fang, The Nation].  [T]he Republican Senate minority leader has the closest of ties to the owner of the Ping May, the vessel containing the illicit materials [ninety pounds, of cocaine]: the Foremost Maritime Corporation, a firm founded and owned by McConnells in-laws, the Chao family. Though Foremost has played a pivotal role in McConnells life, bestowing the senator with most of his personal wealth and generating thousands in donations to his campaign committees, the drug bust went unnoticed in Kentucky, where every bit of McConnell-related news has generated fodder for the campaign trail. Thats because, like many international shipping companies, Chaos firm is shrouded from public view, concealing its identity and limiting its legal liability through an array of tax shelters and foreign registrations. Registered through a limited liability company in the Marshall Islands, the Ping May flies the Liberian flag. Chao is, of course, the Secretary of Transportation.

Shipping: [UPS] has successfully tested a drone that launches from the top of a vehicle, autonomously delivers a package to final destination and then returns to the vehicle, all while the delivery driver is able to continue along his/her land-based route in order to make a separate delivery [Air Cargo News].

The Bezzle: On Thursday, federal agents arrested Mark Charles Barnett of Ocala, Florida, accusing him of attempting to plant bombs in at least 10 Target stores along the East Coast with the intention of profitably trading on the subsequent stock price dislocations [Dealbreaker]. Florida Man!

The Bezzle: Musk has started digging a pit in the SpaceX parking lot as a demo tunnel that can accommodate cars and serve as the basis of an underground transportation network, according to the report [Business Insider].

Rapture Index, February 20, 2016: Closes down 1 on earthquakes (The lack of large quakes in populated areas has downgraded this category) [Econintersect]. Record High: 189, October 10, 2016. Current: 180.

Todays Fear & Greed Index: 75 Extreme Greed (previous close: 78, Extreme Greed) [CNN]. One week ago: 78 (Extreme Greed). (0 is Extreme Fear; 100 is Extreme Greed). Last updated Feb 21 at 12:10pm.

Gaia

The menacing floodwaters last week forced the emergency evacuation of 188,000 residents. Yet the impending disaster came as no surprise to officials in Butte and Plumas counties. The rural counties, which surround Lake Oroville, had challenged the states environmental review of dam operations in a 2008 lawsuit, arguing the state recklessly failed to properly account for climate change in its long-term dam management plan [Scientific American]. Plumas County, at least, is reliably Republican at the state and national level, which is interesting.

Class Warfare

Rich People Literally See the World Differently [New York Magazine]. In something of a dark irony, the respondents of higher socioeconomic status rated themselves as more empathic  a better-than-average effect that [Michael Varnum, a neuroscientist at Arizona State University] followed up on in a separate study  when in reality the opposite was true. The results show that people who are higher in socioeconomic status have diminished neural responses to others pain, the authors write. These findings suggest that empathy, at least some early component of it, is reduced among those who are higher in status. And unlike self-reports, brain imaging sidesteps social desirability bias, where people want to give replies that make them look good or more empathic. If youre looking at pictures of people in pain or not in pain, its pretty unlikely that you know how to enhance those brain responses, Varnum [says] Moreover, in a 2016 study, Varnum and colleagues found evidence suggesting that people from lower social classes have a more sensitive mirror neuron system  which is thought to simulate the things you see others experience  when watching a video of hand movements. Our cognitive systems, the degree to which theyre attuned to other people in the environment, is affected by our own social class, he says.

Where Shadow Economies Are Well Established [Econointersect]. Only 5% of GDP in the US, versus 21.5% in Greece. However, the US shadow economy is said to be smaller than Switzerland (6.0%) and the Netherlands (5.4%), and three countries in the Anglosphere (the UK, Australia, and Canada) are over 9%. So intuitively, that 5% figure seems low.

Facebook isnt a social network, it is a scanner that digitises human beings. It is, for all intents and purposes, the camera that captures your soul. Facebooks business is to simulate you and to own and control your simulation, thereby owning and controlling you [Aral Balkan]. I call the business model of Facebook, Google, and the venture-capital-funded long tail of Silicon Valley startups people farming. Facebook is a factory farm for human beings. And Marks manifesto is nothing more than a panicked billionaires latest sophomoric attempt to decorate an unpalatable business model grounded in the abuse of human rights with faux moral purpose to stave off regulation and justify what is unabashedly a colonial desire: to create a global fiefdom by connecting all of us to Facebook, Inc. Not so sure on this individual sovereignty stuff, but hes got Facebook dead to rights.

Despite challenges, the New York City area could be the solution for Americas absent apparel manufacturing. With the recent political landscape and push to bring production back to the U.S., the New York City area could again serve as Americas major manufacturing hub. Beyond relocation of staff and materials, consumers are at the heart of this movement too. If consumers buy local and minimize their fast fashion purchases, apparel manufacturing will be more likely to happen in the city in coming years [Sourcing Journal].

News of the Wired

Cane used to beat members of Pink Floyd finally added to museum [AV Club (PT)]. Friends, theres good news tonight!

New Zealand appeals court upholds Kim Dotcom extradition ruling [Ars Technica]. In a ruling issued Monday afternoon local time (late Sunday night, Eastern Standard Time), Justice Murray Gilbert of the High Court of New Zealand ruled that while he agreed with one of Dotcoms attorneys primary argumentsthat online communication of copyright protected works to the public is not a criminal offence in New Zealandthe judge noted that nevertheless, Dotcom and his co-defendants remain eligible for extradition based on other elements in the case.

Youre a completely different person at 14 and 77, the longest-running personality study ever has found [Quartz]. Dont I know it! If your patterns of thought, emotions, and behavior so drastically alter over the decades, can you truly be considered the same person in old age as you were as a teenager? This question ties in with broader theories about the nature of the self. For example, there is growing neuroscience research that supports the ancient Buddhist belief that our notion of a stable self is nothing more than an illusion.

Simon Stalenhag, uber-creepy:

Some truth in this:

The front lines of fascism vs communism pic.twitter.com/c69qTDs1ek  Deep Web Italian (@Deno_Tron) February 20, 2017

* * *

Readers, feel free to contact me with (a) links, and even better (b) sources I should curate regularly, and (c) to find out how to send me images of plants. Vegetables are fine! Fungi are deemed to be honorary plants! See the previous Water Cooler (with plant) here. And heres todays plant (via):

Crown shyness in Dryobalanops aromatica (Kapur trees) in Forest Research Center, Kuala Lumpur.

Readers, Water Cooler is a standalone entity, not supported by the very successful Naked Capitalism fundraiser just past. Now, I understand you may feel tapped out, but when and if you are able, please use the dropdown to choose your contribution, and then click the hat! Your tip will be welcome today, and indeed any day. Water Cooler will not exist without your continued help.
Weve said for the last couple of years that private equity has not been earning enough to compensate for its extra risks, that of high leverage and lack of liquidity.

One of the core tenets of finance is that extra risk-taking should be rewarded with higher returns over time. But for more than the last decade, typical investor portfolios of private equity funds havent delivered the additional returns, typically guesstimated at 300 basis points over a public equity benchmark like the S&P 500.

Weve pointed out that even that widespread benchmark is too flattering. Private equity firms invest in companies that are much smaller than the members of the S&P 500, which means they are capable of growing at a faster rate over extended periods of time. The 300 basis point (3%) premium is a convention with no solid analytical foundation. Some former chief investment officers, like Andrew Silton, have argued that a much higher premium, more like 500 to 800 basis points (5% to 8%) is more appropriate. And thats before you get to other widespread problems with measuring private equity returns, such as the fact that they are routinely exaggerated at certain times, namely right before a new fund is being raised by the same general partner, late in a funds life, and during bear markets, all of which goose overall results.

And thats before you get to the fact that some investors use even more flattering benchmarks. As Oxford professor Ludovic Phalippou pointed out by e-mail, in the last two years, more and more investors have switched from using the already-generous S&P 500 to the MSCI World Index as their benchmark. Why? Per Phalippou: Because the S&P 500 has been doing very well over the last three years, unlike the MSCI World Index.

So why hasnt private equity been producing enough over the past decade to justify the hefty fees? The short answer is too much money chasing deals. Private equitys share of global equity more than doubled from 2005 to 2014.

And you can see how this looks in CalPERS latest private equity performance update, from its Investment Committee meeting last week (from page 14 of this report). In fairness, CalPERS does have a more strict private equity benchmark than many of its peers:

Since that chart is still mighty hard to read (by design?), lets go through the sea of read ink.

The only period in which CalPERS beat its benchmark was for the month before the measurement date of December 31, 2016, and that by a whopping 3 basis points. In all other measurement periods, the shortfall was hundreds of basis points:

3 months (219)

Fiscal YTD (283)

1 year (994)

3 years (132)

5 years (479)

10 years (286)

To its credit, CalPERS has been cutting its private equity allocation. CalPERS had a private equity target of 14% in 2012 and 2013; it announced last December it was reducing it from 10% to 8%. Like so many of its peers, CalPERS hoped that private equity would rescue it from its underfunding, which came about both due to the decision to cut funding during the dot com era, when CalPERS was overfunded, and to the damage it incurred during the crisis. At least CalPERS is finally smelling the coffee.

However, even with these appalling results, CalPERS does have another avenue: it could pursue private equity on its own, which would virtually eliminate the estimated 700 basis points (7%) it is paying to private equity fund managers. CalPERS confirmed this estimate by Ludovic Phalippou in its November 2015 private equity workshop. Since at that point it had gathered private equity carry fee data, that means the full fees and costs are at least that high; it would presumably have reported a lower number or flagged the figure as an high plug figure. Getting rid of the fee drag would mean much more return to CalPERS and its retirees, and would make private equity more viable.

CalPERS has two ways it could go. One would be a public markets replication strategy, which would target the sort of companies private equity firms buy. Academics have modeled various implementations of this idea, and they show solid 12-14% returns. However, as weve discussed at length, and some pubic pension funds have even admitted, one of the big attractions of private equity isdrumrollthe very way the mangers lie about valuations, particularly in bad equity markets! Private equity managers shamelessly pretend that the value of their companies falls less when stocks are in bear territory, giving the illusion that private equity usefully counters portfolio volatility. Anyone with an operating brain cell knows that absent exceptional cases, levered equities will fall more that less heavily geared ones. So the reporting fallacy of knowing where you really stand makes this idea unappetizing to investors.

The other way to go about it would be to have an in-house team that does private equity investing. A group of Canadian public pension funds has gone this route and not surprisingly, reports markedly better results net of fees than industry norms. And this is becoming more mainstream, as Reuters reported last Friday (hat tip DO):

Some of the worlds biggest sovereign wealth funds are increasingly striking their own private equity deals rather than relying on external fund managers, in a drive to cut costs and gain more control. With some $6.5 trillion in assets, sovereign investors already account for 19 percent of capital committed to private equity, according to data from research firm Preqin. But mega-funds such as the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), Saudi Arabias Public Investment Fund (PIF) and Singapores GIC, are hiring specialists to find or vet deals  enabling them to negotiate with private equity firms from a position of strength or to go it alone. In 2012 sovereign investors participated in just 77 direct private equity deals. By 2016, that had risen to 137, Thomson Reuters data shows. Deal value more than trebled to $45.2 billion from $14.8 billion. This allows funds to better protect their interests when markets go south. One sovereign investor who spoke on condition of anonymity said that during the global financial crisis, some external funds behaved irrationally. They had different liability streams than us, so they were under pressure to sell at a time when they should have been investing more, the source said. Going more direct means you dont have to worry about whether your interests are aligned with other investors.

And to its credit CalPERS is considering joining this trendafter having been deterred from leading it. From a 2016 post:

In 1999, CalPERS engaged McKinsey to advise them as to whether they should bring some of their private equity activities in house. My understanding was that some board members thought this issue was worth considering; staff was not so keen (perhaps because they doubted they had the skills to do this work themselves and were put off by the idea of being upstaged by outside, better paid recruits). In hearing this tale told many years later, I was perplexed and a bit disturbed to learn that the former managing partner of McKinsey, Ron Daniel, presented the recommendations to CalPERS of not to go this route. Only a very few directors (as in the tenured class of partner) continue at McKinsey beyond normal retirement age; one was the head of the important American Express relationship at the insistence of Amex. Daniel served as an ambassador for the firm as well as working on his former clients. Why was he dispatched to work on a one-off assignment that was clearly not important to McKinsey from a relationship standpoint, particularly in light of a large conflict of interest: that he was also the head of the Harvard Corporation, which was also a serious investor in private equity? Although the lack of staff enthusiasm was probably a deal killer in and of itself, the McKinsey no go recommendation hinged on two arguments: the state regulatory obstacles (which in fact was not insurmountable; CalPERS could almost certainly get a waiver if it sought one), and the culture gap of putting a private equity unit in a public pension fund. Even though the lack of precedents at the time no doubt made this seem like a serious concern, in fact, McKinsey clients like Citibank and JP Morgan by then had figured out how to have units with very divergent business cultures (investment banking versus commercial banking) live successfully under the same roof. And even at CalPERS now, there is a large gap between the pay levels, autonomy, and status of the investment professionals versus the rank and file that handles mundane but nevertheless important tasks like keeping on top of payments from the many government entities that are part of the CalPERS system, maintaining records for and making payments to CalPERS beneficiaries, and running the back office for the investment activities that CalPERS runs internally. Why do I wonder whether McKinsey had additional motives for sending someone as prominent as Daniel to argue forcefully (as he apparently did) that CalPERS reject the idea of doing private equity in house? Clearly, if CalPERS went down that path, then as now, the objective would be to reduce the cost of investing in private equity. And it would take funds out of the hand of private equity general partners. The problem with that is that McKinsey had a large and apparently not disclosed conflict: private equity funds were becoming large sources of fees to the firm. By 2002, private equity firms represented more than half of total McKinsey revenues. CalPERS going into private equity would reduce the general partners fees, and over time, McKinseys. In keeping, as we pointed out in 2014, McKinsey acknowledged that the prospects for private equity continuing to deliver outsized returns were dimming. That would seem to make for a strong argument to get private equity firms to lower their fees, and the best leverage would be to bring at least some private equity investing in house, both to reduce costs directly and to provide for more leverage in fee discussions. Yet McKinsey hand-waved unconvincinglyabout ways that limited partners could contend with the more difficult investment environment, and was discouraging about going direct despite the fact that the Canadian pension funds had done so successfully.

Better late than never. Lets hope CalPERS pursues this long-overdue idea.
By Ian Fraser, Twitter @ian_fraser. This piece, cross-posted from Ians web site. is a fully revised, updated and extended version of Mafioso bankers and my part in their downfall published in the Sunday Herald on 5 February 2017

On Thursday 2 February, two former senior bankers at Halifax Bank of Scotland (HBOS) and four consultants with whom they closely worked were jailed for periods stretching from three-and-a-half year to 15 years for their part in a 245 million loans scandal.

Four days earlier, the HBOS six were found guilty of offences including corruption, fraudulent trading and money laundering  offences that caused losses of up to 1 billion at HBOSs parent, Lloyds Banking Group, and caused the destruction of up to 200 viable small-business customers of the banks. For me, it was the culmination of an investigation with which Id been involved for almost a decade as a journalist.

Seasoned journalists often say never look below the line; that way madness lies. They mean that you shouldnt read the comments underneath articles youve written  as they can be minefield of pedantry, grandstanding, semi-coherent rage and abuse. So when I saw that my Call to sack HBOS directors article, published in the Sunday Herald at the banking crisiss nausea-inducing height on 28 September, 2008  days after HBOS had collapsed and when RBS was perched on the brink  had over 400 comments under it, what did I do?

I ignored colleagues advice and delved in. Amid the bluster and outrage that an iconic 300-year-old Scottish institution should have been led to destruction by such hopeless directors as Lord Stevenson and Andy Hornby, one short comment stood out. It was from a Cambridge-based businesswoman called Nikki Turner, and read if anyone is interested in finding out more a 1 billion fraud in a single HBOS branch, please get in touch.

It didnt take me long to contact her. On Tuesday, 30 September, I had several long phone calls with both Nikki, a lyricist and a mother of two daughters, and her husband Paul, a rock music entrepreneur who had done the lighting for acts including Bob Marley, Dire Straits, The Jam, Fleetwood Mac, Thin Lizzy and Bruce Springsteen. I learned the couple had launched an independent music label, Zenith Cafe, together in 2003. They told me this had been on the cusp of a major breakthrough in 2007 when, for no apparent reason, HBOS and its preferred management consultants had tried to snuff it out.

The Turners blamed this on a rogue Bank of Scotland senior manager whose improbable name sounded like that of a Victorian villain  Lynden Scourfield. They alleged that Scourfield, lead director of impaired assets at HBOSs Bank of Scotland Corporate unit, had been working in cahoots with a band of self-styled turnaround consultants dubbed Quayside Corporate Services, which was led by David Mills, who I later discovered had left his former employer, Lombard North Central, the factoring and invoice discounting arm of National Westminster Bank, under a cloud in 1995.

The seemingly wilful destruction of Zenith sounded bad enough. But what made me realise this story had legs was that the Turners had documentary evidence to back up every claim, and had already done a significant amount of research into the activities of Scourfield, Mills and Quayside. Critically, they had discovered that Zenith was not alone in having been treated shabbily.

They had identified dozens of other businesses across the UK which had been through the mill at the hands of Mills and Scourfield and, in many cases, the punishment meted out had been far worse than that endured by Zenith. The affected firms came from a wide range of sectors including aviation, consumer credit, music publishing, packaging, nightclubs, restaurants, sporting goods, textiles and top-shelf magazines  and included well-known brands like Smollenskys on the Strand, Euromanx airline and magazine Asian Babes.

The modus operandi of the fraud, which I confirmed in interviews with directors of other affected firms, included that the companies would, often arbitrarily and without notice, see their bank accounts transferred to the tutelage of Mr Scourfields high risk team based at Beauclerc House, Reading. Many of the companies that were transferred were not in default or financial difficulties. Triggers included that they had sought additional facilities to fund acquisitions or growth, or just that Scourfield and his cronies had taken a fancy and had cherry-picked them from across the Bank of Scotland network.

The next step was that Scourfield would force the companies to adopt Quayside personnel as advisers, shadow directors or directors, effectively using blackmail to ensure the companies acquiesced. The standard threat was, if they did not comply, they would be shut down. With Quayside in the driving seat, Scourfield would then turn on the monetary taps, granting huge and usually unserviceable additional loans to the firms concerned, a process sometimes eased through by the writing of fake business plans, which Scourfield used to placate his seniors in the bank. Those who were responsible for signing off his loans are believed to have included Paul Burnett, who wound up working for Mills.

The next thing that the legitimate owners and managers of the affected firms knew was that Quayside personnel  the most unsavoury of whom were David Mills, Michael Bancroft and John Tony Cartwright  started behaving liked trumped up Mafiosi, treating the companies as their own personal ATMs and syphoning out cash, dressed up as consultancy fees, to fund lavish lifestyles, exotic holidays, foreign real estate buying binges and romps with high-class hookers as well as generous bribes and inducements along similar lines for Scourfield, who was sometimes also known as Gerard. All the while, Mills and Co were destabilizing the businesses, plundering their assets, and setting them on a path towards insolvency.

One reason Scourfield and his subordinate Mark Dobson were able to get away with this sort of thing was that the checks and balances within Bank of Scotland Corporate were either weak or non-existent. During the recent trial, it emerged that, during 2003, an internal auditor at Bank of Scotland Corporate alerted his superiors to the fact the CODA financial reporting system, which was supposed to flag up unexpectedly large loans, was broken, and that the bank failed to repair it. It has yet to emerge whether this was a deliberate oversight on the part of the bank  but it certainly suited Scourfield and probably loads of other people within Bank of Scotland Corporate. Furthermore in the three years between 2004 and 2007, it emerged that the Reading office that Scourfield ran wasnt audited once!!

Some of the firms legitimate owners and managers told me they felt like they had been overrun by the mob, with metaphorical guns frequently held to their heads. Others said they they felt like theyd entered a Kafkaesque nightmare, especially when their complaints to HBOSs headquarters on Edinburghs Mound fell on deaf ears. I was shocked that a supposedly reputable bank, founded in 1695 and which once advertised itself as A Friend for Life, should have given a gang of utter reprobates free rein to ride roughshod over its small and medium-sized enterprises base, but have studiously ignored the victims cries of help.

The Turners tale might have been possible to dismiss as a sob story, a failed business blaming its woes on a bank, allied to a wild conspiracy theory that could not possibly be true but, unlike some other journalists they approached, I was fairly convinced this was not case. This was something major and abhorrent, which I felt was crying out for exposure, especially since the bank seemed so desperate to keep it under wraps. I also felt that, since HBOS was about to be acquired by Lloyds in a shotgun wedding demanded by UK prime minister Gordon Brown, that Lloyds TSB shareholders deserved to know of the true toxicity of the bank they were being expected to absorb.

The Turners had issued a formal complaint, which detailed the scale and scope of the alleged internal fraud, to all sixteen members of HBOSs board, including chairman Lord Stevenson, chief executive Andy Hornby, finance director Mike Ellis and non-executives Sir Ron Garrick and Charles Dunstone on 3 September 2007, sending the letters by both email and recorded delivery. The banks response was astonishing.

Instead of thanking them for alerting it to alleged criminal wrongdoing, reporting the perpetrators to the police, and seeking to put things right, HBOS sent a menacing legal letter via the silver circle solicitors Denton Wilde Sapte which, among other things, invited the music industry duo to notify and provide evidence to the police if they believed that crimes had occurred. Then, in an apparent campaign to silence the Turners, HBOS through solicitors Wragge & Co but with Dentons also in attendance, sought to have them evicted from their home and place of business in 22 subsequent court hearings.

This was despite the fact their inability to service their mortgage had been caused by the destruction of their business by Scourfield and Quayside!

After the Turners reported the alleged fraud to the Cambridgeshire Constabulary three months later, the police approached the Edinburgh-based bank to find out what was going on. But the banks Corporate Financial Crime Prevention team sought to put a lid on things by claiming that no criminal activity had taken place, a claim that put the cops off the scent. Unless the alleged crime was reported by its largest victim, no criminal inquiry could proceed. In an email dated 21 April 2008, Brenda McMeechan, investigations manager in HBOSs corporate financial crime prevention team told police who were making inquiries:

I would advise that we are not undertaking an investigation into Lynden Scourfields conduct, as we have no evidence of criminal activity on his part. Without proof to corroborate any act of deception or fraud, I cannot offer any information that would support or substantiate any allegations of wrongdoing.

It later emerged that Lloyds, which completed its highly contentious takeover of HBOS on Monday, 19 January 2009, thereby assuming full responsibility for addressing the matter, had also been obstructive. Anthony Stansfeld, police and crime commissioner of Thames Valley, later suggested that the Gresham Street-headquartered bank was uncooperative during the subsequent police probe. He said Lloyds made every effort to make it difficult for the police to investigate  Everything was put under legal privilege  it required a host of barristers and lawyers to untangle it and get it out of the bank, he said.

As a financial journalist I was well aware that reckless lending, inadequate controls and delusional thinking had fuelled the UKs banking crisis. But what I had learned since first picking up the phone to the Turners seemed off the scale. To summarize, Mills and Co were acting like the gangsters in Martin Scorseses classic movie, Goodfellas, in which Ray Liottas Henry Hill and Paul Sorvinos Paul Paulie Cicero take over a night club, the Bamboo Lounge, then loot it, abuse the owners credit and run it into the ground. Once the owner, Sonny, is unable to pay them anymore, they torch it for the insurance money. As Liottas Hills narrates: And, finally, when theres nothing left, when you cant borrow another buck from the bank or buy another case of booze, you bust the joint out.

My next task was to try and get the story published. Sunday Herald editors Richard Walker and Stephen Penman, who I met in Glasgow on 7 October, gave me the go-ahead to research and write a major investigative piece alongside experienced investigative journalist Paul Hutcheon. Paul and I made excellent progress over the next few weeks, poring over publicly-available data from Companies House, interviewing a dozen or so businesspeople who had been stripped of their assets and impoverished, marshalling other evidence from victimised firms, persuading a whistleblower named Terry Holligan who had worked alongside Michael Bancroft as managing director of Quayside-controlled textiles group Magenta Studios to come up to Glasgow to provide an affidavit about brown envelopes of cash plundered from that and other companies being used to pay for Scourfields high-class hookers and much, much more.

I managed to track down Mills and asked him to respond to allegations that he had destroyed businesses, seized assets, and gouged millions of pounds from firms he was supposed to be caring for. In an interview on 27 November 2008, Mills claimed that the whole principle of Quayside was to come in and actually get [the companies] through a difficult period. You could speak to many other chairmen and managing directors of business who would tell you they are absolutely delighted with the services Quayside provided because it saw them through a difficult time. It seemed like he was lying through his teeth, and this was confirmed when, during the recent trial, Bank of Scotland Corporates impaired assets director Tom Angus conceded to the jury that, as far as he knew, Quayside had never restored a single client of the banks back to health.

HBOSs response was no less disingenuous. Its spin chief Shane ORiordain gave us a statement which read: We deal in a sensitive and fair way with all our corporate banking customers, including those experiencing difficulties  We do everything in our power to reassure customers while, at the same time, helping them to turn around their business. We simply cannot comment on individual circumstances. However, we strongly believe that we have acted throughout in a fair and responsible way.

Turnaround consultants or professional advisors are a recognised resource available to companies who may be facing financial difficulties. It is a normal approach for both companies and the bank to mutually engage with such individuals in an attempt to work through their difficulties. In your letter you referenced a former employee of Bank of Scotland who was based in our Reading office. We do not intend to name the individual but can confirm that this colleague left the group some months ago.

While we were prevented by in-house lawyers from using some of the material, two lengthy pieces titled HBOS faces hard questions overuse of troubleshooters who misappropriated company money and All they seemed to do for us was to take enormous fees were published in the Sunday Herald on 30 November 2008. Among other things, we managed to break the news that two of Quaysides consultants, Bancroft and Cartwright, had a history of embezzlement having stolen more than 1.5 million from textiles group Ritz Design PLC in 1991 and to convey the suffering they had inflicted on affected firms. (Incidentally I remember, on the Saturday before these articles were published, while on a hike in the Pentland Hills, having to spend what seemed like hours on the phone to Sunday Herald editor Richard Walker and a solicitor retained by Newsquest Herald & Times, who were wanting to check up on certain facts and claims).

Perhaps naively I had been expecting the articles to create waves and to jolt the bank and/or the authorities out of their complacency. But, partly because we had been unable to convey the full extent of the fraud and subsequent cover up, the story wasnt widely followed up (indeed, I believe the only paper that did follow it up was the now defunct Manx Herald). Unfortunately it had nowhere near the expected impact.

In early March 2009 I was invited by the BBC Investigations Unit to help make an investigative documentary on the scandal. From March to May I worked alongside a team of BBC staffers including Karen Kiernan, Alan Clayton, Alan Urry and team leader and assistant editor of the investigations unit, Lynne Jones. The tasks I was given included researching what had happened at the Quayside-controlled textiles group Magenta Studios which, after being milked for all it was worth and destabilized by Quayside over a four-year period, was driven into administration in early April 2007. Another was to research what sort of checks and balances were supposed to exist in Bank of Scotland Corporate.

At Magenta Studios I learned that Quaysides Bancroft had been helping himself to fees of some 15,000 to 20,000 a month, and probably much more, even though he was having an entirely negative effect on the business. As a result of behaving like a sociopathic bully he had alienated key staff and customers, causing the company to lose two of its biggest customers, Marks & Spencer and Next, which in turn caused turnover to slump from 8m to less than 2m. Meanwhile Magenta Studioss borrowings from Bank of Scotland Corporate were going through the roof, soaring from 5m to 20.564m between 2003 and 2006. One source formerly at the company told me: Bancroft was paranoid. He didnt trust anybody. I dont think he cared a toss about the company.

The source added: I think Bancroft was charging exorbitant fees but doing f**k all for it. He only came to the company occasionally, when he felt like it, and didnt do anything apart from just sit around talking. He was not instrumental in any new business or any initiatives. He was just trying to get money out for himself in fees and expenses. He even gave his daughter a job with the company, for which she was paid 33,000, but all she seemed to do was go shopping.

Within a few days of Scourfield being rumbled and ousted, I discovered that Magenta Studios and a number of associated textiles business that had fallen prey to the fraud (including Theros, Multi Sourcing Group and Kangaroo Poo) had been swiftly forced into administration by the bank. Oddly, the administrators, appointed on 10 April 2007, the day after Bancroft is alleged to have scrubbed the hard drive on his computer in what has been described as a bid to eliminate evidence of the fraud, were KPMGs David Crawshaw and Jane Moriarty. Scourfield had described David Crawshaw as a close friend of mine to one of the many victims of the fraud.

The picture I was getting about the systems and controls at Bank of Scotland Corporate was no less shocking. An obsession with growing its market share in UK business banking, in a crazed, growth at any cost strategy laid down by HBOS chief executive James Crosby, had been the banks key driver ever since the Halifax merger of 10 September 2001. As a result, systems and controls had atrophied or, as the CODA scenario makes clear, were readily over-ridden by any bonus-crazed insider.

I also identified that HBOS was using unorthodox ways of massaging down its bad debt provisions in order to misrepresent its financial position to regulators and shareholders and inflate executive bonuses. I had exposed similar shenanigans at the bank in an earlier article, Keanes Last Stand, published on 29 August 2004. These included rolling over non-performing loans and a range of other ruses, including the use of off-balance-sheet vehicles to hide rancid loans and to avoid the crystallisation of bad debt.

A senior insolvency expert told me during the course of my research that HBOS was well-known in banking and insolvency circles for keeping insolvent business borrowers going, just so that the bank could book the interest payments as profits, and hide bad debts. He said this was illegal both for the company directors concerned and probably also for the bank. He knew of actual examples of companies where it had happened  where a professional advisory firm had told the bank a business borrower was bust, but the bank had ignored the advice and continued to lend. The senior insolvency expert added that HBOSs approach towards distressed corporate customers would have been set at the highest levels by George Mitchell (chief executive of Bank of Scotland Corporate until December 2005) and his successor Peter Cummings.

A forensic accountant retained by the BBC found that some 93 per cent of the 113 million that Scourfield had lent to the aviation business Corporate Jet Services, parent of Euromanx, had simply disappeared. One ex HBOS insider told me during the course of my research that: They behaved in a very reckless fashion. Nothing was done properly.

Two senior people within Bank of Scotland Corporate tried to put me off the scent, with one claiming that Scourfield was a red herring in that his 1bn losses played no part in the banks September 2008 collapse. And, in a letter to the MPs dated February 2009, Lloyds Banking Groups chief operating officer for wholesale banking, Philip Grant, who it later transpired was previously with Bank of Scotland Corporate, insisted there was a lack of evidence of direct personal benefit on the part of Mr Scourfield from his relationship with Quayside. In his weasly worded letter to politicians Grant also claimed the bank had reached this conclusion following an extensive internal review after Scourfield quit in March 2007.

In his letter to MPs, Grant also said that: While the bank appears to have been more supportive than it should have been in responding to requests for increased facilities, this occasioned loss to the bank, and there is no evidence that it led to the failure of already stressed businesses. He also stated there is no evidence that anybody at the bank knew, at that time, that the reputation of Quayside (or of individuals within Quayside) was in any way questionable.

Seemingly desperate to downplay the scandal, Grant also said In early 2007, the bank identified issues concerning Mr Scourfields approach to lending. As pointed out above, the bank was more supportive than it should have been in responding to requests for increased facilities from some of the customers in question. After Mr Scourfield had been suspended from duty on account of these matters, he resigned in late April 2007. The statement was replete with half truths.

While researching the BBC programme we also discovered that HBOS had been using the Sandstone Organisation, a shadowy off-balance-sheet vehicle of which Mills seemed to have control, as a bounty box for the equity stakes and other assets seized from affected firms. In 2007, according to documents filed at Companies House, Sandstones only directors were Mills and his wife Alison, who was also on trial in Southwark Crown Court from September 2016, and last week was found guilty and sentenced to three-and-a-half years in jail. The company secretary at Sandstone was Millss daughter Georgina Elizabeth Paffard Mills, who was not tried.

Though references to brown envelopes for Scourfield and the procurement of sex workers for him using money plundered from affected firms ended up on the cutting room floor, our findings about rampant loan abuse, the plundering of cash and assets from innocent businesses and the human toll of this nefariousness were broadcast in a 40-minute BBC Radio 4 File on 4 documentary on 26 May 2009. The programme was extensively followed up in other media including on BBC news bulletins.

A few days after the File on 4 was broadcast, the Conservative MP James Paice organised a parliamentary debate about the scandal, which was attended by about dozen MPs with constituents whose firms had been ruined as a result of the actions of HBOS and Quayside. During the debate, held in Westminster Hall on 2 June 2009, Paice asked: If everything was satisfactory, why did HBOS stop using Quayside? I hope this debate demonstrates to the minister that he should invite the regulatory authorities to investigate the whole matter thoroughly.  All of us are taxpayers, and we are justified in demanding to know how that happened, why it was allowed to happen and whether any criminality was involved.

Dr Andrew Murrison, Conservative MP for Westbury in Wiltshire, said: It is simply not credible to characterize Scourfield as some autonomous rogue banker and leave the matter at that. Loans of that order must have been sanctioned and remitted at a much higher levelin this case, at HBOS headquarters in Edinburgh by Mr. Scourfields immediate superior at least . It is evident that Mr. Lynden Scourfield had a close relationship with Quaysides Mr. Bancroft and Mr. Mills. What remains opaque is the extent to which those now liquidated companies were acquired by undertakings associated with Quayside  Given the apparent murkiness of the situation, there is every reason for the FSA to undertake a comprehensive investigation, and I urge the minister to use his good offices to ensure that happens.

Ed Vaizey, Conservative MP for Wantage, said: It is now up to HBOS to come to the table, following a moral course rather than a legalistic one, and put those people back in the position that they would have been in before dealing with HBOS.

Occasionally when writing investigative pieces and updates on the unfolding scandal, I and others with whom I was working had moments of doubt. If Lloyds was denying any wrongdoing, if David Mills was claiming he was a legitimate turnaround specialist who had the best interests of affected firms at heart, and if no UK authority was bothering to investigate the scandal, then perhaps we were just delusional. Perhaps the dozen or so cases we had forensically investigated were just aberrations and Mills and his cronies really were decent coves who were genuinely aiming to restore the firms with which they became involved to health. It was a fantasy which generally did not last very long. There were also occasions when I feared for my own safety, after parties who had had dealings with Bancroft warned me that he and some of his Quayside colleagues were prone to violence, and I received menacing anonymous phone calls.

Between mid-2007 and mid-2010, as well as contacting the banks and the police, the Turners reported detailed findings of misconduct and criminal activity by HBOS and its retained advisors to solicitors representing the banks, the Financial Ombudsman Service, the Financial Services Authority, the British Bankers Association, the Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR), the Chartered Institute of Banking, HMRC, the Serious Fraud Office, prime minister Gordon Brown, chancellor Alistair Darling, prime minister David Cameron, chancellor George Osborne, Bank of England governor Sir Mervin King, the Treasury Select Committee, the Treasury (who were forwarded their information by Gordon Brown), the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and their MP Sir James Paice. With honourable exceptions such as King and Paice, most just played a game of pass-the-parcel, came back with disingenuous and meaningless waffle, or totally ignored their missives,

Separately, I sent a comprehensive briefing note to all members of the Treasury Select Committee on 9 February 2009, a similar note to the FSAs chairman Lord Turner and chief executive Hector Sants on 11 June 2009, and sought answers from UK Financial Investments, the government agency responsible for husbanding the taxpayers stakes in bailed out banks, on 3 December 2009. The only reply, other than a no comment from UKFIs spokesman Anthony Silverman, came from Sants, who replied on 1 July saying thank you for the email you sent to me on 11 June in relation to the allegations made about the HBOS / Reading branch. I apologise for the delay in responding. The information you provided raises serious allegations and has been passed to our supervisory group for review. The supervisory group will, if appropriate, liaise with the police.

In May 2010 I became so frustrated with the banks stonewalling that I obtained proxy voting rights from a Lloyds Banking Group shareholder and asked the banks board, then led by chairman Sir Win Bischoff, a few questions at its annual general meeting in the Edinburgh International Conference Centre. I said: The Banking Code states: We promise we will treat you fairly  We will lend responsibly  We will deal quickly and sympathetically with things that go wrong . In the light of this, do you believe that you have abided by these principles in your handling of the Bank of Scotland Corporate Reading scandal? No sensible answers were forthcoming. When I spoke to Bischoff over coffee afterwards in the open-plan lobby of the EICC, he threw the question back at me asking well, how would you have handled it?

Scourfield used different methods in his attempts to silence me, including issuing a libel writ over something I had written in a blog at the time of the File on 4 programme in May 2009, with the full writ arriving by recorded delivery on 22 September 2010, just a week before he was arrested at his Berkshire home. However, this backfired spectacularly for Mr Scourfield, as it only added to my enthusiasm for getting the story out there, and obviously lapsed once he pleaded guilty last year. Now that he has been jailed for 11 years and three months, I intend to sue him for costs and damages incurred by his failed writ.

After a decade of denial and persecution of the victims, senior Bank of Scotland Corporate and Lloyds bankers finally owned up, under oath, during the recent trial, admitting that they first became suspicious of Scourfield and concerned about many gaps in formal sanctioning in January 2006. They conceded that they had launched the first of at least seven internal and external investigations (which were internal, and therefore suppressed until the court case) into what he had done in July 2006. The cumulative effect of the reports was that, by July 2007, according to Thames Valley Police, the bank should have concluded that fraud had taken place.

Throughout the four years that I was investigating this, I was genuinely shocked at the level of disinterestedness of the regulators including the FSA, to the extent I began to wonder whether they might be more interested in protecting the state-rescued bank than in getting to the bottom of the scandal or holding those responsible accountable.

The FSA may well have been compromised. In 2003, chancellor Gordon Brown made the bizarre decision to appoint the then HBOS chief executive, James Crosby, as a non-executive director on the regulators board, a role Crosby took up on 15 January 2004. The appointment came hard on the heels of claims from Crosby, made in a speech to a Merrill Lynch banking conference on 7 October 2003, that the UK government was guilty of unnecessary meddling in the SME banking sector.

After setting HBOS on a catastrophic course, Crosby handed the helm to the wunderkind Andy Hornby when he took early retirement from the bank in June 2006. He was promptly promoted to FSA deputy chairman, and chairman of its committee of non-executives, on 11 December 2007 and didnt leave the regulators board until he was fired on 11 February 2009, after a few of his multifarious failings as HBOS chief executive were revealed to the Treasury Select Committee via the explosive written testimony of the banks former group head of regulatory risk, Paul Moore.

Moore had been personally fired by Crosby on 23 November 2004 after seeking to alert the Yorkshire-born actuary and other members of the HBOS board to the inadequacies of the banks control framework and that its obsession with sales and asset growth meant it had embarked on a suicidal course. By letter Crosby assured Moore that the decision to eliminate his role and replace him with someone with no knowledge or experience of risk management (the saleswoman extraordinaire Jo Dawson) was mine and mine alone.

There are a great many people who wonder whether, during his five years on the FSAs board, James Crosby went out of his way to ensure that the already light touch regulator  where Sir Callum McCarthy was then the chairman and John Tiner the chief executive  was zero touch, or please look away now where the crimes and misdemeanours of the bank he mismanaged were concerned. There can be no doubt that the modicum of regulatory scrutiny that existed until December 2003 abated until February 2009 (for more detail on this, see HBOSs Calamitous Seven Year Life).

Thames Valley Police, the force for which fictional Chief Inspector Morse works in the Colin Dexter novels and ITV television series, became involved under the auspices of Operation Hornet  which the force said was to probe corruption and large scale fraud in connection with HBOS  on or about 11 June 2010. On 14 June 2010, Thames Valley Police senior investigating officer Natalie BeresfordBolton paid a surprise visit to the Turners at their home near Cambridge.

BeresfordBolton told them that, while on a routine visit to the Canary Wharf-based regulator with her boss in late May 2010, she had identified Bank of Scotland Corporate Reading as an egregious case from a list of cases that the regulator had under Section 166 review. After the FSA refused to furnish her with much in the way of documentation on the case (and it had a fair amount by this stage), Beresford-Bolton spent the next two weeks trawling the internet, where she read all my coverage of the alleged fraud, as well as blogs and links to source material compiled by Nikki Turner (who, incidentally, is a great writer). It was only after having reviewed this that she persuaded her bosses at Thames Valley Police, who included detective superintendent David Poole, that the case merited a proper probe (Poole and other senior policemen at Thames Valley later denied what Beresford-Bolton told the Turners was true).

The police made an initial series of arrests  Bank of Scotland Corporate director Lynden Scourfield, his wife Jacqueline, and John Tony Cartwright  on 29 September 2010. It was the first sign that the UK authorities had any interest in properly investigating the matter. This was a major breakthrough for me, the victims and others with an interest in seeing the perpetrators brought to justice. Though I did update a summary of what had happened at Bank Scotland Corporate, retitled Bankings Abu Ghraib (3 October 2010), in the wake of these initial arrests, my ability to report on the unfolding scandal was constrained after that. There was, however, a window of opportunity between the arrests and charges being pressed, something which happened in January 2013, to cover a few broader aspects of the case, and I did so in four further articles for the Sunday Herald, where business editor Colin Donald was supportive and eager to carry on breaking new ground. The Herald pieces included two published in March 2011 and July 2011 which raised questions about the remit and scope of Thames Valley Polices Operation Hornet inquiry, which had been ratified by the Crown Prosecution Service and I believe also by the then attorney general, Dominic Grieve. Questions I raised in these articles included:-

Why did Operation Hornet only cover the period between 2002 and the date Scourfield left the bank  8 March 2007  when the most severe financial damage was inflicted on affected firms in a series of administrations after he left?

Why were certain key HBOS borrowers that Quayside controlled  including one or two notorious and egregious cases in which high-profile businesspeople were involved such as Corporate Jet Services  excluded from the Operation Hornet probe?

Critically, why were the police not fully investigating the role of people higher up in the bank?

These questions formed the basis of my pieces Police dossier says former HBOS directors failed to act on fraud allegations (13 March 2011) and Boards role off limits in police probe of alleged 1bn HBOS fraud (10 July 2011). Also around this time I wrote a summary piece for Naked Capitalism headlined The 1bn-plus HBOS Fraud Investigation That Lloyds Keeps Trying to Brush Under the Carpet (2 March 2011). Then came the swansong Sunday Herald piece, headlined Corruption allegations, major fraud inquiries, links to pornographic magazines  and a luxury yacht (22 July 2012), which was written following a tip-off that charges were imminent.

There followed a four-year period of purdah, when it was impossible for me or anyone else to write anything substantive about the case, as to have done so could have been in contempt of court, or jeopardised Thames Valley Polices investigation.

Now, after four-month trial in court five of Southwark Crown Court, ably presided over by judge Martin Beddoe, the purdah is over. The culprits have been jailed for periods of between three-and-a-half years and 15 years. I do feel a degree of vindication, especially since so few others dared touch this story between 2008 and 2012.

Judge Beddoe summed up the feeling of many with his sentencing speech last Friday, when he said: This case is not simply about a corrupt bank manager lending money he should not have done to businessmen who went on to gamble with it.

This case goes very much deeper than that. It primarily involves an utterly corrupt senior bank manager letting rapacious, greedy people get their hands on a vast amount of HBOSs money and their tentacles into the businesses of ordinary decent people  and letting them rip apart those businesses, without a thought for the lives and livelihoods of those whom their actions affected, in order to satisfy their voracious desire for money and the trappings and show of wealth.

The corruption, which profited mostly the first three defendants, subsisted for at least four years. It involved Lynden Scourfield engaging in as extensive an abuse of position of power and trust as can be imagined and was motivated on both sides of the corruption by the expectation of, and the very considerable realisation of, immense financial gain. That was at the cost of enormous losses to Bank of Scotland of some 245 million [gross], but also and, in many respects worse, the destruction along the way of the livelihoods of a number of innocent hard-working people. Some of these connections were capable of rescue but what Lynden Scourfield let happen through David Mills and Michael Bancroft predominantly ensured that they would not.

The harm for which you were individually and collectively are responsible can of course be quantified in cash terms, but cannot be so in human terms. Lives of investors, employers and employees have been prejudiced and in some instances ruined by your behaviour. People have not only lost money but, in some instances, their homes, their families, and their friends. Some who would have expected to be comfortable in retirement were left cheated, defeated and penniless. These are circumstances in which you David Mills and Michael Bancroft in particular show not a shred of remorse.

Beddoe also said that much of what David Mills told the police has for the most part been proved to be a lie. And speaking about Bancroft he said: If members of Michael Bancrofts family think he is an honest and lovely man they are sadly blinkered from reality, and their submissions give no consideration for the crimes he committed nor the damage and destruction he quite wilfully caused to his many victims.

Addressing Scourfield, who unlike the other defendants had plead guilty (on 12 August 2016) and therefore had not taken any part in the proceedings, Judge Beddoe said: Yours was a monumental betrayal of your position  exploiting the obvious weaknesses in the banks systems and the lack of proper supervision to which you should have been subject, lying to your seniors, falsifying documents, removing or avoiding protections the bank should have had  all over a long period of time  wholly motivated by greed  mesmerised by the luxury in which as a result of what you did David Mills let you wallow.

The judge added that Scourfield had sold his soul to Mills for sex, luxury trips, bling and swag.

Addressing Mills, Beddoe said: You are a thoroughly corrupt and devious man, adept at exploiting the weaknesses of others, particularly where that weakness is money, and adept too in getting others to do your dirty work for you. Standing in the shadows, you had Bancroft and his loyal lapdog, Cartwright, to get their hands dirty at your direction, and for your mutual financial advantage. In your case, compared to them, it has to be said, a staggering financial advantage.

Addressing Bancroft, Judge Beddoe said: You were already clearly a thoroughly dishonest man as shown by what happened at Ritz (an aggravating feature in your case). You were Millss frontman and heavily engaged in the process of maintaining the hold both you and he had on Scourfield. You are clearly a bully, and with Mills you plundered Theros, Multi Sourcing Group and Remnant Media for fees and any useful assets you could get your hands on.

Anthony Stansfeld, the police and crime commissioner for Thames Valley, also raised a critical point, highlighting the responsibilities of HBOS top management, one of whose roles is supposed to be ensuring systems are in place to stop such crime waves from happening. Stansfeld said: A fraud of this size could have taken place either displays complicity or incompetence, a lack of corporate governance, complacency, and an absence of proper safeguards.

The absence of anything resembling proper corporate governance at HBOS, including the complicity of auditors, regulators and politicians in allowing this dangerous deficiency to persist for the seven years, is something that will be further explored in The Politics of Financial Risk, Audit and Regulation: A Case Study of HBOS. This book, written by Dr Atul Shah, a senior lecturer in accountancy and finance at the University of Suffolk, is is to be published by Routledge later this year. I have written the foreward.

Stansfeld also highlighted the risk that white-collar fraud gets ignored because of the punitive cost of investigating and prosecuting it. He said that the case had taken more than six years to bring to court, had involved 151 police officers and staff and had cost more than 7 million, a sum that having to be borne by the homeowners of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. Stansfield said: If Thames Valley Police had not taken on this case, no one else would have and the crime would not have been investigated. The principal perpetrators would have escaped with their reputations intact and with enormous wealth.

Stansfeld suggested the cost of probes like Operation Hornet should be borne by central government, by the negligent or offending institution and by the negligent or offending institutions auditors. In the case of the HBOS fraud, his proposal would see Lloyds Banking Group and KPMG sharing the 7m Operation Hornet tab. Stansfeld, a former Army officer who commanded army helicopters during the Falklands war, added: There needs to be an agreed policy that if a major fraud is committed, and the Serious Fraud Office does not have the capacity to take it on, then the police force that investigates it is reimbursed by central government, or through a fine or costs imposed on the auditors, the bank and the offenders involved, he said.

Speaking outside the court Paul Turner, without whom the trial would never have happened, said: We are glad it has come to an end and they are going to prison. The bank knew about this since 2006 and has persecuted us when they knew we were telling the truth. Its not over yet.

Nikki Turner, who played a no less pivotal role in researching the crimes and bringing them to the attention of the authorities, added: They defrauded us, denied for 10 years that the fraud had happened, ignored the debt from the fraud and tried to evict us 22 times in order to cover up the fraud. Its a huge success for us that the trial has gone on. She added: The victims have gone through terrible things, they have gone through the loss of businesses and lost homes. Other people lost everything, including marriages broken up, because of this.

Wearing her hat as founder and director of SME Alliance, which is campaigning to level the playing-field when small businesses are in disputes with their banks, and whose no-one is above the law slogan is a quote from Bank of England governor Mark Carney, Mrs Turner added: Whats amazing is that that this fraud cost the shareholders of HBOS and subsequently Lloyds over 1bn but it isnt mentioned anywhere in the accounts. That points to a need for far greater transparency and much improved corporate governance across the UK banking sector. Shareholders ought to be jumping up and down with rage that Lloyds allowed these crooks to effectively steal millions of pounds, and then kept them in the dark about it.

Also standing outside court Joanne Dove, whose award-winning eco-nappy business Cotton Bottoms was wiped out by Scourfield, Mills and Bancroft, said: Weve served a prison sentence for 12 years since this happened and we have lived in penury. While [David Mills] has been waiting for trial he has lived a luxury life on all the assets that he has built up. A mother of five, Freer added: I will never get the time back. Thats the sad thing. I will never get my childrens childhoods back to give them the things they would have had, had they not defrauded me.

While it undoubtedly pleasing to see justice done and that at least some crooked bankers and their accomplices have been brought to book, the problems with British banking, clearly, go much, much deeper than this.

I suspect that the Wild West of turnaround consultants, insolvency practitioners and banks business support units will come under much greater scrutiny and that legislation underpinning these areas will have to be tightened up. Its worth noting that Thames Valley Polices six-year Operation Hornet investigation didnt even look at the role played by insolvency practitioners from accountancy firms including PwC, KPMG, Vantis (now called FRP Advisory), Menzies Corporate Restructuring (now called Duff & Phelps), and Hurst Morrison Thomson (now HMT LLP), many of which seconded junior staff to work alongside Lynden Scourfield in 2003-07, in the scandal.

Insolvency practitioners from all these firms not only played a part in minimising the fallout by, for example, conducting whitewash reviews during 2006-07 but also by swiftly shutting down affected firms in what have been described as skewed administrations, which sometimes allowed key Quayside personnel to walk off with prized corporate assets, from April 2007 onwards. One wonders if the IPs failure to file suspicious activity reports to the Police, National Crime Agency or other relevant authorities was in any way related to the level of their fees.

The outcome of the HBOS Reading fraud case, together with the probability of future criminal trials related to HBOS and advisors, is said to be causing palpitations over at Royal Bank of Scotland, whose own business support unit, Global Restructuring Group, employed similar tactics to Bank of Scotland Corporate and Quayside, especially after the banks infamous dash for cash  programme was instituted on 9 October 2008  albeit without the same degree of blatant criminality, explicit shabbiness, deviant sexual activity or nausea-inducing bling. If HBOS were the cavaliers of insolvency abuse, RBS were very much the roundheads.

Finally, after trying to evade its responsibilities towards the victims for more than seven years, Lloyds on Tuesday announced a review of all customer cases affected by Scourfield and Quaysides crime wave. The bank said that customer cases would be considered afresh in the light of all relevant evidence including new evidence that emerged during the trial the group deeply regrets that the criminal actions have caused such distress for a number if HBOS customers. Lloyds added that, in consultation with the Financial Conduct Authority, it would appoint an independent third party as part of the review with which it would agree scope methodology and individual case outcomes. The bank said redress would be provided if appropriate.

This was welcomed by Nils Pratley in the Guardian, who pointed out that there is an unshakeable principle in takeovers is that you assume the responsibilities of the business you are buying, including nasties you didnt know about. However there is a degree of scepticism about the proposed review from former shareholders and directors of affected firms, largely because a similar review involving independent third parties, the FCAs interest-rate swaps review, culminated in derisory compensation for many.

My hope for the future is that that banks and regulators will become quicker to address these sorts of internal scandals  by, among other things, punishing the wrongdoers and compensating the victims  as and when they occur rather than burying them for over a decade before the most obvious culprits are prosecuted.

As a coda, Court News UK issued a series of hard-hitting but amusing tweets just after the sentencing on Thursday 2 February; enjoy.
Scalable 100% yield production of conductive graphene inks (Nanowerk News) Conductive inks are useful for a range of applications, including printed and flexible electronics such as radio frequency identification (RFID) antennas, transistors or photovoltaic cells. The advent of the internet of things is predicted to lead to new connectivity within everyday objects, including in food packaging. Thus, there is a clear need for cheap and efficient production of electronic devices, using stable, conductive and non-toxic components. These inks can also be used to create novel composites, coatings and energy storage devices.

A new method for producing high quality conductive graphene inks with high concentrations has been developed by researchers in the Graphene Flagship, working at the Cambridge Graphene Centre at the University of Cambridge, UK. The novel method uses ultrahigh shear forces in a microfluidisation process to exfoliate graphene flakes from graphite. The process converts 100% of the starting graphite material into usable flakes for conductive inks, avoiding the need for centrifugation and reducing the time taken to produce a usable ink.

The research, published in ACS Nano ("Microfluidization of Graphite and Formulation of Graphene-Based Conductive Inks"), also describes optimisation of the inks for different printing applications, as well as giving detailed insights into the fluid dynamics of graphite exfoliation.

Printing layered materials

The inks produced by the microfluidisation process have high concentrations of up to 100 g of graphene flakes per litre. Using the most efficient rheology modifiers and stabilisers, the microfluidised graphene mixture is optimised for screen printing. Panagiotis Karagiannidis, a researcher at the University of Cambridge, is lead author of the work. "The motivation was the need for layers with low sheet resistance to be produced by screen printing using inks with high concentration," he said.

As well as graphene, this method can easily be applied to other layered materials, such as hexagonal boron nitride or transition metal dichalcogenides. This will provide a family of printable circuit components  conductor, insulators and semiconductors  with which to build a variety of printed electronics with different functionalities.

Graphene ink part-way through the microfluidisation process. (Image: James Macleod/University of Cambridge Enginneering Department)

High yield inks

These high-yield inks contain a high concentration of chemically unmodified few-layer graphene, leading to excellent conductivity of the final printed material. The inks also give an excellent sheet resistance below 2 /sq, suitable for RFID antennas and electrodes in optoelectronic or energy storage devices. These inks are ideal for applications where low-cost is important.

In the microfluidisation process, graphite powder is mixed with water and a surfactant is added to prevent flakes from aggregating. The mixture is passed through a microfluidiser, where it is in which forced at high pressure through a zig-zag shaped microchannel. Turbulent flow through the diamond-coated microchannel, leads to ultra-high shear rates of 108 s-1, exfoliating the graphite into few-layer flakes. Importantly, all of the input mixture flows through the microchannel and experiences the high shear, and the process can be repeated to achieve the required graphene flake sizes. "All of the starting mixture experiences the same uniform intensive shear levels, converting it into a usable ink with high concentration. There is no wastage of material or time consuming post-processing," added Karagiannidis.

Mar Garcia-Hernandez of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) is the leader of the Graphene Flagship Work Package Enabling Materials, which is focused on development of scalable synthesis methods for graphene and other layered materials. "Microfluidisation is a huge leap ahead towards applications of affordable and environmentally friendly graphene inks in organic photovoltaics, RFID antennas, electrically conductive coatings or nanocomposites," she said. "The method is certainly well suited for the synthesis of a variety of other layered material inks, which will certainly enlarge the scope of applications of two dimensional materials in real world devices."

Scalability

An important issue for the use of graphene inks in printed electronics and other applications is scalability  producing inks and dispersions in large enough quantities for industrial applications. With the 100% yield of the microfluidisation method, it is now possible to produce high quality graphene in sufficient quantities for commercial products.

Inks produced using this method have already been commercialised via a University of Cambridge spin out company, Cambridge Graphene, which was recently acquired by engineering solutions company Versarien. The inks are also supplied to Graphene Flagship partner Novalia, UK for use in their interactive touch-based printed electronic demos. Chris Jones of Novalia said "For viable marketable applications, the materials need to be cost effective, easy to handle and show consistent performance. We ran these inks on ordinary industrial screen printing equipment without modification and achieved consistent results, printing hundreds of interactive demonstrators for Mobile World Congress. This is a very exciting point - a critical juncture between the laboratory and the public."
Nanotechnology approach could cut dose of leading HIV treatment in half (Nanowerk News) Successful results of a University of Liverpool-led trial that utilised nanotechnology to improve drug therapies for HIV patients has been presented at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) in Seattle, a leading annual conference of HIV research, clinical practice and progress.

The healthy volunteer trial, conducted by the collaborative nanomedicine research programme led by Pharmacologist Professor Andrew Owen and Materials Chemist Professor Steve Rannard, and in collaboration with the St Stephens AIDS Trust at the Chelsea & Westminster Hospital in London, examined the use of nanotechnology to improve the delivery of drugs to HIV patients. The results were from two trials which are the first to use orally dosed nanomedicine to enable HIV therapy optimisation.

Manipulation of matter

Nanotechnology is the manipulation of matter on an atomic, molecular, and supramolecular scale. Nanomedicine is the application of nanotechnology to the prevention and treatment of disease in the human body. By developing smaller pills that are better for patients and less expensive to manufacture, this evolving discipline has the potential to dramatically change medical science and is already having an impact in a number of clinically used therapies and diagnostics worldwide.

Currently, the treatment of HIV requires daily oral dosing of HIV drugs, and chronic oral dosing has significant complications that arise from the high pill burden experienced by many patients across populations with varying conditions leading to non-adherence to therapies.

Developing new therapies

Recent evaluation of HIV patient groups have shown a willingness to switch to nanomedicine alternatives if benefits can be shown. Research efforts by the Liverpool team have focused on the development of new oral therapies, using Solid Drug Nanoparticle (SDN) technology which can improve drug absorption into the body, reducing both the dose and the cost per dose and enabling existing healthcare budgets to treat more patients.

The trial results confirmed the potential for a 50 percent dose reduction while maintaining therapeutic exposure, using a novel approach to formulation of two drugs: efavirenz (EFV) and, lopinavir (LPV). EFV is the current WHO-recommended preferred regimen, with 70% of adult patients on first-line taking an EFV-based HIV treatment regimen in low- and middle-income countries.

The trial is connected to the Universitys ongoing work as part of the multinational consortium OPTIMIZE, a global partnership working to accelerate access to simpler, safer and more affordable HIV treatment. Funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development, OPTIMIZE is led by the Wits Reproductive Health & HIV Institute in Johannesburg, South Africa, and includes the interdisciplinary Liverpool team, Columbia University, Mylan Laboratories and the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP). OPTIMIZE is supported by key partners including UNITAID and the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC).

Potential applications

Benny Kottiri, USAIDs Office of HIV/AIDS Research Division Chief, said: The potential applications of nanotechnology for HIV treatment are incredibly promising. By aligning efforts, these integrated investments offer the potential to reduce the doses required to control the HIV virus even further, resulting in real benefits globally. This would enable the costs of therapy to be reduced which is particularly beneficial for resource-limited countries where the burden of disease is highest.
Nanoclusters could solve big problems for lithium-ion batteries (Nanowerk News) As devices become smaller and more powerful, they require faster, smaller, more stable batteries. University of Illinois chemists have developed a superionic solid that could be the basis of next-generation lithium-ion batteries.

Chemistry professor Prashant Jain and graduate students Sarah White and Progna Banerjee described the material - ultrasmall nanoclusters of copper selenide - in the journal Nature Communications ("Liquid-like cationic sub-lattice in copper selenide clusters").

Illinois professor Prashant Jains research group found that ultrasmall nanoclusters of copper selenide could make superionic solid electrolytes for next-generation lithium-ion batteries.

"Now that we're seeing this nanoelectronics boom, we need tiny batteries that can be put on a chip, and that can't happen with liquid electrolytes," Jain said. "We are using nanostructured materials to achieve the properties at the heart of lithium-ion technology. They have much more thermal and mechanical stability, there are no leakage issues, and we can make extremely thin electrolyte layers so we can miniaturize batteries."

Standard lithium-ion and other ionic batteries are filled with a liquid electrolyte that the lithium ions move through. The ions flow one direction when the battery is being used, and the opposite direction when the battery is charged. However, liquid electrolytes have several drawbacks: They require volume, degrade as the battery cycles, leak and are highly flammable, which has led to explosions in phones, laptops and other devices. Though solid electrolytes are considerably more stable, ions move through them much more slowly, making them less efficient for battery applications.

The copper selenide nanocluster electrolyte combines the best of both liquid and solid electrolytes: It has the stability of a solid, but ions easily move through it like a liquid. Copper selenide is known to be superionic at high temperatures, but the tiny nanoclusters are the first demonstration of the material being superionic at room temperature.

The researchers discovered this superionic property by accident while investigating copper selenide's surface reactivity. They noticed that ultrasmall nanoclusters - about 2 nanometers in diameter - looked very different from larger copper selenide nanoparticles in an electron microscope.

"That was our first hint that they have different structures," Jain said. "We investigated further, and we realized that these small clusters are actually semiliquid at room temperature."

The reason for the semiliquid, superionic property is the special structure of the nanoclusters, Jain said. The much larger selenium ions form a crystal lattice, while the smaller copper ions move around them like a liquid. This crystal structure is a result of internal strain in the clusters.

"With around 100 atoms, these nanoclusters are right at the interface of molecules and nanoparticles," Jain said. "Right now, the big push is to make every nanoparticle in a sample exactly the same size and shape. It turns out with these clusters, every single cluster is exactly the same structure. Somehow, at this size, the electronic structure of the material is so stable that every single cluster has the same arrangement of atoms."
Researchers work to expand access to health care using nanotechnology (Nanowerk News) Treatment for HIV has come a long way since the illness emerged as a serious global health problem in the 1980s. With constant monitoring and the right cocktail of medication, patients with HIV can now live long, healthy lives.

But many individuals who are diagnosed with HIV dont have access to the proper diagnostics and treatment.

In the U.S., someone taking medication would check the viral load every once in a while to make sure nothing is going wrong, said A.T. Charlie Johnson, a professor of physics in the School of Arts & Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania. But these techniques are expensive, and they require high-tech hospitals, so in low-resource settings like Africa this monitoring is not frequently done. You might have a person taking medication, but something has happened, and the viral load is going way up and they don't know it until the person has very severe symptoms.

To tackle this global health challenge, a team at Penn is using commercially available nanotechnology to develop a low-cost, handheld diagnostic device that can monitor HIV. Not only would this device increase access to high-quality treatment of HIV in developing countries and disadvantaged parts of the world, it would also lower the cost of health care in the United States and is an indicatioj of where nanotechnology will take us in this area.

The project is led by Johnson; David Issadore, an assistant professor in Penns School of Engineering and Applied Science; and Ronald Collman, a professor in Penns Perelman School of Medicine and director of the Penn Center for AIDS Research.

In November, the team was awarded a Gates Grand Challenges Exploration Grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation with an initial award of $100,000 with the opportunity to receive follow-on funding of as much as $1 million if the technology can be proven.

Currently, doctors count the amount of the virus in a patients blood using a technique called polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, which looks for the nucleic acid inside the virus and amplifies it. Although Issadore says this technique works beautifully, its also expensive and slow.

In order to achieve the same sensitivity in a handheld chip, the group at Penn is working to combine two different technologies.

The object of this is to improve both sides of the puzzle and then think about bringing the puzzle together, Johnson said.

The researchers in Issadores group take advantage of the fact that blood is not inherently magnetic. They mix in magnetic nanoparticles that can be covered in molecules that will stick to the viral particles, which are relatively rare, and make them magnetic. Once the viral particles are magnetic, the researchers are able to pull them out.

We have the ability to take a large volume of blood, some totally messy sample that has all kinds of cells and proteins and junk in it and sort out the HIV viruses, Issadore said. Because all of the other material in blood is not magnetic, it does not interfere with the chip.

Because graphene, which is just one atom thick, is perfectly two-dimensional, it can be used as an extremely sensitive way of detecting biological signals. When DNA or RNA molecules bind to the graphene, it produces a big change in the conductivity of the atomically thin material, allowing the researchers to detect molecules.

Every atom, and that means every electronic state, is exposed directly to the environment, Johnson said So, if anything changes in the environment, the electrical properties of the material also change.

Once the viruses have been pulled out using the magnetic nanoparticles, the graphene sensors that Johnsons lab is working on are able to open them up and look for pieces of RNA that are specific to HIV.

The group has been focusing on making these graphene devices more manufacturable and trying to bridge these ideas into real applications.

In addition to improving treatment of HIV in low-resource settings by supplying a low-cost, portable diagnostic device, Issadore says that this technology could become important in the next generation of HIV treatment.

Right now we don't cure HIV; we manage the disease, Issadore said. "Rather than having patients take drugs for the rest of their lives, the hope is that a cure can be developed for HIV. Currently, no one knows how to do that."

One of the problems is that, when patients are given medication, the amount of viruses in their bloods will continue to drop until it goes below the level of sensitivity of the current tests. When the disease gets to this extremely low level, which is called the latent reservoir, it enters a sort of resting state. Although its inactive, its still in the patients body and eventually comes back and becomes a problem again.

Because of this, the only way to know if the treatment has worked is to take it away and wait to see if the disease comes back.

Issadore says that these ultrasensitive detectors might have the potential to measure HIV at even lower levels, which could support research aimed at developing a cure.

But for now the immediate goal of the project is to improve and merge the two technologies and to eventually move beyond working with artificial samples with a known amount of viruses to working with samples from patients in sub-Saharan African countries such as Botswana to see if the device works.
An online Twitter feed that brings the authentic voices of Ireland to the world is being curated by a Clonmel man this week.

Barry Purcell is tweeting from the @Ireland Twitter account, which features a different person every week.

Since taking control of the account yesterday (Monday) morning Barry has brought the world some lovely images of Clonmel and has been tweeting about life in an Irish town.

Barrys grandfather was editor of The Nationalist, Willie Darmody, and his parents ran a jewellery business in the town for many years.

The @Ireland Twitter account rotates each week with a new voice introduced every Monday morning. As the Ireland of today is not confined to the island of Ireland, the varied voices of @Ireland come from Ireland and across the world.

Started in March 2012 and inspired by the @Sweden project, @Ireland is based around the idea that a single voice cannot represent a country. By sharing people's experiences and lives with the world, project custodians WorldIrish believe @Ireland can help to further connect Ireland to the world and the world to Ireland through the different voices that curate the account each week.

People can apply to be the voice of @Ireland for a week or can nominate a person they believe could represent Ireland. Find out more at the Irish Central website.
(Natural News) If you like your doctor you can keep your doctor. If you like your plan then youll be able to keep your plan. Average premiums will go down by $2,500. These were just some of the lies that Barack Obama and the democrats used to introduce the Affordable Care Act to the American people and then ram it down their throats. Everyone knows that the federal government cant run healthcare, and yet the democrats pushed it through anyway without a single republican vote. Since its inception in 2010, Obamacare has had devastating effects on not only the lives of the people but also on our economy, with many speculating that the worst is still to come.

Now, Aetna Inc. Chief Executive Officer Mark Bertolini is criticizing the Affordable Care Act once again, this time warning that the healthcare law is teetering on the brink of collapse. It is in a death spiral, Bertolini said in a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal. My anticipation is that by 2018 well see a lot of markets without any coverage at all. The Aetna CEO explained that, there isnt enough money in the ACA as its structured, even with its fees and taxes, to support the population that needs to be served.

This certainly isnt the first time that Bertolini has been an outspoken critic of Obamacare. In October of last year, Bertolini predicted that rising premiums would deter healthy people from Obamacare, thus leaving insurers with even sicker customers and forcing premiums to rise even higher.

The economic burden of Obamacare is no secret. According to a CBO report from January of 2016, Americas national debt will reach $30 trillion within the next decade, due largely to the Affordable Care Act. It goes without saying that $30 trillion of debt is not only astronomical but also unsustainable. Someday, one generation of Americans is going to be forced to deal with the economic consequences. Furthermore, experts predicted that Obamas signature health care law would drive workers out of the labor force, thus adding more strain to an economy thats already been struggling. (RELATED: Is the economic strife generated from the ACA all part of the plan?)

The Internet is replete with horror stories of individuals and families who have seen their lives turn upside down as a result of the ACA. Some may remember the name Jessica Sanford, whose fan letter was mentioned by Barack Obama in 2013. In the letter, she raved about Obamacare and how inexpensive it was it was only a matter of time. Just one month later, Sanford, a business owner in Washington State, completely reversed course, telling the Washington State Wire that she was really terribly embarrassed.

Initially, the Washington State exchange website, Washington Healthplanfinder, told Jessica that she would receive coverage for her and her son for just $169 per month. In the end, that turned out to not be true. Jessicas son was placed on the states Medicaid plan and Jessica herself was forced to pay the individual mandate penalty instead of purchasing health insurance for herself. (RELATED: Read about Obamacare fraud  where exactly is the money going?)

More recently, in a CNN debate night special on Obamacare between Senators Ted Cruz and Bernie Sanders, a woman stood up and described an unfortunate situation that the Affordable Care Act had put her in. She explained that she owns several hair salons with nearly 50 employees in total and that she wouldnt be able to afford to pay for each of them to have health insurance as required by the ACA. Sanders responded by essentially telling her to suck it up and get over it. If you have more than 50 people, you know what, Im afraid to tell you, I think you will have to provide health insurance, said the Vermont senator.

And therein lies the ugly truth  the Affordable Care Act is actually not affordable, and it is being promoted by people, like Bernie Sanders, who simply do not care.

Sources:

Bloomberg.com

WSJ.com

WashingtonTimes.com

ConservativePost.com

DailyCaller.com
If we think Elon Musk is not serious about digging a hole in the ground to make an underground tunnel in Los Angeles, think again. The CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, and now the Boring Company is on his way to create an underground tunnel.

Musk previously mentioned that a tunnel can lessen traffic around the U.S. According to Futurism, if he gets his way, the construction of the said underground tunnel could begin in Los Angeles as early as February this year. And true to his word, Musk is starting his project right now.

His new machine, as seen in a Futurism, is starting to dig a tunnel as an integral part of a previous SpaceX demonstration. Of course, at that point, the machine has just created a big hole. However, Musk clarified his full intention of actually creating a tunnel for his plans.

Read: Elon Musk: Make Earth a 'Multi-Planet Civilization' via Trump's Advisory Council

Unfortunately, Science Alert noted that Musk was not very direct about just how the tunnel will be built or how will it work. However, given he is also the proponent of the super-fast train Hyperloop, the outlet presumed that Elon Musk's underground tunnels could be a part of a network of roads for that will accommodate the Hyperloop train. Musk also did not deny the possibility of the tunnels accommodating the Hyperloop train, which made the idea a much interesting prospect to observe.

Tunnelling machines have already in the past. However, according to Futurism, Musk plans his machine to do the drilling faster and more efficiently, which opens yet another load of questions about financing and the actual planning of the tunnels. There is the possibility that Musk could present his proposal to U.S. President Donald Trump. given that he is a part of the new presidential advisory team.

Interestingly, the drilling machine may also be used in Musk's mission to make settlements on Mars. After all, the notion of an underground colony is something that can protect people from the radiation of the red planet.
Wind energy is proving to be a growing industry in the U.S. with over 100,000 jobs being provided to workers. This is a milestone for the growing industry that is currently at risk of being affected by changing climate regulations under U.S. President Donald Trump's new administration.

High Employment Rate and Energy Independence

According to statistics released by the US Department of Energy, there are actually more people working in wind energy plants in the country than there are in other industries (e.g., natural gas, nuclear and hydroelectric power). More importantly, the high employment rate of wind energy beats that of coal companies.

Tom Kiernan, head of the American Wind Energy Association, told Energy Central that the data is a defining moment for wind power as it shows its immense impact in creating not only sustainable energy but also employment for Americans.

The statistics also shows how wind energy boost the economy as well as generate the country's energy independence.

Read: America's First Offshore Wind Farm in Block Island Officially Opens

400,000 Jobs to Go Including Veterans

According to HPPR, wind power plants also employ veterans with wages that are 50 percent higher than the national average.

The jobs are also found all across the country, which proves the growing influence of wind power over the energy infrastructure of the country. For instance, according to the DOE report, Texas is home to almost 25 percent of wind workers in the U.S.

If this trend continues, it is projected that there will be 400,000 jobs in the wind market for Americans. This can help solve the "unemployment" crisis due to the displacement of manpower by artificial intelligence. The fact that industries, such as wind energy, are creating jobs for workers is a good sign of a stabilizing economy.

Other nations may even adopt this strategy and put an emphasis in various renewables in order to generate jobs for their citizens to not only help solve global warming but also put an end to the growing issue of unemployment.
Pluto recently rang in its 87th birthday since its discovery. As a late birthday present to the far-flung former planet, a group of scientists from NASA recently put together a proposal to redefine what being a planet means. If approved, this move will add over a hundred planets into the solar system including Pluto and our moon.

Led by Alan Stern of NASA's New Horizons mission to Pluto, the team of scientists proposed that planets no longer need to orbit the Sun to be classified as such. According to a report from Science Alert, they plan to define planets with their "intrinsic physical properties" instead of their relationship with stars and other external objects.

The proposed new definition of a planet, according to the team is: "A planet is a sub-stellar mass body that has never undergone nuclear fusion and that has sufficient self-gravitation to assume a spheroidal shape adequately described by a triaxial ellipsoid regardless of its orbital parameters."

More succintly -- and simpler for students -- the scientists consider planets to be "round objects in space that are smaller than stars." With this definition, it's not just Pluto that will make it into planet territory but hundreds of other celestial bodies including the Earth's moon and other moons.

The scientists called the current International Astronomical Union (IAU) definition of planets as flawed, citing three primary reasons for this conclusion.

First, the team criticized IAU for only recognizing objects that orbit the Sun as planets. They also point to "zone clearing" as an unnecessary requirement that no planet can actually satisfy because of other cosmic bodies such as near-Earth objects (NEO) constantly entering and crossing the orbits. Most importantly, the team pointed out that zone clearing is flawed in the way it requires larger objects as it reaches further zones. The scientists explain in the report, "For example, even an Earth-sized object in the Kuiper Belt would not clear its zone."

Time will tell if IAU accepts the proposed planet classifications, but if it pulls through, it's going to be much harder to keep track of Earth's neighboring planets in the solar system.
Despite being great and majestic creatures, elephants find themselves constantly threatened by poachers who want them for their ivory tusks. The forests of Gabon, Africa is supposed to be their safe haven, but a recent study published in Current Biology revealed that the forest elephants are dying out even in this corner of the world.

Scientists focused their study on the isolated Minkebe National Park (MNP) in Gabon, which was created primarily to be a sanctuary for forest elephants.

Nearly half of Central Africa's forest elephant population were believed to be in this national park, but the team found that more than 25,000 of the creatures have died between the years of 2004 and 2014. Declining from around 35,000 in 2004 to just 7,000 in 2014, the 78-81 percent population drop over the decade is an alarming phenomenon that is thought to be due to cross-border poaching.

"[This is] one of their last strongholds," George Wittemyer, an elephant conservationist at Colorado State University in Fort Collins who was not part of the study, told Science Magazine. "Their last bastions are now being eroded."

Read: Hurray! China Announces Complete Ban on Ivory Trade by 2017

Forest elephants are different from the savannah or bush elephant that also lives in Africa. According to a report from The Atlantic, the former is much more elusive with ivory that has a pinkish tint and prized by poachers and collectors.

Because they are so difficult to get a hold of, the scientists came to their conclusions by counting piles of dung, converting them to elephant numbers in 2004 and 2014. The results were a surprise to the scientists who weren't expecting such a steep decline in numbers.

"It was an enormous shock," John Poulsen, co-author from Duke University, said. "To be quite honest, I would have guessed that other studies had overestimated the loss. I was expecting a decline, but I didn't expect it to be that high."

Poachers from Cameroon make their way to Gabon despite military presence. Commercial logging is one of the main threats to the elephant population, bringing in more people to the area and giving way to roads that lead hunters straight to the home of forest elephants.
While no one can tell for sure what lies beyond the Solar System or if there is life oustide Earth, NASA and other space-focused endeavors are working tirelessly to further understand the universe. NASA is about to reveal another "major" discovery that will be announced at a press conference soon.

NASA teases about the discovery in a press release that announced a press conference that will take place at 1 p.m. EST on Feb. 22. The conference will discuss the new "major" findings on planets that orbit stars other than the center of the Solar System, also known as exoplanets.

The press conference will air live on NASA TV and NASA's official website. The anticipation grew since the details about the findings on exoplanets were embargoed.

NASA wanted to involve the media, the scientific community and even the public. Media practitioners are encouraged to witness the conference at the studio in Washington, although seating is limited.

The public can join the conference by posting their question on Twitter and by using the hashtag #askNASA, according to the agency's most recent press release.

READ: Sixty Newly Discovered Planets Include a Rocky 'Super Earth'

The conference will be participated by NASA officials such as Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington, and Sean Carey, manager of NASA's Spitzer Science Center at Caltech/IPAC, Pasadena, California. They will be joined by scientists from various institutions including professor Sara Seager of the planetary science and physics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, astronomers Michael Gillon from the University of Liege in Belgium and Nikole Lewis from the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore.

CNET confirmed that the finding would involve some new information about the nearest star system to Earth, Proxima Centauri. Last year, the potentially habitable planet called Proxima B was spotted in Alpha Centauri.

Proxima B orbits its own star. The said exoplanet is believed to have its own atmosphere and other attributes that make it a great candidate to potentially hold life.
A stretch of Highway 17 remains closed Tuesday morning after a rock slide blocked southbound lanes of traffic, but a massive mudslide near Scotts Valley that has caused traffic headaches for two weeks has been cleared.

Tumbling rocks and debris closed both lanes of southbound traffic Tuesday night around 7 p.m. near Los Gatos, marking yet another closure for the main artery that links Santa Cruz to the South Bay. Caltrans crews hope to clear the rock slide in time for the Tuesday afternoon commute.

While some crews cleared the latest hazard, others were able to reopen northbound Highway 17 near Scotts Valley after a massive mudslide forced limited access for nearly two weeks. Traffic was reduced to one lane in each direction using the two southbound lanes.

Mudslide cleanup was not only problematic because of recent rain, it was emotional. One worker was killed on Feb. 9 after he was hit by a dump truck in a secured work zone. Another worker was also hit and injured.

A historically wet winter season has pummeled the Santa Cruz Mountains with heavy downpours and gusty winds, triggering several mudslides and crashing trees. Those hazards have caused a number of closures and diversions for frustrated commuters.

Motorists on Monday worked together to remove a large tree after it crashed down on the battered roadway and blocked all four lanes of traffic.
Police are investigating a crash late Monday on Interstate 280 in the Los Altos Hills that left a driver dead and a California Highway Patrol officer injured.

CHP officials said an officer responded at 6:50 p.m. to reports of a car stuck in the mud on southbound I-280, near El Monte. A separate vehicle struck the CHP car while it on the side of the roadway, police said.

The driver of the SUV that struck the CHP vehicle was transported to Stanford Hospital, where they later died, police said.

The CHP officer was transported to the hospital with minor injuries.

No other information was immediately available.
Former pharmaceutical executive and internet troll Martin Shkreli took over a Facebook group affiliated with UC Berkeley students on Monday, posting live streams during which he took questions from members of the group and discussed a potential visit to the campus.

Shkreli, who is known for instituting a 5,000 percent price hike on a crucial drug used by HIV and AIDS patients, became a member of the Facebook group "UC Berkeley Memes for Edgy Teens" Monday morning. Once he was a member, he proceeded to post his phone number to the page and troll students who called him.

The bizarre live stream lasted more than an hour, during which Shkreli  who was named "The Most Hated CEO" last year  discussed the Wu Tang Clan and brought out nun chucks and his guitar, but denied requests to play the Oasis hit "Wonderwall." Group members seemed to welcome his presence on the page despite Shkrelis controversial actions as head of Turing Pharma and as a supporter of President Donald Trump.

"This whole interaction with him is quite ironic because the majority of people dislike him, but it was an interesting interaction," Rachel Trujillo, a moderator of the Facebook group, told campus newspaper The Daily Californian. "I saw he would just post something and it would get 2,000 likes in a short amount of time..."

CAUTION: Video contains vulgar language and profanity.

At one point, the self-proclaimed "Pharma Bro" mocked "social justice warriors"  a derogatory term frequently used to describe liberal activists  and referred to one Facebook user as a "social justice warrior b*tch" who needed to "come out of her safe space." He also took a dig at alt-right provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos  with whom Shkreli once had a scheduled speaking engagement  saying the former Breitbart News editor, who resigned Wednesday from his post, was "condoning pedophilia."

Yiannopoulos, whose presence at Berkeley sparked violent protests earlier this month, lost a book deal after a tape surfaced of him advocating relationships between "men" and "boys" as young as 13 years old. A joint appearance by Yiannopoulos and Shkreli at UC Davis was cancelled in January amid large protests, but it appears Shkreli, who was indicted for securities fraud, is still willing to visit UC Berkeley.

"Id love to come to Berkeley," Shkreli said. "Itd be an honor."
The Richmond City Council will on Tuesday consider a resolution calling on the U.S. Congress to investigate whether President Donald Trumps numerous business holdings are in violation of the Constitution and warrant his impeachment.

The resolution, which is largely symbolic, urges the House of Representatives Committee of the Judiciary to investigate Trumps business ties for possible violations of the Emoluments Clause, a previously obscure provision in the Constitution that bars presidents from accepting gifts or making a profit from foreign states. The clause has never been tested in court.

Richmond officials say their city is the first to consider passing a resolution of this kind, although many other local governments across the country, including San Francisco and Alameda counties, have passed resolutions opposing the Trump agenda. Councilwoman Gayle McLaughlin introduced the resolution.

This is hardly the first move to investigate Trumps potential conflicts of interest. Throughout the course of the last election, journalists and political watchdogs have been scrupulously monitoring Trumps business dealings  inquiries made all the more difficult without the release of his tax returns.

Many worry that Trump is using his new title to expand his empire and believe he is using connections with foreign dignitaries to promote his brand. Shortly after the inauguration, membership fees at Trumps exclusive Palm Beach country club Mar-a-Lago doubled in price to $200,000 per year, and the president has since spent several weekends  including one with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe  at the resort. Trump has even attempted to dub the property The Winter White House and The Southern White House.

In January, Citizens for Responsibiliy and Ethics in Washington, a political watchdog group, filed suit against Trump for alleged violations of the clause. They say it prohibits Trump from taking any money from foreign states, even for services rendered. That would mean that Trump-owned hotels and properties that rent space to foreign entities  such as a state-controlled Chinese bank at Trump Tower  are in violation of the Constitution.

President Trump has made his slogan America First, CREW Executive Director Noah Bookbinder in a statement about the suit. So you would think he would want to strictly follow the Constitutions foreign emoluments clause, since it was written to ensure our government officials are thinking of Americans first, and not foreign governments.

At a press conference in January, during which Trump announced his controversial divestment plans, attorney Sherri Dillon said that hotel transactions are not a violation of the clause.

These people are wrong, Dillon said. This is not what the Constitution says. Paying for a hotel room is not a gift or a present and it has nothing to do with an office. Its not an emolument.

Richmonds City Council, the most progressive local government in Contra Costa County, is expected to pass the resolution.

Check back for updates.
President Donald Trump said Tuesday that a series of bomb threats called in to Jewish community centers around the country in the last few months "are horrible and painful."

They were his first remarks specifically addressing the threats, coming amid mounting criticism about his silence. Earlier Tuesday, Hillary Clinton called the series of threats and attacks against Jews and Jewish groups "so troubling" in a tweet that urged Trump to speak out against them.

Trump spoke over an hour later at a news conference at the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

"The anti-Semitic threats targeting our Jewish community and community centers are horrible and painful and a very sad reminder of the work that still must be done to root out hate and prejudice and evil," he said.

Before that, Trump hadn't commented directly on the threats, despite being asked about them at two recent press conferences. The latest wave of threats came Monday, with 10 locations targeted. Also Monday, dozens of headstones were toppled at a Jewish cemetery near St. Louis.

"JCC threats, cemetery desecration & online attacks are so troubling & they need to be stopped. Everyone must speak out, starting w/ @POTUS," Clinton tweeted, referring to Trump, who beat her in November's election.

About an hour afterward, a threat was received at a Jewish Community Center in the San Diego area.

Also at the museum Tuesday, Trump condemned anti-Semitism as horrible in an interview with NBC News, saying "it's going to stop and it has to stop."

But the Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect, an anti-discrimination advocacy group, said that Trump's statement is not nearly enough to address the worst anti-Semitism its staff had ever seen in the White House

The Presidents sudden acknowledgement of Anti-Semitism is a Band-Aid on the cancer of Anti-Semitism that has infected his own Administration," the center said in a statement. "His statement today is a pathetic asterisk of condescension after weeks in which he and his staff have committed grotesque acts and omissions reflecting Anti-Semitism, yet day after day have refused to apologize and correct the record."

There have been several sets of bomb threats against Jewish Community Center facilities since Trump was elected president, along with other incidents involving anti-Semitic symbols like swastikas.

The Southern Poverty Law Center said recently it reported an increase in U.S. hate groups in 2016  the second year in a row the number has risen.

The total number of organizations considered hate groups by the SPLC rose from 892 in 2015 to 917 in 2016. Mark Potok, an editor of the report called 2016, "an unprecedented year for hate."

While Trump has spoken out against hatred and the White House said Monday that "hate-motivated violence" is unacceptable, he had not specifically decried threats and attacks against specific groups, including Jews, even when a Jewish reporter asked him about the rise in anti-Semitic incidents around the country in a contentious news conference Thursday.

Trump told the reporter, a Hasidic Jew from an Orthodox magazine who had taken pains to preface his question by saying he knew Trump wasn't anti-Jewish, to sit down. Trump said it was not a simple or fair question before describing himself as "the least anti-Semitic person you've ever seen in your entire life."

The reporter, Jake Turx, later told The New York Times he spoke with White House staff members who assured him it would give the proper help, guidance and collaboration on anti-Semitism.

Jonathan Greenblatt, chief executive of the Anti-Defamation League, called the president's response to Turx "mind-boggling." The ADL works to combat anti-Semitism and fights for civil rights protections.

Trump supporter Mort Klein, president of the hawkish Zionist Organization of America, said Trump must have been frustrated by the "relentless and outrageous allegations" of anti-Semitism against him and his White House strategist Steve Bannon.

A day earlier, Trump had another chance to respond to the rise in anti-Semitic harassment in the U.S. when asked about it by an Israeli reporter at a news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, where Trump had opened by calling Israel a symbol of "survival in the face of genocide."

But he responded to the reporter by touting the total number of Electoral College votes he won and promised "peace in this country."

Netanyahu then took up the question, saying he had known the president, his family and some of his aides for many years and "there is no greater supporter of the Jewish people and the Jewish state than President Donald Trump. I think we should put that to rest."

But Trump's answer to that question drew criticism from the ADL, which tweeted it's "troubling that @POTUS failed to condemn real issue of anti-Semitism in US today."

Trump's daughter, Ivanka Trump, did specifically condemn the latest threats against JCCs on Monday.

She converted to Judaism when she married Jared Kushner, and she tweeted that "America is a nation built on the principle of religious tolerance. We must protect our houses of worship & religious centers. #JCC."

Greenblatt, the ADL chief executive, said on Twitter he was happy to see Ivanka Trump's tweet, but added that "All Jews need to urge @POTUS to step forward & share a plan. His words carry weight. His actions will speak even louder."

Clinton's daughter, Chelsea, also responded to the attacks Monday in a tweet  and used it to criticize Trump's silence.

"<2 months into 2017: JCC bomb threats, synagogue defamed, subway swastikas, Jewish cemetery desecrated. NOW will Trump condemn antisemitism?" Clinton said.

The White House released a statement Monday about "hate-motivated violence" in response to a request from NBC News about the wave of threats to JCCs.

"Hatred and hate-motivated violence of any kind have no place in a country founded on the promise of individual freedom," press secretary Sean Spicer said in a statement Monday. "The president has made it abundantly clear that these actions are unacceptable."

The FBI is investigating the threats as possible civil rights violations.
Mark Zuckerberg helped create the modern world by connecting nearly a quarter of its citizens to Facebook and giving them a platform to share, well, everything  baby pictures and Pepe memes, social updates and abusive bullying, helpful how-to videos and live-streamed violence.

Now he wants to remake it, too, in a way that counters isolationism, promotes global connections and addresses social ills  while also cementing Facebook's central role as a builder of online "community" for its nearly 2 billion users.

The Facebook founder laid out his thoughts on Thursday in a sweeping 5,800-word manifesto that hews closer to utopian social guide than business plan. Are we, he asked in the document, "building the world we all want?"

In a phone interview with The Associated Press, Zuckerberg stressed that he wasn't motivated by the recent U.S. election or any other particular event. Rather, he said, it's the growing sentiment in many parts of the world that "connecting the world"  the founding idea behind Facebook  is no longer a good thing.

"Across the world there are people left behind by globalization, and movements for withdrawing from global connection," Zuckerberg, who founded Facebook in a Harvard dorm room in 2004, wrote on Thursday. So it falls to his company to "develop the social infrastructure to give people the power to build a global community that works for all of us."

CONNECTING IN FACEBOOK'S INTEREST

Zuckerberg, 32, told the AP that he still strongly believes that more connectedness is the right direction for the world. But, he added, it's "not enough if it's good for some people but it's doesn't work for other people. We really have to bring everyone along."

It's hardly a surprise that Zuckerberg wants to find ways to bring more people together, especially on Facebook. After all, getting more people to come together on the social network more frequently would give Facebook more opportunities to sell the ads that generate most of its revenue, which totaled $27 billion last year. And bringing in more money probably would boost Facebook's stock price to make Zuckerberg  already worth an estimated $56 billion  even richer.

And while the idea of unifying the world is laudable, some critics  backed by various studies  contend that Facebook makes some people feel lonelier and more isolated as they scroll through the mostly ebullient posts and photos shared on the social network. Facebook's famous "like" button also makes it easy to engage in a form of "one-click" communication that can displace meaningful dialogue.

Facebook also has been lambasted as a polarizing force by circulating posts espousing similar viewpoints and interests among like-minded people, creating an "echo chamber" that can harden opinions and widen political and cultural chasms.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT

Today, most of Facebook's 1.86 billion members  about 85 percent  live outside of the U.S. and Canada. The Menlo Park, California-based company has offices everywhere from Amsterdam to Jakarta, Indonesia, to Tel Aviv, Israel. (It is banned in China, the world's most populous country, though some people get around the ban.) Naturally, Zuckerberg takes a global view of Facebook and sees potential that goes beyond borders, cities and nations.

Equally naturally, he sees the social network stepping up as more traditional cultural ties fray. People already use Facebook to connect with strangers who have the same rare disease, to post political diatribes, to share news links (and sometimes fake news links ). Facebook has also pushed its users to register to vote, to donate to causes, to mark themselves safe after natural disasters, and to "go live ." For many, it's become a utility. Some 1.23 billion people use it daily.

"Our next focus will be developing the social infrastructure for community  for supporting us, for keeping us safe, for informing us, for civic engagement, and for inclusion of all," he wrote.

LONG VIEW

Zuckerberg has gotten Facebook to this position of global dominance  one that Myspace and Twitter, for instance, never even approached  partly thanks to his audacious, long-term view of the company and its place in the world.

Last fall, Zuckerberg and his wife, the doctor Priscilla Chan, unveiled the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative , a long-term effort aimed at eradicating all disease by the end of this century. Then, as now, Zuckerberg preferred to look far down the road to the potential of scientific and technological innovations that have not been perfected, or even invented yet.

That includes artificial intelligence, which in this case means software that's capable of "thinking" enough like humans to start making the sorts of judgments that Facebook sometimes bobbles. Last September, for instance, the service briefly barred the famous Vietnam War-era photograph dubbed "Napalm Girl" because it featured a nude child, and only reversed its decision after users  including the prime minister of Norway  protested.

AI systems could also comb through the vast amount of material users post on Facebook to detect everything from bullying to the early signs of suicidal thinking to extremist recruiting. AI, Zuckerberg wrote, could "understand more quickly and accurately what is happening across our community."

Speaking to the AP, Zuckerberg said he understands that we might not "solve all the issues that we want" in the short term.

"One of my favorite quotes is this Bill Gates quote, that 'people overestimate what they can get done in two years and underestimate what they can get done in 10 years.' And that's an important mindset that I hope more people take today," he said.
A woman is in custody after allegedly making threats with a handgun towards officers at her condominium in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on Monday afternoon.

Police were called to the condo on Springbrook Circle to do a welfare check on the woman inside sometime during the early afternoon. When authorities arrived, the woman allegedly pointed the gun towards the officers through a window.

Authorities said the woman made several statements about killing the officers and anyone who tried to enter the home.

Following the threats, the officers retreated and formed a perimeter outside. The Seacoast Emergency Response Team Team was then mobilized and crisis negotiators were called in.

Police said the woman exited the home at one point pouring an unknown liquid into the courtyard, which she identified as a flammable chemical, before going back inside. Another time she went outside, police said she held the gun to her head and threatened to shoot herself.

Traffic was kept away from the area for hours while the standoff was taking place.

The woman, who has not been identified, eventually surrendered and was taken into custody. She was taken to an area hospital to be checked out.

Police said she is facing a number of charges that have yet to be determined.
Exactly one month after President Donald Trump was sworn into office, Chicagoans gathered near his eponymous skyscraper in protest of his policies on Monday.

Hundreds joined the "Not My Presidents Day" demonstration around noon in the city's Loop near East Upper Wacker Drive and North Wabash Avenue.

"We are out here opposing this agenda, opposing his ideology, and saying that we are not going to accept it," Susan McNish, a teacher, said.

The protest was one of several taking place across the country, with at least 20 others expected in cities including Los Angeles, New York and Washington, DC.

Monday's gathering was the second day in a row demonstrators rallied in Chicago, as dozens marched through the Loop on Sunday afternoon as well.

Groups from both sides came together in a peaceful manner for the protest.



Debra McKinley said the warm weather drew her to Chicago for the weekend. When McKinley heard about the protest, she said she couldn't stand by without voicing her opinion.

"Let Trump lead us," she said. "We are all on the same team. People don't realize that but we are."

"If everyone could just get around his style and just give him a chance, then judge him in a year. I think that's the right thing to do."



"Be patient and give him a chance," Chris Ehrlich said. "I mean he is America's president. Just give him a chance."



"I truly believe he has our best interest at heart for this country."



Holly Schaal of Powers Lake, Wisconsin, said she attended the protest because she is "tired of people hating on each other."



"I just want people to be happy and I want everybody to have rights," Schaal said. "I am tired of Trump and his fiction that is changing everybody's views on each other. We are going backwards."
A group of Rogers Park neighbors made up of Caroline Hedger Apartments residents, Loyola University students and others held a press conference outside the Chicago Housing Authority Tuesday to voice opposition to a proposed Target and conjoined mixed-use development in their North Side neighborhood.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the CHA announced last month a proposed mixed-income and mixed-use development including affordable and market-rate housing and a flexible-format Target store. The development would also include an upgraded community room" and open space for residents of CHAs Caroline Hedger Apartments for seniors on the 6400 block of North Sheridan Road.

But on Tuesday morning, concerned residents in the area stood holding signs outside the Chicago Housing Authority that read People Over Profits.

We find the fact that CHA calls our community space they want to build a vacant lot insulting, said Stephanie Hayes, a resident at Caroline Hedger Apartments and a member of Jane Addams Senior Caucus. This lot isnt vacant, it is our space, our community. We are asking that the board of commissioners vote in favor of CHA residents today, not in support of selling off our land to private interests. We want the public housing, not giveaways to big developers.

The CHA responded to the press conference held by residents Tuesday with a statement.

CHA has met a number of times over the last few months with the buildings residents to discuss this proposal and the convenience of a Target adjacent to the Hedger Apartments on land that is currently a parking lot is an amenity that many residents have expressed support for during these meetings, the statement reads. The plans also call for a new 5,000 square foot community room for the seniors that will replace the current community space, and dedicated open, green space for Hedger residents, an amenity which currently is not available for residents.

Developer Three Corners project would include a six-story apartment building with ground floor retail and aims to expand affordable housing opportunities on Chicagos North Side, according to a news release from the CHA last January.

Ive been pleased with the responsiveness of the CHA and the developers to the suggestions offered by nearby neighbors, said Ald. Joe Moore in the January CHA news release. I certainly believe my community can benefit from more quality market-rate and affordable housing.

Moore said Tuesday that he was still soliciting input and gathering information on zoning and land use issues regarding the proposal.

"I haven't made a final decision on the development," he said in a phone interview.

The development would include 111 mixed-income apartments, a rooftop terrace and 133 parking spaces for residents.

The fact that a national retailer with the reputation of Target is now interested in Rogers Park speaks to the progress we have made in our community over the last several years, Moore said in a previous statement.

But not all residents are happy about the proposal.

Bill Morton, president of the Rogers Park Chamber of Commerce, said a Target coming to the neighborhood will hurt small businesses.

The Rogers Park Chamber of Commerce is not related to the Rogers Park Business Alliance.

Morton said small mom and pop shops on the neighborhoods Devon Corridor and senior citizens do not want the project.

When the seniors said they didnt want it, and the CHA lied to us at Ald. Joe Moores community meeting, and said that they voted for itthe seniors were outraged, he said.

Morton also stated that the project would be completed on CHA public land.

Target is a national chain corporationand really?are we using tax payer dollars thats supposed to go for housing for those who are most in need  so Target Brands Inc. can profit? he asked.

Morton then touted the benefit of shopping locally and said that economic stimulus would dwindle under the development.

If you spend $100 at a Target, Target Brands Inc. is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, we dont see that money, he said, adding that there was no guarantee at a community meeting Rogers Parks residents would be hired by the proposed Target.

Thomson also said Target would not comply with a wage ordinance or allow union workers.

Moore said Tuesday that by next year the minimum wage will increase by 2018.

"Everybody's gonna be on the same playing field, so that's a non-issue" he said.

He added that he supports unions but can't make it a requirement for every shop in town to allow them.

"I'd have a Jewel and that's about it," he said.

Bishop James Alan Wilkowski also spoke at the conference, saying that the CHAs responsibility was to find housing for peoplenot remove them from it.

I regret that the alderman has become a political concubine for Target and other industries that would come in without any care or any worry to the needs of the people, he said. If there was any logical need for a Targetwe would be having a different conversationbut there is no need.

Liz Thomson, a resident in Rogers Park for nearly 20 years, said the neighborhoods affordability and diversity are at risk because of the development.

Thomson said the project also threatens the communitys nearby green space and parking lot in addition to small ethnic business revenue.

This is cultural assassination, Thomson said. Ald. Moore insinuating that the community wants this development is a complete lie.

She then called for more time for dialogue with the community to cheers from her supporters.

The CHA's board has yet to vote on the approval of the proposal.
Gov. Bruce Rauner has not had a public schedule since delivering his budget address last Wednesday.

Traditionally, after the budget address, the governor travels to promote his budget agenda, but not this year.

Though repeated questions this week to Rauners press spokesman about his whereabouts have gone unanswered, Ward Room spotted the governor on Wednesday.



Rauner was seen at the Thompson Center where the State Board of Education Board Meeting was being held in Chicago.



When asked where he has been, Rauner said, "skiing in Utah with the kids for my birthday."

Rauner celebrated his 61st birthday on Saturday, his staff said.

Rauner is expected to hold public events in Springfield and Chicago on Wednesday.
A body found Sunday afternoon in the Columbus Park pond in the West Side Austin neighborhood has been identified as a west suburban man.



At 2:42 p.m., the Chicago Police Marine Unit was searching the pond in the 500 block of South Central Avenue for a missing person when the mans body was recovered, according to Chicago Police.



He was identified as 37-year-old Darius J. Dobbs of Broadview, according to the Cook County medical examiners office.



An autopsy Monday did not rule on cause and manner of death, with results pending further investigation.
Convicted murderer Drew Peterson is no longer an Illinois inmate.

The former Bolingbrook police sergeant serving time for killing his third wife has been transferred to federal custody.

The Stateville Northern Reception and Classification Center confirmed Tuesday afternoon that Peterson had moved to its facility in Joliet. Soon after, the Federal Bureau of Prisons confirmed to NBC 5 Investigates that Peterson was being housed at the federal penitentiary in Terre Haute, Indiana -- the same institution which once housed former Gov. George Ryan and the site where Oklahoma City bomber Tim McVeigh was put to death.

An Illinois Department of Corrections spokesperson said Peterson had been "transferred out of IDOC custody." His status on the facility's website was listed as "out of custody."

It remains unclear why Peterson was suddenly transferred. Both the Chicago office of the FBI and the United State's Attorney's office said they had nothing to do with taking him into federal custody.

The Illinois Department of Corrections said Peterson was transferred under provisions of a law called the Interstate Compact Agreement, which allows state and federal government to send and receive offenders.

"For safety and security purposes, the IDOC does not discuss the details concerning the placement of offenders who are transferred," the spoksperson told NBC 5.

Peterson, who was convicted of killing his third wife Kathleen Savio, and is suspected in the disappearance of his fourth wife Stacy Peterson, had been serving a 38-year sentence. The former Bolingbrook police sergeant was recently sentenced to another 40 years in prison after being convicted of a murder-for-hire scheme that involved trying to have the prosecutor who first put him in jail killed.

Petersons fourth wife, Stacy, vanished in 2007, and that set in motion the events that led to his 2012 conviction for Savios murder.

No one has ever been charged in connection with Stacy Petersons disappearance. However, Peterson, 63, remains the prime suspect, and Will County States Attorney James Glasgow told reporters last May we never stop reviewing that case.
Sen. Dick Durbin is meeting with leaders in three eastern European countries to discuss recent Russian aggression and interference in democratic elections.

Durbin met with senior Polish officials Monday in Warsaw. He also is scheduled to meet this week with Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite and Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman. Rep. Mike Quigley is slated to join Durbin for meetings with Ukrainian officials.

Eastern Europe and the transatlantic alliance are at critical moments in their history, Durbin said in a statement. We must support our allies who face the brunt of Russian cyberattacks, propaganda, military intimidation, and even invasion in the case of Ukraine.

Russia used military force to annex a portion of Ukrainian territory known as Crimea in 2014. In addition, the country has used cyber warfare to meddle in elections in a list of western countries, including the United States.

The U.S. intelligence community agreed in January that a Russian influence campaign, ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin, aimed to undermine the 2016 presidential election and aid President Donald Trumps chances of winning. The Russian government has denied the findings

Durbin faulted Trump for defending Russia, claiming it emboldens Putin and further threatens to destabilize these critical democratic nations in the region. The senator is also using the trip to pledge congressional support for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization on "defense cooperation and sanction."

The Baltic States, Poland, Ukraine, and others in the region have friends in Congress and around the world, and together we will continue to stand with them," Durbin said.

In an interview published last month by Germanys Bild newspaper and the Times of London, Trump called NATO obsolete and said the EU is basically a vehicle for Germany. In addition, he lauded the United Kingdoms withdrawal from the European Union.

I think Brexit is going to end up being a great thing, he said.

Vice President Mike Pence told members of NATO and the EU Monday that Trump supports the international partnerships despite previous criticisms, according to NBC News. He also urged NATO members to increase defense spending, echoing Trumps call.
Republican state Rep. Tim Butler wants to update Illinois official seal to reflect the date the state joined the union, according to the Chicago Tribune.

The states seal currently features the date August 26, 1818, which is when Illinois passed its first constitution. Butler reportedly wants to change the date to December 3, 1818, when Illinois entered the union as the 21st state.

In my mind, the December 3rd date is the beginning of our state, Butler told the Tribune. It is when President Monroe signed the congressional resolution authorizing us to join the other states as the 21st state in the union."

The measure passed the Illinois House and now awaits approval from the Illinois Senate and Gov. Bruce Rauner, according to the Tribune.

Butlers measure wouldnt require the state to replace old state seals, which can be found throughout the Capitol. Instead, the legislation would require changes to plates on machines in the secretary of states office that emboss documents. A spokesman for Butler wouldnt provide a cost estimate, but said the process wouldnt be expensive.

Republican state Rep. David Harris reportedly scrutinized the changes, pointing to the fact that August 26 is still an important date in Illinois history. However, Butler claimed its important to reflect when Illinois joined the union as the state gears up for its bicentennial in 2018, the Tribune reports.

Looking forward to the bicentennial year, I think these are things that we need to take a look at, he said.
Hobart police are warning travelers of a skimming scheme in Indiana that multiple drivers have fallen victim to at a gas station.

Three victims who came to the BP in Lake Station near I-80/84 on Ripley all swiped their cards there and it appears one man is getting valuable informationand spending their cash, police say.

The man suspected in the case is on surveillance video, police say, using one card after the other until one works.

Police say criminals can encode new cards with the information they steal via the skimmer to have a functioning card in hand when they make their illegal purchases.

Its believed the man goes through self-checkouts to avoid contact with store employees.

Customers at the BP Monday night say they had heard of skimming schemes before but were surprised it happened there.

Police say the man may be responsible for thousands in fraudulent purchases.

Authorities advise that customers pull on the housing of a card reader before swiping to see if it comes loose. They also say to make sure theres not something placed on top of the factory installed reader.
A 14-year-old boy is facing a felony charge after an alleged beating inside a northwest suburban middle school earlier this month.

The teen, appearing in court with his family Tuesday, was charged with felony aggravated battery and two counts of misdemeanor battery. He was ordered to remain on house arrest with electronic home monitoring and can only go to school and home.

The charges stem from a severe beating that put a 12-year-old student at Kenyon Woods Middle School in South Elgin in a coma.

Henry Sembdner, a seventh-grader at the school, suffered severe injuries and was taken to Presence St. Joseph Hospital in Elgin before being transferred to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, where he continues to recover, his family said.

In a letter to parents, Kenyon Woods Middle School Principal Lisa Olsem said the young boy was assaulted by another student just before noon on Feb. 3.

I spent time with the family of the injured student at the hospital this afternoon and will remain in close contact with them, Olsem wrote. The alleged attacker, [sic] was arrested and transported to South Elgin Police Department.

A school official during a board meeting said the beating may have been sparked by a hallway incident.

The student was bumped, or somehow bumped into the other student, that student then became aggressive in a very short couple of seconds and injured the young man, said John Heiderscheidt, the districts director of safety.

Lawyers for the family of the boy who suffered the "nearly fatal" beating filed a petition in court soon after the incident seeking information about the attack they say was kept from them by the school district.

Attorneys for the boy's family released a statement saying the family holds no ill will toward the student who attacked the boy but noted they still struggle to find answers from school officials who kept them in the dark following the attack.

"Certainly [the family is] angry and upset about what happened to Henry but they're also sympathetic to the extent that there's a young kid out there who clearly has struggles of his own," said Attorney Lance Northcutt.

The attorney said despite reports from the school that the pair bumped into each other in a hallway, there were no prior interactions or bullying incidents between the two.

School District U-46 official Mary Fergus said the district's counsel has been in contact with the Sembdner's attorneys and will continue to do so.

"We have responded to requests for information pursuant to the rules of civil law procedure," she said in an email. "It's important to note the district already has policies in place to support our obligation as a government body to preserve records."

"This filing is not a lawsuit for damages," the Goldberg Weisman Cairo Law Firm said in the statement, "but rather a petition filed under Illinois Supreme Court rules that allows for civil discovery to take place to identify what, if any, claims may exist and who the responsible parties might be."

The law firm said it "intends to take all necessary steps to seek the truth about Henrys attack and will hold District officials accountable in providing this information."

The attorneys said the boy was slammed headfirst onto the floor, which caused him to bleed profusely and become nauseous. They said school officials sent him to the nurse and called his parents to say he suffered a bloody nose and broken tooth.

The school called emergency crews only after the boys eye began to bulge, the attorneys said. At the hospital, the attorneys said, a school official told the family the school had not experienced behavior problems with the student who attacked the boy.

Since that time, Henrys parents have tried to sift through a maze of rumors and second-hand information as to whether that representation was in fact true and have struggled to understand why a child who allegedly had no behavioral issues would suddenly turn violent, the attorneys said.

School officials said they are supporting both students following the incident.

Not only do we support Henry, but we also support the student who allegedly caused thiswe support him through counseling, district CEO Tony Sanders said.

Chief Jerry Krawczyk said the alleged suspect is also in middle school.

"This case makes me sad as a dad," he said. "I've never seen a case like this involving children resulting in such severe injuries."

Two GoFundMe pages were set up to help the Sembdner family with medical costs.

Chicago Cubs star Anthony Rizzo took to Twitter days after the incident to lend Henry some support and make him an offer.

The familys attorneys said the Sembdners are cooperating fully with the South Elgin Police Department and Kane County States Attorneys Office conducting an ongoing investigation into the matter.

The next court appearance is scheduled for April 4.
New Haven Mayor Toni Harp and city and community officials are encouraging more Elm City residents to take advantage of the citys free tax preparation program.

On Tuesday at City Hall, the mayor kicked off the VITA tax prep program, which allows individuals earning under $54,000 annually to have their tax returns filed for free by a trained volunteer. The effort is coordinated by the Connecticut Association for Human Services.

This way you have an IRS trained volunteer with special software that can do your taxes free and can make sure you understand everything that is available to you as a person who is eligible for this program Harp said.

Theres a special focus on residents who qualify for the earned income tax credit--- which can exceed $6,000 for a family of three. Officials say theyre still seeing some people who qualify for the credit but dont get it, leaving needed money theyre entitled to on the table.

Along with helping prepare the taxes, volunteers from the city and several community organizations will also offer financial literacy training on how to spend any anticipated refund, with an emphasis on saving for the future.

Youre going to get your return done by people who care about helping you to save those dollars, do a correct filing with the state and federal government, said Rick Kaiser, leader of the social services division for the City of New Haven.

The city believes only about 5 percent of people who qualified to have their taxes prepared for free did so last tax season.

To find the tax preparation location closest to you, visit www.211ct.org
If the fee for a pistol carry permit increases to $300 from $70 for five years, new gun owners could be the ones discouraged from purchasing guns.

"Existing gun owners, they'll suck it up and do what they have to do," said Gary Lenk, the gunsmith at Newington Gun Exchange. "It's new customers I'm worried about."

Governor Dannel Malloy's proposed budget included fee increases for background checks, new, and renewed pistol carry permits. The estimated new revenue from the increases is $9 million, according to the Office of Policy and Management.

Gov. Malloy has defended the proposal, saying it would bring Connecticut in line with New York City, that has a fee of $340 for the same permit, though other states like Rhode Island, Vermont and New Hampshire do not have similar gun permit fees.

"We always want to be competitive," Malloy said at an event last week. He also rebuffed any claims that he's the enemy of gun owners.

Lenk, at Newington Gun Exchange, disagrees.

Governor Malloy, despite his protestations is not a friend to the gun owners in the State of Connecticut, and he has never yet resisted a chance to take a shot at us, so, the budget gives him another excuse to do that.

For prospective gun buyers, the costs related to purchasing a weapon could be daunting. In addition to the proposed $300 five year permit fee, a resident would have to pay for a background check, a pistol safety course, and a local registration. All in, those fees could exceed $500.

For some people, thats a very severe hit," Lenk said. "If you get the elderly that are on fixed incomes and they find themselves in a situation where theyre nervous and they fear for their safety and they want to get something to protect themselves with, thats a lot of money.

The governor's proposal hasn't received much vocal support in the General Assembly. One of the chairs of the Appropriations Committee, Sen. Cathy Osten said she would look for ways to balance the budget without such a drastic fee increase for gun owners.
Cell phone video of two drivers who blocked traffic on Route 6 in the Mansfield area for a drag race has caught the attention to Connecticut state police.

Leo Halle was caught in the traffic behind the racers and captured the video. He said it happened around 5 p.m. Sunday.

The video shows two Hondas, side-by-side, holding up traffic. A man walks between them, makes a signal, and the cars take off.

"They start burning out their tires, getting them slick, the next thing you know the guys counting down and pointing to each other and they start racing," Halle said.

Halle said the amount of spectators seen on a nearby bridge during the race give the impression that the situation was pre-planned.

Drivers who were caught in the backup were furious, and state police werent too happy about it either.

Drag racing is dangerous, illegal, said Master Sgt. William Kittle.

State police said they did receive reports of the race and are looking into it. The racers could be fined anywhere from $60 to $600, or face jail time if caught.

Police add that if you hear about a race or witness one happening or about to happen, report it to police.

Drivers who spoke to NBC Connecticut agreed with police that the stunt was dangerous and uncalled for.

"Smart idea? Of course not," said Lorraine French of Willimantic

As for Halle, he said the race did inconvenience him, but he had no hard feelings.

Bad place, bad time of day, I used to be young but we picked a better time to do that kind of stuff, he said.
Monday marked the third day of what feels like a heat wave across Connecticut.

By the afternoon, all the snow was gone at the Guilford Mooring on the Water seafood restaurant.

A beautiful snowstorm down here out the windows looks gorgeous, too, waitress Janthina Nelson said. But having a cocktail outside on the patio, I mean theres nothing better than that.

There is nothing better for business at the waterfront restaurant during the winter than this wave of unseasonably warm weather.

Temperature worked to our advantage and thats when we thrive on for this time of year, General Manager Ralph DAmato said.

Some customers even had to wait to be seated over the busy weekend, DAmato said.

Its great to the have the bounce back, he added.

Typically, the Stony Creek Brewery in Branford is closed on Monday, but it is open for the Presidents Day holiday, allowing Dennis Murphy and his friends to enjoy a cold one outside on a warm winter day.

We have the day off, Murphy said. They have excellent beer here, we love atmosphere.

Over the weekend, bartender Jon Sackett said the place was packed.

Everyones been waiting for this moment for the weather to turn around, we can come outside enjoy ourselves grab a pint, Sackett said. We had a lot of volume, a lot of turn around, lot of money come through which is good for us, good for my pockets.

DAmato said without a doubt he could live without another storm until next winter. His staff agrees.

Im ready for summer, Nelson said, Im done shoveling.

DAmato said they plan to set up for outdoor dining in mid-March.

But the restaurant, along with other shoreline businesses, should still benefit from temperatures staying warmer than usual for the rest of the week.
The Ban the Bottle campaign has made its way to the UConn campus at Storrs. The Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) and the Undergraduate Student Government Sustainability Committee are working to ban the sale of single-use, disposable water bottles on campus by 2020.

We're not taking them all away at once, but rather working gradually towards the long-term solution of being totally disposable water bottle free, said Sustainability Committee Chairperson Myles Gibbs.

The idea seems to have traction among students. According to UConn PIRG, their petition has already collected 3,200 signatures.

It is a paper petition basically from students telling the university that they want to see this change to make us a more environmentally conscious and healthier campus, said Casey Lambert, the Ban the Bottle campaign coordinator.

That petition and legislation on the topic is set to be presented to the student government on Wednesday. Freshman Wawa Gatheru drafted the legislation and said their efforts could not come at a more important time.

UConn and Coca-Cola are about to renew their contract this summer and we have seen other universities like Northeastern and Washington University in St. Louis modify their contracts, said Gatheru.

NBC Connecticut spoke with several students who said they would in favor of adding more refill stations on campus, instead of adding more waste.

I always carry around my own water bottle anyway, said senior Michael Espinell.

UConn PIRG said the ban would not apply to sporting events at Gampel Pavilion.
Its something every driver should learn before getting behind the wheel.

If you see flashing lights, or you see traffic, you take caution, and you either stop, slow, pull over for emergency vehicles, Maria Pettola said.

But on Saturday night, Pettola witnessed what happens when those rules of the road are not obeyed.

We were driving from the New Haven area home to Madison, she said.

Her husband slowed down as they approached State Police responding to a broken down tour bus in the media of I-95 northbound in Guilford.

We saw a state trooper at his car in his truck going to get flares, Pettola recalled in an exclusive interview with NBC Connecticut. And just as we were passing him, we heard a collision and saw debris flying in the road.

Instead of pulling over to the right, State Police say Genaro Claussels of Hamden swerved left and sideswiped Trooper First Class Joseph OConnells cruiser.

My immediate reaction was, oh my god, he got pinned between the cars, Pettola said. My husband said, no I saw him, he jumped out of the way, I saw his face, the shock in his face.

Pettola watched Claussels drive off from the scene.

We followed because we wanted to get the license plate at least, she said.

About a quarter mile away, she snapped a photo of troopers who caught up to him.

After what she witnessed, Pettola is urging all drivers to obey the states Move Over law.

I think its extremely important for our emergency responders, she said, for state workers on the side of the road.

OConnell is back on the job.

Were very happy that hes OK, Pettola said.

The driver suspected of being under the influence when he crashed into the troopers cruiser is due in court Tuesday.
A Salem woman is accused of driving under the influence and causing a June 2016 head-on crash in Plainfield that sent a Moosup couple to the hospital.

Police have arrested 30-year-old Stephanie Januszewski, of Salem, in connection with a crash in Plainfield on June 6, 2016 that injured a husband and wife, 77-year-old Matti Huhta and 76-year-old Marcia Huhta, of Moosup.

Police said Januszewski was driving a 1998 Honda Civic north in the area of 416 Starkweather Road, crossed the center line and hit the Huhtas 2006 Mazda 3 head-on.

Marcia Huhta was driving and Matti Huhta was a passenger, police said. All three people involved in the crash were taken to the hospital.

After the crash, Marcia Huhta was flown by LifeStar to Rhode Island Hospital and Matti Huhta, was taken to Rhode Island Hospital with minor injuries.

Januszewski, was initially taken to Backus Hospital in Norwich before LifeStar flew her to Hartford Hospital.

Police said they obtained an arrest warrant for Januszewski and she was arrested today at the Plainfield Police Department after turning herself in.

Januszewski has been charged with operating under the influence of alcohol and or drugs and assault in the second degree with a motor vehicle.

She was held on a $25,000 cash/surety court-set bond and she is scheduled to appear at the Danielson Superior Court today.
Michael Schwarz is a self-employed business owner who buys his own health insurance. The subsidized coverage "Obamacare" offers provides protection from life's unpredictable changes and freedom to pursue his vocation, he says.

Brett Dorsch is also self-employed and buys his own health insurance. But he gets no financial break from the Affordable Care Act. "To me, it's just been a big lie," Dorsch says, forcing him to pay more for less coverage.

Schwarz and Dorsch represent two Americas, pulling farther apart over former President Barack Obama's health care law. Known as the ACA, the law rewrote the rules for people buying their own health insurance, creating winners and losers.

Those with financial subsidies now fear being harmed by President Donald Trump and Republicans intent on repealing and replacing the ACA. But other consumers who also buy their own insurance and don't qualify for financial help feel short-changed by Obama's law. They're hoping repeal will mean relief from rising premiums.

The ACA sought to create one big new market for individual health insurance in each state. It required insurers to accept all customers, regardless of medical problems. And it provided subsidies to help low- and moderate-income people afford premiums.

These newly vested ACA customers joined consumers already in the market, to make a new insurance pool. Policies offered to all had to be upgraded to meet new federal standards for comprehensive benefits, raising premiums. And many of the new customers turned out to be sicker than insurers expected, pushing rates even higher.

Consumers who didn't qualify for government financial help wound up bearing the full cost of premiums. They also faced the law's new requirement to carry health insurance or risk fines.

"One (group) is angry and one is incredibly grateful," said Robert Blendon of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. If Trump and congressional Republicans aren't careful, their actions could stoke fresh grievances without solving longstanding problems of access and cost.

Consider what happened to Schwarz and Dorsch this year, as premiums for a standard plan through HealthCare.gov jumped an average of 25 percent.

Schwarz and his wife are in their mid-20s and live in Tampa, Florida. He has his own commercial photography business and she's pursuing a graduate degree in speech-language pathology.

The sticker price of their HealthCare.gov policy went up about 20 percent, but what they pay monthly is about $115 lower than last year. Not only did their subsidy cover the rise in premium, they're also getting more help because their income went down when Schwarz's wife returned to school full time.

"Being uninsured is not an option," said Schwarz. If Republicans take away his subsidy, "I would have to change careers and find a job that offered health insurance," he said.

Dorsch and his wife live in Wilmington, Delaware, and are in their mid-50s. He has a wholesale business supplying electronics to retail stores and has been buying his own health insurance for years. He gets no financial help from the ACA.

Dorsch said their insurance company wanted to raise the monthly premium to $2,050, or nearly $25,000 a year. They settled for a skimpier plan that still costs $1,350 a month and has a very high deductible.

"In four years my health insurance has more than doubled and I have less coverage," said Dorsch. "It's ludicrous."

He voted for Trump. "He saw the reality that Obamacare has been a nightmare for most Americans, unless you are poor or in a very difficult situation," said Dorsch.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the pool of people buying individual health insurance is basically split down the middle among subsidized customers like Schwarz and those who get no help, like Dorsch.

Republican proposals to tie tax credits to age, not income, would help Dorsch. But they may not be generous enough for Schwarz.

"It's trying to find the way to help the one without hurting the other that's really tricky," said Nicholas Moriello, a health insurance broker from Newark, Delaware. "If we had a way to help the person whose premium has become unaffordable without hurting the person we are currently subsidizing."

Caroline Pearson, of the consulting firm Avalere Health, studied consumers on government marketplaces like HealthCare.gov  where nearly 90 percent get subsidies  and compared them with those who purchase directly from an insurer and pay full cost.

Among Avalere's findings:

The majority of consumers in the government marketplaces live in lower-income neighborhoods with high unemployment. However, among those who purchase directly from an insurer, about 30 percent live neighborhoods with a median income of $100,000 or more.

Consumers in the subsidized market are generally costlier to cover. For those with a standard plan, per-person medical claims averaged $376 per month in 2015, compared to $312 for unsubsidized customers who bought policies directly from an insurer.

The subsidized market is important in states that voted for Trump. In Florida, for example, 70 percent of individual policyholders purchase through HealthCare.gov.

"Obamacare helped a lot of lower-income people with high health needs who previously couldn't afford insurance," said Pearson. "It overlooked the fact that there are a lot of people who are relatively healthy and who didn't want the increased benefits. More sick people drove up premiums, which is resulting in some people feeling like they are worse off."
Dallas police are investigating a deadly shooting Monday afternoon in the Lake Highlands area.

Police officers were called at about 3:30 p.m. to an apartment in the 9600 block of Ferris Branch Boulevard.[[414288923,R]]

There, they found a woman in the parking lot with a gunshot wound to her leg who directed the officers to an apartment, where a man had been fatally shot.

The victim was identified Monday evening as 39-year-old Jason Ali Edwards.

The woman was transported to Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas in good condition.

"I just saw her bleeding with [a] gunshot, you know, so somebody was screaming, somebody got shot, something like that," said neighbor Fields Obas. "So I called [the] police."

Police say witnesses told them a silver four-door vehicle left the apartment complex soon after the shooting.

Anyone with information that could help police is asked to call detectives.

NBC 5's Kevin Cokely contributed to this report.


Frances Bean Cobain paid tribute to her father, Kurt Cobain, with a note posted to Instagram for what would have been his 50th birthday. The Nirvana frontman died in 1994.

"Today would have been your 50th Birthday

You are loved and you are missed

Thank you for giving me

The GIFT of Life

Forever your Daughter, Frances Bean Cobain."

https://www.instagram.com/p/BQudfoUA4RM/

Cobain, who had mounting drug issues in the last years of his life, died of a shotgun wound to the head. His death was ruled a suicide.

Frances Bean, whose mother is musician and Cobain's former wife Courtney Love, was two years old when her father died.

[NATL] Top Entertainment Photos: Best of the American Music Awards, and More
A host of animals, including ring-tailed lemurs and turkey vultures, were moved to higher ground Monday at the Happy Hollow Park and Zoo in San Jose due to rising flood waters.

Happy Hollow employees said that, out of an abundance of caution, they moved a total of eight animals from lower zones of the park threatened by the rising Coyote Creek.

The park did flood back in 1997, but employees were not concerned that the swollen Coyote Creek would create a repeat occurrence this time around.

The relocated animals, which also included a tortoise and a cockatoo, were doing well after being moved to their temporary homes inside of the park.
An Ohio woman is recovering after she was found "molded into" a chair she hadn't left for months.

Barbara Foster's left leg was amputated after she was removed from her Springfield Township home and taken to a nearby hospital, NBC affiliate WNWO reported.

"It looked like a scene out of 'E.T.' to be honest with you, with so many hazmat suits that the fireman were working," said neighbor Robert Zolziak Jr.

Foster, 75, was found molded to a chair in her front living room, surrounded by fecal matter and urine. Police records indicate, a volunteer with Our Lady of Lourdes, who delivers food on a regular basis called 911 because Foster was not acting like herself. The volunteer also told police that foster has not moved from her living room chair since July of last year - he said he had gotten used to the home's foul odor.

Read more from WNWO
The gang member suspected in the murder of a 25-year veteran of the Whittier Police Department may be responsible in the murder of his own cousin that happened hours before the officer shootout, authorities said.

The first homicide occurred before 5:30 a.m. Monday in the 1400 block of Volney Drive in East Los Angeles, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

Ray Torres, 47, was gunned down in front of his house by his distant cousin, who is the man accused of fatally shooting Whittier police officer Keith Boyer hours later at Colima Road and Mar Vista in Whittier, authorities said.

The suspect, who was not yet publicly named by authorities, was believed to have fled the shooting scene in East Los Angeles in Torres' car before he crashed it in Whittier and got into a shootout with the officers, said Capt. Steve Katz with the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department.

Authorities said the suspect was a known gang member with an extensive criminal record. He was released from prison in April 2016 and was released early from jail eight days ago due to one of several California initiatives aimed a reducing overcrowding, authorities said.

A small memorial was set up outside the garage unit where Torres lived. Relatives were outraged that the suspect was free at all.

"He's an animal. He belongs locked up," said Francine Rivera, Torres' aunt. "He's hurt my nephew, us, my sister, he's hurt those other people, the officers."
Laurel Silver-Valker's sons never worried about their mother scuba diving.

"It brought her peace," Alex Valker said

She was an educator from Tustin, and an experienced diver.

"She was a teacher at life. This whole place is a classroom for her," her son said.

On December 29, 2015, she was embarking on nearly her 1,000th dive.

It would be her last.

Laurel was lost at sea.

"It was a shock," her son Graham Valker said.

"When my father told me she was missing -- I no longer felt her, she was gone," Alex said.

Laurel went on a diving trip with Sundiver Express -- a regular. She sometimes volunteered as a crew member.

It was bright skies and calm seas as they left long beach headed to Ship Rock, the first dive site.

Attorney David Rose, defending Sundiver in a civil lawsuit, acknowledges the captain helped Laurel into the water.

"She watched her descend 15-20 feet. Laurel gave the thumbs up," Rose said.

That was the last time Laurel was seen alive.

The captain is responsible for everyone who steps onto their boat," said Jeffrey Salberg, attorney for Laurel's sons.

NBC4 obtained Coast Guard documents that confirm Laurel's name was not on the initial passenger roster.

It is the very same list used to make sure that all divers are out of the water and back on the boat.

It wasn't until the boat reached a second dive location that the crew noticed Laurel's gear was not on board and she was nowhere to be found.

"It didn't have to end this way," Salberg said. "The fact that they are still operating is a travesty."

Salberg points to another incident where a diver was stranded at sea.

The dive was run by a separate charter company but it was a Sundiver ship -- and a Sundiver captain.

Sundiver attorney's Rose says the charter rented the entire boat and was running the dive.

"It was their trip tour and roll call procedures. Since that incident - they don't do that anymore - the boat, the captain is responsible for making sure the roll calls are handled properly," Rose said.

Dan Carlock told the Today Show how he survived five hours drifting in the water before being rescued by Boy Scouts on a sailing trip.

"I was getting the chills...shivering a bit," he said on the program.

Laurel would not be so lucky.

When questioned by NBC4 who is responsible for Laurel's death, Sundiver's attorney responded: "Good question. Not my clients...I think it's an unfortunate accident."

Rose argues that diving is "inherently dangerous" and Laurel was in no shape to dive that day.

"She had a half hour sleep the night before - that is not conducive to a safe dive," he said.

Rose says she made multiple risky decisions.

"She was diving without any buoyancy vest that day," Rose said. "She was not diving with a buddy - and she was going deep and she had no surface signaling device."

Laurel suffered from fibromyalgia. Diving deep relieved her chronic pain.

"She had no pain when she was in the water," her son Graham said.

Laurel's body has never been recovered.

When asked if it would give her sons a sense of comfort if she was found, Graham said no.

"The ocean is her home," he said.
The family of a 14-year-old boy was pleading for the public's help Monday after the teen went missing while leaving school Friday in San Fernando.

Elias Rodriguez was last seen leaving his school about 1 p.m. in the 1000 block of Arroyo Street, the Los Angeles Police Department said.

Rodriguez's family said he has not run away before, and it is not in his character to take off.

His aunt said said he is a quiet boy who goes home to play his X-Box.

Rodriguez was described as a 5-feet 4-inches tall, with brown hair and brown eyes, weighing approximately 100 pounds.

Detectives from the LAPD's Mission Station asked anyone with information regarding the boy's whereabouts to call them at 818-838-9800.
Authorities continued to search for an armed man who fired at Riverside police officers Monday night, and were working to confirm whether or not the man was inside a home that burned Tuesday morning.

Officers responded to a suspicious vehicle call at around 11 p.m. Monday in the 4000 block of MacArthur Road, said Officer Ryan Railsback of the Riverside Police Department.

A man was standing outside of the vehicle that had occupants inside of it, Railsback said. When the officers approached the man, he ran away and police followed him to a small side street at MacArthur Road and Garfield Street.

The man produced a handgun and fired shots toward officers, Railsback said. The officers fired back, but the gunman took off on foot.

The officers were not injured, Railsback said. It is unknown if the suspect was struck.

The occupants inside the vehicle stayed at the scene and were detained and being questioned by authorities, Railsback said.

SWAT agents, K-9's and police helicopters set up a wide, tactical perimeter and scoured the scene for the gunman.

On Tuesday morning, a house in the search area burned for several hours. It was not immediately clear if the shooter was in the home or how the fire started.

Firefighters doused flames and hot spots from the exterior, but did not enter the home. They were escorted by SWAT members due to the possibility of encountering the gunman.

Riverside police investigators believe he may have been inside the home, but could not officially confirm he was inside Tuesday around 11 a.m.

This incident comes on the heels of the fatal shooting of Keith Boyer, a veteran officer with the Whittier Police Department who was killed in the line of duty while responding to a traffic stop Monday morning.

Annette Arreola contributed to this report.
If you regularly host out-of-towners, chances are as good as the Hollywood Sign is tall that they're checking out some of the area sites and attractions while you A) go to work and/or B) run errands and/or C) do the sorts of things you do every day, because you're not on vacation and have a long list of to-dos.

But, on occasion, a Southern Californian can get a mite jealous, and curious, when their guest returns from a day of sightseeing, full of trivia and tidbits to relay. Never fear, however, Hollywood mavens: There's often a Southern California resident ticket for that particular form of FOMO.

There shall be no fear of missing out, though, on the Warner Bros. Studio Tour. For over the next few months, the We Love Our Locals ticket deal will give cinema-loving, TV-watching SoCalers the chance to hop on the long-running tour at a discount.

A 20% discount, making a resident ticket $49.

As with so many resident deals at various destinations, the We Love Our Locals comes down to zip codes. If you write 90000 to 93599 as your return address on envelopes, you can nab that discount ticket. Just be sure to show identification, with your location, at will-call.

What's the tour cover? The backlot, yep. Costumes aplenty, like from the recent "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them." And stories of studio lore, movie stars, and how Warner Bros. has been a major silver-screen player for the better part of a century.

The end date of all of this local-focused lookie-loo-ing? The discount wraps the day before Memorial Day Weekend, so get to the sizable Burbank lot by Friday, May 26. Hold up, though: There are a number of block out dates, and the whole of April is included in that, and the latter part of March, so plan your visit accordingly.
A group of Bay Area teenagers won a national hunt for new and innovative applications for their crime-mapping navigation app in San Francisco.

"I went to a 'Sweet 16' party in San Francisco and it was just a bunch of girls and we were planning on where we were going to go, but we weren't really sure what places to avoid and what places were safe." Savita Balaji, 16, a member of 'Team Intuit' said.

In addition to the honor, the team received $20,000 from the Verizon Foundation, five tablets as well as mentoring from application experts at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to help build their final product.

Once finished, they will travel to the Technology Student Association Conference in June to present their product.

The winning team initially met during the Girls Who Code program, a non-profit program which focuses on teaching girls emerging skills in technology.

"Us girls in Girls Who Code, we formed a group and created this app," Balaji. "We want everybody to feel safe and comfortable when theyre traveling."

Fittingly named after the Greek goddess of protection, Soteria, the app recommends routes based on crime data, police social feeds and includes an emergency call feature.

Rebecca Greenway

Erin Allard, the Girls Who Code coach is excited for the girls' future.

"I wrote letters of reference for a handful of them who are graduating seniors hoping to get into computer science programs so that's been really rewarding for me as a teacher," Allard said. "It is so empowering for anyone to learn how to code but especially girls who are really underrepresented in tech."

With about 1,800 submissions, Verizon presented the awards to just a handful of teams.

The Soteria app creators recieved recognition Wednesday during a ceremony on the Intuit headquarters in Mountain View, where they had been hosted for the Girls Who Code program.

And for Balaji, it's only the beginning for the Soteria app.

"We would like to reach a larger crowd," Balaji said, adding that she wants to include more visual features and cities before its launch.

The Verizon Innovative Learning App Challenge is part of a #weneedmore campaign Verizon announced to call attention to the gap in technology education.
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Get Los Angeles's latest local news on crime, entertainment, weather, schools, COVID, cost of living and more. Here's your go-to source for today's LA news.
Prosecutors have waived the possibility of the death penalty for four of the five suspects charged in the killing of a classmate in a federal job training program in Homestead.

Police say 17-year-old Jose Amaya Guardado was hacked with a machete and made to lie in a grave in his final moments in July 2015. Guardado's family found his mutilated body in the woods after he had been missing for about a week. The crime scene was near The Homestead Job Corp school he attended.

Fellow students Christian Colon, Desiray Strickland, Jonathan Lucas, Joseph Cabrera and Kaheem Arbelo all confessed their involvement in the murder, police said. They allegedly planned killing Guardado for a couple of weeks before they decided to go through with it.

Prosecutors on Tuesday said the death penalty will only be allowed for Arbelo, if he's convicted. Detectives believe he was the one who hacked the victim to death while the other suspects watched.

"Based on these childrens' ages, I think they did exactly the right thing in this matter," said Colon's attorney, G.P. Della Fera.

"There all very young, immature, it's a very unusual case," said Strickland's attorney, Scott Sakin. "The evidence is questionable as to Ms. Strickland and with the changing landscape of the death penalty here in Florida and it's changing all the time now."

Even though four out of the five defendants will avoid death, if convicted, they won't escape spending the rest of their lives in prison for first-degree murder. No trial date has been set yet.
As the state of Florida prepares to head into the spring and summer months and the rising risk of wildfires, the Florida Forest Service is launching a new app designed to keep everyone informed and safe if the worst should happen.

The map allows you to see what areas are at high risk for fire and shows where a fire is already burning. Statistics on the most recent wildfire damage in Florida show already 1,200 acres have burned during the first 22 days of the year.

Officials say it could be especially handy for those of you who camp to see if its a good idea to start a fire.

Currently, the South Florida drought monitor has the area listed in abnormally dry conditions.
Tuesday's release of the Department of Homeland Security's plan on combating undocumented immigrants could impact law enforcement in South Florida.

As part of the directive from DHS, Immigration and Customs Enforcement would be instructed to revive the 287(g) Program, which would allow immigration officials to recruit local police officers and sheriff's deputies to help with deportation, essentially making them de facto immigration agents.

But City of Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado says not in his town.

"The City of Miami has never participated in any of these projects and if we are asked, we will respectfully decline," Regalado said Tuesday. "We are a municipal police force and we will not be part of any federal immigration task force or army."

According to the DHS memos, the revival would allow for a broader partnership where local law enforcement can assist in identifying undocumented immigrants who have only committed a crime.

The memo even states that all precautions would be taken to avoid racial profiling which would be completely unacceptable.

Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez, who was in Jacksonville Tuesday, stated that the county will absolutely not be entering into the program, reiterating what he said last week.

"We will not, we have never been, we are not now, we will never be immigration officers," Gimenez said.

The director of the Miami-Dade Police Department released a statement Tuesday following the DHS release.

"At this time, there are no changes to the manner in which we serve our community. The Miami-Dade Police Department will not be participating in the revitalization of the 287(g) Program. However, we remain committed to participating in joint ventures that address criminal activity within our community," the statement read.

The Broward Sheriff's Office had no official comment on the matter Tuesday.

According to the memo a strategy on the new task force agreement is being developed.
It was a small crowd, but it was democracy in action. A group of people held a rally at the Torch of Friendship in Downtown Miami to let America know, President Donald Trump is not their president.

The rally coincides with anti-Trump protests held in other U.S. cities on Presidents Day. In Downtown Miami, protesters chanted, "Show me what democracy looks like!"

Mondays crowd was a lot smaller the ones weve seen in the days after Trump took office. Are we witnessing anti-Trump demonstration fatigue?

"You may have people that are fatigued but you have new people coming out because he does outrageous thing after outrageous thing," said protest organizer Jack Lieberman.

NBC 6s Ari Odzer has more has those against President Donald Trump protest in Downtown Miami.

For example, they say, Trump's executive order banning refugees fleeing terror in Syria.

"This country has always been welcome to immigrants and refugees from wars that to some degree bear some responsibility for and to shut those people out is totally anti-American, said David Gibson, protester.

Anti-American.  Not our values. You hear that a lot among the anti-Trump protesters. They say the President thinks like a dictator.

Protesters take issue with Trumps attack on the media.

"I think that's the first thing they did in Nazi Germany, they went after the media," Gibson said.

The list of grievances is long from Trump's constant praise of Russian president Vladimir Putin to denial of climate change to his attitude toward Muslims.

Then, the protesters say, there's trump's misstatements, like implying Sweden had suffered a terrorist attack when no such thing happened.

"It's obvious he had no briefing about Sweden, if he did he didn't care, he's oblivious to the facts," Lieberman said.
One year after gunfire killed an innocent kindergartener, a community comes together to keep King Carter's legacy alive.

Family and friends of the 6-year-old gathered at Northwest 54th street and 17th avenue and walked toward Charles Hadley Park for a balloon release in little Carter's honor.

"We 'gotta' keep his name alive because he did not die in vain," said King's father, Santonio Carter.

Although it's been difficult since his young son's death, the boy's father plans to continue speaking out about senseless shootings.

"It gets me very angry and upset for me and my wife to have to experience a day like this, for anyone to have to experience a day like this," Carter said.

Little King was caught in the crossfire as he walked to get candy at a nearby convenience store. He died just outside of his apartment complex near Northwest 103rd Street and 12th Avenue. His death sparked outrage in the community.

Police arrested Leonard Adams, Irwen Pressley, and Tamar Teems for their alleged involvement in King's death.

Investigators believe they were trying to settle a social media feud with someone who lived at Carter's apartment building. Officers also arrested Tameka Thompson, the mother of Leonard Adams. Court records showed she tried to get rid of the car her son used during the shootout.

Moving forward, Santonio Carter will always remember February 20th as "King Carter Day". He says he hopes to make a positive impact in his son's name.

"It's like I can't get nothing out of life, but helping somebody else right now," explained Carter.
With the news of President Donald Trumps newest executive order on immigration  designed to continue his plans regarding deportation and regulation after his first order was held up by a federal judge  local politicians and business leaders are expressing concern over what this could mean for South Florida.

Members of Congress from the area  including Reps. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Carlos Curbelo  were joined by Hispanic members of Miamis business community and others to discuss the issue at Venture Hive, an organization that focuses on building successful businesses with a global perspective.

Many present at the Downtown Miami meeting expressed concerns about what the new order will mean  and how it has many immigrants in the area on edge even if they are here legally.

Theres a lot of anxiety. You can feel it in our congressional office where people are coming in and saying Am I going to get deported and some of them are green card holders, Ros-Lehtinen said after the meeting. This anti-immigrant feeling is going to affect them.

Officials from the University of Miami were also at the event, expressing concern that the school will see a decrease in the number of international students who apply. Currently, UM has an enrollment of 15 percent international students.
Scott Pruitt, the new administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, addressed his employees in a speech outlining his vision for the agency on Tuesday.

Pruitt faced strong opposition from environmental groups and hundreds of current and former EPA employees but was confirmed by the Senate 52-46 on Friday, in a largely party-line vote.

He said he was there to listen and respected how long many EPA workers have served the agency. But he also said the agency needs to be transparent in how it makes rules, and emphasized the business community in his remarks.

"Regulations ought to make things regular," Pruitt said. "Regulators exist to give certainty to those that they regulate."

President Donald Trump picked the 48-year-old Republican lawyer to roll back environmental regulations, but those who were opposed to his nomination fear he will preside over massive budget and staff cuts.

"The biologists, scientists, lab technicians, engineers and other civil servants who work at the EPA must be able to do their jobs without political interference or fear of retribution," said J. David Cox Sr., president of the American Federation of Government Employees, a labor union representing more than 9,000 EPA employees.

In six years as Oklahoma's attorney general, Pruitt filed 14 lawsuits challenging EPA regulations that included limits on carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants. He also sued over the EPA's recent expansion of water bodies regulated under the Clean Water Act, a federal measure opposed by industries that would be forced to clean up polluted wastewater.

During his Senate confirmation hearing last month, Pruitt said he disagreed with Trump's past statements that global warming is a hoax. However, Pruitt has previously expressed doubt about scientific evidence showing that the planet is heating up and that humans are to blame.
France's far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen refused to don a headscarf for a meeting with Lebanon's top Sunni Muslim cleric on Tuesday and walked away from the scheduled appointment after a brief squabble at the entrance.

Le Pen, who is on a three-day visit to Lebanon this week and has met senior officials, was to meet with the country's grand mufti, Sheikh Abdel-Latif Derian.

Shortly after she arrived at his office, one of his aides handed her a white headscarf to put on. Following a discussion with his aides that lasted few minutes, she refused and returned to her car.

Le Pen has tried to raise her international profile and press her pro-Christian stance with her visit to Lebanon, a former French protectorate.

On Monday, she met with President Michel Aoun and Prime Minister Saad Hariri. She said Syrian President Bashar Assad was "the most reassuring solution for France," adding that the best way to protect minority Christians is to "eradicate" the Islamic State group preying on them  not turn them into refugees.

Some Lebanese officials including, including Hariri, a Sunni, have taken umbrage at what is widely seen as her stigmatization of Muslims, who her followers claim are changing the Christian face of France. There was also apparent displeasure at her comments on Assad.

Christian right-wing leader Samir Geagea said after meeting with Le Pen on Tuesday that "terrorism has no religion." He described Assad as "the biggest terrorist in Syria and the region."

Walid Jumblatt, a leftist politician in Lebanon, tweeted on Tuesday that Le Pen's statements in Lebanon "were an insult toward the Lebanese people and Syrian people."

After walking away from the meeting with the grand mufti, Le Pen said she had previously told the cleric's office that she would not wear a headscarf.

"They didn't cancel the meeting, so I thought they would accept the fact that I wouldn't wear one," she said. "They tried to impose it upon me."

The office of Lebanon's mufti issued a statement saying that Le Pen was told in advance through one of her aides that she would have to put on a headscarf during the meeting with the mufti.

"This is the protocol" at the mufti's office, the statement said. It said the mufti's aides tried to give her the headscarf and that Le Pen refused to take it.

"The mufti's office regrets this inappropriate behavior in such meetings," the statement said.

Le Pen said she had met in the past with Egypt's Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar, the head of the Sunni world's most prestigious learning institute, without wearing a headscarf. Photos of Le Pen with Ahmed al-Tayeb in 2015 in Cairo show her with the cleric with her hair uncovered.

Le Pen's refusal on Tuesday to don a headscarf would be in line with her strong support for French secularism, and a proposal in her presidential platform. French law bans headscarves in the public service and for high school pupils.

Le Pen's proposal aims to extend a 2004 law banning headscarves and other "ostentatious" religious symbols in classrooms to all public spaces. While the 2004 law covers all religions, it is aimed at Muslims.

Later Tuesday, a group of Lebanese held a small protest in Beirut against Le Pen's visit. One protester raised a drawing of Le Pen between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump, with "Neo-fascists" emblazoned underneath.
Authorities are investigating a breach at New York's John F. Kennedy Airport in which 11 people went through security checkpoints without being screened Monday morning, with three of them setting off metal detectors, Transportation Security Administration and Port Authority officials say.

An airport official and a senior law enforcement official said at 6:05 a.m. Monday that TSA officials left a Terminal 5 security lane open and unattended by screeners.

The TSA confirmed in a statement that "early reports indicate 3 passengers did not receive required secondary screening after alarming the walk through metal detector." The agency said that all the travelers' carry-on bags received the required screening.

The TSA didn't notify police of the possible breach until about two hours later, according to law enforcement sources.

Police then canvassed the JetBlue terminal using photos and video screen grabs but could not locate any of the 11 passengers, and the travelers were presumed to have boarded their various flights, according to Port Authority police spokesman Joe Pentangelo. Three of them have been identified as passengers on a California-bound flight, and they're expected to be screened there once they land.

Port Authority police say they'll continue to work with federal authorities to identify and locate the other eight passengers.

The TSA's statement said it is "confident" that the reported breach does not threaten the security of the screening system.

"TSA works with a network of security layers both seen and unseen," the agency said. "We are confident this incident presents no threat to the aviation transportation system. Once our review is complete, TSA will discipline and retrain employees as appropriate."
An 88-year-old woman plowed through a house in New Jersey Monday, destroying the front of the home, authorities say.

Police said the driver lost control and crashed through the house next door to where she lives on Mountain Avenue in Washington Township at about 1:30 p.m., throwing debris into the front yard.

The homeowner was the only person home at the time but was in another room and uninjured, police said. A dog in the living room was briefly trapped by the vehicle but was rescued and is OK, the homeowner said.

The house sustained serious structural damage, and buildings inspectors will determine if the home will need to be condemned.

The driver was taken to the hospital with minor injuries. She received a summons for careless driving.
What to Know President Trump starts his second month in office; on Monday, he chose Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster to succeed Michael Flynn

Four Americans were killed in a small plane crash in Australia

Beloved panda cub Bao Bao is heading to China to join a panda breeding program

Get the top headlines of the day in your morning briefing from NBC 4 New York, Monday through Friday. Sign up for our newsletter here.

Trump Begins 2nd Month in Office

As President Donald Trump begins his second month in office, his team is trying to move past the crush of controversies that overtook his first month and make progress on health care and tax overhauls long sought by Republicans. Both issues thrust Trump, a real estate executive who has never held elected office, into the unfamiliar world of legislating. On Sunday, White House advisers held a three-hour meeting on health care at Trump's South Florida club, their third lengthy discussion on the topic in four days.

Trump Taps New National Security Adviser

President Trump has picked Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster to succeed Michael Flynn as his national security adviser, Trump said Monday. He made the announcement at Mar-a-Lago, flanked by McMaster and the acting adviser, retired Army Gen. Keith Kellogg. Kellogg will stay on as McMaster's chief of staff, Trump said. The appointment comes a week after Flynn was asked to resign as national security adviser. Trump's first choice to replace Flynn, retired Vice Adm. Robert Harward, turned down the offer.

Not My Presidents Day Rallies Held

Presidents Day means a day off for many across the United States, and hundreds of people in cities from New York to Los Angeles were using it to send a message to the current occupant of the White House. "Not My Presidents Day" rallies were held in at least a dozen cities Monday, continuing a weekend of demonstrations aimed at speaking out against President Trump's policies and actions.

More Threats to Jewish Centers

A Jewish community center in Buffalo was one of 10 evacuated around the country on Presidents Day amid a rash of bomb threats targeting JCCs. Federal authorities are investigating the threats, the FBI said Monday. In addition to the Buffalo JCC in New York, centers in Birmingham, Cleveland, Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul, Tampa, Albuquerque, Nashville and Houston reported phoned-in threats, the Jewish Community Center Association of North America said. The events come just weeks after another round of bomb threats targeted 53 Jewish community centers across 26 U.S. states.

4 Americans Killed in Australia Crash

Four Americans were among five people killed when a light plane crashed into the roof of a shopping mall in Melbourne, Australia, the U.S. State Department has confirmed. The assistant police commissioner for Victoria state said there were no fatalities other than those five people on board the aircraft. "We extend our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of all those who died in today's tragic crash," a State Department official said.

Search After JFK Security Breach

Authorities on Tuesday were still trying to find eight of 11 people who passed through an unattended security checkpoint lane at John F. Kennedy International Airport. The travelers managed to breach security at Terminal 5 Monday morning, according to PANYNJ spokesman Joe Pentangelo. The TSA confirmed that three passengers weren't properly screened after they walked through a metal detector, setting off alarms.

Deadline Looms for Pipeline Protesters

As dawn breaks over an encampment that was once home to thousands of people protesting the Dakota Access oil pipeline, a few hundred holdouts rise for another day of resistance. They aren't deterred by the threat of flooding, nor by declarations from state and federal authorities that they must leave by Wednesday or face possible arrest. Protesters have been at the campsite since August to fight the $3.8 billion pipeline that will carry oil from North Dakota through South Dakota and Iowa to a shipping point in Illinois.

Farewell to Beloved Panda Bao Bao

The National Zoo is packing up its American-born panda cub Bao Bao for a one-way flight to China, where the 3-year-old will eventually join a panda breeding program. Bao Bao is scheduled to depart the zoo Tuesday morning and travel to Washington Dulles International Airport in northern Virginia, where she'll board a special FedEx plane. Fans will be able to watch her departure from the zoo and airport on the zoo's Facebook page.

LaBeouf Moves Trump Piece From NYC

Actor Shia LaBeouf has brought a performance-art piece against President Trump to New Mexico's largest city. LaBeouf was arrested in New York City last month after he got into an altercation with another man during the performance art project. The Museum of the Moving Image in Queens recently shut down the installation, citing concerns over security.
What to Know An alleged drug dealer had to be rescued from a steep cliff in the Palisades

Authorities say he was running from police when he became trapped on one of the steep cliffs that lines the western side of the Hudson

He was eventually taken into custody and will be extradited to New York to face armed robbery charges

A suspected drug dealer became trapped on the side of a steep cliff in New Jersey Monday night as he ran from police following a drug sting, authorities said.

Anthony Lora, 22, was left hanging on for dear life as rescuers scaled the jagged cliffs of the Palisades to reach him.

Police say Lora was selling drugs, including cocaine and ecstasy, to undercover officers in a stairway off Hudson Terrace in Fort Lee around 5 p.m.

At some point, he took off and ran into Palisades Interstate Park, which lines the western side of the Hudson River just north of the George Washington Bridge.

Google

Authorities said Lora eventually came to a ledge and started climbing down the side of a cliff in the darkness. With officers cornering him from above and from the Henry Hudson Drive below, Lora latched onto a tree and became stranded.

Red and blue lights lit up the night near the George Washington Bridge as rescuers tried to reach him.

Rescuers set up in at least three locations and a rappel team led him to safety about three hours later. No one was reported injured in the rescue.

Lora was taken into custody on drug charges and for resisting arrest. Additional charges are pending, according to authorities.

Lora was also wanted by the NYPD for armed robbery, and authorities said he will be extradited to New York to face armed robbery charges.
What to Know The woman was walking on the street in Highland Park when a man with a gun came up to her

The man forced her into the basement of a nearby building and beat and sexually assaulted her

A homeowner called police when she found the woman on her front porch

Police in New Jersey are searching for a violent criminal after a woman with a baby was found covered in blood on a front porch in Highland Park.

The 36-year-old woman told police that a man dragged her off the street at gunpoint and then brutally assaulted her in a basement on Sunday.

Police said the victim was walking on Harper Street around 5:30 p.m. when the man came up and pointed a gun at her.

The man forced the woman into the basement of a nearby building, where he punched her repeatedly and sexually assaulted her, according to police.

The suspect eventually took off and the woman ran to a nearby home for help. The homeowner said she heard the doorbell ring and opened the door to find the woman with her face bloody.

The woman was taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, where she was listed in stable condition.

Additional details about the baby that was said to be with the woman weren't immediately known.

Her attacker was still on the loose Monday night. Police said they believe he is in his 20s.
Authorities on Tuesday were still trying to find eight of 11 people who passed through an unattended security checkpoint lane at John F. Kennedy International Airport.

The travelers managed to breach security at Terminal 5 Monday morning, according to PANYNJ spokesman Joe Pentangelo.

Pentangelo said authorities identified three of the travelers, who got onto a flight to California and were expected to be screened upon arrival there. The eight other people are believed to have boarded various flights.

The TSA confirmed that three passengers weren't properly screened after they walked through a metal detector, setting off alarms. The agency said all personal carry-on bags received the required screening.

It took the TSA two hours to report the breach to police.

The agency said it's reviewing the incident, but that a K9 team was present at the checkpoint at the time and that the "incident presents minimal risk to the aviation transportation system."
National park police officers are investigating how a banner reading "Refugees Welcome" got on to the Statue of Liberty Tuesday afternoon.

The banner, measuring about 3 feet by 20 feet, was unfurled atop the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty just before 1 p.m., according to the National Park Service.

It was affixed by nylon rope to the wall of the public observation deck at the base of the statue, according to the NPS. Rangers took it down more than an hour later.

Attaching banners to national monuments is prohibited. The United States Park Police is working to identify the suspects.

Someone running a social media account named Alt Statue of Liberty has claimed responsibility for the stunt. A person using the same email told NBC 4 New York, "We have no formal group -- just private citizens who felt like we needed to say something about the America we believe in."

The stunt happened the same day the Homeland Security Department announced expanded immigration enforcement policies.

Alt Statue of Liberty said in the email to NBC 4, "Speaking personally -- my grandparents met in a refugee camp after WWII, and my mother immigrated. So this touches close to home. But almost every American knows an immigrant or a refugee. We wanted to send a reminder about America when we're at our best -- the country that's a beacon of freedom to the world, built by immigrants. Walling off countries or entire religions is against our values."

The Statue of Liberty has regularly been invoked in the national discussion about immigration, particularly after President Trump instituted a federal travel ban barring nationals from seven Muslim-majority countries. An appeals court has refused to reinstate the executive order.
Police in Albuquerque, New Mexico arrested a woman they say did cartwheels during a field sobriety test Friday.

Bryelle Marshall, 23, was arrested and charged with battery, aggravated DWI and driving with an expired license plate after her vehicle was reported driving recklessly

Albuquerque police said an officer found Marshall asleep behind the wheel of her parked car.

After waking Marshall up, officers asked her to step out of the vehicle. Police said she appeared to be extremely intoxicated and was having a hard time listening to the officers' commands.

The incident was recorded by one of the officers' body cameras.

A DWI officer was giving Marshall instructions to complete the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFSTs), to which she responded by laughing and doing cartwheels in front of the officers.

The officer then attempted to demonstrate the tests to Marshall when she completed another cartwheel and struck the officer in the back.

At that point, Marshall's opportunities to complete the tests were over and she was arrested.

[NATL] Top News Photos: Pope Visits Japan, and More
A 25-year veteran Whittier police officer was killed, and another officer and a gunman were wounded, in a shootout Monday morning, officials said.

"Officers respond to a call, and it seems like a simple traffic accident, and the next thing they know theyre in a gunfight," said Lt. John Corina of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

The officer was identified as Keith Boyer, a 25-year veteran officer, Whittier Mayor Joe Vinatieri confirmed to NBC4.

His daughter-in-law described him on Facebook as a hero who just wanted to make the world a better, safer place.

"I didn't think I had any tears left," said Whitter Police Chief Jeff A. Piper as he broke down weeping for his personal friend, Boyer.

About 8 a.m., Boyer and another male officer, later identified as Patrick Hazel, responded to a crash in the area of Colima Road and Mar Vista in Whittier, Southern California, where allegedly a driver of a stolen car had struck two other cars at a stop light, Corina said.

When the officers arrived, they were told by the victims that the driver who had struck them was around the corner.

The officers approached the suspected gunman's car completely unaware that it was stolen.

"When they get him out of the car, they go to pat him down for weapons, they can see hes got tattoos all over his face and all over his neck," Corina said at a news conference.

In the midst of a pat down, Corina said the man pulled out a gun and started shooting. The officers returned fire and wounded him.

Both officers were wearing bullet-proof vests, Corina said. Aerial images showed the shattered driver side window of a Whittier police vehicle and a rifle on the trunk of another car.

All three were rushed to the hospital, where Boyer was pronounced dead. Officer Hazel was in stable condition.

The identity of the shooter had not been released, but deputies said he was a known gang member. He was described by Corina only as a 26-year-old man who had been paroled approximately 10 days before the shootout.

He was in the intensive care unit of the hospital, Corina said.

"I'm not going to speak about the suspect because frankly, I don't think he's worth speaking about," Piper said.

The suspected shooter was accused in a murder in East Los Angeles the morning of the fatal gunfight, Lt. Corina said at a news conference. The suspected shooter was accused of the murder of a relative before stealing a vehicle and crashing in Whittier, where he was approached by the officers.

A procession held for Boyer showed a line of officers saluting as his vehicle rolled by, with many wiping away tears and embracing each other.

"The senseless, cold-blooded killing of a Whittier Police officer today is a sad reminder of the dangerous risks that the men and women of law enforcement take every day in their mission to serve and protect communities in Southern California and across America. My thoughts and prayers are with the loved ones of the slain and injured officers. I called Mayor Vinatieri this morning to express my condolences to the City of Whittier family, and to offer any assistance that Los Angeles can provide at this moment of grief. My hope is that everyone affected by this tragedy will find strength and peace in the midst of unthinkable heartbreak," said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti in a statement.

Hundreds could be seen holding candles at a vigil for fallen Whittier Officer Keith Boyer after he was shot and killed in the line of duty Monday, Feb. 20, 2017.

At a vigil held for Boyer, hundreds gathered with lit candles for a prayer service.

Mayor Vinatieri and Whittier Police Chief Piper spoke to the crowd outside the station just after dusk.

Piper shed tears, telling the community, "you don't know how hard this is."

Boyer played the drums for Mrs. Jones' Revenge, a classic rock tribute and cover band that often performs for charity.

"One of the toughest things to grapple with today is that one of the best among us was stolen from our lives by one of the worst among us," said Jeff McNeal, lead vocalist.

Irene Moore and Michelle Valles contributed to this report.
Nearly 1,000 people jeered Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell as he drove to a speech Tuesday where he told local business leaders that "winners make policy and the losers go home."

Protesters crowded the American Legion Post 34 Fairgrounds, kept at bay by several police officers and a chain link fence. The crowd chanted "No ban, no wall, Mitch McConnell take our call" -- a reference to full voicemail boxes at the senator's offices -- as McConnell drove past in a black SUV. It was the first of several scheduled public appearances for McConnell this week during a congressional recess. Protesters upset with Republican President Donald Trump's policies have vowed to follow McConnell to every stop.

A handful of dissidents were able to RSVP for a seat to hear McConnell's speech. One woman, 54-year-old Rose Perkins of Georgetown, stood and wagged her finger at McConnell as she asked him about the thousands of coal jobs that have disappeared in eastern Kentucky.

"If you'll answer that, I'll sit down and shut up like Elizabeth Warren," Perkins said, a reference to McConnell invoking Senate rules to silence the Massachusetts senator during her speech opposing Jeff Sessions' confirmation as U.S. attorney general.

After a brief pause filled with gasps from the mostly friendly crowd, McConnell replied: "I hope you feel better now."

Nationwide, Republicans are facing angry constituents frustrated by the president's Cabinet appointments and plans to repeal the Affordable Care Act, the federal health care law credited with drastically cutting reducing the number of uninsured people while also driving up the cost of monthly premiums. None have faced more scrutiny than McConnell, who is managing a narrow majority to push through the president's agenda and cabinet appointments.

President Donald Trump late Tuesday tweeted that protests in Republican congressional districts are being planned "by liberal activists."

Trump wrote, "The so-called angry crowds in home districts of some Republicans are actually, in numerous cases, planned out by liberal activists. Sad!"

The so-called angry crowds in home districts of some Republicans are actually, in numerous cases, planned out by liberal activists. Sad!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 21, 2017

Several people stood and booed as McConnell finished his remarks, including answering a few questions about the Affordable Care Act and regulations on the financial industry imposed by the legislation known as Dodd-Frank. McConnell was largely unfazed by those he called "the people outside," saying he was "proud" of them for expressing their views.

But he also told his mostly friendly audience that the protesters "had their shot," adding: "Winners make policy and the losers go home."

[[414127913, C]]

Specific details of a replacement plan have not yet been made public, a fact 32-year-old Robert Brown found troubling. He traveled from Lexington to protest McConnell while in the wheelchair he uses because of spina bifida. He worried that repealing the law would make it harder for him to get insurance.

"Sen. McConnell is not holding town hall meetings," Brown said. "He's holding private meetings with people that will pay to see him and that largely agree with him."

McConnell distanced himself from Trump's stated war with the media, telling reporters after the speech that "I like you guys" and "we need to have people looking at us and raising tough questions." He acknowledged Trump would be well served to tone down some of his tweets, but said: "He's not going to take my advice."
A courageous girl received a fighters farewell Monday afternoon as she battles cancer.

In an effort organized by the Delaware State Police and the Wilmington Police Department, Zoe Haupt was led out of her room at DuPont Childrens Hospital and into a personal escort to her home in Hockessin.

During her stay at the hospital, there had been many visits by Delaware Police to talk to patients. However, as she battled stage 4 Neuroblastoma, Zoe was never allowed to participate and meet with them. That changed Monday however.

Lined by nearly 50 members of both police departments, Zoe was met with cheers as officers applauded her courage for fighting the disease.

Zoe was escorted home like the true warrior she is," a Delaware State Police spokesperson wrote.

Accompanied by her parents Jennifer and Zackary, and by her brother Chase, Zoe was able to take pictures with officers.

She and her family were then driven home by Delaware State Troopers, and followed by a brigade of police cars.
What to Know Jamie Fox is charged with conspiracy to commit bribery

Former Port Authority chairman David Samson pleaded guilty to a single conspiracy-related count.

The government alleges the 61-year-old Fox helped Samson get a regular flight to Samson's vacation home

Jamie Fox, one of New Jersey's best-known political operatives who was charged in an alleged shakedown involving the former Port Authority chairman, died Monday from a long-standing illness.

The Van Horn-McDonough Funeral Home in Lambertville says Jamie Fox died Monday at age 62. The cause of his death is unavailable.

Fox served senators and governors of both parties in New Jersey, and went on to work for Christie as the state's transportation commissioner.

But later, as a lobbyist, he was charged with using helping then-Port Authority chairman David Samson get a regular flight to Samson's vacation home in South Carolina when Fox was a paid consultant and lobbyist for United.

Samson pleaded guilty to a bribery charge last summer, and Fox, who had vowed to fight the allegations, was released on $100,000 bail.

Both Fox and Samson were close allies of Republican Gov. Chris Christie.

Christie said in a statement Monday, "Jamie Fox was one of the most outstanding public servants I have had the honor to know. Regardless of party politics, he stepped forward time and again in service to our state."

He added that Fox was a friend, a kind man beloved by his colleagues, and "tough fighter for those causes and people he believed in every day."

"Mary Pat and I cannot fully express our gratitude for his friendship and his willingnress to serve in my adminstration," said Christie. "We pray tonight for his friends and family for him to rest in peace."

Correction: An earlier version of this article stated Fox was under indictment in the case. Fox was facing a conspiracy count but never indicted. We regret the error.
A gunman fired shots at police officers in the Olney section of Philadelphia Monday night, said police.

Officers were on 5th and Champlost streets around 10 p.m. when a suspect fired shots, according to investigators.

None of the officers were injured during the shooting. A SWAT team searched for the suspect in nearby Fisher Park but came up with no suspect as of Tuesday morning.

Investigators have not yet revealed what led to the shooting. [[414303303, C]]
A South Jersey teacher was arrested for allegedly having sex with a high school student.

William Jacobs, 32, of Folsom, New Jersey is charged with official misconduct, sexual assault, endangering the welfare of a child, tampering with a witness and obstruction.

Jacobs was a teacher at Buena Regional High School in Buena Vista Township. Investigators say Jacobs engaged in sexual relations with a 17-year-old female student at the school on more than one occasion between November, 2016 and January, 2017. Jacobs also allegedly told the girl not to cooperate with police when the investigation began.

Jacobs was taken into custody Tuesday morning by the U.S. Marshals Service in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He is currently lodged at the Broward County Correctional Facility pending extradition to New Jersey.

The Buena Regional School District is fully cooperating with the investigation.




A body was discovered in Glorietta Bay in Coronado Monday evening, Harbor Police confirmed.

According to police, the body was badly decomposed when it was found on a sandbar surrounded by water.

The San Diego Police helicopter made the discovery while flying over the bay. But it took a few hours before authorities could confirm that it was a body.

"They saw what they thought may have been a body," said Harbor Police Lt. James Jordan. "And we didn't know until hours later that it was a body."

Jordon told NBC 7, the water was too shallow for police boats to get close to the body so divers were called out.

At this time, it's unknown if it is a man or a woman, Jordan added.

"It's a mystery at this point how this person wound up there," Lt. Jordan said. "But we're confident the coroner will be able to determine what happened to this person."

The Medical Examiner's Office is investigating the cause of death.

No other information was available.
Theres a nearly invisible village right in the middle of San Diego. While people are shopping at Fashion Valley Mall, hundreds are living in the brush just steps away.

The latest numbers show 246 people live along the San Diego River--a 41 percent increase from last year.

"It's heartbreaking every time I come out here," said Rob Hutsel, Founder of The San Diego River Park Foundation.

Since 2001, his team has removed more than two million pounds of trash from the river. In Mission Valley, about 96 percent of the trash they find along the San Diego River is related to homelessness.

Hutsel added, "We've rescued people. Unfortunately we've found dead bodies when we've been doing this sort of thing. It's tragic that there are people out here."

As the piles of trash continue to grow, the number of people setting up nearly invisible camps does as well.

Dozens of encampments are among the brush just steps away from the Home Depot off Fairmount Avenue.

And while you're parking your car at Fashion Valley, many are living where you would least expect it. Most are camouflaged from the outside world, like 64-year old Vietnam veteran, Rick Primmer.

Primmer told NBC 7, he chooses to live along the river because it's safe.

"Street people will steal constantly from each other. People in the woods are basically roamers. We just leave everybody alone, and leave our little camps alone," he said.

Organizers remain stumped on how to combat the problem, as they work with the San Diego Police Department in conducting sweeps before major cleanups.

"All we want to do is clean up the river and make it healthy," Hutsel said. "And create parks and trails. But it's more complicated than that."

It is illegal for people to live along the river because much of the land is owned by the City of San Diego. Property owners also sign a letter of authorization, allowing San Diego Police to be on their property and make arrests at any time.

In January, police made 45 felony and misdemeanor arrests.

But they told NBC 7, if there's no crime being committed, their main priority is to provide resources to help get these people off the streets.
U.S. Representative Scott Peters (D-52) discussed immigration, the EPA and a path forward for Democrats in the Trump administration at his Town Hall with San Diegans on Monday.

More than 200 people attended the Town Hall, which took place at the Islamic Center of San Diego at 7050 Eckstrom Avenue in San Diego.

The Town Hall focused on some of the issues at the heart of some of his constituents, like immigration and the proposed border wall in light of President Donald J. Trump's election.

Peters told San Diegans that when it comes to our nation's immigration policy, a proposed border wall would not serve national security interests.

Some Republicans did not agree with a strategy that would "waste 15 billion dollars" and upset diplomatic relations with "one of our closest allies," Peters said.

"Making our national security apparatus a political operation that serves the presidential political operation, rather than our national security - that's definitely not Republican," Peters said.

Peters stressed talking to moderate Republicans in Congress, saying not all Republicans agreed with everything Trump says.

He also discussed the travel ban, which temporarily suspended the country's refugee program and temporarily halted immigration from seven predominantly Muslim counties: Iran. Iraq, Somalia, Syrian, Sudan and Yemen.

"That's not who we are," Peters said while discussing the ban, saying people are scared to go to school, scared about what may happen at work and scared to leave the country without the guarantee that they would be able to get back in.

He urged residents to get involved locally in government and set examples locally for the nation by taking care of "those who need us."

Peters also urged people to come out and vote during the midterm elections.

Peters' representatives told NBC 7 that he plans to host another town hall in March at a larger venue.
The San Diego Humane Society will be offering free spay and neuter surgeries for qualifying pets in celebration of World Spay Day.

Three San Diego County campuses will participate in the event on Feb. 28.

According to the San Diego Humane Society, anyone with a qualifying income can sign up their pet Chihuahuas, cats, and pit bulls for free spay or neuter surgeries.

Preventing unwanted and unplanned litters is one of the best approaches we can take to end pet homelessness in San Diego, which is why in addition to our World Spay Day promotion, we have affordable and accessible community spay neuter services, available all year long," said Dr. Gary Weitzman, president and CEO of San Diego Humane Society.

The organization will offer 80 free spay/neuter surgeries and give away 75 free spay and neuter appointments at three separate locations:

Oceanside Campus - 572 Airport Road

Escondido Campus - 3450 E. Valley Parkway

San Diego Campus - 5500 Gaines Street

Each campus will offer 25 free appointment each on a first come first serve basis.
School districts across the County are requesting water testing after dangerous levels of lead were discovered at a San Ysidro elementary school.

Health experts say the schools most likely to have unsafe levels of lead in drinking water are those built before 1986.

NBC 7 mapped out where schools in the county built before 1986 are located, and found they are spread out throughout the region.

Clusters of schools built before 1986 are located not just in the South Bay, but also in San Diego neighborhoods like Clairemont, Scripps Ranch and Tierrasanta, the map shows.

Dina MacDonald has a family member that goes to Tierrasanta Elementary.

It's one of the approximately 447 schools across the county built before 1986.

"I think the more years that go by and we see these facilities that were built more than fifty years ago, a lot of them," MacDonald said. "I'm sure there's a lot of other things going on in those schools that probably need to be addressed but like everything you kinda put it off and don't think about it until there becomes a problem."
Right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos resigned as an editor from Breitbart News amid backlash from fellow conservatives over controversial comments he made on sexual relationships between boys and older men.

Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Yiannopoulos said he did not want his "poor choice of words" to take away from the "important job" of his colleagues, adding that the decision to step down was "mine alone."

Breitbart News has stood by me when others caved. They have allowed me to carry conservative and libertarian ideas to communities that would otherwise never have heard them. They have been a significant factor in my success. Im grateful for that freedom and for the friendships I forged there," Yiannopoulos wrote.

In his statement, the polarizing editor said he didn't recall making the comments during an interview on a podcast but apologized and called the comments "half-baked" ideas.

Yiannopoulos also revealed that two men, including a priest, had touched him inappropriately when he was between the ages of 13 and 16.

"My experiences as a victim led me to believe I could say anything I wanted to on this subject, no matter how outrageous," he said. "But I understand that my usual blend of British sarcasm, provocation and gallows humor might have come across as flippancy, a lack of care for other victims or, worse, advocacy. I am horrified by that impression."

The apology followed days of criticism from fellow conservatives after the release of video clips in which Yiannopoulos appeared to defend sexual relationships between men and boys as young as 13.

In one of them, Yiannopoulos, who is gay, said relationships between boys and men could "help those young boys discover who they are and give them security and safety and provide them with love and a reliable sort of rock, where they can't speak to their parents."

On Monday, he was disinvited from the Conservative Political Action Conference after video of his remarks was promoted through social media.

Publisher Simon & Schuster announced it would cancel the publication of his upcoming book, "Dangerous."

Yiannopoulos said the book had already received interest from other publishers and would still come out this year. He pledged to donate 10 percent of the proceeds to child sex abuse charities.

Yiannopoulos announced he would be launching his own media venture in the coming weeks. He did not provide further details.

Yiannopoulos, who was born in Greece and raised in Britain, has long been known for provocative comments about women and Muslims and made his support for Republican Donald Trump clear in the last presidential election cycle. He was the technology editor at Breitbart News, whose former executive chairman, Steve Bannon, is now a senior adviser to Trump, who became president last month.

Before this controversy, Yiannopoulos was perhaps best known for getting banned from Twitter for helping to lead an online harassment campaign against comedian and "Ghostbusters" actress Leslie Jones.

Early in February, he was scheduled to give a talk at the University of California, Berkeley, but the speech was cancelled after violent protests.

Yiannopoulos has appeared, until now, to revel in those controversies and has portrayed himself as a champion of free speech. Tuesday's apology, he said, was the first he'd ever made.

Still, the video clips, he insisted, had been edited to remove important context. He characterized media reporting on the tapes as unfair and inaccurate.

"Nonetheless," he added, "I do say some things on the tapes that I do not mean and which do not reflect my views."

He said he "would like to restate my disgust at adults who sexually abuse minors."

Breitbart is considered by many a platform for the so-called "alt-right" movement, an offshoot of conservatism that mixes racism, white nationalism and populism.
Mexican officials are hoping for a bit more calm, less vitriol and more constructive talk with the U.S. this week when the secretaries of state and homeland security arrive after months in which U.S. President Donald Trump has hammered Mexico.

Rex Tillerson and John Kelly are widely seen as less combative than their boss. But many Mexicans are starting to question the point of even talking to a U.S. government that has promised repeatedly to hit Mexico with tariffs, border walls and deportations.

Kelly is starting his visit Tuesday in neighboring Guatemala, which also has a large immigrant population in the United Sates, also serves as a conduit for northbound drugs and also depends on the U.S. for anti-crime assistance.

Kelly will offer Guatemala little reassurance on deportations: He will visit a repatriation center where deported migrants are processed when they return on flights from the United States.

But it is Mexico that has to most to hope for  or lose from  the talks.

Mexico is entering a phase in which, at Trump's insistence, it will have to re-negotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement. That could imperil the export manufacturing sector that has become crucial to Mexico's economy since NAFTA took effect in 1994. But it also could let Mexicans discuss restrictions on billions of dollars in American farm exports, as well as measures to ensure to U.S. oil and gas, a topic that was kept out of the original trade pact when Mexico jealously guarded its oil.

Mexico now imports huge amounts of gas and gasoline and officials now hope they can get the energy sector written into NAFTA. Tillerson, as the former head of ExxonMobil, may be just the person to do it.

"Tillerson, in his favor, would welcome what the Mexicans have been arguing have been arguing for, which is modernization or updating of the treaty including the energy sector," said Federico Estevez, a political science professor at the Autonomous Technological Institute of Mexico. "Given his Exxon past, that would make sense that he would see the virtue in that."

Tillerson, who arrives Thursday, made friendly noises during his confirmation hearings, saying "Mexico is a longstanding neighbor and friend of this country."

Kelly, too, has sounded cooperative. After meeting with Mexican officials recently, Kelly he said his department is committed to work with Mexico on "common economic and security opportunities and challenges, such as border security, migration management, repatriation and cross-border trade.

Still, there are reports that the Trump administration might help finance a border wall by stripping away funds it gives Mexico under the Merida Initiative, a pact signed with then-President George W. Bush aimed at attacking drug trafficking and other security threats within Mexico. But that money  about $2.5 billion overall since 2008  would pay for a small fraction of any wall and could hurt America's own security.

"This is really stupid on the US part," Estevez said. "My understanding is that most of the money effectively went to securing our southern border against Central Americans at US request."

Since 2014, Mexico has stepped up enforcement on its southern border to stem the flood of Central American migrants who have streamed through Mexico to get to the United States even as Mexican migration northward has stalled.

A policy memo published Tuesday by the Department of Homeland Security indicated U.S. authorities now want to send some of those Central Americans back to Mexico instead of their home countries even while they wait for their asylum or deportation proceedings to finish in the U.S.

Many Mexicans question how much their President Enrique Pena Nieto can hope for from any talks with the Trump administration, which has campaigned to remove jobs from Mexico, kick out Mexican migrants and build an inhospitable wall between the two countries.

"Instead of welcoming Tillerson and Kelly next week as if nothing had happened, the Pena administration should say that there is no basis to negotiate on any topic at all, until the executive order to build this absurd and offensive wall is withdrawn, and our countrymen are no longer criminalized or prosecuted," columnist Carmen Aristegui wrote in the newspaper Reforma.

"This isn't about breaking off relations or anything like that, with a country with who we share so much interdependence, but rather with setting out new rules with intelligence, imagination and dignity," she added.

Even former president Ernesto Zedillo thinks "the time has come to admit that the actions of the new administration have closed off, at least for the foreseeable future, the possibility of any agreement being achieved through dialogue and negotiation that could satisfy the interests of both parties."

"The effort to accommodate President Trump's capricious wishes has proven worthless and should not be continued," Zedillo wrote in an editorial in The Washington Post. "It is not useful for Mexico or the United States."

Rather, Zedillo wrote, Mexico should explore other trade relations with other countries  a longstanding but frustrated dream of Mexican policymakers whose economy is now based on proximity to the United States.

Many Mexicans are calling for a more confrontational attitude.

"The Mexican side has let too many gestures of hostility go by without, to this point, presenting a diplomatic note of protest, without suspending bilateral contacts or without having taking complaints to international tribunals," the leftist newspaper La Jornada wrote in an editorial.
A Massachusetts man is facing a murder charge in the January death of his father in Blackstone, according to officials.

The Worcester County district attorney's office said a warrant for Glenn Armstrong on a murder charge was issued Tuesday.

Armstrong, 48, is still in a New Jersey jail being held on $300,000 bail as he fights extradition to Massachusetts.

Authorities say his father, 83-year-old Walter Armstrong, was found dead inside the Summer Street home he shared with his son on the evening of Jan. 11.

Armstrong was arrested the next day in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, on a warrant for failing to give a DNA sample, which was a charge from an earlier conviction.

It's unclear if Armstrong has an attorney in New Jersey or in Massachusetts.

In an exclusive interview, Armstrong's estranged wife said she was still afraid of him despite him being behind bars "because he's irrational when he gets to that point because he doesn't have an inclination as to when to stop - he just acts."
A 36-year-old man from Medford, Massachusetts, is being treated for severe hypothermia after being rescued while clinging to his capsized boat for more than 13 hours in the near-freezing waters off of Yarmouth, Massachusetts, according to officials.

According to Yarmouth fire and rescue officials, the search effort started when police received a call from the Arthur Moscufo's girlfriend around 10 pm Monday night where she informed officers her boyfriend had not come home after venturing on the Bass River to test drive his new 14-foot aluminum boat.

Police searched the Yarmouth boat access parking areas as well as the area along various beaches and the Bass River, while the Coast Guard was called in and responded with a 42-foot rigid hull boat and helicopter.

About two and a half miles from the Bass River in Nantucket Sound, the helicopter's crew spotted an overturned boat and a man, who was wearing a life-jacket, shirt, jeans and sneakers waving to them around 4:20 am on Tuesday. The water was 37 degrees when the Coast Guard crew rescued him, according to officials.

The Coast Guard retrieved the severely hypothermic Moscufo and took him back to the Bass River boat ramp, where he was then transported to Cape Cod Hospital.

"I owe them a debt I can never repay," said Moscufo. "It was really unbelievable."

Dennis and Harwich fire boats assisted in the recovery as well.

Moscufo told Yarmouth officers his boat took on water after a problem with the plug and sank very quickly around 3:30 pm

He clung to the overturned boat until rescuers found him around 4:20 am

"I cannot stress enough the importance of checking the water temperature before going on the water in the winter months," Coast Guard's Operations Specialist Second Class Michelle Crocker said.

The Moscufo was listed in good condition in the intensive care unit and will be released tomorrow.

"I feel really good," he said. "I feel really lucky."
Law enforcement officials along the nation's northern border are reporting a surge in illegal crossings from the United States into Canada.

Normally-quiet Roxham Road in the northern New York community of Champlain has been unusually busy lately, residents and police have said.

People who have already fled their overseas homes are apparently continuing their quests for new or better lives by crossing into Canada.

"Because we are not from here," an unidentified man said as he walked from Champlain into Quebec, responding to a question from NBC Boston about why he is leaving the United States.

NBC Boston was not able to ask the man any details of his immigration status during the very brief encounter before he left the United States.

The man and another man with him told officers they were originally from Yemen. That Mideast country is in crisis, torn apart by violence.

"You will be arrested," a Canadian law enforcement official warned the pair, telling them they should go to an official port of entry to access Quebec.

However, the two men walked illegally over a creek and across the border into Canada, and were taken into the custody of police there.

The men could be overheard telling the authorities they were asylum-seekers.

"Ever since Trump got in office, then they started booking it, it seems like," observed taxi driver Chris Crowningshiele, who brought the Yemeni men to Champlain.

Crowningshiele said he has recently been dropping off between two and five groups a day at this spot in Champlain.

The cabbie said the foreign-born passengers take the bus up from bigger cities, then ask him to get them as close to Canada as he can.

"They're afraid that they're going to get sent back to their country, or something," Crowningshiele said, recounting some of the conversations he has had with passengers.

"They will be given whatever court appearances," said Sgt. Brian Byrne of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in an interview conducted from the U.S. side of the border as he stood at the edge of Canada.

The Canadian authorities now keep regular watch at the border with Roxham Road after seeing an uptick in crossings like the one NBC Boston witnessed Tuesday.

Canadian authorities reported more than 450 people made refugee asylum requests in Quebec in January, a more than threefold jump from a year prior.

The Yemeni men will be vetted for security or criminal risks, Byrne explained, and if they come up clean, they're likely to be released into the community.

"We can only hope for the best for everybody who comes here," Byrne said. "If these people join our community, the hope is they will help us grow and do their fair share in the community like everyone else."

U.S. Border Patrol would only detain people like the Yemeni men if an agent suspects they may be in the States illegally. However, if an interrogation reveals they have a valid immigration status, they would be free to continue their travels, even if it means venturing to Canada and getting arrested as part of their search for asylum.

In response to an NBC Boston inquiry about the uptick in crossings, U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued the following statement:

U.S. Customs and Border Protection works closely with our partners in Canada including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Canada Border Services Agency to ensure all crossing is conducted lawfully and orderly through official ports on entry on both sides of the border. Consequences for crossing illegally can include incarceration, civil monetary penalties and deportation with a ban on re-entry.
A Republican senator known for speaking out against President Donald Trump says her office has been flooded with phone calls to the point where it's difficult to serve constituents.

Sen. Susan Collins of Maine visited with progressive group Mainers For Accountable Leadership on Tuesday in a livestreamed meeting. Toward the end of the meeting, Collins mentioned that her offices recently fielded thousands of calls on a variety of issues and it was difficult for her staff to keep up with the volume.

Collins mentioned she was worried that constituents having trouble accessing Social Security or veterans' benefits were having trouble getting through to her amid all the calls.

Collins is also scheduled to make an appearance at a University of New England facility in Portland on Tuesday afternoon.
Authorities have released the name of a second suspect wanted in connection with a brutal double homicide over the weekend in Peabody, Massachusetts.

Law enforcement officials are looking for 39-year-old Wes Doughty, who is considered armed and dangerous, according to the Essex County district attorney's office.

Investigators gathered at a boarded up property on Andover Street in Danvers early Tuesday evening.

After a search of the property, police confirmed the tip was unfounded.

The search took place across the street from a home where Doughty has lived with family friends, according to neighbors.

The owner of the home where the murders took place, who did not want to be identified, says she has rented that house on her property for 20 years.

"It's like a nightmare," she said. "You don't expect somebody to be killed within however many feet this is of your own house."

A neighbor who hired Doughty to do work on his property spoke positively of the suspect.

"He was fabulous," said Kent Taylor. "The kid was great ... he's actually a very hard worker."

Taylor says he's known Doughty for over 20 years.

"I've had no issues with him," Taylor said. "When someone said he might be involved, I said I just cant see him going to that level."

Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to immediately call 911.

The release of Doughty's name came hours after Peabody police recovered a black Acura that had been allegedly stolen from the scene of the murder. It's unclear where the car had exactly been found.

Meanwhile, bail was denied for another Massachusetts man who had been arrested in connection with the homicide.

Forty-five-year-old Michael Hebb, of Peabody, was arraigned on Tuesday after being taken into custody without incident the day before in the murders of 37-year-old Mark Greenlaw and 39-year-old Jennifer O'Connor.

The arraignment's judge also agreed to seal Hebb's arrest warrant after a motion was filed to impound details of the murder because "if made public, it would likely result in media coverage."

It was not immediately known if Hebb has an attorney.

Greenlaw and O'Connor were found dead after state police went to their Farm Avenue home early Sunday after a report and discovered the grisly scene. Investigators said they did not initially know how many bodies were inside and had to use X-ray equipment to determine the number of victims.

Authorities also said they have been called to the home multiple times over the years, but would not specify as to why. Neighbors say the troubles at the home were well-known.

The medical examiner is still performing autopsies.
Two people were arrested after allegedly attempting to sell marijuana to police over Facebook in Lebanon, New Hampshire.

According to the Lebanon Police Department, Nicole Farewell, 20, of Canaan, New Hampshire, and Corey Riendeau, 20, of Hartland, Vermont were taken into custody on Feb. 18 after meeting with undercover officers to make the sale during the sting operation.

Police say they discovered the Facebook deal while investigating drug activity in an apartment building on Maple Street in Lebanon.

While only Farewell had communicated with officers online, she brought Riendeau with her to the meetup and he had marijuana in his possession, according to police.

Farewell was charged with the class B felony of possession of marijuana with the intent to sell. Riendeau was charged with the class B misdemeanor of possession of a controlled drug.

Both Farewell and Riendeau were released on personal recognizance bail and will be arraigned on April 17.
A Portsmouth, New Hampshire woman is facing charges after police say she pointed a handgun at police officers, prompting an hours-long standoff at her condo.

The officers had been performing a wellness check Monday afternoon.

Police say the woman, identified as Susanne Becker, 46, opened the door holding a gun and pointed it at the officers. Police, fire and SWAT teams negotiated with her for several hours.

Police say she left the home at one point and poured a liquid into the courtyard that she said was flammable. Authorities say she later left the home again, put the gun to her head and threatened to shoot herself.

Becker surrendered around 6:30 p.m. on Monday. She was charged with reckless conduct, disorderly conduct and criminal threatening.

She was hospitalized to determine if she needed medical treatment. She denied bail and will be arraigned via video on Tuesday.

An investigation remains ongoing.
St Peter Mancroft Church Norwich Presents The Leaves of the Trees an installation by sculptor Peter Walker which provides a memorial for those who died of Covid-19

St Peter Mancroft Church Norwich Presents The Leaves of the Trees an installation by sculptor Peter Walker which provides a memorial for those who died of Covid-19

Community Chaplaincy Norfolk begins a new chapter Community Chaplaincy Norfolk (CCN) celebrated the beginning of a new chapter this week, as the new chair of trustees Chris Tomlinson led his first annual meeting. Read more

Lowestoft Christians launch on-line bible helps app The Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth branch of Good News for Everyone (GNFE), formerly the Gideons, have introduced a new mobile phone app called On-line Bible Helps. Read more

Addicts' rehabilitation centre plan for Drayton Hall Christian addiction charity Teen Challenge London is planning to turn Drayton Hall near Norwich into its headquarters and a rehabilitation centre for men, after it was gifted the freehold of the hall by its owner, the Lind Trust. Read more

The power of positive protest Philip Young encourages us to take a stand for what we believe, and has just written to Therese Coffey regarding climate change and the forthcoming COP 27. He explains why we should be prepared to protest. Read more

Norwich church celebrates with cribs and trees Rosebery Road Methodist Church in Norwich will be holding its annual Cribs and Trees Festival in December. Read more

Transforming Norwich lunch offers ministry tips Ex-Brighton vicar, Rev Phil Moon, will offer tips on how to keep going in ministry to the Transforming Norwich leaders lunch on Wednesday November 16. Read more

Quiet Waters in Bungay offers healing retreat Quiet Waters Christian Retreat in Bungay is holding a gentle day retreat exploring healing in the Kingdom of God. Read more

Latest Norfolk Christian community events Events of interest to the Norwich and Norfolk Christian community happening over the next few weeks are listed. Read more

Norfolk ministry coaching duo are guest speakers Former church leaders and now freelance ministry coaches, Jonathan and Paige Squirrell, are the guest speakers at the next dinner of Norwich FGB on Monday, November 21. Read more

Bringing light to Halloween Anna Price encourages Christians to engage positively with Halloween rather than hide away, on what many see as the darkest night of the year. Read more

First service takes place at Norwich church site SOUL Church hosted around 400 people for a special service on the site of their new building on Heartsease Lane. Read more

Dereham draws up list of warm places for winter As rising energy prices make it harder to heat homes, churches in Dereham are leading the way in creating warm spaces where people can go. Read more

South Norfolk church scoops national award A medieval Anglican church in a tiny hamlet in South Norfolk has won a national award and a 10,000 boost. Read more

Dereham churches help people to help themselves A group of churches in Dereham have launched an ambitious project which aims to meet needs in the town, including the provision of food and skills training. Read more

Halloween light in Gorleston church On Halloween this year, St Mary Magdalene Church in Gorleston will be preparing to welcome around 200 families to experience their Light on a Dark Night event. Read more

An opportunity for Norwich to pray for the nation Rev Nigel Fox, who has served as a Methodist Minister for 15 years in Norwich, shares an open invitation to pray for the nation at a crucial moment. Read more

Norwich church seeks musicians Kingdom Ambassadors International Church is appealing for instrumentlists, keyboardists and guitarists to be part of their worship experience. Read more
The public cloud just keeps on growing, with increases in spending on cloud services and infrastructure easily outpacing overall IT spending. And it isnt even close.

The latest update to International Data Corporations Worldwide Semiannual Public Cloud Services Spending Guide projects worldwide investments in the public cloud will reach $122.5 billion in 2017, an increase of 24.4 percent over 2016. Those are big numbers, obviously, but to put them in full perspective, IDC noted that growth rate is nearly seven times the rate of overall IT spending growth.

Yep, seven times faster!

And thats hardly some one-year blip. IDC forecasts overall public cloud spending to grow 21.5 percent annually from 2015 through 2020, topping $203.4 billion worldwide.

SaaS still leads the way in cloud spending

Not surprisingly, software as a Service (SaaS) still dominates cloud computing. IDC says SaaS will capture almost two-thirds of public cloud spending this year. And although that dominance will fade a bit over time, SaaS is still expected to account for 60 percent of cloud spending in 2020. That SaaS spending includes both applications and infrastructure, but application purchases will comprise more than half of public cloud spending through 2020.

But IDC also notes that spending on infrastructure as a service (IaaS) and platform as a service (PaaS) will grow even faster than SaaS. IaaS is expected to grow 30.1 percent annually from 2015 to 2020, while IaaS spending will expand 32.2 percent a year during the same period.

Breaking down the cloud growth

IDC also breaks down public cloud growth by industry, company size and geographic region.

"In 2017, discrete manufacturing, professional services, and banking will lead the pack in global spending on public cloud services," said Eileen Smith, IDCs program director of Customer Insights and Analysis in a statement. "Combined, these three industries will account for one-third of worldwide public cloud services spending, or $41.2 billion."

But through 2020, the industries expanding their public cloud spending most dramatically are slightly different, IDC notes. Professional services tops this list with 23.9 percent annual growth, followed by retails 22.8 percent annual growth, medias 22.5 percent annual growth rate, and telecoms 22.1 percent annual growth rate. But overall, public cloud growth is widespread across industries, with 18 of the 20 industries tracked due to enjoy annual growth rates of more than 20 from 2015 to 2020.

Significantly, while some critics still question the public clouds role in large companies, enterprises with more than 1,000 employees will account for more than half of cloud spending, IDC predicts, and enjoy the fastest annual growth of any segment: 23.2 percent.

Any way you slice it, this all adds up to systemic, widespread, sustained growth for the public cloud

Catching up to the U.S. public cloud market

Finally, the U.S. is due to remain the largest public cloud market, generating more than 60 percent of total worldwide revenues. The Asia/Pacific region (excluding Japan) and Latin America will grow cloud spending the fastest. However, Asia/Pacific (excluding Japan) is expected to grow 28 percent annually, while Latin Americas cloud spending will rise 26.6 percent a year, IDC predicts.

Once again, though, the numbers show that cloud growth is widespread, with seven of the eight regions IDC tracks expected to grow more than 20 percent a year. The U.S. is the only laggard, just missing that 20 percent mark with 19.9 percent growth.

"European companies have been slower in the adoption of cloud when compared to their U.S. counterparts, explained Serena Da Rold, IDCs senior research manager of Customer Insights and Analysis. But now the market is maturing, and it is the right time for cloud providers to target and capture the untapped segments."

What do you think? Share your thoughts on cloud adoption and cloud spending
Because of the falling pound, the cost of materials I import has already risen dramatically

TWO thirds of West Berkshires small businesses have said they are concerned about the negative impact Brexit will have on their trade, according to a recent survey.

The districts businesses revealed their fears in the Liberal Democrat West Berkshire Business Brexit Survey  part of a national consultation exercise for small businesses, which ran between October and December.

The results of the local survey show 66 per cent of respondents expect Brexit to be bad for their business.

Forty-eight per cent of businesses said they imported products or materials from Europe, while 27 per cent export goods to the EU.

West Berkshires Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate Judith Bunting said the results made worrying reading.

She said: We set up the consultation in West Berkshire last year to make sure the views of our local traders and employers are properly represented.

The news is that two thirds of local traders and service providers who took part in the survey think their business is going to be hurt when we leave the EU and the single market.

Many report that their costs have gone up already and that they have no choice but to pass these on to their customers through increased prices.

Responding in the survey, the director of Rivar Sand and Gravel in Thatcham, Jon Gage, (pictured with Ms Bunting) said: After the referendum result we spent six months absorbing cost increases.

"Since January we have had no choice but to pass these increases on to our customers.

The president of Open Studios, West Berkshire and Hampshire, Johannes von Stumm, who was responsible for the artwork on the Robin Hood roundabout, said: My survival as a sculptor is in great danger if customs declarations and tariffs are introduced.

Because of the falling pound, the cost of materials I import has already risen dramatically.

The results of the survey are being used to draw up a list of negotiating requirements, which the Liberal Democrats will call on the Government to achieve.

The findings echo those of another survey, the Thames Valley Business Barometer, in which, out of more than 150 businesses surveyed, only two per cent said they had no concerns at all following the referendum.

The need for clarity about the rules of trading with EU countries (58 per cent) and the investment by Government in local infrastructure (52 per cent) came out as the two top concerns.

Ms Bunting said her party believes that Britain is better off in Europe, but the immediate priority was to make sure small local businesses do not pay the price of a rushed withdrawal.

She said: Many small and medium enterprises do not trade with Europe directly, but almost all depend on a supply chain that in turn deals with the EU.

We must stand up for small business and make sure Theresa May does not forget the importance of local trade as the UK lurches towards its uncertain future.
Residents invited to event staged by community group

A PARTNERSHIP aiming to highlight issues facing elderly Thatcham residents will hold an open discussion at Kennet School next month.

Community planning group Thatcham Vision is to team up with both Newbury MP Richard Benyon and Kennet School to look at problems facing senior citizens in the town.

Chairman of Thatcham Vision David Conquest said that the groups senior citizen team recognised isolation, scams and accessibility as three of the main issues facing Thatchams elderly population.

Mr Benyon will discuss the issues at a talk at Kennet School on March 3 (2pm).

Mr Benyon will be interviewed by a Kennet sixth-former before taking questions from audience members. The event will be filmed and extracts will then be made into a short YouTube video.

The talk is aimed at enabling decision-makers to gain a better understanding of older peoples views and what resources are required.

It is hoped that organisations and charities could also identify ways they can help.

Mr Conquest said: We are hoping to attract representatives from local churches, from local government, charities, Royal British Legion and the medical community, as well as interested members of the public.

Thatcham Visions marketing manager Martin Cook said that elderly people may feel transparent and that they dont count, but the aim was to identify areas that were not being addressed at the moment.

Kennet School headteacher Paul Dick said: Kennet School is delighted to work closely with Thatcham Vision because we too want the very best for our local community. The opportunity to work with a group of senior citizens was gratefully received and complements work we do in our monthly community lunches.

We look forward to welcoming our visitors to our school and sharing our great facilities with them. It is always good to see Richard Benyon in our school, as he gives great encouragement to our pupils.

The event is open to all.
More than 117,000 visit mourning altars set up across Seoul for Itaewon victims More than 117,000 people paid their respects at mourning altars set up across Seoul for the victims of the Halloween crowd crush that killed at least 156 people in the city's night...

1 rail worker killed, another injured while working One railway worker was killed and another injured after being struck by a cargo train in Uiwang, just southwest of Seoul, officials said Sunday. The accident occurred at 8:20 p....
By PTI

NEW DELHI: FMCG major Britannia today said it has signed an MoU with Greece's cakes and confectionery major Chipita and is in advanced stages of discussion to finalise definitive agreements including a Joint Venture.

"This is inform you that the company has signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Chipita, a Greek company for exploring certain business opportunities. The company is in advance stage of discussion with Chipita to finalise definitive agreements inter-alia that include joint venture (JV) agreement," Britannia Industries said in a BSE filing.

Chipita is present internationally in four major product categories - croissants and similar dough products, savoury snacks (bake rolls), cakes and confectionery. Chipita is already operating in India.

The company has been operating outside Greece since 1995 by setting up manufacturing plants in Bulgaria, Portugal and Egypt, followed by Poland, Romania, Russia and Saudi Arabia and more recently India, and Turkey. Shares of Britannia were trading 0.92 per cent down at Rs 3,223.50 apiece on BSE.

NEW DELHI: FMCG major Britannia today said it has signed an MoU with Greece's cakes and confectionery major Chipita and is in advanced stages of discussion to finalise definitive agreements including a Joint Venture. "This is inform you that the company has signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Chipita, a Greek company for exploring certain business opportunities. The company is in advance stage of discussion with Chipita to finalise definitive agreements inter-alia that include joint venture (JV) agreement," Britannia Industries said in a BSE filing. Chipita is present internationally in four major product categories - croissants and similar dough products, savoury snacks (bake rolls), cakes and confectionery. Chipita is already operating in India. The company has been operating outside Greece since 1995 by setting up manufacturing plants in Bulgaria, Portugal and Egypt, followed by Poland, Romania, Russia and Saudi Arabia and more recently India, and Turkey. Shares of Britannia were trading 0.92 per cent down at Rs 3,223.50 apiece on BSE.
By Associated Press

TOKYO: Embattled Japanese electronics maker Toshiba Corp. is selling its stake in a medical equipment leasing company to Canon Inc. for 31.4 billion yen ($277 million).

Toshiba said Tuesday it is selling its entire 65 percent stake in Toshiba Medical Finance Co. to Canon, a Japanese camera maker, effective March 31. Tokyo-based Toshiba has been in talks with Canon since late last year on the sale.

Toshiba, which owns U.S. nuclear company Westinghouse, is in deep trouble after suffering massive losses in its nuclear business. It has been selling off lucrative businesses such as its computer-chip operations.

It is projecting a 712.5 billion yen ($6.3 billion) loss for its nuclear business, and has been unable to report April-December financial results. Its chairman has resigned to take responsibility for the mess.

Toshiba has already sold part of its chip business, and its president has said it is thinking about selling all of it to get out of the massive red ink.

It has also sold its household appliance unit to Midea of China, which is maintaining the Toshiba brand name.

The company has said it will no longer take on new reactor construction projects and will focus on maintaining the reactors it already has.

Toshiba is also involved in the decommissioning of Japan's Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant, which suffered multiple meltdowns after a massive March 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

Its costs have risen because of growing safety concerns and regulations after the Fukushima accident, adding to Toshiba's woes.

Its reputation has also been tarnished in recent years by a scandal over the doctoring of accounting books to meet unrealistic profit targets.

TOKYO: Embattled Japanese electronics maker Toshiba Corp. is selling its stake in a medical equipment leasing company to Canon Inc. for 31.4 billion yen ($277 million). Toshiba said Tuesday it is selling its entire 65 percent stake in Toshiba Medical Finance Co. to Canon, a Japanese camera maker, effective March 31. Tokyo-based Toshiba has been in talks with Canon since late last year on the sale. Toshiba, which owns U.S. nuclear company Westinghouse, is in deep trouble after suffering massive losses in its nuclear business. It has been selling off lucrative businesses such as its computer-chip operations. It is projecting a 712.5 billion yen ($6.3 billion) loss for its nuclear business, and has been unable to report April-December financial results. Its chairman has resigned to take responsibility for the mess. Toshiba has already sold part of its chip business, and its president has said it is thinking about selling all of it to get out of the massive red ink. It has also sold its household appliance unit to Midea of China, which is maintaining the Toshiba brand name. The company has said it will no longer take on new reactor construction projects and will focus on maintaining the reactors it already has. Toshiba is also involved in the decommissioning of Japan's Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant, which suffered multiple meltdowns after a massive March 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Its costs have risen because of growing safety concerns and regulations after the Fukushima accident, adding to Toshiba's woes. Its reputation has also been tarnished in recent years by a scandal over the doctoring of accounting books to meet unrealistic profit targets.
By ANI

MUMBAI: It will be a historic moment when Natarajan Chandrasekaran takes over as Chairman of Tata Sons, becoming the first non-Parsi to take over reins of the countrys most diversified business group.



Speaking to the media outside Bombay House here today, Chandrasekaran expressed his gratitude on the appointment, assuring that he will lead from the front in enhancing the companys goodwill.

I am very delighted to take over. We will do everything required to make everyone related to the company proud, said Chandrasekaran.



The group is in the hearts and minds of people in India and globally. We will work together to drive discipline on capital allocation and shareholder returns. This company has always shown tremendous spirit in terms of pioneering and leadership. I look forward to the appointment and seek your support, added Chandrasekaran.



Earlier in February, Chandrasekaran was appointed to take over as the Chairman of Tata Power, while holding the post of Chairman of Tata Steel Ltd. and Tata Motors Ltd. He was also the CEO and Managing Director of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), a leading global IT solutions and consulting firm.

Chandrasekaran joined TCS in 1987 after completing his master's in computer applications from Regional Engineering College, Trichy, Tamil Nadu, India. Under his leadership, TCS has become the largest private sector employer in India with the highest retention rate in a globally competitive industry.

TCS remains the most valuable company in India with a market capitalisation of over USD 70 billion. Under Chandrasekaran's leadership, TCS was rated as the world's most powerful brand in IT services in 2015 and recognised as a Global Top Employer by the Top Employers Institute across 24 countries.

A techno-preneur known for his ability to make big bets on new technology, Chandrasekaran has been driving TCS's strong positioning in the emerging digital economy with a suite of innovative digital products and platforms for enterprises, some of which have since scaled into sizeable new businesses.

He has been playing an active role in the Indo-US and India-UK CEO Forums. He is also part of India's business taskforces for Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Japan and Malaysia. He served as the Chairman of Nasscom, the apex trade body for IT services firms, in India in 2012-13 and continues to be a member of its governing executive council.

MUMBAI: It will be a historic moment when Natarajan Chandrasekaran takes over as Chairman of Tata Sons, becoming the first non-Parsi to take over reins of the countrys most diversified business group. Speaking to the media outside Bombay House here today, Chandrasekaran expressed his gratitude on the appointment, assuring that he will lead from the front in enhancing the companys goodwill. I am very delighted to take over. We will do everything required to make everyone related to the company proud, said Chandrasekaran. The group is in the hearts and minds of people in India and globally. We will work together to drive discipline on capital allocation and shareholder returns. This company has always shown tremendous spirit in terms of pioneering and leadership. I look forward to the appointment and seek your support, added Chandrasekaran. Earlier in February, Chandrasekaran was appointed to take over as the Chairman of Tata Power, while holding the post of Chairman of Tata Steel Ltd. and Tata Motors Ltd. He was also the CEO and Managing Director of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), a leading global IT solutions and consulting firm. Chandrasekaran joined TCS in 1987 after completing his master's in computer applications from Regional Engineering College, Trichy, Tamil Nadu, India. Under his leadership, TCS has become the largest private sector employer in India with the highest retention rate in a globally competitive industry. TCS remains the most valuable company in India with a market capitalisation of over USD 70 billion. Under Chandrasekaran's leadership, TCS was rated as the world's most powerful brand in IT services in 2015 and recognised as a Global Top Employer by the Top Employers Institute across 24 countries. A techno-preneur known for his ability to make big bets on new technology, Chandrasekaran has been driving TCS's strong positioning in the emerging digital economy with a suite of innovative digital products and platforms for enterprises, some of which have since scaled into sizeable new businesses. He has been playing an active role in the Indo-US and India-UK CEO Forums. He is also part of India's business taskforces for Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Japan and Malaysia. He served as the Chairman of Nasscom, the apex trade body for IT services firms, in India in 2012-13 and continues to be a member of its governing executive council.
Pramod Thomas By

Express News Service

KOCHI : Even as natural gas prices in India are set to increase from April, domestic production of gas is on the wane. Production has fallen from 34,575 million standard cubic metres (mscm) in 2013-14 to 31,138 mscm in 2015-16  the lowest in three years.

During the period, total consumption increased from 52, 302 mscm in 2013-14 to 52,448 mscm in 2015-16. In the same period, imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from 17,728 mscm to 21,309 mscm. These figures indicate that Indias dependence on LNG imports will on widen in the future.

Experts say that low output from domestic players such as ONGC, Oil India and private sector Reliance Industrys KG-D6 block have gone against the countrys ambitions of producing more gas domestically.

Though the initial promise was 80 mscmd from the KG basin of Reliance, the output is less than 10 mscmd and even this is set to go down further.

The production by PSU companies are also not picking up. India is locked into an expensive long-term contract for LNG imports from Australia in the Kochi terminal so much so, there are no takers for this gas, said Sudha Mahalingam, former member, Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board. According to her, the country will have to learn to pay for LNG imports as hope of increased domestic production is minimal. We import four out of crude barrels required. Same scenario will happen in the case of natural gas as well, she added.

According to a Reliance spokesperson, the drop in gas production is due to natural reasons. Soil and water were mixed in the gas field, which was made it difficult to explore gas. Some of the areas, which were considered as gas reserves earlier, were not reserves at all.

The production of gas during 2016-17 (till December 2016) is 23,087 mscm. Imports were 18,755 mscm. In all, India had consumed 41,843 mscm of gas in FY17.

Currently, majority of the gas requirement in the country is met by domestic production. But, the situation is changing fast and we may find a trend reversal in the future. The imported gas will be always expensive as we have to factor in the cost of transportation, said M P Sukumaran Nair, director, Centre for Green Technology and Management.

KOCHI : Even as natural gas prices in India are set to increase from April, domestic production of gas is on the wane. Production has fallen from 34,575 million standard cubic metres (mscm) in 2013-14 to 31,138 mscm in 2015-16  the lowest in three years. During the period, total consumption increased from 52, 302 mscm in 2013-14 to 52,448 mscm in 2015-16. In the same period, imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from 17,728 mscm to 21,309 mscm. These figures indicate that Indias dependence on LNG imports will on widen in the future. Experts say that low output from domestic players such as ONGC, Oil India and private sector Reliance Industrys KG-D6 block have gone against the countrys ambitions of producing more gas domestically. Though the initial promise was 80 mscmd from the KG basin of Reliance, the output is less than 10 mscmd and even this is set to go down further. The production by PSU companies are also not picking up. India is locked into an expensive long-term contract for LNG imports from Australia in the Kochi terminal so much so, there are no takers for this gas, said Sudha Mahalingam, former member, Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board. According to her, the country will have to learn to pay for LNG imports as hope of increased domestic production is minimal. We import four out of crude barrels required. Same scenario will happen in the case of natural gas as well, she added. According to a Reliance spokesperson, the drop in gas production is due to natural reasons. Soil and water were mixed in the gas field, which was made it difficult to explore gas. Some of the areas, which were considered as gas reserves earlier, were not reserves at all. The production of gas during 2016-17 (till December 2016) is 23,087 mscm. Imports were 18,755 mscm. In all, India had consumed 41,843 mscm of gas in FY17. Currently, majority of the gas requirement in the country is met by domestic production. But, the situation is changing fast and we may find a trend reversal in the future. The imported gas will be always expensive as we have to factor in the cost of transportation, said M P Sukumaran Nair, director, Centre for Green Technology and Management.
Suraksha P By

Express News Service

BENGALURU: A 36-year-old woman undergoing treatment at Manipal Hospital has died, in what is believed to be the second death from H1N1 influenza in the state this season. First H1N1-related death was reported from Shivamogga.

On Monday, the health departments death audit committee confirmed the first H1N1 death in Bengaluru.

Vidya of Vinayak Nagar, Whitefield, died at Manipal Hospital three days back, informed Dr Prakash Kumar, state nodal officer, National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme.

H1N1 is an air-borne infection. People coming from Hosur, Tamil Nadu may be carrying the infection with them to Karnataka. So far, 170 H1N1 cases have been reported in the state this year. In Bengaluru, H1N1 test can be done only in three labs  NIMHANS (free of cost), Narayana Nethralaya and Manipal Hospital (`2,500 per throat swab) and Command Hospital (not for civilians). These are the only recognised labs for H1N1 test in the city, Dr Prakash said.

Officials suggest that citizens should not neglect flu-like symptoms, including fever, cough and cold, and get tested for H1N1 to be on the safe side.

Cases are there in all of south India, including Puducherry. If the patients immunity is low, there will be secondary infections and co-morbid conditions. This will lead to complications. Early intervention is required but many people dont consult the doctor considering it a common flu, he said.

For H1N1, RTPCR test is conducted. It is a viral diagnostic test. Apart from the three labs in Bengaluru, Manipal, Udupi also has the free testing facility, he said.

City equipped to handle a outbreak

Weve got all the logistics and drugs in place. Government hospitals have separate wards or keep at least five beds reserved for H1N1. Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases has an isolation ward. We keep two metres distance and isolate the patient, Dr Prakash said.

Surveillance of patients kin, neighbours

We keep people under surveillance in the patients house who might have come in contact with the patient. If they exhibit flu-like symptoms, we give them Tamiflu tablets for five days which are anti-viral drugs. We also ask them to be in isolation, he added.

BENGALURU: A 36-year-old woman undergoing treatment at Manipal Hospital has died, in what is believed to be the second death from H1N1 influenza in the state this season. First H1N1-related death was reported from Shivamogga. On Monday, the health departments death audit committee confirmed the first H1N1 death in Bengaluru. Vidya of Vinayak Nagar, Whitefield, died at Manipal Hospital three days back, informed Dr Prakash Kumar, state nodal officer, National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme. H1N1 is an air-borne infection. People coming from Hosur, Tamil Nadu may be carrying the infection with them to Karnataka. So far, 170 H1N1 cases have been reported in the state this year. In Bengaluru, H1N1 test can be done only in three labs  NIMHANS (free of cost), Narayana Nethralaya and Manipal Hospital (`2,500 per throat swab) and Command Hospital (not for civilians). These are the only recognised labs for H1N1 test in the city, Dr Prakash said. Officials suggest that citizens should not neglect flu-like symptoms, including fever, cough and cold, and get tested for H1N1 to be on the safe side. Cases are there in all of south India, including Puducherry. If the patients immunity is low, there will be secondary infections and co-morbid conditions. This will lead to complications. Early intervention is required but many people dont consult the doctor considering it a common flu, he said. For H1N1, RTPCR test is conducted. It is a viral diagnostic test. Apart from the three labs in Bengaluru, Manipal, Udupi also has the free testing facility, he said. City equipped to handle a outbreak Weve got all the logistics and drugs in place. Government hospitals have separate wards or keep at least five beds reserved for H1N1. Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases has an isolation ward. We keep two metres distance and isolate the patient, Dr Prakash said. Surveillance of patients kin, neighbours We keep people under surveillance in the patients house who might have come in contact with the patient. If they exhibit flu-like symptoms, we give them Tamiflu tablets for five days which are anti-viral drugs. We also ask them to be in isolation, he added.
Roshne B By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Its 1:30 pm. There is a flurry of activity at the Corporation Girls Higher Secondary School, Saidapet. As we enter the administrative cabin, head master Lyla greets us and enthusiastically says, Let me call her! She sends news of our arrival to Sivakami, the Class 8 student who has been selected the second time for an educational trip  this time to Germany. She looks like any teenager would, but as we chat, we discover that the little girls ambitions and goals are deeper than what meets the eye.

This is the second time 13-year-old Sivakami has emerged the winner in the Elocution competition, Wings to Fly, organised by Rotary Club of Madras East. Reminiscing her first international educational trip to Kuala Lampur, Malaysia, Sivakami says it was a life-changing experience. I was surprised when I won last year. I was in awe of their culture, especially the respect they give to every language. I like how they dont mix languages. For instance, Tamil and Malay arent mixed with English, unlike our Tanglish here I wish we could learn to speak that way too! Also, the place is extremely clean; why cant we maintain our place like that? she says.

This year, the final competition, conducted by the club along with Goethe Institut and Greater Chennai Corporation, was themed Embrace Our Rivers. Sivakami said she felt a strong urge to protect and preserve the water bodies. It was my father who wrote the draft of the speech for mebut the topic was extremely relatable. and I was able to add several anecdotes, she shares.

Excited and curious about her trip to Germany in July, she says, I have heard that the water bodies there are maintained with utmost care. I want to see how they do it. I also want to observe and analyse the public contribution towards conservation and preservation. To her, this will be the biggest take away from the trip. Once I am back, I will lend a hand to preserve our rivers! she smiles.

Crediting her parents, teachers, and friends for her success, she says that she has been lucky to have their constant support. Even if I miss classes for competitions, my teachers dont discourage me. They say that this is the time for me to achieve. My parents also push me to give my best. My friends have been extremely patient when I rehearse my speech with them a number of times. They dont get bored, but keep giving suggestions, she beams.

Apart from elocution, music, writing and storytelling are Sivakamis other interests. I enjoy singing and I love storytelling. I come up with my own stories and improvise according to the expectations of my audience, says the NCC junior leader. A n all-rounder, the 13-year-old wants to serve the society and lead it to a better future.

So, how does she aim to do that? I want to become the Chief Minister! Thats my ambition. Ive always wanted to lead people and bring about a change. I believe that success comes when you observe and listen to things around you. This way, you understand a lot and direct your followers in the right path. As CM, my focus will be on providing quality education and improving the sanitary standards in villages. I would also arrange for counselling and make people realise these are important causes, she says.

Talking more about her other goals, she says that if not CM, she would become a doctor. I want to serve the society. I want to spread awareness about diseases through proper counselling so that the people dont panic, she smiles.

As she leaves for her class, she adds, I think dreaming of serving the place where I was born isnt a big thing. In fact, I feel it is our duty to do so.

CHENNAI: Its 1:30 pm. There is a flurry of activity at the Corporation Girls Higher Secondary School, Saidapet. As we enter the administrative cabin, head master Lyla greets us and enthusiastically says, Let me call her! She sends news of our arrival to Sivakami, the Class 8 student who has been selected the second time for an educational trip  this time to Germany. She looks like any teenager would, but as we chat, we discover that the little girls ambitions and goals are deeper than what meets the eye. This is the second time 13-year-old Sivakami has emerged the winner in the Elocution competition, Wings to Fly, organised by Rotary Club of Madras East. Reminiscing her first international educational trip to Kuala Lampur, Malaysia, Sivakami says it was a life-changing experience. I was surprised when I won last year. I was in awe of their culture, especially the respect they give to every language. I like how they dont mix languages. For instance, Tamil and Malay arent mixed with English, unlike our Tanglish here I wish we could learn to speak that way too! Also, the place is extremely clean; why cant we maintain our place like that? she says. This year, the final competition, conducted by the club along with Goethe Institut and Greater Chennai Corporation, was themed Embrace Our Rivers. Sivakami said she felt a strong urge to protect and preserve the water bodies. It was my father who wrote the draft of the speech for mebut the topic was extremely relatable. and I was able to add several anecdotes, she shares. Excited and curious about her trip to Germany in July, she says, I have heard that the water bodies there are maintained with utmost care. I want to see how they do it. I also want to observe and analyse the public contribution towards conservation and preservation. To her, this will be the biggest take away from the trip. Once I am back, I will lend a hand to preserve our rivers! she smiles. Crediting her parents, teachers, and friends for her success, she says that she has been lucky to have their constant support. Even if I miss classes for competitions, my teachers dont discourage me. They say that this is the time for me to achieve. My parents also push me to give my best. My friends have been extremely patient when I rehearse my speech with them a number of times. They dont get bored, but keep giving suggestions, she beams. Apart from elocution, music, writing and storytelling are Sivakamis other interests. I enjoy singing and I love storytelling. I come up with my own stories and improvise according to the expectations of my audience, says the NCC junior leader. A n all-rounder, the 13-year-old wants to serve the society and lead it to a better future. So, how does she aim to do that? I want to become the Chief Minister! Thats my ambition. Ive always wanted to lead people and bring about a change. I believe that success comes when you observe and listen to things around you. This way, you understand a lot and direct your followers in the right path. As CM, my focus will be on providing quality education and improving the sanitary standards in villages. I would also arrange for counselling and make people realise these are important causes, she says. Talking more about her other goals, she says that if not CM, she would become a doctor. I want to serve the society. I want to spread awareness about diseases through proper counselling so that the people dont panic, she smiles. As she leaves for her class, she adds, I think dreaming of serving the place where I was born isnt a big thing. In fact, I feel it is our duty to do so.
By BNS

Kangana Ranaut is known for always being candid and speaking her heart out. Ahead of Rangoon release, the actress revealed a few delightful and a few insightful facts into her upcoming movie, Rangoon and herself.

Was it difficult for you to get into the World War 2 era?

The character is an actress from the World War 2 era and the cinema back then was very different. The content, execution and overall feel of the film was very primitive. I had to get the nuances of how the actresses used to act in those days because the style of acting was completely

different.

How was it working with Shahid Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan?

Shahid Kapor and Saif Ali Khan are not just eye candies but very good actors as well. Their combination with Vishal Bhardwaj is terrific and they share a great chemistry with each other. Saif is a classic man who would often come up to talk to you, whereas Shahid on the sets would come with headphones wrapped around his head, he has a boyish charm about him.

Do you think the Hindi film

audience has evolved over the last few years?



Yes. Along with the massy cinema there is a new set of multiplex driven cinema as well. Our audience especially the younger generation dont connect with massy films. They want cinema that can stimulate them mentally and emotionally. We have all sort of audiences for all sort of films.



You said that Rangoon is a special film for you. What makes you say so?

Rangoon is a special film because it is a period drama. There are many films that release in a year but no one can live up to the scale and authenticity that Rangoon has. This isnt a run of the mill commercial masala film which is why this has the potential to have a long run not just in cinema halls but also digitally.

You have often stayed away from the conventional Bollywood films starring the big superstars. Are you open to work with them?



I used to get a lot of offers to do big hero films but I decided to stay away from them. Since the big stars are hesitant to do a small role in a big film, even I am hesitant to do the same. I still get a lot of offers to work with big stars, but the star has the central character in each of them. No superstar has agreed to do a small role in my film, so why should I?

Are you offered the Aanand L Rai film starring Shah Rukh Khan?

Not true at all.

You command things like the three Khans do....

They have a huge body of work and experience of several decades. I hope that when I am of their age, I have that connect with the audiences. Rome isnt built in a day and connect with millions of people happens over a period of time. I havent reached that spot yet, but I am sure I will get there some day.

Kangana Ranaut is known for always being candid and speaking her heart out. Ahead of Rangoon release, the actress revealed a few delightful and a few insightful facts into her upcoming movie, Rangoon and herself. Was it difficult for you to get into the World War 2 era? The character is an actress from the World War 2 era and the cinema back then was very different. The content, execution and overall feel of the film was very primitive. I had to get the nuances of how the actresses used to act in those days because the style of acting was completely different. How was it working with Shahid Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan? Shahid Kapor and Saif Ali Khan are not just eye candies but very good actors as well. Their combination with Vishal Bhardwaj is terrific and they share a great chemistry with each other. Saif is a classic man who would often come up to talk to you, whereas Shahid on the sets would come with headphones wrapped around his head, he has a boyish charm about him. Do you think the Hindi film audience has evolved over the last few years? Yes. Along with the massy cinema there is a new set of multiplex driven cinema as well. Our audience especially the younger generation dont connect with massy films. They want cinema that can stimulate them mentally and emotionally. We have all sort of audiences for all sort of films. You said that Rangoon is a special film for you. What makes you say so? Rangoon is a special film because it is a period drama. There are many films that release in a year but no one can live up to the scale and authenticity that Rangoon has. This isnt a run of the mill commercial masala film which is why this has the potential to have a long run not just in cinema halls but also digitally. You have often stayed away from the conventional Bollywood films starring the big superstars. Are you open to work with them? I used to get a lot of offers to do big hero films but I decided to stay away from them. Since the big stars are hesitant to do a small role in a big film, even I am hesitant to do the same. I still get a lot of offers to work with big stars, but the star has the central character in each of them. No superstar has agreed to do a small role in my film, so why should I? Are you offered the Aanand L Rai film starring Shah Rukh Khan? Not true at all. You command things like the three Khans do.... They have a huge body of work and experience of several decades. I hope that when I am of their age, I have that connect with the audiences. Rome isnt built in a day and connect with millions of people happens over a period of time. I havent reached that spot yet, but I am sure I will get there some day.
Vikram Sharma By

Express News Service

HYDERABAD: Has the high-profile wedding of Telugu film superstar Nagarjuna's son Akhil Akkineni and Shriya Bhupal, granddaughter of industrialist G V K Reddy, been called off?

Speculation is rife, both in Tollywood and business circles, that Akkineni Nagarjuna and G V K Reddy, the heads of the two families, have reportedly called off the wedding.

Akhil (22) and Shriya (26) were engaged in a lavish private ceremony at GVK House back December. The betrothal became the talk of the town and the rich and famous of Hyderabad were looking forward to the wedding in Italy in May this year.

Sources close to both families disclosed to New Indian Express that over the last few days many invitees who had already booked air tickets to Italy were asked to cancel them.

Messages went out last Saturday to guests to cancel their programme. No reason was given. Those who were about to book tickets were advised not to go ahead. Even the tickets booked by both families have been cancelled, they said.

Though the reasons for the cancellation off are not known, sources indicated it was a ''last minute decision.' One invitee who spoke to New Indian Express on condition of anonymity said it was a total surprise. All was well until last week, he said.

About 700 guests were to fly to Rome for the destination wedding including several top industrialists, big names from the southern film industries, and some top stars from Bollywood. A lot of preparations were made and everything was in place. Hotels and resorts were booked, sources said.

Akhil and Shriya had been seeing each other for almost two years before the December engagement. While Akhil has acted in a few movies, Shriya Bhupal is the official costume designer for a film magazine and has worked with Tollywood stars Kajal Agarwal and Shriya Saran besides Bollywood A listers like Shraddha Kapoor and Alia Bhatt.

HYDERABAD: Has the high-profile wedding of Telugu film superstar Nagarjuna's son Akhil Akkineni and Shriya Bhupal, granddaughter of industrialist G V K Reddy, been called off? Speculation is rife, both in Tollywood and business circles, that Akkineni Nagarjuna and G V K Reddy, the heads of the two families, have reportedly called off the wedding. Akhil (22) and Shriya (26) were engaged in a lavish private ceremony at GVK House back December. The betrothal became the talk of the town and the rich and famous of Hyderabad were looking forward to the wedding in Italy in May this year. Sources close to both families disclosed to New Indian Express that over the last few days many invitees who had already booked air tickets to Italy were asked to cancel them. Messages went out last Saturday to guests to cancel their programme. No reason was given. Those who were about to book tickets were advised not to go ahead. Even the tickets booked by both families have been cancelled, they said. Though the reasons for the cancellation off are not known, sources indicated it was a ''last minute decision.' One invitee who spoke to New Indian Express on condition of anonymity said it was a total surprise. All was well until last week, he said. About 700 guests were to fly to Rome for the destination wedding including several top industrialists, big names from the southern film industries, and some top stars from Bollywood. A lot of preparations were made and everything was in place. Hotels and resorts were booked, sources said. Akhil and Shriya had been seeing each other for almost two years before the December engagement. While Akhil has acted in a few movies, Shriya Bhupal is the official costume designer for a film magazine and has worked with Tollywood stars Kajal Agarwal and Shriya Saran besides Bollywood A listers like Shraddha Kapoor and Alia Bhatt.
Fayaz Wani By

Express News Service

SRINAGAR: In a major relief for Kashmiri Pandits living in Valley, the separatists on Monday called off the strike call given by them on Hindu festival of Maha Shivratri.

The hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani, moderate Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik in a joint statement today said they have called off the strike on Friday (February 24), which coincided with Maha Shivratri.

On February 24, Kashmiri Pandits will be observing Maha Shivratri festival (locally known as Herat). The Kashmiri Pandits will be holding special prayers in the temples.

The Pandits distribute wet walnuts on the festival. They put walnuts put in earthen pots filled with water before the festival and then distribute. They distribute it among the Muslims also.

We have exemplary tradition of mutual brotherhood in the State and since ages we are living in harmony, the separatist leaders said while calling off the strike.

They said while issuing the protest programme, they did not notice that Maha Shivratri is being observed on February 24.

After our strike call, the members of Kashmiri Pandit community sought our attention towards and after consultations, we have called off proposed strike on Friday, the leaders said.

The Pandits had appealed the separatist leaders to call of the strike on Maha Shivrati.

The three separatist leaders had spearhead the over five month long unrest in the Valley last year after killing of 21-year-old Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces in South Kashmirs Kokernag area on July 8 last .

The trio have been issuing protest calendars and shutdowns since July 8. On their call, the Kashmir observed continuous shutdown for over four months. The separatists had not relaxed shutdown on E-id-ul-Azha, the Muslim holy festival last year.

Meanwhile, J&K government spokesman and Minister for Public Works, Naeem Akhtar, today visited Pandit Colony in Sheikhpora in central Kashmirs Budgam district to review facilities there ahead of Maha Shivratri festival.

During the visit, the minister reviewed status of under-construction additional blocks of the residential colony there.

He was informed that 200 Pandit families are already residing in the colony since 2008.

96 new flats are under construction at a cost of Rs 30 crore in Pandit colony at Sheikhpora.

SRINAGAR: In a major relief for Kashmiri Pandits living in Valley, the separatists on Monday called off the strike call given by them on Hindu festival of Maha Shivratri. The hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani, moderate Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik in a joint statement today said they have called off the strike on Friday (February 24), which coincided with Maha Shivratri. On February 24, Kashmiri Pandits will be observing Maha Shivratri festival (locally known as Herat). The Kashmiri Pandits will be holding special prayers in the temples. The Pandits distribute wet walnuts on the festival. They put walnuts put in earthen pots filled with water before the festival and then distribute. They distribute it among the Muslims also. We have exemplary tradition of mutual brotherhood in the State and since ages we are living in harmony, the separatist leaders said while calling off the strike. They said while issuing the protest programme, they did not notice that Maha Shivratri is being observed on February 24. After our strike call, the members of Kashmiri Pandit community sought our attention towards and after consultations, we have called off proposed strike on Friday, the leaders said. The Pandits had appealed the separatist leaders to call of the strike on Maha Shivrati. The three separatist leaders had spearhead the over five month long unrest in the Valley last year after killing of 21-year-old Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces in South Kashmirs Kokernag area on July 8 last . The trio have been issuing protest calendars and shutdowns since July 8. On their call, the Kashmir observed continuous shutdown for over four months. The separatists had not relaxed shutdown on E-id-ul-Azha, the Muslim holy festival last year. Meanwhile, J&K government spokesman and Minister for Public Works, Naeem Akhtar, today visited Pandit Colony in Sheikhpora in central Kashmirs Budgam district to review facilities there ahead of Maha Shivratri festival. During the visit, the minister reviewed status of under-construction additional blocks of the residential colony there. He was informed that 200 Pandit families are already residing in the colony since 2008. 96 new flats are under construction at a cost of Rs 30 crore in Pandit colony at Sheikhpora.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar is in Beijing with a message for the neighbour in the East to respect its sovereignty concerns with respect to the Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir and implement its principled stand on terror.

The Foreign Secretary is travelling to Beijing to co-chair the bilateral Strategic Dialogue that will also see discussion on friction points  namely China blocking Indias entry to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and vetoing designation of Masood Azhar as a terrorist.

"For us, there are questions of sovereignty which need to be addressed first," said Jaishankar has told the state-owned the Global Times. The Chinese newspaper has stressed on the fact that as over 20 world leaders will be congregating to discuss Chinas One Belt and One Road initiative, India will be keeping away from it. Indias objection to the multi-billion dollar project has been that it transverses through PoK.

India, despite repeated engagements with China, has failed to impress it on the need of putting Masood Azhar under the UN Security Councils proscribed terrorist list. "China has a very strong, principled position on counter-terrorism. We hope the position China already has will be further implemented," Jaishankar added. The China-India Strategic Dialogue will be starting on Wednesday in Beijing.

Off late, New Delhi has chosen to deploy a masculine policy when it comes to its neighbour in the West and the East. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi responded to Pakistan inciting unrest in Kashmir by bringing up the issue of Balochistan, the Indian establishment has been not so subtly using Tibetan spiritual guru Dalai Lama and Taiwan to needle China.

Before, Jaishankar headed to Beijing, India had played host to Taiwanese legislators and shrugged when China objected to it. It remains to be seen if the strategic shift in Indian foreign policy towards China will help it in achieving the requisite objective.

NEW DELHI: Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar is in Beijing with a message for the neighbour in the East to respect its sovereignty concerns with respect to the Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir and implement its principled stand on terror. The Foreign Secretary is travelling to Beijing to co-chair the bilateral Strategic Dialogue that will also see discussion on friction points  namely China blocking Indias entry to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and vetoing designation of Masood Azhar as a terrorist. "For us, there are questions of sovereignty which need to be addressed first," said Jaishankar has told the state-owned the Global Times. The Chinese newspaper has stressed on the fact that as over 20 world leaders will be congregating to discuss Chinas One Belt and One Road initiative, India will be keeping away from it. Indias objection to the multi-billion dollar project has been that it transverses through PoK. India, despite repeated engagements with China, has failed to impress it on the need of putting Masood Azhar under the UN Security Councils proscribed terrorist list. "China has a very strong, principled position on counter-terrorism. We hope the position China already has will be further implemented," Jaishankar added. The China-India Strategic Dialogue will be starting on Wednesday in Beijing. Off late, New Delhi has chosen to deploy a masculine policy when it comes to its neighbour in the West and the East. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi responded to Pakistan inciting unrest in Kashmir by bringing up the issue of Balochistan, the Indian establishment has been not so subtly using Tibetan spiritual guru Dalai Lama and Taiwan to needle China. Before, Jaishankar headed to Beijing, India had played host to Taiwanese legislators and shrugged when China objected to it. It remains to be seen if the strategic shift in Indian foreign policy towards China will help it in achieving the requisite objective.
By ANI

MUMBAI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday expressed confidence of securing a majority in the 2017 Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls, despite facing a stiff competition from its ally Shiv Sena.

This time the BJP will definitely get a majority, the people are with us and we have a commitment with the people. I am sure that under the leadership of Devendra Fadnavis, the BJP will get a majority and Narendra Modis developmental model will be replicated in Mumbai, BJP leader Kirit Somaiya told ANI.

Somaiya further said that the people would not vote for Shiv Sena as it did nothing except for plundering the people of Mumbai.

Shiv Sena is unable to face the people of Mumbai. For many years the Shiv Sena plundered people, so many scams took place, be it sanitation, drinking water facilities, he said.

The local body polls would be witnessing a high pitch battle between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Shiv Sena, the Congress, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

Notably, the Shiv Sena, an ally of the BJP at the Centre and as well as at the Maharashtra Government, will be facing off with the latter after Uddhav Thackrey decided to part ways for the BMC polls.

Meanwhile, police has tightened security across the city ahead of Mumbai Municipal Corporations elections and are maintaining a strong vigil to avert any untoward incident across the 7,304 polling centres.

In order to prevent last minute luring of voters, Mumbai Police also conducted combing operations and checked vehicles with the help of flying squads of the state Election Commission.

Polling for 227 seats of Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai will be held between 7:30 am and 5:30 pm.

MUMBAI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday expressed confidence of securing a majority in the 2017 Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls, despite facing a stiff competition from its ally Shiv Sena. This time the BJP will definitely get a majority, the people are with us and we have a commitment with the people. I am sure that under the leadership of Devendra Fadnavis, the BJP will get a majority and Narendra Modis developmental model will be replicated in Mumbai, BJP leader Kirit Somaiya told ANI. Somaiya further said that the people would not vote for Shiv Sena as it did nothing except for plundering the people of Mumbai. Shiv Sena is unable to face the people of Mumbai. For many years the Shiv Sena plundered people, so many scams took place, be it sanitation, drinking water facilities, he said. The local body polls would be witnessing a high pitch battle between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Shiv Sena, the Congress, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Notably, the Shiv Sena, an ally of the BJP at the Centre and as well as at the Maharashtra Government, will be facing off with the latter after Uddhav Thackrey decided to part ways for the BMC polls. Meanwhile, police has tightened security across the city ahead of Mumbai Municipal Corporations elections and are maintaining a strong vigil to avert any untoward incident across the 7,304 polling centres. In order to prevent last minute luring of voters, Mumbai Police also conducted combing operations and checked vehicles with the help of flying squads of the state Election Commission. Polling for 227 seats of Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai will be held between 7:30 am and 5:30 pm.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: A Private Member's Bill, which seeks to declare Pakistan a country sponsoring terrorism, will be opposed by the government in Parliament.



'The Declaration of Countries as Sponsor of Terrorism Bill, 2016', moved by Independent member Rajeev Chandrasekhar in Rajya Sabha, "seeks to call out states like Pakistan that continue to associate, promote, patronise and sponsor terrorism against our nation" and provides for snapping all economic and trade relations with that country.



"India can't declare any country a 'Terror State' as it has to maintain diplomatic relations with all countries. Besides, in principle it is very rare that government supports any Private Member's Bill," a Home Ministry official said.



The Home Ministry has conveyed to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat about its opposition to the Bill, saying such a move may "jeopardise" international relations.



While moving the Bill on February 3, Chandrasekhar had stated that for decades, India and other countries in the region have been victims of terror attacks from organisations and individuals based in and with the support of elements in Pakistan.



"Yet for decades we have remained engaged with Pakistan in an attempt to draw it into the mainstream. This Bill is to finally put into motion the process of calling terror sponsors to account," Chandrasekhar said.



He also quoted data to say that from 1998 to 29, January 2017 14,741 civilians have been killed in terror attacks in this country, 6,274 security force personnel lost their lives

and we have 23,146 terrorists.

He also referred to the terror attack on Parliament, the Indian 'temple of democracy', on December 13, 2001, to press his point.



Stating that "Pakistan's history and track record of fostering terrorism and terrorists is long and indeed distinguishable and incontrovertible," he added, "It is time that we stop running to other countries to declare Pakistan a terror state and stood up and did this job ourselves."



Asserting that the world is getting tired and has lost patience with "rogue nations", he said as the global opinion consolidates around the conduct of some countries like Pakistan, the focus will naturally come on what India and the Indian Parliament's approach to that threat is.



Chandrasekhar said the Bill can apply in the future also to other countries that directly or indirectly aid terror attacks against India.

NEW DELHI: A Private Member's Bill, which seeks to declare Pakistan a country sponsoring terrorism, will be opposed by the government in Parliament. 'The Declaration of Countries as Sponsor of Terrorism Bill, 2016', moved by Independent member Rajeev Chandrasekhar in Rajya Sabha, "seeks to call out states like Pakistan that continue to associate, promote, patronise and sponsor terrorism against our nation" and provides for snapping all economic and trade relations with that country. "India can't declare any country a 'Terror State' as it has to maintain diplomatic relations with all countries. Besides, in principle it is very rare that government supports any Private Member's Bill," a Home Ministry official said. The Home Ministry has conveyed to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat about its opposition to the Bill, saying such a move may "jeopardise" international relations. While moving the Bill on February 3, Chandrasekhar had stated that for decades, India and other countries in the region have been victims of terror attacks from organisations and individuals based in and with the support of elements in Pakistan. "Yet for decades we have remained engaged with Pakistan in an attempt to draw it into the mainstream. This Bill is to finally put into motion the process of calling terror sponsors to account," Chandrasekhar said. He also quoted data to say that from 1998 to 29, January 2017 14,741 civilians have been killed in terror attacks in this country, 6,274 security force personnel lost their lives and we have 23,146 terrorists. He also referred to the terror attack on Parliament, the Indian 'temple of democracy', on December 13, 2001, to press his point. Stating that "Pakistan's history and track record of fostering terrorism and terrorists is long and indeed distinguishable and incontrovertible," he added, "It is time that we stop running to other countries to declare Pakistan a terror state and stood up and did this job ourselves." Asserting that the world is getting tired and has lost patience with "rogue nations", he said as the global opinion consolidates around the conduct of some countries like Pakistan, the focus will naturally come on what India and the Indian Parliament's approach to that threat is. Chandrasekhar said the Bill can apply in the future also to other countries that directly or indirectly aid terror attacks against India.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court today stayed three separate CIC orders imposing Rs 25,000 penalty on Delhi University's public information officer for rejecting RTI applications seeking facts about the graduation degrees of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Smriti Irani.



Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva observed that the RTI applicants "wasted judicial time" by filing "frivolous" pleas before the Central Information Commission (CIC) for rejection of their applications on technical grounds, instead of addressing the deficiencies pointed out by the central public information officer (CPIO) of Delhi University (DU).



CPIO had rejected the three RTI queries on the ground that the Rs 10 Postal Order (PO) meant for fees for providing the information, was blank in one and in the other two cases, they were made out in favour of the CPIO.



The official had informed the applicants that they had to make the POs in favour of the Registrar of DU and against the rejection on this ground, the applicants had moved CIC.



"Only for a matter of Rs 10, see how much judicial time has been wasted. Especially when the IPO was blank, CPIO could not have filled it up as it would amount to tampering with the record," the court said while staying the three orders of CIC.



It also issued notice to the RTI applicants in all three matters and listed them for hearing on April 27.



According to DU's pleas, in the matter pertaining to Irani, applicant R K Jain had left the PO blank, leaving it to the CPIO to fill it up in whose favour it had to be made.



In the other two matters, the POs were made out in favour of the CPIO, who had returned the applications within a few days asking the applicants -- Mohd Irsad and Sanjay Singh -- to make the POs favouring DU Registrar, the varsity said in its pleas.



The court noted that in these two matters, the CPIO had "acted with promptitude" by pointing out the problem in the applications and it was the applicants who had "acted in

haste" by moving CIC.



CIC had imposed Rs 25,000 penalty against the CPIO in each of the three cases for denial of information to the applicants.



The court stayed the orders of December 22, 23 and 27 last year.

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court today stayed three separate CIC orders imposing Rs 25,000 penalty on Delhi University's public information officer for rejecting RTI applications seeking facts about the graduation degrees of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Smriti Irani. Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva observed that the RTI applicants "wasted judicial time" by filing "frivolous" pleas before the Central Information Commission (CIC) for rejection of their applications on technical grounds, instead of addressing the deficiencies pointed out by the central public information officer (CPIO) of Delhi University (DU). CPIO had rejected the three RTI queries on the ground that the Rs 10 Postal Order (PO) meant for fees for providing the information, was blank in one and in the other two cases, they were made out in favour of the CPIO. The official had informed the applicants that they had to make the POs in favour of the Registrar of DU and against the rejection on this ground, the applicants had moved CIC. "Only for a matter of Rs 10, see how much judicial time has been wasted. Especially when the IPO was blank, CPIO could not have filled it up as it would amount to tampering with the record," the court said while staying the three orders of CIC. It also issued notice to the RTI applicants in all three matters and listed them for hearing on April 27. According to DU's pleas, in the matter pertaining to Irani, applicant R K Jain had left the PO blank, leaving it to the CPIO to fill it up in whose favour it had to be made. In the other two matters, the POs were made out in favour of the CPIO, who had returned the applications within a few days asking the applicants -- Mohd Irsad and Sanjay Singh -- to make the POs favouring DU Registrar, the varsity said in its pleas. The court noted that in these two matters, the CPIO had "acted with promptitude" by pointing out the problem in the applications and it was the applicants who had "acted in haste" by moving CIC. CIC had imposed Rs 25,000 penalty against the CPIO in each of the three cases for denial of information to the applicants. The court stayed the orders of December 22, 23 and 27 last year.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Two IndiGo and SilkAir planes almost collided over Kolkata airspace last December, it has emerged, prompting the government to launch a probe.



The IndiGo plane from Kolkata to Hyderabad (VT-IEM) and the Kolkata-bound SilkAir aircraft from Singapore (9VMGH) were involved in the incident that happened on December 11.



Together, there were more than 200 people in the two planes. Both the airlines did not provide the number of passengers who were on board their respective flights when the incident happened.



Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has started a formal inquiry into the "serious incident", according to a recent notification issued by the Civil Aviation Ministry.



Citing preliminary data from Indian authorities, French aviation watchdog BEA said vertical separation between the two aircraft "was zero feet" while the least horizontal separation between the two planes was reduced to just 0.6 NM.



About the incident, an IndiGo spokesperson said there was a reduction in horizontal separation between the two aircraft but "no error has been found on part of the IndiGo flight crew".



The airline also said the situation could have been avoided had the Air Traffic Controller (ATC) not cleared its plane for take-off and made SilkAir discontinue the approach.



When contacted, a SilkAir spokesperson said the airline has provided AAIB with all the information and reports for the flight to aid them in their investigation.



In a statement sent to PTI, the spokesperson said as the SilkAir aircraft was on approach and preparing to land, it was alerted about the Indigo plane taking off from the same runway.



As the pilots could not clearly identify the location of the IndiGo aircraft on the runway, they decided to discontinue the approach and circle the airport for another approach to land, the statement said.



The SilkAir plane landed safely, it added.



IndiGo was flying Airbus 320 plane while SilkAir was operating Boeing 737 aircraft.



The seating capacity is around 180 seats and 162 seats for the IndiGo and SilkAir planes, respectively.



A senior official at aviation regulator DGCA said it has received information about the incident and AAIB probe is on.



BEA said "IndiGo flight IGO6619 sector Kolkata-Hyderabad departed runway 19L at 1525 UTC while the SilkAir flight MI488 commenced go around at the same time."



"The least horizontal separation between MI488 and IGO6619 was 0.6 NM during the entire event and the least vertical separation was zero feet," as per information available on BEA website.



BEA has also mentioned that it is "preliminary data based on the notification from the authorities of India".



An official, who earlier served at aviation regulator DGCA, said considering the facts available the incident is like a near collision since the vertical and horizontal separation of the two aircraft were well below the stipulated requirements.

NEW DELHI: Two IndiGo and SilkAir planes almost collided over Kolkata airspace last December, it has emerged, prompting the government to launch a probe. The IndiGo plane from Kolkata to Hyderabad (VT-IEM) and the Kolkata-bound SilkAir aircraft from Singapore (9VMGH) were involved in the incident that happened on December 11. Together, there were more than 200 people in the two planes. Both the airlines did not provide the number of passengers who were on board their respective flights when the incident happened. Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has started a formal inquiry into the "serious incident", according to a recent notification issued by the Civil Aviation Ministry. Citing preliminary data from Indian authorities, French aviation watchdog BEA said vertical separation between the two aircraft "was zero feet" while the least horizontal separation between the two planes was reduced to just 0.6 NM. About the incident, an IndiGo spokesperson said there was a reduction in horizontal separation between the two aircraft but "no error has been found on part of the IndiGo flight crew". The airline also said the situation could have been avoided had the Air Traffic Controller (ATC) not cleared its plane for take-off and made SilkAir discontinue the approach. When contacted, a SilkAir spokesperson said the airline has provided AAIB with all the information and reports for the flight to aid them in their investigation. In a statement sent to PTI, the spokesperson said as the SilkAir aircraft was on approach and preparing to land, it was alerted about the Indigo plane taking off from the same runway. As the pilots could not clearly identify the location of the IndiGo aircraft on the runway, they decided to discontinue the approach and circle the airport for another approach to land, the statement said. The SilkAir plane landed safely, it added. IndiGo was flying Airbus 320 plane while SilkAir was operating Boeing 737 aircraft. The seating capacity is around 180 seats and 162 seats for the IndiGo and SilkAir planes, respectively. A senior official at aviation regulator DGCA said it has received information about the incident and AAIB probe is on. BEA said "IndiGo flight IGO6619 sector Kolkata-Hyderabad departed runway 19L at 1525 UTC while the SilkAir flight MI488 commenced go around at the same time." "The least horizontal separation between MI488 and IGO6619 was 0.6 NM during the entire event and the least vertical separation was zero feet," as per information available on BEA website. BEA has also mentioned that it is "preliminary data based on the notification from the authorities of India". An official, who earlier served at aviation regulator DGCA, said considering the facts available the incident is like a near collision since the vertical and horizontal separation of the two aircraft were well below the stipulated requirements.
By PTI

JODHPUR: The Indian Air Force today denied permission to a private airline to operate its flight from here to Jaisalmer citing security reasons.

Following this, the airline threatened to initiate legal action against the IAF for "disrupting" the flight and "causing monetary loss" to it.

"A private airline, which had sought permission to operate a non-scheduled flight to Jaisalmer, could not be permitted due to failure on its part to fulfill requisite conditions pertaining to safety of the aircraft and passengers as per the guidelines and non-coordination of ground logistics prior to flight operation," Defence spokesperson Lt Col Manish Ojha said tonight.

He said IAF accords the highest priority to the safety and security of passengers travelling on such airlines.

Operations of the Jaisalmer airport is under the control of IAF.

The airline alleged that the IAF disrupted its operations at Jaisalmer airport.

It claimed that it has suffered monetary loss due to non-clearance of the flight by the COO of Jaisalmer Air Force base, and threatened legal measures.

The airline company raised its protest in a letter to the COO of Jaisalmer IAF base.

Sixteen passengers had booked tickets for the flight which could not take off from the Jodhpur airport due to non-clearance.

JODHPUR: The Indian Air Force today denied permission to a private airline to operate its flight from here to Jaisalmer citing security reasons. Following this, the airline threatened to initiate legal action against the IAF for "disrupting" the flight and "causing monetary loss" to it. "A private airline, which had sought permission to operate a non-scheduled flight to Jaisalmer, could not be permitted due to failure on its part to fulfill requisite conditions pertaining to safety of the aircraft and passengers as per the guidelines and non-coordination of ground logistics prior to flight operation," Defence spokesperson Lt Col Manish Ojha said tonight. He said IAF accords the highest priority to the safety and security of passengers travelling on such airlines. Operations of the Jaisalmer airport is under the control of IAF. The airline alleged that the IAF disrupted its operations at Jaisalmer airport. It claimed that it has suffered monetary loss due to non-clearance of the flight by the COO of Jaisalmer Air Force base, and threatened legal measures. The airline company raised its protest in a letter to the COO of Jaisalmer IAF base. Sixteen passengers had booked tickets for the flight which could not take off from the Jodhpur airport due to non-clearance.
Ramananda Sengupta By

The listing of terror mastermind and Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed in the Fourth Schedule of Pakistans Anti-Terrorism Act last week should have had New Delhi jumping with joy.



After all, this is what it has been vociferously demanding for years, particularly after the 26/11 siege of Mumbai, which was planned and executed by the portly Pakistani terrorist and his Jihadi lapdogs.



Applicable for a maximum of three years, the Fourth Schedule imposes a range of restrictions on the movement and activities of a listed person, and prohibits him or her from visiting public places such as parks, airports, railway stations, or attending public rallies and meetings. Days earlier, Saeed was placed under house arrest, and his name put on the Exit Control List, which bars him from leaving the country. So far, Pakistan has 1,450 fourth schedulers.



The Indian reaction, however, was a diplomatic yawn. Describing it as the first logical step in getting the region rid of the twin menaces of terrorism and violent extremism, outgoing External Affairs Ministry Spokesman Vikas Swarup sought further effective action mandated internationally against him and his terrorist organisations and colleagues.



Even the unprecedented admission by Pakistans Defence Minister Khawaja Asif at the Munich Security Conference last week that Hafiz Saeed could pose a serious threat to the society failed to cut much ice in New Delhi. Or in Kabul, which has seen its troubled relationship with Pakistan hit a dangerous level of late, with Pakistani forces moving heavy artillery to the border and targeting what it describes as terror camps in Afghanistan.



Merely putting Hafiz Saeed on the terror list was not enough, and the international terrorist should be eliminated, declared Afghanistan National Assembly Speaker Abdul Raouf Ibrahimi.



But what actually led to Islamabads perceived change of heart regarding Saeed? Was it pressure from the new dispensation in the US, led by Donald Trump? Was it on Chinas advice, perhaps to divert attention at the UN Security Council, where Indias bid to slap a UN ban on another Pakistani terrorist, Jaish-e-Muhammad leader Masood Azhar, has been repeatedly vetoed by Beijing?



Apart from the fact that Pakistan had earlier detained Saeed on many occasions, while allowing him to indulge in a virulent anti-India campaign to free Kashmir, many in New Delhi believe this is an attempt by Pakistan to temporarily appease India as it focuses on growing trouble with Afghanistan.



The latest trouble with Afghanistan started last week. More than 100 hundred people were killed in a series of terrorist attacks across Pakistan last week, including the blast at the Sufi Lal Shahbaz Qalandar shrine. While the Daesh, or the self-proclaimed Islamic State, claimed responsibility, Pakistan pointed fingers at Afghanistan, and sent a list of 76 suspected terrorists it wanted extradited from Afghanistan. In reply, Kabul sent a list of 32 terrorist camps and 85 Taliban terrorists operating on Pakistani soil, demanding that firm action be taken against them.



Enraged by this rebuff, Islamabad shut down crossings and started shelling suspected terror camps across the border in Afghanistan from Monday.



On the face of it, Pakistan is squeezed between two hostile nations on its eastern and western borders, which is not an enviable position to be in. To find strategic wriggle room, however, it managed to convene two rounds of a trilateral conference on Afghanistan with Russia and China last year. Kabul was outraged over being excluded, and so was New Delhi, even as talks about a new Pakistan-China-Russia strategic axis gained ground. It was only after India sent National Security Adviser Ajit Doval to Russia in January that Kabul and New Delhi were invited to the third round of talks, which concluded last week in Moscow. But by then, Islamabad had managed to convince the other two nations that it was the Islamic State and not the Taliban, which threatened the region, and that in fact the Taliban could actually be used as bulwark against the Daesh, which brands even the austere Talibs as apostates. In other words, Islamabad was actually helping China and Pakistan fight the Islamic State by nurturing the Taliban.



Of late, both Beijing and Moscow have been aggressively lobbying the UN Security Council to remove key Taliban figures from the terrorist list, reinforcing the good Taliban/bad Taliban narrative which was earlier the American position. Some reports even claim that Russian President Vladimir Putin met Taliban leaders in a Central Asian in December 2015.



Subsequently, both China and Russia have also been urging Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to hold talks with the Taliban. This puts a spoke in Kabul and Indias position that the only good Taliban was a dead one. Which perhaps explains Indias muted response to Saeed being put on the terror list. According to New Delhi, Pakistan needs to do much much more. To start with, it should strictly, not selectively, enforce the four-year-old ban on identified terror groups which have been operating with impunity from its soil for years. It also needs to choke the recruitment and funding of terrorist outfits, particularly in Kashmir. It must bar its Inter Services Intelligence and other assorted agencies from using retired armymen to train these talibs and terrorists, and then use them as proxy warriors in India and Afghanistan.



In other words, it must cease and desist from using terror as an instrument of state policy. Until then, it will continue to be squeezed between hostile neighbours.



(The author is Senior Associate Editor, The New Indian Express. Email: ramananda@newindianexpress.com)

The listing of terror mastermind and Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed in the Fourth Schedule of Pakistans Anti-Terrorism Act last week should have had New Delhi jumping with joy. After all, this is what it has been vociferously demanding for years, particularly after the 26/11 siege of Mumbai, which was planned and executed by the portly Pakistani terrorist and his Jihadi lapdogs. Applicable for a maximum of three years, the Fourth Schedule imposes a range of restrictions on the movement and activities of a listed person, and prohibits him or her from visiting public places such as parks, airports, railway stations, or attending public rallies and meetings. Days earlier, Saeed was placed under house arrest, and his name put on the Exit Control List, which bars him from leaving the country. So far, Pakistan has 1,450 fourth schedulers. The Indian reaction, however, was a diplomatic yawn. Describing it as the first logical step in getting the region rid of the twin menaces of terrorism and violent extremism, outgoing External Affairs Ministry Spokesman Vikas Swarup sought further effective action mandated internationally against him and his terrorist organisations and colleagues. Even the unprecedented admission by Pakistans Defence Minister Khawaja Asif at the Munich Security Conference last week that Hafiz Saeed could pose a serious threat to the society failed to cut much ice in New Delhi. Or in Kabul, which has seen its troubled relationship with Pakistan hit a dangerous level of late, with Pakistani forces moving heavy artillery to the border and targeting what it describes as terror camps in Afghanistan. Merely putting Hafiz Saeed on the terror list was not enough, and the international terrorist should be eliminated, declared Afghanistan National Assembly Speaker Abdul Raouf Ibrahimi. But what actually led to Islamabads perceived change of heart regarding Saeed? Was it pressure from the new dispensation in the US, led by Donald Trump? Was it on Chinas advice, perhaps to divert attention at the UN Security Council, where Indias bid to slap a UN ban on another Pakistani terrorist, Jaish-e-Muhammad leader Masood Azhar, has been repeatedly vetoed by Beijing? Apart from the fact that Pakistan had earlier detained Saeed on many occasions, while allowing him to indulge in a virulent anti-India campaign to free Kashmir, many in New Delhi believe this is an attempt by Pakistan to temporarily appease India as it focuses on growing trouble with Afghanistan. The latest trouble with Afghanistan started last week. More than 100 hundred people were killed in a series of terrorist attacks across Pakistan last week, including the blast at the Sufi Lal Shahbaz Qalandar shrine. While the Daesh, or the self-proclaimed Islamic State, claimed responsibility, Pakistan pointed fingers at Afghanistan, and sent a list of 76 suspected terrorists it wanted extradited from Afghanistan. In reply, Kabul sent a list of 32 terrorist camps and 85 Taliban terrorists operating on Pakistani soil, demanding that firm action be taken against them. Enraged by this rebuff, Islamabad shut down crossings and started shelling suspected terror camps across the border in Afghanistan from Monday. On the face of it, Pakistan is squeezed between two hostile nations on its eastern and western borders, which is not an enviable position to be in. To find strategic wriggle room, however, it managed to convene two rounds of a trilateral conference on Afghanistan with Russia and China last year. Kabul was outraged over being excluded, and so was New Delhi, even as talks about a new Pakistan-China-Russia strategic axis gained ground. It was only after India sent National Security Adviser Ajit Doval to Russia in January that Kabul and New Delhi were invited to the third round of talks, which concluded last week in Moscow. But by then, Islamabad had managed to convince the other two nations that it was the Islamic State and not the Taliban, which threatened the region, and that in fact the Taliban could actually be used as bulwark against the Daesh, which brands even the austere Talibs as apostates. In other words, Islamabad was actually helping China and Pakistan fight the Islamic State by nurturing the Taliban. Of late, both Beijing and Moscow have been aggressively lobbying the UN Security Council to remove key Taliban figures from the terrorist list, reinforcing the good Taliban/bad Taliban narrative which was earlier the American position. Some reports even claim that Russian President Vladimir Putin met Taliban leaders in a Central Asian in December 2015. Subsequently, both China and Russia have also been urging Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to hold talks with the Taliban. This puts a spoke in Kabul and Indias position that the only good Taliban was a dead one. Which perhaps explains Indias muted response to Saeed being put on the terror list. According to New Delhi, Pakistan needs to do much much more. To start with, it should strictly, not selectively, enforce the four-year-old ban on identified terror groups which have been operating with impunity from its soil for years. It also needs to choke the recruitment and funding of terrorist outfits, particularly in Kashmir. It must bar its Inter Services Intelligence and other assorted agencies from using retired armymen to train these talibs and terrorists, and then use them as proxy warriors in India and Afghanistan. In other words, it must cease and desist from using terror as an instrument of state policy. Until then, it will continue to be squeezed between hostile neighbours.(The author is Senior Associate Editor, The New Indian Express. Email: ramananda@newindianexpress.com)
By Express News Service

VISAKHAPATANAM: The rural police of Visakhapatnam seized 1,972 kg of quality ganja worth Rs 2 crore while it was being transported from the agency area to other parts of the State at Chintalapalliveedhi near Paderu on Tuesday. They arrested three persons, K Duggi Naidu (45) of Atchutapuram, K Rajesh (27) of Visakhapatnam agency and M Naveen, a driver of an oil tanker and resident of Tuni.

The trio procured the ganja from farmers in GK Veedhi and G Madugula mandals and were trying to shift it to Anakapalle from where they planned to distribute it to other areas. To escape, they bought an oil tanker, cleaned it up and stored ganja in 2-4 kg packets. Locals, who grew suspicious over the presence of an oil tanker in the interior areas of Paderu, tipped off the police.

"The oil tanker belongs to Duggi Naidu. He bought it in Hyderabad and used it for this purpose. We caught some ganja in a scorpio vehicle also," said Appalanaidu, CI, Paderu. Another accused K Ramu, is reportedly absconding. The ganja was procured for Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,000 per kg. The market value of ganja per kg is around Rs 5,000 in cities like Hyderabad. In a separate incident, the West Godavari police seized 1,200 kg ganja from a bran-laden truck at Fatimapuram village in Chintalapudi mandal on Tuesday and arrested two persons. The weed, estimated to be worth Rs 50 lakh, was being transported from Chhattisgarh to Tadepalligudem via Khammam and Chintalapudi. Lorry owner SK Nagur Meera of Vijayawada and driver Sivaram Prasad of Gudiwada reportedly confessed that they were transporting the ganja up to Dwaraka Tirumala where two others were scheduled to take the load to Tadepalligudem. Both met each other during their stint in the jail at Gannavaram.

VISAKHAPATANAM: The rural police of Visakhapatnam seized 1,972 kg of quality ganja worth Rs 2 crore while it was being transported from the agency area to other parts of the State at Chintalapalliveedhi near Paderu on Tuesday. They arrested three persons, K Duggi Naidu (45) of Atchutapuram, K Rajesh (27) of Visakhapatnam agency and M Naveen, a driver of an oil tanker and resident of Tuni. The trio procured the ganja from farmers in GK Veedhi and G Madugula mandals and were trying to shift it to Anakapalle from where they planned to distribute it to other areas. To escape, they bought an oil tanker, cleaned it up and stored ganja in 2-4 kg packets. Locals, who grew suspicious over the presence of an oil tanker in the interior areas of Paderu, tipped off the police. "The oil tanker belongs to Duggi Naidu. He bought it in Hyderabad and used it for this purpose. We caught some ganja in a scorpio vehicle also," said Appalanaidu, CI, Paderu. Another accused K Ramu, is reportedly absconding. The ganja was procured for Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,000 per kg. The market value of ganja per kg is around Rs 5,000 in cities like Hyderabad. In a separate incident, the West Godavari police seized 1,200 kg ganja from a bran-laden truck at Fatimapuram village in Chintalapudi mandal on Tuesday and arrested two persons. The weed, estimated to be worth Rs 50 lakh, was being transported from Chhattisgarh to Tadepalligudem via Khammam and Chintalapudi. Lorry owner SK Nagur Meera of Vijayawada and driver Sivaram Prasad of Gudiwada reportedly confessed that they were transporting the ganja up to Dwaraka Tirumala where two others were scheduled to take the load to Tadepalligudem. Both met each other during their stint in the jail at Gannavaram.
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: A bus recently inducted into the KSRTC fleet caught fire on the outskirts of Bengaluru and a woman died of burns even as she tried to get off the bus. Ten others were injured, one of them seriously.

The woman has been identified as Bhagyamma (52), a resident of Peenya. The other injured passengers are receiving treatment at the Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru. The seriously injured person was named as Mamatha

Officials of KSRTC, a state transporter, said they had no clue to the cause of the fire. One official said the bus was a new one. They, however, ruled out a short circuit or a tyre burst as the reason.

The bus was returning to Bengaluru from Sringeri when it caught fire near Nelamangala, some 30 km from the city, at about 12.25 am Monday.

According to Karnataka transport minister Ramalinga Reddy, eyewitnesses reported noticing the fire first in a gunny bag of coconuts.

"Our officials have checked. There was no problem with the engine and no short circuit was reported. It's a non AC bus," he said.

Another official said it the engine and tyres.were in a good condition. "We suspect some inflammable things were being transported by a passenger," he said.

The postmortem of Bhagyamma was conducted at the Nelamangala government hospital and her body was to be brought to her residence at Peenya Dasarahalli at 4 pm.

The Nelamangala traffic police have detained the bus driver Dinesh and the conductor Renuka Prasad on charges of negligence. The two are being questioned about the items loaded on the bus.

KSRTC officials said the family of the victim would be paid Rs 3 lakh as a relief payment. Rs 2 lakhs of this will come from the chief ministers relief fund.

BENGALURU: A bus recently inducted into the KSRTC fleet caught fire on the outskirts of Bengaluru and a woman died of burns even as she tried to get off the bus. Ten others were injured, one of them seriously. The woman has been identified as Bhagyamma (52), a resident of Peenya. The other injured passengers are receiving treatment at the Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru. The seriously injured person was named as Mamatha Officials of KSRTC, a state transporter, said they had no clue to the cause of the fire. One official said the bus was a new one. They, however, ruled out a short circuit or a tyre burst as the reason. The bus was returning to Bengaluru from Sringeri when it caught fire near Nelamangala, some 30 km from the city, at about 12.25 am Monday. According to Karnataka transport minister Ramalinga Reddy, eyewitnesses reported noticing the fire first in a gunny bag of coconuts. "Our officials have checked. There was no problem with the engine and no short circuit was reported. It's a non AC bus," he said. Another official said it the engine and tyres.were in a good condition. "We suspect some inflammable things were being transported by a passenger," he said. The postmortem of Bhagyamma was conducted at the Nelamangala government hospital and her body was to be brought to her residence at Peenya Dasarahalli at 4 pm. The Nelamangala traffic police have detained the bus driver Dinesh and the conductor Renuka Prasad on charges of negligence. The two are being questioned about the items loaded on the bus. KSRTC officials said the family of the victim would be paid Rs 3 lakh as a relief payment. Rs 2 lakhs of this will come from the chief ministers relief fund.
Sangeeta Bora By

Express News Service

BENGALURU: There is more to the Bellandur lake fire than meets the eye, say sources in the Bangalore Development Authority and Bengaluru Development Ministry. Land sharks may have been behind the recent headline-grabbing fire on the lake and it is premature to conclude that toxic froth or garbage burning ignited it, they say.

Soon after the fire was reported, a team from the BDA and ministry visited the spot, taking videos and pictures.

After the survey, the team realised that the fire was man-made. Even when the lake is full, the water does not reach the place where the fire took place, said a BDA source.

Some residents had suspected that someone burnt waste and thats how the fire erupted in the lake. But team members say it would require a huge quantum of waste to cause a fire of such intensity.

This is a clear case of deliberate fire, perhaps by land grabbers. In fact, a few goons tried to stop the team from reaching the actual spot behind Embassy Pristine Apartments where the fire took place, said a BDA source.

Confirming the same, PN Nayak, Engineer Member of BDA, said, We suspect this is a deliberate attempt by some people. We have requested the police to investigate the matter and revert to us.

However, citizens say the lake is filled with toxic chemicals and has turned into a dumping yard. Workers hired by BBMP subcontractors are often seen dumping garbage or debris and setting them on fire. They say the burning ignites the chemicals in the lake. They also point out it is not the first time Bellandur lake has caught fire.

Experts said that the lake caught fire in 2015 because of the phosphorus and oil on the surface. Bellandur lake has been spewing froth for over eight years now. The major problem is the untreated sewage that has been flowing into the lake primarily from HAL, Domlur, Koramangala and Agara.

Meanwhile, citizens are miffed that civic agencies like BWSSB, BDA, BBMP and KSPCB are busy passing the buck while the government has kept silent on the issue.

BENGALURU: There is more to the Bellandur lake fire than meets the eye, say sources in the Bangalore Development Authority and Bengaluru Development Ministry. Land sharks may have been behind the recent headline-grabbing fire on the lake and it is premature to conclude that toxic froth or garbage burning ignited it, they say. Soon after the fire was reported, a team from the BDA and ministry visited the spot, taking videos and pictures. After the survey, the team realised that the fire was man-made. Even when the lake is full, the water does not reach the place where the fire took place, said a BDA source. Some residents had suspected that someone burnt waste and thats how the fire erupted in the lake. But team members say it would require a huge quantum of waste to cause a fire of such intensity. This is a clear case of deliberate fire, perhaps by land grabbers. In fact, a few goons tried to stop the team from reaching the actual spot behind Embassy Pristine Apartments where the fire took place, said a BDA source. Confirming the same, PN Nayak, Engineer Member of BDA, said, We suspect this is a deliberate attempt by some people. We have requested the police to investigate the matter and revert to us. However, citizens say the lake is filled with toxic chemicals and has turned into a dumping yard. Workers hired by BBMP subcontractors are often seen dumping garbage or debris and setting them on fire. They say the burning ignites the chemicals in the lake. They also point out it is not the first time Bellandur lake has caught fire. Experts said that the lake caught fire in 2015 because of the phosphorus and oil on the surface. Bellandur lake has been spewing froth for over eight years now. The major problem is the untreated sewage that has been flowing into the lake primarily from HAL, Domlur, Koramangala and Agara. Meanwhile, citizens are miffed that civic agencies like BWSSB, BDA, BBMP and KSPCB are busy passing the buck while the government has kept silent on the issue.
By Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the actor assault case shaking Keralas social fabric, the National Commission for Women on Monday sought a report from the state on the action taken thus far.

The Commission summoned State Police Chief Loknath Behera to review the ongoing probe into the abduction and sexual assault case of the actor. The police chief has been asked to submit the report before the Commission within a week.

It is a shocking incident. We have asked for a report from the DGP. The investigation will be reviewed, said Commission chairperson Lalitha Kumaramangalam.

It is learnt the Commission has already contacted director/actor Lal who assisted the actor to lodge a police complaint. If necessary, we will visit the state to collect evidence, she said. The Commission has been taking strong action in the recent incidents of attacks against women in the state. NCW had intervened in the Jisha murder case. It had also collected evidence from the Law Academy Law College students and had also intervened in the moral policing incident at the University College.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the actor assault case shaking Keralas social fabric, the National Commission for Women on Monday sought a report from the state on the action taken thus far. The Commission summoned State Police Chief Loknath Behera to review the ongoing probe into the abduction and sexual assault case of the actor. The police chief has been asked to submit the report before the Commission within a week. It is a shocking incident. We have asked for a report from the DGP. The investigation will be reviewed, said Commission chairperson Lalitha Kumaramangalam. It is learnt the Commission has already contacted director/actor Lal who assisted the actor to lodge a police complaint. If necessary, we will visit the state to collect evidence, she said. The Commission has been taking strong action in the recent incidents of attacks against women in the state. NCW had intervened in the Jisha murder case. It had also collected evidence from the Law Academy Law College students and had also intervened in the moral policing incident at the University College.
P Ramdas By

Express News Service

KOCHI: While there are many theories and versions doing the rounds of what actually happened to the Mollywood actor who was allegedly abused in a moving car by a gang of seven, New Indian Express has gained exclusive access of the FIR she lodged.

Also Read: I didnt know my job was to abduct Malayalam actor, says Manikandan

According to the report, the gang molested the woman and recorded the incident at the behest of an unknown third party. The assault, that lasted for two-and-half hours, ended with the actor being thrown out of her car near Padamugal in Kakkanad.

The chain of events unfolded thus: The actor left the site of her shoot at Patturaikkal near Thrissur around 7 pm in an SUV provided by Lal Creations. She was headed to her friends house in Kochis Panampilly Nagar.

During the journey, the driver - Martin - sent several SMSs to someone. Based on the information given by Martin, the gang followed the actor in a catering van and hit her car deliberately around 8.30 pm near the Nedumbassery Airport Junction.

Also Read: A few in Mollywood take help of goons to settle scores: Ganesh

When the car stopped, the second and the third accused persons barged into the car and forcefully covered her mouth with their palms. Threatening and asking the actor not to shout, the accused grabbed the mobile from her.

During the journey, the third accused (not named in the FIR) got down from the car at Kalamassery. The fourth accused - clad in a black T-shirt - then entered the car and helped the others overpower her before stepping down at Palarivattom.

Read: Criminals scraping tinsel off Kerala film industry

There, the fifth and sixth accused persons joined the abduction team. They diverted their route and entered a house with a grilled gate. From there the prime accused Pulsar Suni, whose real name is Sunil Kumar, entered the scene with a towel covering his face and took over the drivers seat. Martin, who had driven the car till then, left the gang and moved into the catering van. Pulsar Suni then drove the car to Kakkanad where he molested her.

Acting at the behest of a third party, Pulsar Suni told her he was entrusted with the task of shooting her compromising pictures and videos and wanted the actor to cooperate. After being thrown out of the car, the actor took refuge at the residence of director Lal, who reported the incident to the police.

KOCHI: While there are many theories and versions doing the rounds of what actually happened to the Mollywood actor who was allegedly abused in a moving car by a gang of seven, New Indian Express has gained exclusive access of the FIR she lodged. Also Read: I didnt know my job was to abduct Malayalam actor, says Manikandan According to the report, the gang molested the woman and recorded the incident at the behest of an unknown third party. The assault, that lasted for two-and-half hours, ended with the actor being thrown out of her car near Padamugal in Kakkanad. The chain of events unfolded thus: The actor left the site of her shoot at Patturaikkal near Thrissur around 7 pm in an SUV provided by Lal Creations. She was headed to her friends house in Kochis Panampilly Nagar. During the journey, the driver - Martin - sent several SMSs to someone. Based on the information given by Martin, the gang followed the actor in a catering van and hit her car deliberately around 8.30 pm near the Nedumbassery Airport Junction. Also Read: A few in Mollywood take help of goons to settle scores: Ganesh When the car stopped, the second and the third accused persons barged into the car and forcefully covered her mouth with their palms. Threatening and asking the actor not to shout, the accused grabbed the mobile from her. During the journey, the third accused (not named in the FIR) got down from the car at Kalamassery. The fourth accused - clad in a black T-shirt - then entered the car and helped the others overpower her before stepping down at Palarivattom. Read: Criminals scraping tinsel off Kerala film industry There, the fifth and sixth accused persons joined the abduction team. They diverted their route and entered a house with a grilled gate. From there the prime accused Pulsar Suni, whose real name is Sunil Kumar, entered the scene with a towel covering his face and took over the drivers seat. Martin, who had driven the car till then, left the gang and moved into the catering van. Pulsar Suni then drove the car to Kakkanad where he molested her. Acting at the behest of a third party, Pulsar Suni told her he was entrusted with the task of shooting her compromising pictures and videos and wanted the actor to cooperate. After being thrown out of the car, the actor took refuge at the residence of director Lal, who reported the incident to the police.
By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao will leave for Tirupati in a special flight on Tuesday. He will present Gold Saligrama Haram to Lord Venkateswara Swamy in Tirumala and also bestow a gold necklace on goddess Padmavathi on Wednesday.

Rao had earlier vowed to present valuable gifts to temples in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, once Telangana achieved statehood.

Staying true to his promise, Rao presented a golden crown to Bhadrakali in Warangal. Now, he plans to strike Tirupati off his list. He is going to visit the temple on Tuesday along with his family members. Ministers E Rajender, T Harish Rao, A Indra Karan Reddy and Nizamabad MP K Kavitha will also accompany the Chief Minister.

The CM will leave from Begumpet airport in a special flight at 3:45 pm on Tuesday and reach Tirupati. He will stay for the night at a guesthouse in Tirumala.

He will present the gifts to the deities on Wednesday. Later, he will attend a marriage at Pushpagiri Mutt in Tirumala. He is scheduled to leave Renigunta airport at 11:50 pm on Wednesday and return to Begumpet airport at 1:45 pm.

HYDERABAD: Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao will leave for Tirupati in a special flight on Tuesday. He will present Gold Saligrama Haram to Lord Venkateswara Swamy in Tirumala and also bestow a gold necklace on goddess Padmavathi on Wednesday. Rao had earlier vowed to present valuable gifts to temples in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, once Telangana achieved statehood. Staying true to his promise, Rao presented a golden crown to Bhadrakali in Warangal. Now, he plans to strike Tirupati off his list. He is going to visit the temple on Tuesday along with his family members. Ministers E Rajender, T Harish Rao, A Indra Karan Reddy and Nizamabad MP K Kavitha will also accompany the Chief Minister. The CM will leave from Begumpet airport in a special flight at 3:45 pm on Tuesday and reach Tirupati. He will stay for the night at a guesthouse in Tirumala. He will present the gifts to the deities on Wednesday. Later, he will attend a marriage at Pushpagiri Mutt in Tirumala. He is scheduled to leave Renigunta airport at 11:50 pm on Wednesday and return to Begumpet airport at 1:45 pm.
By PTI

PARIS: French President Francois Hollande called today on Britain to "accept its responsibility" to take in stranded underage migrants stuck in France who wish to join up with family in the UK. The issue has been a constant irritant between the two countries, made worse by Britain's decision this month to end an arrangement to take in up to 3,000 unaccompanied minors from Europe.

The scrapping of the so-called "Dubs agreement" by Britain's conservative government has sparked criticism from opposition MPs in London and led to anger in France. "France is playing its part in the European effort. We expect that our partners do the same, particularly when we are talking about minors on their own," Hollande told a conference on children in conflict zones.

"I call on the United Kingdom to accept its responsibility for adolescents in France at the moment who have family on the other side of the Channel," he added.

Last October, French authorities cleared a squalid camp near the Calais port on the Channel sea separating the countries which was filled with thousands of migrants hoping to reach Britain. The camp dwellers, many fleeing the war in Sudan, Iraq or Afghanistan, were dispersed around France.

Children with family in Britain were assured that authorities would help them travel to reach them. A first wave who arrived in Britain shortly afterwards sparked outrage in the right-wing press, with opponents questioning the age of some of the children who appeared to be teenagers or older. One conservative MP suggested the new arrivals should undergo dental tests to prove their age.

On February 8, the government announced it would limit to 350, instead of 3,000, the number of unaccompanied young migrants who would be admitted from Europe. Interior minister Amber Rudd argued that the scheme was encouraging children to travel to Europe and that Britain had accepted thousands of others from camps bordering war-torn Syria.

Prime Minister Theresa May has made reducing immigration one of her priorities since taking office in July following her country's decision to leave the European Union.

PARIS: French President Francois Hollande called today on Britain to "accept its responsibility" to take in stranded underage migrants stuck in France who wish to join up with family in the UK. The issue has been a constant irritant between the two countries, made worse by Britain's decision this month to end an arrangement to take in up to 3,000 unaccompanied minors from Europe. The scrapping of the so-called "Dubs agreement" by Britain's conservative government has sparked criticism from opposition MPs in London and led to anger in France. "France is playing its part in the European effort. We expect that our partners do the same, particularly when we are talking about minors on their own," Hollande told a conference on children in conflict zones. "I call on the United Kingdom to accept its responsibility for adolescents in France at the moment who have family on the other side of the Channel," he added. Last October, French authorities cleared a squalid camp near the Calais port on the Channel sea separating the countries which was filled with thousands of migrants hoping to reach Britain. The camp dwellers, many fleeing the war in Sudan, Iraq or Afghanistan, were dispersed around France. Children with family in Britain were assured that authorities would help them travel to reach them. A first wave who arrived in Britain shortly afterwards sparked outrage in the right-wing press, with opponents questioning the age of some of the children who appeared to be teenagers or older. One conservative MP suggested the new arrivals should undergo dental tests to prove their age. On February 8, the government announced it would limit to 350, instead of 3,000, the number of unaccompanied young migrants who would be admitted from Europe. Interior minister Amber Rudd argued that the scheme was encouraging children to travel to Europe and that Britain had accepted thousands of others from camps bordering war-torn Syria. Prime Minister Theresa May has made reducing immigration one of her priorities since taking office in July following her country's decision to leave the European Union.
By Associated Press

TEHRAN: Iran's supreme leader on Tuesday used the podium of a pro-Palestinian gathering in Tehran to lash out at Israel, calling the Jewish state a "fake" nation in a "dirty chapter" of history.

The remarks by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei were some of his most vitriolic against Israel, Iran's archenemy. Every four years since the early 1990s, Tehran has hosted a similar conference in support of the Palestinian cause, assembling foreign guests and those who oppose Israel.

Speaking to the gathering, Khamenei said Israel was created by bringing Jews from other parts of the world to the Mideast region to settle in the land of the Palestinians to replace its "true entity."

The creation of Israel is "one of the dirty chapters of history that will be closed, with the grace of God," he added. Khamenei's speech lasted 33 minutes.

The supreme leader, who has final say on all state matters in Iran, also urged all Muslims to support the Palestinians and "resistance" movements  a reference to anti-Israeli militant groups such as Palestinian Hamas and Lebanon's Shite Hezbollah militants. Iran has always been their staunch ally.

The "resistance movements should have all necessary instruments," Khamenei added and praised those who are part of it in allegedly succeeding in "preventing the domination of the Zionist regime in the entire region."

But he did not appear to endorse an all-our war on Israel, saying instead that it's a "cancerous tumor" that requires a "step by step" treatment. In 2015, Khamenei predicted that Israel would not exist after 25 years.

Some 80 delegations, mainly from Islamic countries as well as pro-Palestinian activists, attended the two-day meeting. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and several government officials also attended the conference.

The venue was decorated with a large map of Israel and the Palestinian territories covered in the colors of the Palestinian flag.

Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, which ousted the pro-western Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and brought the Islamists to power, Iran has not recognized Israel and has supported anti-Israeli groups.

Israel, which seas a nuclear-armed Iran as an existential threat, has opposed the 2015 landmark deal between Iran and world powers that capped Iran's nuclear activities in return for lifting sanctions.

TEHRAN: Iran's supreme leader on Tuesday used the podium of a pro-Palestinian gathering in Tehran to lash out at Israel, calling the Jewish state a "fake" nation in a "dirty chapter" of history. The remarks by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei were some of his most vitriolic against Israel, Iran's archenemy. Every four years since the early 1990s, Tehran has hosted a similar conference in support of the Palestinian cause, assembling foreign guests and those who oppose Israel. Speaking to the gathering, Khamenei said Israel was created by bringing Jews from other parts of the world to the Mideast region to settle in the land of the Palestinians to replace its "true entity." The creation of Israel is "one of the dirty chapters of history that will be closed, with the grace of God," he added. Khamenei's speech lasted 33 minutes. The supreme leader, who has final say on all state matters in Iran, also urged all Muslims to support the Palestinians and "resistance" movements  a reference to anti-Israeli militant groups such as Palestinian Hamas and Lebanon's Shite Hezbollah militants. Iran has always been their staunch ally. The "resistance movements should have all necessary instruments," Khamenei added and praised those who are part of it in allegedly succeeding in "preventing the domination of the Zionist regime in the entire region." But he did not appear to endorse an all-our war on Israel, saying instead that it's a "cancerous tumor" that requires a "step by step" treatment. In 2015, Khamenei predicted that Israel would not exist after 25 years. Some 80 delegations, mainly from Islamic countries as well as pro-Palestinian activists, attended the two-day meeting. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and several government officials also attended the conference. The venue was decorated with a large map of Israel and the Palestinian territories covered in the colors of the Palestinian flag. Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, which ousted the pro-western Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and brought the Islamists to power, Iran has not recognized Israel and has supported anti-Israeli groups. Israel, which seas a nuclear-armed Iran as an existential threat, has opposed the 2015 landmark deal between Iran and world powers that capped Iran's nuclear activities in return for lifting sanctions.
By Associated Press

SOUTH OF MOSUL: Iraqi forces advanced Monday into the southern outskirts of Mosul on the second day of a push to drive Islamic State militants from the city's western half, as the visiting U.S. defense secretary met with officials to discuss the fight against the extremists.

With aerial support from the U.S.-led coalition, Iraqi police and army troops launched the offensive Sunday, part of a 100-day-old campaign that has already driven the militants from the eastern half of the city.

Iraqi helicopters fired rockets at the village of Abu Saif early Monday, targeting a hill that overlooks the city's airport. By noon, the forces entered the village and gained control over much of the strategic hill as fighting was still raging.

Separately, militarized police in armored vehicles were moving toward the sprawling Ghazlani military base on the southwestern outskirts of the city.

A U.S.-led coalition has been providing close air support throughout the campaign to retake Iraq's second-largest city. U.S. special operations forces are embedded with some Iraqi units and thousands of U.S. troops are in Iraq providing logistical and other support.

Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis was holding discussions with U.S. and Iraqi officials, a week before he is expected to present a new strategy to President Donald Trump for defeating the Islamic State group.

"We're going to make certain that we've got good situational awareness of what we face as we work together and fight alongside each other," Mattis told reporters traveling with him.

Trump has repeatedly vowed to eliminate the extremist group but has provided few details about how his approach might differ from that of the Obama administration, which had partnered with Syrian and Iraqi forces to drive IS out of several towns and cities.

The battle for western Mosul, the extremist group's last major urban bastion in Iraq, is expected to be the most daunting yet.

The streets are older and narrower in that sector of the city, which stretches west from the Tigris River, forcing Iraqi soldiers to leave the relative safety of their armored vehicles. The presence of up to 750,000 civilians also poses a challenge.

Two suicide car bombers struck army and paramilitary forces west of Mosul on Monday, killing and wounding a number of troops, two army officers said, without specifying the number of casualties. A third suicide car bomber was blown up before reaching the troops, they said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media.

IS claimed responsibility for two attacks in an online statement, saying the attackers were British and Iraqi.

SOUTH OF MOSUL: Iraqi forces advanced Monday into the southern outskirts of Mosul on the second day of a push to drive Islamic State militants from the city's western half, as the visiting U.S. defense secretary met with officials to discuss the fight against the extremists. With aerial support from the U.S.-led coalition, Iraqi police and army troops launched the offensive Sunday, part of a 100-day-old campaign that has already driven the militants from the eastern half of the city. Iraqi helicopters fired rockets at the village of Abu Saif early Monday, targeting a hill that overlooks the city's airport. By noon, the forces entered the village and gained control over much of the strategic hill as fighting was still raging. Separately, militarized police in armored vehicles were moving toward the sprawling Ghazlani military base on the southwestern outskirts of the city. A U.S.-led coalition has been providing close air support throughout the campaign to retake Iraq's second-largest city. U.S. special operations forces are embedded with some Iraqi units and thousands of U.S. troops are in Iraq providing logistical and other support. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis was holding discussions with U.S. and Iraqi officials, a week before he is expected to present a new strategy to President Donald Trump for defeating the Islamic State group. "We're going to make certain that we've got good situational awareness of what we face as we work together and fight alongside each other," Mattis told reporters traveling with him. Trump has repeatedly vowed to eliminate the extremist group but has provided few details about how his approach might differ from that of the Obama administration, which had partnered with Syrian and Iraqi forces to drive IS out of several towns and cities. The battle for western Mosul, the extremist group's last major urban bastion in Iraq, is expected to be the most daunting yet. The streets are older and narrower in that sector of the city, which stretches west from the Tigris River, forcing Iraqi soldiers to leave the relative safety of their armored vehicles. The presence of up to 750,000 civilians also poses a challenge. Two suicide car bombers struck army and paramilitary forces west of Mosul on Monday, killing and wounding a number of troops, two army officers said, without specifying the number of casualties. A third suicide car bomber was blown up before reaching the troops, they said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media. IS claimed responsibility for two attacks in an online statement, saying the attackers were British and Iraqi.
By Associated Press

TEL AVIV: An Israeli military court has sentenced a soldier to 18 months in prison for the fatal shooting last year of a wounded Palestinian attacker.

Prosecutors had asked that Sgt. Elor Azaria to be sentenced on Tuesday to 3-5 years in prison. His defence attorneys insisted he should be freed.

Azaria was convicted last month on manslaughter charges. The verdict deeply divided Israel, where military service is compulsory and support for young soldiers is widespread. He was captured on video fatally shooting a wounded Palestinian attacker in the West Bank city of Hebron last March.

The verdict against Azaria marked a victory for commanders seeking to preserve a code of ethics. But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and prominent hard-line politicians have called for the soldier to be pardoned.

Dozens of the soldier's supporters gathered outside the court ahead throughout the sentencing.

TEL AVIV: An Israeli military court has sentenced a soldier to 18 months in prison for the fatal shooting last year of a wounded Palestinian attacker. Prosecutors had asked that Sgt. Elor Azaria to be sentenced on Tuesday to 3-5 years in prison. His defence attorneys insisted he should be freed. Azaria was convicted last month on manslaughter charges. The verdict deeply divided Israel, where military service is compulsory and support for young soldiers is widespread. He was captured on video fatally shooting a wounded Palestinian attacker in the West Bank city of Hebron last March. The verdict against Azaria marked a victory for commanders seeking to preserve a code of ethics. But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and prominent hard-line politicians have called for the soldier to be pardoned. Dozens of the soldier's supporters gathered outside the court ahead throughout the sentencing.
By PTI

PESHAWAR: Seven persons, including a lawyer, were killed and 21 others injured today when a group of heavily-armed Taliban suicide bombers stormed a court in Pakistan's volatile Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the latest in a wave of terror attacks in the country.



The attackers opened fire and threw grenades as they attempted to enter the sessions court premises in Tangi, some 30 km away from the provincial capital Peshawar, prompting retaliatory fire by the security forces deployed there.



Jamaat-ul-Ahrar (JuA), a faction of the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility for the attack.



"Several terrorists attacked the court and resorted to heavy firing at the main gate of the lower court," Sohail Khalid, district police chief, said.



"Bomb disposal experts said that each bomber was wearing seven to eight kilogrammes of explosives," he told reporters.



One bomber was killed in the firing at the gate and the second was killed as he entered the court. The third bomber died when he detonated his explosives, officials said.



"Seven people were killed and 20 others were injured during the attack," Sohail Khalid, district police chief Charsadda, said.



Provincial government sources said one lawyer is among the seven persons killed.



Khalid said due to tight security the bombers could not enter the court, but had they been successful in entering the premises it "would have been a catastrophe".



Director General Inter-Services Public Relations, Major General Asif Ghafoor tweeted, "Chief of Army Staff lauds security forces' response to Charsada Blast. First tier Police response has saved many lives. Shares grief on loss of lives."



A search and rescue operation was underway, he added.



District hospitals have been put on high alert.



Charsadda has been a target of terror attacks for nearly a decade.



Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif condemned the attack in a statement issued by his office.



"We are a steadfast nation and will not be deterred by such attacks. Our government will continue to fight against terrorists and we will succeed," the statement said.

The latest attack came as security has been tightened across Pakistan after a recent wave of terrorist strikes killed more than 100 people.



On Thursday, a suicide bomber killed 88 people at a famed Sufi shrine in Sindh province. Following the attack, the army launched an offesive against militants and claimed to have killed more than 130 terrorists across the country.



In August last year, more than 70 people, mostly lawyers were killed in a bombing of a hospital in the southwestern city of Quetta.



A suicide bomber had struck a local court in Charsadda's Shabqadar area last year in March, killing 17 people.

PESHAWAR: Seven persons, including a lawyer, were killed and 21 others injured today when a group of heavily-armed Taliban suicide bombers stormed a court in Pakistan's volatile Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the latest in a wave of terror attacks in the country. The attackers opened fire and threw grenades as they attempted to enter the sessions court premises in Tangi, some 30 km away from the provincial capital Peshawar, prompting retaliatory fire by the security forces deployed there. Jamaat-ul-Ahrar (JuA), a faction of the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility for the attack. "Several terrorists attacked the court and resorted to heavy firing at the main gate of the lower court," Sohail Khalid, district police chief, said. "Bomb disposal experts said that each bomber was wearing seven to eight kilogrammes of explosives," he told reporters. One bomber was killed in the firing at the gate and the second was killed as he entered the court. The third bomber died when he detonated his explosives, officials said. "Seven people were killed and 20 others were injured during the attack," Sohail Khalid, district police chief Charsadda, said. Provincial government sources said one lawyer is among the seven persons killed. Khalid said due to tight security the bombers could not enter the court, but had they been successful in entering the premises it "would have been a catastrophe". Director General Inter-Services Public Relations, Major General Asif Ghafoor tweeted, "Chief of Army Staff lauds security forces' response to Charsada Blast. First tier Police response has saved many lives. Shares grief on loss of lives." A search and rescue operation was underway, he added. District hospitals have been put on high alert. Charsadda has been a target of terror attacks for nearly a decade. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif condemned the attack in a statement issued by his office. "We are a steadfast nation and will not be deterred by such attacks. Our government will continue to fight against terrorists and we will succeed," the statement said. The latest attack came as security has been tightened across Pakistan after a recent wave of terrorist strikes killed more than 100 people. On Thursday, a suicide bomber killed 88 people at a famed Sufi shrine in Sindh province. Following the attack, the army launched an offesive against militants and claimed to have killed more than 130 terrorists across the country. In August last year, more than 70 people, mostly lawyers were killed in a bombing of a hospital in the southwestern city of Quetta. A suicide bomber had struck a local court in Charsadda's Shabqadar area last year in March, killing 17 people.
By IANS

ISTANBUL: At least 44 members of the Islamic State terror organisation and a Turkish soldier were killed on Tuesday in clashes in northern Syria, according to a Turkish army statement.

The statement, published by the semi-official Anadolu news agency, did not specify where the Turkish soldier was killed, but indicated that it occurred during an operation against IS in northern Syria, when a mine detonated during a de-mining operation, in which two other soldiers were wounded.

Turkey's artillery and ground forces attacked 109 IS targets on Tuesday, while the air force pounded four IS-controlled buildings on the outskirts of the city of al-Bab, Efe news reported.

Since December, the city has been under siege by the Turkish army, which managed to conquer most of it.

Anadolu reported that 44 IS fighters were killed, 15 in battles with Turkish forces, and 29 in air strikes carried out by the US-led international coalition, also joined by Turkey.

Turkish authorities announced that after it takes full control of al-Bab, operations will continue to drive IS from the city of al-Raqqa, the terror organisation's main stronghold in Syria.

ISTANBUL: At least 44 members of the Islamic State terror organisation and a Turkish soldier were killed on Tuesday in clashes in northern Syria, according to a Turkish army statement. The statement, published by the semi-official Anadolu news agency, did not specify where the Turkish soldier was killed, but indicated that it occurred during an operation against IS in northern Syria, when a mine detonated during a de-mining operation, in which two other soldiers were wounded. Turkey's artillery and ground forces attacked 109 IS targets on Tuesday, while the air force pounded four IS-controlled buildings on the outskirts of the city of al-Bab, Efe news reported. Since December, the city has been under siege by the Turkish army, which managed to conquer most of it. Anadolu reported that 44 IS fighters were killed, 15 in battles with Turkish forces, and 29 in air strikes carried out by the US-led international coalition, also joined by Turkey. Turkish authorities announced that after it takes full control of al-Bab, operations will continue to drive IS from the city of al-Raqqa, the terror organisation's main stronghold in Syria.
By AFP

NEW YORK: Milo Yiannopoulos, a firebrand editor of right-wing news site Breitbart, will face the media Tuesday after losing a book deal and a speaking engagement over comments in which he seems to condone pedophilia.

The 33-year-old Briton caused a stir when a video was leaked on Twitter over the weekend in which he defends men having sex with children as young as 13.

"No, no, no. You're misunderstanding what pedophilia means," Yiannopoulos says in the tape, speaking to radio hosts in a video chat.

"Pedophilia is not a sexual attraction to somebody 13 years old who is sexually mature. Pedophilia is attraction to children who have not reached puberty," he adds.

He calls the idea of setting an age of consent "arbitrary and oppressive."

It's not the first time the provocateur and staunch fan of President Donald Trump found himself mired in controversy: he was banned from Twitter for provoking online harassment of black actress Leslie Jones in July.

And the University of California at Berkeley cancelled a planned speech by Yiannopoulos this month after protests against him turned violent. Trump reacted by threating to withhold federal funds from the university.

On Monday, Yiannopoulos was defiant amid the fallout of the video.

"I've gone through worse. This will not defeat me," he said on Facebook.

He was expected to face the media in New York at 3 pm (2000 GMT) to defend himself.

Yiannopoulos, Breitbart's technology editor, is reviled by his critics as racist and misogynistic but casts himself as a gay crusader against "political correctness."

He is often portrayed as a leader of the so-called alt-right -- a white nationalist extremist fringe that has found a home on Breitbart's pages -- although he has sought to distance himself from the movement.

The alt-right movement catapulted into American mainstream consciousness after former Breitbart head Steve Bannon played a key role in shaping Trump's successful White House campaign. Bannon is now the president's powerful chief strategist.

Yiannopoulos was to have spoken Friday at the Conservative Political Action Conference, an annual meeting for conservative policymakers. Trump and Vice President Mike Pence are scheduled to speak at this year's confab.

But Yiannopoulos' invitation was withdrawn after his comments on pedophilia became public.

"Due to the revelation of an offensive video in the past 24 hours condoning pedophilia, the American Conservative Union has decided to rescind the invitation," said Matt Schlapp, chairman of the group that sponsors the conference.

The publishing house Simon & Schuster said it was cancelling publication of "Dangerous," a free speech manifesto and memoir by Yiannopoulos.

In a statement posted on Facebook after the speaking engagement was cancelled, Yiannopoulos said he himself had been a victim of child abuse and was repulsed by it. He said he was only "partly to blame" for this latest uproar.

"My own experiences as a victim led me to believe I could say anything I wanted to on this subject, no matter how outrageous. But I understand that my usual blend of British sarcasm, provocation and gallows humor might have come across as flippancy, a lack of care for other victims or, worse, 'advocacy,'" he wrote.

"I deeply regret that. People deal with things from their past in different ways," Yiannopoulos said.

NEW YORK: Milo Yiannopoulos, a firebrand editor of right-wing news site Breitbart, will face the media Tuesday after losing a book deal and a speaking engagement over comments in which he seems to condone pedophilia. The 33-year-old Briton caused a stir when a video was leaked on Twitter over the weekend in which he defends men having sex with children as young as 13. "No, no, no. You're misunderstanding what pedophilia means," Yiannopoulos says in the tape, speaking to radio hosts in a video chat. "Pedophilia is not a sexual attraction to somebody 13 years old who is sexually mature. Pedophilia is attraction to children who have not reached puberty," he adds. He calls the idea of setting an age of consent "arbitrary and oppressive." It's not the first time the provocateur and staunch fan of President Donald Trump found himself mired in controversy: he was banned from Twitter for provoking online harassment of black actress Leslie Jones in July. And the University of California at Berkeley cancelled a planned speech by Yiannopoulos this month after protests against him turned violent. Trump reacted by threating to withhold federal funds from the university. On Monday, Yiannopoulos was defiant amid the fallout of the video. "I've gone through worse. This will not defeat me," he said on Facebook. He was expected to face the media in New York at 3 pm (2000 GMT) to defend himself. Yiannopoulos, Breitbart's technology editor, is reviled by his critics as racist and misogynistic but casts himself as a gay crusader against "political correctness." He is often portrayed as a leader of the so-called alt-right -- a white nationalist extremist fringe that has found a home on Breitbart's pages -- although he has sought to distance himself from the movement. The alt-right movement catapulted into American mainstream consciousness after former Breitbart head Steve Bannon played a key role in shaping Trump's successful White House campaign. Bannon is now the president's powerful chief strategist. Yiannopoulos was to have spoken Friday at the Conservative Political Action Conference, an annual meeting for conservative policymakers. Trump and Vice President Mike Pence are scheduled to speak at this year's confab. But Yiannopoulos' invitation was withdrawn after his comments on pedophilia became public. "Due to the revelation of an offensive video in the past 24 hours condoning pedophilia, the American Conservative Union has decided to rescind the invitation," said Matt Schlapp, chairman of the group that sponsors the conference. The publishing house Simon & Schuster said it was cancelling publication of "Dangerous," a free speech manifesto and memoir by Yiannopoulos. In a statement posted on Facebook after the speaking engagement was cancelled, Yiannopoulos said he himself had been a victim of child abuse and was repulsed by it. He said he was only "partly to blame" for this latest uproar. "My own experiences as a victim led me to believe I could say anything I wanted to on this subject, no matter how outrageous. But I understand that my usual blend of British sarcasm, provocation and gallows humor might have come across as flippancy, a lack of care for other victims or, worse, 'advocacy,'" he wrote. "I deeply regret that. People deal with things from their past in different ways," Yiannopoulos said.
By Associated Press

Immigrants who want to become citizens must go through a long list of requirements, including passing a 10-question civics test.

Here are some sample questions:

1. What do we call the first 10 amendments to the Constitution?

Answer: Bill of Rights.

2. How many amendments does the Constitution have?

Answer: 27.

3. What is the name of the current president of the United States?

Answer: Donald Trump.

4. If both the president and vice president can no longer serve, who becomes president?

Answer: Speaker of the House.

5. How many justices serve on the Supreme Court?

Answer: nine.

6. What is one power of the federal government under the Constitution?

Answers: Print money; declare war; create an army; make treaties.

7. When was the Constitution written?

Answer: 1787.

8. Who was the first president?

Answer: George Washington.

9. Name one of the two longest rivers in the U.S.?

Answer: Mississippi or Missouri.

10. Who did the United States fight in World War II?

Answer: Germany, Japan and Italy.

Immigrants who want to become citizens must go through a long list of requirements, including passing a 10-question civics test. Here are some sample questions: 1. What do we call the first 10 amendments to the Constitution? Answer: Bill of Rights. 2. How many amendments does the Constitution have? Answer: 27. 3. What is the name of the current president of the United States? Answer: Donald Trump. 4. If both the president and vice president can no longer serve, who becomes president? Answer: Speaker of the House. 5. How many justices serve on the Supreme Court? Answer: nine. 6. What is one power of the federal government under the Constitution? Answers: Print money; declare war; create an army; make treaties. 7. When was the Constitution written? Answer: 1787. 8. Who was the first president? Answer: George Washington. 9. Name one of the two longest rivers in the U.S.? Answer: Mississippi or Missouri. 10. Who did the United States fight in World War II? Answer: Germany, Japan and Italy.
Who are Newport's top taxpayers? Take a look at the top 50.
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Reporter

Debra Pressey is a reporter covering health care at The News-Gazette. Her email is dpressey@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@DLPressey).
One of Editor & Publishers 10 That Do It Right 2021
2017 marks a milestone celebration for contract medical device company the ITL Group as they celebrate 40 years in the industry.

Team photograph outside ITL Groups Ashford, Kent facility.

Founded on 25th February 1977, the design and manufacturing partner for leading life-saving medical technology has enjoyed success on a global scale.

As the go-to contract design, development, manufacturing and consultancy partner for some of the biggest names in MedTech, the ITL Group has established operations in Shanghai, China and Richmond, Virginia, USA, in addition to their headquarters in Ashford, Kent, UK.

To celebrate the 40th landmark, the ITL Group have invested in a brand refresh and new website to reflect their global growth. The award-winning company is also hosting a grand event at Lympne Castle in Kent on the anniversary date for staff from across the globe.

The event will feature a company awards presentation, honouring employees for their contributions over the past four decades. Special guest The Rt Hon Damian Green MP is also attending on the day.

ITL Group has more than 100 staff worldwide. During 40 years in the industry ITL has completed over 400 projects  from humble beginnings developing gamma counters for radio-immunoassays, today they have a portfolio including in-vitro diagnostics (IVD), point-of-care devices, surgical robots, cancer staging and treatment, patient connected medical devices, and next generation DNA sequencing as well as expertise in the development of consumables.

Tom Cole, ITL Groups CEO, said: This is such an exciting time for us and its great to celebrate this anniversary with our loyal employees from all over the globe. Were nothing without the expertise and dedication of our team so for the 40th anniversary what was most important to us was saying thank you to them.

The industry has come a long way in the last four decades and weve seen significant developments in the processes and technology that we use, however what hasnt changed is our ethos - to enhance lives through medical technology. Were honoured to mark 40 years in the industry and are proud of all the life saving innovations weve helped realise during that time. Tom Cole, CEO of ITL Group

He added, Even though weve been around for 40 years and have built a strong reputation, we continually need to affirm our global position. This rebrand was all about showing that were a global player and communicating our abilities to take medical devices to new markets.

ITL was founded as Wilj International in 1977. In 2013 there was a management buyout which saw Directors Paddy Greenwood, Tom Cole and Greg Smith complete the buyout from ITLs previous Swiss owners.

Since starting out the ITL group has grown from strength to strength each year. 2016 been a strong year for the company, recording a profit of over 1.5 million.
microDimensions launches a new version of its high precision whole slide alignment software Slidematch. With the new version users can align digital whole slide images from consecutive sections in brightfield and fluorescence mode, e.g. for the evaluation of the HER2 status of cancer patients.

While brightfield images (e.g. stained in H&E) are the primary choice for observing the morphology of the tissue, fluorescence images are better for the visualization of the cellular characteristics. Digital multiplexing of brightfield and fluorescence images can combine the benefits of both worlds while maintaining the individual characteristics of each of the modalities. Many digital pathology scanners available today are equipped to scan images in both brightfield and fluorescence mode. When using both modes for a tissue sample, adjoined sections are typically prepared and scanned separately and the resulting whole slide images (WSIs) need to be reviewed or analyzed individually. Aligning images from multiple modalities can help aggregating information from consecutive sections stained in histochemical and fluorescent dyes, e.g. protein expression and gene amplification by aligning immunohistochemical (IHC) markers with fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH). The aligned images can then be used to facilitate the visual evaluation by a pathologist or automated image analysis.

An application example is the evaluation of the HER2 status of breast cancer patients. Typically the pathological scoring of the HER2 status in breast cancer is either based on immunohistochemical IHC staining to mark the HER2 protein on the cell membrane, or on FISH to mark the HER2 ribonucleic acid (RNA) that contains the genetic information to produce the HER2 protein. By using the aligned images the scoring of HER2 protein overexpression and gene amplification could be combined to achieve a higher precision.

There is a wide range of applications conceivable for this method from cancer research and diagnosis to drug development and biomarker discovery.

Slidematch can perform the alignment of the digital slides at a very high precision only limited by the scanner resolution. The import wizard allows to load images in formats from different vendors and in different resolutions in the same batch. The new version now also supports the import of images in proprietary formats from Roche-Ventana, Olympus and PerkinElmer. The images can be stored as an aligned image series in the .svs, .tif, or .ims format for viewing or automated image analysis.

Slidematch will be presented at booth #627 at Molecular Medicine Tri-Con 2017, 20 - 22 February in San Francisco.
Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths for women low- and middle-income countries, including Botswana, where 75 percent of cervical cancer patients suffer from advanced forms of the disease. These patients can face wait times as long as five months after diagnosis before receiving lifesaving treatment. A new, multidisciplinary model of cervical cancer care developed by a University of Pennsylvania team based in Botswana cut the delay between diagnosis and treatment by more than 50 percent, according to research published this month in the Journal of Global Oncology.

Limited access to preventive screenings combined with the HIV epidemic are driving the high rate of cervical cancer in Botswana, which has the second highest HIV prevalence in the world. The risk of developing cervical cancer in women infected with HIV is three- to six-fold higher than those who are HIV-negative. In Botswana, more than two-thirds of all cervical cancer cases occur among women who are also living with HIV.

However, radiation therapy is not available at in public clinics in Botswana, requiring patients to seek care at private hospitals, which can be a cumbersome process with wait times as long as five months.

"With so many women suffering from advanced cervical cancer in Botswana, long delays between treatment and diagnosis can mean the difference between life and death," said Surbhi Grover, MD, MPH, director of Global Radiation Oncology in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and head of Oncology at Princess Marina Hospital in Botswana. "We saw an urgent need to develop a care program that gives cervical cancer patients the treatment they need as quickly as possible."

Grover and her fellow researchers at Princess Marina Hospital developed a multidisciplinary team (MDT) approach to streamline care and communication between providers and get patients to treatment facilities faster. Weekly care team meetings were established across providers, including radiation oncologists, clinical oncologists, gynecologists, nurse coordinators, and palliative care specialists to discuss patient cases and develop treatment plans. The teams also worked to together to submit paperwork and other documentation, further reducing delays in treatment and simplifying the overall process.

"While this type of model might seem common in the United States or other developed countries, it's actually a quite complicated process that lacks a global standard of guidelines," Grover said. "We saw many different models across the world, but no published outcomes on how to successfully implement an MDT approach for cervical cancer care."

Over a six-month period, the team saw 135 patients, 60 percent of whom were diagnosed with cervical cancer and 42 percent had locally advanced cancer the required chemo-radiation. However, thanks to the MDT model, 62 percent of those patients required only one clinic visit to coordinate care, reducing the time between diagnosis and treatment initiation by more than 50 percent, with the median delay from biopsy to treatment initiation cut to 39 days from an average of 108 days before the new care model.

"With this model, we've shown that the MDT approach works in a resource-limited setting and actually helps address several challenges providers face," Grover said. "Many of our patients must travel long distances or face other barriers that prevent them from returning to the clinic for multiple visits. Offering patients a comprehensive treatment plan during one clinic visit is a game-changer."

Similar MDT models are being developed for head and neck cancer, breast cancer, and palliative care in Botswana. A follow-up clinic is also being piloted where patients with gynecological cancer receive continued follow-up care after chemotherapy and radiation are complete. All patients seen in the Penn MDT clinic will be linked to this new clinic and will receive regular communication about follow-up care.

"What this approach really shows is the importance of integrated care and treatment models," Grover said. "We hope our MDT model will be applied on a broad scale across many different illnesses and clinics in resource-limited settings worldwide."
OIST researchers have successfully adapted a parent-training program for ADHD for use with families in Japan, where ADHD-specific behavioral interventions are limited.

The results of the proof-of-concept of the new program, the "New Forest Parenting Programme-Japan", published in Japanese Psychological Research, show reductions in children's ADHD symptoms and improvements in parent-child relationships, suggesting that the parent-training program might prove to be an effective mainstream behavioral treatment for ADHD in Japan.

International guidelines for the management of ADHD in children recommend approved medications and/or behavioral therapy. Compared with many western countries, Japan has fewer pharmacological and behavioral options. The availability of behavioral therapy is further limited by a shortage of trained specialists.

Researchers at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST) first recruited Japanese parents of children with ADHD for a pilot study using standard behavioral strategies to see if Japanese parents would be comfortable with the program content, assessment strategies and group delivery of the program. Though the researchers did not specify the gender of the parents, only mothers contacted the researchers to participate in the study and five mothers were recruited for the study. The mothers embraced the group setting, expressing the importance of interacting with other mothers who could understand the challenges of parenting a child with ADHD. However, they articulated a desire to have more information about the causes of ADHD as well as extra practice using behavioral strategies specifically targeting ADHD. In response, the OIST researchers adapted the New Forest Parenting Programme, with the support of the program originators, for use with Japanese parents.

"It is important that children with ADHD are rewarded with positive praise after engaging in appropriate behaviors," says Dr. Shizuka Shimabukuro from OIST's Human Development Neurobiology Unit, who is the driving force behind adapting the NFPP for Japanese families. "In general, Japanese parents praise their children more sparingly than Western parents. Overcoming this cultural norm can be challenging for many mothers."

Based on the feedback from the pilot study, researchers in OIST's Human Development Neurobiology Unit recruited mothers only for the proof-of-concept study. They modified the programme to replace four general parenting strategy sessions with six sessions that were specifically designed for parents of children with ADHD and also added five extra support sessions to the beginning of the training program to increase mothers' understanding of ADHD and increase their confidence in participating in the parenting program.

The researchers then conducted a proof-of-concept study with the new extended program, known as the NFPP-Japan, with 17 Japanese mothers, to assess the effects of the program on child behavior, mothers' well-being and parenting skills.

Mothers' reports before and after the program indicated significant reductions in children's ADHD symptoms, reductions in mothers' reactivity to their child's behavioral difficulties and reductions in the stress they experienced in their roles as parents.

"Because the results of the study are based on self-reports from the mothers, we cannot rule out that the positive results we saw are due to changes in mothers' perceptions of, or attitudes toward, their child's behavior," says Professor Gail Tripp, head of OIST's Human Development Neurobiology Unit. "Nevertheless, improving the parent-child relationship is an important step in managing ADHD."

Future studies of the NFPP-Japan will focus on using objective evaluations of child behavior and the parent child-relationship. A randomized control trial of the NFPP-Japan is currently underway. If the program proves successful, it might eventually become generally available in Japan as an effective treatment for managing symptoms of ADHD.

Source: https://www.oist.jp/news-center/news/2017/2/21/new-behavioral-therapy-support-japanese-mothers-children-adhd
Children exposed to Zika virus in the womb may face complex health and developmental problems as they grow older, according to discussions at a National Institutes of Health workshop. A summary of the proceedings, authored by researchers from NIH's Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), is available in the latest issue of JAMA Pediatrics.

Zika virus is a global public health threat. Infection in pregnant women can lead to birth defects in developing fetuses and newborns, but long-term outcomes for children exposed to the virus in the womb are largely unknown. Participants at the NIH workshop aimed to address these knowledge gaps by discussing clinical observations of Zika-affected infants, similar congenital infections, treatment options, management guidelines and research needs.

For example, clinicians from Brazil and Puerto Rico described a spectrum of health issues seen in Zika-affected infants, including abnormal reflexes, limb abnormalities, epilepsy, respiratory infections and problems with vision, hearing and digestion. Their observations indicate that Zika exposure during any trimester in pregnancy can lead to health problems. In some case reports, infants who appeared normal at birth later developed brain defects, such as microcephaly and hydrocephalus.

Workshop participants also discussed how to best engage parents and caregivers in the treatment of their children. Participants recognized the importance of caring for the parents, caregivers and families of Zika-affected children, in addition to collaborating across specialties to meet the children's diverse medical needs. According to the workshop summary, the complete picture of long-term outcomes will require more research and should include all Zika-exposed children, not just those who show symptoms at birth.
We will not only match the highest selling tariff of each of the other leading Indian telecom operators, but in addition we will provide 20% more data in each of these plans, Ambani told a tech industry conference.

The 4G mobile service offered free data to customers until end-December when it was launched by Reliance last September. This offer was later extended till March 31, 2017.

: Reliance Jio will top competitors best tariff plans with 20% more data when its free offer ends on April 1, pressing ahead with its strategy of aggressive pricing-led market disruption that has helped the hitherto free 4G mobile service sign up a record 100 million subscribers in just 170 days.Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani, for whom Jio is one of his biggest bets in recent times, said the company would comprehensively monitor all publicly announced plans from all operators across the country on a regular basis.Also Read: 100 mn Jio Customers in 170 Days : Takeaways From Mukesh Ambani's Speech In addition to promising to better rivals plans, Jio will have its own tariff plans, which Ambani said would be the best in the industry.Shares in Jios rivals Bharti Airtel and Idea Cellular fell 1.2% and 0.9% respectively after Ambanis announcement.Also Read: Full Text: Mukesh Ambani Announces Jio Now Has 100 mn Customers Voice calls will continue to remain free after April 1. Jio is also continuing with its policy of not charging for STD or roaming.Apart from this, Ambani also announced the launch of a special plan called the Jio Prime Membership Programme, available only for existing customers and those who sign up before March 31.The Jio Prime offer will be open for membership from March 1-31 for a one-time fee of Rs 99 for a year. Jio Prime members will also be eligible for the full bouquet of the networks media services.Data is the oxygen of Digital Life and Jio promises to provide world-class data at prices affordable to all Indians, Ambani said.Jio currently has twice the number of 4G base stations than all other mobile services put together and by the end of 2017 the Jio network will be present in nearly all the cities, towns and villages of India covering 99% of Indias population, Ambani said.Reliances entry into the mobile and data market has spurred changes. Competitors like Bharti Airtel reported its lowest profit in four years in the October-December quarter while Idea reported a quarterly loss. Idea and Vodafone 's Indian operations are set to merge.(Disclosure: News18.com is part of Network18 Media & Investment Limited which is owned by Reliance Industries Limited that also owns Reliance Jio)
Lucknow: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is making a desperate bid to resurrect his stature but the absence of credibility is haunting him, chief co-ordinator of Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee Ashok Gehlot said.



"Indira Gandhi's aura was different, while the aura of Modi is diminishing. Gandhi was ousted in a poll primarily due to the anger of voters but she was again accepted by them," he told PTI refusing to draw any comparison between Modi and the late prime minister.



"Modi had got a chance but he lost it. Senior party leaders like Murli Manohar Joshi and L K Advani have been marginalised. BJP workers are feeling suffocated," the former Rajasthan chief minister said here.



Gehlot said a sense of frustration has penetrated deep in his mind and added that "Modi is making a desperate bid to resurrect his stature but the absence of credibility is haunting him".



Sharpening his attack, he said, "Congress never bothered for power. But I think BJP is going to meet the same fate in Uttar Pradesh as in the Assembly elections of Delhi and Bihar."



He said BIMARU states was only a new jumla (rhetoric) coined by Modi.



"BIMARU is simply a jumla and nothing else. What is the definition of BIMARU, can you tell me? In fact, Modi is an expert in telling lies," Gehlot said, adding that Modi is busy creating a rift between the rich and the poor.



Claiming that "dictatorship" has raised its ugly head in the BJP, Gehlot said Modi's current image resembles that of US President Donald Trump.



"After 30 years, a particular party got a clear mandate. When Modi came to power, the writing on the wall was that this government would last for 10 years and this view emanated across different political parties," Gehlot said, adding that in two-and-half years, Modi's image has taken a beating



Criticising the body language of the Prime Minister, Gehlot alleged that Modi is a pro-corporate man and he is hell bent on realising his vested political and electoral interests.



"Have you seen any PM make such speeches, repeatedly clapping to emphasise on a particular point?" he asked.



On demonetisation, Gehlot said following the note ban, there was an atmosphere of uncertainty in the entire country.



"The credibility of the banks and currency notes have taken a beating. Note ban has yielded no positive results.



There was no logic behind replacing the old Rs 1,000 currency notes with the new Rs 2,000 notes. There has been an increase in the quantum of corruption in Income Tax department and banks," he claimed.



The chief coordinator of UPCC admitted that the decision to have the SP-Congress alliance was a sudden development for the party workers.



"But, in the larger interest of the nation and UP, and to stop fascist and communal forces of the BJP from storming to power, the alliance was eventually approved by both the parties," he said.



He said party workers after being confused over the alliance, gradually understood its need and importance. "And, subsequently, they reconciled," he said.



On whether the nascent alliance would continue in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, he said, "All options are open."



He went on to claim that when UPA-1 had formed government in 2004, very few people had thought that it would rule the country for close to a decade.
Hyderabad: A government school teacher has been arrested in Telanganas Mahabubabad district for allegedly sexually harassing his girl students.



J Pratap was arrested after parents of students studying in a mandal parishad school complained that he would click their pictures, show them pornographic images on his phone and touch them inappropriately.



The police complaint was filed after the children told their parents about what had happened to them. Angry parents also reached the school and thrashed Pratap. They demanded immediate action against the teacher.



The police has arrested the teacher under sections 354A and POSCO Act. However, Pratap denied all the allegations.



A police official told CNN-News18, After parents filed complaint, we arrested the teacher and he has been sent into police remand.


Ratlam: A man in Ratlam district of Madhya Pradesh allegedly dipped the hands of five minor boys in boiling oil after he suspected them of stealing his son's mobile phone.



The boys suffered burn injuries on the hands and were taken to a government hospital late on Monday. The police have have started an investigation into the incident.



The incident occurred after the victims had gone to visit the son of the accused, Chhagan. The son lost his mobile phone and accused one of his friends of stealing the gadget.



But they denied having taken the phone. On receiving the news, Chhagan reached the spot and inquired about the missing phone to which the kids pleaded ignorance.



Chhagan then heated oil in a pot and asked the kids to dip their hands one by one, promising that the honest ones wont be harmed by the boiling oil.



The terrified kids did what they were told and all sustained injuries after dipping their hands in the boiling oil.



They went home and told their parents what happened, following which they went to Chhagan's house to confront Chhagan but had fled the scene by then. Three of the boys received severe burn injuries.



The parents complained to the police who sent an officer to the hospital and recorded statements from the kids. A manhunt has been launched to nab the accused after police booked him under relevant sections of IPC.
New Delhi: Elections for the Indias richest civic body, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), are currently underway. The BMC is the civic body that governs the megapolis of Mumbai. Its budget last year was Rs 37,000 crore, making it the richest urban local body in the country. Although political parties vie to get their candidates elected as corporators, who really controls it?



Here is a News18 primer on the BMC.



Who gets elected to the BMC?



The BMC has an elected legislature with corporators. But they only have legislative powers and not executive powers. This means that the party which has the most corporators is not actually in-charge of the BMCs actions, even though they elect the mayor.



So who really runs the BMC?



This distinction would go to the BMC Commissioner, an IAS officer, appointed by the Chief Minister. The executive is responsible for the implementation of all schemes, allotment of tenders, and creating quality checks for the same. He is also responsible for the civic functions like maintaining roads and collecting trash.



So what does the mayor do?



The mayor has the power to spend up to Rs 1 crore a year on civic projects. In accordance with the nominal role, the mayor attends to foreign dignitaries and heads of states visiting the city.



What does the elected party and the corporators do?



The elected councilors make the rules that have to be followed by the officers of the BMC.



- The budget that is created by the executive must be approved by them to be passed.



- They can raise issues in the house to which administrative authorities will be forced to respond.



- They can petition the state government to remove officers who are mired in corruption.



- There are other methods of political pressure at their disposal that they can use as well.
New Delhi: In a first, CBI on Monday carried out searches at the residence of its former chief Amar Pratap Singh after registering an FIR against him for allegedly favouring controversial meat exporter Moin Qureshi.



CBI sources said a case has been registered against Singh, Qureshi, his employee Aditya Sharma, owner of Trimax group of companies Pradeep Koneru and other unknown persons.



They said the agency conducted searches in four cities-- New Delhi, Ghaziabad, Chennai and Hyderabad.



Qureshi has been accused of accepting money from several people for securing favours from public servants.



The FIR was lodged on a complaint from the Enforcement Directorate, the country's anti-money laundering probe agency.



The premises searched included those of an employee of Qureshi, his company, Singh's residence and that of Pradeep Koneru in Hyderabad. Koneru is also being probed by the CBI in connection with the disproportionate assets case against YSR Congress leader Jagan Mohan Reddy.



Singh, a 1974-batch IPS officer, headed the agency between November 30, 2010 and November 30, 2012.
New Delhi: The Uniform Civil Code (UCC) is still being discussed at a nascent level within the judiciary and Law Commission of India, but academic institutions have gone a step ahead and launched competitions to draft the perfect code.



National Law School of India University, one of the most prestigious law schools of the country, along with Ramaiah College of Law, Bengaluru, is organizing a two-day national seminar where students will prepare a draft on Uniform Civil Code, which should be possible to adopt under Art 44 of the Constitution of India.



Article 44 of the Constitution says the state shall endeavour to secure for the citizens a uniform civil code".



Named the Constitutional Quest to Uniform Civil Code: Mirage or Compulsion, the seminar scheduled March 17-18, allows students to submit papers on topics ranging from UCC, Constitution of India and Constitutionalism, The Jurisprudence on Uniform Civil Code to Common civil code/law v/s Uniform civil code.



This is not all, a law college in Trivandrum under the patronage of Cardinal Baselios Cleemis, Syro-Malankara Archdiocese of Trivandrum, is organizing a competition for all law students across the country to research and prepare a detailed Model Uniform Civil Code. The winning report will be presented before the president and the prime minister.



Cardinal Cleemis, president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India told News18 that this competition will help in the drafting of the UCC based on the Constitution.



A competition like this will enable important contribution to the drafting of the UCC based on academic research and findings, true to the spirit of our Constitution. This will help in formulating guidelines and show the way different communities perceive UCC, said Cardinal Cleemis.



These competitions come shortly after the law commission questionnaire which seeks to gauge public opinion on the subject matter. More recently, while the Supreme Court expressed inclination to adjudicate on matters relating to Muslim divorce, it categorically stated that it will not even touch UCC.



Prof. Dr. K. Vikraman Nair, Principal of Mar Gregorios College of Law, Trivandrum, which is organising the competition, told News18 that this event is a way to make the voices of the students heard to the Government on UCC and to train them on research methodologies.



Our competition focuses on law reforms. People with vested interests may try to see a different angle into it, but it is a completely academic exercise which will showcase what the students feel about this contemporary topic, said Nair.



The organisers said students will get a time of eight months from February 15 to September 30 to prepare the model code. The teams will select any one aspect of the proposed UCC like marriage, divorce, maintenance, adoption, custody and guardianship, inheritance or succession for study, research and reform.




New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday questioned the source of money in the bank accounts of social activist Teesta Setalvad and others which were frozen by Ahmedabad police in 2015 after allegations of misappropriation. "Whose money is this? From where did the money in these bank accounts have come," a bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra asked the counsel for Setalvad.



"There are multiple donors who have donated the money for various purposes. Our personal bank accounts and the bank accounts of NGOs have been frozen by them, which also include fixed deposits. At least the court should direct them that personal bank accounts should be defreezed as lot of time has passed," advocate Aparna Bhat appearing for Setalvad said.



She said they have submitted the details of source of money to the Gujarat government but till now no action has been taken on defreezing the accounts.



Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for Gujarat, told the bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and M M Shantanagoudar, that some time was needed to file detailed reply on the issue.



The bench then posted the matter for further hearing on April 18.



On November 9 last year, the apex court had fixed the pleas of Setalvad, her husband Javed Anand and her two controversial NGOs challenging the freezing of their accounts for final hearing.



Setalvad had objected to repeated adjournments taken by Gujarat government after the apex court issued notice saying their accounts have remained frozen for nearly three years.



Teesta, her husband and two NGOs -- Sabrang Trust and Citizens for Justice and Peace -- had approached the apex court challenging the October 7, 2015 verdict of the Gujarat High Court rejecting their pleas for defreezing their personal bank accounts.



One of the residents of Gulberg Society, Firoz Khan Pathan, had filed a complaint against Setalvad and others alleging that money was raised to make a museum at Gulberg Society in the memory of 69 people killed in the 2002 Gujarat riots, but it had not been utilised for the purpose.



The freezing of the accounts by Ahmedabad Police had come soon after its Crime Branch had started probing a case in which Setalvad and others were accused of embezzling Rs 1.51 crore collected to convert Gulberg Society into a museum.


The wazwan -- a fabled set of mouth-watering mutton dishes prepared in oil and flavoured spices -- has traveled far and wide, along with the Kashmiris, who love their food and customs.

"The gap between the spending of rich and poor on a wedding is increasing and putting additional pressure on the poor," he said, adding that the poor fails to meet the same expectations.

The valley, however, reacted with caution on the new order but many youngsters News 18 spoke to said the exercise was necessary to curtail the expenditure.

The maximum number of dishes that I have cooked is 30. Seven is a joke when you prepare wazwan."

The poor are forced to do with two quintals of Wazwan, even if they have to borrow money from others. The race to prepare more puts them in debt," he said.

: Kashmir's fat weddings and lavish mutton feast will now onwards be under the lens of Mehbooba Mufti government.The government's order on Tuesday limited the wazwan meals from 20 to 40 dishes served during weddings to only seven, a move seen to cut down on needless and reckless spending. The order also sought to bring down the number of guests to not more than 500 per wedding.Jammu and Kashmir has a rich culture of sending sweets and dry fruits, along with the invitation. However, the order -- which will come into effect from April 1, 2017 -- put a ban on this practice, too.Meatballs like Goshtaba and Rista and Kebab, Rogan Josh and Tabakh Maaz relished the world over, leave a great taste in the mouth of food lovers.The government decision came at a time when Kashmir's summer was wracked by intense street violence resulting in death, injuries, and arrest of thousands. Many see the order as a "distraction" to shift focus on the real issues on the ground.Chowdhary Zulfikar, Jammu and Kashmir Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Minister told News18 the number of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes were to be restricted to a maximum of seven each in weddings, and the number of guests, too, cannot be more 400 and 500 for boy's and girl's wedding respectively.Commenting on the "lavish" spending by the rich people on weddings, Chowdhary said that sometimes they get "70 food stalls" installed and they have "Rajasthani and Panjabi food"."The deputy commissioners are going to implement the order in the letter and spirit," he told News 18."This is a good move for those parents who can't afford lavish weddings. A lot of girls have passed marriageable age because of the curse to spend more on these social gathering," said Mehran Khan, a social activist.His friend Waseem Mir wanted to know how the government will implement the order. "How can the deputy commissioners know which house has a wedding and who cooks what and how much. Will they come knocking down at the private houses?"Mohammad Shafi, a local cook, called waza here, said more than two dozen dishes, mostly mutton, are served to the Baratis and it would be difficult to change that overnight.A rich family cooks up to 50 quintals of meat or more, in addition to a few quintals of chicken, during the weddings which last several days. "People have spent more than 50 lakh on Wazwan alone," said Shafi.Social activist Mehran Khan said that he was not optimistic about the success of the initiative because such restrictions were announced, in the past as well, but various governments did not follow up for lack of implementation. "It is a not that simple."The order to control the number of guests at weddings was earlier taken by former chief ministers Shiekh Mohammad Abdullah and Ghulam Mohammad Sadiq in the 1960s and 70s, but it could never become a tough law as people violated it within months.
New Delhi: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Tuesday said it has to be seen whether terror mastermind Hafiz Saeed's house arrest was the result of "real wise thinking" on the part of Pakistan or simply because things had started "burning under their feet".



Parrikar also rejected the concept of good and bad terrorism, insisting,"I can say when you grow cactus, the thorns prick everyone."



His comments followed Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaza Asif's remarks that Saeed's house arrest was in Islamabad's "larger interest" as he could pose a "serious threat" to the country.



Parrikar said any country supporting terror was bound to feel its impact on its own security situation.



"I hope they understand it...what has been said. If this is part of this understanding, it is a good thing that is happening. "But we will have to wait till we find out whether it is only because things started burning under their feet or it is real wise thinking," he told a TV channel.



Asif's remarks about the danger posed by the mastermind of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, in which 166 people were killed, came at an international security conference in Munich, Germany, on Sunday.



Saeed was placed under house arrest under the fourth schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) on January 30 in Lahore, provoking criticism from various outfits loyal to him and allies.



Saeed's inclusion in the list was seen as a tacit acknowledgement of his links with militant organisations. Saeed was earlier this month put on the Exit Control List, barring him from leaving the country.



Saeed was also put under house arrest after the Mumbai attacks in November 2008, but he was freed by a court in 2009.



He carries a reward of USD 10 million announced by the US for his role in terror activities.


Mumbai: Union Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi will host a special screening of the Oscar-nominated film "Lion" here. The invite list includes Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the movie's distributor has said.



Cabinet ministers and other dignitaries will be invited for the screening later this week before the film's release on Friday, read a statement.



"We are glad that a person of such repute such as Maneka Gandhi has expressed her desire to host a screening of 'Lion'. It's for a wise cause and thought and currently we are in process of setting up the screening in the coming week in Delhi," Avinaash Jumani, CEO at Pictureworks (film's distributor in India), said in a statement.



Gandhi, an animal rights activist and environmentalist, recently achieved success in tracking down 100 children and she is going to reunite them with their parents next month.



The fact that it finds resonance with the story of "Lion" -- about an Indian boy who when separated from his biological family, is adopted by an Australian couple in Australia and then years later, he finds his lost family using Google Earth -- makes it apt for Gandhi to host the screening.



Even the makers of Lion had started The #LIONHEART Campaign for helping street children, by joining hands with India-based NGO Magic Bus, Childline and Railway Children.



Directed by Garth Davis, the movie is based on Saroo Brierley's best-selling autobiography "A Long Way Home". It features child actor Sunny Pawar, with Dev Patel and Nicole Kidman in pivotal roles.




She is known for speaking her mind, which has in the past rubbed people the wrong way, but Kangana Ranauts recent appearance on Koffee With Karan may raise more eyebrows than required.The actress was at her candid best on the show where she shared the couch with her Rangoon co-star Saif Ali Khan. From calling out the host Karan Johar for his snobbery and nepotism to stating that she wouldnt want to work with any of the three Khans for she wont get to play an equal role in the film, Kangana ensured the spotlight was on her throughout the show while Saif Ali Khan just guffawed, raised eyebrows and ultimately said, Why am I even here?For starters, we love Kangana Ranaut. There is truly no one like her. From taking on her ex (who also happens to be a big superstar) head on in a very public, legal fight to speaking her mind on issues that are close to her, Kangana always manages to grab headlines and rightly so. And while media has lauded her unabashed answers during her recent outing at Koffee With Karan, one cant help but wonder how the film industry would react.Kangana works in an industry where film making is almost a family business and where a star kids career option is almost always something to do within the industry. So when she accuses Johar of nepotism, it isnt all wrong yet it isnt something that the director only should be accused of. Because everyone is equally responsible for it.There are, of course, people who make it to the top with their sheer talent and dollops of luck without any film background to speak of. Kangana is one such example. But the actress has also taken her time to reach the place she is at and has had to associate herself to certain actors and filmmakers to get noticed and to get the right kind of roles.What Kangana accused Johar of is a known fact, it is an open secret yet something that the film industry at large does not like to address. That it is surely very difficult to break into the clique if you are an outsider or if you dont have someone backing you. But speaking about it on national television may cost her a film or two for sure.Her statement on not willing to work with Khans would also make producers think twice before casting her in big budget film. Because as much as we celebrate women oriented films in present day, the fact is that the industry is still male dominated where 50 plus actors call the shots. Anushka Sharma may produce films like NH10 which has her playing a central character but she is also part of a film like Sultan where she is barely there in the second half. Deepika Padukone may get to do a Piku to prove her acting prowess but she also does a Happy New Year. For every author-backed role, an actress also has to be part of a big budget Khan production to remain relevant in the market. An actress career has a shelf life, sadly, and Kanganas rise to stardom might be meteoric but that too will not stay forever.It also doesnt help that Kangana doesnt have too many friends in the industry and is often in news for her strained relationships with her co-stars. She admits herself on the show, that she doesnt have any friends within the industry neither does she make herself visible to the public too much. I have the best songs of the year but I dont do stage shows, I dont endorse fairness creams and hence I lose out on lot of international products. But you really make a choice, you let that go for something more valuable, said the actress and we value her for that, but does the film industry share the same emotion?Many of Kangana loyalists would argue that the actress really doesnt need the backing of big camps to prove her worth. She has for sure, over the years, inculcated an image of not-giving-a-damn and speaking her mind no matter what. That is truly quintessential Kangana but for an actress to survive in Bollywood, one also needs the Bollywood Mafia by her side. And despite all the adulation she has received for speaking sense in a frivolous show like Koffee With Karan, the actress will once again be snubbed perhaps for being just her.But then, when has Kangana ever cared of being politically correct. Till the time she remains in the industry (and we hope it is for long time) she will continue to make her own rules. And the world will just have to deal with it.Also see: Koffee With Karan: Kangana Ranaut Slays Karan Johar With Brutal, Honest Answers
Singh is in a triangular fight with BSP's Pooja Pal, the sitting MLA, and BJPs Siddharth Nath Singh, a relative of Lal Bahadur Shastri.

The record shows that Allahabad West has been a bastion of mafia and lawlessness. The prevailing sentiment among people in the constituency now is that an educated candidate can bring change.Craving a fresh start to usher in women empowerment, education and safety, people here have pinned hopes on 29-year-old Richa Singh, SP candidate from Allahabad West.She shot to fame for blocking BJP MP Yogi Adityanath's entry in Allahabad University campus, and is being presented as the woman who stopped Yogi, the man who speaks against minorities. She was the first woman president of the students Union of Allahabad University and fought patriarchy and prejudices through her tenure there.Seeing her ferocity in taking up the cause and pursuing it till she gets her way, local non-political and social groups have lent support to her campaign. Speaking to News 18, Rini Jesu of Sahayta Mitra Mandali Charitable Trust, said, We have covered villages with her that have no sign of development - what do people here want drains, roads and hand pumps, even that is not there. This work needs to be pursued with new member in the assembly.Lalita Upadhyay, district president of Mahila Adhikar Sangathan, believes Pal is not going to win the third time. She said, "For past two terms Pal has been getting sympathy votes, her MLA husband was murdered. But this time sympathy won't work and performance will. We have a candidate who has our support because she has the will to work for women empowerment and making Allahabad safe, conducive for women. We saw all her battles in the Allahabad University and not even once did she go the back foot."There is enthusiasm in the villages that the candidate has been to the "university" and has no criminal record as Allahabad West has for long been infamous for being represented by bahubalis. Going by the record of representatives of Allahabad West people believe Singh will change the image of the constituency. The constituency has been the bastion of mafia don Atique Ahmed, who won this seat as an independent thrice 1989 to 1993 and then in 1996 and 2002 he fought from Samajwadi Party and Apna Dal respectively. In 2004, Raju Pal of the BSP was elected but after his murder his wife Pooja Pal fought and won two consecutive terms from 2007 to 2012 polls."But we are not happy with her, she did nothing except get votes on sympathy. If we ever wanted to meet her the guards at her gate sent us back," said Memuna from the village in Allahabad.
New Delhi: Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday exuded confidence of BJP winning the Uttar Pradesh assembly election with majority and said SP and BSP are only fighting for the role of main opposition party.



Naidu, who holds the portfolios of Information and Broadcasting and Urban Development, also criticised Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav for his "donkeys of Gujarat" comment, saying language used was not "people's language".



"We have full confidence that BJP will win with majority in Uttar Pradesh and form the government. Both SP and BSP are fighting for the role of opposition. People will decide who will be the opposition party between SP and BSP," he told reporters here.



Naidu was speaking on the sidelines of a conference 'Real Estate Sector Post Remonetisation and RERA', organised by PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry.



On Yadav's comment about "donkeys of Gujarat", he said, "When we address the people, we should speak the people's language. We understand that this (Yadav's comment) is not people's language".



Yesterday while addressing a rally at Rae Bareli, Yadav advised Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan not to endorse the "donkeys of Gujarat".



Without taking names, he referred to an advertisement in which Bachchan, the brand ambassador of Gujarat Tourism, is seen inviting tourists to visit the Wild Ass Sanctuary located in Little Rann of Kutch in the state.



"There's an advertisement on TV which shows donkeys. I appeal to the century's biggest star, please stop endorsing the donkeys of Gujarat," Yadav had said.



Hitting out at SP-Congress coalition, Naidu said the SP has aligned with Congress which he alleged was responsible for black money and corruption.



He dubbed the coalition as "immoral and unrealistic" and claimed that people on the ground are "not accepting" it.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) election begins on Tuesday for 227 municipal wards in which 2275 candidates in the fray. Beside BMC, polling is underway in 9 other civic bodies including in Nagpur. The civic body is fully prepared to hold the election across 227 electoral wards through 7304 polling booths at 1582 places. Out of 91,80,491 registered voters, 50,30,361 are male, 49,49,749 female and 381 transgender.

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Lucknow: As elections in Uttar Pradesh heads to Bundelkhand and districts of Raebareli, Pratapgarh and Allahabad, it's a different story for the Congresss alliance with Samajwadi party. Unlike the previous phases, it will now be on the Congress to save grace for the ambitious alliance.



Can the alliance continue its dominance in the region where BSP is a strong player and BJP has emerged as a formidable contender on almost every seat going to polls on February 23rd? A lot depends on the Congress.



This can well be judged from the fact that out of 53 constituencies going to polls, Congress is contesting almost half of them. Barring five seats of conflict between the alliance partners, the Congress is contesting 20 of the seats.



Getting such a sizable chunk of seats, the strategy is clear that in the region, especially Bundelkhand, Akhilesh Yadav's hopes of retaining the Chief Minister post depends a lot on Congress's performance.



Apart from Raebareli from where Congress president Sonia Gandhi is an MP, the party has big leaders like Pramod Tiwari in Pratapgarh, Anugrah Narayan Singh in Allahabad, Vivek Singh and former Union minister Pradeep Aditya Jain in Bundelkhand.



In 2012, despite odds Congress won six seats in the region and had got a respectable vote share on quite a few other seats, one more than the BJP, which could just win 5 seats.



Though SP had won 24 seats in the region in 2012, in Bundelkhand, comprising districts of Hamirpur, Mahoba, Jhansi, Chitrakoot, Lalitpur and Jalaun, it was given a tough fight by the BSP. Here, BSP had won seven out 19 seats here while SP had won another seven. Congress had got 4 while BJP had to content with just 1 seat.



The Congress has been given a high numbers of seats to contest here this time around. A senior Congress leader said, The natural anti-incumbency against The SP, can well be overcome by yielding bigger space to the Congress, more so when it has a respectable base in the region.



He further added, The confidence party has in itself can also be judged by the fact that it did not bow down to SP on 5 seats including Unchahar and Sairini, In Raebareli and three other seats of Mehroni, Bindki and Soraon.



Political observers feel that BJP and BSP have both realised the potential of the alliance in this phase. This is the reason both Prime Minster Narendra Modi and BSP chief Mayawati have been attacking each other strongly on the campaign trail in Bundelkhand.



Modi described BSP as 'Behanji Sampatti party', Mayawati hit back by calling him a 'Negative Dalit Man'. The strategy of the BJP is thus to ensure shift of Non-BJP votes towards BSP, thereby ensuring division of votes.



The SP-Congress alliance prospects in the region has also been strengthened by tactical support coming in from Independent MLA from Kunda, Raghu Raj Pratap Singh Raja Bhaiya. A close ally of the Samajwadi party, Raja Bhaiya holds a considerable clout on atleast three seats of Pratapgarh and in certain pockets of Allahabad.



Apart from Raja who is contesting from Kunda, other key faces in this phase are Congress leader Pramod Tiwari's daughter Aradhana Mishra from Rampur Khas (Pratapgarh); BSP legislature party leader Gaya Charan Dinker from Naraini seat in Banda; SP state minister Manoj Pandey from Uchahar seat in Rae Bareli; Congress candidate Aditi Singh, daughter of muscle man Akhilesh Singh, from Raebareli (Sadar); BJP national spokesperson Sidharthnath Singh from Allahabad (West); and Ujjwal Ram Singh, son of SP MP Rewti Ram Singh from Karchana (Allahabad).
Atarra, Banda: The news constantly on 19-year-old Shalini Guptas mind is of PhD holders applying for jobs as safai karamcharis, news that repeatedly came out of her home state of Uttar Pradesh over the course of 2016.



Shalini, a final year BSc. student at Bundelkhand University, is worried at the utter lack of jobs available for her and others her age.



As the fourth of UPs seven Assembly election phases looms over the states Bundelkhand region, on 23 February, first time voters such as her, in the small town of Atarra in Bundelkhands Banda district, of look on it with bemusement and barely there expectations of change.



Every party is campaigning now, but we dont know who to trust, said 20-year-old Saket, who teaches maths to class eight students in a local school. After elections who will remember us? Whoever wins will say, we dont know you.



Some 30 km outside of the congested Banda town, Atarra, typical of most hinterland towns, is situated on either side of the main Banda road, soon giving way to wheat fields and villages. It falls in Bandas Naraini Assembly constituency, reserved for Scheduled Caste candidates, where the Bahujan Samaj Party beat out the Samajwadi Party in 2012.



Off this road, just before the town three ATMs, is local NGO Jan Shikshan Evam Prashikshan Samitis computer training centre, where Shalini and a group of 18 to 21 year olds clack away at typewriters every evening, to perfect their typing before they go on to actual computers.



Before this course, none of them had even used computers. Now, they hope more doors will open for them; banking, working in big companies in Delhi, Lucknow, Mumbai, running shops, as their friends are now doing, having passed out of the centres previous batches.



At home, there is barely any work, and the groups social aspirations are to get out of town. Even if there is government work here, we keep hearing you to pay bribes to get it, Shalini added. She hopes to be a banker, in whichever city she can get posted in.



Manoj Singh (21) wants to be a computer operator, 19-year-old Jeetender a sub inspector and 18 year-old Deepender an electronic engineer. Amar Singh (21), a recent BSc. graduate from Bundelkhand University admitted, We cant be fixed on any one thing. I have to apply for as many jobs as I can, for whatever I can get. Manoj summed up their situation, They say a person shouldnt sail on two boats at once, but here we have to keep a foot in as many boats as possible.



They represent a sliver of the 25 lakh first-time voters in Uttar Pradeshs elections. Though they know that the countrys eyes are trained on the outcome of their state, likely to decide Indias political future, here they barely know who to believe and who will remember them after the elections. Everything works on bribes, said Saket, I had to go to the police station once, and they first asked for Rs 100. In banks, they yell at you if they dont know you. Only the big people get their work done.



Banks, they recounted, remain a problem, since demonetisation pushed through by the Bharatiya Janta Partys government in the centre. Be it State Bank of India or Tulsi Gramin Bank, people, said Saket, are still standing in line till evening, not sure if theyll get cash.



When their teacher and head of the samiti, Shiv Kumar, tried to argue in favour of demonetisation, the students immediately disagreed, saying that whatever advantages a poor person got, the disadvantages were equal.



Kumar, who also leads a network of similar small organisations in Bundelkhand, explained the job crunch, further; even if jobs were available, they couldnt match the pay for qualified candidates. A local institute wanted a BTech qualified teacher but couldnt hope to pay the salaries available in nearby Allahabad. Hence, people aim to leave.



To an outsider, such as this reporter, the students say caste does not matter to them. After some questioning however, they admit that people do and will end up voting for candidates who belong to their caste. Still, some, like Saket like current chief minister Akhilesh Yadav of SP, even if, as they say, hes done the work of five years in one month to look good for the elections. Others, like Shalini, think BJP might be a better bet.



Here, Amar and Manoj protested, saying that BJP candidates had promised better electricity to their villages in 2014s Lok Sabha election campaign. The pillars they built have been lying broken for two years and there has never been an electricity, Amar said.



Everyone has stories of promises made and broken like clockwork. The road to Shalinis and Deependers village, Hastam, has been broken for as long as they can remember. It has such big holes, Deepender indicated stretching his arms. All campaigners and local leaders use it, promise to repair it when even local panchayat elections happen, but no one ever has.



Akhilesh Yadavs much touted distribution of free laptops in late 2016 has become a joke. The students say many who got the laptops dont know how to use them. They watch videos at home, they dont even know where the battery goes, said Saket.



The Primary Health Centres in their villages have only an Auxiliary Nurse Midwife, no doctors. In my village, Chattaria, said Manoj, the ANM has told everyone that shes available only on Wednesday. A hospital was built four or five years ago and it has never seen a doctor or a nurse. Peoples cows and goats roam about there. The hospital, he laughed, needs its own health check. The same goes, it seems, for everything else.
Mumbai: Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar on Monday asked Shiv Sena to disclose how many seats it expects to win in the tomorrow's BMC election and said he stands by his prediction his party will bag 114 seats in the civic body.



He said going solo in the civic polls will help BJP expand base in the metropolis ahead of the 2019 Assembly polls.



"(Sena chief) Uddhav Thackeray is not even ready to disclose how many seats his party would win. I have shown the courage and I stand by it (claim that BJP will win 114 seats in the 227-member body)," he told reporters here.



Shelar's poser to Uddhav came after the Sena asked him if he would resign from his post if the BJP fails to win 114 seats in the country's richest civic body.



The BJP legislator counted gains of his party contesting the polls without an alliance with the Sena, which has been ruling the BMC for the last over two decades.



"This will provide an opportunity for the BJP to expand its base in the metropolis ahead of the Assembly polls of 2019. Had there been an alliance, BJP could not have

achieved this."



"We are going to have long-term benefits from our decision to fight the elections on our own strength," the BJP leader said.
Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh, without any disclaimer, made it known that the entire political turmoil in the party was a "programmed drama".Singh, as is his wont, did not shy away from pulling his punches and claimed that "Mulayam Singh and Akhilesh are one and will remain one".Speaking exclusively to CNN-News18, Singh said: "Mulayam loves being defeated at the hands of his son. Cycle, son, and SP are his weaknesses. Even at polling day, the entire family went together. So why all the drama?"The Samajwadi Party went through a bitter power struggle between Mulayam and his son Akhilesh, with the latter taking the fight to the Election Commission and, ultimately, winning the battle and the party symbol.The state was witness to the 'drama' played out among the family members with charges and counter charges flowing thick and fast, tears and emotional outbursts, snatching of mikes and other such things.Amar Singh, who is also a close aide of Mulayam, was blamed for the fiasco.SP leader Udayveer Singh told CNN-News18 that the entire tussle in the Yadav family is the conspiracy hatched by party leader Amar Singh along with the BJP in a bid to destroy the Samajwadi party.Amar Singh alleged conspiracy by saying that if Mulayam Singh had no desire for an alliance with Congress, he would not have had such a long meeting with Priyanka Gandhi."It was a programmed drama in which all of us were given a role. I subsequently realised that we are being used. That umbilical cord with SP government was cut after I was expelled. I came to realise it was a ploy to distract from the anti-incumbency, law and order situation," said Amar.Amar Singh claimed that "Mulayam Singh is the master script writer" and he planned it all along.Interestingly, as the warring factions took the fight to the Election Commission laying claims for the symbol Amar Singh was conspicuous by his absence. Mulayam on the day of hearing at the commission was accompanied instead by his brother Shivpal Yadav and his old time aide and former Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ambika Chawdhary."He fought with his son as a father. But that was the limit. But Akhilesh hit back like a political rival. In his fight there was no limit," said Amar Singh.
Raebareli(UP): RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on Tuesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lose his aura with the BJP's defeat in the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.



"Modi claims he is the adopted son of UP...He will lose his aura with the defeat of his party in these Assembly polls," he said.



The RJD president was here to campaign for the SP-Congress alliance candidate Rakesh Singh from Harchandpur seat.



Lalu said Modi looks like a twin brother of US President Donald Trump and nobody knows what he will do next.



Training his guns at the BJP national president, he said when Amit Shah got stuck in a lift in Patna and he charged the people of Bihar with hatching a conspiracy against him. He stressed that winning the UP elections was vital for the SP-Congress alliance in order to remove the Modi government.



Lalu said both SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi were committed to turn Uttar Pradesh into 'Uttam Pradesh'.



"If BJP faces defeat in these elections it will be the end of the Modi government," the former Bihar Chief Minister said.



Alleging that former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has been put on intoxication and sidelined from politics, he demanded an inquiry.



"On the Godhra riots, Vajpayeeji had scolded Modi but L K Advani had saved him...but Modi has marginalised Advani too,"
Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi and UP CM Akhilesh Yadav conducted a joint roadshow in Allahabad as the campaigning for the fourth phase of Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections came to an end on Tuesday.

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: Minutes after voting ended in Mumbai on Tuesday, the Shiv Sena and BJP rushed to claim a tide in their favour going by the turnout for the polls to the country's richest civic body.In Mumbai, the polling percentage was 41.32 percent till 3.30 pm, closer to the turnout of 45 percent in 2012. Though the final figure was not yet known, officials said the overall percentage will be higher than the last time.Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant said "a massive" turnout in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls means there is a "big wave" against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his demonetisation exercise."The massive voter turnout indicates that people are with the Shiv Sena and there is a big wave against Modi and demonetisation that caused endless hardship to people. The Sena is the only choice of people," Sawant said."The way Uddhavji addressed his rallies, full of passion, aggression and concern for people, has touched the minds and hearts of people. This prompted them to vote for the party in large numbers," he added.Sawant said the BJP wanted to obliterate the Sena but people have "something else" in mind."Higher voter turnout means people are yearning for a change and they are in our favour. We had appointed people at booth levels to draw out voters from their homes," said BJP spokesperson Madhav Bhandari.He said his party will file a complaint with the State Election Commission to ascertain if there was "deliberate mischief" in removing names of voters from electoral rolls. Bhandari said there was a big confusion in the voting list or else the turnout would have gone up to 60 percent."We want to know if somebody indulged in deliberate mischief and deleted names of voters from the rolls. We will file a complaint with the SEC and demand an inquiry to ascertain if this was deliberately done," he said."Names of about 12 lakh voters were found to be missing from the list," Bhandari claimed.A senior citizen died after suffering cardiac arrest while standing in a queue to cast his vote in Khed tehsil of Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra on Tuesday, police said.The incident happened this afternoon at Sukholi, Deulwadi, under the jurisdiction of Khed police station. Mahadeo Shivram Chalke (65) suffered a cardiac arrest while standing in a queue for Zilla Parishad election with his son and daughter-in-law."He was taken to a private hospital where he was declared dead," said senior police inspector Anil Gambhir. Chalke was under treatment for heart ailments for the last few months, Gambhir added.
With Nokia 8 being expected to be launched at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2017 in Barcelona in a few days, the smartphone has been listed by a Chinese retailer named JD.com on their website. The Nokia 8 is up for pre-registration and JD.com has listed the Nokia 8 for CNY 3,188, which translates roughly into Rs 31,000.Read more: Moto 3rd Anniversary Sale on Flipkart: Huge Discounts on Moto Z, Moto M and More The Nokia 8 was spotted in two colours in the listings, which are black and grey.With the event slotted by HMD Global (which will manufacture, sell and promote Nokia branded smartphones) on Sunday, we can expect the Nokia 8 to be announced at the MWC 2017.Read more: Reliance Jio Hails Uber Ride in Payments Battle with PayTM The images accompanied in the online listing appeared to show concept renders of a Nokia smartphone with almost a bezel-less display.Read more: Huawei Pips Vivo, Oppo to Top China's smartphone shipments in Q4 2016 The HMD Global-made Nokia 8 is expected to be a flagship smartphone that would be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 SoC. The slim-bezel display seen, as seen in the listed photos of JD.com, shows the Nokia 8 to be a 5.7-inch display screen with a super AMOLED panel and a screen resolution of 1440 x 2560 pixels.Read more: State Bank of India Rebrands its Website The rear camera has a big module and is likely to house a 24-megapixel sensor with Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS), and there have been isolated rumours of HMD Global using Carl Zeiss optics. Also, the Nokia 8 is expected to feature 4GB of RAM, and 64GB/128GB of internal storage. Other specifications of the Nokia 8 include a 12MP front camera, expandable storage by up to 256GB and Android Nougat OS.However, no further specifications and images of the Nokia 8 is available hence its credibility remains doubtful.For the MWC 2017, HMD Global is widely expected to bring back the refresh of the Nokia 3310 feature phone. Other Nokia phones expected to debut at the MWC 2017, later this week include the Nokia P1 smartphone alongside two budget offerings - the Nokia 3 and Nokia 5.Meanwhile, the Nokia 6, the smartphone touted as the comeback device for Nokia, is also expected to see global availability details out at the MWC as well.
Nokia 6 image. (Image: HMD Global via Reuters)

The classic Nokia 3310 feature phone will be reintroduced at a price of 59, which roughly translates to Rs 4,200. (Image: Nokia)

Nokia is all set to launch a range of phones at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2017, Barcelona. Speculations about the Finnish companys phone models are doing the rounds with some of the phones already being listed on various E-commerce websites.HMD Global, the company now whole sole responsible for manufacturing, selling and promoting Nokia phones throughout the globe, has slotted the event and is all set to take the centre stage with its launches.So here we take a look at the top 5 Nokia phones rumoured to be launched at the MWC, 2017.Even before its launch, the Nokia 8 smartphone has already been listed on a Chinese E-commerce website for pre-registration.Till now, the phone has been spotted in two colours, Black and Grey. As the rumours go, the expected flagship smartphone will be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 SoC and run on Android Nougat OS.It will sport a 5.7-inch display screen with a super AMOLED panel and a screen resolution of 1440 x 2560 pixels.Nokia 8 might also come with a 24-megapixel rear camera with Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS). There are also reports of Carl Zeiss optics being used in it. While the front camera will support a 12-megapixel lens.The phone is expected to feature 4GB of RAM, and 64GB/128GB of internal storage, expandable up to 256GB.The expected launch price for the smartphone will be around Rs 30,000.Nokia 6 is expected to be Nokias comeback device and has already been launched in China officially. Its global variant is anticipated to be announced at the MWC.As for the China variant, the smartphone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 processor and runs on Android 7.0 Nougat operating system. It comes with a 5.5-inch Full HD 2.5D Gorilla Glass display.With a metal unibody and a fingerprint scanner, Nokia 6 is powered by a 3,000 mAh non-removable battery. The dual-sim smartphone supports 4GB RAM and 64GB of internal storage.On the camera front, the phone comes with a 16MP f/2.0 camera with PDAF along with dual-LED Flash. While on the front, there is an 8MP f/2.0 selfie camera.Nokia has also taken care of the smartphones audio output with Dolby Atmos-powered dual amplifier speakers.The expected launch price for the smartphone in India is under Rs 20,000The company is expected to launch the stripped down version of Nokia 6 at the MWC too. This smartphone will be targeted at the affordable market segment.The Nokia 5 smartphone might feature a 5.2-inch display with 720 x 1280 pixel density.Also, the phone might be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 processor with a 2GB RAM and 16GB internal memory.The device is expected to run Android Nougat OS and have a 13-megapixel rear camera along with a 5-megapixel selfie camera.The device is again expected to be priced under Rs 20,000.Another budget segment attempt might be made by Nokia in the form of Nokia 3. Nokia 3 looks to be a low-end copy of Nokia 5 with more or less the same specifications.The only difference between them being the processor. While the Nokia 5 might come with an Octa-core processor, Nokia 3 might just make do with a Quad-core processor along with an Android Marshmallow operating system.The phone is expected to be launched around Rs 15,000.The much-awaited feature phone of Nokia is also expected to be launched in the MWC. As per rumours, the phone might come to India by as soon as May and will be priced around Rs 4,000.As per the speculations, the device may come with a 1.5-inch display and an 8GB internal storage.Known for its long battery life, Nokia 3310 might be powered by a 1650 mAh battery.With the line-up of Nokia phones under speculation, it is guaranteed that the phones will be high on specs and performance, low on price and will bring a lot of nostalgia along for the Indian phones users.
Melbourne: A light aircraft exploded on Tuesday in a "massive fireball" with police saying none of the five people aboard survived as it smashed into a shopping centre near the Australian city of Melbourne.



The Beechcraft plane veered just after take-off into the shopping centre, that was still closed, next to Essendon Fields airport.



"Five on the aircraft and looks like no-one has survived the crash," said Victoria police assistant commissioner Stephen Leane.



Victoria premier Daniel Andrews described it as the state's worst air accident in three decades.



The private charter from Essendon, north of Melbourne, to King Island, 55 minutes to the south, came down just short of a major motorway packed with the heavy traffic of early morning commuters.



Live television footage showed burned out wreckage, flames and major damage to the shopping centre and adjacent buildings.



A column of thick black smoke rose into the air as witnesses spoke of an explosion.


Pakistan Defence Minister Khwaja Asif has called Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief and Mumbai attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed a security threat to his country.Speaking at Munich Counter Terror Meet in Germany on Monday, Khwaja Asif said Hafiz Saeed can pose a serious threat to the society, reported Pakistani newspaper The Nation.Saeed was detained under Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) on January 30 this year. "Saeed was arrested in the larger interest of the country, The Nation quoted Asif as saying.Earlier on Monday, Hafiz Masood, brother of Hafiz Saeed told CNN-News18, "My brother is under house arrest and he will be kept under observation by the Pakistan government. He is under strict watch and there is a lengthy procedure to meet him."He also said that the crackdown on Lashkar-e-Toiba chief and US-designated terrorist Hafiz Saeed is a direct result of pressure from India."The proscribed organisation's front Jamaat-ud-Dawa continues to function under the supervision of the Pakistani government," Saeeds brother added.Earlier, Pakistani jihadi orgnisations including JuD had claimed that the US under Trump had pressurised Islamabad to put Saeed under house arrest. However, in his telephonic conversation with CNN-News18, Masood said the organization suspected it was New Delhi that had forced Islamabads hand.Interestingly, despite his disappointment that Pakistan had bowed down to Indian pressure, Masood did not openly denounce Islamabad or the Nawaz Sharif government.
United Nations: Russia's Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin on Monday died all of a sudden while working in his office, a day before he would have turned 65.



The Russian Permanent Mission in a statement that Churkin was in his office fulfilling his duties when the tragedy occurred in the afternoon of February 20.



"For the Mission's staff and for all who had a chance to work under the able leadership of this outstanding, energetic and respectable diplomat, it was a terrible shock. It is impossible to realise that Ambassador is no longer with us. We mourn together with his family and his beloved ones," the statement said.



Churkin would have turned 65 today.



The Russian mission said Churkin dedicated most of his life to diplomatic service standing for his country's interests - more than 40 years in total, of which 20 years he worked as Ambassador to Belgium, Canada. He had been the Permanent Representative of Russia to the UN since 2006.



UN General Assembly President Peter Thomson said in a statement he was "greatly saddened" at the news of the passing of "dear friend" Churkin.



"The Russian Federation and the United Nations have lost a true son and a great international intellect," he said.
RICHMOND  Abortion-rights supporters and opponents pointed fingers at each other saying politics over legislation vetoed Tuesday for the second time in two years.

Backed by at least 20 elected Democrats at the Executive Mansion, Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe vetoed a bill that would have prevented state money from going to Planned Parenthood.

Del. Ben Cline, R-Rockbridge, who again carried the legislation after McAuliffe vetoed it last year, said HB 2264 is meant to redirect state money to more comprehensive health care services.

This governors mansion is the brick wall to protect womens rights here in the commonwealth of Virginia. If you feel like its Groundhog Day again, it is, McAuliffe said in prepared remarks calling the legislation socially divisive and bad for business.

McAuliffe said he held the news conference in front of the mansion to highlight the offices importance to protect womens rights in Virginia against bills delivered by the Republican-controlled General Assembly.

Cline hopes for the General Assembly to override the veto, he said in a statement. The House is split 66-34 in favor of Republicans, meaning the GOP is one vote short of overriding a veto without a Democrat crossing the aisle.

I am disappointed that Governor McAuliffe has again chosen to side with the abortion lobby over the health care needs of women across Virginia, Cline said in a statement.

General Assembly Republicans passed the legislation  destined for veto  for political purposes, McAuliffe and Virginia League for Planned Parenthood President and CEO Paulette McElwain said.

The legislation would have eliminated money enabling Planned Parenthood to provide services, such as testing for sexually transmitted infections, sex education and family planning, according to Planned Parenthood.

Once again this year, certain members of the Virginia General Assembly continue their political attacks on womens health, attempting to restrict access to basic health care services for the 22,000 Virginia residents who rely on Planned Parenthood services, McElwain said.

But The Family Foundation of Virginia, an advocate for conservative social issues, and some supporters stood outside the mansion fence figuratively pointing their fingers back at McAuliffe.

We would love to see this government, instead of playing politics, actually get the services to the women who need them, Family Foundation of Virginia President Victoria Cobb said in an interview outside the mansion gate.  This was a big play for a base. Everybody knows what this is.

During the news conference, McAuliffe hyped Democratic Attorney General Mark Herring, who is running for re-election, and Democratic Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam, who is competing in a gubernatorial primary contest against former 5th District Rep. Tom Perriello.

Capitol Police told Family Foundation demonstrators they could not hold up their signs, some of which read ALL LIVES MATTER and Planned Parenthood LIES to You, Cobb said.

Although Cobb conceded the group did not apply for a permit to demonstrate ahead of the Tuesday bill signing, she said rules often are not enforced evenly among all ideologies.

I just want whatever our rules are to be uniformly enforced, and they seem to only be enforced against those who dont agree with the pro-choice rhetoric, Cobb said.

In interviews Tuesday, NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia and ProgressVA representatives, who advocate for socially liberal positions, described similar treatment when they demonstrated outside the nearby General Assembly Building early this month. That demonstration came after the Republican-controlled House Courts of Justice Committee, facing a tight deadline for bills to cross over to the Senate, declined to hear partisan legislation regarding "reproductive health" and other issues.

Capitol Police told the demonstrators to leave Capitol grounds onto the public sidewalk, according to ProgressVA Program Director Ashleigh Crocker.

It was technically civil disobedience. We knew they were going to move us over to the sidewalk, ProgressVA Executive Director Anna Scholl said of the demonstration earlier this month.

Cobb and Scholl both said permits only are allowed down the hill at the Bell Tower, where groups rally throughout the General Assembly session.

Everybody has to play by the same rules, here, McAuliffe said in a follow up interview saying he gave no directive regarding protesters Tuesday.  As you know, Ive had many people of opposing views outside the governors office on a daily basis. Thats just part and parcel of our great democracy.
RICHMOND  The bill Del. Kathy Byron brought to the General Assembly saying it would redirect broadband services to where they're needed most will head to the governor for his signature after being severely edited over the last six weeks.

What was originally the 15-page Broadband Deployment Act is now a few additions in the existing Virginia Wireless Services Authorities Act. Byron, R-Bedford County, now touts HB 2108 as adding transparency to local broadband authority expenses and rates.

In a Senate hearing in which Byron added the most recent amendment, senators referred to it as an informational bill.

As amended, the bill passed the House of Delegates Monday, 79-13 with one abstention.

Byron gutted the bill after complaints from local governments and internet authorities throughout the state who said the original proposal would hurt their ability to provide broadband access.
UPDATE: Virginia State Police have identified the person injured in a Bedford County wreck on Sunday afternoon.

Joyce Carter Martin, 68, of Lynchburg was driving a 2012 Honda CR-V on U.S. 221 when her car overturned, police said.

The car ran off the right side of the road just south of Virginia 644, struck an embankment and overturned, according to State Police Sgt. Richard Garletts.

Police believe Martin had a medical emergency. According to the Bedford Volunteer Fire Departments Facebook page she was airlifted to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital.

The vehicle rolled multiple times, partially ejecting a single passenger, the post said. Crews worked to stabilize and lift the vehicle off the patient, who was then transported to the hospital, the post said.

Garletts said police do not know her current condition and would not release further details.

PREVIOUSLY:

An individual was airlifted to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital after a vehicle crash in Bedford County Sunday afternoon.

The wreck took place on U.S. 221, according to a post on the Bedford Volunteer Fire Departments Facebook page. The vehicle rolled multiple times, partially ejecting a single passenger, the post said. Crews worked to stabilize and lift the vehicle off the patient, who was then transported to the hospital, the post said.
RICHMOND  Taking a rare point of personal privilege, Speaker William J. Howell, R-Stafford, announced his retirement Monday after 14 years presiding over the House of Delegates.

In prepared remarks, Howell described his enjoyment, honor and privilege in serving in the chamber. He went off script with characteristic wit, referencing his surprise when I read in the Richmond Times-Dispatch Monday he would not seek re-election.

The official announcement came Monday, the beginning of the last week of the 2017 General Assembly as legislators begin pivoting toward re-election campaigns. All 100 House of Delegates seats are up for re-election in November. Added to that conversation is who will succeed Howell, although Majority Leader M. Kirkland Cox, R-Colonial Heights, is well-positioned for it.

Howell has been a steady GOP presence in a state that's growing increasingly Democratic and only allows governors to serve a single consecutive term. He will leave office as the second-longest serving speaker in Virginia history, after Edgar Blackburn Blackie Moore, who held the job from 1950 through 1967.

Howells address Monday reflected on the past, future and philosophy of the ongoing experiment in representative self-government, as well as the relationships of a bipartisan legislative body.

I am so grateful for the trust and faith that you placed in me nearly 15 years ago. And, I appreciate that you have continued to maintain that trust, Howell said. The many friendships that I have made here over the past 30 years are worth more than any bill I have ever championed or passed.

Howell looks forward to spending time with family  wife, Cessie S. Howell, two children and seven grandchildren.

Following the announcement, several delegates, including leaders Cox, Appropriations Committee Chairman S. Chris Jones, R-Suffolk, and Minority Leader David J. Toscano, D-Charlottesville, rose one after another for more than an hour to honor the Virginia gentleman.

I havent stood for this many standing ovations since the last time we had a Republican governor, Del. Robert D. Orrock Sr., R-Caroline, said in his own floor speech.

Howell will turn 74 in May. He represents the 28th House District, which includes part of Stafford County and part of Fredericksburg.

He began his legislative career in 1988 when House Republicans were an irrelevant minority. His predecessor as speaker, S. Vance Wilkins, of Amherst County, brought Republicans out of the political wilderness and helped establish a majority but resigned in 2002 with the admission he secretly paid $100,000 to a woman who accused him of groping her. Howell, who was picked to replace Wilkins because of his low-key demeanor and squeaky clean image, was sworn in as speaker in 2003 with the promise to "faithfully uphold the dignity" of the office.

Helped by favorable lines drawn during the 2011 redistricting and a campaign finance system that allows for unlimited giving, Howell grew the slight Republican majority he inherited to its current near supermajority. That includes several GOP-held seats in districts won by Democratic presidential and U.S. Senate candidates.

Howell's Republican majority has been a low-tax, business friendly body that's thwarted some legislative priorities of Democratic governors, including Gov. Terry McAuliffe's push to expand Medicaid.

But Howell has not been ideologically inflexible. He supported tax increases to fund transportation projects in 2013  a position that brought him a tea party challenger in the 2015 primary.

Del. Ben Cline, R-Rockbridge, recalled coming into the House of Delegates just before the body elected Howell speaker. Cline, who spoke briefly on the floor Monday, replaced Wilkins in House District 24.

When you agreed to become speaker, this was an institution that was in crisis, Cline said.  It needed strong leadership. It needed someone to give a steady hand to make sure that it moved ahead to bigger and better things. It needed you, Mr. Speaker.

House Minority Leader David J. Toscano, D-Charlottesville, who often protests against Howells majority on the floor with questions, arguments and speeches, stood to call the speaker a historic figure in this chamber and around this Capitol.

Toscano, an attorney, thanked Howell for allowing the Democrats who suffer a 34-66 minority  to always try their case despite the legislatures weight leaning against them.

He lauded Howells support of a transportation revenue overhaul in 2013. The next year, Howell supported legislation creating a program now called Smart Scale, which uses data to direct roads and other transportation projects throughout Virginia.

Howell also made a key ruling that killed a Senate attempt that would have turned a little technical redistricting bill, which then turned into a massive redistricting of the entire state, Toscano said.

The politics said let the bill go through, let the redistricting occur. But you prayed, you talked to people, and you thought about the integrity of the institution. And with one fell swoop, you cast a dye for that integrity, Toscano said.

Del. Kathy Byron, R-Bedford County, has attended several American Legislative Exchange Council conferences with Howell, who is a member of the conservative organizations board and served as its chairman in 2009. As several who spoke on the floor, Byron referenced Howells faith and the Speakers Bible Study Caucus. Hes the same individually as presiding over the 100-person House, she said.

He has a really quick wit, as was mentioned on the floor. He uses that very well in his leadership position to lighten the moment, Byron said.  I think he will always be remembered as a real understanding and caring person that really just demonstrated that in everything that he did.

The Associated Press contributed.
The Clash asked once, and now I am too: Should I stay or should I go?

Celebrity liberals always threaten to head for the exits if a presidential election doesnt go their way. Then they renege.

This year is different: some Americans really are leaving.

An early indicator of Trump-inspired flight came on election night, when Canadas immigration website crashed due to visitors from the Lower 48. Whether these scaredy-cats are motivated by Trumps come-from-behind victory or by the grim reality of his cabinet picks and executive orders, this is the first time Ive seen people up and leave in response to an election.

If youve got some money, college degrees and speak a second language (ahem, French), its pretty easy to get into Canada, which has served as our go-to exile since the Vietnam draft dodgers. With help from a lawyer, a friend of mine who said he didnt want his children to grow up in a fascist country scored residency documents for himself, his wife and kids in just a few months. Canadian colleges and universities are reporting a surge in U.S. applicants  many of whom would likely stay up there after graduation.

I think most people eyeing the door are like me, in wait-and-see mode.

Lets be clear: this isnt about voting with our feet. If I moved out of the country every time I didnt like the election results, Id be gone after every single election, and that includes the local ones. I hate both parties; I hate the entire system. This is about self-preservation: what if some Trump nut takes it upon himself to shoot me over a cartoon? It wouldnt be unprecedented.

Its also about practicality. Fleeing Trumpistan would be much easier for me than for most people. I have dual French/EU citizenship through my mom, a status I have maintained in the belief that economies and societies can collapse quickly so its good to have an exit strategy. My French is passable. Thanks to the internet, my career is portable. I could draw cartoons, write columns and publish books from anywhere on earth.

I talk almost every day with a colleague, a conservative journalist, about how we will know when its time to leave the United States. Not to express disapproval  honestly, who would care?  but to save our skins.

You know that Martin Niemoller first they came for the ... quote? Political cartoonists know that here, in the U.S. under Trump in 2017, we could easily be the first. So were watching closely.

When your government turns psychotic, you dont want to wait until its too late to get out. When you ask Jewish Americans what year their family fled Europe to come to the United States, its striking how most left before, say, 1936. The Holocaust didnt technically begin until 1941, but earlier departures were easier  and impossible after World War II began in 1939. On the other hand, moving is expensive. And Im American. I dont want to leave. I like it here. Why jump the gun?

Ive been reading Volker Ullrichs superb biography Hitler: Ascent, 1889-1939. Trumpism isnt Nazism, but 20th century fascism provides some useful tips for Americas descent into whatever this psychotic real estate honcho has in store for us.

As Ullrich reminds us, the machinery of state repression moved quickly after Hitlers 1933 seizure of power. Censorship, then arrests of left-wing politicians were an early canary in the coalmine. This week we watched Trumps Republicans silence the unfailingly polite Elizabeth Warren on the floor of the U.S. senate. The president himself personally joke-threatened to destroy the career of a Texas state senator as a favor to police, because the lawmaker wants to reform civil asset forfeiture (when cops steal your property and never give it back, even when youre found not guilty of a crime).

Soon after Hitler became chancellor, the Nazis began insinuating their one-party state into commerce, punishing businesses they deemed insufficiently cooperative. And the other week, Trump went after Nordstroms in revenge for the department store chains decision to stop carrying his daughter Ivankas clothing line. Trumps chief propagandist Sean Spicer defended the presidents bizarre comments, declaring Nordstroms decision an attack on his daughter.

Should I stay or should I go?

I dont have much use for the reliably impotent corporate news media  indeed, Trumps win is largely their fault  but as a look-out-this-is-getting-really-real moment, Trumps relentless beating up on the press makes me incredibly nervous. What will this guy do when the new Left gears up with big protests later this year? Isolated from the rallies from whence he drew his strength, Boy Trump in the Beltway Bubble spells trouble; look for The Donald to wallow in paranoia so deep and dark that even Richard Nixon wouldnt be able to relate. There hell be, surrounded by Steve Bannon and his other pet fascists  no one talking stay calm and carry on, everyone around him egging him on as he lashes out.

If youre not scared, youre not paying attention. Then again, maybe its not as necessary for you to watch the signs as it is for me.

Rall is a syndicated writer and cartoonist for ANewDominion.net and Skewed.net. His latest book is Trump: A Graphic Biography, an examination of the life of the president in comics form. Contact him through his website, Rall.com.
The fake news media is not my enemy, it is the enemy of the American people!

This tweet from President Trump prompted me to look around my own newsroom.

Enemies? Of the Republic?

Thats not the view from my office.

Now I suppose Trump meant the national media  places like The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN  with his hyperbolic condemnation, one that goes far past charges of bias and headlong toward treason. But it is a larger issue, isnt it? The presidents drumbeat over fake news cuts at the work of journalists everywhere, including at The News & Advance.

It is, at its core, a question of trust. If you start with the suspicion that journalists are the enemy, as our president apparently does, what facts do you believe? Where are your moorings for community discourse?

Perhaps it will help to introduce you to some of our troops and offer a peek behind these enemy lines.

Here are some ways we have deployed over the past week or so.

Staff photographer Jill Nance, who was one of the first on the scene in the aftermath of the Appomattox tornado a year ago, returned to several of those sites this past week to help us chronicle the recovery. Jill has worked at The News & Advance for more than a decade; she and her husband have two children and a house in Daniels Hill.

Staff photographer Jay Westcott also was on site in Appomattox in the days after the tornado. He returned to the area  both on the ground and in the air  to gauge recovery efforts. He is a U.S. Navy veteran.

Reporter Rachael Smith spent hours at a Bedford County School Board as the school divisions proposed 2017-18 budget was discussed. Shes a Lynchburg native and E.C. Glass High School and Radford University grad.

Weve also been to budget hearings in Lynchburg and Appomattox, Amherst, Nelson and Campbell counties lately, by the way. Thats one of our battle plans: Representing the public at these meetings that determine how your tax money will be spent, how your children will be educated.

Reporter Alex Rohr has spent the past several weeks at the General Assembly in Richmond, living out of a temporary studio apartment and tracking legislation important to our area, as well as the actions of your locally elected representatives. While many other community newspapers across the country have pulled back on their statehouse coverage, we have maintained that commitment.

These are just a few of the dedicated journalists at The News & Advance, a newsroom with more reporters by far than any other in Central Virginia. Our mission is to provide balanced and accurate coverage of our community, to both celebrate successes and point out issues that need attention. We seek facts and fairness in all that we do. We value your trust, and work to earn it each day.

Enemies of America?

Not hardly.

We are your neighbors.

And like a good neighbor, we want to give it to you straight.

Thats our battle plan.

Glickman is managing editor of The News & Advance. Email her at cglickman@newsadvance.com.
Mr. President, we in the news media are not your enemy. Nor are we your friend. We are merely doing our job as an institution, holding government accountable to the people, speaking truth to power and informing the people so they can be more effective citizens in this great experiment called America.

Politicians in the United States have been berating the press and using us as a foil in the court of public opinion almost from the start of the Republic. Thomas Jefferson, our third president, could be said to be the inventor of media bashing.

Back in his day, newspapers were partisan players in the political process, identified as either Federalist or Democratic-Republican in their loyalties. When Jefferson ran for president in 1800 against incumbent President John Adams, the Federalist papers excoriated him. But it was a friendly Democratic-Republican editor, disappointed at being rejected for a lucrative government post, who unleashed the most slanderous attack on the Sage of Monticello: that he kept a slave mistress, Sally Hemings, and had fathered several children by her. Jefferson punched back hard, though the rumor was proved true 200 years later, thanks to DNA testing and the advance of science.

But despite his toxic relationship with the press of his day, Jefferson knew full well the important role the press plays in a democratic republic. Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, he wrote to Edward Carrington in 1787, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.

So, Mr. President, allow us to differ when you tweet The FAKE NEWS media (failing @nytimes, @NBCNews, @ABC, @CBS, @CNN) is not my enemy, it is the enemy of the American People!

We as an institution have been here before. In Venezuela, authoritarian strongman Hugo Chavez gradually shut down or took over independent broadcasters and publishers, silencing all voices but his own as he took the country down the path of totalitarianism. In 1930s Germany, Lugenpresse!  Lying Press!  was the governments catchphrase for an independent press which dared to publish real news that contradicted or disproved the government line.

And in this country, too, weve had politicians to lash out at the news media when things werent going their way. Vice President Spiro Agnew, during the Nixon administration, was (in)famous for his line to describe us  nattering nabobs of negativism.

Are we perfect? Do we always get it right? Absolutely not. But we  collectively as an institution and individually as journalists  own up to our mistakes; indeed, we are our own biggest critics when we slip up. Case in point? The Time magazine reporter who wrote on Jan. 20 that a bust of Martin Luther King Jr. had been removed from the Oval Office. He was wrong  it was obscured by the crowd of people gathered around President Trump as he signed a batch of executive orders. He messed up, but Time immediately corrected the error when it was pointed out.

At the end of the day, we journalists and the press are no ones friend  nor are we anyones enemy. We try to ferret out the truth and provide information to the public so they can be more effective, more informed citizens. And an informed citizenry is the bedrock upon which this republic is based.
Virginias tax credit program for rehabilitating historic properties has revitalized whole sections in dying towns throughout Virginia.

The program has operated without caps or limitations on the amount of credits awarded on any particular project since its inception in Virginia in 1997, generating billions of dollars of economic activity and creating thousands of jobs.

State lawmakers want to impose a $5 million cap on the amount of credits any taxpayer can claim to reduce their state income tax liabilities in a given year.

Under the proposal, taxpayers with historic tax credits of more than $5 million would be able to carry forward the excess and claim the credit in future taxable years within a 10-year carryover period or until the full credit is used, whichever occurs first.

The Department of Taxation, in a 2017 fiscal impact statement, says the cap would provide $9.9 million in revenue to the states general fund in the fiscal year beginning July 1 and each fiscal year thereafter. The state says the cap would affect four or fewer taxpayers.

Institutional investors  large organizations such as banks or insurance companies  often are sources of capital for these rehabilitation projects and would be affected the most, since they claim the largest amounts of credit, tax experts say.

Tax credits offset the cost of renovations, providing economic incentives for developers to invest in old buildings and take on otherwise prohibitively expensive projects. Developers typically sell the credits to investors in return for capital to do the projects.

The state credit is 25 percent of eligible expenses. Combined with a federal credit of 20 percent of eligible rehabilitation expenses, a taxpayer could qualify for both credits, allowing for credits of 45 percent of eligible expenses.

Private and nonprofit sectors have used the program to turn vacant and blighted structures into music venues, restaurants, office space, retail space and educational institutions as well as single-family and multi-family residential projects.

Richmond has benefited the most in Virginia with a total of 1,236 completed projects generating $518.1 million in state historic tax credits from 1997 to 2015, according to the Department of Historic Resources, which administers the state program.

The next closest is Arlington County with a total of 213 completed projects generating $32 million in credits during that same time period.

***

Tax credit proponents say restrictions could lead to more limits, harm revitalization efforts and steer developers and investors to do historic rehab projects in states without caps or limitations.

These projects are extremely complex and costly and, as a result, the financing that is provided by the historic tax credit program is absolutely essential, said Andrew C. Clark, director of government affairs for the Home Building Association of Richmond.

Financing discussions occur very early on in the project planning process  if there is uncertainty that financing will be available during any future phases of the project, many developers will be reluctant or unable to proceed.

Clark said he respects the tough budget decisions that the legislature is facing. However, the legislation at the General Assembly this year has brought a degree of uncertainty to the state historic tax credit program.

Urban and rural local governments, commercial and multifamily developers, investors, architects and contractors are concerned about what this means for the program in the years to come, Clark said.

Its a slippery slope, said Ross Fickenscher, co-owner of Richmond-based Aoss Ventures, a development firm that uses historic tax credits for renovation projects in such places as Petersburg, Lynchburg and Danville.

Historic renovation projects typically take four to five years from start to finish, he said. When the state begins instituting caps or thresholds, investors become reluctant to pursue these projects. ... And it creates more red tape and administrative costs.

Legislators have proposed reductions and limits in the past, Fickenscher said. Now that they have broken through the ice, what does the next year look like?

The states fiscal impact statement shows that 32 states have historic tax credit programs. Of those, 19 states place limitations on the amount of tax credits that can be awarded to a particular project, and 16 have statewide caps on the total amount of credits that be awarded annually. Virginia is one of 10 states with no limits or caps.

***

Two bills are making their way through the General Assembly.

They are identical, except a provision was tacked onto Senate Bill 1034 allows for the cap to expire at the end of this taxable year (beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2017, but before Jan. 1, 2018). House Bill 2460 has no sunset provision.

The bills will have to be reconciled in a conference committee made up of three representatives from the Senate and three representatives from the House before being sent to the governors desk for review.

Clark said he expects the cap will go into effect this year and that he hopes the final version will have the sunset provision, allowing time for more data to be compiled so legislators can make informed decisions about the value of the historic tax credit.

A 2014 study by Virginia Commonwealth Universitys Center for Urban and Regional Analysis shows that the historic tax credit program generated nearly $4 billion in economic activity in the state from 1997 to 2013 through 2,375 projects, which supported about 31,000 jobs.

Preservation Virginia, a nonprofit voice for historic properties, is helping fund a follow-up VCU study to update the figures. And it is working with homebuilders and other entities on another study that will look at the domino effects of historic tax credits on new businesses, jobs and tax revenues for the state.

Our goal is to be able to provide the information to the joint subcommittee before the next General Assembly so legislators can have the basics for talking about the economic impact of these credits, said Elizabeth Kostelny, CEO of Preservation Virginia.

We believe a thoughtful approach is needed before any changes are considered so theres not a piecemeal approach, she said.

The amount of state certified historic tax credits has stabilized at about $80 million to $90 million a year, said Tom Kasper, owner of Henrico County-based Kasper Tax Credit Finance, a national syndicator of federal and state historic rehabilitation tax credits.

Its not skyrocketing; its constant, Kasper said. Its a stable, predictable tool for economic development.
With a just a few days remaining in the 2017 General Assembly session, conservative former Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli joined a bipartisan, but sparse, group of lawmakers Tuesday to pressure Gov. Terry McAuliffe to undo 2015 legislation that halted utility rate reviews by the State Corporation Commission.

He was part of making this mistake in 2015, and its extremely appropriate that he be part of fixing it, Cuccinelli said.

The 2015 law, Senate Bill 1349, which Democrat McAuliffe signed, ostensibly was to help Dominion Virginia Power and Appalachian Power weather the costs of President Barack Obamas Clean Power Plan, intended to reduce pollution from power plants.

In reality, it was a refund freeze, said Sen. J. Chapman Petersen, D-Fairfax City. It froze the ability of consumers of electricity in Virginia to receive refunds when excess profits were earned by our two monopoly utilities, Dominion and Appalachian Power.

Petersen has pushed legislation unsuccessfully this session to resume rate reviews when President Donald Trump and Scott Pruitt, his new head of the Environmental Protection Agency, kill the Clean Power Plan, which already has been stayed by the U.S. Supreme Court.

By the way, Scott Pruitt is a friend of mine, Cuccinelli said of the former Oklahoma attorney general. He really believes the Clean Power Plan is illegal. It is going away. It is not going to happen.

What McAuliffe might do, however, remains unclear. Earlier this month, he voiced support for Petersens legislation  though well after a Senate committee killed it.

The governor claims to care a lot about this. But if he doesnt actually do anything, he probably doesnt care that much, said Sen. David R. Suetterlein, R-Roanoke County, who was at Tuesdays news conference with a handful of other lawmakers.

Petersen said the governor has a few options, including sending down new legislation before the session ends Saturday or during the veto session, when the General Assembly returns in April to act on the governors amendments, proposed revisions and vetoes of legislation passed this winter. He also could call a special session or request amendments to legislation that already has passed both chambers and deals with the same code section.

One bill involves allowing Dominion to recoup costs related to extending the licenses of its nuclear plants, and another deals with allowing utilities to seek recovery costs from the State Corporation Commission for pumped hydroelectricity generation and storage facilities.

The governor had a private meeting with Senator Petersen where he told him he would consider sending a bill down if the senator came back to him with a plan to change the outcome from the previous bill, said Brian Coy, the governors spokesman. He has not yet heard back.

The ball is not in Petersens court, the senator maintains.

Ive done everything I could do. Im David fighting Goliath down here, he said.

Nobodys going to support this idea in the abstraction, especially when it might cost them a political donation.  The only way were going to change the dynamic on this is if the governor takes the lead.

***

Cuccinelli called Clean Power Plan compliance costs an excuse for the 2015 law, arguing that it really was meant to lock in excessive profits, to the tune of about $300 million a year for Dominion. The State Corporation Commission found Appalachian Power overearned by nearly $36 million in 2015.

It is important for you all to know, that was never true. Everybody got that? Cuccinelli told reporters. That was never true.

The SCC also has said the rate freeze wouldnt have shielded any customers from Clean Power Plan costs, which wouldnt take effect until 2022. Those costs would have been recouped by riders, a method for utilities to recover costs plus a guaranteed return on investment for capital projects, not base rates.

On an annual basis, both utilities, APCO and Dominion, right now are earning excessive returns from their ratepayers, Cuccinelli said. That means that about 70 percent of the households in Virginia are overpaying for their electricity right now, and thats based on the findings of the SCC.

Dominion spokesman David Botkins said typical Dominion customers paid about $500 less for electricity than the East Coast average for each of the past two years.

Botkins also said undoing the law would endanger gains in renewable energy, such as solar development, that it put into place.

The law Senator Petersen wants to undo is stabilizing electricity rates at these low levels while promoting renewable energy. Senate colleagues rejected his plan, Botkins said.

The law Petersen would undo resulted in Dominion providing $57 million to help military veterans and people in need to weatherize their homes, saving energy and money. The law produced another $90 million to reduce all customers bills. And, the law infused nearly $1 billion of new solar energy projects into Virginias power grid.

He added that the Clean Power Plan isnt dead yet.

It still exists, and a federal appeals court is now reviewing it. President Trump says he opposes it, but Virginias governor and attorney general support it. No one actually knows what comes next. It would be irresponsible to throw out Virginias laws before anyone knows what the rules will be going forward, Botkins said.

***

Cuccinelli has signed on as an attorney for the Virginia Poverty Law Center, which is involved in a case before the Virginia Supreme Court that challenges the constitutionality of the 2015 law.

The case, brought by a group of large industrial customers of Appalachian Power, argues that the law stripped the SCC of its constitutionally designated powers to review and set rates.

Excessive bills are falling on the households that can least afford it, he added.

What were doing every month is, by legislation, shifting that money from the pockets of 70 percent of Virginias families to two utilities, he said. For nothing. For absolutely nothing.

Dominion, the states top corporate political donor, takes unfair advantage of the complexity of utility regulation legislation and its relationships with lawmakers, he added.

Something comes through to line the power companies pockets every year in one form or another, in little bits here, in little bits there, Cuccinelli said.

Theyre not donating to advance an agenda. Theyre investing. And those investments have returned handsomely for these companies. And the people of Virginia have suffered for it.

Sen. Frank W. Wagner, R-Virginia Beach, a gubernatorial hopeful who carried the 2015 bill, said the energy on display Tuesday by Cuccinelli and the group of lawmakers, which also included Sen. R. Creigh Deeds, D-Bath, and Dels. Sam Rasoul, D-Roanoke, and J. Randall Minchew, R-Loudoun, would be better directed elsewhere.

I wish theyd focus their attention on some of the rates that have gone skyrocketing, like health care and cable television as opposed to something thats actually gone down in price, he said.

Your kilowatt-hour rate is lower today than it was two years ago. Name me one other thing thats cheaper today than it was two years ago.

But should the rate be lower?

You dont know that, and I dont know that, Wagner said, adding that Dominion took on additional risk, including costs for closing its coal ash ponds, as a result of his 2015 bill.

You dont know and I dont know and nobody knows whats coming out of Washington right now in terms of those policies. ... I guess theyre all assuming something will come out of Washington, he said.

Right now, were still in that state of transition. And thats why the bill was put into place, and thats why it should remain in place until were done with this transition.
Revisit the founding of the JSA and foreshadow its future in The New Golden Age #1 preview

And see what lies ahead in the future of the DC Universe
Home News Sports Social Obituaries Events Letters Local quilts keeping refugee children in Jordan cozy February 21, 2017 Just a few of the 40 quilts recently sent to Syrian refugee children, each hand-made by northwest quilters via Quilts Without Borders. Quilters in Boundary County have been busy for some time now making and donating quilts to Quilts Beyond Borders, a non profit organization dedicated "To provide quilts to children in need, especially orphans living in under-served areas of the world where the warmth of a quilt is needed at night."



From the Northwest Region, a beautiful array of 40 colorful quilts traveled by container ship to the Syrian refugees in Jordan.



They arrived in November and were delivered to the children in December just in time for the winter, where temperatures can dip into the 40s and the refugees continue to live in tents. The added warmth of our quilts is greatly needed and appreciated.



Local quilters have been sewing at home and several get together once a month for a sew day to make quilt tops for the cause. Finished quilts from Boundary County are sent to Northwest Regional Coordinator Susan Schmidt, who passes them on to be hand-delivered to other charitable organizations for final delivery to recipients around the world.



All quilters welcome to join in this great cause. The next Boundary County sew day will be 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, March 27, at the Boundary County Extension Office.



To find out more, call Carol Jean Hubbard at (208) 255-6980. You can read more about QBB by visiting their blog at Quilts Beyond Borders. Questions or comments about this article? Click here to e-mail!
More honesty to rebuild pan

After giving a history of Invaders, its past players and arrangers, Minister of Tourism Shamfa Cudjoe called for more transparency, more accountability, more honesty and all that is required to reignite and rebuild the true meaning and energy of pan.

She told the gathering last Wednesday evening: We must not play Monopoly with the heart of our culture, the livelihood of a people and the pulse of our nation. Pan is synonymous with Carnival, pan brings the energy to Carnival.

We have created something great out of nothing. We live pan, we breathe pan, Trinidad and Tobago is pan. Pan and Carnival is critical to our tourism thrust bringing thousands to Trinidad and Tobago.

But before we can ask the panman to appreciate pan, we must first respect and appreciate pan ourselves, each and every one of us. We must respect our instrument, we must respect our stalwarts who shed their blood, sweat and tears for the advancement of the industry. Caribbean Airlines (CAL) chairman Shameer Ronnie Mohammed spoke about the relationship between his company and Invaders.

He told members of Invaders that the sky was the limit and CAL was behind them as they worked towards winning Panorama.

Mohammed also boasted about CAL having 200 international flights and bringing 25,000 passengers to TT for Carnival. The evening was not all talk, as MX Prime was on hand with the Ultimate Rejects to perform Full Extreme. He proved to be the hit of the party, as everyone wanted to get a picture with him.

While he was singing, the sound system went down, but Invaders provided the music for the rest of the performance.

MX Prime said he truly appreciated all the love and support the Ultimate Rejects was receiving from the public.

CAL Invaders is going to the National Panorama final on Saturday playing Arddin Herberts arrangement of Full Extreme.
COME SEE ME

According to an article on the Associated Press (AP) website, President Donald Trump discussed what the White House calls shared priorities in phone calls to the leaders of Panama and the twin-island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. An AP story posted at 11.30 am on Sunday, indicated that Trump planned to hold separate telephone conversations with Rowley and Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela.

Yesterdays AP article concluded, Trump invited both leaders to visit Washington DC, in the coming months. Rowley is scheduled to pay state visits to China and Chile this year. Commenting on what shared priorities Rowley and Trump should discuss, whenever they meet, former national security minister Gary Griffith identified security as a major issue.

Griffith said this country is a signatory to United Nations Resolution 2178 which deals with countries affected by foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs).

This resolution caters for information sharing in real time, between law enforcement agencies in different jurisdictions regarding FTFs and other terrorist activities.

Griffith said this is an area TT and the US need to collaborate closely on, given what is happening these days. He said border security is another area which TT and the US should collaborate on.

Griffith recalled that when he was in office, he was in the process of obtaining advice from the US regarding a maritime wall as a measure to bolster this countrys border security.

FATCA FACTOR Former head of the Public Service Reginald Dumas stated, I would like to assume that FATCA (Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act) formed part of the discussion (on Sunday between Rowley and Trump).

Noting that Caricom leaders have expressed concern about FATCA, Dumas said Rowley would not have the authority to take a Caricom position on FATCA but would have to discuss it with his regional counterparts.

He suggested that if it were possible, Rowley could be accompanied to the meeting by Guyanese President David Granger who is the current Caricom chairman.

Dumas said this would allow Trump to kill two birds with one stone but this was Trumps call. At a news conference on Saturday, Rowley said Caricom leaders are seeking to approach the Trump Administration with a view to eliminating the threat posed to regional banking systems as a result of non-compliance with FATCA.

Dumas agreed with Griffith that security should feature in the talks but observed that apart from a bilateral dimension, security from a Caricom perspective also needs to be examined.

Rowley has responsibility within Caricoms quasi-Cabinet for security. Dumas also said investment and energy are two other issues which both leaders should discuss.

He stated that with the US set to become a producer of shale oil and gas, this would affect this countrys energy exports.

Former trade minister Mariano Browne said he did not know whether FATCA could be raised in any discussions between Rowley and Trump.

Browne explained that even if it did, this was a matter that is subject to internal US policy. He noted that the Trump Administration is already looking at a tax package of its own.

Browne opined that given energy developments in the US, TT finds itself on a bit of a sticky wicket. He also said TT would have to carefully weigh those developments as it pursues its own energy initiatives with Venezuela.

TTS EMINENT POSITION Political analyst Indera Sagewan- Alli yesterday observed that Trumps call to Dr Rowley was based on the view that Trinidad and Tobago is viewed as the regional leader of the CARICOM region. She said Trump may seek to establish closer ties with countries deemed as leaders within certain blocs of nations.

He is looking at the world, the blocs that the world is comprised of, he is looking at the strategic locations of countries and hes reaching out to those countries he feels are power brokers in their respective areas.

So in that context its not surprising it would be Trinidad and Tobago, because TT is the largest economy in CARICOM, from a perspective of development, in terms of our exports, oil and gas sector, from all of these perspectives-Trinidad and Tobago is the kind of Mecca of the region, she said.

Also we are strategically located between Latin America, that Spanish speaking bloc of the world, and the United States and our capacity in terms of the English speaking bridge, I think would be very significant to any President, she added.

However, she noted that the number one priority for the US President was the issue of security and that Trinidad and Tobago had recently featured in the US media as being a source of terrorism. We must put in context this report which was carried in the American press of Trinidad and Tobago being a source of terrorism, so we cant dismiss that, she said, adding, we have to put that into context of the significant clamping down the Trump Administration is doing from its perspective of allowing who they perceive as terrorists, who they perceive as threats coming into the country. CHAMBERS PLEASED The telephone call has been viewed by heads of two business chambers as positive as the chamber heads expressed hope that US assistance in the fight against crime rate had been sought by Rowley.

he United States. Chaguanas Chamber of Industry and Commerce (CCIC) president Richie Sookhai said the call from the US President can be viewed as something positive as the US deems TT as an important ally in terms of helping towards security and trade in the Caribbean. We do hope that they can strengthen ties once more and we hope the Prime Minister takes the opportunity to ask the US Government for potential help in our burgeoning crime situation which is getting out of control, Sookhai said.

Penal/Debe Chamber of Commerce (PDCC) president Shiva Roopnarine agred, saying the issue of border strengthening should have been a major talking point given this country strategic location to South America.

Its interesting that he called, its a positive note and we hope that the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago would take advantage of the situation and seek whatever assistance that he can get from the US to help bring us out of this recession and whatever assistance we can get to control the crime situation, Roopnarine said.

(Additional reporting by RICHARDSON DHALAI)
Teen reported missing

Baptist was described as being five foot, four inches tall, with a brown complexion.

She has a round face, long braided hair and wears glasses.

She is of African descent.

She was last seen wearing her Civilian Conservation Corps uniform  an orang tee-shirt and a pair of blue jeans.

In a separate incident, a 12-year-old Port-of-Spain boy who was reported missing has been returned to his parents after it was discovered he had gone to a party.

Jonathan Joseph, 12, was reported missing on Friday last. He had reportedly gone to a nearby shop before the report was made.

However he was returned to his father on Sunday. When asked of his whereabouts, he told his parents that he had gone to a Carnival party, then spent Friday and Saturday night at the home of close relatives.
PSA asked to intervene

The application was made yesterday when the matter came up for hearing before Justice Frank Seepersad in the Port-of-Spain High Court.

Seepersad was expected to give his ruling on whether the PSA should be recognised as the majority union for the CAAs monthly paid workers.

Following the PSAs application, his ruling has been deferred.

The CAA had been given leave to have the court review a decision by the RRCB on August 12, 2016, to grant certification to the PSA.

The authority alleged that the Board acted outside of its jurisdiction by considering the PSAs application for certification.

The CAA also complained that the RRCB breached the rules of natural justice by failing to inform the CAA of the information and submissions made by the PSA as well as its (RRBC) examination of the unions records and failing to allow it (the CAA) to respond to same.

The judge was also asked to review the CAAs complaint that the decision of the RRCB was contrary to the policy of the Industrial Relations Act, Chapter 88.01.
Queen Shervonne

The song was a message to parents to not put children under strain to be what they (the parents) want them to be, but rather, support the childs career choice. The song was written by calypsonian Brian London, with Rodney saying she identified with its theme. The 19-year-old, the eldest in the competition said it was pure coincidence.

I loved the song a lot because my mother wants me to be a doctor but I want to go in the Coast Guard. She insists that I go and do medicine but I want to go in the Coast Guard...so were always bickering. Describing the feeling on being announced the winner, Rodney said: I was overwhelmed.

I cant believe I won.

Thank God. The preparation was very stressful. Placing second was 2016 monarch Sharissa Camejo of Holy Name Convent, PoS, who sang Progress Again, a follow up to King Austins immortal Progress and spoke of the loss of human and family values to technology.

Camejo questioned progress at what price? It was a very moving rendition and many in the audience thought she would retain the crown. After the result, Camejo showed her class as she was humble despite losing her crown.

Congrats and full praise to Shervonne. I feel so happy because I came in the top three and that in itself is amazing, the well-spoken youngster said. Another competitor who won the hearts of the audience was third placed Deslie Julien of St Marys College, with his offering The Writers of Tomorrow.

The song knocked artistes who buy songs to sing instead of composing themselves. In song, Julien said it was like an automatic calypso machine where one can get compositions from the likes of Gregory Ballantyne, Christophe Grant and Brian London...

for a price. He suggested to his fellow juniors to take advice from the late Lord Pretender (Aldric Farrell) and take up the pen. Somewhat disappointed, Julien said after the results: This is my third year placing in the top three so Im calm, looking forward to next year obviously, that is my feeling right now. I was confident that I had it in the bag this time, but obviously the other competitors were better than me on the day, and I congratulate them of course. A solid performance also came from Caryn Mc Carthy of Arima Central Secondary, who sang Just a Name to place fourth, while Moruga Secondary student Nicholas Lucas placed fifth with The Crisis. Full results:

1..... Shervonne Rodney............... Arima Central Secondary.............Misconception

2..... Sharissa Camejo.................. Holy Name Convent, PoS.............Progress Again

3..... Deslie Julien......................... St Marys College..........................The Writers of Tomorrow

4..... Caryn Mc Carthy................... Arima Central Secondary.............Just a Name

5..... Nicholas Lucas..................... Moruga Secondary.......................The Crisis.

6..... Jalan Maughn....................... St Patricks Boys RC.....................Power of Prayer

7..... Christian Mendez.................. Fatima College..............................Take pan To the World

8..... Catherine K. Chandler.......... Holy Faith Convent, Penal............Real Man

9..... Rivaldo London..................... Iere High.......................................Trinbago Youths Rise

10... Duane TaZyah OConnor..... St Marys College..........................This is My Home

11.... Kevan Calliste....................... St Benedicts College....................Thank You

12... Naomi Sinnette..................... Bishop Centenary College............School Days are for Studies

13... Adana Dardaine.................... Sangre Grande

..................................................... Educational Institute.....................For a Worthy Cause

14...AJanae King Fraser............. Arima Girls RC.............................A Royal Miss Out

15... Kurlise Jada Bentham........... Sacred Heart Girls........................The Family Unit

16... Renaldo Alleyne Noreiga...... St Marys College..........................The U Turn of a Man
Teachers protest shift system at Princes Town Presbyterian schools

The teachers action resulted in close to one thousand students being left unsupervised.

For the past 21 months, after Presbyterian Ones compound was condemned, students have been sharing a space with Presbyterian Two students on the latters compound. To accommodate the increased numbers, standards one through three students of both schools were placed on a shift system.

Explaining the reason for yesterdays boycott, TTUTA President Lynsley Doodhai said In the shift system, students cannot get the full amount of contact time. There are problems in terms of cramped space.

Right now the sewer system is full and last week EFCL recommended that it be emptied. There is a constant odour emanating from the toilet area. Teachers, Doodhai said, felt overwhelmed by the increased numbers and students also enjoy less extra-curricular activities as rooms previously used for art and music classes have been converted to classrooms.

Teachers were to return to school this morning, but TTUTA is not ruling out future action if demands for a pre-fabricated building are not met.

Doodhai said the Ministry of Education had agreed to construct pre-fabricated buildings to house Presbyterian One students but could not do so without permission from the Presbyterian Primary School Board. The Board, he said, did not give permission and therefore was ultimately responsible for teachers staying home. Presbyterian One PTA President Nola Ramjohn- Karim also blamed the Board.

Asked what reason the Board had for not giving this permission, Ramjohn- Karim said All of us would like to know. Board Chairman Carlyle Mulchan, on the other hand, said the claim was erroneous and very mischievous. I dont know who is playing the politics but we have agreed to demolish the old school and build a new one, said Mulchan. The Board has given permission to the ministry to do whatever it is the ministry deems fit and that has been made in writing to the ministry. I cannot understand why Nola would say that because she was in the meeting with the ministry also. We made the decision and wrote the ministry and said go ahead and build a new school. If the ministry is not able due to there being a long list of schools in need of ministry attention, said Mulchan, the next thing in line is getting rid of the shift system because that is what everyone is concerned about.
NPTA: Teach sex education from pre school

I am again making an appeal to the Ministry of Education for us to restart the discussion, Ramatali told Newsday yesterday.

I am not saying anything different than what I have said in the past.

We need the HFLE curriculum to be taught by health professionals. We need it to be taught from pre schools to secondary schools.

We do not want sexuality education to be infused in social studies or biology. We want it to be taught as a stand alone subject, she said.

Noting the recent discourse on STDs among children, Ramatali said teachers are not teaching anything about sexuality in the primary schools because it was not on the new curriculum.

She said she knows because she asks questions and gets answers.

I think the Ministry of Education needs to clarify what is being taught and what is not being taught.

I am not about making anybody look good. This is about saving the nations children, she said.

Last week, the Ministry of Health at a Joint Select Committee hearing revealed that over 300 children of school age had been infected with STDs between 2012 to 2015. The ministry also disclosed that it had no updated statistics on recent infections for children of school age.

Asked about the distribution of condoms to school children, Ramatali said the NPTA is not in support of distributing condoms to them.

What we need to do is to give children choices.

That is, giving them the tools to make wise choices...teaching them about relationships and so on. All of that will come into the HFLE syllabus, she said.

Asked whether the NPTA has had recent discussions with Ministry of Education officials on the issue, she said, Not recently.
Judge Kokaram offers advice on mediation

Kokaram offered to share his experience and that of others experienced in mediation with the National Tripartite Advisory Council (NTAC) at a workshop held at the Eric Williams Financial Complex last Thursday.

The tripartite council is chaired by Minister of Planning and Development, Camille Robinson-Regis.

A release from NTAC said that Kokarams interaction with members of the council took the form of a two-part workshop session which emphasised the virtues of compassion, collaboration and consensus in bringing together diverse views and perspectives.

He said the immeasurable value of constructive dialogue, open and frank discussion is a necessary requirement for achieving social justice, happiness and a more productive, caring and peaceful society. Kokaram, who was accompanied to the workshop by Chairman of the Tax Appeal Board, Anthony Gaffoor, and a team experienced in mediation, also gave an overview of tripartism, quoting examples of global best practices which had their genesis in seeking alternative mechanisms toward dispute resolution.

The team included senior political officer at the United Nations, Elizabeth Solomon, who shared her worldwide experiences of meaningful tripartite engagements.

The release said that participants in the workshop engaged in role plays designed to embrace the spirit of constructive dialogue as the mechanism to reset and reframe the Trinidad and Tobago agenda. It was also aimed to better equip them to arrive at consensus in an environment conducive to advancing industrial peace, harmony, compromise and trust.

The NTAC comprises representatives from government, labour and business. It is mandated to engage in dialogue that would bring meaningful resolution to the seemingly intractable social and economic problems that confront the society, NTAC said. Last Thursdays meeting was the eighth meeting of the council and several similar workshops planned for the future, the release said.
Fireman hot over promotion bypass

And, if a fireman his junior was found to be more qualified on the basis of other considerations, DFO Siewnarine Ramsaran contended in his lawsuit, then Ramsaran is entitled to make representation to prove he also might be equally capable.

Had there not been a provision in the Public Service Commission (PSCs) regulation governing promotions which mandates that when a junior officer is promoted over the head of a senior, the latter ought to be told why, Ramsaran would have accepted his fate.

In the interest of fairness, Senior Counsel Anand Ramlogan argued before Justice Devendra Rampersad in the San Fernando High Court, regulation 160 (3) of the PSC invites an officer who has been denied promotion though he is next in line to make representation on his own behalf.

Ramsaran, of Egypt Village, Chaguanas, filed the lawsuit against the Chief Fire Officer and the PSC, in which he stated that he was promoted to FSO 12 years ago, and last year, he was elevated to Divisional Fire Officer.

That was on February 4, 2016, but four days later his colleague Assistant Divisional Fire Officer Marlon Smith was promoted to the same position.
It May Not Be the Time

You Think It Is
In the mid-'60s, Ian Brady and Myra Hindley sexually tortured and murdered five children ages 10 to 16 in what came to be known as the Moors Murders in England. Hindley died behind bars at age 60 in 2002, and now the 79-year-old Brady wants to do the same. Brady is in poor health, and he's fighting to be removed from a secure hospital and sent to a prison in his native Scotland. As the Guardian explains, Scottish prisons don't force-feed inmates, and Brady wants to be allowed to refuse food and die. The hospital where he's being held says Brady has chronic mental illness and requires continued care, including oxygen, and thus shouldn't be transferred. He lost a legal fight on the matter in 2013, and he just lost another this week.

The latest decision revolved around a legal technicality on who can represent himthe BBC has the particulars, but the upshot is that Brady's longtime attorney will not be allowed to do so. It was unclear what the next steps in the case would be. The Telegraph, meanwhile, reveals another new tidbit: When Margaret Thatcher was prime minister, she was informed that Hindley might be considered for release in 1995 and Brady in 2005. At a time when capital punishment was being hotly debated, she told her Home Secretary that wouldn't do. "I do not think that either of these prisoners should ever be released from custody," she wrote. "Their crime was the most hideous and evil in modern times." The pair were convicted of three murders and confessed to two others in prison. (A numbers guy thinks his algorithm can help police spot serial killers.)
Mary Efurd came out of back surgery in 2012 unable to use her legs and missing a third of her blood. Her Texas neurosurgeon has now been sentenced to life in prison as a result, reports the Dallas Morning News. A jury found Christopher Duntsch, 45, guilty of intentionally causing injury to an elderly person last week before delivering his sentence in a Dallas County court on Monday after an hour of deliberation, per CBS DFW. Though the trial focused on Efurd's case, the jury heard how two patients died after surgery performed by Duntsch. More than 30 others said Duntsch left them with chronic pain, permanent nerve damage, or surgical waste inside their bodies, while one man said he awoke from surgery to find he was paralyzed on one side of his body.

In Efurd's case, a doctor said Duntsch had "done virtually everything wrong," including drilling a screw into her spinal cavity and attaching implants to muscle instead of bone. "It's as egregious as you can imagine," he said. Lawyers for Duntschwho was stripped of his medical license in 2013, per the Dallas Observerargued he was "not a skilled surgeon" and "was on his own and doing the best he could." But prosecutors pointed to disturbing emails in which Duntsch referred to himself as "something between god, Einstein, and the antichrist" and said he was "ready to  become a cold-blooded killer," per D Magazine, which nicknamed him "Dr. Death." "He obviously knew at some point that what he was doing was criminal," one prosecutor said. (Read more Texas stories.)
Fox News is mourning longtime business correspondent and Bulls and Bears host Brenda Buttner, who has died at 55 after a long battle with cancer. Buttner, a Harvard graduate and Rhodes scholar, started her media career at an NBC affiliate and hosted CNBC's The Money Club before moving to Fox in 2000. Former CNBC anchor Ted David tells the New York Daily News that Buttner was "fiercely smart but equally upbeat, full of fun, and superior on the air." "She was a mom, a motorcycle lover, and person full of life," David says, describing her death as "beyond sad."

At Fox, Neil Cavuto delivered a warm tribute to his frequent co-contributor, recounting how she "would gloss over talking to financial and political kingpins as just another day at the office" and even "briefly quit her astonishing broadcast career to edit a motorcycle magazine because she thought it would be fun." "Let it be known that Brenda Buttner made us want to watch a business show with heart," he said. "Her heart. Her spirit. She democratized dollars and just made sense. Business journalism would never be the same." (Read more Fox News stories.)
When Heather Lindsay and Lexene Charles discovered the n-word painted across their garage door on the weekend of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, they decided to leave it up in plain view. The interracial couple says their home in Stamford, Conn., has been vandalized several times and at least three neighbors have shouted the n-word at Charles, but Lindsay tells the Stamford Advocate that police have been unresponsive. This time, the couple chose to leave the graffiti for the whole neighborhood to seeand they now face a hefty fine and possibily jail as a result. Stamford's police chief says the couple faces arrest and a fine of $100 per day if they don't respond to the city's blight citation, reports NBC New York.

The city's director of public safety calls the graffiti "disgusting" but says that no witnesses have been found and that neighbors are complaining. "There are kids in this neighborhood," says one. "Why do we have to subject them to that?" But Lindsay, 59, says the graffiti won't be removed until police "do their job" and "not just cover it up  as they have done in the past." It "has to stop," Charles, 56, tells ABC 7. The couple, who plan to fight any fines in court, are now asking police to investigate certain neighbors. "Act like you give a damn and make sure these people are protected," says a NAACP rep. (A community rallied after a similar incident in Tenino, Wash.)
The Anti-Defamation League demanded answers from the Trump administration Monday after another wave of bomb threats against Jewish centers across America. The ADL says at least 11 centers were threatened Monday, bringing the total to at least 69 threats in 27 states so far this year, CNN reports. Some 27 centers were threatened in a single day last month. The ADL says that while the threats were deemed "not credible," they caused genuine fear and chaos. The group tweeted Monday that it is "still waiting to hear what administration will do to address ongoing threats to Jewish communities."

The wave of threats was addressed later Monday not by President Trump, but by daughter Ivanka, a convert to Judaism, Politico reports. "America is a nation built on the principle of religious tolerance," she tweeted. "We must protect our houses of worship & religious centers." Jewish groups say the "telephone terrorism," some of which involved robocalls, has caused worried parents across the country to pull children out of Jewish preschools and other programs. NBC News reports that amid a rise in other anti-Semitic incidents, more than 100 headstones were toppled at a Jewish cemetery in Missouri over the weekend. (Read more anti-Semitism stories.)
A horrific coincidence, and a double tragedy for an Alabama family: A father on his way to work early Saturday was killed in a head-on crash with his own son, who was returning from a late night out. Police say bread deliveryman Jeff Brasher, 50, was killed around 4:10am when his Ford pickup collided with his 22-year-old son Austin's Chevy pickup, AL.com reports. One of the vehicles crossed into the wrong lane, according to police, who say alcohol is believed to have been a factor. (They didn't elaborate on that.) The crash happened nearly 20 miles away from the men's Fayette County home. Jeff Brasher was instantly killed and his son died in a hospital hours later.

Jeff Brasher was very close to his only son, relatives say. A joint funeral will be held for the men on Wednesday. Relatives tell People that Jeff Brasher wasn't a drinker, but Austin was, and a cousin says he "was coming home from partying when they crashed." Jeff Brasher's sister, Oak Grove High School principal Pam Dennis, says the "unexpected, unbelievable" tragedy came just five days after a collision with an 18-wheeler killed two sibling students and critically injured their two sisters. "I've got to look for ways to impact others in a positive way," she tells AL.com. "Someone needs to hug their family member because of this." (Identical twin brothers just got long jail sentences after a fatal crash.)
An architect's bold vision or a crazy idea doomed to never get off the ground? Time will tell in Dubai. The city is known for its impressive architectural feats, but one structure in the works has the potential to be more awe-inspiring than the rest. Dynamic Architecture is designing an 80-story tower that qualifies as a shape-shifter, at times transforming from a curvy design to one that resembles a stack of Jenga blocks, as each apartment rotates 360 degrees. To visualize what CNN calls the "first rotating skyscraper," see this Your Discovery Science video. In it, architect David Fisher explains that the 1,273-foot Dynamic Tower "will never look the same" because each resident will have control over the position of their apartment and the speed at which it spins around a stationary core.

Fisher says he was inspired by a visit to New York's Olympic Tower, in which he saw the appeal of a rotating floor offering 360-degree views of a city, per Dynamic Architecture's website. But a view of both the sunrise and sunset wouldn't the only perk for residents, who would have to shell out up to $40 million. They would also receive free electricity from 79 wind turbines sandwiched between the building's floors, and a special elevator would let them to park their vehicles outside their apartments. So when and where exactly? Stay tuned. Fisher says he's planning to have it built by 2020, but no details were provided beyond that, reports the National. A post at What'sOn.ae notes that Dynamic has registered for the appropriate patents, suggesting that it's indeed serious about what the site calls its "dancing tower." (There could be a new tallest building by 2020.)
Veteran CIA agent Edward Price says he served under George W. Bush and Barack Obama with pridebut he "cannot in good faith" serve under President Trump. In an op-ed at the Washington Post, Price, an analyst who most recently worked as a spokesman for the National Security Council, says that in his 11 years at the agency, there "was no greater reward than having my analysis presented to the president and seeing it shape events," and he has been appalled by Trump's attitude toward the intelligence services. The Trump administration, Price writes, "appears to have little need" for intelligence professionals willing to "speak truth to power" on issues like Russian hacking.

Price says he was disturbed by how Trump bragged about his inauguration crowd during a speech in front of the agency's memorial to fallen officers. He says the final straw that led to his resignation last week was a directive removing the CIA director from the National Security Council Principals Committee and adding Steve Bannon. Price stresses that his decision "had nothing to do with politics" and that he would have proudly served under a Republican president that respected the CIA's work. "As intelligence professionals, we're taught to tune out politics," he writes. "But this administration has flipped that dynamic on its head: The politicians are the ones tuning out the intelligence professionals." Click for the full column. (Read more CIA stories.)
North Korea's ambassador to Malaysia denounced the country's investigation into the death of the exiled half brother of ruler Kim Jong Un on Monday, calling it politically motivated and demanding a joint probe amid increasingly bitter exchanges between the once-friendly nations. Malaysia responded with its own accusations, with a foreign ministry statement saying the ambassador's comments were "culled from delusions, lies, and half-truths," the AP reports. Earlier Monday, Malaysia said it was recalling its ambassador to Pyongyang. The diplomatic spat comes in the wake of the death last week of Kim Jong Nam, who died after apparently being poisoned in the Kuala Lumpur airport.

The attack spiraled into diplomatic fury when Malaysia refused to hand over Kim's corpse to North Korean diplomats and proceeded with at least one autopsy over the diplomats' objections. Police have so far arrested four people carrying identity documents from North Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Those arrested include two women who were allegedly seen approaching Kim on Feb. 13 as he stood at a ticketing kiosk. Investigators are still looking for four North Korean men who arrived in Malaysia on different days beginning Jan. 31 and flew out the same day as the attack. South Korea says it believes Pyongyang was behind the killing. (Read more Kim Jong Nam stories.)
"This is a senseless, senseless tragedy that did not need to be," says a California police chief after a gang member paroled earlier this month allegedly killed a relative and a police officer. At least two officers had responded to the scene of a vehicle accident in Whittier around 8:30am Monday and were told the 26-year-old man, with tattoos on his face and neck, had rear-ended another vehicle, authorities tell KTLA. Noting the man's "gang attire," the officerswho were wearing bulletproof vestsordered him out of his vehicle and were about to pat him down "when he pulled out his gun and  started shooting," a rep for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department tells CNN.

Keith Boyer, a 27-year veteran of the Whittier Police Department, died at the hospital while Patrick Hazel, a three-year veteran, was admitted in stable condition. Neither officer had realized the suspectwho was injured in the gunfight and is in intensive carehad been driving a car stolen from East Los Angeles, where he'd fatally shot his 46-year-old cousin around 5:30am, authorities say, per the Los Angeles Times. The gunman's identity has not been released, nor have details about his prior criminal record. Whittier's police chief says the man was released from jail early because of new laws meant to reduce prison stays, which he says actually make cities less safe. "We need to wake up," he said through tears, describing Boyer as "the best of the best." (Read more California stories.)
Richard Moore is an animal cognition expert who works with apes at the Leipzig zoo in Germany. But as he writes at Aeon, he's often reluctant to mention his work at the zoo, for fear of running into a familar argument along these lines: Zoos are terrible places that confine animals in unnatural habitats solely for the pleasure of human gawkers and therefore should be closed. In his essay, Moore pushes back and argues that "there's a strong moral case" for the existence of zoos. He uses his beloved apes as an example. To those who say set them free, Moore responds, where? "There's rarely a viable alternative," he writes, pointing to native lands in Africa and elsewhere "ravaged by habitat loss, civil war, hunting and disease."

Into sanctuaries? Great idea, but it's almost impossible these days to find the land and the funds necessary. Critics might then argue that it's better to stop breeding apes in zoos, but Moore disagrees. Such breeding helps preserve the genes of endangered species, with the added benefit of giving the apes presumably happier and more interesting lives as part of families. Someday, it might be possible to return apes to more natural habitats, but that's not the case now. "Instead of condemning zoos, we should dedicate our efforts to supporting them," he writes, "to pushing bad zoos to reform or close; to funding more research into the welfare of captive animals; and to encouraging all zoos to strive to do more for their inhabitants." Click for the full column. (Read more zoo stories.)
It's hard to reconcile the image of grunge rocker with AARP membership eligibility, but what would've been Kurt Cobain's 50th birthday arrived Monday, and the internet proved it hadn't forgotten about the Nirvana frontman. The Washington state nativewho once called his sleepy hometown of Aberdeen "Twin Peaks without the excitement," per the Seattle P-Iusually attracts more renewed attention on the anniversary of his April 5, 1994, suicide, but there were plenty of tributes to be found for this milestone birthday. A look around:

The BBC documents "six reasons we still love him," including his unforgettable performances, his battle against sexism and homophobia, and, of course, his music.

Opening up the photo album is the Sun, which showcases pictures of Cobain with his family (including wife Courtney Love and daughter Frances Bean) and bandmates Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic. There's even a pic of Cobain with his trademark blond locks dyed bright red.

Speaking of Frances Bean, who was just a baby when her dad died: EW.com notes her handwritten birthday note to her dad, which she posted on Instagram. "You are loved and you are missed," she writes. "Thank you for giving me the GIFT of life."

A French music journalist who's written a book about Nirvana speculates for AFP what Cobain's music would have evolved into had he lived into the 21st century. "Softer," "more acoustic," and "experimental" is how Stan Cuesta sees a living Cobain, noting, "I would imagine him aging well."

Rolling Stone lists 12 of Cobain's most memorable quotes, with one proving especially poignant in hindsight: "I just hope I don't become so blissful I become boring."

(Frances Bean has been trying to get her dad's guitar back from her ex.)
A Portuguese court has ordered police to extradite a former CIA agent to Italy, where she's due to serve a four-year prison sentence after being convicted of involvement in a US program that kidnapped suspects for interrogation. Police took Sabrina De Sousa to a Portuguese jail, where she's awaiting extradition within the week, reports the AP. De Sousa was among 26 Americans convicted for kidnapping suspect Osama Moustafa Hassan Nasr, also known as Abu Omar, from a Milan street on Feb. 17, 2003. She denied involvement in the abduction. De Sousa is expected to be jailed immediately upon her arrival in Italy in a prison in either Rome or Milan. Once she's incarcerated, one of her attorneys said he would make a formal request for her to be granted semi-freedom and serve her sentence doing social work.

The US rendition program, under which terror suspects were kidnapped and transferred to centers for interrogation, was part of the anti-terrorism strategy of the Bush administration following the 9/11 attacks. Former President Obama ended the program years later. De Sousa lost several appeals against extradition since her arrest at Lisbon Airport in October 2015 on a European warrant. She had argued she was never officially informed of the Italian court conviction and couldn't use confidential US government information to defend herself. De Sousa, who was born in India and holds both US and Portuguese passports, has said she had been living in Portugal and intended to settle there. She was on her way to visit her elderly mother in India when she was detained. (Read more CIA stories.)
Recent incidents of anti-Semitismincluding a wave of threats against Jewish community centersare "horrible" and a "reminder of the work that still must be done to root out hate and prejudice and evil," President Trump said Tuesday, echoing comments made by his daughter Ivanka a day earlier, reports Politico. Anti-Semitism "has to stop," Trump added, per NBC News. His comments, following a visit to the National Museum of African American History and Culture, came after Trump was asked about the fight against anti-Semitism by a reporter from an Orthodox Jewish publication last week. In his response, Trump said the queston was unfair, told the reporter to "sit down," and called himself the "least anti-Semitic person that you've ever seen," per CNN.

In a tweet earlier Tuesday, Hillary Clinton called on Trump to speak out against "JCC threats, cemetery desecration & online attacks." Paul Ryan likewise denounced anti-Semitism Tuesday, noting "any form is abhorrent, and I encourage authorities nationwide to take these threats seriously." The chief executive of the Anti-Defamation League praised Trump's comments in a tweet. "Glad @POTUS stated #antisemitism is horrible. Now need @whitehouse to share plans on how to 'stop' it. ADL ready to help," wrote Jonathan Greenblatt. But the executive director of the Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect was unmoved. Trump's comments are only a "pathetic asterisk of condescension" after "pleas and pressure," he said in a statement. (Read more Donald Trump stories.)
When you're 10 years old, a tough math question can definitely feel like a life-or-death emergency. So when Ohio fifth-grader Lena Draper couldn't figure out the answer to (8 + 29) x 15, she turned to the Marion Police Department. "I'm having trouble with my homework," ABC News reports Lena messaged the department Friday on Facebook. Despite being "more of a history, civics, and social studies kind of guy," Lt. BJ Gruber got back to her, correctly telling her to "do the numbers in the parenthesis first," according to CNN. Even though Gruber flubbed the answer to Lena's second, tougher question, Lena's mom says she loves that he was there to help. Gruber admits the department has never received a request for homework help before. (Read more uplifting news stories.)
At least one police officer opened fire on rioters Monday in a Swedish neighborhood with a large immigrant population, CNN reports. According to the AP, the unrest started while officers were attempting to arrest a resident suspected in a drug crime. Bystanders threw rocks, one of which hit an officer in the arm. A number of officers fired warning shots, but one fired directly at rioters. Police tell the Local no one was found injured at the scene, and there were no gunshot wounds being treated at area hospitals. Rioting in the Rinkeby suburb of Stockholm lasted for a few hours. At least 10 cars were set on fire, and a news photographer was reportedly attacked.

The rioting took place two days after President Trump seemed to allude to a nonexistent incident in Sweden while apparently referring to a Fox News piece on immigrants and crime rates in the country. Swedes reacted with confusion to Trump's statements, and many deny Monday's rioting has anything to do with the recent influx of refugees. Sweden has accepted more refugees per capita than any other European country in the past few years, but officials say crime rates are not rising and are comparable to or better than those in the US. Most of the unrest in Sweden takes place in areas settled by immigrants decades ago and has more to do with unemployment and gangs. Police say Monday's rioting was likely the result of "increased pressure on criminals in the area." (Read more Sweden stories.)
Mumbai:

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday dared Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray to disclose his wealth.

Will Saheb (Uddhav) disclose his wealth? Fadnavis said at a poll rally in Mumbai on Wednesday evening.

I am in politics since last 25 years but my wealth hasnt increased, he said.

Fadnavis said the Sena has only one policy, that of getting rich in the name of fighting for cause of Marathi Manoos.

Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones on others houses, the CM said, responding to Senas allegation of corruption when he was Nagpur mayor.

BJP MP Kirit Somaiya also recently demanded that Uddhav declare his financial assets.

The middle Vaitarna dam was named after late Balasaheb Thackeray at the Senas behest but there was inordinate delay and huge cost overrun in the project work. Whos to blame for this? the CM asked.

Claiming that a Shiv Sena union functionary worked against the workers interests in Cambata Aviation issue, Fadnavis said, Even today, that company pays money to 22 shakha pramukhs of the Sena.

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New Delhi:

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Syed Akbaruddin on Monday praised the steps taken by Pakistan by listing 2008 Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed under Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA).

Responding to a question on listing Hafiz Saeed under the ATA in Pakistan, he said, "Hafiz Saeed is an international terrorist, the mastermind of Mumbai terrorist attack and responsible for unleashing wave of terrorism against Pakistan's neighbours through LeT/ JuD and their affiliates."

"Effective action mandated internationally against him and his terrorist organisations and colleagues is a logical first step in bringing them to justice, and in ridding our region of the twin menaces of terrorism and violent extremism," he added.

Hafiz Saeed is a Pakistani terrorist and chief of banned terrorist organisation Jama'at-ud-Da'wah. He is a most wanted terrorist in India and considered the mastermind of deadly 2008 Mumbai terror attack.

India has demanded Saeed be handed over to them but both India and Pakistan have not signed any extradition treaty.

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New Delhi:

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday refused to stay the summons issued by a trial court against Bollywood movie Jolly LLB 2 producers Fox Star Studios on a defamation case by Bata footwear company which was aggrieved by a dialogue in the film.

I am not going to stay it (summons), Justice Mukta Gupta said and issued notice to the Delhi Police and sought its reply before the next date of hearing on March 30.

Apart from Fox Star, the trial court on February 8 had also summoned actors Akshay Kumar and Annu Kapoor, writer Subhash Kapoor and some top officials of the company, asking them to appear before it on February 22.

The high court refused to stay the summons saying only Fox Star was before it, whereas the others have not, and the company can appear before the trial court through an authorised representative.

I am conscious of the fact that under garb of the company, a stay is being sought for everyone in the case, the judge said.

Pressing for a stay, senior advocate Siddharth Luthra, appearing for Fox Star, said the word bata has been removed from the movie.

The lawyer said the entire process from lodging of the defamation complaint to the issuing of summons was carried out with unruly haste and hence interim protection was required.

Bata India Limited, in its complaint, had alleged that disparaging comments and defamatory reference was made to Bata as a brand in the main trailer of the motion picture.

The footwear company had said that the brand Bata has been deliberately shown in an extremely bad taste and the dialogue was intended to convey that Bata is adorned only by lower strata of society and one should feel humiliated if one wears Bata footwear.

The trial court had said that a prima facie case for commission of offence punishable under sections 499 (defamation), 500 (punishment for defamation) and 120 B (criminal conspiracy) of IPC was made out and there are adequate grounds for proceeding against every one of the accused in the case.

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Vadodra:

A city-based man on Monday approached a court seeking its direction to Railway Police to file a case against actor Shah Rukh Khan in connection with the death of a person during promotion of the film "Raees".

Farid Khan Pathan had died of cardiac rest as crowd went berserk after Shah Rukh arrived by August Kranti Rajdhani Express at the Vadodara railway station on January 23 night.

Also Read: 'Raees' actor Shah Rukh Khan thanks 'Ittefaq' team for recreating his favourite film

Solanki approached the court of Judicial Magistrate First Class here seeking its direction to Railway Police at Vadodara to register a case against actor Shah Rukh Khan.

Talking to PTI, Solanki's lawyer Juned L Saiyed said his client has demanded registration of cases against actor and others under IPC 304 (a) (causing death by negligence), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees), 336 (act endangering life or personal safety ofothers) and 147 (punishment for rioting). SRK had boarded the train from Mumbai Central for Delhi as part of his promotional campaign 'Raees by Rail'.

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Gonda :

Terming demonetisation as a diversionary tactic, BSP supremo Mayawati on Tuesday said the move was unilateral and was implemented without any adequate preparations or ground work.

The impact of demonetisation was so intense that people are yet to recover from its shock. The government is clueless as to how much black money it got and against how many persons penal action was initiated, she said at an election meeting in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh.

The BSP chief exuded confidence that the Dalit vote base of the party was intact, even as she urged Muslim voters to be cautious of the ruling Samajwadi Party.

She also accused the SP of changing the names of the projects started by her party.

If BJP wins, it would not hesitate in implementing the agenda of the RSS. This means that either the system of reservation would be brought to an end or it would be rendered virtually ineffective, she alleged.

Mayawati also recalled the suicide of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula and the Una incident in Gujarat, where Dalit youths were assaulted for allegedly killing a cow.

Such incidents may be repeated, she said.

The BSP chief also criticised the Centre for taking steps to end the minority status of institutes like Aligarh Muslim University and Jamia Millia Islamia.

BJP, and especially PM Modi, are frustrated and have stooped to petty politics, she said, adding this indicates they are far from coming to power.

Mayawati asserted that BSP was poised for a full majority.

A total of 53 Assembly constituencies, spread over 12 districts of Uttar Pradesh- including Congress president Sonia Gandhis Rae Bareli, Allahabad, Pratapgarh, Jhansi, Lalitpur, Mahoba, Banda, Hamirpur, Chitrakoot and Fatehpur- will go to polls in the fourth phase of the crucial state Assembly polls on February 23.

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New Delhi:

Two IndiGo and SilkAir planes were involved in a near-miss over Kolkata airspace last December, it has emerged, prompting the government to launch a probe.

The IndiGo plane from Kolkata to Hyderabad (VT-IEM) and the Kolkata-bound SilkAir aircraft from Singapore (9VMGH) were involved in the incident that happened on December 11.

Together, there were more than 200 people in the two planes. Both the airlines did not provide the number of passengers who were on board their respective flights when the incident happened.

Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has started a formal inquiry into the serious incident, according to a recent notification issued by the Civil Aviation Ministry.

Citing preliminary data from Indian authorities, French aviation watchdog BEA said vertical separation between the two aircraft was zero feet while the least horizontal separation between the two planes was reduced to just 0.6 NM.

About the incident, an IndiGo spokesperson said there was a reduction in horizontal separation between the two aircraft but no error has been found on part of the IndiGo flight crew.

The airline also said the situation could have been avoided had the Air Traffic Controller (ATC) not cleared its plane for take-off and made SilkAir discontinue the approach.

When contacted, a SilkAir spokesperson said the airline has provided AAIB with all the information and reports for the flight to aid them in their investigation.

In a statement sent to PTI, the spokesperson said as the SilkAir aircraft was on approach and preparing to land, it was alerted about the Indigo plane taking off from the same runway.

As the pilots could not clearly identify the location of the IndiGo aircraft on the runway, they decided to discontinue the approach and circle the airport for another approach to land, the statement said.

The SilkAir plane landed safely, it added. IndiGo was flying Airbus 320 plane while SilkAir was operating Boeing 737 aircraft.

The seating capacity is around 180 seats and 162 seats for the IndiGo and SilkAir planes, respectively.

A senior official at aviation regulator DGCA said it has received information about the incident and AAIB probe is on.

BEA said IndiGo flight IGO6619 sector Kolkata-Hyderabad departed runway 19L at 1525 UTC while the SilkAir flight MI488 commenced go around at the same time.

The least horizontal separation between MI488 and IGO6619 was 0.6 NM during the entire event and the least vertical separation was zero feet, as per information available on BEA website.

BEA has also mentioned that it is preliminary data based on the notification from the authorities of India.

An official, who earlier served at aviation regulator DGCA, said considering the facts available the incident is like a near collision since the vertical and horizontal separation of the two aircraft were well below the stipulated requirements.

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Gurugram:

A month after Noida Rs 3,700 crore ponzy scam unearthed, Gurugram police on Monday claimed to have busted a similar ponzy scam worth Rs 8 crore offering monetary benefits for liking various social media pages.A The Special Investigation Team of the Gurugram police has arrested four persons for duping over 5,000 people for operating the fraudulent scheme in Badshahpur area of the district.

Identifying the arrested alleged scamsters as Rajkumar, Daulat Singh Shekhawat, Bharat Kumar and Ajay Kumar, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Sumit Kuhar said the accused had defrauded people by setting up several profit networking companies with hyperlink ahttps://www.profitnetworking.com, www.profitnetworking.com.a

The police officer said these websites sought to offer online jobs involving the task of liking various social media pages and offering to monetise their likes, said Kuhar adding the four were were arrested on Sunday night after police raided their company in Badshahpur area.

The accused tricked people aspiring for interned jobs into opening accounts after depositing Rs 4,600 and promised them to pay Rs 5 per likes, besides roping in other people in the scheme.

aThe police recovered three laptops, computer and several ATM cards from them and froze their three accounts worth Rs 90 lakh of their firm that they had set up last year,a said the DCP adding that the accused persons are barely 12th pass but used to stay in expensive hotels and guest houses in Gurugram.

Police raided the fraudulent company on a complaint February 13 lodged by Rewari resident Vijay Singh, who had complained of having been duped by the firm.

aWe are interrogating the accused to ascertain as to how many people they have been duped by them till now,a said the DCP.A

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New Delhi:

India and Britain on Tuesday decided to expedite the requests for extradition and mutual legal assistance pending on either side. The decision gains importance in the backdrop of India pressing Britain to extradite Vijay Mallya.

The External Affairs Ministry said both sides resolved to strengthen legal cooperation in pursuing the pending requests, without mentioning any specific case. A special court in Mumbai last week had allowed the Enforcement Directorate to invoke the India-UK Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) to bring back liquor baron Mallya to India to face money laundering probe.

The issue of Mallya's extradition is understood to have figured in the dialogue though there was no official confirmation. Mallya has been probed on money laundering charges in a case of alleged default of bank loans wortharound Rs 9000 crore.

"Both sides held detailed and fruitful deliberations on the legal processes and procedures in either country and reviewed the requests for extradition and mutual legal assistance pending on either side," the MEA said in a statement after the two-day talks.

It said the two sides reiterated their determination to strengthen legal cooperation and expedite the pending requests. "It was agreed that the central authorities of both thecountries would review further progress in these cases everysix month through video conference," the MEA said.

The Indian delegation was led by Joint Secretary, Consular, Passport and Visa, in the MEA and had representatives from the Ministries of Home Affairs and Law and Justice and investigating agencies, including CBI, Enforcement Directorate and the state authorities concerned.

The UK delegation was led by the Head of the UK Central Authority for Extradition and Mutual Legal Assistance, the UK Home Office and representatives from the Crown Prosecution Service. The MEA said the meeting was held pursuant to the decision taken during the visit of British Prime Minister Theresa May to India in November.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and May had then directed the officials dealing with extradition matters to meet at the earliest to develop better understanding of each country's legal processes, identify the causes of delays and expedite pending requests to ensure that fugitives and criminals cannot escape the law.

The ED has been wanting Mallya to join the probe in the case "in person" and had issued multiple summons to him butcould not get success as the businessman, who is in the UK, never deposed before it. The order by Mumbai court had come as a fresh blow to Mallya as India, through the Ministry of External Affairs, has recently handed over to the UK an extradition request against him based on a CBI case in the same offence.

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New Delhi:

Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar on Tuesday held talks Chinas top diplomat Yang Jiechi during which they expressed strong commitment to develop positive relations despite differences over Beijings reluctance to support Indias NSG bid as well as a UN ban on JeM chief Masood Azhar.

Jaishankar, who arrived here from Sri Lanka, met Yang, who is the State Councillor and Beijings Special Representative for border talks between India and China.

In Chinese official hierarchy, State Councillor of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) is regarded as the top diplomat functioning directly under the countrys leadership.

Welcoming Jaishankar at Zhongnanhai, the seat of power of Chinese leadership, Yang said despite differences, relations between the two sides had a positive growth last year.

Yang praised Jaishankars contribution to the bilateral ties as Indian ambassador to China and said the two countries had good communication at many levels and continued good cooperation in the fields of economy, trade culture and people-to-people exchanges.

ALSO READ | No competition with China on foreign co-operation: Vice President Hamid Ansari

Jaishankar is expected to meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, besides attending an upgraded strategic dialogue with Chinas Executive Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui tomorrow.

Underlining the significance of the strategic dialogue, which was upgraded during Wangs visit to New Delhi last year, China has deputed Zhang, also the head of the influential CPC committee of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, for the parleys.

We truly hope that in the year ahead our two countries can enhance our exchanges and mutually beneficial cooperation so that we can jointly contribute more to peace and stability and development of our region and the world at large, Yang said, recalling President Pranab Mukherjees visit last year.

On his part, Jaishankar said, its very good to be back (to Beijing). I come with nostalgia and very good feelings and also a very strong sense of commitment to maintain the relationship.

Referring to the first Strategic Dialogue which he will hold with Zhang tomorrow, Jaishankar said, this is not just a meeting between me and my counterpart, it is preceded by consultations on a host of issues.

Jaishankars talks with Yang and later in the Strategic Dialogue were expected to cover the key India-China differences like China blocking Indias bid to join the 48-member Nuclear Suppliers Group and UN ban on Azhar and the USD 46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

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Jodhpur:

The Indian Air Force on Monday denied permission to a private airline to operate its flight from Jodhpur to Jaisalmer citing security reasons.



Following this the airline threatened to initiate legal action against the IAF for "disrupting" the flight and "causing monetary loss" to it.



"A private airline, which had sought permission to operate a non-scheduled flight to Jaisalmer, could not be permitted due to failure on its part to fulfill requisite conditions pertaining to safety of the aircraft and passengers as per the guidelines and non-coordination of ground logistics prior to flight operation," defence spokesperson Lt Col Manish Ojha said.



He said IAF accords highest priority to the safety and security of passengers travelling on such airlines. Operations of the Jaisalmer airport is under the control of IAF. The airline alleged that the IAF disrupted its operations at Jaisalmer airport.



It claimed that it has suffered monetary loss due to non-clearance of the flight by the COO of Jaisalmer Air Force base, and threatened legal measures.

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Varanasi:

Samajwadi Party candidate Ribu Srivastava withdrew her nomination from the Varanasi Cantonment Assembly seat on Monday.

Following the SP-Congress tie-up, Congress Anil Srivastava was named as candidate from the seat in the joint list released by the alliance.

Ribu had filed her nomination papers on Thursday, while Anil Srivastava had already filed his papers on Tuesday.

On Thursday, Ribu claimed that after getting consent from Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, she had filed the papers to contest from the seat.

However, she withdrew her nomination on the instructions of the SPs senior leadership, party sources said.

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Lucknow:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is making a desperate bid to resurrect his stature but the absence of credibility is haunting him, chief co-ordinator of Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee Ashok Gehlot said.



Indira Gandhis aura was different, while the aura of Modi is diminishing. Gandhi was ousted in a poll primarily due to the anger of voters but she was again accepted by them, he told PTI refusing to draw any comparison between Modi and the late prime minister.



Modi had got a chance but he lost it. Senior party leaders like Murli Manohar Joshi and L K Advani have been marginalised. BJP workers are feeling suffocated, the former Rajasthan chief minister said in Lucknow.



Gehlot said a sense of frustration has penetrated deep in his mind and added that Modi is making a desperate bid to resurrect his stature but the absence of credibility is haunting him.



Sharpening his attack, he said, Congress never bothered for power. But I think BJP is going to meet the same fate in Uttar Pradesh as in the Assembly elections of Delhi and Bihar.



He said BIMARU states was only a new jumla (rhetoric) coined by Modi.

BIMARU is simply a jumla and nothing else. What is the definition of BIMARU, can you tell me? In fact, Modi is an expert in telling lies, Gehlot said, adding that Modi is busy creating a rift between the rich and the poor.



Claiming that dictatorship has raised its ugly head in the BJP, Gehlot said Modis current image resembles that of US President Donald Trump.



After 30 years, a particular party got a clear mandate. When Modi came to power, the writing on the wall was that this government would last for 10 years and this view emanated across different political parties, Gehlot said, adding that in two-and-half years, Modis image has taken a beating.

Criticising the body language of the Prime Minister, Gehlot alleged that Modi is a pro-corporate man and he is hell bent on realising his vested political and electoral interests.



Have you seen any PM make such speeches, repeatedly clapping to emphasise on a particular point? he asked.



On demonetisation, Gehlot said following the note ban, there was an atmosphere of uncertainty in the entire country.



The credibility of the banks and currency notes have taken a beating. Note ban has yielded no positive results. There was no logic behind replacing the old Rs 1,000 currency notes with the new Rs 2,000 notes. There has been an increase in the quantum of corruption in Income Tax department and banks, he claimed.



The chief coordinator of UPCC admitted that the decision to have the SP-Congress alliance was a sudden development for the party workers.



But, in the larger interest of the nation and UP, and to stop fascist and communal forces of the BJP from storming to power, the alliance was eventually approved by both the parties, he said.



He said party workers after being confused over the alliance, gradually understood its need and importance. And, subsequently, they reconciled, he said.



On whether the nascent alliance would continue in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, he said, All options are open.



He went on to claim that when UPA-1 had formed the government in 2004, very few people had thought that it would rule the country for close to a decade.

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New Delhi/Mumbai:

Voting is underway for the cash-rich BMC and nine other civic bodies in Maharashtra, which have virtually turned into a battle of prestige for Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, heading the stateas first BJP-led government, and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray.



Apart from the 10 civic bodies, the second phase of polling for 11 Zilla Parishads (ZPs) and 118 panchayat samitis will also be conducted on Tuesday.



Dubbed as a amini Assembly electiona, over 1.95 crore voters across the state are entitled to exercise their franchise to choose representatives for 10 city corporations, while over 1.80 crore people can cast their votes in the ZP and panchayat samiti polls.



aCollectively, 3.77 crore voters are eligible to decide the fate of 17,331 candidates in rural and urban areas, including Mumbai,a State Election Commissioner J S Saharia told reporters in Mumbai, adding that the election machinery is fully geared up to ensure free and fair voting.



Saharia said for the 1,268 seats across the 10 municipal corporations, 9,208 candidates are in the fray, whereas for 11 ZPs, total 2,956 candidates will try their luck for 654 seats. A For the 1,288 seats across 118 panchayat samitis, total 5,167 candidates are in the fray.



aAs many as 43,160 polling booths have been set up. A There will be 2.76 lakh election staff and equal number of police personnel on the duty,a Saharia said.



In Mumbai, the countryas financial capital, total 2,275 candidates are in fray for the 227 seats. 92 lakh people are eligible to cast the vote in the megapolis, he said, adding that there will be 7,304 polling stations.



In municipal corporations excluding Mumbai, there are multi-member wards, where a voter will have to cast his vote for each of the category in the panel. Each panel has more than two wards.

Live coverage:A

#BMCElection Celebrities John Abraham, Prem Chopra, Subhash Ghai cast their vote at different polling booths in Mumbai, today. pic.twitter.com/vcZ8RSYSyA a ANI (@ANI_news) February 21, 2017

#5:00 PM

A 41.32% voter turnoutA till 3.30pm





#BMCelection: A bridegroom, Mahesh Nawale casts his vote before marriage at Navbharat Vidyalaya in Parel, Mumbai. pic.twitter.com/w4ZeErAXpX a ANI (@ANI_news) February 21, 2017

#BMCelection: Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut arrived to cast his vote at a polling booth in Bhandup East, Mumbai. pic.twitter.com/niXYVnqFI2 a ANI (@ANI_news) February 21, 2017

A

#BMCelection: Sachin Tendulkar arrived to cast his vote at a polling booth in Mumbai, with wife Anjali. pic.twitter.com/w3VXTCh7DR a ANI (@ANI_news)



A #12:45PM

Voter turnout in Mumbai till 11.30 am is 16.40%



#12:40AM:A

My name has not shown up in the list unfortunately,its bizarre because I voted last year.Will find out from EC where is my name:Varun Dhawan



Varun Dhawan arrived to cast his vote at a polling booth in Mumbai, says "upsetting that I couldn't find my name on the voter list" pic.twitter.com/9mw7kWLKXl a ANI (@ANI_news) February 21, 2017

Mumbai: CM Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis casts his vote, urges people to vote to bring about change. #BMCelection pic.twitter.com/PR3ZoZeqkQ a ANI (@ANI_news) February 21, 2017

Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray, accompanied by his wife & son, queues up at a polling booth in Mumbai's Bandra East #BMCelection pic.twitter.com/ra2jpP3jDi a ANI (@ANI_news) February 21, 2017

A

Started my morning by casting my vote.Voting is our collective duty towards our country & its progress.Pls go out & vote YY#VoteKarMaharashtra YY A post shared by AnushkaSharma1588 (@anushkasharma) on Feb 20, 2017 at 7:11pm PST

A

V O T E YY pic.twitter.com/TRfhsN8zNq a Ranveer Singh (@RanveerOfficial) February 21, 2017

#11:20AM

Voting percentage at different polling stations in BMC polls:A Malad: 8.55%; Borewali: 9.99%; Goregaon: 8.68%; Bhandup: 7.88%; Ghathopar: 4.60%; Worli: 7.02%; and Bandra East: 8.46%



#11:12AM

Mumbai: Shiv Sena's Manohar Joshi casts his vote at a polling booth in Shivaji Park



Actor Rekha casts her vote for civic body polls at a booth in Mumbai's Bandra #BMCelections pic.twitter.com/fuvy2pwMmX a ANI (@ANI_news) February 21, 2017

#11:00AM

Mumbai: MNS Chief Raj Thackeray casts his vote at a polling station in Shivaji Park

#10:55AM

Mumbai: Film director and screenwriter Zoya Akhtar casts her vote at a polling booth in Bandra



#10:35AM

Maharashtra: Senior Congress leader & former Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde casted his vote for civic body polls in Solapur



#10:20AM

A Maharashtra: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari casts his vote for Nagpur Municipal Corporation polls, at a booth located in Nagpur's Town Hall.



#10:10AM

A Mumbai: Shaina NC arrived to cast her vote at Napansea Rd polling booth on a cycle; could not find her name in the voter's list

A





Mumbai: Sharad Pawar casts his vote at polling booth no. 214(11) located in Mahalaxmi (West) #BMCelection pic.twitter.com/iMWNnIdBdl a ANI (@ANI_news) February 21, 2017

#9:45AM

Municipal Commissioner of Mumbai Ajoy Mehta casts his vote at polling booth number 214 (18), located at Mumbai's Pedder Road

#9:00AM

Deepak Parekh, Chairman HDFC casts his vote, says, demonetisation has nothing to do with these polls and we need to move onA



Mumbai: Last night, Police seized large amount of liquor hoarded in 2 cars, ahead of today's #BMCelection pic.twitter.com/ecYTnEJXmp a ANI (@ANI_news) February 21, 2017

Mumbai: Senior citizens cast their vote at polling booth number 214(18) at Peddar Road. pic.twitter.com/Id7lRA6mmp a ANI (@ANI_news) February 21, 2017

#8:20AM

Tina Ambani casts her vote at a polling booth in Colaba, says she voted for good work in Mumbai city



#7:40AMA

Nagpur: RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat casts his vote at a polling booth in Bharat Mahila Vidyalaya #BMCelection pic.twitter.com/ffGIyZ9eFG a ANI (@ANI_news) February 21, 2017

#7:30AM

Voting in elections to BMC and 9 other civic bodies, in multiple cities of Maharashtra starts.

Elections to #BMC & nine other civic bodies in Maharashtra to be held today. Preparations underway at a booth on Mumbai's Pedder Road. pic.twitter.com/cjQOv9v08i a ANI (@ANI_news) February 21, 2017

Shiv Sena vs BJP: Fight to win amini assembly electionsa



Stakes are high for Fadnavis and Thackeray, who have led their respective parties from the front and were involved in a high decibel and no holds barred campaign. Bitter acrimony between BJP and Shiv Sena that are fighting the civic polls separately for the first time in over two decades, marked the electioneering.



Congress, NCP and MNS are also in the fray.



The big poll focus is on Brihanmumbai Municipal Cooperation (BMC), retaining control of which is vital for Shiv Sena as the city has remained its prime political space ever since the partyas formation in 1966. Shiv Sena has been in power in BMC for over two decades.



BJP, which had been a junior partner of Sena before it gained the upper hand through the 2014 Lok Sabha and Assembly polls, declined to accept the number of seats offered by the Sena.A



It has set its eyes on gaining power in BMC, one of the worldas largest city bodies, boasting of an annual budget of over Rs 37,000 crore.



Besides Mumbai, the other municipal corporations going to polls tomorrow include Thane, Ulhasnagar, Pune, Nashik, Nagpur, Akola, Pimpri-Chinchwad and Solapur.



Giving a break-up of candidates in the nine civic bodies, Saharia said 805 candidates are contesting polls for the 131-member Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC), 479 for the 78-member Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation (UMC), 774 for the 128 seats in Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) and 623 are in the fray for the 102-member Solapur Municipal Corporation (SMP).



Similarly, for the 122-member Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC), there are 821 candidates in the fray, whereas for the 80-member Akola Municipal Corporation (AMC), 579 candidates are fighting the election.



For the 151-member Nagpur civic corporation, there are 1,135 candidates in fray, while for the 162 seats of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), a total 1,090 candidates are contesting the election, Saharia said.



Crime spikes before polls



Giving details of the implementation of the code of conduct, Saharia said over 200 illegal weapons were seized in different parts of the state in which 188 weapons were seized from areas under municipal corporations.



Police seized three lakh litres of liquor, he said, adding that the Excise Department seized alcohol worth over Rs four crore, Saharia said.



According to him, 338 cases of poll code violations were registered, he said, adding that as many as 371 persons were externed. aAction of preventive detention was taken against 33,000 people, including 3,000 in Mumbai. Cash worth Rs 61 lakh was seized,a he said.



According to Saharia, for 11 ZPs, there are 22,000 polling stations and 1.5 lakh election staff will be on duty afor the ten municipal corporations, there are 21,000 polling stations and 1.3 lakh election staff will be on duty,a he said.

(With PTI Inputs)

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New Delhi:

BSP supremo Mayawati on Tuesday addressed a press conference in Lucknow took a jibe at PM Narendra Modi for his statements made during the poll trail for upcoming UP assembly polls.

"BJP must have realised by now that they are not going to form Government in Uttar Pradesh," BSP Chief Mayawati said during press conference.

On Monday also, Mayawati had hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, terming him as Mr Negative Dalit Man. Perturbed at the rising popularity of the BSP, the prime minister is indulging in cheap things and indulging in petty talk about its supreme leader and has termed BSP as Behenji Sampatti Party (Behenji Assets Party), she said at an election rally here. Mayawati is popularly known as Behenji.

He (Modi) is an expert in jumlebaazi (rhetoric) but when he will get a tit-for-tat reply he will forget all about it and today I have been compelled to do the same for him, she said.



Narendra Damodardas Modi means Mr Negative Dalit Man, he is anti-dalit... This negative dalit man does not like that common people give small contributions in running the movement which is also run through donations, Mayawati said.



Her retort came soon after Modi, at an election rally in Orai region of Jalaun in Bundelkhand region, noted that BSP is no longer Bahujan Samaj Party.

Live updates:

#First they should build graveyards for Hindus in each village of BJP ruled states , then they can talk about UP: Mayawati

#BSP respected every religion during its tenure, whether it was providing electricity during festivals, or any law & order issue: Mayawati



#In the past 3-4 days, PM has given wrong statements, bringing in caste and religious angle because they seem to be fairing badly: Mayawati

#BJP must have realised by now that they are not going to form Government in Uttar Pradesh," BSP Chief Mayawati

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Peshawar:

Four high-profile Pakistani Taliban militants were killed on Monday by the army in Pakistans northwestern city in Peshawar.

The media wing of the military released a statement in this regard, saying the operation was reportedly carried out against Asmatullah Shaheen Bhittani Group of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

The Inter-Services Public Relations claimed that the suspects killed in the military operation were allegedly high-profile terrorists.

The group was allegedly involved in target killings, extortion and kidnapping for ransom in Dera Ismail Khan, Tank and surrounding areas, the ISPR statement said.

Cache of weapons and ammunitions also recovered from the possession of the deceased suspects, it added.

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Washington:

A 32-year-old man in the United States got a new lease of life after doctors successfully performed a near-total face transplant on him. The extensive surgery that changed his life was done to improve his ability to speak, chew, breathe and smell.

At the age of 21, Andrew Sandnesss face was devastated by a gunshot wound. The duration of the surgery, which was carried out last year, was 50 hours. The surgery was done to restore his nose, upper and lower jaw, palate, teeth, cheeks, facial muscles, oral mucosa, some of the salivary glands and the facial skin.

In order to optimise the aesthetic and functional outcomes of the surgery, a multidisciplinary team of surgeons, physicians and health professionals used virtual surgical planning technology and 3D printing at Mayo Clinics Rochester campus.

Recovering in Rochester, Sandness is likely to come back to him home in eastern Wyoming this moth, the team said.

I am absolutely amazed at the outcome so far. I am now able to chew and eat normal food, and the nerve sensation is slowly improving, too, said Sandness.

Andy (Sandness) has been our patient for 10 years. He has worked so hard to prepare for this, and during his entire recovery period, he has been strong, gracious and determined. Andy is an amazing person and so well-deserving of this gift, said Samir Mardini, the surgical director at Mayo Clinic Essam and Dalal Obaid Centre for Reconstructive Transplant Surgery.

The facial transplantation removes part or all of a donors face and attaches it onto the patient who is receiving the transplant.

The components of the transplant may be skin, fat, muscles, nerves, tendons, cartilage and bone.

When the nerves and blood vessels are attached from the donors face to the recipients, it provides the potential (with extensive rehabilitation) for sensation, function and mobility similar to an uninjured face.

In some situations, it may allow the recipient to regain the ability to speak, chew food, avoid ongoing use of feeding tubes and regain their sense of smell.



(With PTI inputs)

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Lahore:

Jamaat-ud-Dawah supporters on Tuesday held rallies in different parts of Pakistan to protest against Defence Minister Khawaja Asifs statement against the outlawed groups chief Hafiz Saeed and demanded his resignation.

The major demonstration was held at JuD headquarters in Chauburhi Lahore in which a large number of JuD and Falah-e-Insaniat activists participated.

Holding banners and placards inscribed with Hafiz Saeed Pakistans Defender - Mian-Modi friendship - unacceptable they demanded immediate release of Saeed and resignation of Asif.

Addressing the demonstration in Lahore, JuD leader Hafiz Abdul Rehman Makki threatened to hold a long march towards Islamabad if Saeed was not released.

ALSO READ | Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar wonders if Hafiz Saeeds arrest result of Pakistans wise thinking

He said the controversial statements of some ministers against Saeed and Jud are part of a well-designed agenda.

Asif had told the audience at the Munich Security Conference last Sunday that Saeed can pose a serious threat to society. He had said Saeed has been placed under house arrest in the countrys larger interest.

Other demonstrations were held in Islamabad, Faislabad, Gujranwala, Multan, Bahawalnagar, Quetta, Peshawar, Muzaffarabad and Kotli.

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New Delhi:

Facing heat from the United States over measures to curtail terrorism, Pakistan, for the first time, acknowledged that Hafiz Saeed could pose a serious threat to the civilized society.

Saeed has been placed under house arrest and listed under anti-terror law. As per media reports in Pakistan, countrys defence minister Khwaja Asif dubbed him a threat and justified his arrest in a larger interest.

Welcoming Pakistans move with caution, Ministry of External affairs Vikas Swarup had said on Monday that effective action mandated internationally against him and his terrorist organisations and colleagues is a logical first step in bringing them to justice.

As the United States has kept a close eye on the nation, the government of Pakistan was coerced to take some concrete steps against Saeed, including financial sanction and public meetings of his organisations.

It is also evident that since Pakistans new Army chief Qaamar Bajwa assumed office, there was a decline in cross-border firing.

Also Read | Listing 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed under ATA 'a logical first step': MEA

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Yangon:

Activists in Bangladesh say about 1,000 members of the Rohingya ethnic minority who fled Myanmar during its armys four-month counterinsurgency operation have returned to their villages in Rakhine state after Myanmars government announced last week that it was halting military operations in the area.



The armys campaign began after nine police officers at outposts on the border with Bangladesh were killed. Human rights groups said the army burned down more than 1,000 homes and killed an unknown number of civilians, among other abuses.



About 70,000 Rohingya villagers fled to Bangladesh and 20,000 people fled within Myanmar.



Ko Ko Linn, a Rohingya activist based in Chittagong, Bangladesh, said on Monday by phone that the returnees were hoping to reunite with their families but are still worried about mistreatment.

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United Nations:

Russias Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin on Monday died all of a sudden while working in his office, a day before he would have turned 65.



The Russian Permanent Mission in a statement that Churkin was in his office fulfilling his duties when the tragedy occurred in the afternoon of February 20.



For the Missions staff and for all who had a chance to work under the able leadership of this outstanding, energetic and respectable diplomat, it was a terrible shock. It is impossible to realise that Ambassador is no longer with us. We mourn together with his family and his beloved ones, the statement said.



Churkin would have turned 65 on Tuesday.



The Russian mission said Churkin dedicated most of his life to diplomatic service standing for his countrys interests more than 40 years in total, of which 20 years he worked as Ambassador to Belgium, Canada. He had been the Permanent Representative of Russia to the UN since 2006.



UN General Assembly President Peter Thomson said in a statement he was greatly saddened at the news of the passing of dear friend Churkin.



The Russian Federation and the United Nations have lost a true son and a great international intellect, he said.

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Peshawar:

At least six people were killed and 14 injured in a suicide blast and firing by terrorists outside a court in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Tuesday. Security forces killed three suicide attackers outside the court in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Charsadda district, police said.

The three attackers attempted to enter the court premises in Tangi town through the main gate. They opened fire and threw grenades, prompting retaliatory fire by security forces deployed there.

One bomber was killed in the firing at the gate and the second was killed as he entered the court. The third bomber died when he detonated his explosives, officials said.

Deputy Commissioner of Charsadda said judges and lawyers were safe. He said due to tight security the bombers could not enter the court, but had they been successful in entering the premises it "would have been a catastrophe". A search and rescue operation was underway, he added.

Ambulances have been rushed to Charsadda from Peshawar, approximately 30 kilometres away, where the Lady Reading Hospital has been put on high alert. The latest attack came as security has been tightened across Pakistan after a recent wave of terrorist strikes killed more than 100 people.

On Thursday, a suicide bomber killed 88 people at a famed Sufi shrine in Sindh province. Following the attack, the army launched an offesive against militants and claimed to have killed more than 130 terrorists across the country. A suicide bomber had struck a local court in Charsadda's Shabqadar area last year in March, killing 17 people.

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DANBURY - Almost everyone is on board with the mayors vision to bring high-speed internet to every city home for $15 per month.

A majority of residents supported the plan in a telephone survey conducted last year, and several vendors are committed to building the fiber-optic network that would bring cheap, high-speed internet to Danburys 50,000 households.

The holdup is in Hartford, where legislators are weighing bills that would make Danbury the first place in the state to bill residents for broadband internet service.

The confusion we have in Hartford right now is people think we are going to build a broadband internet network, and that is not what we want to do, Mayor Mark Boughton said during a recent meeting of city department heads. All we want to do is leverage the buying power of everybody in Danbury to provide low-cost internet. It has been a challenge to explain that.

Under Boughtons plan, announced at his State-of-the-City speech in 2015, a company such as Frontier Communications would build and maintain the fiber optic network and Danbury would bill for the service though a special fund  an arrangement that requires state approval.

We could do this just by building it into peoples taxes, but the cost of that is really not fair for the people who dont want to have it, Boughton said. So we want to have a special enterprise fund.

For that, Danbury needs Connecticuts permission, said state Rep. David Arconti.

There is nothing in state law that forbids this, but there is nothing in state law that provides for this, said Arconti, a three-term Democrat who represents Danbury. So I introduced two pieces of enabling legislation.

Neither Arconti bill had moved out of the state legislatures Energy and Technology Committee for a public hearing as of Monday.

The city planned to bring its lobbyists and telecommunications representatives to Hartford this week to meet with committee leaders, said Stephen Nocera, Danburys director of project excellence.

I am confident they are excited about the idea that we are working with the private sector, as opposed to simply creating the municipal broadband, which is being held in dim view in Hartford at this point, Nocera said during a meeting of city leaders last week. Our structure seems to be looked upon as the new model at this point.

City officials are quick to point out that their plan differs from a statewide initiative to build a super-speed internet network known as the CT Gig project, which lost momentum in 2014 when a telecommunications association said it would not make economic sense.

We are not getting into that business, Boughton said. We are simply aggregating customers and helping them use their buying power to go from a $30 bill to a $15 bill (per month).

The initiative is part of Boughtons vision to stimulate economic development and encourage community connectivity. For example, the plan would help the city advance its goal to minimize the digital divide for lower-income homes that might not have internet service, and to close the achievement gap in schools.

Nocera said City Hall takes regular calls from residents wondering when cheap internet is coming to Danbury.

When peoples contract is about to expire, we get calls about it, Nocera said. If we get these bills passed, I think this will roll out pretty fast.

rryser@newstimes.com; 203-731-3342
Thumbs up to the 400 percent increase in out-of-state applications at Western Connecticut State University in Danbury for the fall semester. The jump is a result of the Connecticut Board of Regents allowing students in seven counties in New Yorks Hudson Valley to pay the same tuition as in-state students. The across-the-border recruitment can go far in boosting the universitys enrollment, which had been declining slightly.

Thumbs up to the show of support for Latino business leaders and owners in the region with a rally at Danbury City Hall Thursday. About 500 people attended the peaceful rally following a Day Without Immigrants strike in which a number of businesses had closed to demonstrate the contributions of immigrants to the economy. With many fearful of possible repercussions on the national level, the kindness and support of the people of Danbury are appreciated.

Thumbs down, however, to the unfounded and frightening rumors on social media last week that federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were setting up checkpoints for undocumented immigrants in places such as Norwalk and Stamford. Though ICE had no such plans and said agents focus efforts on those with criminal records, the rumors spread on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Such rumors can create mass panic and are counter productive.

Thumbs up to the surge in unwanted prescription medicine brought to drop-off boxes at state and local police departments around the state last year. The nearly 17 tons of drugs represent a 43 percent increase from the year before, a testament to increased public education about the dangers of prescription narcotics. The collection is one part of the multifaceted approach to combatting the epidemic of drug addiction and overdoses. It also is a way to dispose of drugs safely instead of flushing them down a toilet where they could get into the water supply or Long Island Sound.

Thumbs down to the increased levels of stress Americans are feeling in recent months. A recent study by the American Psychological Association indicated the reported stress level of Americans rose from 4.8 to 5.1 between August 2016 and January 2017. The stress level is measured on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the lowest. The reported figures come from two surveys done by the APA  one conducted in August among 3,511 people 18 and older, and one done in January among 1,019 people in that same demographic group. Interestingly, the January survey results showed 57 percent of those polled said the current political climate was a very or somewhat significant source of stress.

Thumbs up to the Savings Bank of Danbury and Hodge Insurance for leading the way with illuminating their Main Street businesses after dark. The dramatic LED lighting showcases the older buildings architecture and adds to the ambiance downtown. The lighting program is a project of CityCenter Danbury and the design by RAB Lighting is free; the businesses pay for the lights and installation. We encourage more businesses to get involved and draw attention to the interesting architecture along the citys Main Street.

Thumbs up to the students and advisers involved with the literary magazines at New Milford and Bethel high schools and Newtown Middle School for their high rankings recently from the National Council of Teachers of English. The Piper, New Milford High Schools literary magazine, and Opus Optima at Newtown Middle earned the highest ranking of superior from the group. Mirage at Bethel High received the second-highest rank of excellent. The national recognition shines a welcome spotlight on the creativity and artistic talents in the local schools.
Understanding Retirement Plans and Benefit Offerings Helps Employers and Employees Prepare for Changes

TORONTO, Feb. 21, 2017 /CNW/ - Retirement will look very different for millennials, baby boomers and others as the economy continues to change. The move towards Group Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSPs), coupled with the decline of employer-sponsored defined benefit pension plans, brings a new retirement reality for many employees. This changing environment was the impetus for the expansion of the Canada Pension Plan (CPP), a deal struck between the Federal and provincial governments in late 2016, to ensure a higher level of retirement security for Canadians in the future. Employers, including those that currently sponsor retirement plans, will have to ensure compliance with the governments' plan to move ahead with CPP changes.

Employers will have to take stock of their internal retirement and benefit offerings to ensure they are operationally and financially equipped to make the proper changes needed. In evaluating an organization's employee offerings, employers should equip their payroll, human resource and accounting staff with practical pension and benefit knowledge through the Canadian Payroll Association's (CPA's) Pensions & Benefits seminar.

Understanding Changes to the Canada Pension Plan

Employers will need to have the necessary changes programmed into their payroll systems well in advance to fulfil their legal responsibilities when the CPP expansion goes into effect in 2019. Employers should also anticipate that such changes may affect organizational policies, staff responsibilities and remuneration planning. The CPA offers its members payroll compliance resources, including the valuable e-Source legislative newsletter, Payroll InfoLine Q & A inquiry service (by phone and email), and a host of self-service web resources, to keep payroll, accounting and HR professionals up-to-date on regulatory and legislative changes impacting employers.

"With imminent changes to CPP, employers need to reassess their current retirement and benefit offerings for compliance, practicality, and financial preparedness," says Steven Van Alstine, Vice President of Education at the CPA. "Employers and employees alike will be impacted by such changes. Employers should make sure their staff and their organization are equipped with comprehensive retirement planning knowledge for the future."

Reviewing Your Full Offering of Benefits

Part of these preparations should also include an assessment of employer-sponsored benefits plans. Group health, disability and insurance plans should receive a thorough review to ensure that employees are receiving quality benefits without exorbitant costs to employers. Understanding the basics of such plans, how they are formed, and their tax and reporting considerations will help payroll, human resource and accounting staff to better support these functions within the organization and provide fundamental knowledge to help strike better deals at negotiation time. The CPA's seminars offer comprehensive overviews of these areas; Pensions & Benefits focuses on the key elements used to apply, administer or support pension and benefits functions within the organization, while the Best Practices of Employee Group Benefits seminar focuses on proper management and negotiation of group benefits.

For more information about the CPA and the many benefits that membership provides, visit payroll.ca / paie.ca.

About the Canadian Payroll Association:

Canada's 1.5 million employers rely on payroll practitioners to ensure the timely and accurate annual payment of $928 billion in wages and taxable benefits, $313 billion in statutory remittances to the federal and provincial governments, and $177 billion in health and retirement benefits, while complying with more than 200 federal and provincial regulatory requirements. Since 1978, the Canadian Payroll Association has annually influenced the payroll compliance practices and processes of over 500,000 organizational payrolls. As the authoritative source of Canadian payroll compliance knowledge, the Canadian Payroll Association promotes payroll compliance through education and advocacy.

SOURCE Canadian Payroll Association

For further information: Alison Rutka, Communications Specialist, [email protected], 416-487-3380 x 125

Related Links

http://www.payroll.ca


Honda Canada appoints a new Canadian President ensuring continuity of local leadership

TORONTO, Feb 21, 2017 /CNW/ - After an impressive career at Honda spanning more than four decades, President and CEO of Honda Canada, Jerry Chenkin today announced his intent to retire. Chenkin will remain in his role until March 31, 2017 at which point, fellow Honda Canada veteran, Dave Gardner will assume responsibility for leading the company and its various divisions.

Mr. Chenkin began his career in Honda's accounting department in 1975 after emigrating to Canada from London, England bringing with him a sharp business sense and a love for cars. At the time, Honda Canada operated as an importer of motorcycles and the first generation Civic. During those early days, Chenkin believed the company was on a path to success and since then, Honda Canada has evolved to become a key employer and Canadian market investor, sales leader, global manufacturing powerhouse and builder of the country's top-selling passenger vehicle, the Honda Civic, for 19 years running.

"I feel very fortunate to have spent my entire career at Honda and I will look back on my time as a rewarding experience filled with many memories and lasting relationships," said Chenkin. "I've had the distinct pleasure of working with and learning from many dedicated Associates and Dealers who have helped shape the person I am today. I'm proud of what we've all achieved together and I know the journey ahead will be just as exciting as the one we've travelled together."

Major milestones as first Canadian President and CEO

In 2013, Chenkin was named President and CEO of Honda; the first time in the company's history that a Canadian had been chosen to lead the company. During the past four years, Honda Canada has established record sales levels in its automobile and Power Equipment businesses. And with overall responsibilities for Honda's manufacturing operations in Canada, Chenkin oversaw manufacturing investments totaling more than $1.3 billion. These investments served to modernize production at Honda's Alliston, Ontario plants, protect thousands of high-quality jobs and secure Honda's position in an increasingly competitive, global business environment.

"Our achievements are the result of the hard work and dedication of the associates at Honda Canada, Honda of Canada Manufacturing and our Dealerships across the country," added Chenkin. "I provided direction and guidance and our people did the rest. I am so fortunate to have had this amazing life experience."

Honda to remain under Canadian leadership

Dave Gardner will succeed Mr. Chenkin as President and CEO of Honda Canada Inc. Gardner joined Honda in February 1989 and has held many roles within the company, including both Zone and National responsibilities. Dave is currently Senior Vice President, Operations and Risk Management Officer.

"I've had the honour of working with Jerry my entire Honda career and I know I speak for all of us here when I say thank you and good luck with the next chapter in your life," said Dave Gardner. "Jerry has expertly led this company and I look forward to continuing with the work he started. We have always held true to our core philosophy  to be a company that Canadians want to exist -- and my goal is to ensure we remain on that path."

Other changes within Honda Canada's executive team also effective April 1, include:

Barry Holt , EVP & Chief Operating Officer

, EVP & Chief Operating Officer Jean-Marc Leclerc , Sr. VP of Sales & Marketing

, Sr. VP of Sales & Marketing Sogo Nakata, Sr. Vice President

Vice President Tony Facciolo , VP Parts & Service

, VP Parts & Service Orlando Amiccuci , VP Shared Services & Chief Financial Officer

# # #

About Honda

Honda Canada Inc. (HCI) was founded in 1969 and is the parent company for both Honda and Acura vehicle brands in Canada. The company has produced more than 7.7 million cars and light trucks since 1986 at its two manufacturing facilities and builds engines at a third manufacturing plant in Alliston, Ontario. Both manufacturing facilities are extremely flexible and currently build Honda Civic and CR-V models. Honda Canada has invested more than $4.7 billion in Canada and each year it sources nearly $2.1 billion in goods and services from Canadian suppliers. Honda Canada has sold more than four million Honda and Acura passenger cars and light trucks in Canada.

SOURCE Honda Canada Inc.

For further information: John Thibodeau - 416-358-2181, [email protected]
MARKHAM, ON, Feb. 21, 2017 /CNW/ - For anyone that can't make it to the 2017 Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto before it closes February 26, Hyundai Auto Canada Corp. is offering a tour of the Hyundai display from anywhere, on any device. The interactive, virtual view of the booth and the Hyundai vehicles on display is a first for the automaker and will remain accessible online until March 6.

"The auto show in Toronto is a major event in the automotive industry's annual calendar. We wanted to take Hyundai's largest and most significant display and put it online so even more people can have the opportunity to experience it," says Lawrence Hamilton, Director of Marketing with Hyundai Auto Canada. "With this virtual tour, customers can check-out the newest Hyundai vehicles, including the world premiere of the All-new 2018 Accent subcompact and the Canadian premiere of the 2018 Elantra GT 5-door, online now and after the auto show ends."

Further, thanks to the digital environment, the company was also able to include a virtual tour of the Hyundai RN30 Concept car that made its North American premiere at the Montreal International Auto Show (January 20-29). The show in Montreal was the only Canadian stop for the RN30, so the virtual environment is key to ensuring more people have the opportunity to see it.

Hyundai Auto Canada worked with Virtuo360, a Google Street View trusted agency, and specialist in 360-degree photography to deliver the online experience. With extensive photographs of both the booth and Hyundai vehicles, Virtuo360 assembled the virtual tour in its custom software.

"We continue to push the boundaries of this technology by creating a specialized tour that allows users to interact with vehicles from the Hyundai lineup directly from the auto show floor," says Jeffrey Han, Virtuo360 President. "Through the tour, the viewer is able to select individual vehicles to view and the software is sophisticated enough to allow them to examine the interior or exterior anywhere on the Hyundai booth."

To experience the virtual tour, visit www.HyundaiCanada.com.

About Hyundai Auto Canada Corp.

Hyundai Auto Canada, established in 1983 and headquartered in Markham, Ontario, is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout Canada by Hyundai Auto Canada and are sold and serviced through more than 210 dealerships nationwide. Hyundai is also the first to offer its zero-emissions Tucson Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle to Canadian customers. More information about Hyundai and its vehicles can be found at www.HyundaiCanada.com.

SOURCE Hyundai Auto Canada Corp.

For further information: about Hyundai and its products, please contact: Chad Heard, Senior Manager of Public Relations, Hyundai Auto Canada Corp., Office: (905) 948-6712, Mobile: (416) 559-9640, Email: [email protected]; Jean-Francois Taylor, Public Relations Specialist, Hyundai Auto Canada Corp., Office: (905) 948-6754, Mobile: (416) 770-0842, Email: [email protected]

Related Links

http://www.hyundaicanada.com


Canada 150 Signature project includes weekly online challenges and live events

TORONTO, Feb. 21, 2017 /CNW/ - In celebration of the country's sesquicentennial, YMCA Canada - one of Canada's longest standing charities, has launched a Canada 150 Signature project called the YMCA LocalMOTION Challenge to encourage Canadians to adopt a healthy, active lifestyle.

The YMCA LocalMOTION Challenge is an interactive campaign that encourages Canadians to participate in online activities and in-person events across Canada from February to July 2017 for the chance to win a number of prizes including the Grand Prize; VIA Rail's The Canadian Trip (scenic travel experience between Toronto and Vancouver).

Railway YMCAs were opened in partnership with the railway companies, providing recreation, literacy programs, reading rooms and accommodation to railway workers. Growing from six associations in 1900 to nineteen in 1920, several Canadian YMCAs active today can trace their roots back to a railway YMCA.

"The Canada 150 celebrations represent a unique opportunity to engage our communities in order to help them grow in good health," said the Honourable Melanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage. "This year, YMCA Canada will promote the benefits of physical activity and community involvement by posing a challenge to Canadians. Thanks to the different activities available to them, communities will also be able to learn about the YMCA's historic role in the development of Canada's railways. I invite everyone to sign up for the YMCA LocalMOTION Challenge."

"The YMCA in Canada has been building healthy communities since before confederation so we're excited to be part of the sesquicentennial celebrations," said Peter Dinsdale President & CEO YMCA Canada. "The YMCA LocalMOTION Challenge celebrates our contribution to nation-building by telling the railway YMCA story while offering a fun way for Canadians of all ages and abilities to get active, connect to their communities, and learn new skills."

"This year, VIA Rail invites travellers to get onboard for Canada's 150th anniversary celebrations," said Yves Desjardins-Siciliano, President and Chief Executive Officer of VIA Rail Canada. "Our participation in YMCA's LocalMOTION Challenge is part of our involvement in major initiatives organized across Canada that strengthen the pride and sense of belonging to our country. The activities organized by the YMCA as part of this contest will promote our country's culture, bring people together and foster cultural diversity through the YMCA's approach to building stronger communities."

Canadians can register online now to get involved in the YMCA LocalMOTION Challenge. Local YMCAs and project partners will also hold events from March to July 2017 to encourage Canadians to take part in activities that Railway YMCAs would once have engaged in.

For more information, visit www.ymca.ca/LocalMOTION. Follow YMCA on Facebook or Twitter, #YMCALocalMOTION, to show your support.

ABOUT THE YMCA

About the YMCA in Canada

YMCA Canada is the national office providing support to a federation of 48 independent YMCA Associations that collectively represent one of Canada's longest standing and largest charitable networks. We serve more than 2.1 million people annually, with a special focus on children, teens and young adults. The YMCA's mandate is to advance the health and well-being of Canadians in spirit, mind and body. Across the country, YMCA Member Associations are providing vital community services that are having a positive impact on some of Canada's most pressing issues including chronic disease, unemployment, early childhood education, social isolation, poverty, inequality and more.

We offer wrap around programs that help Canadians become physically active, better connected to their communities, and equipped with the skills needed to achieve success in work and life. By addressing the social determinants of health, we are playing an essential role in the building of a healthier Canada today and for generations to come.

For more information, please visit www.ymca.ca.

SOURCE YMCA Canada

For further information: Media Contact: Lex Pearce, Citizen Relations, [email protected], 416-967-8115
Applications of the genome editing system CRISPR are appearing at a furious pace, and gathering momentum toward therapeutic use in human cells. Indeed, Chinese scientists recently began a human clinical trial using CRISPR-edited cells to fight lung cancer, and U.S. clinical trials are slated to begin in 2017. But leading up to this exciting milestone, researchers performed some editing on the CRISPR system itself.

Strategies used to modulate Cas9 activity. (Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal  Programmable Genome Editing Tools and their Regulation for Efficient Genome Engineering)

(a) Group II intron (GII)-based switch,

(b) separating Cas9 into two peptides, termed split-Cas9,

(c) Tetracycline-inducible and reversible expression system, and

(d) ligand-dependent dimerization of split-Cas9.

(e) Light-dependent dimerization of split-Cas9, termed photoactivatable Cas9 (paCas9),

(f) intein-Cas9, which are activated by splicing of a ligand-dependent intein,

(g) and unstable destabilizing domain-Cas9 (DD-Cas9) fusions, which are degraded unless provided with the ligand, Shield.

Abbreviations:

CAG = cytomegalovirus early enhancer/chicken -actin promoter;

Cas9 = clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)-associated protein 9;

Cas9 = partial Cas9;

dCas9 = dead Cas9;

FKBP = FK506 binding protein;

FRB = FKBP-rapamycin binding;

IPTG = isopropyl -D-1-thiogalactopyranoside;

KRAB = Kruppel-associated box; MN = meganuclease;

mRNA = messenger RNA;

rtTA = reverse tetracycline-controlled transcriptional activator;

sgRNA = single-guide RNA; TRE = tetracycline response element;

T7 = T7 RNA polymerase promoter;

4-HT = 4-hydroxytamoxifen;

DD = destabilizing domain;

nMag = negative Magnet;

pMag = positive Magnet;

sgRNA = single-guide ribonucleic acid.

Scientists quickly began tweaking CRISPR in the right places, and now innovative molecular features are making it work even better and for more cell types. The rapid emergence of CRISPR applications means that clinical trials related to HIV, cancer, sickle cell disease, and other diseases are on the horizon.

Today CRISPR is a cutting-edge tool for many more researchers, and more suitable for future therapeutic use than other gene-modulating methods. Back when RNA interference [RNAi] hit, it went into hyperdrive, says Mark Behlke, senior vice president and chief scientific officer at Integrated DNA Technologies (IDT), which supplies RNAi and CRISPR reagents. But now CRISPR makes that look like a childs gameits just mind-blowing.

CRISPR reagents get a makeover

Genome editing reagents are being developed and employed at a rapid rate. In order to increase specificity and avoid or reduce toxicity issues due to off-target activities strategies are now being developed to provide temporal control over the DNA-cutting activities of genome editing tools. There are a variety of novel approaches that have been employed so far but there is tremendous potential that is offered by nucleic acid-based regulatory switches that could be incorporated into the expression vectors of genome editing reagents. The development of programmable genome editing tools along with the ability of controlling the temporal and spatial expression of such editing reagents promises to be a very active and challenging research area.

Faster, cheaper, and easier to use than gene editing methods such as TALENs (transcription activator-like effector nucleases) or zinc-finger nucleases, CRISPR was quickly seized upon by researchers in many fields. For example, cancer researchers transformed cell lines with plasmids containing DNA that encoded CRISPR guide RNA (gRNA) and Cas9 (CRISPR-associated protein 9) to create different cancer cell lines for study.

But Matt Porteus, a physician and associate professor of pediatrics at Stanford University School of Medicine, had a different initial experience with CRISPR. Everyone was saying that CRISPR would solve all the problems of the world, but when we tried to use CRISPR DNA plasmids in cells that we thought were important for therapeutic applications, like hematopoietic cell lines or other primary human cell types, the system didnt work at all, he says. So the Porteus lab developed a different delivery method for CRISPR/Cas9 editing in human primary cells, one that doesnt require DNA plasmids.

Variations of this method exist that introduce CRISPR/Cas9 reagents into cells in the form of ribonucleoproteins (RNPs).

The researcher combines these reagents [gRNA and Cas9 protein] and allows them to form a complex for five to ten minutes to create RNPs, says Jon Chesnut, senior director of synthetic biology R and D at Thermo Fisher Scientific. The CRISPR RNPs can then be delivered to the cell by lipid nanoparticles or electroporation.

One of the keys to improving CRISPR in primary cells, as well as other cell types, is the recent enhancement of reagents. IDT developed chemically modified gRNAs that are resistant to nuclease degradation inside cells. The company also manufactures gRNAs in the form of two shorter RNAs (as in the original bacterial system) that form a complex, instead of a single, longer gRNA. MilliporeSigma also plans to offer two-part synthetic gRNAs as SygRNAs.

Other new tools include transfection chemistries for better delivery of CRISPR reagents into cells. MTI-GlobalStems new EditPro Stem Transfection Reagent supports the delivery of CRISPR tools into stem cells, and its EditPro Transfection Reagent enables delivery into human primary cells and cell lines. The new EditPro chemistry has a wide range of tunable dosage, in terms of the amount of mRNA that will translate into higher protein translation, says James Kehler, director of scientific alliances at MTI-GlobalStem.

MilliporeSigma also offers lentiviral-based CRISPR tools for whole-genome screening. In collaboration with the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, MilliporeSigma also recently constructed arrayed whole-genome CRISPR libraries for human and mouse genomes that offer flexibility in format, delivery, and scope (i.e., single genes, gene families, or whole genomes).

Agilent Technologies recently released pooled CRISPR guide libraries for screening, including the genome-scale CRISPR knockout (GeCKO) SureGuide Catalog human and mouse libraries delivered via lentiviral vector. Agilent also offers preamplified and nonamplified custom libraries for full flexibility. Our CRISPR pooled libraries are most often used in functional screening, using CRISPR/Cas9 to generate knockouts across the genome, says Caroline Tsou, Agilents global marketing director for molecular and synthetic biology in the Diagnostics and Genomics Group. Usually these knockouts serve to identify genes involved in cellular responses, such as in signaling pathways, or to discover the function of novel genes. Agilent also prints custom oligonucleotides of up to 230 base pairs, giving researchers the freedom to explore other uses for the libraries, she says.

Aiming CRISPR at human diseases

Meanwhile, all manner of CRISPR reagents are on deck to fight a variety of diseasesespecially using the DNA-free approach. The fast-on, fast-off nature of the RNP method, for example, is well suited to therapeutic applications where the CRISPR reagents cut where directed and then degrade quickly.

But correcting genetic defects isnt as simple as knocking out a gene, because often the correct functional gene must also be introduced at the right location. The Porteus lab at Stanford recently published proof-of-concept work using CRISPR RNPs to target the beta-globin gene, mutations of which cause sickle cell disease. They showed that they could correct the defective beta-globin gene in human hematopoietic stem cells from patients with this disease (4). Independently, a lab at the University of California, Berkeley, accomplished a similar CRISPR editing result with the beta-globin gene, using a slightly different method to deliver the corrected gene.

Taken together, the work of these and other labs is promising for upcoming human trials. In June, the U.S. National Institutes of Health approved the first trial in the United States, slated for 2017, which will use CRISPR-edited human T cells to help augment cancer therapies.

Meanwhile, the Porteus lab is gearing up to manufacture CRISPR-edited cells for use in patients, in clinical trials that they hope to start in 2018. They will likely target sickle cell disease first, followed by severe combined immune deficiency (SCID). Porteus hopes to use CRISPR not just to correct mutations, but also to give cells new properties that might treat a disease, such as an immune system thats resistant to HIV, or to create cells that could deliver a protein to the brain, he says. In the ecology of science and medicine, we feel like our role is to try to bring this technology to patients.

With the development of CRISPR research tools in hyperdrive and U.S. clinical trials set to begin next year, these goals are probably closer to being realized than we imagine.

SOURCES  Journal Science, Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal  Programmable Genome Editing Tools and their Regulation for Efficient Genome Engineering
John Hawkes has that he does not believe that a wooly mammoth embyro will be created within two years.

George Church indicated that

45 mammoth-like edits of DNA have been spliced into the Asian elephant genome. Were working on ways to evaluate the impact of all these edits, says Church. The list of edits affects things that contribute to the success of elephants in cold environments. We already know about ones to do with small ears, subcutaneous fat, hair and blood.

Church says the next step would be to produce a hybrid embryo, although in reality this would really be more like an elephant embryo carrying a handful of mammoth genetic traits. Were not there yet, but it could happen in a couple of years.

Churchs objective is to create a more mammoth-like, hardier breed of Asian elephants, which are significantly more endangered than their African cousins. Such elephants could have a wider variety of ecosystems to choose from, and wouldnt be trapped in a rapidly shrinking range of habitats.

Note  creating a modified Asian elephant could be done by modifying the DNA and creating the embyro and then having a regular Asian elephant carry it to term.

If the gene-editing technique works, Church said it could be applied to other threats facing a wide variety of species: Frogs and salamanders could be genetically modified to make them impervious to the pathogens that are killing them off. Mosquitoes have already been modified in the lab to keep them from transmitting malaria, to cut down on breeding, or to keep the female bugs from flying.

Church acknowledged that species engineering has been criticized as costing too much and posing too many risks, especially when other environmental remedies are available. I dont think its an either-or thing, he said. Its like saying we should invest in iron lungs rather than a polio vaccine, or in kidney dialysis rather than kidney transplants.

George Churchs team has used oligo synthesizers like this to produce sequences that havent existed inside living organisms for some 4,000 years, reconstructing lines of code extracted from the preserved bones, blood and flesh of Elephas primigenius. The woolly mammoth.

By sequencing those found fragments of DNA, scientists have been piecing together a full genome for the lost megafauna, which runs to nearly five billion base pairs  dwarfing that of humans.

Researchers cant yet print out or stitch together a genome anywhere near that long, but Church and others exploring de-extinction are pursuing a different route, which draws on those improving editing tools.

Theyre comparing the mammoth genomes to those of its closest living relative, the Asian elephant. The hope is they can print out the strands that differ, paste them into the right spots, insert that into an embryonic cell and implant it into the uterus of an elephant.

Genome editing is delicate work. The longer the strands and the more insertion points, the greater the chance that something will go wrong along the way.

Church has homed in on the woolly mammoth because he thinks it presents the best opportunity for success. There are relatively few differences, fewer in fact than between the Asian elephant and its present-day African cousin.

Church noted that the return of the passenger pigeon, which used to compete vigorously for food with tick-carrying rodents, could tamp down the surge of Lyme disease in this nation.

It is also believed that the woolly mammoth stomped down snow and ate away dark vegetation that absorbed heat in the Arctic tundra. He said that returning the creature in sufficient numbers may help protect the thawing permafrost, which sequesters more carbon dioxide than all of the rain forests combined.

John Hawkes was apparently worked up that over 60 articles got written and most of those ignored the details of what Church stated.

* elephants have gestation periods of 660 days. So no baby from the hybrid-embyro

* not a full mammoth because that would take 4000+ edits

* also no artificial womb to carry an elephant embryo to term

Partial Artificial mouse womb

They are already capable of growing a mouse embryo in an artificial womb for 10 days  halfway through a mouses 20 day gestation period.

John Hawkes notes

Previous experiments from other labs have successfully brought embryos more than 10 days into development by implanting them on a three-dimensional scaffold of endometrial cells and nutrients in culture. That work isnt from the 1980s, it was going on ten years ago and may still be underway in various labs, reviewed by Bulletti and colleagues (2011). In those experiments, after a certain stage of development, the ex vivo mice failed to grow normally and ultimately they died well before their 20-day gestation was complete. Maybe research will find some way around those problems, but for the moment this kind of approach will only yield early-stage embryos.

Elephants have a 22-month gestation length. At birth, elephants weigh 200 pounds. An elephant-sized artificial uterus would require either an enormous surface area of engineered tissue for placental attachment, or some kind of placenta replacement. Placenta replacement may not be impossible: In one experiment, a goat fetus was kept alive for more than a week by perfusing blood through the umbilicus supplemented with oxygen and nutrients. But thats far from a full-term gestation. Doctors have a lot of experience with extreme measures for nutrition and oxygen supplementation in cases of premature human infants.

If an effective artificial uterus were invented, it would be a massively more important story than Churchs mammoth gene transfer project. The technical challenges are much greater, and the human benefits of such technology would be enormous.

There are cases where species engineering is already making a change for the better. For example, a fungus apparently imported from Asia virtually wiped out American chestnut forests beginning in the early 1900s. Today, a scientific consortium is using genetic engineering to create a blight-resistant strain of the American chestnut, and thousands of the trees are taking root.

Church has co-founded several big companies

Church has co-founded over 14 companies, including

Veritas Genetics (human genomics, 2014, with Mirza Cifric, Preston Estep, Yining Zhao, Joe Thakuria),

Warp Drive Bio (natural products, 2011, with Greg Verdine and James Wells),

Alacris (cancer systems therapeutics, 2010, with Hans Lehrach, Bernhard Herrmann, and Shahid Imran),

Knome (human genomics, 2007, with Jorge Conde and Sundar Subramaniam),

Pathogenica (microbe and viral NGS diagnostics, 2009, with Yemi Adesokan),

AbVitro (immunomes, 2010, with Francois Vigneault and Mirza Cifric),

Gen9 Bio (synthetic biology, 2009, with Joseph Jacobson and Drew Endy),

EnEvolv (Genome Engineering), Joule Unlimited (SolarFuels, 2007, with Noubar Afeyan and David Berry), and

LS9 (green chemistry, 2005, with Chris Somerville, Jay Keasling, Vinod Khosla, Noubar Afeyan, and David Berry)  $81 million invested, sold in 2013 for $40 million and $21 million more if milestones were met.

Church is a founding scientific advisor for Editas. Editas currently has $1 billion market cap. NOTE  the author of Nextbigfuture owns shares in Editas.

He has participated in technology development, licensing patents and advising most of the Next-Generation Sequencing companies, including

Complete Genomics,

Life Technologies,

Illumina,

Danaher Corporation,

Roche Diagnostics,

Pacific Biosciences,

Genia, and

Nabsys

Churchs peers say that science is years ahead because of his labs work. Thats no small thing in the genetics field: In a little more than a decade, the price of full genome sequencing has plummeted from about $3 billion to less than $1,000.

Genome editing is rapidly advancing and George Church and his lab and his companies are leading the way in multi-billion efforts.
The past few months have seen the appearance of many online and mobile platforms in China that are proving a boon for young and established artists, and a great way for the public to buy pieces at affordable prices. Deng Zhangyu reports.

In the past six months, Beijing-based painter Zhong Biao has sold limited-edition prints of his oil painting Samadhi using an art app Ywart, at prices ranging from 699 yuan ($102) to 899 yuan based on the sizes of the prints.

He has also put some of his oil paintings for sale on the mobile-art trading platform.

Although none of his oil paintings priced at more than 250,000 yuan have sold online yet, Zhong is confident about striking a deal soon.

Above and top right: Oil paintings by Zhong Biao. The limit-ededition prints sell well on an online art-trading platform. Above right: Staff members pack works for sale on the Ywart mobile-art platform. Photos Provided to China Daily

The 49-year-old has held solo shows in China and abroad, but using the app is his first attempt to sell works online.

"Online art trading is inevitable. We have to do it and be patient," says Zhong, who is known for creating multidimensional worlds on canvas.

Last year saw the appearance of many online and mobile-art platforms in China.

The app buybuyart was launched last year by Jin Jun, deputy director of the design school of the Central Academy of Fine Arts.

Within six months, the platform had about 1,000 artists, most of whom were young art college graduates.

Now, there are nearly 3,000 artists registered on the app. But some, especially established ones, use it only to show their works, says Jin.

The prices of the works sold on the app range from 1,000 to 5,000 yuan, which Jin says is what a Chinese first-time buyer is typically willing to pay.

Jin says one of the main reasons the online art market is taking off is that it is almost impossible for ordinary Chinese to buy art sold through traditional sources like galleries and auction houses. The convenience of mobile payment and fast delivery make the apps an easy way for millions of mobile users to access art easily.

"In the West, even people living in rented apartments buy art for decoration or just enjoyment. And, now, with people in China getting bigger houses, they are spending money on decorating them," says Jin.

Jin, who leads a team of about 20, says the number of registered users on his app has continued increasing since it was launched last year. Most are from big cities like Beijing and Shanghai.

"We need to be patient. It takes time for people to buy art for home decoration," he adds.

The mobile-art platform works for young artists, who sell prints of their works as it lets them sell their works at affordable prices.

Meanwhile, the sale of limited-edition prints also does well on Ywart, an online art platform that also has an app.

Zhong, the oil painter, sells a lot of prints of his works.

Ywart founder and former museum director Zhu Tong says a client once bought 900 prints of an established artist's work.

Then, in January, another client ordered 350 prints of a particular work as gifts for her company's clients.

The client told Zhu that she was bored of buying scarves or tea as gifts and never imagined that works from renowned artists could be so affordable.

"The demand for art is always there, but we fail to meet it. With mobile technology, people can access high-quality art easily," says Zhu.

Zhu says the number of users has crossed 10,000. Many buy original works that are priced from 5,000 to 50,000 yuan.

Zhu says abstract works and those with bright colors are favored by buyers who mainly buy art for decoration. A user from Changsha in Hunan province bought three works worth more than 200,000 yuan.

Zhu has also opened physical stores in big cities, including in Nanjing, Suzhou and Shenzhen. He also works with real estate companies and hotels to help them decorate.

"People see art pieces at our stores or spaces and they then turn to our app to buy them," he says.

"The market is huge and will continue to grow. It is just like sitting atop a volcano waiting for it to erupt."

According to a report on the online-art trade by insurer Hiscox, online art sales hit a record high of $3.27 billion in 2015,which sets the market on course for sales of $9.58 billion by 2020.

Separately, the mobile-art market is also drawing traditional dealers.

In March, Zhu says his app will collaborate with 10 galleries in China and some collectors to sell high-end pieces online, including works by big names like Wu Guanzhong, an oil painter whose works often fetch millions of yuan.

Zhu says his ultimate goal is to offer quality art to anyone with an internet connection and a smartphone.

"Stop saying that the Chinese don't have a taste for art. All they need is a good channel to access it," he says.

Contact the writer at dengzhangyu@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 02/21/2017 page18)
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$5.00 Per Ticket Suggested DonationTickets available at Pier 55 LoungeAll proceeds go to SWFL Charities Foundation.FREE FOOD  LOTS OF PRIZES TO WIN!Prize drawings will be held throughout the evening starting at 5:30 PM.All prizes have been donated by local area businesses.Must be 21 or over to participate. NEED NOT BE PRESENT TO WIN.The HOCAG Foundation DBA "SWFL Charities Foundation" is a nonprofit organization under section 501(c)(3) which was created to support local charity organizations and raise funds for individuals in need in the SWFL area.Thank you so much for your support! 217-585-0241
Atletico Madrid opened their Champions League knockout stage with a 4-2 win away to Bayer Leverkusen in the round of 16 first leg on Tuesday.Saul Niguez and Antoine Griezmann put Atletico 2-0 up before Karim Bellarabi got a goal back for the hosts early in the second half. Kevin Gameiro then restored Atletico's two-goal edge from the penalty spot before a Stefan Savic own goal again reduced Leverkusen's deficit.But Fernando Torres, on as a late substitute, had the final say as Atletico came away with a comfortable advantage ahead of their home leg.Leverkusen nearly gifted Atletico the opener in the 11th minute. Griezmann's shot was saved by Bernd Leno, but when Filipe Luis put a second ball into the box, Wendell's clearance clanged off the crossbar.The hosts had a good response, though, working their way into the Atletico box before Kevin Kampl's shot deflected wide.But Atletico were on top on 17 minutes when Niguez ran past the sliding Kampl on the wing, cut into the box and unleashed a marvelous curling effort over Leno's outstretched arm.It got worse for Leverkusen eight minutes later when Aleksandar Dragovic miscued an attempted header at the centre line, and it fell for Gameiro to run towards goal. He was able to hold the ball up long enough to cross to Griezmann, who fired home off the underside of the bar.And Atletico were unfortunate not to be 3-0 up when Gameiro again centred for Griezmann, who was in on goal but could not beat Leno.Leverkusen had a penalty shout just before the break when Javier Hernandez collided with Gabi while jumping for a ball, and though it wasn't given the incident did seem to spark the hosts to start the second half.Indeed, Bellarabi found a goal for Leverkusen in the 48th minute as he redirected Benjamin Henrichs's low cross into the opposite corner of the net.But Gameiro nearly restored the advantage two minutes later when he struck the corner of the woodwork and then did find Atletico's third before the hour mark in controversial fashion.Gameiro tried to run past Aleksandar Dragovic on the side of the goal, and though the Austrian defender appeared to make contact outside the box, Scottish referee William Collum pointed to the penalty spot, and Gameiro converted easily.Leverkusen were not finished, though, and got a goal back on 68 minutes when Julian Brandt's cross was pushed away by Mayo but only against the leg of defender Savic, who could do nothing as the ball entered the net.The hosts pushed for an equaliser and thought they had one with 10 minutes to play, only for Luis to clear Hernandez's effort off the line.And in the 86th minute it was Atletico who restored their two-goal advantage, with Torres flicking home a header from Sime Vrsaljko's cross to cap the scoring ahead of the second leg in Madrid.Credit: ESPN
President Muhammadu Buharis Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, on Tuesday said the President would announce to Nig...

President Muhammadu Buharis Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, on Tuesday said the President would announce to Nigerians when it was time for him to return from his medical vacation.Adesina spoke with State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja shortly after he issued a statement in which he quoted the President as saying that the results of the medical tests he carried out showed that he needed longer time of rest.When asked when specifically the President plans to return to the country, Adesina said, What we have just said is what I will want us to believe. The President said he needs to rest further. The same President that communicated that to us, when it is time for him to come, he will also communicate to us.Read also: PDP asks Buhari to declare health status as President extends vacationThe presidential spokesman said the President only wanted Nigerians to know that he appreciates their prayers, concerns and goodwill.He said since he has added that there is no cause to worry, Nigerians should believe the President.He said, He (the President) is the one who owns his body and there is nobody who will know his body more than him and he says no cause to worry.It makes sense to say that maybe from the results of the tests, further rests had been recommended. The statement did not say how long the rest will last.I speak for somebody, I do not speak for myself. So it is what he tells me to say that I say and the statement transmitted to me is that the President needs to rest for some further time.When asked if there is any possibility for the President to speak to Nigerians directly, Adesina said, What he has just done (the statement) is to speak to Nigerians.When asked what specifically was wrong with the President, Adesina said even medical doctors were forbidden from disclosing their patients state of health.Dont you know that the Hippocratic Oath even forbids a doctor from speaking about the condition of his patient except the patient authorises it?It is only the patient himself who can speak about what he is going through.This is the person going through these series of tests and rest and he says no cause to worry, let us believe that, he said.Adesina also said it was not correct to describe the encounter between Nigerian journalists making attempt to reach the President in London and his handlers as harassment.He explained that interviews with Presidents are unusually scheduled.I do not consider that an harassment. Presidents are not hijacked and interviewed. Those things are scheduled. So I do not consider that as harassment, he said.Adesina also faulted claims that Buhari might have lost his voice, asking those behind the report to prove it.He said, Those people need to prove it. He spoke with President Trump. Did Trump say he did not speak with Nigerian President? Anybody can allege anything.My message to Nigerians is that let us learn to believe our leaders. This is a man we elected into office and he says no cause to worry, let us believe him.
A father of nine children, Adekunle Adewusi, on Tuesday appeared before an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates Court for allegedly disposing his...

A father of nine children, Adekunle Adewusi, on Tuesday appeared before an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates Court for allegedly disposing his childs remains inside a canal.The Prosecutor, Sgt. Kehinde Omisakin, told the court that the 49-year-old father of No. 25, Folorunaho Kuku Str, Opebi, Ikeja committed the offences on February 7 at about 10. 00 p.m.Omisakin said that the corpse of the four-year-old Rachel was found inside a canal close to the residence of the accused.The accused in his statement claimed that the deceased was pushed on a sharp object by her playmates and because the wound was not properly treated, it developed into a big issue.Instead of taking the child to the hospital, he decided to do a home remedy which eventually led to her death.And instead of depositing the remains at the mortuary, the accused dumped her body in a canal close to his residence.The deceased is the sixth child of the accused and has eight other siblings, she said.The offence contravened sections 165(a) (b) and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos state, 2015.Adewusi who is standing trial on a two-count for misconduct with regards to a corpse and without lawful justification in disposing of a corpse pleaded not guilty.The Magistrate, Mr A.T. Elias ordered the prosecutor to bring the other eight children of the accused and his wife so as to enable him to give his ruling on the adjourned date.The magistrate also remanded the accused in police custody and adjourned the case till Feb. 27.
The House of Representatives on Tuesday joined the Nigerian Senate to suspend legislative business to Wednesday to mourn the death of a la...

The House of Representatives on Tuesday joined the Nigerian Senate to suspend legislative business to Wednesday to mourn the death of a lawmaker.The house, which resumed plenary after weeks of 2017 Budget deliberation, adjourned to mourn Bello Sani, who represented Mashi/Dutsi federal constituency.The death of Sani brings to three the total number of lawmakers who have died since the lower legislative chamber was inaugurated in June 2015.
The Managing Director, Capital Oil and Gas, Dr Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah has called for the review of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, ...

The Managing Director, Capital Oil and Gas, Dr Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah has called for the review of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, in order for it to become a job creating platform as against what the scheme offers now. Ubah, who spoke yesterday, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, at an event organized by Nigeria Economics Students Association, (NESA), UNIZIK Chapter, called for review of the NYSC Scheme from what it represents now to a scheme capable of solving Nigerias employment crisis. Speaking on the topic Entrepreneurship and Nigerian Youths: Ifeanyi Ubah Experience and Lesson, the Anambra-born Entrepreneur who was represented by his SSA Media, Ikechukwu Onyia advocated for new direction with respect to the NYSC Scheme.Ubah said: NYSC is a scheme introduced by the Federal Government as an Interventionist policy immediately after the civil war, it was meant to serve as an integration scheme and not for job creation.But now, the greatest crisis facing Nigeria is that of unemployment and the development calls for the review of NYSC Scheme to reflect job creation. The scheme founded in 70s is over 40years old and therefore begging for a review. Today, the Federal Government pays each Corp member under NYSC Scheme N19, 800 per month and that gives us N237, 609 per year and when you factor in other expenses that emanates from camping, you will be having about N300,000 for each corp member per year. Federal Government Mobilizes 150,000 graduates every year for NYSC. Lets use 150,000 graduates here.If in a year, Federal Government mobilizes 150,000 graduates for NYSC and spends around N300, 000 on each of them, this amounts to N45 Billion per annum.He added that we can review the scheme and make our graduates go through various skills acquisition training upon graduation and N300,000 handed to them by Federal Government to establish the Entrepreneurship skill that he or she might have learned. We can hand over this N300,000 to our graduates after they must have passed through one, three weeks or say one month Entrepreneurship or skill acquisition training as a seed or start up capital. Yes, we can re-adjust the 12 months service year to three weeks or one month which will be used for the training of these graduates towards self reliance.The Proprietor, FC Ifeanyi Ubah asked, what is the gain of spending N45 Billion on our graduates after which you push them to the unemployment market? Is it not better we train them and hand each of them the N300,000 as a seed capital.? Some of them can even use their own seed money to go into cooperative groups among themselves towards setting up various businesses upon graduation and by so doing, we will be creating job creators instead of job seekers. Ubah challenged the students to redirect the conversation towards providing solutions to the challenges blighting the Nation as the country is faced with multiple economic shocks. You must start raising agenda for the policy makers of this Nation.Creating solution is what makes an Entrepreneur thick and you must rise to the occasion especially now that our Nation faces multiple economic shocks.Good enough, there is hope because you are here today in this hall as stakeholders in this great search for solutions. Ubah, however, called on the government to redirect its focus in creating enabling environment for Entrepreneurship to thrive in Nigeria. The truth is that Government cannot do this alone and there is need for Government at all levels to start creating enabling environment through Public Policies that will stimulate entrepreneurial growth in the country in order to forestall recurring economic crisis in the country.
Ghanas former President, Jerry John Rawlings, has bemoaned Nigerians praying for President Muhammadu Buharis death.

Ghanas former President, Jerry John Rawlings, has bemoaned Nigerians praying for President Muhammadu Buharis death. He described the emergence of President Buhari as a divine intervention because of his anti-corruption credentials.Rawlings made this known weekend during a courtesy call on him by a group of actors including legendary actor, Pete Edochie.He said, It is unfortunate that the cost of living in Nigeria appears to be suffocating the people.So while some are praying for his health, unfortunately, some are praying he wouldnt come back.Recall that Buhari had been on a 10-day vacation in the UK .The Presidency had announced that Buhari wrote to the senate to extend his vacation indefinitely due to health issues, an action that has drawn so much condemnation from Nigerians.Rather than blame Buhari, we should be blaming the extent and depth to which corruption had gripped Nigeria.But I guess you need a creative team that would know how to resolve the economic situation of the country without possibly undermining the cost of living of the people.People are getting away with massive corruption because they are not compelled to conform to traditional religious authority.We swear by the Bible and the Koran and lie but dare not with our local traditional deities.We are destroying the fabric of our society. This is not good enough. People are distorting historical truths all the time.When you find yourselves at the centre of human endeavours like I have, truth must be sacrosanct, Rawlings added.
The wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, has advised Nigerians to emulate her husband by never giving up on their dreams and aspirat...

The wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, has advised Nigerians to emulate her husband by never giving up on their dreams and aspirations.She said her husband became Nigerias president in 2015 due to his doggedness, persistence and compassion for the masses.She said this in Abeokuta on Tuesday in Abeokuta during the launch of a book titled, Buhari vs YarAdua: Facing the future, written by a Special Assistant on Media to the Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, Opeyemi Soyombo.The First Lady was represented by the wife of the Ogun State governor, Dr Olufunso Amosun.She commended the efforts of the author, who documented the legal struggles of her husband in the 2007 election petition challenging the victory of the late President Umaru YarAdua.Despite Buharis legal struggles which saw him moving to Court of Appeal and to the Supreme Court trying to prove that he won the 2007 presidential election, he lost the case. But he never gave up his presidential ambition.Mrs Buhari noted that the importance of record keeping or documentation could not be over-emphasised because without it history would be distorted.She said there were lots of lessons to learn from the life of President Buhari who contested the presidential election consecutively four times before he eventually won in 2015.She said, There are lots of lessons to learn from the life of President Muhammadu Buhari, most especially his doggedness and compassion for the masses. President Buhari contested presidential election consecutively four times before he eventually won in 2015.His victory has paid off considering his passion for helping the masses and most importantly the successes recorded in the anti-corruption war of his government.I commend the efforts of the writer for documenting the Presidential Election suit between the candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and President Umaru YarAdua of the Peoples Democratic Party in 2007.This shows that the author has been following with keen interest elections held in the country and the petitions arising from them. In most recent shared views and writings on human and societal development, the investment made on other people gives tremendous yields; thus the facts and authenticity of the book are invaluable.The chairman of the occasion, whos a retired judge of the Ogun State High Court, Justice Ademola Bakre, said Nigerians must all work for a better future of Nigeria.While he lamented the rot in the countrys judiciary, he warned against interference and undue pressure in the affairs of judges.He said, I want to appeal that Nigerians should allow the judges to do their job, people should stop putting unnecessary pressure on them.Speaking with journalists after the launch, the author said he was motivated to write the 179-page book, which was divided into seven chapters, to forestall election rigging in the future in Nigeria.Soyombo noted that Buhari was short-changed in the 2007 presidential election, adding that the book would ensure that we have credible, free and fair elections and to ensure that the judiciary on no account, either by design or default, would endorse electoral robbery.The book was reviewed by Mr Kayode Oyede of the Department of Public Private Law, Faculty of Law, Lagos State University, Ojo, Lagos.
Nigerians on Monday expressed outrage after it emerged that Indian-packaged garri was being sold in the country.

Nigerians on Monday expressed outrage after it emerged that Indian-packaged garri was being sold in the country.The garri is packed in a 500g bag, which has the picture of a lady and an inscription, TRS (Asias Finest Foods) on it, with a price tag of N450.The Executive Director, Natural Nutrient Limited, Sola Adeniyi, expressed dismay at the development in a post entitled, Attention: Indian garri being sold in Nigerian supermarkets, which he shared on WhatsApp.According to Adeniyi, who is an agribusiness development value chain expert, the sale of the Indian-packaged garri in Nigeria is an absurdity of monumental proportion and a shame.He said, Our government and regulatory agencies (if they still exist) should cover their faces in shame. I would like to ask: how much were you paid in bribe? Is this how far we are mentally bankrupt? We are indeed in a big mess in this nation. Can you imagine imported garri from India now selling in shops in Nigeria and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control approved this?So, we finally have consigned our dear country to a dumping ground for all forms of Asian mindless madness. Nigeria is the worlds largest producer of cassava for crying out loud, but here we are shamelessly displaying Indian-made garri and not corn flakes on our shelves.Nigerians also took to the social media space to condemn the act, one of them writing on Nairaland with the user name, smartiyke78, said, I am ashamed of this country called Nigeria.The other day, it was imported packaged jollof rice from India or China. As if that embarrassment was not enough, now this is garri. What a shame to all who call themselves leaders and decision makers. Could this be the result of the incessant unprofitable travels the President was making?I just hope Nigeria has not been sold out in the name of some clueless economic partnership.Another user, Dauda Abu, wrote, Nigeria is the largest producer of cassava. How on earth should we be importing garri into our market? We are not encouraging our industry to grow at all.Following the outrage, NAFDAC raided the shop located along Cameron Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.According to the Acting Director-General of NAFDAC, Mrs. Yetunde Oni, the agencys officers visited the supermarket on Monday and seized 26 packs of the product for analysis.The product has no NAFDAC number. It is said to be from Ghana but packaged in the United Kingdom. The management of the supermarket has been invited for further discussion in our Lagos office and investigation continues, she said in a text message in response to an enquiry by our correspondent.
The Governor of Imo State and chairman Progressives Governors Forum, Rochas Okorocha, has warned a former Governor of Kaduna State, Ahmed ...

The Governor of Imo State and chairman Progressives Governors Forum, Rochas Okorocha, has warned a former Governor of Kaduna State, Ahmed Makarfi, and his faction to respect a judgment of a court of Appeal, Port Harcourt, Rivers state, which affirmed that Alimodu Sheriff, was the true National chairman of the crisis-ridden Peoples Democratic Party.The Governor said that, while the Makarfi led faction of the PDP reserved the Constitutional right to appeal the court of Appeal judgement in Supreme Court, himself and other faithful who are opposed to the leadership of Sheriff should not heat up the polity or do anything that would undermine the countys nascent democracy.In a statement issued in Owerri, the state capital on Tuesday by the Governors political Adviser, Professor Nnamdi Obiaraeri, Okorocha, noted with dismay a communique issued after a meeting in Abuja on Monday by the Makarfi led faction of the main opposition party.The governor, who averred that democrats in a democracy should have democratic mindsets, admonished Makarfi and his group not be anarchists by going against a valid judgement which empowered Sheriff as the indisputable National chairman of the PDP.The statement which was titled SENATOR MAKARFI AND HIS CO-TRAVELLERS CAN PROCEED ON APPEAL TO THE SUPREME COURT BUT MUST NOT DENIGRATE THE JUDICIARY AND OR HEAT UP THE POLITY UNNECESSARILY asserted that any unlawful act undertaken by the Makarfi faction was an affront to the countrys democracy.Parts of the statement reads, Our attention has been drawn to the recent Communique allegedly issued after a meeting in Abuja by Senator Makarfi and his co-travellers following his loss of the National Chairmanship and control of PDP to Senator Sheriff in the recent judgement of the Court of Appeal.We concede the constitutional right of any person dissatisfied with the judgement of the Court of Appeal to approach the Supreme Court for a final adjudication and determination of the matter or matters in contention but we view with grave concern the apparent disregard for a valid and subsisting judgement of the Court of Appeal by Senator Makarfi and his clique in the PDP national leadership impasse.This open disregard for a valid and subsisting judgement of the Court of Appeal is a grave affront to the judiciary as an arm of government and must be condemned by all and sundry as a further threat to our fledgeling democracy.Going through the gamut of the said communique, we are piqued by the shameful lack of decorum exhibited by its authors and the derisive language employed by the Senator Markafi led group in lambasting the majority judgement of the Court of Appeal sought to be appealed against.To say the least, the language of the communique as it affects Their Lordships of the Court of Appeal who delivered the majority judgement is very irresponsible and typical of the outcome of a gathering of lawless political marabouts and desperate gamblers.Concerned stakeholders in the legal profession, decent observers and men and women of enlightened conscience are surprised that Senator Makarfi and his rebellious group will delude themselves into believing that a valid and subsisting majority judgement of the penultimate court of the land can be nibbled at to the point of being brazenly disobeyed because of a dissenting minority judgement. This is completely unacceptable.The judgement of the Court of Appeal is that Senator Sheriff is the PDP helmsman and this must be respected and obeyed until upset on a final appeal by the Supreme Court. Anybody or group of persons doing anything to the contrary is lawless and liable to be punished for contempt.The Honourable Learned Justices of the Court of Appeal that delivered the judgement complained about by Senator Markafi must neither be intimidated nor brazenly insulted. Our judiciary and judicial officers must be respected and protected.Rule of law is not mob ruleit is rule according to law. Hence, we reiterate that the comments in that communique concerning the judgement, the persons and integrity of the revered Justices of the Court of Appeal that delivered the majority judgement, are most unfortunate and with the greatest respect, can only emanate from a gathering of a riotous mob.While we welcome the idea of a final appeal to the Supreme Court so that all the issues in dispute will be resolved and binding precedence on political party administration will crystalize, we advise the dissatisfied Senator Makarfi group in PDP not to heat up the polity unnecessarily.Decency and civilised behaviour will demand that while quietly licking the wound of their loss at the Court of Appeal to Senator Sheriff and or pursuing their appeal to the Supreme Court, Senator Makarfi and his cohorts must remain law abiding and avoid conducts likely to breach the peace.In the interim, we feel obliged to remind all concerned that the Supreme Court has restated in a long line of decided cases that an appeal does not simpliciter or automatically serve as a stay of execution.It is also good law, and a settled one too, that you can not deny a judgment creditor the fruits of his litigation! This is the delicate balance that must be maintained until the Supreme Court enters final judgement on the matter one way or the other.We opine that democrats must have democratic mindset and be rule of law compliant. Any politician in a democracy without a democratic mindset or unwilling to abide by judicial outcomes is an anarchist.
The Peoples Democratic Party senators in the Red Chamber on Tuesday asked the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, to declare Senator Andy Uba...

The Peoples Democratic Party senators in the Red Chamber on Tuesday asked the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, to declare Senator Andy Ubas seat vacant for defecting from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress.The Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio, while making the demand on behalf of the caucus in the days plenary, also called Ubas removal as Chairman, Senate Committee on Public Accounts by Wednesday.Andy Uba had said that he joined the APC because of other personalities in the party with sound ideas and whom he looked up to in politics.He listed some of the personalities to include the Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, and APC National Auditor, Chief George Muoghalu.Uba stressed that with such caliber of people, the party would take the state to enviable heights.
As the Federal Government intensifies effort to appease the restive Niger Delta region to stabilise oil production, President Muhammadu ...

As the Federal Government intensifies effort to appease the restive Niger Delta region to stabilise oil production, President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the immediate return of the golden sword seized by the Nigerian Army last year to Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South Local Government of Delta State.The golden sword described as the symbol of authority of the Gbaramatu, was reportedly confiscated by soldiers from the 4th Brigade, Benin City, in May last year while searching for ex-militant leader, Government Ekpomukpolo, alias Tompolo, in the heat of oil facility bombings in the area. In addition to the return of the sword, the Presidency has also resolved to mobilize funds for the immediate takeoff of the Maritime University of Nigeria, which has been marred by controversies and lack of funding.A top Presidency source revealed that President Buhari ordered the search, recovery and immediate return of the golden sword which is a symbol of the Egbesu Shrine, to Gbaramatu Kingdom with immediate effect. The official, who pleaded anonymity, said the new move by the Presidency to appease the Niger Delta was in line with the resolve by the government to bring about lasting peace to the area and end the destruction of economic facilities that is currently hurting the nation.The source confirmed that it was in a bid to appease the Niger Delta and forge ahead that President Buhari despatched his deputy, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, to meet with key leaders of the Niger Delta in recent weeks, even in his absence on vacation and medical attention. The official described Osinbajos ongoing visits to the Niger Delta as a diplomatic offensive aimed at resolving the crisis in the region.It was laernt that as part of the Niger Delta rapprochement, the Presidency has also decided to play down on the use of open military tactics against Niger Delta militants in favour of dialogue with identified groups, one of them being the Pan Niger Delta Elders Forum, PANDEF. The official said: President Buhari instructed the Vice President to go and work out details of series of tours and visits to all the states in the country that have oil-producing communities and ensure that all interests are brought to the table, regardless of parties or any other differing factors or cleavages.The meetings also resolved that the Amnesty Programme which the President had already instructed should be maintained with even greater budgetary funding and this must be clearly communicated to the communities by the Vice President during the meetings. Besides, the President also asked the Vice President to ensure that during the visits, the communities should be made to understand that the Federal Government is now interested in action and would do its own part. The Vice President was also asked to secure from the communities a buy-in of peace and collaboration from state governments and the oil companies in particular.To show his determination and commitment to create a new understanding and atmosphere between the government and the communities, the President in fact, gave an order after the Vice Presidents visit to Gbaramatu that an investigation be conducted to determine what happened during an alleged military raid of Gbaramatu community where the kingdoms Golden Sword was allegedly taken away.The presidential order also directed that a search for the golden sword of the kingdom, allegedly confisticated, if this is found to be so, should be recovered and once located, promptly released to the kingdom with an apology. It will be recalled that Chief Government Ekpemupolo had threatened to take steps to recover the missing golden sword, which is also referred to as the traditional symbol of authority of Gbaramatu Kingdom.
The Sokoto State Federal Commissioner, National Population Commission, Barrister Muhammadu Aminu Jason, has explained why the 2018 census ...

The Sokoto State Federal Commissioner, National Population Commission, Barrister Muhammadu Aminu Jason, has explained why the 2018 census will be biometric based.He explained that the development was aimed at avoiding human errors.While addressing newsmen in the state on Monday, Jason said, As a prelude the commission will today (Monday) commence the third phase of Enumeration Area Demarcation, EAD, in Illela Local Government Area, LGA of Sokoto State.EAD is said to be a process of deploying high calibre technology to divide the landmass of a country into small units that can be easily covered by a team of enumerators during census enumeration.Jason said, The significance of the EAD exercise goes beyond the conduct of the 2018 census hence it will be used as an established national data for generating accurate locality list including house numbering for subsequent census.The commission had previously demarcated 37 local government areas in all the 36 states of the federation including Federal Capital Territory, Abuja in the previous EAD exercise.Nigerians have no reason whatsoever not to believe the outcome of the 2018 census as we are deploying sophisticated technology in carrying out the EAD exercise, Jason stated.Recall that the Federal Government, FG, last week released over N775 million for the conduct of EAD exercise ahead of next years National Population Commission, NPC census.The exercise, which is expected to kick off on February 20 and end on March 10, includes the foundation on which the census architecture stands.
A Non-governmental organisation, Advocacy for Advancement of Peace and Harmony in Africa Initiative(ADAPHAI) has warned South African gove...

A Non-governmental organisation, Advocacy for Advancement of Peace and Harmony in Africa Initiative(ADAPHAI) has warned South African government over its silence on the xenophobic attacks in the country against Nigerians, calling for a swift action to stop the menace.The organisation, through its Executive Director, Mr Ajibola Owolabi on Tuesday said the ongoing xenophobic attacks against Nigerians living in the Southern African country was unacceptable, and that the silence of the government was too dangerous to be ignored.According to him, the action is divisive and barbaric, adding that the development completely defies the spirit of Africanism and a total negation of the tenets of African Charter on Peoples Rights.Owolabi explained that such hostility against foreigners without a decisive action on the part of the government portrays the government of that country as an accomplice in the atrocity.He called for quick intervention of international and regional bodies to stem the tide of this violence and restore peace.The serial attacks on Nigerians living in South Africa over the last few weeks is strictly unacceptable, more so when the government of that country continues to keep mute over the violent act. It is indeed an irony of sort that South Africans, who enjoyed massive supports and assistance from Nigeria during the dark days of apartheid could turn back to oppress Nigerians on their soil.Obviously, there is no basis for such inhumane treatment against Nigerian Nationals in South Africa, if there are issues to be sorted out with any Nigerian, it should be done legally without resorting to violence and callous act. We frown at this barbaric act, and call on both regional and international bodies to intervene as a matter of exigency, Owolabi resorted.The organisation, however, appealed to Nigerian government to rise up and protect Nigerians in South Africa, while enjoining Nigerians to be calm and never take the law into their hands.
MAYS LANDING -- "Be brave, no lies, investigate the Russian ties," protesters chanted as they walked past the front door of Congressman Frank LoBiondo's (R- 2nd Dist.) office Tuesday afternoon.

Approximately 50 people demonstrated at the Mays Landing office asking for LoBiondo to look into the alleged ties between President Donald Trump and Russia. LoBiondo is a member of the House Intelligence Committee and has the power to bring an independent investigation into the Trump administration, according to the protesters.

"We understand that the intelligence agencies are doing their jobs but the House committee is dominated by Republicans -- the Senate committee is dominated by Republicans," said Elizabeth Volz, 49, of Glassboro. "We want an independent investigation into Russian influence into this administration."

Volz is the founder of United Progressive Democrats and organized Tuesday's protest.

"The House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence is conducting a bipartisan investigation into Russia activities," LoBiondo said in a statement. "As a member of (House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence), I respect the classified nature of the inquiry. At the conclusion of our investigation I will push for a declassified report to be made available for the public and press."

The congressman was in South Jersey late last week and met with over 100 constituents about their concerns, according to his office.

Demonstrators Tuesday came from around his district, some driving more than an hour to chant in front of his office.

"It's important to be here because I'm a citizen of the United States, I'm a voter, and I feel that our power is in expressing our first amendment right in speaking out when we feel there is an injustice or something wrong with our government," said Dr. Janine Sobel, 61, of Harvey Cedars.

One of the people leading the chants was 12-year-old Julian deLaszlo, of New York City, who loves political discourse almost as much as he enjoys making music.

"I feel that this is really important, to go into areas where it is mostly Republican to show people what democracy looks like and how you can't just pick a TV star and say, 'Oh you are president,'" Julian said.

Rebecca Ivory, 35, of Swedesboro, drove an hour to protest Tuesday and has to drive back afterward to nursing school for a quiz. Her husband is in the U.S. Navy and she considers herself Republican, having voted for John McCain for her first election.

She voted for Hillary Clinton last election.

"I am terrified that he is going to do something that puts my husband directly at risk," Ivory said. "I do not trust him. I am not sure whether he is willfully ignorant or just ignorant. he doesn't choose to surround himself with people who understand the world at large."

Before returning to the protest, Ivory had one message for LoBiondo.

"Please, please go to the center of the party," she said. I am a republican. I believe the future of the party is in the center and he needs to move to the center and if he doesn't do that, he is going to be primaried. There's no question. We will find someone to primary him."

Don E. Woods may be reached at dwoods@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @donewoods1. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
GALLOWAY TWP -- A resident's tip about a possible burglary on Sunday led to the arrest of a 49-year-old man.

William Ireland, of Galloway Township, was charged with burglary, theft and criminal mischief after someone called police about a possible robbery at a neighbor's home, police said on Facebook.

MEDIA RELEASE On February 19th, 2017, at approx 12:46 pm, a resident alerted Galloway Township Police to the... Posted by Galloway Township Police Department on Monday, February 20, 2017

Police arrived to find the house had been burglarized, but found the suspect had fled.

A K9 unit later located Ireland in the area. He was allegedly in possession of stolen items.

Police said he allegedly committed two burglaries on Sunday. Ireland is also accused of stealing a vehicle and committing another burglary in Absecon.

He was transported to Atlantic County Jail.

Rajeev Dhir may be reached at rdhir@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @googasmammoo. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
WASHINGTON TWP -- An 88-year-old woman crashed into a home on Mountain Avenue Monday afternoon, police said.

According to Washington Township police Lt. Richard Skinner, the driver backed up from her driveway and into the house across the street.

Skinner told NJ Advance Media the whole car went into the house.

The house was deemed safe Monday evening by the building department, Skinner said.

No one was injured in the crash, including a 16-year-old golden retriever, who was trapped underneath the car.

Skinner said police are still investigating the crash.

Rajeev Dhir may be reached at rdhir@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @googasmammoo. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
FORT LEE -- A drug sting took a dramatic turn Monday after the suspect ended up trapped on a cliff, according to a statement from police.

Palisades Interstate Parkway Police said officers conducted a controlled drug purchase as part of an ongoing investigation in a stairway off Hudson Terrace in Fort Lee around 5:15 p.m.

Anthony Lora

But the suspect fled into the wooded area north of the George Washington Bridge, with officers pursuing him on foot.

Police said he crossed over the fence line and started to climb down the Palisades Cliff, only to get stuck in a tree.

Rappel teams were called and managed to free him from his predicament.

Suspect removed from the cliff uninjured and in custody of this agency. Press release to be posted when further information is available.  ParkwayPolice (@ParkwayPolice) February 21, 2017

Police identified the suspect as Anthony Lora, 22, of Bronx, N.Y.

Lora faces drug and resisting arrest charges. Police said he was also wanted in connection with armed robbery charges from NYPD.

Lora is being held in Bergen County jail pending extradition to New York.

Rajeev Dhir may be reached at rdhir@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @googasmammoo. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
milo-yiannopoulos-simon-schuster.jpg

Milo Yiannopoulos at a press conference after the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando this past June. After an uproar over comments the Breitbart editor made about sex with boys, the Conservative Political Action Conference dropped him as a speaker and Simon & Schuster dropped his book. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Following the release of video in which controversial right-wing writer Milo Yiannopoulos talks about men having sex with boys, Simon & Schuster has decided to cancel his upcoming book, "Dangerous," USA Today reports.

"After careful consideration, Simon & Schuster and its Threshold Editions imprint have canceled publication of Dangerous by Milo Yiannopoulos," the publisher said in a statement Monday.

"They canceled my book," the British journalist posted on his Facebook page, later adding: "I've gone through worse. This will not defeat me."

The same day, the Conservative Political Action Conference rescinded Yiannopoulos' invitation. The 33-year-old Breitbart editor was to have been a speaker at the event, which starts this week, before videos came to light on Sunday that contained audio recordings of Yiannopoulos. In the videos, released by the Reagan Battalion blog, Yiannopoulos, who is gay, can be heard talking about his own sexual history, suggesting that some young teen boys could give consent for sex with older men.

"@ACUConservative has decided to rescind the invitation of Milo Yiannopoulos to speak at #CPAC2017." pic.twitter.com/sVWGnPCW7C -- Matt Schlapp (@mschlapp) February 20, 2017

"We continue to believe that CPAC is a constructive forum for controversies and disagreements among conservatives, however there is no disagreement among our attendees on the evils of sexual abuse of children," Matt Schlapp, president of the American Conservative Union, the event's organizer, said in a statement, as reported by CNN.

Yiannopoulos was also supposed to be a speaker at the University of California, Berkeley on Feb. 1 when violence broke out during protests and the appearance was canceled.

In a video posted on his Facebook page Monday, Yiannopoulos, who in a previous post called himself a child abuse victim, said he was not an "apologist" for pedophilia.

"Nothing could be further from the truth," he said. "I find those crimes to be absolutely disgusting." He went to say he exposed three pedophiles through his reporting and that portions of the videos released were edited to omit a part where he says he agrees with the current age of consent. Yiannopoulos said his remarks were "stupidly worded," adding that he had a history of using humor to get through his experiences with sexual abuse. Yiannopoulos also said that at 17, he had a relationship with a 29-year-old man that went on to last 10 years.

Yiannopoulos, who was raised Catholic and whose mother is Jewish, has also been criticized for racist, misogynist, Islamophobic and anti-Semitic remarks. He said his comments about Jews heard in the same recordings -- including one he made about Jews being "overrepresented in media and banking" -- had also been edited.

Fox Business reports that Breitbart, formerly headed up by current presidential advisor Stephen Bannon, is now considering dismissing Yiannopoulos, whose official title is technology editor.

This is not the first time Simon & Schuster had been hit with criticism over Yiannopoulos' book.

In January, feminist writer Roxane Gay pulled her forthcoming book, "How to Be Heard," from TED Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, after the publisher announced it would be publishing Yiannopoulos' book. Yiannopoulos had reportedly received a $250,000 advance for the book deal.

In July, Yiannopoulos was permanently banned from Twitter after being linked to a wave of racist and sexist harassment that targeted actress and comedian Leslie Jones ("Ghostbusters," "Saturday Night Live").

Jones, who had temporarily left Twitter over the abuse, criticized Simon & Schuster for a December statement on the deal with Yiannopoulos, in which it said "... we have always published books by a wide range of authors with greatly varying, and frequently controversial opinions, and appealing to many different audiences of readers." The publisher also said the views of authors didn't reflect the company's views.

"... You still help them spread their hate to even more people," Jones tweeted.

Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AmyKup or on Facebook.
The federal government plans to pour $125 million into the fight against a mysterious disease that has ravaged corals in Florida and much of the Caribbean, and now poses a dire threat to the treasured reefs off the Louisiana and Texas coasts.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol has issued a subpoena to Donald Trump. The nine-member panel sent a letter to the former president's lawyers on Friday, demanding his testimony under oath by mid-November and outlining a series of corresponding documents. The decision by lawmakers to exercise their subpoena power comes a week after the committee made its final case against the former president, who they say is the "central cause" of the multi-part effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election. It remains unclear how Trump and his legal team will respond to the subpoena, if at all.
Today

Sunshine and clouds mixed. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 82F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.

Tonight

A few passing clouds. Low near 70F. Winds light and variable.

Tomorrow

A few passing clouds, otherwise generally sunny. High 82F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph.
Welcome to non league daily news now - your number one spot for all things relating to the National League System. Our dedicated reporters have come straight from the sidelines to bring you news fresh from the dugout - but not before theyve stopped off at the burger van first!

We know that non league football fans are full of heart, passion, and belief. You trust the manager, you believe in the team, and, for some strange reason, you trust those rickety stands, too! Here at Non League Daily, we hope we can become your trusted non league news resource - a platform thats just as passionate about non league daily news now as you.

Come rain or shine, well be out reporting on the latest non league fixtures. Well also be scouring the news, refreshing social media, and sourcing information from team websites in the hopes of finding the latest breaking non league daily news for our readers.

As youll soon see, weve got exclusive match reports on the Vanarama National League, weve got transfer speculation thatll affect the National League South, weve found great stories thatll spice up the National League North, and weve even got news on the latest giant killers of the FA Cup.

We may not be able to agree on who is going up this year, but we can all agree that any news on the NLS worth knowing will be published here, at Non League Daily.
OMAHA  In a rare move, Douglas County prosecutors charged a Council Bluffs bail bondsman with felony burglary after they accused him of breaking into a northeast Omaha home in search of a bail jumper.

Small problem: The bondsman had the wrong address. Authorities allege he kicked open the wrong door, flashed a gun and some sort of bail-bonds badge and scared an Omaha couple and their 13-year-old daughter.

Bigger problem: Bounty hunters arent allowed to do their hunting in Nebraska, prosecutors say.

The ordeal had Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine so concerned that he filed a felony burglary charge against the bounty hunter.

Its not the first report of Iowa bail bondsmen taking matters into their own hands in Omaha, Kleine said.

Last year authorities became alarmed after an armed standoff in the parking lot of the Relax Inn near 60th and L streets. In that case, prosecutors say, a fugitive and a bondsman both displayed guns  and Omaha police were left to sort out why.

Then, in August, Kleine considered charges against an employee of a Council Bluffs bail bonds company after several bystanders reported a possible kidnapping in Omaha. That kidnapping turned out to be a bail bondsman trying to corral a suspect.

After some hubbub over that, Kleine issued a reminder: Bounty hunters, by law, arent authorized in Nebraska.

Then came this latest report that a bounty hunter from the same Council Bluffs bail bonds company had broken into the wrong house. Kleines office filed a burglary charge against Duane Wilson III, a 25-year-old employee of Gallagher Bail Bonds in Council Bluffs.

Its troubling to me they didnt get the message before, Kleine said. Were very fortunate that somebody didnt get hurt.

Tom Gallagher, owner of Gallagher Bail Bonds and a bounty hunter for 31 years, said the charges are an overreaction  and he isnt going to stop seeking out Iowa bail jumpers who think they can hide across the river in Nebraska.

Ive been doing this longer than Dog the bounty hunter, Gallagher said. Its not even about money with me. Its the principle of right and wrong.

I get people going over there, thinking no one will come get em. Thats not the case.

These are the facts of this case, according to Omaha police reports:

Wilson  who had worked for Gallagher Bail Bonds for about a month, according to Gallagher  was looking for a 17-year-old who had been bailed out of the Pottawattamie County Jail. The teen had failed to show up for his court date.

The morning of Monday, Jan. 30, a couple and their 13-year-old daughter were at their house near 13th and Fort Streets in Omaha.

Margaret Vazquez, 37, and the 13-year-old heard a knock at their door. Before they could open it, a white male forced the door open, smashing a hole into the drywall behind it.

Someone pushed open the front door with a gun drawn, the report says.

The Vazquezes told police the man pointed a gun  possibly a Glock  and walked through the house, clearing the rooms like a SWAT team wannabe.

Margaret Vazquez repeatedly asked who he was but didnt get a response.

The victim said the suspect had his finger on the trigger and looked ready to shoot at any time.

The intruder soon left. Once the man was out of the house, Vazquez demanded to know who he was. He displayed a badge that didnt look like a police shield or a sheriffs deputys star, the woman said.

He then went next door, and knocked on the Vazquezes neighbors door.

At some point he finally figured out that the address he was looking for was on 13th Street East, which is 2 miles away, closer to Eppley Airfield.

The family was rocked by the intrusion. The daughter is now afraid to sleep in her own home and (is) now talking with her school counselor as she is afraid all the time, the report said.

Gallagher disputed parts of the account. Gallagher said Wilson didnt kick open the door; it already was open. (Not so, Vazquez said.)

He also said Wilson wasnt carrying a gun. He said he doesnt carry a gun, and neither do his employees. That assertion runs counter to the account Omaha police gave of both the wrong hunt and the right one.

The bounty hunter eventually found the right address. There, the fugitives mother told police that she heard pounding on the door and someone yell OPD!

He then began to yell at her that he wanted her son, according to the police report. The white male then began to search all the rooms in the house with his gun in his hand.

In an interview with Omaha police, Wilson stated he did not have a handgun and believes that his flashlight might have been confused with a handgun.

Wilson stated that he knows that Nebraska does not recognize bounty hunters but felt that he still had the right to enter the residence, the police report said.

Gallagher said he and his bondsmen have a right to do their job.

People think the river is a magic line they can hide behind, Gallagher said. With Kleine supporting that, its made my life hell. Were going to do what the law allows us to do.

Gallagher pointed to an 1872 U.S. Supreme Court case that bail bondsmen have long cited.

In Taylor v. Taintor, the high court held that when it comes to a bail jumper, a bail bondsman may pursue him into another state; may arrest him on the Sabbath; and if necessary, may break and enter his house for that purpose ... It is likened to the rearrest by the sheriff of an escaping prisoner. In 6 Modern it is said: The bail have their principal on a string, and may pull the string whenever they please, and render him in their discharge. 

Several legal experts have since questioned the bail bond industrys reliance on that passage, arguing that it was mere commentary by the court and was not the primary holding of the case.

Kleine and Deputy Douglas County Attorney Jim Masteller point out that Nebraska generally doesnt allow bonding companies to loan money for bail.

In turn, they say, Nebraska law doesnt recognize bounty hunters. Iowa law does.

However, Kleine and Masteller allege, Wilson failed to meet even the requirements of Iowa law.

Masteller points to a 20-year-old Iowa case he said is extremely similar to this one.

In 1997 a bounty hunter was convicted of burglary after he broke into the Des Moines mobile home of a couple and their three children. The bounty hunter kicked open a door  knocking the male homeowner into a wall. He declared he was looking for some Mexicans and threatened to smack the female homeowner if she didnt shut up.

He then realized he was in the wrong house, apologized and went to the right house, the trailer next door.

A jury convicted him of burglary. In upholding the bounty hunters conviction, Iowas high court wrote that the 1872 U.S. Supreme Court ruling does not lend support for the proposition that a bounty hunter has some authority to break into the home of an innocent party and assault him or her.

Masteller further points out that Iowa law requires bail bondsmen to notify local police when they intend to try to take a bail jumper into custody. Omaha police were never contacted.

These guys were even violating Iowa law when they did this, Masteller said.

Gallagher disagrees. He said he and his employees know what theyre doing and have never harmed anyone. He said he supports Wilson  and will help him fight this case.

In fact, Gallagher said, the ordeal put him in an unprecedented position: The bail bondsman had to cross the river and post $2,500 bail to get Wilson out of jail.

In 31 years, Gallagher said, Ive never had any of my guys arrested.

Kleine said hes not going to treat Wilson differently from anyone else who pierces the sanctity of someones home. In Nebraska, Kleine said, Gallagher needs to defer to the real bounty hunters: trained, accredited law enforcement officers such as Omahas Metro Area Fugitive Task Force.

Im sure this family was scared as heck, Kleine said. Theres all sorts of bad scenarios that could have come out of that. What if a police officer had been driving by and saw a guy with a gun breaking into a house? What if a citizen had seen this and tried to intervene? Who knows what else could have happened.

It creates a tremendous amount of public-safety issues.
Terry Hilt has a suggestion for Iowa lawmakers who are opposed to raising the states minimum wage.

Tell them to try to live on $7.25 per hour and try to support their families, he said. Its tight at $7.25.

Thats the wage hes currently earning for 20 hours of work a week a state program helping seniors get back in the working world.

Hilt, 61, once made $15 per hour as a machinist before getting hurt on the job a couple of years back.

Even $9 per hour was tough to live on, which he did for a while doing temporary work after losing his machinist job and before getting involved in the state program.

It got to the point where I got swamped with bills, the Council Bluffs man said. I couldnt pay my rent, so I got evicted and I came here. I never thought in a million years I would be in a homeless shelter.

Since Thanksgiving, Hilt has been living at the Joshua House at the New Visions Homeless Shelter in Council Bluffs in an effort to stretch his paychecks further.

This state program, West Central Community Action, affords him 20 hours a week of work bringing him just $260 every two weeks or $520 a month at the current minimum wage.

That wouldnt go far if he had to live out on his own with housing rent, Medicare and utility bills  not to mention food, he said.

When asked if he could live on his own at that wage, Hilt said simply, No way.

Hilt isnt alone in that situation, either. In fact, about 30 percent of the 100-plus men living at the shelter are working at minimum wage, said Brandy Wallar, program director for New Visions Homeless Services.

After subsidies are taken out and child support and taxes, they cant afford fair market rent and housing, she said. Its not enough to survive on.

But the minimum wage is only a floor on what companys can pay. Theres no law that says companies must pay this wage, said Bob Mundt, president and CEO of the Council Bluffs Chamber of Commerce.

Companies are going to pay what they need to pay to get good workers, Mundt said, adding that the Iowa Chamber Alliance favors a uniform minimum wage statewide.

The Republican-led Iowa House and Senate in Des Moines seem to agree with business leaders.

The Iowa Legislature is considering a bill that would create a uniform statewide minimum wage capped at its current $7.25 per hour. This bill would overrule actions taken in four of Iowas largest counties  Polk, Linn, Johnson and Wapello  that raised the minimum wage on their own.

Gov. Terry Branstad last week supported a modest increase to the state minimum wage, but House Speaker Linda Upmeyer said earlier this month in a taping of the public television show Iowa Press that Republicans were focused on a single statewide minimum and not interested in raising the wage.

I dont hear members wanting to change the minimum wage, said Upmeyer, of Clear Lake. I think what we need to keep in mind is that businesses can pay, employers can pay, anyone can pay more than what is minimum wage.

At least one local Republican lawmaker is willing to review the wage.

Rep. Mary Ann Hanusa, R-Council Bluffs, believes the state should have a uniform wage.

But I would not cap it at $7.25, she said. We should at least look and discuss the possibility of raising the minimum wage. A lot of companies are exceeding the minimum wage for their employees. For a lot of companies, the minimum wage isnt a factor.

Democrats in the Legislature are opposed to the bill that would set a statewide uniform minimum wage.

They (Republicans) want to take away local control, said Rep. Charles McConkey, a Democrat who represents Carter Lake and western Council Bluffs. They want to tell these cites and counties they cant raise their minimum wage. They are stripping away the right of home rule. I believe cities and counties should have the right to govern themselves.

McConkey has co-sponsored a Democratic-led bill that would raise the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour over a three-year period, which would exceed the $9 per hour minimum wage voters approved for Nebraska. The bill remains in committee.

Council Bluffs Mayor Matt Walsh, a Republican, said $7.25 is not a livable wage in his opinion and ends up costing taxpayers with subsidies.

If you pay an adult $7.25, governments will have to subsidize them with programs like food stamps, child care and HAWK-I insurance, programs that will cost taxpayers money, he said.

Walsh also expressed concern that Nebraskas current minimum wage is not only higher, at $9 per hour, but that it will go up over the next two years. That could impact employment on this side of the river, but he added that many employers in Council Bluffs are now paying higher wages to compete with Nebraska employers.

An increase in the Iowas minimum wage  which would mean an increase in the state program that pays his wages  would certainly please Hilt.

It would help, definitely, he said.

 Linley Sanders of The Associated Press contributed to this story.
OMAHA  A 37-year-old southwest Iowa man was arrested Saturday south of Louisville, Nebraska, after motorists stopped his pickup for hauling a trailer in the wrong lane of traffic.

The Cass County Sheriffs Office said the Pacific Junction man was arrested on suspicion of having a fugitive warrant from Lancaster County, possession of a controlled substance, two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of less than one ounce of marijuana, driving under the influence of drugs, false reporting, not having a drivers license and not having a valid vehicle registration.

The sheriffs office said deputies took a call around 8:50 a.m. about a motorist leaving the Louisville State Recreation Area and driving through a southbound ditch. The rec area is situated in Louisville along Nebraska Highway 50 on the south bank of the Platte River.

The Cass County 911 center said it received multiple calls that the pickup, which was southbound on Highway 50, failed to stay in its lane of traffic. The sheriffs office said deputies were told that the pickup was traveling south in the northbound traffic lane near Waverly Road.

Cass County 911 dispatchers later reported that several motorists had boxed in the pickup, forcing it to stop near Nebraska Highways 50 and 1 about five miles south of Louisville near Manley.

Deputies, who arrived on the scene, said the trucks driver appeared to be impaired. The man gave deputies a false date of birth, the sheriffs office said, and a search of the vehicle turned up various drug-related items.
Encourage senators and representatives to vote against school vouchers

It is my understanding that the issue of Education Savings Accounts, or ESAs, will be considered by the Iowa Legislature very soon.

A few weeks ago, the Iowa legislature voted to approve a meager 1.1 percent increase in public school funding despite the fact that Iowas public school funding is well below the national average.

The current increase in public school funds for the 92 percent of Iowas children who attend K-12 public schools was $40 million. The Iowa Legislature blamed budget constraints as the cause of such a sparse increase.

Now, the legislature is asked to consider a proposed ESA program, benefiting 8 percent of Iowas children at an estimated cost of $185 million. If instituted, Iowa taxpayers will spend 4.5 times as much on nonpublic education as the legislature approved for public education.

In addition, there is already $52 million in existing state taxpayer funding for nonpublic schools, private instruction and homeschools in Iowa.

Iowa is one of only five states to provide both private school scholarships and a private school tuition/expenses tax credit. Now, ESA advocates want taxpayers to provide even more funding for nonpublic schools.

School vouchers are little more than a back-door way for the government to subsidize religious and other private schools. Under the current voucher bill, private schools can take taxpayer money and still deny admission to any student they choose.

Unlike public schools, private schools can and do discriminate against students based on various criteria, including religion, disability, economic background, academic record, English language ability and/or disciplinary history.

Public funds should only pay for public schools that are open to all children and accountable to all taxpayers. Please contact your senators and representatives and encourage them to vote against vouchers.

Nicole Hughes

Council Bluffs

Without public collective bargaining, Iowa now Republican dreamland

Congratulations to the Republican-controlled Iowa Legislature and our Republican governor! They have finally rid our public boards and administrators of the burden of having to deal with all those pesky public employee unions.

With the drop of a gavel, the vote was taken  and their bargaining rights are history. Best of all, the unions never knew it was coming. Caught them by complete surprise!

Never mind what we said in our campaigns: No longer will we have to deal with all those testy teachers, sassy snowplow drivers and disdainful dispatchers. How dare they demand fairness and equity at their workplaces?

With the money saved from not having to deal with all this bargaining nonsense, you can pass the savings on to your corporate puppet masters, the Koch brothers, who have managed to accumulate billions without the benefit of bargaining rights.

Now, without the meddling of the public employee unions, you will be re-elected term after term until all is right with Iowa. Together, with our billionaire buddies, we will make Iowa great again.

Is this a great country or what?

Ron Cady

Bellevue, Nebraska

Retired Council Bluffs police officer

All citizens should have voice in management of public land

Could a 2011-level Missouri River flood happen again? Short answer: Yes. Most of our public-land headwater riparian areas are not functional with respect to water storage and flood mitigation.

This is largely a result of downstream citizens needs being ignored during resource-management planning. The Bureau of Land Management has tried to rectify the problem with Plan 2.0, but that planning effort will have no effect if Congress continues its ill-advised effort.

H.J. Res. 44 will nullify BLM Plan 2.0. I urge you to contact your senators ASAP and ask them to vote against H.J. Res. 44 and to vote for all citizens having a voice in the management of our public-land riparian areas.

D. Terrance Booth

Cheyenne, Wyoming
ISIS named the suicide car bomber as British fanatic Jamal Udeen al-Harith, 50

Born Ronald Fiddler, the Muslim convert was detained at Guantanamo in 2002

He was freed after two years following lobbying from Tony Blair's Government

Al-Harith was later handed 1million out of taxpayers' pocket in compensation

But within a decade of leaving jail he would flee to Syria to fight alongside ISIS





A British ISIS suicide bomber has been revealed as a former Guantanamo prisoner who was handed 1million in taxpayers' money as compensation before fleeing to Syria. UK national Jamal Udeen al-Harith was photographed moments before blowing himself up in an attack on a military facility near Mosul in Iraq Shortly after detonating the explosive-laden car near an army base, ISIS released a statement revealing al-Harith had been fighting for them under the name Abu Zakariya al-Britani. The Muslim convert - who changed his name from Ronald Fiddler in 1994 - was sent to Guantanamo Bay in 2002 after he was caught by American forces in Afghanistan. UK national Jamal Udeen al-Harith was photographed moments before blowing himself up in an attack on a military facility near Mosul in Iraq (pictured) The Muslim convert changed his name from Ronald Fiddler to Jamal Udeen al-Harith in 1994, before fighting for ISIS under the new name Abu Zakariya al-Britani Al-Harith's British wife Shukee Begum, along with their five children, joined him in Syria in 2015 before fleeing from the Isis-controlled territory He denied being a terrorist and claimed to have been taken prisoner by the Taliban after visiting the Middle East as part of a 'religious holiday'. After intense campaigning by Tony Blairs government led by then-Home Secretary David Blunkett, the British citizen was freed two years later. He launched a compensation claim on the grounds British agents knew or were complicit in his mistreatment and was handed 1million to stay silent. At the time of his release from Guantanamo, David Blunkett said: 'No one who is returned will actually be a threat to the security of the British people.'

But it emerged that, despite security services being fully aware of his previous detention, al-Harith, who worked as a web designer for a time, was able to escape the UK in 2014 to fight with ISIS in Syria.





His journey was revealed following an escape from ISIS-controlled Syria in 2015 by British mother Shukee Begum and her five children.





Miss Begum was married to al-Harith before he left the family home in Birmingham to fight in Syria, and had flown to the war-torn country to try to persuade the fanatic to return to the UK.





However, her attempts failed, and she endured a ten-month ordeal being passed between hostages and rebel groups as she tried to escape.











Al-Harith gives testimony before a Council of Europe panel in 2004 (shown right), as part of an inquiry into human rights abuses at Gauntanamo Bay



In 2015, she told Channel 4: 'Id love to go back to the UK. The UK is my home. I grew up there. My friends are there. My family are there. Thats where I consider to be home.





'But Im just not sure at the moment, with the track record of the current government, if the UK is somewhere I can achieve justice. I hope Im wrong.'





At the time, she said she was biding her time before returning to Britain because she fears she could face terrorism charges.





Ms Begum, a law graduate from Greater Manchester, insists she did not support the extremists, and says she wanted to persuade al-Harith to return to the family home.





She told Channel 4 News: 'I was thinking about the children's futures. Was he part of it? Will he come back? All these things go through your mind.'





She added: 'I was seeing on the news at this point that Isis was going from bad to worse So I decided that I was going to try and speak some sense into him.





'At the same time I wanted to see him. I wanted the children to see their father. I wanted the baby to meet his father as well.'





After arriving in Syria, Ms Begum ended up living in a crowded safe-house in the ISIS stronghold of Raqqa, along with dozens of other foreign women looking for their husbands.





Eventually, Ms Begum and her children were reunited with al-Harith, and the family moved to a house near al-Bab in northern Syria.





But her planned to bring him home failed as she could not convince him to leave.

Ms Begum said she only planned to keep the children in Syria for a month, but after a bag containing her phones, travel money and passports was stolen, she found herself trapped.





TIMELINE OF EVENTS 1966: Ronald Fiddler is born in Manchester to parents originating from Jamaica 1994: He converts to Islam, changing his name to Jamal Udeen al-Harith October 2001: Al-Harith travels to Quetta in Pakistan, on a 'religious holiday'. A few day later the US invasion of neighbouring Afghanistan began Early 2002: He is arrested by American forces in Afghanistan after they discover him in a Taliban jail and later transferred to Guantanamo Bay prison 2004: After lobbying from Tony Blair's Labour government, al-Harith is released along with four other British citizens. He returns to the UK where he is released without charge, and joins three other prisoners in suing Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld 2009: His case against Rumsfield and the US government is finally dismissed on the grounds of 'limited immunity' for government officials 2014: Despite security services being fully aware of his previous detention, he is able to escape the UK to fight with ISIS in Syria 2015: His British wife Shukee Begum, along with their five children, join him in Syria before fleeing from the Isis-controlled territory February 2017: Al-Harith is killed in a suicide attack near Mosul, Iraq

She asked her husband to help her get out, to no avail. And she appealed to an Islamic court to give her permission to leave, but was told:





'Women and children belong in ISIS territory.'

She reached safety when she was rescued by Al Qaeda-linked group Al Nusra.





Her last known location was in Syria, on the Turkish border.





Al-Harith's back story has resurfaced after pictures online shows him grinning next to what appears to be wires connected to a red-buttoned detonator.





ISIS claim his attack, during a raging battle for control of the city, caused multiple casualties but this has not been confirmed. They gave his name as Abu Zakariya al-Britani.





After his release from Gauntanamo, al-Harith spoke of the treatment he received at the hands of the guards.





Speaking in 2004, he told the Mirror: 'The whole point... was to get to you psychologically.





'The beatings were not nearly as bad as the psychological torture - bruises heal after a week but the other stuff stays with you.





'After a while, we stopped asking for human rights - we wanted animal rights.'





He said said he was interviewed upwards of 40 times by American officials - sometimes to 12 hours at a time - and nine times by British agents.





Born Ronald Fiddler, he turned to Islam in the 1990s and changed his name to Jamal Udeen al-Harith.





He visited Australia for several months in 2000 after striking up a relationship online with Samantha Cook, the daughter of senator Peter Cook.





He stayed with Samantha in Perth up until mid-2000, before returning to Manchester.

In October 2001, he travelled to Quetta in Pakistan, on what he claimed was a religious holiday. A few days later the US invasion of neighbouring Afghanistan began.





He claimed the Taliban locked him up and accused him of being a British spy.





A few months later he was found in a Taliban jail by US special forces and transferred to Guantanamo Bay.





Former detainees of Guantanamo Bay (from left to right); Martin Mubanga, Moazzam Begg and al-Harith









Muslim convert al-Harith (left) was sent to Guantanamo Bay in 2002. He has been pictured in the past with fellow Guantanamo prisoner Moazzam Begg (right)



US authorities considered that he was probably involved in a former terrorist attack against the US.





He was assessed as being an Al Qaeda fighter and considered a high threat to the US.

When al-Harith was released in 2004, he was repatriated to England and released without charge.





ISIS said al-Harith as one of two militants involved in the attack on a Shiite army outpost.

The attack came as Iraqi forces advanced on ISIS positions in the west of the city.





Footage said to have been captured on Monday shows a reinforced vehicle setting off along a dusty road. The video then cuts to a plume of smoke in the distance.







An ISIS statement claimed British suicide bomber Zakariya al-Britani had carried out a deadly attack in Mosul



A statement released by the terror group today said: 'The martyrdom-seeking brother Abu Zakariya al-Britani - may Allah accept him - detonated his explosives-laden vehicle on a headquarters of the Rafidhi army and its militias in Tal Kisum village, southwest of Mosul.'





The video also shows a fighter named as Abu Hajir al-Iraqi, speaking to the camera before speeding off down the road to blow himself up as well.





'Rafidha' is a derogatory term used to refer to Shiite Muslims, who Islamic State fanatics consider to be heretics.





Forces from the Hashed al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilisation), a paramilitary umbrella dominated by Shiite militias backed by Tehran, are active in the area mentioned in the statement.





They are fighting alongside other Iraqi forces - including the army and the federal police - as part of a push that started on Sunday to retake the west bank of Mosul.





Tens of thousands of Iraqi forces launched a massive offensive on October 17 to retake the city, which is Iraq's second largest and the only remaining major stronghold of the jihadists in the country.





They retook control of the eastern side of Mosul last month.





ISIS fighters of a variety of nationalities, including Britons, have carried out suicide attacks on many occasions in Iraq and Syria in the past three years.





The ISIS statement said that the British fighter's attack, and that of another suicide bomber of Iraqi nationality, caused many casualties. This claim has yet to be independently verified.





THE BRITISH MEN WHO HAVE BEEN KILLED FIGHTING FOR ISIS Mohammed Emwazi (Jihadi John) Emwazi had been reported killed in a November 2015 air strike, with US forces saying they were "reasonably certain" he was dead. IS later released what appeared to be an obituary to the fighter, who it called Abu Muharib al-Muhajir. It featured a smiling picture of the militant, who appeared unmasked looking towards the ground. Emwazi shocked the world when he appeared in a video in August 2014 in which he condemned the West and appeared to behead US journalist James Foley. He emerged again in a number of other videos released by IS, including those in which American reporter Steven Sotloff and British aid workers David Haines and Alan Henning were murdered. Kuwait-born Emwazi attended Quintin Kynaston Community Academy in north London and was described by his former head teacher as a "hard-working aspirational young man". He went on to gain a degree in information systems with business management from the University of Westminster. Reyaad Khan Khan was 20 when he appeared in an Isis propaganda video titled, There Is No Life Without Jihad, in June last year together with two other Britons urging Westerners to join the war. The youngster, from Cardiff, is thought to have travelled to fight in Syria late in 2013. His Facebook page revealed that he was a Chelsea FC fan who enjoyed playing computer games FIFA 12 and Call Of Duty. After appearing in the video with a Kalashnikov assault rifle against his shoulder his mother said she believed he had been "brainwashed" into joining IS. In a direct appeal to her son, the woman, who asked to remain unnamed, sobbed as she said: "Reyaad, please come back home. I'm dying for you. You're my only son." Before leaving for Syria, Khan attended Cardiff's Al-Manar Centre (ACT) together with Nasser Muthana, who was also filmed for the IS recruitment video. The mosque denied the pair had been taught extremist views there and blamed the internet as an "alarming source for radicalisation". Mr Cameron said Khan had been killed on August 21 2015 when he was targeted by an RAF remotely piloted aircraft while travelling in a vehicle in Raqqah, Syria. Ruhul Amin Amin, 26, featured alongside Khan and Muthana in the 13-minute IS recruitment video under the name Brother Abu Bara al Hindi. Wearing sunglasses and a white headscarf, he could be heard saying: "Are you willing to sacrifice the fat job you've got, the big car, the family you have? "Are you willing to sacrifice this, for the sake of Allah? If you do Allah will give you back 700 times more." Also known as Abdul Raqib Amin, he was born in Bangladesh and grew up in Aberdeen before reportedly moving with his family to Leicester. In July 2014 he boasted on ITV's Good Morning Britain that he had been "involved in a few combats" in Syria. Explaining the moment he left Britain, he said: "I left the house with the intention of not to go back. I'm going to stay and fight until the (caliphate) is established, or I die." A leading member of Aberdeen's Muslim community, who did not want to be identified, said he was not someone who "stood out in any particular way". He was killed in the same airstrike as Khan. Junaid Hussain Computer hacker Hussain was described as a key IS operative before he was killed by a US drone strike on August 24. The 21-year-old, from Birmingham, was said to have been number three on the Pentagon's "kill list" of IS targets. It is believed that he fled Britain to travel to Syria in 2013, and in June last year he was linked to a plot to attack an Armed Forces Day parade in south London. The plan to explode a pressure cooker bomb - killing soldiers and bystanders on the route - was reportedly foiled after Hussain unwittingly recruited an undercover investigator from The Sun to carry it out. In June 2012, aged 18, Hussain was jailed for six months after he admitted making prank calls to a counter-terror hotline and publishing former prime minister Tony Blair's address book. He was a member of TeaMpOisoN (TeamPoison), a group which claimed responsibility for more than 1,400 offences where personal and private information has been illegally extracted from victims in the UK and around the world. Hussain was reportedly married to a Muslim convert named as Sally Jones, a mother-of-two from Kent who once was a member of an all-girl punk rock group.




An Omaha man was jailed following a high-speed chase on Saturday.

According to a statement issued by Capt. Martin Denton of the Nebraska State Patrols Troop D, a trooper attempted to stop a vehicle for speeding on Interstate 80 near Brady shortly after 8 p.m. on Saturday.

The vehicle failed to stop and reached a speed of 130 miles per hour before hitting a tire deflation device near Sutherland. The vehicle pulled to the side of the road and caught fire.

Denton said the driver, later identified as Ky Christell, 33, of Omaha, got out of the car and fled on foot. The State Patrol brought in a police service dog and utilized an aircraft in an attempt to locate Christell.

Around midnight, the search was suspended because it was decided that Christell wasnt a risk to the public, Denton said.

The next morning, an off-duty trooper noticed Christell in a field and called on-duty officers. They placed Christell under arrest on suspicion of willful reckless driving, flight to avoid prosecution, driving under suspension, operating a motor vehicle to avoid arrest and obstructing the police. He was taken into custody without incident.

The State Patrol was assisted by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission as well as the Lincoln County and Keith County sheriffs departments.
Global Lightning 17 offers training for a real-world conflict with foreign power

OMAHA  At a time when the world is increasingly jittery about nuclear conflict, U.S. Strategic Command spent much of the past two weeks in an exercise preparing for one.

From Feb. 7 to Feb. 16, StratCom was the maestro conducting Global Lightning 17, an annual command-and-control exercise that also involved several other major U.S. military commands, U.S. government agencies and major international allies.

During the exercise, StratCom and its military partners simulate a conflict with a foreign power, though the details remain secret.

We dont know very much about the nitty-gritty, said Hans Kristensen, director of the Nuclear Information Project at the Federation of American Scientists. Its sort of a string of activities, emanating out of StratCom to the other combatant commands.

Over the years, Global Lightning has expanded to include non-nuclear missions that have been added to the StratCom portfolio, such as cyberwarfare, space warfare, joint electronic warfare and missile defense.

The threats we face today are just as real as they were in the past but are more complex in this interconnected information age, Gen. John Hyten said in a statement. Exercises such as Global Lightning provide our combined forces an opportunity to train as we would fight in a real-world situation. Hyten was leading his first major exercise since taking command of StratCom in November.

During the exercise, a Trident submarine test-launched four Trident II D5 missiles off the Pacific coast. An ICBM also was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.

The real world intruded on the exercise Feb. 11 after North Korea test-fired its own missile from the northwestern city of Kusong into the Sea of Japan. North Korean missile launches are tracked in StratComs underground command post, which also was the nerve center for Global Lightning.

The exercise was conducted at the same time as the U.S. European Commands Austere Challenge 17, a simulation that tested command coordination in a fictional scenario involving European security.

Kristensen said the exercise would have practiced scenarios that were adjusted at the request of the White House in 2013. Those adjustments allow some missiles to be aimed in different ways, depending on the scenario, and allow the deployment of fewer weapons.

Its much more flexible than the (plans) that were there before, Kristensen said.

Great Britain was among the U.S. allies who joined in the mission. In a statement released by StratCom, Royal Navy Commodore Paul Burke said the exercise had improved since he last observed it four years ago, with other nations playing a bigger role.

The exercise has always been forward-leaning, but now its really showing how we need to integrate and how we need to work, if we ever go to war, together, Burke said.
A wise man named Tupac Shakur said, I am a reflection of the community. That small, short sentence is powerful and true. Mid-Plains United Way has become a reflection of the community. When you see our 13 partner agencies able to operate, to help, to mentor, to educate, to provide, that is a reflection of you.

As I reflect on the past year, I would like to thank the community that helped us reach our goal of $272,000. It was a task and there were a few sleepless nights, hoping and praying we would reach our goal. I would like to thank First National Bank for putting on their 23rd annual chili cook-off; Great Western Bank for letting us house the United Way thermometer on their corner; and the City of North Platte for hanging our United Way banner over Fourth Street. I would also like to thank NBC Nebraska, Eagle Radio and Huskeradio for the public service announcements and interviews, The North Platte Telegraph for the stories and Pro Printing and Mid-Plains Community College for our marketing material.

We couldnt have done any of this without our volunteers. Our volunteers have helped with Taste of the Plains, Kids Fun Festival and distribution of business packets. Thank you for all your time to make this campaign a success.

Our 13 partner agencies have helped us in every aspect of our campaign by handing out business packets, going to presentations and being present at events. I know we are raising funds for our agencies, but they help tremendously. I would like to thank Bridge of Hope Child Advocacy Center, Community Action-Homeless Prevention, Community Connections-Mentoring Program, the Connection, Head Start, L2 for Kids, Lincoln County CASA, Lutheran Family Services, Nebraska Youth Center, North Platte Kids Academy, North Platte Senior Center, the Rape/Domestic Abuse Program and the Salvation Army.

Thank you to the board members: President Rob Derbyshire, Vice President Terrie Baker, Secretary Matt Pederson, Treasurer Monica Lynch and directors Julie Buoy, Jeff Everett, Bob Glow, Marcy Hunter, Cindy Huntsman, Yoko Lawing, Angela Raby, Tami Timmerman, Dee Tuenge and Tom Willnerd. I would like to also thank Tammy Poe, administrative assistant at the United Way, for all her hard work and dedication.

Last, I would like thank each of you for supporting the United Way. We are the reflection of our community and that allows us to  LIVE UNITED.

Jenny Salestrom

Executive Director

Mid-Plains United Way
MERRILLVILLE  An engineer uses science, technology and math to solve problems, so nearly 200 girls from Northwest Indiana had a chance to put their thinking caps on as they solved a real-world problem: How to build a bridge out of materials like colored paper, two large soup cans and Popsicle sticks.

Many of the girls were from the Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana and others were children of NIPSCO and NiSource employees.

The event, hosted Monday by NIPSCO and organized by Nisource Inc.'s Developing and Advancing Women at NiSource (DAWN), was organized to help young girls see that engineering is everywhere in the world around us, improving the way people work, travel and communicate.

The four-hour event was part of the company's effort to help build the next generation of female leaders, support local communities and provide opportunities for local students interested in STEM-related (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) careers.

This is the fifth consecutive year the company has hosted the event. Activities for the day included discussions around NIPSCO's various engineering functions, natural gas and electrical safety demonstrations and an engineering skills challenge for teams of girls. The girls ranged from kindergarten to sixth grade.

Denise Conlon, manager of Billing and Payments at NIPSCO, Dee Cota, director of New Business at NIPSCO, and Vicki King, vice president of programs for the Girl Souts, want all of the girls to know what engineering is all about and that girls can do anything they set their mind to.

Conlon said she wants to see girls introduced to STEM at an early age.

"They probably haven't given a lot of thought to what they want to do in the future," she said. "We want to expose them to different opportunities and get them thinking about their future at an earlier age."

Added Cota, "I want to hear girls say, 'yes I can.'"

Cota also said they had more company volunteers this year than ever before, with about 50 female engineers and other employees on hand at each table to work with teams of girls.

Natalie Conlon, who works in the environmental department at NIPSCO, said her girls worked well together and created several traffic rules for their bridge, similar to what a civil engineer would do.

Jane Ball Elementary School fourth-grader Cassidy Toole said her team created support beams, stop lights, lane dividers and streetlights to go along with their bridge.

"We're going to have a tunnel similar to the tunnels in Chicago that I've traveled through," she said. "We tried the car once to see if it works. We're also going to put water under the bridge and put in a ramp to make the car go faster through the bridge."

Wadsworth Elementary School fifth-grader Alicia Martinez said she's in a STEM club at school and enjoys working on projects and experiments.

"I like STEM projects. I don't know what I want to do when I grow up. It's still kind of iffy," she said. "I may want to teach but I also like the idea of becoming a paleontologist. I like the movies 'Jurassic Park' and 'Jurassic World.' There were paleontologists in those movies."

As Liberty Elementary School third-grader Oliva Belcher eyed her group's bridge, she said the sides were not steady enough.

"Uh, it hasn't been hard to build," Olivia said. "We're going to put some foam on the sides. We have guard rails to make it sturdier. I'm going to add some glitter glue on the cans to make it even prettier."

Highland Christian School sixth-grader Jordan White taped Popsicle sticks together to make a railing for either side of her team's bridge.

"This has been about team work and working with people you may not know," she said.
VALPARAISO  School officials here are looking at an alternative to suspending students who have committed minor infractions.

Joe Frankus, student advocate in the district's Culture and Student Services Department, is hoping the district will implement a Teen Court program. The program uses the power of positive peer pressure to help students in a bit of trouble get on the right road.

"It is a highly effective diversion program," said Frankus, who presented the idea to the Valparaiso School Board last week.

The program takes students, ages 12-18 years, who have minor in-school or out-of-school infractions such as excessive tardiness, truancy or minor theft, vandalism and battery charges and place them in front of a jury of their peers. The jury hands out punishment from community service to apologies to tutoring.

Frankus said he has been working with the Porter County Juvenile Service Center, which offers its own Teen Court program. He has also observed similar programs in Lake County and Portage.

Amy Beier, executive director of the Porter County Juvenile Services Center, said every child is referred to her agency to run a records check. If it is a first time offense, the student is likely to be referred to the Teen Court program. Students must also admit to their wrongdoing and parental involvement is required.

Beier said her agency will provide the courtroom and already has a jury pool trained in the program.

"We are talking about reaching at-risk kids, kids that are on the bubble, that if someone doesn't intervene, they will get into trouble," Beier said.

An adult attorney or law student serves as the judge while students serve as the prosecuting and defense attorneys, bailiffs and jurors. Students who have gone through Teen Court as a defendant must also serve on the jury.

Superintendent E. Ric Frataccia said the program is an alternative to suspension.

"We are not gaining very much when a kid is out of school," he said.

School Board members shared some concerns, including privacy laws and how the program would relate to anti-bullying laws. They requested district attorney Dave Hollenbeck to review the program and report to the board at its March meeting.

If approved, Frankus and Beier said the court could begin as early as April.
INDIANAPOLIS  A House committee unanimously approved legislation Tuesday that ultimately could lead to the elimination of vehicle emissions testing in Lake and Porter counties.

House Bill 1317, sponsored by state Rep. Charlie Brown, D-Gary, would require a legislative study committee to meet this summer and consider alternatives to vehicle testing that would keep ozone in the Region below the federal maximum.

Brown pointed out that Northwest Indiana ozone levels have been in compliance with federal regulations for years.

But the Region is considered by federal officials as part of the Chicago area, which is not in attainment due to a 2011 reading of one part per billion above the limit by a monitor on the Illinois-Wisconsin border. Because of this, Northwest Indiana must continue its stringent antipollution programs.

"It is patently unfair, in my opinion, for Lake and Porter County to have to go through this," Brown said.

He hopes the study committee will find ways for Indiana to demonstrate to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that the Region can eliminate the vehicle testing mandate in place since 1984 without increasing emissions.

State Rep. Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso, chairman of the House Roads and Transportation Committee, said he believes such a study would prove valuable to Northwest Indiana residents  the only Hoosiers subjected to biannual vehicle emissions testing.

"Just to have a full vetting of who and why, and, quite frankly, are there alternatives that we could do that are less troublesome," he said.

Scuttling testing also would save the state approximately $5.3 million a year in testing costs.

The measure now advances to the full House for a vote on whether to send it to the Senate.
CROWN POINT  Lake County election officials are inching toward an agreement to eliminate precincts with small numbers of active voters.

The Democratic and Republican parties' ranking election officials, Michelle Fajman and Pat Gabrione respectively, met behind closed doors last week to reduce the county's 523 precincts, the geographic boundaries for the county's polling places.

They are being compelled by state legislators to identify, within a month, how many precincts have fewer than 600 active voters and merge as many as possible with neighboring precincts or the General Assembly will force the reduction on them.

A Times survey last month showed that nearly 300 precincts are below the 600 active-voter threshold, primarily in Gary, Hammond and East Chicago.

Democrats have balked at the 600 active-voter limit, saying it discriminates against minority voters who live in those three cities.

Republicans reply the reduction will reduce election costs and say Democrats only want to defend their precinct committee members who would be out of party jobs.

Fajman and Gabrione said Thursday they agreed to count all 321,412 active voters who were on the rolls Wednesday instead of last November's total of 315,063.

Fajman said those additional 6,349 voters are spread across the county and may make a difference for a precinct close to the limit.

They also have agreed a precinct won't contain more than 1,200 active voters to avoid long waits to vote on election day.

They have yet to reach agreement on what should be the minimum number of active voters to retain a precinct. They have scheduled another meeting Tuesday to try to resolve that issue.
PORTER  Nicky Ali Jackson calls Mardi Bra a party with a purpose.

"We're not raising money. It's a party with a purpose which is raising the consciousness in regard to homeless women," Jackson said, founder of the benefit.

Mardi Bra, a sold-out event, is from 7 to 10 p.m. March 17 at The Spa Special Events Center, 333 N. Mineral Springs Road in Porter.

Guests are asked to bring new bras and feminine hygiene products including tampons and sanitary pads.

The donations will be given to Housing Opportunities in Valparaiso, an agency providing services to the homeless in Northwest Indiana.

Channel 7 news reporter and TV personality Janet Davies is the master of ceremonies.

The event is hosted by Jackson, Ph.D., coordinator and associate professor of criminal justice at Purdue University Northwest.

Jackson, a Chesterton resident, said she came up with the idea for the event while reading a magazine article about homeless women.

She said she learned from the article that many homeless women are forced to use the same sanitary products for a week or more due to lack of funds.

"I lost it," Jackson said after reading the article.

Jackson went on to hold the first Mardi Bra event two years ago with about 150 in attendance.

Last year she switched it up a little and held It's All About the Bag, an event collecting purses and feminine hygiene products for area homeless women.

Some 220 women attended the event and 1,000 purses were collected.

"This year I'm going back to the Mardi Bra theme," Jackson said.

This year, 300 tickets have been purchased for the March 17 event and there's 100 on a waiting list, Jackson said.

"It's a hot event and the talk of the town," Jackson said.

Jackson's goal is that others will take note of the plight of homeless women and basically continue what she has started.

"My hope is that other communities, starting in Indiana, will host events," Jackson said.

Those wanting to donate new bras, with tags still on them, and sanitary products including tampons and pads, can do so.

Collection sites include the Duneland Chamber, 220 Broadway, Chesterton, and Housing Opportunities, 2001 Calumet Ave., Valparaiso.

For more information, contact Jackson at fjackson@pnw.edu.
CROWN POINT  More than 20 new firefighting helmets were delivered to the Crown Point Fire and Rescue Department on Monday thanks to community fundraisers.

The presentation of the helmets was made during the Crown Point Volunteer Fire Department's regular meeting where firefighter/paramedic Mark Reed thanked First United Methodist Church and Pete Dragojevic, owner of the Safe House Bar & Grill, for their fundraising efforts.

Reed said between a fundraiser last year and this year, thousands of dollars have been raised for the department.

"So between last year and this year we've been able to get every firefighter on the department brand new helmets," he said.

Dragojevic said he comes from a first responder family and knows how hard it can be to get equipment because of how expensive it is.

"It means a lot to me - the little I can do to help the community," he said.

First United Methodist Church Youth Pastor Danno Lambert said it's been a blessing to work with the Fire Department.

"It's the least we can do," he said.

Reed presented Lambert and Dragojevic plaques thanking them for their efforts.

"Having businesses do this for us - we're very appreciative of it," Reed said. "It's awesome. It's great to have a community that's so tight-knit."
Nine students from Gavit Junior-Senior High School in Hammond were taken to a hospital as a precaution after the minibus they were riding in crashed into a barrier wall Saturday on Interstate 65 in the Lafayette area, police said.

The minibus, which was being driven by a Gavit teacher, hit the barrier wall about 2:30 p.m. on northbound I-65 just south of the Lafayette/Delphi exit, according to Indiana State Police.

The students were traveling back to Hammond from a music competition in Indianapolis, police said.

All of the students were taken to IU Health Arnett Hospital in Lafayette as a precaution. The minibus sustained significant damage to its right side, police said.
HAMMOND  One of Shadi Martinis first brushes with the Syrian humanitarian crisis was shortly before he was forced to flee Aleppo  the direct result of police uncovering the hospital managers secret operation to aid wounded civilians amid unrest.

In the years leading up to his forced exit from his homeland, Martini said he had been an outside observer, watching the Syrian crisis unfold around him as anti-regime demonstrations grew.

We were watching what was going on, and I wasnt really that politically active, but wondering Is it a revolution? Is it an uprising? What is it? We didnt know, Martini said.

Martinis comments came during a presentation at Purdue University Northwest in Hammond last week, when the naturalized American citizen discussed his views on the Syrian refugee crisis, now in its sixth year.

An estimated 11 million Syrians have fled their homes since the civil war outbreak, with about 4.8 million now living in either Turkey, Lebanon or Jordan. A small percentage has settled in the United States, he said. About 7 million others have fled their home, but have been unable to get beyond the countrys borders.

The solution is resettlement, Martini said. So why should we help? Why should we do this? Its the right thing to do.

One of Donald Trumps first acts as president was the issuing of a blistering and controversial executive order Jan. 27 that suspended travel to the U.S. from seven Muslim-majority countries, but the ban failed to pass constitutional muster. Trump plans to issue a new order next week, aimed at buffing up national security and deterring terrorism.

Richard Rupp, director of the Center for Global Studies and associate professor of political science at Purdue, said several believed the university scheduled his presentation shortly after Trump's order indefinitely banning Syrians from entering the U.S., but Martini has been scheduled since the fall, he said.

Calling Martini an incredible man, Rupp said it was a true privilege to have Martini speak, saying the goal was to open up the conversation about the realities of the Syrian refugee crisis, which he said largely goes under-reported across the globe.

Its important this story be told by a variety of actors, Rupp said.

Bridget Sanchez, a U.S.-born citizen whose family came from Zacatecas, Mexico, said she is fascinated and heartbroken by the Syrian crisis. She said its up to those in that audience to bring the ongoing catastrophe into the spotlight.

It appalls me in the U.S. that we pretend like its not happening and we go about living our own lives. Literally millions of people are being killed in Syria and no one is talking about it," she said.

Martini's visit was sponsored by the Multifaith Alliance for Syrian Refugees and facilitated by its local affiliate, Concerned Citizens for Syrian Refugees of Michigan City. He has worked with numerous humanitarian aid organizations to help refugees, raise awareness of the crisis and encourage greater public awareness.
ROLLING PRAIRIE  An intersection near Rolling Prairie known for accidents is going to be rebuilt.

The Indiana Department of Transportation unveiled plans for the four-lane intersection of Ind. 2 and U.S 20. last week.

Doug Moats, an INDOT spokesman, said it's Indiana's last remaining four-lane rural intersection with a traffic light where two divided highways meet. All others have been converted into an interchange.

"This is just modernizing. Bringing it up to date where it should be up to highway standards," Moats said.

Instead of the current traffic light, the plan calls for a bridge and two roundabouts.

Northbound and southbound travelers will have to slow to about 30 miles per hour at the roundabouts, which will be constructed on the bridge, Moats said.

The eastbound and westbound traffic will continue at highway speeds beneath.

On and off ramps will also be added.

"The overall look of it is kind of like a dog leg," Moats said.

According to INDOT, there were 80 motor vehicle crashes at the intersection over the past four and a half years that resulted in 144 injuries.

"Obviously, we've had some very serious accidents and a number of fatalities at that intersection even though there is a stop light there," said LaPorte County police Capt. Mike Kellems.

Kellems said driver inattention is to blame for many of the accidents, caused by running the traffic signal, pulling out into the path of oncoming drivers and rear-ending motorists stopped at the light.

The current intersection design can also be confusing for drivers, he said. Each highway changes direction at that intersection even though the roadways go straight. Drivers must either turn left at the stoplight or use a ramp to turn right if they want to continue.

"People have to get back to the basics of driving defensively and paying attention 100 percent of the time," Kellems said.

There will still be merging involved on the new design, and drivers not paying attention still run a greater risk for a collision, Kellems said.

Moats said the project, estimated at $7.5 million, will go out for bids in 2018 and be constructed in 2019.

Federal funds will pay 80 percent of the expense; the remainder is covered by state dollars.

Moats said there will also be a standard public comment period, and no land acquisition is required because the state already owns the land needed for construction, he said.

"We're able to do it without having to purchase additional right of way," Moats said.
Date: Friday, February 17, 2017

To: THE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY

From: NYU President Andrew Hamilton

Since their last update, the Affordability Steering Committee and Working Group have continued to develop options to make NYU more affordable for more students. I am pleased to share their latest update, which Ellen Schall, who leads the effort so ably, discussed at Thursdays University Senate meeting.

In addition, please see this coverage in the New York Times.



Through the efforts of the Affordability Steering Committee and Working Group, the University has already made significant strides. Last year, we set the lowest year-to-year increase in cost of attendance in 20 years, announced a phased raise in student wages to $15 per hour, and froze housing and meal plan costs at the previous years rate. Additionally, we are launching creative initiatives like the intergenerational housing program while at the same time addressing pragmatic issues like increasing the free bus routes between Manhattan and Brooklyn.



There is no one silver bullet that can solve the affordability issue for our students. However, thanks to the work of the Affordability Steering Committee and Working Group, there is a growing range of innovative ideas. None of them will suit every students circumstances, and not all of them will be available to every student, but every student should be able to find some measures to help save money.



For example, the current update introduces NYU Accelerate, a new program that outlines pathways to make it easier for some students to graduate in less than four yearsas approximately 20 percent of our undergraduates do alreadyor to pursue joint bachelors and masters degrees on an accelerated basis.



Other affordability ideas are already under way.

One started with a single faculty member in Tisch who, after attending an open session hosted by the Affordability Steering Committee and Working Group, posed a question to herself: How can I reduce my students textbook costs? Thanks to Sheril Antonioand thanks to the many faculty colleagues who embraced her simple but compelling idea1,000 fewer textbooks were required for courses in spring 2017 than a year prior. And this is in addition to other efforts at the bookstore to reduce the cost of books and supplies for students as well as those by our library, which now has a system of checking syllabi to identify readings that are available for free online.



I am gratified by the more than 400 NYU students who signed up to participate in Share Meals, a student-led initiative that enables students with meal swipes to offer them to other NYU students. And even though it is early in the annual cycle for external scholarships, several thousand dollars in scholarship money have come to NYU students who made use of the free access NYU provided to Scholly; we hope this is a positive predictor. And because access to sound financial education can help people save money, plan for college, and invest wisely, NYU is partnering with iGrad, an online financial education platform that will be available free of charge to the entire NYU community later this month. iGrad will provide an array of customized, interactive tools, articles, and online courses regarding personal and college-related finances and planning.



From the outset, the Affordability Steering Committee and Working Group put a premium on engaging the NYU community; there were thousands of submissions to IdeaScale with suggestions and feedback. As the two groups move toward an end-of-semester report, they are winding down the use of IdeaScale; however, members of the NYU community will still be able to communicate directly with the Affordability Steering Committee and Working Group at affordability@nyu.edu.



Affordability stands out as a key issue for NYU, one I have and will continue to make a priority. We see affordability as very much related to access on entry and employability at graduation. There is reason for some pride in our standing on these measures, though we know we need to sustain our efforts in order to reinforce the value of the education NYU provides.



I thank the members of the Affordability Steering Committee and Working Group for their ongoing work, which will continue through this academic year. And I urge students to look carefully at the proposals, and take advantage of the ones that fit with their academic program, because they can save them money.



Sincerely,



Andrew Hamilton
Jazz guitarist John Scofield, instructor in NYU Steinhardts Jazz Studies program, won two Grammy Awards for Best Instrumental Jazz Album for Country For Old Men and Best Improvised Jazz Solo for Im So Lonesome I Could Cry, off of the same album. Scofield won his first Grammy last year, also the award for Best Instrumental Jazz Album for his album Past Present.

Scofield is known for his distinctive guitar sound and stylistic diversity, and has collaborated and played with musical greats Miles Davis, Chet Baker, Charles Mingus, Pat Metheny, Mavis Staples, and Phil Lesh. He has been part of the jazz studies faculty at NYU Steinhardt since 2005.

Kevin Killen, adjunct professor at the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at the Tisch School of the Arts, won in the category of Best Engineered Album for his work on David Bowies final album, Blackstar. Killen previously won a Grammy Award in 2005 for Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album for Fijacion Oral Vol. 1, which he recorded with the artist Shakira.

Gallatin School of Individualized Study alumnus Alex Pall (BA '08) of the DJ duo The Chainsmokers took home the Grammy for Best Dance Recording for "Dont Let Me Down," which was co-written by Clive Davis Institute alumna Emily Warren (BFA 15). The Chainsmokers also received nominations for Best New Group as well as for Best Duo/Group Pop Performance for the song "Closer," which featured the artist Halsey.

Tisch alumna Melina Matsoukas (BFA 03) won her second Grammy for Best Music Video as video director of Beyonces Formation. Her first Grammy, in 2013 for Rihannas We Found Love, earned her the distinction of the first woman director to win the category. Matsoukas will be at NYU on March 4, 2017 to receive the Fusion Film Festival Woman of the Year award. She will also teach a music video masterclass as part of the festivals programming.

The 59th Annual Grammy Awards were held yesterday in Los Angeless Staples Center, hosted by The Late Late Shows James Corden.
September 25, 1932- February 12, 2017 Juan Joaquin Lopez Sanz, 84, passed away peacefully at East Alabama Medical Center, Opelika, AL, the afternoon of February 12th, surrounded by close friends. He was born in Matanzas, Cuba, to Joaquin Lopez Diaz and Teresa Sanz, where he returned in the late 50's to reunite and visit with his relatives. He was a graduate of Birmingham University School of Mechanical Engineering. For many years, he worked in the metallurgical industry as a designer and administrator. He had an intellectual passion for the arts and a joy for classical music. He traveled through Europe as an industrial advisor in the 60's and was highly regarded in the industry for his excellent work. He was very meticulous and prompt, in fact, a protectionist in all of his endeavors. He returned to the United States in 1989, following his imprisonment in Cuba as a political prisoner of the Castro Regime, continuing his work in the mechanical industry, design, and administration. He loved spending time with his friends and family, for which he will be remembered for his constant smile and sense of humor. He was an astounding, well-respected gentleman and all whom he came in contact with were very fond of "Mr. Lopez". Preceded in death by his parents and sisters Adolfina Shirko and Maria Teresa Lopez de Pascual. His life will be celebrated by his sister Luz Marina Lopez Sanz, son Joaquin Lopez Saffek (Midiela), 2 grandchildren, 5 nieces, and a host of friends and family. Visitation is scheduled for Thursday, February 23, 2017 at Noon at Jeffcoat-Trant Chapel in Opelika, AL. The memorial service is to follow at 2 p.m.
MISSION VIEJO Kenny Glover knew it would take hours before his dog, Rosey, would recover from spay surgery.

But the 48-year-old Rancho Santa Margarita man didnt care  he wasnt about to leave her. So he camped out in the waiting room of Alicia Pet Care Center on Sunday.

About seven months ago, one of Glovers friends found the 1-year-old hound-terrier mix cowering under a car in Santa Ana. Since that time, the two have become inseparable.

Rosey has taught Glover  who struggles with depression and anxiety and had been homeless for seven years  that meeting new people isnt so scary.

Everywhere I go, people have to meet her, he said. I watch her and just follow her lead. Shes getting me into life again.

On Sunday, Rosey was among 50 dogs and cats getting free spay and neuter surgeries at Alicia Pet Care Center. Pet owners came from throughout Orange and Los Angeles counties. Dog spays generally run $125  $170.

Each had won the lottery from among 100 applicants to participate in the fifth annual Ford Petersen Spay Day. Petersen, 21, had spent summers working for Dr. Matthew Wheaton, founder of Alicia Pet Care Center, when he died suddenly on Feb. 11, 2013 from a genetic heart condition.

Wheaton and his staff donated their time Sunday. Petersens parents, Betty and Brian Petersen, brought in lunch.

Wheaton, who established the Pet Rescue Center  a nonprofit group that rescues dogs and cats from high-kill shelters in Southern California  has been on a mission to stop the flow of unwanted animals since he began practicing two decades ago. Still, the number of stray and abandoned animals remains high, he said. The center has rescued 1,400 dogs and cats since opening in 2008.

National numbers show that 7.6 million animals each year end up in shelters, according to the ASPCA.

People have many reasons for not spaying or neutering their pets, and many of them we cant change, Wheaton said. One thing we can change is the cost. I have always said that some people will need to be paid to finally bring their own pets in for a spay or neuter, and this is likely as close as any veterinary hospital will get to paying people.

While Dr. Jennifer Hawkins, chief veterinarian and director of OC Animal Care, is focused on getting shelter animals adopted, she champions other ways to decrease shelter euthanasia, including spaying and neutering.

Not only does surgical sterilization reduce the number of animals entering shelters, it increases the likelihood that individual animals will remain homed, she said. Negative behaviors, such as cat spraying and interdog aggression are greatly reduced in neutered animals.

In 2000, the Vincent Bill was passed requiring shelter animals to be spayed or neutered prior to release to new pet owners. Prior to 2000, the numbers of pets entering shelters rose every year.

After 2000, animal intake numbers slowly declined. In 2010, OC Animal Care received 13,482 dogs and 13,269 cats. In 2015, those numbers had declined by 33 percent for dogs (8,964 dogs) and 24 percent for cats (10,077 cats) in spite of population growth in Orange County. Similar trends are described nation-wide, she said.

Wheaton said he and his staff are seeing the results of the work of shelter and rescue groups at his clinic. Partly, because more people are getting their dogs from shelters and rescue groups, spays and neuters are already done.

There has been a major shift in where dogs are coming from over the past 10 years, he said. The days of going to the pet store to purchase a puppy are numbered and have disappeared from many regions in California and across the country.

Still, there are plenty of strays like Rosey. By early afternoon, the blondish pup was ready to go home. Glover cradled her in his arms and kissed her on the top of her head. Still, a bit woozy from anesthesia, Rosey responded by licking his face a few times.

Im so glad she made it through and is safe, Glover said. I would never had the means to pay for this. We probably would have had puppies at some point.

Contact the writer: 714-796-2254 or eritchie@scng.com or on Twitter:@lagunaini
Eleven Soka University students and a professor traveled to the Amazon rainforest in Brazil last month to study public health.

As part of its 10-day trip, the group visited Manaus, a with nearly 2 million residents, to survey residents and interview experts.

Socio-economic status plays a big role in health care, student Eliot Goldstein said. People are just unable to afford the private health care being offered.

Goldstein said the group interacted with local residents, which included riding on a familys boat and purchasing goods from a market.

We plan to make great strides with all the information that we gathered in Manaus, Goldstein said.

Professor Ian Read has undertaken multiple research trips to Brazil over the years.

Theres a kind of magic that arises from immersing oneself in a topic, he said.

Theres a chance the ongoing research could be published in an academic article, Read said. He added that many students want to return to Brazil, though hes unsure how the trip might be funded.

The students prepared for the trip by taking a course last year that explored health care and inequality in Brazil. Last months trip was the culmination of their research.

The project was sponsored through a Luis and Linda Nieves Family Foundation grant.

Contact the writer: 714-796-7844 or snewell@scng.com
Gas prices in the Los Angeles/Orange County region stood near $3 a gallon Monday while they topped $2.90 in the Inland Empire  up more than 50 cents from a year ago as OPEC production cutbacks worked their way to local pumps. In Orange County, regular sold for $2.99, up 15 cents in a month and 58 cents a year ago, AAA reported. In Los Angeles-Long Beach, gas also cost $2.99 on Monday, a 14 cent jump in a month and up 57 cents in a year. In Riverside-San Bernardino, gas cost $2.92 Monday, a 12 cent jump in a month and up 53 cents on a year-over-year basis. Across thecountry we are 55 cents more expensive a gallon than where we were last year because of oil prices, GasBuddy petroleum analyst Allison Mac said. Last year it was about $44 a barrel. Right now its $53 a barrel. Mac said oil prices have increased because OPEC has been holding back on production. She expects prices to increase to $3 a gallon in the next few days and prices to rise 40-70 cents a gallon at the peak season in mid-May. Its normal for gas prices in Southern California to increase this time of year as the state switches over to summer blend gasoline. The gas is 8-12 cents a gallon more expensive to make than winter blend gasoline, according to Automobile Club of Southern California spokesman Jeffrey Spring. Down refineries also cause gas prices to rise in the spring. Refineries are in maintenance or low production mode as they switch from winter to summer blend, Spring said. Refinery fire

A fire at a refinery in Torrance on Saturday, at the same time activists gathered to mark the two-year anniversary of a different explosion at the refinery, will likely not increase prices, Mac and Spring said.

All safety systems at the refinery operated properly, and all personnel are safe and accounted for, Betsy Brien, a spokeswoman for the refinery, said in a statement Saturday.

Brien said that one crude unit was affected, but the refinery was operational. No injuries were reported.

Mac said that since the refinery was operational, gas prices would not be affected.

Spring did not expect prices to jump as a result of the fire either. Prices did not increase this weekend.

The fire was localized and only affected a small area. Inspections and repairs, along with the investigation of the incident, are well underway. We continue to meet all of our product supply obligations. We do not expect the incident will affect planned work at the refinery, said Jeffrey Dill, president of PBF Energy Western Region LLC.

The same Torrance refinery had an explosion in 2015, which raised prices 50 cents a gallon overnight, according to Mac.

The 2015 refinery explosion shut down production and destroyed new equipment that was in compliance with state emissions standards.

PBF Energy bought the refinery from Exxon Mobil in 2016.

There were also a handful of issues at the plant in 2016. The fire will be investigated.

Im very disappointed in the frequency of breakdowns, flaring, accidents and fires at the Torrance refinery, and Im concerned about the impact of these incidents to community residents, said William A. Burke, chairman of the South Coast Air Quality Management District governing board in a statement.

He added that the plant was forced to burn excess gas, causing air pollution.

U.S. Rep. Ted Lieu urged the AQMD to phase out the use of modified hydrofluoric acid at the plant.

It is completely unacceptable to have deadly MHF at failing refineries, Lieu said in a statement.

The Daily Breeze contributed to this report.
Right to be heard

Re: Tussle over closed door ends visit to Rohrabachers office [News, Feb. 15]: My wife and I and two of our friends drove to Dana Rohrabachers Huntington Beach office yesterday hoping to at least speak with a staffer. We were among the 100-plus citizens who gathered on the sidewalk outside his office. I recognized many other former teachers and military veterans that I knew.

Rohrabacher, who was not there, was afterward quoted in the Register as referring to us as a mob engaging in political thuggery, pure and simple. This characterization is patently false and disrespectful. Aside from the one minor incident involving the unintentional bumping of a child with the office door and a staffer shaken up by the door being forcefully opened after being unlocked, the assembled people were totally peaceful and respectful. Most likely, even these accidental happenings would not have occurred if a staffer had agreed to hear our views.

We were told by a staffer that Rohrabacher has no public forums scheduled, that we could not even go to his office without an appointment, that he was not taking appointments at that time and that we would be arrested if we did not immediately get off of private property.

We are citizens, not servants, and we cant be represented if were not heard.

 Thomas J. Osborne, Laguna Beach

Not what they seem

Those of the liberal alt-left who visited Rep. Dana Rohrabachers office on Valentines Day are nothing more than the minions of former President Obamas latest foray into community organizing. Taking a page from Saul Alinsky, Obama is going to try to bring America down one conservative representative at a time. Shouting and disruption is but one tactic in their arsenal. Apparently, not having all the seats in California is a sign of failure.

Lets put all the cards on the table and look at this deck and its crooked dealers. The dividers of the Indivisible movement want to push anyone who holds to traditional American values and beliefs, who isnt fully committed to their ideology, into the sea. These are the children of the tolerant, diverse, nonjudgemental, understanding, inclusive, self-esteem generation. These are the loud, indecent, angry, violent, intolerant ivory tower progressives whose love of ideology drives them to hate their less savvy neighbors. Welcome, very seriously, to George Orwells 1984.

 David S. Whitley, Irvine
If the Trump administration decides to crack down on state marijuana programs, a group of legislators wants to make it illegal for California authorities to help them.

A bill introduced Friday in the state Assembly would prevent state and local agencies from using their resources to help federal authorities go after marijuana consumers or businesses who are following California law unless the feds have a court order signed by a judge.

The bill is the latest in a string of efforts by Democratic leaders in California to prevent President Donald Trumps administration from reversing state policies aimed at protecting immigrants, the environment and affordable healthcare. This time, the goal is to protect the states 20-year-old medical marijuana program and its three-month-old law on recreational marijuana.

I think this is a definitely one of these laws which is being passed to make a statement, said Aaron Herzberg, an attorney and cannabis real estate developer based in Costa Mesa. Whether or not it changes the reality is up for debate.

California was the first state to decriminalize medical marijuana in 1996, with 27 other states following suit. And in November, with Proposition 64, California joined seven other states that have now legalized recreational cannabis.

Still, marijuana remains illegal under federal law, classified as a Schedule I narcotic  a category reserved for drugs such as heroin that are said to be highly addictive and have no medical value.

The Obama administration largely let states carry out their own legalization schemes so long as they enforced regulations aimed at preventing sales to minors, money laundering and other criminal offenses. But its unclear what might happen under the Trump administration, which includes staunch marijuana opponent Jeff Sessions as Attorney General.

In response to that uncertainty, Assemblyman Reggie Jones-Sawyer, D-Los Angeles  who was an outspoken supporter of Proposition 64  authored this new bill with support from Assemblymen Rob Bonta, D-Oakland; Jim Wood, D-Healdsburg; and David Chiu, D-San Francisco; plus Senators Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, and Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley.

Assembly Bill 1578 says law enforcement officers and anyone involved with licensing marijuana businesses could not use staff, money, property or equipment to help federal authorities investigate, detain, detect, report or arrest anyone whos acting in accordance with Californias medical and recreational marijuana laws.

State authorities also couldnt hand anyone over to federal agents for marijuana enforcement under AB 1578.

While Herzberg called the bill a nice token, he said the federal government doesnt need much help from local authorities if it wants to go after marijuana businesses.

Theyre much more powerful and have many more resources than the state does, he said.

But Kandice Hawes, executive director of the Orange County chapter of the marijuana rights group NORML, said the bill is important given the new and unpredictable presidential administration.

With the new medical marijuana regulations going into effect in the next couple years, cannabis business owners need a state law protecting their interests after going through a lengthy regulation process, she said.

Until Congress brings federal law more in line with both public opinion and the policies in place in a majority of states, NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano said local leaders have to do what they can to protect their voter-approved marijuana laws.

It is incumbent that state politicians stand up to defend the laws of their state and the will of their constituents, he said.

The legislation is one of 32 marijuana-related bills pending before the state Assembly and Senate this session. The bills tackle everything from packaging for edibles to impaired driving tests to how marijuana businesses pay their taxes, as the state scrambles to create regulations and a licensing system before a Jan. 1, 2018 deadline imposed by Prop. 64.

Click here to read summaries of all 32 bills and track them.
Academic freedom is threatened by the very organization tasked with protecting it. Orange Coast College should reinstate Caleb ONeil immediately. In the meantime, those in our community who value the First Amendment, intellectual curiosity and open-minded environments of learning should not stand idly by. They must act.

One of the easiest ways is to make your voice heard. Contact OCC and the Coast Community College District Board of Trustees and let them know that the board members should be recalled, and the president should be fired, unless action is taken to reverse the shameful decision to suspend ONeil for exposing left-wing bias in the classroom.

The office of the president is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m to 5 p.m. President Dennis Harkins can be reached at (714) 432-5712 and his email is dharkins@occ.cccd.edu.

Derek Vergara, dean of students, can be emailed at dvergara2@occ.cccd.edu.

Rob Schneiderman, president of the Coast Federation of Educators/American Federation of Teachers Local 1911, can be emailed at rschneiderman@occ.cccd.edu.

The board of trustees is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The office telephone number is (714) 438-4848 and the fax number is (714) 438-4878.

The trustees can be emailed at:

 David A. Grant: dgrant14@cccd.edu

 Mary Hornbuckle: mhornbuckle@mail.cccd.edu

 Lorraine Prinsky: lprinsky@cccd.edu

 Jim Moreno: jmoreno@cccd.edu

 Jerry Patterson: jpatterson@cccd.edu

A hashtag, #StandWithCaleb, has also been created to allow the members of the public to share their support for ONeil with friends on social media.

Remember, it is important to remain civil and to politely and peacefully provide your input. It is important not to take attention away from the inflammatory rhetoric caught on video with inflammatory rhetoric of your own.

Take it from ONeil.

She might have crazy political views, but in the classroom shes very nice, ONeil told the Register in an interview. And no one deserves death threats.

And what goes for his instructor, Olga Perez Stable Cox, also goes for the administrators, staff and trustees.

Another way of supporting ONeil is financially. A GoFundMe page (https://www.gofundme.com/standwithcaleb) has been by created by Freedom X, who is representing ONeil, and Joshua Recalde-Martinez, the founder of OCC College Republicans, who was its president until recently, to cover any legal expenses that ONeil might accrue. They are looking to raise $25,000, but any amount will undoubtedly help ONeil defend himself.

The school had an opportunity to take action on this matter and has seemingly refused. ONeil and members of the College Republicans, along with attorney Shawn Steel, met with President Harkins to share the video and express concerns over the content of the recording. Only now that the school has been embarrassed have administrators taken action  and against the wrong person at that. Last we checked, the instructor at the center of the controversy has remained unapologetic for her incendiary comments.

Now it is time for the public, and the taxpayers who help fund the school, to have their say. All ONeil wanted was an apology for being compared with a terrorist. He should get that and much more. We should all see to it.
Heres a roundup of restaurant and retail news from across Orange County. Take a look at the slideshow for more details on each.

Burgerim: The internationally known mini-burger chain is opening another Orange County outlet later this year. The Tel Aviv-born burger concept, which allows customers to build their own mini-burgers from a variety of patty choices, has more than 160 locations around the globe. Last year, it launched an aggressive franchise growth plan in the United States. It has Southern California locations in Victorville, Montclair and Hollywood, as well as locations in Texas and Tenessee. The Orange restaurant, in the vacant Pat & Oscars space across from the MainPlace in Santa Ana, is expected to open in May.

The Orange location is at 763 S. Main St.

My Fit Foods Co.: The packaged healthy food maker based in Austin, announced Sunday that it would close all its stores. It operated one in Costa Mesa. The 11-year-old company sold prepared healthy meals.

Muscle Maker Grill: The fast-casual restaurant chain that also sells healthy meal plans, said it will accept My Fit Foods offers and coupons at face value at its store in Irvine at the Jamboree Promenade Shopping Center.

Grocery Outlet: The Bay Area discount supermarket chain has announced its next round of California restaurants, including one planned for Tustin. The location, which is taking over the space vacated by Trader Joes on Newport Boulevard, is slated to open April 20. Trader Joes moved out of this location, at 12932 Newport Ave., last year when it relocated to a larger space nearby on Irvine Boulevard.

McDonalds: Two fast-food burger restaurants inside Walmart stores in Huntington Beach and Laguna Niguel recently closed. A representative for McDonalds in Southern California said the decision to close at the end of a lease is up to the franchisee. Other McDonalds locations continue to operate inside Walmart stores in Southern California, McDonalds said.

Shinkou Sushi & Poke: The Laguna Hills eatery closed in late January. The restaurant posted a closure note on its Facebook page, thanking customers for their loyalty since they opened nearly six years ago. It is a bittersweet feeling. We are sad and yet excited for the future adventures await. We thank you all again for your patronage and love, the restaurant wrote on its Facebook page. Owner Veronica Hananto said a few factors contributed to the closure, including the inability to negotiate a new lease in a timely manner and the loss of key employees. Address: 24881 Alicia Parkway, Laguna Hills. -Nancy Luna

Center Street: The Gypsy Den at Center Street Promenade in Anaheim has closed. The owner rebranded the cafe,now called Center Street Tavern. The owner described the modern tavern as a zero attitude hangout serving classic beers, elevated wines and simple cocktails.

Carrows/Cocos closure and swap: The Carrows at 28502 Marguerite Pkwy. in Mission Viejo has been converted to a Cocos. As a result of the rebrand, the Cocos at 27750 Crown Valley Pkwy. in Mission Viejo has closed, according to Mike Griffith, a representative for Catalina Restaurant Group. The company, acquired two years ago by Food Management Partners, operates both brands. Griffith said there are no plans to reopen Carrows anywhere else. With the closure of Carrows in Mission Viejo, there are none left in Orange County. Last week, a Cocos at 900 Bristol St. North in Newport Beach also closed. The coffee house is being converted into Il Barone, a popular Italian restaurant relocating from another site in the city.

Bakery Update: Mr. Holmes Bakehouse pushed its opening date to March 4 at Union Market Tustin.

AG: The contemporary denim brand opened a flagship store at Fashion Island Friday.

Send any retail updates to hmadans@ocregister.com and any restaurant news to nluna@ocregister.com
The biggest storm in years took away something from Orange County that could be missed when the weather heats up  the beach.

From Seal Beach to San Onofre, the eyeball test  plus a new report on beach erosion throughout California  shows how the recent weather system, combined with the El Nino of the past two years, have wiped out (and, in some cases, rearranged) acres of sand. The report, from UC Santa Barbara and six other researchers, describes the El Nino side of the equation as the most significant erosion-related climate event of the past 145 years.

But the same weather factors that are taking away sand also are starting to bring it back, in spots.

Not all of the erosion was visible.

In Newport Beach, the storm ate away sand under the Newport Beach Pier, creating an underwater river that sucked a pair of novice surfers toward the open ocean. A lifeguard found them Saturday clinging to pier pilings.

Down the beach (or what was left of it), near Balboa Pier, the storm ate away enough sand to create 8-foot-high walls of sand. It also took away enough sand to lure treasure hunters with metal detectors, hoping to find jewelry and other valuables.

The professionals with metal detectors love to come down. One guy I talked to, he has a 5-gallon bucket filled with miscellaneous jewelry, said Newport Beach Lifeguard Capt. Boyd Mickley. Overall, the weight of the gold adds up to something. Thats how he found the engagement ring he gave to his wife. .. I dont know if she knows that or not.

While the big berms are a draw for some  including kids who like to carve a slide into the sand and go down with body boards  it could spell trouble for unknowing beachgoers.

Its a vertical drop. Often times, you wont be able to get back up, thats something to be cautious of, Mickley said of the suddenly two-story status of the beach near Balboa Pier.

If you werent prepared, and dont have an exit pre-planned, you can get trapped down there.

But the storm, which dropped more than 3 inches of rain to much of Orange County, was just the latest factor in what has become an ongoing erosion problem up and down the Pacific Coast. The study from UC Santa Barbara and others found last winter (relatively dry in Southern California but wetter than usual from Seattle down to San Luis Obispo) had created a situation in which beach erosion was 76 percent above normal, and that most beaches in California are eroded beyond historical extremes.

That could be a big problem, the study warns, if El Nino events become more common. About 25 million people live near the coastline.

The research was based on 29 beaches along the 1,200 mile Pacific coast, from San Diego to the south and Monterey Bay and Ocean Beach in Northern California. And while no Orange County beaches were part of the study, the effects here have been similar to whats taken place in other spots  a severe loss of sand.

At the least, its an interesting sight for geological-minded beachgoers who marvel at the dramatic changes caused by storms. For some, limited beach access is a beach bummer. At the worst, the changes can be life threatening.

At San Onofre State Beach just south of San Clemente, a portion of parking lot last year crumbled into the ocean, resulting in the loss of about 100 parking spaces near an area called Dog Patch.

And the oceans force keeps chomping away at the area this year. An access road near the dirt lot has been unstable through the winter season, and in recent months the main parking lot has been closed for often than its been open.

Up the coast from San Onofre, the city of San Clemente in November spent more than $600,000 to move sand from the Santa Ana River to San Clementes North Beach. The goal was to bring sand back to a spot traditionally viewed as a sandy beach. But a series of storms last month chomped away at the big hill of recently transported sand, sucking about half of it into the ocean.

Its unknown yet how much is left after last weekends mega storm  but the hope is that some of the eroded sand made its way back up to beaches further south.

But despite the damaging effects of recent storms to the eroding coast, theres one element this year that didnt exist during last years El Nino could help the eroding coastline: rain.

El Nino was largely considered a dud due to the unusually low rainfall, particularly in Southern California, which received 70 percent less rain than during the past two big El Nino events, the study reads.

One of the particular interests now is to see how the shorelines recover from El Nino, said UC Santa Barbara marine scientist David Hubbard.

Thats where the rearrangement of sand comes into play. While rain and powerful surf eat away at beaches near the shore, storms can speed up the pace at which new sand is brought down to the beach via rivers and creeks. Rain this year seems to be helping in that part of the process.

Finally this year, this is bringing sand back to the shoreline, Hubbard said. Were hoping this will bring beaches back to average. 

At Doheny State Beach, there are some signs of hope.

The latest storms left some new sand flowing out of the mouth of San Juan Creek, expanding the beach and creating a sandy beach unseen for years just north of the campgrounds.

Jim Serpa, who retired three years ago as the head ranger at Doheny State Beach, said hes seen sand come and go through the years. He was glad, during a recent Sunday stroll, to note that its returning, at least at the mouth of the creek.

Its always a good thing  our sand is gone, theres nothing left, Serpa said. Usually it comes back to some degree, but you dont get it all back.

The new sand also is pleasing surfers. A new sand bar was sparking a wave that hasnt been seen in the area in years. But Serpa said surfers should beware  the runoff from the creek typically isnt clean.

Its a great wave, he said. But, holy moly, who knows whats in the water.
A Newport Beach dentist to the stars who earlier this month was barred from treating patients, has now relinquished her license to practice after state Dental Board allegations of fraud, negligence and overtreatment.

Sherri Worth, who was featured on the plastic surgery makeover show The Swan, agreed to an interim license suspension Feb. 3 after the board called her an immediate danger to patients. In a separate agreement that took effect Friday, Worth gave up her license to practice.

Also last week, a former patient filed a malpractice lawsuit against Worth in Orange County Superior Court.

Worths attorney, Fredrick Ray, could not be reached for comment Monday.

In legal documents filed by the Dental Board, Worth was described as repeatedly treating perfectly healthy teeth with expensive, extensive and unnecessary restorations. In one example, she allegedly placed crowns on a patients two pristine, decay-free molars, a procedure described as nothing short of battery. The mutilated teeth ultimately required root canals, the board documents say.

She was also accused of using photo editing software to alter a digital x-ray to cover up two defective crowns and billing more than $11,000 for two patients for laser surgery that was never provided.

In a lawsuit filed Thursday, Winter and Greyson Peterson sued Worth for dental negligence and fraud. Winter Peterson, 28, saw Worth from October to December 2016. Worth replaced a bridge and veneers and added new veneers and crowns.

The suit alleges that the dental work was ill-fitting and Worth then excessively ground Petersons teeth, causing an improper bite that led to headaches and severe jaw pain. A Dental Board summary of Petersons treatment says that she paid Worth almost $40,000 for months of unnecessary and damaging treatment.

One of Petersons attorneys, Dr. Edwin Zinman of San Francisco, who is also a dentist, said work to repair her teeth will cost more than $32,000. Additionally, he said Worths treatment has caused Peterson to have two root canals and she will need three more.

Zinman said Peterson found out about Worth because of her celebrity client list. Last month, Peterson moved from Orange County to Tiburon.

When they talked with Dr. Worth she told them she was the greatest dentist in the world, Zinman said. She not only discusses her celebrity status, she says in effect that its well deserved. In her opinion, she is the greatest.

In 2010, Zinman represented Ingrid Valdez of Laguna Beach who won more than $600,000 after receiving a mouthful of botched crowns from Worth. The 2012 malpractice payment brought Worth to the attention of the board, according to board documents. In 2015, the board filed an accusation seeking to discipline her.

Worths website has been taken down but it has previously featured testimonials from celebrities including drummer Tommy Lee and actress Anna Kendrick, as well as TV appearances on Access Hollywood, The Swan, Dr. Phil and Tyra, among others.

To view a dentists disciplinary record, go to breeze.ca.gov/datamart/searchByName.do.
He calls himself Black Widow, but his homemade spandex costume makes him look like a cross between Spiderman and Deadpool. He has been patrolling the streets of Norfolk, in Hampton Roads for the past two years, although not many people even know he exists. That may have something to do with the fact that he hasnt done much crime busting so far.

Black Widow refuses to reveal his face and his real name, but goes by the alias Matsuda Yuuma, and claims to be 20 years old. He says he is a first Dan black belt, and has also tried karate and Muay-Thai, but he hasnt had the chance to test out his fighting skills in a clash with wrong-doers. In fact, he spends most of his days helping out the homeless, performing first aid in case of accidents, and the little crime fighting that he does mainly resumes to preventing car break-ins and de-escalating potentially violent situations. Still, he always carries a trusty can of pepper spray and a retractable police baton, in case things get hairy.

Photo: Matsuda Yuuma/Facebook

The masked hero of Norfolk isnt a big comic book fa, and although he claims to have seen the blockbuster hit Kick Ass, about an average high-school student who puts on a suit and becomes a real-life vigilante, he says thats not what inspired him to become Black Widow. It was in fact his own childhood experience, and his suffering at the hands of bullies that made him want to do something to help those in need.

I had ADHD and would do things like crawling around on the floor, he told The Virginian Pilot. People were just  they didnt like things like that.

Photo: Matsuda Yuuma/Facebook

We often get bullied, he told Alt Daily. We all have trauma that makes us who we are. It gives you a purpose. It can be a positive or a negative thing. It depends how you take it. I decided to turn it around, to become better.

After starting his superhero career dressed in a Spiderman suit, Matsuda Yuuma quickly realized he wanted to develop his own persona, and since he didnt have the money to have custom superhero suit made, he had to put it together himself, out of spandex he bought at thrift shops and pieces of Under Armor apparel. The result is actually pretty good for a homemade superhero costume.

Photo: Matsuda Yuuma/Facebook

Apart from a few close friends, and some Norfolk policemen who made him take off his mask when they bumped into him, nobody knows what Black Widow actually looks like. He claims to get along well with the local law enforcement, despite the fact that they make him take off his mask all the time. He understands that its nothing personal, as the law prohibits people from wearing masks in public, but he feels he should be exempt from that rule, because of his role as a crime fighter.

As for helping out the police in their fight against wrongdoers, it was actually Black Widow who got saved by them. One time, when he confronted a violent husband who was abusing his wife, the real-life hero got punched in the chest. Luckily, the police arrived before the violent man could strike again. Despite his allegedly thorough martial arts training, Black Widow claims he only uses his fighting skills as a last resort. I prefer to talk people out of a fight, he says.

Black Widow has been around since March 2015, and plans to keep going for as long as he can. Its going to be a sad day when I cant do this anymore, he said.
Megabus is back, by popular demand.

The bus line will restore service to Chicago from Omaha and cities across Iowa, and will for the first time add service from Lincoln.

Its doing so by partnering with Carroll, Iowa, bus operator Windstar Lines.

Low gas prices cut demand for Megabus rides, the company said last year, announcing it would end service in January from Omaha and Iowa to Chicago.

But Tuesday, Megabus said it would bring back the rides.

Service will begin March 1, with one trip daily in each direction between Lincoln and Chicago, with stops in Omaha, Des Moines, Iowa City and Moline, Illinois, another new city on the route. Additional trips may be added on weekends and holidays.

Windstar will manage bus operations, but passengers will book tickets at megabus.com. New Jersey-based Megabus, which touts low prices, said it would celebrate the launch by selling 500 seats for $1 apiece in the first week of service. One-way ticket prices will typically range from $1 to $75 between Lincoln and Chicago, and from $1 to $69 between Omaha and Chicago, Megabus said.

Many of our customers were understandably disappointed with our decision to exit the Iowa and Nebraska markets earlier this year, Megabus Vice President Colm Lynch said in a statement. Windstar Lines is a solid operator with a strong history in the Iowa and Nebraska region. We are delighted to have the opportunity to work together and bring Iowa and Nebraska back to the megabus.com network.

From Chicago, travelers can make connections to the larger Megabus network, serving more than 120 cities.

The bus will leave Lincoln from near the Amtrak station, on the west side of Pinnacle Arena Drive at Q Street. In Omaha, the bus will leave from Crossroads Mall at 72nd and Dodge Streets, the same stop served before.

The bus departs Lincoln at 11 a.m.; return trips arrive at 9 p.m. It departs Omaha at 12:05 p.m.; return trips arrive at 7:55 p.m.

The bus arrives in Chicago at 8:50 p.m. and departs at 11 a.m.
CROWLEY, Texas  In a parking lot on Main Street in this nondescript town of 14,000, Walmart is testing out what it hopes could be its next small thing  a genuine convenience store.

Walk into the 2,500-square-foot store, and the surroundings feel familiar. Theres the multi-colored ICEE machine, hot dogs sizzling on a roller and beer stacked in a walk-in refrigerator.

Its one of two convenience stores Walmart opened last month. The other is in Rogers, Arkansas, near Walmarts Bentonville headquarters. Both stores are in the parking lots of Walmart Supercenters. Walmart continues to test small-store formats even though it abandoned its 12,000-square-foot Walmart Express stores last year.

Crowley was picked for being located on the outskirts of Dallas-Fort Worth, a very important market to us, said Walmart spokeswoman Anne Hatfield. And because its just off Interstate 35, a major north-south highway in the central U.S.

Walmarts strategy seems to be not reinventing the convenience store concept, but rather tweaking it.

The stores hot food section sells pizza, whole and by the slice, and on another bank of hot rollers are the tornadoes, a knockoff of 7-Elevens taquitos. Community coffee brand is sold from six taps in regular, decaf and flavored. Theres a healthy selection with fruit cups, yogurt and Market Side branded salads and wraps, but no calorie counts on the labels.

The rectangle-shaped building sits in front of a row of 16 gasoline pumps, all under cover.

Its a far cry from Amazon Go, a self-service food store that Amazon recently opened on the street level of one of its corporate buildings in Seattle. Amazon hasnt said much about another store under construction in Seattle with a drive-up canopy area in front of a building that locals speculate is for online grocery pickups.

Walmart is also working on a convenience store concept for its online grocery shoppers.

In December, one of these 4,000-square-foot stores with gasoline pumps opened in Thornton, Colorado. Its similar to one Walmart opened a year ago in Huntsville, Alabama.

Inside, the standard coffee, soda and snacks are sold, but these stores include a drive-through for picking up online grocery orders.

Both convenience store concepts are tests, Hatfield said.

Were eager for feedback from customers. We want to know whats working, she said in an interview.

The convenience store business is not huge for a company Walmarts size, but as a major seller of gasoline, its 100- and 200-square-foot payment kiosks may not offer enough for many of its customers.

Walmart operates a To-Go store in Bentonville down the street from its headquarters, and it created a lot of buzz when it opened in 2014. Hatfield said there are no plans to build more of the single 5,000-square-foot To-Go stores, which also has a deli section with some warm foods like rotisserie chickens.
A teenager was arrested early Tuesday northwest of Omaha near Valley in connection with a pursuit and several gunshots fired at a Nebraska State Patrol trooper.

The trooper was not injured. The patrol said the 17-year-old was treated at Nebraska Medical Center for minor injuries after a stun gun and an Omaha police dog were used during the arrest.

The patrol said that at 12:05 a.m., the trooper clocked a westbound 2015 Toyota Camry at 93 mph in a 65 mph zone near U.S. Highway 275 and Ida Street. The plate on the Toyota indicated that the car was stolen in Omaha, the patrol said.

As the trooper attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver fled, firing several rounds at the trooper, the patrol said. Neither the trooper nor his patrol car were hit.

The Camry left Highway 275 at East Meigs Street near Valley, the patrol said. The Toyota drove through a field and returned to the road, eventually crashing near Reichmuth and Fort Circles, the patrol said. The teen ran south toward the Menards Distribution Center, 4801 N. 264th St., just southeast of Valley, the patrol said.

The Omaha Police Departments helicopter, Able 1, found the teen in a nearby field, where he was arrested, the patrol said.

The Douglas County Sheriffs Office and Valley police also assisted in the arrest.

Charges were pending against the teen, the patrol said.
AMES, Iowa (AP)  Authorities said five people were wounded in a shooting that involved two Ames police officers.

Officers had been sent to the scene about 1:30 a.m. Sunday on reports that two groups were fighting as bars closed in the area. Police said that as officers separated the groups, shots were fired from a stopped car into the crowd. Police said two officers fired into the car, which sped away.

Three people in the crowd were taken to hospitals for treatment of gunshot wounds that were not life-threatening.

Cmdr. Geoff Huff said Monday that two wounded suspects and two other men were found at a Fort Dodge hospital. All four were arrested. Huff said its not clear whether the two men had been hit by the officers bullets or had been wounded earlier.

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
A 25-year-old man was injured late Monday when someone broke into a home near 48th and Spring Streets, authorities said.

The victim had been hit in the face, head and back with a machete or an ax, according to initial 911 reports from the attack, which was called in just before midnight.

The man was taken by ambulance to the Nebraska Medical Center with injuries that were not considered life-threatening.

Police were investigating. There were no immediate reports of any arrests in connection with the attack.
A Sidney, Iowa, native was shot and killed by police in Portland, Maine, over the weekend, according to Portland police and a Shenandoah, Iowa, newspaper.

Police identified the man who was fatally shot as 22-year-old Chance David Baker of Portland.

Baker attended Sidney schools from first through ninth grades, from about 2002 to 2010, according to the southwest Iowa Valley News Today.

He was shot by an officer late Saturday morning outside the door of a restaurant, where he had a gun and was shouting, according to police. He was taken to a hospital, where he later died.

The weapon later was determined to be a rifle-style pellet gun with a wooden stock and scope, the Portland Police Department said in a press release.

Police had received 911 calls about a man walking through a parking lot, screaming and pointing a gun at cars, the department said.

The Maine Attorney Generals Office is investigating, as required by state law. And the officer who was involved was placed on administrative leave until the investigation is complete.
A 28-year-old Wisconsin woman is facing several charges in Norfolk, Nebraska, in connection with a shoplifting, criminal impersonation and drug case.

Norfolk police said the woman from Neenah stole health and beauty supplies, a first aid kit and some craft items from the Walmart on West Pasewalk Avenue.

Police said when they pulled over her vehicle, the woman gave them her sisters name. A check of her real identity indicated that she had two active Wisconsin arrest warrants, police said.

A search of her vehicle turned up a concealed knife, a marijuana pipe, a syringe, a cut plastic pipe and a grinder, police said. Some of the items tested positive for methamphetamine, police said. The womans vehicle and its license plates were stolen, police said.

She was being held in the Madison County Jail on the Wisconsin warrants for possession of meth and escape, police said.

She was charged with theft by shoplifting, criminal impersonation, possession of stolen property, possession of a controlled substance  meth, and carrying a concealed weapon, police said.

She also was cited on suspicion of possession of stolen license plates and possession of drug paraphernalia, police said.
DES MOINES (AP)  A panel of House lawmakers has approved a bill that would prevent Iowa judicial courts from applying foreign law to state cases.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa said the bill mirrors anti-Sharia legislation passed in other states, though Sharia law is not directly referenced in the bill.

The GOP-led House Judiciary Subcommittee agreed Monday to support the bill. It now heads to a full committee.

Rep. Ralph Watts, an Adel Republican and the bills lead sponsor, said the legislation is aimed at ensuring that new cultures in America assimilate under the U.S. Constitution. Watts said hes unaware of any cases in which Iowa courts have considered foreign law.

The Iowa Catholic Conference is registered against the bill. The group said the measure could void agreements referencing Catholic law.

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
LINCOLN  Debate began Tuesday in the Nebraska Legislature on a bill that would do away with a nearly 100-year-old law that bans public school teachers from wearing religious garb, such as Christian cross necklaces and Muslim hijabs, in the classroom.

Speaker of the Legislature Jim Scheer of Norfolk said he brought Legislative Bill 62 after a nun applied to substitute teach at the Norfolk Public Schools following her graduation from Wayne State College.

The woman was told shed have to remove her habit or face suspension for a year. If cited for a second violation, shed be permanently suspended from the school. Plus, he said, any school board member who failed to take action would be guilty of a misdemeanor.

The woman ended up relocating to Sioux City, Iowa, Scheer said, during a time when rural parts of Nebraska in particular are hurting for qualified teachers.

Scheer said the current law creates a religious test for teachers and discriminates against all religions.

These statutes state if you believe this, you cannot do that, he said. This is wrong in my opinion.

State Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha said punishment should be removed from state law and left up to school administrators, but the ban on religious garb in the classroom should remain in place.

When you take away this statute, you are taking away a part of that separation that should forever exist between church and state, he said. If they have to wear that garb, go teach where that garb is accepted.

State Sen. Paul Schumacher of Columbus said he understood Scheers common sense example, but questioned whether the bill would give preference to religious people who dress a certain way in the classroom over those who dont practice a religion.

Lawmakers adjourned without taking action.
Very warm conditions are expected today and Wednesday, forecasters say, with record high temperatures possible in eastern Nebraska and southwest Iowa, including the Omaha area.

I think we could break the records for today and tomorrow, said KMTV meteorologist Ryan McPike, who predicted high temperatures in the mid-70s both days.

Omahas record high for today is 72 degrees, set in 1977. The record for Wednesday is 71, established in 1982, he said. Normal highs for February are around 40 degrees. Omahas high Monday was 61 degrees, McPike said, well below the 1930 record of 67 degrees.

Omaha has set three records this month for high temperatures: 67 degrees on Feb. 16, breaking the 1981 mark of 66; 75 degrees on Feb. 17, snapping the 1981 mark of 69; and 71 degrees on Feb. 19, eclipsing the 1930 mark of 70.

Early today, Omaha-area motorists were greeted with thick fog in some locations. Drivers were urged by authorities to take it slow during the morning commute.

Also today, the combination of high temperatures, southwest winds gusting to 25 mph and low relative humidity may create dangerous fire weather conditions in parts of northeast and east-central Nebraska.

The National Weather Service office in Valley issued a red flag warning today for noon to 6 p.m., which means conditions are ripe for any outdoor burning to spread quickly. Omaha and Lincoln were not included in the red flag warning area.

On the heels of the unseasonably warm weather in the Omaha area will be a storm system producing colder air and potentially some snow in the region by Friday.

McPike said he should have a better idea on Wednesday how strong Fridays system will be. He said forecasting computer models have put the thrust of the system about 100 miles north of Omaha, leaving the Omaha area with anywhere from 1 to 3 inches of snow.

No doubt about it, he said, Friday will be the wildcard.

Scott Dergan, a weather service meteorologist at the Valley office, said a big storm system off the Pacific Coast is moving into the western states and will then push into the Plains on Thursday and Friday. The systems advance into the Plains will allow the jet stream to dip south out of Canada, bringing colder weather and precipitation with it.

The jet streams location well north of the Omaha area, plus a lack of snow cover and plenty of sunshine, has led to eastern Nebraska and southwest Iowas run of unseasonably warm weather since Feb. 10.

Rest assured its going to get colder, Dergan said. The storms exact tract, however, is still in question.

He said Omaha can expect 2 inches of snow Friday, Blair can look for 3 inches and Sarpy County is likely to receive 1 inch.

Dergan also said forecasters will have a better handle on the storms path by Wednesday.

Rainfall totals in inches for the 24 hours ending at 6:30 p.m. Monday: Beatrice, trace; Blair, .01; Falls City, .29; Fremont, trace; Lincoln, .01; Nebraska City, .22; Norfolk, trace; Offutt Air Force Base, .25; Eppley Airfield, .21; Millard, .08; Plattsmouth, .22; Tekamah, .05; Valley, .01; Wahoo, trace; Council Bluffs, .22; Clarinda, .37; Harlan, .43; Red Oak, .20; Shenandoah, .14.

The latest Omaha-area forecast, according to the weather service:

Today  Areas of fog before 8 a.m., then sunny with a high in the lower to mid-70s.

Tonight  Mostly clear with a low in the mid-40s.

Wednesday  Sunny with a high in the lower 70s.

Wednesday night  Partly cloudy with a low around 40.

Thursday  A 50 percent chance of rain after noon with a high in the lower 50s.

Thursday night  A 90 percent chance of rain with a low around 35.

Friday  Breezy with rain and snow before 2 p.m., rain between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., then rain and snow after 4 p.m. and a high in the mid- to upper 30s.

Saturday  Mostly sunny with a high around 35.

Saturday night  A chance of snow with a low around 20.

Sunday  A slight chance of snow with a high around 40.

Sunday night  Mostly cloudy with a low around 25.

Monday  Partly sunny with a high around 45.
GRAND ISLAND, Neb.  Dr. Kathy Walk is both a missionary and a physician.

Walk, of Grand Island, is the founder and executive director of Hope International Services, a nonprofit Christian organization that promotes evangelism around the world.

Walk travels every year to Russia, where the organization has built 16 churches. She also travels annually to Pakistan and Malawi.

The organization built 100-bed hospitals in Bangladesh and Nigeria. Hope International also has an orphanage in Malawi and a school in Pakistan.

The ministry tries to spread the Gospel and encourages people to form a relationship with Jesus Christ, Walk said.

Hope International teaches church leaders regardless of denomination.

Walk just tries to find people who are making a difference and work alongside them.

Walk did medical missions with her husband, Louis, in Nigeria and Malawi. Both are family practice physicians.

But she also has done a lot of preaching. In 2004 she spoke to 25,000 people at an outdoor gathering in Malawi.

We werent saved to sit. We were saved to go, is what I tell people, Walk said.

Shes a much-needed humanitarian, Louis said of his wife. Her heart is in it.

Walk also has been to India, Mexico, Rwanda, Kenya, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Mozambique.

Of the countries Walk visits, the toughest place for Christians is Pakistan. Walk tells the story of a family of 10 living in a cardboard box.

The children are all from the poorest of the poor. And all the Christians live in the slums, said Karl Hughes of Wood River, president of Hope International Services.

Walks radio show on Omaha radio station KCRO, Kindle the Flame, went international in 1987. Eventually it was heard in 180 countries.

The support for the show prompted her to start Hope International Services in 1987.

The radio show ended recently after 37 years. The program will continue via podcasting and YouTube, she said.

Walk, who is a native of Elk Horn, Iowa, will be 77 next month. Shes a member of Grand Islands Abundant Life Christian Center.

In April Walk will start work at a clinic in Wessington Springs, South Dakota. But she and her husband, to whom she has been married for 12 years, will continue to live in Grand Island.
Hundreds of people lined Dodge Street at rush hour Monday, holding candles, cheering and waving to drivers who honked in return  all to show support for tired, poor and huddled masses.

Light the Way for Refugees and Immigrants was organized in reaction to President Donald Trumps efforts to limit people from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States. Trumps original travel ban was blocked by the courts, and the president is expected to announce a revised version in the coming days.

We felt like Presidents Day was a really good time to send a message, said Beth Katz, one of the organizers. The holiday itself speaks to the ideals and traditions of our country. ... One of our most cherished traditions is being welcoming of immigrants and refugees.

Light the Way originated in Omaha, but other events were planned in Lincoln, Kearney and Fairbury, Nebraska, and Portland, Oregon. Many of the people who organized Mondays rally also were involved in an interfaith candlelight vigil Jan. 31 at Turner Park.

The idea in Omaha on Monday was to create a corridor of light in the dusk of rush hour. The candles were meant to evoke the Statue of Libertys torch and symbols of welcome.

We wanted to give people an opportunity to send a visible, powerful message of welcome, Katz said. So we thought Lets pick the busiest street in Omaha. 

Vigil participants lined the north side of Dodge for about 20 blocks, west from Memorial Park to beyond Crossroads Mall. Some noted that their parents or grandparents were immigrants.

Victoria Acosta, 22, said her father had been an immigrant from Mexico.

When he left, it was to find a better life, she said. I think everybody else should be afforded that opportunity.

Hugh Abrahamson, 71, of Bellevue stood nearby, holding a Donald Trump airsickness bag instead of a candle.

My grandparents came from overseas. Everybody came here with the idea of bettering their life, he said. Its an abomination for people to be picked up and separated from their American-born kids.

Trying to deport 11 million illegal immigrants, he said, was reminiscent of Nazi Germany trying to get rid of the Jews.

At 90th Street and West Dodge Road stood a group of about 25, including Peggy Schneider, 55, of Omaha. With one hand she held a candle. With her other hand she held a sign that said Do justice. Love kindness. Walk humbly, from the Book of Micah.

Its something we have to remember to do every day, she said, whether its our neighbor across the street or our neighbor across the ocean.

She was disturbed by the news and what is happening to the people of Syria.

Those people have nowhere else to go, she said. Its wrong not to help them.
At a time when the world is increasingly jittery about nuclear conflict, U.S. Strategic Command spent much of the past two weeks in an exercise preparing for one.

From Feb. 7 to Feb. 16 StratCom was the maestro conducting Global Lightning 17, an annual command-and-control exercise that also involved several other major U.S. military commands, U.S. government agencies and major international allies.

During the exercise, StratCom and its military partners simulate a conflict with a foreign power, though the details remain secret.

We dont know very much about the nitty-gritty, said Hans Kristensen, director of the Nuclear Information Project at the Federation of American Scientists. Its sort of a string of activities, emanating out of StratCom to the other combatant commands.

Over the years, Global Lightning has expanded to include non-nuclear missions that have been added to the StratCom portfolio, such as cyberwarfare, space warfare, joint electronic warfare and missile defense.

The threats we face today are just as real as they were in the past but are more complex in this interconnected information age, Gen. John Hyten said in a statement. Exercises such as Global Lightning provide our combined forces an opportunity to train as we would fight in a real-world situation. Hyten was leading his first major exercise since taking command of StratCom in November.

During the exercise, a Trident submarine test-launched four Trident II D5 missiles off the Pacific coast. An ICBM also was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.

The real world intruded on the exercise Feb. 11 after North Korea test-fired its own missile from the northwestern city of Kusong into the Sea of Japan. North Korean missile launches are tracked in StratComs underground command post, which also was the nerve center for Global Lightning.

The exercise was conducted at the same time as the U.S. European Commands Austere Challenge 17, a simulation that tested command coordination in a fictional scenario involving European security.

Kristensen said the exercise would have practiced scenarios that were adjusted at the request of the White House in 2013. Those adjustments allow some missiles to be aimed in different ways, depending on the scenario, and allow the deployment of fewer weapons.

Its much more flexible than the (plans) that were there before, Kristensen said.

Great Britain was among the U.S. allies who joined in the mission. In a statement released by StratCom, Royal Navy Commodore Paul Burke said the exercise had improved since he last observed it four years ago, with other nations playing a bigger role.

The exercise has always been forward-leaning, but now its really showing how we need to integrate and how we need to work, if we ever go to war, together.
The Trump administration outlined a sweeping crackdown on undocumented immigrants Tuesday, proclaiming that it would seek to swiftly deport many more people without court hearings and target migrants charged with crimes or thought to be dangerous, not just convicts.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly said in a pair of memos describing the plan that, with few exceptions, the U.S. "no longer will exempt classes or categories of removable aliens from potential enforcement." Immigration officers should seek to deport undocumented people who have engaged in fraud or "willful misrepresentation in connection with any official matter before a governmental agency" or have "abused" any government benefit, in addition to criminals, Kelly wrote.

Immigration authorities also could seek to deport people based on their own judgment that the immigrants represent a risk to public safety or national security, he said. He ordered the department to hire 15,000 more border patrol and immigration agents and to begin building a wall on the Mexican border to enact executive orders signed by the president on Jan. 25.

Kelly's memos don't cover Trump's Jan. 27 ban on the entry of foreign travelers from seven predominantly Muslim nations, which was halted by a federal appeals court.

A revised version of the travel ban will be issued "very soon," Trump said in remarks at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, which he toured Tuesday morning.

Kelly said in one memo that the plan "implements new policies designed to stem illegal immigration and facilitate the detection, apprehension, detention and removal of aliens who have no lawful basis to enter or remain in the United States."

Trump ran for president on promises to crack down on undocumented immigrants, some of whom he has described as competing with lawful U.S. residents for jobs and contributing to rising crime in some cities. He has said that he would focus deportation efforts on undocumented immigrants who commit crimes in the U.S., but immigration advocates say that the government has already targeted law-abiding people who are in the country without documentation, including some with children or other family members who are citizens.

The memos direct the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency to begin hiring 10,000 agents and officers while the Customs and Border Protection agency hires 5,000 new agents.

A Department of Homeland Security official who briefed reporters on the plan on condition of anonymity said he wasn't aware of how the new hires would be paid for but said the department is working on the problem of funding.

To enforce Trump's pledge to end a policy known as "catch-and-release," in which interdicted undocumented immigrants were released pending deportation proceedings, the memos call for a vast expansion of the use of detention centers to hold people caught by immigration authorities.

One of the memos directs ICE to expand a program that allows local law enforcement agencies partnering with the federal government "to perform the functions of an immigration officer," including "investigation, apprehension and detention."

The program was scaled back by the Obama administration in 2012 amid concerns about racial profiling and eroding trust between police and local communities.

The U.S. deported more than 2.7 million people during former President Barack Obama's eight-year term, according to ICE statistics. The majority of those deported were convicted criminals, as the Obama administration focused on removing violent offenders from the U.S.

By lowering the bar for criminal behavior, Trump's immigration enforcement plan would target far more people. Kelly's memos were decried by immigration advocates.

"These memos lay out a detailed blueprint for the mass deportation of 11 million undocumented immigrants in America," Lynn Tramonte, deputy director of America's Voice Education Fund, said Tuesday in a statement. "They fulfill the wish lists of the white nationalist and anti-immigrant movements and bring to life the worst of Donald Trump's campaign rhetoric."

The advocates said that one of the most troubling changes is a dramatic expansion of the government's ability to expedite deportation of undocumented immigrants without a court appearance. Under a process created in 1996, such expedited removals have previously been applied in instances when an immigrant is caught within 100 miles of the U.S. border and within 14 days of entering the U.S.

Kelly's memo removes the border-proximity requirement and would apply the policy to any migrant who has been in the country for less than two years.

"That would be a breathtaking expansion of the ability to pick people up and remove people from the country without ever giving them a day in court," said Tom Jawetz, vice president for immigration at the Center for American Progress, a Washington research group affiliated with the Democratic Party.

The memos could also further inflame tensions between the U.S. and Mexico, which has advised its citizens living in the U.S. to take precautions in the face of Trump's new immigration policy.

DHS is considering employing a rarely used law to return people who traveled to the U.S. illegally through Mexico back into Mexico, even if they are not Mexican nationals. A DHS official said on a conference call with reporters that the U.S. would work with Mexico before implementing this policy.

"U.S. law and our international treaty obligations require the U.S. government to assure that the people arriving at the U.S. borders have a meaningful opportunity to apply for asylum," David Leopold, a Cleveland immigration lawyer and former president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, said in an interview. Sending them to Mexico to await hearings would be "unconscionable," he said, because it could put vulnerable people at risk in that country, including teenagers, women and children.

Expedited deportations may also lead to lawsuits by undocumented immigrants claiming they were denied the limited legal rights they do have to a due process, he said.

A Mexican senator signaled that his country would reject the policy.

"This is an enormous mistake that Mexico shouldn't accept," Senator Zoe Robledo said by telephone. "If we suddenly have massive deportations into Mexico, we'd have a lot of pressure not only from our own population, but would be in charge of deporting others as well."

Kelly and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson plan to travel to Mexico City on Wednesday to meet with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto and other top officials. Pena Nieto canceled a meeting with Trump last month over disagreements about immigration and funding of a proposed border wall.

The new directives don't affect so-called "Dreamers," people brought to the U.S. illegally as children, who have obtained protection from deportation under Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, an official said on the conference call .

Trump, who said during his campaign that he would cancel the program, has since changed his stance, calling those covered by DACA "incredible kids."

"The DACA situation is a very, very  it's a very difficult thing for me because you know, I love these kids," Trump said at a Feb. 16 press conference. "I find it very,very hard doing what the law says exactly to do and you know, the law is rough."
HOLDREGE, Neb.  A Holdrege Volunteer Fire Department tanker tipped over during fire training at the Holdrege Airport on Sunday afternoon.

Two people from other fire departments who were undergoing driver training in the vehicle received medical attention but were not injured, said Fire Chief Dan Wagner.

Wagner said he was attending a training at Holdrege High School when the incident happened at the airport, so he did not know how it occurred. The Nebraska State Patrol, which was leading the training, deferred questions to the Fire Department.

Wagner said that he doesn't know an estimated cost of damage done to the tanker but that it is insured.

Wagner, who has been fire chief for two years, said he hasnt seen something like this happen at training before.

It isnt something that you want to see happen at all, he said.
LINCOLN  Nebraska taxpayers, farmers, ranchers, teachers and others ratcheted up the pressure for reducing property taxes Tuesday.

Sixteen organizations representing thousands of state residents announced they have joined forces as Nebraskans United for Property Tax Reform and Education.

Leaders said the new coalition represents an expansion of efforts to reduce the states reliance on property taxes, while providing adequate and sustainable education funding.

This is really a momentous day, said Steve Nelson, president of the Nebraska Farm Bureau, noting that the coalition includes groups with a diversity of views on other issues.

The coalition includes the Farm Bureau and the Nebraska Farmers Union  two groups that often differ on agricultural issues.

Members also include groups representing the states smallest rural schools, the mid-size schools and the largest ones, which dont always see eye to eye on funding issues.

Nelson said the coalitions breadth shows the urgency of the problem.

Absent from the lineup, however, are the states main business groups, which have mounted their own push to cut the states top income tax rate.

Gov. Pete Ricketts has a proposal to lower the top income tax rate over several years. He also has proposed to change how Nebraska values farm- and ranchland for property tax purposes, which could reduce valuations by about 2 percent.

The governor is advocating for both property tax reform for ag producers and income tax relief for Main Street, said his spokesman, Taylor Gage. Getting both bills done this year is key to bridging the urban-rural divide and growing Nebraska.

Mike Lucas, superintendent of York Public Schools and president of STANCE, a group of mid-size schools, said the new coalition has not come together on a single solution yet.

But coalition leaders said there are bills of interest  and bills that would take Nebraska in the wrong direction. Lucas said cutting state school aid, for example, would force schools to rely more heavily on property taxpayers.

John Hansen, president of the Farmers Union, said reducing income taxes would make it more difficult for the state to fund its obligations and fix the reliance on property taxes.

Several members called for rebalancing the states major taxes so that sales, income and property taxes each provide about one-third of the support for government services.

Currently, property taxes account for the bulk of state and local tax revenues, about 43 percent of the total, according to the Legislative Fiscal Office. State income taxes account for 30 percent of the total, while state and local sales taxes account for 27 percent.

Nelson said expanding the states sales tax to cover more services could help ease property taxes. The Revenue Committee will hear two bills taking that approach at a hearing Wednesday.

But Jim Vokal, chief executive officer of the Platte Institute for Economic Research, an Omaha think tank, argued against that idea, saying past increases in sales and income taxes have not provided lasting property tax relief.

Tax reform should be achieved through broader bases, lower tax rates and controlled spending, not increased tax rates and more spending, he said.

Members of the new coalition are the Nebraska Council of School Administrators, Nebraska Corn Growers Association, Nebraska State Education Association, Reform for Nebraskas Future, Nebraska Rural Community Schools Association, Nebraska Fair, Women Involved in Farm Economics, Nebraska Soybean Association, Gage County Property Tax Group, Nebraska Pork Producers, Nebraska Wheat Growers, Independent Cattlemen of Nebraska, STANCE (Schools Taking Action for Nebraska Childrens Education), Greater Nebraska Schools Association, Nebraska Farm Bureau and Nebraska Farmers Union.
LINCOLN  Between 200 and 300 protesters, shouting phrases like Do your job and Meet with us, disrupted the final moments of a speaking engagement of U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., on Tuesday.

Fischer, back in Nebraska during a recess week for Congress, spoke at noon during a closed meeting of the Lincoln Independent Business Association at a downtown Lincoln meeting hall.

A group called Indivisible Lincoln had called for a protest to object to her unwillingness to schedule a town hall meeting with the general public while making time for a special interest group like the business association.

As Fischer was wrapping up a question-and-answer session with association members, a group of protesters who had gathered outside the Grand Manse building began entering hallways of the structure, chanting Do your job.

Some began banging on a window that separated a hallway from the meeting hall where Fischer was answering questions. Her appearance ended shortly after the disruption.

Protesters never gained entrance to the meeting hall, and no one was arrested.

Fischer ultimately left the building via a back door. She waved at a group of about 50 protesters gathered there who carried signs with messages including Be a no way in hell woman, not a yes woman.

Protesters interviewed said Fischer needs to meet with voters to explain her support for President Donald Trumps Cabinet appointments, particularly the tapping of wealthy businesswoman and charter school advocate Betsy DeVos to head the Education Department.

I want (Fischer) to work for Nebraskans. Not the party, not for Trump, said Debra Rhodes, a retired federal worker from Lincoln.

(DeVos) is not there to help public schools, shes there to help charter schools, said Rose Klein, another Lincoln retiree.

Reporters were barred from attending Fischers speech to Lincoln Independent Business Association, which typically allows such coverage. However, through a door, the first-term senator could be overheard defending her vote to confirm DeVos in response to one question from the audience.

As she has said previously, Fischer said she got assurances from the nominee in an interview and a later letter that the federal government would not force Nebraska to allow charter schools. Nebraska is one of only seven states that do not allow such schools, which use tax dollars but operate independently and serve as an alternative to public schools.

Town hall meetings held by members of Congress continue to draw crowds upset with the proposed end of Obamacare and other goals of the new administration. Some have speculated that lawmakers now are not holding such public sessions to avoid testy confrontations with constituents.

The protest against Fischer came on the same day that a fellow Republican, Sen. Chuck Grassley, met with angry constituents in neighboring Iowa.

Grassley, who was one of the few Republicans to hold town hall meetings during this congressional break, was greeted with jeers at a standing-room-only town hall in Iowa Falls.

Grassley has said that he believes the town hall forums are a key part of his job.

A story in Mondays World-Herald noted that none of Nebraskas congressional representatives had scheduled town hall meetings, open to the general public, during this weeks recess.

For instance, Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., is meeting this morning with members of the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce. That event is open to chamber members and the media only.

One of the attendees at Tuesdays business group event, Phil Young, a Lincoln-based political consultant who once advised Fischer, said the senator isnt ducking the public. He said she traditionally schedules town hall meetings with constituents during an August recess.

If you knew her schedule and how many people she talks to and the broad spectrum of people she talks to, theres no way shes not in touch with Nebraskans, Young said.

Indivisible Lincoln, on its Facebook page, has urged people to call or email Fischers offices to voice objections to her support of Trump nominees. One protester said that the group is raising money to rent a hall for a public meeting with Fischer.

There were also five protesters with the group Betsy Riot clad in all black who arrived well before the others, holding signs reading History frowns on cowards and calling Fischer a bootlicker.

Later, Coby Mach, the head of the Lincoln Independent Business Association and a local radio talk-show host, said Tuesdays protest showed first-hand how things have changed in our society.

People who dont care about others rights decided to lash out, Mach said in an open letter to association members.

Fischers communications director, Brianna Puccini, issued a statement after the disrupted meeting saying Fischer always welcomes respectful conversations with Nebraskans.

Puccini said the senator held 26 listening sessions across the state last year, mostly in August, and said she plans to continue such meetings.

Puccini said that this week Fischer was meeting with constituents who have been waiting to meet with her for some time.

Our office receives hundreds of invitations every year and Sen. Fischer tries to respond to as many as possible, Puccini said.

World-Herald staff writer Robynn Tysver contributed to this report.

Correction: Coby Mach's name was misspelled in a previous version of this story.
Fauss, Pauline R. Age 95 Of Norfolk. Died Friday, February 17, 2017, at Heritage of Bel Air. Pauline Rose Hall (Fauss) was born March 27, 1921 in Merna, NE, of parents, Claude John Francis Hall and Chloe L. Brotherton. At age five, they moved to Lincoln and after a year and a half, they moved to Norfolk, Nebraska. She graduated from Norfolk Senior High in 1938 and went on to Wayne State College for one year. She married Norris Malcolm Fauss in Jefferson, IA, on October 19, 1941. They were married for over 72 years and were an inspiration of true love. Pauline joined the First United Methodist church where she worked in the office for several years and taught Sunday school for 10 years. She was chairman of the Madison County TB Board for one year and worked with the TB association quite a few years. Beginning in 1957, she and her husband spent seven months of the winter in Phoenix, AZ, returning to Norfolk in the spring. Pauline's hobbies included playing games, exercising, crocheting, knitting, puzzles, reading and working with her computer. She was an avid lover of chocolate, nuts and ice cream. She loved playing bridge with her friends and board games or cards with her family. She became a whiz at backgammon, learning all the tricks to winning and becoming a real competitor to those attempting to beat her. Later in life she was always game for new experiences. Her happiest times were her marriage, the birth of her children, and watching them grow to maturity. She forgot many things over the past several years, but always remembered her children with excitement. Her family includes her children: Lanny (and Rhonda) Fauss, Gretna, NE; Suzanne (and Bob) Raeside, Norfolk, NE; Kathy (and Don) Goodwater, Battle Creek, NE; 10 grandchildren and 21 great grandchildren. Her loss to her family was preceded by her husband, Norris, in December, 2012; her sister, Margaret Baller, at 101 years of age; her sister, Virginia Therrien; and brothers, Jim Hall and Bob Hall. Many of their beloved friends over the years have since passed on. She will have a joyous reunion of many friends and family on her final destination. Services will be held at a later date. Home for Funerals is in charge of arrangements. HOME FOR FUNERALS 1203 Norfolk Ave., Norfolk, NE 68701 402-371-3330
Whos afraid of their own constituents?

As an independent voter, I read this article (Few town halls are on agendas of Midlands lawmakers, Feb. 20 World-Herald) with interest, to see how Republicans would deal with the latest populist interest in going to town hall meetings.

Democrats had to deal with similar tactics when the Tea Party organized and sent members to town halls. Democrats held those meetings and spoke with their constituents, even while their message was being derailed by Tea Party members who disagreed with them.

Now that the tables have turned, some Republicans are refusing to hold town hall meetings because of constituents who are using the same town hall tactics the Tea Party used. Some Republican lawmakers seem to be pretending to be scared of their own voters so they are not confronted by constituents who disagree with their votes.

I guess Republicans need to learn what the Democrats already know: that town halls arent safe spaces and yes, they do have to listen to all of their constituents, not just the ones who agree with them. I hope Republicans will decide to be brave instead of hiding.

Debra Trojanowski, Bellevue

Skipping town halls is smart

I dont think our senators and congressmen are afraid to hold town hall meetings. Why should they set up a meeting and subject themselves to the possibility of some people who act like deranged animals, disrupting the meeting to get on the news? I think they are being smart, not afraid.

Harold Hansen, Clay Center, Neb.

The state of the city is strong

Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert has done a great job. Omaha is safer, with shootings at a 10-year low and homicides at a 13-year low. She has added 56 police officers and plans to establish a fifth police precinct. Construction and development are strong, and our economy is expanding. The city is partnering to boost summer jobs and programs for at-risk youth and is encouraging entrepreneurs.

She doubled the budget for street maintenance and reduced the unfunded pension liability while decreasing the property tax rate twice. She also increased the use of technology and provided more transparency to the taxpayer. She constantly tries to improve things. The choice is clear: Re-elect Mayor Stothert, a proven leader.

Linda J. Bors, Omaha

Mellos approach a welcome change

I recently had the opportunity to hear Omaha mayoral candidate Heath Mello speak, and I was very impressed. In todays world where we see so much greed in the political arena, Heath comes across as a man with humility and a true passion for public service.

He is focused, passionate, shows respect for all people, respect for government and is the kind of person who can bring people together. Omaha would have a brighter and more vibrant future with Heath Mello as mayor.

Mary Bircher, Omaha

Restore classroom discipline with LB 595

State Sen. Mike Groene has been excoriated for proposing to instill more discipline into Nebraskas classrooms with Legislative Bill 595. But a Nebraska State Education Association questionnaire of teachers found that 80 percent think classroom violence is increasing, and 80 percent wanted the legal ability to have more control.

The U.S. spends more money per student than most other countries on education and yet has declined, especially in math and science scores, compared to other countries. I believe that the lack of classroom discipline is partially responsible. Teachers spend an inordinate amount of time with chronically disruptive students. This robs the kids who want to learn.

I want to thank the senator for his bill. Lets buck the politically correct hand-wringing over somehow perhaps ruining a child who would learn that actions have swift consequences.

Daniel Timm, North Platte, Neb.

Senators, get your crafty hands off our beer

With our state in a budget shortfall, I cannot understand why senators would take time to pursue more regulations to slow a growth industry in Nebraska with Legislative Bill 632 (For brewers, bill hard to swallow, Feb. 13 World-Herald). Craft brewing in Nebraska has revived goods production in several small towns and created a new avenue for small business investment across Nebraska, one that actually favors rural areas.

Craft brewing in Nebraska currently generates $60 million in revenue per year and provides 300 jobs. This is exactly the type of economic surprise that we need to support, not stifle.

The alternative, regulating that business model to a halt, is unlikely to slow the purchase of craft beers. Instead, it would just lead to more money leaving the state through the purchase of goods produced elsewhere.

Adam K. Shaver, Omaha
Record-setting warmth in February is punctuating what has been the mildest winter on record so far.

This warmth comes at the tail end of a winter that overall has really been mild, said Barbara Mayes, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service.

That changes soon as the region gets a reminder of winter later this week: A mix of rain and snow is forecast Thursday into Friday, with overnight temperatures dropping into the 20s.

But, overall, Omaha is in the midst of a number of weather records, according to Mayes and climatologist Ken Dewey of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln:

 Warmest stretch of days in mid-February (Feb. 10 through 19 and counting), with an average temperature of 44.9 degrees, nearly two degrees above the previous record set in 1976.

 Most consecutive days in February with a high above 50 degrees. The previous record was nine, and so far the month has had 10 in a row, with more to come.

 Likely record-number of February days above 70 degrees. Omahas record is three. The city has had two already, with two more days, today and Wednesday, forecast to top 70 degrees.

 And yet another month  the 18th in a row  with the average temperature above normal. Omaha hasnt seen a month average below-normal temperatures since August 2015, according to the weather service.

Temperature records are based on 146 years of weather service statistics.

It has been a very strange winter in the Midlands, Dewey said. Tornadoes in December, rain instead of snow, freezing rain instead of blizzards, and a February with record warmth.

In a sense, its been so warm that Nebraskans have had a taste of winters farther south, he said, quipping that people have had a chance to be snow birds, without traveling.

Despite February averaging nearly 10 degrees above normal, the month itself wont set a record for temperature, Mayes said. Thats because its been so dry  up until Mondays rain  that temperatures have dropped off sharply at night, once the sun sets (much like in a desert). This has pushed down temperatures overall.

So far, Omahas average temperatures would put this month in ninth place among warmest Februarys because the low temperatures are closer to normal.

Take out those nighttime lows and the picture changes significantly, according to numbers crunched by Dewey, an applied science professor at UNL. The month ranks third-warmest, based on daytime highs only, he said.

So far, Omahas winter is the mildest since the advent of modern record-keeping in 1950. Well-above-normal temperatures and below-normal snowfall underlie that winter ranking.

Whats behind the warmth?

Plenty of sunshine and a jet stream remaining well north of the region have helped create the record highs, forecasters have said. The jet stream is a barrier to arctic air, and as long as it stays north, that cold air remains bottled up. Later this week, its forecast to dip south and pull in some cold air behind it.

Dewey said other factors also are at play in generating the warmth.

A lack of snow cover and the fact that the top few inches of soil have thawed is keeping temperatures up, Dewey said. Solar energy that would normally bounce off of snow or get consumed melting the snow and frozen ground instead has gone toward heating the air.

A cool-down arrives Thursday along with a moisture-rich storm. Highs on Thursday are forecast in the low 50s. Friday through Sunday, highs are likely to be in the 30s and lows in the 20s.

Rain is forecast Thursday, and as temperatures drop overnight the moisture will shift to snow and then fluctuate on Friday between snow and rain. Friday is likely to be an unpleasant day, given the forecast for a rain-snow mix and strong winds.

The arrival of this storm system heralds a long-term change in the weather, Dewey said. The outlook for the end of February and start of March favors colder and wetter-than-average weather in the Midlands.

World-Herald staff writer Andrew J. Nelson contributed to this report.
Akhilesh dares PM Modi for a vaad-vivaad on bijli

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Lucknow, Feb 21: Will Prime Minister Narendra Modi accept the challenge of incumbent Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav for a debate on developmental issues? In poll-bound UP, supply of electricity has become a huge issue after PM Modi accused the ruling Samajwadi Party of adopting 'discriminatory attitude' in providing access to electricity to voters belonging to different religions.

In an interview to NDTV, Akhilesh said, "I am ready for a debate (vaad-vivaad) with the PM." "I can swear by the Ganga that I have provided electricity to religious places in towns like Mathura, Kashi. Now, let the PM swear by the Ganga that that is not the case."

On Sunday, during an election rally in Fatehpur, UP, PM Modi said that if power supply is available during Ramzan, it should be also available during Diwali. "If a graveyard is built in a village, so should there be a cremation ground. If there is electricity in Ramzan, it should also be there on Diwali; there should be no discrimination," the PM said at the rally.

In UP, power cuts are a regular affair. The problem is so acute that in many places, the residents of the state have to endure 12 to 16 hours of power cuts daily. This has made their lives miserable, especially for farmers and factory owners. As the state is all set to elect members for a new legislative assembly soon, majority of voters want solar power to solve the perennial problem.

According to a survey commissioned by 8minutes Future Energy Ltd, a huge chunk of voters have expressed their preference for solar power to deal with electricity crisis. The digital survey has been conducted recently in association with IndiaSpend and FourthLion.

The worst affected people by power cuts are women, rural people and Dalits. The survey has revealed that of the 38% of UP voters facing power cuts every day, 58% are women, 59% are rural voters and 61% Dalits.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Tuesday, February 21, 2017, 15:50 [IST]
How the numbers add up in UP: This is what BJP's win percentage was

Amar Singh calls SP turmoil as programmed drama

India

pti-PTI

New Delhi, Feb 21: Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh today claimed that the political turmoil in the party was a "programmed drama".

He also said that SP patron Mulayam Singh and his son and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh "are one and will remain one". "It was a programmed drama in which all of us were given a role. I subsequently realised that we are being used... I came to realise it was a ploy to distract from the anti- incumbency, law and order situation," he said.

"Mulayam loves being defeated at the hands of his son. Cycle (Party's election symbol), son, and SP are his weaknesses. Even at polling day, the entire family went together. So why all the drama?" Amar told CNN-News 18.

The Samajwadi Party went through a bitter power struggle between Mulayam and Akhilesh, with the latter taking the fight to the Election Commission and, ultimately, winning the battle and the party symbol.

Amar has been blamed by a section of the party leadership for creating fissures between Mulayam and Akhilesh. Recently, he was relegated to the back benches of the Rajya Sabha by his party.

PTI
Bengaluru pre-school horror: Principal, general manager arrested

India

oi-Anusha

Three days after a three-and-a-half-year-old child was sexually assaulted in a pre-school in Bengaluru, the police arrested the Prinicipal and general manager of the school on Tuesday. The duo was booked under sec 188 of the IPC and will be produced before the court. The zonal head of the chain of schools, came down to Bengaluru from Mumbai on Tuesday following which the police took him into custody.

The police referred to the complaint filed by the parents of the survivor accusing the management of attempting to shield the accused instead of fighting for the child's security and safety. The zonal in-charge who was supposed to arrive in Bengaluru on Monday landed only on Tuesday. Parents of the survivor alleged that they approached the zonal chief when staff of the local branch in Bellandur refused to initiate any action. Parents alleged that a man named Manju had abused their child and expressed suspicion of other children being subjected to sexual harassment at the hands of an alleged paedophile.

[3-year-old sexually assaulted in Bengaluru pre-school]

In their statement to OneIndia, the parents had alleged that the zonal chief had promised action but no real action ever came. Parents gathered outside the school for the second day in a row to protest against the management that failed to keep their wards safe.

The management on Monday declared that the school will remain shut until further announcements, giving in to demands from angry parents. Agitated parents demanded that the school not open until a permanent solution for safety of the vulnerable children is ensured. They also demanded that all the staff involved in shielding the culprit identified as Manju, be booked.

The incident once again put the spotlight educational institutions and their failure in ensuring safety of vulnerable children who study there.

OneIndia News
Great tolerance, the CBI is sitting idle in Goa says its SP

CBI arrests Chhattisgarh Principal Secretary for corruption

India

ians-IANS

By Ians English

New Delhi, Feb 21: The CBI has arrested Chhattisgarh IAS officer B.L. Agrawal and two other private persons for helping him in paying Rs 1.5 crore bribe to settle a case being investigated by the agency against him, an official said on Tuesday.

The arrested persons were on Tuesday produced before Patiala House court in Delhi that sent them to five-day Central Bureau of Investigation custody.

The CBI on Monday arrested Agrawal, a 1988-batch IAS officer currently posted as the Principal Secretary (Higher Education) in Chhattisgarh government, his brother-in-law Anand Agrawal and a private person Bhagwan Singh, a resident of Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh.

The agency on February 18 registered an FIR against Agrawal, Singh, a Hyderabad-based private person Syed Burhanuddin and others under relevant sections of criminal conspiracy and Prevention of Corruption Act.

The CBI said that the IAS officer had agreed to pay Rs 1.5 crore to Burhanuddin as gratification for helping him in a case being investigated by the agency.

"B.L. Agrawal first approached Singh over the issue, who arranged his meeting with Burhanuddin on February 11 in Delhi. Burhanuddin told the Chhattisgarh officer that he works in the Prime Minister's Office and would easily settle the matter in his favour in lieu of Rs 1.5 crore gratification," a CBI officer said.

The officer said that Burhanuddin also assured Agrawal that he would get the case transferred from the CBI to the Chhattisgarh Economic Offences Wing.

"The public servant sent an amount of Rs 45 lakh on different dates between February 12 and 16 for its onward transmission through hawala. One Raipur-based hawala operator Sanjay Taparia and others were used as channels for the movement of the amount," said the officer.

The CBI earlier conducted searches on the premises of the accused and hawala operators at Raipur, Hyderabad, Delhi and Greater Noida and recovered Rs 20 lakh.

IANS
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Lunar eclipse 2022: Temples to be closed on Nov 8; Are you allowed to worship?

Delhi: Man who sexually assaulted Nagaland woman arrested

India

ians-IANS

By Ians English

New Delhi, Feb 21: Police on Tuesday claimed to have arrested an alleged rapist who assaulted a Nagaland woman over the weekend near a popular hangout in south Delhi.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Ishwar Singh identified the accused only by his first name, Jhandal, 23.

The accused, who worked as a part time cleaner at some pubs and restaurants in Hauz Khas village - one of the most frequently visited places by the well-heeled, was identified from CCTV footages.

Singh told IANS that police examined the recordings from a total of 40 pubs and restaurants located in the area.

He said the accused was nabbed early on Tuesday from nearby Arjun Nagar, where he lived in a rented accommodation.

Jhandal had snatched the victim's mobile phone to prevent her from calling the police after he committed the crime. The cellphone was also recovered.

Police said the 24-year-old woman had visited a Hauz Khas pub with a group of friends and her elder sister before she was allegedly assaulted on Saturday night.

She was walking alone to her residence when the accused offered her a ride home, saying his vehicle was parked at some distance, police said.

He then led her to an isolated stretch in the adjoining park area and allegedly sexually assaulted her. The woman, police said, had also hit the accused with a stone before he escaped from the spot.

She later approached a police party patrolling the area.

IANS
Did Modi dig BJPs grave by his kabristan, shamshaan remark in UP polls?

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Lucknow, Feb 21: As the ongoing assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh have touched the halfway mark, campaigning tone has turned communal and profane. Be it the ruling Samajwadi Party or the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party in the state, the language used by leaders of all parties have suddenly turned vitriolic.

In fact, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also could not stop himself from giving the elections a 'communal tinge' by his kabristan and shamshaan remark in a poll rally at Fatehpur, UP, on Sunday.

"If a graveyard is built in a village, so should there be a cremation ground. If there is electricity in Ramzan, it should also be there on Diwali; there should be no discrimination," the PM said at the rally.

An 'angry' Congress accused the Prime Minister of dividing the voters on communal lines. The BJP in its defence said the Congress and the SP have been indulging in the most perverse form of secularism by being partial towards the Hindus.

Poll pundits say Modi's kabristan and shamshaan remark might prove costly for the BJP. Experts cite the example of Bihar Assembly elections 2015, when the BJP was accused of polarising the voters on communal lines. During the Bihar polls, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat suggested of doing away with reservations.

Moreover, BJP President Amit Shah's comment that if the party loses Bihar Assembly elections, firecrackers would be burst in Pakistan was also seen as communalising the poll process.

"The drubbing in Bihar elections should be a lesson for the BJP. The voters are not interested in celebrating their religion and caste. They want development. It is surprising to see the same mistakes of Bihar are being repeated by the BJP in UP," said a political analyst.

Another political scientist says that the BJP is feeling the pressure because of the winning alliance between the Congress and the SP. "The BJP knows it well that the people of UP are going to vote against PM Modi because of demonetisation. Thus the BJP is trying to garner votes on the religious lines," he added.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Tuesday, February 21, 2017, 11:17 [IST]
Why is the DMK continuing to oppose the imposition of Hindi? - 50 years of struggle and the truth!

DMK seeks no-confidence motion against Speaker Dhanapal

India

oi-Anusha

Taking its fight over Saturday's vote of confidence forward, the DMK has decided to move a no-confidence motion against Tamil Nadu assembly Speaker P Dhanapal. The party submitted a request letter to the assembly secretary on the same and a copy was sent to the speaker himself on Tuesday.

The DMK raised suspicion over the manner in which the speaker conducted proceedings of the house when Chief Minister Palanisamy moved the vote of confidence motion on February 18. M K Stalin, speaking to the media said that a letter to move a no-confidence motion was submitted to assembly secretary AMP Jamaludeen.

"We believe that the speaker acted with ulterior motives on Saturday. We have already moved the Madras High Court to quash the assembly proceedings from Saturday when the motion of confidence was put to vote," M K Stalin said.

The DMK is also hoping to meet the President and appraise him of the political situation in Tamil Nadu after the Governor refused to intervene in the same. DMK's petition in the Madras high court will be heard on Wednesday.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Tuesday, February 21, 2017, 16:47 [IST]
Talented, driven and great potential: President Putin is all praise for India and Indians

Expect Vijay Mallya's extradition soon

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

New Delhi, Feb 21: India has received a positive response from the United Kingdom on extraditions. This would mean that the extradition of liquor baron Vijay Mallya is likely to happen soon, sources said.

During the two day meet between Indian and British officials held deliberations on the legal processes and procedures where extraditions were concerned.

Officials that OneIndia spoke with however declined to comment is the Mallya issue was discussed in particular. Both sides agreed that legal cooperation on such issues needed to improve.

Further the meeting also deliberated on issues such as 'wanted' suspects present in the UK. It was decided that the process to speed up extraditions would be set in motion. Officials say that the meet was a fruitful one.

The Indian side was led by a senior MEA official. Officials of the CBI, ED and other investigating agencies were present at the meet.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Tuesday, February 21, 2017, 21:20 [IST]
Karnataka: 8 killed, several seriously injured in a road accident

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Bengaluru, Feb 21: In a tragic road accident, at least eight people were reportedly killed and several others were seriously injured in Yadgir, Karnataka, on Monday evening. The accident happened after a tempo carrying several passengers had a deadly collision with a cement tanker.

"Eight dead and nine injured after collision between a tempo and a truck in Yadgir, Karnataka," reported ANI.

Eight dead and nine injured after collision between a tempo and a truck in Yadgir(Karnataka) pic.twitter.com/NOpsEyKfL6  ANI (@ANI_news) February 20, 2017

Among the deceased, three were children. The accident occurred near Ramasamudra village in Yadgir taluk, say reports. "They were all returning from Shahpur to Ganapur village in Yadgir after attending an engagement function at Bhimarayanagudi in Shahpur taluk," a police official told reporters.

In another accident in Belagavi, three members of a family were killed when a truck hit their car by which they were going to Goa, on Dharwad-Ramnagar road, near Astoli village of Khanapur taluk, on Sunday night.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Tuesday, February 21, 2017, 8:43 [IST]
Mayawatis advice to PM Modi: 1st build shamshaan for Hindus in BJP-ruled states

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Lucknow, Feb 21: Prime Minister Narendra Modi stirred the hornet's nest by making kabristan and shamshaan remark in a poll rally at Fatehpur, UP, on Sunday.

"If a graveyard is built in a village, so should there be a cremation ground. If there is electricity in Ramzan, it should also be there on Diwali; there should be no discrimination," the PM said at the rally.

On Tuesday, Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati slammed the PM for his alleged 'communal' remarks.

Reacting to Modi's statement, Mayawati said, "The Bharatiya Janata Party should first build cemetery for Hindus in villages located in all the states ruled by the party. Then they should come and talk in UP. (Pehle inhe apne BJP shaasit rajyo mein har gaaon mein Hinduon ke shamshaan ghaat banwane chahiye, phir UP mein ye baat karni chahiye)."

Pehle inhe apne BJP shaasit rajyo mein har gaaon mein Hinduon ke shamshaan ghaat banwane chahiye,phir UP mein ye baat karni chahiye:Mayawati pic.twitter.com/8pJqYvEeqD  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) February 21, 2017

According to ANI, Mayawati said the BJP had realised that the party was not going to form the next government in Uttar Pradesh. The Dalit leader accused the PM of making communal remarks in poll-bound UP.

"In the past three-four days, the PM has given wrong statements, bringing in caste and religious angles because they seem to be fairing badly."

Earlier, an 'angry' Congress accused the Prime Minister of dividing the voters on communal lines. The BJP in its defence said the Congress and the Samajwadi Party have been indulging in the most perverse form of secularism by being partial towards the Hindus.

While clarifying the party's stand on not practicising communal politics, Mayawati said, "The BSP respected every religion during its tenure, whether it was providing electricity during festivals, or any law and order issue."

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Tuesday, February 21, 2017, 13:31 [IST]
Modi making a desperate bid to resurrect his stature: Ashok Gehlot

India

pti-PTI

Lucknow, Feb 21: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is making a desperate bid to resurrect his stature but the absence of credibility is haunting him, chief co-ordinator of Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee Ashok Gehlot said.

"Indira Gandhi's aura was different, while the aura of Modi is diminishing. Gandhi was ousted in a poll primarily due to the anger of voters but she was again accepted by them," he told PTI refusing to draw any comparison between Modi and the late prime minister.

"Modi had got a chance but he lost it. Senior party leaders like Murli Manohar Joshi and L K Advani have been marginalised. BJP workers are feeling suffocated," the former Rajasthan chief minister said here. Gehlot said a sense of frustration has penetrated deep in his mind and added that "Modi is making a desperate bid to resurrect his stature but the absence of credibility is haunting him".

Sharpening his attack, he said, "Congress never bothered for power. But I think BJP is going to meet the same fate in Uttar Pradesh as in the Assembly elections of Delhi and Bihar." He said BIMARU states was only a new jumla (rhetoric) coined by Modi. "BIMARU is simply a jumla and nothing else. What is the definition of BIMARU, can you tell me? In fact, Modi is an expert in telling lies," Gehlot said, adding that Modi is busy creating a rift between the rich and the poor.

Claiming that dictatorship has raised its ugly head in the BJP, Gehlot said Modi's current image resembles that of US President Donald Trump. "After 30 years, a particular party got a clear mandate. When Modi came to power, the writing on the wall was that this government would last for 10 years and this view emanated across different political parties," Gehlot said, adding that in two-and-half years, Modi's image has taken a beating.

PTI
Internet Explorer to retire on June 15, 2022 after serving netizens for over 25 years: Microsoft

25-year-old visually impaired techie bags job at Microsoft in Bengaluru with whooping salary of Rs 47 Lakh

Nadella, IT min discuss rural digital programme

India

oi-PTI

New Delhi, Feb 21: Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella on Tuesday met IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and discussed the company's rural digital initiatives and leveraging LinkedIn for creating employment opportunities.

"Microsoft is doing good work in India. In particular, we have appreciated their initiative for digital inclusion in village, the Harisal pilot project in Maharashtra where they brought in technology and connectivity for digital health and digital education...," Prasad said after the 30-minute meeting.

"This is something I am considering for replication in our larger vision for Digi Gaon initiative," he added.

Prasad said that other issues discussed included 'LinkedIn involvement in skilling professionals to be exposed to good job opportunities'.

The issue of H-1B visas did not figure at the meeting with the India-born CEO of Microsoft, he said.

The Minister said Nadella represented a powerful statement of 'extraordinary contribution of India's talent' and accomplishments.

Earlier, leading e-commerce major Flipkart on Monday tied up with global software major Microsoft to use its Azure Cloud platform for boosting its e-tail sales. The strategic partnership was announced by Satya Nadella on his maiden visit to Bengaluru after he took over the reins of the world's largest software product firm in February 2014.

PTI

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Story first published: Tuesday, February 21, 2017, 14:21 [IST]
Quotation mafia in Kerala behind molestation of actress?

India

oi-Vicky

Kochi, Feb 21: The Kerala police is probing the role of a "quotation mafia," in connection with the abduction and molestation case involving a popular actress. A leading actress was allegedly abducted and molested by a seven member gang. The criminals also took pictures of her and blackmailed her before letting her go.

Malayalam actress allegedly kidnapped, molested; one held

In Kerala, the "quotation mafia," undertakes jobs at the behest of a person who hands out a contract. The involvement of this mafia has led the police to believe that there could be a conspiracy angle to this incident.

There has been talk that a rift between the actress and a leading actor could have resulted in this incident. When a senior police officer part of the probe was contacted, he said that they are probing every angle. "We are also probing to find out if this incident took place to tarnish her image and damage her career," the officer also said.

Meanwhile the police have prepared a list of 2,100 history sheeters. They would be questioned for more leads into the case. The police say that they are also on the hunt for the fugitives. The probe is an open ended one and several angles are being looked into. The role of the "quotation mafia," too is under the scanner. Prima facie it appears as though the men were hired and paid to carry out the task. While these facts are clear, we are probing the motive behind the incident, the police also say.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Tuesday, February 21, 2017, 8:14 [IST]
Rahul hits out at Modi, says PM destroyed farmers

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Lucknow, Feb 21: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said, "As soon as we formed an alliance in UP, Modiji became upset."

Addressing a rally in the Gandhi bastion, Rae Bareli, Rahul said that the farmers have been suffering due to Modi. "Farmers have no money, small traders have been destroyed. Narendra Modi has finished them, ask them they'll tell you the same," he said during the rally.

Rahul said that the has not fulfilled a single promise that he made in Banaras. "The son (Modi) made several promises to the mother (Varanasi) but not a single promise was fulfilled," he said.

Raking the Vijay Mallya issue, Rahul said that Modi gave a gift of Rs 1200 crore to Vijay Mallya who betrayed his country. "Vijay Mallya didn't give UP a single employment. We will set up factories in UP, Amethi and Rae Bareli," he added.

OneIndia News
Siachen braveheart: Will sweep the floor, but give me a job, pleads Hanumanthappa's wife

India

oi-Anusha

"I will sweep the floor if I have to, but give me a job so that I can lead a life of dignity," these are very painful words coming from the widow of a soldier who was called the Siachen braveheart.

Life has not been easy for Mahadevi Koppad since her husband and Siachen braveheart Hanumanthappa Koppad passed away in 2016. The last one year has been a tumultuous one for the single mother whose eyes tear up each time her three-year-old little girl points to Hanumanthappa's photographs and says Appa.

[Siachen braveheart: A year on Hanumanthappa Koppad awaits a memorial, wife a job]

"It is not easy being a single mother. She misses her father and I can only try to give her all the love that she would have received had he been alive. I want her to join the army like her father did. I will tell her stories of soldiers, their sacrifice and their bravery to inspire her," Mahadevi said in this exclusive conversation with OneIndia.

[Hanumanthappa wife breaks silence on anti-national activities: Know what she said]

There were one too many politicians, bureaucrats and representatives who came to offer condolences when Hanumanthappa passed away. Many promises were made, some were fulfilled while others are yet to see the light of day. The Karnataka government has given the family cash and land as promised but that hasn't ensured the dignity of life for Mahadevi.

[Hanumanthappa Koppad, a hero forgotten?]

The young single mother pleads for a job so she can live a dignified life. "I want a job to take care of myself and my child. I have not asked for anything specific, I will sweep the floor if I have to, but give me a job is all I ask. Authorities call me now and then and say that I will surely be given a job but for a year I have waited in vain. I am tired. I can't keep pleading with the government for a job. Give me the option of living my life in dignity," she said evidently disgusted with the system that denied the widow of a brave soldier the option of being independent.

[Lance Naik Hanumanthappa: Daring soldier to the core]

For a year now, the martyr's wife has seen material for the memorial that was promised being dumped in her village but it is far from completion. The memorial was planned near the village panchayat office. The chief minister's office claims that funds have been released for the memorial and material required have been purchased but what then stops authorities from beginning the construction? A lack of will, it seems.

While the Karnataka government needs to be appreciated for sanctioning the land and cash for the martyr's family, denying job for his wife is truly unfortunate. Many from the government now claim that the responsibility of giving her a job falls on the centre government. They are pointing fingers at the director general of resettlement while it was, in fact, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah who had announced a job for a family member.

We asked Koppad what she had to say about this blame game, her answer should knock the conscience of this nation and its people. "They are political parties at the end of the day and blame game comes naturally to them. If a soldier says the same? What will you do? If a soldier plays the blame game, can this country sleep peacefully? If a soldier works for a state and not a nation, where will the government go? The blame game is not the answer, playing with our lives is not the answer," she said slamming all those trying to shirk away from responsibilities and promises made.

"I have God on my side. I believe that my husband is alive and is with me each minute. I have undergone many troubles this past year and I shall survive this too. Most of my troubles are personal but being independent will put an end to it. If nothing, a job will help keep my mind occupied and give me peace', she said.

Hanumantappa lay his life down for this country and his wife and daughter are struggling for a dignified life. The big words and the deep condolences are of little use if a martyr's wife has to plead for what is rightfully hers. It is time for those in authority to wake up.

OneIndia News
Cyclone Sitrang: Odisha, Bengal brace for cyclonic storm likely to form by Oct 23

Odisha, Bengal brace up as possible cyclone inches closer

Odisha: Two killed as truck hits motorbike in Bhadrak

Southeast Asia tourism policy for Odisha

India

ians-IANS

By Ians English

Bhubaneswar, Feb 21: The Odisha government is planning to formulate a policy to promote tour packages to Southeast Asia in collaboration with airlines operator AirAsia.

The issue was discussed at the Tourism Advisory Committee Meeting held here under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary A.P. Padhi.

Recently, the state government signed a memorandum of agreement with AirAsia to start direct international flight operation to Kuala Lumpur.

"A specific policy will be formulated for promoting tour packages to Southeast Asia in collaboration with AirAsia. This apart, new tour packages like Jagannath Trail, Coastal Trek, Coastal Cruise, Cycle Tours, Food Festivals and Weekend Gateways will be organised under the Odisha Tourism Development Corporation," said Tourism Secretary Arti Ahuja.

Reviewing the progress made so far, Chief Secretary Padhi said the policy would boost the tourism sector in the state.

Branding of Odisha Tourism would be done at strategic places like airports in Delhi and other important cities, Mumbai Metro and international convention centres, said Tourism director Nitin Jawale.

He said it would also be linked to upcoming major events in Paris, Singapore and Madrid.

The chief secretary directed to expedite the process for setting up a sand art museum at Puri.

It was discussed in the meeting that sand art at Puri has started drawing increasing international attention in recent days and as such, the museum be set up at the earliest.

The state government claimed there has been a steady growth in tourist inflow to the state.

IANS
Why is the DMK continuing to oppose the imposition of Hindi? - 50 years of struggle and the truth!

TN ministers not allowed to meet Sasikala in jail

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Bengaluru, Feb 21: Three ministers in the newly sworn in government of the Tamil Nadu were not allowed to meet Sasikala Natarajan at the central jail in Bengaluru. The three ministers D Srivasan, Sengottaiyan and Sellur Raju had travelled from Chennai to meet Sasikala who is lodged in jail after she was convicted in the disproportionate assets case.

As per the orders of the Director General of Prisons, permission to meet a prisoner can be given only twice a week. However Sasikala who has met with several persons since her conviction had already exhausted her quota for the week.

The three ministers had sought an appointment with Sasikala. However after they waited for nearly three hours to meet her, they were told that permission could not be granted and they needed to come back next week after taking an appointment.

Sasikala has had a host of visitors since she was jailed on Wednesday. Her relative and advocates have met her several times since she was directed by the Supreme Court to go to jail. Earlier this week, Sasikala is said to have filed an application seeking a transfer from the Bengaluru jail to a prison in Chennai.

The application was filed with the jail authorities who may forward the same to the home department of Karnataka. However according to legal experts such an application needs to be filed before the Special Court which conducted the trial in the disproportionate assets case.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Tuesday, February 21, 2017, 18:56 [IST]
COLUMN: UP elections 2017: Bundelkhand state no longer an issue?

India

oi-Ratan Mani Lal

The Uttar Pradesh assembly election moves into its next phase with polling scheduled on February 23 in 12 districts of Bundelkhand and south-eastern region involving 53 constituencies. The erstwhile Congress bastion of Rae Bareli will also see polling in this round where alliance partners Samajwadi Party is pitted against the Congress.

The Bundlekhand region comprises seven districts in UP -- Jhansi, Jalaun, Lalitpur, Chitrakoot, Banda, Hamirpur, Mahoba in Jhansi and Chitrakoot divisions, and it borders Madhya Pradesh. Incidentally, seven districts of MP (Sagar, Panna, Tikamgarh, Chhatarpur, Damoh, Datia and Vidisha) are also part of the larger Bundelkhand and these 14 districts of the two states are included in the so-called separate Bundelkhand state by the proponents of the idea. It was for no small reason that the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan campaigned extensively in the UP Bundelkhand region for the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Even UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has been paying special attention to the region and there was a time some months ago that reports of his contesting assembly election from this region had been floated. Later, however, the chief minister himself had said that since he was a member of the UP legislative council and therefore did not need to contest the election at all. The Bundelkhand region has seen launching of several new projects and these have come on top of the famed 'Bundelkhand Package' announced by the previous UPA government at the centre some years ago.

The UPA government had in November 2009 approved Rs 7,277-crore Drought Mitigation Special Package for the integrated development of the drought-hit Bundelkhand region in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, with the allocation for Uttar Pradesh being Rs 3,606 crore initially.

Yet, the region remains one of the most backward in the state with no worthwhile activity in either agriculture or industry in any district except for Jhansi, which is a traditional railway and defence town. Prolonged drought and the absence of any long-term strategy for integrated development of the region has fed the demand for a separate state. A campaign for Bundelkhand state is being spearheaded by actor Raja Bundela who in the past contested the Lok Sabha and assembly elections unsuccessfully.

However, the demand for a separate Bundelkhand state, or for that matter the division of Uttar Pradesh into smaller and more manageable states, has not found its place in the campaign content this time. The demand for creation of separate states with the names of Harit Pradesh (western UP), Poorvanchal (eastern UP), Bundelkhand and Awadh had been raised prior to the 2012 election by the then BSP government headed by Mayawati.

She had, in fact, passed a resolution to this effect in November 2011, a few months before the end of her government's tenure. However, the BSP had lost the election. This time, none of the erstwhile proponents of UP's division has raised this demand in the campaign.

Local leaders in Jhansi and Hamirpur say the demand for a separate state will have no meaning unless the districts in neighbouring MP are also not included in the Bundelkhand state. Since the demand is not so strong in MP, people in Bundelkhand region of UP feel it is better to be a part of a large state. However, they assert that the agitation for a better deal to the chronically backward region would continue.

In this context, it would appear that voters will have to choose between the benefits of the package given by the previous UPA government coupled with the promises made by Akhilesh, and the campaign promises by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

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Story first published: Tuesday, February 21, 2017, 15:26 [IST]
UP Election 2017: Understanding Modi's kabristan remark

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Monday witnessed a high voltage campaign in Uttar Pradesh. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "If you create a kabristan (graveyard) in a village, then a shamshaan (cremation ground) must be created. If you give electricity uninterrupted during Ramzan, then it should be given for Diwali too without a break. There should be no discrimination, Modi said.

What led the prime minister to make such a heavy duty comment? Several pollsters say that the statement indicated a clear shift in the BJP's strategy. It was aimed at pointing out the pro-minority stand taken by the Samajwadi Party and such a statement will help engineer counter-polarisation, pollsters say.

Three phases of the UP elections are completed and there is no clear indication as to who would win. Many have predicted a hung verdict in UP. The BJP realises that it needs to win big in UP and hence such a statement by Modi is likely to help the party.

The BJP is banking heavily on the support of the upper castes. It also is consolidating the Yadav-OBC votes. A statement of this nature would help the BJP in appealing to the Hindus in UP. Further the statement was also aimed at bringing the various castes under one Hindu umbrella.

The next four phases are very crucial. The first three phases have been largely dominated by local issues. However, in the last four phases the voters of central UP and Poorvanchal would be casting their ballot. Poorvanchal is crucial since it has a large number of Muslims. The SP-Congress and the BSP are trying to gain heavily in this part of the state. In this context it becomes extremely important for the BJP to rope in the Hindu votes in large numbers. Pollsters say that taking these factors into consideration, the PM made such a statement.

OneIndia News
Why govt may not support move to declare Pakistan a 'terror state'

India

oi-Vicky

New Delhi, Feb 21: A move to declare Pakistan as a terror state will be opposed by the Union government citing diplomatic reasons. A private member's bill had been moved in the Rajya Sabha recently seeking to declare countries such as Pakistan as terror states.

However, the Home ministry has decided to oppose this bill stating that it would damage international relations under the Geneva Convention. India is bound by international norms and since there are trade relations that are shared, it would not be correct to declare such countries as terror states, the Home ministry has said.

The bill will come up for discussion on March 9 when Parliament resumes. A private member's bill can become a law once it is screened by a house committee. The bill would then have to be passed by a majority vote in Parliament. The bill moved by MP, Rajeev Chandrashekhar has sought to impose legal, economic and travel sanctions on citizens of countries which promote terror. The bill had been discussed on February 3.

The government is unlikely to give its nod to the bill. The Home ministry has told the Parliament secretariat that that it opposes the Bill as it could jeopardise international relations under the Geneva Convention.

OneIndia News
Canadian envoy says 'support India's sovereignty after earlier 'welcome all' remark on Khalistan

Asylum seekers from US head for Canada

International

ians-IANS

By Ians English

Toronto, Feb 21: A growing number of asylum seekers and other migrants trekking on snow and ice are crossing the US border into Canada, a media report said on Tuesday.

"We have a port of entry for a reason because that's where we expect people that want to enter into our country to come," said Ted Falk, a member of the Canadian Parliament whose district includes Emerson and Manitoba, ABC News reported.

"I think that the attitude is basically we're better off welcoming them in than being repressive because that's just going to complicate things," he said.

"What is new now is the numbers," said Eric Taillefer, an immigration lawyer and vice president of the Quebec immigration lawyers association. "It is very, very surprising," he added.

The number of asylum seekers crossing into Canada rose from 2015 to 2016 and it has continued to spike this year, according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

North of the eastern US in Quebec -- where Canadian authorities say there has been the biggest rise in illegal crossings -- the number of asylum claims by people who crossed over legally and illegally more than tripled in January compared to a year earlier, ABC quoted authorities as saying.

Taillefer said those crossing into Quebec include people from Iraq, Syria and Sudan -- three of the seven countries from which travel into the US was temporarily blocked under President Donald Trump's executive order.

At the law enforcement level, police said the flow of people was still manageable.

The Royal Canadian police said on Monday that while they were busier now and require more manpower, they were not in "emergency mode" and the border crossings were still managed at the local level.

IANS
China building third aircraft carrier to stregthen south China Sea presence

International

pti-PTI

Beijing, Feb 21: China is building a third aircraft carrier based on American models as it seeks to fortify its claims in the disputed South China Sea and dominate the larger Indian Ocean region to realise its blue water aspirations.

Chinese experts said China is on course to build 5-6 aircraft carriers. While the first aircraft carrier, Liaoning, is a refitted Soviet-era ship, the second is being built on the same model with more advanced facilities and is likely to enter service in 2020.

The latest carrier, under construction at Shanghai, is based on US models, state-run Global Times reported on Tuesday. Based on information released by Chinese defence ministry, the second Type 001A carrier being built at the northeast Dalian port uses the ski-jump technology for aircraft to take off, like the first carrier Liaoning rather than a more advanced catapult technology used by American carriers.

The second aircraft carrier is expected to have a displacement of 50,000 tonnes. China is looking into catapult technology for the third Type 002 carrier being built in Shanghai, the daily quoted Li Jie, a naval military expert, as saying.

"In other words, 002 is entirely different from Liaoning (001) and 001A, and it will look like a US aircraft carrier rather than a Russian one," Li added.

Official Chinese media have earlier reported about the possibility of a third carrier but it is the first time they have announced that it was being built. Most advanced carriers use the Electromagnetic Catapult System, or Electromagnetic launcher, to launch fighter jets, but China is also testing steam catapults, Li said.

"In order to protect China's territories and overseas interests, China needs two carrier strike groups in the West Pacific Ocean and two in the Indian Ocean. So we need at least five to six aircraft carriers," Yin Zhuo, a senior researcher at the PLA Navy Equipment research centre, said.

Chinese media has often highlighted the construction of aircraft carriers as the US deployed aircraft carriers in the disputed South China Sea challenging Beijing's claims. The US Navy on Sunday announced that an aircraft carrier strike group has begun 'routine operations' in the South China Sea.

The announcement came despite a warning from China not to interfere with Chinese sovereignty in the region. China has a long history of maritime disputes with its South China Sea neighbours. It claims almost all of the South China Sea, despite objections from the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Vietnam. China has also created artificial islands in the area, outfitting some of them with military features.

PTI
Italy's Meloni tries to distance herself from fascism

In Europe, the bird will fly by our rules: EU commissioner on Twitter takeover

EU chief: Britain will pay very hefty bill for Brexit

International

ians-IANS

By Ians English

Brussels, Feb 21: European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on Tuesday warned that Britain would pay a "very hefty" bill for its leaving out of the bloc.

Juncker said the EU will seek payment from Theresa May's government to cover existing spending commitments made by Britain, the Independent reported.

"The British should know this, they know this already, that it will not be at a discount or at zero cost. The British must respect commitments they were involved in making," he told the Belgian Parliament.

"So the bill will be, to put it a bit crudely, very hefty."

Juncker said Britain would need years to negotiate any future trade deals with the EU after quitting the bloc.

"To agree on the future architecture of relations between the United Kingdom and the European Union, we will need years," he added.

Discussions are underway in Brussels on the size of the bill to be presented to the British Prime Minister when she launches withdrawal talks, with several reports suggesting the demand may be as high as 51 billion pounds ($63 billion) over the next six years.

Brussels' position is that withdrawal arrangements - including the "exit bill" - must be agreed before moving on to potentially lengthy negotiations over future trade relations.

The European Commission had told Britain there can be no membership of the European single market without freedom of movement for workers - a key issue for many people who voted for Brexit, the Independent said.

"We need to settle our affairs not with our hearts full of a feeling of hostility, but with the knowledge that the continent owes a lot to the UK," Juncker added.

His comments came during the second day of the House of Lords debate on the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill.

The legislation, which would allow May to trigger the formal two-year Brexit process, already cleared the House of Commons unamended with big majorities.

IANS
Flood threat across Northern California amid heavy rain

International

pti-PTI

San Francisco, Feb 21: Forecasters have issued flash flood warnings throughout the San Francisco Bay area and elsewhere in Northern California as downpours swelled creeks and rivers in the already soggy region.

The National Weather Service on Monday said heavy rain could persist into the evening and was expected to cause flooding on the Carmel River in Monterey County and Coyote Creek in Santa Clara County.

In the San Joaquin Valley, residents were patrolling levees for signs of danger, reviewing evacuation plans and filling hundreds of sand bags as the San Joaquin River kept rising. "Our community is pulling together like real champs," said San Joaquin River Club resident Paula Martin, who is helping coordinate emergency plans for the private neighbourhood of 800 homes.

Martin said the neighbourhood has sirens in a clubhouse and church that can warn residents of impending flooding. The weather service also issued snow and wind advisories, including a flash flood warning for the Soberanes burn area in Monterey County. It said winds could reach 60 mph in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Santa Cruz County had seen 2.8 inches of rain in 24 hours and could see up to 8 inches before the storm passes Tuesday. Marin County got 2.3 inches of rain while close to an inch fell in San Francisco. Forecasters said rainfall in San Francisco has already surpassed the normal annual amount for the wet season that begins in October.

The city has logged 24.50 inches of rain since Oct. 1, said forecaster Bob Benjamin. The average rainfall for the year ending Sept. 30 is 23.65 inches. In the mountains, the weather service forecast heavy snow in the Lake Tahoe area with a high avalanche danger until Tuesday in an area of the Sierra Nevada from Yuba Pass to Ebbetts Pass.

Forecasters say the winter storm could drop up to 5 feet of snow in areas above 7,500 feet while lower elevations could see between 8 and 24 inches of snow. Forecasters advised motorists to avoid travel in the area through Tuesday. Moderate to heavy rain along with snowmelt below 7,000 feet was expected to swell rivers and streams and increase the chance of flooding.

The San Joaquin River was approaching the top of levees and could remain at that level for four days, said Tim Daly, a spokesman with the San Joaquin County Office of Emergency Services.

PTI
French parliamentary election: What you need to know

France's Marine Le Pen refuses to wear head scarf, cancels meet with Lebanon's Grand mufti

International

ians-IANS

By Ians English

Beirut, Feb 21: Far-right French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen cancelled a meeting with Lebanon's Grand Mufti on Tuesday after refusing to wear a headscarf.

"You can pass on my respects to the Grand Mufti, but I will not cover myself up," Le Pen told reporters.

"I have met before with Grand Imam Sheikh al-Azhar in Egypt without wearing a veil," the 48-year-old leader of the National Front party.

Le Pen was told by Lebanese officials that she would have to wear a veil for her audience with Grand Sunni Muslim Mufti, Sheikh Abdel-Latif Derian, the Independent reported.

Video footage showed Le Pen at the entrance to his office shaking her head.

Le Pen said she had met in the past with the grand mufti of Egypt's Al-Azhar, one of the world's top Sunni clerics, without wearing a veil.

"He did not have this demand," said Le Pen. "But it's not a problem, you can pass on to the Grand Mufti my considerations, but I am not putting the veil on."

Once told that customs were different in Lebanon, Le Pen walked out of the building and left in her car, according to the report.

Her aides had reportedly been informed before her visit that she would be required to wear a headscarf.

Praising the "political gesture", Florian Philippot, one Le Pen's closest aides, said it was "a beautiful message of emancipation and freedom sent to the women of France and the world", reported the Daily Mail.

The anti-immigration politician made a three-day visit to Lebanon this week to meet officials in an effort to bolster her presidential credentials two months before the first round of voting in the French presidential election.

Polls suggest that Le Pen is expected to win the first round of voting in presidential elections in April.

The latest poll on Monday, according to reports, showed support for the far-right candidate had risen by one per cent to 27 per cent.

IANS
'Never invited or met him': Hamid Ansari on row over Pak journalist

BJP uses photo to back its claim of Hamid Ansari's connection with Pak journalist

Hamid Ansari says India is development partner of Rwanda

International

ians-IANS

By Ians English

Kigali, Feb 21: Vice President Hamid Ansari on Tuesday said India was Rwanda's strong development partner.

"We in India see ourselves as a strong development partner to Rwanda. We are already cooperating in sectors such as solar electrification, food processing, skill development and hydropower projects," Vice President Hamid Ansari said in an address at the University of Rwanda here.

"India's engagement with Africa has its own unique script, based on what Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called 'strong emotional link' defined by our shared history of struggle against colonialism and our aspiration to bring prosperity to our people," Ansari said.

Ansari is on a visit to Rwanda from February 19-21.

Speaking on the outcome of the visit of the Rwandan President Paul Kagame to India, Ansari said: "During President Kagame's recent visit, an understanding has been reached for a new line of credit worth $80 million for a road project. We are also committed to continuing and enhancing the provision of scholarship for training of Rwanda civilians and defence personnel under various technical cooperation and cultural cooperation programmes."

Kagame was on his maiden official visit to India from January 9-11.

During his visit, both sides agreed to raise the level of bilateral cooperation to a strategic partnership and India extended a $120 million credit to bring over 41,190 hectares of cultivable land under irrigation in the African country.

On the bilateral trade between the two nations, Ansari said: "Our bilateral trade has doubled over the last five years, but as $106 million, remains modest and much below its potential. Rwanda has a dynamic economy and ranks highly in the ease of doing business, providing many incentives for inventors."

On Indian investments in the African agriculture sector and its market potential in India, he said: "The growing middle-class in urban India can become a dependable consumer for African food processing Industry."

"India provides a long-term, stable and profitable market to the goods and services that Africa generates. For India, Africa has the potential to become a major contributor to our energy security and food security requirements. This is a 'win-win' situation."

"The quantum of Indian investment in Africa has increased in recent years and is presently estimated to be about $35 billion, with a large part of it concentrated in Southern and Eastern Africa," he added.

India has announced concessional credit of over $10 billion for Africa, over a period of next five years.

IANS
Its a pan-American protest

Not My President's Day' rallies were hosted in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Philadelphia and more than two dozen other cities across the country.

Protesters shout anti-Trump slogans

Most of the agitators were seen singing anti-Trump slogans. Many carried placards that read Not My President' and Resist'. The protesters also chanted No Ban, No Wall'--a reference to Trump's executive order on travel by immigrants and his still-unbuilt wall along the Mexican border.

More anti-Trump rallies in future

Protesters told the media that they were going to host several similar rallies if Trump administration did not stop creating division in society.

Highlights of Trump administration: Ban on Muslim immigrants and build a wall on Mexican border

The decisions taken by the Trump administration during its one-month rule are mostly anti-American in nature, say protesters.

Young and angry protesters

Most of the protesters were youngsters who have vehemently denounced the Trump administration.

UK joins US against Trump

Reports say protests against Trump were also hosted in few cities in the United Kingdom.
Cabinet approves MoU between India, Denmark in field of Water Resources Development and Management

Dr. Rinky Kapoor- One of the best celebrity cosmetic dermatologists

No one has guts...: Junior defence minister's reply to China question

Twitter down as several users report login issues on website

Talented, driven and great potential: President Putin is all praise for India and Indians

India to supply water and rice to drought hit Sri Lanka

International

ians-IANS

By Ians English

Colombo, Feb 21: India is to donate eight water bowsers or large tanks and 100 metric tons of rice to Sri Lanka, as part of drought relief for the island country which is headed for one of its worst droughts in 30 years.

The assistance was conveyed by India's Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar who visited Sri Lanka from February 18-20, for bilateral discussions with Sri Lankan leaders.

Reservoirs in Sri Lanka are reported to be running at 30 per cent or less capacity.

According to a recent survey by the World Food Programme and the government, the rains last year were 23 per cent less than the 30-year average.

The poor rains has also hit sowing. Of 800,000 acres, only a little above 300,000 was planted with the staple rice crop during the last harvesting season.

"This is the lowest cultivation level experienced in Sri Lanka during the last thirty years," the WFP-government joint survey said.

Water bowsers are large water-filled tanks that can also be fitted on wheels.

During his visit, Jaishankar called on President Maithripala Sirisena, and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. He also met Minister of Foreign Affairs Mangala Samaraweera, Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade, Malik Samarawickrama, and other senior Ministers as well as Secretary to Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Esala Weerakoon. His visit is part of the continued high level engagement between the two countries and comes ahead of the likely visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the country in May for the Vesak Day celebrations.

Jaishankar also interacted with a Tamil National Alliance delegation led by Leader of Opposition, R. Sampanthan, a delegation from Tamil Progressive Alliance comprising Minister of National Co-existence Dialogue and Official Languages Mano Ganesan, Minister of Hill Country New Villages, Infrastructure and Community Development P. Digambaram, State Minister of Education V. Radhakrishnan, and a delegation from Ceylon Workers Congress led by A. Thondaman.

Jaishankar met with the leader of Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, Minister of City Planning and Water Supply, Rauff Hakeem and leader of All Ceylon Makkal Congress, Minister of Industry and Commerce, Rishad Bathiudeen.

Jaishankar reviewed the entire gamut of our bilateral relations, particularly Indian assisted economic projects and development particularly with Sri Lanka.

Earlier this month, Pakistan airlifted 25 tonnes of rice as relief to Sri Lanka as part of drought relief.

IANS
North Korea threatens to use nukes if provoked

Malaysian claims investigation into Kim Jong Nam's death impartial

International

pti-PTI

Beijing, Feb 21: Malaysia's ambassador to Pyongyang says the investigation into the death of the exiled half-brother of North Korea's ruler Kim Jong-un is being conducted in an impartial manner.

Mohamad Nizan Mohamad spoke on Tuesday in Beijing, while in transit to Malaysia to where he had been recalled following the death of Kim Jong Nam.

Kim appeared to have been poisoned at Kuala Lumpur's international airport.

North Korea's ambassador to Malaysia has denounced the country's investigation into Kim's death, calling it politically motivated and demanding a joint probe.

Malaysia's foreign ministry responded that the ambassador's comments were 'culled from delusions, lies and half-truths.'

Mohamad said Malaysia had no reason to take sides over the incident and would 'be very objective and fair to everybody.'

PTI
Donald Trump's state visit to Britain debated in parliament

International

ians-IANS

By Ians English

London, Feb 21: The members of Parliament in Britain's House of Commons have debated the proposed state visit by US President Donald Trump. As the politicians on Monday discussed the proposed state visit, shouts and noise from a "Stop Trump" rally taking place in London's in Parliament Square could be heard inside the Houses of Parliament, Xinhua news agency reported.

It followed a petition to parliament signed by 1.85 million people calling for Prime Minister Theresa May's invitation to Trump to be withdrawn. A second petition, signed by more than 300,000 people supported a state visit to Trump during which Queen Elizabeth would host a state banquet.

MP Paul Flynn said only two US presidents have been granted a state visit since 1952, but within seven days of Trump becoming president he had been invited to a state visit. Flynn described this as extraordinary and completely unprecedented.

Emotions ran high among MPs who supported the visit and those backing opposition to the red carpet being rolled out for Trump. A number of MPs said Trump should have been invited to an official visit, a step down from a state visit.

Conservative James Cartlidge said removing the invitation for a state visit will make Britain a "laughing stock" and would damage Britain's national interests.

Labour MP Liam Byrne predicted that the level of protests "taking place in Parliament Square tonight" will look like a tea-party compared to the likely protests when Trump arrives in London. But the Foreign Office Minister Sir Alan Duncan said a state visit was part of plans for strengthening bilateral relations with the United States.

Despite the petition, the second biggest since parliamentary petitions were introduced, there is no obligation on the government to act.

IANS
Not letting Sikh woman to appear in exam for wearing 'kara' unsustainable: Delhi HC

'Sikhs of America' urges PM Modi to release Sikhs in Indian jails for over 30 years

Pakistan: Sikhs leading miserable lives in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province

International

ians-IANS

By Ians English

Peshawar, Feb 21: About 10,000 members of the Sikh community in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province lack education and health, a Sikh leader said in remarks published on Tuesday.

The region used to brim with gurdwaras before the 1947 partition of India. Sikhs in Peshawar now use only two shrines, the Pakistan Today reported.

"Plazas have been constructed in place of some gurdwaras. The ones not sold have been taken over by land grabbing mafia," alleged Pakistan Sikh leader Radesh Singh Tony.

"The community does not have a cremation ground," he added.

When a Sikh dies, he or she has to be taken to Attock district in Punjab, Singh said.

Members of the Sikh community have also pulled their children out of schools due to safety concerns.

"We are renting property to create makeshift schools. It is difficult to bear the expenses. We request the government to provide us a building and funds for education," said school headmaster Baba Jugerpaal Singh.

Despite the miserable conditions, the community hopes its issues will be resolved by the government.

IANS
Swedish PM Stefan Lofven surprised by Donald Trump's remarks

International

pti-PTI

Stockholm, Feb 21: Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said on Monday he was "surprised" by US President Donald Trump's remarks linking the arrival of a wave of migrants with a supposed rise in violence in the Scandinavian country. "I was, like many others I believe, surprised by the comments made about Sweden this weekend," Lofven said during a joint press conference in Stockholm with visiting Canadian Governor General David Johnston.

Trump, speaking in Florida on Saturday, said; "You look at what's happening in Germany, you look at what's happening last night in Sweden. Sweden, who would believe this? Sweden. They took in large numbers. They're having problems like they never thought possible".

The comment baffled Swedes and provoked much mockery on social media as nothing major had happened there on Friday evening. "We have opportunities, we have challenges, we're working (on) them every day. But I think also we must all take responsibility for using facts correctly, and for verifying any information that we spread," Lofven said.

Former prime minister Carl Bildt was less diplomatic: "Sweden? Terror attack? What has he been smoking? Questions abound," he wrote on Twitter on Sunday. "Last year there were 50 per cent more murders only in Orlando/Orange in Florida, where Trump spoke the other day, than in all of Sweden. Bad," Bildt added on Monday. Bildt gave no source for his claim. Orlando was the location of an attack in June on a gay club that left 49 people dead. Sweden registers about 100 homicides per year.

PTI
Hanging one-handed from a Dubai skyscraper:

The model after steadying herself for a moment, she puts her trust in a male helper, letting him hold her by one arm as she kicks her feet with the Dubai marina visible far below.

Model heavily criticised online:

Russian model was criticised for a dramatic photoshoot in which she hangs off a Dubai skyscraper after she posted this photo on instagram.

When the police told her to vow:

The Dubai police said that Odintcova has been summoned to sign an undertaking not to repeat any dangerous moves that could endanger her life in Dubai.

The risky photo shoot:

The photo shoot took place at the top of Dubai's Cayan Tower, which was at 73 storeys was the world's tallest building when it opened in 2013.

Her steamy Instagram account:

The sexy model posted the video and pictures on her Instagram account where there were more than three million followers. The photos which quickly went viral, prompted many of her fans to criticise her for performing the stunt without any safety equipment.

This isn't the first time:

But, this isn't the first time such photos have been taken. Another Russian model was similarly criticised last year for her risky shoot in Gangzhou, China.

What the daredevil had to say:

The Instagram queen, admitted that she was a bit nervous before the stunt. Every time she watches the video her palms go sweaty.
Fact Check: Old images of Imran Khan shared as ones from recent shooting incident

Three explosions outside a court in Pakistan, 8 dead

International

ians-IANS

By Ians English

Islamabad, Feb 21: Eight people died including three suicide bombers who tried to enter a court in Pakistan's Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province were killed on Tuesday, authorities said. About 10 others were injured in the ghastly incident in Charsadda district, The News International quoted police as saying.

Police officer Sohail Khalid told the daily that the three suicide bombers were killed when they tried to enter the court. "One suicide bomber blew himself at the gate," Khalid said. "All three terrorists have been killed."

He said three or four people have been injured in the attack. But others at the site put the number of injuries at about 10.

Gunfire was heard after one of the blasts near the gate of a sessions court located at Tangi Bazaar, Pakistani media reported. Hospitals in Peshawar and Charsadda were put on high alert.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf member Shaukat Yousufzai said the militants came from Mohmand Agency. In the past 10 days, over 100 people have been killed in terror attacks across Pakistan.

IANS
Donald Trump set to issue new travel ban order

International

ians-IANS

By Ians English

Washington, Feb 21: The Trump administration is considering dropping an indefinite ban on Syrian refugees in a revised executive order on immigration that the President is expected to release this week, the media reported.

Trump's original order, issued a week into his presidency, barred citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries -- Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen -- from entering the US for 90 days, all refugees for 120 days and refugees from Syria indefinitely. However, his inital order failed to overcome legal challenges.

The new draft, in a major difference from the earlier order, contains an exemption for green-card holders from the seven countries included in the travel ban as well as those individuals who are dual citizens of the US, one of the officials said, ABC News reported on Monday.

The revised version of Trump's temporary travel ban could be issued as early as Tuesday, according to reports. "The President is contemplating releasing a tighter, more streamlined version of the first executive order," US Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly said at the Munich Security Conference over the weekend.

The new order is also expected to address concerns of the 9th Circuit federal appeals court, which blocked the original order, that travellers' due process rights were not being respected by giving detailed notice of restrictions for those with current or pending visas, a CNN report said.

Trump has expressed frustration in person and on the social media over his stalled travel ban, often targeting the courts and the judges who have ruled against provisions of the order.

"The new order is going to be very much tailored to what I consider to be a very bad decision," Trump told reporters at the White House last week, referring to a three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals that ruled against his earlier order.

As of Monday afternoon, the revised order was still considered to be in an early drafting stage, according to the administration officials.

Challengers to the original executive order were confident they'll prevail in court again because the second version has the same "core problem".

Lee Gelernt, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) who is challenging the order in New York courts, said he expected that the new order will exempt green card holders, but warned that he expected other aspects of the new order to present legal problems.

"If the only real change is to exempt green card holders, then the legal challenges will continue full force," he said.

Immigration attorney David Leopold argued that the very fact that a new order is being drafted "is a clear admission by the Trump administration that the President directly violated immigration law and the Constitution when he ordered a sweeping ban on Muslims and Syrian refugees in late January."

IANS
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All rights reserved.

One News is a registered trademark

of One News Page Ltd.
by  Graham Pierrepoint



Spare a thought for poor Yahoo  once one of the biggest names in internet search, and still the provider of email to millions of people worldwide, the online brand has suffered a number of public setbacks in recent months that have had quite the impact on its brand image. Its currently looking for a buyer in Verizon  and while the tech giant was considering to close a deal on purchasing the online brand, news site and email service for a hefty $4.8 billion, it seems that the buyer is now considering cutting at least $250 million from the price to be in a position to accept. While this money may seem to be small potatoes for multi-national corporations such as Verizon, any cut from a deal previously assumed to be close cannot be good news.

Yahoo recently experienced a major public blow after it was revealed that heavy security breaches at the firm exposed the information for over a billion registered users, an event that occurred in 2013 but wasnt brought to light in late 2016  months after a prior hack had been unveiled that had compromised data belonging to 500 million users. Considering this information was brought to light after Verizon had reportedly entered into negotiation for the brand, it was brutal timing for Yahoo. The leaks were brought to the surface through thorough data analysis  meaning that users of the website and its email service may have unknowingly been at risk of fraud for three years.

Yahoo has a complex and fractured history that is even hard to get ones head around even in its past five years  CEO Marissa Mayer was responsible for acquiring 53 separate brands and applications to help bolster the companys talent base, with many apps shutting down and being dissolved into the new parent brand as a result. However, despite Mayer having overseen a spend thought to be between $2 and $3 billion on such acquisitions, the company still finds itself looking for a sale in 2017. It is still a well-known brand and one that many rely upon for news and communication  but its future still remains shaky after Verizons latest renegotiation. One of the main acquisitions Yahoo made that is still going strong is Tumblr  but it is not clear what will happen to the platform once Yahoo is sold on.

What will happen to Yahoo long term? Will they see their fortunes turn around under new management? Stay tuned  and we will soon let you know.
by  Graham Pierrepoint



Some time ago, One News Page reported that NASA were looking to the public for an innovative way to help their astronauts use the bathroom in emergency situations  it is, believe it or not, a genuine and quite worrying concern! At present, there is no foolproof way for patrolling astronauts to be able to dispose of poop safely while exploring space  which can in fact restrict the amount of time that explorers can spend out in deep space without access to toilet facilities. NASA works to engineer and provide solutions to such problems regularly, and has done so for decades  but they launched a contest last year to provide a cash prize to anyone who was able to design and innovate a potential poop-disposal system for astronauts without access to bathroom facilities. If you have an idea in mind, Im afraid youre far too late  as the winners have been declared!



This week, it emerged that five people took a share of a cool $30,000 in the competition, with places offered to the most interesting and viable ideas. The overall winner was declared to be Thatcher Cardon, a physician and flight surgeon who also operates as an Air Force officer. Cardons idea and prototype involves a small airlock fitted to the crotch of a spacesuit, which allows for items such as expandable diapers to be passed through and to enable astronauts to change while in-suit. He was inspired by invasive surgery techniques he has performed in the past, with an emphasis on getting the poop out of the suit at all costs!



In second place was Stacey Louie, Katherine Kin and Jose Gonzales, a team comprised of an engineer, a dentist and a physician respectively  who created the concept for an air-powered system that would push waste to elsewhere in the suit where it would not impact on an astronauts health or comfort while working in space. The team share a background in chemical engineering, and wanted to focus on a design that was psychologically comfortable. Hugo Shelley, a British product engineer, came third  with what he has dubbed the SWIMsuit. The SWIMsuit is, essentially, zero-gravity underwear  which stores and disinfects waste in a way that, much like the second-place entry, does not impact on the comfort nor the health of the user.



NASA have confirmed that they will indeed be working on and testing a working design in the near future based on concepts from all three winning entries  meaning that all five of those honored have earned their place in NASA engineering history  even if it was focused on poop removal!
OK! Magazine 03 Nov 2022

Jenna Bush Hager and Hoda Kotb shared their views on 'cuffing season' on the latest installment of 'Fourth Hour of Today.'
SeattlePI.com 03 Nov 2022

BERLIN (AP)  The International Committee of the Red Cross said Thursday it is seeking support to create a digital red..
Does New Hampshire Want a Piece of Online Gambling Action?

Published February 21, 2017 by Elana K

Last month, Republican representatives Eric Schleien, Nick Zaricki, and Robert Fisher introduced a bill, HB562, which would decriminalize online gambling within New Hampshire.

Weve been hearing rumblings about online gambling from Pennsylvania, New York, California, and others over the past few years, with many of these states going so far as to draft legislation and attempt to push it forward. New Hampshire, however, was not on the list of states that was even interested in discussing the subject - until now.

Last month, Republican representatives Eric Schleien, Nick Zaricki, and Robert Fisher introduced a bill, HB562, which would decriminalize online gambling within the state. After being introduced to the House, the bill was referred to the House Ways and Means Committee, and was then given a public hearing at the end of January.

About the Bill

The funny thing about this bill is that it does not attempt to regulate online gambling, only to decriminalize it. Practically, this means adding online gambling to New Hampshires already existing list of types of gambling that should be illegal, but are given exemptions. It also means that people living in New Hampshire could play online casino games for cash, totally legally, but without any regulation. The bill doesnt even include any provisions for the state to get taxes from online gambling.

Does The Bill Have a Chance?

The chances for HB562 being passed are slim to none, precisely because the bill wants to allow online gambling without the state reaping any benefits. If the bills sponsors want to have it proceed forward, they will likely need to make a number of changes, including licensing fees for online casinos, taxes to the state, and regulations to protect consumers.

Another Possible Outcome

If the sponsors can't make the requisite changes, perhaps the bill will be launchpad that other representatives need to take up the issue of online gambling, ultimately drafting legislation that has a fighting chance at being passed.
For annual year 2016, AUM for European mandated hedge funds declined 5.47% with strong redemptions of US$27.0 billion recorded  the steepest outflows for 2016 among regional mandates.

The US$251.1 billion CTA/managed futures mandated hedge fund industry saw the highest net investor inflows among strategic mandates for annual year 2016 (US$11.0 billion). Managers posted modest performance-driven gains totalling US$2.7 billion over the same period.

The US$774.0 billion long/short equities hedge fund industry recorded the steepest decline in net outflows among strategic mandates or US$29.1 billion in annual year 2016 while performance-based gains stood at US$8.7 billion over the same period.

Asian managers saw asset decline of US$1.8 billion for annual year 2016, with total net outflows of US$3.4 billion recorded, while performance-based gains stood at US$1.6 billion. The Asian hedge fund industry oversees 8% of total global assets, or US$169.6 billion in AUM as of 2016.

Long-only absolute return funds gained 7.61% in 2016, well ahead of underlying markets and hedge fund peers which were up 7.33% and 4.46% respectively. Asia is home to 43% of assets in the US$225.9 billion long-only absolute return funds industry is concentrated within the region alone.
Those who can, do, so we often used to hear, and those who cant, teach. Nowadays the situation seems to have transformed into something more like, Those who can, do, at least in the occasional free moments when they dont have to teach. At first you just take a teaching gig on the side to supplement your real career, and before you know it teaching has usurped that real career almost entirely. Weve all heard complaints from academic friends about the seemingly unbreakable cycle of lecturing, grading, and holding office hours, but how many have put it in terms as stark as Slavoj Zizek does in the interview above?

I hate, I hate, I hate  okay, talks are okay, but I hate giving classes, says the Slovenian philosopher-critic-showman at a 2014 University of Cincinnati College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning conference devoted to his work. Im proud to say, I did teach a couple of semesters here, and all the grading was pure bluff. I even openly told the students. I told them, I remember  at the New School, for example, in New York, If you dont give me any of your shitty papers, youll get an A. If you give me a paper, I may read it and not like it, you can get a lower grade. And it worked  I got no papers. And so he solves the problem of grading.









But what of office hours? These he calls the main reason I dont want to teach, because students, theyre like other people; the majority are boring idiots, so I cannot imagine a worse experience than some idiot comes and starts to ask you questions. In other countries one might find a way to endure it, but the problem is, here in United States, students tend to be so open that if youre kind to them, they even start to ask you personal questions, like private problems, could you help them, and so on. What should I tell them? I dont care. Kill yourself. Not my problem.'

These teaching experiences led Zizeks to one conclusion: I like universities without students. But not everyone cheers his pronouncement: Whenever something like this pops up, I worry that some people will see it and say, You see? Thats what Ive been saying about those ivory tower types all along,' writes one anonymous academic in response. Zizek is an outlier, in terms of both his stature and his attitude. Most working academics cant get away with being dismissive of students, and even if we could, almost all of us wouldnt.

Slates Rebecca Schuman argues that the real problem with Zizek isnt that he feels this way or that he says these things aloud. Its that he does so and people think its hilarious. Its that his view is, believe it or not, a common superstar view of students  so common, in fact, that if you work at a research university and actually like teaching, you should maybe pretend you dont, lest you appear not serious enough about your research. A semi-frequent critic of Zizek, most recently of his endorsement of Donald Trump (after all, the two thrice-married, outspoken older gentlemen do have quite a bit in common, a fact that would surely horrify them both), Schuman knows that the fault lies never so much with the provocateur himself as it does with our tendency to take his provocations at face value.

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Based in Seoul, Colin Marshall writes and broadcasts on cities and culture. Hes at work on a book about Los Angeles, A Los Angeles Primer, the video series The City in Cinema, the crowdfunded journalism project Where Is the City of the Future?, and the Los Angeles Review of Books Korea Blog. Follow him on Twitter at @colinmarshall or on Facebook.
Global Medical Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber Equipment Sales Market Report 2017

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The analysts of the global Medical Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber Equipment market report have taken on the challenge of procuring insightful data from reliable resources and precisely segregating critical market dynamics, given the voluminous amount of information available. Established and novice players in the Medical Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber Equipment market can secure their position on the cutting edge of the competitive landscape with the help of the in-depth analysis provided in the report. Businesses at different levels can take advantage of this information-rich market guide compiled using real references and case studies to gain an upper hand in their specific industries.To Get Free Sample Copy of Report visit @The competitive scenario of the global Medical Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber Equipment market is comprehensively discussed in the report, taking into account different geographical regions, with a view to help market players to establish groundbreaking strategies for managing their sustenance in the industry. In terms of market attractiveness, the analysts have predicted the prevalence of the rising segments in the Medical Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber Equipment market while considering their different growth factors.The value chain presented in the global Medical Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber Equipment market report offers a coup daoeil at the current and prospective scenario between buyers, suppliers, and end-users. Using Porteras five forces model, the analysts have provided a glimpse of the vital factors that can influence the Medical Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber Equipment market, such as the threats from substitutes, degree of competition, and bargaining power. While shedding light on the revenue and global penetration of major market players, the report puts forth a significant company market share analysis. The report also considers various decisive parameters that are likely to impact the demand in the Medical Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber Equipment industry to mark market attractiveness on the basis of key segments.Browse Complete Report with TOC @Table of Contents1 Medical Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber Equipment Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Medical Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber Equipment1.2 Classification of Medical Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber Equipment1.2.1 Monoplace chambers1.2.2 Multiplace chambers1.3 Application of Medical Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber Equipment1.3.1 Clinics1.3.2 Hospitals1.3.3 Others1.4 Medical Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber Equipment Market by Regions1.4.1 United States Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.2 China Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.3 Europe Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.4 Japan Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.5 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.6 India Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.5 Global Market Size (Value and Volume) of Medical Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber Equipment (2011-2021)1.5.1 Global Medical Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber Equipment Sales and Growth Rate (2011-2021)1.5.2 Global Medical Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber Equipment Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2021)2 Global Medical Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber Equipment Competition by Manufacturers, Type and Application2.1 Global Medical Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber Equipment Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1.1 Global Medical Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber Equipment Sales and Market Share of Key Manufacturers (2011-2016)2.1.2 Global Medical Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber Equipment Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2011-2016)2.2 Global Medical Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber Equipment (Volume and Value) by Type2.2.1 Global Medical Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber Equipment Sales and Market Share by Type (2011-2016)2.2.2 Global Medical Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber Equipment Revenue and Market Share by Type (2011-2016)2.3 Global Medical Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber Equipment (Volume and Value) by Regions2.3.1 Global Medical Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber Equipment Sales and Market Share by Regions (2011-2016)2.3.2 Global Medical Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber Equipment Revenue and Market Share by Regions (2011-2016)2.4 Global Medical Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber Equipment (Volume) by ApplicationFor Latest QYResearchreports Press Release Visit @QYResearchReports.com is an unimpeachable source of market research data for clients that comprise acclaimed SMEs, Chinese companies, private equity firms, and MNCs. We provide market research reports on various categories such as Energy, Chemicals, Alternative and Green Energy, Manufacturing, Machinery, Pharmaceuticals and Materials, and Glass.QYResearchreportsContact Us1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United States+1-518-621-2074866-997-4948USA-Canada Toll freesales@qyresearchreports.com
United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia Ultrasound Services Market Size, Status and Forecast 2021

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Notes:Production, means the output of Ultrasound ServicesRevenue, means the sales value of Ultrasound ServicesTo Get Free Sample Copy of Report visit @This report studies the global Ultrasound Services market, analyzes and researches the Ultrasound Services development status and forecast in United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia. This report focuses on the top players in global market, likeAnalogic CorporationEsaote S.P.AFujifilm Holdings CorporationGeneral Electric CompanyHitachi LtdKoninklijke Philips N.VMindray Medical International LtdSamsung Electronics Co. LtdSiemens AGToshiba CorporationPhilipsNECPertinoBrowse Complete Report with TOC @Market segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEUJapanChinaIndiaSoutheast AsiaMarket segment by Type, Ultrasound Services can be split intoDiagnostic UltrasoundTherapeutic UltrasoundMarket segment by Application, Ultrasound Services can be split intoRadiology/General ImagingCardiologyObstetrics/GynecologyVascularUrologyOther Applications (Includes Breast Imaging, Hepatology, Anesthesiology, and Emergency Care, Among Others)Table of ContentsUnited States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia Ultrasound Services Market Size, Status and Forecast 20211 Industry Overview of Ultrasound Services1.1 Ultrasound Services Market Overview1.1.1 Ultrasound Services Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Ultrasound Services Market Size and Analysis by Regions1.2.1 United States1.2.2 EU1.2.3 Japan1.2.4 China1.2.5 India1.2.6 Southeast Asia1.3 Ultrasound Services Market by Type1.3.1 Diagnostic Ultrasound1.3.2 Therapeutic Ultrasound1.4 Ultrasound Services Market by End Users/Application1.4.1 Radiology/General Imaging1.4.2 Cardiology1.4.3 Obstetrics/Gynecology1.4.4 Vascular1.4.5 Urology1.4.6 Other Applications (Includes Breast Imaging, Hepatology, Anesthesiology, and Emergency Care, Among Others)2 Global Ultrasound Services Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Ultrasound Services Market Size (Value) by Players (2015-2016)2.2 Competitive Status and Trend2.2.1 Market Concentration Rate2.2.2 Product/Service Differences2.2.3 New Entrants2.2.4 The Technology Trends in Future3 Company (Top Players) Profiles3.1 Analogic Corporation3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 Ultrasound Services Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 Esaote S.P.A3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.2.4 Ultrasound Services Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.2.5 Recent Developments3.3 Fujifilm Holdings Corporation3.3.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.3.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.3.4 Ultrasound Services Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.3.5 Recent Developments3.4 General Electric Company3.4.1 Company Profile3.4.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.4.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.4.4 Ultrasound Services Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.4.5 Recent Developments3.5 Hitachi Ltd3.5.1 Company Profile3.5.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.5.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.5.4 Ultrasound Services Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.5.5 Recent Developments3.6 Koninklijke Philips N.V3.6.1 Company Profile3.6.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.6.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.6.4 Ultrasound Services Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.6.5 Recent Developments3.7 Mindray Medical International Ltd3.7.1 Company Profile3.7.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.7.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.7.4 Ultrasound Services Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.7.5 Recent Developments3.8 Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd3.8.1 Company Profile3.8.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.8.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.8.4 Ultrasound Services Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.8.5 Recent Developments3.9 Siemens AG3.9.1 Company Profile3.9.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.9.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.9.4 Ultrasound Services Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.9.5 Recent Developments3.10 Toshiba Corporation3.10.1 Company Profile3.10.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.10.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.10.4 Ultrasound Services Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.10.5 Recent Developments3.11 Philips3.17 NEC3.18 PertinoQYResearchReports.com is an unimpeachable source of market research data for clients that comprise acclaimed SMEs, Chinese companies, private equity firms, and MNCs. We provide market research reports on various categories such as Energy, Chemicals, Alternative and Green Energy, Manufacturing, Machinery, Pharmaceuticals and Materials, and Glass.QYResearchreportsContact Us1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United States+1-518-621-2074866-997-4948USA-Canada Toll freesales@qyresearchreports.com
Global Patient Handling Equipment Market Professional Survey Report 2016

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Notes:Production, means the output of Patient Handling EquipmentRevenue, means the sales value of Patient Handling EquipmentThis report studies Patient Handling Equipment in Global market, especially in North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia and India, with production, revenue, consumption, import and export in these regions, from 2011 to 2015, and forecast to 2021.To Get Free Sample Copy of Report visit @This report focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, coveringStrykerGetingeInvacareJoerns HealthcareHill-Rom HoldingsGuldmannLinet Spol. S.R.O.Prism MedicalHandicareStiegelmeyer & Co. GmbHActive MedicalBy types, the market can be split intoWheelchairScootersMedical BedsBathroom SafetyMechanicalAmbulatoryTo Get Free Sample Copy of Report visit @By Application, the market can be split intoHospitalsHome Care SettingsElderly Care FacilitiesBy Regions, this report covers (we can add the regions/countries as you want)North AmericaChinaEuropeSoutheast AsiaJapanIndiaTable of ContentsGlobal Patient Handling Equipment Market Professional Survey Report 20161 Industry Overview of Patient Handling Equipment1.1 Definition and Specifications of Patient Handling Equipment1.1.1 Definition of Patient Handling Equipment1.1.2 Specifications of Patient Handling Equipment1.2 Classification of Patient Handling Equipment1.2.1 Wheelchair1.2.2 Scooters1.2.3 Medical Beds1.2.4 Bathroom Safety1.2.5 Mechanical1.2.6 Ambulatory1.3 Applications of Patient Handling Equipment1.3.1 Hospitals1.3.2 Home Care Settings1.3.3 Elderly Care Facilities1.4 Market Segment by Regions1.4.1 North America1.4.2 China1.4.3 Europe1.4.4 Southeast Asia1.4.5 Japan1.4.6 India2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Patient Handling Equipment2.1 Raw Material and Suppliers2.2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Patient Handling Equipment2.3 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Patient Handling Equipment2.4 Industry Chain Structure of Patient Handling Equipment3 Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Patient Handling Equipment3.1 Capacity and Commercial Production Date of Global Patient Handling Equipment Major Manufacturers in 20153.2 Manufacturing Plants Distribution of Global Patient Handling Equipment Major Manufacturers in 20153.3 R&D Status and Technology Source of Global Patient Handling Equipment Major Manufacturers in 20153.4 Raw Materials Sources Analysis of Global Patient Handling Equipment Major Manufacturers in 20154 Global Patient Handling Equipment Overall Market Overview4.1 2011-2016E Overall Market Analysis4.2 Capacity Analysis4.2.1 2011-2016E Global Patient Handling Equipment Capacity and Growth Rate Analysis4.2.2 2015 Patient Handling Equipment Capacity Analysis (Company Segment)4.3 Sales Analysis4.3.1 2011-2016E Global Patient Handling Equipment Sales and Growth Rate Analysis4.3.2 2015 Patient Handling Equipment Sales Analysis (Company Segment)4.4 Sales Price Analysis4.4.1 2011-2016E Global Patient Handling Equipment Sales Price4.4.2 2015 Patient Handling Equipment Sales Price Analysis (Company Segment)QYResearchReports.com is an unimpeachable source of market research data for clients that comprise acclaimed SMEs, Chinese companies, private equity firms, and MNCs. We provide market research reports on various categories such as Energy, Chemicals, Alternative and Green Energy, Manufacturing, Machinery, Pharmaceuticals and Materials, and Glass.QYResearchreportsContact Us1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United States+1-518-621-2074866-997-4948USA-Canada Toll freesales@qyresearchreports.com
Global Commercial Vehicle Advance Driver Assistance Systems 2016 - Market Size, Analysis, Share, Research, Growth

Commercial Vehicle Advance Driver Assistance Systems

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Notes:Sales, means the sales volume of Commercial Vehicle Advance Driver Assistance SystemsRevenue, means the sales value of Commercial Vehicle Advance Driver Assistance SystemsGet Sample Report @This report studies sales (consumption) of Commercial Vehicle Advance Driver Assistance Systems in Global market, especially in United States, China, Europe and Japan, focuses on top players in these regions/countries, with sales, price, revenue and market share for each player in these regions, coveringContinentalBoschDelphi AutomotiveWABCO Vehicle Control SystemsAuto-IAutolivAWTIBendixDensoFicosa InternationalFord MotorGENTEXMagna InternationalMandoMeritor WabcoMobileyePelotonPreco ElectronicsRenaultRenesasSafe Drive SystemsSchraderSubaru of AmericaTakataToyotaValeoZFMarket Segment by Regions, this report splits Global into several key Regions, with sales (consumption), revenue, market share and growth rate of Commercial Vehicle Advance Driver Assistance Systems in these regions, from 2011 to 2021 (forecast), likeUnited StatesChinaEuropeJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaSplit by product Types, with sales, revenue, price and gross margin, market share and growth rate of each type, can be divided intoACC (Adaptive Cruise Control)BSD (Blind Spot Detection)FCW (Forward Collision Warning)LDWS (Lane Departure Warning System)PAS (Park Assist System)TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System)Split by applications, this report focuses on sales, market share and growth rate of Commercial Vehicle Advance Driver Assistance Systems in each application, can be divided intoLight Commercial Vehicle (LCV)Medium Commercial Vehicle (MCV)Heavy Commercial Vehicle (HCV)Leave a Query @Table of ContentsGlobal Commercial Vehicle Advance Driver Assistance Systems Sales Market Report 20171 Commercial Vehicle Advance Driver Assistance Systems Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Commercial Vehicle Advance Driver Assistance Systems1.2 Classification of Commercial Vehicle Advance Driver Assistance Systems1.2.1 ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control)1.2.2 BSD (Blind Spot Detection)1.2.3 FCW (Forward Collision Warning)1.2.4 LDWS (Lane Departure Warning System)1.2.5 PAS (Park Assist System)1.2.6 TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System)1.3 Application of Commercial Vehicle Advance Driver Assistance Systems1.3.1 Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV)1.3.2 Medium Commercial Vehicle (MCV)1.3.3 Heavy Commercial Vehicle (HCV)1.4 Commercial Vehicle Advance Driver Assistance Systems Market by Regions1.4.1 United States Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.2 China Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 Europe Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 Japan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 India Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Global Market Size (Value and Volume) of Commercial Vehicle Advance Driver Assistance Systems (2012-2022)1.5.1 Global Commercial Vehicle Advance Driver Assistance Systems Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2022)1.5.2 Global Commercial Vehicle Advance Driver Assistance Systems Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2022)9 Global Commercial Vehicle Advance Driver Assistance Systems Manufacturers Analysis9.1 Continental9.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors9.1.2 Commercial Vehicle Advance Driver Assistance Systems Product Type, Application and Specification9.1.2.1 Product A9.1.2.2 Product B9.1.3 Continental Commercial Vehicle Advance Driver Assistance Systems Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)9.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview9.2 Bosch9.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors9.2.2 Commercial Vehicle Advance Driver Assistance Systems Product Type, Application and Specification9.2.2.1 Product A9.2.2.2 Product B9.2.3 Bosch Commercial Vehicle Advance Driver Assistance Systems Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)9.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview9.3 Delphi Automotive9.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors9.3.2 Commercial Vehicle Advance Driver Assistance Systems Product Type, Application and Specification9.3.2.1 Product A9.3.2.2 Product B9.3.3 Delphi Automotive Commercial Vehicle Advance Driver Assistance Systems Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)9.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview9.4 WABCO Vehicle Control Systems9.4.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors9.4.2 Commercial Vehicle Advance Driver Assistance Systems Product Type, Application and Specification9.4.2.1 Product A9.4.2.2 Product B9.4.3 WABCO Vehicle Control Systems Commercial Vehicle Advance Driver Assistance Systems Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)9.4.4 Main Business/Business Overview9.5 Auto-I9.5.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors9.5.2 Commercial Vehicle Advance Driver Assistance Systems Product Type, Application and Specification9.5.2.1 Product A9.5.2.2 Product B9.5.3 Auto-I Commercial Vehicle Advance Driver Assistance Systems Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)9.5.4 Main Business/Business Overview9.6 Autoliv9.6.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors9.6.2 Commercial Vehicle Advance Driver Assistance Systems Product Type, Application and Specification9.6.2.1 Product A9.6.2.2 Product B9.6.3 Autoliv Commercial Vehicle Advance Driver Assistance Systems Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)9.6.4 Main Business/Business Overview9.7 AWTI9.7.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors9.7.2 Commercial Vehicle Advance Driver Assistance Systems Product Type, Application and Specification9.7.2.1 Product A9.7.2.2 Product B9.7.3 AWTI Commercial Vehicle Advance Driver Assistance Systems Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)9.7.4 Main Business/Business Overview9.8 Bendix9.8.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors9.8.2 Commercial Vehicle Advance Driver Assistance Systems Product Type, Application and Specification9.8.2.1 Product A9.8.2.2 Product B9.8.3 Bendix Commercial Vehicle Advance Driver Assistance Systems Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)9.8.4 Main Business/Business Overview9.9 Denso9.9.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors9.9.2 Commercial Vehicle Advance Driver Assistance Systems Product Type, Application and Specification9.9.2.1 Product A9.9.2.2 Product B9.9.3 Denso Commercial Vehicle Advance Driver Assistance Systems Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)9.9.4 Main Business/Business Overview9.10 Ficosa International9.10.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors9.10.2 Commercial Vehicle Advance Driver Assistance Systems Product Type, Application and Specification9.10.2.1 Product A9.10.2.2 Product B9.10.3 Ficosa International Commercial Vehicle Advance Driver Assistance Systems Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)9.10.4 Main Business/Business Overview9.11 Ford Motor9.12 GENTEX9.13 Magna International9.14 Mando9.15 Meritor Wabco9.16 Mobileye9.17 Peloton9.18 Preco Electronics9.19 Renault9.20 Renesas9.21 Safe Drive Systems9.22 Schrader9.23 Subaru of America9.24 Takata9.25 Toyota9.26 Valeo9.27 ZF....ContinuedBuy Now@CONTACT US:NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. 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Global Automotive Park Assist Systems Market Research Report 2017

Automotive Park Assist Systems

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Automotive Park Assist Systems Market ReportThis report studies sales (consumption) of Automotive Park Assist Systems in Global market, especially in United States, China, Europe and Japan, focuses on top players in these regions/countries, with sales, price, revenue and market share for each player in these regions, coveringDelphi AutomotiveDensoHellaMagna InternationalRobert BoschAisin SeikiGentexPanasonicValeoTry Sample Report @Market Segment by Regions, this report splits Global into several key Regions, with sales (consumption), revenue, market share and growth rate of Automotive Park Assist Systems in these regions, from 2011 to 2021 (forecast), likeUnited StatesChinaEuropeJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaSplit by product Types, with sales, revenue, price and gross margin, market share and growth rate of each type, can be divided intoType IType IISplit by applications, this report focuses on sales, market share and growth rate of Automotive Park Assist Systems in each application, can be divided intoCommercial VehiclesPassenger CarsSome Major Points from Table of content:Global Automotive Park Assist Systems Sales Market Report 20171 Automotive Park Assist Systems Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Automotive Park Assist Systems1.2 Classification of Automotive Park Assist Systems1.2.1 Type I1.2.2 Type II1.3 Application of Automotive Park Assist Systems1.3.1 Commercial Vehicles1.3.2 Passenger Cars1.4 Automotive Park Assist Systems Market by Regions1.4.1 United States Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.2 China Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 Europe Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 Japan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 India Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Global Market Size (Value and Volume) of Automotive Park Assist Systems (2012-2022)1.5.1 Global Automotive Park Assist Systems Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2022)1.5.2 Global Automotive Park Assist Systems Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2022)For Detailed Reading Please visit @2 Global Automotive Park Assist Systems Competition by Manufacturers, Type and Application2.1 Global Automotive Park Assist Systems Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1.1 Global Automotive Park Assist Systems Sales and Market Share of Key Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Global Automotive Park Assist Systems Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.2 Global Automotive Park Assist Systems (Volume and Value) by Type2.2.1 Global Automotive Park Assist Systems Sales and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)2.2.2 Global Automotive Park Assist Systems Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)2.3 Global Automotive Park Assist Systems (Volume and Value) by Regions2.3.1 Global Automotive Park Assist Systems Sales and Market Share by Regions (2012-2017)2.3.2 Global Automotive Park Assist Systems Revenue and Market Share by Regions (2012-2017)2.4 Global Automotive Park Assist Systems (Volume) by Application..9 Global Automotive Park Assist Systems Manufacturers Analysis9.1 Delphi Automotive9.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors9.1.2 Automotive Park Assist Systems Product Type, Application and Specification9.1.2.1 Product A9.1.2.2 Product B9.1.3 Delphi Automotive Park Assist Systems Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)9.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview9.2 Denso9.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors9.2.2 Automotive Park Assist Systems Product Type, Application and Specification9.2.2.1 Product A9.2.2.2 Product B9.2.3 Denso Automotive Park Assist Systems Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)9.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview9.3 Hella9.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors9.3.2 Automotive Park Assist Systems Product Type, Application and Specification9.3.2.1 Product A9.3.2.2 Product B9.3.3 Hella Automotive Park Assist Systems Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)9.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview..ContinuedBuy now @Contact Us:NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)About UsWise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports understand how essential statistical surveying information is for your organization or association. Therefore, we have associated with the top publishers and research firms all specialized in specific domains, ensuring you will receive the most reliable and up to date research data available.WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, IndiaPh: +91 841 198 5042info@wiseguyreports.com
New report sheds light on Global Automotive Catalytic Converter Industry 2016 Market Plant Analysis

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Qyresearchreports include new market research reportGlobal Automotive Catalytic Converter Market Research Report 2016 to its huge collection of research reports.The market intelligence report provides reliable data and analysis of the global Automotive Catalytic Converter market. With this report, the reader will be able to explore in detail the overall market and its affiliated industries. It serves as an executive-level blueprint of the global Automotive Catalytic Converter market. It also studies the latest development in the market and how the recently adopted government policies are impacting the trajectory of the market during the forecast horizon.This research report on the global Automotive Catalytic Converter market includes:Qualitative and quantitative analysis of the key trends and future developments across the globe and different regions in the Automotive Catalytic Converter marketEssential insights into the market growth and industry performanceIndustry data including exports, imports, production data, suppliers, industry buyers, cost structure, and profitabilityAttractiveness index that gauges market performance in both challenging and stable economic conditionsAnalysis of bargaining power of suppliers to the industryAnalysis of bargaining power of buyers from the industryTo Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The report will provide answers to the questions such as:What is the revenue generation of the global Automotive Catalytic Converter market?What is the cost structure in the global Automotive Catalytic Converter market?How profitable is the global Automotive Catalytic Converter market?Who are the key consumers in the global Automotive Catalytic Converter market?Who are the prominent players in the global Automotive Catalytic Converter market?Is the market fragmented or consolidated?What is the extent of threat from new players and substitutes in the global Automotive Catalytic Converter market?Which region is likely to remain lucrative throughout the forecast period?What are the leading product and technology segments in the global Automotive Catalytic Converter market?To provide a detailed assessment of the vendor landscape, the report also profiles key players in the market along with their business strategies, latest developments, and market shares.Table of ContentsGlobal Automotive Catalytic Converter Market Research Report 20161 Automotive Catalytic Converter Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Automotive Catalytic Converter1.2 Automotive Catalytic Converter Segment by Type1.2.1 Global Production Market Share of Automotive Catalytic Converter by Type in 20151.2.2 Type I1.2.3 Type II1.2.4 Type III1.3 Automotive Catalytic Converter Segment by Application1.3.1 Automotive Catalytic Converter Consumption Market Share by Application in 20151.3.2 Application 11.3.3 Application 21.3.4 Application 31.4 Automotive Catalytic Converter Market by Region1.4.1 North America Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.2 Europe Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.3 China Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.4 Japan Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.5 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.6 India Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Automotive Catalytic Converter (2011-2021)Browse Complete Report with TOC @2 Global Automotive Catalytic Converter Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Automotive Catalytic Converter Production and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.2 Global Automotive Catalytic Converter Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.3 Global Automotive Catalytic Converter Average Price by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.4 Manufacturers Automotive Catalytic Converter Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 Automotive Catalytic Converter Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Automotive Catalytic Converter Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 Automotive Catalytic Converter Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion3 Global Automotive Catalytic Converter Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2011-2016)3.1 Global Automotive Catalytic Converter Production by Region (2011-2016)3.2 Global Automotive Catalytic Converter Production Market Share by Region (2011-2016)3.3 Global Automotive Catalytic Converter Revenue (Value) and Market Share by Region (2011-2016)3.4 Global Automotive Catalytic Converter Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)3.5 North America Automotive Catalytic Converter Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)3.6 Europe Automotive Catalytic Converter Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)3.7 China Automotive Catalytic Converter Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)3.8 Japan Automotive Catalytic Converter Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)3.9 Southeast Asia Automotive Catalytic Converter Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)3.10 India Automotive Catalytic Converter Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2011-2016)4 Global Automotive Catalytic Converter Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Regions (2011-2016)4.1 Global Automotive Catalytic Converter Consumption by Regions (2011-2016)4.2 North America Automotive Catalytic Converter Production, Consumption, Export, Import by Regions (2011-2016)4.3 Europe Automotive Catalytic Converter Production, Consumption, Export, Import by Regions (2011-2016)4.4 China Automotive Catalytic Converter Production, Consumption, Export, Import by Regions (2011-2016)For Latest QYResearchreports Press Release Visit @QYResearchReports.com is an unimpeachable source of market research data for clients that comprise acclaimed SMEs, Chinese companies, private equity firms, and MNCs. 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Global Central Nervous System (CNS) Biomarkers Market: Trends and Opportunities 2024

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Biomarkers are measurable biological indicators that are used to diagnose or predict diseases, examine disease progression, and estimate treatment response. Biomarkers help in understanding the development of chronic diseases, its relationship with environmental chemicals, and identify subjects who are at high risk of developing disease.For several years, biomarkers have played a significant role in drug research and development of new drugs and in diagnostics. Moreover, biomarkers play important role in understanding disease mechanism, developing effective treatments, and improve quality of patient care.Request a PDF Brochure with Report Analysis:The development in related technologies, such as genomics, proteomics, and imaging system, has reflected on evolution of newer biomarkers. Considering the complexity of central nervous system (CNS), biomarkers are now expected to play a significant role in identification of several neurodegenerative diseases at early stage, provide enhanced diagnosis, and eventually better treatment.Consequently, the global market for central nervous system (CNS) biomarkers is projected for a double digit growth rate during the forecast period of 2016 to 2024. To provide a complete picture of the market, this report divides it into lucrative segments and also profiles some of the key players for their market share, product portfolio, and development strategies.The global CNS biomarkers market can be segmented on the basis of application, type, end user and geography. By application, the market can be divided into diagnostic development, personalized medicine drug discovery and development, and disease risk assessment. All of these segments are in high demand, contributing significantly in the growth of CNS biomarkers market.The report picks out the development in proteomics, genomics, and imaging system as the primary driver in the market. These developments has led to increased investment from government and private players, which is further fueling market. Moreover, the rise in diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases (CVD), coronary heart disease (CHD), and other heart related diseases is another favorable factor for the market. Some of the other drivers highlighted by the report are: favorable government policies and regulations, successful clinical trials of several biomarkers, and FDAs approval to CNS biomarker drugs.Conversely, the report highlights two factors which may hinder the growth rate during the forecast period, which are the high cost of CNS biomarker tests and diagnostics and unclear reimbursement policies in many prospect country-wide markets. Untapped market in Asia Pacific is projected as an opportunity for players to invest with long-term prospects.Geographically, this market can be divided into the regions of North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and rest the world. Currently, North America contributes to the maximum demand, owning to the rise in life-style oriented diseases such as cancer, stroke, and other heart diseases.In 2014, Europe served the second most significant demand but the emerging economies of China, India, Japan, and Korea are expected to turn Asia Pacific into a highly lucrative market during the course of the forecast period. These countries are aggressively investing in improving their healthcare spending, and have skilled labor at affordable cost. This as a result is creating immense opportunities for the players who are willing to take initiative.The key players in global central nervous system biomarkers market include Thermo fisher scientific, Enzo biochem inc, Abiant Inc, EKF diagnostics holdings Inc, Abastar MDX Inc, Acumen pharmaceuticals Inc, Adlyfe Inc, Apitope international, Alseres pharmaceuticals Inc, Aposense, Banyan biomarkers, Avid radiopharmaceuticals Inc, Diagenic ASA, Avacta group plc, Applied neurosolutions Inc, Merc & co. Inc, and Exonhit therapeutics.Browse Full Research Report:The players strategically invest on research and development for innovative and technological advancements, and focus on partnerships with domestic players to expand their outreach.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Contact UsTransparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Biogas Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Trends & Forecast : 2023

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A research study on the global biogas market, recently published by Transparency Market Research (TMR) estimates this market to expand at a CAGR of 6.56% over the period from 2015 to 2023. The market is expected to witness an increase in its production volume from 22,488 KTOE in 2014 to a 39,846 KTOE by the end of the forecast period. The research report is titled Biogas Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth Trends and Forecast 2015 - 2023.Download the Exclusive Report Sample Here :Biogas is a mixture of various gases produced by the diffusion of organic matters in the absence of oxygen. It consists of methane (40%-70%), carbon dioxide (30%-45%), and small portions of hydrogen sulfide, nitrogen, and siloxanes. It is used as a fuel for cooking, heating, as a vehicle fuel, and in the production of heat and electricity.According to the report, the increasing emission of greenhouse gases is the key factor behind the rising demand for biogas across the world. In addition, the growing uptake of natural gas vehicles, worldwide, is likely to propel the global biogas market significantly during the forecast period.The research report evaluates the global biogas market on the basis of application and the regional spread of this market. On the basis of the application, the report has segmented this market into heat and electricity, vehicle fuel, and other application.In 2014, biogas found the maximum application for the production of heat and electricity, where the majority share of biogas produced in 2014 was consumed. The shifting focus of consumers across the world towards renewable sources of energy has fueled the demand for biogas in this segment. However, the application of biogas for the production of heat and electricity has been restricted by the need for high initial investment.The usage of biogas as a vehicle fuel and in other applications such as the supply to natural gas pipeline and for domestic purposes is likely to remarkably increase over the forecast period, notes the research study.By its regional spread, the report segments the global biogas market into North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Rest of the World. In terms of production volume, Europe held the leading position of the overall market in 2014 with a share of 60%.Germany is leading the Europe biogas market with a repute of being the biggest producer of biogas across the world. The U.K. and France have also been exhibiting healthy growth in this market on account of the rising preference for clean energy sources among consumers. Analysts, however, anticipate the Asia Pacific biogas market to record the fastest growth in the overall biogas market during the forecast period, states the report.Cryonorm BV, Vanzetti Engineering S.r.l., Swedish Biogas, Air Liquide Advanced Business & Technologies, Scandinavian Biogas Fuels, EnviTec Biogas AG, Wartsila Corp., Cryostar SAS, Gasrec Ltd., and Biofrigas Sweden AB are the major companies operating in the global biogas market, states the research study.The global biogas market is segmented into:By ApplicationElectricity & HeatVehicle FuelOthersBy RegionNorth AmericaU.S.CanadaEuropeGermanyU.K.FranceRest of EuropeAsia PacificChinaSouth KoreaRest of Asia PacificRest of the World (RoW)BrazilOthersAbout UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:Visit Blog :
Laser Processing Market Increased Demand for Laser Technology from Original Equipment Manufacturers in Material Processing

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Advantages of laser technology for material processing over other conventional techniques are fueling the adoption of laser technology in industrial processes. Laser technology is used for processing wide range of materials including metals, non-metals, polymers, glass, rubber and others. This encourages manufacturers to adopt laser technology in their manufacturing operations.Growing automobile and aerospace industry across Europe and Asia Pacific regions is expected to drive demand for laser processing systems during the forecast period. Furthermore, laser processing systems are expected to witness high demand during the forecast period owing to the rising consumer electronics industry in countries such as China, South Korea and others.Laser processing systems offer accurate processes at low costs as compared to conventional methods such as waterjet cutting, flame cutting and other processing methods.In addition, laser technology also offers permanent marking on consumer goods, electronic equipment and other products. Due to government regulations regarding clear marking on consumer products such as food, pharmaceuticals and others, laser technology is expected to be widely adopted for marking and engraving purpose.Furthermore, advanced laser products such as fiber lasers are expected to boost the demand for laser processing in manufacturing operations. These lasers offer large number of applications and are highly cost effective as compared to other laser products.Request A Sample Of This Report:Material processing using laser technology led the global laser processing market with highest revenue share in 2013. This was mainly due to large number of applications offered by laser technology.Laser technology provides high precision cutting, welding, drilling and marking and engraving without damaging the material. Additionally, laser technology enables clean processes and minimal human intervention which helps in minimizing errors.In 2013, Asia Pacific held the largest market share and accounted for 42.6% of the global laser processing market. This growth was attributed to the high demand for laser technology in material processing from original equipment manufacturers (OEM) in the region.The Asia Pacific region is also expected to be the fastest growing regional market for laser processing owing to the rise in number of manufacturing plants of different companies across this region. High demand for laser technology is majorly from countries such as Japan, China and South Korea.China is among the leading contributors to the laser processing market owing to high industry growth and presence of laser machine manufacturers such as Hans Laser Technology Co. Ltd.About TMRTMR is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Contact TMR90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email:sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Impregnated Paper Market - Global Industry Analysis and Trends By 2016 - 2026

Impregnated Paper Market

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Impregnated paper is a sheet with excellent water absorbing and liquid retaining properties. It is made from wooden pulp and natural cotton linter. Materials such as plastic or latex are used to percolate the paper rather than coating it to increase its tearing resistance, wet strength, and oil resistance. Impregnated paper is a solid color paper or printed paper pressed at high temperature and pressure. Saturation paper is used to manufacture impregnated paper. The sheet of impregnated paper is made of several layers; the outside layer that receives the coloring matter is made of fine grain fiber, which increases the density of the paper. The outer layer is comparatively less permeable than the inner layer.Based on the type of resin, the impregnated paper market can be segmented into phenol, melamine, and urea. In terms of application, the impregnated paper market can be divided into furniture manufacturing and interior design. Based on end-use, the impregnated paper market can be segregated into industrial, commercial, and residential. The melamine segment is expected to experience immense growth in the next few years owing to the unique properties of the paper. Melamine forms a hard composite with the paper and also imparts properties such as flame resistance to the impregnated paper. The urea segment is anticipated to account for wide share of the impregnated paper market in the near future, owing to its least toxic nature compared to the other types of resins used in the manufacture of impregnated paper.DOWNLOAD INDUSTRY RESEARCH REPORT BROCHURE FOR MORE PROFESSIONAL AND TECHNICAL INSIGHTS:The global impregnated paper market has been expanding, as countries have been focusing on investing significantly in new construction projects. Asia Pacific is projected to be an attractive market for impregnated paper market due to the growth in infrastructure development and constant investments by government and private firms in new building projects in countries such as China and India. The need for furniture and interior design in new buildings in Asia Pacific is likely to rise during the forecast period due to the expansion in the construction sector. This, in turn, is anticipated to fuel the demand for impregnated paper in the next few years. The construction sector in Middle East & Africa and Latin America has been expanding at a rapid pace since the last few years owing to the ongoing new construction projects.Furthermore, North America and Europe are likely to provide significant opportunities for the impregnated paper market due to the increasing demand for furniture and interior design. Growth in the construction sector in Europe has been sluggish as compared to that in other regions. However, rise in requirement of new furniture and increase in usage of interior design in hotels, malls, and shopping complexes along with residential purposes are likely to boost the demand for impregnated paper during the forecast period. Unavailability of raw materials required for the manufacture of impregnated paper and fluctuation in the prices of raw materials can hamper market growth. Availability of alternatives is the primary restraint of the market. Implementation of stringent government regulations on the usage of harmful toxic chemicals for the production of impregnated paper can hamper market growth.Major players operating in the impregnated paper market include Starwood, Dekodur GmbH, impress surfaces GmbH, and Awa Paper Mfg. Co., Ltd.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMR's experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Contact Us:-Transparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
White Phosphorous Market - Recent Industry Growth Strategies Adopted By Players 2016 - 2026

White Phosphorous Market

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Phosphorous is an element, which is never found freely on the earths surface, as it is highly reactive. It exists in two major forms: white phosphorous and red phosphorous. White phosphorous, also known as Willie Pete, is a colorless-toyellow, translucent, wax-like substance with a pungent garlic smell. It emits a faint glow when exposed to oxygen. It is a common allotrope of phosphorous. It oxidizes speedily when exposed to air. Since white phosphorous spontaneously ignites, it is used by the military as an incendiary agent in weapons. It is employed as an igniter in a majority of ammunitions. White phosphorous is the highly common and highly reactive form of phosphorous among the two reactive allotropic forms. It is commonly used in hand grenades, mortar and artillery rounds, and smoke bombs for signaling, screening, and incendiary purposes. As an incendiary weapon, white phosphorus burns fiercely and can ignite clothes, fuels, ammunitions, and other combustibles.White phosphorous, the first form of elemental phosphorous, was produced in 1669. It was first used by the Fenian arsonists to cause destruction. It was often used during World War I and World War II to produce smoke screens, as incendiaries, hand grenades, colored flares, and tracer bullets. During war time, white phosphorous is employed to destroy the enemys equipment such as vehicles as well as storage areas for petroleum, oil, lubricants, and ammunition. White phosphorous is also a highly efficient smoke-generating agent. White phosphorous burns instantaneously, producing a blanket of smoke, which helps in masking from the enemys movement and position, infrared signatures, or the origin of fire.GET PDF BROCHURE FOR MORE PROFESSIONAL AND TECHNICAL INDUSTRY INSIGHTS:After the two world wars, white phosphorous was extensively used by Korea, Vietnam, and Russia. In 1998, white phosphorous was employed by the Iraqi Air Force to bomb Halabja. Iraq used it again in 2004 during the Battle of Fallujah. Israel used white phosphorous during the 2006 IsraelLebanon conflict. Thus, white phosphorous has been in use continuously, despite being banned by several military regulations. Recently, white phosphorous was used during ArmeniaAzerbaijan clashes.Asia Pacific dominates the global white phosphorous market. The maximum number of manufacturers of white phosphorus are located in China. Increase in population in countries such as China and India is expected to boost the white phosphorus market in Asia Pacific. White phosphorus is employed to synthesize red phosphorus, phosphoric acid, carbon pentoxide, phosphorus trichloride, and other phosphorus compounds. It is also used as a raw material for the manufacture of organic phosphorus pesticides. Since pesticides are consumed in the maximum amount in Asia Pacific, the white phosphorus market in this region is expected to witness growth. White phosphorus is used in metallurgy, in medicines, and for synthesis of organic compounds.Due to growth of pharmaceuticals, medical, and metallurgy industries in Asia Pacific, demand for white phosphorus is increasing in the region. North America and Europe are favorable markets for white phosphorus. White phosphorus is used on a large scale in developed countries such as Germany, France, and the U.K. Demand for white phosphorus in Middle East & Africa is increasing speedily. Saudi Arabia is a major importer of white phosphorus. Competition in the global white phosphorus market is likely to intensify in the next few years, which is estimated to create new opportunities.Some of the manufacturers of white phosphorus are UPL Europe Ltd., Yunphos (Taixing) Chemical Co. Ltd., Changzhou Qishuyan Fine Chemical Co. Ltd., 5-Continent Phosphorus Co. Ltd., Taj Pharmaceuticals Ltd., and Prasol Chemicals Ltd.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMR's experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Contact Us:-Transparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Household Induction Cooktops Market to Garner $13,538 Million, by 2022

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According to a new report published by Allied Market Research, titled, Global Household Induction Cooktops Market by Type, Mode of Sale, and Geography: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecasts, 20142022, the household induction cooktops market size was valued at $9,160 million in 2015 and is projected to reach $13,538 million by 2022, growing at a CAGR of 5.8% from 2016 to 2022. Europe is expected to be the leading contributor to the global household induction cooktops market followed by Asia-Pacific and LAMEA.Summary of the Household Induction Cooktops Market can be accessed on the website at:Growth in acceptance of innovative cooking technologies, smart kitchen appliances and energy efficient solutions primarily drive the market. In addition, the health and safety benefits provided by the adoption of induction cooktops further supplements the market growth. Factors such as rise in disposable income of consumers and increase in price of fuels used for conventional cooking such as gas and electricity encourages the adoption of energy efficient cooking solutions, thus propelling the household induction cooktops industry growth. However, need for specialized cookware is likely to hamper the market growth as the cost incurred in investing in induction supported cookware is high for the first time purchasers. Growth in popularity of modular kitchens and preference for optimized cooking solutions layout, rise in number of working women, and increase in government emphasis on energy efficient cooking appliances are expected to provide numerous growth opportunities for the global household induction cooktops market.In 2015, built-in induction cooktops segment accounted for the maximum revenue shares in the overall household induction cooktops industry. This is due to the rise in trend of integration of kitchen appliances. As a result, many vendors have started offering built-in induction cooktops along with built-in ovens. In addition, the demand for built-in induction cooktops from European and Asia-Pacific countries is expected to have a positive impact on the household induction cooktops market growth as these regions have large kitchen spaces. Moreover, the free-standing & portable induction cooktops segment is expected to witness the fastest growth at CAGR of 6.4% during the forecast period. The market is expected to grow, owing to the technological advancements such as, manual menu control option & resistance to voltage fluctuation, availability in single or double zones, portability of the cooktop, and others.The retail sales channel dominated the global household induction cooktops market with 87% share in 2015 and is projected to maintain its dominance throughout the forecast period. In addition, customer can have better interaction with the salesperson and can physically see the product specifications and features. However, online sales channel is anticipated to grow at a highest CAGR of 7.6% during the forecast period (20162022). The growth of online sales channel would be driven by convenience, and services such as free delivery and installation of the induction cooktops.According to Deepankar Bose, Manager, Consumer Goods at Allied Market Research, The household induction cooktops market in the Asia-Pacific region is expected to grow at the fastest rate during the forecast period, owing to growth in urbanization, improving living standards of the consumers, and introduction of energy-efficient induction cooktops that could help minimize utility bills. Furthermore, continuous economic development in countries such as India, China, and Australia are expected to provide numerous growth opportunities to the market.Europe accounted for the major share of the global household induction cooktops market in 2015, and is expected to maintain its dominance during the forecast period, owing to demand for easy to maintain household electric cooking appliances, such as induction cooktops and enhanced consumer awareness. Asia-Pacific is estimated to grow at the highest rate due to increase in the adoption of energy-efficient electrical cooking appliances, booming demand for modular kitchen designs, and extensive economic growth in China, Japan, Singapore, and India.Key findings of the study: In 2015, built-in induction cooktops accounted for the maximum revenue, and is projected to grow at a notable CAGR of 5.4% during the forecast period. France possessed the largest customer base in Europe household induction cooktops market in 2015, and is anticipated to dominate the market throughout the forecast period. Online mode of sale segment is expected to grow at a highest CAGR of 7.6% during the forecast period. Japan is the major shareholder in the Asia-Pacific household induction cooktop market, accounting for more than 25% share in 2015.The key players profiled in the household induction cooktops market include LG Electronics, Inc., Whirlpool Corporation, Panasonic Corporation, Koninklijke Philips N.V., TTK Prestige Ltd, Sub-Zero Group, Inc., Electrolux Group, Robert Bosch GmbH, Miele Group, and SMEG S.p.A. Market players have adopted various strategies such as product launch, acquisition, collaboration, and partnership to expand their foothold in the market. For instance, in November 2016, SMEG S.p.A. introduced a sleek range of cooktops equipped with advanced features and technology that serve best for the consumers living in houses with compact kitchens featuring premium benchtop space.Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions". AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain.We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. The data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry.5933 NE Win Sivers Drive#205, Portland, OR 97220United StatesDirect: +1-503-894-6022Toll Free: +1 (800) 792-5285 (U.S. & Canada)Fax: +1 (855) 550-5975E-mail: sales@alliedmarketresearch.com
Global Dental Device Market Expected to Grow at a High CAGR in the Forecasted Period (2017-2021)

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Albany, New York, February 21, 2017: Market Research Hub has recently announced the addition of a new report to it broad database titled as Global Dental Device Market with Focus on Digital Dentistry Market: Size, Trends & Forecasts (2017-2021). The report provides a detailed analysis of the global dental device market with analysis of market size and growth.Request for Sample Report:Scope of the ReportThe analysis includes the market by value and market share by product. Special focus has been given on the digital dentistry with its market size in terms of value for different segments.The report provides brief regional/country analysis of the Asia Pacific, China and Korea. Regional/country analysis include market sizing in terms of value as well as volume. Asia Pacific is expected to grow at a high CAGR in the forecasted period.The report also assesses the key opportunities in the market and outlines the factors that are and will be driving the growth of the industry. Growth of the global dental device market has also been forecasted for the period 2017-2021, taking into consideration the previous growth patterns, the growth drivers and the current and future trends.A brief company profiling of major market players namely Dentsply Sirona, Danaher Corporation, Zimmer Biomet and Henry Schein has been provided in the report on the basis of aspects like business overview, financial overview and business strategies adopted by respective companies.Make an Enquiry:Company CoverageDentsply SironaDanaher CorporationZimmer BiometHenry ScheinRegion/Country CoverageAsia PacificChinaKoreaExecutive SummaryDental devices are set of tools used by dental profession to provide dental or oral treatment. These tools are mainly used to examine, manipulate, treat, restore and removing teeth. Dental devices are useful in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of various dental diseases. Dental devices are categorized into several types to encompass the types of equipment that every practice needs in order to treat patients. Dental devices are broadly classified into seven categories namely preventive, restoratives, large equipment, implants, prosthetics, orthodontics and endodontic.A new era has developed in the field of dentistry with the help of technological advancements known as digital dentistry. Dental device that combines digital or computer-controlled components in contrast to that of mechanical or electrical alone in oral treatment is digital dentistry. Digital dentistry has several advantages over the conventional dental devices. Digital technologies introduced in the dental market are: CAD/CAM, CBCT, digital scanner, digital x-ray and lasers etc.Get Full Info. With TOC:The global dental device market witnessed an upsurge during the period 2015-2016 and projections are made that the market would rise in the next five years i.e. 2017 to 2021 at a rapid pace. Major factors contributing in the growth of the market are rising aging population, rising middle class income in emerging economies, growing demand for cosmetic dentistry and rising dentist penetration in both developed as well as developing nations.In the forecasted period, market will be pushed by increasing dental tourism, revolutionary technological advancements, and health insurance companies to cover dental expenses and introduction of digital solutions in the market. In spite of high growth, market is still facing certain challenges that are hampering the growth of the market. Challenges encountered by the market are high cost of equipments, growing demand for refurbished equipments, fluoridation measures for decay prevention and growing taxes on medical devices.About Market Research HubMarket Research Hub (MRH) is a next-generation reseller of research reports and analysis. MRHs expansive collection of market research reports has been carefully curated to help key personnel and decision makers across industry verticals to clearly visualize their operating environment and take strategic steps.MRH functions as an integrated platform for the following products and services: Objective and sound market forecasts, qualitative and quantitative analysis, incisive insight into defining industry trends, and market share estimates. Our reputation lies in delivering value and world-class capabilities to our clients.Contact90 State Street,Albany, NY 12207,United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (US-Canada)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Email: press@marketresearchhub.comWebsite:
Commercial Aviation Crew Management Systems Market: Global Industry Analysis 2019; Enhanced operational efficiency in the aviation sector to Boom Demand

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The need for enhanced operational efficiency in the aviation sector is primarily driving the commercial aviation crew management systems market. Crew related costs account for a significant proportion of the total operational cost for an airline. Crew management systems employ advanced mathematical algorithms to optimize crew operational efficiency keeping with regulatory and contractual stipulations.These systems allow users to monitor other variables pertaining to the crew that are important in terms of cost and operational efficiency considerations. This includes their lodging costs, fatigue level and standby requirements, which allows airlines to allocate resources in advance to increase overall operational efficiency.Get PDF Brochure for more Professional and Technical insights atThe report presents a comprehensive overview of growth drivers, restraints, and current trends that will impact the development of the commercial aviation crew management systems market during the forecast period. The report also analyzed the current competitive structure and how it is expected to change until the end of the forecast period in 2024.Commercial Aviation Crew Management Systems Market: Drivers and RestraintsWith the increasing volume of air travellers leading to increased demand for commercial aircrafts, the demand for commercial aviation crew management systems is expected to be on the rise. This is because human error pertaining to resource allocation and flight schedules can result in huge loss for an aviation company. The IT sector has emerged as the backbone of data centric industries including the aviation sector to offload manual work to automated systems. This is further accentuating the deployment of IT-based crew management solutions for optimizing crew operational efficiency.Moreover, the instances of air terrorism over the last two decades has raised alerts among airlines to be vigilant about aircraft security at all times. The 9/11 attack where aircraft was used as a medium has overhauled processes of the aviation industry especially in countries such as the U.S. and the U.K. This includes deployment of technology-driven solutions for crew selection and crew management needs.Across the world, the increasing demand for advanced aircraft, zero crash risk, zero error rates, expansion of the aviation industry, and dynamic growth of the IT sector are further bolstering the growth of the global market for commercial aviation crew management systems.However, factors such as lack of skilled personnel, lack of funds, and lack of management are restraining the markets growth.Commercial Aviation Crew Management Systems Market: Regional OverviewThe global market for commercial aviation crew management systems can be analyzed with respect to the regional segments of North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World. North America holds the dominant share in the market and is expected to display a steady growth rate in the future. The region will be closely followed by Europe. However, the market is expected to display double-digit growth rate in developing countries of Asia Pacific and the Middle East and Africa. Particularly, countries such as India, China, Russia, and South Africa that have a surging air traffic due to economic development hold immense potential for the commercial aviation crew management systems market.Major Companies Mentioned in ReportSome of the key players in the global commercial aviation crew management systems market include Sabre Airline Solutions, ameliaCrew, Fujitsu, IBS Software Services, Hexaware, lue One Software, and Jeppesen.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
FXCC opens up to new markets in Asia, by creating a relationship with China Union Pay

FXCC has recently introduced an extra payment option through our association with China Union Pay. In creating this new relationship we've opened up a gateway, allowing new and experienced FX traders from Asian countries such as China, to trade directly through FXCC.China UnionPay was established in 2002, the company has grown exponentially in under fifteen years. It's a little known fact that China Union Pay ranks third as a payment service provider, in terms of annual transaction value processed, behind MasterCard and Visa. Due to its backing from the Chinese government CUP became the preferred payment service provider for the four main Chinese domestic banks.China Union Pay rapidly became the preferred and accepted domestic payment method for Chinese residents to access international transactional markets. China Union Pay has become central to and a pivotal part of Chinas bankcard industry. They've also played an essential role in the overall development of the card industry in China.China Union Pay operates an interbank transaction settlement system, through which the connection and switch between banking systems and the: interbank, cross-region and cross-border use of bankcards issued by associate banks, can be efficiently processed.FXCC are always striving to deliver improvements in all aspects of their client focused business. As such they continually monitor the finance industry for new account payment methods, to enable clients to easily fund their accounts, or to open new accounts, in order to trade forex through the cutting edge MetaTrader platforms.At FXCC theyre constantly looking to extend their global appeal to allow new and experienced traders, from as many new markets as possible, to access their service. Offering new payment services and funding methods, is an essential requisite as they open up their FX trading experience and ECN FX trading method to a wider audience.Saed Shalabi, FXCC director said;"Based on payment transactions and the number of cards issued, China Union Pay is the largest card payment organisation (debit & credit cards combined) globally. We're therefore delighted to have established a relationship with the company."UnionPay is also China's first pre-authorisation service for secured transactions. The system allows payment for online transactions through any merchant that accepts UnionPay. During 2014, the total amount of cross bank transactions of CUP cards exceeded 41.1 trillion yuan."At FXCC we pride ourselves on being a truly global, multi language broker, who easily communicates with and understands the requirements of traders worldwide. It's my belief that the Chinese forex market offers exponential growth opportunities for ambitious forex brokers."China is the second largest global economy, and it's predicted to overtake the USA as the number one economy by 2025. The growth in forex trading will match China's exponential growth in all other areas of their economy, as Chinese residents become familiar with the investment opportunities FX trading offers."The acceptance of the Yuan (the renminbi) throughout global markets and the encouragement of trading of the yuan through, for example, London (the globe's major trading forex venue), ensures that transactions in the Chinese currency are becoming far more common place."We need to stay aware of new developments, opportunities and stay ahead of the curve to ensure we're in a position to benefit from any increased Asian business, particularly from China. In forging this relationship with China Union Pay we believe we're positioning ourselves in anticipation of a potential surge in future FX trading from China.FXCC was founded in 2010 by a group of foreign exchange market professionals, building on their long experience in the financial markets. The goal is simple: To become the worlds favourite Forex broker. Thats a lofty ambition but its one FXCC is prepared to work hard to achieve.FXCC HeadquartersADDRESS:Amorosa Centre, 2nd floor, 2 Samou Street,4043 Yermasoyia, Limassol, CyprusTEL:+357 25 870750+357 25 025001FAX:+357 25 030523+44 203 150 1475
Global Frozen Finger Chips Market to Reach US$ 24 Billion by 2022

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Finger chips have been one of the most popular food snacks among the consumers since ages. As the processing of potatoes into finger chips is a cumbersome and time-consuming task, with the introduction of frozen processing techniques (in the 1950s), frozen finger chips have become one of the top-selling products globally. They offer convenience, ease of storage and have a long shelf-life.Finger chips have been one of the most popular food snacks among the consumers since ages. As the processing of potatoes into finger chips is a cumbersome and time-consuming task, with the introduction of frozen processing techniques (in the 1950s), frozen finger chips have become one of the top-selling products globally. They offer convenience, ease of storage and have a long shelf-life. Besides this, their rich content of potassium and Vitamin B6 boost energy levels and immune system. Nowadays, frozen finger chips are available in different shapes, sizes and flavourings according to consumers needs.The consumption of frozen finger chips has significantly increased since the late 1980s. They have today become a global commodity, generating billions of dollars in revenue each year. Mounting number of large retail chains including hypermarkets and supermarkets, particularly in the developing regions have impelled the growth aspects of the global frozen finger chips market. Consumers growing interest in trying new and different cuisines along with the growing popularity of fast food chains have also augmented the demand for frozen finger chips worldwide. Moreover, increasing disposable incomes coupled with changing lifestyles have also added to the market growth. According to a new report by Expert Market Research, the market reached a value of nearly US$ 19 Billion in 2016 and is further expected to reach US$ 24 Billion by 2022.To request a sample copy or view summary of this report, click on the link:Key findings from the report:Region-wise, Europe dominated the market with a share of more than a third of the total global share. It was followed closely by North America, Asia-Pacific and others.Some of the key players operating in the global frozen finger chips market are McCain Foods Ltd., J. R. Simplot Company, Lamb Weston, Aviko, Farm Frites, 11er Nahrungsmittel GmbH Agrarfrost GmbH & Co. KG, Agristo, American Lorain Company and Balle Bros Group Ltd.These players are constantly indulging in different business strategies such as product developments and innovations so as to gain a competitive edge over the other players.Click here for view the summary of report:Expert Market Research has analysed the global frozen finger chips market according to major regions and top players:Market breakup by RegionEuropeNorth AmericaAsia PacificOthersTop playersMcCain Foods Ltd.J. R. Simplot CompanyLamb WestonAvikoFarm Frites11er Nahrungsmittel GmbHAgrarfrost GmbH & Co. KGAgristoAmerican Lorain CompanyBalle Bros Group Ltd.We are always open on call and email (24*7) to your queries and very clean with the business methodology.Find more reports related to Food & Beverages Market Research @Find more follow us @Linkedin:Facebook:Pinterest:Expert Market Research (EMR) is a market research and consultancy firm providing syndicated and custom research along with consultancy services to a wide clientele base which includes Fortune 1000 companies as well as small and medium enterprises. With our tailored approach, the clients gain valuable and unbiased insights that help to improve their competitive edge and realize sustainable growth.With a keen focus on the qualitative aspect as well as accuracy of the reports, we align our resources and services as per the clients requirement and offer a flexible engagement model that best suits their needs. We offer market intelligence across a range of industry verticals which include Pharmaceuticals, Food and Beverage, Technology, Retail, Chemical & Materials, Energy & Mining, Packaging and Agriculture.Expert Market Research85 Broad StNew York, NY 10004United StatesWebsite:Email: sales@expertmarketresearch.comUS & Canada Phone no: +1-415-325-5166UK Phone no: +44-702-402-5790
Motorized Quadricycles Market to Register a Strong Growth by 2026

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Global Motorized Quadricycles Market: IntroductionMotorized quadricycles are small and fuel-efficient vehicles used for local transportation in rural and urban areas. Motorized quadricycles have emerged as an alternative to small city cars and motorcycles. With a speed range of 45 - 100 kmph and weight of up to 400-500 kg, motorized quadricycles have become a popular means of internal transportation. Quadricycles are largely used in European countries. They are exempt from stringent regulations and safety tests that are applicable for passenger cars; also, they are road-legal and may not require a full license to be driven. As per the directive 2002/24/EC & CE, quadricycles have been categorized into: light quadricycles (L6e) and heavy quadricycles (L7e). Light quadricycles are limited to a speed of 45 kmph, while heavy quadricycles are not speed limited and may have a speed of up to 100 kmph. Motorized quadricycles must meet environment regulations w.r.t emissions, however this isnt a key concern for manufacturers as a major share of motorized quadricycles are electric; gas powered quadricycles hold a low market share. Despite some existing restraining factors, the motorized quadricycle market is expected to witness noteworthy year-on-year growth over the forecast period. It has been witnessed that elderly population accounts for a majority of the demand for motorized quadricycles owing to low cost, light weight and ease of handling of the vehicle. This trend is expected to exist throughout the forecast period.Sample of this report is available upon request @Global Motorized Quadricycle Market: DynamicsLow cost, ease of handling and lack of stringent regulations are some of the prominent factors driving the sale of motorized quadricycles. Quadricycles are many folds cheaper than city passenger cars and thus appeal to huge masses, particularly the elderly population who do not seek high power and high speed vehicles. Motorized quadricycles are easy to handle; these usually have a CVT transmission and require comparatively low maintenance as compared to other passenger cars. Majority of motorized quadricycles are electric powered and thus, are environment friendly. Furthermore, the motorized quadricycle market lacks stringent regulations. Regulations for driving quadricycles vary from country to country. In some countries, no license is required to drive a quadricycle, while in some countries a valid driving license and a minimum age of 18 years are prerequisites.The recent one-off tests conducted by Euro NCAP brought the quadricycle market to limelight. The frontal and side crash test conducted by the organization highlighted that quadricycles significantly lacked passenger safety even at a low speed of 50 kmph. The frontal and side impact tests highlighted the lack of minimum safety equipment in quadricycles. This has created pressure on manufacturers to transform their vehicles and ensure a high level of safety during crash, while maintaining cost of the vehicle; as surge in prices would not be acceptable to customers. At the same time, this incident may also restrain customers from buying quadricycles due to the lack of safety.Global Motorized Quadricycle Market: SegmentationBy product type, the motorized quadricycle market can be segmented into: Light Quadricycles Heavy QuadricyclesBy mode of operation, the motorized quadricycle market can be segmented into: Electric Quadricycles Fuel Operated QuadricyclesBy price range, the motorized quadricycle market can be categorized into: Economic Mid-range PremiumGlobal Motorized Quadricycle Market: Region-wise OutlookPresently, Europe leads the demand for motorized quadricycles in the global market, and the region is expected to remain predominant in the motorized quadricycle market over the forecast period. Flexible regulations in the region are expected to be the major driver for market growth and thus, increased adoption of quadricycles is expected over the forecast period. After Europe, North America and Latin America are anticipated to be major upcoming markets for motorized quadricycles. However, slow adoption rate is expected in some countries of these regions. The Asia Pacific motorized quadricycle market possesses significant growth opportunity owing to robust economic growth and increasing vehicle ownership per capita. However, some of the countries in the region create moderate demand for quadricycles, as quadricycles here are only limited to internal transport application and are not authorized to be driven on roads. Safety concerns for passengers and poor road infrastructure in some countries of the Asia Pacific region are expected to hamper demand for motorized quadricycles in the region.Global Motorized Quadricycle Market: Market ParticipantsExamples of some of the market participants in the global motorized quadricycles market are: Aixam-Mega Grecav Groupe Renault Bajaj Auto. Ltd. Ligier Automobiles Club Car, LLC. TECNO MECCANICA IMOLA SPA (Gruppo Tazzari)The research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the market and contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data, and statistically supported and industry-validated market data. It also contains projections using a suitable set of assumptions and methodologies. The research report provides analysis and information according to market segments such as geographies, application, and industry.The report covers exhaust analysis on: Market Segments Market Dynamics Market Size Supply & Demand Current Trends/Issues/Challenges Competition & Companies involved Technology Value ChainRegional analysis includes: North America (U.S., Canada) Latin America (Mexico. Brazil) Western Europe (Germany, Italy, France, U.K., Spain) Eastern Europe (Poland, Russia) Asia Pacific (China, India, ASEAN, Australia & New Zealand) Japan Middle East and Africa (GCC Countries, S. Africa, Northern Africa)The report is a compilation of first-hand information, qualitative and quantitative assessment by industry analysts, inputs from industry experts and industry participants across the value chain. The report provides in-depth analysis of parent market trends, macro-economic indicators and governing factors along with market attractiveness as per segments. The report also maps the qualitative impact of various market factors on market segments and geographies.TOC of this report is available upon request @Report Highlights: Detailed overview of parent market Changing market dynamics in the industry In-depth market segmentation Historical, current, and projected market size in terms of volume and value Recent industry trends and developments Competitive landscape Strategies of key players and products offered Potential and niche segments, geographical regions exhibiting promising growth A neutral perspective on market performance Must-have information for market players to sustain and enhance their market footprintAbout UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated research, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Consumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMRs engagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.commedia@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
MicroRNA Tools and Services Market is Expected to Gain Popularity Across the Globe by 2020

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Molecular diagnostics is a vast field that comprises of techniques and methods to analyze biomarkers in genetic code. It helps in encoding genomes and proteomes that are required for studying and detecting the disease, and thus help in deciding the best therapy for an individual. MicroRNA tools and services market is experiencing a significant growth due to increased R&D and rising government initiatives in this field. MicroRNA tools market is further segmented into quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), microarrays, and functional tools. Of which, qRT-PCR segments remains the largest and the fastest growing segment. MicroRNA services market is further segmented into phenotypic analysis and expression profiling and analysis.A sample of this report is available upon request @North America dominates the global microRNA tools and services market due to increased government initiatives and broad technical applications of microRNA tools and services in the region. Europe, followed by Asia, is expected to experience high growth rate in the next few years in global microRNA tools and services market. China and India are expected to be the fastest growing microRNA tools and services market in Asian region. This is due to increased investments from foreign companies in these countries. Some of the key driving forces for microRNA tools and services market in emerging countries are increasing R&D investment, improved healthcare facilities and rising government funding.Various factors such as growing awareness about microRNA technology, increasing government initiatives and accuracy of the results obtained have been driving the microRNA tools and services market. In addition, increased funding from various government and non-government organizations and increased availability of this technology has been driving the microRNA tools and services market. However, high cost involved and lack of experienced professionals has been restraining the growth of microRNA tools and services market.Increased R&D and innovation of some new technology with better efficiency is expected to offer good opportunity for microRNA tools and services market. In addition, emerging markets hold a great potential for growth microRNA tools and services market. Some of the latest trends that have been observed in microRNA tools and services market are companies involved in partnerships and collaboration for R&D of novel products.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @Some of the major companies dealing in microRNA tools and services market include Qiagen, Life Technologies, Exiqon, GeneCopoeia, Inc and Mirus Bio. Some other companies dealing in microRNA tools and services market include Biomatik, Asurgen, Inc and Cell Biolabs Inc.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
North American Surgical Apparel Market is Growing at Significant Rate by 2020 - PMR Report

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Infection diseases mainly acquired in healthcare facility is one of the major cause deaths in the U.S. Surgical apparel is used to provide optimal level of protection by reducing the transfer of bacteria from the skin to the surgical staff. Surgical apparel is also known as surgical clothing. Some of the surgical appeals are surgical gloves, face masks, head wear, scrub suits, chemotherapy gowns, foot wear, drapes and surgical gowns. Surgical apparel is essential as there are always microorganisms on the skin even after conducting sterilization procedure and strict hygiene. Surgical apparels protect bacteria from entering the surgical wound. Surgical apparels also protect healthcare staff from bodily fluids, blood, saline, urine and other chemicals during surgical procedure.A sample of this report is available upon request @The U.S. dominates the North American market for surgical apparel due to large number of aging population and chronic diseases. The North American surgical apparel market is segmented on the basis of type of surgical apparel such as surgical gloves, surgical drapes, surgical gowns and surgical masks.In recent times there is increased use of surgical apparel due to increasing prevalence of infections and chronic diseases. Rise in aging population, increasing healthcare coverage resulting in increase in surgical procedures and increasing stringent regulations for patient and staff safety are some of the key factors driving the growth for the North American surgical apparel market. In addition, increasing incidence of hospital acquired infection is also fuelling the growth of the North American surgical apparel market. However, price fluctuation of raw material and strict regulatory requirements are some of the major factors restraining the growth for the North American surgical apparel market.Emergence of biofunctional textile, non-conventional types of gloves and advanced composite technology would develop opportunity for the North American surgical apparel market. However, maintain a balance between quality and cost would pose a challenge for the North American surgical apparel market. The trend for the North American surgical apparel market is introduction of new products, such as MicroCool gowns, in the North American surgical apparel market.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @Some of the major companies operating in the North American surgical apparel market are Cardinal Health, Inc., DuPont Medical Fabrics, Kimberly-Clark Health Care and Medline Industries.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Intraocular Lens Market : Market Sizing with Competitive Landscape by 2020

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Cataract is the clouding of the eye lens. Cataract is the leading cause of blindness worldwide. Intraocular lens is a synthetic artificial lens placed to replace natural lens. Intraocular lenses are used for the surgical treatment of cataract. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2010, approximately 20 million cataract surgeries were performed and are expected to reach approximately 32 million by 2020. Several types of intraocular lenses implants are available to improve vision. Monofocal intraocular lenses are best choice for limited budget. Whereas, premium intraocular lenses are specifically designed to reduce patients need for glasses. Tronic intraocular lenses, multifocal intraocular lenses and accommodating intraocular lenses are some of the premium intraocular lenses.A sample of this report is available upon request @North America dominates the global market for intraocular lens due to large number of aging population and availability of reimbursements. Asia is expected to show high growth rates in the next five years in the global intraocular lens market. China and India are expected to be the fastest growing intraocular lens markets in Asia-Pacific region. Some of the key driving forces for intraocular lens market in emerging countries are large pool of patients and rising government funding.In recent times there is increased use of intraocular lens due to increasing prevalence of cataract in aging population. Rise in adoption of premium intraocular lens such as accommodating intraocular lens and multifocal intraocular lens and increasing government initiatives are some of the key factors driving the growth for global intraocular lens market. In addition, increasing healthcare awareness is also fuelling the growth of global intraocular lens market. However, high cost related with surgical procedure and post-operative complications such as refractive errors are some of the major factors restraining the growth for global intraocular lens market.Availability of advance technologies such as micro-incision cataract surgery and femtosecond lasers would develop opportunities for global intraocular lens market. The trend for global intraocular lens market is multi-distance vision capabilities.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @Some of the major companies operating in the global intraocular lens market are Alcon, Inc., Abbott Medical Optics, Inc., Bausch & Lomb Incorporated, Carl Zeiss Meditec AG, Rayner Intraocular Lenses Limited, Eyekon Medical, Lenstec, HumanOptics AG, STAAR Surgical Company and Hoya Corporation.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Metal Detectors Market Explores New Growth Opportunities By 2026

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Global Metal Detectors Market: IntroductionThe precious metal industry, which includes metals such as gold and platinum is significantly large in terms of value, and substantial demand for these metals in the market increases the demand for novel and robust metal detection technology. The precious metal detection technologies incur relatively higher costs and hence their market is expected to witness a slower annual growth rate over the forecast period. Apart from archaeological and mining application, security screening falls as a major area of application for metal detection technology with a large variety of products available depending upon the level of security required. Increasing terror related activities across the globe has made organisations to improve their security infrastructure through adoption of proper equipment and technology. Metal detectors can easily be seen at premium hotels, public shopping malls, parks, zoos, government building, etc. Manufacturers of metal detectors focus on developing robust, handy and cost effective products to leverage the existing opportunity in the metal detectors for security screening market. The global metal detector market is expected to witness steady growth over the next decade and will be mainly driven by advancement in technology.Sample of this report is available upon request @Maxwells concept of electromagnetism has helped in the extraction of major treasures in the past, detection of mining locations and now it stands as the backbone of security screening for public as well as military applications in the form a device called metal detector. Metal detectors are devices with high archaeological, mining and military importance. Metal detectors in archaeological application form the basis of detecting the remains of past, buried beneath the earth. Apart from archaeology, mining industry highly relies on metal detectors, particularly for detection of precious metals.Global Metal Detectors Market: Market DynamicsThe global metal detectors market is expected to be significantly driven by increasing government investments in security owing to the rising violence and conflicts worldwide. Furthermore, ongoing infrastructural development across countries to develop new airports, stadiums and other such infrastructures will create demand for metal detectors. Security application is expected to hold a major share of the demand for metal detectors and witness robust growth over the forecast period. The global metal detectors market has also witnessed increased adoption of metal detectors in industrial application.Moreover, day-by-day general public is understanding the importance of security equipment and as a result systems such as metal detectors are also being increasingly deployed in residential buildings/apartments/townships so as to ensure safety of residents.One of the factors restraining growth is the higher cost, however this factor has only a moderate impact over the growth of the market. Government regulations in some of the countries, which ban the use of metal detectors for applications such as precious metal detection is expected to hamper market growth.Global Metal Detectors Market: Market SegmentationOn the basis of technology, the metal detectors market can be segmented into; Beat frequency oscillations Pulse induction OthersOn the basis of product type, the metal detectors market can be segmented into; Walk-through metal detector (WTMD) Hand-held metal detector (HHMD)On the basis of application, the metal detectors market can be segmented into; Mining Archaeological Food Processing Security Screeningo Airportso Government Buildingso Commercial & Public Spaceso Residentialo Other IndustrialGlobal Metal Detectors Market: Region-wise OutlookAsia Pacific is expected to remain a major market for metal detectors over the forecast period. The region is expected to generate significant demand for metal detectors for security screening application owing to the ongoing infrastructural developments in the countries such as China and India. North America and Europe are expected to be the next big markets for metal detectors. These regions are expected to witness significant CAGR over the forecast period. Latin America and Middle East & Africa are estimated to expand at a slower growth rate as compared to Asia Pacific, North America and Europe.Global Metal Detectors Market: Market ParticipantsExamples of some of the market participants identified in the global metal detectors market are; Fisher Research Laboratory Garrett Metal Detectors Minelab XP Metal Detectors Barska DetectorPro Nokta Metal Detectors Tesoro Metal Detectors E.I.A. S.p.A. Makro Metal Detectors Metal Detectors, Inc.The research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the market and contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data, and statistically supported and industry-validated market data. It also contains projections using a suitable set of assumptions and methodologies. The research report provides analysis and information according to market segments such as geographies, application, and industry.The report covers exhaust analysis on: Market Segments Market Dynamics Market Size Supply & Demand Current Trends/Issues/Challenges Competition & Companies involved Technology Value ChainRegional analysis includes: North America (U.S., Canada) Latin America (Mexico. Brazil) Western Europe (Germany, Italy, France, U.K., Spain) Eastern Europe (Poland, Russia) Asia Pacific (China, India, ASEAN, Australia & New Zealand) Japan Middle East and Africa (GCC Countries, S. Africa, Northern Africa)The report is a compilation of first-hand information, qualitative and quantitative assessment by industry analysts, inputs from industry experts and industry participants across the value chain. The report provides in-depth analysis of parent market trends, macro-economic indicators and governing factors along with market attractiveness as per segments. The report also maps the qualitative impact of various market factors on market segments and geographies.TOC of this report is available upon request @Report Highlights: Detailed overview of parent market Changing market dynamics in the industry In-depth market segmentation Historical, current, and projected market size in terms of volume and value Recent industry trends and developments Competitive landscape Strategies of key players and products offered Potential and niche segments, geographical regions exhibiting promising growth A neutral perspective on market performance Must-have information for market players to sustain and enhance their market footprintAbout UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated research, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Consumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMRs engagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.commedia@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Elevation Gimbal System Market is Considered as One of the Rapidly Growing Dynamic Markets - 2026

Elevation Gimbal System Market, Elevation Gimbal System

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Elevation Gimbal System Market: IntroductionTracking systems are used to measure the relative position and velocity of the target, which in turn, is monitored by keeping track of their future values. Elevation gimbal system is concerned with generation of targets angular position in the elevation and azimuth coordinates through continuous measurements. The elevation gimbal system incorporates a mirror that is used for characterization of precision optical sensors, target tracking and laser based qualification. The system provides high accuracy, movement and direct-reading rotary encoders over the full travel range due to features such as RV Series Rotation Stages. The major application of elevation gimbal system is in military and commercial use. In military use, elevation gimbal systems are used for missile guidance and fire control. Other than this, these tracking systems finds commercial usage in civilian airport traffic control depicting the incoming and departing airplanes.Sample of this report is available upon request @Elevation Gimbal System Market: DriversFor efficient & effective monitoring of the terrorists, a proper elevation gimbal system is a much necessary device. It will be more convenient for armies to fight with the terrorists using elevation gimbal systems. The aforementioned reason is expected to boost the demand for elevation gimbal system and thus in turn, propel the growth of elevation gimbal system market. Moreover, since its precise mechanical design, motion and fabrication control meet the requirements of customer, these features are anticipated to fuel the demand of elevation gimbal system market in near future.Elevation Gimbal System Market: RestraintsInaccuracy of device and its inability to work in critical environmental conditions remain as one of the major challenges to the elevation gimbal system market for target tracking. Further, high initial cost of the system is also restraining the growth of the elevation gimbal system market. These reasons are expected to hinder the growth of elevation gimbal system market.Elevation Gimbal System Market: SegmentationThe global elevation gimbal system market can be segmented on the basis of axis, operation type, weight, range, application and regions. On the basis of axis, the market can be segmented into single axis and double axis. On the basis of operation type, the global elevation gimbal system market can be segmented into manual operation and automatic operation. On the basis of weight, the market can be segmented into super lightweight (less than 1 lb), light weight (1 lb  10 lb), medium weight (10 lb -50 lb) and heavy weight (more than 50 lb). On the basis of range, the market can be segmented into long slant range and short slant range. On the basis of application, the global elevation gimbal system market can be segmented into defence and military and commercial vehicles. On the basis of regions, the global elevation gimbal system market can be segmented into North America, Asia Pacific excluding Japan, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Japan and Middle East & Africa.Elevation Gimbal System Market: Region wise OutlookBased on regions, North America is expected to be the most promising revenue generating region for global elevation gimbal system market. However, during the forecast period, this region is expected to witness sluggish growth owing to reduction in the defence budget of many countries. Asia Pacific is forecasted to witness significant growth in near future due to continuous increase in the defence budget of many countries. Moreover, China dominates the worlds in terms of troops. This, coupled with the increasing adoption of elevation gimbal system is expected to fuel the growth of elevation gimbal system market in APAC. Europe is expected to show steady growth over the forecast period. Middle East & Africa is anticipated to witness significant growth in near future.Elevation Gimbal System Market: Market ParticipantsSome of the prominent players identified in the global elevation gimbal system market are as follows: 3 Axis Inc. Icecam Gimbal DJI Embention Moog Inc. Deplot Octopus ISR Systems Aerotech Inc.The research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the market and contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data, and statistically supported and industry-validated market data. It also contains projections done using a suitable set of assumptions and methodologies. The research report provides analysis and information according to categories such as market segments, geographies, type, machine size and end use.The report covers exhaustive analysis on: Market Segments Market Dynamics Market Size Supply & Demand Current Trends/Issues/Challenges Competition & Companies involved Technology Value ChainRegional analysis includes North America Latin America Europe Asia Pacific Middle East and AfricaThe report is a compilation of first-hand information, qualitative and quantitative assessment by industry analysts, inputs from industry experts and industry participants across the value chain. The report provides an in-depth analysis of parent market trends, macro-economic indicators, and governing factors, along with market attractiveness as per segments. The report also maps the qualitative impact of various factors on market segments and geographies.TOC of this report is available upon request @Report Highlights: Detailed overview of parent market Changing market dynamics in the industry In-depth market segmentation Historical, current and projected market size in terms of volume and value Recent industry trends and developments Competitive landscape Strategies of key players and products offered Potential and niche segments, and regional markets exhibiting promising growth A neutral perspective on market performance Must-have information for market players to sustain and enhance their market footprintAbout UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated research, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Consumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMRs engagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.commedia@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Lehenga Choli and Sarees have got a new makeover on Shopkio.com

SURAT, India - Feb. 21, 2017  Dresses enhance the looks of a woman. Stylish dresses project an impressive image but one need not spend a lot to get those million dollar looks. Shopkio lehenga choli and saree collections are for the new age woman desirous of gaining oodles of style.Shopkio, a Surat based fashion house, launches a range of stylishly elegant lehenga choli sets and sarees for the new age woman. Speaking at the launch a representative of Shopkio said, These lehenga cholis are fashionable and incorporate style changes to suit the fashion conscious. There is abundance of variety in cut and styles as can be seen in the neckline, the sleeves and the waistline of the cholis that match the lehenga to perfection. One can pick long sleeved cholis, short-sleeved ones and sleeveless to suit ones look and personality. There is no variety in the lehengas either as can be seen in the number and variety of pleats. All these are further embellished with beautiful embroidery. As for the fabrics, there are choices ranging from voiles and chiffons to lustrous slinky silks. Hundreds of women have chosen Shopkio lehenga cholis as their bridal wear and to maximum effect.He went on to elaborate on the collection of sarees. Surat is the capital of art silk sarees and women select Shopkio sarees for their elegant, dazzling and high fashion looks whereas the prices are surprisingly affordable. Whether it is plain or highly embroidered, Shopkio sarees confer standout looks. There are choices such as Bollywood sarees, fancy embroidered sarees for weddings and designer party wear sarees in georgette, chiffon, silk, net and cotton.Shopkio is an established fashion house with a full complement of designers working with the finest equipments to create dazzling collections of lehenga choli sets and designer sarees for the new age woman. The accent is on quality. Fabrics are the finest and chosen for drape, feel and texture as well as color-fastness. Embroider matches color background and results in a saree that confers gorgeous drop dead looks on the wearer.Shopkio range includes anarkali sets and colorful cosets for the young at heart but the accent is on sarees for women who wish to acquire flair and flamboyance or understated gracious elegance, depending on the type of fabric and color they choose. There is a saree for every taste, every type of woman and every occasion. Whether it is parties of weddings, casual wear or office wear, Shopkio designer sarees never fail to wow. Shopkio sarees are available in traditional designs as well as more modern styles with bold prints and exquisite color combinations. A woman can positively and radiantly glow when outfitted in any of these chic sarees. Shopkio range of fantastic sarees start at a low price of around Rs. 450 but they look as if they cost ten times more.The representative said that they have a very easy and customer-friendly policy for online shoppers. One can buy and if the apparel is not what they like, it is easy to return and get a replacement. We understand tastes of women and aim to satisfy. Women who are looking for something exotic and different but well priced will find all that they want at Shopkio, Indias leading online designer house for lehenga choli and saree collections.About Shopkio:Shopkio is based in Surat and is a leading online garment house, exporting worldwide. They may be contacted by phone 91 81 407 01000, email care@shopkio.com or via website shopkio.com. It is for everybody who simply loves fashion & wants to stay ahead with the best in cutting-edge trends. In a short span of time, weve become the en-vogue fashion destination & a staple in the world of online fashion.110, Tower 3, Kuberji Textile Park 2,Ring Road,Surat - 395 002.
Global Biological Drugs Market to Spread a Predictable Worth of US$ 287 Billion in 2020

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Primary source of biological drugs are living cells. These drugs are used in treatment and prevention of chronic diseases such as cancer, severe blood disorders and few other auto-immune diseases. The complex structure of biological drugs separates them from other conventional drug types. Demand for biological drugs has grown in recent past, which is attributed to the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases across the globe. In addition, government organization are endorsing the usage of biological drugs, which in turn is translating into growth of global biological drugs market. PMR indicates that the global biological drugs market will witness a healthy CAGR of over 10% during the forecast period to reach US$ 287,139.7 by 2020,Demand for biological drugs is expected to gain traction in the near future owing to the worldwide increase in geriatric population and higher prevalence of chronic diseases. Moreover, the global biological market is benefiting from various healthcare awareness initiatives taken by both public and private organizations. Likewise, innovation in biomedical technology and ongoing R&D programs are anticipated to highlight further scope for market expansion. On the other hand, issues related to patent expiry of bestselling drugs and pricey nature of such drugs are expected to inhibit the overall market growth. Similarly, additional threats of severe side effects and associated risks from injectable biological drugs may also negatively influence the growth of the market.The global biological drugs market has been classified into therapeutic protein, monoclonal antibody, vaccine and region.On the basis of therapeutic protein, the market is segmented into enbrel, neulasta, novoLog, humalog, rebif, epogen, levemir, betaseron, eylea, lantus, avonex, aranesp, victoza and neupogen. Enbrel is the most dominating segment and is expected to grow at the fastest rate during the forecast period. By monoclonal antibody (mAb), the market is segmented into, remicade, avastin, lucentis, humira, rituxan and herceptin. In addition, the humira segment will continue to dominate the market over the forecast period. Based on vaccine, the market is segmented into prenvar 13, fluzone, cervarix, gardasil and varivax. Demand for prevnar 13 is expected to be higher compared to other vaccines through 2020.A Sample of this report is available upon request @On the basis of region, the global biological drugs market is segmented into North America, Asia Pacific, Europe and rest of the world (RoW). North America will continue to be the most lucrative market for biological drugs during the forecast period. In addition, the market in North America is expected to be worth 147,783.8 Million by 2020, expanding at 10.9% CAGR over the forecast period. Increasing demand for biological drugs to treat diseases such as diabetes and cancer is expected to support growth of the market in the region. Moreover, frequent healthcare awareness programs conducted by various public organizations is further influencing the market growth in North America. The market in Europe, is primarily driven by demand for biological drugs from the geriatric population of the region. According to a UN report, by 2025 elderly population in Germany is expected to cover 33.2% of the total population in the country. In Asia, factors such as encouraging government initiatives and higher funding for establishing new biotech companies, drug manufacturing facilities and life science institutions are expected to stimulate the biological drugs market in the region. Moreover, the cost of drug manufacturing in Asia is lower compared to other regions, which in turn is alluring the overseas companies to setup manufacturing plants in the region.Request to view Table of content @Key market players operating in the global biological drugs market include Merck & Co., Inc., Abbott Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Baxter International Inc., Novartis AG, Pfizer Inc., Biogen Idec, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Amgen Inc., and GlaxoSmithKline plc.To Buy Full Report for a Single User @About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Connected Agriculture Market to Record an Impressive Growth Rate by 2027

Connected Agriculture Market, Connected Agriculture

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Many people are depending upon agriculture for their livelihood. There are many smallholder farmers are facing problems due to poverty, literacy and not able to access the information in the country. To avoid the poverty smallholder farmer has to enhance their skills and knowledge to improve the productivity of farming and raise the income. So Information Communication Technology (ICT) and Mobile telecommunications play an important role by providing the information of Connected Agriculture technology, this will provide knowledge to the farmers by their various tools methods, pesticides, seeds, fertilizer, fuel and machinery used in agriculture. Connected agriculture technology has also improved the financial solutions for farming. Due to this advanced technology, there is greater investment in agriculture and farmers are having access to real-time information and services in agriculture.Sample of this report is available upon request @Connected Agriculture Market: Drivers and ChallengesThe key driving growth in the market for connected agriculture is the source of mobile telecommunication which can connect the farmers to different markets such as finance, education, can check commodity price, weather forecast, different agriculture techniques, commodity exchanges, different traders, sellers and buyers for the agriculture products for farming. This will increase the production in farming and proper use water and greenhouse gas emission. By this, many telecommunication service providers are focusing on connected agriculture, as the demand is increasing.By mobile, the farmers use payment services, where they can trace their payment which is given to traders, or loans taken from the bank and many other things. Connected agriculture technology is enhancing farmers capability to have financial transaction easily, especially in rural areas.In contrast to this, many farmers dont know how to use this different technology and their functions on mobile or on the internet. Many farmers are still living in remote areas due to poverty where they dont have access to the internet or telecommunication services.Connected Agriculture Market: SegmentationSegmentation on the basis of applications: Smart irrigation Smart logisticsSegmentation on the basis of service: Mobile information services Micro- Lending services Mobile payment services Micro- Insurance services OthersSegmentation on the basis of solution: Tendering Trading BarteringConnected Agriculture Market: Recent Contracts/DealsThe key players in connected agriculture market are Vodafone PLC, Syspro, Trimble Navigation Limited, SAP A.G, Cisco Systems, Inc., Orange Business Services, Microsoft Corporation, Epicor Software Corporation, SAGE.Connected Agriculture Market: Regional OverviewConnected Agriculture Market is currently dominated by North America and region due to fast development in global technology. Asia Pacific Connected Agriculture Market is expected to have the highest growth rate during the forecast period.Connected Agriculture Market Segments Connected Agriculture Market Dynamics Historical Actual Market Size, 2013 - 2015 Connected Agriculture Market Size & Forecast 2017 to 2027 Value Chain Connected Agriculture Market Current Trends/Issues/Challenges Competition & Companies involved Connected Agriculture Market Drivers and RestraintsRegional analysis for Connected Agriculture Market includes development of these systems in the following regions: North Americao USo Canada Latin Americao Brazilo Mexicoo Others Europeo U.K.o Franceo Germanyo Polando Russia Asia Pacifico Australia and New Zealand (ANZ)o Greater Chinao Indiao ASEANo Rest of Asia Pacific Japan Middle East and Africao GCC Countrieso Other Middle Easto North Africao South Africao Other AfricaThe report is a compilation of first-hand information, qualitative and quantitative assessment by industry analysts, inputs from industry experts and industry participants across the value chain. The report provides in-depth analysis of parent market trends, macro-economic indicators and governing factors along with market attractiveness as per segments. The report also maps the qualitative impact of various market factors on market segments and geographies.TOC of this report is available upon request @Report Highlights: Detailed overview of parent market Changing market dynamics of the industry In-depth market segmentation Historical, current and projected market size in terms of value Recent industry trends and developments Competitive landscape Strategies of key players and product offerings Potential and niche segments/regions exhibiting promising growth A neutral perspective towards market performance Must-have information for market players to sustain and enhance their market footprintAbout UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated research, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Consumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMRs engagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.commedia@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Cardiac Rhythm Management Device Market Research Report - Industry Growth, Top Manufacturers and Forecast 2022

Cardiac Rhythm Management Device Market

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Cardiac Rhythm Management Device is very important in Healthcare market. Cardiac Rhythm Management Device Market is in trend now. The report on Cardiac Rhythm Management Device Market of top countries provides Manufacturers Analysis, growth rate and Revenue (Value) by countries, type and application. It gives the business overview, company assessment and development trends.This report studies Cardiac Rhythm Management Device in Global market, especially in United States, Canada, Mexico, Germany, France, UK, Italy, Russia, China, Japan, India, Korea, Southeast Asia, Australia, Brazil, Middle East and Africa.Browse Full Report with TOC @The report focuses on the top Manufacturers in each country, covering Medtronic St. Jude Medical (Abbott) Boston Scientific Biotronik LivaNova (Sorin) Medico IMZ Pacetronix Qinming Medical Cardioelectronica CCCSplit by applications, this report focuses on sales, market share and growth rate of Cardiac Rhythm Management Device in each application, can be divided into Bradycardia Tachycardia Heart Failure OtherDownload Free Sample Report of Cardiac Rhythm Management Device Market @Table of Contents - Snapshot1 Market Overview2 Global Sales, Revenue (Value) and Market Share by Manufacturers3 Global Sales, Revenue (Value) by Countries, Type and Application (2012-2017)4 Global Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis5 North America Sales, Revenue (Value) by Countries, Type and Application (2012-2017)6 Latin America Sales, Revenue (Value) by Countries, Type and Application (2012-2017)7 Europe Sales, Revenue (Value) by Countries, Type and Application (2012-2017)8 Asia-Pacific Sales, Revenue (Value) by Countries, Type and Application (2012-2017)9 Middle East and Africa Sales, Revenue (Value) by Countries, Type and Application (2012-2017)10 Manufacturing Cost Analysis11 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers12 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders13 Market Effect Factors Analysis14 Global Market Forecast (2017-2022)15 Research Findings and Conclusion16 AppendixPurchase the Complete Cardiac Rhythm Management Device Market Research Report @Other Reports by DecisionDatabases.com:2017-2022 Global Top Countries Clinical Mass Spectrometry Market Report @About Us:DecisionDatabases.com is a global business research reports provider, enriching decision makers and strategists with qualitative statistics. DecisionDatabases.com is proficient in providing syndicated research report, customized research reports, company profiles and industry databases across multiple domains.Our expert research analysts have been trained to map clients research requirements to the correct research resource leading to a distinctive edge over its competitors. We provide intellectual, precise and meaningful data at a lightning speed.3rd Floor,Fountain Chambers,Nanabhai Lane,Fort, Mumbai - 40001E-Mail: sales@decisiondatabases.comPhone: +91 99 28 237112Web:
Cloud Access Security Broker Market to Register a Strong Growth by 2027

Cloud Access Security Broker Market, Cloud Access Security Broker

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The cloud access security broker market is growing significantly due to the rising adoption of cloud based applications. There has been rise in the usage of cloud based applications in various businesses as these are less costly and can be accessed on real time basis. Cloud access security broker solutions are used to provide data security, compliance management, network management, and other monitoring and controlling solutions to cloud based applications. These solutions are also used for data leakage prevention and cloud data encryption.Sample of this report is available upon request @The cloud access security brokers are the solutions that are cloud based and on-premises based solutions used to combine and implement enterprise security policies such as single sign-on service, authentication, credential mapping, encryption, tokenization, malware detection, device profiling and others.Enterprises at all level, are adopting cloud computing technology for certain benefits such as cost cutting, but security is a big challenge that faced by these enterprises while implementing cloud based business applications. Large enterprises are continuously adopting cloud access security broker platform and this trend will increase in next five years with the adoption by small and medium enterprises.Software Defined Security Market: Drivers and ChallengesThe major factor driving the adoption of cloud access security brokers is the rising concern among enterprises for the security of cloud based applications. Many organizations are moving towards the adoption of cloud technology, due to which they are in a need of strong network security, data security and threat management solutions that can be easily managed, identify threat, customized and provides security without control of any physically-oriented elements such as hardware. Other driving factor for cloud access security brokers is increasing demand for real-time security.The key challenge in the cloud access security broker market is the limited awareness of CASB solutions for cloud based environment. This approach is still in its introductory phase due to which many organizations do not know about its benefits and usage. There are limited number of companies that are using cloud access security broker solution for threat management, compliance management and for visibility of data. Moreover, there are very less number of vendors providing cloud access security brokering solutions due to which it is not cost-effective.Cloud Access Security Brokers Market: SegmentationSegmentation on the basis of Service model: Infrastructure as a service Platform as a service Software as a serviceSegmentation on the basis of applications: Threat Detection Compliance Management Data Protection Data encryption Control and monitoring services Data loss preventionKey Contracts:In September 2016, Oracle acquired Palerra, a cloud access security broker. This acquisition will help Oracle to expand its identity cloud services with Palerra to provide cloud security automation platform to the clients.In June 2016, VMWare has partnered with five cloud access security brokers named as Blue Coat Systems, CloudLock, Netskope, Palo Alto, and SkyHigh networks. The integration of these five companies will help VMWare to provide collaborative solution for mobile, cloud security and secure digital workspaces from cloud.In February 2016, Sookasa, cloud access security broker has entered into the partnership with Microsoft Office 365. This partnership will allow enterprises to identify security risk and help those enforcing data loss prevention policies on Office 365 platform, Microsoft OneDrive and Outlook.In Cloud access security broker market there are many vendors some of them are Palo Alto networks, Oracle, SKyhigh networks, Blue Coat systems, Cloud Lock, Netskope, CipherCloud and othersRegional OverviewPresently, North America is holding the largest market share for cloud access security brokers due to high adoption of cloud computing technologies among enterprises. The adoption of other service models such as platform as a service and software as a service is also impacting the market for cloud access security broker in a positive manner. Companies such as Blue Coat systems and Oracle are also working towards the development of cloud access security broker platforms with the partnerships and acquisitions in this market to enhance market opportunities.In Europe region, the market for cloud access security broker is witnessing high growth rate due to the increasing demand for data loss prevention and security solutions without hardware maintenance.The Asia Pacific region is following the Europe region in cloud access security broker market. This market is expected to have the highest growth rate in coming years due to the adoption of security services and the growing adoption of cloud based business applications.The report covers exhaustive analysis on:Cloud access security broker Market Segments Market Dynamics Historical Actual Market Size, 2013 - 2015 Market Size & Forecast 2016 to 2026 Value Chain Market Current Trends/Issues/Challenges Competition & Companies involved Market Drivers and RestraintsRegional analysis for Cloud access security brokers Market includes development of these systems in the following regions: North Americao By USo By Canada Latin Americao By Brazilo By Mexicoo By Others Europeo By U.K.o By Franceo By Germanyo By Polando By Russia Asia Pacifico By Australia and New Zealand (ANZ)o By Greater Chinao By Indiao By ASEANo By Rest of Asia Pacific Japan Middle East and Africao By GCC Countrieso By Other Middle Easto By North Africao By South Africao By Other AfricaThe report is a compilation of first-hand information, qualitative and quantitative assessment by industry analysts, inputs from industry experts and industry participants across the value chain. The report provides in-depth analysis of parent market trends, macro-economic indicators and governing factors along with market attractiveness as per segments. The report also maps the qualitative impact of various market factors on market segments and geographies.TOC of this report is available upon request @Report Highlights: Detailed overview of parent market Changing market dynamics of the industry In-depth market segmentation Historical, current and projected market size in terms of value Recent industry trends and developments Competitive landscape Strategies of key players and product offerings Potential and niche segments/regions exhibiting promising growth A neutral perspective towards market performance Must-have information for market players to sustain and enhance their market footprintAbout UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated research, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Consumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMRs engagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.commedia@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
BYOD Security Market Progress at a CAGR $ 36.3%, Globally, by 2020

BOYD Security

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BYOD Security Market Report, published by Allied Market Research, forecasts that the global market is expected to garner $24.6 billion by 2022, registering a CAGR of 36.3% during the period 2014-2020. Smartphones are widely used for business purposes among all other devices, and generated nearly 58% of revenue for the global market in 2013. Mobile application management (MAM) solutions would be witnessing tremendous growth opportunities in future due to the rising awareness about these security solutions across various regions. Large enterprises generated significant revenue for the global market in 2013, whereas small- and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) contributed around one-fourth of the total revenue. SMEs would eventually increase their revenue share in global market. North American countries generated considerable amount of revenue in 2013 due to early adoption of BYOD concept and implementation of BYOD security policies.View Detail Summary of this report :Introduction of BYOD security software reduces the security risks associated with BYOD, due to which the adoption of BYOD policies by the companies in emerging markets is increasing. BYOD concept is gaining foothold due to its benefits for the enterprises such as lowering down infrastructure cost, increased productivity of the organizations and allowing employees to work according to their convenient time and place. The increasing importance of BYOD concept would ultimately support BYOD security market to rise in emerging markets by 2020.Smartphone is a key device that is majorly being used by the employees for work purposes. The ease of accessibility of corporate or business data by smartphones is driving the smartphone usage. However, security risks are also high with the usage of smartphones as in case of loss or theft of such devices. Compact size and light weight of tablet phones is leading the employees to replace their laptops with tablet phones for business purposes. The usage of tablets would eventually increase, which would ultimately increase the revenue generated through the tablet security software in years ahead.Though mobile device management (MDM) solution is popular among all other solutions across the enterprises for the implementation of BYOD security policies, mobile application management (MAM), mobile content management (MCM) and mobile identity management (MIM) would also increase their penetration into the market in coming years. The increasing awareness about the BYOD security solutions and introduction of wide range of apps for business purposes (appification) would support MAM to gain its prominence in the market. In order to secure corporate as well as personal data on the device, mobile data security software is largely preferred by the enterprises, which is followed by mobile device security." Introduction of BYOD security software reduces the security risks associated with BYOD, due to which the adoption of BYOD policies by the companies in emerging markets is increasing. BYOD concept is gaining foothold due to its benefits for the enterprises such as lowering down infrastructure cost, increased productivity of the organizations and allowing employees to work according to their convenient time and place. The increasing importance of BYOD concept would ultimately support BYOD security market to rise in emerging markets by 2020."Request for sample report at:The initial investment to implement BYOD security policies is high, due to which majorly large-scale enterprises have implemented BYOD security policies in their organizations. Therefore, the revenue from the sales of BYOD security software to large-scale enterprises is prominent as compared to small- and medium-enterprises. However, small- and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) have started adopting BYOD concept in their organizations, which would eventually create a need of BYOD security software among SMEs. Considering above factors, the revenue generated from the end users would eventually increase and contribute a significant amount of revenue for global market by 2020.Key Findings of BYOD Security Market: The global BYOD security market would grow due to increase in the adoption BYOD across companies in emerging markets and appification of businesses during the forecast period (2014-2020) Tablet security software would witness an increasing growth with a CAGR of 46.2% during 2014-2020 Mobile application management segment would grow at a rapid rate as compared to other solutions, which includes mobile device management, mobile content management and mobile identity management North American region generates highest revenue for the global marketThe market growth is attributable to acquisitions and collaborations of the players in the market to excel their services to the customers. For instance, on 26 January, 2014, VMware acquired AirWatch, a leader in delivering secure and enterprise-mobile management solutions, for$1.175 billion. This acquisition has helped VMware to boost mobile security offerings to the customers. Similarly, in August 2014, SAP in collaboration with VMware has developed a mobile security software platform for mobile applications, which offers simplified user experience for all mobile applications. Prominent players profiled in the report are SAP, Symantec, VMware, Citrix Systems, Mobile Iron, Good Technology, Trend Micro, IBM, Alcatel Lucent and Cisco Systems.About usAllied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions". AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain.Contact usDhananjay Potle5933 NE Win Sivers Drive#205, Portland, OR 97220United StatesInt'l: +1-503-894-6022Toll Free: +1-800-792-5285 (U.S. & Canada)E-mail: sales@alliedmarketresearch.com
Global Leather Chemicals Market Will Continue to Grow by 2021

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Leather chemicals are a class of products that are used in the treatment of animal hides for the production of leather. Leather chemicals are required at different stages of leather processing which includes beamhouse, tanning and finishing, fatliquors and water repellents and drum dyeing.A sample of this report is available upon request @Leather is an unmatched material for making accessory products and item. In order to make the leather for long lasting for use and to create an appealing richness of leather, many leather chemicals are used. Increasing demand for various leather made products such as apparels, footwear, garments, furniture and automotive upholstery positively influence the demand of leather chemicals and helps in further growth of leather chemical market. Innovation in technology such as use of micro and nano particulates for abrasion resistance and improved innovation in chemical compound that offers improved color, look and feel better leather, superior water resistance and improved finish adhesion are expected to drive the leather chemical market across the globe.Increasing per capita income of individual, growing consumer affluence, growth in tourism industry are some of the key reason, which leads to increase in the demand of luxury and leather goods items in the market. Fast changing fashion trends and increasing the consumer awareness level about various luxury products further boost the demand of leather goods in the market. Regular innovation and changing design model of various leather and luxury product leads to trigger the demand of leather product in the market. Growing trends towards purchasing of various leather product help to trigger the growth of leather chemical market.Asia Pacific is the largest market for leather chemicals. Some of the major factor that drives the leather chemical's success in Indian market in coming years would be its compliance with many international regulations like ISO, REACH, etc. With large number of population in Asia Pacific countries, the demand of various leather products is also on the rise. China produced 4.271 billion pairs of leather shoes in 2011 and the leather shoes market is growing with a CAGR of around 12.4% annually. The growing rate of leather shoe products helps to boost the leather chemicals market in China and in Asia Pacific region. Increasing disposable income level of individual in North America and Europe further tends people to invest more on purchasing leather luxury products including garments, footwear and others product. The total turnover of retail sale of footwear and leather goods in specialized stores in the U.K. was USD 3,973 million in 2010 and it grew to USD 4,649 million in 2013. This growing investment over leather products and product innovation further helps to boost the leather chemical market in European region.Request to view Table of content @Some of the companies operating in global leather chemicals market are BASF SE, Lanxess AG, TFL, Clariant Chemicals Ltd., Balmer Lawrie & Co. Ltd., Indofil Industries Ltd., Pidilite Industries Ltd., Schill & Seilacher GmbH & Co., ATC CHEMICALS, Tytan, TEXAPEL, Elementis plc, Zschimmer & Schwarz & Co KG, DyStar, Elementis plc, LANXESS AG, lawrence international, TASA GROUP INTERNATIONAL, Loving Group Ltd., Chemtan Company, Inc. and Stahl International BV.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Persistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd.305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com
Carpets And Rugs Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends And Forecasts Analysis For 2018

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The research report on the global carpets and rugs market offers a granular view of this market using industry leading methodologies and analytical tools. The report identifies the key growth propellers and restraints in the global carpets and rugs market, and provides recommendations for growth based on these very factors. Our analysts offer you an eagles view of the overall market in the executive summary. The report then studies the rugs and carpets market on the basis of materials, product type and applications. The data from these analyses will prove useful for both new and existing market players. Another highlight of the report is the use of models such as Porters five forces, which helps determine the future bargaining power of buyers and suppliers, and the threat from alternatives and degree of competition.Download Research Brochure PDF@The report is a valuable supplementary resource for marketing, sales, and financial teams of manufacturers and suppliers alike. It can be used for formulating robust marketing, sales, and expansion strategies in the regional or global carpets and rugs market. Our analyses and forecasts also prove useful for formulating financial and investment models.Overview of the global carpets and rugs marketCarpets and rugs are used for their aesthetic and functional properties. In addition to covering floors and further improving the overall appeal of home or office decor, rugs and carpets lend a protective layer to floors. In regions with a predominantly cold climate, rugs and carpets are used for keeping the floor getting too cold. Until a few decades ago, the demand for carpets and rugs was the highest in developed economies. However, this trend has changed in the last few years, with more and more consumers spending more money on bringing about aesthetic improvements to their homes or office spaces.This demand has, to some extent, also been stoked by the easing economic crisis, which has led to a renewed demand for carpets and rugs. Construction activity in emerging economies is on an upswing; this has fuelled a demand for construction materials and floor and wall covering alike. Carpets and rugs are a segment within the larger floor and wall covering industry. However, the floor coverings market also comprises other hard flooring materials, which directly compete with the carpets and rugs market. Yet, the threat from hard floor coverings will not significantly dent the carpets and rugs market. Almost all segments within this market-such as woven carpets, tufted carpets, and others-are experiencing a surge in demand. All of these factors create a favorable environment for the carpets and rugs industry.Opportunities for the carpets and rugs market primarily lie in the research and manufacturing technology development domains. Heightened awareness about the benefits of using environment-friendly materials in carpet and rug manufacturing is another opportunity that can be profitably harnessed by companies in the carpets and rugs market.Segmentation of the global carpets and rugs marketBy product, the carpets and rugs market can be segmented as: Tufted, needle-punched, woven, and knotted.By market/application type, the carpets and rugs market is classified as: Non-residential buildings, residential buildings, and transportation equipment.The carpets and rugs market can also be classified on the basis of material as: adhesives, face fibers, secondary backing, and primary backing.Companies mentioned in the global carpets and rugs market research reportAbbey Carpet, Armstrong World Industries Inc., Amoco Fabrics and Fiber Co., Beaulieu Industries Inc., Couristan Inc., Burlington Industries Inc., Foamex International Inc., Honeywell Inc., Home Depot Inc., IKEA International Inc., INVISTA, Interface Flooring Systems Inc., Kraus Carpet Mills Ltd., Mannington Mills Inc., Lowes Companies Inc., Milliken & Co., Mohawk Industries Inc., Royalty Carpet Mills Inc., Nylon Business, Springs Industries Inc., Stark Carpets, The Dixie Group Inc, and Tarkett Inc.Browse Full Report@About Us:-Transparency Market Research is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Contact Us:-Transparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.com
Dye Sensitized Cell Market Expected to Show Worldwide Growth by 2021

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A dye sensitized cell, also known as dye sensitized solar cell, is a low-cost solar cell belonging to the group of thin film solar cells. A dye sensitized cell is based on a semiconductor formed between a photo-sensitized anode and an electrolyte, a photoelectrochemical system. Dye sensitized cells are usually used for converting sunlight into electrical energy across a wide intensity range by using a dye, which is absorbed in titanium oxide semiconductor. Dye sensitized cells are becoming increasingly popular as a renewable and cost-effective alternative to conventional solar cells. A dye sensitized cell has several attractive features such as semi-flexibility and semi-transparency, which offers a variety of uses, it is simple to make using conventional roll-printing techniques and majority of materials used are low cost . In the current scenario, dye sensitized cells are the most efficient third generation solar technology available. Dye sensitized cells can be a suitable option as a replacement for existing technologies in low density applications such as rooftop solar collectors, where the mechanical robustness and light weight of the glass result in a less collectors and act as an advantage for dye sensitized cell . However, the use of liquid electrolyte in dye sensitized cell design is a major drawback, as it has temperature stability problems. In the last 5-10 years, solid-state dye sensitized solar cells have been developed. In this case the liquid electrolyte is replaced by one of the several solid hole-conducting materials. During this period, the efficiency of solid state dye sensitized solar cell has increased from 4% to 15%.A sample of this report is available upon request @Based on application, the global dye sensitized cell market is segmented into six categories: building-integrated photovoltaics, indoor application, retail application, emergency power and military application, automotive, and others. Building-integrated photovoltaics are further sub-segmented into BIPV glass and solar roofs. Indoor application is further sub-segmented into three categories: solar chargers, wireless keyboards, and others. Retail application is further sub-segmented into three categories: indoor and outdoor advertising, point-of-purchase displays, and others.In terms of geography, North America dominates the global dye sensitized cell market followed by Europe. The U.S. represents the largest market for dye sensitized cell followed by Canada in North America. In Europe, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the U.K. hold major share of the dye sensitized cell market. However, Asia-Pacific is expected to witness high growth rates in the next five years in the global dye sensitized market.Increasing number of retail store, high growth rate of the automotive industry and increasing disposable income are some of the major driving factors of the dye sensitized cell market. Increasing disposable income allows customers to spend more on products like wireless keyboards, which indirectly increase the demand for dye sensitized cell. According to the National Bureau of Statistics of China, annual per capita disposable income of urban households in China increased from USD 2,271.0 in 2008 to USD 3408.5 in 2012. The overall annual disposable income in India median household income increased from USD 1,366.2 billion in 2010 to USD 1,587.6 billion in 2013.A TOC of this report is available upon request @Some of the major companies operating in the dye sensitized cell market are Dyesol, Ltd., Exeger Sweden AB, 3GSolar Photovoltaics, Ltd., Fujikura, Ltd., Oxford Photovoltaics, Ltd., Solarprint, Ltd., Sony Corporation, Sharp Corporation, Samsung, and Solaronix SA.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Persistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd.305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com
Mobile Phone Antenna Sales, Price, Revenue and Market Share | 2016 - 2021

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Global Mobile Phone Antenna Market by Manufacturers, Regions, Type and Application, Forecast to 2021As you know, Antenna is a device which convert Electrical Energy (Electrical Signal) into Electromagnetic Wave which is transmitted into space. Antenna is a pretty huge topic and it would be difficult to describe every aspects of Antenna in a single page, but this report would try to give some big pictures of various aspects of antenna mainly for cellular application.Mobile phone antenna is defined as the equipment for converting electrical signal received into electromagnetic wave which is transmitted into space, old phone have convex antenna, and antennas of most new mobile phones have been hidden in the fuselage. Sometimes, the antenna is implanted in the battery; the example is as followings figure.Browse Our Recent Research Report on Mobile Phone Antenna Market @Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Mobile Phone Antenna in Global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type andapplication.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversAmphenol, Pulse, Molex, Skycross, Galtronics, Sunway, Speed, JESONcom, Auden, Deman, Ethertronics, Sky-wave, 3gtx, Southstar.Market Segment by Regions, regional analysis covers North America (USA, Canada and Mexico) Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy) Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia) Latin America, Middle and AfricaMarket Segment by Type, covers PIFA(Planar Inverted F Antenna) Internal Planar Monopole Internal PCB &FPC LDS(Laser Direct Structuring)Market Segment by Applications, can be divided into Main Antenna Bluetooth Antenna Wifi Antenna GPS Antenna NFC Antenna OthersAvail more information from Sample Brochure, Get a Copy @There are 11 Chapters to deeply display the global Mobile Phone Antenna market.Chanter 1, to analyze the top manufacturers of Mobile Phone Antenna, with sales, revenue, and price of Mobile Phone Antenna, in 2015 and 2016;Chapter 2, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2015 and 2016;Chapter 3, to show the global market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Mobile Phone Antenna, for each region, from 2011 to 2016;Chapter 4, 5, 6 and 7, to analyze the key regions, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 8 and 9, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2011 to 2016.Chapter 10, Mobile Phone Antenna market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2016 to 2021.Procure this Report @About us:MarketIntelReports (MIR) aim to empower our clients to successfully manage and outperform in their business decisions, we do this by providing Premium Market Intelligence, Strategic Insights and Databases from a range of Global Publishers.A group of industry veterans who are well experienced in reputed international consulting firms after identifying the sourcing needs of MNCs for market intelligence, have together started this business savior MarketIntelReports.Contact us:Sales ManagerMayur S2711 Centerville Road, Suite 400,Wilmington,Delaware,19808United Statessales@marketintelreports.comTelephone: 1-302-261-5343
Anti-Ageing Ingredients Market: Products that Meet Diverse Aging Concerns of Consumers Boost Growth

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A new market research report by Transparency Market Research, titled Anti-Ageing Ingredients Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2016  2024 presents a detailed overview of the anti-aging market. The urge and desire to look good and radiant and stay fit have led people across demographics to use anti-aging ingredients driving the growth of the market. The report provides an in-depth insight into key drivers and restraining factors, current and emerging trends, strategies of the key market players and their recent R&D initiatives, and competitive landscape. The anti-aging ingredients market is continuously expanding, driven by different products that actively meet the diverse aging concerns of consumers.Download exclusive Sample of this report:The anti-aging ingredients market dynamics are governed by several drivers and restraints. Manufacturers and suppliers of anti-aging products are carefully monitoring key consumer trends and emerging prospects. Understanding the competitive dynamics help market players capitalize on the exciting opportunities and launch highly effective products that target specific concerns of the consumers. Prominent anti-aging ingredients are retinol, niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid; retinol is a source of vitamin A while hyaluronic acid acts as a humectant.Increasing concerns regarding the adverse effects of synthetic chemicals in cosmetic anti-aging products have led to a large number of consumers opting for organic, natural, and botanical ingredients. These ingredients are available mainly as powders, liquids, and pastes, with the major demand being contributed by powdered anti-aging products due to their enhanced solubility and easy availability. The ceaseless demand for more efficacious beauty products has led to exciting innovations in UV absorbers, nutraceuticals, multifunctional ingredients, and hair care products. As a result, the global anti-aging ingredients market is characterized by emerging consumer trends in various product categories.Asia Pacific and Europe are expected to emerge as prominent regions for the demand for new anti-aging products that meet diverse consumer needs. The extensive use of white tea and green tea in India and China is motivated by the demand for tea leaves, which are considered to possess anti-aging properties. White tea has proven to have antioxidant effects on various organs and helps in neutralizing the damaging effects of free radicals on the body, leading to its extensive consumption in various countries in Asia. The increased awareness of the health benefits of foods that are rich in carotenoids, essential nutrients, and vitamins has led to an extensive demand for anti-aging ingredients in Asia Pacific.Key players vying for a significant share in the anti-aging ingredients market include Lasons, Allergan India Private Limited, DSM, Cargill, Mercola Skin Care, Incorporated, ADEKA, BASF, J&JCI, Laboratories VIVACY, and Galderma S.A. The leading companies are actively diversifying their product portfolio, boosting their supply chains, and launching products that are more effective in meeting the specific needs of end-users in order to strengthen their market shares.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Global Coconut Sugar Market: Health Benefits and Product Versatility Drives Adoption

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Transparency Market Research (TMR) presents a new research report, titled Coconut Sugar Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2016 - 2024. The report presents a detailed assessment of the growth drivers, challenges, and opportunities that will mark trends in the global coconut sugar market for the 2016-2024 period. The analysis of the report is based on data gathered from primary and secondary sources and inputs received from industry experts.The global coconut market is anticipated to display significant growth due to its increasing use in the food and beverage industry. Coconut sugar, which is a natural sweetener is obtained from the dried nectar of flowers that grow on top of coconut palms. Coconut sugar is considered healthier than table sugar for diabetics and for individuals suffering from blood sugar related health ailments. Coconut sugar is produced using coconut sap and has been traditionally used in Southeast Asian cooking for thousand years.Download exclusive Sample of this report:The coconut sugar market is rising due to several other reasons as well. The nutritional benefits of coconut sugar over regular table sugar is favoring its adoption among consumers. Coconut sugar melts and blends gently in recipes along with imparting a subtle coconut aroma and a mild caramel flavor. This has benefitted the demand for coconut sugar globally.Moreover, the increasing demand for coconut sugar to replace cane sugar for health reasons will be a major factor driving the markets growth in the coming years. Product manufacturers of personal care products such as body scrubs, face and body creams, and shaving gels are also anticipated to display substantial demand for coconut sugar in place of synthetic ingredients. The growth of FMCG industry combined with the increasing demand for herbal products is expeged to have a positive impact on the markets growth.However, the growth of the coconut sugar market is restrained due to certain impediments. Production of coconut sugar is highly labor intensive due to the lack of mechanized techniques. The manufacture of coconut sugar in an environmental-friendly manner is time consuming as well. This is posing a problem for product manufacturers to cater to the increasing demand for coconut sugar, thereby hindering the growth of the global coconut sugar market. The high cost factor of coconut sugar over other sweetening alternatives such as agave, sugar cane, and beet sugar is also hindering the growth of this market.Key players in the market include Coco Sugar Indonesia, Treelife, Saudi Food Ingredients Factory, Celebes Coconut Corporation, Coconut SecretADON Exports, Ecobuddy, MADHAVA SWEETENERS, Urmatt, Bigtreefarms, The Coconut Company Ltd., Holos Integra, Earth Circle Organics, Los Ricos Compania Corporation, Franklin Baker, TARDO Filipinas Inc., and SunOpta Inc.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
STAMOD Offers Instant & Cost-Effective Injection Molding Services

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Chicago, IL - STAMOD Solutions Inc., a product design and development & engineering solutions company based in Chicago, IL has declared the successful execution and rapid delivery of their injection molding services at their offices located in Chicago, India, and other offshore units.STAMOD Solutions Inc., a portfolio company of ALCOR Fund, is a well-known product designing and development company. STAMOD Engineering is one of the leaders in product engineering and product design solutions. The company specializes in prototype and production mold, rapid tooling, value analysis & value engineering, tool designing, integrated prototype solutions, product engineering services, and R&D services.Get into More Services of Stamod :STAMOD offers easy customization options for various engineering solutions including injection molding and prototype & development tooling. The companys core team consists of highly knowledgeable engineers who are always looking to go the extra mile to achieve the desired designing and manufacturing solutions. According to the company, this factor makes STAMOD Solutions stand out from among all the other product design and engineering companies.STAMOD Engineering Offers Exclusive Plastic Injection Molding ServicesSTAMOD Solutions offers top-class prototype and production molding services. They also specialize in plastic injection molding services and system solutions. They apply some of the best available molding tools and engineering skills to attain the desired quality, quantity, and productivity. They use advanced injection molding programs and also assist their clients in developing a complete injection molding process. They use various programs including SOLIDWORKS, CATIA, Unigraphics, Cimatron, and Pro-E in combination of in-depth analysis and the strong engineering experience of the team.STAMOD Solutions consists of a pool of engineers who have been trained US. The team has worked in various international standards for multiple clients across the globe. Their team of experts is highly dedicated and skilled at utilizing advanced tools and software programs for soft and hard plastic injection molding. According to the STAMOD, the ability of their team in understanding the exact requirement of the clients, competitive prices, and reliable services helps them in offering hassle-free mold designs and mold modifications.About STAMOD:STAMOD Solutions, Inc. is a niche engineering and technology solutions provider serving global corporations in their pursuit for faster innovation and technological excellence. STAMOD Engineering provides Product Engineering Services, R&D Services with integrated prototype solutions customized to specific needs of every individual customer. The high-quality engineers, proactive support, professionalism, and flexible business models are the hallmarks of our solutions.Contact:Mr. ManishStamod Solutions Inc.8770, West Bryn Mawr, Suite 1300,Chicago, Illinois 60631Email: services@stamod.comTel: +1 800 507 4489/773 896 1531Fax: +1 512 605 3795
Vitamin Ingredients Market: Growing Focus on Expansion of Application Base to Encourage Growth

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A new market intelligence study by Transparency Market Research (TMR) offers an in-depth analysis of the global vitamin ingredients market. The research study, titled Vitamin Ingredients Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2016  2024, throws light on the primary factors that are predicted to impact the growth of the overall market in the next few years. In addition, the key segmentation and the competitive landscape of the global vitamin ingredients market have been included in the scope of the research report.Interpret a Competitive outlook Analysis Report with PDF Brochure:The rising applications of vitamin ingredients and the growing demand in diverse ingredients are some of the key factors that are estimated to encourage the growth of the global vitamin ingredients market throughout the forecast period. In addition, the increasing use of vitamin ingredients in the cosmetics industry is likely to contribute substantially towards the development of the overall market in the next few years. The changing lifestyle and the rising responsiveness among consumers concerning the benefits of vitamins are expected to generate promising opportunities in the near future.The global market for vitamin ingredients can be classified on the basis of product type into vitamin A, B, C, D, E, and K. Among these segments, the vitamin B segment is expected to account for a key share of the global vitamin ingredients market throughout the forecast period. The increasing awareness among consumers regarding the advantages of micronutrients is expected to accelerate the growth of this segment in the near future. Some of the major applications of the vitamin ingredients are animal feed, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics industry.From a geographical viewpoint, Europe and North America are expected to collectively account for a key share of the global vitamin ingredients market in the forecast period. On the flip side, Asia Pacific is expected to register a robust growth in the next few years and is likely to remain in this position throughout the forecast period. The substantial contribution from India and China is expected to supplement the growth of the Asia Pacific vitamin ingredients market in the next few years. Furthermore, the Middle East and Africa is anticipated to offer several growth opportunities for growth in the forecast period.Some of the key players operating in the vitamin ingredients market across the globe are Bactolac Pharmaceutical, ParkAcre Enterprises, BASF, E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Amway, Bluebonnet Nutrition, Lonza, Private Label Nutraceuticals, AIE Pharmaceuticals, Kirkman Group, Nulab, Pfizer, Aland (Jiangsu) Nutraceutical, Glanbia Nutritionals Deutschland, Atlantic Essential Products, Nutrilo, and DSM.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Military Biometrics Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Forecast 2016 to 2026

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The demand for the military biometrics market systems is anticipated to be driven by growing ability of aerostats to offer persistent surveillance for a longer period. Some of the other factors driving the market are ability to provide vital geospatial evidence and increasing focus on using economical solutions for surveillance among others. However, some of the restraining factors are limitations relating to operational altitude among others.Based on product type, the military biometrics market is divided into balloon, hybrid and airships. Among various types, in 2015, the airships segment estimated to be the key market followed by hybrid. Airships are anticipated to use as a transportation to deploy cargo or troops in areas, which have poor infrastructure. In addition, airships segment is also estimated to be the fast rising segment for themilitary biometrics market during the forecast period of 2016 - 2024.Get PDF Brochure for more Professional and Technical insightsBased on propulsion system, the market is divided into unpowered and powered systems. Among various types, in 2015, the powered aerostat is anticipated to be the fastest rising segment in the military biometrics market, registering higher CAGR during the forecast period of 2016 to 2024. Factors such as lesser fuel consumption and adaptability is the major factor driving the market for the unpowered aerostats during the forecast period of 2016 - 2024.The market of military biometricsis divided based on the class into large-sized, mid-sized andcompact-sized.The large-sized aerostats is expected to be the fastest rising segment in the military biometrics market during the forecast period of 2016-2024. One of the major factor boosting the market is increasing need for airships by the defense forces globally which in turn anticipated to fuel the demand for large-sized military biometrics. The rise in the demand hybrid vehicles and advanced airships is some of the factors driving the market for the military biometrics during the forecast period of 2016 - 2024.Based on the geography, the military biometrics market is divided into Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, Middle East & Africa and South America. North America grips the key market share trailed by Europe. Some of the major factors driving the market for military biometricsin North America areuse of aerostats in organizing missile defense among others. In 2015, the U.S. is the key market for the military biometrics market, globally. Moreover, Europe is the second major market for military biometrics market trailed by Asia Pacific, South America and Middle East & Africa. Asia Pacific dominated by India, China, South Korea and Japan. In addition, China held the largest share for the military biometrics market in Asia Pacific in 2015. It is also expected to experience healthy growth in the coming years. Growing demand of military biometrics is acting an opportunity factor for the market. The Middle East region is anticipated to show the maximum growth rate in the military biometrics market, during the estimate period from 2016 to 2024. The evolution of the military biometrics market in Middle East region can be attributed to the increasing demand for persistent investigation due to a rise in terrorism in the region.Some of the major players in the Military biometrics market include Lockheed Martin Corporation (United States), ILC Dover (United States), Raytheon Company (United States), Raven Industries (United States) and Allsopp Helikites (United Kingdom). These major players are targeting to penetrate growing economies and are implementing several methods to boost their market share. In addition, some of the other major playersTCOM L.P. (United States),Near Space Systems (United States),Rafael Advanced Systems (Israel), Hybrid Air Vehicles (United Kingdom), Aeroscraft Corporation (United States),RT LTA Systems Ltd. (Israel), Exelis (United States), Lindstrand Technologies (United Kingdom) and Augur Rosaero systems (Russia) among others.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Wafer Level Package Dielectrics Market - Competitive Landscape & Technological Breakthroughs Analysis in Next Few Years

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Wafer Level Package (WLP) is a type of packaging used in the semiconductor industry for the packaging of Integrated Circuits (ICs) as it is very fragile in nature and highly susceptible to contamination, which can lead to improper working of the IC. WLP finds application in the ICs used in portable consumer electronic devices; for instance, smart phones.Download PDF Brochure:Increasing consumer demand for technologically advanced mobile devices that are capable of performing an array of functions in a single small-end product is a major factor propelling demand for wafer level packaging technology as compared to the conventional mode of packaging in case of semiconductors, thus boosting growth of the market for wafer level package dielectrics further. Comparatively, the low cost associated with the wafer level packaging as compared to the conventional packaging technology used in case of semiconductor packaging is also a major factor expected to boost growth of the market for wafer level package dielectrics over the forecast period.The wafer level package dielectrics market is expected to expand at a healthy CAGR over the forecast period, and the major driving factor responsible for growth of the wafer level package dielectrics market is the rising demand for compact electronic devices with high performance and cost effective packaging in the semiconductor packaging industry. In case of conventional packaging, such as die level packaging, with the variation in size of the ICs, the cost of packaging becomes more as compared to the production cost of the ICs. On the contrary, wafer level packaging is much more cost-efficient as compared to the conventional packaging or the production cost of the ICs. The technological advancements in IC design & production are also, to an extent, propelling growth of the wafer level package dielectrics market currently. The wafer level packaging technology has certain perks over the traditional packaging technology, such as minimized electricity consumption and long battery life in case of mobile phones, and its compactness helps manufacturers design and develop ultra-thin mobile phones. However, fluctuations in some of the physical properties of the technology, such as the coefficient of thermal expansion of the materials of wafer with respect to the material of ICs, are considered as a drawback of the wafer packaging technology, which in turn might restraint growth of the market for wafer level package dielectrics.The global wafer level package dielectrics market is segmented on the basis of type of wafer level packaging, application, and region. On the basis of type, the global market for wafer level package dielectrics is segmented into FOWLP (Fan-Out Wafer Level Package), FIWLP (Fan-in Wafer Level Package), FIWLCSP (Fan-in Wafer Level Chip Scale Package), flip chip, and 3DFOWLP. On the basis of applications, the global market for wafer level package is segmented into consumer electronics, automotive, aerospace, defense, and healthcare.On the basis of geography, the global rigid plastic packaging market is segmented into seven key regions, namely North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan, and the Middle East & Africa. Among the aforementioned regions, the Asia-Pacific market is projected to grow at a promising CAGR, which is attributed to the increase in demand for smart phones globally. For instance, recently, India become the second largest user of smart phones globally, beating the U.S. This is turn is expected to drive growth of the wafer level package dielectrics market in the country. Moreover, the presence of leading semiconductor manufacturers, such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, among others, is expected to have a positive effect on growth of the wafer level package dielectrics market in APEJ over the forecast period.Some of the major players identified in the global wafer level package dielectrics market include ChipMOS TECHNOLOGIES INC., STATS ChipPAC Ltd., IQE PLC, Amkor Technology Inc., TriQuint Semiconductor Inc., Deca Technologies, KLA-Tencor Corporation, Siliconware Precision Industries Co. Ltd., China Wafer Level CSP Co. Ltd., and Jiangsu Changjiang Electronics Technology Co. Ltd.About TMRTMR is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Contact TMR90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Pre-harvest Equipment Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast Analysis For 2023

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Global Pre-harvest Equipment Market: OverviewAgricultural machinery is considered as imperative for farmers worldwide as they provide extensive support in cultivation of crops. The use of pre-harvest equipment is expected to help the farmers in improving their production capacities in order to reduce the gap between demand and supply of agricultural produce. Some of the key products of pre-harvest equipment are planting equipment, primary tillage equipment, irrigation equipment, secondary tillage equipment, and plant protection and fertilization equipment.Download Research Brochure PDF@The market intelligence study offers a comprehensive analysis of the global pre-harvest equipment market. The study, with the help of analytical tools, provides a clear picture of the important factors that are estimated to affect the development of the global market in the next few years. In addition, the competitive landscape, key segmentation, applications, technological developments, and the latest trends in the global market have been provided in the scope of the research report.Global Pre-harvest Equipment Market: Drivers and BarriersTh tremendous rise in the demand for food owing to the rising population is encouraging the growth of the global pre-harvest equipment market. Framers, across the globe are expected to make use of preharvest equipment in order to increase the production capacities and efficiencies. In addition, the use of these equipment is expected to enhance the quality of farm produce, which is predicted to accelerate the growth of the pre-harvest equipment market across the globe.Furthermore, the growing awareness among farmers regarding the benefits of using pre-harvest equipment and the ease of use are anticipated to boost the profitability of farmers. As a result, the demand for equipment is expected to increase substantially in the coming few years. Additionally, several government initiatives and subsidiaries provided by them, especially in developing economies are projected to augment global pre-harvest market throughout the forecast period.Global Pre-harvest Equipment Market: Regional OutlookFrom a geographical viewpoint, the global market for pre-harvest equipment has been categorized into Latin America, North America, the Middles East and Africa, Asia Pacific, and Europe. Among these, Asia Pacific is projected to lead the global market and hold a key share throughout the forecast period. The high growth of this region can be attributed to the substantial contribution from China, India, and Thailand. In addition, the tremendous rise in population and the high economic growth are some of the other factors that are likely to supplement the growth of the pre-harvest equipment market in the forecast period.Furthermore, the growing consumption of various agriculture products and the significant development of the agriculture machinery market are expected to fuel the growth of the Asia Pacific market. Moreover, the growing emphasis of leading players on the expansion of their business horizon in Asia Pacific is likely to contribute extensively towards the development of the market in the forecast period.Companies Mentioned in the Research ReportSome of the key players operating in the pre-harvest equipment market across the globe are CNH Global NV, Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd., Deere & Co., Valmont Industries, Inc., Bucher Industries AG., Kubota Corporation, and Alamo Group Incorporated. The growing demand for agricultural produce is estimated to encourage the entry of a large number of players in the global pre-harvest equipment market in the coming few years. The growing focus of these players on innovations and research and development activities is estimated to encourage the growth of the market in the near future.Browse Full Report@About Us:-Transparency Market Research is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Contact Us:-Transparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.com
Elevator and Escalator Market in Turkey 2015-2019: Market Size, Shares, Trends, Growth and Forecast

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Albany, NY, FEB 21, 2017: Elevators and escalators are installed in commercial, residential, and mixed-use buildings such as IT parks, hotels, restaurants, and retail outlets. The market for elevators and escalators in Turkey is positively influenced by the introduction of various supportive government initiatives, which aims to improve the overall economy of the market. During the forecast period, Technavios market research analysts estimate the market for elevators and escalators in Turkey to post a healthy market growth rate of more than 7% and 5%, respectively.In this market research report, analysts envisage factors like the growth of the healthcare sector to drive market growth during the forecast period. Recent government initiatives that focus on expanding the healthcare sector are also expected to influence the market positively. Additionally, the construction of the Ankara Etlik health campus in this region is expected to boost the prospects for growth in this market.Competitive landscape and key vendorsThis market is characterized by the presence of numerous international and local vendors. The international players provide their equipment and services for large projects, whereas domestic vendors provide similar services to smaller projects majorly handled by SMEs and other small construction contractors.Get a Sample Research PDF with TOC:Key vendors in this market are -- ThyssenKrupp- Otis- Schindler- HyundaiOther prominent vendors in this region are BSB Elevator, Edoux Elevator, GTS Elevator and Escalator, Kleemann Asansor, KONE Turkey, Tromp Elevator and Escalator, and Turklift Elevator.Growth drivers, challenges, and upcoming trends: Elevators and EscalatorsUpcoming trends like the increasing export of elevator and escalator equipment are expected to foster market growth during the forecast period. As the market in Turkey is characterized by the presence of many local vendors, the export of elevator components to both European countries and the Middle Eastern countries is continually increasing. This augmented export of elevator components to countries like UAE and Qatar is expected to impel market growth during the forecast period.This report provides a number of factors contributing to the adoption, limitations, and opportunities of the elevator and escalator market in Turkey. It also offers an analysis of each factor and an estimation of the extent to which the factors are likely to impact the overall market growth.Segmentation by type and analysis of the elevator market in Turkey- Hydraulic elevator- Electric elevatorTechnavios market research analyst has estimated the electric elevator segment to account for close to 89% of the total market share by 2019. Factors like its ability to carry more weight and its high-energy efficiency are responsible for this segments high market domination during the forecast period.Enquiry at:Key questions answered in the report include- What will the market size and the growth rate be in 2019- What are the key factors driving the elevator and escalator market in Turkey- What are the key market trends impacting the growth of the elevator and escalator market in Turkey- What are the challenges to market growth- Who are the key vendors in the elevator and escalator market in Turkey- What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the vendors in the elevator and escalator market in Turkey- What are the key outcomes of the five forces analysis of the elevator and escalator market in TurkeyResearchMoz is the worlds fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives. ResearchMozs service portfolio also includes value-added services such as market research customization, competitive landscaping, and in-depth surveys, delivered by a team of experienced Research Coordinators.Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-621-2074Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn at:
Liquid Nitrogen Market 2017 - Linde, Praxair, Air Liquide, Nexair, Gulf Cryo, Emirates Industrial Gas, Cryomech, LNI Swissgas

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A market study based on the "Liquid Nitrogen Market" across the globe, recently added to the repository of Market Research, is titled Global Liquid Nitrogen Market 2017. The research report analyses the historical as well as present performance of the worldwide Liquid Nitrogen industry, and makes predictions on the future status of Liquid Nitrogen market on the basis of this analysis.Get Free Sample Copy of Report Here :Top Manufacturers Analysis Of This ReportLindePraxairAir LiquideNexairTaiyo Nippon SansoAir Products and ChemicalsGulf CryoEmirates Industrial GasCryomechSouthern Industrial GasStirling CryogenicsLNI SwissgasThe report studies the industry for Liquid Nitrogen across the globe taking the existing industry chain, the import and export statistics in Liquid Nitrogen market & dynamics of demand and supply of Liquid Nitrogen into consideration. The 'Liquid Nitrogen' research study covers each and every aspect of the Liquid Nitrogen market globally, which starts from the definition of the Liquid Nitrogen industry and develops towards Liquid Nitrogen market segmentations. Further, every segment of the Liquid Nitrogen market is classified and analyzed on the basis of product types, application, and the end-use industries of the Liquid Nitrogen market. The geographical segmentation of the Liquid Nitrogen industry has also been covered at length in this report.The competitive landscape of the worldwide market for Liquid Nitrogen is determined by evaluating the various industry participants, production capacity, Liquid Nitrogen market's production chain, and the revenue generated by each manufacturer in the Liquid Nitrogen market worldwide.Enquire Here :The global Liquid Nitrogen market 2017 is also analyzed on the basis of product pricing, Liquid Nitrogen production volume, data regarding demand and Liquid Nitrogen supply, and the revenue garnered by the product. Various methodical tools such as investment returns, feasibility, and market attractiveness analysis has been used in the research to present a comprehensive study of the industry for Liquid Nitrogen across the globe.About UsWe provide global enterprises and businesses across different industry verticals comprehensive market research services from off-the-shelf research reports to customized research conducted by our highly experienced industry analysts.Contact UsFrank ValadezBusiness Development HeadEmail id - sales@apexresearch.bizWebsite -
Magnesium Oxide Nanopowder Market 2017 - American Elements, Stream Chemical, Sigma Aldrich, Inframat, Reinste Nano Ventures

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A market study based on the "Magnesium Oxide Nanopowder Market" across the globe, recently added to the repository of Market Research, is titled Global Magnesium Oxide Nanopowder Market 2017. The research report analyses the historical as well as present performance of the worldwide Magnesium Oxide Nanopowder industry, and makes predictions on the future status of Magnesium Oxide Nanopowder market on the basis of this analysis.Get Free Sample Copy of Report Here :Top Manufacturers Analysis Of This ReportAmerican ElementsUS Research NanomaterialsStream ChemicalEprui Nanoparticles & MicrospheresSigma AldrichInframatReinste Nano VenturesNaBond TechnologiesNanostructured & Amorphous MaterialsSkySpring NanomaterialsNanoshelThe report studies the industry for Magnesium Oxide Nanopowder across the globe taking the existing industry chain, the import and export statistics in Magnesium Oxide Nanopowder market & dynamics of demand and supply of Magnesium Oxide Nanopowder into consideration. The 'Magnesium Oxide Nanopowder' research study covers each and every aspect of the Magnesium Oxide Nanopowder market globally, which starts from the definition of the Magnesium Oxide Nanopowder industry and develops towards Magnesium Oxide Nanopowder market segmentations. Further, every segment of the Magnesium Oxide Nanopowder market is classified and analyzed on the basis of product types, application, and the end-use industries of the Magnesium Oxide Nanopowder market. The geographical segmentation of the Magnesium Oxide Nanopowder industry has also been covered at length in this report.The competitive landscape of the worldwide market for Magnesium Oxide Nanopowder is determined by evaluating the various industry participants, production capacity, Magnesium Oxide Nanopowder market's production chain, and the revenue generated by each manufacturer in the Magnesium Oxide Nanopowder market worldwide.Enquire Here :The global Magnesium Oxide Nanopowder market 2017 is also analyzed on the basis of product pricing, Magnesium Oxide Nanopowder production volume, data regarding demand and Magnesium Oxide Nanopowder supply, and the revenue garnered by the product. Various methodical tools such as investment returns, feasibility, and market attractiveness analysis has been used in the research to present a comprehensive study of the industry for Magnesium Oxide Nanopowder across the globe.About UsWe provide global enterprises and businesses across different industry verticals comprehensive market research services from off-the-shelf research reports to customized research conducted by our highly experienced industry analysts.Contact UsFrank ValadezBusiness Development HeadEmail id - sales@apexresearch.bizWebsite -
Global Market Growth of the Cigar Market Trends, Opportunities, Estimates And Forecasts (2014-2018)

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"The Report Global Cigar market: Trends & Opportunities (2014-2018) provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"Scope of the ReportThe report titled Global Cigar Market: Trends and Opportunities (2014-2018) provides an in-depth analysis of major cigar markets of China, United States, Germany, Spain, the UK and China. It also accesses the key opportunities and underlying trends in the market and outlines the factors that are and will be driving the growth of the industry in the forecasted period (2014-18). Further, key players of the industry like Imperial Tobacco, Habanos and Swedish Match have been profiled.View Report @Geographical CoverageUnited StatesGermanySpainThe UKChinaCompany CoverageSwedish MatchImperial tobaccoHabanosGet Sample Copy Of this Report @Executive SummaryThe cigar market, in the recent years, had to face the brunt of global economic downturn. Currently, the market is growing at a decent pace with little cigars and cigarillos witnessing continuous rise in consumption and account for majority of sales. Premium cigars account for a very small percentage of overall cigar consumption but in terms of value and margins, it is very high compared to the mass cigar market.Factors driving growth of the global cigar market are growth of emerging countries, impact of media and a gradual shift from cigarettes to cigars. While in some regions (Asia, South America, Central and Eastern Europe) there is growing popularity of cigars, the British culture is being passed to other developing countries as well. China is the potential market for cigar manufacturers as the country is fast growing in terms of cigar consumption. Flavored Cigars are gaining popularity in the US market as more teenagers or the first time smokers try flavored cigars in the US.However, health effects, smoking bans in the US and Europe, taxation policies and heavy duty and the effect of economic crises pose major challenge to the growth of cigar industry. Major trends prevailing in global Cigar market are consumption pattern, popularity of Cuban cigars, dominance of Habanos and expensive cigars.Read our latest Press Release atTable of Content1. Executive Summary2. Introduction3. Global Cigar Market Analysis3.1 Global Cigar Market: Sizing and Growth by Volume (Actual & Forecast)4. Global Cigar Market: Segment Analysis4.1 Premium cigar Market4.1.1 Premium Cigar Market: Sizing and Growth by Volume4.2 Mass Cigar Market4.2.1 Mass Cigar Market: Sizing and Growth by Volume4.3 Cuban Cigar Market4.3.1 Cuban Cigar Market: Sizing and Growth by Volume5. Global Cigar Market: Regional Analysis5.1 The United States Cigar Market: Sizing and Growth by Volume (Actual & Forecast)5.2 European Cigar Market: Sizing and Growth by Volume (Actual & Forecast)5.2.1 Germany Cigar market: Sizing and Growth by Volume (Actual & Forecast)5.2.2 Spain Cigar Market: Sizing and Growth by Volume (Actual & Forecast)5.2.3 UK Cigar Market: Sizing and Growth by Volume (Actual & Forecast)5.3 Chinese cigar market: Sizing and Growth by Volume (Actual & Forecast)6. Global Cigar Market: Growth Drivers & Challenges6.1 Growth Drivers6.2 Challenges7. Global Cigar Market Trends7.1 Consumption Pattern7.2 Popularity of Cuban Cigars7.3 Most expensive Cigar7.4 Dominance of HabanosMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.Mr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA: Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Website:E : sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Global Cloud Management for the OpenStack Market Expected To Grow At CAGR Of 30.49% Between Years 2016-2020

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"The Report Global Cloud Management for the OpenStack Market 2016-2020 provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"About Cloud Management for OpenStackOpenStack controls functionalities within compute, storage, and networking resources through a data center. It is managed through web dashboards or API. The technology is suitable for hybrid infrastructure as it reduces the risk of lock-ins that are associated with proprietary platforms. OpenStack is becoming a strategic choice for many organizations and service providers that offer cloud-computing services on standard hardware. It is also ideal for companies deploying private clouds and large enterprises using cloud solutions across multiple continents.Technavios analysts forecast the global cloud management for OpenStack market to grow at a CAGR of 30.49% during the period 2016-2020.View Report @Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global cloud management for OpenStack market for 2016-2020. To calculate the market size, Technavio considers the revenue generated from licensing and maintenance of cloud management software solutions.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:AmericasAPACEMEATechnavio's report, Global Cloud Management for OpenStack Market 2016-2020, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendorsBMC SoftwareHPIBMRed HatVMwareGet Sample Copy Of This Report @Other prominent vendorsAdaptive ComputingCA TechnologiesCisco SystemsCitrixCliQr TechnologiesCloudBolt SoftwareConvirtureCSCDellEgeneraEmboticsGigaSpaces TechnologiesGravitantMicro FocusMicrosoftOracleRightScaleScalrServiceNowSplunkZimoryMarket driverGrowing number of multi-cloud deployments across enterprise and service providersFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challengeHigh cost and complexity of implementationFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trendCloud brokerage servicesFor a full, detailed list, view our reportKey questions answered in this reportWhat will the market size be in 2020 and what will the growth rate be?What are the key market trends?What is driving this market?What are the challenges to market growth?Who are the key vendors in this market space?What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?You can request one free hour of our analysts time when you purchase this market report. Details are provided within the report.Table of ContentsPART 01: Executive summaryHighlightsPART 02: Scope of the reportMarket overviewTop-vendor offeringsPART 03: Market research methodologyResearch methodologyEconomic indicatorsPART 04: IntroductionKey market highlightsPART 05: Market landscapeMarket overviewMarket size and forecastFive forces analysisPART 06: Market segmentation by end-userSegmentation of global cloud management for OpenStack market by end-userITAcademic researchOthersPART 07: Geographical segmentationSegmentation of global cloud management for OpenStack market by geographyAmericasEMEAAPACPART 08: Market driversPART 09: Impact of driversPART 10: Market challengesPART 11: Impact of drivers and challengesPART 12: Market trendsPART 13: Vendor landscapeCompetitive scenarioMajor vendorsOther prominent vendorsPART 14: Key vendor analysisBMC SoftwareHPIBMRed HatVmwareMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.Mr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Global Coffee Market By Value and Volume along With the Market Segment, Trends and Opportunities (2016-2020)

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"The Report Global Coffee Market: Trends and Opportunities (2016-2020) provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"Scope of the ReportThe report titled Global Coffee Market: Trends & Opportunities (2016-2020) provides an in-depth analysis of the global coffee market with detailed analysis of market sizing and growth, market share and economic impact of the industry. The report also provides the production and consumption analysis of the market. The report provides detailed market analysis of the global retail coffee market by value and volume along with the segments of the market.The report provides detailed regional analysis of Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, Latin America Middle East & Africa and Australasia for the coffee market. Regional analysis includes market sizing by value along with the production and consumption analysis. It also provides the retail sales value of each region.View Report @The report also includes the country analysis of Brazil, Vietnam, Indonesia, Ethiopia and India. It provides the production and consumption analysis along with the export-import trends in each of the above mentioned countries.Furthermore, the report assesses the key opportunities in the market and outlines the factors that are and will be driving the growth of the industry. Growth of the global retail coffee market has also been forecasted for the period 2016-2020, taking into consideration the previous growth patterns, the growth drivers and the current and future trends. The competition in global coffee market is stiff and dominated by the big players like Nestle. Further, key players of the coffee market The J.M. Smucker Company, Mondelez International Inc. and Strauss Group Ltd. are also profiled with their financial information and respective business strategies.Regional CoverageWestern EuropeEastern EuropeNorth AmericaAsia PacificLatin AmericaMiddle East and AfricaAustralasiaCountry CoverageBrazilVietnamIndonesiaEthiopiaIndiaCompany CoverageThe J.M. Smucker CompanyMondelez International Inc.Strauss Group Ltd.Get Sample Copy Of This Report @Executive SummaryGlobal coffee market increased at a significant CAGR during the span of 5 years i.e. 2011-2015 and projections are made that the market would rise in the next five years i.e. 2016-2020 tremendously. The market can be segmented on the basis of end-users as retail coffee market and food services market, of which global retail coffee market displayed an increase, driving the global coffee market. The increasing consumption of coffee led by the westernization trend in India, China and Latin America drive the market in the positive direction.The growth drivers for the global coffee market are: rise in disposable income, rapid urbanization and increase in the population along with the emergence of caf culture and new consumer base. Despite the market is governed by various growth drivers, there are certain challenges faced by the market such as: aging of coffee trees, lack of government support, negative impact of climate change, price volatility and increase in production cost.Table of Contents1. Executive Summary2. Introduction2.1 Classification of Coffee2.1.1 Classification of Coffee on the Basis of Types2.1.2 Classification of Coffee on the Basis of End-Product2.2 Coffee around the Word2.2.1 North America & Caribbean2.2.2 Central America2.2.3 South America2.2.4 East Africa2.2.5 West Africa2.2.6 The Arabian Peninsula2.2.7 Asia3. Global Coffee Market: An Analysis3.1 Global Coffee Market Growth by Volume3.2 Global Retail Coffee Market: Sizing and Growth3.2.1 Global Retail Coffee Market by Value: Actual and Forecast3.2.2 Global Retail Coffee Market by Volume: Actual and Forecast3.2.3 Global Retail Coffee Market by Segments3.3 Global Coffee Production Analysis3.3.1 Global Coffee Production by Volume: Actual and Forecast3.3.2 Global Coffee Production by Types3.4 Global Coffee Consumption Analysis3.4.1 Global Coffee Consumption by Volume: Actual and Forecast3.4.2 Global Coffee Consumption as a share of Non-Alcoholic Drinks3.5 Global Coffee Exports by Volume4. Regional Coffee Market: An Analysis4.1 Regional Coffee Market: Sizing and Growth4.1.1 Global Coffee Market by Region4.1.2 Global Coffee Production by Region4.1.3 Global Coffee Consumption by Region4.1.4 Global Coffee Retail Sales by Region4.2 The U.S. and Western Europe Coffee Market: Sizing and Growth4.2.1 The U.S. and Western Europe Coffee Market by Segments4.3 Asia Coffee Market: Sizing and Growth4.3.1 Asia Coffee Market by Countries4.3.2 Asia Coffee Market by Segments5. Country Analysis5.1 Brazil Coffee Market: Sizing and Growth5.1.1 Brazil Coffee Production by Volume5.1.2 Brazil Domestic Consumption by Volume5.1.3 Brazil Coffee Exports and Imports by Volume5.2 Vietnam Coffee Market: Sizing and Growth5.2.1 Vietnam Coffee Production by Volume5.2.2 Vietnam Domestic Consumption by Volume5.2.3 Vietnam Coffee Exports and Imports by Volume5.3 Indonesia Coffee Market: Sizing and Growth5.3.1 Indonesia Coffee Production by Volume5.3.2 Indonesia Domestic Consumption by Volume5.3.3 Indonesia Coffee Exports and Imports by Volume5.4 Ethiopia Coffee Market: Sizing and Growth5.4.1 Ethiopia Coffee Production by Volume5.4.2 Ethiopia Domestic Consumption by Volume5.4.3 Ethiopia Coffee Exports by Volume5.5 India Coffee Market: Sizing and Growth5.5.1 India Coffee Production by Volume5.5.2 India Domestic Consumption by VolumeMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.Mr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Global Delivery Takeaway Food Segment by Application, Product Type And Region(North America, Japan, Southeast Asia) 2021

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"The Report Global Delivery Takeaway Food Market Research Report 2021 provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"This report studies Delivery Takeaway Food in Global market, especially in North America, Europe, China, Japan, India and Southeast Asia, focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with sales, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, coveringDelivery HeroDomino's PizzaJust EatTakeaway.comDelivery.comFoodlerGrubHubOLOSeamlessYemeksepetiView Report @Market Segment by Region, this report splits Global into several key Region, with sales, revenue, market share and growth rate of Delivery Takeaway Food in these regions, from 2011 to 2021 (forecast), likeNorth AmericaChinaEuropeJapanIndiaSoutheast AsiaGet Sample Copy Of this Report @Split by product type, with sales, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, can be divided intoType IType IIType IIISplit by application, this report focuses on sales, market share and growth rate of Delivery Takeaway Food in each application, can be divided intoApplication 1Application 2Application 3Read our latest Press Release atTable of ContentGlobal Delivery Takeaway Food Market Research Report 20211 Delivery Takeaway Food Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Delivery Takeaway Food1.2 Delivery Takeaway Food Segment by Types1.2.1 Global Sales Market Share of Delivery Takeaway Food by Type in 20151.2.2 Type I1.2.3 Type II1.2.4 Type III1.3 Delivery Takeaway Food Segment by Application/End User1.3.1 Application 11.3.2 Application 21.3.3 Application 31.4 Delivery Takeaway Food Market by Region1.4.1 North America Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.2 China Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.3 Europe Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.4 Japan Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.5 India Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.6 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.5 Global Market Size (Value and Volume) of Delivery Takeaway Food (2011-2021)1.5.1 Global Delivery Takeaway Food Sales and Revenue (2011-2021)1.5.2 Global Delivery Takeaway Food Sales and Growth Rate (2011-2021)1.5.3 Global Delivery Takeaway Food Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2021)2 Global Delivery Takeaway Food Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Delivery Takeaway Food Sales and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.2 Global Delivery Takeaway Food Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.3 Manufacturers Delivery Takeaway Food Manufacturing Base Distribution and Product Type2.4 Competitive Situation and Trends2.4.1 Expansions2.4.2 New Product Launches2.4.3 Acquisitions2.4.4 Other Developments3 Global Delivery Takeaway Food Analysis by Region3.1 Global Delivery Takeaway Food Sales, Revenue and Market Share by Region (2011-2021)3.1.1 Global Delivery Takeaway Food Sales Market Share by Region (2011-2021)3.1.2 Global Delivery Takeaway Food Revenue Market Share by Region (2011-2021)3.2 North America3.2.1 North America Delivery Takeaway Food Sales, Revenue and Price (2011-2021)3.2.2 North America Delivery Takeaway Food Sales, Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2021)3.3 Europe3.3.1 Europe Delivery Takeaway Food Sales, Revenue and Price (2011-2021)3.3.2 Europe Delivery Takeaway Food Sales, Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2021)3.4 China3.4.1 China Delivery Takeaway Food Sales, Revenue and Price (2011-2021)3.4.2 China Delivery Takeaway Food Sales, Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2021)3.5 Japan3.5.1 Japan Delivery Takeaway Food Sales, Revenue and Price (2011-2021)3.5.2 Japan Delivery Takeaway Food Sales, Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2021)3.6 India3.6.1 India Delivery Takeaway Food Sales, Revenue and Price (2011-2021)3.6.2 India Delivery Takeaway Food Sales, Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2021)3.7 Southeast Asia3.7.1 Southeast Asia Delivery Takeaway Food Sales, Revenue and Price (2011-2021)3.7.2 Southeast Asia Delivery Takeaway Food Sales, Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2021)4 Global Delivery Takeaway Food Analysis by Type4.1 Global Delivery Takeaway Food Sales, Revenue, Market Share and Growth Rate by Type (2011-2021)4.1.1 Global Delivery Takeaway Food Sales and Market Share by Type (2011-2021)4.1.2 Global Delivery Takeaway Food Revenue, Market Share and Growth Rate by Type (2011-2021)4.2 Type I Sales, Revenue, Price and Growth (2011-2021)4.3 Type II Sales, Revenue, Price and Growth (2011-2021)4.4 Type III Sales, Revenue, Price and Growth (2011-2021)MarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.State Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA: Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Website:E : sales@marketresearchreports.biz
In-depth research on Global Fashion Retailing Market Analysis, Size, Share, Trends, Estimates And Forecasts 2016-2020

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"The Report Global Fashion Retailing Market: Industry Analysis & Outlook (2016-2020) provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"Fashion can be described as any style (or styles) of apparel, footwear, bags and accessories preferred to be worn at any given time by groups of people. The styles and trends may vary depending upon whether it is designed for a high-street users or mass-market users/street-style fashion users. The fashion industry involves the design, manufacturing, distribution, marketing and retailing of all types of apparel (mens, womens, and childrens) from the most exclusive and luxurious couture and designer fashions to ordinary everyday clothing.View Report @Fashion retailing involves the sale of fashion products or merchandise for individual consumption, either from a fixed location such as a specialty store, department store or stall, or through a wide-ranging online network, also known as e-commerce portals. Fashion retailing in the present world scenario operates in two types of retailing namely On-site retailing and Off-site retailing. On the basis of fashion line, fashion retailing can be segmented into Haute-couture, RTW designer, Fast fashion and Mass-market fashion.The key factors which are anticipated to drive this market include growing global retail Ecommerce sector, rising online fashion penetration rate, increasing middle-class consumption expenditure and rising young population. Some of the noteworthy trends of this industry include upswing in fast-fashion retail, rising online spending in emerging markets and globally converging fashion due to increasing travel. However, the growth of respective industry is challenged by high cost of labor, exchange rate volatility and swiftly changing fashion styles.The report provides an extensive study of global fashion retail market and also some of its major regional markets. Furthermore, market dynamics such as key trends and development; and challenges are analyzed in depth. The global fashion retail market is highly competitive consisting of several large enterprises including the Inditex, H&M, Gap Inc, and Fast Retailing. The competitive landscape of the respective market, along with the company profiles of the leading players are also discussed in detail.Download Sample copy of this Report at:Table of Contents1. Market Overview1.1 Fashion1.1.1 Segmentation by Functions1.1.2 Segmentation by Product Type1.2 Fashion Retailing1.2.1 Segmentation by Fashion Line2. Global Fashion Market2.1 Global Fashion Market Revenue  Actuals2.2 Global Fashion Market Revenue  Forecast2.3 Global Fashion Market by Product Type2.4 Global Fashion Market by Segments2.4.1 Global In-Store Fashion Market Revenue Forecast2.4.2 Global Online Fashion Market Revenue  Forecast2.5 Global Clothing Market2.5.1 Global Clothing Market Revenue  Forecast2.5.2 Global Clothing Export by Value  Actuals2.5.3 Global Clothing Export by Value  Forecast3. Global Fashion Retail Market3.1 Global Fashion Retail Market Revenue  Actuals3.2 Global Fashion Retail Market Revenue  Forecast3.3 Global Fashion Retail Market by Region3.4 Global Fashion Retail Market by End User4. Regional Fashion Retail Market4.1 Europe4.1.1 Europe Fashion Retail Market Revenue  Forecast4.1.2 The UK Clothing Retail Market Revenue  Forecast4.1.3 Germany Clothing Retail Market Revenue  Forecast4.2 Asia-Pacific4.2.1 Asia-Pacific Fashion Retail Market Revenue  Forecast4.2.2 China Clothing Retail Market Revenue  Forecast4.2.3 India Clothing Retail Market Revenue  Forecast4.2.4 Japan Clothing Retail Market Revenue  Forecast4.3 The US4.3.1 The US Fashion Retail Market Revenue  Actuals4.3.2 The US Fashion Retail Market Revenue  Forecast4.3.3 The US Clothing Retail Market Revenue  Forecast4.3.4 The US Fast Fashion Retail Market Revenue  Forecast5. Market Dynamics5.1 Growth Drivers5.1.1 Growing Global Retail Ecommerce Sector5.1.2 Rising Online Fashion Penetration Rate5.1.3 Increasing Middle-Class Consumption Expenditure5.1.4 Rising Young Population5.2 Key Trends5.2.1 Upswing in Fast-Fashion Retail5.2.2 Rising Online Spending in Emerging Markets5.2.3 Globally Converging Fashion due to Increased Travel5.3 Challenges5.3.1 High Cost of Labor5.3.2 Exchange Rate Volatility5.3.3 Swiftly Changing Fashion Styles6. Competitive Landscape6.1 Competition by Revenue6.2 Competition by Market Capitalization6.3 Competition by Store CountMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.Mr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA: Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Website:E : sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Air Freshener Market Explores New Growth Opportunities By 2014  2020

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Air fresheners are products used to release fragrances in order to eliminate foul smell or odour from the environment. These products are only applicable for use in indoor environments such as homes, offices, hotel rooms, cars and others. In recent years, this functional commodity has evolved to be used as a decorative product. Air fresheners comprise chemical agents such as artificial or original essence, aerosol propellants, solvents such as mineral oil, 2-butoxyethanol and other glycol ethers, which help in neutralizing odours and freshens the air.On the basis of types, these products can be broadly segmented into room sprays and diffusers. Room sprays fall under the category of aerosol sprays, which are mostly available in cans or glass bottles with attached spray nozzles. Room sprays are highly functional and instead of simply masking foul odours, they release a pleasant fragrance. On the other hand, diffusers disperse fragrance into the air. Furthermore, these are widely classified into active and passive diffusers. Active diffusers require an external energy source of energy to release fragrance. These products are designed to function on a plugged power source or with batteries. Passive diffusers do not require any external energy source and diffuse fragrance from various forms of underlying substances or layers. The various types of passive diffusers include adjustable solids, reed diffusers and gel products.Besides room sprays and diffusers, the air freshener market is further segmented into specialty products. These types of air fresheners comprise a variety of products designed to add fragrance to a room or space, and are available in various forms such as potpourri. This type of air freshener comprises forms of dried botanical and other natural ingredient such as flowers, fruits, wood chips and spices that may have fragrance oils added to them. Another is sachets, small pouches or bags filled with scented powder. Another type is incense, which is produced from a mixture of fragrant gums, resins, woods and spices and is available in varied forms such as sticks, cones, rods, coils, small blocks, wands and powders. Furthermore, fragrance oil burning lamp is another type of air freshener. This type acts as a catalytic diffusion lamp, purifying the air while releasing fragrance. Yet another type is the non-electric or evaporative air freshener. This type releases fragrance when scented oil is added to an oil warmer, which is heated using a tea light candle.Request For Sample@Globally, the demand for air fresheners registered stable growth during the last five years, and is expected to witness favourable growth during the forecast period. This is attributed to product innovations, increased adaption of enhanced products and rising affluence. Changing and improving lifestyle and demographic factors, as well as increasing population in developing countries is driving demand for air freshener products in Asia Pacific and Rest of the World.The key drivers in the air freshener market includes product innovation and launch of new product ranges capable of delivering freshness as well as enhanced ability to eliminate offensive odours. These properties serve to enhance consumer preference for such products and offers value for money. In addition, rise in disposable income and purchasing power parity has shifted the demand of consumers towards enhanced products, which is further expected to fuel market growth.The key players in the global air freshener market include Procter & Gamble, SC Johnson, Reckitt Benckiser, Henkel, Church & Dwight, California Scents, ST Corporation, Scotts Liquid Gold, Inc., Amway, Kobayashi, Liby, Houdy, Farcent, Jiali, Ludao, Mengjiaolan and others.Request For TOC@ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Global Musical Instruments Market to Grow by Revenue Surpassing USD 18 Billion in 2016-2020

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"The Report Global Musical Instruments Market 2016-2020 provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"About Musical InstrumentsMusical instruments refer to tools or devices that are used to create musical sounds. Musical instruments are made up of materials such as wood, metal, string, and non-durable materials. Some of the most commonly used musical instruments are guitar, piano, wind instruments, keyboard, and percussion.Technavios analysts forecast the global musical instrument market to grow by revenue surpassing USD 18 billion during the period 2016-2020.View Report :Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global musical instrument market for 2016-2020. To calculate the market size, the report considers the revenue generated from the sales of musical instruments worldwide.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:AmericasAPACEMEATechnavio's report, Global Musical Instrument Market 2016-2020, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendorsFender Musical InstrumentsGibson BrandsKawai Musical InstrumentsRolandSteinway & SonsYamahaGet Sample Copy Of This Report @Other prominent vendorsAudio-TechnicaC.F. Martin & CompanyD'AddarioHarman InternationalQRS Music TechnologySennheiser ElectronicShureMarket driverIntroduction of new musical productsFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challengeIncreasing use of mobile devicesFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trendGrowing popularity of online retailFor a full, detailed list, view our reportKey questions answered in this reportWhat will the market size be in 2020 and what will the growth rate be?What are the key market trends?What is driving this market?What are the challenges to market growth?Who are the key vendors in this market space?What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?You can request one free hour of our analysts time when you purchase this market report. Details are provided within the report.Follow us on LinkedIn:Table of ContentPART 01: Executive summaryHighlightsPART 02: Scope of the reportMarket overviewBase yearSummation errorsDefinitionsTop-vendor offeringsPART 03: Market research methodologyResearch methodologyEconomic indicatorsPART 04: IntroductionKey market highlightsPART 05: Market landscapeMarket overviewMarket size and forecastFive forces analysisPART 06: Market segmentation by product typeGlobal musical instrument market by product typePublic address equipmentString instrumentsKeyboardsPianosPercussion instrumentsWind instrumentsDJ GearMusical synthesizersPART 07: Geographical segmentationGlobal musical instrument market by geographyMusical instrument market in AmericasMusical instrument market in APACMusical instrument market in EMEAPART 08: Key leading countriesKey leading countries in global musical instrument marketPART 09: Market driversPART 10: Impact of driversPART 11: Market challengesPART 12: Impact of drivers and challengesPART 13: Market trendsPART 14: Vendor landscapeCompetitive scenarioOther prominent vendorsPART 15: AppendixList of abbreviationsPART 16: Explore TechnavioMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.Mr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Passenger Car Sensors Market Will Continue to Grow by 2022

Passenger Car Sensors Market

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Market Research Future published a half cooked research report on global Passenger Car Sensors market. The global market for global Passenger Car Sensors market is expected to grow during the period 2016 to 2022.Market Highlights:As the government norms become more stringent and the demand for safety increases, more and more sensors are needed, to meet this demand. Innovations such as monitor temperature, pressure and other things driving the market of passenger car sensors market and also shows stagnant growth for the development of sensors .Geographically, Asia pacify is referred as fastest growing region for passenger car sensors market. Recently, government announced to make it mandatory for all vehicles to either have the anti-lock braking system or the combined braking system gains the popularity for the growth of the market. Moreover, the changing focus of the Automotive Industry to technological advancement and electrification is expected to boost the demand of passenger car sensor market. Whereas, cost of sensors, is acting as a barriers for the electric vehicle market.Request a Sample Copy @Market Research Analysis:Asia pacific is fastest growing region for automotive sensors market owing to factors such as Technology & demand drivers for large batteries as well as mandatory installation of sensors in vehicles. Moreover, compact size, eco-friendly nature, and bulk manufacturing capability are the key drivers that are helping the automotive sensors market to grow. Increased R&D in the sensor industry is creating opportunities for technological advancements that open up new horizons for sensor applications. The rise in purchasing power of the consumers, increasing focus on safety, rising demand for comfort driving and the stringent safety regulations imposed by different governments, are key factors that fuel the growth of the market.Key Players of Passenger Car Sensors Market: Robert Bosch GmbH Continental AG Denso Corporation Delphi Automotive PLC Allegro Microsystems LLC Analog Devices Inc. CTS Corporation Elmos Semiconductors Infineon Technologies TRW AutomotiveScope of the Report:This study provides an overview of the global Passenger Car Sensors industry, tracking three market segments across four geographic regions. The report studies key players, providing a five-year annual trend analysis that highlights market size, volume and share for North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World. The report also provides a forecast, focusing on the market opportunities for the next five years for each region. The scope of the study segments the global Passenger Car Sensors market as sensor type, application. On the basis of sensor type it is segmented as Pressure, Temperature and Speed and other. On the basis of application it is segmented as Powertrain/ Drivetrain, Exhaust, Interior/Comfort, DAS and Body control.Brief TOC for Passenger Car Sensors:1 Market Introduction1.1 Introduction1.2 Scope of Study1.2.1 Research Objective1.2.2 Assumptions1.2.3 Limitations1.3 Market Structure:1.3.1 Global Passenger Car Sensors Market: By Sensor Type1.3.2 Global Passenger Car Sensors Market: By Application1.3.3 Global Passenger Car Sensors Market: By Region2 Research Methodology2.1 Research Type2.2 Primary Research2.3 Secondary Research2.4 Forecast Model2.4.1 Market Data Collection, Analysis & Forecast2.4.2 Market Size Estimation2.4.3 Market Crackdown & Data Triangulation3 Market Dynamics3.1 Introduction3.2 Market Drivers3.3 Market Challenges3.4 Market Opportunities4 Executive Summary5. Market Factor Analysis5.1 Porters Five Forces Analysis5.2 Supply Chain AnalysisContinueAccess Report Details @Target Audience: Packaging Organizations Manufacturer Research Institute / Education Institute Potential InvestorsAbout Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members.Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
Global Market Capacity, Production, Revenue and Growth Rate of Solar Photovoltaic Panels Components Industry 2016

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"The Report Global Solar Photovoltaic Panels Components Industry 2016 Market Research Report provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"This report Mainly covers the following product typesMono- Photovoltaic Solar PanePolycrystalline Photovoltaic Solar PanelThin film Photovoltaic Solar PanelThe segment applications includingFor home useCommercial useView Report @Segment regions including(other regions also can be added)United StatesEUChinaJapanThe players list(Partly, Players you are interested in can also be added)Yingli SolarJA SolarTrina SolarReneSolaCanadian SolarFirst SolarSunpowerSharp SolarKyoceraREC SolarSuntechLinyangCEEGWith no less than 15 top producers.Data including(both global and regions): Production(MW), Sales (both volume and value-million USD), Market Share, Consumption, Import, Export, price(USD/k W), cost, gross margin etc.More detailed information, please refer to the attachment file and table of contents. If you have other requirements, please contact us, we can also offer!Get Sample Copy Of This Report @Table of Contents1 Industry Overview of Solar Photovoltaic Panels Components1.1 Definition and Specifications of Solar Photovoltaic Panels Components1.1.1 Definition of Solar Photovoltaic Panels Components1.1.2 Specifications of Solar Photovoltaic Panels Components1.2 Classification of Solar Photovoltaic Panels Components1.2.1 Mono- Photovoltaic Solar Pane1.2.2 Polycrystalline Photovoltaic Solar Panel1.2.3 Thin film Photovoltaic Solar Panel1.3 Applications of Solar Photovoltaic Panels Components1.3.1 For home use1.3.2 Commercial use1.4 Industry Chain Structure of Solar Photovoltaic Panels Components1.5 Industry Overview and Major Regions Status of Solar Photovoltaic Panels Components1.5.1 Industry Overview of Solar Photovoltaic Panels Components1.5.2 Global Major Regions Status of Solar Photovoltaic Panels Components1.6 Industry Policy Analysis of Solar Photovoltaic Panels Components1.7 Industry News Analysis of Solar Photovoltaic Panels Components2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Solar Photovoltaic Panels Components2.1 Raw Material Suppliers and Price Analysis of Solar Photovoltaic Panels Components2.2 Equipment Suppliers and Price Analysis of Solar Photovoltaic Panels Components2.3 Labor Cost Analysis of Solar Photovoltaic Panels Components2.4 Other Costs Analysis of Solar Photovoltaic Panels Components2.5 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Solar Photovoltaic Panels Components2.6 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Solar Photovoltaic Panels Components3 Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Solar Photovoltaic Panels Components3.1 Capacity and Commercial Production Date of Global Solar Photovoltaic Panels Components Major Manufacturers in 20153.2 Manufacturing Plants Distribution of Global Solar Photovoltaic Panels Components Major Manufacturers in 20153.3 R&D Status and Technology Source of Global Solar Photovoltaic Panels Components Major Manufacturers in 20153.4 Raw Materials Sources Analysis of Global Solar Photovoltaic Panels Components Major Manufacturers in 20154 Capacity, Production and Revenue Analysis of Solar Photovoltaic Panels Components by Regions, Types and Manufacturers4.1 Global Capacity, Production and Revenue of Solar Photovoltaic Panels Components by Regions 2011-20164.2 Global and Major Regions Capacity, Production, Revenue and Growth Rate of Solar Photovoltaic Panels Components 2011-20164.3 Global Capacity, Production and Revenue of Solar Photovoltaic Panels Components by Types 2011-20164.4 Global Capacity, Production and Revenue of Solar Photovoltaic Panels Components by Manufacturers 2011-20165 Price, Cost, Gross and Gross Margin Analysis of Solar Photovoltaic Panels Components by Regions, Types and Manufacturers5.1 Price, Cost, Gross and Gross Margin Analysis of Solar Photovoltaic Panels Components by Regions 2011-20165.2 Price, Cost, Gross and Gross Margin Analysis of Solar Photovoltaic Panels Components by Types 2011-20165.3 Price, Cost, Gross and Gross Margin Analysis of Solar Photovoltaic Panels Components by Manufacturers 2011-20166 Consumption Volume, Consumption Value and Sale Price Analysis of Solar Photovoltaic Panels Components by Regions, Types and Applications6.1 Global Consumption Volume and Consumption Value of Solar Photovoltaic Panels Components by Regions 2011-20166.2 Global and Major Regions Consumption Volume, Consumption Value and Growth Rate of Solar Photovoltaic Panels Components 2011-20166.3 Global Consumption Volume and Consumption Value of Solar Photovoltaic Panels Components by Types 2011-20166.4 Global Consumption Volume and Consumption Value of Solar Photovoltaic Panels Components by Applications 2011-20166.5 Sale Price of Solar Photovoltaic Panels Components by Regions 2011-20166.6 Sale Price of Solar Photovoltaic Panels Components by Types 2011-20166.7 Sale Price of Solar Photovoltaic Panels Components by Applications 2011-20166.8 Market Share Analysis of Solar Photovoltaic Panels Components by Different Sale Price LevelsMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.Mr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Global Marine Coatings Market - Rapid Rise in Maritime Industry to Drive Growth By 2020

Marine Coatings Market

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Marine coatings are protective coatings utilized mostly in the aquatic ecosystem to protect ships, yachts, tankers, vessels, and other objects from being corroded and abraded. Due to their specific properties, these coatings are capable of providing superior protection to the surfaces to which they are applied. In recent times, the demand for marine coatings has increased significantly owing to the rapid expansion of the maritime industry across the world.In this report, the global marine coatings market has been studied on the basis of its regional distribution, the application of marine coatings, and the products available in this market.On the regional basis, the global market for marine coatings has been segmented into Asia Pacific, Europe, North America, and the Rest of the World. In terms of demand, Asia Pacific led the global market with a share of more than 64% in 2013. The rise in the shipbuilding industry in Asia countries such as Japan, South Korea, and China has propelled the marine coatings market in Asia Pacific.GET PDF BROCHURE FOR MORE PROFESSIONAL AND TECHNICAL INDUSTRY INSIGHTS:Europe accounted for the second position in the overall market in 2013. The increasing demand for these coatings in ship repairing and maintenance has boosted the Europe marine coatings market significantly over the past few years.Over the forecast period, the report expects the North America marine coating market to experience sluggish growth, whereas, the Rest of the World market is likely to register a significant rise owing to the rapid increase in the marine industries in Saudi Arabia, Brazil, and South Africa, notes the research study.Based on the products, the report has segmented the global marine coating market into anti-corrosion coatings, antifouling coatings, foul release coatings, and products such as self-cleaning coatings. The antifouling coatings segment has been leading the overall market since last few years and the trend is likely to continue over the forecast period.By application, the market has been segmented into containers, leisure boats, deep sea, offshore vessels, coastal objects, and other application areas such as icebreakers. The coastal application segment has led the worldwide market in 2013 and is projected to register the fastest growth over the forecast period, states the research report.The Sherwin-Williams Co., RPM International Inc., PPG Industries Inc., Nippon Paint, KCC Corp., Kansai Paint Co. Ltd., Jotun A/S, Hempel A/S, Chugoku Marine Paints Ltd., and AkzoNobel N.V. are the key participants in the global marine coatings market, profiled in this study.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMR's experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Contact Us:-Transparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Global HPV Therapeutic Vaccines Market Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends And Forecast, 2013 - 2019 Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "HPV Therapeutic Vaccines Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends And Forecast, 2013 - 2019" to its huge collection of research reports.



Human Papillomaviruses (HPV) are members of papillomaviridae family a group of more than 150 related viruses. These are specifically known as papillomaviruses because of some of its types give rise to a wart or papilloma which are benign growths. Some of them are also associated with certain cancers and known as carcinogenic HPVs. More than 40 types of HPV viruses are easily transferred from one person to another by sexual contact anal and oral. Ithas estimated worldwide prevalence of HPV induced cancer in approximately 12-13%. Cervical cancer is the second largest cause of cancer deaths in women worldwide.According to World Health Organization it has been estimated that globally 510,000 cases per year and about 288,000 deaths occur due to cervical cancer.



Currently, two U.S. FDA approved vaccines are commercially available namely Gardasil (Merck & Co., Inc.) and Cervarix (GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals Ltd.) for the treatment of HPV infections.The HPV therapeutic vaccines market is at a nascent stage and it would take approximately couple of decades to implement mass vaccination for preventingcervical cancer incidences. Gardasil is a quadrivalent vaccine and targets four HPV types (6, 11, 16 and 18) while Cervarix is bivalent vaccine and targets on two HPV types (16 and 18). It has been observed that neither of these HPV vaccines have been proven to provide complete protection against tenacious infections with other types of HPVs.



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HPV therapeutic vaccines market is the most potential market as the annual worldwide incidences for cervical cancer is almost 0.5 million and for cancers of vulva and vagina its 40,000. In addition, to this annual incidence for high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) the precancerous condition of cervical cancer is almost 0.5 million globally. Thus, according to International Agency for Research and Cancer predicts the rate of HPV related cancer cases to rise 40% in near future. North America and Europe are major markets as the governments from major countries of these regions have publicly funded HPV vaccination.



Some of the market players in this industry segment are Merck& Co., Inc. and GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals Ltd. While, ISA Pharmaceuticals (ISA101), Advaxis (Lovaxcin C), Coridon(It is funded by Allied Healthcare Group for HPV associated research) and Gentical (which is currently in the Phase III clinicaltrial)and all these products are in pipeline.



This research report analyzes this market depending on its market segments, major geographies, and current market trends. Geographies analyzed under this research report include



- North America

- Asia Pacific

- Europe

- Rest of the World



This report provides comprehensive analysis of



- Market growth drivers

- Factors limiting market growth

- Current market trends

- Market structure

- Market projections for upcoming years



This report is a complete study of current trends in the market, industry growth drivers, and restraints. It provides market projections for the coming years. It includes analysis of recent developments in technology, Porters five force model analysis and detailed profiles of top industry players. The report also includes a review of micro and macro factors essential for the existing market players and new entrants along with detailed value chain analysis.



Reasons for Buying this Report



- This report provides pin-point analysis for changing competitive dynamics

- It provides a forward looking perspective on different factors driving or restraining market growth

- It provides a technological growth map over time to understand the industry growth rate

- It provides a seven-year forecast assessed on the basis of how the market is predicted to grow

- It helps in understanding the key product segments and their future

- It provides pin point analysis of changing competition dynamics and keeps you ahead of competitors

- It helps in making informed business decisions by having complete insights of market and by making in-depth analysis of market segments

- It provides distinctive graphics and exemplified SWOT analysis of major market segments



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About ResearchMoz



ResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.



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Global Network Management Market Key Trends, Size, Growth, Shares And Forecast Research Report 2013 - 2019

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Network Management Market - Global Forecast, Market Size, Share, Trends, Analysis, Growth AndIndustry Analysis, 2013 - 2019" to its huge collection of research reports.Network management is a broad subject of managing a computer network. Network management is a combination of softwares and hardwares which allows to monitor the computer network. Network management contributes in identifying the devices present in a network, monitoring the performance of a device and tracking the performance indicators such as packet loss, latency, bandwidth utilization including others. Network management covers security, reliability and performance of any network.The Network Management market across the globe is expected to show a substantial growth with a single digit increase in CAGR by the year 2019. There is a significant increase in the network management market because it provides functionalities in fault management, performance management, security and accounting management.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The key drivers of this market include increasing focus on technology evolution,increasing customer requirements and increased network security breaches.Some of the factors restraining the market growth are time consuming process of installation and complexity in the methodology. The opportunities for network management market includes optimization of business operations through network management tools and opportunities in small and medium enterprises.The Network Management market can be segmented into categories such as segmentation by solution which is consists of network traffic management, network device management, network security management and network configuration management. Segmentation by services such as consulting, support and integration. The market is segmented geographically into Europe, North America, APACand Rest of World (RoW).Some of the key players in the network management market are Avaya Inc., Alcatel-Lucent S.A., IBM Corp., Juniper Networks Inc., Cisco System Inc., Aruba Network Inc., and CA Technologies Inc. including many others.This research report analyzes this market depending on its market segments, major geographies, and current market trends. Geographies analyzed under this research report include- North America- Asia Pacific- Europe- Rest of the WorldThis report provides comprehensive analysis of- Market growth drivers- Factors limiting market growth- Current market trends- Market structure- Market projections for upcoming yearsThis report is a complete study of current trends in the market, industry growth drivers, and restraints. It provides market projections for the coming years. It includes analysis of recent developments in technology, Porters five force model analysis and detailed profiles of top industry players. The report also includes a review of micro and macro factors essential for the existing market players and new entrants along with detailed value chain analysis.Reasons for Buying this Report- This report provides pin-point analysis for changing competitive dynamics- It provides a forward looking perspective on different factors driving or restraining market growth- It provides a technological growth map over time to understand the industry growth rate- It provides a seven-year forecast assessed on the basis of how the market is predicted to grow- It helps in understanding the key product segments and their future- It provides pin point analysis of changing competition dynamics and keeps you ahead of competitors- It helps in making informed business decisions by having complete insights of market and by making in-depth analysis of market segments- It provides distinctive graphics and exemplified SWOT analysis of major market segmentsMake an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Cellulose Acetate Butyrate Market Estimated to Grow Strongly by 2021

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Cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) is an amorphous, transparent thermoplastic material with uses from trim for automobiles to tool handles, pens and blister packaging among others. It can be melted and remodeled into new shapes without altering its molecular structure. It is resistant to ultraviolet rays, has low moisture absorption and high impact strength. In addition it has high transparency, aesthetic appeal, high dielectric constant, excellent machinability, compatibility with human skin and ability to be offered in unlimited range of colors. It has soft and pliable nature and can be stretched up to 60% of its original length. It is expensive than its precursor cellulose acetate because of additional steps necessary in producing the compound. Since, cellulose acetate butyrate is resistant to ultraviolet, it can be used for applications where high surface gloss is needed such as production of lacquers for lenses and for various forms of plastic film.A sample of this report is available upon request @Cellulose acetate butyrate is resistant to household chemicals and can be used in manufacture of numerous types of toys and sporting goods. Since, cellulose acetate butyrate has low electrical conductivity, high internal resistance and external resistance, it serves as a good insulating material. It also finds variety of applications in products such as textile fibers, wound dressings, photography, slip covers, steering wheels, goggles, pneumatic system traps and magnetic tape among others. Majority of cellulose acetate butyrate is consumed for making cigarette filters.Cigarette tow and textiles are the key end use application for cellulose acetate butyrate. The major demand comes from cigarette filter tow manufacturing companies that are also engaged in manufacture of textile fibers. Rising consumption of cigarette in low to middle income countries such as China and India, introduction of longer cigarette filters, preference for low tar cigarettes is driving the demand for cellulose acetate butyrate. Absence of stringent government regulations regarding cigarette consumption and demand for lesser emission of nicotine in the smoke is also accelerating the demand for cellulose acetate butyrate in emerging economies. A company must incur huge sunk costs to build a dedicated production facility, this act as a significant barrier for new players to enter the cellulose acetate butyrate market.Cellulose acetate butyrate is a mature product and growth has slowed down in the U.S and Western Europe. Cigarette applications are getting diminished in Europe and the U.S as a result of increased awareness of health hazards of smoking and stringent government regulations. Demand for cellulose acetate butyrate is growing in Eastern and Central Europe, India, China and Latin America as cigarette consumption is growing in these regions. The Asia Pacific region is the largest consumer for Cellulose acetate butyrate. It is also one of the fastest growing regions for cellulose acetate butyrate, largely driven by filter tow market. China is the largest market in terms of filter tow consumption and new cellulose acetate filter tow production facilities and capacity expansions are expected to be constructed in China in the coming years. There is also a shift of textile production facilities from western countries towards China that favors the growth of domestic market.Request to view Table of content @The key companies in the cellulose acetate butyrate market include Mitsubishi Rayon Co. Ltd, Daicel Corporation, Eastman Chemical Company, Celanese Corporation, SK Chemicals Co. Ltd, Celanese Acetate, Rhodia Acetow GmbH, Primester, Simagchem Corporation, Haihang Industry Co. and Hangzhou Dayangchem Co. Ltd among others.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Persistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd.305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com
Learn details of the Wireless Charging Market Forecast and Segments, 2014-2020

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Wireless charging is the process of recharging batteries of electrical devices without using physically connected electric cables. The communication between transmitter (power source) and receiver (device) is generally by microwave or electromagnetic induction. With the emergence of wireless chargeable devices, the need to carry multiple chargers for various devices will become obsolete. Chargeable devices such as mobile phones, and tablets need to be handier. Wireless charging technologies are revolutionizing the current electronic devices market to meet the demand for more efficient, standardized,safe and portable power recharging options.Wireless charging is more applicable to charge smartphones, tablets and other small handheld devices and wearable technologies. The obvious benefits associated with the use of wireless charging includes efficiency of handling, protection from electric shocks, safe charging option for devices that need to be waterproof, no need formaintenance of charging cables and associated sockets. On the other hand, wireless charging technology is comparatively less efficient, slow, and expensive. Most devices also radiate heat during the charging process.The global wireless charging market recently reported its development, due to continuous updation in phones. The demand for sealed devices, increasing demand for powerfor devices and inconvenience associated with carrying multiple chargers are the key drivers behind growth of wireless charging technologies. The key restrains behind wireless charging are lack of standardization and expensive infrastructure to pursue technological developments.Many advanced products are still in experimental phase but on the other hand these products have a bright future opportunity.Request For Sample@Wireless charging can be broadly categorized into two types depending upon proximity of distance between transmitter and receiverand range of devices. Further, these two types can be sub-segmented into six sub categories such as radio charging, inductive charging and resonance charging are included under proximity of distance between transmitter and receiver and high range, mid-range and low range are included under range of devices. On the basis of application,the global wireless charging market is segmented intoconsumer electronics, medical healthcare, automobile & aerospace, defence and industrial automation. On the basis of geographical target market, itis segmented into North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Japan, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, and Middle East & Africa.Companies engagedin the development of wireless charging technologies are in the process of resolving compatibility issues associated with charger and charging points. Manufacturers of different handheld devices, prominently HTC, Nokia and LG, are already in the process of manufacturing wireless chargeable smartphones and tablets. The market experts are focusing on the development of standard wireless charging technology, which will be commonly useful for the advanced devices of various applications such as medical, and semiconductors.Some of the global key players in the wireless charging market include Convenient Power HK Ltd., Murata Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Integrated Device Technology, Inc., Texas Instruments, Inc., Duracell Powermat, Oregon Scientific, WiTricity Corporation and Energizer Holdings, Inc.Most of these companies are interested to enter into the wireless charging market with the plan to establish a brand name. The wireless charging market of North America appears to be comparatively mature than Asian market, in terms of infrastructural development. Countries with lower GDP may face economic issues to generate the demand.High price is one of the major challenges of this market and it should be taken care of.Request For TOC@ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Global Hip and Knee Orthopedic Surgical Robots Industry Key Trends, Size, Growth, Shares And Forecast Research Report 2016 to 2022

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Hip and Knee Orthopedic Surgical Robots: Market Shares, Strategy, and Forecasts, Worldwide, 2016 to 2022" to its huge collection of research reports.The 2016 study has 145 pages, 64 tables and figures. Worldwide Hip and Knee Orthopedic surgical robot markets are poised to achieve significant growth. The accuracy provided by the robot is not reproducible by the human surgeon, so ultimately all surgeons will want to perform the orthopedic implants using this technology.Robot assisted medial knee arthroplasty: orthopedic surgical robots are poised to take knee and hip surgery quality far beyond what has previously been available. The quality of knee arthroplasty is improved with robotic capability. All the advantages of surgical robots carry into the Stryker Mako orthopedic reconstruction surgical products.. When the knee and hip surgical robots are used, patients have less bleeding, reduction of post-operative pain, fewer re-admissions to hospital and faster recovery. Robots support high-precision surgery. A clinic in Switzerland, La Source, has reported a reduction in the average days of hospitalization from 10 to 6.Knee and hip surgical robots provide consistent reproducible precision. This capability is so significant for implant surgery that the robots are positioned to become the defacto standard of care for knee and hip surgery within five years. Any one getting a knee or hip replaced will demand attention to quality of life, to maintenance of lifestyle provided by a robot when they have a joint replacement.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @As next generation systems, hip and knee robotic units provide a way to improve traditional orthopedic hip and knee replacement surgery. Total hip replacement surgery has evolved dramatically as advances in technology have brought improved surgical techniques. Surgical robots are a significany [art of that advance.Once, the penetration achieves this 35% level, all orthopedic surgeons will demand that hospitals offer robotic orthopedic surgical capability because the outcomes are more predictable and better. If the hospital does not offer the robot, the surgeon will move to a more modern facility.Knee and Hip Surgical Robots have been impacted by the reduction in insurance payments. Payment reductions have forced hospitals to start acting as businesses. The cost of delivering care has become as much a factor as providing quality care when making decisions about patient improvement in condition. Cost-cutting has been made in the supply chain. Suppliers were examined closely for quality and cost.The number of suppliers is reduced to put pressure on the ones that remain. Those remaining are pressured to improve prices and efficiencies. Hospitals, physicians, and care providers have been financially incentivized to create accountable care organizations (ACOs). Coordinated patient care plans and value-based purchasing were rewarded. The med device buyer shifted from physicians to the ACOs and smart buying groups.Stryker has thrived in this cost efficient environment with a surgical robot that permits faster surgeries, more cost efficient surgeries. In addition, Stryker offers an integrated system. The ability to include a Mako total knee application with Stryker Triathlon total knee system is anticipated to increase market share for Stryker. Stryker market leading Triathlon total knee system is helped in the market by the robot simply by the improved surgical technique possible. Surgical robots are proving themselves in a variety of disciplines, lending credibility to the Stryker robotic initiative.Use of the robot with the orthopedic implant represents a key milestone in reconstructive surgery. Robots provide an opportunity to transform orthopedics. By furthering the growth of robotic-arm assisted surgery, patients can get better treatment. By enhancing the surgeon and patient experience is is likely that the entire orthopedics implant market will grow more rapidly than it would otherwise.Stryker uses the Mako to perform partial knee resurfacing and is happy to add robotic capability to total knee resurfacing. Technology is enhancing a wide variety of procedures in many surgical specialties.The aging US population has supported demand, since the occurrence of health issues that require medical devices is higher in the elderly population. Buoyed by strong demand and sales, industry profit margins have increased considerably during the past five years.Hospitals are adopting robotic surgical devices to improve their outcomes numbers. Hospitals are measured on outcomes, robots for surgery, when used by a trained physician are improving outcomes significantly. Hundreds of universities worldwide have research programs in robotics and many are awarding degrees in robotics. These roboticists are increasingly being hired by Global 2000 organizations to link mobile robots (mobile computers) into existing IT systems.Robot-assisted surgery gives the surgeon better control over the surgical instruments and a better view of the surgical site.Hip and knee orthopedic surgical robot device markets at $84 million in 2015 are anticipated to reach $4.6 billion by 2022 as next generation robotic devices, systems, and instruments are introduced to manage surgery.The complete report provides a comprehensive analysis including procedure numbers, units sold, market value, forecasts, as well as a detailed competitive market shares and analysis of major players success, challenges, and strategies in each segment and sub-segment. The reports cover markets for knee and hip robotic orthopedic surgery medical specialties and sub-specialties.Companies ProfiledMarket Leaders- Stryker / MakoMarket Participants- Johnson & Johnson / DePuy- Synthes- Shenzhen Advanced Institute- Spinal Surgical Robot- Smith & Nephew- Stryker / Mako- THINK Surgical- Wright Medical Technology- Zimmer BiometMake an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Now Available High Temperature Ceramics Market Forecast And Growth 2014-2020

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Ceramics are covalent compounds containing metal and non-metal atoms primarily held in covalent and ionic bonds. Generally, ceramics are made by taking mixtures of earth elements, powders, water and clay. This mixture is shaped into the desired form and is then fired in a high temperature oven. Ceramics are then painted with glazes which are waterproof and decorative. At elevated temperature, ceramics have high hardness, high melting points, excellent chemical corrosion resistance and good mechanical properties. Some ceramics are good dielectrics or insulators, whereas others are good electrical or thermal conductors. Ceramics are widely used in our daily life. Glass, plates, bricks, tiles and sanitary ware are some examples of the ceramics we see every day. Ceramics can also be found in products like automobiles (sparkplug), phone lines and watches. They are even used in space shuttles and aircrafts. Ceramics can be broadly classified into two categories: traditional and advanced. Traditional ceramics include clay products such as cement and glass, whereas advanced ceramics consist of pure oxides, nitrides, carbides and many others.Advanced ceramics are widely used in industrial applications where the operating temperature is generally high or which require hard substances that can withstand great pressure. Ceramics offer various advantages compared to other materials. Ceramics are more corrosion and heat resistant than polymers or metals, stiffer and harder than steel, and have a lower density than most alloys and metals. Raw material for advance ceramics materials are plentiful, inexpensive and display wide range of properties. For automotive applications, they are used in various applications like airbag sensors, spark plugs, valves, vibration sensors, pressure sensors, oxygen sensors, thermistors, catalytic converters, ceramic rotors, ceramic filters piston rings and safety glass windshields.The different types of high temperature ceramics include ceramic matrix composites and ultrahigh temperature ceramic coatings. Advanced high temperature materials are key components in the emerging material technologies, which are giving impetus to many industries. The global high temperature ceramics market is driven by several factors like replacement of materials for the sake of creating cost effective solutions, the growing demand for energy conservation across various industries, and government regulations to reduce greenhouse emissions.Request For Sample@The global high temperature ceramics market is led by AsiaPacific (APAC) which accounts for over 40-45% of the total consumption by volume. The cost of high temperature ceramics in APAC is lesser than that in Europe, North America or Latin America. In terms of revenue, North America is the largest market followed by APAC and Europe. The cost of high temperature ceramics is expected to remain low for the next few years in the APAC region. Due to government regulations and incentives offered for sustainability and energy conservation, North America and Europe are expected to offer significant growth opportunities for the high temperature ceramics market.On the basis of industry applications, the global high temperature ceramics market is segmented into automotive, aerospace, chemical processing, metallurgical, power generation and others. Some of the most common applications of high temperature ceramics are afterburners, boilers, castings, exhaust stacks, flanges, furnaces, headers, incinerators, manifolds, molds and dies, ovens, heat exchangers, pumps, blowers, pipingand ducting. In the aerospace industry, high temperature ceramics are used in cutting edge applications, which require structural and chemical stability at extremely high operating temperatures. On the basis of composition, the high temperature ceramics are segmented into oxides (alumina, zirconia), non-oxides (carbides, nitrides) and composites (combination of oxides and non-oxides).There are many global and regional players operating in the high temperature ceramics market especially in APAC. Some of the key participants are Morgan Thermal Ceramics, ZIRCAR Ceramics, Inc., Skamol A/S, Promat International, IBIDEN Company Ltd., Rath Incorporated, General Insulation Europe Ltd., Unifrax Corporation, and Shandong Luyang Share Co. Ltd.Request For TOC@In future, the understanding and controlling behavior of the microstructures and properties of high temperature ceramics are expected to be key elements in research activities. This research will further increase the operating temperature limits of existing high temperature ceramics.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Barite Market, 2014-2020 by Segmentation: Based on Product, Application and Region

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Barite is a mineral that is rich in barium. Barite commonly occurs in the large number of depositional environment and it is found in the zinc-lead veins in limestone, in the hot spring deposits and in the hematite ore. Barite is also found alongside meteorites. Barite is relatively inert and also exhibits a physical property of high density. Barite is widely used as a weighting agent in the drilling muds. Barite also finds other applications in the electrical and electronics, rubber, ceramics, paints radiation shielding, medical and glass industry among others. China, India, Morocco and U.S. are expected to be the largest producers of barite. The total barite resources across the globe in all categories are around 2 billion tons, however, only 740 million tons is considered among the identified resources.Most of the barite manufactured is used as a weighting agent in the drilling fluids that are used in the oil and gas exploration. Barites are mainly used to suppress the high formation fluids and also to prevent blowouts. The quantity of barite used is mainly dependent on the depth of the hole that has to be bored. The deeper the hole, more the barite is required. Barite is non-magnetic in nature and hence, it does not interfere with the magnetic measurements that are taken during boring the hole making barite an ideal choice for the drilling fluids. Barite is widely used in the manufacturing of paints and coatings. Thus, the growing automobile industry is expected to boost the overall growth of the paints and coatings industry which in turn is expected to drive the growth of the overall barite market. The global barite market is expected to grow owing to its increasing demand in other applications such as textiles, paper and paints among others. Though, there are alternatives to barite such as ilmenite, celestite, iron ore and synthetic hematite, none of these substitutes had a major impact on the barite drilling mud industry.Request For Sample@Barites offer several benefits such as good stability, strong inertia, moderate rigidity, acid and alkali proof and high specific gravity. Due to such advantages, barite is widely used in applications including engineering plastic, middle and high-grade paint, medicine compounding, rubber, pottery, paper-making and cosmetics among others. The main types of barites are ground barite, finely ground barite and bleached barite. Ground barite is used as filler in the production of oil cloth, linoleum, paper, textile, plastics and rubber. Finely ground barite finds use in making thixotropic mud for sealing oil wells in drilling applications and bleached barite is used as a pigment in white paint.Considering the rapidly growing oil and gas drilling industry, the demand for barite is expected to record a strong growth in the coming years. India and China hold a dominant position in the barite supply and have increased prices significantly in the recent times. Owing to this, there is an increased focus on discovering and developing new barite resources across the world. While India and China are anticipated to dominate the barite production and export, mining projects in several stages of development are ongoing in countries such as Liberia, Kazakhstan, Mexico, and Zimbabwe.Request For TOC@Some of the key participants of the barite market include Desku Group Inc., SMIMTAF, Shijiazhuang Oushun Minerals Products Co. Ltd., Shanghai Titanos Industry Co., Ltd., CMS Industries and V&P Corporation among others.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Halal Pharmaceuticals Market To Increase at Steady Growth Rate

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Halal pharmaceuticals are those medicines that stringently adhere to Shariah law. More specifically, halal pharmaceuticals refer to medicines that should not contain any parts of animals (dogs, pigs and ones particularly with pointed teeth), insects (bees), alcohol and other substances prohibited as haram under the Shariah law. Competent religious local regulatory bodies in countries generally provide a better segregation regarding the classification of drugs as halal or haram (unlawful) across the world. Halal pharmaceuticals are subject to normal pre-marketing and post-marketing controls by the relevant national pharmaceutical regulators such as the National Pharmaceutical Control Bureau in case of Malaysia. Halal medicines market has vast potential globally in terms of revenue generation supported by growing demand for faith-compliant medicines from an expanding Muslim population. Drugs approved by halal drug certifiying agencies such as Lembaga Pengkajian Pangan Obatobatan dan Kosmetika Majelis Ulama Indonesia (LPPOM MUI) of Indonesia and Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia are expected to witness rising consumption globally. Currently, halal medicines are estimated to have contributed close to one-third of the total revenue from the global halal market, posing an extremely attractive opportunity for Shariah compliant drugs. This is supported by the fact that demand outstrips supply of halal medicines by a significant margin, creating potential for future economic value added in the industry.Halal Pharmaceuticals Market: Drivers and RestraintsDrivers of the halal pharmaceuticals market include a growing Muslim population. Given that Muslims have been estimated to account for close to 25% of the global population in 2015~1.6 billion people (PewResearch)  the annual growth rate of the Muslim population has been estimated to be ~1.6%, which is higher than the growth rate of the world population (1.1% per annum). Increasing awareness among Muslims regarding wellness and medicines is propagating mainly through increased education. This is another prime factor contributing to growth of the halal medicine market. Other socio-economic factors driving the need and uptake of halal medicines include rising purchasing power parity, increasing access to critical medicines in resource-constrained nations supported by public organizations such as World Health Organization, safety of consumption, assurance of product efficacy and hygienic processing among others. Increasing need to get medicines certified from an approved regulatory body is driving regulatory convergence in the halal medicines market among countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei, Turkey, France and others.Request Report Sample@Key restraints include lack of adequate infrastructure in non-Islamic countries to avoid cross-contamination between halal and non-halal production lines, and lack of sufficient halal advisory and certification agencies to approve medical products. Other restraints include dearth of sufficient R&D for halal medicines globally and omission of critical medicine classes such as vaccines and biologics as they do not comply with Shariah norms. Ban on use of forbidden components such as porcine excipients also limit the number of drugs that can be produced. Industry experts have noted that formation of a proper, well-regulated and harmonized accreditation and halal management system could serve a long way in raising demand for halal medicines.Halal Pharmaceuticals Market: SegmentationHalal pharmaceuticals market can be segmented as indicated below:Segmentation by drug classesRespiratory drugsCardiovascular drugsEndocrine drugsPain medicationsAllergies (cough &cold)OthersSegmentation by product typeTabletsSyrupsCapsulesOthersSegmentation by source materialPlant and plant derivativesAnimals (compliant under religious laws)Synthetic and semi-synthetic sourcesRecombinant DNASegmentation by regionsHalal Pharmaceuticals Market: OverviewUptake of Halal medicines is gaining major traction globally, primarily due to two reasons. Firstly, these medicines are fully compliant with faith and so are readily acceptable under religious laws. Secondly, these medicines are very well assessed for quality and certification before being released into the market and are mostly made using herbal and synthetic materials. The market for halal pharmaceuticals is expected to register a significant CAGR as well as annual growth rates over the forecast period. Regulatory harmonization and regional regulatory convergence is expected to emerge as the key market trends in the near future.Visit For TOC@Halal Pharmaceuticals Market: Region-wise OutlookOn the basis of geographic regions, halal drug market is segmented into seven key regions: North America, South America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan and Middle East & Africa.In terms of geography, Asia Pacific region is the main region exhibiting development and uptake of halal medicines, particularly in countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei. However, R&D activities related to halal medicines are gaining traction in the European and North American regions. Discussion on formation of halal medicine certification agencies and guidelines are key features found in the traditionally pharmaceutically developed markets. Companies producing halal medicines are expected to enter Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Turkey, Iran, Qatar, Russia, France, Libya, Algeria and Singapore as well as the UAE to cater to the high demand base for better revenue generation, either through distributor route or via tie-ups with established players.Halal Pharmaceuticals Market: Key PlayersSome key accredited players in the halal medicine market include Chemical Company of Malaysia Berhad (CCM Pharmaceuticals Sdn Bhd), Pharmaniaga Bhd, Simpor Pharma Sdn Bhd, EMBIL Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Nutramedica Incorporated, etc. among others.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comPress: press@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Industrial Hydrogen Market to Raise at a CAGR of 4.9% by 2024

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The industrial hydrogen market in U.S., Europe (U.K. & Germany), and Asia (South Korea & Japan) is estimated to be valued at US$ 13.6 Bn, with hydrogen consumption pegged at 1,826.0 KT by the end of 2016. Sales revenue of industrial hydrogen is expected to increase at a CAGR of 4.9% over the forecast period (20162024), to be valued at US$ 19.8 Bn by the end of 2024. In a new report titled Industrial Hydrogen Market: U.S., Europe, and Asia Industry Analysis & Forecast 2016-2024, Persistence Market Research provides a comprehensive analysis of the industrial hydrogen market across these regions and offers insights into the key factors and trends likely to shape the market in the next eight years.A Sample of this Report is Available Upon Request @Hydrogen is touted as the clean fuel of the future and finds application in various industries including chemical, electronics, glass, metal production, pharma and biotech, and welding and metal fabrication. Increasing demand from various end-use industries such as electronics, glass, metal production, welding, and metal fabrication is anticipated to boost growth of the industrial hydrogen market over the forecast period. Preference for onsite hydrogen generation systems and increasing technological advancements that promote reduction in the overall hydrogen production cost by electrolysis of water are other factors likely to push the demand for industrial hydrogen through 2024. However, a high cost of hydrogen production by electrolysis of water as compared to other conventional methods of production is likely to pose a challenge for the sustained growth of the electrolytic hydrogen market.Global hydrogen production  both captive and merchant  is estimated to be pegged at 57.5 Mn metric tons by the end of 2016. Globally, 4% of total hydrogen is produced by electrolysis of water. The Electrolysis segment in the industrial hydrogen market is estimated to expand at a higher CAGR compared to the Conventional & Others segment. Technological advancements leading to reduced cost of production are expected to support growth of this segment over the forecast period. The Conventional & Others segment is expected to hold a disproportionately large market value share in the industrial hydrogen market throughout the forecast period. This segment is expected to hold 92.5% value share by the end of 2024, representing a sales revenue of US$ 18.3 Bn.By application, the Electronics segment is estimated to expand at the fastest CAGR over the forecast period; macroeconomic growth of the electronics industry is expected to be the major factor driving demand and fueling growth of the industrial hydrogen market over the forecast period. Also, an increasing use of hydrogen as a carrier gas in the manufacture of LED and semi-conductors is expected to drive growth of this segment. The Electronics segment is likely to dominate the industrial hydrogen market with 22.0% market share, valued at US$ 2.98 Bn by the end of 2016. In terms of value CAGR, the Electronics segment is estimated to be followed by the Metal Production and the Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology segments respectively.In terms of region, the U.S market emerged as the dominant market in 2016 with over 50% market share owing to a high demand for hydrogen from across various end-use industries. This market is estimated to expand at a higher CAGR than that of Europe and Asia over the forecast period.Request to View Tables of Content @...Air Liquide, Air Products and Chemicals Inc., The Linde Group, Praxair Inc., and Messer Group GmbH are some of the primary producers of industrial hydrogen across the world.To Buy Full Report for a Single User @About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Persistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd.305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com
Global Radiology Oncology Surgical Robots Industry Key Trends, Size, Growth, Shares And Forecast Research Report 2016 to 2022

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Radiology Oncology Surgical Robots Market Shares, Strategies, and Forecasts, Worldwide, 2016 to 2022" to its huge collection of research reports.The 2016 study has 557 pages, 82 tables and figures. Worldwide Radiology Oncology surgical robot markets are poised to achieve significant growth as next generation systems provide a way to improve traditional open surgery and use radiology for cancer surgery. New systems pinpoint the delivery of radiation precisely, eliminating the radiological overdosing that has been such a problem previously, limiting the quantity of radiation that can be delivered.Radiosurgery robots take cancer surgery far beyond what has been available, promising a cure for cancer. Radiology oncology surgical robots use mechanical mobility and continuous image guidance to remove tumors. The Accuray CyberKnife robotic system follows the oncology target throughout treatment, intelligently delivering sub-millimeter precision, sparing healthy tissue. A robotic manipulator and a compact, lightweight linear accelerator, can deliver beams from thousands of non-coplanar, isocentric or non-isocentric angles. Treatments have excellent tumor coverage, steep dose gradients, and tight dose conformality.The radiation oncology market is growing globally due to a number of factors centered around the aging of the population and the benefits accrued from new technology. The number of new cancer cases diagnosed annually is projected to increase from 14.9 million in 2015 to 20 million by 2025. The increase in new cases is due to a steadily aging population. Both developed and developing countries have aging populations.Technology advances improve the precision and applicability of radiotherapy and radiosurgery. Expanding uses of radiotherapy and radiosurgery equipment occur because the units are able to treat a broader range of cases. Advances in hardware and software are creating a market for replacing an aging installed base. New designs are able to deliver higher standards of care.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The rise in cancer cases, together with the increase in sophistication of new treatment protocols, have created demand for more automated products. Automation depends on integration of several devices into clinically practical systems. Integrated systems make treatments rapid and cost effective.Technology advances lead to improvements in patient care. The availability of advanced, automated and efficient clinical tools in radiation therapy has brought more precise forms of radiotherapy treatment (IMRT, IGRT, VMAT, SRS, SBRT, brachytherapy and proton therapy). Technology includes the EDGE and Truebeam, and the Accuray TomoTherapy H Series and CyberKnife M6 platforms that enable treatments that reduce treatment times and increase patient throughput .International markets are under-equipped to address the growing cancer incidence. Patients in many foreign countries must frequently endure long waits for radiotherapy.9,000 additional treatment machines will be required by 2020 in developing countries. China, India and Brazil are estimated to require over 3,800, 1,200 and 400 additional machines. Demand in emerging markets, coupled with ever increasing incidences of cancer, represent additional drivers for continued growth.Radiology oncology surgical robot market driving forces relate to an opportunity to achieve change in medical practice regarding the treatment of cancer. Change would lead to utilization of stereotactic body radiosurgery more regularly as an alternative to surgery or other treatments. Radiosurgery is poised to revolutionize the treatment of cancer by eradicating tumors while not harming surrounding healthy tissue.The ability to use high doses of radiation to precisely eliminate a tumor while leaving healthy tissue unharmed is compelling. It means that high doses of radiation can be delivered without killing the person, that doses of radiation delivered can be enough to kill the cancer without killing the person, this represents a change in what has been possible previously.The Varian, Elekta, and Accuray radiology oncology surgical devices offer robust clinical treatment capabilities. Flexibility of the Accuray InCise Multileaf Collimator and robotic delivery permit treatment of tumors previously thought untreatable. With radiosurgery and SBRT cancer can be treated efficiently and effectively. The device offers accuracy.Existing open brain and abdominal cancer surgery can be replaced in large part during the forecast period by robotic radiological oncology surgery. Radiologic robotic surgical approaches complement existing open surgery techniques, but will replace them as more physicians and surgeons become skilled in manipulating the x-ray devices. Soon, all oncology surgery will be considered in the context of what part of the oncology procedure will be undertaken with at least some aspects of robotic radiologic surgery replacing or complementing open cancer surgery.The aging US population has supported demand for robotic Radiology Oncology surgery. Since the occurrence of health issues that require medical devices is higher in the elderly population the more astute baby boomers have been looking to understand what surgical alternatives are open to them. . Buoyed by strong demand and sales, industry profit margins have increased considerably during the past five years.Hospitals are adopting robotic surgical devices to improve their outcomes numbers. Hospitals are measured on outcomes, robots for surgery, when used by a trained physician are improving outcomes significantly. Hundreds of universities worldwide have research programs in robotics and many are awarding degrees in robotics. These roboticists are increasingly being hired by Global 2000 organizations to link mobile robots (mobile computers) into existing IT systems.Robot-assisted surgery gives the surgeon better control over the surgical instruments and a better view of the surgical site. Surgeons no longer have to stand throughout the surgery and do not tire as quickly. Hand tremors are filtered out by the robots computer software. The surgical robot can continuously be used by rotating surgery teams.Radiology Oncology surgical robot device markets at $4 billion in 2015 are anticipated to reach $7.3 billion by 2022 as next generation devices, systems, and instruments are introduced to manage cancer surgery through radiation excision that eliminates open cutting in the body. Patients tolerate the surgery well, walking out of the hospital after the procedure no longer bothered by healing or infection from an incision.The complete report provides a comprehensive analysis including procedure numbers, units sold, market value, forecasts, as well as a detailed competitive market shares and analysis of major players success, challenges, and strategies in each segment and sub-segment. The reports cover markets for Radiology Oncology robotic surgery medical specialties and sub-specialties.Companies Profiled- Market Leaders- Varian- Elekta- AccurayMarket Participants- Best Theratronics, Ltd- Brainlab AG- Mitsubishi Heavy Industries- ViewRayMake an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Cardiac And Lung Surgical Robot Device Markets At $72.2 Million In 2014 Are Anticipated To Reach $2.2 Billion By 2021

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Cardiac and Lung Surgical Robots: Market Shares, Strategy, and Forecasts, Worldwide, 2015 to 2021" to its huge collection of research reports.The 2015 study has 223 pages, 85 tables and figures. Worldwide Cardiac and Lung surgical robot markets are poised to achieve significant growth as next generation systems provide a way to improve traditional open surgery and decrease the number of ports needed for minimally invasive surgery.The automated process revolution in surgery and communications is being implemented via robots. Robots automation of systems is providing significant improvement in the accuracy of surgery and the repeatability of process.Intuitive Surgical owns the market as the major participant with compelling market share in cardiac and lung surgical robots. This leadership position will need to be defended as other vendor products, now in clinical trials come to market. Advanced technology, an installed base and a well trained core group of surgeons give Intuitive Surgical market advantage.Patients for some types of procedures fare better when the heart or lung surgery is done by surgical robots. The documentation of improvements in care delivery, the ability to ensure better outcomes from surgery promise that cardiac and lung surgical robotics is a strong growth market.Heart disease is still the largest disease worldwide. The issue for cardiac and lung robotic surgery is that so many heart patients exist.Every leading surgeon working to perform heart and lung robotic surgery has worked to be accepted to practice at a hospital that has those robotic devices. The really talented surgeons depend on hospitals having the cardiac robotic equipment. In order to attract physicians and patients, the hospitals have to purchase the surgical equipment.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The market penetration of the cardiac and lung surgical robots will go to 100 percent in the US top hospitals within five years. As the surgeons migrate to the places that have the robotic surgical equipment, other hospitals and their potential patient populations notice. If the hospital does not have the surgical robotic equipment, it will not have any surgeons, this is a bad situation for a hospital. The cardiac and lung robotic surgical equipment permits better surgery and the surgeons and patients know this.Cardiac and lung robotic surgery is poised to eclipse open surgery. It is used in the categories of lobectomy, thoracic revascularization, and mitral valve repair surgery. Surgical robots are positioned to become the standard of care for hospitals in the delivery of some heart surgery. The emerging group of several surgical robotic companies will collectively have enough marketing dollars and enough marketing clout to drive replacement of virtually all open cardiac and lung surgery.Larger hospitals that can afford the expenditure are adopting heart and lung robotic surgical devices to improve their outcomes numbers. Hospitals are measured on outcomes, robots for surgery, when used by a trained physician are improving outcomes significantly. Hospital robotic systems have an emphasis on outcomes improvement during surgery. This has resulted in investment in robotics technology that is useful, and achieves positive patient outcomes.Technology is enhancing a wide variety of procedures in many cardiac surgical specialties. Cardiac and thoracic surgeons at leading hospitals use robotic surgical systems increasingly. The aim is to perform more of the one-hundred thousand MIS surgical procedures of various types using robots. The surgeries performed by robot include cardiothoracic and vascular surgery. These surgical applications are cleared by the FDA.The technology uses metal tubes attached to the arms are inserted through the ports, and the cutting and visualization instruments are introduced through the tubes into the patients body. The surgeon performs the procedure while sitting at a console, manipulating the instrument controls and viewing the operation through a vision system. When a surgeon needs to change an instrument the instrument is withdrawn from the surgical field using the controls at the console and the nursing assistants switch instruments as per the physician instruction. This is done many times during an operation.The cardiac and lung surgical robot market is characterized enormous variety and innovation. A surgical robot recurring revenue business model is essentially a large one time purchase for a system complimented by replaceable or disposable instruments that cumulatively make the market a much larger and sustainable ongoing market. Vendors make money from the one time sale of a system and recurring revenue from sale of devices used in every operation.Initially, a vendor sells and installs the surgical system into new customer accounts. Once systems are sold into customer accounts, the vendor generates recurring revenue as customers use the system to perform surgery. To do cardiac and lung robotic surgeries, the customers need to buy and consume instruments and accessory products. Vendors also generate recurring revenue from system service.Existing open cardiac and lung surgery can be replaced in some part by robotic surgery during the forecast period. Cardiac and lung robotic surgical approaches complement existing open surgery techniques. Soon, all surgery will be undertaken with at least come aspects of robotic surgery replacing or complementing open surgery.The aging US population has supported demand, since the occurrence of health issues that require medical devices is higher in the elderly population. Buoyed by strong demand and sales, industry profit margins have increased considerably during the past five years.Hospitals are adopting robotic surgical devices to improve their outcomes numbers. Hospitals are measured on outcomes, robots for surgery, when used by a trained physician are improving outcomes significantly. Hundreds of universities worldwide have research programs in robotics and many are awarding degrees in robotics. These roboticists are increasingly being hired by Global 2000 organizations to link mobile robots (mobile computers) into existing IT systems.Robot-assisted surgery gives the surgeon better control over the surgical instruments and a better view of the surgical site. Surgeons no longer have to stand throughout the surgery and do not tire as quickly. Hand tremors are filtered out by the robots computer software. The surgical robot can continuously be used by rotating surgery teams. 3D viewing of the surgical site on a large screen improves visualization of the surgical operating field.Cardiac and lung surgical robot device markets at $72.2 million in 2014 are anticipated to reach $2.2 billion by 2021 as next generation devices, systems, and instruments are introduced to manage surgery through small ports in the body instead of large open wounds.The complete report provides a comprehensive analysis including procedure numbers, units sold, market value, forecasts, as well as a detailed competitive market shares and analysis of major players success, challenges, and strategies in each segment and sub-segment. The reports cover markets for Cardiac and Lung robotic surgery medical specialties and sub-specialties.Companies Profiled- Intuitive SurgicalMarket Participants- Chinese Surgical Robots- Corindus- Freehand- Johnson and Johnson / DePuy Synthes- Google / Johnson & Johnson / Ethicon- Medrobotics- Medtronic- Meerecompany / Eterne- Titan Medical- TransEnterix Acquires the ALF-X Surgical Robotic SystemMake an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Anti-Static Fibres Market 2015-2025 by Segmentation: Based on Product, Application and Region

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Static electricity is generated when two dissimilar materials are rubbed together creating an electrical charge. Such electrical charge usually leaks away to earth. However, in cases where it doesnt, an unpleasant and potentially dangerous electrical discharge may occur, resulting into an electric shock. Anti-static fibres consist of carbon particles enclosed firmly in the surface of polyester fibre. Whenregular fibres are added to anti-static agents, static conductivity of regular fibre changed to textile fabrics, generally developed by non-woven technology utilization.Anti-static fibre is formed into fabrics to provide safe discharge of static electricity. These fibres are used in applications, such as dry filtration, shoe or boot linings, safety work wear, carpets and upholstery.Anti-static agents are added into the polymer to reduce the build-up of static charges. The role of an antistatic agent is to make the material conductive. Problems such asdust pickup and electrical discharge are reduced or eliminated by using anti-static agent.Anti-static fibres are more durable, easy to dye, stain-resistant and lighter. In textiles, static electricity potential can be influenced by low material moisture content which generally occurs in fibres like polyester, acrylic, and nylon.The ultimate use of anti-static fibreis to make products static free and enable more safety and comfort for people using it.Request For Report Sample@Segmentation of Anti-Static Fibres MarketOn the basis of fibretype, theanti-staticfibresmarket is segmented as polyester, acrylic, metaramide, polyamide and polypropylene. Anti-staticfibresare used in a wide range of industrial, chemical, metallurgical, mineral and agricultural applications, where the process and dust tend to build static and where a potential ignition source is present. As of 2013, chemical and textile industries are predominant consumers in global anti-static fibres market and is estimated to maintain its dominance by 2020.Cleanroom clothing fabrics, protective apparel and work wear clothing are few other additional uses.Use of anti-static fibres provides a safer and more comfortable work environment than synthetic products, particularly in applications where static electricity is of particular concern, such as aircraft carpets, buildings with sensitive electronic equipment, fuel transfer facilities, etc.The global anti-static fibres market continues to grow significantly due to growth in end user industry such as packaging and clothing. The global market for anti-static fibres is estimated to grow twofold by value, with a higher CAGR during the forecast period. In addition to this, rising consumption from emerging markets of India and China of Asia Pacific region is set to drive market growth, as there is more demand for lighter and high strength materials. However, availability of substitutes, government regulations and volatile raw material prices are major restraints for anti-static fibres market, as oil and gas industry are major raw material supplier for this market.Regional Outlook on Anti-Static Fibres MarketAsia Pacific is the predominant anti-static fibres market followed by Latin America and Europe. India and China are major regional markets for anti-static fibres due to increasing consumption of end user industries. Moreover, Japan, Republic of Korea and Indonesia are other significant major consumers of anti-static fibres in Asia Pacific. Availability of economical workforce in developingeconomies such as South Africa is also attracting global players to set up manufacturing plants and research centres especially for chemical and textiles industries. Anti-static fibres have become more important in recent years with more sales of electronic components and increased demand for specialised packaging film.Visit For TOC@Anti-Static Fibres Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players in the anti-static fibres market are Noble Biomaterials, Inc. W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc., Swicofil, Yantai Tayho Advanced materials Co Ltd, Akrilic Kimya Sanayii AS, Cytec Industries Inc., Tianyu Textile.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Growth Human DNA Quantification Market : 2016 - 2024

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Quantification of human DNA in a test sample will help forensic testing facilities to create DNA profiles successfully. It approves that the test sample consists of adequate human DNA for further biological testing, creates whether it consists of inhibitors, and forecasts the success of the samples STR analyses. There are many manufacturing companys quantification assays which provide compassion, speed, and accuracy in the critical step of human identification and forensic testing.A Sample of this Report is Available Upon Request @The DNA quantification assay contains two 5 nuclease assays, one among them is a target-specific human DNA assay and the other is an internal PCR control assay. The TSA for human DNA quantification comprises of two 5 primers, a forward and reverse primer, and one TaqMan minor groove binder probe. The probe end of 5 is linked to dye FAM to detect the amplified sequence. VIC dye is replaced in the IPC assay as the reporter dye. The internal PCR control sequence is unreal. The 3 probe end of 3 for both the assays consists the non-fluorescent quencher along with the minor groove binder.The different characteristic regions are as mentioned:Gene Target: Human Telomerase reverse transcriptase gene (hTERT)Location: 5p15.33Amplicon Length: 62 basesRegion Amplified: Nontranslated region (intron)Single-copy diploid targetDegraded, inhibited, or varied DNA models are communal in forensic casework and other human testing applications. Those models can generate difficulties in STR analysis. Before quantification of the DNA with the use of real-time PCR which decreases the necessity of repeated downstream analyses. This significantly eases the costs and time, thus advances the statistical relevance of results.Human DNA Quantification Market: DynamicsGovernmental agencies support by arranging sufficient funds, speedy industrial quantification method developments, and periodic national meetings and conferences related on how to use the new technologies in DNA outlining. Furthermore, numerous actions are being undertaken by U.S. administrative agencies to expand its national DNA databank, which would fuel the market for human DNA quantification market. Though, price attrition in genomics appliances and facilities is likely to hamper the market growth. Furthermore, the traditional instrumentation for detection of DNA can have a negative impact by technology integration. Apart from this, the established markets of the U.S. and Canada, and Europe, there exists strict government policies over the initiation of Human DNA Quantification policies. The approval procedure and introduction of new technical advancements in DNA sequencing are getting tougher for the manufacturing companies due to strict government regulations.North America to emerge as the dominated region market for DNA quantification market due to increasing necessity to decrease time and cost of DNA examination. DNA quantification is an essential tool for public need, as it contribute to disease exposure and treatment response. The recent advantage for DNA quantification is its ability to distinguish a male donor in the presence of large excess of female DNA in combination models makes it a useful tool for the analysis of sexual assault cases. Among all the major regions North America dominates the DNA quantification market being the U.S. booming the major share of the market, followed by Asia is composed to grow at a normal pace when compared to North America, due to funds provided by other nations to enhance the forensic and DNA outlining services. To the other side, dynamics such as occurrence of huge series of natural adversities and cognizance through forensics and DNA outlining related sessions are likely to deliver required incentive for the growth of this market.Human DNA Quantification Market: Market PlayersSome key players in the muscle stimulator market are Agilent Technologies, Bode Technology, GE Healthcare, Illumina, LGC Forensics, Orchid Cellmark, Inc, Promega Corporation, QIAGEN N.V, and Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.Request to View Tables of Content @Larger companies with the business units in the human DNA quantification market are now concentrating on collaboration and partnerships with local manufacturers and suppliers so to tap into an untapped markets. The companies are also trying to launch new products into the market in order to materialized their brand and expand their customer base.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a U.S.-based full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated re-search, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Con-sumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMRs en-gagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.ContactPersistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com
Hospital Beds Market driven by Increasing number of hospitalization cases

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Global Hospital Beds Market: OverviewBeds are among the most essential equipment required in a hospital, as patients are generally not in mobile condition to receive the treatment, and rest is often necessary for them. For the critical conditions that patients are admitted into the hospital, beds are required to be designed in such a manner that provides ideal support and comfort. With growing prevalence of several diseases, the healthcare industry is at an all-time peak and consequently, the global hospital beds market is projected for a healthy growth rate during the forecast period of 2016 to 2024.This report on global market for hospital beds is an in-depth examination of all the factors that are expected to impact the growth rate in the near future, and presents estimations on the future state of the market until 2024. The report is a summation of interviews and discussions with a wide range of key industry participants and opinion leaders. Some of the key players have also been profiled in the report, exploring their market share, product range, regional presence, and recent strategic developments such as mergers, collaborations, acquisitions, and other announcements.Read Full Report:The global hospital beds can be segmented on the basis of type, treatment, power, and geography. By type, the market can be divided into general beds, pediatric beds, pressure relief beds, bariatric beds, and birthing beds. By treatment, the market can be categorized into acute care beds, long term care beds, and critical care beds. By power, the market can be segmented into electric beds, manual beds, and semi-electric beds. Geographically, the report studies the opportunities available in the regions of North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and Rest of the World.Global Hospital Beds Market: Trends and OpportunitiesRising geriatric population is one of the prominent factors of this market, as the people aged over 65 generally suffer from several diseases such as arthritis, heart disease, respiratory diseases, Alzheimers diseases, osteoporosis, and diabetes. According to the National Institute on Aging, global geriatric population will rise to 1.5 billion, which makes for a strong demand for hospital beds. Increasing number of hospitalization cases and technological advancements in the field, and improving healthcare infrastructure in emerging economies are other important factors positively influencing the market. According to the report, rising demand for advanced and selective features of hospital beds is a trend that urges investment in research and development of advanced beds. Conversely, high cost of these beds is seen as the primary restraint over the growth rate of the global hospitals beds market.Global Hospital Beds Market: Region-wise OutlookEurope is expected to remain most lucrative regional market during the forecast period, which is a reflection of increasing expenditure in Europes medical industry and healthcare organizations. North America forms the second most profitable region due to robust healthcare infrastructure, whereas Asia Pacific is projected for most robust growth rate, which is a result of vast population base and improving healthcare infrastructure in the emerging economies such as India, China, Japan, Australia, and South Korea.Download exclusive Sample of this report:Companies mentioned in the research reportParamount Bed Co. Ltd., Getinge Group, LINET spol. s r.o., ArjoHuntleigh, Stryker, Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc., Invacare Corporation, and Medline Industries, Inc. are some of the key players currently operational in the global hospital beds market. Most of these companies have sub-divisional production units in order to meet the demand coming from medical establishments that are replacing their outdated hospital beds with the advanced ones.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a U.S.-based provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMRs global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others. Each TMR research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendations.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Cloud Security Market Estimated to Grow at a CAGR of 17% from 2016 to 2022

Cloud Security Market

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Synopsis of Cloud Security MarketMarket Forecast:Market Research Future published a half cooked research report on Cloud Security Market that contains information from 2015 to 2022. Cloud Security Market is expected to grow at CAGR of ~17% from 2016 to 2022 and expected to reach market size of USD ~13 billion by the end of 2022.Market HighlightsThe Cloud Security Market is growing with its capability of costs saving for businesses, incurred for purchase of software and its license for individual employees. The Cloud Security Market is gaining importance with the increasing use of the internet of things devices which enables connectivity in vehicles and buildings for collection and exchange of data. The increasing cyber-attacks at the business place, government institutes and educational institutes are also driving the Cloud Security Market.With the increasing number of mobile devices at the workplace there is a need to provide private access to information to a large number of employees. This connectivity of personal mobile phones at workplace for accessing the confidential data requires higher security of data on cloud. So, the concept of bring your own device at the workplace is contributing to the growth of Cloud Security Market. Cloud security is also helpful in minimizing the business risks caused by use of e-mails and web at the workplace such as hacking of devices at workplace and availing the confidential data of any business. The companies are concerned to prevent their business data and personal data of employees from loss or from threat of cyber-attack and therefore in need to adopt security solutions for the company. The increasing need of cyber security among various industries such as healthcare, retail, IT & telecom and others to prevent their data from losses and securing their e-mail is driving the Cloud Security Market.Request a Sample Copy of Report @Key Players:The prominent players in the market of Cloud Security Market are  Cisco Systems, Inc. (U.S.), International Business Machines Corporation (U.S.), Symantec Corporation (U.S.), Trend Micro Inc. (Japan), CA Technologies (U.S.), Microsoft Corporation (U.S.), Okta, Inc. (U.S.), Cloud Passage company (U.S.), Intel Corporation(U.S.) and Fortinet, Inc. (U.S.) among others.Cloud Security Market SegmentationThe Global Cloud Security Market has been segmented on the basis of deployment, types, end users and application. The deployment can be segmented as public, private and hybrid among others. Types include virtualization security, network security, cloud database security, e-mail & web security and data loss prevention among others. Industry includes small and medium enterprises and large enterprises among others. End-users comprises of retail, healthcare, IT & telecom, BFSI and government utility among others.Access Report Details @Market Research Analysis:Market Research Future Analysis shows that the virtualization security is the most useful type of cloud security. Virtualization security is a characteristic of cloud which helps to hide the technological complexities from the user and enables flexibility of cloud according to the need of end user enterprises. The virtualization security in not a compulsory component of the cloud security system, however, if it is implemented by organizations it supports effective and efficient utilization of cloud security system. Virtualization permits the cloud user to run multiple operating systems on the same hardware platform. This makes it cost effective as it provides dedicated operating system to services.Geographically, North America is expected to dominate the Cloud Security Market as it has highly trained professionals with strong technical knowledge to work on cloud computing and dealing with the security issues concerned with the employment of on-cloud database. The cloud security is gaining importance in Europe region with the deployment of unsafe cloud communication technologies in the region. An unsafe cloud communication technology generate more risk for the database of the company, and generates need for company to adopt the cloud security services. In Asia pacific region, the organizations are deploying private cloud solutions for the storage of their confidential data. This increased use of private cloud solutions is driving the need for cloud security in the region.Make an Enquiry for Report @About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members.Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
Current and Projected Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) Market size in terms of volume and value 2014-2020

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Static random access memory (SRAM) is a type of semiconductor memory. It uses bistable latching circuitry for storing bits. It is static in nature i.e. the data bits are stored till the power is supplied. The SRAMs are comparatively more expensive than DRAMs, thus are mostly used in the applications where high efficiency and performance is needed. Some characteristics such as bandwidth, power efficiency make SRAMs ideal for the electronic appliances such as cell phones, digital cameras and electronics user interfaces. Some of the general uses of SRAMs are workstations, computers, routers and other peripheral equipments such as CPU (central processing unit) caches, CPU register files, router buffers and hard disk buffers, among others. Printers and LCD (liquid crystal display) screens also use SRAM to save the preview of the image printed or displayed.Emerging high performance network applications, increasing demand and applications of the embedded SRAMs, and increasing demand for faster cache memories are some of the factors responsible for the growth of SRAM market. Faster switching time, power efficiency and high endurance as compared to traditional RAM, effective replacement for the traditional memory technology and increasing application base are some of the driving factors for the SRAM market. However, its larger cell size (up to six transistors for a single bit) makes it impractical for applications requiring large memory. Further, high cost incurred in designing and low stability in harsh condition is some other challenges to the growth of SRAM market. Neural networks and flexible electronics are emerging opportunities in SRAM market. The market for cellular RAM is increasing at growing rapidly and use and application of SRAM in cellular devices is expected to boost the market in coming time. Flash memory market can be replaced by SRAMs in upcoming years and players have opportunity in this filed.Request Report Sample@Static random access memory is segmented on the basis of type of flip-flop used, transistor type, features, functions, product types, applications and geography. Binary SRAM and ternary SRAM are the two broad segments of the SRAM market on the basis of flip-flop type. On the basis of transistor type the SRAM market is segmented into bipolar junction transistor and MOSFET (metaloxide semiconductor field-effect transistor).on the basis of features the SRAM market is segmented into ZBT (zero bus turnaround) SRAM, syncBurst SRAM, DDR (double data rate) SRAM and quad data rate SRAM. SRAM market is segmented on the basis of products into, asynchronous SRAM, PSRAM (pseudo SRAM), nVSRAM (non volatile SRAM) and others. On the basis of end-use application SRAM market is segmented into communication industry, computer /IT sector, consumer electronics industry and automotive sector, among others. China, Taiwan, Singapore, India and Malaysia are some of the countries holding huge potential for SRAM market.Visit For TOC@Some of the key vendors in static random access memory (SRAM) are Micron Technology, Inc., Integrated Silicon Solution, Inc., Powerchip Technology Corporation, Integrated Device Technology, Inc. Cypress Semiconductor, Everspin Technologies, Inc., Intel Corporation, Sony Corporation, Samsung Semiconductor, STMicroelectronics N.V., GSI Technology and Integrated Device Technology, Inc among others.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comPress: press@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Worldwide Analysis on Automotive Piston System Market Strategies and Forecasts, 2015 to 2025

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The increasing demand for automobile, especially in emerging economies, is expected to drive the global Automotive Piston Systems Market in the coming decade. As a piston is an essential part of an internal combustion engine, the demand for pistons is directly coupled with the automobile production. Owing to the continuous developments, the automobile sector is witnessing increased demand for lightweight pistons, which is expected to result in push for the global automotive piston system market.A piston is a key component of automobile internal combustion engine, which reciprocates within the cylinder, delivering energy to the crankshaft after each power stroke during an engine cycle.Automotive Piston System Market: Drivers & ConstraintsThe global automotive piston system market is expected to grow on account of increasing sales of automobiles across various segments such as two wheelers, four wheeler, and other automobile segments. With increasing demand for automobiles, especially two wheeler segment in emerging economies such as India, demand for pistons is expected to increase further thereby positively impacting the global automotive piston system market.Request For Report Sample@Furthermore, the two wheelers is increasingly moving towards double cylinder engines as opposed to conventional single cylinder engines, particularly in the high end bikes segment. A double engine cylinder requires two pistons as compared to a single cylinder, wherein only one piston is used, hence with increasing production of high end bikes, the global automotive piston system market is expected to grow as well. Demand for passenger car, light & heavy commercial vehicle is also expected to contribute towards the growth in global automotive piston system market in coming years.Additionally, due to burgeoning fuel costs across the globe, the automobile industry is in continuous phase of research & development in order to increase fuel efficiency. The global automotive piston system market is hence witnessing an increased demand for light weight pistons across the globe.One of the key constraints for the global automotive piston market can be attributed to the increasing penetration of electric vehicles, which do not use pistons. Yet another constraint in the global automotive piston system market is the downsizing of engines in order to reduce weight and fuel increase efficiency. Using technologies such as turbocharger, automobile manufacturers have been able to downsize engines by reducing number of cylinders, without compromising on power of the engine.Automotive Piston System Market: SegmentationThe automotive piston system market has been segmented on the basis of types of vehicle such as two wheelers, passenger cars, light commercial vehicles, and heavy commercial vehicles. On the basis of piston material, the market has been segment as aluminium & steel piston. Increasing demand for lightweight aluminium piston is expected to have a positive impact on the global automotive piston system market in coming years.In terms of geography, the global automotive piston system has been divided in to seven key regions including North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia-Pacific excluding Japan, Middle East & Africa and Japan. Within these regions, the Asia-Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) and Japan can be attributed as the largest contributing regions towards the global automotive piston system market, in terms of volume. The North American region is follows the aforementioned regions in the global automotive piston system market.Visit For TOC@Automotive Piston System Market: Key PlayersThe global automotive piston system witnesses key players such as Rheinmetall AG, Aisin-Seiki Co. Ltd., Mahle GmbH, Federal-Mogul Corporation, and Hitachi Ltd.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Aptamers Market: Nucleic acid aptamers are anticipated to present an opportunity worth US$3.3 bn by 2019

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Aptamers Market: SnapshotAptamers offer immense potential for the development of unique applications in the field of fundamental research, drug selection, clinical diagnosis, and therapies. They have gained worldwide preference over antibodies owing to the formers key benefits  greater binding affinity, high specificity, and the ability to not destroy neighboring cells. The major factors driving the aptamers market is growing interest of research scientists in the field of aptamer technology and increasing support from private organizations. On the flip side, lack of knowledge about this technology results in low acceptance. Moreover, ethical issues and inadequate regulatory policies related to aptamer technology threaten to impede the growth of this market.The worldwide market for aptamers is slated to exhibit an impressive CAGR of 73.1% during the course of the forecast period, rising to a value of US$4.3 bn by 2019.Read Full Report:Growing Application of Aptamers in TherapeuticsAccounting for the leading share by type, nucleic acid aptamers are anticipated to present an opportunity worth US$3.3 bn by 2019, developing at an astounding CAGR of 73.4% during the forecast period. Nucleic acid aptamers have been gaining much traction as a substitute for protein-based targeting approaches. This segment is also projected to be driven by a rising number of leading players collaborating with various organizations and research institutes in order to develop customized nucleic acid aptamers. The introduction of novel selection processes and advanced technology-based aptamers.On the basis of application, therapeutics is slated to enjoy the dominant share in the aptamers market, registering a strong CAGR of 80.3% during the forecast period to amount to an estimated US$1.4 bn by 2019. The use of aptamers has revolutionized the field of therapeutic development and a number of companies are working toward developing different aptamers for the treatment of a variety of diseases. This is a key factor boosting the uptake of aptamers in therapeutics. Other applications of aptamers include diagnostics and research.Consistent Collaborations and Investments in R&D to Lend Asia Pacific a Helping HandThe global market for aptamers is segmented on the basis of geography into Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World. At the start of the forecast period, North America accounted for more than two-fifth of the overall aptamers market, driven by the strong presence of established companies and growing investments made by them in the field. Europe followed suit, powered by the rising usage of aptamer technologies by small-scale industries. Growth of the aptamers market in this region can also be attributed to consistent efforts and collaborations by players in order to enter the market.Download exclusive Sample of this report:Asia Pacific is projected to witness strong growth by 2019 thanks to impressive investments in R&D, backed by encouraging policies by various governments for the expansion of the pharmaceutical sector. The growing incidence of chronic disorders, such as Alzheimers and HIV/AIDS, in APAC has upped the demand for novel therapeutics, which in turn drives the demand for aptamers. Brimming with opportunities in pharmaceutical and diagnostics, the aptamers market in Asia Pacific is sure to attract a lot of attention in the years to come as key players continue to expand and increase product distribution in China, India, and other lucrative countries.Some of the prominent companies competing in the global aptamers market are Base Pair Biotechnologies, Inc., Vivonics, Inc., SomaLogic Inc., Aptagen, LLC, Aptus Biotech S.L., NeoVentures Biotechnology, Aptamer Solutions Ltd, TriLink BioTechnologies, Inc., AM Biotechnologies, LLC, and Aptamer Sciences, Inc. There is a high degree of rivalry among the key players and this has brought about a surge in investments for the development of novel aptamers.Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a U.S.-based provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMRs global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others. Each TMR research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendations.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Global Wealth Management Market to grow at a rapid CAGR of nearly 10% by 2019

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Albany, NY, FEB 21, 2017: This industry research report covers the growth prospects of the global wealth management market with segmentations based on the geography (North America, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa). It also includes an insightful analysis of the leading vendors in this market such as BlackRock, UBS, Allianz, Vanguard Group, State Street Global Advisors, PIMCO, Fidelity Investments, AXA, and Credit Suisse.The global wealth management market to grow at a rapid CAGR of nearly 10% by 2019. The increasing use of SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) services is expected to lead to process automation across the globe, which in turn would facilitate the systematic transfer plan by cutting the costs and risks associated with it. This will help in increasing client protection and the stability of the financial system; thus, leading to market growth.The rising need for customer analytics is the key driver for the growth of this market. Analytics helps to understand the different customer segments and their investment pattern in different asset classes. Since customer analytics is an important tool to understand the relationship-based pricing strategies, their augmented usage during the forecast period will aid in understanding the banking needs of customers.Get a Sample Research PDF with TOC:Geographical segmentation of the global wealth management market- North America- Asia Pacific- Europe- Latin America- Middle East- AfricaIn this market research report, analysts estimate the North American region to be the largest market for wealth management solutions during the forecast period. At present, this region accounts for a market share of nearly 32% and is envisaged to retain its dominating hold over the market by the end of 2019 due to the development of a new client service model by multi-family offices (MFOs).Competitive landscape and key vendorsThis market is highly competitive and fragmented due to the presence of many large firms like Allianz and Vanguard group. The top vendors in this market are trying to leverage the technology so that they can provide customized solutions to the clients. This will help vendors to increase their market revenue generating capacity and will also allow them to gain a competitive edge over their rivals.The leading vendors of the market include -- BlackRock- UBS- Allianz- Vanguard Group- State Street Global Advisors- PIMCO- Fidelity Investments- AXA- Credit SuisseThe other prominent vendors of the market include BNY Mellon, Credit Agricole, Capital Group and Deutsche Asset & Wealth Management.Enquiry at:Key questions answered in the report include- What will the market size and the growth rate be in 2019- What are the key factors driving the global wealth management market- What are the key market trends impacting the growth of the global wealth management market- What are the challenges to market growth- Who are the key vendors in this market space- What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the vendors in the global wealth management market- What are the factors influencing the market shares of the North America, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa- What are the key outcomes of the five forces analysis of the global wealth management marketResearchMoz is the worlds fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives. ResearchMozs service portfolio also includes value-added services such as market research customization, competitive landscaping, and in-depth surveys, delivered by a team of experienced Research Coordinators.Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-621-2074Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn at:
Baby Monitors Market Exhibit a 4.4% CAGR from 2016 to 2024, Expected Rising Valuation to US$ 1,291.8 mn by 2024

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Baby Monitors Market: SnapshotOwing to increasing number of working parents and rise in the number of nuclear families, the demand for baby monitors have increased. In addition, an increase in the number of day care facilities has added on to the increased demand of baby monitors globally. High growth in disposable income in emerging economies and increased propensity to spend on baby care products is also positively impacting the market, especially in developing economies of Asia Pacific and Latin America.Transparency Market Research estimates that the global baby monitors market will exhibit a 4.4% CAGR from 2016 through 2024, rising from a valuation of US$876.8 mn in 2015 to US$ 1,291.8 mn by 2024.Download Research Brochure PDF@Wide Range of Features makes Fixed Video Baby Monitors Most Popular Product VarietyOn the basis of product type, the baby monitors market is examined in the report for product varieties such as audio baby monitors, fixed video baby monitor, and pan and tilt baby monitors. Accounting for over 45% of the global baby monitors market, the segment of fixed video baby monitor dominated the market in terms of revenue in 2015. The trend is expected to continue over the next few years as well. Advanced features of fixed video baby monitors, such as the possibility of real-time sound and video transmission, temperature sensing, talk-back, and heart rate monitoring will aid the future development of the segment over the forecast period.The market for pan and tilt baby monitors is expected to exhibit steady growth owing to their rising popularity among users; these baby monitors offer advantages such as easy rotation of camera to get a perfect view of the babys play area and instant temperature alerts among others. The segment will exhibit a 5.5% CAGR over the period between 2016 through 2024. The segment of audio baby monitors, on the other hand, is expected to exhibit a -0.9% CAGR over the said period. The decline in demand for such baby monitors will stem from their limited set of features. Nevertheless, their economic nature will lead to a steady demand from cost-sensitive buyers.High Per Capita Spending on Baby Care Products Allows North America Market to Retain DominanceGlobally, North America is the largest regional market for baby monitors in terms of revenue, holding over 52.0% in 2015 and this trend is expected to continue over the forecast period as well; however Asia Pacific is the fastest growing baby monitors market. High per-capita spending capacity of consumers, growing awareness related to baby safety and security, and a rise in the number of nuclear families are cumulatively driving the market for baby monitors in North America. In addition to this, technologically advanced infrastructure and greater adoption of the innovative and niche baby care products is expected to create a lucrative market opportunity for baby monitors across North America.In 2015, Europe held the second largest market share for baby monitors, accounting for more than 36% of the total market size. Germany and the U.K. are the leading manufacturers of baby monitors in the region. The advancements in baby monitor technologies have positively impacted the demand for the market in the region. Rising expenditure on baby monitoring devices and increasing private equity investments in the electronic sector are the key factors driving the market for baby monitors in the region.Over the forecast period, Europe will continue to account for a significant share in the global baby monitors market. The market in Asia Pacific, however, will outpace both North America and Europe in terms of growth rate from 2016 to 2024. Expansion of the demand for baby monitors in the region will be as a result of changing lifestyles, increasing awareness among parents related to child care, rising disposable income, and efficient retailing channels.Some of the key vendors operating in the global baby monitors market are Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Angelcare Monitors Inc., Dorel Industries Inc., LOREX Technology Inc., Summer Infant Inc., Sony Corporation, VTech Holdings Ltd., and Koninklijke Philips N.V.Browse Full Report@About Us:-Transparency Market Research is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Contact Us:-Transparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.com
Flight Tracking System Market to register a healthy CAGR for the forecast period, 2015-2025

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Recent times, we have come across many incidents, in which, the air craft had gone missing, and it had not been able to track successfully. In 2014, Malaysian airlines flight MH370 disappeared and the tracking of the plane had become a challenge for the government for months. In last few months, the flight tracking system has improved. Across the globe, airlines are investing in the infrastructure advancements for accommodating number of solutions for flight tracking system.Satellite tracking technology has been in use for tracking aircrafts for more than 20 years. Satellite tracking system gave an ultimate solution to the flight tracking system with an apt size, weight and cost. Satellite services or antennae is integrated with the aircraft, this helps tracking of the flight easy and reliable. For example, company FLYHT has a product called as FLYHTStream tracking system, which requires installation of FLYHTs blue box. This systems provides voice and tracking capabilities for tracking the aircraft successfully.Request For Report Sample@Flight Tracking System Market: Drivers and ChallengesGlobally, the demand for various flight safety and tracking system is growing, especially after a few mishaps. The integration of flight tracking system with the aircraft is fuelling the growth for the global flight tracking system market. International civil aviation organization (ICAO) has recommended to integrate the flight tracking system in the aircraft, due to which, in future, airlines are expected to integrate the flight tracking system in their aircrafts.Though, the importance of the flight tracking system is on the rise in developed economies, the system has low awareness among Asia Pacific countries. There are no stringent regulations pertaining to the integration of flight tracking system, which is inhibiting the growth of global flight tracking system market.Flight Tracking System Market: OverviewThe global flight tracking system market by value is expected to expand at a CAGR of around 7-9% during the forecast period (2015-2025), due to increasing demand for flight safety systems.Flight Tracking System Market: SegmentationThe global flight tracking system market can be segmented by aircraft type and by regionsBased on aircraft type, the global flight tracking system market is segmented as:Passenger FlightCargo AircraftDefence AircraftHelicopterOthersFlight Tracking System Market: Region-wise OutlookThe global flight tracking system market is expectedto register a single-digit CAGR for the forecast period. Depending on geographic regions, global flight tracking system market is segmentedinto seven key regions: North America, South America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia-Pacific, Japan, and Middle East & Africa. In terms of market revenue, North America flight tracking system market is projectedto register a significant CAGR during the forecast period. Growing awareness about flight tracking system, increasing investments by airline companies in aircraft safety, are some of the factors which are fuelling the growth of flight tracking system market in North America. Western Europe and Asia Pacific are also forecast to register a significant growth in the global flight tracking system market.Visit For TOC@Flight Tracking System Market: Key PlayersSome of the key market participants in global flight tracking system market are SkyTrac Systems Ltd, FlightStats, Spidertracks, Blue Sky Network, FLYHT, etc.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Color Masterbatch Market is expected grow at CAGR of 5.88% with market size of USD 7,268.3 Million by 2027

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Market HighlightsGlobal Color Masterbatch market is estimated to witness high demand in near future. According to MRFR analysis, the global color masterbatch market expected to reach USD 7,268.3 million by 2027 expanding with a CAGR of 5.88%. On the basis of type, black masterbatch accounted the largest market value share of 30% in 2015 followed by Standard Color Masterbatch, White Masterbatch, Additive Masterbatch and others. On basis of application, packaging accounted for the largest market share of 34.00% in 2015, with a market value of USD 1,292.0 million and is projected to grow at the highest CAGR of 6.42% during the forecast period.The need for Color Masterbatch is gradually rising owing to factors such as, growing demand from plastic industry, growing demand of lightweight vehicles, increasing demand from APAC region due to rapid industrialization, increasing demand for specialized colors and among others. Color Masterbatch is a new type of polymer materials which is dedicated to pigments and colorants and is also known as preparation of materials or Pigment Preparation.Major Key Players A Schulman Europe, Tosaf Compounds, Polyplast Muller, Polyone Corporation, Hubron, Clariant Masterbatches, Cabot PlasticsRequest a Sample Report @Key Findings: Europe accounted for the largest market share of 35.00% in 2015, with a market value of USD 1,330.0 million and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.91% during the forecast period Black Masterbatch accounted for the largest market share of 30.00% in 2015, with a market value of USD 1,140.0 million and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.60% during the forecast period Packaging accounted for the largest market share of 34.00% in 2015, with a market value of USD 1,292.0 million and is projected to grow at the highest CAGR of 6.42% during the forecast periodColor Masterbatch is basically an intense mixture of additives and pigments. These are mainly formed by compressing into a carrier resin by heating process. After that it is then cooled and cut into a granular shape. Masterbatches are the additives which are either solid or liquid and are majorly used for colouring plastic that is color masterbatch.Taste the market data and market information presented through more than 50 market data tables and figures spread in 142 numbers of pages of the project report. Avail the in-depth table of content TOC & market synopsis on Global Color Masterbatch Market Research Report - Forecast to 2027Target Audience Color Masterbatch producers Traders and distributors Association and government bodies. Application industries Research instituteSegment Analysis:The global color masterbatch market has been segmented into type and application. On the basis of type the market has been divided into white masterbatch, standard color masterbatch, black masterbatch, additive masterbatch and others, whereas the application market has been divided into packaging, automotive, consumer goods and retail, textile and others.Packaging segment is estimated to dominate market with value share of 35% by 2015. The segment is anticipated to retain its dominance over the forecast period accounting for share of XX% in 2027. This can be attributed to growing demand of color masterbatch from plastic industry in global market. Follow by this automotive is the second largest application market.Access Report Details @Reasons to buy This report includes in-depth study analysis of Color Masterbatch market It covers market segmentation by type, by application and by regions. It helps in identifying region-wise major suppliers and understand consumption patterns. The report will provide useful and premium insights that will support in investments of Color Masterbatch and allied companies providing details on the fast-growing segments and regions. In addition, it will provide key findings that will help the companies to improve profitability by using supply chain strategies, cost effectiveness of various products mentioned in the report. The data used in the report is primarily based on primary interviews with the major producing companies and industry experts and supported by authentic industry data from secondary sources.Make an Enquiry @The report gives the clear picture of current market scenario which includes historical and projected market size in terms of value and volume, technological advancement, macro economical and governing factors in the market. The report provides details information and strategies of the top key players in the industry. The report also gives a broad study of the different market segments and regions.Brief TOC1 Report Prologue2 Market Introduction2.1 Definition2.2 Scope of the Study2.3 Research Objective2.4 Assumptions & Limitations2.4.1 Assumptions2.4.2 Limitations2.5 Market Structure3 Research Methodology3.1 Primary Research3.2 Secondary Research4 Market Dynamics......List of TablesTable 1 Growth Drivers: Impact AnalysisTable 2 Restraints: Impact AnalysisTable 3 Global Color Masterbatch Market, By Type, 2014-2027 ($ Million)Table 4 Global Color Masterbatch Market, By Type, 2014-2027 (Tons)Table 5 Global Color Masterbatch Market For White Masterbatch, By Region, 2014-2027 ($Million)Table 6 Global Color Masterbatch Market For White Masterbatch, By Region, 2014-2027 (Tons)Table 7 North America: Color Masterbatch Market For White Masterbatch, By Country, 2014-2027 ($Million)Browse Related ReportPolyethylene market Information by type (high density polyethylene, Low density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene and medium density polyethylene) by application (packaging, construction, consumer goods, pharmaceuticals and others) - Forecast to 2027About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research Future+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
Methyl Tertiary-Butyl Ether (MTBE) Market - Growth Map With An Impact-Analysis By 2016 - 2026

Methyl Tertiary-Butyl Ether Market

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Methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) is one of the leading gasoline additives worldwide. Ease of blending, reasonable pricing, and high octane level make MTBE a key oxygenate and ideal substitute for lead.In terms of volume, the MTBE market in Asia Pacific is projected to expand by 50% from 2016 to 2026. The revenue growth is also expected to remain positive during the same period.However, significant expansions in the region in the next few years are likely to affect the market dynamics in terms of price rise, keeping it minimal during the forecast period.China, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, and Taiwan are some of the prominent producers of MTBE in Asia Pacific, while China, South Korea, Singapore, and Malaysia are among the key consumers of methyl tertiary-butyl ether, especially as a gasoline additive.The MTBE market in Asia Pacific was valued at US$6.7 bn in 2015 and is anticipated to reach US$10.9 bn by 2026, expanding at a CAGR of 4.6% therein.Rising Demand for Gasoline Additives Driving Demand for MTBEMethyl tertiary-butyl ether finds application in gasoline, isobutene production, solvents and extractants, and others such as methyl methacrylate. In 2015, the gasoline segment accounted for the major share in the MTBE market in Asia Pacific, followed by isobutene.View Exclusive Global Strategic Business Report:MTBE is used as an additive (octane booster) in gasoline and petrol. A rise in the demand for oxygenates and octane boosters in Asia Pacific is anticipated to boost the demand for methyl tertiary-butyl ether in the gasoline segment. Rapid growth of the gasoline segment is also attributed to the development of the automotive industry.The production of high purity isobutene is another key application of MTBE. An increase in the demand for isobutene in the production of polyisobutene, butyl rubber, and other downstream products is projected to drive the methyl tertiary-butyl ether market over the next decade. The expansion of the synthetic rubber industry (butyl rubber) is also projected to benefit the MTBE market in the region.China Focused on Domestic Production of MTBE to Retain Lead in APACThe MTBE market in Asia Pacific has been segmented on the basis of region into China, India, and ASEAN. China accounts for a significant share in the MTBE market, followed by ASEAN and India.Gasoline is one of the major applications of methyl tertiary-butyl ether; therefore, a rise in the demand for gasoline in the automotive industry in China is anticipated to propel the demand for MTBE in the country. The China MTBE market is also projected to be augmented by the ongoing expansion of various end-use industries that employ downstream products with MTBE. This market depends majorly on imports from India, the ASEAN sub-region, and several countries in the Middle East such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar. However, of late, existing players in China have been focused on increasing their domestic production to meet the local demand. Untapped local players producing MTBE in small quantities are likely to boost the production of methyl tertiary-butyl ether in China, making the country a key producer in the next few years.Countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand primarily account for the production of MTBE in the ASEAN sub-region of Asia Pacific. A consistent growth in various end-user industries and the easy availability of raw material are key factors responsible for the growth in this market.Major players operating in the MTBE market in Asia Pacific include Reliance Industries Limited, Malaysia Sdn Bhd (Petronas), Petrochemical Corporation of Singapore, ExxonMobil Chemical Company (Singapore), Indian Oil Corporation Limited, Bangkok Synthetics Co., Ltd. (Thailand), Pertamina (Thailand), Sinopec Jinling and Wanhua Chemical Group Co Ltd, and Bharat Petroleum.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMR's experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Contact Us:-Transparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Biosimilars Market Worth USD 58.40 Billion by 2022

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According to the new market research report, "Biosimilars Market, by Product Types (Recombinant Non-Glycosylated Proteins, Recombinant Glycosylated Proteins, and Recombinant Peptides), Application (Oncology, Blood Disorders, Infectious Diseases, Autoimmune Diseases, and Others) - Global Revenue, Trends, Growth, Share, Size and Forecast to 2022", published by Scalar Market Research, the global biosimilars market is expected to grow from USD 3 billion in 2016 and reach USD 58.40 billion by 2022, growing at an estimated CAGR 52.77%, during the forecast period.The global biosimilars market report offers in-depth analysis of the market size (revenue), market share, major market segments, different geographic regions, key players, premium trends and forecast to 2022. It also focuses on the key drivers and opportunities in this market.Request Sample:Early buyers can expect to receive 10% customization on this report.Key findings of the report:1. The rising demand and awareness towards the applications of biosimilars are considered as one of the major driving factors for the biosimilars market, during the forecast period.2. The majority of the top market players are investing in the biosimilars market, creating strong growth opportunities for the market in the near future.3. The biosimilars are considered as one of the most promising options for the treatment of various chronic diseases. The rising instances of various diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases are also expected to drive the demand in the biosimilars market.Oncology is the fastest growing market in the application segmentOncology was the largest application segment of the biosimilars market in 2015. According to the report, oncology is expected to remain the fastest growing application segment, due to the rise in the aging population, the increased prevalence of cancer, and the rising number of patients with the hospital-acquired diseases.Browse Report & Table of Content:North America: Anticipated to dominate the biosimilars marketThe North America region is expected to dominate the global biosimilars market based on the total market share, due to the rising demand for the biosimilars products. The Europe region is also considered to be the potential market for biosimilars, due to the impressive growth in the research and development activities in the region.The key players highlighted in the biosimilars market report include:1. Actavis2. Amgen3. Biocon Ltd.4. Cipla Ltd.5. Hospira, Inc.6. Sandoz Pharma7. Stada Arzneimittel AG8. Wockhardt Ltd.9. OthersBrowse Related Reports:Prescription Pharmaceuticals Market, by Therapeutic Segments (Cardiovascular Disorders, Inflammatory Conditions, Metabolic Disorders, Oncology, Respiratory Disorders, Others), Formulations (Capsules, Inhalants, Parenterals, Tablets, Topicals) - Global Revenue, Trends, Growth, Share, Size and Forecast to 2020Stem Cell Therapy Market, by Treatments (Allogeneic Stem Cell Therapy and Autologous Stem Cell Therapy), Applications (Central Nervous System Diseases, Eye Diseases, Musculoskeletal Diseases, Wound & Injuries, Metabolic Disorders, Cardiovascular Disorders, Gastrointestinal Disorders and Immune System Disorders), End-users (Hospitals and Ambulatory Surgical Centers) - Global Revenue, Trends, Growth, Share, Size and Forecast to 2022About Scalar Market ResearchScalar Market Research, Inc., a U.S.-based market research and consulting firm, assists organizations from around the world to achieve their business goal with premium market research reports and consulting services. Our real-time industry tracking with the help of advanced analytics offers a crystal clear view of all the activities in niche markets. Our team, with thorough global understanding, works relentlessly to gather the necessary market insights, including customer analysis, competitions and global forecast.Find out more about our services at:Contact:Moses Nakka8770 W Bryn Mawr Ave.,Suite 1300Chicago, IL 60631Tel.: +1-800-213-5170 (U.S./Canada Toll-free)Email: sales@scalarmarketresearch.comFollow us on LinkedIn:
Why America Caters the Largest Market For Global Intravenous Iron and Oral Iron Market?

Intravenous Iron and Oral Iron Drug Market in the Americas 2015?2021 (US$ million)

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Intravenous Iron and Oral Iron supplements are recommended to maintain the iron level in the body. In some cases, oral administrations are not capable of maintaining the iron level in the body, which brings the intravenous iron therapy into the play.According to the latest report released by Beige Market Intelligence on Global Intravenous (IV) Iron and Oral Iron Market  Strategic Assessment and Forecast Till 2021, the global intravenous iron and oral iron market is expected to cross US$ 3 billion by 2021, growing at an impressive CAGR close to 5%. The report which provides a detailed study of the intravenous iron and oral iron market trends, drivers and challenges has outlined the key geographies that are going to propel the market size of intravenous iron and oral iron.The major regions such as America, EMEA, APAC are going to witness a huge growth of intravenous iron and oral iron use. But the America region is going to witness a huge growth in the intravenous iron and oral iron market.Intravenous Iron and Oral Iron Drug Market in the AmericasThe Americas accounted for the largest market share of ~46% in 2015, and the region is expected to dominate the market during the forecast period. The key regions contributing the most revenue in this region are US, Canada, & Brazil.To Order a Free Sample Of Intravenous Iron And Oral Iron Report, Click Here:ESRD in the USAccording to the University of California, more than 650,000 patients in the US are affected by ESRD every year. It is estimated that 1% of the Medicare population in the US is living with ESRD; however, it is growing at a rate of 5% per year in the country. Thus, the rise in the population with ESRD in the US is likely to drive the demand for iron drugs.Kidney Dialysis in the USAccording to the University of Michigan, the demand for kidney dialysis is expected to rise in the US with the growing elderly population and the rise in prevalence of chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart diseases. As patients undergoing dialysis are required to be given iron supplements, the increase in kidney dialysis is expected to grow the demand for iron treatments.The intravenous iron and oral iron drug market in the US is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.9% during the forecast period 20152021.ESKD in CanadaThe number of Canadians with ESKD disease has increased steadily in last 10 years. The number of Canadians with diabetes (number 1 cause of ESKD) increased by 60% as of 2013. As patients with ESKD and patients requiring dialysis treatment require external intake of iron supplements, the demand for intravenous iron and oral iron in Canada can be expected to increase.Brazil is among the top five countries in the world where a majority of the patients with kidney failures are treated. The number of patients with ESRD has rapidly increased worldwide. During 2008 to 2013, there was a 25% increase in the absolute number of hemodialysis sessions (10,022,962; 12,561,623) as per International Society of Nephrology (ISN). The increase in number of patients with ESRD and the growing demand for dialysis are likely to drive the market for oral and intravenous iron drug in Brazil.View The Intravenous Iron and Oral Iron Report Abstract:Source Link:About Beige Market IntelligenceBeige Market Intelligence is new-age provider of competitive business intelligence, working across various industry verticals. Our expertise and knowledge ensures that the market analysis Beige provides is comprehensive, detailed and complete. Beige Market Intelligence is a quality driven high end Market Research organization. Our team of experts ensure the analysis you receive is not just analysed and smartly presented, but is completely customized based on the clients requirement. Our deliverables guarantee our current global client base does not look beyond Beige when it comes to any kind of industry and market analysis.Contact Detail:Beige Market IntelligenceChinnapannahalli Main Road, Bangalore 560037contactus@beigemarketintelligence.comUS: +1 347 903 9949UK: +44 20 323 99499APAC: +91 99 012 75473
Vial Adaptors for Reconstitution Drug Market - Trends And Opportunities For The Industry By 2024

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Global Vial Adaptors for Reconstitution Drug Market: SnapshotThe global market for vial adaptors for reconstitution drugs has been experiencing a steady demand as these vial adaptors have come to be the safest solutions for quick transfer for drugs between vials. The demand for these vial adaptors is also expected to shoot up as they are exceptionally cost-effective and come with a reduced the risk of needlestick injuries. The growing prevalence of infectious diseases, widening pool of geriatrics, and increasing safety concerns have all triggered a demand for vial adaptors for reconstitution drugs. According to the research report, the global vial adaptors for reconstitution drug market was valued at US$780 mn in 2015 and is expected to reach US$1.3 bn by the end of 2024. Between the forecast years of 2016 and 2024, the global market is expected to progress at a CAGR of 7.5%.Get the PDF containing Upcoming Market Analysis of Vial Adaptors for Reconstitution Drug at:Autoimmune Diseases to Drive Global Vial Adaptors for Reconstitution Drug MarketOn the basis of therapeutic area, the vial adaptors for reconstitution drug market has been segmented into autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, metabolic conditions, reproductive health and others. Currently, the infectious diseases segment holds a major share in the global vial adaptors for reconstitution drug therapeutic area segment. However, the autoimmune diseases segment is expected to show robust growth rate in the coming years. As of 2015, it was the second largest segment in the overall market in terms of revenue. The American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA) states that more than 50 million individuals are affected by autoimmune disorders in the U.S. every year. This is expected to drive the autoimmune diseases segment in the coming years.North America to Remain the Leading Regional Market during Forecast PeriodIn terms of geography, the global market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World. Out of these regional markets, North America remained dominant in the global vial adaptors for reconstitution drug market in 2015. Europe followed this lead closely. The high incidence of autoimmune diseases, rising technological advancements, and growing demand for needle-free products likely to support the growth of the vial adaptors for reconstitution drug market in North America. On the other hand, the demand in Europe will be fueled by increasing advancements in healthcare technology amidst rising safety concerns.Analysts estimate that Asia Pacific is also likely to be a lucrative market for the vial adaptors for reconstitution drugs during the forecast period. The growing adoption of technology, high prevalence of autoimmune diseases such as diabetes, and increasing adoption of technology are all expected to make a significant contribution to the soaring vial adaptors for reconstitution drug market in Asia Pacific. This regional market will also be propelled by the swelling pool of geriatrics, who are prone to various medical conditions and a vast pool of unmet medical needs. The strengthening economies of Asia Pacific and improving access to healthcare in the region are also likely to augment the demand for vial adaptors for reconstitution drugs.Read the Current Market Analysis of Vial Adaptors for Reconstitution Drug at:The key players operating in the global vial adaptors for reconstitution drug market are Baxter International Inc., Becton, Dickinson and Company, Cardinal Health, Inc., Sensile Medical AG, Unilife Corporation and West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. The market is largely consolidated as major players hold a dominating share.Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Global Chlorogenic Acid Market by Manufacturers, Countries, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022

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The global market size of chlorogenic acid was 122.16 million USD in 2015 and is expected to reach USD 143.50 million USD by 2021, at a CAGR of 3.27% between 2016 and 2021.The growing manufacturing sector in all regions is expected to generate demand and drive the chlorogenic acid market during the forecast period. This report focus on the data of chlorogenic acid used for chemical application.Download Sample Report @Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Chlorogenic Acid in Global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversNaturexEURMED SAApplied Food SciencesSabinsa CorporationNanjing ZelangZhejiang SkyherbIndfragCymbio Pharma Pvt. Ltd.Changsha E.K. HERB Co., LtdNulant ChemChangsha StaherbHaoxuan BioFlavour TroveChenguang BiotechMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Type, coversHoneysuckleEucommiaGreen Coffee BeanOthersMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoSupplementsPharmaceuticalsCosmeticsThere are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Chlorogenic Acid market.Chapter 1, to describe Chlorogenic Acid Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Chlorogenic Acid, with sales, revenue, and price of Chlorogenic Acid, in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the global market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Chlorogenic Acid, for each region, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, to analyze the key regions, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 10 and 11, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 12, Chlorogenic Acid market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Chlorogenic Acid sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data sourceComplete Report Details @Table of Contents1 Market Overview1.1 Chlorogenic Acid Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 Honeysuckle1.2.2 Eucommia1.2.3 Green Coffee Bean1.2.4 Others1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.3.1 Supplements1.3.2 Pharmaceuticals1.3.3 Cosmetics1.4 Market Analysis by Regions1.4.1 North America (USA, Canada and Mexico)1.4.1.1 USA Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.2 Canada Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.3 Mexico Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2 Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)1.4.2.1 Germany Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.2 France Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.3 UK Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.4 Russia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.5 Italy Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3 Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)1.4.3.1 China Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.2 Japan Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.3 Korea Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.4 India Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.5 Southeast Asia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4 South America, Middle East and Africa1.4.4.1 Brazil Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.2 Egypt Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.3 Saudi Arabia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.4 South Africa Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.5 Nigeria Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5 Market Dynamics1.5.1 Market Opportunities1.5.2 Market Risk1.5.3 Market Driving Force2 Manufacturers Profiles2.1 Naturex2.1.1 Business Overview2.1.2 Chlorogenic Acid Type and Applications2.1.2.1 Type 12.1.2.2 Type 22.1.3 Naturex Chlorogenic Acid Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.2 EURMED SA2.2.1 Business Overview2.2.2 Chlorogenic Acid Type and Applications2.2.2.1 Type 12.2.2.2 Type 22.2.3 EURMED SA Chlorogenic Acid Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.3 Applied Food Sciences2.3.1 Business Overview2.3.2 Chlorogenic Acid Type and Applications2.3.2.1 Type 12.3.2.2 Type 22.3.3 Applied Food Sciences Chlorogenic Acid Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.4 Sabinsa Corporation2.4.1 Business Overview2.4.2 Chlorogenic Acid Type and Applications2.4.2.1 Type 12.4.2.2 Type 22.4.3 Sabinsa Corporation Chlorogenic Acid Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.5 Nanjing Zelang2.5.1 Business Overview2.5.2 Chlorogenic Acid Type and Applications2.5.2.1 Type 12.5.2.2 Type 22.5.3 Nanjing Zelang Chlorogenic Acid Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.6 Zhejiang Skyherb2.6.1 Business Overview2.6.2 Chlorogenic Acid Type and Applications2.6.2.1 Type 12.6.2.2 Type 22.6.3 Zhejiang Skyherb Chlorogenic Acid Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.7 Indfrag2.7.1 Business Overview2.7.2 Chlorogenic Acid Type and Applications2.7.2.1 Type 12.7.2.2 Type 22.7.3 Indfrag Chlorogenic Acid Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.8 Cymbio Pharma Pvt. Ltd.2.8.1 Business Overview2.8.2 Chlorogenic Acid Type and Applications2.8.2.1 Type 12.8.2.2 Type 22.8.3 Cymbio Pharma Pvt. Ltd. Chlorogenic Acid Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)....ContinuedTo Get Discount Of Full Report @For more information, please visitMarket Reports Center is an e-commerce platform obliging the needs of knowledge workers, experts, professionals who are subject to market research information for their work, or to make strategic business decisions. Market Reports Centers team consistently works to update and extend our existing repository of market research reports by partnering with new publishers and adding their studies to our websiteSam Collins303, Astral Court,Aundh, Pune,MH - 411045, Indiainfo@marketreportscenter.com
Ambulance Drone Market, Company Analysis and Forecast to 2024

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Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), also known as drones, are the most exciting topic in discussion today. This new technology is believed to revolutionize various industries by enabling faster delivery, reach, and monitoring (GPS). The U.S. military is already using drones as GPS or surveillance system to track its troops movements and weapon facilities to launch attacks on terrorist organizations. With increasing research and development activities pertaining to drones, the governments and regulatory authorities in various countries are endeavoring to commercialize this new technology. Currently available drones are classified based on the purpose as camera, toy, and racing drones. Drones can be used in food delivery, product delivery, traffic monitoring, rescue operations, army activities, and delivery of goods within a selected area and many such activities.Get Free PDF Research Brochure for more Professional and Technical Insights:Ambulance Drones Market - Multiple Applications in HealthcareDrones hold the potential to transform the delivery of healthcare services. Drones can be especially useful in emergency situations. Applications include dropping of emergency equipment and medicines, conducting search and rescue operations, responding to natural disasters, collection of blood and tissue samples, and reaching out to remote locations for medical help. Drones are already operating in countries such as the U.S., Haiti, and some parts of Europe. Emerging economies are yet to commercialize the technology. Effective implementation of the technology would spur growth of the ambulance drones market.Research in the Ambulance Drones MarketDrones can also find application in ambulance services. Ambulance drone design developed by Argodesign, Texas (U.S.) in 2015 provides a speedy emergency support in rural areas and provides quick medical aid during major traffic accident sites that are otherwise inaccessible by road. These drones are equipped with essential instruments for quick treatment at the site of traffic accidents. These drones are about the size of a compact car and do not need a pilot on location to depart. Due to its small size it can land safely on a street. The vehicle can accommodate one patient and is steered via GPS and controlled remotely.Browse Global Strategic Business Report :Alec Momont, a student at the Technical University of Delft, developed a prototype of a compact drone that has a small storage space in it. The drone was developed to provide essential supplies to the people on spot and also advanced life support. The first drone contained an automated external defibrillator. This small ambulance drone is not affected by the current road infrastructures and can fly at a speed of 60 miles per hour. It transport a defibrillator to a patient within 12 sq. km. zone within a minute. The drone tracks the emergency mobile calls and uses GPS to navigate to the patient site. However, there are certain things such as steering mechanism and legal issues which needs to be cleared off for a smooth transitioning of the ambulance drones market.Ambulance Drones Market plagued with regulatory issuesThere are many legal and infrastructure issues that need to be tackled before full scale commercialization of ambulance drones. Clearance from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), regulatory authorities, medical authorities, and defining the flight levels are essential to prevent any hindrances during flight operations. Extensive tests need to be conducted to provide complete assurance of the safe and efficient operations of all related processes of ambulance drone. Moreover, risks that need to be considered include the loss or damage to any component while in transit and avoidance of collisions between drones. Regulatory and environmental clearance would pave way for rampant growth of the global ambulance drones market.The global ambulance drones market is expected to see its first product being commercialized by 2020. A push up to this new technology would enable for a faster and cheaper method of healthcare emergency service delivery during emergency situations.About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.comVisit Coherent Market Insights Blog @Connect with us on LinkedIn @
Kitchen Appliances Market is Expected to Reach $253.4 Billion, Globally, by 2020

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Kitchen appliances market Report, published by Allied Market Research, forecasts that the global market is expected to garner a revenue of $253.4 billion by 2020, registering a CAGR of 6.4% during the forecast period 2014 - 2020.The growth of the kitchen appliances market is supplemented by rising disposable incomes, changing lifestyles, increasing health concerns and the growing food and services industry. The kitchen appliances market primarily includes refrigerators, cooking appliances, dishwashers and others. The other category includes coffee maker, grinders, kettles and etc. The refrigerator market contributes for a larger market share in the global kitchen appliances market.Access Full Summary of Kitchen Appliances Market at:With respect to user application, the household segment accounted for the larger market share. The market has also been analysed from the perspective of fuel type. The gas appliances accounted for a major part of the kitchen appliances market, followed by electric appliances. The demand for electric appliances market is forecast to grow at a relatively higher rate compared to the gas operated appliances.The market is further segmented in to the structure type, which includes built- in and free stand appliances. Due to the rise in living standards and increase in disposable incomes, the customers are increasingly opting for modular kitchen setup. However, the adoption is less due to the high cost of these appliances.Request for Sample Report at:Geographically, North America is a major contributor in the kitchen appliances market. The developing economies such as China and India would largely contribute to the growth of the market.Key findings of the study: The Global kitchen appliances market is growing at a steady pace due to increasing disposable incomes, the growing food and services industry and the increasing health concerns, during the forecast period (2014 - 2020) Refrigerator market is the major contributor in kitchen appliances market, whereas cooking appliances, is the second leading market segment North America enjoys the biggest share in the global kitchen appliances market. However, Asia-Pacific would prove to be one of the most profitable markets, in terms of growthCompanies like Electrolux, Whirlpool, are coming up with new and innovative appliances that consume less energy and retain the nutrients during food preparation. Companies are adopting product launches, acquisition/ partnership as strategies, in order to expand their reach and gain a bigger market share. The prominent companies profiled in the report include Electrolux, Whirlpool, LG, Dacor, Samsung, Morphy Richard.About UsAllied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions". AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain.We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry.Contact5933 NE Win Sivers Drive#205, Portland, OR 97220United StatesToll Free : +1-800-792-5285UK : + 44-845-528-1300Hong Kong : + 852-301-84916India (Pune) : +91 20 66346060Fax : +1855550-5975help@alliedmarketresearch.com
Global Combustion Gas Analyzer Market by Manufacturers, Countries, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022

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Commercial and industrial gas analyzer that is a valuable tool designed for emissions monitoring and maintenance and tuning of combustion processes including boilers, burners, gas and diesel engines, turbines, furnaces, kilns, heaters, and laboratory analysis.Stationary combustion flue gas analyzers measure the gases flowing out of large industrial boilers and furnaces to improve combustion efficiency.Download Sample Report @Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Combustion Gas Analyzer in Global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversGeneral ElectricAMETEK Process InstrumentsEmerson ElectricDr?gerwerkABB Measurement & AnalyticsTESTOHoneywell InternationalIMR-MesstechnikBacharachTECORAWuhan Cubic OptoelectronicFer StrumentiCodel InternationalKane InternationalKIMOSeitronNova Analytical SystemsAdevENOTECEurotron InstrumentsMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Type, coversPortableStationaryMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoResidentialCommercialIndustrial emissionsThere are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Combustion Gas Analyzer market.Chapter 1, to describe Combustion Gas Analyzer Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Combustion Gas Analyzer, with sales, revenue, and price of Combustion Gas Analyzer, in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the global market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Combustion Gas Analyzer, for each region, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, to analyze the key regions, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 10 and 11, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 12, Combustion Gas Analyzer market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Combustion Gas Analyzer sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data sourceComplete Report Details @Table of Contents1 Market Overview1.1 Combustion Gas Analyzer Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 Portable1.2.2 Stationary1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.3.1 Residential1.3.2 Commercial1.3.3 Industrial emissions1.4 Market Analysis by Regions1.4.1 North America (USA, Canada and Mexico)1.4.1.1 USA Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.2 Canada Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.3 Mexico Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2 Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)1.4.2.1 Germany Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.2 France Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.3 UK Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.4 Russia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2.5 Italy Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3 Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)1.4.3.1 China Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.2 Japan Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.3 Korea Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.4 India Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.3.5 Southeast Asia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4 South America, Middle East and Africa1.4.4.1 Brazil Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.2 Egypt Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.3 Saudi Arabia Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.4 South Africa Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.4.5 Nigeria Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5 Market Dynamics1.5.1 Market Opportunities1.5.2 Market Risk1.5.3 Market Driving Force2 Manufacturers Profiles2.1 General Electric2.1.1 Business Overview2.1.2 Combustion Gas Analyzer Type and Applications2.1.2.1 Type 12.1.2.2 Type 22.1.3 General Electric Combustion Gas Analyzer Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.2 AMETEK Process Instruments2.2.1 Business Overview2.2.2 Combustion Gas Analyzer Type and Applications2.2.2.1 Type 12.2.2.2 Type 22.2.3 AMETEK Process Instruments Combustion Gas Analyzer Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.3 Emerson Electric2.3.1 Business Overview2.3.2 Combustion Gas Analyzer Type and Applications2.3.2.1 Type 12.3.2.2 Type 22.3.3 Emerson Electric Combustion Gas Analyzer Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)....ContinuedTo Get Discount Of Full Report @For more information, please visitMarket Reports Center is an e-commerce platform obliging the needs of knowledge workers, experts, professionals who are subject to market research information for their work, or to make strategic business decisions. Market Reports Centers team consistently works to update and extend our existing repository of market research reports by partnering with new publishers and adding their studies to our websiteSam Collins303, Astral Court,Aundh, Pune,MH - 411045, Indiainfo@marketreportscenter.com
Insulin Resistance Market is Expected to Witness Highest Growth During 2017 - 2022

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Insulin Resistance Market: OverviewDiabetes has become a major concern across the globe owing to its increasing prevalence. Statistics published by World Health Organization (WHO) suggests that over 350 million individuals suffer from diabetes globally. The data also details that more that 80% cases are recorded in low and middle income countries, majority of which are from Asia Pacific, the Middle East and African countries. India accounts for maximum cases of diabetes with more than 30 million cases registered in year 2000. According to Medscape, a healthcare website, in the United States, the prevalence of insulin resistance is over 3%.Get the PDF containing Upcoming Market Analysis of Insulin Resistance at:Insulin resistance is a complication in which body develops resistance to insulin due to its over production. As the sensitivity towards insulin decreases, body produces excess insulin for better absorption of glucose. This conditions leads to development of type 2 diabetes or prediabetes. Prediabetes is a condition in which blood glucose level is higher than the normal level, but not enough for proper diagnosis of diabetes. Although exact cause of insulin resistance is not known, scientists and doctor believe that excess and sedentary lifestyle are main causes for development of the disorder. Major symptoms of insulin resistance are lethargy, hunger, high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, and kidney damage. Insulin resistance diagnosis is difficult and involves combination of tests. Usually hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp test is used to measures the amount of glucose which is necessary to compensate for increased insulin level without causing hypoglycemia. Other tests include glucose tolerance test and fasting insulin level.Insulin Resistance Market: Drivers and RestraintsFew drugs approved by FDA are available in the market for treatment of insulin resistance. Humulin by Lilly LLC, and Novolin and Velosulin by Novo Nordisk, are the major brands in the market. Various off label drugs are also prescribed to suppress the symptoms of insulin resistance. Inadequate clinical information on insulin resistance has restricted the scope of drug development. Although scientists are trying to gain insight for exact cause of insulin resistance, development of drugs may take more time owing to lengthy clinical trials. Diabetes and the consequent insulin resistance being a major concern in most of the countries, government initiatives to motivate research in diabetes is expected to give rise to more research projects for diabetes and insulin resistance. Aging population and increasing obesity prevalence in developing countries is expected to give rise to patients suffering from insulin resistance. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 35% of the U.S. population is obese. In another data published by OECD, more than 50% of the European Union population is overweight or obese. Obesity prevalence rates are on the rise in China, India and Brazil, making more and more population suitable to insulin resistance. China is now the second obese country in the world followed by India. Adoption of sedentary life style due to and reduced physical activities are adding to worries. Various educational institutes are taking serious steps to curb child obesity by increasing physical activities in schools. These factors are expected to increase the prevalence of increase prevalence of insulin resistance in India, China and other countries. Developing healthcare sector, increasing per capita income and increasing awareness about medical treatments will drive the market in these countries. Reimbursement and other government policies governing pricing will also play a major role in determining the future of the market.Read the Current Market Analysis of Insulin Resistance at:Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Nanocellulose Technology Market - Advanced technologies & growth opportunities in global Industry

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Nanocellulose, available in the form of nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC), microfibrillated cellulose (MFC), nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) and bacterial cellulose (BC) are widely used across different verticals including pharmaceuticals, cosmeceuticals, food, paint and paper industry. Its wide acceptability is because of its specific characteristics such as light weight, greater stiffness than Kevlar, non-toxicity, high tensile strength and ability to conduct electricity. Various applications include in the manufacturing of body armor for soldiers, screens, filter and automobile parts. Today, an extensive research is going on all over the world in order to enhance its applicability such as replacement materials for artificial heart valves, artificial ligament and hip joints. In August 2012, Forest Products Laboratory announced to invest USD 1.7 million in production facility for renewable forest based nanomaterials like nanocellulose. In pharmaceuticals, it is used for tablet coating, additives, sustained drug delivery, packaging and as a flavor carrier and suspension stabilizers in formulation process. Use of spray dried nanofibrillated cellulose as filler in tablet compression has improved the flow properties of the commercially available microcrystalline cellulose. Owing to its unique nanostructure and characteristics, nanocellulose has significant applications in manufacturing a variety of medical devices ranging from therapeutic to diagnostic devices.The market for nanocellulose technology is experiencing burgeoning demand across pharmaceutical industry due to its use as excipients in formulation, for coating tablets, printing on hard capsule and for packaging purposes. Ongoing development in drug delivery is also driving the demand for nanucellulose materials; bacterial cellulose obtained from bacteria is considered to exert controlling influence on skin release of a drug. Increasing number of drugs showing poor solubility and bioavailability is also one of the factors creating the demand for nanocellulose.View Comprehensive Analysis of the Report :Other factors driving the market for nanocellulose technology are its low cost, increasing demand for more efficacious drug and substantial amount of ongoing research on nanocellulose to enhance its application spectrum. In developed countries, rapid growth in personalized medicine market fuelling the demand for advanced drug delivery system can also be a factor driving the market. India holding the 3rd rank in terms of pharmaceutical bulk manufacturing represents a potential market for nanocellulose technology.Some of the major companies operating in the market for cellulose technology include Grenoble INP-Pagora, Melodea, Nippon Paper, Polynew, Inc., Verso Paper, SUNY-ESF, Oji Paper, UPM-Kymmene Ltd., US Forest Service Products Laboratory, Stora Enso Ltd., Georgia Tech and Diacel Chemical Ltd.About Us :Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Contact Us :-Transparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Laser Capture Microdissection Market is Anticipated to Show the Robust Growth During 2016 - 2024

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Laser Capture Microdissection Market: OverviewLaser capture microdissection (LCM) technology is a contamination free procedure for obtaining subpopulations of tissue cells under direct microscopic visualization. Furthermore, laser-capture microdissection technology isolates specific cells by dissecting unwanted cells. Laser capture microdissection technology harvests the cells of interest directly to give pure enriched cells. This technology helps in preserving the genuine morphology of the dissected cell or tissue sample. The laser capture microdissection technology by type can be segmented into software, instruments, consumables, and services. Furthermore, the market for laser capture microdissection by system can be segmented into infrared LCM, ultraviolet LCM and Immunofluorescence LCM. In addition, by end users the laser capture microdissection market can be segmented into biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, hospitals and government research institutes among others. Moreover, by application the market can be segmented into research and development and diagnostics among others.Get the PDF containing Upcoming Market Analysis of Laser Capture Microdissection at:The laser capture microdissection market by geography has been segmented into Europe, Asia Pacific, North America and Rest of the World (RoW).Laser Capture Microdissection Market: Trends and OpportunitiesIncreasing expenditure on healthcare along with technological advancement in the field of healthcare is one of the major driving factors for the laser capture microdissection market. Furthermore, increasing information regarding the technical advantages obtained from laser-capture microdissection techniques is fueling the market at the global level. In addition, growing funding and expenditure on research and development activities of companies involved in this market is stimulating the growth of this market. High maintenance and manufacturing cost of accessories and equipment along with lack of expertise professionals in this field is some of the restraining factors which may hinder the growth of this market.Research and development and diagnostics among others are major application areas of laser-capture microdissection technology. Furthermore, government research institutes and hospitals are major end users of this technology. Moreover, ultraviolet LCM and infrared LCM are leading the market globally. Increasing preference of laser-capture microdissection technology in forensic science and molecular biology under the research and development application segment is one of the major driving factors for the market.Laser Capture Microdissection Market: Geographical and Competitive DynamicsWith the increasing technological advancement and growing application of laser-capture microdissection (LCM) technology in pharmaceuticals, hospitals and research and development institutes are fueling the market globally. North America dominated the market for laser-capture microdissection in 2014 and is expected to maintain its position over the forecast period 2015 to 2023. U.S. is the major market across North America. Moreover, with the increasing expenditure on research and development activities of companies dealing in this market along with increasing awareness regarding the technological advancement is driving the market for laser-capture microdissection across Asia Pacific. China, Japan, India, contributes in the positive growth of this market across Asia Pacific. Growing application areas of this technology in the fields such as forensic science, diagnostics and molecular biology are having a positive impact on the growing market for laser-capture microdissection in Rest of the World (RoW).Read the Current Market Analysis of Laser Capture Microdissection at:Some of the key players operating in the laser capture microdissection market are Carl Zeiss AG (Germany), Molecular Machines & Industries (Germany), Ocimum Biosolutions LLC (U.S.), DeNova Sciences Pte. Ltd. (Singapore), Danaher Corporation (U.S.), Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. (U.S.), Indivumed GmbH (Germany), AvanSci Bio, L.L.C. (U.S.), Theranostics Health, Inc.(U.S.) and 3DHISTECH Ltd. (Hungary) among others.Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Transformer Monitoring System Market Fueled By Growing Demand For Smart Grid Initiatives

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Transformer control, monitoring and communication systems help in enhancing system and process reliability with proper implementation and design. The transformer monitoring system helps in improving safety and provides reduction in cost with private power producers and industries. Some of the key advantages of transformer monitoring systems are that it provides all time monitoring of the functioning of the transformer. The usage of the transformer monitoring system is dependent on certain conditions which involve loading conditions, power ratings. Focus of investment into digitization and smart grids are expected to further drive the demand for transformer monitoring systems. Further the transformer monitoring systems provides early intimation in case of a malfunctioning of the transformer. It provides lower risk in expensive power outages, reduced on-site inspection, improving the life of the transformer as the transformer monitoring systems helps in faster reaction time and improves preventive maintenance and better faster reaction in times of failures.Some of the factors which are driving the transformer monitoring systems include growing demand for smart grid initiatives and digitalization of the power utilities. Some of the factors which are restraining the demand for transformer monitoring systems are high cost and low acceptance and awareness of transformer monitoring system. Growing application of offshore wind farms and growth in big data analytics are some of the key opportunity in driving the transformer monitoring system in the near future. Moreover, rise in power cuts in countries across the world has led the rise in demand for transformer monitoring systems market. Manufacturing sector require continuous power supply thus there will be requirement for transformer monitoring systems for better monitoring of the transformers to ensure better management.PDF Sample For Complete Analysis @The transformer monitoring system market by application could be segmented into power transformers, distribution transformers and others. The power transformer segment in the transformer monitoring system market segmented by application led the market in 2015. Strict government regulation for controlling the transmission networks and monitoring is driving the demand for transformer monitoring systems. The transformer monitoring system market by type could be segmented into hardware solution and IT Solutions. Oil and gas monitoring, which is also termed as Dissolved Gas Analysis (DGA), is the most widely used monitoring services for transformers. Thus growing application of transformer monitoring system in the oil and gas industry is driving the demand for transformer monitoring systems. The application of transformer monitoring systems is higher for distribution transformers. Distribution and power transformers are the most important part of electrical power distribution and transmission infrastructure.Geographically the global transformer monitoring systems market could be broadly segmented into North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East and Africa and South America. Asia Pacific held the largest market share in the transfer monitoring system market in 2015. Presence of countries like China and India which focuses a significant share of their investment in smart grids is driving the demand for transformer monitoring systems in Asia Pacific. North America and Europe followed Asia Pacific in the transformer monitoring system market. Growth in usage of transformer monitoring in industrial process is driving the transformer monitoring system market in Europe. Many large scale construction projects are underway in the Middle East which requires large transformers. These transformers require constant monitoring, thus driving the demand for transformer monitoring systems in the region.The key players operating in the global transformer monitoring market includes Eaton Corporation Plc. (Ireland), ABB Ltd. (Switzerland), General Electric (U.S.), Siemens AG (Germany) and Schneider Electric (France). Others key players operating in the transformer monitoring system include BPL Global (U.S.), Advanced Power (Switzerland), Dynamic Rating (U.K), Crompton Greaves (India), Elster Group (Germany), Hyundai Heavy Industries (South Korea), XD Group (China), Mitsubishi Electric Japan and Tebian Electric Apparatus (China).The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Transparency Market Research90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Cocoa Market - Top 10 Trends for 2016-2024

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The trend of premium and indulgent desserts is creating new avenues for players in the global market for cocoa, finds a study by Transparency Market Research (TMR). The report, titled Cocoa Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 20132019, observes that consumers of cocoa are choosing healthier snacks over confectionaries, which in turn is prompting market players to come up with innovative products and gain a stronger position in the market.This TMR report is aimed at providing a cutting edge to existing and new players in the global cocoa market by offering an in-depth analysis of all the factors that are expected to influence the market in the near future. The report projects a healthy CAGR for the global cocoa market during the forecast period of 2013 to 2019.View exclusive Global strategic Business report:Cocoa is a fatty bean of theobroma cacao, which is dried and processed to extract the powder, cocoa butter, cocoa liqueur, cocoa oil, and other solids. The high flavonoid concentration in cocoa makes it highly usable for various purposes. The report observes that although cocoa has been used since centuries, innovative products have resulted in the expansion of the market in recent times.The global market for cocoa is traditionally driven by the expanding demand for chocolate and chocolate coatings across diverse populations. However, the report finds that products such as milk chocolate, drinking chocolate, and dark chocolate are gaining popularity among consumers. The widespread use of cocoa is expected to function as a growth inducer in the market. Conversely, escalating health concerns regarding the high sugar-content in cocoa products is expected to negatively impact the global market during the forecast period.The report finds that the use of certification schemes for sustainability in the cocoa industry is inspiring confidence among the consumers. As a result, several manufacturers are investing in sustainable production methods.The report observes that Asia Pacific is emerging as the most prominent market for cocoa due to the increasing popularity of chocolate products and a vast population. North America forms the second most significant market for cocoa. Although Western Europe is expected to showcase weak progress in the coming years, it is likely to sustain the demand. Dominican Republic, Peru, Mexico, Ecuador, Brazil, and Cameroon are some of the prominent cocoa producing countries.Latest business plans adopted by key players, their product offerings, and market positioning have been identified in this TMR research report. Some of the leading names highlighted in the global cocoa market report are Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate, Kraft Foods Inc., Wilbur Chocolate Company Inc., Belcolade NV, Guan Chong Cocoa Manufacturer Sdn. Bhd., Ferrero S.P.A., Organic Commodity Products Inc., Petra Foods Limited, Dutch Cocoa B.V., Blommer Chocolate Company, Archer Daniels Midland Company, and Delfi Cocoa.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Biscuits Market - What's Next? The Biggest Augmented Reality Trends of 2016-2024

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Global Biscuits Market: OverviewThe market for biscuits is very promising and is expected to witness a continuous growth. Product innovation is continuously changing the dynamics of the market worldwide. New flavors, shapes, taste, and attractive packaging are causing consumers of all age groups to buy biscuits. Players in the global biscuits market are making effective strategies on how to sell biscuits, and in contemplating the kind of packing that will prove to be effective, along with the price strategy. As consumers are increasingly concerned about ingredients and health benefits, manufacturers are maintaining transparency in labeling. The emphasis on low sugar and low calorie content is driving manufacturers in the biscuits market to develop nutritious biscuits with low sugar content.The report on the global biscuits market is an analysis of the changing competitive dynamics. The study offers an unbiased perspective on the growth of industry, by taking into factor different driving and restraining factors. It also takes into consideration the current trends and future opportunities, which are likely to have an impact on the global biscuits market. The report segments the global biscuits market on the basis of key criteria and studies it in an in-depth manner. The competitive landscape has also been discussed in detail. The market share held by the top players and the degree of competition has been analyzed. The buyer and supplier bargaining power and the entry barriers faced by new entrants have also been analyzed.View exclusive Global strategic Business report:Global Biscuits Market: Trends and OpportunitiesThe global biscuits market is driven by rising urbanization, increasing disposable income, demand for convenience foods, and busy lifestyles. The proliferation of supermarkets and hypermarkets has led to an increased visibility of the wide range of biscuits available in the market. In addition to this, promotional strategies employed by marketing team such as television ads are also aiding the growth of the market. Companies are increasingly experimenting with new flavors, new ingredients, and trying out new combinations, to fuel the interest of consumers.Digestive biscuits have become a rage at present and this trend is expected to last for the coming years as consumers are becoming health conscious. The inclination towards high fiber food products will drive manufacturers to include fibrous and other nutritious ingredients in their products. As consumers are showing interest in premium products, manufacturers are introducing organic products, eliminating artificial flavors and preservatives, high fructose corn syrups (HFCS) and other such unhealthy ingredients. Manufacturers are also introducing variety and convenience in terms of servings and sizes. On the other hand, increased competition, high cost of raw materials, and increasing taxes are expected to be factors restraining the global biscuits market.Global Biscuits Market: Region-wise OutlookThe report segments the global oil and gas automation market on the basis of geography, into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Rest of the World. Of these, Europe and North America are leading in the biscuits market. In addition to this, it is estimated that Asia Pacific will emerge as the fastest growing market in the coming years.Key Players Mentioned in the ReportThe report profiles key players operating in the global biscuits market. The business and financial overview of each of the companies and their recent developments have been discussed in the report. Key players studied in the report are: Parle Products Pvt. Ltd. Nestle UK Ltd. Kellogg Company, Britannia Industries Ltd., Burton's Foods Ltd., Lotus Bakeries NV, ITC, Cadbury, United Biscuits, Walkers Shortbread Ltd etc.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Bonding Adhesives Market Owing to Substantial Growth by 2026

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Glass bonding adhesives are formulations primarily used for bonding glass to glass and to other substrates such as plastic, metal, acrylics, etc. Different types of glass bonding adhesives, such as epoxies, silanes or silicones, polyurethanes, acrylates and cyanoacrylates, with the help of UV/LED curing systems are used for glass to glass adhesion, and glass to other adhesion purposes. Glass substrates have high surface energy and can be easily wet; therefore, it is necessary to carry out the process of surface preparation before the application of glass bonding adhesives.A sample of this report is available upon request @Depending on their end-use, different kind of glass bonding adhesives are employed for different applications. For example, acrylate-based glass bonding adhesives are mainly used where rapid bonding of glass and other substrates, such as metal, plastic and rubber is required.Acrylate glass bonding adhesives do not have an elongation as high as polyurethane and modified silanes or silicone adhesives, hence they provide high mechanical strength, which reduces the total material needed. Another advantage of glass bonding adhesives is that they can be applied without primer.Polyurethane-based glass bonding adhesives are used especially in marine and automotive applications. They cannot be used where temperatures continuously exceed 1000?C. Epoxy adhesives find multiple applications in the medical sector where high temperature, environmental or chemical resistance is required. Silicone-based glass bonding adhesives are mainly used in industrial assembly, as they are more durable as compared to other types of glass bonding adhesives.Global Glass Bonding Adhesives Market: DynamicsThe overall development and growth associated with the adhesives and sealants market is expected to augment the growth of global glass bonding adhesives market as well. In terms of end use, the transportation sector comprising automotive, aerospace and marine is expected to drive the usage of glass bonding adhesives across the global market. The growing consumption of cyanoacrylate-based adhesives in particular, owing to their superior performance characteristics, is another factor contributed to the growth of global glass bonding adhesives market. Growing electronics and medical sectors are key opportunities for the global glass bonding adhesives market.Relatively high cost is an important factor restraining growth of the global glass bonding adhesives market. Manufacturers in the glass bonding adhesives market are focusing on improving supply chain in the target region and expanding manufacturing facilities. Companies are also focusing on joint ventures, acquisitions and technology development to gain maximum benefit.Global Glass Bonding Adhesives Market: SegmentationThe global glass bonding adhesives market can be segmented on the basis of ingredient type and end use industries. On the basis of ingredient type, the global glass bonding adhesives market can be segmented into acrylate based, cyanoacrylate based, silane based, polyurethane based, epoxy based and silicone based. On the basis of end use industries, the global glass bonding adhesives market can be segmented into transportation, furniture, electronics, medical & laboratory equipment, industrial equipment/assembly, etc. The transportation segment is further divided into automotive, marine and aerospace.Global Glass Bonding Adhesives Market: Region-Wise OutlookThe global glass bonding adhesives market is segmented into 5 key regions, namely, North America, Latin America, Middle East & Africa, Asia-Pacific and Europe. Asia Pacific is anticipated to remain a key region in the global glass bonding adhesives market throughout the forecast period. North America and Europe are also expected to account for a significant share in the global glass bonding adhesive market. Increase in prominent end use sectors, such as electronics, medical and transportation drive demand for the glass bonding adhesives market all over the world. Asia Pacific and North America are expected to witness relatively high growth in the global glass bonding adhesives market.Request to view Table of content @Examples of some of the key players involved in the manufacturing of glass bonding adhesives include Master Bond Inc. Dymax Corporation, Permabond LLC., Bohle Ltd., The Dow Chemical Company, C.R. Laurence Co., Inc., 3M, Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, Ashland Inc., Kissel + Wolf GmbH, ThreeBond Holdings Co., Ltd., Sika Corporation, H.B. Fuller etc.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Persistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd.305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com
Free Fall Sensor Market -A Burgeoning Geriatric Population Is At The Forefront Of Driving Growth

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Global Free Fall Sensor Market: OverviewIn a free fall, an object falls sans propulsion or control. A free fall sensor that can be installed in any device finds application in detecting their accidental fall. It alerts or monitors the free fall of that object. Free fall detection sensors are used in the healthcare segment primarily for the elderly. They are also used in helicopters and aircrafts to activate emergency response teams in case of a sudden drop in altitude and in elevators too to activate braking systems whenever there is a sudden fall. There are two types of free fall sensors available in the market  the automatic fall detection and manual fall detection.A report by Transparency Market Research throws light on important facets of the global free fall sensor market. It furnishes a qualitative analysis of the growth drivers and restraints in the market and chronicles the prevalent trends in it. The report is a comprehensive collection of historical, current, and projected data about the market. It offers an assessment of where the market stands today and where it is headed.Get A Sample Copy of Report @The report also offers a detailed assessment of the competitive landscape and identifies key players contributing towards the growth of the global free fall sensor market. The companies have been profiled in the report based on key parameters such as business and financial overview, recent developments, product portfolio, and geographical reach. Market-leading analytical tools have also be been leveraged to gauge the opportunities and threats awaiting players.Global Free Fall Sensor Market: Trends and OpportunitiesA burgeoning geriatric population is at the forefront of driving growth in the global market for free fall sensors. The number of elderly needing help is increasing significantly year on year, particularly in Europe and North America. As part of the assisted living program, provided by many healthcare institutes in the two continents, wearable free fall sensors are becoming highly sought after. The wearables also allow institutes to check the vital statistics of an individual depending upon which appropriate medication is administered.Free fall detection systems are also being deployed these days to track if a person has fallen down or not. Additionally, an automated response system can be used in combination with a free fall sensor for optimal results.One factor, countering the growth in the market is the high cost of installing a free fall detection system. Further, they are yet not considered a part of the standard system in many healthcare institutes.A noticeable trend in the global market for free fall sensor is the soaring popularity of automatic fall detection systems. The segment is slated to grow at a cracking pace in the near future.Global Free Fall Sensor Market: Regional OutlookDepending upon geography, North America is a key region in the global market for free fall sensor. This is because of the substantial investment in the domain of technology and the higher spending capacity of people in the region. A growing geriatric population, increasing instances of chronic diseases, and strong penetration of smartphones is slated to drive its market in the near future. The U.S. is the primary growth driver in the North America market.Companies Mentioned in the ReportTo assess the competition prevailing in the global market for free fall sensor, the report profiles companies such as Koninklijke Philips N.V, ADT, Medical Guardian, Bay Alarm Company, LifeWatch MariCare Oy, and MobileHelp.Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Transparency Market Research90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Green Tea Market - The Biggest Trends to Watch out for 2016-2024

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A new market research by Transparency Market Research, titled Green Tea Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2012  2018, presents an in-depth overview of the global green tea market. The study states that the market, which is one of the fastest growing segments of the global tea market, is poised to witness strong growth over the period between 2012 and 2018.The rising awareness about the high antioxidant content of green tea and its vast health benefits is the key to the rising global demand for green tea. The proven effectiveness and preventive properties of green tea against health concerns such as digestive disorders, cancer, and many other chronic health conditions is also boosting the demand for green tea globally. Green tea is also found effective in curing body ache, reducing LDL cholesterol and excess body fat, and reducing the effect of cancer cells.View exclusive Global strategic Business report:Recently, it has started gaining heightened prominence as a weight management product. Global estimates state that nearly 30% of the worlds population today is either obese or overweight. Obesity is expected to also rise at an alarming rate globally in the next few years and the factor is expected to emerge as a key driver of the global green tea market in the next few years.The report gives a detailed overview of the other drivers, the key restraints, and the numerous trends that are impacting the overall development of the global green tea market. For the study, the global green tea market is segmented on the basis of criteria such as type, flavor, and geography.On the basis of type, the market is segmented into iced green tea, green tea bags, and green tea instant mixes. On the basis of flavor, the market is segmented into varieties such as aloe vera, lemon, cinnamon, ginger, vanilla, basil, jasmine, and wild berry.On the basis of geography, the market has been segmented into Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, and Rest of the World. Asia Pacific is the key exporter of green tea, with countries such as China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, being some of the largest producing countries globally. Asia Pacific is also one of the leading consumers of green tea and commands a dominant position in the global green tea market. Developing regions such as North America and Europe are amongst the most promising regions for the green tea market.Some of the leading vendors operating in the market are DSM Nutritional Products, AMORE Pacific Corp, Oregon Chai Inc, Numi Organic Tea, Associated British Foods LLC, Nestle S.A., Northern tea Merchants Ltd., and Tetley GB Ltd.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Carotenoids Market - Here's What's Going to Happen in 2016-2024

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Global Carotenoids Market: OverviewThe global market for carotenoids is likely to witness lucrative growth opportunities, thanks to the growing scope of carotenoids in the medical and healthcare industry, on account of its recently discovered health benefits. Its efficiency in preventing prostate cancer and curing various age-related macular degeneration diseases is anticipated to reflect positively on the growth of this market over the next few years.View exclusive Global strategic Business report :Currently, the rising preference of consumers for natural and organic products and the increasing commercial scope of carotenoids in animal feeds and supplements are acting as the key growth driver of this market. The antioxidative feature of carotenoids makes it more viable medically and is influencing its demand in the healthcare industry substantially. However, the limited number of carotenoids in the market and the lack of research and development in emerging economies may hamper the markets growth to some extent in the near future.The main objective of this market report is to offer a clear picture and a deep insight into the worldwide market for carotenoids, examining its historical performance and present status. The prominent trends, growth drivers, obstructions, challenges, opportunities, and future potential of this market have also been analyzed thoroughly in this research study.Global Carotenoids Market: Trends and OpportunitiesBeta-carotene, canthaxanthin, astaxanthin, and annatto are the main carotenoids commercially available across the world. Among these, the demand for beta-carotene is greater as is closely followed by astaxanthin. With the considerable increase in the number of algae-derived and synthetic beta-carotenes, the competition in this market has intensified and consequently, has led to a reduction in beta-carotene prices.Food, animal feed, cosmetics, supplements, and pharmaceuticals have emerged as the key application areas for carotenoids, globally. Thanks to the high nutritive value of carotenoid and the pigmentation present in it that raises the palatability of the feed and enhance the appearance of fish, meat, and meat products, its usage in animal feed is likely to increase substantially in the near future.Global Carotenoids Market: Geographical AnalysisAmong all the regional markets for carotenoids, Europe has a strong presence due to the growing demand for animal feed and health supplements. A robust cosmetics industry, supported by the presence of the leading cosmetic producers, such as Unilever, L'Oreal, Henkel, and Beiersdorf, is expected to impact the growth of Europe market for carotenoids positively in the near future.On the other hand, Asia Pacific is anticipated to witness lucrative growth opportunities in the near future on account of the increasing utilization of these additives in animal feed and food supplement. The technological advancements, economic rise, industrial growth, and low production costs in several countries, such as Japan, China, and India are also projected to stimulate the Asia Pacific market for carotenoids in the years to come.Companies Mentioned in the Research ReportWith the presence of a large number of players, the global market for carotenoids is demonstrating a highly fragmented and a competitive landscape. BASF SE, Lycored, Royal DSM N.V., Naturex SA, Chr. Hansen A/S, Divis Laboratories, FMC Corp., DSM Nutritional Products, Cyanotech Corp., Brenntag, Kemin Industries Inc., ExcelVite SDN. BHD., D.D. Williamson & Co. Inc., Allied Biotech Corp., and Dohler Group, are the leading vendors of carotenoids across the world.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Semiconductor Production Equipment Market - Growing Automotive Industry Along With Rising Application Of Internet Of Things (IoT) Contributes Towards Growth

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Semiconductor is a material that acts as good conductor or insulator and conducts more electricity post addition of heat, voltage or light making changes in electrical properties. Silicon or germanium are used as semiconductor materials that has poor conductivity at low temperatures and is gradually improved with minute additions of certain substances. The electrical properties and conductivity of a semiconductor comes between that of a conductor and an insulator. After electricity is passed to semiconductors their state changes from conductive and non-conductive to reflective and non-reflective. Semiconductor manufacturing equipment are used for the fabrication of semiconductor chips. These manufacturing equipment are used for research and development as well as form fixtures for supporting semiconductor fabrication facility. The global market for semiconductor production equipment has been segmented on the basis of equipment type, application and geography. The global semiconductor production equipment market based on its equipment type has been segmented on the basis of assembly and packaging type, wafer processing type and test equipment among others. Automotive, consumer electronics and internet of things among others are some of the main application areas based on which the global market for semiconductor production equipment has been segmented.Global semiconductor production equipment market on the basis of geography has been segmented into , Asia Pacific, Latin America, North America, Europe, Middle East and Africa.PDF Sample For Latest Industry Happenings @Increase in application of semiconductors across different industry verticals has been a major driver for the rise in demand of semiconductor production equipment market globally. Moreover it is the rise in demand for both electric as well as hybrid vehicles that has more semiconductor content than the traditional cars that is likely to have a positive impact on the global semiconductor production equipment market. Demand for the green hybrid vehicles is also increasing due to rise in stringent government policies for usage of eco-friendly vehicles that is also expected to have a great impact on the overall demand for semiconductor production equipment acting as another important driver for this market. In addition to this, it is the rise in demand for consumer electronics that is likely to further have a positive impact on the global semiconductor production equipment market that has huge applications in the electronics industry. Growing automotive industry along with rising application of internet of things (IoT) has been some other crucial factors contributing to the overall demand of semiconductor production equipment market. With all these drivers it is the dynamic changes in the industry that has posed as a major restraint for the global semiconductor production equipment market. The complex procedures along with the costs associated with the fabrication process has been some other major restrains that restricts the growth of semiconductor production equipment market globally. Expansion and advancement in the research and development facilities is expected to provide huge growth opportunities for the semiconductor production equipment market globally in the coming years.Geographically, it is Asia Pacific region that has been a major contributor to the global semiconductor production equipment market with China, Taiwan, South Korea and Japan being some of the major players. Presence of a large number of manufacturing facilities has been a major driver for this market in APAC region. North America and Europe has been some other major regions contributing to the growth for this market. Rising application of semiconductors across R&D and internet of things (IoT) has been some of the other major drivers for the rise in demand of this market.Some of the major players operating in the semiconductor production equipment market include Applied Materials (U.S.), Tokyo Electron (Japan), ASML Holding (Netherlands), LAM Research (U.S.), Mirle Automation (Taiwan), NIKON (Japan), Hitachi High-Technologies (Japan), ADVANTEST (Japan) and Teredyne (U.S.) among others that are present in the market globally.Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Transparency Market Research90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Blockchain Technology Market - Penetration of IoT Opens Up Lucrative Business Opportunities

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Global Blockchain Technology Market: OverviewBlockchain technology offers a secure, fast, and cheaper medium of carrying out online transaction and online transfer of information without the need of third party verification. The adoption of blockchain technology in financial services sector has gained traction. Banking sector is willing to explore opportunities which would make the banking transactions more transparent and easy to process. Increased penetration of digital technology in the banking sector has resulted in the development of easy to use online platforms and applications. This drives the need to carry out the online transactions in a secure manner. Blockchain technology eliminates the frauds due to errors and identity theft to a large extent. Hence the financial services sector has been keen in exploring the technology before undertaking a wide scale deployment of this technology. This technology can benefit industries such as music and healthcare by offering easy access and exchange of digital data of these industries over the Internet.Get More Information :Global Blockchain Technology Market: Drivers and TrendsThe demand for blockchain technology is expected to increase in the coming years owing to the investments in blockchain technology startups, partnership between blockchain technology providers and financial organization, FinTech investments, and digitization across various industries globally. North America is expected to lead the blockchain technology market during the forecast period. Asia Pacific region is expected to witness the highest growth rate of blockchain technology during the forecast period.The Middle East and Africa and South America are in the early phases of adoption of the technology. The anticipated growth of banking sector in Africa is expected to support the market growth of blockchain technology during the forecast period. The blockchain technology market is compressive of a large number of startups. The growth of blockchain technology startups was aided by huge venture capital investments during the period from 2013 to 2015. The market is expected to be hit by a huge wave of mergers and acquisitions in the coming years.Global Blockchain Technology Market: Research MethodologyThis research report provides an in-depth analysis of the global blockchain technology market based on type, application, and geography. The global blockchain technology market is categorized based on types into public blockchain, private blockchain, and consortium blockchain. The application segment for the global blockchain technology market are financial services and non-financial sector. The report analyzes each of these segments for the various geographies considered under the scope of the study.The report also provides technology evolution and Porters Five Forces Analysis for the global blockchain technology market. The report includes analysis of the factors that drive and restrain the growth of the blockchain technology market. It discusses the prevailing market trends and prospective growth opportunities in the global blockchain technology market. It provides market estimates and forecasts for all the segments in terms of revenue. Also provided in the report is a competitive landscape and market share analysis of the major players in the blockchain technology market.Global Blockchain Technology Market: Regional OutlookBased on geographical regions, the report segments the global blockchain technology market into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa (MEA), and South America, which are analyzed in terms of revenue generation. The report provides country level revenue for blockchain technology. The U.S., Canada, the U.K., Germany, France, India, Chain, Japan, Australia, GCC, South Africa, Brazil, and Argentina are the countries covered in the report.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Vibrating Screens Market size and forecast, 2016-2026

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Vibrating screens are used to segregate feeds comprising solid and crushed ores down to approximately 210m and are also applicable to both dried and wetted feed. The vibrating motor and rubber sieve plate are the internal components of the vibrating screen. High frequency vibrating screens are primarily utilized in the mineral processing industries. Different vibrating screens are available in the market such as circular vibrating screens, gyratory screen, rotary vibrating screen, trammel screen, linear vibrating screens, etc. Factors such as amount of oversize and undersize material, type of material, shape of particles, moisture content, others govern the capacity of vibrating screens. The high frequency vibration screens operates at varying 0 to 25 degrees and can go up to a maximum of 45 degrees. The frequency range is from 15007200 RPM and should operate at a low stroke. As the apertures in the high frequency screen may cause blockage, pre-treatment of the feed is required. General design of a vibrating screens consists of screen web, bock, coupler, mainframe, rub spring and electric motor. Vibrating screens are widely used in coal, refractory, mining, building materials etc. and can be customized according to the requirement. Waste streams released from waste products should be treated as they may cause damage to the environment over a sustained period of time.Request Report Sample@Global Vibrating Screens Market: SegmentationVibrating screen market can be segmented on the basis of applications, motive mechanism, product type, production process, driving method and region. On the basis of application, vehicle screen market can be segmented into metallurgy, wood pelleting, food, chemical industry, mineral processing and reclaimed asphalt pavement. On the basis of motive mechanism, vehicle screen market can be segmented into hydraulic vibrator and electric vibrators. On the basis of product type, vehicle screen market can be segmented into linear vibrating screens and circular vibrating screens. On the basis of production process, vehicle screen market can be segmented into screen selection and pre-treatment of feed. On the basis of driving method, it can be segmented into direct drive and indirect drive.Global Vibrating Screens Market: DynamicsDriversFast and easy replacement of vibrating screens due to screw less fastening system is driving the growth of the global vibrating screens. High availability and low maintenance requirements are growing the market of vibrating screens globally. Moreover, robust design and low susceptibility of the vibrating screens are another factors leading to the growth of the vibrating screens market globally. Moreover, diversified product portfolio available in the market meeting the demands of the consumers is another factor fueling the demand for vibrating screens globally.Restraints:Screening efficiency can be affected by screen tearing, dampening, blinding and contamination which may challenge the growth of the vibrating screens market globally. Furthermore, limitations of rotary screen to handle two devices as compared to high frequency vibrating screens is another factor which can be considered as a restraint for the global vibrating screens market.Global Vibrating Screens Market: Key PlayersThe main key players of the global vibrating screens market are:Deister MachineElgin Equipment GroupOsbornHawk MachineryDerrick CorporationJOST GroupMidwestern IndustriesAury Pty Ltd.Gator Machinery CompanySouthwest Milling and Industrial CompanyRequest For TOC@Global Vibrating Screens Market:Region Wise OutlookOn the basis of region, vibration screens market can be segmented into Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, North America, Asia Pacific excluding Japan, Middle East and Africa, and Japan. Europe and Asia pacific is expected to dominate the market as they are significant market for mining and steel industries. China, UK and Ukraine are expected to show robust development in the steel industry. Furthermore, countries such as South Africa, Australia and India are expected to create moderate demand for vibrating screens.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comPress: press@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Research report explores the Peripheral Embolization Device Market for the forecast period, 2016-2026

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Embolization is a process through which embolus is placed into the blood vessel to block the blood flow to a particular area of the body. The embolus is usually a blood clot formed due to clotting of blood cells. However, the artificial embolus is used to close off blood vessels to prevent the blood from reaching a particular part of the body to eliminate abnormal conditions in the body like a renal aneurysm, arteriovenous fistula, hypogastric artery embolization, endoleak embolization, GI bleeding and treatment of tumors. Peripheral embolization is usually used to shrink tumors by blocking the blood flow to it. Peripheral embolization devices often use embolus made up of various drugs which along with blocking the blood flow also are targeted towards the treatment of a tumor. Embolization is efficient and less invasive as compared to open surgery and therefore poses a little risk to the patient.Peripheral Embolization Device Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe global peripheral embolization device market is driven by the rising incidence of cancer and cardiovascular diseases. According to CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) by 2025, 19.3 million cases of cancer cases are expected to be diagnosed each year, which in turn is expected to increase demand for peripheral embolization devices for early treatment of malignant tumors. The increasing mortality rate due to cardiovascular diseases is expected to boost demand for peripheral embolization devices. Increasing cardiovascular patients owing rising global geriatric population is expected to provide high growth opportunities for the peripheral embolization devices manufacturers over the forecast period. Moreover, technological developments in new peripheral embolization devices aimed to increase safety among patients and ease of use for physicians is expected to provide significant growth opportunities for the peripheral embolization devices manufacturers. However, the high cost of peripheral embolization devices and complications like coil migration, perforations, and spasms among patients is expected to hamper market growth over the forecast period.Request Report Sample@Peripheral Embolization Device Market: SegmentationThe global peripheral embolization device market are segmented into product type and end userSegmentation based on product typeEmbolization GuidewiresMicrocathetersOcclusion SystemsOcclusion BalloonsPlatinum CoilsSegmentation based on end userHospitalsAmbulatory surgical centersSpecialty clinicsRequest For TOC@Peripheral Embolization Device Market: Region  wise OutlookThe peripheral embolization device market is expected to witness healthy growth throughout the forecast period with North America expected to be the leading market. High demand for peripheral embolization devices from cancer patients is expected to boost the market growth over the forecast period. Favorable reimbursement policies and up gradation in the compensation for the patients is North America is projected to drive demand for peripheral embolization devices in North America over the forecast period. Moreover, several global manufacturers in this region are expected to promote the use of peripheral embolization devices and in turn is supposed to increase the adoption rate of the devices. Western Europe is expected to be second largest market followed by North America owing to high awareness related to the use of peripheral embolization devices for treatment of cardiovascular and bleeding disorders. APEJ (Asia-Pacific excluding Japan) and Japan are expected to follow next after Western Europe owing to high population and increasing the incidence of cardiovascular diseases in these regions along with growing per capita healthcare expenditure in countries like India and China. Eastern Europe and the Middle East and Africa (MEA) is expected to increase significantly owing to the rise in cancer incidence rate and manufacturers focusing on expansion strategies in this regions.Peripheral Embolization Device Market: Key PlayersSome key players in peripheral embolization market are Boston Scientific Corporation, Medtronic, Inc., Cook Medical, St. Jude Medical, Inc., Penumbra, Inc., Metactive Medical, Inc., Terumo Corporation and others. The companies are focused on development of new peripheral embolization devices with increased safety and ease of use.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comPress: press@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Global Monochrome Medical Monitor Market, Company Analysis and Forecast to 2024

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Monochrome Medical Monitors Offer High Resolution and are More Efficient than Color MonitorsMonochrome medical monitors display image of a single color, however, in varied shades. It may include white, green or amber screens. It shows a greyscale medical display. Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) technology is the first ever technology used for monochrome displays. LCD and LED are the more preferred technologies used in most monitors available in the market. The emerging trend is to shift from CRT displays to LCD displays for medical imaging. These medical monitors provide higher resolution as compared to color monitors. They are more efficient in displaying the image in comparison to color monitors. Monochrome medical monitors are widely preferred by healthcare professionals for application in diagnostic radiology due to its higher luminance. The monitors are connected to a picture archiving and communication system (PACS) workstation for image display. Monochrome medical monitors are considered to be highly efficient in delivering imaging solutions in the field of diagnostics, radiology, and surgery, among others.Get Free PDF Research Brochure for more Professional and Technical Insights:Increasing number of surgeries and diagnostic tests driving market growthIncreasing prevalence of chronic diseases such as diabetes, stroke, asthma, and obesity leads to increasing number of surgical procedures, in turn fueling growth in demand for monochrome medical monitors for application in surgical displays. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, 1.7 million cosmetic surgeries were performed worldwide in 2015, which is an increase of 2% as compared to 2014. Moreover, with growing diagnostic tests and awareness among people regarding early diagnosis and treatment of diseases is also projected to fuel sales of monochrome medical monitors. However, high cost of monochrome medical monitors due to their high resolution is expected to inhibit market growth.Monochrome Medical Monitor Market TaxonomyGlobal monochrome medical monitor market is segmented on the basis of product type, application, end use, and region. On the basis of product type, monochrome medical monitor market is classified as Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) monitors, LCD monitors, and LED monitors. LCD monitors are the commonly available monochrome medical monitors, owing to high resolution image quality. On the basis of application, the market is segmented into diagnostic display, surgical display, radiology display, clinical review displays, and others. On the basis of end use, monochrome medical monitor market is segmented into hospitals, clinics, diagnostic centers, pathology labs, and others. Geographically, the monochrome medical monitor market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa.North America is the Largest Market for Monochrome Medical MonitorsNorth America is the largest market for monochrome medical monitors. This is due to high adoption of advanced technology in the region. Countries such as the U.S. are increasing their healthcare expenditure, which is expected to further improve the infrastructure in hospitals and other medical facilities. Moreover, favorable reimbursement policies such as Medicare and Medicaid Services has led to greater penetration of monochrome medical monitors in North American region. Asia Pacific region is expected to gain lucrative growth over the forecasted period, due to rising awareness among the populace and increasing healthcare spending. Various healthcare initiatives by governments, especially in emerging economies, to educate and train the healthcare professionals to provide improved healthcare services is in turn fueling adoption of these monitors. Hence, immense opportunity lies in this region for the key players to cater to unmet needs of the target population. Europe is also witnessing major development activities related to medical monitors in order to cater to vast target population demanding for such devices.Browse Global Strategic Business Report :Barco and Eizo Corporation are some of the Key Players in the Monochrome Medical Monitor MarketSome of the key players are Ampronix Inc., Barco N.V., Eizo Corporation, KOSTEC CO., LTD., JVCKENWOOD Corporation, Richardson Electronics, Ltd., and NEC Display Solutions among others. Development of innovative products is fueling monochrome medical monitor market growth. For instance, in September 2010, Eizo Corporation launched 29.8-inch RadiForce RX430 at RSNA 2010, which is capable of displaying monochrome as well as color images simultaneously.About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.comVisit Coherent Market Insights Blog @Connect with us on LinkedIn @
Temperature Probe Market - Opprtunities and Trends for the Global Industry Upto 2024

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Temperature probes are used to measure the amount of coldness and heat energy, generated by a system. These sensors help in detecting physical change to the temperature producing digital output. Furthermore, temperature sensors are mainly used in sectors including healthcare, food & beverage, automotive and consumer electronics, defense industry.Get the PDF containing Upcoming Market Analysis of Temperature Probe at:Temperature sensors are used in various industrial applications, which need process control with high accuracy. These probes are mainly used for sensitive processes, which need controlled process environments for example in chemical mixing, monitoring. Industrial processes which frequently requires to test and measure equipments temperature and volume, also use temperature probes on large scale. For example, clinical research processes have highly controlled manufacturing environments.These probes play important role in manufacturing, handling, storing of medical equipment and drugs, as they maintain basic overall performance by monitoring temperature. The current developments in healthcare sensing probes are responsible for increase in the trend of continuous patient monitoring. As a result it can reduce overall healthcare costs and help to improve treatment outcomes. These medical sensors are capable of monitoring of vital signs, for example patients temperature and blood pressure that are directly recorded in the electronic format. It also reduces sloppy management of patient records and providing the user with the latest information. Currently consumer healthcare is amongst the major fields which holds a promising future for sensors with a fastest growth rate than all other applications.The escalating burden of chronic disorders as well as, the worldwide, surging population count has consequently propelled the demand for these equipments. Chronically ill patients and the large elderly population subset form the target population for the sensor-based devices as it is imperative for them to undergo routine checkups; thus, facilitating remote and point-of-care patient monitoring.Besides this, increased adoption rate of surveillance and checkup devices are further driving the temperature sensors market. In addition, factors such as strict government guidelines to ensure environmental safety and ongoing demand for electronic products and computing peripherals have kept the prospects of the market high.The raw material used for manufacturing plays a crucial role in sensor efficiency and durability. Use of new raw materials such as lithium-niobate and langasite has increased the measurement ranges of temperature sensors. However, silicon based sensors are primarily used owing to their availability and low cost as they are produced in bulk. Multisensors are increasingly used for mass applications owing to their stability which, is expected to drive overall temperature sensors market growth.Technical developments and advent of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) are likely to create greater opportunities.The home healthcare category such as pregnancy kits and glucose monitoring kits is anticipated to witness lucrative growth over the years. The cost of diagnosis in hospitals and other healthcare units is high; hence, the preference of home healthcare equipments, such as diagnostic kits, over hospitals is observed to be rising. The high-unmet needs of the huge target population are expected to further open avenues for the market players in the industry.However, dominance of legacy technologies and awareness of end-users have hampered the market growth. Quality, accuracy of temperature probes and raw material used for manufacturing has hampered the market.The Global Market of Temperature Probe is segmented on basis of product type, application, end user, and geography. The market by product type includes fiber optic, temperature sensors IC, bimetallic, resistance temperature detector, IR temperature sensor, thermistor, and thermocouple. Based on applications, the market is segmented as surgical, diagnostic, therapeutic and monitoring. The end user of temperature probes include hospitals, physician offices, nursing homes, home healthcare facilities and others.Geographically, the market is segmented into six major regions: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Rest of the World (RoW). In terms of geography, North America followed by Europe account for the largest market share for because of availability of sophisticated primary, secondary, and tertiary-care healthcare settings supported the market. Moreover, the well-established reimbursement network, suitable government funding, and the increasing health awareness further facilitates the incorporation of the sensors in the medical devices.Read the Current Market Analysis of Temperature Probe at:The Asia Pacific region is anticipated to witness a remunerative growth over the next few years. This can be attributed to the heightened number of individuals suffering from chronic disorders, such as diabetes, hypertension, and respiratory problems.The key market players active in the temperature sensor market are Analog Devices Inc., Maxim Integrated, Measurement Specialties Inc., Microchip Technology Inc., Honeywell International Inc., NXP Semiconductors, STMicroelectronics, Panasonic Corporation, Texas Instruments and Siemens AG.Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Global Market For Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIG) During The Forecast Period 2017 - 2024

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Market For Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIG) During The Forecast Period 2017 - 2024" to its huge collection of research reports.This report on the global intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) market analyzes the current and future prospects of the market. The report comprises an elaborate executive summary, including a market snapshot that provides overall information of various segments and sub-segments. The research is a combination of primary and secondary research. Primary research formed the bulk of our research efforts along with information collected from telephonic interviews and interactions via e-mails. Secondary research involved study of company websites, annual reports, press releases, stock analysis presentations, and various international and national databases. The report provides market size in terms of US$ Mn for each segment for the period from 2014 to 2024, considering the macro and micro environmental factors.Growth rates for each segment within the global intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) market have been determined after a thorough analysis of past trends, demographics, future trends, technological developments, and regulatory requirements.A detailed qualitative analysis of factors responsible for driving and restraining market growth and future opportunities has been provided in the market overview section. This section of the report also provide insights into the key trends of the intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) market such as shift from intravenous to subcutaneous infusion of immunoglobulin. The key market indicators influencing global intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) market taken into consideration include prevalence of immunological disorders, global blood and plasma yield and geriatric population. The report also includes market attractiveness analysis of the major segments that provides a thorough analysis of the overall competitive scenario in the global intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) market. The report also highlights key events of the global intravenous immunoglobulin industry. A value chain analysis along with list of major players, hospitals and distributors is also included in the report.Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIG) Market: SegmentationBased on indication, the global intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) market has been segmented into chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), primary humoral immunodeficiency, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), Guillain-Barre syndrome, myasthenia gravis, multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN), Kawasaki disease, hypogammaglobulinemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and others. Based on end-user, the market has been segmented into hospitals, clinics, and home care. Hospitals segment is expected to remain dominant during the forecast period. However, home care segment is expected to grow at a higher CAGR than others.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Geographically, the global intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) market has been segmented into five regions: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. In addition, the regions have been further segmented into major countries from each region. These include the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Germany, France, Italy, Spain, China, Australia, India, Japan, Brazil, and Mexico.Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIG) Market: Competitive LandscapeThe report also profiles major players in the intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) market based on various attributes such as company overview, financial overview, SWOT analysis, key business strategies, product portfolio, and recent developments. A thorough market share analysis of major companies operating in the intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) market is provided in the report. The report also includes a competition matrix that provides insights into recent developments and activities done by the major market players. Key companies profiled in the report include Baxalta Incorporated, Biotest AG, China Biologic Products, Inc., CSL Behring LLC, Grifols S.A., Kedrion S.p.A., LFB Biomedicaments S.A., Octapharma AG, and Sanquin Plasma Products B.V.The global intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) market has been segmented as follows:Global Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) Market, by IndicationChronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP)Primary Humoral ImmunodeficiencyIdiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP)Guillain-Barre SyndromeMyasthenia GravisMultifocal Motor Neuropathy (MMN)Kawasaki DiseaseHypogammaglobulinemiaChronic Lymphocytic LeukemiaOthersGlobal Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) Market, by End-userHospitalsClinicsHome CareGlobal Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) Market, by GeographyNorth AmericaU.S.CanadaEuropeU.K.GermanyFranceSpainItalyMake an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Superabsorbent Polymers Market is Expected to Reach USD 8.02 Billion by 2022

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Market research future published a half cooked research report on Superabsorbent Polymers Market. The global Superabsorbent Polymers market is expected to grow over the CAGR of more than 8.12 % during the period 2016 to 2022.Taste the market data and market information presented through more than 100 market data tables and figures spread in 135 numbers of pages of the project report. Avail the in-depth table of content TOC & market synopsis on Global Superabsorbent Polymers Market Information from 2016 to 2022"Market Highlights:Globally, the market for Superabsorbent polymers market is increasing due to various industries such as agriculture, mining, agriculture and others. The growing segment is agriculture due to increase in population and increased demand for food in developing countries are the key factors driving the demand for the m Superabsorbent polymers market.Browse Full Report @As per analysis, emerging economies like China, U.S and are increasing production with rise in use of Superabsorbent Polymers. APAC has seen as key market player in economy followed by North America, Europe and Row.Regional Analysis:Asia-Pacific is projected to be the largest market during the forecast periodGeographically, Asia-Pacific is expected to be the largest market for Superabsorbent Polymers accounting more than XX% of the total market. This share is contributed more towards growth of emerging economies, cheap labor cost in APAC and economical material used for production process.Scope of the study:The scope of the study categorizes the Superabsorbent Polymers market as type, and application.By Type: Sodium polyacrylate Polyacrylamide copolymer OthersBy Application: Health Care & Personal Care Agriculture Industry Mining &Petroleum OthersRequest a Sample Copy @Key Player:The key players of Superabsorbent Polymers market report BASF SE, Nippon Shokubai Co. Ltd., Evonik Industries AG, SDP Global Co. Ltd., Formosa Plastics Corporation, KAO Corporation, LG Chem Ltd., SDP Global Co. Ltd., Sumitomo Seika Chemicals Co. Ltd., Songwon Industrial Co. Ltd. and Yixing Danson Technology.About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members.Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
Global Slack Wax Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2017  2022

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Worldwide Slack Wax Market report of 2017 provides a detailed market overview as well as industry analysis for / of companies, manufacturers and distributors covering data on gross margin, cost structure, consumption value, sale price and more.Slack wax is a mixture of oil and wax, obtained from lubricating oil. Slack wax is the crude wax produced by chilling and solvent filter-pressing wax distillate. It serves as feedstock and that is further refined and blended to create value-added petroleum wax products.Complete Global Slack Wax Market of 122 pages having tables and figures is available for purchase atSlack Wax Market report focuses on the Slack Wax in Global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Slack Wax Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report covers  Shell, Exxon Mobil, BP, IRPC, Pertamina, H&R Gruppe, American Refining GroupThe lisetd pricing for this Slack Wax market report starts at US $3480. Request Discount for Global Slack Wax Industry Research Report @Table of Contents in Global Slack Wax Research Report1 Slack Wax Market Overview1.1 Slack Wax Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 Slack Wax LMO1.2.2 Slack Wax MMO1.2.3 Slack Wax SPO2 Manufacturers Profiles2.1 Shell2.1.1 Business Overview2.1.2 Slack Wax Type and Applications2.1.2.1 Type 13 Global Slack Wax Market Competition, by Manufacturer3.1 Global Slack Wax Sales and Market Share by Manufacturer3.2 Global Slack Wax Revenue and Market Share by Manufacturer3.3 Market Concentration Rate4 Global Slack Wax Market Analysis by Regions4.1 Global Slack Wax Sales, Revenue and Market Share by Regions4.1.1 Global Slack Wax Sales by Regions (2012-2017)4.1.2 Global Slack Wax Revenue by Regions (2012-2017)4.2 North America Slack Wax Sales and Growth (2012-2017)5 North America Slack Wax by Countries5.1 North America Slack Wax Sales, Revenue and Market Share by Countries5.1.1 North America Slack Wax Sales by Countries (2012-2017)5.1.2 North America Slack Wax Revenue by Countries (2012-2017)Browse full table of contents and data tables For Global Slack Wax Report @Slack Wax Market Segment by Regions, regional analysis covers - North America (USA, Canada and Mexico), Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy), Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia), South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.), Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Slack Wax Market Segment by Type, covers - Slack Wax LMO, Slack Wax MMO, Slack Wax SPO, OthersSlack Wax Market Segment by Applications, can be divided into  Candle, Particle Board & MDF, Polishing, Sealing, OthersRequest a sample copy of Global Slack Wax Market Research Report @Related Reports: -Global Montan Wax Market Outlook 2016-2021Montan wax is a hard, mineral wax obtained from lignite and peat. Montan wax was first produced in northern Bohemia (Czech Republic). The brown coals of Oklahoma and Texas also contain as much as 13% montan wax. Though the crude product is dark brown, the wax, after purification with solvent extractions, is white. It contains esters of montanic acid (C27H55COOH).MarketSizeForecasters.com, a Skyline Market Research LLP brand, is an online aggregator of market research reports. MarketSizeForecasters.com offers a comprehensive collection of full length reports on global and regional markets in 100+ industry verticals. We have partnered with some of the leading business and market research publishing houses and regularly update our online library to offer wide range of reports to our customers.Market Size ForecastersThe Green Suite #4594,Dover, DE 19901United StatesPhone: +1-201-355-0868US Toll Free: +1 866-764-2150Email: sales@marketsizeforecasters.comWebsite:Connect with us: LinkedIn | Twitter
Global Slip Ring Market Is Expected to Witness a Steady Growth by 2022

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The Slip Ring market 2017 research offers a feasibility analysis for investment and returns supported with data on development trend analysis across important regions of the world.A Slip Ring Market is an electromechanical device that allows the transmission of power and electrical signals from a stationary to a rotating structure. Also called a rotary electrical joint, collector or electric swivel, a Slip Ring can be used in any electromechanical system that requires unrestrained, intermittent or continuous rotation while transmitting power and / or data. It can improve mechanical performance, simplify system operation and eliminate damage-prone wires dangling from movable joints.Complete Global Slip Ring Market of 124 pages having tables and figures is available for purchase atSlip Ring Market report focuses on the Slip Ring in Global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Slip Ring Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report covers  Moog, Schleifring, Cobham, Stemmann, MERSEN, RUAG, GATThe lisetd pricing for this Slip Ring market report starts at US $3480. Request Discount for Global Slip Ring Industry Research Report @Table of Contents in Global Slip Ring Research Report3 Global Slip Ring Market Competition, by Manufacturer3.1 Global Slip Ring Sales and Market Share by Manufacturer3.2 Global Slip Ring Revenue and Market Share by Manufacturer3.3 Market Concentration Rate4 Global Slip Ring Market Analysis by Regions4.1 Global Slip Ring Sales, Revenue and Market Share by Regions4.1.1 Global Slip Ring Sales by Regions (2012-2017)4.1.2 Global Slip Ring Revenue by Regions (2012-2017)5 North America Slip Ring by Countries5.1 North America Slip Ring Sales, Revenue and Market Share by Countries5.1.1 North America Slip Ring Sales by Countries (2012-2017)5.1.2 North America Slip Ring Revenue by Countries (2012-2017)6 Europe Slip Ring by Countries6.1 Europe Slip Ring Sales, Revenue and Market Share by Countries6.1.1 Europe Slip Ring Sales by Countries (2012-2017)6.1.2 Europe Slip Ring Revenue by Countries (2012-2017)7 Asia-Pacific Slip Ring by Countries7.1 Asia-Pacific Slip Ring Sales, Revenue and Market Share by Countries7.1.1 Asia-Pacific Slip Ring Sales by Countries (2012-2017)7.1.2 Asia-Pacific Slip Ring Revenue by Countries (2012-2017)Browse full table of contents and data tables For Global Slip Ring Report @Slip Ring Market Segment by Regions, regional analysis covers - North America (USA, Canada and Mexico), Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy), Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia), South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.), Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Slip Ring Market Segment by Type, covers - Small Capsules, Mid-Sized Capsules, Enclosed Power Thru-Bore, Enclosed Signal Thru-BoreSlip Ring Market Segment by Applications, can be divided into - Defense & Aerospace, Industrial & Commercial, Radar, Test Equipment, Wind Turbines, Video & Optical SystemsRequest a sample copy of Global Slip Ring Market Research Report @Related Reports: -Electric Motors, Generators and Transformers in Italy: ISIC 311Euromonitor International's Industrial reports provide a 360 degree view of an industry. The Industrial market report offers a comprehensive guide to the size and shape of the Electric Motors, Generators and Transformers market at a national level. It provides the latest retail sales data, allowing you to identify the sectors driving growth.MarketSizeForecasters.com, a Skyline Market Research LLP brand, is an online aggregator of market research reports. MarketSizeForecasters.com offers a comprehensive collection of full length reports on global and regional markets in 100+ industry verticals. We have partnered with some of the leading business and market research publishing houses and regularly update our online library to offer wide range of reports to our customers.Market Size ForecastersThe Green Suite #4594,Dover, DE 19901United StatesPhone: +1-201-355-0868US Toll Free: +1 866-764-2150Email: sales@marketsizeforecasters.comWebsite:Connect with us: LinkedIn | Twitter
Future of Global Image Recognition Market : 2020

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Image recognition is a technique for acquiring, processing, scrutinize, and sympathizing images. It gathers high-dimensional data from the real world in order to generate numerical or symbolic information. Image recognition uses disentangling of representational information from image data using replica created with the help of geometry, physics, statistics, and learning theory.Image recognition (biometric-based recognition) technique has emerged as the most promising alternative of card based recognition for identifying individuals in recent past. Image recognition is used for verification (one to one matching) and identification (one to many matching) of individuals.A Sample of this Report is Available Upon Request @Image recognition technologies include identification based on physiological distinctiveness of the people such as facial patterns recognition, fingerprints recognition, hand geometry recognition, hand veins pattern recognition, finger geometry recognition, palm recognition, iris recognition, retina recognition, and voice recognition. Image recognition also identify the behavioral uniqueness of the individuals such as gait, signature and keystroke dynamicsThe recognition based on passwords and PINs are trailing in popularity mainly due to the fact that they are hard to remember and cannot be stolen, duplicated by the intruders. Moreover the risk associated with misplacing of cards, tokens, keys and the like is also lend a hand in wide acceptance of image recognition as an alternative of traditional access control systems.On the basis of technology the global image recognition market can be broadly categories in five different market variants namely, optical character recognition (Ocr), pattern and gradient matching, object recognition, barcode/Qr code recognition and facial recognition.On the basis of the different component use in the image recognition equipment the overall market can be broadly categorized in three segments namely, hardware, software, and services.Based on the end user application the image recognition market can be further categories in eight different classes namely, government and defense, banking, financial services and insurance, healthcare and life sciences, manufacturing or industrial, consumer goods and retail, information technology and telecommunications, transport and logistics and others.The growing use of face recognition technology in smart phones, tablets and personal computer owing to the advancement in size and accuracy is propelling the market for face recognition technology. Moreover increasing governmental budget towards homeland security and defense is further driving the market in developing countries such as India, China, and Russia. Increasing use of facial recognition access system over card based access system in industries and residence is providing new market opportunities for the facial recognition technology.North America is the largest market for facial recognition in the world. It is then followed by Europe and Asia Pacific. The U.S. is the largest market for facial recognition in the North America. Chinese and Japanese are the major user of image recognition technology in Asia Pacific. Asia Pacific is one of the rapid growing markets of image recognition where the market is growing in double digit. High threat prospective from terrorist attack couples with trend towards e-governance is contributing to the high growth rate in this region.Request to View Tables of Content @Some of the major companies operating in global image recognition market include, Catchoom, Honeywell, LTU Technologies, Panasonic Corporation, Toshiba, Hitachi Ltd, Itraff Technology, NEC Corporation, Qualcomm Technologies, and Wikitude GmbhAbout UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a U.S.-based full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated re-search, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Con-sumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMRs en-gagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.ContactPersistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.commedia@persistencemarketresearch.com
Pacemaker Market Insights, Competitor Analysis, Forthcoming Trends and Business Opportunities 2016 to 2022

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Market Scenario:A pacemaker is a small device that is used to regulate your heart rhythm. The pacemaker system, which consists of a battery pack (pulse generator) and either one of two wires (leads), is surgically implanted under the skin in your chest, just beneath your collarbone. The pacemaker continuously senses your heart's natural rhythm and will stimulate the heart to beat when it senses that your own heart rhythm is too slow.It will stimulate your heart to beat in a way that mimics your heart's own electrical beat. Increasing number of cardiovascular diseases, changing food habits and adaptation of junk food leading to the heart problems are some of the key factor responsible for the growth of the global Pacemaker Market. The market for pacemaker is booming.Key Players ATS Medical Biotronik GmbH & Co. KG Boston Scientific Corporation Edwards Lifesciences Medtronic PLC Sorin Group St. Jude Medical Inc. Vitatron Holding B.V. Zoll Medical CorporationRequest a Sample Report @Segments:Global pacemaker market has been segmented on the basis of types which comprises of Implantable, Single chamber, Dual chamber, External. On the basis of applications, market is segmented into unipolar, bipolar and others. On the basis of end users, market is segmented into hospitals, clinics, cardiac research institutes, ambulatory centers, diagnostic centers and others.Regional Analysis of Pacemaker Market:Globally North America is the largest market for pacemaker. The North American market for pacemaker is expected to grow at a CAGR of XX% and is expected to reach at US$ XXX Million by the end of the forecasted period. Europe is the second-largest market for pacemaker which is expected to grow at a CAGR of XX%. Asia pacific region is expected to be growing in pacemaker market.Intended Audience Pacemaker manufacturers Pacemaker suppliers Research and Development (R&D) Companies Government Research Laboratories Independent Research Laboratories Government and Independent Regulatory Authorities Market Research and Consulting Service Providers Medical Research Laboratories Academic Medical Institutes and UniversitiesBrowse Report @Americaso North Americao USo Canadao Latin AmericaEuropeo Western Europeo Germanyo Franceo Italyo Spaino UKo Rest of Western Europeo Eastern EuropeAsia Pacifico Chinao Indiao Japano South Koreao Rest of Asiao PacificThe report for Global Pacemaker Market of Market Research Future comprises of extensive primary research along with the detailed analysis of qualitative as well as quantitative aspects by various industry experts, key opinion leaders to gain the deeper insight of the market and industry performance. The report gives the clear picture of current market scenario which includes historical and projected market size in terms of value and volume, technological advancement, macro economical and governing factors in the market. The report provides details information and strategies of the top key players in the industry. The report also gives a broad study of the different markets segments and regionsRelated ReportHepatitis C Diagnosis & Treatment market Information, by diagnostic tests (Enzyme Immunoassay (EIA), Chemiluminescence Immunoassay (CIA), Point-of-Care Rapid Immunoassays and Recombinant Immunoblot Assay (RIBA)) - Forecast to 2022About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research Future+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
Global Methionine Industry 2016 Market Demand Supply And Opportunities

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Qyresearchreports include new market research reportGlobal Methionine Market Research Report 2021 to its huge collection of research reports.This research report added to the comprehensive collection of QYResearchReports.com presents a presents a detailed overview of the global Methionine market along with an overview of the key factors that are critical in forming a holistic outline of the market. The report includes data that could help in providing crucial details about the market, enlightening the reader on the key factors that are essential drivers or restraints of the global Methionine market.The research report segments the global Methionine market on the basis of various categories that can give a proper grasp of the crucial segments of the market, helping the reader gain specific and most important data on the market. The segmented approach used in the report is expected to help the readers in understanding more about the global Methionine market drivers, restraints, threats, and opportunities as being specific to each segment.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The report explores the product and technological developments observed in the market in the past few years with the help of quantitative and qualitative data. An overview of the regulatory scenario governing several market-related decisions is also included in the report. As such, the report includes crucial data pertaining to the key rules, policies, regulation, and plans regulating the global market as well as the key regional markets.The report also includes an elaborate section that highlights the recent and current knowledge base on the competitive landscape of the global Methionine market. The markets competition in conjunction to its socioeconomic scenario has also been analyzed in the report. The report also includes detailed business profiles some of the most influential companies operating in the global Methionine market. With the help of these details, the report outlines the developments observed in the competitive landscape of the global Methionine market in the past few years.Table of ContentsGlobal Methionine Market Research Report 20211 Methionine Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Methionine1.2 Methionine Segment by Types1.2.1 Global Production Market Share of Methionine by Type in 20151.2.2 Type I Overview and Price1.2.2.1 Type I Overview1.2.2.2 Type I Growth Rate1.2.3 Type II1.2.3.1 Type I Overview1.2.3.2 Type II Growth Rate1.2.4 Type III1.2.4.1 Type I Overview1.2.4.2 Type II Growth Rate1.3 Methionine Segment by Application1.3.1 Methionine Consumption Market Share by Application in 20151.3.2 Application 1 and Major Clients (Buyers) List1.3.3 Application 2 and Major Clients (Buyers) List1.3.4 Application 3 and Major Clients (Buyers) List1.4 Methionine Market by Region1.4.1 North America Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.2 China Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.3 Europe Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.4 Japan Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.5 India Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.6 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.5 Global Market Size (Value and Volume) of Methionine (2011-2021)1.5.1 Global Methionine Production and Revenue (2011-2021)1.5.2 Global Methionine Production and Growth Rate (2011-2021)1.5.3 Global Methionine Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2021)Browse Complete Report with TOC @2 Global Methionine Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Methionine Production and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.2 Global Methionine Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.3 Global Methionine Average Price by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.4 Manufacturers Methionine Manufacturing Base Distribution and Product Type2.5 Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Expansions2.5.2 New Product Launches2.5.3 Acquisitions2.5.4 Other Developments3 Global Methionine Analysis by Region3.1 Global Methionine Production, Revenue and Market Share by Region (2011-2021)3.1.1 Global Methionine Production Market Share by Region (2011-2021)3.1.2 Global Methionine Revenue Market Share by Region (2011-2021)3.2 Global Methionine Consumption by Region (2011-2021)3.3 North America3.3.1 North America Methionine Production, Revenue and Price (2011-2021)3.3.2 North America Methionine Production, Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2021)3.4 Europe3.4.1 Europe Methionine Production, Revenue and Price (2011-2021)3.4.2 Europe Methionine Production, Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2021)3.5 China3.5.1 China Methionine Production, Revenue and Price (2011-2021)3.5.2 China Methionine Production, Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2021)For Latest QYResearchreports Press Release Visit @QYResearchReports.com is an unimpeachable source of market research data for clients that comprise acclaimed SMEs, Chinese companies, private equity firms, and MNCs. We provide market research reports on various categories such as Energy, Chemicals, Alternative and Green Energy, Manufacturing, Machinery, Pharmaceuticals and Materials, and Glass.1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United States
2021 Forecast: Global VoIP Telephony Market Research Report

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This market analysis includes a detailed segmentation of the Global VoIP Telephony Market by development trend and by application.The report covers the present year 2017 scenario and the growth prospects of the Global VoIP Telephony Market for 2017-2021.The report Global VoIP Telephony Market 2017-2021 has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market. The report also covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years.The VoIP Telephony Market By Geography North America Asia-Pacific EuropeRequest a sample of Global VoIP Telephony Market Research Report @The Global VoIP Telephony Market research report is a complete study of current trends in the market, industry growth drivers, and restraints. It provides market projections for the coming years. It includes analysis of recent developments in technology. The report also includes a review of micro and macro factors essential for the existing market players and new entrants along with detailed value chain analysis.Global VoIP Telephony Market key players are: Company A Company B Company C Company DBrowse the full Global VoIP Telephony Market Research Report @The report provides an extensive analysis of current and future market status of the world VoIP Telephony Market.Some of the points from table of content:Industry Overview Definition Classification Share Analysis Application AnalysisMarket Analysis Product Development History Process Development History Competitive Landscape AnalysisIndustry Development Trend Capacity Production Overview Production Market Share Analysis Demand OverviewMarket Status and Forecast Supply Demand and Shortage Import Export Consumption Cost Price Production Value Gross MarginReasons for Buying this Global VoIP Telephony Market Research Report This report helps to analyzed the world's main region market conditions It provides product manufacturing processes It provides industry policies and plans It provides overview of product specification It provides cost structures & so on.The Report Contains: 163 Pages.Price of the report: 2850$ (single user license)Check discount @Find related press releases @About Us:Orbis Research (orbisresearch.com) is a single point aid for all your market research requirements. We have vast database of reports from the leading publishers and authors across the globe. We specialize in delivering customized reports as per the requirements of our clients. We have complete information about our publishers and hence are sure about the accuracy of the industries and verticals of their specialization. This helps our clients to map their needs and we produce the perfect required market research study for our clients.Contact Us:Hector CostelloSenior Manager  Client Engagements4144N Central Expressway,Suite 600, Dallas,Texas - 75204, U.S.A.Phone No.: +1 (214) 884-6817; +912064101019Follow Us on LinkedIn:Follow us on Twitter:Follow us on G+ :
Loway Switzerland announces a "Release Anniversary" promotion of the QueueMetrics-Live service for Asterisk based call-centers

https://www.queuemetrics-live.com/

Loway Switzerland celebrates the Release Anniversary of QueueMetrics-Live with a limited time promotion.Each new customer buying a subscription of QueueMetrics-Live receives one month bonus with 30 day money back guaranteed, plus a free installation and initial configuration of the system.QueueMetrics-Live is a cloud solution that offers all the functionality an Asterisk based contact-center is likely to need, integrated on-demand.It tracks over 150 metrics of inbound/outbound activities without upfront expenses for the deployment.A company can choose the service required and pay only for what is needed, included:- Support up to 50 agents, unlimited queues and campaigns- Compatibility with any Asterisk distro and configuration- Single and multiple reporting for queues and campaigns- Weekly activity breakdown in days or hours- Business targets measurement against SLAs- Staff performance analysis on ACD and non-ACD activities- Customizable QA forms for live call grading- Real-time Wallboard- Agent screens via VNC screen-sharing server- Restricted Visitor mode for external inspectionand much more.The main advantage of QueueMetrics SaaS solution is that operations can be easily scaled up or down by taking online resources following only the call-center neeeds. The customer will access the service via secure SSL connection and the developer does all the maintenance, updates and nightly backups, freeing the customers' time and resources for other tasks.QueueMetrics-Live home page:Since 2004, Loway develops complete, reliable and customizable call center software solutions for the Asterisk PBX.Their distinguished QueueMetrics set up modern standards in performance measurement and reporting for call centers based on Asterisk technology. WombatDialer is a flexible, easy to use predictive dialing platform and a perfect complement to QueueMetrics.Via Laveggio 36855 StabioSwitzerland
Global Mustard Seed Market  Share, Size, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2017-2025

http://www.indexbox.co.uk/store/world-mustard-seed-market-report-analysis-and-forecast-to-2020/

http://www.indexbox.co.uk/store/world-mustard-seed-market-report-analysis-and-forecast-to-2020/

http://www.slideshare.net/IndexBox_Marketing/world-mustard-seed-market-report-analysis-and-forecast-to-2020

www.indexbox.co.uk

IndexBox has just published a new report "World: Mustard Seed - Market Report. Analysis And Forecast To 2025" ().This report provides an in-depth analysis of the global mustard seed market. Within it, you will find the latest data on market trends and opportunities by country, consumption and production, food balance and price developments, as well as global trade (imports and exports). The forecast reveals market prospects to 2025.Countries coverage: WorldwideProduct coverage:Mustard SeedData coverage: Mustard seed market size and value; Per Capita consumption; Forecast of the market dynamics in the medium term; Global mustard seed production, split by region and country; Global mustard seed trade (exports and imports); Producer, export and import prices for mustard seed; Mustard seed market trends, drivers and restraints; Key market players and their profiles.Reasons to buy this report: Take advantage of the latest data; Find deeper insights into current market developments; Discover vital success factors affecting the market.TABLE OF CONTENTS1. INTRODUCTION1.1 REPORT DESCRIPTION1.2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY2.1 KEY FINDINGS2.2 MARKET TRENDS3. MARKET OVERVIEW3.1 MARKET VOLUME AND VALUE3.2 CONSUMPTION BY COUNTRY3.3 MARKET OPPORTUNITIES BY COUNTRY3.4 MARKET FORECAST TO 20254. PRODUCTION4.1 PRODUCTION, HARVESTED AREA AND YIELD IN 2007-20154.2 PRODUCTION BY COUNTRY4.3 HARVESTED AREA AND YIELD BY COUNTRY5. IMPORTS5.1 IMPORTS IN 2007-20155.2 IMPORTS BY COUNTRY5.3 IMPORT PRICES BY COUNTRY6. EXPORTS6.1 EXPORTS IN 2007-20156.2 EXPORTS BY COUNTRY6.3 EXPORT PRICES BY COUNTRY7. PRICES AND PRICE DEVELOPMENT7.1 PRODUCER PRICES7.2 PRODUCER PRICES INDEX8. PROFILES OF MAJOR PRODUCERSDownload a free sample of the report now!You can also find a template on SlideShareIndexBox is a leading market research publisher in the world. We conduct market research and publish reports.You can find more than 25,000 research reports in our web store, which cover global industries and regional markets. All the worldwide marketing data you need is at your fingertips.We collect this data from hundreds of highly reliable sources, verify it and carry out market analysis, uncovering new business opportunities and empowering you with actionable insights.The structure of our reports is intuitive and clear. We do our best to allow you to make strategic decisions and take immediate action. If you want to go further and be a step ahead of the market, just tell us your goals and we will tailor a report to your needs.Company Name: IndexBoxContact Person: Kirill BezverhiEmail: kirill.bezverhi@indexbox.co.ukPhone: +44 20 3239 3063Adress: United Kingdom, 44 Main Street, Douglas, South Lanarkshire, Scotland, ML11 0QWWebsite:
Hospital Asset Management Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends And Forecast, 2013 - 2019

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ResearchMoz added Latest Research Report titled " Hospital Asset Management Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends And Forecast, 2013 - 2019 " to it's Large Report database.A Hospital Asset Management Solution helps in managing and maintaining the various equipments located throughout the hospital campus by a set of automation and optimization processes. Based on technology, the hospital asset management market can be segmented into four categories, namely, radio-frequency identification (RFID), Wi-Fi based real-time location systems (RTLS), ultrasound and infrared. The healthcare industry utilizes all four technologies, while the pharmaceuticals segment utilizes only the RFID technology. The healthcare asset management market includes patient management, staff management, equipment management, and temperature and humidity monitoring segments.The key drivers for the growth of hospital asset management market are the rising incidences of drug counterfeiting along with increasing issues in its supply chain. Hospital asset management systems will help in overcoming the aforementioned issues in future. Other major drivers for the growth of this market include decreasing cost of the hardware utilized in various systems such as RTLS and their increasing application in healthcare systems.Request for Sample PDF of Premium Research Report with TOC:This will augment their demand from hospitals and also medical professionals. Also, increasing number of complex equipment in modern-day hospitals require more efficient asset management systems, which will help propel the growth of market. Likewise, increasing number of applications in various medical systems and demand for efficient workflow will also drive the demand for modern hospital asset management technologies like RFID and RTLS.The North American market dominated the global hospital asset management market followed by the European market. The Asia-Pacific market will grow at the highest rate in future due to rising awareness and increasing demand for efficient supply chain management. The RFID technology is now standardized in countries such as India and China, due to increased government initiatives.Some of the major players in the global hospital asset management market are AeroScout, Inc., Tyco International Ltd., GE Healthcare, IBM Corporation, Vizbee RFID Systems Ltd., Awarepoint Corporation, Infor, Motorola Solutions, Inc., Ekahau, Inc., Trimble Navigation, Ltd., Siemens Healthcare, Sonitor Technologies, Inc., Versus Technology, Inc., and Zebra Technologies Corporation.Read All Hospital Supplies Market Research Reports @This research report analyzes this market depending on its market segments, major geographies, and current market trends. Geographies analyzed under this research report includeNorth AmericaAsia PacificEuropeRest of the WorldThis report provides comprehensive analysis ofMarket growth driversFactors limiting market growthCurrent market trendsMarket structureMarket projections for upcoming yearsThis report is a complete study of current trends in the market, industry growth drivers, and restraints. It provides market projections for the coming years. It includes analysis of recent developments in technology, Porters five force model analysis and detailed profiles of top industry players. The report also includes a review of micro and macro factors essential for the existing market players and new entrants along with detailed value chain analysis.Reasons for Buying this ReportThis report provides pin-point analysis for changing competitive dynamicsIt provides a forward looking perspective on different factors driving or restraining market growthIt provides a technological growth map over time to understand the industry growth rateIt provides a seven-year forecast assessed on the basis of how the market is predicted to growIt helps in understanding the key product segments and their futureIt provides pin point analysis of changing competition dynamics and keeps you ahead of competitorsIt helps in making informed business decisions by having complete insights of market and by making in-depth analysis of market segmentsIt provides distinctive graphics and exemplified SWOT analysis of major market segmentsAbout ResearchMozResearchMoz is the world's fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives. ResearchMoz's service portfolio also includes value-added services such as market research customization, competitive landscaping, and in-depth surveys, delivered by a team of experienced Research Coordinators.Contact Us:Mr. Nachiket Ghumare90 State Street, Albany NY, United States - 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074 / Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn at:Follow me on Blogger at:
Rotary Spreader Market- Opportunities, Trends and Forecasts to 2022

Rotary Spreader

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The Recent Rotary Spreader Market added by Big Market Research is an in-depth analysis of the industry size, share, and structure. It presents quantitative and qualitative market intelligence on the current revenue figures and volumes in distribution.Enquire about report @This report studies Rotary Spreader in Global market, especially in North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia and India, focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with capacity, production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, coveringAGCO Corp.Buhler Industries,Inc.CNH Industrial N.VDeere & CompanyGreat Plains AgIseki & Co.,Ltd.Kverneland GroupEnquire about discount on report @Key Points from Table of Contents:7 Global Rotary Spreader Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis7.1 AGCO Corp.7.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Its Competitors7.1.2 Rotary Spreader Product Type, Application and Specification7.1.3 AGCO Corp. Rotary Spreader Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2015 and 2016)7.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.2 Buhler Industries,Inc.7.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Its Competitors7.2.2 Rotary Spreader Product Type, Application and Specification7.2.3 Buhler Industries,Inc. Rotary Spreader Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2015 and 2016)7.2.4 Main Business/Business OverviewEnquire here to request Sample copy of report @7.3 CNH Industrial N.V7.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Its Competitors7.3.2 Rotary Spreader Product Type, Application and Specification7.3.3 CNH Industrial N.V Rotary Spreader Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2015 and 2016)7.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.4 Deere & Company7.4.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Its Competitors7.4.2 Rotary Spreader Product Type, Application and Specification7.4.3 Deere & Company Rotary Spreader Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2015 and 2016)7.4.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.5 Great Plains Ag7.5.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Its Competitors7.5.2 Rotary Spreader Product Type, Application and Specification7.5.3 Great Plains Ag Rotary Spreader Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2015 and 2016)7.5.4 Main Business/Business OverviewAbout Big Market Research:Big Market Research uniqueness lies in its highly ethical reports at economical rates because we value your relationship and growth more than money. Your growth is our aim.Our strength is in our research analysts who with their proactive approach can source best and correct information which can be detrimental in organizations success. We follow six sigma standards leaving no scope for error.Contact Big Market Research:Direct Contact: + 1-503-894-6022Toll Free: + 1-800-910-6452Email: help@bigmarketresearch.comWeb:
N-iX Recognized Among the Worlds Best Outsourcing Companies by IAOP

www.n-ix.com

www.IAOP.org

N-iX, a global provider of software development services with over 500 expert engineers, has been included in Global Outsourcing 100 list by the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals.February 20, 2017 - Lviv, Ukraine - N-iX is proud to announce that the company has been named to The 2017 Global Outsourcing 100, the annual listing of the worlds leading outsourcing providers released by IAOP in its 11th year.The International Association of Outsourcing Professionals is a global standard-setting organization in the outsourcing sphere. It is an ardent advocate of outsourcing and shared services that helps businesses build their relationships with the best companies in the industry. Thus the Global Outsourcing 100 list includes companies from around the world that provide the full spectrum of services from information technology and business process outsourcing to manufacturing and logistics. They include not only todays leaders but tomorrows rising stars.The listing is based on the applications where companies need to demonstrate their excellence in 5 aspects, namely size and growth, customer references, awards and certifications, programs for innovation, and corporate social responsibility. Judging is based on a rigorous scoring methodology that includes an independent review by a panel of IAOP customer members.GO 100 is a benchmark companies around the world trust when choosing an outsourcing provider. Thus N-iX is proud to be included in this influential ranking for the first time. Buyers understand there are hundreds of qualified service providers and advisors out there, but what they really need to understand now is what makes each one exceptional, said IAOP CEO, Debi Hamill. The Global Outsourcing 100 and Worlds Best Advisors lists have done just that. We are proud to recognize N-iX for being among the highest rated companies.N-iX has grown significantly in the last two years and now accounts over 500 IT professionals. It has become a strong player not only in the Ukrainian business arena but also in Eastern European IT outsourcing landscape. We are proud to be recognized among the leading outsourcing providers across the world, - notes N-iX founder and CEO Andrew Pavliv. - This means that the data-driven, innovative approach weve taken, the continuous improvements in delivery we introduce and the agile practices we advocate have yielded the desired results. Not only has N-iX grown by 80% yearly in the last two years, but weve also enhanced the quality of our services. We thank our clients for taking this journey with us, driving the digital transformation across an array of sectors from healthcare to fintech.About N-iXN-iX is an Eastern European provider of software development services with 500+ expert software engineers aboard that power innovative technology businesses across North America, the UK, Sweden and Europe. Since 2002 the company has formed strategic partnerships with a variety of global industry leaders. They include Canadas largest software company OpenText, infrastructure software provider Novell, one of Europe's fastest growing mobile companies Lebara, innovative fintech leader Currency Cloud and over 50 other medium and large-scale businesses. With development centers in Ukraine (Lviv, Kyiv) and Poland (Krakow), we deliver excellence in software engineering and deep domain expertise in finance, healthcare, hospitality, telecom and enterprise content management helping our clients to implement digital transformations. For more information, visitAbout IAOPIAOP is the go-to association leading the way to improve outsourcing outcomes by bringing together customers, providers and advisors in a collaborative, knowledge-based environment that promotes professional development, recognition, certification and excellence. With over 120,000 members and affiliates worldwide, IAOP is not only on top of the latest trends but in front of them. Through its expansive global chapter network, premier training and certification programs, knowledge center, member community and more, IAOP helps members learn, grow and succeed. For more information and how you can become involved, visit32 Storozhenka St.Lviv, 79018 UkraineE-Mail: contact@n-ix.comTel: +380 322 295 767
The German Fleet Market off to a promising start for 2017  Alternative powertrains also on the rise

www.dataforce.de

A more than solid growth of + 9.2% is certainly a very promising start for the German True Fleet Market in 2017. 58,705 new passenger cars was the highest volume ever for the first month of the year and the Private Market also achieved an outstanding result as well by scoring a growth rate of + 13.5%. Meanwhile the Total Market recorded its best January figures since 2003 with a little over 241,000 registrations.Eight out of the Top 10 brands were able to boost their fleet registrations over January 2016, both market leader Volkswagen and Mercedes in 2nd position showed double-digit growth rates. Skoda (ranking 6th behind Audi, BMW and Ford) and Renault (ranking 8th) though delivered some especially healthy growth with + 48.9% and + 49.4% respectively. The Czech manufacturer achieved a market share of 7.4%, this was its highest since September 2013 and its second best month in Germany ever. However there is definitely more to come from Skoda this year, if one takes into account that the all-new Kodiaq which is sure to attract a significant number of fleet customers. Outside the Top 10 the performance of Peugeot was also noteworthy as they produced + 39.1% helping the French brand jump from 15th into 12th position.As we looked into fuel type, comparing January 2016 and 2017 the share of passenger car registrations with a diesel engine dropped by 3.5 percentage points (70.4% vs 73.9%) for True Fleet. With a combined 2.4% share for full electric and hybrid models we saw a new record reached. While Hybrids grew by 77.5% over January 2016 the group of BEV(Battery Electric Vehicles) improved their volume even more with + 131.3%.Market leader within the hybrid cars for January was the Toyota Yaris followed by Lexus NX with Audi A3 e-tron, Toyota RAV4 and BMW 225xe Active Tourer all very close behind.BMWs i3 is the most popular full BEV clearly in front of the competitors Renault Zoe, Tesla Model S and Volkswagen e-Up while Teslas Model X is already to be found in 5th position within the model ranking and growing steadily.DATAFORCE  Focus on FleetsDataforce is the leading provider of fleet market data and automotive intelligence solutions in Europe. In addition, the company also provides detailed information on sales opportunities for the automotive industry, together with a wide portfolio of information based on primary market research and consulting services. The company is based in Frankfurt, Germany.Contact: Michael GergenDataforce Verlagsgesellschaft furBusiness Informationen mbHHamburger Allee 1460486 Frankfurt am MainPhone: +49 69 95930-231Fax: +49 69 95930-333E-Mail: michael.gergen@dataforce.de
How to Improve Stove Safety and Prevent Accidents

www.sgs.com/ee

The Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency (Tukes) claims that one in three fires in the country are caused by stoves or ovens, making them the most common cause of household fires. In Finland every year, fire brigades put out nearly 1,000 fires caused by electric stoves. In most cases, these fires are related to cooking and the root cause is almost always negligence or misuse of the stove.Fires Caused By Stoves Are LethalIn 2016, 16 people in Finland died in electric fires and the majority of those fires were caused by stoves. More careful use of the stove, better kitchen planning and a number of technical solutions are all ways that could help prevent these tragic accidents.The most problematic stoves are those of traditional design with a cast-iron plate that gets very hot but is slow to cool. Most models are not equipped with timers, and their dials can often be turned on accidentally.Whats Safer?Induction stoves are a safer alternative to traditional stoves, since most have electronic controls and the plates cannot be turned on by accident. In addition, an induction plate will not switch on unless cookware is placed on it. However, it is still important for product designers and manufacturers to ensure that the dials are safe, and the device has a timer or other safety feature, such as a guard.The Advantages of a Stove GuardStove guards provide an effective way to protect consumers and their property from overheating stoves. Even the most basic models cut off power if the temperature gets too high or rises too quickly, while more advanced models will put out a fire using an extinguishing liquid.Stove guards include a temperature sensor installed above the stove that can alert a power management unit and cut off the power if the temperature rises too high or too fast. If the model is designed to extinguish a fire, an extinguishing liquid tank is also installed above an extractor hood.Standard EN 50615:2015 introduces three types of stove guard: Type A: emits a loud fire alarm when a fire starts, cuts off power, activates an extinguisher within 30 seconds of ignition, and puts out the fire within 15 seconds Type B: cuts off power before a fire starts and emits an audible alarm that continues until it is switched off or the temperature drops Type AB: cuts off power before a fire starts. However, if a fire starts, it will be extinguishedWhat do the Insurance Companies Say?In Finland, insurance companies recommend that all stoves are equipped with stove guards. Indeed, to celebrate its 150th anniversary, one leading insurer gifted a stove guard to all of its home insurance customers.In Norway, all new and renovated homes must be equipped with stove guards that cut off power if the stove temperature rises too much. In the UK, people belonging to risk groups receive a stove alarm for free.For more information on SGS home appliance safety services, visit SGS's Electrical and Electronics website or contact:Seppo LautamiesProject ManagerSGS Consumer Testing, Finlandt: +358 9 6963244Email: cts.media@sgs.comWebsite:About SGSSGS is the worlds leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 90,000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 2,000 offices and laboratories around the world.1, Mons CalpeChitcombe RoasdBroad OakRyeEast SussexTN31 6EU
Linear Actuators Market Increasing Demand for Efficient Water & Wastewater Management

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This report provides strategic analysis of the North America linear actuators market, and the growth forecast for the period 2016 to 2024. The scope of the report includes competitive analysis of various market segments based on type, end use, and in-depth cross-sectional scrutiny of the North America linear actuators market across countries.Linear actuators refer to actuators which creates linear motion of a machine part or the machine itself. Linear actuators have varied applications, such as in linearly actuated valves, pumps, industrial machinery, vehicular brakes and computer peripherals among others. They can have a very simple mechanism of action, or can be very complex.Growth in industrial automation, across verticals such as automotive, food & beverage manufacturing, pharmaceutical manufacturing, healthcare and defense among others, has been the primary driver of the linear actuators market in North America. The increasing importance for water and wastewater management has also been boosting the growth of linear actuators market.Increasing population in North America has led to increasing demand for efficient water and wastewater management. With stringent environmental regulations and depleting water resources, the government of North American countries has been stressing on improving water and wastewater management systems.Growing demand for various types of linearly actuated valves, for increasing energy efficiency, monitoring of quality of wastewater treatment, and also to meet the changing environmental regulations have been further promoting growth of linear actuator valves in North America.Request A Sample Of This Report:Considering the positive impacts of the factors mentioned above, the linear actuators market in North America can be anticipated to grow at a good pace during the forecast period.North America Linear Actuators Market: SegmentationOn the basis of type, the North America linear actuators market has been segmented into pneumatic, hydraulic, mechanical electric and others. Electric linear actuators have been further divided into ball screw, linear guide, linear table, rod less linear actuator, rod style linear actuator and others.The rod style linear actuator sub-segment has again been divided into helical belt, worm, DC motor and servo motor. The market revenue for linear actuators has been provided in terms of USD million, along with the CAGR for the forecast period from 2016 to 2024.End use industries covered under this report includes automotive, medical/healthcare, furniture, mining, steel, water & wastewater management, construction, it/semiconductor, military, agriculture, chemical, petrochemical among others.Each of these segments provide market size and forecast for the period 2016 - 2024, highlighting the key trends influencing and challenging factors for each segment. The country wise market analysis gives in-depth analysis of the current trends in different countries including the U.S., Canada and Mexico.About TMRTMR is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Contact TMR90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email:sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Passive Optical Network Equipment Market Highly Reliable for Consistency, & help Optimize the Bandwidth Connectivity

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The global demand for PON equipment is expected to rise quickly due to the superiority of optics in networking. PONs are easily scalable, provide advanced security, are highly reliable for consistency, and help optimize the bandwidth connectivity.Additionally, PON equipment are easy to install and maintain in comparison to conventional networks and also do not emit electromagnetic radiation due to their dielectric nature.Environmental conservationists are also positive about PON implementation due to their eco-friendly nature, in comparison to conventional copper-based cable networks. PON and its passive local area network also helps eliminate the need for workgroup switches.Factors such as these are responsible for the extremely optimistic 20.7% CAGR displayed by PON equipment revenue from 2015 to 2023. This market is expected to be valued at US$163.50 bn by the end of 2023.Request A Sample Of This Report:High PON Equipment Demand in Asia Pacific Draws Global Players to the RegionAsia Pacific is currently showing a very high demand for PON structures and equipment. Most of this demand increase is attributed to the rapid network implementations of China and India.China has played a key role in the growth of PON equipment players in the recent past and is expected to continue doing so for the coming years. A factor that allows China to show a higher PON demand than most other countries is the sheer volume of data being transferred across networks.The amount as well as rate of data traffic in the country is causing many users to switch from wireless networks to wired modes, thus increasing the consumption of PON equipment.India has proposed to build what the country will call the National Optical Fiber Network. The NOFN is a part of a plan to enhance the connectivity between different villages across India. The resultant dark fiber network is expected to significantly improve the nations connectivity.About TMRTMR is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Contact TMR90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email:sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Magnetic Field Sensors Market Efficiency & High Sensing Performance is Fuelling the Adoption of these Sensors in various Applications

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Magnetic field sensor is a device which is used for studying the field around electrical devices, coils and permanent magnets. These sensors were previously used only for direction finding or navigation by sensing the Earths magnetic poles.However, the application of magnetic field sensors have expanded vastly as different industries have adopted a variety of these sensors to detect the direction, presence or strength of not only earths magnetic field, but also from magnetized soft magnets, permanent magnets, vehicle disturbances and fields generated from electric currents.Demand for better efficiency and high sensing performance is fuelling the adoption of these sensors in various applications. The global magnetic field sensors market has been segmented on the basis of technology, types, applications and geography. A cross sectional study of the market broadly across four major regions has also been covered under the purview of the study.Many factors, such as surge in demand for these sensors in the automobile industry, increase in demand for consumer electronics and appliances and growing popularity of electronic compasses are driving the growth of overall magnetic field sensors market.Stringent government regulations across North America and Europe are encouraging the widespread adoption of energy-efficient and eco-friendly devices.Magnetic field sensors are one of the core components of these products. Therefore, increasing demand for power efficient and smarter electronic devices has significantly increased the demand the usage of these sensors over the last decade.Furthermore, the healthy economic growth of emerging markets such as China, India and Taiwan is also boosting the growth of the latest technologies, which is in turn, fuelling the demand for magnetic field sensors. The conjoint effect of all these trends and drivers is thus set to bolster the growth of the global market during the forecast period.Request A Sample Of This Report:Various government policies globally are setting standards for lower fleet-average fuel consumption and providing financial incentives for vehicle electrification, which is triggering the drive to reduce fuel consumption in the automotive sector.This in turn has resulted in the growing demand for electrified vehicles. The usage of advanced magneto-resistive sensors is anticipated to steadily increase in the field of electric drives.This is expected to offer potential growth opportunity to the global magnetic field sensors market. Moreover, emerging economies such as India and China, with their massive population are providing an enormous market for the new innovations in automotive sector.Rising awareness among consumers has given rise to favorable conditions for the consumer electronics market in Middle East and Africa. This in turn, is expected to further bolster the market growth of magnetic sensors.The competitive profiling of the leading players in the global magnetic field sensors market across four major geographic regions is also covered under the scope of the report.These include various business strategies that have adopted by the major players and the recent developments as per the secondary data available. In order to provide a competitive insight of global magnetic field sensors market, the market attractive analysis has been provided in the report.About TMRTMR is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Contact TMR90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email:sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Global Label-free Array Systems Market: Reduced Cost and Turnaround Time to Offer Significant Opportunities, predicts TMR

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The research report by Transparency Market Research states that the top five players in the global label-free array systems market accounted for a share of 62.7% in the overall market in 2015. Players such as Biacore, Agilent Technologies, ForteBio, Molecular Devices LLC, and Perkin Elmer have remained dominant in the global market due to their unmatched product portfolio and their persistent efforts to ensure product innovation. Product upgrades and timely product launches are expected to be the key strategies being adopted by these companies operating in the global market.According to the research report, the global label-free array systems market is expected to be worth US$1.7 bn by the end of 2024 as compared to US$1.0 bn in 2015. During the forecast years of 2016 and 2024, the overall market is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 5.6%.Browse Global Strategic Business Report:Outsourcing makes Contract Research Organizations Biggest Users of Label-free Array SystemsGeographically, the North America label-free array systems market is projected to show the highest growth rate in the coming years. The 5.7% CAGR of this regional market will be fueled by a positive adoption rate of label-free techniques and growing investments in research and development. In terms of end users, the contract research organizations are expected to register a strong CAGR of 6.5% amongst the rest of the end users. The formidable rise in outsourcing and growing number of contract research organizations across the globe are anticipated to boost the demand for label-free array systems in the forecast period.Real-time Data Analytics Prompts Swift UptakeThe global label-free array systems market is projected to grow at a steady rate in the coming few years due to the rising awareness and acceptance of the advantages these systems offer. Among the many benefits of these systems, it is a well-known fact that using these techniques permits reduced cost and time along with a high throughput results in real time. Label-free techniques offer reliable, fast, and accurate results in relatively less time as compared to conventional systems. Furthermore, label-free techniques also provide real-time data such as binding kinetics, affinity, and other crucial analysis, which helps a great deal to reduce the overall time required to complete the process.The label-free array systems market is gaining remarkable popularity all across North America, states the lead author of this research report. Understanding of the advantages of label-free array systems, technological advancements in instrumentation, and technological advancements are expected to propel the uptake of these technological in the coming years in this region. Additionally, growing investments in research and development by several biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies along with robust government funding is expected to fuel the growth of the label-free array systems market in North America.High Cost of Instruments Dissuades Adoption in Price-sensitive RegionsApplication of label-free instruments demand highly sophisticated equipment and screening systems in addition to integrated software. All of these factors collectively increase the cost of the instrument, which is rarely is compensated through reimbursements. Thus, the adoption of label-free array systems has been quite slow in price-sensitive regions. In addition to this issue, the market is also being restrained by the dominating presence of labeled detection techniques such as NMR and ELISA, which still account for a major share of the instrument market.This review is based on Transparency Market Researchs report, titled Label-free Array Systems Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2016 - 2024.Global Label-Free Array Systems Market is segmented as follows:Global Label-free Array Systems Market, by TechnologySurface Plasmon Resonance (SPR)Bio-layer Interferometry (BLI)Cellular Dielectric Spectroscopy (CDS)Others (Quartz Crystal Microbalance, etc.)Global Label-free Array Systems Market, by End UsersR&D LaboratoriesContract Research OrganizationsAgriculture Research InstitutesOthers (Forensic Institutes, etc.)Global Label-free Array Systems Market, by ApplicationsDrug DiscoveryAntibody Characterization & DevelopmentProtein Interface AnalysisProtein Complex & Cascade AnalysisOthersGlobal Label-free Array Systems Market, by GeographyNorth AmericaEuropeAsia-PacificLatin AmericaMiddle East & AfricaDownload Exclusive Brochure of This Report :About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Prescription Hormonal Drugs in Gynecology Market Research Report by Regional Analysis - North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East & Africa : forecast 2023

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Global Prescription Hormonal Drugs Market in Gynecology: DescriptionHormonal imbalance in women is caused due to abnormalities in the secretion of estrogen, progesterone and as well as androgens. A wide array of symptoms might be experienced by patients depending on the type of abnormality such as hot flushes, depression, vaginal dryness, excessive hair growth and abnormal vaginal bleeding. Environmental and genetic factors have an influence on women's fertility through their effect on hormonal function. Similarly, dysfunction of the HPO (hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian) axis and/or other endocrine systems may cause infertility and other gynecological disorders. The correct clinical decision for treating these diseases can be made on pathogenetic basis.Global Prescription Hormonal Drugs Market in Gynecology: Disease OverviewDisturbances related to the menstrual cycle lead to various syndromes such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), amenorrhea and premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Of all the above, PCOS is a common hormonal disorder seen among women that in the reproductive age. PCOS is a condition in which appearance of the ovaries in most, but not all women, is enlarged and features a number of tiny cysts located along the outer edge of each ovary. PCOS symptoms are observed in nearly 5% to 10% of women who are in their reproductive age (typically between 12 to 45 years).PCOS is perceived to be among the leading causes of female sub-fertility. It is also among the most frequently reported endocrine problems in women in the reproductive age. Amenorrhea is a clinical condition wherein menstrual periods do not occur. Besides phases such as childhood, breastfeeding, pregnancy, and menopause, the absence of periods may point toward a problem in the female reproductive system. However, hormonal disruption is also a common cause for the absence of menstrual periods. Similarly, PMS is a medical condition that affects many women with childbearing age and causes variety of physical and psychological symptoms that occur just before menstrual cycle.The prevalence of hormonal imbalance rate in women is high as the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that PCOS affected 116 million women worldwide as of 2010 i.e. nearly 3.4% of the global female population. While in case of PMS, according to World Health Organization (WHO), in 2010, 199 million women had premenstrual syndrome i.e. nearly 5.8% of the global female population.Browse full report on Prescription Hormonal Drugs in Gynecology Market -Global Prescription Hormonal Drugs Market in Gynecology: Drivers and RestraintsThe major drivers of the hormonal drugs in gynecology market includes high awareness in female population regarding hormonal disorders, continuous research and development activities in the field of women healthcare and various government and organizational programs to educate women about the symptoms, precautions and treatments. The market for hormonal drugs in gynecology can be segmented on the basis of different drugs available in the market, different disease conditions and geography. Various drugs available for the treatment of hormonal disorders includes Depo-Provera, Prometrium, Provera, Alesse, Apri, Desogen, Junel Fe 1/20, Kariva, Loestrin Fe1/20, Vestura and others. Geographic segment of prescription hormonal drugs in gynecology market can be categorized into following regions: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World.Brisdelle (low-dose paroxetine mesylate) product of Noven Pharmaceutical received approval in July 2013 against treatment of menopause condition. Brisdelle is a low-dose formulation of paroxetine mesylate, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. Similarly, the new entity AZD4901 (Oral) is currently under phase II clinical trial for treatment of PCOS and this study is sponsored by Astra Zeneca. It is an interventional type of study including 56 as the target sample size.The major players of prescription hormonal drugs in gynecology market includes Novartis AG, Pfizer, Inc., Berlex Laboratories, Inc., Ferring Pharmaceuticals, S.A., Duramed Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Xanodyne Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Bayer AG and others.Request for brochure of this report -About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Adult Malignant Glioma Therapeutics Market Research Report by Regional Analysis - North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East & Africa : forecast 2023

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Adult Malignant Glioma Therapeutics Market: OverviewGlioma is a type of tumor that occurs in brain or spine. It is a group of brain tumor that includes oligodendrogliomas and astrocytomas. Gliomas include all types of brain tumors arising from supportive tissue of the brain. Malignant glioma is the most common type of brain tumor observed in adults globally. Collectively they contribute around 40% of the total cases diagnosed with brain tumor. In the last decade, there has been a consistent rise in the number of people diagnosed with malignant glioma. The American Brain Tumor Association has estimated around 69,720 new cases of brain tumor in 2013. Thus, rising number of people diagnosed with malignant glioma supports the growth of the global adult malignant glioma therapeutics market. Headache, physical weakness, memory loss and seizures are some of the common symptoms of malignant glioma. Thus, with symptoms getting worse size of tumor increases that destroys brain cells, creates swelling in the brain and increases the pressure on skull.The global malignant glioma market can be segmented as follows:By Type of CellAstrocytomaOligodendrogliomaEpendymomaUnspecified GliomaBy GradeLow - grade GliomasHigh - grade GliomasBy LocationSupratentorialInfratentorialBrowse full report on Adult Malignant Glioma Therapeutics Market -Cancer Research U.K. estimated that around 45% of the total primary brain tumor cases are gliomas. There are majorly four types of gliomas such as astrocytoma, oligodendroglioma, ependymoma and unspecified glioma. Astrocytoms is the most common type of glioma diagnosed globally, more than 30% of the total cases diagnosed with brain tumors are astrocytomas. These types of tumors are not curable as they spread easily through normal brain tissue. Astrocytomas are primarily classified on the basis of grades from one to four as per the speed of their growth in brain cells. American Brain Tumor Association have analyzed that around 7% of all the primary brain tumors represent astrocytomas.Hence, a rising number of people diagnosed with astrocytomas accentuates the uptake of therapeutics for the treatment of the same. Currently, majority of the therapeutics for the treatment of malignant glioma is under clinical trials, key players are engaged in research and development activities.Adult Malignant Glioma Therapeutics Market: Region-wise InsightGeographically, North America and Europe accounted for the largest share in the global adult malignant glioma therapeutics market. This dominance was mainly attributed to key players domiciled in these regions coupled with increasing incidences of brain tumor. Brain tumor is the third most common type of cancer in adults in North America. According to North America Brain Tumor Coalition over 44,500 people in the U.S. were diagnosed with primary tumor in the brain in 2014. Thus, rising incidences of primary brain tumor supports the growth of malignant glioma therapeutics market in North America. In addition, increasing healthcare awareness also supported the growth of malignant glioma therapeutics market in North America and European market.Similarly, Asia Pacific is considered as the most lucrative market for the growth of malignant glioma therapeutics. The growth in Asian market is fueled by the presence of untapped market opportunities due to increasing and expanding healthcare infrastructure in this region. Asia Pacific is considered as an emerging market owing to growing market penetration coupled with increasing number of manufacturers expanding their geographic presence in this region. Thus, all the mentioned factors collectively propel the growth of malignant glioma therapeutics market during the forecast period from 2014 to 2020.Adult Malignant Glioma Therapeutics Market: Key PlayersMajor players and universities engaged in the development of therapeutics for the treatment of malignant glioma include Eli Lilly and Company, Insys Therapeutics, Inc., GlaxoSmithKline plc, Amgen, Inc., Duke University, Shinshu University, Medical Research Council, Osaka University and others.Request for brochure of this report -About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Incubators Market Research Report by Regional Analysis - North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East & Africa : forecast 2023

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Incubators are devices that facilitate the growth of an organism by providing them an optimum temperature and environment. Mechanical incubators were invented around 1700s in France, whereas the first commercial incubator was designed by Hearson in 1881. Medically, incubators are used to provide a suitable environment for the growth of infants, hypothermic patients, and new born animals. In microbiology, culture incubators are used to facilitate the growth of microorganisms or eukaryotic (animal and plant) cell cultures. In hatching centers, incubators are used to facilitate the hatching process of chicken and other poultry used either for research or for human consumption. Incubators therefore form a critical part of hospitals, research labs, vaccination production centers, pharmaceutical companies and diagnostic labs.Neonatal incubators consist of a variety of equipment that assist in the growth and survival of the newborn by providing them nutrition and suitable environment. Some equipment include: oxygen supplementation, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) mechanism, mechanical ventilation, air humidifier, intravenous provisions, pulse oximeter, cardio-respiratory monitor, neonatal defibrillator and neonatal ventilator. For microbiological use the first and simplest incubators were just insulated boxes with attached thermometers to denote the temperature within the chamber. Modern culture incubators have inbuilt thermostats, gas concentration monitors, along with pH monitors and humidifiers. CO2 incubators are other variants of culture incubators that provide an optimum concentration of CO2 gas for proper growth of animal/plant cell cultures. On the other hand compressor cooled incubators are designed to provide a lower than room temperature for certain microorganisms that require such specifically cooler temperatures. Peltier cooling incubators are variants of cooling incubators used to incubate insects, they apply the Peltier technology to provide a cooler environment within a hotter outer environment with minimal disturbance from the vibration and noise of compressors. Culture incubators are also designed for easy sterilization, periodic fumigation and can occupy around 20 liters to more than 800 liters capacity of cultures. Hatcheries perform large scale incubation by either multiple individual incubator machines or large incubator rooms. In such institutions the function of incubator is limited to provide a constant source of heat and temperature maintenance. Animal incubators are generally used for mammals and adult animals during various veterinary procedures; they are similar to neonatal incubators in their function and equipment design.Browse full report on Incubators Market -At present the market for incubators is largest in the North American, European and Asia-Pacific region because these regions together form the most populated yet urbanized region in the world that routinely require medical incubators for varied purposes. In general the largest market for all variants of incubator (neonatal, hatching and microbiological) together is present in the Asia Pacific region. The largest market for advanced neonatal incubators remains highest in the North American and West European region. The RoW and Asia Pacific region exhibits the fastest growth in incubator purchases worldwide, with a recent trend shifting towards more advanced versions. Another factor would be the presence of a majority of the manufacturers in the Asia Pacific region.Some of the neonatal incubator manufacturers include: GE Healthcare (General Electric Company), Phoenix Medical Systems (P) Ltd, Memmert GmbH, Dragerwerk AG & Co. KGaA, Natus Medical Incorporated.etc to name a few. Microbiological and hatching incubator manufacturers include: Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Memmert GmbH, Andreas Hettich GmbH & Co.KG, Panasonic Healthcare Co., Ltd., and VWR International Ltd, to name a few. Neonatal animal incubators include: DRE Medical, Inc., ThermoCare Ltd, BMT Medical Technology s.r.o., etc to name a few.This research report analyzes this market on the basis of its market segments, major geographies, and current market trends. This report provides comprehensive analysis ofMarket growth driversFactors limiting market growthCurrent market trendsMarket structureMarket projections for upcoming yearsRequest for brochure of this report -About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Clinical Chemistry Analyzers Market Research Report by Regional Analysis - North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East & Africa : forecast 2023

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Global Clinical Chemistry Analyzer Market: OverviewClinical chemistry analyzers refer to automated devices that are utilized to measure and analyze the levels of proteins, sugars, and other products in the blood. Clinical chemistry analyzers help in determine the conditions such as liver function, kidney function, nutritional state, and other conditions in the human body. The technologically advanced and sophisticated devices are highly accurate as well as time efficient. Currently, clinical chemistry analyzers are used for the analysis of several conditions such as diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and arteriosclerosis along with other regular health check-up. With the growing number of diabetic cases across the world, coupled with various kidney diseases and other diseases pertaining to nutritional deficiencies, the global market for clinical chemistry analyzer is projected to expand at a healthy growth rate during the forecast period of 2015 to 2023.Global Clinical Chemistry Analyzer Market: Trends and OpportunitiesSeveral factors are favoring the future of the global market for clinical chemistry analyzer, including technological advancements which has led to innovative devices such as StaRRsedInversa Automated ESR analyzer and the growing awareness about personal health and the availability of diagnostic tests among the vast populations across the globe. Increase in the number of in-vitro diagnostic tests and prevalence of various chronic diseases are also expected to augment the demand for clinical chemistry analyzers. Moreover, rising geriatric population is another primary factor for the escalation of the demand as people aged over 65 are more prone to several organ diseases, and thus need regular check-ups. Other factors driving the demand in the global market for clinical chemistry analyzer include increased focus on reduction of healthcare expenditure, rising number of point of care testing capabilities, and growing number of crime because chemistry analyzers play pivotal role in the investigations. Conversely, high cost, the requirement of qualified and trained professionals, and risk of result uncertainty are some of the factors that may hinder the growth rate during the forecast period.The global market for clinical chemistry analyzers can be segmented on the basis of test, product, sector, end users, and geography. Based on types of test, the market can be segmented into liver panels, electrolyte panels, thyroid function panels, lipid profiles, basic metabolic panels, and renal profiles. By product, the market can be divided into analyzers, reagents, and other products. On the basis of sector, the global clinical chemistry analyzer market is divided into mid and small, large, and ultra-large sector clinical chemistry analyzers. By end-users, the market can be segmented into diagnostic laboratories, hospitals, and academic research institutes.Browse full report on Clinical Chemistry Analyzers Market -Global Clinical Chemistry Analyzer Market: Region-wise OutlookGeographically, the global market can be segmented into the regions of North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and rest of the world. Currently, North America serves most of the demand for clinical chemistry analyzer due to robust healthcare infrastructure and high affordability of the consumers. However, Asia Pacific is projected for the most robust growth rate as several emerging economies in the region, such as China, India, Indonesia, and Malaysia are aggressively investing in the healthcare sector.Companies mentioned in the research reportThe global market for clinical chemistry analyzer is highly fragmented with the presence of several International and domestic players, and new version of devices is expected to determine the leader during the forecast period. Some of the key players are Beckman Coulter, Inc., Siemens AG, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., Nova Biomedical Corporation, Abbott Diagnostics, Elitech Group, Mindray Medical International Limited, Jhonson and Jhonson, Horiba, Ltd., Sysmex Corporation, and Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics, Inc.Major regions analyzed under this research report are:EuropeNorth AmericaAsia PacificRest of the WorldThis report gives you access to decisive data such as:Market growth driversFactors limiting market growthCurrent market trendsMarket structureMarket projections for the coming yearRequest for brochure of this report -About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Acid Citrate Dextrose (ACD) Tubes Market Research Report by Regional Analysis - North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East & Africa : forecast 2023

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ACD or acid citrate dextrose is a solution of sodium citrate, citric acid and dextrose in water which is primarily used as an anticoagulant to preserve blood specimen. ACD tubes are specialized tubes utilized to preserve the whole blood specimen for future testing purpose. There are several types of acid citrate dextrose tubes available in the market. ACD tubes are primarily utilized in hospitals, clinics and diagnostics centers worldwide.Safety of the blood and blood components is an absolute necessity even though the blood components provided by blood banks are free from bacteria, viruses and other disease causing microorganisms. Risks that may arise during blood transfusion are a major cause of concern in the blood industry. Companies are considering blood decontamination as a step towards providing safe blood to patients. Hence, manufacturing companies are engaged in developing advanced ACD tubes to preserve blood for longer time. Thus advancement of ACD tubes is accentuating the global market demand of ACD tubes in hospitals, clinics and diagnostics centers. Moreover, aging population is more prone to common health conditions such as arthritis and heart diseases. National Health Service (NHS) stated in 2012 that, the number of people aged 65 years and above is expected to rise by 65% in the next 25 years. Similarly, according, to the World Health Organization (WHO) it has been estimated that the global elderly population is expected to reach around 2 billion by 2050; this was around 524 million in 2010. Additionally, the global geriatric population is expected to grow at the fastest rate in developed countries such as Italy, Germany, the U.K., the U.S. and Japan. Hence, increasing incidences of cancer, arthritis and heart diseases would support the need for surgical procedures where blood plays an important role. Heart disease, a leading cause of death, accounted for approximately 30% of total number of deaths globally in 2008. In most accident cases or during surgeries, the person loses substantial amount of blood. Thus, blood is a vital component during surgeries which are transfused to reduce the mortality rate. Therefore, the rising number of surgical procedures is increasing the demand for safe and hygienic blood, thereby the demand of ACD tube is also increasing to preserve blood.Browse full report on Acid Citrate Dextrose (ACD) Tubes Market -North America currently represents the largest regional market for ACD tubes primarily due to strong demand of the devices and increasing awareness among people about blood transfusion reaction. Europe accounted for the second largest market for ACD blood collection tubes after North America. A rise in the aging population and longer life expectancy has been majorly driving the ACD tubes market in Europe. Asia-Pacific comprises countries such as India, China, Australia, Japan and Malaysia. Japan and China accounted for the largest share of the ACD tubes market among the Asia-Pacific countries due to strong demand and increase in awareness about the device. Technological advancements is further expected to accentuate the market growth in these regions. Rest of the World (RoW) comprises the markets of Latin America, the Middle East and Africa. The market for ACD tubes in RoW is primarily fuelled by investment in healthcare infrastructure in Brazil and Mexico.Some of the major market players involved in manufacturing the ACD tubes and contributing in the global market share includes Fisher Scientific UK Ltd, Becton, Dickinson and Company, Cryoquip, LLC among others.This research report analyzes this market on the basis of its market segments, major geographies, and current market trends. Geographies analyzed under this research report includeNorth AmericaAsia PacificEuropeMiddle East and AfricaLatin AmericaRequest for brochure of this report -About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Digital Subtraction Angiography Market Research Report by Regional Analysis - North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East & Africa : forecast 2023

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Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) is a radiographic or fluoroscopic technique which is used for the diagnosis of various vascular disorders. The technique is also utilized for the visualization of blood vessels in the soft dense tissue environment or a bone. Digital subtraction angiography is applied for obtaining clear images of the arteries and is also highly effective in contrasting arterial structures with the surrounding bone and tissue material. Digital subtraction angiography has proven to be efficient in the identification of abnormalities such as ulcerated plaques, stenosis, occlusions and aneurysms. In addition to its application in carotid arteries this technique is also widely used in the evaluation of vascular by-pass grafts, aortic arch anomalies and aortic coarctation. The technique is being replaced by computed tomography angiography (CTA) as CTA is a less invasive test which produces 3D images.The digital subtraction angiography market is expected to show a healthy growth in the near future primarily due to technological advancements and launch of new products in this market space. Moreover, rising interest of people for precise and accurate diagnosis is another factor expected to increase the market for digital subtraction angiography. A growing aging population is regarded as one of the most prominent factors responsible for increasing the risk associated with vascular disorders such as. It has been estimated that currently, the number of people aged over 60 years have doubled as compared to the early 1980s. This number is further expected to quadruple by 2050. Hence, accelerated growth in elderly population is poised to be a major driver for this market. Furthermore, rising incidences of cardiovascular diseases (atrial fibrillation) has led to corresponding increase in the number of patients suffering from stroke. For instance, according to the Asia-Pacific Stroke Conference (APSC) held in Japan in 2012, nearly 8 million people were diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (abnormal heart rhythm) in China. This high number of patients suffering from cardiovascular disorders would increase the demand for DSA.Browse full report on Digital Subtraction Angiography Market -The report of global digital subtraction angiography can be classified based on the types of procedures and end users. The type of procedures category can be subdivided into intravenous digital subtraction angiography and intra-arterial digital subtraction angiography. The end users segment could be further classified into diagnostic centers, hospitals and academic research laboratories. The report on digital subtraction angiography could be also subdivided into regions namely North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World. Of these geographies, currently North America account for the largest share of the market followed by the European region. In the future these two regions are expected to witness slow growth rate due to market saturation and would only be driven due to replacement of old systems by the new systems. On the contrary, Asia-Pacific region is expected to witness highest growth rate during the forecast period. This could be witnessed due to increasing number of patients with cardiovascular disorders and aging population. Asia countries such as Brazil, China and India are expected to witness impressive growth due to increasing disposable income and presence of large population base. Moreover, increasing investment of the on the healthcare infrastructure and many manufacturers entering in these market.Some of the major players operating in this global digital subtraction angiography market include GE Healthcare, Siemens AG, Philips Healthcare, Toshiba Corporation, Medtronic, Inc., Boston Scientific Corporation, Abbott Vascular, St. Jude Medical, Shimadzu Corporation, Cordis Corporation and other prominent players.This research report analyzes this market on the basis of its market segments, major geographies, and current market trends. Geographies analyzed under this research report includeNorth AmericaAsia PacificEuropeMiddle East and AfricaLatin AmericaRequest for brochure of this report -About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Power Banks Market to Invest in the Right Opportunity Segment for Obtaining Competitive Advantage

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Power banks i.e. external batteries have become popular as the battery life of smartphones, MP3 players, tablets and laptops is beaten by the amount of time people spend using them each day. Batteries of such electronic devices drains in a short period of time thus justifying purpose of power banks.The research report provides a detailed analysis of trends in power banks market. The report also includes extensive analysis of the industry drivers, restraints, opportunities and challenges. The market study provides comprehensive assessment of vendors strategies for succeeding in the business.The report segregates the market based on type of battery, power rating and type of power banks across different geographies, such as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle-East and Africa and Latin America. For each of these geographies drivers, restraints and opportunities have been analyzed and have been provided in the report.Different regions analyzed in this report include India, China, Japan, U.S., Oceania (New Zealand and Australia), Scandinavia, EU5 (Italy, Spain, Germany, France, UK), CIS (Russia), Saudi Arabia, Israel, South Africa, UAE, and Brazil among others. The market research study analyzes the power banks market on global level, regional level and country level.The research report estimates power banks market in terms of revenue (US$ billion) and volume (Mn units) for years 2012 and 2013, along with market forecast for the period 2014 to 2022.Request A Sample Of This Report:The detailed value chain analysis helps market players to formulate their business strategies at every stage of their business. Moreover, the market estimates have been analyzed keeping in mind different factors including technological, environmental, economical, legal and social. The detailed distribution channel analysis for global power banks market is provided in the report.The market attractiveness of different types of power banks such as portable power banks, solar power banks and battery cases (phone charging case) elucidates the most attractive segment. This will help players in the ecosystem of power banks to invest in the right opportunity segment for obtaining competitive advantage.Key players have also been profiled on the basis of financial overview, company overview, segmentation, business strategies, and recent developments in the power banks market. Market participants profiled in this report are Hitachi Maxell, Ltd., Limefuel LLC, Xtorm BV, Mophie, Inc., Mipow Limited, EassyAcc.com, Inc., Panasonic Corporation, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Sony Corporation, Apacer Technologies, Inc., GP Batteries International Ltd, and Anker. The research report also explains the leading players in the ecosystem of the global power banks market and china power banks market.About TMRTMR is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Contact TMR90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email:sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Mobile Advertising Market Increasing Number of Mobile Applications for Various Industries such as Banking, Logistics & Retail

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Mobile advertising is a form of advertising using mobile devices. It is a subgroup of mobile marketing. Mobile advertising provides information/content developed/designed by advertisers intended for customers/mobile device users. The different types of advertising includes display advertising, In-app, In-game, rich media, search, sms/mms/P2P messaging and others.Mobile advertising provides a solution to advertisers to reach targeted users through various devices to deliver information about innovative tools and technology.Mobile advertising solutions enables advertisers to target users, such as advertising campaign solutions, in order to a reach defined set of goals which includes raising brand awareness, establishing brand and increase rate of conversions and so on.Key factors driving the growth of the mobile advertising market include rising concerns about security, and privacy, deletion, and misuse/manipulation of data are some of the major fears that persist among online users.In Global Mobile Advertising Market by Devices, smartphone segment holds the largest share due to high penetration rate of smartphone devices across the world.The smartphone segment is also expected to be fastest growing segment in the forecast period due to increasing adoption rate of smartphones in the emerging economies such as India and Brazil.Request A Sample Of This Report:In 2014, the search advertising type was the largest segment in the global mobile advertising market. The search advertising type is majorly preferred by the sectors such as BFSI, telecommunication and IT, and FMCG.Search advertising offers an opportunity to place online advertisements on the webpage that shows results from search queries; however this type is majorly adopted by advertisers. In-App advertising is anticipated to be the fastest growing segment in the forecast period due to increasing number of mobile applications for various industries such as banking, logistics and retail.Advertisement Campaign solutions holds the largest share as political parties are using these solutions for attracting the attention of population in their region during different stages of elections which include local body to national level elections.The reporting & analytics solution is expected to be the fastest growing segment in the forecast period due to rising adoption of data analytics solutions in understanding the mindset of customers.In the mobile advertising market by region, North America is the major contributor for the revenue generated in the global mobile advertising market.The APAC region is anticipated to be the fastest-growing segment during the forecast period due to high growth in mobile innovation and high usage of Internet through by consumers in the region. The North America mobile advertising market revenue is mainly contributed by the government and BFSI sectors.About TMRTMR is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Contact TMR90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email:sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
High Performance Alloys Market Rising due to their Ability to Perform Under High Pressure Conditions :2020

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Transparency Market Researchs new market report, titled High Performance Alloys Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2014 - 2020, provides a detailed description of the high performance alloys market in terms of revenue (US$ million) and volume share (kilo tons) for the forecast period 2014-2020. According to the analysis stated in the report, the global high performance alloys market is expected to rise and reach US$9.09 billion by 2020, from a value of US$6.82 billion in 2013. The report analyzes the market with respect to various segments along with the growth opportunities expected in the next six years. In terms of volume, the market stood at 1,110.7 kilo tons in 2013. Overall, the market is expanding at a steady CAGR of 4.2% during the forecast period from 2014 to 2020.Download the Exclusive Report Sample Here :High performance alloys are metal alloys that provide good surface stability and corrosion resistance and are specifically deigned to perform under intense conditions such as elevated pressures and temperatures. Due to their ability to retain most of their strength despite prolonged exposure, these components are ideal for a wide range of industrial applications. Some of the typical applications of high performance alloys include the industrial gas turbines sector (IGTs) and the aerospace industry. The power industries and aerospace influence the growth of this market. Due to their excellent mechanical strength and creep resistance to high temperatures, the use of high performance alloys is substantially high in these fields.According to an analysts study at TMR, around 60% of an aircraft is equipped with high performance alloys. Aerospace was the largest application segment of the market, accounting for 56.9% of the total high performance alloys market in 2013. By 2020, tremendous demand for high performance alloys is likely to be observed from the aerospace industry.Similarly, rising demand for high performance alloys will also be seen in power generation applications, as gas turbines require premium materials that can withstand elevated temperatures. Some of the other applications that high performance alloys find their use in are oil and gas rail engineering, automotive, electronics, military, marine, and others.Within the key products of the high performance alloys market, the study enlists nonferrous alloys, refractory alloys, platinum group metal alloys, and superalloys as the main segments of this market. Of all, the nonferrous alloys, including aluminum and titanium, accounted for 51% of the total market in 2013. Nonferrous alloys exhibit favorable mechanical properties for industrial use. The demand for these alloys is expected to increase in the next few years due to the rising demand for titanium materials in the aerospace industry. Nonferrous alloys were the largest product segment in 2013, followed by superalloys.In terms of regional demand, North America was dominant in the high performance alloys market in 2013. However, increasing demand for high performance alloys from the automotive industry in Europe is also boosting the growth of this market. Asia Pacific and the Middle East are the next fastest growing regions anticipated to offer higher opportunities for the global high performance alloys market in the near future, reports TMR.High Performance Alloys Market  Product Segment AnalysisNon-ferrous alloysPlatinum group metal alloysRefractory metal alloysSuperalloysHigh Performance Alloys  Application AnalysisAerospaceIndustrial gas turbinesIndustrialAutomotivesOil & gasElectronics & electricalOthers (Medical, chemical, etc)High Performance Alloys  Regional AnalysisNorth AmericaEuropeAsia PacificRest of the World (RoW)About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:Visit Blog :
Copper Market for Construction- Global Industry Analysis,Growth,Trends & Forecast : 2023

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Transparency Market Research has published a new market report titled Copper Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2015 - 2023. According to the report, the global copper market was valued at US$ 138.05 Bn in 2014 and is anticipated to reach US$ 171.96 Bn by 2023, expanding at a CAGR of 4.9% between 2015 and 2023.Download the Exclusive Report Sample Here :Copper is a soft metal with excellent ductile and malleable properties. It has high electrical and thermal conductivity. Copper is used extensively in various industrial application due to its conductivity and antibacterial properties. Brass and bronze are two of the most important alloys of copper. Coppers malleability and ease of usage in machines during the fabrication process facilitates high production rate of accurate copper shapes at relatively lower cost than its substitutes.Increase in infrastructure activities in developing countries is expected to boost the demand for copper in the next few years. Additionally, advancement in global manufacturing output as in transportation equipment, industrial machinery, domestic appliances, and other durable goods is estimated to augment the demand for copper during the forecast period. However, competition from other materials such as plastic and aluminum is likely to hamper market growth. Nonetheless, ongoing research and development in green building is projected to open growth opportunities for the copper market in the near future.Copper metal is traded in various forms such as wire rods; plates, sheets, & strips; and rods, bars, & sections. In terms of volume, the wire rod segment accounted for more than 55% share of the market in 2014. Copper rods are used in the manufacture of ultra-high voltage, large capacity underground and submarine cables; magnet wires for electronic parts; and wire harnesses for automobiles. The others segment includes powder and tube. It held the second-largest share of the global copper market in 2014.In terms of volume, construction was the largest application segment of the copper market, accounting for more than 40% share in 2014. It is also projected to be the fastest-growing segment of the market during the forecast period. Copper and brass are the materials of choice for plumbing, taps, valves, and fittings owing to their aesthetic appeal. Copper is used widely in infrastructural activities in the form of copper tubing, taps, valves, tanks, connections, and fittings. This, in turn, is expected to increase the demand for copper in the next few years. It is a good conductor of electricity. It is also malleable and corrosion resistant. This makes it the most sought after material for electric cables, both industrial as well as domestic. Electrical & electronics was the second-largest application segment of the copper market in 2014.In terms of volume, Asia Pacific dominated the global copper market, accounting for more than 60% share in 2014. Asia Pacific is anticipated to be the fastest-growing regional market during the forecast period owing to increasing demand for automobiles and rapid industrialization and urbanization in the region.Key players operating in the copper market include Codelco, Aurubis AG, Freeport McMoRan Inc. Copper, Glencore, Grupo Mexico, and BHP Billiton Ltd.The report segments the copper market as follows:Global Copper Market - Form AnalysisWire rodPlates, sheets, & stripsRods, bars, & sectionsOthers (Including powder, tube, etc.)Global Copper Market - Application AnalysisConstructionElectrical & electronic productsTransportationIndustrialOthers (Including consumer products etc.)Global Copper Market - Country AnalysisNorth AmericaU.S.Rest of North AmericaEuropeFranceU.K.SpainGermanyItalyRest of EuropeAsia PacificChinaIndiaASEANRest of Asia PacificLatin AmericaBrazilRest of Latin AmericaMiddle East & Africa (MEA)GCCSouth AfricaRest of MEAAbout UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:Visit Blog :
Solar Energy Market Fuelled by the ever-increasing demand for electricity :2024

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Global Solar Energy Market: OverviewThe abundant availability of solar energy is making it an ideal long-term source of clean energy that can be used as a viable alternative to currently prevalent nonrenewable sources such as coal, gas, and oil. Solar energy is being increasingly used in the commercial, industrial, and residential sectors. Solar photovoltaics is amongst the most commonly used systems to convert solar energy into electrical energy. Various studies suggest that the in 2015, the total installed capacity of solar PV was more than 250 GW, while the added capacity was recorded to be approximately 59 GW. The increasing investments in renewable energy and rising environmental concerns regarding the greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions are driving the global solar energy market.Download the Exclusive Report Sample Here :The report provides a comprehensive overview of the global solar energy market through industry chain structure, definitions, classifications, applications, and technology. It presents insights into short-term and long-term market growth by methodically examining its current market scenario and historical data. The competitive landscape of the global solar energy market is also discussed in the report. It profiles key players along with their latest developments, business strategies, cost and revenue structures, and contact information.Global Solar Energy Market: Drivers and RestraintsFuelled by the ever-increasing demand for electricity in conjunction with government initiatives promoting the use of renewable energy sources, the global solar energy is expected to trace a positive exponential curve from 2014 to 2020. Moreover, subsidies and tax benefits offered by governments for effectively utilizing barren land for solar power plants are propelling the growth of the market. Other factors such as rapid industrialization in emerging countries and low operating and maintenance cost of solar power projects are working in favor of the global market.Despite these favorable growth conditions, the economic slowdown in several parts of the world is adversely affecting the growth of the market. In Europe, the economic meltdown has compelled previously supportive European governments to cut down on subsidies on solar energy production. Furthermore, high harnessing cost and low production capacity of solar power plants are negatively impacting the dynamics of the global solar energy market.Global Solar Energy Market: Geographical SegmentationOn the basis of geography, the global solar energy market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World (RoW). Europe and North America are, collectively, anticipated to command a large share in the market in terms of revenue throughout the forecast period. The growth of these regions can be attributed to favorable government initiatives and increasing awareness regarding environmental conservation. Moreover, strong demand from countries such as the U.S., France, Germany, and Canada is fuelling the growth of these regions. The deployment of solar power plants is gaining momentum in Asia Pacific. The expansion of solar power production in countries such as Japan, India, and China is contributing to the growth of the APAC region. Another factor bolstering the market is the increasing demand for electricity owing to population growth and rapid industrialization.Companies Mentioned in the ReportThe leading players in the market are First Solar Inc., Suntech Power Holdings Co. Ltd., Sharp Corporation, Trina Solar Limited, and Yingli Solar. With technological advancements and availability of bountiful resources in equatorial countries in Latin America and Africa, the new and existing companies are estimated to enjoy sustainable growth in the near future.Global Solar Energy Market, by Harnessing Technology:Solar PhotovoltaicsSolar Thermal ElectricityArtificial PhotosynthesisSolar HeatingGlobal Solar Energy Market, by Capturing Technology:Active Solar TechnologiesPassive Solar TechnologiesGlobal Solar Energy Market, by GeographyEuropeNorth AmericaAsia-PacificRest of the WorldAbout UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:Visit Blog :
"Would like to hear from you Lou wish you hadn't left New York," Jackson Pollock wrote to his friend and fellow artist Louis Bunce in 1946.

Like Pollock, Bunce was originally from Wyoming, moving with his family to Portland when he was 13. At the time of Pollock's letter, one of many the two artists exchanged after meeting at the Art Students League of New York, Bunce was debating whether to stay in Portland or move back to New York, then the definitive center of the international art world. Bunce chose Portland, altering the trajectory of his career and making a lasting impact on art, artists and collectors in the Northwest.

The retrospective of Bunce's work now on view at the Hallie Ford Museum of Art at Willamette University in Salem thoughtfully lays out the career of this artist credited with bringing modernism to Oregon. Distilled to a succinct 49 works, it spans five decades, from 1932 through 1981, giving serious, if brief, consideration to the many styles Bunce worked through in a lifetime of assiduous painting.

Bunce was a polyglot, which this exhibition makes clear. Like an immersive art history survey course, it moves evenly and deferentially from early works influenced by the modernism of Cezanne and Picasso, through surrealism and abstract expressionism, culminating in the lush, overblown shapes and colors of postmodernism.

In two of the earliest works included in the show, Bunce emulates Cezanne. With the same warm hues and squared-off shapes that Cezanne used to paint his native southern France, Bunce depicts the scenic Columbia River Highway and the hills around Mosier. In another small work, "The Butchers" from 1934, he paints the figures of two men wrestling with a hanging slab of meat in a style that recalls the American painter Guy Pene du Bois, who taught in the 1920s at the Art Students League, where Bunce may have met him.

Bunce translated himself to New York twice, once in the 1920s -- he worked in a meatpacking plant in North Portland to help fund this first trip -- and again in the early 1940s. After the first of these stays, more urban scenes made their way into his work, but over the years and as Bunce moved through and experimented with various -isms, he returned again and again to the inspiration found in the nearby landscape of the Pacific Northwest.

The works of the 1950s and 1960s, the strongest in the exhibition, are abstracted scenes of sea and land. This is the period when Bunce was exhibiting widely, with group shows at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art and the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, as well as other institutions around the country. Confidently painted pieces like "Big Green" from 1960 demonstrate Bunce's fluency in the language of abstract expressionism, with the addition of his own softly rounded gestural forms.

It was in the 1950s, too, that modern art became contentious in Portland with Bunce's commission to paint a mural for Portland International Airport. By then an established artist, Bunce was invited to propose a mural for the airport's new steel and glass passenger terminal, but when the Port of Portland commissioners saw a study for it, they rejected it out of hand as unintelligible. Outraged by the commissioners' decision, Portland's artistic community rose to Bunce's defense, and the commission was reinstated. A very public, often rancorous discourse about the mural continued even after it was installed, although period images show the mural fitting naturally into the modernist architecture of the airport. In the study, on loan from the Port and included in the exhibition, the vigorous brushwork and interlocking forms rendered in vermillion, ochre and cobalt blue still feel fresh. Today, the mural perches above the Blue Star Donuts in the airport's pre-security Oregon Market, a little out of keeping with the slats of warm wood that now surround it, but no less vivid.

By the late 1960s and 1970s, Bunce's national prominence was on the wane. The works in the exhibition from that period are a not-so-eloquent take on Pop art. More successful are the moody, diffused works that seem to reference Mark Rothko, another artist with ties to Portland who made his way to New York around the same time as Bunce and for all intents and purposes didn't look back.

Rothko's work will return to Portland with the opening of the Portland Art Museum's new Rothko Pavilion, scheduled for late 2020 or early 2021. Bunce may have made this possible. As a teacher for nearly 30 years at the Museum Art School (now the Pacific Northwest College of Art), he taught a new style of painting to several generations of artists. He helped to open the first galleries in Portland where these artists could show their work and where the work of other new and exciting artists from outside the region could be seen. He used his New York connections to bring some of the major names of the art world to Portland. Through his boundless enthusiasm and ardent commitment, Bunce, who died in 1983 at age 75, cultivated a Portland art scene that didn't exist before.

"Understanding your history is fundamental to understanding your present," notes Martha Lee of the Russo Lee Gallery, which represents the Bunce estate as well as several artists who studied under him. Indeed, Bunce was fundamental to the arts in Portland.

--Briana Miller, for The Oregonian/OregonLive

***

"Louis Bunce: Dialogue with Modernism"

What: Retrospective of Oregon artist Louis Bunce

Where: Hallie Ford Museum of Art, Willamette University, 900 State St., Salem

When: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, 1-5 p.m. Sunday, through March 26.

Tickets: $6 general, $4 seniors (55 and older), $3 students (18 and older with identification); willamette.edu/arts/hfma or 503-370-6855.

Additional programming: Concurrent with the Hallie Ford exhibition, exhibitions of Bunce's work will be on view at the Russo Lee Gallery, 805 N.W. 21st Ave., and the Karin Clarke Gallery, 760 Willamette St., Eugene, both through Saturday, Feb. 25. There will also be a panel discussion, "Remembering Louis Bunce," moderated by exhibition curator Roger Hull with former student and gallerist Arlene Schnitzer and artists George Johanson, Lucinda Parker and Jack Portland, at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 26, in Paulus Lecture Hall, Willamette University College of Law, 900 State St., Salem.
PeaceHealth Hospitals will cut 500 jobs

PeaceHealth, which operates PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center in Vancouver, and nine other hospitals, is laying off 500 employees after reaching a deal to sell off its some of its laboratory businesses. Faith Cathcart/The Oregonian

(Faith Cathcart)

PeaceHealth, the Vancouver-based health system that runs 10 hospitals in the Northwest, is laying off about 500 lab workers.

Peacehealth disclosed the cutbacks to the state on Tuesday, after signing a definitive agreement to sell its outreach laboratory services business to a New Jersey company. Quest Diagnostics will purchase PeaceHealth's outpatient laboratory services and will manage 11 in-patient labs.

Quest will presumably rehire some of the laid off PeaceHealth employees. Peacehealth spokeswoman Marcy Marshall said Quest will seek to fill 275 new positions, most of them in Oregon and Washington.

Nearly 190 of the layoffs will take place in Oregon, mostly out of Springfield, where PeaceHealth operates Sacred Heart Medical Center RiverBend.

The companies did not disclose terms of the sale.

PeaceHealth, like all hospital systems, faces an uncertain future as Congress debates repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Many hospitals have enjoyed boom times since Obamacare became law. Hospital revenues and profits surged as the number of uninsured patients plummeted.

PeaceHealth's Sacred Heart RiverBend in Springfield, for example, saw its charity care expenditures drop to just $4.7 million in the second quarter of 2016, the most recent data available. Five years ago that number was $23.3 million.

Given the political and financial uncertainty, PeaceHealth is considering alternatives to business as usual.

"Healthcare is in an era of transformation, including in laboratory services," the company said in a written statement. "Technology advancements, competition, regulations, the need for sustained capital investment, and other factors have created profound challenges."

PeaceHealth generated total revenue of $2.2 billion in 2016 and employs about 16,000. Besides its major hospital in Springfield, the company operates Sacred Heart University in Eugene and PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center in Vancouver.

-- Jeff Manning

503-294-7606, jmanning@oregonian.com
police car b.JPG

Two young adults and a teenager died Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017, in a crash on a rural Damascus road. The Clackamas County Sheriff's Office is investigating and says speed may have been a factor.

A teenager and two 21-year-olds died Saturday in a single-vehicle crash along a rural road in Damascus.

The Clackamas County Sheriff's Office is investigating. Speed may have been a factor, according to authorities.

The victims are: Curtis Sowell, 16, of Oregon City; Drew Noble, 21, of Cove in eastern Oregon; and Brenna Collacchi, 21, of Clackamas.

Collacchi attended Clackamas High School in 2014 and was named prom queen. According to her Facebook page, Collacchi was dating a man named Tyler Noble.

The crash occurred in the 13500 block of Southeast Wiese Road, about a half-mile north of Oregon 212.

The crash was reported at about 11 o'clock -- but it's not immediately clear whether that was in the morning or evening. A sheriff's spokesman didn't specify and didn't immediately respond to a request for clarification.

Correction: This post incorrectly stated that Collacchi was dating Drew Noble.

-- Brad Schmidt

bschmidt@oregonian.com

503-294-7628

@_brad_schmidt
Public safety 1

Vancouver police said Leisa A. Holt, 60, was the victim in a homicide on Friday, Feb. 17, 2017.

(The Oregonian/OregonLive)

Updated at 2:10 p.m. with affidavit

A Vancouver man arrested Friday killed and attempted to dismember his mother, according to a probable cause affidavit filed in Clark County District Court.

Kenneth Jay Moore, 45, was arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder, said Vancouver police spokeswoman Kim Kapp. Officers arrested Moore after a two-hour standoff outside his home in the 3700 block of East 18th Street.

Officers arrived to the house Moore shared with his mother, Leisa Holt, after her boyfriend, Jeff Hesterley, called the police. Hesterley had not heard from Holt since Feb. 14 and drove to her house Friday to check on her, the affidavit said.

When Hesterley arrived, Moore blocked him from coming into the house and told him to leave, the affidavit said.

Hesterley called police and requested a welfare check at the home.

Police officers and SWAT personnel responded, the affidavit said. They detained Moore after he pointed a rifle at a police officer, the affidavit said.

Officers found a woman's body inside the home, the affidavit said.

The woman was later identified as Leisa Holt, 60, by the Clark County medical examiner. Holt died from multiple injuries to the head, the medical examiner said.

Investigators believe Holt died from blunt force trauma, the affidavit said. Her body also had lacerations from "some type of edged instrument," the affidavit said.

"Sharp cutting instruments" and bleach were found nearby the body, indicating Moore had attempted to dismember the body, the affidavit said.

Vancouver police continue to investigate, Kapp said Tuesday.

Oregonian staff writer Jim Ryan contributed to this report.

-- Samantha Matsumoto

503-294-4001; @SMatsumoto55
Dulce de leche

Dulce de leche spread over Torta de Nuez, or nut bread.

(Nate Guidry/Tribune News Service)

For Josephine Caminos Oria of O'Hara, Pa., the creamy caramel, dulce de leche, is a link to her heritage and preserves the memories of her grandmother.

Recipe included with this story: Traditional Dulce de Leche

Her family moved from Argentina to Pittsburgh when she was 1, and her maternal grandparents, who visited often to help out, would do everything possible to keep the old country traditions alive.

That meant Maria Dora Germain, or Grandma Dorita as she was affectionately known, would make sure that her grandchildren were able to converse in Spanish fluently and would prepare every meal from scratch. She would teach them to bake desserts such as alfajores (sandwich cookies filled with dulce de leche), torta de nuez (nut cake served with dulce de leche), and her favorite -- flan mixto (caramel custard served with whipped cream and dulce de leche).

"It was one of the first desserts she taught me to bake as a child and her way of passing on her Argentine roots," writes Oria in a memoir/cookbook, "Dulce de Leche: Recipes, Stories & Sweet Traditions" (Burgess Lea Press; Feb. 7, 2017; $25), in honor of her grandmother. "You can take the girl out of Argentina, she'd say, but you can't take Argentina out of the girl."

Because Grandma Dorita could not find commercial versions of the creamy milk caramel in the local supermarkets, she would stay up late into the night, Oria said, stirring the milk-sugar mixture constantly for about two hours so that it would be ready to be served with toast for breakfast the following morning.

And that's how Oria's love affair began with dulce de leche, which is pronounced duel-say day lay-chay. When she got older and asked her grandmother to share the recipe, she was told in Spanish: "Josie, don't even try it. You will drive yourself crazy trying." Grandma Dorita didn't want Oria, who had four boys under the age of 5, to be weighed down making the time-consuming spread.

Eventually and reluctantly, Grandma Dorita did share the recipe. "It was a recipe, but not really," said Oria, the O'Hara resident. "She gave me the ingredients without any detail as to the measurements and gave me directions without the cooking times."

Once Oria got the hang of it, she said, she became "obsessed making it."

She expanded that obsession when she and her husband, Gaston, opened La Dorita, a commercial kitchen in Sharpsburg, to make larger batches of dulce de leche. Today La Dorita features the original flavor, a dark chocolate version and one spiked with vodka.

Oria, who also is the chief financial officer for the Monroeville, Pa.-based Med Health Services, said she wanted to share the versatility of dulce de leche in her cookbook. and spoke about how it is made in a phone interview.

Q: What are the key steps to keep in mind when making dulce de leche?

A: High-quality ingredients are key. You need to use fresh raw milk or high-quality organic milk. You also need time and patience as it needs to be constantly stirred. It is really a craft.

Q: How important is it to use raw milk?

A: Fresh raw milk has all the fats and enzymes to make a buoyant dulce de leche. When milk is pasteurized it won't render down to a nice consistency as it doesn't have the fat. Also, it's OK to use raw milk as it will be pasteurized during the cooking process.

Q: Is it a must to transfer the dulce de leche to another bowl after it is cooked?

A: Because it cooks at such a high temperature, you want to cool it as soon as possible to avoid the crystallization of the sugars. If you don't, the dulce de leche won't have such a smooth consistency.

Q: There's the classic dulce de leche. But what about the variations?

A: Instead of sugar, you can make it with raw honey, which gives it layers of flavor. Or you can make a dark chocolate or coffee variety. There's the burnt caramel dulce de leche that has a nutty burnt sugar flavor and a more in-depth flavor.

Q: How does the confectionary dulce de leche differ from the traditional one?

A: The confectionary kind is used to decorate cakes and between cake layers as it's thicker in consistency and holds its shape. It won't trickle down the side or spill out of a puff pastry. The traditional kind is used as more of a spread, like on toast. Or it can be used to mix into coffee or cereal.

Q: I see that you use dulce de leche in a lot of savory dishes, too. What does it best work with?

A: As a rule of thumb, I use it in any dish that calls for maple syrup, honey or brown sugar. So I would use it on pancakes and Brussels sprouts, and with bacon. If something needs to be a little sweeter, I would use it.

Q: What do you have to say to those who think making dulce de leche is too time consuming?

A: Of course, I realize it. The book is for those who love to cook. I want to educate them about dulce de leche. That it is not just for gourmet cakes but can be used every day. It is a way of life.
By David Ignatius

A good summary of market expectations was a Bloomberg News story featured at the website of Russia Today, described by U.S. intelligence as a Kremlin propaganda outlet, which published a jubilant Dec. 21 story noting Bloomberg's poll and predicting: "Donald Trump's election is expected to bring fundamental changes in U.S. foreign policy."

Among the biggest cheerleaders for a Trump move to end sanctions were the chief executives of Sberbank and VTB Group, two big Moscow banks partly owned by the Russian government. Both have been targets of U.S. sanctions, squeezing their ability to borrow or move money in the West.

"I think Mr. Trump should remove sanctions against the four leading Russian banks," said Andrey Kostin, VTB's chief, in a Jan. 19 story published by RT. "It would be very helpful. [The sanctions] didn't kill us ... but of course that very much made our future not as bright as we expected," he explained. VTB surfaced in the so-called "Panama Papers" as an alleged money-laundering tool for Putin, a charge the bank denies.

"Trump is the president of change," said Herman Gref, the CEO of Sberbank, in a Dec. 28 interview with the newspaper Vedomosti, "I have met Trump and my impression from the interaction is very positive. I know several people from his team," said Gref, who has been a close Putin adviser, in a translation of the interview published Dec. 29 by the website Eastern Daily News.

Gref had indeed met Trump, in November 2013, when the mogul was in Moscow for the Miss Universe pageant. Gref invited Trump to a two-hour dinner at the Moscow branch of Nobu restaurant. "There was a good feeling from the meeting. He's a sensible person ... [with] a good attitude toward Russia," Gref told Bloomberg News in a Dec. 21 story.

Trump apparently felt the same way. Bloomberg quotes his comment about the Moscow dinner to Real Estate Weekly after he returned to New York that month. "The Russian market is attracted to me," Trump is quoted as saying. "Almost all of the oligarchs were in the room."

For the Russian banks, it has undoubtedly been disappointing to see Trump back away from any quick easing of sanctions. Sberbank shares sold in Britain, which rose 35 percent from Nov. 4 to Jan. 27, have since fallen 3 percent. VTB's British shares, which jumped 20 percent on pro-Trump enthusiasm, have slipped 4.5 percent since their January high.

These financial machinations illustrate one little-examined reason why it matters whether former national security adviser Michael Flynn talked to Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak about sanctions before the inauguration, or whether anyone from the Trump campaign had contact with Russian officials.

These issues don't just interest journalists or Trump's critics in Congress. They move markets. The Trump trade was looking like a winner for Moscow, but now, not so much.

David Ignatius' email address is davidignatiuswashpost.com.

(c) 2017, Washington Post Writers Group
1protest.JPG

Demonstrators congregate Sunday, Jan. 29, 2017, at Portland International Airport. It was the second day of protests regarding President Donald Trump's order barring refugees from certain nations entry to the United States.

(Mark Graves/Staff)

By Brian Wagner

Late last month, Portlanders took to streets and clogged Portland International Airport's hallways, joining urban Americans nationwide to protest the executive order preventing immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries and refugees from entering or returning to the country.

For urban America, it was a deeply satisfying struggle, one that resulted--through public and judicial action--in nearly immediate results. But outside of the metropolitan areas, it further alienated those who voted in unexpected numbers for President Trump.

There is a widespread belief in rural and manufacturing towns that Americans are locked in battle with immigrants and refugees for a finite supply of attention and resources. Undecided working class white voters in key states broke hard in the voting booths for the Republican candidate in 2016 because they were willing to believe that America is broken, and that foreigners are part of the problem.

As a Portland native educated in New York City and currently residing outside the nation's capital, I am the very model of the modern urban liberal. I understand how hard it is to look past contemporary debates to contemplate the long-term concerns of working class white Americans. Yet perceived and real disparities are fueling destructive nationalism and populism, undermining our ability to bridge economic and cultural divides.

Outside of Portland and other thriving metropolitan areas, incomes declined last year. Perception of the American Dream has cratered in parts of the country. Nearly two-thirds of working class white Americans believe that American society is in decline and that immigrants are damaging our economy and culture. Election exit polls found that working class white voters overwhelmingly believed their own personal economic situation had declined or stagnated.

While it is crucial that federal and state governments work to promote economic strategies that benefit the entire country, restoring trust and a sense of belonging cannot happen only at political and institutional levels. Urban Americans must pay as much attention to those who live in less fortunate areas of the country as they do to those who seek America as a land of opportunity.

It is simpler to discount the concerns of rural and small town Americans and scoff at their unwillingness to keep up with a changing country than to recognize the existence of disparities. But writing off swaths of the country under the assumption that they no longer matter has consequences in politics and in society.

Portlanders and other urban residents must be as willing to care about working class Americans who are suffering as they are for refugees and immigrants. There are legitimate economic and societal concerns animating the anger of Americans who broke for Trump, and those concerns should not be ignored or wished away.

The feeling that one is irrelevant and unwanted in a changing nation is a recipe for sustained discord. Until those concerns are better acknowledged and addressed, refugees and immigrants will continue to be among those unfairly bearing the brunt of the discord.

Brian Wagner is a Portland native who currently lives in Arlington, Va. He is the vice president and chief operating officer of a veteran-owned business, and previously worked for Washington's Congressional delegation.
A federal prosecutor told jurors that they won't hear evidence of a formal meeting, written contract or verbal agreement between four men on trial for allegedly conspiring to impede federal employees from carrying out their work at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.

Instead, they'll be able to infer through the words and actions of defendants Jason Patrick, Duane Ehmer, Jake Ryan and Darryl Thorn that they used the federal property as their own last winter as a "platform for their cause,'' Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Barrow said.

They raided the refuge headquarters Jan. 2, 2016, going building to building with guns and converted the refuge offices and bunkhouse into their own living quarters and meeting space, while keeping armed watch at the property's front gates and fire tower to control access to and from the site, Barrow said.

"The defendants assumed complete control over the refuge, '' Barrow told 12 jurors and four alternates. "Circumstantial evidence will show there was a meeting of the minds to keep employees from doing their jobs.''

The government sought to directly address defense arguments that were effective during the first trial and played a role in the acquittals of occupation leaders Ammon Bundy, brother Ryan Bundy and five co-defendants on the same conspiracy and weapons charges. After the first trial, one of the jurors told The Oregonian/OregonLive that the government failed to prove the elements of the conspiracy charge.

Barrow said Patrick was one of the organizers, who along with Ammon Bundy and Ryan Payne "saw opportunity'' in the case of Harney County ranchers Dwight Hammond Jr. and son Steven Hammond, who were set to return to federal prison on Jan. 4, 2016, to serve out five-year sentences for setting fire to public land. Barrow said Bundy and his supporters used the Hammond case to draw attention to themselves, and purposely took over the refuge because they saw it as a "tool'' used to destroy Harney County ranchers, farmers and loggers.

"They took over and occupied the refuge because they wanted to put a stop to the work that was being done there,'' Barrow argued.

Defense lawyers countered that the defendants on trial weren't leaders or organizers, but followers who were drawn to the refuge for a smattering of reasons. They argued there was no organized conspiracy, but a spontaneous gathering of like-minded people.

Ehmer thought the occupation was some sort of a "sit in,'' and that the refuge employees were on "seasonal layoffs until March,'' his lawyer told jurors.

Thorn's lawyer characterized him as a "bit player swept up in a larger show,'' who was drawn by the Bundys' interpretation of the U.S. Constitution that he shared and "a desire to belong, to be part of something greater than himself.''

Ryan's lawyer described him as "just a theater kid from the country with strong beliefs'' about limited government who felt compelled to help out once Ammon Bundy issued a call for support.

"The evidence will fail to show that a single person went out there with the conscious desire to interfere with anyone that worked there,'' said Andrew Kohlmetz, Patrick's standby lawyer.

Ammon Bundy's social media posts about the plight of the Hammonds struck a chord with Patrick, a roofer who lost his business during the recession. He felt the resentencing of the Hammonds to longer terms in prison was unjust and came to Burns to protest, Kohlmetz said. Ever since Patrick's father died of cancer, suspected to have resulted from his exposure to Agent Orange chemicals during the Vietnam War, Patrick has questioned the federal government's relationship with its citizens, his lawyer said.

Ryan, an aspiring actor, Ehmer, a welder, Thorn, a handyman, and Patrick didn't know of one another when they arrived, Kohlmetz said. But they shared a belief in their right to peacefully assemble and petition the government for redress of their grievances and a belief that the federal government had abandoned rural America, he said.

Ehmer, who grew up in Milton Freewater, drove about five hours to the refuge on Jan. 3, 2016 from his home in Irrigon, Oregon, "to find out what was going on'' for himself. He returned home for a work commitment on Jan. 6, but traveled back to the refuge with his horse "Hellboy'' a day later, finding the people welcoming and peaceful. He had little interaction with the Bundys, but appreciated their efforts to draw attention to the "salt of the earth,'' the farmers and ranchers who they felt had been exploited by the federal government, his lawyer Michele Kohler said.

Ehmer rode around the perimeter of the refuge every morning on his horse, hoisting the American flag,'' chopped wood and was "nothing more than a ranch hand and a symbolic picture of a cowboy they were representing,'' Kohler added. Ehmer dug a trench on the property on Jan. 27, 2016, a day after the police fatal shooting of occupation spokesman Robert "LaVoy" Finicum. It was meant to serve as a "foxhole,'' if FBI agents or police began shooting the remaining occupiers at the refuge, she said.

Thorn, 32, of Marysville, Washington, sympathized with Ammon Bundy and his outrage over the return to prison of the Hammond ranchers, his lawyer Marc Friedman said. When he marched in Burns to support the Hammonds on Jan. 2, 2016, Thorn knew nothing about the refuge, his lawyer said. He spent Jan. 6 through Jan. 26, 2016 at the refuge, but was a "guy on the periphery, not the center, not the hub,'' Friedman said.

Ryan, born in Klamath Falls, moved to a farm in the small rural town of Plains, Montana at age 11. He's one of 12 children who was home schooled by his mother, who taught him using two texts: the Bible and the U.S. Constitution, his lawyer Jesse Merrithew told jurors. Merrithew called his client a "child of the rural West,'' who was raised to believe that the government should "stay out of the way,'' with limited powers. When he heard Ammon Bundy put out a call for supporters to stand with him at the refuge, Ryan was inspired to help, his lawyer said. He initially packed up a pickup full of community donations for the other occupiers, including toiletries and other supplies, and decided to stay.

Ryan did help dig a trench on the property a day after learning of the police fatal shooting of Finicum on a rural road between the refuge and John Day. But he didn't do so to damage the land, but to "barricade'' him and others who remained at the refuge who were fearful of an imminent FBI attack, his lawyer argued.

"In that environment, he dug a trench to try to keep him and his friends from getting shot,'' Merrithew said. " He did not willfully deprave the land.''

Patrick, 43, of Bonaire, Georgia; Ehmer, 46, Ryan, 28, and Thorn, 32, have pleaded not guilty to conspiring to impede employees from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service or U.S. Bureau of Land Management from doing their jobs at the refuge.

Three also have pleaded not guilty to possessing a firearm in a federal facility, and two contend they didn't willfully damage government property when they used a refuge excavator to dig two trenches on the site, as prosecutors contend.

Ryan's parents, Dan and Roxsanna Ryan, are expected to be called as witnesses for his defense.

The trial is expected to last four weeks. A bouquet of bright yellow tulips was positioned on the judge's bench Tuesday. Ehmer wore a button-down shirt decorated with the bright red-white-and-blue colors of the American flag to court. Thorn wore a black button-down shirt to court with the words, "We the People,'' written across the back.

Neil Wampler, one of the defendants acquitted during the trial last fall, attended, and just before a lunch break, stood to address U.S. District Judge Anna J. Brown. "I still haven't gotten my property back,'' Wampler told her.

-- Maxine Bernstein

mbernstein@oregonian.com

503-221-8212

@maxoregonian
SALEM -- Oregon Secretary of State Dennis Richardson said Tuesday that his agency has identified two addresses receiving a suspicious number of ballots -- but cautioned that no actual voter fraud was found.

In an interview with The Oregonian/OregonLive, Richardson said the state Elections Division examined addresses receiving more than 10 ballots and found two that appear to be "fraudulent."

More than 6,500 addresses in Oregon receive at least 10 ballots, most of them retirement homes and fraternity or sorority houses, he said. The fact that only two appeared to be engaging in possibly fraudulent activity should reassure Oregonians that election systems are performing well, he said.

"I said, 'Really? Only two?' I was pleasantly surprised at that," Richardson said.

He declined to disclose the two addresses in question and said the Elections Division is investigating the situation.

Richardson recently wrote a letter to President Donald Trump to assure him that if voter fraud took place during last year's presidential election, it wasn't in Oregon.

"I'm pleased to report that in Oregon we have reviewed the processes and we are confident that voter fraud in last November's election did not occur in Oregon," Richardson wrote. "In short, elections in Oregon cannot be hacked."

He also asked Trump to roll-back an Obama-era designation of elections systems as "critical infrastructure," which some secretaries of state have criticized as a move to give the federal government more authority over election systems. Richardson told Trump that "federal intrusion into Oregon's election process should be rejected."

Richardson wrote in a newsletter Tuesday that the critical infrastructure designation was "foisted on the states without consultation" and is akin to federal overreach.

"The urgency is this, once a federal agency assumes authority to intervene in a state's constitutional duty to conduct fair elections, such an encroachment will be nearly impossible to supplant," Richardson said. "There has been no information released by either President Obama's or President Trump's administrations to justify this 'critical infrastructure' designation, so I am fighting it."

As for his letter to Trump, Richardson told The Oregonian/OregonLive that the Trump Administration hasn't written back.

Richardson visited Washington D.C. last week for a secretaries of state conference and stopped at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, situated across the street from the White House. But he didn't get a response from the Trump Administration -- which he characterized as disorganized.

"They were still trying to figure out how to furnish the conference rooms, where to put the desks," Richardson said.

-- Gordon R. Friedman

gfriedman@oregonian.com.
SALEM -- Oregon Secretary of State Dennis Richardson sent a letter to President Donald Trump, a fellow Republican, spurning the president's debunked claims of widespread voter fraud and pushing back against "federal intrusion" into Oregon's un-hackable election system.

Although he was the clear Electoral College winner, Trump lost the popular vote by nearly 3 million votes. He has repeatedly claimed, without evidence, that the loss was due to voter fraud.

If there was illegal voting, it didn't happen in Oregon, Richardson wrote in his January letter to Trump.

"I'm pleased to report that in Oregon we have reviewed the processes and we are confident that voter fraud in last November's election did not occur in Oregon," Richardson wrote. "In short, elections in Oregon cannot be hacked. ... While we would welcome open discussion about threats to election infrastructure and the possibility of voter fraud, federal intrusion into Oregon's election process should be rejected."

Richardson also asked Trump to repeal an Obama-era designation of elections systems as "critical infrastructure." The designation was made shortly before last year's presidential contest in response to allegations of Russian meddling in the election.

I call on @POTUS to rescind the federal overreach into state and county authority of elections and voting, issued under prior administration pic.twitter.com/ozJHgiX9Nk  Dennis Richardson (@OregonSOS) January 31, 2017

Then-Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson issued a statement about the designation in early January, pushing back against criticism by some secretaries of state.

"It is important to stress what this designation does and does not mean," Johnson said. "This designation does not mean a federal takeover, regulation, oversight or intrusion concerning elections in this country."

For his part, Richardson said states should share threat intelligence with the federal government. But he urged Trump to "return full authority over elections to the states."

-- Gordon R. Friedman

gfriedman@oregonian.com; 503-221-8209
Back in the olden days of the 1990s, there was only one way to be cool at school and that was to wear your backpack over one shoulder, no matter how many 30 pound math books you had to take home.

But as time marches on and reckless, unsafe behavior becomes less and less trendy, Oregon lawmakers are trying to pass a resolution which "Directs Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction to communicate to school districts information regarding backpack safety."

Kids these days get everything handed to them, even a life without back pain.

The resolution, Senate Joint Resolution 6, issues dire warnings about the dangers of backpacks to children.

"According to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 7,000 emergency room visits each year are due to backpack-related injuries," it reads, "and, in 2010 alone, physicians' offices, clinics and hospital emergency rooms treated nearly 28,000 strains, sprains, dislocations and fractures related to backpacks."

"The Global Burden of Disease Study of 2010 showed back pain as the number one cause of disability worldwide," it continues, "and musculoskeletal disorders as the number two cause."

The resolution was forwarded on for consideration by the Senate Interim Committee On Education, headed by Sen. Arnie Roblan (D-Coos Bay), a former principal at Marshfield High School.

While it doesn't change any laws or amend the constitution, it recommends that administrators educate teachers, parents and students about the dangers of heavy backpacks and take steps to reduce weight of backpacks.

Also, breaking the hearts of '90s kids everywhere, it reads, "Parents and teachers should instruct students to wear both shoulder straps and not to sling the backpack over one shoulder."

The resolution is still in the Senate. We've reached out to Sen. Roblan and will update this post if he responds.

-- Lizzy Acker

503-221-8052

lacker@oregonian.com, @lizzzyacker
Portland police arrested seven adults and cited six juveniles Monday during a downtown protest dubbed "Not My Presidents Day."

Among those arrested or cited were a 66-year-old woman and a 14-year-old boy.

The protest marked Portland's latest conflict between police and protesters and, according to police, included the "limited deployment" of pepper spray and non-lethal shots fired by officers.

The Police Bureau's enforcement tactics drew a strong rebuke from the ACLU of Oregon, which called the events "shameful."

Sgt. Pete Simpson, a police spokesman, defended the Police Bureau's response as necessary to keeping unruly protesters in check "before it got out of hand."

"We would much prefer things were different," Simpson said. "But we're sort of forced to be there now because of the aggressive nature of the, 'We're going to show up, we're going to block streets, we're going to shut the city down' attitude."

Monday's scene appeared to differ from past protests as officers used loudspeakers to order protesters out of streets and onto sidewalks - calling specific marchers out by clothing or, in some cases, directly by name. Later, police made arrests on the sidewalks where protesters had been directed.

Simpson said officers identified specific people via loud speaker to ensure they heard commands. In past cases, Simpson said, protesters claimed they didn't hear orders.

Simpson said following police directives after breaking the law doesn't absolve someone.

"Once a decision is made to arrest someone, if they leave the street and go to the sidewalk, that's not like home base," he said.

In one confrontation Monday, a woman angrily approached a row of officers clad in riot gear on the sidewalk of Southwest Sixth Avenue. An officer then appeared from behind the row to fire two rubber bullets into the woman's torso from close range, according to a video shot by protest-documenter Mike Bivins and posted to Willamette Week's website.

Simpson said the woman attempted to spit at officers.

In a separate confrontation, a senior citizen was left with a bloodied face after apparently rolling on the ground with an officer. Simpson said the woman attempted to stop the arrest of a different protester.

"She interjected herself in that process and tried to assist the person, to unarrest them, if you will," he said.

The ACLU condemned police actions for leading to violence against protesters and called on Mayor Ted Wheeler to revise crowd-control strategies. In a series of seven Tweets, the American Civil Liberties Union said the "indiscriminate violence against Portlanders was shameful."

Most of the people were "gathered on public property on the sidewalk when they were shoved down and arrested," the Portland-based nonprofit wrote. "On. The. Sidewalk."

All 13 people detained by police received traffic citations for failing to obey an officer. Each adult also was arrested for second-degree disorderly conduct.

One man declined to provide his name and instead used the identity of Quanice Hayes, a 17-year-old armed robbery suspect who was shot and killed by police this month. That man also faces additional charges of resisting arrest and furnishing false information to police.

Police arrested Margaret Ann Zebroski, 66; Heather Grace White, 42; David Johnathan Carlson, 31; Charles Ernest Stubbs, 38; Lucy Elizabeth Smith, 34; and Rebecca Smith-White, 33; and the unidentified 37-year-old man. Teens ranged in age from 14 to 17.

Simpson asked witnesses to contact the Independent Police Review Division with commendations or complaints about officer conduct during Monday's protest.

"If there's something they saw wrong," he said, "we want people to tell us."

-- Brad Schmidt

503-294-7628

@_brad_schmidt
Daily traffic

The Portland Bureau of Transportation announces road work on Tuesday to clear away several large trees from a landslide on West Burnside. Expect traffic delays during closures at various times 9 a.m.-3 p.m. today. The road will be closed intermittently to all traffic between Northwest Hermosa Boulevard and Southwest Barnes Road.

Work hours were timed to reduce the impact on traffic while still ensuring safe working conditions. Work is being coordinated so Portland General Electric crews can cut off power to the area to make it safe for tree removal.

Alternate routes include Northwest Cornell Road or U.S. 26. People walking or driving on West Burnside in the closure area should expect intermittent delays of up to 20 minutes at times as crews work to clear the trees.

SOUTHWEST PORTLAND 8:47 a.m.; TriMet dispatch reporting Southwest 45th Avenue is BLOCKED just north of Multnomah Boulevard due to a slide or tree down. Avoid.



***

SALEM 8:30 a.m.; Crash reported on the Center Street bridge is causing a backup coming eastbound into downtown Salem. Salem police have been dispatched to the scene.

***

VANCOUVER 8:15 a.m.; Crash on Southeast 136th Avenue north of McGillivray Boulevard in front of Wy'east Middle School.



***

DOWNTOWN 7:57 a.m.; Stall blocking the left lane I-5 southbound on the bottom deck of the Marquam Bridge. Traffic backing to I-84 interchange.



Update 8 a.m.; Quickly cleared.

***

BEAVERTON 7:53 a.m.; Police activity in general area of Southwest 170th Avenue and Merlo Road. Roads in area will be closed. Disturbance, weapon involved.



Update 8:40 a.m.; Reports coming in that the suspect was killed. Expect this area to be closed for an extended period for police investigation.

***

DOWNTOWN 7:30 a.m.; Possible crash on I-5 northbound prior to the Morrison Bridge with traffic in the left lanes slowing way down up and over the Marquam Bridge.



Update 7:45 a.m.; Cleared.

***

CARVER SLIDE 7:25 a.m.; Yet another slide on OR 224 east of Tong Road near Carver. One lane blocked. Traffic being flagged through in the open lane. Allow extra time.

***

GRESHAM 6:12 a.m.; Injury crash involving a bicyclist at Northeast 223rd Avenue and Glisan Street.



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SALMON CREEK 6:12 a.m.; Responders heading to a blocking crash on 10th Avenue southbound at 139th Street, Vancouver.



Update 6:30 a.m.; Travel lanes are clear. Vehicles awaiting tows.

***

SANTIAM HIGHWAY 5:50 a.m.; A disabled vehicle has closed OR 20, two miles west of the Santiam Pass. Traffic is stopped in both directions. And it's really snowing out there.

Update 6:40 a.m.; Cleared.

***

SOUTH OF SALEM 5 a.m.; A landslide has blocked River Road South between Orville and Sawmill roads south of Salem near Monmouth.

Check back throughout the morning for the latest commuting updates and follow us on Twitter: @trafficportland
cannon_beach_ap.jpeg

The company's website features photos, maps and guides to tell travelers what to expect on mountain bike trails, remote hiking trips, and at public campgrounds.

(AP photo)

Outdoor Project, an online portal for planning travel and rugged activities, said Tuesday it has raised $2 million in an initial funding round.

The Portland company's backers include the Oregon Angel Fund and Cascade Angels, two organizations that invest in early-stage technology companies. Outdoor Project said it will use the money to hire five more employees; the company currently employs six.

Outdoor Project features photos, maps and guides to tell travelers what to expect on mountain bike trails, remote hiking trips, and at public campgrounds. The company says it has nearly 200 active contributors submitting information to its website.

-- Mike Rogoway; twitter: @rogoway; 503-294-7699
Oregon has become famous for its political scandals. Popular governors (Neil Goldschmidt, John Kitzhaber), a powerful senator (Bob Packwood) and a Portland mayor (Sam Adams) have all faced public disgrace in recent years. But these well-known recent shocks are far from the only ones the state has endured. There have been dozens of other scandals down through the decades. With the Legislature abandoning efforts at sweeping ethics reforms, and with former Gov. Kitzhaber returning to the public eye last week, it's time to look back at some of the lesser known political scandals that helped make Oregon what it is today.

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Library of Congress

John H. Mitchell's wild public life

This charismatic 19th-century politician stole money from his Pennsylvania law practice and abandoned his wife and children. Landing in Oregon, Mitchell took on an alias, married the daughter of a powerful businessman and, allegedly thanks to bribery, became a U.S. senator. After years of skating through various inquiries into his dubious behavior -- including his affair with his new wife's sister -- he was finally tripped up. In 1905, at 70, he was found guilty of bribery in a land-fraud scandal that roiled the state. The eastern Oregon town of Mitchell, population 130, is named after him.

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The petition scandal

Early in the 20th century, Oregon political operator Joseph Gorman became known as "one of the worst offenders in the padding of petitions" for referendums and initiatives. In 1911, police arrested him for producing fraudulent petitions for a referendum on state university appropriations. Evidence came from the famed Burns Detective Agency, though it wasn't made known who had hired the private eyes. An Oregon judge declared "the scandalous conditions" of Gorman's petitions, with the addresses of many signatories turning out to be warehouses and empty lots. This followed a grand jury's quizzing of a Portland councilman about "irregularities" with the circulation of his initiative petition for a competitive paving charter.

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The scarlet fever scandal

Most of Oregons political scandals have involved sexual peccadilloes or money-grubbing. But in 1913, the issue was professional competence. The state board of health fired Clackamas County health officer Dr. J.W. Norris, charging him with failure properly to discharge the duties of his office at the time of the fever epidemic. The Scarlet Fever Scandal saw 19 cases of the disease in Oregon City, including two deaths. Norris was found to have allowed residents to visit houses under quarantine, among other transgressions. Norris would rehabilitate his reputation in the years that followed and even return to the health-department job.

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One of "Osborne's" victims

The prison parole scandal

Oregonians in 1918 closely followed an investigation into allegations that convicts were buying paroles from corrupt Oregon prison officials. This scandal in the out-of-the-way, little western state soon crashed headlines across the country when H.M. Hudson, the marrying swindler, became caught up in it. Hudson might have bought his parole from the state prison, following his conviction for stealing money, jewelry and other items from Oregon women he had seduced. Hudson, a.k.a. Charles Wax and Oliver Osborne, had gained national infamy for impersonating the former district attorney of New York. One Oregon state penitentiary guard was eventually charged with selling paroles for $150-$250 each.

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The bridge scandal

The Oregonian called it the sad bridge muddle. Voters recalled three county commissioners in 1924 for "gross irregularities" in the awarding of construction contracts for the Burnside and Ross Island bridges. (The winning bid for the Burnside Bridge was more than $500,000 higher than the runner-up's, a huge amount in the 1920s.) A former governor led the recall movement, which easily gained popular support. All three recalled commissioners reportedly were supported by the Ku Klux Klan, and the scandal undercut the Klans influence in the regions politics.

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Mayor George Baker

The George Baker recall attempt

In 1932, a shadowy group of businessmen known as the Committee of 50 sought to recall longtime Portland Mayor George Baker and city commissioners Earl Riley and John Mann. But the bribery allegations that underpinned the recall effort were widely viewed as purely political. The effort to oust Baker, The Oregonian wrote, was met by a mass of tribute voluntarily paid Portlands popular leader since he became the political target of the nebulous Committee of 50. Columnist Cass Baer Hicks mocked a petitioner seeking signatures as rat-faced, with eyes darting as if he expected to be kicked at any given moment. Prominent business groups backed the politicians, with one calling the recall push a racketeering effort to control the municipal government. Baker, Riley and Mann all successfully fought the accusations and recall movement.

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Mike Elliott's campaign lies

Republicans opposed to the new Democratic Multnomah County sheriff declared in July of 1949 that it had been their opinion that the Multnomah County sheriff was not qualified to hold his elected position at the time of his election last fall. His six months in office have confirmed our original opinion. Elliotts own party came to his defense, but grudgingly. Ive been in politics long enough to know that if you look in the closets on both sides, youll find a good many skeletons, Democratic state representative William Robinson said. The transgression that Elliott ultimately couldnt overcome: that hed lied about his military and educational background during the campaign. A recall effort quickly gained steam, and he was replaced by fire captain and rising political star Terry Schrunk.

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Jake Bennett's insults

The campaign to recall Portland City Commissioner Jake Bennett in 1952 offered a laundry list of reasons for his removal, including: Character assassination of all who do not agree with [him]; continuous discourteous, abusive, uncouth, insulting attacks upon public officials; openly expressed hatred for certain lawful business operations; assertions that Oregon courts are corrupt; ... [and] the accusation that members of the council who do not vote with him have been bought off. Voters werent hard to convince: KGW Radio broadcast council sessions that showcased various Bennett outbursts. Voters booted him from the council and scoffed at his simultaneous attempt to win election as the citys chief executive, giving him only 5 percent of the mayoral vote.

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Terry Schrunk's alleged lie

In 1957, the U.S. Senates McClellan Committee, which was investigating racketeering, zeroed in on Schrunk, Portlands popular new mayor, and the citys longtime crime boss, Jim Elkins. (The year before, The Oregonian had used information from Elkins to uncover the efforts of corrupt Teamsters to take over vice operations in Portland.) Schrunk ended up facing a perjury charge related to accusations that he had taken a bribe from one of Elkins men when he was Multnomah County sheriff. The mayor took a lie-detector test to prove his innocence, failed it, but was eventually acquitted by a jury. The World War II hero and former firefighter served as Portlands top dog until 1973. He was succeeded as mayor by Neil Goldschmidt, who years later would see his reputation obliterated by a sex-abuse scandal.

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UO athletics and bogus credits

In 1979, Oregon football coach Rich Brooks led the Ducks to their first winning season in nearly a decade. But the huzzahs were soon silenced by a bogus academic credits scandal involving some of the teams players. In December, Brooks offered his resignation to university president William Boyd, who refused to accept it. In Feb. 1980, The Oregonian editorial board concluded that Boyds ultimate response to the scandal -- fining Brooks and other coaches a total of $9,000 -- sent the wrong message. The board wrote: That individuals get caught up, during the heat of competition, by morals-blinding passions to accomplish a mission does not make wrongdoing less wrong.

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Oregon's gambling scandalette

In the early 1980s, legal gambling options in Oregon were severely limited. Bingo games were OK, for example, but only if run by non-profit, charitable or religious organizations. Social gambling also was allowed. Not surprisingly, shady operators found plenty of ways to take advantage of the laws. In 1983, Oregon Secretary of State Norma Paulus declared that efforts to expand legal gambling in the state were deader than a mackerel after a series of troubling incidents, including the arrest of officials at the Church of Conceptual Truth on gambling charges, the murder of a pit boss at an Independence gambling house and the gangland-style shooting of two card dealers. Paulus dismissed the brewing scandal over supposedly out-of-control gambling in the state, saying: In Oregon we dont have scandals; we have scandalettes. The gambling landscape soon radically changed, first with the establishment of the Oregon Lottery in 1985 and then with the U.S. Congress Indian Gaming Regulatory Act three years later.

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Mark Hatfield's lapses

The longtime senator was an Oregon legend in his own time, "widely recognized for his principled and often controversial stands on many issues," writes The Oregon Encyclopedia. Which was why Oregonians were so shocked to learn that in the early 1980s Hatfield's wife accepted $55,000 from a businessman who was seeking to gain the senator's support for the construction of a trans-Africa oil pipeline. When the payment became publicly known, Hatfield apologized and donated the money to charity. A few years later, it was revealed that Hatfield also took $42,000 in gifts from lobbyists and others desiring his favor.

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Wes Cooley's campaign lies

The combative Republican rancher and businessman saw his political career derailed in the mid-1990s over his mischaracterization of his military and educational record and questions about why his wife continued to receive federal widows benefits after they married. I know that my decision will be greeted with a morbid delight by some, he said when he abandoned his 1996 reelection effort. He was subsequently convicted of a felony for making a false statement in an official election document. It shouldn't have taken this long to get to the bottom of Wes Cooley, Oregonian columnist Steve Duin wrote. The guy's not that deep. He's a careless liar, not a particularly inventive one. After his conviction, Cooley ran for his House seat again in 1998, losing in the primary to Greg Walden. He then tried to get on the November ballot as the Reform Party candidate. He later pleaded guilty to filing a false tax return and was sentenced to a year in prison.

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Stan Bunn's ethics

Few political careers in the state have clattered off course as dramatically as Bunn's, The Oregonian wrote in 2002. Endorsed by newspapers for years as one of Oregon's most thoughtful and decent public officials, the state ethics commission in January found Bunn guilty of 1,433 ethics violations, mostly for using a state car for commuting and personal trips, and making personal calls to friends, business associates and family on state phones. The schools chief and former head of the states ethics commission eventually agreed to pay $25,000 to avoid trial but insisted he was the victim of conflicting state policies. He lost his 2002 re-election bid and retired from politics.

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Dan Doyle's financial shenanigans

In 2005, the Republican state representative responded to allegations of campaign-finance irregularities by ... disappearing. He was nowhere to be found for a week before finally resurfacing to hand in his resignation. Doyle, one of the chief budget writers in the Legislature, eventually pleaded guilty to 11 felony counts of falsifying campaign-finance reports. He acknowledged that he used $145,000 in campaign contributions for living expenses. He said he worked such long hours in the Legislature that his law practice suffered, forcing him to dip into campaign funds to stay afloat. His wife Victoria pleaded guilty to filing a false campaign report. At Doyles sentencing, Marion County Circuit Judge Terry Leggert said the case only further coarsened public attitudes. The black mark of this case, he said, spreads to all of the other people [in government] who are trying to do the right thing.

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The Nazi shrine scandal

Portland Police officer Mark Kruger nailed "memorial plaques" dedicated to five World War II Nazi soldiers to a tree in Rocky Butte Park sometime between 1999 and 2001. He called the shrine an "Honor Tree." He took the plaques down a few years later when he was facing federal lawsuits alleging he had used excessive force on the job, but news of the shrine was already out. He was suspended without pay for 80 hours and wrote a public letter of apology. He insisted he did not admire the Nazis and didn't know that one of the soldiers he included in the shrine was involved in war crimes. This, however, was not the end of it. Kruger later accused a top Portland cop of slandering him, and in 2014 the city of Portland agreed to pay Kruger $5,000 and remove the shrine incident and another incident from his personnel record.

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The Mean Girls

They started as allies in the early 2000s: Multnomah County Chair Diane Linn and fellow commissioners Serena Cruz Walsh, Lisa Naito and Maria Rojo de Steffey. Then they decided to secretly hatch a plan to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples in the county, a move that ended up helping a successful drive for a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage in the state. Linn unilaterally apologized for the hidden decision-making on the issue, angering the other three commissioners. Cruz Walsh, Naito and Rojo de Steffey joined together to make life miserable for Linn, blocking her initiatives and favorite projects. The county board -- soon dubbed the "Mean Girls" -- devolved into dysfunction. Linn's 2006 re-election effort flopped -- she lost to Ted Wheeler by 46 percentage points.

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The parking-meter scandal

Cale Parking Systems began bribing Portland parking manager Ellis K. McCoy in 2004 to secure the city of Portland's business. A Cale internal email declared that McCoy's "airtight" process would ensure the company won the city contract for parking meters. Sure enough, in 2006 the city awarded a $1.6 million contract to Cale. The contract later would be increased to $20 million. The Oregonian reported that a Cale executive "promised to pay McCoy $100 per meter after McCoy retires but didn't follow through because federal investigators unraveled the scheme." McCoy pleaded guilty to accepting bribes and other charges in 2012. Three years later, Cale founder George Levey pleaded guilty to wire fraud in the bribery scheme.

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David Wu's behavior

In 2004, the Democratic congressman faced sexual-misconduct allegations stemming from his college days at Stanford in the 1970s. He won re-election anyway. Six years later, while Wu was campaigning for another term, a distraught young woman called his Portland office and accused him of aggressive and unwanted sexual contact with her. Even before the new allegation, Wu had reportedly been acting strangely. [H]e behaved so erratically, The Oregonian reported, that staff avoided scheduling him for public appearances and ran a campaign that relied heavily on advertising. Soon, Oregons U.S. senators, Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, called on him to resign, and he did so. Wu said: This is the right decision for my family, the institution of the House, and my colleagues.

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Jeff Cogen's affair

The Multnomah County chairman's political career blew up in 2013 when it was revealed that the married politico was having an affair with county health-department manager Sonia Manhas and may have used taxpayer money to facilitate personal meetings with her. Manhas would tell investigators looking into the allegations that Cogen "used cocaine, frequently smoked marijuana and had at least one other extramarital affair while he was an elected official," The Oregonian reported. Cogen held onto his position for a while despite a no-confidence vote from fellow commissioners but finally resigned. Cleared of official wrongdoing, he went on to work for Democracy Resources, KOREducators and Impact NW.

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Amanda Marshall's relationship

The married U.S. attorney for Oregon had an "intimate and personal" relationship with a prosecutor on her staff and later harassed him through emails and texts, leading to her resignation in 2015. The U.S. Department of Justice's Inspector General found that she had violated sexual-harassment laws and lied to investigators, The Oregonian reported. "By engaging in that affair, I failed the United States Government, my fellow Oregonians, and most of all, my family," Marshall said in a statement. "I am deeply sorry and will spend the rest of my life trying to make amends."

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What exactly was the Kitzhaber scandal all about? In 2015, Time magazine cheekily insisted it could explain all of the scandal's ins and outs with six "Portlandia" sketches.
Update: WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump on Tuesday denounced recent threats against Jewish community centers as "horrible" and "painful." He said they are a "very sad reminder of the work that still must be done to root out hate and prejudice and evil."



Trump made the remarks after touring the newly opened National Museum of African American History and Culture.



"This tour was a meaningful reminder of why we have to fight bigotry, intolerance and hatred in all of its very ugly forms," Trump said.



His comments about recent threats at Jewish community centers across the country marked the first time he had directly addressed a wave of anti-Semitism and followed a more general White House denouncement of "hatred and hate-motivated violence."



That statement, earlier Tuesday, did not mention the community center incidents or Jews. Trump "has made it abundantly clear that these actions are unacceptable," that statement said.



The FBI said it is joining with the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division to investigate "possible civil rights violations in connection with threats" to the centers.

-- The Associated Press

* * *

Hillary Clinton called on President Donald Trump on Tuesday to speak out against anti-Semitic vandalism and threats after more than 170 Jewish graves were found toppled at a cemetery in Missouri.



A tweet from Clinton did not specifically mention the gravesite disturbances in University City, Missouri, but noted increasing reports of "troubling" threats against Jewish community centers, cemetery desecrations and online intimidation.



She urged her former presidential campaign rival to lead denunciations amid complaints by critics that the White House has not spoken out forcefully enough against anti-Semitic acts.



Clinton tweeted: JCC threats, cemetery desecration & online attacks are so troubling & they need to be stopped. Everyone must speak out, starting w/ @POTUS.



* * *



Clinton's message to Trump came as the president of the World Jewish Congress, Ronald S. Lauder, also urged U.S. officials to recognize that "anti-Semitism is alive and kicking."



"American Jews are worried," Lauder said in a statement. "It is shocking to see that Jewish sites are once again being targeted by criminals."



On Monday, the Anti-Defamation League reported a wave of bomb threats directed against Jewish Community Centers in multiple states, the fourth series of such threats since the beginning of the year, it said, a development that elicited comments from a White House spokesman and Ivanka Trump, neither of which used the phrase "anti-Semitism" or mentioned Jews.



That prompted the head of the Anti-Defamation League to praise Ivanka Trump and call on the president to follow her lead.



"Glad to see this," he tweeted of Ivanka Trump's comment. "All Jews need to urge" the president "to step forward & share a plan. His words carry weight. His actions will speak even louder."



Ivanka Trump tweeted: America is a nation built on the principle of religious tolerance. We must protect our houses of worship & religious centers. #JCC



* * *



The exchanges were particularly noteworthy in part because of Trump's unusual response at a news conference Wednesday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to a question about the rise in anti-Semitic incidents around the country. Rather than condemning them, Trump responded by talking about his electoral college victory, describing the question as unfair.



Trump has been criticized for refusing to describe the threats toward Jews as "anti-Semitism." An op-ed at the Forward, the New York-based newspaper written for a Jewish audience, described Trump's "silence about anti-Semitism" as "deeply disturbing."



When asked again about the rise in anti-Semitic threats, during another news conference on Thursday, the president responded as if he was being personally accused. Trump said that the question was "very insulting" and that he was "the least anti-Semitic person that you've ever seen in your entire life."



The weekend's events, coming in the wake of last week's public exchanges with Trump, served to heat up a long-simmering tension between some leaders of the nation's Jewish community and the Trump White House.



The perpetrators of the cemetery vandalism and their motives were not yet established. Police in University City, an inner-ring suburb of St. Louis, were just launching an investigation, reviewing video surveillance at the cemetery, operated on a not-for-profit basis by the Chesed Shel Emeth Society and calling on anyone with information to come forward.



Because of the Sabbath, the cemetery does not operate on Saturday, the director of the Chesed Shel Emeth Society, Anita Feigenbaum, told The Washington Post in a phone interview.



A groundskeeper arrived Monday morning to find gravestones overturned across a wide section of the cemetery, the oldest section, bearing the remains of Jews who died between the late 1800s and the mid-20th century.



She called it a "horrific act of cowardice," beyond anything the cemetery had experienced in the past.



The cemetery was founded in 1888 by the Russian Jewish community in St. Louis "to aid all Jews who needed burial whether they had the money or not. They started with the burial society and then extended to hospitals and houses that help the poor and the sick. To this day that's what we do. We are not for profit. We help in this horrible time in a person's life."



Feigenbaum had walked through the cemetery during the day and had not yet completed counting the number of damaged stones, most of them pushed over, off their bases. So far she said she had found than 170. Feigenbaum said she was starting to hear from families of people buried there. "We will reach out to the families that are affected," she said.



The cemetery holds the remains of more than 20,000, she estimated.



She said she was getting an "outpouring of support from across the United States" with people volunteering to help with repairs.



Separately on Monday, the Anti-Defamation League reported a wave of bomb threats directed against Jewish community centers in multiple states, the fourth series of such threats since the beginning of the year, it said.



"While ADL does not have any information at this time to indicate the presence of any actual bombs at the institutions threatened, the threats themselves are alarming, disruptive and must always be taken seriously."



Bomb threats were called in at Jewish community centers in 11 cities across the United States: Albuquerque, Amherst, Birmingham, Chicago, Cleveland, Houston, Milwaukee, Nashville, St. Paul, Tampa and Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin. Since January, there have been 69 bomb threat calls targeting 54 centers in 27 different states, according to the Jewish Community Center Association.



In Amherst and Buffalo, the community centers were briefly closed after a threat was phoned to the Amherst center. Disruption was the goal, said Richard A. Zakalik, the local New York JCC executive director, to the Buffalo News on Monday. "They accomplished what they wanted," Zakalik said to the Buffalo News. "The whole point was to scare and disrupt."



No devices or bombs were found in connection with the threats; the Jewish Community Center Association described all of Monday's incidents as "hoaxes." The FBI and the civil rights division of the Justice Department will probe the series of calls for federal violations, according to the Star Tribune.



Paul Goldenberg, the director of Secure Community Network, the security affiliate of Jewish Federations of North America, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that the bomb threats appeared to originate from the "same serial caller." Noting that not every building that received a call decided to evacuate, he said that the community centers were "very well-equipped to handle this." The centers also increased their security measures after the threats, the JCCA noted.



The weekend spate of anti-Semitic threats was not limited to the United States. In Canada, a 70-year-old Toronto woman named Helen Chaiton said that her mezuza, the case containing Hebrew verse traditionally affixed to a doorpost, had been vandalized twice over the weekend. Chaiton and her neighbors also found that the vandals had left behind sticky notes with swastikas, the CBC reported.



Responding to an inquiry from NBC News about the threats, the White House tweeted back: "Hatred and hate-motivated violence of any kind have no place in a country founded on the promise of individual freedom. The President has made it abundantly clear that these actions are unacceptable."



The tweet from Ivanka Trump, a convert to Judaism, appeared to be unsolicited and drew generally favorable reaction, but also questions about why her father, the president, seemed reluctant to speak out.



The ADL issued a statement on Feb. 16, characterizing Trump's news conference reaction as "mind-boggling."



"On two separate occasions over the past two days, President Trump has refused to say what he is going to do about rising anti-Semitism or to even condemn it," the ADL said in the statement. "This is not a partisan issue. It's a potentially lethal problem - and it's growing."



And after the new rash of phoned-in threats Monday, the organization's chief executive drew a connection between the incidents and the presidential silence. "A lack of attention to this from the president creates an environment in which the bigots feel empowered," the ADL's Jonathan Greenblatt told Haaretz. "They feel like their intolerance is being tolerated."



-- The Washington Post
TEXAS-VACCINES

Jinny Suh plays with her 4-month-old son while her husband and other son play a video game at their home in Austin on Feb. 9. Suh is a pro-vaccine advocate in addition to running her own businesses from home. Photo for The Washington Post by Cooper Neill

(Cooper Neill)

AUSTIN, Texas - The group of 40 people gathered at a popular burger and fish taco restaurant in San Antonio listened eagerly to the latest news about the anti-vaccine fight taking place in the Texas legislature.



Some mothers in the group had stopped immunizing their young children because of doubts about vaccine safety. Heads nodded as the woman giving the statehouse update warned that vaccine advocates wanted to "chip away" at parents' right to choose. But she also had encouraging news.



"We have 30 champions in that statehouse," boasted Jackie Schlegel, executive director of Texans for Vaccine Choice. "Last session, we had two."



Now they also have one in the White House.



President Donald Trump's embrace of discredited theories linking vaccines to autism has energized the anti-vaccine movement. Once fringe, the movement is becoming more popular, raising doubts about basic childhood health care among politically and geographically diverse groups.



Public health experts warn that this growing movement is threatening one of the most successful medical innovations of modern times. Globally, vaccines prevent the deaths of about 2.5 million children every year, but deadly diseases such as measles and whooping cough still circulate in populations where enough people are unvaccinated.



Here in San Antonio, 80 miles southwest of the state capital, Texans for Vaccine Choice convened a happy hour to encourage attendees to get more involved politically. The event was among dozens of outreach events the group has hosted across the state. The relatively new group has boosted its profile, aided by a savvy social-media strategy, and now leads a contentious fight over vaccines that is gearing up in the current legislative session.



The battle comes at a time when increasing numbers of Texas parents are choosing not to immunize their children because of "personal beliefs." Measles was eliminated in the United States more than 15 years ago, but the highly contagious disease has made a return in recent years, including in Texas, in part because of parents refusing to vaccinate their children. A 2013 outbreak in Texas infected 21 people, many of them unvaccinated children.



The modern anti-vaccine movement is based on a fraud. A study published almost 20 years ago purported to show a link between childhood vaccines and autism. The data was later found to be falsified, and the study was retracted.



Scores of large-scale, long-term studies from around the world since then have proved that there is no connection between vaccines and autism. But the suspicion lingers. Its strongest form is a stubborn conspiracy theory that doctors, scientists, federal health agencies, vaccine-makers and the worldwide public health community are hiding the truth and are knowingly harming children.



A leading conspiracy theorist is Andrew Wakefield, author of the 1998 study that needlessly triggered the first fears. (The medical journal BMJ, in a 2011 review of the debacle, described the paper as "fatally flawed both scientifically and ethically.") Wakefield's Twitter handle identifies him as a doctor, but his medical license has been revoked. The British native now lives in Austin, where he is active in the state and national anti-vaccine movement.



Trump has met with Wakefield, who attended an inaugural ball and told supporters afterward that he had received "tremendous support" for his efforts and hoped to have more meetings with the president.



Peter Hotez, director of the Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, predicts that 2017 could be the year the anti-vaccination movement gains ascendancy in the United States. Texas could lead the way, he said, because some public schools are dangerously close to the threshold at which measles outbreaks can be expected. A third of students at some private schools are unvaccinated.



"We're losing the battle," Hotez said.

Although the anti-vaccine movement has been strong in other states, including California, Oregon, Washington and Colorado, experts say the effort in Texas is among the most organized and politically active.

"It's a great example of an issue that has a targeted, small minority but an intense minority who are willing to mobilize and engage in direct action,"said Mark Jones, a political science professor at Rice University in Houston.

The vast majority of parents in Texas and across the country vaccinate their children. Most people have never had to think much about this basic preventive-medicine practice.

But now immunization advocates are realizing that they can't let vaccine critics go unchallenged, saying they need voices other than scientists and experts to make the case. They are recruiting teachers and grass-roots groups to explain how immunization protects families and communities.

Jinny Suh, 39, runs one such group, Immunize Texas, from her Austin home, where she lives with her husband and two young sons. Their house is about three miles from the Austin Waldorf School, a private school where 158 students - more than 40 percent of the school population - are unvaccinated, and tuition costs more than $14,000 a year.



Suh worries about the risk that the school's unvaccinated children pose to her 4-month-old, who is too young to be immunized. "I'm sure there are people I go to the grocery store with and go to the park with" who have unimmunized children, she said. "This is a public hazard. You can't see germs."



Those who oppose vaccination are driven by fear, even though it is misguided, and that fear drives passion, she said. But parents who support vaccination "need to step up our passion and speak up for science - and for children," she said.

States set their own day-care and school vaccination requirements. Students in Texas are required to receive seven vaccinations before they attend school, unless their families file an exemption.



In Texas, the number of school-age children who are not vaccinated has soared since 2003, when the state expanded its exemption criteria to include reasons of conscience. Personal-belief exemptions increased from 2,314 in the 2003-2004 school year to 44,716 in 2015-2016.



Overall statewide vaccination rates remain high - over 98 percent. But in some parts of Texas, vaccine coverage is slipping below the 90 to 95 percent level that experts say is needed to prevent an outbreak. Many private schools, including in the Austin area, have the highest rates of unvaccinated children, exceeding 20 percent.

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Wakefield has stoked parents' unfounded fears about vaccines, even though his study was withdrawn and Britain's General Medical Council stripped him of his medical license in 2010. In a brief phone interview, Wakefield said he had not spoken to Trump since last summer. He declined to say how he was invited to an inaugural ball. "Better to say nothing at this stage," he said.



Wakefield said he was heading to Europe to promote "Vaxxed," the movie he directed and co-wrote in which he defends the debunked link between the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine and autism. Texans for Vaccine Choice has sponsored showings of the film and promotes it on its Facebook page.



One part of the anti-vaccine movement's message is that vaccine-preventable diseases aren't dangerous if people get modern medical care. But that's a myth, and the failure to vaccinate can be catastrophic.



Texas health data shows a steady uptick in diseases such as pertussis and mumps in recent years. A recent mumps outbreak in Johnson County, southwest of Dallas, sickened at least 167 people, mostly students. In 2013, Texas experienced the largest outbreak of whooping cough, or pertussis, since 1959: nearly 4,000 cases. Five newborns who were too young to be vaccinated died.



Although anti-vaccine groups are gaining momentum in Texas, other states have shown that they can be fought. In 2015, California passed one of the strictest vaccine requirement laws in the country, mandating that almost all schoolchildren be fully vaccinated to go school. Exemptions are allowed only for documented medical conditions. The law was sparked by a 2014-2015 measles outbreak that started at Disneyland in California, where a single unvaccinated child with measles led to the infections of 131 people.

A Texas lawmaker tried to pass a similar bill during the legislative session in 2015. (Texas's legislature meets every other year.)



"It was clear common sense," recalled Republican Rep. Jason Villalba, a Dallas lawyer. Mumps was resurgent in the state, including in his district, and his youngest child wasn't old enough to be immunized.



The bill never made it out of committee. But it sparked a huge reaction and was the reason Schlegel and about 20 other mothers formed Texans for Vaccine Choice. The group claimed "that I was a mad scientist, stripping liberties from parents," Villalba recalled.



He says Texas lawmakers are not likely to pass any legislation that could be viewed as government intrusion into parents' rights. He is not planning to take up the fight against nonmedical exemptions again - unless there is a measles outbreak.



In the current legislative session, no bills have been filed to eliminate the personal-belief exemptions. In fact, vaccine opponents have introduced a bill to simplify the exemption process.



But pro-vaccine advocates are expected to try to change the law and give parents the right to know the number of unimmunized children at individual schools, information that's not readily available now.



One bill already introduced would require parents to complete an online education course before seeking a vaccine exemption. Another would make it easier for teenagers to get vaccinated against cancer-causing human papillomavirus (HPV).



The bills' sponsor, Republican Rep. Sarah Davis, a Houston lawyer whose district is home to some of Texas's most well-known hospitals, said the bills are common-sense legislation that would better protect children.



"The more active the anti-vaxxers have become, the more that other members start to question whether vaccines are controversial, and most legislators are not wanting to make waves," she said.



People on both sides of the vaccine issue are lobbying lawmakers and their staffs, and activity is sure to intensify before the session, which began Jan. 10, ends in May.



Vaccines aren't a standard conservative or liberal issue. In many parts of the country, pockets of unimmunized children tend to be in white, upper-middle-class neighborhoods, including in Austin, said Anna Dragsbaek, who heads the Immunization Partnership, a Houston-based immunization advocacy group.



One particularly strong strain of anti-vaccine rhetoric in Texas is libertarian and anti-government. Texans for Vaccine Choice receives help and expertise from "friendly" lawmakers and groups such as Empower Texans, said Jonathan Stickland, a tea party Republican representative from Tarrant County and a key supporter. Political experts consider Empower Texans the state's most sophisticated and influential conservative organization.



"Our message resonates with people," said Schlegel, 37, in a brief interview after a day of meetings at the Capitol. "Texans value parental rights," she said. "We have a message of liberty. We have a message of choice."



Schlegel has an assistant who helps coordinate her schedule. The group has a director of state policy. Its Facebook page posts regular updates on Schlegel's meetings with lawmakers. The group hands out sophisticated, glossy materials - in red, white and blue - to lawmakers.



The packets, with business cards tucked inside, lay out the group's positions, the bills it supports and the ones it opposes. One leaflet describes "the lack of safety testing" and "questionable ingredients" in vaccines. (To be clear, vaccines and their ingredients are some of the most carefully tested medical interventions in history.) Another calls the current recommended schedule of vaccines "one of the most aggressive and bloated of ANY other nation on the planet."



When the group recently sought volunteers on Facebook for "engagement days" at the state Capitol this month and in March, one woman said she wanted to help but was concerned she didn't know enough about vaccines. Don't worry, she was told. "Very little talk about vaccines and a LOT of talk about parental rights and CHOICE."



The American Academy of Pediatrics and 350 other medical, professional and advocacy groups recently wrote a letter to Trump expressing "unequivocal support" for vaccines' safety and endorsing the recommended schedule. The letter has links to more than 40 major studies on safety and effectiveness.



But immunization advocates like Suh say it's hard to counter the passion of her opponents. Most people consider vaccinations to be such a basic part of life, like clean drinking water, that it's hard to motivate them to take time to show up at lawmakers' offices.



"We're completely outgunned," said Suh, who says there are only about a dozen members whom she can call on to show up for events. Immunize Texas is part of the Immunization Project.



Suh often writes emails and posts to the group's Facebook account from her cellphone while caring for her two sons. She juggles her immunization advocacy, a mostly volunteer gig, with other businesses she runs from home.



To present herself and other mothers as the face of vaccine advocates, she and Jessica Cleary-Kemp, seven months pregnant and mother of a 13-year-old and a 2-year-old, met recently with several lawmakers. One was J.D. Sheffield, a Republican state representative who sought during the last session to require individual schools to provide immunization exemption data.



Suh jiggled her son on her lap while Cleary's son played a game on an iPad. It's not yet clear whether Sheffield or another lawmaker will introduce the bill this session. But they all agreed it will be a controversial issue.



To help get their social-media message out, Suh may need to redo the logo for the group's website. Buttons and T-shirts are another idea. But first, she needs to be better prepared for the next face-to-face meetings.



"People kept asking for business cards," she said. "So we need to get some."



-- Lena H. Sun

The Washington Post's Alice Crites contributed to this report from Washington, and Eva Ruth Moravec contributed from San Antonio.
Getting married is, allegedly, super stressful. There's the planning and the seating charts and the whole thing where you spend your life savings on a party you won't even remember. But in Oregon at least, you can now legally add a little relaxing agent to the mix: cannabis.

On March 26, the Cannabis Wedding Expo is coming to Portland to show you just how you can add legal weed to your celebration of love.

The event, which is 21 and over, will be held at The Left Bank Annex. It costs $10 to attend, which is basically the same as the Portland Bridal Show, which begins Feb. 25 at the Convention Center, but probably won't feature much in the way of weed.

The expo promises to help 4:20-friendly couples discover "custom hemp wedding dresses, cannabis floral arrangements, cannabis-friendly venues, caterers, photographers, transportation companies and more."

In Portland specifically, they will be "be blowing glass on-site, offering hair and makeup demonstrations, serving up some tasty treats and we even have an officiant speed dating lounge."

It does not say if there will be seminars on how to explain to your grandma that she isn't dying after she eats three pot brownies and starts seeing lights coming out of everything.

There will be no cannabis for sale on site.

-- Lizzy Acker

503-221-8052

lacker@oregonian.com, @lizzzyacker
Updated at 3:55 p.m.

Two police officers fatally shot a man on the roof of a Beaverton house Tuesday morning, a police spokesman said.

Douglas Michael Smith is pictured in an archive Washington County Sheriff's Office booking photo.

Officers shot Douglas Michael Smith, 51, in the 2000 block of Southwest 170th Avenue, near Merlo Road, Beaverton police spokesman Officer Mike Rowe said. Smith was pointing a gun at people inside other homes and at the street shortly after 7:30 a.m., Rowe said.

Smith refused to talk to officers when they arrived, pointed the gun toward officers and fired once into the house, Rowe said. Officers then shot Smith, he said.

Officers attempted life-saving efforts and called for medical care, Rowe said. Smith was pronounced dead by medical staff at the scene, he said.

Placed on lockout for about an hour were Beaver Acres Elementary School, which is across the street; Merlo Station High School; the Beaverton School District office; and its maintenance yard, said district spokeswoman Maureen Wheeler. The Tualatin Valley Water District is also across the street.

All lockouts were lifted shortly before 9 a.m., Wheeler said.

Buses to Beaver Acres were diverted early in the morning, Wheeler said. The buses began returning to the elementary school after the lockout ended, she said.

Police have not said how the man got onto the two-story house's roof, which has steep angles.

The house is in a residential area that includes a few other houses and a mixture of apartments and condominiums.

While police investigated, 170th was closed from Merlo to Augusta Lane. The road was reopened shortly after 3 p.m., police said.

The two officers involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave, as is standard procedure in officer-involved shootings, Rowe said. The officers have not been publicly identified.

Resident Carlos Brocha moved nearby four months ago, he said. As he was preparing to fly to Venezuela, he thought he heard four firecrackers go off in rapid succession, he said. He initially thought it was a protest, he said, but later learned about the shooting from the news.

Serina Pearson walked her two children to the elementary school after officials advised parents the school was open. Pearson, who lives lives a mile from the school, said she was immediately worried for her children after she heard about the shooting from friends who called to inquire about her safety.

Shootings don't happen in her residential area, she said.

"They said (it was) an active shooting. That's what my friend had told us," Pearson said. "So I was scared. I don't want anybody on the run. I'm locking my doors. I'm holding my kids ... It's very scary."

Police told media at the scene no update will be released until the Washington County District Attorney's Office gives approval.

This post will be updated with more information as it becomes available.

-- Samantha Matsumoto and Tony Hernandez

smatsumoto@oregonian.com

thernandez@oregonian.com
The following list includes reports from the Midland County Sheriffs Office and the Midland Police Department.

Sunday, Feb. 19

12:34 a.m.  A deputy was sent to a Geneva Township home for a report of a man who overdosed on Xanax. The man was taken to the hospital by paramedics.

12:42 a.m.  A Midland man, 38, was arrested in Lincoln Township for violating his probation terms by being intoxicated. Deputies were originally sent to the address for a report of a domestic assault, and found no assault had occurred.

3:47 a.m.  A deputy was sent to a Homer Township address for a report of the resident finding a person in his garage. The unknown suspect ran away and was not found.

9:21 p.m.  A Mount Pleasant man, 35, was cited in Greendale Township for improper plate and no insurance.

Saturday, Feb. 18

12:23 a.m.  Deputies assisted paramedics with a woman who had overdosed on medication in Edenville Township.

1:23 a.m.  Deputies were sent to a Geneva Township home for a report of an assault, and learned the incident involved multiple suspects. There were no serious injuries. A report is being sent to the prosecutor for review.

10:51 a.m.  A Weidman man, 33, was arrested in Lee Township on a felony assault warrant out of Isabella County after he was stopped for speeding in Lee Township.

12:48 p.m.  Deputies investigated a breaking and entering at a Hope Township address.

1:41 p.m.  An Edenville Township man, 39, reported his neighbors pit bull got into his chicken coop and killed four chickens.

3:03 p.m.  Gasoline, valued at $20, was stolen from a Greendale Township gas station.

5:16 p.m.  A Port Huron man, 22, was stopped in Jerome Township for speeding and was arrested for driving while his license was suspended.

7:58 p.m.  Deputies were sent to U.S. 10 in Lincoln Township for a report of a vehicle being driven the wrong way. The vehicle was not found.

9:27 p.m.  A deputy assisted a Midland Police officer after he found a bleeding intoxicated man lying in a roadway. The man said he fell down, and was taken to the emergency room for treatment.

9:33 p.m.  A deputy assisted a Midland Police officer with a drug investigation in a hotel room. The reported suspects left before authorities arrived.

10:13 p.m.  A Homer Township man, 33, was arrested in Midland for driving while his license was suspended.

Friday, Feb. 17

10:35 p.m.  An Ingersoll Township woman reported someone opened a Dish Network account in her name.

2:46 p.m.  A Midland Township man reported he found a bill from Comcast for $932 on his credit report, but he never had a contract with the company.

3:49 p.m.  A Mount Haley Township man reported he found a bill from Comcast for $617 on his credit report, but he never had a contract with the company.

3:50 p.m.  A Warren County woman, 23, was arrested in Lee Township for driving while her license was suspended.

4:50 p.m.  A Holland man, 18, was arrested in Homer Township for driving while his license was suspended.
A Wednesday, March 1, dinner reception at the Frankenmuth Brewery will be among the stops on a five-day, 1,500-mile, 14-city farewell bus tour by retiring Western Michigan University President John M. Dunn.

Dunn, WMUs eighth president, will retire June 30 after 10 years as WMUs leader.
DECATUR  Bridget Sibthorp-Moecker, regional digital services director for the newspaper group that includes The Pantagraph, has been named one of the Top 25 Under 35 in the newspaper industry by Editor & Publisher magazine.

Sibthorp-Moecker directs the digital products of the newsrooms and advertising departments of Lee Enterprises Central Illinois Newspaper Group, which also includes Decatur's Herald & Review. She recently assumed a new role at the corporate level, adding classified initiatives to her responsibilities.

She was nominated for the award by Julie Bechtel, president and publisher of The Pantagraph and the Herald & Review. Bechtel was named E&Ps 2016 Publisher of the Year in November.

"Bridget impressed me from the very first day I met her," Bechtel said in her nomination. "She has a huge smile and a positive attitude that is contagious. Bridget is a high-performing employee. She gets things done. She keeps it simple. She works and plays well with others. She lives 'can do.' I am thankful every day that she is on my team."

Im very humbled by this, said Sibthorp-Moecker, a graduate of Warrensburg-Latham High School and Illinois State University. Im from here  Im from this small town and Ive lived here my whole life. So, in a way, its almost jarring because I dont think of myself on that scale.

In 2015, Sibthorp-Moecker spearheaded the launch of a pilot website in collaboration with Newspapers.com, a division of Ancestry. The Pantagraph was the first newspaper in the nation to enter into such a partnership, providing users with an easily searchable database of historic newspaper content and preserving it for future generations.

"Although Bridget is our local digital expert, she also has a great appreciation for our printed product. She has a foot in both worlds and respects each," Bechtel said.

Last year, Sibthorp-Moecker was part of Lee Enterprises Sweeps team for developing a plan to produce and schedule digital content that provides an extra boost to traffic and engagement during peak periods of digital advertising demand.

I just do whats in front of me and hope to do it well, Sibthorp-Moecker said. Everyone in our company has their own important job to do. A lot of what I do is behind the scenes, and my goal is help find a way to keep our business sustainable long after Im gone.

Sibthorp-Moecker has worked for Lee Enterprises at the Herald & Review in Decatur since May 2005.
NORMAL  The Illinois State University Speaker Series resumes Thursday with an address on the international marketplace from the head of the AptarGroup and also includes talks by actress Patricia Arquette and a State Department official.

Steven Hagge, president and CEO of AptarGroup, will deliver the keynote address for ISU Business Week at 3:30 p.m. Thursday in ISU's Center for the Performing Arts. His talk is Adapting to a Changing International Marketplace."

Hagge has been instrumental in the growth of the company, which is a global leader in consumer product dispensing systems for fragrance, personal care, household, beverage and other products.

He also is chairman of the AptarGroup Charitable Foundation, which supports an employee matching gift program.

The purpose of the speaker series is to provide a platform to foster dialog, cultivate ideas and continue appreciation of learning as an active and lifelong process. The talks are free and open to the public.

Other speakers in the series include:

 The Rev. Alvis Martin, who will speak on Civil Rights and the Labor Movement: An Alliance Built Out of Necessity, at 7 p.m. Feb. 28 in the Old Main Room of Bone Student Center.

Martin has a consulting firm and lobbies on behalf of organizations serving union construction workers, black construction contractors and black business owners. His talk is part of Black History Month.

 Thomas Hushek, acting secretary of the U.S. State Department's Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, will speak at noon March 1 in the Prairie Room of the student center on The Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations and its Role at the State Department.

Hushek's talk also is part of the International Seminar Series and will address issues in a variety of countries.

 Matt Glowacki will talk about how Family Guy and South Park break down stereotypical attitudes and behavior toward people's differences in a speech sponsored by Student Access and Accommodation Services at 6 p.m. March 28 in the Prairie Room.

Glowacki is a popular speaker who discusses how pop culture and news media provide opportunities to learn about diversity in everyday life.

 Mariana Ortega will speak on Bodies of Color, Bodies of Sorrow and Resistant Melancholia at 1 p.m. April 14 in the Old Main Room.

The talk by Ortega, a philosophy professor at John Carroll University, will be part of the 22nd annual Women's and Gender Studies Symposium. The focus of her research is questions of self and of identity and visual representations of race.

Oscar- and Emmy-winning actress, author and activist Patricia Arquette will speak on Going Global with Community Sanitation: The Story of Give Love, at 7 p.m. April 20 in the Center for Performing Arts' Concert Hall.

Give Love is a skills training organization created in the wake of devastating hurricanes in 2012. She will be the keynote speaker for Science and Technology Week.

 Pulitzer Prize-winning author Fredrik Logevall's talk on Making Sense of the Vietnam War will be at 7 p.m. April 20 in the Caterpillar Auditorium of the State Farm Hall of Business. Logevall is the Belfer Professor of International Affairs at the Harvard Kennedy School and a professor of history.

He received the Pulitzer Prize for history for his book Embers of War: The Fall of an Empire and the Making of America's Vietnam.
BLOOMINGTON  The city of Bloomington is moving to dissolve a 30-year-old tax-sharing deal with the town of Normal, saying the agreement to evenly split revenue from a west-side commercial and industrial area was unfair to city taxpayers.

The City Council is expected to act Monday night on a resolution disbanding the Metro Zone agreement, retroactive to Dec. 31, 2016, Bloomington officials said in materials and documents released Tuesday.

"The historical tax-sharing data Normal provided shows Normal paid Bloomington approximately $5 million to date over the course of the Metro Zone agreement, versus approximately $12 million from Bloomington to Normal," said Bloomington City Manager David Hales.

"This is a $7 million gap to the detriment of the Bloomington taxpayer, a trajectory that projects increased inequity," added Hales.

Normal Mayor Chris Koos questioned Bloomington's ability to unilaterally terminate the mutual agreement but declined to discuss the town's options for a response.

Well give it careful deliberation, he said.

Starting in January 1986, Bloomington and Normal equally share net property and sales tax revenue generated in the Metro Zone, regardless of whether the business is in Bloomington or Normal. Certain expenses, such as fire and police services and administration, are deducted before the money is divided.

The Metro Zone includes the Rivian Automotive plant and the Crossroads Center in Normal and Walmart, Aldi and other stores in Bloomington.

The Metro Zone followed the establishment in 1984 of the Bloomington-Normal/McLean County enterprise zone, which provided incentives for Diamond-Star Motors' decision in 1985 to build a car plant on Normal's west side. What later became the Mitsubishi Motors North America plant closed in May 2016 and now is owned by Rivian Automotive.

In recent years the Metro Zone agreement has favored Normal by more than $1 million annually, largely because of the retail development in Bloomington's part of the zone, city officials said.

The agreement may have made sense at the time of its drafting but a lot has changed in the last generation, said Bloomington Mayor Tari Renner, adding, "The old agreement is no longer in the best interest of Bloomington and its taxpayers."

Koos said the town was taken aback by the termination plan, given that city and town officials were meeting regularly to discuss Bloomington's issues with the agreement.

Up until a week ago, we thought the group meeting to discuss the Metro Zone agreement would meet again, he said. Then they went quiet.

That committee even suggested suspending the agreement for 2017, according to a statement from Koos issued by the town, to give "the parties time to renegotiate the terms of the agreement ... or, alternatively, to negotiate an entirely new partnership agreement" to replace the zone.

The proposed Bloomington resolution also directs Hales to invite the Normal City Council to participate in a joint meeting with the Bloomington City Council "to discuss mutually beneficial regional economic development initiatives."

"I wholeheartedly believe we can work with our partners in Normal to come up with something better for both our communities that is consistent with the B-N Advantage initiative," said Renner. "I am looking forward to the future and invite Normal to explore new opportunities with the city.

"At the end of the day, we simply must protect our taxpayers.

Koos said of the meeting proposal, "I don't know what that is," but he added that terminating the zone would make collaborating with Bloomington more difficult overall. He affirmed such efforts are critical for the future of the region.

This makes it a little tougher to work together, he said.

In 2014, Bloomington had special counsel Kathleen Field Orr review the agreement.

City officials say she concluded the Metro Zone agreement did not define a termination date and that Illinois law says an agreement without a defined term can be terminated at any time by any party to that agreement.

"The city has a clear right to dissolve to the Metro Zone," city attorney Jeff Jurgens said.

Koos disagreed.

The agreement clearly states its a mutual agreement and can only be terminated by mutual agreement, he said. If they choose to invoke that (termination) unilaterally, then thats the path theyre going to go down.

The Metro Zone is bordered by Interstate 55 on the east, White Oak Road on the north, Mitsubishi Motorway on the west and generally Market Street/Illinois 9 on the south.
Nippon Paper Industries Announced Price Hike for Printing and Communication Papers in Japan

Feb. 21, 2017 - Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd. today announced price increases for its printing and communication papers in the domestic market (Japan) to all its agencies, effective April 1, 2017.

The price hikes will be applied to printing paper grades such as woodfree, coated woodfree, medium weight coated, and lightweight coated papers, etc., and communication paper grades such as business forms, carbonless copy, thermal, PPC paper, etc.

Prices for printing paper will increase by a minimum 15 Yen/Kg, and communication paper by a minimum of 10%.

In a press release, Nippon paper Industries said, Printing paper and communication paper have been facing a difficult earnings condition because of declining domestic demand and softening market. Furthermore, it has been put pressure on the company's profits due to rising prices of a number of raw materials and fuels since the second half of last year.

The company has been promoting thorough cost reductions, but the current price level is lower than the revenue level where reproducible profit can be secured through our independent efforts alone. Therefore, the company decided that it is necessary to realize the revision of the product prices."

Nippon Paper Industries produces coated and uncoated paper, including specialty grades, and paperboard. To learn more about Nippon Paper Industries, please visit: www.nipponpapergroup.com.

SOURCE: Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd.
Suzano Earmarks R$720 Million in 2017 to Diversify Product Mix and Improve Production Efficiency Feb. 21, 2017 - Suzano Pulp and Paper said that it will invest around R$720 million by year-end in a set of projects intended to diversify its operations in Brazil through higher-value products, boost structural competitiveness, cut costs and enhance environmental initiatives. The investments will be used to build two tissue lines  one at the Mucuri Unit in Bahia state and the other at the Imperatriz Unit in Maranhao state. Suzano will also build a lignin production line at the Limeira Unit in Sao Paulo state. Suzano noted that a project to debottleneck the Imperatriz Unit will be concluded this year, as will projects to expand and modernize the wastewater treatment plant and the installation of a new crystallizer on Line 2, both at the Mucuri Unit. In a press release Suzano said, These projects are included in our investment plan for 2017, which is estimated at R$1.83 billion and also includes R$1.11 billion in maintenance initiatives, including in the forestry and industrial operations. The maintenance investments aim to ensure the good operating conditions of our assets, as well as to cultivate and preserve green areas. The production of tissue and lignin, whose startup is slated for this year, represents another step in our strategy to diversify the returns on our asset base, with the opening up of new avenues of adjacent businesses by capturing efficiency and profitability gains in our operations. Suzano explained that a number of the projects are designed to improve the company's competitiveness. For example, once the debottlenecking of the Imperatriz Unit is complete, the annual capacity of local production will expand from 1.5 million to 1.65 million tons of pulp. In addition, upon the completion of the project to modernize and expand the wastewater treatment plant at the Mucuri Unit, the quality of the water discharged into the Mucuri River will be greatly improved. Another ongoing investment in 2017 is the installation of a new crystallizer at the Mucuri Unit, which will optimize the consumption of chemical inputs for pulp production on Line 2, Suzano said. Suzano Pulp and Paper produces market pulp (paper grade and fluff), paper (coated and uncoated printing and writing paper) and paperboard. Based in Brazil, the company is the second-largest producer of eucalyptus pulp in the world. To learn more, please visit: www.suzano.com.br. SOURCE: Suzano Pulp and Paper
In a chat with noted pond scum Piers Morgan on Good Morning Britain, Lindsay Lohan claimed that she was "racially profiled for the first time in [her] life" in a journey from London to New York, following a humanitarian trip to Turkey. Lohan, who was wearing a headscarf at the time "out of personal respect" for Turkish culture, was detained by airport security before they realized who she was. "[An airport security officer] opened my passport and saw 'Lindsay Lohan' and started immediately apologizing, but then said 'please take off your headscarf,'" she recounted.



The incident made Lohan pause for a moment to check her privilege as a white, famous, non-Muslim person. "I [took off the headscarf], it's ok, but what scared me was, in that moment, how would another woman who doesn't feel comfortable taking off her headscarf feel. It was really interesting to me. I can't speak for what the purpose of [asking me to remove the headscarf was], but it was jarring."

Lohan, who was in Turkey to meet with president Recep Tayyip Erdogant with president Recep Tayyip Erdogan to discuss the Syrian refugee crisis, revealed later in the interview that converting to Islam is currently "a consideration."



















Splash image via BFA
Two museums in the United States have removed paintings and covered other works of art with a black fabric to protest President Donald Trump's temporary travel ban against immigrants. Trump has issued an executive order prohibiting the travel to the U.S. of immigrants from seven countries with mostly Muslim populations.

Officials at the Davis Museum located at Boston's Wellesley College said their decision to remove or cover the paintings of immigrant artists aims to highlight the contributions made by foreigners. The protest started on Feb. 16 and ending on Feb. 21.

A total of 120 artworks including sculptures in wood and bronze, paintings, modern and contemporary pieces as well as ceremonial masks from Africa, the Americas and Europe, are among those that have been removed or covered, according to Fox News. The protest action is bound to create an impact considering that around 80 percent of the objects in the galleries were donated by Polish immigrants who went to the U.S. after World War II.

"We're hoping to articulate the contributions of immigrants here at Davis in response to the anxiety this executive order has raised and continues to raise," Davis Museum director Lisa Fischman said. "We thought a lot about works that we have, and how they came to be here."

The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City has also highlighted the artistic contributions of immigrants by redesigning its permanent galleries in the fifth floor and filling it up with artworks from Sudan, Iraq and Iran. These countries are among the seven countries included in Trump's travel ban against immigrants.

Through the different protests, the museum officials are telling Trump about how the great contribution of immigrants contributed to the development of U.S. culture, as per The Hill. They are hoping that many Americans, including Trump, will realize that America would not be the great nation it has become without the contribution of the immigrants. Beginning President's Day on Feb. 20, the museum will remove a painting of George Washington, as it was done by Swedish-born immigrant Adolf Ulrik Wertmuller.

Davis Museum Senior Curator of Collections Claire Whitner said the removal of the artworks by immigrants will affect all the galleries holding permanent collections, according to the Independent. The Association of Art Museum Directors released a statement indicating its concern about Trump's order as it will put academia and the arts in jeopardy.
Senator Anthony Portantino filed Senate Bill 328 with the intention of pushing back the beginning of the school time one hour later. With this legislation, Portantino bowed to the scientific theory that there are scientific reasons why teens are unable to wake up early for school. This meant a regular school day for students in middle and high schools would begin an hour later than the regular schedule being followed now.

Portantino said there are many arguments on education reforms but almost everyone agrees on this legislation. The Senator cited a 2014 report by the American Academy of Pediatrics on how young people are at risk of suffering from physical and mental problems as well as academic performance decline because they lack sleep.

"Adolescents who get enough sleep have a reduced risk of being overweight or suffering depression, are less likely to be involved in automobile accidents, and have better grades, higher standardized test scores and an overall better quality of life," the Academy said.

Child and Adolescent Development professor Irina Keller said there is a physiological shift in the children's biological clock when they wake up early, according to Daily News. Keller is also a Start School Later state leader. This group advocates for the pushing back of the time that school starts.

The policy was already adopted by some districts and they have noted an improvement not only in admission scores but also in attendance rates and grade-point averages, as per Los Angeles Times. Portantino introduced the bill considering that school districts have to coordinate when they schedule the students' activities, which they can't do efficiently when they have different school hours.

Portantino's bill, also known as an act to add to the Education Code's Section 46148 on pupil's attendance, requires the school governing board to make an adjustment on the length and the time of school day, according to the California Legislative Information. Once approved, classes in the middle and high schools will start at a time before 8:30 a.m.
Chelsea Clinton, Hillary Clinton's daughter, is exercising her right to express for what she believes and she's showing her own 2-year-old girl, Charlotte, just how to do this. The mom and daughter apparently attended Sunday's Muslim solidarity rally in New York's Time Square, which Clinton said was Charlotte's first protest.

The former First Daughter shared a photo from the rally on her Twitter, which was organized to show support for Muslim-Americans and immigrants affected by President Donald Trump's immigration ban. "Thank you to all who organized #IAmAMuslimToo today - Charlotte's 1st protest rally. #NoBanNoWallNoRaids," Clinton wrote, showing the beginnings of how she's raising a strong daughter like her mom did.

An estimated 1,000 crowd joined Clinton and her daughter, according to Cosmopolitan. It was also attended by music producer Russell Simmons, actress Susan Sarandon and Mayor Bill DeBlasio.

"We are here today to show middle America our beautiful signs and, through our beautiful actions and intention, that they have been misled," Simmons said when he was asked to speak to the crowd, according to The Hill. "We are here unified because of Donald Trump. We want to thank him for bringing us together."

Thank you to all who organized #IAmAMuslimToo today - Charlotte's 1st protest rally. #NoBanNoWallNoRaids pic.twitter.com/5mSXGQtPJU  Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) February 19, 2017

Meanwhile, Bill and Hillary Clinton's only child has been vocal on social media about addressing Trump's statements. Before going to Sunday's rally, Fortune reported Clinton took a jab at the president for making false claims about an attack on Sweden to supposedly justify his immigration ban.

The president's critics mocked his statements and Clinton didn't let this pass as well. "What happened in Sweden Friday night? Did they catch the Bowling Green Massacre perpetrators?" Clinton asked in jest, in reference to a terrorist attack that did not happen.

Clinton was also vocal towards the Kellyanne Conway, Trump's counselor. Hillary's daughter told off Conway to stop making up attacks, according to 22News WWLP.
A small but growing niche of parents in Iowa are embracing virtual classrooms. They enlist their children, as young as kindergarten, in online classes instead of having them physically go to school.

A virtual classroom is slightly different from a home-school setup. There is still a teacher directing and guiding the classes and the one big and obvious difference versus a traditional setup is that classes take place over a computer.

Virtual classrooms in Iowa started in 2013 and there are currently two schools offering slots under limited numbers, as mandated by the state, Des Moines Register reports. Proponents of virtual classrooms, however, are pushing for increased state funding to support and establish more private virtual classrooms. This has become an issue with others who think federal money should go to improving traditional public schools first.

"Do I think it's OK for kids to take online classes to supplement their education? Yes, of course," one mom, Claire Celsi said. "But to substitute 100 percent virtual schools with a classroom school? Absolutely not," she added.

Parents who have chosen to send their kids to virtual schools enjoy the freedom and flexibility their students experience. Single mom Sara Johnson was able to spend the year traveling America with her children. At the same time, her eldest continued to attend classes online through the Iowa virtual school program.

Some parents also said that a virtual school is great for kids who have medical conditions or experience bullying in the traditional school environment. Others admit, however, this option cannot work for all families.

Still, in a recent Legislative Report, students from the two existing Iowa virtual schools were assessed to have above average academic performance. Part of the reason for this was because of the hands-on environment that comes with a virtual setup.

Parents, would you consider a virtual school for your children if it was an option in your state? What do you think are its pros and cons? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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While Apple supplier TPK is all charged up for 2017 due to being contracted to supply Apple with next gen 3D touch modules for new iDevices, the company is getting out of the Apple Watch touch panel business due to poor yield rates for Touch on Lens (TOL). The poor yields lead to losing profits and hurting the company.

The difficulty in raising yield rates for TOL panels comes from the curved surface of Apple Watch screens that complicate the manufacturing for touch sensors, the sources said, adding the low yield rates resulted in losses for the company in 2016.

Considering cost and yield rates, Apple will adopt G/F (glass-film) touch solution in place of TOL for new Apple Watch and have Taiwan-based General Interface Solution or Hong Kong-based 'Biel Crystal Manufactory' (not a typo) produce the G/F touch panels, with shipments to begin in the second half of 2017.

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That is, could Mexican-born American high school graduates return to Mexico for their university education?

I did a little bit of research on this question just now, though it is a difficult question to find the answer to.

In terms of the admissions process, the process doesnt seem that onerous, from what I can tell. There is an admissions test, as is typical outside the U.S. How easy or difficult is it for an American-educated Spanish speaker to do well? A few comments on a discussion forum suggest that its not an issue, or, rather:

I got into a state school in Mexico. Its not hard to get in, the test is SOOOOOO easy compared to the SAT. It only appears hard because the students are all on the same low level (not trying to offend them, its just true). It sounds insulting, but its true. Its easy to get in if you did honors classes in the USA.

In terms of tuition, it is far cheaper to attend school in Mexico, at least at a public university. One university with an English site lists tuition as MXN 2,700 per semester  which at the current 20:1 exchange rate, is virtually free.

So why dont the consulates, which are spending so much energy on helping Mexicans in the U.S. fight deportation, help Mexican-born American high school graduates study in Mexico?

I have a couple guesses. Perhaps the system in practice admits few of its applicants due to lack of capacity, and theres no money, or no interest in building capacity. (Though there exist private universities, which seem to have very low tuition as well.) Perhaps the social inequality is strong enough that the government, and the university administrators, simply dont want to welcome the children of the poor, regardless of their education level, and want to reserve higher education for the upper class. Perhaps, despite the frequency of claims that Dreamers are the best and brightest, too few of them have actually done well enough in high school to make it into a Mexican university (which you can bet isnt going to be offering remedial classes), for transition assistance to be worth it. Or perhaps Mexico just doesnt want to add to its population, wants to keep those who have left, out, under the premise that pretty much any body, even if (prospectively) educated, is a drain on the country  which, so far as I can tell, is its perspective, that jobs are created not by innovation and entrepreneurship but by a combination of natural resources and getting outsiders to come in and hire workers.

Readers, what do you know?

UPDATE: Heres an article I found, while trying to find information on Mexicos demographic dividend, Mexicos New Demographic Dividend. This is old (2014), and pre-DACA, but it discusses returnees, including those who have gotten college educations and have sparked growth in call centers and other industries which use of their English-language skills.

As families have become smaller, the number of young dependents relative to the number of working adults has declined, producing what is known as a demographic dividend. Typically, when this happens, economic development accelerates; but previously Mexico was not able to leverage this change because so much of its working-age population was migrating north. With waves of people coming home, the equation has changed.

Image: library at UNAM  National Autonomous University of Mexico. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ABiblioteca_Central_UNAM_M%C3%A9xico.jpg; By Scanudas http://www.flickr.com/photos/scanudas/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/scanudas/4127627011/) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
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Iran, Iraq Initialize Plans For Oil Sector Cooperation

02/21/17

Source: RFE/RL

The governments of Iraq and Iran have signed a memorandum of understanding about conducting a joint study for a possible pipeline to export oil through Iran from Iraq's Kirkuk region. The oil ministers of the two countries signed the memorandum in Baghdad on February 20.



Iraqi oil fields in Kirkuk (file photo)



The agreement also envisions the creation of a bilateral commission that would work to resolve issues related to oil fields that are jointly held by Iran and Iraq.

Iran's Oil Ministry recently has been focusing on trying to develop oil production from five oil fields near the Iran-Iraq border that Tehran shares with Iraq.



They are the Yadavaran, North Azadegan, South Azadegan, North Yaran, and South Yaran oil fields.



Iran's Oil Ministry estimated in January that crude oil output capacity from its joint fields with Iraq currently is about 300,000 barrels per day.







Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh (L) with his Iraqi counterpart Jabar al-Luaibi





The proposed Iran-Iraq bilateral commission also would be tasked with studying the possible shipment of Iraqi crude oil to a refinery in Iran's southwestern city of Abadan -- a strategic Euphrates River refinery port on the Iran-Iraq border about 50 kilometers north of the Persian Gulf.



The oil ministers on February 20 also agreed to coordinate their countries' positions within the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).



Based on reporting by Reuters, Tasnim, and SHANA
Eurostat figures show Iran-EU trade up 78% in 2016

02/21/17

Source: Tehran Times

The European Union's trade with Iran amounted to 13.7 billion Euros in 2016, a 78 percent rise compared to 2015, based on the latest figures released by the European Union's statistics agency Eurostat. The figure was 7.68 billion Euros in 2015, Tasnim news agency reported.

Iran's exports to the EU stood at 5.46 billion in 2016, with 4.5-fold rise from 1.23 billion in the preceding year. The noticeable increase is due to the EU's resumption of oil imports from Iran.



After the lifting of sanctions against the country in January 2016, Iran's been trying to regain its traditional clients in countries like Greece and Italy as a priority.



While the EU's imports from Iran rose noticeably in 2016, its exports to the country increased just by 27 percent and reached 8.24 billion from 6.45 billion in 2015.



In April 2016, Iran and the EU issued a joint statement in Tehran setting the road map for cooperation. The statement was released by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini who visited Iran along with seven European commissioners.



The two sides taking stock of their long standing relations, based upon mutual respect and interests, reiterated their intention to develop a broad and comprehensive agenda for bilateral cooperation.
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Microsoft and Google dont get along all that often, but they do agree on using Kubernetes for cloud container orchestration.

Kubernetes is generally available for use with Azure Container Service, Microsofts managed cloud container hosting offering, as of Tuesday. ACS support for Kubernetes comes along with the services existing support for the Apache Mesos-based DC/OS and Docker Swarm.

Containers provide an isolated, portable and consistent runtime for applications thats particularly well-suited to deployment in a cloud environment. Orchestrators like Kubernetes help manage groups of containers. Many cloud providers like Microsoft offer services that help simplify the management of that whole system even further. ACS is one such service.

Microsoft is unique among its competitors in allowing customers to choose from three different container orchestrators. The Amazon EC2 Container Service uses its own container orchestrator, while Googles Container Engine only supports Kubernetes.

Whats also interesting about Tuesdays launch is that Kubernetes started as an internal Google project before it was released to the wider open source community. The project has since expanded to a larger open source community that includes Microsoft.

Brendan Burns, a former Google engineer and Kubernetes project maintainer who joined Microsoft last year, said that he thinks people would pick ACS for their containerized workloads because of the ecosystem of services that Microsoft has to offer on top of container orchestration.

He also said that a key benefit of using Azure Container Service is that it simplifies managing all three of the orchestrators that it supports with a consistent experience.

And in that way, managing one open source orchestrator versus another open source orchestrator is actually a fairly comparable experience, Burns said.

In addition to the general availability news, Microsoft also launched beta support for using Kubernetes to manage Windows Server Containers using ACS, in addition to Linux containers. That comes alongside the services existing beta support for managing Windows Server containers using Docker Swarm.

The general availability of Kubernetes on ACS comes a few months after Microsoft released the functionality in beta .
European Union privacy watchdogs are still not happy with Windows 10s gathering of data about its users, over a year after they first wrote to Microsoft to complain.

While the company has developed ways to give users more control over what data is collected, their consent to its collection cannot be valid without further explanation, according to the Article 29 Working Party, an umbrella body for the EUs national privacy regulators.

The working party welcomed Microsofts introduction of five new options in Windows 10 to limit or switch off certain kinds of data processing, but said they provided insufficient information about their operation.

It is not clear to what extent both new and existing users will be informed about the specific data that are being collected and processed under each of the functionalities, the working party said in a letter to Microsofts Chief Privacy Officer Brendon Lynch and CEO Satya Nadella last week.

The letter, published on the working partys website Monday, gently lampooned one of Microsofts descriptions.

The proposed new explanation when, for example, a user switches the level of telemetry data from full to basic that Microsoft will collect less data is insufficient without further explanation. Such information currently is also not available in the current version of the privacy policy, it said.

The privacy regulators also called on Microsoft to explain what kinds of personal data are processed for what purposes.

Without such information, consent cannot be informed, and therefore, not valid, they wrote.

The working party first wrote to Lynch and Nadella in January 2016 calling for changes to Windows 10s handling of personal information.

Microsoft announced its plans to change Windows 10s privacy settings in a blog posting in January 2017, saying that they would be included in its Creators Update.

The working party cant impose any penalties on Microsoft itself, but it acts as the mouthpiece for national data protection authorities across the EU and can recommend they take action. Seven authorities are investigating Windows 10s data gathering, led by the DPA for the German state of Bavaria. The other authorities holding inquiries are France, Hungary, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Spain and the U.K.
Perhaps you think the apple tart illustrated here, with its precisely fanned slices, came out of a fancy French bakery.

Not so, chef and TV personality Sara Moulton told a group of food writers and bloggers recently at a demo and book signing at Melissas Produce in Vernon. Anyone can do this.

The trick is to slice them paper-thin, but dont cut all the way through. If you slice all the way down to the cutting board, the apples will become detached, fly all over the counter and be very difficult to arrange in a pattern. You want them to stay lined up like the Rockettes.

The apple trick, accompanied by detailed photos, is just one revelation youll find in Moultons latest cookbook, Sara Moultons Home Cooking 101: How to Make Everything Taste Better (Oxmoor House, $35).

More than just a collection of soulful recipes, it is actually a teaching manual for the home cook.

Each recipe specifically demonstrates a tip or method that can make you a better and more confident cook while also teaching you to make your dishes taste better, she writes.

Illustrated instructions show you how to trim an artichoke, mix pie dough, peel and devein shrimp and pit an avocado safely. Even experienced old dogs will learn some new tricks. One of my favorites: a quick way to clean mushrooms (yes, you can toss them briefly in water!) And, darn, throwing a potato into an oversalted stew doesnt really work.

Youve been making hard-cooked eggs the same way for a million years, right? Try steaming them over boiling water, covered, for ten to 12 minutes, and youll be a convert for life. The whites are more tender, and theyre easier to peel, she said.

Pound cutlets of chicken, pork or veal between sheets of plastic wrap or in a resealable bag sprinkled with water. The water prevents the meat from sticking to the bag and shredding, she said.

The biggest surprise: Forget about mise en place, that once-sacrosanct admonition to prep and measure all your ingredients before cooking. While heating up the pan, you can chop the onions. While the onions are cooking, I mince the garlic. You could waste up to 20 minutes with mise en place. (The one exception: stir-fries.) Most important of all: Read the recipe first from start to finish, so you dont miss chill overnight. 

After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America, Moulton spent seven years working in restaurants. I thought only about what chefs do and was disdainful of things like flavorless oils and freezers, she recalled. Her years in Gourmet magazines test kitchen and as host of Food TVs Cooking Live switched her focus to home cooks.

The show was a continuing education on what home cooks are really up to, all the regional differences and new ingredients they were using, she said.

But it was having a family that brought together her chef skills and focus on the home cook.

I dont entertain at home, she said. My husband and I both work at home, so there is stuff all over the place. Also, people expect a gourmet meal with wine for each course, and I dont have time for that. But we have a daily religion to have family meals every night of the week. I started thinking about how to make that happen. 

The result is a comprehensive and very approachable guide to making better meals happen easily in your own kitchen. I took my chef knowledge and applied it to home cooks, she said.

Fancy Stuffed Eggs

Yield: 12

Ingredients

6 hard-boiled eggs

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 tablespoons creme fraiche

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan

1 tablespoon truffle oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Snipped chives, for garnish

Procedure

1. Cut eggs in half lengthwise, remove yolks and set whites aside.

2. Push yolks through a medium sieve into a bowl. Add mayonnaise, creme fraiche, mustard, Parmesan and truffle oil to mashed yolks and mix well with a fork. Add salt and pepper to taste; transfer mixture to resealable plastic bag. Cut off one corner of bag, pipe mixture evenly into hollow of each of the whites, and garnish each egg half with chives. For a fancier look, transfer mixture to pastry bag fitted with star tip.

Sauteed lemon chicken with fried capers

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

1 pound skinless chicken breast cutlets, preferably thinly sliced

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, preferably grapeseed, divided

3 tablespoons capers, rinsed, drained and dried very well

All-purpose flour for dredging

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 large lemon, sliced very thin crosswise

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons minced shallots

1 1/4 cups homemade or store-bought chicken stock

Procedure

1. Working with 1 cutlet at a time, pound chicken until it is 1/8 inch thick; transfer to plate. Pat dry and cut pieces in half if too large to saute easily.

2. In large skillet, combine 2 tablespoons of the oil with capers and heat pan to medium-high (capers can pop if added to a hot pan). Cook, stirring, until crisp, about 2 minutes. Transfer capers to small bowl with slotted spoon.

3. Spread out flour on piece of parchment on counter. Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Working with half the chicken at a time, season cutlets on both sides with salt and pepper and coat them lightly with flour, lifting parchment paper on both sides to help coat chicken and shaking off excess. Add chicken to oil in pan and cook until lightly golden, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to plate. Add 2 tablespoons oil to pan. Season and flour remaining chicken and saute, transferring it as it is done to plate.

4. Dip lemon slices in sugar, coating them lightly on both sides, and add them to skillet. Cook over medium heat until they are lightly caramelized, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to plate with chicken. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil and shallots to pan and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil, scraping up brown bits on bottom of pan. Return chicken and lemon slices to pan, along with any juices from plate. Simmer gently, turning chicken over several times until it is heated through.

5. Transfer chicken to 4 plates and simmer sauce until thickened slightly. Spoon sauce and lemon slices over chicken and top with fried capers.

French apple tart

Yield: 1 (10-inch) tart, about 8 servings

Ingredients

1 recipe pie dough, see below, or 1 (12-ounce) store-bought pie dough

All-purpose flour for rolling out dough

6 Golden Delicious apples

3 tablespoons sugar

4 tablespoons cold butter, sliced thin

1/2 cup apricot jam combined with 2 tablespoons water, heated and strained

Vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream, as an accompaniment

Cooks Notes

If you are using store-bought pie dough, which usually comes rolled out, fitted into an aluminum pie tin and fluted at the edges, let it warm up a bit on counter so that it is malleable, then lift it out of tin and lay it on lightly floured surface. Roll it out slightly and transfer it to tart pan.

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 13-inch round and fit it into 10-inch tart pan with a removable fluted rim, trimming excess. Prick dough all over with tines of fork. Cover and chill 1 hour.

2. Meanwhile, peel, halve and core apples. Arrange apples, cut side down, on cutting board and use very sharp knife to slice them crosswise, but not all the way through.

3. Arrange eight apple halves like the spokes of a wheel on pastry and remaining slices in diminishing concentric circles in middle of spokes. Sprinkle sugar evenly on top of apples and top with butter slices. Bake in middle of oven 45-50 minutes or until crust is cooked through and apples are golden brown. Brush with heated apricot jam while tart is still hot. Serve each portion with a small scoop of ice cream or a small spoonful of whipped cream.

Pie dough

How you measure your flour can make a huge difference. Thats why you should weigh, not measure, your flour.

Yield: enough for a large (10-inch) single-crust pie

180 grams (about 1 1/2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon table salt

10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

2 to 4 tablespoons ice water

Procedure:

1. Stir together flour and salt in large bowl, add butter, and, working quickly with your fingertips or a pastry blender, mix dough until most of mixture resembles coarse meal, with the rest in small (roughly pea-sized) lumps. Drizzle 2 tablespoons ice water evenly over mixture and gently stir with fork until incorporated. Gently squeeze a small handful: it should hold together without crumbling apart. If it doesnt, add more ice water, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, stirring 2 or 3 times after each addition until it comes together. (If you overwork mixture or add too much water, pastry will be tough.)

2. Turn dough out onto clean work surface and divide into several portions. With the heel of your hand, smear each portion once in a forward motion on work surface to help distribute fat. Gather smeared dough together and form it, rotating it on the work surface, into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill until firm, at least one hour.

Slicing and arranging apples:

1. Peel and halve apples; arrange them cut side down on cutting board. Using a melon baller, remove and discard cores. With very sharp knife, slice apples crosswise, but dont cut all the way down with back side of knife; stop just before it reaches cutting board so that apples stay attached at the bottom.

2. After slicing all apples, turn each on its side to expose bottom. Cut off about 14 inch of bottom to remove the part of the apple that has not been sliced through.

3. Arrange 8 apple halves like spokes of a wheel on pastry, leaving a gap in center of the spokes, and press down on apple halves to spread slices slightly. Arrange remaining apple slices in concentric circles in center of tart starting from the outside and working your way in further and further until theres a small space left in center. Shape center apple slice into a cone to resemble shape of center of a rose.

Tips for rolling out pie dough:

1. Make sure there is light dusting of flour on counter before you start rolling out dough. Lightly dust top of dough and rolling pin with flour, too. The dough should be able to move on counter at all times; if it starts to stick, sprinkle a little more flour on counter. If it sticks, you will end up overworking it.

2. To roll dough into a circle, roll over the disk going just to but not over the edge, and then turn it an eighth of a turn. Roll it again and turn it an eighth of a turn. Repeat until you have a circle of dough about 1/8-inch thick. If you turn it a quarter of a turn each time, you will end up with a square or rectangle.

Source: Home Cooking 101 by Sara Moulton

Judy Bart Kancigor is the author of Cooking Jewish (Workman) and can be found on the Web at cookingjewish.com
Angry parents, students and community leaders blasted Jurupa Unified school officials Tuesday, Feb. 21, for not firing Rubidoux High educators who posted social media messages that they said disparaged immigrant pupils last week.

Dozens of speakers at the standing-room-only Jurupa Unified School District board meeting also slammed officials for threatening to discipline students if they walk off campus to protest.

The threat of harsh punishment is completely out of line, said Octavio Armas, whose daughter is a freshman at Rubidoux. Consequences need to be prompt. (The educators) should be fired as soon as legally possible.

He said his daughter didnt join about 150 classmates who walked out at Rubidoux Friday to protest five teachers and one counselor who wrote Facebook posts that many said mocked students for skipping school Thursday to participate in the national A Day Without Immigrants boycott.

The six educators are on paid leave while the district investigates the matter.

No final decisions have been made, Board President Robert Garcia told the crowd. He added that tenured teachers have due process protections.

Threats of additional walkouts didnt materialize Tuesday at Rubidoux, a predominately Latino school in Jurupa Valley.

Superintendent Elliott Duchon said Rubidoux High was calm and students were well-behaved Tuesday.

Many students said they were offended by the posts, some of which applauded the absences as improving the learning environment.

Leslie Gomez, a Rubidoux student, said shes a 4.0 student, works two jobs and is captain of the cheer team.

Tell me how Im lazy and tell me how Im a drunk, Gomez said, referring to posts from social science teacher Geoffrey Greer who wrote that those who missed school used the occasion as an excuse to be lazy and/or get drunk.

Duchon said the district beefed up security after hearing social media rumors of more walkouts Tuesday.

Each high school had at least three school resource officers on campus, Duchon said.

The district threatened to discipline students who walked out with suspension, expulsion, arrests, fines and other punishment. They also warned them they could lose privileges, including prom and graduation ceremonies.

Students went to the cafeteria in small groups and ate lunch in classrooms to reduce the potential for trouble, Duchon said Tuesday afternoon.

Weve done it before, Duchon told the audience. It was not done as punishment.

Gomez, a Rubidoux senior, disagreed.

We felt like prisoners today, she told the board.

Flor Villafuerte, who has a daughter attending Rubidoux and two others who graduated from the school, said administrators dont listen to parent concerns. She blamed Duchon, who tried to apologize. She rejected the apology.

Are our students going to be supervised like theyre criminal delinquents? she asked. Locking them down will make things worse.

Hannah Comstock, an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union of California, condemned the district for threatening to take photos and videos of students walking off campus.

The ACLU sent a letter urging the district to adopt a resolution protecting immigrant students and families. The group may take legal action if the district violates students constitutional right to protest, the letter states.

You cant silence students for engaging in activity that is protected and even encouraged by the First Amendment, Comstock said.
A body has been found in a Riverside house that caught fire Tuesday morning, Feb. 21, as a SWAT team prepared to go in to find a suspect who had exchanged gunfire with police the night before, a police spokesman says.

The identity of the deceased person has not been confirmed, Riverside police Officer Ryan Railsback said.

UPDATE: Man found dead in burned house is identified; fiancee says he denied shooting at police

Police believed the suspect had taken refuge overnight inside the house in the 9300 block of Sage Avenue home in the Arlington neighborhood. They did not think anyone else had been inside.

Railsback said Riverside County coroners investigators were at the home and were trying to determine whether the body was that of the suspect.

The fire broke out about 7 a.m. Tuesday for reasons that are still under investigation, authorities said. By the time firefighters contained the fire about 11:15 a.m., the wooden roof had mostly collapsed. Even after the fire was contained, the house continued smoldering, and officials expected it to burn down to its cinderblock walls.

The flames did not spread to any neighboring houses  five of which had been evacuated during the standoff and fire.

Many surrounding streets were closed for hours, but by late afternoon, only Sage Avenue remained shut off while police and coroners investigators worked at the house.

Railsback said the American Red Cross was called to assist the family who lived in the burned-down home. It was still unclear what their relation was to the suspect  whether he lived with them, knew them or had picked a random home to run into.

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SHOOTING, STANDOFF

The confrontation started about 10:50 p.m. Monday, when officers contacted a suspicious vehicle and occupants, Railsback said. Three people were inside the car and a fourth was standing outside.

The man outside the car took off running, Railsback said. Officers followed him onto Hawthorne Avenue, where he pulled out a firearm and shot several rounds toward them, Railsback said. No officers were injured.

UPDATE: Man who died in fire after confrontation with police was 3-time felon

The officers returned fire, though they dont know whether the suspect was struck, Railsback said.

The suspect ran away, and the officers lost him.

The people who were inside the car when the incident began were detained for questioning, Railsback said.

Officers created a perimeter and began to search the area. Eventually, the search was narrowed down to the Sage Avenue house and the SWAT team was brought in.

FIRE DANGER

As SWAT officers prepared to enter the home, it caught fire, Railsback said.

Though some neighbors speculated the SWAT team may have intentionally started the fire, Railsback said thats something they would never do.

Asked whether officers used a type of tear gas that can sometimes catch fire, Railsback said he did not know.

Because of the heightened danger of dealing with a suspect who had shot at police, and the uncertainty over whether he was dead or alive and still present there, firefighters tactics were limited.

Riverside Fire Department Capt. Tim Odebralski said firefighters stuck to hosing down the flames from a safe distance, as well as surrounding houses and trees as a precaution. They donned ballistic vests and helmets as they fought the fire and were protected by police.

Once it was deemed safe, authorities were able to conduct a more thorough search and found the body.

NEIGHBORS TERRIFIED

Neighbors surrounded the taped-off scene Tuesday morning.

Emily Scearin, 27, heard the gunshots in front of her home at the corner of MacArther and Hawthorne avenues. She immediately called 911, and was told by dispatchers to take cover. She said she took her husband and 3-year-old son to a room, where they sat between a desk and a bed for about an hour.

I was so scared, I couldnt breathe, Scearin said.

Bryon Awe lives next door to the house that was on fire.

He said he was shocked when police told him to evacuate his house. Awe, along with several other neighbors, was concerned that his pets might suffer smoke inhalation. He was able to remove his dog from the house, but had to leave his cat and bird.

Odebralski said that because the fire has not spread, animals in other homes would likely be OK.

Neighbor Demetrius Lester, who had been waiting across the street from his home in his pajamas for hours, was filled with joy when a firefighter brought out his dog.

Shes our pride and joy, Lester said.

Staff writer Alex Groves contributed to this report.

This story is developing. Check back for updates.
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe who is 93 today, February 21, 2017, has ruled out retirement saying he has no 'acceptable' successor in place. In excerpts culled out from a radio broadcast that will later air this week, the world's oldest national leader, who has been in power since Zimbabwe's independence in 1980, said:



'The call to step down must come from my party, my party at the congress, my party at central committee. But then what do you see? It's the opposite. They want me to stand for elections.' 'The majority of the people feel that there is no replacement, a successor who to them is acceptable, as acceptable as I am,' he added.



However, his wife Grace Mugabe who is seen as a possible successor if the president finally decides to retire had earlier stated that the citizens will still vote her husband's corpse even when he is dead.









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Audio Attachment: Listen to Nana Addo on the Education sector

President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has reiterated the commitment of his government to implement its free Senior High School policy.



Addressing the nation on the floor of Parliament, the President directed a message to critics of the free SHS initiative saying if they think he's doing things in a haste, then "I'm in a hurry to ensure that every child born in this country attend school from kindergarten to Senior High School. In other words, that is the basic education that each child is required to receive. We intend to reform the basic school curricula with emphasis on literacy, numeracy and creative skills. And just in case, there's anyone left in this country who has not heard yet, free SHS starts with the 2017/2018 entrants..."



President Nana Addo told the House that the government is fully prepared and has the blueprints to roll out the free SHS programme.



"Mr. Speaker, the success of all our plans and all aspirations depends on our ability to educate our young people and provide the opportunity for lifelong education to the adult population. Mr. Speaker, it is not an original statement but it is a true statement. Education is the key. Education holds the key to the rapid development of our country. It holds the key to a better understanding and accommodation without environment. It equips us with the skills required to deal with the world. Education holds the key to the prosperous and a happy Ghana we all want and deserve."

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi /Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has downplayed the Presidents State of the Nation Address, saying he presented nothing new in his statement.

The President presented his first address before Parliament in which he among other things condemned the violent attacks that characterized the transition period earlier this year, adding that such undignified acts should not be encouraged during his address.

But Asiedu Nketia, in an interview with Citi News after the Presidents presentation, said the attempt to create the impression that he disliked the behaviour of his party people during the transition is just a smokescreen.  Now everything has cooled down and he is coming to make a statement that let it be the end. Why will it be on your term and not any other persons term?, Asiedu Nketia queried. He said the Presidents atempt to paint a gloomy picture of the economy, is just a way for them to avoid fulfilling their numerous promises to the Ghanaian people.

He wondered why the NPP administration is now adopting strategies introduced by the NDC; when it vehemently opposed same, whiles in opposition. Whether the state of the economy is good or bad, we are expecting you to deliver; but we are also sending strong signals about some of the promises which gives me discomfort.

In talking about the Compact 2, we[NDC government] came here and said that we needed to restructure the way electricity corporation works, and we needed to privatize some aspects of their operations, they [NPP] said no way; and they indeed instigated workers of ECG to be demonstrating. ..Now they are no longer going to sell ECG alone, they are going to sell all the major institutions in the power sector  If it was bad at that time, what makes it good now?

This whole business of let us win power at all cost and then we deal with the challenges later should be a thing of the past. You cannot lie your way to power and come and take the people for granted. I want them to stand for full state ownership for ECG, full state ownership for VRA and full state ownership for GRIDCo which they stood for when we were in power.

Economy wont collapse under my watch

Nana Addo President Nana Akufo-Addo stated that, he will not allow Ghanas economy to collapse under his watch, despite inheriting a challenging economy from the previous National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration. The President revealed that, the reality of Ghanas finances are quite stark as a result of policy choices. According to him, we find ourselves in the situation where Ghanas total revenue is consumed by three main budgetary lines. Wages and salaries, interest and payments and amortisation and statutory payments.

Source: citifmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Ghanas Former President Jerry John Rawlings has described the emergence of Presidents Buhari of Nigeria and AkufoAddo of Ghana as a divine intervention because of their respected anti-corruption credentials.



The former president said Ghana is fortunate to have somebody like Nana Akufo-Addo because of his principles and values.



President Rawlings, who spoke during a courtesy call on him on Friday by a group of actors, including renowned Nigerian actor Pete Edochie, underscored, "People think I like that man to high heavens. No, but I respect him for certain principles and values and I will continue to pray and I sincerely hope that he stays the track and devote possibly over 30 percent of his time to fight corruption and corruptible tendencies.



The actors are working on a film production based on corruption, and Mr Rawlings commended the production of the movie, which has been titled, Greedy Bastards for its important and valuable theme.



"I must congratulate you for what youre trying to do. Lets use some of these movies effectively. People are distorting historical truths all the time. When you find yourselves at the centre of human endeavours like I have, truth must be sacrosanct, he stated.



Former President Rawlings, however, expressed misgivings over the removal and subsequent reinstatement of the head of a government department, who had been involved in questionable dealings.



He wondered whose political influence had been brought to bear on the appointing authority, stating that that is why we have to pray for the president to stay the course."



He added that, I am using very polite language because I am not unaware of what this particular Ghanaian has been doing in that department. He should have been thrown out, kept out and investigated but it appears somebodys influence brought itself to bear and the decision was rescinded."



Touching on Nigeria, the former president said its unfortunate that the cost of living appears to be suffocating the people.



So while some are praying for his health, some are praying he wouldn't come back," he said in reference to President Buharis presence in the UK for medical treatment.



He said rather than blame Buhari, we should be blaming the extent and depth to which corruption had gripped Nigeria," adding But I guess you need a creative team at would know how to resolve the economic situation of the country without possibly undermining the cost of living of the people.

Source: Myjoyonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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On Friday, a climate-change denier was confirmed to head the EPA. This comes as Trump and the Republicans gut environmental regulations, including those preventing coal companies from dumping toxic waste into our rivers and streams.

Nevertheless, hope springs eternal.

In the midst of the crazy that is the Trump Administrationin the face of Congressional Republicans stubborn denial of science and evidence in general and climate change in particular, three prominent conservatives-Martin S. Feldstein, Ted Halstead and N. Gregory Mankiw have issued A Conservative Case for Climate Action. They explained their plan in an op-ed in the New York Times.

CRAZY as it may sound, this is the perfect time to enact a sensible policy to address the dangerous threat of climate change. Before you call us nuts, hear us out.

The three are forthright about the fact that Republican congressional opposition prevented Obama from addressing climate change as vigorously as he wanted; he was only able to enact a handful of measures through Executive Orders, and those are likely to be reversed by Trump, who (they say with delicious understatement) seems much less concerned about the risks of climate change, and more worried about how excessive regulation impedes economic growth and depresses living standards.

They note that

an ideal climate policy would reduce carbon emissions, limit regulatory intrusion, promote economic growth, help working-class Americans and prove durable when the political winds change.

Hard to argue with any of those goals.

After listing a number of other notable Republicans who participated in authoring their proposal, they proceed to outline it.

Our plan is built on four pillars. First, the federal government would impose a gradually increasing tax on carbon dioxide emissions. It might begin at $40 per ton and increase steadily. This tax would send a powerful signal to businesses and consumers to reduce their carbon footprints. Second, the proceeds would be returned to the American people on an equal basis via quarterly dividend checks. With a carbon tax of $40 per ton, a family of four would receive about $2,000 in the first year. As the tax rate rose over time to further reduce emissions, so would the dividend payments. Third, American companies exporting to countries without comparable carbon pricing would receive rebates on the carbon taxes theyve paid on those products, while imports from such countries would face fees on the carbon content of their products. This would protect American competitiveness and punish free-riding by other nations, encouraging them to adopt their own carbon pricing. Finally, regulations made unnecessary by the carbon tax would be eliminated, including an outright repeal of the Clean Power Plan.

The authors assert that a carbon dividends program starting at $40 per ton would achieve nearly twice the emissions reductions of all Obama-era climate regulations combined. They also report that, if all four elements are put in place at the same time, the plan would be sufficient, all by itself, to meet Americas commitment under the Paris climate agreement.

Environmentalists should like the long-overdue commitment to carbon pricing. Growth advocates should embrace the reduced regulation and increased policy certainty, which would encourage long-term investments, especially in clean technologies. Libertarians should applaud a plan premised on getting the incentives right and government out of the way. Populists should welcome the distributive impact.

The appeal of this plan is obvious: as the authors note, simply repealing Obamas measures would be immensely unpopular; unlike Congressional deniers, most Americans accept the reality of climate change and support measures to address it.

Recent polls show that 64 percent of Americans are concerned about climate change, 71 percent want America to remain in the Paris agreement, and an even larger share favor clean energy. If the Republican Party fails to exercise leadership on our climate challenge, they risk a return to heavy-handed regulation when Democrats return to power.

If the goal is to reduce carbon emissionsand that is the goal among people who accept the reality of climate changeRepublicans and Democrats who share that goal should embrace any proposal that will demonstrably achieve it.

If carrots will do what sticks cannot, Im all for carrots.

[Originally published at SheilaKennedy.net on February 18, 2017]

Peacock Panache readers:

Sheila Kennedy is a former high school English teacher, former lawyer, former Republican, former Executive Director of Indianas ACLU, former columnist for the Indianapolis Star, and former young person. She is currently an (increasingly cranky) old person, a Professor of Law and Public Policy at Indiana University Purdue University in Indianapolis, and Director of IUPUIs Center for Civic Literacy. She writes for the Indianapolis Business Journal, PA Times, and the Indiana Word, and blogs at www.sheilakennedy.net. For those who are interested in more detail, links to an abbreviated CV and academic publications can be found on her blog, along with links to her books..

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CORRECTION: An earlier edition of this article incorrectly suggested that the debate would officially deny Trump a state visit as per reports from a credible news wire, but this has since been clarified as incorrect. PEDESTRIAN.TV greatly regrets the error and apologises for any confusion.

Sometimes  and only sometimes  does the dreaded Trump administration inflict positivity upon us. It often comes in the form of Dernald Frump performing a truly hilarious act, such as not knowing how to shake a hand or approach a staircase.

Today, it has manifested in the satisfaction of British MPs rallying to reject the motion to have the President of the United States make a state visit to the UK.

Theres been a lot of pressure overnight on Prime Minister Theresa May to retract the offer of a state visit, with major rallies held across London, but May is determined to push forward with the idea in an attempt to maintain a strong relationship with the States (all the more important post-Brexit).

Large demonstration in London asks British Parliament to disinvite Donald Trump. pic.twitter.com/dHcRKFs33T  John Nichols (@NicholsUprising) February 21, 2017

Today alone, 10,000 people were protesting outside Westminster. Alongside them, now, comes the vocal outrage of several MPs  including the Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, a former Conservative who very much risked his job by outing Trump as sexist and racist.

And with an online petition that clocked a whopping 1.8 million signatures, theres a very good chance that the British PM might not get her way  proved all the more with this video, showing at least some fraction of Parliament not having a bar of it.

BREAKING NEWS: The British Parliament has just rejected a state visit by Donald Trump. #Resist #maddow pic.twitter.com/i588O6dr4A  Johnny Heldt (@JohnnyHeldt) February 21, 2017

Unfortunately this debate in Westminster Hall was intended to be a symbolic one  a place where pollies could convey their outrage over Trumps disgusting behaviour and why this is happening so early in his term. Nevertheless, the state visit will realistically still go to plan as its a matter of policy and Trump/May want to keep their relationship solid.

Nevertheless, the vid alone is ridonkulously satisfying to watch; particularly the resounding enthusiasm of the Brit pollies saying NOOOOOO to the prospect of Trump touching down on their soil in a collective accent so clipped and proper its kinda how I imagine Mary Poppins sounds when she gets pissed off.

The thrill extends beyond that, too. While its far from becoming a reality, one only needs to daydream about Trumpo being straight up forbidden to have a state visit  along with all the fancy accoutrements that presumably come from the Brits, like lots of high tea and a chill with Queen Elizabeth and probs a horse and carriage  to feel real good.

Photo: Getty / Chris J Ratcliffe.
UPDATE 10:42am: Victoria Police have now confirmed that the plane crashed shortly after takeoff. Mayday calls were made by the pilot of the plane, and police understand the cause of the crash is catastrophic engine failure. Reports now also confirm that all staff inside the DFO were safely evacuated.

EARLIER: Reports are emerging of a crash at Melbournes Essendon Airport, with early word suggesting that a light plane may have run off the runway.

Both the Calder and Tullamarine Freeways are now closed in both directions as authorities attend to the scene.

Motorists travelling along the freeway at the time reported thick plumes of black smoke rising from the runway of the airport; Melbournes smaller airport used for charter and special-service air vehicles.

Driving by a possible plane crash at #Essendon Airport and DFO pic.twitter.com/JpSCKbgxHN  Belinda (@pelagonianprncs) February 20, 2017

**BREAKING** Reports that an Air Ambulance King Air has CRASHED near Runway 17 at ESSENDON AIRPORT pic.twitter.com/NzaBWzq8cX  Jimmy Traffic (@JimmyTraffic) February 20, 2017

Details at the moment are sketchy, but initial reports from the scene are indicating that the vessel may have crashed into part of the neighbouring Essendon Fields DFO shopping outlet.

At least eight fire crews are attending the scene, according to Fairfax Media.

Footage shot moments ago from the scene shows the horrific-looking scene, with extensive damage to the exterior of the DFO apparent.

#BREAKING: An Air Ambulance has crashed into the DFO factory outlet near Essendon Airport in Melbourne. #TMS7 pic.twitter.com/uLJuGUumKu  The Morning Show (@morningshowon7) February 20, 2017

#BREAKING: Horrific scenes in Victoria where an air ambulance has crashed into the DFO near Essendon Airport (Pic: 9News) pic.twitter.com/nF1efcfuIr  Triple M Brisbane (@TripleMBrisbane) February 20, 2017

#BREAKING: Pictures show the wreckage of a light plane that crashed into buildings near Essendon Airport. pic.twitter.com/uQyabxXpj5  Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) February 20, 2017

No word yet of any potential injuries in the incident.

The aircraft, initially reported to be an air ambulance, was reportedly carrying up to 5 passengers.

PRIOR UPDATES 9:58am: VicRoads and Victoria Police have both issued statements on the incident.

A short time ago VicRoads issued the following:

The Tullamarine Freeway is closed in both directions between English Street and Bell Street.

The Calder Freeway is closed in both directions between McNamara Avenue and Bell Street. Bulla Road is closed at the Tullamarine Freeway including the entry ramp to the Tullamarine Freeway inbound. Delay travel through the area and seek an alternative route. VicRoads advises motorists to exit the Tullamarine Freeway as early as possible and keep away from the area.

Meanwhile, police confirmed details of the incident, which occurred just prior to 9am:

Emergency services are responding to a plane crash into a building near Bulla Road in Essendon Fields.

It is believed the plane crashed just before 9am. At this stage we do not have information regarding possible casualties and police are currently evacuating the area. The surrounding roads will be effected for some time. We will bring you further information as it comes to hand.

10:24am: The plane is now confirmed to have crashed into the Focus Furniture and JB Hi-Fi stores at the DFO. The stores were not open to customers at the time of the crash, however staff were inside. Both stores have been evacuated.

More on this major story as it develops.

Source: Twitter.

Photo: Thomas Maggs/Twitter.
The phrase small man is thrown around quite a lot as a way of accusing someone of being a shit, sneaky person. Typically, it does not mean in a literal sense that the person in question is short, tiny, or small statured in any way.

Perhaps the worlds smallest man, Donald Trump, doesnt have the physical stature to suggest as such. Thankfully, we have the internet to change that up for us.

A sweet lil YouTube video has been made by the good folks at Evil Ice Cream Pictures of Trump in his true tiny form. The clip shows the President of the United States going through the motions of his day to day  sitting at his desk, signing some paperwork (probs approving a motion to bring on the impending apocalypse ASAP), feeling intimidated by Barack Obama at their first meeting, giving a press conference with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, being sworn in as President, and doing interviews  but in all these actions, he is so teeny.

Particular props go to the Trudeau skit, where Trump needs to stand on a pile of books to reach the height of his way more attractive/extremely better Canadian counterpart, and also when he hangs out with kids who are way bigger than him.

It makes for an indescribably hilarious viewing experience. Have a gander:

Source / Photo: YouTube / Evil Ice Cream Pictures.
Lindsay Lohan is a curious unit  a person who, long after her infamous days as a party animal, continues to do some really weird shit. Whether its adopting a truly rogue accent, or pushing real hard to play Ariel in a live Little Mermaid adaptation, she remains alive and well in the news cycle.

Today, she appeared on Good Morning Britain with everyones favourite right-wing maniac, Piers Morgan, and recounted the tale of how she was racially profiled when arriving in London from Turkey because she was wearing a headscarf.

Oh Christ.

I got stopped recently and was racially profiled, Lohan explained. She opened my passport, saw Lindsay Lohan and immediately started apologising. But then she said, take off your headscarf'.

This is particularly potent as Lohan has been under a fair bit of scrutiny for her seemingly superficial fascination with Islam (shes been spotted toting the Quran around on a few occasions).

But while Lohans initial declaration that shed been a victim of racial profiling is totally fucked, she did claim that it only made her realise how that situation would go down if she werent a white, privileged woman, and perhaps one of the most recognisable people in the world.

How would another woman who doesnt feel comfortable taking off her headscarf feel? That was really interesting to me. I was kind of in shock.

So, it kinda looks like this is Lohans own way of reflecting on the pervasive issue of racial profiling on a global scale. Good for her, I guess?

She also spoke on the talk show about the aforementioned rumours that shes converting to Islam (shes still got that endearing accent too, btw). Check out the clip below for the whole interview:

Source: NME.

Photo: Getty Images / Anadolu Agency.
Every year, were blown out of the water by the sheer ridiculousness that is the Oscars gift bags.

In 2016, select celebs were treated to a $200,000USD+ swag bag that included boob jobs, luxe vape pens, first-class trips to Israel and personalised M&Ms. You know, just the bare essentials.

This year though, one of the inclusions is a little more down to earth  and a water bottle by a fair dinkum Strayan start-up has made the list.

The MOUS Fitness Bottle (pronounced mouse) created by Melbourne blokes Jarahad Valeri and Matthew Kempe is being included in the 89th Academy Awards nominees swag bags.

A post shared by MOUS Fitness Bottle (@mousfitness_) on Oct 5, 2016 at 1:20pm PDT

It aint just any old liquid holder, either; its a protein shaker bottle, water infuser and sleek water bottle all in one. The beauty of this nifty product is that its got a round bottom, meaning your protein powder wont get stuck in any corners and create a hell-raising stench.

tfw u open the lid of ur old protes shaker

Speaking to PEDESTRIAN.TV, Kempe says the inclusion was out of the blue and the start-up dont even know where it came from.

From our understanding, we know that they found us through Instagram and our marketing; theyve got scouts looking for unique products. They emailed Jarahad through our marketing side and it went from there.

71 nominees will cop one of these in their Everyone Wins Nominee gift bags, but the 72nd person the founders would love to see rocking a bottle is ya boy Dwayne Johnson.

Hes a huge influence because hes into charity and were big on supporting others and making sure everyone has a healthy journey. Considering he aligns with our values, we would love to team up with him, says Kempe.

Each bottle is made from the highest-quality BPA-free, non-toxic materials and you can get your swole mitts on one for a very reasonable $35AUD.

The other treats in the 2017 bag include a luxury vacay to Hawaii, 10 year supply of foundation, a personal in-house sommelier service and cellulite massage mats.

Its comforting to know that even if Nicole Kidman and Mel Gibson dont take home awards this year, at least some Aussies will be doing the homeland proud.

Source: Mous Fitness.

Photo: @mousfitness_ / Instagram.
PEDESTRIAN.TV has partnered with our pals over at Set For Life to guide you through the lush world that is cult beauty products. FYI, if youre a bit tight on cash atm why not give entering our comp with these guys a whirl? You could find yourself with a cool $20k in your pocket. Get entering at the end of this article (after youve read it, of course).

Jump on any beauty blog, vlog or subreddit and youll come across something on cult beauty products. These are more than fancy things that just do a bang-up job. Theyre the superstars  rave reviews just flow in on the daily about how bloody marvellous/transformative/miraculous they are.

But are they right for you? Are these babies all hype no action, or are theyre really, truly as amazing as theyre touted to be. PEDESTRIAN.TV staffers took the test and tried out some of the most hyped products on counters rn.

ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS DIPBROW





Anastasia Beverly Hills @ Sephora DipBrow Pomade, $32

This was such a stunning product  I cleaned the hell out of my brush before even going near the pot because I didnt want to offend it with my grot brow brush.

I only had to use the smallest scrape, which I realised is kinda tricky to do because its pretty soft, and that filled my brows in brilliantly. I normally use a coloured pomade for my brows but it can also get a bit heavy, so the Anastasia was a nice move away from bulkier products.

It sat nicely on my brows all day and let my brow hairs still be visible, which helped to maintain that noice natural look. It came out really easily  as in I didnt have to scrub at my brows with cleanser and hot water in the shower  and didnt feel heavy on my face at all, like some pomades do.

Oh, and even though I really need to go get my brows waxed, this somehow managed to make my brows look tidy? Thats pure sorcery, I swear it.  Courtney

LA MER SOFT LOTION





La Mer The New Moisturising Soft Lotion, $365

If the reviews of Every Beauty Editor Ever are to be believed, slathering your skin with any product from cult French beauty brand La Mer is akin to having the baby-soft hands of angels massage your face.

At $365 a bottle, I was expecting big things from the Moisturising Soft Lotion  the new and lighter-in-consistency little sister of the original Moisturising Cream  and applied it every morning for three weeks as per the exact instructions of the skin specialist who gave it to me.

Oh yes  one does not simply *apply* La Mer; you pat a small amount between warm fingertips to release the Miracle Broth (a patented formula of hand-harvested and fermented sea kelp) and press it gently into your face, thank you very much.

Im happy to report the dry spots I get when the weather is inconsistent faded into non-existence after a week of use and my combination skin stayed balanced all day: not too dry, not too oily. Its an investment, sure  but if it helps stave off the signs of ageing for a few more years, Id say its a worthwhile one. Bonus points for looking so damn schmick on my nightstand.  Vanessa

KAT VON D TATTOO LINER





Kat Von D @ Sephora Tattoo Liner, $28

I am extremely late to the liquid eyeliner game, mostly because at 26 Im still really bad at makeup and rely on the forgiveness of pencils. But tbh, either Im getting better or Tattoo Liner is really easy to use. Ideal for Sydneys current heatwave hell.  Alex

PHILOSOPHY RENEWED HOPE IN A JAR

philosophy Renewed Hope In A Jar, $55

The tagline for Philosophys Renewed Hope In A Jar is refreshing and refining, and thats pretty faultless, tbh. My skin is combination normally, but this summer has been brutal and has stripped my skin of any radiance whatsoever. Thankfully, RHIAJ actually returned my skin to looking fresh and revitalised.

The only negative is that it is reasonably thick, so using it during the humid heatwave over the past few days left my skin feeling sticky quite quickly. I blame the weather though  itd be absolutely perfect to use in cooler months, or if you live somewhere where summer isnt a humid deathtrap.

On days that werent meltingly hot, RHIAJ gave me a fresh radiant glow. Make-up glided nicely over the top, and my skin felt noticeably more hydrated. Id absolutely use again.- Chloe

GIORGIO ARMANI LUMINOUS SILK FOUNDATION

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation, $99

Ooft. This foundation. Ive wanted to try this for so, so long  basically, Im obsessed with anything that illuminates. Like, turn me into a living disco ball, I am here for it. Luminous Silk has a rep for being one of the glowiest (not a word, totally not a word), dewy foundations on market.

Obviously, its a bit more subtle than a disco ball but the point is  my belief in life is all foundation should be dewy and luminous, and you just add some powder on top of any spots that might get oily to keep things from getting out of control (hot tip for you there, dont say I never gave you anything).

What really surprised me was the longevity of this product. Dewy foundations often disappear on my skin  they rub off easily or just arent thick enough in the first place. This had the medium coverage I wanted out of my base product but never looked unnatural or mask-like.  Mel

MAC LIPSTICK IN VELVET TEDDY





MAC Lipstick in Velvet Teddy, $36

I bloody loved this lipstick. Ive always been the biggest fan of MAC lipstick in general, and nudes are my favourite. Ive been repping their Jubilee shade for the past couple of years but I have to say that Velvet Teddy might be my new fave. The colour worked really well with my skin tone, and I found I didnt need to re-apply too much. Plus, like all MAC lipsticks, it never felt dry and lasted for ages.  Lucy

URBAN DECAY ALL NIGHTER SETTING SPRAY





Urban Decay @ Mecca All Nighter Setting Spray, $49





I thought I would really give this product a run for its money at a music festival in the middle of summer (ballsy, i know). I think we can all agree sweat is  in no way, shape or form  makeups best friend.

The results were impressive. No smudgy mascara around the eyes and best of all, no foundation separating into fine lines. It also feels like you are using a hydrating mist when applying and dries relatively fast. It also had no impact on the look and feel of my makeup, which I think is really great for a finishing product. Overall, a yes-please-I-will-take-4 outcome here.  Nat

ORIBE DRY TEXTURISING SPRAY





Oribe Dry Texturising Spray, $62





Im not usually a fan of texturising sprays, I like to wash my hair once a week and putting any product into it after washing will only kill my vibe by making it heavy and greasy. But, in true hypocritical style, I also love that lived-in, sexy mess look when it comes to my hair.

This definitely gets you there if you spray at the roots in random sections. I also added some into my ends because my hair is long and this gives a bit of texture there. But what was really fantastic about it was that the next day, I could brush my hair and de-knot it, but when I scrunched the roots the texture was still there. What is this black magic? Ive never found a texture spray that could give you that grit for styling and also brush out with zero fuss.  Melissa

NARS BLUSH IN ORGASM

Nars @ Mecca Blush in Orgasm, $44

This blush is the real MVP. The tone was perfect both underneath my bronzer to help it pop, and when I wore it on its own for a subtle highlight. I didnt even know I had bone structure until this lil guy (which is the perfect size for anyone on the go, mind you) and Ill definitely be whipping it out on the daily.  Chantelle

BUMBLE AND BUMBLE SURF SPRAY





Bumble And Bumble @ Mecca Surf Spray, $39





I used to use this product I loved for getting that beachy wave look, but it was discontinued a year or so ago and Ive never found anything quite like it again. So I was pretty skeptical that this spray would live up to my high standard.

But I was honestly wrong, it nails the summer hair look, definitely. It gave the salty texture I wanted, without the weight and ocean-smell of actual salt water. Safe to say Ive found a new favourite.  Kristy

CLINIQUE ALMOST LIPSTICK IN BLACK HONEY

Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey, $36

This lipstick looks scary. Well, it does if youre after a gentle, baby-tint level of colour, because the stick shade is such a deep purple its almost black. Like Black Honey, geddit? Id read so many stories covering how low-maintenance this product is, that you could swipe it on mirror-less and never screw it up. And while I looked at the shade like hooooo boy, how though? everyone was right  the colour that comes out on your lips is like a just-bitten natural lip look.

Its buildable, so the more you swipe the darker it gets, but never deeper than a sort of plum-ruby-red balm effect. I have like, no colour to my lips naturally so its a hands down winner for me.  Natalie

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Images: Supplied.
The National Constitution Center embraced the spirit of Presidents Day.

The Philadelphia museum offered free admission for the Feb. 20 holiday and the crowds came. They mingled with Presidents Theodore Roosevelt, Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln, asking them questions in a town hall. Among the questions asked: What was Abraham Lincoln's favorite food? And are there teddy dogs or just teddy bears?

There was also a Presidential Costume Contest, where kids showed off their best George Washington, Barack Obama and Andrew Jackson outfits.

Visitors to the center could also go inside an actual voting booth to learn more about the election process. There was a Presidential Portrait Challenge as well, where visitors learned more about the differences in the depictions of U.S. Presidents.

You can see photos from the day's activities in the gallery at the top of this post.

The National Constitution Center is devoted to deepening the understanding of citizens in regards to the U.S. Constitution. Its exhibits help bring various parts of the Constitutional system to life, including the Supreme Court. There's also Signer's Hall, which is home to 42 life-size bronze statues of the men who signed the Constitution.

Admission to the National Constitution Center is $10 for adults, $7.50 from now until March 31. For more information visit constitutioncenter.org.

Want more Philadelphia stories? Click here for all our coverage of the City of Brotherly Love. You may also enjoy these videos from our Life and Culture Team:
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Penn State University officials are working with law enforcement and borough administrators in hopes of cutting down on the excessive drunken celebrations for this weekend's State Patty's Day festivities.

(File)

Penn State University officials are working with law enforcement and borough administrators in hopes of cutting down on the excessive drunken celebrations for this weekend's State Patty's Day festivities.

The student-led State Patty's Day celebration has been marred in the past by fights, destruction of property, underage drinking and overconsumption, leading to arrests and hospital visits. This year -- as in years past -- university, government and police entities are working together to keep the celebration safe.

"State Patty's Day has been on our calendar. It's been on our calendar since last State Patty's Day," said State College Police Captain Matthew Wilson. "We will certainly have extra patrols out. We'll have outside agency assistance and we will have all hands on deck when it comes to our department -- Friday night, Saturday and Saturday night."

Wilson said the Pennsylvania State Police, Pennsylvania Liquor Control Enforcement and other local police forces will also be on hand.

The State College Police Department has reached out to apartment owners to encourage the restrictions they've imposed on residents in the past. Those restrictions have included apartment owners banning house parties and underage guests from their facilities.

"It's typically the same we've done in past years," Wilson said.

Penn State also has plans to control State Patty's Day revilers and keep people safe.

Penn State spokesman Ben Manning said all fraternities are banned from throwing social events involving alcohol. That ban was initially put in place following a student's death in early February, and also was a reaction to concern over what Penn State said was a growing number of allegations of hazing, sexual assault and other misconduct at fraternities and sororities.

Manning said the school's residence halls have put limits on number of out-of-town guests who may stay overnight.

"We expect the usual substantial police and liquor control presence in town, with vigorous enforcement of applicable laws and regulations," Manning said.

Manning said Borough Manager Tom Fountaine and Vice President for Student Affairs Damon Sims are communicating with the Tavern Owners Association to encourage continued support through practices and limitations they may voluntarily pursue.

Wilson said the biggest issue they run into on State Patty's Day is over-consumption. Some college students begin drinking early in the morning and keep drinking into the night.

That typically leads to people getting into fights, breaking property, disorderly conduct and going to the hospital.

Luckily, he said, the negative impact of State Patty's Day has declined in recent years. That could be because not as many people are showing up or fewer people are causing trouble.

"All indications are, it's continued to decline," Wilson said, "which is a good thing for us."

The decrease could be attributed to the university's and others' efforts to offer alternative events on campus.

The Council of Lionhearts is again sponsoring State Day of Service.

The community service projects performed in the past include painting the walls of the Centre County Women's Resource Center, picking up litter downtown, sorting donations at The Mommy Shoppe and organizing inventory at the Lion's Pantry and volunteering at the Discovery Space of Central Pennsylvania.
A prayer vigil for Harrisburg's last four gun murder victims will be held at 5 p.m. today.

Heeding God's Call to End Gun Violence will hold the vigil in the Unitarian Church of Harrisburg, 1508 Market St.

The group hasn't held a vigil since last September, and was regrouping after holding 100 vigils since 2009.

"It is beginning to take a toll. It does have an impact on us. Each time there is a new one, it reminds us of one in the past," said the Rev. Belita Mitchell, chair of the group.

"Putting together and doing these vigils is a very difficult, emotional effort on the part of the folks who have been doing this," said Steve Drachler, a spokesman for the group.

The victims include:

David Henry, 20, who was shot and killed during a home invasion on the 500 block of Calder Street on Oct. 22. His grandmother suffered a gunshot wound during the incident.

Robert Jones, 24, was shot and killed on the 2100 block of North Fourth Street on Nov.5. Neighbors said he had recently moved to Harrisburg with his family, including a 5-year-old son, to escape the violence of Chicago.

Derick Garner, 44, was killed Dec. 29 during a confrontation inside a bar at 16

Christopher Burkett was killed on his 26

Heeding God's Call to End Gun Violence-Harrisburg, a local chapter of a national organization, supports neighborhoods where gun violence is occurring. In addition to prayer vigils, it's efforts include:
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Students at Landis Run Intermediate School in Lancaster are planning a walkout over the school's handling of murder and rape threats reportedly made by a student.

(chamsitr via Shutterstock)

Students at Landis Run Intermediate School in Lancaster are planning a walk out over the school's handling of murder and rape threats reportedly made by a student.

The Manheim Township School District published a message to parents Monday reassuring them that it is working with police to address the incident and that their children are safe. The planned walkout comes after a student was sent Snapchat messages that included threats to rape and kill her and her family.

Lancaster Online reported that the female student received a message that said, "If you don't send nudes, I'm outside, I'm going to kill you."

The school district said they are aware of the planned walk out. Parents have expressed frustration that the school and district has not provided more information on the investigation.

Lancaster Online reported that the boy sent the messages was still attending classes on Friday.

"Please know that we are unable to discuss the circumstances surrounding any child; every child is entitled to educational confidentiality covered by the law," the district said in a message to parents.

"This includes public discussion about any child, where a child is being educated, and the discipline given to a child."

The school district said it is unable to control social media and the misinformation that is being spread online. The school district said it will remain as communicative as legally possible with families through its website and school level emails.
Lebanon police recently arrested a 26-year-old city man in connection with a reported domestic violence incident last week.

Alfredo Rivera-Lugo is charged with misdemeanor counts of simple assault and false imprisonment after an alleged incident at around 2 p.m. Feb. 17 on the 1000 block of East Lehman Street. Rivera threatened to harm the woman with a belt and prevented her from leaving the residence for more than an hour, police said.

The victim banged on the neighbors walls and yelled out of windows to call for help. Police were called and arrested Rivera-Lugo.



Lugo is scheduled for a preliminary hearing at 8 a.m. Feb. 27. He is being held at Lebanon County Prison on $10,000 bail.
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Israel Polanco-Cano

(Lancaster County district attorney's office)

A 35-year-old Lancaster man will serve at least 16 years in state prison for stabbing a woman at least 15 times in 2015.

Israel Polanco-Cano was called a "menace to society" by First Assistant District Attorney Christopher P. Larsen a recent sentencing hearing, according to a news release from the district attorney's office. Polanco-Cano was found guilty of his second stabbing conviction last year.



The most recent attack was the Oct. 2 attack of a woman on the 500 block of Howard Avenue in Lancaster. Authorities said he stabbed the woman in her head, back chest and arms. Larsen said the lack of motive in the case made the attack all the more frightening, noting that Polanco-Cano needs to be removed from the streets.

Polanco-Cano previously spent a year in prison for stabbing a man in a line for a free meal at a church in 2013.

Judge Merrill Spahn ordered the sentence.
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Pa. woman visiting husband's grave is killed in cemetery crash

It was a macabre setting for a fatal crash: A Pa. woman suffering an asthma attack crashed head-on into a tree in a cemetery while visiting her husband's grave. He had just passed away on Feb. 10, ending their 42-year marriage.

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Pa. family finds body of man, 26, missing 2 months in woods

More than two months passed by, but a Pa. family never gave up searching for their missing loved one, Corey Thomas Booth, 26. On Saturday, they finally found closure -- but not the answer they were looking for.

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3 charged after decomposed body found in Pa. home

The discovery of a man's body in what police say was in an "advanced stage of decomposition" inside a western Pennsylvania apartment has resulted in criminal charges against three suspects: Pictured from left to right are suspects, Jeffrey Tyniec, 50; Shelia Wagner, 45; and Robert Davies, 60. And police say one of the three was key to solving the case.

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via LehighValleyLive.com

Girl killed minutes after being asked to leave Pa. mall: much more Pa. Buzz

Click for much more top-trending Pa. news, including all the details on this story: It is a tremendous tragedy that began with 18-year-old Zakaiyah Halley being asked to leave a mall in Northampton County, Pa., last week. Minutes later, Zakaiyah would be dead, the victim of a violent hit-and-run just outside the mall.

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5 shocking sex cases that has DA saying, 'I do worry'

Is it a case of a Pa. county's dark underbelly being brought to light? Perhaps, as a sickening series of shocking child sex crimes have put an entire Pennsylvania county on edge. We examine all of the cases and talk to law enforcement about what is at the root of this troubling trend. Finally, we visit the scene of the most recent case  a rundown trailer park in otherwise privileged Bucks County, a county better known for its quaint towns, high-dollar suburban subdivisions and rolling farmland. Click for all the details on all the disturbing cases. And find out if residents believe a dark corner of hidden perversity been fully exposed -- or is there more out there?

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Redesigning government is cool in Pennsylvania these days.

But there's one makeover that's taken on a third rail of politics quality in many quarters of the state Capitol: Fixing the biggest legislative mistake of the last political generation.

We're talking about trying to unwind that notorious 25 percent increase in pension formulas granted in 2001 to all state and school district employees employed at that time - plus a 50 percent hike for state legislators for good measure.

Pennsylvania has had a couple of false starts on this issue - most recently in 2015, when the state Senate voted 28-19 to attack future benefits for current workers, only to see that drive quickly stall in the state House.

But it was so tantalizing from a fiscal perspective: By one actuarial assessment, the plan could have saved $18 billion in future taxpayer obligations through 2040, or about $800 million a year.

For comparison purposes, the last plan to get serious consideration in the General Assembly at the end of the 2015-16 session was projected to save just $2.6 billion over the next 30 years.

That plan - a consolation prize in terms of savings which made no changes for current workers - did not get final votes in either the House or Senate.

With costs flowing from Pennsylvania's 2001 overreach now annually carving billions of dollars out of state and public school district budgets, pension reform is still on many "to do" lists around Harrisburg.

As the conversation resets for 2017-18 in Harrisburg, there is another large, fiscally-challenged state where leaders are still trying to make bigger fixes than policymakers here are considering.

Welcome to Illinois.

Hardly a beacon of good government, the Land of Lincoln is at this moment trying to resolve the longest-running state budget impasse in America. Its major state pension systems carry an unfunded liability approaching $130 billion.

(Pennsylvania's major funding gap is about half that, by comparison.)

Illinois's state Senate President has drafted a bill to freeze "pensionable compensation" for workers who wish to keep an existing 3 percent yearly bump in pension payments through the course of their retirement.

Sen. John Cullerton's bill would present workers a choice between keeping the post-retirement cost-of-living adjustment and seeing their base pay for pension purposes capped at current levels, or letting future raises continue to count for pension purposes, in exchange for a much smaller COLA in retirement.

The compounding, post-retirement adjustments have been identified as a major cost driver in Illinois's pension system. Cullerton claims his plan - which would apply to teachers, public university employees and legislators - can save the state's taxpayers $1 billion a year.

Let's state right up front that this is a political and legal minefield, and there are many in Pennsylvania - namely public sector union leaders and their legislative allies - who argue that it is not even worth talking about because pension rules are a contract with workers that can't be unilaterally broken.

They hang their hat on two 1980s cases in which the Pennsylvania Supreme Court voided increases in employees' paycheck deductions for retirement.

The gist of those rulings was that unilateral changes in the terms of retirement benefits can not be imposed on current employees; only those who have not been hired yet.

Those precedents have governed ever since.

They were followed in 2001, noted Pennsylvania State Education Association spokesman David Broderic, when teachers and state workers who opted for the higher retirement formula here had to individually agree to increase their payroll deductions to get the higher benefits.

"Should anybody try that (changing the plan for current employees) now, we would definitely be taking them to court," said David Fillman, executive director of District Council 13 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

Cullerton, in an interview with PennLive, said he is fully aware of the legal pitfalls about contract impairment. Illinois, after all, had its own court battle over an earlier pension rollback in 2013, and lost.

That's why he has structured his current changes as a "consideration... It's constitutional because we're giving them a choice and they're getting something for it," Cullerton said.

If an employee opts out of the automatic, compounded COLA, he noted, his plan gives them a cash bonus - a lump sum refund of 10 percent of all contributions they've made into the system to date; and a take-home pay raise - and a small discount on their future payroll contributions.

Pension changes aren't something the Chicago Democrat wants to do to his political allies in organized labor, Cullerton conceded, but he sees it as a necessary and tolerable bargain with Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner as part of a larger deal to end the state's two-year state budget impasse.

Here's the key pitch to his union friends: "We're going to save $1 billion a year, and that billion is going to go right back into our discretionary spending for schools, higher education and human services.

"It's too bad that we have to do it, but it's not as Draconian from a Democrat's point of view," Cullerton said.

Illinois is not the only state where current employees' benefits are being measured for potential savings.

Two California court cases are on track to bring the issue of cutting future benefits for current employees before the state Supreme Court there, and pension reform advocates are excited about the prospects.

Separate panels in lower appellate courts have backed reformers, carrying the theme that "pension rights are not immutable," particularly when it comes to future benefits accrued from future work.

"If the Supreme Court agrees... the legal door will be open for Californians to begin to take reasonable actions to save pension systems and local governments from fiscal disaster," suggests Chuck Reed, a former mayor of San Jose who currently serves on the board of the Washington D.C.-based Retirement Security Initiative.

Could this strategy re-enter Pennsylvania's pension reform discussion?

It seems, at this point, unlikely.

Some, like Senate Appropriations Chairman Pat Browne, R-Lehigh County, were ready to charge up this hill two years ago.

The plan he helped craft then would have seen current employees pay more in paycheck deductions into the pension funds to keep the higher benefits granted in 2001, or roll back to the pre-2001 formula for future earnings.

Browne points to a Corbett Administration analysis that state courts here were never asked to consider the difference between "deferred compensation for services rendered in the past, and benefits that might be earned... in the future."

In simpler terms, Browne explains, there's no doubt employees are entitled to things they've worked to earn - i.e., the pension plan they contributed to on this week's check - and his plan wouldn't have changed that.

"But until they earn it, it's subject to conversation, negotiation and potential change."

But Browne also told PennLive this week that at this point renewed pension reform discussions here are not including any talk about current employees.

Not because it's not worth doing.

Rather, because that's what the politics of getting something done seem to dictate at the moment.

Gov. Tom Wolf vetoed a watered-down pension bill that did reach his desk in 2015, citing a lack of immediate cost savings and its emphasis on cutting benefits for future state government and public school employees to pay down the cost of existing pensions.

(Efforts to get comment from the Wolf Administration on an Illinois-like proposal were not successful for this story.)

Subsequent plans with even more limited focuses on future risk-shifting stalled in the House, in part because the Democratic minority there was solidly against it. Majority Republicans couldn't pass those plans on their own because some "labor-sensitive" members wanted to push for things like pension bonds to pay down the systems' debt, while fiscal hawks held out for far more radical reforms.

Democrats, meanwhile, have insisted that any compromise give future employees a good chance at a retirement benefit on par with what current new hires receive, hold current employees completely harmless, and produce a net savings for taxpayers.

So, for the moment at least, Pennsylvania reformers are looking to the future - as in future hires - never mind that these pension plan "unborns" have already been placed on an affordable benefit track here by earlier 2010 reforms.

The problem is it's the current workforce that brings with it that $60 billion retirement tab. Reformers can do all they want to future hires, and that tax-eating obligation stays.

To national advocates like Reed, working around current employees is folly.

Yes, benefits for future employees are clearly the easiest tack to take politically, he concedes, "because they're not organized. They don't even know who they are yet."

But if that's all Pennsylvania does, Reed adds, good luck solving the grinding fiscal problems caused by tax-sucking pension obligations that have exploded from under $1 billion in 2010 to a projected $6.4 billion in fiscal 2017-18.

As Reed put it, "If the position is that you can't do anything about any thing to anyone (in the current workforce) at any point in time, you don't have an impact."

Local students of Pennsylvania's pension debacle agree.

"I think it's an uphill battle," Richard Dreyfuss, a former director of compensation and benefits at Hershey Foods, a supporter of moving future workers into a 401(k)-style benefit plan, said of adding current employees' as-yet-unearned benefits to the discussion.

"But I think it's a worthy pursuit, and we'll never know unless we actually try it."
Editor's note: Rebecca Jones is a former PennLive web producer and Lemoyne resident now living and writing from Gothenburg, Sweden.

GOTHENBURG, SWEDEN -- Bafflement over President Trump's reference to Sweden Saturday has become concern among some Swedes that they've just become a target of "fake news."

"At first I thought, 'Ah this is fun,'" said journalist Sofia Eriksson of Gothenburg, ready for a "good media fight," but she said she worried that Trump's words will create a false image of Sweden. "He has this platform where he is able to say anything and get away with it, because people believe it," she said.

"You have to laugh," echoed Rodrigue Kakunze, a student at the University of Gothenburg, "to try to cope with the reality somehow."

At first, Trump's words confused those who thought he was saying that a terror attack had occurred in Sweden Friday.

"You look at what's happening last night in Sweden. Sweden, who would believe this?" Trump said at a rally Saturday in Florida. "They took in large numbers. They're having problems like they never thought possible. You look at what's happening in Brussels, you look at what's happening all over the world. Take a look at Nice, take a look at Paris."

"What has he been smoking?" asked Carl Bildt, Sweden's former prime minister, in a tweet.

Swedish news site Aftonbladet posted a list of Friday night's big news: a man who caught fire, a speeding Peugeot and a highway closed. No terrorist attack.

Trump has since clarified in a tweet that he was referring not to a terrorist attack but to a Tucker Carlson report on Fox News, which said crime rates in the country have risen with an influx of new immigrants.

Swedish media were quick to point out inaccuracies in the report referred to by Trump, including the representation of rising crime.

"Sweden's crime rate has fallen since 2005, official statistics show," according to a Reuters report, "even as it has taken in hundreds of thousands of immigrants from war-torn countries like Syria and Iraq."

"We look forward to informing the US administration about Swedish immigration and integration policies," tweeted the Swedish embassy in the U.S.

"Of course I'm aware of Trump's kind of 'loose' relationship with facts and reason," said Stockholm journalist Mattias Kling. "What worries me the most is the division that he is fueling" by targeting Muslims, he added.

"What the media should do is focus on the economic growth and other positive movements" that have accompanied migration to Sweden, said Emma Forseth, co-founder of Agape, an organization which provides resources for unaccompanied minor refugees in Gothenburg as they become adults.

"The vast majority of [refugees] who come here really did it because they had no choice, and they really want to make an effort to do good for society," Forseth said.

The Fox News story also referred to the first terror attack in Sweden linked to extremism: a failed suicide bombing in Stockholm in 2010, in which only the attacker, Taimour Abdulwahab, was killed. It was the last such attack, Swedish media report.

Swedish police officers also criticized the use of their image in the Fox News segment, which featured a clip from a documentary film unrelated to immigration. One officer told Dagens Nyheter that including the clip was "bad journalism."

"I don't stand behind it," he said.

"It's a good thing to be on this end of 'fake news' and to see the strength behind it," Eriksson said, "because here we already know it's wrong."
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Pittsburgh Mayor William Peduto. File photo.

(Keith Srakocic)

The increasingly fraught relationship between Pittsburgh's mayor and the city's police union has likely hit a new low, with contract talks between the two sides recently devolving into a series of personal attacks and sharp-edged accusations.

A recent Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article detailing the situation says a Feb. 9 meeting between Mayor Bill Peduto, his chief of staff and police union representatives ended with Peduto walking out amid a debate about proposed cost-saving measures for the city's police force.

Per the Post-Gazette:

At one point in the meeting, a union representative asked the mayor whether he wanted to "pay for concrete," a reference to bike lanes, or "human beings." After that, the mayor walked out, leaving union representatives to speak with his chief of staff.

Peduto's chief of staff, Kevin Acklin, later told the paper that the meeting had turned unproductive.

In the aftermath, Acklin said union president Robert Swartzwelder, of the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Lodge No. 1, needed a "course in leadership and perhaps one in anger management." Acklin also said the city's police officers were being ill-served by union officials like Swartzwelder.

"We've shown nothing but good faith from the very beginning," Acklin added. "They've shown nothing but a willingness to fight."

Swartzwelder responded, saying it was "interesting [Acklin] would make such a childish immature remark." He also accused the Peduto administration of "threatening to bury us in court," the Post-Gazette explained.

A spokesman for the mayor later confirmed the accuracy of the Post-Gazette report in an email to PennLive.

But the dust-up is just the latest of its kind, as Peduto's relationship with the city's police force continues to deteriorate years into his first term -- and with the mayor now seeking re-election to a second.

There was the public struggle over Peduto's appointment of the reform-minded Cameron McLay as the city's chief of police in 2014. The pick was widely resisted by the department's union, as well as some of its rank-and-file members. McLay later resigned the post after just two years in charge, although he denied internal pushback as the reason.

There was also Peduto's public confrontation with a police commander at an anti-Trump rally late last year. Additionally, there have been reports of disparaging remarks made against him by city officers in issuing citations.

Some have traced the tension back to the mayor's description of Pittsburgh police bureau culture as "mediocrity at best and corruption at worst," shortly after taking office in 2014. Peduto has since apologized for the comment, which he made while noting the imprisonment of former police Chief Nate Harper and anecdotal evidence of "favoritism and cronyism" within the department, TribLive.com reported.

In the years since, Peduto has continued to champion progressive ideals and law enforcement reforms that some within the police department have viewed as hostile and capable of undermining public support.

The FOP and firefighters union did not endorse Peduto during his 2013 campaign.

There is also ongoing legal action taken against the city by the police union.

Tim McNulty, a spokesman for the mayor, told PennLive Monday that this includes the FOP's appeal of an arbitration panel's decision on their contract with the city. It also includes an ongoing review of the city's residency requirement for police by the state Supreme Court.

In light of the Feb. 9 breakdown in informal contract talks between the mayor's office and police union, McNulty said the mayor does not expect to resume those talks anytime soon. He cited the "behavior of the FOP president [Swartzwelder]" as the reason for this.

An attempt by PennLive to contact FOP spokespeople on Monday was immediately unsuccessful.

CORRECTION: This article has been updated to correct the source and subject of a quote in the fifth paragraph.
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PennLive file photo.

Spirit Airlines is touching down in Pittsburgh, announcing this week a new slate of low-fare flights to seven destinations from the city's international airport. The announcement comes as the airport looks to grow again following U.S. Airways' pullout in 2015 and the slowdown in flight volume that followed. It also comes as Spirit Airlines looks to expand its western Pennsylvania presence with a raft of new, competitively priced flights.

According to TribLive.com, the airline and airport announced the move Tuesday, explaining that Spirit will now serve seven cities from Pittsburgh -- Los Angeles, Myrtle Beach, S.C., Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Orlando, Fla., Dallas/Fort Worth, Las Vegas and Houston -- with flights beginning in May, June or July, depending on location. Tickets can be purchased immediately.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette added that daily flights to Dallas Fort-Worth and seasonal Myrtle Beach flights will start May 25, while Fort Lauderdale flights, with service three days a week, will start June 15. Additionally, daily Orlando and Las Vegas flights will begin on June 22, while daily Los Angeles and Houston service starts July 13.

The Post-Gazette goes on to explain that Spirit's arrival at Pittsburgh International Airport marks a major expansion for the airline in Western Pennsylvania.

"Spirit currently flies to five destinations from Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Latrobe, including Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Myrtle Beach, putting those flights in direct competition with the new ones at Pittsburgh International about 63 miles away," the paper explained.

A press conference further explaining the company's Pittsburgh expansion was set for Tuesday afternoon.

Spirit Airlines, known for its "ultra low-fare" ticket prices, also announced this month that it would become the latest U.S. carrier to reduce the size of the hand luggage that passengers are permitted to bring on board for free, Dailymail.com reported.

According to the website, travelers on the airline's "Bare Fare" ticket, set to be introduced in April, will see their carry-on size allowance shrunk by a quarter.

Under the new ticket type, the Daily Mail added, fliers with cabin baggage that spills over the new compact dimensions will be hit with a $100 fine.

A Spirit Airlines spokesperson explained: "We heard from many customers who told us their laptop bags or larger purses weren't fitting quite as well under our seats length-wise. ... We take customer feedback very seriously, so we've adjusted the length to accommodate these popular personal items. We're still proud to offer one of the largest personal item sizes in the industry."

Spirit passengers can pay $26 to take a larger item in their hand luggage, the company added.
A Lancaster County woman has been arrested after police said they found her unconscious and high on heroin as she was in a home with her 2-year-old son in New Holland Thursday.

Police were dispatched to an unknown EMS call at a home in the 300 block of West Main Street at about 2 p.m.

Responding officers found Annemarie Fasnacht, 24, had used heroin and was unconscious with her 2-year-old son in the home.

Fasnacht was charged with endangering the welfare of a child, and her son was turned over to family members, police said.
U.S. Capitol Building

(Shutterstock)

By Franklin L. Kury

Judicial relief from Pennsylvania's grotesquely gerrymandered Congressional districting map may be on the way.

In Wisconsin, on January 27, a 3-judge federal court ordered the Wisconsin legislature to redraw its own district lines by Nov. 1.

The case, Whitford vs. Gill, challenges the gerrymandering in Wisconsin as so partisan as to be unconstitutional. The challenger's argument is centered on the "efficiency gap" standard for measuring excessive partisanship in drawing legislative district lines.

The "efficiency gap" is a mathematic model for determining how unfairly legislative district boundary lines have been drawn.

It does this by computing the number of "wasted" votes by voters of the losing party in a district that has been "cracked", or by those of the winning party in districts that have been "packed."

"Cracked" districts are those where the voters of the stronger party have been spread into several districts to dilute the value of the remaining voters of that party.

In a "packed" district the voters of one party have been concentrated to give the party drawing the district lines an overwhelming advantage in other districts.

According to Katelyn Ferral of the Wisconsin Capitol Times, the "efficiency gap" is calculated by combining into one number the votes in districts that have been "packed" and those districts "cracked."

This number is broken down to show the votes "wasted" and looks at which party has wasted more, based on how the districts were drawn. The larger the number of "wasted" votes (the "efficiency gap") is the greater the unfairness in the redistricting.

The "efficiency gap" is a bit confusing at first impression, but it uses a metric standard that the plaintiffs demonstrated to the satisfaction of the trial court.

While not as simple as the "one person one vote" rule (i.e., every district must have the same number of voters) that is now the basic standard for legislative redistricting, it is sufficiently clear for the federal judges in Wisconsin.

The "efficiency gap" case will likely be appealed and may be finally decided by the United States Supreme Court. And that is where Pennsylvania comes into the picture.

In 2002 the Pennsylvania Congressional districting plan was challenged in federal court as gerrymandered and unconstitutional.The case of Vieth vs. Jubelirer went to the United States Supreme Court, which ruled against the challengers on a 5-4 vote.

For the majority, Justice Antonin Scalia said there was no standard by which a court could determine if a legislative districting plan was drawn on excessive partisan lines.

The fifth vote for the majority came from Justice Anthony Kennedy, who wrote a concurring opinion saying that he would not foreclose the possibility of a suitable standard in future cases.

Assuming Neil Gorsuch is confirmed and takes the same view that Scalia did, the Wisconsin case could still be upheld and become applicable in all fifty states.

The key vote will be Justice Kennedy and whether he sees the "efficiency gap" as a satisfactory standard.

Pennsylvania's U.S. House of Representatives' districting plan is ripe for a challenge under the Wisconsin "efficiency gap" rule.

In the 2016 election, the Republican candidates for Congress received a statewide total of 54 per cent of the vote, yet they won 72 per cent (13 of 18) of the seats.

Thirteen of eighteen winning candidates (from both parties) received 60 per cent or more of the vote. Two won with 58 per cent or more. Trump carried the state by only 44,000 votes, and received 48.58 per cent.

The Wisconsin "efficiency gap" case is a good basis for optimism for those seeking a fairly balanced Congressional playing field in Pennsylvania.

If the "efficiency gap" becomes another judicial standard for reviewing legislative redistricting, those seeking to challenge Pennsylvania's Congressional districting plan, unlike Richard Vieth and his co-plaintiffs in 2002, will have both a good basis for their challenge and a standard to measure it with.

Franklin L. Kury, of Hummelstown, served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1966-1972 and the state Senate from 1972-1980. He is the author of Why Are You Here? A Primer for State Legislators and Citizens. Readers may email him at flkury5@gmail.com/
By Raymond L. Gover

It certainly would not be difficult for me to write a flowery tribute to Albert Boscov, who rewrote the textbooks on successful retailing before his death at 87.

Raymond L. Gover (PennLive file)

But I find it much easier to describe anecdotally just a bit of how his charm and humor captivated his customers in the stores, his employees whom he considered associates or partners and vendors such as The Patriot-News.

I met Albert in 1988 when he opened a store in Camp Hill and came to my office to work out an advertising contract.

But at the outset of the conversation, he wanted to know about a current fund-raising campaign by Holy Spirit Hospital to provide emergency medical services, including an ambulance and highly trained technicians.

He wanted to know something about Jim Grandon, the realtor who was heading the fund-raising effort.

He didn't disclose his plan but he subsequently gave a portion of first-day sales at the store to the effort---assuring its success.

The contract discussion was new ground for me. First of all, he gave a marketing analysis of The Patriot-News, areas where we were strong and those where our reach was not as great.

He had an advertising rate card and he had penciled in a new minimum lineage commitment and, of course a new rate. Let's just say I told Albert that it would be necessary to discuss with the owners, the Newhouse family, the rate he proposed. Then came both barrels:

"Be sure to tell them I plan to run 75 pages of in-paper ads for the opening and will be putting my weekly insert in the Saturday paper."

Publishers are always looking for ways to bolster Saturday advertising.

We were able to reach an agreement and I received phone calls from publishers all over the country, questioning whether the 75 number was a typo, if he paid his bills and would he be interested in opening a store in their town.

Several years later, I joined a team from The P-N making a readership and marketing presentation at his flagship store in Reading.

Assured a screen was available for the slide presentation (pre-PowerPoint), we arrived and got set up. No screen was available.

Albert came into the room, was told about the situation, went into the store and brought in a bedsheet and helped tack it to a wall.

The show went on!

Lunch was in the store cafeteria and he stood with us in line with store customers.

Albert was up and down the line, shaking hands and asking if they had found the merchandise they sought. He was in his favorite element.

At times he joined company buyers on the regular trip to New York and the markets there.

Invariably, he would make a deal that took their collective breath away. I was told about his once buying an incredible number of luggage pieces and told his buyers what an "incredible" sales opportunity the buy was.

And sure enough, thanks to his creative advertising acumen, the normally slow-moving luggage all went out the door.

There is one memory of Albert I treasure and will close with it.

When it became necessary to consolidate our operation by going to one newspaper and closing The Evening News, we forecast a 15 percent drop in circulation which would be made up by better delivery service and product improvements along with some aggressive marketing.

At the end of the year, we asked advertisers for a modest increase in their rate and Albert refused to sign a contract---he told Jim Stephanak, our advertising director:

"You are telling me your circulation is going to drop and you want a rate increase----business doesn't work like that."

And then he said he wanted to talk with Ray Gover.

So Jim and I drove to Reading and found Albert busily editing the next advertising supplement while an anxious editor stood by---production deadline was approaching. Finally, his pricing changes were all in place, the editor left and he turned to us.

"And what is this meeting about?" he asked. The contract we replied and then he said you are saying you will make up the loss within a year. "We are well on the way to doing that," I said.

He asked for the contract, signed it and said he wished he had time to share a cup of coffee.

We got up to leave and Albert said: "Ray---give me a hug." And then he told Jim if Ray Gover gives his word, that's good enough for him.

In the car heading him, Stephanak said: "I've been on hundreds of sales calls but never one like that."

My reply: "You were just Boscoved!"

Raymond L. Gover retired as president and publisher of The Patriot-News in 2001. He writes from Lower Allen Township.
Donald Trump,H.R. McMaster

President Donald Trump, right, shakes hands with Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, left, at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., Monday, Feb. 20, 2017, where he announced that McMaster will be the new national security adviser. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

(Susan Walsh)

President Donald Trump's new pick for National Security Adviser has long-standing ties to central Pennsylvania.

Larry P. Goodson (Army War College photo)

Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, whom Trump named Monday, boasts friends at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle. And his famed book on the Vietnam War "Dereliction of Duty," has ties to the campus as well.

On Tuesday, a War College professor who's known the scholarly soldier for years said Trump couldn't have picked a better candidate to run his national security team.

"I think H.R.'s default approach is to make as intellectually sound a judgment as he can, one that allows him to see clearly what he is working on," Larry P. Goodson, a professor of Middle Eastern studies who's known McMasters since the early 2000s, said. "He presents it in a way that is fair but compelling. He's pretty successful at that."

McMaster's book, which argues that Vietnam was lost not in the field, but in Washington, and before many Americans even realized the country was at war, has become required reading among younger officers, The Washington Post reported Tuesday.

According to Goodson, its scholarly intensity is classic McMaster.

"He can write two or three papers for every one I can write," he said. "He is able to push his ideas out pretty quickly. He works very hard. He has an encyclopedic memory for people and details."

And that steel-trap memory extends past the library to soldiers McMaster has served with throughout the years.

"I've seen him recognize an enlisted man he served with a decade before," Goodson said "He remembers all these details and it comes out of left-field. You watch it. It's a small thing, but its meant to be an illustration of his personal charisma as wel

McMaster, 54, has won bipartisan plaudits since news of his appointment became public on Monday. He replaces retired Lt. General Michael T. Flynn, who was fired by Trump for lying about his contact with Russian officials.

U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who's been sharply critical of the Trump White House on a number of fronts, called McMaster "an outstanding choice."

"I could not imagine a better, more capable national security team than the one we have right now," McCain, the chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said, according to The Post.

Eliot A. Cohen, who was part of President George W. Bush's national security team, and a so-called "Never Trump" Republican, wrote on Twitter that McMaster is "an inspiring leader, solid historian, honorable soldier & thoughtful strategist."

Cohen, now on the faculty of Johns Hopkins University, added that he he "[wished] him [McMaster] luck, because he will need it."

Goodson said Tuesday that he first met McMaster in 2004 at the U.S. Central Command in Florida, where McMaster was "a newly promoted colonel" and Goodson was a visiting faculty member.

The two both did post-graduate work, at different times, at the University of North Carolina and found common ground in their experience. When the two met, McMaster was working on a "Commanders Advisory Group" for Gen. John Abizaid, then the head of Central Command.

"I had just had my major work come out on Afghanistan," Goodson said. "It was just after 9/11, and he [McMaster] was looking for someone who could help [Abizaid] on Afghanistan."

Serving under Abizaid, McMaster "compiled--and read--an enormous library of books and articles, many of them long out-of-print, about counterinsurgency warfare," Slate's Fred Kaplan wrote Tuesday.

"In 2005, McMaster took command of an Army regiment whose 5,200 soldiers were ordered to liberate Tal Afar, a city of a quarter million people that had been taken over by insurgents. Applying the lessons of his books, which emphasized not only combat tactics but also economic development and partnerships with local political leaders, McMaster won the battle and stabilized the city," Kaplan wrote.

Goodson and McMaster next worked together in 2008, this time under Gen. David Petraeus, who was, by then, the head of American Central Command.

"H.R. had headed a strategy assessment team for the whole Middle East," Goodson said. "He contacted me and asked me to be on the Afghanistan/Pakistan activity."

"It's twice that he's dragged me into this kind of thing," he said, with a laugh.

Published reports have painted McMaster as a hard-charging and plainspoken officer, but one with little experience in Washington or the Pentagon, making him an exception among some senior officers, The Post reported.

Goodson on Tuesday said he doesn't see McMaster changing his style very much. As an officer, he knows how to both speak his mind and be deferential to the commander-in-chief.

"I would imagine, in a very respectful way, in a military way, he would tell the president what he thought of something," Goodson said. "And I would think that the one thing that might be different from me doing it and H.R. doing it, would be the style he would deliver it and the manner in which the president would receive it, since [Trump] seems to have a penchant for military officers in his circle."

Indeed, with his appointment, McMaster, who will remain on active duty, becomes the third high-ranking military officer to join Trump's inner circle.

Retired Marine Gen. James N. Mattis is currently Trump's Secretary of Defense, while another retired Marine, Gen. John Kelly, has been tapped to lead the Dept. of Homeland Security.

And while McMaster's military bearing might work well for him with Trump, Goodson said he was unsure of how it might play with other members of the administration where "some of them," like Secretary of State Rex Tillerson "are billionaires."

But McMaster has the skill to bring together disparate constituencies, which he demonstrated in 2008 under Petraeus, when he helmed an advisory group.

"I've seen hm - when we did the Petraeus team in 2008-09, it had a large cast of players from the different parts of the inter-agencies. It had people from the State Department, from the Secretary of Defense's office, some of the internationals, like the Brits and the Canadians. It wasn't just a military thing. I've seen him managed that kind of cast of players effectively."

Goodson continued that "The big part of the job of the National Security Adviser is to chair those meetings where you have the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Director of National Intelligence," all gathered together.

"The National Security Adviser has to be a savvy enough leader to manage all those big elephants in one room," Goodson said. "H.R. is very good at that, both in terms of his intellect and his personality."
Apple TBWA Brazil ad

Good morning. Here's everything you need to know in the world of advertising today.

1. Apple is changing the way it works with its ad agency. The tech company wants to streamline its marketing output and has told TBWA Media\Arts Lab to focus more on local and digital content.

2. YouTube will stop showing 30-second unskippable ads. The ad format will disappear in 2018, in favor of the video sharing website's 6-second bumper ads and 20-second unskippable ads.

3. Snapchat is selling its Spectacles online. The camera-equipped sunglasses will now be available to anybody in the US through the Spectacles website.

4. Accenture acquired one of Germany's biggest digital agencies. The agency, SinnerSchrader, will become a part of the consulting group's Interactive division.

5. German supermarket Edeka created another viral campaign. The ad, which promotes healthy eating, has millions of views on YouTube and Facebook.

6. The scandal around PewDiePie is a result of the nature of YouTube. The community on the video platform looks for characters who push boundaries, but that's not always compatible with a traditional media mindset.

7. Verizon is building an in-house creative agency. AdAge reports the carrier hired Andrew McKechnie from Apple to take the agency's chief creative officer position.

8. Snap Inc. met with potential London investors on Monday as part of its roadshow. Investors told Reuters they were disappointed Snap gave no projections on the company's future revenue or advertising share.

9. WhatsApp launched a Snapchat clone. The Facebook-owned messaging app is rolling out an update to its Status feature, which will let users share images, videos and gifs similar to Snapchat Stories.

10. "Pokemon Go" is now running a number of brand partnerships. In an interview given to Adweek, parent company Niantic's CEO John Hanke explained how partnerships with Starbucks and other brands works.

Story continues

NOW WATCH: Watch Budweisers Super Bowl ad  it makes a strong statement on immigration





More From Business Insider


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By Thomas J. Botzman

The wide-ranging options of higher education have served the residents of Pennsylvania well for many years.

Thomas J. Botzman (Misercordia University photo)

Just about anywhere in the commonwealth, residents can choose from community colleges and trade schools to public and private universities to advance their educations and opportunities in life.

Government leaders recognized the importance of the more than 90 private colleges and universities in the state in 1974 with the creation of the Institutional Assistance Grant, commonly referred to as IAGs

Sadly, the proposed state budget for fiscal 2017-18 cuts IAG funding by $13 million, generating modest savings at the state level in a move that I believe is contrary to the best interests of students and taxpayers.

The allocation of IAG funds to private colleges and universities is based on the number of low- and moderate-income students they serve.

Therein lies the beauty of this funding mechanism, as spending on IAG for private higher education has a means test to assure that private higher education provides access to the benefit of the public good.

Access to private higher education works. We enroll 42 percent of all Pennsylvania college students and award 49 percent of all degrees - validating that a student is more likely to graduate when enrolled in private higher education.

Private higher education accomplishes this while receiving only 11 percent of state spending on higher education through IAG and grants provided directly through student enrollment.

In its clearest analysis, private higher education is a bargain for both taxpayers and students who want to enroll and get a degree on time.

Pennsylvania has more than 244,000 students who received federal financial aid in the form of Pell Grants in 2016-17.

The total value of those grants spent in Pennsylvania approaches $900 million. An additional 59,000 students receive federal supplemental educational opportunity grants and work study funds, adding about $85 million to support spending inside Pennsylvania.

The combination of federal and state support to students from low- and modest-income families is an investment in our collective future.

To reduce state funding that risks receipt of federal funds in support of Pennsylvanians appears to be a shortsighted approach to budget balancing.

The budget proposal under consideration suggests these institutions should replace the funds cut from the state budget. It does not point out clearly that funding cuts in 2008-09 reduced IAG by 28 percent, and an additional 19 percent in 2011-12.

As private higher education obtains the majority of its revenue from students and their families, cutting IAG yet again places more of the burden on the students and their families.

In essence, we are funding the public good aspect of higher education more and more with private funds. Taxpayers understand they are paying to support the public good, so it makes sense that a program such as IAG that provides that benefit at a lower price than other routes should be sustained.

Pennsylvania faces a budget that has a deep structural and ongoing deficit. No doubt, we need to move toward a balanced budget. In my opinion, it is poor policy to reduce proven options for students that lead to successful careers that also enhance the civic and economic viability of our state.

Thomas J. Botzman is president of Misericordia University in Dallas, Pa.
$100K Club logo.jpg

Search the database of Pennsylvania state government's top earners. (PennLive file illustration)

( )

A total of 7,576 state government employees had six-figure earnings in 2016. Who are they? Search our database, which includes employees from all three governmental branches and independent state agencies, to find out.

You can either search by name or agency or browse through the entire database which can be sorted by each column of data by clicking on the column heading. You can toggle between ascending and descending order by clicking again. (See note below for further explanation of the data.)

Sources: The governor's Office of Administration, Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts, and the State System of Higher Education.

Staff writer Nick Malawskey assisted in compiling this database.

One in 14 state government employees made the $100,000 Club roster in 2016
$100K Club logo.jpg

One in 14 state government employees had six-figure earnings in 2016, according to state records.

(PennLive file illustration)

About one in 14 state government employees earned more than $100,000 in 2016, with 12 of them coming away from the year with earnings of $300,000 or more. The prior year, only four employees were compensated in that range.

However, the number of six-figure earners dropped by 116 from 2015, putting the number at 7,576. This is the first time in the five consecutive years that PennLive has been tracking earnings records annually that the number declined from the previous year. That may have had something to do with the overall number of state government employees shrinking by more than 1,700.

A review by PennLive of 2016 earnings for the highest-compensated of the 107,151- member workforce in the three state governmental branches and independent state agencies shows 125 employees earned $200,000 or more, compared to 112 the prior year, according to data collected from the governor's Office of Administration, the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts, and the State System of Higher Education.

Sitting at the top of the list is Dr. Chandresh Shah, a staff physician at Danville State Hospital who retired last year but came back to work for the state on a short-term basis as an annuitant in October, according to a Department of Human Services spokeswoman. A message left for Shah seeking comment was not returned.

Shah and four other doctors at state hospitals or state centers were among those who's earnings topped $300,000.

The employee who had the highest base salary on the list came in at the number two spot: James Grossman, chief investment officer of the Public School Employees' Retirement System. He had earnings of $369,079.

Keep in mind, earnings can reflect more than salary in some instances. It can include such forms of compensation as unused leave payout, overtime, bonuses, grievance awards, longevity payments and more.

Regardless what form it takes, state government employees are compensated with public money that comes from a variety of sources, including tax dollars, fees, agency earnings, federal funds, fines, and more.

The following are some other notable facts, figures and perspectives gleaned from this government transparency exercise.

People tend to think Gov. Tom Wolf is the highest-paid state government employee but that is not the case. In fact, his gubernatorial earnings last year of $180,413, which he donates to charity, ranks him at 255

Wolf also is not the highest-paid elected official. That honor goes to state Supreme Court Chief Justice Tom Saylor, who lands as the 100

Speaking of the top 100, 31 of those spots in the rankings belong to employees of the State System of Higher Education.

The agency under the governor's jurisdiction with the most six-figure earners was the state police, which had 1,981 - that is nearly a third of its salaried employees - landing in the six-figure arena.

Seventy-three Senate employees had six-figure earnings while in the House, there were 50 $100,000-plus earners. Only 18 of them were elected senators and representatives.

The highest-paid House employee was Anthony Aliano, chief counsel to House Majority Leader Dave Reed, R-Indiana County, who earned $197,146, and the highest-earning Senate employee was Kathleen Eakin, a former counsel to Senate Republicans, with $242,729.

The number of six-figure earners in state government in 2016 is nearly l4 times greater than 20 years ago (546) when one in every 186 state government employees earned six-figures.
Former prime minister Brian Mulroney pauses while speaking following the announcement of the $60 million Brian Mulroney Institute of Government and Mulroney Hall at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, N.S. on Wednesday, October 26, 2016. Mulroney says the federal government may face a "rough negotiation" when it comes to NAFTA, but he believes Canada will nonetheless emerge with strong ties to the U.S. and Mexico.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese
Harbor Springs women reflect on Ukraine war after time with refugees

Julie Bacon and Sujo Offield of Harbor Springs went to Poland in March to help refugees fleeing the conflict in Ukraine.
Saudi Arabia new records on oil output and exports for Year

RIYADH

Petroleumworld.com 02 21 2017

Saudi Arabia boosted oil exports and production last year to the highest monthly averages on record as the global crude market endured oversupply.

Exports climbed to 7.65 million barrels a day on average last year, from 7.39 million barrels a day a year earlier, according to Joint Organisations Data Initiative monthly data compiled by Bloomberg. Production rose to 10.46 million barrels a day from 10.19 million, on average, over the same period.

Saudi Arabia led the push by global producers to end a crude glut by cutting output as of Jan. 1. JODI data indicate that the kingdom's exports surged to more than 8 million barrels a day in November and December right before the cuts were due to start. Shipments in November were the highest since May 2003, JODI data show.

"Whenever there was no agreement with others, Saudi Arabia was running after expanding its market share, said Mohamed Ramady, an independent analyst in London.

Who is and who isn't meeting OPEC promises to cut oil output

Saudi Arabia pumped 10.2 million barrels to 10.67 million barrels a day in the first 10 months as producers discussed output cuts without making an agreement. It reined in production in January following the deal between the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and non-OPEC nations to reduce output by 1.8 million barrels a day, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.








My story takes place in 1964 near Senath, Missouri. You may have already heard of the Senath Light but they arent as well known as other lights so I will tell you what I have heard about them. It has taken me 53 years to talk about this except to my wife and children and even now I dont know how I feel about it. I guess I need to know if anyone can explain what happened.



I grew up near a small town in the bootheel of Missouri and graduated in the spring of 1964. My dad had just bought a 1962 Chevy Impala, cherry red hardtop convertible and I thought it was the sweetest car I had ever seen. (This will be important to the story shortly) I grew up with my cousin Bill on my dads side and my cousin Rudy on my mothers side and Rudys best friend was Kenneth. We were all bumming around in my dads new car and we happened to pick up another friend named Mike who was hitchhiking into town.



We had no plans so someone suggested we go see the Senath Light. The legend is that you park your car, turn the lights and engine off and you may get to see them. While they are around, you cant get your car started and you cant get near enough to them to actually catch them. A group of college kids are supposed to have made an attempt to find out what they are and according to the stories, they surrounded one and closed the circle on it and it just disappeared before they could find out what it was.



We decided to go even though Kenneth wasnt too enthused about it. We went down the dirt road next to a field and turned around facing the way we came in. On the other side from the field there was a drainage ditch full of rain water. The field past the drainage ditch was completely under water except for a small island way out in the middle of the field. Im not sure if that field was a rice field or if it was just flooded from the recent heavy rains.



After a while Kenneth got bored and decided to take a walk. We all figured he would try to sneak up on us and scare us so we all kept watching for him. After another 45 minutes to an hour with no action we all got pretty bored and decided to leave but Kenneth wasnt back yet. We honked the horn and shouted to him then we listened for an answer. At first we didnt hear anything but then we heard a very faint voice saying, help me.



We finally located the direction and it was coming from the flooded field. I tried to move the car so I could point the headlights in that direction but my car would not start. We all got a little nervous but couldnt think of anything else to do but keep trying. After what had to be 5 minutes of trying I finally got it started and turned the car toward the voice. During all this time we could still hear him calling out to us to help him. The headlights reached to the little dry island in the middle of the field and we could actually see Kenneth. There were about a dozen trees on the island and he was sitting on the ground leaning against one of them.



Mike stayed with the car while my 2 cousins and I started to go out there. We realized we would have to walk through the flooded field so we took off our shoes and socks and rolled our pants legs up above our knees. We made it to him and he was just sitting there moaning and sort of delirious and still asking for help. I shined the flashlight on him and he had three scratches across his forehead that were almost dripping blood but mostly just abrasions. We tried to get him to tell us what happened but couldnt get anything out of him. We were really scared by this time and all got the strong feeling of being watched.



My cousins were both big boys so they picked him up, one on each side and carried him back to the car. I followed behind and felt like it was the longest walk I had ever experienced. We got him into the back seat of the car and we decided we needed to get him to town and try to see a doctor. He had a very high fever and his head was hurting terribly. I started driving, and all of a sudden he went absolutely crazy and started kicking the door and window trying to get out of the car. The two guys in back with him couldnt hold him down and he kicked so hard he left his foot imprints in the upholstery on the door. (Kenneth was always the most respectful person Ive ever known regarding other peoples property and he would never have done damage to my dads new car if he was in his right mind.) He finally settled down and we were able to get some information from him.



He said he was just walking along the dirt road and the next thing he knew it felt like he was floating or being carried. He woke up and started trying to call to us but he didnt know for sure how he got there or how he got the scratches. We got to town and decided we had better clean the mud off us so we pulled into a little drive-in hamburger place. We got out and the three of us started to go inside to clean up and told Kenneth that he should go with us so he could get the mud off himself. The really weird thing is, he had no mud on him and he still had his shoes and socks on. We have no idea how he got out there.



To my knowledge, none of us ever spoke about that night with each other. I dont know why we didnt but it just seemed like we didnt really want to know what happened. Kenneth was killed in Vietnam so we may never know what really happened. If he pulled a fast one on us, he really did a number on all of us. GT





Phantoms & Monsters: Unexplained Encounters - "A collection of unexplained encounters submitted by regular people who felt compelled to contact me about their encounter. I truly understand their dilemma...they want answers. But can they comprehend the truth? I have also included transcriptions and vintage news reports that detail unknown beasts and bizarre events. Black-eyed people, humanoids, entities, Bigfoot and hairy hominids, flying monsters and winged anomalies, upright canines, Dogman, Pennsylvania's lycans and more cryptids."

This newsletter is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

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Copyright 2005-2017 Phantoms and Monsters / PM Network - All Rights Reserved

**********Troy Griffin walked across a bridge in Colorado, searching for a body.He brought search dogs and a team of volunteers with him, but his main set of tools are his visions.Griffin is a self-proclaimed psychic detective. Shunning the crystal ball, tarot cards and tea leaves of his fellow intuitives, he says he uses his psychic powers to solve crimes."I've worked on  about a 100 cases overall," Griffin said.He says he's built a business out of bringing the paranormal into police work, charging up to $250 an hour for his investigative work.He recently worked a missing person's case that gripped the nation. Kelsie Schelling, 21, was eight weeks pregnant and disappeared in February 2013 after making a late night drive from her home in Denver to see her boyfriend in Pueblo, Colorado. Her family never saw or heard from her again.Four years after her unsolved disappearance, Schelling's mother Laura Saxton is still searching for her daughter and is grateful for Griffin's help."We just want her back, and well do whatever it takes to get her back," Saxton said. "Any time you can find anybody who sincerely wants to help it means a lot because people come and go very quickly."Using Griffin's supposed psychic intuition and some anonymous tips, they searched a sparsely populated area in Pueblo, Colorado, where Griffin was trying to clue in on any sign of Schelling.**********Hey folks...I'll be appearing live on 'Midnight in the Desert' on Thursday, February 23rd - 9pm-1am PT / Mid-4am ET - Midnight in the Desert - Listen Live **********Controversial channel earns its owner up to 600 a day, but fellow UFO believers have questioned the accuracy of the films he posts.A YOUTUBE channel that claims to post UFO sightings has been blasted as a fake by another online publisher devoted to extra-terrestrial mysteries.SecureTeam10 has published videos claiming to show aliens zooming past the International Space Station, a fortress on the moon and black cubes sucking energy from the sun in the past year alone.These have been picked up by news outlets across the world and are so popular they earn the operator of the YouTube channel up to 600 a day, according to figures from the website SocialBlade.But now a representative from rival Lion's Ground has presented The Sun Online with a dossier of evidence which suggests SecureTeam10's videos are not the unquestionable evidence of extraterrestrial visitations some people would like them to be - and are damaging "real" UFO research.********** DES MOINES, Iowa  The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is confirming the sighting of a mammal not seen in Iowa in about 150 years.DNR officials said a trail camera photo of a fisher was taken by Ryan Cross in November in Allamakee County.The Minnesota DNR reports that fishers are expanding into southeast Minnesota, which is likely where this one came from, the DNR said on Facebook. We don't know right now if fishers will reestablish themselves in Iowa, but it's certainly interesting!The fisher is a carnivore and a cousin to the weasel, otter and mink, and they are known for their fierceness.********************
Vegan eating has skyrocketed in popularity over the course of recent decades, with more than 1,400 plant-based restaurants opening all across the US. While Philadelphia is historically known for cheesesteaks, countless vegan restaurants now call the city home. This is
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO --(Marketwired - February 21, 2017) - Aeromexico, Mexico's global airline, announces service to two new routes in the United States including daily flights on the Mexico City to Detroit route starting April 1, complementing the recent announcement about its flight on the Monterrey-Detroit route starting May 1.

Also, starting July 1, the carrier will offer six direct flights per week between Guadalajara and San Jose, which will become the sixth destination Aeromexico serves in the State of California.

These new routes will be operated using Boeing 737-700 and 737-800 aircraft except for the Monterrey-Detroit route, which will be operated with Embraer 170 and 190 aircraft. Aeromexico's flights on these new routes will operate as follows:

Detroit-Mexico City* Mexico City-Detroit* AM 431 3:35 p.m. 7:05 p.m. Daily AM 430 9:01 a.m. 2:20 p.m. Daily Detroit-Monterrey * Monterrey-Detroit* AM 627 2:45 p.m. 5:40 p.m. Daily AM 626 8:39 a.m. 1:16 p.m. Daily San Jose-Guadalajara* Guadalajara-San Jose* AM 433 10:15 a.m. 3:57 p.m. Daily except Tuesdays AM 432 7:15 a.m. 9:00 a.m. Daily except Tuesdays

*Schedules are published in local time and are subject to changes without notice

"These new routes will provide increased connectivity options between Mexico and the United States, as we offer more than 4,400 seats per week to our business and leisure customers," said Anko van der Werff, Aeromexico's Chief Revenue Officer.

"Detroit and San Jose become our 18th and 19th destinations in the United States, and our customers will arrive at the airline's hubs in Mexico City, Monterrey, and Guadalajara," added the executive.

Aeromexico has served the U.S. market for more than 60 years, and has a strong presence in major cities in the State of California, including Fresno, Los Angeles, Ontario, Sacramento, and San Francisco.

About Grupo Aeromexico

Grupo Aeromexico, S.A.B. de C.V. is a holding company whose subsidiaries provide commercial aviation services, and promote passenger loyalty programs in Mexico. Aeromexico, Mexico's global airline, operates more than 600 daily flights and its main hub is in Terminal 2 at the Mexico City International Airport. Its route network spans more than 80 cities on three continents including 45 in Mexico, 19 in the United States, 15 in Latin America, four in Europe, four in Canada, and three in Asia.

Grupo Aeromexico's fleet of close to 130 aircraft includes Boeing 787, 777, and 737 jet airliners and next generation Embraer 190, 175, 170, and 145 models. In 2012, the airline announced the most significant investment strategy in aviation history in Mexico, to purchase 100 Boeing aircraft including 90 MAX 737 airliners and ten 787-9 Dreamliners.

As a founding member of the SkyTeam global alliance, Aeromexico offers customers more than 1,000 destinations in 177 countries served by its top 20 airline partners rewarding passengers with benefits including access to 672 premium airport lounges around the world. Aeromexico also offers travel options with its code share partners Delta Air Lines, Alaska Airlines, Avianca, Copa Airlines, and WestJet with extensive connectivity in countries like the United States, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, and Peru. www.aeromexico.com and www.skyteam.com
A European Commission (EC) ruling last summer found that Apple Inc. (AAPL) owed the European Union (EU) 13 billion (about $14 billion) in back taxes for the years between 2004 and 2014. On Monday, Apple filed its appeal of the ruling with the EU's General Court, citing 14 "pleas in law" claiming that the EU court should annul the EC's August decision or annul the decision in part and order the EC to pay Apple's costs to defend itself.

The EC's demand for payment is based on its determination that Apple received a favorable  and illegal  tax ruling in 1991 and again in 2007 that set the company's tax rate in Ireland at just 4% on profits the company earned for the years between 2004 and 2014. The EC, the executive branch of the European Union, prohibits member states from giving tax benefits to selected companies, according to EC Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, and the commission determined that that is precisely what happened between Apple and Ireland.

ALSO READ: Apple Named Worlds Most Innovative Company

The Irish government has already appealed the decision and entered nine pleas in law supporting its case. The government's primary argument is that Apple received no advantage because Irish law was properly applied. The country's appeal also cites procedural issues, along with a claim of EC overreach. Ireland has spent about $1.9 million on its appeal so far.

The core of the dispute concerns tax rulings, issued by Ireland to Apple in 1991 and 2007, which provided that income related to intellectual property rights held by Apple Sales International (ASI), an Irish registered non-resident company, were not taxable in Ireland. The theory advanced by Apple is that the intellectual property rights were held by the company's "head office" in the United States.

ALSO READ: Warren Buffett Makes 13 Serious Changes in His 2017 Stock Picks

In the EC's view, though, these amounts were taxable in Ireland as there was no "head office" capable of managing the intellectual property rights. Thus, the income must be attributed to the Irish branch. The EC also argued that the Irish tax rulings understated profits properly attributable to activities carried out in Ireland.

Story continues

Included in Apple's appeal is the contention that the EC erred regarding the company's activities outside of Ireland:

The Commission made fundamental errors by failing to recognise that the applicants' profit-driving activities, in particular the development and commercialisation of intellectual property ('Apple IP'), were controlled and managed in the United States. The profits from those activities were attributable to the United States, not Ireland. The Commission wrongly considered only the minutes of the applicants' board meetings and ignored all other evidence of activities. 

ALSO READ: Apple Is Dows 2017 Best Performing Stock in 2017

The Commission failed to recognise that the Irish branches carried out only routine functions and were not involved in the development and commercialisation of Apple IP which drove profits.

The appeal may take up to two years to decide, according to the Irish Times, and regardless of which side prevails, the other is likely to appeal to the European Court of Justice.

Apple's stock traded up about 0.4% in Tuesday's premarket to $136.28, just above the top end of its 52-week range of $89.47 to $136.27. The consensus price target on the shares is $139.82.

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Congratulations on your win, Steve! Coming into the competition, how confident were you that you had a winning photo on your hands?

Where were you when you took it and what were you doing? Was it for an assignment?

Was it a planned shot or spontaneous?

Tell us about your photo  are there any interesting details to share?

How many attempts did it take to nail the shot?

For the photography geeks out there, can you tell us about the camera, settings and lighting that you used?

How does it feel during each voting round?

Which of your competitors shots have stood out for you this year?

Any plans for the winnings yet? Some new camera equipment or an adventure to somewhere new and exciting?

Anything else to add?

Last Friday we announced the winner of the 2016 Photo of the Year as Steve Shannon. Steve's photo was pitted against some fierce competition throughout the contest, including Bartek Wolinski's in the face shot of Nicola Pescetto kicking up roost, an image that set the contest ablaze at nearly every round. Steve's shot was quite the opposite  a stunning setting with a nice composition and more tranquil feel, and it was enough to take out the competition.We caught up with Steve Shannon over the weekend to learn more about his winning photo.Thanks! I knew from the moment I took the photo it was something special, but I didnt really think I had a chance of winning. There was some tough competition this year and I didnt know how mine would stack up.I was on the island of La Palma, in the Canary Islands . I was there visiting some good friends of mine  Robi Stoeckel and Fleur Simons (in the picture) who work at a mountain bike tour company  Bikestation La Palma (www.bike-station.de). They live and work all over the world so if I can, I try to visit them somewhere exotic and fun. I was shooting some promo stuff for the Bike Station and working on some freelance editorial ideas.Pretty spontaneous. Light like that is impossible to plan for.This shot was one of the last of the trip. I had been on La Palma for two weeks and was flying out the next day. The weather had been a mixed bag for the entire trip. The island is very contrasting thanks to its volcanic origins and weather patterns. The west side, where we were staying, is in a rain shadow from the massive volcanic ridge (which tops out at 2400m) and stays quite dry. Theres pine forest up high and cactus down lower. The east side is a stark contrast of lush jungle, getting all the moisture as the clouds push up over the volcano. When it rains the east side is unrideable, becoming way too slick, so we had been limited to the western trails the entire trip.On the last day the weather improved marginally, so Fleur and I decided to give the east a try. This trail was beautiful but very, very slippery. Living in Revelstoke I thought I was used to slippery conditions but the cobblestones there schooled me. The mess of branches was a photographers dream, but we were stuck in the clouds and it was quite dark. We were on a limited timeline so just as we were about to pack up, the sun suddenly popped through the clouds. We actually missed it but saw the potential so decided to wait a while and eventually another break in the clouds appeared and we lucked into this photo.The clouds were moving fast and changing the light very quickly. We shot it once before the light appeared, then nailed this one right when the sun shone through. I tried one more shot but the clouds moved back in and it was done.Ive been a Canon shooter my entire career but in the past year Ive started shooting with the Sony Alpha mirrorless cameras. This was my first trip not bringing a Canon SLR with me. I love the smaller size and lighter weight of the Sony for adventure photography. Im still building my Sony kit, so this was shot with the Sony A7RII and a Canon EF17-40 f4L lens with Metabones adapter. Settings were 1/800, f5.0 and ISO3200. Lighting was all natural. It was pretty dark in there so I had to bump up the ISO fairly high but luckily the new Sony cameras rock at higher ISO.The scene has quite a bit of contrast so I tried to get as much detail in the shadows without blowing the highlights too much. The 17-40 is a little soft wide open so I usually try to stop it down a bit to keep things sharp. I had to compromise a little on my shutter speed due to the dark conditions, but with the trail being so slippery Fleur wasnt going too fast and I could freeze the action.Pretty nerve-wracking, but I had quite a few friends giving me lots of positive feedback. Work is really busy right now too so I didnt have too much time to dwell on things.Paris Gore, Christophe Laue and Bruno Long. Paris aurora shot is beautiful, and he executed a very technically challenging shot perfectly. Christophes photo is simply stunning. The light, rider, etc.  its a shame it got knocked out so early as its much more deserving. Finally, Bruno is a friend of mine and someone I really look up to for his creative eye. I wish I had a quarter of the creativity that guy has and this one was just another example of how differently he thinks. All of those shots Id be happy to have to hang on my wall.I have a few ideas but nothing set in stone yet. I may continue building out my Sony kit, and Im also looking at a few adventures both close to home in BC and further afield. My bike could use an upgrade too. First I need to finish up my contract for the rest of the ski season then Ill start thinking about other things. Ill definitely be meeting up with Robi and Fleur again somewhere in the world!I just want to thank everyone for all the support.Steve takes home $5000, second place takes home $3000, while third and fourth will receive $1000 each, all thanks to SRAM @SramMedia / @SSPhoto26
Torres del Paine in Patagonia: Riders on the Storm too stormy for Mayan Smith-Gobat and Brette Harrington

21.02.2017 by by Planetmountain

Mayan Smith-Gobat and Brette Harrington have abandoned their attempt at make the first free ascent of Riders on the Storm, the famous big wall up the Central Paine Tower in Patagonia, due to terrible weather.

Stalemate. Mayan Smith-Gobats second attempt at freeing Riders on the Storm, the famous 1300m rock climb up the East Face of the Central Tower of the Torres del Paine in Patagonia ground to a halt at the end of January due to typical Patagonian weather conditions. Established during six stormy weeks at the end of 1990 and the start of 1991 by the Germans Kurt Albert, Bernd Arnold, Norbert Batz, Peter Dittrich and Wolfgang Gullich, this route is considered a true crown jewel in Patagonias end of the world climbing repertoire. At the time the Germans breached difficulties up to 7c free and A3 aid and, seeing the calibre of the team and the beauty of the line, the first free ascent soon became a plum objective throughout the big wall climbing world.

In truth the route has received little attention in its nigh 30 year history, in part due to the infamous Patagonian weather, and in part due to the fact that in the last decade the Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre massifs have become far more popular that the Paine area. In 2006 the Belgians Nicolas Favresse, Olivier Favresse, Sean Villanueva, Mike Lecomte and Philippe Ceulemans made an excellent attempt at freeing the line and although this dream team returned without the coveted first free ascent, they nevertheless managed to free a number of important sections and take the grade to 7c and A2.

After a decade-long hibernation, in January 2016 Mayan Smith-Gobat and Ines Papert brusquely woke Riders from its sleep and freed some pitches on the upper part of the route, taking free climbing difficulties up to 7c+. More importantly, they discovered some variations that rendered hitherto impossible central section climbable. With the face plastered in snow however the two were forced to give in to the inevitable and return home, but their new variations indicated that a free ascent - weather conditions permitting - was on the cards and only a question of time.

Smith-Gobat returned to Patagonia this January together with photographer Drew Smith and Brette Harrington, the talented young North American climber who shot to fame in 2015 for her solo ascent of Chiaro di Luna on Aguja Saint-Exupery in the Fitz Roy massif. Harrington and Smith-Gobat had never climbed together before, and after climbing together for a week headed to the Paine towers.

The climber from New Zealand recounts "As Brette and I approached Torre Central our hearts sank, the lower slabs were fully covered in ice and ice snow, unrecognizable from last season, or anything we had expected. Our determination was still high as we battled through the snow covered and unprotectable low angle terrain. However, on reaching the more technical slabs, large amounts of verglas slowed our going and free-climbing became impossible. We were forced to use every technique we knew to get through the ice covered and often run out climbing."

Getting past these initial slabs required 4 weeks "because they were so iced up and too dangerous" and as a result they had to reconsider their objectives. "Our goal then changed" explained Smith-Gobat "to just making it through the first half of Riders on the Storm in any style possible." Smith-Gobat had reached the summit in 2016 and, realizing that free climbing the entire route was not possible, the goal became to just work on the crux pitches of the free variation in the central section of the route. Due to the stormy weather, the two had only 8 days in total on the wall, of which 3 days were spent working the crux pitches. They got just one lead attempt each the crux pitches before the extremely unstable weather forced them to abandon their expedition, but Smith-Gobat concluded "Though the trip did not go to plan at all, we all learnt a lot and in our final days Brette and I confirmed that the crux pitches go free for sure and are planning to return next season."





TOPO: Riders on the Storm, Torres del Paine, Patagonia



RELATED NEWS

02/03/2016 - Riders on the Storm repeated by Mayan Smith-Gobat, Ines Papert and Thomas Senf

17/02/2006 - Belgians repeat Riders on the Storm, Patagonia

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Photo: DHS

Officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) arrested a self-admitted MS-13 gang member Feb. 16 after he was released from New York City custody with an active ICE detainer in place. The Salvadoran national has a criminal history in the U.S. which includes reckless endangerment in the second degree, criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree, and disorderly conduct.

Estivan Rafael Marques Velasquez was released from local custody Feb. 16, after serving time for a criminal conviction of disorderly conduct. ICE filed the detainer May 3, 2016 with the Rikers Island Correctional facility where he was released with disregard for the active detainer. Marques entered the United States without being inspected by an immigration officer. On July 28, 2014, he was issued a Notice to Appear. In Nov. 2015, Marques was ordered removed by an immigration judge.

ERO officers arrested Ramos-Flores Feb. 16 in Queens, NY, pursuant to a final order of removal. He has been processed and is now in ERO detention pending removal.

"This man is by his own admission a member of a violent street gang and he was released back into the community. Honoring a detainer request is not about politics, it is about keeping New York citizens safe," said Thomas R. Decker, field office director for ERO New York. "ICE continues to welcome changes to the city's current policy which is creating a potentially unsafe environment for its residents. ICE remains steadfast in solidifying its relationship with local law enforcement in the interest of public safety and national security."

In fiscal year (FY) 2016, ICE removed or returned 240,255 individuals. Of this total, 174,923 were apprehended while, or shortly after, attempting to illegally enter the United States. The remaining 65,332 were apprehended in the interior of the United States, and the vast majority were convicted criminals.
A federal appeals court has upheld the assault rifle ban Maryland lawmakers passed in 2013, concluding that the guns outlawed by the measure are not entitled to protection under the Second Amendment, reports the Baltimore Sun.

The ruling, issued by the entire Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, reverses a decision by a smaller panel of judges from the court last year that called the law's constitutionality into question.
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As Donald Trump continues to ignore the wave of anti-Semitism that has swept across the country in recent weeks, a new round of attacks on the Jewish community unfolded Monday from coast to coast.

According to the JCC Association of North America, a total of 11 Jewish community centers received bomb threats on Monday alone  the latest in a series of incidents that have taken place over the past several weeks.

As JCC noted today, the bomb threats come in the aftermath of three waves of bomb threats in January (Jan. 9, Jan. 18, and Jan. 31), resulting in, through today, 69 incidents at 54 JCCs in 27 states and one Canadian province in total.

The threats all turned out to be hoaxes, the organization noted, but the heightened level of anti-Semitic activity across the country is troubling.

While we are relieved that all such threats have proven to be hoaxes and that not a single person was harmed, we are concerned about the anti-Semitism behind these threats, and the repetition of threats intended to interfere with day-to-day life, read the statement from JCC.

Also on Monday, Fox News reported another incident in St. Louis in which more than 100 tombstones were damaged at a Jewish cemetery.

Dozens of headstones damaged at Jewish cemetery near St. Louis https://t.co/7jgl7OIJSV via @FOX2now pic.twitter.com/0qwF95dJiS  Fox News (@FoxNews) February 20, 2017

These incidents are only part of a widespread increase in the number of anti-Semitic attacks that have occurred this year.

Anti-Semitic hate crimes comprise the largest portion of religiously motivated attacks in the United States, the Huffington Post reported on Monday. In New York City alone, such attacks have more than doubled already in 2017.

Ivanka Trump, who is Jewish, took to Twitter on Monday to denounce such hate:

America is a nation built on the principle of religious tolerance. We must protect our houses of worship & religious centers. #JCC  Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) February 20, 2017

At this hour, though, there has still been no condemnation offered directly from the President of the United States, despite his willingness to express outrage over things that dont exist, like widespread voter fraud and fake terrorist attacks.

When given the opportunity to directly address the disturbing spike in anti-Semitic activity during last weeks unhinged press conference, Trump chose to ignore the issue and instead attack the Jewish reporter who raised it.

After the childish and unstable president whined about the question and claimed to be the the least anti-Semitic person that youve ever seen in your entire life, he ordered the journalist to sit down.

Unfortunately, this is just par for the course for this president. He ignores actual problems that demand real leadership and instead latches on to debunked conspiracy theories because it satisfies his supporters and aligns with his perverted worldview.

If there was ever a time for Donald Trump to use the megaphone of his Twitter account to express anger and disappointment over something that is actually happening in the real world, now would be it.
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Alt-right media troll Milo Yiannopoulos, a senior editor at Breitbart News got caught out advocating older men having sex with young boys, saying such relationships could be a coming-of-age relationship  in which those older men help those younger boys discover who they are.

Here is a clip of the conversation:

Here is the uncut 5 minute video of Milo Yiannopoulos advocating for Pederasty involving "13 Year old" and "older men." HIS WORDS.@Mschlapp pic.twitter.com/mAgmfpuyvu  The Reagan Battalion (@ReaganBattalion) February 20, 2017

And there have, unsurprisingly, been consequences for that.

According to CPAC, Milo Yiannopoulos will not now be attending, saying there is no disagreement among our attendees on the evils of sexual abuse of children.

You will remember the reaction of people at Berkeley to Yiannopoulos invitation and Trumps reaction to that supposed attack on the First Amendment: he threatened to cut off federal funding for Berkeley.

Yiannopoulos likes to present himself as a provocateur but he didnt mean to provoke this much, you can be certain. The problem is that he is not really apologetic.

What he posted to Facebook in response to the criticism he titled it a note for idiots and what he said was that he deeply regret[s] the way his comments were interpreted. Critically, he did not regret what he said.

I am a gay man, and a child abuse victim. My own experiences as a victim led me to believe I could say anything I wanted to on this subject, no matter how outrageous. But I understand that my usual blend of British sarcasm, provocation and gallows humor might have come across as flippancy, a lack of care for other victims or, worse, advocacy.

This is all too typical a right wing response to be forgiven.

And dont expect Trump to make any threats against CPAC, or for him to acknowledge that perhaps Berkeley students were right about Yiannopoulos.

CNNs Andrew Kaczynski made a pointed comment about the decision to dis-invite

about 16 hours between these tweets. Worth noting, the Milo video had been floating around for most of day when that tweet was sent. pic.twitter.com/f9w2Bevl6q  andrew kaczynski  (@KFILE) February 20, 2017

Matt Schlapp is chairman of the American Conservative Union (ACU), the group that sponsors CPAC, and what he said before these revelations came out was that Milo was a champion of free speech:

An epidemic of speech suppression has taken over college campuses. Milo has exposed their liberal thuggery and we think free speech includes hearing Milos important perspective.

He still is, in some respects. As Jack Jenkins of Think Progress observed,

For those keeping score, Milos comments on trans people, Jews, Muslims, women and others didnt disqualify him. CPAC bailed at pedophilia. https://t.co/C4nBhDamHe  Jack Jenkins (@jackmjenkins) February 20, 2017

Conservative critic of Trumpism Charlie Sykes agrees, calling this the Milo Test:

Anti-Semitism, ok. Racism, ok. Alt Right, ok. Advocacy of pedophilia? Is THAT the bridge too far?

Its great that CPAC disinvited Yiannopoulos. They were certainly right to do that.

Its just a shame that this act only exposes their greater hypocrisy. That they dont have the same reaction to his attacks on, as these critics point out, anti-Semitism, racism, Muslims, and the alt-rights neo-Nazism.
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Rick Santorum is one of the least relevant Republicans you can think of today. He hasnt been on Capitol Hill for years. He is a failed presidential candidate who inevitably is one of the first to drop out due to a lack of, wellanybody caring.

Yet for some reason, CNN saw fit to invite him on to New Day today so that Santorum could blame the rise of anti-Semitism on President Barack Obama of all people.

Santorum, given the opportunity, followed standard Republican practice to confuse support of Israel with a rejection of anti-Semitism, claiming,

The president has stood by Israel in ways President Obama has not.

As Donald Trump, like other Republicans before him, has shown, it is entirely possible to express support for Israel while showing indifference to or even promoting anti-Semitism. What President Obama opposed was Israeli foreign policy, not Jews. In fact, contrary to Republican propaganda, Obama was a great friend of Israel.

Watch courtesy of CNN:

.@RickSantorum says anti-Semitism problem actually started under the Obama administration https://t.co/ZzZtnkKksh  New Day (@NewDay) February 21, 2017

Charges of anti-Semitism, Santorum asserted, are why you hear about fake news.' Santorum employed lies to defend the lies of Donald Trump:

For eight years, eight years, the Obama administration sat by and said nothing about the increase in anti-Semitism on college campuses coming from all over the placerampant anti-Semitism on the most liberal college campuses and the president of the united states, President Obama, said and did nothing.

In fact, in remarks made in January 2016 at the Israeli Embassy, President Obama did just that: spoke out against anti-Semitism on college campuses:

Here, tonight, we must confront the reality that around the world, anti-Semitism is on the rise. We cannot deny it.

When we see some Jews leaving major European cities  where their families have lived for generations  because they no longer feel safe; when Jewish centers are targeted from Mumbai to Overland Park, Kansas; when swastikas appear on college campuses  when we see all that and more, we must not be silent.

This is to be contrasted with Donald Trumps response to a question, not only remaining silent on the issue but demanding others also remain silent.

As we see with a question posed by an Israeli journalist about what the Trump administration plans to do in response to the increase in anti-Semitism. Trump responded not like President Obama, by condemning it, but by bragging about his electoral vote count, and lying in the process.

Everyone saw Donald Trump try to humiliate a Jewish journalist from Ami Magazine last week, saying Let me just tell you something  that I hate the charge. I find it repulsive. I hate even the question

Santorums lie doesnt pass inspection. It is true that he was reined in by CNN at the end of his interview but he should never have been invited to speak on the subject in the first place.

Santorum has nothing of any importance to add to the national conversation on anti-Semitism but tired old Republican lies blaming everything wrong in the world on Obama. President Obama is no more responsible for the rise of anti-Semitism than he is the rise in racism.
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Republicans complained about the amount of money that President Obama spent on travel, but Donald Trump is on pace to spend more in his first year on travel than Obama spent in eight years as president.

Video from a CBSN report:

In just 1 month, Trump has cost taxpayers over 1/10th of Obama's entire 8-year travel expense pic.twitter.com/8szRlrtGIj  T. R. Ramachandran (@yottapoint) February 21, 2017

Obama spent $97 million over his eight years in office on travel, but Trump has spent at least $10 million on trips to his private club in Florida during his first month in office.

When Obama traveled, on every occasion, some conservative outlet would publish an enraged story about the expense of his travel. These same conservative media outlets, Im looking at you Fox News, have been completely silent about the big bills that Trump is racking up on travel.

On top of the tens of millions of dollars that Trump is spending on weekends in Florida, there is the gigantic cost that comes with his wife and son continuing to live in New York while the President is in Washington, DC. Security for Trump Tower is going to cost taxpayers $183 million this year. Security for the Trump kids as they travel for business is likely to cost the American people millions more.

Trump is also doing millions of dollars in damage to the local West Palm Beach, Florida economy with each presidential visit. It is estimated that Trump could drive the local airport out of business due to lost revenue that is caused by airspace restrictions due to Trumps visits.

President Trump and his family are spending nearly as much in a month as Obama spent in a year.

Presidential abuse of taxpayer funds should not be a partisan issue. Fiscal conservatives need to speak out and tell President Trump that if he wants to live large, he will not be doing it on the taxpayers dime.
A surprise announcement from Beijing last weekend that it had banned coal imports from North Korea is causing a fracas in China 's coal market, as traders scramble for supplies of the commodity that is used in steel-making and heating.

In 2016, China imported 22.5 million tons of coal from the hermit kingdom, representing 12.3 percent of its total imports, said BMI Research. The commodity is also a key export for the isolated nation in the Korean Peninsula.

Prices of steel and coking coal are rallying this week as mills will need to meet the shortfall of 22 million tons should the ban be fully enforced.

On Tuesday morning, the most active steel rebar futures on the Shanghai Futures Exchange and coking coal futures on the Dalian Commodity Exchange were both up about 3 percent, extending gains of 2 percent on Monday.

The ban will be a net positive for coal prices, said BMI's global commodities strategist, John Davies.

"It would be a material net positive for seaborne coking coal prices The need to source this coal from elsewhere would boost demand for imports from countries including Australia and Mongolia," the London-based analyst said.

Traders and steel mills in China were busy finding alternatives for coking coal, Reuters reported on Monday.

Mills will now have to buy domestic coal, which is more expensive, or import supplies from sources further afield like Australia.

While increased demand may help China's own coal production, it will also pressure Beijing to find other sources of thermal heating as the country strives to clean up air pollution, which has become a social and political hot potato.

"Chinese authorities appear to be strongly committed to their goal of closing outdated coal mines and boosting clean energy. In this regard, the ban on North Korean coal imports has the potential to further stimulate China's energy transition," said FocusEconomics senior economist Ricard Torne .

Despite the short-term upswing in prices, there remains skepticism over the enforcement of the ban as China can still import North Korean coal as the United Nations Security Council resolution on sanctions against Pyongyang include a humanitarian exemption.

"In 2016, China had already banned imports from its nuclear-power-holding neighbor though it made expectations for shipments intended for the 'people's well-being' and not related to the missile programs, which, in practice, allowed North Korea to keep its supply of coal flowing," Torne added.

Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook.


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The White House sent President Trump to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History, but the President couldnt help himself and had to devote part of his off the cuff remarks to bragging about the margin of his election win in former slave states.

Video:

Trump, speaking at the NMAAHC: "I like the state of South Carolina. I like all those states where I won by double, double, double digits." pic.twitter.com/2Aums2mXac  Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) February 21, 2017

The President said, I also want to thank Sen. Tim Scott for joining us today. A friend of mine. A great great Senator from South Carolina. I like the state of South Carolina. I like all of those states where I won by double double double digits. You know, South Carolina was one.

President Trump was visiting the National Museum of African American History and praised former slave states for giving him his biggest margins of victory.

Here is a map of former slave states:

Compare that map to the map of states where Trump won the popular vote:

Only three former slave states voted for Hillary Clinton, Delaware, Virginia, and Maryland.

Those states that Trump was bragging about included South Carolina (+14), Alabama (+28), Mississippi (+18), Tennessee (+26), Kentucky (+30), Louisiana (+20), Missouri (+28), and Arkansas (+27). Trump won by single digits in former slave states North Carolina, Florida, Texas, and Georgia.

President Trump proved once again that he is never going to be able to rehabilitate his image because he cant stop insulting minorities and implying racism on a regular basis. Trump is so insecure that he had to brag about the margin of his election win in a state like South Carolina, which is a former slave state, while he was visiting a museum that is dedicated to the history of the African-American struggle.

Even when he is trying to do and say the right things, Trump cant help but let his inner bigot shine through. What he did was disrespectful to the museum and an insult to African-Americans. Trumps remarks demonstrated that this man is incapable of being a president for all Americans because everything is always about him.
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Adolf Hitler used to refer to the lying press of his enemies, as in the Marxist Lugenpresse, while today Donald Trump, disturbingly, does the same.

Lugenpresse is a Nazified word from 1914 when it was used by German author Reinhold Anton to refer to foreign propaganda.

The German Defense Ministry even used the word in a book title in 1918, The Lugenpresse of Our Enemies. That sounds like Trump too but the enemies were foreign then.

The Fuhrer turned it around to include anyone in the German press who disagreed with him  at least until he had made the German press entirely state-controlled  a state of affairs Trump has already shown he desires.

As The New Yorker observes, Dishonest and lying are Trumps go-to insults when talking about the press.

Watch Trumps complaints about a rigged and dishonest press courtesy of The Washington Post:

He repeated these refrains the other day in Melbourne, referring to the fake news:

I also want to speak to you without the filter of the fake news. The dishonest media which has published one false story after another with no sources, even though they pretend they have them, they make them up in many cases.

And of course, there is that now infamous tweet:

Like Trump, Hitler liked to talk a lot about the will of the people which was, of course, in the German dictators view, strictly behind him and him alone. Thats why Trump is so sensitive about his victory. Losing makes talks about popular mandates difficult. Sure he won the electoral vote, but by a historically low margin, so he has to lie about that too.

The real problem is less the lies about a mandate or a will of the people (disturbing as those are) and more about Trumps willingness to embrace Hitlers language, because language reflects thought. A really disturbing video from Trumps Cleveland rally in October 2016 captured by The Atlantics Rosie Gray illustrates the point well:

Friendly interaction outside the press pen. "Lugenpresse!" pic.twitter.com/MWUZynJ8jx  Rosie Gray (@RosieGray) October 23, 2016

From Lugenpresse to Hitler salutes to personal oaths of loyalty these reflect a mindset  the mindset and worldview of Adolf Hitler. In 1922 Hitler was using Lugenpresse to refer to the Marxist press, as in the Marxist Lugenpresse, a formulation repeated by the Nazi-controlled paper the Volkischer Beobachter in 1932.

No surprise since Adolf Hitler personally owned the paper, which fancied itself the fighting paper of the National Socialist movement of Greater Germany. It is not reasonable to suppose that this is the sort of thing to which Donald Trump himself aspires.

It wouldnt be the first time Donald Trump quoted Hitler. He employed words and anti-Semitic tropes virtually out of Hitlers own mouth to attack secret meetings and international banks back before the election.

We also saw Trump supporter and Nazi Richard Spencer use the term recently, in celebrating Donald Trumps election victory: the mainstream media  or perhaps we should refer to them in the original German, Lugenpresse.

Naturally, this is all very disturbing. Trump has been repeatedly criticized for his frightening display of autocratic and dictatorial behavior and quoting Hitler isnt any way to reassure people as to his good intentions.

When called out, Trump, like Hitler, prefers to simply lie about something else. When Hitler was put on the spot as a witness in a trial of his murdering SA thugs in 1931, he could only lie and sputter angrily in defense because, as in Trumps case, the lies were all his.

We can easily imagine Trump doing the same, because we have already seen it when confronted by unappetizing questions from the press, and then afterward, in the unhinged and appalling dishonesty of his tweets.

We may or may not ever see such a day of Trump on trial; what we can see are the frightening similarities in how they view the world, between Donald Trump and Adolf Hitler
Some people say that reading about other people's problems makes us feel better. But that's only one of the reasons we turn to literatureto catch a glimpse into the lives that deserve the best stories. We can be that fly on the wall, spying on scenes that we, fortunately, don't have to deal with beyond the book's spine. Short stories are perfect vehicles for this sensation. If done right, they skip to the hard-hitting stuff without leaving out the vitals. I've gone back to short story collections time and time again for their brevity and punch, but one collection continues to be among my favorites: Kevin Fortuna's The Dunning Man.

And considering all that you get in this slim book, I'd say it's a pretty great find. The book is a collection of stories that feel like modern tall tales, narrating the lives of Irish-American societal rejects that, in my opinion, are also legends of attitude.

Esquire called The Dunning Man a "funny, explosive, and disarmingly moving" story about "people like you and me." And that's exactly what it is. Plus, you can read it in a single afternoon.

In the first story, "Dead," we meet Connor, who's on his way from New York City to Atlantic City to meet his "Girlbomb" Ursula for dinner. But the characters that make it nearly impossible for him to get there are both hilarious and pathetic. "Poor Jimmy" echoes that same uncomfortable but effective teetering between dignity and destruction, as a couple of old friends attempt to chase girls and their past is brought into the light. But these stories are just warm-ups to the title story, "The Dunning Man," which will soon release as a feature-length film.

In his story "The Dunning Man," Fortuna demonstrates his mastery of character and voice. Within the short space of the story, the whole world, even beyond Atlantic City, goes from just okay to nearly irreparable. Connor is back, and with seemingly nothing left to lose, he's trying his luck in the unforgiving world of Atlantic City real estate. But more than a few curveballs (or punches) are thrown his way.

In Michael Clayton's upcoming film, The Dunning Man, Connor plays landlord to three malfunctioning apartment units, which house Alice, the young mother dealing with a busted AC and incessant "love sounds" from above; Styker Jones, the ostentatious rap star and origin of the ruckus; and Erika Deitz-Hoffman and her band of "animal people." Enough said.

As you can imagine, this colorful group causes nothing but trouble for poor Connor, who's just trying to get the rent he's owed. But powerful connections brew between Connor and his tenants that make you think, if only for a moment, that he might just wake up from this nightmare unscathed.

The film captures Fortuna's fast-paced plot, while enhancing it with delightful montages of Irish-American history, authentic Irish tunes, and acting that brings his already vibrant characters to even more life.

So it was fitting that the story collection was published by indie New Orleans publisher Lavender Ink . Anything bigger might have threatened the level of intimacy that I so love about the book. And likewise, the film was picked up by USA Today Best Film Festival, Cinequest , a vanguard Silicon Valley organization on the edge of creative innovation. Cinequest aims to find and share films that have a direct impact on youth and artists. It's a more than suitable home for such a gem of narrative.

The Dunning Man opens March 4th. Click here for information on screenings!


Charleston, SC (29403)

Today

Some sun this morning with increasing clouds this afternoon. High 81F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 64F. Winds light and variable.
Salty and a bit sweet, rich and a bit tangy, this grilled cheese with onion jam, adapted from "The Epicurious Cookbook," is everything we want for dinner (there are even greens!), between two slices of rustic bread. Just add wine. In this case, bottles that play well with the salty/sweet duality.

Grilled cheese with onion jam

Brush 4 slices of rustic Italian bread with olive oil on one side; arrange slices with the oiled side down on a work surface. Spread 2 slices with onion jam; top with slices of taleggio cheese. Mound fresh escarole, cut in ribbons, on top; season with salt and pepper. Close sandwiches with the other 2 slices of bread. Cook the sandwiches in a skillet, turning once and pressing with a spatula to compact, until the bread is golden brown and the cheese melts, 6-8 minutes total. Makes: 2 servings

Pair with

Pairings by sommelier Rachael Lowe of Spiaggia, as told to Michael Austin:

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Sorelle Bronca Particella 68 Extra Dry Prosecco di Valdobbiadene, Veneto, Italy: As an extra-dry style, this wine has slightly higher residual sugar than a brut. Notes of white peach, golden apple and tangerine are balanced by a plush ripeness on the palate. The soft bubbles and medium acidity will cut through the richness of the cheese, while the fruit notes will intermingle well with the caramelized onion in the jam.

2011 Marcel Deiss Engelgarten, Alsace, France: Five grape varieties, grown together and blended, make up this special cuvee: pinot gris, riesling, muscat, pinot blanc and a small amount of pinot noir. With rich aromas of candied orange peel, ginger, apricot skin and honeysuckle, the wine is dry on the palate but also unctuous. Its acidity will balance the fat in the cheese, while its spice notes will accentuate the onion jam.

2015 Darioush Viognier, Napa Valley, California: Grown in the cooler Oak Knoll District and Carneros region to retain acidity and structure, this wine expresses classic viognier characteristics. Fermented in neutral French barrels, its notes of vanilla, kumquat, white flowers and Asian pear come together beautifully and will complement the spices and sweetness of the jam. At the same time, they will do a good job of countering the mushroom notes of the earthy cheese.
Like the streams and creeks that meander across Southeast Minnesota, there are incremental plans to improve our water all over the region.

One of the biggest plans is nearing its final hurdles toward implementation, the One Watershed, One Plan program for the Root River watershed in Dodge, Olmsted, Winona, Houston, Fillmore, and Mower counties. During its meeting on Feb. 14, the Winona County Board of Commissioners approved the implementation of the plan, which has been several years in the making.

Still, there's a catch. "Once all the entities approve it," said Sheila Harmes, water plan coordinator for Winona County, "we can technically start implementing it. But we don't have the money yet."

Getting the other government units to approve the plan, she said, is probably a formality at this point. The plan  to attack the watershed's pollution and restoration problems on a geographical level instead of by political boundaries  has wide support.

The funding, though, which will come from the state, which is behind the program, has yet to be allocated. "It's on the governor's agenda," Harmes said. "There's talk of doing it in block grants."

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That's how the county's current water management plan is funded. The state offers a block grant that is matched through some funding from the county. That money is still there for countywide watershed issues. But Winona County, for example, has more than one watershed within its political borders. So that money needs to be spread around for county programs.

That, Harmes said, is the paradigm that is beginning to shift thanks to One Watershed, One Plan, a new initiative by the state. In fact, the Root River watershed is one of the five pilot watersheds in the program.

Still, the funding is the real remaining hurdle, she said. One of the biggest hurdles the state faces is transitioning from the current county-by-county model of dealing with water issues to One Watershed, One Plan. How much money the watershed gets in 2017 is anyone's guess, but the talk at the state level is to fund $12 million for implementation of One Watershed, One Plan programs across the state for 2018-2019.

But the benefits of this new paradigm are obvious, Harmes said. In addition to tackling watershed issues in a way that makes sense, One Watershed, One Plan requires planners to recognize areas needing improvement over the next 10 years and develop a way to measure the impact of the plan's efforts. "There are computer program to let decision-makers have more information on the cost and benefit of different projects," Harmes said.

The folks in Wabasha County are hoping for a little benefit there as well.

While One Watershed, One Plan hasn't come to Wabasha County yet, the state's initiatives toward buffer strips got a small boost from the Board of Commissioners there on Feb. 7 when the commissioners approved an update to its "Shoreland Regulation" as part of the county zoning ordinance.

The upshot, said Kevin Krause, Wabasha County zoning administrator, is the county's zoning ordinance will more closely align with the state's buffer laws, and it will require permits for cutting of any vegetation in a buffer strip.

"We've had issues with people going in and cutting down every tree in the buffer," Krause said. "If you're going to be doing cutting in the shore impact zone, you need a permit."
Steven Ahmad spent his first few years after high school sweating it out in a restaurant kitchen.

"Being a line cook was definitely good motivation of like 'Hey, let's go to school,'" he said. "You can't take too many long nights of that job. And so for me it was like, let's find something better to do."

So three years ago at age 23, he enrolled at Minneapolis Community and Technical College. He finished his associates degree, and decided to go for a four-year degree. He looked at several state schools, but he settled on Concordia University in St. Paul for a simple reason

"All my credits transferred  all 66 transferred to Concordia," he said. "Which was a big deal."

It's a big deal because it can sometimes be difficult to transfer community college credits to a four-year school.

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But Concordia, like a growing number of private schools in the state, has made the path from community college into its program as seamless as possible.

Schools realize they can bolster enrollment numbers by looking to community colleges.

Kristin Vogel is the associate vice president for traditional enrollment management at Concordia. She said transfers are part of the school's mission and business model.

"Of the 3,000 undergraduate students about 2,000 of those are transfer students," she said.

Concordia's enrollment increased nearly 60 percent between 2011 and 2015, as most other private schools in the state saw enrollment decline.

And students, in turn, are seeing a new  and cheaper  route to a bachelor's degree.

"It's maybe someone that always knew they wanted to come to Concordia but it was a more affordable option to start at a community college," Vogel said.

Larry Pogemiller, the commissioner of Minnesota's Office of Higher Education said he expects more schools to establish clear transfer agreements as a way to attract students.

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"So it's got kind of all the benefits that you would want for a student," he said. "A less expensive pathway, kind of encouragement to excel and do well at your course work and then a certain guarantee that you could get into a four-year institution after your two-year path."

Augsburg College, through its "Auggie Plan" starts working with students at three partner community colleges even before they walk onto the Minneapolis campus. Unlike some transfer agreements, Augsburg's plan doesn't lock students into a major before they arrive. If students take the required general education courses and keep a 2.75 GPA, they'll automatically get in.

Anoka-Ramsey Community College President Kent Hanson said through their partnership with Augsburg, which was announced last week, students can really cut the cost of their first two years.

"When you look at a four-year degree and you calculate our $144 a credit and it becomes more reasonable for students to get a four-year degree," he said.

This route also offers a path to a bachelor's degree for students who might not have had the grades in high school to make it into a private college, but may find their academic footing in community college.

Augsburg President Paul Pribbenow said those transfers enrich his campus.

"People bring to us different gifts and forms of excellence," he said. "If you test them and judge them only on standards that have been handed down to us, you will miss a lot of talent and wisdom and a lot of experience that actually our country needs."

Both Augsburg and Concordia offer scholarships to community college transfer students, to lower costs and help them stay enrolled.

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Concordia's Kristin Vogel said, on average, transfer students at the school have equal or higher GPAs to those who are there all four years, and they're also more likely to complete their degree.

Steven Ahmad, the junior transfer at Concordia, has his sights set on graduation and is already networking for a graphic design career.

He said while he's happy to have his line cook days behind him, they do keep him motivated.

"It's definitely in the back of my mind," he said. "Especially if you have a late night or maybe I'm doing something I don't want to necessarily do at that moment. Just putting that in the back of my mind and knowing that I'm here for a reason and purpose  I'm going to craft a better life for myself."

Augsburg expects to add another school to the "Auggie Plan" this spring.
ST. PAUL  The Minnesota House voted overwhelmingly on Monday in favor of allowing liquor stores to be open on Sundays  a political turnaround that seemed nearly impossible four years ago.

Back in 2013, Rochester DFL Rep. Tina Liebling offered an amendment to legalize Sunday liquor sales. It failed in dramatic fashion by a vote of 106-21. It was a very different story in the House chamber on Monday, where Republicans and Democrats banded together to pass the Sunday liquor sales bill 85-45.

Ahead of the vote, Liebling told fellow legislators that she hoped more of them had come to agree with her.

"I thought it was wrong for government to tell businesses what days they should be open," she said.

Lawmakers approved a bill sponsored by Rep. Jennifer Loon, R-Eden Prairie, that would allow liquor stores to be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays. No alcohol could be delivered on those days  a measure added to try to address the concerns of the Teamsters Union. It would take effect July 1, 2017. Minnesota is one of 12 states in the nation that prohibits the sale of liquor on Sundays.

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The strong support for Sunday liquor sales in the House doesn't mean the fight is over. The measure still needs to pass the Senate, where its political fate is uncertain. Sen. Jeremy Miller, R-Winona, is leading the effort to pass the bill in the Senate. He said he was pleased to see such strong support for the measure in the House.

"I knew support and momentum was building. I don't think anyone expected 85 votes in the House. I think that helps our efforts here in the Senate," he said.

Miller's bill is scheduled for a hearing before the Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Finance and Policy Committee on Wednesday. DFL Gov. Mark Dayton has said if a Sunday sales bill reaches his desk, he won't block it from becoming law.

Opponents of Sunday liquor sales argue it would hurt small liquor stores with tight profit margins because they would be pressured to be open seven days a week. They contend it would just spread out six days of sales over seven days. Rep. Duane Quam, R-Byron, said allow liquor stores to open on Sundays would end up benefiting big box retailers at the expense of mom and pop stores.

"Local communities and businesses would prefer not to change the status quo. That's why I'm voting no," Quam said.

Austin DFL Rep. Jeanne Poppe is among the lawmakers who has changed her mind on the issue. Historically, she has opposed Sunday sales. But Poppe said it makes sense to change the law now since the Super Bowl will be held in Minnesota next year. She said lawmakers were expected to push to allow Sunday sales for that event in the metro area.

"I don't want it to just be in the metropolitan area. So if we're going to do it, let's do it for everyone in the state," Poppe said.

The Minnesota Licensed Beverage Association has long opposed allowing liquor stores to open on Sundays. MLBA's Executive Director Tony Chesak said the group will keep up its fight to block it.

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"Our organization will continue to educate legislators and the public that authorizing Sunday sales will raise costs for small, family-owned businesses and consumers," Chesak said in a statement.

Lawmakers credit a major shift in public opinion for helping propel Sunday liquor sales forward this year. Rep. Nels Pierson, R-Rochester, was among those voting in favor of the measure. He said he has been getting a lot of emails from constituents on the issue and roughly 80 percent of them are in favor of Sunday sales.

"It's just one of those issues where we live by the rule of the majority, and it's something that It seems like the consumers want. There's some in the industry that want it and there's a minority of folks that don't want it," Pierson said.

Rep. Greg Davids, R-Preston, said he has long opposed Sunday sales because people in the industry have told him they don't want it. He acknowledged ahead of Monday's vote he was likely on the losing side of the issue. Still, he remains hopeful the bill won't become law.

Davids added, "We're going to lose today, but it's a long process, and it's not over until it's over."
COLLEGEVILLE  A Benedictine monk known for his mathematics prowess and stunning polyhedron art died Friday at the retirement center at St. John's Abbey in Collegeville.

The Rev. Magnus Wenninger, who was 97 when he died, was a mathematician well known for his work constructing models of polyhedrons  three-dimensional solids consisting of a collection of polygons joined at their edges  and for his books on their construction.

Wenninger's room at St. John's Abbey was filled with the three-dimensional creations. He constructed the polyhedrons out of index card paper and card stock. In his retirement, he sold the polyhedrons at the Abbey Gift Shop or local art fairs.

"I must say that, for me, it is something that gives me a 'religious' feeling when in the presence of something truly beyond my ability to fully comprehend," Wenninger told a St. Cloud Times reporter in 2007.

According to his obituary, Wenninger was born the second of eight children on Oct. 31, 1919, in Park Falls, Wis. His name at birth was Joseph; when he entered the novitiate of St. John's Abbey, he received the name Magnus, meaning "great."

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Wenninger was ordained in 1945 and then attended Ottawa University in Canada, where he earned a master's degree in philosophy and became a mathematics teacher at the St. Augustine's College in the Bahamas.

He became interested in polyhedrons while attending summer courses at Columbia Teachers College in New York when he saw a display case in the mathematics department where polyhedron models were exhibited.

Five years later, he published his first book on polyhedrons, "Polyhedron Models for the Classroom." Wenninger considered the polyhedron models his special contribution to the field because, according to his obituary, he was the first to show how to make models of all 75 "uniform polyhedrons."

When interviewed in 2007, Wenninger said he couldn't pick a favorite polyhedron because each had a unique "personality."

"I'm a priest. I believe in the resurrection and the afterlife, so I'll still be making polyhedrons when I go to heaven," Wenninger said with a laugh in 2007.

The Mass of Christian Burial for Wenninger will be at 3 p.m. Wednesday at St. John's Abbey Church, with an internment in St. John's Cemetery following the service.
MINNEAPOLIS  A week at the mall?

It sounds like the dream of a 1990s teenager. Or the nightmare of anyone who doesn't love crowds and the ever-present scent of Cinnabon.

But if you're a writer, just think of the inspiration to be found at the Mall of America: 5.6 million square feet of retail space, food courts, tourists and indoor roller coasters. There's even a person dressed as a giant shrimp in there.

Inspired yet?

The Mall of America hopes you are. To mark its 25th anniversary, the Mall of America has put out a call for a writer-in-residence, and it is now accepting applications. They're seeking a writer "to capture how much we've evolved over the course of the last 25 years."

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During the residency, the winner will be put up for four nights at a hotel attached to the mall. The gig also comes with a $400 gift card toward food. (That's about 100 Cinnabons, if you're counting.)

While on site, the writer will be "deeply immersed in the Mall atmosphere while writing on-the-fly impressions in their own words." He or she will receive a "generous honorarium" for the time.

Full application details are available from the Mall of America.
Disgraced CBS newsman Dan Rather should never be able to live down Rathergate, the greatest media fraud of our time. It was, as John and I have argued, Rather shameful. If Rather isnt able to live it down, it wont be for lack of trying on his part.

On the surface of the Flynn affair is what Rather calls [t]his Russia scandal. Rather opines. On a 10 scale of Armageddon for our form of government, I would put Watergate at a 9, Rather wrote on Facebook. This Russia scandal is currently somewhere around a 5 or 6, in my opinion, but it is cascading in intensity seemingly by the hour.

Its good to have Rathers judgment on the record. What we really want to know, however, is whether its as big as Rathergate. For public purposes, Rather sees no scandal in Rathergate. On a 10 scale he has that one at zero. He is still sticking by the story that led to his defenestration from CBS News.

In his 2012 memoir Rather pleads guilty only to putting a true story on the air. According to Rather, There is a through-line, a long and slimy filament that connects the murder of Vince Foster to Swift Boat Veterans for Truth and to the discrediting of the Killian memos. That slimy filament is a dirty thread that stretches all the way . . . to the birther movement. If a through-line can cascade in intensity, this one certainly has.

Larry OConnor puts Rathers observation in the appropriate context here. On Rathers 10 scale, I would put Rathergate at a 9. I think of it now as the time CBS News attempted to hack a presidential election.

As I argue in the adjacent post, [t]his Russia scandal, as Rather calls the events leading to Flynns resignation, is of some significant magnitude. It may even be cascading in intensity. Rather to the contrary notwithstanding, however, its not a Russia scandal.
Frivolous litigation abounds. Today the Democrats added two lawsuits to the ever-growing list of non-meritorious filings. First, Congressman William Lacy Clay sued in Washington, D.C., to protest removal of a painting from a display in a corridor of the Capitol. We reported on that controversy here. The painting, one of around 400 winners of the Congressional Arts Competition, depicts pigs dressed as policemen shooting innocent blacks:

Congressman Clay asserts that removal of the painting from the Capitol corridor violated the First Amendment rights of the constituent who painted it. The Associated Press, in reporting on Clays lawsuit, never mentions the reason why the painting was removed: it violated the rules of the competition, which prohibit art works depicting subjects of contemporary political controversy. Not to mention, of course, that the disgusting painting is wholly inappropriate to be displayed in the Capitol. As, for example, a painting advocating lynching would be.

Dumb lawsuit number two comes from Iowa, where AFSCME alleges that a law just passed by the Iowa legislature, which eliminates collective bargaining on certain issues for most public sector unions, violates the states constitution. The statute, similar to one that Wisconsin adopted a few years ago, is sure to be upheld.

What constitutional provision does AFSCME say the law violates? This one:

All laws of a general nature shall have a uniform operation; the General Assembly shall not grant to any citizen, or class of citizens, privileges or immunities, which, upon the same terms shall not equally belong to all citizens.

If you dont think that provision applies, youre right. It doesnt.

All across the country, Democrats are losing because they fail to convince voters they are right on the issues. Filing silly lawsuits to try to slow the partys decline may just accelerate the process.
President Trump has made so many excellent appointments that it is hard to keep up with them all. But surely one of the best is his appointment of Nikki Haley, former Governor of South Carolina, as UN Ambassador. The video below dates from last Thursday, when Haley addressed the press after attending her first Security Council meeting on the Middle East. It is only about four minutes long, so rather than quote from it I urge you to watch the whole thing. It is a breath of fresh air. Sanity returns to the United Nations:

One key sentence: The U.S. is determined to stand up to the UNs anti-Israel bias.
Rep. Jim Jordan is a star. And not just because he had the good taste to hold a presidents day town hall meeting at the home of the vastly underrated Warren Harding. Jordan displayed his star quality by patiently fielding questions from protesters who swarmed the event.

Crashing the town hall meetings of conservative congressmen has become the rage among left-wing protesters. Dave Weigel of the Washington Post aptly calls it part of the lefts permanent campaign.

According to Weigel, some of Jordans fellow conservative legislators have criticized this tactic, which is understandable. A few have gone further (too far, in my opinion) to say they will not hold town hall meetings as long as radicals are crashing them.

Jordan takes a different approach. When the rads showed up for his meeting in Marion, Ohio, he was asked whether he thought the protesters were paid or imported from outside his district. Jordan responded:

Frankly, I dont care. It there are people here who arent constituents, theyre still Americans. Im happy to talk to them.

Talk to them he did, taking questions for 40 minutes from the porch where Harding often spoke during the 1920 presidential campaign.

In Weigels telling, Jordan was good-natured throughout, as he fielded more than a dozen hostile questions about Obamacare, climate change, Russian involvement in the presidential campaign, etc. He called on the woman he defeated last year in his reelection campaign, and who was among the protesters holding a megaphone, to ask a question. Jordan called her his favorite opponent (not a failed politician) and why not? He defeated her 68-32, in line with his usual margin of victory.

Jordan smiled at her as she asked an Obamacare question. Weigel gives this report of their exchange:

What were concerned about is when the ACA is replaced, that people are going to be able to afford it, Garrett said. Exactly. Thats what were for, Jordan insisted. If you have access, but you cant afford it, its not access, said Garrett. Its denial. You know what you just described, Janet? You just described the situation we have right now under the ACA. People cant afford it now. We have the Affordable Care Act. Im surprised to see you on my side.

From Weigels account, I take it that Jordan was civil throughout. There was no name-calling or other attempts to disparage the hostile questioners. Unlike a certain U.S. president.

Jordan is used to handling himself in settings stacked against him. On his way to Hardings home, he recalled attending a candidate forum last year in a precinct in Oberlin where he had won only five votes.

Oberlin is a bastion of leftists, but the people there are still Americans and Jordan was happy to talk to him.
The parent of Burger King and Tim Hortons announces that it will pay $1.8 billion for Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen. By Laura Berman

Restaurant Brands International Inc. (QSR) confirmed on Tuesday, Feb. 21, its long-awaited deal to acquire Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen Inc. (PLKI).

Restaurant Brands will pay $79 per share, or $1.8 billion, a 19.5% premium over Popeyes Friday closing price of $66.12. The purchase price also represents a premium of 27% over Popeyes volume weighted average price as of Feb. 10, when rumors first surfaced about the bid.

UBSs Brett Pickett and Lowell Strugg and Genesis Capital LLCs Jonathan Goldman provided financial advice to Popeyes, which tapped a King & Spalding LLP team led by Cal Smith as its outside counsel.

Restaurant Brands retained a Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton and Garrison LLP team led by Scott Barshay and Brian Lavin as its legal adviser for the deal and did not retain an outside financial adviser.

Restaurant Brands said in a statement that Popeyes will continue to manage itself in the United States while benefiting from the global scale and resources of RBI, which plans to continue developing the brand at an increasing pace in the U.S. and international markets in the years to come.

Popeyes has 2,600 locations in the United States and 25 other countries, while Restaurant Brands Burger King and Tim Hortons brands are significantly larger. Burger King operates over 15,000 locations in the United States and 100 other countries, while Tim Hortons has 4,600 locations in the United States, Canada and the Middle East.

Restaurant Brands CEO Daniel Schwartz said on a conference call that Popeyes U.S. locations average $1.4 million in revenues.

The formation of Restaurant Brands was one of the earliest major deals for 3G Capital, but pales in comparison to the Brazilian private equity firms latest investments.

In 2010, 3G acquired Burger King Holdings Inc. in a deal valued at $4 billion, including debt, netting a handsome return for private equity backers TPG, Bain Capital LLC and Goldman Sachs Capital Partners, who retained a 31% stake after taking the company public in 2006. Two years later, 3G returned Burger King to public markets in a complex deal valuing the company at $8.1 billion.

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3G made an even bigger splash in 2014, with Burger King agreeing to pay $11 billion for Canadas Tim Hortons Inc. Warren Buffetts Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK.B) provided $3 billion of Burger Kings $12.5 billion financing commitment. The combined company rebranded as Restaurant Brands in late 2014.

Buffett, who currently holds a 3.6% stake in Restaurant Brands, also teamed up with 3G in its $28 billion purchase of H.J. Heinz Co. in 2013. Heinz subsequently merged with 3G-backed Kraft Foods Group Inc. in a $55 billion deal to form Kraft Heinz Co. (KHC). While Kraft Heinz and 3Gs acquisition appetites were the source of wide speculation, even company followers were shocked when the food giant on Friday offered $143 billion for Unilever plc (UN). The offer was quickly withdrawn.

3G also orchestrated the formation of Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (BUD) through a series of acquisitions culminating in a $107 billion deal with SABMiller plc closing Oct. 10.

On the conference call, Restaurant Brands CFO Joshua Kobza said that Popeyes is growing at a similar pace as Burger King was in 2010, when 3G acquired the brand. Back then Burger King was growing approximately 170 net new restaurants per year, he said. And over the course of the past six years, weve been able to increase the pace of growth to 735 net new restaurants per year as of 2016.

Popeyes specializes in fried chicken. Kobza added that chicken is a popular category across the world, with particular growth potential in Asia.

Restaurant Brands will finance the deal, which is expected to close in April, with cash on hand and financing committed by J.P. Morgan and Wells Fargo. The Oakville, Ontario-based company had cash and equivalents of C$1.948 billion ($1.495 billion) as of December.

King & Spaldings Rob Leclerc, Jeff Stein, Elliot Tapp and Zach Cochran also advised Popeyes. Sonny Cohen was in-house counsel to Popeyes.

The firm, also based in Atlanta, is Popeyes longtime corporate counsel. Stein was issuer counsel on the 2001 IPO of AFC Enterprises Inc., Popeyes corporate predecessor, while Cohen practiced at King & Spalding before going in-house at Popeyes. King & Spalding also advised AFC when it sold Seattle Coffee Co. to Starbucks Corp. (SBUX) for $72 million in 2003.

Paul Weisss Jeffrey Samuels, Alyssa Wolpin and Robert Killip advised 3G on Burger Kings acquisition of Tim Hortons; Samuels advised 3G on Kraft Foods merger with Heinz. Barshay, then of Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, also advised 3G and Heinz on the Kraft Foods merger and then joined Paul Weiss on April 3.
PR-Inside.com: 2017-02-21 08:35:02

1 MWp solar rooftop system for IKEA Tampines in Singapore

Non-exclusive regional framework agreement between Phoenix Solar and IKEA Southeast Asia

Phoenix Solar Pumps Renewable Energy Into IKEA Store

Phoenix Solar AG

Dr. Joachim Fleing, Investor Relations Representative

+49 (8135) 938-315

or

IKEA Southeast Asia

Corinna Schuler, Head of Corporate Communication

(65) 9112-4812



Singapores Phoenix Solar Pte Ltd has been awarded a contract by IKEA Southeast Asia to design and build a 1 MWp solar system on the roof of IKEA Tampines. The system is expected to generate 1.3 million kilowatt hours per year  enough renewable energy to power the equivalent of 283 four-room HDB flats. IKEA expects to trim an estimated $2.4 million from the stores electrical bills over the next ten years.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201702200057

Phoenix Solar engineered 1 MWp photovoltaic system atop IKEA Southeast Asia's Megabangna mall in Thailand. For editorial use free of charge; Source: Phoenix Solar (Photo: Business Wire)

This project follows the successful 1 MWp solar rooftop system installation on top of the companys Megabangna mall in Bangkok and is the start of additional collaborations already in the pipeline between IKEA Southeast Asia and Phoenix Solar.

Phoenix Solar Pte Ltd is the Singapore based subsidiary of Phoenix Solar AG (ISIN DE000A0BVU93), an international photovoltaic (PV) system integrator listed on the official market (Prime Standard) of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. The contract with the IKEA franchisee is based upon a non-exclusive regional framework agreement executed recently between the two companies covering turnkey services for engineering, procurement, installation, operation and maintenance (O&M) of commercial rooftop solar PV systems. The agreement provides a streamlined procurement process while maintaining competitive pricing strategies.

"This project supports a core sustainability goal for our company: to generate and consume renewable energy, says Christian Rojkjaer, the Managing Director of IKEA Southeast Asia. When we can reduce climate impact while saving long-term operational costs, its an easy business decision. At the same time, we contribute in a meaningful way to the development of renewable energy in Southeast Asia.

Sustainability is an integral and natural part of the everyday business for IKEA Southeast Asia, driven by a vision to create a better everyday life for the many people. The company consistently strives to have a positive impact on the planet and people while operating and expanding its retail business in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. Solar PV systems play a vital part.

The IKEA Cheras store in Kuala Lumpur already has a similar system on its rooftop. Megabangna, the spacious Bangkok mall anchored by IKEA, was among the first large commercial enterprises in Thailand to feed electricity into the city grid under the feed-in tariff solar rooftop program started by the government in 2014. We expect a positive impact  commercially and environmentally - from the Singapore project and from further cooperating with Phoenix Solar in our other regional projects in Southeast Asia, says Mr. Rojkjaer.

Eric Fleckten, Phoenix Solar Senior Vice President Asia/Pacific, added: "We are proud to expand our cooperation with IKEA Southeast Asia on a new contractual basis and with another project supporting the companys move towards clean energy by providing top-class solar PV systems on time and on budget. The cooperation is a strong contribution to our strategy of sustainable and profitable growth in the region."

Installation of the solar panels begins at IKEA Tampines in March and the project is expected to be completed in July.

About Phoenix Solar AG

Phoenix Solar AG, with headquarters in Sulzemoos / Munich, Germany, is an international photovoltaic systems integrator. The Group develops, plans, builds and operates large-scale photovoltaic plants. As an EPC contractor specializing in the design and execution of solar power plants, Phoenix Solar places special emphasis on the on-time and on-budget construction and delivery of solar power plants, optimized to deliver superior output. With subsidiaries on three continents, the company has designed and built some 800 MWp of turnkey systems since its founding. The shares of Phoenix Solar AG (ISIN DE000A0BVU93) are listed on the official market (Prime Standard) of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. www.phoenixsolar-group.com.

About IKEA Southeast Asia

We own and operate IKEA stores in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, offering millions of people in Southeast Asia access to a large range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products at affordable prices. We develop, own and operate Shopping Centres anchored by IKEA, and create vibrant destinations by investing in residential, office and other types of real estate. Our multi-national team has projects in the pipeline and an ambition to double our business in coming years. We are part of the Ikano Group of companies and the only IKEA franchisee in the world today owned by the Kamprad family that founded IKEA.

For editorial use free of charge; Source of Photo: Phoenix Solar

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201702200057

Phoenix Solar and IKEA Southeast Asia build solar rooftop under framework agreement.
South Korea says the volume of trade between it and Nigeria has dropped from $4.5 billion (about N1.42 trillion) in 2014 to $1.8 billion (about N567.5 billion) in 2015.

The Korean Deputy Minister for Multilateral and Global Affairs, Jongmoon Choi, said this in Abuja at the end of bilateral meeting between both countries.

Nigeria and South Korea expressed worry over the decrease of $2.7 billion in the volume of trade between the two countries.

The trade volume between the two countries was about $4 billion in 2013, and in 2014 it was about $4.5 billion.

This was higher, but unfortunately our trade volume has slide back a bit, which is of concerns to us, he said.

Mr. Choi said that there was the need to revitalise the volume of trade, adding that the sharp drop was due to some factors.

The envoy listed some of the factors to include the loss of investors confidence in doing business in Nigeria.

He, however, pledged his countrys determination to increase its investment in Nigeria, which he said stood at about $500 million.

When it comes to investment, it is more important than trade because together we do investment from South Korea to Nigeria.

So, together we bring in technology and managerial skills and most importantly, hard working experience.

The total amount of our investment stands at about 500 million dollars; this is a bit low.

So we are taking the time to regenerate the momentum to boost our economic relations, he said.

Mr. Choi said that his country had planned to increase its Official Development Assistance, ODA, to Africa, adding that Nigeria had a sizeable amount of ODA released to the continent earlier.

He expressed pleasure over the resolution by the Federal Government to address the challenge of double taxation on investments in Nigeria.

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Olushola Enikaolaye, said the two countries had a good relationship.

Our relationship has been very good, we have seen it blossom, South Korea remains strategic partner within the auspices of our international relations, he said.

He called on the government of South Korea to support Nigeria in its efforts to diversify its economy from oil to other sectors such as agriculture to address the challenge of food security.

(NAN)

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The Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, has listed an underwritten N9 billion bond for Forte Oil as part of the planned N50 billion bond issuance programme for the energy company.

A statement released on Tuesday by Joseph Kadiri, NSEs media adviser, said the proceeds of the N9 billion Series 1 Five Year bond will be deployed to refinance existing short term commercial bank loan obligations.

It would also be used to expand the companys downstream retail outlet footprints amongst others, Mr. Kadiri added.

On his part, the Group Managing Director of the company, Akin Akinfemiwa, said, This bond programme, being the first in the

downstream sector, is a testament to Forte Oils leading position

within the downstream sector.

United Capital Limited served as the lead Financial Advisor/Issuing House to the transaction, while Boston Advisory Ltd., FBN Capital Ltd., Planet Capital and Vetiva Capital Management were joint Financial Advisors/issuing House.

Speaking on the listing, Haruna Jalo-Waziri, Executive Director, Capital Market Division, NSE said the exchange is pleased to partner with the energy company.

We are pleased to be a partner to Forte Oil in its quest to expand its franchise by raising fresh capital through bonds, Mr. Jalo-waziri said.

As the pioneer Exchange, we will continue to provide our issuers with bespoke financing options that will place them in vantage position to compete regionally and globally.

Earlier, two companies, Medview Airline and Jaiz Bank, were listed by introduction; Stanbic IBTC Asset Management Limited equally listed Pension ETF 40; while Top Services Limited listed a REITs.

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The trial of Saif Gaddafi, a son of the ousted Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi, sentenced to death in absentia, did not meet international standards and he should face murder charges at the International Criminal Court (ICC), the UN said on Tuesday.

Since his fathers toppling in 2011, Saif has been held in Zintan, a mountainous western region, by one of the factions that began contending for power after Mr. Gaddafi was killed.

He was sentenced to death in July 2015 by a Tripoli court for war crimes, including killing protesters during the revolution.

Zintani forces refused to hand him over, saying they did not trust Tripoli to guarantee he does not escape.

The UN report on the trial of 37 defendants including Gaddafi cited serious violations of due process, such as prolonged incommunicado detention without access to families or lawyers, and allegations of torture that were not properly investigated.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Hussein, said in a statement that the proceedings fell short of international norms and standards for fair trial and also breached Libyan law in some respects.

No prosecution witnesses were called to testify in court, undermining the defendants ability to challenge evidence.

This trial was a missed opportunity for justice, Mr. Hussein said.

Saif, former intelligence chief, Abdullah al-Senussi, and former Prime Minister Al-Baghdadi a-Mahmoudi were among nine defendants sentenced to death by firing squad.

The Libyan Government has been unable to secure the arrest and surrender of (Gaddafi), who remains in Zintan and is considered to be outside the control of the internationally-recognsed Libyan authorities, the UN report said.

Libyas Court of Cassation is to review the procedures in the case but not the facts and evidence. As such the review does not constitute a full appeal as required by international standards, the UN report said.

It called on Libyan authorities to ensure the surrender of Gaddafi to the Hague-based ICC, in compliance with Libyas international obligations.

The ICC does not allow the death penalty.

It said thaty the ICC Prosecutor continues to seek the surrender of (Gaddafi) to the Libyan authorities in order to proceed with his case.

The report, by the human rights office and UN Support Mission in Libya, urged Libyan authorities to reform the criminal justice system saying that the trial had highlighted major flaws.

(Reuters/NAN)

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Malaysias Prime Minister Najib Razak said on Tuesday that comments by the North Korean ambassador casting doubt over a Malaysian investigation into the killing of the estranged half-brother of North Koreas leader were diplomatically rude.

The statement by the ambassador was totally uncalled for.

It was diplomatically rude. But Malaysia will stand firm, Mr. Najib told reporters.

North Korean ambassador Kang Chol said his country cannot trust Malaysias handling of the probe into the killing.

Kim Jong Nam, the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, was killed at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Feb. 14.

South Korean and U.S. officials believe he was assassinated by North Korean agents.

On Monday, Pyongyangs ambassador to Malaysia, Kang Chol, said that North Korea cannot trust the investigation by Malaysian police.

The investigation by the Malaysian police is not for the clarification of the cause of the death and search of the suspect, but it is out of the political aim, he said.

The envoy said he thought there was evidence that South Korea [was] involved in this incident, adding that he believed Malaysia was in collusion with South Korea from the first step.

He also demanded to meet with the two female suspects arrested last week in connection with the killing.

(Reuters/NAN)

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The lecturers at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, LAUTECH, are set to call off their eight months old strike today, an official told PREMIUM TIMES.

The Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, LAUTECH Chapter, Biodun Olaniran. in a chat with PREMIUM TIMES said the lecturers will hold their congress Tuesday and would take a positive stance on calling off the strike.

We have made progress and all things been equal we should have the strike called off, I am in a discussion with the ASUU National Executive Council already, he said.

Members of the National Executive Council of ASUU are also expected to attend the LAUTECH congress.

Commenting on the development, the Senior Special Assistant to the Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, on Youth and Students Affairs, Bolaji Afeez, said We have done all necessary to ensure that the strike is called off and we look forward to ASUU calling off her strike tomorrow (Tuesday).

LAUTECH resumed on January 27 after seven months closure due to workers stike over non-payment of salaries. But lecturers refused to resume stating that some of their demands were yet to be met by the Oyo and Osun state governments, who jointly own the university.

One of the major demands of the lecturers is a written commitment by the states on adequate funding of the university.

The ASUU congress holds Tuesday afternoon.

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The United Nations International Children Emergency Fund, UNICEF, on Monday said that 1.4 million children suffering from severe malnutrition could die this year from famine in Nigeria and three other countries.

The three other countries are Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen.

According to UNICEF, in Yemen, where war has been raging for nearly two years, 462,000 children are suffering from acute malnutrition while 450,000 children are severely malnourished in northeast Nigeria.

Drought in Somalia has left 185,000 children on the brink of famine but that figure is expected to reach 270,000 in the next few months, said UNICEF.

In South Sudan, over 270,000 children are malnourished and a famine has just been declared in parts of Unity State in the north of the country, where 20,000 children live.

UNICEF director, Anthony Lake, appealed for quick action.

We can still save many lives, he said.

In January, a report by the Famine Early Warning System Network, FEWS NET, an agency supported by the United States Agency for International Development, USAID, said that due to persistent conflict, severe drought and economic instability, Nigeria and three other countries faced a credible risk of famine in 2017.

The report had added that the Boko Haram crisis continues to contribute to large scale population displacement, limit market activity, and restrict normal livelihoods.

Earlier in 2016, the presidency had warned Nigerians of a likelihood of famine if the excess export of Nigerian grains is not checked.

Huge demand for our grains in the global market is creating an excellent environment for the mindless export of Nigerian food across our borders and unless this is curtailed, Nigerian markets will be bereft of grains by January next year, presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu, had said in November.

Mr. Shehu had added that the Ministry of Agriculture advised the president to call the attention of all Nigerians to the issue which, if not addressed promptly, could lead to a shortage of grains in the country.

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A witness in the corruption trial of Justice Adeniyi Ademola has stated that President Muhammadu Buharis lawyer gave the embattled judge N500,000 while his certificate controversy was pending before Mr. Ademola.

Some persons had filed a suit challenging Mr. Buharis candidacy prior to the 2015 elections, alleging the president had no secondary school certificate as required by law.

The witness, an official of the State Security Service, said the money was given by Mr. Buharis former lawyer, Kola Awodeyin. He said the information on the payment was provided by another senior lawyer, Joe Agi.

The witness, however, said he does not consider the money a bribe.

Mr. Ademola is being prosecuted by the Nigerian government for alleged corruption. He has denied the charges and requested accelerated hearing at the trial in Abuja.

The federal judge is being prosecuted alongside his wife, Olubowale, and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Joe Agi.

Details later

Editors Note: This post has been edited to reflect the accurate statements of the witness. More details will be provided in the updated story.

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The Kaduna State Security Council has imposed a 24-hour curfew in Jemaa and Kaura Local Government Areas of Kaduna State with immediate effect.

Gunmen invaded different communities in the two local governments of Southern Kaduna, within 24 hours, killing at least 14 people and destroying several properties.

The first attack occurred on Sunday in Bakin Kogi, Kaninkon Village, in Jemaa Local Government Area at about 5:30 p.m.

The casualty in Jemaa is uncertain as the attackers were believed to have been repelled by security officials.

About 12 hours after the Jemaa attack, gunmen on Monday killed 14 persons and injured many others in an attack on Ashim village, Takad chiefdom of Kaura Local Government Area.

A statement signed by Samuel Aruwan, Special Assistant to the Governor on Media and Publicity on Tuesday, said imposing a curfew in the affected LGAs became necessary to protect lives and properties and to avoid the further breakdown of law and order.

He said all security agencies on a special operation in the two Local Government Areas have been directed to ensure strict compliance.

Only essential workers and those on humanitarian services are allowed movement after due clearance by security agencies, Mr Aruwan added.

Hours after the Kaura attack, the state government announced on Monday that the Garrison Commander of the 1 Division of the Nigerian Army and the states Commissioner of Police have relocated to Southern Kaduna.

This according to the government is to enable the army commander, Ismaila Isa, a brigadier general, and police commissioner, Agyole Abeh, coordinate a determined response to renewed attacks by armed bandits on communities in the two local governments.

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The Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Femi Adesina, on Tuesday in Abuja said the results of President Muhammadu Buharis medical tests suggested further rest.

Mr. Adesina, who stated this when he spoke with State House correspondents on the statement earlier issued on Mr. Buharis medical vacation, did not stipulate the period of time the resting will last.

The President wants Nigerians to know that he appreciates their prayers; he appreciates their concerns and their goodwill. He has added that there is really no cause to worry.

He is the one who owns the body and there is nobody who will know his body more than him and he says no cause to worry.

It makes sense to say that, maybe from the results of the tests, further rests had been recommended. The statement did not say how long the rest would last.

I speak for somebody; I do not speak for myself. So it is what he tells me to say that I say and the statement transmitted to me is that the President needs to rest for some further time, he said.

The presidential aide stated that he was not in the position to talk about the nature of the Presidents illness.

Dont you know that the Hippocratic Oath even forbids a doctor from speaking about the condition of his patient except the patient authorises it?

It is only the patient himself who can speak about what he is going through.

This is the person going through these series of tests and rest and he says no cause to worry, let us believe that.

Mr. Buhari on Tuesday reassured Nigerians of his health conditions, thanking them for their consistent prayers for his well-being.

In a statement by Mr. Adesina, the president thanked millions of Nigerians who had been sending good wishes to him.

The President revealed that the results of the test conducted on him indicated that he needed a longer period of rest.

The president had proceeded on a 10-day vacation and a routine medical check in the UK on January 19.

In a letter sent to both arms of the National Assembly, the president said Vice President Yemi Osinbajo would act as president pending his return.

The president, who could not make it back to the country on February 6, transmitted another letter to the Senate requesting extension of time to complete his medical check-up in London.

(NAN)

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The Ministry of Women Affairs has blamed consistent blackout at the Federal Secretariat for delay in submitting necessary documents for the 2017 budget defence to the House of Representatives.

The Minister of Women Affairs, Aisha Alhassan, disclosed this before the House Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development on Tuesday in Abuja.

The challenge we had is that, sometimes at the secretariat, we stay for three, four, five weeks without light; right now, this is the third week that we have stayed without light.

The permanent secretary and I had to raise money personally to buy diesel at the Women Centre to do it.

At the time, because there was no light we couldnt retrieve data from the desk top computers.

Unfortunately, we did not have the data in flash drives, so it was partly our fault and partly not ours.

But all I can say is that, honourable chairman, we sincerely apologise. We are very sorry for that and it will not repeat itself.

Earlier, the Chairman of the committee, Stella Uchenna (Enugu-PDP), decried the lateness of the submission by the ministry despite the several notice.

Ms. Uchenna said there is the need for more cooperation between the MDAs and national assembly committees.

On January 30, we requested that you send to us the budget implementation of 2016, the document didnt reach us. Then on February 9, we wrote a reminder and still we did not get a reply.

And because we were short of time, we now wrote requesting for the budget performance for 2016 and the proposal for 2017, and we got the centre and the ministry yesterday.

Ms. Uchenna noted that an early submission of documents would have availed the committee time to understudy them before budget defence.

The ministry presented the 2016 budget performance but the committee noted numerous errors and requested that the document be reproduced and sent back to it.

(NAN)

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A witness in the ongoing trial of a Federal High Court judge, Adeniyi Ademola, has told the court that operatives of the State Security Service did not investigate an alleged gift of N500, 000 given to Mr. Ademola by President Muhammadu Buharis lawyer.

Mr. Ademola is facing trial for alleged abuse of office alongside.

His wife, Olubowale, and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Joe Agi, are also being tried for alleged corruption.

An operative of the SSS, Babatunde Adepoju, who led investigations into the allegations, confirmed on Tuesday that he had been told, during interrogation of Mr. Agi, that a gift of N500, 000 was sent through Mr. Buharis lawyer, Kola Awodehin, to Mr. Ademola.

The money, reportedly sent as a gift for Mr. Ademolas daughters wedding, was delivered to the judge by Kola Awodehin, a lawyer who represented the president in a case of alleged forgery of secondary school certificate before the 2015 elections.

The following exchanges ensued in court between Mr. Agis lawyer, Jeph Njikonye, and Mr. Adepoju:

Question: During the interview with the third defendant, he told you that the wedding gift passed by Ken Hubert and Bassey Bassey was not the only gift received by the first defendant (Justice Ademola), and that the presidents lawyer also passed a gift of N500,000 then for the wedding of the judges daughter.

Answer: Yes.

[At this point, a copy of the court document involving the charge against Mr. Buhari on allegations of certificate forgery; (between Chukwunwike Vs President Buhari), was shown to the witness who identified the name of the lawyer (Mr. Awodehin), as the third person representing the president in the suit.]

Question: Was Kola Awodeyin, SAN, the one who passed off the gift of N500,000?

Answer: Yes

As a follow up to the response by Mr. Adepoju, Mr. Agis lawyer asked whether the N500,000 given at a time when Mr. Buhari had a pending case before Mr. Ademola, amounted to a bribe, so that the judge would rule in his favour.

Mr. Adepoju answered in the negative, stressing that such would amount to a speculation in my opinion.

Mr. Adepoju also added that his office did not investigate further to determine the authenticity or otherwise of the claim by Mr. Agi.

At least 10 suits challenging the eligibility of Mr. Buhari to contest the 2015 presidential election came before the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court.

The suits were later consolidated into two, since they all sought similar actions from the court of law.

In one of the suits, Chukwunweike Okafor sought an order compelling the Independent National Electoral Commission to remove or delete Mr. Buharis name and that of the All Progressives Congress from the list of persons and political parties running for the office of president.

Mr. Okafor asked the court to hold that the information supplied by the APC flag-bearer in Form C.F 001 that his West African School Certificate was with the Nigerian Army was false and should be disqualified from the race.

In another suit, Max Ozoaka asked the court to disqualify Mr. Buhari on the ground that the INEC Form Cf 001 the APC candidate submitted to INEC was incomplete.

The suits were, however, struck out days before the general election in April 2015.

Messrs. Hubert and Bassey had been identified on Monday as donating $150,000 to Justice Ademola for his daughters wedding. The money was later converted into N37 million.

Mr. Adepoju, who stated this in court, could however not trace the donors of the money to any case involving Mr. Ademola, or any of the defendants.

On Tuesday the prosecution closed its case against the judge, after presenting all its witnesses.

Lawyer to Mr. Ademola, Onyeachi Ikpeazu, thereafter told the court that his client would like to make a no-case-submission.

The trial judge, Jude Okeke, adjourned the matter till March 15 for hearing of the application.

Read our earlier report below.

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As a follow up to its commitment to ease the difficulties Nigerians encounter in funding foreign exchange transactions, the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, on Tuesday intervened in the interbank FOREX market by injecting a total of $370.9 million to the wholesale market through 23 deposit money banks.

The CBN said the intervention was to help the banks meet the requests of customers.

PREMIUM TIMES learnt the qualified bids for the U.S. dollars ranged from N315 to N360, with seven banks receiving full allotments of their respective bids valued at $37.5 million each.

Besides, other banks allotments ranged between $46,512.50 and $15.578 million.

CBN spokesperson, Isaac Okorafor, said the banks intermediation effort in the FOREX market was the first wholesale intervention to ease the pressures by Nigerians to access foreign exchange towards meeting various obligations under visible and invisible needs categories.

The CBN, Mr. Okorafor explained, had initially offered $500 million for sale to the banks, although not all the banks provided sufficient Naira backing to pay up for their respective bid amounts.

Mr. Okorafor was optimistic the wholesale intervention of the CBN would substantially ease the foreign exchange pressures on visible and invisible needs of customers.

He assured that the CBN would continue to intervene in the interbank market based on qualified bids from the deposit money banks on the requests of their customers.

The CBN is more than ever ready to support the inter-bank market by ensuring liquidity and transparency to guarantee efficiency in the FOREX market, Mr. Okorafor said.

Urging all market players to contribute their quota to assist in getting the new measures unveiled place by the CBN to guarantee the steady recovery of the financial market as well as the growth and development of the economy to the benefit of all Nigerians.

Last Friday, the CBN, at the end of its meeting with deposit money banks issued new policy actions on FOREX aimed at easing access to foreign exchange for personal and business travel as well as educational and medical fees, among others.

As part of the new policy action announced on Monday, the CBN also directed all banks in the country to open FOREX retail outlets at major airports as soon as logistics permit to facilitate travelers ease in settling transactions;

Under the new policy, the CBN offered to provide FOREX directly to Nigerians through deposit money banks to fund personal and business travels, payment of school fees as well as settlement of medical bills.

Meanwhile, a breakdown of the forwards indicated that $216,465,671.02 was for 30 days, while $154,345,139.77 was for 60 days.

Besides, the CBN had also made spot sales of $1.5 million to four banks, totaling $6 million.

In addition, it also offered $41 million for sales, out of which $35 million was taken up for the payment of school fees, medical bills and personal and business travel allowances.

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The Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) says it has so far accredited Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences in 18 universities in the country.

Its Registrar, Elijah Mohammed, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday.

According to him, the accreditation is to ensure that qualified professionals are produced in the universities.

Mr. Mohammed said that about 1,500 pharmacists were being produced annually in the country, adding that the number was grossly inadequate.

He said the accreditation would give necessary fillip to the affected universities to graduate more pharmacists to meet up with human resource requirements in the profession.

The registrar identified some of the accredited institutions as Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, University of Maiduguri, University of Jos, University of Nigeria Nsukka, and Madonna University Okija.

Also, University of Port Harcourt, Nmamdi Azikiwe University Akwa, University of Uyo, Delta State University Abraka, and University of Benin are included.

Others included are University of Lagos, University of Ibadan, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye.

Mr. Mohammed explained that the accreditation was in consonant with the law setting up the council which mandated it to regulate the education training and practice of pharmacy and other professionals within the pharmaceutical landscape.

The registrar, however, explained that the accreditation was done to ascertain the staff strength, qualifications, the staff and students ratio among others.

The quality of professionals from these institutions has been excellent because most of our products that find their way into UK, Canada, America and other countries have performed excellently well.

We augment NUC accreditation because they also carry out accreditations. Sometimes we compare notes and still do the needful when the need arises.

In the process of accrediting institutions, we look at the structures that are available for training and research, laboratories to ensure that they meet the minimum standard, available equipment for training and research.

We give special attention to quality of laboratories, whether they still have those chemicals that will enable the students to go through courses like pharmaceutics which involves drug production, pharmaceutical Chemistry that involves drug analysis and other aspect of training.

We also look at the structures, student enrolment to ensure that those that are enrolled have the minimum qualification required to study in such faculty.

Mr. Mohammed further noted that the council in the process also had one on one dialogue with the staff and students to ascertain if they were being treated well.

According to him, the council also conduct historical perspective of qualification of professors and other staff in the faculty.

We normally have a brief with the Vice Chancellors highlighting the short comings and also applauding them for what they have been doing so that they can be encouraged to do more.

Meanwhile, the registrar said that the council had commenced the process of re-accreditation of Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Usman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto on Feb. 20.

According to him, the council will revisit the institution after four years for full accreditation.

NAN reports that PCN Act Cap P.17, Laws of the Federation of 2004, which was enacted in 1992 has the mandate to regulate members of the profession and professional activities among others.

(NAN)

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The Federal Government has acquired 110 rice milling machines to be installed in different parts of the country, between now and July, to boost rice production across the country.

Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President, confirmed this development on his Facebook page on Monday, in Abuja.

The presidential aide was quoted at the weekend as saying that Nigeria was the second largest producer of rice in the world.

Mr. Shehu, quoting a media report, said 48,000 new millionaires had emerged in Kebbi State alone last year, for growing rice.

According to him, Nigeria has just achieved the record of the second largest producer of rice in the world, following a rice revolution started just a year ago.

A newspaper did an investigation in Kebbi and found out that there were 48,000 new millionaires in Kebbi State alone last year for growing rice.

This over reliance on oil has killed this country and we cannot continue like this. So, the diversification of the economy means more money will be in the hands of ordinary Nigerians.

And there will be widespread prosperity all over the country, he said.

The presidential aide maintained that Nigerians should be proud of the ongoing agricultural revolution in the country.

Mr. Shehu, however, stated that officials of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture would soon come up with the latest development on rice production in the country.

The statement on the facebook page read: We are not the first to say that Nigeria has grown to the second position in rice production worldwide.

The CNN, which is not a frivolous news source, said this. We have reason to believe them because of their global reach.

While we wait the numbers from the Food and Agricultural Organisation, FAO, we are collating our own figures and in the coming weeks, the officials in the Ministry of Agriculture will be coming up with our own position on rice production.

Dont forget that since October last year, Nigeria has been feeding many parts of West, North and Central Africa.

Many of these countries have been shopping in Nigeria for rice, sorghum, sesame and millet.

To support the growing rice industry, the Federal Government just acquired 110 rice milling machines which will be installed in different parts of the country between now and July.

A lot is happening in Nigeria for which we should be proud, he said.

(NAN)

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Emmanuel Ukoette, a member of the Federal House of Representatives, has defected from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Mr. Ukoette, who represents Oruk Anam/Ukanafun Federal Constituency, Akwa Ibom State, won election to the House under the platform of the PDP.

The federal lawmaker announced his defection, Monday, in a letter he wrote to Gideon Samani, the Senior Special Assistant on Political Matters to President Muhammadu Buhari.

He said in the letter that he was leaving the party because of the rudderless nature of the (party) leadership.

The PDP has been thrown into a protracted leadership crisis after the party lost the 2015 presidential election to the APC. The party has two separate factions laying claim to the position of its national chairman.

A factional leader of the party, Ali Modu Sheriff, last week secured a victory at the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt, which declared him the authentic chairman.

Ahmed Makarfi and his faction have rejected the judgment and have indicated their intention to head to the Supreme Court.

Mr. Ukoettes defection is coming 32 days after a PDP senator, Nelson Effiong, also from the state, defected to the APC on January 19.

Mr. Effiong had hinted that more senators would be leaving the PDP.

Mr. Ukoette told PREMIUM TIMES that besides the animosity within the PDP, there was so much uncertainty about the future of the party.

He also said that he and his federal constituency have been marginalized in the state.

The sharing formula of the dividends of democracy in the PDP has been faulty, and I have made persistent complaints about this without redress.

I feel that to key my people into the mainstream of national development, my movement to the APC is inevitable.

I am also seeing a situation whereby I will team up with other progressives to salvage Akwa Ibom from the grip of a certain few hawks who have formed an oligarchy in order to enslave and perpetually keep Akwa Ibom in a state of ruin, he said.

The lawmaker said it was erroneous to think that the PDP is in control of Akwa Ibom State.

I want to tell you that come 2019, the APC shall win Akwa Ibom. I want it to be on record that I said it, he said.

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The Union of Allied Health Professionals, NUAHP, has put Nigerias federal government on notice that its members would go on strike after February 27, if it fails to address the rot in the health system.

The group, which comprises all hospital health staff, gave the notice on Monday during a street protest in Abuja.

If nothing is done against the flagrant display of lawlessness, perversion of justice and the rot in the health sector accounting for millions of preventable pains and death in Nigeria before 27th February, 2017 the union will be left with no other option than to declare a strike action, warned Ogbonna Obinna, president of the union.

He said the protest was against the deplorable condition of Nigerias health sector.

The protest was the third in Abuja this February, the first being the anti-government protest against the rising cost of living in Nigeria.

The union marched at the Federal Secretariat, the Three Arms Zone and Shehu Shagari Way in the federal capital, with union members carrying placards with various inscriptions.

Some of the inscriptions were Federal Ministry of Health has legalised corruption,  Implement consultancy status for other Health professionals. Federal Ministry of Health worse than ever, Obey the rule of law, Rots in Federal Ministry of Health must be cleansed, Federal Ministry of Health stop the discrimination,  Stop gambling with the health of Nigerians, and  Our hospitals are empty.

Mr. Obinna said the union was not comfortable with the way officials of the Federal Ministry of Health were gambling with the health of Nigerians through various obnoxious, offensive and retrogressive policies that have resulted into our health indices nose diving to 187 out of 191 countries censored by the world Health Organisation in 2016.

He stressed, One will question why our President, Muhammed Buhari, and other high-ranking Nigerians will go outside to seek medical attention if our health system is in order.

The late President of South Africa before he passed on was never taken abroad to seek medical attention but our leaders often neglect our health infrastructure to decay, leaving the Nigerian masses health at the mercy of God while they use taxpayers money to treat ailments which can be handled here abroad

Confidence in our health system by Nigerians is completely eroded, for lack of infrastructures, personnel and equipment in our hospitals which has become death centres, he said.

The union also called for forensic auditing of the ministry, and the abolition of the position of the Deputy Chairman Medical Advisory Committee (ADCMAC).

The position, the union claimed, is alien to Cap U15 LFN 2004, which is the enabling law that established the teaching hospitals. It said the ministry and management of government hospitals created the position.

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The Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs has again summoned the Accountant General of the Federation, AGF, to appear before it to explain why N500 million was allegedly not released to Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Commission, NCPC.

The chairperson of the committee, Monsurat Sunmonu, made the disclosure on Tuesday in Abuja during the 2017 budget defence of the NCPC.

She expressed disappointment over the absence of the AGF despite the invitation extended to him to appear before the joint committee.

She said that the committee would not continue with the budget defence of the commission until the AGF appeared before it.

There have been some problems with the budget of the NCPC and we invited the Accountant General of the Federation to appear today to defend on why, where and how.

Unfortunately, we havent seen him. In view of this, we have to adjourn till tomorrow. We need to see him to explain to us, she said.

Also speaking, Nnenna Ukeje, Chairperson, Foreign Affairs Committee in the House of Representatives, reiterated the commitment of NASS to hold agencies of government accountable for the sustenance of democracy.

She said that the committee would continue to work to actualise the commitment of the chairman of the National Assembly, Bukola Saraki, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara.

She said: Principal Officers of the National Assembly has promised that this years appropriation process will be held with utmost transparency and clarity in the interest of generality of the country.

It is to this end that we have decided that we are going to carry out our duties in the execution of this appropriation bill with utmost meticulousness.

The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that on February 16, the joint committee adjourned the defence of the 2017 budget of the NCPC to enable the AGF attend the session.

(NAN)

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No fewer than 171 Nigerians voluntarily returned from Libya on Tuesday aboard a chartered Nouvelair aircraft with registration number TS-1NB.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the aircraft landed at about 4.18 p.m. at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

NAN reports that another batch comprising 161 Nigerians, had earlier on February 14 also voluntarily returned from the North African country where they had been stranded enroute Europe.

The new set of returnees were brought back by the International Organisation for Migration, IOM, and the Nigerian Embassy in Libya.

They were received at the Hajj Camp area of the airport by officers of the Nigerian Immigration Service, NIS, the National Agency for the Protection of Trafficking in Person, NAPTIP, and the Police.

Also on ground to receive them were officials of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN.

The Director, Search and Rescue, NEMA, Salisu Mohammed, who gave a breakdown of the returnees, said they were made up of 49 males, 109 females, seven children and six infants.

Addressing journalists, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, commended the IOM for facilitating the return of the Nigerians.

She said : Like I told them, they are not criminals. These are people that have gone in search for greener pastures. However, it turned out to be a terrible experience for them.

They shouldnt be ashamed of themselves. Now they are back home and Mr President has personally conveyed his greetings to them and to let them know that they are back in Nigeria and there is no better time than now.

Times are tough, things are difficult but your country is the best place to be.

According to her, the Federal Government, IOM and some states have put up programmes in place to rehabilitate Nigerians who volunteered to return from Libya in order to reintegrate them into the society.

The question is, how long are we going to keep evacuating them? So there is going to be another evacuation and a final one when we will tell Nigerians who are stranded in Libya to come back home.

After that it will be difficult getting IOM to do the evacuation.

A lot of them dont know where they are going to. There is a lot of ignorance here. Some of them are trafficked and they get there with nothing.

The message here is that illegal migration is not worth it because as tough as the country is today, you are better off here than being in those places, Mrs. Dabiri-Erewa said .

She reiterated the governments commitment to the welfare of Nigerians all over the world, stressing that it was currently addressing the issue of xenophobic attacks on Nigerians living in South Africa.

The presidential aide described the attacks as shameful, noting that it was wrong to generalise Nigerians in the country as criminals.

One of the returnees, Gift Peters, said she got to Libya 11 months ago after being deceived that she was being taken to Germany.

When I got to Libya, it was not in my mind to continue with the journey. So I asked the person that took me to return me to Nigeria but he started maltreating me and sold me to someone who has a connection house in Libya where we were maltreated daily.

If we dont want to work, they will start maltreating us. They will do you something that you will wish to die.

Those who they sold us to, sometimes, use iron and start burning us. At times, they will instruct our fellow ladies to urinate for us to drink, the Delta State indigene said amidst tears.

According to her, she managed to eventually contact her family in Nigeria and was fortunate to make it back alive unlike many of her peers who joined her on the ill-fated journey.

(NAN)

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The All Progressives Congress, APC, has prayed that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, resolve its leadership crisis soon to enable it take up responsibility as a viable opposition.

In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, in Abuja on Tuesday, the party said there was need for PDP to be vibrant to provide the critical opposition.

We pray for them to put their house in order soon because we believe that democracy is better served when the opposition is alive.

However, we also know the PDP can only begin to take steps towards recovery if they stop peddling conspiracy theories and blaming imaginary enemies, Mr. Abdullahi said.

The spokesperson recalled that the Ahmed Makarfi-led faction of the PDP had alleged that the APC instructed the police to prevent its members from meeting at the International Conference Centre, ICC, Abuja.

Mr. Makarfi, he said, had also alleged that the APC somehow influenced the Appeal Court decision which ruled against him as the PDP National Caretaker Committee Chairman.

Neither of these allegations is true in any respect, the Police does not take instructions from the APC.

The police have explained why they stopped the Makarfi group from meeting at the ICC.

If the factional PDP is dissatisfied with the police explanation, they could seek further clarifications from the police or pursue alternative means of redress, the APC spokesperson said.

He added that so far, the Makarfi faction of the PDP had not faulted the police or provided any proof for its allegations against the APC, a development that was surprising.

It said that this was especially so considering that Makarfi and his group had in their ranks, individuals who are experienced to know that without evidence, such allegations can easily be dismissed as baseless.

Such allegation without evidence can, therefore, be ignored by all right thinking members of the public, including the APC.

The APC added that Nigerians should be worried by the behaviour of PDP factions which was capable of eroding the confidence of Nigerians in the judiciary.

It added that even as the PDP battled for survival, Nigerians should observe restraint in the interest of the country`s democracy, saying that APC had no interest in the internal crisis of PDP.

(NAN)

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- By Jonathan Poland





Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA) is a Spanish bank founded over 160 years ago in the northern port city of Bilbao. It is the second-largest bank in Spain, but has a global reach with international subsidiaries throughout South America and its two American holdings - Compass and Simple.

After a strong showing in 2016, the bank has to boost its equity to more sustainable levels. To really be on proper footing, the total liabilities should never be more than 10 times the total equity. This is a simple Buffett rule. When you look at Bank of America (BAC) and Wells Fargo (WFC), these companies' liabilities to equity ratios sit at seven times and eight times respectively. Banco Bilbao's liabilities are 15 times its equity.





More importantly, despite its attempt to grow in other countries, it is heavily leveraged to the fortunes of Spain and Mexico, which make up 60% of earnings. Profit in the Spanish banking segment was up 21%, but negative results in real estate resulted in a decrease of 46% in total profits. The U.S. full-year profits decreased 12% to 459 million euros ($484.1 million). In South America, net attributable profits came in 1% higher, while the Mexican subsidiary increased gross income 11% year over year to 2 billion euros. Meanwhile in Turkey, the bank had fantastic results, profits grew 41% to 599 million euros thanks to strong lending volume.

From a pure numbers standpoint, the stock looks cheap. In the last decade, BBVA has earned over 37 billion euros and typically traded with a 22 multiple. It still pays out a strong 6% dividend and analysts expect the bank's earnings to rise in 2016 to between 0.66 and 0.70 euros per share, and achieve as much as 20% growth per year over the next five years. Even on the low end, that gives the stock a price-earnigns ratio of less than 10 today and, if successful, a per-share profit rate north of $1.80 at current exchange rates. Additionally, if the planned 40% dividend payout is kept as the levels are reached, owners of the stock today would enjoy an 11% annual dividend.

Story continues

The downside risk is already baked in at this point

Back in 2014, the bank paid $117 million to acquire Simple, an online bank that operates without any physical branches and appeals to millennials. The goal was to move more into technology-driven banking with a financial technology company. Since making that purchase however, the bank has taken a goodwill impairment charge on its earnings with a total write-down of $89.5 million since the acquisition. On the most recent earnings call (Feb. 1) with analysts, BBVA CEO Carlos Torres Vila said Simple "is growing very well," adding more than 30,000 customers a month. This could be the long-term pivot the bank uses, but for now it is not much else.

The real value is going to come from growth in South America, Turkey and the United States. Mexico is one of the least penetrated banking systems in the world with a loan to GDP rate of 31%. This ratio should increase as Mexico will be forced to look inward if U.S. trade policies tighten and tax countries south of the border. BBVA has incredible efficiency ratios and return on equity rates in Mexico, which put it in a very good position to counteract any poor policy by the country's trade partners. Currently, the bank generates about 40% of its net income from Mexico.

If the growth rate is even half as good over the next five years, the bank would be in a position to earn 1.13 euros per share. If the euro regains any ground back to $1.15 or $1.25 per euro, that could translate into a stock price of $14 to $15 at current price multiples, and prices in the high 20s to low 30s at historical multiples. Again, this is just a big guessing game at this point, but investors can rest easy with a 6% annual dividend that will likely grow over time. That alone is enough margin of safety for a big bank like Banco Bilbao.

Disclosure: I have no positions in BBVA.

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This article first appeared on GuruFocus.






A Federal High Court Lagos has concluded trial-within-trial in the alleged N5.1billion fraud charge brought against Warampo Owei-Dudafa, an ex-aide of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had arraigned Mr. Dudafa alongside Joseph Iwejuo on 23 counts bordering on conspiracy and concealment of crime proceeds.

They pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The judge had ordered the conduct of the trial-within-trial to determine whether the statements written by Mr. Dudafa and his co-accused at the commissions office were voluntarily made or not.

At the resumed hearing of the case on Tuesday, Mr. Iwejuo concluded his evidence, insisting that his statements at the EFCCs office were written under duress.

Under cross-examination by EFCCs lawyer, Idris Mohammed, the accused said that even though he was granted administrative bail by the commission while in its custody, he was never allowed to go home.

He said: On the second day of my detention at EFCCs office, I was told I will be given administrative bail and I asked my family to arrange for a lawyer for me to hasten the process.

One lawyer, Mr Johnson, eventually came and he had some discussions with an EFCCs investigator, Mr Orji, on how to perfect my bail, but Orji told him that I can never be released because I will run away if I should regain my freedom and the lawyer eventually left in annoyance.

A request by Mr. Iwejuos lawyer, Sunday Abumere, for an adjournment to allow him invite his last witness was turned down by the court which fixed April 6, for parties to adopt their written addresses.

Mr. Dudafa was arraigned alongside Mr. Iwejuo, also known as Taiwo Ebenezer, and Olugbenga Isaiah by the EFCC on a 23-count charge of alleged N5.1 billion fraud.

Some of the companies allegedly used by the duo in committing the offences include Seagate Property Development, Investment Ltd, Avalon Global Property Development Company Ltd, Pluto Property and Investment Company Ltd and Rotate Interlink Services Ltd.

Others are Ibejige Services Ltd, DE Jakes Fast Food, Restaurant Nigeria Ltd and Ebiwise Resources.

(NAN)

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Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has added Adeyinka Asekun, a banker, to the list of 46 non-career ambassadorial nominees currently being considered by the Senate.

Senate President Bukola Saraki read Mr. Osinbajos letter conveying Mr. Asekuns name at plenary on Tuesday.

President Muhammadu Buhari, who has been in the United Kingdom on an extended medical vacation since January 19, had on January 12 resubmitted a list of 46 nominees to the Senate, two months after the first one was rejected.

The additional nominee, Mr. Asekun, is the chairman of Wema Bank and graduate of University of Wisconsin.

He also received an MBA from the California State University and had headed retail banking sections at the United Bank for Africa and now defunct Oceanic Bank.

Mr. Asekun hails from Ogun State, Laolu Akande, the spokesperson for Mr. Osinbajo confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES.

Mid-February, the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs chaired by Monsurat Sunmonu (APC-Oyo Central) had screened the earlier nominees.

Also, at the plenary today, Mr. Saraki read another letter from Mr. Osinbajo conveying the nomination of Walter Onnoghen as the Chief Justice of Nigeria.

The letter was dated February 5.

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At least 20 shops possibly belonging to immigrants were looted in South Africas capital overnight, police said on Tuesday, but could not confirm if the attacks had deliberately targeted foreigners.

Anti-immigrant violence has flared sporadically in South Africa against a background of near-record unemployment, with foreigners being accused of taking jobs from locals and getting involved in crime.

Responding to similar incidents in Pretoria at the weekend, Nigerias foreign ministry said it would summon South Africas envoy to raise its concerns over xenophobic attacks on Nigerians, other Africans and Pakistanis.

South African police said they did not yet know the motive for the latest attacks, and no deaths had been reported.

Police spokeswoman, Mathapelo Peters, said: there are allegations that these shops belong to foreign nationals.

It is alleged that the community members are saying that these shops were used for drug dealing but that is unconfirmed.

We will only be able to start a formal investigation once the shop owners come forward.

The Atteridgeville neighbourhood, where the looting took place, was calm on Tuesday as police cars drove through the streets.

An unemployed man in his mid-twenties, who declined to be named, said: we are sick and tired of foreigners who are coming to sell drugs and kill our people, we cant let the community go down like this.

South Africa, with a population of about 50 million, is home to an estimated 5 million immigrants.

In April 2015, Nigeria recalled its top diplomat in South Africa to discuss anti-immigrant attacks that killed at least seven people and sent hundreds of foreigners fleeing to safety camps, as authorities sent in soldiers to quell unrest in Johannesburg and Durban.

In 2008, at least 67 people were killed in anti-immigrant violence, with thousands of people fleeing to refugee camps.(Reuters/NAN)

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Former President Goodluck Jonathan has clarified his stand on the leadership crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the outcome of a meeting he had with the chairman of the party, Modu Sheriff.

Mr. Jonathan said he only mediated to unify and strengthen the opposition party.

The former president made the clarification in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES by his media aide, Ikechukwu Eze, on Tuesday.

He held a meeting with Mr. Sheriff in Abuja on Monday.

Mr. Sheriffs leadership of the party was affirmed by the Court of Appeal on Friday.

President Jonathans spokesperson denied media report that the former leader, during the visit, endorsed Mr. Sheriff as the national chairman of the party.

He said the issue of endorsement neither came up at the closed-doors meeting nor during the interview the former president had with journalists.

He said as a former president and foremost leader of the party, Mr. Jonathan welcomed Mr. Sheriff and some of his supporters to his house, in line with a mediation role he is playing towards unifying and strengthening the PDP.

As a peace-loving leader of the party, the former Presidents interest is to help reposition PDP to enable it play a constructive role in the affairs of the nation, in view of the imperative of deepening the nations democracy, Mr. Eze said.

I wish to let those spinning this falsehood know that it just doesnt add up to fly a contrived banner of endorsement in one breath, and in another, concede that the former President explained his commitment in meeting with different interest groups, towards resolving the differences in the party.

Mr. Eze explained that the former president opened his doors to Mr. Sheriff upon his request, just as he had earlier done to the Ahmed Makarfi-led caretaker committee members.

He said Mr. Jonathan was prepared to broker more talks until the issues in the leadership of the PDP were finally resolved.

Mr. Jonathan was earlier quoted as referring to Mr. Sheriff as My Chairman.

Mr. Eze did not comment on that.

But he said after the meeting with Mr. Sheriff on Monday, the former president also met with Mr. Makarfi and the Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, BoT, Walid Jubrin, later in the evening.

In deed, it may interest you to know that after meeting with Sheriff, the former President also met with Senator Ahmed Makarfi, leader of the PDP Caretaker Committee, and the partys Board of Trustees chairman, Senator Walid Jubril, later in the evening, he said.

Mr. Eze quoted the exact words of the former president, which he said were correctly reported by a section of the media, as follows:

We (PDP) are not factionalised. We are one. We are solving our problems. There are bound to be differences in politics. It is the way we resolve these differences that make us human beings and that is what makes us leaders. I have met with Sheriff. And I have met with others. I will still meet with others, so that we will be able to do what is expected of us as a political party.

Mr. Eze further called for fair and balanced reporting of national issues, saying While we appreciate the interest of journalists in the coverage of the activities of the former President, we urge accurate and constructive reporting, as it is a known fact that we cannot truly develop our nation, if journalists continue to twist and fabricate stories with the intent of misinforming the public.

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A prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of ex- Chief of Defence Staff, Alex Badeh, on Tuesday told the Federal High Court, Abuja, that his team recovered one million dollar cash from Mr. Badehs house.

Goji Mohammed, the 15th witness to testify in Mr. Badehs trial, said he was part of the EFCC team, led by Isyaku Sharu, that conducted the search in Mr. Badehs house in Asokoro, Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the ex-Chief of Defence Staff is standing trial on money laundering offence he allegedly committed while serving as Chief of Air Staff.

The witness also said the team recovered some bank documents, land documents, tax documents and few other instruments.

Mr. Mohammed further said the commission received intelligence report on another property located at No. 6 Ogun River Street, Maitama, which was found to be Mr. Badehs property.

He said they accessed the building through the balcony by climbing, adding that they invited the security man of the neighbouring house to witness the search.

When we climbed in, we were in the living area upstairs so we used the stairs and went to the living area downstairs and started our search from there.

When we got to the biggest room in the house, we saw a wardrobe, on opening it, we saw a bag and on opening it contained foreign currency.

We saw 16 bundles of 50 US dollars notes and two sealed bundles containing 100,000 US dollars which we estimated to amount one million US dollars.

On further counting the money in our office we discovered it was exactly one million dollars, he said.

He said they also found a red box which he could not precisely remember what was inside, adding that they also found two way bills of furniture supplied to the building.

When the prosecution sought to tender the search warrant, the red box and the way bill as evidence, the move was objected by the defence team.

Lasun Sanusi, counsel to the defendant, objected to the admissibility of the items, saying they were purportedly obtained from an illegal search.

Mr. Sanusi cited Section 115 of Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, 2015, which states that the occupant of a place searched or a relation shall be at the house and see the items seized.

He said no provisions of law permitted state security agents to conduct search by looking for strangers on the street to witness it.

Mr. Sanusi said the law gave the owner of the property the impetus to nominate a representative to witness such search if he or she could not be present.

My Lord, the witness had earlier confirmed that when they were to conduct search on the defendants house at Asokoro, they took him along to witness the search, why was this other one different.

It is on record that the defendant was still in detention when the purported search was done in his house at Maitama which is a clear violation of the law.

My Lord, we are not against the court admitting the search warrant as evidence but we vehemently oppose to the admissibility of the other items, he said.

On his part, the Prosecution Counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, argued that Section 149 and 150 of ACJA which deals with house search warrant permitted the presence of two witnesses.

This permission covers the person to whom the warrant is addressed and a neighbour within the neighbourhood the property is located, he said.

According to him, the provision allows the person to whom warrant is addressed to look for a witness in the neighbourhood.

He, therefore, argued that no provision of the law compelled the property owner to be present before a search warrant can be executed.

Justice Okon Abang, however, adjourned the matter till February 22 for continuation.

(NAN)

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Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi on Tuesday said that following the losses suffered by Boko Haram in the north-east, its fleeing members had found a haven in his state.

Mr. Bello made the disclosure in Abuja while speaking at the seventh edition of the National Security Seminar entitled: Consolidating on the Gains of Counter Terrorism Operations in Nigeria.

He, however, warned that the insurgents had chosen a wrong place because he was ready to collaborate with the military to rout them out of the state.

Kogi is now a haven for Boko Haram, because many of them have relocated to my state.

Just last night, four high profile Boko Haram members were arrested in Kogi by the military.

I want to assure them that they have chosen a wrong place to relocate, because we will never allow them.

We will work together with the armed forces to consolidate on the victory and gains recorded in the North-East, he said.

The governor commended the military for their efforts at technically defeating the insurgents in the north-east, and underscored the need to consolidate on the victory to avoid a relapse.

Mr. Bello said the government had actually done a lot in safeguarding lives and property and in reclaiming the territorial integrity of the country.

The Sultan of Sokoto, Saad Abubakar III, said that for the nation to consolidate on the gains of counter terrorism operations, national security agencies must work in synergy.

Mr. Abubakar also appealed to the government to look into and implement several suggestions made by experts at previous security seminars held in the country.

He said it was high time the government developed the political will to implement suggestions proffered by experts to prevent making security seminars mere talk shows.

Meanwhile, Jonathan Temlong, the President, Alumni Association of National Defence College, described terrorism as a global threat that had affected over 65 million globally.

The brigadier general commended the armed forces for the victory recorded against the Boko Haram, but emphasised the need to brace up and consolidate on the exploit in order to put a final end to the threat.

The seminar is jointly organised by the National Defence College of Nigeria, the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Alumni Association of National Defence College.

(NAN)

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The Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company has resumed crude oil pumping after a disruption that was caused by pipeline fire at Aku, near Lokoja in Kogi State.

Idi Mukhtar, the managing director of the company, disclosed this to members of the House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Downstream, who visited the facility on Tuesday.

The pipeline transports crude oil from Warri in Delta State to Kaduna. The fire, believed to have been set by vandals, caused damages to the pipeline at Aku near Lokoja in Kogi State.

The good news is that the lines have limited damages and crude oil pumping has resumed as production continues, he said.

Mr. Mukhtar said the major challenges facing the refinery were disruption of crude oil supply and the activities of vandals.

The said another challenge is that the refinery is still running on analogue equipment.

There are also the challenges of budget constraints and encroachment of houses on KRPC right of way of water line, he said.

He added that the refinery was losing over 100,000 cubic litre of water per hour along the water intake line to the plant, due to illegal tapping of the water lines.

These water tapped are not fit for human consumption, he warned.

He said the refinery had produced 24,504,000 litres of Kerosene since January and 19,158,000 litres had been evacuated.

The scarcity of kerosene, used by millions of largely poor Nigerians for cooking, had early this year hit major cities causing huge increase in price.

The situation had also forced some Nigerians to turn to alternatives such as firewood and cooking gas.

Three of the cities most affected by the scarcity were Kaduna and Zaria in Kaduna State and Calabar in Cross River State.

Mr. Mukhtar said the refinery had also produced 69,700,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) this year, with 70,673,000 litres evacuated since January.

Chairman of the visiting House Committee, Joseph Akinlana, frowned at Nigerias continued importation of petroleum products.

It is a shame from my point of view to have crude oil in Nigeria and begging to import over 80% of petroleum products, he said.

He also decried the vandalism of pipelines in parts of the country.

People, because of the situation in the country, have taken vandalization as a means of livelihood and this should not be so.

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The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohaneze Ndigbo said it is strategising to produce a Nigerian President of Igbo extraction in the near future.

The head of Ohaneze Ndigbo in Anambra, Damian Okeke-Ogene, said this in an interview with journalists on Tuesday in Awka.

Mr. Okeke-Ogene said the John Nwodo-led executive of the body would address the problems of the Igbos and pursue its agenda, including producing a Nigerian President of Igbo extraction.

He disclosed that the president of the national body was presently consulting across ethnic divides with a view to forging an understanding with other Nigerians.

This present Ohaneze is not the one you used to know; the executive of Ohaneze is ready to pursue Igbo agenda of which the Igbo presidency is part of it.

The Ohaneze president is consulting widely among the different tribes and ethnic groupings in the country.

By the time he is done, other parts of Nigeria will know the need to fully integrate the Igbos into main stream of Nigerian politics.

What he is doing at the moment is to restore the dignity and values of Igbo nation, he stressed.

Mr. Okeke-Ogene said Ohaneze leadership was working to inspire unity among the Igbos and rekindle the Igbo spirit of be your brothers keeper.

On the recent fire outbreak in Onitsha, the official advised Governor Willie Obiano to start considering the value of lives and property before granting licences for construction of filling stations.

He also urged the state government to relocate some petrol stations in densely populated areas of the cities to less populated areas.

According to him, some articulated vehicles that ferry petroleum products are either rickety or unworthy to ply the roads.

The state government should deploy the services of vehicle inspection officers to ensure their road worthiness and fitness of the drivers, he said.

The fire outbreak in Onitsha on February 16 was caused by an articulated vehicle which fell inside a filling station with the resulting fire destroying nearby buildings and vehicles.

(NAN)

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The Ebonyi State Government on Tuesday donated relief materials and cash worth N30 million to Internally Displaced Persons in Azuofia-Edda community in Abakaliki Local Government.

The beneficiaries were victims of the inter-communal conflict between the Azuofia-Edda community in Ebonyi and neighbouring Obubara community in Cross River.

Governor Dave Umahi, represented by his deputy, Eric Kelechi-Igwe, condemned the unprovoked attack on the community by the neighbouring community in Cross River.

He expressed regrets on the wanton destruction of human lives, burning of houses as well as the loss of material and property by the Azuofia-Edda people.

He said that the relief items and the gifts could not make up for the losses incurred by the people from the hostility.

He added that it was part of the government efforts to cushion the suffering of the victims.

Today our people are made refugees in their own homes, sleeping in open fields, bare floors and suffering all kinds of untold hardship as a result of the displacement.

We cannot as a government watch our kith and kin who fell victims of this human wickedness to suffer in such manner.

The intervention is a demonstration of governments love, commitment and support for the victims of the inter-communal conflict.

I want to assure you that the people and government of Ebonyi will do everything to return you back to normal life.

Also to assure you that never again will such an unprovoked attack be visited on you by your neighbours, Mr. Umahi said.

He said the state government condemned in strong terms the killings of the innocent people of the state, saying that his administration would never condone such barbaric attack on the people.

He condoled with families who lost their loved ones and other victims of the crisis, assuring them that government had beefed up security in the area.

We will always be by your side and will at all times ensure that such unprovoked attack is not meted out to the community.

We have beefed up security in the area and have notified President Muhammadu Buhari, National Assembly, National Emergency Management Agency and the United Nations on this senseless attack.

The primary responsibility of any government is to provide adequate security to the lives and property of its citizens and this we are committed to, he said.

The items distributed to the victims, include 560 bags of rice, 560 cartons of noodles, and 300 treated mosquito nets.

The others are 280 cartons of wrapper, 140 six-spring mattresses and N100,000 to each of the over 200 IDPs.

The crisis, which started on January 13, left unspecified number of persons dead and property worth millions of Naira destroyed.

(NAN)

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Labour unions in Ondo State on Monday urged the states Accountant-General, Laolu Akindolire, to stop further release of funds to the government of Governor Olusegun Mimiko, whose tenure expires on Friday this week.

The letter, addressed to the Accountant-General, was signed by the chairman of the Joint Negotiating Council, JNC, Sunday Adeleye, his Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, counterpart, Bosede Daramola, as well as the Chairman of the Trade Union Congress, TUC, Soladoye Ekundayo.

The unions alleged that they had information that the outgoing government was making efforts to mop up funds in the account of the state government for frivolous projects, before the end of its tenure.

The unions warned Mr. Akindolire not to abuse his office in approving money other than the payment of workers salaries.

Officials told PREMIUM TIMES that the Accountant-General had become evasive and had not been to his office to avoid influx of financial requests.

As a result, the N150 million requested by the outgoing administration to organise the inauguration ceremony has not been processed and is stuck in the Accountant-Generals office.

It was also gathered that efforts to reach Mr. Akindolire on his mobile phones had been impossible.

Commissioner for Information, Kayode Akinmade, in his response, said the projects completed by contractors needed to be paid only from funds earmarked for capital projects.

There is a difference between funds meant for recurrent and those for capital expenditure, he explained. You cannot take recurrent funds and use it for capital projects.

He argued that if a contractor has his certificates of a completed projects, he should be paid, even though salaries have not been paid, because the monies for the payment of salaries are different from those meant for contractors.

On the absconding of the Accountant General, Mr. Akinmade noted that in a transition, there was bound to be some strange movements in a bid to curry the attention of the incoming government.

This is not unusual in a transition like this, where you see people trying to shift loyalty so that they would be favoured by the incoming government, he said.

But we should not play politics with the lives and well-being of the people, he said.

He noted that Governor Mimiko would not do anything against the interest of the people and in breach of the fiscal responsibility laws of the land.

He had earlier told PREMIUM TIMES that it was legal for the administration to continue to spend funds from the states coffers for the next six months even without an extant budget, provided the spending did not exceed the prescribed amount for the period.

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A woman on Tuesday was charged with stealing of a two-month-old at Badagry, Lagos.

Yetunde Awosanye, 35, was arraigned before an Ebutte Meta Magistrate Court for stealing the infant on February 2.

The prosecutor, Kehinde Omisakin, said the accused committed the crime in Rentothen House Topa in Badagry, Lagos.

Ms. Omisakin said the incident happened when the infants mother (whose name was not disclosed) was attending to customers in her shop, and the accused came to offer to help carry the baby.

After the infant was handed over to her, the accused disappeared.

While she was screaming and searching for her baby, a woman in a nearby shop said she saw Ms. Awosanye heading towards Mile 2 with the baby.

Ms. Omisakin said the victim immediately informed her husband and he ran to Badagry police station to report the matter.

She said the police followed the matter and caught the accused with the baby the next day, February 3.

In her defence, the accused said she was a close friend of the victim and that she meant no harm, a claim the victim denied saying she only sees her in the neighbourhood.

The prosecutor said the case contravened section 275(a) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The magistrate, O.A Salawu, adjourned the case to February 27.

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A Lagos Division of the Lagos High Court on Tuesday directed the state government and the private waste operators (known as Private Sector Participant, PSP) to settle their dispute within two weeks.

Justice Oyekan Abdullahi gave the directive after listening to counsel for the PSP operators, human rights activist, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, who chronicled the frustrations of the operators as that of investors who have spent time and money to partner with Lagos State for a cleaner Lagos, only to end up being dumped by the government for a preferred foreign investor.

Mr. Adegboruwa told the court that several letters have been written to the Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, to which they have not received any positive response, even though the operators are always open to dialogue.

Responding, S.A. Quadri, who represented Lagos State, countered the waste operators arguments by stating that the government was always open and ready to dialogue with them.

He said even as of Monday, a meeting was to hold between the operators and the Commissioner for Environment.

Having listened to all counsel, the judge directed all the parties and their counsels to meet urgently, to discuss and resolving all pending issues.

The judge noted further that it would seem that refuse heaps have found their ways back into the city again, to which the waste operators responded that even in the face of extreme provocation from the government, they have continued to perform their duties of waste collection and disposal.

The executives of the PSP operators, I want you to hear the government out first, you have to listen to the government first to know what the motive of the government is, the judge said.

You have to listen to the commissioner and hold a meeting with him.

The judge stated that the laws establishing the court permits judges to encourage settlement of disputes between the parties, in consequence of which she directed the executive members of the waste collectors association to write their names and telephone numbers for Mr. Quadri, for onward transmission to those in charge.

The case was then adjourned to March 9, 2017, for report of the meeting.

The PSP Waste Operators had approached the Court to challenge the proposed new policy of the Lagos State Government, to bring foreign investors to take over waste collection and management in Lagos State.

But the Lagos State government has denied the claims, saying it was only restricting the PSP operators to commercial customers while the foreign investor would focus on residential areas.

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Atlantic County

BLACK HISTORY MONTH ART DISPLAY: exhibited through March 5; Honoring the Past, Inspiring the Future; free; Milton & Betty Katz JCC, 501 N. Jerome Ave., Margate. 609-992-3353 or JCCAtlantic.org.

INTERSECTING METHODS: ART IN THE LAB: 4:30 to 6 p.m. Feb. 23; lecture given by Alison Dell, co-founder of Art in the Lab, an ongoing project that brings scientists and artists together; Stockton University, Jimmie Leeds Road, Galloway Township. 609-652-4891.

FROM THE PAGE  BOOK ILLUSTRATIONS: exhibited through March 11; 1:30 to 3 p.m. Feb. 24 reception; features various styles of book illustrations including wood engravings, paintings, and drawings; Art Gallery, Splanger Library, Atlantic Cape Community College, 5100 Black Horse Pike, Mays Landing. 609-625-1111 or Atlantic.edu/ArtGal.

JUST DESSERTS: exhibited through March 17; 6 to 7:30 p.m. Feb. 24, local artists display works showcasing desserts, light refreshments served; Nashville North Studios, 210 New Road, Suite 8, Linwood Greene, Linwood, free. 609-504-5044 or NashvilleNorthStudios.com.

RAW 2017: JURIED PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION: exhibited through May 1; showcases the work of 20 talented photographers selected by jury from throughout the state of New Jersey; The Noyes Gallery at Stocktons Kramer Hall, 30 Front St., Hammonton. 609-626-3420 or NoyesMuseum.org.

MUTE THINGS EXHIBIT: noon to 7:30 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, noon to 4 p.m. Sundays, through March 22; closed March 11 through 19; 2:30 p.m. March 2 gallery talk; features Philadelphia artists Rebecca Saylor Sack and Cindy Stockton Moore; Art Gallery, Stockton University, Jimmie Leeds Road, Galloway Township, free. 609-652-4566 or Stockton.edu/ArtGallery.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY GLYNNIS REED: exhibited through April 2; That Shadow My Likeness; artist Glynnis Reed presents women in harmony with and in contrast to the natural landscape; 1 to 2:30 p.m. March 26 panel discussion; The Noyes Arts Garage of Stockton University, 2200 Fairmount Avenue, Atlantic City. 609-626-3420 or ArtsGarageAC.com.

Cape May County

LEARNING TO SEE: A DRAWING WORKSHOP: 1 to 4 p.m. Thursdays through March 23; call for supplies list; Public Library, 9516 Second Ave., Stone Harbor. 609-463-6386 or CMCLibrary.org.

ART PARTY CLASSES: two-hour paint lessons, led by teacher Juliana Jost, create your own artistic reproduction; 6 to 8 p.m. Fridays adult classes, $35; 10 a.m. to noon Saturdays Mommy & Me and Daddy & Me classes for kids, $40; 106 S. Decatur St., Cape May. 609-364-5304.

COIL POTS FAMILY ART WORKSHOP: 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Feb. 25; for ages 7 and older; create pots using air dry clay and the coil method; Wheaton Arts & Cultural Center, 1501 Glasstown Road, Millville, reservations recommended. 856-825-6800 or WheatonArts.org.

Ocean County

AMERICAN REVOLUTION EXHIBIT: exhibited through February; exhibition of local works depicting scenes surrounding the American Revolution in New Jersey; refreshments; Ocean County Library, 217 Central Ave., Surf City. 609-494-5079.

GETTING DIRTY IN THE CERAMICS STUDIO: 7 to 9 p.m. first Friday of each month, BYOB, instructor Kerith Creo walks participants through a few introductory projects, LBI Foundation of the Arts and Sciences, 120 Long Beach Blvd., Loveladies, $45. 609-494-1241.

View complete listings at AtTheShoreOnline.com

Items for Artsy Attractions should be sent two weeks in advance to pdollak@press ofac.com or mailed to Pamela Dollak, The Press of Atlantic City, 1000 W. Washington Ave., Pleasantville, N.J. 08232.
UPPER TOWNSHIP  Officials in this rural township are exploring new ways to bring in businesses and property-tax ratables, and maybe even a hotel.

The Township Committee on Monday may approve the creation of an economic development advisory commission, which Upper Township Business Association President Blanche Adams hopes will put incentives out to get businesses in.

They can see who we want to attract, she said. If we have a vacancy, lets fill it with something that is needed in the township.

Susan Adelizzi-Schmidt, who is set to chair the commission, said it will focus on developing a vision statement in its first year, which will likely include a hotel.

If we had a really nice property, that could be a place where people could stay overnight, enjoy what the township has to offer, she said.

In addition to being a resident, Adelizzi-Schmidt operates Suasion Communications Group in Somers Point, which helped that city market the area to attract second homeowners and new businesses.

The township hopes new businesses will generate increased tax revenue and partially offset local property taxes. While residents have always paid school and county taxes, they only began paying a local purpose tax in 2011  a result, at least partially, of flat aid from the state in the form of energy tax receipts generated from hosting the BL England coal plant.

According to the municipal budget, the energy tax receipts from 2015 were $6.2 million, the same from 2010.

Township Mayor Rich Palombo said there are some challenges to attracting businesses to the rural township, which has 10 different unincorporated communities known as villages.

Several years ago, the township was able to use state Department of Transportation grant money to designate town centers in Marmora, Tuckahoe and Seaville.

Adams said the designations brought in businesses such as ShopRite, which opened in 2009 in Marmora.

That whole shopping center has been a boon, said Adams, vice president of marketing and communication for Thomas Heist Insurance, which has an office there.

In addition to ShopRite, a section of Tuckahoe Road houses several small businesses, including the Village Kitchen at Wayside Village. Heather Harolds family has owned and operated the restaurant for 40 years.

I think this has always been the little hub of the township, Harold said. Weve seen it grow immensely.

On Route 9, a Dollar General made its home in a portion of the former South Shore auto center, but the remainder of the complex is empty.

Nearby, a Verizon office that closed several years ago has not been filled. At a recent Township Committee meeting, Palombo declined an idea to turn the Verizon building into an emergency management office, noting that the building is a vital part of the development in the area.

Much like the designated town centers, the stretch of Roosevelt Boulevard between Exit 25 and Route 9 has a few vacant storefronts interspersed with active businesses.
VINELAND  The closing of the Progresso soup plant will leave the city with a major empty building in need of a new tenant.

There are also high-profile commercial properties that are already vacant. And, unlike the Progresso plants future, which is in the hands of parent company General Mills, others require some local action to help lure new business ventures.

That includes the former Landis MarketPlace, which was considered a centerpiece of the downtowns revival but closed shortly after the operators of its Amish market left in July 2015.

The former Cosmopolitan restaurant on Delsea Drive was supposed to be converted by the local Tower Hospitality Inc. into a Dennys restaurant. The Dennys will now fill the site of a former Bob Evans restaurant in Millville, prompting officials here to forgo closing on a $1 million Urban Enterprise Zone loan that was to help the Cosmopolitans conversion.

And then theres the former Kmart on Delsea Drive near the Cumberland Mall. That building remains empty since its October 2015 closing.

City officials said theyre working to bring those buildings back to life.

For the former Landis MarketPlace in the 600 block of East Landis Avenue, the challenge is finding the best use to make that property what it needs to be, the anchor of downtown, said Russell Swanson, executive director of Main Street Vineland.

Theres a lot of tire kicking, he said.

There is also a meeting planned for this week involving officials from the city, Cumberland County government, the Cumberland County Improvement Authority and Cumberland County College regarding Landis MarketPlace and other properties, Swanson said.

Were looking at the big picture and the small picture, Swanson said.

Included in these options are second- and third-floor residences above first-floor stores as a way to bring more foot traffic to Landis Avenue, he said.

There is still a good possibility of finding new uses for the Cosmopolitan, and especially the Kmart site, said city Economic Development Director Sandra Forosisky.

Forosisky said Kmart is negotiating with the shopping centers out-of-state owners to end what she said was Kmarts attractive long-term lease for the site. That will eventually make it easier for the owners to meet their goal of selling the entire shopping center, she said.

As for a new tenant on the site, Forosisky said theres definitely interest.

Forosisky declined to identify the company that she said could mostly fill the building.

As for the Cosmopolitan, Forosisky said Tower Hospitality officials are still looking at their options.

Meanwhile, other formerly unused buildings serving as functioning businesses.

The former Moris Restaurant at East and Landis avenues is the site of an eatery, Mauros on the Ave, which opened in the fall.

Mauros is connected to the Landis Theater. Both businesses underwent significant renovations recently as part of the so-called Four Corners project at East and Landis avenues. Mauros, along with rejuvenated leadership at the Landis Theater, is once again making that corner a viable commercial site.

Steve Wozniak is converting the former Martinis shoe store in the 600 block of East Landis Avenue into the Brinx Jones Brewing Co.

I like downtown places, said Wozniak, 39, a former Las Vegas musician and media designer for historical museums. And I wanted a storefront brewery. This street is amazing.

Wozniaks microbrewery will seat about 80 people. Hell brew enough English, Irish, German and American types of beer for consumption at the microbrewery.

Theres still work to do inside the property, and Wozniak said hes still waiting for the necessary final permits for his business.

But Wozniak said city officials, Main Street Vineland and the Vineland Downtown Improvement District are more than helpful in getting his dream business operational. Hes said hes fast making friends with supportive merchants.

Wozniaks microbrewery is also just a few stores away from the former Landis MarketPlace, and he said it would be a boost to his and other businesses if that facility could again be operational.

Thats something Swanson said he understands.

Were trying to find the best use that will bring people downtown, he said.
Jamie Crescenzo was an Egg Harbor Township High School graduate who had always been involved in extracurricular activities.

She was an exceptional kid in that she wasnt a kid, she was like an adult that always did for others, said Jamies father, Jim Crescenzo, of Egg Harbor Township. If her friends were in trouble shed help them. She was a Sunday school teacher at St. Peters Catholic Church in Pleasantville and gave back to community.

After graduating in 1997, Jamie went on to Atlantic Cape Community College while working as a supervisor of the CVS in Mays Landing.

She was planning on eventually becoming an Atlantic City police officer with her criminal justice associates degree, which she was just 18 credits short of earning.

Jamie had just been accepted to Stockton University for the next phase of her education when disaster struck and forever changed the Crescenzo family.

Jamie died in a head-on crash on a snowy road Feb. 18, 2000. She was 20.

The Crescenzos found a way to not only remember Jamie, but to continue her legacy of helping the community.

They created the Remembering Jamie Foundation to help raise scholarship funds for area students.

Each year, family and friends host a fundraiser Italian dinner that has turned into a party of sorts that also includes South Jersey residents. A DJ, door prizes and food have drawn more and more people every year to contribute to the scholarship fund. This years event will feature a magician.

Maureen Ingersoll, 29, was a recipient of one of the scholarships while attending Egg Harbor Township High School.

I got it my junior year of high school and have gone every year to the dinner, Ingersoll said. Jim is an awesome guy. I dont help with the cooking; Im not too good at cooking. Margaret deserves the credit, she said of Jamies mother.

Ingersoll went on to graduate from Stockton and then Rutgers Law School. She said the scholarship helped her on that costly path of obtaining a law degree. She now works for the the Morris County Public Defenders Office.

These days she lives in Somerset but makes the trip to South Jersey for the Remembering Jamie dinner.

I havent missed it in 10 years, she said. People go every year  its a big community event in that sense.

Jim Crescenzo said as early as November, people are asking when the dinner will be held. He said after all these years, many of Jamies friends continue to help with the event and it has been a way for everyone who knew her to meet and celebrate.

They didnt let go, Crescenzo said. Her best friends work really hard with us. Its the spirit of it all. We want families to be there.

Scholarships are awarded to students from Egg Harbor Township and ACCC. For the last few years, Stockton students have also been eligible for the scholarship.

Looking toward the future, Crescenzo said the family would like to see the event continue to grow and to continue putting out safe driving public safety announcements.

Its not just scholarships, he said. If we can help people with driving and texting, and can save a life, weve done a good thing.
MAYS LANDING  Several local substance-misuse prevention coalitions and organizations are teaming up to host an educational symposium for religious and faith-based leaders in Atlantic County to address their roles in preventing drug addiction.

Join Together Atlantic County will co-host the free Do No Harm symposium at the Mays Landing branch of the Atlantic County Library on Thursday with members and leaders from the Atlantic County Opiate Task Force and Partnership for a Drug Free New Jersey.

The symposium will address the role faith-based leaders play in helping individuals and families experiencing drug addiction and how to prevent substance misuse in their communities and congregations.

By speaking to the faith-based community, we can arm them with the knowledge they need to assist families who are suffering at the hands of addiction, said Angelo Valente, executive director of Partnership for a Drug Free New Jersey.

The symposium is free to attend with registration.

EHT pharmacy plays role in improving access to opioid-reversal drugs EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP  Local pharmacists have designed a program to get more naloxone, the li

Prescription misuse as a precursor to opioid and heroin addiction has been part of the focus among prevention advocates and law enforcement as New Jersey experiences near-epidemic levels of addiction, overdoses and deaths.

The Atlantic County-based coalition and opiate task force began distributing 2,500 Deterra Drug Deactivation System pouches in January to promote safe disposal of highly addictive drugs such as opioids.

The small Deterra pouches are lined with a carbon-based material that can neutralize medications when water is added to the pouch. One bag can neutralize up to 90 prescription painkillers, 12 ounces of liquid or 12 patches, according to the manufacturers.

Atlantic County coalition to distribute opioid-deactivation pouches ABSECON  Atlantic County residents will be able to get specially designed pouches that rend

Experts have linked some opioid addiction to overprescribing by medical professionals.
BUENA VISTA TOWNSHIP  State Police have charged a Buena Regional High School teacher with engaging in a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old female student.

William J. Jacobs, 32, of Folsom, was taken into custody Tuesday morning by the U.S. Marshals Service in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Detectives from Troop A were investigating Jacobs be-tween November 2016 and January 2017. State Police said Jacobs met with the unidentified student on more than one occasion for sex.

Investigators also found several hundred electronic messages between the two.

According to State Police, when Jacobs became aware of the investigation, he told the victim not to cooperate with authorities.

He was charged with official misconduct, sexual assault, endangering the welfare of a child, tampering with a witness and obstruction of justice.

He is at the Broward County Correctional Facility pending extradition to New Jersey. Jacobs will be prosecuted by the Atlantic County Prosecutors Office.

State Police said the Buena Regional School District cooperated during the investigation. The Buena Board of Education did not comment on Jacobs arrest.
PLEASANTVILLE  Volunteers with the Oasis United Methodist Church food pantry received a break Tuesday when city firefighters helped unload a truck full of food from the Community FoodBank of New Jersey.

Last month, Anton Brown, a city fire inspector, happened to be doing an inspection on the day the food arrived from the Community FoodBank. He saw about 10 women taking the food from the truck and putting items into boxes and bags.

I was here for an hour by myself, Brown said.

Brown told the women he would see if he could convince some of his fellow firefighters to help out this month.

RELATED: Mobile food pantry returns to Ventnor Plaza.

On Tuesday morning, about 16 on-duty and off-duty firefighters arrived at the church on Martin Luther King Avenue. They unloaded a truck full of food, took items out of boxes and reorganized them so a variety of food could be given to each family.

On the last Wednesday of every month, an average of 80 families stop by the churchs food pantry, said Norma Fisher, a church volunteer.

We are so happy, said Fisher, 57, of Egg Harbor Township. I didnt break a nail today. I was playing supervisor.

Instead of it taking the women four hours to unload the truck and organize all the food, Fisher estimated it would take half that time.

Firefighters plan to help out every month moving forward. If the on-duty firefighters have to respond to a call, the off-duty employees can still assist the volunteers at the food pantry.

The Oasis United Methodist Church food pantry opens at 10 a.m. Wednesday and will be open until 2 p.m., or until they run out of food.
New Jersey has started its annual prescribed-burn program to help reduce wildfire risks.

Motorists are advised they might see smoke in the areas of the controlled burns in Atlantic and Ocean counties. There was one burn Monday near Atlantic City International Airport.

Also on Monday, firefighters burned brush in Tabernacle Township, Burlington County off Route 563.

Last week, the Forest Fire Service conducted a controlled burn near Strawberry Fields, off Route 322, west of Carmens Farm Market in Mays Landing, Hamilton Township police said.

Controlled burns will continue through the end of March. State workers will burn between 10,000 and 20,000 acres of forests and grasslands this season, depending on the weather. Most burns take place on state-owned property, such as state forests, parks and wildlife management areas.

Residents may see large plumes of smoke in areas where these controlled burns are being conducted.

The state Division of Parks and Forestry will post notices of prescribed burns at facebook.com/newjerseyforests. The public may also contact the state Forest Fire Service at 609-292-2977 for information.

When in doubt about the source of smoke or fire, residents should call 911 or 877-WARN-DEP (877-927-6337).

The peak wildfire season in New Jersey typically begins in middle to late March and runs through late spring, when the weather tends to be dry, windy and warmer.

Because of the types of trees and shrubs it supports, the sprawling pinelands region of southern New Jersey is particularly susceptible to wildfires and is typically the focus of much of the prescribed burning activity conducted by the Forest Fire Service.

In 2016, the Forest Fire Service responded to 1,065 wildfires, 75 percent of which were a quarter-acre or smaller. The largest was a 464-acre fire in Bass River State Forest in Burlington County.
A woman receives medical care for burns following clashes between the Nigerian military and Boko Haram Islamists in Borno State (AFP Photo/FLORIAN PLAUCHEUR)

Monguno (Nigeria) (AFP) - The four women lay dazed on the beds of the clinic. The face of one of them was burnt. Another broke her leg during the Nigerian army offensive against Boko Haram Islamists in their village.

Civilians have often been collateral damage in the conflict that has raged in remote northeast Nigeria for nearly eight years, leaving at least 20,000 dead and more than 2.6 million homeless.

The women wait for their wounds to heal in the suffocating heat.

"Boko Haram fighters would come to their village to steal food and hide," a nurse explained. "The army went there and put the women in a truck to evacuate them.

"The military set the village on fire, so the insurgents couldn't hide anymore. But the fire 'jumped' in the truck."

The women, with their heads covered and gold nose rings in the tradition of the ethnic Kanuri group, still look terrified.

They stare at the walls and ignore visitors, afraid that questions will focus too much on the circumstances of the "liberation" of their village.

- Fighters easily blend in -

The nurse says there are no more men left. They were either killed in the fighting, drafted into the civilian militia or forced to join the ranks of Boko Haram.

Some may even be at so-called "screening" centres, where soldiers pass judgement on whether local men have been involved in the insurgency.

Such checks, free from any oversight, can take weeks or months, especially if the men are Kanuri like the majority of Boko Haram.

James Adewunmi Falode, a security analyst at the University of Lagos who tracks the conflict, said Boko Haram's resemblance to "ordinary citizens" was making the fight against them harder.

"They are not a military adversary that can be easily identified and destroyed on the battlefield. These people can easily blend into the general population when the situation demands," he said.

Even women and children, who have been repeatedly used by the group as as human bombs, are a potential threat, explaining the tensions between the military and the public.

Story continues

- 'Just criminals' -

Around Dikwa and a dozen or so other secured major towns, villages have been emptied to prevent them being used by the jihadists as hideouts or resupply points.

The military also wants to stop the mass kidnapping of their inhabitants.

"Before, they (Boko Haram) would read the Koran and try to change us," said Bulama Goni, a former village chief with a white beard in long, flowing robes.

"Now, they are just criminals, asking for money, looking rough and disgusting."

Boko Haram fighters are also starving: Nigerian army tactics have been to slowly choke the rebels, cutting off their supplies of arms and food. The strategy appears to be working.

Boko Haram used to attack major towns and cities in northeast Nigeria and in 2014 controlled territory as big as Belgium.

But now it is limited to sporadic suicide bomb attacks and ambushes of military convoys and check-points.

The military's isolation strategy, however, has not seen everywhere secured and has had an effect on the daily life of civilians.

More than five million people are in desperate need of food, according to the United Nations.

"In liberated areas there is no fuel, no communication, no public transport... even the food it's all controlled by the army," said one security operative for a major international aid agency.

"This is a classical counter-insurgency strategy left over from the Vietnam war. It hasn't changed but it's not sustainable," he added.

- Suspicious activity -

Monguno, in the north of Borno state, is a former trading hub near the edge of Lake Chad, the watery border between Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon.

There are currently about 100,000 people in the town's camps. But some 27,000 people are waiting for food distribution.

According to Ibrahim Maina, the coordinator for the Borno state emergency management agency, the last handouts were in November last year. Everyone's face is etched with hunger.

The road linking Monguno to the state capital Maiduguri, 137 kilometres (86 miles) away, has been reopened.

Muhammadu Sanni, goes to the shores of Lake Chad once a week to catch catfish to feed his family. But he says he can't catch a lot.

"If (the military) stop me with a lot of fish, they will think I'm smuggling for Boko Haram," he said, as he fixed his nylon net.

"I will go back to screening and it will take a long time."
For the New World Order, a world government is just the beginning. Once in place they can engage their plan to exterminate 80% of the world's population, while enabling the "elites" to live forever with the aid of advanced technology. For the first time, crusading filmmaker ALEX JONES reveals their secret plan for humanity's extermination: Operation ENDGAME.

Jones chronicles the history of the global elite's bloody rise to power and reveals how they have funded dictators and financed the bloodiest warscreating order out of chaos to pave the way for the first true world empire.

Watch as Jones and his team track the elusive Bilderberg Group to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III.





to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. Learn about the formation of the North America transportation control grid, which will end U.S. sovereignty forever.





Discover how the practitioners of the pseudo-science eugenics have taken control of governments worldwide as a means to carry out depopulation.





View the progress of the coming collapse of the United States and the formation of the North American Union.

Never before has a documentary assembled all the pieces of the globalists' dark agenda. Endgame's compelling look at past atrocities committed by those attempting to steer the future delivers information that the controlling media has meticulously censored for over 60 years. It fully reveals the elite's program to dominate the earth and carry out the wicked plan in all of human history.

Endgame is not conspiracy theory, it is documented fact in the elite's own words.




demarcus cousins

Right up until he was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans, DeMarcus Cousins insisted he wanted to stay with the Sacramento Kings.

Despite six straight losing seasons and a sometimes-volatile relationship with the front office and team, Cousins had said he wanted to spend his entire career in a Kings uniform. Reports this season said he intended to sign a five-year, $209 million contract extension with the Kings.

After being traded, whether or not the change of scenery will be good for him, Cousins seemed upset to be leaving Sacramento. During a farewell party Cousins gave a tearful goodbye to the city and its fans in a video captured by Carmichael Dave of KHTK.

"My love for this city will never change," Cousins said before getting choked up and turning away.

"I'm still looking out for these kids," he continued. "Every family in this city matters to me, every soul in this city matters to me. So, everything's the same, I'm just not in a Kings uniform anymore."

The Pelicans don't play in Sacramento again this season, but when Cousins does return to Sacramento, it seems like he'll receive a warm welcome.

Watch the tearful goodbye below:

My friend got transferred to another city because of his job. He had some things to say. Rough to watch. pic.twitter.com/iBRyMf1UP7  Carmichael Dave (@CarmichaelDave) February 21, 2017

NOW WATCH: This is why fighting is allowed in pro hockey  and why the NHL has no plans to ban it





More From Business Insider


NORTH CHICAGO, U.S.A., February 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

AbbVie Inc. ("AbbVie") (NYSE / CHX / Euronext Paris / SIX: ABBV) today informs its stockholders that it has filed an Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC").

AbbVie makes available free of charge on its website its Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, reports filed pursuant to Section 16 of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and amendments to those reports filed with or furnished to the SEC as soon as reasonably practicable after AbbVie electronically files these documents with, or furnishes them to, the SEC. These documents are posted on AbbVie's website at www.abbvieinvestor.com.

The SEC maintains a website that contains reports, proxy statements and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC. These materials may be obtained electronically by accessing the SEC's home page at http://www.sec.gov.

Copies of the above referenced information will also be made available, free of charge, upon written request to AbbVie Inc., Investors Relations, 1 North Waukegan Road, North Chicago, Illinois 60064, U.S.A.

This is a disclosure announcement from PR Newswire.

SOURCE AbbVie, Inc.
Compliance+ tool leverages award-winning analytics for trade surveillance

NEW YORK, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Abel Noser Solutions announced today that it has launched a new trade surveillance product for compliance officers of broker-dealers, investment advisors and exchanges. The product comes on the heels of a successful limited pre-release to select clients. Compliance+ is a proprietary software solution that enables companies to identify and assess daily potential trade irregularities such as spoofing and layering, potential insider trading, and high cost trades. The platform provides an easy-to-navigate and graphically attractive front-end to quickly review compliance alerts.

According to company executives, the tool's functions include drill-down features available in graphical form to view orders and individual fills, and the ability to share reviews and automatically store all notations. With dozens of different measures and a variety of reports, Compliance+ is meant to be useful to both buy-side and sell-side clients. The company's experienced support team is available to work one-on-one with users, offering bespoke solutions, data clarification and basic trouble-shooting.

Abel Noser Solutions, an independent provider of transaction analysis products and services, continues to pioneer new methods and tools to help over 500 clients measure their trading results using the firm's secure universe of trade data, which is the largest of its kind. The veteran firm is now applying their experience with large market data sets to its trade surveillance business line.

"Our regulatory and surveillance reporting abilities are unique," said Ted Morgan, the CEO of parent company Abel Noser Holdings. "This new tool offers greater synergistic analysis of the trade lifecycle, from placement through to order completion. Plus, the reporting can be customized to match your specific workflow."

"In this hyper-sensitive regulatory climate," said Peter Weiler, President of Abel Noser Solutions, "Compliance+ offers peace of mind each day by protecting clients and their firms from unwelcome reputational and operational risk by carefully monitoring and memorializing all trading activity in a systematic fashion."

About Abel Noser Solutions:

Abel Noser Solutions is an industry-leading business services company providing equity, FX, fixed income and futures Transaction Cost Analysis (TCA) and trade surveillance services. Abel Noser Solutions is located in New York City. Visit our web-site at http://www.abelnoser.com.

PLEASE CONTACT:

Peter Weiler

President, Abel Noser Solutions

646.432.4050

001 646 432 4000 (Intl.)

pweiler@abelnoser.com

Related Links

http://www.abelnoser.com



SOURCE Abel Noser
DUBLIN, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "China Cross-border E-commerce Industry Overview, 2017-2021" report to their offering.

Cross-border E-commerce refers to import and export activities of cross-border trade conducted through e-commerce methods by transaction subjects from different customs borders. It is mainly classified into B2B and B2C.

The total import and export value of commodity trade was CNY 24.59 trillion in China in 2015 decreasing by 7% compared to 2014. Meanwhile, the import value was CNY 10.45 trillion decreasing by 13.2% YOY. It is estimated that the foreign trade presents a negative trend with huge downward pressure in China in the next few years.

However, the growth rate of cross-border e-commerce surpasses that of the import and export of commodity trade with an increasing penetration rate in China. The trade value of cross-border e-commerce reached CNY 4.8 trillion increasing by 28% YOY in China in 2015 and it is expected to exceed CNY 6 trillion in 2016.

According to estimation, the trade value of cross-border e-commerce will exceed CNY 14 trillion by 2020 with the CAGR reaching 20% from 2015 to 2021.

Key Topics Covered:

1 Relevant Concepts of Cross-border E-commerce Industry

1.1 Definition and Classification of Cross-border E-commerce

1.1.1 Definition of Cross-border E-commerce



1.1.2 Classification of Cross-border E-commerce



1.2 Parameters and Assumptions of the Report



1.2.1 Assumption Base



1.2.2 Data Sources

2 Analysis on Cross-border E-commerce Industry in China, 2011-2016



2.1 Development Environment of Cross-border E-commerce Industry in China



2.1.1 Economic Environment of Cross-border E-commerce



2.1.2 Policy Environment of Cross-border E-commerce



2.1.3 Social Environment of Cross-border E-commerce



2.1.4 Technical Environment of Cross-border E-commerce



2.2 Analysis on Supply and Demand of Cross-border E-commerce



2.2.1 Analysis on Consumption Groups of Cross-border E-commerce



2.2.2 Analysis on Market Size of Cross-border E-commerce in China, 2011-2020



3 Competition Status of Cross-border E-commerce Industry in China, 2011-2016



3.1 Barriers to Entry of Cross-border E-commerce Industry in China



3.1.1 Policy Barriers of Cross-border E-commerce



3.1.2 Talent Barriers of Cross-border E-commerce



3.1.3 Brand barriers of Cross-border E-commerce



3.1.4 Logistics Barriers of Cross-border E-commerce



3.2 Competition Structure of Cross-border E-commerce Industry in China



3.2.1 Bargaining Ability of Cross-Border E-commerce Suppliers



3.2.2 Bargaining Ability of Cross-Border E-commerce Consumers



3.2.3 Internal Competition of Cross-border E-commerce Industry



3.2.4 Potential Entrants in Cross-border E-commerce Industry



3.2.5 Substitutes of Cross-border E-commerce

4 Analysis on Major Cross-border E-commerce Enterprises in China, 2013-2017



4.1 B2C Cross-border E-commerce



4.1.1 Tmall.com



4.1.2 Amazon.cn



4.1.3 JD Worldwide



4.1.4 VIP.com



4.1.5 Ymatou.com



4.1.6 KAOLA.com



4.2 B2B Cross-border E-commerce



4.2.1 DHgate.com



4.2.2 Alibaba.com



4.2.3 Osell.com



5 Analysis on Costs and Prices in China Cross-border E-commerce Industry, 2015-2017



5.1 Analysis on Costs of Cross-border E-commerce in China



5.2 Analysis on Sales Prices of Cross-border E-commerce Products in China

6 Prediction on Development of Cross-border E-commerce Industry in China, 2017-2021



6.1 Factors Influencing the Development of Cross-border E-commerce Industry



6.1.1 Major Driving Forces and Market Opportunities in Cross-border E-commerce Industry



6.1.2 Risks and Challenges in China Cross-border E-commerce Industry



6.2 Forecast on Supply of Cross-border E-commerce Industry in China, 2017-2021



6.2.1 Forecast on Quantity of Cross-border E-commerce in China



6.2.2 Prediction on Product Structure of Cross-border E-commerce



6.3 Forecast on Demand for Cross-border E-commerce in China, 2017-2021

For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/vd8pvc/china

Media Contact:

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

Related Links

http://www.researchandmarkets.com



SOURCE Research and Markets
LONDON, February 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

CloudLayer8 (CL8.com), the latest innovative service provider in Cyprus, has launched the country's most advanced public cloud service using the OnApp cloud management platform. CL8.com's new cloud offers a fully automated, self-service cloud hosting service for business customers across Cyprus, Greece and the Middle East - aimed at enterprises in banking/finance, forex, the fiduciary sector, real estate, shipping, energy and small businesses.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150723/240725LOGO )



CL8.com's new cloud service is hosted in its independent, Tier III datacenter in Limassol - the most modern datacenter on the island. It takes full advantage of the automated provisioning, flexible billing and self-service capabilities of the OnApp cloud platform to offer pre-configured and custom cloud instances for local and international businesses. It also takes advantage of the OnApp Federation, the global network of OnApp clouds, to help local businesses expand internationally, and help international businesses target customers across Southern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.

"While there have been some cloud services available to businesses in our market, they've been too complex, too expensive and too difficult to use," said Vasilis Constantinou, Chief Information Officer at CL8.com. "Over the last year we've grown by offering hosting services, managed services and security solutions that are easy to deploy and add value for our local customers: we chose OnApp to help us bring that same focus to the cloud. Using OnApp means we can now offer an enterprise-class cloud product for local and international businesses, combined with our local expertise and 24/7 support, to bring simple, powerful and effective IT infrastructure to our clients."

Using the OnApp Federation enables CL8.com to offer global scale and geographic reach as part of its new cloud service. For local customers in Cyprus, it provides easy access to cloud infrastructure across the world to help them reach new markets; and it gives international customers an easy way to deploy applications and data in CL8.com's cloud, to expand into Cyprus, Southern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. CL8.com will also be extending its services to include OnApp CDN (Content Delivery Network).

For the full text of this press release, visit https://onapp.com/2017/02/21/cl8-com-launches-next-generation-public-cloud-cyprus-onapp-cloud-management-platform

SOURCE OnApp Ltd
(Adds Moreno comment, latest results)

By Alexandra Ulmer and Alexandra Valencia

QUITO, Feb 20 (Reuters) - Ecuador's leftist government candidate Lenin Moreno looked set for victory on Monday in a presidential election, but slow results meant it may take days to know if he will face a runoff with former banker Guillermo Lasso.

In a nail-biter vote with eight candidates at the weekend, Moreno was close to the threshold needed to avoid a second round on April 2 and continue a decade-long period of leftist rule, just as South America is moving to the right.

While Ecuadoreans are angry over an economic downturn and corruption scandals, the opposition split its votes among candidates and the ruling Country Alliance remains popular with many poor voters thanks to social welfare programs.

As results trickled in from Ecuador's Andes, jungle, and Pacific coast, Moreno, a disabled former vice president, was just short of the 40 percent of votes and a 10 percentage-point difference over his nearest rival to win outright.

He had 39.11 percent of valid votes versus 28.34 percent for Lasso, with 89.5 percent of votes counted, the official preliminary election count showed on Monday afternoon.

The electoral council said clarity would not arrive for three more days due to votes trickling in from isolated areas and Ecuadoreans abroad, bureaucratic delays and "inconsistencies" in some ballots.

"This doesn't smell right. How can they take three days to count 12 percent?" said Lasso, 61, who already celebrated reaching the second round in his humid hometown of Guayaquil under a stream of confetti on Sunday night.

"We're not going to allow fraud ... If they toy with the results, we'll take to the streets," he added.

Moreno shot down the opposition's stance.

"You can't be a sore loser," he told a news conference on Monday evening, against a backdrop of the Ecuadorean flag and the name "Lenin" emblazoned in large letters.

"It's striking to me that there is a politician out there calling for violence," Moreno added, emphasizing the need to wait for final results.

Story continues

A couple of hundred opposition supporters have already congregated in front of the electoral council headquarters in Quito to demand a speedier and more transparent count.

"We don't trust the electoral council, it's obviously pro-Country Alliance," said Maribel Cevallos, a 34-year-old psychologist. "We're here watching that they don't cheat us."

Protesters waving yellow, blue and red Ecuadorean flags chanted slogans including "We're not Cuba or Venezuela, out with Correa!"

Outgoing President Rafael Correa was one of the key figures in Latin America's leftist axis that includes Caracas and Havana. He brought stability to the politically turbulent OPEC country but has aggravated many with his confrontational style.

Correa said votes from pro-government rural provinces and Ecuadoreans abroad, many of whom left after a deep financial crisis under a center-right government, would propel Moreno, 63, past the crucial 40 percent mark.

POLARIZED NATION

The next president faces strong pressure to create jobs and crack down on graft, amid corruption scandals at state-run oil company Petroecuador and Brazilian conglomerate Odebrecht .

Lasso has campaigned on a platform to revive the economy, which is dependent on exports of oil, flowers and shrimp, by slashing taxes, fostering foreign investment and creating a million jobs in four years.

He has also vowed to remove Wikileaks founder Julian Assange from the Ecuadorean embassy in London and denounce Venezuela's Socialist government.

But Lasso has also alienated some voters who deem him a stuffy elitist linked to the 1999 financial crisis when hundreds of thousands lost their savings.

Moreno, who lost the use of his legs two decades ago after being shot during a robbery, has a more conciliatory style than the pugnacious Correa and has promised benefits for the disabled, single mothers and the elderly.

"In the last few years there have been radical changes in the country, like the end of extreme poverty," said Moreno supporter Ramiro Flores, a 60-year-old civil engineer in the mountainous capital Quito.

Critics say Moreno is ill-equipped to overhaul an ailing economy hit by low oil prices, steep debts, and a stronger U.S. dollar that has hurt exports.

His running mate, Jorge Glas, who as strategic sectors minister oversaw the oil and infrastructure industries, has also been accused by a fugitive oil minister of corruption in the Petroecuador case. Glas has denied wrongdoing.

Moreno has said Assange can stay in the London embassy, but warned in a Monday interview with Latin American broadcaster Telesur he would ask him "not to intervene in the politics of countries that are friends of Ecuador."

The new president takes office on May 24 for a four-year term.

(Additional reporting by Jose Llangari, Yury Garcia, and Cristina Munoz; Writing by Alexandra Ulmer; Editing by Alan Crosby and Matthew Lewis)
DUBLIN, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Denim Jeans - Global Strategic Business Report" report to their offering.

This report analyzes the worldwide markets for Denim Jeans in US$ Million and Million Pairs.

The report provides separate comprehensive analytics for the US, Canada, Japan, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Rest of World. Annual estimates and forecasts are provided for the period 2015 through 2022. Also, a six-year historic analysis is provided for these markets. Market data and analytics are derived from primary and secondary research.

The report profiles 118 companies including many key and niche players such as

7 For All Mankind (US)

Aarvee Denims & Exports Ltd. ( India )

) Arvind Limited ( India )

) Black Peony (Group) Co., Ltd. ( China )

) Diesel S.p.A ( Italy )

) Edwin Co. Ltd. ( Japan )

) Gap Inc. (US)

Lee Jeans (US)

(US) Levi Strauss & Co. (US)

Mavi Jeans ( Turkey )

( ) Nien Hsing Textile Co. Ltd. ( Taiwan )

) Orta Anadolu ( Turkey )

) Raymond Group ( India )

) True Religion Apparel Inc. (US)

Key Topics Covered:



1. Industry Overview



2. Denim Jeans Industry And Macro-Drivers



3. Market Trends, Growth Drivers And Issues



4. Innovative Trends



5. Product Overview



6. Product Launches/Introductions



8. Focus On Select Global Players



9. Global Market Perspective



Total Companies Profiled: 118 (including Divisions/Subsidiaries)



- The United States

- Canada

- Japan

- Europe

- France

- Germany

- The United Kingdom

- Italy

- Spain

- Rest of Europe

- Asia-Pacific (Excluding Japan)

- Latin America

For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/fwvsrh/denim_jeans

Media Contact:

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

Related Links

http://www.researchandmarkets.com



SOURCE Research and Markets
MUMBAI, February 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Excelity Global, the largest Asia-based and India's largest provider of payroll administration, benefits and human capital management, announced that it has been appointed as the payroll and benefits outsourcing partner to Fortis Healthcare. As a part of this strategic engagement, Excelity will leverage its HR outsourcing experience to manage payroll and benefits for 22,000+ colleagues within Fortis Healthcare and other group companies.

Commenting on this engagement, Sumit Sabharwal, CEO (Managed Services) said, "We have been awarded a multi-year partnership with Fortis, one of the world's most respected healthcare companies. We take pride that Fortis has chosen Excelity as its partner of choice to manage their payroll and benefits administration. Organizations today are looking to streamline their payroll and benefits administration process while gaining process efficiencies and Excelity has been instrumental in doing this on a continuous basis."

"We are happy to have partnered with Excelity on this journey. Excelity has demonstrated expertise in handing large payroll and benefits administration engagement in the past and they will leverage their expertise to deliver a world-class experience to our employees," said Mr. Ranjan Pandey (Vice President, HR Operations), Fortis Healthcare.

He further said, "With this engagement, Excelity further strengthens its position as the largest payroll and benefits outsourcing service provider in the India market and in in key markets across Asia Pacific. Our focus continues to be transforming our client's HR operations, incorporating smart technology, and improving their employee experience."

About Excelity Global

Excelity Global is the largest Asia-based end-to-end HR solutions service provider with close to 2 decades years of experience and partnering with over 1,000 client entities helping them manage and administer their payroll and retrials functions more efficiently. Excelity Global services more than 1.2 Million employees per month and its current clientele includes top Global- Banks and Financial Institutions, e-commerce, utility, IT and FMCG corporations.

For more information, please visit: http://www.excelityglobal.com

About Fortis Healthcare

Fortis Healthcare Limited is a leading integrated healthcare delivery service provider in India. The healthcare verticals of the company primarily comprise hospitals, diagnostics and day care specialty facilities. Currently, the company operates its healthcare delivery services in India, Dubai, Mauritius and Sri Lanka with 45 healthcare facilities (including projects under development), approximately 10,000 potential beds and over 346 diagnostic centers.

For more information, please visit: http://www.fortishealthcare.com

Media Contacts

Jaya Jindal

jaya@80-db.com

+91-9654443463



SOURCE Excelity Global
MUMBAI, February 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

This report studies Canola Oil in Global market, especially in North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia and India, focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with capacity, production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer.

Access Canola Global Oil Market report - https://www.bharatbook.com/food-market-research-reports-812118/global-canola-oil2.html

The companies covered include:

Louis Dreyfus Company

ADM

Cargill

Bunge

Richardson Oilseed

Viterra

Al Ghurair

CHS

Pacific Coast Canola (PCC)

Oliyar

Wilmar International

COFCO

Chinatex Corporation

Maple Grain and Oil Industry

and Oil Industry HSGC

Zhongsheng

Allstar

H-Best

Yingcheng Oil Company

Daodaoquan

Market Segment by Regions, this report splits Global into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue, market share and growth rate of Canola Oil in these regions, from 2011 to 2021 (forecast) which includes:

North America

Europe

China

Japan

Southeast Asia

India

Split by product type, with production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, can be divided into:

Cold-pressed Canola Oil

Extracted Canola Oil

Split by application, this report focuses on consumption, market share and growth rate of Canola Oil in each application can be divided into:

Food Industry

Biofuels

Oleo Chemicals

Get an insight of the Canola Global Oil Market report - https://www.bharatbook.com/food-market-research-reports-812118/global-canola-oil2.html

About Bharat Book Bureau:

Bharat Book Bureau is the leading market research information aggregator that provides market research reports, industry analysis, company profiles, business reports, country reports, newsletters and online databases. Bharat Book Bureau provides over a million reports from more than 400 publishers around the globe.



Press Contact:

Poonam

P: +91-22-27810772 / 27810773

E: poonam@bharatbook.com



Website: http://www.bharatbook.com

SOURCE Bharat Book Bureau
DUBLIN, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Price Analysis and Strategies - 2016" report to their offering.

The latest research Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Price Analysis and Strategies - 2016, provides drug pricing data and benchmarks in the global Liver Cirrhosis market.

The research answers the following questions:

What are the key drugs marketed for Liver Cirrhosis and their clinical attributes? How are they positioned in the Global Liver Cirrhosis market?

What are the unit prices and annual treatment cost for Liver Cirrhosis therapies in different countries? What are the drug pricing trends and how are they expected to change in the future? How are the drug pricing and reimbursement landscape different by countries?

What are the unmet needs in the global Liver Cirrhosis drugs market? What would be the ideal pricing strategy for a new pipeline therapy for Liver Cirrhosis?

Research Scope:

Treatment Options - Identify key drugs marketed and prescribed for Liver Cirrhosis including trade name, molecule name, and company

Drugs Attributes - Find out the safety, efficacy, and risk benefit for key drugs marketed for Liver Cirrhosis

Market Positioning - Identify how drugs are clinically and commercially positioned in the global Liver Cirrhosis market

Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Price Analysis - Find out the annual therapy cost and unit price for key drugs marketed

Find out how the price advanced from 2012 and forecast to 2021

Pricing & Reimbursement Landscape - Find out the pricing and reimbursement landscape

Liver Cirrhosis New Drug Pricing - Identify the effective pricing strategy for a new drug launch

This research will help executives



Identify clinical attributes of your competitor drugs

Find out how the marketed products for Liver Cirrhosis are clinically and commercially positioned

Understand the price of your competitor drugs by countries

Use Liver Cirrhosis drugs price data for market sizing, drug sales forecast, budgeting, competitive intelligence, HEOR, and reimbursement

Find out the pricing and reimbursement landscape by countries

Identify the unmet need in global Liver Cirrhosis market

Identify the effective pricing for a new drug

Key Topics Covered:

1. Liver Cirrhosis Treatment Options



2. Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Clinical Attributes



3. Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Market Positioning



4. Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Price Analysis



4.1. Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Price Analysis - US



4.2. Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Price Analysis - Germany



4.3. Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Price Analysis - France



4.4. Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Price Analysis - Italy



4.5. Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Price Analysis - Spain



4.6. Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Price Analysis - UK



4.7. Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Price Analysis - Japan



5. Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Price Benchmarks



6. Drug Pricing & Reimbursement Landscape



6.1. Drug Pricing & Reimbursement Landscape - US



6.2. Drug Pricing & Reimbursement Landscape - Germany



6.3. Drug Pricing & Reimbursement Landscape - France



6.4. Drug Pricing & Reimbursement Landscape - Italy



6.5. Drug Pricing & Reimbursement Landscape - Spain



6.6. Drug Pricing & Reimbursement Landscape - UK



6.7. Drug Pricing & Reimbursement Landscape - Japan



7. Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Price Forecast



8. Liver Cirrhosis Market Unmet Needs



9. Liver Cirrhosis New Drug Pricing



10. Research Methodology



Table 1: Liver Cirrhosis Marketed Drugs, Global, 2016



Table 2: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Clinical Attribute Analysis, Global, 2016



Table 3: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Unit Price, Global, 2012 - 2016



Table 4: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Annual Treatment Cost, Global, 2012 - 2016



Table 5: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Unit Price, US, 2012 - 2016



Table 6: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Annual Treatment Cost, US, 2012 - 2016



Table 7: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Unit Price, Germany, 2012 - 2016



Table 8: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Annual Treatment Cost, Germany, 2012 - 2016



Table 9: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Unit Price, France, 2012 - 2016



Table 10: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Annual Treatment Cost, France, 2012 - 2016



Table 11: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Unit Price, Italy, 2012 - 2016



Table 12: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Annual Treatment Cost, Italy, 2012 - 2016



Table 13: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Unit Price, Spain, 2012 - 2016



Table 14: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Annual Treatment Cost, Spain, 2012 - 2016



Table 15: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Unit Price, UK, 2012 - 2016



Table 16: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Annual Treatment Cost, UK, 2012 - 2016



Table 17: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Unit Price, Japan, 2012 - 2016



Table 18: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Annual Treatment Cost, Japan, 2012 - 2016



Table 19: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Price Comparison Benchmarks, Global, 2016



Table 20. Drug Pricing Landscape by Countries, 2016



Table 21: Drug Reimbursement Landscape by Countries, 2016



Table 22: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Price Forecast, Global, 2016 - 2021



Table 23: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Price Forecast, US, 2016 - 2021



Table 24: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Price Forecast, Germany, 2016 - 2021



Table 25: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Price Forecast, France, 2016 - 2021



Table 26: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Price Forecast, Italy, 2016 - 2021



Table 27: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Price Forecast, Spain, 2016 - 2021



Table 28: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Price Forecast, UK, 2016 - 2021



Table 29: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Price Forecast, Japan, 2016 - 2021



Table 30: Liver Cirrhosis Market Unmet Needs



Table 31: Liver Cirrhosis New Drugs Pricing, Global, 2016 - 2021

Figure 1: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Market Positioning, Global, 2016



Figure 2: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Unit Price, Global, 2012 - 2016



Figure 3: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Annual Treatment Cost, Global, 2012 - 2016



Figure 4: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Unit Price, US, 2012 - 2016



Figure 5: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Annual Treatment Cost, US, 2012 - 2016



Figure 6: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Unit Price, Germany, 2012 - 2016



Figure 7: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Annual Treatment Cost, Germany, 2012 - 2016



Figure 8: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Unit Price, France, 2012 - 2016



Figure 9: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Annual Treatment Cost, France, 2012 - 2016



Figure 10: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Unit Price, Italy, 2012 - 2016



Figure 11: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Annual Treatment Cost, Italy, 2012 - 2016



Figure 12: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Unit Price, Spain, 2012 - 2016



Figure 13: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Annual Treatment Cost, Spain, 2012 - 2016



Figure 14: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Unit Price, UK, 2012 - 2016



Figure 15: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Annual Treatment Cost, UK, 2012 - 2016



Figure 16: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Unit Price, Japan, 2012 - 2016



Figure 17: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Annual Treatment Cost, Japan, 2012 - 2016



Figure 18: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Price Comparison Benchmarks, Global, 2016



Figure 19: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Price Forecast, Global, 2016 - 2021



Figure 20: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Price Forecast, US, 2016 - 2021



Figure 21: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Price Forecast, Germany, 2016 - 2021



Figure 22: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Price Forecast, France, 2016 - 2021



Figure 23: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Price Forecast, Italy, 2016 - 2021



Figure 24: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Price Forecast, Spain, 2016 - 2021



Figure 25: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Price Forecast, UK, 2016 - 2021



Figure 26: Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Price Forecast, Japan, 2016 - 2021



Figure 27: Liver Cirrhosis New Drugs Pricing, Global, 2016 - 2021



For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/svcs2n/liver_cirrhosis

About Research and Markets

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WASHINGTON, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, a new resource guide, Immunization Financing: A Resource Guide for Advocates, Policymakers, and Program Managers, was released to provide practical advice to low- and middle-income countries seeking to mobilize resources for immunization programs. The guide offers 26 briefs, including eight country case studies, to assist countries looking to sustainably finance immunization.

The resource guide was developed as an open-access tool (www.immunizationfinancing.org) to assist advocates and decision-makers as they evaluate the pros and cons of potential financing sources. The guide is also designed to help users understand and plan for immunization costs, assess which vaccines to adopt, learn how to build broad political support for immunization programs, and determine how to make limited funds work more effectively.

Several major emerging global trends make this resource guide even more relevant:

Many countries have made historic commitments to immunization in recent years, including the endorsement of the Global Vaccine Action Plan in 2012 by all 194 World Health Assembly member states and the 2016 Addis Declaration on Immunization, in which African countries committed to increasing domestic financing for both vaccines and immunization service delivery.

The number of new, lifesaving vaccines has continued to expand, offering unprecedented opportunities to countries, but also requiring increased financing.

Additionally, many countries that have experienced economic growth are transitioning away from external support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to full domestic financing.

Immunization is among the most safe, impactful and cost-effective health interventions available. Immunization programs save two million lives per year, and because of vaccines, smallpox has been eradicated. A recent analysis published in Health Affairs found that every dollar low- and middle-income countries invest to expand access to vaccines returns $16, and the return increases to $44 once broader economic benefits are taken into account.

Funding immunization in low- and middle-income countries can be a major challenge. Although immunization coverage in the poorest countries has improved significantly, one in five children in Africa still do not receive the most basic vaccines. Governments face difficult decisions when determining where and how to spend limited funding. They face many competing priorities, including, for example, investments in other health interventions, infrastructure development and education. Immunization requires careful planning and sustained funding by governments. The guide's case studies provide helpful examples detailing different financing approaches that nations have adopted.

"The governments of low- and middle-income countries often tell us that they need practical tools that will help them determine how to mobilize domestic resources and to ensure that funds are being used efficiently and effectively," said Gina Lagomarsino, president and CEO of Results for Development. "This immunization financing resource guide  which draws on examples from peer countries  provides exactly the kind of information that decision-makers need."

The Immunization Financing Resource Guide is currently available in English. It will be translated into French in mid-2017. The guide was produced by Results for Development, based on research funded in part by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The resource guide is an update to the Immunization Financing Toolkit: A Resource for Policy-Makers and Program Managers, published by the World Bank and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, in December 2010.

To access the resource guide online, visit www.immunizationfinancing.org. To obtain print copies, please contact Daniel Arias at darias@r4d.org.

About Results for Development



Results for Development (R4D) is a global nonprofit organization working with partners in more than 55 countries to find new ways to help people escape poverty and reach their full potential. We apply fresh thinking and rigor to emerging and stubborn development challenges  particularly within the fields of health and education  and we pioneer and advance creative, high-impact solutions. We do this by conducting analysis and generating evidence that helps to inform and influence decision-makers; building platforms and networks that connect people and ideas; by providing direct support to local change agents; and combining these approaches to deliver meaningful and lasting results. For more information, visit our website at: www.r4d.org.





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SOURCE Results for Development
NORWICH, England, February 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Omni Search, one of Norfolk's leading SEO specialists has recently helped Talks Loans achieve a record month for direct, organic business. This has contributed to the Norwich based loan broker outstripping its sales performance for the final quarter of 2016.

Talk Loans are a guarantor loan broker with access to a large percentage of the UK's lending market. Using a specialised process to match prospective borrowers to the most suitable lenders through their call centre, customers can quickly access all their available options and select the one that offers the most preferential terms. All at no cost.

Since working with Omni Search, Talk Loans has seen an increase in their organic website traffic. Alex Clarke, Head of Marketing, says "Achieving a high ranking on Google for certain search terms remains an important aspect of our customer acquisition strategy, and Omni Search's strategy has been key to driving positive results in this area." You can see why Talk Loans have so much success by visiting here: https://www.talkloans.co.uk/loans/guarantor-loans/

This achievement represents a notable milestone for Omni Search. The Norwich based SEO company has been in existence for a little under one year and has been producing a serious uplift in internet traffic for a wide variety of businesses. They list national brands, large SMEs and artistic organisations in their client base, amongst their growing portfolio.

Graham Tester, Managing Director of Omni Search, had the following to say about the achievement: "we achieved this boost in traffic for Talk Loans by following our own proven procedures. Initially we focus on the elements that need the most work to create the greatest improvements in ranking. This way our clients always see rapid results following the engagement of Omni Search as their SEO consultants."

He went on to add "analysis is obviously an essential building block. We identify activities by performing the correct investigative reviews and acquiring competitor insight. However, the real skill in our business is in understanding exactly where the audience for brands like Talk Loans can be sourced"

Omni Search utilises cutting-edge techniques to raise the prominence of their clients in search engine results. This is achieved via a rigorous adherence to the principles of technical SEO, combining this structural approach with an inventive flair to content marketing. High quality press releases are produced and subsequently deployed using the company's own extensive distribution network.

Following a recent relocation to new premises outside Norwich, Omni Search is looking forward to a profitable 2017. With an ever-increasing percentage of businesses now exploring the viability of online markets, with a proven track record of success Omni Search is set to capitalise on these opportunities.

You can find Omni Search here: https://omnisearch.uk/

Media Contact:



Graham Tester

Omni Search

8 Station Road

Coltishall

Norwich

NR12 7JL

+44-1603-560-465

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Kieron Bain

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SOURCE Omni Search
PUNE, India, February 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

According to the new market research report on the "Power Electronics Market by Material (Silicon, SiC, GaN, Sapphire), Device Type (Discrete, Module, and IC), Vertical (ICT, Consumer Electronics, Power, Industrial, Automotive, and Aerospace and Defense), and Geography - Global Forecast to 2022", published by MarketsandMarkets, this market is expected to be valued at USD 41.73 billion by 2022, at a CAGR of 2.4% between 2016 and 2022.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 )

Browse 65 market data Tables and 65 Figures spread through 169 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Power Electronics Market"

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/power-electronics-market-204729766.html

Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report.

The major factors driving the growth of the power electronics market include increasing demand for energy-efficient battery-powered portable devices, rising trend of energy harvesting technologies, enhancement of power infrastructure, and the growing focus toward using renewable power sources.

Silicon expected to have the largest market size by 2022

Silicon accounted for the largest share of the power electronics market based on material segment in 2015. The growth of this market can be attributed to the applicability of silicon in various power electronics devices and products.

Download PDF Brochure @ http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=204729766

Power IC market to grow at the highest rate during the forecast period

The power electronics market for IC based on device type segment is expected to grow at the highest rate during the forecast period. Increasing application of power ICs in radio frequency (RF), high-frequency wireless communication, radio detection and ranging (RADAR), satellite communication, electronic warfare, radio communication, and microwave radiation fields is expected to drive the growth of this market during 2016-2022.

Automotive vertical in power electronics to grow at the highest rate during the forecast period

The power electronics market for automotive based on vertical is expected to grow at the highest rate between 2016 and 2022. This high market growth rate can be attributed to the increasing adoption of energy efficient hybrid electronic cars because of the increasing concern over environmental pollution and saving energy.

APAC expected to hold the largest share of the power electronics market during the forecast period

Asia-Pacific (APAC) is expected to hold the largest share of the power electronics market during 2016-2022. The high growth of this market can be attributed to the emergence of APAC as a strong manufacturing hub with leading manufacturers of consumer goods increasing their manufacturing activities in this region. Cost advantages and initiatives by different countries in this region are expected to boost the domestic manufacturing and provide further impetus for the growth of the power electronics market.

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The report also profiles the most promising players in the power electronics market. The competitive landscape of this market presents an interesting picture where a large number of big and small players have become a force to reckon with. The key players in this market are Infineon Technologies AG (Germany), Texas Instruments, Inc. (U.S.), ON Semiconductor Corp. (U.S.), STMicroelectronics N.V. (Switzerland), Maxim Integrated Products, Inc. (U.S.), Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. (Japan), NXP Semiconductors N.V. (The Netherland), Qualcomm, Inc. (U.S), Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. (U.S.), Renesas Electronics Corp. (Japan), and Mitsubishi Electric Corp. (Japan).

Browse Related Reports

Intelligent Power Module Market by Voltage Rating (Up To 600 V, 1200 V, Above 1200 V), Current Rating (Up To 100 A., 101-600 A, Above 600 A), Circuit Configuration, Power Device (IGBT, MOSFT), Vertical, and Region - Forecast to 2022

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/intelligent-power-module-market-93744487.html

Power Management IC (PMIC) Market by Product (Linear Regulator, Switching Regulator, Voltage References, Battery Management IC, Energy Management IC, LED Driver IC, POE Controller, Wireless Charging IC), Application, and Geography - Global Forecast to 2022

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/power-management-ic-market-441.html

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DUBLIN, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Report on China's Hog Production and Pork Market 2017-2021" report to their offering.

For many years, the live stock volume of hogs in China is the highest in the world. The livestock data shows that the live stock volume of hogs kept growing before 2012 but it began to fall from 2013 for rising costs and declined by 2.1% in 2014 compared to the highest level in 2012. At the end of 2015, the live stock volume of hogs reached 384 million decreasing by 9% compared to 2014. The fattened volume was 708.25 million down by 3.7% YOY in 2015. The output volume of pork presented a rising trend in its totality from 2000 to 2014, which broke the level of 50 million tons in 2010 and then hit a new high of 56.71 million tons in 2014, with a proportion of 65.1% of the total. However, from 2015, with the decline of live stock and fattened volume, the output volume of pork began to decrease in China. In recent years, with the promotion of standardized scale breeding, the number of standardized scale farms increases sharply and the proportion keeps rising.

Pork is still the major meat product consumed by Chinese residents. With the economic development and ongoing urbanization in China, the consumption volume of pork presents an overall upward trend. In terms of consumer groups, the household pork consumption volume of urban residents is higher than that of rural residents. From 2009, the household meat consumption volume of urban and rural residents becomes quite stable. Urban residents consumed over 20 kg of pork per capita while the rural residents consumed 15 kg of pork per capita.

In terms of the global market, the output volume of pork reached 112 million tons in 2015 and the CAGR of pork output volume was about 3.3% in the past 40 years, higher than the 3% of CAGR of the total volume. The producing areas of hogs and pork are mainly located in Asia, North America and Europe. The major pork producers are China, EU, the U.S.A., Brazil and Canada. In addition, the consumption is mainly concentrated in China, Europe, North America, Japan, Russia, etc.

As the output volume of pork fails to meet the domestic demand in China, the import volume continues to rise. The import volume of pork in China was 778,000 tons in 2015, up by 37.8% compared to 2014, and it becomes over 1.5 million tons in 2016. According to the report, China mainly imports pork from EU, the U.S.A. and Canada in recent years.

With the sustained economic development, the rising incomes per capita and the ongoing urbanization, the pork demand will keep on rise. However, affected by negative factors of rising costs, more strict environmental policies, the fattened volume of hogs and output volume of pork are estimated to drop steadily from 2017 to 2021. It is predicted that the profits of pig breeding will keep growing in China recently, so will the import volume of pork.

Key Topics Covered:

1 Overview of Pig Breeding Industry in China, 2011-2016



1.1 Boar Breeding and Import



1.1.1 Boar Stock



1.1.2 Boar Import



1.2 Status of Hog Breeding



1.2.1 Stock Volume of Hogs



1.2.2 Fattened Volume of Hogs and Production Volume of Pork



1.2.3 Scale Breeding of Hogs

1.2.4 Epidemic Situation of Hogs

2 Analysis on the Costs and Profits of Hogs Breeding in China



2.1 Costs of Hog Breeding



2.2 Purchase Price of Hogs



2.3 Net Profit of Hog Breeding

3 Overview of Hog Slaughter Industry in China, 2011-2016



3.1 Structure of Hog Slaughter Enterprises



3.2 Hog Slaughter Capacity



3.3 Hog Slaughter Volume



3.4 Profit

4 Consumption of Pork in China, 2011-2016



4.1 The Consumption of Pork



4.2 Rural and Urban Consumption Structure



4.3 Different Channels



4.4 Different Pork Product Forms



4.5 Price Level of Pork

5 Import and Export of Pork in China, 2011-2016



5.1 Export of Pork



5.2 Import of Pork



6 Major Pig Breeding and Slaughter Enterprises in China, 2011-2016



6.1 New Hope Liuhe Co., Ltd.



6.2 Guangdong Wens Food Group Co., Ltd.



6.3 China Yurun Food Group Limited



6.4 Henan Shuanghui I&D Co., Ltd.



6.5 Jiangxi Zhengbang Technology Co., Ltd.



6.6 Tangrenshen Group Co., Ltd.



6.7 COFCO Meat Holdings Limited



6.8 Hunan Dakang International Food & Agriculture Co., Ltd.



6.9 Muyuan Foods Co., Ltd.



6.10 Chuying Agro-Pastoral Group Co., Ltd.



7 Prospect of Pig Breeding Industry in China, 2017-2021



7.1 Factors Influencing the Development of China Pig Breeding Industry, 2017-2021



7.1.1 Favorable Factors



7.1.2 Unfavorable Factors



7.2 Forecast on Fattened Volume of Hogs



7.3 Forecast on Output Volume of Pork



7.4 Forecast on Consumption Volume of Pork in China, 2016-2020



7.5 Trade of Pork



7.6 Forecast on Hog Prices



7.7 Forecast on Benefit of Hog Breeding

For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/dvgp2p/report_on_chinas

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Laura Wood, Senior Manager

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SOURCE Research and Markets
SAXMUNDHAM, England, February 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Application Development Tools provider TigerLogic UK Ltd has changed its name to Omnis Software Ltd. At the same time, the company's German and French subsidiaries renamed to Omnis Software Germany and Omnis Software France, respectively. "The new company name, Omnis Software, is better aligned with our core product Omnis Studio, and strengthens the Omnis brand and name recognition within the application development tools market. With this strategic move, we hope to bring the benefits of using Omnis Studio to a wider audience, including solutions providers, application developers, VARs, SMEs and corporate customers, across the globe," commented Bob Whiting, Omnis General Manager.

About Omnis Software and Omnis Studio

Omnis Software designs and sells Omnis Studio, a leading application development tool for creating enterprise, web and mobile applications. For over 30 years, Omnis has helped thousands of application developers, VARs, SMEs and corporate customers create market-leading, and award winning applications for diverse markets, including healthcare, real estate, advertising, media, public authorities, legal, manufacturing, logistics, retail, sports, leisure, arts, and not-for-profit, with solutions for CRM, ERP, Asset management, Stock control, Accounting and Finance.

Omnis Studio allows application developers and programmers to write application code and business logic once, and deploy their applications on virtually any platform or device, including desktop PCs on Windows and macOS, as well as tablets and phones on iOS, Android and Windows. Support for a large range of client devices is enabled using the Omnis JavaScript Client, a unique JavaScript based technology for rendering the application UI and web forms in a standard web browser on desktops and mobile devices. The integration of data and services is available in Omnis Studio via REST based Web Services, and functionality can be extended within Omnis Studio by utilizing its powerful and flexible external components API.

Omnis is headquartered in the UK and has subsidiaries in France and Germany and distributors for many other parts of the world. For more information about Omnis Studio and the company, please visit: http://www.omnis.net or: Twitter, Facebook.

Omnis Software Ltd is a wholly owned company of the UK based OLS Holdings Ltd.

Contact:

Bob Whiting

Omnis General Manager

Tel: +44(0)1728-603011

Email: bob.whiting@omnis.net

SOURCE Omnis Software Ltd
David MacQueen , Executive Director of Strategy Analytics' Virtual Reality Ecosystem research program, noted, "2016 certainly was a busy year in VR. Appearing alongside Google Cardboard were new platforms Google Daydream, Samsung Gear VR, Oculus Rift, PlayStation VR and SteamVR, currently served by the HTC Vive device, although more vendors will join this platform in 2017."

VR Platform 2016 Shipment Volume Market Share Google Cardboard 69% Samsung Gear 17% Sony PS VR 3% Steam / HTC 1% Oculus Rift <1% Google Daydream <0.1% Others 9%

"Our data shows that Google has a commanding lead in terms of shipments and installed base for its ultra-low cost Cardboard VR platform, and the size of the audience is already attracting marketers and brands looking to use VR as a promotional tool. However, it accounted for merely 12% revenue share. The higher-spec smartphone VR platform, Samsung Gear VR, took top spot by revenues with a 35% revenue share. Sony's successful PS VR launch sees that platform take second place by revenues, and between them Sony and Samsung captured more than half of VR hardware revenues in 2016".

Cliff Raskind, Senior Director at Strategy Analytics, added, "The successful push of VR hardware to consumers through direct sales, bundling and even giving devices away, is seeding the market and creating the audience required for successful ecosystems to grow. However, 6 competing ecosystems makes for a market which is crowded and fragmented. 2017 is sure to be an interesting year and we expect some shakedown as the competing ecosystems either cement their position or fall by the wayside. Hardware revenues or audience alone will not be enough to win, and we will continue to track the ecosystem evolution as new use cases, apps, and industries beyond gaming and media grow the market for VR and AR."

Strategy Analytics analysts will present our latest insights into the smart connected device ecosystem at MWC Barcelona. Register to join us.

About Strategy Analytics

Strategy Analytics, Inc. provides the competitive edge with advisory services, consulting and actionable market intelligence for emerging technology, mobile and wireless, digital consumer and automotive electronics companies. With offices in North America, Europe and Asia, Strategy Analytics delivers insights for enterprise success. www.StrategyAnalytics.com

European Contact: David MacQueen, +44(0) 1908 423 623, dmacqueen@strategyanalytics.com

US Contact: Cliff Raskind, +1 617 614 0727, craskind@strategyanalytics.com

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SOURCE Strategy Analytics
AMSTERDAM, February 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Valiant Bank employs over 900 employees and has a client base of around 380,000 customers and operates across 85 branches in Switzerland

Valiant launches the next-generation customer experience platform developed for the modern bank user

Backbase, selected for its leading reputation and expertise in providing omni-channel banking solutions

Valiant Bank has selected Backbase, the omni-channel digital banking market leader, to deliver its new customer engagement platform. Valiant Bank is an independent bank for retail clients and SMEs in Switzerland serving around 380,000 customers across 85 branches and digital channels.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121002/567102 )



After a competitive tendering process, Backbase was selected to help Valiant implement the next-generation customer experience platform catering to the modern bank user. Valiant Bank had the need to increase manageability across its different channels. Implementing the omni-channel banking platform from Backbase provided access to a unified platform that proved to increase agility, flexibility, better management and control across all channels.

With this new customer engagement platform, Valiant Bank has set itself the goal of expanding customer interaction via its online channels and enhance the banking experience for all customer segments as well as other stakeholders. The first step in the digital transformation journey was the public customer website, which was launched in mid-January 2017.

Valiant Bank is increasingly well-known in Switzerland for its digital transformation by taking the banking experience to the next level. It was the first bank in Switzerland to open a new type of branch that combines personal advice and digital services. It was also the first to offer full online account opening and credit card applications.

The banking sector in Switzerland continues to innovate and bring forward the next generations of user-experience in banking. Valiant Bank has selected a partner such as Backbase to ensure delivering the required high standards of innovation.

Jouk Pleiter, CEO and Co-Founder of Backbase said: "Valiant Bank has truly positioned itself as game-changer in the banking sector in Switzerland by embracing digital transformation and innovation. They are setting a high standard for the banking industry by pioneering in innovative user-experience. I am sure they will continue to influence the Swiss banking landscape."

Matthias Hafner, Head of Digital Banking at Valiant comments, "As customers now expect better services and a greater user experience, leaders in digital banking innovation, such as Backbase, are coming to the forefront in helping banks like us to increase their agility and build a solid foundation for the future of banking." He further adds, "Backbase was selected as a strategic partner due to its expertise in providing a single omni-channel platform, which will enable us to streamline customer journeys across devices and channels."

About Backbase

Backbase is a fast growing fintech software provider that empowers financial institutions to accelerate their digital transformation and effectively compete in a digital-first world.

We are the creators of the Backbase Omni-Channel Banking Platform, a state-of-the-art digital banking software solution that unifies data and functionality from traditional core systems and new fintech players into a seamless digital customer experience. We give financials the speed and flexibility to create and manage seamless customer experiences across any device, and deliver measurable business results. We believe that superior digital experiences are essential to stay relevant, and our software enables financials to rapidly grow their digital business.

More than 80 large financials around the world have standardized on the Backbase platform to streamline their digital self-service and online sales operations across all digital touchpoints. Our customer base includes ABN AMRO, Barclays, CheBanca!, Credit Suisse, Fidelity, Hapoalim, HDFC, Hiscox, ING, KeyBank, Legal & General, Al Rajhi Bank, NBAD, OTP, PZU, PostFinance, Societe Generale de Banque au Liban and Westpac.

Industry analysts Gartner, Forrester and Ovum recognize Backbase as an industry leader in terms of omni-channel banking platform capabilities, and award the company high marks for its deep focus on customer experience management and unparalleled speed of implementation. Forrester named us a leader in the Forrester Wave for Omni-Channel Banking and Ovum nominates Backbase as the market leading provider of next-generation digital channel banking platforms.

Backbase was founded in 2003, is privately funded, with headquarters in Amsterdam (HQ Global) and Atlanta (HQ Americas) and regional operations in London, Cardiff, Mumbai and Singapore.

About Valiant Bank

Valiant is an independent bank for retail clients and SMEs that operates exclusively within

Switzerland. It offers private clients and SMEs a comprehensive, easy-to-understand range of products and services to meet all their financial needs. With its 85 branches, Valiant has strong local roots in 11 cantons - Aargau, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Jura, Lucerne, Neuchatel, Solothurn, Vaud and Zug - while its innovative digital services give the bank a presence across the whole of Switzerland. Valiant has total assets of CHF 26.1 billion and employs more than 900 staff.

For press enquiries, please contact:

Cristina Danila

Global Marketing Manager

E: cristina@backbase.com

T: +31(0)20-465-8888



SOURCE BACKBASE
The military market is a key influencer of satellite technology evolution, finds Frost & Sullivan's Digital Transformation team

LONDON, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. military's rising use of advanced weapons such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)/drones has given a huge boost to the market for satellite communication (SATCOMM). These aircrafts require non-traditional communication technologies such as SATCOMM to fly, navigate and engage in combat in remote locations, and their relevance in modern warfare ensures a steady demand for military satellite technologies.

"In addition to UAVs, the U.S. is currently modernising many aspects of its military force, including the F35 Joint Strike fighter and Zumwalt-class destroyer," said Frost & Sullivan Digital Transformation Research Analyst Peter Finalle. "These new vessels and aircraft will require more communications in locations outside of the traditional network coverage, making SATCOMM the primary communications technology for many of them."

U.S. Government and Military Satellite Market, Forecast to 2022 is part of Frost & Sullivan's Space & Communications Growth Partnership Subscription. The study finds that the government and military accounted for 87.2 percent of the total U.S. spending on satellite services. SES and Intelsat have the most significant presence in the U.S. military market, accounting for combined 57.7 percent of the total market.

Click on the following link for complimentary access to more information on this analysis and to register for a Growth Strategy Dialogue, a free interactive briefing with Frost & Sullivan's thought leaders: https://goo.gl/5XAIPf

The U.S. government and military are among the oldest clients of satellite services, and ongoing contracts and future prospects make them a consistent source of revenue despite the market's maturity. The competition for military contracts is fierce among high-bandwidth/global coverage service vendors in the industry; this, in turn, has made the military satellite market an important influencer of satellite upgrades, changes and increased efficiencies.

Satellite technology's higher costs of service and hardware are hardly proving deterrents to its adoption as it is the only network technology that is accessible in many field operations where terrestrial networks are unreliable. Many regions such as the Middle East, Africa and parts of Latin America, where there is U.S. military intervention or continued surveillance, lack high-bandwidth terrestrial networks with 100 percent network up time. This has opened up business opportunities for satellite service providers that offer efficient performance, industry-leading reliability and wide coverage in remote regions to support communication capabilities for U.S. troops and allies.

"Furthermore, new political changes in the U.S. have altered political relationships in 2017," noted Finalle. "This could cause increased reliance on satellite technology in some locations and ensure that the U.S. government and military remains the largest single client for satellite services in the world."

Other topics covered under the Space & Communications subscription include Space Communications in the IOT Age, Global Satellite Transponder Market, Global Commercial Satellite Broadband Market, U.S. Government Commercial Satellite Market, among others. All studies in the subscription present detailed market opportunities and industry trends evaluated following extensive interviews with market participants.

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Contact us: Start the discussion

Contact:

Anna Zanchi

Corporate Communications  Europe

P: +39.02.4851 6133

E: anna.zanchi@frost.com

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SOURCE Frost & Sullivan
NEW YORK, February 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Growing environmental concerns, rising health concerns and increasing instances of food adulteration to drive United States organic tea & coffee market by 2022

According to a TechSci Research report, "United States Organic Tea & Coffee Market, By Type, By End User, Competition Forecast & Opportunities, 2012 - 2022", the market of organic tea & coffee in the United States is projected to grow at a CAGR of over 13% during 2017-2022. Growing instances of lifestyle diseases, increasing disposable income, rising awareness among consumers and surging environmental concerns are expected to aid the country's organic tea & coffee market during 2017 - 2022. Moreover, expanding distribution channel, increasing visibility as well as accessibility of organic tea & coffee in retail outlets and aggressive marketing strategies being adopted by companies and online retailers is expected to positively influence United States organic tea & coffee market over the next five years.

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Browse 7 market data Tables and 20 Figures spread through 91 Pages and an in-depth TOC on

"United States Organic Tea & Coffee Market"

https://www.techsciresearch.com/report/united-states-organic-tea-coffee-market-by-type-organic-coffee-vs-organic-tea-by-end-user-retail-institutional-commercial-competition-forecast-opportunities/920.html

As consumers in the United States are becoming more health-conscious, they are seeking products which have minimal impact on their health and provide nutritional benefits. Organic products, especially beverages, are considered healthy as natural ingredients or substances are used to prepare them. All organic products are grown without any use of artificial chemicals, pesticides, or fertilizers. In the United States, the demand for organic tea & coffee is increasing owing to increasing consumer awareness regarding their high nutritional value, in comparison to conventional tea & coffee products.

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"United States government is taking initiatives to promote and encourage the consumption of organic products in the country. The government bodies such as the United States Department of Agriculture, and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service have laid down favorable policies and legislations in order to increase the quality standard of organically produced products." said Mr. Karan Chechi, Research Director with TechSci Research, a research based United States management consulting firm.

"United States Organic Tea & Coffee Market, By Type, By End User, Competition Forecast & Opportunities, 2012 - 2022" has evaluated the future growth potential of United States organic tea & coffee market and provides statistics and information on market structure, size, share and future growth. The report is intended to provide cutting-edge market intelligence and help decision makers to take sound investment evaluation. Besides, the report also identifies and analyzes the emerging trends along with essential drivers, challenges and opportunities present in the United States organic tea & coffee market.

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Global Organic Dairy Products Market, By Product Type (Organic Drinking Milk, Organic Yogurt, etc.), By Region (Europe, North America, Asia-Pacific, South America, etc.), Competition Forecast and Opportunities, 2011 - 2021

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About TechSci Research

TechSci Research is a leading global market research firm publishing premium market research reports. Serving 700 global clients with more than 600 premium market research studies, TechSci Research is serving clients across 11 different industrial verticals. TechSci Research specializes in research based consulting assignments in high growth and emerging markets, leading technologies and niche applications. Our workforce of more than 100 fulltime Analysts and Consultants employing innovative research solutions and tracking global and country specific high growth markets helps TechSci clients to lead rather than follow market trends.

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SOURCE TechSci Research
DUBLIN, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Vending Machines - Global Strategic Business Report" report to their offering.

The report provides separate comprehensive analytics for the US, Canada, Japan, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and Latin America. Annual estimates and forecasts are provided for the period 2015 through 2022. Also, a six-year historic analysis is provided for these markets. Market data and analytics are derived from primary and secondary research.

This report analyzes the worldwide markets for Vending Machines in Units by the following Product Types:

Beverage Vending Machine

Food Vending Machine

Other Vending Machine.

The report also analyzes the market for sale of products through Vending Machines by the following Product Types:

Beverage

Food

Others.

The report profiles 129 companies including many key and niche players such as

Azkoyen Group ( Spain )

) Crane Co. (USA)

Crane Merchandising Systems Ltd. ( USA )

) Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. ( Japan )

) Glory Ltd. ( Japan )

) Maas International Group ( The Netherlands )

) Royal Vendors, Inc. ( USA )

) Sanden Holdings Corp. ( Japan )

) SandenVendo America, Inc. ( USA )

) Seaga Manufacturing, Inc. ( USA )

) VE Global Vending Inc., ( USA )

) Westomatic Vending Services Ltd. (UK)

Key Topics Covered:



1. Industry Overview



2. Market Trends, Growth Drivers And Challenges



3. Technological Innovations



4. Intelligent, Smart And Connected Vending Machines



5. Product Overview



6. Types Of Vending Machines



7. Reverse Vending Machines



8. Product Launches/Introductions



9. Recent Industry Activity



10. Focus On Select Global Players



11. Global Market Perspective



Total Companies Profiled: 129 (including Divisions/Subsidiaries 142)



- The United States (38)

- Japan (9)

- Europe (85)

- France (3)

- Germany (8)

- The United Kingdom (29)

- Italy (20)

- Spain (3)

- Rest of Europe (22)

- Asia-Pacific (Excluding Japan) (9)

- Middle East (1)



For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/88lzgw/vending_machines



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Laura Wood, Senior Manager

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HORSHAM, Penn., Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- AAMCO Transmissions, Inc. ("AAMCO"), franchisor of the world's largest branded chain of transmission specialists and an industry leader in total car care services, announced today it has expanded in Arkansas with the opening of its first location in Jacksonville. The new auto repair shop is located at 1106 West Main Street and features transmission, auto repair and fleet services. AAMCO Jacksonville marks the brand's fifth location in Arkansas and is owned and operated by Cabot resident and first-time franchisee Martin Schneider.

Prior to joining AAMCO, Schneider spent 20 years in the automotive industry, working for General Motors. He also has two decades of telecommunications experience. The franchisee plans to develop additional locations in the market over the next several years.

"I retired after 40 years in business, but quickly realized I was not ready for retirement life," said Schneider. "When I saw an opportunity to bring AAMCO's full service car care center to Jacksonville, I knew it was the right move. Everyone needs a trusted car care expert in their life, and my goal is to provide quality work and customer service to the community for many years to come."

For more than 50 years, AAMCO's network of locally owned and independently operated automotive service centers has employed the latest technology. Expert technicians diagnose a repair, fix it right the first time and back it with a nationwide warranty. Known as the world's leading transmission expert, the company has evolved into a total car care brand that provides a variety of services including brake repair, tune-ups, shocks and struts, routine maintenance and more. AAMCO was named to Entrepreneur's 2017 Franchise 500, ranking at the top of the transmission repair category for the third consecutive year. Based on network size, growth rate and financial strength, last year, the brand also earned a spot on Entrepreneur's "Best of the Best" list. Additionally, AAMCO has been consecutively ranked on Franchise Times' Top 200+ for the last two years.

AAMCO Jacksonville serves customers Monday  Friday from 7 a.m.  6 p.m. and is closed Saturday and Sunday. For more information, please visit www.aamcojacksonvillear.com or call 501-983-4480.

About AAMCO

AAMCO is the world's largest branded chain of transmission specialists and a leader in total car care services. AAMCO has nearly 650 franchised automotive centers throughout the United States and Canada. Established in 1962, AAMCO-branded centers are proud to have served more than 45 million drivers. For more information, visit: aamcouniversity.com, aamco.com or aamcoblog.com.

Contact:

Nicole Hunnicutt

Fish Consulting

404-558-4108

[email protected]

SOURCE AAMCO Transmissions, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.aamco.com


MEXICO CITY, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Grupo Aeromexico, S.A.B. de C.V. (BMV: AEROMEX), (Aeromexico) reports that its Board of Directors held a meeting, and after receiving the opinion of its Audit Committee and the opinion of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, as an independent expert, regarding the offer price, considers such price is both supported from a financial perspective and represents fair value. The members of the Board, shareholders and Chief Executive Officer announced their decision to participate in the offer, under the proposed terms, assuming there are no changes to current circumstances. They do not consider that there are conflicts of interest with regard to the offer and or related to the offeror. Those members related to the offeror abstained from participating in the discussion and resolution process.

About Grupo Aeromexico

Grupo Aeromexico, S.A.B. de C.V. is a holding company whose subsidiaries are engaged in commercial aviation in Mexico and the promotion of passenger loyalty programs. Aeromexico, Mexicos global airline, operates more than 600 daily flights and its main hub is in Terminal 2 at the Mexico City International Airport. Its destinations network features more than 80 cities on three continents, including 45 destinations in Mexico, 17 in the United States, 15 in Latin America, 3 in Canada, 4 in Europe, and 2 in Asia.

The Group's fleet of more than 130 aircraft is comprised of Boeing 787, 777 and 737 jet airliners and next generation Embraer 145, 170 and 190 models. In 2012, the airline announced the most significant investment strategy in aviation history in Mexico, to purchase 100 Boeing aircraft including 90 MAX B737 jet airliners and 10 B787-9 Dreamliner's.

As a founding member of the SkyTeam airline alliance, Aeromexico offers customers more than 1,000 destinations in 177 countries served by the 20 SkyTeam airline partners rewarding passengers with benefits including access to 636 premium airport lounges around the world. Aeromexico also offers travel on its codeshare partner flights with Delta Air Lines, Alaska Airlines, Avianca, Copa Airlines and WestJet, with extensive connectivity in countries like the United States, Brazil, Canada, Colombia and Peru.

www.aeromexico.com

www.skyteam.com

http://disfrutaam.tumblr.com/

Disclosure:

This relevant event is not an offer to sell securities. Any public offer for acquisition of securities must be made through the preparation of a prospectus or information leaflet, which will contain information about the Offeror, Grupo Aeromexico, and their respective administrations, as well as their financial statements and other relevant information. The present relevant event contains certain forecasts or projections, which reflect the current vision or expectations of Grupo Aeromexico and its management regarding its performance, business and future events. We use words like "believe", "anticipate", "plan", "expect", "intend", "target", "estimate", "predict", "predict", "forecast", "guidelines" "And other similar expressions to identify forecasts or projections, but it is not the only way we are referring to them. These statements are subject to certain risks, unforeseen and assumptions. We note that a number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the plans, objectives, expectations, estimates and intentions expressed in this relevant event. Grupo Aeromexico is not subject to any obligation and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or modify any forecast or projection that could result from new information, future events or any other cause.

SOURCE Grupo Aeromexico S.A.B. de C.V.

Related Links

http://www.aeromexico.com


FRANKLIN, Tenn., Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Affinion Insurance Solutions, powered by Affinion Benefits Group, is bringing to market a seamless way for bank partners to develop a deeper understanding of their customer base. Through a strategic partnership with Acxiom, Affinion's LUX360SM solution provides clients with an analytics tool that sheds light on customer demographics, financial profiles, and behavioral attributes, including Acxiom's PersonicX Lifestage Cluster segment.

For over 45 years Affinion has helped bank partners deliver effective insurance campaigns. Affinion's investment into bringing LUX360SM to banks will result in partners having access to a comprehensive data analytics package that will deliver actionable data that can be used to drive strategic decision-making around account acquisition, product development, and marketing. Estimates show that the price tag for many financial institutions to develop and maintain a "single source of truth" data warehouse is approximately $2M over 4 years.1 For many banks, building and maintaining a data warehouse simply isn't feasible. Even when possible, sorting through the vast amounts of complex data and making the best decisions on who to market and what channel to use can be overwhelming and require access to resources that many banks do not have. Including LUX360SM as part of a comprehensive marketing plan will help make customer data more actionable than ever.

"Banks are constantly seeking innovative solutions that benefit their customers," said Robert Dudacek, President, Insurance Solutions. "Now, our marketing partners will not only understand how their customers are responding to our insurance marketing, but they'll also have a more powerful holistic view into their behavior. LUX360SM will provide Affinion's bank partners with the ability to make stronger, more meaningful marketing decisions."

Banks interested in learning more about LUX360SM should visit lux360.affinion.com. ABA National Conference of Community Bankers attendees can also learn more about LUX360SM by visiting the Affinion Insurance Solutions booth #208.

About Affinion Insurance Solutions

As a market leader with 45 years of experience, Affinion Benefits Group ("Affinion Insurance Solutions") enhances the value of our partners' customer relationships with insurance programs that increase customer loyalty. Affinion Benefits Group is one of the largest insurance third party administrators in the country, and is dedicated to planning, creating, producing, and analyzing thousands of insurance marketing campaigns annually. Our time-tested insurance products from top-rated carriers include: Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance, Term Life, Hospital Accident Protection, Recuperative Care Plan, Simplified Issue Term Life and Graded Benefit Whole Life Insurance. Affinion Benefits Group (an Affinion Group company) holds the prestigious ISO 27001 certification for the highest information security practices and is PCI compliant. For more information, visit http://www.affinioninsurancesolutions.com.

1 Fintech Startups and Smartphone Adoption Drive Bank and Credit Unions to Innovate, OnApproach 2016

SOURCE Affinion Insurance Solutions
NEWARK, N.J., Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- AGS Health Inc., a global healthcare revenue cycle management company has been named for the fifth year in a row to the prestigious 2017 Global Outsourcing 100 list produced by IAOP in the Leader Size category.

"Buyers understand there are hundreds of qualified service providers and advisors out there, but what they really need to understand now is what makes each one exceptional," said IAOP CEO, Debi Hamill. "The Global Outsourcing 100 and World's Best Advisors lists have done just that."

Judging is based on a rigorous scoring methodology that includes an independent review by a panel of IAOP customer members with extensive experience in selecting outsourcing service providers and advisors for their organizations. The Global Outsourcing 100 List is selected based on rigorous criteria such as customer references, growth and size, innovation programs, Company certifications and awards, and corporate social responsibility. Applicants include companies from around the world that provide the full spectrum of outsourcing services  not just information technology and business process outsourcing, but also facility services, real estate and capital asset management, manufacturing and logistics.

"We are delighted to be listed once again amongst the best outsourcing providers in the world by IAOP. The award is a testimony to our relentless pursuit of excellence and the deep faith that our valued clients have placed in our service capabilities," said Devendra Saharia, CEO of AGS Health.

About AGS Health

AGS Health is an analytics driven, technology enabled Revenue Cycle Management Company providing services to leading healthcare providers across the U.S. With a global workforce of over 5000 billing and coding specialists, AGS Health has been ranked as the 9th Largest Revenue Cycle Firm in the US by Modern Healthcare, and awarded the 2016 "Gold Stevie" award at The American Business Awards for the 'Fastest Growing Company' (2500 employees and above category).

For more details, please visit http://www.agshealth.com

SOURCE AGS Health Inc.

Related Links

http://www.agshealth.com


By Anshuman Daga, Nidhi Verma and Chen Aizhu

SINGAPORE/NEW DELHI/BEIJING (Reuters) - China's Sinochem is exploring the sale of its 40 percent stake in Brazil's Peregrino offshore oilfield, four people familiar with the matter told Reuters, a deal that could see the state-owned conglomerate walk away from what was once touted as a key overseas asset because of historically low oil prices.

The oil and chemicals firm agreed to buy the stake from Norway's Statoil (STL.OL) for $3.07 billion (2.47 billion pounds) in 2010 - beating out a raft of Chinese rivals chasing high-quality assets. The Norwegian giant owns the other 60 percent of Peregrino, the largest heavy oilfield it operates outside its home patch.

But two of the people with knowledge of the matter said Sinochem is moving to sell its largest overseas upstream stake - with capacity to pump 100,000 barrels a day - as it reshapes its assets to reflect oil prices having halved in the last two and a half years. With that in mind, one person said, Sinochem was pitching the sale at a big discount to its purchase price.

"Peregrino has been a success story for Statoil, not just technically but also financially. It provides a lot of value and has a good operator in Statoil," said Horacio Cuenca, Rio de Janeiro-based research director for upstream Latin America at energy consultancy Wood Mackenzie.

Long term expectations of oil prices, however, and capital expenditure required in the next two to three years to develop the second phase of production will determine the value of any potential stake sale, he said.

Earlier this month, Reuters reported Sinochem was in early talks to buy a stake in Singapore-listed commodity trader Noble Group (NOBG.SI), a move that would further its ambitions to become more active in global energy trade and also develop China's gas industry.

The process to sell the Brazilian stake is still at an early stage and a final decision would depend on how the negotiations progress, the people familiar with the matter said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss it publicly.

Story continues

Statoil declined to comment.

In an e-mail reply, Sinochem's press office said: "The company has been monitoring a large amount of transaction opportunities in the market and is ready to re-adjust and optimise its asset structure at the right time." It added that company does not comment on specific projects.

Two sources said Sinochem's intent to sell the stake has been shared with India's Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC.NS). ONGC did not respond to requests for comments.

One person said the stake is also likely to be pitched to other international buyers, including some Japanese firms and Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Company, which snapped up Royal Dutch Shell's (RDSa.L) stake in Thailand's Bongkot gas field for $900 million last month.

SINOCHEM - ASSET MANAGER?

The potential sale of the stake in Peregrino - located 85 km off Brazil in the Campos basin below about 100 metres of water - comes as oil prices hover in a mid-$50s per barrel range, well below the highs of recent years. That trend has also prompted other industry players to consider selling once-prized assets.

Earlier this week, Reuters reported Malaysian state-owned oil and gas firm Petronas is aiming to sell a large minority stake in a local gas project for up to $1 billion as it seeks to raise cash and cut development costs.

For its part, Sinochem has seen growth in its key oil trading business stagnate, with increasing domestic competition from the likes of state oil traders Unipec and Chinaoil, while overseas oil and gas assets have struggled amid the prolonged low oil prices.

"Sinochem is readjusting its energy asset structure," said a Beijing-based industry veteran familiar with the company's strategy. "As a medium- to small-sized oil producer, exposure to higher cost assets like deep water has become over-challenging."

"The company sees itself more as an asset manager. This becomes a clearer direction under the new management," the industry executive said, referring to Sinochem chairman Ning Gaoning who took over the helm last year.

The potential sale of the Peregrino stake also comes ahead of the second phase of the project's development, expected to cost about $3.5 billion with production from the new phase set to start by the end of the decade.

The second phase is designed to add about 250 million barrels in recoverable reserves to Peregrino, which currently contains an estimated reserve of between 300 million and 600 million barrels of recoverable oil.

(Reporting by Anshuman Daga in SINGAPORE, Nidhi Verma in NEW DELHI and Chen Aizhu in BEIJING; Additional reporting by Dmitry Zhdannikov in LONDON and Gwladys Fouche in OSLO; editing by Kenneth Maxwell and Jason Neely)
WELLESLEY, Mass., Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On Sunday, February 26, the Madeleine Korbel Albright Institute for Global Affairs at Wellesley College will convene two panels of international leaders and experts for a public forum on the global refugee crisis and its many sociopolitical and geopolitical ramifications. Beginning with a keynote from Former Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright '59, the day-long dialogue will feature a variety of perspectives, including international reporters, nonprofit leaders, and academics. The Public Dialogue, "From Exodus to Action: Claiming our Common Humanity in the Refugee Crisis," aims to tackle the demands of advancing beyond resettlement into rebuilding society.

Some of the many speakers who will attend include George Papandreou, president, Socialist International, and former Greek Prime Minister; Anne C. Richard, Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees, and Migration; Manal Omar, Associate Vice President, Center for Middle East and Africa, United States Institute for Peace; and ten other renowned professionals.

Former Secretary Albright stated, "We are privileged to welcome 13 esteemed experts who each offer valuable insight on the refugee crisis facing our global community. Now is the time to engage in open discussion on how we as leaders and global citizens alike can join forces to best manage this international crisis. I am delighted that Wellesley College offers us an inclusive environment where we can have these important conversations."

"History is watching our action (and inaction) as the displaced, the persecuted and those fleeing war and strife seek safety, new lives, new homes," said Wellesley College President Paula A. Johnson. "We must not forget that women and girls are especially at risk. These same women and girls--as well as the millions fighting for their rights--will be the agents of change we need to create a way forward for everyone. Wellesley College is proud to be part of that movement, and this year's Albright Institute Public Dialogue is evidence of our commitment."

As part of its mission, the Albright Institute provides Wellesley students a transformative experience that allows them to apply their liberal arts education toward solving problems in the international arena. The students, known as Albright Fellows, spend three weeks in January learning about global affairs in intensive classes and panel discussions as well as working together in interdisciplinary groups to address pressing current issues.

The event begins at 10:15 a.m. on Feb. 26. Both panels are free and open to the public. For those that cannot attend, these events will be live-streamed on Wellesley's website, and the Twitter hashtag #AlbrightDialogue will be used for social media posts related to the event, including live tweeting. For full details, see this public schedule.

About the Albright Institute

The Madeleine Korbel Albright Institute for Global Affairs at Wellesley College supports the College's mission of educating students for leadership in an increasingly complex and interconnected global environment. The program combines the intellectual resources of faculty from Wellesley College, researchers from the Wellesley Centers for Women, and leading alumnae and other practitioners and policy makers in the fields of international relations and public policy.

About Wellesley College

Since 1875, Wellesley College has been a leader in providing an outstanding liberal arts education for women who will make a difference in the world. Its 500-acre campus near Boston is home to some 2,400 undergraduate students from 49 states and 58 countries.

About the Panelists

Secretary Madeleine K. Albright '59, U.S. Secretary of State (1997-2001)

Madeleine Albright is an American diplomat. Dr. Albright was the 64th Secretary of State of the United States. In 1997, she was named the first female Secretary of State and became, at that time, the highest-ranking woman in the history of the U.S. government. From 1993 to 1997, Dr. Albright served as the U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations and was a member of the President's Cabinet. She is a professor in the practice of diplomacy at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. Dr. Albright chairs the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs. She is also the president of the Truman Scholarship Foundation. In 2012, she was chosen by President Obama to receive the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, in recognition of her contributions to international peace and democracy.

Deborah Amos, International Correspondent, NPR News

Deborah Amos covers the Middle East for NPR News and is reporting on refugee resettlement in the U.S. Her reports can be heard on NPR's award-winning Morning Edition, All Things Considered and Weekend Edition.

Haki Abazi, Director, Pivotal Place: Western Balkans, Rockefeller Brothers Fund

Haki Abazi has over 15 years of experience in designing and managing development programs in Western Balkans, Central and Eastern Europe, Afghanistan, and Indonesia.

Asmaa Albukaie, Case Manager, Agency For New Americans

In 2014, Asmaa Albukaie became the first Syrian refugee in Idaho.

Helena de Bres, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Wellesley College

Helena de Bres researches and teaches political and moral philosophy, with a focus on questions of distributive justice in global politics.

Nadya Hajj, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Wellesley College

Nadya Hajj's teaching interests focus on comparative politics, comparative political economy, development and underdevelopment, qualitative methods, politics of the Middle East and North Africa, gender and Islam, and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Joanna Kakissis, Reporter, NPR

Joanna Kakissis is a journalist based in Athens, Greece.

Gerald Knaus, European Stability Initiative; Mercator-IPC Senior Fellow

Gerald Knaus is ESI's founding chairman.

Manal Omar, Associate Vice President, Center for Middle East and Africa, United States Institute for Peace

Manal Omar is the associate vice president for the Middle East and Africa Center. Previously, she was regional program manager for the Middle East for Oxfam-Great Britain, where she responded to humanitarian crises in Palestine and Lebanon.

George Papandreou, President, Socialist International; Greek Prime Minister (2009-2011)

George Papandreou is former prime minister of Greece, current president of Socialist International and co-chair of the Democratic Alignment, a coalition of the center-left parties in Greece, composed by the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK), the Democratic Left and the Movement of Socialists and Democrats.

Richard Parker, Senior Fellow and Lecturer, Shorenstein Center, Harvard Kennedy School

Richard Parker is a renowned author, scholar and former journalist.

Anne C. Richard, Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees, and Migration (2012-2017)

Anne C. Richard is a visiting fellow at the University of Pennsylvania's Perry World House and an adjunct professor at Georgetown University.

Inela Selimovic, Assistant Professor of Spanish, Wellesley College

Inela Selimovic's research and teaching interests focus on the 20th and 21st century Latin American literature and film.

PRESS CONTACTS

Christopher Hennessy, Associate Director of Media Relations, 781-283-3201, [email protected]

Lauren Judge, Associate Vice President, Rasky Partners, 617-391-9625, [email protected]

This news release was issued on behalf of Newswise(TM). For more information, visit http://www.newswise.com.

SOURCE Wellesley College

Related Links

http://www.wellesley.edu


ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, Feb. 20, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- AM General today announced it has selected global supply chain integrator Brighton Cromwell, to be its sole authorized aftermarket reseller of certified HMMWV parts.

"The HMMWV continues to be the vehicle of choice as the workhorse for militaries around the world and delivering vehicles is just the beginning of AM General's commitment to our customer's needs," said Larry Platt, Executive Vice President, AM General, International Defense. "Brighton Cromwell is an ideal partner to supply our valued customers with genuine, certified HMMWV parts. As part of the agreement, Brighton Cromwell will stock a significant amount of fast moving parts allowing them to ship and deliver them more quickly to our global customers."

There are approximately 230,000 HMMWVs currently in military vehicle fleets around the world performing front line missions demonstrating that the HMMWV remains a critical operational asset.

Platt noted, "In the past few years we have seen a significant increase in fraudulent parts along with companies claiming to be AM General authorized parts suppliers. These companies have had no contractual relationship to AM General and their claims made it difficult to ensure that the parts being offered were genuine AM General parts. This relationship with Brighton Cromwell erases concern about where the parts are coming from and ensures AM General customers authenticity as they procure genuine parts to support their HMMWV fleet."

Brighton Cromwell will provide support for all HMMWV configurations built over the last 30 years. Additionally, as AM General's sole aftermarket parts provider, the company will bring their renowned expertise in managing lead times, expediting parts shipments and providing exceptional customer service to AM General's loyal customers.

Brighton Cromwell has demonstrated expertise in supply chain management and logistics in support to military customers. In the last three years the company has processed more than 12,000,000 parts. During the same period the company has shipped more than 400,000 Ground and Combat vehicle sustainment, reset, and overhaul kits world-wide.

About AM General

AM General designs, engineers, manufactures, supplies and supports specialized vehicles for military and commercial customers worldwide. Through its military business, the company is widely recognized as the world leader in design, engineer, manufacture and support of Light Tactical Vehicles, having produced and sustained more than 300,000 vehicles in over 60 countries. Its growing Commercial business includes its wholly owned subsidiary, Mobility Ventures, designer and manufacturer of the acclaimed MV-1, the only American made vehicle specifically engineered from the ground up in support of wheelchair users and people with disabilities. AM General is also proud to have been selected by Mercedes-Benz to be its only contract manufacturer in the United States, producing the R-Class vehicle in Mishawaka, Ind. Additionally, the company was selected by the U.S. Postal Service to develop and test advanced automotive technologies for use in the Next Generation Delivery Vehicle program. AM General has more than five decades of experience meeting the changing needs of the defense and automotive industries, supported by its employees at major facilities in Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio, and a strong supplier base that stretches across 43 states. Please see more information about AM General at www.amgeneral.com.

About Brighton Cromwell

Brighton Cromwell is one of the leading providers of ground and combat vehicle maintenance kits to the US Army and the largest provider to the Defense Logistics Agency. The company is a world class supply chain integrator providing a wide range of procurement, logistics, and kitting services of military system parts to the United States Department of Defense, international militaries and customers, prime contractors, and commercial organizations. Brighton Cromwell is certified to the AS9120A and ISO 9001:2008 quality standards.

Media Contact:

Jeff Adams

Executive Director

Global Communications & Marketing / AM General

Phone: 703-347-2276

E-mail: [email protected]

SOURCE AM General

Related Links

HTTP://www.amgeneral.com


Global Technology Company Chooses Concurrent Planning Platform as its Supply Chain Planning System of Record

OTTAWA, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Kinaxis (TSX:KXS), provider of RapidResponse, delivering cloud-based SCM and S&OP applications, today announced that AMD has selected Kinaxis RapidResponse to plan concurrently across functions and time periods for end-to-end visibility across the entire supply chain.

Headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, AMD is a global technology company which designs and sells high-performance computing and graphics products that power millions of intelligent devices. RapidResponse will be initially deployed to replace legacy supply planning systems and to create a high-quality supply plan, while minimizing late demand and excess inventory. The supply chain team will also model time-phased capacity constraints and reduce the planning cycle time through tight integration and alignment of planning functions enabling continuous orchestration of their enterprise's operations performance.

"We are excited to continue strengthening our supply chain with Kinaxis RapidResponse," said Homi Nariman, corporate vice president, Supply Chain and Quality at AMD. "By connecting our data, process and people, we will be able to gain a consolidated view of our entire supply chain, enabling us to collapse our decision cycle time and connect all the links in our supply chain."

"With a greater need for real-time end-to-end visibility, planning, simulation and collaborative decision-making, organizations are increasingly placing Kinaxis RapidResponse at the core of their supply chain planning transformations," said John Sicard, chief executive officer, Kinaxis. "Our revolutionary cloud based concurrent planning platform is driving breakthrough results for our customers by removing the latencies that come with legacy cascaded approaches. We are thrilled that AMD has chosen Kinaxis RapidResponse to support their supply chain journey and we look forward to working closely with their highly capable team."

For more Kinaxis news, follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook.

About Kinaxis Inc.

Offering the industry's only concurrent planning solution, Kinaxis is helping organizations around the world revolutionize their supply chain planning. With RapidResponse, our cloud-based supply chain management software, we connect your data, processes, and people into a single harmonious environment. With a consolidated view of the entire supply chain, you can plan expected performance, monitor progress, and respond to disconnects when reality hits. RapidResponse lets you know sooner and act faster, leading to reduced decision latency, and improved operational and financial performance. We can prove it. From implementation to expansion, we're here to help our customers with every step of their supply chain journey.

SOURCE Kinaxis Inc.
NEW YORK, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Anchin, a leading assurance, tax and advisory firm, is pleased to announce that, for the tenth consecutive year, it has been named one of the Best Companies to Work for in New York State for 2017. The program, which is run by the New York State Society for Human Resource Management (NYS-SHRM), acknowledges leading companies throughout New York State.



"Anchin is a fantastic place to work. I started as an intern at the firm and returned for a second internship," said Brian Jimenez, a supervisor in Anchin's Tax Department. "It was immediately clear that this was the right place for me to build my career. Management truly nurtures professional and personal development. I can't imagine working anywhere else."

"Making the transition from working internally at a private company to public accounting at Anchin has been a great move for me," said Robyn Conte, Audit Senior. "The choice to join a firm with flexibility, career paths, and excellent work life balance has reinforced my decision to switch."

"Anchin is one of only four firms to receive this recognition since its inception," said Frank Schettino, Anchin's Managing Partner. "We are very proud of our firm and our innovative, employee-focused programs, including Anchin University, have truly differentiated us in a competitive marketplace for human capital. Initiatives introduced by our Human Resources, Learning and Development, Information Technology and Business Development teams have done much to enrich the experience at Anchin. We work hard every day to continue to create the best firm for our people and clients."

Created in 2007, these distinctive annual awards evaluate and rank the best places of employment based on employee satisfaction and engagement, as well as workplace practices and policies.



The 2017 Best Companies to Work for in New York State awards is a partnership of the New York State Council of the Society for Human Resource Management, The Business Council of New York, Best Companies Group and BridgeTower Media.

Anchin today is recognized as one of the "best of the best" accounting firms in the country, and a Best Place to Work in New York City and New York State. The full-service firm, with a staff of approximately 365, serves privately-held businesses and high net worth individuals with a wide range of assurance, tax and advisory services, including accounting and auditing; tax planning and compliance; tax credits and incentives; management consulting and succession advisory services; due diligence; and litigation support, forensic accounting and valuation services. Additional information is available at www.anchin.com.



CONTACT: Lee Peretz

212.840.3456

[email protected]

SOURCE Anchin, Block & Anchin LLP

Related Links

www.anchin.com


"We created the Bring Your Best Bowl contest to inspire people to think about the versatility of oats, and that's exactly what our winner Karen delivered with her unique flavor combination," said Becky Frankiewicz, senior vice president and general manager of Quaker Foods North America. "For 140 years, Quaker has been committed to bringing the whole grain goodness of oats to more people in more ways, more often, and we are so excited to continue to do so with this new savory oatmeal."

Karen is a resident of Boston where she works in the communications industry. When her fiance had surgery and could no longer eat crispy foods, she started whipping up oatmeal as a dinner staple. Looking to put a new twist on dinner, Karen created an oatmeal recipe that transformed the savory flavors of her signature apple, cheddar and rosemary flatbread into a flavorful dish her fiance could enjoy. Made with a delicious blend of savory and sweet, combined with an aromatic hint of rosemary, the dish inspired her winning Bring Your Best Bowl submission and is now the newest Quaker Instant Oatmeal flavor.

"I have a passion for cooking and love developing new, unique recipes that use everyday staples from my pantry, especially oatmeal because of how versatile it is," said Karen. "Through this contest, Quaker inspired me to expand my creativity to transform one of my favorite recipes into an oatmeal flavor everyone can enjoy, any time of day."

The Bring Your Best Bowl contest challenged people to submit ideas for the next Quaker oatmeal flavor using two to five ingredients. Last fall, three finalists were selected from more than half a million submissions, and the limited-time flavors were made available at stores nationwide, giving America the chance to sample and vote for their favorite, and Apple Cheddar Rosemary came out on top.

The two runner-up finalists, who submitted Vanilla Chai and Lemon Ricotta Pancake, will each receive $5,000 to recognize their unique and creative inspirations.

Instant Quaker Oatmeal Apple Cheddar Rosemary is now available on store shelves nationwide for a limited time. For more recipe inspiration and to learn more about the contest visit BringYourBestBowl.com.

About The Quaker Oats Company

The Quaker Oats Company, headquartered in Chicago, is a unit of PepsiCo, Inc., one of the world's largest consumer packaged goods companies. For more than 135 years, Quaker's brands have served as symbols of quality, great taste and nutrition. Quaker Oats, Quaker Rice Cakes and Quaker Chewy Granola Bars are consumer favorites. For more information, please visit www.QuakerOats.com, www.Facebook.com/Quaker or follow us on Twitter @Quaker.

About PepsiCo

PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $63 billion in net revenue in 2015, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker and Tropicana. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

At the heart of PepsiCo is Performance with Purpose  our goal to deliver top-tier financial performance while creating sustainable growth and shareholder value. In practice, Performance with Purpose means providing a wide range of foods and beverages from treats to healthy eats; finding innovative ways to minimize our impact on the environment and reduce our operating costs; providing a safe and inclusive workplace for our employees globally; and respecting, supporting and investing in the local communities where we operate. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com.

SOURCE The Quaker Oats Company

Related Links

http://www.QuakerOats.com


IRVINE, Calif., Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- AutoGravity, a FinTech pioneer on a mission to transform car financing by harnessing the power of the smartphone, has announced a partnership with Westlake Financial Services to provide access to Westlake Financial auto financing options through the innovative AutoGravity digital platform. Qualified car buyers are now able to access a broader set of car finance options through the AutoGravity iOS, Android and Web Apps.

Based in Irvine, California, AutoGravity is revolutionizing vehicle financing with its cutting-edge, simple-to-use digital platform by empowering car shoppers with up to four personalized finance options from the comfort of their phones. With this partnership, AutoGravity provides Westlake Financial Services loan products to a growing population of digital-first car shoppers. AutoGravity customers, in turn, benefit from an expanded set of lending options for the vehicle they purchase.

"We created AutoGravity to improve the car financing experience by putting multiple finance options in the palms of customers' hands," said Andy Hinrichs, founder and CEO of AutoGravity. "Our partnership with Westlake Financial Services drives more customers to dealerships and expands Westlake's ability to finance customers with all credit types."

AutoGravity realizes the full potential of smartphone technology to quickly connect car shoppers with lenders and dealers that fit their needs. Customers select any new car by make, model and trim, find nearby dealerships that carries that vehicle, apply for financing and choose from up to four personalized financing options in the app. Equipped with an understanding of their options, car shoppers can go to the dealership with financing in hand and close their deal with confidence.

"Westlake is constantly looking to stay ahead of the competition by leveraging technology and allowing for immediate financing options. Putting Westlake financing options on the AutoGravity platform is a great opportunity to expand Westlake's reach to more customers and to help improve the car buying experience for everyone," said Chris Urban, SVP, Risk Management, of Westlake Financial Services.

Indirect financing options from Westlake Financial Services are now available on AutoGravity mobile and web apps as a selectable lender choice.

AutoGravity apps are available for download on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. The platform is also available as a web application accessible at www.autogravity.com.

About AutoGravity:

AutoGravity is a FinTech pioneer on a mission to transform car financing by harnessing the power of the smartphone. AutoGravity partners with the world's leading banks and financial services companies to give consumers direct control over how they finance their cars. Available as a native iOS, Android and web app, AutoGravity offers a secure and convenient platform that empowers customers with multiple finance offers within its network of trusted car dealerships. Based in Irvine, California, AutoGravity was founded in 2015 by an international team of digital natives and industry veterans. For more information on AutoGravity, please visit www.autogravity.com and follow @AutoGravityHQ on Twitter.

About Westlake Financial Services:

About Westlake Financial Services: Westlake is an internet based, privately held finance company that specializes in the acquisition and servicing of prime to sub-prime automotive retail installment contracts. Headquartered in Southern California, Westlake originates indirect retail installment contracts through a network of over 20,000 new and used car dealers throughout the United States. For more information on Westlake Financial Services, please visit www.westlakefinancial.com and follow the company on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/westlake-financial-services.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Kent Barrett, [email protected]

310-373-0103

Mike Geylin, [email protected]

844-640-2925

SOURCE AutoGravity

Related Links

http://www.autogravity.com


CHICAGO, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Avant is pleased to welcome Grant Miles, a financial industry veteran with global banking giant HSBC, as Chief Risk Officer of the company. Mr. Miles has served as a special advisor to Avant for the past two years on areas ranging from risk management and underwriting to quantitative methods and modeling.

"Grant brings tremendous experience to consumer underwriting through numerous economic cycles, and has unique expertise in evaluating near-prime consumer credit, which remains Avant's core focus," said Al Goldstein, CEO of Avant. "Grant's insight into credit related strategies and the financial services industry will be invaluable to our executive team as we continue to grow Avant's financial products."

Mr. Miles has over 33 years of industry experience including several roles with HSBC North America Limited and HSBC Holdings LLC London. Mr. Miles most recently served as Chief Risk Officer and Executive Vice President for HSBC's US Consumer and Mortgage Lending businesses. Mr. Miles also served as Group Head of Risk for Cards and Managing Director for Retail Cobrand Cards, where he oversaw the successful launch of three retail cobrand programs across the Visa, MasterCard and American Express brands.

"Avant has demonstrated a sustainable business model and has brought innovation to the way consumers borrow. I look forward to joining a company that is at the forefront of changing the industry," said Grant Miles.

Avant has established a global base of over 500,000 customers with more than $3.6 billion originated through its lending platform. This year Avant plans to expand its offering of technology solutions to bank and non-bank partners via its Powered By Avant product, which offers an innovative digital lending experience to a greater reach of customers.

About Avant

Avant is an online lending platform that is the leading provider of credit alternatives to middle income consumers in the US & UK. Avant offers access to unsecured personal loans ranging from $1,000-$35,000 with funding as soon as the next business day, and has served more than 500,000 customers worldwide. Avant also offers its technology solutions to bank and non-bank partners via its Powered By Avant product to offer an innovative digital lending experience to customers. Avant, founded in late 2012, has raised over $600 million of equity capital and originated over $3.6 billion of loans through its platform.

CONTACT: Carolyn Blackman Gasbarra, 312-763-7410, [email protected]

SOURCE Avant

Related Links

http://www.Avant.com


LINDON, Utah, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- BambooHR, the industry's first vendor dedicated to powering the strategic evolution of HR in small and medium businesses, was recently ranked on Entrepreneur's Top Company Cultures list, a comprehensive ranking of U.S.-based businesses exhibiting high-performance cultures created in partnership with culture management software and service provider CultureIQ. The Top Company Cultures list has placed BambooHR as No. 27 in the large company category. BambooHR is recognized for creating an exceptional culture that drives employee engagement, exceeds employee expectations and directly impacts company success.

"With every one of our incredible people contributing to and nurturing our meaningful culture at BambooHR, it's rewarding and fun to see recognition by organizations like Entrepreneur and CultureIQ," said Ben Peterson, CEO and co-founder of BambooHR. "Success is simply an output of the effort and value that our teams place on making culture number one."

"Great company cultures don't happen on their own. They're the result of great leadership, and a conscious effort to make everyone on a team feel engaged and important," said Jason Feifer, editor in chief of Entrepreneur. "The honorees on our 2017 list are proof that strong cultures make even stronger companies. Entrepreneurs at all levels can draw inspiration from them."

The full list, presenting a total of 153 companies categorized as small, medium or large companies  with 2549 employees, 5099 employees and more than 100 employees respectively  is available on Entrepreneur.com. Core insights, behaviors and attributes that have helped to shape the high-performing cultures presented by the top companies are shared alongside practices to help other companies develop their own workplace environments.

"A high-performance culture leads not only to employee engagement but also to measurable business results," said Greg Besner, founder and CEO of CultureIQ. "These organizations show us that great companies start with great culture."

The rankings for all companies were determined using CultureIQ's methodology for measuring high-performance cultures. Employees at each company received a survey of multiple-choice questions, and the answers were used to assess each company's strength across 10 core components of culture, including collaboration, innovation and communication. The companies with the highest scores became the Top Company Culture list in ranking order. To be considered for the ranking, a company must have at least 25 employees, have been founded before Jan. 1, 2015 and be headquartered in the U.S.

To view BambooHR in the full ranking, visit https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/289218.

ABOUT BAMBOOHR

BambooHR is the leading provider of tools that power the strategic evolution of HR in small and medium businesses. BambooHR's cloud-based system is an intuitive, affordable way for growing companies to track and manage essential employee information in a personalized Human Resources Information System (HRIS). Now HR managers have more time for meaningful work, executives get accurate, timely reports and employees can self-service their time off using a convenient mobile app. BambooHR's clients include innovators like SoundCloud, Foursquare, Freshbooks, Stance, Reddit and Magnolia Homes, among thousands of others in more than 100 countries worldwide. To find out more, visit bamboohr.com or follow us on Twitter at @bamboohr.

ABOUT ENTREPRENEUR MEDIA INC.

For nearly 40 years, Entrepreneur Media Inc. has been serving the entrepreneurial community providing comprehensive coverage of business and personal success through original content and events. Entrepreneur magazine, Entrepreneur.com and publishing imprint Entrepreneur Press provide solutions, information, inspiration and education read by millions of entrepreneurs and small business owners worldwide.

To learn more, visit entrepreneur.com.

Follow us on Twitter at @Entrepreneur and like us on Facebook at facebook.com/entmagazine.

Contacts

Method Communications

Mikey Collard

8014619752

[email protected]

SOURCE BambooHR

Related Links

https://www.bamboohr.com


FORT WORTH, Texas, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- This past month, Beacon Hill Associates opened in Fort Worth, joining Beacon Hill Technologies. With this addition, the Associates division now operates in nine Beacon Hill locations including Boston, Washington, D.C., New York, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Charlotte, Atlanta, Philadelphia and now Fort Worth.

Leading the team is Stacei Shelley. Ms. Shelley is responsible for leading and directing Beacon Hill Associates in the Fort Worth market. For more than a decade, Ms. Shelley has provided outstanding talent to the best companies in Dallas and Fort Worth. She has delivered on volume staffing projects as well as complex individual requests with the same high quality service, attention to detail, transparent communication and excellent follow up. Prior to joining Beacon Hill, Ms. Shelley was a Regional Sales Executive and Business Development Manager for two of the largest staffing firms in the world. While there, she was a top individual producer working across branches throughout the DFW marketplace while also responsible for hiring, managing and leading a team. Prior to her career in staffing, Ms. Shelley worked as a sales and marketing executive in the medical device industry. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Tarleton State University, where she majored in Business Marketing.

"There has been tremendous demand for our services from clients in the Dallas/Fort Worth marketplace looking for top talent at all levels of experience in administrative, customer service, call center, marketing, sales and support positions," said Charlie Cain, Managing Director of Beacon Hill Associates. "We are excited to have Stacei leading the Associates business in Fort Worth and look forward to making an immediate impact on the market."

Beacon Hill Associates provides direct hire, temporary staffing and temporary-to-hire services within the general administrative, office support, secretarial and recent college graduate sectors of the employment marketplace.

Beacon Hill Staffing Group's niche brands provide direct hire, executive search, temporary staffing, contract consulting and temp/contract-to-hire solutions to emerging growth companies and the Fortune 500 across multiple market sectors and all industries. Over time, office locations, specialty practice areas and service offerings will be added to address ever changing constituent needs.

SOURCE Beacon Hill Staffing Group

Related Links

http://www.beaconhillstaffing.com


"It is essential that everyone is able to see and understand what we are doing," says Virginia Cullen, BGC's Chief Operating Officer, "project delays caused by miscommunication can cost our clients hundreds of millions of dollars."

By using interactive 3D maps and immersive landscapes, BGC can communicate their designs to clients and stakeholders more effectively.

"I can show you a million 2D drawings, but you'll never understand it as clearly as if I show you the same information in 3D using HoloLens," explains Bill Burton, Vice President at BGC, "This has the potential to revolutionize how we communicate on a day-to-day basis."

Some of BGC's biggest projects involve land reclamation for mining companies.

"Reclamation is about making good on the commitment that a mine is a temporary use of the land," explains Burton, "[with HoloLens] we can give you sense of what it's like to stand in the reclaimed environment and see what that final landscape will be. This is easier to understand, for experts and non-experts alike."

BGC's and LOOOK's work with HoloLens has already received positive response from BGC's clients and contemporaries.

Nalaine Morin, Project Manager, Lands Department for the Tahltan Central Government and Principal at ArrowBlade Consulting Services has experienced the application first-hand.

"Resource development today has really changed. Now there's an engagement with communities and with First Nations people about the landscape and about making decisions about how resource development will affect their communities. A tool like HoloLens, it just helps to support the discussion," said Morin.

"This move, from flat engineering drawings, to interactive 3D and immersive landscapes will revolutionize how BGC executes and communicates the work we do," says BGC's President and CEO, Steve Hedberg.

About BGC Engineering, Inc.

BGC Engineering (BGC) is an international consulting firm that provides professional services in applied earth sciences. Established in 1990, BGC is rooted in a specialized appreciation of the impacts of geology on engineered structures. For more information, visit www.bgcengineering.com

About LOOOK, Inc.

LOOOK is a Seattle based mixed-reality design and development studio that has years of expertise developing for Microsoft HoloLens. For more information, visit: www.loook.io or @LOOOKdotIO

About HoloLens

Microsoft HoloLens is the first self-contained, holographic computer, enabling you to engage with your digital content and interact with holograms in the world around you.

LOOOK is a trademark of LOOOK, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

SOURCE BGC Engineering Inc
BALTIMORE, Md., Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Vitamin, the web and public relations agency, today announced that it has been selected as agency of record (AOR) for the Business Network for Offshore Wind ("the Network") following a competitive RFP process. As the only non-profit organization in the United States solely focused on the creation of an offshore wind industry, the Network's aim is for the United States to have a strong offshore wind supply chain that has a leading role in the evolving global offshore wind industry. As AOR, Vitamin will develop and execute an integrated marketing-communications strategy for the organization and its marquee event, the 2017 International Offshore Wind Partnering Forum (IPF), which is the #1 technical conference for offshore wind in the U.S.

"Things have changed dramatically in offshore wind. With the recent commitments to buy a combined 4.25 GW of offshore wind energy in Maryland, Massachusetts and New York, we have an attractive market here in the U.S. that will generate tens of thousands of jobs," says Liz Burdock, executive director of the Network. "The investment in wind energy is expected to accelerate to $300B in 2020  and our goal is to fuel that growth by connecting U.S. businesses that can develop a domestic supply chain. We are confident in Vitamin's ability to elevate awareness of our growing U.S. market, our organization's mission and our major annual event, the IPF."

In its fourth year, the IPF draws more than 450 attendees annually, including the industry's leading global experts and developers. It takes place April 19-21, 2017 in Annapolis, Md. Registration is now open and members of the media are welcome to attend. Please contact Vitamin directly for press credentials at [email protected] or (410) 627-4098.

"Offshore wind is a burgeoning market in the U.S. and while the cost savings of offshore wind are now proven in Europe, our country is still in the early stages of educating the market on its many benefits," said Amanda Karfakis, president and CEO of Vitamin. "It's an important time for the offshore wind industry domestically and Vitamin is looking forward to positioning the Network as the non-profit leader in U.S. offshore wind."

Vitamin maintains vertical expertise in partnering with non-profits as well as businesses involved in energy, economic development and water-centric commerce, including Anne Arundel Economic Development Corporation, Baltimore Water Taxi, Plank Industries, Maryland Environmental Service and others.

About Vitamin

Vitamin is the "Cure for the Common Brand," a full-service boutique web and public relations agency. Focused on nourishing brands through an integrated approach to marketing communications, Vitamin maintains deep vertical market expertise across diverse fields, including healthcare, built environment, financial/banking services, education and non-profit. Vitamin is a certified MBE/DBE by the Maryland Department of Transportation. Learn more at www.vitaminisgood.com and on social media @vitaminisgood.

About the Business Network for Offshore Wind

The Business Network for Offshore Wind is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to establishing a U.S. offshore wind supply chain. The Network is focused on delivering education, creating partnerships and advancing the industry. All membership and event proceeds are invested back into supporting the industry by helping the Network continue programmatic education, and develop the tools and networks necessary to create a U.S. offshore wind supply chain. The Network hosts the annual International Offshore Wind Partnering Forum (IPF), the #1 technical conference for offshore wind in the United States dedicated to moving the industry forward. Register for the 2017 IPF, today.

SOURCE Vitamin

Related Links

http://www.vitaminisgood.com


On February 20th local time, China Energy Company Limited (CEFC) signed an agreement with Abu Dhabi government and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) to obtain four percent of equities of Abu Dhabi's land leasing contract area. The contract term is 40 years and the total volume is USD1.8 billion. This is the first time for a Chinese company to gain equities in Abu Dhabi's land oil gas area.

With the propelling Belt & Road Initiative, Chinese companies are accelerating their pace of overseas development. The United Arab Emirates is one of the world's most important oil producers and exporters. CEFC China becoming a shareholder of the biggest oil gas field in UAE marks another success in the Belt & Road Initiative.

According to the contract, CEFC China will obtain four percent of the equities, which will yield an annual oil share of 3.2 million tons based on current output, and will be expected to reach over 4 million tons for peak period. In addition, CEFC China has reached an agreement with ADNOC for long term supply of 10 million tons of crude oil each year, thus to ensure China a stable supply of over 13.2 million tons of high quality crude oil each year.

The agreement was signed between Mr. Ye Jianming, Chairman of China Energy Company Limited and Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, CEO of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company and member of Abu Dhabi Supreme Petroleum Council.

The contracted oil field is currently the biggest developed field in Abu Dhabi, accounting for half of the country's oil and gas reserve and production. The contracted field will be run by joint operation, with CEFC China taking part in decision-making and management, French Total and British BP providing technical support. The oil field will adopt world-level high standards in production and management.

Mr. Ye Jianming, Chairman of CEFC China attended the signing ceremony and met with Dr. Jaber, CEO of ADNOC. "This is a milestone in bilateral cooperation. Long-term and stable land oil equities investment will bring about deeper cooperation between CEFC China and ADNOC on oil and natural gas exploration and development, oil reserve and open market trade", said Ye Jianming.

Dr. Jaber noted that he is glad to develop strategic partnership with CEFC China, and that ADNOC will maintain close ties with partners who have value-added, world level expertise, financial resources and market opportunities.

Chen Qiutu, CEO of CEFC China told the media that overseas merger & acquisition has always been CEFC China's prioritized goal. CEFC China becoming a shareholder of ADNOC enables the company to obtain long-term stable oil equities, expand its territory in the Middle East's oil gas up-stream industry and establish its influence in the world's up-stream oil gas field.

CEFC China will further develop in the European oil gas terminals, increase investment into up-streams in the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa, promote cooperation between overseas up-streams and China's oil reserve and refining, thus to strengthen its global competitiveness.

SOURCE CEFC China Energy Company Limited (CEFC China)
AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Austin, Texas is about to witness the rebirth of its first craft brewery with the resurrection of Celis Brewery, which was originally founded by Belgian brewer Pierre Celis in 1992. Christine Celis, Pierre's daughter and partner in the original Celis Brewery, is restoring the family legacy with a new 22,000 square foot brewery in northwest Austin that is expected to start production in early Spring 2017.

The original Celis Brewery, which was located on Highway 290, became enormously popular introducing Texans to Belgian witbier, a refreshing style for the Texas heat. The brewery and "Celis" brand was later sold to Miller Brewing Company. In 2001, the brewery closed its doors, while the brand lived on under new ownership.

Now, the brand has found its way home with Ms. Celis having reacquired the "Celis" trademark from the then-current domestic and international rights owners, Total Beverage Solution (TBS) and Craftbev International Amalgamated., Inc.

"TBS is pleased to be able to help reunite the family with the brand," says President and CEO of TBS, Dave Pardus.

Sushil Tyagi, President of Craftbev, who had originally acquired the Celis brand from Michigan Brewing Company and had retained international rights until now says, "We worked for years for this day to come when Celis is restored to its hometown and we look forward to helping further expand Celis beers around the world."

"Rebuilding the Celis Brewery has been a labor of love that has taken me many years to accomplish," says Ms. Celis. "We have a new location and new state-of-the-art brewing equipment, but will brew the same great Celis beers like the famous Celis Wit and Celis Grand Cru, to name a few. This new brewery has the capacity to brew more than 50,000 barrels per year, including Pierre Celis' recipes from both the original Celis Brewery and his earlier days in Belgium. It's an honor to carry on my family's brewing legacy with my father's original 1965 recipes using the proprietary yeast from Belgium."

Celis Brewery will not only brew the original Belgian recipes, but it will do so with members of the brewing team from the original Celis Brewery. Led by Christine Celis, the team will include the master brewer and the Belgian brew engineer who designed the new brewery. Daytona Camps, daughter of Ms. Celis, will also join the brewing team.

A centerpiece of the original Celis Brewery, its massive copper kettle, was sold along with the original brewery and moved out of state. It has since made the journey back to Texas to be reunited with the family, and will be used as a beautiful bar in the new brewery's taproom.

The new Celis Brewery is rapidly taking shape with the recent installation of a 50 HL Braukon brewing system. The packaging line and fermenters are scheduled to arrive later this month, while construction of the taproom continues. To preserve brewing history, Celis Brewery has shipped the historic brewing equipment used by Mr. Celis in Belgium to make his famous witbier. The equipment arrived in Austin in December 2016 and will be on display at the Celis Brewery in 2017.

Connect with Celis Brewery

About Celis Brewery

Celis Brewery, founded by Christine Celis in Austin, Texas, brews Belgian-style ales and other beers, including the original witbier that Pierre Celis brewed in Hoegaarden. The brewery is an extension of the Celis family legacy and builds on the award-winning craft beer heritage for which the family is known.

SOURCE Celis Brewery

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- Net Revenue Up 31.2% Year-Over-Year to $32.0 Million -

- Net Income Up 108.3% Year-Over-Year to $8.6 Million -

BEIJING, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- China Distance Education Holdings Limited (NYSE: DL) ("CDEL", or the "Company"), a leading provider of online education in China focusing on professional education, today announced unaudited financial results for the first quarter of fiscal year 2017 ended December 31, 2016.

First Quarter Fiscal 2017 Financial and Operational Highlights

Total course enrollments reached 1,293,000, an increase of 8.5% from the first quarter of fiscal 2016.

Cash receipts from online course registration were $26.8 million , flat compared with the first quarter of fiscal 2016. Without the impact of the Renminbi depreciation against the U.S. Dollar, cash receipts from online course registration increased by 7.3% year-over-year in the first quarter of fiscal 2017.

, flat compared with the first quarter of fiscal 2016. Without the impact of the Renminbi depreciation against the U.S. Dollar, cash receipts from online course registration increased by 7.3% year-over-year in the first quarter of fiscal 2017. Net revenue increased by 31.2% to $32.0 million from $24.4 million in the prior year period, exceeding the Company's guidance range of $28.0 million to $29.2 million . Xiamen NetinNet, which was acquired by the Company in May 2016 , contributed net revenue from the sale of learning simulation software of $6.5 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2017.

from in the prior year period, exceeding the Company's guidance range of . Xiamen NetinNet, which was acquired by the Company in , contributed net revenue from the sale of learning simulation software of in the first quarter of fiscal 2017. Gross profit increased by 50.4% to $19.2 million from $12.8 million in the prior year period.

from in the prior year period. Non-GAAP [1] gross profit increased by 50.2% to $19.2 million from $12.8 million in the prior year period.

gross profit increased by 50.2% to from in the prior year period. Gross margin was 59.9%, compared with 52.3% in the prior year period. Non-GAAP [1] gross margin was 60.1%, compared with 52.5% in the prior year period.

gross margin was 60.1%, compared with 52.5% in the prior year period. Operating income increased by 125.6% to $8.0 million from $3.5 million in the prior year period.

from in the prior year period. Non-GAAP [1] operating income increased by 109.4% to $8.5 million from $4.0 million in the prior year period.

operating income increased by 109.4% to from in the prior year period. Net income increased by 108.3% to $8.6 million from $4.1 million in the prior year period.

from in the prior year period. Non-GAAP [1] net income increased by 96.0% to $9.1 million from $4.6 million in the prior year period.

net income increased by 96.0% to from in the prior year period. Basic and diluted net income per American Depositary Share ("ADS") were $0.260 and $0.259 , respectively, compared with basic and diluted net income per ADS of $0.116 for the first quarter of fiscal 2016. Each ADS represents four ordinary shares.

and , respectively, compared with basic and diluted net income per ADS of for the first quarter of fiscal 2016. Each ADS represents four ordinary shares. Basic and diluted non-GAAP [1] net income per ADS were $0.276 and $0.275 , respectively, compared with basic and diluted non-GAAP [1] net income per ADS of $0.131 and $0.130 , respectively, for the first quarter of fiscal 2016.

net income per ADS were and , respectively, compared with basic and diluted non-GAAP net income per ADS of and , respectively, for the first quarter of fiscal 2016. Cash flow from operations increased by 33.6% to $16.5 million from $12.3 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2016.

[1] For more information about the non-GAAP financial measures contained in this press release, please see "Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures" below.

Mr. Zhengdong Zhu, Chairman and CEO of CDEL, said, "We are pleased to kick off fiscal 2017 by achieving strong financial results driven by net revenue growth of 31.2% and net income growth that more than doubled from the same period of last year. We exceeded our first quarter revenue guidance range by benefiting primarily from the earlier-than-anticipated release of exam results from certain healthcare examinations, resulting in the early recognition of $3.1 million of revenue in the first quarter for the related healthcare premium courses."

Mr. Zhu added, "Our first fiscal quarter results underscore the resiliency of our business model, as we navigate market changes while continuing to provide best-in-class courseware and services to our students. In fiscal 2017, we will continue to strive for innovation and growth by further penetrating our core vertical markets and launching new courses and services in both existing and new areas, such as the College Cooperation Program and K-12 teacher continuing education. We also plan to continue our focus on other key growth initiatives, including our mobile related products and Big Data solutions. In addition, we look forward to pursuing select acquisition and strategic investment opportunities that will complement our avenues of growth, and further our efforts to position China Distance Education as the premier life-long learning partner for our students."

Mr. Mark Marostica, Co-Chief Financial Officer of CDEL, said, "Turning to organic growth, excluding both the operating results of Xiamen NetinNet and the impact of the Renminbi depreciation against the U.S. Dollar, first quarter net revenue and non-GAAP operating income increased 11.9% and 11.1% year-over-year, respectively, and as a result, our first quarter non-GAAP operating margin remained relatively flat year-over-year. Looking ahead, we will continue to balance our efforts to drive growth with a keen focus on profitability and prudent cost controls."

First Quarter Fiscal 2017 Financial Results

Net Revenue. Total net revenue increased by 31.2% to $32.0 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2017 from $24.4 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2016. Net revenue from online education services, books and reference materials, and other sources contributed 62.9%, 5.1% and 32.0%, respectively, of total net revenues for the first quarter of fiscal 2017.

Online education services. Net revenue from online education services increased by 4.8% to $20.1 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2017 from $19.2 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2016. This increase was mainly due to strong revenue growth in the healthcare vertical resulting from the earlier-than-anticipated release of exam results for certain healthcare examinations, and contributions from our accounting vertical.

Books and reference materials. Net revenue from books and reference materials decreased by 8.3% to $1.6 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2017 from $1.8 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2016.

Other revenues. Net revenue from other sources increased by 201.8% to $10.2 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2017 from $3.4 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2016, primarily due to Xiamen NetinNet's revenue contribution of $6.5 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2017, and growth from business start-up training services.

Cost of Sales. Cost of sales increased by 10.3% to $12.8 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2017 from $11.6 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2016. Non-GAAP1 cost of sales increased by 10.3% to $12.8 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2017 from $11.6 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2016. The increase was primarily due to expenses associated with Xiamen NetinNet, as well as increased salaries and related expenses, lecture fees, and cost of books and reference materials. This increase was partially offset by decreased rental and related expenses, and other miscellaneous expenses.

Gross Profit. Gross profit increased by 50.4% to $19.2 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2017 from $12.8 million in the prior year period. Non-GAAP1 gross profit increased by 50.2% to $19.2 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2017 from $12.8 million in the prior year period. Gross margin was 59.9% in the first quarter of fiscal 2017, compared with 52.3% in the first quarter of fiscal 2016. Non-GAAP1 gross margin was 60.1% in the first quarter of fiscal 2017, compared with 52.5% in the first quarter of fiscal 2016.

Operating Expenses. Total operating expenses increased by 24.5% to $11.7 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2017 from $9.4 million in the prior year period. Non-GAAP1 total operating expenses increased by 25.9% to $11.3 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2017 from $8.9 million in the prior year period.

Selling expenses. Selling expenses increased by 32.5% to $7.2 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2017 from $5.4 million in the prior year period. Non-GAAP1 selling expenses increased by 32.6% to $7.2 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2017 from $5.4 million in the prior year period. The increase was primarily driven by increased salaries and related expenses, and increased advertising and promotional expenses, together with expenses associated with Xiamen NetinNet. This increase was partially offset by decreased commissions to online agents.

General and administrative expenses. General and administrative expenses increased by 13.6% to $4.5 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2017 from $4.0 million in the prior year period. Non-GAAP1 general and administrative expenses increased by 15.7% to $4.1 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2017 from $3.5 million in the prior year period. The increase was mainly due to expenses associated with Xiamen NetinNet, as well as increased professional fees.

Income Tax Expense. Income tax expense increased by 136.6% to $2.4 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2017 from $1.0 million in the prior year period, primarily due to an increase in taxable income.

Net Income. As a result of the foregoing, net income increased by 108.3% to $8.6 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2017 from $4.1 million in the prior year period. Non-GAAP1 net income increased by 96.0% to $9.1 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2017 from $4.6 million in the prior year period.

Operating Cash Flow. Net operating cash inflow increased by 33.6% to $16.5 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2017 from $12.3 million in the prior year period. The operating cash inflow was mainly attributable to net income before non-cash items generated in the first quarter of fiscal 2017. The increase in accrued expenses and other liabilities, and deferred revenue also contributed to the operating cash inflow. This operating cash inflow was partially offset by the increase in prepayment and other current assets, and decrease in income tax payable and refundable fees.

Cash and Cash Equivalents, Term Deposits, Restricted Cash and Short-term Investments. Cash and cash equivalents, term deposits, restricted cash and short-term investments as of December 31, 2016 increased by 50.4% to $106.1 million from $70.5 million as of September 30, 2016, mainly due to cash flow of $16.5 million generated from operating activities in the first quarter of fiscal 2017, and proceeds from the Zhengbao Yucai share issuance plan of $12.2 million. This increase was partially offset by capital expenditures of $0.9 million and payments for certain strategic investments of $1.6 million.

Outlook

For the second quarter of fiscal 2017, the Company expects to generate total net revenue in the range of $21.7 million to $22.9 million, representing a year-over-year decline of approximately 10% to 5%.

The earlier-than-anticipated release of exam results for certain healthcare examinations resulted in the recognition of $3.1 million of net revenue, for the related healthcare premium courses, in first quarter fiscal 2017. If the release of exam results for the aforementioned healthcare examinations occurred in second quarter fiscal 2017 as originally expected, the adjusted second quarter fiscal 2017 net revenue expectation would have been $3.1 million higher, or in the range of $24.8 million to $26.0 million, representing year-over-year growth of 2.7% to 7.7%.

The above guidance reflects the Company's current and preliminary view, which is subject to change.

Conference Call

Management will hold a conference call at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time the following morning on Wednesday, February 22, 2017 (9:00 p.m. Beijing Time on February 22, 2017) to discuss financial results and answer questions from investors and analysts. Listeners may access the call by dialing:

U.S. Toll Free: +1-866-5194-004 International: +65-6713-5090 Mainland China: 400-620-8038 Hong Kong: +852-3018-6771 United Kingdom: +44-203-6214-779 Passcode: CDEL or DL

A telephone replay will be available approximately two hours after the call until March 1, 2017 by dialing:

U.S. Toll Free: +1-855-4525-696 International: +61-2-8199-0299 Mainland China: 400-632-2162 Hong Kong: 800-963-117 United Kingdom: 0808-234-0072 Replay Passcode: 68135256

Additionally, a live and archived webcast of the conference call will be available at http://ir.cdeledu.com.

About China Distance Education Holdings Limited

China Distance Education Holdings Limited is a leading provider of online education in China focusing on professional education. The courses offered by the Company through its websites are designed to help professionals seeking to obtain and maintain professional licenses and to enhance their job skills through our professional development courses in China in the areas of accounting, healthcare, engineering & construction, and other industries. The Company also offers other professional education courses for the national judicial examination, online test preparation courses for self-taught learners pursuing higher education diplomas or degrees, test preparation courses for university students intending to take the nationwide graduate school entrance exam, and online language courses. The Company also offers third-party developed online courses through its Online Open Learning Platform, a proprietary education platform that allows people to share their educational content or deliver live courses online. For further information, please visit http://ir.cdeledu.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "may," "should," "potential," "continue," "expect," "predict," "anticipate," "future," "intend," "plan," "believe," "is/are likely to," "estimate" and similar statements. Among other things, the outlook for the second quarter of fiscal year 2017 and quotations from management in this announcement, as well as the Company's strategic and operational plans (in particular, the anticipated benefits of strategic growth initiatives, including the College Cooperation Program, K-12 teacher continuing education, Open Learning Platform, mobile related products, Big Data solutions, as well as acquisition and strategic investments) contain forward-looking statements. The Company may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic and annual reports to the SEC, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: goals and growth strategies; future prospects and market acceptance of the Company's courses and other products and services; future business development and results of operations; projected revenues, profits, earnings and other estimated financial information; projected enrollment numbers; plans to expand and enhance courses and other products and services; competition in the education and test preparation markets; and Chinese laws, regulations and policies, including those applicable to the Internet, Internet content providers, the education and telecommunications industries, mergers and acquisitions, taxation and foreign exchange.

Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company's annual report on Form 20-F and other documents filed or furnished with the SEC. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.

Statement Regarding Unaudited Financial Information

The unaudited financial information set forth in this press release is preliminary and subject to adjustments. Adjustments to the financial statements may be identified when audit work is performed for the year-end audit, which could result in significant differences from this preliminary unaudited financial information.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

To supplement the Company's consolidated financial results presented in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP, the Company uses the following measures defined as non-GAAP financial measures: non-GAAP net income, operating income, gross profit, cost of sales, selling expenses, general and administrative expenses, net income margin, operating margin, gross profit margin and basic and diluted earnings per ADS and per share. The presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP. For more information on these non-GAAP financial measures, please see the table captioned "Reconciliations of non-GAAP measures to comparable GAAP measures" set forth at the end of this release.

The Company believes that these non-GAAP financial measures provide meaningful supplemental information regarding its performance and liquidity by excluding share-based compensation expenses. However, non-GAAP financial measures may not be indicative of the Company's operating performance from a cash perspective. The Company believes that both management and investors benefit from these non-GAAP financial measures in assessing its performance and when planning and forecasting future periods. These non-GAAP financial measures also facilitate management's internal comparisons to the Company's historical performance and liquidity. The Company computes its non-GAAP financial measures using the same consistent method from quarter to quarter. The Company believes these non-GAAP financial measures are useful to investors in allowing for greater transparency with respect to supplemental information used by management in its financial and operational decision making. A limitation of excluding share-based compensation expenses from the above-mentioned line items and presenting these non-GAAP measures is that such charges may continue to be for the foreseeable future a significant recurring expense in our business. Management compensates for this limitation by providing specific information regarding the GAAP amounts excluded from each non-GAAP measure. The accompanying table at the end of this release provides more detail on the reconciliations between GAAP financial measures that are most directly comparable to non-GAAP financial measures.

Contacts:

China Distance Education Holdings Limited Investor Relations Department Tel:+86-10-8231-9999 ext1805 Email: [email protected] The Piacente Group | Investor Relations Brandi Piacente Tel:+1 212-481-2050 Email: [email protected]

China Distance Education Holdings Limited Consolidated Balance Sheets (in thousands of US Dollars, except number of shares and per share data)















September 30, 2016

December 31, 2016



(Derived from Audited)

(Unaudited)

Assets:







Current assets:









Cash and cash equivalents 53,677

70,063



Restricted cash 15,547

33,406



Short term investments 1,278

2,593



Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of US$563 and

US$661 as of December 31, 2016 and September 30, 2016, respectively 5,454

5,402



Inventories 971

986



Prepayment and other current assets 5,893

6,846



Amount due from a related party 208

113



Deferred tax assets, current portion 1,676

1,832



Deferred cost 1,118

897



Total current assets 85,822

122,138













Non-current assets:









Property, plant and equipment, net 13,908

14,147



Goodwill 29,392

28,234



Long term investments 3,079

4,122



Other intangible assets, net 11,675

10,738



Deposit for purchase of non-current assets 1,116

494



Other non-current assets 3,928

4,237



Total non-current assets 63,098

61,972















Total assets 148,920

184,110













Liabilities and equity:







Current liabilities:









Bank borrowings 15,551

29,962



Accrued expenses and other liabilities (including accrued expenses and other

liabilities of the consolidated VIE without recourse to China Distance Education

Holdings Limited of US$25,186 and US$26,279 as of December 31, 2016 and

September 30, 2016, respectively) 30,564

31,916



Income tax payable (including income tax payable of the consolidated VIE without

recourse to China Distance Education Holdings Limited of US$2,524 and

US$3,353 as of December 31, 2016 and September 30, 2016, respectively) 5,308

5,258



Deferred revenue (including deferred revenue of the consolidated VIE without

recourse to China Distance Education Holdings Limited of US$40,744 and

US$35,437 as of December 31, 2016 and September 30, 2016, respectively) 36,332

41,602



Refundable fees (including refundable fees of the consolidated VIE without

recourse to China Distance Education Holdings Limited of US$339 and US$862 as

of December 31, 2016 and September 30, 2016, respectively) 862

339



Amount due to related parties -

10,607



Dividend payable -

14,839



Total current liabilities 88,617

134,523













Non-current liabilities:









Deferred tax liabilities, non-current portion 3,831

3,717



Total non-current liabilities 3,831

3,717



























Total liabilities 92,448

138,240













Equity:









Ordinary shares (par value of US$0.0001 per share at December 31, 2016 and

September 30, 2016, respectively; Authorized 500,000,000 shares at December

31, 2016 and September 30, 2016, respectively; Issued and outstanding 

131,854,773 and 131,729,773 shares at December 31, 2016 and September 30,

2016, respectively) 13

13



Additional paid-in capital 15,697

16,195



Accumulated other comprehensive loss (3,418)

(8,757)



Retained Earnings 32,944

26,661



Total China Distance Education Holdings Limited shareholder's equity 45,236

34,112



Noncontrolling interest 11,236

11,758



Total equity 56,472

45,870



Total liabilities and equity 148,920

184,110















China Distance Education Holdings Limited Unaudited Consolidated Statements Of Operations (in thousands of US dollars, except number of shares, per share and per ADS data)



Three Months Ended December 31,

2015

2016







Sales, net of business tax, value-added tax and related surcharges:







Online education services 19,187

20,106

Books and reference materials 1,789

1,641

Other revenue 3,392

10,236

- Sale of learning simulation software -

6,463

- Business start-up training services 1,270

1,646

- Others 2,122

2,127

Total net revenues 24,368

31,983









Cost of sales







Cost of services and others (10,945)

(11,963)

Cost of tangible goods sold (672)

(847)

Total cost of sales (11,617)

(12,810)









Gross profit 12,751

19,173







Operating expenses







Selling expenses (5,422)

(7,185)

General and administrative expenses (3,987)

(4,530)

Total operating expenses (9,409)

(11,715) Other operating income 185

499









Operating income 3,527

7,957







Interest income 1,019

230 Interest expense (146)

(119) Exchange gain 720

3,907









Income before income taxes 5,120

11,975 Income tax expense (1,012)

(2,394) Loss from equity method investment -

(44)







Net income 4,108

9,537 Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest -

(982) Net income attributable to China Distance Education Holdings Limited 4,108

8,555 Net income per share:





Net income attributable to China Distance Education Holdings Limited

shareholders







Basic 0.029

0.065

Diluted 0.029

0.065 Net income per ADS:





Net income attributable to China Distance Education Holdings Limited

shareholders







Basic 0.116

0.260

Diluted 0.116

0.259







Weighted average shares used in calculating net income per share:







Basic 140,510,026

131,303,833

Diluted 141,562,378

131,646,433

China Distance Education Holdings Limited Reconciliations of non-GAAP measures to comparable GAAP measures (In thousands of US Dollars, except number of shares, per share and per ADS data)









Three Months Ended December 31,



2015

2016



(Unaudited)

(Unaudited)









Cost of sales

11,617

12,810 Share-based compensation expense in cost of sales

41

40 Non-GAAP cost of sales

11,576

12,770









Selling expenses

5,422

7,185 Share-based compensation expense in selling expenses

21

21 Non-GAAP selling expenses

5,401

7,164









General and administrative expenses

3,987

4,530 Share-based compensation expense in general and administrative expenses

448

437 Non-GAAP general and administrative expenses

3,539

4,093









Gross profit

12,751

19,173 Share-based compensation expenses

41

40 Non-GAAP gross profit

12,792

19,213









Gross profit margin

52.3%

59.9% Non-GAAP gross profit margin

52.5%

60.1%









Operating income

3,527

7,957 Share-based compensation expenses

510

498 Non-GAAP operating income

4,037

8,455









Operating margin

14.5%

24.9% Non-GAAP operating margin

16.6%

26.4%









Net income

4,108

8,555 Share-based compensation expense

510

498 Non-GAAP net income

4,618

9,053









Net income margin

16.9%

26.7% Non-GAAP net income margin

19.0%

28.3%









Net income per sharebasic

0.029

0.065 Net income per sharediluted

0.029

0.065 Non-GAAP net income per sharebasic

0.033

0.069 Non-GAAP net income per sharediluted

0.033

0.069









Net income per ADS attributable to China Distance Education Holdings Limited

shareholdersbasic (note 1)

0.116

0.260 Net income per ADS attributable to China Distance Education Holdings Limited

shareholdersdiluted (note 1)

0.116

0.259 Non-GAAP net income per ADS attributable to China Distance Education Holdings

Limited shareholdersbasic (note 1)

0.131

0.276 Non-GAAP net income per ADS attributable to China Distance Education Holdings

Limited shareholdersdiluted (note 1)

0.130

0.275









Weighted average shares used in calculating basic net income per share

140,510,026

131,303,833 Weighted average shares used in calculating diluted net income per share

141,562,378

131,646,433 Weighted average shares used in calculating basic non-GAAP net income per share

140,510,026

131,303,833 Weighted average shares used in calculating diluted non-GAAP net income per share

141,562,378

131,646,433









Note 1: Each ADS represents four ordinary shares









SOURCE China Distance Education Holdings Limited
PROVIDENCE, R.I., Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- New England's largest consumer travel show rolls into Gillette Stadium on March 3, 4, and 5. The 14th Annual AAA Travel Marketplace features more than 100 exhibitors  including cruise lines, theme parks, vacation destinations, hotels, tourist boards, national parks and local convention and visitors' bureaus. Many top vacation spots will be represented including major U.S. locations such as Hawaii, as well as Europe, Mexico the Caribbean and much more.

AAA's knowledgeable travel counselors will be available to answer any questions and book a getaway. There will be daily show specials as well as on-the-spot deals. Be sure to enter the grand prize drawing for a 6-night trip to Hawaii for two, including airfare.

Presentations will be offered throughout the weekend on topics including International Exploration; River Cruising; Islands and Oceans; Fun and Sun; USA and Canada; and Specialty Travel. Please check online for times and specific topics at AAA.com/Marketplace.

To get the most out of a visit to Travel Marketplace, research any vacation ideas ahead of time at AAA.com/Vacations. Travel Marketplace is open to everyone. Admission for AAA members is just $3.00with a $2.00 off couponand $8.00 for nonmembers. Tickets can be purchased in advance either online or at any AAA branch. AAA Travel Marketplace will be held indoors at Putnam Club East. Free parking is available.

AAA Travel Marketplace hours are Friday, March 3: 2pm-8pm, Saturday, March 4: 10am-7pm, and Sunday, March 5: 10am-5pm. For more information, to purchase tickets, and to view the complete presentation schedule, please visit AAA.com/Marketplace.

AAA Northeast is a not-for-profit auto club with 61 offices in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, New Hampshire and New York, providing more than 5.2 million local AAA members with travel, insurance, finance, and auto-related services.

David J. Raposa, Managing Director, Public Affairs

(401) 868-2000, x2124, [email protected]

SOURCE AAA Northeast
The Girlstart After School program is designed to increase students' understanding of STEM-related subjects through experiments that delve into concepts such as buoyancy, energy and propulsion. Through these interactive experiments, the program allows participants to explore opportunities in STEM careers including aerospace, electrical, marine and mechanical engineering.

"As partners committed to expanding interest in STEM in the classroom and beyond, CITGO and Girlstart have worked to build a hands-on program that gets 4th and 5th grade students excited about studying STEM subjects and pursuing STEM careers," said CITGO Vice President of Strategic Shareholder Relations, Government & Public Affairs, Rafael Gomez. "This programming is part of the CITGO STEM Talent Pipeline program, a new initiative to increase access to STEM educational opportunities for students at all levels, and we hope it will encourage many young girls in the Alief ISD to cultivate a lifelong passion for STEM discovery."

CITGO launched its STEM Talent Pipeline program this past October, with the goal of furthering STEM education and career opportunities for students in Houston, near its corporate headquarters, as well as around its three refineries in Corpus Christi, Texas, Lake Charles, Louisiana and Lemont, Illinois. The program supports organizations that give students the tools and educational background they need to understand STEM concepts and provides scholarships that allow many students to work toward establishing their own STEM careers.

"With the support of partners like CITGO, Girlstart initiatives  from afterschool programs to summer camps and community outreach programs  have served more than 75,000 students and more than 10,000 educators and families to date," said Girlstart Executive Director Tamara Hudgins. "Recent research shows that Girlstart participants outperform their peers on state-mandated math and science tests and enroll in advanced math and science courses and STEM electives at a higher rate than non-participants. CITGO support will help address the gender gap and provide even more young girls with confidence and skills to make an impact on the STEM workforce in the future."

Through the CITGO STEM Talent Pipeline, CITGO works with schools, clubs and organizations to enhance students' STEM education and help build the next generation of STEM innovators. In Texas, CITGO will reach 200 high-risk students through the University of Houston Downtown STEM summer camp this year. CITGO support has also made it possible for 150 students in the Alief ISD of West Houston to build remotely operated vehicles through an underwater robotics club. For those students looking to take the next step in their own STEM careers, CITGO has supported scholarships for 50 graduating Houston-area high school seniors planning on enrolling in a STEM degree program. In Corpus Christi, CITGO has created the CITGO Innovation Academy for Engineering, Environmental & Marine Science at Moody High School, providing students with STEM technology, education tools and the opportunity to participate in field trips and academic competitions and conferences. Additionally, the CITGO Innovation Academy offers professional development training for educators.

About CITGO

CITGO, based in Houston, is a refiner, transporter and marketer of transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and other industrial products. The company is owned by CITGO Holding, Inc., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A., the national oil company of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. For more information, visit www.CITGO.com.

SOURCE CITGO Petroleum Corporation

Related Links

http://www.CITGO.com


According to recently released TechSci Research report, "Colombia Tire Market Forecast & Opportunities, 2022", the tire market in Colombia is anticipated to cross $1.5 Billion by 2022, on account of growing automobile sales and favorable government policies. Moreover, expanding automobile fleet coupled with growing Gross National Income per capita, which increased from USD6,180 in 2011 to USD7,140 in 2015, are expected to aid the country's tire market over the next five years.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140117/663730 )



Browse 11 market data Tables and 33 Figures spread through 100 Pages and an in-depth TOC on

"Colombia Tire Market"

https://www.techsciresearch.com/report/colombia-tire-market-forecast-opportunities/915.html

Central region acquired the largest share in the country's tire market in 2016. Owing to the presence of the country's capital, and being the hub of various commercial and cultural activities, the region is anticipated to maintain its dominance over the next five years as well. Radial tire dominated Colombia tire market in 2016, as it offers several benefits such as better mileage, lesser fuel consumption and better road grip. Some of the major players operating in the country's tire market are Goodyear, Michelin, Hankook, and Toyo, among others.

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"Continuous growth in infrastructure and construction sectors in the country is the major factor contributing to the growth of the country's tire market. The government as well as private investors are investing heavily in various infrastructural and development projects. Thus, the need for commercial vehicles is anticipated to increase as they play a vital role in transportation of raw materials, consequently aiding Colombia tire market." said Mr. Karan Chechi, Research Director with TechSci Research, a research based global management consulting firm.

"Colombia Tire Market Forecast & Opportunities, 2021" has analyzed the potential of Colombia tire market, and provides statistics and information on market sizes, shares and trends. The report will suffice in providing intending clients with cutting-edge market intelligence and help them in taking sound investment decisions. Besides, the report also identifies and analyzes emerging trends along with essential drivers and key challenges faced by the industry.

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About TechSci Research

TechSci Research is a leading global market research firm publishing premium market research reports. Serving 700 global clients with more than 600 premium market research studies, TechSci Research is serving clients across 11 different industrial verticals. TechSci Research specializes in research based consulting assignments in high growth and emerging markets, leading technologies and niche applications. Our workforce of more than 100 fulltime Analysts and Consultants employing innovative research solutions and tracking global and country specific high growth markets helps TechSci clients to lead rather than follow market trends.

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SOURCE TechSci Research
NEW YORK, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- On March 6-7, 2017, Columbia Business School's Center on Global Brand Leadership will host BRITE '17 its annual conference that focuses on emerging trends in technology, innovation, culture and branding. Celebrating its 10th year, this two-day conference fosters stimulating conversations with executives from top Fortune 500 companies including Google, FedEx, Jet.com and Hyatt among others. Presentation topics consist of: how realistic is artificial intelligence represented in Hollywood, the future of luxury brands in a digital age, the future of agency-client relationships, innovation in health care, and creating great brands.

Additionally, BRITE founder, David Rogers will take attendees on a trip down memory lane to look at the lessons learned and the predictions that have been made, as well as share a look at the future and where digital transformation is taking business in the next 10 years.

A full agenda for the event can be found here: http://briteconference.com/agenda/

The conference will be livestreamed at: http://briteconference.com/

Who:

This year's featured speakers include:

Dana Anderson , Senior Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer, Mondelez International

Senior Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer, Mondelez International Maryam Banikarim , Global Chief Marketing Officer, Hyatt

Global Chief Marketing Officer, Hyatt Jonathan Becher , Chief Digital Officer, SAP

, Chief Digital Officer, SAP Andrew Kassoy , Co-Founder, B Lab

Co-Founder, B Lab Liza Landsman , President, Jet.com

President, Jet.com Carmen Medina , Former CIA Officer and Co-Author of Rebels at Work

Former CIA Officer and Co-Author of Betty Noonan , Chief Marketing Officer, Cree Inc

, Chief Marketing Officer, Cree Inc Vincent Ottomanelli , President, Ferragamo USA

, President, Ferragamo Jon Potter , Chief Marketing Officer, The Boston Beer Company

Chief Marketing Officer, The Boston Beer Company Chris Welty , Senior Research Scientist, Google

When:

Monday, March 6, 2017, 8:45 am  7:00 pm

Tuesday, March 7, 2017, 8:20 am  1:00 pm

Where:

Roone Arledge Auditorium, 1st Floor, Alfred Lerner Hall

Columbia University

116th Street and Broadway

New York City

About the Center on Global Brand Leadership at Columbia Business School

The Center on Global Brand Leadership creates, gathers, and shares insights on how to build and manage strong brands. Combining the research and intellectual capital of academia's foremost thinkers on branding with real world business cases, the Center shows how all elements of an organization  from marketing and communications to supply chain and operations  can affect brands and their relationships with stakeholders. The Center fosters a community of researchers, alumni, students, and business leaders from global corporations, agencies, and consulting firms to advance new knowledge, promote widespread learning, and serve as a forum to address the many challenges of brand building, brand management, and strategic marketing. For more information, visit www.gsb.columbia.edu/globalbrands.

About Columbia Business School

Columbia Business School is the only world-class, Ivy League business school that delivers a learning experience where academic excellence meets with real-time exposure to the pulse of global business. Led by Dean Glenn Hubbard, the School's transformative curriculum bridges academic theory with unparalleled exposure to real-world business practice, equipping students with an entrepreneurial mindset that allows them to recognize, capture, and create opportunity in any business environment. The thought leadership of the School's faculty and staff, combined with the accomplishments of its distinguished alumni and position in the center of global business, means that the School's efforts have an immediate, measurable impact on the forces shaping business every day. To learn more about Columbia Business School's position at the very center of business, please visit gsb.columbia.edu.

SOURCE Columbia Business School

Related Links

http://gsb.columbia.edu


LATROBE, Pa., Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Commercial National Financial Corporation (OTCQX: CNAF), parent company of Commercial Bank & Trust of PA, has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.26 per share payable March 10 to shareholders of record as of March 3.

The Company operates nine community banking facilities in Greensburg, Hempfield Township, Latrobe, Ligonier, North Huntingdon, Unity Township and West Newton, Pennsylvania and also maintains a commercial business development sales force throughout its entire market area. The company operates an asset management & trust division headquartered in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. Commercial Bank & Trust of PA also serves its customer base from an Internet banking site (www.cbthebank.com) and an automated TouchTone Teller banking system.

As disclosed each year in the Annual Report to Shareholders, on December 31, 2016, the Company employed 99 people in full-time and part-time positions. Forty-seven (47) employees are represented by the United Auto Workers, Local 1799. The Company has had unionized employees since 1972. In 2013, the Company and the bargaining unit entered into a labor agreement that will expire in February 2019. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Labor Relations Board both afford protection to the organized status of pre-existing collective bargaining units. The Company has been advised that bargaining unit status may limit the Company's strategic options relative to those of non-unionized insured depository institutions. The Company continues to consider this as a factor in its strategic and capital management decisions.

Forward Looking Statements

Any statements contained herein that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, words such as "may," "will," "to," "expect," "believe," "anticipate," "intend," "could," "would," "estimate," or "continue" or the negative or other variations thereof or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements are based on information currently available to the company, and the company assumes no obligation to update these statements as circumstances change. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainties, including changes in general economic and financial market conditions, unforeseen credit problems, and the company's ability to execute its business plans. The actual results of future events could differ materially from those stated in any forward-looking statements herein.

SOURCE Commercial National Financial Corporation

Related Links

http://www.cbthebank.com


SMITHTOWN, N.Y., Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Marketing is a team sport played by professionals who work to help their clients develop and share the brand stories that will make the most impact with their customers, and Communication Strategy Group, a Long Island-based brand storytelling agency, is at the top of its game. The agency has been recognized this year with the prestigious Long Island Business News Excellence in Communications Award for Marketing Team, Professional Services. The agency will receive its award, alongside other recognized Long Island marketers, during an event held on March 22, 2017 at the Crest Hollow Country Club in Westbury, NY.

CSG LIBN 2017 Award

"Our clients hire us to provide them with our strategic marketing counsel and guidance in developing and sharing their unique brand stories," says Arthur Germain, Principal and Chief Brandteller for Communication Strategy Group. "We appreciate LIBN's recognition of our entire marketing team for its efforts  from branding and visuals to public relations to content marketing through media and presentations. We have assembled a top tier group of professionals who deeply care about crafting and sharing strong marketing stories for our clients."

Want to Learn More?

Try out Communication Strategy Group's complimentary Brandtelling Marketing Assessment tool to assess your brand story capabilities here: http://bit.ly/csgba.

Download "Cheat Sheets" for creating stronger news releases and case studies: http://bit.ly/csg-res.

About Communication Strategy Group

Communication Strategy Group, an award-winning brand storytelling agency, helps clients develop brand stories that are remembered, repeated and rewarded through a strategic Brandtelling approach. The agency has been named Best Corporate Storytelling Firm (USA) and Most Innovative in Content Marketing (New York) by Corporate Vision (CV) magazine and received an Innovation & Excellence Award from Corporate LiveWire. We focus on building and supporting a strategic plan for client communications to create strong, consistent messages and presentations that have the greatest impact. The Communication Strategy Group team is comprised of senior-level communications professionals who work directly on client accounts to achieve results. Our clients include both Fortune 1000 and growing companies in technology, manufacturing, media and professional services industries. For more information, please call 1-866-997-2424 or visit us at www.communicationstrategygroup.com

Media Contact

Lisa Hazen

Communication Strategy Group

[email protected]

631-239-6335 x103

SOURCE Communication Strategy Group

Related Links

http://www.communicationstrategygroup.com


COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Community Health Partnership (CHP), a coalition of more than 25 health care provider organizations in southern Colorado, has been awarded a 12-month grant from the Colorado Health Foundation. The grant will support a community readiness assessment and action plan concerning opioid misuse and abuse in the local community.

Because the opioid epidemic is population-based, the project will solicit input from community stakeholders representing a variety of sectors. Proposed activities include the completion of a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis, development of three to four potential community-based solutions, and a cost-benefit analysis of the potential solutions.

"Receiving this grant to conduct a community readiness assessment will help identify our community's capacities and gaps in being able to address the opioid epidemic, guide the coalition to work within our community's culture, and level of readiness to come up with actions that are right for our community," said Mary Steiner, BSN, RN, Community Projects and Pilots Manager for CHP. "It will also aid in securing funding, cooperating with other organizations, and working with community leaders to achieve the common goal of reducing overdose deaths."

The funding received will allow CHP to continue to refine and advance their existing community needs assessment through a process of reflective stages and participatory inquiry in order to coalesce the community's energy and passion concerning opioid use into a cohesive action plan.

About Community Health Partnership (CHP)

CHP is a member-based community coalition whose enduring mission is to improve the health and wellbeing of the Pikes Peak community through collaboration. The coalition is built on a foundation of trust and respect aligned with mutual values and goals. CHPs membership includes the largest healthcare provider organizations in Colorado Springs and the greater Pikes Peak region. CHP's Community Care of Central Colorado programunder a contract with the State of Coloradocoordinates care for more than 180,000 clients. For more information about CHP and its programs, visit ppchp.org.

About the Colorado Health Foundation

The Colorado Health Foundation is singularly focused on helping Coloradans live their healthiest lives by advancing opportunities to pursue good health and achieve health equity through grantmaking, policy and advocacy, strategic private investments and convening to drive change. For more information, please visit www.coloradohealth.org.

SOURCE Community Health Partnership

Related Links

http://www.ppchp.org


SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- ConsejoSano - the leading digital health company helping Spanish speakers navigate America's healthcare system- has raised $4.9 Million in a Series A round led by 7wire Ventures, with participation from Tufts Health Ventures, the investment and acquisition arm of Tufts Health Plan, TOTAL Impact Capital, Wanxiang Healthcare Investments, Acumen, Oxeon Partners and Impact Engine. The Series A capital infusion brings the total funding for the company to $7.2 million.

The new funding will help ConsejoSano develop its capability to collect data analytics to improve preventive care for Spanish speakers. ConsejoSano (which means "healthy advice") provides an integrated service including HIPPA compliant multi-channel messaging, care navigation, data analytics, and 24/7 access to native-Spanish speaking medical navigators.

"The extraordinary interest we have received from clients seeking to better serve their Spanish speaking employees, insured customers, and patients has clearly demonstrated the need for ConsejoSano's unique services," said Abner Mason, ConsejoSano Founder and CEO.

The majority of ConsejoSano's clients are health plans, employers and at-risk providers seeking to increase engagement from their Spanish-speaking customers, employees and patients.

ConsejoSano has been selected as a preferred vendor by Mercer, the global benefits consulting leader. The company was advised throughout its start-up, seed and Series A capital phases by TOTAL Impact Capital. ConsejoSano has also launched its Industry Advisory Council, composed of healthcare leaders committed to reducing healthcare disparities.

Council members include:

Dr. Molly Coye, MD, Chairperson - Board member at Aetna/Executive in Residence with AVIA

Dr. Albert Arteaga, MD, Founder and CEO at LaSalle Medical Associates

Dr. Joseph Betancourt, MD, Director of the Disparities Solution Center

Dr. David Kaplan, MD, Global Leader for Clinical Solutions at Mercer

Margaret Laws, President and CEO of HopeLab,

Larry Leisure, Co-Managing Director at Chicago Pacific Founders and Chairman at ADVI

Juan Lopera, Vice President for Business Diversity at Tufts Health Plan

Dr. Elena Rios, MD, President/ CEO for the National Hispanic Medical Association

Antonio Tijerino, Presiden/CEO for the Hispanic Heritage Foundation

Bruce Hebets, CEO Borrego Community Health Foundation

About ConsejoSano

ConsejoSano is the leading Hispanic health platform in the US, helping both payers and providers to improve care, increase engagement, and lower costs related to care for Spanish-speakers.www.consejosano.com.

Contact: Maria Fernanda Trochimezuk (ConsejoSano)

+ 1 310-696-9585

SOURCE ConsejoSano

Related Links

http://www.consejosano.com


NEW YORK, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Context Jensen Partners, a global corporate advisory and executive search firm that recruits capital raising talent for alternative investment managers, was named 'Best Recruitment Firm' by Alt Credit Intelligence, part of HFM Week. The annual awards honor firms that have demonstrated exceptional customer service, innovative product development and revenue growth over the past 12 months.

"As allocators continue to search for yield and above-market returns, demand for public and private credit strategies remains strong," said Sasha Jensen, Co-Founder and CEO of Context Jensen Partners. "This recognition by Alt Credit Intelligence affirms our growth and is attributable to our specialized team that tracks and conducts thorough diligence on more than 100 credit focused firms in our universe."

The judging panel comprised of representatives from Alternative Credit Intelligence, leading fund managers and other industry experts. The official winners were announced at an afternoon ceremony held on Wednesday, February 15 in New York.

Since 2014, CJP has tracked more than 2,600 moves across the alternative asset management industry.

About Context Jensen Partners

Context Jensen Partners is a global advisory, corporate development and executive search firm that leverages its extensive relationships in the investor and alternative asset management community to source and recruit leading capital raising candidates. By utilizing a customized, scientific approach, proprietary 360 Investor Referencing methodology and advanced behavioral analytics, we assist our clients in raising capital by identifying and securing the ideal human capital. To learn more, please visit www.contextjensenpartners.com.

About Context Capital Partners

Context Capital Partners, LP is an alternative specialist company that allocates its capital to talented investment managers and whose subsidiaries offer a diverse range of investment strategies, including hedge funds, liquid alternative mutual funds, and private equity funds. Through its unique approach to evaluating and overseeing highly-differentiated and specialized funds, Context seeks to identify opportunities in both liquid and illiquid markets and serves as a full financial and operational partner for its fund managers and affiliates. Since inception, Context led seed deals totaling more than $400 million in aggregate. The firm's subsidiary businesses include Context Jensen Partners, Context Summits, Context Asset Management, Context BH Capital Management, Context Liberty Bell, and Context Business Lending.

Context Capital Partners is headquartered in Bala Cynwyd, PA. For more information about Context Capital Partners, visit www.contextcp.com.

Media Contact:

Nick Rust

212.279.3115 ext. 252

[email protected]

SOURCE Context Jensen Partners
MIAMI, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly three out of four (72 percent) institutional investors and family offices at Context Summits Miami 2017 plan to increase their allocations to alternative asset managers this year, suggesting continued strong demand for the industry.

What's more, some 51 percent of investors hold a positive outlook on the alternative asset management industry for 2017, with an additional 36 percent of respondents taking a neutral stance.

Overall, institutional allocators are maintaining their commitments to alternative fund managers, continuing a trend from 2016 when 79 percent of investors increased their overall allocation to alternatives. Likewise, more than two out of three investors (68 percent) surveyed intend to decrease their cash position by the end of the year, indicating a willingness to remain in the market.

Even so, many investors cited political and regulatory uncertainty tied to the new administration as the two biggest headwinds facing the industry.

The second annual survey of more than 200 institutional allocators provides insights into how these investors establish new relationships and explore alternative strategies that help diversify portfolios and mitigate risk. In total, managers, institutional allocators and family offices representing over $3.1 trillion in cumulative assets under management attended Context Summits Miami 2017.

"As many large, brand name fund managers experience performance or reputation issues, the current market environment highlights the need among institutional investors and family offices to build relationships with new managers," said Mark Salameh, Co-Founder and CEO of Context Summits. "This year's survey results reinforce investors' ongoing search for yield and exceptional risk-adjusted returns. With more than 9,000 one-on-one meetings arranged over a three-day period, Context Summits Miami continues to grow and serve as the venue of choice to vet new opportunities, providing fund managers with access to new sources of capital and allocators with access to deal flow."

Ron Biscardi, CEO of Context Capital Partners, added, "Institutional investors and family offices are paying close attention to their alternative portfolios and constantly revisiting their allocations. But despite a difficult market environment, our survey indicates the appetite for alternative investing remains strong."

Additional findings from the survey include:

Allocators Favor Emerging Managers Over Established Managers : A majority of allocators (59 percent) prefer to allocate to emerging managers rather than established managers, indicating a willingness to seek new ideas and strategies.

: A majority of allocators (59 percent) prefer to allocate to emerging managers rather than established managers, indicating a willingness to seek new ideas and strategies. Key Drivers for Evaluating Fund Managers: The top three drivers for evaluating fund managers were Investment Process, Performance and AUM. The three least important drivers were Redemption/Lockup terms, Operations and Track Record Length.

The top three drivers for evaluating fund managers were Investment Process, Performance and AUM. The three least important drivers were Redemption/Lockup terms, Operations and Track Record Length. Performance Expectations Still Sky-High: Despite the willingness to take on less established managers, allocators are seeking high annualized returns, 12.5 percent on average, according to investor respondents.

Despite the willingness to take on less established managers, allocators are seeking high annualized returns, 12.5 percent on average, according to investor respondents. Investors Split on Greatest Market Headwinds: Investors identified regulatory uncertainty, the new presidential administration and volatility in global markets as among the greatest headwinds to industry growth in 2017.

Context Summits will publish a detailed report with the complete survey results and in-depth analysis next month, which will be available at www.contextsummits.com.

Context Summits hosts five events each year. The next event is Context NYC 2017, which will be held on April 20 at 4 World Trade Center in New York and followed by the inaugural Context Summits Europe 2017, taking place May 7-9 at the Hotel W Barcelona. For additional information, please visit http://contextsummits.com/nyc/ and https://contextsummits.com/europe/.

About Context Summits

As the preeminent producer of events for the alternative asset management industry, Context Summits focuses on elevating the conference experience through an innovative format and structure where relationship building leads to unmatched results. A pioneer of the one-on-one 'summit' format, Context Summits utilizes an innovative approach to deliver effective and transparent networking events that elevate the conference experience for managers, allocators and investors. Through its systematic approach, Context Summits is able to attract high quality attendees, making meetings efficient and productive. For more details, please visit: http://www.contextsummits.com.

About Context Capital Partners

Context Capital Partners, LP is an alternative specialist company that allocates its capital to talented investment managers and whose subsidiaries offer a diverse range of investment strategies, including hedge funds, liquid alternative mutual funds, and private equity funds. Through its unique approach to evaluating and overseeing highly-differentiated and specialized funds, Context seeks to identify opportunities in both liquid and illiquid markets and serves as a full financial and operational partner for its subsidiaries. Since inception, Context led seed deals totaling more than $400 million in aggregate. The firm's subsidiary businesses include Context Asset Management, Context Summits, Context BH Capital Management, Context Liberty Bell, Context Jensen Partners, and Context Business Lending.

Context Capital Partners is headquartered in Bala Cynwyd, PA. For more information about Context Capital Partners, visit www.contextcp.com.

SOURCE Context Summits
BEIJING, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- On the background of an ever-increasing number of electronic financial systems which are emerging every day on the network, the appearance of a new environmentally friendly cryptocurrency can not pass unnoticed. "How can users get mining percentage without special equipment, without having to spend huge amounts of money to pay for the electricity bills? Why is there so little truly interesting and important projects in the world? How to play on the exchange and currency markets, and what is the mission of E-Dinar Coin cryptocurrency," asked CoinMarketCap.

CoinMarketCap: E-Dinar Coin has positioned itself as the world's first eco-friendly decentralized cryptocurrency. How can its mining be possible without energy consumption?

Insider My: E-Dinar Coin mining doesn't require a huge amount of energy compared with other cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin. For participation in holding the overall transactions in the system and ongoing transfers, people can get mining bonus in the amount of up to 0.65% per day. It is a reward for their participation in the development of the system, as by making internal transactions among other participants in the E-Dinar Coin system, every user contributes to the overall development of our increasing network of distributed transactions and at the same time, their income.

Mining of E-Dinar Coin cryptocurrency is performed without special equipment, with no electricity costs, whilst our cryptocurrency miners are, first of all, people who are willing to change the world for the better.

CoinMarketCap: You're talking about a global purpose - the desire to change the world ... Can you describe the mission of the E-Dinar Coin project?

Insider My: Our mission IS to change the world for the better.

Now our main task is to ensure that E-Dinar Coin is known by more people around the world. And it is important that users, by offering products and services, would explain as well what is the Federal Reserve System, how unfairly it operates and why binding to gold is abolished; why barter was banned; why the Dulles Plan - the American post-war doctrine against the USSR - did work; why large transactions can be conducted mostly in dollars and only with the use of SWIFT (Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication channels); why no any other currency is quoted for such calculations. We need to explain this people to give them a possibility to get answers to those questions!

Here, as always, everything depends on the people who choose the time and object of the development. After all, there was a time somebody was engaged in popularization of the US dollar and its world domination. And it worked! It still depends on the willingness - of what we want after all. To do good and to be engaged in charity or just pretend to do all these things? Today the whole world will turn to charity! If people consolidated their efforts we would have been able to solve all ecological problems and humanity could travel through space, rather than sit in one-bedroom apartments and pay for gas and light! There is always need in people-actions! Those who will act rather than talk. This is exactly what E-Dinar Coin is into. It acts.

CoinMarketCap: Tell us about your team: what was preceded to E-dinar Coin launching? Did you work on other known projects in the area of cryptocurrency?

Insider My: In launching of E-Dinar Coin there were involved a lot of highly intelligent and talented people. We are not exaggerating when we say that E-Dinar Coin was created by the best specialists of Blockchain world and the world of online games, the best financiers and employees of the banking sector, employees and managers of p2p exchanges, major companies of different sectors of the economy, with vast experience in business, European and US financial analysts, programmers from China ... Those are people who worked on the creation of websites like Alibaba, former employees of corporations such as Google.

They not only helped with the launching of the project, but also they are involved in the development of updates and generation of improvements to the current system, because we will always strive to make the E-Dinar Coin service even more user-friendly!

CoinMarketCap: The most popular cryptocurrencies have their own source code in their public domain. Does it allow any user to check the integrity of the code, as well as help developers in identifying shortcomings. Why did you decide to keep your source code in secret?

Insider My: Information about the source code is available for programmers who are interested in the development and connection of cryptocurrencies to their applications, stores and exchange markets, with which we have been working since E-Dinar Coin has been launched and with whom planning a long-term cooperation. Our product is unique. Partially, we used the accumulated experience of other projects, but ultimately created a completely new project, combining together all the best peculiarities of blockchain used at various projects and platforms.

We occupied the niche which no one claimed before. And we do not open the code simply because now we do not want it to be used universally.

CoinMarketCap: Speaking about E-Dinar Coin putting together the best features of the various projects, for example, the presence of referral program in the project? Why are you putting so much attention to it in your marketing plan? How often people skeptically talk about multi-level marketing in the field of cryptocurrency?

Insider My: We consider E-Dinar Coin, in some way, as a game, based on the principles of blockchain technology. Players here can stay in their locations or open new levels, "pumping" their accounts. In general, there are 7 levels in the system (three levels - in China)

We believe that the true value is only determined by the involvement of its members in the cryptocurrency project: when people are engaged in mining, developing it and attracting new users, then the cryptocurrency value increases.

In most projects, the final participant is suspended from the most important - the management process. For example, we use a certain currency and attract my friends to use it. Does in change something for us? Do we get an extra income? No! This is happening because the process manages a certain company, like the ones that we mentioned above. In E-Dinar Coin there are no corporations, our greatest asset is the people! And participants in the project are aware of that, in fact, it determines the rapid development of E-Dinar Coin, as we are all united by one goal, one purpose.

CoinMarketCap: Tell us more about DPOs algorithm. What are its advantages over the PoS or PoW?

Insider My: DPoS mining algorithm was chosen in purpose. It is based on the need to prove the storage of a certain amount of funds in the account. Using this method, the cryptocurrency algorithm allocates new units in proportion to the current balance on the wallet. Thus, the obtained coins are allocated to the wallets of members who are the most loyal to the cryptocurrency. It means that each account holder can partially control the production of coins. It makes all members equally responsible for the most important processes, such as the reduction or growth rate, an increase of production or an increase of popularity! Anyone who keeps their assets in EDC is the owner of a new distributed system based on blockchain technology.

Bitcoin uses a PoW. Bitcoin mining is based on spending huge amounts of electricity, which is bad for the environment. Mining is not available to ordinary citizens, because they simply do not have such powerful computers. And it makes us much more interesting and accessible to ordinary citizens - EDC can be mined by using just a regular smartphone.

CoinMarketCap: On the official website you say that one of the objectives of the project is to combat air and water pollution by means of investment in urban projects, which is very noble and important. Can you give a few examples of such projects? What results have you achieved in this direction at the moment?

Insider My: E-Dinar Coin does not waste energy on mining, on the contrary, the system provides cryptocurrency to stimulate the production of clean energy.

We have already signed a preliminary agreement on cooperation with OneraSystems, renowned developer of solar power in Egypt, which provides implementation of the project of installing solar power with capacity of 50 MWp (megawatt / peak) to provide E-Dinar Coin with solar energy, as well as in order to continue the further development of the system.

At the moment, we are also discussing about our co-operation project with the Wildlife Fund (WWF). However, we will tell you later about our joint projects and the solutions, which we plan to achieve.

CoinMarketCap: You recently announced plans to expand the EDC users community to one billion of people and it is not an easy goal.

Insider My: There are registered more than half a million users in the project right now! The system of E-Dinar Coin is constructed in such a way that it allows us to increase the number of users to one billion and provide them with the necessary amount of coins.

Nowadays, in the world there are only three currencies, which can provide a billion of dollars, a billion of euros and a billion of EDC. All these currencies are transportable, but imagine how will you transport one million dollars or a million euros? Shipping in an aircraft or submarine? How can you ensure the safety of such loads? To date, the world's only fastest and most reliable way to conduct transactions is cryptocurrency. The user can deposit and withdraw money in any country due to the decentralized system.

CoinMarketCap: Analyzing the chart of the EDC rate, you can trace the period of active growth at the end of August and beginning of September, after that there is a lull in the growth of prices. How can you explain this break? Do you work together with the community over the resumption of the growing trend?

Insider My: It's not a correct question, because E-Dinar Coin is growing daily, so there is no need to work towards the resumption of growth.

Just think of these figures: now more than 500,000 people are registered in the system, while the number of transactions per day amounts to over 150,000, as well the daily number of users increased to 8,000-15,000 people! For comparison, 12,000,000 users are registered at the most popular Blockchain platform, and the number of their transactions amounts to 200,000 per day. This comparison shows the dynamics of our cryptocurrency, so we do not understand what the trend we need to renew?

Media Contact:

Kate Tang

Phone: 646.389.5435

Email: [email protected]

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SOURCE E-Dinar Coin
SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Deloitte Consulting LLP's Deloitte Digital today announced the release of Care Connect, an accelerator for health care providers built on Salesforce Health Cloud. Care Connect incorporates provider-specific user interfaces and use cases, and is designed to address specific challenges and shortcomings of patient engagement, focusing on the end-to-end interaction across the patient journey. Deloitte offers more than 60 discrete solution capabilities across the entire patient lifecycle to support provider sector requirements.

To be competitive today, health care providers should proactively engage their patients by adopting a customer service mindset, from appointment scheduling to timely access to billing information. Deloitte Digital's Care Connect accelerator helps to make patient-centered care a reality by providing a robust solution to digital patient engagement. It is designed to help hospitals and health systems to acquire more patients, retain existing patients and improve care outcomes, which can result in significant opportunities to increase revenue and potentially reduce costs. With Care Connect, Deloitte Digital helps providers proactively engage their patients.

"These new capabilities go beyond standard out-of-the-box functionality to act as a catalyst for operational readiness and revenue improvement," said Quinn Solomon, principal, Deloitte Consulting LLP and Deloitte Digital Care Connect leader. "Care Connect provides the needed transparency and functionality to deliver the most effective patient-centered experiences."

Deloitte Digital and Salesforce are leaders in supporting health care providers in their mission to interact with patients in an effective way that drives both better patient services and improved health outcomes.

Additional potential benefits of Deloitte Digital's Care Connect solution include:

Increased scalability

Reduced operation costs

Improved patient acquisition

Reduced patient churn

Improved care outcomes

Refined strategic direction

Improved agility

Deloitte Digital's Care Connect is designed to empower patients and help providers reimagine their digital patient care platform.

"We are thrilled that Deloitte Digital has teamed with Salesforce to help health care providers connect with their patients in entirely new ways," said Don Lynch, SVP, worldwide alliances, Salesforce. "Our customers benefit from valued collaborations with organizations like Deloitte Digital and their demonstrated industry experience."

About Deloitte Digital

Deloitte Digital has created a new model for a new age  a creative digital consultancy. That means bringing together all the creative and technology capabilities, business acumen and industry insight needed to help transform our clients' businesses with digital. With Deloitte Digital's end-to-end capabilities, clients bring us their greatest ambitions, knowing we've got what it takes to bring new business visions to life. Let us show you how we do it. Visit www.deloittedigital.com or follow us on Twitter @DeloitteDigi_US or @DeloitteDigital.

About Deloitte

Deloitte provides industry-leading audit, consulting, tax and advisory services to many of the world's most admired brands, including 80 percent of the Fortune 500 and more than 6,000 private and middle market companies. Our people work across more than 20 industry sectors to deliver measurable and lasting results that help reinforce public trust in our capital markets, inspire clients to make their most challenging business decisions with confidence, and help lead the way toward a stronger economy and a healthy society.

About Salesforce Health Cloud

Salesforce Health Cloud is a patient and member relationship platform that harnesses the power and security of the cloud, as well as social and mobile technologies, to deliver more personalized engagement. With Health Cloud, care teams have easy access to clinical and non-clinical patient and member data including current health conditions and medications, appointment history, communication preferences and data from the EHR and other systems. Teams are able to work smarter across entire patient and member groups to provide insightful care faster.

Global Salesforce Alliance

The alliance with Salesforce helps Deloitte Digital meet the emerging needs of its clients by providing multinational and international companies with social and mobile cloud computing technologies. Global Salesforce delivery capability is available through the Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited network of member firms, including practices in more than 30 countries.

From first contact to final delivery, our global teams are equipped to use Salesforce's social, CRM and mobile technologies to improve the way your customers work, play and communicate.

Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee ("DTTL"), its network of member firms, and their related entities. DTTL and each of its member firms are legally separate and independent entities. DTTL (also referred to as "Deloitte Global") does not provide services to clients. In the United States, Deloitte refers to one or more of the US member firms of DTTL, their related entities that operate using the "Deloitte" name in the United States and their respective affiliates. Certain services may not be available to attest clients under the rules and regulations of public accounting. Please see www.deloitte.com/about to learn more about our global network of member firms.

SOURCE Deloitte Digital

Related Links

http://www.deloittedigital.com


BEIJING, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- 26 year-old Chinese entrepreneur Johnny Zhang, a top DHgate seller, accompanied DHgate founder and CEO and Chinese APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) member Diane Wang to the ABAC Bangkok meetings this week, to together address a crowd of Thai government officials, ABAC representatives, and over 300 Thai entrepreneurs and small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) regarding the emerging trend of Digital Trade, which is a new driving force for economic growth. Their presentations emphasized that digitalization is the new engine of the global economy. Mr. Zhang's story highlighted the success of digital platforms as an enabler of entrepreneurship, and as proof that thriving digital trade has created an unprecedented opportunity for SMEs to achieve overseas expansion.

Digital Platforms: An Engine for Economic Growth

Ms. Wang emphasized that digital trade platforms bring new opportunities for SMEs to expand into overseas markets and that digitalization is rapidly integrating smaller economies into one large global economy that makes foreign market expansion, what was once an unthinkable possibility for SMEs, into a reality.

Ms. Wang emphasized 3 important points:

Firstly, digital trading platforms give SMEs access to global markets, bringing a seamless connection between enterprises and overseas buyers, and increased efficiency of trade and services.

Secondly, digital trade platforms provide convenient internet finance services, solving the problem of capital flow for enterprises by providing them with convenient short term financing solutions based on big data with no collateral or guarantor required.

Thirdly, digital trade platforms make the international transaction process less complicated and save costs for SMEs, allowing the owners of the SMEs to focus on their core business and bring more value to clients.

In conclusion, the digital platform strategy is becoming an indispensable tool for SMEs to use to develop their businesses, and it's a decisive factor for SMEs to enter overseas markets successfully.

Success Story: Highlighting the Promise of Digital Platforms

Johnny Zhang is the winner of DHgate's Global Dream Partner Project, which was a campaign run by DHgate to identify the most motivated and talented entrepreneurs running businesses on their platform. Johnny's brand, called ETMAXTER, sells their own models of consumer electronics products, headphones, phone chargers and phone cables.

In July 2015, Johnny attended a seller training hosted by DHgate and immediately decided to register a business on DHgate.com. He used training provided by DHgate, followed the platform rules, and even used DHgate's internet financing solution to receive a loan based on big data which he used to scale up his operation. In just 2 years, DHgate's services empowered Johnny to go from an unexperienced college graduate to a successful owner of a global business.

"As a graduate with zero experience, running an online business through DHgate's 1-stop service platform was the perfect opportunity; it allows SMEs to quickly reap the benefits. However, without platforms like DHgate, SMEs like us would not exist at all." -- Johnny Zhang, founder of EXMAXTER

About DHgate

DHgate.com is the first to market and the biggest B2B transactional cross-border e-commerce marketplace in China, aiming to provide global buyers with quality products at competitive prices. Founded in 2004, DHgate.com has approximately 10 million global buyers from 230 countries and regions, with 1.4 million global sellers offering 40 million products. DHgate.com's business enables buyers to directly access global manufacturers of the world's top brands with rich product selections. DHgate.com is an all-in-one platform with integrated services for international logistics, cross-border payments, internet financing, etc. DHgate.com's US, UK, Spain, and UAE product distribution warehouses allow for 24 hour delivery and convenient product returns & refunds, bringing great convenience to buyers at http://www.dhgate.com.

SOURCE DHgate.com

Related Links

http://www.dhgate.com


NORTH CANTON, Ohio, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated (NYSE: DBD) will hold its Investor Day meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 28, in New York with a live audio webcast available at http://investors.dieboldnixdorf.com/ beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET. Members of the executive leadership team will present the company's "Connected Commerce" strategy, its multi-year business integration roadmap, and corresponding financial targets.

Speakers will include Andy Mattes, chief executive officer; Juergen Wunram, senior vice president, chief operating officer; Chris Chapman, senior vice president, chief financial officer; Olaf Heyden, senior vice president, services; Alan Kerr, senior vice president, software; Ulrich Naeher, senior vice president, systems; and Thomas Fell, senior vice president, retail.

A replay of the webcast will be available on Diebold Nixdorf's website following the meeting.

About Diebold Nixdorf

Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated (NYSE:DBD) is a world leader in enabling connected commerce for millions of consumers each day across the financial and retail industries. Its software-defined solutions bridge the physical and digital worlds of cash and consumer transactions conveniently, securely and efficiently. As an innovation partner for nearly all of the world's top 100 financial institutions and a majority of the top 25 global retailers, Diebold Nixdorf delivers unparalleled services and technology that are essential to evolve in an 'always on' and changing consumer landscape.

Diebold Nixdorf has a presence in more than 130 countries with approximately 25,000 employees worldwide. The organization maintains corporate offices in North Canton, Ohio, USA and Paderborn, Germany. Shares are traded on the New York and Frankfurt Stock Exchanges under the symbol 'DBD'. Visit www.DieboldNixdorf.com for more information.

SOURCE Diebold Nixdorf

Related Links

http://www.DieboldNixdorf.com


New sailings from Rome and Barcelona

For the first time, Disney Cruise Line guests can experience the rich culture of Barcelona and inspiring history of Rome as bookend experiences in a single cruise.

In Rome, guests can explore the Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain and the Vatican, and sample authentic local cuisine. Barcelona offers beautiful beaches, the market streets of Las Ramblas, the artistic architecture of Gaudi and the famed Sagrada Familia church.

On June 16, 2018, the Disney Magic will sail a seven-night cruise from Barcelona to Civitavecchia (Rome). Ports of call include Marseilles and Villefranche, France; and Genoa (Milan), Livorno (Florence, Pisa) and Naples, Italy.

On June 23, 2018, the Disney Magic will sail a seven-night itinerary from Civitavecchia (Rome) to Barcelona. Ports visited on this cruise are Naples, Livorno (Florence, Pisa) and Genoa (Milan), Italy; and Cannes and Marseilles, France.

First-time visits to Milan, Italy

Disney Cruise Line will call on Genoa, Italy for the first time in 2018, as part of three special sailings from Barcelona and Civitavecchia (Rome). The historic port town of Genoa, located on the Italian Riviera, is a gateway to the beautiful metropolis of Milan and the picturesque locale of Portofino. Milan is a global capital of fashion and design, featuring top-name designer stores, boutiques, open-air markets and art galleries.

A 10-night Mediterranean itinerary sailing from Barcelona on July 7, 2018, calls on Genoa, as well as other popular ports in Italy, France and Spain.

First-time visit to Cork, Ireland and first seven-night British Isles

The Disney Magic will call on Cork, Ireland for the first time as part of Disney Cruise Line's first-ever seven-night British Isles cruise, departing on Sept. 2, 2018. Additional ports visited on this sailing include Dublin, Ireland; Greenock, Scotland; and Liverpool, England.

Cork is home to a vibrant culinary scene and a plethora of pubs, shops and cafes. It invites visitors to connect with Ireland's ancient past, with historic sites like Blarney Castle, where visitors can kiss the famed Blarney Stone.

Throughout the summer, the Disney Magic's tour of Europe continues with engagements in the Baltic, Norwegian fjords, British Isles and the Mediterranean.

Return to Alaska

In 2018, the newly re-imagined Disney Wonder will return to Alaska for the summer season, opening up a world of breathtaking natural vistas, magnificent glaciers and awe-inspiring wildlife. A variety of five-, seven- and nine-night itineraries will depart from Vancouver, Canada, with stops in Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, Icy Strait Point and Tracy Arm Fjord.

Southern Caribbean special sailing

The Disney Fantasy will embark on a special 11-night southern Caribbean itinerary departing June 30, 2018, visiting tropical destinations, renowned for beautiful sun-kissed beaches, including Aruba, Barbados, Martinique, St. Kitts, Puerto Rico and the Disney private island, Castaway Cay.

Castaway Cay: More opportunities to explore Disney's exclusive private island

Castaway Cay, Disney's private island in the Bahamas, is consistently a top-rated destination. In 2018, the Disney Dream will sail a series of cruises that include two stops at Castaway Cay so guests can have twice the fun in the sun and enjoy even more of the pristine island paradise.

On June 6, 20, and July 4, the Disney Dream will sail from Port Canaveral, Fla., on four-night cruises to Nassau, Bahamas, plus two stops at Castaway Cay.

On June 1, 10, 15, 24, 29, and July 8, the Disney Dream will sail from Port Canaveral, Fla., on five-night cruises to Nassau, Bahamas, plus two stops at Castaway Cay.

To learn more about Disney Cruise Line or to book a vacation, visit disneycruise.com, call Disney Cruise Line at 888-325-2500 or contact a travel agent.

SOURCE Disney Cruise Line

Related Links

http://www.disneycruise.com


For the past eight years, Dr. Biden served as Second Lady of the United States while also continuing to teach as a full-time English professor at Northern Virginia Community College. Dr. Biden has been a role model and prominent voice on advancing the status of women and girls globally, especially as it relates to education. During her White House tenure, she traveled to nearly 40 countries, visiting almost every region of the world. Dr. Biden and Carolyn Miles recently visited Save the Children programming at Linden Elementary School in Linden, Tenn.

"I am very honored to join Save the Children, an organization whose mission so closely aligns with my life's work  ensuring children have a strong start in life, an opportunity to learn and protection from harm," said Dr. Jill Biden, Save the Children's new Board Chair. "I know the importance of instilling a love of learning at an early age, and that's one reason I became an educator. I've seen firsthand the inspiring ways Save the Children staff, here in the U.S. and around the world, are going above and beyond to help transform children's futures. It is a privilege to be a part of the team."

In her seven years as Save the Children's Board Chair, Anne Mulcahy helped guide the organization through a significant period of growth, forging new public and private partnerships and championing Save the Children's first woman CEO in the U.S.

"Working alongside Save the Children's Trustees and senior leadership has been an incredibly rewarding 'second act' in my career," Mulcahy said. "I am proud of what we've accomplished and honored to pass the baton to Dr. Jill Biden, a distinguished and dedicated public servant. I am confident she will continue to move Save the Children towards our goal of reaching every last child."

Save the Children gives children in the United States and around the world a healthy start, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We invest in childhood  every day, in times of crisis and for our future. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

MEDIA CONTACT: Sara Neumann, [email protected], 203.209.6545

SOURCE Save the Children

Related Links

http://www.savethechildren.org


* French presidential hopeful Macron campaigns in London

* Meets British PM May, sticks to firm stance on Brexit

* Polls suggest Macron's momentum fading

* Big cheers for EU at rally for French nationals (Recasts after Macron rally)

By Estelle Shirbon

LONDON, Feb 21 (Reuters) - French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron told British Prime Minister Theresa May on Tuesday not to expect any favours from the European Union during Brexit talks, and drew big cheers for his pro-EU message from French nationals in London.

Macron visited May at her Downing Street office and later met Britain's finance minister Philip Hammond, a public relations coup for the young ex-banker at a time when his campaign appears to be losing momentum.

"Brexit cannot lead to a kind of optimisation of Britain's relationship with the rest of Europe. An exit is an exit," he told reporters outside 10 Downing Street after meeting May.

"I am very determined that there will be no undue advantages."

Macron, 39, a former economy minister in Socialist President Francois Hollande's government, is running as an independent. He is due to unveil his detailed programme next week.

The latest polls suggest he and right-wing rival Francois Fillon are tied behind far-right leader Marine Le Pen ahead of the first round of the election on April 23. Polls suggest either man would easily beat Le Pen in the May 7 run-off.

Macron, who did not obtain a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel during a recent visit to Berlin, was keen to improve his standing on the world stage and court voters in London, which has an estimated 200,000 French residents.

FRENCH AND EU FLAGS

At his campaign rally, in a packed hall where people waved French and EU flags, Macron drew the biggest cheers when he spoke in favour of the European project.

"Our country cannot succeed without Europe," he said.

He advocated a "special relationship" between the EU and France on the one hand and Britain on the other. The term is more commonly used in Britain to describe ties with the United States.

Story continues

"Nothing will be the same (after Brexit), but I think we can defend mutual interests over the long term," he said, citing close cooperation between London and Paris on defence and security.

He suggested he would seek to partially renegotiate the Le Touquet agreement, which allows France and Britain to have border controls on each other's territory, so that London would contribute more to managing the issue of refugees and migrants who gather in Calais in northern France to seek ways to Britain.

Macron said he and May had discussed what would happen to French expatriates in London after Brexit. He said he wanted them to be free to continue their lives in Britain if they so wished.

But he also said that he was fed up with hearing about young French entrepreneurs who felt they could not succeed in France and moved to London because it was easier to start a business there. He said his ambition as president was to make France more attractive so such people would stay, or return.

(Additional reporting by Emmanuel Jarry and Michel Rose in Paris, William James and Elizabeth Piper in London; Editing by Ralph Boulton)
The Green-e certified RECs represent the environmental attributes or benefits associated with a specific quantity of energy generated from a renewable source, such as solar or wind. Organizations that use RECs to offset their indirect greenhouse gas emissions help fund the operation and development of domestic sources of renewable energy.

"From its mission to foster sustainable development to the educational content offered through its annual meeting, AEE's commitment to environmental responsibility is clear," said J.D. Burrows, Vice President of Marketing for ENGIE Resources. "We're proud to continue working with an organization that shares in our dedication to clean energy and to creating a better world through innovative energy solutions."

AEE Executive Director Albert Thumann said, "Having the support of ENGIE  a leader in sustainability and renewable energy  is critical as we work to promote environmental responsibility as a key component in successful energy management strategies. We're thankful to have them contribute once again in such a meaningful way to the annual Globalcon Conference & Expo."

The Globalcon Conference & Expo is aimed at business, industry, and government leaders who are seeking energy solutions that assure a safe, secure power supply and effective management of costs.

About AEE

The Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) is a nonprofit professional society with over 17,500 members in 98 countries. The mission of AEE is "to promote the scientific and educational interests of those engaged in the energy industry and to foster action for Sustainable Development." AEE offers a full array of informational outreach programs including seminars (live, on demand, and internet based), conferences, journals, books, and certification programs.

For more about AEE, visit www.aeecenter.org. Follow the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) on LinkedIn, Twitter: @AEE, and Facebook.

About ENGIE Resources

ENGIE Resources, which rebranded in 2016, is the third-largest non-residential retail electricity supplier in the United States and currently serves commercial, industrial, and institutional customers in 14 markets: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, and Washington, D.C. The company serves nearly 90,000 accounts for customers having a peak demand ranging from 50 KW to more than 200 MW, with an estimated peak load totaling nearly 13,000 MW. For more about ENGIE Resources, visit www.engieresources.com or call 1-866-999-8374. Follow ENGIE Resources on Twitter and Facebook.

The company offers electricity service to residential and small business customers in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, and Washington, D.C., under the brand Think Energy. Think Energy works every day to be "The Unsurprise Energy Company," providing customers transparent, competitive fixed prices, easy-to-use online tools, and excellent customer service. For more information, visit www.thinkenergy.com, or call 1-888-923-3633, or email [email protected].

ENGIE Resources & Think Energy are part of ENGIE North America, which manages a range of energy businesses in the U.S. and Canada, including electricity generation and cogeneration, natural gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) distribution and sales, retail energy sales, as well as services to help customers run their facilities more efficiently and optimize their energy use and expense. For more information on ENGIE North America, visit www.engie-na.com or Twitter.

SOURCE ENGIE Resources

Related Links

http://www.engie-na.com


IRVINE, Calif., Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- For the second year in a row, Entrepreneur and CultureIQ have released their "Top Company Cultures" list, honoring the top-performing company cultures in the United States. These companies don't just offer great perks, they have developed a workplace that fosters productivity, innovation, employee satisfaction and other stand-out qualitiesand they're stronger for it. Belay, Fusion Medical Staffing and Tuft & Needle each took the number-one spot in the small (fewer than 50 employees), medium (50 to 100 employees) and large (more than 100 employees) company size categories, respectively.

Participants were given surveys that were filled out by employees at every level of their organizations, and the honorees were determined and ranked based on their scores. Each company was measured across 10 core dimensions of culture, including: collaboration, innovation, agility, communication, support, wellness, mission and value alignment, work environment, responsibility and performance focus.

"Our 2017 Top Company Cultures list is an excellent resource for business leaders who want to improve their own workplaces. They'll be inspired by the organizations that are doing it right, and learn what many of them are doing to stand out," says Jason Feifer, editor in chief of Entrepreneur magazine. "Businesses of all sizes want to attract the best talent, retain a quality workforce, and be a great place to work for overall. The most successful have at least one thing in common: They consciously and carefully developed a culture that matters."

"Entrepreneur's Top Company Cultures list reminds us all of the power of intentional culture," says CultureIQ founder and CEO Greg Besner. "When businesses approach culture not as a side effect but as a strategic business imperative, everyone benefits."

To be considered for the ranking, the companies must have had at least 25 employees, have been founded before Jan. 1, 2015 and be headquartered in the U.S. There was no cost to participate in the survey. Individual employee responses were anonymous. To see the complete list, visit: entm.ag/TopCultures. Follow the conversation: #topcultures.

About Entrepreneur Media, Inc.

For nearly 40 years, Entrepreneur Media, Inc. has been serving the entrepreneurial community providing comprehensive coverage of business and personal success through original content and events. Entrepreneur magazine, Entrepreneur.com, and publishing imprint Entrepreneur Press provide solutions, information, inspiration and education read by millions of entrepreneurs and small business owners worldwide.

To learn more, visit entrepreneur.com.

Follow us on Twitter at @Entrepreneur and like us on Facebook at facebook.com/entmagazine.

About CultureIQ 

CultureIQ combines culture engagement software and strategy into a powerful platform that helps you understand and strengthen your company culture. The software uses pulse surveys, trend questions and custom surveys to collect ongoing employee feedback, then analyzes and benchmarks the insight into a rich reporting dashboard. With CultureIQ, you can pinpoint vulnerabilities and opportunities to guide and shape your company culture, and track progress over time. CultureIQ's in-house team of culture strategists partner with you to explore tactical ways to align culture with business goals and turn insight into positive culture change.

Based in New York City, CultureIQ was founded in 2013 by Greg Besner, an adjunct professor at New York University Stern School of Business and one of the early investors of Zappos.com. CultureIQ is backed by a group of notable investors including Lerer Hippeau Ventures, Founder Collective and Pritzker Group Venture Capital. For more information, visit www.cultureiq.com. or follow us on Twitter at @CultureIQ.

SOURCE Entrepreneur Media, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.entrepreneur.com


ATLANTA, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Equifax Inc., a global information solutions company, today announced the expansion of its largest global technology center, which is located in Santiago, Chile, and serves as an important counterpart to the corporations' existing centers in the United States and Ireland. With this new expansion, the company expects to hire more than 50 new engineers in the coming months, which will be focused on developing innovative analytical and big data solutions to produce insights for all 24 of Equifax's markets.

Additionally, Equifax also announced that it has so far signed a collaborative agreement with two local universities in Santiago; INACAP and Universidad del Bio Bio, as part of its "Back to College" initiative, with more to come. The initiative aims to attract the best and brightest talent in the region, and as such, students will participate in a rotational program at the Santiago Development Center to learn about different roles within the computer engineering field. Equifax employees will also host a variety of seminars and workshops at each of the universities to ensure curriculums are focused on cultivating talent to fulfil the company's growing need for young computer engineers.

"Thanks to the innovative and state-of-the-art solutions being developed at the Santiago Development Center, Equifax is able to deliver the best products and services to its customers. The type of innovation that brews in this center is a testament to our leadership in the delivery of insights and solutions  allowing our customers to make informed business decisions, and consumers to turn their dreams into life accomplishments. We truly power the world with knowledge," says Carlos Johnson, General Manager of Equifax Chile.

"It is a privilege to work for a company that values young talent and allows you to interact with professionals from all around the world," says Gabriel Quijada, a 25 year-old computer engineer. "We are excited to be given the opportunity to generate new ideas and then bring them to life."

About Equifax

Equifax powers the financial future of individuals and organizations around the world. Using the combined strength of unique trusted data, technology and innovative analytics, Equifax has grown from a consumer credit company into a leading provider of insights and knowledge that helps its customers make informed decisions. The company organizes, assimilates and analyzes data on more than 820 million consumers and more than 91 million businesses worldwide, and its databases include employee data contributed from more than 5,000 employers.

Headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., Equifax operates or has investments in 24 countries in North America, Central and South America, Europe and the Asia Pacific region. It is a member of Standard & Poor's (S&P) 500 Index, and its common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol EFX. Equifax employs approximately 9,400 employees worldwide.

Some noteworthy achievements for the company include: Ranked 13 on the American Banker FinTech Forward list (2015); named a Top Technology Provider on the FinTech 100 list (2004-2015); named an InformationWeek Elite 100 Winner (2014-2015); named a Top Workplace by Atlanta Journal Constitution (2013-2015); named one of Fortune's World's Most Admired Companies (2011-2015); named one of Forbes' World's 100 Most Innovative Companies (2015). For more information, visit www.equifax.com

SOURCE Equifax Inc.

Related Links

http://www.equifax.com


ATLANTA, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Who: Moderated by Senior Vice President of Investor Relations Jeff Dodge at Equifax, the event will feature USIS President Paulino Barros at Equifax and Senior Financial Officer Ken Marshall.



What: The webcast will provide an overview of USIS including services with consumer and commercial information and insights related to areas of risk management, identity and fraud, marketing, and a variety of industry-specific solutions. Following the presentation, there will also be a moderated Q & A session.



When: Tuesday, February 28th at 10:00 am ET



Where: https://kvgo.com/equifax/USISIRLiveWebcast. The link is also available on http://investor.equifax.com/.





For audio only, participants can dial (no passcode needed):





US/Canada: 1-800-263-0877

About Equifax

Equifax powers the world with knowledge. Using trusted unique data, innovative analytics, technology and industry expertise, Equifax powers organizations and individuals around the world by transforming knowledge into insights that help make more informed business and personal decision. The company organizes, assimilates and analyzes data on more than 820 million consumers and more than 91 million businesses worldwide, and its database includes employee data contributed from more than 7,100 employers.

Headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., Equifax operates or has investments in 24 countries in North America, Central and South America, Europe and the Asia Pacific region. It is a member of Standard & Poor's (S&P) 500 Index, and its common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol EFX. Equifax employs approximately 9,200 employees worldwide.

Some noteworthy achievements for the company include: Ranked 13 on the American Banker FinTech Forward list (2015); named a Top Technology Provider on the FinTech 100 list (2004-2015); named an InformationWeek Elite 100 Winner (2014-2015); named a Top Workplace by Atlanta Journal Constitution (2013-2015); named one of Fortune's World's Most Admired Companies (2011-2015); named one of Forbes' World's 100 Most Innovative Companies (2015). For more information, visit www.equifax.com.

SOURCE Equifax Inc.

Related Links

http://www.equifax.com


CLEVELAND, Ohio, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Worldwide flame retardant consumption in construction applications is projected to increase 3.2 percent per annum through 2020 to 803,000 metric tons. Between 2010 and 2015, gains were fueled primarily by a rebound in US construction spending, as well as double-digit gains in the Chinese market. The US is the world's largest market for construction-related flame retardants (over one-fourth of 2015 sales) and the most intensive user relative to building construction spending of any major national market. Through 2020, steady gains in the US will continue to provide an impetus to growth, while building construction activity in China is expected to slow considerably. These and other trends are presented in Global Flame Retardants Market, 6th Edition, a new study from The Freedonia Group, a Cleveland-based industry research firm.

The largest markets for flame retardants are construction products, insulated wire and cable, electronic products, motor vehicles, and textiles. Together these five markets represented 88 percent of worldwide flame retardant sales in 2015. Smaller markets include furnishings, aircraft and aerospace equipment, and marine and railroad equipment. Overall flame retardant sales gains will be fueled by steady gains in manufacturing output, particularly by improvements in motor vehicle output across the developing world and by steady increases in building construction spending in the US.

Trends that will continue to influence the global flame retardant market into the near term include:

The rising utilization of plastic materials in a wide variety of applications, particularly in motor vehicles, which will be one of the fastest growing markets through 2020

Stricter building standards and increasing use of such materials as foam insulation, vinyl flooring, and plastic roofing, particularly in the developing world

A trend toward wireless connectivity and mobile electronics, limiting demand in such applications as wire and cable and desktop computers

More information about the study is available at http://www.freedoniagroup.com/industry-study/global-flame-retardants-market-by-country-product-and-market-6th-edition-3499.htm

Related studies include:

#3487 Global Flooring Market (January 2017)

#3435 World Insulation (July 2016)

About The Freedonia Group  The Freedonia Group, a division of MarketResearch.com, is a leading international industrial research company publishing more than 100 studies annually. Since 1985 we have provided research to customers ranging in size from global conglomerates to one-person consulting firms. More than 90% of the industrial companies in the Fortune 500 use Freedonia Group research to help with their strategic planning. Each study includes product and market analyses and forecasts, in-depth discussions of important industry trends, market share information and profiles of the leading industry players. Additional Chemicals studies can be purchased at www.freedoniagroup.com and are also available on www.marketresearch.com and www.profound.com.

Press Contact:

Corinne Gangloff

+1 440.684.9600

[email protected]

SOURCE The Freedonia Group
COLUMBUS, Ga., Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Aflac, the leader in voluntary insurance sales at the worksite in the United States, announced today that the company has once again been named to Fortune Magazine's list of the World's Most Admired Companies. This marks the 16th time that the Georgia-based insurance company has been included on the prestigious list.

"Aflac is honored to be among the most admired companies in the world for the 16th time," Aflac CEO Dan Amos said. "This award highlights the consistent quality of our products and services. It demonstrates the value that we provide to both consumers and shareholders and how we have earned and maintained the respect of our industry peers, as well as companies across the globe, for nearly two decades."

To make the Most Admired Companies list, 680 companies out of 1,500 originally considered in 51 different industries were surveyed in the United States and 27 other countries. To be included on the list, companies are required to score in the top 50 percent in their respective industries. Aflac finished fourth overall in the Insurance, Life and Health category.

Aflac is ranked number 135 on the Fortune 500 and has been placed on Fortune's Best Companies to Work For list for 18 consecutive years. The company also appears on several other lists by Fortune, including the 50 Best Workplaces for Diversity, 10 Best Workplaces for African-Americans, 50 Best Workplaces for Parents, 100 Best Workplaces for Women, 100 Best Workplaces for Millennials and 30 Best Workplaces to Retire From.

A complete listing of the World's Most Admired Companies and the methodology for the survey can be found at FORTUNE.com.

About Aflac

When a policyholder gets sick or hurt, Aflac pays cash benefits fast. For six decades, Aflac insurance policies have given policyholders the opportunity to focus on recovery, not financial stress. In the United States, Aflac is the leader in voluntary insurance sales at the worksite. Through its trailblazing One Day PaySM initiative, Aflac U.S. can receive, process, approve and disburse payment for eligible claims in one business day. In Japan, Aflac is the leading provider of medical and cancer insurance and insures one in four households. Aflac insurance products help provide protection to more than 50 million people worldwide. For 10 consecutive years, Aflac has been recognized by Ethisphere as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies. In 2016, Fortune magazine recognized Aflac as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work for in America for the 18th consecutive year and in 2017 included Aflac on its list of Most Admired Companies for the 16th time. In 2015, Aflac's contact centers were recognized by J.D. Power by providing "An Outstanding Customer Service Experience" for the Live Phone Channel. Aflac Incorporated is a Fortune 500 company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AFL. To find out more about Aflac and One Day PaySM, visit aflac.com or espanol.aflac.com.

Aflac herein means American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus and American Family Life Assurance Company of New York.

Media contacts  Jon Sullivan, 706.763.4813 or [email protected]

Fortune - Media Contact: 212-522-4800

Analyst and investor contact  Robin Y. Wilkey, 706.596.3264 or 800.235.2667, FAX: 706.324.6330, or [email protected]

SOURCE Aflac

Related Links

http://www.aflac.com


ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Fraser Optics, the leading supplier of handheld stabilized optics to the US Department of Defense, law enforcement agencies and international military forces, has finalized a new strategic alliance with International Golden Group, the leading supplier of high-end defense and security solutions to the UAE Armed Forces. This alliance will combine Fraser's premier stabilized optics technology with IGG's market access in the United Arab Emirates.

Fraser Optics and International Golden Group Sign Deal at IDEX 2017

IGG maintains the leading position as an Emirates-based firm specializing in the supply of military equipment to the UAE Armed Forces. This new relationship will extend Fraser's global reach and provide a rare opportunity for allied forces in the UAE to access best-of-breed military optical technology.

About Fraser Optics LLC

Fraser Optics is a leading global defense technology company that has been designing, developing, and manufacturing stabilized optical technology products for the defense, homeland security, law enforcement, and commercial markets since 1971. Expanding throughout the Middle East, Asia, and Europe, Fraser Optics supports military and law enforcement missions, and has established a reputation for reliability and first-class service. Current U.S. Government customers include the Department of Defense, Department of Justice, the Department of Interior, and the Department of Homeland Security.

For media inquiries, contact [Ellen Cooper, [email protected]].

About International Golden Group

Established in 2002 as a Limited Liability Company (LLC) with its H.Q. Offices in Abu Dhabi, International Golden Group LLC specialises in providing High-end Defense & Security Solutions. Recognised as a leading supplier to the UAE Armed Forces, Ministry of Interior and other Defense & Security authorities, IGG provides an unsurpassed level of services to its growing customer base by employing highly dedicated and experienced personnel.

This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com

SOURCE Fraser Optics
New Electric Heater Control Valves. Gates adds Electric Heater Control Valves to its already comprehensive heating and cooling product line and is now offering OE Exact and application-specific designs. This release includes 12 parts for import vehicles, including BMW, Audi and Jaguar. These valves are made of high-quality resins and corrosion resistant metal and undergo rigorous testing and inspections.

Expansion to the Power Steering Assemblies line. Gates adds 32 new pressure assemblies and 16 new return assemblies to its already robust line of assemblies. These assemblies come with everything needed for a complete repair, are tested to ensure a proper fit and exceed SAE J2050 performance requirements.

Expansion to the Emission Ventilation Hose and Pressure Regulator program with 16 new parts. With industry-leading coverage, Gates is your superior resource for problematic ventilation hoses on popular applications, many of which are only available from the dealer. Gates' emission products effectively restore the emission system to proper operation and performance. All parts are constructed from high quality materials for durability and maximum service life.

38 New Coolant Hoses added. These additions include 11 molded hose upper and lower hoses (including 7 import hoses), 6 small diameter hoses, 4 molded silicone hoses for heavy truck applications, and 15 new branched hoses covering 3.5 million Ford and GM trucks as well as almost 1 million import applications. Gates has the largest, most comprehensive OE coolant hose offering available to the Automotive Aftermarket, covering more vehicles than any competitor!

"Gates is committed to offering the most comprehensive aftermarket product lines for both import and domestic vehicles," said Todd Hack, Vice President Automotive Aftermarket. "We've dedicated ourselves to continuous product innovation and line expansion in order to consistently meet customer and market needs."

For more detailed information about new and existing Gates automotive aftermarket products, please visit Gates.com/automotive. For more information about Gates Corporation, please contact Jessica Lindner at 303-744-5306.

About Gates Corporation

Gates Corporation is the world's leading manufacturer of power transmission belts and a premier global manufacturer of fluid power products. Our highly engineered products are critical components used in diverse industrial and automotive applications where the cost of failure is very high relative to the cost of our products. We provide a differentiated value proposition to our customers by offering a complete portfolio of premium product and service solutions for both replacement and first-fit applications across our targeted end markets, which encompass process and specialty, construction, agriculture, energy, transportation, and automotive. We sell our products globally under the Gates brand, which is recognized by distributors, original equipment manufacturers, and installers as the premium brand for quality and technological innovation, a reputation which we have built for over a century since our founding in 1911.

As an engineering leader with a strong foundation in research and development, Gates is committed to advancing the science of motion performance by developing safe, forward-thinking products, services, systems, and solutions, as well as fostering long-term customer and employee relationships. Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, Gates employs over 14,000 people across 106 locations in 30 countries.

If it moves you, there's a good chance Gates has a part in it.

Gates. Powering Progress.

SOURCE Gates Corporation

Related Links

http://www.gates.com


With more than two decades of financial and executive leadership experience, Katz will be responsible for managing the global financial strategy and operations of Genesys , which employs 5,000 people supporting 10,000 customers in more than 100 countries. Katz will oversee financial planning, business analytics, accounting, treasury, tax, corporate development, procurement, IT, corporate affairs and real estate.

"We are delighted that Larry will join us on our mission of powering the world's best customer experiences," said Paul Segre, chief executive officer at Genesys. "Larry is financially disciplined, operationally oriented, and has a strong track record of driving growth and excellence in complex, global organizations. His experience and expertise reinforces our seasoned management team and our foundation of financial strength, double-digit growth and aggressive M&A activity, further propelling Genesys toward its next financial milestone  to become a $2 billion customer experience powerhouse."

"I feel fortunate to join the world-class team at Genesys during such an important time in its history," Katz said. "I admire the company's financial strength, transparency in reporting, and commitment to ethical practices. I'm eager to help Genesys build on its momentum to become the undisputed worldwide leader in omnichannel customer experience solutions."

Earlier in his career, Katz served in a senior financial planning role with Bank One and in the strategic planning group within The Walt Disney Company. Katz received a master of business administration degree from Harvard Business School and a bachelor of arts degree from Yale University.

About Genesys

Genesys powers more than 25 billion of the world's best customer experiences each year. We put the customer at the center of everything we do and passionately believe that great customer engagement drives great business outcomes. More than 10,000 companies in over 100 countries trust the industry's #1 customer experience platform to orchestrate seamless omnichannel customer journeys and build lasting relationships. With a strong track record of innovation and a never-ending desire to be first, Genesys is the only company recognized by top industry analysts as a leader in both cloud and on-premise customer engagement solutions. Visit www.genesys.com.

Connect with Genesys via Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and the Genesys blog.

Media Contacts:

Christine Holley

Senior Director, Market Communications

Genesys

[email protected]

+1 317.715.8220

Lisa Hawes or Sarah Koniniec

Sterling Communications

[email protected]

+1 408.395.5500



SOURCE Genesys

Related Links

http://www.genesys.com


LONDON, Feb. 20, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- A baby monitor transmits audio and video data to a receiver to keep a tab on the child's activity in case parents are not around. A basic baby monitor functions by using a radio transmitter, whereby the sound produced by a baby is transferred to a receiver. The receiver contains an inbuilt speaker that enables listeners to hear the baby from various locations within a certain range.

Technavio's analysts forecast the global baby monitors market to grow at a CAGR of 10.92% during the period 2017-2021.

Covered in this report

The report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global baby monitors market for 2017-2021. To calculate the market size, the report considers the revenue generated from the sales of baby monitors.

The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:

- APAC

- Europe

- MEA

- North America

- South America

- Central America

Technavio's report, Global Baby Monitors Market 2017-2021, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.

Key vendors

- Dorel Juvenile Group

- Koninklijke Philips

- Lorex

- Motorola

- Samsung Electronics

Other prominent vendors

- Angelcare

- Baby Control Digital

- dexbaby

- Evenflo

- Exmovere

- Hisense

- iBabyGuard International

- Mayborn Group

- Snuza International

- Summer Infant

Market driver

- Rise in number of in-home accidental deaths/injuries

- For a full, detailed list, view our report

Market challenge

- Risks associated with signals/sensor waves

- For a full, detailed list, view our report

Market trend

- Rising demand for high end baby monitors

- For a full, detailed list, view our report

Key questions answered in this report

- What will the market size be in 2021 and what will the growth rate be?

- What are the key market trends?

- What is driving this market?

- What are the challenges to market growth?

- Who are the key vendors in this market space?

- What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?

- What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?



You can request one free hour of our analyst's time when you purchase this market report. Details are provided within the report.

Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4706434/

Methodology

Research methodology is based on extensive primary and secondary research. Primary research includes in-depth interviews with industry experts, vendors, resellers and customers. Secondary research includes Technavio Platform, industry publications, company reports, news articles, analyst reports, trade associations and the data published by Government agencies.

Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4706434/

About Reportbuyer

Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers

http://www.reportbuyer.com

For more information: Sarah Smith

Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +44 208 816 85 48

Website: www.reportbuyer.com

SOURCE ReportBuyer

Related Links

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NEW YORK, Feb. 20, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Beverage Packaging



Beverage packaging provides product support, external environment protection, and tampering resistance to beverages. Beverage packaging aids in reliable distribution of beverages among the value chain and reduces post production damage. Primary packaging is an important part of the marketing mix as it has a strong impact on the buying decision of the consumers.



Technavio's analysts forecast the global beverage packaging market to grow at a CAGR of 5.15% during the period 2017-2021.



Covered in this report

The report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global beverage packaging market for 2017-2021. To calculate the market size, the report considers the revenue generated from sale of beverage packaging products made from:

- Plastic

- Glass

- Metal

- Other materials (paperboard and flexible packaging materials)



The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:

- Americas

- APAC

- EMEA



Technavioas report, Global Beverage Packaging Market 2017-2021, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.



Key vendors

- Amcor

- Ball

- Crown Holdings

- Owens-Illinois



Other prominent vendors

- Allied Glass Containers

- AptarGroup

- Ardagh Group

- Bemis

- CAN-PACK

- CCL Industries

- CKS Packaging

- DS Smith

- Evergreen Packaging

- Genpak

- International Paper

- Westrock

- Mondi Group

- Parksons Packaging

- Plastipak Packaging

- Saint-Gobain

- Silgan Holdings

- Tetra Pak



Market driver

- Increasing demand for single-serve, multipacks, and sustainable packaging

- For a full, detailed list, view our report



Market challenge

- Stringent regulations on raw materials, alcoholic beverages, and packaging machines

- For a full, detailed list, view our report



Market trend

- Increasing demand for functional drinks and alcoholic beverages

- For a full, detailed list, view our report



Key questions answered in this report

- What will the market size be in 2021 and what will the growth rate be?

- What are the key market trends?

- What is driving this market?

- What are the challenges to market growth?

- Who are the key vendors in this market space?

- What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?

- What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?



You can request one free hour of our analyst's time when you purchase this market report. Details are provided within the report.







Read the full report: http://www.reportlinker.com/p04706509-summary/view-report.html





Methodology

Research methodology is based on extensive primary and secondary research. Primary research includes in-depth interviews with industry experts, vendors, resellers and customers. Secondary research includes Technavio Platform, industry publications, company reports, news articles, analyst reports, trade associations and the data published by Government agencies.

Read the full report: http://www.reportlinker.com/p04706509-summary/view-report.html



About Reportlinker

ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.



http://www.reportlinker.com





__________________________

Contact Clare: [email protected]

US: (339)-368-6001

Intl: +1 339-368-6001

SOURCE Reportlinker

Related Links

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WELLESLEY HILLS, Mass., Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Gulf Oil today announced the launch of a new mobile payment application, Gulf Pay. The new offering, powered by P97's PetroZone mobile commerce platform, will enable Gulf customers to navigate to the nearest Gulf gas station, pay for fuel at the pump, and purchase products inside the convenience store utilizing fast, simple, and secure mobile payment technology.

The Gulf Pay app allows customers to navigate to the nearest Gulf gas station, pay for fuel at the pump, and purchase products inside the convenience store utilizing fast, simple, and secure mobile payment technology. Users will also have access to reliable directions, live pricing, and exclusive offers all from within the app.

The Gulf Pay app offers a convenient, secure, and seamless shopping experience for customers by allowing payment authorization directly from the comfort of their vehicle. Users can also use the app to locate the closest Gulf station, access live pricing and reliable directions, and view station offerings.

"Customer experience is a priority at Gulf as we aim to constantly evolve with our customers' needs," said Todd O'Malley, Chief Commercial Officer at Gulf Oil. "Mobile payment technology is changing the retail experience and the Gulf Pay app enhances transaction security and further delivers on our commitment to provide high-quality products and services in a fast and convenient environment."

With security at the core of the mobile purchasing experience, Gulf customers can feel confident because each Gulf Pay transaction is authorized securely.

"Gulf has always aimed to remain vigilant in our efforts to prevent fraud at the pumps and in stores while providing our customers with an exceptional experience," said Margaret McDonnell, Senior Director of Credit Card Operations at Gulf Oil. "Mobile payment is a contactless transaction, meaning that it is extremely effective against today's most commonly used fraud techniques."

The Gulf Pay app will also provide exclusive offers on both fuel and in-store products at participating locations, and will allow customers to tailor in-app preferences to fit their specific needs.

"Our partnership with Gulf Oil is a huge leap forward for the retail fueling industry," said Donald Frieden, Chief Executive Officer at P97. "With their investment in PetroZone, Gulf will be able to increase the effectiveness of their marketing spend by delivering relevant digital offers resulting in more meaningful relationships with consumers."

Gulf plans to expand the Gulf Pay app by teaming up with leading mobile wallets and technologies. Gulf has signed an agreement to partner with Mastercard and will accept Masterpass through the app. This partnership will further improve offerings, capabilities and the payment experience for Gulf and Masterpass customers.

The pilot program will launch at Gulf retail fuel locations throughout select New England and New York markets in the first half of 2017 with plans to extend the app's availability into additional markets in 2018. To learn more about the benefits of Gulf Pay, and to stay up-to-date on the launch and participating stations in your area, visit www.gulfoil.com/gulfpay.

About Gulf Oil

Gulf Oil is a diverse refined products terminaling, storage and logistics business and a leading distributor of motor fuels in the United States. Gulf owns and operates a network of 17 terminals with over 14 million barrels of refined product storage capacity. With its premier terminaling and logistics platform, Gulf has access to the Mid-Continent, Gulf Coast and the New York Harbor supply hubs, which translates into competitive and diverse supply options for customers. More information about Gulf Oil can be found at www.gulfoil.com.

About P97

P97 Networks creates mobile commerce solutions for the retail fueling industry. By combining a cloud-based mobile commerce platform and a contextual commerce engine, P97's PetroZone delivers a powerful, integrated solution that empowers marketers, merchants, and oil companies to attract and retain consumers. Agile and robust web services built on Microsoft's Azure Cloud allow P97's technology to enhance customers' current mobile solutions, or provide a fully integrated 360-degree platform with a white labeled mobile application. P97's mCommerce solutions securely connect to millions of individual mobile phones and connected cars to create unique mobile experiences. For more information visit www.p97.com.

MEDIA CONTACT: Nikki Fales, Gulf Oil, [email protected]

SOURCE Gulf Oil

Related Links

http://www.gulfoil.com


Understanding the complex factors affecting business results is critical, particularly amid global political changes with the potential to transform economic conditions . This program examines macroeconomic policies, interactions between governments and the business environment, and the ways in which politics, history, society, and international relations affect policymaking. Executives will return to their organizations with a deeper understanding of an evolving global business climate .

"In this era of rapid global change, it is more important than ever for decision-makers to understand the processes and trends that are reshaping our business climate," said Frances Frei, UPS Foundation Professor of Service Management and Senior Associate Dean for Executive Education at Harvard Business School. "To be profitable, today's business leaders must understand nuanced global factors. With that in mind, this program will prepare participants to take advantage of emerging opportunities, mitigate political and economic risk, and drive sustainable success."

The program curriculum introduces a variety of frameworks for understanding international economic trends and assessing the business environment in specific countries. Participants will learn through case study analysis, small group discussions, and contributions from guest speakers. Topics of study include the dynamics of globalization, drivers of global business conditions, and the impact of national policies on economic performance and business strategy.

"All managers make decisions in an environment that is shaped by international macroeconomic conditions, regardless of whether their organization operates globally," said Laura Alfaro, Warren Alpert Professor of Business Administration and faculty chair of Managing Opportunity and Risk in the Global Economy. "Executives who are mindful of global economic trends and use those insights to develop smarter strategies for their organizations are at a competitive advantage. Our goal is to provide executives with the skills and tools they need to respond to shifting global conditions."

Managing Opportunity and Risk in the Global Economy is designed for senior strategic decision-makers in large, established multinational firms or in businesses expanding their global presence. The program is also suitable for executives in other functional roles, such as manufacturing, human resources, and legal services, as well as decision-makers in government agencies or non-governmental organizations. The curriculum is appropriate for executives from any country, industry, or functional background.

As with other HBS Executive Education offerings, Managing Opportunity and Risk in the Global Economy will rely on research from leading HBS faculty, discussions with industry peers, and learnings from real-world case studies from countries shaping the global economy.

Program Details:

Managing Opportunity and Risk in the Global Economy will take place from April 912, 2017 on the Harvard Business School campus. Please visit https://www.exed.hbs.edu/programs/mge/ for complete curriculum and to apply.

Faculty:

Laura Alfaro, Warren Alpert Professor of Business Administration and faculty chair of Managing Opportunity and Risk in the Global Economy.

David A. Moss, Paul Whiton Cherington Professor of Business Administration.

Dante Roscini, Professor of Management Practice.

J. Gunnar Trumbull, Philip Caldwell Professor of Business Administration.

Richard H.K. Vietor, Baker Foundation Professor.

About Harvard Business School:

Harvard Business School Executive Education, a division of Harvard Business School, is located on a 40-acre campus in Boston, Massachusetts. In fiscal year 2016, HBS faculty developed and delivered 64 open-enrollment Executive Education programs and 59 custom programs for leading organizations worldwide. More than 10,000 business executives attended programs held on campus in Boston as well as classrooms in Mumbai, and Shanghai. With global research centers in eight key regions, HBS faculty continue to develop groundbreaking research, forge powerful alliances with global organizations, and fulfill the mission of educating leaders who shape the practice of business and innovation. Learn more at www.exed.hbs.edu.

SOURCE Harvard Business School Executive Education

Related Links

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SINGAPORE, DUBAI, UAE and JOHANNESBURG, February 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

HDFC Bank has chosen Engage, Vizury's Data and Marketing Platform to help execute its personalized multi-channel engagements beginning with its website. HDFC Bank is the first private bank in India to acknowledge and embrace the role of technology in marketing to create a consistent and personalized experience for its customers across all digital touch points.

(Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/469798/Vizury_Logo.jpg )



"Today's digital customer connects with our brand at several touch points. And a consistent personalized feel across these interactions is important to amplify our brand recall, drive digital engagement and enhance customer experience. Logically, the starting point for such an experience was the bank's website," said Ashish Morone, Head Marketing & Communications at HDFC Bank.

He further added, "Engage has the unique ability to combine online and offline data at a user level and use them in highly flexible personalization frameworks. This was key in executing our digital strategy and helped us increase digital conversions on our website."

Engage uses a combination of behavioral attributes and CRM data to personalize banners for customers visiting the bank's website. This has resulted in the overall improvement in the bank's website user engagement leading to a 4X increase in website lead conversions and 30% reduction in cost-of-acquisition.

"HDFC Bank identified three types of visitors to its website - existing customers, returning prospects and new users. Their objective was to treat each user within a given segment uniquely by creating a relevant and personalized site experience centered on HDFC Bank's product lines. As a result, we load tens of thousands of variations of the website that drives much better clicks and conversions," said Subra Krishnan, SVP Products at Vizury.

Engage, Vizury's Growth Marketing Platform is custom built for the BFSI vertical and includes niche use cases that are very specific to BFSI. It is an atomic technology stack that tightly integrates online and offline user data and multiple marketing channels. With machine learning capabilities, the platform powers user-level predictions and 1:1 messaging.

About HDFC Bank

Promoted in 1995 by Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC), India's leading housing finance company, HDFC Bank is one of India's premier banks providing a wide range of financial products and services to its 37 million customers. As of December 31, 2016, the Bank had a distribution network with 4,555 branches and 12,087 ATMs in 2,597 cities/towns.

About Vizury

Vizury is a Growth Marketing technology company that drives user retention and incremental conversions for finance, travel and e-commerce brands. Vizury Engage, the Growth Marketing Platform leverages machine learning capabilities to generate user-level predictions and 1:1 messaging. An atomic technology stack that tightly integrates user data with advanced industry expertise helps our platform execute omni-channel marketing strategies. Unique vertical-specific features enable Vizury's clients to personalize customer engagement across different channels.

Vizury supports various brands, including Citibank, eBay, Prudential, Jet Airways and Etihad Airways, in more than 40 countries. Founded in 2008, Vizury has offices in San Francisco and Dallas, US; Tokyo, Japan; Dubai, U.A.E.; Bangalore, India and Singapore.

For more information, please visit http://www.vizury.com

For regular news and information about Vizury and digital marketing, like and follow the company:

Twitter: @VizuryOneToOne

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vizury1to1

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vizury-interactive

Media Contact:

Naren Madan

+91-7349084806

[email protected]



SOURCE Vizury
ORLANDO, Fla., Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- HealthGrid today announced it has been named a recipient of Microsoft Corp.'s 2017 Health Innovation Awards.

The awards, which were announced at the 2017 HIMSS Annual Conference and Exhibition in Orlando, Florida, recognize health organizations and their technology solution partners for using Microsoft devices and services in innovative ways that help engage patients, empower care teams, optimize clinical and operational effectiveness, and transform the care continuum. The 2017 winners are transforming the industry by creating breakthrough solutions that empower health and life sciences organizations, while meeting global, local and industry-specific compliance and security standards.

HealthGrid, the nation's fastest growing patient engagement platform, has demonstrated compelling evidence in the value it creates for provider organizations, like its partner Family Physician Group (FPG), making the organization the clear winner in the category for "Engage Your Patients." HealthGrid's Patient Engagement Platform creates a cohesive, mobile patient experience by proactively initiating bit sized, contextual interactions with the patient at the appropriate time throughout their care journey. With HealthGrid, FPG sought to improve the overall quality of care, optimize access to their physician network, improve compliance to regulatory requirements, like Meaningful Use and MACRA, while supporting the shift to value- based care. Leveraging the HealthGrid platform, FPG has fully attested all providers for Meaningful Use, added two more appointments per provider per day leading to 40 percent more closures of clinical care gaps, and 60 percent of patients utilizing post-care instructions and educational materials which has improved care plan compliance. As a result, HealthGrid has helped FPG achieve a 9:1 ROI resulting in $50k more per physician annually.

"We are so grateful to our partners at Family Physicians Group and our collaboration with Microsoft. This award is only possible by working with thought leaders in the industry who are reshaping the conversation between patient and physician. We have always understood that patient engagement is paramount to driving quality care. And with that, our focus remains on creating a meaningful, interactive patient experience for our customers," said Raj Toleti, president and co-founder of HealthGrid.

From pre-care administrative operations, including gaps in care outreach, scheduling and reminders, electronic check-in to clinical interactions, including post-care delivery of care summaries, referral coordination, and care plan management, HealthGrid offers a consistent touchpoint to patients while driving significant return to the practice.

"The health industry is undergoing a seismic shift in which intelligent technologies are helping organizations, communities and individuals improve care by helping them better understand and share information," said Laura Wallace, vice president, Health & Life Sciences, Microsoft. "This year's Microsoft Health Innovation Award recipients are advancing the goals of improved patient engagement and care coordination through their pioneering use of Microsoft devices, platforms and cloud services."

Nominations were submitted by health providers, payers, pharmaceutical and life science organizations, and public and private health institutions across the world for applying Microsoft technology to create transformative and highly-effective innovations. An esteemed panel of industry experts selected this year's winners based on how their innovation represents a forward-thinking development or implementation of a solution that is delivering groundbreaking results and producing better health outcomes for more people. Recipients will be highlighted on the Microsoft website at http://www.microsoft.com/healthinnovationawards and on the Microsoft in Health blog at https://enterprise.microsoft.com/en-us/industries/health/?post_type=articles.

About HealthGrid



HealthGrid is shifting the patient experience paradigm - meeting patients where they are. Our mobile-first CRM platform is the industry leading patient engagement solution that enables providers to engage and activate patients at any point in the care continuum. For more information, visit www.healthgrid.com or connect on Twitter: @HealthGrid | Facebook: www.facebook.com/HealthGrid/ | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/healthgrid

For more information, press only:

MSLGROUP

Davida Dinerman

[email protected]

781-684-0770

Product or service names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

SOURCE HealthGrid

Related Links

http://www.healthgrid.com


MONTREAL, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Hikvision Canada Inc., the country's leader in innovative, award-winning video surveillance products and solutions, today launched a French language website to better serve its growing customer base in French-speaking Canada and to continually expand its footprint in the North American security market. The French website complements the Hikvision Canada website, which was launched in August 2016.

Jeffrey He, president of Hikvision Canada Inc., and Hikvision USA Inc., said Canada is a key element of Hikvision's strategic growth plan. He noted that Quebec is Canada's second-most populated province, and because of its French-speaking citizens, Quebec represents an important and distinct market in Canada. The new website will help explain Hikvision products in French, and will help Hikvision adapt security offerings to this market.

"Under the leadership of Lorne Terry, our sales director in Canada, we have an outstanding team of sales, marketing, technical and engineering talent in place across Canada. Many of our employees are bilingual, and we have plans to further expand the team this year," He said. "We also announced last week that we'll be enhancing our services to all North American customers, especially our enterprise partners, with the establishment this year of the Hikvision R&D Centre here in Montreal."

Hikvision has made significant investment and enjoyed rapid expansion in Canada. "With its headquarters in Montreal, Hikvision Canada is already an important participant in the economic development of the region," said Lorne Terry, sales director for Hikvision Canada. "The new French website will enable Hikvision Canada to foster even closer ties with the Montreal business sector."

Hikvision Canada's 4K Tech Tour will visit several cities in the next few weeks. Hikvision will also exhibit its enterprise-level solutions on April 26 at Security Canada East at Booth 202 at the Sheraton Laval, in Laval, Quebec. In the US, Hikvision will exhibit at Booth 18037 at the ISC West Show in Las Vegas, April 5-7, 2017.

About Hikvision

Hikvision is the world's leading supplier of video surveillance solutions. Featuring the industry's strongest R&D workforce, Hikvision designs, develops, and manufactures standard- and high-definition cameras, including a variety of IP cameras, analog cameras, and cameras featuring the latest in high-definition analog technology. Hikvision's product suite also includes digital video servers, hybrid and standalone DVRs, NVRs, and other elements of sophisticated security systems for both indoor and outdoor use.

SOURCE Hikvision USA
SAN DIEGO, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Successful businesses understand their markets and their customers. The same cannot always be said about the people they employ to operate their company. Not understanding the millennial employee could have a devastating effect on a business. As the largest generation, millennials present a growing influence in the workplace. Understanding what motivates them is important for carrying that business success into the future.

Hub International Limited (HUB), a leading global insurance brokerage, recently conducted a research study: The Millennial Influence: The Essential Guide to Compensation and Performance Practices. A total of 330 millennials (18 to 34-year-olds) participated in the study. Those participating were full-time, white-collar professionals, employed with Southern California for-profit companies. The participants answered questions about compensation and performance practices for purposes of identifying which were most important to them.

Key Insights:

Over 60% of respondents ranked competitive base pay as their number one factor for staying with their current employer. Over 80% ranked competitive base pay first, second, or third. Survey respondents ranked merit increases as least important.

While competitive base pay was the top factor, 45% ranked career opportunity, interesting and challenging work, and incentive opportunity as first, second or third.

Almost 50% of survey respondents expect to change jobs within the next six months due to a lack of competitive base pay, career opportunity or interesting work.

Most survey respondents (92%) agree that competitive base pay and being paid for the value they bring to the company is important. The majority (90%) indicated that understanding how their job impacted the success of the company was very important (56%) or important (34%).

75% of respondents' incentive/bonus programs fail to use individual performance results in calculating payouts.

"When it comes to compensation and performance practices, understanding what's important to millennials is vital to a company's success. Transitioning from traditional to values-based compensation and performance practices helps attract and engage not only this generation but all generations of workers," said Tim Silvera, Vice President Ultimate Rewards Practice Leader, HUB International.

Download the HUB Millennial Survey to learn more.

MEDIA CONTACTS: Jordan Schill; [email protected]; 858-768-7309

SOURCE Hub International Limited

Related Links

http://www.hubultimaterewards.com


PASADENA, Calif., Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, Huntington Hospital announced that it has received the Healthgrades 2017 America's 50 Best Hospitals Award, for the 4th year in a row (2014-2017). The distinction makes Huntington Hospital among the top 1% of more than 4,500 hospitals nationwide for its consistent, year-over-year superior clinical performance as measured by Healthgrades, the leading online resource for comprehensive information about physicians and hospitals.

"We are tremendously proud to be recognized among America's 50 Best Hospitals by Healthgrades for the fourth year in a row," said Stephen A. Ralph, president and CEO, Huntington Hospital. "For 125 years, our goal has been to provide excellent health care and compassionate service to each patient by bringing together outstanding physicians, caring nurses, professional staff and advanced technologies. This award is a tribute to every person who works to achieve that goal."

From 2013 through 2015, patients treated in hospitals achieving Healthgrades America's 50 Best Hospitals Award have on average a 26.1% lower risk of dying than if they were treated in hospitals that did not receive this award, as measured across 19 rated conditions and procedures where mortality is the outcome. During this same period, if all other hospitals, as a group, had performed at the level of America's 50 Best Hospitals Award recipients across these 19 procedures and conditions, on average 176,473 lives could potentially have been saved.

"Our analysis shows that there is tremendous variation in clinical outcomes across hospitals, so we commend the recipients of the America's 50 Best Hospitals Award for delivering exceptional quality care to their patients," said Brad Bowman, chief medical officer, Healthgrades. "As consumers take a more active role in managing their own health, they can have confidence that hospitals that have achieved the America's 50 Best Hospitals Award stand above the rest."

In January 2017, Huntington Hospital was recognized as a recipient of Healthgrades Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence for the 11th consecutive year in a row. In addition, Huntington Hospital was the only hospital in Los Angeles in 2016 to be named one of America's 50 Best Hospitals and receive the Outstanding Patient Experience Award.

The 50 recipients of the America's 50 Best Hospitals Award are distinguished for overall clinical excellence across a broad spectrum of care. During the 2017 study period (2013-2015), these hospitals showed superior performance in clinical outcomes for patients in the Medicare population across at least 21 of 32 most common inpatient conditions and procedures as measured by objective performance data (risk-adjusted mortality and in-hospital complications). To learn more about how Healthgrades determines America's 50 Best Hospitals Award recipients, please visit www.healthgrades.com/quality.

*Statistics are based on Healthgrades analysis of MedPAR data for years 2013 through 2015 and represent 3-year estimates for Medicare patients only.

About Huntington Hospital

Huntington Hospital, www.huntingtonhospital.org, is a 619-bed not-for-profit hospital in Pasadena, California. We are named among the top hospitals in California and nationally ranked in two specialties by U.S. News and World Report. Learn more about us on Facebook www.facebook.com/huntingtonmemorialhospital and on Twitter @huntingtonnews.

SOURCE Huntington Memorial Hospital

Related Links

http://www.huntingtonhospital.org


ROCKVILLE, Md., Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research has been awarded a $100,000 grant to test the broader applicability of a technology platform invented by one of its leading scientists towards engineering drought-tolerant, agriculturally important crops. The grant is funded by the Maryland Innovation Initiative (MII) as part of the Technology Council of Maryland's (TEDCO) effort to support commercialization of academic-based scientific research as part of the state's efforts to foster economic development in Maryland.

IBBR Fellow, Shunyuan Xiao, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Department of Plant Sciences and Landscape Architecture at the University of Maryland, invented and patented a technology to induce drought tolerance in the model plant Arabidopsis by sequestration of a conserved regulatory protein involved in regulation of stomatal movement using a synthetic protein. The goal of the award is to explore the utility of this technology by generating proof-of-concept in additional plant models and ultimately applying this platform into commercially relevant crops such as wheat, barley, rice, corn, and sugarcane. The platform will initially investigate utility into non-human consumables such as turf grasses and ornamental nursery crops, which have fewer regulatory hurdles and a potentially quicker path to market.

Water scarcity is the most important natural factor that limits crop production. This problem has been exacerbated by global climate change, representing global losses estimated at $40 billion. For example, according to the United States Department of Agriculture's Risk Management Agency, yearly losses due to drought in the United States averaged $4.7 billion from 2009 to 2013, and were $12.9 billion in 2012 alone. Breeding drought-tolerant plants to improve crop performance under drought conditions is an urgent need in the United States and globally.

"We're excited to have this opportunity to test whether this approach also can be applied to commercially-relevant, drought-tolerant crops," said Xiao. "If so, it is very likely that this technology will find application in a wide range of plant species thereby positively impacting the nation's agricultural economy and global food supply chain."

"MII's funding of this technology supports their commitment to address Maryland's crop production challenges as well as the technology's commercialization potential. That's why the MII program is so vital for our region as it facilitates the translation of scientific research into practical and commercial applications," said Thomas Fuerst, Ph.D., IBBR Director. "Through Dr. Xiao's groundbreaking research and TEDCO's support, IBBR looks forward to collaborative development, creating partnerships, and working with leading agro-biotech companies to identify market needs."

IBBR Contact: Viqar Aslam

Director, Business Development and Strategy

Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research

University of Maryland

9600 Gudelsky Drive|Rockville, MD|20850

[email protected] |240.314.6373

About IBBR

IBBR is a University System of Maryland joint research enterprise among the University of Maryland College Park, the University of Maryland Baltimore, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. With a long-standing scientific focus on structure-function relationships of biomolecules, genetic systems, and applications, e.g., vaccines, therapeutics, drug delivery technologies, and biomanufacturing, IBBR's mission is to leverage its unique capabilities and infrastructure to marshal innovative technologies and expertise across its partnering institutions, to foster integrated, cross-disciplinary team approaches to scientific research and education, and to pursue translational programs and projects aimed at advancing innovations to commercialization in real world applications. The Institute also serves to expand the economic base of science and technology in the state of Maryland and at the national level.

SOURCE Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research

Related Links

https://www.ibbr.umd.edu


Paying homage to the iconic styling cues of past Indian motorcycles, the Indian Roadmaster Classic features loads of high quality genuine leather, including a premium touring seat, saddlebags with fringe, and a new leather trunk. Large enough to hold two full-faced helmets and constructed with a built-in passenger backrest, the leather-adorned trunk can be kept on for a full touring experience or quickly detached to create a more streamlined look. Further adding to the beauty of the motorcycle, Roadmaster Classic features valanced fenders, chrome details, and stunning two-tone paint options. The Indian Roadmaster Classic will turn heads whether you're riding down Main Street or on Route 66.

The bike's eye-catching vintage style combines cutting-edge technology to ensure rider and passenger travel in comfort. A keyless ignition with proximity fob, throttle-by-wire cruise control, heated grips and seats, Pathfinder LED headlamps, power adjustable windscreen, adjustable passenger floorboards, tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS), anti-lock brakes (ABS), 100 watt premium audio system, and Indian Motorcycle's much-lauded 7-inch Ride Command infotainment system all come standard.

"The Indian Roadmaster has been synonymous with comfort for touring riders since its introduction in the 1950's," says Indian Motorcycle Marketing Director Reid Wilson. "The addition of the new leather wrapped Roadmaster Classic gives touring riders another great option that delivers a powerful and iconic experience. The Roadmaster Classic is an undeniably beautiful motorcycle that our riders have been asking for."

With power to spare, the Roadmaster Classic's Thunder Stroke 111  inspired by the Power Plus motor of the 1940s  produces 119 ft-lbs of torque with extraordinary output at low RPM so you can accelerate effortlessly in all six gears. Noted for its smooth ride, Indian Motorcycle's telescopic fork front and air-adjustable single shock rear suspension soak up the bumps while offering superior feedback. Balanced braking comes from dual 300mm semi-floating rotors with four-piston calipers up front and a single 300mm semi-floating rotor with two-piston caliper in the rear, stainless steel reinforced lines and high resolution ABS.

Riders can customize the Roadmaster Classic with a wealth of additional leather and chrome accessories, including passenger armrests and trunk mat specifically designed for the Roadmaster Classic. Additionally, riders can enhance the riding experience with a touring or flare windshield, lower fairings, genuine leather extended reach seat and Infinite Highway Pegs. Roadmaster Classic can be upgraded with an integrated garage door opener or Indian Motorcycle's Premium Touring Console. Complementing the Roadmaster Classic Genuine Leather Trunk and Saddlebags are Genuine Leather Accessories, including grip, lever, highway bar and floorboard wraps, tank pouch, rear highway bar bag, mud flaps and saddlebag fringe.

There's still history to be made on Route 66 and beyond. For riders who choose the Roadmaster Classic, it's guaranteed to make those stories legendary.

Learn more about Indian Motorcycle and the 2017 Roadmaster Classic by visiting IndianMotorcycle.com and Facebook, Twitter and Instagram social media channels.

ABOUT INDIAN MOTORCYCLE

Indian Motorcycle Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Polaris Industries Inc. (NYSE: PII), is America's First Motorcycle Company. Founded in 1901, Indian Motorcycle has won the hearts of motorcyclists around the world and earned distinction as one of America's most legendary and iconic brands through unrivaled racing dominance, engineering prowess and countless innovations and industry firsts. Today that heritage and passion is reignited under new brand stewardship. To learn more, please visit www.indianmotorcycle.com.

ABOUT POLARIS INDUSTRIES

Polaris Industries Inc. (NYSE: PII) is a global powersports leader with annual 2015 sales of $4.7 billion. Polaris fuels the passion of riders, workers and outdoor enthusiasts with our RANGER, RZR and POLARIS GENERAL side-by-side off-road vehicles; our SPORTSMAN and POLARIS ACE all-terrain off-road vehicles; INDIAN MOTORCYCLE midsize and heavyweight motorcycles; SLINGSHOT moto-roadsters; and Polaris RMK, INDY, SWITCHBACK and RUSH snowmobiles. Polaris enhances the riding experience with parts, garments and accessories sold under multiple recognizable brands, and has a growing presence globally in adjacent markets with products including military and commercial off-road vehicles, quadricycles, and electric vehicles. www.polaris.com

SOURCE Indian Motorcycle

Related Links

http://www.indianmotorcycle.com


(In this Feb. 20 story, corrects Kellogg's rank to retired lieutenant general, in paragraph 14; corrects headline to reflect that McMaster is a lieutenant general.) By Jeff Mason and Patricia Zengerle WEST PALM BEACH, Fla./WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday named Lieutenant General Herbert Raymond McMaster as his new national security adviser, choosing a military officer known for speaking his mind and challenging his superiors. McMaster is a highly regarded military tactician and strategic thinker, but his selection surprised some observers who wondered how the officer, whose Army career stalled at times for his questioning of authority, would deal with a White House that has not welcomed criticism. "He is highly respected by everybody in the military and we're very honored to have him," Trump told reporters in West Palm Beach where he spent the weekend. "He's a man of tremendous talent and tremendous experience." One subject on which Trump and McMaster could soon differ is Russia. McMaster shares the consensus view among the U.S. national security establishment that Russia is a threat and an antagonist to the United States, while the man whom McMaster is replacing, retired Lieutenant General Michael Flynn, appeared to view it more as a potential geopolitical partner. Trump in the past has expressed a willingness to engage with Russia more than his predecessor, Barack Obama. Flynn was fired as national security adviser on Feb. 13 after reports emerged that he had misled Vice President Mike Pence about speaking to Russia's ambassador to the United States about U.S. sanctions before Trump's inauguration. The ouster, coming so early in Trump's administration, was another upset for a White House that has been hit by miscues, including the controversial rollout of a travel ban on people from seven Muslim-majority countries, since the Republican president took office on Jan. 20. The national security adviser is an independent aide to the president and does not require confirmation by the U.S. Senate. He has broad influence over foreign policy and attends National Security Council meetings along with the heads of the State Department, the Department of Defense and key security agencies. NOT AFRAID TO QUESTION THE BOSS Republican Senator John McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee and a frequent Trump critic, praised McMaster as an "outstanding" choice. "I give President Trump great credit for this decision," McCain said in a statement. A former U.S. ambassador to Russia under Obama, Michael McFaul, a Democrat, praised McMaster on Twitter as "terrific" and said McMaster "will not be afraid to question his boss." McMaster, who flew back to the Washington area from Florida with Trump on Air Force One, will remain on active military duty, the White House said. Trump also said Keith Kellogg, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant general who has been serving as the acting national security adviser, as chief of staff to the National Security Council. John Bolton, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, would be asked to serve the administration in another capacity, Trump said. "He has a good number of ideas that I must tell you I agree very much with," Trump said of Bolton, who served in Republican President George W. Bush's administration. Kellogg and Bolton were among those in contention as Trump spent the long Presidents Day weekend considering his options for replacing Flynn. His first choice, retired Vice Admiral Robert Harward, turned down the job last week. McMaster, 54, is a West Point graduate known as "H.R.," with a Ph.D. in U.S. history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He was listed as one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people in 2014, partly because of his willingness to buck the system. A combat veteran, he gained renown in the first Gulf War - and was awarded a Silver Star - after he commanded a small troop of the U.S. 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment that destroyed a much larger Iraqi Republican Guard force in 1991 in a place called 73 Easting, for its map coordinates, in what many consider the biggest tank battle since World War Two. As one fellow officer put it, referring to Trump's inner circle of aides and speaking on condition of anonymity, the Trump White House "has its own Republican Guard, which may be harder for him to deal with than the Iraqis were." The Iraqi Republican Guard was the elite military force of ousted dictator Saddam Hussein. Trump relies on a tight, insular group of advisers, who at times appear to have competing political agendas. Senior adviser Steve Bannon has asserted his influence by taking a seat on the National Security Council. McMaster's fame grew after his 1997 book "Dereliction of Duty" criticized the country's military and political leadership for poor leadership during the Vietnam War. Trump's pick was praised by one of the president's strongest backers in the U.S. Congress, Republican Senator Tom Cotton, who called McMaster "one of the finest combat leaders of our generation and also a great strategic mind." "CRITICISM AND FEEDBACK" In a July 14, 2014, interview with the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer in Columbus, Georgia, where Fort Benning is located, McMaster, then the base commander, said: "Some people have a misunderstanding about the Army. "Some people think, hey, youre in the military and everything is super-hierarchical and youre in an environment that is intolerable of criticism and people dont want frank assessments. "I think the opposite is the case. ... And the commanders that Ive worked for, they want frank assessments, they want criticism and feedback." That attitude was not always shared by his superiors, and it led to his being passed over for promotion to brigadier general twice, in 2006 and 2007. On McMaster's third and last try, General David Petraeus  who at one point was also on Trump's candidate list for national security adviser  returned from Iraq to head the promotion board that finally gave McMaster his first general's star. Then a colonel, McMaster was commander of the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment that in the spring of 2005 captured, held and began to stabilize Tal Afar on the Iraqi-Syrian border. The city was held by Sunni extremists, a crossing point between Syria and Iraq for jihadists who started as al-Qaeda in Mesopotamia under Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and morphed into Islamic State after he was killed. McMaster's preparation of the regiment is legendary: He trained his soldiers in Iraqi culture, the differences among Sunnis, Shi'ites and Turkomen, and had them read books on the history of the region and counterinsurgency strategy. It was a sharp change from the "kill and capture" tactics the United States had used in Iraq since the invasion in March 2003, and to which the Obama administration returned in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria. The strategy was largely a success, although McMaster's use of it and especially his willingness to acknowledge that Iraqis had some legitimate grievances against one another and the occupying coalition forces, did not endear him to his superiors and helped delay his promotion to brigadier general. The strategy did not survive the departure of McMaster's troops, with Tal Afar falling into the hands of Sunni militants. Along with the west part of Mosul, it is now a key objective in the battle to rid Iraq of Islamic State. (Additional reporting by John Walcott and Sarah Lynch in Washington; Writing by Frances Kerry and James Oliphant; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Peter Cooney)
NEW YORK and ORLANDO, Fla., Feb. 20, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, at the 2017 HIMSS Annual Conference and Exhibition, Information Builders, a leader in business intelligence (BI) and analytics, data integrity, and integration solutions, announced the launch of Omni-HealthData Insights. The product was developed in partnership with St. Luke's University Health Network, a non-profit, regional, fully integrated, nationally recognized network providing services at seven hospitals and more than 200 sites in counties throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey. It has been designed from the ground up, by health professionals for health professionals, to achieve the quadruple aim of enhancing the patient experience, improving population health, reducing costs, and improving the work life of healthcare providers.

Tweet this: [email protected] and @mystlukes launch Omni-HealthData Insights at #himss17 to help orgs achieve #quadrupleaim http://ow.ly/W4je30984r9

Omni-HealthData Insights provides a number of highly interactive, business-focused, out-of-the-box information applications  InfoApps. The initial release of Omni-HealthData Insights concentrates on four high priority subjects: Physician Practice Management, Quality and Patient Safety, Hospital Patient Experience, and Hospital Performance. Additional subjects are planned for release later in 2017.

Omni-HealthData Insights is built on top of Omni-HealthData (Provider Edition), a powerful information management platform designed specifically for healthcare providers, which integrates and harmonizes the data used in the applications. It includes a prebuilt data model that encompasses inpatient and ambulatory clinical data, as well as administrative, financial, human resources, patient, physician, and facility subjects, along with many others. Omni-HealthData also comes equipped with a number of pre-engineered, powerful, state-of-the-art processes for data quality, data mastering, and data integration. This saves customers time and money, and enables them to start getting valuable cross-organizational benefits in weeks rather than months or years. Omni-HealthData Insights snaps on to Omni-HealthData to deliver value immediately.

Mary Jane McKeever, vice president, Finance, St. Luke's University Health Network said:

"St. Luke's University Health Network is pleased to have selected Information Builders to implement its network-wide healthcare enterprise data warehouse (EDW). The EDW, and a large suite of analytical applications, were brought on-line in record time. The EDW contains our most important data assets and provides us with a patient-centered view of our population with the ability to measure clinical and business performance with great precision, while also enabling targeted patient outreach. We are pleased to take our partnership with Information Builders to the next level by making these applications available to other healthcare organizations."

Gerald Cohen, president and CEO, Information Builders said:

"With healthcare evolving to a value-based payment system, healthcare providers need to drive down costs and improve utilization. At the same time, it's essential that healthcare providers deliver high-quality care and improve upon any patient satisfaction issues. Omni-HealthData Insights addresses these equally vital requirements, by arming all business users with consumable access to critical information. Organizations can obtain a unified view of data from different IT systems, leverage that data more effectively and apply insights to achieve the quadruple aim. St. Luke's was indispensable in bringing Omni-HealthData Insights to the market, and we look forward to helping more healthcare organizations obtain value from the partnership."

About Information Builders

Information Builders provides solutions for business intelligence (BI), analytics, data integration, and data quality that help drive performance improvements, innovation, and value. Through one set of powerful products, we enable organizations to serve everyone  analysts, non-technical users, even partners, customers, and citizens  with better data and analytics. Our dedication to customer success is unmatched with thousands of organizations relying on us as their trusted partner. Founded in 1975, Information Builders is headquartered in New York, NY, with global offices, and remains one of the largest independent, privately held companies in the industry. Visit us at informationbuilders.com, follow us on Twitter at @infobldrs, like us on Facebook, and visit our LinkedIn page.

About St. Luke's University Health Network (SLUHN)

Founded in 1872, St. Luke's University Health Network (SLUHN) is a non-profit, regional, fully integrated and nationally recognized network providing services at seven hospitals and more than 270 outpatient sites. The network's service area includes Lehigh, Northampton, Carbon, Schuylkill, Bucks, Montgomery, Berks, and Monroe counties in Pennsylvania and in Warren County in New Jersey. Dedicated to advancing health education, St. Luke's operates the nation's oldest School of Nursing and 22 graduate medical educational programs and is considered a major teaching hospital, the only one in the region. In partnership with Temple University, St. Luke's created the region's first Medical School. Repeatedly, including 2016, St. Luke's has earned Truven's 100 Top Major Teaching Hospital designation as well as 50 Top Cardiovascular program in addition to other honors for clinical excellence. St. Luke's is a multi-year recipient of the Most Wired award recognizing the breadth of St. Luke's information technology applications such as electronic medical records, telehealth, online scheduling, and pricing information. St. Luke's is also recognized as one of the state's lowest cost providers in comparison to major teaching hospitals and other health systems.

Press Contacts

Kathleen Moran

Information Builders

(917) 339-6313

[email protected]

Kate Finigan

LEWIS

(781) 761-4500

[email protected]

SOURCE Information Builders

Related Links

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LONDON, Feb. 20, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Intelligent platform management interface market growth directly linked with the worldwide increasing deployment of data center and telecommunication equipment"

The IPMI market was valued at USD 1.20 billion in 2015 and is expected to reach USD 3.10 billion by 2022, at a CAGR of 13.2% between 2016 and 2022. The most significant factor driving the IPMI market is the rising demand for enhanced server management, along with the reduced cost of ownership; also, increase in ICT spending, growing trend of data center adoption by organizations, and rising need for standardized server management platform are the factors driving the market growth. Insufficient management tools for modern data centers is the factor inhibiting the growth of this market.

Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4315102/

"Server end-use application is expected to be the fastest-growing application in the IPMI market during the forecast period"

The IPMI market for the server application is expected to grow at the highest rate between 2016 and 2022. . Apart from the fact that the intelligent platform management interface was mainly designed for the server management, the remote access of the server has become increasingly very important. The mission-critical server environment has made it important to monitor server health throughout the day. The intelligent platform management interface was mainly designed for the sever management by Intel (U.S.), Dell (U.S.), HPE (U.S.), and NEC (Japan). The growing demand for servers across the geography because of wide deployment of data centers is driving the market for IPMI.



BFSI sector is expected to be hold the largest market share of the IPMI market by 2022

The intelligent platform management interface (IPMI) has its applications in various vertical such as banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI), healthcare, IT and Telecom, education and research, manufacturing, public sector, retail, and other verticals. The BFSI sector held the largest market share in 2015, and the healthcare sector is expected to grow at a higher rate during the forecast period.



The BFSI industry vertical comprises mainly banks, insurance companies, and stockbrokers, and deals with large workforce, assets in different locations, and diverse customer profiles. In today's scenario, the economic and financial sector reform has strengthened the automation and expansion of IT infrastructure, which transformed not only the operating environment of banks and financial institutions but has also played a significant role in structuring and strengthening economies of countries such as Brazil, India, and the UAE. Thus, this market is being adopted in the BFSI industry.



"APAC is the fastest-growing region for the IPMI market during the forecast period"

APAC is expected to be the fastest-growing region of the IPMI market between 2016 and 2022. The IPMI market in China and Japan is increasing because of the influx and growth of IT and telecommunication sector. The surge in growth is attributed to the technological advancements, along with mandatory regulations imposed by government regulatory entities to adopt the best-in-class technology and standards.



The breakup of primaries conducted during the study is depicted in below.



By Company Type: Tier 1 Companies - 55%, Tier 2 Companies  20%, and Tier 3 Companies  25%

By Designation: C-Level Executives - 75% and Managers - 25%

By Region: North America - 40%, Europe- 30%, APAC - 20%, and RoW - 10%



Some of the major players include Intel Corporation (U.S.), NEC Corporation (Japan), ARM Holdings Inc. (U.K.), Dell, Inc. (U.S.), HPE (U.S.), Microsoft (U.S.), Softlayer Technologies, Inc. (U.S.), Emerson (U.S.), Super Micro Computer, Inc. (U.S.), and Cisco (U.S.), among others.

Research Coverage:

This report includes the market statistics pertaining to component, end-use application, vertical, and geography, along with their respective market size.

- The average IPMI content per application, region, and country is available in the report.

- The Porter's five forces framework has been utilized, along with the value chain analysis to provide an in-depth insight into the IPMI market.

- Major drivers, restraints, challenges, and opportunities for the IPMI market have been detailed in this report.

- Illustrative segmentation, analysis, and forecast for the markets on the basis component, end-use application, vertical, and geography have been conducted to give an overall view of the IPMI market.

- A detailed competitive landscape includes key players, in-depth analysis, and market share of the key players.





Reasons to Buy the Report:

From an insight perspective, this research report has focused on various levels of analysis including industry analysis (industry trends), value chain analysis, R&D investments analysis and company profiles, which together comprise and discuss the basic views on the competitive landscape; emerging and high-growth segments of the IPMI market; high-growth regions; and market drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges.





The report provides insights on the following pointers:

- Market Penetration: Comprehensive information on products and services offered by the top players in the IPMI market

- Growth Strategies: Detailed insights on latest new product launches and developments, and partnerships in the data center application related to IPMI.



Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4315102/



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SOURCE ReportBuyer

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SAN JOSE, Calif., Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The search is finally over for Microsoft Office 365 customers, who have been looking for a way to connect their business phone lines and systems to Skype for Business Online. With a vision to bridge the gap between different UC environments, Deltapath, Inc. announces the release of O365 Connector, an audio gateway designed for organizations that have adopted Microsoft Office 365 and are seeking to unleash the full potential of Skype for Business.

Connecting Your Business Phone Lines to Microsoft Office 365 Skype for Business Deltapath O365 Connector bridges Skype for Business with legacy phone systems as well as other UC platform such as Cisco and Avaya.

Microsoft Office 365 E1 and E3 subscribers can transform their experience with O365 Connector, which bridges their PSTN and PBX services to Skype for Business Online. This allows business calls to be channeled through legacy desk phones as well as Skype For Business clients, giving added convenience to answer and make business calls from anywhere at anytime as well as eliminating mobile voice roaming fees. Office 365 E5 Cloud PBX subscribers can also utilize O365 Connector to grow their business with purpose-built applications like Contact Center.

With its existing telephone system running in parallel with the cloud, organizations can be reassured that telephony services remain operational even in the event of an Internet outage. O365 Connector is also designed with an all-in-one simplified architecture that removes the complexity of connecting multiple telephone systems from multiple vendors to Microsoft Office 365.

"Deltapath has continued to drive its innovation around interoperability between different UC environments. With Deltapath O365 Connector, organizations can maintain the best of both worlds, by having easy and convenient ways to interact on Skype for Business while taking a risk-free adoption approach to maintain their existing PBX and PSTN practically unchanged, protecting their investment," said David Liu, Founder and CEO of Deltapath.

Deltapath O365 Connector protects your investment and drives ROI

Deltapath O365 Connector solves an age-old dilemma for Microsoft Office 365 Skype for Business users: Connecting legacy telephone systems and desk phones with Skype for Business. Many organizations have invested heavily in their corporate telephone systems and as a result, may remain reluctant to immediately displace all of their invested telephony equipment with a new generation of Skype for Business certified equipment. With O365 Connector as a bridge between Skype for Business and the legacy world, employees can now answer their desk phone calls or make calls on their Skype for Business desktop or mobile.

Other organizations have also invested heavily in their own audio conference bridge. O365 Connector allows meeting participants to join an audio conference anywhere in the world from any Skype for Business client. This allows organizations to enjoy large savings on toll and line rental as less and less participants are using the organization's toll free number.

About Deltapath

Deltapath offers unified, intuitive communications solutions for enterprises and companies of all shapes and sizes. Deltapath's vision is to connect multiple vendors in the UC ecosystem to make communication a truly unified experience. For more information, visit www.deltapath.com.

Contact

Irene Yeung

+14085820408

SOURCE Deltapath, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.deltapath.com


SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Invitae Corporation (NYSE: NVTA), one of the fastest growing genetic information companies, today announced that members of the company's management team will present at the Cowen and Company 37th Annual Health Care Conference on Monday, March 6, 2017 at approximately 4:00 p.m. Eastern / 1:00 p.m. Pacific in Boston, Massachusetts.

The live, listen-only webcast of the presentation may be accessed by visiting the investors section of the company's website at ir.invitae.com. A replay of the webcast will be available shortly after the conclusion of the presentation and will be archived on the company's website.

About Invitae

Invitae Corporation's (NYSE: NVTA) mission is to bring comprehensive genetic information into mainstream medical practice to improve the quality of healthcare for billions of people. Invitae's goal is to aggregate most of the world's genetic tests into a single service with higher quality, faster turnaround time, and lower price than many single-gene and panel tests today. The company currently provides a diagnostic service comprising hundreds of genes for a variety of genetic disorders associated with oncology, cardiology, neurology, pediatrics, and other rare disease areas. Additionally, the company has created a Genome Network to connect patients, clinicians, advocacy organizations, researchers, and drug developers to accelerate the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of hereditary disease. For more information, visit our website at invitae.com.

Contact:

Laura D'Angelo

[email protected]

314-920-0617

SOURCE Invitae Corporation

Related Links

http://invitae.com


SHANGHAI, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. ("JinkoSolar" or the "Company") (NYSE: JKS), a global leader in the photovoltaic ("PV") industry, today announced that it has completed the repurchase of certain 4.00% Convertible Senior Notes due 2019 (the "Notes") at the option of holders of the Notes. An aggregate principal amount of US$61,074,000 of the Notes was tendered for repurchase, with Notes in the principal amount of US$10,000 remaining outstanding after such repurchase.

About JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd.

JinkoSolar (NYSE: JKS) is a global leader in the solar industry. JinkoSolar distributes its solar products and sells its solutions and services to a diversified international utility, commercial and residential customer base in China, the United States, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, Chile, South Africa, India, Mexico, Brazil, the United Arab Emirates, Italy, Spain, France, Belgium, and other countries and regions. JinkoSolar has built a vertically integrated solar product value chain, with an integrated annual capacity of 4.5 GW for silicon ingots and wafers, 3.7 GW for solar cells, and 6.5 GW for solar modules, as of September 30, 2016.

JinkoSolar has over 15,000 employees across its 6 productions facilities in Jiangxi, Zhejiang and Xinjiang Provinces, China, Malaysia, Portugal and South Africa, 16 oversea subsidiaries in Japan (2), Singapore, India, Turkey, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Spain, United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Australia and South Africa. 18 global sales offices in China (2), United Kingdom, Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Egypt, Morocco, Ghana, Kenya, Costa Rica, Colombia, Brazil and Mexico.

To find out more, please see: www.jinkosolar.com

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements constitute "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends, "plans," "believes," "estimates" and similar statements. Among other things, the quotations from management in this press release and the Company's operations and business outlook, contain forward-looking statements. Such statements involve certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in JinkoSolar's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its annual report on Form 20-F. Except as required by law, the Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

In China:

Mr. Sebastian Liu

JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd.

Tel: +86 21-5183-3056

Email: [email protected]

Mr. Christian Arnell

Christensen, Beijing

Tel: +86 10 5900 2940

Email: [email protected]

In the U.S.:

Ms. Linda Bergkamp

Christensen, Scottsdale, Arizona

Tel: +1-480-614-3004

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd.

Related Links

http://www.jinkosolar.com


"For the past 12 years, John has demonstrated a deep understanding of our business and a commitment to delivering outstanding results and developing top talent," said Andy Hilger, president of Allegis Group. "He has built his legacy to date as a champion within the law firm business, and I'm confident that John will quickly gain a deeper understanding of our other unique practices to heighten and improve their positioning as industry-leading brands as he has previously done with Major, Lindsey & Africa's Partner Practice Group."

John has a reputation for high performance and cultivating elite talent and has proven himself as integral to the firm. Since joining Major, Lindsey & Africa in 2005, he has risen through the ranks as a recruiter, manager and leader. Throughout his career, John has focused his practice on partner representation in the lateral market, practice group acquisition and firm mergers for diverse clients from top national and global law firms, regional U.S. firms and large public and private companies.

"The opportunity to lead a team of such passionate individuals, all committed to growing our premier brands and developing meaningful relationships with our clients, candidates and one another, is truly humbling," said John. "As I transition into the position, I'm committed to upholding the unique culture of inclusivity embedded in Major, Lindsey & Africa and Allegis Partners as we expand our efforts and further grow both firms' reach."

Prior to working at Major, Lindsey & Africa, John practiced law as an M&A partner in the Chicago office of Winston & Strawn LLP and served as a vice president at City National Bank in Beverly Hills, California. He holds a J.D. from University of Chicago Law School and a B.B.A. in Finance from University of Washington.

"John not only possesses a deep knowledge of our businesses, markets and clients, but he is also a dedicated and lifelong learner with the curiosity to drive continuous growth for himself and for those around him," said Simon Robinson, former president of Major, Lindsey & Africa and Allegis Partners. "Over the years, John has championed many of our key strategies and initiatives, and he will continue to develop our platforms to sustain success in the future."

About Major, Lindsey & Africa

Founded in 1982, Major, Lindsey & Africa is the world's largest and most experienced legal search firm. Combining local market knowledge and a global recruiting network, Major, Lindsey & Africa has earned recognition for its track record of successful general counsel, corporate counsel, partner, associate and law firm management placements. The firm also provides law firms and companies with highly specialized legal professionals on project, interim and temporary-to-permanent hire basis. With 25 offices worldwide, Major, Lindsey & Africa recruiters are dedicated to understanding and meeting client and candidate needs while maintaining the highest degree of professionalism and confidentiality. The firm considers every search a diversity search and has been committed to diversity in the law since its inception. Major, Lindsey & Africa is an Allegis Group company, the global leader in talent solutions.

To learn more about Major, Lindsey & Africa, visit www.mlaglobal.com.

About Allegis Partners

Allegis Partners is the global executive search firm that delivers a boutique, high-touch approach to talent management. We focus on identifying diverse, top talent for human resources, board, CEO and other executive and senior management roles across industries. Allegis Partners brings deep expertise and insight into each relationship, customizing each search within the global market to pair candidates with deep skills and knowledge to the unique needs of clients. We're backed by the extensive resources of the Allegis Group, an $11+ billion privately held global human capital organization. To learn more about Allegis Partners, visit www.allegis-partners.com.

About Allegis Group

Allegis Group is the global leader in talent solutions focused on working harder and caring more than any other provider. We'll go further to understand the needs of our people  our clients, our candidates and our employees  and to consistently deliver on our promise of an unsurpassed quality experience. That's the Allegis Group difference, and it's consistent across every Allegis Group company. With more than $11billion in annual revenues and over 500 locations across the globe, our network provides businesses with a comprehensive suite of talent solutions  without sacrificing the niche expertise required to ensure a successful partnership. Our specialized group of companies includes: Aerotek; TEKsystems; Aston Carter; Allegis Global Solutions; Major, Lindsey & Africa; Allegis Partners; MarketSource; EASi; The Stamford Group; and GettingHired. Visit www.AllegisGroup.com to learn more.

Contact: Lana Gersten | 212.784.5714 | [email protected]

SOURCE Major, Lindsey & Africa

Related Links

http://www.mlaglobal.com


SPRINGFIELD, Ill., Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Three key legislators, State Senate Labor Committee Chairman Daniel Biss and State Representatives Lisa Hernandez and Carol Ammons, have joined forces with worker advocates, including HourVoice and United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 881, to introduce groundbreaking legislation (SB1720) to crack down on wage theft in Illinois. Wage theft is estimated to cost American workers over $50 billion per year and news reports have shown Illinois is a very difficult state for workers to recoup stolen wages.

"Our Illinois Fighting Wage Theft Act increases the penalties on companies that commit serious wage theft and prohibits those companies from receiving state government contracts for at least five years," said State Senator and Labor Committee Chairman Daniel Biss (D-Evanston), who is sponsoring the bill. "Fair to both workers and businesses, SB1720 will level the playing field. Workers deserve to get paid every dollar they've earned and employers who treat workers properly and play by the rules shouldn't be undercut by competitors who cheat their workers."

Wage theft takes many forms, including: shorting workers on their hours, not paying the minimum wage, and not properly paying overtime. It most commonly victimizes low-paid workers; the very people who most need the money they earn.

Workers in nearly every industry are affected. For example, fast food giant Domino's was caught using payroll software that systematically underpaid workers, and a major road contractor paid with our Illinois tax dollars was caught shorting its workers by $1.5 million.

"Latinos and other minority workers are particularly victimized by companies that commit wage theft," explained State Representative Lisa Hernandez (D-Berwyn), a Member of the House Labor and Commerce Committee. "Wage theft robs hard working people of the money they need to support their families and it is a corporate crime that needs to be seriously punished."

"At a time when Illinois faces an unprecedented budget crisis, we should never be giving precious taxpayer dollars to companies that cheat their own workers." said State Representative Carol Ammons (D-Champaign). "I'm proud that our bill ensures that only companies that pay their workers fairly can be eligible for state contracts. We will help protect workers and Illinois taxpayers at the same time."

Governments across America are taking action to ensure taxpayer dollars don't go to companies that commit wage theft. The Cook County Board in 2015 passed an ordinance that "prohibits any company or individual who is found guilty or liable of wage theft from obtaining Cook County procurement contracts, business licenses or property tax incentives for a period of five years." In 2013, the Chicago City Council authorized the City of Chicago to pull the business licenses of companies that commit wage theft.

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has aggressively fought wage theft by government contractors and sub-contractors, recently winning a series of arrests leading to guilty pleas that, "recovered nearly $1.5 million for underpaid workers, and resulted in the debarment of the subcontractors, which prevents them from bidding on or being awarded public works contracts in New York State for a period of five years."

"Wage theft is a very serious concern for workers in retail food and drug stores  and in workplaces across Illinois," said UFCW Local 881 Political Director Zach Koutsky. "This is a critical issue for the 34,000 workers we represent, and we commend Senator Biss and Representatives Hernandez and Ammons for leading the charge on this fundamental issue of justice and fairness."

A leading organization in highlighting working conditions in Illinois is HourVoice, founded by Chicago social entrepreneur Don Chartier (article). HourVoice provides a free online tool for hourly workers to rate their employers, find better ones, track their hours, and learn about their rights. HourVoice created the website www.FightingWageTheft.org, which helps Illinois residents connect with their legislators and Governor Rauner in support of the Illinois Fighting Wage Theft Act.

Key Recent Articles

Chicago's lax enforcement of minimum wage hike leaves workers in the lurch / Chicago Reporter

Illinois Workers Filing Wage Complaints Face Long Wait Times, Low Chances of Getting Checks | NBC Chicago

Union Alleges Widespread Wage Theft at O'Hare Airport | Chicago Tribune

Wage Theft Alleged In Lawsuit Against Chicago Dunkin' Donuts Franchisee (VIDEO) | Progress Illinois

IL contractor charged with bilking union workers out of $1.5M | Construction Dive

Illinois Truck Drivers Hit Company With Suit Over Alleged Wage Theft | Progress Illinois

Study Shows Deplorable Conditions, Wage Theft In Chicago Car Wash Industry  Progress Illinois

For more information contact: Sean Tenner

[email protected] / (312) 576-8822

Visit www.FightingWageTheft.org

SOURCE HourVoice

Related Links

http://www.FightingWageTheft.org


SEATTLE, February 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Ben Fitzpatrick has been appointed Managing Director, North America at KMS lighthouse. Lighthouse, part of The Aman Group, supplies leading enterprise knowledge management software. Ben will oversee all sales, marketing and operations for all Lighthouse products in North America, with new American headquarters in Seattle, Washington.

Ben is a graduate of the University of Washington, and joins Lighthouse after serving in several roles at Marchex, a leading mobile advertising analytics company. In his most recent position, Ben led technology alliances at Marchex.

"I'm excited for the opportunity to join the customer experience revolution currently happening here in the U.S.," said Ben Fitzpatrick. "Enterprise organizations want and expect the best customer experience possible, and the Lighthouse platform ensures that their knowledge data is streamlined, consistent and easily accessible, yielding much higher ROI and better customer satisfaction. Lighthouse is poised to become a key player in the knowledge management space."

"We welcome Ben as he joins the Aman and Lighthouse family," said Sagi Eliyahu, KMS lighthouse's CEO and Aman Group International Business Manager: "With Lighthouse, clients can attain sales efficiency, improved customer service and experience, all through quick access to organizational knowledge in the Lighthouse platform. Today, our systems serve dozens of customers worldwide, including leading banks and communications operators. Our clients use the platform at their service centers as an internal knowledge management system as well as for externalizing information through the digital customer and self-service areas. The product is very well suited for the American market and we expect it to succeed."

About KMS lighthouse

KMS provides knowledge management solutions for organizational excellence. Lighthouse structures the entirety of organizational knowledge, providing employees with the most relevant and up-to-date information for their needs. With Lighthouse, organizations succeed in turning their customer interactions into sales by providing unified customer service on all service channels and turning their employees into experts in their fields after brief training.

KMS lighthouse serves dozens of satisfied customers in Israel and worldwide, all of whom began using the product after a short implementation period of only a few months. KMS lighthouse was chosen as one of the 100 most influential KM companies in the world by KMWorld, won the Promise Award from KMWorld magazine, and was included in Gartner's Cool Vendors in 2014. KMS lighthouse is a part of Aman group, a leading IT company in Israel.



Shachar Yental, Allmedia,[email protected]

SOURCE KMS Lighthouse
CHICAGO, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- To further support its client-driven business strategy, the law firm of LeClairRyan has expanded into Illinois, opening an office in Chicago under the leadership of partner Philip N. Fluhr. With the new location in Chicago, LeClairRyan now has offices in 16 states and the District of Columbia. The firm has approximately 350 attorneys nationwide.

"The opening of our Chicago office highlights LeClairRyan's continued strategic focus on assisting our clients with their legal needs by attracting excellent legal talent to our energized internal network across our firm's growing geographic reach," said Chief Executive Officer C. Erik Gustafson. "Phil's combination of legal and leadership experience makes him the ideal partner to help us further develop our client relationships and team in Chicago."

Fluhr practices primarily in the areas of premises liability, products liability, commercial litigation, government investigations, and data privacy and security. Fluhr most recently served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois in Chicago. Earlier in his career, Fluhr was an associate at Roseland, N.J.-based Connell Foley, where he was heavily involved with the litigation and trial of catastrophic injury claims with a nationwide platform.

"I am looking forward to working with the firm's leadership to grow and develop the Chicago office," Fluhr said. "I also welcome the opportunity to provide legal counsel to new and current clients in Illinois."

LeClairRyan's Chicago office is located at 111 West Jackson Boulevard, Suite 1700.

About LeClairRyan

As a trusted advisor, LeClairRyan provides business counsel and client representation in corporate law and litigation. In this role, the firm applies its knowledge, insight and skill to help clients achieve their business objectives while managing and minimizing their legal risks, difficulties and expenses. With offices in California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Virginia and Washington, D.C., the firm has approximately 350 attorneys representing a wide variety of clients throughout the nation. For more information about LeClairRyan, visit www.leclairryan.com

SOURCE LeClairRyan

Related Links

http://www.leclairryan.com


Greece is on the path to recovery and anyone who thinks otherwise can talk to someone else, the euro zone's leading finance minister has insisted.



Speaking to CNBC in Brussels ahead of Eurogroup's meeting of euro zone finance ministers on Greece, the group's president, Jeroen Dijsselbloem, said that everyone was committed to strengthening the recovery efforts of Greece, adding that it is in the joint interests of the "whole euro zone."

His comments come amid speculation that the embattled Greek economy could soon default on its debts and be forced out of the single currency union in what commentators have termed 'Grexit'.



The country has struggled with escalating debt in the aftermath of the financial crisis of 2008 and has been heavily reliant on international bailouts from the European Union, International Monetary Fund and European Central Bank.

"I think it's in our joint interests for the Greeks, the whole euro zone and the Netherlands that we have a stable recovery in Greece," said Dijsselbloem.

"That's what we're doing and anyone who wants to talk about crisis can talk to someone else because the Greek economy is gradually recovering and what we need to do is to strengthen that and give that more opportunity and that is what I'm trying to do."

Dijsselbloem said that Monday's meeting in the Belgium capital would focus on agreeing further reforms for the country, something that the International Monetary Fund has insisted on before further recovery fund can be released.

In 2015, Greece became the first developed country to fail to make an IMF loan repayment.

"The IMF has been clear right from the beginning that for (Greece) to become a part of the program again they would need serious reforms in the tax system, the pension system, the labour market, and the sustainable debt outlook.

"At the moment we need to concentrate on these deep reforms that the IMF, quite rightly, asks of the Greek government."

Story continues

French economy minister Michel Sapin backed the Eurogroup president's views, adding that if any Greek crisis did return, it would not destabilise the rest of the euro zone.

"We are going to find an agreement on Greece in the coming days and put it in place in the coming days," Sapin told CNBC.

"There's what is happening in Greece, what is happening in Germany, what is happening in France. That's Europe. In Europe we have democracy, in each country there is a democratic heart beating, not always at the same time but that's why we built Europe and how we will overcome today's difficulties

Dijsselbloem, who is finance minister of the Netherlands, insisted that his decisions as president of Eurogroup would not impact the country's upcoming general election on March 15.

"There's always an election somewhere in Europe so we simply have to keep moving ahead.

"A lot of the electorate in the Netherlands supports my serious approach to this issue so I will continue to follow up on it in a very serious way."





More From CNBC


FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Andrew Greene, a retired Broward school teacher whose claim for damages against Merrill Lynch was upheld by a FINRA arbitrator, says the result proves that the "little guy can win too," when taking on big institutions.

Greene was celebrating the recent decision by a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitrator, after his attorney Mark Tepper filed the claim for damages last July. Merrill Lynch had recommended BreitBurn Energy Partners LP. [OTCMKTS: BBEPQ].

"I was delighted when my attorney Mark Tepper told me that we had won my claim. As a small investor, I'm so grateful to Mr. Tepper. Other attorneys I had interviewed thought my case wasn't big enough but Mr. Tepper took my case and we won! If I hadn't found attorney Mark Tepper to represent me, I'd have nothing," Greene said.

The FINRA arbitrator awarded Greene compensatory damages, pre-judgment interest, expert fees, attorney's fees to be determined by the court, and reimbursement of the filing fee.

"Mr. Tepper told me that when he takes a case it's about working to right a wrong. It's not just about how much is lost," Greene added.

"I look at a case on the merits of the claim. An individual investor losing under $100,000 has as much right to representation as a wealthy investor losing millions," Mr. Tepper, a former New York Assistant Attorney General and Chief Trial Counsel at the Bureau of Investor Protection and Securities, said.

The Mark A. Tepper law firm is investigating alleged claims against brokerage firms for recommending BreitBurn Energy Partners LP and/or LINN Energy LLC, LinnCo LLC. For a free case evaluation from the Mark A. Tepper law firm, email attorney Mark Tepper at [email protected] or telephone 954-961-0096.

About Mark A. Tepper, P.A. (www.MarkTepper.com)

Attorney Mark A. Tepper has earned the reputation of "Investor Advocate" while practicing law for over 35 years representing individual investors. FINRA arbitrators have upheld stockbroker fraud claims filed by Mr. Tepper against many brokerage firms. A member of the Florida, New York and California Bars, Mr. Tepper is peer-reviewed for 16 consecutive years, AV PREEMINENT for ethical standards and legal ability, the highest rating of lawyers in the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory.

MEDIA CONTACT: Mark Hopkinson

NewsMark Public Relations

561-852-5767

[email protected]

http://www.newsmarkpr.com

SOURCE Mark A. Tepper, P.A.

Related Links

http://www.MarkTepper.com


ORLANDO, Fla., Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC), Crane Division, has awarded Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] $150 million in follow-on production contracts to provide the U.S. Marine Corps with the Target Sight System (TSS) for the AH-1Z "Viper" attack helicopter.

Under the contracts, Lockheed Martin will produce TSS Lot 13 and Lot 14. The award also contains options for TSS Lots 15 and 16, which would bring the total in follow-on production contracts to $284.6 million with all options exercised. Work will be completed in Orlando and Ocala, Florida.

"The advanced capabilities and proven reliability of TSS provide the U.S. Marine Corps with a technological combat edge," said Paul Lemmo, vice president of Fire Control/SOF CLSS at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. "Its long-range precision strike capability significantly enhances the helicopter's lethality and aircrew survivability."

Since 2008, Lockheed Martin has provided the U.S. Marine Corps with more than 100 TSS units. Production and sustainment efforts for TSS are ongoing through 2026.

For additional information, visit our website: www.lockheedmartin.com.

About Lockheed Martin

Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 97,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.

SOURCE Lockheed Martin

Related Links

http://www.lockheedmartin.com


GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo., Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Safe Rx, a Colorado-based manufacturer and marketer of locking prescription vials used by pharmacies and veterinarians for dispensing opioids and other controlled substances, today announced its support for new Maryland legislation that will mandate the use of locking vials for dispensing of controlled substances by pharmacies in the state.

The legislation, originally filed as SB 428 in the Maryland Senate, was sponsored by Senator Katherine Klausmeier, Chairman of the Joint Legislative Taskforce on Opioid Addiction. The bill co-sponsors included an additional twenty senators and delegates from the General Assembly.

Dr. Andrea Gielen, a renowned expert and Professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, testified in support of the legislation. In 2015, Dr. Gielen and others from the Bloomberg School published a landmark report on the opioid epidemic, co-signed by over 30 leading national opioid experts, that identified improved container security as a key solution to the drug abuse epidemic, after similar commentary from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration over the last several years.

"The drug abuse epidemic is robbing us of a generation of Marylanders, and locking vials will cut off the number one source for teen abuse," said Senator Klausmeier. "It's another great tool for the toolbox to fix this epidemic," she added.

If passed by the legislature, the new regulations will represent the first material upgrade to the security of containers used for drug dispensing since 1970, when the Poison Prevention Packaging Act established the current child-resistant standards. The legislation is supported by national and local interest groups, including the National Coalition Against Prescription Drug Abuse, the Maryland Chiefs of Police Association and the Maryland Sheriffs' Association. Additional in-state coalitions are expected to announce their support in the coming days.

"The Maryland legislature should be applauded for taking this long overdue step," said Milton Cohen, President & CEO of Safe Rx. "For less than a $1.00 more per scrip, Maryland will prevent over 100,000 teens from initiating abuse and return over $1 billion to its state economy over the next ten years," he added.

Drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in the United States. Prescription drugs are the number one gateway to heroin addiction and have become the most commonly abused substances among 12 and 13-year-olds, with pilfering from family medicine cabinets the number one source for teen abuse. In Maryland, 69% of opioid abusers initiate between 12  25 years of age and 26% between 12 & 17, with stealing from family and friends the number 1 and number 5 sources for abuse, respectively.

About Safe RxTM LPVs

Safe RxTM LPVs are physician-developed, child resistant certified locking vials that are tamper-evident and pilfer-resistant. Designed for use in high volume dispensing, Safe RxTM LPVs are engineered for extremely low incremental fill time and easy workflow adaptation. For more information visit www.safe-rx.com.

SOURCE Safe Rx

Related Links

http://www.safe-rx.com


"All of us at MDA are extremely proud of being recognized on the Best of Staffing lists for 2017. This is an honor that we work hard to maintain," explains Tim Fischer, President of Medical Doctor Associates. "We've been presented the Best of Staffing Talent Award for seven consecutive years, which has also earned us the prestigious Diamond Award, reserved only for companies that have earned the Talent Award for at least five consecutive years. Our clients have also helped put us on the Best of Staffing list for the past two consecutive years. This recognition would not have been possible without the support of the healthcare professionals and facilities we work with. We are very grateful."

"Staffing firms are giving top companies a competitive advantage as they search for talent in North America," said Inavero's CEO Eric Gregg. "The 2017 Best of Staffing winners have achieved exceptionally high levels of satisfaction and I'm proud to feature them on BestofStaffing.com."

About Medical Doctor Associates

Providing physician and advanced practice locum tenens, temporary and temp-to-perm staffing services, Medical Doctor Associates (MDA) is part of one of the nation's largest healthcare staffing companies, Cross Country Healthcare. Since 1987, MDA has earned the trust of medical professionals and facilities alike with our dedication to ongoing satisfaction and the respect of our industry through our expertise and accolades, such as Inavero's Best of Staffing Awards.

About Inavero

Inavero administers more staffing agency client and talent satisfaction surveys than any other firm in the world. Inavero's team reports on over 1.2 million satisfaction surveys from staffing agency clients and talent each year and the company serves as the American Staffing Association's exclusive service quality partner.

About Inavero's Best of Staffing

Inavero's Best of Staffing Award is the only award in the U.S. and Canada that recognizes staffing agencies that have proven superior service quality based completely on the ratings given to them by their clients and job candidates. Award winners are showcased by city and area of expertise on BestofStaffing.com  an online resource for hiring professionals and job seekers to find the best staffing agencies to call when they are in need.

Contact:

Jeffrey Wilk, Corporate Communications

P: 800-530-6155

[email protected]

SOURCE Medical Doctor Associates
BLOOMING PRAIRIE, Minn., Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Minimizer is making a $20,000 donation to the Wyakin Foundation, which assists wounded veterans in adapting to civilian life.

"This is something very near and dear to our hearts," Minimizer CEO and Chief Visionary Craig Kruckeberg said. "The Wyakin Foundation serves as an invaluable resource in helping injured veterans transition to civilian life. These great people have served our country and deserve every opportunity to achieve success in the future."

Minimizer makes large donation to Wyakin Foundation Minimizer makes large donation to Wyakin Foundation

"Minimizer has once again stepped up in a big way," Wyakin Executive Director Brent Taylor said. "We can't thank them enough for their continued generosity. This will go a long ways in helping us assist wounded veterans."

The Wyakin program application process is open to wounded, ill or injured post-9/11 veterans who are currently enrolled or planning to enroll in a certificate- or degree-earning academic program.

"Our program is designed to support veterans who are committed to a successful transition into civilian careers through education," Taylor said. "We currently have Warriors seeking Professional Certifications, two- and four-year degrees, and graduate degrees."

"When we first heard about the Wyakin mission, we wanted to help in any way possible," Kruckeberg said. "This isn't a handout. It's about giving them the best chance to succeed."

Find the Wyakin Warrior application on their website.

About Minimizer

Leveraging almost 40 years of manufacturing expertise at its state-of-the-art facility in Blooming Prairie, Minnesota, Minimizer is not only the leader in poly semi truck fenders - we invented the category. Minimizer poly fenders and integrated bracket kits are nearly indestructible and are guaranteed for life.

Our research and development team constantly "tests and tortures" each of our products to make sure what goes on, in or is used to fix the truck meets the rigors of our tough industry.

We also manufacture industry-leading light kits, mud flaps, toolboxes, tire masking kits, workbenches and other accessories. Our most recent innovations include the world's ONLY custom molded floor mats for semi trucks, as well as the revolutionary "whole body" Minimizer Truck Seat System.

Minimizer has been family owned and operated for three generations. The company manufactures its products in the USA and makes everything tough enough to please tough people in a tough industry.

For more information or to contact a Minimizer distributor, call us at (800) 248-3855 or email us at [email protected].

Contact:

Steve Hansen

Director of Marketing

Minimizer

(800) 248-3855

[email protected]

SOURCE Minimizer

Related Links

http://www.minimizer.com


This acquisition sees the expansion of Vistra's presence into Monaco, further growing its international footprint. Welcoming Vistra to Monaco, Maurizio Cohen, Founder of Podium said:

"Monaco is set to grow as an important wealth structuring centre in Europe. Vistra's arrival will bring valued skills and experience with a global outlook to the Principality."

In conjunction with this acquisition, Vistra announced the launch of the Vistra Private Office (VPO), an innovative service for international families whose business and wealth is inextricably linked and who live and operate across a number of countries. Clients will have support across a complete range of services that they would expect from their own family office. They will have access to a team of experienced Vistra professionals, based in all major jurisdictions, with the seamless capability to offer solutions to clients for both their private and business requirements.

Commenting on the newest Vistra office and launch of the Vistra Private Office, Martin Crawford, CEO of Vistra said:

"A result of an initiative of our longtime friend, Michael Woolf, doyen of the trust and corporate services sector in the Principality, we are delighted to be joining forces with Maurizio and his team and to expand our footprint into Monaco as a key location for our private client practice. The jurisdiction's diverse growth ambition is a key strategic addition to our HNWI service offering, and we feel we are well placed to assist investors from all over the world learn more about the benefits of Monaco as a base for their activities."

Julius Bozzino, Director, Vistra Private Office added:

"We have listened to our clients and have created the Vistra Private Office, aimed at entrepreneurs and families alike whose wealth and business interests are interlinked and whose horizons extend across many jurisdictions. They have multiple requirements when implementing their commercial strategies and wealth preservation objectives and we are excited about being able to give them a dedicated, global service that helps them achieve these aims."

About Vistra

Ranked in the top four corporate service providers globally, Vistra is a versatile group of professionals, providing a uniquely broad range of services and solutions. Our capabilities span across company formations to trust, fiduciary, and fund administration services. Vistra employs over 2,600 employees in 67 offices across 41 jurisdictions.

For more information, please visit http://www.vistra.com

SOURCE Vistra Group

Related Links

http://www.vistra.com


LITTLETON, Colo., Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Is there anything better than spending time in place you've only dreamed of? If only we could just wake-up in a comfortable and clean hotel with views galore instead of the months of planning it takes to eventually arrive. Most people would agree, it's not easy to plan a perfect vacation in exotic, off-the-beaten path destinations like Colombia, Peru, Chile or Argentina. Questions pop-up about everything from safety and security to flights and fun. To help travelers ensure they're getting the most out of their journey through a plethora of destinations in South America, there's Monograms.

Monograms not only helps take the stress out of planning a vacation, the company delivers them to hand-picked, centrally located hotels. Even better? Monograms  a sister company to award-winning tour operator Globus  is the only vacation provider that promises travelers a warm "welcome" thanks to the on-site services of an expert Local Host who offers tips, insights and also arranges sightseeing in each destination.

For instance, on Monograms' Magical Colombia vacation (priced from $1,329), travelers can spend eight (8) days exploring this rich country. After arriving in Bogota, they will enjoy private sightseeing in a colorful market in the heart of the city before walking through its colonial section (La Candelaria) and enjoying visits to the Gold and Botero Museums. They will cap-off their first full day with a Funicular ride up to Mount Monserrate. After enjoying a free day in Bogata which could include optional tours of an underground salt cathedral, travelers will be transferred to the airport to board a flight for Pereira in the heart of the Coffee Triangle of Colombia. After lunch, their Local Host will take them on a visit of the coffee farm where they will stay for the evening in a beautiful hacienda. The next day, travelers will drive through the region of Quindio to Cocora Valley and Salento  a typical village in the region where they can walk through the colorful streets  before continuing on to Filandia, a village boasting gorgeous views of the vast Andes mountain range. Travelers will then fly to Cartegena on the Caribbean Coast. Upon arrival, they will enjoy a private guided tour that includes a visit to the Monastery of La Popa, San Felipe Fort and San Pedro Claver Convent. The final day is free to enjoy.

Other Monograms vacations to South America featuring the service of a Local Host include:

Brazil Highlights , 6 days from $1,199

, 6 days from Costa Rica Wonders , 7 days from $999

, 7 days from Peru Highlights , 8 days from $1,609

, 8 days from Ecuador Discovery , 9 days from $2,909

, 9 days from Patagonia & the Chilean Fjords , 10 days from $3679

, 10 days from Andean Explorer, 12 days from $2,759

"There are good ways to see and experience South America and ways that are decidedly not so good. With Monograms, the difference is clear from the start because we're behind travelers every step of the way," said Steve Born, vice president of marketing for the Globus family of brands. "They'll spend every moment exploring and savoring rather than stressing thanks to hand-picked, centrally located accommodations and the on-site services of their Monograms Local Host. There is no better way to travel."

DEAL ALERT: Looking for better deals on a better way to travel? Monograms' WANDERLIST offers travelers the best deals each month. In addition, travelers booking a Monograms vacation can SAVE $125/person on any 2017 South America itinerary or receive a $250/person air credit on an air-inclusive South America vacation (6 nights or longer).

For more information about Monograms visit www.monograms.com or blog.monograms.com.

ABOUT MONOGRAMS

With nearly 40 offices staffed with more than 200 travel experts that extend as far as Asia and as wide as Europe, Monograms has a rich reputation as a company travelers can depend on to help them simplify travel planning while creating special dream getaways. Monograms affords travelers the power to personalize their vacation without having to take care of planning details or logistics, thanks to the on-site support of a Local Host. With Monograms, travelers are assured their vacation details are taken care of, including hotel, transportation, sightseeing and more, so they can simply focus on having fun. Monograms is part of the Globus family of brands, an award-winning, travel industry leader with more than 85 years of international travel expertise. The Globus family of brands is a member of Sustainable Travel International (STI).

Consumers can book a Monograms vacation or request brochures by visiting a preferred travel agent or by calling the following toll free number: 1.800.250.7614. For more information, please visit Monograms.com.

SOURCE Monograms

Related Links

http://www.monograms.com


The global magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) market is expected to reach an approximate value of USD 5.6 billion by 2025. Constant introduction of advanced disease diagnostic technologies is primarily boosting the growth. In addition, the rapid growth of MRI sector is attributed to the growing prevalence of chronic diseases which require early diagnosis and timely treatment to prevent late stage complications. Also, rising number of road accidents leading to injuries and complications are augmenting the demand for this modality. The musculoskeletal and spine injuries also demand for magnetic resonance imaging systems for better scans using high-resolution scanning technique.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150105/723757 )



On the other hand, high cost of these products, and requirement of qualified professional to operate the device are some of the major factors challenging the growth of the market. Moreover, prolonged life span of these devices is resulting in delayed repeat purchase and thereby hindering the market growth.

Furthermore, players are adopting various strategies such as merges and acquisitions, and collaborations to remain competent in the space. For instance, Aurora Imaging Technology signed a distribution agreement with Sumec Group Corporation. Under the terms of agreement, Sumec Corporation is distributing Aurora Imaging Technology's MRI system in China. The agreement provided a platform for both the companies to expand their diagnostics and screening market for breast scans using Aurora MRI system in China.

Browse full research report with TOC on "Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Market Analysis By Architecture (Open And Closed), By Field Strength (Low, Medium, High), By Application (Brain & Neurological, Spine & Musculoskeletal, Vascular, Abdominal & Pelvic, Cardiac, Breast), And Segment Forecasts, 2014 - 2025" at: http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/magnetic-resonance-imaging-market

Further key findings from the report suggest:

Adoption of advanced imaging technologies is augmenting the growth of MRI market

The closed system segment accounted for the largest share in 2015. Whereas open system is anticipated to be the fastest growing segment during the forecast period.

MRI for neural and brain disorders dominated the market since no alternate scanning tool is available

In 2015, North America dominated the global space with the largest revenue share owing to continuous research and high adoption of advanced techniques

dominated the global space with the largest revenue share owing to continuous research and high adoption of advanced techniques Asia Pacific is anticipated to show the fastest growth rate during the forecast period from 2016 to 2025

is anticipated to show the fastest growth rate during the forecast period from 2016 to 2025 Rapidly growing medical tourism industry coupled with growing disposable income of India , and China are some of the factors that are expected to drive the market growth

, and are some of the factors that are expected to drive the market growth Major players competing in the industry include but are not limited to Siemens AG; Koninklijke Philips N.V.; GE Healthcare; Hitachi Medical Systems

Browse related reports by Grand View Research:

Glucose Monitoring Device Market - http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/glucose-monitoring-device-market



Neurovascular Intervention Devices Market - http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/neurovascular-intervention-devices-market



Blood Glucose Monitoring (BGM) Devices Market - http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/blood-glucose-monitoring-bgm-devices-market



Infectious Vaccines Market - http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/infectious-vaccines-market

Grand View Research has segmented the magnetic resonance imaging market by architecture, field strength, application and region:

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Architecture Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2014 - 2025) Closed Systems Open Systems

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Field Strength Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2014 - 2025) Low Field Strength Mid Field Strength High Field Strength

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2014 - 2025) Brain and neurological Spine and Musculoskeletal Vascular Abdomen Cardiac Breast Others

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2014 - 2025) North America U.S. Canada Europe Germany UK Asia Pacific China Japan Latin America Mexico Brazil MEA South Africa



Read Our Blog: Magnetic resonance imaging market: driven by increasing technological advancements in imaging systems

About Grand View Research

Grand View Research, Inc. is a U.S. based market research and consulting company, registered in the State of California and headquartered in San Francisco. The company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. To help clients make informed business decisions, we offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries, from technology to chemicals, materials and healthcare.



Contact:

Sherry James

Corporate Sales Specialist, USA

Grand View Research, Inc

Phone: 1-415-349-0058

Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519

Email: [email protected]



Web: http://www.grandviewresearch.com

SOURCE Grand View Research, Inc.
SAN DIEGO, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Medical Marijuana, Inc. (OTC: MJNA), the first publicly traded cannabis company in the United States, subsidiary, HempMeds Brasil today announced that the Brazilian government has authorized a doctor's prescription for the Company's hemp cannabidiol (CBD) oil product Real Scientific Hemp Oil (RSHO) to treat patients in the country suffering from Multiple Sclerosis.

This marks the first time that Brazil's National Health Surveillance Agency ANVISA has granted the filling of a prescription for RSHO to specifically help patients combat the effects of Multiple Sclerosis. Per the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation (MSIF), more than 2.5 million people worldwide are affected by MS, a progressive disease of the central nervous system, for which there is currently no cure. In Brazil, MS prevalence is estimated to range from 1.36-20 per 100,000 inhabitants.

"We commend the Brazilian government for recognizing nationwide health problems that exist, including Multiple Sclerosis and a multitude of other chronic medical conditions, and looking for solutions that can help alleviate those problems," said Medical Marijuana, Inc. CEO, Dr. Stuart Titus. "Brazil has embraced the therapeutic value of medical cannabinoids and is helping its people treat the symptoms of certain conditions with no known cure or limited treatment options."

"Research findings suggest that cannabis could slow the neurodegenerative process of MS and help patients manage the symptoms associated with their disease," added Dr. Titus. "For instance, one study showed cannabinoids demonstrated neuroprotective effects during an animal model of MS, reducing the damage to myelin caused from inflammation, while in another study MS patients saw significant improvements in muscle spasticity and reduced sleep disturbances after four weeks of cannabis treatments."

"While our pharmaceutical development investment company, AXIM Biotech is researching a novel chewing gum delivery method involving cannabinoids to specifically treat pain and muscular spasticity in MS patients in European markets; a natural botanical CBD product is now available via HempMeds Brazil to potentially address some of the challenges that MS patients in Brazil are facing," Dr. Titus further expressed. "Although perhaps not as therapy specific as the pharmaceutically developed version, our natural botanical product may have benefit for improved quality of life for these medically challenged Brazilian patients."

In May 2015, HempMeds Brasil became the first company to offer legal medicinal cannabis products to Brazil after receiving import approval for those suffering from specific medical conditions. The Brazilian government now waives import taxes for RSHO, subsidizes its cost and covers the product under the Country's health insurance.

About HempMeds Brasil

HempMeds Brasil currently has three cannabis products approved for importation into Brazil as a prescription medication for Epilepsy, Parkinson's and Chronic Pain. The company had the first-ever cannabis product allowed for import into Brazil and its products are currently subsidized by the Brazilian government, under their health care system, for all three medical indications listed above. HempMeds Brasil is working on additional approvals for multiple indications.

About Medical Marijuana, Inc.

Our mission is to be the premier cannabis and hemp industry innovators, leveraging our team of professionals to source, evaluate and purchase value-added companies and products, while allowing them to keep their integrity and entrepreneurial spirit. We strive to create awareness within our industry, develop environmentally-friendly, economically sustainable businesses, while increasing shareholder value. For details on Medical Marijuana, Inc.'s portfolio and investment companies, visit www.medicalmarijuanainc.com.

To see Medical Marijuana, Inc.'s video statement, click here. Shareholders are also encouraged to visit the Medical Marijuana, Inc. Shop for discounted products.

FORWARD-LOOKING DISCLAIMER AND DISCLOSURES

This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements and information, as defined within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and is subject to the Safe Harbor created by those sections. This material contains statements about expected future events and/or financial results that are forward-looking in nature and subject to risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements by definition involve risks, uncertainties. The statements in this press release have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease. The Company does not sell or distribute any products that are in violation of the United States Controlled Substances Act. The Company does sell and distribute hemp-based products.

CONTACT:

Public Relations Contact:

Andrew Hard

Chief Executive Officer

CMW Media

P. 888-829- 0070

[email protected]

www.cmwmedia.com

SOURCE Medical Marijuana, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.medicalmarijuanainc.com


PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- American Law Institute Continuing Legal Education (CLE) is pleased to announce the return of Commercial Lending Today. This year's conference will take place at the Bar Association of San Francisco from April 20-21, 2017, and is designed for in-house counsel and attorneys who represent banks, non-bank lenders, other financial institutions who regularly extend credit, as well as those with clients in the financial marketplace.

The renowned national faculty includes practitioners with decades of experience guiding clients through some of the biggest commercial transactions in the industry, a bankruptcy judge, members of the Editorial Board for the Uniform Commercial Code, law professors, and a delegate to the negotiation of the Geneva Securities Convention.

Commercial Lending Today will cover trending topics and provide up-to-the-minute updates on:

The intersection of Articles 2 and 9

The issues that arise when goods subject to a security interest are in the possession of a third party

Hidden and limited guaranties, including "bad boy" guaranties

Best practices for intellectual property security interests and the new ABA Model IP Security Agreement

How the Hague Securities Convention will affect practitioners and parties to commercial transactions

Opinion letters: Traps for the unwary

The latest in commercial and bankruptcy case law

"The Commercial Lending Today program has served as an incomparable resource for commercial lawyers for many years," said Patrick Guida, the conference's planning co-chair and a partner and head of the banking and finance practice of Duffy & Sweeney, Ltd. in Providence, Rhode Island. "The faculty includes the very best authorities and practitioners of commercial law and the quality and timeliness of the presentation make this a "can't miss" opportunity."

About American Law Institute Continuing Legal Education

American Law Institute CLE is the continuing legal education division of the American Law Institute. American Law Institute CLE, a non-profit organization, is committed to the work of promoting continuing professional education for lawyers throughout the United States and to creating standards to ensure quality and relevance in CLE programs. American Law Institute CLE is constantly evolving to meet the needs of the legal profession, furthering a tradition of unparalleled service to lawyers. Follow the latest announcements and news at https://www.ali-cle.org/Press-Releases and on Twitter @ALI_CLE.

For press and media related inquiries please send us an email at [email protected].

CONTACT: Danelsy Medrano

Sr. Digital Marketing Manager

ALI CLE | (215) 243-1622

SOURCE American Law Institute CLE

Related Links

http://www.ali-cle.org


WASHINGTON, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Association of Women's Business Owners (NAWBO) will bring its annual National Women's Business Conference to Minneapolis from October 15  17. The 2017 event will feature keynote Elizabeth Gilbert, Author of Eat, Pray, Love and most recently, Big Magic. As well as a keynote by Gayle Lemmon, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and the author of the New York Times bestsellers Ashley's War: The Untold Story of a Team of Women Soldiers on the Special Ops Battlefield; and The Dressmaker of Khair Khana, the story of a young entrepreneur who supported her community under the Taliban.

The theme of this year's conference is "Together We Dare."

"Women business owners are naturally 'daring' individuals," said Teresa Meares, NAWBO National Board Chair. "We each took a huge leap in starting our businesses, and we continue to dare every dayto break boundaries, push limits, change the status quo, work together, attempt the unexpected, be authentic and create our magic. We see opportunities where others see obstacles."

Nearly one thousand women business owners from across the country are expected to attend the conference to be inspired and motivated to obtain the tools and advice they need to start and grow their businesses. The conference will offer break-out sessions designed to help business owners scale and grow their businesses and allow for networking opportunities.

"Women-owned businesses make a significant contribution to our economy," said Kathy Warnick, NAWBO National Chair-Elect, whose home chapter Columbus, Ohio hosted last year's Conference. "NAWBO was founded 42 years ago to serve as an advocacy organization for all women business owners. We are proud to continue that legacy and to ensure that women business owners have a voice at the decision-making tables."

Bank of America will serve as the Conference's Presenting Sponsor. This will be Bank of America's fifth year serving in that role. For more information visit www.nawbo.org

CONTACT: Becky Ragan, 703-232-5400, [email protected]

SOURCE National Association of Women Business Owners

Related Links

http://www.nawbo.org


Electronic prior authorization transforms the traditional, paper-based PA workflow into an electronic process that decreases prescription abandonment and administrative waste. Implemented properly, the ePA process provides real-time decision support for electronic prescribing and helps patients receive faster access to appropriate therapy.

The ePA National Adoption Scorecard highlights the following data on the impact of PA on patients and providers:

Seventy percent of claims rejected at the pharmacy require PA. Of those, 40 percent are abandoned each year.

The perceived burden of PA decreases significantly for providers who report exclusively using an electronic method for PA requests.

On average, providers who exclusively use an electronic method for PA requests report spending 2.5 fewer hours on PA each week.

The report also outlines the percent of the payer, pharmacy and electronic health record (EHR) suppliers who have committed to and implemented an ePA solution:

Fifty-four percent of market leading EHR systems have an available ePA solution, a 7 percent increase versus 2016.

Ninety percent of market leading payers have an available ePA solution, a 22 percent increase versus 2016.

Seventy-nine percent of market leading pharmacies have an available ePA solution, a 7 percent increase versus 2016.

The ePA National Adoption Scorecard is published by CoverMyMeds with an advisory group comprised of leaders from Express Scripts, the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs, Cerner Corporation, Cardinal Health, the National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations and the Virginia Association of Health Plans.

"Market adoption and utilization of an electronic channel for PA is one of the most effective ways the industry can help prevent avoidable medical spending as a result of prescription abandonment, and help patients get the medication the need to live healthy lives," stated Perry Lewis, VP of Industry Relations at CoverMyMeds. "As the industry continues to experience a rise in drug costs and specialty medications, nearly all of which require PA, electronic PA channels that provide decision support to the provider and streamline the workflow of providers, pharmacists and payer organizations will be critical. We're thrilled with the progress the industry is making, and look forward to continuing to educate stakeholders on how they can leverage ePA."

Stakeholders interested in viewing the report may visit CoverMyMeds at booth 1214 at HIMSS17 on Feb. 19-23.

About CoverMyMeds

CoverMyMeds is a leader in electronic prior authorization (ePA) solutions, and one of the fastest growing health care technology companies in the U.S. CoverMyMeds' software suite automates the medication prior authorization process for more than 500 electronic health records (EHR) systems, 49,000 pharmacies, 700,000 providers and most health plans and PBMs. By ensuring appropriate access to medications, the company helps its customers avoid billions of dollars each year in administrative waste and avoidable medical spending caused by prescription abandonment. Visit www.covermymeds.com for more information.

SOURCE CoverMyMeds

Related Links

http://www.covermymeds.com


"The days of online retailers trying to be everything to everyone are over," said Parag Mamnani, founder and CEO, Webgility. "Small retailers are recognizing that you don't have to be like Amazon to compete with Amazon. All you need to do is tap into the incredibly targeted market needs and software solutions that now exists to build the business of your dreams, finding not just revenue but personal satisfaction along the way. Webgility's solution, Unify, helps companies focus on their business rather than their data management. We're glad to see more and more companies finding success by embracing our solution in record amounts."

One such niche economy success story is KeyBar, a patented key holder that works like a multi-tool for keys, letting people simplify how they carry their keys. Founded in 2013, KeyBar found rapid growth in both brick-and-mortar stores and a variety of online stores. By 2014, the company had grown to international distribution and was struggling to automate their e-commerce orders. Through online reviews and recommendations from other online sellers, the KeyBar team discovered Webgility's Unify software.

Since integrating Unify into their business workflows, the KeyBar team has enjoyed quick, accurate, and easy downloading of their e-commerce orders into the appropriate QuickBooks accounts. Not only did they save time and increase accuracy, they've also enjoyed better perspective of their financials and gained the inevitable strategic insight that comes with being able to view sales and inventory from one location. KeyBar can now process orders within 24 hours, even in their peak season, and have gone from a few hundred to more than 1,400 units shipped per month.

"Unify does exactly what we need it to do at a cost that is extremely reasonable," said Jessica Taylor, co-owner, KeyBar. "It saves us time and manpower and allows us to accurately track our sales. And the customer support in phenomenal. We feel like we are living a dream  the American dream."

Webgility's Unify is the first e-commerce solution that connects and unifies all revenue streams and expenses so multi-channel businesses can have better perspective, make smarter decisions, and run all operations from a single view. Unify allows e-commerce retailers to conquer the challenges that come with being multi-channel and lets them run and scale their businesses exactly the way they want  by unifying their business data rather than forcing them to switch platforms. To learn more and start a free trial of Unify, visit http://www.webgility.com/multi-channel-selling.

To read more about KeyBar and other customer success stories, please visit http://www.webgility.com/case-studies/.

ABOUT WEBGILITY

Webgility, Inc. is the leading provider of e-commerce automation software for multi-channel companies, managing millions of transactions for 10,000-plus online stores every month. Webgility's mission is to empower online retailers to focus on their passion by simplifying operations. Its Unify software connects all revenue streams, expenses, and business systems so businesses can have better perspective, make smarter decisions, lower costs, and streamline operations. Webgility is a certified partner of Intuit, QuickBooks, Xero, and NetSuite, and works with more than 85 e-commerce platforms and SaaS providers (including Amazon, eBay, BigCommerce, Shopify, and Magento), payment processors (PayPal, Stripe, Shopify Payments, Square), and hosting providers. Founded in 2007, the company is headquartered in San Francisco with an international branch in Indore, India. For more information about Webgility, visit http://www.webgility.com.

For more information, please contact:

Eileen Conway

Zealot Communications for Webgility

650-245-9015

[email protected]

SOURCE Webgility

Related Links

http://webgility.com


NORWICH, England, February 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Omni Search, one of Norfolk's leading SEO specialists has recently helped Talks Loans achieve a record month for direct, organic business. This has contributed to the Norwich based loan broker outstripping its sales performance for the final quarter of 2016.

Talk Loans are a guarantor loan broker with access to a large percentage of the UK's lending market. Using a specialised process to match prospective borrowers to the most suitable lenders through their call centre, customers can quickly access all their available options and select the one that offers the most preferential terms. All at no cost.

Since working with Omni Search, Talk Loans has seen an increase in their organic website traffic. Alex Clarke, Head of Marketing, says "Achieving a high ranking on Google for certain search terms remains an important aspect of our customer acquisition strategy, and Omni Search's strategy has been key to driving positive results in this area." You can see why Talk Loans have so much success by visiting here: https://www.talkloans.co.uk/loans/guarantor-loans/

This achievement represents a notable milestone for Omni Search. The Norwich based SEO company has been in existence for a little under one year and has been producing a serious uplift in internet traffic for a wide variety of businesses. They list national brands, large SMEs and artistic organisations in their client base, amongst their growing portfolio.

Graham Tester, Managing Director of Omni Search, had the following to say about the achievement: "we achieved this boost in traffic for Talk Loans by following our own proven procedures. Initially we focus on the elements that need the most work to create the greatest improvements in ranking. This way our clients always see rapid results following the engagement of Omni Search as their SEO consultants."

He went on to add "analysis is obviously an essential building block. We identify activities by performing the correct investigative reviews and acquiring competitor insight. However, the real skill in our business is in understanding exactly where the audience for brands like Talk Loans can be sourced"

Omni Search utilises cutting-edge techniques to raise the prominence of their clients in search engine results. This is achieved via a rigorous adherence to the principles of technical SEO, combining this structural approach with an inventive flair to content marketing. High quality press releases are produced and subsequently deployed using the company's own extensive distribution network.

Following a recent relocation to new premises outside Norwich, Omni Search is looking forward to a profitable 2017. With an ever-increasing percentage of businesses now exploring the viability of online markets, with a proven track record of success Omni Search is set to capitalise on these opportunities.

You can find Omni Search here: https://omnisearch.uk/

Media Contact:



Graham Tester

Omni Search

8 Station Road

Coltishall

Norwich

NR12 7JL

+44-1603-560-465

[email protected]

https://omnisearch.uk/



Kieron Bain

+44-7816-529508

[email protected]

http://directsalescopywriting.co.uk/



SOURCE Omni Search
FAIRFIELD COUNTY, Conn., Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- PALMco Energy, a family-owned and -operated energy supply company, today announced it will be covering the cost of electricity and natural gas for the Pamphile family, new homeowners through Habitat for Humanity Coastal Fairfield County (Habitat CFC), for one year. This past year, PALMco Energy team members volunteered at Habitat CFC construction sites as well as contributed $3,000 to help support for Habitat for Humanity's mission to improve lives by partnering with low-income families, community volunteers and donors to build decent and affordable homes in stable and welcoming neighborhoods.

"Habitat CFC is doing wonderful work by helping first time homeownership become an affordable choice for hardworking families and we are so proud to continue our partnership with Habitat by providing new homeowners, the Pamphile family, with a year's worth of free electricity and natural gas supply," said Robert Palmese, President of PALMco Energy. "Last November our team came out to Connecticut to volunteer on a Habitat build site and we were so moved by the experience we knew we needed to do something more. It was a natural fit for us to donate a year's supply of energy to a Habitat home. The communities in which we serve mean so much to us and we are excited to give back and support the Pamphile family as they settle into their first home."

Wesley Pamphile works at a childcare center preparing children for kindergarten, and his wife Hattie works at a large retail store on evenings and weekends. Both parents always coordinate their schedules to make sure someone is always home with their four children ages 6, 11, 12, and 13. The family of six previously lived in a tight two-bedroom apartment with recurring mold and located in a neighborhood with pervasive crime issues. Fortunately they were able to move into Hattie's father's home but only briefly until he passed away and the house was sold by the bank. It wasn't until they were able to move into their new Habitat home, in December that the family was able to end the pattern of housing instability.

"We are absolutely speechless. Words cannot describe how much we truly appreciate your kindness and how much you tremendously helped our family," said Wesley and Hattie Pamphile. "So we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. One act of kindness can make a world of difference."

Habitat CFC is a local affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International dedicated to building, preserving, and rehabilitating decent affordable housing for hard working, low income families. Participating families give 500 hours of sweat equity helping to build their homes and ultimately purchase them below cost with no down payment and an interest-free mortgage. Since its founding in 1985, Habitat CFC has built over 200 homes and helped over 1,000 family members.

This partnership is a part of PALMco Cares, an ongoing effort to give back to the communities in which PALMco serves. Launched in December 2013, PALMco Cares' inaugural campaign donated to the American Childhood Cancer Organization (ACCO). They have also recently supported the Boys and Girls Club of Hudson County, NJ, Christo Rey School, Up2Us Sports, and funded environmental science programs through DonorsChoose.org. To learn more about the programs that PALMco Cares has supported, please visit their website.

About PALMco

PALMco is a family-owned and operated energy supply company (ESCO) that supplies electricity and natural gas in Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington D.C. Sister company Columbia Utilities supplies electricity and natural gas in New York.

Contact: Zigis Switzer

[email protected]

SOURCE PALMco Energy

Related Links

http://www.palmcoenergy.com


BANGALORE, February 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Parablu, a global leader in secure data management solutions, today announced that Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO), a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company, has deployed Parablu's suite of secure data management solutions.

(Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/470111/Parablu_Logo.jpg )



The deployment includes Parablu's BluVault , a scalable end-user backup and recovery solution and BluDrive, a secure large file transfer solution to securely manage cloud-based backups and file transfers for Wipro's user endpoints.

The deployment of Parablu's BluVault and BluDrive solutions have enabled secure cloud storage for Wipro.

"Parablu fills a critical need for secure data backup and availability in today's cloud landscape. We needed a cost-effective and secure data management solution that could scale up without compromising performance and usability. Parablu was able to give us such a solution," said Raja Ukil, Chief Information Officer, Wipro Limited.

"While cloud usage is at an all-time high, concerns around security and privacy of enterprise assets remain one of the biggest inhibitors to cloud adoption," said Anand Prahlad, CEO and President, Parablu. "Our robust data management solutions - BluVault and BluDrive, aim to make the cloud a more secure destination for enterprise assets and help drive up cloud adoption."

About Parablu

Parablu is an award-winning leader in secure data management solutions, combining security with scale, performance and usability. Parablu's cloud access security broker, combined with its world-class data management solutions offer enterprises a simple and cost-effective way to utilize the public cloud without compromising security and privacy of their enterprise assets. Parablu's solutions run on several thousand systems worldwide and are trusted by some of the world's largest corporations.

Learn more at http://www.parablu.com

Media Contact:

Naveen Ekambaram

Manager of Marketing and Communications, Parablu

Phone: +1-(650)-762-6641; +91-9886385680

[email protected]



SOURCE Parablu
WEST CHESTER, Ohio, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Penton Technology's AFCOM and Data Center World and Strategic Directions today officially announced a strategic alliance partnership. AFCOM and Data Center World have the mission to advance data center and IT infrastructure professionals by delivering comprehensive and vendor-neutral education and peer-to-peer networking to its members around the world. Strategic Directions is dedicated to ensuring innovative data center design, operations and management is supported across the global marketplace.

Data Center World is the global conference for data center, facilities and IT professionals. It offers premier education, abundant networking and the broadest access to best-in-class vendors. Designed to help data center and IT infrastructure professionals with challenging issues, Data Center World presents top-quality knowledge without bias toward a specific vendor product or service. Data Center World will be held April 3-6, 2017 at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, CA.

Strategic Directions is the only company outside North America on the AFCOM Data Center Institute (DCI) Board, a thought leadership group that provides guidance in all areas of the data center industry including cloud computing, security, disaster recovery, business process continuity and data center operations and management. Additionally, Strategic Directions is an active local AFCOM Chapter supporter in the Asia Pacific region.

Mike Andrea, Director Strategic Directions and member of the DCI Board, is a frequent presenter at Data Center World and at the local Chapter level and was the lead author of the DCI White Paper "Data Center Sizing and Density." Andrea said, "We will continue to invest in our relationship with AFCOM and the DCI Board by providing thought leadership and educational content to assist ICT and facilities professionals with the challenges and opportunities they face on a daily basis in a rapidly changing environment. The sole focus of Strategic Directions is to provide our customers with the knowledge and insights to maximise the value from their ICT and data centre investments. We are looking forward to presenting at the 2017 Data Center World event in Los Angeles and continuing our thought leadership work with the global data center industry as well as our Data Center World and AFCOM colleagues."

Tom Roberts, President, AFCOM, Chairman, Data Center World said, "Strategic Directions has been a tremendous supporter of AFCOM, Data Center World and our efforts to present top-quality knowledge without bias toward a specific vendor product or service. We look forward to a long lasting relationship with the Strategic Directions team."

This year, Data Center World will be co-located with HostingCon and will feature an expanded exhibit hall that combines the best of both conferences exhibitors. Attendees will be able to discover even more products and services than ever before and have the chance to make more connections.

Registration for Data Center World can be found at www.datacenterworld.com.

ABOUT DATA CENTER WORLD

Data Center World is the global conference for data center, facilities and IT professionals. It offers premier education, abundant networking and the broadest access to best-in-class vendors. Designed to help data center and IT infrastructure professionals with challenging issues, Data Center World presents top-quality knowledge without bias toward a specific vendor product or service. Data Center World will be held April 3-6, 2017 at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, CA. For more information, visit datacenterworld.com.

About Informa

Penton Technology, AFCOM, HostingCon and Data Center World are part of Informa, the international business intelligence, academic publishing, knowledge and events group. Informa serves commercial, professional and academic communities, helping them connect and learn, and creating and providing access to content and intelligence that helps people and businesses work smarter and make better decisions faster.

Informa has over 7,500 colleagues in more than 20 countries and a presence in all major geographies. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a member of the FTSE 100.

About Strategic Directions (www.strategicdirections.com.au)

Strategic Directions are ICT Strategy and Management specialists, providing vendor independent ICT and data centre advice and guidance to Federal, State, and Local Government Agencies, as well as Commercial Organisations, at the Executive Management level.

The sole focus of the Strategic Directions Group is to help our clients improve their operational efficiency and maximise the return on their ICT and Data Centre Investments.

AFCOM Strategic Partners support the data centre industry.

Strategic Directions is AFCOM's Asia Pacific Strategic Alliance Partner where we support collaboration of data centre professionals, vendors and providers in continuous learning and business improvement regarding data centre management and operations.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Andy Grider

Marketing Manager

Penton Technology

513-322-4785

[email protected]

Robyn Goldstone

Strategic Directions

[email protected]

SOURCE AFCOM; Data Center World

Related Links

http://www.datacenterworld.com


LONDON, Feb. 20, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Timetric's 'Personal Accident and Health Insurance in Switzerland Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020' report provides a detailed outlook by product category for the Swiss life insurance segment, and a comparison of the Swiss insurance industry with its regional counterparts.

Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/2625809/

It provides key performance indicators such as written premium, incurred loss, loss ratio, commissions and expenses, combined ratio, total assets, total investment income and retentions during the review period (20112015) and forecast period (20152020).



The report also analyzes distribution channels operating in the segment, gives a comprehensive overview of the Swiss economy and demographics, and provides detailed information on the competitive landscape in the country.



The report brings together Timetric's research, modeling and analysis expertise, giving insurers access to information on segment dynamics and competitive advantages, and profiles of insurers operating in the country. The report also includes details of insurance regulations, and recent changes in the regulatory structure.



Summary

Timetric's 'Personal Accident and Health Insurance in Switzerland Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020' report provides in-depth market analysis, information and insights into the Swiss personal accident and health insurance segment, including:



- An overview of the Swiss personal accident and health insurance segment



- The Swiss personal accident and health insurance segment's growth prospects by category



- A comprehensive overview of the Swiss economy and demographics



- A comparison of the Swiss personal accident and health insurance segment with its regional counterparts



- The various distribution channels in the Swiss personal accident and health insurance segment



- Details of the competitive landscape in the personal accident and health insurance segment in Switzerland



- Details of regulatory policy applicable to the Swiss insurance industry



Scope

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the personal accident and health insurance segment in Switzerland:

- It provides historical values for the Swiss personal accident and health insurance segment for the report's 20112015 review period, and projected figures for the 20152020 forecast period.

- It offers a detailed analysis of the key categories in the Swiss personal accident and health insurance segment, and market forecasts to 2020.

- It provides a comparison of the Swiss personal accident and health insurance segment with its regional counterparts.

- It provides an overview of the various distribution channels for personal accident and health insurance products in Switzerland.

- It profiles the top personal accident and health insurance companies in Switzerland, and outlines the key regulations affecting them.



Reasons To Buy

- Make strategic business decisions using in-depth historic and forecast market data related to the Swiss personal accident and health insurance segment, and each category within it.



- Understand the demand-side dynamics, key market trends and growth opportunities in the Swiss personal accident and health insurance segment.



- Assess the competitive dynamics in the personal accident and health insurance segment.



- Identify growth opportunities and market dynamics in key product categories.



- Gain insights into key regulations governing the Swiss insurance industry, and their impact on companies and the industry's future.



Key Highlights

- Personal accident and health insurance accounted for 12.4% of the industry's gross written premium in 2015.



- Insurance penetration of the personal accident and health segment was 2.03% in 2015.



- In April 2014, Allianz Suisse launched a new travel insurance product which includes supplementary cover such as legal protection and automobile assistance.



- The Swiss personal accident and health insurance segment is moderately concentrated, with the 10 leading insurers accounting for 85.5% of the segment's gross written premium in 2015.



Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/2625809/



About Reportbuyer

Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers

http://www.reportbuyer.com



For more information:

Sarah Smith

Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +44 208 816 85 48

Website: www.reportbuyer.com

SOURCE ReportBuyer

Related Links

http://www.reportbuyer.com


WASHINGTON, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Earlier today Peter Sprigg, Senior Fellow for Policy Studies at Family Research Council, testified before the New Hampshire House of Representatives against H.B. 587, a bill to prohibit minors from seeking the help of a licensed counselor to deal with unwanted same-sex attractions and H.B. 478, a bill providing special rights on the basis of gender identity which would allow biological men to access women's bathrooms, locker rooms, and showers.

In Sprigg's testimony against H.B. 587 he explained how concerns with sexual reorientation therapy are misplaced, "At the heart of the attacks on sexual reorientation therapy are two claims: that such therapies are ineffective, and that they are harmful. However, there is abundant anecdotal evidence that such therapies work. Many people say that they have been helped by such therapies to change from predominantly homosexual attractions, behaviors, or identity to predominantly heterosexual ones." Sprigg went on, "It is important for you to understand the unprecedented nature of the recent wave of legal and legislative attacks upon sexual orientation change efforts. Never before in history has there been an attempt to outlaw a particular form of therapy or counseling based solely upon the goal which the client chooses for himself or herself. No legislator should even consider breaching these longstanding principles on the basis of such weak evidence of (possible, occasional) harm."

Sprigg then testified against H.B. 478 explaining the implications of this bill on freedom, "the debate over this bill is not about 'gender identity,' or 'discrimination.' What we are debating here today is: freedom." Sprigg went on, "Of course, transgendered people have a right to the 'pursuit of Happiness' as well. What they do not have, however, is the 'right' to enlist the coercive power of the state in an effort to guarantee the attainment of the Happiness that they pursue, at the expense of the liberty of others."

"In a state that proclaims, 'Live Free or Die,' we should certainly leave people free from government coercion on this issue," concluded Sprigg.

Read Peter Sprigg's full testimonies; H.B. 587, H.B. 478

SOURCE Family Research Council

Related Links

http://www.frc.org


IntelliSpace Enterprise Edition debuts at the 2017 HIMSS Conference & Exhibition where Philips showcases a full range of intelligent software, services, and technologies focused on connecting care for continuous health solutions that give patients, providers and caregivers the tools they need to optimize care wherever, and whenever it happens. The solution will initially be available in North America.

"Managing disparate informatics platforms has never been more challenging, especially now when technology is advancing so rapidly and organizations are consolidating," said Yair Briman, CEO Healthcare Informatics at Philips. "Additionally, economic uncertainty is constraining capital budgets at a time when integrated IT investments are needed to advance the transition to connected, value-based care. With IntelliSpace Enterprise Edition, Philips offers a seamless organization-wide IT workflow through a risk-sharing, partnership approach. This will help hospital enterprises address the pressing IT management challenges that executives face, while managing the expanse and expense of their organization."

For a manageable upfront cost based on pay-per-use, IntelliSpace Enterprise Edition provides Philips' extensive IntelliSpace portfolio and enhances it with an end-to-end managed service delivery model. The IntelliSpace portfolio consists of clinical tools for radiology, cardiology and oncology departments, intervention suites, as well as dose and data management solutions. The managed service offering provides many benefits to the IT administration, as well as for clinical teams. The solution ensures interoperability with cross-industry connectivity standards, single sign-on and integrated workflows.

Known Total Cost of Ownership

With a known Total Cost of Ownership, clinicians enjoy regular updates and always have access to the latest clinical tools and innovations. As part of the managed services, Philips provides continuous remote monitoring, as well as data backup and restore. This is further enhanced with benefits like the convenience of one 24/7 support line, one contract, and a dedicated Customer Success Manager.

Pay-per-use With Uptime Risk Sharing Model

Philips IntelliSpace Enterprise Edition's pay-per-use model ensures the healthcare informatics portfolio always meets the healthcare enterprises' current IT needs. Usage elasticity can be scaled up and down as demand for care changes. Combined with clear performance indicators, such as guarantees on system uptime that come with IntelliSpace Enterprise Edition's partnership approach, it decreases financial risk for healthcare enterprises as they invest in their IT infrastructure.

IntelliSpace Enterprise Edition builds on and leverages the success of Philips' PACS managed service model. With nearly a billion radiology studies and 23 petabytes under management, Philips has decades of experience supporting thousands of hospitals across the globe with its PACS radiology workflow management applications

Key Applications

Configured as a scalable and modular solutions platform, the initial launch of the secure, connected and intelligent IntelliSpace Enterprise Edition offers a harmonized managed service solution for the following applications:

IntelliSpace PACS  Enables physicians to more efficiently manage their work without compromise, through Connected images and information, secured patient data, and intelligent work flow;

 Enables physicians to more efficiently manage their work without compromise, through Connected images and information, secured patient data, and intelligent work flow; IntelliSpace Portal  Advanced visual analytics to support complex interpretations across many clinical disciplines, including cardiology, oncology and neurology. Integrates with both IntelliSpace PACS and IntelliSpace Cardiovascular to deliver a seamless workflow experience for radiologists and cardiologists;

 Advanced visual analytics to support complex interpretations across many clinical disciplines, including cardiology, oncology and neurology. Integrates with both IntelliSpace PACS and IntelliSpace Cardiovascular to deliver a seamless workflow experience for radiologists and cardiologists; IntelliSpace Universal Data Manager  a scalable, secure, interoperable data management solution that supports healthcare enterprises in organizing large data sets, including millions of images and other data from multiple sources, and quickly delivering them to virtually any clinician throughout their health network;

 a scalable, secure, interoperable data management solution that supports healthcare enterprises in organizing large data sets, including millions of images and other data from multiple sources, and quickly delivering them to virtually any clinician throughout their health network; Illumeo with adaptive intelligence  a new paradigm of clinically intelligent software that augments the skills of clinicians and redefines how they currently interface with images. Designed to empower radiologists and work for them, it provides the technology and tools that enhance their expertise and efficiency  all within a single workspace;

 a new paradigm of clinically intelligent software that augments the skills of clinicians and redefines how they currently interface with images. Designed to empower radiologists and work for them, it provides the technology and tools that enhance their expertise and efficiency  all within a single workspace; IntelliSpace Cardiovascular  Provides access to advanced cardiovascular informatics applications, brings multi-modality images and clinical tools together in a single workspace for integrated clinical decision support. It seamlessly integrates with IntelliSpace ECG and the Philips Xper Information Management cath lab workflow solution;

 Provides access to advanced cardiovascular informatics applications, brings multi-modality images and clinical tools together in a single workspace for integrated clinical decision support. It seamlessly integrates with IntelliSpace ECG and the Philips Xper Information Management cath lab workflow solution; Philips DoseWise  Helps health systems manage patient and staff radiation exposure with a comprehensive suite of tools that collect, measure, analyze, and report dose exposure across departments and train care professionals in realizing a low-dose culture

IntelliSpace Enterprise Edition leverages Philips HealthSuite, an open, connected health ecosystem of products, programs and services, to enable key services with the aim to further expand its enterprise-grade capabilities. IntelliSpace Enterprise Edition will be available in the first half of 2017.

Philips will showcase its connected health, integrated technology, software, solutions and services at booth #2105 at the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), taking place February 19 - 23, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL. For updates, follow @PhilipsLiveFrom or visit www.philips.com/himss for more information on Philips' presence at #HIMSS17.

For further information, please contact:

Kathy O'Reilly

Philips Group Communications

Tel: +1 978-221-8919

E-mail: [email protected]

Twitter: @kathyoreilly

Joost Maltha

Philips Communications Healthcare Informatics

Tel.: +31 610-55-8116

E-mail: [email protected]

Twitter: @JoostMaltha

About Royal Philips

Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a leading health technology company focused on improving people's health and enabling better outcomes across the health continuum from healthy living and prevention, to diagnosis, treatment and home care. Philips leverages advanced technology and deep clinical and consumer insights to deliver integrated solutions. The company is a leader in diagnostic imaging, image-guided therapy, patient monitoring and health informatics, as well as in consumer health and home care. Headquartered in the Netherlands, Philips' health technology portfolio generated 2016 sales of EUR 17.4 billion and employs approximately 71,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. News about Philips can be found at www.philips.com/newscenter.

SOURCE Royal Philips

Related Links

http://www.philips.com


NORMAN, Okla., Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Price College of Business Energy Institute at the University of Oklahoma will host its fifth annual Energy Symposium, March 30, 2017, at the Devon Energy Center in Oklahoma City. The event will feature two panel sessions: "Forces Shaping the Future of Energy  Global and U.S. Big Picture" and "Challenges and Opportunities in the U.S." The sessions will focus on the impact of technology and innovation in areas such as global supply and demand. Speakers from areas in business and academia will encourage discussion on challenges facing the energy industry. Energy Institute board of advisors members, Mike Stice and Bruce Stover, will moderate both panel sessions.

"The Energy Symposium aims to address the most critical challenges facing the global energy industry today," said Dr. Dipankar Ghosh, Executive Director of the Energy Institute. "The program will feature a number of experts who will be able to shed light on the topics from many perspectives. We look forward to welcoming everyone to the event."

Last year, the Energy Symposium welcomed more than 200 industry professionals from all over the U.S. The Energy Institute expects that number to increase at this year's event with speakers featured from both prestigious universities and globally recognized energy companies:

Kenneth Hersh , Chairman  NGP and CEO  George W. Bush Presidential Center, Texas

, Chairman  NGP and CEO  George W. Bush Presidential Dr. Jeremy Boak , Director, Oklahoma Geological Survey.

, Director, Oklahoma Geological Survey. Mark Mills , Digital Power Group, President.

, Digital Power Group, President. Mike Ming , GM, GE Global Research Oil and Gas Technology Center.

, GM, GE Global Research Oil and Gas Technology Center. Professor Berrien Moore , University of Oklahoma .

, . Professor Kyle Murray , University of Oklahoma .

, . Professor James Smith , SMU , Dallas .

, , . Joe Stanislaw , Founder, The JAStanislaw Group.

, Founder, The JAStanislaw Group. Jim Summer , CEO, H2O Midstream.

, CEO, H2O Midstream. Professor Mark Zoback , Stanford University .

To register for the event or for more information, please visit the Price College of Energy Institute website, www.ou.edu/price/energyinstitute.html.

About the Price College of Business Energy Institute:

The Price College of Business at the University of Oklahoma has become Oklahoma's leading graduate business program. For more than 50 years, education and research in energy management have been central to the college's purpose.

In 2011, Price College of Business added to its leading position in energy by forming the Energy Institute: a platform for thought leadership and intellectual exchange.

Tightly coupled with its education in energy programs, the Energy Institute's research informs policy and business strategy, while its outreach programs foster meaningful dialogue amongst energy professionals worldwide.

Media Contact:

Red Brodie, Public Relations for the Energy Institute

281-404-4331

[email protected]

SOURCE Price College of Business Energy Institute

Related Links

http://www.ou.edu/price/energyinstitute.html


NEW YORK, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- On March 23, 2017, The Economist Events will host its second-annual Pride and Prejudice Summit, a 24-hour event spanning three cities, Hong Kong, London and New York, that will catalyse a fresh global discussion on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) diversity and inclusion, particularly by focusing on the economic and business costs of LGBT discrimination and the profitable opportunities that lie in overcoming it.

"The inaugural summit in 2016 made a powerful business case for LGBT inclusion and diversity," says Zanny Minton Beddoes, editor-in-chief of The Economist. "This year, we aim to expand on that theme by exploring how companies can be catalysts for changeand why we need them to be."

The Hong Kong summit will be held at the Hotel ICON; the London summit will be held at 155 Bishopsgate; and the New York summit will be at 10 on the Park at Time Warner Center.

Chaired by The Economist editors, Pride and Prejudice 2017 will link conversations between the three locations through live video sessions. Participants will include chief executives, politicians and activists, such as:

Schuyler Bailar , NCAA Division 1 Men's Athlete

, NCAA Division 1 Men's Athlete Cyan Banister , partner, Founders Fund

, partner, Founders Fund Xavier Bettel , prime minister, Luxembourg

, prime minister, Jeff Bullwinkel , associate general counsel and director of corporate, external and legal affairs, Asia Pacific and Japan , Microsoft

, associate general counsel and director of corporate, external and legal affairs, and , Microsoft Alfred Cheung -ming Chan , chairperson, Equal Opportunities Commission

, chairperson, Equal Opportunities Commission Michael Ebeid , chief executive and managing director, Special Broadcasting Service, Australia

, chief executive and managing director, Special Broadcasting Service, Robyn Exton , founder, HER

, founder, HER Tony Fernandes , chief executive, AirAsia

, chief executive, AirAsia Christina Gaw , managing principal and head of Capital Markets, Gaw Capital

, managing principal and head of Capital Markets, Gaw Capital Nathan Law , member of legislative council, Hong Kong

, member of legislative council, Geng Le , chief executive, Blued

, chief executive, Blued Roberto Marques , president, North America , Mondelez International

, president, , Mondelez International Matt Patsky , chief executive, Trillium Asset Management

, chief executive, Trillium Asset Management Rica Paras , solution architect manager, Accenture Philippines and chairwoman, Society of Transsexual Women of the Philippines

, solution architect manager, Accenture Philippines and chairwoman, Society of Transsexual Women of Art Peck , chief executive, GAP

Deborah Sherry , chief commercial officer, GE Digital, Europe

, chief commercial officer, GE Digital, Amanda Simpson , former deputy assistant secretary of defence for operational energy, U.S. Department of Defense

, former deputy assistant secretary of defence for operational energy, U.S. Department of Defense Serpil Timuray , regional chief executive, Middle East , Africa and Asia Pacific , Vodafone

, regional chief executive, , and , Vodafone Oyungerel Tsedevdamba , former member of Parliament and former minister of culture, sports and tourism, Mongolia

, former member of Parliament and former minister of culture, sports and tourism, Steve Wardlaw , chairman, Emerald Life , Europe

In each city, policymakers and industry leaders will tackle the thorny questions pertinent to that region, but with common questions in mind. E.g., How will the rise of illiberal populism in the west impact the outlook for LGBT rights? How are new generations changing the meaning of diversity and forcing companies to rethink their inclusion policies? What can advocates for LGBT inclusion learn from other groups that have been marginalised? What can we learn from case studies of businesses operating in parts of the world where cultures or laws are hostile toward LGBT people?

In 2016, the business sector made some important strides in the fight against discrimination against LGBT people around the world. Eighty-seven percent of Fortune 500 companies now have non-discrimination policies based on sexual orientation, and for the first time ever, the issue made it to the agenda of the World Economic Forum in Davos. Millennials, who have great expectations for diversity and are pushing companies to embrace inclusion much more than previous generations did, are also contributing to a seismic shift in priorities.

Yet setbacks have shed light on how much still needs to change. LGBT communities continue to be targeted by authorities, with high-profile incidents taking place in Indonesia, Uganda, Turkey and Egypt. In the U.S., the Orlando nightclub shooting highlighted how far the country still has to come to close the equality gap, despite the Supreme Court's decision to legalise same-sex marriage just one year before.

For more information and updates on Pride and Prejudice or to register for the summit, visit pride.economist.com.

Pride and Prejudice is sponsored by Global Advocate, IBM; Global Supporters Alix Partners and AXA; Regional Advocates, Biogen and Goldman Sachs; Regional Supporters, ADP, Fidelity Investments, Nomura, TD Bank, T. Rowe Price and RBS; Regional Ally, ABN AMRO. Havas is the Public Relations Partner. UNDP is the regional host sponsor in Hong Kong.

To engage with Pride and Prejudice on social media, use #EconPride in your conversations and follow @EconomistEvents.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Kate Urbach

Havas PR

[email protected]

917-575-9513

Lauren Hackett

The Economist

[email protected]

212-554-0639

About The Economist Events

We gather the world's top thinkers to build insight and exchange views on the issues that define our world. With a uniquely global perspective, we create over 100 unusually high-level and engaging live and virtual events each year. Our aim is to bring clarity to complex problems, inspire ideas and to help our audiences make better decisions.

SOURCE The Economist Events
SAN DIEGO, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- BNBuilders is pleased to welcome Brian Dague, DBIA, LEED AP, to its Southern California leadership team. As a Project Executive, he will help lead the company's expanding operations in Los Angeles and Orange County, where the company saw exponential growth last year. With a growing number of project wins and project types in San Diego, Los Angeles and Orange County, BNBuilders has become a Southern California construction leader.

BNBuilders' Southern California operations are headquartered in San Diego and led by Principal Jamie Awford. Brian Dague will help Mr. Awford establish and lead an Orange County-based satellite office for the company's expanding operations in the region. In recent months, BNBuilders' Southern California office has won high-profile projects at UC Riverside, UCLA, and Caltech, to name a few.

Transferring from the Seattle, WA office, Mr. Dague is originally from Southern California, and earned his B.S., in Construction Engineering Management from California State University, Long Beach. He has over 15 years of experience in construction and leadership, and has managed projects up and down the Pacific Coast for BNBuilders. Currently, he is working on the high-profile $23.8 million Geffen Academy project on the campus of UCLA, and tasked with helping establish a brick-and-mortar BNBuilders office in Orange County.

Jamie Awford, Principal at BNBuilders, states, "We are excited to have Brian's experience and leadership in our new Orange County office. I look forward to working with him to continue to grow our Los Angeles and Orange County operations, and bringing BNBuilders' quality and expertise to an expanding roster of clients in this region."

About BNBuilders

Founded in 2000 in Seattle, BNBuilders is a West Coast general contractor that specializes in complex projects for clients in the life science, healthcare, education, commercial, public, multi-family residential, and office sectors. BNBuilders is known for their innovative solutions to highly technical issues, comprehensive preconstruction services, passion for sustainable construction practices, and commitment to safety. With multiple offices in Washington and California, BNBuilders is a leader and preferred contractor on the West Coast. BNBuilders' Southern California headquarters opened in 2010. For more information, visit www.bnbuilders.com.

Contact: Beth Binger

BCIpr

619-987-6658

[email protected]

SOURCE BNBuilders

Related Links

http://www.bnbuilders.com


BREA, Calif., Feb. 20, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Providence Capital Funding is excited by this new acquisition and looks forward to providing exceptional customer services to All Media Capital's vendors.

Providence Capital Funding

Providence Capital Funding, a capital funding group specializing in equipment leasing for businesses, has acquired All Media Capital founded in Brea, California. All Media Capital has been providing equipment financing solutions focusing on media, cinema, film production, and music studio financing since 1988. Providence Capital Funding plans to retain all of All Media Capital's employees and looks forward to providing exceptional customer service to the company's current vendors. It's President and leader, Jeff Thomas will be leading the All Media team.

"We are excited about the expansion of our company and the added value All Media Capital a business of Providence Capital Funding," says Ofer Horn, Director of Operations, of Providence Capital Funding. "Providence Capital Funding has become one of the most effective and respected independent equipment leasing companies in the nation today. Its specialty is providing equipment leasing products to small and mid-size companies from A to C credit along with other vast products. We pride ourselves on the level of customer service we provide and the expertise of our staff."

The Equipment Leasing Association of America estimates that 80 percent of all companies secure equipment leasing and financing at least some of their equipment. The industry is growing and to meet the demand, so is Providence Capital Funding. The company is an independent equipment leasing company providing creative financing solutions to expanding businesses. The company works within many industries to provide equipment leasing solutions that meet their customer's diverse needs and demands. Their team of leasing professionals has more than 100 years of combined management experience in providing cost-effective finance solutions, and customers couldn't be happier with the level of service.

"I have been in the rental industry for over 25 years and have worked with many lending institutions. Our company was looking to buy additional equipment for $635,000. After looking at several banks and finance companies, I chose Providence Capital Funding. Providence really took the time to understand my business and they structured the loan according to my needs. The service was great and their pricing was competitive. In the near future I will definitely consider Providence for additional equipment financing," says Max H., a business President from Orange, California.

To learn more about the company, their vendor programs and business financing, visit ProvidenceCapitalFunding.com.

About Providence Capital Funding, Inc.

Providence Capital Funding, Inc. is an independent equipment leasing company providing creative financing solutions to meet the demanding needs of today's growing companies. The company recognizes the variety of financing options available in today's marketplace and their programs, pricing and experience collectively represent a superior financing alternative. Providence Capital Funding works closely with numerous private warehouse lines funding partners and some large bank enabling them to offer the best financing options available. In operation since 2004, Providence Capital Funding, along with All Media has funded over billion in equipment loans and has maintained an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. The company's principals have more than 100 years of experience in working with growing companies providing cost-effective leasing solutions to businesses nationwide. For more information, visit ProvidenceCapitalFunding.com.

Related Links

Facebook

This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com

SOURCE Providence Capital Funding, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.providencecapitalfunding.com


NEW YORK, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- RDD Pharma, a leader in developing treatments for anorectal disorders, announces the patent covering methods for treating fecal incontinence has been granted in Israel. The patent is based on the increase in resting anal pressure via a topical administration of RDD-0315, an alpha-agonist. Patents have already been granted in EU, China and Russia and are pending in U.S., Japan, Australia, Brazil, Canada, and India.

RDD Pharma has also received a notice of allowance in the EU for methods and devices for delivery of pharmaceutical agents related to the Capository, adding to granted patents in the U.S. and Israel. RDD-1219, using the Capository, is currently in Phase 3 development in Europe for the treatment of pain associated with chronic anal fissure.

About RDD Pharma

RDD is a privately held specialty pharma company, backed by Orbimed. RDD focuses on fast-track development and commercialization of innovative therapeutics for anorectal diseases and gastrointestinal disorders. The company has two clinical stage products which serve significant unmet needs: (1) RDD-1219 for chronic anal fissure, currently enrolling patients in a multicenter European Phase 3 study and (2) RDD-0315 for fecal incontinence, an indication for which there are no approved Rx products.

About RDD-0315 and Fecal Incontinence

RDD-0315 is being developed for the treatment of fecal incontinence, resulting from damaged or weakened anal sphincter muscles. A successful Phase 2a study in spinal cord injury patients has been completed in the EU and continued development is ongoing in the US. An estimated 20 million adults suffer from fecal incontinence in the U.S. With limited treatment options, RDD-0315 offers a promising Rx solution to address a large unmet need.

About RDD-1219 and Chronic Anal Fissure

RDD-1219 Capository has the potential to provide pain relief and to promote healing of the extremely painful and difficult to treat condition of chronic anal fissure. There are an estimated 235,000 new cases of anal fissure reported every year in the US, and about 40% of them persist for months and even years. M.H. Madalinski. World J Gastrointestinal Pharmacology Ther 2011 April 6; 2(2): 9-16.

Contact:







Jason Laufer





Jennifer Filbey, Ph.D. CEO





Business & Corporate Development [email protected]





[email protected] +1-973-723-9000





+1-256-417-8568

www.rddpharma.com

SOURCE RDD Pharma

Related Links

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DUBLIN, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Report on China's Hog Production and Pork Market 2017-2021" report to their offering.

For many years, the live stock volume of hogs in China is the highest in the world. The livestock data shows that the live stock volume of hogs kept growing before 2012 but it began to fall from 2013 for rising costs and declined by 2.1% in 2014 compared to the highest level in 2012. At the end of 2015, the live stock volume of hogs reached 384 million decreasing by 9% compared to 2014. The fattened volume was 708.25 million down by 3.7% YOY in 2015. The output volume of pork presented a rising trend in its totality from 2000 to 2014, which broke the level of 50 million tons in 2010 and then hit a new high of 56.71 million tons in 2014, with a proportion of 65.1% of the total. However, from 2015, with the decline of live stock and fattened volume, the output volume of pork began to decrease in China. In recent years, with the promotion of standardized scale breeding, the number of standardized scale farms increases sharply and the proportion keeps rising.

Pork is still the major meat product consumed by Chinese residents. With the economic development and ongoing urbanization in China, the consumption volume of pork presents an overall upward trend. In terms of consumer groups, the household pork consumption volume of urban residents is higher than that of rural residents. From 2009, the household meat consumption volume of urban and rural residents becomes quite stable. Urban residents consumed over 20 kg of pork per capita while the rural residents consumed 15 kg of pork per capita.

In terms of the global market, the output volume of pork reached 112 million tons in 2015 and the CAGR of pork output volume was about 3.3% in the past 40 years, higher than the 3% of CAGR of the total volume. The producing areas of hogs and pork are mainly located in Asia, North America and Europe. The major pork producers are China, EU, the U.S.A., Brazil and Canada. In addition, the consumption is mainly concentrated in China, Europe, North America, Japan, Russia, etc.

As the output volume of pork fails to meet the domestic demand in China, the import volume continues to rise. The import volume of pork in China was 778,000 tons in 2015, up by 37.8% compared to 2014, and it becomes over 1.5 million tons in 2016. According to the report, China mainly imports pork from EU, the U.S.A. and Canada in recent years.

With the sustained economic development, the rising incomes per capita and the ongoing urbanization, the pork demand will keep on rise. However, affected by negative factors of rising costs, more strict environmental policies, the fattened volume of hogs and output volume of pork are estimated to drop steadily from 2017 to 2021. It is predicted that the profits of pig breeding will keep growing in China recently, so will the import volume of pork.

Key Topics Covered:

1 Overview of Pig Breeding Industry in China, 2011-2016



1.1 Boar Breeding and Import



1.1.1 Boar Stock



1.1.2 Boar Import



1.2 Status of Hog Breeding



1.2.1 Stock Volume of Hogs



1.2.2 Fattened Volume of Hogs and Production Volume of Pork



1.2.3 Scale Breeding of Hogs

1.2.4 Epidemic Situation of Hogs

2 Analysis on the Costs and Profits of Hogs Breeding in China



2.1 Costs of Hog Breeding



2.2 Purchase Price of Hogs



2.3 Net Profit of Hog Breeding

3 Overview of Hog Slaughter Industry in China, 2011-2016



3.1 Structure of Hog Slaughter Enterprises



3.2 Hog Slaughter Capacity



3.3 Hog Slaughter Volume



3.4 Profit

4 Consumption of Pork in China, 2011-2016



4.1 The Consumption of Pork



4.2 Rural and Urban Consumption Structure



4.3 Different Channels



4.4 Different Pork Product Forms



4.5 Price Level of Pork

5 Import and Export of Pork in China, 2011-2016



5.1 Export of Pork



5.2 Import of Pork



6 Major Pig Breeding and Slaughter Enterprises in China, 2011-2016



6.1 New Hope Liuhe Co., Ltd.



6.2 Guangdong Wens Food Group Co., Ltd.



6.3 China Yurun Food Group Limited



6.4 Henan Shuanghui I&D Co., Ltd.



6.5 Jiangxi Zhengbang Technology Co., Ltd.



6.6 Tangrenshen Group Co., Ltd.



6.7 COFCO Meat Holdings Limited



6.8 Hunan Dakang International Food & Agriculture Co., Ltd.



6.9 Muyuan Foods Co., Ltd.



6.10 Chuying Agro-Pastoral Group Co., Ltd.



7 Prospect of Pig Breeding Industry in China, 2017-2021



7.1 Factors Influencing the Development of China Pig Breeding Industry, 2017-2021



7.1.1 Favorable Factors



7.1.2 Unfavorable Factors



7.2 Forecast on Fattened Volume of Hogs



7.3 Forecast on Output Volume of Pork



7.4 Forecast on Consumption Volume of Pork in China, 2016-2020



7.5 Trade of Pork



7.6 Forecast on Hog Prices



7.7 Forecast on Benefit of Hog Breeding

For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/dvgp2p/report_on_chinas

Media Contact:

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets

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CHICAGO, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Chicago-based R.J. O'Brien & Associates (RJO), the oldest and largest independent futures brokerage and clearing firm in the United States, announced that the firm won the award for "Best FCM  Client Service" at the CTA Intelligence U.S. Services Awards 2017. The awards recognize CTAs and managed futures service providers that have demonstrated "exceptional customer service and innovative product development" over the past 12 months.

This is the fifth CTA Intelligence award RJO and its UK affiliate have garnered, and it marks the second time the firm has won for client service in the United States. Last year, RJO won the "Best FCM  Innovation" category at the U.S. awards. Its London-based affiliate won the magazine's European Services award in the technology category in November and in the innovation category in 2015.

Gerald Corcoran, RJO Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said: "It is especially gratifying to win this award for Client Service because we've focused on providing outstanding service to all our clients since our earliest days. As the only non-bank FCM on the shortlist of this category, we believe clients appreciate that at RJO, they can get the personalized service they want but also the resources, technology and range of products available at the largest bank FCMs. We thank CTA Intelligence for its repeated recognitions of the firm."

Published by Pageant Media, CTA Intelligence focuses on key issues for professionals working in the commodity trading advisor (CTA) and managed futures space. An independent panel of judges from CTA Intelligence and leading industry experts selected RJO for the award, which was presented at a ceremony in New York.

About R.J. O'Brien

Founded in 1914, R.J. O'Brien & Associates is the largest independent futures brokerage firm in the United States, serving institutional, commercial and individual clients globally, in addition to a network of 400 introducing brokers (IBs). Clearing more than 80,000 client accounts, RJO services the industry's most expansive global network of IBs, a vast array of middle market firms and many of the world's largest financial, industrial and agricultural institutions. The firm offers state-of-the-art electronic trading and 24-hour trade execution on every major futures exchange worldwide.

SOURCE R.J. O'Brien & Associates

Related Links

http://www.rjobrien.com


WESTLAKE, Ohio, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Sibling Revelry Brewing, the Westlake, Ohio-based craft brewer, is releasing their new seasonal Cherry Wit this spring. The Belgian-style white will be available in 6-pack cans in Northeast Ohio, as well as in 15.5 gallon kegs and 5.16 gallon sixtels sold primarily to bars and restaurants.

Cherry Wit was originally brewed on Sibling Revelry's pilot system back in July, yielding limited barrels that quickly sold out due to high demand.

Brewed with sweet and tart cherry purees, Cherry Wit has a semi-tart flavor and a crisp dry finish. With a low 4.1% ABV, the beer was brewed as a light and refreshing beer to compliment the spring season.

"We've been brewing stronger, more robust beers over the past several months, so we wanted to release a beer that was tasty and crushable," says Brewmaster Pete Velez. "Our winter seasonal Belgian Strong Ale release was robust with a strong alcohol mouthfeel. This beer is the opposite of that. It has very refreshing cider-like qualities."

Sean Kennedy, one of Sibling Revelry's founders, says Cherry Wit fills a small void in the Cleveland area brewer's lineup. "This release is a very solid addition to Sibling Revelry's can offerings. We have our IPA, Rowan's American Red Ale, and Swing State Pale Ale  all traditional styles, but we were missing a light wheat ale that could appeal to an even larger audience. It fills a certain absence of an easygoing, less hoppy beer."

About Sibling Revelry Brewing

Sibling Revelry Brewing is a family owned production brewery and tasting room located in Westlake, Ohio. The Sibling Revelry taproom features 16 craft beers on tap, a rotating selection of visiting food trucks and facility tours. The Sibling Revelry production facility features a 30-barrel system and canning line that self-distributes throughout Northeast Ohio.

SOURCE Sibling Revelry Brewing

Related Links

http://www.siblingrevelrybrewing.com


IRVING, Texas, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- SignaPay, a leading merchant services and payment solutions provider, today announced the launch of PayLo, a newly patented technology that allows merchants to reduce or eliminate the costs of credit card fees while remaining compliant with all applicable laws and regulations.

PayLo is a cash discount program that applies a small customer service fee to each sale made on a merchants' POS terminal. The service fee is eliminated if the customer pays with cash or gift card. The software automatically determines the service fee and discount amounts, pre-tip, avoiding the pitfalls of manual programs that may overstate gross sales. All interchange, card association and network fees are collected and handled by SignaPay, leaving the merchant free of program administration. Clearly defined signage is provided at point of entry, point of sale and itemized on the customer receipt. It's simple to set up, transparent to the customers, and hassle-free for the merchant. To date, the technology has been rolled out to thousands of locations across the US and the merchant feedback has been extremely positive.

SignaPay's CEO, John Martillo is excited about what this means for small businesses across the country. "Too often merchants feel trapped. They have to provide their customers with the convenience of credit card payments but in doing so, they assume the burden of fees on smaller purchases," he says. "With PayLo, they can insulate themselves from fees when a credit card is used through a small service fee applied to all credit card purchases."

"I haven't experienced any push-back at all from my customers," said Rafael Santamaria, Owner of El Carbonero Restaurant in Lancaster, CA. "I especially like the fact that I'm not having to pay heavy credit card fees every month."

"It is something that business owners have wanted for a long time," said Chad Jacobson, owner of ProV3 Payments, a selling partner of SignaPay. "They are intrigued about the possibilities of reinvesting their credit card processing fees back into other ventures. They also love the flexibility of the program, of being able to customize it to make sense for their business."

"I haven't had anyone complain and it's been a huge savings for me," said Angel Yankas, Owner of Angel Cleaners in Montebello, CA.

The PayLo software is currently the only legally compliant automatic cash discount software available in the US, having gone through extensive vetting with all major credit card providers, all applicable state laws and federal rules and regulations. The developers of the software have also registered it with the US Patent and Trademark Office.

There are no pinpads required with PayLo, EMV chips are automatically included in the setup, and PayLo offers mobile options with wireless terminals. PayLo works with Apple Pay as well as Android payment.

SignaPay also offers a PayLo 30-day free trial to merchants without setup fees or early termination fees. If a merchant is not 100% satisfied with the program, they can return the equipment and revert to standard credit card processing at any time without obligations. For more information on PayLo by SignaPay, please visit www.SignaPay.com/PayLo/merchants or call 877-751-2891.

About SignaPay LTD:

Founded in Irving Texas in 2007, SignaPay offers a complete menu of payment solutions for merchants including credit card and debit card processing, gateway integration, fraud prevention, customer loyalty, analytics software as well as equipment including mobile and point of sale systems. SignaPay is dedicated to their partners and merchants and is committed to forging strong client relationships by providing best in class services and solutions. The success of our merchants and partners define our own success. At SignaPay, we focus on two things: People. Payments.

Media Contact Information

David Parmet

Parmet Marketing and Public Relations

914.400.4120

[email protected]

Robyn Wallace

Director of Marketing, SignaPay

[email protected]

972.330.2883

SOURCE SignaPay LTD

Related Links

http://www.SignaPay.com


MEMPHIS, Tenn., Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- On Aug. 21, 2017, millions of people across 12 states, stretching from Oregon to South Carolina, will witness a total solar eclipse, a rare event that last happened 38 years ago. The remaining 38 states of the U.S. will be able to view a partial eclipse.

Safe solar eclipse glasses John Jerit, President & CEO of American Paper Optics

In order to safely experience the event, everyone across the country will need safe solar eclipse glasses. American Paper Optics, the largest 3-D glasses manufacturing company in the world, plans to work around the clock to make sure people are prepared for what could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

"With the total solar eclipse just six months away, everyone needs to start planning," said John Jerit, president and CEO of APO. "We're advising people to figure out where they will be (or where they want to be) on Aug. 21, 2017, and more importantly, make sure they have safe solar eclipse glasses ready."

APO's Eclipser Safe Solar Glasses are ISO certified to block the harmful ultraviolet and infrared rays of light that come from the sun. The glasses, which are 1,000 times darker than regular sunglasses, are the safest way to view the eclipse.

"For at least a couple of minutes on Aug. 21, 2017, people across the country will stop what they are doing and look up to the sky to view the sun," said Jason Lewin, director of marketing at APO. "This historic opportunity  one we feel is bigger than any sporting event, concert or awards show - is something that companies and organizations of all sizes can participate in at a very inexpensive cost. Now is the time to order safe solar eclipse glasses."

APO expects to sell 100 million eclipse glasses for the solar eclipse. For the last year, Jerit has talked with corporations and organizations across the U.S., from universities to CVBs and Fortune 500 companies to small businesses that want to capitalize on the event for their customers and employees. The glasses can be custom-branded for any company or organization  using size, shape and color scheme  to promote the business.

For more information and to purchase Eclipser Safe Solar Glasses, call 1-800-767-8427 or visit http://www.eclipseglasses.com.

About American Paper Optics

American Paper Optics, the world's leading manufacturer and marketer of solar eclipse and 3-D glasses as well as other optical products, is a one-stop source for anything 3-D. Over a span of 25 years, APO has manufactured more than two billion paper 3-D glasses. APO also offers an endless variety of frame styles, specialty optics, full color printing, and intricate die-cutting capabilities.



For more information, contact:



Jason Lewin Whitney Albert

American Paper Optics Obsidian Public Relations

Phone: 901-381-1515 Phone: 501-744-8253

E-mail: [email protected] Email: [email protected]



SOURCE American Paper Optics

Related Links

http://www.eclipseglasses.com


LONDON, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Specialty Zeolites Market: Overview





Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4711305/





Specialty zeolites are types of zeolites that require specialty synthesis, primarily high-pressure synthesis. Some specialty organic additives are also added during crystallization/synthesis. Small quantity of specialty zeolites are used for adsorption purposes in paints & coatings, plastics, personal care, and construction materials.



The report estimates and forecasts the specialty zeolites market on the global, regional, and country levels. The study provides forecast between 2016 and 2024 based on volume (tons) and revenue (US$ Mn) with 2015 as the base year. The report comprises an exhaustive value chain analysis for each of the end-use segments. It provides a comprehensive view of the market. The study includes drivers and restraints for the specialty zeolites market along with their impact on demand during the forecast period. The study also provides key market indicators affecting the growth of the market. The report analyzes opportunities in the specialty zeolites market on the global and regional level. Furthermore, the report analyzes substitutes of specialty zeolites. It also provides the global average price trend analysis.



Global Specialty Zeolites Market: Research Methodologies



The report includes Porter's Five Forces Model to determine the degree of competition in the specialty zeolites market. The report comprises a qualitative write-up on market attractiveness analysis, wherein end-use and countries have been analyzed based on attractiveness for each region. Growth rate, market size, raw material availability, profit margin, impact strength, technology, competition, and other factors (such as environmental and legal) have been evaluated in order to derive the general attractiveness of the market.



The study provides a comprehensive view of the specialty zeolites market by dividing it into end-use and geography. In terms of end-use, the specialty zeolites market has been segmented into plastics, paints & coatings, construction materials and personal care. End-use segments have been analyzed based on historic, present, and future trends, and the market has been estimated in terms of volume (tons) and revenue (US$ Mn) between 2016 and 2024.



Global Specialty Zeolites Market: Regional Outlook



Regional segmentation includes the current and forecast demand for specialty zeolites in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa (MEA). Additionally, the report comprises country-level analysis in terms of volume and revenue for end-use segments. Key countries such as the U.S., Canada, Germany, France, the U.K., Spain, Italy, Japan, India, China, Argentina, South Africa, and Brazil have been included in the study. Market segmentation includes demand for individual end-use in all the regions and countries.



Global Specialty Zeolites Market: Competitive Analysis



The report covers detailed competitive outlook that includes market share and profiles of key players operating in the global market. Key players profiled in the report include Tosoh Corporation, Arkema Group, BASF SE, Clariant, W. R. Grace & Co., Albermarle Corporation, Zeochem AG, Zeolyst International, Eurecat and Honeywell UOP. Company profiles include attributes such as company overview, number of employees, brand overview, key competitors, business overview, business strategies, recent/key developments, acquisitions, and financial overview (wherever applicable).



Global Specialty Zeolites Market: Scope of the Study



In-depth interviews and discussions with wide range of key opinion leaders and industry participants were conducted to compile this research report. Primary research represents the bulk of research efforts, supplemented by extensive secondary research. Key players' product literature, annual reports, press releases, and relevant documents were reviewed for competitive analysis and market understanding. This helped in validating and strengthening secondary research findings. Primary research further helped in developing the analysis team's expertise and market understanding.



Secondary research sources that were typically referred to include, but were not limited to company websites, financial reports, annual reports, investor presentations, broker reports, and SEC filings. Other sources such as internal and external proprietary databases, statistical databases and market reports, news articles, national government documents, and webcasts specific to companies operating in the market have also been referred for the report.



The report segments the global specialty zeolites market as follows:



Specialty Zeolites Market: End-use Analysis



Plastics

Paints & Coatings

Construction Materials

Personal Care



Specialty Zeolites Market: Regional Analysis



North America

U.S.

Canada

Europe

Germany

Spain

Italy

France

U.K.

Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific

China

Japan

India

ASEAN

Rest of APAC

Latin America

Brazil

Argentina

Rest of LATAM

Middle East & Africa

GCC

South Africa

Rest of Middle East & Africa

Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4711305/



About Reportbuyer

Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers

http://www.reportbuyer.com



For more information:

Sarah Smith

Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +44 208 816 85 48

Website: www.reportbuyer.com

SOURCE ReportBuyer

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ZURICH, February 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

IoT Connectivity Lifecycle Management Provides MNOs With a New Competitive Edge

Starhome Mach, a global leader in mobile inter-carrier roaming, anti-fraud and IoT connectivity services, and Stream Technologies, a world leader in IoT connectivity enablement, are assisting Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) with the launch and acceleration of their IoT services. Their new solution provides MNOs with complete visibility and control of all IoT device connections, significantly strengthening their local and global competitive advantages.

Starhome Mach, which already services 300 mobile network operators with global network, roaming and clearing technologies, and Stream, with more than 700 IoT-related enterprise clients, have combined their technologies and expertise to deliver a groundbreaking IoT connectivity lifecycle management solution for MNOs.



They deliver the most robust, easy-to-deploy, innovative and cost-effective solution to help MNOs differentiate themselves in an increasingly crowded IoT connectivity space. The solution combines Stream's API-based connectivity enablement and monitoring and control technologies with Starhome Mach's core network-based connectivity insight and smart steering technologies, as well as Starhome Mach's complete IoT clearing services.

"Starhome Mach's years of experience helping MNOs around the world manage and strengthen their core networks makes them a powerful technology partner," said Nigel Chadwick, CEO of Stream. "Together, we're providing MNOs and enterprises a complete set of tools necessary to rapidly expand their IoT capabilities."

Starhome Mach's new IoT Connectivity Lifecycle Management, powered by Stream's IoT-X, is immediately available to all MNOs worldwide. The real-time solution delivers the lowest TCO and the highest levels of service continuity, bringing a complete visibility and control layer to the MNOs and their enterprise customers.

Companies using the solution will be able to manage and monitor millions of SIMs and IoT devices, gaining complete self-care, from initial mass provisioning to long-term administration, such as remote management, SIM resets, and software upgrades.

"Stream has been in the IoT business for more than 17 years, so they understand the needs of the enterprises and possess deep expertise in IoT connectivity management," said Itai Margalit, CEO of Starhome Mach. "Meanwhile, we know exactly what MNOs need, so together, we're delivering the best possible IoT connectivity management solution available."

Starhome Mach will be available to demonstrate and discuss the solution at MWC 2017, Hall 7, Stand 7F51.

About Starhome Mach

Starhome Mach enables seamless and secure roaming and IoT connectivity. In 1999 Starhome Mach revolutionized the Mobile industry with the introduction of its game changing international roaming solutions. With an exceptional customer base that encompasses more than 300 mobile network operators in over 130 countries, including 24 leading telecom groups, Starhome Mach provides a comprehensive portfolio of value-added global roaming for wholesale and retail, clearing, IoT connectivity and real-time anti-fraud solutions. Starhome Mach's innovative solutions overcome the complex challenges and unexpected obstacles of the hyper-connected world to drive real-time business impact and deliver outstanding user experience. Simple as that.

For more information about Starhome Mach, visit starhomemach.com.

About Stream

Stream Technologies is a leading software & data transit innovator in the IoT (Internet of Things) space.

Stream's core offering comprises of the following three elements:

Platform as a Service for the IoT.

Global cellular and satellite IoT connectivity.

LoRaWAN network server.

With geographically distributed points-of-presence, Stream enables in excess of 700 global enterprises, including companies listed on the London Stock Exchange and Fortune 500 List.

Starhome Mach Press Contact

Amy Kenigsberg

K2 Global Communications

[email protected]

1-913-440-4072 (+7 GMT)

SOURCE Starhome Mach
GREENVILLE, S.C., Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Couponbox announced three winners today for its First Annual Kid Kindness Month Contest. The international coupon portal created the contest for elementary and secondary school students to win $1,000 to implement their kindness project and an additional $1,000 to support their sponsoring school or organization.

Three projects and schools won prizes for the 2017 Kid Kindness Month Contest:

CouponBox announces Kid Kindness Month contest winners

Help St. Jude's Children, a project submitted by Lily Caraballo, Abigail Gniech, Nisa Cabrera, Emily Mireles and Marisol Lopez from Namaste Charter High School in Chicago, IL, will donate books, toys and hot meals to the families and children of St. Jude's Children's Hospital.

2017 Service Project (for the Canton Fire Department), submitted by Caden Koehn from Canton High School in Canton, OK, will help the fire department during the high fire danger days of summer by providing supplies to the volunteer firefighters.

You Can Be a Problem Solver or You Can Be a Problem Causer (for the Flint Michigan Water Crisis), submitted by Katie Rusinek from Holy Family Catholic School in Grand Blanc, MI, will donate their prize to the Safe Water, Safe Homes Fund, which provides aid to the community of Flint, MI, during the ongoing water crisis there.

"We were overwhelmed by the acts of kindness the kids outlined in their entries," said Marco Piu of CouponBox. "When the contest first started, we had high expectations, but as the deadline for entries drew near, we found that those expectations had been exceeded. We are grateful for all the entries, which were quite inspiring, and we are even more grateful that the voting system was in place to choose the winnersa task that would have been difficult for any panel of judges."

"We look forward very much to next year's contest," added Piu, "which we hope will get even more entries and will reach an even wider audience, spreading kindness from coast to coast."

Kid Kindness Month prizes from Couponbox will be awarded to the winning entries via 10x digital, the digital marketing agency which helped promote the contest. The agency itself will also award the fourth-place entry, Frank Zwolinski's Home Orphanage in Peru, with a $500 prize as a part of its own Kid Kindness Month Honorable Mention Award.

About the Kid Kindness Month Contest

CouponBox sponsored the Kid Kindness Month Contest to inspire and recognize acts of kindness by our next generation. To enter the Kid Kindness Month Contest, kids aged 7-13 who live in the US submitted an entrywith video, text and/or photosdescribing how they would spend $1,000 to spread kindness or help a group of people or cause. Kids were able to submit individually, as a group or as a class with a sponsoring organization such as a school or religious group.

About Couponbox

Couponbox is an international online discount company that creates shopping experiences with added value, helping shoppers save money by providing coupons and deals for stores such as Michaels, JCPenney and Kohl's.

About 10x digital

10x digital is a full-service digital marketing, content marketing and public relations agency based in Greenville, SC. 10x was named as one of Content Marketing Institute's top content marketing agencies in the world for 2014-2016 and has operated in SC since 2002.

Media Contact:

Steve Cuffari

[email protected]

(845) 859-1880

SOURCE CouponBox
NEW YORK, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- New research undertaken by Fit Small Business examining the favorability of a selection of entrepreneurs has been released today. 500 participants were asked a series of questions about some of the world's most famous entrepreneurs including Oprah Winfrey, Mark Zuckerberg, Mark Cuban, and Elon Musk. The questions asked who they liked and disliked most, who they would want as the next president of the United States, and who they would most like to work for, among others.

The findings revealed some interesting insights about what we think of our most prominent business leaders;

Unsurprisingly, Oprah Winfrey won every positive category including most trusted, best role model, most liked, and who should be the next president. However, she also was the most disliked with 26.9% of the vote,

won every positive category including most trusted, best role model, most liked, and who should be the next president. However, she also was the most disliked with 26.9% of the vote, When broken down by demographic, Mark Cuban is the favorite for men on the question of who they would most like to see run for president with 27.3% of the vote, beating out Oprah,

is the favorite for men on the question of who they would most like to see run for president with 27.3% of the vote, beating out Oprah, Ladies love Mark Zuckerberg - 30% of women would like to see him run for president.

With entrepreneurs taking a more significant place in American culture, from our TV screens to the White House, research like this gives us insights into how we view our leaders and what roles they have the potential to fulfill.

Further results found that Jeff Bezos was the least well known of all the entrepreneurs included, only gaining significant numbers in the 'Most Disliked' category. Elon Musk placed well among millennials; 32.8% of those aged 18-24 would like to work for Musk, more than the double the figure for those aged over 25. The complete results can be viewed here.

For further information, please contact:

Katie Biggs, Public Relations and Communications

[email protected]

Office: +1 718-709-4697

Cell: +1 702-800-1541

Fit Small Business: Marc Prosser and David Waring launched Fit Small Business in 2013 to help small business owners navigate the questions and difficulties that arise when running a business. Fit Small Business covers topics ranging from small business financing to managing employees to finding customers and building relationships.

SOURCE Fit Small Business

Related Links

http://fitsmallbusiness.com


AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Summit Hotel Properties, Inc. (NYSE: INN) (the "Company") today announced that its 2017 Annual Meeting of Shareholders will be held Thursday, May 18, 2017, beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET. The meeting will be held at the Hampton Inn and Suites located at 200 San Jacinto Boulevard, Austin, Texas 78701. The meeting is open to all shareholders of record as of March 20, 2017.

About Summit Hotel Properties

Summit Hotel Properties, Inc. is a publicly-traded real estate investment trust focused primarily on owning premium-branded, select-service hotels in the Upscale segment of the lodging industry. As of December 31, 2016, the Company's portfolio consisted of 81 hotels with a total of 10,957 guestrooms located in 23 states.

For additional information, please visit the Company's website, www.shpreit.com and follow the Company on Twitter at @SummitHotel_INN.

Contact:

Adam Wudel

Vice President  Finance

Summit Hotel Properties, Inc.

(512) 538-2325

SOURCE Summit Hotel Properties, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.shpreit.com


GREENVILLE, S.C., Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- SYNNEX Corporation (NYSE: SNX), a leading Technology Solutions distributor, announced today that CRN  , a brand of The Channel Company, has named five SYNNEX executives to its prestigious list of 2017 Channel Chiefs: Eddie Franklin, Vice President, Sales, Public Sector and Vertical Markets; Steve Jow, Senior Vice President, Sales; Tommy Plumer, Vice President, Pro AV Sales; Bob Stegner, Senior Vice President, Marketing, North America; and Dave Strickland, Vice President, Commercial Sales. The executives on this annual list represent top leaders in the IT channel who excel at driving growth and revenue in their organizations through channel partners.

Three SYNNEX executives named to the Channel Chiefs list for multiple years were:

Eddie Franklin , Vice President, Sales, Public Sector and Vertical Markets (four years)  Franklin was selected for securing a contract with a leading federal purchasing cooperative, increasing resellers' buying power nationwide, while serving every vendor in SYNNEX' line card. His practice also launched a Regulated Industries strategy to address four vertical markets (Utility, Transportation, Healthcare and Construction) characterized by strict government oversight and regulations that must be implemented through technology. He also led the launch of a Canadian Public Sector Practice, and increased number of live customer engagement events in areas including education, public safety, diversity, and customer training.

(four years)  Franklin was selected for securing a contract with a leading federal purchasing cooperative, increasing resellers' buying power nationwide, while serving every vendor in SYNNEX' line card. His practice also launched a Regulated Industries strategy to address four vertical markets (Utility, Transportation, Healthcare and Construction) characterized by strict government oversight and regulations that must be implemented through technology. He also led the launch of a Canadian Public Sector Practice, and increased number of live customer engagement events in areas including education, public safety, diversity, and customer training. Steve Jow , Senior Vice President, Sales (four years)  Jow's team covers a significant portion of the topline growth in SYNNEX' Technology Solutions Business. Jow drove meaningful solution practices through SYNNEX Solv strategy, including Government, Mobility, Cloud, Pro AV, and Enterprise Solutions. Jow's team deepened vendor reach with SMB solutions. In 2016, he continued to add resources that supported vendor partners' extended reach while giving resellers more avenues for growth. This included benefits around business practices such as finance, solution practices and technical resources.

(four years)  Jow's team covers a significant portion of the topline growth in SYNNEX' Technology Solutions Business. Jow drove meaningful solution practices through SYNNEX strategy, including Government, Mobility, Cloud, Pro AV, and Enterprise Solutions. Jow's team deepened vendor reach with SMB solutions. In 2016, he continued to add resources that supported vendor partners' extended reach while giving resellers more avenues for growth. This included benefits around business practices such as finance, solution practices and technical resources. Bob Stegner , Senior Vice President, Marketing, North America (nine consecutive years)  Stegner was selected for the expansion and enhancement of Varnex University, doubling Varnex regional meetings frequency for more face-to-face collaboration among members. Stegner oversaw the launch of a services SKU-based order system to give resellers a quick, easy way to access a robust services offering and add it to their order along with hardware/software. Finally, Stegner supported the growing CLOUDSolv Community, providing opportunities for customers to work together while gleaning benefits similar to the popular Varnex member program.

Two SYNNEX executives named to the Channel Chiefs list for the first time were:

Tommy Plumer , Vice President, Sales, Specialty Markets  Plumer was selected for creating strategic new opportunities for SYNNEX and its reseller base in areas including Pro-AV, Physical Security, Broadcast, Unified Communications, Mobility and Point of Sale. Overseeing one of the fastest growing sales divisions at SYNNEX, Plumer continues to create value for partners as these markets converge onto a network platform. In 2016, Plumer and his team helped traditional Pro-AV dealers take advantage of the one-to-one K-12 education initiative, resulting in 30 percent year-over-year growth among this segment for SYNNEX. His team also saw 40 percent year-over-year growth in driving mobility deployment sales teams, as well as double year-over-year growth in integrated communications and networking.

Plumer was selected for creating strategic new opportunities for SYNNEX and its reseller base in areas including Pro-AV, Physical Security, Broadcast, Unified Communications, Mobility and Point of Sale. Overseeing one of the fastest growing sales divisions at SYNNEX, Plumer continues to create value for partners as these markets converge onto a network platform. In 2016, Plumer and his team helped traditional Pro-AV dealers take advantage of the one-to-one K-12 education initiative, resulting in 30 percent year-over-year growth among this segment for SYNNEX. His team also saw 40 percent year-over-year growth in driving mobility deployment sales teams, as well as double year-over-year growth in integrated communications and networking. Dave Strickland , Vice President, Commercial Sales  Strickland helped drive a sales team that experienced revenue growth at a higher rate than the overall channel. He increased facetime for sales support, allowing sales reps to spend more time building relationships. In addition to producing better customer tools around cloud offerings and business commerce, he collaborated with various OEMs to create new solution labs that enabled customers to test the latest data center technologies. A big emphasis on SLED business included matching customers' access to end users with the expertise of SYNNEX' team of former educators. Strickland and his team enabled customers to interact with "classrooms of the future" at various events, participate in webinars, and supplied trainings to school administrators on behalf of SYNNEX customers across the country.

"Our five executives honored as CRN Channel Chiefs are prime examples of the drive and creative strategies that have made SYNNEX a leading technology distributor," said Peter Larocque, President, North American Technology Solutions, SYNNEX Corporation. "We are proud of the ongoing impact of their leadership, both at SYNNEX and throughout the channel."

"The executives on our 2017 Channel Chiefs list have distinguished themselves by building strong partner programs, developing and executing effective business strategy and helping to advance the channel as a whole," said Bob Faletra, CEO of The Channel Company. "They represent an extraordinary group of individuals who lead by example and serve as both invaluable advocates and innovators of the IT channel. We applaud their achievements and look forward to their successes in the coming year."

Channel Chief honorees are selected by CRN's editorial staff on the basis of their professional achievements, standing in the industry, dedication to the channel partner community and strategies for driving future growth and innovation. Each of the 2017 Channel Chiefs has demonstrated loyalty and ongoing support for the IT channel by consistently promoting, defending and executing outstanding channel partner programs.

The 2017 CRN Channel Chiefs list is featured in the February 2017 issue of CRN and online at www.crn.com/channelchiefs.

Follow The Channel Company: Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook

About SYNNEX

SYNNEX Corporation (NYSE: SNX), a Fortune 500 corporation and a leading business process services company, provides a comprehensive range of distribution, logistics and integration services for the technology industry, as well as outsourced services focused on customer engagement strategy to a broad range of enterprises. SYNNEX distributes a broad range of information technology systems and products and also provides systems design and integration solutions. Concentrix, a wholly-owned subsidiary of SYNNEX Corporation, offers a portfolio of strategic solutions and end-to-end business services around customer engagement strategy, process optimization, technology innovation, front and back-office automation and business transformation to clients in ten identified industry verticals. Founded in 1980, SYNNEX Corporation operates in numerous countries throughout North and South America, Asia-Pacific and Europe. Additional information about SYNNEX may be found online at www.synnex.com .

Safe Harbor Statement

Statements in this release that are forward-looking involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause the Company's actual results in future periods to be materially different from any future performance that may be suggested in this release. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release.

Copyright 2017 SYNNEX Corporation. All rights reserved. SYNNEX, the SYNNEX Logo, CONCENTRIX, CLOUDSOLV, and all other SYNNEX company, product and services names and slogans are trademarks or registered trademarks of SYNNEX Corporation. SYNNEX, the SYNNEX Logo, CONCENTRIX, and CLOUDSOLV Reg. U.S. Pat. & Tm. Off. Other names and marks are the property of their respective owners.

About The Channel Company

The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers and end users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequalled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace.

www.thechannelco.com

SNX-G

SOURCE SYNNEX Corporation

Related Links

http://www.synnex.com


AURORA, Ohio, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- TCP International Holdings Ltd. (OTC: TCPIF) today disclosed in a Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") that KPMG LLP ("KPMG") has resigned as the Company's independent registered public accounting firm. KPMG has stated that it will issue its report on the Company's 2015 consolidated financial statements upon the completion of the audit of the 2016 consolidated financial statements by a successor auditor.

KPMG's resignation was due to, among other things, the Company's inability to complete the remediation of the material weakness in its internal control over financial reporting in a timely manner. The material weakness was identified during the course of the Company's previously disclosed Audit Committee investigation regarding certain payments made by the Company's former Chairman, Ellis Yan, his violation of his separation agreement, and related party transactions involving the Company's former Vice Chairman, Solomon Yan. To address the material weakness, the Company has been pursuing a remediation plan, part of which has included the previously announced resignations of Ellis and Solomon Yan as directors and officers of the Company and the naming of a new Senior Vice President of Operations to oversee the Company's manufacturing facilities in China and its international supply chain.

The Company is working expeditiously to find a successor independent accountant so that the Company can complete the filing of its delinquent financial reports with the SEC.

The Company's common stock currently trades under the symbol "TCPIF" on the OTC Link, which is operated by OTC Markets Group Inc.

About TCP

TCP is a leading global manufacturer and distributor of energy efficient lighting technologies. TCP's extensive product offerings include LED and CFL lamps and fixtures and other energy efficient lighting products. TCP is a proud ENERGY STAR partner of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. TCP's products are currently offered through thousands of retail and C&I distributors. Since TCP's inception, it has sold more than one billion energy efficient lighting products. For more information, visit http://www.tcpi.com.

Forward Looking Statements

Certain statements in this release may constitute forward looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including those related to the outcome of TCP's Audit Committee investigation and its ability to engage a successor independent registered public accounting firm and comply with SEC reporting obligations. These forward-looking statements are only predictions, not historical fact, and involve certain risks and uncertainties, as well as assumptions. Actual results, levels of activity, performance, achievements and events could differ materially from those stated, anticipated or implied by such forward-looking statements. While TCP believes that its assumptions are reasonable, it is very difficult to predict the impact of known factors, and, of course, it is impossible to anticipate all factors that could affect actual results. There are a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking statements made herein. Such forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this release. TCP expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in its expectations with regard thereto or changes in events, conditions or circumstances on which any statement is based.

Contact

Zachary Guzy

Chief Financial Officer

330-954-7689

[email protected]

SOURCE TCP International Holdings Ltd.

Related Links

http://www.tcpi.com


CHERRY HILL, N.J., Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- After contributing $1.6 million across hundreds of communities across the bank's footprint, TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, and TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, are pleased to announce that the Bring Change initiative will continue into 2017. TD's Bring Change community program helps raise funds for charities and community members in need within TD's footprint on a hyperlocal level, with local stores serving as fundraising hubs.

The Bring Change campaign first launched in May 2015 as a way for TD Bank to give back to the communities in which it operates. So far, TD contributed $1.6 million to the communities it calls home. This year's campaign focus includes supporting affordable housing in low- and moderate-income areas, helping people recover from natural disasters, funding the arts, and developing programs that educate and inspire children.

"Through this campaign we've supported organizations that give to the homeless, cancer survivors who need help with their medical expenses, and veterans who have served our country, just to name a few, and as a brand knowing that we're addressing these types of needs makes us all feel like we're making an impact," said Lisa Gruner, Community Marketing Director, TD Bank. "Our ultimate goal is to inspire others to make a difference in their communities and we're able to achieve this through the Bring Change campaign."

Rather than simply providing a check to a local organization, the Bring Change program encourages the community to rally around an organization or individual in need, with TD store managers coordinating both a monetary and physical donation drive at their local stores. TD will also make a contribution of its own.

Upcoming Events Kick-Off the New Year of Support

On February 24 , TD Bank will host a community fundraising event supporting the Bed-Stuy Campaign Against Hunger in Brooklyn, N.Y. This organization provides well-balanced meals to more than 30,000 low-income local individuals each month. The event will take place at TD's store located at 957 Marcy Avenue, Brooklyn, N.Y. beginning at 9:00 a.m. , and the bank encourages neighbors to come support the organization.





, TD Bank will host a community fundraising event supporting the Bed-Stuy Campaign Against Hunger in This organization provides well-balanced meals to more than 30,000 low-income local individuals each month. The event will take place at TD's store located at 957 Marcy Avenue, beginning at , and the bank encourages neighbors to come support the organization. On March 3 , TD Bank will host a fundraising event in support of a severely injured Toms River police officer at its Point Pleasant, N.J. location. The funds raised from this event will be used to offset medical bills and costs incurred by the officer's family. The event will take place at TD's store located at 3301 Bridge Ave, Point Pleasant, N.J. at 9:00 a.m.

For the 2017 calendar year, TD Bank will host more than 100 similar fundraising events at stores across its Maine to Florida footprint benefiting local charities and individuals. For more information, go to www.TDBank.com/bringchange for up-to-date program information, including stories, photos, and news.

About the TD Charitable Foundation

The TD Charitable Foundation is the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, and is one of the 10 largest commercial banking organizations in the United States. The Foundation's mission is to support individuals, families and businesses in the communities TD Bank serves, The Foundation has made more than $167.3 million in charitable donations since its inception in 2002 primarily in the areas of affordable housing, financial literacy and education, and the environment. More information on the TD Charitable Foundation, including an online grant application, is available at www.TDBank.com.

About TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank

TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, is one of the 10 largest banks in the U.S., providing more than 8 million customers with a full range of retail, small business and commercial banking products and services at approximately 1,300 convenient locations throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Metro D.C., the Carolinas and Florida. In addition, TD Bank and its subsidiaries offer customized private banking and wealth management services through TD Wealth, and vehicle financing and dealer commercial services through TD Auto Finance. TD Bank is headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J. To learn more, visit www.tdbank.com. Find TD Bank on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TDBank and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TDBank_US.

TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, is a member of TD Bank Group and a subsidiary of The Toronto-Dominion Bank of Toronto, Canada, a top 10 financial services company in North America. The Toronto-Dominion Bank trades on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges under the ticker symbol "TD". To learn more, visit www.td.com.

SOURCE TD Bank

Related Links

http://www.TDBank.com


"Once we receive the call from a hospital, we can have a neurologist on camera evaluating a patient within minutes," said TeleSpecialists CEO Dr. Nima Mowzoon, MD MBA. "Assessing patients as quickly as possible is vital in the treatment of stroke-like symptoms, and we're passionate about making this level of care available to all."

TeleSpecialists has partnered with hospitals in states scattered across the U.S. to ensure the utmost quality of specialty care is available on demand to anyone, especially crucial in stroke cases. The Golden Hour defined as the 60 minutes following the onset of stroke symptoms has been established as the quality standard of care for rapid assessment and administration of thrombolytic medicine to establish reperfusion, recanalization and prevention of irreversible ischemic insult. Demand for stroke treatment is growing significantly - on average, every 40 seconds someone in the U.S. has a stroke - and TeleSpecialists' virtual networks have proven to provide superior care through improved access and outcomes with reduced cost. The Company is pleased to conduct TeleStroke health checks at the upcoming International Stroke Conference in Houston, Texas, from February 22 to February 24, 2017, one of its initiatives in conjunction with American Heart Month and its dedication to the science and treatment of cerebrovascular disease.

Founded in 2013 in Fort Myers, Florida, TeleSpecialists helps facilities build custom programs within the infrastructure of their hospitals utilizing existing EMR and Computerized Physician Order Entry and works with them on lean implementation of a first-rate telemedicine program, providing ongoing access to experienced, high-quality specialists. The growing Company is proud to have created a revolutionary solution to the expanding physician shortage dilemma and to offer expertise-on-demand to an array of hospital locations, urban and rural, hub and spoke.

About TeleSpecialists

TeleSpecialists provides hospitals with a road map to implement telemedicine programs from the ground up. The Company has grown out of a collaboration of multiple Board Certified physicians, neurologists, nurses and critical care providers. Over time, TeleSpecialists has continued to expand in physician workforce, service lines, and hospital endpoints, with a primary focus of quality patient care and customer service. Its comprehensive service guarantees 24/7/365 emergent and non-emergent consultations, while allowing the flexibility for local physicians to cover their own services with its on demand assistance. TeleSpecialists is committed to providing superior, state-of-the-art customized patient care "Anytime, Anywhere".

For press inquiries, contact [email protected]

SOURCE TeleSpecialists

Related Links

http://www.tele-specialists.com


WORCESTER, Mass., Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. (NYSE: THG) announced today that its board of directors has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.50 per share on the issued and outstanding common stock of the company, payable March 31, 2017, to shareholders of record at the close of business on March 10, 2017.

About The Hanover

The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc., based in Worcester, Mass., is the holding company for several property and casualty insurance companies, which together constitute one of the largest insurance businesses in the United States. For more than 160 years, The Hanover has provided a wide range of property and casualty products and services to businesses, individuals, and families. The Hanover distributes its products through a select group of independent agents and brokers. Together with its agents, the company offers specialized coverages for small and mid-sized businesses, as well as insurance protection for homes, automobiles, and other personal items. Through its international member company, Chaucer, The Hanover also underwrites business at Lloyd's of London in several major insurance and reinsurance classes, including marine, property and energy. For more information, please visit hanover.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements regarding quarterly or future dividends payable to our shareholders, which may be subject to future increases, decreases, or elimination, as determined by The Hanover's Board of Directors, are forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as are statements of future growth, earnings improvement and returns to shareholders. The company cautions investors that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of growth, earnings improvement, returns, future dividend payments, or the amount of such payments. Investors are directed to consider the risks and uncertainties in the company's business that may affect the Board's decision to declare dividends in the future or might affect the company's future results, including those risks which are discussed in readily available documents, such as the Company's annual report and other documents filed by The Hanover with the Securities and Exchange Commission and which are also available at www.hanover.com under "Investors."

SOURCE The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.hanover.com


During a visit to Singapore, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that his country was pursuing greater ties across Asia.

"Israel is pivoting towards Asia in a very clear and purposeful way," he told a press conference and dinner event, according to a video from an attendee provided to CNBC Asia.

The language echoed former U.S. President Barack Obama's plan to pivot U.S. diplomatic relations toward Asia, in part to counter China's growing power, but that plan appeared to have been abandoned by the current U.S. president, Donald Trump.

Netanyahu said he was set to visit China next month and that India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi would visit Israel later this year. The comments came during the first visit to Singapore by an Israeli head of state in three decades.

Business ties between Israel and Asia have been growing.

Earlier this year, Israel and China reportedly reached a deal for around 6,000 Chinese construction workers to come to Israel to help with housing construction. Israel has long faced a housing shortage, in part due to a lack of sufficient construction workers.

On Tuesday, Netanyahu was scheduled to visit a Singapore public housing estate, a visit the Israeli prime minister said he requested as he wanted to learn how the island-nation had resolved the issue. Recently, Israeli officials have also traveled to Singapore to study the city-state's public housing system for ideas on how to help ease its own housing shortage. Ironically, in the 1960s, Singapore set up its own system after studying Israel's.

Israel and China have agreed to begin negotiating a free-trade agreement. Additionally, Chinese investment in Israeli technology companies and in infrastructure has been growing and Chinese tourists have been heading to the country.

India and Israel have had long-standing economic, trade and defense ties, with India among the largest customers for Israel's military equipment.

Israel's prime minister highlighted that his country cooperates with Singapore on the economy, trade and technology.

Story continues

"This strengthens both our countries. We have extraordinary reputations within the world, but the fact is when we combine them, we have an even more powerful brand," Netanyahu said. "That brand is very powerful. We spoke today about collaborating with third countries. We're already doing that in one African case. I think we should do that in many countries in Africa, many countries in the Pacific."

Netanyahu noted that a joint research and development fund with Singapore had already funded 150 projects.

Netanyahu's visit to Singapore followed a visit by Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to Israel in April, which marked the first visit by a Singapore head of state to the Middle Eastern country, in a trip that included other nations in the region.



Lee noted at the press conference that SingTel (Singapore Exchange: STEL-SG), a Singapore telecommunications company, and Singapore state-owned investment company Temasek (: ) were both investing in Israel, while many Israeli startups were using Singapore as a base to invest in Asia.

Lee said that he had a "full discussion" with Netanyahu about the developments in the Middle East and the desire for progress on peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians. Lee reiterated Singapore's support for a "two-state" solution as the "only way" to bring peace and security.

Netanyahu's visit to Singapore comes hard on the heels of the Israeli prime minister's meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in the U.S. this week.

Based on opaque comments from Trump, that meeting might have signaled a sea change in the U.S. stance on Israel and the Palestinians seeking a "two-state solution" to achieve peace.

"I'm looking at a two state and one state, and I like the one that both parties like. I'm very happy with the one that both parties like. I could live with either one," Trump said at a press conference with Netanyahu.

In Singapore on Monday, Netanyahu spoke of his recent visits to Muslim-majority countries Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, saying those countries "want to seize the future" with tolerance and acceptance.

" We all have a stake in making sure tolerance and diversity and progress win the day . That modernity wins the day against barbarism and medievalism," Netanyahu said.

Netanyahu's visit to Singapore on Monday was quieter than the last visit of an Israeli head of state to the island-nation.

In 1986, Israel's then-President Chaim Herzog became the first Israeli head of state to visit Singapore. But when the Israeli embassy in Singapore announced the visit about a month ahead of time, protests erupted across Muslim-majority countries Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei, and Singapore faced diplomatic ire and pressure to cancel the visit.

By CNBC.Com's Leslie Shaffer; Follow her on Twitter @LeslieShaffer1



Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook.


As Wolfgang Puck prepares to create this year's Governors Ball, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' official post-Oscar celebration, the talent and press attending the Style Lounge will experience the Governors Ball 'magical transformation' theme with drinks honoring the Best Picture of the Year nominees including La La Land Lattes, Lion Cappuccinos, Fences Coffee, Manchester by the Sea Mochas, Moonlight Mochaccinos and Hidden Figures organic Hot Chocolate.

Long synonymous with culinary greatness and innovation, Wolfgang Puck brings his ingenuity to the world of specialty coffee with the highest quality, hand crafted roasts and blends. Roasted in small batches to ensure freshness, his coffee combines gourmet flavor and smoothness.

Served at Wolfgang Puck fine dining restaurants, luxury hotels, resorts, and offices, his unique coffees are selected from the top tier of coffee growers around the world.

Wolfgang Puck Estate Grown Coffees are available in multiple formats, including eco-friendly Real Cup capsules, which are compatible with all Kuerig machines. Blends include Jamaica Me Crazy, Breakfast in Bed, and Hawaiian Hazelnut.

Wolfgang Puck Coffees are available at www.wpcoffee.com

CONTACT: Magdalena Jama, [email protected], 425.412.6058

SOURCE Wolfgang Puck Coffee

Related Links

http://www.wpcoffee.com


BARCELONA, Spain and TORONTO, February 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

News graphics development tools target low power connected wearables and embedded systems

Today Think Silicon, a leader in developing ultra-low power graphics IP technology, announced new tools to enhance the creation of connected wearable, mobile and embedded display devices. Partaking in the annual global discussion for innovation and guidance, Think Silicon will exhibit at Montjuic Hall M8 Booth C4.6 for 4YFN Barcelona at Mobile World Congress, February 27 - March 1, 2017.



NEMA[TM]|Bits enables FPGA-GPU board demonstration

Think Silicon offers NEMA[TM]|Bits to assist developers by sampling graphics capabilities through the use of an FPGA (field-programmable gate array) board. Customers, developers, universities and other interested facilities can download the GPU code (Bit-Stream Image) from the Think Silicon website and flash or program the FPGA to test and validate GPU capabilities including the NEMA[TM]|GUI Builder toolkit (Graphical User Interface). The goal of NEMA[TM]|Bits is to entice developers to test the NEMA[TM]|GPU-Series capabilities using the FPGA board to help them in their decision finding process by implementing a GPU in their future wearable, mobile and embedded display devices. http://think-silicon.com/products/software/nemabits/



NEMA[TM]|GUI Toolkit empowers programmers to create high-quality GUIs in a fraction of time

Featuring a friendly user interface with drag-and-drop capabilities, NEMA[TM]|GUI Toolkit offers a development environment on host PCs to reduce GUI build development time. The unique framework automatically generates performance optimized executable code and API calls, with small memory footprint while making extensive use of the 3D features of NEMA[TM] GPUs. The toolkit delivers support for touchscreens, limitless screen size, and operating system targets.http://think-silicon.com/products/software/nema-gui-toolkit/



NEMA[TM]| Pixpresso easily converts images for low power embedded platforms

Using Think Silicon proprietary and patented frame-buffer and texture compression formats, NEMA[TM]|Pixpresso uses low bit rates to easily and efficiently convert images into and from formats suitable for lower power platforms and adapt images for application requirements. These devices support uncompressed formats (32-bit RGBA family) and various compressed image formats that enable developers to produce results that blend performance with power consumption requirements. When implemented in conjunction with NEMA[TM] GPUs, developers gain added support for image conversion using low power but with exceptional high quality results.

http://think-silicon.com/products/software/nemapixpresso/



"Think Silicon[TM] is proud to offer these new tools for developers as we welcome a new era of ultra-low power graphics technology for wearable and embedded devices," said Ulli Mueller, Vice President, Marketing and Business Development of Think Silicon. "Our goal is to empower customers with high performance - low power graphics IP to create new markets and products. We're confident that our new developer offerings introduced at Mobile World Congress will inspire the development of even more exciting new innovations. All of these tools are free with unlimited use for educational and research purposes. "

Think Silicon[TM] will exhibit their new developers tools at Montjuic Hall M8 Booth C4.6 for 4YFN Barcelona at Mobile World Congress, February 27 - March 1, 2017.

About Think Silicon:

Think Silicon S.A. (TSi) is a privately held Limited Company founded in 2007, located in Patras, Greece (HQ), Toronto, Canada (Business Development & Marketing office), and San Jose, CA, USA (Sales office). The Think Silicon team specializes in developing high performance graphics IP technology for ultra-low power and area limited IoT applications.

SOURCE Think Silicon LTD
MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C., Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Confirming an earlier release today, Total Beverage Solution (TBS) is pleased to announce they have sold the Celis trademark to Christine Celis, reuniting the family with the brand.

Christine's father, Pierre Celis, is known throughout the brewing world for revitalizing the Belgian wit bier style in the 1960's and introducing the same style to American craft consumers in the 1990's. The brand has had several owners since its establishment in Austin, TX, with TBS acquiring the brand in 2014. TBS purchased Celis Beer in an effort to preserve and revitalize the iconic brand. Today, TBS is delighted to pass on this role to the brand's namesake.

With a portfolio of revered brands, including the world's oldest brewery, Weihenstephan, TBS prides itself on introducing U.S. consumers to diverse breweries, wineries and distilleries with long histories of tradition and quality. Upon learning of the Celis trademark available for sale, CEO Dave Pardus knew this was an iconic brand that could be restored to greatness. "Two years later, and with Christine getting her facility and team assembled, it was the right thing to do," said Pardus. "Christine will have the intangible passion we could not create and thus it was an easy decision to make the brand available to her."

Total Beverage Solution:

Founded in 2002, Total Beverage Solution, a six-time Beverage Industry Top 100 company, has earned a reputation for the company's market expertise and proven sales results by creating value and demand for exceptional brands. Total Beverage Solution provides full-service front and back of house support dedicated to help both foreign and domestic alcohol brands enter and navigate the US beverage market. For more visit: www.tbsbrands.com

SOURCE Total Beverage Solution

Related Links

http://www.tbsbrands.com


SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Universal Technical Institute, Inc. (NYSE: UTI), today announced that its rights agreement has been amended to accelerate the expiration date to February 21, 2017, effectively terminating the agreement as of today.

"In accelerating the termination of the rights agreement, the Board considered a number of factors, including an assessment of the current environment, proxy advisory guidelines and feedback from shareholders," said Kim McWaters, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "The Board believes that terminating the rights agreement now rather than waiting until June, when it is due to expire, is in the best interest of the Company and its shareholders."

In connection with the expiration of the rights agreement, UTI will be taking routine actions to voluntarily deregister the related preferred stock purchase rights under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These actions are administrative in nature and will have no effect on UTI's common stock, which continues to be listed on the NYSE.

About Universal Technical Institute, Inc.

Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, Universal Technical Institute, Inc. (NYSE: UTI) is the leading provider of post-secondary education for students seeking careers as professional automotive, diesel, collision repair, motorcycle and marine technicians. With more than 200,000 graduates in its 52-year history, UTI offers undergraduate degree and diploma programs at 12 campuses across the United States, as well as manufacturer-specific training programs at dedicated training centers. Through its campus-based school system, UTI provides specialized post-secondary education programs under the banner of several well-known brands, including Universal Technical Institute (UTI), Motorcycle Mechanics Institute and Marine Mechanics Institute (MMI) and NASCAR Technical Institute (NASCAR Tech). For more information visit www.uti.edu .

Contact:

Bryce Peterson

Chief Financial Officer

Universal Technical Institute, Inc.

(623) 445-0993

SOURCE Universal Technical Institute, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.uti.edu


MINNEAPOLIS, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Responding to the Trump administration's expansion of expedited removal policies, American Families United President Kimberly Anderson was blunt: "The best thing the President could do about undocumented immigrants is to stop making so many of them."

"By expanding the categories for summary removal in all directions, willy-nilly, the Trump administration shows that it still doesn't understand its job is to protect the rights of US citizens," Anderson said. "American Families United is the only organization representing US citizens married to new Americans who have been caught by the fish hooks and bear traps that litter our immigration laws. This kind of all-enforcement, all-the-time, everywhere Trump approach is an attempt to force us to choose between our marriages and America  which is our country. We're not going to take it."

"We have bipartisan legislation in Congress, HR 1036, the American Families United Act," sponsored by Beto O'Rourke (D-TX) and Steve Pearce (R-NM), Anderson explained. "We have proposed specific steps that must be taken to reform our immigration laws to uphold our American values and rights as US Citizens."

"We recently launched an online petition, which got a thousand signatures in less than a week," Anderson said. "American citizens are the most neglected constituency in the immigration debate, but that is changing. We are going to be heard."

Our Website:

AmericanFamiliesUnited.org

AFU Petition

https://www.change.org/p/president-of-the-united-states-what-about-american-citizen-rights-in-immigration-reform/u/19479290

Kimberly Anderson, President  612-715-9833,

[email protected]

Paul Donnelly, media contact 301-537-3573,

[email protected]

SOURCE American Families United

Related Links

http://americanfamiliesunited.org/


BELMONT, Mass., Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Daniel Research Group, a market research firm specializing in forecasting technology markets announces the publication of the United States Personal Device 2017-2021 Forecast Report. The report is available on DRG's website, www.DanielResearchGroup.com, or directly from this link: http://tinyurl.com/DRGReport.

United States Personal Computer Market, Unit Shipments - New Taxonomy United States Personal Computer Market, Unit Shipments

Market Overview

2017 will see the start of a significant transformation of the United States Personal Computing Device market characterized by strong, but uneven, growth over the next five years. The dominant factor driving this growth will be both households and businesses choosing Detachable Tablets as their preferred device for both new and replacement Personal Computer purchases. The variance in the growth pattern derives from a forecasted mild economic slow-down in 2019 and 2020 that will delay some purchasing decisions until 2021.

United States Total Personal Device Unit Shipments (M)



2016 2017 AGR 2021 CAGR '16-'21

Desktop PCs 17.8 15.9 -10.6% 9.1 -12.0%

Mobile PCs 45.2 47.6 5.3% 55.5 4.2% Total PCs

63.0 63.5 0.8% 64.6 0.5%















Detachable 6.2 11.3 83.5% 95.8 73.1%

Slate 39.2 32.5 -17.1% 13.6 -19.1% Total Tablets

45.4 43.8 -3.5% 109.4 19.2%













Total Personal Computers 108.4 107.3 -1.0% 174.0 9.9%















Standard Phones 24.7 21.9 -11.2% 9.4 -17.6%

Smartphones 183.7 196.9 7.2% 244.1 5.9% Total Mobile Phones 208.4 218.8 5.0% 253.5 4.0%













Total Personal Devices 316.8 326.1 3.0% 427.5 6.2%  Daniel Research Group  (2017)

According to Stephen Daniel, President of DRG, "The opportunity to migrate legacy and manual business processes in the enterprise sector, and life management tasks in the consumer sector, to Personal Devices has never been greater. Over the next five year growth in enterprise mobility applications that exploit the adaptability of current and anticipated Detachable Tablets will drive a significant portion of the market growth."

"Over the next five years, Detachable Tablets share of Mobile Device shipments will grow from 12% to 64%, increasing its share of Mobile Device Installed base from 6% to 36%. By 2021, 60% of households and 68% of business will be using Detachable Tablets."

A New Personal Device Taxonomy

In the report, DRG contends that the device taxonomy used for the past 10 years - Desktop PCs, Mobile PCs, Tablets and Mobile Phones - is outdated and no longer useful. Instead, different categories, focused on location and primary purpose, more accurately reflect the natural segmentation of the United States Personal Device Market. The report presents forecast tables and charts using both the current and the new taxonomies.

Primary User Benefit Fixed Location Mobile Content Creation and

Capture Desktop PCs Mobile PCs Detachable Tablets Content Delivery

Slate Tablets e-Readers Communication

Mobile Phones

Average Device Age Over Time

DRG's technology product and service forecasting approach relies heavily on understanding the long-term trends of key historical time-series, including the average age of the devices in use. Users accelerate replacing units when new competitive hardware or software products are introduced, and they are comfortable with economic conditions, they delay replacing devices when economic conditions worsen, or when there is no compelling reason to change.

About Daniel Research Group

DRG is a market research and consulting firm servicing technology clients. Its primary focus is developing custom market models and forecasts utilizing proprietary methodologies and algorithms developed over more than 30 years. The forecast in the report was developed using DRG's EquilibriumSolver (EQS) methodology and application. To learn more about EQS, click on these links  Fact Sheet: http://tinyurl.com/EQSFactSheet, White Paper: http://tinyurl.com/EQSWhitePaper.

Contact

Steve Daniel

President

Daniel Research Group

(617) 484  6225

[email protected]

www.DanielResearchGroup.com

SOURCE Daniel Research Group

Related Links

http://www.danielresearchgroup.com


"Sen. Duckworth is one of the George Washington University's most distinguished alumni. From her military service to her tireless advocacy on behalf of veterans, women and families, Sen. Duckworth has dedicated her life to serving her country. She embodies a spirit of service and sacrifice that has inspired our many GW veterans and our university as a whole," said George Washington University President Steven Knapp.

Sen. Duckworth was elected to the Senate in 2016 after serving two terms in the House of Representatives. While serving in the House, Sen. Duckworth was a member of the House Armed Services Committee and helped pass several policies to help veterans. As a senator, she is continuing her lifelong mission of supporting, protecting and keeping promises made to veterans.

"I went to GW in part because of its outstanding record educating students in international relations, something that is as relevant and important today as it has ever been," said Sen. Duckworth. "GW helped me build a foundation for everything I've done since graduating, whether in the military, at the Department of Veterans Affairs ornowin the Senate. I'm so grateful for the opportunities that I've had and the role my alma mater played in them, but I never anticipated giving the commencement address being one of them. I'm humbled by this invitation and look forward to encouraging my fellow alums to go out and make a difference in the world."

Sen. Duckworth is a former assistant secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs and was among the first Army women to fly combat missions during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The George Washington University is the only university to hold its graduation ceremony on the National Mall, and this year's ceremony will take place on the grounds of the Washington Monument.

Previous GW Commencement speakers include Apple CEO Tim Cook, award-winning actress and alumna Kerry Washington, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, then-First Lady Michelle Obama, former President George H.W. Bush and former First Lady Barbara Bush, then-First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton and world-renowned chef and humanitarian Jose Andres.

SOURCE George Washington University

Related Links

http://www.gwu.edu


PITTSBURGH, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The United Steelworkers (USW) union released the following statement today from USW International President Leo W. Gerard marking the anniversary of the 2006 Pasta de Conchos mine disaster that killed 65 people.

"February 19 marked the 11th anniversary of the explosion at Grupo Mexico's Pasta de Conchos mine in Coahuila, Mexico, that took the lives of 65 workers. Eleven years later, the bodies of 63 miners are still entombed in the mine.

"There has been no prosecution of any official of Grupo Mexico, which continues to violate the rights of its workers in Mexico and Peru, and at Asarco in the United States. No government official has gone to jail. Napoleon Gomez, who denounced the deaths as 'industrial homicide,' leads the mineworkers union  Los Mineros  from Canada where he is in exile because of false criminal charges that the Mexican government continues to pursue even after the country's highest courts have cleared him. And despite the demands of Los Mineros, workers continue to die in Mexico's mines.

"The Steelworkers remember our fallen brothers at Pasta de Conchos, their families, and their union. We will continue fighting shoulder to shoulder with Napoleon Gomez and Los Mineros until there is justice for the victims of this crime."

The USW is the largest industrial union in North America, representing workers in a range of industries including metals, mining, rubber, paper and forestry, oil refining, health care, security, hotels, and municipal governments and agencies.

CONTACT:

R.J. Hufnagel, 412-562-2450, [email protected]

SOURCE United Steelworkers (USW)

Related Links

http://www.usw.org


SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Verto Analytics (http://vertoanalytics.com), the consumer-centric measurement company, today released a new report titled "Multitasking and Mobile Apps: New Ways to Measure Consumer Behavior," prior to the company's participation in the Mobile World Congress taking place in Barcelona next week.

The report analyzed mobile app usage from a panel of U.S. consumers from January to December 2016 and found that multitasking behavioropening and using multiple apps during a single sessionis on the rise, shedding light on how consumers engage with devices and apps in a single day. While multitasking behaviors have been prominent in Japan and China for years, Verto's insights signal the expansion of these digital behaviors to the U.S. market signaling a change in the way brands and marketers should think about engaging with the mobile-centric consumers.

The report provides detailed analysis of three growing consumer trends on mobile devices:

The rise of multitasking a single session during which at least four different apps are used during that same session. A session is defined when a user unlocks their device and engages with it, either by launching an app or engaging with a service.

a single session during which at least four different apps are used during that same session. A session is defined when a user unlocks their device and engages with it, either by launching an app or engaging with a service. The emergence of hub apps apps that consumers rely on to conduct multiple activities and engage with services and content, much like China's WeChat.

apps that consumers rely on to conduct multiple activities and engage with services and content, much like WeChat. The growth of personal assistant appsapps that allow consumers to interact with and execute requests in their external environments.

Verto has developed a new metricreturn rateto quantify and rank hub apps based on the rate at which consumers use them to multitask. The return rate measures the likelihood of the user returning to the app within a single session, compared to all sessions of the same app. The return rate is the ratio of multitasking sessions, when a given app experiences a return, against the total number of sessions of that app within a given time frame. For example, if you use WhatsApp once a day every day for a month (30 days)and in ve of those sessions people leave and return to WhatsApp during the same sessionthe return rate for WhatsApp is 18% (5/30). If a particular app attracts a large proportion of its user base from consumers who frequently multitask, that will lead to a high return rate for that particular app, meaning it is actively used with other apps and plays a central role in the consumer's session-level smartphone behaviors.

Verto Analytics' data shows that American adults (ages 18 and above) own an average of five devices, a category that includes PCs, smartphones, tablets and wearables. And these consumers expect a seamless experience as they move across these screens and devices. Brands and publishers now have the daunting task of competing for a single consumer's attention across an average of five screens and during intense bursts of activity like multitasking.

"Our data shows that consumer mobile behavior has shifted from using different apps in a linear fashion, to using certain apps repeatedly over the course of a single online session," said Hannu Verkasalo, CEO of Verto Analytics. "By understanding which hub apps are on the rise, retailers, brands, and publishers can use this data to improve their services and encourage repeat consumer interactions. Further, the most significant hub apps with the highest return rates offer solid advertising, partnership, and monetization opportunities."

Findings from the report include:

Multitasking behavior and return rates: Men are slightly more likely to multitask compared to women: Out of device sessions by women, 3.5% are multitasking sessions, compared to 3.7% for men, and average session lengths among men (total length of device usage) are also longer. Social media services and messaging apps (such as Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Snapchat and WhatsApp) have the highest likelihood of being part of consumer multitasking behavior. Among personal assistant apps, Amazon's Alexa has a high return rate of 5.1%, as it serves as a hub to jump to other apps, whereas Apple's Siri has a return rate of almost 0%, because Apple built Siri to preclude multitasking.

Hub apps: In China , WeChat has risen to become an indispensable, central hub app for Chinese consumers and has evolved to incorporate services and features that range from mobile payments to hailing cabs. In the U.S., the top hub apps are Google Search, Google text-to-speech, and Gmail (based on return rate). In the category of social media and communications apps, Kik, Viber and Line all have a higher return rates than Facebookmeaning that multitasking consumers are more likely to return to these apps than to Facebook.

Apps that interact with external environments: Apps of this type include quantified self apps, fitness tracking apps, connected home apps, personal assistant apps and streaming media apps paired with hardware. This new breed of app comprise 4% of the app market, with 1,000 apps available in the U.S., including Siri, Amazon Alexa and Fitbit. The fastest-growing app in this category is Amazon Alexa, which saw more than a 200% increase in monthly users between June and December 2016 . As of January 2017 , it claimed 2.6 million monthly unique users. Google's Nest app has 2.7 million monthly unique users who use the app an average of 17 times per month to regulate their home's temperature.



Verto's single-source measurement methodology is based on behavioral data gathered from a panel of opt-in consumers that own and use multiple mobile devices. Verto measures from the point of consumer interaction across all platforms, media, content and devices.

Verto's "Multitasking and Mobile Apps: New Ways to Measure Consumer Behavior" report is available for download here. To learn more about the report's findings, attend a webinar on the topic on February 23 at 9:00am PT/12:00pm ET. Or, meet with the Verto team at booth # 8.1K20 at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

About Verto Analytics

Verto Analytics provides a consumer-centric audience measurement solution for monitoring the complex behavior of today's consumer on every device, app and platform they use throughout the day. Verto provides data and insights to inform marketing, competitive intelligence, media buying, and product strategy and development. Backed by EQT Ventures, Conor Venture Partners and Open Ocean Capital, Verto is a privately held global company with offices in New York City, San Francisco, London and Helsinki, Finland. Read our blog, follow us on Twitter, or learn more at http://www.vertoanalytics.com.

All trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE Verto Analytics

Related Links

http://vertoanalytics.com


ATLANTA, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- AGL is reinventing the way veterinarians care for pets with the availability of Vetrax.

Through Vetrax, veterinarians can, for the first time, continuously monitor specific dog behaviors that impact medical treatment. Pet owners' perceptions and the limited time veterinarians are able to observe patients in-practice can now be augmented with 24/7 monitoring for maximum understanding of the pet's condition. This deeper insight allows veterinarians to confirm observations, or detect changes before onset of clinical signs.

The Vetrax Sensor, Vetrax App for pet owners and Vetrax Portal for veterinarians provide access to detailed insights that go beyond basic activity tracking to include shaking, scratching, running, walking, resting, sleeping and sleep quality.

"Vetrax came to fruition through years of research and partnership with veterinarians," said Joe Young, chief operating officer, AGL. "Our objective was to design a simple, yet powerful system to play an important role in the dog's care by telling us what they can't."

Dogs wear the Vetrax sensor on their collars as part of a prescribed chronic care or wellness plan. The sensor works seamlessly with the Vetrax App, allowing pet owners to be even more engaged in their pet's healthcare.

The Vetrax Portal serves as a powerful digital platform where data collected from each dog's sensor is analyzed and used to establish baseline patterns. With the Portal, the veterinary healthcare team can monitor the results of their recommendations in real time and see how nutritional and/or pharmaceutical treatments are performing for dogs on dermatological, weight, mobility and wellness plans. Goals can be set for each dog, and pet owners can be advised to bring their pet back to the veterinary practice, if necessary, based on the timely insights gained from Vetrax.

"We are thrilled that our first strategic partner, Hill's Pet Nutrition, has elected to use Vetrax to enhance their portfolio offerings," said Young. "Our sophisticated behavior monitoring capabilities, coupled with their long-standing expertise in pet nutrition, provide veterinarians with another tool to help manage their canine patients."

Vetrax is now for sale directly to veterinarians across the U.S. Pet owners should talk with their veterinarians to learn more about Vetrax. Information about becoming a Vetrax practice is available at vetrax.com.

For more information about Vetrax and partnership opportunities with AGL, call 913-565-2445 or email [email protected].

About AGL

Based in Atlanta, Georgia, AGL develops novel systems that help owners and their veterinarians manage animals' health to provide the best quality of life for pets. AGL works with strategic- development partners, including the Georgia Tech Research Institute, to combine the very latest technologies with exclusively licensed animal-behavior algorithms. The result is convenient, noninvasive monitoring systems that are extraordinary.

CONTACT:

Megan Wheeler

314-518-5317

[email protected]

SOURCE AGL
CAMAS, Wash., Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Veteran financial advisor, Patrick Huey, has founded Victory Independent Planning to help west coast private clients and charitable organizations optimize their financial strategies. Huey is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER and Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy, and holds a Master of Business Administration. The name, Victory Independent Planning, is a nod to Huey's service as a United States Naval Flight Officer: during two oversees deployments, he flew the F-14B Tomcat with the Jolly Rogers Fighter Squadron 103, which uses the radio callsign "Victory."

Patrick Huey, Owner & Principal Advisor, states, "My goal is to be a difference maker for my clients -- helping people and the causes they care about dream and design their financial strategies. Whether it's planning for individual retirement, business succession or helping an organization meet its mission goals, my specialty is charting a course so clients can have maximum impact." He continues, "Our mission is to provide a VIP Experience for our clients -- an effective financial relationship anchored by breadth and depth of expertise, stewardship over sales, independence over corporate interest, proactive and personalized service, and value focus." Huey has over 20 years of leadership experience including more than a decade in financial services. He is the volunteer Treasurer for Portland's Sunshine Division, a food and clothing relief organization and authors History Lessons, a blog drawing on historical anecdotes to teach investment lessons.

Victory Independent Planning offers investment, retirement and philanthropic planning services, and serves clients along the West Coast. The company offers investment advisory services through WealthSource Partners, LLC ("WSP"), a registered investment advisor. www.victoryindependentplanning.com

Patrick Huey (CRD #5005878) is an Investment Adviser Representative of WSP dba Victory Independent Planning. Registration with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission does not imply any certain level of skill or training.

SOURCE Victory Independent Planning

Related Links

https://www.victoryindependentplanning.com


BALI, Indonesia, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, at the Economist's fourth annual World Ocean Summit, the Walton Family Foundation outlined its five-year strategy for sustainable fisheries across Indonesia, building on 10 years of work with fishermen and the government. Indonesia's seafood industry is the second largest in the world, generating $5 billion in export revenue and employing more than 9 million people. Studies have estimated the country's fishing industry could generate $2.3 billion more in revenue if its fisheries were sustainably managed.

"Through our work in Indonesia over the past 10 years, we have learned that fishing smarter, not harder, at sustainable levels is the best way to make fisheries more plentiful and generate economic security for fishing communities," said Rob Walton, chair of the foundation's environment committee. "Every morning millions of Indonesian fishermen head out in small boats, many without motors, to make a living and feed their families. We are proud to continue our investments in Indonesia to improve its long-term economic prosperity while also protecting the health of the ocean."

The Walton Family Foundation's strategy will build upon the relationships and successes over the past 10 years. It is investing $32 million through the end of 2020 on initiatives that partner with the government, local partners, NGOs and businesses to advance fishing policies and practices that align Indonesia's environmental, social and economic interests.

"This investment is a direct result of the Indonesian government's leadership and commitment to advancing sustainable fishing practices," said Barry Gold, environment program director. "We look forward to continuing our work with the government and the fishermen throughout the country so that these critical fisheries continue to thrive."

The investments will support management reforms for a select number of economically and socially important fisheries, including blue swimming crab, tuna and snapper-grouper. Among the top priorities will be improving the ability of Indonesian fishery management agencies to use strong scientific information and tools as the basis for making decisions; supporting the implementation of rights-based fisheries management to secure long-term rights for local fishing communities; and implementing changes at every level of the supply chain so that seafood and fishing businesses are rewarded for adopting sustainable practices.

The foundation announced its approach for Indonesia during the Economist's fourth annual World Ocean Summit, where businesses, industry groups, scientists, governments, ocean advocates and philanthropies come together to identify effective ways to shift from a conventional ocean economy to a "blue" economy that boosts ocean health and economic prosperity at the same time.

For the past three decades, the Walton Family Foundation has invested in conservation solutions that make economic sense. The foundation is focused on tackling one of the major threats to our oceans  overfishing  by identifying sustainable, locally-managed solutions that lead to more sustainable fisheries and more vibrant communities. It is currently working in the United States, Mexico, Peru, Chile and Indonesia. By empowering local fishermen and communities, setting fishing quotas based on reliable science, and harnessing the market to incentivize sustainable seafood, the foundation is working to bring together conservation groups, businesses and communities to restore the health of oceans for the long term.

About the Walton Family Foundation and its Environmental Initiatives

At the Walton Family Foundation, we believe that conservation solutions that make economic sense stand the test of time. We work to achieve lasting change by creating new and unexpected partnerships among conservation, business and community interests to build durable solutions to important problems.

Through its environmental initiatives, the foundation is investing in two of the most important conservation issues of our time: restoring the health of the oceans through sustainable fisheries, and preserving functioning rivers and the quality and availability of fresh water they provide. This work spans four initiatives: Oceans, Colorado River, Mississippi River and Coastal Gulf of Mexico. Learn more at: www.waltonfamilyfoundation.org.

SOURCE Walton Family Foundation

Related Links

http://www.waltonfamilyfoundation.org


Daniel Burstein, Senior Director of Editorial Content, MarketingSherpa, explained the disconnect in the MarketingSherpa article "Marketing Chart: Does customer-centric marketing fall short of satisfying the customer?"

"With our marketing, we build a relationship with a customer. And much like a marriage, there is a constant evaluation of if there is a fair and equal value exchange between the two parties," Burstein said. "People in happy marriages and unhappy marriages can see the same situation in a different way. For example, let's say a husband doesn't take out the garbage. In a happy marriage, this is usually a momentary, fleeting thought or annoyance. However, in an unhappy marriage, it can become much more. It ends up not being about the act itself, but rather the motivations behind the act."

The data is from the MarketingSherpa Customer Satisfaction Research study of 2,400 consumers, sampled to reflect a close match to the U.S. population's demographics, and conducted in September and October 2016 during the planning of MarketingSherpa Summit 2017's content. Half of the respondents (1,200) were asked to reflect on their experiences with a brand with which they are highly satisfied, and the other half (1,200) were questioned about a brand with which they are not satisfied. The responses of these two groups were then compared and contrasted against each other. The respondents from each age group, the Silent Generation (71-93); Baby Boomers (52-70); Generation Xers (34-51); and Millennials (18-35); were nearly evenly split between the paired surveys.

View the entire study at MarketingSherpa.com/ConsumerStudy. For questions regarding the survey or its methodology, please contact Erin Donker at [email protected].

About MarketingSherpa Summit 2017

MarketingSherpa Summit 2017 is a showcase of inspirational stories of customer-first marketing. Building off Email Summit's heritage, the four-day 2017 Summit, taking place at the ARIA Resort in Las Vegas from April 10-13, 2017, will highlight some of the most successful digital marketing campaigns using email, data, mobile, social media and content, including award-winning case studies presented by brand-side marketers. There will be breakout sessions that offer interactive roundtables for marketing technology and messaging tips and advice from industry experts and brand-side marketers, as well as networking opportunities to exchange experiences. MarketingSherpa is a publishing subsidiary of MECLABS Institute.

For more information about Marketing Sherpa Summit 2017, visit http://marketingsherpa.com/summit2017.

About MECLABS Institute

Founded in 1997 and based in Jacksonville, Florida, MECLABS Institute is the world's largest research institute dedicated to discovering how people make choices.

MECLABS has been involved in direct Research Partnerships with companies throughout Asia, Europe and the Americas since 2001. As an institute focused on offer-response optimization particularly in the field of value exchange, the Institute is dedicated to taking an academic approach to improving the discipline of marketing by teaching its discoveries through workshops, online learning and a graduate-level program in partnership with the University of Florida.

MECLABS' two publishing subsidiaries  MarketingExperiments and MarketingSherpa  publish experiments and provide insights to the marketing community.

For more information about MECLABS, visit https://meclabs.com/.

SOURCE MarketingSherpa

Related Links

http://www.marketingsherpa.com


COLUMBUS, Ohio, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- White Castle unveils the Seafood Crab Cake Slider, another Bold Move from the hamburger pioneer. The newest seasonal catch is perfect for seafood lovers of all ages, and will satisfy any Craver's appetite. These tasty seafood crab cakes, topped with a zesty creole sauce, are served on the signature slider bun and will be available at most White Castle restaurants for a limited time beginning February 17.

"White Castle has been innovating since 1921, when we started the first fast food chain. Today we are proud to continue leading the industry by being the first to offer a seafood crab cake sandwich at all restaurants. The bold and unique flavors of our limited-time Seafood Crab Cake Sliders are joined by the Craver favorite, Shrimp Nibblers," said Jamie Richardson, vice president of White Castle. "Make a bold move and come to White Castle to try them, because before you know it, they could be gone!"

The Shrimp Nibblers are made with mouthwatering butterfly shrimp and cooked to perfection. When customers order the Classic Shrimp Nibblers they have a choice of four dipping sauces, including cocktail, ranch, tartar or zesty zing.

The limited-time only Seafood Crab Cake Slider and Shrimp Nibblers join the everyday seafood lineup of Fish Sliders, Fish Nibblers and Clam Strips, available in some regions for a limited time only. White Castle's Fish Sliders and Fish Nibblers are made with "Wild, Natural, Sustainable" Alaska Pollock.

"Many of our Cravers seek a dining experience with quality, affordable and convenient seafood menu items," Richardson said. "At White Castle, every Craver is like family, and we want to provide them with a variety of delicious and fresh seafood items whenever you're craving, morning, noon or night."

For a limited time, Cravers can enjoy a free Sack of 20 Chicken Rings with $20 online purchase with keyword RINGS. The offer is valid for online or mobile app orders only.

Visit whitecastle.com for more information about White Castle's newest menu items.

About White Castle

White Castle, America's first fast-food hamburger chain based in Columbus, Ohio, has been making Bold Moves as a family-owned business for more than 95 years. The company was founded in Wichita, Kansas, in 1921 serving The Original Slider which was named the most influential burger of all time in 2014 by Time. Today White Castle owns and operates nearly 400 restaurants in 13 states. All White Castle Sliders are made from 100 percent USDA inspected beef. White Castle's commitment to maintaining the highest quality products extends to the company owning and operating its own meat processing plants and bakeries as well as three frozen food processing plants. The retail division markets White Castle tasty food choices in grocery, warehouse and convenience stores across the United States and in a growing number of international locations, including military PX's around the world.

Cravers on-the-go can access sweet deals and place a pick-up order any time in the official White Castle app. Download the app today from the iTunes App Store or Google Play. For more information on White Castle visit whitecastle.com.

SOURCE White Castle

Related Links

http://www.whitecastle.com


HARRISBURG, Pa., Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA), along with the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED), today announced that the following communities will receive grant funds to acquire homes in order to avoid future losses from events such as flooding or sinkholes.

"These grants provide communities with the opportunity to remove people and structures from harm's way in high-hazard areas, without having to pay for it entirely on their own," said PEMA Director Richard D. Flinn Jr. "We are happy to work with our state and federal partners to work on behalf of the impacted citizens of the commonwealth."

The homes in the projects listed below were selected by grant-eligible communities. PEMA and DCED assisted in the application development process. A total of 106 homeowners will have the opportunity to participate in the buyout program using up to $8.3 million in Community Development Block Grant  Disaster Recovery funding through DCED. It is important to note that homeowners may at any time voluntarily decline to participate in the program, and the numbers below may fluctuate as a result.

The awarded amounts are as follows:

Project Name County Funding Households Wyoming County Project 1 Wyoming $2,453,000 14 CDBG-DR City of Harrisburg Dauphin $2,579,099 28 PDM City of Harrisburg #1 This is CDBG-DR money to satisfy the local share

required by the previously awarded 2015 FEMA

Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) grant of $1.65

million. Dauphin $600,000 25 South Lebanon Township Lebanon $195,000 1 Plymouth Township Luzerne $2,500,000 23 Scott Township Columbia $947,007 15

"Ensuring that businesses and communities have opportunities to succeed and thrive is key to DCED's work," said DCED Secretary Dennis Davin. "By contributing to these efforts we are aiding the movement of individuals away from potential harm  both physical and financial. In doing so, we are also contributing to the overall, shared economic well-being of the commonwealth."

PEMA will administer these funds directly with the municipal grant recipients. PEMA received 16 applications totaling more than $16 million in requests that were reviewed by the State Application Review Team. The scoring criteria included but was not limited to: projects benefiting a low and moderate income neighborhood; projects must be located in one of the five hardest-hit counties during Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee as required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; eligible municipalities must be in good standing as determined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency National Flood Insurance Program; and eligible municipality must prove the capability to meet all requirements to complete the projects in a timely manner.

PEMA staff will continue to work with DCED personnel to ensure an expedited process to move homeowners and tenants out of these high risk areas using these awarded funds and to restore the floodplain to its natural state and ensure the safety of those near areas vulnerable to sinkholes.

MEDIA CONTACT: Ruth A. Miller (PEMA), 717-651-2009; [email protected]

David Misner (DCED), 717-783-1132

SOURCE Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency

Related Links

http://www.state.pa.us/


PITTSBURGH, Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- As news of data breaches and phishing scams circulate, healthcare professionals may be more aware of cybercrime, but cyber attackers are becoming equally savvy. During HIMSS17, Wombat Security Technologies (Wombat), the leading provider of cyber security awareness and training, is expanding its U.S. focused Healthcare Security Awareness Training Program to include additional ransomware training to help combat the ever-changing cybersecurity and education challenges unique to healthcare enterprises.

Wombat's Beyond the Phish Report released late last summer looked at nearly 20 million questions asked and answered regarding nine different topics in their Security Education Platform. Staff in healthcare organizations did worse than average in several categories such as phishing, using the internet safely, protecting mobile devices and information, building safe passwords and even protecting confidential information where they missed more questions than any other industry at 32%. However, Wombat has also seen healthcare clients have great success, such as a recent POC that showed an 86% reduction in vulnerability from a hospital and medical center that implemented Wombat's solutions.

"Hackers are interested in valuable data, and today healthcare records are some of the most valuable," said Joe Ferrara, President and CEO of Wombat Security. "Ponemon Institute estimates data breaches cost the healthcare industry $6.2 billion last year. And we know when the healthcare industry in particular is hit with a data breach, it presents a huge risk to the delivery of care and patient data. We want to arm our healthcare partners with the right training and tools to avoid these kind of attacks in the future."

Wombat's Healthcare Security Awareness and Training Program was created to address the unique challenges in a healthcare environment. The program includes a best practices document, providing guidance on running a successful program in a healthcare setting and showing how all of the pieces of this bundle fit into the four key steps of Wombat's Continuous Training Methodology: Assess, Educate, Reinforce, and Measure. The complete program components are:

1. Assessment Tools

Protected Health Info Predefined CyberStrength assessment not only provides a baseline measurement of staff's knowledge about a critical topic  safeguarding PHI  but will allow teams to immediately begin to address areas of vulnerability.

ThreatSim  Wombat's simulated phishing attack tool, including simulated phishing templates that healthcare organizations might receive.

2. Education Modules

Protected Health Information  Explains PHI identifiers; mandates and components of PHI compliance; and best practices for using, disclosing, transmitting, and storing PHI. (Note: We worked with our healthcare customers to ensure this training meets the needs of healthcare organizations.)

Email Security  Teaches users how to spot and avoid the traps commonly found in phishing emails and spear phishing attacks.

Protecting Against Ransomware  Helps end users learn how to recognize and prevent ransomware attacks, which have become a significant threat to healthcare organizations.

Data Protection and Destruction  Highlights the importance of protecting data throughout its lifecycle.

Physical Security  Introduces the key components of physical security and teaches staff members about their role in maintaining a safe and secure work environment.

3. Reinforcement Components

PhishAlarm  Allows email client add-in enables employees to report a suspected phishing email with a single mouse click. Users who report a suspicious message are immediately rewarded with a "thank you" pop-up message or an email that encourages this behavior in the future.

PhishAlarm Analyzer - Prioritizes reported messages and streamlines response and remediation.

Security Awareness Materials  Videos, posters and images that help raise awareness in healthcare organizations. Wombat's newly released Awareness Video Campaigns contain content to keep staff members thinking and talking about cybersecurity. This new offering includes a video on protecting patient data.

4. Measurement Tools

Each product has reporting and analytic tools to identify weaknesses and measure progress.

Wombat's Continuous Training Methodology has been shown to reduce successful phishing and malware infections by up to 90 percent. Their market-leading approach and award winning Security Education Platform currently helps over 1,000 enterprise organizations change employee behavior and dramatically reduce the risk of a cyber-attack.

Those looking to learn more about security awareness and training can find the Wombat Security team at HIMSS17, February 19-23, 2017 (Booth #275) at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.

About Wombat Security Technologies

Wombat Security Technologies provides information security awareness and training software to help organizations teach their employees secure behavior. Their SaaS-based cyber security education solution includes a platform of integrated broad assessments, as well as a library of simulated attacks and brief interactive training modules. Wombat's solutions help organizations reduce successful phishing attacks and malware infections up to 90%. Wombat, recognized by Gartner as a leader in the Magic Quadrant for Security Awareness Computer-Based Training Vendors, is helping Fortune 1000 and Global 2000 customer in industry segments such as finance and banking, energy, technology, higher education, retail and consumer packaged goods to strengthen their cyber security defenses.

SOURCE Wombat Security Technologies

Related Links

http://www.wombatsecurity.com


SAN JOSE, Calif., Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Zentera Systems, Inc., the leader in multicloud security and networking, today announced that its infrastructure security solution for the multicloud ecosystem now integrates with telecommunications industry cloud service providers, delivering defense-in-depth that secures production workloads across managed service datacenters, as well as multiple clouds, without requiring changes to existing infrastructure. As its first announced integration, the Zentera Cloud over IP (CoIP) solution is now available through the CenturyLink Cloud Marketplace Provider Program.

"At CenturyLink, we sit at the heart of enterprise networking and cloud-based applications," said David Shacochis, Vice President of Cloud Platform at CenturyLink. "It's an amazing time for software-defined network innovation, and Zentera is an example of agile network management technology that business customers can incorporate into their hybrid cloud architecture. Having Zentera's technology on the CenturyLink Cloud Marketplace enables customers to quickly purchase and easily deploy their solution through automation, and put it on their CenturyLink bill."

CoIP is an on-demand virtual network overlay that provides multicloud security and networking together with network encryption, east-west microsegmentation and application whitelisting. It is IP-network and cloud-agnostic in its design, supporting virtual machines (VMs), containers and compute endpoints, and can be deployed rapidly without interfering with existing infrastructure or security measures.

"CoIP is unique in its ability to integrate its defense-in-depth security capabilities with CenturyLink's telecom-grade cloud service offering," said Jaushin Lee, Zentera's founder and CEO. "With CoIP, CenturyLink offers a complete security solution that includes overlay service connection isolation, shielding and filtering across widely used clouds such as AWS, Azure and Google Cloud. This integration complements our existing integrations with industry-leading security providers as we expand our profile in the multicloud ecosystem."

The CenturyLink Cloud Marketplace Provider Program allows participating technology companies to integrate their solutions with the CenturyLink Cloud platform. These add-on and business-ready solutions are available to CenturyLink's cloud, hosting and network customers.

Zentera Systems will be participating in the CenturyLink 2017 Alliances Ascend event, Feb. 22-24, San Diego, following its demonstrations of CoIP in production at the RSA Conference 2017 where Zentera won the Start-up of the Year Silver Award in the 2017 Global Excellence Awards.

Availability

CoIP for CenturyLink is available through the CenturyLink Cloud Marketplace. See https://www.ctl.io/marketplace/partner/ZZNC/product/CoIP/v/3.4.3/ for more information. Zentera's CoIP platform is also available through select partners.

About Zentera

Zentera's CoIP solution directly addresses the security and networking needs of the multicloud market. CoIP's security capabilities are deeply integrated with its virtual overlay network, accelerating productivity and business agility. CoIP works with any transport in any environment, does not interfere with existing infrastructure, and can be up and running in less than a day. The company is a Red Herring Top 100 winner based in Silicon Valley, and offers CoIP through select partners. Visit www.zentera.net.

Media Inquiries

Dan Spalding, Public Relations

Zentera Systems, Inc.

+1 408 960-9297

[email protected]

Zentera, Cloud over IP and CoIP are trademarks of Zentera Systems, Inc., in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks cited here are the properties of their respective owners.

SOURCE Zentera Systems, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.zentera.net


SACRAMENTO, Calif., Feb. 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Zerez Holdings Inc. (OTC PINK: ZRZH) announced today that its subsidiary Next Generation Farming Inc., has partnered with an established Sacramento-based, state-of-the-art manufacturing company to locally fabricate the core components for the company's "SMART by Design" line of advanced and automated greenhouse systems.

Taylor Wings, Inc., a 38-year veteran company founded by President John Taylor's family, has agreed to reserve 25% of its production capacity exclusively for Zerez Holdings' agricultural company, Next Generation Farming, Inc. The collaboration removes existing growth barriers for Zerez Holdings and Next Generation Farming, allowing the company to scale production to meet increasing demand, produce parts in-house at greater margins, and control 100% of their supply-chain. Terry Taylor, President of Taylor Wings, stated, "We are excited to apply our expertise, and grow beyond our traditional markets. We are thrilled that we're able to help our son John and his team succeed, and especially proud that 'Made in America' is stamped on each of our products."

The manufacturing facility consist of computer-aided software, supported by a complete line of CNC manufacturing equipment with +/- .003 tolerances assuring customers precision fitment of their parts. John Taylor, President of Zerez Holdings Inc., stated, "It gives us great excitement to both expand our business and to do business with Taylor Wings, Inc. They understand the true depth and capabilities of 'JITS' and SYNCHRO manufacturing techniques, which completely validates our decision."

John Taylor added, "Our business is growing very quickly. Faced with perpetual delays from well-established suppliers, we determined that they simply cannot keep up with our needs. We quickly evaluated our options and arrived at this decision to secure the necessary capacity with a local, specialized manufacturing company capable of meeting our current and forecasted demand for raw materials. At the rate we're expanding, it would have only been a matter of time before we would have had to make this major decision to meet our market share and revenue goals. Now, we can set our own pace. We've already received our first order of raw materials to complete current projects and build an additional twenty, 3,600 sq. ft. units for staging and quick sale, while the very suppliers we relied upon last week are still quoting 10-week delivery times."

Vice President Don Smith stated, "By closing real business we have brought big media attention to the automated greenhouse marketplace. Recently we're seeing a trend of suppliers quoting people with configurations, pricing, and delivery timelines that we know to be both unrealistic and unobtainable. This is just setting the customer and ultimately the supplier up for failure before they even get started. We simply will not do business that way, so taking this bold step to secure a manufacturing partner puts us in position to set our own pace, remain super competitive, and continue to be the company that does what it says it will do."

Zerez Holdings' wholly owned subsidiary Next Generation Farming just launched version 1.0 of its website detailing the company's "SMART by Design" products. The "Quick Deploy" entry-level model starts at $12,995, and is available immediately. The "Quick Deploy" model comes in a variety of configurations, offers optional components and can be constructed in phases. Fully optioned, the "Quick Deploy" series will sell for approximately $49,995. The base system can be constructed quickly at sites that may not have strict building codes, thus allowing the client to begin cultivation within weeks.

The "Endurance" product is priced from $79,995. The various models include building permit-ready designs for more demanding applications, high wind load factors, and extensive infrastructure expandability. Both "SMART by Design" product lines accommodate optional Next Generation Farming proprietary control automation systems, radiant floor heating, lighting options, and advanced blackout systems to achieve maximum efficiency. These products are available for immediate ordering and delivery.

President John Taylor stated, "We are already seeing increased traffic and great feedback on our http://nextgen.farm website. We will continue to build on the basic tools that give potential customers the ability to customize their configuration so they can see what a 'Smart by Design' greenhouse will look like. The pricing tools will come later, but for now, one of our sales consultants follows up on each configuration request to work on a preliminary budget that fits the client's unique application. The site also includes a comprehensive list of frequently asked questions and detailed specifications in a downloadable brochure."

Vice President Don Smith stated, "Our team has worked hard to create packages that offer commercial grade cultivation capabilities at attractive price points. We believe both these products are superior in value, and quality, to any other product on the market today and will quickly become a preferred industry choice for serious organic food and cannabis cultivators."

About Zerez Holdings:

Zerez Holdings, Inc., (OTC PINK: ZRZH) Zerez Holdings is a public equity corporation focused on the advanced agriculture and cannabis industries with plans to grow through acquisition, strategic alliances, and proprietary intellectual property. The company's wholly owned subsidiary Next Generation Farming provides turnkey commercial greenhouse and automation systems that improve yields and decrease water consumption for cultivators of organic food and cannabis crops. The company's websites are http://zerezholdings.com and http://nextgen.farm

About Taylor Wings, Inc.:

A leader in the Trucking Industry, established in 1978, the company offers many different product lines. If you're a trucker, you've purchased Wings, Tool Boxes, Step Boxes, Drom's and more over the years. If you're an RV enthusiast, you have also purchased Wings, Pickup Tool Boxes, Low Boys', V Boxes and more. If you're a Contractor, you know we have you covered with many great choices in Tool Boxes Combo Fuel Tanks and more. We love talking about your Business and how things are going. We like to know what we can do to make our products work better for you in your Business. Customers have come to us with many interesting and challenging custom projects, which we rarely decline. We always love a challenge and learn much from each project. http://taylorwings.com

A Historical Note:

The Founder of Taylor Wings, Terry Taylor, Raced Sprint Cars in his early years and decided to start building Sprint Car Wings in a garage. This evolved into Wings for Big Rigs, then Tool Boxes, Fuel Tanks, one thing led to another and the rest as they say is 'History.'

Disclaimer: The Company relies upon the Safe Harbor Laws of 1933, 1934 and 1995 for all public news releases. Statements, which are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements. The company, through its management, makes forward-looking public statements concerning its expected future operations, performance and other developments. Such forward-looking statements are estimates reflecting the company's best judgment based upon current information and involve a number of risks and uncertainties, and there can be no assurance that other factors will not affect the accuracy of such forward-looking statements. It is impossible to identify all such factors. Factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those estimated by the company include, but are not limited to, government regulation; managing and maintaining growth; the effect of adverse publicity; litigation; competition; and other factors which may be identified from time to time in the company's public announcements.

Contact:

[email protected]

Zerez Holdings Inc.

Don Smith, Vice President

(424) 732-7646

SOURCE Zerez Holdings Inc.

Related Links

http://www.zerezholdings.com


Washington, Feb 16 : A Russian spy ship sits 30 miles off the US coast of Connecticut, according to an American defence official.

This is the farthest north the Russian spy vessel has ever ventured, the official told CNN on Wednesday.

The Leonov, which conducted similar patrols in 2014 and 2015, was off the coast of Delaware, but typically it only travels as far as Virginia.

The ship is based with Russia's northern fleet on the North Sea but had stopped over in Cuba before conducting its patrol along the Atlantic Coast and is expected to return there following its latest mission.

The vessel is outfitted with a variety of high-tech spying equipment and is designed to intercept signals intelligence.

The official said that the US Navy is "keeping a close eye on it".

The Leonov is a Vishnya-class spy ship, as is a Russian vessel that trailed the US ship that encountered close-flying Russian aircraft in the Black Sea on February 10.

The USS Porter was sailing in the Black Sea when it had three encounters with the Russian aircraft.

They were deemed unsafe and unprofessional because of how close the Russian planes flew to the American destroyer. The Pentagon later released pictures of the encounter.
Washington, Feb 17 : Vice Admiral Robert Harward has rejected US President Donald Trumps offer to be the new National Security Adviser, a media report said.

Sources close to the situation told CBS News that Harward and the administration had a dispute over staffing the security council.

Harward demanded his own team, and the White House resisted, they added.

Trump told Deputy National Security Adviser K.T. McFarland that she could retain her post, even after the ouster of National Security Adviser Michael Flynn. Harward refused to keep McFarland as his deputy, and after a day of negotiations over this and other staffing matters, Harward declined to serve as Flynn's replacement.

Harward, a 60-year-old former navy officer, served as deputy commander of US Central Command under now-Defence Secretary James Mattis.

He previously served as deputy commanding general for operations of Joint Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg in North Carolina.

Harward has also commanded troops in both Iraq and Afghanistan for six years after the September 2001 attacks. Under former President George W. Bush, he served on the National Security Council as director of strategy and policy for the office of combating terrorism.

Flynn resigned from the post amid questions about his contacts with Russian officials, CBS News said.

Law enforcement sources confirmed earlier this week that Federal Bureau of Investigation agents had interviewed Flynn last month.

According to the Defence Intelligence Agency, Flynn's security clearance has been suspended as investigators look into his ties to Russian officials.
Washington, Feb 17 : An Indian man pleaded guilty to molesting a sleeping woman on a flight from Los Angeles International Airport to Newark Liberty International Airport in the US.

Veerabhadrarao Kunam, 58, of Visakhapatnam, on Thursday admitted to groping the woman on New Jersey-bound flight in July 2016, when he was presented before Judge Joseph A. Dickson in a Newark federal court, news website NJ.com reported.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court, Kunam was seated next to a woman on a Virgin America red-eye flight. While the plane was in the air, the woman fell asleep. Kunam admitted that while she was asleep, he inappropriately touched her.

When the woman woke up and saw Kunam touching her, she got upset. Kunam also offered to buy a drink for a witness who confronted him "for any trouble I may have caused", according to a criminal complaint filed in US District Court.

Kunam was arrested on July 30 by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) after his flight arrived in Newark, according to prosecutors.

His attorney Alex Spiro said that Kunam "remains remorseful for the unfortunate incident that occurred".

The Indian man faces 30 to 60 days in jail, and up to 90 days of inpatient alcohol treatment, according to the US Attorney's Office.

His sentencing has been scheduled for March 22.
Kolkata, Feb 17 : Virtually justifying his vitriolic outburst against Nobel Laureate economist Amartya Sen, BJP West Bengal unit President Dilip Ghosh on Friday maintained he said what he felt was right and the attack was not personal.

Ghosh said he targeted the state's intellectual class in general for their silence on issues concerning Hindu oppression and lack of law and order.

"Though Amartya Sen is against our ideology for a long time, I had no intention to personally attack him. I said what I felt is true," Ghosh told IANS.

Ghosh said he made those comments during a seminar on the issue of citizenship for the refugees in the state and the current problems of Hindu society in Bengal to question the silence of intellectuals.

"Amartya Sen is one of the most prominent intellectuals of Bengal. Why is a vastly educated and renowned person like him not saying anything on issues like this? He should say something for the sake of Bengal that has given him so much. On whose interest is he silent? what is he scared of?" Ghosh asked.

Describing the present situation in West Bengal as "critical", the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said the intellectuals should come forward to guide people in the right direction instead of shying away under the umbrella of a "specific banner".

"The society is in great trouble. The education system in Bengal is decaying. Intellectuals like him should come forward in torrid times like this to lead common people in the right direction," Ghosh said.

"If they take shelter under a specific banner or follow a certain person, why should they be considered as intellectuals?" he questioned.

Taking a swipe at the intellectuals for not speaking out against the attack on Hindus, Ghosh accused them of taking up issues that created more buzz in the civil society and gave them recognition.

"The principals, vice-chancellors of many institutions in the state are leaving, several schools and colleges in the state are getting closed... Why aren't the intellectuals speaking up on these issues? Maybe they are silent because protesting against these issues won't fetch them awards, accolades or prestigious positions," he added.

Ghosh has drawn allround flak for making a vitriolic personal attack on Amartya Sen on February 11, casting aspersions on his achievements, contribution and character. He had also remarked that such people who lacked "backbone and character were now Bengal's pride".

Sen has, however, refused to cross swords with Ghosh. The Bharat Ratna awardee said he saw "no reason" to object to the comments of the BJP leader, who had a "right to say whatever he felt right".
New Delhi, Feb 17 : Amid marked strain in bilateral ties, India and China are likely to discuss a host of contentious issues, including Beijing repeatedly blocking a UN ban on JeM chief Masood Azhar and stymeing India's NSG membership, when Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar meets the Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui next week in Beijing.

Jaishankar will attend the first India-China Strategic Dialogue to be held in Beijing on February 22.

New Delhi is expected to try and persuade Beijing not to roadblock its bid for the NSG membership and as well as its proposal to have Jaish-e Mohamed chief Masood Azhar branded as an international terrorist.

On the other hand, China is likely to raise the issue of the Dalai Lama and India inviting Taiwanese lawmakers, among others.

"The two sides are expected to discuss all issues of mutual interest in the bilateral, regional and international domain," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said on Thursday.

Jaishankar is likely to voice India's displeasure over China repeatedly shielding Azhar from being branded as an international terrorist.

China blocked India's proposal at the UN to add Azhar to the international terrorists' list thrice in 2016, only to reject a fresh US proposal for the same this month, irking India.

India says Azhar is behind the terror attack on the Pathankot air base in January last year, in which seven security personnel were killed.

China put a technical hold on the recent US move to list the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief as a terrorist in the 1267 committee of the UN Security Council, apparently at the behest of its all-weather friend Pakistan.

Jaishankar is also likely to take up China's opposition to India's entry into the 48-member Nuclear Suppliers Group. The Pakistan factor comes into play here as well.

Beijing opposes New Delhi's inclusion into the elite bloc which regulates global nuclear trade.

Last June, China blocked India's application, citing New Delhi's non signatory status to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty for the membership.

China's argument is if India can be let in why not Pakistan, which also is not signatory to the NPT.

Besides, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is another vexed issued which could figure in the discussion.

The ongoing $46 billion Chinese-funded project links China's Xinjiang province to Gwadar port in Balochistan. This corridor is key to China's ambitious One Belt One Road Project.

India is dead against CPEC because the corridor passes through Pakistan's Gilgit-Baltistan and parts of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, which New Delhi considers as its territory.

Like New Delhi, Beijing has reservations too.

Indian President Pranab Mukherjee hosting the Dalai Lama at the Rashtrapati Bhavan last December has not gone down well with China. Beijing accuses the spiritual leader of secessionist activities in Tibet.

China is also likely to tell New Delhi not to mess with Taiwan whose lawmakers this week were on a visit to India.

On Wednesday, China warned India to be cautious in dealing with Taiwan and asked it to stick to One China Policy.

India has termed the visit of the Taiwanese lawmakers as informal and asked China not to read much into it.

The long-standing boundary dispute and the current trade deficit can also feature in the dialogue.
Phnom Penh, Feb 20 : Actress-filmmaker Angelina Jolie has opened up about her split from actor-producer Brad Pitt for the first time since filing for divorce last year.

In an interview with BBC World News in Cambodia, Jolie was asked about the split. She said that it had been a "difficult" time for her family, reports people.com.

"I don't want to say very much about that, except to say it was a very difficult time and... and we are a family and we will always be a family, and we will get through this time and hopefully be a stronger family for it," she said.

Jolie, 41, was in Cambodia to promote her new directorial "First They Killed My Father".

The mother of six said she was coping by maintaining a focus on her children: Maddox, 15, Pax, 13, Zahara, 11, Shiloh, 10, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 8.

Since her divorce filing from Pitt, Jolie revealed that her children and pets have been trying to find a normal rhythm.

"It's been a difficult few months. Right now, I'm going through a moment when just everybody's in my room," she said.

"Two dogs, two hamsters and two children at the moment. It's wonderful. But, usually, I just wake up trying to figure out who's going to get (the) dog out, who's going to start the pancakes and did anybody brush their teeth."
London, Feb 21 : The members of Parliament in Britain's House of Commons have debated the proposed state visit by US President Donald Trump.

As the politicians on Monday discussed the proposed state visit, shouts and noise from a "Stop Trump" rally taking place in London's in Parliament Square could be heard inside the Houses of Parliament, Xinhua news agency reported.

It followed a petition to parliament signed by 1.85 million people calling for Prime Minister Theresa May's invitation to Trump to be withdrawn. A second petition, signed by more than 300,000 people supported a state visit to Trump during which Queen Elizabeth would host a state banquet.

MP Paul Flynn said only two US presidents have been granted a state visit since 1952, but within seven days of Trump becoming president he had been invited to a state visit. Flynn described this as extraordinary and completely unprecedented.

Emotions ran high among MPs who supported the visit and those backing opposition to the red carpet being rolled out for Trump.

A number of MPs said Trump should have been invited to an official visit, a step down from a state visit.

Conservative James Cartlidge said removing the invitation for a state visit will make Britain a "laughing stock" and would damage Britain's national interests.

Labour MP Liam Byrne predicted that the level of protests "taking place in Parliament Square tonight" will look like a tea-party compared to the likely protests when Trump arrives in London.

But the Foreign Office Minister Sir Alan Duncan said a state visit was part of plans for strengthening bilateral relations with the United States.

Despite the petition, the second biggest since parliamentary petitions were introduced, there is no obligation on the government to act.
United Nations, Feb 21 : The UN General Assembly has mourned the sudden death of Russian Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin.

Ahead of a General Assembly meeting held here on Monday, diplomats rose and stood in a moment of silence to pay a tribute to Churkin, Xinhua news agency reported.

Churkin, who has been the Russian permanent representative to the United Nations since 2006, died of an apparent heart attack in New York on Monday morning at the age of 64, just a day before his 65th birthday.

General Assembly President Peter Thomson said that the assembly is shocked and deeply saddened by the passing of Churkin, while expressing the heartfelt condolences to Churkin's family as well as staff at the Russian mission to the UN.

Thomson spoke highly of Churkin's "great intellect," sense of humor and his considerations for others.

"We've all experienced and respected the pride that he took in serving his country and the passion at times of very stern resolution that he brought to his job," said Thomson.

"Not only has Russia lost one of its truest sons, here at the United Nations, we've lost one of our truest," he added.

The General Assembly will hold a formal meeting to pay a tribute in memory of the late Russian Ambassador Churkin at an appropriate time, according to Thomson.

"The Russian Foreign Ministry is saddened to announce the death of Vitaly Churkin, Russia's Permanent Representative to the UN, on Monday in New York, a day before his 65th birthday," said a brief statement, without disclosing the cause of his death.

The ministry expressed its condolences and hailed Churkin as an "outstanding diplomat," who has served as Russian envoy to the UN since 2006.
New York, Feb 21: : Candy and chewing gums are popular among the young ones and may taste sweet to our buds.

But in a recent study at the Binghamton University of New York, the scientists exposed that nanoparticles of titanium dioxide present in candy, gum and even in bread may reduce the ability of small intestine cells to digest 'good' nutrients.

Regular consumption of such food items over four hours or equivalent to three meals over five days with respect to chronic exposure develops a meal's worth of titanium oxide nanoparticles.

These nanoparticles diminish the absorptive cells, called microvilli, on the surface of intestine which further affects metabolism and weakens the intestinal barrier.

The scientists found that weak intestinal barrier leads to inflammation and affects the enzyme functioning in our body.

One of the lead authors of the study, Gretchen Mahler believes that titanium oxide is a common food additive and people have been eating a lot of it for a long time and it is important to make the people aware about the subtle effects of the food additive.

Mahler who also is an Assistant Professor at the Binghamton University, State University of New York acknowledges that the current work is mainly focused on lower concentrations of titanium oxide nanoparticles and its effects on microvilli and intestinal function.

Titanium dioxide is used in many forms in plastics, paints, paper, sunscreens to block the UV light, to give a smooth feel to chocolates, to provide color to donuts and is even considered safe by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Titanium dioxide, also used to create abrasion in toothpaste required for cleaning, sometimes enter our digestive system through toothpaste.

In a study conducted at the Arizona State University in 2012, researchers found the traces of titanium dioxide in almost all the tested food products including gums.

"In order to avoid foods rich in titanium oxide nanoparticles you should avoid processed foods, and especially candy. That is where you see a lot of nanoparticles," Mahler said.
Islamabad, Feb 21 : Three suicide bombers who targeted a court in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province were killed on Tuesday, the ghastly attack also leaving five others dead, authorities said.

At least three attackers attempted to enter the Sessions Court at Charsadda district through the main gate when the complex was crowded, media reports said.

The terrorists suddenly opened fire and threw grenades, prompting police and security forces to fire back, the Dawn said after speaking to officers and witnesses.

One of the bombers was killed in the firing at the gate and a second died as he entered the court. The third bomber was killed when he detonated his explosives, police told the Dawn.

Police officer Fayaz Khan was quoted as saying that five civilians were also killed in the terror attack, for which the outlawed Jamaat-ul-Ahrar claimed responsibility.

Some reports said a lawyer was among the dead and that up to 17 persons were injured.

Urdu TV channel Abb Takk said the injured included five policemen, Xinhua news agency reported.

Up to 10 ambulances were rushed to Charsadda from Peshawar, where the Lady Reading Hospital was put on high alert.

The attack come even though security had been heightened across the province and the rest of Pakistan after a wave of terror attacks that left over 100 people dead in the past 10 days.

Charsadda is located nearly 40 minutes away Peshawar.

Earlier, gunfire was heard after one of the blasts near the gate of the court located at Tangi Bazaar.

The Dawn quoted witnesses as saying that the remains of the bombers were lying along with their explosives and ammunition.

On February 16, a suicide attack on the Lal Shahbaz Qalandar shrine in Sindh killed 88 persons and injured more than 200.

The Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, with ties to the Islamic State, had also claimed responsibility for the carnage.
Baghdad, Feb 21 : The Iraq Museum of Baghdad is to display 40 ancient artefacts at the Venice Biennale art exhibition this year, including several that were recently returned after they were looted in 2003, a media report said on Tuesday.

The National Pavilion of Iraq's exhibition, titled "Archaic", staged at the 57th Venice Biennale in May, will be the first time all the objects have been legally allowed out of the country, the Guardian daily reported.

Ancient clay pots, medical objects, musical instruments and figurines of deities and animals will be among the items on display, some of which date back to 6,100 B.C.

It will be the first time since 1988 that permission has been granted for anything from the museum's collection to leave Iraq.

The museum reopened in 2015 after being closed for 12 years while the stolen and smuggled objects taken during the invasion of Iraq were recovered.

The display in the National Pavilion of Iraq at the Venice biennale will be in direct response to what co-curator Tamara Chalabi describes as the "cultural genocide" at the hands of Islamic State (IS) terror group across Iraq and Syria.

"It is more important than ever that people outside of Iraq see these objects and understand their cultural significance, at a time when they are being nihilistically destroyed in Palmyra, in Nimrud, in Mosul," the daily quoted Chalabi as saying.

"These objects do have a universality that transcends geography...It fights a cultural prejudice people have and the perception that there is no art now left in Iraq or nothing left worth saving."

For Chalabi, it was important to include a few of the 15,000 objects which were looted from the museum's collection in the aftermath of the fall of late President Saddam Hussein, a third of which have subsequently been returned.

Among the recovered objects to go on display in Venice are a small weight measure shaped like a dove and a clay figurine of a fertility goddess.

Both were returned to the museum from the Netherlands in 2010.
New Delhi, Feb 21 : Police on Tuesday said they had arrested a man on charges of raping a woman from Nagaland over the weekend near a popular hangout in south Delhi.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Ishwar Singh identified the accused by his first name, Jhandal. He is 23 years old.

The accused, who worked as a part-time cleaner at some pubs and restaurants in Hauz Khas village, was identified from CCTV footage.

Singh said the accused was nabbed early on Tuesday from Arjun Nagar, where he lived in a slum.

Jhandal snatched the victim's iPhone to prevent her from calling the police and also Rs 600 after he committed the crime. The phone has been recovered.

Jhandal told police that he had consumed liquor that night and spotted the woman and her friend waiting for an auto-rickshaw.

Police said the 24-year-old woman had visited a Hauz Khas pub with friends on Saturday night.

She was walking alone to her residence when the accused offered her a ride home, police said.

He led her to an isolated stretch in an adjoining park and assaulted her twice and threatened to kill her if she approached police.

The woman, police said, hit the accused with a stone before escaping from the spot. She later approached a police patrol.
New York, Feb 21 : Legalising same-sex marriage at state level in the US reduced an estimated 134,000 suicide attempts per year in high school students as well as among gay, lesbian and bisexual adolescents, suggesting that social policies can affect behaviour, researchers claim.

The findings, according to the 2015 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, showed that 29 per cent of gay, lesbian and bisexual high school students reported attempting suicide in the previous year as compared to six per cent of heterosexual teenagers.

"These are high school students so they aren't getting married any time soon, for the most part. Still, permitting same-sex marriage reduces structural stigma associated with sexual orientation," said lead author Julia Raifman, postdoctoral student at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Maryland, US.

"There may be something about having equal rights -- even if they have no immediate plans to take advantage of them -- that makes students feel less stigmatised and more hopeful for the future," Raifman added.

For the study, published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics, the team compared data from 1999 through 2015 -- including almost 763,000 adolescents in 32 US states that passed laws allowing same-sex marriage and 15 states which did not implement the laws, before the Supreme Court made it legal nationwide.

The results showed a 7 per cent reduction in suicide attempts among high school students in the 32 states that legalised same-sex marriage.

Further, there was a 14 per cent decline among gay, lesbian and bisexual adolescents.

On the other hand, the states that did not implement same-sex marriage saw no reduction in suicide attempts among high school students.

"It's not easy to be an adolescent, and for adolescents who are just realising they are sexual minorities, it can be even harder -- that's what the data on disparities affecting gay, lesbian, and bisexual adolescents tell us," Raifman said.
Washington, Feb 21 : US President Donald Trump has named Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster as his national security adviser, replacing Gen. Michael Flynn, who was last week asked to resign from the position.

McMaster is a highly regarded military officer and soldier who is known for his roles in the Gulf War, the Iraq War and the war in Afghanistan. He also served as a special assistant to Gen. David Petraeus when he was commander of the US-led coalition forces in Iraq during the 2007 troop surge, CNN reported on Tuesday.

Trump called McMaster "a man of tremendous talent and tremendous experience" as he introduced his selection on Monday to reporters at Mar-a-Lago, Florida, where he has spent the holiday weekend interviewing candidates for the post.

"I watched and read a lot over the last two days," Trump said. "He is highly respected by everyone in the military and we're very honoured to have him," he added.

McMaster is the first active-duty military officer in the post since Gen. Colin Powell.

McMaster -- who called the appointment a "privilege" -- takes over the position left by Flynn, who was asked to resign by Trump amid revelations that he misled Vice President Mike Pence on the nature of his contacts with the Russian Ambassador to the US.

Trump's first choice for the job, Robert Harward, also turned down the position last week after a dispute over staffing decisions on the National Security Council, Time magazine reported.

Retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, who served as interim National Security Adviser for the week, will return to his post as Chief of Staff and Executive Secretary of the NSC, the White House said.

McMaster has a Ph.D. in military history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He was tapped for National Security Adviser over several other finalists for the position, including John Bolton, the hawkish Ambassador to the UN under George W. Bush who also served in senior positions in the administrations of George H.W. Bush and Ronald Reagan.

McMaster, one of the military's top strategic minds, most recently served as Director of the Army Capabilities Integration Centre in Virginia, which is tasked with preparing for future threats.

As a younger officer, McMaster attained cult-like status within the military after the publication of his 1997 book "Dereliction of Duty: Lyndon Johnson, Robert McNamara, The Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Lies that Led to Vietnam". The book examined the failure of military leaders to challenge civilian policymakers' about the direction of the war.

Trump's pick earned quick praise from a contingent of Republican foreign policy leaders in Congress, Time reported.

California Rep. Devin Nunes, Chairman of the House Select Committee on Intelligence, called McMaster "a fine addition" to Trump's national security team.

Sen. John McCain, the Armed Services Committee chairman who has been among Trump's chief Republican critics on Capitol Hill, called McMaster "an outstanding choice".
New Delhi, Feb 21 : A literature festival is all set to bring artists from South Asia -- sans Pakistan -- together, aiming to endeavour for peace in the region.

The South Asian Literature Festival will be organised by the Foundation of SAARC Writers and Literature (FOSWAL) from February 24 to February 26 at the India International Centre here.

The 30th edition of the festival will revolve around the themes of "Beyond Borders" and "Endeavouring for Peace and Tranquillity in the Region".

"We launched this initiative of cultural connectivity among the SAARC countries in 1987. It has been almost 30 years of continuous endeavour to join the hearts and minds of the people of eight SAARC countries through culture and literature," FOSWAL Founder and President Ajeet Cour told IANS.

FOSWAL is the only organisation in eight SAARC countries: India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives and Afghanistan legally authorised to organize literature-related and cultural programmes under the SAARC banner and SAARC logo.

However, Pakistan will not be a part of the festival this year.

"The government didn't give us the permission to invite Pakistani writers to be a part of the 30th edition," Cour said.

Besides different cities in India, SAARC Festivals of Literature have previously been organised in Dhaka, Kathmandu, Lahore, Islamabad, Colombo, Kandy, Thimphu, and Male.

"This edition has attracted a large number of writers, poets and intellectuals of outstanding stature representing a greater part of South Asia. The number of delegates from each SAARC country has been on the increase year after year," Cour said.

The western among the SAARC countries, Afghanistan is being represented by 11 delegates; the eastern, Bangladesh is being represented by 25 delegates and in the north, Nepal is being represented by 20 delegates.

The total number of delegates, including those from India, is more than 150.

The festival is going to discuss "Voices Of Common Concerns", "Literature Against Extremism And Terrorism" and "New Voices In Literature" as its sub themes.
Jammu, Feb 21 : Although one of the two PDP ministers who quit has rejoined office and the other has promised to do so soon, the crisis persists in Jammu and Kashmir's main ruling party.

Basharat Bukhari, who submitted his resignation to Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti immediately after a portfolio reshuffle, joined back office as the Horticulture Minister on Tuesday.

Imran Raza Ansari, who too resigned after apparently being irked over not getting a better portfolio, has left for Iran on a personal visit.

Peoples Democratic Party sources said Imran Ansari has promised to assume office on his return.

Both the disgruntled ministers met Mehbooba Mufti who asked them to withdraw their resignation before she could address their concerns, informed sources said.

Bukhari did not deny that portfolio allocation was one reason for his resignation.

"If I said portfolio allocation had nothing to do with my resignation, I would be lying. I have been elected by the people and I am answerable to them. That is why I had to make my stand clear," Bukhari told the media.

"I have written to Mehboobaji and she has promised my concerns will be addressed. Hope that happens," he said while confirming that he has taken up his new assignment in the reshuffled ministry.

Imran Ansari is silent over the reasons for his resignation.

But a legislator from Srinagar's Zadibal constituency, Abid Ansari, has launched a frontal attack on Roads and Buildings Minister Naeem Akhtar and another senior party leader, Peerzada Mansoor Hussain.

If the party gets decimated in by-elections to the Lok Sabha due by March, Naeem Akhtar and Peerzada Manzoor would be responsible, Abid Ansari said.

Srinagar PDP MP Tariq Hameed Karra resigned from the party and the Lok Sabha after joining the Congress. Mehbooba Mufti's Lok Sabha seat, Anantnag, is also vacant.

Abid Ansari's warning came a day after another PDP MLA, Abdul Majid Paddar, said that his voters felt let down that he had not got a ministerial berth.

At least five PDP legislators, including the two disgruntled ministers, are now seen as dissidents in the PDP, which has 28 members in the 87-member assembly.

Sources close to Mehbooba Mufti said she can't accommodate every "so-called dissident" by giving a ministerial berth given the compulsions of the coalition government she runs with the BJP.

Many feel that the dissidents might not be able to rock the PDP boat so strongly that it capsizes.

This is not disputed even by Mufti's arch rival and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

In a tweet that followed the resignation of the two PDP ministers, Omar Abdullah said: "As long as Mufti had the blessings of the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, her government would survive."

Yet, the immediate challenge before the PDP and its President Mehbooba Mufti is to win the Srinagar and Anantnag Lok Sabha seats.

PDP's political standing in both Anantnag and Srinagar Lok Sabha constituencies took a serious beating because of the over five-month-long unrest last year in which 94 people were killed.

The party is engaged in a hectic exercise to regain its lost ground.

Dissidents washing their dirty linen in public is bad news for all parties. It is much more so for the PDP that had emerged as an alternative to the National Conference in the violence-torn Kashmir Valley.
Beijing, Feb 21 : China on Tuesday said it hoped the US will contribute to peace and stability in the South China Sea as an American aircraft carrier strike group began patrolling the region.

"China always respects the freedom of navigation and overflight of all countries in the South China Sea in accordance with international law, but we oppose those who threaten and harm the sovereignty and security of coastal countries under the pretext of freedom of navigation and overflight," said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang at a daily press briefing.

Geng made the remarks while responding to reports that the US aircraft carrier strike group, including Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, began routine operations in the South China Sea on February 19, Xinhua news agency reported.

The situation in the South China Sea is becoming more stable under the joint efforts of both China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), Geng said.

"We hope relevant countries, especially those outside the region, can respect the efforts made by China and the Asean, maintain the good situation, and do more things that are helpful for peace and stability in the South China Sea," Geng said.

The patrolling came after China's Foreign Ministry on February 16 warned the US against challenging Beijing's sovereignty in the region.
New Delhi, Feb 21 : India has to get her children off the streets and need to give them access to education and an identity, actress-producer Dia Mirza says.

A survey conducted in 2016 by Save the Children in Lucknow, Mughalsarai, Kolkata-Howrah, Patna and Hyderabad enumerated 84,563 children living on the streets.

Dia, also the Artist Ambassador for Save the Children - an NGO and child rights organisation, attended the launch of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for Care and Protection of Children in Street Situations.

The document was released by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), in collaboration with Save the Children here on Tuesday.

The actress said: "It breaks my heart to think that just in Delhi, there are over 50,000 children who live on the streets. We have to change this. The only way to change this is by engaging with these children, government and NGOs. We have to get our children off the streets."

"We have to give them access to education, we have to give them an identity. It's simple. It can be done. The first indication of this reality is this SOP."

Dia pointed out that there are many people, including her, who are "fearful and afraid sometimes to collaborate with the government".

"They (people) are never sure whether the government will support their initiative or not."

The SOP shows that NGOs and the government can collaborate and work together because the goals are the same -- to make a difference, Dia said.

"The best thing about the SOP is that it is accessible to you and me. We can go to the website and study it. If anyone wants to reach out to a child living on the streets, they can. There is a framework that helps us to make a difference," she said.

Dia also met Union Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi on Tuesday.

Talking about it, she said: "When I met Maneka ji, I left her office feeling so enthused because of her commitment. She said 'I don't want it to remain just a piece of paper. I want it to translate to action'."

The "Honeymoon Travels Ltd." actress also shared that children are her "favourite people in the world".

Dia also visited the Community Managed Toilet operated at the Indira Kalyan Vihar slum in the Okhla area of South Delhi.

"It is their resilience and their spirit that makes me love them (children). We have so much to learn from the children," she said.

The new document provides a practical framework and guidelines for a holistic approach in providing care, protection and rehabilitation of street children.

Gandhi said in a statement: "Our government is committed to the wellbeing of every child in India. This initiative will help the government to ensure that health, education and protection mechanisms are made available to children living on the streets."
New Delhi, Feb 21 : A juvenile arrested in Delhi on charge of kidnapping his employer's son for ransom said he was inspired by a Bollywood film for the crime, police said on Tuesday.

Police said the abducted boy -- kidnapped on Monday from his Kalyan Puri residence in east Delhi -- has since been rescued from Badaun in Uttar Pradesh.

"During investigation, police came to know from local residents that the juvenile, who worked for the boy's father last year, was last seen walking along with the boy. The accused had left the job and gone to his native place Badaun after the death of his mother," Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Omvir Singh said.

"The juvenile had sent multiple messages to his former employer to demand Rs 3 lakh as ransom to free his son," the police officer said.

"After the juvenile was traced to and caught from Badaun, he said he was kicked out of his house by his sister-in-law. He was on his own after his mother's death," Singh said.

He returned to Delhi in search of a job and watched a movie wherein four persons kidnap a boy for ransom, which gave him the idea of kidnapping his former employer's son, the DCP said.
Malaysian Ambassador to North Korea Mohamad Nizan Mohamad speaks to journalists as he arrives at the Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, China, from Pyongyang after being recalled by Malaysian government, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017. Mohamad says at the airport while in transit to Malaysia the investigation into the death of the exiled half-brother of North Korea's ruler at Kuala Lumpur's international airport in Malaysia is being conducted in an impartial manner. Kim appeared to have been poisoned at Kuala Lumpurs airport last week. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) -- The women suspected of fatally poisoning a scion of North Korea's ruling family were trained to coat their hands with toxic chemicals then wipe them on his face, police said Wednesday, announcing they were now seeking a North Korean diplomat in connection with the attack.

Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar told reporters that authorities are searching for two new North Korean suspects, including the second secretary of North Korea's embassy in Kuala Lumpur and an employee of North Korea's state-owned airline Air Koryo.

"We hope that the Korean embassy will cooperate with us, allow us to interview them and interview them quickly," he said. "If not, we will compel them to come to us."

Khalid said the women knew they were handling poisonous materials during the attack, which occurred in a departure area of Kuala Lumpur's budget airport, and had practiced the attack multiple times.

"We strongly believe it is a planned thing and that they have been trained to do that. This is not just like shooting a movie," he told reporters.

Khalid couldn't confirm whether North Korea's government was behind the Feb. 13 death of Kim Jong Nam, the long-estranged half brother of North Korea's ruler, but added, "What is clear is that those involved are North Koreans."

Police have already arrested four people in connection with the attack, including the two women. At least one of the women has claimed she was tricked into attacking Kim Jong Nam, believing she was taking part in a comedy prank TV show. One woman is Indonesian; the other is Vietnamese.

Police were already searching for five additional North Koreans in connection with the attack, though four are believed to have fled Kuala Lumpur shortly after the attack and are now believed to be back in Pyongyang.

Authorities believe those four provided the toxin. "That's why we asked the North Korean Embassy to trace them and hand them over to us." He said, though, that Malaysian authorities had received no help so far from North Korea.

Story continues

Determining the cause of Kim Jong Nam's death has proven difficult.

Malaysian authorities said Tuesday that Kim did not suffer a heart attack and had no puncture wounds, such as those a needle would have left, but they were still awaiting lab reports.

Identifying a specific poison can be challenging, especially if a minute amount was used and it did not penetrate fat cells in the victim's tissue. If the toxin only entered the bloodstream, it could leave the body very quickly. And even if a substance is found, it would need to match the symptoms Kim Jong Nam experienced before death. The more unique the poison is, the harder it is to find. Highly sophisticated facilities, such as in Japan or at the FBI's crime lab in the U.S., are among those that may be needed to discover unusual toxic substances.

The case has perplexed leading forensic toxicologists who study murder by poison. They say the airport attack is one of the most bizarre cases in the books, and question how the two women could walk away unscathed after deploying an agent potent enough to kill Kim Jong Nam before he could even make it to the hospital.

Khalid noted the two women "were warned to take precautions," and said security camera footage showed them quickly walking to restrooms after the attack to wash their hands.

Kim had spent most of the past 15 years living in China and Southeast Asia. He is believed to have had at least three children with two women. No family members have come forward to claim the body.

The attack spiraled into diplomatic fury when Malaysia refused to hand over Kim's corpse to North Korean diplomats after his death, and proceeded with an autopsy over the ambassador's objections. The two nations have made a series of increasingly angry statements since then, with Malaysia insisting it is simply following its legal protocols, and North Korea accusing Malaysia of working in collusion with its enemy South Korea.

Seoul's spy agency believes North Korea was behind the killing, but has produced no evidence.

Isolated North Korea has a long history of ordering killings of people it views as threats to its regime. Kim Jong Nam was not known to be seeking political power; he was best known for his penchants for drinking, gambling and expensive restaurants. But his position as eldest son of the family that has ruled North Korea since it was founded could have made him appear to be a danger.

Kim Jong Nam, a heavyset man in his mid-40s, died soon after the attck en route to a hospital after suffering a seizure, officials say. He was at the airport to fly to Macau, where he had a home.

____

Asia Medical Writer Margie Mason in Jakarta, Indonesia, contributed to this report.
Kolkata, Feb 21 : Even 46 years after the Liberation War, Bangladesh continues to be at war against fundamentalists, the country's writer and activist Shahriar Kabir said on Tuesday, referring to removal of works of non-Muslim writers from school textbooks.

"We are very much at war. Pro-Pakistanis and fundamentalists are very active even in secular Bangladesh," Kabir said here.

Among the poems and stories dropped is Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore's poem 'Aaji Bangladesher hridoy hote'.

Kabir, who has opposed the move along with a clutch of other intellectuals, noted: "Our argument is that we cannot say Bangla is a language of the Hindus. Even in medieval times, a number of Muslims wrote 'punthis' on Radha-Krishna etc."

On the occasion of International Mother Language Day, Kabir stressed on the secularity of languages.

"Language has no religion. It (language movement) was the first movement that gave Bengali Muslims an identity. Earlier, Bengali Muslims were going through an identity crisis. We have inherited the 5,000-year-old history of Bengal," he said.

"When Bangladesh was part of Pakistan, whatever the demands for cultural preservation, the Pakistan rulers always branded this cultural or political movement as anti-Pakistan and anti-Islam. The point is: All languages are secular," he added.
New Delhi, Feb 21 : A Delhi court on Tuesday awarded life imprisonment till death to a 22-year-old man for raping and murdering an 81-year-old woman at her south Delhi residence two years ago.

Additional Sessions Judge Sanjiv Jain sent Neeraj Safi, domestic help in the house of the elderly woman, to jail for life, saying his act was "brutal and diabolic".

The court, however, refused to award death sentence to Safi considering his age and clean antecedents.

"In the instant case, the convict not only committed the vile act upon the victim but also strangled her to death... He set the victim on fire after cutting pieces of mattress and using kerosene oil. The act of the convict was brutal and diabolic," said the court.

It added: "Keeping in view facts and circumstances of the case, I sentence the convict to undergo rigorous imprisonment for life which shall mean imprisonment for the remainder of his natural life or death."

The court also imposed a fine of Rs 18,000 on him considering his poor background.

Safi, a resident of Madhubani in Bihar was the victim's servant. He raped and killed her in her Greater Kailash-II house on July 7, 2014. On January 31, the court convicted Safi of rape, murder and destruction of evidence.

Police had sought death sentence for Safi, saying he did not deserve any sympathy as he was a "menace" to the society.

According to the police, the woman's post-mortem examination report revealed that she was strangulated with a dupatta, beaten up and later set on fire.

The woman's husband was a journalist who worked for a reputed Indian news agency and died in 2005.
Mumbai, Feb 21 : Actor Aparshakti Khurrana who will be seen sharing screen space with actor Varun Dhawan in his upcoming film "Badrinath Ki Dulhania" praises his co-actor Varun as extremely nice human being.

"Most of the scenes in Badrinath, I have with Varun. So certainly, I have interacted more with him. To be a good actor, it is extremely important to be a good human being. Varun has become a successful actor because he is a nice, happy and warm person," said Aparshakti in an interview.

"Now I say I have two brothers in this industry, Ayushmann and Varun Dhawan. He has always given me that importance," said the actor who played an adorable cousin-brother to Phogat sisters in "Dangal".

"Though I have a guest appearance, Badrinath is very close to my heart. I had a lot of fun while hooting. Alia, Varun, Davidji and Karan Johar. All are like happy bunch of people. There has been always a fun aspect on the set. I am really happy to team up with entire Badri team," Aparshakti said.

Talking about the biggest takeaway from "Dangal", the actor said, "I never expected the character would be admired so much. I thought people would be excited for Aamir Khan, the two girls, and their journey of becoming wrestlers. However, my character Omkar was appreciated as much as the other characters."

"People have started taking me seriously. Now while they talk to me they have my work background at the back of their mind. Earlier, it was difficult for me to approach a production house for any work but now it is easier for me. They give me more time to discuss. All this happened because of 'Dangal'."

"Badrinath Ki Dulhania", a romantic comedy, is directed by Shashank Khaitan and slated to release on March 11.
Shillong, Feb 21 : Chairman of the outlawed Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) Champion R. Sangma was released on bail from Shillong district jail on Wednesday.

"The Court of District and Sessions Judge, Shillong granted bail to Sangma against two surety bonds of Rs one lakh each and he has been instructed not to leave the jurisdiction of the court until further notice," Sangma's counsel Sujit Dey told IANS.

Sangma, one of the most-wanted Garo rebel leaders, was arrested from Umkrem Pyrwdiwah axis on the edge of the India-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya's East Khasi Hills district on July 30, 2012.

Prior to his arrest by Meghalaya Police, the GNLA Chairman was captured by sleuths of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) commandos on November 23, 2011 from his hideout at Haluaghat in Bangladesh's Mymensingh district.

Emerging out of the Court, the former rebel leader said that he would first focus on availing medical treatment before taking a decision on whether to plunge into electoral politics or facilitate peace talks for his outfit.

Sangma, a former Deputy Superintendent of Police, deserted Meghalaya Police and floated the outlawed GNLA in November 2009 for a separate Garoland to be carved out of Meghalaya.

The Centre has declared the GNLA as a "terrorist organisation" under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
the retirement industry has continued to evolve rapidly. There is a lot at stake and and the time is right for sponsors to be more discerning and diligent than ever before

Xponential Growth Solutions is pleased to announce the 2017 Western Washington Fiduciary Summit. This Summit is part of the national Retirement Plan Road Show, a series of educational workshops that bring together both local and national expertise to interact with employers made up of Finance, Human Resources and Benefits executives, as well as Business Owners, Fiduciaries, and Plan Sponsors. Speakers will provide insights to help employers reduce fiduciary risk, identify plan upgrades, and make better decisions that positively impact participants.

The summit is hosted by Bill Small, the Co-Founder and Principal at Highland Capital Advisors based in Issaquah, WA. Bill emphasizes that "the retirement industry has continued to evolve rapidly. There is a lot at stake and and the time is right for sponsors to be more discerning and diligent than ever before".

Bill Small will lead the discussion on fiduciary topics impacting local plan sponsors. Guest speakers include:



Shawn Hansen, CPA & Shareholder  Clark Nuber (Bellevue, WA)

Walter Miller, Employee Benefits Attorney & Shareholder - Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt (Seattle, WA)

More Speakers TBA!

Topics of Discussion:



DOL Fiduciary Rule & Raising the Fiduciary Bar

Ask the Experts  Local & National Professional Panel

Investment & Retirement Industry Trends

Evaluating Plan Fees & Recent Lawsuits

RFI/RFP Best Practices

The 2017 Western Washington Fiduciary Summit is the first stop on the 2017 Retirement Plan Road Show and will be held at the Columbia Tower Club (701 Fifth Avenue, Columbia Center, 75th Floor) from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM (lunch will be served). The 2017 Western Washington Fiduciary Summit is approved for 3 hours of CPE/CPA credits, HRCI/SPHR general credits, SHRM Professional Development Credits (PDCs), and is CEBS eligible. Seating is limited and local plan sponsors will receive priority registration. Additional details and registration information can be found on the registration page: http://xgrowthsolutions.com/events/2017-western-washington-fiduciary-summit/

About Highland Capital Advisors

In an era of complex financial products, clients need a partner they can trust that doesn't sell products, collect hidden fees or provide conflicted advice. Highland Capital Advisors, LLC is that firm. Headquartered in the great Pacific Northwest, Highland Capital Advisors, LLC is a Registered Investment Advisor, focused on pragmatic solutions for plan fiduciaries and individual investors. Through principled conduct we build trust and help our clients traverse the financial landscape with confidence.

Highland is led by industry veterans Bill Small and Rick Wyman. Before forming Highland, Bill managed a national consulting practice serving some of the largest retirement plans in the country. Rick was the CFO and lead advisor for the largest independent consulting firm in Seattle. Collectively, our Principals were responsible for the oversight of nearly $20 Billion in client assets. Seeing a unique opportunity to combine forces and bring a refreshing option to the market, Highland Capital Advisors was formed.

For more information, visit http://www.hcportfolios.com/

About Xponential Growth Solutions:

Xponential Growth Solutions (XGS) unites 401(k), 403(b) and retirement plan sponsors with elite resources and exclusive connections. Through research, fiduciary summits, and industry expertise, they help the nations retirement plan sponsors, fiduciaries, and trustees evaluate their plan and navigate the retirement plan industry. Working to help America reach their retirement goals one retirement plan at a time, XGS also founded the Retirement Plan Roadshow - a national series of fiduciary educational summits dedicated to human resource, finance and business professionals in charge of America's 401(k), 403(b), and retirement plans.
Dublin, GA Personal Injury Attorney Grady comes from a background that allows him to be communicate with regular people in a way they understand

The Jackson Law Firm, a Georgia-based personal and criminal attorney practice, has recently added a new attorney to the team. Grady Cullens is local to the Dublin area, having grown up in Dublin and even attending Dublin High School. He holds a Juris Doctorate from Savannah Law School and graduated undergraduate from Georgia College and State University.

Says Ralph Jackson, Esq., Grady fits perfectly with our firm. He brings the work-ethic and commitment to excellence that we have set as our standard. Like the other attorneys at The Jackson Law Firm, Grady will assist with cases involving litigation and trial work.

As a recent graduate from Savannah Law School, Grady holds unique experience that makes him a perfect fit at The Jackson Law Firm. In school, he received the CALI award for Legal Writing, Research, and Analysis II as well as served on the Moot Court Team. As a law clerk at Johnson, Kraeuter, & Dunn, Grady learned the ins and outs of personal injury practice.

In addition to his work experience, Gradys small town background plays a big part in his viability on the Jackson team. Because of his familiarity with the area and its peoples unique life experiences, Grady is able to effectively work with clients from every walk of life. Explains Ralph Jackson, Grady comes from a background that allows him to be communicate with regular people in a way they understand.

The Jackson Law Firm has high hopes for Grady as a member of its growing team. Helping people in Dublin for over twenty-two years, Jackson Law Firm specializes in practice areas ranging from auto accidents to civil and criminal litigation.

Were excited about Grady joining the team, says Ralph Jackson. Hes a natural fit for our culture here and hes got what it takes to really be successful in helping clients like ours.

The Jackson Law Firm is a Georgia-based law firm focusing on personal injury, auto accident, criminal, and DUI claims. The firm also has a division that handles real estate, contracts, wills, and general legal problems.

For more information on Grady Cullens or on The Jackson Law Firms cases and services, contact by phone at 478-272-7607 or visit http://www.ga-laws.com.
PLANEGG/MUNICH, GERMANY / ACCESSWIRE / February 21, 2017 / MorphoSys AG (FSE: MOR; Prime Standard Segment, TecDAX; OTC PINK: MPSYY) announced today that its fully owned subsidiary Lanthio Pharma B.V., Groningen, Netherlands, has initiated a phase 1 clinical study with MOR107. MOR107, a selective agonist of the angiotensin II receptor type 2, is a lanthipeptide based on Lanthio Pharma's proprietary technology platform and the first lanthipeptide in MorphoSys's clinical pipeline.

The goal of the trial is to evaluate safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of subcutaneously administered single ascending doses (SAD) of MOR107 in healthy male volunteers. The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 1 study will be conducted in a single center in the United Kingdom and will enroll 80-110 subjects.

Topline results of the study are expected in the second half of 2017.

"We are delighted to see the first lanthipeptide program from our Dutch subsidiary Lanthio Pharma entering clinical development. MOR107 is the sixth program from MorphoSys's proprietary portfolio in clinical trials. The start of this innovative investigational program reflects the growing value and maturity of our development pipeline", commented Dr. Marlies Sproll, Chief Scientific Officer of MorphoSys AG.

"We are excited that with MOR107, the first compound from our technology platform has started clinical development", said Dr. Axel Mescheder, Chief Medical Officer of Lanthio Pharma B.V. "Lanthipeptides are an interesting class of peptide molecules that have been engineered with the intention to further enhance stability and selectivity of this compound class."

About Lanthio Pharma and MOR107

Lanthio Pharma B.V., a wholly owned subsidiary of MorphoSys AG since 2015, is a Dutch biopharmaceutical company committed to developing and commercializing therapeutic peptides to activate difficult to target receptors (e.g. GPCRs). With its proprietary technology, Lanthio Pharma is generating lanthipeptides, a new class of cyclical peptide molecules which have been engineered with the intention to achieve enhanced stability and selectivity. Lanthio Pharma is focused on the protective arm of the Renin-Angiotensin System (RAS). Lanthio Pharma has currently two programs targeting the two key receptors in this pathway. The lead product is MOR107 (formerly LP2-3), a selective AT2 receptor agonist. MOR107 is currently investigated in a "first-in-human" clinical study in healthy volunteers.

Story continues

About MorphoSys

MorphoSys developed HuCAL, the most successful antibody library technology in the pharmaceutical industry. By successfully applying this and other patented technologies, MorphoSys has become a leader in the field of therapeutic antibodies, one of the fastest-growing drug classes in human healthcare.

Together with its pharmaceutical partners, MorphoSys has built a therapeutic pipeline of more than 100 human antibody drug candidates for the treatment of cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and Alzheimer's disease, to name just a few. With its ongoing commitment to new antibody technology and drug development, MorphoSys is focused on making the healthcare products of tomorrow. MorphoSys is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol MOR. For regular updates about MorphoSys, visit http://www.morphosys.com.

HuCAL(R), HuCAL GOLD(R), HuCAL PLATINUM(R), CysDisplay(R), RapMAT(R), arYla(R), Ylanthia(R), 100 billion high potentials(R), Slonomics(R), Lanthio Pharma(R) and LanthioPep(R) are registered trademarks of the MorphoSys Group.

This communication contains certain forward-looking statements concerning the MorphoSys group of companies. The forward-looking statements contained herein represent the judgment of MorphoSys as of the date of this release and involve risks and uncertainties. Should actual conditions differ from the Company's assumptions, actual results and actions may differ from those anticipated, MorphoSys does not intend to update any of these forward-looking statements as far as the wording of the relevant press release is concerned.

For more information, please contact:

MorphoSys AG

Anke Linnartz

Head of Corporate Communications & IR

Jochen Orlowski

Associate Director Corporate Communications & IR

Alexandra Goller

Senior Manager Corporate Communications & IR

Tel: +49 (0) 89 / 899 27-404

investors@morphosys.com

SOURCE: MorphoSys AG via the EQS Newswire distribution service including Press Releases and Regulatory Announcements
Spring-Green Lawn Care is proud to announce David Roman, of Enviroscapes of Georgia, is taking over the Logansville, Georgia, franchise location.

Roman has a long history in the landscape industry, following in the footsteps of his father. Ive been in the landscape industry since I was 13 years old, he explained. Its definitely something I enjoy, and its evolved and grown into a way to make a living.

A full-service landscape company, focusing on residential maintenance and mowing, Roman started Enviroscapes of Georgia in 2012. As he explained, Working for myself, its in my DNA. Im more comfortable as an entrepreneur. Prior to moving to Georgia in 2000, he owned and operated Roman Landscape and Maintenance in Florida.

In 2015, Roman was participating at a Green Industry and Equipment Expo (GIE) roundtable of business owners. One of the other participants mentioned they had gotten into lawn care via a franchise, and it quickly had become their best performing profit center. From that conversation, I went back to the expo center, and I began to investigate franchise opportunities in metro Atlanta, he recalled.

Spring-Green offered longevity and a family atmosphere that Roman appreciated. The father of four boys has been married for 25 years, and his wife, Maria, plans to help on the administrative side with the new Spring-Green business. He also was impressed by the marketing assistance that franchise owners received. The real kicker was the marketing, Roman said.

Roman feels that as a local owner who lives in the community he serves, he offers his customers someone with a vested interest in the community, and he prides himself on providing top-notch customer service and satisfaction.

Davids family values and deep connection to the business make him an ideal addition to the Spring-Green family, said James Young, president of Spring-Green. We are excited about having him take over this established territory. With his background and interest in lawn care, David is a great fit, and we look forward to helping him grow his business in the years ahead.

About Spring-Green Lawn Care

Founded in 1977, Plainfield, Illinois-based Spring-Green Lawn Care has been delivering lawn and tree care services nationwide for 40 years. Its service is centered on the beautification of residential and commercial customers in middle-class and affluent neighborhoods and communities. Spring-Green is an attractive opportunity for entrepreneurs and existing green industry business owners who want to align themselves with a business model that has proven economic resilience, healthy profit margins, industry leading business and marketing intelligence, recurring revenue and retirement and succession planning. For more information, visit http://www.springgreenfranchise.com.

Contact: 54 LLC

Jack Burris

704-557-0304

jburris(at)engage54(dot)com
Ystrategies Logo We are building a strong bench of experts across industry, government labs and academia

Ystrategies (OTCMKTS: YSTR) today announced the creation of its Science and Technology Advisory Board. The group of experts will provide the company with guidance on science and technology issues in advanced technologies, renewable energy and energy efficiency, among others.

You can't have too many opinions of great technologists, said Jim Kiles, Chairman & CEO of Ystrategies. We are building a strong bench of experts across industry, government labs and academia that can help us understand which of the latest technology solutions and applications in our pipeline have the best opportunity for practical application and rapid commercialization.

Initial board members will include:



Peter Therkelsen, Research Scientist and Building and Industrial Applications Department Deputy Head at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, where he develops combustion technologies and studies industrial energy management.

Kevin McLoughlin, Senior Consultant at Environmental Consultants Inc., formerly an environmental science expert with the NY State Power Authority, EPRI and the Empire State Electric Energy Research Corporation.

Dan Aronson, Founding CEO and CTO, Fandor, Founder and VP Engineering, Brightmail, Founder and CTO, Campsix and active angel investor.

Scott Wallace, Program Manager of Energy to Care (American Society for Health Care Engineerings national energy efficiency program), expert in commercial application of control systems/energy efficiency/renewable energy products & services.

Ben Bartlett, Director of Strategic Partnerships at the California Clean Energy Fund. A long-time community leader and environmental lawyer, Mr. Bartlett also serves as a councilmember for the city of Berkeley, and is a member of the Association of Bay Area Governments.

Mike Tucker, Research Scientist in the Energy Conversion Group at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, where he develops electrochemical technologies including redox flow cells, and SOFC and PEM fuel cells.

Vi Rapp, Research Scientist in the Energy Technologies Area at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, where she develops ultra-low emission and net zero carbon combustion technologies for heat and power generation.

Mary Vincent, EIR at SK Telecom Americas Innopartners, a Venture Fund & Accelerator for core technology companies in Silicon Valley.

Richard Samuelson, former Investment Banker with UBS and BNP and currently an active angel investor.

Lilian Chou, CEO of UX-FLO, with 20 years leading business development and strategy for start-up teams, turning failing business segments around, and managing global partners in companies like Nike, Sony, Autodesk and P&G.

Jeff Weng, Executive Managing Director at USAREG Inc., a Silicon Valley based firm specializes on strategy consulting, venture investment, financing and M&A covering US and Chinese markets.

Yurij Wowczuk, Head  Global Production and Technology with Matthews International Inc., responsible for Matthews Management System (MMS) and provides leadership for global health & safety, corporate purchasing, supplier development, capital strategy, engineering, intelligent manufacturing/new technology and product development, M&A due diligence/deal flow, and human capital projects.

Del Christensen, Chief of Global Business Development for the Bay Area Council overseeing trade and investment efforts between China and California.

Mark E. Avsec, partner and Vice-Chair of the Innovations, Information Technology & Intellectual Property (3iP) Practice Group of Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff, LLP. He leads Beneschs 3D Printing Legal Team.

Ystrategies Corp. is a publicly traded venture capital and business development firm that invests in advanced technologies in clean tech, SaaS and IoT through agreements with government agencies, universities, incubators and private technology companies. Ystrategies supports startups with investment and assists in commercialization and development of Strategic partnerships. The company has offices in San Francisco, CA and Pittsburgh, PA. Learn more at http://www.ystrategies.com.
Remaining true to our customer-first philosophy, were excited to provide the extra features and functionality that help customers be successful when it comes to building and deploying high quality WordPress websites. Brendan Fortune

Media Temple, a Los Angeles-based company providing premium web and cloud hosting solutions, today announced it has refreshed its managed WordPress hosting offerings. Further optimized for high performance and rendering speed, Media Temples four Managed WordPress plans allow creative professionals and businesses of all sizes to easily and securely deploy mission-critical WordPress sites or apps for themselves and others.

The Personal, Pro, Elite and (new) Extended plans all come with peace of mind, with automatic core and security updates, built-in 30-day file and database backups with one-click restore and 24/7 access to Media Temples award-winning, WordPress-trained customer support team. While the Personal and Pro plans boast increased SSD storage (from 30GB to 50GB, and from 100GB to 200GB, respectively), medium-sized companies with media-rich sites interested in the Elite plan will be able to take advantage of SiteLocks TrueSpeed CDN, bundled at no additional cost, to further boost their sites overall speed and availability. Additionally, customers wanting to cost-effectively expand their resources without having to switch plans can easily leverage Site Packs (formerly known as Booster Packs).

Remaining true to our customer-first philosophy, were excited to provide the extra features and functionality that help customers be successful when it comes to building and deploying high quality WordPress websites, said Brendan Fortune, Senior Director of Product at Media Temple. Were always on the lookout for better ways to provide our users with the premium managed hosting offerings they expect from us.

WordPress users who want to migrate their site to Media Temple can leverage the companys concierge site migration service, which is provided by CloudTech, Media Temples seasoned engineers.

Managed WordPress hosting from Media Temple starts at $20 per month for the Personal plan. More information about the plans features and benefits can be found at https://mediatemple.net/webhosting/wordpress/.

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ABOUT MEDIA TEMPLE

From its inception in 1998, Media Temple has helped web designers, developers, app publishers, creative agencies and enterprises focus on running their business while we take care of all their hosting needs. Over 125,000 people and businesses in 100 countries rely on our web and cloud hosting services to power over one million websites. Our premium service model combined with our scalable technology allows us to focus on delivering only exceptional quality solutions and best-in-class, award-winning 24/7 customer support. Our clients range from top tier web designers, popular blogs and online creative communities, to global advertising agencies and major brands. With 230 dedicated, U.S.-based employees, Media Temple has been repeatedly recognized as one of the best places to work in Los Angeles.

Find us anytime at http://www.mediatemple.net, on Twitter @MediaTemple or on Facebook.
With the launch of the Life -Sciences division, Treximo will pair its $200M operational capacity with its strategic internal leadership to provide clients with best in class, results-based consulting and project management in areas affecting quality and operational management. With office locations in North Carolina, Massachusetts, Ohio, Illinois, California and England, Treximos strategic consulting operation supports clients nationally and globally, with project deployments in Asia, Europe, Australia and the Americas.

Im very proud to be a part of this exciting time with Treximo. The operational supremacy that Treximo has proven in its project deployment, execution and cost, coupled with subject matter expertise for life -science services, makes Treximo the best-positioned life -science service organization for optimal value to our clients.  Mark Sydnor

About Treximo: Treximo provides best in class, results-based consulting and strategic quality project management services to the life sciences industry, with focus on Medical Device, Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology. Our methods help companies focus beyond the talent transaction and onto the strategies that will position them to win for years to come. We are experts in leading operational and quality program initiatives, providing immediate improvement to your organization with focus on speed, quality, cost, compliance, and innovation. For further information on Treximo, please visit: http://www.treximo.com.
"Contact Canvas with Omni-Channel capabilities provides the most advanced solution in the industry" -Anthony Uliano, Founder/ CTO

AMC Technology (http://www.amctechnology.com) has announced general availability of Omni-Channel for Microsoft Dynamics CRM, an addition to its Contact Canvas (http://www.contactcanvas.com) platform. AMCs Omni-Channel supports routing of standard, custom, and even third party entities to agents based on work item priority and agent availability. For Microsoft CRM and Unified Service Desk (USD), Omni-Channel offers in-application integration of Cisco, Avaya and Aspect telephony platforms and Skype for Business.

With tight integration with AMCs Contact Canvas Agent, an HTML5-based toolbar, AMC is able to offer true blending of telephony and non-telephony work items and provide a seamless user experience. By using one toolbar within CRM or USD, agents are more efficient, agent activities and customer records are more complete, and the customer experience is better and more personal. Because Contact Canvas is able to leverage existing infrastructure and tools that are already used within the workplace, agent training is easier and less time-consuming.

AMCs Omni-Channel API allows 3rd parties to easily queue external requests, such as SMS and Skype for Business chats, extending Omni-Channel capabilities to the Microsoft Dynamics partner community to leverage and integrate their communication channels. Omni-Channel for Dynamics CRM Reporting across agents and queues gives customers robust metrics and tracking of work across the entire enterprise.

With out-of-the-box integration of Skype for Business, agents have access to not only phone and chat capabilities but video conference, audio and collaboration making Contact Canvas a powerful addition to the Microsoft toolset. Contact Canvas with Omni-Channel capabilities provides the most advanced solution in the industry with both inbound, outbound telephony support for Avaya, Cisco and Aspect, Skype for Business and non-telephony work items all tightly integrated and offered within Dynamics CRM, said Anthony X. Uliano, Founder and CTO of AMC Technology. AMCs Contact Canvas Platform continues to go beyond the point to point solutions offered by other companies and our new Omni-Channel product showcases the depth of our platform approach.

Contact Canvas is a powerful, communication-enabling platform that maximizes business assets such as CRM and communication infrastructure through seamless integration that yields efficiency and increases customer satisfaction. Omni-Channel demonstrates the full capabilities of AMCs Contact Canvas platform by illustrating the flexibility and power of its components. Through Contact Canvas, AMC is able to integrate the dynamic, heterogeneous enterprise with one product that can be customized and extended.

About AMC Technology

AMC Technology, LLC, has been a global industry leader in contact center and CRM integration since 1995. AMC powers contact centers and customer interactions for companies around the globe through certified products and unparalleled expertise. AMCs Contact Canvas product suite allows customers to integrate CRM and communication platforms, including CTI, across the enterprise, for call center agents, knowledge workers, and mobile staff. Our products are certified by our partners and allow businesses to more effectively manage all types of customer relations while delivering superior levels of customer service and improving productivity.
The Patterson Foundation gave $250,000 in catalytic funding to the Center for Disaster Philanthropys (CDP) Global Refugee Crisis Fund. This latest contribution continues the Foundations support for CDPs efforts to facilitate smart funding for programs serving the 65 million displaced people worldwide.

The CDP Global Refugee Crisis Fund connects funders with expert insight and opportunities to collectively address the issues refugees and displaced people face daily while building solutions to their long-term challenges. Since its inception in 2015, CDPs fund has focused primarily on capacity-building efforts to protect people forcibly displaced within Syria. The fund has been used to strengthen community-based protection initiatives for women and adolescents struggling through the ongoing conflict, as well as programs to improve adolescents psychological well-being through leadership training, education services and trauma support. According to the U.N. Refugee Agency, children now make up more than half of the worlds refugees.

As the suffering of refugees around the globe continues, so too must the worlds support for their well-being and long-term outlook, said Debra Jacobs, president and CEO of The Patterson Foundation. Regardless of the political climate, The Patterson Foundation is committed to effectively helping these people. The Center for Disaster Philanthropy shares this commitment, so donors can be confident that the Global Refugee Crisis Fund will connect them with ways to generate the greatest impact from their contributions.

The Patterson Foundation was one of the earliest supporters for the Global Refugee Crisis Fund, contributing $550,000 in catalytic funding and strategic communications support since 2015. The Foundation has provided nearly $2 million to CDP since 2012 in recovery support for major disasters such as Hurricane Sandy.

Donors giving to disaster-relief and recovery efforts are often unsure of how to get the most out of their money and how it will ultimately be spent. The Center for Disaster Philanthropys mission is to transform disaster giving by providing timely and thoughtful strategies to increase donors impact during domestic and international disasters. Its work connects donors with information and insight from experts in philanthropy to encourage effective giving throughout the duration of a disaster  from preparedness to rebuilding and recovery.

We are grateful to The Patterson Foundation for this generous gift and hope that it will inspire other donors to participate in the Global Refugee Crisis Fund as well, said Bob Ottenhoff, president and CEO of the Center for Disaster Philanthropy. Basic needs such as food, clothing, shelter and education are considerable and growing for these refugees trapped in a desperate situation with no easy solutions.

To learn more about the Center for Disaster Philanthropy, visit http://www.disasterphilanthropy.org. Please visit http://www.thepattersonfoundation.org for more information on The Patterson Foundation.

About The Patterson Foundation

The Patterson Foundation strengthens the efforts of people, organizations and communities. The Foundation focuses on issues that address common aspirations and foster wide participation, along with ways organizations learn and share as they evolve. For more information, please visit http://www.thepattersonfoundation.org and connect with @ThePattersonFdn on Twitter.

About the Center for Disaster Philanthropy

The Center for Disaster Philanthropys mission is to transform disaster giving by providing timely and thoughtful strategies to increase donors impact during domestic and international disasters. For more, please visit: disasterphilanthropy.org and connect with @funds4disaster on Twitter.

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Cuebiq, a next generation location intelligence company that helps businesses glean actionable insights about real-world consumer behaviors and trends, and Jumpshot, a marketing analytics firm that analyzes browsing, online shopping and purchase behaviors, have released their joint study examining the impact of Super Bowl LI ads on consumers online traffic and in-store visits. By comparing consumers online and offline behaviors during the weeks before and after this years Super Bowl, the study found uplifts in online activity and in-store visits among the auto, quick service restaurants (QSR) and telco brands that advertised during the Super Bowl.

Bringing together Cuebiqs anonymous enriched data from more than 50 million users on 160 partner apps and Jumpshots clickstream data of its 100 million global consumer panel, the study analyzed consumers in-store visits and online activity between Jan. 30, 2017, and Feb. 12, 2017, for several leading brands that advertised during Super Bowl Ll. The companies analyzed in the study include auto brands Alfa Romeo, Audi, Buick, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Lexus, and Mercedes-Benz, quick-service restaurant brands McDonalds, Wendys and KFC, and telco brands Sprint and T-Mobile.

From the offline analysis, Cuebiq found that in-store traffic from consumers increased the week after the Super Bowl compared to the week prior. The brands that received the most significant uplift were Audi (7.07 percent), T-Mobile (11.10 percent), Wendys (10.47 percent) and Sprint (10.42 percent). When looking at in-store visits in Los Angeles and New York City, the uplift did not match the nationwide trend. New York City saw an overall decrease for in-store visits compared to Los Angeles, mostly likely because of a snowstorm in New York City on Feb. 9, which could have impacted consumers' plans to visit stores over the weekend.

Other highlights from Cuebiq's analysis include:



While Audi saw the highest nationwide uplift, Mercedes had the lowest at 1.2 percent

While most of the store traffic for auto brands suffered from the bad weather in New York City the week after the Super Bowl, store traffic in Los Angeles was also down for Mercedes, Buick and Ford

1 in 10 Americans ate at a McDonald's the week after the big game, a 9.6 percent increase from the week prior

The Super Bowl is the one of the biggest events of the year for advertisers and the one that requires millions of dollars of investment, said Antonio Tomarchio, founder and CEO of Cuebiq. "Analyzing the impact of the ads on foot traffic to stores is one of the ways marketers can determine ROI of this costly investment. For example, despite the weather in New York, Audi saw a 9 percent uplift. This was not as high as Los Angeles but still higher than the nationwide uplift, which shows that the Audi Super Bowl ad #driveprogress received significant positive feedback.

From Jumpshot's online analysis, Alfa Romeo, a major sponsor of the Super Bowl, saw the biggest increase in online interest. Jumpshot analyzed traffic to each automaker's website and "Find a Dealership" pages, as well as Google searches and "Contact a Dealer" forms filled out on Cars.com to gauge overall interest.

"Alfa Romeo used the Super Bowl LI as its U.S. launch pad, which definitely paid off," said Randy Antin, vice president of marketing at Jumpshot. "The Italian brand has a relatively small market share in the States compared to the other auto brands studied and its Super Bowl presence led to drastic spikes in online activity. Not only did the brand's site traffic spike 866 percent, but clicks to where consumers could find a dealership increased by nearly 600 percent. In contrast, traffic to dealership pages only increased by 33 percent on average.

Other highlights from Jumpshot's analysis include:



After Alfa Romeo, the auto brands with the biggest increase in site traffic were Kia (44 percent) and Lexus (43 percent).

While Audi saw a 35 percent increase in Google searches following its Super Bowl ads, traffic to the company's "Find a Dealership" page decreased by 35 percent.

Buick and Ford were the only two brands to see a decrease in overall site traffic with 16 and 9 percent drops respectively.

For more information, please download the study here.

About Cuebiq

Cuebiq is a next generation location intelligence company that allows businesses to glean actionable insights about real-world consumer behaviors and trends. Using its data intelligence platform, Cuebiq provides geo-behavioral insights and offline location analytics, geo-behavioral audiences for cross-platform ad targeting, and offline attribution analysis. Cuebiq is a member of the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI), the leading self-regulatory industry association dedicated to responsible data collection and its use for digital advertising. Cuebiq is headquartered in New York with offices in Italy and China.

About Jumpshot

Jumpshot is a marketing analytics company that analyzes the clickstream data of its 100-million global customer panel to reveal todays buying mind with a scope of understanding never before attainable. From the key sources of traffic to a site, to browsing and buying behavior and even where customers go once they've left a site, Jumpshot reveals the entire customer journey. For more information, please visit http://www.jumpshot.com.
"We are now very competitive in the soft brand space and look forward to welcoming other signature destination properties, like this newest acquisition in The Big Easy," said Ron Pohl, SVP and COO for Best Western Hotels & Resorts.

Best Western Hotels & Resorts today announced the addition of the Blake Hotel New Orleans, BW Premier Collection. The property  situated on the St. Charles Avenue streetcar line at Lafayette Square  is a welcome addition to Best Westerns BW Premier Collection, which consists of carefully selected upscale, high-quality independent hotels and resorts in key markets that deliver exceptional and unique travel experiences, while retaining their design, name and orientation. Best Westerns soft brand fits discerning travelers seeking a one-of-a-kind experience with the benefits of a global hotel brand.

Its very exciting to add another great hotel to our BW Premier Collection, said Ron Pohl, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Best Western Hotels & Resorts. BW Premier Collection is one of our fastest growing brands and allows independent hoteliers to preserve their unique hotel identity  all while enjoying access to Best Westerns strong brand heritage, support, sales and marketing tools. We are now very competitive in the soft brand space and look forward to welcoming other signature destination properties, like this newest acquisition in The Big Easy.

The Blake Hotel New Orleans, BW Premier Collection is conveniently located in Downtown New Orleans within proximity to Bourbon Street, offering business and leisure travelers an ideal place to stay. The newly renovated hotel features 122 spacious guestrooms with flat-screen televisions, in-room microwaves, mini fridges and free high-speed internet. Additional amenities include a fitness center, business center, meeting facilities, cocktail lounge and has an on-site dining option  serving an array of authentic Louisiana cuisine. The property is also within walking distance to many restaurants  including the world-famous Cafe Du Monde  the Convention Center, Superdome, St. Louis Cathedral and the French Quarter.

We are delighted to join the Best Western family as a BW Premier Collection property, said Daffne Briggitte Ruglas, general manager of Blake Hotel New Orleans. We look forward to capitalizing on the global reach that Best Westerns network provides, while maintaining our unique personal identity and continuing to satisfy the needs of travelers seeking an authentic New Orleans experience.

Reservations at the Blake Hotel New Orleans, BW Premier Collection may be booked by calling the hotel directly at (504) 522-9000 or by calling Best Westerns 24-hour, toll-free reservations number (800)-WESTERN. Reservations are also available from Best Westerns website at bestwestern.com.

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About Best Western Hotels & Resorts:

Best Western Hotels & Resorts headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, is a privately held hotel brand with a global network of 4,200* hotels in more than 100* countries and territories worldwide. Best Western offers seven hotel brands to suit the needs of developers and guests in every market: Best Western, Best Western Plus, Best Western Premier, Executive Residency by Best Western, Vib, BW Premier Collection and GLo. Now celebrating more than 70 years of hospitality, Best Western provides its hoteliers with global operational, sales and marketing support, and award-winning online and mobile booking capabilities. Best Western continues to set industry records regarding awards and accolades, including nearly sixty percent of the brands North American hotels earning a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence award in 2016, Business Travel News ranking Best Western Plus and Best Western in the top three upper-mid-price and mid-price hotel brands for three years in a row, and Best Western receiving five consecutive Dynatrace Best of the Web gold awards for best hotel website. Best Western has also won eight AAA/CAA Lodging Partner of the Year awards, recognizing the brands commitment to providing exceptional service and great value to AAAs 56 million members in the U.S. and Canada. Nearly 30 million travelers are members of the brands award-winning loyalty program Best Western Rewards, one of the few programs in which members earn points that never expire and can be redeemed at any Best Western hotel worldwide. Best Westerns partnerships with AAA/CAA and Harley-Davidson provide travelers with exciting ways to interact with the brand. Through its partnership with Google Street View, Best Western is the first major company of its size and scale to launch a virtual reality experience for customers, setting a new industry standard and reinventing how guests view hotels.


With gyms in Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Williamsburg, American Family Fitness recently announced a Check-In and Win contest at all of their Virginia locations. Members who check-in on Facebook when they workout may be eligible to win an all-expense paid dream vacation to Hawaii with a guest.

Learn more about the Check-In and Win contest at American Family Fitness locations by clicking here.

Who wouldnt want to be surrounded by some of the most magnificent scenery in the world? Surfing the waves of Waikiki Beach, hiking through jungles, exploring volcanoes, or delving into the history of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii is a treasure for nature lovers and adventurers alike.

To be eligible for a chance to win this amazing Hawaiian getaway, American Family Fitness members must check-in on Facebook at least 20 times during the 90-day contest period.

"We love to give members committed to working out chance to earn extreme rewards such as this vacation, says Brian Evans, President. Not only do we provide our members with services and amenities to boost their health and fitness, he says, but we also offer this chance for a once-in-a-lifetime vacation to reiterate the importance of consistent exercise in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Its also a part of what makes American Family Fitness unique in our region.

For the convenience of its members, American Family Fitness offers gyms in Chester, Colonial Heights, Fredericksburg, Glen Allen, Mechanicsville, Midlothian, Richmond, and Williamsburg. Services include family fitness, weight loss programs, group classes, cardio, strength, aquatics, and more. Visit the American Family Fitness website to learn more.
Manuel Neri's "La Palestra No. 6," at Yares Art, New York "Manuel Neris work continues a Modernist figurative tradition advanced in the 20th century by such artists as Alberto Giacometti and Marino Marini, yet Neris approach to the figure is matchless and very much his own." - Dennis Yares

Yares Art is pleased to present "Manuel Neri: Singularity of Form & Surface," the first solo exhibition at the gallery's New York location, featuring bronze sculptures and drawings from the noted California artist. The exhibition runs from February 23rd through April 8th, 2017, with a preview reception on Thursday, February 23rd from 5:30 to 7:30pm at Yares Arts new location on the 4th floor at 745 Fifth Avenue, New York. An 88-page catalogue published for the exhibition is available at the gallery.

Gallery owner Dennis Yares writes in the exhibition catalogue that Manuel Neris work continues a Modernist figurative tradition advanced in the 20th century by such artists as Alberto Giacometti and Marino Marini, yet Neris approach to the figure is matchless and very much his own. For Neri, the sculptural figure remains a viable and relevant vehicle capable of speaking in contemporary terms...

Neri, whose career now spans six decades, has exhibited with Yares galleries in Scottsdale, Arizona, and Santa Fe, New Mexico, since 1991. This is his first solo New York exhibition in ten years.

Manuel Neri (b. 1930) is recognized for his life-size figurative sculptures and reliefs in plaster, bronze, and marble, their complex surfaces sanded, gouged, or painted as a means of directing the gestural thrust. The life-size bronze figures and maquettes featured in this exhibition are treated with the artists signature Alborada patina, a white painted surface layered with yellow glazes, that highlights the glow of the bronze and the sculptures formal and gestural essence.

In Neri's work with the figure, he conveys an emotional inner state that is revealed through body language, gesture, and surface. During the past four decades, Neri has worked primarily with the same model, Mary Julia Klimenko, creating drawings and sculptures that merge contemporary sculptural concerns with classical forms.

Since 1965 Neri has worked in his studio in Benicia, California; in 1981 he purchased a studio in Carrara, Italy, for working in marble. Neri initially became known in the 1960s for his association with the Bay Area Figurative movement. During the 1950s, he was a member of the artist-run cooperative Six Gallery in San Francisco where, in October 1955, he helped organize the "6 Poets at 6 Gallery" poetry reading, a landmark Beat era event where Allen Ginsberg gave the first public reading of Howl. In 1959, Neri was an original member of the Rat Bastard Protective Association, along with Bruce Conner, Joan Brown, Jay DeFeo, and other artists. (In the early 1960s Neri was married to painter Joan Brown, though their relationship and artistic collaboration dated back several years prior to that.)

Neri taught sculpture at California School of Fine Arts (195965) and UC Berkeley Art Department (1963-4), and was on the art department faculty at the University of California, Davis from 1965-99. Awards include the International Sculpture Centers 2006 Lifetime Achievement Award in Contemporary Sculpture, the 2008 Bay Area Treasure Award from the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and many others.

Museums holding works by Manuel Neri include the Art Institute of Chicago; Denver Art Museum; El Paso Museum of Art; Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco; Honolulu Museum of Art; Indianapolis Museum of Art; Memphis Brooks Museum; Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Manetti Shrem Museum, Davis, California; Minneapolis Institute of Art; Nasher Gallery at Duke University; Nasher Sculpture Center, Dallas; National Gallery of Art, Washington DC; Oakland Museum of California; Palm Springs Art Museum; Portland Art Museum, Oregon; San Diego Museum of Art; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; San Jose Museum of Art; Seattle Art Museum; University Museums, Iowa State University, Ames; Whitney Museum of American Art; Yale University Art Gallery, and others.

Yares Art champions primarily major Postwar Abstract Expressionist and Color Field artists and has represented the Milton Avery Estate for the past five decades. The gallerys inaugural exhibition featured Helen Frankenthaler and L.M.N.O.P, with works by Frankenthaler, Morris Louis, Robert Motherwell, Kenneth Noland, Jules Olitski, and Larry Poons and was hailed by writer David Ebony as A rarity in New York,  a concise overview of the Color Field movement of the late 1950s and 60s, whose heroic scaled canvases and immersive, panoramic viewing experiences are little known by younger generations of artists and art-lovers. (Nov. 26, 2016, artnet.com)

Yares Art is located at 745 Fifth Avenue, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10151

(212) 256-0969. http://www.yaresart.com
Greenberg Traurig, LLP attorneys Kemal Hawa and Emily Naughton will be participating in the Sixth Annual Northern California Data Center Summit. Hawa and Naughton will each moderate panels. The summit will be held Feb. 21-22, 2017, at the St. Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco.

Hawa will moderate the panel, End-User Discussion: Changing the Way of Thinking About the Cloud, Decision-Making Analysis, Impact of the Cloud Offerings & Challenges Over the Next 12 Months Feb. 21 at 1:35 p.m. He will also speak on the panel, Data Center Industrys Next Chapter: Who Will Survive and Thrive? Feb. 21 at 3:15 p.m. Naughton will moderate the panel, The Advantages of Development in California Markets: Analysis of the Impact of the Edge, Power, Connectivity & Incentives on Site Selection Feb. 21 at 2:15 p.m.

The conference is presented by CapRate Events, LLC (CRE). According to CREs website, the summit will feature speakers who will provide broad market analysis of the opportunities and challenges. Participating end-users will represent leading financial institutions and the regions most active firms. Over the last five years more than 2,000 senior-level industry executives attended the summit.

Hawa focuses his practice on corporate and securities law, with an emphasis on the telecommunications, media and technology industries, domestically and internationally. Hawa regularly advises public and private companies, private equity firms, investment banks, and creditors committees on a variety of matters, including mergers and acquisitions, bankruptcies and restructurings, investments, financing arrangements, licensing agreements, and commercial transactions. Hawa assists clients with the negotiation of transactions in the cloud computing space, including the negotiation of data center and co-location leases, globally. Hawa also has significant experience in the negotiation of network infrastructure transactions, including submarine cable systems (builds, financings, and capacity procurement), as well as terrestrial fiber optic network transactions.

Naughton focuses her practice on commercial transactions involving real estate and technology matters, with an emphasis on cloud computing. Naughton has represented some of the worlds largest content providers in colocation and data center leases globally with providers ranging from multinational owner-operators to single facility operators. Naughton has also represented various data center operators on complex data center development projects, new construction and leases.

Greenberg Traurig is a sponsor of the summit.

About Greenberg Traurig, LLP

Greenberg Traurig, LLP (GTLaw) has more than 2,000 attorneys in 38 offices in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East and is celebrating its 50th anniversary. One firm worldwide, GTLaw has been recognized for its philanthropic giving, was named the second largest firm in the U.S. by Law360 in 2016, and among the Top 20 on the 2016 Am Law Global 100. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com Twitter: @GT_Law.
An artist paints a bison during the QuickDraw, a popular event of the Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival, where more than 30 artists create plein air pieces in just 90 minutes. The festival offers a wealth of art-related functions to feed visitors cultural appetites.

The 33rd annual Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival will take place Sept. 6  17, 2017, bringing back the Rocky Mountain Wests premier cultural event.

For 12 days in September, the streets of Jackson, Wyoming, are bustling with artists and art enthusiasts ready to share and celebrate a variety of creative mediums and events, often inspired by the incredible natural surroundings of the unique mountain town. With more than 50 activities, many of them free, the festival offers a wealth of art-related functions to feed visitors cultural appetites.

This year the selected featured artist is Austin, Texas-based painter Mark Keathley. Keathley began painting at age 11 on his family farm in East Texas. The artist strives to share the emotion of the moments he captures in his paintings, incorporating bold strokes, amazing color, soul-stirring light and fine detail to bring focus to a works deeper meaning.

The award-winning Keathley says his favorite collectors are those who see his work, and want to take it home because it causes them to be still and rest  to listen to that quiet voice. Keathleys specially created featured artwork for the Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival poster will be revealed at the Wort Hotel, where it will be on display until it is auctioned after the QuickDraw event.

A packed itinerary of culturally rich events including art auctions, food and wine tastings, and house and ranch tours of Jacksons fine homes offers an extraordinary lineup for visitors and locals. Festival favorites such as the Palates & Palettes Gallery Walk, where more than 30 participating Jackson galleries keep their doors open late and offer food and wine to guests, and the Taste of the Tetons, a fabulous foodie feast of the valleys top chefs crafting artful cuisine in the Town Square, show off Jackson Holes remarkable variety of art and dining options. Also in Town Square, the always popular QuickDraw draws over 30 artists who are given 90 minutes to paint, sculpt and sketch their masterpieces before the live auction to sell the unique works.

Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, the Western Design Conference Exhibit + Sale (WDC), a signature event of the Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival, takes place Sept. 7  10 at the Snow King Events Center. Ringing in its silver anniversary, the four-day event boasts the best of a juried selection of Western functional art, from furniture and accessories to fashion and jewelry, attracting design lovers and collectors from around the globe. The popular Opening Preview Party and Fashion Show kicks off the WDC this year on Thursday, Sept. 7.

About the Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival:

Conveniently located just 20 minutes from the Jackson Hole Airport, Jackson, Wyo., is served by major airlines including Delta, United, American and SkyWest. Reservation information for Jacksons numerous hotels, as well as a complete schedule of Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival events taking place Sept. 6  17, 2017, may be found at http://www.jacksonholechamber.com. For additional information, contact Maureen Murphy at Jackson Hole Chamber, 307.733.3316.

Media Contact: Amy Stark, Word PR + Marketing, amy(at)wordprmarketing(dot)com, 307.734.5335
Valerie Bowden now makes her home in Ethiopia As women, we feel like its harder to travel alone, but in some ways its actually easier

What began as a two-month backpacking adventure to five African nations turned into a seven-month journey through 13 countries, a website dedicated to Africa, a book, and an overall experience that changed one backpackers life forever. ExpertFlyer.com recently went One-on-One with Valerie Bowden who, after her lengthy trek through the continent, created the blog, BackpackingAfricaforBeginners.com, and now resides in Ethiopia. While the blog shares some of her personal experiences, it focuses on providing solid advice, tips, and where to visit based on the type of adventure tourists want, and their budgets permit.

Africa is a large continent that offers something for every adventurer regardless of interest or lifestyle. The diverse landscape of Africa provides incredible opportunities for the hiker, thrill-seeker and photographer, and the accommodations available are just as diverse. From pitching a tent to luxury five-star hotels and resorts, Africa can be as rugged or luxurious as travelers want it to be. On her blog, Bowden provides extensive information and options so tourists can make well-informed decisions about where to visit, and why.

During her interview with ExpertFlyer.com, Bowden dispels some of the safety concerns perceived by tourists about Africa and reminded us that she, as a solo woman traveler in Africa for seven months, never experienced any threat or intrusion on her personal safety. As women, we feel like its harder to travel alone, but in some ways its actually easier, Bowden explained. Families were more likely to give me a ride expressing the hope that strangers would in kind watch over their mother, sister or daughter when they traveled alone. Bowden added that the rule of common sense always applies and you should not travel to regions in Africa that are designated by the State Department as dangerous due to civil unrest or government instability. In most countries, the biggest crime tourists need to concern themselves with is pick-pockets. Bowdens blog provides a variety of common sense rules that will drastically reduce the risk.

Africa could certainly fall into that category of once-in-a lifetime opportunity so its important to do your homework and really determine what you hope to achieve during your trip, says Chris Lopinto, president and co-founder of ExpertFlyer.com. BackpackingAfricaforBeginners.com is one of the best blogs focused specifically on African tourism and offers a wealth of valuable information that will make the planning process a lot easier.

When to travel to Africa is really up to each individual. As with most countries, there are peak times to visit, rainy seasons to possibly avoid, and other elements that may play into when to plan an adventure. And, as with most countries, off peak is typically less expensive. Trekking through Africa may not inspire a blog or writing a book, but it will inspire the desire to venture out and see more of the world.

To watch the full interview with Valerie Bowden at BackpackingAfricaforBeginners.com, visit ExpertFlyers blog.

About ExpertFlyer.com

Each month, ExpertFlyer's One-on-One blog goes face-to-face with the travel industry's leading decision makers to discuss and address topics relevant to many of today's business and frequent travelers.

ExpertFlyer.com was conceived and created by an eclectic team consisting of a veteran elite tier frequent flyer, an airline captain and corporate travel manager, and information technology professionals to deliver a 24/7 real time powerful air travel information service. The company provides its subscribers and corporate travel managers alike with a complete, concise and efficient way to access the ever-changing details of worldwide air travel information. For more information, please visit expertflyer.com.

Stuck in the middle seat again? Download the free Seat Alerts app from ExpertFlyer and get the window or aisle seat without hassle or frustration.

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Cornerstone Research, a leading provider of economic and financial consulting and expert testimony, announced today the promotions of four staff members to vice president: Abe Chernin, Kostis Hatzitaskos, Bryan Ricchetti, and Ravi Sinha.

Our new vice presidents exemplify the strong leadership and consulting expertise our firm offers in a wide range of matters, said Cornerstone Research President and CEO Michael E. Burton. We are proud to recognize each of them for the exceptional analytical focus and insight into complex issues they consistently bring to our clients.

Abe Chernin plays a key role in the firms consumer finance practice. He has significant expertise in matters related to asset-backed securities, consumer debt, and retail and investment banking. He also consults on real estate matters involving commercial developments, market analyses, appraisals, contractual disputes, and environmental impact issues. Chernin is based in Chicago.

Kostis Hatzitaskos focuses on merger review and antitrust litigation matters. He has consulted to parties and government agencies in the United States and abroad, and has taken multiple cases through trial. Hatzitaskos also works on intellectual property matters requiring substantive economic analysis. Hatzitaskos is based in Chicago.

Bryan Ricchetti consults on antitrust, labor, market manipulation, and product liability matters. He has particular expertise in matters involving statistical analysis of large, complex datasets, and class certification issues. Ricchetti has worked as a testifying expert on matters related to antitrust, statistics, and lost wages. Ricchetti is based in Chicago.

Ravi Sinha specializes in matters involving complex financial and valuation analyses. He has worked on several major cases involving securities litigation, financial institutions, and mergers and acquisitions. In intellectual property matters, he provides valuations and damages assessments associated with patents, trade secrets, and copyright disputes. Sinha is based in San Francisco.

About Cornerstone Research

Cornerstone Research provides economic and financial consulting and expert testimony in all phases of complex litigation and regulatory proceedings. The firm works with an extensive network of prominent faculty and industry practitioners to identify the best-qualified expert for each assignment. Cornerstone Research has earned a reputation for consistent high quality and effectiveness by delivering rigorous, state-of-the-art analysis for over 25 years. The firm has 700 staff and offices in Boston, Chicago, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, and Washington. Please visit Cornerstone Researchs website for more information about the firms capabilities in economic and financial consulting and expert testimony.

http://www.cornerstone.com

Twitter: @Cornerstone_Res
Ferrara Candy Company has named Associated the 2016 Supply Chain Segment Leader at their Supplier Innovation Summit.

We place a high degree of value on our relationship with Ferrara and are humbled to be recognized as the 2016 Supply Chain Segment Leader for Ferraras North American Operations. Thank you to Ferrara for trusting Associated to provide integrated supply chain solutions that helped optimize your space for growth. Brandon Hodge, General Manager for Associateds Chicagoland Operations.

Associated has been Ferraras preferred vendor partner for over 10 years and provided them with a wide array of solutions that have created efficiencies and helped to optimize 6 of Ferraras Distribution Centers. These solutions included; Facility Design and Layouts, Space Optimization, and Material Handling Equipment with Comprehensive Maintenance Programs as well as other cost-saving solutions.

About Ferrara Candy Company:

Ferraras been delivering goodness in every bite since 1908, when Salvatore Ferrara began selling candy-coated almonds from his bakery in Chicagos Little Italy neighborhood. Over the next century they introduced America to some of its most beloved candy brands like Lemonheads, Red Hots and Black Forest. Household names that instantly bring smiles to generations of candy lovers. Along the waywith delicious additions like Trolli, Brachs and Now & LaterFerrara became Americas number one maker of non-chocolate confection.

About Associated:

Associated has over 55 years of providing customers with innovative solutions that optimize space, labor and order fulfillment operations within their supply chain. By utilizing their unparalleled experience and industry best practices they are able to evaluate current methods and processes for storage, order fulfillment, labor and equipment utilization and recommend practical strategies to enhance their effectiveness and reduce overall cost. In 2014 Associated acquired Peach State Integrated Technologies Inc., a professional services firm that provides strategic supply chain consulting and automated material handling solutions for their global clients. The merger has made the combined organization one of the largest supply chain solution providers in North America in both size and breadth of solution offerings. Associated has been the recipient of multiple awards in recognition of being a premier organization in the supply chain industry.

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For additional information about Associated, visit the company Web site at http://www.associated-solutions.com or call (800) 755-7201.

Publisher note - Send reader responses to:

Associated

Attn: Debbie Tworek

133 North Swift Road

Addison, IL 60101

Phone: 630-588-3572

Fax: 630-588-8815

dtworek(at)associated-solutions(dot)com
This not about winning an award as much as it is about educating the market about how much technology has matured in meeting the challenges of Customer Not Present, online and mobile onboarding and KYC in regulated markets.

FSTech has shortlisted AU10TIX BOS for the "Anti-fraud or Security Strategy of the Year" award category (See: http://www.fstech.co.uk/awards/shortlist17.php). Winners will be announced by the judging panel in about one-month time. AU10TIX BOS won wide recognition in as paradigm shift in customer onboarding and fraud prevention automation featuring many "firsts" such as 100% human-free automaton, forensic level forgery and counterfeiting detection, up to +300% higher success rates in handling borderline quality ID images, workable exception reporting, multi-lingual document support, etc. AU10TIX BOS is appreciated not just for new performance standards but also for changing best practices, improving conversion success chances and improving operating efficiency.

Being shortlisted for the FSTech awards means a lot to us, says Ron Atzmon, Managing Director of AU10TIX: This not about winning an award as much as it is about educating the market about how much technology has matured in meeting the challenges of Customer Not Present, online and mobile onboarding and KYC in regulated markets. If service providers know better what to demand from ID authentication and onboarding automation than we have all won.

We live in breakthrough times for customer onboarding and KYC automation., says Ofer Friedman, VP Marketing of AU10TIX: Online and mobile financial services have been waiting a long time for mature automation that can cope with customer ID authentication and onboarding initiation. The highest involuntary loss of customers in the point of customer ID authentication and onboarding. Now technology can put customer onboarding on fast-forward and fraud prevention on "Shields up". Security and operating efficiency should not be two contradicting things because technology can now do both in one integrated process. Welcome to the world where technology born to curb fraud and enhance regulatory compliance also affects competitiveness and even profitability. This nomination already helps expand awareness and help decision makers make better informed decisions.

About AU10TIX

AU10TIX Limited, a fully owned subsidiary of ICTS International N.V, deals with the authentication and digitization of identifying documents including Passports, identity cards, driving licenses and other complementary identifying documents. The company specializes in implementing hardware & software based applications used for scanning, identifying, content retrieval, authentication and validation of identifying documents. AU10TIX is a pioneer of all-channel (front-end and online) ID authentication and processing solutions. The company's products drastically reduce identifying document-based fraud, reducing the costs associated with client processing and enabling effective regulatory compliance, while making the sales and support operations speedier and considerably more efficient.

For more information, visit http://www.au10tix.com

About ICTS International N.V.

ICTS specializes in the development and implementation of innovative security concepts and solutions designed to meet the needs of a variety of industries, mainly aviation transportation, border control and sensitive facilities. ICTS International benefits from over two decades of expertise and international operational experience in transportation security, with a particular emphasis on high-risk environments, passenger processing transactions and the integration of security services to provide a comprehensive security solution. It also offers a wide variety of customized training programs, tailored procedures and a wide range of security consulting services. The company has developed and implemented unique technological solutions, based on its comprehensive approach to security, designed to enhance the level of security while accelerating the security check process.

For more information, visit http://www.icts-int.com

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, regarding the Companys business strategy and future plans of operations. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, both general and specific to the matters discussed in this press release. These and other important factors, including those mentioned in various Securities and Exchange Commission filings made periodically by the Company, may cause the Companys actual results and performance to differ materially from the future results and performance expressed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof and the Company expressly disclaims any obligation to provide public updates, revisions or amendments to any forward-looking statements made herein to reflect changes in the Companys expectations or future events.

Contact:

AU10TIX

Ofer Friedman, VP Marketing

Email: ofer.friedman(at)au10tix(dot)com

Tel.: +357 (22) 007698

ICTS International NV

Alon Raich

Email: mail(aott)ictsinternational(d)com

Tel.: +31-20-716 3421
SpecHub drastically changes the way in which a publisher will need to work with ad campaigns, saving the company valuable time and resources.

February 21st 2017, GeoEdge, the leading ad verification and security solutions provider for online and mobile advertising, launches SpecHub, an automated creative QA testing solution for publishers' direct sold campaigns.

SpecHub automates the direct-sold, creative QA testing process for publishers and dramatically reduces workflow inefficiencies. It transforms and enhances the efficiency of the creative QA testing process by enabling publishers to quickly and easily test and launch error free ad campaigns. In fact, a publisher's QA and trafficking workload can be reduced by 70% using SpecHub.

Currently the only solution of its kind, SpecHub augments the current ad ops workflow and allows publishers agencies to test the creatives for compliance before they are sent to the publisher.

This ensures that publishers only receive pre-verified creatives which comply with all their specifications, and are therefore ready for launch. With SpecHub customized to publisher and industry standards, trafficking efficiency is dramatically enhanced and the cost of manual and labour intensive procedures greatly reduced.

SpecHub leverages GeoEdge's ad security and verification proprietary technology to run expansive automated QA tests for:

(1) Publishers Customized Specs: Each publisher has their own SpecHub portal customized to their specs. SpecHub notifies the team of any non-compliance issues. (2) IAB Compliance: Detects and flags any breaches in compliance of the IAB standards. (3) User Security: Detects and notifies any unknown, suspicious or malicious elements of an ad campaign. (4) Operation: Detects and flags any errors in the ad campaign, whether online, mobile or video.

"We designed SpecHub to solve the problems our publishers face when testing and launching direct-sold campaigns. Often, the process is filled with delays, errors and miscommunication," says Amnon Siev, CEO of GeoEdge. "SpecHub drastically changes the way in which a publisher will need to work with ad campaigns, saving the company valuable time and resources."

With the launch of SpecHub, GeoEdge provides ad security and verification for the entire ad campaign ecosystem, for both direct-sold and programmatic campaigns.
Mexican Expat contest brings one a mobile recharge prize for a relative or friend in Mexico. I've been using HablaMexico for more than 5 years now. Its so economical and simple to use. (Nicole J on Trustpilot.com)

HablaMexico.com, the platform that serves the Mexican diaspora, invites all Mexican expats to join a new Facebook Contest on "Extrano Mexico" page on February 23, 2017, and celebrate Chili Day together. Those who leave a comment with their favorite Mexican chili dish automatically enter the race for a free top up from HablaMexico.com: https://hablamexico.com/buy/mobile_recharge

The contest on Chili Day lasts between February 23-26, and welcomes anyone interested to share what his or her favorite Mexican chili dish is. People get the chance to mingle with the community of Mexican expats, but also to win a mobile top up for a friend or a relative in Mexico who uses one of the networks there: Telcel, Iusacell, Nextel, Movistar or Unefon. Comments are expected on the Extrano Mexico Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ExtranoMexico.Fan

The contest theme is not randomly picked. Mexicans celebrate National Chili Day, or "Dia del chile" because chilis have such a rich tradition in Mexico. Dia del chile is one of those holidays that are inevitable in Mexico, since this culture abounds in chili stories, tales and myths. Chili spices up food, keeps it healthy and interesting, yet tests one's limits as well.

The prize will be announced just after the weekend, on February 27, and will consist of a top up to a mobile phone in Mexico. The top up is ready in seconds on HablaMexico.com since it is an online perfected process: https://hablamexico.com/buy/mobile_recharge

Mobile Recharge is the most popular service on HablaMexico.com, among the Mexican expats. International Mobile Recharges are instant and easy and help one send credit to a friend or family member in Mexico. Top ups say a lot about Mexicans' generosity towards people back home in Mexico, whose local communication they support by sending them local mobile credit from abroad. One of the reasons is also that the speed of the HablaMexico.com online tool makes the transactions almost instant. Promotions are very frequent for top ups, especially for mobile recharges to Movistar and Telcel.

The other two expat services faciliated by HablaMexico.com are Voice Credit and Virtual Number. Voice Credit is international calling credit that never expires, while Virtual Number is Mexican number one uses abroad to receive local calls from family and friends living back in Mexico.

With Voice Credit, also called Credito de Voz, Mexicans abroad can call mobiles in Mexico at 1.9 cents/minute, and landlines there at 0.5 cents/minute, no matter the country they call from. The minimum purchase possible on HablaMexico.com is $2. This small amount brings 400 minutes to landlines or 105 minutes to mobiles in Mexico, or a mix of two.

The Virtual Number is also a very popular option for Mexican immigrants. They can get unlimited calls from Mexico as if they still lived there. For friends and family in Mexico who call the Virtual Number, costs are low, according to the local operator. In other words, they can call the person abroad on his or her Virtual Number at local rates. The cost of such a Virtual Number is $9.99 a month. But the service is flexible, it can be deactivated and reactivated any time according to one's needs.

Loyal customers receive not only Thank You points for future gift calls, but also regular offers and giveaways. Fans of the Facebook page Extrano Mexico are notified in their news feed on all contests and offers: https://www.facebook.com/ExtranoMexico.Fan

Mexicans' comments on review websites like Trustpilot.com point to the advantages of HablaMexico.com over other expat services:



No contract is needed to open an account and start using the services immediately.

The account includes a set of 4 features that cost nothing to activate.

Thank You points are offered on every purchase as a loyalty reward. They can be later converted into Voice Credit and used as balance for international calls.

Lowest rates on the market for calls to both mobiles and landlines.

International calls can be made from KeepCalling app, available for both Android and iOS devices.

Calling is also possible using access numbers that require no Internet connection.

24/7 human Customer Support is available in Spanish and English for any explanation or question.

Invoices and call history are available in one's online account.

3 expat services available in only one account: Mobile Recharge, Voice Credit and Virtual Number.

PayPal is accepted besides all major credit and debit cards.

Payment is accepted in any currency.

Transactions are 100% secure. The service is "Verified & Certified"

Anyone can earn credit while recommending the service to other fellow expats.

HablaMexico.com is a mobile-friendly website dedicated to the Mexican diaspora in the USA, Canada, Australia, Asia and Europe. The service is a brand of KeepCalling, a global telecommunications company registered in 2002 in USA. Presently, KeepCalling provides its services to hundreds of thousands of consumers and businesses, with a focus on customer satisfaction. KeepCalling was listed by Inc 5000 as one of the fastest growing companies in the USA for 5 consecutive years.
"The demand for integrated receivables has been building steadily for the past several years and were excited to partner with FTNI to make this technology a reality for our customers. -- Bob Van Kirk, VP, Treasury Management, Horicon Bank

Financial Transmission Network, Inc. (FTNI) announced today that it has formed a partnership with Horicon Bank to provide seamlessly integrated receivables processing solutions to Horicon Banks corporate banking customers. The new partnership will enable Horicon Bank to deliver its corporate banking customers a single, secure, SaaS-based platform, to accept any payment method (check, ACH, Credit/Debit card, cash), via any payment channel (mailed-in/lockbox, called-in, in-person, online, mobile).

Founded in 1896, Horicon Bank has built a proud foundation of beneficial relationships with its customers over the course of its 120 years in business. Currently, Horicon operates 15 locations throughout east-central Wisconsin, offering a complete portfolio of consumer and business banking services and solutions.

As financial institutions look to grow Accounts Receivables (AR) and Treasury Management offerings to support corporate banking customers rapidly evolving needs, theyve found themselves being asked to deliver a comprehensiveand increasingly integratedrange of services and solutions. The challenge is that most companies (banks included) have adopted these services and solutions piecemeal and have now been left to manage the ongoing support and maintenance of disparate systems and legacy software.

The traditional corporate banking customer relationship is changing, said Bob Van Kirk, Vice President, Treasury Management at Horicon Bank. Our corporate banking customers no longer see us as just their financial institution, but more and more as a trusted partner when it comes to leveraging new technology and solutions across their financial operations. The demand for integrated receivables has been building steadily for the past several years and were excited to partner with FTNI to make this technology a reality for our customers.

Through this new partnership, Horicon Bank will deliver corporate banking customers with modular, easy-to-deploy, highly-configurable, receivables processing solutions ranging from advanced Remote Deposit Capture (RDC), lockbox processing, online payments, single and recurring ACH & credit card payments, as well as mobile payments (mobile RDC, ACH & CC)  all powered by FTNIs ETran platform. Corporate banking customers will benefit from the ability to seamlessly integrate current business processes, bank and merchant processor relationships, and back-office accounting software to deliver increased efficiencies as a result of true straight through processing from a single platform.

Corporate banking customers will further benefit from complete electronic invoice/bill presentment and payment (EIPP/EBPP) functionality across all employee and customer-facing interfaces throughout the platform. All payment information is processed and stored on ETrans fully compliant  PCI, HIPAA, SSAE 16 and more  Software as a Service (SaaS) platform.

Unlike many legacy, disparate, dashboard-driven systems, ETrans seamlessly integrated, modular design is quickly and easily configured based on customers unique business needs to enable the automation of AR processes and workflowshelping organizations significantly streamline AR operations from a single solution. A flexible plug-n-play platform, ETran works with existing banking and merchant processor relationships and supports efficient integration (batch or real-time) with any back-office accounting/ERP system.

Horicon Bank is a great example of how financial institutions are finding new ways to partner with FinTech companies to deliver their corporate banking customers with value-added solutions and services, said Zac Robinson, Director of Sales & Marketing at FTNI. Were honored to have the opportunity to work with the team at Horicon Bank as they take a leadership position within the marketplace as one of the few community banks to take an active role in helping their customers de-silo their AR operations and implement in a truly integrated receivables solution.

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About Horicon Bank

Horicon Bank continues its commitment to lead community banks in implementing innovative technologies to create value for businesses with products that improve efficiency and controls while helping reduce expense and enhance earnings. Established in 1896, Horicon Bank is a diversified financial services provider based in Horicon, Wisconsin. Serving several communities in eastern and southern Wisconsin, Horicon Bank provides customers with the resources, information and counsel they need to meet their financial goals. Horicon Bank provides a broad range of retail banking, business banking and treasury management, wealth management and investment banking services. For more information, visit http://www.horiconbank.com.

About FTNI

Financial Transmission Network, Inc. (FTNI) accelerates the way businesses accept, process, post and manage payments. Processing millions of transactions monthly, FTNIs integrated receivables hub, ETran, accepts any payment method, via any payment channel  on a single, secure, cloud-based platform. ETrans user-friendly, modular design seamlessly integrates current business processes, bank and processor relationships, and back-office accounting software to deliver increased efficiencies and cost savings as a result of true straight through processing. Founded in 2007, FTNI serves more than 20,000 corporate users from leading organizations such as the American Red Cross, Benchmark Senior Living, Cash-Wa Distributing, DirectBuy, Five Star Senior Living, Independence Bank, Mutual of Omaha Bank, Penn Mutual, Physicians Mutual Insurance, Proxibid, RealPage, Shamrock Foods, The McClatchy Company and many more. For more information, visit http://www.ftni.com.
In response to pressure from the Obama administration, many states adopted policies linking teacher evaluations to student performance on standardized tests and other measured outcomes. However, the newly enacted Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) seems to mark a federal deprioritization of teacher evaluation reform.

A new report from Bellwether Education Partners seeks to influence states decisions about possible revisions to teacher evaluation policies, but its conclusions are often underdeveloped or unsubstantiated.

Amy Farley, an Assistant Professor at the University of Cincinnati, reviewed For Good Measure? Teacher Evaluation Policy in the ESSA Era for the Think Twice Think Tank Review Project at the National Education Policy Center, housed at CU Boulders School of Education.

The report argues for the maintenance of key elements of high-stakes teacher evaluation, including the heavy focus on accountability and the use of student outcomes to evaluate teachers. It also urges policymakers to invest in management, capacity, and strategies to capture lessons learned.

While the report raises several good questions with regard to the future of teacher evaluation, it has three key flaws: it overstates the likelihood that ESSA will result in widespread changes to evaluation systems, it ignores the literature regarding substantial technical challenges and unintended consequences of growth measures, and it dismisses the ideological and political debates surrounding teacher accountability.

Professor Farley concludes that the report offers little fresh or worthwhile guidance for policymakers. The unsubstantiated claims and dogged defense of student growth metrics poorly serve policymakers seeking a nuanced and research-based discussion of teacher evaluation reform in the ESSA era.

Find Amy Farleys review at:

http://nepc.colorado.edu/thinktank/review-teacher-evaluation

Find For Good Measure? Teacher Evaluation Policy in the ESSA Era, by Kaitlin Pennington and Sara Mead, published by Bellwether Education Partners, at:

http://bellwethereducation.org/sites/default/files/Bellwether_ForGoodMeasure-GPLH_Final1216%20%281%29.pdf

Find Documents:

Press Release: http://nepc.info/node/8497

NEPC Review: nepc.colorado.edu/thinktank/review-teacher-evaluation

Report Reviewed: bellwethereducation.org/sites/default/files/Bellwether_ForGoodMeasure-GPLH_Final1216%20(1).pdf

The National Education Policy Center (NEPC) Think Twice Think Tank Review Project (http://thinktankreview.org) provides the public, policymakers, and the press with timely, academically sound reviews of selected publications. The project is made possible in part by support provided by the Great Lakes Center for Education Research and Practice: http://www.greatlakescenter.org

The National Education Policy Center (NEPC), housed at the University of Colorado Boulder School of Education, produces and disseminates high-quality, peer-reviewed research to inform education policy discussions. Visit us at: http://nepc.colorado.edu
LAGOS, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Nigeria's central bank stepped up dollar sales on the interbank currency market on Tuesday, traders said, a day after the bank effectively devalued the naira for retail currency sales.

The bank sold a total of $6 million to commercial banks at 304.75 per dollar, Reuters data showed, far more than its regular $1.5 million, traders said.

Earlier, the central bank said it would sell $500 million on a 60-day forward contract to help boost dollar liquidity on the interbank market.

(Reporting by Chijioke Ohuocha; Editing by Catherine Evans)
Were pleased at the opportunity to participate as a sponsor with asset management professionals who are seeking better ways to manage risk, assure data security, and continue their successful NERC compliance programs. ~Ann Broussard

Certrec, a leading regulatory compliance provider for NERC compliance, announced today its participation in the Solar Asset Management North America 2017 Conference in San Francisco, CA from March 28-29.

Currently, Certrec provides NERC compliance support on an ongoing basis to several U.S. solar facilities. We have worked with these solar sites for several years and appreciate the trust that these clients have in our team. In 2016 Certrec was selected by two new solar facilities to develop their NERC compliance programs.

Our industry is comprised of customized systems, talented individuals, and unique corporate cultures. In addition, newcomers to the workforce plus new (sometimes fledgling) technologies all need to be incorporated into this regulatory framework. One size does not fit all in our industry. A standardized approach to NERC compliance using a software application or cookie cutter templates does not result in successful NERC compliance programs.

An entity that is dedicated to compliance operates every day in compliance. Every day, they are audit ready and this is accomplished through an effective Internal Controls Process with periodic self-evaluations of effectiveness, coupled with a robust corrective action process.

Were pleased at the opportunity to participate as a sponsor at the Solar Asset Management North America 2017 Conference with asset management professionals who are seeking better ways to manage risk, assure data security, and continue their successful NERC compliance programs. - Ann Broussard, Office of NERC Compliance Business Development Director

Certrec Corporation is dedicated to regulatory compliance exclusively and has been since we started in 1988. We believe our approach is the key to our successful client programs as well as our growing NERC practice.

CERTREC

Founded in 1988, Certrec is an engineering and technology based organization providing regulatory support services in the electric power industry. With over 1,200 cumulative years of direct industry experience (including wind, solar, nuclear, and fossil), Certrec has developed exceptional capabilities to support regulatory activities emanating from regulatory entities such as the North American Electric Reliability Corporation and Regional Entities (NERC), the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and other regulatory agencies. Certrec's Office of NERC Compliance (ONC), Office of Licensing and Compliance (OLC), Office of Assessment and Recovery (OAR), and Office of New Plant (ONP) services are used by utilities and entities across the United States to help manage the regulatory process to their advantage.
One Neck was able to help us quickly navigate a new and unexplored landscape with Microsoft Azure. They did it at a pace that didnt impact our demanding project timelines.

On the heels of the announcement by OneNeck IT Solutions that the company was expanding their partnership with Microsoft, Sunny Delight Beverages Co. reached out with an invitation. Sunny Delight wanted OneNeck to manage the deployment of their Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 application into Azure.

One Neck was able to help us quickly navigate a new and unexplored landscape with Microsoft Azure, said Aaron Kallmeyer, associate director of IT at Sunny Delight. They did it at a pace that didnt impact our demanding project timelines. With their partnership, we also minimized our Development and User Acceptance Testing environment costs.

Sunny Delight is a leading producer, distributor and marketer of juices, juice drinks and flavored waters in North America. Their brands include Sunny Delight juice drinks, Veryfine juices and drinks, and Fruit2O flavored and sparkling waters. They have counted on OneNeck since 2004 for IT support and management.

Sunny Delight has a long history with OneNeck, said Shawn Roberts, VP and Chief Information Officer at Sunny Delight. We trust the OneNeck team and their expertise. They have a proven-ability to adapt to meet our business needs. Working with them has granted us the flexibility to form-fit our IT solutions. Simultaneously, its provided us the opportunity to seamlessly grow as our needs change.

Roberts added that the long-standing partnership with OneNeck is precisely why Sunny Delight immediately looked to OneNeck to meet their recent need to leverage Azure for a new production environment. They were counting on the proven-expertise of the OneNeck team to complete deployment in just three weeks.

Being invited to help our long-standing customer deploy their new Microsoft Dynamics AX environment in Azure was a fantastic opportunity, said Jeff Budge, VP of Advisory Consulting and Product Management at OneNeck. It was one of our first chances to leverage our expanded Microsoft partnership and deliver a fully hybrid cloud deployment involving Azure. Plus, it provided us the chance to showcase our resources and employee expertise. Despite the tight timeline, we knew we had the right people in place to make it happen.

As part of the deployment, OneNeck worked closely with Microsoft to ensure success. Microsoft requires the use of Microsoft Dynamics Lifecycle Services (LCS) to improve predictability and quality of the Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 environment. During deployment of Sunny Delights AX 2012 environment, the OneNeck team built and deployed a test environment.

Our team, in fact, manually set up additional components within the test template to avoid any single point of failure, added Budge. The environment needed to be highly available  and it was! Its a true testament to the collective effort of the entire OneNeck team and showcases our ability to help any customer. Whether its a move to the Azure platform, or as we did for Sunny Delight, incorporating Azure as a part of their hybrid cloud strategy, our team is ready.

Following the successful deployment of the Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 into Azure, OneNeck then began managing the new environment. At the same time, OneNeck started Phase II of the project  moving Sunny Delights older Azure environment to its new, final production Azure platform. Currently, OneNeck is also managing Sunny Delights Dynamics AX 2009 environment, which resides in OneNeck's data center. The combined environments provide Sunny Delight with a hybrid cloud solution.

OneNeck IT Solutions offers a full suite of hybrid IT solutions including cloud and hosting solutions, managed services, ERP application management, professional services and IT hardware. In addition to their state-of-the-art facility in Oregon, OneNeck also has top-tier data centers in Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Visit oneneck.com for more information.

About OneNeck

OneNeck IT Solutions LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Telephone and Data Systems, employs nearly 550 people throughout the U.S. The company offers hybrid IT solutions including cloud and hosting solutions, managed services, ERP application management, professional services, IT hardware and top-tier data centers in Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota, Oregon and Wisconsin. OneNeck's team of technology professionals manage secure, world-class, hybrid IT infrastructures and applications for businesses around the country. Visit oneneck.com.

TDS Telecommunications Corporation (TDS Telecom/TDS), headquartered in Madison, Wis., operates OneNeck IT Solutions LLC and BendBroadband, which is part of TDS Broadband Service LLC. Combined, the company employs more than 3,400 people. Visit tdstelecom.com.

Telephone and Data Systems, Inc., a Fortune 500 company, provides wireless; cable and wireline broadband, TV and voice; and hosted and managed services to approximately six million customers nationwide through its businesses U.S. Cellular, TDS Telecom, OneNeck IT Solutions LLC, and TDS Broadband Service LLC. Founded in 1969 and headquartered in Chicago, Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. employs 10,400 people. Visit tdsinc.com.
XBOSoft vice president Stephen Gohres at HiMSS17 Since we began working with XBOSoft as our quality assurance partner five years ago, our entire process of developing and release new software has become much smoother and more efficient,

When entrepreneur Philip Lew launched a new company dedicated to providing cutting edge software quality assurance services to companies large and small a decade ago, healthcare IT professionals were still immersed in the struggle to convert their systems to electronic health records (EHR). Today, that company, XBOSoft is among the leaders in supporting healthcare companies to improve the quality of their software, and to address their new challenges: security, mobile readiness and accessibility.

XBOSoft will be on site this week at perhaps the most significant healthcare IT trade show of the year, HiMSS17 in Orlando, FL., booth 5471. From its roots in Beijing, China, XBOSoft has evolved into a QA consulting firm with a global presence. Yet its customized approach to serving each client has allowed XBOSoft to develop particular expertise in the healthcare sector.

Clients such as Mobile MedSoft--which develops software and enterprise solutions for pharmacies and long-term care providers of all types--have depended upon XBOSofts services to grow their businesses. As such partnerships have continued over time, XBOSofts engineers and testers have gained true insight into the unique quality assurance challenges faced by those in the healthcare field. Such trends as the shift toward agile development practices have challenged many in healthcare software development. XBOSofts agile testing expertise has given its clients an advantage in spotting and correcting defects during the agile process.

Since we began working with XBOSoft as our quality assurance partner five years ago, our entire process of developing and release new software has become much smoother and more efficient, said Duke Yetter, President and CEO of Mobile MedSoft. Its resulted in a much better experience for our customers--theyre getting high quality products that perform as expected.

Yetter said key factors in the success of the partnership between the companies are the depth of industry knowledge on the part of the XBOSoft team, the close relationship between testers and developers, the attention to detail of XBOSofts team, and higher level quality consulting offered by XBOSoft.

They dont just test software, they offer advice on industry best practices. They point us strategically in the right direction, Yetter said.

While XBOSofts software quality process consulting team can address issues across a range of industries, it has developed special expertise in mobile, healthcare and finance sectors.

Because of our long-term relationships with clients like Mobile MedSoft, our team members become experts in our clients businesses, Lew said. We can speak their language. We understand the unique challenges they face.

A graduate of Cornell University (Masters in Operations Research and Industrial Engineering) and Beihang University in Beijing, China (PhD in Computer Science and Engineering), Lew had experience in software development and testing prior to launching XBOSoft. He decided to focus XBOSofts services on quality because of his passion for quality products.

To XBOSoft, quality is not just about testing software to find the defects, Lew says. We take a holistic approach to our clients product quality, evaluating not only the software, but the systems and processes that are in place to develop the products.

As software developers have come under increasing pressure to shorten release cycles while maintaining quality, they are looking for QA services that go beyond mere testing.

Rather than just adding more resources, these companies need a game plan for long-term software quality assurance improvement as part of their competitive position. Thats our specialty--providing those long-term solutions to the quality life-cycle. Our team implements process improvements with flawless execution, said Stephen Gohres, vice president, business development.

Headquartered in San Francisco, XBOSoft has offices in the U.S. and China. Services include both onsite and virtual consulting designed to deliver quality assurance assessments and advice on best practices.

To download a healthcare case study from our website, visit https://48ntgp1ff1ym2ayozi2m0076-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/Mobile-MedSoft-Case-Study.pdf.

Want to talk quality with the experts at HiMSS17? Drop by booth 5471. Philip and Stephen will be there to discuss the latest solutions to the QA challenges of healthcare software development.
Brand on a Budget: Marketing Guide for Your Lawn Maintenance Business, by HindSite Software We broke the guide into four easy-to-digest sections, which allows small business owners to turn written advice, into real-world results

After sifting through the data of their - soon to be released - 2017 Green Industry Benchmark Report, HindSite Software noticed a trend in small lawn maintenance businesses. Over the last two years these companies - when compared to the industry average - were more likely to be concerned with "improving their marketing, while at the same time wishing they had more free time and didnt have to do all the work themselves."

As a result of this tug-of-war, HindSite Software - the premier provider of field service software for green industry businesses - has released Brand on a Budget: Marketing Guide for Your Lawn Maintenance Business." The guide offers practical advice from green industry and marketing experts structured in actionable steps.

Many of our customers have asked how they can create effective marketing with a small business budget and limited capabilities, explains Dom Devine, HindSites Content Marketing Specialist. So we broke the guide into four easy-to-digest sections, which allows small business owners to turn written advice, into real-world results.

Part I: Getting Started

-Building a Strategy

Part II: Execute

-Website

-SEO

-Email

-Social Media

Part III: Moving Forward

-Have a Voice & Be Consistent

Part IV: Tools & Terms

Part I details how effective marketing starts with understanding a brand, its market and what separates it from the competition. Part II provides step by step instructions to set this strategy into motion. The section focuses on generating leads in the digital space since only half of small lawn maintenance businesses have a website. Meaning the other half are missing the 85% of customers who turn to online search engines to find local businesses.

The third section explains how a lawn maintenance business can maintain momentum by engaging with a market in a consistent voice. Finally, the lawn maintenance software company ends the guide by providing definitions of commonly misunderstood marketing terms along with a list of digital marketing tools.

Like our software, the goal of our content is to always help small green industry businesses be as successful and profitable as possible. And this guide has the potential to do just that.

Visit http://info.hindsitesoftware.com/brand-on-a-budget-ebook to read the marketing guide.

About HindSite Software

HindSite Software has helped contractors better manage and grow their business with field service software since 2001. Designed by a green industry business owner, HindSite Solution and cloud-based FieldCentral assists service businesses with scheduling, contact management, field data collection (e.g. mobile field service software), and invoicing in QuickBooks, Sage Peachtree, and Simply Accounting. This paperless work order management software has been proven to increase efficiency and organization, meaning greater profit potential with less administrative time.
The 5th Annual Ellen's Icebreaker will be held Saturday, March 4, at Naga-Waukee Park in Hartland, Wisconsin. Proceeds benefit The Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center. The plunge has grown to recognize not only Ellens incredible spirit, but also the spirit of all individuals impacted by cancer.

Saturday, March 4, marks the 5th Annual Ellens Icebreaker for Cancer Research. For the event, people from across the country will come together to plunge into the icy waters of Nagawicka Lake in support of cancer research.

The 1st Annual Ellens Icebreaker was held in March of 2013 during Ellen Smiths year-long battle with gastric cancer. Her husband, Rick Smith, along with Eric Jorgensen, a close family friend and President & CEO of JX Enterprises, helped conceptualize and kick off the event in her honor. Rick is the General Manager of JX Peterbilt - Waukesha in Pewaukee, Wis.

Ellen lost her battle with cancer on October 20, 2013, at the age of 59. Since then, the plunge has grown to recognize not only Ellens incredible spirit, but also the spirit of all individuals impacted by cancer.

Donations collected through the event support the ELMS (Ellen Louise Mechling Smith) Fund. The purpose of this fund is to sponsor research for a cancer cure through The Medical College of Wisconsin and Froedtert Hospitals Cancer Center. Ellen chose the Medical College of Wisconsin due to her high regard for the level of care and support she received during her treatment. One hundred percent of all donations collected go to the Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center. Visit http://www.ellensway.org to donate today!

Globally, cancer claims the lives of nearly 8 million people a year. The mission of Ellens Icebreaker is to raise awareness, fund research, and honor those affected by cancer.

This years Ellens Icebreaker will, once again, be held at Naga-Waukee Park in Hartland, Wis. Jump in honor of Ellen or a loved one who has battled cancer, and come support the efforts of remarkable research for a cure to cancer. Registration begins at 10:30 a.m. with plunging to follow. There will be food, beverages, and music. Visit http://www.ellensway.org for more information and to sign up for the event.

About JX

JX Enterprises is a family-owned, locally-operated group of more than 20 full-service truck dealerships and support services throughout the Midwest. JX Peterbilt, JX Truck Center, JX Financial, JX Leasing, JX Hino  Chicago, and Alltrux Capital are all subsidiaries. The company takes pride in its ability to support customers by providing transportation solutions to fit their long- and short-term goals. Founded in 1970, JX Enterprises is headquartered in Hartland, Wisconsin. Visit http://www.jxe.com to learn more.
Finding Funding Grant Founder, Chris Anderson Funding is the number one obstacle for teachers...

Each month, a handful of Kidwings science enthusiasts, teachers, and company participants select a candidate who has articulated some of the outcomes of various results of dissecting barn owl pellets in their classroom. A common theme among applicants is the challenge of finances for teachers.

Grant creator Chris Anderson, also owner of Owl Brand Discovery Kits, comments about that reality he observes, "Funding is the number one obstacle for teachers who want quality tools and props that support their teaching. This modest little grant accomplishes that, one teacher at a time. My goal is to grow the award by attracting other companies who share this vision."

Ella Tzinberg describes her excitement about receiving shopping vouchers at each of the companies' websites, "The Pisgah Explorers Club is part of a non-profit, and we rely on other departments and grants to fund the education division. While the Pisgah Explorers Club does have some funding, we cannot always afford the materials we need to provide the best possible programs for under-served and under-represented populations. This [grant] will give my students an experience of a lifetime."
Dr. Dawn McClellan Shown with Dental Care International Dental Surgery Assistant Students in Sri Lanka

Dental Care International (DCI), and co-founder Dr. Dawn McClellan, were featured in an article by David Burger in American Dental Associations publication, the ADA News. DCI is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping the underserved in the U.S. and abroad receive essential dental care. Dr. McClellan, a respected pediatric dentist in Las Vegas, NV, founded DCI with Mike PeQueen in 2001. The organization has worked to increase access to dental care for thousands of disadvantaged individuals in communities in Las Vegas, NV as well as Kandy, Sri Lanka and Cuenca, Ecuador.

The American Dental Association was founded in 1859. Growing to become the leading source of oral health-related information for patients and dental professionals, it is now the nations largest dental association. The ADA News covers the latest advancements in dentistry and highlights leaders in the field.

Dental Care International is dedicated to increasing access to dental care in the U.S. and abroad. In Las Vegas, DCI holds a dental clinic offering experienced preventative care to infants and teenagers while also providing affordable orthodontic treatment. Each year since 2009, DCI works with the local Ecuadorian dental school in Cuenca, Ecuador to bring a team of dental professionals to provide vital oral health services to rural school children.

In Kandy, Sri Lanka, DCI provides a one-year residential Dental Surgery Assistant training program for young girls. Students come from childrens homes and often have a history of neglect, poverty and abuse. By the end of the program, they are not only able to gain valuable, marketable skills to improve their lives, but they can also offer their community skilled dental care. Since its foundation, DCI has treated more than 71,000 patients. This year, 11 students are expected to graduate the dental assistant program.

Dental Care International is always looking for volunteers, donations and sponsors for students in the Dental Surgery Assistant training program. As a pediatric dentist in Las Vegas, Dr. McClellan and her team are excited to launch DCIs fifth year and look forward to helping thousands of patients in the future. Those who would like to learn more about DCI, or volunteer their time to the cause, can contact the organization by calling 702-272-1100.

About the Organization

Dental Care International (DCI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing access to dental care and providing dental services to the disadvantaged and neglected areas of the world. DCI was founded by Dr. Dawn McClellan and Mike PeQueen in 2001. DCI offers a one-year residential Dental Surgery Assistant (DSA) Training Program near Kandy, Sri Lanka where girls who have survived abuse, neglect, poverty, and tragedy, are afforded an opportunity to receive training and later find work in hospitals and clinics across Sri Lanka. DCI has also made an impact in Cuenca, Ecuador since 2009, where a team of volunteers visits to provide dental services to rural school children. The DCI team is not only helping areas in need internationally, but locally as well, offering comprehensive pediatric dentistry and orthodontic services at their clinic in Las Vegas, NV where they provide increased access to dental care for the underserved and working poor in the community. To learn more about DCI, how to sponsor a student, volunteer or donate, please visit http://www.dcare.org or call (702) 272-1100 for more information.
[Wagner's] unique blend of experience working internally with AEC firms in the business development and marketing departments perfectly lends itself to the expansion of not only our discipline expertise, but also our geographic reach within the Southwest.

ExactSource, a nationally recognized leader in the delivery of talent management solutions to architectural and engineering firms, welcomes Mike Wagner to their expanding team. Wagner is a 30-year veteran Marketing and Business Development Executive with extensive experience in strategic planning, client development, firm expansion, and marketing functions for A/E/C industry firms. He will serve as Partner.

Wagner is a specialist in relationship-selling and building successful marketing/business development organizations, systems, and processes to improve branding, recognition, and enhance seller-doer results for firms in the architectural and engineering industries. He will lead business and client development for A/E/C firms seeking to fill senior and executive-level positions in management, production, marketing, and business development. Wagner will lead ExactSource's growth in Texas and surrounding geographical markets.

Im thrilled to welcome Mike Wagner as the newest Partner at ExactSource, says Managing Partner Katy Young, His unique blend of experience working internally with A/E/C firms in the business development and marketing departments perfectly lends itself to the expansion of not only our discipline expertise, but also our geographic reach within the Southwest market."

The addition of Mr. Wagner and the geographic expansion is a strategic transition for ExactSource, a firm who has experienced significant growth in the last six months. In October of 2016, the A/E/C recruiting firm announced the addition of industry influencer Chuck Detling to their team, as well as their entry into the forensic engineering market.

This recent growth is part of a larger strategy to continue better serving the A/E/C industry with a comprehensive suite of talent management solutions. ExactSource leadership credits the firm's recent successes to the diverse experiences and skill sets of their growing team.

Ms. Young explains, "Mr. Wagner, an industry veteran, adds a deep level of expertise to our team; he is a unique complement. His wealth of knowledge in marketing and business development strategies will be a resource for our clients which will be invaluable in the selection of high caliber talent at the senior level."

For more information about Exactsource, visit the company's website here: http://www.exactsource.com

About ExactSource:

ExactSource is a national leader in the delivery of talent solutions, software and organizational consulting to firms in the architectural and engineering sector. The company was launched in April 2012, by its sister company, Matteson Partners, one of Atlanta's leading Executive Search firms for the past 29 years. In 2014, ExactSource launched Ingenium, the premier boutique digital marketing agency for professional service firms.

ExactSource is best known in the A/E/C industry for their highly acclaimed ExactProfile technology, a system released in 2012 that assesses and catalogs more than 115 critical engineering skill sets and experience levels that arent typically identified on a resume. Using this breakthrough screening software, HR managers are able to instantly identify the technical candidates that meet their exact requirements. This methodology provides a smarter way to hire, and it is the objective of ExactSource to have every A/E/C firm across the country using ExactProfiles as part of the hiring process.

ExactSource brings a combined 161 years of experience in technical and leadership recruitment, and has established a prominent presence in the Engineering community. The company successfully serves firms in 39 states across the nation, including over 20 firms on the Top 500 A/E list.

For more information about ExactSource and their consulting, research, software, and recruiting services, visit their website or contact David Schmidt at dschmidt(at)exactsource(dot)com.
New Orleans Style Tasting Room We hold our Samedi Gras Celebration on Saturday every year, so that everyone has the opportunity to celebrate with their Cajun cousins at Breaux. This years event is poised to be our best yet.

The event will take place at Breaux Vineyards Winery in Purcellville in their NOLA-style tasting room. This will be the 19th consecutive year that Breaux Vineyards has held the event. Tickets for Samedi Gras are on sale now and are expected to sell out extremely fast.

Samedi means Saturday in French, hence the name Samedi Gras. Participants can enjoy wine tasting, music, dancing, king cake, masks, festive beads, a costume contest and a selection of authentic Cajun and creole food. For this years event, Breaux Vineyards has partnered with Sweet NOLAs to provide jambalaya, gumbo, alligator bombs, Andouille sausage bombs, king cakes, beans and rice, jalapeno slaw, creole potato salad and a vegetarian option. Cheryl Ash, the owner of Sweet NOLAs, will be on-site preparing her famous chicken and Andouille gumbo.

Zachary Smith and The Dixie Power Trio will be providing the music for the celebration. The Dixie Trio Band has been performing on the East Coast for more than twenty years, earning them a reputation as the East Coasts premier Louisiana variety band. The band plays a unique mix of zydeco, Cajun, New Orleans jazz and funk.

Mardi Gras comes early at Breaux Vineyards. said Jennifer Breaux, VP of Sales and Hospitality at Breaux Vineyards. We hold our Samedi Gras Celebration on Saturday every year, so that everyone has the opportunity to celebrate with their Cajun cousins at Breaux. This years event is poised to be our best yet. Its important for people to purchase their tickets early because were expecting to sell out.

Tickets for Samedi Gras are on sale now on the winerys website. This event will sell out so tickets should be purchased without delay. Tickets are $15 per person. Cellar Club members will receive a special discount. To purchase tickets please visit http://breauxvineyards.orderport.net/product-details/0923/Samedi-Gras-Celebration.

Laissez les bon temps rouler (let the good times roll) and experience the Joie de Vivre at the 19th annual Samedi Gras Celebration!

About Breaux Vineyards

Breaux Vineyards opened its doors in 1997. It soon became one of the fastest growing wineries in Virginia. Breaux Vineyards is a Cajun owned and operated winery with roots in Lafayette and Baton Rouge. Wines produced by Breaux Vineyards have won countless national and international awards including Best of Class at the LA County Fair. For more information about Breaux Vineyards, please visit http://www.breauxvineyards.com.
JMJ Phillip Group, a leading full-service boutique executive search firm with regional offices in Detroit and Chicago, will be hosting Women and Wine: Celebrating Women in Business, a premier networking event celebrating trailblazers and innovators in the world of business on Thursday, February 23, 2017 at The Reserve at Big Rock Chophouse in Birmingham, Michigan. The event will run from 6:30pm until 8:30pm.

The concept was created by James Philip, Founder and Managing Director of JMJ Phillip. Women and Wine will become the premier networking get-together for prominent women professionals in business, medicine, education, non-profit, government and beyond. This event goes in line with JMJ Phillip's other events including Business & Brews and Suits & Recruits, all geared towards getting offline, networking in person and creating new relationships.

In addition to a paring menu of Hors doeuvres and wine tasting created exclusively for the event by Big Rocks executive chef Gabby Milton, the evening will also feature a keynote speech from Jennifer Kluge, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Michigan Business and Professional Association. A donation will be given to Detroit-based food charity Forgotten Harvest, the charity of choice for this event.

As local executive search firm, we understand how important professional networking is. Our goal with our new premier Women & Wine events is to create a fun atmosphere at a higher-end venue for the leading women in business to meet and network. We want to encourage people to get offline, meet some new faces and make some new connections in person. For this kind of event we hope to facilitate high-level conversations that can really drive the local economy forward, said James Philip.

Women & Wine truly is a first for the industry in the Detroit area at this level. We are extremely excited to set the benchmark for premium networking events for the region, said Kristen Zierau, Director of Executive Recruiting at Clarke Caniff, a JMJ Phillip company. The opportunity for leading women in business to get together and communicate big ideas in a luxury environment is unique and has the potential to be of real value for our local economy going forward."

To register for the event, please RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/women-wine-tickets-31076528734.

About JMJ Phillip:

JMJ Phillip Executive Search is a global full-service boutique Executive Search Firm specializing in the Manufacturing, Supply Chain and Technology sectors. An industry leader and division of JMJ Phillip Holdings, JMJ Phillip Executive Search began more than 15 years ago when the brand founder converted immense experience of manufacturing technology consulting (to provide talent to the executive search industry). With multiple nationwide locations along with a profound network of various workforce type brands, JMJ Phillip Executive Search is continuously rising to be among the worlds most reputable executive search firms leading the manufacturing, supply chain and technology sectors. For additional information regarding JMJ Phillip Executive Search, please visit jmjphillip.com or call 877-500-7762.
ABUJA, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Nigeria's Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has launched a 60-day action plan to improve the business climate in Africa's biggest economy struggling with recession, his office said on Tuesday.

"There are improvements which we expect to see at our ports. Improvements at our airports, improvements at the seaports, improvements in immigration visas," Osinbajo said in a statement.

Last month, President Muhammadu Buhari put Osinbajo in charge while he is on sick leave in Britain.

(Reporting by Ulf Laessing and Felix Onuah; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)
Sara Castrejon, Colonel Amparo Salgado, Teloloapan, 1911

War, indigenous cultures and inner transformation ferment in Revolution and Ritual: The Photographs of Sara Castrejon, Graciela Iturbide and Tatiana Parcero, at the Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery of Scripps College from Aug. 26, 2017Jan.7, 2018. Scripps College joins 70 other cultural institutions in Southern California who are participating in the Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA art exhibitions and programs sponsored by the Getty Foundation in the coming year. In this exhibition, the Williamson focuses on the works of three Mexican women photographers who explore and transform notions of Mexican identity in images that range from the documentary to the poetic. An opening reception will be held at the gallery on Sat., Sept. 9 from 7-9 p.m. Earlier that day, from 3-4 pm, a panel discussion on the exhibition will take place. These events are free and open to the public.

This is the first exhibition in the US to feature Sara Castrejon, commented Dr. Mary MacNaughton, project director. It is a rare opportunity to see the works of one of the few women photographers of the Mexican revolutionand the one who most thoroughly documented the struggle.

While Castrejons photos portray people under the intense pressure of war, Graciela Iturbides images shed light on life in Mexicos indigenous cultures. Tatiana Parcero takes the medium in yet another direction, creating self-portraits that incorporate spliced images of her body with cosmological maps and Aztec codices.

By bringing their work into conversation, Revolution and Ritual invites readers to consider how photography has been transformed over the past century in Mexico and how it continues to respond to artists interest in representing present and past, self and other. The exhibit draws on Scripps Colleges academic strength in feminist and gender studies and the Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallerys expanding photography collection, with its special emphasis on women who have shaped the photographic field.

This exhibition will be accompanied by a full-color catalog with essays by leading scholars in Latin American photography, including John Mraz (Photographing the Mexican Revolution, 2012), Marta Daho (Graciela Iturbide, 2011), and Esther Gabara (Errant Modernism: The Ethos of Photography in Mexico and Brazil, 2008), and plates devoted to each artist. The catalog will be distributed by Getty Publications.

Revolution and Ritual is part of Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA, a far-reaching and ambitious exploration of Latin American and Latino art in dialogue with Los Angeles. Supported by grants from the Getty Foundation, Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA takes place from September 2017 through January 2018 at cultural institutions across Southern California, from Los Angeles to Palm Springs, and from San Diego to Santa Barbara. Pacific Standard Time is an initiative of the Getty. The presenting sponsor is Bank of America.

The Williamson Gallery received lead grants from the Getty in support of the planning and implementation of the exhibition and publication.

The gallery is located on the Scripps College campus at 251 E. 11th Street in Claremont, CA. During exhibitions, the gallery is open to the public, free of charge, Wed. through Sun., from noon-5 p.m. For more information, please visit rcwg.scrippscollege.edu, call (909) 607-3397 or contact kdelman@scrippscollege.edu

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Scripps College was founded in 1926 by Ellen Browning Scripps, a pioneering philanthropist and influential figure in the worlds of education, publishing, and womens rights. Today, Scripps is a nationally top-ranked liberal arts college and womens college with approximately 950 students, and is a member of The Claremont Colleges in Southern California. The mission of Scripps College is to educate women to develop their intellects and talents through active participation in a community of scholars, so that as graduates they may contribute to society through public and private lives of leadership, service, integrity, and creativity.
"We wanted to create a platform where local artists and industry professionals could come together and build meaningful connections." - DJ EPPS

Last month, Miami LIVE, South Florida's newest music venue, announced the launch of its Open Mic Industry Mixer. Thus far, the club has seen incredible success, so much so that they've had to expand the event series. Miami LIVE has teamed up with radio DJ and local legend DJ Epps of 103.5 The Beat to put together an additional weekly Open Mic Night on Tuesdays. The first Tuesday Open Mic event will be held on March 7, and each following Tuesday thereafter. For dates and times of upcoming events, Miami LIVE's calendar of events has all shows listed on their official website. Below is the upcoming Tuesday schedule for March:

3/7 - Open Mic Hosted by DJ Epps

3/14 - Open Mic Hosted by DJ Epps

3/21 - Open Mic Hosted by DJ Epps

3/28 - Open Mic Hosted by DJ Epps

All events are schedule for 9PM EST.

Artists and performers can sign up to perform at the next show on Miami LIVE's event page on their official website.

For artists to perform they must register ahead of time online. To sign up for the Open Mic event, visit the Miami LIVE website to register. A recap of one of some previous performances from Open Mic events can currently be viewed online.

Miami LIVE is looking for artists and performers of all genres (Pop, Rock, R&B, Country, Hip-Hop, etc.) to sign up to perform for their new Open Mic Night event series, as well as for those looking to meet and network with other local talent and industry professionals such as DJs, producers, records labels, music executives, and more. Along with Open Mic performance opportunities, Miami LIVE hosts industry showcases, private events, recording sessions, video and photo shoot rentals, and much more.

About Miami LIVE:

Miami LIVE is an exclusive live music rental venue that includes a bar & recording studio. The venue is located on Miami Beach and specializes in Live Music, Concerts, DJ/Club Events, Birthdays, Corporate parties and much more. The main floor offers 3,800 sq. ft of floor space to accommodate most event and concert needs, and the second floor is dedicated to the Recording Studio, with a 600 sq ft space including green room and large 68 isolated booth. Miami LIVE offers an array of packages to fit any budget. Miami LIVE is currently taking booking for rental space and recording session on the Miami LIVE website.
Attorney James R. Cook II Lawsuits are extremely stressful and emotional so I look forward to providing many more clients with dependable and fair representation during their difficult times. Past News Releases RSS Care Packages for Local Veterans...

Attorney James R. Cook II, an associate at the Law Offices of Stephen L. Gilly & Associates, was recently named to the Top 40 Under 40 Family Lawyers in the State of Tennessee by the American Society of Legal Advocates, which is an invitation-only, nationwide organization of elite lawyers with a proven commitment to their community and exceptional legal talent. Cook was also named to the American Legal Institute of Family Law Attorneys Top 10 list for Client Satisfaction in Tennessee.

I am honored to be recognized for each of these achievements, said Cook, who was also recognized by the Tennessee Supreme Court for his more than fifty hours of pro bono services. "Lawsuits are extremely stressful and emotional so I look forward to providing many more clients with dependable and fair representation during their difficult times."

Cook earned his Juris Doctor from the Appalachian School of Law in Grundy, VA. While attending law school, he served as a Court Appointed Special Advocate representing the best interest of children in child custody cases. Cook now resides in Johnson City, TN, with his wife, Jessica Taylor Cook, who is a fellow attorney in the area of real estate law.

About Attorney James R. Cook II

James R. Cook II focuses his practice on family law, which includes divorce, child custody, child support, and alimony, but also practices in other areas of law including wills and estates, bankruptcy, landlord-tenant, personal injury, and criminal law. He is licensed to practice law in both State and Federal Court. For more information or to schedule a no-cost consultation, please call the Law Offices of Stephen L. Gilly & Associates at (423) 246-3811, or visit http://www.tnvalaw.com. The Law Offices of Stephen L. Gilly & Associates is located at 531 East Market Street, Kingsport, TN 37660.

For media inquiries, please contact the NALA at 805.650.6121, ext. 361.
Center For Discovery, a national leader in eating disorder treatment, is pleased to announce an open house event at its newest outpatient eating disorder program in Woodland Hills, California. The new Woodland Hills facility provides intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization treatment for adolescents and adults, both males and females with eating disorders, including anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder. The Open House will be held on Thursday, March 2nd from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at 21650 Oxnard Street, Suite 2375 Woodland Hills, CA 91367.

We are excited to bring our eating disorder treatment program into the greater Woodland Hills community, said Mark Hobbins, President and COO of Center For Discovery. Expanding our specialized eating disorder treatment services is an integral part of our mission. One of our core principles is to minimize the time and distance families travel for treatment. By making treatment more accessible, families are enabled to better support their loved ones throughout the entire recovery process.

Center For Discovery provides eating disorder treatment through an exclusive, proprietary, family-based process pioneered and successfully practiced by Center For Discovery for the last 20 years. Center For Discovery provides a safe, secure, and comfortable environment where individuals can identify and resolve serious emotional and psychological issues that have prevented them from effectively managing life experiences.

About Center For Discovery

Center For Discovery is a national leader in outpatient and residential eating disorder treatment and operates more eating disorder programs across the United States than any behavioral health provider. All of Center For Discoverys programs are accredited by the Joint Commission and include intensive outpatient, partial hospitalization, and residential treatment facilities. For over 20 years, Center For Discovery has provided clinically sophisticated eating disorder, mental health, and substance abuse treatment to help clients and their families heal from the often devastating effects of various illnesses. For more information about the Woodland Hills outpatient program, visit http://www.CenterForDiscoveryWoodlandHills.com.
Silicon STEM Academy "Silicon STEM Academy is a technology training program geared toward students of all ages, and we're thrilled to be a part of the Brain Rounds lecture series with the University of Denver."

Silicon STEM Academy (SSA), a technical training company in Denver dedicated to teaching students of all ages computer programming, robotics, digital media and other technology skills, has announced that John Scarborough, co-founder and managing director, will present at the University of Denver Brain Rounds on Friday, February 24, 2017 beginning at 12:00PM. Brain Rounds are free monthly lectures in translational science focused on neurology, psychology, biology, and neuroscience.

Scarboroughs lecture, titled In The Shadow of Geeks, is a light-hearted lecture about his observations and research on our emerging tech generation, Generation Z, and how todays tech-kid is innately more technically advanced than we could have realized.

Most of us have had the experience of asking a young person for help with a computer or smart phone when we cant figure something outthey are younger and just get-it, said John Scarborough, co-founder of Silicon STEM Academy. Im really thrilled to be a part of the lecture series and to be able to share my experiences about teaching some of these remarkable students, and more importantly, what Ive been able to learn from them.

This lecture series is held once a month through May 2017 and are held at the Sturm Hall, in the Lindsay Auditorium at the University of Denver. See the Center for Professional Development or online for more details.

About Silicon STEM Academy

Silicon STEM Academy is a technology training program geared toward students of all ages. Designed to meet the needs of tech students where schools and colleges struggle to keep up with industry standards, it provides real-world technology skills in a fun, hands-on and collaborative workspace. Headquartered in Denver, Colo., Silicon STEM was co-founded by successful technology executives and educators who saw the lack of a technology-skilled workforce.
"We believe strongly that Telemedicine and Revenue Cycle Management will play a huge role in molding the future of healthcare and we're excited to partner with like-minded companies to lead the way in implementing these kinds of solutions." - Baha Zeidan

As they open their exhibit at the 2017 HIMSS Conference in Orlando, Florida, Azalea Health, a leading provider of fully-integrated cloud-based healthcare solutions and services, welcomes new client Vigilias Telehealth and announces the expansion of its existing relationship with Scribe Healthcare Technologies.

Vigilias Telehealth is a multi-specialty healthcare company providing local care access across the central and southwest United States. The company utilizes innovative and cost-effective proprietary telemedicine technology allowing full virtual examination and treatment. Vigilias currently serves over 30 communities with its network of 40 physicians and 25 medical specialties.

The company will utilize Azalea Health's complete cloud-based Practice Management, EHR, and Revenue Cycle Management (RCM) services for their physicians and specialists. Vigilias also utilizes the functionality of Azaleas telehealth platform through the Azalea M App for direct outreach to patients in the non-clinical setting. Dr. Elisha Yaghmai, President of Vigilias, explained "There is a natural synergy in the missions of both Vigilias and Azalea to delivery more efficient, effective healthcare to the rural communities in the United States. A complete solutions platform like Azalea's will allow our physicians to reach further and do more for the patients we serve. It's an excellent partnership."

In addition, Azalea has also recently expanded its existing relationship with Scribe Healthcare Technologies, and access to its suite of solutions for streamlining back-office functions. Azalea had previously partnered with Scribe to fully-integrate their dictation solution into the Azalea EHR, allowing physicians to quickly and accurately document clinical encounters.

Said Azalea CEO Baha Zeidan, "We're incredibly proud of these relationships with leaders like Vigilias and Scribe - two organizations who do incredible work to make health care providers' jobs a little bit easier and patients' access to quality care a little bit simpler. We believe strongly that Telemedicine and Revenue Cycle Management will play a huge role in molding the future of healthcare and we're excited to partner with like-minded companies to lead the way in implementing these kinds of solutions."

Visit Azalea Health at the 2017 HIMSS Conference in Orlando, Florida, located in the Georgia Pavilion, in Booth 3015, where they will be exhibiting Monday-Wednesday, February 20-22nd.

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About Vigilias Telehealth

Vigilias Telehealth is a multi-specialty healthcare company providing local care access across the central and southwest United States. The company utilizes innovative and cost-effective proprietary telemedicine technology allowing full virtual examination and treatment. Vigilias currently serves over 30 communities with its network of 40 physicians and 25 medical specialties, with one goal in mind: Making high-quality care accessible to everyone, regardless of their location, age, or the time of day. Additional information is available at http://www.vigilias.com

About Scribe Healthcare Technologies

Scribe is the leading, cloud enabled, Platform as a Service (PaaS) solutions company for healthcare providers in optimizing productivity and revenue in the creation, coding and management of health care records, insurance claims and payments. Scribes products and services return flexibility, control, and productivity to healthcare organizations which restore physician productivity through simplified, intuitive and innovative medical workflow solutions. Scribe serves healthcare providers and organizations of all sizes, from single practitioners to clinics to hospitals, tailoring its products, services and people to the unique needs of each practice it serves. Learn more at http://www.scribe.com or 1.866.672.7423.

About Azalea Health

Azalea Health is a leading provider of fully integrated, technology-enabled healthcare solutions and managed services for practices of all sizes and most specialties. Azaleas comprehensive portfolio includes integrated electronic health records, practice management, Azalea M mobile platform integrated with Apple HealthKit, as well as complete Telehealth, Revenue Cycle Performance and Professional Consulting services. The Azalea platform also provides tools and resources to help customers meet their Meaningful Use requirements, as well as strategies to navigate accountable care and alternative payment models. To learn more, please visit http://www.AzaleaHealth.com, call (877) 777-7686 or connect via social media on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
With our super-regional firms resources, we are able to expand the services available to their clients while continuing to execute on our shared philosophy of excellent client service.

Local CPA firm Proctor, Crook, Crowder, & Fogal is now part of top 25 CPA and advisory firm Carr, Riggs & Ingram, LLC (CRI). All locations now operate under the CRI name, and the personnel join a team of more than 1,600 professionals serving clients from locations across the Southern United States.

Proctor, Crook, Crowder, & Fogal has been providing accounting, auditing, wealth management, and business valuation services to clients in Palm Beach and along the Treasure Coast for more than 40 years. The team has been recognized for its growth and employment retention by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), CareerSource Research Coast, and the Human Resource Management Association of Martin County.

Joining CRI enhances our commitment to excellence and serving clients since we can now offer a greater range of specialty services to meet their needs, stated Gordon Proctor, managing partner at Proctor, Crook, Crowder, & Fogal. Additionally, our access to the CRI Leadership Academy  a proprietary, cascading set of soft skills courses designed to strengthen the firms accountants in time management, business writing, and other professional abilities  provides a new and unique way to invest in our people. We are happy to join a team that shares our values.

CRI, currently ranked as the 21st largest accounting firm nationally, now serves 27 markets throughout nine Southern states  including 10 markets in the state of Florida. The firm has a presence throughout the Panhandle, Tallahassee, Gainesville, Jacksonville, Melbourne, Orlando, Tampa Bay, and now Palm Beach and the Treasure Coast.

We proudly welcome the Proctor, Crook, Crowder, & Fogal team to CRI, said William H. Carr, chairman and managing partner. With our super-regional firms resources, we are able to expand the services available to their clients while continuing to execute on our shared philosophy of excellent client service.

About Carr, Riggs & Ingram, LLC

CRI is located in 27 markets throughout Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. CRIs industry specializations include construction companies, governmental entities, financial institutions, healthcare entities, insurance companies, not-for-profit organizations, and manufacturing and distribution companies. CRI also offers specialized services including business consulting, forensic accounting, IT audit and assurance, SEC compliance, and tax. Additionally, CRIs portfolio companies deliver service organization control (SOC) reports, transaction advisory services, and wealth management. CRI is nationally ranked in the top 25 largest accounting firms. For additional information, please visit CRIcpa.com.

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Reforming Americas corporate tax code is one of the most important things Congress can do to boost U.S. economic growth, argues the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) in a new report out today. But given the tax codes complexity and the divisive political environment, the countrys top tech-policy think tank urges lawmakers to focus first and foremost on provisions that spur the kinds of investments that drive innovation, productivity, and competitiveness and avoid getting bogged down in disagreements over less impactful measures that could derail broadly beneficial reform.

The new report outlines the five must-have policies that ITIF says corporate tax reform has to include to increase innovation and competitiveness, and five nice-to-have policies that should not hold up the reform process if lawmakers cannot reach agreement on them.

This could be a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reform the U.S. tax code to increase domestic investment, productivity, innovation, and competitivenessespecially in the traded sectors that are so critical to economic growth, said Joe Kennedy, ITIF senior fellow and the reports author. Policymakers need to keep their eye on the ball, though. By concentrating on a few key measures, Congress and the administration can reach consensus faster and avoid letting less-critical proposals bog down or derail the reform process.

For corporate tax reform to successfully boost economic growth by accelerating innovation and productivity, ITIF argues it must include the following components:

1. A substantially lower corporate statutory rate;

2. A maximum rate on foreign profits of 15 percent, with credit for foreign taxes and the elimination of deferred taxes on foreign profits;

3. An enhanced research and development tax credit;

4. An innovation box; and

5. Strong incentives for capital investment.

Any tax reform bill that includes these provisions deserves support, said Kennedy.

Kennedy warns that there is a real danger that disagreements over a host of other items could prevent a majority of legislators from reaching agreement on the most important components. These include individual tax reform, a lower effective rate, border adjustability, immediate expending, and interest deductibility. Although many of these nice-to-have reforms would be beneficial, they should not be allowed to jeopardize the overall reform effort.

Compared to other industrialized nations, the U.S. tax code is antiquated, burdensome, and way overdue for reform. But its easy to underappreciate the scale of the job before Congress, concluded Kennedy. In order for corporate tax reform to succeed in boosting economic growth, lawmakers should focus on the most essential changes that will have the greatest effect on innovation and competitiveness. Leaders need to push the hardest for consensus on these items and then move quickly toward compromises on other issues. Otherwise, we may have to wait another generation to finally fix the corporate tax code.

Read summary.

Read report.
Choctaw Regional Health Clinic in Durant, Oklahoma, celebrates ribbon cutting on Feb. 21.

Robins & Morton celebrated the grand opening of the new Choctaw Nation Regional Medical Clinic in Durant, Oklahoma, on Feb. 21.

The celebration began with a ribbon cutting event at 10:30 a.m., immediately followed by clinic tours for community members, clinic employees, the construction team and tribal leadership.

Choctaw Nation Durant Regional Medical Clinic is a 20-acre, campus-style development which includes three buildings totaling 180,000 square feet. The campus includes a clinic, health administration space and facilities maintenance.

The clinic functions include primary care (including Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), pediatrics, geriatrics, podiatry and specialty care), employee health, physical and speech therapy, outpatient surgery, dental care, audiology, optometry, pharmacy services, lab and radiology services, behavioral health, and both education and meeting facilities. Administration functions include human resources, WIC, patient relations, healthy aging, education and meeting facilities, and Choctaw Nation Health Services Authority administration offices.

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About Robins & Morton

Founded in 1946, Robins & Morton is a privately held construction firm that consistently ranks among the 100 largest U.S. contractors in Engineering News-Record Magazine. The company has also been named one of the best mid-sized companies to work for in America because of its worker-friendly and family-friendly practices. Robins & Morton is based in Birmingham, Alabama, with offices in Dallas, Texas; Huntsville, Alabama; Orlando and Miami Florida; Nashville, Tennessee; Charlotte, North Carolina. For more information, visit http://www.robinsmorton.com
The Maids - Referred for a Reason. "Were looking forward to giving people a quality service, with a proven system, while also providing an exceptional workplace in the community, explains Bill Tonani, owner of The Maids of Spokane.

Bill Tonani recently opened a franchise of The Maids, a home cleaning service specializing in cleaning for health. The new franchise is located at 11616 E. Montgomery Dr. #50 Spokane Valley, Washington, and serves the residents of Spokane, Greenacres, Liberty Lake, Mica, and Veradale, Washington.

As the owner, Bill will oversee the business and work with his son, Bryan Tonani, on the day-to-day operation of the business. Bill has been a business owner for over 30 years and he is looking forward to getting back into the service industry while serving families in the area with the most thorough cleaning in the industry

Were looking forward to giving people a quality service, with a proven system, while also providing an exceptional workplace in the community, Bill explains. We will provide a workplace where our team members know theyre appreciated and valued, and pass that appreciation along to our customers.

In preparation of the grand opening, Bill and Bryan spent nearly two weeks completing an extensive administrative and technical training program at The Maids corporate headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska, as well as six weeks of training prior to their arrival, and additional training with their staff in their local office.

Focused on unparalleled service and quality, The Maids is the only residential cleaning franchise to clean for health using an exclusive cleaning system. This unique cleaning method provides customers with cleaner, healthier homes through the use of environmentally preferable cleaning products and state-of-the-art equipment, including its patented backpack vacuums with HEPA filtration that can capture up to 99 percent of all dust, allergens, bacteria, pet dander, pollen and other pollutants.

The Maids employs professionally uniformed and trained cleaning teams who arrive at customers homes in signature yellow cars emblazoned with The Maids logo. The Maids exclusive team approach provides the most efficient, comprehensive housecleaning in the industry. Each team has a supervisor who ensures that each team meets The Maids high standards of quality and excellence. As added peace of mind, each team member goes through an extensive background check and drug screening. The Maids team is bonded and insured and all services are backed by a 100 percent satisfaction guarantee.

For more information about The Maids of Spokane, call the office at 509-279-0382 or visit the website at http://www.maids.com.
North Korea can generate a lot of instability and will probably be "the single most defining geopolitical challenge" for the Trump administration, a former Asia director at the U.S. National Security Council said.

Evan Medeiros, who was at the NSC from 2009-2015 and the top Asia advisor from 2013-2015 during the presidency of Barack Obama , told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Tuesday he was concerned the crisis over North Korea's nuclear weapons program could escalate.

While diplomacy, sanctions, deterrents and military actions were always on the table, expectations for talks with North Korea should likely be low, Medeiros, who is currently a practice head for Asia at consultancy Eurasia Group.

"North Korea doesn't want to give up its nuclear weapons. Nuclear weapons are key to its survival," he said. "Talks for North Korea are really about getting sanctions relief, playing for time, playing for advantage, trying to get sanctions lifted. And so if that's the case, I think Trump's tolerance and the tolerance of the Chinese may actually be somewhat limited."

Medeiros expressed concern about how U.S. President Donald Trump might react.

"What I worry about is Trump, understanding that his options are relatively limited, feeling like he's a great negotiator, as he tells us all, that he might give talks a try only to learn the lesson that several other American presidents and Japanese prime ministers and South Korean presidents have learned, which is, the North Koreans really aren't serious about talks at all," he said. "In which case, in a year, we could find that the effort at initial talks failed and we're in an escalating crisis."

Concerns about North Korea's nuclear program, and its missile development resurfaced earlier this month when the pariah nation launched a missile, which media reports said flew about 500 km (300 miles) into the Sea of Japan.

The test launch, which came as Trump hosted Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Palm Beach, Florida, marked a significant step forward for North Korea's ballistic missile program.

Story continues

To be sure, so far Trump's response to North Korea has been fairly low key.



Responding to the missile test, Trump and Abe issued a joint statement in which Abe called the launch "absolutely intolerable." Trump, not generally known for verbal restraint, made no direct reference to the launch at all but rather pledged "100 percent" support for Japan, calling it a "great ally."

But Medeiros also cited the potential for South Korea's political crisis to spur tension.

Late last year, South Korea's conservative President Park Geun-hye was impeached amid a scandal over influence peddling. Her presidential power has been suspended.

The Constitutional Court was expected to rule before June on whether to approve the impeachment, which would set the stage for new elections.

Medeiros expected that South Korea would swing to a center-left political leader, and that could also spur fresh tension over North Korea.

"The connectivity between Donald Trump, who is very right [wing], and a new center-left South Korean president would be relativity difficult.

And Trump may not be in the mood to go down the dialogue avenue when the South Koreans are," Medeiros said.

"What I worry about is we could enter into a period in which there is South Korea-U.S. friction over North Korea, U.S.-China friction and then China-South Korea friction," Medeiros said. "That's exactly what North Korea would want. That scenario gives them the maximum negotiating space and the maximum ability to play everybody off one another. "

Evelyn Cheng and Clay Dillow contributed to this article.



By CNBC.Com's Leslie Shaffer; Follow her on Twitter @LeslieShaffer1



Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook.


Sumer Rose-Nolen, Financial Services Professional

Crown Wealth Strategies is proud to welcome Registered Representative Sumer Rose-Nolen under the Crown family.

Sumer is a graduate of the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss), and has been a proud member of the Las Cruces community for 13 years. She brings strong leadership, management, and planning skills to her practice, which is focused on serving business owners, physicians, and families.

Sumers accolades include New York Life Executive Council and 2016 Las Cruces HBA Associate Member of the Year. She is the Chair of the Las Cruces Young Professional Leadership Council and is also proud to be authorized to offer AARP Products.

Lizzie Dipp Metzger, President of Crown Wealth Strategies, feels this addition strengthens Crown as it expands its unique planning-centric practice to a broader client base. We are thrilled to welcome Sumer to Crown Wealth Strategies, said Dipp Metzger. In her time in financial services, she has demonstrated commitment and integrity in working with her clients, and she is an excellent fit for our culture and process. Her unique position in the Las Cruces community will allow Crown to continue to serve those who have financial, business, and estate planning needs.

Crown Wealth Strategies is a comprehensive wealth strategies firm in El Paso, TX serving clients nationwide. The firm, which was founded in 2010 by Dipp Metzger, has rapidly expanded in the El Paso markets as well as serving clients nationwide. As a Certified Financial Planner and fiduciary, Dipp Metzger provides clients with an integrated retirement and insurance strategy focused on maximizing value over the course of their lifetime. Crowns focus is physicians, professionals, and business owners in the affluent market. Crown provides holistic strategies for retirement, college funding, business planning, and wealth accumulation.

Lizzie Dipp Metzger is a member Agent, The Nautilus Group, a service of New York Life Insurance Company- http://www.TheNautilusGroup.com Financial Adviser offering investment advisory services through Eagle Strategies, a Registered Investment Adviser. Registered Representative offering securities through NYLIFE Securities LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC, a Licensed Insurance Agency,  303 N. Oregon Suite 1100 El Paso, TX 79901  915-534-3200 Crown Wealth Strategies is not owned or operated by Eagle Strategies LLC or its affiliates.
Eric Goldberg, American Insurance Association (AIA) vice president, Mid-Atlantic region, today hailed the signing of New Jersey Senate Bill 3, comprehensive opioid abuse legislation. This legislation limits an initial opioid prescription to a 5-day supply, requires the use of pain management programs, and directs the practitioner to consult with the states Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) to assess the claimants prescription history.

A brief statement from Mr. Goldberg follows:

Opioid abuse remains the most pressing issue facing the workers compensation, not only in New Jersey, but nationwide. The measures contained in Senate Bill 3 will be particularly effective at ensuring that injured workers receive the appropriate level of care and that medical practitioners work to prevent and combat addiction. These include limiting opioid prescriptions to a 5-day supply, consultation of the states PMP system, and increasing medical resources to develop a pain management plan program.

AIA commends Governor Christie for signing Senate Bill 3 into law, and thanks legislators for their tireless work on this issue.
Dali Wireless, a global leader in wireless fronthaul innovation for virtual radio access networks (virtual-RAN), today announced a new solution that solves critical fronthaul challenges as the mobile industry transitions to 5G network technologies. The Dali Wireless virtual Fronthaul Solution, gives mobile network operators (MNOs) in North America, Europe, Asia and other parts of the world, along with neutral hosts and enterprises, an innovative tool for meeting challenges placed on the network fronthaul by emerging 5G capabilities and demands.

5G promises data intensive applications, such as the Internet of Things (IoT), virtual reality and mobile edge computing (MEC), and is expected to require a 1,000 times increase in capacity, significantly higher data rates and signal quality, and lower latency, far exceeding the capabilities of traditional fixed point-to-point fronthaul connections.

The Dali virtual Fronthaul Solution utilizes full digitization, network function virtualization (NFV) and software defined networking (SDN) to effectively bypass the restrictions of current protocols. The result is a highly flexible, elastic, and scalable solution that offers superior signal quality while facilitating rapid network expansion, densification, and the transition to 5G.The solution has a patented two-tier architecture consisting of Dali Matrix remote radio units (RRUs) and the Dali virtual Fronthaul Interface (vFI), an aggregator-router which intelligently constructs a logical multipoint-to-multipoint network between the virtual base stations (vBS) or virtual baseband units (vBBU) and the RRUs. In doing so, it successfully virtualizes that most valuable and finite asset  spectrum, enabling it to be pooled, shared and managed; with dynamic capacity allocation negating the need for overprovisioning.

The Dali virtual Fronthaul Solution supports any wireless technology or transport, adapts to any network topology, and easily scales to add MIMO, new operators, new frequency bands, and IP pass through. It also reduces both footprint and power consumption, resulting in a reduced total cost of ownership (TCO).

The only way for wireless service providers to deliver a consistent and high quality of service in face of rampant increases in service, coverage and data demand is by leveraging technical innovation. That is our forte at Dali, said Shawn Stapleton, CTO and Co-founder of Dali Wireless. We are very excited to be launching our new virtual Fronthaul Solution which will greatly improve the economics and efficiency of moving to next-generation wireless. The feedback to date has been extremely positive.

Dali Wireless will be demonstrating its new 5G fronthaul solution in Hall 6, Booth 6J60 at Mobile World Congress 2017. To schedule a demonstration or to learn more about this new solution, please contact marketing at Dali Wireless.

About Dali Wireless

Dali Wireless is a wireless infrastructure innovator providing new and better ways to handle exponential growth in mobile data traffic. Dalis fully digital wireless signal routing solution revolutionizes in-building and outdoor coverage and capacity by eliminating interference and maximizing spectrum usage. The Companys ground breaking patented virtual Fronthaul Interface (vFI) is an intelligent aggregator-router and key enabler of RAN virtualization elevating networks to 5G readiness. Mobile operators, large enterprises and public safety networks around the world deploy Dali technology to ensure high quality service and a seamless migration to 5G. See http://www.daliwireless.com or follow us on Twitter @DaliWireless.
Adam Crosson We currently have twenty-four agents, four of whom are new hires, and we are looking to attract seasoned agents as well as Millennials. Our new location is in a district that is up-and-coming and experiencing revitalization. Past News Releases RSS RE/MAX Professionals Opens...

Adam Crosson, broker/owner of RE/MAX Professionals, recently announced the real estate company is moving to a new and larger location. We are so excited to join the downtown Florence movement. So many local people have invested in Florences downtown revitalization and we want to do our part too, said Crosson, recognized as one of Americas Best Real Estate Agents by Real Trends. We believe our agents will thrive in this environment and our clients will not only enjoy visiting us, but also restaurants and shopping spots in the area.

The new RE/MAX Professionals office will be located in the historic Kress Corner building downtown, 101 West Evans Street, Florence, SC. RE/MAX Professionals is going from 2,300 to 5,900 square feet. The new office features private offices with glass fronts, eighteen workstations, an open workspace area, large conference rooms with flat screen TVs, new furniture and a cafe and lounge.

We are in growth mode, concluded Crosson. We currently have twenty-four agents, four of whom are new hires, and we are looking to attract seasoned agents as well as Millennials. Our new location is in a district that is up-and-coming and experiencing revitalization. This is going to be a fun place to work and play, and most importantly, help support our community.

In fact, a top-notch restaurant, Town Hall, will be in the same building that will house RE/MAX Professionals, as well as The Dispensary, a rooftop bar next door. There are also studio apartments for rent in the Kress development and the most recent addition is a local brewery, Local Motive.

About Adam Crosson, RE/MAX Professionals

Adam Crosson, after managing the office for nearly six years, became broker/owner of RE/MAX Professionals in May of 2011. Adam has served on the local board of Realtors and the local Habitat for Humanity board. For more information, please call (843) 260-9935, or visit http://www.adam.florencehomesearch.com.

About the NALA

The NALA offers small and medium-sized businesses effective ways to reach customers through new media. As a single-agency source, the NALA helps businesses flourish in their local community. The NALAs mission is to promote a business relevant and newsworthy events and achievements, both online and through traditional media. For media inquiries, please call 805.650.6121, ext. 361.
Homes being built for the Tiny Homes Project We are proud to contribute in the valiant mission to help the veterans in Wisconsin, assisting in giving them a place to call home...

DECOLAV Gives, the charitable giving division of Deco Lav, Inc., has partnered with eFaucets and Veterans Outreach of Wisconsin by donating our 1833-SSA ADA Compliant bathroom sinks for the Tiny Homes Project at the James A. Peterson Veterans Village in Racine, Wisconsin. The DECOLAV sinks will be used in the communal bathroom areas of the village.

Veterans Outreach of Wisconsin states on their website, Our goal is to house homeless veterans while supplying them with all the tools needed to break the cycle of homelessness and help them to once again become productive members of society. Our program is much more than just a shelter for homeless veterans. Our first priority is to get them off the streets and into a comfortable environment. Once that has been done we will be working closely with our veterans to bring all the tools necessary for success to them. Some of those tools will include mental health counseling, AODA counseling, work search, veterans benefit search, financial advice and housing placement.

Robert Mayer, President of DECOLAV, says, We are proud to contribute in the valiant mission to help the veterans in Wisconsin, assisting in giving them a place to call home. These brave men and women have risked their lives to defend our country and freedoms, I hope this token of appreciation will support and brighten their futures.

To learn more about the Tiny Homes Project, Veterans Outreach of Wisconsin or to donate, please visit http://vetsoutreachwi.us/.

About DECOLAV

DECOLAV is a leading manufacturer of bathroom vanities and bathroom sinks combining style and innovation without the price tag. Headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida, DECOLAV specializes in providing unique and inviting solutions to suit anyones style.

About DECOLAV Hospitality

Leveraging the many years of success, award-winning design, and manufacturing experience, DECOLAV Hospitality was created by DECOLAV as a unique division specializing in vanities and case goods for the hospitality industry. Headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida, DECOLAV Hospitality specializes in custom design and turn-key solutions for the hospitality and commercial industries.
"Many people avoid dentistry due to nervousness over the prospect of pain," said Dr. William Sikora. "That's why we've added many anxiety-reducing touches to ensure greater comfort or distraction from dental procedures."

Sikora Family Dentistry celebrates its 27th year of service to the communities of Cleveland's western suburbs. Ohio native Dr. William Sikora first opened the practice in 1990 directly across the street from today's location with three employees. He now employs 12 dental professionals and office staff working from a well-equipped suite.

Sikora Family Dentistry emphasizes a more comfort-focused approach to dental practice. They offer a solid dental practice with minimal, if any, pain or distress. Sikora Family Dentistry believes in a modern approach to dentistry. They use state-of-the-art technology for all of their procedures and are consistently looking for ways to improve the patient's experience. That's why every patient's chair is equipped with chairside cable TV with optional headphones to help relieve any anxiety.

"Many people avoid dentistry due to nervousness over the prospect of pain," said Dr. William Sikora. "That's why we've added many anxiety-reducing touches to ensure greater comfort or distraction from dental procedures, like chairside cable TV with optional headphones as well as soothing, wall-sized seascapes that are visually calming. We also use less invasive techniques for many procedures, such as teeth cleaning with ultrasonic tools." Dr. Sikora said his patient comfort methods are best experienced versus described. "I hope those who shun the dentist will first try our approach before going long periods without necessary oral hygiene."

Dr. William Sikora received his medical degree from The Ohio State University College of Dentistry, Columbus. It is the fourth largest public dental school in the United States. Dr. Christine Sikora is also a graduate of The Ohio State University College of Dentistry. She owned a practice in Dayton, Ohio for 10 years before becoming part of the Sikora Family Dentistry team in North Olmstead.

The practice is located at Sikora Family Dentistry, 23755 Lorain Road, North Olmsted, Ohio 44070. Contact the office directly at 440-779-8730. Additional information and appointment requests are available at http://www.drsikora.com

Sikora Family Dentistry offers leading-edge oral health procedures including orthodontics and children's dental care from its North Olmsted, Ohio, location. It also emphasizes a more contemporary approach to dentistry by using instruments, devices and techniques that put patient comfort first. The practice serves the surrounding communities of Fairview Park, Westlake, North Ridgefield, Olmsted Falls and Rocky River in Cleveland's western suburbs.
The new website brings us to the leading edge in our aim to Do the Right Thing, including communicating clearly with our community

Intrepid USA Healthcare Services, a leading provider in home healthcare, is pleased to announce the launch of its newly redesigned website, http://www.intrepidusa.com/. The website offers quick and easy access to essential information and has features that offer a more comprehensive understanding of the Companys service offerings. The newly redesigned website provides an opportunity for people to know us better, to understand our philosophy and to learn what others are saying about us.

The new website has a clean, uncluttered design, improved functionality and enhanced, rich content focused on the Companys mission to improve the quality of our patients lives and be the healthcare company of choice with the communities we serve. Intrepids website is designed to assist patients and caregivers in making well-informed decisions about their Healthcare needs. Here people will find information about Intrepid, available jobs, the community initiatives Intrepid is involved in, testimonials, health care news and more! The website focuses on Intrepids three service offerings: Home Health Care, Hospice and Private Duty Care. A special thanks to FreshIdeas Marketing Solutions (http://www.freshideasmarketingsolutions.com/) for the website.

The new website brings us to the leading edge in our aim to Do the Right Thing, including communicating clearly with our community, said Intrepid USA Chief Executive Officer, Paul Foster. Intrepids new website will continue to be updated on a regular basis with news, patient and caregiver resources and other information. Visitors are encouraged to explore the website and sign up for Intrepids newsletter here.

About Intrepid USA Healthcare Services

Intrepid USA, based in Dallas, Texas, is focused on providing patients, families and referral sources access to highly skilled clinical teams and innovative resources and programs in home health, hospice and private duty care. Intrepid employs more than 2,000 personnel nationwide and operates 91 locations in 21 states. For more information or to locate an Intrepid Healthcare Office, please visit http://www.intrepidusa.com or call 1-866-412-0973.
Steve Zamborsky of the North American Polymer Company (NAPCO) will be attending the 44th International Waterborne, High-Solids, and Powder Coatings Symposium in New Orleans, Louisiana, February 19-24. The focus of the symposium will be Environmentally Friendly Coating Technologies and proceeds will go to support the School of Polymers & High Performance Materials program at The University of Southern Mississippi.

While in New Orleans, Steve will be a part of a variety of conference events and seminars to learn about the newest innovations in eco-friendly coatings. The symposium offers a panel of expert speakers as well as technical sessions that allow attendees to learn from leading experts about cutting-edge research in both the academic and industry sectors.

There is also a Technology Showcase Exhibit Hall where companies can promote their company and materials in a more intimate setting, and an Interactive Student Poster Session where students from the University of Southern Mississippi can showcase their work. It is the goal of the symposium to train first-class polymer scientists and engineers and to be a reliable resource for high qualified employees in the polymer coatings field.

I am thrilled to be returning to Louisiana for the Waterborne Symposium, commented Steve, one of NAPCOs lead researchers. I am always excited to travel and learn about new developments in the industry, but this event is especially fitting as NAPCO already offers a line of eco-friendly coatings. I hope to use the information I gather here to expand and improve our already successful product line, he stated.

In addition to the lectures and seminars, Steve will also attend the short course Reformulating to Waterborne Coatings. The session will be facilitated by Robson F. Storey, a professor of Polymer Science and Engineering at The University of Southern Mississippi. The goal of the course will be to provide experts in the coating industry with knowledge of how to reformulate systems to a waterborne system. This intensive two-day class will serve as an introduction to waterborne coating technology, as well as outlining the challenges in converting solvent-borne coating systems to water.

Since 1979, NAPCO has been a leader in products and training for tub, tile, shower, and countertop refinishers. With an emphasis on service, NAPCO is a leader in the field with innovative products that help their customers succeed. NAPCO has pioneered eco-friendly solutions whenever possible. For more information, visit http://www.napcoltd.com
Pam and Mike Cooper The community is invited to help us celebrate our anniversary. Food and drinks will be provided, and it is an opportunity to make new connections before painting the town green on Saint Patricks Day. Past News Releases RSS Naperville Senior Center Teams Up...

Naperville Senior Center, which serves adults with mild cognitive or physical disabilities, is celebrating its second anniversary. In honor of its anniversary, Naperville Senior Center, located at 1504 N. Naper Blvd., Suite 120, is hosting a Business After Hours event on Saint Patricks Day, Friday, March 17, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

The community is invited to help us celebrate our anniversary, said Mike Cooper, co-owner of Naperville Senior Center, Adult Day Services. Food and drinks will be provided, and it is an opportunity to make new connections before painting the town green on Saint Patricks Day.

Naperville Senior Center, Adult Day Services is a state-of-the-art senior activity center. Its Registered Nurses, Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant and Physical Therapist help build or maintain strength, balance and mobility in a safe, secure and friendly environment, and all activities are designed to help its members. Skilled physical therapy services are provided by a local DPT who utilizes the Centers NuStep bike, one-of-a-kind indoor walking track, hi-low-mat and arm bike while working with his patients. Co-owner Pam Cooper provides maintenance level physical therapy services for no extra charge.

My wife, Pam, and I have been dreaming of starting this business since we were in college, where she was a physical therapy major and I was a marketing major, and it is our dream come true, concluded Cooper, who is also on the Board of Directors for Ride Assist Naperville, where volunteers drive seniors to medical appointments and back home. Since starting Naperville Senior Center together, we have been a part of the lives of over 70 people and their families. This center has not only exceeded what we had originally planned, but has been life-changing.

About Naperville Senior Center, Adult Day Services

Naperville Senior Center provides expert adult day care in a comfortable, affordable and socially engaging environment. Its specialized staff plans and leads enjoyable activities for seniors throughout the day designed around its members interests, abilities and needs. Its members vocalize, theorize, harmonize, evangelize and sometimes even close their eyes, but most importantly socialize and exercise. For more information, please call (630) 857-3017, or visit http://www.napervilleseniorcenter.com.

About the NALA

The NALA offers small and medium-sized businesses effective ways to reach customers through new media. As a single-agency source, the NALA helps businesses flourish in their local community. The NALAs mission is to promote a business relevant and newsworthy events and achievements, both online and through traditional media. For media inquiries, please call 805.650.6121, ext. 361.
Its gratifying to know my clients are happy with and can count on the help I give them during the most difficult times of their lives. Past News Releases RSS

Attorney Sandy B. Becher, founder of Sandy B. Becher PA, was recently named to the 10 Best Attorneys and Firms for Client Satisfaction list from the American Institute of Legal Counsel. Its gratifying to know my clients are happy with and can count on the help I give them during the most difficult times of their lives, said Becher, a criminal defense and family law attorney.

Attorneys who make the prestigious list must be formally nominated by the Institute, a client and/or a fellow attorney; have attained the highest degree of professional achievement in his or her field of law; and having done so with an impeccable Client Satisfaction rating. Membership is an exclusive honor and extended only to those select few who have reached the top of their profession while doing so with the clients satisfaction being of the most paramount importance.

Becher is also marking his third year as a member of the board of KidSide, a not-for-profit organization devoted to supporting Family Court Services in its endeavor to continue to improve services for those distressed families with cases pending in family court. KidSide, Inc. was developed to raise and secure funds to provide the best possible services and facilities to the children of Miami-Dade County who have suffered through the conflict of their parents divorce or other litigation in the Family and Domestic Violence Courts.

I feel honored and privileged to be a part of such a great organization that provides such critical help to children that need it during the most difficult and important formative years of their lives, concluded Becher.

About Sandy B. Becher PA

Sandy B. Becher PA is a premier federal and state criminal defense, family, divorce and business development law firm offering services to individuals, companies, and organizations. For over twenty years, Mr. Becher has been providing excellent legal representation and counseling through the most critical legal disputes. For more information, please call (305) 860-5811, or visit http://www.sandybecher.com. The law office is located at 3050 Biscayne Boulevard, Suite 402, Miami, FL 33137.

About the NALA

The NALA offers small and medium-sized businesses effective ways to reach customers through new media. As a single-agency source, the NALA helps businesses flourish in their local community. The NALAs mission is to promote a business relevant and newsworthy events and achievements, both online and through traditional media. For media inquiries, please call 805.650.6121, ext. 361.
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A cookie is a small text file that a website saves on your computer or mobile device when you visit the site. Cookies are widely used in order to make websites work, or work more efficiently, as well as to provide information to the owners of the site.Website use Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google, Inc. ("Google") to help analyse the use of this website. For this purpose, Google Analytics uses"cookies", which are text files placed on your computer.The information generated by the cookies about your use of this website - standard internet log information (including your IP address) and visitor behaviour information in an anonymous form - will be transmitted to and stored by Google including on servers in the United States. Google will anonymize the information sent by removing the last octet of your IP address prior to its storage.According to Google Analytics terms of service, Google will use this information for the purpose of evaluating your use of the website and compiling reports on website activity.We not use, and not allow any third party to use the statistical analytics tool to track or to collect any personally identifiable information of visitors to this site. Google may transfer the information collected by Google Analytics to third parties where required to do so by law, or where such third parties process the information on Google`s behalf.According to Google Analytics terms of service, Google will not associate your IP address with any other data held by Google.You may refuse the use of Google Analytics cookies by downloading and installing Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on. The add-on communicates with the Google Analytics JavaScript (ga.js) to indicate that information about the website visit should not be sent to Google Analytics.Cookies are also used to record if you have agreed (or not) to our use of cookies on this site, so that you are not asked the question every time you visit the site.You can control and/or delete cookies as you wish. You can delete all cookies that are already on your computer and you can set most browsers to prevent them from being placed.Most browsers allow you to:If you chose to delete cookies, you should be aware that any preferences will be lost. Also, if you block cookies completely many websites (including ours) will not work properly and webcasts will not work at all. For these reasons, we do not recommend turning cookies off when using our webcasting services.
As part of the celebration marking its 100th anniversary, the Women's National Book Association will send a book a day throughout March to President Trump that the organization believes sheds light on many of the critical issues faced by the country. The books have been taken from a list of the top 100 books in both fiction and nonfiction compiled by the WNBA to reflect, in its estimation, the most influential books written by women.

According to Jane Kinney-Denning, WNBA president, the books selected to be sent to President Trump are nonpartisan in nature and are grouped around themes. (As a nonprofit, the WNBA cannot take a political stance.) The book set to be delivered March 1 is Miracle at Philadelphia: The Story of the Constitutional Convention by Catherine Drinker Bowen. That book will be followed by Willa Cather's My Antonia, The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson, Barbara Tuckman's The Guns of August, and The Origins of Totalitarianism by Hannah Arendt.

On March 7, President Trump will receive two further books: Madame Secretary: A Memoir by Madeline Albright and Hard Choices by Hillary Clinton.

In addition to delivering a book a day to Trump in March, which is Women's History Month, the WNBA will send the list of books to members of Congress, other government officials, and libraries. The full list can be seen here.

"We feel sending these books fits our mission of showing the power that books have," said Kinney-Denning.

See the full list here.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.  Purdue University graduates have developed an app that allows users to print documents from smartphones to select printers on university campuses. The app is now accessible at seven universities and has grown the graduates' company by five people.

UPrint was developed in 2015 by co-founders Rick Li and Joseph Watkins, graduates of Purdues College of Health and Human Sciences and School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. UPrint is a startup out of The Anvil, Purdues student-run entrepreneurship co-working space.

Since our initial launch in early 2015, we have hired multiple employees who are experts in software engineering, cybersecurity and finance, Li said. We also have teams for technological support on three different continents. These new hires are well poised to accelerate the development of the application to the next level, not just nationally, but globally as well.

UPrint is readily available at seven universities: Purdue, the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom, TamKang University in Taiwan, Michigan State University, University of North Carolina, Columbia University, and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

There are over 4,000 colleges and universities in the United States alone, Li said. The market potential for this app is huge, and we feel like there is a major need for it due to the time it takes for students trying to print a single document.

In 2015, the app had 5,000 to 6,000 users and was available only at Purdue University and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Since then, the app has been restructured and will be relaunched later this month, Li said.

Right now we are working on restructuring the app to include advertisements for local businesses in West Lafayette and Lafayette, Li said. Users will open the app and will immediately see a promotion or coupon for a local business. We are hoping this will generate more users because they will receive exclusive deals with local vendors along with the ability to print from wherever they want. Because we had around 6,000 users in our initial launch in 2015, businesses are seeing this as a great way to get their name out there, especially since printing is something that every student uses.

Users are able to download the app from the iTunes and Android Store, and then print selected documents to compatible on-campus printers.

UPrint cuts out the middle step of having to log in to an on-campus printer by verifying the users Purdue email on the app, which then allows students access to the on-campus printers, Li said. UPrint does not store or send any files, credentials, or access systems besides the users email, which is used only for log-in purposes. Next, all that is left to do for the student is to release the documents from the release station.

The UPrint team is working on updates that will let users upload documents to the app, which will allow users to store documents and passwords on the app. The company also plans to enable a feature to screen for plagiarism and copyrighting in users documents on the app.

We plan to relaunch the app and then roll out updates to the system as soon as possible, Li said. We are interested in hiring a few student interns who want to work with technology. We are also open to creating partnerships in the community.

About the Anvil

The Anvil is the nations largest co-working space and is operated by and for Purdue students as well as for the surrounding community. The Anvil is located at 320 North St. in West Lafayette, Indiana, adjacent to the Purdue campus.

About Purdue Foundry

The Purdue Foundry is an entrepreneurship and commercialization accelerator in Discovery Park's Burton D. Morgan Center for Entrepreneurship whose professionals help Purdue innovators create startups. Managed by the Purdue Research Foundation, the Purdue Foundry was named a top recipient at the 2016 Innovation and Economic Prosperity Universities Designation and Awards Program by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities for its work in entrepreneurship. For more information about funding and investment opportunities in startups based on a Purdue innovation, contact the Purdue Foundry at foundry@prf.org.

Purdue Research Foundation contact: Hillary Henry, 765-588-3586, hkhenry@prf.org

Writer: Ellen Teske, EMTeske@prf.org

Source: Rick Li, 217-778-7876, team@uprint.io
A new drug might give hope to ovarian cancer patients who have a recurrence of the disease and have exhausted their therapy options.

The NormaLeah Ovarian Cancer Initiative was among 20 ovarian cancer organizations to learn of a new drug called niraparib, created by Tesaro, a biopharmaceutical company, at the 2017 Tesaro Ovarian Cancer Advocacy Summit in Crystal City, Va.

NormaLeah founder Jodie Kavensky recently attended the summit, where she and representatives from other organizations learned about the expanded access program for niraparib. The program is for women with recurrent ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer after a complete or partial response to platinum-based chemotherapy drugs, according to a news release.

Niraparib is an oral, once-daily drug that is being tested in three trials with patients who have received first-line treatment for ovarian cancer; multiple lines of treatment for ovarian cancer; or treatment for those with germline BRCA-mutated (the cancer-carrying gene) metastatic breast cancer. The drug is awaiting approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The EAP allows patients with serious or life-threatening illnesses who do not otherwise qualify for participation in a clinical trial and for whom there are no comparable alternate therapies to access investigational medicines, according to the release.

It is very encouraging to see new therapies that provide better survival odds for women with recurrent ovarian cancer, Ms. Kavensky said. Because of NormaLeahs involvement in providing patient support, our seat at the table helped ensure that women with recurrent ovarian cancer have a voice.

For some 85 percent of ovarian cancer patients, Ms. Kavensky said the disease will recur.

What Tesaro is introducing is a second-line therapy for just recurring ovarian cancer, she said.

According to the American Cancer Society, about 22,400 women are diagnosed annually with ovarian cancer. It is estimated 14,000 will die of the disease.

Patients who are interested in enrolling in the EAP for niraparib should contact their physician to determine whether it is an appropriate treatment option.

Although the new drug may be suitable for some, Ms. Kavensky said it still might not be the best option.

We recommend that women contact us for additional information, but it is a decision that is made with their doctors, she said.

During the Tesaro summit, advocates also met with the pharmaceutical company to discuss topics vital to the ovarian cancer community, as well as educate Tesaro about the national and local advocacy groups upcoming programs.

We deal with patients, both locally and nationally on a daily basis, Ms. Kavensky said. Participating in this summit allowed us to share cutting-edge therapies with them.

Ms. Kavensky said the conference was beneficial to both Tesaro and the organizations that attended.

We were able to share the critical information about survivorship and what patients need to help beat ovarian cancer, she said.

Locally founded and nationally recognized, the NormaLeah Ovarian Cancer Initiative brings public awareness, promotes early detection and supports research. For more information, visit normaleahfoundation.org or call 309-794-0009.
DAVENPORT  The mother of a child Stanley Liggins sexually abused in 1990  about one month before Jennifer Lewis was slain  testified on Monday that he also threatened to kill her daughter.

Mr. Liggins, who is to be tried a third time in the murder of Jennifer Lewis, is in court this week as both his attorneys and prosecutors file motions in advance of his May 22 trial.

On the night of Sept. 17, 1990, Jennifers burning body was found on the outskirts of the playground of Jefferson Elementary School in Davenport. An autopsy of the 9-year-old Rock Island girl found she had been sexually assaulted, strangled, doused with gasoline and set on fire.

About one month before Jennifers death, Mr. Liggins was arrested on charges of aggravated sexual assault involving another 9-year-old girl who lived in Milan.

A clearly nervous Debra Brown, the mother of the Milan girl, testified that Stanley Liggins threatened to kill my daughter.

She said he made the threat as she was ushering her daughter out a Rock Island County courtroom during a 1991 trial in which Mr. Liggins was tried and later convicted of aggravated sexual abuse.

At the time of Jennifers death, Mr. Liggins was out on bond awaiting trial in the Milan girls case.

Assistant Scott County Attorney Julie Walton asked that Ms. Brown be allowed to testify in the upcoming trial saying that it helps identify Mr. Liggins as the possible culprit in the Lewis homicide.

She presented school photos of both Ms. Browns daughter and Jennifer to Chief Judge Marlita A. Greve. She noted that the girls bore a striking resemblance to one another.

Typically, past convictions are not allowed into evidence in criminal cases unless the defendant testifies and they are used by a prosecutor to impeach the testimony. However, Iowa allows some narrow exceptions to this rule.

Ms. Walton said in this case it should be allowed because of the similarity of the two crimes.

But Mr. Liggins attorney Derrek Jones countered, Evidence that Stanley Liggins sexually abused another child is enormously prejudicial.

He added the crimes are different because Jennifer was penetrated anally and vaginally and the child in the earlier case was only touched vaginally while Mr. Liggins was wiping away Kool-Aid that she has spilled on herself.

Judge Greves has yet to rule on whether to allow Ms. Browns testimony in the case.

Today, lawyers will present arguments on whether or not the trial should be moved from Scott County. Mr. Jones has declined to share the underlying reasons for his motion in advance of arguments. But typically, such motions are based on concerns that pretrial news coverage has made it difficult to select jurors who have not already formed an opinion on the case.

Mr. Liggins, an acquaintance of Jennifer's mother and step-father, became a suspect in the homicide not long after her smoldering body was found.

Mr. Liggins was convicted of murder in 1993 by a Scott County jury. That conviction was overturned by the Iowa Supreme Court on the grounds that testimony regarding Mr. Liggins alleged involvement in the Quad-Cities illegal drug trade unduly prejudiced jurors against him. The high court also was concerned that pretrial news coverage may have made it difficult to find unbiased jurors in the Quad-Cities.

In 1995, he was tried again and convicted by a Dubuque County, Iowa, jury after a change of venue was granted.

In 2013, the Iowa Appellate Court ruled that Mr. Liggins was denied a fair trial because prosecutors didn't reveal that a key witness was a paid police informant in unrelated cases. The court also found that more than 70 police reports were not turned over to the defense.
HOUSTON, TX--(Marketwired - February 21, 2017) - PetroGas Company, Inc. (OTC PINK: PTCO) ("PetroGas Company" or "the Company") today announced that it has acquired oil and gas mineral rights to a property of approximately 150 acres in Cleveland County, Oklahoma.

"With our newest acquisition in Oklahoma, we are now in a position to begin exploring the idea of putting together a drill program in the State as this marks our fifth sizeable acquisition," said Mr. Yu, CEO of PetroGas Company.

Oklahoma holds about 4% of the nation's proved petroleum reserves and produces a substantial amount of crude oil. With annual production typically accounting for between 3% and 5% of the nation's total, Oklahoma is one of the top five petroleum-producing states and fourteen of the 100 largest natural gas fields in the United States are in Oklahoma. Proved natural gas reserves in the state peaked in 2014 at more than 34 trillion cubic feet. Oklahoma's annual natural gas production reached an all-time high of nearly 2.5 trillion cubic feet in 2015.

About PetroGas Company, Inc.

PetroGas Company, Inc. is an oil and gas exploration and production company focused on the acquisition of properties in areas with significant oil reserves and drilling potential. The Company's growth strategy includes the acquisition of oil fields from distressed third parties at a substantial discount to value, and development of fields whose potential has not been fully maximized.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release and the materials referenced herein include "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements give PetroGas Company's current expectations or forecasts of future events. Such statements involve material risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to: whether newly drilled or newly acquired properties will produce at levels consistent with management's expectations; market conditions; whether we will experience equipment failures and, if they materialize, whether we will be able to fund repair work without materially impairing planned production levels or the availability of capital for further production increases; the ability of PetroGas Company to fund the costs of new wells and to obtain financing from other sources for continued development; the costs of operations; delays, and any other difficulties related to producing oil; the ability of PetroGas Company to integrate the newly producing assets; the ability to retain necessary skilled workers to operate the new producing wells; the price of oil; PetroGas Company's ability to market and sell produced minerals; the risks and effects of legal and administrative proceedings and governmental regulation; future financial and operational results; competition; general economic conditions; and the ability to manage and continue growth. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual outcomes may vary materially from those indicated. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements are set forth in our Form 10-K and the registrations statement for any offerings as filed with the SEC. PetroGas Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update such statements to reflect current events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. PetroGas Company's production forecasts are dependent upon many assumptions, including estimates of production decline rates from existing wells and the outcome of future drilling activity. Although PetroGas Company believes the expectations and forecasts reflected in these and other forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance they will prove to have been correct. They can be affected by inaccurate assumptions or by known or unknown risks and uncertainties.
KAMPSVILLE, Ill. (AP)  Firefighters in southwestern Illinois have been battling a wildfire for more than a week that has burned about 1,300 acres.

North Calhoun Fire Protection District Fire Chief Gary Hall says dry conditions and high winds have continued to spark the fire. The (Alton) Telegraph reports the wildfire flared for a fourth time on Sunday. It apparently started Feb. 12 when a resident lost control of a leaf fire.

Hall says his firefighters have spent at least 30 hours working on the wildfire. He says there have been challenges because the fire is located about a mile from any roads and there is rough terrain. Hall says up to 30 firefighters were on the scene at once.
MOLINE  A journey down the Mississippi River to St. Louis on a towboat was "the perfect trip," a former Augustana professor told attendees at a Rock Island County Historical Society luncheon on Monday.

Norm Moline and his wife, Janet, made the three-day trip in August 2013, after purchasing it in an auction from Alter Barge Line Inc.

"Every day, it was perfect," Dr. Moline said. "There were blue skies and great temperatures. It would have been an entirely different trip if it had been gray or rainy."

Dr. Moline sprinkled his love of history throughout his presentation, bringing up the construction dates of some of the locks and dams they went through, facts about some of the bridges they went under and more. He showed pictures of the towns such as Muscatine, Iowa, and the views they had from the boat.

Dr. Moline even got to see a piece of history when he saw replicas of Christopher Columbus' ships, the Nina and the Pinta, traveling the Mississippi River.

He said the trip was one of the last of its kind.

"Nowadays, because of regulations and rules, the barge could do only the crew," Dr. Moline said. "So we were lucky we were able to go."

Dr. Moline and his wife traveled 300 miles from Rock Island to St. Louis on the barge. They became early risers as the captain had them get up at 5 a.m. for breakfast. This helped Dr. Moline with what he wanted to see during the trip: what life was like for people who work the towboats and barges.

Meredith Peterson, president of the Rock Island County Historical Society, said the presentation was part of the groups outreach efforts.

"It's a means to outreach to the community," Ms. Peterson said. "We're trying to tell a story of Rock Island County."

Dr. Moline said if he could have another trip on a towboat, he'd travel the opposite direction.

"If I'd ever be so lucky, I'd love to go from here to the north toward the Twin-Cities," he said.
Bill Blooms Feb. 9 viewpoint column congratulates the Democrats for becoming the NEW Party of No. NEW is the operative word.

The Republicans (old Party of No) amply demonstrated how to say no for the last few years by obstructing almost all congressional actions, including to refuse any consideration of a Supreme Court justice. And now they have no plan ready for any health care legislation after years of arguing against the Affordable Care Act. Remember immediately repeal, ad nauseum?

Mr. Bloom correctly points out that the results of elections have overwhelmingly favored Republicans and as a result there will be wide ranging changes. Some of these changes I will not agree with, but I accept that they will occur.

Mr. Bloom says to stop slandering qualified appointees; after I researched Betsy DeVoss educational background and financial statements, my judgment is that she has no qualifications for the office. I am allowed my informed judgement and I voiced that judgement to my senators. I have also voiced to my senators negative judgment about other nominees.

Mr. Bloom states that the new administration has highly qualified people to set about addressing the problems of the nation. In my considered judgment, many are not highly qualified. Perhaps I am wrong and they actually can run the country. I retain the privilege and right to be critical of the administration when in my judgment it is not acting in the interests of the American people.

Steve Kincaid,

Cordova
(Editor's note: The following was submitted by Black Hawk College Art and Visual Communication faculty members: Melissa Hebert-Johnson, David Murray, Kyle Petersen and Zaiga Thorson.)

Our program, Art and Visual Communication, recently received the devastating news that two of our four full-time faculty positions will be cut. Kyle Petersen teaches new media and had just created a photography certificate unique to the western Illinois region.

Melissa Hebert-Johnson teaches full sections of art history every semester and several innovative online sections of art history and art appreciation. She also is department chair. Both faculty are hailed by our students as not only great teachers, but as having strong, positive impact on their lives in general. The justification that has been given is that a consultant recommended dismantling our AAS in Visual Communication and the Art Technology one-year certificate. We have not been granted access to this report.

As a small program in a community college, we open the door to many who might not otherwise have the opportunity to study art. Our program has a strong foundation in basic design principles and skills that can be applied by those pursuing a degree in fine arts.

The majority of our students couple that with computer technology in order to pursue careers related to graphic design, web graphics, animation, digital photography, and video -- skills learned through the AAS and Certificate programs. We have many students who come to us to retrain after a job loss, or to upgrade their skills for a current position.

We have always been committed to providing a quality education for students from all walks of life. To view some student work, visit our blog bhcart.com.

What disappoints us most is that the opportunity for affordable training and education will be denied to so many in our community. We have several military students and veterans who are in the AAS and Certificate programs on the G.I. Bill.

We have single parents working to provide for their families and modeling for their children that a college degree is attainable. Our students leave BHC ready for entry level graphic design or photography work, or BA, BFA, or MFA programs. They develop strong portfolios that lead to multiple scholarship offers from colleges and universities. Our students are then able to transfer to institutions that they otherwise would not be able to afford.

Not to brag (well, maybe a little), but our students who transfer often report back to us with pride that they are among the best prepared of their upper-division classmates. And though it sounds so, it is not an exaggeration to say we have saved lives in this department. Students who have no other creative outlet come to their BHC art classes to be built up while the rest of the world tries to tear them down.

Our students have begun a petition on change.org, protesting these planned cuts. To date, there are 763 signatures. We are reaching out to alumni, employers, artists, and you to share your stories about the impact of our program and its potential loss. On Thursday, February 23rd, the Board of Trustees will decide the fate of these faculty and our programs. We encourage you, if you are so inclined, to write a letter of support to BHC board members or to attend the February 23rd meeting.

As our students like to say, Art matters.
WASHINGTON (AP)  President Donald Trump on Tuesday condemned recent threats against Jewish community centers in the U.S. as "painful reminders" of lingering prejudice and evil, his first full-throated comments on the rise of anti-Semitic venom after pressure for him to speak out forcefully.

With his somewhat delayed denunciation, Trump sought to reset his relationship with American Jews, which has been strained by a recent White House statement on the Holocaust, comments by some of his supporters and his own fractious exchange with a reporter for an Orthodox Jewish publication.

Trump's latest remarks, made at the newly opened National Museum of African American History and Culture, marked the first time he directly addressed recent incidents of anti-Semitism. Earlier in the day, the White House put out a statement denouncing "hatred and hate-motivated violence" but not mentioning Jews, the weekend vandalism at a Jewish cemetery or multiple threats to community centers Monday.

Eleven Jewish community centers across the country received telephoned bomb threats, according to the JCC Association of North America. Like three waves of similar phone calls in January, the new threats proved to be hoaxes, the association said in a statement. In addition, as many as 200 headstones were damaged or tipped over at a Jewish cemetery in suburban St. Louis late Sunday or early Monday.

"The anti-Semitic threats targeting our Jewish community and community centers are horrible and are painful and a very sad reminder of the work that still must be done to root out hate and prejudice and evil," Trump said. He did not outline what that might entail.

On Monday, Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump wrote on Twitter, "We must protect our houses of worship & religious centers," and used the hashtag #JCC. She converted to Judaism ahead of her 2009 marriage to Jared Kushner. She joined her father at the African-American museum tour.

The FBI said it was joining with the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division to investigate "possible civil rights violations in connection with threats."

Ryan Lenz, spokesman for the Southern Poverty Law Center, said it has seen an uptick in incidents since Trump's election. "People are much more willing to express their bigoted selves than they were prior to the election," Lenz said.

Trump's statement Tuesday followed a series of episodes that put some American Jews on edge.

Last week at a news conference, Trump tangled with a reporter from an Orthodox Jewish publication, cutting him off as he asked about a rise in bomb threats. The president, who seemed to interpret the query as an attack on him personally, said it was "not a fair question" and went on to say he was the "least anti-Semitic person that you've ever seen in your entire life."

In January, the White House drew criticism for a statement commemorating the Holocaust that did not mention the murder of Jews, in contrast with previous administrations. The statement, criticized by the Anti-Defamation League and others, was defended by the White House as inclusive.

And throughout his campaign, Trump was criticized for what some saw as belated and inadequately forceful denunciations of hateful rhetoric by some of his supporters.

Trump's top strategist Stephen Bannon came under fire for stories published by Breitbart News, which he'd led before joining Trump's campaign. During the campaign, Trump at times appeared to play to stereotypes, including tweeting out an anti-Hillary Clinton image that included what appeared to be a Star of David atop a pile of money.

Still, Trump has won strong support in some circles as an impassioned backer of Israel.

Trump welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House last week and signaled a new closeness between the countries as he withheld clear support for an independent Palestine and declared he could endorse a one-nation solution to the long dispute between Palestinians and Israel.

At a joint news conference, Trump called Israel a symbol of "survival in the face of genocide."

Trump's Tuesday comments were praised by several Jewish organizations.

Jonathan Greenblatt, chief executive of the Anti-Defamation League, the Jewish civil rights group that has been highly critical of Trump, called the statement an "important first step."

"I think the Jewish community has been looking for leadership from the president. I was encouraged to hear him step up and say that proactively and now we need to look for the follow-up so we can move from words to action," Greenblatt said.

Matt Brooks, executive director of the Republican Jewish Coalition, said in a statement that his group applauds "President Trump and his daughter Ivanka for their strong words in condemning these unspeakable actions."

Still, some said Trump had not done enough. On its Facebook page, the Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect called Trump's Tuesday comments a "Band-Aid on the cancer of Antisemitism that has infected his own Administration."

White House spokesman Sean Spicer pushed back against those remarks at a news conference Tuesday. He said Trump has spoken forcefully against hate, arguing, "It's ironic that no matter how many times he talks about this that it's never good enough."
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Radio Today will launch Australias first social media-based charts for the radio industry next week.

The Radio Today Social 20 will include three exclusive charts to measure the online performance of Radio Shows, Radio Stations and Personalities & Presenters.

Powered by BrandData, each chart will be published weekly and tracks 41 weighted engagement events across five online channels  website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

Radio Today publisher and editor Jake Challenor said that following reader feedback of Social Scorecard  a new weekly Saturday column highlighting top social posts from radio shows  that there is a definite appetite for more social media editorial that relates to radio.

As all the networks build their digital assets, social is becoming more and more important as a platform to engages listeners and to generate and develop new revenue streams, Challenor said.

This is happening at a station, show and talent level. Radio Todays new Social 20 charts will allow the industry to benchmark and track its performance online.

Ahead of next weeks reveal of the first official Radio Today Social 20 charts, today we can share the top five from this weeks Radio Shows, Radio Stations and Personalities & Presenters charts.

Social 20 Radio Shows:

KIIS 1065s Kylie & Jackie O top this weeks chart which monitors 64 of Australias top radio shows. Submit your show here.

Social 20 Radio Stations:

Sydneys 2GB top this weeks Radio Stations chart, with triple j Unearthed at #5, ahead of triple j. 63 of Australias top radio stations are already monitored. Submit your station here.

Social 20 Personalities & Presenters:

Hit 104.7 Canberra breakfast co-host Tanya Hennessy tops this weeks Personalities & Presenters chart. 2DayFM breakfasts Em Rusciano also make an appearance at #4. 277 of Australias top talent are already monitored. Submit your stations talent here.

The Social 20 weighting system is generated by an ongoing survey of brand managers by BrandData, ensuring objectivity and relevance  some events weight very low, while others are very high.

The first of the news charts to premiere next week will be the Radio Today Social 20 Shows, followed by Radio Stations and then Personalities & Presenters.
The 3.3km extension will serve seven new stations on the French side of the border and will be constructed in two phases. The initial four-station section between Moellesulaz and Parc Montessuit will open in November 2019, with the remainder of the extension to Lycee des Glieres due for completion in 2022.

The extension is forecast to carry around 8000 passengers per day when both phases are operational and services will operate at 8-minute intervals at peak times with a 25-minute journey time between Annemasse town centre and Geneva city centre.

The Swiss government is providing 40% of the 57m required for the first phase, with contributions from Annemasse agglomeration and the municipalities of Ambilly, Annemasse, and Gaillard (24.18%), the French state (11.45%), the department of Haute-Savoie (21.58%), the European Union (2.32%) and the French region of Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes (0.47%). The second phase has an estimated pricetag of 28.6m.

Annemasse was served by Geneva tram Line 12 until 1958, when the French section was abandoned.

For detailed data on light rail projects around the world subscribe to IRJ Pro.
USDOT defers Caltrain electrification funding Written by Keith









Caltrain has warned that the viability of its project to electrify the 52-mile San Jose-San Francisco corridor may be in jeopardy after newly appointed United States Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao ordered the Federal Transit Administration to defer federal funding.

The FTA says a decision on whether to proceed with the $US 647 million Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) for the Peninsula Corridor Electrification Project (PCEP) will be deferred until the Trump Administration develops its Fiscal Year 2018 budget.

In September 2016, Caltrain awarded Balfour Beatty a $697 million contract to electrify the route, while Stadler Rail was selected for a $551 million contract to supply 16 six-car double-deck EMUs. Both are currently preparing for the project under a limited notice to proceed, Caltrain says a notice to proceed must be issued to the two contractors by March 1, but it cannot take this vital step without the FFGA. Deferral of the decision to execute the FFGA will prevent Caltrain from issuing the notice by this date and may jeopardize the viability of the project itself.

In a statement issued Feb. 17, Caltrain said it is evaluating options for maintaining a viable project in the face of uncertainty about the timing of FFGA approval and the question about whether it will be approved at all.

The project has secured $1.3 billion in local, regional and state funding and with federal funding would be ready for the start of construction. Caltrain says it has worked with FTA officials for two years to complete a thorough project evaluation, including intensive engineering assessments and federal vetting. Following the completion of this process the project was rated positively and met all of the statutory requirements needed to qualify for an FFGA.

Caltrain says federal investment in electrification of the commuter rail line will create more than 9,600 jobs both in California and other states including Utah, Florida, Virginia, Wisconsin and Colorado.

Editors note: The FTAs funding deferral was announced just days after House Railroad Subcommittee Chair Jeff Denham (R-Calif.) and the states Republican Congressional Delegation sent a letter to Chao demanding that PCEP funding be killed. Denhams letter is widely believed to be a thinly disguised attempt to stop the unrelated California High Speed Rail program, which he strongly opposes as a waste of taxpayer dollars. Some industry observers feel Denhams tactics are reprehensible.  William C. Vantuono
For many households, the start of the year is traditionally a time when concerns about financial debt are at their highest, as people recover from spending over the holidays. UK charities support that fact, reporting they didn't expect this year to be any different.

Regardless, debt builds over time and figures from the Trades Union Congress showed that the average household in the UK now owes near 13,000the highest figure since 2008. The Bank of England said there is no reason to be worried about high debt levels, but still described the situation as one that it will watch carefully.

The negative impact of debt on the public's purse and the wider economy isn't the only concernits impact on health and well-being may warrant further attention. Financial health is often cited as one of five elements that contribute to an individual's overall well-being. However, despite knowing that UK employees are concerned about their financial situation, studies on financial well-being are limited.

A survey of 34,000 UK employees that RAND Europe produced on behalf of VitalityHealth's Britain's Healthiest Workplacea competition that measures the healthiest employees and work environments in the UKrevealed a number of unique perspectives on well-being and productivity. One was related to the impact of financial concerns on well-being and its link to lower productivity levels at work, either from absenteeism (employees not being at work) or presenteeism (employees being at work but working at a sub-optimal level). A quarter of those surveyed said they experience financial concerns, highlighting its impact on the well-being of the UK workforce.

Another survey of over 2,000 British employeesconducted by Barclays as part of its Financial Well-being: The Last Taboo in the Workplace reportshows that nearly half of UK employees are worried about their finances. With regards to their own personal or family finances, the majority of respondents (around 60 per cent) said they were balancing, or concentrating on immediate financial issues rather than saving for the future. This is a troubling finding, since an unexpected high outlay, potentially triggered by an unexpected life event outside of their control, could have severe financial consequences

The remainder of this commentary is available on hrzone.com.

Marco Hafner is a senior economist and research leader and Chris van Stolk is vice president, both of RAND Europe.

This commentary originally appeared on HRZone on February 20, 2017. Commentary gives RAND researchers a platform to convey insights based on their professional expertise and often on their peer-reviewed research and analysis.
Subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) giant Netflix has announced the release date for Las Chicas del Cable.





The series, the first made-in-Spain Netflix Original , will be premiered worldwide on 28 April. Co-produced with Bambu Producciones , Las Chicas del Cable is set in Madrid during 1928, where the national telephone company opens its headquarters and hundreds of girls queue up to get a job as a cable girl in the only place that represents progress and modernity for women at the time.Four girls (played by Blanca Suarez, Nadia de Santiago, Ana Fernandez and Maggie Civantos), who all come from very different backgrounds, start work as operators, developing a plot of jealousy, envy and betrayal mixed with the hunger for success, friendship and love.
International Turkish news platform TRT World has embarked upon an expansion of its global distribution over the SES satellite fleet.





TRT World is owned by Turkish national public broadcaster TRT and is Turkeys first English-language international news platform, providing news coverage in English 24/7, from Istanbul. The channel started broadcasting in January from the ASTRA 19.2 East, ASTRA 28.2 East, and SES-5 5 East craft, operating from orbital positions that can reach viewers in continental Europe, UK and Sub-Saharan Africa.Media solutions provider Globecast is providing the technical broadcast solutions needed to achieve this expanded global delivery including worldwide connectivity and uplink distribution services using its unique reach and access to ten satellites.We are delighted to enable TRT World to expand around the globe using SES's sophisticated and extensive satellite fleet, remarked Globecast MENA managing director Giorgio Giacomini. Together with SES , we are giving TRT World the opportunity to broaden its footprint and deliver important news coverage in a greater capacity than ever before.
Proceedings in criminal case against Russian billionaire Fetisov to begin on March 6

MOSCOW, February 21 (RAPSI)  The Presnensky District Court of Moscow will begin hearings in a criminal case against ex-owner of My Bank Gleb Fetisov, who was charged with embezzlement of nearly two billion rubles ($35 million), on March 6, RAPSI learnt from the courts press-service on Tuesday.

In late February 2014, Gleb Fetisov, who is ranked by Forbes as one of Russias richest men with a personal wealth of $1.4 billion, was arrested for embezzling funds from My Bank, which he owned, and for failing to honor 6.5 billion rubles (over $96mln) worth of commitments to the banks clients.

In November 2013, Fetisov decided to sell his 90 percent stake in the bank.

The Central Bank of Russia revoked My Banks license in January 2014 for failing to honor its credit obligations and for falsifying reports. The Central Bank also filed a request with the Investigative Committee for an inquiry into the business activities of Fetisov and a number of former managers at the bank.

The request mentioned loan agreements that My Bank had signed over the past three years with alleged dummy companies, as well as potentially irretrievable investments in assets and securities.

Investigation has been completed. Fetisov pleaded not guilty. However, he paid the Deposit Insurance Agency over 14 billion rubles (about $210mln) claiming it was enough to repay the debts to the banks clients.
Ukrainian national appeals prison transfer procedure in Russian Constitutional Court

MOSCOW, February 21 (RAPSI)  Ukrainian citizen Gennady Afanasyev, who had been earlier convicted in Russia of participating in the Right Sector movements activities, filed a complaint with Russias Constitutional court challenging a procedure of prison transfer, RIA Novosti reported Tuesday citing his lawyer Ramil Akhmetgaliyev.

Afanasyev appealed provisions of Russias Penal Court allowing, according to the lawyer, to make arbitrary decisions on transfer of convicts to prisons.

Akhmetgaliyev explained that the Federal Penitentiary Service may send convicts to a colony located in the most distant region from their families places of residence. The lawyer noted that family circumstances must be taken into account in reaching the decision on prison transfer.

In December 2014, Afanasyev was sentenced to seven years in prison by Russian court. In the summer of 2016, he was pardoned and released. The man was involved in a criminal case against film director Oleg Sentsov, sentenced to 20 years in prison for organizing a terrorist group in Crimea.

Right Sector is a Ukrainian association of radical nationalist organizations. In January and February 2014, its members clashed with police and seized administrative buildings in Kiev. Since April 2014, Right Sector has been involved in fighting the protest movement in eastern Ukraine.

In November 2014, Russias Supreme Court declared Right Sector an extremist group and banned its activity in Russia. The Investigative Committee opened a criminal case against Right Sector leader Dmitry Yarosh for the alleged incitement of terrorism.

In January 2015, Right Sector was added to the Russian register of prohibited organizations.
Newsweek, February 20, 2017

By Lucy Westcott

A 20-year-old Afghan woman was allegedly gang-raped after escaping violence in her home, according to local media.

The woman, a newlywed, was lured by a group of men and encouraged to elope with one of them after fleeing domestic violence perpetrated by her new husband, Afghan news outlet Khaama Press reports. The incident took place in northeastern Takhar province amid a surge in violence in the country over the past year.

Santatullah Temori, provincial governor of Takhar, confirmed the attack, which the woman survived. The woman said she was raped by three men, who left her outside the womens affairs directorate in Takhar. She was also held hostage by the men for nearly four weeks and is now in a government shelter.

"The gang-rape of this woman was horrific but unfortunately this issue is endemic. Domestic and sexual violence against Afghan women is commonplace, Jessica Neuwirth, founder of Donor Direct Action, an international women's group that works to end violence in Afghanistan, said in a statement on Thursday. As long as international groups exclude women from rebuilding peace in countries like Afghanistan and use the same failed approach over and over again, but expect different results, violence within the home and within society is likely to continue.

News of the womans ordeal comes days after a new report from the U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) found that Afghan civilian casualties in 2016 were the highest in 15 years. In a 3 percent rise from 2015, 3,298 civilians were killed and 7,920 were wounded in Afghanistan last year.

Injuries and deaths of women in Afghanistan due to conflict have increased by 400 percent over the past six years, from 285 deaths in 2009 to 1,218 in 2016, according to the report. (The 2016 total is a slight decrease from 2015.)

Women in Afghanistan also continue to suffer from the parallel justice system, in which they are tried by both the government legal system and local tribal courts. In its report, UNAMA says that punishments by the parallel justice system for so-called moral crimes represent an increasingly disturbing trend. In 2016, UNAMA documented 10 such punishments, resulting in the deaths of five women and the injury of five others. In at least two cases, women were shot to death for running away from home.

Hashim Ahmadi, programme manager for Humanitarian Assistance for the Women and Children of Afghanistan in Kabul, says child and forced marriages are the main reasons for girls and young women escaping from the homes of their new husbands. They often become the victims of rape, says Ahmadi.

"While they are on the run, they become vulnerable to all types of violence, he says. Strict laws on forced marriages should be enacted and implemented by the government and public awareness should be increased by the government and NGOs so that people end these old customs."

U.S. President Donald Trump was scheduled to speak with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Thursday. The call comes two days after six Afghans working with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) were killed by suspected Islamic State (ISIS) militants in the province of Jowzjan.

Originally published on Feb. 9, 2017
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By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 02/20/2017



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Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.
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PARIS (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel was "very receptive" to the case for PSA Group's (PEUP.PA) proposed acquisition of Opel from General Motors (GM.N) in a conversation with the French carmaker's chief executive, a company spokesman said.

Carlos Tavares spoke with the German leader by telephone for more than 35 minutes earlier on Tuesday, the PSA spokesman said.

"The tone of the exchange was very convivial and Chancellor Merkel was very receptive to our arguments," he said.

(Reporting by Laurence Frost, editin by Louise Heavens)
By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 02/21/2017



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Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.
Posted by Jay on at 11:01 AM CST

Marvel has sent out solicitations for their May 2017 titles, including 7comics, 3 trade paperbacks and two hardcovers!Charles Soule (W)  ANGEL UNZUETA (A)CoverS by PHIL NOTOISSUE #14 - Star Wars 40th Anniversary Variant Cover by Chip Zdarsky It is a sad day for the Resistance as they mourn the loss of a fallen comrade. But their fight is far from over  the First Order must be stopped! And Captain Phasma knows just how to get Terex to toe the line.32 PGS. (EACH)/Rated T $3.99 (EACH)JODY HOUSER (W)  EMILIO LAISO (A)Cover by PHIL NOTOConcept Variant COVER by Jon McCoyVARIANT COVER BY Kris Anka Jyn Erso continues her quest with Cassian Andor to help the Rebellion fight the sinister Galactic Empire. Following the trail to the ancient Jedha City to find Rebel extremist Saw Guerra, Jyn and Cassian get caught in a firefight with the Empire only to then be taken prisoner by Saws followers! The Star Wars story continues!32 PGS./Rated T $3.99KIERON GILLEN (W)  Marco Checchetto (A)Cover by MARCO CHECCHETTOVARIANT A COVER BY TBAVARIANT B COVER BY TBAVARIANT C COVER BY TBAWORLD VARIANT COVER BY TBATHE SCREAMING CITADEL  PART 1Rebel pilot and rogue archaeologist wander side by side into the darkest shadows of the galaxy as Luke Skywalker reluctantly teams up with Doctor Aphra! The Doctor makes Luke an offer he cant afford to pass up one that leads him to a very rare gathering at the heart of the infamous Screaming Citadel. Will Luke find what hes looking for? Can Aphra be trusted? Or will they both wind up victims of the Citadels Queen?40 PGS./ONE-SHOT/Rated T $4.99Charles Soule (W)  ANGEL UNZUETA (A)CoverS by PHIL NOTOISSUE #14 - Star Wars 40th Anniversary Variant Cover by Chip Zdarsky It is a sad day for the Resistance as they mourn the loss of a fallen comrade. But their fight is far from over  the First Order must be stopped! And Captain Phasma knows just how to get Terex to toe the line.32 PGS. (EACH)/Rated T $3.99 (EACH)JASON AARON (W)  SALVADOR LARROCA (A)Cover by MARCO CHECCHETTOACTION FIGURE VARIANT COVER BY JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHERStar Wars 40th Anniversary Variant Cover by GREG LANDTHE SCREAMING CITADEL  PART 2 While Luke and Aphra face the Queen of the Citadel Han and Leia are coming for Aphra?!32 PGS./Rated T $3.99(of 5)CULLEN BUNN (W)  LUKE ROSS (A)Cover by RAFAEL ALBUQUERQUEVARIANT COVER BY FRANCESCO FRANCAVILLAVARIANT COVER BY DAVID NAKAYAMAVARIANT COVER BY ELSA CHARRETIERStar Wars 40th Anniversary Variant Cover by Will Robson Darth Maul and his crew of bounty hunters have captured Eldra, the hunted Jedi Padawan! But Xev Xrexus will not give up her prize without a fight. Theres a new bounty out and the reward for whoever defeats Maul and captures the Padawan is worth dying for. Not to mention, Eldra isnt leaving without a fight, either32 PGS./Rated T $3.99KIERON GILLEN (W)  ANDREA BROCCARDO (A)Cover by MARCO CHECCHETTOStar Wars 40th Anniversary Variant Cover by David MarquezTHE SCREAMING CITADEL  PART 3 The Queens parasites are spreading. Things dont look good for Han.32 PGS./Rated T $3.99Written by KIERON GILLENPenciled by KEV WALKERCover by KAMOME SHIRAHAMAFollowing her time in the clutches of Darth Vader, Doctor Aphra has barely escaped with her life. If the Dark Lord of the Sith ever learns of her survival, hell hunt her to the ends of the galaxy. But for now, its time for a return to what she does best. With droids Triple-Zero and BeeTee-One in tow, shes off in search of rare artifacts from the galactic center to the Outer Rim  and everywhere in between. Aphras got debts to pay, after all. Just as long as she can stay one step ahead of the Empire, some bounty hunters and just about everyone else in the galaxy! Collecting DOCTOR APHRA #1-6.144 PGS./Rated T $17.99ISBN: 978-1-302-90677-1Written by CHARLES SOULEPenciled by PHIL NOTOCover by PHIL NOTOContinuing the adventures of the ace-pilot hero of Star Wars: The Force Awakens! Poe Dameron faces the wrath of a vengeful Agent Terex! But how does Terex always seem to know what Black Squadron is doing? Could there truly be a traitor in the Squadrons midst? Poe will undertake a secret mission from General Leia Organa herself: to escort none other than C-3PO on a dangerous journey to the planet Kaddak! Can they complete the mission and keep their key informant intact? Or will Terexs past somehow come back to haunt them? Join Poe and Threepio as they take on the First Order! Collecting STAR WARS: POE DAMERON #8-13.144 PGS./Rated T $19.99ISBN: 978-1-302-90111-0Written by JASON AARON, CHRIS ELIOPOULOS & KELLY THOMPSONPenciled by SALVADOR LARROCA, CHRIS ELIOPOULOS & EMILIO LAISOCover by STUART IMMONENWith one member of the rebel crew captured and imprisoned, we turn once more to the journals of Ben Kenobi and a legendary adventure with Jedi Master...Yoda! Hes trapped on a world full of vicious, mysteriously powered children. Not easy, will this be. Overpowered and captured, the master must become a student once more. And the ripples of Yodas struggle in the past will be felt by Luke Skywalker in the present! Connected, it all is! Plus: Join Princess Leia on a top-secret and highly dangerous mission on a planet that wants no part of the war against the Empire. When an injury threatens to end her mission, can she inspire that rebel spirit in a populace who just want to keep their heads down? Collecting STAR WARS (2015) #26-30 and ANNUAL (2015) #2.144 PGS./Rated T $17.99ISBN: 978-1-302-90265-0Written by KIERON GILLEN & JASON AARONPenciled by SALVADOR LARROCA, MIKE DEODATO JR., LEINIL FRANCIS YU & MORECover by KAARE ANDREWSOne of the greatest antagonists in all of fiction rises again! Fresh from a stinging defeat at the hands of the Rebel Alliance, Darth Vader must reassert the Empires iron grip on the galaxy. But will his personal desire for vengeance against the young Jedi who destroyed the Death Star distract from Vaders duty to the Emperor? As a fateful quest begins, the Dark Lord of the Sith will face new threats to his power. And as other villains old and new play their part  from Boba Fett and Jabba the Hutt to diabolical debutant Aphra and the killer droids Triple-Zero and BeeTee-One  will Vaders imperial march continue, or will his schemes prove his undoing? Collecting DARTH VADER #1-25 and ANNUAL #1, STAR WARS: VADER DOWN and STAR WARS (2015) #13-14.736 PGS./Rated T $100.00ISBN: 978-1-302-90821-8Trim size: oversizedWritten by ARCHIE GOODWIN, CHRIS CLAREMONT, JOHN STOKES, ALAN MOORE,STEVE MOORE, STEVE PARKHOUSE & MOREPenciled by WALT SIMONSON, DAVE COCKRUM, CARMINE INFANTINO, STEVE MOORE,ADOLFO BUYLLA, ALAN DAVIS, JOHN STOKES & MORECOVER BY TONY DeZUNIGAAll your favorite Star Wars characters, from Luke Skywalker to Darth Vader to the Ewoks, in sensational adventures first published a long time ago and far, far away  in Britain in the 70s and 80s! Now, for the first time, these rarely-seen tales are collected in a single hardcover  along with a veritable treasure trove of UK-exclusive covers, pinups, posters, articles, interviews, star profiles, activities and other goodies never before seen by American eyes! Savor early stories by classic British creators, tales slated for the U.S. series but never published in America, and fascinating Star Wars rarities you didnt know existed! Collecting STAR WARS WEEKLY #60, #94-99 and #104-115; EMPIRE STRIKES BACK MONTHLY #149, #151 and #153-157; STAR WARS MONTHLY #159; EWOKS ANNUAL 1989; STAR WARS: THE OFFICIAL COLLECTORS EDITION; and material from PIZZAZZ #10-16.808 PGS./Rated T $100.00ISBN: 978-1-302-90820-1Trim size: oversized
When the Branded Butcher closed in November, the restaurant was still ranked on Yelp as one of the best places to eat in Athens.
Students at the University of Georgia arent strangers to sustainability. There are recycling bins all over campus, and most have been in a le
The people of America need to educate themselves on international crises so they may do good and they may pressure their country to do good as well.
The government is doing things in agriculture that count for little, says Shreekant Sambrani.

Roughly a third of the way through his Budget speech three weeks ago, the finance minister paused for dramatic effect before presenting the 10 thrust areas of the Budget.

Agriculture, rural development and youth occupied the top three places.

Arun Jaitley claimed that he had made substantial increases in allocation to these and proceeded to announce a raft of schemes: Soil health cards, irrigation project corpus, crop insurance, electronic national marketing platform, more rural works, especially farm ponds, under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), skilling and vocational training, among others.

I have with me a stack of field surveys and reports, all done in the last 18 months and all over the country, concerning these critical issues. Admittedly, they do not add up to what is now called a robust data base, but they are not mere anecdotal evidence either.

Their summaries are eloquent, at times poignant, postcards from their respective interlocutors.

The first one is from Jankalyanpur in the countrys most important parliamentary constituency, Varanasi. The name is fictitious, but all the details are authentic.

This village, 20 km from the holy city, could not get more representative of the 600,000 such habitats in India in terms of population, area, resource endowment and facilities. It cultivates its lands and manages its cattle much the same way as practised historically: Without any significant inputs.

The main field crop and milk yields are below average. While the village is not abysmally poor as measured against accepted government norms, it just barely ekes out a living. For three-fifths of the families, that does not meet their living needs.

There are clear indications that the village has given up on agriculture and practices it simply because there is nothing else that can be done with the land.

It is not alone in such resignation. National Sample Survey findings from states, including as different ones as Punjab and Kerala, show that as many as 40 per cent of the landowners would give up farming if they could. And for good reasons.

Surveys of drought-distressed farmers in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha and Telangana, reported farm incomes which left little or no savings at all, if not actual deficits.

Farmers everywhere were well aware of both production and marketing risks. They also knew that a more diversified cropping pattern caused less risk, but not all were able to practise it.

Their recourse to crop insurance was low even compared to the low national level of coverage.

The only coping mechanism, though not available to all, was wage-paid employment outside agriculture.

In Jankalyanpur, it was the dominant source of income, but the average wage per family of just over Rs 6,000 per month, was barely at the minimum wage level for year-round employment.

Farmers in all areas knew about MGNREGS, but were sceptical about whether they would get work.

The young were particularly averse to it, not in the least because of the fatigue-intensive nature of work involved and the attendant poor image of those who take it up.

Migrating to cities for work either temporarily or permanently was appealing, but not always possible.

And thereby hangs another tale.

Study after study from grass-roots levels in states as different from each other as Rajasthan and Kerala highlighted the increasing distance between education and skill enhancement programmes on the one hand and employment opportunities of the kind the youth aspire to on the other.

While the barely-literate and unskilled are the worst affected, there are now burgeoning numbers of the ITI-trained young people joining the ranks of the unemployed.

Agriculture, the default employer of the last resort, is already burdened by very substantial disguised unemployment. And has shackles of its own.

If we examine records of the past 50 years, three factors have made agriculture grow mainly.

The first is better varieties and their planting material, the one intervention that works invariably, good monsoons which are as yet not even predictable, and markets for the produce determined by consumer incomes and preferences.

High-yielding varieties of staples led to nearly trebling Indias foodgrain production since 1965.

Bt seeds similarly doubled the cotton crop in the last decade or so.

Hybrid vegetable and fruit varieties enhanced their production three-fold in the past 30 years, and increasing consumer incomes provided matching demand support.

The same is true of dairying as well.

The short point of this is that the government is doing things in agriculture that count for little.

Even debt-waiver is being mentioned again, especially in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. But farmers in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, where it was recently implemented, had grave reservations about its efficacy.

Sadly, the most potent engine of agricultural growth is anathema to a section of the Sangh Parivar and it seems the government has now retreated to denial.

There was no mention of research support and the word hybrid appeared nowhere in the Budget speech.

In this era of instant communication via social media, these pieces of snailmail send messages of the greatest urgency.

The Budget has done little to mitigate the severe distress Bharat and its young are still in and the much-hyped demographic dividend is threatening to become a ticking time bomb.

Shreekant Sambrani is an economist.
Havells will acquire the entire consumer business infrastructure, people and distribution network. Plus all intellectual property of the Lloyd brand, logo, trademark and attendant rights.

Havells India, leading electrical appliances and components company, is buying the consumer durables arm of Lloyd Electric & Engineering.

The arms name is Lloyd Consumer Durable Business Division. Havells said on Sunday its board of directors had approved. The acquisition, when completed, will mark Havells foray into consumer durables.

The acquisition is proposed at an enterprise value of Rs 1,600 crore (Rs 16 billion) on a debt-free and cash-free basis, subject to closing adjustments, the company said. The transaction is expected to close in the next eight weeks.

Standard Chartered Bank was financial advisor and AZB & Partners legal advisors to the transaction. EY represented the sellers as their financial advisor.

Havells has signed an agreement with Lloyd Electrical & Engg and with Fedders Lloyd Corporation, for acquiring the Lloyd brand and their consumer durables business - sourcing, assembling, marketing and distribution of, among other things, air conditioners, TVs, washing machines and other household appliances.

Havells will acquire the entire consumer business infrastructure, people and distribution network. Plus all intellectual property of the Lloyd brand, logo, trademark and attendant rights.

It plans to finance the transaction through a mix of debt and internal accrual. The company would not raise any new equity. Executives said the acquisition might require approval from the Competition Commission of India.

The revenue of Lloyd Consumer for the nine months of April-December 2016 was Rs 1,242 crore (Rs 12.42 billion); operating earnings were Rs 75 crore *(Rs 750 million). The full-year revenue is estimated at Rs 1,850 crore (Rs 18.5 billion), with operating earnings of Rs 110 crore (Rs 1.1 billion).

Anil Rai Gupta, chairman and managing director of Havells India, said theyd continue to use Lloyds production facility at Pantnagar in Uttarakhand. In course of time, we will set up our own production facility that will be more modern.

The consumer durables industry is currently estimated at $15 billion (Rs 1 lakh crore) and growing in double digits annually, with increasing urbanisation. The acquisition of Lloyd would give Havells access to 10,000-plus direct and indirect dealer networks, 485 authorised service centres and 31 company-owned service centres.

Havells consumer business currently accounts for nearly 21 per cent of its revenue; cable and wires constitute 40 per cent. Gupta said the Lloyd portfolio would be a separate division. The proposed acquisition is in line with Havells objective of Deeper into Homes, driving domestic expansion and owning a brand and distribution-oriented asset.

Last month, Havells announced a foray into the personal grooming segment, with the launch of an array of products such as electric shavers, beard trimmers, grooming kit precision nose and ear trimmers, hair straighteners and dryers.

Havells has been a growth story through acquisition.

The late Qimat Rai Gupta acquired it in the 1960s and built it. He later made a mark by acquiring the struggling Sylvania, a 100-year brand, in 2007. In December 2015, it divested 80 per cent stake in Sylvania to Shanghai Feilo Acoustics for Rs 1,070 crore (Rs 10.7 billion).

According to the official statement, Lloyd is among the top three brands in the air conditioners category, with an entrenched network in tier-I and tier-II cities. The brand has expanded into television and washing machines as well.

Lloyd buyout to dilute Havells profitability

Acquiring Lloyd Electrics consumer durables business has every ingredient to be a blockbuster buyout in the long run. For one, given Lloyds 12 per cent market share in the air conditioners industry, it gives Havells the needed entry into the white goods segment. Lloyd also manufactures televisions and washing machines, apart from a few other consumer products.

The acquisition also comes at a time when Havells core business - switchgears - is facing problems on volume and profitability. While Havells cables business remains strong, it offers limited diversification opportunities. After this acquisition, Havells can scale up to cater to all fronts of consumer durables.

Has Havells paid the right price for the deal is the Streets concern.

Analysts expect Havells stock to open in the negative zone on Monday as questions on valuations emerge, largely due to the margin-depletive nature of the transaction. Havells consumer business operates at 24 per cent profit margins currently, whereas that of Lloyds is 7.7 per cent.

Even overall operating margins of Havells (13 per cent) is far higher than Lloyds.

Therefore, a substantial dilution in Havells profitability is likely. Havells consumer business revenue stood at Rs 1,023 crore for the nine months ending December 2016, whereas Lloyds consumer business revenue was Rs 1,242 crore in this period.

A simple math would put the blended margins at 15 per cent for the combined business. In addition, analysts at Quant Capital feel marketing spends could also be elevated for Havells after the acquisition.

According to analysts, Havells will now face competition from some of the largest players in the world, where operating profit margins are lower than the past levels.

Thus, we expect significant increase in the marketing spend of the company (currently at three-four per cent of revenue) over the next few years, an analyst says.

In this context, another analyst from a domestic brokerage doubts if Havells has paid the right price. I find the deal overpriced, says the analyst.

The Street will keep a close watch on the investor call scheduled on Monday afternoon to understand the rationale of the deal. Given Havells past track record with acquisitions, unless the company clearly defends the price it has paid to Lloyd, you could expect significant derating for Havells stock, the analyst adds.
In January 2017, the growth in total premium was Rs 13,138 crore, against Rs 10,284 crore in January 2016, a growth of 28 per cent.

Demonetisation has come as a boon for the life insurance sector. The move led to a sudden spike in premium, though a temporary one.

According to figures published by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India, November 2016 saw a surge in total premium collection, especially in the individual single-premium segment.

In November, the growth in total premium was Rs 16,061 crore, against Rs 7,533 crore in November 2015, a growth of 113 per cent.

In the period, individual single premium grew by Rs 6,692 crore against Rs 1,103 crore in the year-ago period, growth of over 500 per cent.

This growth saw a moderation in December, indicating a lot of the money that came into bank deposits found its way to insurance products as well.

In December 2016, the total premium for the life insurance sector grew by Rs 13,012 crore, from Rs 11,027 crore in December 2015, a growth of 18 per cent.

Of this, individual single premium grew by Rs 1,627 crore, against Rs 1,533 crore in the year-ago period, growth of six per cent.

While growth picked up again in January 2017, that is more a case of consumers buying insurance policies in order to save tax and is seen typically every year.

In January 2017, the growth in total premium was Rs 13,138 crore, against Rs 10,284 crore in January 2016, a growth of 28 per cent.

In the same period, individual single premium grew by Rs 1,611 crore, against Rs 1,353 crore in January 2016, a growth of 19 per cent.

According to Pankaj Razdan, CEO and MD, Birla Sun Life Insurance, demonetisation had a positive impact on life insurance companies, especially those that have large driven distribution systems.

What happened in demonetisation is that money which was out of the system started coming back and suddenly banks were flush with money. Today, credit growth is limited and money is not getting deployed. Some of this money lying in the bank found a way into investments and towards protection products, he said.

R M Vishakha, MD and CEO, IndiaFirst Life Insurance, agreed that demonetisation helped growth in premium.

The average ticket size of insurance policies went up in November. But going ahead it is unlikely that more money will come into insurance on account of demonetisation, she said.

IndiaFirst Life Insurance is promoted by two banks, Bank of Baroda and Andhra Bank, along with UK-based Legal and General Group.

However, Arijit Basu, MD and CEO, expects more money to come into insurance during the year, as banks still have a high share of current account savings account (Casa) deposits.

As of December 2016, State Bank of India, the founder of SBI Life Insurance and the countrys largest bank, had a Casa ratio of 46 per cent.

In the medium term, impact of demonetisation will be positive. Lot of savings deposits are coming into banks and customers are looking for opportunities, Basu said.

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com.
The Microsoft chiefs comments come in the wake of Bill Gates call for levying taxes on robots that take away jobs from people, reports Ayan Pramanik

Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella has warned that embracing Artificial Intelligence without reskilling people will have an impact on jobs, even as it has displayed efficiency in delivery of government services.

I think it is an exciting future, but at the same time, you have to be very mindful of the impact of AI on jobs. Thats why I want to make sure some of the skilling work we are doing in India is going to help people, said Nadella at an interaction with the architect of Aadhaar, Nandan Nilekani.

Nadellas comments come in the wake of Microsoft founder Bill Gates call for levying taxes on robots that take away jobs from people. Nadella pointed out that Microsoft had been able to use AI to improve efficiency in government services in Punjab and Andhra Pradesh.

The India-born CEO is on a three-day visit to pitch Microsofts Azure cloud platform as it plays catch-up with the web services of Amazon in the country. He signed a deal with Flipkart to host its services on Azure. So far, about 2,000 start-ups host their services on the Microsoft platform and use its tools.

Reliance Jio could not have reached 100 million subscribers without using Aadhaar to identify users and the government had saved as much as $5 billion in subsidies using the Aadhaar backbone, Nilekani said.

People can leverage data to improve their lives. For that, you need to build an architecture where millions of people can access the data. We really see this as a transformational journey for the next decade, said Nilekani.

If all these technologies can be used for empowerment, they will become more acceptable because one of the challenges in the West is AI, and all these are going to knock down jobs, he added.

The centre of entrepreneurial energy in India for us is all around the cloud. It is fantastic -- we have big brands like Oyo Rooms using Azure, added Nadella.

Image: Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella in discussion with Nanadan Nilekani during an event on startups in Bengaluru. Photograph: Shailendra Bhojak/PTI Photo
The Essar group, Jindal Steel and Power, Monnet Ispat, Bhushan Steel and the Avantha group have been asked to close deals by March-end.

Alarmed by the losses of Rs 15,000 crore (Rs 150 billion) per quarter incurred by stressed companies, banks are asking debt-heavy firms to expedite assets sales before March 31.

Bankers said the deadline was necessitated because there was no clarity when deals would close despite announcements made by companies. There are no indicators that the companies are getting back on track even in the next financial year, said a banker.

Senior public sector bank executives said pressure had been built over the last few weeks for early resolution but timelines were stretched by demonetisation in the third quarter. Now the focus is back on recovering part of the money from large borrowers before the close of the financial year.

The Essar group, Jindal Steel and Power, Monnet Ispat, Bhushan Steel and the Avantha group have been asked to close deals by March-end.

According to a State Bank of India executive, the Reserve Bank of India is insisting on deleveraging in big-ticket cases. The cascading effect is a vigorous follow-up with managements for resolution involving asset sales and creating liquidity, he said asking not to be named.

A Punjab National Bank executive said lenders had entered into special arrangements with steel companies to carve out 10-15 per cent of their revenue for part repayment of dues.

Many of them have benefitted from the increase in product prices after the government imposed duties on steel imports last year. In three or four cases, our bank has been able to recover over Rs 1,000 crore, the executive said.

Banks have received an assurance from the Essar group that it will close the sale of its 98 per cent stake in Essar Oil this month, apart from selling a 60 per cent stake in Essar Steel. The group is in talks with Farallon Capital and banks to sell the Essar Steel stake.

Jindal Steel and Power, with debt of Rs 43,000 crore (Rs 430 billion), is in talks with the Adani group to sell its 2,400 mw Chhattisgarh power plant for Rs 10,300 crore (Rs 103 billion), according to bankers.

The JSW group is also in talks to take over Monnet Ispat. It has submitted a bid of Rs 25,000 crore (Rs 250 billion) to banks for the debt-laden Bhushan Steel that involves taking over its Rs 44,477 crore (Rs 444.77 billion) debt at a substantial discount.

Bankers said despite asset sales, the financial position of a few stressed companies had deteriorated, with their combined losses now running at around Rs 15,000 crore per quarter against a small net profit two years ago. We want to see closure of deals and not just announcements, said a lender.

According to a Morgan Stanley report, almost 25 per cent of Indian companies listed on the BSE 500 are currently in distress.

Another worry for banks is since the second half of 2016 a significant proportion of the increases in NPAs - four-fifths of the slippages during the second quarter - have come from mid-size companies. This trend is likely to continue.
In Kolkata, there is a community of chartered accountants, and it is easy to find directors, who for Rs 5,000 will sign anywhere.

Kolkata has turned out to be Indias own tax haven, thanks to the presence of a large number of shell companies (the term for formal existence but with close to no operations or assets).

The income-tax (I-T) department is now planning a major crackdown on such companies here. This is part of a recent initiative by the central government to put a curb on paper companies, to unearth undisclosed money.

Arijit Pasayat, vice-chairman of the Special Investigation Team on such money (it was appointed by the Supreme Court) comes here on Tuesday to meet I-T officials.

Almost, 90 per cent of shell companies are in Kolkata. Hence, it will be a major activity centre for the governments planned crackdown on such companies, said a senior I-T official.

The reason why Kolkata is the preferred choice of venue is said to be easy availability of professionals in this type of activity, with an established network.

The effective tax rate is around 24 per cent. Hence, for earned capital of Rs 1 crore, one pays Rs 24 lakh as tax. In Kolkata, one pays Rs 50,000-70,000 to the entry operator to form a shell company through a structured transaction and save on taxes, said an official.

The method is somewhat like this. If one needs to convert Rs 1 crore capital from black (hidden) to white, the original owner of the money will give Rs 100,000 to an entry operator, whod divide the sum into 10,000 shares of Rs 10 each.

Each of the shares would then be sold at an exorbitant premium of around Rs 1,000 to directors of shell companies. This would instantly increase the value of the company from Rs 100,000 to Rs 1 crore.

Through a network of fake companies, the money then moves to the original owner. The entry operator charges a fee. Often, the directors of these companies are daily-wage earners like tea sellers or office guards.

The more the capital, the higher the cost of registration for opening such a company. Thus, opening one with Rs 1 lakh capital would require much less of registration fee than opening one with a capital of Rs 1 crore.

In Kolkata, there is a community of chartered accountants (CAs), and it is easy to find directors, who for Rs 5,000 will sign anywhere. There are brokers and entry operators; they run many companies from a single premise and a laptop, said an official of the I-T department.

According to sources, the department has identified at least 150,000 shell companies in this city, with nearly 6,000 CAs allegedly involved. Subrata Kumar Das, chief commissioner of I-T here would not comment on the issue.

According to informal estimates, about 75 per cent of the professionals involved in opening shell companies in Kolkata are not even professional CAs.

Setting one up does not even require CAs. A person with a basic knowledge of finance can undertake such transactions. A CA only certifies the books, not the company, said a source.

This apart, the cost of hiring a CA is three to four times lower in Kolkata than in Mumbai.

Recently, the Prime Ministers Office formed a task force to prevent the formation of shell companies. In a statement, it had said that a sample survey found Rs 1,238 crore (Rs 12.38 billion) in cash was deposited in these entities during November-December. And, that 559 beneficiaries laundered money to the extent of Rs 3,900 crore (Rs 39 billion) with the help of 54 professionals.

Photograph: Rupak De Choudhuri/Reuters
He may make a comeback as co-chairman at India's second largest software exporter.

Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com.

Marti G Subrahmanyam, a professor of finance, economics and international business at New York Universitys Stern School of Business, who helped Infosys acquire a view of its main market United States, may make a comeback as co-chairman at Indias second largest software exporter.

Infosys founder N R Narayana Murthy hinted as much when he found fault with the current board for its governance lapse.

It has been a long friendship for Murthy and Subrahmanyam, whose motto of globalise or perish helped the fledgling Infosys to the world of good corporate governance practised by global companies.

In 1998, when Subrahmanyam joined the Infosys board, Indias software exports were less than $2 billion. It was the time when Indias IT industry was capitalising on the Y2K boom, by being body shoppers when the US needed thousands of engineers to fix a bug in computer systems across industries.

In the US, programmers, who built the initial computing systems for banks, airlines and enterprises, had till then to save computing space written only for the last two digits to denote the year instead of four digits. With the year 2000, there was a threat of dates changing to zeroes, which could have crippled computer systems across the US.

Infosys and other Indian firms capitalised on this opportunity, initially sending engineers to the US to work and then built a model of delivering work offshore from India at a fraction of the cost done in developed markets.

A company like Infosys started with a clean slate with no baggage. They wrote their own rules. They also wrote the rules in a very straight manner without making any compromises for problems in the Indian context. They had an advantage, Subrahmanyam told Rediff.com in an interview in 2001.

IT was an industry nobody was keeping track of, nobody noticed. No excise inspector or income tax officer was visiting them. So they were able to do things quietly. Until suddenly everyone woke up and said, look Infosys is here, the IT revolution is here.

In 2011, when he stepped down as independent director at the age of 65, Murthy had retired as also Nandan Nilekani, who took up the Aadhaar project. The IT revolution was already under way, with the sector generating significant foreign exchange for the country and contributing to nearly five per cent of Indias GDP.

During this period, the companys revenues, profits and employee strength grew one hundred times, impressive in any part of the world, Subrahmanyam said in a statement.
Infosys has said it will look into allegations that $200-million Panaya deal was significantly overvalued.

Infosys will investigate a whistle-blowers charges on the acquisition of Panaya, an Israeli company, even as the information technology majors Chief Executive Officer Vishal Sikka hit out at detractors for making false and malicious charges against him. He said they were designed to target him to the point of harassment.

In a strongly-worded email to employees, Sikka said reports questioning the companys acquisition of Panaya were orchestrated by people who are hell-bent on harming the reputation of the company and its employees.

He claimed there was no wrongdoing in the acquisition, and the company would defend the allegations.

The company on Monday denied that the management benefited from the acquisition, saying they were libellous and aimed at tarnishing the (companys) image.

Infosys has a strong, established internal process to evaluate acquisition targets and make investments. In the case of Panaya, all the requisite steps in this process were followed. The letter alleges Infosys acquired Panaya at a 25 per cent margin to the valuation of Series-E investor that came in on January 8, 2015. It should be noted that the Series-E investor was a minority shareholder (less than 15 per cent) and was towards preferred stock, whereas Infosys acquisition in Panaya is for 100 per cent stake, the company stated.

Regardless of the malicious intent of this anonymous letter, the company will pursue its normal course of action and investigate the charges made, it added.

Two weeks ago, Infosys founders led by N R Narayana Murthy, had raised a red flag over severance pay to former chief financial officer Rajiv Bansal, saying that the company violated corporate governance norms.

While Murthy and the board decided not to further discuss the issue in public, the Infosys co-founder maintained that his concerns remained.

Sikka reached out to Infosys employees for a third time on Monday, after the fresh allegations were made on illegalities in the Panaya acquisition, which Bansal had opposed.

Sikka maintained he was being targeted because he was bringing changes to Infosys, adding these distractions were expensive, draining and time-consuming.

Change is never easy, and change at the scale that we are undertaking may be unprecedented, and perhaps it is this change that has so inflamed some into trying to drag us all into the mud. And yet, change we must, Sikka wrote. There is no other way.

The fresh statements came after an anonymous whistle-blower wrote to the Securities and Exchange Board of India, saying Infosys overpaid for the Panaya deal and that Bansal had walked out of a meeting called to approve the Israeli firms acquisition by the board.

The whistle-blowers letter stated, Infosys acquired Panaya on February 16, 2015, for $200 million and valued the company at 25 per cent premium against the valuation of $162 million by Series-E investors, a month before the deal. Panaya was struggling to raise money and employees were leaving the company, the complainant wrote.

As weve said publicly before, we take every whistle-blowers complaint very seriously, and there is due process to investigate any complaint that comes to us.

However, there is no doubt that these attacks are orchestrated by people who are hell-bent on harming the reputation of the company, and its employees. We cannot let these stand unchallenged, wrote Sikka.

Image: Vishal Sikka/Reuters.
Armed with deep customer knowledge, low operational overheads, new funding opportunities and help from online marketplaces, the local brand is turning David to every Goliath that steps into its neighbourhood, says T E Narasimhan.



David versus Goliath! From oil to cola, business giants are humbled by smaller challengers. A boy pushes a sumo wrestler out of the ring in a mock competition. Photograph: Thomas Peter/Reuters.

Chances are that very few have heard of Gold Winner Oil or Raja Biscuits or Bovonto cola outside a few select states.

But ask the multinationals and the big national brands working their way into the Indian heartland as they go all out to expand the brand footprint and these are the names that are giving their marketing experts sleepless nights.

Armed with deep customer knowledge, low operational overheads, new funding opportunities and help from online marketplaces, the local brand is turning David to every Goliath that steps into its neighbourhood.

G Munuswamy the man who built the Gold Winner brand started out as an edible oils trader. In 1991, he acquired a sick oil refinery and set up his manufacturing base in Chennai.

Today he competes with Fortune from Adani Wilmar, Sundrop from Agro Tech, Saffola from Marico and others. Gold Winners brand footprint in urban India has been steadily going up according to IMRB, from 11 per cent in 2012, it was 14 per cent in 2016.

A former employee, who worked with the company for over two decades, says that the brand was the first to introduce packaged oil at affordable prices in the local market. It competed with loose oil that customers had to carry back in containers they would bring with them.

They switched, given the convenience of packaged oil at the same price point. Over the past few years, the Gold Winner for Health or simply G for H campaign has popularised the brand further.

The founder-owners deep links with the oil trading community has led to a strong and well-knit distribution network. The employee adds that it doesnt matter how big the retail shop is or how much it orders, the company ensures availability.

The story of the Gold Winner brand has become a case study in marketing circles, but it is not the only one.

A recent report by WPP and Kantar Millward Brown showed that while the valuation of Top 50 Brands in India rose by 30 per cent over three years, that of local Indian brands increased by 32 per cent during that period.

Contrast this with the valuation growth of the global brands with local presence, which grew by only 19 per cent.

Suitability to local palate or tastes, cultural fit, pride and nationalism, sheer ease of availability and price advantage are the key differentiators, says Hemant Mehta, managing director (Media, Digital) and chief strategy officer Kantar IMRB.

Many local brands have moved beyond their states and even expanded their product portfolios. But they have done so after securing the base at home.

For example, Amrutanjan, the 122-year-old brand that has 50 per cent of the balm market in Tamil Nadu.

According to Stalward Advisors, a firm that funds small businesses, Amrutanjan until 2012 was mainly selling balms, a Rs 700-crore category growing in the high single digits that is led by Emamis Zandu (55 per cent share) followed by Amrutanjan (10 per cent).

In recent years, the brand has launched a back pain reliever in a roll-on format which is a big hit among urban and even millennial consumers and has transformed itself into a youthful product with new packaging and variants.

It has also moved away from regional campaigns and ad spend has gone up from 8 per cent of sales to 12 per cent in the last three to four years.

The brand has increased its footprint outside the South too. In 2015-16, the Southern market, which used to contribute around 67 per cent of total sales in 2011-12 accounted for 60 per cent. The Eastern region has gone up from 15 to 21 per cent and the North from two to three per cent.

Local brands are even giving cola majors a scare. Ram Rengarajan, who owns Renga Soda that sells the Kisso brand and is based out of a remote town in Tamil Nadu, said that the local players have an advantage.

We replace empty bottles more frequently and offer three months shelf life and require lesser preservatives, Rengarajan says. He says he does not plan to expand his market at the moment.

Mehta explains that brands such as Kisso are reluctant to grow beyond their territory because of economics and appetite.

Today, as a brand owner he believes he understands a particular geography. He does not want to go into the unknown and the cost of building a national brand is also expensive, says Mehta. But that does not stop them from trading up later.

In fact this is the script that most local brands have followed. CK Ranganathan, founder-chairman of CavinKare, who comes from a small coastal town in Tamil Nadu and has built a bouquet of personal care, food, snacks, dairy products and beverages brands says that in the recent times local brands have been helped by many factors and one of these, interestingly, is the availability of homegrown talent.

Local brands are more agile too. They change gear in fractions of seconds, while MNCs would take at least four to five months, says Ranganathan. As far as money is concerned there are PEs and other investors to back you, he adds.

Local brands have also been able to ride the global trend in favour of herbal naturals.

They have shone in categories as diverse as bathing soaps (Haldi and Chandan in Santoor), shampoos (Forest Essentials), cosmetics (Himalaya, Biotique), food and beverage (Patanjali, Tulsi Tea), skin care (Bon Organics, Osha) to apparel (indigreen), adds Mehta. He adds that as people migrate, within the country and outside, they carry the brand with them.

Kantar IMRBs TGI India data shows that 31 per cent of Amrutanjan users outside Tamil Nadu are Tamils. Similarly, over 40 per cent of Ghari (detergent) users outside UP are Hindi speaking consumers. There is also a large list of hyperlocal brands he adds, indicating the growing influence of small regional players in Indias future consumption story.
'Since the general election is only two years away, the BJP will need a surefire plan of action -- and it cannot be either the Ram temple or ultra-nationalism,' says Amulya Ganguli.

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh

There is no time better than the present to instill a sense of nationalism in the country, Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi said in the Supreme Court.

The learned counsel for the government did not explain why it has suddenly become so important in the 70th year of Independence to arouse the feeling of patriotism.

Nor did he point out how its supposed absence all these years has harmed the country.

However, does this argument have anything to do with the belief that if nationalism is not immediately propagated with greater vigour, the slide in the BJP's fortunes will continue as it did during the last two years when it lost six elections in a row in Delhi, Bihar, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puduchery?

Or is the lawyer barking up the wrong tree?

The attorney general's pleas came in the context of a plea to the Supreme Court to frame a policy on the national anthem, the national flag and the national song, which, in a petitioner's view, is Vande Mataram, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay's invocation to Mother India in a passage in his 19th century novel, Anandmath, which celebrated the end of Muslim rule in India and hailed the advent of the British.

The Supreme Court turned down the appeal for putting the 'national song' on a par with the national anthem on the grounds that there was no such concept in the Constitution.

It also ruled that there was no need to stand up if the anthem was part of the storyline of a film or a newsreel or a documentary.

The recent judicial diktat on the playing of the anthem in cinema halls followed a petitioner's plea for such an order since he felt aggrieved when he stood up during such a scene in Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham and was berated by those in the audience sitting behind him.

However, the fact that the patriots haven't lost heart by these minor setbacks could be seen in Rohatgi's insistence on making the singing of the anthem mandatory in schools.

In doing so, he wanted the Supreme Court to overturn an earlier verdict which decreed that such singing was not required and that all that the students needed to do was to stand respectfully while the anthem was being played.

Having pushed for the national song, however, it is not impossible that the saffron hardliners will now argue in favour of a national slogan such as Bharat Mata ki Jai.

Only a few months ago the plea for chanting this slogan was very much in the air with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis demanding that those who refused to do so must leave the country and Baba Ramdev expressing regret that the law did not allow him to behead the nay-sayers.

And as may be expected, that doughty defender of loyalty to the motherland, Anupam Kher, identified the slogan as the 'only definition of nationalism for Bharatwassis.'

Yet, strangely, one does not hear these champions of the chant any more.

Why the silence?

Or is the BJP fine-tuning its line?

It is noteworthy that the issue of nationalism hasn't been raised by the BJP with any great enthusiasm during the assembly election campaigns, whatever its lawyers may say in the Supreme Court.

The party hasn't even referred to the surgical strikes on Pakistani terror camps as it once said that it will do.

There has been silence, too, about the Ram temple while firebrands like Yogi Adityanath have taken a back seat.

Considering that RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has said that 'no one has the right to judge anybody else's patriotism,' the BJP and sections of the Sangh Parivar may have come to the conclusion that they may have overplayed their hand, especially during the agitations in the Jawaharlal Nehru University and the Hyderabad Central University when students not aligned with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad were branded as anti-nationals.

It is possible that the top honchos in the party and the Parivar have sensed that the kind of muscular nationalism which they favoured hasn't yielded the expected electoral dividends.

This assessment has probably been confirmed by the realisation that the March 11 results may not be an occasion for firecrackers to be let off with gusto in front of the BJP offices.

Since the general election is only two years away, the BJP will need a surefire plan of action -- and it cannot be either the Ram temple or ultra-nationalism.

The party won in 2014 not only on the basis of Narendra Modi's promise of development, but also the belief among the hoi polloi that he had dumped the pro-Hindu agenda.

The second point was not quite absorbed by the ghar wapsi and love jihad brigades.

But, now, as Bhagwat's comments show, the BJP is coming to terms with the much-derided (by the Hindu fundamentalists) 'idea of India' with its emphasis on pluralism and tolerance.

Amulya Ganguli is a writer on current affairs.

Do read the columns and features on nationalism in the RELATED LINKS below.
From son of soil to Hindutva and from the BJP to Hardik Patel, the Shiv Sena has changed its stand time to time to reinvent itself, notes Aditi Phadnis.

Ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections (which incidentally features at least one candidate with assets over Rs 680 crore), the Sena broke ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party in Maharashtra.

But last we checked, ministers from the Shiv Sena continued to serve in the Union Cabinet. They don't seem to be going anywhere.

The second contradiction is even more stark: The Shiv Sena has reportedly announced -- unilaterally -- that Hardik Patel will be its candidate for the chief ministership of Gujarat following the assembly elections due in late 2017 or early 2018.

Patel, only 23 and therefore not eligible to contest the elections, let alone become chief minister, quickly clarified: 'I am meeting people to seek their support and not to do politics. I have my origins in a humble family. I have come to fight the battle of principles. I come from a rural farmer's family. I don't want to be the CM; I want to be a common man.'

The 'thanks, but no thanks' message was clear and equivocal.

What was interesting was not just Patel's response but also the Shiv Sena's offer.

How things have changed!

The Sena was born after Bal Thackeray, who will always remain a political genius in India, up there with MGR and Mulayam Singh Yadav, spotted a vacuum.

The hangover of the Samyukta Maharashtra movement (Movement for United Maharashtra), which created the modern linguistic state of Maharashtra in 1960, had started to subside.

The Marathi youth of Mumbai, who courted arrest and zealously participated in the movement to create Samyukta Maharashtra with Mumbai as its capital, were waking up to a rude reality: Though Mumbai was Maharashtra's capital, they were not really in control of it.

Businesses were owned by the Gujaratis, Marwaris and Parsis and white-collar jobs were going to south Indians, who were fluent in English and trained in accountancy and short-hand.

The new rulers of Mumbai, chief ministers and ministers, were not interested in the plight of the urban Maharashtrian youth as their constituencies were in far-flung rural Maharashtra.

Thackeray left his job at The Free Press Journal, where he was a cartoonist, and started a new publication. It was a magazine fashioned on the British magazine Punch. He called it Marmik (apt comment).

Through cartoons, it slowly established itself as a publication that poked fun at non-Maharashtrians: Gujarati seths, south Indian clerks, Udupi hotel owners and Congress politicians among others, creating enduring stereotypes.

Slowly it also started to publish lists of new recruits in public sector undertakings like the SBI, Reserve Bank of India, Air India and LIC to drive home the point that sons of the soil -- Maharashtrians -- were ignored.

This list was provocatively titled 'vacha ani swastha basa' (read and keep quiet)

Marmik's runaway success attracted a large number of Marathi youth to Thackeray, which culminated in the launch of the Shiv Sena on June 19, 1966.

The Shiv Sena became popular in Mumbai, but never went beyond the city and neighbouring Thane, as Maharashtrians in the rest of the state did not see outsiders as a threat.

By the early 1980s the Sena had become a marginal political player even in Mumbai, though its fire power was intact.

So it needed to reinvent itself.

The young Pramod Mahajan and the Sena leadership saw the opportunity.

The Bharatiya Janta Party and the Sena forged an alliance in the 1984 Lok Sabha elections. Although the alliance candidate failed to win a single seat, it garnered sizeable number of votes in Mumbai.

The 1985 Mumbai municipal corporation elections were won by the Sena with a thumping majority -- one which it was not able to achieve even at the height of its anti-south Indian agitation. Chhagan Bhujbal became the mayor of Mumbai.

In 1985, the Sena and the BJP parted ways and contested assembly elections independently.

By this time, Thackeray, who had started nursing pan-Maharashtra ambitions, sensed popular Hindu polarisation in the country in the wake of the Ramjanmabhoomi agitation and the Shah Bano case and decided to champion the cause of Hindutva.

So the Shiv Sena abandoned the Maharashtra for Maharashtrians slogan and adopted Hindutva.

The short point of a long history lesson: Is the Shiv Sena once again trying to reinvent itself?

And is the invitation to Patel, a new political push that is now caste-centric?

Sena mouthpiece Saamana drew a lot of flak for poking fun at the Maratha caste's demand for reservations by satirising its mook morcha (silent protests). That was an aberration.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the Marathas voted for the Shiv Sena in large numbers followed by the Other Backward Classes and Dalits.

In Maharashtra, it makes sense for the Sena to seek and expand its Dalit base, though always conscious that it cannot be at the cost of the Maratha vote.

But in Gujarat, backing Patel means another rupture with the BJP. It means conclusively replacing the Marathi Manoos idea by a pro-Patidar, pro-Maratha appeal.

Although more evidence is needed, the Shiv Sena seems to be changing... again.

IMAGE: Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray, left, with his son Aditya Thackeray, the Sena's youth leader, right, and Hardik Patek, centre.
Just 5 departments account for about 88 per cent of the Union government's civilian employees.

A leaner bureaucracy will help Modi keep his promise of maximum governance with minimum government, says A K Bhattacharya.

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com

Has the strength of the Union government's civilian employees gone up or declined under Narendra Modi as prime minister?

Given Modi's promise of maximum governance with minimum government, one would expect that number to decline.

Indeed, at the end of the first year of the Modi government, the total number of civilian employees on its rolls did go down, though marginally by a little over half a per cent.

The trend was maintained at the end of the second year, too, with a further drop of 0.63 per cent in the number of employees to 3.28 million.

Surprisingly, however, the third year of the Modi government indicates a rise in its civilian manpower strength.

By the end of March 2017, the total number of civilian employees of the Union government would increase by about 8 per cent to 3.54 million.

Worse, the rising trend is expected to continue next year as well, when it would go up by 0.83 per cent to 3.57 million.

What has happened to the Modi government's commitment to make its bureaucracy leaner?

What did Modi mean by promising maximum governance with minimum government?

True, the prime minister has a slightly different understanding of the goals of maximum governance with minimum government, which according to him should be judged by the fewer number of government clearances now needed and the reduced time now taken in the movement of official files from one department to the other before a decision is taken.

But surely, the size of the bureaucracy should also be one of the criteria for judging how well the government has done in fulfilling that promise.

Take a closer look at the civilian employees' strength and a more interesting trend emerges.

Employees of the Indian Railways, whose annual budget has now been amalgamated with the Union Budget, account for almost 37 per cent of the total civilian manpower on the Union government's rolls.

Corporatise the Indian Railways, and the Union government's employees strength would decline to a more manageable strength of 2.24 million.

For this reason alone, the Modi government should move fast on converting the Indian Railways, initially, into a public sector undertaking and then gradually reduce its stake in the country's largest transporter of goods and passengers.

That step would kill many birds with one stone: Reduce the government's employee strength, force the Indian Railways to be more efficient, create a new source of divestment revenue for the central exchequer and eventually pave the way for its strategic sale, with the government retaining a stake of just 26 per cent.

Police forces account for the next largest share in total government manpower.

At about 1.1 million, their share now is 31 per cent of the total employees of the Centre. Nothing much can be done about this.

But there is no reason why the growth in the number of employees under the departments of post, revenue, and audit and accounts should continue unchecked.

The department of posts, which is now busy launching a payments bank, should consider a structure by which its existing employees base (at 0.47 million, they represented a rise of about 5 per cent in a year) could be retrained for necessary redeployment.

There is no reason why the department should not reduce its employees' strength at a time when technology is making it possible to achieve more with less people and gain the necessary cost advantage to compete with private sector courier companies.

The other puzzle is the rising number of employees in the revenue department and in the department of audit and accounts -- both under the ministry of finance.

In 2015, the number of employees in the two tax departments went up by 123 per cent and continued to grow, though by smaller margins, last year and this year.

At this rate, the total number of employees in the revenue department would be over 0.18 million by next year.

The question that needs to be answered is whether greater use of electronic modes of tax administration and scrutiny requires more people or less.

The uncomfortable fact is that just 5 departments in the Union government -- railways, police, audit and accounts, revenue and posts -- account for about 88 per cent of its total civilian employees.

If Modi takes his commitment to maximum governance with minimum government a little more seriously and holistically, his government's administrative efficiency will improve with reduced costs.

Government employees would not have many reasons to complain either -- the average salary of a civilian employee with the Union government in 2016-2017 was up by 47 per cent over what it was in 2013-2014.
The Central Bureau of Investigation on Tuesday arrested two senior All India Services officers for corruption.

B L Agrawal, a principal secretary in the Chhattisgarh government, was arrested for allegedly bribing people to help him wriggle out of corruption cases pending against him, while J P Singh, a former joint director of in Enforcement Directorate, was held for accepting illegal gratification to favour the accused in the Indian Premiere League betting scam.

A senior IAS officer, Agrawal was arrested with his brother-in-law Anand Agrawal from Raipur, while an alleged middleman Bhagwan Singh was apprehended in New Delhi, CBI sources said.

They said the CBI had seized 2 kg gold and Rs 39 lakh in cash from the alleged middleman during search operations.

It is alleged that Agrawal, an IAS officer of 1988 batch, wanted to settle the CBI cases against him which were lodged in 2010 when he was the states health secretary.

He has been charge-sheeted in one case, while a probe is on in the other.

Agrawal, in a desperate bid to save himself, was alleged to have approached Bhagwan Singh, a Noida resident, who took him to Syed Burhanuddin. Burhanuddin, who claimed to be working in the Prime Ministers Office, assured him help.

Burhanuddin aka O P Singh aka O P Sharma demanded Rs 1.5 crore as illegal gratification for the services he promised to render, the CBI first information report has alleged.

The trio met on February 11 this year and Agrawal agreed to make the payment.

It is alleged that Agrawal sent Rs 60 lakh in four instalments to Bhagwan Singh using hawala channels. However, later he expressed inability to arrange cash for paying the remainder after which Burhanuddin and Singh agreed to accept 2 kg of gold as bribe, the FIR alleged.

Agrawal asked his brother-in-law Anand to deliver gold to Singh, the CBI FIR alleged.

After registering a case under Section 120(b) of the Indian Penal Code relating to criminal conspiracy and provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act against Agrawal, Singh and Burhanuddin, the CBI launched search operations in various places.

After registering the case, CBI carried out searches at the premises of accused persons and hawala operators in Raipur, Hyderabad, New Delhi and Greater Noida. An amount of Rs 39 lakh (approximately) earlier delivered to private person (r/o Greater Noida) at New Delhi, has also been recovered during searches, CBI spokesperson R K Gaur said.

In another case, J P Singh, a 2000-batch Indian Revenue Service officer of the Customs and Excise wing, was arrested along with three others -- Sanjay (enforcement officer), Vimal Aggarwal and Chandresh Patel.

The arrest took place nearly 18 months after the CBI lodged a case of alleged bribery for favouring an accused in an IPL betting case.

After registering a case in September 2015, the CBI had carried out searches at various places in Mumbai and registered a case against Singh in Ahmedabad.

Singh, who was then posted as joint director in the Enforcement Directorate, was later repatriated to his parent cadre and was currently additional commissioner (Customs and Excise Department) in the Northeast.

The CBI had said in the FIR that some ED officers while investigating the cases of money laundering in betting and other such activities had allegedly demanded and accepted huge illegal gratification from the accused and suspects.

The ED's Ahmedabad unit was probing the Rs 2,000-crore IPL betting scandal and Rs 5,000 crore money laundering case against alleged hawala operator Afroz Fatta in which the suspects allegedly sought favours from the officers, official sources said.

The CBI claimed huge bribe was paid to these officers in return for favours.

After the ED director received multiple complaints about the bribe demanded by the officers, he had forwarded those to the CBI for investigation.

The four were on Tuesday produced before a court in New Delhi which granted the CBI their transit remand to enable it to produce them before a special court in Ahmedabad.

Meanwhile, the Chhattisgarh government suspended B L Agrawal following his arrest.

On receipt of a report of his formal arrest by CBI, Chief Minister Raman Singh placed B L Agrawal under suspension with immediate effect, an official statement said.

Notably, Agrawal had been suspended earlier in 2010 after his houses were raided by the Income Tax department. However, it was later revoked.

IMAGE: IAS officer B L Agarwal, centre, who was arrested by the CBI in an alleged bribery case, coming out after being produced in Patiala Court in New Delhi on Tuesday. Photograph: Manvender Vashist/PTI Photo
Pakistan has said that Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed, who has been listed under an anti-terrorism law, can pose a "serious threat" to the nation, and was thus placed under house arrest in the country's "larger interest".

The acknowledgement of the danger the Mumbai attacks mastermind poses came from Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif during an international security conference in Munich, Germany.

"Saeed can pose a serious threat to the society," Asif told the audience at the Munich Security Conference on Sunday, The Nation reported.

Saeed was "arrested in the larger interest of the country", he added, according to the report.

Saeed was placed under house arrest under the fourth schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act on January 30 in Lahore, provoking an uproar from his party and allies. Saeed's inclusion in the list shows he is linked with militancy in some way. Saeed was earlier this month put on the Exit Control List, barring him from leaving the country.

During a panel discussion on countering extremism and terrorism, Asif said: "Terrorism is not synonymous to any religion. Terrorists aren't Christians or Muslims or Buddhists or Hindus. They are terrorists, they are criminals."

The action against Saeed was taken after Pakistan was hit by at least eight terror attacks this month in which more than 100 people died, the latest being a suicide bombing on a famed Sufi shrine in Sindh province that claimed 88 lives.

Saeed was also put under house arrest after the Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008 in which 166 people died, but he was freed by a court in 2009. He carries a reward of USD 10 million announced by the United States for his role in terror activities.

In a statement critical of the American policies, Asif said Pakistan is determined to fight terrorism: "Let me assure the world community that Pakistan is a frontline state in this war and it will continue to fulfil its obligations to its own people and the international community but if the West's policies are going to be isolationist it won't help the fight against terrorism, only fuel it."

Meanwhile, Pakistan has cancelled the licenses of 44 weapons issued to Hafiz Saeed and other members of his organisations, citing security reasons.

An official of the Punjab Home Department said the step has been taken in line with the government's action against Saeed and his organisations.

"The Punjab Home Department cancelled licenses of 44 weapons for security reasons," the official told PTI.
Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar on Tuesday held talks Chinas top diplomat Yang Jiechi during which they expressed strong commitment to develop positive relations despite differences over Beijings reluctance to support Indias Nuclear Suppliers Group bid as well as a United Nations ban on Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar.

Jaishankar, who arrived here from Sri Lanka, met Yang, who is the state councillor and Beijings special representative for border talks between India and China.

In Chinese official hierarchy, state councillor of the ruling Communist Party of China is regarded as the top diplomat functioning directly under the countrys leadership.

Welcoming Jaishankar at Zhongnanhai, the seat of power of Chinese leadership, Yang said despite differences, relations between the two sides had a positive growth last year.

Yang praised Jaishankars contribution to the bilateral ties as Indian ambassador to China and said the two countries had good communication at many levels and continued good cooperation in the fields of economy, trade culture and people-to-people exchanges.

Jaishankar is expected to meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, besides attending an upgraded strategic dialogue with Chinas Executive Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui on Wednesday.

Underlining the significance of the strategic dialogue, which was upgraded during Wangs visit to New Delhi last year, China has deputed Zhang, also the head of the influential CPC committee of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, for the parleys.

We truly hope that in the year ahead our two countries can enhance our exchanges and mutually beneficial cooperation so that we can jointly contribute more to peace and stability and development of our region and the world at large, Yang said, recalling President Pranab Mukherjees visit last year.

On his part, Jaishankar said, Its very good to be back (to Beijing). I come with nostalgia and very good feelings and also a very strong sense of commitment to maintain the relationship.

Referring to the first Strategic Dialogue which he will hold with Zhang on Wednesday, Jaishankar said this is not just a meeting between me and my counterpart, it is preceded by consultations on a host of issues.

Jaishankars talks with Yang and later in the Strategic Dialogue were expected to cover the key India-China differences like China blocking Indias bid to join the 48-member Nuclear Suppliers Group and UN ban on Azhar and the $46 billion (Rs Rs 3 lakh crore) China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

Ahead of the talks, the Foreign Secretary flagged Indias concerns on CPEC and counter-terrorism in an interview with the Chinas-state run Global Times.

For us, there are questions of sovereignty which need to be addressed first, he said in oblique references to CPEC passing through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir over which New Delhi has already conveyed its protest to Beijing.

The counter-terrorism is one area in which China and India should make special efforts together, he said, without directly referring to China's repeated technical holds since last year to block Indian and US attempts to clamp a UN ban on JeM chief Azhar.

China has a very strong, principled position on counter-terrorism. We hope the position China already has will be further implemented, Jaishankar said, adding that discussions with China over the matter are still going on.

Last year, China twice put a technical hold on Indias application to 1267 sanctions committee of the UNSC and again blocked a resolution moved by the United States -- and backed by France and the United Kingdom -- in January.

Whether last year's application by India or this years by relevant country our position is consistent. Our criterion is only one, we need solid evidence. If there is solid evidence the application can be approved. If there is no solid evidence there is hardly consensus, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters on February 17.

On Indias admission into the NSG, again blocked by China, he reiterated China's stand, We stick to two-step approach namely, first NSG members need to arrive at a set of principles for the entry of NSG by non-NPT state parties, and then move forward discussions of specific cases.

China also defends the ambitious CPEC project, saying it is development project and made no difference to its stand that Kashmir issue should be resolve by India and Pakistan.

Officials say the strategic dialogue will cover the whole gamut of bilateral ties. Two sides have been stressing that both sides are holding talks at various levels to iron out differences stressing that dialogue is the best way forward.

Commenting friction points including Azhar and NSG, Geng said differences between China and India are inevitable, but through various forms of in-depth exchanges, including the upcoming Strategic Dialogue, differences can be minimised and new agreement can be reached on further cooperation.

State-run Xinhua news agency later reported that Yang has called for stronger ties between India and China during his meeting with Jaishankar.

China is willing to work with India to implement the consensus reached by the two countries leaders, maintain high-level exchanges and enhance strategic communication and practical cooperation, a press release quoted Yang as saying.

Jaishankar said India attaches great importance to its relationship with China and will strengthen dialogue and cooperation with China to further the bilateral ties, Xinhua said.

IMAGE: Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar shakes hands with top Chinese State Councillor Yang Jiechi in Beijing on Tuesday ahead of India-China Strategic Dialogue on Wednesday. Photorgaph: PTI Photo
An Indian man who was kidnapped in Libya has been rescued and is being brought back to India shortly, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Tuesday night.

Swaraj said Dr Ramamurthy Kosanam had sustained a bullet injury.

We have rescued Dr Ramamurthy Kosanam in Libya. Dr Kosanam has suffered a bullet injury. We are bringing him to India shortly.

With this, we have rescued all the six Indians abducted there. I appreciate the good work done by our mission there, Swaraj said in a series of tweets.

Dr Ramamurthy Kosanam was reportedly abducted by Islamic State terrorists in Libya nearly 18 months ago.

The doctor hails from a village Krishna District in Andhra Pradesh.

Representative image
Anthony James Green Photo

The SAT is one of the most high-stakes standardized tests high-school students can take. A high score can bolster the chances of securing a seat at a top college.

However, students hoping to get top scores often hurt their chances by focusing on the wrong material, Anthony-James Green, a $1,500-an-hour SAT and ACT tutor, told Business Insider.

"Obsessing over your weakest points is way more important than looking at what you're good at," Green said. "There's a tendency among everyone to continue [studying] what you enjoy and what you like."

Green, who says his students improve 310 to 320 points on average on the new SAT, explained that you should actually spend very little time on the concepts you already understand. "On these tests if you're pretty comfortable with reading and grammar and you hate math, then you should be spending 95% of your time on math," he said.

In addition, Green believes one of the best strategies to ensure you perform well on the SAT or ACT is beginning preparation much earlier than most students likely realize.

He suggests students start studying their freshman year of high school, but to limit it to 20 minutes a day. This helps to make studying a habit that is stress free, and helps to take some of the high-stakes feeling out of the exam.

"Your brain learns through constant, consistent repetition," he said.

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The election tamasha that was successfully taken online by the BJP during the 2014 general elections is playing out in a bigger avatar, reports Sanjay Jog.

For the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party built an app 'Invite CM' that let Devendra Fadnavis engage with voters. Fadnavis was also active on Twitter. Several followers made short films with the lion as a party mascot swatting down a corrupt tiger (a symbol of ally turned foe, Shiv Sena) and shared them via Facebook and WhatsApp.

In Uttarakhand, Congress Chief Minister Harish Rawat has a WhatsApp group: 'Uttarakhand rahe khushhaal, Rawat sarkar poore panch saal' (For a prosperous Uttarakhand, give Rawat a full five-year term) that reaches voters in multiples of thousands, the party says.

Rahul Gandhi's campaigns are being streamed live on the partys Facebook page while another page labeled Janvedna Sammelan records the problems faced by demonetisation.

The election tamasha that was successfully taken online by the BJP during the 2014 general elections is playing out in a bigger avatar.

Every political party and its army of official and unofficial followers, is part of the blitzkrieg -- be it the local municipal polls in Mumbai or the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh or Punjab.

"We have a database of five million online users, which has come quite handy," notes Shweta Shalini, spokesperson for the BJP.

Rajiv Dingra, founder and CEO, WATConsult, part of the Dentsu Aegis Network says, "In metropolitan areas the social media is no more a niche but a mass medium of communication."

The BJP is the master of the medium say political observers.

In Maharashtra, Fadnavis has been responding to complaints and suggestions and sharing his schedules and views on Twitter.

Last week, he found himself in a bit of a spot at a rally in Pune where hardly any people turned up. Rivals mocked his planners saying no one organised a rally in Shaniwar Peth in the afternoon, siesta time for residents of the area.

Fadnavis took to Twitter. I have cancelled my public meeting at Pune due to miscommunication of time of rally. I regret for the same. Heading towards Pimpri Chinchwad, he posted. While many had a good laugh at his expense, retweeting with caustic asides, many gave him points for clearing the air.

Twitter is the preferred medium according to the spokespersons of all parties. It is more effective than a short film listing the candidate/party achievements or exposing the failures of rivals, they said. Facebook is popular too, as is WhatsApp. A few are also on Instagram.

In a city like Mumbai there are 12-14 million internet users and social media is the cheapest, fastest and most effective way to reach out, says Dingra.

Every party has set up war rooms managed by young party workers who keep up a constant barrage of tweets, comments and posts. They are inexhaustible in the hunt for likes and shares. For example, on a single day (Sunday, February 12) during the BMC campaign in Mumbai, 20,000 tweets, 10,000 Facebook posts and 500-odd video clips were uploaded.

Dingra believes that political parties are still amateurs when it comes to social media.

"It is largely being used by the candidates and parties on why to vote for them and is not being used intelligently to create a common thought process and viewpoint via community building. The social media platform can certainly be used to build up opinion as done in the western countries," he says.

Sandeep Goyal, founder of Mogae Media, says, I think a lot of the usage is just noise. Much of the sniping is at each other with the voter just a bystander.

For the moment, parties are happy to use online media to expand their flock of followers.

The Congress has created a WhatsApp group, down to the booth level in Punjab, Uttarakhand and large parts of Uttar Pradesh. This and other social media initiatives are being overseen by Prashant Kishor, who has pitched in with slogans and logistics support.

In Punjab, websites like Punjab da Captain (captain of Punjab) for Amarinder Singh have been launched. Around one million people registered for the campaign through their mobile phones, the party said.

The Samajwadi Party in UP is pushing video campaigns like Kaam bolta hai (work speaks) through social media. It also has a special team of workers calling up thousands of voters every day to know what the burning problems of their areas are.

For the BJP in Maharashtra, its tag line is Transparency in Transformation while Shiv Sena is running a '#didyouknow' handle.

The NCP has a counter campaign saying #You Should Know that seeks to expose its rivals lies.

With social media soldiers at 12,000 booths, 227 wards, mandals and district level, the BJP is using the transparency plank, says Shalini.

The Shiv Sena has 150 yuva sainiks managing the Twitter handles. Uddhav Thackerays public relations in charge Harshal Pradhan informs that the party has 850 WhatsApp groups with at least 265 members each that continuously update speeches, press briefings and video clips.

The Shiv Sena has focused on listing out its achievements and simultaneously exposed scams and corruption and the campaign is created in-house, says Pradhan.

The #Congress for Mumbai has about seven million followers the party says. Moreover, Mumbai Regional Congress Committee president Sanjay Nirupams handle has a reach of 1,30,000, says social media head Hiren Joshi.

Shweta says that the BJP does not use social media for mud-slinging or running vilification campaigns. Other parties echo the same sentiments.

But ask them about offensive cartoons and films doing the rounds as jokes and forwards and they quickly sidestep the issue. The parties blame the armies of unofficial fans and followers in the digital world, who they say, they have no control over.

With inputs from Amit Agnihotri in New Delhi and Sohini Das in Ahmedabad

IMAGE: Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav's war room setup at Janeshwar Mishra Trust office to handle his election campaign for the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, in Lucknow. Photograph: Nand Kumar/PTI Photo.
Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati on Sunday warned the Muslim electors in Uttar Pradesh against voting for the Samajwadi Party as there votes will not only go waste but directly benefit the Bharatiya Janata Party.

"If you vote for Samajwadi Party, not only your vote will go waste but may directly benefit the BJP. You should vote en masse for the BSP and not the SP," Mayawati told election rallies in the poll-bound state, in remarks that fly in the face of the Supreme Court verdict on use of religion during elections.

The Supreme Court had last month ruled that any appeal for votes on the ground of 'religion, race, caste, community or language amounted to 'corrupt practice' under the electoral law.

Mayawati, while appealing to the Muslims to vote for her party, accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP of trying to give casteist and communal tinge to the poll campaign in Uttar Pradesh.

"In the past couple of days, the BJP and its top leaders, including the PM, have been issuing wrong statements after assessing that the party has fared badly in the first three phases of polling," she said in a statement in Lucknow.

Referring to Modis graveyard-cremation ground and Diwali-Eid comments, Mayawati said such a view was aimed at giving casteist and communal colour to polls.

At his Fatehpur rally on Sunday, the PM has said each village needs to have a graveyard (kabristan) and a cremation ground (shmashan) and the people should get power on Diwali as well as Eid without discrimination.

"He (Modi) seems to be giving polls casteist and communal hue...before saying this, he should see whether every village in BJP-ruled states like Haryana and MP have the same facility," Mayawati said.

She said the prime minister should get cremation ground in each village in BJP-ruled states first and then talk about it in Uttar Pradesh.

"Such kind of wrong statements prove that they have stooped to politics of lies," she said, adding the BJP has lowered the level of politics which is not good for democracy.

"The PM says the BJP does not indulge in caste and communal politics, but this is wrong," Mayawati said, also citing the Rohith Vemula case.

Rohith Vemula was a research scholar at University of Hyderabad who had committed suicide last year alleging discrimination on the basis of caste.

She said the BJP has not given ticket to even a single Muslim candidate in UP which has some 18 to 20 per cent population of the community. Mayawatis party has fielded nearly a 100 Muslim candidates in the state which has a 403-member assembly.

Addressing an election rally in Gonda, Mayawati warned, If the BJP wins, it would not hesitate in implementing the agenda of the RSS. This means that either the system of reservation would be brought to an end or it would be rendered virtually ineffective.

The BSP chief also criticised the Centre for taking steps to end the minority status of institutes like AligarhMuslimUniversity and Jamia Millia Islamia.

In the aftermath of the firing on the Kar Sevaks at Ayodhya in October, 1990, when Mulayam Singh Yadav was the chief minister, and the demolition of the Babri Masjid, Muslims, traditionally the vote bank of the Congress, have backed Samajwadi Party.

Some in the community have also been voting for the BSP, with a minuscule percentage going to the Congress.

Seeking to engineer a Dalit-Muslim combination, Mayawati decided to field nearly 100 Muslims. However, with Samajwadi Party and Congress forming an alliance, the lions share of Muslim votes are expected to go to the new combine.

IMAGE: BSP supremo Mayawati at an election rally in Gonda on Tuesday. PTI Photo
Despite both parties joining hands to fight the elections, they have fielded different candidates for the polls in this region, reports Karan Choudhury.

IMAGE: Party workers of the SP and Congress say it's difficult to campaign in Amethi as they are unable to answer uncomfortable questions. Photograph: Pawan Kumar/Reuters

It is a confusing time for party workers of the Samajwadi Party and the Congress in Amethi. Are they fighting together or against each other, is the question they are still trying to figure out.

Both parties have fielded candidates for the assembly elections in the region. Coupled with liberal doses of mud-slinging and name calling, which sometimes borders on being outright sexist, the lines between being allies or enemies have long blurred here. To add to this chaos, Bharatiya Janata Partys candidate Garima Singh, former wife of the Maharaja here, is playing the martyr.

Though Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav are fighting a united battle against the BJP and the Bahujan Samaj Party, Amethi seems to have been untouched by the camaraderie. The SP has fielded tainted Gayatri Prajapati, the current member of legislative assembly from the area. The Congress has stacked its hopes on ex-MLA from Amethi, Ameeta Sinh.

Not only party workers, things are confusing for even the people of Amethi, to say the least. For junior-level party workers, campaigning has become a problem. They are unable to answer uncomfortable questions.

We are asked why SP is fielding a candidate when Congress has one and vice-versa, said a young party worker who has been with the Congress for five years. The SP candidate here has a chequered past and they ask us why Congress is fighting with a party which has such candidates. Also, Garima Singh is fighting on a BJP ticket and they are calling it a fight for her rights. We do not know what goes on at the top, but convincing people to vote for us is a task.

Prajapati is facing charges of rape and sexual harassment. He was booked after intervention of the Supreme Court. He even broke down during a rally in Amethi, calling the allegations a BJP conspiracy against him.

-- Why UP's numbers are so important for Modi in the Rajya Sabha

Sanjay Sinh -- erstwhile Maharaja of Amethi, Congress leader and Ameeta Sinhs husband -- said it was decided earlier only a Congress candidate would be fielded here. But things changed later.

It was earlier decided no SP candidate will fight elections in Raebareli and Amethi. But due to the pressure on the chief minister, he allowed an SP candidate to fight from here.

Batting for her spouse, he said: She is the only one who can counter the sufferings caused by Gayatri Prajapati. I think Amethi has never seen this kind of criminality, social unrest, suffering of people -- all due to the present MLA. Even the Supreme Court has asked for an FIR to be lodged against him. Sinh, however, made it clear that while they were fighting SP here, they would support Akhilesh Yadav as the chief ministerial candidate.

Ameeta Sinh said a lot of issues are involved when two major parties come together. There is a lot of give and take. Workers, parties and ideologies are involved. You have to come to some kind of understanding. So, I guess, the leaderships of the two parties must have come to some understanding when they had to take this decision, she said, on the Congress and SP fielding candidates from the seat.

But there was no confusion in the minds of party workers as well as the people of Amethi and they would vote for her, she said. The Congress was behind her. Priyanka ji (Gandhi Vadra) made it clear that she is 100 per cent behind me. People are tired of the atrocities committed by the present MLA.

-- These UP seats to see SP-Congress contest, courtesy rebels

On the BJP fielding Garima Singh as the candidate from Amethi, she said these were mere stunts. That the BJP had to give this kind of candidate a ticket obviously suggests they have realised that they have lost the battle. They must have thought they have anyway lost it anyway, so they might as well dramatise it, she said.

During the SPs rally in Amethi on Monday, allegations of corruption and jokes about Sanjay Sinh made the rounds. After the chief minister arrived, mud-slinging against the Congress stopped. Akhilesh Yadav himself had said SPs cycle would run a lot faster with Congresss hand on it.

Both Rahul Gandhi and SP party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav would be in Amethi on February 23. While Gandhi would be at a Congress rally, Yadav will hold a meeting at a school in the region.

-- FULL COVERAGE: UTTAR PRADESH ELECTIONS
Thousands of people took to the streets on Monday to take part in not my Presidents Day protests against Donald Trump.

Planned marches took place in New York, Los Angeles, Washington DC, Chicago and Salt Lake City while unofficial demonstrations with the same theme cropped up elsewhere.

Tens of thousands of people were expected at the Los Angeles event and nearly 50,000 are due to turn out in New York City.

Here are some scenes from the protests.

Demonstrators stage a Presidents Day protest near Trump Tower in Chicago. The Trump International Hotel & Tower, the place of the protest, has been site of several large protests since Inauguration Day. Photograph: Scott Olson/Getty Images

In Los Angeles, protesters demanded that Trump face impeachment for his 'Islamophobic' and 'unethical' policies. Photograph: David McNew/Reuters

Several people wore 'Resist' T-shirts and carried placards reading the same as a message to others. Photograph: Eduardo Munoz/Reuters

Protesters chanted Hey hey, ho ho, Donald Trump has got to go! Photograph: Eduardo Munoz/Reuters

Many protesters also carried placards dumping Trump for his proximity to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Photograph: Eduardo Munoz/Reuters

Protesters march towards the White House as part of a 'Not My Presidents' Day' demonstration against Donald Trump. Photograph: Yuri Gripas/Reuters



Protests were mostly peaceful, but in Portland the police clashed with the protesters. Photograph: Scott Olson/Getty Images
Hes a man of tremendous talent and tremendous experience, said Trump of his new appointment.

IMAGE: US President Donald Trump shakes hands with his new National Security Adviser Army Lt General HR McMaster after making the announcement at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida. Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

United States President Donald Trump has appointed Lt Gen Herbert Raymond McMaster as his new national security adviser following the ouster of Michael Flynn last week.

Making the announcement at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida on Monday, Trump described McMaster, currently Director of the ArmyCapabilitiesIntegrationCenter, as a man of tremendous talent and tremendous experience.

Flynn had been forced out by Trump after revelations that he misled Vice President Mike Pence about discussing sanctions with Russias ambassador to the US during the presidential transition. Trump had described this as a matter of trust and not of any wrongdoing.

I just wanted to announce that Gen H R McMaster will become the national security adviser. Hes a man of tremendous talent and tremendous experience. I watched and read a lot over the last two days. He is highly respected by everyone in the military and were very honoured to have him, Trump said.

The acting national security advisor, General Keith Kellogg (retired), will now serve as Trumps national security council chief of staff.

The president also said John Bolton, a former US ambassador to the United Nations, would serve the administration in another capacity.

I met with many other people. I have tremendous respect for the people I met with. I know John Bolton, well be asking him to work with us in a somewhat different capacity. We had some really good meetings with him, he said.

He had a good number of ideas that I must tell you I agree very much with. So well be talking with John Bolton in a different capacity. And well be talking to some of the other generals that Ive met, Trump said.

In his brief remarks, McMaster said he looks forward to joining the national security team and doing everything he can to advance and protect the interests of the American people.

The White House later told reporters that he has the freedom to bring in his own staff to the National Security Council.

In response to a question, Trump confirmed that Vice President Mike Pence played a role in the selection process.

Top Republican Senator John McCain, who is Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and a fierce critic of Trump, welcomed the appointment.

Lt General H R McMaster is an outstanding choice for national security adviser. I have had the honour of knowing him for many years, and he is a man of genuine intellect, character, and ability. He knows how to succeed, he said.

I give President Trump great credit for this decision, as well as his national security cabinet choices. I could not imagine a better, more capable national security team than the one we have right now, McCain said.

Harry J Kazianis, Director of Defense Studies at the Center for the National Interest, founded by Richard M Nixon and the only WashingtonDC think-tank to host then candidate Donald Trump for a major address on foreign policy, said the president had made an outstanding choice.

With the sheer amount of big challenges the administration faces around the world -- from North Koreas nuclear weapons and missile programs, a rising Chinese military, an Islamic State that still has the capacity to inflict damage throughout the Middle East and beyond as well as a revanchist Russia, McMaster has vast experience taking on Americas enemies on the battlefield. He has proven leadership qualities that will serve him well in his new role, he said.

Kazianis said McMaster was a veteran of the First Gulf War, where he fought in the now famous Battle of 73 Easting, and the Second Gulf War, wherein he again fought with honour.

As an adviser to General David Petraeus, has seen the horrors of war up-close, providing McMaster a very different perspective when it comes to evaluating risk and making recommendations of war and peace to President Trump than a civilian would, he said.

McMaster is someone who is widely respected in not just the US military but in defence and national security circles in Washington and around the world. He will provide solid leadership and a steady hand where President Trump needs it most after the departure of General Michael Flynn, Kazianis said.

House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes congratulated McMaster on his appointment.

With his history of questioning the status quo and infusing fresh thinking and new approaches into military affairs, Lt Gen McMaster will make a fine addition to the Trump Administrations national security team, Nunes said.
Donald Trump and General H R McMaster: It is almost like the Chinese monarch Helu with Sun Tzu at his side.

IMAGE: US President Donald Trump looks on as his newly named National Security Adviser Lieutenant General Herbert Raymond McMaster speaks after the announcement in Palm Beach, Florida, February 20, 2017. Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

At last, a Trump appointment that one can cheer.

By nominating Lieutenant General H R McMaster as his national security adviser, America's president has appointed a brainy thinker on warfare and strategic affairs to conceive, create and oversee the most powerful nation's plans to deal with its enemies and friends.

It is almost like the Chinese monarch Helu with Sun Tzu at his side.

A quick ready reckoner on the three-star general who still serves in the US military, and will certainly erase memories of the disaster after Lieutenant General Mike Flynn resigned as Trump's NSA less then three weeks into the new president's tenure.

General McMaster is not the first serving general to be America's NSA. Colin Powell, another lieutenant general, was President Ronald Reagan's NSA from 1987 to 1989, restoring order in the White House after the Iran Contra scandal.

Herbert Raymond McMaster first earned notice during the first Gulf War in 1991. The young captain -- he was just 29 (he is three weeks to the day younger than Tom Cruise) -- led his 9 Abrams tanks to battle against 80 Iraqi tanks and sundry vehicles, all of which his formation destroyed without suffering a single casualty.

For his courage and leadership at the Battle of 73 Easting he was awarded the Silver Star (H R also has been awarded a Bronze Star and Purple Heart for subsequent gallantry).

He quickly demonstrated that he was a military thinker as well, by writing Dereliction of Duty, which argued that US generals had not forcefully contested the Lyndon B Johnson administration's Vietnam war strategy even though they clearly knew it was traveling down a one way street.

The book and his subsequent essays on warfare won him acclaim worldwide, but H R was not going to be confined to a lecture hall.

Assigned the nightmare from hell area of Tal Afar in Iraq in 2005 -- 'in that city of 200,000 people,' The Wall Street Journal reported in a profile of McMaster, 'the insurgents' "savagery reached such a level that they stuffed the corpses of children with explosives and tossed them into the streets in order to kill grieving parents attempting to retrieve the bodies of their young," wrote Tal Afar's mayor in 2006. "This was the situation of our city until God prepared and delivered unto them the courageous soldiers of the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment".

'When Colonel H R McMaster was assigned to Tal Afar in 2005,' economist Tim Harford wrote in the Financial Times, 'he decided to try something new. He put an end to the useless sorties into Tal Afar and committed his 3,500 men to holding Tal Afar, neighbourhood by neighbourhood, operating out of 29 small outposts."

'If there was a coherent strategy in Iraq then, it was based on the belief that the Americans were losing a popularity contest with the insurgents. Col McMaster believed that view was wrong: The problem, instead, was that locals were refusing to help the US because they knew Americans in isolated desert bases could not protect them from reprisals,' Harford wrote in his essay 'Lessons from war's factory floor'.

'Col McMaster's strategy was based on the idea that if his men were fully committed to Tal Afar and to the protection of its citizens, locals would co-operate eventually. Col McMaster, who has a PhD in history, was well equipped to identify and implement a variation of successful counter-insurgency tactics that had been used, for example, by the British in Malaya.'

'Only a couple of months later it was clear he had been right.'

The colonel's strategy was widely copied later by the US military in Iraq and Afghanistan, and yet, despite his proven military genius and courage, he was not promoted to brigadier or brigadier general as the Americans like to describe that rank in 2006 and 2007.

Three weeks short of his 47th birthday in June 2009, he was promoted. A year later, he was sent to Afghanistan.

As always, he brought his famous brain-meets-true grit approach to to the assignment.

'What do the Taliban have to offer the Afghan people?' he asked when the Wall Street Journal interviewed him.

'They are a criminal organisation, criminal because they engage in mass murder of innocent people, and criminal because they're also the largest narcotics-trafficking organisation in the world.'

'Are these virtuous religious people? No, these are murderous, nihilistic, irreligious people who we're fighting -- we along with Afghans who are determined to not allow them to return.'

Taliban groups, he told the WSJ, are increasingly seen by Afghans 'as a tool of hostile foreign intelligence agencies. These are people who live in comfort in Pakistan and send their children to private schools while they destroy schools in Afghanistan.'

The Taliban fighters, he noted, wondered where their leadership is. 'One of the maxims of military leadership is that you share the hardships of your troops, you lead from the front. Well, they're leading from comfortable villas in Pakistan. So there's growing resentment, and this could be an opportunity to convince key communities inside of Afghanistan into joining the political process.'

McMaster, General Martin Dempsey, the US army chief of staff, remarked with some awe was 'probably our best brigadier general.'

H R didn't have to wait long to add more stars to his epaulettes. Promotion to major general (two stars) and lieutenant general (three stars) came within 24 months of each other.

A couple of months after he had been nominated to his present rank, in 2014, Time magazine included McMaster as one of its 100 most influential people in the world.

'Herbert Raymond McMaster might be the 21st century army's pre-eminent warrior-thinker,' Lieutenant General Dave Barno (retd) wrote in Time, adding,'H R is also the rarest of soldiers -- one who has repeatedly bucked the system and survived to join its senior ranks.'

After he served President Reagan with distinction -- there is the apocryphal story of the helpless Gipper turning to the general almost for sanction for a decision, only to be told, 'Goddammit, Mr President, you are the President!' -- Colin Powell went on to be the Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, the highest position in the American military, incidentally, the first Black to occupy that post.

Powell also had a less successful tenure as President George W Bush's first secretary of state, ambushed repeatedly by the mean combination of then vice-president Dick Cheney and secretary of defence Donald Rumsfeld.

Don't be surprised if General H R McMaster emulates General Powell, and perhaps ascends to the one rank that the latter military leader shied away from -- the President of the United States.
PITTSBURGH, PA / ACCESSWIRE / February 21, 2017 / Pennsylvania State Senators Daylin Leach and Senator Mike Folmer will lead a Pennsylvania cannabis policy update at the inaugural World Medical Marijuana Business Conference & Expo (WMMBCExpo), April 21 - 22, 2017, at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, 1000 Fort Duquesne Boulevard, in Pittsburgh.

As active supporters of Pennsylvania's medical marijuana program, Sens. Leach and Folmer will headline a state-focused policy discussion on Friday, April 21, at 3 p.m.

Hosted by Compassionate Certification CentersTM (CCC) and Greenhouse Ventures LLC, the educational expo is the first large-scale, physician-led medical marijuana conference that aims to establish a more inclusive and progressive healthcare dialogue.

The event will feature innovative workshops, networking opportunities, and seminars with industry leaders, entrepreneurs, healthcare professionals, and policymakers.

For tickets or information, call 1-888-316-9085 or visit compassionatecertificationcenters.com.

A historic event, the World Medical Marijuana Business Conference & Expo will take place one month after the application window is set to close for applicants pursuing a dispensary or cultivation license in Pennsylvania's competitive market.

Leach and Folmer collaborated in a bipartisan effort to legalize the use of medical cannabis in Pennsylvania. In April 2016, Senate Bill 3, the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Act, was signed by Governor Wolf, allowing patients and families with serious medical conditions to access medical marijuana with a physician's certification.

"The medical marijuana industry has grown quickly across the country, but it still has huge potential. The 2017 World Medical Marijuana Business Conference & Expo is a great chance for patients, physicians, researchers, and investors to assess our progress thus far and chart a course for the future," stated Leach.

An advocate for numerous causes, Leach (D-17) has dedicated his career to supporting environmental, educational, animal rights, and human rights campaigns.

Story continues

Alongside Leach, Folmer (R-48) partnered to sponsor Senate Bill 3. He currently serves as Chairman of the Senate State Government Committee and Vice Chairman of the Education Committee.

"As the prime sponsor of what is now Act 16 of 2016, I based my journey to help patients on educating those who were doubtful of the life-saving benefits this plant from God can offer. I'm optimistic the 2017 World Medical Marijuana Conference & Expo will build upon this firm foundation of education and understanding, and thrilled this educational event will be held in Pennsylvania as the Department of Health implements our new Medical Marijuana Program," stated Folmer.

Pennsylvania is currently in the process of implementing the Act and writing its regulations. Leach and Folmer will provide a comprehensive update on the state program during the WMMBCExpo.

"We believe Pennsylvania will become a model for future patient-oriented medical marijuana initiatives. As a company, we are honored to have Senators Leach and Folmer represent the state at our inaugural conference," said CCC co-founder, Melonie Kotchey.

Nearly 5,000 general attendees and 170 vendors and sponsors are expected to attend, including industry thought leaders and patients from throughout the country.

For tickets or information, call 1-888-316-9085 or visit compassionatecertificationcenters.com.

About Compassionate Certification CentersTM

The World Medical Marijuana Business Conference & Expo is presented by Pittsburgh-based Compassionate Certification CentersTM, a Syndikos Investments, LLC portfolio brand based in Middleton, Delaware. Compassionate Certification CentersTM implements the first of its kind membership program for all types of healthcare providers to access medical cannabis research and patients throughout the U.S. states, district, and territories. Membership program benefits feature tools and resources needed to operate healthcare providers' own certification centers, including: potential patients based on geography, research, full-spectrum marketing, peer networking, legal documents and services, cannabis education and CME credits, cannabis product training, and much more. For more information, visit https://www.compassionatecertificationcenters.com, or join the discussion at Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Google+.

Press Contacts:

Compassionate Certification Centers/WMMBCExpo:

Melonie Kotchey

info@compassionatecertificationcenters.com

888-316-9085 ext.101

Proven Media:

Neko Catanzaro

401-484-4980

neko@provenmediaservices.com

or

Kim Prince

480-221-7995

kim@provenmediaservices.com

LEGAL DISCLOSURE

Compassionate Certification CentersTM does not sell or distribute any products that are in violation of the United States Controlled Substances Act (US.CSA).

SOURCE: Compassionate Certification Centers
Disclaimer

This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
Title Legislative Decree 8 of 2016 [A general amnesty for crimes of internal and external desertion and for the crimes stated in the Military Service Law committed prior to 17 February 2016]

Publication Date 2 February 2016

Country Syrian Arab Republic

Other Languages / Attachments Arabic version

Cite as Legislative Decree 8 of 2016 [A general amnesty for crimes of internal and external desertion and for the crimes stated in the Military Service Law committed prior to 17 February 2016] [Syrian Arab Republic], 2 February 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58ac08c74.html [accessed 6 November 2022]

Comments This is an unofficial translation, prepared by UNHCR. UNHCR shall not be held responsible or liable for any misuse of the unofficial translation. Users are advised to consult the original language version or obtain an official translation when formally referencing the law or quoting from it in a language other than the original.
Yemen's Brutal Conflict Pushing One Million Displaced to Return to Danger

Publisher UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Publication Date 21 February 2017 Cite as UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Yemen's Brutal Conflict Pushing One Million Displaced to Return to Danger, 21 February 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58ac32f14.html [accessed 6 November 2022]

Unabated conflict and rapidly deteriorating conditions across Yemen are pushing millions of displaced Yemenis further into danger and adversity, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and IOM, the UN Migration Agency, warned today following the release of the latest data on the country's displacement crisis.

Since the beginning of the conflict in March 2015, more than 11 per cent of Yemen's population, some 3 million people, have been forced to flee their homes for safety. Almost two years later, however, prolonged hostilities and worsening conditions are now forcing 1 million of those uprooted to return to the homes from which they fled, despite danger and insecurity across the country.

Two reports issued by the Task Force on Population Movement (TFPM), a technical working group co-led by UNHCR and IOM, show that there are currently 2 million internally displaced people (IDPs) across Yemen and 1 million IDP returnees; and that as conditions across the country further deteriorate, many more IDPs are contemplating a return home, where challenging security and socio-economic conditions persist.

Comprising a Multi-sectoral Location Assessment report released today and a periodically updated population movement tracking report (TFPM 12th report) published last month, the TFPM reports furnish the most comprehensive and detailed estimates of displaced populations and their circumstances in Yemen, and inform humanitarian response planning for 2017.

The reports highlight that a lack of access to income and basic services in areas of displacement are the main reasons pushing IDPs to return to their areas of origin, with 40 per cent of key informants indicating that IDPs now intend to return home within the next three months.

UNHCR's Country Representative for Yemen, Ayman Gharaibeh, said: "It's testament to how catastrophic the situation in Yemen has become, that those displaced by the conflict are now returning home because life in the areas to which they had fled for safety is just as abysmal as in the areas from which they fled."

"Those attempting to return face tremendous challenges," Gharaibeh added. "They often return to homes that have been damaged, in areas lacking essential services. They still need humanitarian aid and are often forced to flee their homes again. These returns cannot be viewed as sustainable."

Noting that all of Yemen's governorates, with the exception of the island of Socotra, have been affected by conflict, Gharaibeh said, "the overwhelming majority of Yemen's 1 million IDP returnees have returned to Aden, Amanat Al Asimah, Taizz, Lahj and Shabwah, which have been particularly impacted by hostilities and insecurity."

"For those that are returning home, food, financial assistance and psycho-social support remain priority needs," he added.

The TFPM reports also provide indications of how dire life has become for the 2 million IDPs across the country. Shortages of food and malnutrition are widespread and reported in 84 per cent of IDP locations identified. In addition to malnutrition, diarrheal diseases and malaria are cited as the most common health concerns for Yemen's displaced.

IOM Yemen's Chief of Mission, Laurent De Boeck, noted the great distress for those in collective centers and spontaneous settlements, explaining that "IOM, alongside its partners, remains committed to support IDP families who have sought shelter in these camp-like settings and are living in unbearable conditions with limited to no access to services and are exposed to health risks and environmental hazards on a daily basis."

"When I recently visited some of these spontaneous settlements and IDPs in schools in Taizz, Hajjah, Lahj and Ibb governorates I saw just how imperative it is for the humanitarian community to adapt its response to address lifesaving needs, while also working to rebuild the damaged infrastructure to improve access to services, such as those of health, shelter, NFIs, water and food, and alleviate the pressures on the communities hosting large IDP populations," De Boeck said.

De Boeck added, "with the most recent large scale displacement seen in Taizz, which is not yet reflected within the TFPM reports, IOM and all partners must scale up their response to support those newly displaced as well as those whose displacement is becoming increasingly protracted with shifting needs as indicated in the released reports. This motivates IOM to scale up and access the most remote areas in country."

So far, 71 per cent of those displaced have been seeking refuge in Yemen's central and western governorates -- including Hajjah, Amanat Al Asimah, Sana'a, Dhamar, Ibb and Taizz, all of which are experiencing intense hostilities -- and multiple displacement is increasingly being observed. In the absence of livelihood opportunities and insufficient assistance, many IDPs are also resorting to harmful practices to cope in displacement, including child labour and early marriage.

Yemen's local communities, which are overwhelmingly absorbing the burden of the displacement crisis, are also under intense strain with alarming scarcities of food and insufficient access to water and sanitation services reported. Eighty-four percent of Yemen's 2 million IDPs have been displaced for more than a year and scarce resources are increasingly overstretched.

The Location Assessment report also provides insight into difficulties in accessing conflict-affected populations across Yemen and the perception among IDPs and returnees of humanitarian assistance. Though the majority of IDPs and returnees perceive humanitarian assistance as partially supporting them in meeting priority needs, negative perceptions of aid and considerable gaps in the engagement of humanitarian actors with local communities are also reported.

In response, the humanitarian community in Yemen has adopted an 'Accountability to Affected Populations Framework' as part of the Humanitarian Response Plan for 2017, requiring all humanitarian partners to create mechanisms to ensure that affected populations can provide feedback or complain about the assistance they have received.

In addition, UNHCR and IOM are continuing to engage with all parties to the conflict for improved access to populations in need across Yemen, and with donors for increased international support for life-saving humanitarian programs.

Assessments for the two TFPM reports were conducted in all of Yemen's governorates. Displacement tracking for the 12th report covered 98.5% of Yemen's 333 districts and data for the Location Assessment report was collected through physical site visits by field teams where key informants representing the community were interviewed.
Famine declared in region of South Sudan  UN

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 20 February 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Famine declared in region of South Sudan  UN, 20 February 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58ac390f4.html [accessed 6 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Famine has been formally declared in parts of South Sudan, the United Nations said today, warning that war and a collapsing economy have left some 100,000 people facing starvation there and a further 1 million people are classified as being on the brink of famine.

Famine has become a tragic reality in parts of South Sudan and our worst fears have been realised, said Serge Tissot, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Representative in South Sudan, in a news release issued jointly with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Programme (WFP).

Many families have exhausted every means they have to survive, he stated, explaining that these people are predominantly farmers who have lost their livestock, even their farming tools.

Famine is currently affecting parts of Unity State in the northern-central part of the country. A formal famine declaration means people have already started dying of hunger.

The situation is the worst hunger catastrophe since fighting erupted more than three years ago between rival forces  the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) loyal to President Salva Kiir and the SPLA in Opposition backing First Vice-President Riek Machar.

The three UN agencies warned that urgent action is needed to prevent more people from dying of hunger.

According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) update released today by the government, the three agencies and other humanitarian partners, 4.9 million people - more than 40 percent of South Sudan's population - are in need of urgent food, agriculture and nutrition assistance.

The total number of food insecure people is expected to rise to 5.5 million at the height of the lean season in July if nothing is done to curb the severity and spread of the food crisis.

More than one million children are currently estimated to be acutely malnourished across South Sudan; over a quarter of a million children are already severely malnourished. If we do not reach these children with urgent aid many of them will die, said Jeremy Hopkins, UNICEF Representative a.i in South Sudan.

We have also warned that there is only so much that humanitarian assistance can achieve in the absence of meaningful peace and security, both for relief workers and the crisis-affected people they serve, said WFP Country Director Joyce Luma.
UN Security Council condemns latest terrorist attack in Mogadishu

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 20 February 2017 Cite as UN News Service, UN Security Council condemns latest terrorist attack in Mogadishu , 20 February 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58ac397d4.html [accessed 6 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Strongly condemning the latest deadly terrorist attack in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, the United Nations Security Council today reiterated that its determination to support peace, security and development in the long-troubled country would not be swayed by this, or any other such attack.

In a press statement that follows yesterday's terrorist attack at a market in Mogadishu that killed at least 39 people and injured many more, the members of the Council expressed their deep sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims, as well as to the people and Government of Somalia. They also wished a speedy recovery to those injured.

The Council went on to commend the swift response of Somalia's security and first responders.

It also reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security and underlined the need to bring perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice, as well as reaffirmed the need to combat the scourges in accordance with international law.

Further to the statement, the Security Council paid tribute to all Somali and international actors working to bring peace and stability in Somalia. The 15-nation body reiterated its determination to support peace, stability and development in Somalia and underlined that "neither this nor any other terrorist attack would weaken that determination."
DR Congo: UN rights chief calls on Government to halt violence by security forces

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 21 February 2017 Cite as UN News Service, DR Congo: UN rights chief calls on Government to halt violence by security forces, 21 February 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58ac39e44.html [accessed 6 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

20 February 2017 - The United Nations human rights chief today called on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to take immediate steps to halt widespread human rights violations, including apparent summary executions, by the country's armed forces.

It is time to stop a blunt military response that does nothing to tackle the root causes of the conflict between the Government and local militias but instead targets civilians on the basis of their presumed links to the militias, said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein in a news release from his office (OHCHR).

Mr. Zeid said that there are multiple, credible allegations of massive human rights violations in the provinces of Kasai, Kasai Central, Kasai Oriental and Lomami amid a sharp deterioration in security situation there.

A local militia linked to a customary chief, Kamuina Nsapu, who was killed by the African country's armed forces in August 2016 has been increasingly active in Kasai Central Province, mostly attacking government buildings and churches, and national security forces. The militia also reportedly recruits and uses children.

According to OCHR, horrific video footage emerged over the weekend apparently showing soldiers of the Government security forces, known as FARDC, shooting repeatedly and without warning at men and women, who purportedly belonged to the militia in Muenza Nsapu village.

The UN peacekeeping mission in the DRC is not in a position to verify the origin and authenticity of the video. However, the DRC Government spokesperson has stated that FARDC officers are under judicial investigation.

The UN Joint Human Rights Office in the country has documented the killings of more than 280 individuals since July 2016 in the context of this violence.

Amid a worrying escalation of violence in provinces considered relatively calm, I call again on the Government to redouble its efforts to tackle impunity that feeds further violence and human rights violations, said Mr. Zeid.
'Historic' day as last FARC-EP members gather to turn in arms  UN mission in Colombia

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 20 February 2017 Cite as UN News Service, 'Historic' day as last FARC-EP members gather to turn in arms  UN mission in Colombia, 20 February 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58ac3a7d4.html [accessed 6 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

20 February 2017 - About 300 members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People's Army (FARC-EP) today arrived in central Colombia's Agua Bonita zone, bringing the number to close to 6,900, to lay down their arms under United Nations verification, and to begin a transition to social, economic and political life, the UN Mission in the country said today.

In the past 19 days they rode cars, buses, boats or walked some 8,700 kilometres [] across the country, accompanied by over 860 [members] of the tripartite Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (MVM), read a news release from the UN Mission in Colombia.

The Mission's Chief Observer and MVM coordinator, Major General Javier Perez Aquino, called the day historic.

The UN Mission in Colombia and the MVM consider that the FARC-EP's decision to move into the zones  in spite of the limited logistics in the majority of them  very positive, he said.

This decision considerably reduces the possibility of armed contact [] and we also hope that their presence will accelerate the construction works in these camps, creating the appropriate conditions to continue with the process that will lead to their reinsertion into the social, economic and political life, he added.

The Chief Observer also noted that despite limited logistics, the deadline for the completion of the laying down of arms  180 days after the Final Agreement, which came into force on 1 December  stands.

Working hand-in-hand so that 'our children and grandchildren live in a conflict-free country'

In Colombia's capital, Bogota, as well as at eight regional and 26 local sites, FARC-EP and Government members, along with 350 UN observers, are working together to verify the parties' commitments towards the ceasefire and cessation of hostilities.

We work together to implement the Final Agreement and I feel hopeful that this process will lead to a country with more social justice, said 45-year-old Esperanza Fajardo, who jointed FARC-EP in the 1990's, now working with Government and UN Mission counterparts.

Mayor Alejandro Cruz, from the Government, echoed: I feel very committed to this process because I want our children and grandchildren to live in a conflict-free country.

Mr. Cruz was twice injured in combat with the FARC-EP and bears a large scar on his chest while Ms. Fajardo joined the rebel group to escape the killings of left-wing Union Patriotica political affiliates.

In early October 2016, Colombian voters narrowly rejected the historic peace accord between the Government and the FARC-EP. That deal led to a cessation of hostilities and agreements on key issues such as political participation, land rights, illicit drugs and victims' rights and transitional justice. The two sides signed a new agreement in late November.
Kenyan MPs must reject attempts to undermine police oversight body

Publisher Amnesty International Author Abdullahi Boru Halakhe Publication Date 17 February 2017 Cite as Amnesty International, Kenyan MPs must reject attempts to undermine police oversight body, 17 February 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58ac3afc4.html [accessed 6 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Imagine if police were given powers to deny the body that oversees them access to information. Would that oversight body be effective at its job? You must have answered no. This is exactly what will happen to the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) if MPs endorse proposed change to the IPOA Act 2011, the law that governs the Authority's operations.

The Statute (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill, 2016, which sneaks in proposed amendments to the IPOA Act 2011, introduces an exception to Section 7(1)(vii) of the current Act, which gives the Authority the power to "summon any serving or retired police officer to appear before it and to produce any document, thing or information that may be considered relevant to the function of the authority", by adding the words "provided that where the document, thing or information is privileged, the procedure for producing the privileged document, thing or information shall be complied with."

The problem with this proposed amendment is that it does not specify what constitutes privilege, nor does it provide the procedure for IPOA to access the said privileged information.

As a result, the proposed amendment leaves room for mischief as it will give the police powers to decide what is privileged and, possibly as a result, obstruct IPOA's investigations into their excesses. This will negate the very essence of IPOA's functions, namely to conduct effective investigations into police misconduct and refer cases for prosecution of police officers to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

Need for accountability

IPOA was set up following the passage of the 2010 Constitution as part of efforts to reform the police and put an end to its long history of human rights violations. Since its establishment, it has investigated multiple human rights violations by police and referred cases to the DPP.

However, deaths during law enforcement operations have continued, making IPOA's role even more important. For instance, statistics available to human rights organizations show that at least 177 people were killed by police in the first 10 months of 2016 alone.

On 22 August 2014 in Kinango, Kwale County, a 14-year-old schoolgirl, Kwekwe Mwandaza, was killed by the police. On 25 August 2014, IPOA commenced investigations to establish whether the police officers who shot and killed her were justified in the use of their firearms.

IPOA found that Kwekwe was killed by Kinango District Criminal Investigation personnel while conducting a search in her family's house. IPOA recommended to the DPP that they should be prosecuted. They were subsequently convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to seven years in jail each.

IPOA also investigated the deaths of two students of Egerton University, Dennis Magomere and Felix Nyagena. During its investigations, IPOA found evidence it considered sufficient to refer the case to the DPP for prosecution on murder charges. The DPP has taken up the case.

Attempts to undermine

In 2015, the government unsuccessfully tried to push through an amendment to the IPOA Act, which would have undermined IPOA's independence by withdrawing the Chair's and Board members' security of tenure. This would have made it possible for the Executive to sack them at will, without having to refer the case to a tribunal to investigate.

IPOA has accused the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Joseph Boinnet, of instructing police officers not to cooperate with it in investigations of police officers. Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho has also accused IPOA of embarrassing and intimidating police officers.

IPOA performs the critical function of holding the police to account. The least we can expect is for the government to leave them alone to do their job.

The National Assembly must do the same by rejecting this proposed amendment. This will send a strong signal that it stands for police accountability.

Abdullahi Boru Halakhe is East Africa Researcher at Amnesty International

This article was first published in the Daily Nation on 17 February 2017 http://www.nation.co.ke/oped/Opinion/reject-bid-to-undermine-police-oversight-/440808-3816236-chf9dl/index.html

Copyright notice:  Copyright Amnesty International
Russia: Government vs. Rights Groups

Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 21 February 2017 Cite as Amnesty International, Russia: Government vs. Rights Groups, 21 February 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58ac3c924.html [accessed 6 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

For the past four years, the Kremlin has sought to stigmatize criticism or alternative views of government policy as disloyal, foreign-sponsored, or even traitorous. It is part of a sweeping crackdown to silence critical voices that has included new legal restrictions on the internet, on freedom of expression, on the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people, and on other fundamental freedoms.

Association of NGOs in Defense of Voters' Rights "Golos" (Moscow)  June 5, 2014 Regional Public Association in Defense of Democratic Rights and Freedoms "Golos" (Moscow)  June 5, 2014 Center for Social Policy and Gender Studies (Saratov)  June 5, 2014 (the organization was shut down  May 22, 2015) Women of Don (Rostov region)  June 5, 2014 ("foreign agent" status was suspended  February 29, 2016) Kostroma Center for Support of Public Initiatives (Kostroma)  June 5, 2014 ("foreign agent" status was suspended  June 19, 2015) Interregional Human Rights Association "Agora" (Kazan)  July 21, 2014 (the organization was shut down  December 29, 2016) Regional public organization "Ecozaschita!  Womens' Council" (Kaliningrad)  July 21, 2014 Public Verdict Foundation (Moscow)  July 21, 2014 Human Rights Center "Memorial" (Moscow)  July 21, 2014 Lawyers for Constitutional Rights and Freedoms / JURIX (Moscow)  July 21, 2014 (the organization was shut down  May 26, 2015) Soldiers' Mothers (Saint Petersburg)  August 28, 2014 ("foreign agent" status was suspended  October 23, 2015) Freedom of Information Foundation / Institute for Information Freedom Development  August 28, 2014 PIR Center  September 3, 2014 ("foreign agent" status was suspended  February 24, 2016) Association "Partnership for Development" (Saratov)  October 2, 2014 (the organization was shut down  November 6, 2015) "News Agency MEMO.RU" (Moscow)  November 20, 2014 Regional Press Institute (St. Petersburg)  November 20, 2014 Moscow School of Civic Education  December 9, 2014 Rakurs, Arkhangelsk regional non-governmental LGBT organization  December 15, 2014 All-Russian movement "For Human Rights"  December 22, 2014 ("foreign agent" status was suspended  December 30, 2015) Human Rights Center (Kaliningrad)  December 25, 2014 Krasnodar Regional Social Organization of University Alumni  December 25, 2014 ("foreign agent" status was suspended  April 22, 2016) Regional social organization "Public Commission for Academic Sakharov's Heritage Preservation"  December 25, 2014 Resource Human Rights Center (St. Petersburg)  December 30, 2014 (the organization was shut down  November 3, 2015) Regional Public Organization "Man and the Law" (Republic of Mari El)  December 30, 2014 Center for Social Development "Vozrozhdeniye" (Pskov)  December 30, 2014 (the organization was shut down  January 31, 2017) Public Human Rights Organization "Civil Control" (St. Petersburg)  December 30, 2014 The League of Women Voters (St. Petersburg)  December 30, 2014 (the organization was shut down  May 22, 2015) Free Press Support Foundation  December 30, 2014 Interregional Non-Governmental Organization "The Committee Against Torture"  January 16, 2015 (the organization was shut down  September 13, 2016) Educational Center "Memorial" (Sverdlov region)  January 16, 2015 Autonomous non-profit human rights organization "Youth Center for Consulting and Training"  January 20, 2015 ("foreign agent" status was suspended  July 22, 2015) "Information Bureau of the Nordic Council of Ministers in St. Petersburg"  January 20, 2015 Jewish regional branch of the Russian public organization "Municipal Academy" January 26, 2015 (the organization was shut down  May 22, 2015) The noncommercial partnership "Press Development Institute - Siberia"  January 30, 2015 Center for social, psychological and legal help to victims of discrimination and homophobia "Maximum" (Murmansk)  February 4, 2015 (the organization was shut down  October 28, 2015) Interregional public fund for civil society development "Golos-Povolzhye" (Samara)  February 6, 2015 Interregional charity organization "Siberian Environmental Center" (Novosibirsk)  February 12, 2015 Center for Civic Analysis and Independent Research / GRANI (Perm)  February 13, 2015 ("foreign agent" status was suspended  June 19, 2015) Municipal public organization "Samara Center for Gender Studies" (Samara)  February 16, 2015 Regional Fund "Center for Defense of Mass Media Rights" (Voronezh)  February 26, 2015 Regional Charitable Social Foundation "For nature" (Chelyabinsk)  March 6, 2015 Regional Ecological Social Movement "For nature" (Chelyabinsk)  March 6, 2015 Humanist Youth Movement (Murmansk)  March 13, 2015 (the organization was shut down  August 25, 2015) Regional Social Organization for Contribution to Harmonization of Interethnic Relations "Azerbaijan"  March 13, 2015 ("foreign agent" status was suspended  July 22, 2016) Regional Social Environmental Organization "Bellona-Murmansk"  March 19, 2015 (the organization was shut down  October 16, 2015) "Educational Center for Environment and Security" (Samara)  March 20, 2015 ("foreign agent" status was suspended  October 8, 2015) Foundation "Migration XXI Century"  March 27, 2015 ("foreign agent" status was suspended  November 25, 2016) Eco-logika (Rostov)  April 3, 2015 ("foreign agent" status was suspended  March 30, 2016) Transparency International Russia - April 7, 2015 Social Environmental Organization "Planeta Nadezhd"  April 15, 2015 Foundation for Consumers' Rights Defense (Novosibirsk)  April 17, 2015 (the organization was shut down  May 12, 2016) Civic Assistance Committee  April 20, 2015 Foundation 19/29 - Foundation for Support of Investigative Journalism  April 24, 2015 Commemorative Centre of History of Political Repressions "Perm - 36"  April 29, 2015 (the organization was shut down  August 18, 2016) Women's League (Kaliningrad )  April 29, 2015 (the organization was shut down  December 16, 2015) Legal Expert Partnership "Soyuz "  May 7, 2015 (the organization was shut down  25 August 2015) Center for Development of Non-Commerical Organizations  May 13, 2015 Club of Accountants and Auditors of Non-Commercial Organizations  May 13, 2015 ("foreign agent" status was suspended  March 30, 2016) Informational Bureau of the Council of Ministers of Northern Countries (Kaliningrad)  May 13, 2015 Sutyajnik (Yekaterinburg)  May 15, 2015 Human Rights Academy (Yekaterinburg)  May 15, 2015 Ecological Center "Dront" (Nizhny Novgorod)  May 22, 2015 The non-profit organization "Liberal Mission" Scientific Foundation of Theoretical and Applied Research  May 25, 2015 ("foreign agent" status was suspended  September 11, 2015) The non-profit Dynasty Foundation  May 25, 2015 Union of Employers (Tula region)  May 28, 2015 ("foreign agent" status was suspended  December 13, 2016) Youth organization "Nuori Karjala/Young Karelia"  June 19, 2015 (the organization was shut down  March 25, 2016) Siberian Center for Support of Social Initiatives  June 19, 2015 ("foreign agent" status was suspended  September 21, 2016) Interregional Social Foundation for Peace in the South and in the Northern Caucasus  June 19, 2015 Informational Center "Free Inform"  June 22, 2015 (the organization was shut down  June 21, 2016) Center for Independent Sociological Studies (St. Petersburg)  June 22, 2015 Regional Organization for Population and Development  June 23, 2015 Geblerov Ecological Societ (Barnaul)  June 23, 2015 Association "Legal Basis" (Yekaterinburg)  July 3, 2015 Interregional Non-governmental Organization "Northern Environmental Coalition" (Petrozavodsk)  July 8, 2015 (the organization was shut down  December 1, 2015) Komi Human Rights Commission "Memorial" (Syktyvkar)  July 21, 2015 Altai Regional Public Fund for 21st Century Altai (Barnaul)  July 22, 2015 (the organization was shut down  March 28, 2016) Interregional Public Foundation for Civil Society Development "GOLOS-Ural" (Chelyabinsk region)  July 22, 2015 SREDA Foundation  July 28, 2015 Non-governmental environmental organization "Green World" (Nizhny Novgorod)  July 29, 2015 ("foreign agent" status was suspended  October 28, 2016) Civic Action Foundation (Perm)  August 5, 2015 Alliance of Funds of Local Communities of the Perm territory  August 11, 2015 ("foreign agent" status was suspended  October 26, 2016) Kabardino-Balkaria Human Rights Center  regional branch of the "For Human Rights" All-Russian movement (Nalchik)  August 18, 2015 (the organization was shut down  November 6, 2015) The Human Rights Center of the Chechen Republic (Grozny)  August 21, 2015 Interregional Social Ecological Foundation "ISAR-Siberia" (Novosibirsk)  August 26, 2015 Perm Regional Human Rights Center (Perm)  September 3, 2015 Siberia's lifeline (Novosibirsk)  September 3, 2015 Golos Foundation in Support of Democracy  September 4, 2015 (the organization was shut down  June 21, 2016) Jewish Cultural Center "Hesed-Teshuva" (Ryazan)  September 11, 2015 ("foreign agent" status was suspended  December 13, 2016) Sakhalin Environment Watch (Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk)  September 18, 2015 Yasavey Manzara Information and Research Center (Naryan-Mar)  September 23, 2015 (the organization was shut down  June 15, 2016) Consumer Rights and Environment Protection Association "Princip" (Moscow region)  October 5, 2015 Far East Center for the Development of Civil Initiatives and Social Partnership (Vladivostok) October 13, 2015 Russian Research Center for Human Rights  October 20, 2015 Women of the Don (Rostov region)  October 27, 2015 Friends of the Siberian Forests (Krasnoyarsk)  October 28, 2015 (the organization was shut down  December 6, 2016) Photography Club "Sobytiye" (Omsk)  October 28, 2015 (the organization was shut down  December 16, 2015) Research and Information Center "Memorial" (St. Petersburg)  November 6, 2015 Baikal Environmental Wave (Irkutsk)  November 10, 2015 (the organization was shut down  August 1, 2016) Glasnost Defense Foundation  November 19, 2015 Human Rights Institute  November 20, 2015 Center for Support of Indigenous Peoples of the North  November 27, 2015 Green World (Leningrad region)  December 2, 2015 Mashr (Republic of Ingushetia)  December 8, 2015 Woman's World (Kaliningrad)  December 11, 2015 Panorama Information and Research Center (Moscow)  December 18, 2015 Dauria Ecological Center (Chita)  December 30, 2015 (the organization was shut down  September 1, 2016) Yekaterinburg Memorial Society (Yekaterinburg)  December 30, 2015 Bureau of Public Investigations (Nizhny Novgorod)  January 14, 2016 Committee for the Prevention of Torture (Orenburg)  January 14, 2016 Institute of Forecasting and Resolving of Political Conflicts (Nizhny Novgorod)  January 22, 2016 Ryazan Historical, Educational and Human Rights Center "Memorial" (Ryazan)  February 1, 2016 Society of Assistance to Social Protection of Citizens "Peterburgskaya EGIDA" (Saint Petersburg)  February 2, 2016 (the organization was shut down  April 26, 2016) Center for Health and Social Support "SIBALT" (Omsk)  February 15, 2016 Chelyabinsk Regional Organ of Public Independent Action "Ural Human Rights Group" (Chelyabinsk)  February 15, 2016 Women of Eurasia (Chelyabinsk)  February 15, 2016 Ural Democratic Foundation (Chelyabinsk)  February 15, 2016 Legal and Social Support Charitable Foundation "Sphere" (Saint Petersburg)  March 1, 2016 Centre for Civic Education and Human Rights (Perm)  March 3, 2016 The International Development Fund for Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation "Batani" (Moscow)  March 11, 2016 Center for Social and Labor Rights (Moscow)  March 21, 2016 Arkhar (Gorno-Altaysk)  April 5, 2016 (the organization was shut down  October 6, 2016) Publishing House "Valentin Manuylov"  April 15, 2016 Tengri School of Soul ecology (Altay) - May 17, 2016 Hanse Buero / Information Bureau of Schleswig-Holstein in Kaliningrad (Kaliningrad) - May 24, 2016 (the organization was shut down  December 30, 2016) Krasnoyarsk Regional Public Organization Agency of public initiatives (Krasnoyarsk) - May 27, 2016 ("foreign agent" status was suspended  September 21, 2016) Saratov Regional Public Organization "Socium" (Engels) - May 30, 2016 Perm regional non-governmental organization "Perm Civil Chamber" (Perm) - June 9, 2016 ("foreign agent" status was suspended  September 21, 2016) Regional non-governmental organization Integration center "Migration and Law" (Moscow) - June 16, 2016 Non-Profit Partnership "ESVERO" (Moscow) - June 22, 2016 Andrey Rylkov Foundation for Health and Social Justice (Moscow) - June 29, 2016 Altai regional sport and patriotic youth public organization "Arctica" (Biysk) - July 6, 2016 ("foreign agent" status was suspended  February 8, 2017) Autonomous non-governmental organization "Free Word" (Pskov) - July 13, 2016 The Institute of Economic Analysis (Moscow) - July 22, 2016 Penza regional youth civic organization for prevention of negative phenomena among youth "Panacea" (Kuznetsk) - August 15, 2016 (the organization was shut down  December 8, 2016) Samara regional, civic organization "American alumni club" (Samara) - August 26, 2016 Autonomous non-for-profit organization "Publishing house 'Park Gagarina'" (Samara) - August 31, 2016 Levada Analytical Center (Moscow) - September 5, 2016 Environmental Watch on North Caucasus (Maikop) - September 13, 2016 Autonomous non-for-profit human rights organization "Draftee's school" (Chelyabinsk) - September 21, 2016 Foundation for support of civil freedoms "Legal mission" (Chelyabinsk) - September 21, 2016 International Historical, Educational, Human Rights And Charitable Society Memorial (Moscow) - October 4, 2016 Sverdlovsk regional non-profit foundation "Health Era" (Ekaterinburg) - October 11, 2016 Chapaevsk non-profit organization "Chapaevsk city medical personnel association" (Chapaevsk) - October 21, 2016 Regional charity foundation "Samarskaya gubernia" (Samara) - November 2, 2016 Non-profit partnership "Internet Community" (Samara) - December 13, 2016 Autonomous non-profit organization for social support "Project April" (Tolyatti) - December 19, 2016 ANNA Centre for the prevention of violence (Moscow) - December 26, 2016 Southern Human Rights Centre (Sochi) - December 26, 2016 Sverdlovsk branch of the International Historical, Educational, Human Rights And Charitable Society Memorial (Ekaterinburg) - December 29, 2016 SOVA Center for Information and Analysis (Moscow) - December 30, 2016 Sverdlovsk civic organization for assistance to legal migration "Nelegalov.Net [No Illegals]" (Ekaterinburg) - January 10, 2017 Environmental human rights center Bellona (Saint Petersburg) - January 16, 2017 Youth civic organization "Pro-movement" (Altay region) - January 25, 2017 Kaliningrad regional civic organization "Society for German culture and Russian Germans Eintracht - Soglasie" (Kaliningrad) - January 31, 2017 Foundation for development assistance to mass communication and legal education "Tak-Tak-Tak" (Novosibirsk) - February 20, 2017

And the four NGOs which registered voluntarily:

Non-commercial Partnership "Supporting Competition in the CIS Countries"  June 27, 2013 "The Union of Young Political Scientists", KarachayCherkess Republican Youth Social Organization  December 15, 2014 Regional Social Movement "Novgorod Women's Parliament" (Veliky Novgorod)  March 6, 2015 Center of Independent Researchers of the Altai Republic  June 10, 2015

Leader of at least 1 NGO faces criminal charges personally:

Women of Don (Rostov region) - criminal proceeding is in process. Chair Valentina Cherevatenko faces up to two years in prison for "malicious evasion of the duty to file the documents required for inclusion in the register of nonprofit organizations performing the functions of a foreign agent."

Copyright notice:  Copyright Amnesty International
Sri Lanka: Pledge to End Police Abuse Not Met

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 20 February 2017 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Sri Lanka: Pledge to End Police Abuse Not Met, 20 February 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58ac3ce64.html [accessed 6 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

The Sri Lankan government has not met its pledge to curtail police abuses prior to the March 2017 session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, Human Rights Watch said today. Security sector reform was one of 25 undertakings by Sri Lanka in the Human Rights Council resolution adopted by consensus in October 2015.

The Sri Lankan government has failed to repeal the abusive Prevention of Terrorism Act or take serious measures to reduce torture in custody.

"It's crucial that the Human Rights Council consider closely whether Sri Lanka made progress in the security sector as well as its other commitments such as transitional justice," said Brad Adams, Asia director. "Nearly 18 months after making important promises to the council, Sri Lanka's leaders appear to be backtracking on key human rights issues, including reforming the police."

Reform of the security sector has lagged behind action on the council resolution's four pillars of transitional justice: accountability, the disappeared, truth-seeking, and reconciliation. A recent report from the UN Special Rapporteur on torture, Juan Mendez, highlighted the ongoing "culture of torture" in the country. A 2015 report by Human Rights Watch also found that Sri Lankans routinely face torture and other ill-treatment by the police. In the vast majority of cases, the victims were unable to obtain any meaningful redress.

The government has also yet to repeal the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), which has been used to arbitrarily detain terrorism suspects and others without charge for years. During the country's 26-year-long civil war, the government asserted that the PTA was a necessary tool in its battle against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. Yet, nearly eight years after the war's end in May 2009, the PTA not only remains on the books but continues to be used to arrest and detain people.

Lawyers and relatives of PTA detainees told Human Rights Watch in May 2016 that police arrests were still being made in the notorious white vans used by the previous government, creating fear of a return to a culture of enforced disappearances. The practice has abated somewhat after an outcry from the rejuvenated national Human Rights Commission and rights lawyers. Lawyers, families, and the Human Rights Commission report having access to PTA detainees, an improvement from past practice.

"A number of those arrested in 2016 under the Prevention of Terrorism Act were implicated in committing or plotting terrorist crimes," Adams said. "Yet there was no good reason for not using the regular criminal code rather than an abusive law that should have been repealed years ago."

The Special Rapporteur on torture, following a May 2016 visit to Sri Lanka, found that torture to produce confessions, including beatings, sexual violence, extreme stress positions and asphyxiation, was being committed in police stations, military facilities and detention centers throughout the country.

Human Rights Watch's own investigations found that police routinely use torture to compel confessions for even minor offenses, such as petty theft and making illicit alcohol, and this affected all ethnicities and social groups. The Special Rapporteur described a "worrying lack of will within the Attorney General's Department and the judiciary" to investigate and take action against those considered responsible for torture, noting that authorities kept repeating to him that there had been no complaints of ill-treatment or torture, and consequently no investigations.

"Deeply embedded practices linked to the war, like police torture, don't just go away once the war is over," Adams said. "Curtailing torture in Sri Lanka requires serious reforms of the security sector, prosecutions of those responsible, and sustained political will from the top."

In June 2016, President Maithripala Sirisena issued a directive to the police and military to refrain from torture but the impact of the directive has gone unreported. Legal provisions in violation of international law remain on the books, such as permitting criminal liability at the age of 8. Ensuring the right to counsel at all stages of detention has also not been remedied.

The upcoming Human Rights Council session provides an important opportunity for UN member countries to closely examine the Special Rapporteur on torture's report and the problem of torture and other police abuse in Sri Lanka. They should press the government to address these concerns as part of the overall reform efforts underway under the Human Rights Council resolution. And they need to be careful not to endorse measures that would set back human rights protections, such as earlier draft counter-terrorism bills to replace the PTA.

"The Mendez report on torture maps out a detailed reform proposal that the Sri Lankan government should embrace and implement," Adams said. "The Human Rights Council can rev up this process by addressing torture and police reform in its review of Sri Lanka's compliance with the council's resolution."



Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Turkey: Politically-motivated trials of journalists and human rights defenders continue

Publisher Reporters Without Borders Publication Date 20 February 2017 Cite as Reporters Without Borders, Turkey: Politically-motivated trials of journalists and human rights defenders continue, 20 February 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58ac3e474.html [accessed 6 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Last week, ARTICLE 19, PEN International and Reporters without Borders (RSF) monitored the hearings of several criminal cases against journalists and human rights defenders in Turkey, all of whom face politically-motivated charges of propaganda for, or involvement in, terrorist organisations.



We are deeply concerned by the visibly political nature of these trials and the blatant abuse of the Penal Code and Anti-Terror law against journalists and human rights defenders. To date, no convincing evidence of the accused journalists' involvement in terrorism or incitement to violence has been publicly presented. The cases also raised serious concerns in terms of due process and the right to a fair trial.



ARTICLE 19, PEN International and RSF call on the Turkish government to take immediate steps to restore the independence of the judiciary, reform laws which contradict international human rights standards, ensure due process during trials and cease the judicial harassment of journalists and human rights defenders.





The trials





Representatives from the three organisations attended the following trials on 1415 February 2017:

Ozgur Gundem Solidarity Case: On Tuesday 14 February, participants monitored a hearing of 22 of the journalists, writers and human rights defenders who participated in a solidarity action with the daily newspaper Ozgur Gundem, which was forced to cease publication in August 2016. During the hearing, writer and journalist Cengiz Baysoy, peace activist Imam Canpolat and a leader of the opposition, pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party (HDP) Cilem Kucukkeles, were found guilty of "spreading propaganda for the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK)" and "releasing statements sent by PKK", in relation to the articles published on the day they acted as symbolic editor. All three were sentenced to one year and three months in prison and a fine of 6000 Turkish Liras (approx. 1500 Euro).

On 14 February, RSF also attended a hearing in a separate case against Hasan Cemal, veteran author and columnist, former editor-in-chief and now commentator for news portal T24. The author received a suspended sentence of one year and three months in prison under Article 7 (2) of the Anti-Terror Law ("making propaganda for a terrorist organisation") in relation to an article referring to a previous interview with a PKK leader.

OdaTV Case: On Wednesday 15 February ten prominent journalists, including Ahmet Sk, Nedim Sener, Soner Yalcn, Bars Pehlivan and Bars Terkoglu, made their final defense statements in the OdaTV trial. The case has been ongoing since 2011. The defendants are accused of being the media arm of a secret terrorist organisation, known as "Ergenekon"; however, at the previous hearing on 14 December 2016, the prosecutor requested the acquittal of all twelve defendants due to insufficient evidence of the existence of the "Ergenekon" organisation. A verdict is expected on 12 April 2017.

Taraf Case: Also on 15 February, the organisations monitored the third hearing in the trial of journalists and editors affiliated with the Taraf newspaper: Ahmet Altan, Mehmet Baransu, Yasemin Congar, Yldray Ogur and Tuncay Opcin. They are all charged with acquiring and divulging state secrets in relation to the Egemen military plan, an out of date military war plan to respond to a Greek invasion. Baransu and Opcin face additional charges of membership and administration of the "Fethullah Gulen Terrorist Organisation" (FETO). The hearing was cut short as Baransu, who has been in pre-trial detention for over two years and was due to present his defence, was unable to attend as he had a hearing in a separate case in Mersin.





Inconsistent, politically-motivated charges







The indictments and charges include multiple inconsistences, suggesting the influence of politics on the justice system.





For example, investigative journalist Ahmet Sk, whose hearing in the OdaTV Case was observed this week, is in the unusual position of being tried simultaneously in two separate and contradictory cases, one in which he is accused of "supporting the Ergenekon organization" on the basis of his book in 2011 criticising the Gulen movement, and another for "supporting the FETO and the PKK".





The Taraf case is also marred by inconsistencies and confusion, with an indictment that was largely copy-pasted from last year's case against Can Dundar, with his name still featuring in the text.





The series of cases relating to those involved in the Ozgur Gundem Solidarity Campaign constitute a politically motivated abuse of the Anti-Terror law against Kurdish journalists and civil society activists defending them. The charges against the defendants rely solely on their association with the newspaper, either as members of the advisory board or through columns written in the paper.





Due process and the right to a fair trial





We are concerned by multiple abuses in the defendants' right to a fair trial, and failures to observe due process.





Many of the defendants face numerous cases, with several being held in pre-trial detention, despite no clear rationale offered for this, with no indication that they will receive a fair trial within a reasonable period. This includes Mehmet Baransu, detained since 2 March 2015; Ahmet Altan, detained since 10 September 2016; and Ahmet Sk, detained since 29 December 2016. The Turkish authorities' use of indefinite periods of pre-trial detention against journalists

is in violation of international standards on the right to liberty and the right to a fair trial.





Moreover, in the Taraf case, the right to a fair trial is severely compromised by the conditions of Baransu's now almost two-year pre-trial detention, where he has insufficient access to his lawyer and the case documents, meaning that he has so far been unable to prepare his defence.





While we welcome the request of the Prosecutor in the OdaTV Case to acquit the defendants, we are nevertheless concerned that this will not enable the genuine restoration of justice for the defendants, many of whom were held in pre-trial detention, some for more than a year, during the course of the investigation. A thorough review into the criminal investigation and subsequent trials is required to ensure those responsible for the miscarriage of justice are held accountable. Urgent steps must be taken to ensure the independence of the police and judiciary to prevent the same miscarriage of justice in other cases, including with regard to the ongoing cases against journalists.





Independence of the Judiciary, national security and the right to freedom of expression





The independence of the judiciary is protected under Article 138 of the Turkish constitution, however in practice political interference in the justice system is undeniable. As noted by Nils Muiznieks, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, in his statement on 15 February 2017, elements of the judiciary have become "an instrument of judicial harassment to stifle opposition and legitimate criticism".





Moreover, as stated in our joint report issued in September 2016, the judiciary have numerous legal provisions at their disposition, which are ostensibly aimed at ensuring national security but may be used to stifle free expression. This includes overly vague provisions in the Penal Code that prohibit "propaganda" or "praising" of a terrorist organisation, as well as clauses that allow for individuals to be accused of "aiding and abetting a terrorist organisation", purely on the grounds of an act of expression about that terrorist group. This is in clear violation of international standards on freedom of expression.





In its official response to the Council of Europe, Turkey claims that those on trial are not journalists, but terrorists: that they are not charged on the basis of their journalism. To date, we are not aware of any evidence of involvement in terrorism being presented against any journalist. The evidence used against journalists appears to consist entirely of the content of their articles or news they edited.





Turkey further claimed that it "has compromised neither its efforts to strike the right balance between freedom and security nor its ultimate determination to maintain reform agenda"; and that the provisions in the penal code and Anti-Terror law fall within international standards.





We contest that Turkey has indeed failed to strike the right balance, both in law and in practice. The Johannesburg Principles on National Security and Freedom of Expression set out the appropriate balance under international law: for a restriction on freedom of expression in the name of national security to be legitimate, there must be an intentional, direct and immediate connection between the expression and the likelihood of violence. The articles in the Penal Code and the Anti-Terror law fail comprehensively to meet these requirements, with broad and undefined terms enabling the government to use them as a weapon to silence critical voices.





Recommendations to the Turkish authorities

Immediately and unconditionally release all journalists, media workers and others arrested for exercising their right to freedom of expression, without any individualised evidence of involvement in a crime;

Cease the judicial harassment of journalists and human rights defenders;

Ensure the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Justice initiate a thorough and transparent investigation into failures in previous criminal investigations and past abuses of the criminal justice system, exemplified by the OdaTV case, with sufficient safeguards to avoid further politicisation;

Take immediate steps to restore the independence of the judiciary, including by working with international partners such as the Council of Europe and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). As a first step, ensure that defendants have the right to swift judicial review of decisions, including on pre-trial detention, and increase transparency of judicial decisions, by accepting the standing offer of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights to send trial monitors, and cooperating fully with the Office on this initiative. Lift the state of emergency and reverse the measures implemented during the state of emergency which infringe the right to freedom of expression;

Reform the Anti-terror law and the criminal code, in line with international standards on the right to freedom of expression.









Background on the cases







Ozgur Gundem Solidarity Campaign





The cases: Dozens of criminal cases have been initiated against participants in the Ozgur Gundem solidarity campaign, launched on 3 May 2016, which involved nearly 100 journalists, civil society, writers and human rights defenders volunteering to be symbolic editor of the paper for one day. The defendants have been charged with "spreading propaganda for the PKK" and "releasing statements sent by PKK" in relation to the articles published on the day they were symbolic editor. The first conviction related to the Ozgur Gundem solidarity campaign that took place on 13 January 2017, when human rights defenders Sanar Yurdatapan and publisher Ibrahim Aydn Bodur received a one year and three month suspended prison sentence and a fine of 6000 Turkish Liras (approx. 1500 Euro) for their involvement.

The hearing on 14 February 2017: The hearing on 14 February involved the criminal prosecution of 22 journalists and human rights defenders for their involvement in the campaign. The defendants included Can Dundar and Said Sefa, who were absent; Cengiz Baysoy, Imam Canpolat and Cilem Kucukkeles, who were found guilty and sentenced to one year and three months in prison and a fine of 6000 Turkish Liras (approx. 1500 Euro) and Nadire Mater, Necmiye Alpay, Yldrm Turker, Hasan Cemal, Julide Kural, Murat Uyurkulak, Faruk Balkc, Kumru Baser, Derya Okatan, Dicle Anter, Ayse Batumlu, whose convictions were requested by the prosecutor and who face potential prison sentences of 10.5 years. The next hearings were set for 7, 9, 20 March, 20 April and 9 May 2017.





OdaTV





The case: The OdaTV case dates back to 2011, when 13 individuals, including ten journalists, one academic, one former police officer and one intelligence service officer who died in prison in 2011, were accused of being the media arm of a secret extreme nationalist terrorist organisation, known as "Ergenekon". At the previous hearing on 14 December 2016, the prosecutor requested that all twelve defendants be acquitted, arguing that there was insufficient evidence of the existence of the "Ergenekon" organisation.

The hearing on 15 February: On 15 February, the final defence statements were made by journalists Ahmet Sk, Nedim Sener, Soner Yalcn, Yalcn Kucuk, Bars Pehlivan, Bars Terkoglu, Muhammet Sait Cakr, Sukru Dogan Yurdakul, Iklim Kaleli, Coskun Musluk and former police officer Hanefi Avc. All said they were victims of a conspiracy involving members of the police and prosecutors with links to the Gulen movement, which at the time was an ally of the government. A large number of journalists, supporters of Sk and foreign observers (including RSF and ARTICLE 19 representatives) were unable to enter the courtroom to observe the morning session, as the hearing was held in one of the small courtrooms. Despite requests from defence lawyers to move the hearing to an alternative room, the judge said there was not a larger room available. Some were able to enter in the later session, as people left the hearing one by one. Two judges of the Court were newly appointed and therefore the verdict was delayed until 12 April 2017.





Taraf





The case: Five journalists, including previous Taraf editors and Ahmet Altan, Yasemin Congar, Yldray Ogur and Mehmet Baransu, in addition to journalist Tuncay Opcin were charged with acquiring and divulging state secrets in relation to the Egemen military plan, while Baransu and Opcin face additional charges of membership and administration of the "FETO. Baransu has been in pre-trial detention since March 2015 and Opcin has left the country. At the first hearing in September 2016, the defendants (apart from Opcin) presented their initial defence statements. At the second hearing in November 2016, Baransu was scheduled to make his defence, however he was unable to do so due to his lawyer's absence and insufficient time to prepare due to strict conditions in detention leaving him with extremely limited access to the required documents, his lawyer and a computer to study the case material. At the second hearing, a group of co-plaintiffs requested to join the case on the prosecution's side, raising concerns for the principle of "equality of arms" which relates to the balance between the prosecution and defence.
Turkey: Politically-motivated trials of journalists and human rights defenders continue

Publisher Article 19 Publication Date 20 February 2017 Cite as Article 19, Turkey: Politically-motivated trials of journalists and human rights defenders continue, 20 February 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58ac3f264.html [accessed 6 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Last week, ARTICLE 19, PEN International and Reporters without Borders (RSF) monitored the hearings of several criminal cases against journalists and human rights defenders in Turkey, all of whom face politically-motivated charges of propaganda for, or involvement in, terrorist organisations.

We are deeply concerned by the visibly political nature of these trials and the blatant abuse of the Penal Code and Anti-Terror law against journalists and human rights defenders. To date, no convincing evidence of the accused journalists involvement in terrorism or incitement to violence has been publicly presented. The cases also raised serious concerns in terms of due process and the right to a fair trial.

ARTICLE 19, PEN International and RSF call on the Turkish government to take immediate steps to restore the independence of the judiciary, reform laws which contradict international human rights standards, ensure due process during trials and cease the judicial harassment of journalists and human rights defenders.

The trials

Representatives from the three organisations attended the following trials on 14  15 February 2017:

Ozgur Gundem Solidarity Case: On Tuesday 14 February, participants monitored a hearing of 22 of the journalists, writers and human rights defenders who participated in a solidarity action with the daily newspaper Ozgur Gundem, which was forced to cease publication in August 2016. During the hearing, writer and journalist Cengiz Baysoy, peace activist Imam Canpolat and a leader of the opposition, pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party (HDP) Cilem Kucukkeles, were found guilty of spreading propaganda for the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and releasing statements sent by PKK, in relation to the articles published on the day they acted as symbolic editor. All three were sentenced to one year and three months in prison and a fine of 6000 Turkish Liras (approx. 1500 Euro).

On 14 February, RSF also attended a hearing in a separate case against Hasan Cemal, veteran author and columnist, former editor-in-chief and now commentator for news portal T24. The author received a suspended sentence of one year and three months in prison under Article 7 (2) of the Anti-Terror Law (making propaganda for a terrorist organisation) in relation to an article referring to a previous interview with a PKK leader.

OdaTV Case: On Wednesday 15 February ten prominent journalists, including Ahmet Sk, Nedim Sener, Soner Yalcn, Bars Pehlivan and Bars Terkoglu, made their final defense statements in the OdaTV trial. The case has been ongoing since 2011. The defendants are accused of being the media arm of a secret terrorist organisation, known as Ergenekon; however, at the previous hearing on 14 December 2016, the prosecutor requested the acquittal of all twelve defendants due to insufficient evidence of the existence of the Ergenekon organisation. A verdict is expected on 12 April 2017.

Taraf Case: Also on 15 February, the organisations monitored the third hearing in the trial of journalists and editors affiliated with the Taraf newspaper: Ahmet Altan, Mehmet Baransu, Yasemin Congar, Yldray Ogur and Tuncay Opcin. They are all charged with acquiring and divulging state secrets in relation to the Egemen military plan, an out of date military war plan to respond to a Greek invasion. Baransu and Opcin face additional charges of membership and administration of the Fethullah Gulen Terrorist Organisation (FETO). The hearing was cut short as Baransu, who has been in pre-trial detention for over two years and was due to present his defence, was unable to attend as he had a hearing in a separate case in Mersin.

Inconsistent, politically-motivated charges

The indictments and charges include multiple inconsistences, suggesting the influence of politics on the justice system.

For example, investigative journalist Ahmet Sk, whose hearing in the OdaTV Case was observed this week, is in the unusual position of being tried simultaneously in two separate and contradictory cases, one in which he is accused of supporting the Ergenekon organization on the basis of his book in 2011 criticising the Gulen movement, and another for supporting the FETO and the PKK.

The Taraf case is also marred by inconsistencies and confusion, with an indictment that was largely copy-pasted from last years case against Can Dundar, with his name still featuring in the text.

The series of cases relating to those involved in the Ozgur Gundem Solidarity Campaign constitute a politically motivated abuse of the Anti-Terror law against Kurdish journalists and civil society activists defending them. The charges against the defendants rely solely on their association with the newspaper, either as members of the advisory board or through columns written in the paper.

Due process and the right to a fair trial

We are concerned by multiple abuses in the defendants right to a fair trial, and failures to observe due process.

Many of the defendants face numerous cases, with several being held in pre-trial detention, despite no clear rationale offered for this, with no indication that they will receive a fair trial within a reasonable period. This includes Mehmet Baransu, detained since 2 March 2015; Ahmet Altan, detained since 10 September 2016; and Ahmet Sk, detained since 29 December 2016. The Turkish authorities use of indefinite periods of pre-trial detention against journalists is in violation of international standards on the right to liberty and the right to a fair trial.

Moreover, in the Taraf case, the right to a fair trial is severely compromised by the conditions of Baransus now almost two-year pre-trial detention, where he has insufficient access to his lawyer and the case documents, meaning that he has so far been unable to prepare his defence.

While we welcome the request of the Prosecutor in the OdaTV Case to acquit the defendants, we are nevertheless concerned that this will not enable the genuine restoration of justice for the defendants, many of whom were held in pre-trial detention, some for more than a year, during the course of the investigation. A thorough review into the criminal investigation and subsequent trials is required to ensure those responsible for the miscarriage of justice are held accountable. Urgent steps must be taken to ensure the independence of the police and judiciary to prevent the same miscarriage of justice in other cases, including with regard to the ongoing cases against journalists.

Independence of the Judiciary, national security and the right to freedom of expression

The independence of the judiciary is protected under Article 138 of the Turkish constitution, however in practice political interference in the justice system is undeniable. As noted by Nils Muiznieks, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, in his statement on 15 February 2017, elements of the judiciary have become an instrument of judicial harassment to stifle opposition and legitimate criticism.

Moreover, as stated in our joint report issued in September 2016, the judiciary have numerous legal provisions at their disposition, which are ostensibly aimed at ensuring national security but may be used to stifle free expression. This includes overly vague provisions in the Penal Code that prohibit propaganda or praising of a terrorist organisation, as well as clauses that allow for individuals to be accused of aiding and abetting a terrorist organisation, purely on the grounds of an act of expression about that terrorist group. This is in clear violation of international standards on freedom of expression.

In its official response to the Council of Europe, Turkey claims that those on trial are not journalists, but terrorists: that they are not charged on the basis of their journalism. To date, we are not aware of any evidence of involvement in terrorism being presented against any journalist. The evidence used against journalists appears to consist entirely of the content of their articles or news they edited.

Turkey further claimed that it has compromised neither its efforts to strike the right balance between freedom and security nor its ultimate determination to maintain reform agenda; and that the provisions in the penal code and Anti-Terror law fall within international standards.

We contest that Turkey has indeed failed to strike the right balance, both in law and in practice. The Johannesburg Principles on National Security and Freedom of Expression set out the appropriate balance under international law: for a restriction on freedom of expression in the name of national security to be legitimate, there must be an intentional, direct and immediate connection between the expression and the likelihood of violence. The articles in the Penal Code and the Anti-Terror law fail comprehensively to meet these requirements, with broad and undefined terms enabling the government to use them as a weapon to silence critical voices.

Recommendations to the Turkish authorities

Immediately and unconditionally release all journalists, media workers and others arrested for exercising their right to freedom of expression, without any individualised evidence of involvement in a crime;

Cease the judicial harassment of journalists and human rights defenders;

Ensure the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Justice initiate a thorough and transparent investigation into failures in previous criminal investigations and past abuses of the criminal justice system, exemplified by the OdaTV case, with sufficient safeguards to avoid further politicisation;

Take immediate steps to restore the independence of the judiciary, including by working with international partners such as the Council of Europe and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation (OSCE) in Europe. As a first step, ensure that defendants have the right to swift judicial review of decisions, including on pre-trial detention, and increase transparency of judicial decisions, by accepting the standing offer of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights to send trial monitors, and cooperating fully with the Office on this initiative. Lift the state of emergency and reverse the measures implemented during the state of emergency which infringe the right to freedom of expression;

Reform the Anti-terror law and the criminal code, in line with international standards on the right to freedom of expression.

Background on the cases

Ozgur Gundem Solidarity Campaign

The cases

Dozens of criminal cases have been initiated against participants in the Ozgur Gundem campaign, initiated on 3 May 2016, which involved nearly 100 journalists, civil society, writers and human rights defenders volunteering to be symbolic editor of the paper for one day. The defendants have been charged with spreading propaganda for the PKK and releasing statements sent by PKK in relation to the articles published on the day they were symbolic editor. The first conviction related to the Ozgur Gundem solidarity campaign that took place on 13 January 2017, when human rights defenders Sanar Yurdatapan and publisher Ibrahim Aydn Bodur received a one year and three month suspended prison sentence and a fine of 6000 Turkish Liras (approx. 1500 Euro) for their involvement.

The hearing on 14 February 2017

The hearing on 14 February involved the criminal prosecution of 22 journalists and human rights defenders for their involvement in the campaign. The defendants included Can Dundar and Said Sefa, who were absent; Cengiz Baysoy, Imam Canpolat and Cilem Kucukkeles, who were found guilty and sentenced to one year and three months in prison and a fine of 6000 Turkish Liras (approx. 1500 Euro) and Nadire Mater, Necmiye Alpay, Yldrm Turker, Hasan Cemal, Julide Kural, Murat Uyurkulak, Faruk Balkc, Kumru Baser, Derya Okatan, Dicle Anter, Ayse Batumlu, whose convictions were requested by the prosecutor and who face potential prison sentences of 10.5 years. The next hearings were set for 7, 9, 20 March, 20 April and 9 May 2017.

OdaTV

The case

The OdaTV case dates back to 2011, when 13 individuals, including ten journalists, one academic, one former police officer and one intelligence service officer who died in prison in 2011, were accused of being the media arm of a secret extreme nationalist terrorist organisation, known as Ergenekon. At the previous hearing on 14 December 2016, the prosecutor requested that all twelve defendants be acquitted, arguing that there was insufficient evidence of the existence of the Ergenekon organisation.

The hearing on 15 February

On 15 February, the final defence statements were made by journalists Ahmet Sk, Nedim Sener, Soner Yalcn, Yalcn Kucuk, Bars Pehlivan, Bars Terkoglu, Muhammet Sait Cakr, Sukru Dogan Yurdakul, Iklim Kaleli, Coskun Musluk and former police officer Hanefi Avc. All said they were victims of a conspiracy involving members of the police and prosecutors with links to the Gulen movement, which at the time was an ally of the government.

A large number of journalists, supporters of Sk and foreign observers (including RSF and ARTICLE 19 representatives) were unable to enter the courtroom to observe the morning session, as the hearing was held in one of the small courtrooms. Despite requests from defence lawyers to move the hearing to an alternative room, the judge said there was not a larger room available. Some were able to enter in the later session, as people left the hearing one by one. Two judges of the Court were newly appointed and therefore the verdict was delayed until 12 April 2017.

Taraf

The case

Five journalists, including previous Taraf editors and Ahmet Altan, Yasemin Congar, Yldray Ogur and Mehmet Baransu, in addition to journalist Tuncay Opcin were charged with acquiring and divulging state secrets in relation to the Egemen military plan, while Baransu and Opcin face additional charges of membership and administration of the FETO. Baransu has been in pre-trial detention since March 2015 and Opcin has left the country. At the first hearing in September 2016, the defendants (apart from Opcin) presented their initial defence statements. At the second hearing in November 2016, Baransu was scheduled to make his defence, however he was unable to do so due to his lawyers absence and insufficient time to prepare due to strict conditions in detention leaving him with extremely limited access to the required documents, his lawyer and a computer to study the case material. At the second hearing, a group of co-plaintiffs requested to join the case on the prosecutions side, raising concerns for the principle of equality of arms which relates to the balance between the prosecution and defence.

The hearing on 15 February 2017

At the third hearing on 15 February, Baransu was again expected to present his defence, however he was unable to attend the hearing due to also being on trial in a separate case in Mersin. The court ruled that the co-plaintiffs request to join the case was refused, as their complaints relate to the Balyoz case, which does not feature in the charges in this case.

Copyright notice: Copyright ARTICLE 19
Bahrain: Nabeel Rajab's trial to resume after nine postponements

Publisher International Federation for Human Rights Publication Date 21 February 2017 Cite as International Federation for Human Rights, Bahrain: Nabeel Rajab's trial to resume after nine postponements, 21 February 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58ac3fcd4.html [accessed 6 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Nabeel Rajab is being prosecuted for exercising his right to freedom of expression and denouncing human rights violations perpetrated by the Bahraini authorities. His arbitrary detention and judicial harassment must end now, the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (an FIDH-OMCT partnership) says today.

On February 21, 2017, Mr. Nabeel Rajab will face a series of charges, including "deliberately spreading false information and malicious rumours with the aim of discrediting the State", "disseminating false rumours in time of war", "insulting a statutory body" and "offending a foreign country [Saudi Arabia]" before Manama's Fourth High Criminal Court following the court's decision on January 23, 2017 to postpone the hearing for the ninth time. Conviction would expose Nabeel Rajab to up to fifteen years in prison.

On the same day, he will face additional charges of "spreading false information and malicious rumors about domestic matters with the aim of discrediting and adversely affecting the State prestige" in a separate case related to three televised interviews made in 2015 and 2016. This will be the third hearing of a case for which he faces up to three years in prison.

" It is crystal clear that Bahraini authorities want to silence Nabeel Rajab by keeping him in jail. But you cannot pass over in silence human rights violations, we will continue to stand in solidarity with Nabeel Rajab until he is unconditionally released ", said Mohamed Zarea, FIDH Vice President.

Nabeel Rajab, co-founder and President of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR), Founding Director of the Gulf Center for Human Rights (GCHR), Deputy Secretary General of FIDH from 2012 to 2016, and a member of the Middle East advisory committee at Human Rights Watch, has been one of the country's most vocal human rights defenders, denouncing human rights violations within the country's Jaw prison, and denouncing Bahrain's participation to the bombings of the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen [1].

Nabeel Rajab also faces prosecution following the publication on September 5, 2016 of an Op-Ed in The New York Times with his by-line, which discussed the conditions of his imprisonment and arrest. The pending charge of "intentionally broadcasting false news and malicious rumours abroad impairing the prestige of the State" carries an additional one-year prison term in case of conviction. On December 21, 2016, Rajab was interrogated in connection with a letter published in his name in the French newspaper Le Monde two days before, which urged Paris and Berlin to "reassess their relationship with [members of the Gulf Cooperation Council], which actively work against democracy and human rights and fan the flames of violence and extremism."

Arbitrarily detained since June 13, 2016, Nabeel Rajab was temporary released on December 28, 2016 and immediately re-arrested and referred to the Public Prosecution in relation to the investigation into the three televised interviews made in 2015 and 2016, which commenced in mid-June 2016 [2]. He is now facing up to 18 years in jail.

" Nabeel Rajab's detention and judicial harassment are outrageous. No evidence of his wrongdoing has been brought before the courts, exposing the authorities' relentless harassment against him ", concluded Gerald Staberock, OMCT Secretary General.

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (the Observatory) was created in 1997 by FIDH and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT). The objective of this programme is to prevent or remedy situations of repression against human rights defenders. FIDH and OMCT are both members of ProtectDefenders.eu, the European Union Human Rights Defenders Mechanism implemented by international civil society.

For more information, please contact:

 FIDH: Audrey Couprie: +33143552518 (Paris)

 OMCT: Delphine Reculeau/Chiara Cosentino: +41 22 809 49 39 (Geneva)

Footnotes

[1] See The Observatory Urgent Appeal BHR 006 / 0812 / OBS 048.27 published on January 9, 2017.

[2] See The Observatory Press Release published on December 30, 2016.
Title Study on the Feasibility of Processing Asylum Claims Outside the EU Against the Background of the Common European Asylum System and the Goal of a Common Asylum Procedure

Author Dr. Gregor Noll, Jessica Fagerlund & Fabrice Liebaut

Publication Date 2002

Cite as European Union: European Commission, Study on the Feasibility of Processing Asylum Claims Outside the EU Against the Background of the Common European Asylum System and the Goal of a Common Asylum Procedure, 2002, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58ac44504.html [accessed 6 November 2022]

Comments Co-published with the Danish Centre for Human Rights
A. v. Secretary of State for the Home Department

Publisher United Kingdom: Court of Session (Scotland) Publication Date 27 May 2016 Citation / Document Symbol [2016] CSIH 38 Cite as A. v. Secretary of State for the Home Department, [2016] CSIH 38, United Kingdom: Court of Session (Scotland), 27 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/cases,GBR_CS,58ac52084.html [accessed 6 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

EXTRA DIVISION, INNER HOUSE, COURT OF SESSION

[2016] CSIH 38

P1025/14

Lady Paton

Lady Dorrian

Lord Drummond Young

OPINION OF THE COURT

delivered by LADY DORRIAN

in the Reclaiming Motion

by

A

Reclaimer;

against

THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT

Respondent:

Reclaimer: Dean of Faculty, Ms Irvine; Drummond Miller LLP

Respondent: Webster; Office of the Advocate General

27 May 2016

Background

[1] The petitioner is a Ugandan national. On 1 July 2009 the petitioner's husband, also a Ugandan national, was granted refugee status in the UK on the grounds of fear of persecution for reasons of political opinion, and granted 5 years leave to remain until 30 June 2014. His current immigration status is unknown, although the petitioner believes him to have applied for, and been granted, indefinite leave to remain in the UK ("ILR").

[2] The petitioner's husband having been granted leave to remain in the UK as a refugee, she applied for a visa for herself and four of their children to join him. Leave which may be granted under such a visa reflects that of a type and for a period equivalent to that granted to the refugee himself. On 22 July 2010, a family reunion visa was granted for the petitioner and her three youngest children, with leave to remain until 30 June 2014. The family were reunited in Glasgow in late 2010.

[3] The petitioner and her husband separated on 6 November 2011, following an assault on her by him which had been the culmination of a series of verbal and physical abuse. She remained in Glasgow, where her three children are in full-time education, at school or university. The petitioner has enrolled at college and avers that since moving to Glasgow she has made a number of close friends, several of whom supported her during the domestic abuse suffered by her.

[4] In November 2011 the petitioner claimed asylum and humanitarian protection based upon imputed political opinion as a result of her husband's political activities, and threat from his family in Uganda as a result of her having left him. Her claims were refused on 26 April 2012, but she was granted discretionary leave to remain on the basis of family life until 25 April 2015. The decision letter accepted that she was a victim of domestic violence.

[5] On 20 January 2014, the petitioner applied for ILR as a victim of domestic abuse. That application was refused on 17 February 2014. It was considered that the petitioner failed to meet the requirements of the immigration rules for a grant of leave to remain as a victim of domestic violence, on the basis she was not the spouse of a British citizen or an individual settled in the UK. However, on the basis of their private and family life, the petitioner and her children were granted further discretionary leave to remain, until 16 February 2017.

[6] In her petition for judicial review, the petitioner sought reduction of the decision of 17 February 2014 and declarator that the relevant section of the Immigration Rules (E-DVILR1.2) was ultra vires of the Secretary of State, in that in excluding from its scope spouses or former spouses of refugees, it unlawfully discriminated directly against such spouses, in violation of articles 14 and 8 of the ECHR, contrary to section 6 of the HRA 1998. The rule was also indirectly discriminatory against women who were the spouses or former spouses of refugees, on the basis that women were more likely to be the victims of domestic violence.

The Immigration Rules

[7] The spouse (or partner) of someone who has been granted refugee status in the UK may apply for leave to remain in, or enter, the UK as a partner. They may do so under the family reunion scheme, as did the reclaimer, or they may do so under separate rules which provide for a grant of limited or indefinite leave to remain as a partner under Appendix FM of the rules.

Family Reunion Visa

[8] As noted in rule 339R, the family reunion scheme is contained in rules 352A to 352FJ of the Immigration Rules. The important point to note for present purposes is that the permission is granted to the spouse or dependent children in terms of different paragraphs of the scheme. So far as a spouse is concerned, the leave granted is referred to as leave to enter or remain as the spouse or civil partner of the refugee. The leave will be granted for the same duration as the leave granted to the refugee. The respondent had averred that the reclaimer "has never held limited leave to remain in the United Kingdom as a spouse or partner of any kind". That averment was not insisted upon in argument. It had been made at a time when her exact status had not been clear, and it was accepted that the leave granted to her under the family reunion scheme was leave as the spouse of a refugee.

Appendix FM

[9] The provisions for limited or indefinite leave to remain contained within this appendix apply not only to the partners of refugees but to the foreign partners of British Citizens or persons settled in the UK. For the purposes of Appendix FM a "partner" is defined as a spouse, civil partner, fiancee or proposed civil partner, or someone who has been living with the applicant in a relationship akin to marriage or civil partnership, unless a different meaning of partner applies elsewhere in the appendix. Section GEN.1.1 of the Appendix notes that the purpose of its provisions is to create a route to settled status for nonnationals seeking to enter or remain in the UK on the basis of their family life with a person who is a British Citizen, is settled in the UK, or is in the UK with limited leave as a refugee or a person granted humanitarian protection. A spouse or partner of someone within the latter categories may apply for permission to enter or remain in the UK as a partner. Provided that the other relevant conditions are satisfied, a qualifying person may be eligible for leave to remain which may be indefinite (ILR) or for a limited period. An applicant who meets the requirements will be granted limited leave to remain for a specified period, and subject to certain financial conditions, will be eligible to apply for settlement after a continuous period of at least 60 months with such leave. "Settlement" in these circumstances means ILR as a partner. In the most general terms, a person who, through this route, has obtained limited leave to remain as a partner and has completed a continuous period of at least 60 months with that leave, will be granted indefinite leave to remain.

Victims of domestic violence

[10] Generally, for a grant of ILR as a partner, the relationship must still be subsisting. However, specific provision is made for the grant of ILR to victims of domestic violence, notwithstanding that they had separated from their spouse. The provisions have since been amended but at the time of the decision in this case essential eligibility requirements, so far as relevant to the current proceedings, were that the last grant of limited leave must have been as a partner of a British Citizen or a person settled in the UK, and that evidence was produced to show that during that last period of limited leave the relationship broke down permanently as a result of domestic violence. Where all the relevant requirements were met the applicant would be granted indefinite leave to remain as a victim of domestic violence.

[11] The domestic violence provisions were first introduced into the rules in 2002. Prior to that, the Secretary of State had from 1999 operated a concession in relation to victims of domestic violence. At both dates, the phrase "a British Citizen or a person settled in the UK" would have included reference to a refugee, since, until 2005, an individual whose refugee status was recognised by the UK government was immediately given ILR, thus becoming "a person settled in the UK". The foreign spouse of a British Citizen or a person settled in the UK would initially be granted leave to enter for a probationary period before they would be entitled to apply for ILR. This was initially 12 months, appeared to increase to 24 months and is now 5 years. At the end of the probationary period, the spouse could apply for settlement (ILR). If, for whatever reason, the marriage broke down during that probationary period, settlement would normally be refused, since the fundamental reason for admission in the first place - to continue or commence family life - no longer existed. However, it was recognised that this put the victim of domestic violence in an invidious position. As the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department put it when the issue was debated in the House of Commons (Hansard, 24 June 1998, vol 314, cols 1023-30):

"When the overseas spouse becomes the victim of domestic violence during her first year here, she faces the prospect either of staying within that violent relationship or of being refused settlement if she escapes from it, because the marriage would then be no longer subsisting."

He went on to say:

"Paragraph 35 of the Select Committee report sets out the problem graphically. It says: Some black and ethnic minority women may be particularly inhibited from reporting domestic violence because of the provisions of immigration legislation. In essence, a spouse of a person who is present and settled in the United Kingdom is admitted to this country for an initial period of 12 months. During that period, she or he may not have any recourse to public funds, and, if the marriage breaks down, is liable to deportation. If a woman with this immigration status is the victim of domestic violence, as the Southall Black Sisters told us, she is likely to be fearful of using either the criminal or civil justice system because she realises that she is at risk of being required to leave the country, and believes that the authorities will take action against her. Consequently, her choice is stark-she must risk her physical safety or risk deportation, and she will not even have the opportunity to use the social security system if she needs refuge accommodation.  The report went on to conclude: We recommend that the Home Office inquire further into the scale of the problem, and consider what changes in IND practice might be appropriate to accommodate cases of genuine hardship whilst avoiding any collusion or deception intended to circumvent the Immigration Rules."

The Under-Secretary added:

"We want to ensure that we comply with the Select Committee's recommendation. We need to consider the nature of the problem, which involves a relatively small number of women. We must create mechanisms that prevent the exploitation of any gap in the immigration rules, and, at the same time, deal with the problem of domestic violence."

It was against that background that the concession was introduced, disapplying to victims of domestic violence the requirement to have completed the full "probationary" period of residence before an application for ILR could be made. At that stage therefore, the spouse of a refugee whose marriage broke down during the probationary period as a consequence of domestic violence would be able to qualify for ILR under the concession. To obtain such status they no longer required to continue living with an abusive spouse during the whole of the probationary period.

[12] In a written answer introducing the concession (16 June 1999), the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department said;

"We have decided to introduce a concession, which will be outside the Immigration Rules, for overseas spouses who wish to remain in the United Kingdom, but who wish to leave their partner because of domestic violence before completion of the 12 month probationary period.  An applicant whose marriage breaks down during the probationary year as a result of domestic violence may be granted indefinite leave to remain exceptionally, outside the Immigration Rules, provided the domestic violence occurred while the marriage was subsisting and the applicant is able to produce (evidence)."

[13] At the time when the concession was first incorporated into the rules (26 November 2002), the Minister for Citizenship and Immigration explained, in a written ministerial statement, that

"The domestic violence concession was introduced on 16 June 1999 in an effort to help foreign spouses or unmarried partners who wish to leave their partner because of domestic violence before completion of the probationary period. "

[14] The form in which the concession was introduced to the rules in 2002 applied to the spouse or unmarried partner of individuals who were "present and settled in the UK". Until the introduction of the 5 year initial limit of leave for a refugee introduced in 2005, an individual in the position of the reclaimer would have been entitled to claim ILR as a victim of domestic violence, since (a) she had been granted leave to remain as a spouse or partner (albeit under rule 352A rather than Appendix FM) and (b) her husband would have been a person settled in the UK.

The Lord Ordinary's opinion

[15] The Lord Ordinary concluded that the reclaimer's status as a spouse of a refugee with limited leave to remain in the UK rendered her a potential beneficiary of the provisions of article 14, if treated differently from those in other similar situations, and provided that the facts fell within the ambit of one or more of the rights and freedoms safeguarded by the convention. He was in fact satisfied that the facts of the case came within the ambit of article 8. He therefore addressed himself to the question whether, if the treatment were discriminatory, it had an objective and reasonable justification. He asked himself the question: "Does it pursue a legitimate aim and is there a reasonable relationship of proportionality between the means employed by the policy behind Appendix FM and the aims sought to be realised?" Contracting States enjoyed a margin of appreciation in assessing whether and to what extent differences in otherwise similar situations justified different treatment, and unless the policy applied was manifestly without reasonable foundation, the courts would generally respect it. The rules in question had been debated in and approved by Parliament, calling for considerable caution before a court would be justified in holding a measure passed in such circumstances to be unlawful. Spouses of British citizens or persons settled in the UK had a legitimate expectation of being allowed to remain indefinitely in the UK. The spouses of those with limited leave to remain had no such expectation "as their leave to remain is precarious and may be brought to an end, for example, by a cancellation, cessation or revocation of the refugee status". The case of Rodrigues da Silva, Hoogkamer v the Netherlands (2007) 44 EHRR 34, indicated that it was also relevant that the family life was created at a time when the persons involved were aware that the immigration status of one of them was such that the persistence of family life within the host State would from the outset be precarious. The Lord Ordinary thus concluded that:

"While there is no doubt that under section EDVILR.1.2 nonnational spouses of persons with refugee leave are treated less favourably than the spouses of British citizens and persons with settled status, the State is entitled to pursue the aim of regulating immigration for the maintenance of economic and social order, and to determine where the line should be drawn. I am unable to hold that drawing the line where it is drawn by section EDVILR is without objective or reasonable justification. A policy which grants a concession to those who already have a right to but denies it those (sic) who do not have that right is comprehensible and cannot be said to be irrational. In the light of the opinion in Rodrigues da Silva I cannot say that the provisions of the section are disproportionate. I conclude therefore that there is no room for the intervention of the court on the very limited basis available to it."

[16] The Lord Ordinary added that, had he been deciding in favour of the petitioner, he would have restricted his decision to reduction of the decision and would not have granted the declarator sought, the relevant rule being no longer in force.

The grounds of appeal

[17] The reclaimer maintains that the Lord Ordinary erred in:

adopting a "rationality" test: rationality is a minimum condition for proportionality but is not the whole test. applying an overly deferential standard of review when considering the margin of appreciation and proportionality; relying on a weak form of Parliamentary scrutiny; and applying the "manifestly without reasonable foundation" test to the proportionality question. assessing the reasonable expectation of settlement which may be held by a refugee, wrongly equiparating the position of a refugee with an illegal entrant. failing to determine whether the measure was indirectly discriminatory on the ground of sex: if so, in the absence of a justification the petitioner would have been bound to succeed. failing to assess both the aim and the effects of the measure. refusing to grant declaratory relief.

[18] The position of the respondents was that the Lord Ordinary had been entitled to decide as he did, on the basis that any discrimination (which was not admitted) was reasonably justified. The Immigration Rules distinguished between those joining partners who had a right to live permanently in the UK, and partners who had not such right. Those in the former category may well have loosened or severed ties with their country of origin, in the expectation of living permanently in the UK. That consideration did not apply to those in the latter category, who could have no such expectation, and who would be aware that they might have to leave the UK. The reclaimer fell into that latter category, having come to the UK when her husband held only limited leave to remain.

[19] The affidavit in which the rationale for the policy is set out, notes that the domestic violence provisions enable the partner of a British Citizen or someone with indefinite leave, but who has been the victim of domestic violence to apply for immediate indefinite leave, adding :

"4. The rationale behind the provisions is that these individuals will have come to the UK in the knowledge that their UK based partner already has a right to live permanently in the UK. It is reasonable for them to expect to have their future and their permanent home with their partner in the UK, so from the outset they may well loosen or cut their ties with their country of origin. The domestic violence provisions mean that someone who has come to the UK on this basis and who is the victim of domestic violence should not feel compelled to remain in the abusive relationship for the sake only of qualifying for indefinite leave.

5. Their position is therefore different from individuals who have come to the UK as the partner of someone who does not yet have settled status, but is here to work or study or as a refugee. There is no guarantee that someone here on a temporary basis will, at the end of the temporary leave, be in a position to apply for indefinite leave to remain or will wish to do so. They may well choose, or be required, to leave the UK when their leave ends or their purpose for being in the UK comes to an end and any dependants will be expected to leave with them. Their dependant partners therefore cannot, and should not, have come to the UK with any expectation that the family would be making a permanent life here but with the knowledge that they may well be required to leave the UK with their partner at the end of his or her leave. It is therefore reasonable to expect them to have retained links and ties with another country and to be prepared to leave the UK should the relationship, which is the reason for their presence, break down."

Submissions

[20] The court was furnished with written submissions on behalf of the reclaimer and the respondent. In addition, on 23 December 2015 Lady Smith granted leave to the Commission for Equality and Human Rights to enter process as interveners and to lodge a written submission not exceeding 5000 words, which was also before the court.

Submissions for reclaimer

[21] On behalf of the reclaimer, the Dean of Faculty submitted that underlying the domestic violence provision was the intention that a person within those provisions who had come to the UK as a spouse and been subjected to domestic violence should not feel compelled to remain in an abusive relationship for the sake only of qualifying for indefinite leave. It had as its aim the moral and physical integrity of victims of domestic violence, which regrettably bore disproportionately on women. In particular, statistics showed that refugee migrant women were more at risk than those who have always lived in the UK. The difference in treatment was that the benefit of the rule accrued only to the spouses of a British Citizen or person settled in the UK, and did not apply to a spouse who had come to the UK to join her refugee husband, and whose marriage broke down as a result of domestic violence. Such a woman must either stay in the abusive relationship, or lose her leave to remain in the UK, contrary to the rationale upon which the provision was based.

[22] The justification advanced for the difference in treatment, concerning the reasonableness of the spouse of a British Citizen or person settled in the UK to expect to have a permanent home in UK, was one which would apply equally to the spouse of a refugee. The position of the spouses of refugees had been wrongly contrasted with that of the spouses of those who had come to work/study in the UK and who thereby should have no such expectation. Paragraph 5 of the statement in which the justification is given equiparated a refugee without settled status with someone in the UK to work or to study. That equiparation illustrated that the line had not been drawn in the right place. Someone who came to the country to work or study was plainly in the country on a temporary basis, and was in a different position from a refugee. The justification set out in the statement suggested that the particular position of refugees had not been considered.

[23] The factual position was that unless one of limited grounds for withdrawal of refugee status, or expulsion, was made out, a refugee could expect to remain in the country after the 5 year period. The figures showed that 95% of refugees, at end of 5 years, were granted ILR.

Refugee status

[24] The starting point for consideration of the status of a refugee was that they had suffered from a well-founded fear of persecution in their own country. Refugees were admitted pursuant to the UK's international obligations under the Refugees Convention (Geneva 28 July 1951; New York 16 December 1966) and also as a matter of EU law under the Qualifications Directive 2004/83/EC. In effect a refugee had a right to asylum. In that respect a refugee was quite different from someone permitted to enter the country by choice to work or study.

[25] Refugee status was declaratory in nature. It was not a status bestowed by the state - if the status of refugee existed the state had to recognise it by the grant of asylum.

Further, the state had a positive obligation to facilitate the naturalization and assimilation of refugees under article 34 of Convention:

"Article 34

Naturalization

The Contracting States shall as far as possible facilitate the assimilation and naturalization of refugees. They shall in particular make every effort to expedite naturalization proceedings and to reduce as far as possible the charges and costs of such proceedings."

[26] This recognised as a matter of international law that it was reasonable for refugees to expect to have their future and home in the refugee state as long as they have that status. Of course the status of refugee could be lost, but the circumstances in which that could happen were limited. The refugee might effectively give up the status, for example by re-availing himself of the protection of his country of nationality; or the circumstances which led to recognition of this refugee status might have changed (article 1C of the Convention). Other than where there were grounds for considering that an individual was a danger to the security of the country, or to the community by virtue of committing a particularly serious crime, a refugee could not be expelled from the country of refuge (article 33 of the Convention). These provisions were reflected in the terms of the Immigration Rules, but they indicated that the status of refugee was not comparable to that of a student or worker. Refugees were individuals to whom the state owed obligations under international and European law and unless the status were lost under article 1C, or the individual expelled under article 33, might reasonably be expected to proceed to assimilation under article 34.

[27] Once an individual's refugee status had been recognised, he or she was likely to proceed to settlement in the UK. The same could be said of their dependents. This was made clear in the Government's Asylum Policy Instruction (1 October 2013), which explained:

"1.2 Background

A person who has been recognised as a refugee or person in need of HP [Humanitarian Protection] will usually be granted five years limited leave to enter or remain along with any dependants included in the initial claim or before the decision is made. During that period of leave, they can apply for family reunion or ask for any children born to them in the UK to be granted leave in line. When their leave is due to expire, they should apply for ILR for themselves and any dependants.

Settlement provides permission to stay in the UK permanently and freedom from immigration control. However, in specific circumstances, an application for settlement can be refused. This is when a person:

 is liable to deportation or administrative removal;

 has obtained leave by deception;

 ceases to be a refugee or person in need of HP because of their own actions

 fails to meet the requirements of the immigration rules for settlement as a refugee or

person with HP".

The policy intention was stated in that document as being to provide a route to settlement in the UK:

"1.3 Policy intention behind settlement protection

The underlying policy objective when considering applications for settlement from refugees and those with HP is to:

Ensure that the UK's obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and the Refugee Convention are met where there is a continuing need for protection and provide a route to settlement in the UK;"

As a matter of international obligation and practical expectation, whilst they may initially have a 5 year grant, unless one of a limited number of grounds applied, they would thereafter move to settled status.

The Domestic Violence Rule

[28] There was a very obviously compelling reason for the domestic violence concession, to prevent someone requiring to stay in an abusive relationship out of concern only for their immigration status, as was made clear during the discussion at the time of introduction of the concession. That concession was not framed specifically under reference to refugees, but in applying to the spouse of someone who was a British Citizen or person settled in the UK, it would have applied equally to the spouse of a refugee, since at the time of the concession, and the introduction of the rule, a refugee would have been given settled status. That the concession and the rule does not now apply to refugees seems to have been an unintended consequence of the introduction of the 5 year rule in 2005, when there appears to have been no consideration of the side-effect which this might have on the spouses of refugees who were subjected to domestic violence after coming to this country.

[29] That domestic violence had a disproportionate effect on women, especially migrant women, was commented upon in the Scottish Government's "Statistical Bulletin: Domestic Abuse Recorded by the Police in Scotland, 2010-2011 and 2011 - 2012" (30 October 2012) which noted that the percentage of incidents of female victims and male perpetrators in reported cases of domestic violence was in the region of 80%. The statistics in England and Wales were somewhat lower: about 66%. The Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (May 2011, signed by the UK but not ratified) recognised this imbalance: in its preamble:

"Recognising that women and girls are exposed to a higher risk of genderbased violence than men;"

[30] In relation to residence status, article 59 provided that:

"1 Parties shall take the necessary legislative or other measures to ensure that victims whose residence status depends on that of the spouse or partner as recognised by internal law, in the event of the dissolution of the marriage or the relationship, are granted in the event of particularly difficult circumstances, upon application, an autonomous residence permit irrespective of the duration of the marriage or the relationship. The conditions relating to the granting and duration of the autonomous residence permit are established by internal law."

Whether the status of a refugee or the spouse of a refugee is "precarious"

[31] The Lord Ordinary considered it relevant that family life had been created at a time when the persons involved were aware that the immigration status of one of them was such that the persistence of family life within the host State would from the outset be precarious. He did so under reference to the case of Rodrigues da Silva, a completely different situation where a relationship had developed when an immigrant was living in the country illegally. The case of Jeunesse also referred to by the respondent was similar, involving someone who had overstayed on a tourist visa. Such cases were a long way removed from the present case.

Legal issues arising

[32] It had not been disputed that the circumstances of the present case fell within the ambit of article 8 of the ECHR, as the Lord Ordinary found. In relation to article 14, the Lord Ordinary concluded that:

"...the petitioner's status as a spouse of a refugee with limited leave to remain in the UK in my view renders her a potential beneficiary of the provisions of article 14 if she is treated differently by the State from those in otherwise similar situations."

As to the issue of a comparator, the Lord Ordinary noted (para 20):

"I am content to follow these dicta, but nevertheless would have felt able to say that the treatment of the petitioner under Appendix FM might reasonably be compared with the treatment of victims of domestic violence whose partners are British citizens or persons settled in the UK."

[33] The rule in question drew a distinction between the spouse of a British Citizen or a person settled in the UK, and the spouse of a refugee, but that distinction had no reasonable justification. The basic approach to the question of justification could be seen in the case of R (Tigere) v Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills [2015] 1 WLR 3820 in the judgment of Lady Hale at paragraph 33:

"With those considerations in mind, I turn to the issue of justification. It is now well-established in a series of cases at this level, beginning with Huang v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2007] 2 AC 167, and continuing with R (Aguilar Quila) v Secretary of State for the Home Department (AIRE Centre intervening) [2012] 1 AC 621, and Bank Mellat v HM Treasury (No 2) [2014] AC700, that the test for justification is fourfold:

(i) does the measure have an legitimate aim sufficient to justify the limitation of a fundamental right; (ii) is the measure rationally connected to that aim; (iii) could a less intrusive measure have been used; and (iv) bearing in mind the severity of the consequences, the importance of the aim and the extent to which the measure will contribute to that aim, has a fair balance been struck between the rights of the individual and the interests of the community?"

[34] The exclusion of the spouse of a refugee was not rationally connected to the aim specified in para 4 of the policy statement quoted in paragraph [19] above, produced, which focused on expectation of permanence and the severing of ties. Neither of these factors justified the exclusion of refugees. Nor was it justified to bracket refugees with students or workers. Such an approach failed to recognise the international obligations underpinning the status of refugees and the relative prospect of permanent settlement.

[35] Counsel referred to the judgment of Lord Reed in the case of R(SG) v The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions [2015] 1 WLR 1449 as to the circumstances in which a breach of article 14 may be found:

"7 The general approach followed by the European Court of Human Rights in the application of article 14 was explained by the Grand Chamber in Carson v United Kingdom (2010) 51 EHRR 369, para 61:

'in order for an issue to arise under article 14 there must be a difference in the treatment of persons in analogous, or relevantly similar, situations. Such a difference of treatment is discriminatory if it has no objective and reasonable justification; in other words, if it does not pursue a legitimate aim or if there is not a reasonable relationship of proportionality between the means employed and the aim sought to be realised.'

8 A violation of article 14 therefore arises where there is: (1) a difference in treatment, (2) of persons in relevantly similar positions, (3) if it does not pursue a legitimate aim, or (4) if there is not a reasonable relationship of proportionality between the means employed and the aim sought to be realised.

9 In practice, the analysis carried out by the European Court of Human Rights usually elides the second element -the comparability of the situations- and focuses on the question whether differential treatment is justified. This reflects the fact that an assessment of whether situations are "relevantly" similar is generally linked to the aims of the measure in question: see, for example, Rasmussen v Denmark (1984) 7 EHRR 371, para 37."

[36] On the question of comparing refugees with those on a work/study visa it was important to note that discrimination may arise from a failure to recognise the difference between those categories, Lord Reed having gone on to say:

"12 Article 14 is not confined to the differential treatment of similar cases: 'Discrimination may also arise where states without an objective and reasonable justification fail to treat differently persons whose situations are significantly different': Pretty v United Kingdom (2002) 35 EHRR 1,para 88. An example is the case of Thlimmenos v Greece (2000) 31 EHRR 411, where this type of discrimination was first recognised."

[37] In Hode & Abi v UK (2013) 56 EHRR 27 the court noted (para 52) that:

" a difference in treatment has no objective and reasonable justification if it does not pursue a legitimate aim or if there is not a reasonable relationship of proportionality between the means employed and the aim sought to be realised. The Contracting State enjoys a margin of appreciation in assessing whether and to what extent differences in otherwise similar situations justify a different treatment. The scope of this margin will vary according to the circumstances, the subject matter and the background. A wide margin is usually allowed to the state under the Convention when it comes to general measures of economic or social strategy. Because of their direct knowledge of their society and its needs, the national authorities are in principle better placed than the international judge to appreciate what is in the public interest on social or economic grounds, and the Court will generally respect the legislature's policy choice unless it is "manifestly without reasonable foundation."

[38] Although this was an area in which the Strasbourg Court allowed States a margin of appreciation, this was different from the question of how much regard should be given in domestic law to the choices exercised by government in determining the intensity of review to be applied in assessing the justification advanced. That matter was context dependent and it was well recognised that when dealing with provisions regarding the bestowing of financial benefits, the national court should take a relatively light touch. This, however, was not a case for such a light touch. Reference was made to Mathieson v Secretary of State for Work & Pensions [2015] 1 WLR 3250, where Lord Wilson noted (para 25):

"In the Stec case 43 EHRR 1017 the Grand Chamber proceeded at para 52 to address the margin of appreciation which it should afford to the UK in relation to its social security provisions and held that it should generally respect its policy choices in that area unless they were "manifestly without reasonable foundation"; by application of that principle, it concluded that the challenges failed. Of course it does not necessarily follow that the domestic judiciary should afford a margin of equal generosity to the domestic legislature: In re G (Adoption: Unmarried Couple) [2009] AC 173, para 37 (Lord Hoffmann). Indeed this court has at last helpfully recognised that the very concept of a "margin of appreciation" is inapt to describe the measure of respect which, albeit of differing width, will always be due from the UK judiciary to the UK legislature: In re Recovery of Medical Costs for Asbestos Diseases (Wales) Bill [2015] AC1016, paras 44-54 (Lord Mance JSC)."

[39] Lord Sumption in R (Lord Carlile of Berriew) v The Secretary of State for the Home Department [2014] 3 WLR 1404 put it thus:

"29 However, traditional notions of the constitutional distribution of powers have unquestionably been modified by the Human Rights Act 1998. In the first place, any arguable allegation that a person's Convention rights have been infringed is necessarily justiciable. Section 6 of the Act requires public authorities, including the courts, to give effect to those rights. Secondly, the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights calls for a standard of review of the proportionality of the decisions of public authorities which is not only formal and procedural but to some extent substantive. As Lord Bingham put it in R (SB) v Governors of Denbigh High School [2007] 1 AC 100, para 29:

'The focus at Strasbourg is not and has never been on whether a challenged decision or action is the product of a defective decision making process, but on whether, in the case under consideration, the applicant's Convention rights have been violated The unlawfulness proscribed by section 6(1) is acting in a way which is incompatible with a Convention right, not relying on a defective process of reasoning, and action may be brought under section 7(1) only by a person who is a victim of an unlawful act.'"

[40] It follows, as he went on to point out, at para 30, that

"The court's approach to an issue of proportionality under the Convention must go beyond that traditionally adopted to judicial review in a domestic setting. The inadequacy of that approach was exposed in Smith and Grady v United Kingdom (1999) 29 EHRR 493, para 138, and the new approach required under the 1998 Act was described by Lord Steyn in R (Daly) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2001] 2 AC 532, paras 25-28, in terms which have never to my knowledge been questioned. There is no shift to a merits review, but the intensity of review is greater than was previously appropriate, and greater even than the heightened scrutiny test adopted by the Court of Appeal in R v Ministry of Defence, Ex p Smith [1996] QB 517, 554. The domestic court must now make a value judgment, an evaluation, by reference to the circumstances prevailing at the relevant time."

[41] The court therefore had to exercise a different approach to that of Wednesbury but alive to the appropriate weight which must be given to the constitutional role of Parliament.

[42] The Lord Ordinary had concluded that:

"22 Unless the policy is manifestly without reasonable foundation the courts will generally respect it.

24 A policy which grants a concession to those who already have a right to but denies it those who do not have that right is comprehensible and cannot be said to be irrational."

[43] In saying this, the Dean submitted, the Lord Ordinary erred in treating the test of manifest unreasonableness or rationality as the touchstone for his decision. Ultimately the balancing act which required to be carried out was one for the court itself. The phrase "manifestly without reasonable foundation" was a phrase from European jurisprudence, picked up in Humphreys v Revenue and Customs Commissioners [2012] 1 WLR 1545 a case concerning child tax credit. In that case, manifest unreasonableness was relied upon as the sole test, but the observations in that case had to be read subject to the decision in In re Recovery of Medical Costs for Asbestos Diseases [2015] 2 WLR 481, where Lord Mance (para 52) carefully analysed when the test might be appropriate, indicating that it was not appropriate at the fourth proportionality stage of the exercise. The analysis of Lord Mance carefully separated out the question of whether the aim was manifestly without reasonable foundation, retaining to the court the ultimate balancing of the proportionality test. Counsel noted however, that even as the UKSC was considering the Medical Costs case, it was considering the case of R(SG) in which it applied the manifestly without reasonable foundation test to the question of justification (para 11). In Tigere the court was sharply divided, Lady Hale holding that this test did not require to be applied, but Lords Reed and Sumption firmly disagreeing. However, counsel submitted that this apparent difference of view was of little effect, since even applying the higher test the difference in treatment could not be justified, for the following reasons:

1. This was a case within the ambit of A8 not A1P1 with which Humphreys and other benefits cases were concerned.

2. The nature of the discrimination. The difference in treatment was applied in the capacity of spouse but also had the practical effect of differentiating on grounds of sex, given the disproportionate effect on women of domestic violence. In the context of A14 justification, one had to take into account both the aim and the effect of the measure. This was a measure with the practical effect of affecting women more than men: where the discrimination affected such a core issue, justification would be all the more difficult to maintain. Reference was made to the judgment of Lord Wilson in Mathieson v The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions [2015] 1 WLR 3250, at para 21.

3. The primary decision maker has not specifically addressed the issue: it appears to be an unintended side effect of the introduction of the 5 yr rule. No specific consideration was given to the position of refugees.

4. The parliamentary process the rules had gone through was not particularly strong. Although the court had to accord appropriate respect to the fact that these were rules made by the Home Secretary and laid before Parliament, the level of respect to apply was far from the highest. When first introduced, there was an affirmative vote on Appendix FM; and when the rule was changed it was by negative resolution. Reference was made to MS v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2013] CSIH 52 where Lord Drummond Young (in an opinion mistakenly attributed to Lord Mackay of Drumadoon) observed:

"21 There has been some debate about the precise status of the new rules: see R (Nagre) v Home Secretary, supra , at paragraphs 25 et seq. The rules are not a statute but merely a statement by the executive of how it intends to exercise powers conferred by statute. Consequently the application of the rules in individual cases is potentially subject to judicial review. Nevertheless, the new rules have been debated in Parliament, which confers a certain degree of democratic approval. Moreover, they are instructions put forward by the minister in a democratically elected government who is charged by statute with the administration of the immigration system. To that extent, too, the rules can be said to result from democratic processes. These are factors which must be given some weight when a court considers the application of the rules, although they cannot be conclusive because the rules do not have the force of statute."

5. The justification in the affidavit and statement (paragraph [19] above] did not address the particular features of refugee status. The court did not have a considered reason or considered explanation for the exclusion of persons falling within this category from the benefit of the rule. The explanation offered did not stand scrutiny. The absence of engagement in the justification with the particular position of a refugee or his spouse, was compounded by reliance in these proceedings on cases relating to illegal migrants and overstayers and the erroneous proposition that a refugee's status was "precarious". The spouse of a refugee fell squarely within the underlying reason in paragraph 4 that it was reasonable to expect them to loosen or cut ties with their country of origin and that they may reasonably expect to have a future in the UK. When addressing the question of fair balance the court should bear in mind that the effect of the rule was to exclude the spouse of the refugee from the route to ILR under the domestic violence concession, even though the refugee may well, and probably will benefit from that ILR. The abuser got the benefit, and his spouse, who had left by reason of domestic abuse, was deprived of it.

[44] As to remedy there was a question whether the court should grant declarator under a rule which had been superseded. However, because it appears that the policy remained the same, it may be helpful for the court to grant a declarator in the terms sought.

Submissions for the respondent

Policy justification

[45] Counsel for the respondent referred to the justification for the policy as being that contained in paras 4 and 5 of the statement quoted in paragraph [19] above, which was before the Lord Ordinary and had been accepted in R(T) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2014] EWHC 2453.

Refugee status

[46] A refugee was not given an automatic, unqualified or unlimited right to remain in a host state. The Refugee Convention (Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, Geneva, 28 July 1951) provided both for circumstances in which the Convention might cease to apply (article 1C) and afforded the host state a right of expulsion (article 32). The Immigration Rules provided for a grant of limited leave to remain, usually for five years, for those to whom the respondent has decided to grant asylum. That policy had been held to be lawful (R (Algeria) & Ors v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2006] EWHC 3513 Admin).

Discrimination

[47] Any reliance upon article 14 had to be made in conjunction with an alleged breach of another protected right, and a difference in treatment would not be discriminatory if it had an objective and reasonable justification (Stec v UK (2006) 43 EHRR 47). The emphasis was not on a direct comparator but on whether differences in otherwise similar situations justified different treatment (AL (Serbia) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2008] 1 WLR 1434). Reference was again made to the judgment of Lord Reed in R (SG) paras 8 & 9. Without concluding that the treatment was discriminatory against any identified comparator, the Lord Ordinary proceeded to consider whether, if it were discriminatory, it had an objective and reasonable justification.

Justification and the standard of review

[48] Respect for Parliament's function called for considerable caution before the courts would hold to be unlawful that which was within the ambit of Parliament's review (Bank Mellat v HM Treasury (No 2) [2014] AC 700; Mathieson, para 51). Appendix FM was laid before Parliament in terms of section 3 of the Immigration Act 1971 and was the subject of debate and approval.

[49] The European Court of Human Rights accorded to contracting states a wide margin of appreciation in social and economic policies (James v UK (1968) 8 EHRR 123), meaning that the state was entitled to make policy choices which may be controversial (R (RJM) v Secretary of State for Work & Pensions [2008] UKHL 63 [2009] 1 AC 311). Those policy choices should be respected unless manifestly without reasonable foundation, including in cases of indirect sexual discrimination (Stec; Humphreys v HMRC [2012] 1 WLR 1545; R (MA) v Secretary of State for Work & Pensions [2014] EWCA Civ 13).

[50] The margin of appreciation allowed by Strasbourg in social and economic areas was such that the ECtHR would generally respect the legislature's choice unless it was manifestly without reasonable foundation. Counsel relied heavily on paragraphs 15-20 of Humphreys to submit that this was the standard of review to be applied domestically, including in cases of discrimination. In such cases one looked not at the difference of treatment but at the aim upon which it had been created. Here the aim was to treat spouses of settled persons differently from the spouses of those who were not settled, and this was the context in which the court required to consider the matter. In the Medical Costs case, the court had indicated that the margin of appreciation was not applicable in a domestic context, and the fact that a measure fell within the margin of appreciation was not conclusive of its proportionality, although it remained relevant to that issue. As Lord Nicholls had observed in Wilson v First County Trust Limited No 2 [2004] 1 AC 816:

"The court is called on to evaluate the proportionality of the legislation, not the adequacy of the minister's exploration of the policy options or his explanations to Parliament."

[51] It is not for the court to evaluate the sufficiency of the legislative process leading up to the enactment. Parliament may apply a different level of scrutiny to different types of measure, but that is a matter for Parliament. Consideration of a qualified right, such as article 8, required the court to be less astute to find disproportionality. A lesser degree of judicial activism was justified in the case of a policy which had been promulgated in a manner consistent with democratic principles. The practical effect of the quality of judicial scrutiny will depend on context. As Lord Sumption said in R (Lord Carlile) (para 34):

"In particular, it will depend on the significance of the right, the degree to which it is interfered with, and the range of factors capable of justifying that interference, which may vary from none at all (article 3) to very wide ranging considerations indeed (article 8). But the legal principle is clear enough. The court must test the adequacy of the factual basis claimed for the decision: is it sufficiently robust having regard to the interference with Convention rights which is involved? It must consider whether the professed objective can be said to be necessary, in the sense that it reflects a pressing social need. It must review the rationality of the supposed connection between the objective and the means employed: is it capable of contributing systematically to the desired objective, or its impact on the objective arbitrary? The court must consider whether some less onerous alternative would have been available without unreasonably impairing the objective. The court is the ultimate arbiter of the appropriate balance between two incommensurate values: the Convention rights engaged and the interests of the community relied on to justify interfering with it. But the court is not usually concerned with remaking the decision-maker's assessment of the evidence if it was an assessment reasonably open to her. Nor, on a matter dependent on a judgment capable of yielding more than one answer, is the court concerned with remaking the judgment of the decision-maker about the relative advantages and disadvantages of the course selected, or of pure policy choices (eg do we wish to engage with Iran at all?). The court does not make the substantive decision in place of the executive. On all of these matters, in determining what weight to give to the evidence, the court is entitled to attach special weight to the judgments and assessments of a primary decision-maker with special institutional competence."

[52] In that case, and in Bank Mellat the court recognised that, although the degree of restraint to be practised by courts domestically applying the principle of proportionality, and the extent to which they would respect the judgment of the primary decision-maker would depend on context (Lord Reed, Bank Mellat para 71) nevertheless in areas of policy of the kind under consideration in the present case, considerable respect required to be given to the policy choices made by government. In R (SG) the majority had decided that for the purposes of an article 14 claim the legislature's choice in relation to general measures of economic or social policy should be respected unless manifestly without foundation. In that case Lord Reed had observed:

"92 Finally, it has been explained many times that the Human Rights Act 1998 entails some adjustment of the respective constitutional roles of the courts, the executive and the legislature, but does not eliminate the differences between them: differences, for example, in relation to their composition, their expertise, their accountability and their legitimacy. It therefore does not alter the fact that certain matters are by their nature more suitable for determination by Government or Parliament than by the courts. In so far as matters of that nature have to be considered by the courts when deciding whether executive action or legislation is compatible with Convention rights, that is something which the courts can and do properly take into account, by giving weight to the determination of those matters by the primary decision-maker.

93 That consideration is relevant to these appeals, since the question of proportionality involves controversial issues of social and economic policy, with major implications for public expenditure. The determination of those issues is pre-eminently the function of democratically elected institutions. It is therefore necessary for the court to give due weight to the considered assessment made by those institutions. Unless manifestly without reasonable foundation, their assessment should be respected."

[53] Even if the consequence of a measure was discrimination on the ground of gender, there might nevertheless be a reasonable justification for it. It was necessary to respect the fact the Government, through Parliament, had to make difficult choices. The focus of the assessment had to be informed by the aim or objective for which the policy was introduced, rather than the practical consequence. It was for the executive to say where the balance should lie.

[54] The state was entitled to draw "bright lines" when making policy of this kind, in the interests of a workable system (Mathieson; R (Carson) v Secretary of State for Work & Pensions [2006] 1 AC 173; R (Animal Defenders International) v Secretary of State for Culture, Media & Sport [2008] AC 1312;). As Lord Bingham observed at paragraph 33 of that latter case:

"A general rule means that a line must be drawn, and it is for Parliament to decide where. The drawing of a line inevitably means that hard cases will arise falling on the wrong side of it, but that should not be held to invalidate the rule if, judged in the round, it is beneficial."

[55] Article 8 did not afford to those in relationships the right to choose where they live, nor does it oblige a state to grant the partners of refugees a right to remain (Rodrigues da Silva, Hoogskamer v Netherlands (2007) 44 EHRR 34; Jeunesse v Netherlands (2015) 60 EHRR 17; R (Nagre) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2013] EWHC 720 (Admin).

[56] Immigration rules were within the primary responsibility of the executive and the fact that there may be an adverse effect on certain groups, including gender groups, may be no more than an unavoidable consequence. The reclaimer was not herself a refugee. The spouse of a refugee may properly be compared with the spouse of a worker or student who has been given limited leave to remain in the UK, and for whom there was no guarantee of ILR. The spouse was at one stage removed from the primary individual - refugee, student, worker. The primary individual may elect not to maintain their immigration status, a refugee may return to his home country, or the circumstances there may have changed. Over and above that the status may be lost: individuals who joined asylum seekers with limited leave to remain knew that at some point the ability to continue to reside would undoubtedly come under the scrutiny of the state - that was the "certain uncertainty" of their position. If they did find themselves in an abusive situation, they were more likely to be able to leave and re-establish such ties as they had in their state of origin. That was to be contrasted with the position of the spouse of a settled person or citizen who did not have that certain uncertainty, and who was more likely, with a view to fulfilling the settled status held by the spouse, to cut ties with the country of origin. The state recognised that such individuals were in an invidious position if the marriage broke down through domestic violence. To prevent a situation where they could only stay in the country by remaining in the abusive relationship the Home Secretary introduced into the rules the domestic violence concession. There was no manifestly unreasonable justification for drawing the line where it had been drawn. This uncertainty of position of those granted 5-year leave was commented on by David, J in R (Algeria) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2006] EWHC 3513 (Admin), when the 5-year policy was introduced:

"23 There was debate before me as to the true significance of the differences between five years' initial leave to remain and indefinite leave to remain. The most important difference, as it seems to me, from the perspective of the refugee, is that it gives rise to a lack of certainty, in that if the situation in the country of origin has improved in that time, the refugee is liable to be required to be returned there."

[57] Counsel for the reclaimer had sought to emphasise that the term "precarious" had been used in cases of illegal immigrants or overstayers, but the word was not to be equiparated with illegality. Although an individual's presence in the host country might be described as "unlawful" the word used to describe the commensurate immigration status of such a person was not "unlawful" but "precarious", suggesting that the two words were not being used inter-changeably- see, for example, para 39 of Rodrigeur da Silva. Furthermore, by amendment in 2014 of the 2002 Act Parliament had introduced a requirement for the court to attach little weight to the effect of family life established in such circumstances. Section 117B provides that in relation to public interest considerations:

"Little weight should be given to a private life established by a person at a time when the person's immigration status is precarious"

[58] In Deelah v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2015] UKUT 00515 (IAC) one of the issues raised was whether:

"The adjective "precarious" in section 117B(5) of the 2002 Act does not contemplate only, and is not restricted to, temporary admission to the United Kingdom or a grant of leave to remain in a category which permits no expectation of a further grant."

McCloskey, J said:

"30. I consider that Mr Malik's submission is confounded in any event by the decision of the Upper Tribunal in AM at [19] - [33], AM (S117B) Malawi [2015] UKUT 260 (IAC), at [19]-[33] and, in particular, the conclusion enshrined in [32]:

'To put the matter shortly, it appears to us that a person's immigration status is "precarious" if their continued presence in the UK will be dependent upon their obtaining a further grant of leave. It is precisely because such a person has no indefinite right to be in the country that the relationships they form ought to be considered in the light of the potential need to leave the country should that grant of leave not be forthcoming'

Judges and practitioners should be constantly alert to this clear and concise formulation of the principle of "precariousness". More recently, in BM and Others (Returnees - criminal and non-criminal) DRC CG [2015] UKUT 00293 (IAC), the Upper Tribunal stated, in the context of a person who had been granted limited leave to enter and remain in the United Kingdom after making an asylum claim, at [107](v):

'Section 117B(5): We find that this Appellant's immigration status in the United Kingdom was at all material times precarious. All of his attempts to establish a stable, secure status in the United Kingdom were unsuccessful. It follows that the private life which he has developed in the United Kingdom qualifies for the attribution of little weight.'

31. The argument that in the Strasbourg and domestic jurisprudence a precarious immigration status generally equates to unlawful residence was not developed by reference to any decided cases. Furthermore, it is not easily reconciled with the Appellant's principal contention, formulated in [3](iv) above. In addition, in Jeunesse v the Netherlands (Application No. 12738/10), the Grand Chamber stated that the Applicant's residence in the Netherlands during a 17 year period - which, on the facts of her case, could not be described as anything other than precarious - was unlawful: see [102]. She was an alien whose presence was "tolerated" by the host state: see [103]. The precarious nature of her presence emerges clearly in the succeeding passage:

"Confronting the authorities of the host country with family life as a fait accompli does not entail that those authorities are, as a result, under an obligation  to allow the applicant to settle in the country. The court has previously held that, in general, persons in that situation have no entitlement to expect that a right of residence will be conferred upon them ".

[Emphasis added].

As the case references which follow demonstrate, there is clear and consistent Strasbourg authority to this effect. See, for example, B v Sweden (Application No. 57442/11).

32. I consider that the word "precarious" is an unsophisticated, unpretentious member of the English language. It denotes generally, something which is unstable, uncertain, fragile. It describes a state of affairs, condition or status which is bereft of guarantees and security. It is the antithesis of something which is stable, secure, certain. This is its ordinary and natural meaning. In deciding whether a person's immigration status is "precarious", the application by the court or tribunal concerned of this ordinary and natural meaning will focus on the nature, quality and reality of such status.

33. Giving effect to the principles and approach outlined above, I conclude unhesitatingly that in enacting these statutory provisions it was the intention of the legislature that a person who is granted limited leave to enter and remain in the United Kingdom as a student is possessed of an immigration status which is precarious. Such status regulates the life, arrangements and affairs of the person concerned for a measured period of time and with no assurance of continuation or extension. It does not extend beyond the short or medium term. Its effect is to convey to the beneficiary from the outset an unequivocal message, or admonition, that permission to reside in the United Kingdom for the permitted purpose and complying with all of the stipulated conditions will expire on a specified date, or sooner in certain eventualities. The immigration status of every such person is, in my view, both captured and defined by the adjective "precarious". Furthermore, Parliament has made a clear and deliberate distinction between those unlawfully present in the United Kingdom and those whose presence derives from a precarious immigration status. The suggestion that Parliament has legislated in a manner which treats unlawful immigration status as synonymous with precarious immigration status is confounded by the clear statutory language and has no jurisprudential underpinning which was brought to the attention of the Tribunal. I reject all of Mr Malik's arguments accordingly. For this combination of reasons the fourth ground of appeal must fail."

[59] It was not the legality but the absence of an entitlement to expect a further grant which created the precariousness. The government's policy reflected that difference in the character and status of a person already settled in the country, and one who was not, and informed the attitude taken to the likelihood of the spouse being in a position to return if the relationship turned abusive. As such it could not be said to be manifestly without a reasonable foundation.

The Lord Ordinary

[60] In paragraph 21 of his opinion the Lord Ordinary, regarding the treatment of the reclaimer, asked himself: "Does it pursue a legitimate aim and is there a reasonable relationship of proportionality between the means employed by the policy behind Appendix FM and the aims sought to be realised?", showing that he understood the nature of the issue and that he required to consider both the questions of legitimate aim and proportionality. He considered the justification advanced; and the weight which might be afforded to family life created at a time when the immigration status of one of the persons was precarious. He concluded that drawing the line where it had been drawn was not without reasonable or objective justification, and that not only was that not irrational, it was proportionate.

Remedy

[61] In the event that the reclaimer were successful, declarator was unnecessary and inappropriate (Mahmood v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2005] CSOH 54; Boum v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2006] CSOH 111; Mathieson, paras 49 and 61).

Written Submissions for the Commission for Equality and Human Rights

[62] In their written submissions the CEHR submitted that the correct approach to review in a case such as the present was that identified in Medical Costs by Lord Mance at para 45, namely a four stage proportionality test under which the court must decide for itself (a) whether there is a legitimate aim; (b) whether the measure is rationally connected to that aim; (c) whether the aim could have been achieved by a less intrusive measure; and (d) whether, on a fair balance, the benefits of achieving the aim by the measure outweigh the benefits resulting from the restriction of the relevant protected right.

[63] The margin of appreciation was not applicable at the domestic level, and the fact that a measure was within a national legislature's margin of appreciation was not conclusive of proportionality, although the national court must attach appropriate weight to informed choices at each stage of the convention analysis (Medical Costs, para 54).

[64] The factors relevant when assessing the margin of discretion accorded to the legislature included: the extent to which the matter was one of broad economic or social strategy; the nature of the complaint, particularly if it was one of alleged discrimination; the vulnerability of the group in question; the blanket nature of the criterion; the extent to which the decision was the result of a democratic process, in respect of which there was a spectrum with primary legislation at one end, and the decisions of unelected officials at the other: in the present case there was no evidence that Parliament addressed the issue of persons falling into the situation of the reclaimer; and the quality of the decision-maker's review of the material - a lack of consideration significantly narrowed the margin of discretion. The focus was on the discriminatory effect of a measure and not the scheme as a whole. In considering whether the measure in question discriminated against the spouses of refugees on the grounds of sex, international conventions or treaties relating to the treatment of women were relevant. Of particular relevance are: the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1979 and ratified by the UK on 7April 1986 (CEDAW); the UN Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women (UN General Assembly RES/48/104); and the Istanbul Convention.

[65] The CEDAW committee has recognised that violence against women, including domestic violence, is a form of discrimination against women. The Istanbul Convention required states to take legislative or other measures to protect all victims from further acts of violence. The international materials illustrated the breadth and extent of the State's positive duties towards victims of domestic violence.

Decision

[66] The aim of the measure in question is said to be that the spouses of those settled in the UK should be treated differently from the spouses of those without that status. The rationale for doing so is that the former are likely to have a reasonable expectation of settlement in the UK, and thus to have cut or loosened their ties with their country of origin in that expectation, whereas the spouses of the latter could have no such expectation, and would be less likely to cut or loosen those ties. In asserting that rationale, the respondent equiparates the position of refugees with those granted work or study leave. We do not accept, as a matter of fact, that this is a sound equiparation. A person admitted to the country as a student or for work is very clearly someone admitted on a limited and temporary basis, entirely at the discretion of the state. The status of refugee, as has been pointed out, is declaratory. Once it has been determined to exist the state has no discretion, in terms of its international and humanitarian obligations, but must grant asylum. The worker or student enters the country by choice; the refugee out of necessity. The circumstances in which refugee status may be lost are extremely limited, and can in no reasonable way be compared to the situation applying to a worker or student. Once refugee status is acknowledged, international obligations require the state to facilitate assimilation and naturalisation, again a situation quite different from that of a worker or student. Accordingly, whilst we accept that it is not reasonable for the spouses of students or workers to have any reasonable expectation of having their future and a permanent home in the UK, and that such spouses are less likely to cut or loosen their ties with their country of origin than the spouses of British Citizens or persons with settled status, we cannot accept that this applies equally to the spouses of refugees. One can readily see that the spouse of a worker or student can have no reasonable expectation of having their future life or a permanent home in the UK, and that they would not be expected to cut or loosen their ties with their country of origin. The same cannot be said of the spouse of a refugee. A refugee is not in this country as a matter of choice or selection in the way that a student or worker may be: they have been admitted to the country because they have a well-founded fear of persecution in their own country. The idea that the spouse of such a person might be any less likely "from the outset to loosen or cut their ties with their country of origin" seems to us to be fanciful. Such an approach ignores several aspects of the reality of the position of a refugee.

[67] Statistical material before the court (which was not disputed by the respondent) indicates that some 95% of refugees granted 5 year limited leave to remain are granted ILR at the end of the 5 year period. That accords with the view of the AIT quoted in para 47(17) A (Afghanistan) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2009] EWHC Civ 825 that:

"while refugee status is said to be subject to 'active review' at this point, in practice indefinite leave is nearly always granted".

[68] The justification fails to recognise the factors which we have just mentioned: namely, that although refugee status may be lost, or a refugee expelled, the grounds upon which either might occur are significantly limited, not simply as a matter of domestic law, but as a matter of international law; and the effect of article 34 of the Refugee Convention.

[69] Accordingly unless the status of refugee is lost in terms of article 1C, or there are grounds for expulsion in terms of article 33, a refugee can reasonably expect to proceed to assimilation and naturalisation under article 34 and to ILR. Proceeding to settlement at the end of the 5 year period is very much the rule, rather than the exception. These considerations in our view indicate that the position of a refugee is in no way to be equiparated with that of a student or worker, and the spouse of a refugee corresponds much more closely to the spouse of a British Citizen or person settled in the UK.

[70] Insofar as the Lord Ordinary accepted that a refugee could be equiparated with someone in the UK on a work or study visa, and considered that the spouse of a refugee was not entitled to have any reasonable expectation of proceeding to have a future life and permanent home in the UK, we consider that he misdirected himself.

[71] The Lord Ordinary considered it relevant that family life was created at a time when the immigration status of one of the parties was such that family life within the host state would from the outset be precarious. We accept the submission of counsel for the respondent, as observed in Deelah, that "precarious" does not mean "unlawful" but we do not consider that this advances his argument. We would observe that in none of the cases cited to us in which the term "precarious" has been applied was that term applied to the immigration status of a refugee with 5-year limited leave to remain. Family life established by a refugee pre-flight and which lawfully subsists post-flight cannot be compared to family life established post-flight and in the full knowledge that one of the parties has no right to stay at all. The respondent relied heavily upon the observations of McCloskey J in Deelah but (a) the observations were obiter, since the issue was held not to arise; (b) the case related to a student; and (c) the analysis at paras 32 and 33, whilst appropriate to a student/worker, does not apply equally to refugees, largely for the reason we have already given.

[72] Although in R (Algeria) Davis J recognised that the 5-year initial limited leave introduced in 2005 gave "rise to a lack of certainty, in that if the situation in the country of origin has improved in that time, the refugee is liable to be required to be returned there", he went on to add:

"24 As against that, as pointed out by Mr Otty QC appearing on behalf of the Secretary of State, it is fundamental to the new policy that a refugee will not be liable to be returned unless the situation in his home country has sufficiently changed on a "significant and non-temporary basis" so as to render it safe to do so. It is said that such a decision to return would call for the appropriate objective country information; that each case would be reviewed on its own merits; and further that there would be the potentiality for appeals and for the raising of any Article 8 points in individual cases that may have arisen. Overall, it is submitted, and I agree, that the grant of five-year leave to enter or remain, subject to further review, is significant and valuable protection."

[73] This "significant and valuable protection" is an important consideration: the fact that the position of a refugee may come under review may indeed introduce a degree of uncertainty, compared to the secure position of a settled individual, but that is not by any means to say that his position must therefore be considered "precarious". We consider that insofar as the Lord Ordinary appears to have considered that the immigration status of the reclaimer's husband was "precarious" he was in error.

[74] Rule 339B of the Immigration Rules provides:

"When a person's refugee status is revoked or not renewed any limited or indefinite leave which they have may be curtailed or cancelled"

[75] It will be seen therefore that the respondent's arguments as to the "certain uncertainty" of position relative to a refugee with limited leave to remain would apply to a settled refugee, yet the spouse of the latter could obtain the protection of the domestic violence concession, whilst the spouse of the former could not. In our view this significantly weakens the respondent's argument, making it very difficult to justify the difference in treatment on the basis which has been advanced.

[76] The history of the provisions shows that when introduced as a concession, and when initially that concession was included in the rules, it applied equally to the spouse of a refugee as to the spouse of a citizen. The difference in treatment arose not directly under these provisions, but as a consequence of the introduction, in 2005, of a policy granting in the first place a 5-year limited leave to refugees. The effect of that change was that refugees would not acquire settled status until after the expiry of that period, and hence until then their spouses would be excluded from the operation of the domestic violence concession. The reasons for the policy change in 2005 were examined in R (Algeria) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2006] EWHC 3513 (Admin):

"20 On 19 July 2005 there was a written ministerial statement by Mr Tony McNulty, Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Nationality, in the course of which he said this: 'I am also announcing today that from 30 August onwards refugees will be granted five years limited leave in the first instance, rather than immediate settlement as at present. If there is a significant and non-temporary change in conditions in a country, we would consider whether this should, in line with the Convention's cessation clauses, trigger a case by case review of the position of all or some refugees from that country with limited leave '

21 There were no formal changes to the Immigration Rules at this time to give effect to the new published policy. In the event, on 25 August 2005 there was issued a guidance note by the Immigration and Nationality Appeals Directorate as operational policy guidance headed:

'Changes to Refugee Leave and Humanitarian Protection from 30 August 2005'".

That guidance note included the following passage:

"Family reunion and other benefits

The change to the period of leave being granted will not affect refugees' other rights. They will still be entitled to family reunion, travel documents and to use the welfare state/NHS, as they are now. Family reunion rights will be extended to those who are granted leave on Humanitarian Protection grounds on or after 30/8/05. These people will now be able to be joined by their spouses, minor children etc on the same terms as are available to refugees."

[77] The guidance note indicated that those who had been granted leave as a refugee would be subject to review of their claims if, during their initial 5-year leave, Ministers were satisfied that there had been a "significant and non-temporary change in the conditions in their country". It went on to observe that:

"If that happens, then a decision will be taken on whether they still qualify for asylum/HP and, if they do not, their leave will be curtailed so that no leave remains. Any such curtailment would attract a right of appeal. However, a person who ceases to qualify for asylum or HP may qualify for leave on some other basis (for instance on article 8 grounds, in which case DL may be appropriate). In such cases, leave will be varied rather than removed altogether."

[78] The guidance note recorded that leave would also be reviewed or curtailed where the refugee had brought himself within the cessation provisions, had acquired his status by fraud, or had committed a serious crime, noting that:

"However, provided this does not happen, and the person applies in time for further leave before his/her initial grant expires, s/he will be granted ILR/E provided s/he does not fall within the exclusion or cessation provisions of the Refugee Convention, and has not been convicted of a particularly serious crime, and provided his/her presence here is not otherwise deemed to be unconducive to the public good (see paragraph 5.4 of the API on Limited Leave or, for HP cases, para 2.5 of the API on HP for further details)."

[79] Neither in the explanation given in that case for the 2005 changes nor in argument before this court was any material or submission advanced to indicate that at the time of those changes any consideration had been given to the effect on the spouses of refugees who might otherwise have been able to avail themselves of the domestic violence concession. The concession was not framed specifically under reference to refugees, or their spouses, and it seems that no thought was given to the position of the spouses of refugees, who, until 2005, would have been entitled to seek to avail themselves of the concession. The justification advanced to the court did not address the considerations applicable to refugee status at all: there is no considered reason placed before the court for the exclusion of such individuals from the operation of the concession. No consideration was given to the question whether it would be appropriate to equiparate refugees and their spouses with workers/students and their spouses, and so remove them from the protection afforded by the concession. Equally, no consideration was given to whether the effect of the changes would be consistent with the underlying aim of the domestic violence concession that the victims of domestic violence should not be required to stay in an abusive relationship, or the extent to which it was consistent with the government's policy of supporting international measures aimed at the elimination of violence towards women. There was no material before us to suggest that it was the view of the government that there was an aim being pursued which was thought sufficiently important to justify regulations having this difference in treatment, including an effect which was not disputed as being indirectly discriminatory to women. There was ample material before us - which was not contested - to suggest that women are significantly more likely to be the victims of domestic violence than men are. Scottish Government figures for 2011-2012 indicate that 81% of recorded incidents of domestic violence involved a female victim and a male perpetrator. Statistics in England & Wales show a different balance, but one which is still indicative of a female victim/male perpetrator balance in two-thirds of cases.

[80] This is not in our view a case in which a policy choice on the critical question has in fact been made, with due consideration of the issues, looked at in the light of the government's policy both in relation to refugees and domestic violence. In the absence of any such choice or consideration, or any reasonable basis upon which a refugee could be equiparated to a worker/student, or the reasonable expectations of their spouses being as limited as those of the spouses of students/workers, and having regard to the effect on the spouses of refugees, as well as the underlying aim of the domestic violence concession, we cannot say that the difference in treatment is proportionate. The position of those such as the reclaimer has simply not been brought into consideration. The effect on them is not an informed choice made by government upon due consideration, but appears to be an unintended by product of the changes introduced in 2005. We do not require to examine in depth the issue of the standard of review, because we are satisfied, even on the application of the higher test of whether the justification is manifestly without foundation, that the justification must be found wanting. We fully agree that policy choices of government are deserving of significant respect and we would not demur from the application of such a test. We note, however the words of Lord Dyson in R (MA) v Secretary of State for Work & Pensions [2014] PTSR 584:

"60 I acknowledge that, despite the fact that we should (i) apply the manifestly without reasonable foundation test and (ii) exercise considerable caution before interfering with the scheme approved by Parliament, we are obliged to scrutinise carefully the reasons advanced by the Secretary of State in justification of his scheme: see the Humphreys case [2012] PTSR 1024, para 22 and R (Aguilar Quila) v Secretary of State for the Home Department (AIRE Centre intervening) [2012] 1 AC 621, paras 45, 46 and 61, per Lord Wilson JSC. That is particularly important since we are dealing with a vulnerable group (disabled persons) and the discrimination is closely connected with their disabilities"

[81] We also recall the comments of Lord Neuberger in R (RJM) v Secretary of State for Work & Pensions [2009] 1 AC 311 that the court should be slow to substitute its views for those of the executive:

"57 The fact that there are grounds for criticising, or disagreeing with, these views does not mean that they must be rejected. Equally, the fact that the line may have been drawn imperfectly does not mean that the policy cannot be justified. Of course, there will come a point where the justification for a policy is so weak, or the line has been drawn in such an arbitrary position, that, even with the broad margin of appreciation accorded to the state, the court will conclude that the policy is unjustifiable. However, this is not such a case, in my judgment."

[82] For the reasons given, even allowing full weight to the element of discretion to be accorded to the executive, we consider that this is a case in which the line has been drawn effectively by oversight, and where the justification advanced is weak to the extent of being unjustifiable. We accordingly allow the reclaiming motion and reduce the decision of the Secretary of State dated 17 September 2014 to refuse the petitioner's application for ILR. We have decided not to grant the declaratory sought, on the view that it is not necessary in this case.
Stephen Colbert Trump Sweden final

During a rally in Melbourne, Florida, on Friday, President Donald Trump made a baffling comment that seemed to refer to an incident in Sweden that had occurred involving immigrants that was on par with the terrorist attacks in Germany and France.

It turned out there was no such incident and Stephen Colbert pounced on it for his opening on Monday night's "The Late Show."

"No one would believe that," Colbert said after playing the video of Trump's comments at the rally. "Well, not no one, but maybe someone who skips their intelligence briefings."

Following the Trump comments, former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt took to Twitter to mock Trump, asking, "What has he been smoking?"

Sweden? Terror attack? What has he been smoking? Questions abound. https://t.co/XWgw8Fz7tj  Carl Bildt (@carlbildt) February 19, 2017

Colbert jokingly answered Bildt's question: "What has he been smoking? Vladimir Putin's d---?"

"But let's be real here," Colbert continued. "This is the President of the United States. He has access to every and the latest intel at all times. Sir, for real, where did you get your information from?"

Colbert then put up a tweet Trump sent out following the Friday rally saying that he got the information from watching Fox News.

My statement as to what's happening in Sweden was in reference to a story that was broadcast on @FoxNews concerning immigrants & Sweden.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 19, 2017

"Oh, I guess Trump only accepts intelligence reports with the logo, 'As seen on TV,'" Colbert said.

"Tragically, Sweden is the third not a terrorist attack that has not shocked the world in the last month," Colbert said to end his opening. "First, there wasn't the Bowling Green Massacre, then no one was lost in Atlanta, and now it's not Sweden's turn. When will it begin?"

Story continues

Colbert then played a tribute video to those who did not suffer, which included Swedish Fish, ABBA, and Ikea.

Watch the entire Colbert opening below:

NOW WATCH: 6 details you may have missed in the 'Stranger Things' season 2 trailer





More From Business Insider


Title R (on the application of Quila and another) (FC) & R (on the application of Bibi and another) (FC) v. Secretary of State for the Home Department

Publication Date 12 October 2011

Citation / Document Symbol [2011] UKSC 45

Cite as R (on the application of Quila and another) (FC) & R (on the application of Bibi and another) (FC) v. Secretary of State for the Home Department, [2011] UKSC 45, United Kingdom: Supreme Court, 12 October 2011, available at: https://www.refworld.org/cases,UK_SC,58ac58494.html [accessed 6 November 2022]
Humanitarian situation worsens in Myanmar despite Aung San Suu Kyi

Publisher IRIN Author Paul Vrieze Publication Date 21 February 2017 Cite as IRIN, Humanitarian situation worsens in Myanmar despite Aung San Suu Kyi, 21 February 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58ac5d8b4.html [accessed 6 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

The crops were almost ready to harvest when fighting forced Naw Tin Swe's family to flee to this camp on Myanmar's eastern frontier where food supplies always seem to be running low.

"We had to leave our rice, our corn, our firewood," said Naw Tin Swe. "Someone else maybe took it. We are so poor now."

Naw Tin Swe is among about 5,500 people who have been stranded since September in Myaing Gyi Ngu, an area in Kayin State where relief supplies trickle in only sporadically as international aid agencies are largely blocked.

The military and its Border Guard Force militia sent people to Myaing Gyi Ngu when they began operations against a faction that had broken away from the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army, a former insurgent group that signed a "Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement" in 2015.

The NCA was a centrepiece of the previous government's attempts to forge a peace deal with ethnic armies, some of which started fighting shortly after Myanmar's independence from Britain in 1948. But only eight of the 15 groups invited to sign did so. Others were excluded from the process, which wrapped up just before elections ushered in a parliamentary majority for Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy.

Many hoped that Aung San Suu Kyi's electoral triumph would revive peace negotiations. The talks were fraught with distrust between the ethnic armed groups and the government, which was led by a party mainly comprised of former officers of the military that had ruled Myanmar for 49 years.

While expectations were high, Aung San Suu Kyi actually has limited influence over security matters. A military-drafted constitution reserves a quarter of parliamentary seats for serving officers and puts key ministries in military hands. The constitution allows no civilian oversight for military operations, which means that Aung San Suu Kyi's government does not have control over the military offensives in Myanmar's northern Kachin and Shan states, or western Rakhine State.

What Aung San Suu Kyi does have is a lot of political capital, and she has been criticized for failing to expend some of it to stand up to the generals. As horrific reports of atrocities committed against Rohingya civilians emerged, her government's response has been outright denial in defence of the military. To the dismay of some ethnic leaders, she has not condemned the military's intensifying offensives in the north. Instead, she implored them to sign the NCA.

"I want to request of national ethnic groups who have not signed yet the cease fire treaty to sign with bravery and self confidence," Aung San Suu Kyi said in a 12 February speech.

Almost a year after the NLD took power, the picture is grim. Fighting has gotten worse, and the government was forced to call off the next round of peace talks scheduled for 28 February. As the security situation has declined, so has access to those affected, with humanitarian groups saying the government is preventing them from bringing aid to displaced people.

The situation is so bad that the UN's special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, Yanghee Lee, recently told IRIN that she would call for a "special session" at next month's Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva. At the moment, she is scheduled to present her report on 13 March, which will be followed by a two-and-a-half hour discussion.

"That's just not enough," she said.

Lee mentioned in particular the recent assassination of Ko Ni, a respected legal advisor to the NLD and a prominent Muslim, the surge in fighting in northern Myanmar, and alleged abuses of ethnic Rohingya during military counter-insurgency operations in western Rakhine State.

Myanmar government spokesman Zaw Htay did not answer phone calls to respond to IRIN's questions about the deteriorating situation.

Humanitarian access

The UN says about 218,000 people are displaced inside Myanmar, mostly in temporary camps in Kachin, Shan and Rakhine states. Many of them fled after ceasefires broke down in Shan and Kachin in 2011, and when mobs of nationalist Buddhists chased minority Rohingya Muslims from their homes in 2012.

Another 100,000 people or so more recently fled their homes. They include people like Naw Tin Swe in Kayin State, as well as thousands more in Shan and Kachin who have escaped clashes between ethnic armies and government forces. But the vast majority are Rohingya and most of them escaped over the border to Bangladesh.

More than 73,000 Rohingya have arrived in Bangladesh since the military launched operations in October in Maungdaw, a border township, and the UN estimates that another 24,000 are internally displaced.

Amid reports of atrocities committed by the military against Rohingya civilians in Maungdaw, the government refused access to media as well as aid agencies. The World Food Programme reported that it has recently been allowed to distribute some relief items, but restrictions remain in place in Rakhine, as well as other regions in the north and east.

"Humanitarian access to conflict areas in Myanmar is currently worse than at any point in the past few years," said Pierre Peron, a spokesman for the UN's emergency aid coordination body, OCHA.

Not enough food

In this remote corner of Kayin State, camp managers complain that the government is hindering international aid delivery and said they relied on limited food donations from authorities and local community groups.

"We want foreign organisations to support us, but sometimes the Burmese government doesn't allow it," said camp leader Saw Paing Paing, using Myanmar's former name. "We don't know why."

He showed IRIN the remaining supplies: enough rice, beans and onions to feed the camp for four more days, plus 300 kilograms of vegetables donated that day by a local group.

Arsen Sahakya, a WFP spokesman, confirmed that the organisation "does not have unfettered access to the camp" and that it had only been allowed to deliver two months worth of rations of high energy biscuits for children in October and November. He said state authorities told WFP there was no need for its assistance.

People in the camp disagreed, including Naw Kin Yin, who is seven months pregnant.

"(The food) is not really enough for me and the baby," she said, adding that rations sometimes run out before everyone is fed. "Sometimes I go hungry, if I'm late and I miss the rice distribution."
Everything you need to know about the latest Syria peace talks

Publisher IRIN Publication Date 21 February 2017 Cite as IRIN, Everything you need to know about the latest Syria peace talks, 21 February 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58ac5e684.html [accessed 6 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Key Points

Rebel divisions have prevented the formation of a broadly representative delegation

The main Kurdish group on the ground has been kept out of the talks

Political transition officially remains on the table, but talks will focus on governance issues

Talks will likely fail and, in the long run, Bashar al-Assad will likely remain in power

Hopes are low for the Syrian peace talks set to begin on Thursday in Geneva, but that may not matter much. As the war in Syria moves towards a strategic endgame, the faltering peace process has begun to drift away from its past focus on a political transition, a shift that will ultimately have major ramifications for the country's future.

The results of the two preceding rounds of talks in the Kazakh capital of Astana have been somewhat underwhelming. Conceived of as a political track to complement the ceasefire declared by Russia, Turkey, and Iran on 30 December, last week's round failed to even adopt a closing statement. While Moscow trumpets the signing of a trilateral truce-monitoring agreement, it appears to be another hollow statement of intent without a credible enforcement mechanism.

Astana's role in the peace process is separate, but not unimportant. American diplomats (who attended as observers along with Jordan and UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura) seem content with letting Russia lead the way. Like other Western and Arab nations, they remain unwilling to give their full blessing to the Astana track, fearing it will be used by Russia and Iran to displace de Mistura's UN-led process in Geneva.

Turkey, too, has signalled that the two tracks should be kept apart. "Astana has never been an alternative to Geneva," Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Sunday, adding that although Astana has been "a good confidence-building measure and helpful to maintain a ceasefire", the UN-led talks in Geneva remain "the main basis for the political solution and transition".

Indeed, Geneva has been at the centre of international peace efforts since the Syrian conflict began in 2011.

In June 2012, the United States, Russia, and other nations gathered there for a meeting, later dubbed Geneva I, producing a final statement that did not explicitly mention Syrian President Bashar al-Assad but demanded a "transitional governing body" to administer the end of his political system. Its 2012 document served as a guiding framework for Syrian-Syrian talks in January and February 2014 ("Geneva II") and also influenced the negotiating round in February 2016 ("Geneva III"). So now, the time has come for Geneva IV - but these negotiations may do more to widen rifts than to heal them.

Who represents the Syrian opposition?

The Syrian war is multi-sided and the country is split into enclaves held by four main actors: al-Assad's government, the so-called Islamic State (IS), the Rojava region ruled by Syrian Kurds, and the mostly Sunni Arab rebels in northern Syria, near Homs, Damascus, and on the Jordanian border.

While al-Assad's regime and the Rojava Kurds are centrally governed and capable of picking their own negotiators (and IS is excluded from the talks), the Sunni Arab rebels suffer from crippling internal divisions that have prevented them from forming a representative delegation.

In October 2015, an opposition conference in the Saudi capital of Riyadh elected a High Negotiating Committee (HNC) to serve as the rebels' diplomatic representative. The HNC has been endorsed by most of the opposition factions who rely on support from Turkey, Saudi Arabia, the United States, Qatar, France, the United Kingdom, and Jordan. That includes a number of second and third tier armed insurgent groups, such as the Eastern Ghouta-based Islam Army and its local rival Failaq al-Rahman, the Muslim Brotherhood-linked Failaq al-Sham, and a smattering of smaller Free Syrian Army-flagged factions in the Jordanian and Turkish borderlands.

However, the two biggest factions in rebel-held Syria refuse to be represented by the HNC. Tahrir al-Sham, which is dominated by hardline Islamists with strong ties to al-Qaeda, views the HNC as a counter-revolutionary pawn of the West and opposes negotiations altogether. Another big Islamist group, Ahrar al-Sham, has responded to Turkish prodding by accepting the principle of negotiations, but it remains internally divided and wary of provoking a clash with Tahrir al-Sham.

With neither of these factions bound by deals in Geneva, the HNC may still negotiate, but it would have great trouble implementing any far-ranging agreement - a point not lost on al-Assad's government.

The anti-HNC factions

The run-up to Geneva II and III saw Moscow push for the inclusion of unaffiliated secular-leftist dissidents in the HNC delegation, as a way of shaping opposition representation and stirring up conflict among al-Assad's rivals.

The Russian-backed groups are very small, hostile to armed rebellion, and typically seek some sort of compromise with the Syrian government. Although some have a genuine dissident background, others do not and appear connected to patrons in Damascus or Moscow. HNC members tend to view them as enemy spies and want nothing to do with them.

Before Geneva IV, members of the HNC reportedly held preliminary talks with the two best-known rival opposition groups, known as the Cairo and Moscow platforms. But the HNC then moved to create a delegation drawn from its own membership and from the armed rebels, led by anti-al-Assad dissidents Mohammed Sabra and Nasser al-Hariri.

Either out of deference to Turkey or to avoid undermining the Astana talks, Russia does not seem to have pushed very hard this time around. It has allowed the HNC to shrug off demands from the alt-opposition.

The HNC "offered us one figure to join" their delegation, Cairo Platform head Jihad Makdissi told IRIN, dismissing it as "a cosmetic offer, like the offers of the Baath Party in Syria to other parties".

The Cairo Platform - a small but politically savvy set of bone-hard secularists - has instead opted to create its own five-member delegation to Geneva. It has reportedly been invited as an "independent" delegation by Staffan de Mistura. Meanwhile, long-time Kremlin ally and former Syrian deputy prime minister Qadri Jamil has announced that his Moscow Platform will boycott Geneva IV altogether, after it was spurned by the HNC.

As for the lesser pseudo-opposition groups - the Kremlin-friendly Astana Platform of Randa Qassis, Elian Massoud's Damascus-based Hmeymim Platform, and the leftover dissidents assembled by Louai Hussein in Beirut - their involvement now seems as unlikely as it is unimportant. They may still use Russian, Syrian, and Iranian media to attack Geneva IV from the sidelines, but international attention will be tightly focused on the al-Assad government and the HNC, which can both credibly claim to speak for fighters inside Syria - albeit not all of them.

The Kurds: left out again

Apart from the groups considered terrorists by the UN (including IS and Tahrir al-Sham), Geneva IV will also exclude another powerful group, namely the dominant Syrian Kurdish faction in the region known as Rojava. Effectively a regional branch of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, it operates several groups inside Syria, including a political wing called the Democratic Unity Party, or PYD.

The PYD has long sought to enter the peace process. Many foreign diplomats agree in principle, sensing that the political flexibility and limited ambitions of the PYD could allow it to bridge gaps between al-Assad and other Syrian actors.

But Ankara adamantly refuses to allow any role for groups linked to the PKK, which is involved in a renewed fight with the government in southeast Turkey.

Turkish diplomats say Syria's Kurdish regions would be better represented by sprinkling a few Ankara-friendly Kurdish exiles over the HNC delegation. While this is self-evidently untrue, Turkey has unmatched leverage over the HNC and its Sunni Arab rebel allies, and Ankara's ultimatum effectively forces the UN to choose between having no Kurds or no anti-al-Assad insurgents. This is what led to the PYD's exclusion from talks in 2014 and 2016, as well as from the Astana process.

It is now about to happen again, to the chagrin of PYD leaders, who point out that they are one of the most powerful groups in the country.

"There can be no true peace in Syria without the inclusion of the Kurds," insisted PYD foreign representative Sheruan Hassan in an email to IRIN, adding, "we want to be included in real negotiations, in Geneva or elsewhere, to find a lasting solution to the conflict." He will likely have to wait a while longer.

So what will happen in Geneva?

Although de Mistura's spokesperson Yara Eid Sharif told IRIN the UN has yet to arrive at a final list of delegates, the basic line-up seems reasonably clear.

A delegation from Damascus, likely led by al-Assad's UN ambassador Bashar al-Jaafari, will face off against an HNC-dominated delegation representing a reasonably significant, foreign-backed slice of the Sunni Arab insurgency, minus Ahrar al-Sham.

In addition, a few freelancing mini-delegations, maverick independents, and friends of Russia will be found chain-smoking in Geneva hotel lobbies, trying to work the media and wriggle into the conference hall, though their official status remains unclear and de Mistura seems eager to keep it that way.

In other words, Geneva IV will not host all the factions fighting in Syria, but this could still have been a useful start to actual negotiations. Unfortunately, there has been very little in the way of preparatory international meetings, which have in the past been necessary to pave the way for meaningful interaction between the Syrian parties.

"A viable diplomatic track is unlikely unless and until state backers on both sides narrow the gaps among themselves, and apply serious pressure on their Syrian allies," International Crisis Group's senior Syria analyst Noah Bonsey told IRIN. "Meetings in Astana between Turkey, Russia, and Iran could in theory produce a step in that direction, but the unravelling of the ceasefire since the first Astana talks shows that there hasn't been much progress yet."

The Russian and Syrian governments did not respond to requests for comment, but representatives of pro-opposition nations who IRIN contacted for this report were unanimously pessimistic.

"We have no indication that there will be results," said one Western diplomat, predicting that "the regime will provoke the opposition by intense aerial strikes as soon as the talks begin." In this diplomat's view, the benefit of going to Geneva is that it prevents the Russian-orchestrated Astana track from entirely usurping the peace process.

A representative of another Western country also registered "low expectations" and blamed the al-Assad side, but argued that the talks might serve as a useful reality check for Moscow. "Russia now finds itself the primary owner of the failing political process," the second diplomat said. "If it is to find an exit route for itself, it will need to apply some pressure on the regime and Iran to create the space and the conditions for a political transition, which we all know is the only basis for a long term solution."

Will talks focus on transition? Yes, but.

Despite talk of political transition in Syria, it seems unlikely to really happen, at least if the term is to be understood as originally defined at Geneva I in 2012. Then, it referred to the creation "on the basis of mutual consent" of a "transitional governing body" with "full executive powers": a complicated way of saying that the opposition would be allowed to veto al-Assad's inclusion in a joint interim regime that would take over his functions.

That is not what will be discussed at Geneva IV. In December 2015, the Security Council adopted Resolution 2254, which superimposed a new set of political arrangements on the 2012-inspired transition language. The resolution still referred to a transitional governing body, but, more immediately, it called for "credible, inclusive and non-sectarian governance", the drafting of a new constitution, and UN-supervised elections. The hierarchy of these differing conceptions of a transition was deliberately muddled, allowing all sides to focus on the language they liked best.

Since 2016, Resolution 2254 has been used as the main basis for Syria's peace talks. That will also be the case at Geneva IV. The UN's Sharif told IRIN that de Mistura wants participants to debate all three elements of Paragraph 4 of Resolution 2254, meaning governance, constitution, and elections. She did not mention a transitional governing body, and the UN has recently shied away from speaking in those terms, though Sharif stressed to IRIN that 2254 "refers several times to the word 'transition'".

The word itself, of course, matters less than its interpretation. What is practically on offer at Geneva IV is a negotiation over unity cabinets, constitutional drafts, and new elections, all of which would realistically play out on terms defined by the Syrian government. The rebels can certainly continue to refer back to Geneva I and demand al-Assad's resignation, but changing military realities mean they are unlikely to retain foreign support for that strategy much longer.

In some ways, this all seems academic. The conflict is not yet ripe for resolution and the Geneva IV talks will surely fail or bog down in postponements, given al-Assad's unwillingness to compromise and the opposition's unwillingness to admit its looming defeat - not to mention the inherently unrealistic idea of holding free elections in a war zone torn apart by rival totalitarians.

But Geneva IV is still a signal of where the war is headed. Whether the failure of the talks will lead on to a Geneva V or another round of Astana talks actually matters less than the course they have already set: By shifting focus to incidental political arrangements, the UN is subtly de-emphasising the irreconcilable disputes over how to interpret transitional language inherited from 2012, thereby unlocking the prospect of a peace process that ultimately allows al-Assad to stay in power.
Lindfield, New South Wales -- (ReleaseWire) -- 02/21/2017 --Inviting small and large businesses interested in adding virtual bookkeeping into their day-to-day operations, BOSS takes their specialty to a new market. Offering the benefits of outsourcing accounting to more businesses in the commercial sector, the Australia-based specialists make myriad advantages reachable. They start with allowing business owners to avoid costly HR issues, sidestep the hassle of recruiting on-site staff members and lowering overhead costs. To kick off this new expanded service and its benefits, BOSS offers a free trial offer of twenty hours of work free of charge.



Already an essential part of producing end products quickly for accounting firms in Australia and New Zealand, BOSS has a proven record. Creating a seamless work environment via three options to enhance workflow, the company fits into any business without pause. With full or limited access to ATO portals, BOSS can either work with businesses online by connecting to their office network or use a cloud-based product like Xero. Other software products used include MYOB, Handisoft, APS, or BGL. Or, conveniently, they can upload data to the BOSS web server which can then be imported into onsite accounting software. With access to BOSS' cloud-based Work Flow Max system, all jobs can be monitored online. When finished, an email signals work is completed.



Lee Court, Client Relationship and Marketing Manager for BOSS said, "Many of our new clients ask how they'll keep tabs on projects in flux if they utilize our services by outsourcing accounting needs. But, we've made it very simple. Once the information is uploaded, our clients just email a form outlining the job to be done or, if they prefer, they can speak with a team of virtual bookkeepers over Skype. Speaking with remote staff, thanks to the digital age, is just like speaking with someone in your office. And they've all signed a confidentiality agreement so, the process is safe to use. As they're our employees, you're dealing with an Australian entity."



BOSS is a Practice Entity Member of the Chartered Accountants of Australia and New Zealand as well as an Australian Registered Tax Agent.



To hire a virtual accountant visit https://boz.com.au/ and https://bossoutsourcing.nz/



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BOSS is an Australia-based accounting outsourcing provider that supplies part-time and full-time virtual accountants and bookkeepers to supplement accounting staff. Streamlining operations for accounting firms and business owners, every BOSS virtual accountant is fully-trained in New Zealand accounting standards, Self-Managed Super Funds, tax procedures and law. All accounting outsource specialists work in BOSS' overseas offices.



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Nashville, TN -- (ReleaseWire) -- 02/21/2017 --1 million+ women and over 370,000 men are stalked annually in the States. The crime is duly abetted by the easy availability of personal information online which can be accessed by anybody through people finder sites, with a simple search of the target's name on Google. Worst is that the victims generally stay silent about the crimes inflicted upon them, which further aid the evil stalkers to roam loose unpunished.



Founded by Forbes top 10 digital marketing strategist Kris Degioia, CSI Awareness is driven to lessen victimization from cyberstalking as well as theft and disparagement from the online assailants. U.S. Army Special Forces Captain (retired) Mykel Hawke and renowned investigator, CSI & Cybercrime specialist Joey Orgeta have also joined her in her fight against the crime. Both Degioia and Hawke have been the victims of cyberstalking in the past.



Stalking has become more convenient now than ever, given the easy access to our personal information over the internet. Hence, when we are looking forward to put an end to the danger we have to strike at the problem at its roots, precisely we have to take steps to dilute down the accessibility of our personal data for the online assailants. Thus, we teamed up with ManageYOURiD as the company assures an effective prevention of cyberstalking by breezy removal of identity data online in just a minute", stated Kris Degioia while announcing the news of the partnership.



Founded by data privacy expert Todd Drake, ManageYOURiD has come up with its state of the art proprietary Protect-boats that covertly scouts and removes all personal data from the people finder sites online. The company talks of an automated procedure which enables people to regain the reigns on personal and private data conveniently & affordably.



Kris Degioia and her devoted team at CSI Awareness are now looking forward to talk to Congressmen and Senators to urge them to pass a bill that will help to launch a more productive fight against cyberstalking.



"Cyberstalking is a nasty thing and its consequence is beyond traumatic. A victim myself, I was forced to change my name, contact number and move 3 times. We are trying hard with our awareness campaign, but we also need a structured proper legal standing here to scare and punish the sick stalkers. With the crime accelerating at a spiked rate today, it's high time for our government to legislate a bill to solidify the measures to curb the problem." Kris added in.



CSI Awareness has also launched a crowdfunding campaign at GoFundMe (http://www.gofundme.com/cyberstalkingstories) in support of its government approved innovative software which is engineered to keep track of the stalking issue experienced by a victim- so that it's easier for the police to catch the criminal.



To support CSI Awareness in its needed fight against cyberstalking, visit http://www.csiawareness.com.



About CSI Awareness

CSI AWARENESS is a Nashville Tennessee Internet Safety Company founded to provide products and services addressing cyber bullying, cyber harassment, cyberstalking, cyber crime, internet defamation, cyber terrorism, online predation and online deception. Created by a victim of cyberstalking their goal is to reduce victimization, theft and disparagement from online assailants.
Fact check: What's true, what's not in Indiana candidates' election ads

IndyStar fact checked claims in some of the latest TV ads so voters know which claims are based in truth ahead of election day
The Cambodian Senate is reviewing a controversial series of legal changes that could give Prime Minister Hun Sens government vast new powers over political parties.

The changes were approved by the National Assembly on Monday with only the votes of the ruling Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP) as the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) boycotted the parliament in protest.

Prime Minister Hun Sen has been pushing the changes as a way to keep culprits who have been convicted of crimes from leading a political party.

While Hun Sen painted the changes as necessary to protect Cambodian democracy, in effect, they give the government the legal power to eliminate any opposition.

We have already sent the draft to the legal commission so they can begin examining this amendment, Senate spokesman Mam Bun Neang told RFAs Khmer Service. They will then ask permission from the permanent committee to put it before the full senate.

The senate is expected to rubber stamp the legislation, and King Norodom Sihamoni is also expected to sign it into law.

Just the threat of the changes has already cost the CNRP its long-term president, as Sam Rainsy resigned earlier this month in an effort to preserve the party.

One of the changes sought by Hun Sen would bar anyone convicted of a crime from holding the top offices in a political party.

Cambodian courts are notorious for their lack of independence as opposition politicians often find themselves sentenced by pliant jurists on various charges.

Sam Rainsy is no exception, having been found guilty in several questionable cases.

Hun Sen has said that the law needs to be changed to rid Cambodian politics of any individual with culprit status.

We shall ban not just a few people, but we shall get rid of the whole slate so that they are deterred, he said earlier in February.

Cambodias local elections are set for June 2017 and national elections are scheduled for 2018. In the disputed 2013 elections, the CPP lost 22 seats in its worst showing since 1998.

Once it comes into effect, the Interior Ministry will have full ability to implement it and sweep out any political parties that do not fulfill their functions and duties as political parties, CPP lawmaker Chheang Vun told The Cambodia Daily after the National Assembly vote on Monday.

While Cambodias national legislature was reviewing the new law, election observer the Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia (COMFREL) released a report that found a decrease in the National Assemblys independence and productivity in 2016.

The parliaments drop in effectiveness results from violation of the parliamentarians legislative immunity, COMFREL Executive Director Koul Panha told RFA.

COMFRELs report on the National Assembly for 2016 found that the ruling party seriously violated the opposition party parliamentarians immunity and reduced the role of the opposition party in parliament.

Moreover, COMFREL found that the ruling partys lawmakers allowed the arrest and detention of the opposition partys lawmakers.

Reported for RFA's Khmer Service by Moniroth Morm and Thai Tha. Translated by Sarada Taing. Written in English by Brooks Boliek.


The founders and supporters of a feminist website in China have hit out at the closure of its social media accounts.



The Gender in China website had two of its accounts on the Twitter-like Sina Weibo deleted, prompting a flurry of criticism from prominent women's rights activists.



The site's social media editor, Xiong Jing, told RFA she believes the site's recent criticism of U.S. President Donald Trump's attitude to women may be behind the move.



"We have had large numbers of posts deleted in the past, but this is the first time we have been completely prevented from posting," Xiong said.



"The manager at Sina Weibo said we had broken the law, or regulations, and that we were being prevented from posting for 30 days, but they weren't very specific."



"We are guessing that it's because we sent out some tweets calling for a women's strike action against Trump," Xiong said.



The group's response to their ban on Sina Weibo was to complain about it via a separate account.



"We sent out that tweet this morning about the gag order, and then the whole account was deleted," she said.



Widening crackdown



Beijing-based artist and feminist activist Ye Haiyan said the move is more likely just part of an ever-widening crackdown on rights activists and human rights lawyers nationwide, however.



"I saw that Gender in China had come in for a lot of trolling from the 50-cent brigade recently," Ye said, in a reference to pro-government commentators paid to support the ruling Chinese Communist Party on social media.



"I thought then that feminists would be next in line for persecution," she said.



"It's happening in layers. Once they've eliminated one area [of civil society activism], they move on to eliminate the next," she said.



Li Tingting, one of five feminists detained for five weeks on public order charges for planning an anti-sexual harassment campaign for International Women's Day in 2015, said the government is continuing to shut down any independent comment on the Chinese internet.



"There is considerable momentum around the women's rights movement, and the public opinion supervision authorities have been censoring it ferociously," Li said.



"Now they are bringing in additional measures and stepping up control," she said.



She said the government's attitude to Donald Trump has little to do with the gagging of Gender in China.



"We have found that even saying stuff like this isn't allowed, so I think this is definitely part of an overall clampdown across the board," Li said.



Public awareness campaign



Li was detained for five weeks along with fellow activists Wei Tingting, Wang Man, Zheng Churan,and Wu Rongrong, after they planned a public transport awareness campaign to combat sexual harassment.



The five women, whose detention prompted an international outcry, are still not allowed to leave their hometowns without police approval, and still have the charges hanging over them although their lawyers say they broke no law.



Jiangsu-based women's rights activist Wang Xiaoli said that anyone who complains about having their social media accounts shut down in the crackdown could face further harassment.



"They will shut down your account as soon as you say anything, and if you still complain about it, they will put restrictions on your personal freedom," Wang said.



"Anything considered too sensitive is deleted immediately, especially as we are coming up to the annual parliamentary sessions [in Beijing]," she said. "Then, controls on online speech get even stricter."



The Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995 in Beijing set out a blueprint for improvements to the rights and opportunities offered to women and girls around the world, as well as requiring governments to report back to the United Nations on progress in key areas.



The Beijing Declaration produced by the conference included a pledge to "ensure equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all women and girls."



Reported by Ding Wenqi for RFA's Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.




Plans by authorities in the central province of Henan to move ahead with four new nuclear power stations in the wake of the Fukushima disaster have sparked growing public fears in China.



In a directive dated Jan. 25, the provincial government was ordered to move ahead with the implementation of power generation plans that include new nuclear reactors at Nanyang, Xinyang, Luoyang and Pingdingshan, according to a statement on its official website.



"[We must make] steady progress with preliminary work for nuclear power projects," the statements said.



"We must complete onsite protection work for nuclear power projects at Nanyang, Xinyang and the other nuclear power projects," it said.



"We should proceed with the planning and construction of inland nuclear power projects on behalf of our country, and strive to continue to be included in the national nuclear long-term development plan," the directive said.



It called on government departments to "strengthen public awareness of nuclear power projects, nuclear power project planning and construction to create a good atmosphere."



As the plans circulated online, opposition to the plan appeared to be mounting in the wake of Chinese public reaction to rising radiation levels at the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan.



"An old issue in Japan has sent ripples across the East China Sea to shake China," the Global Times newspaper, the sister paper of ruling Chinese Communist Party mouthpiece The People's Daily, reported.



"The news has been traveling fast on the Chinese internet ... Many Chinese became worried, some even canceling their trips to Japan," the paper said.



A resident surnamed Li of Henan's Anyang city told RFA that the news is causing great concern among local people.



"I am extremely worried about this; they definitely shouldn't go ahead with building them," Li said. "I heard the pollution from nuclear plants is very serious."



"I expect there to be a public outcry in Anyang and in Henan about the plans to build nuclear power stations."



Chernobyl fears

While one resident of Luoyang said they hadn't heard of the plans, another Henan resident Yang Chunxia, hit out at the plans online.



"Last year, 100,000 people took to the streets of Lianyungang in protest against a nuclear power plant there, and they successfully blocked [its] construction," Yang wrote.



"The whole of Eastern Europe was polluted by the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1983," the user added. "Now, they've got their eye on Henan. What will Henan people do about it? Please, everyone who lives in Henan, please pass this on!"



Meanwhile, authorities in Anyang detained local resident Wang Shoufeng for five days' administrative detention for "making things up to disrupt public order" after he posted on social media in a similar vein.



Wang told RFA on that he was innocent.



"I don't believe that I did anything to disrupt public order," he said. "A lot of people here in Henan want the government to go public with the information on this, and clarify whether they are planning to go ahead with it."



"We want to understand everything about this and to catch the attention of as many people as possible."



Wang's friend Feng Lei said local people have a right to know about the dangers of nuclear power.



"They had that huge nuclear leak in Japan, and people here in Henan want a safe environment for their children and grandchildren to live in," Feng said.



"They will be pushing for that."



Repeated calls to the Henan provincial government offices rang unanswered during office hours on .



The growing concerns over China's nuclear power program came as the Hong Kong-listed arm of a state-owned nuclear power company announced further delays to controversial reactors at Taishan in the southern province of Guangdong.



China General Nuclear Power, or CGN Power, began building the U.S.$8.3 billion Taishan plant in 2009, the first in the world to use European pressurized reactors (EPR) designed by French nuclear firm Areva.



Reactor design problems

Problems with the design of the reactors have emerged during testing, however, and were cited by Areva's parent company, energy giant Electricite de France (EDF) in a recommendation to the U.K. parliament that it postpone the Chinese-invested Hinkley Point nuclear plant, which will also use EPR technology.



"The expected commercial operation of Taishan Unit 1 and Taishan Unit 2 are adjusted from the original first half of 2017 and the second half of 2017 to the second half of 2017 and the first half of 2018, respectively," CGN said in a statement to the Hong Kong stock exchange on .



The Taishan plant has sparked concerns both among local residents and anti-nuclear campaigners in Hong Kong.



A resident of Chixi township on the outskirts of Guangdong's Taishan city, said the plant lies just two kilometers from his home.



"Nobody is comfortable with this, and there are always going to be some concerns around nuclear power plants," the resident said. "If they leak, it can be very dangerous, and nobody will be able to live around here any more; we would have to leave."



Engineer and sustainability campaigner Albert Lai, who convenes the Hong Kong think tank Professional Commons, told RFA that the project has been subject to repeated delays by the French partners over safety concerns.



"The French nuclear safety authority (ASN) has raised concerns over the structure of the EPR reactors destined for the Taishan plant," Lai said. "I don't think the Taishan plant should proceed while there is any possibility at all [that they could fail]."



He called on the Chinese government to make public the findings of recent tests of the reactors.



"There is another issue, which is that the Chinese nuclear safety authorities are closely entwined with the nuclear industry, and they lack an independent system for safety testing," Lai said.



"China's nuclear power industry has developed at such speed in recent years that there is now a shortage of technical and engineering personnel to run it."



According to the ASN, the EPR reactors installed at the Taishan plant haven't been subjected to the most rigorous form of testing.



It said some mechanical properties can be measured only by destructive tests, which had not been carried out on the Taishan reactors.



It said problems that could lead to cracks in the reactor vessel can be detected only by destroying an identical reactor vessel during testing.



Reported by Ding Wenqi for RFA's Mandarin Service, and by Goh Fung for the Cantonese Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
Malaysian Health Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah (second from left) talks to journalists about an autopsy on Kim Jong Nams body at Kuala Lumpur Hospital, Feb. 21, 2017.

The half-brother of Kim Jong Un did not die of a heart attack and his body showed no puncture wounds, but laboratory test results are needed to establish a cause of death, Malaysian health officials said Tuesday in announcing preliminary autopsy results.

Malaysian officials have identified the man who died in an alleged assassination last week at a Kuala Lumpur area airport as Kim Jong Nam, the estranged older sibling of the North Korean leader. South Korean news reports suggested then that assassins had used needles to poison him.

No evidence of a heart attack. There was also nothing obvious to suggest any puncture marks, Noor Hisham Abdullah, Malaysias director-general of health, told a news conference in Kuala Lumpur.

Meanwhile, Malaysian officials did not confirm reports that Kim Jong Nams son, Kim Han Sol, had arrived in the country from Macau to claim his fathers remains. In other developments, Malaysian police Tuesday deployed commandos to guard the morgue at Kuala Lumpur Hospital where Kims body is being kept, according to reports.

Since the Feb. 13 death, Malaysias government has rejected requests by the North Korean embassy to hand over the dead mans body to Pyongyang without performing an autopsy. Kuala Lumpur has insisted that next-of-kin first come forward to identify the body and give DNA samples, saying it would release the remains to next-of-kin in accordance with Malaysian laws and procedures.

The autopsy on Kims body was done on Feb. 16, but so far, health officials have not been able to determine the cause of death, Noor Hisham said.

Results of a full post-mortem report are due out later this week, after laboratories send back analyses of tests, according to Noor Hisham, who denied reports that a second autopsy had been done because a first one was inconclusive.

Until we have that report we cant say what it is, he said.

Authorities will pursue other ways to positively identify the body if next-of-kin fail to show up within 14 days, Noor Hisham added.

Other ways of identifying the body include dental records to match the victim and external examination [of distinctive marks] like scars, moles, and previous surgeries, he said.

Mounting dispute

Kim Jong Nam died while being rushed to a local hospital, after complaining to medical personnel at Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (KLIA2) that he felt ill after a woman attacked him with a chemical spray as he prepared to board a flight to Macau.

He was pronounced dead on arrival at Putrajaya Hospital on Feb. 13.

Police have arrested four suspects, including a North Korean national, and said four North Koreans wanted in connection with the case had fled the country on the day Kim died.

Malaysias refusal to hand over the body to North Korea has led to a diplomatic row, with Pyongyangs ambassador publicly questioning the integrity of the Malaysian investigation and accusing Kuala Lumpur of colluding with South Korea in politicizing the case.

Malaysia on Monday recalled its ambassador to Pyongyang, who was due to fly home the next day.

On Tuesday, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak described the comments made by North Korean envoy Kang Chol as diplomatically rude.

Reported by BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service.
A national-level commission investigating alleged atrocities against Rohingya Muslim villagers during a crackdown in western Myanmars Rakhine state is preparing to issue a report on its findings to President Htin Kyaw.

Vice president Myint Swe, who chairs the commission, said in a statement on Tuesday that the commission had completed probes of violence against the stateless minority group that had reportedly occurred in 21 villages mentioned in a United Nations report on the crisis.

A report issued on Feb. 3 by the U.N.s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) concluded that abuses, including murder, torture, and rape, committed by soldiers and police indicated the very likely commission of crimes against humanity.

The OHCHR based its findings on interviews with more than 200 Rohingya who fled from villages in northern Rakhine state to Bangladesh during a crackdown after deadly attacks on border guard posts in October 2016 that officials have blamed on Rohingya militants.

Zaw Mying Pe, the commissions secretary, said the group found a situation that was different from what was described in the U.N.s report.

The OHCHRs report is far from the situation on the ground, he said. The U.N. commissioner didnt review and check the information from people who were interviewed. It was as though they [U.N. rights investigators] recorded their answers and drew conclusions from them without verifying them.

The commission said that it will submit a report to President Htin Kyaw with the facts they found.

The announcement also said the commission had asked the defense and home affairs ministries to help form groups to investigate the situation in Maungdaw township where most of the violence reportedly occurred.

The Myanmar military ended the four-month security lockdown in troubled northern Rakhine state last week and is conducting its own inquiry into the crisis, as is the Myanmar police force.

Not independent or credible

Also on Tuesday, London-based Amnesty International blasted Myanmars efforts to investigate the violence in Rakhine and possible crimes against humanity as not independent or credible and unlikely to deliver justice, truth, and reparations for victims and their families.

The human rights group called for a U.N.-mandated independent international organizations into the human rights violations committed in Rakhine since Oct. 9.

Investigators should be tasked with establishing the facts concerning alleged human rights violations, determining whether they constitute crimes against humanity, identifying the causes and alleged perpetrators, and making recommendations on the next steps needed to prevent impunity and ensure justice for victims, the statement said.

Failure to adequately investigate credible reports of grave human rights violations would send a message that security forces can commit crimes with impunity, contribute to further deterioration of the human rights situation in Rakhine state, and undermine efforts to tackle the root causes of violence and instability in the region, it said.

The national-level investigation commission issued an interim report in January, saying it had found no cases of genocide or religious persecution of Rohingya living in the region in the wake of deadly border guard attacks last October and a subsequent security lockdown.

It also said its interviews of local residents about rape allegations had yielded insufficient evidence to take legal action, and that its investigations into accusations of arson, torture, and illegal arrests were ongoing.

Bangladesh weighs in

The U.N. has estimated that more than 1,000 died and about 73,000 Rohingya fled during the crackdown, most of whom are living in refugee camps in neighboring Bangladesh.

The influx of refugees prompted Bangladeshi Foreign Minister A. H. Mahmood Ali called on Monday to call on the international community to address Myanmars treatment of the Rohingya, Reuters reported.

He also said the influx across the river border between Rakhine and Bangladesh is detrimentally affecting the local population and undermining security

He made the comments during a meeting with Yanghee Lee, the U.N. human rights envoy to Buddhist-majority Myanmar, who is in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka on a three-day visit to discuss the crisis with government officials and visit Rohingya refugee camps.

Lee will submit a report with her findings from a January visit to Myanmar, including violence-ridden areas of northern Rakhine, to the U.N. Human Rights Council in March.

Reported by Kyaw Thu for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
Thousands of demonstrators turned out Monday across the U.S. to challenge Donald Trump in a Presidents Day protest dubbed Not My President's Day.

The protests on the federal holiday didn't draw nearly as many people as the million-plus who thronged the streets following the Republican president's inauguration a month earlier, but the message was similar.

Thousands of flag-waving protesters lined up outside Central Park in Manhattan. Many in the crowd chanted "No ban, no wall. The Trump regime has got to fall." They held aloft signs saying "Uphold the Constitution Now" and "Impeach the Liar."

Nova Calise, one of the New York City organizers, said Presidents Day was "a perfect time to protest the person that's currently holding the title of President of the United States," adding Trump didn't share the values of those demonstrating Monday.

A rally in downtown Los Angeles also drew thousands. Demonstrators there called attention to Trump's crackdown on immigration and his party's response to climate change and the environment. Organizers said they chose to rally on the holiday as a way to honor past presidents by exercising their constitutional right to assemble and peacefully protest. They chanted: "Love not hate makes America great."

In Chicago, several hundred rallied across the river from the Trump Tower, shouting "Hey, hey, ho, ho, Donald Trump has got to go."

Rebecca Wolfram of Chicago, who's in her 60s, said concerns about climate change and immigrant rights under Trump prompted her to start attending rallies.

"I'm trying to demonstrate as much as possible until I figure out what else to do," said Wolfram, who held a sign that said "Old white ladies are really displeased."

Several hundred demonstrated in Washington, D.C. Dozens gathered around the fountain in Dupont Circle chanting "Dump Trump" and "Love, not hate: That's what makes America great."

Story continues

Dozens marched through midtown Atlanta for a rally named with a Georgia flavor: "ImPEACH NOW! (Not My) President's Day March."

Hundreds of protesters chanting "This is what democracy looks like" marched through Salt Lake City.

The Salt Lake Tribune reports (http://bit.ly/2kFqWIG) that the crowd marched to push back against Trump and his administration's stance on such issues as the environment, immigration, free speech and Russia.

Some people raised signs that said "Not My President," while others held up a large American flag. Protester Reg Brookings warned the crowd that Trump is trying to divide the country by making such groups as immigrants the enemy.

A small but unruly group of protesters faced off with police in downtown Portland, Oregon.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reports (http://bit.ly/2lfx6xL) the police confronted the crowd in front of the Edith Green-Wendell Wyatt Federal Building. Police took some people into custody.

Hundreds of Trump opponents and supporters turned out in Rapid City, South Dakota.

A larger anti-Trump faction stood on a street corner as part of a "Not My President" protest, similar to other demonstrations being held across the country. A group supporting the president lined up on a different corner at the same intersection. Police were on hand and the groups remained peaceful.

The Rapid City Journal (http://bit.ly/2l1mzDK) reported the anti-Trump protesters held up posters including some reading, "Make America Think Again" and "Build bridges, not walls." Supporters of the president waved American flags and held signs saying "God Bless our Presidents; Go Trump" and "Veterans for Trump."

___

Walker reported from New York City. Associated Press writers Jeff Martin in Atlanta, Tammy Webber in Chicago, Alanna Durkin Richer in Richmond and Martha Bellisle in Seattle, Washington, contributed to this story.
About 100 residents from the town of Letpadaung protested on Tuesday against the Chinese company that operates a controversial copper mine in northwestern Myanmars Sagaing region, a villager said.

The protesters blocked the road to the mine and demanded that Wanbao Mining Copper Ltd. Company give them the 1,900 acres of land they were supposed to receive according to the recommendations of a parliamentary commission, Ko La Pyae from Moegyopyin Ale village said.

The acres are compensation for damage from the construction of the project to the villagers crops and to their social and business standing, he told RFAs Myanmar Service.

They [Wanbao] havent paid any compensation for crops for three years, Ko La Pyae said. We stopped the trucks from going to the copper mine project, blocked the road, and asked for the crop compensation.

We did it because we want responsible people to come and solve the problem, he said.

The large project run by Wanbao and Union of Myanmar Economic Holdings Ltd. (UMEHL), a Myanmar army-owned conglomerate, has come under fire by local farmers who have long protested the companys land takeovers in the area.

The commission had reviewed the project in the wake of a violent police raid on protesters at the mine site in 2012 and found that Wanbao had inadequately compensated farmers for their land and that the appropriation process lacked transparency.

Farmers who lost crops in 2014 and 2015 during later land confiscations for the mine project demanded proper compensation from Wanbao.

The company said that it had offered the farmers money, but that they refused to accept it. Wanbao also indicated that it would not compensate villagers annually for money they would have otherwise made from crops, because the company leased the land from the government, not the farmers.

The mine is one of several Chinese-operated projects in Myanmar that have been heavily criticized by local residents because of land expropriations without adequate compensation and potential and actual environmental damage.

Reported by Zarni Htun for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
At least six people and three militants were killed in a suicide attack at a courthouse in the northern Pakistani town of Charsadda. Police said all three of the attackers carried hand grenades and assault rifles. (RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal)
BAKU -- Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has appointed his wife as first vice president, putting her first in line to take over if the president dies or is incapacitated.

Aliyev's order naming Mehriban Aliyeva to the newly created No. 2 post was published on the presidential website on February 21.

Aliyeva, 52, is a deputy chairwoman of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party. She is also the head of the Heidar Aliyev Foundation -- a large nongovernmental organization named after her husband's father, who ruled newly independent Azerbaijan with an iron fist from 1993 until 2003. He died in December 2003, two months after steering his son into the presidency of the Caspian Sea country.

Ilham Aliyev, 55, has been accused by right groups and Western governments of persecuting opposition politicians, human rights defenders, and journalists, and of enhancing his power though elections and referendums that have not been deemed free or fair by international observers. He also faces allegations of nepotism and corruption within his family.

'Illegal' Appointment'

The positions of first vice president and two lower-tier vice presidents were among the constitutional amendments approved in a referendum in tightly controlled Azerbaijan in September 2016.

The referendum was challenged by opposition politicians and activists who argued that it tightened Aliyev's grip on power in the oil-rich former Soviet republic of 9.9 million.

Government critics said Aliyeva's appointment was illegal. Several opposition activists have been detained in recent weeks, and in some cases sentenced to jail terms of up to a month, in what opponents of Aliyev said they believed was an effort to ensure there were no street protests over the move.

Aliyev -- whose country is a source of energy supplies to Europe, which is seeking to decrease reliance on Russia -- has shrugged off the accusations of human rights abuses, corruption, and nepotism.

"Aliyeva has been playing an important role in social, political, cultural and international activities for many years," the president said, presenting his wife and new appointee at a session of his Security Council on February 21.

"In general, her multifaceted activities have been successful. I have taken into account exactly these factors when making the decision to appoint her to the post of the first vice president of Azerbaijan," Aliyev said.

Age Requirement Scrapped

The constitution now stipulates that if the president becomes incapable of discharging his duties, the first vice president takes over. Before the referendum, it was the prime minister.

The referendum also extended the length of presidential terms from five years to seven years and scrapped an age requirement for candidates, sparking speculation that Aliyev was grooming his son, Heidar, who was 19 years old at the time, to eventually become president.

Azerbaijani lawyer Akif Qurbanov said on Facebook that Aliyeva's appointment was not legal, citing what he said was existing anticorruption legislation barring an official's close relatives from holding office under his or her direct subordination.

Two activists of the opposition Popular Front were detained on February 20 and sentenced to 30 days of administrative arrest, party official Gozal Bayramnli told RFE/RL, and a third activist received the same sentence on the same day.

According to Mehman Aliyev, director of the Turan news agency, at least 10 people have been detained this month and sentenced to up to 30 days of administrative arrest.

'Thwarting' Government Opponents

Khadija Ismayilova, an investigative journalist with RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service, said on February 21 that the arrests were carried out to thwart government opponents who might "dare to protest" Aliyeva's appointment.

Ismayilova spent 17 months in prison in 2015-16 over financial-crimes charges that she and supporters say were government retaliation for her extensive reporting on alleged corruption involving Aliyev and his relatives.

In 2002 and 2009, Azerbaijan also held much-criticized constitutional referendums that opposition activists and rights defenders said directly benefited the Aliyev family.

After the 2002 referendum, future referendums required a turnout of just 50 percent to be valid. It also designated the prime minister, instead of the parliament speaker, as the presidential successor.

The 2009 referendum removed the two-term limit of the president and introduced a clause on "the right of personal immunity," which activists and journalists interpreted as a move to prevent reporters from investigating corruption or covering public events.
To sue, or not to sue. That was the question facing Bakir Izetbegovic, the Bosniak member of the Bosnian Presidency, in connection with a 2007 decision by a UN court acquitting Serbia of genocide in the 1990s.

To begin with, he has no support for a lawsuit from the rest of the tripartite body that governs Bosnia-Herzegovina. Moreover, Serb representatives in Bosnian state institutions have threatened a boycott that could paralyze the nation's political life if Izetbegovic decides to reopen old wounds.

Why has a decade-old court verdict suddenly become so explosive?

In 2007, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that the Serbian state could not be held responsible for genocide committed in Bosnia during the war (1992-95).

The court found only that Serbia had been guilty of failing to prevent the genocide at Srebrenica, postwar Europe's deadliest atrocity.

At the time, the verdict was a great disappointment for Bosnian officials, for Bosnian Muslims as the principal victims of the war in Bosnia, and for many international observers.

Dominant Nationalist Narrative

It was celebrated in Serbia, where the court decision was seen as a vindication of a dominant nationalist narrative that seeks to paint Serbs in Yugoslavia as victims of other ethnic groups. In some international circles, the ICJ's decision was seen as a miscarriage of justice.

"From the professional perspective, the 2007 ICJ judgement looked as though it could be wrong as it was not based on the evidence that existed and still exists at the ICTY, and therefore should be reconsidered," Sir Geoffrey Nice, the lead prosecutor in the case against Serbian dictator Slobodan Milosevic, and Nevenka Tromp, a member of the prosecution's research team, wrote in a paper sent to Bakir Izetbegovic and to the Bosnian media.

Challenging the ICJ verdict was never going to be easy. But, according to Tromp, any legal avenue -- whether an appeal or a request for a revision -- should be taken if there is any doubt about the original decision.

The ICJ allows for appeals or requests for revision within 10 years of the original judgments. The main condition for such requests are the emergence of new, "decisive" facts or evidence unavailable to the court at the time of the verdict. Such new information or evidence must be provided within six months of its discovery. The deadline for Bosnia to send a formal request for revision is February 26, 2017.

Trove Of Documents

There is reportedly a trove of documents at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) archives that remain sealed as a consequence of political deals between Carla del Ponte, the former ICTY prosecutor, and Belgrade.

These agreements, dating from 2005 and 2013, allowed Serbia to protect documents at ICTY trials that might have been prejudicial to its interests in the genocide lawsuit bought by Bosnia at the ICJ.

Bakir's father, Alija Izetbegovic, was Bosnia's president when the ICJ genocide suit was launched in 1993. Some advised the younger Izetbegovic to begin the process of making those protected documents available in order to support the request for a revision of the ICJ verdict.

By Izetbegovic's own admission, taking Serbia to court once again on charges of genocide could create the biggest crisis in the region since the Dayton Accords brought peace in 1995. Yet he proceeded anyway.

The problem, however, is that he appears to have failed to do his homework, and did not leave enough time to meet all the requirements of The Hague tribunal.

Deeply Entrenched Feeling

When the war ended in 1995, there was a deeply entrenched feeling among Bosnians that nothing could prevent justice from taking its course. Many of those victimized by the war believed that the mass graves, the destroyed villages, the accumulated evidence of crimes against civilians in besieged cities amounted to self-explanatory evidence of the intention to commit genocide and of Serbia's complicity. But justice is not based on sentiment, and Bosnian officials failed to provide sufficient evidence in the case.

But the possibility of appeal is bringing emotions to boiling point once again, because Serbia never formally acknowledged responsibility for the genocide in Srebrenica; there has never been a frank and unqualified admission that the massacre of more than 8,000 men and boys in Srebrenica, in July 1995 -- the biggest mass killing on European soil since World War II -- was genocide.

In 2010, after heated debate, the Serbian parliament adopted a declaration on Srebrenica, but it fell just short of what many Bosnians had hoped for. The "G" word was dropped in the final document, although it included a link to a European declaration describing the events in Srebrenica as genocide.

'Last Chance'

A witness to genocide and a campaigner for victims, Hasan Nuhanovic, told RFE/RL in Sarajevo: "As someone who lived through those events, I have no doubt that Serbia was directly involved. Is this the right moment [to reopen the case]? It may or may not be the ideal moment; but it is definitely the last chance, because the deadline expires on February 26, and the day after will be too late for the Bosnian appeal. We simply don't have the luxury of agonizing over whether it's the right time [for this] or not."

A Belgrade historian, Branka Prpa, has suggested that the key to justice lies not in The Hague but in Serbia itself: "In order to emerge from the cycle of conflict, it is necessary for those who were in fact the instigators of that conflict to stand up and admit: I am guilty, and I apologize. Serbia is the key in that sense."

Janja Bec, a Serbian sociologist and scholar of genocide, has described the final stage of genocide as denial of the crime. It might be argued that Bosnia now finds itself in that final stage, even as a (majority-Serb) portion of the country continues to deny that it ever happened.

Nuhanovic, in response to concerns that the reopening of the ICJ case risked destabilizing the region, said that what is at stake is the most serious of all crimes -- genocide -- and that in any case Bosnia has lived in a state of constant tension since the end of the war more than two decades ago. He said that, anyway, "there is no harmony to speak of" which might be disrupted by a reopening of the case.

The views expressed in this blog post do not necessarily reflect the views of RFE/RL.
So Sergei Lavrov wants a new world order.

Speaking at the Munich Security Conference this weekend, the Russian Foreign Minister called for a "post-West" international order in which "each country is defined by its sovereignty."

Each country, that is, except for Ukraine -- where Russia has illegally annexed one region and illegally invaded another.

Each country, that is, except for Georgia -- which has 20 percent of its territory occupied by Russian troops.

Each country, that is, except for Moldova -- which remains paralyzed by a Moscow-backed frozen conflict in Transdniester.

Each country, that is, except for Belarus -- which the Kremlin treats as a virtual western extension of its territory.

Every country, that is, except for Kazakhstan, whose Russophone north is being greedily eyed by Russian officials.

Each country, that is, except for those whose territory and population are part of what Vladimir Putin's regime calls the Russian World.

Lavrov's post-West world order, in other words, would protect the sovereignty of every country -- except of course those whom the Kremlin believes it has an inalienable right to dominate and control.

Lavrov's post-West world order means the West is forbidden from defending the sovereignty of Russia's neighbors in any way.

Because for Lavrov and his masters in the Kremlin, sovereignty means sovereignty for Russia alone.

And it is a sovereignty that extends well beyond Russia's borders.

Keep telling me what you think on The Power Vertical's Twitter feed and on our Facebook page.
Russian and Ukrainian forces exchanged heavy artillery fire in multiple locations, officials in both countries said, as Russian-appointed officials continued evacuating people from the west bank of the Dnieper River amid a mounting Ukrainian counteroffensive.

Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's ongoing invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here.

Ukraine's national grid operator, meanwhile, said on November 5 that it would increase rolling blackouts in Kyiv and seven other regions as the countrys national grid remained severely damaged by weeks of Russian air strikes.

Electricity consumption is rising across Ukraine as the weather turns colder, and energy providers have raced to do repairs, ordering planned power cuts to avoid overloads.

Ukraines General Staff said that its troops thwarted Russian attacks a day earlier in the eastern Luhansk and Donetsk regions. The military also claimed that Ukrainian air defenses shot down multiple Russian and Iranian drones and two Kalibr cruise missiles. The claim could not be immediately verified.

The head of the Vynnytsya region, Serhiy Borzov, said the central region was hit overnight by Russian kamikaze drones.

Russian troops have been actively using Iranian drones in recent weeks to attack critical civilian and infrastructure objectives.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the fiercest fighting over the last week had taken place around Bakhmut and Soledar in Donetsk and that Ukrainian forces are holding their positions there and elsewhere.

He also spoke of "good gains" in the south, praising infantry and artillery brigades for destroying enemy equipment, Russian manpower.

The claims of battlefield success could not be independently verified.

Ukrainian forces have been mounting a slow, incremental counteroffensive in the southern Kherson region for weeks now, moving closer to directly threatening the Dnieper River port of Kherson, which was captured early after Russias February invasion.

In response, Russian authorities have been evacuating civilians and military troops to the opposite bank of the Dnieper.

Kirill Stremousov, deputy head of the Russia-installed administration in the Kherson region, announced a 24-hour curfew on November 4, saying it was necessary to defend it from an expected Ukrainian attack.

The Russian military said "more than 5,000 civilians" were being evacuated daily to the east bank of the river. And Russian President Vladimir Putin on November 4 called for civilians to be moved out from Kherson.

Those who live in Kherson must now be removed from the zone of the most dangerous hostilities, Putin said in remarks broadcast on state television. The civilian population should not suffer from shelling, from the offensive, counteroffensive, and other measures related to military operations.

Russias Defense Ministry said on November 5 that troops had repelled Ukrainian attacks in in the Donetsk, Luhansk, and Kherson regions. In the Kherson region, which the Kremlin last month declared had been annexed, authorities reported the heaviest artillery fire in days.

Ukrainian officials have likened the departures of Kherson residents to Soviet-style deportations, though its unclear to what extent the departures are forced or voluntary. Russian officials said people were being moved to safety from the path of the Ukrainian advance.

Ukraines counteroffensives in Kherson and the northern Kharkiv region have been powered in large part by powerful Western weaponry. On November 4, the U.S. Defense Department announced another $400 million shipment of weapons and other equipment, including refurbished tanks, surface-to-air missiles, new coastal defense boats, and other items.

The announcement came around the same time that the U.S. national-security adviser, Jake Sullivan, made an unannounced visit to Kyiv to meet with top Ukrainian officials.

At a news conference later, Sullivan sought again to calm Ukrainian jitters about whether U.S. weapons would continue after the upcoming midterm U.S. congressional elections.

Polls show that Republicans are poised to take control of one, or possibly both, chambers of Congress, and a small but vocal number of Republicans have voiced misgivings about the amount and duration of U.S. aid for Ukraine.

There will be no wavering, Sullivan said at a news conference. Im confident U.S. support for Ukraine will be unwavering and unflinching.

Asked about the prospect of peace talks with Russia, Sullivan repeated what U.S. officials have said in the past: "Nothing is discussed about Ukraine without Ukraine."

"For me, the main question about these negotiations is what a just peace looks like and how it can be achieved, Sullivan said. If you look at Russian accusations, Russian actions, in particular regarding the annexation of [Ukrainian] territories, it does not really encourage negotiations.

With reporting by RFE/RLs Ukrainian Service, Reuters, dpa, and AP
TBILISI -- The leader of the Georgian Orthodox Church has returned to Georgia as controversy swirls over the arrest of an archpriest who authorities say was trying to carry cyanide to Germany, where the patriarch was undergoing medical treatment.

Upon arrival at the Tbilisi airport on February 20, Patriarch Ilia II said the church leadership will study the case of Archpriest Giorgi Mamaladze together with state authorities.

He said that "everything will end peacefully."

Chief Prosecutor Irakli Shotadze said on February 13 that Mamaladze had been arrested on February 10 as he boarded a plane to Berlin, where the patriarch was awaiting a gallbladder operation.

Shotadze said cyanide was found in Mamaladze's luggage, adding that the archpriest was arrested on suspicion of planning to "murder a high-ranking cleric."

He did not name Mamaladze's alleged target, but said that the chief of the Special Service for State Guards, Anzor Chubinidze, had been sent to Berlin "to protect the security of the Georgian patriarch."

Georgian authorities have released few details since then, saying they would do so after Ilia's return to the South Caucasus country.

Ilia, 84, has led the Church since 1977 and wields significant influence on social and political life in the predominantly Orthodox Christian former Soviet republic of 4.9 million.

The patriarch, who has suffered health problems in recent years, underwent successful gallbladder surgery in Berlin on February 13, church officials said.
Germany's most prominent nationalist politician held talks with Russian lawmakers over the weekend, including senior members of President Vladimir Putin's United Russia party, her office has said.

Frauke Petry, the co-leader of Alternative for Germany, was invited to Moscow to discuss "cooperation," and met with State Duma speaker and Putin confidant Vyacheslav Volodin, and a deputy speaker, Pyotr Tolstoy, Petry's office said on February 20, without saying what was discussed.

A statement by the Duma said the talks covered "interparty cooperation, as well as the development of contacts of youth organizations" and the meeting also was attended by Vladimir Zhirinovsky and Leonid Slutsky of the ultranationalist Liberal Democratic Party of Russia.

The meeting comes at a sensitive time in German-Russian relations.

German officials have repeatedly warned that Moscow could try to influence Germany's election in September and destabilize the country by supporting extremist groups.

The Kremlin has already established ties with France's National Front, whose leader Marine Le Pen is running on a pro-Russia platform and is polling strongly ahead in the presidential election.

Alternative for Germany, whose support falls below 10 percent in polls, also strongly opposes Chancellor Angela Merkel's admission of hundreds of thousands of refugees into Germany.

Based on reporting by AP and dpa
Over the past five years, Iranian officials and state media have touted the "indigenous" ingenuity in the Islamic republic's mass-produced Mohajer-6 combat drone, which Russia has deployed in its war against Ukraine.

But a new investigation by Schemes, the investigative unit of RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, has found that electronic components underpinning Tehran's production of the Mohajer-6 are far from homegrown.



The Mohajer-6 drones contain components produced by companies from the United States and the European Union, both of which have sanctions restricting the export to Iran of such technology that can be used for both civilian and military purposes  dual-use technology.

The presence of these components in the Mohajer-6 does not mean their producers are in violation of U.S. or EU sanctions, and RFE/RL does not have evidence that this is the case.

The investigation also found Mohajer-6 components produced in China, including a real-time mini-camera made by a Hong Kong firm that said it was "very sorry" that its products were being used in war.

At least one major foreign-produced component of the Mohajer-6 has previously been identified by reporters in a Mohajer-6 recovered from the battlefield by the Ukrainian military: an engine made by the Austrian manufacturer BRP-Rotax GmbH & Co KG, a subsidiary of the Canadian company Bombardier Recreational Products.

But Ukrainian intelligence assesses that the Iranian combat drone contains components from nearly three dozen different technology companies based in North America, the EU, Japan, and Taiwan, the Schemes investigation has found. A majority of these companies are based in the United States.



A Schemes reporter who personally inspected the foreign-made drone parts identified components produced by at least 15 of these manufacturers.

These include parts made by the U.S. technology firm Texas Instruments, which said in a statement that it does not sell into Russia or Iran and complies with applicable laws and regulations.

To identify these components, Schemes reporters examined parts of the Mohajer-6 drone that the Ukrainian military shot down over the Black Sea near the Mykolayiv region coastal town of Ochakiv. They also reviewed Ukrainian intelligence records on the sources of these components.

The drone also contains a microchip bearing the logo of a California technology company and a thermal-imaging camera that Ukrainian intelligence says may have been produced by a firm based in Oregon or China.

Both Western officials and experts on illicit technology transfers say Iran has built a broad, global procurement network using front companies and other proxies in third countries to obtain dual-use technology from the United States and the EU.

"Exporters will look at the request coming from the [United Arab Emirates] or another third country, and they'll think that they're selling to an end user based there, when really the end user is in Iran," Daniel Salisbury, a senior research fellow with the Department of War Studies at King's College London, told RFE/RL.

In September, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions specifically targeting Iranian companies that Washington links to the production and transfer of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to Russia for deployment in its war on Ukraine. Fighting rages with no sign of an end more than eight months after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an unprovoked invasion on February 24.

"Non-Iranian, non-Russian entities should also exercise great caution to avoid supporting either the development of Iranian UAVs or their transfer, or sale of any military equipment to Russia for use against Ukraine," U.S. Undersecretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson said in a statement announcing the sanctions.

Chinese Cameras, California Chips

Development of the Mohajer-6, the latest model in a series of drones Tehran has used since the 1980s Iran-Iraq War, began in 2017, while mass production began the following year. During a ceremony commemorating the Islamic Revolution, then-Iranian Defense Minister Amir Hatami said that the new tactical drone could perform surveillance, reconnaissance, as well as help destroy targets.

Hatami extolled what he described as the drones domestic design, a portrayal echoed in later reports by Iranian media.

"The homegrown drone was made through cooperation among the army, Defense Ministry, and Quds Aviation Industries," the English-language Tehran Times quoted an Iranian military official as saying in July 2019.

The dismantling of the Mohajer-6 drone recovered by the Ukrainian military shows that the UAV is packed with foreign components.

One of these parts is a bright-orange real-time mini-camera produced by the Hong Kong-based company RunCam Technology. Documents seen by Schemes show that Ukrainian intelligence has also identified RunCam as the producer of the camera, which likely assists in remote guidance of the drone.

Founded in 2013, RunCam is involved in the development and production of so-called "first-person-view" real-time cameras. "Our users are our friends," the company's website states. The site says that RunCam has two authorized Iranian dealers.

Reached by Schemes for comment about the use of its camera in the Iranian drone deployed by Russia in its war on Ukraine, RunCam said in an e-mailed response: "We are very sorry to know that RunCam's products were used in warfare. RunCam is specialized in producing products for model aircraft hobby. We never contact any customer related to military."

The provenance of the Mohajer-6 drone-s thermal-imaging camera is more difficult to determine. A Ukrainian intelligence assessment reviewed by Schemes indicates it could be the Ventus Hot model produced by Sierra-Olympic Technologies, based in the U.S. state of Oregon, but that it also resembles a cheaper analog available for sale by the Chinese company Qingdao Thundsea Marine Technology.

Qingdao Thundsea Marine Technology said in an e-mailed statement that the company did not "have any business with Iran," because "it will affect our business." The company said it specializes in marine services and is not involved in manufacturing. It also said that it did not have a single successful order for its online advertisement of the thermal-imaging camera resembling the one recovered from the Iranian drone.

Sierra-Olympic Technologies did not respond to a request for comment on the possible use of its thermal-imaging cameras in Iranian combat drones in time for publication.

Microchips recovered from the drone also featured the logos of the California-based company Linear Technology Corporation and its parent company, the Massachusetts-based semiconductor company Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI). ADI did not respond to an e-mailed request for comment on the possible use of its technology in the Iranian combat drone.

Schemes reporters also observed among the components of the Iranian drone a voltage step-down converter produced by Texas Instruments. The company said in an e-mailed statement that it "does not sell into Russia, Belarus, or Iran."

"TI complies with applicable laws and regulations in the countries where we operate, and does not support or condone the use of our products in applications they weren't designed for," Texas Instruments said.

Schemes reporters also saw several components produced by the California-based technology manufacturer Xilinx, whose parent company is the multinational semiconductor company Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), also based in California.

According to Ukrainian intelligence, one of these Xilinx components was integrated into a video data-link module located in the wing of the Mohajer-6 that helped carry out attack missions.

"This module transmits information from the board to the missile head. That is, guidance for the missile. With the help of this module, it was possible to guide the missile to the target," a Ukrainian military intelligence representative told Schemes.

AMD did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication.

'No Authorization'

Previous media reports about the components of the Mohajer-6 drone, including by CNN, have shown evidence that its engine was produced by the Austrian manufacturer BRP-Rotax GmbH & Co KG, whose parent company is the Quebec-based Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP).

The Canadian company responded to the reports on October 21, saying in a statement that it "has not authorized and has not given any authorization to its distributors to supply military UAV manufacturers in Iran or Russia."

"As soon as we were made aware of this situation, we started an investigation to determine the source of the engines," BRP said. .

But Schemes reporters found that the authorized Rotax distributor listed on the Austrian manufacturer's website advertised itself as a Rotax aircraft engines distributor for Iran as recently as December 2020.

The distributor, the Italian company Luciano Sorlini S.p.a., has posted multiple magazine advertisements on its websites in which it describes itself as a Rotax distributor for numerous countries. Prior to January 2021, Iran was listed among these countries.

The Rotax website also lists a Tehran-based company -- MahtaWing -- as an official service center for its engines. The company, known in Persian as Mahtabal, conducts repairs of Rotax engines, including the Rotax 912 iS, the engine that was found in the Mohajer-6 combat drone recovered in Ukraine.

BRP said in an e-mailed statement on November 4 that while Luciano Sorlini S.p.a. is the appointed distributor of Rotax aircraft engines in Iran, "since 2019, no Rotax engines have been sold in Iran, and we will not sell any engines to Iran moving forward."

The Canadian company said it had "internal controls" that "significantly" restrict the sale of its products for military purposes.

"For example, the sale of any BRP product to operators with any military activity in Iran, Turkey, and Russia is strictly prohibited," BRP said. "We conduct our business in compliance with all EU, Canadian, and U.S. applicable regulations."

BRP described the Iranian company MahtaWing as a "local service center" that "offers maintenance services for previously sold aircraft engines."

Shahriar Siami of RFE/RL's Radio Farda contributed to this report.
ALMATY -- An independent Kazakh journalist says he was beaten in his cell after being arrested earlier this month on money-laundering charges that he denies.

Zhanbolat Mamai is acting editor of The Sayasi Qalam -- Tribuna (The Political Pen -- Tribune), a publication known for articles critical of the Kazakh government.

Mamai's lawyer, Zhanar Balghabaeva, said her client was beaten by cellmates on February 17.

Balghabaeva told RFE/RL on February 21 that Mamai officially asked the detention center's authorities to secure his safety by moving him to another cell, adding that he even prefers "solitary confinement."

Mamai was detained on February 10 and later charged with laundering money, which the government says was "stolen" by Kazakhstan's fugitive tycoon and opposition figure Mukhtar Ablyazov.

Mamai denies any connection with Ablyazov and says the case against him is politically motivated.

Ablyazov, a former head of Kazakhstan's BTA bank, is currently living abroad.

He is wanted by Kazakhstan, Russia, and Ukraine on suspicion of embezzling some $5 billion. He denies the charges, saying the case against him is politically motivated.

Ablyazov has pledged to topple Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev's government within the next three years.


ALISO VIEJO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / February 20, 2017 / Based in Aliso Viejo, established business strategist and Founder of Select Portfolio Management, Inc. and Select Money Management, Inc., Tony Amaradio eagerly agrees with findings of numerous studies that prove the direct positive correlation between giving to the community and personal satisfaction. By sharing a modest amount of personal finances with others, it can directly affect intimate and emotional responses to other people.

Case studies from Harvard Business School reveal through its paper, 'Prosocial Spending and Happiness: Using Money to Benefit Others Pays Off', overwhelming evidence highlighting the notion of spending more money on others to improve relationships and emotional happiness. Tony Amaradio is a longtime supporter of encouraging charitable acts, and suggests they result in more humility and compassion for members in struggling communities. "These benefits are most likely to emerge when giving satisfies one or more core human needs, such as relating to others, competence, and autonomy," Amaradio states. "There are many examples in the religious community where prosocial spending has had a dramatic impact on increasing satisfaction."

The adage, 'money can't buy happiness' has been challenged by many religious and academic experts, who monitor the spending patterns of people from high and low-income backgrounds. Results showed that while the behavioral trends may differ, the psychological and compassionate responses from people remain the same. A study by Michael Norton, titled 'Prosocial Spending and Well-Being: Cross-Cultural Evidence for a Psychological Universal', suggests that these responses can be seen in children as young as two years old, as toddlers begin to learn about the significance of sharing, helping, and comforting others. As a longtime philanthropist and financial advisor, Tony Amaradio urges all members across different communities to embrace a lifestyle that can advance the emotional development of people across the world. "These studies have confirmed that special feeling we all get inside us. That charity is, in the purest sense, fulfilling God's wish for us to stand alongside each other, and improve all of us."

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The study concludes by comparing three countriesCanada, Uganda, and Indiathat differ dramatically in national-level income and donation frequency. It still witnesses a correlation between individuals reporting significantly greater happiness after reflecting on a time when they spent money on others rather than themselves. "In highlighting the potential impact of emotional benefits from prosocial spending," Amaradio states, "all the research outlines the importance of generosity for human well-being."

Tony Amaradio is the Founder and Chief Strategist at Select Portfolio Management, Inc. and Select Money Management, Inc. His years of innovative strategic work and applied business vision have enabled him to develop a strong reputation in the field of wealth management. He earned an MBA from the University of Detroit and a BBA from the University of Michigan, with a concentration in finance. Tony Amaradio is a sought-after public speaker who assists non-profit organizations, as well as an author, radio talk show host, and philanthropist.

Anthony Amaradio - Visionary & Strategic Philanthropist: http://anthonyamaradionews.com

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The Kremlin has dismissed a Ukrainian peace plan created by a pro-Russian Ukrainian lawmaker and given to the White House, calling its provision on Crimea "absurd."

The plan by Ukrainian opposition lawmaker Andriy Artemenko, first reported by The New York Times, calls for Russia to withdraw its forces from eastern Ukraine and for Ukraine to hold a referendum on leasing Crimea, which Moscow illegally annexed in 2014, to Russia for a period of 50 or 100 years.

"How can Russia lease its own region? The very wording is rather absurd," Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on February 20.

"There is a general understanding that there is no alternative to the Minsk agreements," he said, referring to a 2015 plan that has so far has failed to bring peace.

"If a political-diplomatic solution can be found for the Ukraine issue, it is only possible on the basis of the Minsk agreements," he said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov echoed Peskov's comments, telling RIA Novosti, "It is not possible to lease something from oneself."

The Times said President Donald Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen hand-delivered the proposal to the office of former White House national security adviser Michael Flynn, who was ousted last week.

Based on reporting by AP, AFP, Reuters, and Interfax
The separatists controlling Azerbaijan's breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region have strengthened their executive leader's powers in a referendum that international observers warned was illegal.

The separatist region's de facto Central Election Commission said on February 21 that 87.6 percent of voters supported changing its form of governance from semipresidential to fully presidential.

Nagorno-Karabakh will have no prime minister, and the de facto president will appoint government ministers.

Other amendments include the change of the region's name from the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic to the Republic of Artsakh, but the two names will be treated as synonymous.

Turnout in the February 20 vote was 76 percent, the commission said.

Armenia-backed separatists seized control of mainly Armenian-populated Nagorno-Karabakh during a war in the early 1990s that killed some 30,000 people. Diplomatic efforts to settle the conflict have brought little progress.

Baku and a mediating group from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which consists of U.S., Russian, and French diplomats, have denounced the referendum as illegal.


Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said the military neutrality of Sweden and Finland is fundamental to the security of the Baltic region.

Lavrov made the comments on February 21 at a joint press conference with Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom.

"We have reiterated our high opinion on the policy of Sweden and, also, Finland that adhere to the nonaligned course in military affairs," Lavrov said. "We see it as an important token of regional stability in the Baltic region and Europe in general."

Wallstrom, for her part, said that "Sweden's policy of nonalignment with military blocs is solid."

Public support for Finland and Sweden to boost ties with NATO or even join the bloc has been rising amid growing tensions between Russia and Europe, particularly since Russia's 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region and Moscow's active political and military support for separatists in eastern Ukraine.

In January, Lithuanian Defense Minister Jonas Vytautas Zukas announced that Sweden and Finland were considering sending troops to train jointly with NATO forces deployed in the three Baltic countries of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia last year.

Based on reporting by TASS and The Baltic Times
Serbia's nationalist president, Tomislav Nikolic, has said he will not run for reelection in the country's upcoming election and will support the candidacy of Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic.

"We have agreed to continue to jointly run the country," Nikolic told local media late on February 20 after talks with Vucic. "We will discuss functions after we win the election."

The populist Progressive Party nominated Vucic, who has pursued pro-European integration policies, to be its candidate in the April election on February 17.

The next day, Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic announced that his Socialist Party would support Vucic and he urged Nikolic not to seek reelection.

Nikolic and Vucic issued a joint statement following their meeting that stressed the need for "unity" to resolve regional problems and avoid crises. The statement, however, did not say explicitly that Nikolic would not seek a second five-year term.
The commercial director of Tajikistan's Somon Air company, Alisher Rustamov, has been fired over the cancelation of the long-awaited return of regular passenger service between Dushanbe and the Uzbek capital, Tashkent.

Somon Air said on February 21 that Rustamov and several of his subordinates were fired after an internal investigation revealed the company had failed to provide the Tashkent airport with the necessary documents to resume the service as of February 20.

The February 20 flight from Dushanbe to Tashkent by Somon Air was meant to highlight the restoration of air service between the two countries, but it was canceled at the last moment. Somon Air officials announce the Tashkent airport had canceled the flight.

Somon Air said on February 21 that the service will begin "in the nearest future."

With the exception of a test-flight on February 10, there have been no direct civilian flights between the two capitals since 1992.

Relations between Tajikistan and Uzbekistan have been strained for years over disputes that include transit routes, border security, and the sharing of water resources.

Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyaev has promised to improve ties with neighboring Central Asian states since his election in December 2016.
ON MY MIND

The way the Kremlin is planning to spin the centennial of the 1917 revolution is coming into focus. As an editorial in Nezavisimaya Gazeta (featured below) points out, the Russian Orthodox Church has begun its commemorations by assailing the events of February 1917, which led to the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II and brought the short-lived, liberal provisional government to power.

In other words, the bad Russian liberals of 1917 brought down the monarchy and the end result -- eight months later -- was the Bolshevik seizure of power.

And by laying the blame on the liberals of a century ago, the church is laying the groundwork for the Kremlin narrative -- which will be a not-so-veiled warning to the liberals of 2017.

IN THE NEWS

Vitaly Churkin, a veteran Soviet and Russian diplomat who served as Moscows envoy to the United Nations as its ties with the West plunged to levels unseen since the Cold War, has died at the age of 64.

Germany's most prominent nationalist politician held talks with Russian lawmakers over the weekend, including senior members of President Vladimir Putin's United Russia party, her office has said.

The Kremlin has dismissed a Ukrainian peace plan created by a pro-Russian Ukrainian lawmaker and given to the White House, calling its provision on Crimea "absurd."

Hundreds of people gathered in central Kyiv on February 20 to commemorate the third anniversary of the bloodiest day of protests that led to the ouster of pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych.

A military court in Russia has sentenced an Azerbaijani citizen to eight years in prison on charges of recruiting young people for the Islamic State radical group in Syria.

Russia defended its decision to recognize documents issued by separatists it backs in eastern Ukraine amid mounting criticism from Western governments that the move undermines prospects for peace in the region.

Russia's Defense Ministry says four Russian Army service personnel were killed in Syria on February 16 when a vehicle they were traveling in drove over a roadside bomb.

The widow of a Kyrgyz driver who was killed in a traffic accident involving a Russian diplomat says she will file a lawsuit against Russia's embassy in Bishkek.

WHAT I'M READING

Was 1917 Inevitable?

In the Financial Times, Dominic Lieven, a senior research fellow at Trinity College, Cambridge, and author of the book Towards The Flame: Empire, War And The End Of Tsarist Russia, asks, Could Russia have avoided revolution in 1917?

1917? Blame It On The Liberals!

An editorial in Nezavisimaya Gazeta looks at how the Russian Orthodox Church is marking the centennial of the 1917 revolution and pushing a narrative that liberals were to blame for the Bolsheviks' rise to power. According to the editorial, Orthodox officials blamed liberals like Aleksandr Kerensky for "rocking the boat," a narrative that suits the regime's "current political interests rather than historical truth."

Lessons From The Red Scare

Writing in The Atlantic, Uri Friedman looks back at the Red Scare and the lessons it can teach us today.

Putin's Holy War

Marc Bennetts has a piece in Politico, Putin's Holy War, on the rising influence of the Russian Orthodox Church.

The Spread Of Anti-Gay Ideology

Masha Gessen, author of The Man Without A Face: The Unlikely Rise Of Vladimir Putin, has a piece in Harper's on the spread of antigay ideology in the former Soviet Union.

The Purge Of The Governors

In Republic.ru, Anastasia Yakoreva and Polina Potapova look at the Kremlin's recent purge of regional leaders and explain what a governor needs to do in order to survive.

And in Gazeta.ru, Andrei Vinokurov argues, citing Kremlin sources, that the firings of regional leaders will take a pause until September.

What Is To Be Done

Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations, has a piece in Time magazine on what the United States needs to do about Russia.

Belarus In The Middle

Thomas de Waal has a short piece on the Carnegie Center-Europe's website on Belarus's balancing act between Russia and the West.

Grand Bargain, Raw Deal

In The Moscow Times, foreign-affairs analyst Vladimir Frolov argues that any grand bargain with Putin will be a raw deal for the United States.

The Nuclear Fallout Of A New Detente

Andreas Umland, a senior research fellow at the Institute for Euro-Atlantic Cooperation in Kyiv, and Mariana Budjeryn, a Stanton Nuclear Security Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy Schools Belfer Center, argue in The Harvard International Review that nuclear Russia annexing part of non-nuclear Ukraine bodes ill for the Nonproliferation Treaty.

Alternative Facts About Nord Stream

Sijbren de Jong, a strategic analyst for The Hague Center for Strategic Studies, has a piece in EUObserver on "alternative facts" about the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project.

Global Turbulence

The Hague Center for Strategic Studies has released a new report, Volatility And Friction In The Age Of Disintermediation.
Turkmenistan's rubberstamp parliament is about to lose its rubber stamp, again.

In his inauguration address on February 17, Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov said he would raise the status of the country's Council of Elders above that of parliament.

That means this group of "white beards," as they would be termed locally, all of them over 70 years old, are about to officially become the legislative branch of government.

This is the second time Turkmenistan's parliament has been demoted.

There was a body called the People's Assembly (Halk Maslahaty) that, like the Council of Elders, had existed since the early days of Turkmenistan's independence in late 1991. Under Turkmenistan's first post-independence president, Saparmurat Niyazov, the People's Assembly was a group that composed a cross-section of Turkmenistan's society -- state officials and employees, businessmen, famers, social organizations, and others.

The assembly proposed changes, ostensibly on behalf of the groups and people it represented: ideas like making Niyazov president for life, which it started proposing in 1995 and eventually achieved on December 28, 1999, when the People's Assembly finally "convinced" Niyazov that he should bow to the will of people and stay in power for the rest of his life.

'Assassination Attempt'

In the wake of a reported assassination attempt on Niyazov in late November 2002, Niyazov turned to the People's Assembly, not parliament, to act.

Former Foreign Minister Boris Shikhmuradov, who had declared himself in opposition to Niyazov's government in November 2001 while serving as Turkmenistan's ambassador to China, was apprehended inside Turkmenistan shortly after the purported assassination attempt. He was identified as the alleged leader of the plot.

On December 30, 2002, Niyazov showed the People's Assembly a video of what some outside Turkmenistan believe was a coerced confession in which Shikhmuradov said, "I really wanted to kill the Turkmen president and undermine the constitutional system."

Not long after that, Niyazov asked the assembly to define "high treason" and punishments for such an offense (in the end, the assembly chose life imprisonment). At the end of an August 14-15, 2003, session of the People's Assembly in Turkmenbashi City, the assembly was named the country's highest legislative body and its membership -- which had ranged from 2,000 to 3,000 over the years -- was set at 2,507. Elections were conducted to fill those seats on April 6, 2003.

One of the new People's Assembly's first acts was to award Niyazov the "international" Makhtumkuly prize -- named in honor of Magtumguly Pyragy, a famous 18th-century Turkmen poet -- for his books Blessed Be The Turkmen People and Five Epochs Of The Spirituality Of The Turkmen People.

Hastily Approved Document

In its time, the People's Assembly not only made Niyazov president for life but, in its capacity as Turkmenistan's highest legislative body, it continually blocked half-hearted proposals, usually from Niyazov, to conduct a new presidential election.

The People's Assembly approved Niyazov's proposal to change the names of the days of the week and the months of the year. It also adopted regulations requiring state officials to have their ancestry checked back six generations to ensure they were suitable to serve in the government.

And, in late December 2006 after Niyazov's death, the People's Assembly hastily approved a document that stripped parliamentary speaker Ovezgeldy Ataev of his immunity so he could be arrested, clearing the way for Health Minister Berdymukhammedov to become acting president. At that same time, the People's Assembly voted to remove the constitutional prohibition against an acting president running for the presidency.

The People's Assembly was abolished when Berdymukhammedov introduced constitutional changes in September 2008, and its theoretical powers were redistributed to the parliament and the executive branch.

Filling The Void

The Council of Elders quickly filled the void, and it now appears to have followed the same path as the People's Assembly.

The council proposed the constitutional changes that were adopted in September, lifting the age limit (of 70) for a candidate to run for president and extending the presidential term from five to seven years. The council has also proposed ending state subsidies that gave the country's citizens allotments of electricity, gas, and water for free.

The Elders Council has also voted to give Berdymukhammedov awards, such as "Hero of Turkmenistan" in 2011 and called his rule "paradise on earth."

The council has not publicly floated the idea of naming Berdymukhammedov president for life, but such a proposal -- sometime in the future -- cannot be discounted.

Like so much of what happens in Turkmenistan, the reasons for subordinating parliament to the Council of Elders are unclear -- all the more, since Turkmenistan is going through difficult economic times and it is hard to see how a group of people who spent two-thirds of their lives in the Soviet Union can come up with a plan to extract Turkmenistan from its current crisis.

Members of the Council of Elders are selected, not elected. The qualifications for being on the council are a bit clearer. Qishloq Ovozi, working with RFE/RL's Turkmen Service, known locally as Azatlyk, heard from a former member of the council not so long ago, and his story is probably similar to many of the 600 elders (100 from each of the five provinces and 100 from the capital, Ashgabat).

Making the Council of Elders the highest legislative body in Turkmenistan is still only a proposal. But that proposal comes from President Berdymukhammedov, so the clock just might be ticking for parliament.

The director of RFE/RL's Turkmen Service, Farruh Yusupov, contributed to this report. The views expressed in this blog post do not necessarily reflect the views of RFE/RL.
KYIV -- Ukraine's top prosecutor says his office is investigating a previously obscure lawmaker on suspicion of treason after he presented associates of President Donald Trump with a controversial peace plan for Ukraine and Russia.



Prosecutor-General Yuriy Lutsenko told reporters on February 21 that Andriy Artemenko may have committed a treasonous offense in designing a plan to lease Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula to Russia in exchange for Kyiv regaining control of land held by Russia-backed separatists in the east.



The peace-for-sanctions-relief plan Artemenko claimed he co-authored thrust him into the spotlight on February 20 after The New York Times reported that it had wound up on the desk of Trump's short-lived national security adviser, Michael Flynn.



A document announcing the inquiry shared on Facebook by Lutsenko accuses Artemenko of carrying out subversive activities against Ukraine.

Such actions are punishable in Ukraine by 10 to 15 years in prison.



Artemenko, who was ousted on February 20 from the Radical Party, could not immediately be reached for comment.

Reporting by Christopher Miller


David Zentz | Getty Images. A Maine lobster researcher plans to develop an over-the-counter product for treating warts and shingles that is based on the sea critter's blood.

An over-the-counter product for treating warts and shingles is coming from an unusual place: lobsters.

A Maine lobster researcher is hoping to harvest the sea critter's blood and put it to new uses.



"We have tissue culture experiments that demonstrate that it's antiviral," said Robert Bayer, one of the researchers behind the venture.

Bayer, the executive director of the Lobster Institute at the University of Maine in Orono, has a patent filing that details the use "crustacean hemolymph... for a pharmaceutical and/or cosmetic treatment of viral and other neoplastic or pre-neoplastic mammalian tissue legions."



To put this patent to use, Bayer has teamed with Cathy Billings, associate director of the Lobster Institute, as well as a retired New York ad exec, among others. The university isn't part of the venture, known as Lobster Unlimited LLC. (It was first reported by the Bangor Daily News.)

The start-up's first product is expected to be a cream that will be known as LobsteRx, according to Billings. She wouldn't divulge how much lobster serum is needed for each container, although she indicated that the serum is "the major active ingredient" and added that shea butter also might be added as an ingredient.

The serum is harvested from the lobsters using a syringe technique that enters the lobster's soft tissue. The company also has been testing a type of vacuum pressure to assist in the process.

The good news is the lobster is still edible after the serum is extracted. The group plans to work with lobsters used in the meat-processing market or for frozen tails.

"One of the things that happens during the processing is they bleed out," said Bayer. "So it's not that different than the normal process. There are massive amounts of blood you're (processors) paying sewer charges on."



The American Lobster species will be used for the serum or hemolymph. Each lobster can provide about one-eighth of a cup of the liquid, which means a 90-pound crate of lobsters can yield roughly a gallon of serum in less than an hour.

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"What makes us unique is that we can collect millions of pounds of [lobster serum]," said Bayer. "That is something  the serum  that's currently going down the drain."

Bayer, who has nearly 40 years' experience studying lobsters, estimates that the venture could get about 5 million pounds of lobster serum per year from about 60 million to 80 million pounds of processed lobsters. (Maine alone harvested just over 120 million pounds of lobster in 2015).

Bayer said they hope to use the so-called cosmeceutical development path "with no real claims," with the aim of launching the topical product as early as this fall. He said the company eventually plans to get approval from the Food and Drug Administration.

But FDA approval involves a lengthy process, which is one of the reasons the company plans to use the cosmeceutical route to go to market. Then, it will use the proceeds from those sales to then pursue FDA approval, which would require clinical trials to be conducted.

Retailers already have expressed interest in the concept product, though Bayer wouldn't reveal any names except to say it includes "one that you would recognize." The sale price of the LobsteRx skin cream product hasn't been determined.



A Maine seafood processor, Cape Seafood, is working with the company behind LobsteRx "to continue advancements and explore" the possibility of becoming a regular supplier. Using the serum is seen as supporting efforts that seek to make the most of the entire lobster.

According to Bayer, the serum of other crustaceans and sea creatures, such as mollusks, have been documented to also have some antiviral properties. He said that is one of the reasons he started researching the value of lobster blood to treat various ailments.



As for the lobster blood-based product, Bayer has done tests of the serum product on himself and at least 20 others. The product can reduce warts in roughly a week, though some people might show results in just four days, Bayer said.

"It's all friends and family at this point," he said.

Besides warts and shingles, Bayer said it can be used for eczema and something known as molluscum contagiosum, a common skin rash in children.





More From CNBC


BRUSSELS -- EU ambassadors are expected to agree to extend asset freezes imposed against former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and 15 of his associates for another year according to EU sources.

The sources told RFE/RL on February 21 that the decision was expected on March 1. It would then be approved by EU ministers at a meeting on March 3.

The asset freezes were first imposed by the EU after the fall of the Yanukovych regime in February 2014 and targeted people that Brussels believed had misappropriated Ukrainian state funds and assets. They have been prolonged annually ever since.

Viktor Yanukovych's son Oleksandr is included on the list, as are former Prime Ministers Mykola Azarov and Serhiy Arbuzov, former Justice Minister Olena Lukash, and former head of the Ukrainian presidential administration Andriy Klyuyev.

Several people on the list, including Viktor Yanukovych, challenged their inclusion at the European Court of Justice in 2016, but the court struck down the complaints and maintained that the reason for their listings were lawful.
Moscow and Kyiv are at odds over a statement issued by the UN Security Council mourning the February 20 death of Russia's long-time envoy to the United Nations, Vitaly Churkin.

Russia angrily accused Ukraine, which holds the rotating presidency of the 15-nation Security Council this month, of blocking the adoption of a "presidential statement" honoring Churkin.

This is wild and inhuman, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on February 21. He also accused Ukraine of acting in an "un-Christian" way, and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "May God judge them."

Kyiv rejected the criticism, saying that the Security Council issued a press statement but suggesting that a formal presidential statement would have been out of place.

"We didnt block anything," Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maryana Betsa said.

She said that "a statement was issued for the press, as has been done in such cases in the past. There havent been many such cases. But there was no precedent for a separate political statement.

Tensions between Russia and Ukraine have been extremely high since Russia forcibly annexed Ukraine's Crimea region in 2014 and began providing active political and military support to separatists fighting the government in eastern Ukraine.

In November 2016, the lead prosecutor for the International Criminal Court issued a finding that the conflict "is equivalent to an international armed conflict between Ukraine and the Russian Federation."

Russia is one of five veto-wielding permanent Security Council members.

With reporting by TASS, RIA Novosti, and UNIAN


The U.S. military is "not in Iraq to seize anybody's oil," Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has said, distancing himself from remarks by President Donald Trump in talks with Iraqi leaders.

Mattis is the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit Iraq since Trump irked Iraqis by imposing a temporary ban on travel to the United States and suggesting that Americans should have seized Iraq's oil after toppling Saddam Hussein in 2003.

Trump told CIA staff last month: "We should have kept the oil. But okay. Maybe you'll have another chance."

Mattis, however, flatly ruled out any such intent by the nearly 6,000 U.S. troops that remain in Iraq. "We're not in Iraq to seize anybody's oil," he said on February 20.

"All of us in America have generally paid for our gas and oil all along, and I'm sure that we will continue to do so in the future," said Mattis, a retired Marine general who once led forces in Iraq.

It was only his latest departure from Trump's views. Mattis has been more critical than Trump of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and he sought an exemption from Trump's travel ban for Iraqis who have served with U.S. troops, including translators.

Based on reporting by AFP and Reuters
A prominent Uzbek imam who was gravely injured in an assassination attempt in Sweden in 2012 has recovered the ability to speak, his son says.

Imam Obidkhon Qori Nazarov's son, Dovudkhon Nazarov, told RFE/RL on February 20 that his father was now able to communicate by voice.

Nazarov, a critic of Uzbekistan's late President Islam Karimov, was in a coma for two years after being shot at least three times in the attack in the northern Swedish town of Stromsund. Relatives said he suffered brain damage.

The imam was granted asylum in Sweden in 2006 after fleeing Uzbekistan in 1998.

In December 2015, a Swedish court convicted Uzbek citizen Yury Zhukovsky of carrying out the attack and sentenced him to 18 years in prison. An appeals court later increased Zhukovsky's sentence to life in prison.

Nazarov's relatives say they believe the Uzbek government was behind the assassination attempt, and have urged Swedish authorities to continue to investigate.
There is a controversy brewing in the Loudon County Public School system around a principal who gave a reference to a former band teacher who left the school system after allegations of misconduct.

That same teacher began working for a school system in Florida and has reportedly been accused of misconduct in that jurisdiction.

Subsequently, according to an article in Loudoun Now, the principal was put on leave and recommended for termination by the School Board.

It should be noted that no reason has been given as to why the principal is in hot water. But it may be instructive as to why giving references for a former employee can be a bad idea.

Many employers have instituted policies against providing employment references, other than dates of employment, job title and salary. This policy provides the employer with the most legal protections.

Virginia is one of many states to pass what is known as a job reference shield law, but the language of the law should give employers anything but relief, as should an accompanying criminal law.

The civil law states:

Any employer who, upon request by a person's prospective or current employer, furnishes information about that person's professional conduct, reasons for separation or job performance, including, but not limited to, information contained in any written performance evaluations, shall be immune from civil liability for furnishing such information, provided that the employer is not acting in bad faith.

"An employer shall be presumed to be acting in good faith. The presumption of good faith shall be rebutted if it is shown by clear and convincing evidence that the employer disclosed such information with knowledge that it was false, or with reckless disregard for whether it is false or not, or with the intent to deliberately mislead.

In addition to the law providing civil damages, Virginia also has law making it a crime to prevent employment of a former employee:

No person doing business in this commonwealth, or any agent or attorney of such person after having discharged any employee from the service of such person or after any employee shall have voluntarily left the service of such person shall willfully and maliciously prevent or attempt to prevent by word or writing, directly or indirectly, such discharged employee or such employee who has voluntarily left from obtaining employment with any other person.

"For violation of this section the offender shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall, on conviction thereof, be fined not less than $100 nor more than $500. But this section shall not be construed as prohibiting any person from giving on application for any other person a truthful statement of the reason for such discharge, or a truthful statement concerning the character, industry and ability of such person who has voluntarily left.

The criminal law is enforced by the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry.

Unfortunately, in my experience there was no presumption of good faith. Providing a reference can unnecessarily put the employer at risk, and its practices under the microscope.

Employers get what they give. They shouldnt give references, and they shouldnt expect them. Employers have other tools to uncover the tangible, and intangible, skillsets for a prospective employee, including validating dates of employment and reasons for leaving, and conducting thorough job interviews.

Further, managers should not let a personal friendship with an employee lead to a personal reference. If you have direct knowledge of that employees work performance in your organization and you provide that information, even as a friend, you could be subject to the law.

Organizations should train management of its policy against personal or professional references for former (or current) employees. A good recruiter will call around the organization to find an untrained supervisor to provide a reference.

Finally, employers should eliminate the concept of eligible, or not eligible, for rehire. Recruiters will try to trick employers into finding out information about a prospective employee by asking if the person is eligible for rehire. If the employer has no such designation, there wont be an issue with someone inadvertently responding.
Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney says he hired a former state official despite a 2015 conviction for embezzling nearly $240,000 because he believes in redemption.

Steven Hammond Jr. pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to stealing money intended for substance abuse education while working as a program coordinator at the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.

Stoney hired him in late January to serve as an executive assistant, a position Stoneys office said is primarily clerical, though Hammond regularly accompanies Stoney to events.

The mayor has worked throughout his public service career to advance the idea of restorative justice, and Steves hiring demonstrates that he practices what he preaches, Stoneys press secretary, Jim Nolan, said in a statement. Steve deserves a second chance.

Several high-profile Richmond-area politicians vouched for Hammond, Nolan said, including Del. Jeffrey M. Bourne, Del. Lamont Bagby and Henrico County Supervisor Tyrone Nelson.

Its easy for people to point their finger and say someone doesnt deserve a second chance, Nelson said. Im not one of those people. Steve Hammond is not one of those type of people you want to throw away because he made a bad decision.

Nelson, a pastor, said hes known Hammond since Hammond was 11 and was among those who spoke on his behalf at a January 2015 sentencing hearing.

Efforts to reach Hammond for comment were unsuccessful.

In pleading guilty, Hammond admitted to creating false payments to nonexistent programs that depended on grant money to fight underage drinking, issuing 77 checks that were cashed by friends, who split the proceeds. The theft began as early as 2009 and was discovered in 2013.

Hammond embezzled money that was intended to help save lives and improve public safety by combating underage drinking, Dana Boente, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, said after Hammonds guilty plea.

During his sentencing hearing, Hammond described living his youth in poverty, losing his father in a drug-related murder and being raised by his grandmother.

Hammond told the court he had let down those people closest to him in a misguided effort to provide to his two children and friends what had been denied to him as a child. Being caught saved me from further destruction, he said at the time. Pride and arrogance consumed me and almost destroyed me.

He faced 10 years in prison, but Judge John A. Gibney Jr. said he was moved by Hammonds remorseful comments and the testimony Nelson and others made on his behalf. Gibney sentenced him to three years of probation, 240 hours of community service and restitution payments of $150 a month.

Acknowledging the break he was about to give the defendant, Gibney issued a warning: If Im wrong and hes back here in front of me again, it will be a sad day in his life.

Since then, Hammond has held a variety of jobs, including selling shoes online, working as a coordinator for a Henrico summer program and, most recently, as a legislative assistant for Bagby.

Bagby said he hired Hammond because he wanted to give him an opportunity to redeem himself.

He showed what I had hoped would be true: that he is committed to working hard and redeeming himself, Bagby said.

He said he was among several people who personally recommended Hammond to Stoney. Hammond makes roughly $45,000 a year in his new position, Nolan said.
Richmond Mayor Levar Stoneys office said late Tuesday that the mayor had accepted the resignation of an executive assistant with a criminal record after it became public that the man had been found guilty of a probation violation for sending threatening text messages.

On Monday, Stoney said he hired Steven Hammond Jr., who was convicted of embezzling $240,000 from the state in 2015, because he believes in redemption.

But Stoney said Tuesday that he was not aware Hammond was called back before U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr. in February 2016 after telling the mother of his children in a series of text messages that he was headed to her house and, The next time I see you, Im going to punch you in your (expletive) face.

Federal court documents show that the woman obtained an emergency protection order against Hammond in January 2016 after Hammond sent the messages and called her 42 times over the course of about 40 minutes.

At a subsequent hearing last February, Hammond pleaded guilty to the violation.

In a statement released by Stoneys office, Hammond apologized to Stoney for not being more forthcoming:

I have made mistakes in my past that I am not proud of, and the words I used in the disagreement with the mother of my daughters are inexcusable, he said. Thats not who I am today.

Stoneys press secretary, Jim Nolan, said in a statement Tuesday that Stoney was disappointed by the revelation.

There is never an excuse, no matter the circumstances, for threatening violence, Nolan said.

The mayors office described the executive assistant position, which it said paid about $45,000 annually, as primarily clerical. Hammond often accompanied Stoney to public events in the role and took notes for the mayor.

Stoney had defended his decision to hire Hammond while he was still on probation for stealing money intended for substance abuse education. At the time, Hammond was working as a program coordinator at the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.

Stoney, who in his prior position as secretary of the commonwealth was a champion of felons rights restoration, worked throughout his public service career to advance the idea of restorative justice, Nolan said Monday. And Steves hiring demonstrates that he practices what he preaches.

The woman to whom he sent the threatening text messages, Kia Clarke, declined to speak to a reporter, but in an email said she has forgiven him and called him a great father.

As most relationships encounter challenging times, we have also had our own in the past, she said. We work well together as co-parents, and are working to have a better relationship for the sake of our girls. Steven has made his share of mistakes as we all have, but each day hes working toward being a better person.

According to a transcript of the probation violation hearing, Gibney expressed surprise at seeing Hammond back in court, though neither he nor the prosecutor handling the case seemed to consider Hammonds violation to be a serious transgression.

I have got to say, you know, you came in here for your sentencing, you had half the political leadership of Henrico County here for you, he said, referencing the high-profile support Hammond received from Henrico Board of Supervisors member Tyrone Nelson, Del. Lamont Bagby and University of Virginia Rector George K. Martin.

And I have got to say that I cut you an enormous break on this case. Absolutely enormous. I mean, you stole a couple hundred thousand dollars, wasnt it? So I did not expect to see you back.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas A. Garnett characterized the messages as mildly threatening and suggested Hammond get a suspended sentence.

Essentially, we would just ask the court to give Mr. Hammond a very stern talking to, Garnett said.

Gibney agreed, telling Hammond that sending threatening messages is really not a good idea to do in the short run or the long run.

Its not good in the short run because you wind up here doing things like this, he said. And it is not good in the long run because you and your former girlfriend, or whatever, have, you know, dozens of years that you are going to be together at baptisms and birthdays and all that kind of thing, and you need to bite your tongue.

At the same hearing, Hammond had the restitution he was sentenced to pay on the $240,000 he embezzled reduced from $150 per month to $50 because he was struggling to make ends meet working part time as a legislative aide for Bagby and part time in the stockroom of a shoe store.

Gibney told Hammond, who according to court records filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection this past November, that he needed to find a better job.

Why dont you see if Mr. Bagby can help you find a better job? Gibney said. Bagby said this week that he was among those who recommended Hammond to Stoney.
An auto dealer lobbying group and its leader say that a Hanover County leaders accusations about them lack evidence and dont hold up under the law.

The Virginia Automobile Dealers Association and its president and CEO, Donald Hall, filed this month in Richmond Circuit Court a response to the complaint brought against them by Henry District Supervisor Sean M. Davis, a former employee for the auto dealers association.

The auto dealers association and Hall have asked that Davis accusations of two types of fraud, breach of contract, wrongful discharge and defamation be dismissed .

Davis has filed this action in a futile effort to assuage his failed aspirations, the response reads. It can be said with certainty that Daviss salacious allegations do nothing to mask the legal defects of his claims.

In a complaint filed in January, Davis accused Hall and the auto dealers association of failing to follow through on a raise that he was allegedly promised, hosting a hostile work environment and then firing Davis as an act of retaliation.

The Virginia Automobile Dealers Association and Hall deny those claims in their response and declined to comment through an attorney.

Daviss complaint falls woefully short of alleging any facts to establish that Hall had no intention of keeping his alleged promises, the response reads.
Members on Hanover Countys Board of Supervisors broadly share the view that reduced state funding for road projects means the locality may eventually have to implement a car registration fee. But opinions vary on just when such a fee might need to be put in place.

The differing views on the timing of when Hanover might have to bring back a car registration fee were on display at a Hanover Community Development Committee meeting on Monday.

The three-member committee unanimously passed a motion to recommend that the Board of Supervisors put plans for a car registration fee on hold to give the county attorney and county administrator time to try to build a coalition with other localities to pressure the state to adjust its transportation funding plan.

The Community Development Committee is tasked with recommending policies related to five county departments, including Planning and Public Works. Henry District Supervisor Sean Davis chairs the committee, and Mechanicsville Supervisor W. Canova Peterson and South Anna Supervisor Wayne T. Hazzard make up the rest of the committee.

Peterson said he wanted to be sure that Hanover residents understand everything possible had been done to formally put pressure on state legislators about Hanovers transportation needs. There has been little disagreement on the board about Hanover fighting for all the funding it can get.

We need to make sure our citizens understand whats going on, Peterson said. I do feel, as Mr. Hazzard does, we need to put up that good fight.

In addition to Peterson and Hazzard, Cold Harbor Supervisor Scott A. Wyatt supports waiting to implement a car registration fee. Wyatt attended Mondays meeting but does not sit on the Community Development Committee. Wyatt cited higher reassessments for property owners in his district and the potential prospect of federal transportation funding as reasons for wanting to wait before moving forward with a car registration fee.

I think its bad timing right now, Wyatt said. We need to move a little slower.

Whats going on with Hanovers transportation funding as the county sees it is that a funding gap has been created as a result of a drop in state funding for roads. Virginias transportation funding is done in part through a program called Smart Scale. Localities submit projects to be considered for funding, and funds are doled out based on a score assigned to each project.

Hanovers top-priority road projects identified during a presentation at Mondays committee meeting were the widening of Pole Green Road, estimated to be a $16.7 million project, and the first phase of widening Atlee Station Road, estimated at $20 million.

Some of Hanovers supervisors feel they are losing out on Smart Scale funding to higher-scoring projects in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads.

Del. Christopher K. Peace, whose district includes part of Hanover, said in an email that even if the county is getting less funding from certain state programs, overall the state funding for Hanovers roads has grown over the years.

Mechanicsville residents experience new road construction each day in their daily commute and the progress is clear, Peace said in reference to state Route 360. Notwithstanding, with continuing growth in the county, the needs related to road infrastructure will obviously increase.

Hanover previously had an annual vehicle decal fee, then had a permanent decal fee, before getting rid of a motor vehicle fee. Some on Hanovers board think its time to begin looking closer at again implementing a car registration fee.

Ashland Supervisor Faye Prichard has said it is time to bite the bullet on transportation funding rather than waiting.

Chickahominy Supervisor Angela Kelly-Wiecek said after Mondays meeting that she would have supported taking action this year on a car registration fee.
The mourners held heart- and star-shaped balloons, some of which escaped the grasp of the holder and drifted into the twilight sky.

Some wore T-shirts commemorating the victims, Deborah Walker and her daughter, Shaquenda Walker, at a candlelight vigil attended by several hundred, including City Councilwoman Ellen Robertson and Police Chief Alfred Durham.

Among those in attendance was Bishop Melvin Williams Jr. of Temple of Judah, which fed family members in the aftermath of what police described as a murder-suicide in which Shaquendas boyfriend, Walter Gaines III, took the womens lives and his own.

When I heard about it Friday ... I couldnt not come out, Williams said. You could sense a hurting community, and the community needed to be healed.

Monday evening, he estimated that he had attended 100 candlelight vigils over 40 years.

Mondays gathering was in the parking lot at the Oliver Crossing apartments adjacent to Mosby Court on an isolated bluff above the Richmond Justice Center. The area is largely forgotten by the outside community until a deadly act of violence occurs.

For those of us outside of Richmonds marginalized communities, it was easy to be lulled into complacency as Richmonds homicide rate plummeted. But the 61 homicides in 2016 represented the highest toll in a decade. The deaths of Deborah and Shaquenda Walker brought this years count to 13, four ahead of the total at the same time last year.

Each death represents a horrible tragedy on its own. But does the recent trend represent an ominous backsliding to an era Richmond thought it had left behind?

Robyn McDougle, interim executive director of the Commonwealth Educational Policy Institute at Virginia Commonwealth University, said 35 out of 50 U.S. cities tracked by the FBI have seen an increase in their violent crime rate since 2015.

Violent crime is on an increase. But its always good to put it in perspective. Violent crime is not what it was in the early to mid-2000s, she said.

She also noted that the Richmond Police Department has a relatively high clearance rate for homicides. Of the 61 committed in 2016, city police cleared two-thirds, or 41. Thats a sign of a healthy level of engagement between the community and police, she said.

When Richmond was in its depths of despair and violent crime, you couldnt even get citizens to talk to law enforcement, she said. That sign of a broken police-community relationship is not there.

But something is broken, nonetheless. Some of our communities, for one. And also, perhaps, the citys funding priorities.

The starting salary for a Richmond police officer is $41,000, which lags behind the counties of Henrico ($43,893), Chesterfield ($42,800) and even Hanover ($41,719), a county whose population is less than half of Richmonds and had only four homicides in 2016.

One can only conclude that police in Richmond are being paid less for a more demanding job. That has to hurt recruitment, retention and morale.

Durham says hes convinced that Mayor Levar Stoney is committed to public safety as a priority. But during a phone interview from the highway, his exasperation was clear.

Its very disheartening, he said. This problem that were experiencing in the city, especially with the violent crime overall, is bigger than the police department. Everyone has a shared responsibility in ensuring their own safety.

Everybody has to do their fair share, he said, from the police to the prosecutors to the judges to the community.

When crime is down, the squeaky wheel gets all the oil, he said. But what about the investment in law enforcement when there isnt a perceived crisis? He appreciates the $1.6 million in funding he received from the Richmond City Council in December to hire 40 officers, but he notes that he lost 45 officers last year and has lost four so far this year.

He has 689 officers on payroll, but 38 are in the academy and 31 are unavailable for various reasons, including sick leave and military leave, Durham said. Im supposed to have 750.

Richmonds population has increased and service calls have gone up, but the positions have gone unfunded, he said. For two years, Ive been begging and pleading council for funding.

Meanwhile, budgets in both the House of Delegates and state Senate include a raise of nearly $7,000 for state troopers in addition to the 3 percent raise state employees would receive. Durham says this will exacerbate his attrition problem.

Already, hes losing officers to other departments in the region. Officers in Henrico, Chesterfield and Hanover are more likely to get a take-home vehicle, which Durham describes as like an extra $20,000 in salary.

Although no one has pinpointed the precise cause for the national uptick in violent crime, Adria Scharf, executive director of the Richmond Peace Education Center, has her theories about the persistence of violence in Richmond.

She observed that despite years of economic growth, we have not addressed our deep problems. A lot of the communities where were seeing homicides are the communities weve left behind.

She described two Richmonds. One thrives. The other is constricted by trauma, hopelessness and disinvestment, its condition defined by race, poverty and insufficient resources and schools. In some of the most fundamental ways, we have so much more to do.

She hopes the uptick in violence is temporary. I think its important also as a community not to overreact, not to sensationalize, which can cause more urban flight and disinvestment. But she cant help but see the uptick as a warning call about the need to get serious about redressing some of the historic harms that have left behind too many segments of our community.

Every homicide is symptomatic of a community failure, she said. Until we rouse ourselves from our complacency, the vigils will continue.
Legislation to provide $1.55 million in compensation to a man wrongfully convicted of a 1982 rape and murder in Newport News awaits the governors signature.

Keith Allen Harward, 60, of Greensboro, N.C., was exonerated and released from prison last year after DNA cleared him and implicated one of his former U.S. Navy shipmates, a career criminal now deceased.

The Virginia Supreme Court granted Harwards petition for a writ of actual innocence less than a day after Virginia Attorney General Mark R. Herring joined the Innocence Project in asking it be granted.

The compensation  initially $1.45 million was sought but it was revised upward under a state formula  went through the House and Senate without a single no vote and was sent to the governors office Tuesday.

Gov. Terry McAuliffe has until midnight, March 27 to sign it into law.

The legislation calls for a total of $1,548,439 in compensation of which $309,688 is to be paid Harward within 60 days of his waiving any claims against the state. The remaining $1,238,751 will be used to purchase an annuity for Harward no later than September 30.

The killer beat the rape victims husband to death with a crow bar as he lay in his bed and then assaulted the woman as their children were asleep in a nearby bedroom. The crime occurred at their home located near the shipyard.

The woman, who was bitten on the legs by the assailant, could not identify him but she said he wore an enlisted mans Navy uniform. Harward was convicted in large part on the erroneous testimony of two experts that his teeth matched those of the biter.
Spending a night in a treehouse is a childhood fantasy that could come true for Lynchburg couples and visitors starting a month from now. Animal Planets Treehouse Masters is bringing a new honeymoon treehouse to the grounds of the Bella Rose Plantation on Graves Mill Road just in time for the wedding season.

Treehouse Masters specializes in constructing full-size treehouses for adults who want a Swiss Family Robinson-style getaway but with all of the comforts of a modern home.

Even though Bella Rose only just began holding weddings in May of last year, the dream for a treehouse on the property began three years ago for Vickie Runk when she and her husband, Brian, purchased the Bella Rose property with plans of establishing the wedding venue.

I told [Treehouse Masters] our story, that we had this great tract of land that was historic in nature and we were only a few miles from Thomas Jeffersons historic summer home Poplar Forest, she said. My idea was that we would do a Jeffersonian-style treehouse and put in lots of the components that Jefferson used back in the day because that was the time this property was fully intact.

Scheduled to be completed after just four weeks of construction, the two-story treehouse will overlook the wedding site at the back of the Bella Rose property. The structure will be assembled in prefabricated sections and be fully anchored to the ground and the tree to prevent shifting. Upon completion, it is estimated to weigh 75,000 pounds.

Runk has been working with a designer based in New York to come up with the concept for the interior, which will be modeled in a Jeffersonian style. The structure will be an octagon shape, modeled after Poplar Forest.

This is just an unbelievable experience that I will never forget, she said. This is the first treehouse [the show has done] that will have actual drywall in it to resemble the plaster Thomas Jefferson used, and it will have windows top to bottom.

Long after Runk thought they had been overlooked for a spot on the show, a call came in from Treehouse Masters in March 2016 about the possibility of an episode. For the shows star and lead treehouse designer Pete Nelson, the combination of never having built a treehouse in Virginia and the proximity of the historic vacation home of Thomas Jefferson drew him to the project.

Im a big history buff, especially American history, so the ability to come and see Poplar Forest and build something modeled after it on this historic property was great, said Nelson, the owner of Nelson Treehouse and Supply based out of Fall City in Washington state. I saw the Runks as having a high level of excitement and always saying whats next and what can we do now.

In addition to the treehouse, the Runks also have two other major construction projects in the works for the property. In the next two months, construction will begin on a large greenhouse cathedral to host weddings inside during bad weather. Additionally, plans are in the works for a large event center capable of hosting 350 to 400 guests for larger weddings.

Bella Rose Plantation has partnered with the planned mixed-use Rosedale development located on the tract of land next to the wedding venue. In a contentious November Lynchburg City Council meeting, the council voted to allow up to $5.9 million in property taxes raised from both the Bella Rose Plantation and Rosedale properties to be reimbursed to the developers to fund the main road leading from Graves Mill Road onto the Rosedale tract over 15 years.

The Lynchburg Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on the proposed event center Feb. 22 at 4 p.m. in the second floor conference room of City Hall. City Council tentatively is scheduled to hear the petition at 7:30 p.m. April 11.

I think that Lynchburg is in for some really great news about Rosedale, and we couldnt be more thrilled to be the start of that development, Runk said. It will bring a lot of great things to the city and give the community more options.

In the meantime, Runk looks forward to the treehouse coming together.
A federal appeals court has dismissed a challenge to a Virginia law prohibiting partisan labels on ballots in local elections.

In an opinion published Tuesday, the Richmond-based 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the case brought by a group of Powhatan County Republicans and found the state has a legitimate interest in minimizing political partisanship in local races.

While party identifiers do not appear on the official ballot for Virginias local candidates, the candidates still have every other avenue by which to inform voters of this information, Judge Paul Niemeyer wrote in the three-judge panels unanimous opinion affirming a lower courts earlier ruling. Political parties and their nominees are entirely free to publicize their association with each other.

The plaintiffs argued the ballot rules serve little real purpose because, in many cases, local races are nonpartisan in name only and nothing in state law prevents political parties from nominating local candidates or making informal endorsements. The lack of party information on the ballot, they argued, only sows confusion.

The plaintiffs, the Powhatan County Republican Committee and four candidates it endorsed in a 2015 Board of Supervisors election, claimed the ballot rule violates constitutional rights to freedom of association and equal protection.

Pat McSweeney, an attorney and former chairman of the Powhatan Republican Party, represented the plaintiffs in oral arguments in December.

Lawyers representing the State Board of Elections said the state has a clear interest in minimizing partisanship in races for city councils, county boards and constitutional offices.

Keeping local races nonpartisan also allows federal employees to run for local offices without running afoul of the Hatch Act, with bars federal workers from engaging in partisan political activity.

The General Assembly narrowly passed legislation last year that would allow localities to use party ID in local races when a candidate has been nominated by a party, without forcing the practice on cities and counties that want to retain nonpartisan elections. Gov. Terry McAuliffe vetoed the measure.
CHARLOTTESVILLE  The search for a new University of Virginia president will take place behind closed doors, but members of the search committee have promised to seek out public input.

At its first meeting on Monday, the committee discussed the fine line it will need to walk between confidentiality and public outreach as it searches for a replacement for President Teresa A. Sullivan.

Sullivan, who was hired in 2010, has said she will step down once her contract ends in the summer of 2018.

To attract the best candidates, the search committee will need to keep discussions private, said committee co-chairman Frank M. Rusty Conner III.

If candidates suspect their current positions could be jeopardized by talks with U.Va., Conner said, they might not speak to the committee.

We want to interview the best people in the country, said Conner, who is also U.Va.s vice rector. And the best people wont talk to us if they think theres a breach in confidentiality.

But the committee will solicit feedback from the public  including nominations  through town hall meetings and a presidential search website, scheduled to go live sometime in the first two weeks of March.

The committee then went into closed session to discuss the hiring of consulting firms to help with the search.

Confidentiality is standard for a university presidential search. State open-meetings laws allow public boards to go into closed session to discuss specific personnel matters and any topic involving negotiations that could be spoiled by public discussion.

Rector William H. Goodwin, the committees other co-chairman, spoke at length about the need for members to retain confidentiality and had each member sign a written confidentiality agreement.

The agreement warns members not to name any of the candidates to outsiders, and not to confirm or deny any rumors.

Goodwin said there would be zero tolerance for anyone who breaks the agreement.

There will be no second chances for this, Goodwin said. The best advice is just dont talk about it for any reason to anybody.

Goodwin also denied rumors that the committee already had a candidate in mind, saying they were so false (theyre) not even close.

Sources have named Edward L. Ayers, a former dean of U.Va.s College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences and a former president of the University of Richmond, as a candidate.

For years, Tom F. Farrell II  a U.Va. alum and president of Dominion Resources who once served as U.Va. rector  was a rumored candidate, but those rumors died when Farrell was named to the 22-person search committee earlier this month.

Goodwin denied emphatically that anyone is currently under consideration.

There are no candidates that Im aware of that are favored, Goodwin said. This is a committee that is going through the process.

Ron Forehand  who heads the education section of the office of the state attorney general  told members to be aware of Freedom of Information Act laws. Even with the protections for negotiations and personnel, Forehand said, many of the committees communications are still subject to records requests.

U.Va. is always the subject of scrutiny around the state, and the committees behavior will be under a microscope, he said.

Everybodys going to be watching this and you dont want to make mistakes, Forehand said.

The search committee will take an advisory role in hiring the president  the final decision will have to be approved by the board of visitors  but it has been tasked with finding a suitable candidate.

The committee is made up of 11 board of visitors members, two students, five faculty members, three alumni and the CEO of the U.Va. Medical Center.

The next president of the university will face numerous challenges, Conner said, including the hiring of 400 faculty members (to account for generational turnover and enrollment growth) and meeting the goal of doubling U.Va.s research portfolio.

The ninth president of U.Va. will oversee fundraising in the universitys Bicentennial Campaign, Conner said, and will wrestle with the big question facing all universities  how to remain relevant and affordable in a changing world.

There are a lot of great challenges but also great opportunities for the next president, he said. This person will have a great impact over the next few decades.

Goodwins term on the board of visitors ends June 30, but he will be eligible for reappointment. Regardless of whether Goodwin is reappointed, Conner will still take over as rector on July 1.

That would leave Conner in charge of the search at that point, Goodwin said.

The committee has a tentative schedule for a series of town hall meetings in May with students, faculty, staff and parents  including forums with students on Grounds and at the universitys Wise campus.
It was an intense weekend for Jay Y. Lee as a special prosecution team in South Korea grilled the de-facto leader of Samsung for more than 20 hours.



Nothing has changed when it comes to Samsung's (Korea Stock Exchange: 593-KR) stance: The company is admitting to giving money to foundations in the center of a corruption scandal that has led to the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye, but Samsung maintains it received nothing in return.

Moving forward, next Tuesday is a deadline for the special prosecution's investigation. That team says it will be indicting the Samsung Group chief before then.

"It was unprecedented that the leader of Samsung Group is arrested. It's a chance for chaebols to realize that they, too, can get in trouble and face social resistance when their practice is irregular," Chung Sun-sup, founder of CEO of Chaebul.com, a local corporate tracker, said.

The term chaebol largely refers to a conglomerate structure of connected businesses bound in part by familial ties.

For now, Lee is back in the Seoul detention center, and back in his 70-square-foot cell.

On Saturday, Lee had been handcuffed and tied with white rope, as he was taken for questioning by South Korean authorities after a night in a cell.

Lee, a 48-year-old with a net worth of $6.2 billion, heads the technology giant that is the world's biggest manufacturer of smartphones, flat-screen televisions and memory chips.

The special prosecutor's office accuses Lee of bribing a close friend of the president to gain government favors related to leadership succession at the conglomerate. It said on Friday it will indict him on charges including bribery, embezzlement, hiding assets overseas and perjury.

"It might be a good chance for them enhance their corporate governance system. They have been relying too much on this family control system for many decades, so this might be a good chance for professional managers to actually run the empire," Lee Ji-soo, CEO of the Law & Business Research Center, told CNBC.

Story continues

There are, however, those who think the arrest of the Samsung leader is a baby step in bringing sweeping changes to chaebols, given that the cozy relationship between the political circle and Korean conglomerates has been a chronic problem.

"I don't expect anything very concrete out of the National Assembly. Just a lot of talk and no action. But it will be a big issue in the coming presidential election," Anthony Michell from the Korea Associates Business Consultancy said on CNBC.

The Constitutional Court in South Korea is reviewing the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye. If the impeachment is ruled to be merited, the country has 60 days to hold a presidential election.

In the meantime, the special prosecutor's office has also requested to the office of the prime minister or the acting president at the moment for more time to probe other chaebols. SK, Lotte, CJ and Posco are also believed to have links to the scandal as well, according to Yonhap News Agency.

Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook.



Reuters contributed to this report.

Correction: An earlier version of this report misstated when Anthony Michell spoke with CNBC.
Bill Howell looked the part and practiced it to perfection. Only Blackie Moore served longer as speaker of Virginias House of Delegates. His tenure seemingly began in the House of Burgesses in Williamsburg. Howells 15 years at the political pinnacle would have tried others souls. He ascended during a moment of Republican embarrassment and travail.

He rose to the speakership when the chamber split closely between the two parties. In January he will depart with his Republicans dominant. Gerrymandering contributed to the GOPs numbers (last week the House once again killed redistricting reform) but Howells steady hand promoted the Republican agenda. The House by and large pleased the partys base without alienating the mainstream. Republican crackpots have disgraced North Carolinas legislature, not Virginias.

Howells constituency, Stafford and Fredericksburg, mirrors Virginias changing atmosphere. No longer a rural region, Stafford has become a virtual member of the Northern Virginia megalopolis. It fully belongs to the I-95/I-64 corridor. Geography and demographics kept Howell in touch.

He strove to accomplish things as well. He worked for bipartisan solutions to the states transportation challenges and refused to let partisans get away with a sucker punch when trying to stack the GOPs presence in the Senate. He ruled against his party but in favor of statesmanship. He held a keen interest in the commonwealths history and often graced the premises of the Virginia Historical Society.

Faith sustained him, he explains. He did not pound the Bible, however, but let his beliefs speak for themselves. The Times-Dispatch often sided with the Senate on crucial splits at Capitol Square but we never feared that Howell would set the House on fire. Republicans and Democrats need more like him.
The first months of 2017 mark the end of Preservation50, a remarkable year-long commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the National Historic Preservation Act. On Dec. 16, Congress and President Obama ensured that the national preservation program will thrive into the future by reauthorizing the Historic Preservation Fund until 2023.

Preservation has long been an important enterprise in Virginia. Thomas Jefferson performed what many consider to be the first scientific archaeological investigation in the Americas, on a Native American mound near Charlottesville. The Mount Vernon Ladies Association, formed to save George Washingtons deteriorating estate in Fairfax County, galvanized a nationwide preservation movement. In 1889, Preservation Virginia became the first statewide preservation organization in the United States.

Virginias leadership in historic preservation has grown in the modern era. Monticello and the grounds of the University of Virginia are UNESCO World Heritage sites. A new national park is being forged at Werowocomoco on the banks of the York River, once the home of Chief Powhatan (and his daughter Pocahontas), who negotiated with the first English settlers. Through diligent efforts by private citizens and leadership by Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, Congress recently authorized expanding the boundary of Petersburg National Battlefield by 7,238 acres; it may soon become one of the nations largest historical parks.

Many of the places Americans hold dear would have been lost without the nations historic preservation program, the inception of which has its roots in the commonwealth. In the 1960s, a group of Virginia historians grew concerned about widespread losses of historic places. They authored a report calling for a legal framework to identify, preserve and interpret historic buildings, archaeological sites and monuments. Lady Bird Johnson, among others, championed their call.

The NHPA requires federal agencies to consider their projects impacts on historic and cultural sites, organizes a system of state and tribal offices to review and research historic sites and establishes the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation to advise the president and Congress. The NHPA helps protect and sustain historic places that anchor economic revitalization and ensure a more sustainable future. The act cemented heritage preservation as an American value that enriches our communities, promotes a shared and vibrant American identity and educates future generations.

Managed by the Virginians who founded Cultural Heritage Partners, Preservation50 has united an unprecedented coalition of history-minded organizations, federal and state agencies, American Indian tribes and private businesses to mark the acts substantial effects. Heritage preservation generates significant economic value, with heritage tourism standing out as one of the top drivers of job creation in Virginia. Preservation Virginia recently released an economic impact study revealing that more than 85 percent of leisure travelers to the commonwealth visit our heritage attractions, spending more than $7.5 billion annually.

Virginias historic tax credit incentive has leveraged nearly $4 billion in private investment to rehabilitate and reuse more than 2,300 buildings. Structures such as the Paramount Theatre in Charlottesville, the Stonewall Jackson Hotel in Staunton, Laurel Brigade Inn in Leesburg, and large sections of Richmonds Shockoe Bottom and Manchester districts are in use today because of Virginias robust tax incentives for rehabilitating places that matter.

Our Department of Historic Resources, a major legacy of the NHPA, shepherds and approves these tax credit projects, recommends sites to the National Register and Virginia Landmarks Register, and partners with federal and state agencies to develop and support the sites that so many people visit.

As we celebrate our historic preservation successes, we must also craft an even more meaningful future, which means grappling with sometimes-uncomfortable history. Strengthening historic preservation means incorporating voices and preserving places that tell the stories of all Americans. We are literally uncovering these stories through the excavations of the Lumpkins and Bruins slave jails in Richmond and Alexandria, the Grand Contraband Camp in Hampton, and the work at the Germanna settlement near Culpeper. We preserve this history at Richmonds East End and Evergreen cemeteries through every grave marker we relocate and every persons story we tell. We must also recognize that longstanding inequalities in the treatment of historic sites mean that many of our most compelling places, like Petersburgs Pocahontas Island, remain vulnerable.

It is an honor for our family to live in Virginias Executive Mansion, the nations oldest active governors residence, constructed in 1813. From our windows, we see legislators walking to the State Capitol, a National Historic Landmark designed by Thomas Jefferson and constructed in 1785 that served as inspiration for the U.S. Capitol Building. May we Virginians, and all Americans, continue to enjoy history through preservation and never take for granted that its lessons are the guideposts to a better future.
Here's yet another sign that we're inching away from winter. By Feb. 21, Richmond is more likely to have a high of 70 on any given day than snow on the ground.

That's not just what the forecast says, it's what weather history says, too.

We already know that snow is most likely in the winter, and warm weather becomes less likely. But to go a little bit deeper, I used historical observations since 1948 to show the hand-off between seeing snow on the ground and being able to wear short sleeves.

The blue line shows that Richmond is most likely to have snow on the ground (or snow depth) during January and early February. The climatological chance for snow depth on any given day peaks at about 10 percent in late January, then declines through February and March.

I chose snow depth instead of snowfall totals because it represents the kind of snow that is most likely to disrupt daily life. For example, snow depth data will usually take into account the amounts that linger on the ground for days after a big snowstorm has ended. Snow depth may not be marked down for days when a bit of snow fell, but quickly vanished when the precipitation changed to rain, or because the ground was warm.

The orange line shows that the daily chance for a high warmer than 70 degrees drops below 5 percent during the middle of winter, then rapidly climbs during late February and March.

What happens in any given year depends on the weather pattern, not just the climatology. This winter has brought more than the typical number of warm days, and highs will once again climb into the 70s later this week.

This doesn't mean that snow is over going forward, but statistically warm weather is now more frequent.
Trump Boeing

As the Trump administration moves to re-examine the international agreements that have underpinned trade in the US over the past few decades, UPS, one of the nation's largest employers, has weighed in on NAFTA and Openskies.

On Tuesday, at its investor's conference, UPS CEO David Abney told reporters that his company is "encouraged" by the Trump White House's decision to look into the terms of the North American Free Trade Agreement.

"The agreement is a little bit old. It's not reflective of 21st century agreements. That's what we thought TPP would do," Abney said. "So we're encouraged by the fact that the President and his administration talks about modernizing the agreement."

However, Abney went on to emphasize the importance of trade across our southern border and international trade in general to job creation

In fact, according to Abney, every 22 packages that cross in and out of US borders creates a job at UPS.

In addition to NAFTA, Abney also discussed his views on the contentious battle between America's three largest legacy carriers  United, American, and Delta  and their rivals from the Middle East  Etihad, Emirates, and Qatar Airways.

The three major US carriers believe the ME3 have received more than $50 billion in government subsidies over the past decade. As a result, the US3 would like for the Trump administration to reexamine the terms of the Openskies agreement, which governs air travel between the US and the Middle Eastern national.

David Abney UPS CEO

Even though fellow freight carriers FedEX and Atlas have come out against the US3, UPS has not taken a side on the matter. And that has not changed.

"We are monitoring the situation," Abney told Business Insider.

While UPS is for free trade and open borders, it also believes in fair trade, Abney told us. That's why the company has been very careful to come out publicly for policies that may create barriers to trade.

NAFTA, which has been around since 1994, has eliminated most of the tariffs for products traded among Mexico, Canada, and the US. The Trump administration believes the agreement, in its current state, puts US exporters at a disadvantage. As a result, the White House has pushed to renegotiate the terms of the agreement. On January, 30, the Trump administration officially withdrew the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement.

Story continues

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HOMEBUYING

HSBC borrowers in Va. to get settlement

Former HSBC mortgage borrowers who were harmed by the loan servicing and foreclosure practices of the banking giant will receive settlement payments of about $1,200, according to Attorney General Mark R. Herrings office.

The first checks from the settlement administrator were mailed Friday. The aggregate total of checks for about 2,100 people in Virginia is about $2.5 million. All checks should be received by consumers in the coming weeks.

Eligible borrowers include those who had mortgages serviced by Brandon, Fla.-based HSBC Mortgage Services Inc. and who lost their homes to foreclosure between Jan. 1, 2008, and Dec. 31, 2012.

Our nation and our commonwealth are still recovering from the effects of the housing crisis, but settlements like this have helped provide some measure of relief as well as critical changes in the way mortgage servicing companies do business, Herring said in a statement.

Borrowers who qualified for the settlement should keep a close eye out for any potential scams related to this settlement, as high-profile settlements can attract dishonest criminals trying to take advantage of the situation.

Herring warned borrowers to closely examine any interactions or correspondence they receive to ensure it is legitimate and not to provide personal information or pay money to anyone who calls or emails claiming that they are providing settlement-related assistance.

We want to make sure affected borrowers know that these are real settlement checks, not a scam or something fake, said Michael K. Kelly, spokesman for the attorney generals office. But if anyone has questions or concerns, they can always call our Consumer Protection Hotline at (800) 552-9963.

The checks are being mailed by the settlement administrator, Rust Consulting, from Minnesota. The package will include a letter explaining the settlement over the signature of Herring.

HSBC agreed to a national settlement with Virginia, 48 other states, the District of Columbia and the federal government, following state and federal investigations that alleged numerous violations in its servicing of mortgages and its foreclosure procedures.

The $470 million settlement made $59.3 million available for more than 74,000 borrowers nationwide who lost their homes to foreclosure during that period and had their loans serviced by HSBC.

Herring sent claim forms to eligible Virginia borrowers in August, with a filing deadline of Nov. 15, 2016. Nearly 68 percent of borrowers in Virginia filed claims to receive part of the HSBC national foreclosure settlement.

Every consumer who filed a claim should receive a written response from the settlement administrator. Those whose claims were approved will receive a check. Those whose claims were denied will receive a letter informing them that they were found ineligible.

Anyone who still has questions can call the settlement administrator at (888) 538-5792.
The student-led Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) honor society at Virginia Western Community College is holding a fundraiser during the month of February to support Commonwealth Catholic Charities and the organizations work with refugee resettlement. The Share the Love fundraiser began with the on-campus sale of paper Valentines hearts, upon which donors were asked to write encouraging messages, quotes and names of loved ones on. The hearts were strung together and hung on the pedestrian bridge at Virginia Western.

Now, PTK is continuing the fundraising effort for Share the Love and directing interested donors to find out more about Commonwealth Catholic Charities and donate at http://cccofva.org/donate/.

The goal of this project was not to start a political battle, it was not to start a cultural divide, nor was it make people angry, said Cassidy Peters, the PTK chapter vice president for public relations. Our goal was to be someones first act of kindness, first hug, first welcome home.

Phi Theta Kappa's mission is to recognize and encourage the academic achievement of two-year college students. The organization also provides opportunities for individual growth and development through participation in honors, leadership, service and fellowship programming. Students are invited into membership near the beginning of the Fall and Spring semesters. The requirements to receive an invitation are: completion of 12 credits at Virginia Western (credit level courses), minimum 3.5 cumulative GPA and enrollment in a degree program.

Each year, PTK chooses a service project topic to complete an Honors in Action challenge. This years project was chosen to focus on local refugees. The objective is to educate the public, raise awareness for the cause and assist the charity or cause.

Commonwealth Catholic Charities refugee resettlement program provides basic goods such as clothes, shoes, food and toiletries until local refugees can get on their feet. It also provides case management, employment placement and orientation, adult English instruction, educational planning and family mentorship.

Submitted by Josh Meyer
It's eagle time.

These big birds nest in winter, and from the Richmond area to the Chesapeake Bay, many are tending eggs now. So it's a good time to ask: What do we really know about one of our nation's enduring symbols?

Here are some bald eagle facts and fictions:

Eagles are doing well here ... Eagles nearly went extinct in the continental United States in the 1960s, mainly because the pesticide DDT tainted the fish they ate. In the early 1970s, there were barely 20 nests in Virginia.

But the federal government banned the use of DDT in 1972, and other protections also helped. Now there are more than 1,000 Virginia nests.

"I don't think we've seen these kinds of numbers since Colonial times," eagle expert Bryan Watts said.

... But they still face issues. Humans continue to develop land and cut trees that eagles use, and that increasingly causes the birds to fight over territory.

And while eagles no longer are covered by the Endangered Species Act, other federal laws protect them. For example, you can't shoot eagles or disturb their nests.

Eagles find a home in Richmond. Two eagles, Virginia and James, have nested on or near Williams Island in the James River since the mid-1990s.

In recent years, two other nests have popped up: on an island near the Boulevard Bridge and in South Richmond near Stony Point. Even more eagles nest in nearby counties, and overall, the James River eagle population represents one of the nation's strongest areas of recovery.

Eagles avoid people, except when they don't. For a long time, eagles wouldn't build nests near people, and scientists thought the shy birds simply wouldn't tolerate the presence of humans.

But as eagle numbers grew, isolated nesting spots declined. Today, about 20 percent of nests are in backyards and other places near people. That's a good sign for the long-term health of the eagle population.

Eagles are easy to spot  later in life. Most people recognize the dark brown body, white head and white tail of the adult bird. But young ones are tougher to identify.

They start off a chocolate brown and become a mottled brown and white in their second year. They don't get their striking adult plumage until their fifth year.

Eagles are hunters and scavengers. Sure, an eagle can swoop down to snatch a fish from a river. But the great hunter is also a great scavenger. A dead fish on a bank, a roadkill deer, a groundhog carcass in a farm field  for an eagle, it's all good.

In that vein: While the eagle indeed looks noble with its bright white head, piercing eyes and I-mean-business beak, it isn't above stealing a fish from a smaller osprey. So even a high-flier can have low intentions.

Eagles are big birds ... An eagle in Virginia can weigh up to 12 pounds and spread its wings 7 feet. A nest, which the occupants keep enlarging over the years, typically is about 5 feet in diameter  and sometimes can reach 9 feet wide and 15 feet deep while weighing 2 tons.

... With a voice that doesn't match. Despite that size, the eagle falls short in the voice department.

The screech of a hawk, the haunting hoot of an owl  those are distinctive and often pleasant. The eagle makes a sort of raspy squeal, sounding more like an excited teenager than Morgan Freeman.

Eagles are monogamous, except when they aren't. When asked if eagles mate for life, bird expert Mitchell Byrd likes to say "they take a break once in a while."

Eagles typically stick with one mate, but on rare occasions, a male will have two  a sort of bird bigamy.

Also, there are so many eagles now that a solo bird will sometimes attack a nesting eagle and try to take up with its mate. These fights can end in death to the nesting bird or the intruder.

Eagles are great parents, except when they aren't. Eagles will dutifully sit on eggs in snowstorms and fend off predators such as owls. At the same time, they often will feed a bigger, more aggressive chick while a smaller one peeps in anguish.

If a chick dies in the nest, an eagle parent will sometimes push the body from the nest  or eat it, or feed it to the remaining chicks. "I don't think it's a surprise at all" that eagles make use of that nutrition, Watts said.

Eagles are wild animals, not feathered humans. People like to attribute human characteristics to animals  we say eagles are regal, and snakes are mean  but there's no basis for the connection. Eagles are driven not by noble thought but by instinct, created by many years of evolution.

"They don't have a clue that they are our national emblems," Byrd said.
The Virginia Board of Corrections would be empowered to investigate inmate deaths in local and regional jails under a compromise the House Appropriations Committee approved this week.

The bill, which the panel approved unanimously on Monday, also would reconstitute the board to ensure expertise in mental health and allow it to ask the Office of the Inspector General to conduct jail death investigations, unlike the still-unexplained death of Jamycheal Mitchell 18 months ago in Hampton Roads Regional Jail.

The General Assembly refused to reappoint Inspector General June Jennings almost two weeks ago because lawmakers were dissatisfied with her investigation of Mitchells death after he wasted away in plain sight during a 101-day jail stay. He was in jail for stealing $5 worth of snack food from a convenience store.

Sen. Creigh Deeds, D-Bath, the patron of SB 1063, said Jennings was not at fault because she lacked the authority under state code to investigate Mitchells death, but he contended there will be no more excuses if the General Assembly adopts the revised bill.

This assures the world that the inspector general has the authority to investigate jail deaths, but they have to be called in by the board of corrections, said Deeds, chairman of the Joint Subcommittee on Mental Health Services in the 21st Century.

House Appropriations Chairman Chris Jones, R-Suffolk, brokered the compromise, working on the proposal over the weekend with Deeds and Del. Rob Bell, R-Albemarle, a member of the mental health commission who had carried a similar bill that the House killed earlier in the session.

I do believe its the right solution and it gives the proper authority to do the investigation that would be necessary if another tragic jail death occurs, Jones said.

Most important, the House has agreed with the Senate to include $100,000 in the budget to pay for the broadened investigative power by corrections staff.

Thats the key, said Bell, whose HB 1782 died in an Appropriations subcommittee because of the cost. The additional things we included make sense if we have an investigator ready to go.

Gov. Terry McAuliffe had proposed giving the corrections board responsibility for investigating jail deaths, whether its members liked it or not, and included $200,000 in next years budget to pay for it. The House cut the money from its budget, but the Senate retained half of the amount.

Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Brian Moran said the administration would prefer giving the investigative authority entirely to the corrections board with adequate staff to carry it out.

We are pleased that its moving forward, he said. At the end of the day, we will have a process that will provide more accountability to investigate suspicious jail deaths.

However, the Virginia Sheriffs Association does not like the new House proposal and questioned whether adding the inspector generals investigative power is germane to the underlying bill.

Its kind of the hammer approach, and Im not sure that is the best way, John Jones, the associations executive director, said Tuesday.

Jones favors the approach used in a pair of Senate proposals now combined as SB 935, sponsored by Sen. Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, and currently pending in the House.

The bill would remove a prohibition against jail officials seeking temporary detention orders for psychiatric hospitalization of inmates who are already under a court order for restoration of competency to stand trial, as Mitchell was. In his case, the order was lost at a state psychiatric hospital.

It allows the keeper of the jail to take action when no one else does, Jones said.

The sheriffs also would prefer McAuliffes proposal to require screening and assessment of inmates for mental health conditions within 72 hours of admission.

Bills to implement it died because it would have cost the state $4.2 million and raised concerns among local governments about the ability to meet the proposed deadline.

Jones said the legislature is awaiting results from pilot mental health programs in jails that were funded under the budget last year.

He also favors the continuation of Deeds subcommittee in potentially restructuring the states bifurcated system of state mental hospitals and local or regional community services boards.

Theres still much work left to be done with the [community services boards], he said. It would be premature to require jail screenings until we can do it comprehensively.

However, Jones likes an idea proposed by the Senate in its budget to potentially convert the Peumansend Regional Jail in Caroline County, scheduled to close this year, into a regional treatment facility for jail inmates who already have been screened and diagnosed with mental illness.

I think that absolutely makes sense, he said.

Deeds underlying bill would reconstitute the board of corrections to ensure that its nine members include at least one person employed by a public mental health agency with training in or clinical, managerial or other relevant experience in working with mentally ill inmates.

The board also would have to include at least two members with experience in conducting criminal, civil, or death investigations, and at least one with experience in overseeing a correctional or mental health facilitys compliance with laws and regulations.

The bill would require the board to establish policies for reviewing inmate deaths in local, regional, or community correctional facilities, and give it the clear authority to review an inmates death to determine the circumstances and whether jail had complied with regulations.

It would allow the board to use Department of Corrections staff to conduct the investigation, or call in the inspector generals office, which would be obligated to participate if the investigation encompassed facilities outside of the jails, such as state mental hospitals.

The board also would be required to submit a detailed report on any death investigation to the governor and General Assembly leaders.

The proposed approach wasnt Deeds first choice, but he said. I recognized this might be a way to skin the cat and get the deal done.
CHARLOTTESVILLE  The search for a new University of Virginia president will take place behind closed doors, but members of the search committee have promised to seek public input.

At its first meeting Monday, the committee discussed the fine line it will need to walk between confidentiality and public outreach as it searches for a replacement for President Teresa Sullivan.

Sullivan, who was hired in 2010, has said she will step down once her contract ends in the summer of 2018.

To attract the best candidates, the search committee will need to keep discussions private, said committee co-chairman Rusty Conner .

If candidates suspect their current positions could be jeopardized by talks with UVa, Conner said, they might not speak to the committee.

We want to interview the best people in the country, said Conner, who is also UVas vice rector. And the best people wont talk to us if they think theres a breach in confidentiality.

But the committee will solicit feedback from the public  including nominations  through town hall meetings and a presidential search website, scheduled to go live sometime in the first two weeks of March.

The committee then went into closed session to discuss the hiring of consulting firms to help with the search.

Confidentiality is standard for a university presidential search. State open-meetings laws allow public boards to go into closed session to discuss specific personnel matters and any topic involving negotiations that could be spoiled by public discussion.

Rector William Goodwin, the committees other co-chairman, spoke at length about the need for members to retain confidentiality and had each member sign a written confidentiality agreement.

The agreement warns members not to name any of the candidates to outsiders, and not to confirm or deny any rumors.

Goodwin said there would be zero tolerance for anyone who breaks the agreement.

There will be no second chances for this, Goodwin said. The best advice is just dont talk about it for any reason to anybody.

Goodwin also denied rumors that the committee already had a candidate in mind, saying they were so false [theyre] not even close.

Goodwin denied emphatically that anyone is currently under consideration.

There are no candidates that Im aware of that are favored, Goodwin said. This is a committee that is going through the process.

Ron Forehand  who heads the education section of the office of the state attorney general  told members to be aware of Freedom of Information Act laws. Even with the protections for negotiations and personnel, Forehand said, many of the committees communications are still subject to records requests.

UVa is always the subject of scrutiny around the state, and the committees behavior will be under a microscope, he said.

Everybodys going to be watching this and you dont want to make mistakes, Forehand said.

The search committee will take an advisory role in hiring the president  the final decision will have to be approved by the board of visitors  but it has been tasked with finding a suitable candidate.

The committee is made up of 11 board of visitors members, two students, five faculty members, three alumni and the CEO of the UVa Medical Center.
Iraqi government forces recently launched the next phase of their offensive against ISIS in Mosul, the terrorist group's last urban stronghold in the country.

US-led coalition forces have supported Iraqi troops since the campaign against ISIS in Mosul began in mid-October, and that backing as continued in the weeks since the eastern side of the city was retaken in late January.

In a February 11 strike, shown in footage below provided by the US Defense Department, coalition aircraft knocked out an ISIS tank near the city.

The strike against the tank near Mosul was one of 28 engagements conducted during six airstrikes in the country that day, Operation Inherent Resolve officials said in a release.

Five airstrikes near Mosul targeted two ISIS tactical units and destroyed three motor systems, two supply caches, two ISIS-held buildings, and engineering equipment. The strikes also destroyed 13 watercraft like the ones the group has used to maneuver along the Tigris River, which divides Mosul into western and eastern portions.

Farther north, near Irbil, a coalition strike destroyed an ISIS-held building and a weapons cache.

Iraq Mosul ISIS corpses victim

Iraqi forces recaptured eastern Mosul in late January, after three months of fighting that took a heavy toll on elite Iraqi units charged with leading the offensive as well as on Iraqi civilians, hundreds of thousands of whom remain in both sides of the city.

While eastern Mosul is back in Iraqi government hands, many people in that part of the city say ISIS fighters remain and pose a deadly threat. Suicide bombers have targeted Iraqi troops and government-allied tribal forces, as well as restaurants and civilians on the eastern side of Mosul.

Despite that latent danger, Iraqi forces early on Sunday kicked off the next phase of the campaign against ISIS in Mosul, as ground units advanced on villages southwest of the city, backed by US-led coalition air support and artillery fired by militarized police units.

Story continues

"This is zero hour and we are going to end this war, God willing," Mahmoud Mansour, a police officer, told the Associated Press he prepared to move out on Sunday.

A member of Iraqi security forces take his position during a battle with Islamic State militants in Wahda district of eastern Mosul, Iraq, January 6, 2017.

By early Monday, Iraqi units had reportedly pushed into the outskirts of western Mosul, including a village overlooking the city's strategically valuable airport.

"They'll try to cause as many losses as possible, because they know they're going to die anyway," said Alaa, an Iraqi trooper, referring to ISIS fighters.

"This battle of Mosul is my first, and with the help of God we will rid the country of these Daesh rats," he added, according to AFP, using an Arabic acronym for ISIS.

Thousands of US personnel are in Iraq assisting the government. In early January, a spokesman for the US-led coalition said the number of Western advisers in Mosul had doubled to about 450.

US personnel were reportedly near the front lines advising Iraqi forces during the fighting in eastern Mosul. US special-operations forces are also embedded with some Iraqi units, and they appear to be involved in operations against western Mosul.

"We are very close to it, if not already engaged in that fight," US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told reporters in Abu Dhabi, according to the AP. He declined to go into more detail, saying he owed "confidentiality" to the troops.

The fight to retake western Mosul looks to be especially deadly.

That side of the city has older neighborhoods criss-crossed by narrow streets and alleys that will limit the use of armored vehicles. Moreover, hundreds of thousands of civilians  including 350,000 children  are believed to still be in that part of the city.

As many as 400,000 people could be displaced by fighting in western Mosul, and international aid groups are reportedly scrambling to prepare for the influx.

iraqi civilians mosul

"We are racing against the clock to prepare emergency sites south of Mosul to receive displaced families," Lise Grande, the UN's humanitarian coordinator in Iraq, said in a statement.

US military officials on the ground there have spoken optimistically about efforts against ISIS in Mosul, and US commanders have praised the performance of Iraqi units.

But operations against ISIS in western Mosul have gotten underway amid the strain put on Iraqi-US relations by some of US President Donald Trump's comments and policies.

Many in the country felt alienated by travel restrictions placed on seven majority-Muslim countries, including Iraq, by the Trump administration, and Trump's repeated comments about the US taking Iraq's oil as compensation for fighting there have inspired anger and indignation among Iraqis.

Mattis, who arrived in Iraq on Monday, said the US has no intention of seizing Iraqi oil.

NOW WATCH: Footage reveals ISIS' secret underground tunnels near Mosul





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The White House announced Monday that Lieutenant General H. R. McMaster will become new National Security Adviser, replacing Michael Flynn, who was dismissed last week.

President Trump announced the pick at his Palm Beach club, Mar-a-Lago, saying McMaster is "a man of tremendous talent and tremendous experience."

The White House also said retired Army Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, who had been his acting adviser, will now serve as the National Security Council chief of staff.

The New York Times reported that President Trump interviewed four candidates on Sunday, McMaster being one of them.

The Times described McMaster as "a highly decorated Army officer," and "one of the military's leading intellectuals."

McMaster, 54, is a West Point graduate known as "H.R.," with a PhD in U.S. history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He was listed as one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people in 2014, partly because of his willingness to buck the system.

A combat veteran, he gained renown in the first Gulf War - and was awarded a Silver Star - after he commanded a small troop of the U.S. 2nd Army Cavalry Regiment that destroyed a much larger Iraqi Republican Guard force in 1991 in a place called 73 Easting, for its map coordinates, in what many consider the biggest tank battle since World War Two.

The national security adviser is an independent aide to the president and does not require confirmation by the U.S. Senate. The role has varied from administration to administration, but the adviser attends National Security Council meetings along with the heads of the State Department, the Department of Defense and key security agencies.

Trump pushed out Flynn a week ago after revelations that the adviser had misled Pence about discussing sanctions with Russia's ambassador to the U.S. during the presidential transition. Trump said in a news conference Thursday that he was disappointed by how Flynn had treated Pence, but did not believe Flynn had done anything wrong by having the conversations.

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This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
FREE bus passes for sixth form and college students were among public transport improvements suggested by Rotherham Youth Cabinet.

The group evaluated the accessibility of buses, trams and trains for young people in South Yorkshire.

The report by members, called Get In Gear, also called for better cleanliness and customer service training.

They also said wifi and free chargers on all services would make public transport more appealing to young people.

A report to Rotherham Borough Council said: The conclusion drawn by the youth cabinet was that public transport is on the whole a good service but requires some improvements.

Examples include pricing, customer service, and punctuality; which all add to the experience of using public transport and had been criticised more than complimented.

Further or improved customer services training would improve consistency across South Yorkshire and be more likely to increase service user satisfaction.

The councils overview and scrutiny management board has asked for detailed responses to the recommendations to be presented in May.
AngloGold Ashanti mulls 30% reduction of carbon emissions by 2030 AngloGold Ashanti has come up with a new carbon emissions reduction target which seeks to achieve a 30% absolute reduction in its Scope 1 and Scope 2 Greenhouse Gas emissions by 2030, as compared to 2021. This will be achieved through a combination...

Lucara Q3 revenue, output drop Lucara Diamond, which wholly owns the Karowe mine in Botswana, realised $49.9 million in revenues in the third quarter of 2022 compared to $72.7 million in the comparative quarter. The revenue includes $46.5 million from the sale of 99,301 carats and...

Gemfields to auction 187,775-carat cluster of emeralds Gemfields is set to auction a 187,775-carat cluster of emeralds discovered at its 75%-owned Kagem mine in Zambia in March 2020. Viewing of the Kafubu Cluster commenced on 31 October and bidding will close on 17 November.

Tiffany jewellery pieces to highlight Jewels & Jadeite auction in Hong Kong Jewellery pieces by Tiffany & Co, including those by renowned designer Jean Schlumberger, are among the highlights of Bonhams Jewels and Jadeite auction in Hong Kong on November 26, 2022.
Sierra Leone said Koidu Holdings has reached its open pit limit at the K2 pit and is steadily progressing towards its open pit limit at K1.

The company, said deputy mines minister Abdul Ignosi Koroma, had as a result commenced development of an underground mine with an estimate investment of $134 million by 2018.

He told a mining indaba last week that the development of the Tonguma mine would require an estimated capital investment of $81 million while exploration expenditure at Boroma was estimated at around $9 million.

The company has received approval for a small scale mining license for alluvial diamonds, he said.

Diamonds were a huge asset to the west African country with revenue contributing 12 percent of the governments revenues in 2015.

The diamonds were mostly found in Kono and Kenama districts in the East, Bo and Pujehun districts in the South and Bombali district in the North.



Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished




For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL  February 21, 2017  Today, Zacks Equity Research discusses the Industry: Coal, Part 3, including NextEra Energy (NYSE:NEE  Free Report ), Dominion Resources (NYSE: D  Free Report ), Xcel Energy Inc. (NYSE: XEL  Free Report ) and American Electric Power Co., Inc. (NYSE: AEP  Free Report ).

Industry: Coal, Part 3

Link: https://www.zacks.com/commentary/104025/can-trump-alone-save-the-struggling-coal-industry

The coal industry continues to fight a very difficult battle, with challenges being flung from all quarters, domestic and international. In the U.S., declining natural gas prices, stringent regulations and additional impetus to solar and wind power generation through the extension of tax credits are steadily luring away utility operators from coal.

Jittery developments in key global markets and higher production countries like Australia and Indonesia, and, importantly, a stronger greenback, are making the export market fiercely competitive for the U.S. coal players.

After the new Clean Power Plan, was unveiled in Aug 2015, utilities likeNextEra Energy (NYSE: NEE  Free Report ) and Dominion Resources (NYSE: D  Free Report ) which were already investing to create a green energy generation portfolio have enhanced their emphasis to generate more electricity from clean fuel sources.

At present the fate of the Clean Power Plan is uncertain, given the Supreme Court ruling in Feb 2016 to stay the implementation of the Clean Power Plan, and if President Trump starts acting in accordance to his pre-election promises then that can provide an impetus to the ailing coal industry. However, even with uncertainty looming large on Clean Power Plan, new investments are being directed towards natural gas and renewable-based power production, due to the low cost of natural gas and tax credits provided to produce more electricity from solar and wind.

Failing to cope with the continuous fall in demand and declining prices of coal, some coal miners have filed for bankruptcy. The latest on this list is Peabody Energy, preceded by names like Patriot Coal and Walter Energy. Notably, these companies had tried all possible means to remain solvent, but the harsh reality is that coal demand is gradually going down.

Story continues

In response to the anti-carbon drive, utility operators are shutting down coal-based power plants and are directing fresh investments toward constructing natural gas facilities and adding more renewables. U.S. coal production touched its lowest levels in 2016 to 739 million short tons (MMst) since 1978.

Here are some of the severe headwinds that the coal industry is up against:

Environmental Legislations : Coal has been losing importance as a fuel source over the last few years, particularly in the U.S., in comparison with other sources that are less harmful to the environment. Concerns over the emission of greenhouse gases and global climate change have resulted in the formulation of new legislations and policies which emphasize the use of environment-friendly fuel sources, particularly in the power sector.

This has considerably slowed down the expansion of coal-fired capacity in the power sector, with utility companies now building new natural gas-fired plants and resorting to alternative sources of energy generation like wind, solar and hydro power.

The final version of the Clean Power Plan will ensure that coal consumption for power production in the U.S. will go down from the present level, unless the utilities invest more money to upgrade existing plants.

Xcel Energy Inc . (NYSE:XEL  Free Report ) a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) stock has already reduced carbon dioxide emissions during power generation by around 22% since 2005. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here .

Another American Electric Power Co., Inc. (NYSE: AEP  Free Report ) has eliminated over 5,500 megawatts (MW) of coal-fired capacity from its generation portfolio.

Natural Gas Substituting Coal : A major substitute for coal in energy generation is another fossil fuel  natural gas. Coal is being dumped in favor of natural gas, which due to extensive exploration and production, and a shale gas boom in onshore U.S., is witnessing significantly lower prices than in the past.

Natural gas is an attractive choice for new generating plants because of its relative fuel efficiency, low emissions, quick construction timelines and low capital costs. This trend is encouraging power generating utilities to not only convert their existing plants to gas-fired ones but to build new units.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) expects natural gas to contribute to 32% of the total energy generation in 2017, while coal represents 31%. However, in 2018, the share of natural gas is expected to improve 33% while coals share will remain unchanged.

Besides power generation, natural gas is being utilized in new projects in the fertilizer and chemical sectors.

Competition from Alternative Energy Sources : Apart from natural gas, the coal industry has been losing a major share of its electric generation demand to renewable sources of energy.

The EIA report reveals combined electricity generation from conventional hydroelectric and renewable will reach 1.753 billion KWh per day in 2017, exhibiting growth of 5.9% from 2016 levels. The production from the alternate sources is anticipated to reach 1.845 billion KWh per day in 2018, reflecting growth of 5.2%.

These renewable additions will eat into coals share of electricity generation. Production of power from renewable sources is supported by most of the U.S. states though there is no national consensus regarding the percentage of renewables in the total energy mix. However, the Clean Power Plan will encourage energy conservation and efficiency plans, use of renewables and clean alternative technologies for lowering air pollution.

The extension of the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) for solar and Production Tax Credit (PTC) for wind will drive expansion of renewable generation units at the cost of coal. Making use of the government support, NextEra Energy expects to bring on-line nearly 2,4003,800 MW of new wind projects over the 20172018 time frame.

Rising Competition & Stronger Dollar : Besides competition from renewables and natural gas, U.S. coal producers are also affected by rising export from Indonesia and Australia as well as a stronger dollar, which is making this commodity dearer in the international markets. International players enjoy the benefit of low mining and transportation costs, consequently making the coal cheaper than their American peers.

In Dec 2016, Indian energy giant Adani sated it will start construction at the $21.7 billion Carmichael mine in Australia by the middle of 2017. The company will mine coal and export the same to thermal plants of India, which is bound to increase competition for the U.S. coal exporters.

According to the EIA, weak coal demand, lower international coal prices and higher output of other coal exporters have jointly led to decline in coal exports from the U.S. In fact, in 2017, U.S. coal exports are anticipated to drop by 13.8% to 51.1 MMst and further in 2018 by 2.7% to 49.7 MMst.

Bankers Retreat : Capital-intensive coal projects are gradually losing favor among primary funders like banks and financial institutions. Banks are distancing themselves from coal projects and are rather getting involved in natural gas-based power projects.

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Tsodilo Resources has commenced a drilling programme at its wholly-owned BK16 kimberlite project located within the Orapa Kimberlite Field in Botswana.

It said in a statement that the purpose of the drilling programme was to drill pilot holes on the sites which had been earmarked for the Large Diameter Drill (LDD) drilling programme.

The hole diameter of the LDD holes would be 24-inch and the planned 14 holes would provide some 2,000 tons of kimberlite, it said.

In order to correlate the diamond recoveries directly to the geological model and to ensure that the intersection of the LDD holes are maximized it is necessary to probe all LDD sites with the above mentioned pilot core holes, the company said.

The cumulative depth of the core holes for this program is 3,000 meters and it is anticipated that the pilot holes will take 6 to 7 weeks to complete.

The diamondiferous BK16 kimberlite pipe was about 6 hectares in size at surface, and known to contain rare and valuable Type IIa diamonds.



Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished




The Diamond Dealers Club (DDC) of New York will move to new location at the International Gem Tower (IGT). The move will enable more companies to relocate their offices to the trading floor, DDC said.

The DDC signed a contract with Extell Development to secure about 17,500 square feet on the 11th floor of the IGT in the heart of New Yorks diamond district.

About 200 to 400 firms currently operate from the existing trading floor out of a total of 1,500 members, said David Lasher, managing director of the DDC. The new base could increase this figure significantly, he added.

The average annual rental price at the current DDC location rose 2.4 percent to $73.24 per square foot last year.

Office space is expensive, and more people are giving up offices and wanting to sit in the bourse, said Reuven Kaufman, president of the DDC.



Theodor Lisovoy, Rough&Polished, Moscow




ALROSA President Andrey Zharkov has stepped down from his post, a source in the company told Interfax. Zharkov announced this at a status meeting on Tuesday. The letter of resignation submitted by the head of ALROSA will be reviewed by the company's Supervisory Board. This matter has not yet formally been brought up for consideration of the Supervisory Board, the source added.

Last week, Bloomberg reported citing its own sources that the Russian government was discussing the possibility of replacing ALROSA's head. It was said that Zharkov, who had been the company's president since April 2015, was at variance with the views of the officials holding the majority of seats on the Supervisory Board of ALROSA. The sources of Interfax noted that Zharkov had disagreements with officials from the Finance Ministry which is headed by Anton Silualov. The latter is also the head of the Supervisory Board of ALROSA.

At the end of last December Zharkov, as one of the members of the Supervisory Board, voted against the company's budget cuts, which included lower long-term investments, capex and labor costs, as well as lower exploration financing. He considered the spending cuts "too strong and unjustified," ALROSA's spokesperson said at the time. Here it should be noted that the head of ALROSA is a state representative, while the budget correction was supported by the majority of Zharkov's colleagues sitting on the Board.

Bloomberg also reported that the only contender for the position of the diamond company's president is Sergei Ivanov, a 36-year-old son of the former head of the presidential administration, who is currently a vice president of Sberbank, while formerly served as the head of the SOGAZ Insurance Company.

A possible Zharkov's successor could also be Igor Ryaschin, the former senior vice president of ALROSA. After the resignation of the company's former head Fyodor Andreev in September 2014, he was an acting president of ALROSA until Zharkov's appointment in April 2015, sources told Interfax earlier. Ryaschin left ALROSA after his contract expired in June 2016 and soon became an adviser to the Minister of Finance.




The people are predominantly farmers and war has disrupted agriculture. Theyve lost their livestock, even their farming tools. Unimpeded humanitarian access to everyone facing famine, or at risk of famine, is urgently needed to reverse the escalating catastrophe, the UN agencies urged. Further spread of famine can only be prevented if humanitarian assistance is scaled up and reaches the most vulnerable. Our worst fears have been realized, said Serge Tissot, of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Many families have exhausted every means they have to survive. George Fominyen, the UN food program spokesman in South Sudans capital, Juba, said the problem had been building for years. FIt has not been sudden, he said. Food insecurity, hunger, malnutrition has been getting steadily worse since the conflict started three years ago.
Buzz!

A team of youth television experts, film makers, writers, bloggers, animators, designers with music as part of their youth- focus portal launched the second edition of the iconic Hip Hop Homeland, this time calling it Hip Hop Homeland Northeast.

If you Google search about Hip-Hop, the description reads as a style of music of US black and Hispanic origin featuring rap with an electronic backing. A team of youth television experts, film makers, writers, bloggers, animators, designers with music as part of their youth- focus portal found this expression blooming in India and created a property called Hip Hop Homeland. An on going web series on the burgeoning underground hip hop scene in India, it endorses the voice of the street bringing together artists who embody the hip hop sub culture to express them building a strong community of fans.

101 India, serves entertaining videos, photo essays, blogs and lpod casts aimed at connecting urban Indian audiences, successfully earned an iconic status with Hip Hop Homeland in its first edition creating video content around this fast growing genre in the independent music space and a live event that showcased some of the best upcoming new talent in Mumbai.

In December 2016, 101 India launched the second edition calling it Hip Hop Homeland Northeast. The property has become bigger with exclusive music videos along with artist profiles, further strengthening the content repertoire. Joining this movement are Channel V and online streaming platform Saavn who are the exclusive broadcast and audio partners, respectively, for the music tracks. Through this arrangement, fans can see the music videos on Channel V and the audio format is available for streaming on Saavn. The full series is available on 101India.

After a successful stint in North and West, 101India heads to the Northeast with popular rapper Feyago, on a journey to find & collaborate with the best underground hip hop talent from the region. The new series has introduced unique artists and crews like Khasi Bloodz, Symphonic Movement and Cryptographik Street Poets, who use rap as a medium to voice out the real issues they face in their hood.

Check out the anthem for Hip Hop Homeland Northeast below:
City of Ottawa

Ottawa's planned Stage 2 Light Rail Transit Project is expanding its scope with a proposal that would extend the project to the west, south and east. Stakeholders also explained a recommended procurement model for the project.

The Stage 2 Implementation report, as presented by city staff, provides recommendations that meet the directions given by Council in the Stage 2 Light Rail Transit (LRT) Environmental and Functional Design Report, approved by City Council on July 8, 2015. The report updates changes in project scope, provides information on the final alignment adjustments, includes the recommended procurement model and the specific activities the city will undertake to prepare to implement Stage 2. The city said if the report is approved, it will allow for a competitive procurement process for all three Stage 2 extensions and the related supporting projects and permit the projects to be built within the citys affordability envelope.

In 2013, Council set out an ambitious goal for our city: to extend and share the benefits of light rail to more people in Ottawa by going farther and faster to the South, East and West. Today, staff delivered a report that, once approved, will transform Ottawas LRT network into a world-class transit system. I look forward to continuing to collaborate with our federal and provincial partners on this important environmental transportation vision, said Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson.

Following what the city called extensive public consultation and preliminary engineering work, it is proposing an expanded scope of work to extend light rail further and faster to the west, south and east. The proposed scope now includes:

Confederation Line West: beyond Bayshore to Moodie Drive, and southwest to Algonquin College;

Confederation Line East: beyond Place dOrleans to Trim Road;

Trillium Line extension to Bowesville and Riverside South; and

An Airport Rail Link from South Keys Station on the Trillium Line

As part of the western line extension, an additional Maintenance and Storage Facility will be built in the Moodie Drive area to continue to fast-track LRT progress westerly and service the 8,500 public servants at the new Department of National Defence employment hub at the former Nortel Networks campus.

The Stage 2 LRT Project budget is CA$3 billion (US$2.28 billion) and excludes the Trim Extension with one station at CA$160 million (US$121.6 million) and the Airport Rail Link with two stations at CA$155 million (US$117.8 million). The city says the Trim and Airport extensions will only proceed if they are fully funded by the federal and provincial governments. Ontario committed to covering half of the capital costs for both of these projects. The Moodie extension is expected to be achievable within the original budget envelope for Stage 2

The city suggested an approach to procurement that would be undertaken through two new procurements and would continue its work with existing partner Rideau Transit Group to ensure an integrated and consistent expanded system, while maximizing the amount of work to be procured under new competitions. The first bid package would be for a new CA$2.5 billion (US$1.9 billion) design-build-finance contract for the Confederation Line East and West extensions that would include Airport, Trim and Highway 417 and city-bundled works and the second bid package be for a CA$535 million (US$406.7 million) design-build-finance-maintain contract for the Trillium Line extension.

The city believes that bundling the light-rail contracts with additional city infrastructure projects will improve construction integration, reduce detours, save money and reduce impacts to the community.

If Ottawas Council approves the report, the project would go to market later this winter, followed by a final report in early 2018. The project is scheduled with staggered openings to allow for faster expansion of LRT service that would see the Trillium Line South completed in 2021, the Confederation Line East including Trim completed in 2022 and the Confederation Line West to Moodie completed by 2023.
Switzerland's foreign trade data for January is due to be released in the pre-European session on Tuesday at 2:00 am ET.

Ahead of the data, the Swiss franc showed mixed trading against its major rivals. While the Swiss franc rose against the U.S. dollar, the yen and the euro, it held steady against the euro.

As of 1:55 am ET, the Swiss franc was trading at 1.0641 against the euro, 1.2519 against the pound, 1.0050 against the U.S. dollar and 112.93 against the yen.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Forex News
Mining company Anglo American plc (AAUKY.PK,AAL.L) reported fiscal 2016 pre-tax profit of $2.62 billion, compared to pre-tax loss of $5.45 billion in the prior year.

Profit attributable to shareholders for the year was $1.59 billion or $1.24 per share, compared to loss of $5.62 billion or $0.32 per share in the previous year.

Underlying earnings were $2.21 billion, compared to underlying earnings of $827 million last year. Underlying earnings per share were $1.72, compared to $0.64 a year ago.

Group underlying earnings before interest and tax or EBIT was $3.77 billion, a 69 percent increase from last year. Underlying EBITDA rose 25 percent from last year to $6.08 billion despite a 3 percent decrease in average prices.

Group revenue for the year rose 1 percent to $23.14 billion from $23.00 billion last year.

Anglo American said it currently expects that dividend payments will be reinstated for the end of 2017, payable in 2018. Given the need to conserve cash and reduce debt, dividend payments remained suspended for 2016.

As announced earlier, Rene Medori, Anglo American's finance director, will retire at the end of 2017. Medori will step down as a director with effect from the close of the Annual General Meeting on 24 April 2017, following the completion of the 2016 financial reporting process.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
Switzerland's trade surplus increased in January as imports declined sharply from the previous month, the Federal Customs Administration reported Tuesday.

The trade surplus rose to CHF 4.7 billion in January from CHF 2.7 billion in December.

Month-on-month, exports fell 4 percent, in contrast to a 9.7 percent rise in December. At the same time, imports slid 5.3 percent versus a 0.6 percent fall in the previous month.

On a yearly basis, exports growth slowed to 2.3 percent from 6.2 percent, while imports declined 6.8 percent, reversing December's 1.8 percent increase.

Swiss watch exports continued to decline in January, data from the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry FH showed on Tuesday. Exports fell 6.2 percent annually to CHF 1.4 billion.

The fall in value was attributable once again to watches in precious metal, while steel timepieces confirmed their recovery, the group said. However, the trend in volume terms was still downwards, it added.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Economic News

What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more.
Greece and its lenders reached an agreement on Monday to allow a team of experts to work out structural reforms for the country's tax and pensions systems, and also labor market regulation, thus easing a crucial standoff between the government and its global creditors that had raised fresh concerns over a possible exit of the country from the euro area.

The team of officials from the European Union, the European Central Bank and the European Stability Mechanism will go back to Athens in a "very short time", Eurogroup President Jeroen Dijsselbloem said after a meeting of Eurozone finance ministers in Brussels on Monday.

"There will be a change in the policy mix, moving away from austerity and putting more emphasis on deep reforms, which has also been a key element for the IMF," he said.

Calling the latest progress "a good step", Dijsselbloem stressed that there was yet to be a political agreement, as that would be too early.

"It is a very positive and good step that the institutions have enough confidence and a common agreement to go back to Athens," he added.

Meanwhile, the International Monetary Fund, which thus far has not financially contributed to the current EUR 86 billion bailout agreed in 2015, said more progress was needed.

The country is in dire need of bailout cash to meet debt repayment of more than EUR 7 billion due in July, or risk default.

"There is no liquidity issue in the short run for Greece," Dijsselbloem said.

Discussions over the release of the next bailout tranche stalled after a review mission to Athens returned in December without reaching a deal.

The IMF and the EU differ over the kind of structural reforms needed to help the Greek . The former seeks an immense overhaul of the pension system, which the government has refused, while the latter says the reforms thus far has been enough and that the economy is on the path of sustainable growth.

In its latest assessment of Greece, the IMF said the economy is set to expand just below 1 percent in the long term and the government could attain the primary fiscal surplus target of around 1.5 percent of GDP.

The IMF report also said Greece may need further relief to restore debt sustainability, despite enormous sacrifices and European partners' generous support.

The EU will work tirelessly to have a staff level agreement as soon as possible, European Commissioner for Economic Affairs Pierre Moscovici said.

There should be an agreement that is both demanding and balanced and there really should be "a light for the Greek people at the end of the austerity tunnel", he added.

The European Commission estimates that Greece achieved a 2016 primary surplus of at least 2 percent of GDP in 2016, well exceeding the program target of 0.5 percent.

"If this is confirmed by Eurostat in April, it would also mean the primary surplus has already surpassed its 2017 target of 1.75 percent of GDP and is already well on the way to meet its 2018 global goal," Moscovici noted.

"We need to nurture and we need to strengthen this progress."

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Economic News

What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more.
US President Donald Trump has appointed Lieutenant General Herbert Raymond McMaster as the new National Security Advisor a week after the controversial resignation of Lt. General Michael Flynn from the post.

Gen. Flynn quit last Monday amid reports that he misled Vice President Mike Pence about a phone call with the Russian ambassador to US Sergey Kislyak. The conversations reportedly involved sanctions imposed on Russia by the Obama administration, although Flynn has denied that sanctions were discussed.

Trump announced the name of his new NSA pick at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach Monday in the presence of McMaster and Acting National Security Advisor Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg. Gen Kellog will now serve as the National Security Council chief of staff.



A veteran of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, McMaster is known as a respected military strategist.

Selecting him as one of 100 most influential people in the world in 2014, Time magazine said McMaster might be the 21st century Army's pre-eminent warrior-thinker.

In his 1997 book, Dereliction of Duty, McMaster had boldly blasted the Joint Chiefs for their poor leadership during Vietnam.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Political News
Around one million bankers will go on strike on February 28 following the failure of conciliation talks between the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) and the management, a union leader said on Tuesday.

The UFBU is an umbrella body of nine unions in the banking sector.



All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) General Secretary C.H. Venkatachalam said the Chief Labour Commissioner of the Ministry of Labour had called for a conciliation meeting in Delhi on Tuesday morning.



Representatives of the Indian Banks Association ' title=' Indian Banks Association '>Indian Banks Association (IBA) and UFBU were present.





"All attempts to find solutions to the demands raised by the unions yielded no result. So the United Forum of Bank Unions decided to proceed with the proposed strike on February 28," Venkatachalam said.



He said one million employees and officers of public sector banks, private banks, foreign banks, co-operative banks and regional rural banks will strike work on that day.
The Congress on Tuesday demanded that a sitting judge under the supervision of the High Court must investigate the Naliya gang rape case, allegedly involving BJP leaders from Kutch, and also questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence on the issue.

"The BJP, which came into power with the weapon of 'Nirbhaya case', is in the dock about the safety of women. The Modi government has completed half its term but women's security situation in Gujarat has become so unfortunate that women there need to be saved from the BJP leaders themselves," said Shobha Oza, chairperson, All India Mahila Congress.



"While talking about zero tolerance, the Prime Minister has awarded a ministerial berth to a rape accused, Nihal Chand," she said.





A 24-year-old woman from Kutch had filed an FIR in Naliya town last month, alleging she had been raped repeatedly by nine persons, including four local BJP office-bearers, since last year.



The Gujarat assembly budget session on Monday saw pandemonium by opposition members over the alleged gang-rape, forcing Governor O.P. Kohli to cut short his customary opening address.



"Why has the Prime Minister maintained a stoic silence on the issue of 'Naliya BJP sex scandal' of Kutch? The slogan of 'Beti Bachao' is simply a hollow one and BJP and RSS leaders have become exploiters of women in the country," said Oza.



"The sex scandal of Naliya has unmasked the real 'chaal, charitra and chehra' (character) of BJP," she added.



Oza said the Naliya incident of "women molestation was not only limited to BJP and RSS workers but also linked to other top leaders, which include leaders of Gujarat and also other BJP-ruled states".



"They are trying their best to threaten, blackmail and even lure the victim's family. They are also trying to malign the victim's character," she said.



"The past record of Gujarat government has proved that SIT investigation is a mere lip-service to save the real culprits. In this context, we want to ask why this shameful incident is not being investigated by a sitting judge under the supervision of High Court?" Oza added.
Border Security Force (BSF) personnel seized ten gold biscuits weighing around 1.16 kg, valued at Rs 35.38 lakh, in West Bengal's Nadia district on Tuesday, an official said.

Acting on a tip-off, the BSF personnel raided the village of Fulbari under the Banpur border outpost and confronted some people trying to collect a packet thrown from the other side of the India-Bangladesh border.



However, the criminal elements managed to escape, taking the advantage of bamboo thickets, a BSF spokesperson said.



On a thorough search of the area, the para-military personnel recovered one plastic packet which contained the ten gold biscuits.





The seized gold has been handed over to the customs officials at Banpur.



The BSF frontier headquarters of south Bengal this year has seized 1.775 kg gold having an approximate market value of Rs 53.35 lakh and apprehended one smuggler.
Defying prohibitory orders imposed by the police, the Telangana Joint Action Committee has decided to go ahead with its rally of the unemployed youth in Hyderabad on Wednesday.

TJAC chairman M. Kodandaram said the rally to demand the state government to fulfil its promise of one lakh jobs will be held as planned in the heart of the city even as the police made it clear that there is no permission for the rally.

He appealed to youth and students to stage a silent protest wherever they were stopped by the police.

Kodandaram alleged that police started arrests in various parts of the state from Monday and over 600 people had been taken into custody.

Police have warned the youth that if they violate the prohibitory orders, criminal cases will be booked against them.

TJAC plans to conduct the rally from Sundaraiah Vignana Kendram to Indra Park. He recalled that the permission for the rally was sought on February 1.

Earlier in the day, the matter came for hearing in Hyderabad High Court, which suggested to the TJAC to postpone the rally to Sunday or hold it at Nagole on the outskirts. It, however, did not agree to the same on the ground that preparations had already been made and the event can't be postponed in view of competitive exams and Mahashivratri.

TJAC informed the court that it is ready to change the venue to Osmania University. However, the police refused to give the permission in view of the disturbances witnessed on the campus in the past.

Stating that protest is their democratic right, Kodandaram said they would go ahead with their plans. He alleged that the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government trying to suppress a democratic and peaceful protest in the same manner in which the rulers of united Andhra Pradesh suppressed the movement for separate Telangana state.

"If this is a crime, the present Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao figured in all the cases booked during Telangana movement," said Kodandaram, who had actively participated in the movement for separate state.

TJAC is demanding that the Chief Minister should fulfil his election promise to provide jobs to one lakh unemployed. It is seeking immediate steps for filling all vacancies in government departments and public sector undertakings.

The ruling party, however, has accused Kodandaram of provoking unemployed youth and students.

It denied permission for the rally because it suspects that extremist elements have infiltrated into the group and might resort to violence.

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Salina working to make its parks fully accessible

As Salina looks to update and improve its parks, it's doing so with ADA in mind as it seeks to make the parks and recreation system more accessible.
I must say I am very disappointed with the level of basic utility services in Samoa.

Having lived or worked in a number of Pacific Island countries over the last few years including Fiji, Tonga and New Caledonia, I must admit Samoa is head and shoulders above most of our neighbors when it comes to beauty, development, way of life, cleanliness and many other attributes.

However one issue that baffles the mind is how bad basic utility services are when there have been so many developments in these areas over the last 10 years.

Having spent the last two months in Apia visiting family and friends, I have lost count of how many times the power has gone off or surges that have destroyed a number of my familys appliances.

According to my relatives, over the last two years, the power quality has become so bad that even devices that were purchased to protect against power surges have had to be replaced a few times.

I have read so much in the news about Samoas new power plants and the push for 100% renewable energy and personnel changes within E.P.C.

Why dont we focus on providing reliable power first to the long-suffering consumers before pursuing other things?

Maybe those people you fired were the ones who knew how to fix these problems? Maybe investing in better infrastructure and retaining staff rather than buying fancy new rangers and paying HR consultants ridiculous amounts of money with no utility expertise shouldve been the first priority?

You should take a leaf out of Fiji electricity authoritys book and see how things are run there.

The water supply has also been terrible. It seems like were paying for muddy undrinkable water that gets disconnected every now and then.

One thing Ive noticed working in the region is that the most effective managers are those that have been trained and have the experience in management and administration. Not necessarily technical people.

Perhaps its time to look at recruiting managers not engineers or someones relative to manage these utilities.

They will probably do a better job and improve these basic services that Samoa needs. In the meantime I will head down to Le Well to see which appliances I can afford to replace and some more bottled water.

K.S.

Disappointed customer of E.P.C & S.W.A.
On Monday, the Supreme Court dismissed all the charges against Police Commissioner, Fuiavailili Egon Keil.

It followed a recommendation by independent prosecutor, Nigel Hampton QC, who investigated the charges. The recommendation is contained in a memorandum signed by the lawyer released yesterday.

Mr. Hampton was recruited by Attorney General, Lemalu Hermann Retzlaff, to handle the case.

None of the allegations have been properly investigated by objective and independent investigators, Mr. Hamptons memo noted.

Interviews of potential witnesses, of an acceptably rigorous standard, were not conducted. There was no explanation was sought from the Defendant."

No appropriate (and necessary) legal advice was sought before charges were laid and the Defendant arrested.

The Police Commissioner was arrested and thrown into a Police cell last November.

It happened when he returned to work days after the Court had dismissed the first lot of charges laid against him by the National Prosecution Office (N.P.O.).

On Monday, Mr. Hampton QC successfully sought leave for the court to withdraw charges.

Outside the Court, Commissioner Fuiava was relieved man.

I always knew that if you did the right thing for the right reasons you will be okay, he said.

As Commissioner I took an oath to uphold the law to protect our people, country, government and I take that seriously.

Attorney General Lemalu told Radio New Zealand he's satisfied the decision was reached in an appropriate manner.

He said Mr. Hampton was brought in to handle the case independently.

"He was sent the full file from the N.P.O, [National Prosecution Office] office, just to make sure that the Attorney-General's office was not privy to any evidence because we wanted the final decision to be fully independent," Lemalu said.

"Obviously he [Mr Hamption] is a man with extremely high experience, including being Chief Justice of Tonga, so his independent decision is one that I don't have any issues or queries with."

The following is a memorandum to the Court by Mr. Hampton which highlight the reasons for his submission.

INTRODUCTION

1. The Applicant has been charged with the following offences:

i. One (x1) count of Inciting, counselling and procuring to commit murder pursuant to section 105 of the Crimes Act 2013;

ii. One hundred (x100) counts of Armed with a Dangerous firearm pursuant to section 25 of the Police Offences Ordinance 1961;

iii. One hundred and forty eight (x148) counts of being in possession of an unlawful weapon pursuant to section 12 of the Arms Ordinance 1961;

iv. Eight counts (x8) of Unlawful Intimidation pursuant to section 46(b)(i) of the Crimes Act 2013;

v. Six (x6) counts of threatening words pursuant to section 49(g) of the Police Offences Ordinance 1961;

vi. Two (x2) counts of Insulting Words pursuant to section 4(g) of the Police Offences Ordinance 1961.

BACKGROUND

2. The matter before the court had been referred by the Acting Director of the National Prosecution Office to counsel for an independent review of the charges and the evidence.

3. Following the matter being called this morning, this memorandum to the court outlines the prosecutions position.

POSITION

4. Having reviewed all the charges and the evidence, and independently from the defence application, it has been concluded that all the charges before the court should not proceed to trial and that all counts should be withdrawn, by leave, for the following summarized reasons :

4.1.1 None of the allegations have been properly investigated by objective and independent investigators;

4.1.2 Interviews of potential witnesses, of an acceptably rigorous standard, were not conducted.

4.1.3 No explanation was sought from the Defendant.

4.1.4 No appropriate (and necessary) legal advice was sought before charges were laid and the Defendant arrested.

4.1.5 If any of the matters in paragraphs 4.1.1, 4.1.2 and 4.1.4 above had occurred, then these charges would not have resulted.

4.1.6 At no time (and in relation to all of the counts) based on the evidence gathered, was the two-part evidential sufficiency test met (i.e. was there prima facie evidence of an offence?; if so, was there a reasonable prospect of the prosecution succeeding?).

4.1.7 Furthermore, given the background and the history leading up to the arrest of the Defendant and the laying of these charges, the timing of such arrest, the relationships of all the police officers involved (including the Defendant) and, in a general sense the absence of any civilian/public involvement and the apparent lack of any criminality in relation to the allegations, the public interest test was not met (and never was). Indeed, to proceed would be manifestly not in the public interest. Such matters as, inevitably, will be raised, are best explored in an inquisitorial Commission of Inquiry and not in the context of an adversarial criminal trial.

4.1.8 In the circumstances it was not, and is not, in the public interest to proceed.

4.1.9 The whole of the investigation, arrest and prosecution case was and is deeply and irremediably compromised.

Respectfully submitted,

(Kenneth Nigel Hampton)

COUNSEL FOR THE PROSECUTION

Dated at Apia this of 2017
The lost ducklings are coming. So are the orphaned baby birds, the abandoned bunnies and the injured young opossums.

Baby animal season is almost upon us, and that means more work for San Diegos Project Wildlife, the 45-year-old nonprofit that gives injured, orphaned and sick wild animals a place to heal and the chance to survive.

Project Wildlife staff and volunteers provide care and refuge to nearly 10,000 birds and mammals each year. With its influx of vulnerable new arrivals, baby season is a critical time.

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To help prepare for the furred and feathered flood, the organization is throwing a baby shower.

The Project Wildlife Baby Shower  which is being held March 4 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the organizations Triage Center at 887 Sherman St. in San Diego  features self-guided tours, games and activities in the kids zone, and visits with the groups animal ambassadors.

The event is free, but attendees are encouraged to bring shower gifts and donations.

The wish list includes paper towels, Kleenex and 45-gallon trash bags; dog kibble, canned cat food and jarred baby food (beef and gravy flavor); plastic animal aquariums, ceramic dog bowls and straw rabbit mats; and gift cards to Home Depot, Petco, PetSmart, and Office Depot.

Because volunteers answer found animal calls from throughout San Diego County, gas cards are also appreciated. If you cant attend, you can also donate through the organizations Amazon wish list.

Project Wildlife merged with the San Diego Humane Society in 2014. Go to projectwildlife.org for more information about the group, which began operating in the county in 1972.

RELATED

A look at the ongoing wild animal rescue operation in San Diego

Twitter: @karla_peterson

karla.peterson@sduniontribune.com
Eclectic guitar legend Larry Coryell, whose memorable performances in San Diego date back to at least the 1970s, died Sunday in New York City. The Texas native was 73 and passed away in his sleep at his hotel from natural causes, according to his publicist, John Lappen.

Coryell performed at a variety of San Diego venues over the decades. They ranged from the Catamaran and the East County Performing Arts Center to SDSUs Montezuma Hall and Anthology, where he happily talked shop with saxophone icon James Moody in 2007 and performed again in 2008.

Coryells highly influential 1969 album, Spaces, has long been considered one of the pillars of the jazz-rock fusion movement that soon followed. He stood out whether performing fusion, bebop and post-bop, or any number of jazz styles in between.

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The versatile guitarist recorded more than 60 albums under his name. He recorded a good number more with such jazz legends as Miles Davis, Charles Mingus, Chico Hamilton, Gary Burton, Chet Baker, Stephane Grappelli, Chet Baker and such fellow guitar greats as John McLaughlin, Paco de Lucia, Al DiMeola, John Abercrombie, Charlie Byrd, Sharon Isbin, Laurindo Almeida and Philip Catherine.

Coryells classic 1971 song, The Great Escape, was sampled several decades later by the Los Angeles hip-hop group Jurassic 5. Other Coryell songs were sampled by everyone from Biz Markie and Dr. Octagon to Cornershop and Aceyalone.

It was while playing in the bands of Hamilton and Burton in the 1960s that Coryell rose to prominence. His stunning combination of virtuosity, sophistication and youthful daring had a big impact on other guitarists, including the young Pat Metheny.

The Gary Burton Quartets (1968 album ) `In Concert, just happened to be the record that did it for me, Metheny said in a 1989 Union-Tribune interview. It has Coryells peak moments of life! He was just ridiculously good on this record.

Larry Coryell was born April 2, 1943, in Galveston, Texas and grew up near Seattle. He began to play piano when he was 4, then moved to the guitar. He was a journalism major at the University of Washington, before moving to New York in the 1960s and devoting himself full time to music.

Coryell was comfortable in any stylistic setting, from jazz and Indian classical music to rock and blues. In 1975, he sat in with Eric Clapton at a concert in Londons Hyde Park and promptly stole the show.

I had someone once tell me that they liked my music, but they liked the person I was more, Coryell told Florida Today in a 2014 interview.

That made my day and was the best compliment, because I was more than my music. The human being we are is what is most important and it is the people we are that make a difference and allow us to live peacefully.

I am fortunate to play music and I realized a long time ago that if you have a talent, you actually have to work harder at things. I teach my students that. Because if you have a natural talent it requires you to dig deep into it and understand the elements, know the basics, and know that indelible concept known as taste.

Before he could live peacefully, Coryell had to overcome his own drug and alcohol problems, as he acknowledged in a December, 2016, interview with the French newspaper Herald de Paris.

Well, the temptations of the music industry is a misnomer for me, because you have substance abuse problems all throughout society, Coryell said.

The disease of addiction can hit the local grocery clerk just as badly as it can hit a guitar player. For me, the best thing that ever happened to me was getting clean and sober. I still go to meetings... I was able to overcome my substance abuse problem by getting professional help and I strongly recommend that for anyone who thinks they have a problem.

His quest for clarity began several decades earlier.

Its essential to stay aware, Coryell said in a 1986 Union-Tribune interview. I do what I can to identify with youthful enthusiasm, but I also try to pass on some human dignity. That balance is very important. Its essential.

Coryell performed his last two shows on Friday and Saturday in New York City at the Iridium, the same Times Square club where guitar pioneer Les Paul for years performed every Monday night.

What may be Coryells final album, Seven Secrets  recorded with a revamped edition of his early 1970s fusion band the Eleventh House  is due for release on June 2.

He is survived by his wife, Tracey, daughters Annie and Allegra, guitarist sons Murali and Julian, and six grandchildren. A memorial service is being planned for Friday at the S.G.I-U.S.A. Buddhist center in Manhattan.

Twitter @georgevarga

george.varga@sduniontribune.com
The owner of two San Diego County Postal Annex businesses is accused of partnering with a Mexican drug trafficking organization to package and ship addictive prescription drugs to customers across the country, according to charges filed in San Diego federal court.

Since his March 2016 arrest, Lakhwinder Victor Singh has fought the charges against him, while his former employee, Alejandro Nava, recently pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute oxycodone.

Navas guilty plea, which a district judge accepted this month, and motions filed in the case provide further details of the investigation.

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Singhs attorney declined to discuss the case.

The investigation began in 2013, after federal agents identified a drug courier who was using a shipping facility in National City to move drugs, according to court documents filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Orlando Gutierrez.

The courier was arrested at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry in December 2013 with several packages of prescription drugs and began to work with authorities in exchange for not being prosecuted. The confidential source told investigators about Singhs operation, which was being run out of a Postal Plus Annex on University Avenue in the eastern San Diego neighborhood of Darnall, and a Postal Annex on Broadway in Lemon Grove.

Singh, who immigrated from India in 1982 and became a U.S. citizen in the early 1990s, bought his first Postal Annex in 2001, according to a motion filed by his attorney, Robert Boyce. Singh also bought a strip mall in 2014 for $1.6 million, paying the $707,000 down payment in cash, according to prosecutors.

The source told investigators that the pills came from a drug trafficking group in Mexico run by Bernardo Garcia, who allegedly dealt in drugs such as such as oxycodone, Xanax, methadone, amphetamine and Ritalin. Authorities have not revealed any further information about Garcia, including his whereabouts or if he is the target of a current investigation.

Customers would place orders for the drugs via a website, and the traffickers would prepackage the purchased amount and hire a courier to smuggle the goods into the United States, according to court records. Meanwhile, Garcia would email the shipping information to Singh so pre-printed labels could be made, court records say.

The courier would deliver the drugs to one of the Postal Annexes, and Singh and Nava would package and ship the orders across the country using various mailing services, including the U.S. Postal Service, FedEx and UPS, prosecutors said.

The source met with Singh and Nava on March 13, 2014, in a meeting that was monitored by authorities, and the three talked about the scheme, with Singh saying the organization had brought 20 packages of drugs the day before and that shipments usually occur two or three times a week, according to prosecutors. Singh also provided the source advice for packaging drugs, such as packing the pills flat and not bulky to better avoid detection by law enforcement, prosecutors said.

In 2015, agents had another courier under watch. On one trip, she was observed crossing into the United States from Mexico and arriving at the Broadway Postal Annex with a large red handbag. Fifteen minutes later, Singh left with two large mail bins and dropped them off at the College Grove Post Office. Investigators intercepted four flat rate parcel envelopes and found a variety of prescription drugs inside. The sender address was a bogus location in Spring Valley.

The courier was arrested in August 2015 after a large amount of pills were found in her bra as she crossed at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. She pleaded guilty to importing drugs and was sentenced to 10 months in prison.

UPS corporate security officials mailed Singh four letters over the course of a year and spoke on the phone warning that it was illegal for him to ship pharmaceuticals. In the last two letters, UPS said it was concerned that his stores continued to ship drugs. Singh did not reply, according to investigators.

On March 9, 2016, Nava was arrested at the San Ysidro Port of Entry, and Singh was arrested after investigators searched the Broadway Postal Annex and Singhs home. Agents found a baggie of about 120 generic Xanax pills in a drawer under a cash register as well as pre-printed shipping labels, according to court records.

When interviewed by agents, Singh initially denied knowledge of pharmaceuticals but later admitted to knowing that he was shipping medicines, according to court documents.

Besides being charged with conspiracy to distribute drugs, Singh is also accused of structuring $3.9 million in bank deposits from 2011 to 2014 in amounts under $10,000 to avoid bank reporting requirements. The tactic is commonly used to avoid detection from law enforcement.

Authorities are seeking to forfeit the $3.9 million.

kristina.davis@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @kristinadavis
The labor group that represents investigators in the District Attorneys Office has endorsed Chief Deputy District Attorney Summer Stephan in her campaign to replace Bonnie Dumanis in 2018.

The endorsement from the San Diego District Attorney Investigators Association was announced Monday and marks the second employee group to announce it is backing Stephan.

The union representing prosecutors and its associated political action committee San Diegans Against Crime also came out last month in favor of Stephan, the only candidate who has formally announced plans to succeed Dumanis.

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In a statement, the president of the investigators group said Stephan has shown leadership in her 27-year career with the District Attorneys Office.

Summers reputation of being fair and honest has made her a respected prosecutor and a trusted leader within the District Attorneys Office, President Bryan Zmijewski said.

Dumanis has not officially endorsed her chief deputy but told The San Diego Union-Tribune in October she would be very supportive of Stephan succeeding her.

Privately, Dumanis has voiced stronger support. She told top managers in a meeting in December that she preferred Stephan to succeed her in the position and indicated she might consider retiring early, according to a summary of the meeting obtained by Union-Tribune.

Dumanis said last month she would not seek re-election in 2018 to a fifth term as the countys top prosecutor. Stephan soon after set up a campaign committee and swiftly locked up the endorsement of the prosecutors union.

If Dumanis were to retire before her term expires, the county Board of Supervisors would appoint an interim district attorney. The backing of labor groups in the District Attorneys Office would strengthen Stephans case for being appointed. That, in turn, would give her a significant boost in the upcoming election.

Twitter: @gregmoran

greg.moran@sduniontribune.com
Authorities are asking the public for help finding an 80-year-old woman who was reported missing from a La Mesa assisted living facility Monday morning.

The woman, identified as Patricia Bradford, suffers from dementia and was last seen around 11 a.m. at an assisted living center near the corner of Culowee Street and Clearview Way, according to a press release from La Mesa Police Department.

Bradford is 5 feet 1 inch tall and weighs approximately 100 pounds, the release said. She has short curly gray hair and blue eyes, and was last seen wearing a wearing a brown long-sleeved shirt and blue jeans.

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Officials believe Bradford left the property on foot and La Mesa police are actively searching the surrounding areas with assistance from the San Diego County Sheriffs Department.

Officials asked anyone who sees Bradford to call the La Mesa Police Department at (619) 667-1400.

Contact Lauryn Schroeder via Twitter or Email.
Getting a pediatric mental health appointment can take months. But at a new clinic in San Diego, families can walk right in and be seen five days a week.

The facility in City Heights extends the just show up when you need us approach that is common at urgent-care centers to psychiatric clinics, which are experiencing a surge in demand nationwide due to fundamental changes in diagnosis and health-insurance coverage.

Usually, parents of children undergoing significant behavioral issues have only two options: Go to an emergency room and wait for hours to be seen or schedule an office visit far in the future. Neither option is well-suited for children or adolescents suffering from conditions such as severe depression and aggressive behavior, said Barent Mynderse, director of behavioral services for Rady Childrens Hospital, which runs the clinic in City Heights.

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These kids often need a quick assessment by a psychiatrist, psychologist or social worker in a quiet and private setting separate from the flow of coughs, cuts and other maladies that keep doctors and nurses busy, Mynderse said.

The new clinic, tucked inside Radys existing urgent-care facility on University Avenue, aims to provide that middle ground. It offers walk-in appointments on weekdays from 4 to 8 p.m., after scheduled appointments that start at 9 a.m. have taken place.

A $1.4 million grant from the Price Philanthropies Foundation provides a financial backstop that lets the clinics staff treat its young patients regardless of their families health insurance status.

This gives us the ability to try and avoid a family having to go to an emergency department for a situation that could be better handled in an urgent-care setting, Mynderse said.

Radys pioneered this type of setup with a similar clinic it established in Oceanside in 2007. That operation, now run by a different organization under contract with the county government, was able to treat and send home 92 percent of its clients without visits to the emergency room, Mynderse said. The City Heights operation, which opened to the public in December, is expected to achieve similar results.

Pediatric urgent care for behavioral health appears to be a rare arrangement.

Dr. Gregory Fritz, president of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, said he had not heard of any similar operation in the United States.

I suppose there could be another clinic like this out there, but I cant name you one, Fritz said.

That assessment was shared by Dr. Lori Raney, vice-chair of the American Psychiatric Associations Council on Healthcare Systems and Financing. I have never heard of this. I think its cool. Anything that keeps kids out of the chaos of emergency rooms deserves some kudos, she said.

Growing need

Both said they are impressed with the ability to offer on-demand psychiatric services at a time when the need is growing quickly.

A 2016 report from the National Health Resources and Services Administration found that the nation had an under-supply of somewhere between 2,800 and 11,400 psychiatrists in 2013, a shortage that was projected to reach 6,800 to 15,400 by 2025.

A nationwide survey conducted in 2013 found that 20 percent of the U.S. population  between 40 and 45 million people  had untreated mental health needs that year. The need is most acutely felt among children. According to the National Center for Children in Poverty, one in five kids age zero to 18 have a diagnosable mental disorder, and yet 75 percent to 80 percent do not receive the services they need.

Whats driving the increase in demand?

Experts said many factors have combined in recent years to make psychiatrists, social workers and other types of counselors busier than ever.

Fritz noted that a federal mental health parity law passed by Congress in 2008 requires insurance companies to cover mental health services at the same reimbursement rates as other medical services. That law has brought mental health treatment within reach for millions more Americans. Final rules for implementation of the law were released in 2013, bringing a sudden change to the industry.

Its not surprising, then, to see that lo and behold, with these changes, the lines are long and people are seeking treatment who would have just suffered with it before. Its not necessarily that the prevalence of mental illness has increased as a percentage of the population, its just that there is and has been this huge reservoir of kids and adults who have needed treatment and were not getting it, Fritz said.

Developments in cognitive behavioral therapy, new ways to use existing psychiatric medications and efforts to reduce the stigma associated with reaching out for help also have contributed to the current rise in demand for services, he said.

Raney said in addition, there has been a shift in the basic approach to identifying mental health problems.

In recent years, primary care doctors have increasingly adopted updated recommendations for routine depression screenings of children and adults, a change that has started generating more referrals to mental health specialists. This has come at a time when the Affordable Care Act has increased the number of Americans with health insurance.

Id say the two big drivers weve seen somewhat recently are access to Medicaid through health reform and increased detection and identification in family medicine, Raney said.

New models

This influx of patients is forcing changes in the traditional modes of psychiatric treatment.

Using her self as an example, Raney said the tendency is for psychiatrists to keep seeing patients for many years, maybe decades, even if those patients are on medication-maintenance mode and are not really undergoing significant therapy. Moving those patients back to their primary care doctors for monitoring and prescription-filling is key to meeting rising demand from newer patients, she said.

Thats a big paradigm shift for therapists and psychiatrists. Were starting to realize that the way we have always done things is not always a good use of a scarce resource, she said.

Finding a better way is a big part of Radys decision to open the clinic in City Heights. Behavioral health director Mynderse said he hopes that providing the walk-in service can head off a progression of illness that eventually ends with a suicide attempt or a trip to the emergency room.

We have about 200 psychiatric patients a month come into (Rady Childrens Hospital), and we know that a lot of them dont need to, Mynderse said.

Its a statement that resonates with Jeannette Shay, a consultant with the Price Philanthropies Foundation.

We hear stories from families we work with about waits for psychiatry services for kids that can be two, three, even four months. In that situation, we think that this urgent-care capability is just extremely important for providing another option for families, Shay said.

Price is no stranger to City Heights. The foundations creator, Price Club founder and wholesale revolutionary Sol Price, first began supporting civic causes in the neighborhood in 1993. Millions have been spent since then to build apartments for low-income families, office space for nonprofit groups and on-site school programs that help economically disadvantaged children.

Foundation chairman Robert Price said he is determined to continue what his father and former San Diego Councilman William Jones began in City Heights more than two decades ago.

When (my father) started back in the early 1990s, it was a community, I think, that people wanted to escape. But thats no longer the case, Robert Price said.

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paul.sisson@sduniontribune.com

(619) 293-1850

Twitter: @paulsisson
A hoax bomb threat was made to the Jewish community center in University City Tuesday, the second in a month and part of a nationwide series, San Diego police said.

The emailed threat came in to the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center on Executive Drive about 6 a.m.

Staff there evacuated the property and notified San Diego police, center Executive Director Michael Cohen said in an emailed statement.

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Officers searched the building but found nothing suspicious, San Diego police Sgt. Edward Zwibel said. The building, including a pre-school, reopened about 7 a.m.

Similar threats have been made this year to Jewish Community Centers across the nation and in Canada.

In response to these recent threats across the country, we have been working closely with our local police department and national security agencies to monitor the situation and review our protocols, Cohen said in the statement.

Tammy Gillies, San Diego regional director for the Anti-Defamation League, said she was shocked, but not surprised at the latest threat.

Weve seen a recent uptick in this sort of hateful language, Gillies said Tuesday. This is more of the same.

This type of hate crime is meant to inspire fear, not just at the location, but in the entire Jewish community. The goal is to make people afraid, and its working.

She said her office gets calls from parents wondering if it is safe to send their children to the Lawrence centers pre-school, or even to pre-schools at synagogues.

Gillies said she tells them, We dont have any credible information that would stop them from going about their daily business.

Last month, the FBI confirmed that it was investigating the threats, but gave no information about possible suspects.

An FBI spokeswoman in San Diego issued a statement then, saying, The FBI and the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division are investigating possible civil rights violations in connection with threats to Jewish Community Centers here in San Diego and across the country.

Gillies said the FBI is doing a great job and is taking the threats seriously.

White supremicists, or the alt-right, is feeling empowered. Everybody is feeling on edge, I think, Gillies added.

President Donald Trump on Tuesday called the threats horrible and painful. He made the remarks following a tour of the National Museum of African American Museum and Culture in Washington, D.C.

This tour was a meaningful reminder of why we have to fight bigotry, intolerance and hatred in all of its very ugly forms, Trump told an audience. The anti-Semitic threats targeting our Jewish community and community centers are horrible and are painful and a very sad reminder of the work that still must be done to root out hate and prejudice and evil.

Bomb threats were made on Monday to 11 Jewish centers in several states, bringing the total to 69 incidents at 54 centers in 27 states and Canada this year, according to the JCC Association of North America.

David Posner, a security director of the JCC Association, on Monday issued a statement that said, in part, While we are relieved that all such threats have proven to be hoaxes and that not a single person was harmed, we are concerned about the anti-Semitism behind these threats, and the repetition of threats intended to interfere with day-to-day life. ...

We are in regular communication with the FBI, which is investigating these threats, to ensure the FBI has the most updated information.

Previous incidents include hoax calls to 16 centers in nine states on Jan. 9 and to 27 centers in 17 states on Jan. 18.

A third wave of threats was made on Jan. 31, affecting 15 centers in 10 states as well as in Ontario, Canada. The Lawrence Family center received a threat that day, prompting a police search and temporary closure of a pre-school.
San Diego police surrounded a Mission Valley motel and arrested a 37-year-old man suspected of firing a shot in a room Tuesday.

No one was injured at Motel 6 on Hotel Circle Drive North, although officers also checked a report that a kidnap victim might be in one room, police said. No victim was found.

Police got reports about 8:35 a.m. that a man at the motel might have a gun, and a shot may have been fired, Officer Billy Hernandez said.

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Officers surrounded the motel and found a man who matched the description given them, Hernandez said.

Police detained the man, found a gun, and later arrested him. Hernandez said he was booked on charges of shooting at an inhabited dwelling, carrying a loaded firearm in public and being under the influence of drugs.

Officers also were told there might be a kidnap victim in one of the motel rooms. Police asked guests to stay in their rooms while they searched two rooms. They found no victims.
A 21-year-old armed man who barricaded himself in a Santee home was taken into custody Monday following an hourslong standoff with a sheriffs SWAT team.

A .9 mm stolen handgun was found in the residence, sheriffs Sgt. Kenneth Lawrence said.

Deputies were called to the home on Massery Lane near the corner of Padre Lane and Ellsworth Lane about 9 a.m. after a report of a restraining order violation, Lawrence said.

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While en route, deputies were told the suspect was armed with a handgun, Lawrence said.

When deputies arrived, they could hear a conversation coming from inside the house about a gun, but no threats were being made, he said in a statement.

Two people went outside and told deputies the suspect was the only person left inside the home.

Crisis negotiators were called out to help resolve the situation peacefully. Residents in the neighborhood were asked to stay inside while officials urged the suspect to surrender.

An update issued by the Sheriffs Department at 2:50 p.m. said the standoff had ended and the suspect had been safely arrested.

A records check later revealed the handgun that was recovered was stolen, Lawrence said. He did not give other details about the theft.

According to jail records, the suspect was booked into jail on suspicion of violating a restraining order, receiving stolen property, possessing a gun, possessing large-capacity ammunition magazines, and being under the influence of a controlled substance, among other charges.

Contact Lauryn Schroeder via Twitter or Email.

UPDATES:

6:50 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details. This article was originally published at 3:30 p.m.
A salon worker at the Bernardo Winery complex of shops was robbed at gunpoint Tuesday morning, a sheriffs official said.

She had just gotten out of her vehicle at the Poway winery on Old Winery Road when the man confronted her about 9 a.m., sheriffs Sgt. David Toner said.

The heavyset robber carried a black semi-automatic pistol and demanded all her money, Toner said. The woman, in her 50s, handed over her cash and the man ran off.

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San Diego police and a sheriffs helicopter crew helped deputies search around the winery complex but did not find the gunman Toner said.

There are a number of small, independent gift shops and galleries, including Salon at the Vineyard, in the complex.
More than 2,500 people are expected to attend a climate change rally Tuesday in downtown San Diego in response to recent actions by the Trump Administration and what protesters see as a lack of clean energy programs.

The rally, starting at 6 p.m. at the Edward J. Schwartz Federal Building, comes days after the Senate confirmed Scott Pruitt as the head of the Environmental Protection Agency.

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Pruitt has fought for years to undo regulations by the agency as Oklahomas attorney general and is seen by some as a foe to environmentalists.

It seems like his mission is to undo all the progress that weve made over the last 50 years, said Diane Takvorian, executive director of the Environmental Health Coalition and a planned speaker at Tuesdays rally.

Thirty-six years ago Takvorian helped found the coalition she now leads. Over her career she served on several environmental federal advisory committees, appointed by presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, and has met past EPA administrators.

The EPA put out a statement after Pruitts appointment that said his work as Oklahoma attorney general had led to an agreement to study water quality of the Illinois River and helped reach a water rights agreement between his state, two tribal nations and Oklahoma City.

Mr. Pruitts overarching goal is to lead EPA in a way so that our future generations inherit a better and healthier environment, it read.

About 2,500 people said on a Facebook page Monday afternoon that they were going to the rally. If recent protests and actions are any indication, at least how many people who already said they would attend will be there.

At an immigrant rights protest Saturday, more than 4,000 people showed up, despite rain, when just 1,400 said they were going on Facebook the day before. A march in support of Planned Parenthood two weeks ago, where it also rained, had about the same people come who said they would on Facebook.

Tomorrows rally is organized by San Diego Climate Mobilization Coalition founders Derek and Nancy Casady.

The La Jolla couple have worked for years toward organizing around the environment and formed the coalition two years ago, a loose partnership of several activist groups.

Derek Casady, 81, is a retired journalist and editor who has worked in state government. He said President Donald Trumps past statements on climate change being a hoax were incorrect, but the problem is bigger than his office.

We know that Congress will never decide to put in a renewable energy system in America, because coal, oil and gas have tremendous influence with the Congress, Democrats and Republicans alike, he said.

The Obama Administration got high environmental marks from some groups, like the Sierra Club, for designating 23 national monuments, rejecting the Keystone XL pipeline, signing the Paris climate agreement and other actions.

But Casadys vision goes further, advocating for a 100 percent clean and renewable system of wind, water and solar as laid out by Mark Jacobson, a Stanford University engineering professor. Jacobson created a road map for each state to get completely off fossil fuels and was highlighted by National Geographic in 2015.

For example, Jacobson calculated California could produce 25 percent of its energy using onshore wind by 2050.

Not everyone in San Diego County thinks fewer EPA regulations are a bad thing, especially housing advocates. Builders often decry the costs that environmental regulations add to new-home construction and, while the majority of that burden comes from the California Environmental Quality Act, federal costs do show up when building mainly in unincorporated parts of the county.

As a spokesman for an industry that is definitely over-regulated, I welcome somebody that is going to look at EPA regulations, said Borre Winckel, CEO of the Building Industry Association of San Diego.

He said he doubted fewer regulations for homebuilding would mean a destroyed environment.

For the life of me, I cant think that anybody now taking office in Washington (D.C.) would worsen industries abilities to pollute either the air or the water, Winckel said. I think thats just impossible.

Speakers at tomorrows rally include Wesley Clark Jr., activist, Army veteran and son of former supreme commander of NATO Wesley Clark; Ruben Arizmendi, chairman of the San Diego Sierra Club; Cody Petterson, vice president of Impact Assessment; and Takvorian.

Unlike other other recent Trump-era actions, the rally will not include a march. Instead, participants will stay outside the Federal Building from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

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phillip.molnar@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1891 Twitter: @phillipmolnar

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Regarding City Camp could be San Diegos homeless solution (Feb. 10): City Camp sounds like a humane, organized way to help the street folks and the city at the same time.

Give the homeless some viable options: committing to one of the nonprofit resettlement programs, living temporarily in the City Camp to help them formulate a plan that would get them a home, hospitalize the mentally impaired, jail those with life-threatening behavior, and to those who will not cooperate, help them move on.

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The choice would be their choice, but living on our streets would not be a viable option. To continue letting people live on our streets, beaches and in our parks, and to do so in a manner that presents health and security issues for all of us, is unacceptable.

Ronn Garton

North Park

Detractors must check their facts on vetting

In response to the letter We must protect nation from potential enemies (Feb. 5) from Gary Gilbert, its depressing to contemplate the idea of thousands in America who think as Gilbert thinks.

People are convinced that thousands of potential enemies can pass unchecked into the U.S. (a fact presented to them by the Trump campaign in 2016). Apparently Gilbert is an expert on the vetting process employed by the government, the process which, as he says, lets anyone from anywhere into our country without a thought of what their intentions may be.

What an insult to those now doing the extremely difficult work of vetting. How convenient to condemn a process armed with alternate facts, or, worse, no facts at all about that process.

Richard King

Rancho Bernardo

Letters and commentary policy

The U-T welcomes and encourages community dialogue on important public matters. Please visit this page for more details on our letters and commentaries policy.

E-mail letters@sduniontribune.com

Mail: Andrew Kleske, Reader Outreach Editor San Diego Union-Tribune P.O. Box 120191 San Diego, CA 92112-0191.

You can also leave a comment below

Bill for emigrants goes to the middle class

Regarding Protest called to highlight migrants (Feb. 16): Now that California is declared a sanctuary state for all emigrants, I wonder who will pay for the care and welfare for these new welcomed emigrants let alone all the emigrants that are here now.

Lets try to figure this out. I dont think that Gov. Brown personally will pay for them. I dont think all the California politicians will pay for them, I dont think all the cities and county politicians will pay for them and Im sure all the high-earning movie and TV celebrities wont pay for them.

So who will pay for them? Im sure the only ones left are us, the middle-class taxpayers. What is sad is that Gov. Brown and the rest of the people that are agreeable to this sanctuary think they are smarter than our president. Well, theyre not, and never will be.

Michael Jackson

San Carlos

Trump cant use office for his personal gain

Then President-elect Trump rattled the diplomatic world by taking a phone call from the Taiwanese president back in December. I do not believe that Trump broke with nearly 40 years of U.S. diplomatic practice to just invite in another player in the US/China relations.

I believe the phone call was taken to shake up Chinese President Xi Jinping so that Trump companies could get what they had been trying to get for a decade. I believe that it was done so that now President Trump and his closely held companies would obtain Chinese trademark rights on his name.

He has now received the trademark by using his office as my leader, my president. He used his position as the president of the United States to make his name more lucrative.

This is wrong and these types of travesties in my, in our names, must stop.

Sarah Lydick

Kensington

GOP has chance to show it wants progress

Republicans have the power, both houses of Congress and the presidency. They can do whatever they want.

Will paying down the national debt be a top priority on its agenda? The debt began skyrocketing in the 1980s with Republican tax cuts for the rich.

Will they really continue to be fiscally irresponsible and never pay down the debt at all in their lifetimes?

Zack Dyl

San Diego

Middle East nations must fix this problem

President Trump just met with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to discuss Middle East peace. I think we have seen this dance numerous times before without any results.

In the U.S., many of us have friends and family who have relocated to other states and even other countries for job opportunities that will improve their quality of life. It is time for the wealthy Middle Eastern countries (Saudi Arabia, Qatar, etc.) to offer their Palestinian brothers and sisters this same opportunity. I feel confident all parties concerned would agree on this course of action.

Dennis Shepard

San Diego

Plenty of reasons to oppose housing plan

Regarding Public weighs in on country club plan (Feb. 15): The city of Escondidos scoping report identified a high number of potentially significant impact environmental statements and their adverse effects on the quality of life in the city relative to climate change.

Constructing 392 high-density housing units on 63 acres will significantly increase the greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) where no infrastructure exists. Water and traffic pollution associated with this housing proposal in a designated open space will contribute to climate change.

Large land areas absorb and mitigate GHG emissions. Fighting against this unsound development and climate change is the right thing to do. New Urban Wests massive proposal should be subject to a full environmental impact review under the California Environmental Quality Act.

Mary Coffey

Escondido

Issa needs to return, address constituents

Darrell Issa has not hosted a town hall meeting for his constituents since 2009. Since then hes held telephone town hall meetings, which are not an adequate replacement.

Its shameful that hes avoiding the people of the 49th District. My assumption is that hes scared about the optics if people who disagree with him show up rather than the carefully controlled telephone meetings he currently runs.

We were all under the impression that working with the people of the 49th District is his job.

Refusing to hold an actual town hall meeting is both cowardly and an aberration of duty. He should be ashamed.

Jennifer Allen

Oceanside

Want to see more letters that appear only online? Follow @UTLetters on Twitter and UTOpinion on Facebook.
President Donald Trump on Tuesday denounced an ongoing wave of anti-Semitic incidents nationwide that has included vandalism at a Jewish cemetery in Missouri and bomb threats at Jewish Community Centers all over the country, including one Tuesday morning in La Jolla.

The anti-Semitic threats targeting our Jewish community and community centers are horrible and painful and a very sad reminder of the work that still must be done to root out hate and prejudice and evil, Trump said during a visit to the Smithsonians National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C.

Trump: anti-Semitic threats targeting Jews are a very sad reminder of the work that still must be done to root out hate & prejudice & evil pic.twitter.com/amGUFjnxw3  Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) February 21, 2017

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Trumps remarks condemning the incidents come after 11 Jewish community centers reported phoned-in bomb threats on Monday, which the Jewish Community Centers Association of North America says follows a trend of similar incidents that it began tracking as early as Jan. 9.

In total, 69 incidents at 54 Jewish community centers in 27 states have reported bomb threats so far this year, the JCC Association of North America said Monday. In a statement, the association said the FBI is investigating those threats.

Police are also investigating severe vandalism at a Jewish cemetery in St. Louis over the weekend. On Monday, a groundskeeper discovered that up to 200 Jewish gravestones had been toppled or damaged, the St. Louis Dispatch reported. As of Tuesday, no arrests had been made.

Closer to home in Southern California, a bomb threat at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center of San Diego County in La Jolla prompted evacuations Tuesday morning before police cleared its building. In response, San Diego police called residents to remain vigilant.

Working together as a community, we can continue to keep San Diego one of the safest large cities. pic.twitter.com/Cf9rju5UKt  San Diego Police Department (@SanDiegoPD) February 21, 2017

For weeks, Trump has faced mounting pressure to respond to concerns over anti-Semitism in the country. Twice last week, Trump deflected questions from journalists who asked him to respond to anti-Semitic threats, first at a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjami Netanyahu on Wednesday and then at another press conference the next day.

So heres the story, folks. No. 1: I am the least anti-Semitic person that youve ever seen in your entire life, Trump told the reporter that day. The exchange didnt sit well with the Anti-Defamation League  an advocacy group that combats hate crimes and anti-Semitism  which called it mind-boggling for Trump to brush off growing concerns about anti-Semitism.

Mondays reports of the rash of bomb threats at Jewish community centers drew a response from his daughter, Ivanka, who in a tweet called to protect our houses of worship & religious centers. The tweet irked observers who then called on her to appeal to her father to do the same and condemn attacks on the Jewish community.

America is a nation built on the principle of religious tolerance. We must protect our houses of worship & religious centers. #JCC  Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) February 20, 2017

Glad to see this. All Jews need to urge @POTUS to step forward & share a plan. His words carry weight. His actions will speak even louder. https://t.co/uAgh1R1pA7  Jonathan Greenblatt (@JGreenblattADL) February 21, 2017

Very nice, but this should be coming from your father. @realDonaldTrump must directly condemn anti-Semitism and all those who espouse it. https://t.co/zXiq0T7sSb  (((Rep. Nadler))) (@RepJerryNadler) February 21, 2017

Calls for the president to respond to the attacks mounted over Monday and Tuesday with prominent voices including Hillary Clinton and Chelsea Clinton jumping on Twitter to ask Trump to denounce anti-Semitism.

JCC threats, cemetery desecration & online attacks are so troubling & they need to be stopped. Everyone must speak out, starting w/ @POTUS.  Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) February 21, 2017

<2 months into 2017: JCC bomb threats, synagogue defamed, subway swastikas, Jewish cemetery desecrated. NOW will Trump condemn antisemitism? https://t.co/bCoT5FhRxN  Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) February 20, 2017

We are still waiting to hear what administration will do to address ongoing threats to Jewish communities #answerthequestion https://t.co/eBSPz6krb4  ADL (@ADL) February 20, 2017

Trumps remarks Tuesday may calm some of his political opponents but members of the Jewish community are not appeased. The Anne Frank Center in New York called Trumps acknowledgment too little, too late.

The Presidents sudden acknowledgement is a Band-Aid on the cancer of Antisemitism that has infected his own Administration, the center said in a statement published on Facebook. His statement today is a pathetic asterisk of condescension after weeks in which he and his staff have committed grotesque acts and omissions reflecting Antisemitism, yet day after day have refused to apologize and correct the record.

In responding to questions about Trumps slow reaction to anti-Semitic attacks in the United States, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said Trumps denunciation was unbelievably forceful.

Its ironic that no matter how many times he talks about this, its never good enough, Spicer said. Today was an unbelievable forceful comment by the president as far as his denunciation of the actions that are currently targeted toward Jewish community centers.

Have some thoughts to share?

Join me in a conversation: Shoot me a private email with your thoughts or ideas on a different approach to this story. As always, you can also send us a tweet.

Email: luis.gomez@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @RunGomez
At his first town hall meeting since Donald Trump became president, Rep. Scott Peters was urged by an impassioned crowd to be a roadblock to the new administration.

Trump, in his first 31 days in office, has taken steps toward dismantling the Affordable Care Act, building a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico, and barring citizens from seven Muslim-majority nations from entering the country. The 250 people who showed up at Peters forum Monday at the Islamic Center of San Diego said they want the congressman to fight all of it.

Peters, D-San Diego, said they dont have to worry about his response. Not only is the White House disorganized and slow to propose legislation to Congress, the policies Trump has proposed are unacceptable, he said.

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But he also said hes willing to work with Trump when it makes sense, particularly with a major infrastructure spending program. So far, however, the president hasnt tried to be bipartisan nor has he proposed many well-developed policy, Peters said.

I dont want to be the Party of No. Unfortunately its hard when he gives you things like the wall and the Muslim ban, he said.

To make headway against Trump, California voters  who supported former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton by a nearly 2 to 1 margin  need to understand that they arent like voters in many other parts of the country, Peters said.

We the tolerant people, we have to be tolerant, he said. Of course there are racists out there, right? Of course there are. But not everyone who didnt vote the way we voted is a racist, or a misogynist, or a deplorable, for Gods sake. But we need those people. We need to be listening to those people.

And Democrats need to champion policies that work for people outside of California, he said. In 2016 his party was tone-deaf and lost in parts of the country that were left behind in the economic recovery after the Great Recession because it didnt offer voters meaningful job-creation policies and better opportunities for their children that clicked.

We need to offer opportunities. Most people dont see themselves as victims, they see themselves as economic actors, he said.

Unlike similar events in other districts, particularly ones represented by Republicans, Peters town hall was orderly, but attendees were not meek and did not hesitate to show their dissatisfaction with him or Trump. Whenever Peters mentioned a member of the presidents cabinet, or a Republican in Congress, the crowd booed (except for a reference to Sen. John McCain, which was met with cheers).

I can tell were pretty much in agreement in this room, Peters said.

Roger Ogden, a frequent critic of politicians he perceives as too weak on terrorism, questioned why anyone would hold a meeting at the Islamic Center, a place of worship for two of the 9-11 hijackers. He was boo-ed down, and later got into a shouting match.

Peters said he didnt agree with the sentiment of Ogdens question, but it was a legitimate query. The Muslim community is in a better position to alert law enforcement of any members that might have nefarious intentions, and the government needs to have a good relationship with Muslims, he said.

I dont think that any of us should forget about 9-11, and thats why we should have a good relationship with the Muslim-American community, he said.

Marwa Abdalla, another member of the crowd, said Peters answer was offensive. Muslims care about their country and other Americans, and would report any bad actors out of their commitment and concern and a moral duty, she said.

What I wanted to hear from you was that our community is not just a watchdog community... we are not spies she said. The appropriateness of holding the meeting here is that we are your constituents too.

Peters said he did not respond to Ogdens question precisely, and that holding the forum at the Islamic Center makes a statement about Muslims in democracy.

I fully embrace the symbolism of having this meeting here, he said.

Members of the House are in the beginning of their first substantial recess since Trump was sworn in as president, and as they return to their home districts, their constituents are pressuring them to hold town hall meetings. Peters staff organized Mondays event at the request of several grassroots organizations.

Some of the members are organizing the forums themselves, while others are coordinated by a patchwork of grassroots progressive organizations.

Twitter: @jptstewart

joshua.stewart@sduniontribune.com

(619) 293-1841
FRESNO, Calif. (AP)  A former Clovis resident will receive $650,000 to settle a federal civil-rights lawsuit against the Clovis Police Department.

The Fresno Bee reports (https://bit.ly/2c7YT0i ) that 24-year-old George Macias Jr. had accused four police officers of beating him while he was handcuffed during a September 2012 incident. Before the settlement, police contended that Macias initiated the fight and put the officers lives in danger by resisting arrest.

Macias was found not guilty of resisting arrest in connection to the incident.

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The settlement, which Macias accepted on Friday, comes two months after a judge ruled that Macias and his attorney were entitled to confidential police documents about one of the officers involved.

___

Information from: The Fresno Bee, https://www.fresnobee.com
By Peggy Kelly

Santa Paula News

Violence was decried, women and  in turn  their children empowered and vows made to Break the Chain of physical and sexual abuse at Saturdays 4th Annual One Billion Rising event.

Held in the packed Community Center, p2articipants had prepared for weeks for One Billion Rising, a worldwide event where women tell their stories, dance and speak out for justice while demanding an end to gender-based violence.

Saturdays program was in Spanish with simultaneous English translation via headsets so all could understand emcee Georgina Garcia as she introduced speaker after speaker and told of the dozen or so social service providers that has displays for outreach.

The Rev. Jenny Crosswhite, also Santa Paulas Mayor, welcomed the crowd noting that the City of Santa Paula was cosponsoring the Santa Paula Ministerial Association event that has been moved from its original venue just a few days before.

Also attending were Councilmen Martin Hernandez and John Procter, the latter providing the sound system.

This gathering is very important to me and Im very, very happy to have everyone here, said Crosswhite. This is our fourth year, each better than before, that gives us the opportunity, to share stories, seek services and learn about the impacts of physical and sexual abuse.

Garcia, who is with the countywide Coalition for Family Harmony, noted that a Healing Room overseen by Pamela Fuller was offering mini-massages and meditation for those needing it. Acclaimed harpist Xavier Big X Montes entertained with soothing melodies as the crowd looked at the aprons decorating the venue.

With an estimated 1-billion women and children being abused throughout the world, This is a very global issue, said Garcia.

Lideres Campesinas (The Apron Project), said Arcelia Aquilera, symbolically reflects the organizations mission to strengthen the leadership of Latina women, economically and culturally while combating domestic violence.

The group offers classes, referrals and monthly meetings; to join one must attend three consecutive meetings.

Apron exhibits have also centered on pesticide use in fields and sexual harassment experienced by farmworkers who wear tied jackets around their waists to ward off assault.

Garcia said the Coalition for Family Harmony is dedicated to ending violence against women including sexual abuse, 76 percent that occurs within the family circle.

Rocio Teyo told of her own experiences of abuse ranging from emotional to physical to sexual. And, she noted, such abuse often moves on to children in the household.

She spent 12 years in therapy to change her own pattern of being with abusers and still attends support meetings, although Now I know happiness with a husband who cherishes her.

Garcia told the crowd that abuse knows no economic or social barrier, as It doesnt matter where you were raised or your gender.

She introduced Elvia Hernandez of Proyecto Esperanza (Project Hope), which operates out of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church offering counseling, referrals and other services working with the Ventura County Public Health Care Agency. Meetings involving children are held at First 5.

Cultural intimidation to not discuss such things is often a barrier to seeking help until it is almost too late as demonstrated by a woman who contacted Project Hope who was afraid if she returned home she would be murdered.

Hernandez said the children were picked up from the home and all given a safe haven.

Overcrowded housing, it was noted, is often a gateway to child abuse.
Ag Career Day draws about 500 students with an interest in agriculture

By Peggy Kelly

Most came to learn, some came to display and at least one came to hire at the 3rd Annual Agriculture Career Fair held Friday at the Museum of Ventura County Agriculture Museum.

Known affectionately as The Ag, the museum was filled to capacity on February 10 with students that came in waves to view displays, ask questions, take information and eat pizza.

Agricultural Commissioner Henry Gonzales and Michael Etchart, Industry Liaison for Agriculture & Natural Resources, VC Innovates from the Ventura County Office of Education who coordinated the event, as well as Museum of Ventura County Director of Education & Outreach Megan Gately were also on hand.

Over 500 middle and high-school students interested in careers in the agricultural sector, who are enrolled in agriculture-specific curriculum such as Santa Paula High Schools Ag Academy and programs such as Future Farmers of America attended. Isbell Middle School students also took part in the fair.

This annual event, according to The Ag, is designed to put students in front of the leading ag businesses in the region to find out about careers, job opportunities, and training/education required for their companies.

These real world interactions with industry leaders are meant to encourage agricultural study as well as providing a more realistic expectation of the skills and job titles in their organizations.

And the importance of volunteerism: Food Share Community Outreach Coordinator Anne Thille was on hand urging students to consider volunteering for the organization that feeds thousands throughout Ventura County.

Its important for students to volunteer for many reasons, other than altruism said Thille, including for high school community service credits and college applications where volunteerism is viewed favorably.

Charles Law of Progressive Land Management, Inc., said farming has changed drastically with the introduction of high technology.

Im pushing tech in groves, a subject that teenagers  who have a sixth sense for  respond to.

We are literally able to turn on and off, field equipment from smart phones and read data from sensors that measure moisture, sap flows and monitor water flow that might need boosting or cutting back.

Law said high tech makes one of mans most ancient activities, growing food, easier and smarter and an attractive subject to high tech teens.

Gabby Chavez, a Santa Paula High School graduate, was at the Future Farmers of America table where she was handing out information on the program.

Wearing her FFA jacket, Chavez said she had spoken to about 30 students so far, including The ones from middle school who said they would be interested, in the program when they enter high school.

Chavez now is a Ventura Community College student and said when she gets her Associate of Arts degree she will attend Fresno State University where she will major in agriculture.

Im here looking for a senior worker, said rancher Logan Hardison, but not of the high school kind.

Rather, he was looking for a ranch manager/worker for a citrus and avocado operation in Redlands, a job that comes with a big house and everything

Although he had visited The Ag because he thought the career fair was to match workers with employers, Hardison was enjoying the displays and participants.

I did speak to the FFA, because they could have contacts with recent graduates perhaps looking for farm work.

Learning at another exhibit that feed given to beneficial insects can make them more effective against bad bugs Hardison said it just shows that There are plenty of diversified jobs in agriculture. You dont think you would find an ag insect nutritionist job!

Nayhb Oseguera, a SPHS senior and FFA member, was enjoying some pizza after visiting the Cal Poly table.

I already did apply to Cal Poly, as well as numerous other universities, where Oseguera said he plans to study the relatively new field of bioengineering.

Displays at the event also included Mission Produce, Limoneira, Farm Credit West, Food Forward, San Miguel Produce, Rincon-Vitova, AG RX, Bolthouse Farms, US Fish & Wildlife, SEE-AG, Monsanto, CWA, Totally Local VC, the USDA and Corona Seeds.

Aside from the information and contacts they got from exhibitors, students were given handouts about resume writing, cover letters and interviewing.
By Peggy Kelly

Santa Paula News

A Santa Paula man was sentenced Thursday to more than 11 years in prison for a fatal hit-and-run crash in Ventura last July.

Victor Antonio Martinez, 24, was sentenced February 9 to 11 years and eight months in prison after pleading guilty to gross vehicular manslaughter, evading a police officer causing injury and carrying a loaded firearm, among other charges.

The collision occurred July 22 when Martinezs vehicle struck and killed Richard Lunsford, an 80-year-old motorcyclist, while fleeing from police in Ventura, a chase that started on Highway 126.

While traveling eastbound on the highway Martinez had hit an unmarked police car and then failed to stop. Although the unmarked police vehicle gave chase Martinezs high speeds outdistanced them. Then A marked patrol car observed Martinez and initiated a pursuit, reaching Martinez as he exited at Kimball Road.

When the patrol officer attempted to pull Martinez over, he accelerated through a red light and collided with two other vehicles and Lunsfords motorcycle. Lunsford was declared deceased at the scene.

Martinez continued southbound on Kimball Road, jumped out of his moving vehicle and fled on foot. The Ventura Police Department Officer pursing Martinez used his patrol car to stop the abandoned vehicle, jumped out and ran after Martinez.
From its inception under Herbert O. Yardley to its role in the Cold War to Edward Snowden, the NSA has a long history of surveillance, scandal, and scrutiny.

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As you might expect from an intelligence organization, the National Security Agency has always done its best to avoid unwanted scrutiny from the American public.

So naturally, the NSA was more than a little uncomfortable when Edward Snowden exposed its most secret intelligence-gathering programs, including spying on allied government communications.

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But the agency isnt a stranger to intelligence leakers, and it isnt really news that the NSA has been spying on people here in our own country. As a matter of fact, thats precisely their job, and has been since President Harry Truman ordered the NSA into existence in 1952.

The Black Chamber

The agencys origins date back to July 1917, when a man named Herbert O. Yardley became the head of the newly created Cipher Bureau of Military Intelligence.

Just three months before, the United States had declared war on Germany and its allies. The need for better communications intelligence couldnt have been more plain. One of the major factors that brought the U.S. into the war was the infamous Zimmerman Telegram, in which the German Foreign Secretary attempted to entice Mexico into war against the U.S. When British codebreakers intercepted this message, it naturally inflamed the U.S. and proved the value of signals intelligence.

After the war ended in 1919, Yardleys Cipher Bureau moved to New York City and shifted its focus from military to diplomatic intelligence. Its greatest success came in 1922, when its surveillance of Japanese communications helped American diplomats negotiate with Japan at the Washington Naval Conference on naval arms limitations.

The Cipher Bureaus methods were somewhat questionable: deals with Western Union and other telegraph companies gave the Cipher Bureau unprecedented access to messages entering and exiting the United States. When Secretary of State Henry Stimson decided to close the agency in 1929, he cited moral opposition to its increasing surveillance, though his reasoning may also have been partly financial. In any case, Hoovers administration did not see the need for peacetime surveillance and the agency was shuttered.

Between World Wars

The end of the Cipher Bureau left Yardley unemployed and bitter. In 1931 he published The American Black Chamber, detailing the activities and exploits of the Cipher Bureau. The book, excerpted in The Saturday Evening Post, shocked the public and the intelligence community, as well as the countries Yardley had spied on. And so the founding father of American surveillance also became its first traitor. The National Surveillance Agency prophetically made the Edward Snowden comparison itself in a 1986 memo: It was as if an NSA employee had publicly revealed the complete communications intelligence operations of the Agency for the past twelve years.

By the time Yardley had published his book, it was already out of date on American spy programs. In May 1929, five months before the end of the Cipher Bureau, the U.S. Army had decided to form its own agency independent of the State Department. The following year, William Friedman began building the Signal Intelligence Service (SIS). Its unclear to what extent the end of the Cipher Bureau and the birth of the SIS are related, but in October 1929, Friedman went to New York to obtain the files Yardleys agency had gathered. The SIS expanded rapidly in the 1930s, especially in the Pacific, where it opened bases from Alaska to China to Australia in response to the increasingly aggressive Japanese Empire.

From World War to Cold War

The armys decision to focus its surveillance on Japan proved prescient when a Japanese fleet attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. By then the SIS had already cracked Japans Purple cipher, used for diplomatic correspondence, and in March 1942, the SIS cracked the JN-25 code, Japans primary naval code, which enabled the U.S. Navy to anticipate the Japanese attack on Midway in June 1942. In another key success, the SIS uncovered Admiral Yamamotos travel plans, the commander-in-chief of the Japanese Combined Fleet. The army scrambled a squadron of American fighters to successfully shoot down Yamamotos plane in April 1943.

Following the war, President Truman reorganized American signals intelligence under the National Security Agency (NSA) in 1952. In 1957, the NSA moved to Fort Meade in Maryland, where it is still based today.

The NSA began as a secret organization, half-jokingly referred to by many as No Such Agency. But as the NSA grew to a peak of more than 90,000 employees in 1969making it the largest intelligence organization in the U.S., if not the worldit became harder to deny its existence.

During this period, the NSAs intelligence contributions helped the U.S. anticipate Cold War events like the Cuban Missile Crisis and the foundation of the Berlin Wall. But the NSA wasnt always successful. Faulty intelligence in August 1964 distorted the events of the Gulf of Tonkin incident, drawing the U.S. into the Vietnam War.

In the Public Eye

The first wave of controversy surrounding the NSA came in the 1970s. The aftermath of Watergate brought U.S. intelligence agencies under suspicion, and alongside the CIA and the FBI, the NSA became a subject of the U.S. Senate Church Committee investigation in 1975. The committees findings exposed the NSA to public scrutiny for the first time.

The investigation brought surprising revelations. Since 1945, the NSA had been spying on telegrams entering and leaving the U.S., including the correspondence of American citizens, under a program called Project SHAMROCK. Under Project MINARET, the NSA monitored the communications of civil rights leaders and opponents of the Vietnam War, including targets such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Mohammed Ali, Jane Fonda, and two active U.S. Senators. The NSA had launched this program in 1967 to monitor suspected terrorists and drug traffickers, but successive presidents used it to track all manner of political dissidents.

The Church Committees findings led Congress to enact the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) in 1978, which set guidelines for what the NSA could collect and how they could collect it. No longer could the NSA conduct warrantless surveillance on American citizens; instead, the organization would have to go through a special surveillance court, created by the FISA act.

After 1978, the NSA returned to laying low, and with the end of the Cold War, the agency began to shrink into the early 90s. Current estimates place the number of employees at around 40,000.

Terrorism, Data Mining and Edward Snowden

The NSAs role shifted again following the September 11 terrorist attacks. In 2002, it launched a data mining program to compile and sift through electronic transaction data. That same year, President George W. Bush authorized the NSA to monitor the phone calls and emails of American citizens without a warrant from the intelligence court. The New York Times exposed this program in 2005, and under legal doubts and public pressure, Bush ended the warrantless wiretap program in 2007.

In June 2013, the NSA returned to the media spotlight when NSA contractor Edward Snowden revealed that the agency had been secretly gathering Internet and telephone data on millions of Americans. Snowden also revealed that the U.S. was spying on allied leaders, such as German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

In light of the current controversy, the future of these programs is up in the air. In a speech given early Friday morning, President Obama announced that the NSA will no longer hold American phone records. It remains unclear whether phone companies or another third-party organization will manage this data.
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The cover must have shocked more than one reader. The Saturday Evening Post had become known for its cover art, by Norman Rockwell and others, which showed an idealized America. But on September 12, 1964, the cover showed the face of Malcolm X  the radical leader who promoted black power and armed resistance to the status quo.

He had emerged as an important public figure during that years wave of angry politics. Just that summer, race riots had erupted in New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Jersey City. And as a spokesman for black discontent Malcolm X was, according to the September issues accompanying editorial, partially to blame: The militant hatred he [Malcolm X] preaches was behind some of the violence of the summer riots.

The editorial expressed no high regard for Malcolm X or the Nation of Islam, which had shaped his militant philosophy. Malcolm X might justify his message of violent resistance because he grew up in a violent world, the editors wrote, but it was the same cruel, unjust world that produced non-violent civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

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America may consider itself lucky, the editorial continued, that in a large poll which The New York Times took in Harlem  by coincidence, just before the riots  King had more than 12 times as many followers as Malcolm X. We say lucky, because this fact shows more patience, forbearance, and trust among Negroes than their past treatment has justified.

But how long could patience endure before more Americans adopted Malcolm Xs attitude? The persecuted, neglected, mistreated minority  are equally taxed in all respects, [but] still do not get equal representation, politically or otherwise, the editorial added. Taxation without representation is still tyranny, and until all Americans join in providing every citizen with the rights of citizenship, we shall be lucky if Malcolm X is not succeeded by even weirder and more virulent extremists.

The editorial accompanied a shortened version of Malcolm Xs then unpublished autobiography. The excerpt, provocatively titled Im Talking to You, White Man, gave an account of losing a father to violence and a mother to insanity, drifting into crime and drugs, finding faith in prison through the Nation of Islam and its leader Elijah Muhammad, and taking his spiritual journey even farther.

Readers might have been angered to read Malcolm Xs belief that a mad scientist created the white race. And they might have been irritated to read his response to President Kennedys assassination, which started his separation from his mentor Muhammad. Malcolm X had called the presidents murder a case of the chickens coming home to roost.

I said that the hate in white men had not stopped with the killing of defenseless black people, but that, allowed to spread unchecked, it had struck this countrys Chief of State.

His comment made headlines, of course. Nation of Islam director Muhammad thought the comment was harsh and likely to make life hard on Muslims in general. Malcolm agreed to refrain from making any comments for 90 days. But the incident caused a rift in the Nation of Islam community. Soon Malcolm X announced he would open his own mosque in New York City.

However, the excerpt also included another memorable comment, in its conclusion. After returning from a pilgrimage to Mecca, Malcolm X was asked what had most impressed him. He replied, The brotherhood: The people of all races, colors, from all over the world coming together as one! It has proved to me the power of the One God.

As a result of what he had seen in the Holy Land, he wrote, I have turned my direction away from anything thats racist. But, in consequence of renouncing racism, some of the followers of Elijah Muhammad would still consider it a first-rank honor to kill me.

He had long anticipated a violent death for himself. Earlier in his memoirs, he wrote, It has always stayed on my mind that I would die by violence. I have done all that I can to be prepared. And on February 21, 1965, that death came for him. While giving a speech in New York, Malcolm X was gunned down by three members of the Nation of Islam.

At the time of his death, Doubleday & Co. had been preparing to publish the full-length version of his autobiography. His murder caused them to panic. Not knowing whether employees would be at risk after publishing the autobiography, the company pulled the book from production. Grove Press released it later that year. The book has remained in print for 50 years, with millions of copies sold.

Publishing the memoirs of Malcolm X was a bold move for the Post. It marked how far the Post had departed from its 1950s attitude and contents. But the editors believed the magazine should reflect American society. While they didnt endorse his solution to the problem, they honored his perception and portrayal of it.

Had he lived, Malcolm X would have turned 90 this coming May  a not impossibly old age. We can only guess how he would have developed as a leader. Had he survived the shooting, though, a long life might have been unlikely for him. Even a leader as conciliatory as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. didnt survive those turbulent years. Neither man lived to see his 40th birthday.
Santa Monica, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/21/2017 -- A revolutionary product brought to you by an innovative new company has taken the US coffee industry by storm. The Cold Brew Coffee Maker, Coffee Panda's launch product, launched on Amazon with a huge splash on January 17, 2017. The new, sleek-designed cold coffee brewer promises to change coffee lifestyles across the entire country.



The Cold Brew Coffee Maker is a high capacity (44oz, 1300ml) design. The brewer's components are easily disassembled allowing for thorough cleaning in less than a minute. It introduces hot coffee drinkers to a richer, smoother, and less acidic coffee concentrate. The brewer is perfect for those with sensitive stomachs easily irritated by the acidic bitterness found in traditionally brewed coffee.



About Coffee Panda

Coffee Panda was founded by the husband-wife team of Justin and Amanda Landsman in 2016 as they traveled through Thailand and encountered a progressive and explosive coffee culture. Inspired by the rapidly expanding coffee industry of Northern Thailand, they dedicated themselves to studying the latest brewing methods.



Coffee Panda's mission is to introduce the most innovative brewing technologies into the everyday routines of coffee lovers around the world. The company has placed an emphasis on quality, working with only the best designers in the world to bring their ideas to life. Coffee Panda's products are made of environmentally friendly, highly durable materials constructed to withstand the harsh environment of the average home kitchen.



Courtney and her husband Adam are on board the cold brew coffee revolution with Coffee Panda. "My husband and I have been drinking hot coffee each morning for years. He has bad heart burn so his doctor recommended cutting out acidic foods, including coffee. We read all about Cold Brew Coffee Maker and decided on giving it a try. It has changed our lives. Not only is my husband's heart burn all but gone, but I too am drinking cold brew since making the switch."



Coffee Panda does not intend to stop with its Cold Brew Coffee Maker. Founders, Justin and Amanda, have an entire line of innovative new coffee products planned in the upcoming months and years. Stay tuned for more from this exciting new coffee lifestyle company.



For more information, please visit the following sites:

Amazon Listing: http://coffeepanda.org/shopnow

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoffeePandaBrand/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coffee_panda_brand/?hl=en



Contact:

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Address: Santa Monica, CA

Phone: 480-227-4414

E-Mail: info@coffeepanda.org

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Seattle, WA -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/21/2017 -- According to the new market research report on the "Accelerometer and Gyroscope Market by Accelerometer Type (MEMS, Piezoelectric, and Piezoresistive), Gyroscope Type (MEMS, FOG, RLG, HRG, and DTG), Dimension (1, 2, and 3 Axis), Application (Low End and High End), and Geography - Global Forecast to 2022", the accelerometer and gyroscope market is expected to reach USD 3.50 Billion by 2022. The high-end accelerometer and gyroscope market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.8% between 2016 and 2022, to reach USD 2.07 Billion by 2022 from USD 1.59 Billion in 2015.



Browse 69 market data tables and 75 figures spread through 182 pages and in-depth TOC on "Accelerometer and Gyroscope Market - Global Forecast to 2022"



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The high-end accelerometer and gyroscope market is majorly driven by the increasing defense expenditure globally; whereas, the overall market is driven by factors such as the huge demand from the consumer electronics industry; stringent government regulations for the automotive industry; the emergence of efficient, economic, and compact MEMS technology; growing adoption of automation in industries and homes; and rising demand from emerging economies.



MEMS accelerometers and gyroscopes are expected to witness the highest growth rate for high-end applications



The MEMS accelerometer and gyroscope market for the high-end applications is expected to grow at the highest rate between 2016 and 2022. This is mainly due to the growing deployment of these sensors in remotely operated vehicles, aerospace, industrial and defense sectors. MEMS accelerometers are replacing traditional accelerometers in these applications owing to the benefits of low cost, small size, and high power efficiency.



3-axis accelerometers and gyroscopes expected to hold the largest share during the forecast period



3-axis accelerometers and gyroscopes held the largest share of the overall accelerometer and gyroscope market in 2015 and the same trend is expected to continue till 2022. This is because of the growing level of integration which is driving manufacturers to integrate several functionalities in one system to reduce the number of components per device and to reduce the size and weight of the overall product, for which 3-axis devices are highly suitable.



Asia-Pacific (APAC) is the major consumer of accelerometers and gyroscopes



The APAC region is expected to hold the largest share of the global accelerometer and gyroscope market in 2015. As APAC is emerging as the manufacturing hub for low-end applications such as automotive and consumer electronics, the accelerometer and gyroscope market to holds a comparatively large market share in the APAC region.



Details @ http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/accelerometer-gyroscope-market-205126447.html



The report also profiles the most promising players in the accelerometer and gyroscope market. The competitive landscape of the market is highly dynamic due to the presence of a large number of big and small players. The key players in the accelerometer and gyroscope market are Analog Devices Inc. (U.S.), Colibrys Ltd. (Switzerland), Fizoptika Corp. (Russia), Honeywell International, Inc. (U.S.), InnaLabs (Ireland), InvenSense, Inc. (U.S.), Kionix, Inc. (U.S.), KVH Industries, Inc. (U.S.), Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (Japan), Northrop Grumman LITEF GmbH (Germany), NXP Semiconductors N.V. (Netherlands), Robert Bosch GmbH (Germany), Sensonsor AS (Norway), STMicroelectronics N.V. (Switzerland), and Systron Donner Inertial (U.S.), among others.



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Valley Cottage, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/21/2017 -- Fruit concentrates are primarily used in the beverages industry to manufacture fruit juices and nectars. Concentrates are also used as natural sweeteners and to produce natural food colours. Manufacturers use fruit concentrates in variety of food items so that customers perceive their products as natural. Fruit concentrates increase the nutrient level and reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. Consumption of fruit supplements on a routine basis increases the serum concentration of major vitamins such as vitamin C and vitamin E. Consumption of fruit supplements or fruit juices helps individuals to achieve their food intake requirement. Purees are produced by grinding, pressing or blending vegetables or legumes into a paste or thick liquid. Fruit concentrates are derived from fruit juices after removing the water content. These and are usually thinner than puree and higher in sugar content. Products such as sauces, soups and drinks require puree as a base. Longer shelf life of puree and concentrates makes them suitable base products/ingredients for food processors and downstream manufacturer. Puree Fruit purees taste like fresh fruits and also offer similar benefits.



India's annual fruit production is approximately 94 Mn tonne, making it the second-largest producer of fruits in the world. India also produces a variety of fruits due to the varied climatic conditions in the region. Various growth factors for beverage industry includes using high quality concentrates and puree as consumers are relatively sensitive to the quality and taste of the product. Hence, purchasing fruit concentrates and puree from healthy and reliable sources increases the demand of the product. Another growth factor is product differentiation .Product differentiation can be done by advertising which can boost the company's sale by differentiating the company's product from others. Growing urbanization, increase in disposable income, demand for healthy and convenient food options and changing food consumption pattern are other growth drivers of the market. Some restraints in the industry include lack of infrastructure for cold storage and warehousing, inadequate infrastructure for quality control and testing, inefficient distribution channels, high inventory carrying cost, high cost associated with packaging and high preferences for fresh food and seasonal availability of raw materials.



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On the basis of application, the market can be segmented into beverages, dairy, frozen novelties, flavours, baked food, jams and spreads, soups, sauces, baby food and others. The fruit concentrates and puree market can be segmented geographically into North America, Western Europe, Asia Pacific and Rest of the World.



The fruit concentrates and puree market has been segmented on the basis of geography, type, technology and application. On the basis of type, the market is segmented into fresh, fresh cut, frozen and dried. On the basis of type of fruit used, the major segments are pineapple, mango and banana. Among these, pineapple is the most popular fruit concentrate, accounting for 60% of the world's fruit juice trade.



The major markets for fruit concentrates and puree market are European Union, the Middle East and the U.S. Fruit juices, concentrates and purees are traded internationally and used by a variety of industries; mainly the beverages industry. Beverage industry is the largest end-user of concentrates and purees, producing numerous drinks, nectars and syrups. Mango concentrate is base ingredient for all drinks. Several industries use banana pulp to enhance the flavour of drinks, and it is relatively cheaper than mango. Other products that are traded internationally are acerola from Brazil, Cherimoya from Venezuela and Brazil, Lychee from Brazil and starfruit.



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Innovation is a major strategy companies adopt to increase market share and to meet the changing customer needs. Intense expenditure on advertising helps industries to create opportunities and increase market share. Social media platforms play a pivotal role in building brand image, helping in understanding consumer behaviour and providing personalized solutions. Recently, various companies have been entering into Joint Ventures (JVs) in order to expand product portfolio and increase market share. Companies which signed joint ventures are the U.S., the U.K., Netherlands, Switzerland and Germany. The objective behind JVs is to ensure increased production of puree and fruit concentrates.



Major players in the fruit concentrates and puree market are Oceanaa, DohlerGroup, Capricorn, and Mine Products among others.
Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/21/2017 -- Scope of the Report



The report titled Global Coffee Market: Trends & Opportunities (2016-2020) provides an in-depth analysis of the global coffee market with detailed analysis of market sizing and growth, market share and economic impact of the industry. The report also provides the production and consumption analysis of the market. The report provides detailed market analysis of the global retail coffee market by value and volume along with the segments of the market.



The report provides detailed regional analysis of Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, Latin America Middle East & Africa and Australasia for the coffee market. Regional analysis includes market sizing by value along with the production and consumption analysis. It also provides the retail sales value of each region.



View Report @ http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/analysis/703135



The report also includes the country analysis of Brazil, Vietnam, Indonesia, Ethiopia and India. It provides the production and consumption analysis along with the export-import trends in each of the above mentioned countries.



Furthermore, the report assesses the key opportunities in the market and outlines the factors that are and will be driving the growth of the industry. Growth of the global retail coffee market has also been forecasted for the period 2016-2020, taking into consideration the previous growth patterns, the growth drivers and the current and future trends. The competition in global coffee market is stiff and dominated by the big players like Nestle. Further, key players of the coffee market The J.M. Smucker Company, Mondelez International Inc. and Strauss Group Ltd. are also profiled with their financial information and respective business strategies.



Regional Coverage



Western Europe

Eastern Europe

North America

Asia Pacific

Latin America

Middle East and Africa

Australasia



Country Coverage



Brazil

Vietnam

Indonesia

Ethiopia

India



Company Coverage



The J.M. Smucker Company

Mondelez International Inc.

Strauss Group Ltd.



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Executive Summary



Global coffee market increased at a significant CAGR during the span of 5 years i.e. 2011-2015 and projections are made that the market would rise in the next five years i.e. 2016-2020 tremendously. The market can be segmented on the basis of end-users as retail coffee market and food services market, of which global retail coffee market displayed an increase, driving the global coffee market. The increasing consumption of coffee led by the westernization trend in India, China and Latin America drive the market in the positive direction.



The growth drivers for the global coffee market are: rise in disposable income, rapid urbanization and increase in the population along with the emergence of caf culture and new consumer base. Despite the market is governed by various growth drivers, there are certain challenges faced by the market such as: aging of coffee trees, lack of government support, negative impact of climate change, price volatility and increase in production cost.



Table of Contents



1. Executive Summary



2. Introduction

2.1 Classification of Coffee

2.1.1 Classification of Coffee on the Basis of Types

2.1.2 Classification of Coffee on the Basis of End-Product

2.2 Coffee around the Word

2.2.1 North America & Caribbean

2.2.2 Central America

2.2.3 South America

2.2.4 East Africa

2.2.5 West Africa

2.2.6 The Arabian Peninsula

2.2.7 Asia



3. Global Coffee Market: An Analysis

3.1 Global Coffee Market Growth by Volume

3.2 Global Retail Coffee Market: Sizing and Growth

3.2.1 Global Retail Coffee Market by Value: Actual and Forecast

3.2.2 Global Retail Coffee Market by Volume: Actual and Forecast

3.2.3 Global Retail Coffee Market by Segments

3.3 Global Coffee Production Analysis

3.3.1 Global Coffee Production by Volume: Actual and Forecast

3.3.2 Global Coffee Production by Types

3.4 Global Coffee Consumption Analysis

3.4.1 Global Coffee Consumption by Volume: Actual and Forecast

3.4.2 Global Coffee Consumption as a share of Non-Alcoholic Drinks

3.5 Global Coffee Exports by Volume



4. Regional Coffee Market: An Analysis

4.1 Regional Coffee Market: Sizing and Growth

4.1.1 Global Coffee Market by Region

4.1.2 Global Coffee Production by Region

4.1.3 Global Coffee Consumption by Region

4.1.4 Global Coffee Retail Sales by Region

4.2 The U.S. and Western Europe Coffee Market: Sizing and Growth

4.2.1 The U.S. and Western Europe Coffee Market by Segments

4.3 Asia Coffee Market: Sizing and Growth

4.3.1 Asia Coffee Market by Countries

4.3.2 Asia Coffee Market by Segments



5. Country Analysis

5.1 Brazil Coffee Market: Sizing and Growth

5.1.1 Brazil Coffee Production by Volume

5.1.2 Brazil Domestic Consumption by Volume

5.1.3 Brazil Coffee Exports and Imports by Volume

5.2 Vietnam Coffee Market: Sizing and Growth

5.2.1 Vietnam Coffee Production by Volume

5.2.2 Vietnam Domestic Consumption by Volume

5.2.3 Vietnam Coffee Exports and Imports by Volume

5.3 Indonesia Coffee Market: Sizing and Growth

5.3.1 Indonesia Coffee Production by Volume

5.3.2 Indonesia Domestic Consumption by Volume

5.3.3 Indonesia Coffee Exports and Imports by Volume

5.4 Ethiopia Coffee Market: Sizing and Growth

5.4.1 Ethiopia Coffee Production by Volume

5.4.2 Ethiopia Domestic Consumption by Volume

5.4.3 Ethiopia Coffee Exports by Volume

5.5 India Coffee Market: Sizing and Growth

5.5.1 India Coffee Production by Volume

5.5.2 India Domestic Consumption by Volume



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Valley Cottage, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/21/2017 -- Products which are obtained from different blends and components of eggs and are ready for human consumption are known as egg products. Egg products can partly be complemented by additives or some other food products. They can be found in different forms such as concentrated, crystallized, deep-frozen, liquid, solid, and frozen with a shelf life of three weeks.



About 70% of the eggs are mainly produce in the economies of China, India, U.S., Japan, Indonesia, Mexico, Brazil, and France. In which 36% of the eggs are produce in China and about 11% in Latin America. There are different types of eggs products available in the market which includes pasteurized liquid egg, pasteurized liquid yolk, pasteurized liquid white, dehydrated white, dehydrated egg, hardboiled egg, dehydrated yolk, and ready-cooked meals with egg as their main ingredient.



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As egg and egg products offers a source of protein to the consumers with the slightest environment impact is the major factor driving the growth of the market. Technology changes, government regulations are some of the factors contributing to the growth of the market. As the industry is continuously changing due to rising demand, increasing consumption and production of egg and egg products and technology advancement the market has huge growth opportunities in future. But, the insignificant growth in the international trade with some exceptions can act as a restraint for the market.



Some of the key players of the market are Cal-Maine Foods, Inc., Land O'Lakes, Inc., Noble Foods Ltd, Tyson Foods, Inc., and Ningbo Jiangbei Dexi Foods Co. Ltd.



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Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/20/2017 -- With the advancements in technology worldwide, the demand for using digital services has gained a remarkable growth in a very short time span. According to a new study titled "Telecom Industry in Uruguay: High FTTH and LTE Penetration Levels to Drive Rising Demand for OTT and IoT Applications" it is clearly defined that, with a lot of beneficial services by the enhancement in the telecom sector and innovations of different applications, the country's revenue has increased and are also attracting consumers interest day by day. It is a new country intelligence report which offers an executive level overview and current scenario of the telecommunications market in Uruguay along with future growth prospects during the period 2016 to 2021. This study has been recently placed in the vast portfolio of Market Research Hub's report offerings.



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First of all, the report discusses the overall regional context along with major details of the market competitive landscape. Uruguay is ranked as one of the most developed and prosperous countries of Latin America, which is measured in terms of PPP-adjusted GDP per capita, just below Panama, Chile and Argentina. Currently, the country has one of the highest 4G/LTE penetration rates in Latin America, which mutually combined with a 'high fiber to the home' (FTTH) adoption rate that creates a productive ground for the expansion of a wide range of digital services and applications in sections such as OTT and Internet of Things (IoT) solutions related to smart cities, smart metering, smart home and smart building.



Moreover, the telecommunications market in Uruguay has been segmented on the basis of three major value-added services by the leading network providers including:



Mobile services

Fixed services

Pay-TV



Moreover, analysts have studied that in terms of computer penetration, Uruguay tops all other countries in the region by a considerable margin. With estimated revenue of $1.5bn or 2.9% of GDP, the telecom and pay-TV services market in Uruguay is one of the most emerged segments in the region. Also, high adoption of LTE 4G service with high-speed connections, close to 20 Mbit/s, recently introduced by ANTEL and Claro (Telmex) has created a remarkable growth for the market.



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According to the key findings, the report predicts that the nation's mobile subscriber base will rise at a CAGR of 1.6% during the 2016-2021 period, mainly driven by M2M connections and the increasing implementation of mobile data services, chiefly in less populated parts of the country, where the future expansion of 4G/LTE in the 700MHz band will have a greater impact. Today, increasing use of OTT application like WhatsApp, Facebook messenger, Google Hangouts, Skype, Viber etc. is one of the major factors which has contributed towards the growth of the market.



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Global High Light Discharge Market Research Report 2017- http://www.marketresearchhub.com/report/global-high-light-discharge-market-research-report-2017-report.html



Global Automotive High Speed Tool Steel Market Research Report 2017- http://www.marketresearchhub.com/report/global-automotive-high-speed-tool-steel-market-research-report-2017-report.html



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Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/20/2017 -- Europe Industrial Gears Market: Snapshot



Industrial gears find vast usage across a number of industries owing to the reduction in mechanical work they bring about in a variety of industrial processes and operations. Industrial gears have equally expansive applications in heavy industries as well as in different manufacturing industries. Forming the core of most machinery used extensively in a vast array of industrial processes, the market for industrial gears in the highly industrialized European countries is expected to expand at a healthy pace in the next few years.



The Europe industrial gear market is mostly privatized and the features both international and local companies. Considering the new technologies introduced in the industrial gear market in the recent years, the market has vast potential opportunities for the manufacturers of industrial gears in the near future. As a result, the market is experiencing a high level of competition. Moreover, the entry of international players from North America and Asia Pacific into the region also facilitates the exchange of enhanced gear technologies. Growing competition is expected to ensure steady market growth rate over the forecast period



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Transparency Market Research estimates that the market will exhibit a 4.5% CAGR over the period between 2016 and 2024. At this pace, the market is expected to rise from a valuation of US$24.21 bn in 2015 to US$35.23 bn by 2024.



Magnetic Gears to be Most Promising Industrial Gear Variety in Europe



On the basis of gear types the market is bifurcated into helical gears, bevel gears, worm gears, spur gears, herringbone gears, hypoid gears, crown gears, skew gears, spiral gears, non-circular gears, epicyclic gears, harmonic gears, and magnetic gears. Of these, the segment of helical gears held the dominant 12.4% of the overall market in 2015, in terms of revenue. The segment, however, is expected to witness a sizeable decline in its share in the Europe industrial gears market by 2024 owing to issues such as the production of more heat, less efficiency, and higher maintenance cost as compared to other gears.



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Gear varieties such as worm gear, herringbone gear, and magnetic gear are expected to gain more focus and witness increased adoption across a number of industries over the period between 2016 and 2024. The segment of magnetic gears is expected to exhibit the most promising growth over the said period, an estimated 6.6% CAGR from 2016 through 2024; light weight, compact designs, and low costs of these gears are expected to work in their favor.



Vast Number of Industries to Help Germany Maintain Dominance



In terms of geography, the Europe industrial gears market is examined for U.K., Germany, Italy, France and Rest of Europe. Of these, the market in Germany dominated in terms of revenue contribution to the overall market in 2015. The presence of a large number of industries and a steadily expanding manufacturing sector in the country is fuelling the demand of industrial gears.



Over the forecast period, however, the market for industrial gears in Germany will lose prominence to other regional markets such as France, Italy, and countries in the Rest of the Europe segment, including Spain, Belgium, and the Netherlands. The Rest of the Europe segment will exhibit the most promising pace of growth, an estimated 5.5% CAGR from 2016 to 2024. The market in this region will primarily benefit from the flourishing manufacturing industries like construction, steel, and iron.



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Some of the key players in the industrial gear market are Siemens AG (Germany), Klingelnberg GmbH (Switzerland), Precipart Corporation (U.S.), RenoldPlc (U.K.), BonfiglioliRiduttori S.P.A. (Italy), BMT International S.A. (Luxembourg), Rossi SpA (Italy), Getriebebau NORD GmbH &Co. KG (Germany), NGC (China), and Sumitomo Heavy Industries Ltd. (Japan).



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A University of Cambridge-led team of astronomers, using chemical elements as a proxy for stellar DNA, has assembled an evolutionary family tree of stars in the solar neighborhood.

In evolution, organisms are linked together by a pattern of descent with modification as they evolve.

Stars are very different from living organisms, but they still have a history of shared descent as they are formed from gas clouds, and carry that history in their chemical structure.

By applying the same phylogenetic methods that biologists use to trace descent in plants and animals it is possible to explore the evolution of stars.

Writing in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (arXiv.org preprint), University of Cambridge astronomer Paula Jofre and co-authors describe how they set about creating a phylogenetic tree of life that connects a number of solar neighborhood stars.

In 1859, Charles Darwin published his revolutionary view of life, claiming that all organic beings that have ever lived have descended from one primordial form, the astronomers explained.

One important outcome of Darwins view of descent with modification was the recognition that there is a tree of life or phylogeny that connects all forms of life.

The key assumption in applying a phylogenetic approach is that there is continuity from one generation to the next, with change occurring from ancestral to descendant forms. This assumption is also applicable to stars in galaxies, even if the mechanisms of descent are very different.

The use of algorithms to identify families of stars is a science that is constantly under development, Dr. Jofre added.

Phylogenetic trees add an extra dimension to our endeavors which is why this approach is so special. The branches of the tree serve to inform us about the stars shared history.

Dr. Jofre and her colleagues from the universities of Cambridge and Oxford picked 22 stars, including the Sun, to study.

The oldest star in the sample, HD 220507, is estimated to be 9.8 billion years old, which is twice as old as the Sun. The youngest, HD 96116, is 700 million years old.

The chemical elements were measured from data coming from ground-based high-resolution spectra taken with large telescopes located in the north of Chile.

Once the families were identified using the chemical DNA, their evolution was studied with the help of their ages and kinematical properties obtained from ESAs Hipparcos mission.

Three main stellar populations, i.e. groups of stars sharing a common ancestor, were identified, the astronomers said.

The first one, includes the following stars: the Sun, HD 2071, HD 45184, HD 146233, HD 8406, HD 92719, HD 27063, HD 96116 and HD 134664.

A second stellar population includes the stars: HD 210918, HD 45289 and HD 220507.

A third stellar population appears to be equally independent from the other two populations, and includes the stars HD 78429, HD 208704, HD 20782 and HD 38277.

Finally, six stars  HD 28471, HD 96423, HD 71334, HD 222582, HD 88084 and HD 183658  can not be assigned to any population with enough statistical confidence.

We wanted to show that it is possible to apply phylogenetic analyses and tree thinking in the field of Galactic archaeology, the scientists said.

In biology it is commonly said that to study evolution, one essentially analyses trees. Galactic archaeology should be no different, especially now, during its golden ages.

The difference between stars and animals is immense, but they share the property of changing over time, and so both can be analyzed by building trees of their history, added University of Cambridge Professor Robert Foley, co-author of the study.

_____

Paula Jofre et al. 2017. Cosmic phylogeny: reconstructing the chemical history of the solar neighbourhood with an evolutionary tree. Mon Not R Astron Soc 467 (1): 1140-1153; doi: 10.1093/mnras/stx075
[SANTIAGO] Argentina, Bolivia and Chile are preparing to take advantage of the abundant lithium beneath their salt flats to produce lithium batteries, but experts disagree on how to get more economic benefits out of the resource.

Chilean and Argentine technicians have participated in the design of lithium factories in each country, while Bolivia has hired a Chinese firm to open an experimental lithium battery plant.

Foreign investment in the exploration and extraction of lithium resources in these three countries, which together hold 85 per cent of the world's known reserves, is also increasing: two of the four large global lithium production companies (SQM and Rockwood) are in Chile, and FMC is in Argentina. In Bolivia, the industry is almost artisanal.

One year of lithium sales are equivalent to ten days of copper sales in Chile. Jaime Alee, University of Chile

Demand for lithium has increased considerably thanks to the growing production of electric and hybrid cars that use lithium batteries. Mobile phones, computers, glass, ceramics, lubricant greases, polymers and drugs are among other products that use lithium.

In Chile, the US company Rockwood Lithium, associated with the Chilean Corporation for the Promotion of Production, started in 2016 an investment close to US$600 million to increase its current production of lithium salts of technical grade and lithium batteries, and to develop technology for producing lithium hydroxide from brine.

This will enable Chile to double its production of lithium components in five years. As a result the government will receive an additional income of US$2.7 billion between 2017 and 2043.

Rockwood will also invest up to US$12 million a year into Mining and Solar Technology Development Centers, which will develop technologies such as desert salts that store copper and solar energy for 24 hours.

Under the agreement, Rockwood will also have to sell up to 25 per cent of its production at a preferential price to manufacturers of products such as cathodes or solar lithium.

In Argentina, the national technology company Y-Tec will invest US$60 million in a lithium-ion cell factory that will open in 2018, and will conduct research into lithium-ion cells for batteries with the Italian FAAM Energy Saving Battery.

Jaime Alee, a researcher at the University of Chile, believes that lithium resources are not a panacea for the countrys economic development. One year of lithium sales are equivalent to ten days of copper sales in Chile, he tells SciDev.Net. "It is not a profitable business even if more expensive products such as lithium hydroxide, cathode compounds of battery cells, cathodes and cells are exported.

Neither does he bet on the country producing more industrial products containing lithium. "In many cases, countries that produce certain commodities have no related industries: with its oil, Finland did not manufacture cars but created Nokia," he says.

However, Williams Calderon of the University of Chile believes that the value of lithium is set to increase through development of secondary products and industries, to integrate the metal into other products and technological devices.

This piece was produced by SciDev.Nets Latin America and Caribbean desk.
The flightless cute birds have gathered in Argentina to feast on small fish. One type of penguins, the Magellanic, also known as South American penguins have come together to eat different seafood in the place.

There were more than 1 million of Magellanic penguins in Punta Tombo, Argentina feasting on small fish, according to India Today. This event happens every year. It is part of the Magellanic penguins' migratory pattern. Many locals are enjoying the view of the colony of penguins eating the fish in the peninsula. Hundreds and thousands of people are always going to Argentina just to see the spectacular view. In this time of year, there is an abundance of fish in Punta Tombo, Argentina.

This year, the highest number of the Magellanic penguins was recorded, local officials said. Independent has reported that the peninsula's shorelines have abundant sardines and anchovies that eat Magellanic penguins eat. Every September to October, these penguins come to the same place to mate and then female penguins will give birth to the eggs. They will stay to protect and hatch the eggs. From March to September, these penguins come from as far as Brazil just to go here.

Scientists are advising tourist to come every November so that the baby penguins are born already. However, the baby Magellanic penguins might be stressed due to people watching, scientists added. The Magellanic penguins are about 50 centimeters or 20 inches tall. They have a unique small area of pink flesh on the face. The Magellanic penguins' large semi-circular white feathers that expand from the eyebrow to the chin are what make them identifiable.

Even though Magellanic penguins are coming in large numbers to Argentina and Chile every year, it is reported to be one of the threatened species due to climate change. Another reason is oil spills and decreased of fish in the oceans. The penguins have to travel farther just to eat and hunt for their food which is bad.
Africa's forest animals have no safe place to stay as their population count continues to decline and vulnerable to illegal hunting. Isolated and intact landscapes without active guarding and armed patrols offer unsafe habitats for the creatures.

According to Science Mag, the analysis of the scientists revealed that more than 25,000 of Gabon's forest elephants were killed between 2004 and 2014. Moreover, a similar study in 2013 found out that the population of the said animals has dropped with 62 percent across Central Africa.

The latest study has concentrated on the last stronghold habitat and buffer lands for elephants. Some scientists stated that this "stronghold" slowly erodes. The said habitat was established in 2002 to protect the elephants. The land consists of 7570 square kilometers of Minkebe National Park including 2403 square kilometers of the adjoining buffer zones.

The park was located 48 kilometers from the nearest major road in Gabon in order to be isolated from the public. It took part a large number from the whole population of Africa's elephants. Not anyone could easily arrive to the place, revealed by tropical ecologist John Poulsen, co-author of the study.

The process of estimating the elephant population was conducted through counting the number of dung piles. The study was initially conducted in 2004 and was finally taken out in 2014. The data gathered from 2004 to 2014 proved that the population declined from 35,000 to 7,000. The drastic change and decline was not expected by the researchers.

The main culprit in the massive death of these elephants over the last decade is poaching. As supported by Current Biology, poaching occurs from within Gabon. Gabon's government has addressed the issue only in 2012 by building a national park police. From 2012 to 2015, the guards were able to record 161 poached elephant.

The scientists have further stratified the massive decline of elephants and have found out that poacher from Cameroon is also one of the main cause. The scientists have suggested that urgent enforcement measures and security is needed in order to save the remaining number of elephants.

One of the best solutions to solve the extinction issue in elephants is to decrease the global demands for ivory. Country's persistence in right to ivory trade could continuously induce the decline of elephant's population, as stated by Phyllis C. Lee, an animal behaviorist.
Even the most remote protected areas in Central Africa is no match for poachers on the hunt for gentle giants. As of late February, it has been reported that between 78 and 81 percent of forest elephants in one of the largest preserves was lost due to hunting elephants.

John Poulsen, an assistant professor of tropical ecology at Duke University, said in a news release that, "Our research suggests that more than 25,000 elephants in Gabon's Minkebe National Park may have been killed for their ivory between 2004 and 2014." He also added that nearly half of Central America's estimated 100,000 forest elephant population lives in Gabon. The loss of 25,000 of them has been a considerable setback regarding the preservation of the species.

The research analysis was detailed in the journal Current Biology. It suggested that a significant portion of the poaching came from Gabon's northern border, in Cameroon. Poulsen noted that the changes in the abundance and geographic distribution of elephant dung helped them identify two fronts of the pressure from such poaching practice.

Lack of easily accessible roads in the south of the park somewhat relieved poaching pressures. However, the central and northern parts of the park are only a few miles from a major road, leading from Cameroon, connecting the parklands to its largest city, Douala, which is known for its illegal ivory trade.

Fiona Maisels, a conservation scientists who was part of a 2013 study, noted that the loss of elephant population in Gabon is even graver than researchers and scientists realize. She noted that the area is among the last strongholds in the animal preservation. "Their last bastions are now being eroded," she added.

Gabon's government has put up measures against poaching. In recent years, it even granted forest elephants full protection under the law, with anti-poaching police force burning all ivory confiscated from hunters. However, as UPI mentioned, a single nation can only do so much on its own. To help regain elephant population, there should be help from its neighbors as well.
Kennewick Man, known in the high desert of the Columbia Plateau as the "Ancient One," was finally reburied on Saturday. This was after 20 years of legal battles and scientific studies.

A feeling of finality and catharsis overcame those who fought to reclaim and repatriate the remains of the ancient ancestor, as well as sadness in remembering those who did not live to see such triumph. Still, for the tribes, there had been a sense of accomplishment in seeing the Kennewick Man returned to his rightful burial ground.

Chuck Sams, the communications director of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, said that the return of the Ancient One's remains, despite arguments of scientists, "validated" what they felt all along. The Kennewick Man was theirs and was one of their own.

The Seattle Times reported that over the course of the legal battle, scientists have argued that the Ancient One was not an ancestor of the Columbia Plateau Tribes unearthed from the Columbia River banks in 1996. The bones are said to be among the oldest and most complete ancient human skeletons ever to be discovered in North America. It set off a legal battle between scientists who wanted to study the origin of the remains and the local tribes that wanted them reinterred.

Archeologists initially argued that the proportions of the Ancient One's skull were a closer match to Europeans than to Native Americans. According to Yahoo, this set off the decades-long debate regarding his origins. Five Pacific Northwestern tribes then went to the Army Corps of Engineers, which had jurisdiction over the unearthed bones, and asked to have him handed to them for repatriation in accordance to federal law.

A group of scientists managed to block the handover, arguing that the skeleton was not associated with any of the present-day tribes. Because of federal judges siding with the scientists, the tribes lost the 380 bones and bone fragments, which were then made available for study. These were then locked away at Seattle's Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture.

By 2015, a big break came when scientists announced a close DNA match to an individual from the Colville confederation, one of the five tribes that originally filed the suit. Further studies confirmed that the skeleton was, in fact, in the proper range for Native Americans, leading to a definitive ruling and, eventually, a reburial.
Scientists believe that a giant flying reptile known as Hatzegopteryx, a pterosaur big as a plane, preyed on dinosaurs and other animals in Romania during the Cretaceous period. It was considered the largest and most feared predator in ancient Transylvania.

The study was led by Dr. Mark Witton of the University of Portsmouth and other colleagues. He told the Fox News that they suspected that some giant pterosaurs were terrestrial foragers for a while now. On the other hand, the idea that one could be a stocky, powerful apex predator is not something anyone would have speculated even a few years ago. He further said that it was not that long ago that the idea of a pterosaur occupying a dominant ecological role would have been laughable.

Hatzegopteryx was the biggest pterosaurs that had an approximate wingspan of 10 to 12 meters (33 to 39 feet). It belonged to the genus azhdarchid pterosaur that was found in Transylvania, Romania. Some fossils had been found including a skull, humerus and a neck vertebra with the range of sizes in 2002.

One reason why Hatzegopteryx became the dominant predator in ancient Romania is because of the dynamic of the area itself, which that time had a strange island ecosystem where few predators could compare in size to the winged reptile. Witton explained that the rocks yielding Hatzegopteryx fossils have been studied for hundreds of years, and to date, no evidence of a large predator (other than Hatzegopteryx) has been found. He further explained that there are no giant predatory dinosaurs, no enormous crocodilians and not even a single tooth from one of them.

Other fossils of small predators have been found from these sites. The researchers concluded that without any other large predators to compete with, the Hatzegopteryx, which had massive beak and wingspan and solid build, was the dominant one during the Cretaceous age.
We are anticipating a turnaround this year, as the industry is bottoming out, Chang told a news conference held in Taipei on Monday.

He noted that the long declining freight rates started to move upward last quarter across major routes, with demand staying healthy during the lean season.

The Shanghai Containerised Freight Index saw rates rose to $830.46 per teu in the week ended 17 February 2017, compared to $486.70 per teu in the week ended 19 February 2016. Rates for the major Asia-Europe trade also rose to $858 per teu from $332 per teu over the same period.

Rates for the US West Coast improved to $1,771 per teu from around $800 per teu a year ago while US East Coast rates increased to $3,214 per teu from around $2,000 per teu.

There has been a seachange across the container shipping industry, and carriers are beginning to realise that cutthroat price competition is unsustainable, commented Chang.

The container shipping sector has been consolidating in the face of low earnings and overcapacity. Some notable consolidation deals include the acquisition of Neptune Orient Lines (NOL) by CMA CGM, the merger of Japans K Line, NYK and NOL, and the merger of Hapag-Lloyd and UASC.

Evergreen Marine itself is a member of the Ocean Alliance, which includes CMA CGM, Cosco Shipping Lines, and Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL). The Ocean Alliance is scheduled to start operations in April this year.
Among the 14 container lines that were fined a total of RMB2.39m ($347,200), the Chinese ministry has spoken with eight companies, namely Hamburg Sud, Gold Star Line, Wan Hai Lines, Wan Hai Lines (Singapore), Heung-A Shipping Co, Korea Marine Transport Co (KMTC), Evergreen Marine and CMA CGM.

The names of the remaining six carriers were not mentioned, according to a statement put up by the ministry on its website.

The container shipping firms were said to have failed to record or recorded inaccurate data on their freight rates, with some routes even displaying zero rates.

The carriers that the ministry spoke to have agreed to review their practices and adhere to the regulations going forward, as well as to take a serious view on truthfully declaring and recording freight rates, the transport ministry stated.

The ministry, in its part, said it will tighten its supervision of the international shipping market, raise the level of inspection and impose stiffer penalties so as to maintain a sustainable and healthy market environment.
The MoU will involve several collaborations, including a sister port partnership programme. The port partnership programme, will see Johor Port and MMC develop joint marketing activities with Pelindo IV ports to further enhance feeder service to the eastern Indonesian region.

Pelindo IV operates ports mainly in eastern Indonesia, including in rich commodities exporting regions such as Kalimantan. There are synergies with Johor Port, as a major bulk and liquid commodities port in Malaysia.

These marketing activities would encourage trading of commodities and cargo consolidation activities in Johor, said Johor Port chairman Che Khalib Mohamad Noh.

The agreement will also see Johor Port sharing its experience and expertise with Pelindo IV in the areas of port training services, consultation on container and conventional operations and collaboration on inter-port logistics services.

These operators (Pelindo IV and MMC Ports) hold various expertise in ports management and this collaboration serves as a catalyst that will spur further development and quality of our port operations, competencies and efficiencies alongside other international players, said Che Khalib.

Pelindo IV md Doso Agung and Johor Port ceo Shahrull Allam Shah Abdul Halim signed the MoU at Universitas Pattimura in Ambon, Indonesia.
Acting under the rules of the London Court of International Arbitration, the international tribunal was composed of arbitrators Lord Leonard Hoffmann, Sir Richard Aikens and Peter Leaver QC.

The claim, brought by the government of the East African country in 2014, accused DP World of illegal payments to the head of the countrys port and free zone authority, Abdourahman Boreh, to secure the concession to run DCT in 2006.

In March 2016, the English Commercial Court in London dismissed all charges against Boreh brought against him by the Government of Djibouti, related to his dealings with DP World.

Today the London Court of International Arbitration fully exonerated DP World, stating in the Partial Final Award that:

1.The claimants claims all fail and are dismissed

2.The claimants must bear all costs of the arbitration to date

3.The claimants must pay the legal and other costs of the respondents in the arbitration upon an indemnity basis and in an amount to be determined by this tribunal in a further Award

Throughout arbitration proceedings, DP World has continued to manage the port.
The Libya Observer said that a boat of Khalifa Haftar-led forces intercepted the commercial ship sailing on the sea from South Korea and heading to Misrata port.

The ship was seized along with 12 Filipino crew members and led to Ras Al-Hilal port in east Libya.

Reports stated that the vessel had shipped more than 5,000 Hyundai and Kia cars from South Korea to Egypt before it was intercepted.

The Libyan News Agency reported the leader of the operation said that the ship had not taken heed of their warnings, adding that it was sailing in a no-entry military zone.

We sent a boat to stop the ship and then the ship was tugged into Ras Al-Hilal port to be scoured by the navy personnel, the news agency quoted the operations leader as saying.
This article is part of Michigan's Agricultural Future, a series of stories about Michigans agricultural economy. It is made possible with funding from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. Read more stories in the series here Ten small Upper Peninsula farms are U.S.Department of Agriculture (USDA) food safety certified. About $250,000 in local food products purchased by U.P. schools, hospitals, and restaurants. Hundreds of individuals educated on the benefits of local food, and a strong, growing distribution network to connect local farms with local buyers.These successes are all the work of the Upper Peninsula Food Exchange, an effort spearheaded by the Marquette Food Co-op with grant backing from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.The co-op applied for and received, grant funds totaling $165,000 through the Center for Regional Food Systems at Michigan State University in November 2012. The goal was to put the money to the best uses possible, building and strengthening the U.P.'s local food systems and networks. And that's just what they did.Along with the co-op, two other main partners, MSU Extension in Sault Ste. Marie and the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department in the five westernmost U.P. counties, Marquette Food Co-op began work to connect local food systems, from farms to restaurants, all across the U.P.Matt Gougeon, general manager of the Marquette Food Co-op, says as soon as the co-op started looking at ways to bring local food initiatives together, they linked up with Michelle Walk at MSU Extension in the eastern Upper Peninsula."We realized a lot of what she was doing and what we were doing dovetailed nicely," he says.At times, says Gougeon, there were major challenges involved. The U.P. has a harsh climate and limited food production, the geographic differences from one end of the peninsula to the other are large, and then there's the lack of connection to lower Michigan food distribution networks. The grant allowed the partners to zero in on those problems and take steps to address them.Their work started with education. To increase awareness of local and regional food, the partners conducted a series of local food summits out of which came the idea to create three regional cold storage sites -- east, central and west -- to make distribution easier to commercial and institutional buyers such as hospitals, schools, universities, and restaurants.The cold storage, or aggregation sites, as they're called in food network terms, allow small farmers to deliver their products to one site. Large clients can pick up an order from several different small farms at once, rather than arrange for separate transport and delivery from each individual farm to each client.The next step was to create the online U.P. Food Exchange website -- a virtual ordering system and marketplace for the sale of all those local farm products. Once the infrastructure was in place, the online market made food distribution even easier by overcoming obstacles for small farms and automating the invoicing system across the board."Small farmers put their available inventory up for sale to institutional clients," Gougeon explains. "A hospital or university can go to the site and place orders, then farmers see these orders, can fill them, and deliver them to physical food exchange aggregation sites."The U.P. Food Exchange website is not set up for sales to individuals, says Gougeon, but local farmer's markets in cities and towns across the U.P. are already filling that market need well.To learn about transport issues, the co-op conducted a study of existing distribution channels and trucking routes so they could develop a workable plan to connect with companies that already distribute food throughout the U.P. The goal was to create a self-sustaining local food network for the region."It would have been cost-prohibitive for just the co-op or MSU to do any of this by themselves," Gougeon says. "What we have now are lots of people talking to each other, trying to pull the oars in the same direction."The results have been good. In 2015, upwards of $250,000 in food moved through the online U.P. Food Exchange. Gougeon says the plan is to continue to increase that number. Part of making that happen is getting more institutional and commercial food buyers trained and educated on how to access and use local food. There's a continuing need for farmers to list inventory and for online buyers to use the marketplace, he says."There's a lot of interest in local and regional food, but part of this work is helping purchasers understand it's not just clicking a button and the food appears," says Gougeon. Seasonal, or a limited supply of specific foods, and the possibility of changing costs from month-to-month, can present obstacles to institutional markets. But, Gougeon says, education on how money spent locally improves the economic conditions of the region and other benefits of buying local and regional food products, has helped convince big clients to buy in."Sometimes, it's just getting them to use some local foods, instead of looking for everything locally," Gougeon says. "If they can get just a few, like local potatoes, that's still good."Another major part of the grant went to educating farmers about food safety, which was an important step toward getting U.S. Department of Agriculture certification, called Good Agricultural Practices, or GAP.The MDARD grant funding allowed the co-op to connect with the USDA and the education-focused Wallace Foundation to organize funding for an ambitious new pilot project called Group GAP, which would make it easier for small farms to achieve food safety certification."One of the barriers to small farmers entering institutional markets is getting food safety certifications," says Gougeon. "We worked on this concept called Group GAP. It was hard for small, multiple-product farms to get certified." The GAP program generally is designed for larger, one-crop farms.Using the Group Gap, farmers shared resources and management systems. The group of small farmers also shared the costs of the required federal audits. In 2015, 16 small U.P. farms signed on as pilot project participants to test the guidelines and process for Group GAP certification that the co-op and its partners had hammered out.During the pilot, the farmers got assistance with audits, record-keeping, and formal food safety training. At the end of the pilot, 10 of the 16 farms were GAP certified, a big step in their ability to sell their food products."Once the farm attains that certification, they're good to go to sell their products pretty much anywhere," says Gougeon.The Michigan Group GAP Network is now working on extending the process developed in the pilot program to more Michigan small farms.Phil Britton, a former Marquette Co-op staffer now working at Cherry Capital Foods in Traverse City, was instrumental in writing those Group GAP guidelines, and now works with the Michigan-wide network. "He's taken what was learned and the whole system we developed and is applying it to groups of small farms in lower Michigan," says Gougeon.The goal is to eventually get all small Michigan farms Group GAP certified, perhaps audited by random selection each year, with all the farms sharing the cost of the audit, something that's typically a major burden for a small farm on its own. If that can be accomplished, Gougeon says, "it would be a tremendous boon to getting food into regional markets. That barrier would then be gone for everyone."Overall, the MDARD grant was used to remove obstacles at the local, regional and state levels, obstacles like certification processes, lack of infrastructure, and lack of knowledge. In the case of the U.P. Food Exchange, removing the obstacle of the need for ongoing funding has been key. The end goal is to make the network self-sustaining."The food exchange was set up for anyone to use it," says Gougeon. "It's a shared structure, not owned by the co-op. That's why we brought in all our partners and created it as a resource for anyone to be able to find small farmers in the U.P."Other funding is, in fact, now carrying the exchange, including a grant from the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians that connects Marquette Food Co-op and MSU Extension resources to tribal members and their greater communities through classes on working with local food and connections with tribal food networks.Gougeon says there have been "huge gains" since the food exchange came into existence and the network is setting the stage for further food systems development.There's also been an impact on local policy and planning. A new committee, the Central U.P. Food Policy Committee, was formed as part of the grant work and it has developed an educational document for municipalities to use in infrastructure, policy, and zoning and planning decisions. They hope the result will be more informed decisions regarding local food networks and lowering obstacles to farmers and buyers.In the meantime, the Marquette Food Co-op, MSU Extension, small farms, the Western U.P. Health Department all can be tapped for their expertise through their connections with the U.P. Food Exchange, which in turn helps the exchange become a self-sustaining resource."There's been significant development in a network of agencies, growers, businesses, all connected in a way they weren't before the grant took place," Gougeon saysThe exchange and its related networks have grown and strengthened local food systems. The impact is one that should improve the future of the Upper Peninsula for years to come.Kim Eggleston is a Marquette, Michigan-based freelance writer and editor.
Fifty-five years ago this month (Feb. 20, 1962), John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth. At that time, there was a space race starting up between the United States and the Soviet Union, with the Soviet Union racking up several firsts in a short time. This included the first satellite (Sputnik, 1957) and the first person to not only go into space, but orbit the Earth (Yuri Gagarin, 1962).

The United States had already sent two astronauts into space before Glenn, but Alan Shepard and Gus Grissom's 1961 launches were suborbital flights, meaning that the spacecraft flew up and then splashed down without going around the Earth.

Glenn's achievement - three orbits in space - caught attention worldwide and made him famous overnight. Here are some highlights about Glenn's flight, which was recently featured in the movie "Hidden Figures." Glenn died in late 2016 at age 95.

Marine Astronaut No. 1

John Herschel Glenn (standing at far right) was one of NASA's first seven astronauts, dubbed the Mercury 7 after the Mercury program, NASA's first human space program. The astronauts were selected in 1959 from a group of military pilots. Glenn was the only one selected from the Marines. Prior to joining NASA, Glenn served in the Second World War and the Korean War, did test flights at the prestigious U.S. Naval Test Pilot School in Maryland, and performed the first supersonic transcontinental flight.

RELATED: Fellow Astronaut Recalls Privilege of Going to Space With John Glenn

Before Glenn's flight, two others of the Mercury 7 flew in space: Al Shepard (seated, second from left) and Gus Grissom (seated, at left). Shepard and Grissom each flew suborbital flights on a Redstone rocket. For orbital flight, Glenn required another kind of rocket called the Atlas; he was the first human to use it.

Learning About the Human Body

When Glenn climbed into his tiny spacecraft ("Friendship 7"), the United States had about 30 minutes of spaceflight experience. The effects on the human body were very poorly understood at that time, so some of the main science experiments aimed to figure out what would happen if a human was in space for hours at a time. (Today, we are still trying to answer that question, but dealing with a matter of months or years.)

"Eyes were one thing that I was to check," Glenn said in a 1997 oral interview with NASA. "Whether I felt any imbalance or vertigo was another thing to be checked. They didn't know whether you could swallow properly or not. I wasn't going to be up long enough that I really had to have a meal or two meals or anything, but they wanted me to take material along to swallow, which I did. They wanted to know if there was any change of feel, fingers or anything like that, any tendency toward any sickness, whether it was induced from the inner ear or wherever."

Heat Shield Warning

Glenn flew into space on Feb. 20, 1962 after several delays relating to weather and equipment problems. Besides the science experiments, Glenn was tasked to fly the spacecraft manually as a test to see if he could maintain altitude, but as it turned out the automatic-control system failed and Glenn instead flew in manual mode because he had no choice.

RELATED: John Glenn, American Hero and NASA Astronaut, Has Died

Glenn's time in space lasted nearly five hours. Late in his flight, data from the spacecraft indicated the heat shield was loose, meaning that his spacecraft was at risk of being destroyed during re-entry due to the heat caused by the friction of the spacecraft against the atmosphere. Glenn was instructed to keep his retrorocket pack attached as a precaution. Later analysis determined the heat-shield indicator was false.

Tracking Eye Problems

One of the questions doctors wanted to learn was how the eye changes in space, whether its shape would change and affect vision. While there was no large change when Glenn was in microgravity for a few hours, in recent years NASA and other entities have identified eye problems with astronauts staying in orbit for long periods of time (months). Research into how to address the problem is still ongoing.

"At the top of the instrument panel is a little Snellen chart like the eye chart they use in doctors' offices, miniaturized for the distance from my eyes to the panel," Glenn said in a 1997 interview with NASA. "I was to read the smallest line I could read every twenty minutes all during flight and report what that was, so if my eyes were changing shape or vision was changing, I would be able to report this."

Fame and Statements on Female Astronauts

Glenn returned to worldwide fame, receiving the attention of President John F. Kennedy (right of picture) and Kennedy's wife Jackie. Kennedy gave Glenn the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, and over time Glenn became a friend of the president and his family. Glenn also received a ticker-tape parade in New York City and spoke before the House Committee on Science and Astronautics in 1962. At the time, Glenn said that he favored selecting astronauts from military pilots - a career that was just about 100 percent male.

RELATED: How John Glenn Drew the First Orbital Flight

"The men go off and fight the wars and fly the airplanes and come back and help design and build and test them. The fact that women are not in this field is a fact of our social order," Glenn said in 1962, echoing the sexism of his era, according to Smithsonian Magazine. His position softened in a few years, however, when he advocated for having women in NASA's scientist-astronaut program that selected astronauts in the late 1960s. Sally Ride - the first American woman to fly in space - flew two decades after Glenn, in 1983.

Return to Space

After the flight, Glenn was reportedly grounded from further space excursions because he was deemed too valuable an astronaut to lose.He resigned from NASA shortly after his flight, and subsequently ran for the U.S. Senate. After a few failed attempts, he was elected for the state of Ohio in 1974 and was a member for a quarter-century, until 1999.

But it turns out his time in space wasn't over yet. In 1998, Glenn flew on the space shuttle Discovery for an eight-day mission at age 77, making him the oldest person to fly in space. Among the experiments he participated in were several related to aging, and how an older human body adapts to space. Glenn remained an active public speaker for years, even making an appearance at the Apollo 11 30th anniversary celebration in Washington, D.C. in 2009 (at age 88). He died in December 2016 at age 95, the last surviving member of the Mercury 7.
Being a teenager isn't easy, and for adolescents just coming into their identity as sexual minorities, it can be even more daunting. But researchers at Johns Hopkins University may have identified one factor that could be making things easier.

Analyzing survey data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Julia Raifman, a post-doctoral fellow at the Bloomberg School for Public Health, found a significant reduction in suicide attempts among gay, lesbian and bisexual adolescents in states where gay marriage had been legalized.

Conducting a state-by-state analysis of adolescent suicide attempt rates, Raifman found that after same-sex marriage policies had been put into place, there was a seven percent decline in suicide attempts among all high school students, while rates among gay, lesbian, and bisexual teens dropped by 14 percent.

Annually, the policies are estimated to reduce suicide attempts by 134,000. States that did not implement same-sex marriage, by comparison, saw no reduction in suicide attempts among high school students.

"These are high school students so they aren't getting married any time soon, for the most part," Raifman said in a statement. "Still, permitting same-sex marriage reduces structural stigma associated with sexual orientation."

The study appears in JAMA Pediatrics.

RELATED: Protesters Call for Marriage Equality in Taiwan Gay Pride Parade

Suicide is currently the second most common cause of death among people between the ages of 15 and 24 in the United States, according to CDC statistics. Those rates have been rising in recent years, with data indicating that suicide attempts requiring medical attention among adolescents increased 47 percent between 2009 and 2015. The rate among gay, lesbian and bisexual adolescents is nearly five times higher than that of heterosexual teens.

While Raifman said it was unclear whether political campaigns surrounding the legalization of same-sex marriage could have contributed to the drop in suicide attempts, the observed reduction took place only after the law had been enacted, not in years leading up to the change. And by looking at a shift in rates within each state, rather by comparing states to one another, they were able to control for cultural differences that could affect data.

Public support for gay marriage has steadily increased nationwide over the past 15 years. While only 35 percent of Americans supported gay marriage in 2001, in 2016 that number had jumped to 55 percent, according to the Pew Research Center.

Her team also found that the means by which the policy was enacted - by legislative or judicial decision - made no difference in terms of the data. In 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that same-sex marriage was a legal right throughout the United States. But in the years leading up to that decision, state legislatures passed same-sex marriage laws in 11 states while judicial decisions established it as legal in another 25 states, according to the National Conference on State Legislatures (NCSL).

Phillip Gordon, a literature professor at the University of WisconsinPlateville who studies popular representations of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) culture, celebrated the findings.

"Data points like this are extremely important," he said. "It's important to note that it's not just the fact that the states were debating, or that same-sex marriage was part of a national conversation - it seems to be specifically related of the enactment of same-sex marriage laws in these states."

He is, however, worried about how transgender youth could fit into the picture, a concern that Raifman shares.

Gordon notes that often, marriage laws that are widely celebrated in gay communities have little effect on transgender life. Currently, survey data on gender identity are not collected, making it impossible to determine how such policies could affect trans youth differently from those identifying as gay, lesbian and bisexual.

"Marriage equality can normalize lesbian, gay, and bisexual lives, where trans people are peripheral to that, at best," he added. "Once gay marriage was settled, trans identity became the new frontier."

RELATED: Transgender ID Not Mental Disorder: Study

Gordon also worries that as same-sex marriage becomes more accepted, attacks on the trans community could increase, calling bathroom bills the "rallying cry for anti-LGBT" forces. As of 2017, legislators in 14 states had proposed some version of a bathroom bill intended to restrict access to multiuser restrooms, according to NCSL.

While a poll conducted by Pew Research Center found that two-thirds of adults under 30 believe transgender people should be allowed to use the restroom that match their gender identity, adults in their 30s and 40s are evenly split on the question, and adults over 50 believe they should be required to use the bathroom of the gender assigned at birth.

"I wonder, in the couple of years, what the effect of some new laws will be on those who are non-gender conforming," Gordon added.

It's one of the many areas, Raifman said, where more research is needed.

"From this study, there are a lot of implications - in terms of research, it is important to know how social policies and equal rights effect health outcomes," Raifman said, noting the potential impact of religious freedom bills pending across the country.

In coming years, she is planning more research into the ways that social policies affect the health of LGBT youth. Gay, lesbian and bisexual adolescents are also at increased risk of substance abuse, depression, and HIV, she added.

"Policymakers need to be aware that policies on sexual minority rights can have a real effect on the mental health of adolescents," Raifman said in a statement. "The policies at the top can dictate in ways both positive and negative what happens further down."

WATCH: The Historic Ruling On Same-Sex Marriage
Bam files resolution to look into field trips

A lawmaker wants to look into the field trip accident that left 15 people dead to craft a better guidelines regarding educational tours and make out-of-school activities safer for students.

"Gusto nating alamin ang nangyari at pangalawa, kung anong reporma ang kailangang gawin upang mas maging ligtas ang out-of-school activities sa ating mga kabataan," said Sen. Bam Aquino, chairman of the Committee on Education, as he filed Senate Resolution No. 297, calling for a probe on the accident.

"We agree in general na mahalaga ang ganitong activities but it must be done in a safe environment na alam nating ligtas ang mga kabataan natin," he added.

Sen. Bam said the committee probe will focus on reforms that must be implemented to ensure that there will be no repeat of such incident that cost the lives of 13 students, a teacher and the bus driver.

The senator will also invite representatives from the Department of Education (DepEd) to discuss regulations regarding field trips in elementary and high schools.

The senator also expressed support behind the planned investigation of the Commission on Higher Education and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board on the matter.

Fifteen people, including 13 students and a teacher from Bestlink College, died when the bus they were riding met an accident in Tanay, Rizal.

According to initial investigation, the students were en-route to a medical and survival training for their National Service Training Program subject when the bus lost its brakes while traversing a curved highway before hitting a electrical post and a tree.
Press Release

February 21, 2017 Pasay court finds Drilon accuser guilty of libel A Pasay City trial court yesterday found an accuser of Senate President Pro-Tempore Franklin M. Drilon guilty of libel. The Pasay City Regional Trial Court Branch 188 found Manuel Mejorada guilty of four counts of libel filed by Drilon in 2014. The court sentenced Mejorada to an imprisonment of two to four years. "I welcome the Pasay Regional Trial Court's decision holding Manuel Mejorada guilty of libel for publishing malicious articles and social media posts against me," Drilon said in a statement. "My family and I are grateful that the court's decision confirms the truth--that Mejorada is merely peddling lies and malicious stories to further whatever ulterior motive he has," he said. The senator said that the decision only validates the fact that Mejorada was motivated by pure malice and all his allegations against me are complete lies and fabrications. "The records of any case is bereft of any showing that Mejorada verified his stories," the court said in a 33-page decision penned by Presiding Judge Rowena Nieves A. Tan. "Accused claimed that his accusations were based on established and documented facts, and yet he never presented any proof of such accusation," it added. "My record as a public servant for three decades speaks of my firm belief in press freedom. I am a staunch believer and defender of the freedom of the press. Throughout my career I have always maintained an open and healthy relationship with the media and held them in high regard," Drilon said. However, he added, this freedom also demands accountability and does not give the media or anyone free rein to maliciously tarnish a man's reputation. "To defend my name, my honor and my family, I filed a case against Mr. Mejorada in 2014 for fabricating vitriolic and false accusations against me," Drilon said. Drilon underscored that even the Ombudsman previously junked all the cases that Mejorada filed against him for being baseless, particularly with regard to the construction of Iloilo Convention Center. Also the subject of Drilon's libel cases against Mejorada is the construction of Iloilo Circumferential Road and Iloilo Ferry Terminal Project, wherein Mejorada accused Drilon of overpricing. "You will recall, too, that Mejorada himself, during the Senate hearing, admitted that he had no material evidence to prove his allegations, and that he merely relied on online sources such as Wikipedia. "Mr. Mejorada will stop at nothing to ruin my name and my credibility as a public servant. My only recourse was to invoke the aid of the law."
Press Release

February 21, 2017 "ONLINE VIOLENCE IS VIOLENCE" - HONTIVEROS TELLS YOUTH QUEZON CITY - The digital is real, according to Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday, urging young people to stand against online violence, especially those that are driven by hate and misogyny. Citing data from the Foundation for Media Alternatives, Hontiveros said that there have been 160 cases of online violence, most of them in the National Capital Region. Hontiveros said that she is alarmed by the rise of gender-based electronic violence. "Social media has become a powerful tool for expression, information and advocacy", the Senator said during the Talakayan ng Bayan (TALAB) conference organized by the Office for Social Concern and Involvement of the Ateneo de Manila University. "But it has also become an avenue for harassment, misogyny and homophobia", she lamented. Hontiveros, who chairs the Senate Committee on Women and Gender Equality, said that 57% of online violence resulted to physical harm and 53% have been perpetrated by someone known to the victim. Also a victim Hontiveros confessed that she is not exempt from online threats. "Ipapa-rape daw niya ako sa 24 na lalake", the Akbayan Senator revealed, quoting a Davao-based netizen who tweeted her. "Our team later found out he is not a troll but a real person with a real account, probably thinking those statements are harmless", she narrated. But they are harmful, according to the Senator. "Online and social media should be safe spaces for self-expression. Instead, dark elements hope to silence women in this arena through threats of rape and violence". In November last year, anti-Marcos activist Anne Nicole de Castro also experienced online violence when male netizens threatened her with gang-rape. De Castro, a college student in one of the universities in Metro Manila, turned to the Senator to advocate against online violence. Many of the victims are young people who use social media as their primary outlet of expression. These attacks have the effect of silencing this expression, and contributing to a culture of misogyny and hate. Filipino youth are the biggest consumers of the internet, with six out of ten aged 15-24 being regular internet users, and 78% having mobile phones. Currently, there are 47 million active Facebook accounts in the Philippines. Anti-Gender Based Electronic Violence Act The Senator advised that self-regulation is still the primary principle of online and social media use. "But there are those who cross the line, and the problem must be addressed". Hontiveros filed Senate Bill No. 1251 or the Gender-Based Electronic Violence Act. The proposed measure will penalize online harassment including threats based on a person's gender or sexual orientation. The bill is part of Hontiveros' Tres Marias Bills, including an expansion of the scope of sexual harassment to peer-to-peer harassment and the amendments to the Anti-Rape Law. "There is an urgent need to institute protective measures and strategic policies to combat the prevalence of the rape culture in our society which leads to physical sexual assault and other forms of violence against our women and children", Hontiveros maintained. "You have the power to change the social media landscape", Hontiveros advised the students in the conference. "With your peers, you can promote equality and respect, and finally stand up against online violence. Let's reclaim the internet", she concluded.
Opening Statement of Senator Loren Legarda

Hearing on the Proposed Rightsizing the National Government Act

Committee on Civil Service, Government Reorganization and Professional Regulation, Subcommittee on SBN 1162 and 1167

21 February 2017 | Recto Room, Senate of the Philippines

Good afternoon and welcome to the hearing of the Subcommittee on Senate Bill Nos. 1162 and 1167, under the Committee on Civil Service, Government Reorganization and Professional Regulation.

I wish to thank our resource persons today as we discuss the proposed Rightsizing the National Government Act.

During his inaugural speech, the President himself expressed concern over the size of our bureaucracy. From 176 departments in 2000, there are now 186 departments in the national government. The national government employs about 1.3 million workers or about 1.3% of our population. The increase in the number of government agencies, without doubt, has a significant impact on our budget.

For 2017, 29.57% of our budget of P3.35 trillion (or P990.5 billion) is allocated for Personnel Services (PS), an increase from 2016's 27.05% (P812 billion) and 2015's 28.62% (P746 billion).

Aside from these budgetary implications, a big bureaucracy has a negative impact on government performance and efficiency. The overlapping jurisdictions and redundant functions of several agencies result in confusing regulatory rules, red tape, and inefficient delivery of public goods and services - all to the detriment of the Filipino people. To continue funding these redundant and outdated agencies is certainly a waste of our limited resources.

It is time we address the inefficiencies brought about by our bloated bureaucracy by rationalizing the organizational structure and functions of national government agencies. This Rightsizing Bill seeks to address these concerns and aims to improve government efficiency through a leaner, cleaner, and more competent bureaucracy.
Press Release

February 21, 2017 POE SEEKS TO STRENGTHEN PNP-INTERNAL AFFAIRS Sen. Grace Poe today called for the strengthening of the Internal Affairs Service (IAS) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to effectively carry out the speedy resolution of cases involving policemen. During the hearing of the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs, it was revealed that manpower lack and low salaries in the IAS hamper the IAS in probing policemen charged with wrongdoing. Atty. Alfegar Triambulo, former Davao Region director of the National Police Commission (Napolcom) and the newly appointed civilian head of PNP-IAS, told senators that currently, the police service's institutional watchdog only has two intelligence officers and eight investigators and needs adequate personnel per region. "We have to throw our support by enacting laws that will truly address the needs of the PNP to effectively serve the public. My particular concern is the Internal Affairs Service because they are the ones that conduct investigations on rogue and erring cops and one of their concerns is to have more manpower, to have a higher salary base and also to have more powers to be able to issue subpoenas," Poe told reporters at the sidelines of the Senate hearing. Poe, author of Senate Bill No. 868 or the proposed PNP-IAS Reform Act, said it is high time that the IAS be given powers to summon certain individuals and have contempt powers. Poe also lamented the fact that the PNP-IAS' power under the existing law is only recommendatory in nature, and that any result of their investigation goes to the PNP Chief and Napolcom for review. "Ang IAS kasi ang nag-iimbestiga ng mga pulis na kasangkot sa mga anomalya. Sila dapat ang nangunguna sa pag-iimbestiga dito. Tapos ang liit pa ng mga sweldo nila kaya talagang mahihirapan sila na imbestigahang mabuti ang mga kurakot na mga pulis sapagkat kulang na kulang talaga sa suporta ang Internal Affairs Service," she added.
The streets and highways of the Bay Area offer a bone-jarring, tire-popping punch of a reminder that this winters abundant rainfall has done more than fill reservoirs, fracture dam spillways and generate mudslides. Its also produced a bumper crop of potholes.

Potholes, ranging in size from somewhat petite cracks or holes the size of a fist to monsters bigger than a cows head, are popping up all over the regions city streets and congested freeways.

Theyre caused when rain seeps through cracks in the pavement and eats away at the underlying roadbed. The pressure and pumping motion produced by traffic causes the pavement to sag, crack, crumble and pop open.

Drivers unfortunate enough to slam into deep potholes at high speeds often end up damaging the tires, wheels and suspensions of their cars, causing hundreds or even thousands of dollars of damage. Some rattled drivers have taken to social media to vent their anger.

The potholes in #Oakland are (vicious)!!!, tweeted Arriana R. And theyre getting bigger and bigger.

By most accounts, there are more potholes this winter than anytime in recent memory, which makes sense given this winters prodigious amounts of precipitation.

Rain causes potholes, so lots of rain causes lots of potholes, said Sean Maher, spokesman for Oakland Public Works.

Caltrans crews have been busy clearing landslides and repairing roads damaged by flooding and washed-out roadbeds. But in between downpours, they still managed to fill 34,415 potholes statewide last month  42 percent more than in January 2016, according to Caltrans figures.

San Francisco public works crews have been similarly busy, despite repaving hundreds of blocks of its streets each year for the past five years. In January, city workers filled 3,000 potholes  about double an average month, according to spokeswoman Rachel Gordon.

Rain is the enemy of pavement, Gordon said. But along with the rain, the high number of street repairs by city crews, she said, may be the result of a campaign asking people to report potholes by calling 311.

Almost all potholes are filled within 72 hours of being reported, she said. In Oakland, however, city crews have been too busy with safety-related calls for flooding, mudslides, toppled trees and other major storm damage to concentrate on potholes. But city officials are aware of the multiplying numbers of them and are getting ready to act, Maher said.

Given the urgency of this situation, we are developing plans now to reallocate resources to quickly address the increased number of potholes, he said.

Rocquel Johnson, a Bay Area Caltrans spokeswoman, said the unrelenting nature of this winters storms has kept freeway work crews from getting to potholes as quickly as the department would like. The pavement, Johnson said, has to be relatively dry and the weather not too cold for a patch to take hold.

Were doing the best we can, she said.

In some severe cases, Caltrans has issued emergency contracts to restore the damaged portion of roadway until a more permanent fix can be made. Thats the case on the Altamont Pass on Interstate 580, where $2 million of emergency repairs are being made in advance of a $60 million repaving of the freeway scheduled in a few months.

Asked for the worst Bay Area locations for potholes, Johnson stifled a chuckle.

I think it depends where you live, she said. Everybody thinks their area is the most impacted.

But its not just the rain thats to blame, transportation advocates say. The deteriorating condition of Californias roads and highways has consistently earned them a rating of among the worst in the nation, leaving them with more cracks and crevices for rain to seep in.

A really good road in a rainy winter can deal with it, said Randy Rentschler, spokesman for the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, which monitors pavement conditions in Bay Area cities. But a poorly maintained, alligator-cracked road cant deal with being dumped on for three months.

Caltrans estimates that the states highways face a $59 billion backlog of maintenance and repairs. Local streets and roads need even more work  $73 billion, according to a separate report. Despite pleas from Gov. Jerry Brown, transportation advocates and business leaders, state lawmakers have failed to come up with a plan to fund the improvements.

For drivers who unwittingly slam into a rain-filled pothole on a dark highway, theres often a more immediate price to pay.

Buzz Nasey, manager of Ted & Als Service Center on Stanyan Street in San Francisco, said hes seen an increase in cars with pothole-induced damage this winter. In the past week, two cars came in with blown tires and bent or scuffed rims, he said.

The cost of replacing or repairing tires and rims starts at about $200 and can easily run into the thousands if the suspension or alignment or the cars undercarriage or body are damaged. Pothole encounters can also cause hidden damage to the alignment, he said.

If people are experiencing a lot of pothole activity, it would be a good idea to have alignments checked, Nasey said.

Victims of potholes who suffer damage to their vehicles, and not just their psyches, can file a claim with Caltrans, Johnson said. Claims dont appear to be up so far this winter, she said, but the rainy season isnt over yet. Caltrans sets no minimum or maximum level for filing a claim and considers each separately. She had no specifics but said some claims do get paid.

Its always important to file something even if you feel you wont get anything out of it, she said. Theyre letting us know there is a problem. They should always file a claim.

Michael Cabanatuan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ctuan

Damage claims

Instructions on how to file a claim for damage caused by a pothole on state highways: www.dot.ca.gov/damageclaims.html

To report potholes to Caltrans: www.dot.ca.gov/hq/maint/msrsubmit

In San Francisco, potholes should be reported by calling 311.

In Oakland, report potholes to the Oakland Call Center: (510) 615-5566, www.oaklandpw.com, callcenter@oaklandnet.com or through the mobile app SeeClickFix.
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Despite relentless rain and gusty winds, scores of hardy Bay Area protesters showed up in San Francisco on Presidents Day to voice their opposition to the nations commander in chief.

The weather was rough enough to force the cancellation of one of two scheduled Not My Presidents Day rallies in San Francisco. A noon event in Justin Herman Plaza, organized by San Franciscans United Against Trump, was called off an hour before its start because organizers were concerned the weather could wreak havoc with an overhead awning and a rain tarp.

About 60 protesters, many carrying rain-soaked signs, showed up anyway. They gathered in a knot to express their disappointment at the cancellation and share news of upcoming protests, then marched across the street to briefly wave signs in front of the Ferry Building.

Others made their way to the Phillip Burton Federal Building on Golden Gate Avenue, where about 50 people gathered for a soggy rally.

The San Francisco protesters were among thousands who attended Not My Presidents Day rallies around the nation, including thousands in New York and several hundred in Chicago and Washington, D.C. The crowds were much smaller than the Womens March events the day after President Trumps inauguration, but the message of resistance and persistence was the same.

At Justin Herman Plaza, protesters waved signs reading Deport Trump, Impeach the traitor and If facts are your enemy, you are mine. They said they were committed to protesting against Trump.

I dont think we can let anything get in the way of resistance  including rain, said Rebecca Hensler, 48, a school counselor from El Cerrito. This administration is going to tear away our rights every day, so we have to be ready to come out and protest.

Christine Pelkin, 62, a registered nurse from Richmond, said she has committed her free time to protesting Trump.

Rain is nothing. We have to keep resisting, she said. This is now my second job. We cant let up and pretend whats happening is normal.

San Francisco retiree Tes Welborn said she attended the Womens March and has continued to show up at protests because Im concerned about the constitutional crisis thats going on. Trump is doing things that are illegal under the Constitution.

We have to do everything we can to throw sand under the wheels of those taking illegal actions and violating the Constitution, she said.

In front of the Ferry Building, James Sheridan, 53, a scientist from Mountain View, carried a sign reading: Mr. Putin: Let Trump release his taxes. He said he showed up to protest on behalf of people afraid to speak out because of their race or religion.

A lot of people are frightened, and its easier for me, someone whos male, white, has blondish hair and blue eyes, he said. And I plan to keep standing out here until (Trump) is gone or until he starts speaking to people in a different tone.

Michael Cabanatuan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ctuan
The Department of Homeland Security issued two memos Tuesday outlining how it will implement President Trumps executive orders on illegal immigration  calling on federal agents to remove from the country undocumented immigrants convicted of any criminal offense.

The memos also direct the Department of Homeland Security to immediately hire 5,000 new Border Patrol agents and 500 air and marine officers. They direct the agency to create more detention facilities for undocumented immigrants swept up in raids, and to establish an office under the umbrella of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency to help families of those killed by undocumented immigrants.

The guidance memos signed by Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly dramatically change the enforcement policies pursued by the Obama administration.

It implements new policies designed to stem illegal immigration and facilitate the detection, apprehension, detention and removal of aliens who have no lawful basis to enter or remain in the United States, one of the memos says.

Under former President Barack Obama, most undocumented immigrants expelled from the country had been convicted of serious crimes. Obama also focused primarily on border states, but the new directives expand enforcement to interior states and instruct ICE officials to recruit police and sheriffs deputies across the county to help with deportations.

The guidance makes clear, however, that ICE should prioritize several categories of removable aliens who have committed crimes, beginning with those convicted of criminal offense, the memos say.

Trump signed the executive orders on Jan. 25.

The memos also:

 Reiterate Trumps plan to build a wall along the Mexican border and instruct the officials to immediately identify and allocate all sources of available funding for the planning, design, construction and maintenance of a wall.

 Commission a comprehensive study on border security.

 Direct the Department of Homeland Security to develop a method for public reporting of statistical data regarding aliens apprehended at or near the border for violating the immigration law.

The moves will likely prompt criticism from so-called sanctuary cities such as San Francisco, where local law enforcement agencies typically are barred from cooperating with deportation efforts. In his State of the State speech in January, Gov. Jerry Brown said, Let me be clear, we will defend everybody  every man, woman and child who has come here for a better life and has contributed to the well-being of our state.

The Chronicle has reported on Trumps plans to handle undocumented immigrants. Here are some links:

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

 Immigrants alarmed as Trump uses crime fears to push policy

 Advocates for people facing deportation have limited ways to help

 SF archbishop on Trump: Church will aid undocumented immigrants

Bill Hutchinson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: bhutchinson@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @bill_hutchinson
Kinestral Technologies employee Craig Henricksen told the conference room windows to switch from clear to tinted. Less than five minutes later the room got darker, without him having to move an inch or close any shades.

Theres no reason we cant have it as simple as ordering a pizza, said Henricksen, director of product management for the South San Francisco startup.

The demonstration showed more than just a lazy way to darken or brighten a room. These smart, Internet-connected windows are part of a nascent construction-industry trend that should generate about $9.1 billion in revenue worldwide by 2020, said analyst Dependra Lall of the research and consulting firm IndustryARC.

Thats why Kinestral and a Bay Area rival, View of Milpitas, recently landed a combined $165 million in new financing. Both have key partnerships with the worlds biggest glass manufacturers.

Smart windows are starting to appear in commercial buildings around the Bay Area. The first commercial customer for Kinestral, which calls its windows Halio, is a building in San Franciscos Mission Bay district. Meanwhile, Views Dynamic Glass has been installed in an Oracle building and Levis Stadium in Santa Clara as well as a new tech center just west of the San Leandro BART station.

Although it may be years before smart windows are affordable for average homes, View CEO Rao Mulpuri sees a clear future for the automated glass business.

Our vision is not to build a niche business, Mulpuri said in an interview. We think life is too short. We want to build something that is widely used.

Kinestral is a relative newcomer in a market led by View and SageGlass, owned by French glass giant Saint-Gobain, said Rob Tenent, an emerging building technologies researcher with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colorado. Smart windows have been in development since the 1970s, but its only in the last few years that the technologies, components and advances in manufacturing have brought the cost down.

Neither Kinestral nor View would give specific price figures for their products, but Tenent estimates that smart glass costs $50 to $100 per square foot, compared with about $10 to $15 for regular glass.

But there are other factors, such as an overall push to create more energy-saving buildings. Office workers already steeped in consumer technology are also more accustomed to the idea of offices becoming more functional, Tenent said.

But the smart-window industry must convince the normally risk-averse construction industry that smart windows are worth the money and effort to install, he said.

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Smart glass changes the color and tint of a window through a reaction of chemicals and low-voltage electricity. By allowing more sunlight in when the glass is clear, a room or building can cut lighting costs by using more natural light. By adjusting the glass during certain times of the day or the year, the building can lower heating or air conditioning costs by using or blocking sunlight.

Kinestral is also working on integrating Amazons Alexa voice-activated technology into its smart windows; that was what Henricksen was testing in his recent conference room demonstration.

Smart-window proponents say their products are more effective than old-fashioned, hand-drawn blinds  or even motorized blinds  because they can be programmed to automatically adjust for variables such as a sudden rain shower that darkens the room or higher-than-expected outdoor temperatures. The windows have individual Internet addresses, which means each pane can be programmed separately.

And considering the wall-size windows installed in San Franciscos newest high-rises, office tenants and residents might want a better way to block the suns glare without harming the view, Henricksen said.

You drive around San Francisco and half the windows have blinds drawn, Henricksen said. We live in one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and no ones enjoying the views or the natural light. We have this love-hate relationship with the sun. Theres very real benefits to the sun, until its too much.

Smart windows can also create more or less privacy.

Kinestrals first commercial customer, Alexandria Real Estate Equities, installed Halio windows both inside and on the outside of a new building on Owens Street in Mission Bay. Alexandria used the glass for a conference room and lounge area partition wall to retain the open feel of the space while enabling privacy on demand, said Greg Gehlen, the companys vice president of construction and development.

The building also installed the glass to control heat and glare in kitchen skylights.

Kinestral says its glass starts tinting within 20 seconds and can reach its darkest state within five minutes. Alexandria chose Halio glass because it is very clear in the clear state and it changes to the tinted state faster than the existing technology that we have seen, Gehlen said.

In January, Kinestral closed a $65 million round of financing led by Tokyos AGC Asahi Glass, a century-old company that is one of the worlds three largest glass manufacturers. The funding will help Kinestral, which makes its windows in a plant in Hayward, market Halio in North America this year and internationally in 2018.

The deal gives Kinestral good visibility even in a relatively new market, said IndustryARCs Lall. They have a good future.

Views Dynamic Glass can take about a half hour for its larger windows to fully tint. The company has about 300 customers, including online retailer Overstock, which installed them in its circular headquarters in Utah. Another 150 installations are in progress.

Views 20 customers in the Bay Area include the first building to open in the San Leandro Tech Campus, which is better known for its Burning Man Truth is Beauty statue outside.

BART riders might notice the windows on the east side of the building are tinted during the morning commute and clearer in the afternoon, said Deepak Shivaprasad, Views director of product management.

Theres also a small View glass demonstration area on the main concourse level at Levis Stadium.

This month View closed a $100 million round led by New Yorks TIAA Investments. Views previous investors included Corning, another of the worlds top glass companies.

Were clearly not even scratching the surface, Malpuri said. Once you have some installations, they really sell themselves.

Tenent said consumers are seeing other types of smart glass, such as self-tinting rear view mirrors in cars and in Boeings 787 Dreamliner.

But smart-window technology is also evolving. The renewable energy laboratory is working with a researcher who accidentally discovered a way to make a solar panel that starts clear, but can both turn darker and capture solar energy when sunlight hits, Tenent said.

That technology is only in the prototype stage for now, but Tenent believes its going to follow a similar path that a lot of the dynamic glass (makers) have followed.

Benny Evangelista is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: bevangelista@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ChronicleBenny
Readers have asked a number of questions on tax topics. As the April 18 deadline for individual and family returns draws closer, here are some answers.

Q: My primary insurance is Medicare (parts A and B). I did not receive a Form 1095-B last year for coverage in 2015, and I have not received one this year for coverage in 2016. I contacted Medicare to inquire about this, but the customer service representative was unable to determine whether I should or would be receiving a Form 1095-B. Should someone in my situation should be getting a Form 1095-B from Medicare?

A: Probably not, but dont worry. The Affordable Care Act requires individuals to have qualifying health care insurance, qualify for an exemption or face a penalty when filing their tax return.

People who had qualifying coverage for all or part of the year generally receive Form 1095-A, B or C from their employer, insurance provider, state marketplace or government program. This form, which is also sent to the Internal Revenue Service, verifies health coverage.

Medicare Part A, including coverage through a Medicare Advantage plan, is considered qualifying health coverage, said Medicare spokesman Jack Cheevers.

However, Medicare issues Form 1095-B to only three groups of people: beneficiaries younger than 65 with Medicare Part A, those who enrolled in Medicare Part A for the first time the previous year (in this case 2016) and those who had Medicare Part A for only part of the year. Fewer than 25 percent of people with Medicare will receive Form 1095-B for 2016, Cheevers added.

People who had Medicare Part A for all 12 months last year simply need to check a box on their (2016) tax return to indicate that they had health coverage, Cheevers said.

If you think you should have received the form but didnt, call (800) 633-4223.

Q: Thanks for your column on claiming a parent as a dependent, which ends with information about deducting medical expenses. Claiming a parent as a dependent requires listing the parents name and Social Security number on the tax form. But when the parent does not qualify and is not claimed as a dependent, would that person need to be identified to claim the parents medical expenses as an itemized deduction on Schedule A and if so, where?

A: To recap my previous column, you might be able to claim a parent as a dependent on your tax return if you provided more than half of the parents support and the parents annual gross income for 2016 was less than $4,050. There are a few other hurdles, but those are the big ones.

If you paid your parents medical expenses and provided more than half of your parents support, you might be able to claim those medical expenses as an itemized deduction on your own tax return, even if your parent cannot be claimed as a dependent because he or she has too much income. In this case, which the reader is asking about, the parents identity will not be disclosed anywhere on the tax return. The parents medical expenses will be listed on Schedule A, along with the taxpayers expenses, summed up as a single number, said Juan Montes, an enrolled agent in Ceres (Stanislaus County).

However, the reader should retain all pertinent records in case of an audit. She will need to show that she provided over half of her parents support, paid the medical expenses and met the other tests (except for the income test). Remember that you can only deduct medical expenses, including your own, that exceed 10 percent of your adjusted gross income (or 7.5 percent if you or your spouse turned 65 before Jan. 2, 2016).

Q: My wife and I are both retired (70 & 79). My mother has lived with us since 1999 and is now 101. Fortunately, she is in excellent health and receives only Social Security benefits of about $1,200 per month. In seeking to declare her as a dependent, all of the requirements cited in your column are met by us in this case. However, our accountant states that if we declare her as a dependent she will lose her Medi-Cal benefits. Is that accurate?

A: Based on the facts you provided, your accountant is mistaken. The Affordable Care Act has created some confusion in this area. The act did change income-counting rules for some Medi-Cal recipients  mainly adults 64 and under, parents, children, and pregnant women, said Cori Racela, a senior attorney with the Western Center on Law & Poverty. For those groups, it does matter how people claim each other on their taxes (although it is not a requirement to file taxes to get Medi-Cal).

However, the income rules for people who are 65 or older, blind or disabled are the same as before the act took effect. For them, tax filings have no bearing on Medi-Cal eligibility. Whether or not they claim mom as a dependent wont affect her eligibility. Her income and assets will be the deciding factor.

Kathleen Pender is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. Email: kpender@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kathpender
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Taipei, Feb. 21 (CNA) President Tsai Ing-wen () pledged Tuesday that the government will make every effort to boost the development of smart cities in Taiwan and will work closely with local governments to improve the quality of life for the people, at the opening of the 2017 Smart City Summit and Expo.
Swaying/dancing/strumming/drum-pounding girls in embroidered Mexican dresses sang out and started the show on Thursday, Feb. 16, at the home of Robert Mailer Anderson and Nicola Miner. The party was a fundraiser for Los Cenzontles Cultural Arts Academy, a San Pablo nonprofit that celebrates  by teaching, performing and exhibiting  the music and arts of Mexico and, in particular, Mexican immigrants to the United States.

Thursday, of course, had been declared a national Day Without Immigrants. Many businesses closed that day to express opposition to recent government anti-immigrant policies. There was much cocktail conversation at the reception about that mornings White House news conference, but once the music began, the exuberant party that followed was a respite in a parallel universe. The beat of the drums, the soaring voices of those girls drew invitees away from the margarita room, away from the covered patio where Traci Des Jardins and her crew were dishing up tacos, and into the living room, where they crowded in every corner to listen.

The girls performance was followed by bold-faced names aplenty  including Linda Ronstadt, Edward James Olmos, Los Lobos David Hidalgo and Los Super Sevens Flaco Jimenez, Dave Alvin, Max Baca and Pete Sears  and sure, there was some cell phone jockeying to snap pictures of them. But by the time the band was in full swing, every atom of the atmosphere was permeated with the music, people had somehow found room in that living room to dance. Whether anyone was a boldfaced name didnt seem important.

A brochure included founder/executive director Eugene Rodriguezs big-picture note that Los Cenzontles model of empowering our community by providing hands-on, culturally-based, intergenerational arts programming has been adopted around the country.

The little picture was of a rambunctious one-night gathering in a house on Pacific Avenue, folding chairs pushed to the side as the boldfaced joined the plain-faced to listen, to make music and to dance. By the end of the night, no one was talking about the news conference.

At Mrs. Dalloways Book Store in Berkeley on Wednesday, Feb. 15, Elizabeth Farnsworths reading/signing of her new memoir, A Train Through Time, drew a standing-room-only crowd of Bay Area literati: Adam and Arlie Hochschild, poets Robert Hass and Brenda Hillman, novelists Linda Spalding and Michael Ondaatje, journalist and Berkeley Library honoree Linda Schacht.

The book mixes fact and fiction in an unusual way, and it was the challenge of the author  a broadcast journalist with impeccable speaking skills  to talk about it while not giving away its mysteries. So Farnsworth added to passages she read about her own experiences in war zones, providing some glimpses into the current state of war zone journalism. The job is less safe than ever, with increasing numbers of fatalities among journalists, who nowadays get close to the action with cameras that have been miniaturized.

Agence France-Presse, she said, is one of many news outlets that require reporters to take training in first aid and self-protection techniques before being dispatched. In addition, to prevent freelancers from risking their lives while staffers sit in safety, the French news service wont accept work from freelancers working in areas  like some part of Syria  where they wont send their own staff reporters.

Teenagers who participate in San Francisco Rec & Parks Young Peoples Teen Musical Theater Company decided that the just-concluded run of this years winter production, The Addams Family, should be used as a fundraiser for Planned Parenthood. Their curtain speech solicited contributions tossed into buckets on the way out of the theater. By the end of the run, they had collected $3,000.

The fund-a-need goal at a Planned Parenthood of Northern California dinner at the St. Regis on Thursday, Feb. 16, was $100,000. As attendees who donated text-messaged their contributions, their names were projected on a large visible screen. They raised $263,256, reports M.B., and most of the scrolling names of donors were Mike Pence, Melania Trump, Kellyanne Conway, Melissa McCarthy. Great fun.

 I have PTSD, Sean Dowdall told his sister, Katherine Ireland. Pretty Tired and Sick of Donald.

Leah Garchik is open for business in San Francisco, (415) 777-8426. Email: lgarchik@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @leahgarchik

Public Eavesdropping

This play, A Thousand Splendid Suns, was sure better than The Nutcracker.
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The dean of engineering at Georgia Tech has been named to take over as chancellor of UC Davis, university officials announced Tuesday.

Gary May, 52, is expected to start the job on Aug. 1, if confirmed by the University of California Board of Regents on Thursday. A computer tech specialist, he is particularly noted for his vigorous encouragement of minorities and women in scholarship.

Mays appointment follows months of speculation and upheaval after former Chancellor Linda Katehi resigned from the $420,000 position in August amid allegations of nepotism, improper use of student fees and false statements about university contracts.

Katehi was widely criticized by students and faculty for her conduct, including her leadership following a demonstration involving the pepper-spraying of peaceful protestors on the Davis campus in 2011.

Her scandal-plagued final year as chancellor was an unhappy chapter in the life of UC Davis, said UC President Janet Napolitano.

Gary May is a dynamic leader and an accomplished scholar and engineer with a passion for helping others succeed, Napolitano said in a written statement. He was chosen from an extraordinarily talented pool of candidates because I believe hes the right person to guide UC Davis to even greater heights, advancing academic and research initiatives, building a stronger community with students, faculty and staff, and furthering relations with the larger Davis and Sacramento areas.

Interim Chancellor Ralph Hexter is expected to remain in the position until the new chancellor arrives.

Many UC Davis faculty members were unfamiliar with May but said they were hopeful that the university would move past the upheaval in leadership.

Im certainly looking forward to getting some stability, said Jon Rossini, associate professor of theater and dance, as well as vice-chair of the universitys Academic Senate. Im looking forward to settling down and (addressing) all the challenges we face.

May has led the engineering department at the Georgia Institute of Technology since 2011, overseeing 400 faculty members and 13,000 students. UC Davis has 1,600 faculty members and 35,000 students.

For the past five years, Dean May has led the nations largest and most diverse college of engineering, Georgia Tech President G.P. Bud Peterson said in a statement. His commitment to mentoring students and developing programs to attract and retain female and underrepresented minorities in STEM fields has benefited students, not only here at Georgia Tech but throughout the nation.

A native of Missouri, May received a bachelors degree in electrical engineering from Georgia Tech, and masters and doctoral degrees from UC Berkeley. He has specialized in computer-aided manufacturing of integrated circuits.

At Georgia Tech, May focused on efforts to increase diversity among students, academics and professionals in math, science, engineering and technology, raising $17 million in federal and foundation funding to establish programs for minority students.

With help from the universitys mentoring programs, more than 430 minority students have earned doctorates in engineering or computer science at Georgia Tech, the most in the country, according to officials.

In my classes and early in my career, it always concerned me how few people like me there were, May said in a statement. By that I dont mean smart or determined or curious people. I mean African Americans, and people of color in general, and also women. Thats when I became interested in finding ways to ensure equal access to education and opportunity.

May said the job at UC Davis offered a truly exceptional opportunity.

UC Davis is renowned for its excellent education and research, for providing its diverse student body with exceptional pathways for upward mobility and leadership, for giving its faculty opportunities for impactful discovery, and for serving the state and nation in areas of critical need, he said. These values speak to my spirit, and I cannot wait to join the campus community.

Jill Tucker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jtucker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jilltucker
Courtesy of the California Department of Water Resources

An examination of Californias dam safety precautions by staff writers Joaquin Palomino and Cynthia Dizikes highlighted some unacceptable gaps in both rules and practices.

Their report, published Sunday, came at a time of heightened concern about the conditions of all of the states 1,585 dams after the deterioration of spillways at the nations tallest  the Oroville Dam  at a time when rains were pushing its reservoir levels to the limit. Its precarious condition recently resulted in a mass temporary evacuation of residents and businesses within the Feather Rivers potential flood zone.
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A president. A pot raid. A journey to the bottom of the bay. The USS Potomac has never failed to sail into stories during its decades in the Bay Area and beyond.

Recent images of smiling children aboard the Potomac sparked my interest and led me to The Chronicles archive in search of photos, articles and newspaper pages that told the story of President Franklin D. Roosevelts Floating White House. I found so many snippets of history I couldnt fit them all into one post.

The ship was originally commissioned in 1934 as the Coast Guard Cutter Electra. Roosevelt, who had been secretary of the Navy, enjoyed being on the water, so he had the 165-foot steel vessel retrofitted and recommissioned in 1936 as the USS Potomac. Roosevelt used the yacht for business and pleasure, chartering many fishing trips and hosting important political figures, including Great Britains King George VI and Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

When Harry Truman became U.S. president, he changed yachts, setting the Potomac on a course to the auction block. The ship spent several years in the Caribbean as a steamer, carrying passengers and cargo.

In 1964, Elvis Presley bought the Potomac at an auction, planning to donate it to the March of Dimes, in honor of Roosevelt. The charity thanked Presley, but declined the gift, citing maintenance costs. The rock legend then tried to give it to the Florida Coast Guard Auxiliary, but that agency refused, as well. St Jude Hospital and its founder, comedian Danny Thomas, finally accepted the ship as a gift, and the King could move on.

The Potomac sold a few more times as dreams for the yacht came and went, crushed by high renovation costs. It ended up docked for a while in Long Beach as a floating disco.

The story took another strange turn in 1980, when the yacht was being towed from Stockton to San Francisco, with talk of spending a boatload of money to turn it into a tourist attraction. Instead, on Sept. 11, 1980, the Potomac and another ship, the Valkyrie, were seized in a $40 million marijuana bust at Pier 26 in the city.

Sixteen people were arrested, including the Potomacs owner, Aubrey Phillips. The Valkyrie had transported the pot and the Potomac had been the command center for the illicit operation. Both ships had displayed large Crippled Children Society of America signs as a meager disguise.

It appeared to be all over for the Potomac when on March 18, 1981, it sunk in 35 feet of water while berthed at Treasure Island.

It looks like she died of old age, said Lt. Cmdr. G. Ray Olsen. Her hull is corroded and very rusty.

Id scrap her  the whole bottoms rotten, added Tim Hinkster, a Pacific DryDock employee.

The Coast Guard wouldnt be deterred, and raised the ship out of San Francisco Bay and again put it up for auction.

No luck.

Another try, and a drop in price, produced a taker, Walter Abernathy, a Port of Oakland executive. He was also the only suitor, and he bought the Potomac with a minimum bid of $15,000. Abernathy took some razzing, with his purchase called Wallys Folly, but he remained optimistic. I figured anything that attracted that much attention had to be valuable, he said. So I thought, Lets do it.

According to Chronicle reporter Sandy Zane, the restoration of the presidential yacht cost $5 million. Half the money came from a federal matching grant, and the rest was raised through private channels, in large part due to Roosevelts son James and his grandson Michael, who lived in Berkeley.

Since then, the Potomac has seen relatively smooth sailing. More than a quarter million people have visited the Floating White House in Oakland since it opened to the public in 1995.

Bill Van Niekerken is the library director of The San Francisco Chronicle, where he has worked since 1985. In his weekly column, From the Archive, he explores the depths of The Chronicles vast photography archive in search of interesting historical tales related to the city by the bay.
Jerry Garcia's famed "Wolf" guitar will be returning to the Guernsey auction block in late May, with all proceeds from the sale going to the Southern Poverty Law Center.

The Grateful Dead guitarist first debuted the famed instrument in 1973 at a show in New York City for a group of Hell's Angels, and, after favoring it for nearly 20 years, he retired it after a February 1993 concert at the Oakland Coliseum.
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The San Francisco Giants logo covers much of Tim Davis upper arm, but the ink signifies more than a love for his local team. Davis, who has lived in the Bay Area for all of his 27 years, says the tattoo memorializes his father, who passed in 2014.

My dad was a diehard Giants fan, said Davis. It was one of the things we always connected on.

Megan Beardslee and her husband, on the other hand, got matching Giants tattoos solely to make their "undying love and commitment to the team" permanent.

In this counterculture-loving region, ink abounds, and many locals arent afraid to show their city pride with a tattoo. If anything runs deeper than tattoo ink, it might just be love for the Bay.

Jenee Palmer tattooed a silhouette of San Francisco's horizon in response to how I was feeling about the state of our country after the election.

The Oakland resident said the tattoo serves as a permanent reminder of what keeps me grounded  the city.

For others, like Sacramento resident Ryan Sullivan, a tattoo of the San Francisco skyline commemorates his fond memories of a place he no longer lives. Sullivan lived in Daly City until he was 22, when high rents forced him to move north.

Many tatted locals said their ink serves as a reminder of the Bay Area of yesteryear, which lives on solely in nostalgic memories  and their tattoos.

Said Palmer, [San Francisco] is not the same place I grew up in, but my heart still beats with the pulse of the city.

Although this city might be changing, these tattoos are forever.

Click through the above gallery for a look at ink that inspired by this region. Got some of your own? Send it to the email address below and we may feature it on SFGATE.

Read Michelle Robertsons latest stories and send her tattoo pics at mrobertson@sfchronicle.com.
WASHINGTON  In a case that could further roil relations with Mexico, the Supreme Court considered on Tuesday whether the parents of a 15-year-old Mexican boy killed by a U.S. border guard may sue in U.S. courts.

The teenager, Sergio Hernandez Guereca, was on the Mexican side of the border when the guard, Jesus Mesa Jr., standing about 60 feet away in U.S. territory, shot him in the head.

A lawyer for the youths parents faced two kinds of hurdles at Tuesdays argument. Even justices sympathetic to the parents appeared to be worried about the implications of a ruling in their favor, which would extend constitutional protections beyond the nations borders. And some justices suggested that any solution should come from Congress rather than the courts.

The lawyer, Robert Hilliard, said he sought only a narrow ruling. The Constitution applies abroad, he said, only when the challenged conduct starts in the United States, when the killer and the victim are both civilians, when the constitutional right at issue is the right to life, and when the foreign government supports the suit.

Chief Justice John Roberts said that this test as proposed by Hilliard was opportunistic rather than principled. Thats a test that, surprisingly, fits the exact facts of your case, he said with a note of sarcasm.

The chief justice said a ruling in the parents favor could have implications in many areas, including a drone strike in Iraq where the plane is piloted from Nevada.

Justice Stephen Breyer said the parents had a very sympathetic case. But he said it was hard to rule in their favor without considering the decisions implications for many other cases.

The case started in 2010, with four Mexican boys playing in the dry bed of the Rio Grande that separates El Paso, Texas, from Juarez, Mexico.

The boys dared one another to run up a concrete incline and touch the barbed wire of the U.S. border fence. Mesa, the border guard, grabbed one of them.

Sergio fled, and he made it back to Mexico before Mesa shot him.

A statement issued by the FBI the day after the shooting suggested that Mesa had been justified in using deadly force because Sergio had thrown rocks at him. But when the Justice Department closed its investigation into the shooting in 2012, it said that a group of smugglers had thrown rocks, but it did not accuse Sergio of doing so.

Adam Liptak is a New York Times writer.
Right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos has been disinvited to this years Conservative Political Action Conference after his attempt to clarify past comments on relationships between boys and older men fell flat with organizers. Hours later, his publisher canceled his book Dangerous, which had been scheduled to come out in June.

The American Conservative Union founded and hosts the conference, which is being held Wednesday through Saturday outside Washington. In a tweet Monday, ACU chairman Matt Schlapp said that due to the revelation of an offensive video in the past 24 hours condoning pedophilia, the American Conservative Union has decided to rescind the invitation of Milo Yiannopoulos to speak.

After the polarizing Breitbart News editor was invited, his invitation sparked a backlash. The conservative Reagan Battalion blog tweeted video clips Sunday in which Yiannopoulos discussed Jews, sexual consent, statutory rape, child abuse and homosexuality.

Later Monday, Simon & Schuster and its Threshold Editions imprint announced that after careful consideration they had pulled the book, for which preorders placed it high on Amazon.coms best-seller lists. The subject of intense controversy, Dangerous was originally scheduled to come out in March. But Yiannopoulos pushed back the release to June so he could write about the protests during his recent campus tour, including a canceled appearance at UC Berkeley.

At the time of his publishers decision Monday, Dangerous ranked No. 83 on Amazons overall list and No. 1 in the subcategory of Censorship & Politics.

More than 100 Simon & Schuster authors had objected to his book deal, which was announced in December, and Roxane Gay withdrew a planned book. Some bookstores had said they would not sell it, although the National Coalition Against Censorship and other free speech organizations had defended the publisher. Threshold is a conservative imprint that has published books by President Trump, who has defended Yiannopoulos, and former Vice President Dick Cheney among others.

On Facebook, Yiannopoulos blamed deceptive editing and his own sloppy phrasing for any indication he supported pedophilia. The British author said he spoke of his own relationship when he was 17 with a man who was 29. The age of consent in Britain is 16.

Its unclear who edited the videos.

We realize that Mr. Yiannopoulos has responded on Facebook, but it is insufficient, Schlapp said. We urge him to immediately further address these disturbing comments.

Yiannopoulos writes for Breitbart News, considered by many a platform for the alt-right movement, an offshoot of conservatism that mixes racism, white nationalism and populism.
1 Doctor sentenced: Jurors sentenced a former Dallas neurosurgeon to life in prison Monday for maiming patients who had turned to him for surgery to resolve debilitating injuries. The decision came almost a week after the jury convicted Christopher Duntsch, 44, of first-degree felony injury to an elderly person. Prosecutors alleged numerous cases of malpractice against the former Plano physician, including that he improperly placed screws and plates along patients spines, left a sponge in another patient and cut a major vein in another. Two of his patients died. Prosecutors had accused Duntsch of maiming four patients. Duntschs attorneys argued he wasnt a criminal, just a lousy surgeon.

2 Tornado damage: Severe storms triggered at least three tornadoes in San Antonio, ripping the roofs off homes and damaging dozens of other houses and apartments yet causing only minor injuries, authorities said Monday. A National Weather Service survey team confirmed that a tornado with winds hitting 105 mph struck a residential area about 5 miles north of downtown. Of the 43 homes damaged in the area, three fully collapsed, fire officials said. Five minor injuries were reported. Citywide, more than 100 structures were damaged by storms.
NEW BRITAIN, Conn.  Nelba Marquez-Greene believes the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre, which killed her 6-year-old daughter, could have been avoided if more had been done years earlier to address the social isolation and mental health problems of the shooter, Adam Lanza.

To help other vulnerable youths, Marquez-Greene, a family therapist, is working with a Connecticut school system on a program to help students connect with one another.

I want people to remember that Adam, the person who did this, was also once 6 and in a first-grade classroom, and that if we had reached out earlier then maybe this could have changed, Marquez-Greene said.

Marquez-Greenes Ana Grace Project foundation, named for her slain daughter, is working with four elementary schools in New Britain, a city just west of Hartford, to teach empathy, combat bullying and help socially isolated children.

Her Love Wins campaign, created with a local teacher, builds on the existing curriculum and also brings therapists and interns into the schools to help identify children who need extra help with social skills.

She is one of several people touched by the December 2012 shooting inside Sandy Hook who have become involved in the broader movement to incorporate social and emotional learning in American schools.

Scarlett Lewis, whose son Jesse was among the 20 children killed, was involved in pushing for a 2015 law that allows federal funds to be used by schools for such things as recognizing the early signs of mental illness and crisis-intervention training. She has a foundation that has developed its own social-emotional learning curriculum and is being used on a pilot basis in four schools across the country.

I believe this is an urgent matter, Lewis said. I believe it would have saved my sons life, as well as the lives of other victims across the United States and reduce bullying.

In the years before the 20-year-old Lanza carried out the massacre, he spent long stretches of time isolated in his mothers home and had psychiatric ailments that went without treatment, according to investigators, who never pinpointed a motive for the shooting.

Pat Eaton-Robb is an Associated Press writer.
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The federal government can redirect water from a Northern California dam to prevent mass die-offs of salmon in drought years, water that otherwise would be shipped to Central Valley farmers, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday.

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation had authority under a 1955 federal law to release Trinity River water from the Lewiston Dam in 2013 into the Klamath River, where salmon were migrating to their spawning grounds, said the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco.

That law allowed the government to take appropriate measures to preserve fish and wildlife, the court said. And it gave the Bureau of Reclamation substantial discretion to determine what constitutes appropriate measures in the face of unforeseen or changing circumstances, Judge N. Randy Smith said in the 3-0 ruling. He said the law specified maintaining Trinity River water flow as one of the appropriate measures the bureau could take.

In addition, Smith said, under California law dam owners, including the federal government, are required, not merely permitted, to release enough water to keep in good condition any fish that may be planted or exist below the dam.

Smith, generally one of the courts more conservative judges, was appointed by President George W. Bush.

A lawyer for fishing groups that supported the increased water flows said the state law would be a safeguard if the Trump administration refused to order releases in future drought years.

The court has said you have a duty under state law to protect these fish, said Trent Orr, an attorney with Earthjustice in San Francisco.

At a campaign rally in Fresno in May, candidate Donald Trump said Californias drought, then in its fifth year, was a fiction and that the state had plenty of water but chose to shove it out to sea ... to protect a certain kind of 3-inch fish.

That fish, the delta smelt, is a threatened species that California protects by limiting releases of water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. Trump promised his supporters that, once elected, were going to start opening up the water, so that you can have your farmers survive.

The Justice Department, which represented the Bureau of Reclamation, did not respond to a request for comment on the ruling. There was no immediate comment from lawyers for the Westlands Water District and the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority, which challenged the bureaus actions.

For most of the past half-century, water from the Trinity River, a Klamath tributary, has been largely diverted to the federal Central Valley Project for agricultural use, but the deaths of about 34,000 Klamath River salmon prompted a federal judge in 2002 to authorize increased flows to the river. As water supplies dwindled in 2013, the Bureau of Reclamation ordered renewed flows from Lewiston Dam to protect the salmon, and did so again the following two years.

In upholding the bureaus actions, the court cited both the 1955 wildlife-protection law and other measures intended to protect the fishery resources of the Hoopa Valley tribe, in the Trinity River basin, and the Yurok tribe in the lower Klamath basin.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @egelko
A moisture-packed storm moved into Northern California Sunday night, dumping rain on the Bay Area through early Tuesday morning.

The National Weather Service released a list of the highest 48-hour rainfall totals at spots around the San Francisco Bay Area and Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties (above we highlight some of those).
Uber has hired former U.S. attorney general Eric Holder to help lead an investigation into claims of sexual harassment and discrimination that a former female employee made public over the weekend in a highly circulated blog post.

CEO Travis Kalanick told employees in a memo Monday that the review will be conducted in short order and that it will involve, among others, the participation of Arianna Huffington, founder of the Huffington Post and an Uber board member, and Liane Hornsey, the companys recently hired human resources chief.

Susan Fowler Rigetti wrote that during her year working as an engineer at Uber, she and other female staffers reported multiple instances of sexual harassment and discrimination to the companys human resources department.

Rigetti wrote that soon after starting at the company, she received messages from a manager stating he was in an open relationship and that he made advances toward her. When she reported the incident to human resources, Rigetti wrote, she was told it was the managers first offense and she was advised to transfer teams. Rigetti writes that she later learned other women had also complained about the same manager.

It was such a blatant lie that there was really nothing I could do. There was nothing any of us could do. We all gave up on Uber HR and our managers after that, wrote Rigetti, who now works for online payment firm Stripe, according to her LinkedIn profile.

In a tweet on Sunday, Kalanick called the behavior described in Rigettis blog post abhorrent & against everything we believe in and pledged that anyone who behaves this way or thinks this is OK will be fired.

The San Francisco ride-hailing service is still containing fallout over Kalanicks former role on a board advising President Trump, and the companys response to the executive order banning travel by citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries.

During last months protests against the travel ban, Uber continued to provide rides to fliers arriving at New Yorks John F. Kennedy Airport even after the citys taxi cabs went on strike to show solidarity with protesters.

Uber said it was not trying to break the strike, but a social media campaign called on users to delete the Uber app, and those calls were renewed after Rigettis blog post.

In another incident, Rigetti alleges that all of the teams male engineers were given leather jackets as a company perk, but the female engineers were not because there were too few of them to qualify for a bulk discount. Rigetti reported the unequal treatment to human resources and was subsequently called into a meeting, she wrote.

The HR rep began the meeting by asking me if I had noticed that *I* was the common theme in all of the reports I had been making, and that if I had ever considered that I might be the problem, Rigetti writes.

In his memo, Kalanick told employees that the review conducted by Holder will investigate both Rigettis claims and diversity and inclusion at Uber more broadly.

What is driving me through all this is a determination that we take whats happened as an opportunity to heal wounds of the past and set a new standard for justice in the workplace, Kalanick wrote to employees.

Uber is not the first technology company to face allegations of sex-based harassment and discrimination, and tech culture has been criticized in the past for being inhospitable to women and minorities.

Many of the Bay Areas high-profile tech firms have come under fire for their lack of female and minority employees, particularly in engineering and other technical roles.

Kalanick wrote that 15.1 percent of Uber employees in science, product management and engineering roles are women, and that the company plans to publish a more comprehensive report on Ubers diversity soon.

Uber representatives declined to comment for this story.

Steven Overly is a Washington Post writer.
California Highway Patrol /

A driver died at a hospital this evening after crashing a car into a California Highway Patrol vehicle that was assisting a disabled vehicle on southbound Interstate Highway 280 in Los Altos Hills.

The officer suffered only minor injuries, according to the CHP, and no other victims were transported to a hospital.